South Africa: NSFAS prepares to open 2022 applications for student funding

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has welcomed the green light given by Higher Education, Science, and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, to open online applications for 2022.

Online applications for 2022 are for applicants who would need government bursaries to further their studies at any of the 25 public universities or 50 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges, including students who previously studied without NSFAS.

On Tuesday, Nzimande visited the NSFAS headquarters in Cape Town to assess the state of readiness for the 2022 online applications system process for first time students, and returning students who previously studied without NSFAS.

Nzimande expressed his appreciation to the system improvements and significant considerations made to simplify the application process for eligible students.

I am quite confident from the demonstration I have seen, that we are ready to open the 2022 online application for eligible students, Nzimande said.

Speaking on the approval of the opening of the online applications for 2022, NSFAS board chairperson, Ernest Khosa, said the approval by the Minister to allow NSFAS to open the 2022 online application is an indication that the public entity is taking steps in the right direction.

We appreciate the confidence and the support the new NSFAS Board and management is receiving from the Minister. Our team has demonstrated to the Minister all the stages each application will go through when submitted by an applicant [and] we were able to assure the Minister that we are much better prepared to deal with any challenges that may come, Khosa said.

The Minister is expected to brief the nation on the opening date of the 2022 online application soon and more details on the system improvements, and application processes will be made available on the date of the briefing.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-10-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Upcoming elections to be one of the most contested: IEC

Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says the upcoming Local Government Elections will be one of the most contested in South Africas history.

Mambolo was speaking at the launch of the national Results Operation Centre (ROC) in Tshwane, ahead of Election Day on Monday, with special votes expected to be cast over the weekend.

The elections will see millions of South Africans going to vote for local governent leaders who will represent them in the countrys 257 municipalities.

On account of the number of candidates and political parties, this election is highly contested. There are 95 427 candidates who qualified to take part in this election. In the corresponding election in 2016, we just had over 60 000 who were contesting. 61 111 candidates will contest wards and 34 316 candidates will contest the proportional representation (PR) seats, he said.

Mamabolo added that independent candidates competing in the elections had also increased by 42% to 1 546 from the previous local elections.

The most contested municipality is the City of Johannesburg with at least 56 parties on the PR candidates list.

At least 26 million South Africans are registered to vote in this year's elections.

All systems go

Mamabolo said the commission has delivered all logistical items necessary to conduct a credible process to its sites ahead of the elections.

In the last few days remaining, final picking and packing per voting station is being finalised. This operation is guidedin the logistics information system which is a bespoke business application of the commission.

Predicated on the number of registered voters per voting station, the use of the logistics information system will alleviate shortages of supplies in the election value chain, he said.

Mambolo assured the public that despite facing challenges related to factors including preparation time and difficulties related to COVID-19, the commission is expected to deliver the elections in line with the Constitutional requirements.

[The] launch of this centre is not just an expression of our readiness to deliver a national event but one that bares significant Constitutional importance. We have sought to prepare for this election within the constraint of time and the constraints imposed by COVID-19.

Yet, we are reasonably confident that all measures necessary have been put in place to realise an election of the standard contemplated in the Constitution, he said.

New technology

Mamabolo announced that the customary zip-zip machines that have been part of the countrys voting traditions since 1998 have been replaced by enhanced devices.

Mambolo said the new devices are expected to strengthen controls in the voting process, "while improving efficiency in the electoral process.

We have acquired voter management devices[which] will be used to record the opening and closing of stations, monitor the ballot paper usage as well as capture addresses of those 1.2 million residual voters for whom we still do not have an address, he said.

Ballot papers

Turning to ballot papers, Mamabolo said the commission had produced the ballot paper in the record shortest possible time.

Ballot papers are central to determination of the will of the voter. Therefore, no credible election is possible without an accurate ballot. The whole ballot production process was undertaken in 18 days and the last ballots will be delivered to municipalities on Thursday, he said.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Probe into murder of Mamelodi gang suspect underway

Gauteng Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, has directed a task team to probe the murder and crimes of a prime gang suspect, linked to a series of cases in Mamelodi.

This comes after the suspect, Phillip Given Mnguni, 35, was on Monday shot and killed while driving on the N4 Highway near Diamond Hill Toll Plaza. A woman identified as his girlfriend was injured in the shooting.

Gauteng SAPS spokesperson, Brigadier Brenda Muridili, said: Upon arrival on the scene, the police were told by a witness that a black VW Polo was shot at by occupants of a silver grey Mercedes Benz. The driver of the Polo lost control of the vehicle, which came to a stop not far from the road.

She said the driver of the Polo was declared dead on the scene, while the passenger was rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds.

Preliminary investigations on the scene identified the deceased as 35-year-old Phillip Given Mnguni. The task team established to investigate gang activities in Mamelodi had already linked him to several cases linked to the Boko Haram, she said.

Muridili said Mawela had directed the task team to continue with the profiling of the deceased and to ensure that investigations into all the crimes that he was accused of were completed.

This particular deceased was the number one wanted suspect in our investigations into the Boko Haram activities that were happening in Mamelodi. There has not, in recent times, been any reports of gang-related murders in Mamelodi since the deployment of the task team as well as visible policing members. This indicates that the measures that we have put in place to stabilize gang-related crime are starting to bear fruits, said Mawela.

All crime scene investigation team members as well as the investigating team tasked with investigating gang-related murders attended the crime scene to ensure that evidence was collected correctly, Gauteng SAPS said in a statement.

The police are on the lookout for the silver Mercedes Benz that was allegedly used by the shooters. No one has been arrested yet and the police have registered a case of murder and attempted murder, they said, appealing to anyone that might have come across the silver Mercedes Benz to call the SAPS Crime Stop Number 08600 10111. Information received will be treated with confidentiality.  SAnews.gov.za

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Hong Kong: Elector registers to be published

The 2021 final registers of electors for geographical constituencies (GCs) and functional constituencies (FCs) will be released on October 29, the Registration & Electoral Office announced today.

Registered electors can log in to the Online Voter Information Enquiry System or call the election hotline on 2891 1001 to check their own registration particulars.

The final register contains 4,472,863 registered electors for GCs and 219,254 registered electors for FCs, representing net increases of about 5,500 and 300 electors compared to the provisional registers. The distribution of electors for the 10 GCs is shown in the attachment.

The Registration & Electoral Office said the aforesaid figures reflect the follow-up actions taken by it, based on the latest information available after the publication of the provisional registers.

It mainly includes people who were listed on the omissions lists and returned reply slips in time to resume their voter registration status, and those who gave the necessary supplementary information.

With the approval of the Revising Officer, they have been included in the final register, the office added.

The Registration & Electoral Office also said electoral records of about 705,000 electors of GCs have been updated for the compilation of the final registers of electors.

The final registers for GCs and FCs will be made available for inspection by specified parties from October 29 at the two offices of the Registration & Electoral Office at 10/F, Harbour Centre in Wan Chai and 13/F, Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre.

Eligible organisations and members of the public may make appointments to inspect the registers by calling 2891 4082 or 2891 2070 from tomorrow on a first come, first served basis.

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Hong Kong: 5 imported COVID-19 cases recorded

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating five additional imported COVID-19 cases, two of which involve mutant strains, while the viral load of one case is insufficient for a mutation test and the mutation test results of the two remaining cases are pending.

Among the patients, aged 10 to 77, three of them arrived from Pakistan while the rest arrived from the US.

One patient was confirmed infected with COVID-19 during quarantine and the others tested positive upon arrival at the airport.

One of the new cases involves a 54-year-old male patient who lives at Graceful Mansion, Siena Two in Discovery Bay. He received two doses of the BioNTech vaccine on March 10 and April 8 in Hong Kong.

The patient is a cargo flight crew member. His test conducted on October 19 in Hong Kong was negative.

He left Hong Kong on October 21 for the US and returned to Hong Kong on October 25 by flight CX075. His specimen collected upon arrival at the airport tested positive for COVID-19. He has been asymptomatic.

As a prudent measure, the places where the patient resided and visited in Hong Kong during the incubation period have been included in a compulsory testing notice, the centre noted.

As Emirates flight EK384 from Dubai and Bangkok arrived on October 25 with three passengers on board confirmed with COVID-19, the Department of Health has invoked the Prevention & Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances & Travellers) Regulation to prohibit the landing of Emirates flights from Dubai and Bangkok from October 27 to November 9.

A total of 58 cases were reported in Hong Kong in the past 14 days, all of which are imported.

For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.

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South Africa: Government commits to address truck drivers concerns

Government has committed to address the concerns raised by truck drivers protesting the use of foreign nationals by employers to drive trucks on South African roads.

We have therefore made a firm commitment to address these matters in a manner that ensures sustainability of our interventions. Some of these interventions may require a longer runway as these may require legislative amendments, Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, said on Wednesday.

On Monday, the Minister, together with Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi, met with the protesting truck drivers and small truck operators who had blockaded the N9 and the N10 highways outside Middleburg, Eastern Cape.

From the engagements, the issue of employment of foreign nationals featured strongly in their demands. We have equally taken note of the allegation that the employers take advantage of the lack of clarity in our regulations insofar as this relates to foreign nationals making use of Professional Driving Permits issued in their respective countries to drive in South Africa, the Minister said during a media briefing in Midrand.

Mbalula noted a similar blockade on the N3 near Montrose in the Free State on Tuesday, with similar demands to those addressed in the Eastern Cape.

"In recent days we have witnessed truck drivers blockading national roads making demands which range from their conditions of service, employment of foreign nationals and issues relating to professional driving permits.

"President Ramaphosa has mandated an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) led by the Minister Nxesi to address the matters raised by the truck drivers and small truck operators. This IMC has been hard at work in addressing these issues, with a number of consultations with stakeholders," the Minister said.

While government has put long-term interventions in place, numerous commitments have been made to arrest the illegal conduct.

In April 2021, we published an amendment to the Road Traffic Act Regulations, which incorporates a provision that a Professional Driving Permit issued by a foreign country will only be applicable to a vehicle registered in that country.

Once this Regulation comes into effect, a foreign national will therefore not be permitted to drive a South African registered truck using a foreign Professional Driving Permit. The amendments to the Regulations are now before Parliament for comment as required by law, and we anticipate to publish amended regulations by the end of November 2021, the Minister said.

Government has committed to enhancing joint law enforcement operations between the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Labour and Employment, the Department of Home Affairs and the Road Traffic Management Corporation.

In addition, the process of validation and verification of immigration documents, work permits and foreign drivers licences will be strengthened.

In the case of drivers licences, a synchronized process between countries is proposed. This will ensure that operators are accorded the same treatment in the dispatching and receiving countries.

The National Road Traffic Act requires foreign operators to make use of an operator permit/card.

The rationale for such a provision is to enable government to manage situations where an operator does not follow the relevant laws in South Africa. These cards will have a one year validity period and non-compliance with relevant laws will result in the deregistration of the operator in question.

I must hasten to thank the drivers for the peaceful manner in which they conducted their protests. We have invited their leaders to sit around the table in order for them to have a better appreciation of the measures we are putting in place in addressing their demands, Mbalula said.

He affirmed governments commitment to ensure that the interventions, which also affect other sectors in a similar manner, will be given the necessary impetus within the confines of the law.  SAnews.gov.za

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RTHK: Iran open to nuclear talks 'before end of November'

Iran has agreed to resume talks next month with world powers over its nuclear deal, the country's deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday, after talks with EU mediators in Brussels.

The other participants in the talks -- which included indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran -- still need to confirm the return to the table.

"We agree to start negotiations before the end of November. Exact date would be announced in the course of the next week," Ali Bagheri, who also serves as Tehran's chief negotiator, wrote on Twitter.

The EU and world powers have been scrambling to try to get negotiations in Vienna aimed at reviving the 2015 accord back on track after the election of a hardliner in Tehran.

The agreement between Iran and world powers to find a long-term solution to the crisis over its controversial nuclear programme has been moribund since former US president Donald Trump walked out of the deal in May 2018 and imposed sweeping sanctions.

His successor Joe Biden has said he is ready to re-enter the agreement, so long as Iran meets key preconditions including full compliance with the deal whose terms it has repeatedly violated by ramping up nuclear activities since the US left the pact.

But the Vienna-based talks through intermediaries made little headway, before being interrupted by the election of Ebrahim Raisi as Iran's president and suspended for the last four months.

The US point man on Iran, Rob Malley, on Monday renewed a warning that the United States had "other options" if Iran's nuclear work advances although he said the Biden administration preferred diplomacy.

The EU acts as coordinator for the deal that also involves Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia. (AFP)

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There is No 'Functioning' First Amendment in Washington, D.C. as Long as the US Capitol Continues to Prohibit Peaceful Free Speech Activities on the Capitol Grounds

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Christian Defense Coalition

Oct. 27, 2021



WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- The US Capitol Police are still denying all permits for peaceful First Amendment events on the grounds surrounding the US Capitol.



Over the past several months, Rev. Patrick Mahoney has been prohibited from conducting a Good Friday Service, National Day of Prayer Gathering, 4th of July Prayer Service, and a 20th Anniversary Remembrance and Prayer Vigil for 9/11.



In Rev. Mahoney's denied 9/11 permit, he requested to hold a, "Prayer vigil and remembrance for all those who perished on 9/11 and to pray for God's protection over America" on the grounds of the US Capitol.



Rev. Mahoney has filed two federal lawsuits seeking to open the Capitol grounds back up for peaceful First Amendment activities and is still assertively pursuing all legal options.



Here is a link to a national news story regarding Rev. Mahoney suing Speaker Pelosi and Vice-President Harris to allow his Good Friday Service:

https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/christian-minister-sues-pelosi-harris-capitol-prayer-vigil



Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense based in Washington, D.C., comments,

"Free speech is in danger and there is no 'functioning' First Amendment in Washington, D.C. as long as all peaceful First Amendment activities are prohibited and banned from the grounds surrounding the United States Capitol building.



"The US Capitol Building must be a place where all Americans are afforded the right to come and peacefully celebrate and express their First Amendment Rights. Tragically, those rights and freedoms are being crushed and prohibited.



"The Christian Defense Coalition will continue to assertively pursue all legal options until Speaker Pelosi and the US Capitol Police return the 'People's House' back to the people."

For more information or interviews call

Rev. Patrick Mahoney at: 540.538.4741



SOURCE Christian Defense Coalition



CONTACT: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741


Haiphong approves Cat Bi cargo terminal construction

Authorities of Haiphong City have approved the construction of the VND390 billion (USD16.95 million) Cat Bi International Airport Cargo Terminal.



Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) will invest in the site that would cover 64,150 square metres and have a yearly capacity of 100,000 tonnes of cargo.

Cat Bi International Airport



The project includes a two-floor cargo terminal, technical and support facilities, parking areas and green space.



The work is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022.



Haiphong authorities have been asked to support ACV to complete investment procedures as well as supervise the project implementation.



Cat Bi International Airport is located in Hai An District, about eight kilometres to the southeast of central Haiphong.



The city administration wants to build an airport in Tien Lang District to help ease overloading at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport.


Xi calls for breaking new ground in weaponry, equipment development

Xinhua) 08:10, October 27, 2021

Military aircraft fly in echelons ahead of a grand gathering celebrating the Communist Party of China (CPC) centenary in Beijing, capital of China, July 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Han Mingkun)

BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged efforts to break new ground in the development of the country's military weaponry and equipment, and contribute to the realization of the goals set for the centenary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks at a military-wide conference on weaponry and equipment-related work, which was held on Monday and Tuesday.

Xi extended sincere greetings to the participants of the conference and those working on the relevant front.

Hailing the historic achievements in weaponry and equipment development over the past five years, Xi said such progress has served as the material and technological underpinning for the country's strategic capabilities, military strength in particular.

He called for efforts to accelerate the implementation of tasks for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) and advance the building of a modernized management system for weaponry and equipment.

CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia also attended the conference. Speaking at the event, he stressed efforts to create strong synergy in weaponry and equipment development, focus on the needs of national security, boost sci-tech self-reliance and self-improvement, aim for the world's top class, and speed up the modernization of weaponry and equipment.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
G20 Leaders' Summit to focus on climate, health, global economy

Xinhua) 08:16, October 27, 2021

Photo taken on Sept. 8, 2021 shows a rainbow over the city in Rome, Italy. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)

The Group of 20 (G20) Leaders' Summit slated for this weekend will broadly focus on climate change, health such as the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and ways to improve pandemic preparedness, and the post-pandemic global economic recovery.

ROME, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Luigi Mattiolo, a senior diplomatic advisor to Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, said on Tuesday that the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) Leaders' Summit will broadly focus on three main areas: climate change, health and the global economic recovery.

Speaking to reporters via video conference, Mattiolo said that the discussions about climate change will assess progress made in the run-up to the 26th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-26) to be held in Scotland, while the health-related negotiations will focus on issues such as the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and ways to improve pandemic preparedness.

People march during a climate change protest in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on March 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Liang Sen)

The negotiators will also consider ways to strengthen the post-pandemic global economic recovery and to make economic growth more sustainable, according to Mattiolo.

The G20 summit, slated for this weekend, will also aim to help confront global crises, including the coronavirus pandemic, and will assess the situation in Afghanistan following the collapse of the country's government.

The long-standing ministerial-level talks on finance, labor, education, foreign affairs, development, environmental protection, energy, culture, trade and agriculture are also on the event's agenda.

The highlights of the ministerial meetings this year include: the finance summit focused on the international tax reform; the labor talks focused in part on gender equality; the negotiations on education, including the impacts of the pandemic on the education systems; and the discussions on the environment and energy, in preparation for the upcoming COP26 climate summit.

Each one of the series of talks held earlier in the year concluded with a final declaration that will be formally presented to the heads of state and government for its adoption.

"The big summit's main role will be to review and adopt the conclusions of the many working groups, task forces and ministerial meetings," Antonio Villafranca, research coordinator and head of the European Program at the Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), a think tank, told Xinhua. "In Rome, the leaders will assess what has been done and what can still be done."

One of the issues left to be decided, according to Villafranca, is whether the leaders would call for the curbing or elimination of the incentives that support the use of fossil fuels in the G20 countries.

This decision will be significant since the G20 member states account for around 80 percent of the world's primary energy use, according to an ISPI report.

A customer fuels a vehicle at a gas station in Berlin, capital of Germany, on Oct. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)

If the leaders agree to reduce fossil fuel incentives it would also provide a boost to climate negotiations ahead of the COP26 climate negotiations, which get underway just as the G20 Leaders' Summit closes.

But according to Raffaele Marchetti, an international relations professor at Rome's LUISS University, the effectiveness of the G20 should not be measured by its ability to make decisions.

"The correct way to look at the G20 is as a forum for conversations between global leaders on important topics," Marchetti told Xinhua. "It's not necessarily a body for making major decisions. But those decisions can emerge from the discussions in the G20 context."

"Other forums like the United Nations or the World Health Organization or the World Trade Organization are too large to be focused, and the G7 (Group of Seven) is too narrow and too dominated by western countries," Marchetti said.

"But the G20 includes eastern and western powers alike. In most areas, it's the best forum where the major powers -- the United States, China and the European Union -- are all involved."

Photo taken on June 27, 2019 shows a logo of the Group of 20 (G20) summit at the entrance of the media center in Osaka, Japan. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Truth on US nuke sub collision in South China Sea demanded in GTs petition

(Global Times) 08:32, October 27, 2021

What really happened in US nuclear submarine's mysterious collsion in South China Sea?

More than three weeks have passed since the USS Connecticut, a Seawolf-class nuclear-powered submarine of the US Navy, collided with an "unknown object" in the South China Sea, the US military still has not released basic information on the accident that is of concern to China and many other countries in the region. To find out the truth, the Global Times launched on Tuesday an online petition, demanding the US military to reveal information on the collision.

The accident exposed intensive, hidden US military activities beyond freedom of navigation in the region, which could seriously damage navigation safety, fishing work, ecological environment, not to mention sovereignty violations in the South China Sea, experts said.

The US Navy announced on October 7 that the USS Connecticuthit an "unknown object" on October 2 while submerged in the South China Sea that left more than 10 sailors injured and caused a partial damage to the submarine.

It took the US Navy five days after the accident to make this short and vague statement, and until today, the US military has not revealed further details of the accident. They haven't revealed the exact location where the collision happened and what object was hit by the submarine.

By not revealing the details of the collision, the US is intentionally hiding something, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"The USS Connecticutlikely sailed to a location where it is not allowed to be for a covert spy operation, but failed to effectively grasp the underwater situation and resulted in the collision. The US knows it is in a wrong position so it cannot reveal the details," Wei said.

The US Navy is known for sailing carelessly in the South China Sea in the name of "freedom of navigation," and many of such activities are provocative and unprofessional, like crossing into other ships' normal sailing routes, trespassing into other navies' exercise zones and intruding into other countries' territorial waters, observers said.

US warships and submarines have caused many accidents that gravely harm navigation safety, including collisions with various objects or civilian ships on many occasions in recent years, the petition said, noting that these incidents have seriously threatened the safety of the life and property of local residents.

For example, in February 2001, the Los Angeles class nuclear-powered submarine USS Greenevillestruck and sank a Japanese fishing vessel identified as the Ehime Maru during routine operations off the coast of Hawaii, killing nine.

In 2017, the USS Fitzgeralddestroyer collided with a container ship near Japan, resulting in seven deaths and several injuries.

Later in 2017, the USS John S. McCaindestroyer collided with a chemical tanker in the South China Sea, leading to ten deaths.

In 2018, the USS Decaturdestroyer sailed very close to a Chinese destroyer and almost caused a collision when the US warship was attempting to trespass Chinese waters near Nansha Islands in the South China Sea.

Wei also pointed out that the USS Connecticutis a nuclear-powered submarine, and any accident to a nuclear device, which carries highly enriched uranium, could result in severe damage to the environment.

The US has also not given any information about the effects of the collision on the ecological environment of the region, or if it had a negative impact on navigation safety and fishing work in the area, the petition said.

The collision exposed that, in addition to showing off its strength publicly, the US military has also been conducting numerous covert activities in the South China Sea, the petition said, noting that these activities are by no means "innocent" and pose a great threat to regional peace and stability often without the public's knowledge.

A lot of US naval activities are hegemonic moves that seriously violate the international law and disrespect other countries' sovereignty, Wei said.

Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson at the ministry, said at Tuesday's regular press conference that China and other countries along the South China Sea have the reason to demand the US to answer the following questions: What was the mission of the nuclear submarine in the South China Sea? What exactly did it collide with? Why did that happen? Did a nuclear leak take place and bring nuclear pollution to the maritime environment?

The US must explain the incident in detail so as to respond to the concerns and questions of countries in the region and the international community, Zhao told the Global Times when asked about the collision.

If the US refuses to reveal all the details about the collision, China and other relevant countries could be forced to build well-rounded maritime early warning systems to monitor US vessels in sensitive waters, so they can warn the US before it takes any risks, and be better prepared to deal with any dangers caused by the US, Wei said.

The US must reveal the truth behind the USS Connecticut's collision because countries around the South China Sea have the right to know, the petition reads.

US flexes muscles in S. China Sea in the name of navigation freedom. Graphic:Deng Zijun/Global Times

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Meetings with Afghan Taliban officials enhance mutual understanding: Chinese FM

Xinhua) 08:44, October 27, 2021

DOHA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that his just-concluded meetings with senior officials from the Afghan Taliban's interim government are "beneficial" as they have enhanced mutual understanding.

Briefing reporters on his separate meetings with Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi of the Afghan Taliban's interim government in the Qatari capital of Doha, Wang said that he heard more positive statements from the officials on the Afghan Taliban's domestic and foreign policies.

The Taliban officials introduced in detail the Afghan interim government's policies on increasing the inclusiveness of the Taliban regime, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of women and children, and combating terrorism that China and the international community are concerned about, Wang revealed.

"We also communicated on bilateral exchanges and decided to establish a working-level mechanism. It should be said that these contacts are beneficial and enhanced mutual understanding," he said.

Wang noted that as the situation in Afghanistan is undergoing a major turning point, China first put forward four expectations for the future of Afghanistan, which have become "the consensus of the international community."

The Chinese expectations include: building a more open and inclusive political structure in which all ethnic groups and factions should participate and play a role; implementing moderate and stable domestic and foreign policies, including the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of women and children; making a clear break with all terrorist forces and taking measures to resolutely combat them; pursuing a peaceful foreign policy and living in harmony with other countries, especially the neighbors.

"The key is how to achieve it," Wang said, adding that China maintains that the international community should uphold an attitude of equal respect, communicate with all parties and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, and provide "active guidance" in order to reach those goals.

"We do not approve of blindly exerting pressure, and we are even more opposed to threats with sanctions," Wang said.

The history of Afghanistan and many international events prove that pointing fingers at an independent nation often turns out to be counterproductive, Wang said, adding that interfering in the internal affairs of a country at every turn violates the basic norms of international relations.

"As long as we remain patient, proceed in an orderly manner, and actively interact with the Afghan interim government and other parties and ethnic groups, I believe the Afghan Taliban will be able to understand more clearly that what to do is more in line with the fundamental and long-term interests of the Afghan people, as well as the expectations of all parties, in order to be more smoothly integrated into the international community," Wang said.

On China's policy toward Afghanistan, Wang said that China respects the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, respects the Afghan people's active exploration of a development path that suits its own national conditions, and respects the objective reality of the Afghan interim government's rule throughout the country.

China has never interfered in Afghanistan's internal affairs, nor has it sought any selfish gain or a sphere of influence in Afghanistan, he said.

"We will continue to listen to the voices and needs of the Afghan people, and play a constructive role in restoring stability and achieving development in Afghanistan within our capacity," Wang said.

Regarding the difficulties facing Afghanistan, Wang said that the United States, which ended its 20-year invasion of Afghanistan on Aug. 30 this year with a complete troop pullout, and some Western countries "bear the unshirkable responsibility."

"China urges these countries to assume their due responsibilities and take practical actions as soon as possible to effectively help alleviate the possible humanitarian crisis and truly do some real good deeds for the Afghan people," he said.

He also called on the international community to make concerted efforts to ensure the true implementation of the principle of "Afghan-owned and Afghan-led" in Afghanistan.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Chinese Premier on cooperation with ASEAN

Xinhua) 08:52, October 27, 2021

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends the 24th China-ASEAN Summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- China would deepen friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Tuesday.

Li made the remarks at the 24th China-ASEAN leaders' meeting via video link.

Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, the rotating presidency of the ASEAN, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh, Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the meeting via video link. Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General of the ASEAN, also attended the meeting via video link.

Li said China-ASEAN relations enjoy sound and steady development, and pragmatic cooperation in various fields continues to advance. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and the ASEAN.

Over the past 30 years, the two sides have persisted in mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, supported multilateralism, maintained overall regional stability, and sustained economic growth. Facing the impact of COVID-19, China and the ASEAN have helped and supported each other and consolidated their relations.

Li said China stands ready to deepen friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with all countries, including the ASEAN, through opening up.

Li called for enhancing communication and coordination on anti-pandemic policies. He said China is willing to further increase vaccine and anti-pandemic material assistance to ASEAN countries and jointly improve early warning and emergency response capabilities. China also proposed to create a China-ASEAN science and technology cooperation center for public health.

Li also called for promoting the early entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to benefit the people of all countries in the region as soon as possible.

China is willing to officially launch the joint feasibility study to identify other areas for possible inclusion in further enhancing the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA). China has formally applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (CPTPP) and hopes to have support of ASEAN countries, the premier said.

Li proposed accelerating the building of a partnership on blue economy. "China is ready to enhance international development cooperation with ASEAN, set up dedicated offices in ASEAN countries and build demonstration areas of development cooperation," Li said.

Li said China will work with the ASEAN to explore cooperation on industrial design, and formulate the Action Plan for Implementing the ASEAN-China Partnership on the Digital Economy 2021-2025 as soon as possible.

To expand a green collaboration, China and the ASEAN should jointly address climate change, safeguard global and regional biodiversity, and promote the transformation and upgrading of the energy industry and economic structure, said Li.

Li proposed establishing a mechanism for China-ASEAN senior education officials' meetings, and said China will make additional contributions to the China-ASEAN Cooperation Fund.

He said that peace in the South China Sea serves the common interest of China and ASEAN countries. Regional development is the shared aspiration of the two sides, and regional tranquility requires joint efforts.

"Next year is the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). China wishes to work with ASEAN countries to mark the occasion with commemorative activities," said Li.

He added the two sides should use it as an opportunity to expand practical maritime cooperation, expedite Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) negotiations, and strive for its early conclusion to make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship, and collaboration.

Li pointed out that China always regards the ASEAN as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy. China firmly supports the building of the ASEAN community, supports ASEAN's centrality in the regional architecture, and backs ASEAN playing a more significant role in regional and international affairs.

China is ready to co-host a summit with the ASEAN commemorating the 30th anniversary of their dialogue relations. It is believed that China and ASEAN will make more contributions to peace, stability, development, and prosperity in Asia, Li said.

Leaders of ASEAN countries attending the meeting said that China is a close dialogue and cooperation partner of the ASEAN. They added that ASEAN-China relationship is the most comprehensive and strategic one among those relations between the ASEAN and its dialogue partners.

They expressed support for the upgrading of ASEAN-China ties and appreciated China's vaccine and material assistance in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

ASEAN countries stand ready to work with China to expand cooperation on trade and investment, connectivity, the digital economy, public health, and sustainable development, and deepen people-to-people exchanges, to achieve mutual benefit and contribute to regional peace, stability, and prosperity.

ASEAN countries are ready to work with China to implement the DOC and reach an effective and substantive COC as soon as possible. ASEAN countries hope the RCEP will come into force as soon as possible. ASEAN countries also look forward to holding a summit with China to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral dialogue relations.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Hamburg welcomes 1st China-Europe freight train from Shanghai amid logistics tension

Xinhua) 09:00, October 27, 2021

Photo taken on Oct. 26, 2021 shows the "Shanghai Express" in Hamburg, Germany. (Xinhua/Wang Qing)

The first "Shanghai Express," carrying 50 containers loaded with apparel, auto parts and solar panels, traveled more than 10,000 km before arriving in northern Germany.

HAMBURG, Germany, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The first fully loaded China-Europe freight train arrived from Shanghai, China's economic hub, in the northern German city of Hamburg on Tuesday, further expanding the rail services between Europe and Asia amid the global logistics disruption.

The first "Shanghai Express," carrying 50 containers loaded with apparel, auto parts and solar panels, traveled more than 10,000 km before arriving in northern Germany late on Monday.

Initially, one train per week will operate, but the service is planned to be extended in the future.

The China-Europe freight trains traveling along 73 routes have reached more than 170 cities in 23 European countries, since it was launched in 2011.

China-Europe freight train trips have gained robust growth momentum since the start of 2021, with the total number surging 32 percent year-on-year to reach 10,030 by the end of August, two months earlier than last year, data from the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. showed.

Photo taken on Oct. 26, 2021 shows the "Shanghai Express" in Hamburg, Germany. (Xinhua/Wang Qing)

At the DUSS transshipment terminal in Hamburg, the welcome ceremony was attended by Wang Wei, deputy consul general of the People's Republic of China in Hamburg, and Michael Westhagemann, Hamburg's senator for economic affairs.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the signing of a partner city agreement between Hamburg and Shanghai and the launch of the "Shanghai Express" has raised the two cities' cooperation to a new level, Wang told Xinhua.

"Hamburg's role as an important node in the 'Belt and Road' network has been further strengthened and the city will play an even more important role in the joint construction of the 'Belt and Road' in the future," she said.

According to Westhagemann, a direct connection between Hamburg and China, specifically between Hamburg and Shanghai, is especially needed and important considering the current problems in the logistics chain.

"Shanghai Express" represents a new milestone in the cooperation between Hamburg and Shanghai, as well as between Germany and China, which makes the launch of the first freight train so significant, he told Xinhua.

Photo taken on Sept, 28, 2021 shows the "Shanghai Express" in Shanghai, China. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
First highland barley museum opens in Chinas Tibet

People's Daily Online) 09:13, October 27, 2021

The first highland barley museum in southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region was opened recently in Shigatse city to display the farming culture associated with highland barley and related scientific research on the highland crop, cctv.com reported on Oct. 25.

(Photo/cctv.com)

Situated inside an ecological park in Shigatse, the 2,400-square-meter museum exhibits around 460 items, including pottery wares, farming tools made of stone, and the carbonized seeds of highland barley grain, among other items. The museum also popularizes knowledge about highland barley, such as its origin, highland barley species, where and how it is cultivated, and the hospitable geographical conditions of Shigatse for highland barley cultivation. It also includes an experience zone where visitors can learn to make highland barley products, as well as a shopping area where visitors can buy highland barley products and learn more about highland barley culture.

(Photo/cctv.com)

After we arrived in Shigatse in 2019, we thought about contributing our efforts to extending the highland barley industrial chain and popularizing the highland barley culture and history. Then we invested 16 million yuan to help the city build the highland barley museum. We hope that through it more people can get to know, understand and spread the highland barley culture, said Wang Peng, a cadre dispatched by Qingdao city in east Chinas Shandong province to support the development of Shigatse.

(Photo/cctv.com)

The museum is of great significance because it is the first museum themed on highland barley in Tibet. It lets more people know about Shigatse as the hometown of highland barley and learn more about the development history and culture of highland barley, said Tenzin Drolma, deputy head of the publicity department and head of the culture and tourism bureau of Samdruptse district, Shigatse.

Highland barley is a principal crop in Tibet. Known as the hometown of highland barley, Shigatse accounts for 48 percent of total highland barley production in Tibet.

(Photo/cctv.com)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Green way of development helps Yunnan enhance environmental protection while increase peoples income

09:17, October 27, 2021 By Yang Wenming ( People's Daily

Southwest Chinas Yunnan province is reaping rewards of its efforts to improve ecological environment and foster a green way of development.

Photo shows a stork-billed kingfisher in Yingjiang county, Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture, southwest Chinas Yunnan province. (Photo/WeChat account of the culture and tourism bureau of Yingjiang county)

In Yingjiang county, Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture, Yunnan province, a stork-billed kingfisher can generate 500,000 yuan ($78,342) of economic value, said Yang Xiaojun, a research fellow at Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

In China, stork-billed kingfisher has only been found in Yunnan province, according to Yang, who disclosed that a bird of the kind was spotted in Nabang township of Yingjiang county in October 2017. The bird stayed in the local wetlands for 197 days and attracted many bird lovers, who came to see and take pictures of it.

Its estimated that those bird lovers who ate and lived in Nabang township brought to the place at least 500,000 yuan worth of economic benefits.

Photo taken on June 13, 2021 shows egrets foraging and playing in a paddy field in Qujing city, southwest Chinas Yunnan province. (Peoples Daily Online/Yang Junpeng)

In recent years, bird-watching has become a calling card of Yingjiang county. Bird lovers have flocked to the county from various parts of China for river tern, hornbill and other bird species, effectively stimulating local consumption.

The experience of Yuanyang county, Honghe Hani and Yi autonomous prefecture of Yunnan, in balancing ecological restoration and economic development has proven that man and nature can coexist in harmony and that a sound ecology and environment is not just a natural asset, but also an economic one.

People of Hani ethnic group in the county have reclaimed terraces and promoted forest restoration around terraces, effectively revitalizing forests, which are considered reservoirs of wildlife.

Those who have been designated to ensure unimpeded flow of water in terraces work hard to make sure mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, and grasslands function smoothly as sound ecological systems.

In seeking multiple uses of the same water resource, multiple ways to generate economic benefits with the same farmland, and multiple sources of income for each household, Yuanyang county used terraces to raise ducks and fish while growing rice, and launched a series of finely processed products, including free-range ducks, fish, and red rice.

Photo taken on Sept. 6, 2021 shows a magnificent view of terraced fields in Yuanyang county, Honghe Hani and Yi autonomous prefecture, southwest Chinas Yunnan province. (Peoples Daily Online/Lu Zhong)

In addition, the county has boosted the development of its cultural tourism integrating folk customs, catering services, local products and other relevant fields through an e-commerce platform.

By leveraging its ecosystems, Yuanyang has cultivated eco-friendly and characteristic industries that are unique to the locality and gained competitive advantages in relevant fields.

Some local governments in Yunnan province have provided seedlings of dendrobium nobile for local residents and encouraged them to plant them in the forests they have been entitled to manage and use by contracts with the government, according to an expert in orchid protection.

The move has effectively increased the distribution of dendrobium nobile in mountains, said the expert, who recalled that at first local governments planted artificially bred dendrobium nobile in the wild, but found that local residents almost dug them all and took them home.

A similar case has happened in Nanhua county, Chuxiong Yi autonomous prefecture, Yunnan province. The government of Nanhua signed contracts with local residents for the use of mountains to increase the distribution of matsutake after finding that many local people picked matsutake and caused a significant decline in local resources of matsutake.

Since the contracts have clearly defined the right and responsibility to use and manage land in mountains, local residents intentionally preserve some old matsutake for reproduction.

By motivating local residents to voluntarily protect matsutake, these areas have achieved rich results both in improving ecology and increasing peoples income.

Guidance from the government and the participation of enterprises have played important roles in Yunnans endeavors to foster a green way of development.

Tourists take photos in a sea of blooming azalea flowers covering an area of more than 66.67 hectares in Xiyi township, Mile city, southwest Chinas Yunnan province, March 28, 2021. (Peoples Daily Online/Pu Jiayong)

In a bid to help increase the income of residents in rocky desertification areas, Guangnan county, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao autonomous prefecture of Yunnan, has invited scientific research institutes for solving problems concerning the artificial breeding of Malania oleifera, an endangered and highly valued tree species under second-class national protection in China, as well as the purification of neuronic acid, and supported relevant enterprises in expanding the market.

Thanks to these efforts, Malania oleifera has become the local peoples secret of income increase and happy life.

The experiences of various areas in Yunnan have proven that when people have deep reverence for nature, respect nature, follow natures laws and protect nature, and translate ecological strengths into development advantages driven by green transition, they can certainly bring out the great benefit that green mountains and clear waters can offer and secure economic growth while advancing environmental protection.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Past five decades witnesses Chinas peaceful development, as well as commitment, dedication to welfare of all humanity

People's Daily) 09:23, October 27, 2021

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the Conference Marking the 50th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Lawful Seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations and delivers an important speech in Beijing, Oct. 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Chinese President Xi Jinping called the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the UN "a victory for the Chinese people" and "a victory for people of the world," at a conference marking the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the country in the UN held on Oct. 25.

He gave a high evaluation of the significance of China's restoration of its lawful seat in the international organization, saying the past five decades since New China restored its lawful seat in the United Nations have witnessed China's peaceful development and its commitment and dedication to the welfare of all humanity.

Xi raised five proposals for the world to follow the prevailing trend of history, which was thought-provoking and triggered wide attention from the international society.

The founding of the UN was a milestone in humanity's pursuit of peace and development. As a founding member, China was the first to put its signature on the UN Charter. On October 25, 1971, the UN General Assembly at its 26th Session adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority to restore all the rights of the People's Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of the Government the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate representatives of China to the UN.

Ever since, the Chinese people have had their representatives in the UN, and the institution has grown in scope, representation, and authority. The commitment of the international community to the one-China principle has been significantly consolidated and enhanced, and the force for world peace and development has become stronger than ever before.

Just as President Xi stated, "the restoration of New China's lawful seat in the UN was a momentous event for the world and the UN. It came as the result of joint efforts of all peace-loving countries that stood up for justice in the world. It marked the return of the Chinese people, or one-fourth of the world's population, back to the UN stage. The importance was significant and far-reaching for both China and the wider world."

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the Conference Marking the 50th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Lawful Seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations and delivers an important speech in Beijing, Oct. 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

President Xi concluded the Chinese people's great achievements and contributions over the past 50 years. He said for these 50 years, the Chinese people have demonstrated an untiring spirit and kept to the right direction of China's development amidst changing circumstances, thus writing an epic chapter in the development of China and humanity. They have stood in solidarity and cooperation with people around the world and upheld international equity and justice, contributing significantly to world peace and development.

Building on achievements in national construction and development since the founding of New China, the Chinese have started the new historical era of reform and opening-up and successfully initiated and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics. They have continued to unleash and develop productivity and raise living standards and achieved a historic breakthrough of leaping from a country with relatively low productivity to the second-largest economy in the world. The Chinese people have attained the goal of fully building a moderately prosperous society on the vast land of China and opened up bright prospects for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It fully indicates that China's development itself is the most considerable contribution made by the country to the world and marks Chinese wisdom in solving the problems facing humanity.

The Chinese are peace-loving people who have unswervingly followed an independent foreign policy of peace and resolutely opposed hegemony and power politics. The Chinese People are a strong supporter of other developing countries in their just struggle to safeguard sovereignty, security, and development interests. The Chinese people are committed to achieving common development and have offered the world new opportunities through their development. It fully indicates that China has both developed itself and benefited the world. It is always a firm supporter of world peace and joint development.

The UN is a banner of multilateralism. The UN Charter has laid down the cornerstone of the modern international order and established the basic norms of contemporary international relations. China firmly maintains that there is only one system in the world, i.e., the UN-centered international system; only one order, i.e., the international order based on international law; and only one set of rules, i.e., the basic norms of international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

For these 50 years, China has faithfully fulfilled its responsibility and mission as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, stayed true to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and upheld the central role of the UN in international affairs.

Over the past 50 years, China's cooperation with the UN has kept expanding and deepening. UN agencies have set up offices in China and conducted fruitful cooperation in a wide range of areas, including economic development, poverty alleviation, health care, food security, and environmental protection.

"For these 50 years, the Chinese people have upheld the authority and sanctity of the United Nations and practiced multilateralism, and Chinas cooperation with the United Nations has deepened steadily," said President Xi.

Over the past 50 years, China has held to its original aspiration for multilateralism, world peace, and common development. President Xi has made a solemn promise that standing at a new historical starting point, China would stay committed to the path of peaceful development and always be a builder of world peace; China would stay committed to the path of reform and opening-up and always be a contributor to global development; China would stay committed to the path of multilateralism and always be a defender of the international order.

China is ready to strive ahead together with all the progressive forces of the world and advocate peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom, which are the common values of humanity. China will continue to make new contributions to upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, maintaining world peace, and promoting common development and human progress. It will continue to promote a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The article is an editorial of the People's Daily

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
China demands clarification on U.S. Navy nuclear-sub incident

Xinhua) 09:26, October 27, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- China said on Tuesday it is gravely concerned over the recent incident of the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine USS Connecticut in the South China Sea and demanded that the United States provide full details, according to a Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a daily news briefing when asked to comment on the incident. Noting that the United States has so far only given a brief and vague statement on the incident, he said such an irresponsible, cagey practice gives regional countries and the international community every reason to question the truth and the intention of the United States.

Zhao stressed that, for a long time, the United States has stirred up trouble in the South China Sea under the pretext of "freedom of navigation", posing serious threats and major risks to regional peace and stability.

"China and other littoral states of the South China Sea have good reasons to ask the United States to answer these questions: "What was USS Connecticut up to do secretively in the South China Sea this time? What exactly did the submarine hit? Why did that collision happen? Did it cause a nuclear leak and bring nuclear pollution to the environment?" the spokesperson said.

He added that the United States has a responsibility and obligation to respond to the concerns and doubts of regional countries and the international community.

Zhao stressed that the South China Sea is the common home of the countries in the region and should not become a hunting ground for the United States to pursue its geopolitical interests.

"The U.S. has frequently sent a large number of military vessels and aircraft to the South China Sea to provoke trouble and show off its force. Such moves have undermined the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and threatened the sovereignty and security of China and other regional countries, making the United States the biggest force for militarization of the South China Sea," said the spokesperson.

The United States should change its course, stop these wrong actions and play a positive role in promoting peace and stability in the South China Sea, he added.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Exhibition arrangement of 4th CIIE begins as first batch of exhibits arrives

09:28, October 27, 2021 By Wan Yu ( People's Daily

The first batch of exhibits for the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) entered the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), main venue for the event, on the morning of Oct. 23, marking the beginning of the exhibition booth arrangement work for the event.

Photo taken on Oct. 18, 2021 shows the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), main venue for the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE). (Peoples Daily Online/Ji Haixin)

These exhibits include a bending machine from Japanese company Amada Co., Ltd. as well as a forklift truck and an electric tractor brought by German company Jungheinrich AG.

The bending machine, equipped with an automatic die changing system, saves workers from traditional manual die changing and maximizes production efficiency, said an executive with Amada, adding that this is the first time that the companys bending machine has been brought to a large-scale and comprehensive expo.

Jungheinrich AGs forklift truck is mainly used for the manufacturing and storage of extra long tubular products and sectional materials as well as conventional intensive storage, and can increase storage efficiency by as much as 30 percent.

As of Oct. 23, 150 batches of CIIE exhibits had been temporarily imported via the ports of Shanghai, which meant that 98 percent of the exhibits for the fourth CIIE had entered China.

All the exhibition areas of the fourth CIIE will start to build booths and arrange exhibits. Relevant work is expected to be finished around Nov. 2.

The total exhibition area of the fourth CIIE exceeds 360,000 square meters, and the numbers of enterprises as well as countries and regions expected to participate in the event all surpass those of the third CIIE held last year, said Xue Feng, director of the Shanghai Foreign Investment Development Board, adding that Fortune Global 500 and industry-leading companies have actively signed up for the upcoming CIIE, with more than 80 percent of such companies that participated in the CIIE continuing to take part in this years expo.

Exhibits from New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea for the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) enter a customs inspection site in Baoshan district, Shanghai, Oct. 21, 2021. (Peoples Daily Online/Shen Chunchen)

The fourth CIIE mainly comprises country exhibition, enterprise and business exhibition and the fourth Hongqiao International Economic Forum, according to Ma Fengmin, financial director of the CIIE Bureau.

This years CIIE will launch an online country exhibition for the first time. By applying 3D modeling, VR engine and other technologies, the online exhibition will enable countries to showcase their development achievements, leading industries, culture and tourism development, as well as representative enterprises via pictures, videos, and 3D models in digital pavilions. About 60 countries have confirmed their participation in the online country exhibition, which was launched on a trial basis on Oct. 13.

The business exhibition of the fourth CIIE, which includes six major exhibition areas, is expected to accommodate nearly 3,000 companies from over 120 countries and regions, many of which will launch their new products, technologies, and services at the event.

The top five grain dealers, 10 automobile manufacturers, 10 electric companies, 10 leading medical equipment providers, and 10 cosmetic brands in the world will all participate in the fourth CIIE.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers of the CIIE contacted enterprises through both offline and online channels, and employed big data to attract companies in a more professional manner.

For the first time, the event has allowed exhibitors and relevant organizations to invite their clients to be professional visitors of the CIIE.

A total of 39 trading groups and nearly 600 sub-groups have been set up for the event. Over 2,700 buyers took part in 18 online and offline roadshow activities of the fourth CIIE, and more than 200 exhibitors have got in touch and concluded deals with over 500 purchasers during pre-expo supply-demand matchmaking conferences.

Photo taken on Oct. 18, 2021 shows the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), main venue for the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE). (Peoples Daily Online/Ji Haixin)

So far, 310,000 people from 90,000 organizations have registered to participate in the transaction and procurement at the fourth CIIE.

The fourth Hongqiao International Economic Forum will include a main forum and 13 sub-forums, which cover hot topics in frontier fields and industries including health economy, green development, consumption upgrading, digital economy, advanced technologies, agricultural development, intellectual property and finance.

A high-level forum marking the 20th anniversary of Chinas accession to the World Trade Organization will also be held as a part of the fourth Hongqiao International Economic Forum.

Guests from home and abroad are expected to attend the forums online or offline, contributing wisdom to promoting world economic recovery and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Kenya police receive facemasks from Chinese business community

Xinhua) 09:33, October 27, 2021

NAIROBI, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese business community in Kenya on Tuesday donated 1 million shillings (9,000 U.S. dollars) worth of facemasks and sanitizers to the Kenya police service.

Edward Mbugua, Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police hailed the donation from the Chinese, adding that both sides have maintained and enjoyed long-term friendships for many years.

Mbugua said that the security officers are in the front line in the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 by ensuring members of the public obey health protocols. "We, therefore, appreciate the donation from the Chinese because it will help to control COVID-19," Mbugua said.

Xie Guangqi, chairman of the Kenya Sichuan-Chongqing Chamber of Commerce said that the donations will assist to protect the law enforcement officers against the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The facemasks and sanitizers will enable the police force to perform their roles while observing the health protocols to stop the spread of COVID-19," Xie said.

He observed that police officers provide an essential service that exposes them to the COVID-19 pandemic. "This is just a humble gesture to express gratitude to the police for their work," Xie said.

Mbugua noted that the police service can better perform their duties as they have the required resources.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Malaysia PM calls for greater China-ASEAN cooperation on post-pandemic recovery

Xinhua) 09:34, October 27, 2021

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob Tuesday called on China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to deepen their cooperation on post-pandemic recovery.

During his virtual participation at the 24th ASEAN-CHINA summit, Ismail Sabri said that both sides need to cooperate on public health to be prepared for future health emergencies.

He also thanked China for its aid to Malaysia in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, conveying Malaysia's appreciation for the donation of vaccines.

"Moving ahead, ASEAN and China should enhance cooperation in public health and pharmaceutical capabilities through the sharing of technology, know-how and intellectual property to support regional vaccine production," he said.

"This would help ASEAN enhance its public health systems and be more prepared and effective in handling future health emergencies," he said.

Ismail Sabri also called for greater China-ASEAN cooperation on the digital economy, noting the sector has experienced accelerated growth during the pandemic, with ASEAN hosting one of the world's fastest growing internet markets, estimated to be worth some 300 billion U.S. dollars by 2025.

"The pandemic has accelerated the advancement of digital economy. ASEAN and China should immediately implement the Initiative on Building ASEAN-China Partnership on Digital Economy adopted at last year's summit," he said.

Member countries of ASEAN kick-started their 38th and 39th summits on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Brunei via virtual conference, with fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and promoting economic recovery high on the agenda.

Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Photo exhibition to mark 50th anniversary of restoration of PRC's lawful rights in UN opens

Xinhua) 09:39, October 27, 2021

Zhang Jun (L), China's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), and president of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid, visit a photo exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the United Nations at UN Headquarters in New York, Oct. 25, 2021. The exhibition, entitled "Promoting Shared Prosperity for a Peaceful Future," is being jointly held by China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations and China Image. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the United Nations (UN) was opened on Monday.

Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, together with president of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid, as well as diplomats and UN officials, visited the exhibition at UN Headquarters in New York.

Speaking to reporters, Zhang described Oct. 25 as a historic day.

Exactly 50 years ago, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 to restore the lawful rights of the PRC in the UN, ushering in a new chapter in China-UN cooperation, he said.

The photo exhibition is dedicated to the hard-won diplomatic victory 50 years ago and helps relive the ever-deepening cooperation between China and the world body, said Zhang.

Every photo tells a story and the exhibition demonstrates that the cause of the UN cannot be separated from China's participation, said Zhang, noting that only after the lawful rights of the PRC were restored did the UN gain its universality, representativeness and authoritativeness.

Meanwhile, he continued, China's development cannot be separated from UN support. The past 50 years has been a process of China going global, and the UN has provided an important platform for China's role in international affairs, he said.

Zhang pledged more efforts to improve UN work and to work with other countries toward a community with a shared future for mankind.

After his visit, Shahid tweeted: "Was delighted to visit the exhibition to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the UN. China's contributions to multilateralism over the past 50 years are invaluable!"

The exhibition, entitled "Promoting Shared Prosperity for a Peaceful Future," is being jointly held by China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations and China Image.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Double-cropping rice achieves high yield in tropical Chinese city

Xinhua) 09:40, October 27, 2021

SANYA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The double-cropping rice developed by Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice," and his team has achieved a yield of 1,586.86 kg per mu (about 667 square meters), the project team said Tuesday.

The yield, attained in an experiment in the tropical city of Sanya, in south China's Hainan Province, met the project target of 1500 kg per mu, proposed by Yuan's team.

Since 2021, the team has implemented the project in some Chinese provinces, including central China's Hunan.

"The goal proposed by Yuan has been achieved successively in Hunan and Hainan. It shows the double-cropping rice we developed still has great potential in boosting yields," said Wang Feng, chief scientist with the rice research institute of Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Tu Shengbin, a technical director of Sanya's experimental field, said that Hainan, with a similar climate to major rice producers in Southeast Asia, can serve as a base for selecting hybrid rice for the tropics.

"We will work together with overseas research institutions and enterprises in this respect," Tu added.

Yuan, who developed the world's first hybrid rice in the 1970s, has set multiple world records in hybrid rice yields in previous years, making massive contributions to the food security of China and the world. He died of organ failure at 91 on May 22, 2021.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Chinese envoy to UN calls for treating global development as priority

Xinhua) 09:41, October 27, 2021

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The promotion of global development should always be treated as a priority, said a Chinese envoy on Monday in discussions about UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' proposals in his Our Common Agenda report.

China expects UN member states to join efforts, engage in in-depth discussions, and practice true multilateralism with concrete actions in advancing global cooperation, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

"China is of the view that we must always treat as a priority the promotion of global development," he told an informal plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly on Our Common Agenda.

The report, which was launched by Guterres prior to the opening of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, puts forward a series of important proposals and initiatives concerning the major challenges facing today's world and future generations.

"We should attach great importance to and focus on the actual needs of developing countries and prioritize cooperation in areas such as poverty reduction, inter-connectivity, food security, green development, and the digital economy," Zhang said.

"There should be institutional arrangements that are quantifiable, monitorable and verifiable to ensure that developed countries would effectively honor their commitments in, among other things, financing for development and climate finance so as to concretely make progress in international cooperation in climate change," he said.

China will engage in international cooperation in an in-depth manner in conjunction with the Global Development Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and pursue more robust, greener and more balanced global development, he said.

Zhang noted the need to address global challenges more effectively in the face of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the widening gaps of inequalities, climate change, and economic recession.

With the urgency to strengthen the global governance system, Our Common Agenda has proposed a variety of innovative ideas and initiatives as responses, he said.

"In the follow-up, we must not only explore the feasibility of setting up new platforms, but also make full use of existing mechanisms, be result-oriented, focus on greater efficiency, avoid duplication of efforts, a waste of resources, or financial strains, and jointly develop more public goods to bring equitable benefits to everyone in every country," he said.

Follow-up discussions on Our Common Agenda should be led by member states and advanced in an orderly and balanced manner. As for the adoption by the UN General Assembly of a short and concise procedural resolution on the implementation of the agenda, China believes that there should be in-depth discussions for its adoption by consensus, he said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China, ASEAN to launch joint feasibility study about ACFTA: Chinese premier

Xinhua) 09:42, October 27, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- China will work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to officially launch the joint feasibility study to identify other areas for possible inclusion in further enhancing the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA), Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Tuesday.

Li made the remarks when attending the 24th China-ASEAN Summit. He noted that China and ASEAN countries need to harness their strengths of geographical proximity and industrial complementarity to pursue regional economic integration at a higher level.

The joint feasibility study will focus on the digital economy, green economy and other new areas of cooperation, and make the bilateral and regional economic and trade relations more mutually beneficial, open and inclusive, according to the premier.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Interview: CIIE boon to Sri Lankan tea exporters in Chinese market

Xinhua) 09:45, October 27, 2021

COLOMBO. Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The China International Import Expo (CIIE) provides Sri Lankan tea exporters with an opportunity to enter the Chinese market while encouraging producers to step up quality, Sri Lankan business leaders have said.

In an exclusive interview to Xinhua, CEO of Dilmah Tea Dilhan Fernando said that the CIIE was very helpful for tea companies like Dilmah because it provided opportunities to learn about Chinese consumer preferences.

"One thing we learned from several previous participations at CIIE was to respect the Chinese tea culture while finding ways to differentiate ourselves. So we pitch Ceylon tea as being fundamentally different and not a substitute for Chinese tea," Fernando explained.

Fernando said that young Chinese consumers are adventurous and willing to try new products, Sri Lankan tea producers would therefore educate Chinese consumers on the proper way to prepare and enjoy Ceylon tea.

Kosala Wickramanayake, president of the International Business Council in Sri Lanka, said that even though China's tea culture spans thousands of years, Chinese consumers are not familiar with English-style tea culture which is prevalent in Sri Lanka and other Ceylon tea drinking countries.

"We must study the Chinese way of serving tea and adapt it to suit the particular qualities of Ceylon tea. Chinese people like to talk about the qualities of tea and are interested in details including even the history of a particular tea bush," he said.

Wickramanayake said that the CIIE could therefore incentivize Sri Lankan tea exporters to increase product specialization and value addition in order to adapt to the conditions of the China market.

This year will be the fourth time for Sri Lanka to participate in the CIIE.

Tea made up 12 percent of Sri Lanka's export revenue in 2020 and China was the country's fifth-largest tea export destination.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Commentary: Closer community with shared future for stronger China-East Asia cooperation

Xinhua) 09:47, October 27, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- As this year's East Asian leaders' meetings on cooperation arrive on Tuesday, the regional countries are facing a world that is still wrestling with the COVID-19 pandemic and struggling to find remedies for an increasingly lopsided recovery of the global economy.

The three-day virtual gathering, which convenes Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members as well as Japan and South Korea, is under the theme "We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper." The theme reflects the kind of understanding and a sense of shared urgency among those parties to come together even closer and strengthen consensus so as to better coordinate and trudge through this era of overlapping perils.

For decades, the spirit of a community with a shared future has boosted strategic mutual trust, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between China and its East Asian neighbors.

For instance, over the past 30 years, China and ASEAN countries have stuck together through thick and thin and supported each other in coping with the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, the 2003 SARS pandemic, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.

Bilateral trade relations have seen remarkable progress. Today, both sides are each other's largest trading partners. And among ASEAN's dialogue partners, China has been No. 1 on many fronts: the first country to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia; the first to become ASEAN's strategic partner and the first to start free trade area negotiations with ASEAN.

The two sides have also handled their disagreements on issues like the South China Sea through dialogue based on mutual respect and consultation. In recent years, regional countries have proved to be wise enough and fully capable of properly handling their differences. To turn the South China Sea into a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship, the relevant parties still need to speed up their consultation on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea so as to reach an agreement at an early date.

Against the backdrop of the once-in-a-century global health crisis, the spirit of a community with a shared future is even more urgently needed for regional coordination and cooperation. During the fight against COVID-19, China and East Asian countries have supported each other with medical supplies and by sharing prevention and treatment experience. China has also provided ASEAN countries with more than 300 million COVID-19 vaccines, and has pledged to carry out vaccine cooperation with more ASEAN members.

Economic and trade cooperation has been another bright spot of the all-round China-East Asia cooperation. Despite the pandemic, trade between China and ASEAN skyrocketed from 8.36 billion U.S. dollars to 685.28 billion last year. And in the first half of this year, bilateral trade reached 410.75 billion dollars, up 38.2 percent year-on-year.

Last year's signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has been widely viewed as a significant achievement for regional free trade cooperation and integration. This mega free trade pact, once taking effect as scheduled, will not only inject strong impetus into regional economic recovery and economic integration, but also boost the world economy. According to forecasts by the Peterson Institute for International Economics last year, this pact will raise annual global national incomes in 2030 by 186 billion dollars.

Amid the waves of protectionism and unilateralism, RCEP is an unmistakable victory for true multilateralism. Multilateralism is one of the guiding principles that have ensured the fruitful cooperation between China and ASEAN in recent years.

In the future, China and ASEAN members need to continue to jointly improve global governance in the spirit of true multilateralism and open regionalism, and firmly oppose Cold-War mentality and zero-sum games.

This age of economic globalization and global interdependence has already woven the fates of all countries together. As a result, building an even closer community with a shared future for China and ASEAN is in the interests of the two sides as well as those of the wider world. China and its regional partners have no other choice but to march forward hand in hand.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China launches real-time glacier monitoring system

Xinhua) 09:49, October 27, 2021

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 14, 2020 shows a view of the Dagu glacier scenic spot in Heishui County of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- A real-time glacier monitoring system has been officially put into use on a glacier in the Yulong Snow Mountain in southwest China's Yunnan Province, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The system, jointly developed by the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources of the CAS and the Wuhan University Chinese Antarctic Center of Surveying and Mapping, is composed of modules that use the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), laser diastimeters, cameras, meteorology equipment, ice temperature testing equipment and seismographs.

Observation data is transmitted via the 4G network and released online. Since July 2021, the system has obtained information on glacial melting and accumulation, glacial velocity, ice quakes and temperature humidity pressure.

The system remarkably reduces the difficulty and potential risks of the artificial monitoring of high-altitude glaciers, and realizes the continuity and accuracy of data collection and the visualization of data transmissions.

The system's monitoring data is updated online every five minutes.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China mulls five-year plan for SMEs

Xinhua) 09:51, October 27, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- China is taking further steps to increase its support for the country's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with solid measures to encourage sci-tech innovation and stimulate their vitality.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is working on a five-year plan for the growth of SMEs, which underlines key tasks including improving a level playing field, increasing financing availability and enhancing innovation capacity and professionalism.

From 2021 to 2025, the country is expected to incubate and cultivate about one million innovative SMEs and 100,000 SMEs that feature specialization, refinement, uniqueness and innovation, said MIIT Minister Xiao Yaqing.

According to Xiao, the country also plans to incubate 10,000 "little giant" firms, which refer to small enterprises, still in the early stage of development, focusing on the new generation of information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy, new materials, biomedicine and other high-end fields.

A total of 1,140 "little giant" companies enjoyed operating margins of 13.2 percent in the first eight months, an MIIT survey showed.

To further improve the technological innovation capacity of SMEs and resolve their difficulties, the country is unfolding a slew of measures.

China plans to build a number of national manufacturing innovation centers and generic technology platforms in key areas, as well as to support the integration of small and medium-sized enterprises into industrial chains, supply chains and value chains, according to the MIIT.

Calling for integrated innovation development pattern for large, medium and small enterprises and upstream and downstream firms, the ministry also proposed to increase inclusive finance support for small and micro-businesses.

Providing richer asset certificates for SMEs and reducing their loan pressure would be one of the many innovative practices to solve their financing difficulties and delayed payment and collection.

As of June 2021, Chinese logistics service platform Lionbridge has served more than 3,000 small, medium and micro logistics enterprises and provided financing support of more than 900 million yuan (about 140.87 million U.S. dollars), by conducting asset capability assessment based on big data covering car rental, shipment and transportation volume.

In addition, some industrial internet platforms have provided financing services for SMEs in the industrial chain by enriching information and capability certificates such as supply chain delivery and stocking.

To solve the problems of insufficient credit construction and direct financing, more efforts will be made to promote the establishment and improvement of enterprise-related data and information-sharing mechanisms and to support fintech to empower SMEs in financing innovation, according to the MIIT.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Ancient town of woodblock printing in SE Chinas Fujian turns a new page

People's Daily Online) 10:26, October 27, 2021

Sibao town in Liancheng county of southeast Chinas Fujian province, renowned for its history of woodblock printing, is hailed as a living fossil of the countrys ancient printing technology, with 50 well-preserved traditional printing workshops and numerous items of cultural heritage, such as ancient woodblocks, books, and tools.

Photo shows Sibao town in southeast Chinas Fujian province, which is known for woodblock printing. (Photo/Luo Daorong)

Woodblock printing, with a long history of over 1,400 years in China, is a complicated relief printing technique in which text, images or patterns are carved into the surface of a block of wood, typically with a knife or chisel. After preparing the block for printing, its surface is inked and then pressed onto a substance like paper or fabric.

In 2001, ancient printing workshops in the town were listed as key historical and cultural sites protected at the national level. Moreover, the Sibao woodblock printing technique was later inscribed into Chinas list of national intangible cultural heritage items in 2008.

Photo shows sculptures on woodblock printing in Sibao town, southeast Chinas Fujian province. (Photo/Luo Daorong)

In recent years, museums, exhibition halls, workshops, and education bases on woodblock printing have been built to display the long history of the ancient craftwork in Sibao, which has injected fresh impetus into the ancient town. Besides, the handicraft has jumped on the bandwagon of the creative and cultural industry, drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese culture in order to tell Chinas stories well in a new era, according to Ma Li, an inheritor of cultural heritage.

In its heyday, books printed in Sibao were sold across the country and southeast Asian countries through the ancient Maritime Silk Road, helping spread Chinese culture, said Ma.

Ma Li engraves a pattern on a woodblock in Sibao town, southeast Chinas Fujian province. (Photo/Luo Daorong)

Ma Li refines an engraved woodblock in Sibao town, southeast Chinas Fujian province. (Photo/Luo Daorong)

Ma Li brushes a layer of ink onto a woodblock in Sibao town, southeast Chinas Fujian province. (Photo/Luo Daorong)

Ma Li rubs a sheet of paper onto a woodblock in Sibao town, southeast Chinas Fujian province. (Photo/Luo Daorong)

Ma Li shows a work printed with woodblock printing in Sibao town, southeast Chinas Fujian province. (Photo/Luo Daorong)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Commentary: Washington should stop politicizing market economy rules

Xinhua) 12:47, October 27, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Common sense teaches that a market economy always features openness, fairness and the principle of non-discrimination. However, in recent years, those rules have been largely abused by the United States as a political tool to rake in self-interests in global competition.

The United States always proclaims itself as a champion of market rules. Yet when Washington feels its economic and technological supremacy is under threat, it will invariably choose to bully foreign companies under the pretext of "national security."

Such politicized practice has already become its regular tactics. Late last month, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a 1.9 billion-dollar program to reimburse mostly rural U.S. telecom carriers for removing network equipment produced by Chinese companies including Huawei and ZTE Corp, citing the platitude of "national security threats."

The move is yet another episode of Washington's smear campaign against Chinese tech companies as there is no solid evidence to support its accusations. The so-called "national security" is no more than a clumsy political cover for its economic bully and protectionist impulses.

What has perplexed James Kail, CEO of LHTC Broadband, is that he has never seen an issue of security threat in Huawei equipment -- not only in the past few months in which such accusations have been heated up by the U.S. government, but also throughout the last five years of partnership with Huawei. Kail's firm offers telephone, TV and Internet services to 7,000 rural locations in the country. And 1,600 of its locations are served with Huawei gear.

In addition, Kail said Huawei's equipment has been "working perfectly fine," with excellent reliability that has seldom necessitated technical support.

If the U.S. administration wants to honor the market rules it advocates, it should let domestic companies make their own decisions on who they want to work with. And in the eyes of many U.S. telecom carriers, companies like Huawei, which can offer high-quality and affordable products, are always ideal partners.

Already, such reckless acts to meddle in the order of market economy as imposing tariffs, fencing off foreign investment and disrupting global supply chains have sparked strong opposition and antipathy in the international community, as well as among U.S. enterprises, amid urgent calls to uphold market rules.

Boeing's Chief Executive Officer Dave Calhoun in March called on Washington to sort out political issues from trade with China "to encourage a free trade environment between these two economic juggernauts."

Washington's double standards on market rules have clearly testified to its hypocrisy and reckless pursuit of global hegemony in front of the global community. In an age of economic globalization, decoupling and building walls are against the Zeitgeist of today's world, while openness and cooperation should be the wave of the future.

The United States should understand that only by truly following market economy rules can it serve its own interests in the long run. Otherwise, it will shoot itself in the foot.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Young Chinese photographer showers love through short videos and public welfare activities

People's Daily Online) 13:09, October 27, 2021

A young Chinese photographer quickly shot to fame on Chinas popular short-video platform Douyin for greeting left-behind seniors he came across in rural areas and photographing them, while devoting himself to public welfare activities thereafter.

(Photo provided by the interviewee)

Born in the 1990s, Xu Kai runs his own photography studio in Xian, capital of northwest Chinas Shaanxi province. He inadvertently became a well-known figure on Douyin in April 2020, with a short video clip having gone viral of him greeting elderly people and engaging in small talk with them, which was filmed by his colleagues. Soon after, Xu and his colleagues uploaded similar videos onto the platform, garnering more than 1 million followers in merely two months.

In one of his videos, Xu asked how a grandpa has been using the Shaanxi dialect and then proposed taking a photo of him. With his permission, Xu pressed the shutter. At the end of the video, Xu is seen handing the man a framed and smiling photo of himself.

His simple yet warm actions have encouraged many net users to follow suit, with his team creating a hashtag greeting strangers on the platform. So far, short videos using the hashtag have been played 1.76 billion times.

(Photo provided by the interviewee)

It is something I have been doing for a long time, Xu said, recalling that he often visited his grandparents in the countryside during winter and summer vacations when he was a high school student. Back then, he enjoyed chatting with people there, especially the elderly and children, and taking photos of them. During his visits to rural areas across the country in his college days, Xu also frequently had conversations with left-behind seniors while photographing them.

Feedback from netizens made me realize that I was doing something meaningful. I will keep doing it and send positive energy to other people, Xu said.

The young man then went on to participate in public welfare activities. This year, he donated 60,000 yuan (about $9,402) and materials worth over 100,000 yuan to the flood-hit Henan province in central China and Shaanxis Shangluo city, respectively. He is also working on material donations to north Chinas Shanxi province, which was recently hit by rain-triggered floods.

Moreover, touched by a non-profit communal kitchen launched by a couple for cancer patients near a hospital in east Chinas Jiangxi province, Xu decided to run a similar kitchen in Xian. With an initial investment of 170,000 yuan, his communal kitchen situated near a cancer hospital in the city opened this August.

(Photo provided by the interviewee)

Although the kitchen has been operating at a loss so far, Xu finds it more meaningful than taking photos. Running the kitchen enables me to help cancer patients. I hope more kitchens of this sort will be opened across the country, he said.

Xus charitable act has inspired many citizens to donate materials to the kitchen, such as a fridge, rice and stools, which makes him even more determined to continue running the kitchen.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Chinese FM elaborates on China's policy towards Afghanistan

Xinhua) 14:15, October 27, 2021

DOHA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday briefed the media on his contact with the delegation of the Afghan Taliban's interim government before he left the Qatari capital of Doha.

Wang noted that during his visit to Qatar, he had contact with Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi of the Afghan Taliban's interim government, during which the Afghan side elaborated on the domestic and foreign policies pursued by the Afghan interim government.

The Afghan side has made a more positive statement on issues of China's concern as well as that of the international community, such as increasing the inclusiveness of the government, safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of women and children as well as combating terrorism, Wang said.

Wang said they also talked about bilateral exchanges and decided to set up a working level mechanism, adding that such contact is beneficial and has enhanced mutual understanding.

Wang said when the situation in Afghanistan saw a major turning point, China was the first to put forward a multiple-point expectation for Afghanistan in the future.

First, to build a more open and inclusive political structure in which every ethnic group and faction should participate and play a role.

Second, to implement moderate and steady domestic and foreign policies, including safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of women and children.

Third, to make a clear break with all terrorist forces including the Islamic State and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, and take measures to resolutely crack down on them.

Fourth, to pursue a foreign policy of peace and live in harmony with other countries, especially neighboring countries.

The China-proposed expectation has become the consensus of the international community, and the key is how to realize it.

China holds that an attitude of equality and respect should be adopted to contact and communicate with all parties and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, Wang said, adding that China disapproves of constantly pressuring others and opposes threatening others with sanctions.

Noting that Afghanistan is a sovereign state, and a nation with the spirit of independence, Wang said Afghan history and multiple international incidents have proven that pointing fingers at an independent nation will only backfire. Wilful interference in other countries' internal affairs violates the basic norms governing international relations, he added.

As long as the international community keeps patient, proceeds in an orderly way and actively interacts with the Afghan interim government as well as other parties and ethnic groups, it is believed that the Afghan Taliban will more clearly recognize what can be done to better serve the fundamental and long-term interests of the Afghan people and the expectations of all parties, so as to better integrate into the international community, Wang noted.

Wang stressed that China and Afghanistan are neighbors, and the two peoples enjoy long-lasting friendly exchanges. Many Afghan friends said that China is a major country that has never bullied Afghanistan, and a great neighbor of Afghanistan.

China's policy towards Afghanistan is clear and consistent, Wang said. China respects Afghanistan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, respects the Afghan people's pursuit of a development path that suits their national conditions, and respects the objective reality of the Afghan interim government's rule in the country.

China has never meddled in Afghanistan's internal affairs or sought any private interests, and has no intention to build any sphere of influence in the country, Wand said, adding that China will continue to heed the voices and needs of the Afghan people, help restore stability in Afghanistan within its capabilities and play a constructive role in achieving development in the country.

Wang noted that as for the temporary difficulties facing Afghanistan, China wants to make it clear that the United States and some Western countries have unshirkable responsibility.

China urged those countries to assume their due responsibilities, take practical actions as soon as possible to effectively help alleviate humanitarian crises that may arise, and do concrete things to bring tangible benefits to the Afghan people, he said.

Wang also called on the international community to make concerted efforts to ensure the true implementation of the principle of "Afghan-owned and Afghan-led" in Afghanistan.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
U.S. efforts for emboldening "Taiwan independence" forces doomed to failure: Chinese embassy

Xinhua) 15:16, October 27, 2021

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. efforts for emboldening and supporting "Taiwan independence" forces will be futile and doomed to failure as did Washington's attempt to create "one China, one Taiwan" or "two Chinas" in the United Nations 50 years ago, said the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the United States on Tuesday.

"50 years ago, the U.S. attempt to create 'one China, one Taiwan' or 'two Chinas' in the UN ended up in a complete failure. But today, it is still openly emboldening and supporting 'Taiwan independence' forces and challenging international law and basic norms governing international relations, including the One-China Principle. Such efforts will be futile and doomed to failure," said the spokesperson on U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's statement of "supporting Taiwan's participation in the UN system."

It must be pointed out that the One-China Principle and the three Sino-U.S. Joint Communiques are the political foundation of the China-U.S. relationship, the spokesperson said, adding that the Chinese side has been firmly opposed to and has never accepted the "Taiwan Relations Act" and the "Six Assurances" unilaterally concocted by the U.S. side.

"Therefore it could not be more ridiculous for the U.S. side to put the 'Taiwan Relations Act' before the three Sino-U.S. Joint Communiques in its statement," said the spokesperson. "We urge the U.S. side to face up to the fact, stay true to its commitment, adhere to the One-China Principle and the three Joint Communiques, and abide by UNGA Resolution 2758."

"We urge the U.S. side to stop official contacts with Taiwan, cease making irresponsible and erroneous remarks, and take real actions to maintain the overall situation of China-U.S. relations and cross-Strait peace and stability," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson took notice that recently, in a blatant affront to the One-China Principle, the U.S. side has been using every possible occasion to hype the Taiwan question to help Taiwan expand its "international space."

"The Chinese side expresses its strong concern over this and will by no means accept it. We have repeatedly expressed our firm position and lodged stern representations with the U.S. side," said the spokesperson.

The One-China Principle is a common consensus of the international community, and a universally-recognized norm governing international relations that brooks no challenge or distortion of the U.S. side, said the spokesperson.

"There is only one China in the world. The Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal Government representing the whole of China. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. 180 countries, including the United States, have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of abiding by the One-China Principle," said the spokesperson.

"The Taiwan region's participation in activities of international organizations, including the United Nations, must be dealt with in accordance with the One-China Principle," the spokesperson said.

UNGA Resolution 2758 has solved once and for all the issue of the People's Republic of China's representation in the UN in political, legal and procedural terms. The system, specialized agencies and the Secretariat of the UN should abide by the One-China Principle and UNGA Resolution 2758 when dealing with Taiwan-related affairs, said the spokesperson.

"It must be pointed out that the United Nations is an intergovernmental international organization that only sovereign states can join. Taiwan-related matters are a serious political issue; they are not about the so-called 'values.' By hyping them up, the U.S. side is just intentionally distorting this issue and misleading public opinion," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson pointed out that the Taiwan authorities have been keeping its diehard position of "Taiwan independence" and adamantly refusing to recognize the "1992 Consensus".

"With the support and encouragement of its American boss, it is sparing no effort to expand its 'international space' and go further down the path of 'Taiwan independence,'" said the spokesperson.

This is the biggest and real threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and the fundamental reason why Taiwan has not been able to participate in the activities of multilateral organizations, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the spokesperson said.

"In fact, the Taiwan region enjoys free access to the information from ICAO and has convenient air connections with many cities around the world," the spokesperson said.

"On the basis of the One-China Principle, medical and public health experts from the Taiwan region can attend related technical meetings of the WHO. The Taiwan region enjoys free access to the information on public health, including COVID-19. By making an issue of ICAO and WHO, what the U.S. has in mind is simply an open secret," said the spokesperson.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
East China's Fujian to host cross-Strait youth festival

Xinhua) 16:04, October 27, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- A cross-Strait youth festival to promote exchanges between young people from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan will kick off on Thursday in Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province.

The event is co-organized by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, the All-China Youth Federation and the People's Government of Fujian Province, Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson with the Taiwan affairs office, told a press conference on Wednesday.

The youth festival, scheduled both online and offline, will feature a slew of activities focusing on the digital economy and rural vitalization, among other fields.

A highlight of this year's event is the 1,200-plus job opportunities that the participating Taiwan youth can grab during the festival, the spokesperson said.

The festival has attracted around 30,000 youth from across the Strait since its inaugural edition in 2013.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China's representation at UN certainly covers Taiwan region: spokesperson

Xinhua) 16:46, October 27, 2021

BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson Wednesday reiterated that Taiwan, as a part of China, is certainly covered by China's representation at the United Nations (UN).

Responding to a U.S. official's claim that China "misused" the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, denounced some in the United States for ignoring historical and legal facts, denying the authority of the resolution and going against the majority of the international community.

The UN is an intergovernmental international organization composed of sovereign states and Taiwan is not a country, Ma added.

Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971 with an overwhelming majority, has solved once and for all the issue of China's representation in the UN in political, legal and procedural terms, the spokesperson said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Ecotourism industry in China thrives nationwide

People's Daily Online) 16:51, October 27, 2021

Ecotourism, a form of tourism involving responsible travel to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people, has become one of the key green industries in regions across China, driving local economic development while changing peoples lifestyles.

Photo shows a view of the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve in east Chinas Shandong province. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei)

Ecotourism is becoming a favored choice for Chinese people, as they now prefer to visit places that have thick forests and plentiful vegetation as well as being rich in negative ions. Camping, hiking, bird-watching, and other activities that can embrace nature are becoming increasingly popular among Chinese tourists.

According to Chinas Ministry of Culture and Tourism, recreational vehicle camping and road trips to nearby destinations were popular during this years National Day holiday, which ran from Oct. 1 to 7. A report issued by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba showed that sales of camping products on its online marketplace Tmall surged more than 50 percent in September from a year earlier, while the booking volume for tents and camping trips on its online travel service provider Fliggy soared by over 1,400 percent from a month ago.

Recently, the department of ecology and environment in east Chinas Zhejiang province unveiled an ecotourism map, which consists of 21 ecotourism sites, in order to meet peoples growing demand for diversified ecotourism products.

Selected from the provinces education centers displaying achievements in ecological civilization, these sites include wetland parks, beautiful villages, cultural facilities, forest parks, nature reserves, agricultural parks, and scenic spots in 11 cities. The move will promote the development of local ecotourism.

Meanwhile, more and more tourism roads that connect ecotourism sites are emerging across China. The transportation department of southwest Chinas Sichuan province recently unveiled an official list of its most beautiful rural roads, which include the Zengjiashan ecotourism ring road in the Chaotian district of Guangyuan city. Flanked by forests, the road passes by several tourism attractions and villages while serving as a corridor that integrates tourism and featured industries. As a popular leisure destination for tourists, the road is leading local residents in the direction towards a wealthier life.

At present, Chinas local governments are also pursuing the high-quality development of the ecotourism industry by rationally exploiting ecotourism sources, such as nature parks, in addition to launching more ecotourism products.

Northwest Chinas Shaanxi province recently unveiled six ecotourism routes, combining the provinces ecotourism sites to feature red leaves, forests, and rare wild animal species, including giant pandas, crested ibises, golden monkeys, and takins. Shaanxi will speed up the development of its quality ecotourism routes and forest-based industries by making full use of its ecological resources on the premise of ensuring ecological safety.

Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets for the development of the countrys ecotourism industry. Statistics show that China has seen its growing forest coverage rate reach and exceed a level of 23 percent. Between 2000 and 2017, China contributed to about 25 percent of global vegetation growth, the biggest share among all countries. Meanwhile, the proportion of the countrys surface water rated with a good quality nationwide increased to 83.4 percent.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
CGCC-Chicago convenes 5th annual gala online to explore interactions between China, U.S.

Xinhua) 17:09, October 27, 2021

CHICAGO, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The 5th Annual Gala of the China General Chamber of Commerce-USA Chicago (CGCC-Chicago) was held virtually on Tuesday under the theme of "Global Collaboration for Shared Prosperity."

Through a series of events, the gala this year aims to explore the dynamic interactions between China and the United States, the world's two largest economies, and facilitate the bilateral relationship at a time of significant changes in the world.

Addressing the conference, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang called the CGCC-Chicago gala "an important platform for the (U.S.) Midwest business community to engage with China... a great event of China-U.S. subnational exchange."

"Economy and trade cooperation have always been an anchor and propeller for the China-U.S. relationship," Qin said. "Chinese and American economies have highly complementary structures and deeply integrated interests. China and the United States must coordinate and cooperate with each other."

China will open wider to the world and build a market-oriented, law-based, and world class business environment for foreign investors, he said. "In particular, we will step up efforts on IPR protection," Qin added.

Qin urged the United States to remove restrictions and barriers for the cooperation between Chinese and American companies, and create a fair and equitable environment for Chinese investors.

Through its annual gala in the past four years, CGCC-Chicago has facilitated economic and trade exchanges between the U.S. Midwest and China, said Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen.

"The essence of China-U.S. economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win," Wang said. With more than 7,000 Chinese companies in the United States employing over 220,000 local residents, China will encourage Chinese companies in the United States to expand investment with the aim, Wang added.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, and Kansas Lieutenant Governor David Toland recalled their city's or state's economic exchanges and trade cooperation with China, and expressed their hope for further cooperation with China at the gala.

The discussions at the gala still show hope and promise for the collaborative future of the China-U.S. relationship, which has hit a low point after 40 years of constructive development and mutual cooperation, said Ni Pin, chairman of CGCC-Chicago.

"We believe people should communicate with hope, not with hate; companies should compete with respect, not with undermining; countries should cooperate with compromise, not with confrontation," Ni said.

Commercial and business affairs officials from the Chinese embassy in the United States, commerce officials from the U.S. federal government, representatives from seven Chinese cities, and a delegation of Chinese business leaders also attended the gala, where several companies and individuals were honored for their contributions to China-U.S. ties.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu)
The Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM) is increasingly attracting investors thanks to the potential of its stocks.

As of October 21 this year, market capitalisation of UPCoM reached 1.42 quadrillion VND (62.4 billion USD), an increase of nearly half compared to the beginning of the year, more than three times higher than the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) and equal to 26 percent of the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE).

Of the 903 businesses trading on UPCoM, 23 have a market capitalisation of more than 10 trillion VND, with some stock codes having very high values such as the State-run Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), Viettel Global Investment JSC (VGI) - a subsidiary of telecom giant Viettel Group, Masan Consumer Corporation (MCH) and Binh Son Refinery (BSR).

UPCoM recently has attracted strong cash flow, evidenced by the increase of UPCoM-Index and strong improvement in liquidity.

The UPCoM-Index reached 47.74 points at the end of April 2021, rising to 96.56 nearly 100 points by October 21. The five strongest gainers on the UPCOM in September were Cao Bang Sugar JSC (CBS), Hoa Binh Minerals Joint Stock Company (KHB), Viet Nhat Investment Corporation (VNH), PV - Inconess Investment Joint Stock Company (RGC) and Vinacomin - Pilot JSC (HTH), with increases of 113 to 158 percent.

Liquidity recorded growth month by month. In September alone, UPCoM had more than 2.4 billion shares transferred, up 12.7 percent, with a transaction value of 42.4 trillion VND, up 9.39 percent compared to August.

On average in September, the trading volume reached approximately 121.4 million shares per session, worth more than 2.1 trillion VND, up 24 percent and 20.3 percent, respectively compared to August.

In the last three months, Binh Son Refinery (BSR), eo Ca Traffic Infrastructure Investment JSC (HHV) and Vietnam National Textile & Garment Group (VGT) were named the top three most interesting stocks on UPCoM. In September, BSR had a trading volume of 216.6 million shares, HHV 154.8 million shares, and VGT 138.4 million shares. The next two were Viet Trung Nam Investment And Development JSC (VHG) and DAMAC GLS JSC (KSH), with a volume of 129.7 million shares and 112.7 million shares, respectively.

Not only has the trading volume of domestic investors increased, UPCoM is increasingly attracting the attention of foreign investors. In the third quarter of 2021, foreign investors net bought 613 billion VND. Particularly in September, foreign investors traded 45.2 million shares, equivalent to nearly 1.7 trillion VND, and net bought more than 378 billion VND.

The top five stocks bought most by foreign investors in September were eo Ca Traffic Infrastructure Investment JSC (HHV), Quang Ngai Sugar Joint Stock Company (QNS), Vietnam Engine and Agricultural Machinery Corporation (VEA), Airports Corporation Of VietNam (ACV), and Thinh Vuong Electric Construction Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company (TV6), with an equivalent trading volume reaching 5.4 million units, 5.2 million units, 3.9 million units, 2.2 million units and 1.5 million units, respectively.

According to the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the operator of UPCoM, the UPCoM market is the cradle to nurture and develop businesses, thereby helping them get used to trading.

HNX was focusing on researching the innovation of UPCoM to increase the attractiveness of the unlisted market segment, contributing to promoting the process of equitisation, divestment and transparency of market operations.

HNX has issued the regulation on organisation and management of the unlisted securities trading market, which updated new regulations on equitisation and sale of State capital by the book-building method.

"HNX will propose to widen the trading price band on UPCoM, and at the same time continue to promote support programmes and transparency for businesses," the HNX leader said.

Compared to the two listed exchanges of HoSE and HNX, UPCoM has larger trading price band, attracting investors. However, stocks on UPCoM are not allowed to trade on margin, daily liquidity is low, the number of frequently traded stocks is only about 20 percent.

However, many businesses are considered to have a stable business foundation and growth prospects.

A part of businesses on UPCoM are now qualified to list on HOSE or HNX, but still stay on this exchange because the ownership rate of public shareholders is low, while internal shareholders have no demand to switch floor. On the UPCoM, businesses are not under much pressure on information disclosure as well as other obligations as on HoSE and HNX./.

VNA
China has launched a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign for minors aged three to 11, in a bid to increase mass vaccine coverage and accelerate the building of herd immunity, as a new rebound in cases hits almost one-third of the country and becomes one of the worst since the initial outbreak in 2020. A number of regions launched the campaign over the week, including Hubei, Hunan, Hainan and Zhejiang provinces, according to the official websites of provincial health commissions. East China's Fujian and Anhui provinces also announced plans for the inoculation of children in the upcoming days. Staff at Changliu Central Health Hospital in Haikou, South China's Hainan Province, confirmed to the Global Times on Tuesday that the hospital now accepts children aged three to 11 to come to the hospital for COVID-19 vaccine inoculations with their parents. Staff at a vaccination site at a local community health service center in Quzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, told the Global Times that schools will send students in different groups to the vaccination sites. So far vaccination sites open for adolescents are very limited. According to notices issued by provincial health commissions, children of this age group will receive two shots of vaccines produced by China's Sinopharm and Sinovac, with the shots taken at least three weeks apart. Experts said it is necessary to speed up the vaccination drive for children in this age group both to protect them in densely populated school campuses and protect those around them, especially seniors, as winter approaches and another spike of coronavirus cases rapidly sweeps across the country. Tao Lina, a Shanghai-based medical expert on vaccines, told the Global Times on Tuesday that children are especially recommended to get COVID-19 shots as they tend to become infection sources in households. Although minors tend to develop only mild symptoms, vaccinating them can prevent them from carrying the virus and causing new cluster infections. In addition, epidemic transmission is prone to happen in densely populated schools, which means minors are exposed to places with much higher infection risks, experts noted. The cluster infection in East China's Fujian Province in September was first detected at an elementary school and then spread to multiple schools, families and workplaces, with over 40 percent of confirmed cases in minors under 12 years old, said experts with disease control authorities. In response to concerns over the safety of vaccines for minors, Tao assured that inactivated vaccines are very safe for children and have been widely used among young population groups. He added that compared with the inactivated vaccines, the recombinant protein vaccines to be rolled out in the near future would be even better for infants and very young children, as the recombinant protein vaccines fall into the same category as the Hepatitis B vaccine, which infants get within 24 hours after birth. China has administered over 2.2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with people completing the full course of vaccination reaching over 1 billion, the National Health Commission showed. In July, China launched the vaccination campaign for those aged 12-17, of whom over 91 percent have completed two doses, said a notice from China's Ministry of Education in late September.


President Xi Jinping has called on China's scientists and researchers to seize opportunities for innovation, solve the problems hindering the nation's growth and expedite efforts to help the country attain a high level of self-reliance in science and technology.

Xi made the remark on Tuesday as he visited an exhibition in Beijing that celebrated China's notable achievements in science and technology during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) period.

As China embarks on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects, innovation in science and technology is vital to the nation's overall development landscape, said Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

He noted that growth in China's science and technology has been on the fast track between 2016 and 2020, with the nation's innovation capacity seeing a sharp increase and China securing a host of key outcomes in fundamental and cutting-edge science, strategic high technology and areas concerning public well-being.

He encouraged scientific workers to focus on the world's frontier research, the main sectors of the economy, the major demands of the nation and the health of people, and to shore up their confidence for using innovation and scaling new heights in science and technology.

They should take the initiative in shouldering their glorious historical missions and contribute greater strength to developing the nation into a global powerhouse in science and technology and achieving China's rejuvenation, he said.

The weeklong exhibition, which runs through Wednesday at the Beijing Exhibition Center, features 12 themed sections and over 1,300 exhibits, including quantum computers, China's Mars rover and deep-sea submersibles.

China's new-generation open innovation platform for artificial intelligence, the nation's largest shield tunneling machine for construction and models of China's space station and the world's first fourth-generation, high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor were also highlighted at the exhibition.




Chinese research teams have made marked progress in superconducting quantum computing and photonics quantum computing technology, making China the only country to achieve quantum computational advantage in two mainstream technical routes, while the US has only achieved a "quantum advantage" in superconducting quantum computing, analysts say.

Quantum advantage is a scientific concept that states a quantum computer can do things in some fields beyond the capability of non-quantum or classical computers, but it will never replace classical computers, Yuan Lanfeng, a research fellow at the Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The research team, headed by the renowned Chinese quantum physicist Pan Jianwei, designed a 66-qubit programmable superconducting quantum computing system, naming it "Zuchongzhi 2.1," after the noted 5th century Chinese mathematician and astronomer, significantly enhancing the quantum advantage, the Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday.

"Zuchongzhi 2.1," is 10 million times faster than the current fastest supercomputer and its calculation complexity is more than 1 million times higher than Google's Sycamore processor. It's the first time that China has reached quantum advantage in a superconducting quantum computing system.

"Zuchognzhi 2.1" has achieved a quantum advantage for the first time compared with an earlier processor named "Zu Chongzhi", a 62-qubit programmable superconducting quantum prototype designed by a Chinese research team from the USTC in May, Lu Chaoyang, a professor of the USTC in Hefei, capital city of East China's Anhui Province, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Pan's team also built a new light-based quantum computer prototype, "Jiuzhang 2.0," with 113 detected photons, which can implement large-scale Gaussian boson sampling (GBS) 1 septillion times faster than the world's fastest existing supercomputer, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Yuan said that the number of detected photons for "Jiuzhang 2.0" increased to 113 from the previous 76 when the quantum computer prototype "Jiuzhang" first came out, which was a major technical breakthrough, as the difficulty increases exponentially with each additional detected photon.

The light-based quantum computer prototype "Jiuzhang" was built in December 2020, led by Pan and Lu, and demonstrated a quantum advantage.




Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) touches elbows with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani before their talks in Doha, Qatar, on Oct. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Yang Yuanyong)

DOHA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday held talks here with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, during which they discussed the bilateral ties and the situation in Afghanistan.

Noting that China and Qatar are important strategic partners, Wang said China appreciates Qatar's commitment to developing friendship with China and deepening the bilateral cooperation.

China is ready to work with Qatar to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, through jointly building the Belt and Road with high quality, signing an implementation plan at an early date, expanding cooperation in all areas, and pushing for new progress in the China-Qatar strategic partnership, he said.

Wang said China appreciates Qatar's active mediation and the unique role it plays on the Afghan issue.

"China is willing to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with Qatar to jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and contribute to regional peace and stability as well as world prosperity and development," he said.

China hopes that Qatar will take an active part in the Global Development Initiative and join the China-Arab Data Security Cooperation Initiative as soon as possible, so as to jointly promote global sustainable development and healthy development of digital economy, Wang said.

For his part, the Qatari top diplomat lauded the great leaps achieved in developing the bilateral ties in recent years, adding that Qatar highly appreciates China's adherence to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and the equality of all countries, big or small.

Qatar is ready to work with China to expand mutually beneficial cooperation within the framework of jointly building the Belt and Road, he stressed.

Saying that China is the most important investment destination for Qatar in Asia, Mohammed expressed Qatar's willingness to increase investment in China and actively explore trilateral cooperation.

He stressed that Qatar supports the Global Development Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and will take an active approach to the China-Arab Data Security Cooperation Initiative.

On the situation in Afghanistan, the two sides agreed that the international community should take practical actions to ease the possible humanitarian crisis and promote the situation in a direction conducive to maintaining stability in Afghanistan as well as regional peace and security.
Korea's exports increased this month despite the disruption to global trade caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Korea Customs Service said on Monday exports amounted to US$30.7 billion in the first 20 days of March, up 10 percent on-year.

Exports to major trading partners mostly increased -- by 33.6 percent to Hong Kong, 30.5 percent to Japan, 27.2 percent to the U.S., 18.3 percent to the Middle East, 13.5 percent to the EU, 12.1 percent to Vietnam and 4.9 percent to China.

Shipments of mobile communications devices grew 26.6 percent, followed by semiconductors with 20.3 percent, cars with 13.7 percent and petrochemical products with 11.4 percent. But ships and display panels plummeted 49.6 percent and 16.7 percent.

Imports rose 5.9 percent to $29.1 billion during the period. They grew 11.2 percent from China, 9.4 percent from Vietnam, 7.6 percent from the E.U., 2.4 percent from Japan and 1.3 percent from the U.S.

The figures were not as bad as expected, as the outbreak has had a severely disruptive impact on both the demand and supply sides. However, export-dependent Korea is likely to be one of the biggest victims of the coronavirus if the pandemic continues to rage across the world.
Korea's exports surged 34.9 percent on-year in August to a monthly record high of US$53.23 billion.

At the same time, however, imports increased even more, by 44 percent, to $51.56 billion, resulting in the trade surplus halving to $1.67 billion from $3.65 billion a year earlier.

In a more worrying sign, the trade balance turned into a deficit of some $1.5 billion during the first 10 days of this month.

The worsening trade balance has been largely attributed to soaring raw materials prices.


The couple had been classmates at Tokyo's International Christian University when they announced their engagement in 2017, saying they intended to marry the next year.

The couple broke with tradition by foregoing the usual rituals and ceremonies of royal weddings, including a reception, while Mako also refused the one-off payment of about $1.3 million typically made to royal women who leave the imperial family to marry.

But shortly after the announcement, a dispute involving money Komuro's mother, a widow, had received from a former suiter surfaced and the wedding was postponed. Komuro wrote a lengthy statement explaining the situation, and but it is still unclear if the dispute has been fully resolved.

Komuro spent the last three years at law school in New York City, where the New York Times reports tabloid newspapers documented everything from his hairstyle to the food trucks where he bought his lunch.

At a news conference, the former princess addressed the controversies, gossip and mixed public opinion about the relationship, saying, "I am very sorry to the people who had trouble [with our marriage]. Also, I feel gratitude towards people who cared and quietly worried about me, or people who were not misled by the non-factual information and still continued to support me and Kei."

The couple expressed their love for one another, and Mako said, "As we go on with our lives, I think there will be different difficulties. But as we have in the past, we will work together and continue to move on together."

The couple plans to live in New York City.
The study has not been published by any peer-reviewed journal, but Moderna says it will soon present its findings to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other global drug regulators. The FDA is meeting Tuesday to review an application by Pfizer and its German-based partner, BioNTech, to offer its vaccine for children between 5 and 11 years old.

Moderna says the children suffered mild side effects from the vaccine such as fatigue, headache, fever and pain at the site of the injection. The number of test subjects was too small to detect any rare side effects such as myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, which has been detected mostly among boys and young men who received either the Moderna or the Pfizer vaccine.

The company says it inoculated more than 4,700 children with its two-dose vaccine about 28 days apart, with each shot about half the strength given to adults. Preliminary results show the antibody levels in the children were the same levels as those seen in young adults who received a full dose of the vaccine.

U.S.-based pharmaceutical company Moderna says a clinical trial shows that a low dose of its COVID-19 vaccine is safe for children between 6 and 11 years old.

In a related development, Reuters is reporting that the African Union will purchase up to 110 million doses of the Moderna vaccine. The AU will receive 15 million doses before the end of the year, with another 35 million doses arriving in the first quarter of 2022 and up to 60 million in the second quarter.

The purchase was facilitated by the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, which is deferring delivery of 33 million doses it had purchased from Moderna to give the AU an opportunity to negotiate with the company. "This is important as it allows us to increase the number of vaccines available immediately," AU coronavirus envoy Strive Masiyiwa said in an email, according to Reuters. "We urge other vaccine producing countries to follow the lead of the (U.S. government) and give us similar access to buy this and other vaccines."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has extended the coronavirus health rules for cruise ships until Jan. 15, 2022. The current regulations, which were first imposed in March 2020 and include a requirement for ships to sail with at least 95 percent of passengers and crew fully vaccinated, were set to expire on Nov. 1.

The CDC says when the current regulations expire in January, it will shift to a voluntary program for cruise ship operators to detect and control the spread of COVID-19 on their vessels.

In Hong Kong, chief executive Carrie Lam announced Tuesday that the city will tighten its coronavirus travel restrictions to bring it more in line with mainland China. Lam told reporters the government will cancel most of the quarantine exemptions granted to certain groups of visitors coming from overseas and the mainland, with the exception of cross-border truck drivers. Diplomats, airline crews, business executives and airline crews are currently exempt from the city's mandatory 14-to-21 day hotel quarantine period, one of the tightest restrictions in the world.

Lam defended the tightened restrictions, saying they are necessary to give authorities in Beijing the confidence to resume quarantine-free travel between the mainland and Hong Kong. But a leading regional financial industry group, the Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, said Monday that Hong Kong's strict zero-COVID policy and quarantine requirements for international travelers is eroding the city's status as a global financial hub.


The suit was filed in Staten Island, one of New York's five boroughs, or autonomous districts, is home to many police officers and, according to The New York Times, has a vaccination rate that is short of the citywide average.

The Police Benevolent Association, which represents about 24,000 rank-and-file officers, asked the state Supreme Court to block the mandate because it does not give officers the option of being tested weekly instead of being vaccinated.

Mayor de Blasio issued an order last week that all of New York City's 160,000 municipal employees show proof of having gotten at least one COVID-19 shot by Monday, Nov. 1, or be placed on unpaid leave. At least 70 percent of New York City employees have already received at least one dose.

The city's Law Department said the new mandates are "lawful and keep New Yorkers safe." "Every effort to stop the city's vaccine mandates has failed in court, and we believe this suit by the PBA will meet the same fate," a statement said.

Several hundred police officers, firefighters and other city employees marched across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall Monday to protest the mayor's vaccine mandate. Municipal employees in a handful of other U.S. cities and states have spoken out in opposition of vaccine mandates imposed by mayors and governors.


Exhibition recounts history of Modern French painting

By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-10-26 15:32

Impressionism, which emerged in France, is undoubtedly of epoch-making significance in the history of Western art. Breaking the boundaries of the academic school, it changed people's aesthetic concepts, promoted a revolution in art concepts and painting techniques, and opened the door to modern art. After this art genre, what changes has the French art scene experienced?

80 authentic masterpieces of 29 world-renowned artists and founders of modern art schools have been gathered, thanks to an exhibition near the Bund.

Themed From Monet, Bonnard to MatisseMasterpieces of Modern French Painting, the exhibition at the Bund One Art Museum was opened last week.

(Pierrot and Harlequin, by Pablo Picasso)

(Portrait of Jean Monet Wearing a Hat with a Pompom, by Claude Monet)

From Boudin and Monet to Picasso and Dufy, the exhibition encompasses most of the French modern artists, an epitome of French modern painting trends.

Among the exhibited artworks, there are nearly 30 pieces by French painter Pierre Bonnard, who was famous for his use of colors and is described as one of the greatest colorists of the 20th century. He is also known for being one of the founding members of the group of symbolist painters called Les Nabis.

(Le Cannet, by Pierre Bonnard)

The exhibits are borrowed from the Fondation Bemberg and RMN, one of the famous French art collection foundations. As a well-known art institution in France, it has been dedicated to presenting the art collections of the late George Bemberg to the public.

(Portrait of a Little Boy, by Paul Gauguin)

(View of Antibes, by Henri Matisse)

Exhibition information:

Duration: Oct. 16, 2021Feb. 20, 2022

Opening hours: 10:00-18:00

Location: 2F, Bund One Art Museum, No. 2 East Yanan Road

Ticket price: 188 RMB
Shanghai Express China-Europe freight train arrives in Hamburg

By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-10-27 16:36

The citys first China-Europe freight train arrived in a freight yard in Hamburg, Germany yesterday.

A welcoming ceremony was held on October 26 to celebrate the trains successful arrival.

Carrying 50 containers loaded with clothing, shoe ware, hats, glassware, auto parts, precision instruments and other cargo, it departed from Shanghai on September 28, crossed the Chinese border at Alataw Pass in Northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region before finally arriving in Hamburg. The train runs regularly every week, while new routes will be opened in the near future.

(Photos/Wang Qing, Xinhua)
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Workers wear masks out of concern for the coronavirus while greeting people at a restaurant on Bostons fashionable Newbury Street on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021.
US President Joe Biden plans to invite Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to the White House for a summit meeting as soon as April, Axios reported Wednesday. If finalized, it would be Mr. Biden first face-to-face meeting with a foreign leader since t...
Hailey Alexander remembers playing at a friends house when she was little. During her visit the friends grandmother walked out of her bedroom, and Alexander asked who the man was that followed her.

Alexanders friend told her that no one was following her grandmother.

Alexander described the man she saw. His appearance matched that of her friends late grandfather, a man Alexander had never seen before.

That was Alexanders first encounter with the paranormal. Now she seeks it out.

Alexander, her husband and father-in-law are ghost hunters. The desire to search for the spirits came after watching paranormal investigation shows on television. Her husband soon booked their first expedition for her 30th birthday at The Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville.

The sanatorium opened in 1910 to treat tuberculosis patients and closed in 1981 after serving as a geriatric medical facility. The building and property fell into disrepair until The Waverly Hills Historical Society took over in 2001 and began renovations to preserve it as a historical site.

The sanatorium also offer ghost hunts.

Alexanders first adventure at Waverly resulted in a surprise when it was over. She had stepped into a room and said, We dont want to scare you. We just want to say hi.

Her husband, Chad, had been videotaping. After they got home and reviewed the footage, they heard a faint hi on the tape in reply to Alexanders earlier greeting.

It was the coolest thing, she said. We both had goosebumps.

Since that first investigation, the Alexanders have been to multiple locations looking for ghosts. Theres been the Randolph County Asylum in Winchester, the Blackford County Jail in Hartford City and Whispers Estate in Mitchell.

But Waverly Hills has always provided something a little extra. Video footage from their last visit in July revealed a camera-shy shadow.

I was sitting on the floor and [my husband] was holding the video camera, panning across the room and thats when you see it  [a shadow] sort of ducks down like its trying to get out of view, like it doesnt want to be seen. As he pans away it comes back up in the frame, she said.

Alexander believes they might have captured footage of Waverly Hills famous ghost, Big Black.

Getting started as paranormal investigators was fairly easy for the Alexanders. Their starter equipment was a $20 voice recorder purchased at Best Buy and a video camera they used to record family videos. She said eBay is also a great source for beginners.

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Its kind of crazy the equipment you can get, she said of the auction website.

Theyve since added a video camera with night vision and an electromagnetic field (EMF) reader. She also suggests having flashlights for more than the obvious reason.

One popular technique in the ghost hunting community is using flashlights that turn on and off using a dial at the bottom of the handle. The ghost hunter will turn one or more flashlights on but keep the lights dimmed. They will then ask yes or no questions in hopes a spirit will turn the flashlight dial and brighten the light in response.

The Flashlight Technique was especially successful for Alexander at Whispers Estate.

We believed we were talking with a little girl named Rachel. She was the daughter of Dr. Gibbons, who built the house, or his wife, she said. The girl died in the house after a fire accident, and the wife also passed in the house from pneumonia.

Alexander recalled sitting in the doctors office waiting room and the flashlight turning on when she asked if someone was in the room with her and her husband. She smelled a floral perfume. Whenever she asked if Rachel was in the room, the light would brighten. Its reported the room is a favorite spot of the spirit known as Rachel.

Alexander believes an initial paranormal experience, like her childhood experience at her friends home, is what gets a lot of ghost hunters into the hobby.

Theyve had an experience and say, I cant explain why this happened so I am going to look into it, she said. They find other people who have had experiences, and they get together and form a group.

Belief in the paranormal has been increasing in America. Chapman University, in Orange, California, has studied Americas Top Fears since 2015, which also includes a look at the paranormal. The recent results found that 52.7% of Americans surveyed believed in haunted houses. They found 72% of those surveyed believed in some form of paranormal activity, be it ghosts, aliens or even the mental ability of telekinesis  moving items with ones mind.

Americas top fear over the past year was corrupt government officials (79.6%). Ghosts were in the bottom 10 of the list with just 9.4% of responders reporting fear of spirits, followed by zombies at 9.3% and such things as whites no longer being a majority (8.7%) and clowns (5.6%).

Alexander said a healthy amount of skepticism is good. She and her husband always try to debunk any of their experiences.

If we hear a sound, we make sure it wasnt a draft or that somebody bumped something and we didnt see them do it, she said.

She also encourages newcomers to treat ghost hunting as if they are visiting someones home. Be polite, she said. Ask for permission before entering a room and thank spirits for their cooperation when departing. She said dont antagonize spirits, dont ask for violence and dont try to summon anything. And also ask spirits to remain in their current location when leaving. You dont want anything following you home.

But mostly Alexander hopes people will keep an open mind.

Even when you are skeptical, you never know what you might experience and that could be what changes your mind, she said.
In 1833, Benjamin H. Day founded the New York Sun, a newspaper with the slogan, It Shines for All. You likely remember the Sun as publisher of historys most reprinted editorial, Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus.

Days Sun revolutionized the press, selling single copies for a penny when other newspapers of the period cost about 6 cents per issue, and focusing the papers content on crime and human-interest stories. The Sun also had no affiliation with either major political party of the era, the Democrats or the Whigs, unusual for the 19th century.

In 1833, the largest New York newspaper was the Courier and Enquirer, which sold 4,500 copies per day, according to A History of Newspapers published by Washington State University. By 1835, the Sun was selling 15,000 copies daily.

The Sun built Days fortune by charging advertisers a rate based on the newspapers circulation, a practice used by most every modern U.S. newspaper to this day. The release of Apples iPhone in 2007, however, would eventually blast a revenue hole in Benjamin Days 174-year-old business model.

With the iPhone and Android-based smartphones the following year, consumers were able to find their news whenever and wherever they chose  from a local newspaper or television website, and, eventually, social-media apps like Facebook and Twitter. Anxious to take part in this evolution of publishing, most newspapers offered their online content for free.

That decision only contributed to a precipitous drop in U.S. newspaper advertising revenue between 2008 and 2018, from $37.8 billion in 2008 to $14.3 billion in 2018, a 62% decline, a 2020 Pew Research Center study reported. The inevitable result: More than 1 in 5 U.S. newspapers closed shop between 2004 and 2019, research by the University of North Carolinas School of Media and Journalism revealed.

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Americans have little awareness of the financial challenges facing local newsrooms, according to a late 2018 survey, the Pew study said. A majority of U.S. adults (71%) believe their local news media are doing well financially, even as only 14% say they have paid for local news themselves in the past year, whether through subscribing, donating or becoming a member.

The Kokomo Perspective is no different. And weve begun working on an exciting new business model that will change how the paper looks and is distributed.

But in the interim, we must alternate between an online-only publication and a print-and-online publication. This weeks issue is available only online, and the Nov. 3 issue will be in print form and online. This rotating publishing cycle will continue until we are ready to launch the new Kokomo Perspective.

Media has changed, and its time we change with it so that we may continue serving Kokomo and Howard County.

The Kokomo Perspective remains dedicated to bringing you the news you need to be an informed resident and to enjoy what this area offers. Thank you, readers, advertisers and supporters, for your patience during this time of transition. We promise exciting things are on the horizon.

Jeff Kovaleski is editor of the Kokomo Perspective. Contact him at editor@kokomoperspective.com.
Todays tight labor markets, which seem especially pronounced among low-wage jobs, have led to considerable speculation about the future of work. Of course, the labor market shocks of the pandemic set new records of unemployment, and the disease likely caused a million Americans to die early. It is natural that we should anticipate many long-term economic changes. However, the likelihood that the pandemic has radically altered the prospects for low-wage workers seems pretty modest.

It is true that pay and benefits for traditionally low-skilled jobs are rising, and likely to continue to increase over the coming months. This will be welcomed by many, but theres a catch. The new higher wages must be accompanied by higher productivity from these workers. These are markets; employers can only sustain higher labor costs if the workers are actually producing more value in the workplace. As this occurs, therell be fewer jobs available in these occupations.

That dynamic is normal in a market economy. History is full of occupations that disappeared due to rising wages that were not matched by productivity growth. Thats really the story of economic growth, captured well by Agatha Christies quip, I couldnt imagine being too poor to afford servants, or so rich as to be able to afford a car. It seems crazy today, but we should be at least considering what those extra workers might do to sustain themselves and their families. Recent evidence gives us a hint about a return to existing trends.

Over the past 12 months, 44% of new jobs went to those with a college degree. This is remarkable because the bulk of pandemic job losses occurred in occupations with few college graduates. The big job losses were among front-line workers in retail, accommodations and restaurants. Notably, the only category of workers to enjoy employment that is higher now than before the pandemic are those with a four-year degree or higher.

This post-pandemic recession trend simply continues a decades-long shift in the demand for workers. Over the past 30 years, more than 8 of every 10 jobs created in the United States went to college graduates. The remaining 2 of every 10 jobs went to adults whod been to college, but didnt have a four-year degree. For the remaining workers  everyone with a high school diploma or less  there are actually fewer jobs today than 30 years ago.

That trend is too strong and based in far more fundamental economic conditions to be derailed by a pandemic. History offers some insight into this. From the dawn of time until the Industrial Revolution, the prime source of wealth was arable or mineable land. From the early 19th century until the late 20th century, wealth flowed to those who owned productive capital, such as factories. Today, wealth comes from knowledge, or what economists call human capital.

Human capital is a slippery thing to measure. Much of it comes from home, taught to us by parents. Some of it is intrinsic; it comes in our genes, reflected in our intellect and mental health. This is why it is critical to choose your parents wisely  and, whether you chose the right mom and dad, the easiest way to improve your stock of human capital is through formal schooling.

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That is why increased access to higher education is so important to individuals and to the nation as a whole. It is worth pausing here to note that Indiana is struggling with this. Relative to the nation, our educational attainment numbers fell during the long recovery from the Great Recession and worsened during COVID. We will start 2022 with three consecutive years of declining educational attainment of adults. It will be the worst stretch in the states history.

I share these data this often, repeating as frequently as I can that a college degree is among the few gateways to an economically successful adulthood. But, I am often confronted with the question about skilled trades and the ready employment options they possess. This is a good question. Skilled trades can be a great option for many young men and women. They pay well and offer job security, satisfaction, good benefits and a pathway to business ownership.

I can hardly write enough good words about the future of many of these crafts. If I could invest money in a high school student pursuing a career as a plumber, electrician, mason or carpenter, Id do so. I also respect the grit and work ethic of those who do that work. I am hardly alone in expressing these sentiments, but there is an intractable problem in viewing trades as a remedy for our low rates of college attendance.

Indiana has 38,020 masons, electricians, plumbers and carpenters, but in a typical year 39,000 Hoosier kids turn 19 with no plans to attend college. The trades are a good option for motivated, smart, hardworking kids, but these jobs will absorb only a tiny fraction of those Hoosier kids who dont go to college. This is precisely the same story nationwide; in fact this sort of belief is a formal logical fallacy taught in introductory economics course.

The fallacy of composition tells us it is an error to think that because one young person can make a career in the trades, all can. This fallacy motivates far too much of our discussion about college and careers. Wed be far better off leaning heavily on the actual data about job creation and educational attainment, and give up the anecdotes about the trades.

Today, as employers struggle to fill vacant positions and face paying higher wages, we see the very conditions that prompt the dislocation of workers. We shouldnt fear it; indeed, we should call it by its proper name: economic growth. While we see some formerly low-wage workers benefiting from higher pay, we also must be ready to consider the many men and women affected by this recession.

I realize todays tight labor markets make the concern about longer-term unemployment a distant worry. It should not be. We have yet to suffer through a recession that didnt deeply affect millions of workers. This one, the worst since the Great Depression, will ultimately prove no different.

Michael J. Hicks, Ph.D., is director of the Center for Business and Economic Research and a professor of economics at Ball State University. Contact him at cberdirector@bsu.edu
The defense in the Kyle Rittenhouse case hopes to bring in testimony about their clients interactions with police in the hours before he is alleged to have shot three people, saying those encounters shed light on whether Rittenhouses actions were reckless.

At a hearing Monday in Kenosha County Circuit Court, Rittenhouses attorneys addressed a state motion seeking to block testimony about those encounters. Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi said Rittenhouses encounters and conversations with police on the day of Aug. 25, 2020, are relevant to the charges against Rittenhouse, which include reckless homicide and recklessly endangering safety.

Among those encounters with police was one captured on video, with an anonymous police officer addressing Rittenhouse and others carrying AR-15 rifles at the Car Source car lot, the officer saying we appreciate you guys, we really do.

The defense also hopes to call as a witness a Kenosha Police officer who, the day of the shootings, recognized Rittenhouse from an earlier police call when Rittenhouse was in a fight, and had what Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Tom Binger called a cordial interaction.

Chirafisi said that Rittenhouses interactions with police earlier in the night are relevant because the jury instructions for the reckless charges ask the jury to consider whether his actions were reckless or not.

Prosecution objects

Binger wants to block the testimony about those police interactions.

I appreciate attorney Chirafisi making explicit what I have long suspected, that this is going to be a trial over the Police Departments activity that night, Binger said. I think the defense argument here is pretty clear, they want to say that because police officers saw him and didnt stop him, then somehow his actions are lawful.

The prosecutor argued that interactions Rittenhouse had with police earlier in the night are not relevant to his actions later.

Rittenhouse is charged with first-degree attempted homicide, first-degree attempted homicide and first degree reckless homicide for shooting three men, killing two: Anthony Huber of Silver Lake and Joseph Rosenbaum of Kenosha. Gaige Grosskreutz of West Allis was injured. Rittenhouse and his supporters have maintained he was acting in self defense.

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Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Schroeder said he would leave the door open to allow testimony about the police interactions. It seems to me, my bias at this point, was toward allowing that evidence in, Schroeder said, noting that he typically waits to make final decisions about what would be allowed until he sees evidence coming at trial.

Motions denied

Schroeder shot down several state motions at Monday's hearing, including a motion asking to block the defense from referring to the men who were shot as looters or rioters, and indicated he was open to the defense bringing in evidence about their actions earlier in the night of the shooting.

The judge told Binger that in the state's closing arguments he would be able to argue that Rittenhouse "is a cold-blooded killer, then why couldn't (an attorney) call someone a rioter?"

Schroeder also did not look favorably on the state motion that would have blocked the defense from bringing in evidence of actions by the men who were shot that Rittenhouse did not witness himself. Chirafisi and Richards argued that those actions were relevant because they showed that Rosenbaum was the likely aggressor in his encounter with Rittenhouse.

"To say this is coming down to those three minutes in a vacuum, thats illogical," Chirafisi argued. "If I attack you and you use self defense the jury gets to hear that because it goes to the reasonableness of your actions. If Rosenbaum is the aggressor, it goes directly to the issue of whether the jury would believe (Rittenhouse's) actions were reasonable."

Schroeder said case law supported the defense position.

After a lengthy discussion at hearing, Schroeder said that he would allow the defense's use-of-force expert John Black to testify at the trial, but said he would not be allowed to testify to his opinion about whether Rittenhouse's actions were justified or about his conclusions about the motivations of the men who were shot.

Defense attorney Mark Richards said Black would use video analysis to explain the timing of the events around the shootings.

Rittenhouse is scheduled to go to trial Nov. 1.
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EVANSVILLE, Ind., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) today announced its Indiana-based electric and natural gas business, CenterPoint Energy Indiana South, received approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to acquire a 300-megawatt (MW) solar array, as well as enter into a power purchase agreement (PPA) for an additional 100 MWs of solar energy as part of the company's long-term electric generation transition plan.

CenterPoint Energy entered into an agreement with Arevon Energy Management, the company that will build the utility-owned project in Posey County, Ind. The agreement required approval by the Commission. Arevon Energy Management and energy company Tenaska are co-developing the project. CenterPoint Energy will also purchase additional solar power from Clenera, which is developing a solar project in Warrick County, Ind., under a 25-year contract.

Together, the approval of these renewable energy projects solidifies the next component of CenterPoint Energy's long-term electric generation transition plan, meeting stakeholder sustainability goals, and implementing the most economic path forward as outlined in the company's Integrated Resource Plan. The continued build out of renewable resources is reflective of CenterPoint Energy's commitment to renewable resources and its net-zero carbon by 2035 emissions goals. More information on the company's net-zero goals can be found at www.sustainability.centerpointenergy.com.

"We're pleased to receive regulatory approval to move forward with these significant renewable resources, which will serve our local electric customers, providing a cost-effective, stable energy option," said Steve Greenley, Senior Vice President, Indiana Electric Operations for CenterPoint Energy. "We look forward to the continued work with these companies to bring the Posey County solar array to fruition and provide additional clean energy to our customers through the Warrick County PPA."

Construction of the solar project with Arevon Energy Management is scheduled to be in service by 2023. The initial construction phase will require establishing a sub-station to interconnect with CenterPoint Energy's power grid. The solar array is anticipated to generate enough power to meet the needs of more than 50,000 households per year, while also helping large customers achieve their individual sustainability goals.

Clenera projects its solar array will be in service by 2023. CenterPoint Energy's PPA entitles it to 100 MW of the array, which will generate enough power to meet the needs of more than 18,500 homes per year.

Programs and services are operated under the brand CenterPoint Energy by Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company d/b/a CenterPoint Energy Indiana South.

Forward Looking Statement

This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "projection," "should," "target," "will" or other similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions of management which are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any statements in this news release regarding future events, such as CenterPoint Energy's long-term electric generation transition plan and expected timing, benefits and generation mix resulting therefrom, expected timing of completion and power to be generated from the solar projects related to the solar array and PPA, the ability to meet CenterPoint Energy's net zero goals on the timeline indicated, and any other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release speaks only as of the date of this release. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the provided forward-looking information include risks and uncertainties relating to: (1) the impact of COVID-19; (2) financial market conditions; (3) general economic conditions; (4) the timing and impact of future regulatory and legislative decisions; (5) effects of competition; (6) weather variations; (7) changes in business plans; (8) growth in CenterPoint Energy's service territory and changes in market demand; (9) CenterPoint Energy's ability to execute on operations initiatives, targets and goals; and (10) other factors, risks and uncertainties discussed in CenterPoint Energy's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, CenterPoint Energy's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2021 and June 30, 2021 and other reports CenterPoint Energy or its subsidiaries may file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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About CenterPoint Energy

As the only investor-owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. As of June 30, 2021, the company owned approximately $36 billion in assets and also owned 53.7 percent of the common units representing limited partner interests in Enable Midstream Partners, LP, a publicly traded master limited partnership that owns, operates and develops strategically located natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets. With approximately 9,500 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

For more information, contact

Media Relations

Media.Relations@CenterPointEnergy.com

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SOURCE CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- International Medical Group (IMG), an award-winning global insurance benefits and assistance services company, is excited to announce Make a Miracle and Real Impact Missions as the winners of the fifth annual Leave Your Mark essay contest. Both organizations will receive $5,000 from IMG to use towards their global outreach efforts.

Make a Miracle supports the community of San Juan de Lurigancho (SJL), the largest and most impoverished district of Lima, Peru. The nonprofit makes a difference in the SJL community by building houses for families in need, hosting community soup kitchens, offering academic scholarships, providing medical care, and more.

Make a Miracle plans to open a wellness center offering free medical, dental, veterinary, and mental health care that would change the lives of the residents in the hill communities in SJL. Construction started before the pandemic, and the center is scheduled to open this year. This $5,000 award will allow Make a Miracle to fully stock the new wellness center with items such as blood glucose monitors, blood pressure cuffs, over-the-counter medications, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and more.

"Covid has proven that the SJL community of Lima needs healthcare now more than ever, and the people are eager to embrace better health and wellness," says Carolyn Canouse, President of Make a Miracle. "We are grateful for this opportunity to increase our impact and support the community."

The second winner, Real Impact Missions, mobilizes individual and group mission trips throughout Central America and the Caribbean with the goal of "reaching people with the love of Christ through providing tangible medical care" in poor areas with little or no access to healthcare.

One of the most effective ways in which they are able to meet these tangible needs is through their mobile medical clinics. Each summer, Real Impact Missions sends a team of doctors, nurses, and other volunteers to serve nearly 250 patients per day. This $5,000 award will considerably help to cover the cost of prescription medications for these patients in need.

"We are honored to be a recipient of IMG's Leave Your Mark award. Prescription medications are a significant cost for our medical trips, and our funding was limited on what we could provide this yea. Our organization will be able to use the funds from IMG as a considerable way to cover the cost for these medications," says Josh Richards, Director of Admissions for Real Impact Missions.

"IMG is delighted to assist with these two exceptional mission organizations to contribute to meaningful change in the communities they serve. Both of these organizations exemplify why it is so important to support our global communities. Congratulations to both Make a Miracle and Real Impact Missions." says Amanda Winkle, Chief Commercial Officer at IMG.

IMG has insured mission and social good organizations since the early 1990s, providing key benefits and assistance services for thousands of members who travel or live internationally with the purpose of serving others. The company launched its Leave Your Mark essay contest on June 1, 2017, as a way to give back to organizations serving charitable missions.

About International Medical Group (IMG)

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

International Medical Group (IMG), a SiriusPoint company, is an award-winning global insurance benefits and assistance services company that has served millions of members worldwide since its founding in 1990. A leader in the global benefits and assistance services industry, IMG offers a full line of international medical insurance products, as well as travel insurance plans, medical management services, and 24/7 emergency medical and travel assistance. For more information, please visit www.imglobal.com.

About Make a Miracle

Make a Miracle's mission is to bring hope and lasting change to San Juan de Lurigancho, Peru. Founded in 2015 by Carolyn and Jack Canouse, Make a Miracle has been transforming lives through education, scholarships, housing, and community projects.

Learn more about Make a Miracle: www.makeamiracle.net

About Real Impact Missions

Founded by Scott and Cara Boss in 1997, Real Impact Missions (RIM) specializes in Strategic Partnerships, Intentional Evangelism, Exemplary Leadership, and Ministry that Matters. Trips incorporate Gospel presentations, community development, construction projects, educational initiatives, medical clinics, and disaster response teams as ways to meet the needs presented by ministry partners.

Learn more about Real Impact Missions: www.realimpact.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/img-announces-2021-leave-your-mark-contest-winners-301409232.html

SOURCE International Medical Group (IMG)
LYNWOOD  Lynwood officials were forced to close Village Hall on Wednesday after a man sought for two area drive-by shootings threatened to shoot at the police station and its officers, Lynwood Police Chief Daniel Dempsey said.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Darnell Ball, 29, on seven counts of attempted murder  two counts in Lynwood and five in Park Forest, the chief said.

Anyone with knowledge of Ball's location is encouraged to contact Lynwood Police Detective Dave Oszust at 708-758-4744 or at doszust@villageoflynwood.net.

Watch Now: Riding Shotgun with NWI Cops: School resource officer Cpl. Jerry Patrick

A Lynwood woman told police Oct. 20 that Ball had fired several shots into her house in the 20000 block of Oak Lane and then fled the scene.

Officers reviewed surveillance video footage and confirmed Ball was responsible, police said.

A man then told police Ball was texting him and threatening to shoot up his Park Forest house, according to police. Park Forest police were contacted, but before they could arrive several shots were fired through the kitchen window at the house.

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The Lynwood woman left her house, and police said Ball later returned and fired several more rounds through the woman's bedroom window.

Valpo man pleads guilty to sex with 13-year-old student, faces lengthy prison term

Ball's vehicle was located Tuesday by the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force and it was taken to the Lynwood Police Department, Dempsey said. Ball was made aware of this and that he was wanted by Lynwood and Park Forest police.

"Ball then began calling our police department several times threatening to come to the Lynwood Police Department and shoot it up as well as police officers," Dempsey said. "Darnell Ball stated he has bigger guns and was on his way."

Ball had not yet arrived by late Wednesday morning, the chief said. But the Village Hall administrative office, which shares the building with the police department, was closed as a precaution, he said.

Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Porter County Jail
Alopecia is a cruel autoimmune disorder that causes your hair to come out, often in clumps.
Guevarra writes De Lima: Deletion of 2011-2016 DOJ Opinions from website "mere oversight"

DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra explained in a letter to jailed Senator Leila de Lima that the deletion from the DOJ website of DOJ Legal Opinions from 2011 to 2016 issued during her term as DOJ Secretary was a mere oversight.

Guevarra wrote De Lima after the latter brought the matter to the DOJ's attention through a letter. De Lima pointed out to Guevarra that she found it strange that the DOJ would delete from its website those legal opinions signed by her, as if the DOJ was erasing all traces of her incumbency as DOJ Secretary under the Aquino Administration.

Guevarra promised De Lima that the DOJ Legal Opinions that bear her name and signature will be uploaded again to the DOJ website, after they were inexplicably and mysteriously deleted and disappeared from said website.

Guevarra offered no explanation why De Lima's DOJ Legal Opinions were deleted from the website, but told De Lima that the DOJ had nothing to gain in said deletion. He also thanked De Lima for bringing the matter to his attention.

De Lima is running for re-election as Liberal Party candidate for senator on the senatorial slate of Vice President Leni Robredo.
Florida Department of Health in Leon County Celebrates National Health Literacy Month

Florida Department of Health in Leon County Celebrates Health Literacy Month in October

Improving health literacy helps people stay healthier!

Tallahassee, FLThe Florida Department of Health in Leon County (DOH Leon) celebrates National Health Literacy Month in October. It is a time for organizations and individuals to promote the importance of understandable health information.

Health literacy is something that affects everyone and is dependent on numerous factors; including communication skills of the patient or professional, culture, or knowledge of health topics. All factors result in being able to make appropriate health decisions for yourself or loved ones.

DOH Leon makes it a priority to build understanding of health words and concepts so everyone can have access to better care.

Health literacy is a bridge to quality of careusing simple, everyday language with our clients and families, says DOH Leon Health Officer Claudia Blackburn. It supports their ability to engage in their own health.

Only 12 percent of adults have proficient health literacy, according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL). In other words, nearly nine out of ten adults may lack the skills needed to manage their health and health care. This means that more than 90 million people in the United States have a hard time understanding and using health information.

People with low health literacy are:

More likely to use emergency rooms and to be hospitalized

More likely to have medication and treatment errors

More likely to have chronic diseases

Less likely to follow their treatment plans

Less likely to understand common insurance terms

Less likely to obtain preventative care

DOH Leon and key community partners constantly collaborated through the COVID-19 pandemic to build a culture of health literacy. Among other things, we united to print and/or broadcast, critical COVID-19 health information to residents with low literacy in both English and Spanish. Our mission then and now is to reach people where they are in times of emergency with messaging that is clear and easily understandable using all available resources.

Together we continue to produce COVID19 flyers and brochures that community organizations, faith leaders, and health providers can share with adults who are lowskilled readers.

COVID-19 is but one of many crises facing our low wealth and minority communities, said Blackburn. We can take this time during Health Literacy Month to pledge to do better. This pandemic has taught us there has never been a more important time to build a culture of health literacy for all of our citizens, Blackburn emphasized.

For more information and to build your skills and work to become more familiar with health information and services, visit the Centers for Disease Controls Health Literacy webpage:

https://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/index.html

###

Written by Pamela Saulsby | Public Information Officer

October 27, 2021
Turkey has reverted plans to expel 10 foreign diplomats including US envoy after a secret deal with US officials that the envoys will re-commit to non-interference into Turkeys internal affairs, Middle East Eye (MEE) reports.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had ordered the expulsion of US, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden after all issued a joint statement demanding Ankara to abide by the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights and release Osman Kavala; Turkish businessman arrested since 2017 and accused by the Erdogan regime of linked to anti-government protests in 2013 and a failed military coup in 2016.

The sources told the London-based media that the foreign ministry delayed the implementation of the order in the hope that the president could be convinced otherwise.

A senior Turkish official according to the sources reaching to US officials to get the diplomats a chance be correct their move.

The two sides the sources told MEE reached an understanding to lower tensions and come to an agreement: the US and other signatory countries would release a statement that would re-commit them to non-interference towards the domestic affairs of the host country.

The following the deal, the US embassy in Ankara and other missions on Monday released a statement on Twitter: The United States notes that it maintains compliance with Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, MEE notes.

Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand each sent a similar message, while France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland followed suit as they re-tweeted the US statement.

Erdogan welcomed the move and asked the envoys to be more careful.

[They] reverted from a mistake with the release of statements from the embassies today, he said. We believe these ambassadors will be more careful from now on.
According to a tweet published by the French Navy on October 27, 2021, the first of twelve new patrol boats VFM Bir Hakeim arrived at Brest Arsenal before new technicals and state trials.

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First patrol boat VFM Bir Hakeim at Brest, France (Picture source: Twitter account of French Navy)

The French VFMs (Vedette de fusiliers marins) have a length of 15 m and displacement of 15 tons. They can reach a top speed of 40 knots and carry up 8 sailors.

Its armor covers the cabin, firing stations, engines and fuel tanks, offering enhanced protection for the launch's crew. In addition, its light and resistant composite hull combined with its powerful outboard engine offer increased responsiveness.

The VFMs are armed with one 7.62 mm and one 12.7 mm machine gun, they will be based among the naval bases in France and overseas (Brest, Toulon, Cherbourg, and Djibouti).

The Fusiliers marins (lit. "Navy Riflemen") are specialized French naval infantry trained for combat in land and coastal regions. The Fusiliers Marins are also in charge of providing protection for naval vessels and key French Navy sites on land.
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Three new exhibitions are on view at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University through Jan. 2: Anila Quayyum Agha: The Weight of Black, The Joy Fields and Outside In.

Related academic programs are being presented throughout the fall semester, and faculty from all disciplines also are invited to schedule classes or direct individual students for self-paced viewing.

Our organizing theme for 2021 is juxtaposition, said Cindi Malinick, museum director and chief curator. From the Roman Baroque to contemporary craft, visitors have seen a wide range of artistic narratives and historical periods throughout the academic year. As we close, we focus on the fascinating work of two contemporary artists with unique storytelling styles along with a surprising way to interpret Auburns vast Audubon collection.

The Weight of Black features three installations throughout the galleries: Itinerant Shadows, a series of small cubes set on the wall, Shimmering Mirage, a three-foot cube suspended in air, and This is NOT a Refuge, an illuminated eight-foot house. The black walls are covered in shadows, creating an immersive experience.

Agha, who will meet with students during the Sculpture as Object course during a campus visit, is a 2020-21 Smithsonian Artist Research Fellow at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Having lived on the boundaries of different faiths such as Islam and Christianity, and in cultures like Pakistan and the United States of America, my art is deeply influenced by the simultaneous sense of alienation and transience that informs the migrant experience, Agha said. This consciousness of knowing what is markedly different about the human experience also bears the gift of knowing its core commonalities, and it is these tensions and contradictions that I try to embody in my artwork.

For a contrast in technique and media, the work of Auburn alumna Whitney Wood Bailey floods the galleries differentlywith vibrant color and monumental scale, said Malinick. Her personal story is equally as compelling.

With 24 paintings on view, The Joy Fields series began following a life-changing illness for the artist. Wood Bailey became intolerant to most foods, environments and even her painting process. The absence of a cure brought her to what she described as a dark place.

After many months of practicing a particular neuroplasticity-based program, I was able to return to my studio and work with paint again, among other triumphs, said Wood Bailey. A new kind of joy, one that is not dependent on life circumstances, began to seep into my life, bringing energy, wildness and vibrancy into my work.

The Georgia native, who is exhibited at home and abroad, said she considers the survey among her most personal, meaningful work, reflecting a journey toward healing. Museum visitors will have an opportunity to experiment with organic and controlled techniques during an artmaking activity inspired by the exhibition at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 14.

Rounding out the exhibition schedule is the final installment of Outside In, a collaboration with the Museum of Natural History. Following examples of fruits, nuts and flowers, various insect specimens are paired with Audubon etchings.

Scholars celebrate Audubon for the level of artistry in depicting birds and mammals, but there is even more environmental detail available in these prints, said Malinick. True-to-life size insects provide a complete picture of the habitat.

The Audubon collection rotates and rests between viewings for conservation. Malinick said the approach for future exhibitions might likely involve collaborations to present this collection in other unexpected and interactive ways.

Located at 901 S. College St. in Auburn, the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts regular hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended hours on Thursday from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Admission is free, and donations are welcome.

For more information, visit jcsm.auburn.edu.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
These street signs on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021, show one of the intersections where state funding will help improve Cordova Road with expansion to four lanes with raised medians and/or center turn lanes, among other imrpovements in Guadalupe County.
Dalondo Moultrie is the assistant managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail him at dalondo.moultrie@seguingazette.com .
[October 27, 2021] Fuze Releases Platform Updates to Strengthen Hybrid Worker Communications Experiences Fuze, the leading cloud-based communications provider for the modern global enterprise, today announced platform enhancements built to deliver improved communication and collaboration for the growing hybrid workforce. These enhancements include new mobile, meetings, and admin features, as well as Microsoft (News - Alert) Teams integration updates that empower workers and enterprise organizations with the tools they need to maximize productivity and maintain business continuity within the increasingly distributed work environment. According to Gartner (News - Alert), "in 2022, 31% of all workers worldwide will be remote (a mix of hybrid and fully remote). The U.S. will lead in terms of remote workers in 2022, accounting for 53% of the U.S. workforce."* With the rapid expansion of distributed work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, streamlining communications and workflows has never been more critical to worker productivity. Fuze addresses these needs with a seamless end-user experience for critical workstreams, helping to improve productivity and collaboration, regardless of a user's location, through a truly unified platform. "The global workforce has changed dramatically over the past year and a half, and the communications needs of the distributed workforce continue to evolve with it," said Rob Scudiere, president and chief operating officer at Fuze. "Workers need to have the flexibility to easily communicate and collaborate across devices, with their peers and customers from any location. At Fuze, our goal is to meet users where they work and address the communication needs of the modern worker as they continue to evolve, and this platform update is a critical step in doing so during these rapidly changing times." Fuze's new platform release features expanded functionality to met the following key enterprise requirements:

Faster and Easier Interactions (News - Alert) for Remote Workers Improved meeting capabilities such as background blur, improved security, enhanced voice and video quality, and new screen share from chat make collaborating remotely simpler, faster, and more efficient.

Other features such as swipe to reply messaging and push-to-talk voice memos enhance the user experience for mobile-first workers.

The addition of 'your agents' view and watchlists in Fuze Supervisor for tablets, empowers Fuze Contact Center managers with improved visibility and communication with teams while on-the-go. Meeting Users Where They Work, Regardless of Platform Expanded Microsoft Teams integration includes an enhanced calling experience through new flexible direct routing and enhanced access to call history for Fuze users with any Teams license.

New hybrid mode and Fuze Contact Center agent tab for improved hybrid collaboration across the Fuze and Microsoft Teams platforms. Empowering Customer and Partner Administrators to Better Support the Remote Workforce Improvements to Call Flow Manager, a new unique automated DID porting solution, and refined department management enable faster remote site configurations and management.

Expansion of Emergency Services capabilities with more detailed options for administrators, as well as end user location selection.

New STIR/SHAKEN technology to help address illegitimate caller ID spoofing and "verify" calls so a recipient has confirmation that the call is truly from the telephone number displayed on the caller ID. Learn more about the latest updates here. *Gartner Press Release, "Gartner Forecasts 51% of Global Knowledge (News - Alert) Workers Will Be Remote by the End of 2021", June 22, 2021. [https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-06-22-gartner-forecasts-51-percent-of-global-knowledge-workers-will-be-remote-by-2021]. Gartner Disclaimer: GARTNER is registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. About Fuze Fuze is a global cloud communications provider for the enterprise. Our intuitive unified communications and contact center platform enables seamless transition between calling, meeting, chatting, and sharing powered by the industry-leading intelligent cloud architecture. Fuze empowers the digital and distributed workforce to communicate anywhere, anytime, and across any device. Founded in 2006, Fuze is headquartered in Boston, MA with offices around the world. For more information, visit fuze.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005175/en/

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Working Together to Build a Global Community of Health for All

2021/05/21

Remarks by H.E. Xi Jinping

President of the People's Republic of China

At the Global Health Summit

21 May 2021

Your Excellency Prime Minister Mario Draghi,

Your Excellency President Ursula von der Leyen,

Dear Colleagues,

It gives me great pleasure to attend the Global Health Summit. Last year, the G20 successfully held an Extraordinary Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 and the Riyadh Summit. Many important common understandings were reached on promoting global solidarity against the virus and boosting world economic recovery.

The past year and more have seen repeated resurgence and frequent mutations of the coronavirus. The most serious pandemic in a century is still wreaking havoc. To clinch an early victory against COVID-19 and restore economic growth remains the top priority for the international community. G20 members need to shoulder responsibilities in global cooperation against the virus. In the meantime, we need to draw on experience both positive and otherwise, and lose no time in remedying deficiencies, closing loopholes and strengthening weak links in a bid to enhance preparedness and capacity for coping with major public health emergencies. Here, I want to make five points on what we need to do.

First, we must put people and their lives first. The battle with COVID-19 is one for the people and by the people. What has happened proves that to completely defeat the virus, we must put people's lives and health front and center, demonstrate a great sense of political responsibility and courage, and make extraordinary responses to an extraordinary challenge. No effort must be spared to attend every case, save every patient, and truly respect the value and dignity of every human life. Meanwhile, it is also important to minimize the potential impact on people's life and maintain general order in our society.

Second, we must follow science-based policies and ensure a coordinated and systemic response. Faced with this new infectious disease, we should advocate the spirit of science, adopt a science-based approach, and follow the law of science. The fight against COVID-19 is an all-out war that calls for a systemic response to coordinate pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, balance targeted routine COVID-19 protocols and emergency measures, and ensure both epidemic control and socio-economic development. G20 members need to adopt responsible macro-economic policies and step up coordination to keep the global industrial and supply chains safe and smooth. It is essential to give continued support by such means as debt suspension and development aid to developing countries, especially vulnerable countries facing exceptional difficulties.

Third, we must stick together and promote solidarity and cooperation. The pandemic is yet another reminder that we humanity rise and fall together with a shared future. Confronted by a pandemic like COVID-19, we must champion the vision of building a global community of health for all, tide over this trying time through solidarity and cooperation, and firmly reject any attempt to politicize, label or stigmatize the virus. Political manipulation would not serve COVID-19 response on the domestic front. It would only disrupt international cooperation against the virus and bring greater harm to people around the world.

Fourth, we must uphold fairness and equity as we strive to close the immunization gap. A year ago, I proposed that vaccines should be made a global public good. Today, the problem of uneven vaccination has become more acute. It is imperative for us to reject vaccine nationalism and find solutions to issues concerning the production capacity and distribution of vaccines, in order to make vaccines more accessible and affordable in developing countries. Major vaccine-developing and producing countries need to take up their responsibility to provide more vaccines to developing countries in urgent need, and they also need to support their businesses in joint research and authorized production with other countries having the relevant capacity. Multilateral financial institutions should provide inclusive financing support for vaccine procurement of developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) should speed up efforts under the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility.

Fifth, we must address both the symptoms and root causes as we improve the governance system. The pandemic is an extensive test of the global health governance system. It is important that we strengthen and leverage the role of the UN and the WHO and improve the global disease prevention and control system to better prevent and respond to future pandemics. It is important that we uphold the spirit of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, fully heed the views of developing countries, and better reflect their legitimate concerns. It is also important that we enhance our capacity of monitoring, early-warning and emergency response, our capacity of treatment of major pandemics, of contingency reserve and logistics, of fighting disinformation, and of providing support to developing countries.

Colleagues,

In this unprecedented battle against the pandemic, China has, while receiving support and help from many countries, mounted a massive global humanitarian operation. At the 73rd World Health Assembly held in May last year, I announced five measures that China would take to support global anti-pandemic cooperation. Implementation of those measures is well underway. Notwithstanding the limited production capacity and enormous demand at home, China has honored its commitment by providing free vaccines to more than 80 developing countries in urgent need and exporting vaccines to 43 countries. We have provided 2 billion US dollars in assistance for the COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in developing countries hit by the pandemic. We have sent medical supplies to more than 150 countries and 13 international organizations, providing more than 280 billion masks, 3.4 billion protective suits and 4 billion testing kits to the world. A cooperation mechanism has been established for Chinese hospitals to pair up with 41 African hospitals, and construction for the China-assisted project of the Africa CDC headquarters officially started at the end of last year. Important progress has also been made in the China-UN joint project to set up in China a global humanitarian response depot and hub. China is fully implementing the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative for Poorest Countries and has so far put off debt repayment exceeding 1.3 billion US dollars, the highest deferral amount among G20 members.

In continued support for global solidarity against COVID-19, I wish to announce the following:

- China will provide an additional 3 billion US dollars in international aid over the next three years to support COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in other developing countries.

- Having already supplied 300 million doses of vaccines to the world, China will provide still more vaccines to the best of its ability.

- China supports its vaccine companies in transferring technologies to other developing countries and carrying out joint production with them.

- Having announced support for waiving intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, China also supports the World Trade Organization and other international institutions in making an early decision on this matter.

- China proposes setting up an international forum on vaccine cooperation for vaccine-developing and producing countries, companies and other stakeholders to explore ways of promoting fair and equitable distribution of vaccines around the world.

Colleagues,

The ancient Roman philosopher Seneca said, "We are all waves of the same sea." Let us join hands and stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly advance international cooperation against COVID-19, build a global community of health for all, and work for a healthier and brighter future for humanity.
Notice for 2021 China-Africa Video and Photo Competition

2021/05/25

I. Introduction of the Competition

In order to enhance mutual understanding between Chinese and African people and to tell the stories of China-Africa cooperation and affinity between our peoples, the 2021 China-Africa Video and Photo Competition, jointly sponsored by the Secretariat of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and China International Publishing Group (CIPG), was officially launched on May 21.

With the theme of "Friendship in Focus, Together for Future", the competition collects videos and photos from Chinese and African people and institutions. The winning works will be displayed at the award ceremony and promoted through mainstream media in China and Africa.

II. Entry Specifications

Video Group:

1. Entries are divided into two categories.

Micro videos: 30 seconds to 1 minute;

Short videos: 1 minute to 5 minutes

2. The works should reflect real people and events and convey positive energy.

3. Micro videos can be shot in either horizontal or vertical format. Short videos are preferred in horizontal format.

4. The video format should be high-definition MP4; the aspect ratio should be 16:9 or 9:16; the file size should not exceed 400MB; the video should be clean without corner labels, watermarks or logos.

Photo (Collection) Group:

1. The photo works should be clear, without corner labels, watermarks or logos; landscape mode is preferred.

2. Computer synthesis processing is not allowed, but the relevant software can be used to adjust the size and color of the picture.

3. The resolution should be no less than 300dpi.

4. Each collection of works is limited to 6 photos.

Other Requirements:

1. The content of the entries should be positive and must not involve pornography, violence, religious and racial discrimination and should not be placed in advertisements.

2. Video works should be accompanied by subtitles in Chinese, English or French. Works with bilingual subtitles will be given preference. Photo works should be submitted together with a description of the work in Chinese, English or French.

III. Entry Submission

Method 1:

Submit the relevant works to the registration email address contacts@chinafrica.cn, with "Country - Entrant's Name - Work Name" in the email title, and attach the entry form (need to download). The video works that meet the requirements can also be uploaded to a network drive and the link and password of the network drive can be sent by email. Baidu Netdisk is recommended in China and Google Drive is recommended in other countries.

Method 2:

African micro video participants can upload their works through the topic page in Vskit platform with hashtag #2021ChinaAfricaVideo&PhotoCompetition.

IV. Schedule of the Competition

May 21, 2021: Launch of the Competition

May 21  July 20, 2021: Collection of Works

August 1  August 20, 2021: Online voting and expert evaluation of shortlisted works

Early September 2021: Awards Ceremony

V. Dissemination of Works

Outstanding works will be promoted on the following platforms (not limited to):

1. Displayed at the award ceremony of the 2021 China-Africa Video and Photo Competition.

2. Promoted by Chinese embassy in Sierra Leone; released on the domestic and international media platforms under CIPG.

3. Broadcast by authoritative partners in China and Africa

4. Released on platforms such as Yangshipin, Vskit and Scooper.

VI. Award Setting

The competition will select 90 finalists from the collected works. Based on the results of expert review and online voting, the awards will be as follows:

1. One special prize for video group (including micro videos and short videos) and one special prize for photo group (collection), with a prize of RMB 10,000;

2. Micro video, short video, photo (collection) group: 2 first prize winners (6 in total), with a prize of 5,000 yuan each; 4 second prize winners (12 in total), with a prize of 3,000 yuan each; 6 third prize winners (18 in total), with a prize of 1,000 yuan each;

3. There will be one prize for the Highest Popularity Award, one for the Best Editing Award, one for the Best Creativity Award and one for the Best Visual Effect Award, with a prize of 2,000 yuan each.

4. For the relevant participating groups or organizations, there will be 10 awards for the organization of the event, with a prize of 2,000 yuan each.

5. There will be 50 Friendship Award winners from other shortlisted works, who will receive certificates and prizes.

VII. Copyright

1. The submitted works must be created by the participating people (organizations) and have full copyright.

2. If any dispute arises with regard to copyright, trademark right, reputation right and any other legal rights and interests related to the work, the consequences and losses shall be borne by the people (organizations) submitting the entry.

3. The right of dissemination, exhibition, and publication of the submitted works belongs to the organizing committee of the competition. The organizer and relevant units have the right to promote, display and publicize the submitted works. The organizer will indicate the name of the entrant and other relevant information when using the submitted works. The people (organizations) submitting the entry agree to transfer the intellectual property rights of their works (except the right of attribution) to the organizer when they submit their works.

4. The final right of interpretation of this competition belongs to China International Publish Group.

VIII. Selection Rules

The award-winning works of the competition shall be decided by the opinions of a jury and online voting. The jury is composed of the competition organizers, senior figures, experts and scholars, etc., and is responsible for the evaluation of the entries.

IX. Contact

Telephone: 010-68995807

Email: likzh@chinafrica.cn

For more information, please go to the official website of the competition:

http://www.chinafrica.cn/2021_CHINA_AFRICA_VIDEO_AND_PHOTO_COMPETITION/
Chinese Embassy Co-hosts with Sierra Leone People's Party Online Symposium on the Great Achievements of the Communist Party of China in the Past 100 Years

2021/06/22

As the Communist Party of China (CPC) is celebrating the 100th anniversary of her founding this year, the Chinese Embassy co-hosted an online symposium themed The Great Achievements of the Communist Party of China in the Past 100 Years with the Sierra Leone Peoples Party(SLPP) on June 22, 2021.

H.E. Chinese Ambassador Hu Zhangliang, Hon. National Secretary General of SLPP and Deputy Minister of Justice Mr. Umaru Napoleon Koroma, Hon. Acting Minister of MFAIC Mme. Mamadi Gobeh Kamara, high-ranking members of SLPP, representatives of China-Sierra Leone friendship associations as well as friends from media joined in the online symposium. Two Chinese scholars, Prof. Xie and Dr. Li respectively shared experience of the CPC in targeted poverty alleviation and party construction and development, which was warmly welcomed.

In his speech, Ambassador Hu expounded that always staying true to its original aspiration and mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is why the CPC has been able to lead China from standing up, getting rich to becoming powerful in the past 100 years, grow from a party with only 50 plus members to the largest political party in the world with more than 91 million members today, and enjoy over 90% of approval among the Chinese people, ranking the first in the world for many years. He said that as this year also marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Sierra Leone, China stands ready to further strengthen cooperation with Sierra Leone in all fields and steadily push the relations between the two parties and two countries to new heights.

Hon. Secretary General Umaru Koroma and Hon. Acting Minister Mamadi Kamara congratulated the CPC on its 100th anniversary of founding on behalf of the ruling party SLPP and the Sierra Leonean government. They thanked the Chinese government under the leadership of the CPC for all the support to Sierra Leone in areas including socio-economic development, human capital development and health etc. They envisaged an ever-deepening China-Sierra Leone friendship and a closer China-Sierra Leone community with a shared future in the next half a century.

The other attendees offered their felicitations to the Chinese people and the CPC on the auspicious occasion and contributed to the symposium by giving their observations in poverty alleviation and promoting China-Sierra Leone practical cooperation.
News Bulletin

No.6, 2021

2021/07/02

Politicization of COVID-19 Should be Rejected

The past year and more have seen repeated resurgence of the coronavirus and the pandemic is still wreaking havoc. Since the very beginning, China has been joining hands with all other countries in an effort to pull through the tough time together. China has launched the largest emergency humanitarian operation since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and supported global economic recovery and post-pandemic reconstruction, contributing China's part to the building of a global community of health for all.

At the moment, staying united to fight the pandemic is still the pressing priority for the world. However, some countries have recently been renewing their efforts in politicizing on the COVID-19 origin tracing issue. Instead of upholding science, reason and objectivity in advancing the research of COVID-19 origins, they keep hyping up the "lab leak theory" and relentlessly attacking China.

China has made clear its serious and responsible attitude toward origin-tracing and has taken the lead in collaborating with WHO on global origin-tracing. Since last year, China has twice invited WHO experts (including those from the US, UK, Japan and Australia etc.) to China for joint study of origins. In March, 2021, the WHO released the origin-tracing study report of the China-WHO joint mission, drawing a clear conclusion that lab leak is extremely unlikely. The report was co-authored by more than 30 top global experts in various fields, which is widely representative and highly professional.

It's common understanding that the origin-tracing of COVID-19 must not be politicized and that it must be based on science, conducted through cooperation and proceeded with global collaboration. WHO experts also pointed out that future origin-tracing should be conducted in multiple countries and regions instead of bounding to one location.

Many scientists in the international community, including Dr. Danielle Anderson, a former Assistant Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School who once worked in the Wuhan Institute of Virology, have expressed unequivocal opposition to politicizing the origin-tracing by some in the US. Dr. Anderson said that she's dumbfounded by the portrayal of the lab by some media outside China, and the toxic attacks on scientists that have ensued. Dr. Anderson pointed out that there were strict protocols and requirements at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and entering and exiting the facility was a carefully choreographed endeavor. Responding to the Wall Street Journal report which claimed three researchers from the lab were hospitalized with flu-like symptoms in November 2019, she said no one she knew at the Wuhan institute was ill toward the end of 2019.

Besides, Massimo Galli, head of the Infectious Diseases Unit at the University of Milan-affiliated Luigi Sacco Hospital in Milan, Italy, said that the coronavirus is an unknown virus with no signs of genome engineering inside and the "lab-leak" theory has no scientific basis at all. Galli and three other Italian experts believe that the virus is 99% likely to be the result of natural spillover.

Facts have proved time and again that the accusation of "Wuhan laboratory leaking the novel coronavirus" has no factual basis. But some people in the US have been clamoring for intelligence-led investigation in disregard of science and facts. It is reported that the US experts on the coronavirus origins task force of the authoritative medical journal the Lancet are under "threat", and the chair of the task force is even "pressured" to ask the experts on the task force to renounce the "bat-spillover" theory, which is underpinned by ample scientific evidence, and turn to support the "lab leak" theory. Some experts may have to resign in order to uphold their scientific positions.

It violates the spirit of science, undermines global cooperation in origin tracing and defiles human justice for certain people and certain countries to sinisterly force scientists to bow to their hegemony, bullying and coercion. Relevant countries and people should immediately halt their politicization of origins study out of their hidden political agenda because such practices are immoral, unpopular and doomed to failure.

Origin-tracing is vital to the global fight against the pandemic, and concerns the well-being of the entire humanity. As a responsible major country, China will continue to, with a science-based, open and transparent attitude, actively support and participate in the global origin-tracing research, and steadily make new contributions to this endeavor.
Another Batch of COVID-19 Vaccines and Testing Kits Donated by China Handed Over to Sierra Leone

2021/08/19

On August 18, 2021, 200,000 vials of COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Sino-pharm, 201,600 pieces of syringes, 40,000 Novel Coronavirus Nucleic Acid Diagnostic Kits and 50,000 Novel Coronavirus Antigen Detection Kits donated by the Chinese government to Sierra Leone were formally handed over to the government of Sierra Leone at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. H.E. Chinese Ambassador Hu Zhangliang, Hon. Minister of Health and Sanitation Dr. Austin Demby, Hon. Chairman of NaCOVERC Dr. Sheku. F. Bangura and other dignitaries, friends and representatives graced the hand-over ceremony.

Ambassador Hu said that this donation is meant for further supporting Sierra Leones fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and it is one of Chinas concrete actions in implementing the solemn commitments made by H.E. President Xi Jinping.

Hon. Minister Demby and Hon. Chairman of NaCOVERC Bangura, on behalf of H.E. President Maada Bio, thanked China for the kind donation. Hon. Minister Demby highlighted that China is the most responsive country when Sierra Leone needs help and the vaccines provided by China are safe and efficacious.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Remarks on the Adoption of the Amendments to Annexes I and II to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress

2021/04/01

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress deliberated on and adopted the amendments to Annexes I and II to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR. This is a move to systemically revise and improve the methods for the selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR and for the formation of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong SAR. It will provide strong institutional safeguards for the full and faithful implementation of the policy of One Country, Two Systems and the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong", and ensure the stability of Hong Kong in the long run. It embodies the common aspiration of the Chinese people, including the Hong Kong compatriots.

The move to improve the electoral system of the Hong Kong SAR aims to develop, in a gradual and orderly manner, a democratic system that is in line with the constitutional order of Hong Kong and suited to its actual situation. It will better ensure extensive and balanced political participation of Hong Kong residents and serve the interests of all social strata, all sectors and all parties of Hong Kong society. It will help improve the governance efficacy of the Hong Kong SAR, safeguard the fundamental interests of Hong Kong and promote its long-term development. We are convinced that the new electoral system will help foster a better political, social, legal and business environment and usher in brighter development prospects for Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs. The Chinese government has the resolve and confidence to safeguard the sovereignty, security and development interests of the country and the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. It has the resolve and confidence to ensure the continued success of the policy of One Country, Two Systems, under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy. Any attempt to meddle in Hong Kong affairs and impose pressure on China is doomed to fail.
News Bulletin

No.5, 2021

2021/04/02

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China deliberated on and adopted the amendments to Annexes I and II to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR

On March 30th, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China deliberated on and adopted the amendments to Annexes I and II to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR. This is a move to systemically revise and improve the methods for the selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR and for the formation of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong SAR. It will provide strong institutional safeguards for the full and faithful implementation of the policy of One Country, Two Systems and the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong", and ensure the stability of Hong Kong in the long run. It embodies the common aspiration of the Chinese people, including the Hong Kong compatriots.

The move to improve the electoral system of the Hong Kong SAR aims to develop, in a gradual and orderly manner, a democratic system that is in line with the constitutional order of Hong Kong and suited to its actual situation. It will better ensure extensive and balanced political participation of Hong Kong residents and serve the interests of all social strata, all sectors and all parties of Hong Kong society. It will help improve the governance efficacy of the Hong Kong SAR, safeguard the fundamental interests of Hong Kong and promote its long-term development. The new electoral system will help foster a better political, social, legal and business environment and usher in brighter development prospects for Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs. The Chinese government has the resolve and confidence to safeguard the sovereignty, security and development interests of the country and the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. It has the resolve and confidence to ensure the continued success of the policy of One Country, Two Systems, under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy. Any attempt to meddle in Hong Kong affairs and impose pressure on China is doomed to fail.

The full text of Annexes I and II to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR can be accessed at:

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-03/30/c_139846350.htm

(End of Item)
H.E. President Xi Jinping and H.E. President Julius Maada Bio Speak on the Phone

2021/05/08

On May 7, 2021, H.E. Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone conversation with H.E. Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio.

Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Sierra Leone, President Xi pointed out that over the half century, no matter how the international situation changes, the two countries have always supported each other on issues related to their respective core interests and major concerns, and have always stood firmly together at critical moments in the face of such major infectious diseases as Ebola and COVID-19.

The two sides, he added, have always maintained a high level of political mutual trust and are good brothers and good friends.

Chinese medical teams, expert teams, anti-epidemic supplies and vaccines have played a positive role in Sierra Leone's epidemic prevention and control, he said.

Stressing that this year is important to the two countries, their parties and their relations, President Xi suggested that the two sides join hands to hold 50th-anniversary celebrations, carry forward their traditional friendship, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and promote common development.

China will continue to provide as much support and assistance as its capacity allows for Sierra Leone's national economic development, he said, adding that as the world is undergoing transformations rarely seen in a century, the two sides should strengthen unity and cooperation, firmly support each other, and jointly safeguard international equity and justice as well as the common interests of developing countries.

The Chinese side, he said, is willing to work with Sierra Leone to strengthen coordination within the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the FOCAC.

For his part, President Bio expressed warm congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Sierra Leone and China.

President Bio said that China, in the spirit of putting people first, has made remarkable achievements in getting rid of poverty and fighting the COVID-19 epidemic, which has not only made itself stronger, but also made important contributions to world peace, security and economic growth.

He thanked China for its concrete and practical assistance for Sierra Leone's economic and social development and the African country's fight against the pandemic, saying that China is a true and trustworthy good friend of Sierra Leone and the African people.

Sierra Leone firmly upholds the one-China policy and firmly supports China in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, President Bio said.

Sierra Leone stands ready to work with China to deepen their friendship, strengthen cooperation in such areas as education, health and food security, and advance cooperation within the framework of the FOCAC, he added. Enditem

(Source: Xinhua News)
On the morning of 23rd February 2021, I boarded a bus from my home in northern Taiwan to a nearby military training center. There I joined another four hundred draftees for our compulsory military service in the Republic of China (ROC) Armed Forces  or simply Guojun (national army). Along with the other draftees, I was first given a number. Feeling that my personality no longer mattered, I expected a future of becoming a tiny, nameless gear within the gigantic machine of national defense.

My experience turned out to be more nuanced. As Foucault argued in Discipline and Punish, modern armed forces rely on techniques such as drill and marching to create self-disciplined soldiers.[1] Researchers nonetheless point out the persistence of collective meaning-making activities in the military.[2] During my service, I became interested in how draftees and officers interacted in the context of Taiwans military restructuring, and how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the relations of trust and care in the training center. In what follows, I situate these subtle contacts, conflicts, and compromises at the intersection of national defense (guofang) and pandemic defense (fangyi). I start with a brief history of Taiwan and Guojun, and delineate how recruiting officers tried to create a new image of Guojun through a distinct neoliberal rhetoric. Next, I highlight draftees perception of military service as boring and pointless, and scrutinize how training officers responded to draftees complaints. I then conclude with the importance of trust in the relationship between officers and draftees. In doing so, this essay tries to demonstrate the agency of draftees and officers in Taiwans restructuring military and articulate how people can form solidarity in the midst of a pandemic.

Revolutionary Past, Neoliberal Afterlife

The complex institutional history of Guojun and the similarly twisted history of Taiwan made the relationship between the two highly uneasy. In the early 17th century, the Dutch and Spanish expanded their empires to Taiwan, where Indigenous Austronesian peoples have lived for thousands of years. Troops loyal to Chinas Ming Dynasty briefly took over European settlements in 1661 before being defeated by the Qing Empire in 1683. Chinese settlers steadily expanded their influences under Qing until the island was ceded to Japan after the Sino-Japanese War of 1895.[3] While Taiwan remained a Japanese colony, the 1911 Revolution overthrew the Qing and created the Republic of China (ROC), which quickly descended into a civil war between the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, KMT), the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and other provincial factions. By the end of World War 2, the Allied Power agreed to transfer the control of Taiwan to ROC, but the CCP would eventually win the civil war and found the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. Before the ROC government retreated to Taiwan, bitter clash between Taiwanese and the new government had already broken out, which culminated in the February 28th Incident of 1947 that killed thousands of civilians. With the support of the United States under the containment policy, ROCs armed force, or Guojun, became part of the Cold-War defense network in East Asia, while the KMT enforced conscription on all male citizens and imposed decades of authoritarian rule.

As Taiwan began to democratize in the late 1980s, Guojun came under increasing public scrutiny. The challenge remains both institutional and technical. On the one hand, Guojun needs to transform itself from a revolutionary force aiming at recovering the mainland into a regular army defending an island nation. On the other hand, facing continuing military threat from the PRC, it has to upgrade its weapon system, which in turn requires stable budget and public support.[4] To achieve these goals, in the 1990s the Ministry of National Defense (MND) took control of Guojun away from the older generation of KMT leaders. The MND also planned to create an all-voluntary force to professionalize the military. However, since conscripted soldiers made up most of the islands defense, the government decided not to abolish the conscription law. Instead, since 2013, the term of service for draftees born after 1994 was shortened from one year to four months, while the MND tried to gradually increased the proportion of volunteer soldiers in Guojun by recruiting draftees for longer military service.[5]

Consequently, a recurrent event during our service was the recruiting talksessentially job fairs where officers explained the missions, along with pay and benefits, of their units and occasionally invited draftees to visit their bases. It was in these talks that the role of COVID-19 in the restructuring of Guojun first became evident. Even though Taiwan did not experience major community transmission until May 2021, the service sector had already been badly impacted due to public anxiety. Since many draftees previously had entry-level service jobs, officers often emphasized how military service provided rare stability (decent salary, government benefits, pension, etc.) in a time of uncertainty. One officer even suggested that Guojun is just another service job. When officers did mention patriotism, they framed it through the language of personal growth such as challenging yourself and doing what others wont. Many officers would end their speech with reference to the theme of responsibility: as young adults starting to make choices on our own, we should understand all the available options for our career. If the military can provide you a secured middle-class life, they argued, then why not serve your country, an employer unlikely to go bankrupt or forfeit its contract?

This presentation of military career as a personal choice reflects the economic rationalism of neoliberal discourse.[6] In this vision, one joins Guojun not based on abstract ideas like duty but on concrete calculation of risk. Further, this vision grants Guojun legitimacy by presenting it as a professional organization made of rational individuals, rather than an employment of last resort. Nevertheless, for the majority of the draftees who did not choose a military career, the military service simply interrupted their life. Intriguingly, unlike the recruiting officers who rationalized this interruption as an opportunity to explore alternative careers, training officers, as I will show in the next section, were more inclined to appease the draftees than force them to accept Guojun.

Managing Health, Managing Complaints

While the MND adopts this neoliberal approach as part of its attempt to rationalize national defense, during my military service, I found myself and the other draftees actually more concerned about another line of defense: the defense against the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the May 2021 outbreak, the MND had enforced strict mask wearing regulations as a precautionary measure aimed at protecting the health of draftees. This policy should be understood in the wider context of managing draftees wellbeing. In my fathers time, the compulsory military service was popularly understood as a harsh rite of passage due to widespread bullying and abuse of draftees by volunteer soldiers and officers as well as by fellow draftees.[7] This negative perception has been hard to shrug off. In 2013, a draftee named Hung Chung-chiu died from heatstroke while serving his detention sentence, and his superiors were blamed for using excessive workout to punish him.[8] The outcry following Hungs death forced MND to reform its abuse reporting system and create a strict heatstroke prevention guideline. For example, during outdoor training, temperature and humidity were frequently measured to determine health risks. Draftees were also required to carry a card to record their daily water intake.

The arrival of COVID-19 made MNDs investment in our health even more apparent. In addition to compulsory mask-wearing and frequent temperature-checking, training officers tried to create physical distance or barriers whenever we had to take off our masks. While doing intensive exercise, we were instructed to increase physical distance. In the canteen, plastic sheets were installed on tables, and in the barrack rooms, they were used to separate people sharing a bed. Another technology was a card for contact tracing that we should complete daily. The last technology was cellphones. In Taiwan, cellphones have been used to monitor people under quarantine and to send warning messages for potential contact with confirmed cases. However, the MND wanted an additional line of defense: draftees self-reporting health status in social media groups via an app called LINE, which was very popular in Taiwan. As a result, we were added to a big (company) group and a squad group to socialize with other draftees and report our whereabout during day-offs.

However, these techniques for managing draftees wellbeing were largely considered a meaningless bureaucracy. Take, for example, the water-intake card. Training officers instructed us to complete the card by copying from a template they provided, and many draftees did not follow the daily recommended intake of water and preferred sugared drinks. The data of our contact-tracing card were similarly copied from a template, and as draftees cannot meet anyone other than their squadmates, they saw this card practically useless in fighting COVID-19. We also quickly learned to report our health conditions and holiday schedules in social media groups using template messages.

Although these official investments in health management were followed half-heartedly by both draftees and officers, the MNDs focus on draftees wellbeing meant that explicit violence and punishment, which used to be the foundation of officers authority, were no longer tolerated. This probably explained why training officers in my center, while reducing the techniques to safeguard draftees health largely into bureaucratic paperwork, adopted a more informal approach to manage draftees wellbeing: a demonstrable interest in draftees comforts and a high tolerance for our complaints.

Draftees complained about almost every aspect of the life in training center. They complained about the hot weather, the boring courses, the poor quality of food, and above all the loss of their freedom. Since officers had limited authority to add new contents to make the courses more appealing, they managed complaints typically by making our life as easy as possible. For example, since the second month of service, we were allowed to read our own books during breaks, play darts, pin-pong, and board games during designated club time, and sleep with air-conditioners on the whole night. Besides, during outdoors workout, we were often ordered to shift our positions in order to stay under shadows. We were also reminded to evaluate our physical conditions and report immediately if certain moves were beyond our capability. Finally, if draftees felt their concerns were not addressed, they still got the MND hotline, which would initiate a formal investigation into the grievance.

It must be stressed that draftees complaints stemmed not only from concerns over their health but from a lack of motivation to participate in training. This was induced by three factors. First, despite Guojuns rhetoric of professionalization, the equipment draftees were trained with in my center was very outdatedmostly second-tier gadgets retired from the voluntary force. Secondly, due to limited training staff, our center did not teach military tactics and we repeated the same tasks (mainly rifle drills and maintenance) everyday. Finally, to prevent potential incidents, heavy weaponry was off-limits, and officers kept physical training to a minimum to minimize the chance of heatstroke.

Nevertheless, because the root of draftees dissent was the military service itself, they could always find fault with new things. Although some draftees acknowledged officers efforts to improve our life quality, this did not change the impression that our training was pointless. Even if we knew how to fire a rifle, we were barred from the professional knowledge the voluntary soldiers possessed (close quarter combat, urban warfare, map reading, first-aid skills, etc.). Many felt that Guojun had no plan for draftees beyond trying to recruit them. The techniques of pandemic defense, practiced largely as copy-and-paste paperwork, only exacerbated draftees negative perceptions. This cycle of complaints and compromises thus continued till the day of our discharge.

Trust and Solidarity

Thanks to officers willingness to accommodate our complaints, disputes were mostly settled within the company. In essence, the relationship between draftees and officers was based more on mutual trust than on the enforcement of order and obedience, which allowed officers to respond to draftees demands and gain authority not through coercion but through co-option. This trust brought benefits on both sides: as long as the draftees dissatisfaction was managed and we did not make a fuss through social media, officers saved themselves from launching investigations into our grievances, which would have led to more work and unnecessary attention from their superiors.

Nevertheless, the May 2021 COVID outbreak in Taiwan greatly strained this trust. While units such as the Chemical Corps gained positive visibility by carrying out disinfection work, the crowded living condition of training centers posed a serious problem for the MND: any incidents of draftees transmitting COVID-19 to civilians would tarnish MNDs reputation. We were subsequently warned that a single case in the barrack could compel the MND to lock down the whole center to prevent further spread. For draftees, however, the risk of further losing their freedom was unacceptable.

The general antipathy of draftees was made even clearer by the governments announcement of the outbreak. Following the declaration, which was made on a Saturday, many draftees, already averse to and bored by training, became reluctant to return to the center. Many more expressed anger at their squadmates who had been granted home quarantine by claiming to have COVID symptoms. To make things worse, the MND required all units to put pandemic defense into practice (luoshi fangyi zuowei), and inspectors from the brigade moved into the center to institute new COVID-19 policies that ended up causing much inconvenience for both officers and draftees. For example, to follow pandemic and heatstroke prevention guidelines, we had to maintain a 1.5 meter physical distance while simultaneously remaining out of the sun. Officers thus spent most of their time finding suitable training locations that allowed for enough distance and provided adequate shade. Differently colored paper strips were distributed to draftees, and each of us could only use toilet and faucet matching our color. Amenities were cancelled. Draftees began to feel that officers, now under the close scrutiny of their superiors, could no longer respond to their complaints.

And yet trust did not entirely disappear. Tension was eased when officers acknowledged that they were likewise clueless about MNDs decisions. For instance, because we shared our training ground with a voluntary unit, keeping us in the center perhaps posed greater threat to national security than granting us early discharge. Officers also joined the draftees to condemn those who were suspected of faking illness, but admitted that they could do nothing about it, because the decisions were made by medical officials higher up. Moreover, toward the end of our service, some officers started to show their disapproval of the current service program and confessed that the MND lacked a clear policy to make draftees an effective complement to the voluntary force. Trust was thus regained not by rationalizing the situation, but by showing solidarity. What unified officers and draftees at the moment of strained trust was not the rationalization of national or pandemic defense, but the reflexive acknowledgement of their limits.

To summarize, the everyday life of my training center offered an interesting snapshot of Taiwans restructuring military in the time of COVID-19. While recruiting officers presented Guojun as a professional organization offering secured employment during the pandemic, draftees everyday contact with repetitive basic trainings and bureaucratic techniques of health management was far from this professional image. Their doubts over the meaning of military service were expressed through a variety of complaints. In response, training officers tried to satisfy these demands as much as possible and created a trust-based relationship with draftees. Nevertheless, the major outbreak of COVID interrupted this trust, and officers instead showed solidarity with draftees to maintain the relationship.

I was discharged in the midst of the outbreak, and had the privilege of continuing my study abroad. As Taiwan again succeeds in keeping COVID-19 under control, the country still faces an uncertain geopolitical future. While the officers I met in the training center might have failed to make military service an experience in line with Guojuns new image, they nonetheless taught me to look beyond the official techniques of national or pandemic defense and focus instead on the versatile relationships between people. Perhaps it is in those relationships that one may find something truly worth defending.

Leo Chu is a History and Philosophy of Science PhD student at Cambridge University. A member of Dr. Helen Currys From Collection to Cultivation group, his interests cover the comparative history of urban agriculture in North America and Southeast Asia, the intersection of resilience theory and food production, and the analysis of sci-fi films and games. In his free time, he enjoys writing novels and poetry. His publications can be found here. Twitter: @Leo_CL_Chu

Notes

[1] Foucault, Michel. Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. Duke University Press, 2007.

[2] Smith, Philip. Meaning and military power: Moving on from Foucault. Journal of Power 1, no. 3 (2008): 275-293.

[3] Despite the successive settler governments, Indigenous peoples continued to play an important role in the history of Taiwan. See Barclay, Paul D. Outcasts of Empire: Japans Rule on Taiwans Savage Border, 1874-1945. University of California Press, 2017; and Ye, Ruiping. The colonisation and settlement of Taiwan, 16841945: Land Tenure, Law and Qing and Japanese Policies. Routledge, 2018.

[4] Setzekorn, Eric. Military reform in Taiwan: The Lafayette scandal, national defense law and all-volunteer force. American Journal of Chinese Studies (2014): 7-19.

[5] Before the 2013 law reduced the service to the current four months, the government has already passed a series of amendments between 2000 and 2008 which cut the originally two-year service into half. In contrast, the shortest contract for voluntary service lasts four years.

[6] For an analysis of military and neoliberalism in the American context, see Cowen, Deborah E. Fighting for freedom: The end of conscription in the United States and the neoliberal project of citizenship. Citizenship Studies 10, no. 2 (2006): 167-183.

[7] Before the reduction of service term, draftees who began their service earlier would become seniors to newer draftees who they often abused. Even though draftees, especially college graduates, had then the chance to become non-commissioned officers, they were still targets of bullying by higher-ranking officers, volunteer soldiers, or even senior draftees. The abused draftee Hung Chung-chiu, for example, was himself a corporal.

[8] Hung, Chin-fu. The internet and Taiwans new civic movement in the information age: Hung Chung-chius Case (2013). Asiascape: Digital Asia 1, no. 1-2 (2014): 54-77.

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New York (United Nations), 26 October 2021 (SPS) - Algeria, as a neighbouring and observer country in the settlement process of Western Sahara issue, reiterated its support to the efforts of the new UN chief's personal envoy for the occupied territory, Staffan de Mistura, aiming at putting an end to the conflict, said Algeria's permanent representative to the United Nations, Sofiane Mimouni.



"Algeria will continue, as it has always done in the past, to contribute to a just and lasting settlement of Western Sahara conflict," Mimouni said in New York, at the general debate of the UN Fourth Committee on Special Political Issues and Decolonization.



"Algeria will therefore spare no effort to support the new personal envoy's actions to put an end to this protracted conflict, which can only be achieved through the realization of Western Sahara people's aspiration to freely exercise their right to self-determination."



"My country joins the call of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his latest report on Western Sahara, urging members of the Security Council, friends of Western Sahara and other parties involved to encourage Morocco and the Polisario Front to seize the opportunity and continue to participate in good faith and without preconditions to the political process," Mimouni said.



Algeria "sincerely hopes that the UN Secretary-General's call will be heard and that both parties to the conflict will show political wisdom and responsibility and engage in negotiations on a solid basis," in order to achieve a just and lasting political settlement to Western Sahara conflict.



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The horse is bred by a Frenchman, sired by an Italian stallion, originally registered in Denmark, developed in Norway, owned by Swedes  and finally sent to the U.S. to take the world by storm. The only horse to be supplemented to the Breeders Crown open division for trotters this year, Ecurie D, has a truly international background.

With that kind of background, the horse naturally has an international pedigree with multiple Franco-American crosses. His pedigree is a mix of some of the best bloodlines in both Europe and North America. His sire, the recently deceased Infinitif, is an Italian-born son of Pine Chip out of the French-born half-millionaire Island Dream. His dam, To Soon, is by Muscles Yankee. Even though the second and third dams are unstarted, one should not be fooled into underestimating the genetic quality. Ecurie D hails, without doubt, from one of the best French maternal families. Five euro millionaires trace their maternal line back to Ecurie D's fifth dam, the incomparable Dourga II. Best of these is probably Oyonnax, winner of the 2010 Prix d'Amerique. Another millionaire, Daguet Rapide, completely dominated the Italian 2000 crop at three and four. A third, the speedy gelding Giesolo de Lou, is one of the only horses to ever beat Varenne fair and square. Another maternal family member, Indy de Vive, has also secured eternal fame  not as one of those five millionaires, but as sire of a certain Ready Cash.

In the trotting world, few things are as entertaining than intercontinental competition. After a one-year absence, another European-bred and born trotter has entered the open division of the Breeders Crown. Ecurie D has some impressive shoes to fill, but if he can notch up another win at the Meadowlands, he will make it five out of 10 for European-bred and born trotters, for a rather incredible 0.500 record against North American opposition.

Can Ecurie D make it three in a row?

Should Ecurie D indeed win, it will make it the third start and win in a row for a European trotter in the open division.

The last time was two years ago. Veteran superstar Bold Eagle made the journey across the Atlantic, and had no problems asserting his superiority on a wet Canadian night of racing. The North American public surely didnt know what to think when Bold Eagle was high-strung and behaved in a rather unorthodox fashion before the post parade at Woodbine Mohawk Park. In the race itself, though, the French legend behaved perfectly for Brian Sears. Despite Six Pack and Atlanta doing their best, Bold Eagle easily held off the North American challengers.

The French son of Ready Cash was the first European challenger in five years in the open division. Seven years ago, an 11-year-old superstar wrapped up his fantastic career by winning this race. Commander Crowe, making his 106th start, went to the front at the half, and with some urging from Orjan Kihlstrom in the final stretch of the Meadowlands, held off Maven and Creatine to make it the 61st - and last - win of his illustrious career.

For the well-travelled Commander Crowe, it was a matter of third time lucky.

In 2012, Le Grand Blonde had a stellar season in Europe. At the half of that year's Breeders Crown, he looked to be on the way to more glory, sitting pretty in the lead with Chapter Seven parked outside. It was not to be, however, as Chapter Seven put on monster performance and Commander Crowe faded to third in the six-horse field at Woodbine Racetrack.

In 2011 at Woodbine, Commander Crowe and Rapide Lebel honourably defended the European colours in the Breeders Crown. Still, it was not quite good enough to beat San Pail, who narrowly beat the European challengers. Randy Waples read the race correctly and sent San Pail forward early. That ensured Rapide Lebel, with Commander Crowe on his tail, had to travel on the outside of the Canadian star the whole race. San Pail got two lengths early in the final stretch, and even though the two French-trained horses inched closer and closer to San Pail at the end, it was too little, too late for Rapide Lebel and Commander Crowe.

Can Ecurie D make it three for Dubois?

There is, of course, a link between these last two European winners. Bold Eagle was bred by Jean-Etienne Dubois, son of the legendary Frenchman Jean-Pierre Dubois. Commander Crowe is a son, and physically quite a clone, of French stallion Juliano Star  the latter bred by the senior Dubois. Ecurie D can give Jean-Pierre Dubois another Breeders Crown win as a breeder, as the 81-year-old Frenchman is the breeder of Ake Svanstedts latest star.

Of course, Dubois is no stranger to breeding superstars  nor to breeding Breeders Crown winners. In the '90s, Dubois also bred trotters in partnership with Sandro Viani, through the latters Italian stud farm Allevamento di Zenzalino. One of these Italian-bred horses would give Jean-Pierre Dubois a Breeders Crown-winning experience  though only as a breeder. Unsure of the horses ability after a disqualification in his first career start, Dubois had sold the horse at three. The horse should actually have been sold the the previous year, as a deal to sell the then-two-year-old had been reached. However, when the x-ray in the subsequent veterinary checkup revealed a tiny chip in the right rear fetlock, the buyer reneged on the deal.

A few years later, the trotter had blossomed into one of the all-time greats. When Varenne came to the Meadowlands in 2001, he provided Europe with its first victory in the Breeders Crown  and in irresistible fashion. Not only did he toy with the opposition, he won spectacularly in a new world record of 1:51.1. It was one of many highlights of a stellar career, and made the 2001 season a particular highlight. That year, Il Capitano won the Breeders Crown in addition to the Prix dAmerique, the Elitlopp, the Lotteria, the biggest races in France, Sweden and Italy, respectively.

The only winner to be kidnapped

Varennes victory would be the first of two Italian wins. Six years later, in 2007, Jan Nordin brought Equinox Bi to North America. The well-bred son of Valley Boss Bi and 1996 Breeders Crown winner Personal Banner was very talented but equally injury-prone, and only managed 27 starts in a career that spanned four years.

The three starts he made in North America in the summer and fall of 2007 turned out to be his swan song. After a surprise second-place finish in the Nat Ray, he was placed first to win the Breeders Crown at Mohawk. Admittedly, there was an element of luck to that win since Corleone Kosmos was first across the wire, but was off stride in the process. Two weeks later, however, he won the Maple Leaf Trot to underline his credentials. That would, however, be Equinox Bis final career start.

The following year he would stand stud at Blue Chip Farms, but not without drama in-between: in early November 2007, Equinox Bi was kidnapped from the owners farm in Italy. Despite no ransom being paid, the horse was returned unharmed one month later.

Dubois for six generations

Twenty years after Varenne, and 14 years after Equinox Bi, Ecurie D can give Dubois yet another Breeders Crown win. It would only be fitting, because Ecurie D is Dubois through and through.

Jean-Pierre Dubois acquired Ecurie Ds fifth dam, the above-mentioned legendary Dourga II in 1981. In 1982, she was bred to High Echelon, who three years prior had given Dubois his first Prix dAmerique win as a driver. The resulting foal, the mare Rangone, was one of the best fillies in her crop and crowned her career at four by winning the Grand Prix de lUET, also known as the European Derby, naturally with Dubois as breeder, owner, trainer and driver. Through matings with Defi dAunou and Love You, two stallions both bred by Dubois, we arrive at See You Soon, Ecurie Ds maternal grandmother. She was taken out of France and bred to Muscles Yankee at three to produce To Soon, the dam of Ecurie D. On the paternal side, Dubois bred Infinitif, the sire of Ecurie D. He also bred Infinitifs dam, Island Dream, and the Dubois family also bred her sire Coktail Jet, who is bred by his son Jean-Etienne.

In fact, Dubois, including his family, bred both parents, two of the four grandparents and three of the eight great-grandparents. Looking closely at Ecurie Ds pedigree, we see that Dubois even bred two of the horses found in the sixth generation in Ecurie Ds pedigree.

And finally some revenge

Amid all the excellence and all the glory, Ecurie D can also provide some revenge. Despite the Dubois familys two wins as a breeder, they also have one loss. After all, before Varenne, European trotters had underperformed in the Breeders Crown.

In 2002, Stig H. Johansson brought Victory Tilly to the Breeders Crown, and the Swedish gelding was second favourite behind Fools Goal. These two put in a lightning fast :26.4 opening. In the end, Fools Gold was full of steam, while Victory Tilly faded to fourth. Two weeks later, the Swedish visitor got his revenge in the Nat Ray in a world record 1:50.4.

The very first European horse in the Breeders Crown, however, was Coktail Jet in 1996. The French legend had already won the Prix dAmerique and the Elitlopp that year, and travelled to the US full of confidence after having won the Prix dEurope two weeks prior. Nobody knew it at the time, but Coktail Jet would never win a race again. In the race, Jean-Etienne Dubois drove passively. He sat second-last at the half and only attacked at the three-quarter pole. That proved very costly. Instead it was CR Kay Suzie who triumphed with ease, while Coktail Jet was unable to make up much ground in the final stretch.

The one time the Dubois family could have won the Breeders Crown, both as a breeder and owner, they ended up finishing sixth. Now Ecurie D can provide another little bit of revenge. Not only that, with Ecurie D being 3x4 bred on Coktail Jet, it would be a win with a particular sweet aftertaste.

(Breeders Crown)
Diamond Creek has announced stud fees for its roster of 10 stallions at the Kentucky farm, Pennsylvania farm, and Sugar Valley Farm in Delaware, Ohio.

The roster is led by three-time Breeders Crown champion Gimpanzee and a trio of young guns in Always B Miki, Downbytheseaside, and Sweet Lou.

Coming off a bullish yearling season, it is still important to us to offer our clients both quality and value at all levels of the market, said President Adam Bowden.

Shaun Laungani, VP, added, Our stallions bred over 1,000 mares last season, a milestone for us.

Several Diamond Creek studs are wrapping up a banner year in 2021. Diamond Creek-bred stallion Creatine is the sire of sensational Jujubee, Kentucky Futurity winner in 1:49.3. Creatine excelled in the sales ring with a yearling average of over $59,000 in Lexington and will return to Sugar Valley Farm for a fee of $4,000. Diamond Creek is also offering shares in Creatine for $10,000 a share and a special incentive of two breedings per share in 2022 and 2023.

Breakout freshman sire Downbytheseaside is off to a historically strong start with Ohio Sire Stakes domination and Grand Circuit successes including Breeders Crown finalists Sea Silk, Gulf Shores and Pebble Beach. This wave of success has breeders dreaming of Ohio bred Grand Circuit champions. He will stand for a fee of $12,000 at Sugar Valley Farm.

Always B Miki has proved he is a sire of champions with his first crop of three-year-olds, including Perfect Sting and Grace Hill. His second crop of two-year-olds proved to be just as potent as the first with Niki Hill, Monte Miki and True Blue Lindy. At the top of sire standings for three-year-olds, Always B Miki will stand for $12,500 in Pennsylvania and continues to give his breeders a substantial chance to produce a champion.

Sweet Lou achieved a Lexington yearling sales average of $90,000, topping out at $400,000 on the backs of Jug winner Lous Pearlman and Adios winner Hellabalou and two-year-old Breeders Crown finalists Lyons Serenity and Six Feet Apart. He remains a great value for yearling sellers, giving breeders a consistent early racehorse that can last for a long career.

Diamond Creek looks forward to Captain Crunch and Bettors Wish's first yearlings in 2022. First crop foals for Gimpanzee and Marseille are set to drop next spring. The breeding season will also debut a new stallion barn at the Kentucky farm.

Mares can be submitted online at diamondcreekfarm.com, by emailing [email protected], or calling the office at 717-638-7100. There will also be paper copies available at the Diamond Creek consignment in Harrisburg. For Bettors Wish (managed by the Bettors Wish Syndicate), send inquires to [email protected] or 908-451-4135.

Diamond Creek Stud Fees

Stallion - 2022 Fee

Always B Miki (PA)  $12,500

Bettors Wish (PA)  $10,000

Captain Crunch (PA)  $7,500

Creatine (OH)  $4,000

Downbytheseaside (OH)  $12,000

Father Patrick (PA)  $10,000

Gimpanzee (KY)  $20,000

Marseille (OH)  $3,000

Southwind Frank (KY)  $5,000

Sweet Lou (PA)  $12,500

(Diamond Creek Farm)
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan and the World Bank have discussed cooperation to rehabilitate territories liberated from Armenia's occupation in last year's war.

The discussion took place during the meeting of Azerbaijan's Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov and the World Bank Country Manager for Azerbaijan Sarah Michael.

"During our meeting with Sarah Michael, the World Bank Country Manager for Azerbaijan, we discussed the implementation status of joint projects, cooperation with the Bank in the restoration of liberated territories and new projects," the minister wrote on his official Twitter page on October 26.

It should be noted that Azerbaijan joined the WB in 1992. Since then, the bank has financed over 50 projects with total commitments of $4.4 billion. It started economic cooperation in Azerbaijan to help increase the countrys institutional capacity and to build efficient management of oil reserves. The WB has always supported the large-scale reforms carried out in Azerbaijan.

Cooperation with Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

Azerbaijan and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank have discussed the prospects for cooperation in green and smart concepts.

The discussion took place during the 6th annual meeting of the board of governors of the AIIB.

"New challenges in climate policy are one of the most pressing global issues today. During the 6th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, we discussed prospects of partnership with the bank regarding implementation of green and smart concepts in Azerbaijan according to 2030 agenda," the minister wrote on his official Twitter page on October 26.
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are increasing their transport potential and implementing major international and regional transport projects.

The remarks were made by the representatives of the seaports of the two countries during an online meeting, Day.az reported, quoting the embassy of Turkmenistan in Baku.

The main agenda of the meeting was the issue of the necessary coordination of activities and interaction of ports in the transportation of container cargo through the two countries' ports, and the discussion of the issue of cargo transportation on the route Turkmenbashi - Baku - Poti.

The parties discussed the issues of further development of cooperation between the seaports of the two countries.

The importance of close cooperation of sanitary-epidemiological, customs, and border services of the ports during the COVID-19 pandemic was noted in the cargo transportation activities.

Heads of seaports noted the need to strengthen close cooperation and mutual support of the Caspian region countries in these difficult conditions. The need to continue work on attracting cargo flow to maintain stable operation of the transport corridor despite the difficult conditions amid the pandemic was noted," the embassy stated.

The parties also emphasized the special importance of the development of transport and transit infrastructure for Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, which have favorable geographical locations.

It was noted that both countries are consistently building up their transport potential, initiating and implementing large international and regional projects in the transport field, designed to bring international economic and trade cooperation to a qualitatively new level.

Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have signed the memorandum of understanding over the joint exploration of the Dostlug gas field on January 21. According to estimates of experts, the Dostlug gas field contains natural gas and 60-70 million tons of oil.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on January 21 that the signed agreement opens a new page in the development of the Caspian's hydrocarbon resources.

"This project will contribute to the strengthening of the energy security of our countries, as well as our neighbors. This project opens up great export opportunities, thereby contributing to the growth of the well-being of our peoples," the president said.

In turn, the Turkmen leader noted that the signing of the memorandum marks a new stage in the energy cooperation between two countries in the Caspian Sea.

The deal will enable future transport of Turkmen hydrocarbons to Europe via Azerbaijan, thereby bolstering Azerbaijans position as a regional energy hub and Europes energy provider.
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov has said that an economic reintegration of Azerbaijans liberated territories will give a great impetus to the countrys development.

He made the remarks during the Azerbaijan Investment and Culture Summit, organized by the Small and Medium Business Development Agency and the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum with the support of the economy and culture ministries held on October 27.

Economic reintegration of our liberated territories, taking advantage of new international and regional transport and transit corridors will give a great impetus to the countrys development, he said.

He noted that the Karabakh region has great potential in transport and transit, renewable energy sources, agriculture, mining, and other areas.

During the summit, the minister detailed the favorable investment and business environment created in Azerbaijan, the reconstruction of liberated lands, regional infrastructure projects, and the Alat Free Economic Zone.

He noted that the Azerbaijani government is making all efforts to revive liberated territories and turn the region into a zone of peace and cooperation.

Highlighting the opening of the international airport in Fuzuli, the minister noted the great economic importance of Karabakh's recovery and the opportunities for broad regional integration.

Foreign investments

Jabbarov underlined that Azerbaijan is interested in attracting investments from partner countries to restore Karabakh.

"We continue to attract investors to the restoration work. Besides, foreign businessmen are showing great interest in the free economic zone in Alat," the minister added.

In this context, National Confederation of Organizations of Entrepreneurs President Mammad Musayev has said that Azerbaijani and foreign businessmen are interested in the industry restoration in the Karabakh region.

He emphasized that a number of opportunities were created for local and foreign businessmen to develop entrepreneurship and invest.

Moreover, the Turkish President Administration Head of the office for investment Ahmet Burak Daglioglu has said that Turkey is ready to invest in Azerbaijans projects, especially in the Karabakh restoration.

Taxes exemption

Deputy Economy Minister Niyazi Safarov stated that the businessmen in Karabakh will be exempt from certain taxes and fees.

To revive the economy, we are going to establish production in the mining industry and entrepreneurship - in the format of self-employed citizens. Businessmen will be exempt from certain types of taxes and fees, the deputy minister said.

He noted that the restoration work of liberated lands is underway within the framework of a public and private partnership. Safarov added that as part of the state program for the liberated territories' restoration until 2025, work will be carried out to establish administrative management, law enforcement, create a telecommunications network, and others.

The event was attended by ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, representatives of international organizations, businessmen, investors, startups, youth organizations, as well as representatives from more than 20 countries.

The summit will last until October 29.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

The Azerbaijan State Tourism Bureau has launched a virtual campaign on Skyscanner platform, a metasearch engine and travel agency based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Formed in 2003, Skyscanner counts a greater share of millennials among its users. The site is available in over 30 languages and is used by 100 million people per month.

The company lets people research and book travel options for their trips, including flights, hotels and car hire.

The campaign's website contains detailed information about flights, hotels and tourism offers for travelers.

Users of the platform have access to information about Azerbaijan, its cultural sights, arts and crafts, wonderful nature and much more.

At the same time, the company's ads are available on Facebook and Instagram.

These ads direct users to relevant pages to increase awareness of the country's tourism potential, as well as to easily plan a trip to Azerbaijan.

It should be noted that the Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau has previously cooperated with the UAE's leading travel platform DnataTravel, one of Russia's largest travel platforms Travelask.ru, as well as international platforms Wego, Expedia and Aviasales.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan's prominent artist Sattar Bahlulzade is considered to be the founder of Azerbaijani impressionism. He is also known for his stunning landscape paintings depicting the country's nature.

Sattar Bahlulzade spent most of his life visiting the country's most beautiful parts like Shahdagh, Goygol, Kur valleys and many other places.

Each of his works is filled with captivating charm and touches to the depths of his soul.

"For me, realism is freedom of imagination, the ability to extend my experiences on the canvas. It is important for me to express the truth of life in all ways. But realism is not only a technique, it is also the breadth of the artist's heart, the generosity of his nature," the artist once said.

Having a great desire to create, in 1927, Sattar Bahlulzade entered the Azerbaijan Art College, where he received his primary professional art education.

At the technical school, he was a student of the eminent artist Azim Azimzade. In 1931, Sattar started working with Azimzade in the Communist newspaper.

To continue his studies, Bahlulzade went to Moscow on Azimzade's advice.

In 1933, he entered the Moscow Art Institute at the Faculty of Graphics.

During his summer practice in the Crimea, some of Sattar's sketches were noticed by Russian artist Marc Chagall, who invited Sattar to enter the faculty of painting.

In 1964, Bahlulzade's works were exhibited at the National Gallery in Prague.

After the exhibition, five of the artist's works were selected for the museum's collection.

Sattar donated his paintings to the gallery for free. Foreigners interested in art came to the artist's studio.

One day an Italian decided to buy one of the artist's paintings. Sattar decided to give him a painting, saying that he never gives cheap gifts.

The artist developed his own unique art style which was more surreal and cosmic-in fact. With pastel colors and bold strokes, Bahlulzade made nature look more lively.

"Tears of Kapaz (1965)", "Bank of the Gudyalchay (1953)", "Dream of the Land (1961)", "Evening Above the Caspian Sea (1959)" and "Goygol (1964)" are among his well-known works.

Some of his paintings are kept in museums of Azerbaijan, Russia, Georgia, China, etc.

The artist spent the rest of his life in his native village of Amirjan.

The State Film Fund has recently restored the documentary "Sattar Bahlulzade", which tells about the artist's life and art.

The documentary was filmed by producer Davud Imanov, scriptwriter Azer Abdulla, cameraman - Rafig Guliyev, music director- Javanshir Guliyev. The film was shot in 1989 at the Azerbaijanfilm Studio.
By Azernews





By Vafa Ismayilova

On September 27, 2020, in response to a large-scale provocation of the Armenian armed forces along the frontline, the Azerbaijani army launched a counter-offensive operation, later called the "Iron Fist".

The 44-day war put an end to nearly 30 years of occupation, ensured the liberation of Azerbaijan's lands and the restoration of the country's territorial integrity.

Chronicle of 44-day Second Karabakh War: October 27, 2021

- Azerbaijani First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva shared a post on her Instagram account.

- The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry has released information on the latest situation on the front.

- The chief of staff of the Armenian motorized infantry division was killed. The list of destroyed military equipment of the Armenian armed forces has been announced.

- Tartar city and Tartar region's villages were shelled.

- The Azerbaijani army liberated four cities, four settlements and 165 villages in just one month.

- The territories of Goranboy, Tartar and Barda regions were shelled. The death toll from Armenian missile attack in Barda has reached four. One of the dead in Barda was an 8-year-old child.

- The Defence Ministry said that over the past day, Armenia's armed forces repeatedly violated the humanitarian ceasefire.

A Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal that Baku and Yerevan signed on November 10, 2020, brought an end to six weeks of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s.

The peace agreement stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Armenian-occupied Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions and urged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s. Before the signing of the deal, the Azerbaijani army had liberated around 300 villages, settlements, city centres, and historic Shusha city.
By Trend

Fuzuli International Airport, which was opened Oct.26 with participation of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, can attract investments needed to restore prosperity in Azerbaijans Karabakh, former US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza told Trend.

Bryza pointed out that President Erdogans visit to Fuzuli in Azerbaijan today is important, because it is symbolic, strategic and practical as well.

Symbolically, the visit of Azerbaijans closest allys leader to Fuzuli shows and underscores this powerful victory of Azerbaijan in last years 44-day war, which is the greatest military victory in Azerbaijans history and the greatest diplomatic victory. Because now Azerbaijan has enforced 4 UN Security Councils resolutions, that were never enforced and brought Armenia back into compliance with the international law, no matter how much Armenia would have resisted that," he said.

The former ambassador noted that the visit of President Erdogan to Fuzuli is a sign to the world that Azerbaijan has changed, is reunified, its territorial integrity is restored and Azerbaijan is ready now to build a transportation hub in Fuzuli to help the entire region of the South Caucasus reintegrate.

He went on to add that from a strategic perspective, President Erdogans visit is also a sign of how close Turkey-Azerbaijan relations have become.

Azerbaijan-Turkey relations of course have been close for decades. There is an old slogan of One nation and two states," Bryza reminded.

Strategically, the visit is a sign that Azerbaijan and Turkey are advancing their cooperation in many spheres, not just military, technological, but also economic, trade and investment, he said.

Finally, as a practical matter, President Erdogans visit is important, because it shows that this international airport in Fuzuli can be used to attract friends, business people, investors, political leaders to these lands of Azerbaijan and in that way make it smoother for investments take place, investments hopefully in organized industrial zones stretching from the Caspian Sea all the way to the Black Sea and Mediterranean. Fuzuli airport is located in an important place strategically on the map and I hope well see that to be used in a pragmatic way to attract the investments needed to restore prosperity and establish long term stability, he concluded.
By Trend

Fuzuli International Airport, one of the most important projects connecting Baku with Shusha, the cradle of culture of the Turkic world, will unbreakably connect Karabakh to Azerbaijan, the region and the whole world with the completion of the construction of the Victory Road, Chief Advisor to the President of Turkey Yalcin Topcu told Trend.

According to Topcu, the opening of Fuzuli International Airport by the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey is of great importance

"30 years of oppression and illegal occupation of Karabakh ended in a historic victory for Azerbaijan due to its own strength and political will. On October 17, 2020, Azerbaijan's heroic soldiers drove the Armenian occupying forces out of Fuzuli. The opening ceremony of Fuzuli International Airport, which will make a great contribution to the peace and prosperity of nations, was held by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Now, Fuzuli International Airport has been put into operation, which will make a great contribution to the peace and prosperity of all nations in the region, as well as Azerbaijan.

The inauguration is once again important because it shows the world that the two brotherly countries are always close to each other in any situation. Thanks to this airport, Azerbaijan will soon be able to reach the prosperity and comfort that Karabakh, deserves and longs for."

Topcu also noted that the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, President Ilham Aliyev, with his power, diplomatic and political success in the 21st century, thwarted the plans of the imperialist forces and threw them in the trash of history.

"Making this airport ready for flights within eight months after the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is very important in terms of showing the world the economic power of Azerbaijan and its noble nation. Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Ataturk's words "Azerbaijan's joy is our joy, Azerbaijan's sorrow is our sorrow" and National Leader Heydar Aliyev's words "One nation, two states" at all times. The spirit of unity shown by Azerbaijan and Turkey to the whole world in the Patriotic War will continue to grow with such large economic projects," he said.

Topcu added that the world will understand that hostility to the Turks brings defeat, and friendship with the Turks brings victory.

"Fuzuli International Airport, one of the most important projects connecting Baku with Shusha, the cultural cradle of the Turkic world, will creonnect Karabakh to Azerbaijan, the region and the whole world with the completion of the Victory Road. I wish Fuzuli Airport to be a tool for lasting peace and prosperity for the peoples of the region, for Karabakh and Azerbaijan. May the Azerbaijani-Turkish brotherhood be forever, eternal and blessed!" he said.
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

In continuation of their acts to violate international humanitarian law during the 44-day war last year, on October 27, 2020, Armenian troops launched a missile attack on Azerbaijan's Barda city far from the war zone.

Barda was attacked after the U.S-mediated humanitarian truce became effective at 08:00 (GMT +4) on October 26.

As a result of a rocket attack from the Smerch multiple rocket launcher on Barda, five civilians, including a child, were killed and 13 civilians, including children and women, were seriously wounded.

To that time, Armenia violated the humanitarian ceasefire already for a third time (the joint statement in Moscow on October 10, the reaffirmation of commitment by Paris on October 18, and the agreement on an emergency humanitarian ceasefire in Washington on October 24).

On October 27, 2021, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov shared on Twitter a publication related to the anniversary of Armenia's missile attack on Barda.

"Missile attacks on Barda city of Azerbaijan by the armed forces of Armenia on 27-28 October 2020, killed many innocent Azerbaijani civilians. We remember the victims of this heinous attack with deep sorrow. Those responsible for this war crime must be held responsible!" the Twitt reads.

The Armenian armed forces launched missile attacks on Barda on October 5, 8, 27, and 28.

On October 5, 2020, at about 12:30 (GMT +4), heavy artillery fire was fired at a house on Tabriz Street in Barda by the Armenian armed forces. One of the fired missiles hit the house of a resident in the region's center. Subsequently, the house caught fire and became completely unusable.

Seven people were injured in the intensive artillery shelling of Barda region from 10:00 (GMT +4) on October 8. Two people were hospitalized with various injuries after a rocket hit a restaurant in Barda's center.

At the same time, rockets hit nearby secondary school No 5 in the region, injuring five more people. The school building and numerous vehicles were severely damaged.

On October 28, 2020, at about 13:00 (GMT +4), the Armenian armed forces fired two 300-mm 9M525 type missiles with a 9N235 cluster warhead containing 72 fragmentation combat elements (totally 144) from the Smerch multiple-launch missile system on the busy area of ??Barda city. As a result, 21 people, including five women, were killed, and 70 people, including eight children and 15 women, received injuries of varying severity.

As a result of Armenia's military aggression, 100 Azerbaijani civilians were killed, including 12 children and 27 women. As many as 454 people were injured, including 35 children. Some 181 children lost one parent, five children lost both parents, one family died. In total, 12,292 residential and non-residential buildings and 288 vehicles were damaged.

A criminal case has been initiated into the death of every civilian in Azerbaijan caused by the Armenian terror, and appeals have been sent to international courts and organizations.

A Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal that Baku and Yerevan signed on November 10, 2020, brought an end to six weeks of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s.

The peace agreement stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Armenian-occupied Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions and urged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s. Before the signing of the deal, the Azerbaijani army had liberated around 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and historic Shusha city.
By Azernews





By Vugar Khalilov

Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar have met in liberated Zangilan region, the Defence Ministry reported on October 27.

The defence minister stressed that he was pleased to meet his Turkish counterpart in liberated Zangilan and thanked Turkey for its moral and political support to Azerbaijan during the 44-day war with Armenia.

Hasanov assured that the Azerbaijani-Turkish partnership, which is based on mutual trust, confidence and support, will be further developed and strengthened.

Akar stressed the importance of such a historic meeting in Azerbaijans liberated lands. He recalled that the strategic alliance between the two countries is based on friendly and fraternal relations.

The senior military officials also focused on the future development of bilateral cooperation in military, military-technical, military-educational and other spheres.

It should be noted that Akar was in Azerbaijan as a member of the Turkish delegation led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that came for a one-day official visit on October 26.

As a part of Erdogans official visit, the Azerbaijani and Turkish presidents inaugurated the Fuzuli international Airport, laid the foundation for the Zangazur corridor and a smart village in Zangilan.

This was Erdogans second visit to Azerbaijans liberated territories since the 44-day war between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

On June 15, the two countries signed a memorandum of alliance that cemented the existing military, political and economic cooperation.

The Shusha Declaration on Allied Relations that President Ilham Aliyev and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed during the first official visit to Shusha eight months after Azerbaijans victory in the war with Armenia, also focuses on defence cooperation.

It affirms joint efforts by the two armies in the face of foreign threats. The declaration also pledges joint efforts for the restructuring and modernization of the armed forces. Moreover, the two nations affirm to encourage the execution of joint projects with the aim of developing capabilities in the field of sea, air, and space.

In an interview with Turkey's Anadolu Agency on September 27, President Ilham Aliyev said that the signing of the Shusha Declaration raised bilateral relations to an even higher level.
By Azernews





By Orkhan Amashov

After 30 years of total vandalism, mayhem and wanton destruction of epic proportions by Armenia, Karabakh is coming back to life thanks to the uniquely ambitious grand reconstruction, which is, at present, being carried out by the Azerbaijani government. The opening of the Fuzuli International Airport with the participation of the Azerbaijani and Turkish leaders is a momentous development in a chain of vast rebuilding measures put into practice throughout the whole region. In addition to its obvious symbolic significance, the event in question reaffirms Azerbaijans zealous commitment to putting Karabakh at the heart of a wider economic map entailing pervasive transport and communication routes.

Symbolism and beyond

The opening of the Fuzuli International Airport is an event the critical significance of which can hardly be overestimated. There are both symbolic and practical dimensions to it. The first thing which springs to ones mind is the indubitable symbolic reiteration of Azerbaijans glorious and just victory in the Second Karabakh War.

In the words of Mikhail Finkel, an Israeli expert in international law and international relations, now we can see with naked eyes that the masters of the land are back.

According to former U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza, the visit of Azerbaijans closest allys leader to Fuzuli shows and underscores the powerful victory of Azerbaijan in last years 44-day war, which is the greatest military victory in Azerbaijans history and the greatest diplomatic victory.

In addition, it reaffirms that Azerbaijan has changed, is reunified, and it is ready to construct a new transportation hub in Fuzuli to help the entire region of the South Caucasus reintegrate, he said.

Wanton destruction, ambitious rebuilding

As it is now manifestly obvious to everyone, during the illegal occupation of the Azerbaijani lands, Armenia managed, with a great deal of success to destroy and plunder the riches of Karabakh.

As Mikhail Finkel put it, nothing was built or created during the occupation. Armenia was driven with the sole purpose of taking out from Karabakh everything possible, and when it was clear that they were going to lose the war, they destroyed everything, following the "scorched earth" Nazi policy of Goebbels.

"In the course of the 30 years, Armenia did not bother to create there either an airport or any other normal infrastructure that would integrate this land into the civilized world," the Israeli expert said.

The fact that the project was completed in the shortest possible time, eight months after the relevant presidential decree, is unequivocal proof of Azerbaijan's indefatigable will and its unwavering commitment to rebuilding the region.

What is particularly staggering about the airport, in addition to the expediency with which it was built, according to Russian military expert Igor Korotchenko, who has been in Fuzuli twice since its liberation, "is the application of the highest quality standards within the process". Azerbaijan is not just rebuilding, it is rebuilding in style.

Karabakh: Heart of economic vitality

Azerbaijan understands only too well that the future of Karabakh is not just dependent on the investments from Baku, but also on ensuring the regions central place in a wide web of interactions between the regional actors. For Karabakh to be economically viable, it is vital to be firmly connected with the rest of the country and with a wider region.

According to Azerbaijani MP Sevil Mikayilova, the airport will serve a wide range of critical functions. It will give a new impetus to the rebuilding process in Karabakh by virtue of its facilitative propensity, as it will add to the expediency of the reconstruction.

"It will also ensure the fundamental basis for the reintegration of the region with the rest of the Azerbaijani economy," the MP said.

Israeli expert Finkel thinks that the wisdom of the policy pursued by Azerbaijan lies in the fact that Baku has been quick to seize the opportunity and implement a series of measures based on the importance of creating connecting arteries.

"Like any artery connecting Karabakh with the world, the Fuzuli International Airport will facilitate visits of politicians, businessmen, investors, public figures, representatives of culture and tourists. People will come to Karabakh, and when they see this beautiful land, they will want to invest money, open enterprises, he said.

According to Bryza, on the other hand, the airport will facilitate investments into the region boosting the economy.

It will make it smoother for investments to take place, investments in organised industrial zones stretching from the Caspian Sea all the way to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, the former diplomat emphasised.

Turkish presidential chief advisor Yalcin Topcu believes that "the Fuzuli International Airport, one of the most important projects connecting Baku with Shusha, the cultural cradle of the Turkic world, will reconnect Karabakh to Azerbaijan, the region and the whole world with the completion of the Victory Road.

Turkic unity

The opening of the airport reiterates in its own symbolic way the power and might of the unity of the Turkic world the potential of which is yet to trouble its detractors.

According to Topcu, the world will understand that hostility to the Turks brings defeat, and friendship with the Turks brings victory.

Erdogans visit also shows Turkish-Azerbaijani relations have reached a new high. The relations between the two Turkic nations have always been incredibly close, but the level of the present engagement is unprecedented.

Bryza believes that the current developments are the harbinger of further deepening of ties in various spheres, including military, technological, but also economic, trade and investment.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has congratulated the President of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman on the country's national holiday, Azertag reported.

Dear Mister President,

I sincerely congratulate you and through you, your entire people on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of your countrys national holiday.

I believe that the expansion of the AzerbaijaniCzech relations and the strengthening of collaboration between our countries will serve further the interests of our peoples.

On this festive day, I convey my best wishes to you, and wish everlasting peace and prosperity to your friendly people.

Sincerely,

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 25 October 2021
By Azernews





By Ayya Lmahamad

The Azerbaijani government will allocate AZN 2.2 billion ($1.2bn) for the reconstruction of the liberated territories in 2022, Day.az has reported.

According to the 2022 draft state budget, AZN 2.2 billion are envisaged for financing reconstruction measures in the liberated territories.

Moreover, the country's state budget expenditures for defence and security in 2022 are expected to reach AZN 4.4 billion ($2.6bn).

According to the official forecasts, state budget revenues in 2022 will amount to AZN 26.8 billion ($15.7bn), with an increase by 5.4 percent compared to 2021. Meanwhile, state budget expenditures are planned to reach AZN 29.8 billion ($17.5bn), which is an increase by 4.7 percent compared to this year.

It should be noted that the main source of funds for the reconstruction is the national budget. The Azerbaijani government has allocated $1.3bn for the reconstruction of the liberated territories in 2021. In particular, these funds will be used to restore the infrastructure (electricity, gas, water, communications, roads, education, health, etc), as well as cultural and historical monuments.

Azerbaijan allocated over AZN 9 million ($5m) to compensate damages to its citizens that suffered from Armenia's aggression during the six-week war over the Karabakh region from September 27 to November 10.
By Trend

The amount of the need criterion in Azerbaijan is expected to be 200 manat ($117.6), Trend reports citing the draft law On the state budget of Azerbaijan for 2022.

The bill has already been submitted to the Parliament of Azerbaijan, and it is planned to discuss it at plenary sessions.

For 2021, the need criterion was set at 170 manat ($100).
By Trend

It is planned to increase the living wage in Azerbaijan in 2021, Trend reports citing the bill 'On the state budget of Azerbaijan for 2022.'

In accordance with the document, the living wage is planned to be set at 205 manat ($120.6).

The bill has already been submitted to the Parliament of Azerbaijan, and it is planned to be discussed at plenary sessions of the parliament.

For 2021, the living wage was set at 196 manat ($115.3).

(1 USD = 1.7 AZN on Oct. 27)
By Trend

The Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan recommends vaccinating adolescents aged over 12 who are at risk from coronavirus (COVID-19), Aynura Zeynalova, Consultant of the Health Organization Department of the Ministry of Health, said, Trend reports.

Zeynalova made the remark during a live broadcast on the Children and COVID-19 topic, on the department's Instagram page.

According to her, the risk group includes adolescents suffering from obesity, diseases of the immune system, lungs, heart, kidney failure, Down syndrome.

The consent of both parents is required for vaccination. According to WHO recommendations, adolescents are vaccinated with Pfizer, with the same dose as adults, Zeynalova said.

The expert said that usually in the autumn-winter period, immunity in children and adolescents weakens.

Moreover, face-to-face classes in schools have resumed, and there are more contacts. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the work of the gastrointestinal tract, to try not to disturb the sleep regime, said the doctor.
Al Salam Bank recently unveiled a refreshed logo, in line with its new human-centered Brand DNA, which prides itself on an ethos of forming deep relationships with clients.

The bank took a bold step by engaging the public for the design process wherein starting from inception, the logo was a result of a collective local effort and created by a Bahraini graphic designer, Masooma Dhaif, who was selected as the finalist as part of a design challenge launched on Al Salam Banks Social Media in February earlier this year, which called upon artists, creatives, and professional designers across the kingdom to take part in developing a new logo for the bank.

The refreshed logo is a reflection of the banks strong market presence and promise of nurturing relationships by creating enriching and transformative client experiences, in keeping with the banks journey of embodying its newly formed Brand DNA.

The DNA comprises revived Brand Values that support the banks collaborative work culture and vision, as well as the following Guiding Principles; We Enchant our Clients, We Inspire Our People, We are Digitally Native, We Do the Right Thing, and finally, We Act with Empathy.

An art piece featuring the refreshed logo, was unravelled on the face of Al Salam Banks new headquarters on October 19. The art piece was curated as a result of month-long community-led art activations as part of the banks newly launched Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform, Al Salam Helping Hands, which seeks to support the social and financial wellbeing of the local community.

Launched in partnership with the artist Abbas Al-Mosawi, who conceptualised the art piece to celebrate the banks human-centered values, and incorporate the inspiration behind the logo creation.

The first art activation started with the banks employees at the banks internal Brand DNA Launch event. Art pop-ups were then extended to the community at large, across key Al Salam branches, followed by the Avenues Mall and City Centre. For every participation, the bank donated BD1 ($2.65) to the Royal Humanitarian Foundation.

Commenting on the occasion, Group Chief Executive Officer of Al Salam Bank, Rafik Nayed, said: Ultimately, our logo encapsulates a new era for the bank underlined by our brand promise which revolves around nurturing relationships by enriching experiences. It was inspired by our connections with our people, with our clients, and with the community. For this reason, with the help of the talented local Bahraini artist, Abbas Al-Mosawi, we wanted to involve the public as part of this journey, all while giving back to the community. The final piece includes the contributions of our very own employees at the bank, of our clients and of the Bahraini community at large  which all went towards a good cause.

Mahmood Qannati, Head of Marketing and Communications at Al Salam Bank, added: Our logo is a representation of who we are at Al Salam Bank: elegant, timeless and innovative. The outer edges of our former logo were maintained to represent our commitment to preserving the heritage and Islamic values of the bank, all while illustrating the refined service that we provide to our valued clients. It is a reinforcement of our co-existence with the community, and our desire at Al Salam Bank to bring positive change from the inside out.-- TradeArabia News Service
Mammoet, a global market leader in engineered heavy lifting and transport, has completed a lifting operation in Vietnam with millimeter precision for Dung Quat Shipyard (DQS) using a custom-made gantry system.

With no readily available lifting system in the current market that can lift a weight of 1100t on a crane barge with millimeter accuracy, DQS approached Mammoet to provide a customised solution for the replacement of a pintle bearing located at the bottom of the crane, a release said.

In addition, Mammoets expertise in heavy lifting work, especially in the area of gantry construction with precision to engineering, was one of the key reasons why DSQ approached Mammoet to assist them in overcoming this challenge.

Mammoet displayed its resourcefulness with its global network capable of working together across regions to deliver impact to the client.

The customised gantry was first designed by the Breda office and made from gantry components which are readily available at multiple Mammoet locations in Europe and Asia.

The system comprised four tower gantries, four SJ850 strand jack model each with 850t lifting capacity. As for the millimeter precision required, this was delivered by the team using a special software to operate and control the strand jack model. Overall manpower for the team consisted of highly experienced specialists from Mammoet Breda and local expertise from Mammoet Vietnam.

Despite this operation being the first for Mammoet Vietnam, the local team provided the support by picking up the necessary skills required quickly.

For execution, building of the gantry itself was done mostly at various heights from 15m-36m. When the gantry was fully constructed, it was assembled onto the crane which was lifted to 20mm and then placed on stand-by for checking of the system.

Next, the crane was then lifted to 1300mm and set in a position for two weeks. DQS then proceeded to replace the pintle bearing and the crane was subsequently lowered back to its original position once the replace is complete.

The operation was successfully and safely completed despite challenges faced by the team with regard to mobilisation of gantry components and manpower due to frequent changes in local Covid-19 restrictions.

Once all upgrade is completed for the crane barge, DQS will be able to use it for piles layout and lifting of modules onto platforms.-- TradeArabia News Service
Six Construct, a subsidiary of leading Belgian construction company Besix, said its joint venture with UAE-based Trojan General Contracting has won the deal to build the landmark Guggenheim Abu Dhabi museum on the Saadiyat Island.

Six Construct said the scope of work includes all construction work, except for the foundations, which have already been completed.

The building is made of various materials, including steel, concrete, wood and aluminum. The construction process has been carefully prepared by the joint venture partners to optimise planning, methods and procurement. Work is set to be completed in 2025.

This museum, which is located on Saadiyat Island and borders on the Arabian Gulf on three sides, will be the largest of the four Guggenheim museums (New York, Venice and Bilbao) and will strengthen the UAE capital's position as a global centre for arts and culture.

The outstanding architecture of the building is the work of the award-winning and world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. It features a series of asymmetrical cones which surround the main building and serve as both entrances to the museum and outdoor exhibition spaces.

The design also incorporates sustainable elements appropriate to the region, including the natural cooling and ventilation of the covered courtyards, inspired by the concept of traditional wind towers found throughout the Middle East.

The monument will be part of the Saadiyat Cultural District, an emerging global cultural centre with a concentration of iconic museums, galleries, and performance venues.

Besix Deputy CEO Pierre Sironval said: "We are extremely proud to build the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a museum of global modern and contemporary art that will further enhance the appeal of Abu Dhabi as a destination. The museum joins the group's previous achievements in Abu Dhabi, including Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Emirates Palace and the Sheikh Zayed Bridge."

"We have also had the honor of constructing the Dancing House, designed by Frank Gehry, in Prague," he stated.

On the project, Besix-Six Construct General Manager Olivier Crasson said: "This is a particularly complex yet very sustainable building, which will benefit from our engineering and construction expertise. Together with Trojan, a high-quality partner, we will make it a great success for our client and Abu Dhabi."

A UAE-based group, Trojan is the subsidiary of Alpha Dhabi Holding, a regional conglomerate with interests in construction, health care, hospitality and industry.

In collaboration with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, the museum will present a collection from all four corners of the world (including art since 1960) with a specific focus on West Asia, North Africa, and South Asia.

The museum will also serve as a forum for academic research and intellectual and cultural dialogue, engaging artists, scholars, curators, architects and innovative thinkers.-TradeArabia News Service
The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has signed two landmark strategic deals that will further accelerate the regeneration of AlUla as it moves from the planning stage to implementation after the launch of its masterplan in April, 2021.

The agreements with Aecom and an international French consortium comprising Egis, Assystem and Setec set out a comprehensive development timeline based around three phases that lead up to 2035.

These partnerships will accelerate business and investment opportunities from 2022 onwards and demonstrate the pace of progress to revitalise AlUla as a responsible, sustainable and community-inclusive destination.

By 2035 RCU forecasts that the population will more than triple to 130,000 with 38,000 new jobs created and AlUla contributing SR120 billion ($32 billion) to Saudi Arabias GDP. Additionally, 80% of AlUla County will be home to nature reserves, with key flora and fauna reintroduced.

Phase 1 development amounts to SR57 billion ($15 billion) invested in AlUlas core 20 km historical area. This incorporates social, economic and sustainability projects in five unique hubs with a focus on infrastructure, hospitality, arts and culture, and social and community development.

Signing the agreements at the fifth edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, RCU CEO Amr AlMadani said: These new long-term strategic partnerships are critical to realising our ambition of creating a global benchmark for sustainable tourism. Our new partners will be instrumental in helping us deliver a detailed and certified plan. While our focus is set on Phase 1, we will ramp up our integrated approach towards the development of Phases 2 and 3 to drive traffic and sustain a regular flow of tourists in the long run.

As we develop infrastructure and other assets that will help to establish AlUla as an exciting business hub servicing the northwest Arabia region, we require world-class partners such as these who will be with us for the long haul and who share our desire to benefit the people of AlUla while creating unforgettable experiences for visitors.

Aecom President Lara Poloni said: AlUla is one of the worlds largest and most complex development projects, home to more than 30,000 sites of historical significance, and we are proud to help realise the citys vision for the future. In partnership with RCU, we look forward to leveraging our global programme management and technical expertise to deliver a sustainable legacy that transforms AlUla for generations to come.

Aecom will provide a range of integrated services across the entire AlUla programme. These include executive-level programme management to integrate all workstreams and major initiatives across RCU to implement the AlUla vision and outcomes, as well as a project delivery office that will work with RCU to implement best practices and delivery from design to construction and operation.

Aecom will also lead all design activities from setting standards, delivering the digital ecosystem, leading innovation, managing designers and delivering scopes. Further, asset and facilities management will be provided for the project lifecycle along with the benchmarking and development of smart city plans and projects.

Creating opportunities for the local community is a core aspect of AlUlas development plan and Aecoms approach. Aecom has already invested in training 400 residents to achieve professional vocational qualifications and will provide additional professional skills development and knowledge transfer opportunities both for residents and those relocating to AlUla for work.

Speaking on behalf of the French consortium, Egis Group CEO Laurent Germain said: Our three highly regarded firms - Egis, Assystem and Setec - are unified, committed and eager to showcase our capabilities. As longstanding members of the Saudi business community, we are excited to be part of the development of AlUla.

The French Agency for the Development of AlUla (Afalula) was instrumental in bringing together the French consortium. Afalula Executive Chairman Gerard Mestrallet said: Todays agreement deepens the Saudi-Franco partnership at AlUla and across other projects in Saudi Arabia. It also attests to the depth and strength of French engineering and infrastructure expertise to confront the most challenging aspects of responsible and sustainable development.

The Egis-led consortium brings infrastructure programme management and construction management capabilities to support on-time delivery of AlUlas most urgent projects and long-term development.

As such, it offers a new perspective on infrastructure delivery defined by a coordinated approach. A core team will be based in AlUla including high-level specialists for engineering, construction and operations management and a range of international experts to bridge any knowledge gaps.

Aecom and the French consortium share the values of AlUlas Sustainability Charter which, through its 12 principles of sustainability, will empower the realisation of a carbon-neutral strategy and circular economy. It will also establish robust and resilient policies for the development of AlUlas heritage and environmental targets fuelled by renewable energy with 500-plus megawatts of clean power capacity. By 2035 renewable energy will supply 50% of demand.

Since unveiling its Journey through time masterplan in April 2021, the RCU has made significant progress on its journey to developing AlUla as a living museum while diversifying the economy and creating a vibrant community.

About $2 billion has been invested in key development projects including expanding AlUla International Airport, completing the stunning and architecturally awarded Maraya multi-se venue, completing water and power-plant infrastructure in the Ashar Valley, and bolstering AlUla Countys security infrastructure.

Upon completion of the development strategy in 2035, RCU envisions the emerging city of AlUla defined by a thriving community and its ability to support residents ambitions, where service excellence is the norm and creativity drives a culture of adaptability and flexibility. -- TradeArabia News Service
The Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (Adnec) is expanding the facilities and infrastructure of the groups centres in Abu Dhabi and London, in a step that will reaffirm its leading global position in the business tourism sector.

The expansion will boost Adnecs competitiveness and ability to attract and hold major international events for all sectors and increasing overall indoor and outdoor exhibition area to 151,000 sq m at a 7% growth rate.

The development operations at Adnec include building the largest exhibition hall in the Middle East and North Africa region and boast an overall area of 10,000 sq m. This will be located at the Marina across from the Centre, and will be the first of its kind in the region to be located on a waterfront.

Development will commence for the area across from the Grand Platform at the centre, which will add over 10,000 sq m by adding areas for outdoor activities, thereby raising the total outdoor space for exhibitions at this area by 70% to reach 24,000 sq m.

Expansion and development work at Adnec will increase the overall interior space for exhibitions by 12% to reach 92,000 sq m, while the overall outdoor space for exhibitions will exceed 59,000 sq m, increasing the overall area of Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre by 7% to over 151,000 sq m.

Development work for the ExCeL London centre in the UK which is owned fully by Adnec, will include beginning the third stage of expanding its facilities. This involves adding 25,000 sq m of space for exhibitions, establishing new halls for meeting and conferences, and adding several services facilities across three floors, which will increase the centres overall space by 25% to reach 125,000 sq m.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group CEO at Adnec, said: The new expansion of the groups assets in Abu Dhabi and London affirms the increasing importance of the business and leisure tourism sectors. These industries are key in advancing the next stage for both countries economies, as they help diversify sources of income and strengthen the main sustainable contributors to it.

Al Dhaheri added: Adnecs strategy is based on the principles of turning challenges into opportunities, and this is what the companys team has done by emphasising the readiness of the groups centres to lead the stage of recovery. We have moved on from the exceptional circumstances that have affected the world by providing an advanced infrastructure with the necessary flexibility to welcome people from across the globe once more to our centres in a safe and reliable business environment. This approach is in line with the vision and aspirations of our wise leadership and will continue to be so for the next fifty years.

The development process for the companys centres will contribute to increasing the direct and indirect contributions of the tourism business sector to the economy of Abu Dhabi and London. It supports sustainable development in the UAE and Britain, leading to transferring and localising advanced technologies in both countries.

Jeremy Rees, Chief Executive Officer at ExCeL London, said: This expansion of ExCeL London confirms Adnecs commitment to boosting the centres competitiveness and its ability to provide services to partners according to the highest international standards. It will contribute to supporting the efforts to enhance the position of London and the Royal Docks district as a preferred destination for hosting leading global events.

ExCeL London has played a pivotal role is revitalising the economy through the events it hosts which help support the prosperity of sectors such as public transport, hospitality, accommodations, and aviation. This latest investment will enable ExCeL to continue having a positive economic and social impact for years to come, benefitting communities across London.

The current and future expansion plans will not impact operations and the hosting of events at these centres, and the development of their facilities and infrastructure will enhance their distinction and ability to service more sectors and attract more exhibitor companies from all over the world.

The process is expected to involve the development of infrastructure in the Canal and Marina area. The new halls design will be flexible and capable of hosting events of various scales and types from different sectors, and it will be equipped with the most cutting-edge world-class technology for this sector. This will be in addition to facilities and infrastructure that will help provide a unique experience to participants and visitors alike.

Work on the waterfront will begin at the end of October 2021, and is expected to last for 12 months with the new hall opening scheduled for October 2022. Work on the Grand Platform will begin on March 2022 and will last for nine months which will be followed by its inauguration in November 2022. Work on the expansion of ExCeL London will begin early next year and will conclude in early 2024.

Since its inception in 2005, Adnec has been committed to keeping up with the significant growth witnessed in the exhibitions and conferences sector on the regional and international levels. This was carried out by adopting an ambitious, futuristic investment strategy for the continuous development of facilities according to the highest international standards.

This has contributed actively to the success of all the exhibitions and conferences hosted by the groups centres in the UAE and abroad, boosting these centres competitiveness and their ability to meet and exceed the expectations and requirements of event organisers, specialised international and professional confederations, and visitors and participants.

Adnec has gone through several stages of development since 2005 when the new centre was built and exhibition halls 1 to 7 were built. In 2008, the development of construction of halls 8 through 12 began along with the construction of the adjacent Hotel Aloft Abu Dhabi which opened in 2009, and in the same year the Marina area was developed and rehabilitated, which included the building of the pier and the bridge connecting the area to the Centre.

2011 saw the conclusion of the development and construction of Capital Gate tower, the world's farthest manmade leaning building according to the Guinness World Records. 2013 witnessed more expansions and infrastructure rehabilitation in the Marina pier opposite the centre, expanding the piers length, followed by developing and constructing the Capital Centre area opposite the centre in 2014 which includes a wide range of hotels and commercial and residential buildings.

As for ExCeL London, Adnec had also carried out several development projects for the facilities of this centre. ExCeL London is fully owned by the company and is located in the British capital, after Adnec Group acquired it in 2008 then beginning the second stage of construction which added 35,000 sq m of exhibition space, in addition to building the International Convention Centre (ICC) which hosts the largest stage in Europe with a capacity of 5,000 attendees. It has 17 meeting halls and areas for hospitality and banquets. In 2010, Adnec developed and constructed the adjacent Aloft London Excel Hotel which has 252 rooms, with development concluding in 2011.

Adnec developed the facilities of Al Ain Convention Centre, its centre in Al Ain city in Abu Dhabi, concluding the first stage of development in 2011 which included the development of Al Khabisi 2 hall, renovating it completely and developing new facilities for the Centre, raising its capacity from 6,700 sq m to 13,000 sq m.

In 2016, Adnec launched the second stage of developing Al Ain Convention Centre, which involved building a conferences centre and new halls for meetings and seminars with an overall area of around 1,000 sq m, in addition to developing the standing facilities infrastructure, raising the total area of Al Ain Convention Centre by 8% to a total of 14,000 sq m.-- TradeArabia News Service
Edge, the advanced technology group for defence and beyond, will join hands with the UAE Ministry of Education (MoE) to explore cooperation and extend training and sponsorship opportunities to the next generation of top STEM talent.

Faisal Al Bannai, CEO and Managing Director, Edge and Dr Mohamed Ebrahim Al Mualla, Undersecretary for Academic Affairs, UAE Ministry of Education, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the presence of senior representatives of the two entities.

According to the MoU, Edge will implement training programmes for distinguished higher education students in the advanced technology sphere, and also offer internships to the most talented school and university students with a view to advancing their interest and skills in STEM disciplines.

Al Mualla said: The MoU serves as a framework to support the next generation of STEM talent. It will also help develop and implement theoretical, practical and vocational training programmes in fields such as AI, cyber space, defence and electronic warfare, digital future security, and innovative defence services as part of MoEs programmes and initiatives.

Al Bannai said: As an anchor player within the UAEs advanced technology ecosystem, Edge is seeking to position itself as a destination for top STEM talent to thrive at the intersection of technology. We are offering a unique opportunity, through cutting-edge programmes and initiatives, for the next generation of brightest minds to foster their skills and passion in an environment that enables them to push the limit of innovation. Our agreement with the UAE Ministry of Education only reinforces the emphasis we place on supporting and nurturing local talent.

Edge Group is to also consider sponsoring students with innovative ideas and outstanding research-based or entrepreneurial projects in line with the Ministrys sponsorship packages. Sponsorships could include financial rewards, training or employment, or developing the student projects into viable entrepreneurial projects or any other sponsorship support as agreed to by the two entities.

In addition, Edge and the UAE Ministry of Education are also tasked with collaborating in organising initiatives and programmes that hone the capacities of outstanding students in STEM fields, including conferences, training workshops and competitions, and industry-themed visits.-- TradeArabia News Service
SAL Saudi Logistics Services, a market leading air cargo handler, has signed a cargo ground handling agreement with Qatar Airways Cargo. SAL will provide comprehensive ground logistics support at Saudi Arabias main airports, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Medina.

This agreement is in line with one of the companys strategic growth initiatives of increasing the number of partnerships with leading regional and global airlines that have high cargo shipping capacities.

Hesham Alhussayen, CEO of SAL, commented: This agreement will enhance logistical operations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Moreover, given Qatar Airways global reach and substantial shipping capacity, we look forward to providing it with cargo ground handling services to the highest international standards. This new partnership reflects our growing network of international and domestic relationships across airlines, regulators, government agencies, and global industry organisations.

He added: Over the year and a half, SAL has responded to the Covid-19 pandemic by boosting our operational efficiencies to meet the unprecedented demands of handling a wide variety of emergency, medical, and other life essential goods to those who need them most. This journey reinforced our belief in the power of partnerships and, as such, we have signed several cooperation agreements to expand our ground handling and logistics services even further.

Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways commented: Through our agreement with SAL Saudi Logistics Services, we will be offering fast and efficient handling for all types of cargo including cool chain cargo at Saudi Arabias main airports. SAL and Qatar Airways Cargo share a common vision of customer centricity and service excellence.

SAL provides premium cargo chain support for multiple airlines operating into and out of Saudi Arabias airports. The company is also broadening its services within airports and will extend its logistics network to increase connectivity between land, sea and air transportation hubs, economic zones, and major population centres, in line with the Vision 2030 objective of transforming the kingdom into a global logistics hub.-- TradeArabia News Service
Mena Aerospace Enterprises subsidiary Mena Technics has announced a new partnership with US-based Pulsar Aviation Services, an Aviance Group company.

Mena Technics now represents Pulsar Aviation Services exclusively in Bahrain, and non-exclusively in all other GCC markets.

The deal adds three new business lines for Mena Technics: Airframe and Engine Management Programmes and APU and Landing Gear Management Programmes' as well as Project Management Consultancy for Airframe Maintenence Checks.

Anil Kumar, Acting GM and CFO of Mena Aerospace Enterprises, says: Mena Aerospace Enterprises focuses on providing one-stop solutions for clients; our Hangar Facility accommodates many models of aircraft, and our Mena Trading division supplies various parts and products. We welcome this new mutually-beneficial agreement with Pulsar Aviation Services, and look forward to offering our clients more services for more types of aircraft.

Pulsar Aviation Services is an FAA/EASA Approved Part 145 organisation with the capabilities to conduct maintenance on all Airbus series, Boeing 727,737,747,767,777 on the commercial aircraft side, and Gulfstream ERJ series on the business jet side. It also provides Engine MRO services for Rolls Royce, V2500 all series, and CFM56,CF6,CF34 all series engines.

Additionally, in a rare offering for the region, Pulsar Aviation Services can support all maintenance checks for all Lockheed Martin L-100 series military aircraft.

With regards to the rotary wing sector, Mena Technics has also renewed an agreement with UAE-based AeroGulf Services Company, for performing service and maintenance on all Bell 212,412,206 and AW139 helicopters.

AeroGulf Services FAA-Certified Part 145 Repair Station Capabilities can support PT-6 Engine series and Rolls Royce 250 series.-- TradeArabia News Service
The 2022 St Petersburg World Energy Congress, themed Energy for Humanity, will place people at the heart of the global energy transition agenda.

Energy for Humanity is front and centre of the World Energy Congress programme, recognising that energy transitions start with people and their needs. Energy transitions have always triggered societal disruption and current transitions are no exception.

The four-day triennial event, running between October 24 and 27, 2022, will explore the role of connected energy societies in driving forward global energy transition in a less predictable and faster shifting context and ensuring no region or community is stranded or left behind in the process.

One year ahead of the event itself, Russias Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and the World Energy Councils Secretary General and CEO Dr Angela Wilkinson, released questions and themes to be addressed at World Energy Congress 2022.

Since the first Congress in 1924, the World Energy Congress has led the global energy agenda and operated as a truly unique community through different eras of energy transition. The Congress is attended by heads of state, ministers, and CEOs, and wider energy society interests, including energy customers and users, cities and communities.

Wilkinson said: Societys relationship with energy is changing. This has profound implications on the way people live their lives across the world, their quality of life and the local and global impacts of their energy use. In St Petersburg, we will be celebrating the role of people in driving change, and sharing new human-centric stories of creativity and collaboration. We aim to demonstrate why humanising energy is the best way to ensure diverse and connected energy societies flourish together through energy transition and transformation.

Deputy Prime Minister Novak and I are delighted to outline today those critical questions and topics of focus for next years Congress. These place people at the heart of the transition agenda and include how the next normal could impact energy developments across different regions, what tipping points could accelerate or derail transition and what new policy approaches and market designs are required for a more customer-centric, resilient and climate neutral energy future. New financing and investment models will also feature strongly in the programme and we will address the thorny, societal impacts of whole system change.

Novak commented: The Russian Federation has proudly accepted the honorary baton of the 25th World Energy Congress  the largest and most influential event in the energy sector. The Congress in St Petersburg will bring together heads of state, government officials, CEOs of major energy companies as well as members of the expert community to address significant issues of modern energy. The discussion topics reflect a broad range of issues facing our entire industry. I am confident that through joint efforts we will be able to build an open and constructive dialogue in St Petersburg aimed at providing safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy to the entire world population.

Wilkinson added: The St Petersburg World Energy Congress marks the start of the World Energy Councils centennial year. We will be celebrating our 100th birthday as the worlds most globally inclusive and diverse energy community.

The year-long countdown to the 25th World Energy Congress commenced today with security of energy supplies as well as affordability and sustainability very much at the forefront of political and media agendas.

The themes for next years Congress are centred around the key challenges facing energy users and producers and the impact of energy transitions on societies across the world. These include asking how the new, post-pandemic, normal will shape the energy transition, where leadership will emerge and how we can learn from the lessons of the past to better plan for the future.

The Congress will also consider how perceived tipping points and the risks associated with the green transition may accelerate or derail progress. The eruption of new energy crises across the globe have brought energy security, and affordability, to the forefront and the conference will discuss the need for more diverse and connected energy supplies to better prepare for future disruptions. The impact of gamechangers including artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, carbon removal, clean and synthetic fuels, flexible storage solutions (batteries, hydrogen etc.) and smart integrated grids will also be examined.

The key themes selected for the 25th Congress cover seven questions arising from the major global questions facing the sector:

How will the next normal impact global energy transition?

Why is humanising energy an imperative in this decade of delivery?

How might tipping points and the risks of transition crises accelerate or derail progress to 2030 or beyond?

Preparing for the customer-centric energy future  what are the implications for market and policy design?

How are new leadership mindsets and models impacting energy developments?

How do regional realities differ and what can we learn from this?

What new models of financing and investment in energy are emerging?-- TradeArabia News Service
UAE-based telecom group Etisalat is offering a glimpse into the future of mobility with the transformative power of 5G and futuristic technologies at its stand during this years Gitex Global in Dubai.



The future of transport  as witnessed at Etisalats stand  will rely on the 5G network for its high latency and the communication between sensors of the vehicles and other objects, reported Emirates News Agency WAM.



Airspeeder, the world's first electric flying racing car, is making a presence for the first time in the UAE with its prototype hosted by Etisalat at its stand. This single-seat electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle can hit a top-speed of 160kph. Enabling an even faster connection between autonomous systems Etisalat's 5G networks, machine learning and autonomous and remote driving systems will offer new application options, advancing the development of autonomous solutions such as Airspeeder.



Making a grand entrance this year are the Mercedes-Benz autonomous vehicles. One of them is the EQS, the first all-electric saloon from Mercedes-EQ, which is the first model to be based on the modular architecture for luxury and executive-class electric vehicles. The AI with adaptive software gives the owner the freedom to choose from an array of infotainment and functions.



From neighbourhoods to campuses to urban city centres, Olli is the smart, safe, and sustainable shuttle. Etisalat's 5G networks are designed to significantly reduce latency and solutions such as Olli are using this to improve sending and receiving data.



5G is paving the way for a new generation of robots and assisted mobility solutions such as the ALBA Robot, which supports passengers with reduced mobility, to become more independent. It is a great solution for facilities such as hospitals, airports and museums.



Doosan DMI's autonomous drone has a six-hour operation time to operate extensive trips, solve problems and secure areas. This showcase is being powered by 5G, machine learning, and autonomous surveillance. To be effective, this solution requires ultra-high bandwidth data with near-zero latency, which is provided by Etisalat, making sending and receiving data easier.



KiwiBot is the largest robot delivery infrastructure in the world. This showcase brings to reality Etisalat's technologies such as 5G autonomous and remote driving as well as retail solutions such as payment and authentication, a connected retail dashboard, Etisalat eWallet, and Smiles points.



German startup Wingcopter launched the world's first triple-drop autonomous delivery to power logistical highways in the sky. It comes with a variety of new features such as an AI-based visual detect and avoid solution and a smart precision landing capability. Such as solution is using Etisalat's 5G networks, which are designed to significantly reduce latency, to improve sending and receiving data. This is also in line with Etisalat's focus in autonomous delivery systems that will be linked to the Smiles app.
Swisslog, the global leader in robotic, automated solutions, will display smart products that optimise time management, increase productivity and facilitate efficient use of space at Materials Handling Middle East 2021.

At the trade fair at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo Site from November 2 to 4, 2021, the company will display automation solutions that are critical to warehousing in many key industries such as e-grocery, e-commerce and retail.

Swisslog will be showcasing AutoStore with a big live demo. It is a highly efficient robotised storage and order processing solution that integrates easily into existing buildings. This also provides the flexibility and scalability to meet changing demand while continuing to compress order cycle and delivery times.

Also, visitors can learn more about other solutions by Swisslog such as CycloneCarrier which is a dynamic, reliable, efficient and best-in-class automated shuttle system designed for industries where high throughput and excellent availability are essential. It is particularly well-suited for the requirements of the e-commerce, pharmaceutical and fresh food industry.

It is designed for applications where high throughput and excellent availability are essential, for example in Retail & E-commerce for returns handling, replenishment, or buffer for order consolidation. Visitors can also learn more about our portfolio for pallet handling automation.

David Dronfield, General Manager, Swisslog Middle East, commented: Swisslog Middle East has received many requests from companies on how they can integrate automation technology into their existing infrastructure in a very convenient and efficient way - without disrupting their current business processes. With the pandemic, manual handling processes have become increasingly impractical due to labour shortages, inefficiencies, lack of scalability and congestion in stores/warehouses. We have been working around the clock to help companies integrate this technology to remain viable and profitable, and to install and commission new automation systems.

One of our key USP's is the ease with which our solutions can be implemented without impacting existing infrastructure. Our solutions are tailored to our clients' unique business needs and challenges so that they can make this transition as smoothly as possible and reap the benefits of automation. We are working to change the perception of automation in the Middle East and help organisations effectively. We believe that the time is apt for automation in the Middle East, added Dronfield.

These innovative logistics automation solutions are a benchmark for effective smart warehousing and an area of innovation that can help businesses across the Middle East improve and streamline their operations - increasing the speed of order fulfilment, improving order accuracy and effectively managing an ever-growing number of SKUs. Order processing can be up to five times faster than manual systems.

The Covid-19 outbreak has increased pressure on businesses to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and to innovate and grow. The pandemic has demonstrated the creativity, resilience and ingenuity of businesses as well as the importance of having a clearly defined automation strategy in place and sticking to it.

In the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, the increasing demand and usage of e-commerce and e-retail prompted the logistics sector to work towards higher productivity and cost efficiency. The warehouse automation market in the region was expected to reach a value of $1.6 billion by 2025.

Furthermore, the UAE highlighted the importance of automation and launched an awareness campaign on the importance of smart warehouse management systems (WMS) for more than 21,000 companies.

The growth of e-commerce is the major driver for warehouse automation. In a survey conducted in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, more than 40% of respondents said that fast delivery is one of the main factors influencing their choice of online shopping platform and automation their warehouses can help businesses in achieving this.-- TradeArabia News Service
Neom Tech & Digital Holding Company  the first holding company to be established as a subsidiary of Neom  has announced Oracle as the first tenant of its hyperscale data center at Neom.



Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) will be hosted at the data center, providing a high-performing, resilient foundation for cloud services.



To meet business continuity and compliance requirements, Oracles unique dual-region cloud strategy enables customers to deploy resilient applications in multiple geographically separated locations within a country  without having sensitive data leave the country.



The agreement follows the successful launch of the Oracle Cloud Saudi Arabia West Region in Jeddah in February 2020 and supports Oracles commitment to open two dedicated cloud regions in the Kingdom.



Speaking at the Kingdoms flagship Future Investment Initiative event, Abdullah Alswaha, Minister for Communications and information Technology and Chairman of the Neom Tech & Digital Hold Co.Board of Directors, said: Saudi Arabia is fast emerging as a global technology hub and Neom Tech &Digital Hold Co.s partnerships with Oracle and EzdiTek will enable us to build the foundations required to deliver on our full potential.



The data center will not only attract global businesses by creating a powerful platform for knowledge exchange, but it will also empower innovators to pilot their ideas at scale inside the Kingdom. Todays announcement means the realization of technology that will serve the ambitions of the public and private sector across the region and far beyond, positioning Saudi Arabia at the forefront of the industry.



Richard Smith, Executive Vice President  Technology, EMEA, Oracle, said: We are fully committed to support Saudi Arabias digital economy objectives in line with Saudi Vision 2030. Conceived and architected on security-first principles, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure is the preferred cloud in Saudi Arabia. With this collaboration with Neom, we are now expanding our footprint in the Kingdom to continue supporting the digital transformation initiatives of the countrys public and private sector organizations.



Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of Neom, said: Establishing a hyperscale data center at Neom represents a significant milestone and is the first step in creating Neom as a new internet exchange point. This partnership offers a dynamic blueprint for alliances, making a major stride towards our goal of becoming an economic engine for the region and the world.



Joseph Bradley, CEO of Neom Tech & Digital Hold Co., said: With industry-leading partners of the calibre of Oracle and EzdiTek, Neom Tech &Digital Hold Co. Aims to co-invent the future of living, designing and building an ecosystem of cognitive technologies that will enable predictive, personalized and autonomous services.



The data center, 51% owned by Neom Tech &Digital Hold Co. and 49% by EzdiTek, will be designed to meet the highest security standards in the industry and serve Mena, parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, and eventually Europe. The data center is strategically located at the nexus of terrestrial and sub-sea cable cables, enabling it to provide customers with fast and reliable connectivity.  TradeArabia News Service
DWF Group, UK's largest listed legal business, has announced its planned launch in Saudi Arabia and the establishment of Riyadh as its regional headquarters for business services.

The announcement was made at a signing ceremony during the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, which was attended by Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia, Fahd Al-Rasheed, CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, Sir Nigel Knowles, CEO of DWF Group, and Mohab Khattab, who will become the CEO of DWF Arabia, a DWF Group entity. DWF has also established a new association with local law firm Al-Ohaly & Partners.

DWF is a leading global provider of integrated legal and business services through its three divisions of Legal Advisory, Mindcrest (an alternative legal service provider) and Connected Services.

The company became the first Main Market Premium Listed legal business on the London Stock Exchange in March 2019.

The strategic developments announced today will enable DWF to provide clients in the Kingdom and across the Gulf region with business services supplied by Mindcrest and Connected Services under DWF Arabia, alongside access to legal advisory services in Saudi Arabia through its association with Al-Ohaly & Partners.

Mohab Khattab is an experienced senior Saudi lawyer and executive with a substantial background in M&A and business development in the legal, energy, financial services, and TMT sectors. Prior to DWF, he was the General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of the Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Company (Dussur).

Al-Ohaly & Partners is a legal advisory firm, which will provide counsel on matters relating to dispute resolution, corporate and banking and finance. Abdulrahman Al-Ohaly is a licensed and qualified lawyer with significant experience representing clients in litigation, corporate transactions, M&A, and corporate restructuring within the Gulf region, said the stattement.

Sir Nigel said: "This is an important step forward for us in developing our ability to support our clients wherever they need us to be. Today, at the Future Investment Initiative, we have committed to develop our regional hub in the KSA where we can offer our differentiated business services to clients through Mindcrest and Connected Services.

"We will build our presence in KSA in the months and years ahead, to support both the Government of Saudi Arabia and the business community as a trusted advisor. The ambitions set out by Vision 2030, will transform both the Kingdom and the wider region and are consistent with our goal of creating job opportunities and contributing to the diversification of the Saudi Arabian economy. DWF Arabia and Al-Ohaly & Partners will work closely with our existing teams in Doha, Dubai and globally." - TradeArabia News Service
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Ewec (Emirates Water and Electricity Company) have launched a landmark clean energy partnership, the largest of its kind in the oil and gas industry, which will see up to 100 per cent of Adnocs grid power supplied by Ewecs nuclear and solar clean energy sources.



The strategic partnership, launched by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Adnocs Board of Directors, makes Adnoc the first major oil and gas company to decarbonise its power at scale through a clean power agreement.



Simultaneously, Ewec will benefit from long-term electricity offtake for its current and future renewable and clean power sources, which include solar and nuclear power, enabling continued investment in transformative innovations to decarbonise the energy sector.



This progressive approach supports the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and enhances Adnocs pathway to decarbonisation while enabling sustainable future growth. It also underpins the UAEs bold and strategic approach to enable a lower carbon future.



Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasised the importance of capitalising on opportunities to achieve the UAE 2050 Net Zero Emissions Target.



He said: The Clean Energy Partnership between Adnoc and Ewec brings together two major UAE entities to unlock mutual value as they harness the nations energy resources to drive economic progress, in support of the UAEs Principles of the 50 outlined by the leadership to chart a strategic roadmap for the nations new era of economic and social growth over the next 50 years.



This pioneering partnership highlights Adnocs vital role in investing in transformative innovations, advancing decarbonisation efforts, and supporting the diversification of the UAE's energy portfolio. It also marks a major moment in the activation of a strategic, long term plan to further decarbonise Adnocs operations sustainably. We commend Adnoc for its innovative actions and its global industry leadership.



The agreement was signed by Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and Group CEO of Adnoc, and Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Chief Executive Officer of ADQ and Chairman of Ewec.



Dr Al Jaber said: Adnoc is committed to responsibly providing the worlds energy needs with a determined focus on decarbonising our operations, lowering our carbon intensity and strengthening our environmental stewardship and economic performance, in line with the Leaderships wise directives, the Paris Climate Accords and our energy transition strategy. As we embrace the energy transition, and prepare for COP 26, Adnoc extends an open invitation to new and existing partners to join us in delivering practical solutions to secure a cleaner energy future.



This landmark clean energy partnership with Ewec, will make Adnoc the first major oil and gas company to decarbonise its power at scale through a clean power partnership of this kind. It also directly supports our goal to remain one of the lowest carbon intensity operators in the oil and gas industry, and underscores how hydrocarbons, clean energy and advanced energy sources can complement each other in the energy transition.



Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi said: With ADQs commitment to sustainable investing, these world-class projects are the catalyst that is driving decarbonization of the energy sector, and supporting the UAEs ambitious and world leading sustainability goals. Through this agreement, we are providing a platform that will advance Adnocs clean energy goals and enable Ewecs continued investment in new renewable and clean energy projects to advance the diversification of Abu Dhabis energy mix.



On the refined products side, the new partnership will further reduce the carbon intensity of Adnoc products. The new clean energy agreement will lower the carbon intensity of Adnocs aviation fuel, positioning it as one of the lowest carbon intensity Jet-A1 fuels available and an important enabler of ongoing de-carbonization efforts in the aviation sector.



As part of the partnership, the clean energy supplied to Adnoc will be validated via I-REC Clean Energy Certificates registered by Ewec.



Ewec has a growing portfolio of renewable and clean energy projects, led by Noor Abu Dhabi, the worlds largest single-site solar power plant. Noor Abu Dhabi produces approximately 1.2 gigawatts of power resulting in a carbon footprint reduction of 1 million metric tons per year, which is equivalent to taking 200,000 cars off the road.



Ewec is also developing the Al Dhafra Solar PV IPP project, which will be the new worlds largest single-site solar power plant, using approximately 4 million solar panels to generate enough electricity for approximately 160,000 homes across the UAE. Upon full commercial operation, Al Dhafra Solar PV is expected to reduce Abu Dhabis CO2 emissions by more than 2.4 million metric tons per year, equivalent to removing approximately 470,000 cars from the road.



In addition to developing world leading solar power projects, Ewec is supporting the integration of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant to the Abu Dhabi grid. Once all four nuclear reactors are fully operational, the Barakah Plant will prevent the release of up to 21 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year, leading the biggest decarbonisation efforts in the region.



The new clean energy partnership will accelerate Adnocs sustainability goal of decreasing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity by 25% by 2030 and offers the potential for additional value and operational efficiencies.  TradeArabia News Service
US-based ExxonMobil, a multinational oil and gas company, said it is committed to working with the US government, the European Commission and other governments to help achieve the objectives of the Global Methane Pledge.



In September, the US and European Union announced a Global Methane Pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. More than 30 nations have now joined the Pledge, and more could be announced at the upcoming COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland.



ExxonMobil said in a statement that it is, as previously announced, reducing its own methane emissions by 40-50% by 2025 compared to 2016 levels.



It will develop, test and deploy new methane detection and mitigation technologies; and work with others in the industry to advance methane emission reductions.



We also see the value of collaborating with other methane-emitting sectors  such as agriculture, livestock, and landfills -- and will share our experience, technologies and mitigation strategies to help find solutions that work for them. Because each nation has a different methane emissions profile, contributions from all sectors will be critical to achieving the Pledge goals, the statement said.



In 2017, ExxonMobil signed on to the Methane Guiding Principles, and last year it introduced a model framework for industry-wide methane regulations to reduce emissions in all phases of production.



ExxonMobil said its support the US Environmental Protection Agency directly regulating methane emissions for both new and existing sources of oil and gas production, as well as the 2020 European Commission Methane Strategy.



ExxonMobil said its scientists and engineers are applying their expertise and ingenuity to help responsibly meet the worlds need for energy, while working to find solutions to enable and to accelerate the transition to a lower-carbon emissions future.



In announcing the Global Methane Pledge, the US and European Union stated: Rapidly reducing methane emissions is complementary to action on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and is regarded as the single most effective strategy to reduce global warming in the near term and keep the goal of limiting warming to 1.5C Celsius within reach.  TradeArabia News Service
Adipec, will host a dedicated Smart Manufacturing Exhibition Zone and Conference will help set the agenda for next successful phase of growth in the energy and manufacturing industries in the Middle East.

Taking place from November 15 to 18, the conference will bridge the gap between energy, manufacturing and high-tech sectors to accelerate economic development and diversification even as it strives for a net-zero carbon economy.

A new addition to Adipec, the Adipec Smart Manufacturing Conference is supported by the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology. It will bring leading local, regional and international manufacturers together with energy industry decision makers to focus on developing smart manufacturing ecosystems to build resilience, drive profitability, empower people, identify future growth opportunities and meet net-zero carbon targets.

During the Adipec Smart Manufacturing Conference, Ministers, policy makers, energy and manufacturing industry leaders, will address the future of manufacturing; the application of digital strategies; the transition from a linear economy to a circular economy; the evolution of post pandemic government industrial strategies; and the impact of smart technologies on the development of future industrial hubs.

Among the topics to be discussed will be the policies, frameworks and strategies being developed to spearhead change and industrial growth; the interdependencies between manufacturing and energy; Operation 300bn, which seeks to establish the UAE as a global hub for future industries; how the IIoT can support the development of logistics and circular supply chains and the manufacturing skills gap.

Meanwhile, a Smart Manufacturing Zone has been added to Adipec 2021s exhibition. The zone will host a broad spectrum of digital technologies and solutions that are profoundly changing industrial production, ranging from the industrial internet of things to computer-aided manufacturing, artificial intelligence and big data to cloud computing and cyber security, nanotechnology to industrial automation, robotics and lasers and advanced composites to responsive smart materials.

Christopher Hudson, President of dmg events, organisers of Adipec said: With the addition of the Adipec Smart Manufacturing Conference, Adipec continues to strengthen its position as a critical convening point for companies interested in engaging in partnership and investment opportunities with the UAE and Middle Easts energy industry as it adapts to the changing market dynamics.

The Adipec Smart Manufacturing Conference and exhibition zone will accelerate access to todays rapidly evolving manufacturing strategies, operations and technologies that will enable companies to optimise their operations, enhance performance and find new market opportunities.

Realising the need to build local capabilities, stimulate sustainable economic growth and diversify economies away from oil and gas sectors, Middle East governments are adopting specific initiatives to transform the region into a leading manufacturing power.

Leading the way is the UAE, whose Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology has launched a ten-year strategy to raise the manufacturing sectors contribution to AED300 billion ($81.68 billion) from the existing AED133 billion. The strategy seeks to increase the in-country value of its resources and products and drive inclusive and sustainable industrial development by focusing mainly on industries that implement advanced technology and 4IR solutions and applications.

Adipec 2021 will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. It will be hosted by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and supported by the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Department of Municipalities and Transport, Abu Dhabi Chamber and the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi.-- TradeArabia News Service
Australian citizens and permanent residents aged 12 and over who have received two doses of an approved or recognised vaccine will be able to leave Australia from November 1, 2021, without needing an outwards travel exemption.



Children under 12 and those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons will also be able to travel overseas without an exemption, said a statement on the Australian government official website.  TradeArabia News Service
UNWTO joined the Advanced Leadership Foundation and the Incyde Foundation of the Chambers of Commerce of Spain for the opening day of the Future of Tourism World Summit on October 26. The two-day summit represents the first time the sector has been brought together to look ahead since the start of the pandemic.

Highlighting the unprecedented relevance of tourism, the summit counts on the participation of leaders from business, politics and the international arena, with King Felipe VI of Spain serving as Honorary President, a statement from UNWTO said.

Joining UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili were Rebecca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); Mauricio Claver-Carone, President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB); Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary-General of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO); Reyes Maroto, Spain's Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism; Juan Verde, President of the Advanced Leadership Foundation; and Jose Luis Bonet, President of the Chambers of Commerce of Spain.

Alongside them were 10 tourism ministers attending in person, with more ministers joining virtually.

Pololikashvili said: This summit makes clear the importance of collaboration, as well as the vital role funding tourism and harnessing the power of innovation will play in building a more resilient and sustainable tourism.

Joining Pololikashvili for a high-level debate on Funding the Future of Tourism, UNCTAD Secretary-General Grynspan stressed that tourism needs political support and investment. She credited UNWTO for its work in promoting accreditation and certifications since the start of the crisis and added: Tourism can be a very good energy and force to build back better, differently and together.

In a programme which reflected the priorities of UNWTO and global tourism in general, the focus of the first day was on funding the future of tourism, particularly accelerating the shift towards net-zero growth.

With world leaders set to arrive in Glasgow for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) next week, the discussions in Barcelona made clear tourisms determination to embrace innovation and secure the funding necessary to enable the sector lives up to its climate action responsibilities.

The summit will culminate in the Barcelona Call to Action, a statement of intent signed by governments, destinations and businesses outlining a shared vision for a greener, more inclusive and resilient tourism, citing the sectors potential contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals and the shift to net-zero.-TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmad Al-Khatib highlighted the importance of developing unified travel laws for the world, especially since travel during the Covid-19 pandemic has become a nightmare for passengers.

During a session titled 'Future of tourism-global perspectives', as part of the Future Investment Initiative (FII), which saw the participation of Corporation Carnival CEO Arnold Donald, Al-Khatib noted that the crisis forced countries to offer several long-term plans with the aim of recovering from the pandemic.

Noting that the tourism sector is among the most affected sectors in the world along with the travel and transport sector that declined by more than 80 per cent in 2020, which led to the loss of more than 60 million jobs at the international level, the minister pointed out that the sector contributes to one out of every 10 jobs, Saudi Press Agency SPA reported.

The minister also called on countries to co-operate with the private sector that runs the tourism sector,noting that 80% of the tourism industry are served by small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Al-Khatib said that the role of the Ministry of Tourism is legislative and organisational and that there are more than seven billion people on the planet, including 1.6 billion who managed to travel in 2020, which is a record number.

He also revealed that the salaries of women in the tourism sector are fair enough when compared to their male peers and that 54% of workers in the sector are women, expressing optimism for the pandemic to end soon and for the sector to see growth, especially that nations are now interconnected.

He also expressed Saudi Arabia's aspiration to play an important role to create several initiatives, whether at the training or sustainability level.

Corporation Carnival's Donald said that government and private sectors have to co-operate for the recovery of the tourism and travel sector and face challenges that the sector endured during the pandemic, noting that several jobs in the sector have been lost in 2020, stressing the importance of harmony among all sectors in all countries.

He said: "Governments should support their economies in a way that serves growth according to certain policies, and countries should work together to guarantee speeding up achievements related to sustainability to ensure the resumption and sustainability of travel and tourism sector and caring for climate change."
One hundred and fifty travel & tourism leaders from international governments and businesses are meeting in Riyadh for the Redesigning Tourism Summit  Laying Foundations for Future Success.

The event will be held as part of the Future Investment Initiative (FII), an international platform bringing together over 3,000 global leaders, investors and innovators with the power to shape the future of global investment and humanity, PRNewswire reported.

Speaking at the FII, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib said: "Tourism is a vital sector  and it's growth is important to economies globally. More than 330 million people depend on tourism for their livelihoods. Prior to the pandemic, tourism accounted for 1-in-4 of all new jobs created across the world.

"The sector was hard-hit by Covid  with 62 million jobs lost. We must strengthen global co-ordination, to push tourism to the forefront of government agendas to create opportunities and sector resilience in the face of future challenges.

"Economies will not recover until tourism recovers. And that means we must unite to redesign tourism based on shared principles that define the future we want to see"

Led by Saudi Arabia and supported by the World Travel & Tourism Council, the Summit will endorse five 'Principles for Redesigning Tourism':

- Tourism is a vital sector that shapes societies and builds economies

- Countries will not recover until tourism recovers

- To thrive, tourism needs effective public-private co-ordination and collaboration

- Tourism must be part of the solution to climate change

- Everyone has a stake in the future of tourism

Arnold Donald, Chair of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), and President and CEO Carnival Corporation, welcomed the Principles for Redesigning Tourism on behalf of the private sector, saying: "It is of vital importance that as we reset the travel & tourism industry, we do it purposefully and collaboratively.

"I represent over 200 private sector CEOs  many of whom have called for greater collaboration with governments to ensure a focus on supporting business, enabling seamless travel, and strengthened support for key tourism destinations who need it most.

"I am pleased to support the Principles for Redesigning Tourism which will ultimately strengthen the tourism industry and its livelihoods."

WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson added: "Travel & tourism is a driving force behind the global economy. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic the Kingdom brought public and private sectors together, under their G20 Presidency. Today, they are bringing the leaders of travel & tourism to reignite the sector."

Chief Special Advisor to the Saudi Arabian Minister of Tourism Gloria Guevara said: "It's great to see the tourism sector at the forefront of this important conference with thousands of leaders from the financial world, including investors and decision makers.

"The biggest challenge our sector had last year was the lack of international co-ordination. The Principles recognise critical issues  prioritising international collaboration to ensure that tourism is better for people, nature, communities and our society."

Al-Khatib concluded: "Covid-19 has had a devastating and disproportionate impact on developing countries - many of which rely heavily on tourism's contribution to their economies and survival. Developed countries will be impacted if we don't create jobs for the most needed. Tourism contributes to this growth by providing education and opportunities, while reducing poverty.

"The Principles for Redesigning Tourism will help us shape our future, for existing and new destinations. For our present and our future."
Assyrians in Iraq to Set Up Museum With Manuscripts Saved From ISIS

Chaldean bishops in Iraq have decided to set up a Christian museum, collecting old manuscripts and books saved from destruction during the Islamic State occupation.

The bishops under the presidency of Cardinal Louis Raphael I Sako, the Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon, made that decision during their meeting of October 23 in Erbil, capital of the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan.

The museum will be built in Ankawa, a district of Erbil inhabited mostly by Christians, in a building adjacent to the institute which accommodates Chaldean priests and seminarians, reports Fides.

The initiative will see the direct participation of the local Dominicans who have long been committed to the preservation and study of ancient books and manuscripts.

The museum aims to be a valuable testimony to the roots of indigenous Christian communities that trace their origins to the time of the Apostles and a way of protecting Iraqi cultural heritage.

The initiative is the brainchild of Najib Mikhael Moussa, the Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul and a Dominican.

Before taking charge of the Chaldean archdiocese based in the city of Mosul in 2019, Father Moussa devoted much of his life to the care and study of manuscripts and texts belonging to the ancient churches of the East collected by the Dominican Fathers.

Born in 1955 in Mosul, Father Moussa was since 1990 the director of the Center for the digitization of oriental manuscripts in the metropolis of northern Iraq.

Until 2007, the heritage of thousands of manuscripts and ancient books in the hands of the Dominicans was kept in the complex of the Dominican Church in Mosul.

That year, for security reasons, the most valuable works and the 850 oldest manuscripts in Aramaic, Arabic and Armenian were transferred to Qaraqosh, a predominantly Christian town 30 kilometers from Mosul.

At the end of July 2014 with the advance of the Islamic State, the Dominicans started transferring more manuscripts and ancient books to the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, to save them from being burnt by the jihadists in the lands they occupied.

In August that year, Father Moussa also fled with thousands of Christians from the Nineveh Plain to Erbil, taking a large number of priceless ancient manuscripts and documents in a van, while cities of the Plain fell under Islamic State occupation.

In the years that followed, Father Moussa had also involved dozens of refugees in Erbil in the work of restoring old manuscripts and books saved from destruction.

Islamic State that ruled Mosul from 2014 to 2016, making its Iraqi capital, damaged or destroyed every church in the city including the 19th century built "Our Lady of the Hour" Church, popularly called Al Saa'a Church.

The Islamic State also razed the 1,400-year-old St Elijah's Monastery, the oldest in Iraq. St Elijah's Monastery, or Deir Mar Elia, was believed to have been constructed by Assyrian monks in the late 6th Century. It was later claimed by a Chaldean Catholic order.

Islamic State also looted the churches but drove out the terrified local Christians from the area, their homes pillaged and destroyed by the jihadists and their supporters.

The memory of the atrocities committed against Christians is still fresh, and includes the murder of Moussa's predecessor, Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho in 2008.

Before IS took over the city, there were more than 15,000 Christians in Mosul. However, in spite of the defeat of the jihadists, very few families have returned to the city.

Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, situated on the banks of the Tigris opposite the ancient city of Nineveh, was evangelized in the first century of the Christian era.
Hong Kongs Legislative Council has approved changes to the film censorship law. It could be extended to online videos, putting at risk masterpieces like "From Beijing with love" and "Ten Years". For Commerce Secretary, there will not be any fallout on East Asias Hollywood.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews)  Hong Kongs Legislative Council approved the Film Censorship (Amendment) Bill 2021, which authorises banning films on national security grounds.

Several pro-Beijing lawmakers called for the ban to be extended to web videos, a measure that according to Commerce Secretary Edward Yau Tang-wah needs to be studied carefully.

The chief secretary of the administration (Hong Kongs second most powerful office holder) will now be able to pull previously approved films if they "glorify" or "support" behaviour contrary to national security.

The decision, pushed by the central government for months, delivers another blow to the system of freedom that Hong Kongs Basic Law should guarantee.

Analysts note that any public activity in Hong Kong is now a potential security threat, including honouring Tiananmen victims or celebrating Taiwan's National Day.

After the approval of the national security law in June 2020, imposed by Beijing, Hong Kong authorities arrested and imprisoned dozens of pro-democracy leaders involved in the anti-government protests in 2019.

Many of them, such as Catholic publishing magnate Jimmy Lai, are waiting to go on trial.

Targeted by Chief Executive Carrie Lams government, independent newspapers, pro-democracy organisations, trade unions, and student groups have shut down.

Yesterdays amendment increases sanctions against those who screen or sell censored films  from one year in prison and 200,000 HK dollars (US$ 25,715) in fines to three years in prison and a fine of one million HK dollars (US128,575).

Yau said the change will not negatively impact Hong Kong's film industry, considered East Asias Hollywood. According to several observers however, limits on creativity and freedom of expression will damage production.

Michael Luk, a pro-Beijing lawmaker from the Federation of Trade Unions, told RTHK that there are "red lines" even in the United States, where no films can glorify bin Laden, al-Qaeda or [other] terrorist groups.

Nevertheless, many film industry insiders and film buffs are concerned that famous films such as From Beijing with Love and Ten Years could be withdrawn.

The first, a satirical work by Stephen Chow, looks at corruption in China; the second portrays a bleak future for Hong Kong under the control of the Chinese Communist Party.
Security sources say the jihadists struck "unarmed civilians" after an attempted kidnapping. A woman also died. The authorities have sealed off the area and begun rounding up operations. According to a UN report there are still 10,000 militiamen active between Syria and Iraq.

Baghdad (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The toll, still provisional, of an attack launched by jihadists of the Islamic State (IS, formerly Isis) last night against a village in eastern Iraq is more than a dozen victims. The militias of the "caliphate", which once occupied more than half the territory of Syria and Iraq and had erected their "capital" in Mosul, returned to strike targeting al-Rashad, in the province of Diyala, in an area inhabited by civilians and military.

According to local security sources, there are currently "11 dead and 13 wounded", some of whom are in a serious condition. The victims include both civilians and military personnel stationed in the area. The authorities have sealed off the area and begun sweeping operations in search of local jihadist cells.

A note from the military leadership underlines that in the attack, the militiamen kidnapped two people and hit "defenceless civilians", after the villagers refused to pay a ransom. A woman was also among the victims. Previously, another attack using light vehicles and semi-automatic weapons also took place in Iraq, with a final toll of 11 dead and 15 wounded.

In the area of al-Rashad live mainly members of the Bedouin tribe of Bani Tamim, to which the governor of the province also belongs. At the beginning of September, 13 members of the Iraqi Federal Police were killed in an Isis attack on a checkpoint near Kirkuk in the north.

A report earlier this year by the United Nations stated that the Islamic State "maintains a largely clandestine presence in Iraq and Syria" where it is leading "an insurgency on both fronts" thanks to the presence of at least 10,000 fighters.

The last attack claimed by Isis in Iraq was last July, in the Shiite district of Sadr City, in Baghdad, which caused the death of about thirty people. In October, coinciding with parliamentary elections, the authorities had revealed two cross-border operations with the arrest of the mastermind behind the bloody 2016 attack in the capital, which had claimed more than 320 lives.
The Vatican has confirmed the meeting with the Indian prime minister who will be in Rome for the G20 Summit. Their tete-a-tete is politically important for India, as it is the first visit to the Vatican by the Hindu nationalist leader, head of the government since 2014.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Pope Francis next Saturday. The Vatican confirmed the visit, scheduled for at 8.30 am, which should include a 30-minute tete-a-tete between the two men.

For Prime Minister Modi, this meeting is politically significant. In power since 2014, the Indian leader had never requested an audience at the Vatican before.

His Hindu nationalist party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), includes radical groups that openly claim that Christians are a threat to Indian identity, going so far as engaging in violent anti-Christian behaviour.

The last meeting between a pope and an Indian prime minister dates back to 2000 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee, also a member of the BJP, met in audience with Pope John Paul II.

A few days ago, Indian newspapers reported of a possible Modi visit to the Vatican during the 2021 G20 Summit in Rome (30-31 October) before heading to COP26 in Glasgow (Scotland).

Pope Francis received an official Indian delegation in September 2016 for the canonisation of Mother Teresa of Calcutta; on that occasion, the Modi government was represented by then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

A possible trip by Pope Francis to India has been raised on several occasions in recent years, but an official invitation has never arrived from New Delhi because of the opposition of radical Hindu nationalists.

So far, two pontiffs have travelled to India: Paul VI in 1964 and John Paul II in 1986 and 1999.
by Fady Noun

The political controversy around the violence of 14 October continues. The leader of the Lebanese Forces fails to heed the summons by the Military Tribunal and rejects Judge Fadi Akiki. A head-on clash with Hezbollah and Amal has paralysed Nagib Mikatis new government. Maronite patriarch defends Geagea.

Beirut (AsiaNews)  The fallout from the clashes of 14 October at Ain el-Remmane-Tayouneh, near the Beirut courthouse, continues.

The violence was sparked by monster demonstrations organised by Hezbollah and Amal to demand the departure of judge Tarek Bitar, who is in investigating the Beirut Port explosion of 4 August 2020.

Clashes between members of Amal and Hezbollah and probable members of the Lebanese Forces party, as well as a heavy-handed intervention by the army left seven people dead and around 30 wounded.

Summoned today as a witness by the Military Tribunal, the head of the Lebanese Forces (LF) Samir Geagea did not go to the place of the summons, the Defence Ministry.

He was notified by a posting at the entrance to the residential complex in Meerab (Kesrouan), where he lives.

The Defence Ministry is symbolically loaded for Geagea since he spent 11 years, from 1994 to 2005, in one of its jails, under very strict conditions, before he was pardoned by President Emile Lahoud and resumed his place in political life.

Investigators are trying to find the ghost snipers suspected of fatally wounding protesters. Geagea is suspected of ordering his men to shoot, but he vigorously denies the claim.

Media have been reporting suspicions by anonymous sources in the matter, but such sources are quite suspect since they are reporting the preliminary conclusions of the investigation, thus violating its secrecy.

Geagea says that if some of his supporters used their weapons, it was individually, in self-defence against hordes of violent protesters, some of whom were armed, who, straying from the path of the demonstration, terrorised the neighbourhood.

In pre-empting the summons, the LF leader claimed that Fadi Akiki, the government commissioner at the military court, had no jurisdiction in the case. His lawyers presented a petition challenging the "lawfulness" of Akiki's decision.

Another appeal was filed with the Beirut Court of Appeal demanding that the case be taken away from the government commissioner because of his relationship to Nabih Berri, the leader of the Amal party, which is a party to the conflict. Fadi Akiki is married to Mr Berri's niece, Nada Dakroub, a magistrate by profession.

Political and popular support

Geagea's summons earned him political and popular support from Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, Future Movement leader and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri as well as Christian Kataeb party chairman Samy Gemayel, all three political adversaries of Hezbollah.

The head of the Maronite Church, Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi, clearly showed his support last Friday as well, by denouncing Geageas court summons, since the leaders of the two other major parties involved in the clashes at Ain el-Remmane-Tayouneh, namely Hassan Nasrallah and Nabih Berri, were not summoned as well.

In addition, in an unusual step to prevent a serious political escalation, Patriarch al-Rahi successively yesterday met with Parliamentary Speaker Berri, Prime Minister Nagib Mikati, and President Michel Aoun proposing a solution to the investigation into the explosion of the Port of Beirut (4 August 2020).

Thousands of Samir Geagea's supporters also met yesterday at the Maronite patriarchal seat in Bkerke, before going to Meerab to show their support for Geagea, whom they believe is the victim of a political plot to eliminate him.

Finally, the Tayouneh incident has paralysed the government a month after it won a vote of confidence in Parliament, with cabinet meeting suspended after the Shia ministers demanded the judge in charge of Port investigation, Tarek Bitar, be replaced.

Such a request appears to be inadmissible since the Superior Judicial Council, chaired by Souheil Abboud, after hearing and questioning Judge Bitar last week, gave him carte blanche to continue his investigation.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Victory a foregone conclusion: main opponents excluded from running. The 'ally' presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan congratulate the Uzbek head of state. In the last five years the economic situation in the country has improved, less so the human rights situation.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The victory of Uzbekistan's President Savkat Mirziyoyev in the presidential elections on October 24 was a foregone conclusion. The Uzbek head of state won 80.1% of the vote, according to official figures. The other candidates shared a few percentage points: Maksuda Vorisova of the Popular Democratic Party collected 6.6% of the vote, Aliser Kodirov of the Democratic Party 5.5%, Narzullah Oblomuradov of the Ecological Party 4.1% and Bakhrom Abdukhalimov of the Social Democratic Party "Adolat" 3.4%.

Eighty per cent of the eligible voters took part: over 16 million out of a total of 20 million. However, several commentators noted that the Uzbek elections were not competitive, as the authorities had excluded several opposition figures from the competition. The other candidates in the running were all members of pro-government parties.

Without waiting for the official proclamation by the electoral committee, the "ally" presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan congratulated Mirziyoyev. Vladimir Putin expressed to his colleague his "satisfaction with the convincing victory", assuring further developments in strategic cooperation and partnership between Moscow and Tashkent.

According to the head of the Election Committee Zajnuddin Nizamkhodzaev, the elections 'took place in full compliance with the law and democratic principles, without any violation of norms'. However, independent journalists, as reported by Currentime.tv, spread reports of fraud at several polling stations, with pre-filled ballot papers being inserted into the ballot boxes.

During Friday Muslim prayers on the eve of the elections, several imams proclaimed in their homilies that participation in the vote is a "vadzib amalem", a religious duty, urging people not to heed the calls spread by social networks to desert the polls in order to undermine the authority of the president's confirmation.

Mirziyoyev's first five years have been quite convincing, although not without scandals involving corruption. Independent media have repeatedly revealed the embezzlement of various members of the president's family, who have repeatedly embezzled funds from the state budget for private deals and rigged tenders. The president himself has surrounded himself with oligarchs and businessmen of various kinds, organising a system of mutual protection.

The country's general economic situation, however, seems better than five years ago, as former deputy finance minister Abdullah Abdukadyrov told Currentime: 'Uzbekistan has become more attractive to international investors and has acquired a more central role in the geopolitical games of the whole of Central Asia'.

He expected a change of course in the defence of human rights, which has only happened in part, as activist Umida Nijazova says: "We cannot deny that something has changed, there is greater freedom of the press compared to the time of Islam Karimov, but Uzbekistan remains a classic authoritarian regime, as these elections also confirm".

In recent days, the arrest of Uzbekistan's 'champion of migrants', Valentina Cupik, who was held in solitary confinement for ten days at Moscow's Seremetevo airport before being released to take refuge in Yerevan, Armenia, caused a stir. Cupik cannot return to Tashkent, and now not even to Russia, where she has tried for years to protect Uzbek migrants, and warns that "the situation in Uzbekistan will not change until the state starts to defend our migrants, activating serious diplomatic work in Russia and other countries." According to Cupik, many Uzbek workers abroad are kept in a real regime of slavery, without the state taking responsibility.

The democratic reforms promised by Mirziyoyev are still far from being realised, to get out of the "post-Soviet" condition of Karimov's long reign (1991-2016). One of the opponents excluded from the elections, the anti-corruption professor Khindirnazar Allakulov, is still the subject of judicial persecution along with his family. A former rector of Termez University, he advocates the need to 'unite Uzbek society in the fight against the corruption that pervades all institutions, but the elections show that we are still dominated by a fear of public action'. For Allakulov, many Uzbeks 'are unhappy and sceptical about Mirziyoyev's promises, and I don't think that so many people really went to the polls'.
The two women religious run a facility that provides housing, food, education, and medical care to poor children in Pokhara. Detained on 14 September, the two might face a bail hearing tomorrow. For the Apostolic Vicar of Nepal, the case shows intolerance towards the Church and is an attack on minority communities.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews)  Two Korean missionary women religious from the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Paul of Chartres were arrested in Nepal on 14 September and are still in detention.

The two, Sisters Gemma Lucia Kim and Martha Park, were charged with proselytising and conversion activities, and arrested at their mission in Pokhara, 200 kilometres from Kathmandu, where they run a facility for poor slum children.

They were kept in custody until 27 September when they were moved a district prison. The local Church has filed the get them released on bail but, so far, their application has been postponed due to Hindu holidays; it is hoped that a hearing can finally be held tomorrow.

In expressing his apprehension about the fate of the two women, Bishop Paul Simick, Apostolic Vicar of Nepal, issued a statement published by Aid to the Church in Need.

In his view, the allegations of conversions are utterly baseless and unjust. This act reveals not only bigotry on the part of those who accused the Sisters but also ignorance of the needs of the poor.

The work of the two Sisters in Nepal has always been in favour of the downtrodden with an eye on the injustices of society.

The two have been dedicating themselves totally to the poor for so many years. Therefore, we would like to call for an in-depth inquiry into what happened, Bishop Simick said.

The elderly Sisters health is of particular concern, as it can worsen in detention.

"The Catholic community sees this event as an attack on minority communities with an intent to criminalise missionary activities, the Apostolic Vicar noted. The Sisters' initiatives, such as social services, education and medical care, are seen as a bait for conversion."

The local Church hopes to see the two Sisters released on bail soon so that they can resume their work taking care of the Happy Home community, a facility that provides housing, food, education, medical services and professional training to about 120 children in the slums of Pokhara.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, they handed out groceries to poor people in the district.

Nepal is a country with a small but growing Christian communities. However, hostility by fringe Hindu radicals is complicating the process of evangelisation as charges against Christians of forced conversions increase.
With the refusal rate essentially unchanged, the poll results indicate that theres a relatively small pool of unvaccinated adults left who might be persuaded to get vaccinated. In the poll, 5% said they planned to wait and see, 2% said they would get vaccinated only if required and 1% had plans to get vaccinated soon.
Papis Tacos in Fells Point, which shut down after a wall collapsed one morning in September, is still closed. Gjerde said he had initially hoped to reopen the restaurant within about two months, but the fix has been harder than builders thought at the beginning. If construction takes too long, Papis will look to open in another location in Fells Point. But it wont leave the neighborhood.
Bishai, a Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health adjunct professor with degrees in medicine and economics, said he was not given a reason for his firing, which happened last week. He said he was called to an in-person meeting with officials from the Maryland Department of Health, who informed him that the Harford County Council voted to remove him, and state Health Secretary Dennis R. Schrader approved the vote.
It is also critical to the restoration of community trust that the department do a better job of training its officers on how, and when, to use their firearms, their tasers, their batons, and their chemical agents, Bredar said. Officers in the new, reformed Baltimore Police Department should and must be experts on when to shoot and when not to, when to deploy the taser and when not to, and how to use deadly force competently with the absolute minimum of bad collateral consequences.
The experiment in residents willingness to support  if not directly pay for  projects that will protect life and property from storms and heat waves is being discussed around the state. An authority created by Anne Arundel County and the city of Annapolis is tackling a $56 million problem, the redevelopment of the capitals often-flooded City Dock, much of which was submerged again this weekend. Montgomery County leaders plan to create one to address challenges there. Baltimore City Council leaders will soon propose creating a resilience authority as part of environmental justice efforts.
He further criticizes the vice president for not mentioning in her video endorsement the wrong things he considers that Mr. McAuliffe has done. Im not sure what planet he is from, but on ours, when any politician gives an endorsement for another, they only provide positive comments about that person. These claims made by Cal Thomas are absurd and as a syndicated columnist, he is an embarrassment to his profession regardless of the readers political beliefs.
Several council members left the meeting without their questions being answered completely due to the absence of key city officials. The committee meeting, which was not scheduled or publicly announced until Monday night, coincided with a news conference held by Scott in Northwest Baltimore to announce a new round of American Rescue Plan awards. The two top officials in the citys Office of Recovery Programs, which is responsible for distributing the funding, attended the news conference instead of the hearing.
I appreciate that its concerning, Anderson-Walker said when asked about the legal filings. I have been through pandemics, I have been through the Great Recession. I have survived certainly some very interesting times and continue to be a business owner, which is not easy. I do want to say that Im not unlike many Marylanders, its unfortunate that weve endured some financial struggles.
I come to you today with both sobriety and unrelenting optimism, Perez told the group. Sobriety born out of the fact that we have endured the unspeakable over the last two years: the pandemic, a democracy recession, unmitigated attacks on the right to vote, leaders who want to stab you in the back.
Vietnamese agricultural business

Vietnamese agricultural businesses lure workers back to work

Vietnam is adapting to COVID-19 in a safe and flexible manner, which provides an opportunity for enterprises to revive their business activities. But many agricultural firms are facing a shortage of workers, which could affect their growth targets.

Processing passion fruits at DOVECO Gia Lai (Photo: Duc Thuy)

The shortage is most serious in the sectors of seafood, fruit, and timber as they require large workforces to harvest and process products for the domestic market and for export. It is no easy task to call former employees back to work or recruit new workers.

Soc Trang Seafood Chairman Tran Van Pham said the total workforce of his company is nearly 4,000 but currently only 1,000 are working due to the impact of COVID-19, which has forced many to return to their hometowns.

The company received quite a lot of shrimp export orders for the end of 2021 and early 2022 but had to cancel owing to labour shortages, leaving the company unsure if it will be able to retain its partners or not.

Other agricultural enterprises are facing the same situation. On the one hand, they want to boost production to capitalise on the growth opportunities in the fourth quarter and accelerate the fulfilment of signed orders to offset the losses after months of operating under capacity. On the other hand, they are unable to operate at maximum capacity due to the shortage of workers.

The fourth wave of COVID-19 has presented significant challenges to enterprises in realising the growth targets for 2021. Therefore, enterprises are making every effort to retain workers so that they can restore production to the highest level possible.

According to Deputy Director of Chanh Thu Fruit Export-Import Company Ngo Tuong Vu, currently 80% of the companys 300 employees are back to work. They have been inoculated with at least one dose, with some already being fully vaccinated.

To keep these workers, the company has given the highest priority to ensuring their safety since the start of the outbreak. Chanh Thu also maintains income at the best level for workers so that they can feel assured when working here. When the outbreak occurred, the company did not attach too much importance to growth, instead placing emphasis on sustaining production so as to recover later.

In fact, the difficulty in retaining workers is enormous as it lies not only in safety measures and income sustainability but also the psychological factor, which many companies have said is the underlying reason behind workers reluctance to return to work. If there is no remedy for such a problem in the post-COVID period, it will be difficult to get them back.

General Director of Vinamit Nguyen Lam Vien shared that after the past outbreak, the company paid more attention to the mentalities of workers in order to promptly deal with their concerns, making them feel peace of mind at the company.

In the face of complex shifts in the labour market, the General Statistics Office has recommended some solutions to address the difficulties. Specifically, local authorities should establish official information channels to update enterprises and workers on local economic development strategies, worker support and attraction policies, testing, vaccination, and epidemic control plans so that enterprises can formulate appropriate recovery and development plans.

For its part, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has underlined the importance of prioritising vaccination for workers in the agriculture, forestry and seafood sectors to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and establish the basis for workers to soon return to work.

Enterprises also need to demonstrate their role at this time more clearly by introducing solutions on income and stabilising the psychology of workers as well as making commitments to provide certain support during the pandemic period such as the costs of travel, housing, medical care and essential goods.

SOurce: NDO
Braintec Services, an integrated cleaning company, has disclosed that while COVID-19 has been a major concern to most companies, they have managed to position themselves in a better place to be able to take advantage of opportunities brought in by the scourge.

COVID-19 has enormously changed our way of life. The increased need to disinfect and clean our surroundings more than ever, has opened a window of opportunity for Braintec. Being a cleaning company, we made it our obligation to play a part in helping fight this pandemic, explained General Manager, Brian Ketshabile.

He explained that when the pandemic started, Braintec immediately introduced its disinfection service line and brought in more personal hygiene products like sanitizers, supply of masks, and other disinfection chemicals, which were to curb the spread of the virus.

We were able to pool in a generous amount of clients through these new products and service offerings. I believe it is safe to say we have since become a more strategic and resourceful entity, having analyzed the situation, strategized and implemented these innovative ideas for the benefit of both the company and wellbeing of our clients, said Ketshabile, who established the company in 2011.

Braintec offers services such as hospitality and healthcare laundry, landscaping, residential and office cleaning, cleaning of upholstery, car valet, as well as installation of chemical management equipment for efficient use of chemicals. The ten-year-old company manufacturers economical cleaning products, distribute premium cleaning chemicals which range from kitchen, laundry, housekeeping and personal hygiene.








Campus News

Take a tour inside One World Cafe

Five food stations will feature the cuisine of Middle Eastern countries, Turkey and Greece; India; North American comfort food; China, Korea and Taiwan; and Japan and Vietnam.

By JAY REY

I think people are going to love One World Cafe. It not only offers new food options, which the campus has been asking for, but it will serve as another attractive space for our community to come together.  Kelly Hayes McAlonie, director of campus planning

One World Cafe, the new three-story international eatery under construction on the academic spine, is scheduled to open in the spring. But for those anxious to get a peek at the progress inside, project architects from CannonDesign have put together a series of artist renderings that offer curious onlookers a 360-degree view of what the interior of the new signature facility will look like.

I think people are going to love One World Cafe, says Kelly Hayes McAlonie, director of campus planning. It not only offers new food options, which the campus has been asking for, but it will serve as another attractive space for our community to come together. Construction is expected to be completed in late January, at which time Campus Dining & Shops will begin moving in furniture, testing out equipment and training. Opening is scheduled for the spring. Heres a brief tour of the building thats been dubbed UBs new front door. Be sure to click on the hyperlinks to get the full view. Once the image has loaded, scroll down and move your cursor around to get the 360 view.

New front door

This is the first floor. The floor-to-ceiling windows overlook Founders Plaza and daily life unfolding along the spine. The UB logo is pictured on a large video wall, where announcements can be viewed, campus photos displayed, or the Bulls game shown for all to watch. Entrance from the outside is to the right in the corner. Visitors will notice an array of seating  522 seats, to be exact  situated throughout the dining area of the main floor. Its meant to be a communal space, Hayes McAlonie says. If we had an event, where we were watching a game, this is where we would go. Its set up like a theater. The stairs lead to additional, tiered seating on the second-floor balcony, while first-floor foot traffic continues to flow along the windows toward the food stations, located on the right.

Contemporary options

As diners enter the servery, they will find a large section of international beverages and snacks that include microwavable options, grab-and-go alternatives and Kosher choices, along with five food stations. The first station is Kali Orexi  or Good Appetite  featuring marinated meats, ancient grains, spices and other favorite fare from Middle Eastern countries, Turkey and Greece, explains Eric Blackledge, executive director of Campus Dining & Shops. Next is Tikka Table, which will include the food, flavors and complex spice blends from the different regions of India, while The 1846 Grill is traditional North American comfort food  from breakfast to burgers and everything in between, Blackledge says. The Pan Asian station will include different types of foods from China, Korea and Taiwan, while the last station is The Noodle Pavilion, showcasing the popular bowl-style dishes from Japan and Vietnam. We wanted each platform to stand alone so theres a very unique style and feel for each region, Blackledge says. I think it will be very well received. UB sought input from international students to ensure the menu options were authentic and contemporary, Hayes McAlonie says. Although, she adds, the food stations will continue to evolve with cuisines and menu options changing periodically based on response from diners.

Diners looking for a quieter place to eat or study will find plenty of options.

Private settings

Diners leaving the food stations in search of a place to sit will find the setting a little quieter and more private as they head to the right toward the north end of the cafe. The space has acoustical ceilings and features two large panels of bold, colorful artwork commissioned specifically for One World Cafe. Not seen in this view, but just on the other side of the staircase, is cozy seating situated around a hearth. Up front, its more public, Hayes McAlonie says. But, obviously, back here it is a much more intimate setting, meaning we wanted it to feel comfortable if youre dining alone or with one other person. Students may also find this an attractive spot to study, either alone or in groups. We didnt want it to be a bland dining hall, but at the same time needed to service hundreds of people, so we wanted to create different environments, Hayes McAlonie says.

The second-floor balcony offers another seating option.

Tiered seating

The second-floor balcony has another 65 chairs along tiered seating that gives diners more options to gather or eat alone while enjoying the atmosphere of the cafe. This is great because were on the upper floor, but you can see the multiple levels and, again, the idea is about creating community, Hayes McAlonie says. Of course, from up here, you can see outside and the people coming to campus, and thats really important, she says. This is really about connecting the campus to whats happening on the inside with whats happening on the outside. In fact, this floor will serve as a connector to the rest of the campus, Hayes McAlonie says. Youll be able to get to the Silverman Library from here, she says. Youll be able to get to Capen. Youll be able to get to Talbert and Norton. Public elevators are to the right at the end. That black wall at the center of the floor is a service elevator. Behind diners are the doors to the University Club, a dining and event space for faculty and staff. In the far corner is the staircase leading to the ground floor.

North entry

The entrance from the ground floor is located on the north side of the building facing Hamilton Loop. As visitors enter, the stairs are to the left. We really want to encourage people traversing this space to use the stairs as opposed to the elevators, if they are able, Hayes McAlonie says. We want to encourage wellness and walking the stairs, but also we are excited by the visual connectivity of the three floors. UB is working on a large, interpretive piece of artwork to adorn the walls of the staircase, she adds. At the end of the corridor are doors to the Buffalo Room, a large space for conferences and press briefings.

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As far as the severity of the virus goes, hospitalizations in the county have also been on the decline. Around 40 people were in the hospital with COVID-19 or COVID-related health issues every day at the start of October and end of September, now the county is averaging around 30 hospitalizations a day.
It was total excitement of the recognition for the work we have been doing and I just want my whole time recognized for the help, Guiterrez said. It is important to have people in these roles that can lift the voices of our community members and hear what is needed. Hearing peoples need and acting on them.
While many vineyard owners have ripped up merlot vines because of waning interest, Duckhorn is looking for more. Merlot has suffered in a public perception over the years, but the decline also may be because the grape variety is difficult to grow. Alviso said when demand for merlot was rising, the gatekeepers were forced to grow it in areas they didnt like to satisfy the publics thirst for merlot. Quality went down and many dropped the program; it was a thinning [of] the herd, Alviso said.
Federal prosecutors say Blandon operated and used several different accounts on social media platforms such as Kik, Instagram, Grindr and Snapshot. They said he used those accounts to entice three minor male victims to send explicit photos, which he then shared with others.
Local school system leaders have made their own decisions about which students to quarantine when a positive case of COVID-19 is uncovered in a school, but most have followed state guidance from the Maryland health and education departments. The result is that 49,000 students and 1,800 staff have been quarantined for a time since the beginning of school this fall, though many of them never contracted the virus. There have been 10,800 students with confirmed cases.
About 85.9% of Marylanders ages 18 and older have received at least one dose of a vaccine. Children younger than 12 remain ineligible for the vaccines, but the U.S. moved a step closer to expanding vaccinations as a panel of government advisers on Tuesday endorsed kid-size doses of Pfizers shots for 5- to 11-year-olds. The FDA isnt bound by the panels recommendation and is expected to make its own decision within days.
As a special council to Carrolls states attorney office, Lewis supervises four units within the office and its business operations in addition to maintaining a felony caseload, according to the release. She has been a prosecutor for nearly 10 years in both Carroll and Baltimore City. And she served as a site coordinator for the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network where she focused on cross-jurisdictional data sharing and investigations targeting gangs, drugs, firearms and human trafficking.
The project is scheduled for Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is expected to be complete in December, weather permitting. Crews will use a flagging operation as they move along the roadway to perform the work. Workers will use electronic signs, cones and barrels to alert motorists about the work zone.
We were navigating COVID and we really didnt know what to do, and we turned to Trudy and she willingly stepped in to help us, Patterson said. She delivered exceptional care to the residents as well as supporting families with regular communication and updates to ease their minds. Her efforts in caring for our residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We celebrate Howard Countys RWJF Culture of Health Prize award, knowing how important it is that our community works together to honor and celebrate human diversity, the natural environment and each persons need to feel supported by and connected to the place they call home, Chiara DAmore, executive director of the Community Ecology Institute, wrote in an email.
In 2016, county police charged Aiman Zaharna with second-degree assault, stating he kicked his father and struck him in the face. Zaharnas father told him that his mother Zakia was at a courthouse trying to get an emergency petition for a mental health evaluation, causing Aiman to become upset, police wrote in 2016. Aiman Zaharna said he has bipolar disorder and was taking medication and seeing a doctor regularly, according to a motion he wrote in his assault case. The charges were later dropped.
The South China Sea plays a prominent role in the relationship between Vietnam and the United States, and bullying by China of its neighbour helped deepen relations, said the former US ambassador to Hanoi.

Speaking at an interview with Radio Free Asia, Ted Osius, who is now president and CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council, a trade promotion group said: "In fact, even in my very first meeting with President Truong Tan Sang when I presented my credentials, we talked about the importance of the South China Sea."

"Pretty much every meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and later Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, we also talked about the South China Sea; so did President Tran Dai Quang and the Communist Party General Secretary (Nguyen Phu Trong)," he said.

Osius, who was ambassador in Hanoi from 2014-2017, in his new book, "Nothing is Impossible: America's Reconciliation with Vietnam" mentioned a vivid first-hand account of the development of Vietnam-US relations in the last quarter-century, as per Radio Free Asia.

According to him, the "critical turning point" that made the Hanoi leadership realize that they needed new strategic partners was in May 2014, when China moved a large oil rig to the waters near the Paracel Islands which Vietnam and China both claim in the South China Sea.

The incident led to an unprecedented wave of anti-China protests in Vietnam and was seen by many as one of the most serious developments in long-running territorial disputes between the two countries.

"It alerted Vietnam's leaders to the fact that China was going to continue a pattern of bullying," Osius said. Those in Vietnam who were "hesitant to embrace the United States became more open to the possibility of having a close relationship with the United States," he added.

Since then, military cooperation between Hanoi and Washington has expanded greatly and US Navy has held regular joint activities, including port calls, with Vietnamese partners, Radia Free Asia said.

On October 24, the US and Taiwan held a high-level meeting on expanding the island's participation at the United Nations and in other international organizations amid China's continued efforts to limit Taiwan's international participation.

Since mid-September of last year, Beijing has stepped up its grey-zone tactics by regularly sending planes into Taiwan's ADIZ, with most instances occurring in the southwest corner of the zone and usually consisting of one to three slow-flying turboprop planes.

Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, despite the island's self-governance for more than seven decades.

(ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the 16th East Asia Summit on Wednesday, Prime Minister's Office said in a press release.

As per the official release, the Prime Minister is also scheduled to attend the 18th ASEAN-India Summit on Thursday.

The East Asia Summit is the premier leaders-led forum in the Indo-Pacific. Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic and geopolitical evolution of East Asia.

Apart from the 10 ASEAN Member states, East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Russia, the release added.

India, being a founding member of the East Asia Summit, is committed to strengthening the East Asia Summit and making it more effective for dealing with contemporary challenges, the release read.

On Thursday, PM Modi will review the status of the ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership at the 18th ASEAN-India Summit. He is participating in the summit at the invitation of the Sultan of Brunei.

Prime Minister will take stock of progress made in key areas including Covid-19, health, trade and commerce, connectivity, and education and culture.

Important regional and international developments including post-pandemic economic recovery will also be discussed.

ASEAN-India summits are held annually and provide the opportunity for India and ASEAN to engage at the highest level.

PM Modi attended the 17th ASEAN-India Summit held virtually in November last year. The latest edition will be the ninth ASEAN-India Summit to be attended by him.

ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership stands on a strong foundation of shared geographical, historical and civilizational ties. ASEAN is central to our Act East Policy and our wider vision of the Indo-Pacific. The year 2022 will mark 30 years of ASEAN-India relations.

India and ASEAN have several dialogue mechanisms which meet regularly, including a Summit, Ministerial meetings and Senior Officials' meetings. External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar attended the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting and EAS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in August 2021 virtually.

(ANI)

Also Read: Bhupinder Singh Hooda hits out BJP-led govt in Haryana with 7 questions
The Pentagon during a Senate hearing on Tuesday said that there are still 439 Americans trapped in Afghanistan and the US is in contact with most of them, a media report said.

Colin Kahl, the US undersecretary of defence, said that officials are in contact with 363 Americans in Afghanistan and added that only 176 of them are ready and want to leave the country, Khaama Press reported.

Nearly 243 of those trapped in Afghanistan either do not want to leave Afghanistan or are not ready to leave the country, said Kahl, adding that those who want to leave will be taken out by any means possible.

Earlier, the Joe Biden administration had been saying that the number of Americans left behind does not exceed 200.

The US troops left Afghanistan on August 31, marking the end of a chaotic and messy exit from America's longest war. Before leaving the country, Washington evacuated thousands of its citizens and facilitated the evacuation of other countries' nationals.

Meanwhile, the US State Department on Monday said that it is partnering with the Community Sponsorship Hub (CSH), a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc, to support the launch of the Sponsor Circle Program for Afghans, who have been evacuated to the US under Operation Allies Welcome.

The program will enable groups of individuals to form sponsor circles to provide initial resettlement assistance to Afghans as they arrive and build new lives in local communities across the country.

(ANI)

Also Read: Antony Blinken speaks to Sudan prime minister, welcomes his release
A lawsuit filed by parents of children subjected to the Shawnee Mission School Districts mask mandate evolved Tuesday into a Kansas Supreme Court debate about due process rights, separation of powers, legislative authority and judicial independence.

At the core of the dispute is whether to let stand a Johnson County District Court judges ruling that Senate Bill 40, which granted parents extraordinary authority to challenge COVID-19 pandemic orders, was unconstitutional. The school districts attorney argued the district court justifiably waded into constitutional waters to denounce the law, but an attorney representing the Kansas attorney general urged justices to reverse the lower court because the judge improperly considered the case.

In August, the states highest court stayed the district court ruling to provide a window to consider issues raised by the judicial drama.

Justice Dan Biles said during the oral argument conducted online that he was puzzled by the district court judges view that he could address potential constitutional conflicts even if those issues hadnt yet been raised in court by the plaintiffs or defendant. The law in question was designed by Republicans to restrain emergency powers of Gov. Laura Kelly and set boundaries for local governments during the pandemic.

What is it that permits the district court to pivot and start addressing constitutional issues about Senate Bill 40? said Biles, an appointee of Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Brant Laue, solicitor general of Kansas, said the Supreme Court would be justified in reversing Judge David Hauber. Laue said the judge inappropriately leapt into constitutional complexities. It was wrong to do so, Laue said, because those issues werent raised by plaintiffs Scott Bozarth and Kristin Butler, who were concerned the school districts mask order would cause psychological harm in children.

The courts are arbiters of legal questions raised by the parties  not by themselves, Laue said.

Greg Goheen, representing the Shawnee Mission School District, said the district court had discretion to consider how the overhauled Kansas Emergency Management Act could deprive school districts and other local government units of due process or violate constitutional separation of powers between the legislative and judicial branches.

There was clearly jurisdiction to decide the matter at the front end by the district court, Goheen said.

In the order denying relief to Butler and Bozarth, the district court judge questioned constitutionality of Senate Bill 40, specifically its requirement that a court hold a hearing within 72 hours of the filing of a challenge. Another provision would automatically direct relief to the plaintiffs if the court did not issue an order within seven days.

The Johnson County judge declared the law unenforceable, creating a temporary scramble at the Capitol in terms of what standard should be followed as the pandemic advanced.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who is a candidate for governor in 2022, filed an appeal based on a belief the district court should have considered the issue moot because the relevant part of Senate Bill 40 no longer applied to the school district. The state also argued the constitution didnt grant due process rights to school districts or other political subdivisions of the state.

Olathe Health medical centers received more than $1.3 million for 'premium pay' Both the Olathe Medical Center and the Miami County Medical Center, both owned and operated by Olathe Health, received a combined $1.5 million in state COVID-19 relief.

Justice Caleb Stegall, appointed by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, suggested the mootness argument offered by the attorney generals office meant that any court decision or opinion in this case was essentially advisory.

Your position is, This case ended. There is no controversy here. The court cant provide any meaningful relief to any party,' Stegall said. So, whatever the court does, isnt it just an advisory opinion?

Justice Keynen Wall, placed on the Supreme Court by Democratic Gov. Kelly, wondered if the district court judge should have considered the concept of constitutional avoidance, which is a body of law encouraging judges to decide cases  when possible  without pointing to constitutional topics.

Laue, the solicitor general, said the doctrine ought to have guided the judge away from a constitutional framework in his final decision. He said the judge contributed to a classic example of where a case should not go forward.

Justice Eric Rosen, who served 12 years on the Shawnee County District Court before appointed to the Supreme Court by Sebelius, said he was troubled Senate Bill 40 required judges to conduct a hearing within 72 hours and produce a decision in one week.

He offered a hypothetical: Im a district court judge. Ive set a case thats taken months to set  a first-degree murder case, a rape case. Am I do drop everything, take 72 hours off, take 10 days off that trial? How does that not interfere with the very basic functioning of the district court? I dont see how the Legislature can tell a court do do that.

Goheen, representing the school district, said the very unreasonable deadline placed in statute by the Republican-controlled Legislature represented a violation of the separation of powers.

Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sherman Smith for questions: info@kansasreflector.com. Follow Kansas Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Clay Center, KS (67432)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High around 60F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. Low around 35F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
[]:2021 20211027 18:49:21  :

:   2021

Stock Code: 603605 Short Name: PROYA







Proya Cosmetics Co., Ltd.



The Third Quarter Report in 2021







The Board of Directors and all directors of the Company warrant that the contents

herein are free from misrepresentations, misleading statements or material omissions,

and they will be jointly and severally liable for the authenticity, accuracy and

completeness thereof.











Important Note:



The Board of Directors, Board of Supervisors, directors, supervisors and officers of the Company

warrant that the contents of the Quarterly Report are authentic, accurate and complete without any

misrepresentations, misleading statements or material omissions, and they will be jointly and

severally liable therefor.



The Chairman, the chief financial officer and the head of the accounting organization warrant that

the financial statements herein is authentic, accurate and complete.



Whether the third quarter financial statements have been audited.



Yes No







I. Main Financial Data







(I) Main Accounting Data and Financial Indicators



Unit: Yuan Currency: RMB



Item



The Reporting

Period



YOY change in

the



Reporting

Period (%)



From the

beginning of the

year to the end of

the Reporting

Period



YOY change in

the period from

the beginning

of the year to

the end of the

Reporting

Period (%)



Operating income



1,094,533,358.54



20.71



3,012,251,856.14



31.48









Net profit attributable to

shareholders of the listed

company



138,195,475.24



30.09



364,296,789.10



27.82



Net profit attributable to

shareholders of the listed

company after deducting

non-recurring profit or loss



136,116,085.45



28.64



356,396,478.73



23.63



Net cash flows from

operating activities



N/A



N/A



490,488,496.76



137.07



Basic earnings per share

(RMB/share)



0.69



30.19



1.82



28.17



Diluted earnings per share

(RMB/share)



0.69



30.19



1.81



27.46



Weighted average return

on equity (%)



5.42



An increase of0.49 ppts yoy



14.50



An increase of

1.31 ppts yoy



Item



End of the

Reporting Period



End of prior year



change at the

end of the

Reporting

Period over the

end of



prior year (%)



Total assets



3,709,067,852.42



3,636,882,185.29



1.98



Owners equity

attributable to shareholders

of the listed company



2,614,643,878.27



2,391,535,435.94



9.33







Note: The Reporting Period shall refer to the 3-month period ended September 30, 2021, as follow.







(II) Items and Amounts of Non-recurring Profit or Loss



Unit: Yuan Currency: RMB



Item



Amount in the

Reporting Period



Amount in the period

from the beginning of

the year to the end of

the Reporting Period



Note



Gains or losses from disposal

of non-current assets

(including the write-off part of

the provision for asset

impairment)







-1,416.28







Unauthorized examination and

approval, or lack of official

approval documents, or





















occasional tax revenue return

and abatement



Government grants recognized

in profit or loss for the current

period (excluding government

grants that are closely related

to the Companys business

operations and gained at a

fixed amount or quantity

according to national uniform

standards)



2,455,332.50



11,825,652.31



The YOY increase

was mainly due to

the increase in

government grants

such as tax revenue

returns received



Capital occupation fees

charged to the non-financial

enterprises and included in

profit or loss for the current

period















Gains when the investment

cost of acquiring a subsidiary,

an associate and a joint

venture is less than the fair

value of the identifiable net

assets of the investee















Gains or losses from exchange

of non-monetary assets















Gains or losses from entrusting

others with investment or asset

management















Asset impairment provision

made resulting from force

majeure such as natural

disasters















Gains or losses from debt

restructuring















Enterprise restructuring fees,

such as staffing expenses and

integration fees















Gains or losses that exceeds

the fair value in transaction

with unfair price















Current net gains or losses of

subsidiaries established by

business combination

involving enterprises under

common control from the





















beginning of the period to the

combination date



Gains or losses on

contingencies that have no

relation with the normal

operation of the Company















Gains or losses from change in

fair value by held-for trading

financial assets and liabilities,

derivative financial assets,

held-for-trading financial

liabilities and derivative

financial liabilities, and

investment income from

disposal of held-for-trading

financial assets, derivative

financial assets,

held-for-trading financial

liabilities, derivative financial

liabilities and other debt

investments, excluding the

effective hedging businesses

related with normal operations

of the Company















Reversal of impairment

provision of



accounts receivable and

contract assets that have

undergone impairment test

alone















Gains or losses from outward

entrusted loaning















Gains or losses from changes

in the fair values of investment

properties that are

subsequently measured using

the fair value model















Impact of a one-time

adjustment on current profit

and loss according to the

requirements of tax and

accounting laws and

regulations















Custody fees of entrusted





















operation



Other non-operating income

and expenses besides the

above items



28,377.44



546,155.51



The YOY increase

was mainly due to

the large amount of

non-operating

expenses such as

external donations in

the same period of

2020



Other items that conform to

the definition of non-recurring

profit or loss















Less: Effect of income tax



404,323.30



2,627,255.54







Effect of minority equity

(after tax)



-3.15



1,842,825.63







Total



2,079,389.79



7,900,310.37















Descriptions on classifying non-recurring profit and loss items defined in the Explanatory

Announcement No. 1 for Public Company Information Disclosures - Non-recurring Profit and Loss as

recurring profit and loss items.





Applicable



N/A









(III) Changes in Main Accounting Data and Financial Indicators and Main Cause





Applicable



N/A





N

ote: All figures on the table are on the YOY bases.





Item



Change ratio (%)



Primary cause



Net profit attributable to

shareholders of the listed

company (the Reporting

Period)



30.09



July to September:



1. The operating income increased by 20.71% , of

which the primary operating income online

increased by 71.59%, and the overall consolidated

gross profit margin was 66.10%, an increase of 1.61

ppts yoy;



2. The sales expense ratio was 41.56%, an increase

of 1.73 ppts yoy;



3. The net profit margin was 12.65%, an increase of

1.36 ppts yoy.



Basic earnings per share

(RMB/share) (the

Reporting Period)



30.19



The specific reasons are the same as above.









Diluted earnings per share

(RMB/share) (the

Reporting Period)



30.19



The specific reasons are the same as above.



Operating income (from

the beginning of the year

to the end of the Reporting

Period)



31.48



January to September:



The operating income increased by 31.48% , of

which the primary operating income increased by

31.29% :



Online: an increase by 74.25%, accounting for

81.85%;



Offline: a decrease by 37.83%, accounting for

18.15%.



Net cash flow from

operating activities (from

the beginning of the year

to the end of the Reporting

Period)



137.07



January to September:



An increase of RMB 284 million, or 137.07%:



1. Cash receipts from the sale of goods and the

rendering of services increased by RMB 999

million or 42.09% ; Of which, the operating income

increased by 31.48% , and the accounts receivable

and receivable financing decreased by RMB 84

million in comparison to the beginning of the year;



2. Cash payments for the purchase of goods and

received taxable services increased by RMB 103

million or 10.92%



3. Other cash payments relating to operating

activities increased by RMB 502 million or 67.46%,

mainly due to the increase in image publicity and

promotion expenses.













II. Shareholders Information







(I) Total Number of Common Shareholders, Number of Preferred Shareholders with Voting Rights, and

the Shareholding of Top Ten Shareholders



Unit: share





Total number of common

shareholders by the end of the

Reporting Period





13,645





Total number of preferred shareholders

with voting rights by the end of the

Reporting Period (if any)



0





Shareholding of top ten shareholders





Name of shareholder



Nature of

shareholder



Number of

shares held



Shareholding

ratio (%)



Number

of

restricted

shares





Pledge, marking or

freezing



Share

status



Number









HOU Juncheng



Domestic

natural person



71,771,631



35.69



0



None







FANG Yuyou



Domestic

natural person



40,566,691



20.17



0



Pledge



9,210,000



Hong Kong Securities Clearing

Company Limited



Other



38,946,885



19.37



0



None







CAO Liangguo



Domestic

natural person



3,769,938



1.87



0



None







XU Junqing



Domestic

natural person



2,313,499



1.15



0



None







LI Xiaolin



Domestic

natural person



2,188,310



1.09



0



None







Industrial and Commercial Bank

of China Limited - Jingshun

Changcheng Emerging Growth

Hybrid Securities Investment

Fund



Other



1,700,000



0.85



0



None







Industrial and Commercial Bank

of China Limited - GF

Multi-factor Flexible Allocation

Hybrid Securities Investment

Fund



Other



1,633,302



0.81



0



None







Aberdeen Standard Investment

Management (Asia) Co., Ltd. -

Aberdeen Standard - China



A-share Equity Fund



Other



1,499,323



0.75



0



None







China Construction Bank Co.,

Ltd. - E Fund Vision Growth

Hybrid Securities Investment

Fund



Other



1,018,651



0.51



0



None







Shareholding of top ten unrestricted shareholders



Name of shareholder



Number of unrestricted

outstanding shares held



Type and number of shares



Type



Number



HOU Juncheng



71,771,631



RMB common stock



71,771,631



FANG Yuyou



40,566,691



RMB common stock



40,566,691



Hong Kong Securities Clearing

Company Limited



38,946,885



RMB common stock



38,946,885



CAO Liangguo



3,769,938



RMB common stock



3,769,938



XU Junqing



2,313,499



RMB common stock



2,313,499



LI Xiaolin



2,188,310



RMB common stock



2,188,310









Industrial and Commercial Bank of

China Limited - Jingshun

Changcheng Emerging Growth

Hybrid Securities Investment Fund



1,700,000



RMB common stock



1,700,000



Industrial and Commercial Bank of

China Limited - GF Multi-factor

Flexible Allocation Hybrid

Securities Investment Fund



1,633,302



RMB common stock



1,633,302



Aberdeen Standard Investment

Management (Asia) Co., Ltd. -

Aberdeen Standard - China



A-share Equity Fund



1,499,323



RMB common stock



1,499,323



China Construction Bank Co., Ltd.

- E Fund Vision Growth Hybrid

Securities Investment Fund



1,018,651



RMB common stock



1,018,651



Description of the association

relationship or concerted action of

the above shareholders



FANG Yuyou is the younger brother of HOU Junchengs spouse FANG Aiqin, so

HOU Juncheng and FANG Yuyou are related.



Description of the participation of

the top 10 shareholders and the top

10 unrestricted shareholders in the

margin trading and refinancing

business (if any)



None















III. Other Reminders



Other important information about the Companys business during the Reporting Period for the

attentions of investors





Applicable



N/A













IV. Quarterly Financial Statements



(I) Type of Audit Opinion





Applicable



N/A









(II) Financial Statements









Consolidated Balance Sheet

September 30, 2021



Prepared by: Proya Cosmetics Co., Ltd.



Unit: Yuan Currency: RMB Audit Type: Unaudited



Item



September 30, 2021



December 31, 2020



Current assets:



Cash and bank balances



1,389,265,414.72



1,416,654,640.93



Balances with clearing

agencies











Placements with banks and

other financial institutions











Held-for-trading financial

assets











Derivative financial assets











Notes receivable











Accounts receivable



203,098,599.96



284,878,419.58



Receivable financing



3,806,628.60



5,531,997.32



Prepayments



96,383,659.58



82,742,815.92



Premiums receivable











Amounts receivable under

reinsurance contracts











Reinsurers share of insurance

contract reserves











Other receivables



51,308,116.89



48,733,527.35



Including: Interest receivable











Dividends receivable











Financial assets purchased

under resale agreements











Inventories



478,074,579.65



468,641,017.75



Contract assets











Held-for-sale assets











Non-current assets due within

one year











Other current assets



40,301,160.54



35,235,811.27



Total current assets



2,262,238,159.94



2,342,418,230.12



Non-current assets:



Loans and advances to

customers











Debt investments











Other debt investments

















Long-term receivables











Long-term equity investments



186,713,508.52



58,220,059.60



Other investments in equity

instruments



20,580,000.00



20,580,000.00



Other non-current financial

assets











Investment properties



71,099,928.39



72,237,610.10



Fixed assets



556,073,781.13



565,864,152.62



Construction in progress



116,507,623.22



47,324,523.36



Bearer biological assets











Oil and gas assets











Right of use assets











Intangible assets



418,582,847.65



314,643,323.97



Development expenditure











Goodwill







31,034,161.20



Long-term prepaid expenses



32,417,009.92



50,576,793.53



Deferred income tax assets



39,406,469.63



46,660,550.76



Other non-current Assets



5,448,524.02



87,322,780.03



Total non-current assets



1,446,829,692.48



1,294,463,955.17



Total assets



3,709,067,852.42



3,636,882,185.29



Current liabilities:



Short-term borrowings



200,000,000.00



299,280,435.09



Loans from the central bank











Taking from banks and other

financial institutions











Held-for-trading financial

liabilities











Derivative financial liabilities











Notes payable



40,624,882.02



64,580,000.00



Accounts payable



562,255,365.84



515,832,031.27



Receipts in advance











Contract liabilities



49,240,151.14



30,618,778.99



Financial assets sold under

repurchase agreements











Customer deposits and

deposits from banks and other

financial institutions











Funds from securities trading

agency











Funds from underwriting

securities agency











Employee benefits payable



65,849,995.93



70,828,239.70









Taxes payable



70,285,767.83



71,335,290.77



Other payables



73,347,099.26



75,546,323.32



Including: Interest payable











Dividends payable











Fees and commissions

payable











Amounts payable under

reinsurance contracts











Held-for-sale liabilities











Non-current liabilities due

within one years











Other current liabilities



2,062,864.84



1,439,262.02



Total current liabilities



1,063,666,126.86



1,129,460,361.16



Non-current liabilities:



Insurance contract reserves











Long-term borrowings











Bonds payable











Including: Preferred stock











Perpetual bonds











Lease liabilities











Long-term payables











Long-term employee benefits

payable











Provisions



7,089,282.95



10,190,099.22



Deferred income



6,936,035.83



8,495,353.33



Deferred income tax liabilities



5,781,937.93



6,874,105.45



Other non-current liabilities











Total non-current liabilities



19,807,256.71



25,559,558.00



Total liabilities



1,083,473,383.57



1,155,019,919.16



Owners equity (or shareholders equity ):



Paid-in capital (or share

capital)



201,116,925.00



201,116,925.00



Other equity instruments











Including: Preferred stock











Perpetual bonds











Capital reserve



836,092,076.05



837,034,836.69



Less: Treasury shares



7,361,933.60



12,653,905.25



Other comprehensive income



-1,002,437.91



-269,066.13



Special reserve











Surplus reserve



100,634,780.00



100,634,780.00



General risk reserve











Retained profits



1,485,164,468.73



1,265,671,865.63









Total owners equity (or

shareholders equity) attributable

to equity holders of the parent

company



2,614,643,878.27



2,391,535,435.94



Minority interests



10,950,590.58



90,326,830.19



Total owners equity (or

shareholders equity)



2,625,594,468.85



2,481,862,266.13



Total liabilities and

owners equity (shareholders

equity)



3,709,067,852.42



3,636,882,185.29











Chairman: HOU Juncheng Chief Financial Officer: WANG Li Head of the Accounting

Department: WANG Li

















Consolidated Income Statement

January to September, 2021



Prepared by: Proya Cosmetics Co., Ltd.



Unit: Yuan Currency: RMB Audit Type: Unaudited



Item



First three quarters of

2021



(Jan. to Sep.)



First three quarters of

2020



(Jan. to Sep.)



I. Total operating income



3,012,251,856.14



2,291,070,947.47



Including: Operating income



3,012,251,856.14



2,291,070,947.47



Interest income











Premiums earned











Fee and commission income











II. Total operating costs



2,570,351,426.19



1,901,928,563.23



Including: Operating costs



1,066,572,027.42



877,111,667.51



Interest expenses











Fee and commission expenses











Surrenders











Claims and policyholder benefits

(net of amounts recoverable from reinsurers)











Charges in insurance contract

reserves (net of reinsurers share)











Insurance policyholder dividends











Expenses for reinsurance accepted

















Taxes and levies



26,755,664.49



21,237,762.78



Selling expenses



1,262,122,598.38



818,606,103.63



General and administrative

expenses



165,503,097.12



140,638,551.57



Research and development expenses



52,455,578.02



53,653,016.11



Financial expenses



-3,057,539.24



-9,318,538.37



Including: Interest expenses



7,219,717.71



5,423,653.63



Interest income



17,843,073.35



13,995,639.90



Add: Other income



12,758,859.43



9,715,292.80



Investment income (Loss is indicated

by -)



-5,257,778.42



1,575,595.65



Including: Income from investments in

associates and joint ventures



-5,254,232.18



-937,095.68



Income from derecognition of

financial assets measured at amortized cost











Foreign exchange gains (Loss is

indicated by -)











Net exposure hedging income (Loss is

indicated by -)











Income from changes in fair value

(Loss is indicated by -)











Impairment losses of credit (Loss is

indicated by -)



-2,144,694.51



-22,446,199.48



Impairment losses of assets (Loss is

indicated by -)



-20,365,487.85



-13,787,628.20



Income from disposal of assets (Loss

is indicated by -)



-1,416.28



14,405.47



III. Operating profit (Loss is indicated by -)



426,889,912.32



364,213,850.48



Add: Non-operating income



144,171.60



581,866.88



Less: Non-operating expenses



63,373.82



16,183,979.14



IV. Total profit (Total loss is indicated by -)



426,970,710.10



348,611,738.22



Less: Income tax expenses



79,816,536.07



72,530,863.59



V. Net profit (Net loss is indicated by -)



347,154,174.03



276,080,874.63



(I) Categorized by the nature of continuing operation



1. Net profit from continuing operations

(Net loss is indicated by -)



347,154,174.03



276,080,874.63



2. Net profit from discontinued operations

(Net loss is indicated by -)











(II) Categorized by ownership



1. Net profit attributable to shareholders of

the parent company (Net loss is indicated by -)



364,296,789.10



284,999,721.17



2. Profit or loss attributable to minority

interests (Net loss is indicated by -)



-17,142,615.07



-8,918,846.54









VI. Other comprehensive income, net of tax



-733,371.78



-337,434.36



(I) Other comprehensive income attributable

to owners of the parent company, net of tax



-733,371.78



-337,434.36



1. Other comprehensive income that cannot

be subsequently reclassified to profit or loss











(1) Changes from re-measurement of defined

benefit plans











(2) Other comprehensive income that cannot be

reclassified to profit or loss under the equity

method











(3) Changes in fair value of other investments in

equity instruments











(4) Changes in fair value of enterprises own

credit risks











2. Other comprehensive income that will be

reclassified to profit or loss



-733,371.78



-337,434.36



(1) Other comprehensive income that will be

reclassified to profit or loss under the equity

method











(2) Changes in fair value of other debt

investments











(3) Amounts of financial assets reclassified into

other comprehensive income











(4) Provision for credit impairment of other debt

investments











(5) Reserve for cash flow hedges











(6) Translation differences of financial

statements denominated in foreign currencies



-733,371.78



-337,434.36



(7) Others











(II) Other comprehensive income attributable

to minority interests, net of tax











VII. Total comprehensive income



346,420,802.25



275,743,440.27



(I) Total comprehensive income

attributable to owners of the parent company



363,563,417.32



284,662,286.81



(II) Total comprehensive income

attributable to minority interests



-17,142,615.07



-8,918,846.54



VIII. Earnings per share



(I) Basic earnings per share (RMB/share)



1.82



1.42



(II) Diluted earnings per share (RMB/share)



1.81



1.42











For business combinations involving enterprises under the common control in the current period, the net

profit realized by the acquirees before the combinations is: RMB0.00, and the net profit realized thereby

in the prior period is: RMB0.00.





Chairman: HOU Juncheng Chief Financial Officer: WANG Li Head of the Accounting

Department: WANG Li







Consolidated Cash Flow Statement

January to September 2021



Prepared by: Proya Cosmetics Co., Ltd.



Unit: Yuan Currency: RMB Audit Type: Unaudited



Item



First three quarters of

2021



(Jan. to Sep.)



First three quarters of

2020



(Jan. to Sep.)



I. Cash flows from operating activities:



Cash receipts from the sale of goods

and the rendering of services



3,372,200,521.00



2,373,276,017.51



Net increase in customer deposits

and deposits from banks and other

financial institutions











Net increase in loans from the

central bank











Net increase in taking from other

financial institutions











Cash payments for claims and

policyholders benefits under direct

insurance contracts











Net cash receipts from reinsurance

business











Net cash receipts from

policyholders deposits and investment

contract liabilities











Cash receipts from interest, fees and

commissions











Net increase in taking from banks

and other financial institutions











Net increase in financial assets sold

under repurchase arrangements











Net cash received from securities

trading agency











Receipts of tax refunds



18,501,241.84



5,905,584.80



Other cash receipts relating to

operating activities



59,335,619.38



41,790,311.05









Sub-total of cash inflows from

operating activities



3,450,037,382.22



2,420,971,913.36



Cash payments for goods purchased

and services received



1,046,478,917.19



943,473,030.33



Net increase in loans and advances

to customers











Net increase in balance with the

central bank and due from banks and

other financial institution











Cash payments for claims and

policyholders benefits under direct

insurance contracts











Net increase in placements with

banks and other financial institutions











Cash payments for interest, fees and

commissions











Cash payments for insurance

policyholder dividends











Cash payments to and on behalf of

employees



329,997,403.51



265,981,057.75



Payments of various types of taxes



336,370,801.47



260,143,803.59



Other cash payments relating to

operating activities



1,246,701,763.29



744,477,741.05



Sub-total of cash outflows from

operating activities



2,959,548,885.46



2,214,075,632.72



Net cash flow from operating

activities



490,488,496.76



206,896,280.64



II. Cash flows from investing activities:



Cash receipts from disposals and

recovery of investments







211,450,000.00



Cash receipts from investment

income







4,145,309.14



Net cash receipts from disposals of

fixed assets, intangible assets and other

long-term assets



1,000.00







Net cash receipts from disposals of

subsidiaries and other business entities











Other cash receipts relating to

investing activities











Sub-total of cash inflows from

investing activities



1,000.00



215,595,309.14



Cash payments to acquire or

construct fixed assets, intangible assets



163,266,984.07



61,017,722.22









and other long-term assets



Cash payments to acquire

investments



34,206,800.00



66,580,000.00



Net increase in pledged loans

receivables











Net cash payments for acquisitions

of subsidiaries and other business units











Other cash payments relating to

investing activities



61,087,857.19



1,579,710.89



Sub-total of cash outflows from

investing activities



258,561,641.26



129,177,433.11



Net cash flow from investing

activities



-258,560,641.26



86,417,876.03



III. Cash flows from financing activities:



Cash receipts from capital

contributions



450,000.00



1,466,300.00



Including: cash receipts from capital

contributions from minority owners of

subsidiaries



450,000.00



1,466,300.00



Cash receipts from borrowings



200,000,000.00



299,000,000.00



Other cash receipts relating to

financing activities











Sub-total of cash inflows from

financing activities



200,450,000.00



300,466,300.00



Cash repayments of borrowings



299,000,000.00



212,186,065.10



Cash payments for distribution of

dividends or profits or settlement of

interest expenses



151,549,422.10



126,023,183.02



Including: payments for distribution

of dividends or profits to minority owners

of subsidiaries











Other cash payments relating to

financing activities



1,647,883.50







Sub-total of cash outflows from

financing activities



452,197,305.60



338,209,248.12



Net cash flow from financing

activities



-251,747,305.60



-37,742,948.12



IV. Impact of foreign exchange rate

changes on cash and cash equivalents



-733,371.78



-337,434.36



V. Net increase in cash and cash

equivalents



-20,552,821.88



255,233,774.19



Add: Opening balance of cash and

cash equivalents



1,299,818,901.99



1,099,092,785.07









VI. Closing balance of cash and cash

equivalents



1,279,266,080.11



1,354,326,559.26









Chairman: HOU Juncheng Chief Financial Officer: WANG Li Head of the Accounting

Department: WANG Li











(III) In 2021, the company restates financial statements for the beginning of the year due to the

implementation of the new lease standards





Applicable



N/A









Please be notified of above.







Board of Director of Proya Cosmetics Co., Ltd.



October 27, 2021





 Stock Code: 603605 Short Name: PROYAProya Cosmetics Co., Ltd.The Third Quarter Report in 2021The Board of Directors and all directors of the Company warrant that the contentsherein are free from misrepresentations, misleading statements or material omissions,and they will be jointly and severally liable for the authenticity, accuracy andcompleteness thereof.Important Note:The Board of Directors, Board of Supervisors, directors, supervisors and officers of the Companywarrant that the contents of the Quarterly Report are authentic, accurate and complete without anymisrepresentations, misleading statements or material omissions, and they will be jointly andseverally liable therefor.The Chairman, the chief financial officer and the head of the accounting organization warrant thatthe financial statements herein is authentic, accurate and complete.Whether the third quarter financial statements have been audited.Yes NoI. Main Financial Data(I) Main Accounting Data and Financial IndicatorsUnit: Yuan Currency: RMBItemThe ReportingPeriodYOY change intheReportingPeriod (%)From thebeginning of theyear to the end ofthe ReportingPeriodYOY change inthe period fromthe beginningof the year tothe end of theReportingPeriod (%)Operating income1,094,533,358.5420.713,012,251,856.1431.48Net profit attributable toshareholders of the listedcompany138,195,475.2430.09364,296,789.1027.82Net profit attributable toshareholders of the listedcompany after deductingnon-recurring profit or loss136,116,085.4528.64356,396,478.7323.63Net cash flows fromoperating activitiesN/AN/A490,488,496.76137.07Basic earnings per share(RMB/share)0.6930.191.8228.17Diluted earnings per share(RMB/share)0.6930.191.8127.46Weighted average returnon equity (%)5.42An increase of0.49 ppts yoy14.50An increase of1.31 ppts yoyItemEnd of theReporting PeriodEnd of prior yearchange at theend of theReportingPeriod over theend ofprior year (%)Total assets3,709,067,852.423,636,882,185.291.98Owners equityattributable to shareholdersof the listed company2,614,643,878.272,391,535,435.949.33Note: The Reporting Period shall refer to the 3-month period ended September 30, 2021, as follow.(II) Items and Amounts of Non-recurring Profit or LossUnit: Yuan Currency: RMBItemAmount in theReporting PeriodAmount in the periodfrom the beginning ofthe year to the end ofthe Reporting PeriodNoteGains or losses from disposalof non-current assets(including the write-off part ofthe provision for assetimpairment)-1,416.28Unauthorized examination andapproval, or lack of officialapproval documents, oroccasional tax revenue returnand abatementGovernment grants recognizedin profit or loss for the currentperiod (excluding governmentgrants that are closely relatedto the Companys businessoperations and gained at afixed amount or quantityaccording to national uniformstandards)2,455,332.5011,825,652.31The YOY increasewas mainly due tothe increase ingovernment grantssuch as tax revenuereturns receivedCapital occupation feescharged to the non-financialenterprises and included inprofit or loss for the currentperiodGains when the investmentcost of acquiring a subsidiary,an associate and a jointventure is less than the fairvalue of the identifiable netassets of the investeeGains or losses from exchangeof non-monetary assetsGains or losses from entrustingothers with investment or assetmanagementAsset impairment provisionmade resulting from forcemajeure such as naturaldisastersGains or losses from debtrestructuringEnterprise restructuring fees,such as staffing expenses andintegration feesGains or losses that exceedsthe fair value in transactionwith unfair priceCurrent net gains or losses ofsubsidiaries established bybusiness combinationinvolving enterprises undercommon control from thebeginning of the period to thecombination dateGains or losses oncontingencies that have norelation with the normaloperation of the CompanyGains or losses from change infair value by held-for tradingfinancial assets and liabilities,derivative financial assets,held-for-trading financialliabilities and derivativefinancial liabilities, andinvestment income fromdisposal of held-for-tradingfinancial assets, derivativefinancial assets,held-for-trading financialliabilities, derivative financialliabilities and other debtinvestments, excluding theeffective hedging businessesrelated with normal operationsof the CompanyReversal of impairmentprovision ofaccounts receivable andcontract assets that haveundergone impairment testaloneGains or losses from outwardentrusted loaningGains or losses from changesin the fair values of investmentproperties that aresubsequently measured usingthe fair value modelImpact of a one-timeadjustment on current profitand loss according to therequirements of tax andaccounting laws andregulationsCustody fees of entrustedoperationOther non-operating incomeand expenses besides theabove items28,377.44546,155.51The YOY increasewas mainly due tothe large amount ofnon-operatingexpenses such asexternal donations inthe same period of2020Other items that conform tothe definition of non-recurringprofit or lossLess: Effect of income tax404,323.302,627,255.54Effect of minority equity(after tax)-3.151,842,825.63Total2,079,389.797,900,310.37Descriptions on classifying non-recurring profit and loss items defined in the ExplanatoryAnnouncement No. 1 for Public Company Information Disclosures - Non-recurring Profit and Loss asrecurring profit and loss items.ApplicableN/A(III) Changes in Main Accounting Data and Financial Indicators and Main CauseApplicableN/Aote: All figures on the table are on the YOY bases.ItemChange ratio (%)Primary causeNet profit attributable toshareholders of the listedcompany (the ReportingPeriod)30.09July to September:1. The operating income increased by 20.71% , ofwhich the primary operating income onlineincreased by 71.59%, and the overall consolidatedgross profit margin was 66.10%, an increase of 1.61ppts yoy;2. The sales expense ratio was 41.56%, an increaseof 1.73 ppts yoy;3. The net profit margin was 12.65%, an increase of1.36 ppts yoy.Basic earnings per share(RMB/share) (theReporting Period)30.19The specific reasons are the same as above.Diluted earnings per share(RMB/share) (theReporting Period)30.19The specific reasons are the same as above.Operating income (fromthe beginning of the yearto the end of the ReportingPeriod)31.48January to September:The operating income increased by 31.48% , ofwhich the primary operating income increased by31.29% :Online: an increase by 74.25%, accounting for81.85%;Offline: a decrease by 37.83%, accounting for18.15%.Net cash flow fromoperating activities (fromthe beginning of the yearto the end of the ReportingPeriod)137.07January to September:An increase of RMB 284 million, or 137.07%:1. Cash receipts from the sale of goods and therendering of services increased by RMB 999million or 42.09% ; Of which, the operating incomeincreased by 31.48% , and the accounts receivableand receivable financing decreased by RMB 84million in comparison to the beginning of the year;2. Cash payments for the purchase of goods andreceived taxable services increased by RMB 103million or 10.92%3. Other cash payments relating to operatingactivities increased by RMB 502 million or 67.46%,mainly due to the increase in image publicity andpromotion expenses.II. Shareholders Information(I) Total Number of Common Shareholders, Number of Preferred Shareholders with Voting Rights, andthe Shareholding of Top Ten ShareholdersUnit: shareTotal number of commonshareholders by the end of theReporting Period13,645Total number of preferred shareholderswith voting rights by the end of theReporting Period (if any)Shareholding of top ten shareholdersName of shareholderNature ofshareholderNumber ofshares heldShareholdingratio (%)NumberofrestrictedsharesPledge, marking orfreezingSharestatusNumberHOU JunchengDomesticnatural person71,771,63135.69NoneFANG YuyouDomesticnatural person40,566,69120.17Pledge9,210,000Hong Kong Securities ClearingCompany LimitedOther38,946,88519.37NoneCAO LiangguoDomesticnatural person3,769,9381.87NoneXU JunqingDomesticnatural person2,313,4991.15NoneLI XiaolinDomesticnatural person2,188,3101.09NoneIndustrial and Commercial Bankof China Limited - JingshunChangcheng Emerging GrowthHybrid Securities InvestmentFundOther1,700,0000.85NoneIndustrial and Commercial Bankof China Limited - GFMulti-factor Flexible AllocationHybrid Securities InvestmentFundOther1,633,3020.81NoneAberdeen Standard InvestmentManagement (Asia) Co., Ltd. -Aberdeen Standard - ChinaA-share Equity FundOther1,499,3230.75NoneChina Construction Bank Co.,Ltd. - E Fund Vision GrowthHybrid Securities InvestmentFundOther1,018,6510.51NoneShareholding of top ten unrestricted shareholdersName of shareholderNumber of unrestrictedoutstanding shares heldType and number of sharesTypeNumberHOU Juncheng71,771,631RMB common stock71,771,631FANG Yuyou40,566,691RMB common stock40,566,691Hong Kong Securities ClearingCompany Limited38,946,885RMB common stock38,946,885CAO Liangguo3,769,938RMB common stock3,769,938XU Junqing2,313,499RMB common stock2,313,499LI Xiaolin2,188,310RMB common stock2,188,310Industrial and Commercial Bank ofChina Limited - JingshunChangcheng Emerging GrowthHybrid Securities Investment Fund1,700,000RMB common stock1,700,000Industrial and Commercial Bank ofChina Limited - GF Multi-factorFlexible Allocation HybridSecurities Investment Fund1,633,302RMB common stock1,633,302Aberdeen Standard InvestmentManagement (Asia) Co., Ltd. -Aberdeen Standard - ChinaA-share Equity Fund1,499,323RMB common stock1,499,323China Construction Bank Co., Ltd.- E Fund Vision Growth HybridSecurities Investment Fund1,018,651RMB common stock1,018,651Description of the associationrelationship or concerted action ofthe above shareholdersFANG Yuyou is the younger brother of HOU Junchengs spouse FANG Aiqin, soHOU Juncheng and FANG Yuyou are related.Description of the participation ofthe top 10 shareholders and the top10 unrestricted shareholders in themargin trading and refinancingbusiness (if any)NoneIII. Other RemindersOther important information about the Companys business during the Reporting Period for theattentions of investorsApplicableN/AIV. Quarterly Financial Statements(I) Type of Audit OpinionApplicableN/A(II) Financial StatementsConsolidated Balance SheetSeptember 30, 2021Prepared by: Proya Cosmetics Co., Ltd.Unit: Yuan Currency: RMB Audit Type: UnauditedItemSeptember 30, 2021December 31, 2020Current assets:Cash and bank balances1,389,265,414.721,416,654,640.93Balances with clearingagenciesPlacements with banks andother financial institutionsHeld-for-trading financialassetsDerivative financial assetsNotes receivableAccounts receivable203,098,599.96284,878,419.58Receivable financing3,806,628.605,531,997.32Prepayments96,383,659.5882,742,815.92Premiums receivableAmounts receivable underreinsurance contractsReinsurers share of insurancecontract reservesOther receivables51,308,116.8948,733,527.35Including: Interest receivableDividends receivableFinancial assets purchasedunder resale agreementsInventories478,074,579.65468,641,017.75Contract assetsHeld-for-sale assetsNon-current assets due withinone yearOther current assets40,301,160.5435,235,811.27Total current assets2,262,238,159.942,342,418,230.12Non-current assets:Loans and advances tocustomersDebt investmentsOther debt investmentsLong-term receivablesLong-term equity investments186,713,508.5258,220,059.60Other investments in equityinstruments20,580,000.0020,580,000.00Other non-current financialassetsInvestment properties71,099,928.3972,237,610.10Fixed assets556,073,781.13565,864,152.62Construction in progress116,507,623.2247,324,523.36Bearer biological assetsOil and gas assetsRight of use assetsIntangible assets418,582,847.65314,643,323.97Development expenditureGoodwill31,034,161.20Long-term prepaid expenses32,417,009.9250,576,793.53Deferred income tax assets39,406,469.6346,660,550.76Other non-current Assets5,448,524.0287,322,780.03Total non-current assets1,446,829,692.481,294,463,955.17Total assets3,709,067,852.423,636,882,185.29Current liabilities:Short-term borrowings200,000,000.00299,280,435.09Loans from the central bankTaking from banks and otherfinancial institutionsHeld-for-trading financialliabilitiesDerivative financial liabilitiesNotes payable40,624,882.0264,580,000.00Accounts payable562,255,365.84515,832,031.27Receipts in advanceContract liabilities49,240,151.1430,618,778.99Financial assets sold underrepurchase agreementsCustomer deposits anddeposits from banks and otherfinancial institutionsFunds from securities tradingagencyFunds from underwritingsecurities agencyEmployee benefits payable65,849,995.9370,828,239.70Taxes payable70,285,767.8371,335,290.77Other payables73,347,099.2675,546,323.32Including: Interest payableDividends payableFees and commissionspayableAmounts payable underreinsurance contractsHeld-for-sale liabilitiesNon-current liabilities duewithin one yearsOther current liabilities2,062,864.841,439,262.02Total current liabilities1,063,666,126.861,129,460,361.16Non-current liabilities:Insurance contract reservesLong-term borrowingsBonds payableIncluding: Preferred stockPerpetual bondsLease liabilitiesLong-term payablesLong-term employee benefitspayableProvisions7,089,282.9510,190,099.22Deferred income6,936,035.838,495,353.33Deferred income tax liabilities5,781,937.936,874,105.45Other non-current liabilitiesTotal non-current liabilities19,807,256.7125,559,558.00Total liabilities1,083,473,383.571,155,019,919.16Owners equity (or shareholders equity ):Paid-in capital (or sharecapital)201,116,925.00201,116,925.00Other equity instrumentsIncluding: Preferred stockPerpetual bondsCapital reserve836,092,076.05837,034,836.69Less: Treasury shares7,361,933.6012,653,905.25Other comprehensive income-1,002,437.91-269,066.13Special reserveSurplus reserve100,634,780.00100,634,780.00General risk reserveRetained profits1,485,164,468.731,265,671,865.63Total owners equity (orshareholders equity) attributableto equity holders of the parentcompany2,614,643,878.272,391,535,435.94Minority interests10,950,590.5890,326,830.19Total owners equity (orshareholders equity)2,625,594,468.852,481,862,266.13Total liabilities andowners equity (shareholdersequity)3,709,067,852.423,636,882,185.29Chairman: HOU Juncheng Chief Financial Officer: WANG Li Head of the AccountingDepartment: WANG LiConsolidated Income StatementJanuary to September, 2021Prepared by: Proya Cosmetics Co., Ltd.Unit: Yuan Currency: RMB Audit Type: UnauditedItemFirst three quarters of2021(Jan. to Sep.)First three quarters of2020(Jan. to Sep.)I. Total operating income3,012,251,856.142,291,070,947.47Including: Operating income3,012,251,856.142,291,070,947.47Interest incomePremiums earnedFee and commission incomeII. Total operating costs2,570,351,426.191,901,928,563.23Including: Operating costs1,066,572,027.42877,111,667.51Interest expensesFee and commission expensesSurrendersClaims and policyholder benefits(net of amounts recoverable from reinsurers)Charges in insurance contractreserves (net of reinsurers share)Insurance policyholder dividendsExpenses for reinsurance acceptedTaxes and levies26,755,664.4921,237,762.78Selling expenses1,262,122,598.38818,606,103.63General and administrativeexpenses165,503,097.12140,638,551.57Research and development expenses52,455,578.0253,653,016.11Financial expenses-3,057,539.24-9,318,538.37Including: Interest expenses7,219,717.715,423,653.63Interest income17,843,073.3513,995,639.90Add: Other income12,758,859.439,715,292.80Investment income (Loss is indicatedby -)-5,257,778.421,575,595.65Including: Income from investments inassociates and joint ventures-5,254,232.18-937,095.68Income from derecognition offinancial assets measured at amortized costForeign exchange gains (Loss isindicated by -)Net exposure hedging income (Loss isindicated by -)Income from changes in fair value(Loss is indicated by -)Impairment losses of credit (Loss isindicated by -)-2,144,694.51-22,446,199.48Impairment losses of assets (Loss isindicated by -)-20,365,487.85-13,787,628.20Income from disposal of assets (Lossis indicated by -)-1,416.2814,405.47III. Operating profit (Loss is indicated by -)426,889,912.32364,213,850.48Add: Non-operating income144,171.60581,866.88Less: Non-operating expenses63,373.8216,183,979.14IV. Total profit (Total loss is indicated by -)426,970,710.10348,611,738.22Less: Income tax expenses79,816,536.0772,530,863.59V. Net profit (Net loss is indicated by -)347,154,174.03276,080,874.63(I) Categorized by the nature of continuing operation1. Net profit from continuing operations(Net loss is indicated by -)347,154,174.03276,080,874.632. Net profit from discontinued operations(Net loss is indicated by -)(II) Categorized by ownership1. Net profit attributable to shareholders ofthe parent company (Net loss is indicated by -)364,296,789.10284,999,721.172. Profit or loss attributable to minorityinterests (Net loss is indicated by -)-17,142,615.07-8,918,846.54VI. Other comprehensive income, net of tax-733,371.78-337,434.36(I) Other comprehensive income attributableto owners of the parent company, net of tax-733,371.78-337,434.361. Other comprehensive income that cannotbe subsequently reclassified to profit or loss(1) Changes from re-measurement of definedbenefit plans(2) Other comprehensive income that cannot bereclassified to profit or loss under the equitymethod(3) Changes in fair value of other investments inequity instruments(4) Changes in fair value of enterprises owncredit risks2. Other comprehensive income that will bereclassified to profit or loss-733,371.78-337,434.36(1) Other comprehensive income that will bereclassified to profit or loss under the equitymethod(2) Changes in fair value of other debtinvestments(3) Amounts of financial assets reclassified intoother comprehensive income(4) Provision for credit impairment of other debtinvestments(5) Reserve for cash flow hedges(6) Translation differences of financialstatements denominated in foreign currencies-733,371.78-337,434.36(7) Others(II) Other comprehensive income attributableto minority interests, net of taxVII. Total comprehensive income346,420,802.25275,743,440.27(I) Total comprehensive incomeattributable to owners of the parent company363,563,417.32284,662,286.81(II) Total comprehensive incomeattributable to minority interests-17,142,615.07-8,918,846.54VIII. Earnings per share(I) Basic earnings per share (RMB/share)1.821.42(II) Diluted earnings per share (RMB/share)1.811.42For business combinations involving enterprises under the common control in the current period, the netprofit realized by the acquirees before the combinations is: RMB0.00, and the net profit realized therebyin the prior period is: RMB0.00.Chairman: HOU Juncheng Chief Financial Officer: WANG Li Head of the AccountingDepartment: WANG LiConsolidated Cash Flow StatementJanuary to September 2021Prepared by: Proya Cosmetics Co., Ltd.Unit: Yuan Currency: RMB Audit Type: UnauditedItemFirst three quarters of2021(Jan. to Sep.)First three quarters of2020(Jan. to Sep.)I. Cash flows from operating activities:Cash receipts from the sale of goodsand the rendering of services3,372,200,521.002,373,276,017.51Net increase in customer depositsand deposits from banks and otherfinancial institutionsNet increase in loans from thecentral bankNet increase in taking from otherfinancial institutionsCash payments for claims andpolicyholders benefits under directinsurance contractsNet cash receipts from reinsurancebusinessNet cash receipts frompolicyholders deposits and investmentcontract liabilitiesCash receipts from interest, fees andcommissionsNet increase in taking from banksand other financial institutionsNet increase in financial assets soldunder repurchase arrangementsNet cash received from securitiestrading agencyReceipts of tax refunds18,501,241.845,905,584.80Other cash receipts relating tooperating activities59,335,619.3841,790,311.05Sub-total of cash inflows fromoperating activities3,450,037,382.222,420,971,913.36Cash payments for goods purchasedand services received1,046,478,917.19943,473,030.33Net increase in loans and advancesto customersNet increase in balance with thecentral bank and due from banks andother financial institutionCash payments for claims andpolicyholders benefits under directinsurance contractsNet increase in placements withbanks and other financial institutionsCash payments for interest, fees andcommissionsCash payments for insurancepolicyholder dividendsCash payments to and on behalf ofemployees329,997,403.51265,981,057.75Payments of various types of taxes336,370,801.47260,143,803.59Other cash payments relating tooperating activities1,246,701,763.29744,477,741.05Sub-total of cash outflows fromoperating activities2,959,548,885.462,214,075,632.72Net cash flow from operatingactivities490,488,496.76206,896,280.64II. Cash flows from investing activities:Cash receipts from disposals andrecovery of investments211,450,000.00Cash receipts from investmentincome4,145,309.14Net cash receipts from disposals offixed assets, intangible assets and otherlong-term assets1,000.00Net cash receipts from disposals ofsubsidiaries and other business entitiesOther cash receipts relating toinvesting activitiesSub-total of cash inflows frominvesting activities1,000.00215,595,309.14Cash payments to acquire orconstruct fixed assets, intangible assets163,266,984.0761,017,722.22and other long-term assetsCash payments to acquireinvestments34,206,800.0066,580,000.00Net increase in pledged loansreceivablesNet cash payments for acquisitionsof subsidiaries and other business unitsOther cash payments relating toinvesting activities61,087,857.191,579,710.89Sub-total of cash outflows frominvesting activities258,561,641.26129,177,433.11Net cash flow from investingactivities-258,560,641.2686,417,876.03III. Cash flows from financing activities:Cash receipts from capitalcontributions450,000.001,466,300.00Including: cash receipts from capitalcontributions from minority owners ofsubsidiaries450,000.001,466,300.00Cash receipts from borrowings200,000,000.00299,000,000.00Other cash receipts relating tofinancing activitiesSub-total of cash inflows fromfinancing activities200,450,000.00300,466,300.00Cash repayments of borrowings299,000,000.00212,186,065.10Cash payments for distribution ofdividends or profits or settlement ofinterest expenses151,549,422.10126,023,183.02Including: payments for distributionof dividends or profits to minority ownersof subsidiariesOther cash payments relating tofinancing activities1,647,883.50Sub-total of cash outflows fromfinancing activities452,197,305.60338,209,248.12Net cash flow from financingactivities-251,747,305.60-37,742,948.12IV. Impact of foreign exchange ratechanges on cash and cash equivalents-733,371.78-337,434.36V. Net increase in cash and cashequivalents-20,552,821.88255,233,774.19Add: Opening balance of cash andcash equivalents1,299,818,901.991,099,092,785.07VI. Closing balance of cash and cashequivalents1,279,266,080.111,354,326,559.26Chairman: HOU Juncheng Chief Financial Officer: WANG Li Head of the AccountingDepartment: WANG Li(III) In 2021, the company restates financial statements for the beginning of the year due to theimplementation of the new lease standardsApplicableN/APlease be notified of above.Board of Director of Proya Cosmetics Co., Ltd.October 27, 2021
The stuff we sell is appropriately packaged and branded, and in child safety sealed containers, with very clear labeling that this is a medicated cannabis product, Erkes said. When youre buying something on the illicit market, or from a source that isnt reputable, youre not going to have those safeguards in place.
The judge said defense attorneys can use the rather judgmental terms during closing arguments if theres evidence the victim-esque people on the receiving end of Rittenhouses bullets actually engaged in looting, arson or rioting. But again, two of those three bullet recipients will be unable to defend their character due to their current state of nonaliveness, which came courtesy of Rittenhouse and his large gun.
As a kid, Lloyds family was known primarily as the operators of pick-your-own-produce farms. In 1940, his father, Jim Goebbert, opened a roadside stand in Arlington Heights that benefited from traffic headed to Arlington Park Racetrack and the creation of I-290 in the 1950s. By the early 1970s, the family had a new farm in South Barrington; in 1985, using 200 acres that the family had owned since 1881, they opened a second location in Pingree Grove. Lloyd is now co-owner with the rest of the family. He looks like a successful farmer. Meaning, his shirt is full of holes, his jeans are stained but he has good hair and looks a little like Dennis Quaid. When he was younger, he said, a visit to a local farm meant a visit to a local farm. We used to think we were doing a lot when we added sheep and goats. But over the years, you know, development. Competition makes you get bigger and do more. See those evergreens there? Right theres where we started (with attractions), then expanded out. Now we try to add something new every year.
Unless it is the place you live or work or visit with some regularity, you likely take most of the citys thousands of buildings for granted. Of course, there are exceptions, a few buildings that you might point out to visiting friends from out of town. Wrigley Field, the Water Tower, the John Hancock Center and Sears Tower (no matter what they are now formally called), and Museum of Science and Industry come quickly to mind on that score. There are the ones featured on architecture tours, such as the Rookery, Monadnock Building and Auditorium Theatre.
When news broke of what, apparently unfairly, has become known as the Alec Baldwin accident, my first thought was: goddamn stupid shootouts. Like millions around the world, Ive watched thousands and thousands of fictional deaths on screens since I was a kid. Some are bloodless; some, bloody as hell. Some provoke the right kind of unease; most are just for fun, or fun. Now and then, you get a commercial artist with an exceptional eye for the kinetic possibilities, or the dramatic complexities, inherent in violent action, often involving firearms. The best of the John Wick movies. A little higher up the chain, Michael Manns best scenes in Heat, or Thief. Martin Scorsese. John Woo. Kathryn Bigelow. Many others, but not too many.
Ellie is determined to hack it in London, but her horrible roommate and dorm shenanigans drive her to rent a room from an older woman, Ms. Collins (the dearly departed Diana Rigg). The room, which thousands of girls have rented over the years, has vintage charm and a flashing neon French bistro light outside her window, setting the surreal scene for Ellie to dive into her psychic, psychedelic dream world. She encounters a fetching young blonde from the mid-1960s, Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy), with big dreams and an even bigger bouffant. With winged eyeliner out to there, Sandies got all the swaggering confidence that Ellie doesnt, and stepping into her perfectly soignee shoes for an evening is powerfully intoxicating, until Sandies ultra-cool existence becomes a nightmare.
A loner and a dork by his own labeling, the Sacramento, Calif.-raised Honnold grew up with parents (now divorced) who didnt go in for easy praise or physical affection. Young Alex became the bright, steely, temperamentally tricky man, now 33, we see in Free Solo, someone who casually refers to himself as a bottomless pit of self-loathing. At the beginning of the documentary, he has resigned himself to free soloing over any semblance of a conventional romantic relationship. I will always choose climbing over a lady, says Honnold, who lives in his van.
It's a crazy amount of ground to cover, but only rarely does "13th" sacrifice clarity for cinematic energy. The 1865 constitutional amendment of the title, in the words of University of Connecticut professor Jelani Cobb, created "a loophole that was immediately exploited." Four million were freed from slavery by the amendment, but as long as they broke whatever laws (vagrancy, loitering, etc.) that remained on the books for decades and decades, they could be branded as criminals.
About 8.1 million disabled workers and 1.4 million of their family workers receive disability benefits, which average about $1,280 a month. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate a disability that substantially limits their ability to work and has lasted, or will last, for at least a year. Typically, the Social Security Administration uses medical assessments or health records to determine whether someone qualifies, and a vast majority of those approved for disability stay on it for life.
Board Vice President Sendhil Revuluri called the school data kind of a bucket of cold water. It is challenging to figure out what to do, but Im very sure that we will do much better if we actually confront the reality and not try to ignore it. Ive heard good ideas of trying to build understanding, build connection, engage communities and then respond to what we learn about why families are not having their kids in CPS.
The shots for 5- to 11-year-olds use identical ingredients as those for older people and require the same two-dose regimen spaced three weeks apart. But they will contain only one-third of the amount, as lowering the dosage offers younger children the same protection with fewer side effects, Arwady said. The needles and vials will also be smaller, meaning those administering the injection will be pulling doses out of different containers.
Roberts respectfully declined to attend the news conference, citing the need to continue helping residents but said in a news release that we are interested in hearing what the city of Harvey has to say about this issue despite not being asked for our input for todays briefing.
Its very demoralizing and it makes me (think) our safety is not the No. 1 priority, she said. I dont know what our local government is doing to prevent this threat. Im very frightened he wont get (convicted) and people will think its OK to come into a community and shoot people if they perceive property damage.
Mr. Singh did not breach or improperly enter secured areas  he arrived there like tens of thousands of arriving passengers do every day, by stepping off a plane, Christine Carrino, an aviation department spokeswoman, said in a statement to the Tribune earlier this year. While we wont speculate on Mr. Singhs motivations, he decided to remain in the secure area and made every effort to blend in as a passenger and airline employee until his arrest.
While this is a tumultuous time, Christ the Prince of Peace is always offering healing and the Holy Spirit is always seeking to unite those who love God, love their neighbor and love creation, said the Rev. Perry Hamalis, a professor of religious studies at North Central College in west suburban Naperville and an Orthodox deacon. Orthodox Christians are people of hope  regardless of how much despair spreads in the world  and the visit of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew spreads that hope in our great nation.
About 11:05 p.m., a family member went to his house to check on him after not hearing from him, according to a police notification. The relative saw that his front door was open.
But the feel-good story came to an abrupt end in September 2020, when he was charged with felony animal cruelty after being accused of mistreating his horse in a 7-mile gallop, on the Dan Ryan, during a protest. The journey allegedly ended with the animal severely injured and near death.
The measure, sponsored by Democratic state Rep. Robyn Gabel of Evanston, would specify that it is not a violation of the law for the state, an employer or another organization to take any measures or impose any requirements  to prevent contraction or transmission of COVID-19 or any pathogens that result in COVID-19 or any of its subsequent iterations.
I am working very hard on making sure that were attracting electric vehicle manufacturers and suppliers to the state of Illinois, Pritzker said during his news conference. So thats something we worked very hard on, talking to those suppliers and manufacturers directly to figure out, what is it that they would like to see us do?
Under City Council rules, any three aldermen can call a special meeting to discuss ordinance proposals or other issues. Southwest Side Ald. Silvana Tabares, 23rd, has been leading an effort to repeal Lightfoots vaccine mandate and give the City Council a vote on vaccination rules and consequences for breaking them. She signed the letter calling for the special meeting, along with mostly Northwest and Southwest Side aldermen whose wards include many city workers.
I think this permit needs to be relinquished, and there needs to be a new application, board member Gary Kaatz said. His reasoning was Advocate Sherman hasnt shown due diligence and the permit is outdated. Kaatz also has concerns, about the stability of the medical staff and surgical program at Sherman Hospital.
The Naperville Police Department will continue to tirelessly investigate and pursue charges against anyone who makes a threat to our schools, Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres said. Children deserve to learn in a safe environment and when parents send their children to school, they want to know their kids are safe. No matter what their intentions might be, individuals who make these types of threats rob this community of its sense of safety, and this department will never take such actions lightly.
Thomas had been in touch with McGhee on-and-off, gradually finding ways to avoid him. Thomas went back to the Gary apartment July 29 to let in and pay $600 to two men who delivered two new mattresses and removed the old ones from the apartment. He made a copy of the key at an Ace Hardware, but didnt tell McGhee.
The officer didnt give him enough time to produce his license and registration before Peck opened the car door and violently pulled him out of the car, then dragged him to the back of his police car, Hamilton alleged.
Indiana expects it can immediately inoculate a third of Hoosier children ages 5-11 if the federal government expands Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for the age group, officials said during a news conference at the Indiana Statehouse Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021 In Indianapolis. Indiana's chief medical officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver, left, watches as state health commissioner Dr. Kristina Box right, gives Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, a flu shot at the news conference to encourage others throughout the state to do the same. (Casey Smith/Report for America via AP) (Casey Smith/AP)
For the last 10 years in the Chinese city of Jingdezhen, Turkish ceramic artist Ekrem Yazici has been creating elegant porcelain artworks, reflecting the cultural integration of Turkey and China into his designs.



In 2009, Yazici paid his first visit to Jingdezhen, a small city in the mountains of east China's Jiangxi Province, and decided to pursue a master's degree in ceramic design at Jingdezhen Ceramics Institute.

"I have got abundant knowledge of porcelains in Western countries, while in China, I could fill gaps in knowledge about Chinese porcelain, the birthplace where porcelain has its roots," Yazici told Xinhua during a recent interview in the city, which is known as the porcelain capital of the world.

After his graduation, Yazici settled down in this city and opened his atelier.

"Almost everyone in the city is engaging in business related to porcelain," he said, noting that even in the early hours of the morning, he could see people carrying porcelain pieces.

Jingdezhen is an inclusive city where anyone, no matter whether an artist, designer, trader, or visitor, can produce porcelain with the help of craftsmen, he said.

"I am so lucky to be here, meet such a lot of opportunities, and be brave enough to take a step into an unfamiliar country," said Yazici, who is confident that he would realize his life-long dream of making porcelain in the city.

China's Jingdezhen porcelains greatly inspired Turkish tile masters since the Ottoman era and paved the way for the start of porcelain production in Turkey, a prominent Turkish porcelain expert said.

"Their value has increased manyfold due to their high quality and high artistic value and highly qualified raw material," Omur Tufan, manager of the Topkapi Palace Museum Porcelain Collection, told Xinhua, showing some unique examples of 14th-century Celadon pieces made in Jingdezhen.

The Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul possesses a 12,000-piece collection of Chinese porcelain, and Jingdezhen ceramics constitute 50 percent of this collection.

Tufan said the pieces from Jingdezhen have been frequently transported from China via the ancient Silk Road upon the requests of the Ottoman Sultans throughout history.

"Celadon pots of the second half of the 14th century and the beginning of the 15th century are among the rare and exquisite samples (of the collection) made in that region. The blue and white ceramic plates and bowls of the Yuan period created in the same area are also important pieces of the palace," Tufan said.

Iznik, a district of the northwestern Bursa province, "is Turkey's Jingdezhen," said Yazici, adding that the city's porcelain industry rapidly grew during the period from the 16th to 17th centuries.

"I am glad to be an envoy of Turkey-China porcelain culture and trade exchanges," he said.
Entitled "Once Upon a Time in Film," the new film by Pan Yilin is China's first documentary to focus on actors' performances and morals, as well as paying tribute to this generation of China's older actors and actresses for their lifetime achievements.

The film highlights 22 movie stars dating all the way back to the founding of the People's Republic of China, including Yu Lan, Qin Yi, Tian Hua, Yu Yang, Wang Xiaotang, Jin Di, Xie Fang and Zhu Xijuan. Many of them have careers spanning more than half a century and have since retired from the big screen, leaving only their legacy for following generations.

The film is an opportunity to look back at these storied lives and careers, as well as what they have contributed to China's film industry, while the actors themselves have the chance to share their feelings and thoughts about the profession they dedicated so much of themselves to. "It took me five years to make this film out of raw materials of hundreds of hours," said Pan. "It was a great challenge to comb through all the materials and imagery we have collected for the project."

Veteran actress Xie Fang, 85, attended the premiere held in Beijing Oct. 18 and expressed her gratitude to the viewers. "Without the audience, there will be no actors," she stressed.

88-year-old actress Jin Di also attended the event and shared a message with the younger generation of actors: "You have to remain faithful to your characters, to the film and to the screenplay. You are not paying attention to yourself, but dedicating all yourselves to the roles."

Professor Hu Zhifeng, vice president of Beijing Film Academy, said that the film not only pays tribute to classics and legendary actors, but also pays tribute to the profession of acting itself. "After reviewing the classic movie stars and what 'actor' really means, let's applaud the lofty ideals and professionalism of real actors once again. It is quite important for the current era."

Pan also explained his original intention for the film. "One day, I suddenly had an idea, wondering whether I could have these senior predecessor actors appear again on the current big screen. Whether they are in their 80s or even 90s, I want their legacies to live on."

"Once Upon a Time in Film" will be released in China's theaters Oct. 30.
China and Japan need to cooperate on more innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) to resolve problems regarding healthcare, population aging and climate change, among others, according to a sub-forum of the 17th Beijing-Tokyo Forum held between Oct. 25 and 26.



Liu Song, vice president of PingCAP  an open-source database developer in China  believes that AI development is still "weak" and significant space exists for China and Japan to "explore and cooperate in technologies including Internet of Things, cloud computing and data processing."

Japanese expert on finance Hiromi Yamaoka noted that data collection via proper and high-quality systems is integral to optimizing AI for the delivery of concrete benefits to the people.

Yamaoka spoke to a number of concerns regarding data collection, such as biased data gathering, privacy exposure and the compromising of cybersecurity networks. He hopes China and Japan can cooperate on establishing a framework that strikes a balance between data collection, individual privacy and dignity protection.

According to the sub-forum, the development of AI and a digital economy doesn't simply mean generating digital technologies or products, but establishing a comprehensive system, one that should include environmental service, infrastructure support, technology support, standards and rules, and more.

As for Sino-Japan data cooperation, Liu told China.org.cn that China has both advantages and shortcomings. On the one hand, China boasts advantages in both quantity and quality of data application and has already introduced relevant laws, including the cybersecurity law, data security law and personal information protection law. Conversely, the country still needs to better handle moral issues around data application and big data-enabled price discrimination against existing customers. Thus, China and Japan can complement each other when it comes to using AI and data for the sake of their citizens.
East China's Zhejiang Province has begun giving COVID-19 vaccinations to children aged 3 and above, a local health official said Tuesday.

Xia Shichang, deputy director of the provincial health commission, said that the province has expanded its COVID-19 vaccination program to cover children from the age of 3, rather than limiting vaccination to those aged 12 and above, as was previously the case.

According to the press conference, the changes are in line with the unified deployment of the State Council's joint prevention and control mechanism for the new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic, based on previous vaccination work. Previously, health authorities across China were providing vaccinations to children aged 12 and above, but this has now been expanded to include younger children.

Local health authorities plan to finish the inoculation of the first shot of inactivated vaccines before Nov. 20 and the second shot before Dec. 20.
The State Council, China's cabinet, has released an action plan to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030.

The plan puts forward China's main objectives for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) and the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), including increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

By 2030, the share of non-fossil energy consumption will be around 25 percent, and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will drop by more than 65 percent compared with the level registered in 2005, according to the plan.

As the world's largest developing country, China is still in the industrialization and urbanization stage and faces the heavy task of developing its economy and improving its people's livelihoods, so energy consumption will continue to grow, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission said in response to media queries.

China's carbon peak and neutrality goals are fully in line with the goals and requirements of the Paris Agreement and demonstrate the country's ambition, the official said.

The country will complete the world's most dramatic reduction in carbon emissions intensity through its carbon peaking actions, the official said.

The plan outlines key tasks to achieve a carbon peak before 2030, including promoting green and low-carbon transportation, advancing a circular economy and supporting technological innovation.

China will develop a unified and standardized carbon emissions statistical accounting system, improve laws, regulations and standards, optimize economic policies, and establish sound market mechanisms as part of its efforts to enhance policy support.

As for international cooperation, China will be deeply involved in global climate governance, carry out green cooperation in its economy, trade, technology and finance, and advance the construction of a green Belt and Road, according to the plan.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday held a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Xi stressed that China and France, on condition of effective epidemic prevention and control, should advance relevant cooperation, consolidate cooperation in such traditional areas as civil nuclear energy, aviation and aerospace, and expand cooperation in such new fields as artificial intelligence, biopharmacy and ocean affairs.

China, he said, is ready to work with France to continue cooperation on biodiversity conservation, deepen green cooperation, implement the Global Development Initiative, and carry out tripartite cooperation in Africa and other regions.

China and France also need to support each other in hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics and the Paris Olympics, he added.

Xi pointed out that China attaches great importance to developing relations with France.

He added that since last year, he and Macron have maintained contact in various ways, and the important consensuses they reached on bilateral relations are being effectively implemented with important progress already made.

Noting that the international situation is changing rapidly, he said he and Macron maintaining timely communication and coordination on major issues will help maintain the direction of the China-France relationship and inject more stability into the world.

Meanwhile, Xi stressed that the multiple major international events of late have once again demonstrated that France is correct in advocating the strategic autonomy of the European Union (EU).

China and the EU, he said, need to continue high-level communication and dialogue, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and reduce misunderstandings and misjudgments.

The two sides also should properly manage differences, and strengthen political guidance for China-EU ties, so as to ensure steady and sustained development of bilateral relations, he added.

He suggested that the two sides focus on the needs of their enterprises and people, further tap their cooperation potential in such areas as connectivity, digital technology, environmental protection, scientific and technological innovation and health care, and expand the scope of China-EU cooperation.

China, he added, hopes that France will play a positive role in promoting the healthy and stable development of China-EU relations.

For his part, Macron congratulated China on successfully hosting the leaders' summit of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming.

France, he said, is firmly committed to promoting the development of EU-China relations in a constructive manner, and dedicated to properly managing and resolving differences as well as deepening EU-China cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, climate change and biodiversity conservation by strengthening dialogue at all levels.

France hopes to strengthen coordination with China on the Group of 20 Leaders' Summit in Italy and the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow, he added.

He said his country is ready to work with China to push for more results in bilateral practical cooperation in relevant areas and hopes that the EU-China investment agreement will come into force at an early date.

France supports China in successfully hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics, Macron said, adding that he looks forward to maintaining close communication with Xi on France-China and EU-China relations as well as important issues of common concern.
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Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday held talks with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, during which they discussed the bilateral ties and the situation in Afghanistan.

Noting that China and Qatar are important strategic partners, Wang said China appreciates Qatar's commitment to developing friendship with China and deepening the bilateral cooperation.

China is ready to work with Qatar to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, through jointly building the Belt and Road with high quality, signing an implementation plan at an early date, expanding cooperation in all areas, and pushing for new progress in the China-Qatar strategic partnership, he said.

Wang said China appreciates Qatar's active mediation and the unique role it plays on the Afghan issue.

"China is willing to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with Qatar to jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and contribute to regional peace and stability as well as world prosperity and development," he said.

China hopes that Qatar will take an active part in the Global Development Initiative and join the China-Arab Data Security Cooperation Initiative as soon as possible, so as to jointly promote global sustainable development and healthy development of digital economy, Wang said.

For his part, the Qatari top diplomat lauded the great leaps achieved in developing the bilateral ties in recent years, adding that Qatar highly appreciates China's adherence to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and the equality of all countries, big or small.

Qatar is ready to work with China to expand mutually beneficial cooperation within the framework of jointly building the Belt and Road, he stressed.

Saying that China is the most important investment destination for Qatar in Asia, Mohammed expressed Qatar's willingness to increase investment in China and actively explore trilateral cooperation.

He stressed that Qatar supports the Global Development Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and will take an active approach to the China-Arab Data Security Cooperation Initiative.

On the situation in Afghanistan, the two sides agreed that the international community should take practical actions to ease the possible humanitarian crisis and promote the situation in a direction conducive to maintaining stability in Afghanistan as well as regional peace and security.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that the climate crisis is a code red for humanity and that urgent action is needed before it is too late.

"The United Nations and this assembly were created precisely for the kind of challenge that brings us together today. The climate crisis is a code red for humanity. This assembly, and governments around the world, face a moment of truth," he told a UN General Assembly high-level thematic debate on climate action.

In six days, world leaders will be put to the test at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland. Their actions -- or inactions -- will show their seriousness about addressing this planetary emergency, he said.

The warning signs are hard to miss. Pollution kills 9 million people every year. Every day, dozens of species go extinct. Scorching temperatures are turning farmlands into parched landscapes. Cities and entire countries are watching sea levels rise around them. Increasing temperatures will make vast stretches of the planet unlivable by century's end, said Guterres.

The world is still on track for a global temperature rise of 2.7 degrees Celsius, a far cry from the 1.5-degree Celsius target to which the world agreed under the Paris Agreement, which is the only sustainable pathway, he said.

And the 1.5-degree Celsius target is entirely achievable -- if global emissions are reduced by 45 percent compared to 2010 levels this decade; if global net-zero emissions can be achieved by 2050; and if world leaders arrive in Glasgow with bold, ambitious and verifiable 2030 targets, and new, concrete policies to reverse this disaster, he said.

"Group of 20 (G20) leaders, in particular, need to deliver. The time has passed for diplomatic niceties. If governments, especially G20 governments, do not stand up and lead this effort, we are headed for terrible human suffering," said Guterres.

But he added that all countries need to realize that the old, carbon-burning model of development is a death sentence for their economies and for the planet.

"We need decarbonization now, across every sector in every country. We need to shift subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy and tax pollution, not people. We need to put a price on carbon, and channel that back towards resilient infrastructures and jobs. And we need to phase out coal -- by 2030 in OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries and by 2040 in all other countries."

He also asked businesses, investors, and individuals to do their part.

"Over the last 76 years, this assembly has gathered the world around crisis after crisis to build consensus for action. But rarely have we faced a crisis like this one. A truly existential crisis that -- if not addressed -- threatens not only us, but succeeding generations," he said. "There is one path forward. A 1.5-degree future is the only livable future for humanity. I urge leaders to get on with the job, before it's too late."
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Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has returned home with his wife under tight security, the prime minister's office said on its Facebook account on Tuesday.

Since early Monday, Hamdok and some of his ministers together with civilian members in the Sovereign Council were arrested.

Earlier on Tuesday, General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan denied arrest of Hamdok, saying the prime minister is staying at Al-Burhan's house at the Guest Palace.

Since a coup attempt on Sept. 21 in Sudan, the tensions between the military and civilian partners, who were assuming the transitional government, have continued to escalate.
Choteau, MT (59422)

Today

Sunshine and a few afternoon clouds. High 43F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. Low 26F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Please pray that God would protect, sustain and bless his precious, faithful, suffering Church in the Sudan, India, Nigeria and Indonesia; may he provide all her needs -- material and spiritual -- and enable the believers to 'shine like stars' as they 'hold out the word of life' .

Sudan

Sudan has been on a fragile path to democratic rule since the militarys overthrow of al-Bashir in April 2019, following four months of mass protests. The current administration - involving the military, civilian representatives and protest groups - was then established as part of a power-sharing agreement. It faces towering economic and security challenges.

An attempted coup led by a pro-Bashir faction within the military was thwarted early on Tuesday 21 September. Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok said that the coup was orchestrated . to abort the civilian democratic transition".

It involved an attempt to take over the building housing state radio and television and the use of tanks to block the bridge between Khartoum and Omdurman, hampering oil production. Civilian-military tensions are soaring.

Praise God that the coup attempt was thwarted and keep praying that the government may remain strong in the face of efforts to overthrow democracy.

But its complicated. Customs officials are still refusing to release a shipment of Bibles in violation of Sudan's Fundamental Rights and Freedoms Act 2020; the government is not honouring its promise to return to the Church properties confiscated by the former regime; and Islamists have been permitted to threaten and intimidate Boutros Badawi (a Christian and senior adviser to the Religious Affairs Minister) with impunity.

Many fear that the government is trading away the rights of Christians for peace with belligerent Islamists.

India

In my last article we prayed for a young man  Nitish Kumar  who had been set on fire by Hindu nationalists because he was a Christian. He was in hospital fighting for his life but succumbed to his injuries on September 25.

Please pray for the Kumar family; may the God of all comfort sustain them; and may those who perpetrated this heinous murder be brought to justice.

Meanwhile in Karnataka, a state in Indias southwest, there is a proposal to enact a law to prevent conversions to Christianity among Hindus. MP Goolihatti Shekhar (BJP - Bharatiya Janata Party), alleged that not only are 'forced conversions rampant in Karnataka', but churches petition to file cases of atrocities against Hindus! [Presumably cases of violent persecution.]

He told the parliament that his own mother had converted to Christianity and been 'brainwashed' into not wearing vermilion on her forehead and abandoning idol worship. Even worse, he said, she had downloaded a Christian song as her ringtone, and this had 'caused embarrassment to the family'.

The QUAD - officially the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue - is an 'informal alliance' comprising India, Japan, Australia and America. Its primary purpose is maintaining maritime security in the Indo-Pacific in the face of China's assertive behaviour. It presents Australia and the US with a wonderful opportunity to apply pressure on India over human rights.

First however, Australia and the US need to stop praising India as 'the world's largest democracy' and recognise that India's last federal election (April-May 2019) was actually the most sophisticated subversion of democracy in modern times.

Instead of lauding our 'shared values', Australia and the US need to recognise that India's ruling BJP is a Hindu nationalist outfit that promotes religious apartheid and stokes sectarian divisions for political gain.

Please pray that Australia and the US do not waste an opportunity to challenge India over its appalling human rights: in particular, its lack of religious freedom and Christian security.

Pray also that the spirit of deceit be banished and that Indians will grow disillusioned with hatred and conflict and yearn for social inclusion and peace, and that God would raise up righteous leaders in India in every field and at every level -- to the benefit of the Church and the nation.

Nigeria

The people of eastern Niger State are mostly ethnic Gwari/Gbari; of whom 38 percent follow ethnic religions, 29 percent are Muslim and 33 percent are Christian (mostly Roman Catholic).

Today, Boko Haram controls some 500 communities in eastern Niger and has established itself as the supreme authority. Residents  Muslim and Christian - have been ordered to defer to them (not police); replace secular education with Islamic education; and marry off all girls aged 12-yrs and over.

Terror is widespread. They have reportedly also threatened to take over Shiroro Hydro Power Station, one of Nigeria's largest power stations, and are recruiting, arming and training locals for a fight against the government.

In the geographically strategic state of Kogi, terror attacks are escalating as bandits and Fulani herdsmen target churches and Christian academics in killings and kidnappings.

Please pray for God intervene in Nigeria to end corruption, facilitate security, discredit Islam, and initiate constitutional reform. May God protect, comfort and sustain the Christians, giving them grace, wisdom and discernment in this time of terror. By the power of the Holy Spirit may Nigerians come to the LORD.

Indonesia

Muhammad 'Kece' Kosman is a convert to Christianity (baptised 2014) and former Islamic cleric. In July 2020 Kece created a YouTube channel through which he offers an intellectual critique of Islam. On 21 August one of Indonesia's most senior clerics accused Kece of blasphemy and insisted he be arrested lest Muslims 'show their anger'.

Kece was arrested on 25 August and detained in South Jakarta. That night, four prisoners, led by Inspector-General Napoleon (imprisoned for corruption) and aided by the prison warden, broke into Kece's cell and beat him mercilessly. Kece filed a complaint, triggering an investigation.

Napoleon has demonstrated his intent to establish himself as a principled defender of Islam and patriotic champion of Indonesia. These related cases, against Kece and Napoleon, could trigger an explosion of Islamic zeal with repercussions for the Church in Indonesia.

Please pray that God would protect and sustain Muhammad Kece, giving him peace which surpasses all understanding, to guard his heart and mind in Christ Jesus. May God intervene in the judicial process: may impunity be denied, may justice be achieved, and may righteousness be advanced for the sake the Church and the Gospel in Indonesia.


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L+600 and counting: ESA astronaut to be 600th person in space



October 26, 2021  A German astronaut is set to become the 600th person to enter space and he will do so flying with a U.S. astronaut who once came close to being number 500.



Matthias Maurer with the European Space Agency (ESA) will gain the distinction of being the sexcentenarian space traveler when he launches to the International Space Station as a member of SpaceX's Crew-3 mission, currently scheduled for early Sunday morning (Oct. 31). Maurer is one of three first-time fliers on the four-person crew, including NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Kayla Barron, but he was identified by NASA as the designated milestone maker.



"I actually offered the place to Kayla, because she and I will be together [on the spacecraft], but I was the lucky one to get the round number," Matthias said on Tuesday (Oct. 26), soon after arriving at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for his upcoming launch. "It is okay, we will all have fun in space."



Maurer's fourth crewmate, NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn, is flying for his third time. On Marshburn's first mission, a space shuttle flight in 2009, he was in a similar situation to Maurer, but to be the 500th to leave the planet. Ultimately, it was another crew member, Chris Cassidy, was was identified for the title based on where he was seated on board the orbiter Endeavour.



"I think my seat might be a few feet ahead of his but then you roll upside down, which might put me even more in the lead, but it is kind of hard to say," Marshburn told oollectSPACE 12 years ago.



Aboard Endeavour, Marshburn was just a seat or two away of being number 500. Since that flight, his place on the list has changed.



"We are entering the era of commercial spaceflight and with all of the suborbital flights, they also count into the statistics," said Maurer on Tuesday.



As of a decade or so ago, the count was based on every person to fly above the Karman line, the internationally-recognized boundary between Earth and space at 62 miles high (100 km). Not all commercial spaceflights reach that altitude though.



The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in recent years has begun awarding commercial astronaut wings for suborbital flights above 50 miles (80 km), the U.S. military's definition of the start of space since the late 1950s. Following that criteria, 14 more people make the list, including X-15 rocket plane pilots and Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo crew members.



Under that count, Cassidy slips six places, with a member of the STS-125 crew on space shuttle Atantis becoming number 500 (perhaps Michael Good, who was seated in the same location on Atlantis as Cassidy was on Endeavour).



Maurer, who was chosen by ESA to become an astronaut in 2015, will also be the 12th German and 29th ESA astronaut to fly into space. As a member of the Expedition 66 crew, he will be the third German and 11th ESA astronaut to reside on the International Space Station for a long-duration stay.



Barron, who became a NASA astronaut in the same class as Chari in 2017, will be the 72nd women to fly into space, on either orbital or suborbital spaceflights, out of the soon to be 601 total spacefarers since 1961.



"Six hundred in 60 years, it makes for about 10 people a year, but I think in the next few years we'll see an exponential rise," said Maurer. "We're at the dawn of a new era for spaceflight."



SpaceX Crew-3 mission specialist Matthias Maurer of the European Space Agency (ESA) is set to become the 600th person to launch into space as a new era of commercial spaceflight begins. (NASA)







Soon to be no. 600 in space, ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer (at left), poses with NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn, who was almost no. 500 in 2009, and SpaceX Crew-3 crewmates Raja Chari and Kayla Barron after arriving for launch at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. (NASA/Joel Kowsky)





European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Matthias Maurer gives a thumbs up from his seat aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon "Endurance." (SpaceX)



 2021 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.
The global intracranial aneurysm market size is expected to reach USD 2.32 billion by 2028 according to a new study by Polaris Market Research. The report Intracranial Aneurysm Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report, By Type (Surgical Clipping, Endovascular Coiling, Flow Diverters, Others), By End-Use (Hospitals, Clinics, Others); By Regions; Segment Forecast, 2021  2028 gives a detailed insight into current market dynamics and provides analysis on future market growth.

Market factors favoring the market growth for intracranial aneurysm include the worlds aging population, rising prevalence of intracranial aneurysms, sedentary and busy lifestyles, increased funding, and grant on research and innovation. There is a continuous rise in cases of un-ruptured intracranial aneurysms among geriatrics.

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As per market statistics published by the World Ageing (WA), in 2019, there are around 700 million people aged more than 65, across the globe. This large section of the population is largely contributing to the market growth. As per the estimates of the BAF, in the U.S. alone, every year around 30,000 people live with brain aneurysms. In Canada, BAF reported there are on average each year, around 3,150 people live with intracranial aneurysms.

There are several risk factors for acquiring intracranial aneurysms in the market such as family history, autosomal dominant PCKD, co-arctation of the aorta, bicuspid aortic valve, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV, smoking, and hypertension. In a survey, it is proven that around 80 percent of intracranial aneurysm cases were smokers in the past.

According to the market estimates of the Center for disease control and prevention, each year around 480,000 smokers die, and in 2018, it was reported that in the U.S. alone it had 34.2 million smokers and around 16 million U.S. people were suffering smoke-related disorders. Moreover, as per a survey by Headway, in 2016-17, in the UK approximately 348,453 people were admitted to healthcare facilities with some kind of brain-related disorder.

The Asia Pacific market for intracranial aneurysm is anticipated to register a lucrative growth rate over the assessment period. The rising cases of brain aneurysms in the two most populous countries India and China increased the affordability of people in the emerging Asian countries.

Each year around 76,500 to 204,100 cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) occur in India. The cost of medical treatment of intracranial aneurysms in India stood at around USD 7,000, while the average treatment cost in western nations is three times, at about USD 20,000.

Market participants in the intracranial aneurysm industry include MicroVention Inc. (Terumo Corporation), B. Braun, Stryker, Medtronic, Johnson and Johnson Services Inc., Microport Scientific Corporation, and Codman Neuro (Integra Lifesciences).

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Polaris Market research has segmented the intracranial aneurysm market report on the basis of type, end use, and region:

Intracranial Aneurysm, Type Outlook (Revenue  USD Million, 2016  2028)

Surgical Clipping

Endovascular Coiling

Flow Diverters

Others

Intracranial Aneurysm, End-Use Outlook (Revenue  USD Million, 2016  2028)

Hospitals

Clinics

Others

Intracranial Aneurysm, Regional Outlook (Revenue  USD Million, 2016  2028)

North America U.S. Canada

Europe France Germany UK Italy Spain Netherlands Austria

Asia Pacific China India Japan Malaysia South Korea Indonesia

Central & South America Mexico Brazil Argentina

Middle East & Africa UAE Saudi Arabia Israel South Africa



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About Polaris Market Research

Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world.

Contact us-

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Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com

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U.S. And China Glucose Market Growth & Trends

The U.S. and China glucose market size is expected to reach USD 9.44 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 4.8% from 2020 to 2028. The demand for glucose (dextrose) in the U.S. and China market is estimated to be driven by the expanding and developing sugar products sector, the growing pharmaceutical sector, and shifting preference towards natural ingredients across cosmetics and personal care products.

In the food and beverages application segment, the bakery and confectionery segment dominated the U.S. and China market with a revenue share of 9.5% in 2020. The rapidly increasing demand for a variety of bakery products, such as biscuits, bread, cakes, pastries, cookies, frostings, crackers, rolls, and doughnuts, is driving the market value of the segment. Moreover, increasing innovations in bakery items, particularly to meet the changing eating habits of the consumers, are boosting the market growth. Corn syrup is not a direct substitute for sugar but it provides several benefits like it promotes browning and consistency in baking when combined with other sugars and it is not as sweet as sugar.

Confectionery products are gaining growth in the U.S. and China market owing to the increasing number of manufacturers in the local markets. Glucose (dextrose) is an essential ingredient in the development of a wide range of confectionery products, such as candy, sweets, gums, and jellies. The inclination towards organic chocolates and candies in the market is likely to create potential demand over the forecast period. Additionally, the rising awareness and demand for medicated gummies that provide health benefits are supporting the demand for glucose in the confectionery market. For instance, YUM-V'S Glucose Gummies with fruit flavor is a chewable nutritional supplement for men and women that can increase blood sugar levels and boost energy.

The glucose (dextrose) market in China captured the largest revenue share of 50.9% in 2020. There is a slight difference in the revenue share of the U.S. and China owing to the large customer base in the China market. The country has a large number of local players such as Guangzhou Shuangqiao Company LTD., Fengchen Group Co. Ltd., Sinofi Ingredients, Henan Fenghe Chemical Co., Ltd., Dancheng Caixin Sugar Industry Co. Ltd., and Xiwang Group, which is supporting its dominating share in terms of both revenue and volume. The rapidly growing population, coupled with the changing food habits of the consumers, is supporting the market growth.

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U.S. And China Glucose Market Report Highlights

The syrup form segment accounted for the largest revenue share of 69.2% in 2020. This is because of its exceptional properties such as prevention of crystallization and enhancing taste and texture, which has increased its application in bakery, confectionery, and dairy productsin the U.S. and China. On the back of this, the syrup segment is projected to maintain its lead from 2020 to 2028

The food and beverages application segment accounted for the largest revenue share of 54.9% in 2020 owing to the potential demand for glucose across confectionaries, soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks, bakery products, and soups. Rising demand for on-the-go packaged products, along with a growing preference for functional food and beverages, is anticipated to support the glucose (dextrose) market growth from 2020 to 2028

The China glucose (dextrose) market is expected to register the fastest CAGR from 2020 to 2028. This is supported by the expansion plans of major manufacturers in order to take advantage of available opportunities. The market is gaining pace owing to the increasing investments in research and development (R&D) activities in the F&B sector and the strong presence of local players in the China market. For instance, Guangzhou Shuangqiao Company LTD. has the largest production base of starch sugar in South China and its sales volume has more than 90% share in the starch sugar market of South China. Additionally, the company is making its way for ingredients in the major global brands like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, China Resources Breweries, Robust, Uni-president, Wahaha, Yili, Want-Want, and Masterkong in Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou

Major manufacturers are investing in the Chinese glucose (dextrose) industry to increase their production capabilities in order to meet the evolving needs across the food and beverage sector. The country has the largest and most dynamic food market across the globe and serving around 1,445.3 million population. For instance, in 2018, Tate & Lyle PLC has doubled the size of its food application laboratory in Shanghai, particularly to meet growing consumer demand

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U.S. And China Glucose Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the U.S. and China Glucose market based on form, application, and country:

U.S. & China Glucose (Dextrose) Form Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Syrup

Solid

U.S. & China Glucose (Dextrose) Application Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Food & Beverages Bakery & Confectionery Dairy Soups, Dressings & Sauces Beverages Others

Pharmaceutical

Cosmetic & Personal Care

Pulp & Paper

Others

U.S. & China Glucose (Dextrose) Country Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

US.

China

List of Key Players of U.S. And China Glucose (Dextrose) Market

Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM)

Ingredion Incorporated

AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG

Tate & Lyle PLC

Cargill, Incorporated

Roquette Freres

Grain Processing Corporation

Tereos S.A.

Fooding Group Limited

Global Sweeteners Holdings Limited

Guangzhou Shuangqiao Company LTD.

Fengchen Group Co., Ltd.

Sinofi Ingredients

Henan Fenghe Chemical Co., Ltd.

Dancheng Caixin Sugar Industry Co. Ltd.

XIWANG GROUP

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.
The global circulating tumor cells market size is expected to reach USD 26.45 Billion by 2028 according to a new study by Polaris Market Research. The report Circulating Tumor Cells Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report, By Technology (CTC Detection & Enrichment Methods, CTC Direct Detection Methods, CTC Analysis); By Application (Clinical/Liquid Biopsy, Research); By Product; By Specimen; By Region; Segment Forecast, 2021  2028 gives a detailed insight into current market dynamics and provides analysis on future market growth.

Circulating tumor cells obtained via liquid biopsies are safer, cheaper, and less invasive than other surgical biopsies as liquid biopsies are considered a valuable tool in cancer diagnosis, before and after the onset of disease. Though circulating tumor cells technology is still under research phase but used for the prognosis of several cancer forms including, breast, melanoma, lung, colon, pancreas, and glioblastoma.

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In the future, doctors would have a better chance of fighting cancer via liquid biopsies, and researchers would detect circulating tumor cells before any metastatic growth happens. Currently, circulating tumor cell-based screening and analysis are at a nascent market stage. The market dominance of cell-free DNA units over circulating tumor cells in cancer diagnosis has led to less share in clinical applications. The presence of circulating tumor cells in the bloodstream indicates a risk of metastasis and emergence of tumors.

Owing to the advantages and non-invasiveness of CTCs, the market companies and concerned academic institutions are undertaking several strategic initiatives to expand of CTCs in clinical facilities. In this direction, in October 2019, Bioloidics collaborated with Genome Institute of Singapore to develop a circulating tumor assay using the companys in-proprietary ClearCell FX1 technology.

The research market segment is projected to witness a lucrative growth rate over the assessment period. This high market growth is due to the fact that most of the products currently being on the market are primarily designed for research settings. Some of the key products currently in the market include Target Selector Platform, Celsee PREP 400, Parsortix Technology, VTX-1, and IsoFlux CTC system.

Companies operating in the market of circulating tumor cells such as Greiner Bio-One; BioFluidica, QIAGEN; Bio-Techne Corporation; Rarecells Diagnostics, ScreenCell, Menarini Silicon Biosystems; Fluxion Biosciences, Sysmex Corporation; Miltenyi Biotec, and Biocept, Inc.

Complete Summary with TOC Available @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/circulating-tumor-cells-market

Polaris Market Research has segmented the circulating tumor cells market report on the basis of technology, application, product, specimen, and region:

Circulating Tumor Cells, Technology Outlook (Revenue  USD Million, 2016  2028)

CTC Detection & Enrichment Methods Immunocapture (Label-based) Size-based Separation (Label-free) Density-based Separation (Label-free) Combined Methods (Label-free)

CTC Direct Detection Methods SERS Microscopy Others

CTC Analysis

Circulating Tumor Cells, Application Outlook (Revenue  USD Million, 2016  2028)

Clinical/Liquid Biopsy

Research

Circulating Tumor Cells, Product Outlook (Revenue  USD Million, 2016  2028)

Kits & Reagents

Blood Collection Tubes

Devices or Systems

Circulating Tumor Cells, Specimen Outlook (Revenue  USD Million, 2016  2028)

Blood

Bone Marrow

Other Body Fluids

Circulating Tumor Cells, Regional Outlook (Revenue  USD Million, 2016  2028)

North America U.S. Canada

Europe France Germany UK Italy Spain Netherlands Austria

Asia Pacific China India Japan Malaysia South Korea Indonesia

Central & South America Mexico Brazil Argentina

Middle East & Africa UAE Saudi Arabia Israel South Africa



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About Polaris Market Research

Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide our customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high growth markets, emerging business environments and latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities.

Contact us-

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San Francisco, 27 Oct 2021: The Report Healthcare Contract Management Software Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Component (Software, Services), By Pricing Model (Subscription Based), By Deployment, By End-use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028

The global healthcare contract management software market size is anticipated to reach USD 4.6 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 22.8% from 2021 to 2028. The key factors driving the market include the growing adoption of cloud computing, investments by market players, digitization in healthcare, and demand for operational efficiency. The rising demand for affordable and effective contract process automation solutions, the need for regulatory compliance, and technological developments in healthcare IT are some of the other key factors estimated to propel the market growth in the years to come.

Contract lifecycle management (CLM) software witnessed high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic as it is considered to be a reliable and viable solution to manage the surge in contracts of doctors, sanitation workers, lab technicians, nurses, student-doctors, and others. The increasing contracts made during clinical trial studies and vendor agreements amidst the pandemic also increased the demand for secure contract management solutions. The pandemic acted as an accelerator for the adoption of CLM software solutions and it is expected to continue throughout the forecast period.

The market is also driven by various strategic initiatives by market participants. These include growing investments, funding for innovation, product launch, partnerships and collaborations, mergers & acquisitions, etc. For instance, in September 2020, Icertis deployed its Contract Intelligence (ICI) platform at Moda Health to help manage the latters large volume of provider agreements as well as ensure regulatory compliance. In March 2021, Icertis received USD 80 million in Series F funding. This brought the companys total funding to USD 280 million. It also enabled Icertis to invest in its AI and Blockchain development, sales expansion, and marketing initiatives. These kinds of strategies implemented by companies are expected to fuel the market demand over the forecast period.

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Healthcare Contract Management Software Market Report Highlights

In terms of components, software held the largest share in 2020. This is attributed to the increasing adoption of healthcare contract management software by end-users, such as hospitals, pharmaceutical organizations, and payers

Based on the pricing model, the subscription-based segment held the largest share in 2020 and is anticipated to witness strong growth over the forecast period. As market players offer custom subscription-based prices to suit client needs as per their budget and organization size, the demand is expected to be high throughout the forecast period

The cloud-based deployment segment accounted for the largest share in 2020. This is attributed to the rising adoption of cloud computing in healthcare as it offers easy collaboration, integration with AI and machine learning, and high data storage and scalability

By end-use, healthcare providers held the largest share of over 45.0% in 2020 due to the rising need for affordable solutions to manage physician contracts, vendor and distributor agreements, and other healthcare contracts while improving operational efficiency

The market is fragmented in nature as various companies are competing in this space. Increasing research funding in the industry is anticipated to boost innovation in the market

List of Key Players of Healthcare Contract Management Software Market

Icertis

Conga

CobbleStone Software

Experian Information Solutions, Inc.

nThrive, Inc.

Concord Worldwide, Inc.

Coupa Software Inc.

Contract Logix, LLC

SecureDocs, Inc.

Ultria Inc.

PandaDoc Inc.

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Global CONDUCTIVE COMPOUNDS MARKET Growth 2021-2027 was just released by Trends Market Research. The report offers an in-depth examination of the main elements that can assist well-known firms in the sector in developing effective future action plans. Market revenue and market size are the two primary parameters analysed in this study. In the projected period 2021-2027, the market research offers key information such as market share, market size, and growth rate. The research offers insights into market developments, trends, and supply and demand changes in a variety of global regions.

The research offers insights into market developments, trends, and supply and demand changes in a variety of global regions like:

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North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

Europe (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, and Rest of Europe)

Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia)

South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Rest of South America)

Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, South Africa, and Rest of Middle East & Africa)

The study examines the worldwide CONDUCTIVE COMPOUNDS MARKET -supported product type, application, and end-use across a variety of nations.

The scope of this report also includes identification of the leading companies in the conductive compounds market and the key areas in the field that are driving industry growth and allowing these companies to succeed. This report also explores industry structure, noting strategic alliances and acquisitions.

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The report displays the stated data in the form of pie diagrams, line graphs, and different updates that isolate the real data. The study examines the market in depth, covering dynamic growth determinants, limitations, challenges, and possibilities.

It also includes a study of important market participants and their most current market strategies in order to assist new market entrants, stakeholders, and shareholders in developing lucrative company plans.

Major players in the market include:

Profile description of the market leading companies, including Alpha Assembly Solutions, Digi-Key Electronics, Epoxy Technology Inc, OMEGA Engineering and Thermon Inc.

The research examines the various tactics used by market participants to retain their position in the worldwide CONDUCTIVE COMPOUNDS MARKET.

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Chromatography Columns Market Research Report: Information by Column Type (Normal Phase Chromatography Columns, Pre-Packed Chromatography Columns, Automated Chromatography Columns), by Chromatography Type (Ion Exchange Chromatography, Affinity Chromatography, Gas Chromatography, Size Exclusion Chromatography) by Application (Anion & Cation Exchange, Sample Preparation, Resin Screening, Protein Purification, Desalting), byEnd User (Research Institutes, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Companies, Food & Beverage Manufacturers) and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World) - Forecast till 2027

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Chromatography Columns Market Forecast

The chromatography columns market is expected to cross ~USD 16,320 million by 2027 at a CAGR of ~5.8%.

Rise in production of monoclonal antibodies, and increasing demand for biopharmaceutical products areexpected to augment the market growth at a healthy CAGR of ~5.8 during the forecast period of 2021 to 2027

Regional Analysis





North Americais likely to dominate the chromatography columns market in 2020, owing to the presence of key players, increasing investments in R&D, and rising drug development activities in the region. For instance, in 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was funded with USD 42 billion, which was an increase of7% compared to 2019.





Europeis likely to account for a significant share in the chromatography columns market due to supportive government initiations and rising R&D investments. For instance, the EU had set up the Horizon 2020 with a funding of around USD 95 billion for research and innovations, which ran from 2014 to 2020.





Asia-Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest-growing market during the forecast period due to improving healthcare infrastructure, increasing R&D expenditure, and rising disease burden in the region. For instance, according to the Cancer Council of Australia, around 150,000 new cancer cases were diagnosed, along with around 50,000 deaths were recorded in 2020. Moreover, according to World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), in 2018, Australia had the highest cancer rate in the world for both sexes at 468.0 per 100,000 individuals. Furthermore, signifying the increase in research spending, according to Statista (Germany), China will surpass the US in R&D expenses in 2021 with an estimated USD 621 billioninvestment compared to USD 598.7 billion by the US.





Furthermore, the growth of the market in the rest of the world is expected to grow at the least CAGR due to low R&D expenditure and inadequate healthcare infrastructure. However, factors such as government initiatives to bring in technological advancements and expansion of R&D capabilities in the region by global players are expected to provide growth for the market in the region during the forecast period.

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Market Highlights:

The Global Oncology Information Systems (OIS) Market held a market value of USD 2,356.6 million in 2017 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% over the forecast period. OIS is a complete information and image management solution that enables the management of patient treatment schedules, treatment plans, treatment delivery, and treatment summaries. Overall, this system allows healthcare professionals to oversee all aspects of oncology care for their patients. Factors accounted for the market growth are globally growing older population coupled with rising incidence of cancer, the presence of favorable government initiatives, mounting investments in cancer research, and technological advancements in OIS. In contrast, higher costs associated with OIS services are anticipated to hinder the market growth during the forecast period from 2018 to 2023.

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Oncology Information Systems (OIS) is a comprehensive information and image management solution that facilitates the management of patient treatment schedules, treatment plans, treatment delivery, and treatment summaries. This system involves the exchange of information between radiation therapy departments and the healthcare enterprises. Factors attributed for the market growth are worldwide growing geriatric population along with rising prevalence of cancer, increasing investments in cancer research, and technological advancements in OIS. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) stated that there were 14 million new cases of cancer in 2012 that grew to 17.0 million in 2018, which is anticipated to reach to more than 22 million by 2030. Progress in developing treatments is enabling investors to invest in oncology research. Increasing equity investments in ca ncer-therapeutics startups is foreseen to shape the OIS vertical in the near future. On the contrary, higher costs associated with OIS services are anticipated to restrain the market growth over the forecast period.

Segmentation

The global oncology information systems market has been segmented into product & service type, application, and end user.

By product & service type, the market has been segmented into software and professional services. The software segment is further categorized into patient information systems and treatment planning systems. The professional services segment is further divided into consulting/optimization services, implementation services, and post-sale & maintenance services. The software for patient information systems segment spearheaded the market in 2017 as these systems offer advantages including planned treatment and remote access due to digital availability as compared to conventional record maintenance methods.

On the basis of application, the market has been classified into medical oncology, radiation oncology, and surgical oncology. The medical oncology segment would lead the market over the forecast period owing to rising applications of OIS in efficiently managing, interpreting, analyzing, and storing the patient information, as well as, in predicting the treatment results for patients, thereby improving their survival rates.

Based on end user, the market has been categorized into hospitals & oncology clinics, government institutes, and research centers.

Key players

Accuray Incorporated, Cerner Corporation, Philips Healthcare, McKesson Corporation, Altos Solutions, Inc., Elekta AB, Varian Medical Systems, Inc., Flatiron Health, Inc., RaySearch Laboratories, Epic Systems Corporation, Bogardus Medical Systems, Inc., and CureMD Healthcare are some of the prominent players in the global oncology information systems market.

Regional Analysis

Geographically, the Americas would grab the highest market share over the forecast period due to the presence of oncology information systems providers, changing lifestyle coupled with rising burden of cancer, increasing expenditure on healthcare, and adoption of oncology information systems in the US and Canada. The IARC reported that in 2018, the Americas have 13.3% of the global population and accounted for 21.0% of incidence and 14.4% of mortality worldwide.

Asia-Pacific would represent the phenomenal growth during the forecast period due to growing elderly population coupled with rising prevalence of cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) and IARC reported that the proportions of cancer deaths in Asia (57.3%) are higher than the proportions of incident cases (48.4%) due to the higher frequency of certain cancer types associated with poorer prognosis and higher mortality rates.

The oncology information systems market in the Middle East & Africa will exhibit considerable market growth rate from 2018 to 2023. Majority of the regional market is likely to govern by the Middle East region due to the presence of world-class cancer treatment centers in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, increasing healthcare sector reforms, and gradually rising investments in OIS sector.

Growing adoption of OIS in European countries, namely, UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, as the major market value contributors such as Philips Healthcare, Elekta AB, and RaySearch Laboratories are headquartered in the region.

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School staff told the school resource officer about a complaint that a student was carrying a handgun in a backpack, police said. The student was detained and the backpack with the unloaded gun was found in a separate location, police said. Such guns typically fire pellets or bbs.
Police received a phone call about 45 minutes later from OLones mother, who lives out of state, saying she had just received a phone call from her son that he had shot at police and they had shot back, according to a police report. She advised police that he wanted to surrender and state police made contact with him on his cellphone to arrange his exit from the house.
Electric power was on and off all day in New Haven as utility crews moved quickly to restore the power. After peaking at more than 2,200 outages in the early afternoon, all customers were back by 4:45 p.m. in the Elm City. But the numbers then briefly spiked up again before power was restored by 6 p.m.
In her detailed disagreement  rare for a PURA chair  she broadly criticized the agencys past practices. Gillett, who has headed PURA since 2019, said an average refund of $35 approved in the settlement could leave consumers underwhelmed, while removing a penalty of nearly $30 million a year aimed at Eversources profit that PURA had sought robs regulators of a tool to force the utility to change how it plans for, and responds to, major storms.
Theres a lot to celebrate, but I think whats even more interesting, once we do that, is looking at what we need to do to get to where we want to go, Toscano said.
This wont be one of his challenges  were doing that in Norwich. But this restaurant will be one of the ones we feature, said a production crew member who gave his name only as Jax.
From Ray Dalio to Vince McMahon to Steve Cohen, Connecticuts wealthiest could be subject to a new tax applying solely to people with at least $1 billion in assets or $100 million in income for three straight years. The tax  which could raise as much as $250 billion  is an alternative to a previous strategy to raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy.
The department continued, Ensuring high-rates of vaccine coverage among all school-aged children will have many benefits. Vaccinated children are not required to quarantine if exposed to the virus; high rates of coverage can also help to reduce rates of transmission within school settings; and vaccinating children provides another layer of protection for their families and the broader community.'
Cut Bank, MT (59427)

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Lincoln, NE (68508)

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Lincoln, NE (68508)

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A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 56F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

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Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 33F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Galassi, who in his new role will continue to work with writers he has edited and will acquire some new ones, praised Angels unique blend of openness, discernment and strength of character. In a statement, he said: She has a deep understanding of both FSGs history and of todays new challenges and opportunities, and as our publisher she has been tremendously effective in re-imagining our publishing strategies and bringing in a new generation of great writers, all the while winning the admiration, trust, and affection of her colleagues.
Sahl became famous in 1953 at San Franciscos hungry i (the i stood for intellectual), the perfect place for a comedian of his type. The city was a meeting ground for beatniks and college activists, and they crowded into the tiny club to hear someone who spoke to their disdain for the status quo. Word spread quickly about the young comedian with the distinctive style. Soon Sahl was earning $7,500 a week at nightclubs across the nation and appearing on television with Steve Allen and Jack Paar. He made the cover of Time magazine in 1960 and was profiled in The New Yorker.
Selden Market and the Slover library are teaming up to host a Trick-or-Treat Carnival Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will feature carnival games and prizes, food and treats, balloon artists, photo booths and more. Children, teens and adults can sign up for a costume contest online.
Dave Ress Staff writer

Dave Ress covers the military. He's been a reporter in Virginia since 1990 and before that for Reuters in Canada, Britain and Africa. Dave has a PhD in history from the University of New England (Australia) and is the author of 4 books on U.S. and Australian history.
One witness reported at the time that Foleys truck was speeding and swerving down the residential street before the driver lost control and crashed into the front corner of a house. The truck flipped on its side as it struck the house. Data from the trucks black box indicated that it had been moving at 67 mph in a 35-mph zone.
It kind of reminds me of that episode (of I Love Lucy) where shes working on that candy assembly line, and she cant keep up, Slinde said. That episode was hilarious, right? But the idea of never being able to complete a task on time when its your job is disheartening and demoralizing.
The panel was scheduled to visit both the AP and TS Genco facilities apart from inspecting the Srisailam Dam, the spillway, canals, river sluices and camp colony in Sunnipenta. (DC Image)

Kurnool: The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) sub-committee, on a two-day tour of Srisailam for operationalization of the Gazette Notification dated 15 July 2021, was prevented from visiting TS Genco power facility on Tuesday.

The panel was scheduled to visit both the AP and TS Genco facilities apart from inspecting the Srisailam Dam, the spillway, canals, river sluices and camp colony in Sunnipenta.

The committee comprising KRMB secretary Raipure Pillai, along with chief engineers of AP Genco and TS Genco had visited Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) lift scheme, the Muchumarii lift scheme, the Pothireddypadu head regulator, and the Srisalam reservoir main canal (SRMC) on Monday.

AP water resources officials are keeping themselves off the KRMB team. An official said, "We are worried. If we move with the KRMB team members, we are sure to be attached to them. We don't want that. We kept ourselves away from the gaze of the KRMB team."

The sub-committee visited project components in Kurnool district on Monday without the active involvement and support of the local water resources officials.

Srisailam project cheif engineer Muralinath Reddy said he had not gone to Srisailam and did not know what was happening there. Asked about a letter written by TS engineer-in-chief to KRMB, asking it not to allow AP to draw more than 34 tmc of water, Reddy said, They can speak whatever they want but we have to go by the awards on sharing of river waters passed by the tribunals.

He said there was no substance in the arguments advanced by TS engineers. On the one side, they say the new projects should not be provided with water. But, they themselves have taken up new projects like Kalwakurth, Dindi, Srisailam left bank canal etc. These were not there when the project was initiated.
A health worker inoculates a man with a dose of the Covishield vaccine against the Covid-19 coronavirus inside a vaccination centre in Ghaziabad. (Photo: AFP)

New Delhi: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said actual vaccinations and not the "jumla (rhetoric) version" of the COVID-19 vaccine story would save lives and pointed out to the large number of people who are yet to be vaccinated in the country.

He shared an article by Congress president Sonia Gandhi in a newspaper which lauded Indian scientists and researchers on achieving the 100-core vaccination milestone but pointed out to the large number of people and children who are yet to be inoculated against COVID-19.

"Jumla-version of the vaccine story won't save lives. Actual vaccination will," he said on Twitter using the hashtag "#DutyToVaccinate".

The Congress also shared on Twitter Sonia Gandhi's article and quoted her, "The PM likes to emphasise that vaccines are free, while conveniently forgetting that they have always been free. It is the BJP government that moved away from India's universal free vaccination policy."

Sharing the article on Twitter, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "The floundering economy can be turned around if we can drive away the dark clouds of COVID19. That requires us to ramp up the pace of the rollout of vaccines to all, completely free, including to our children."

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also quoted the Congress president and said, "Not hollow announcements but genuine execution is the key to not only health of our citizens but wealth of our Nation".

"Vaccine for all..including our children.. usher in the festive season with genuine optimism," he also said quoting Sonia Gandhi and shared her article on Twitter.

In the article "The vaccination milestone and a distant goal", Sonia Gandhi pointed out that the Government ought to realise that vaccinating all Indians as quickly as possible is linked to their health and progress.

"Our frontline health-care workers deserve our fulsome congratulations for crossing the milestone of 100 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses. They, along with our scientists, researchers, medical professionals, and vaccine manufacturers, have heroically overcome multiple obstacles in the quest to protect our citizens from COVID-19. Thanks to their efforts, our vaccination drive has picked up pace after the initial months of delay, indecision, and confusion," Gandhi has said in her article.

She also said that this milestone also marks the triumph of science and of India's research and manufacturing infrastructure built and nurtured over decades.

The Congress president has also pointed out that the promise of all eligible Indians being doubly vaccinated by the end of 2021 is unlikely to be accomplished.

"The hollow announcement has not been accompanied by either appropriate planning or execution. Experts assert that we will miss this target by at least five to six months," she said.
The court said it has to be found out whether any portion of the construction, that fell on the workers, was illegal. (Photo: PTI)

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday said that someone has to be held responsible for the death of one migrant worker and serious injuries to two others during the construction of 'Seena Thodu,' a canal, being carried out by the Corporation here.

The court said it has to be found out whether any portion of the construction, that fell on the workers, was illegal.

"We cannot allow accidents like this to happen and people walking away without taking responsibility. We have to fix responsibility," Justice Devan Ramachandran said, referring to the incident of October 6.

The work with regard to 'Seena Thodu' was being carried out on orders of the high court for cleaning it up.

After hearing of the accident, the court had taken up the matter to ensure compensation to the family of the deceased worker and the injured as well as the latter's proper medical treatment.

On Wednesday, the Kochi Corporation told the court that it proposes to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation to the family of the deceased and the same is awaiting approval of the state government.

The court said it expects the government to take a decision on the corporation's proposal without any delay once it receives the same.

It also directed the competent authority to ensure medical expenses are taken care of by the contractor or any other authority as may be applicable.

The state government said that once the deceased worker's post mortem report and his legal heirs certificate is received a certificate would be sent to the Employees Compensation Commission which based on the same will disburse Rs 2 lakh to his family.
HYDERABAD: Minister for IT and Industries K.T. Rama Rao on Wednesday left for France to address the Ambition India Business Forum. He will deliver the keynote address at the French Senate in Paris on Friday.

Rama Rao is accompanied by IT secretary Jayesh Ranjan and other senior officials of the department. Invited by Ambassador of France Emmanuel Lenain, Rao will speak on Growth: Drafting the future of Indo-French relations in a post-covid era.

The minister will meet French industrialists and CEOs of various companies and urge them to invest in Telangana, a release issued by his office said on Wednesday.

As part of the Forum, there will be several round table interactions on doing business in India, healthcare, climate, digital transformation as well as agri-business. B2B meetings between French and Indian companies are also scheduled during the event, which aims to foster trade and investment relations between the two countries.

In the previous Ambition India edition, the Forum hosted 700 participants virtually, spread over two sessions with more than 400 companies eager to know more about bilateral cooperation and investment opportunities in India.
The figure doesn't include the indirect costs of burning oil, coal and gas, such as the harm fossil fuel emissions do to the environment and human health. (AFP Photo)

Berlin: The United Nations is summoning an unusual witness to testify to the dangers of burning fossil fuels that stoke global warming: a dinosaur.

In a video released on social media ahead of this year's U.N. climate change summit, a computer-generated dinosaur bursts into the U.N.'s famous General Assembly hall in New York to tell world diplomats that going extinct is a bad thing.

The light-hearted clip, voiced in the English version by actor Jack Black, carries a serious message that the U.N. Development Programme hopes to drive home.

You're headed for a climate disaster," the dinosaur proclaims. "And yet every year, governments spend hundreds of billions of public funds on fossil fuel subsidies. Imagine if we had spent hundreds of billions per year subsidizing giant meteors.

In an accompanying report released Wednesday, the U.N. agency says its research shows that the world spends more than four times as much each year, about $423 billion, to subsidize fossil fuels for consumers than it does to help poor countries tackle global warming.

The figure doesn't include the indirect costs of burning oil, coal and gas, such as the harm fossil fuel emissions do to the environment and human health.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly called for an end to subsidies on fossil fuels, something many governments are wary of because of fears higher prices could spark social unrest.

The head of the U.N. Development Programme, Achim Steiner, acknowledged that reforming the system of fossil fuel subsidies would not be easy and might look different in each country.

But we also know that we must move away from these energy sources that are contributing to our planet's decline, he said. Ending financial support for them in a way that is fair and equitable is a critical element of that transition.
The Olive Branch Airport is adding $59,000 to its coffers after receiving grant money through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The money is intended to provide relief funds and ease costs on operations, personnel, sanitation, janitorial services and debt service payments.
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Emporia, KS (66801)

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A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High near 60F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

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Mostly cloudy skies. Low around 40F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Emporia, KS (66801)

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Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 61F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

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Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 39F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Poetry by leading climate scientists and health professionals warns of last chance to act on climate crisis ahead of COP26

Leading health professionals and climate scientists are using poetry to warn of the catastrophic impact of the climate crisis and there is one chance left to act in the lead up to, during, and after COP26.

The poems, which celebrate the natural world, warn there is no human health without planetary health.

The experts want to illustrate the urgent changes needed to tackle the climate crisis, and show how poetry can be a powerful and transformative tool to spread the word about damage to the environment.

The poems were created following creative writing workshops by those working on the front line of the climate crisis and health care - health researchers, geologists, climate scientists, mathematicians, sustainability researchers, medical experts, and engineers.

People can read the poems in an e-book, One Chance Left, available online at the University of Exeters Green Futures website, and through the digital collection of Libraries Unlimited in Devon. A limited number have been printed on recyclable paper available for purchase. There are 12 poems, one for each of the days COP26 will take place.

The project will be showcased at the IPCC-WMO-MO Science Pavilion at COP26 on Friday 5th November at 18:00 in collaboration with the Met Office and Hot Poets, and at the Arctic Base Camp Tent on Saturday 6th November at 13:00 as part of the Fringe Festival organised by Hermes Federated Ltd.

Prominent campaigners and communities from Devon and Cornwall and the world, including Baroness Floella Benjamin, Hugo Tagholm from Surfers Against Sewage, pupils from West Exe School in Exeter, Ben Bradshaw MP, University of Exeter drama students and youth activists from around the world  such as Cassidy Kramer from the Inupiaq community, Alaska and Wenying Zhu from China - have recorded the poems. Their performances will be streamed on Spotify, DevonStream, and will also be featured in a short film.

West Country musicians in England have transformed this collection of poems into songs. The One Chance Left Collective is now available on all major streaming platforms including Spotify and to purchase on BandCamp, with all proceeds going to Greenpeace and Surfers Against Sewage.

People can take part in a One Chance Left 12 Poetry Flags Trail in Exeter, with poems displayed at Exeter Central Library, the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Queen Street, Princesshay, the Met Office and both University of Exeter campuses in Exeter, and at the Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

Professor Ian Fussell, Associate Dean of Education, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, said: We hope people enjoy these poems, but more importantly, it inspires them to act now and make a change. This is everyones responsibility.

The science alone is not getting the message across. Our leaders do not hear us; we bury our heads in the sand of the expanding desert.

One poem, Sudden Heat, describes how trees gasp as I breathe in. Ground bakes  my body and blood drawn towards the arteries of the earth.

Once there were fish describes boats lying tethered on parched earth, hulls swollen, paint peeling like the blistered skins of fishermen on the run across a sudden desert

The volumes associate editors are Dr Sally Flint from the University of Exeter and novelist Dr Virginia Baily. Dr Flint said: Many who've experienced and researched climate change devastation going on around the world are united in believing there's 'One Chance Left' to save our ecosystems on which we rely for both planetary and human health - and powerful words and the arts can help in communicating facts, findings and feelings widely - that there is still hope to hold on to and, it's only by joining together, we can save the world.

Cecilia Manosa Nyblon, Education and Skills Partnership Development Manager, and Project Lead, University of Exeter said: Driven by hope for creating a green future at COP26, we have joined the forces of science, health and poetry to harness this unique opportunity to help catalyse new ways of collaborating across disciplines and institutions at a local and global levels to drive positive change. The time to act is now

The projects key partners are the University of Exeter, Met Office, Riptide Journal, Arts and Culture and Exeter Culture and the Economic and Social Research Council. It is supported by Artic Base Camp, Exeter City Council, Princesshay, the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Devon County Council,and Exeter UNESCO City of Literature.

During COP26 and until 31st November people can be a part of One Chance Left by following the flags on the poetry trail, by collecting a postcard from Exeter Library or downloading a copy on phones from Green Futures website.

Please visit University of Exeter Green Futures website to learn more https://greenfutures.exeter.ac.uk/one-chance-left and follow us on Twitter @UniofExeter #greenfutures #COP26 #onechanceleft #NetZero
ARSINOE is financed by the European Commission with a total budget of 15 million euros and is coordinated by the University of Thessaly , Greece. It brings together 41 partners from 15 countries.

New HORIZON 2020 project aims to build an ecosystem for innovative climate change adaptation solutions

A pioneering new pan-European project, designed to develop systemic innovations for strengthening climate resilience and featuring experts from the University of Exeter, has been launched.

Experts from the Centre for Water Systems (CWS), College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, and the Centre for Simulation, Analytics and Modelling (CSAM), The Business School at University of Exeter have started to work on a new Horizon 2020 project called ARSINOE (climAte ReSIlient-regioNs thrOugh systEmic solutions and innovations).

ARSINOE is financed by the European Commission with a total budget of 15 million euros and is coordinated by the University of Thessaly, Greece. It brings together 41 partners from 15 countries and intends to be a game-changer for shaping pathways to resilience by delivering regional innovation packages that build an ecosystem to develop and implement innovative climate change adaptation measures and solutions across Europe.

Acknowledging that climate change is complex and strongly connected to other global challenges, such as food security, water scarcity, biodiversity depletion and environmental degradation, it is insufficient to use traditional approaches to innovation that focus on one aspect of the problem.

Systems Innovation Approach (SIA) addresses the developing complexity, interdependencies and interconnectedness of contemporary societies and economies, covering the functions of the cross-sectoral system as a whole and the respective variety of stakeholders. The Climate Innovation Window (CIW) refers to the European Unions innovations marketplace for climate adaptation technologies.

Towards this direction, in the next four years the ARSINOE project will develop a methodological framework for the combination of SIA with the CIW to create an ecosystem under a three-tier approach: (a) integration of multi-faceted technological, digital, business, governance and environmental aspects with social innovation for the development of adaptation pathways to climate change, so as to meet EU Green Deal targets for specific regions; (b) linkage with CIW to form innovation packages by matching innovators with end-users and regions; (c) fostering the ecosystem sustainability and growth with cross-fertilization and replication across scales, at European level and beyond, using appropriate business models and exploitation-outreach actions.

Nine widely diverse regions across Europe will demonstrate the ARSINOE three-tier approach as a proof-of-concept with regards to its applicability, replicability, potential and efficacy. These are: (i) Athens metropolitan area (EL), (ii) Mediterranean ports including Port of Piraeus (EL), Limassol (CY) and Valencia (ES), (iii) Main river in Germany (DE), (iv) transboundary Ochrid/Prespa lakes (MK, AL, EL), (v) Canary Islands (ES), (vi) transboundary Black Sea including Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey (RO, BG and TR), (vii) Southern Denmark (DK), (viii) Torbay and Devon county (UK) and (ix) the Mediterranean island Sardinia (IT).

Prof Albert Chen and Prof Slobodan Djordjevic at the CWS and Prof Nav Mustafee at the CSAM will lead the Exeter team to participate in a broad range of research activities in the ARSINOE project, including the insight investigation and modelling of climate change hazards impacts on local communities and the cascading effects to surrounding areas and beyond. Novel technologies and adaptation strategies will be developed to inform policy-making for enhancing societal resilience to climate change. The University of Exeter is also leading the Torbay and Devon county case study, in collaboration with Torbay Council and Westcountry Rivers Trust, to pilot the solutions developed in ARSINOE.

Prof Albert Chen, who is the PI of the Exeter part of this project, emphasises that ARSINOE is built on top of the knowledge and skills, as well as the partnerships, that CWS has established in multiple successful projects in the past. We will further advance the methodologies together with partners with multidisciplinary expertise in the consortium, and implement the solutions in diverse case studies in the project such that the research from the University of Exeter will make a substantial impact across Europe.

Prof Nav Mustafee says that Exeters contribution to the project includes the development of a multi-system dynamic modelling framework for resilience assessment and its implementation using a plethora of advanced analytical techniques that support decision making, for example, computer simulations and digital twins, machine learning/AI, serious games and visualisation.

Prof Slobodan Djordjevic, who is the Co-Director of the CWS, mentions this new grant consolidates the Exeter Centre for Water Systems as one of the most successful groups when it comes to winning European Union research funding for water related projects in a range of programmes and in various contexts. We currently work in eight consortia, contributing to the European research agenda.

For more information please visit the ARSINOE YouTube video .
NASA requests the government a budget to build nuclear-powered rockets on heading off Chinese domination of space. The launch of the Tiangong space station by Beijing prompts fears it can be weaponized against US assets in space.

According to the space agency, this is important to zoom ahead of the CCP in the resumed space race. Another is to have access to space which will be crucial if the conflict goes advanced, wherein more attention is brought to relevant technologies to support this endeavor.

NASA targets to make more powerful rockets to reach space

NASA officials went before the House Science, Space, and Technology subcommittee about the need for new booster technology. They added that it would help reach deeper space and asked for new weapons to reach Mars ahead of Russia or China, reported the Express UK.

Other investments the agency suggests will be for more money in researching and developing technologies, in a period of three to four months. The proposed nuclear rockets over chemical rockets will take half the time to develop.

According to Bhavya Lal, senior adviser for Budget and Finance (NASA), stated to the committee that China and other competitors are conducting research and development in several crucial technologies, that include nuclear-powered rockets.

So far, the chemical-powered rockets are not enough for further missions in space, like the moon and Mars, or even farther, noted Space.

Read Also: Moon Landing: NASA Planning Artemis Project for Next 'Apollo' Mission

Furthermore, the United States needs to keep ahead and stay up to date as the pace of Chinese domination of Russia will bring it to a trajectory ahead in the future.

China's launch of its hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) made everyone look at what it was up to. The Pentagon even issued statements that it would be destabilizing.

A nuclear power rocket is supposed to be the motor that powered the HGV to go hypersonic and shoot around the earth.

China appears to dominate the space race with its advance teachnology

In the face of the impending dominance of the CCP, leaders of agencies are now moving to push the US government to start its advancement program. There is a fear China will be able to hold space hostage to its interests.

An expert on Chinese nuclear weapon policy, Taylor Fravel, who opened up that the new Chinese capability has to place the defense of America in unique trouble, cited the Sun UK.

A weapon like it goes fast at lower trajectories and move at speed to avoid getting hit, making tracking almost impossible. It renders missile defenses impotent and moot. Military experts expect such a weapon will place anything in its crosshairs at a definite loss.

If NASA does put up a good defensive system to stop these ultra-fast projectiles and compete, there will be consequences. What the American space agency proposes is not new and has long been discussed as a shortcut to Mars.

One danger is that nuclear reactors can explode and cause radiation, should anyone want to shortcut to beat the Chinese at all costs. The space race won't come cheap, and Beijing's space gambit might be paying off.

Developing nuclear-powered rockets to curtail Chinese domination of space will come at a cost for everyone, which would need the government's budget despite the advantages.

Related Article: NASA's Orion Unmanned Spacecraft is Ready To Journey to the Moon as the First Return in Decades

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Britannic, the Titanic's Sister Ship would not sail long until disaster befalls her like her famous sister ship. Previously, in 1912 and later in 1916, this ship met its end, taking lives with it as the sea claimed them.

Similar fate befalls on the sister ship of the famous Titanic

In 1916, the sister ship of the famous Titanic was a hospital ship but had improvements that the other ill-fated vessel did not have. This time the builders had provided more lifeboats that were lacking before. But, it seems like disaster followed this one as well.

In 1916, a mine struck the Britannic below the bow, and the hospital ship took on water. In a mere 55 minutes, the boat sank and took lives with it. This incident happened four years after the previous disaster of the HMS Titanic, reported the Daily Star.

Recent expedition to the sunken Britannic

New images were taken by a recent visit to the famous ship's wreck under the sea, about 105-years after it sank. Belfast builders Harland and Wolff shipbuilders, who took cues from the 'unsinkable Titanic, built the boat. The tragedy took 1500 lives in 1912, to the 30 of its sister ships, cited Al Jazeera.

It seemed ironic but the measure of having more boats, because the Britannic suffered a huge hole caused by a mine. Coincidence?

Images were taken by an experienced ship diver and dentist, Rick Ayrton, 63; the pictures were taken from Kea Island in Greece.

He added that diving from the late '80s had led him to visit the wreck of Titanic's Sister Ship as the most famous dive he'd ever done.

Read Also: Titanic Wreck Expedition Includes Glass Window, Other Debris From More Than 12,000-Feet Deep

The diver who saw much of the wreck described intact and reachable, unlike the Titanic. The diver mentions that even the bridge of the sunken ship was not damaged in any way, noted the Mirror UK.

Inside the ship's bridge and the telegraph heads, the helm is still there, with rotten spokes of the ship's wheel is still quite seen.

Staying at one end of the ship would show a full view of the stern, and even the propeller are visible.

One thing noticed by the wreck's most recent visitor is one plaque from the expedition of Jacques Cousteau that dove in the location to check the wreck in 1976.

Britannica Captain's orders were defied by panicking crew resulting in 30 casualties

The 30 who perished tried to escape on a lifeboat but were ill-fated the ship's propellers pulled the close. All of the 30 people were shredded by the props.

Captain of the ship, Charles Alfred Bartlett, was the one who told not to let down the boats close to the stern while he powered the propellers to pus the sinking vessel to shallower waters.

The panicking crew did not follow the captain's orders and dropped the boats at the stern, where the fatalities came to a dreadful end. Nothing was left of the ship and people but bits and pieces.

Compared to the Titanic, the Britannic is eerily more complete and still in time.

In WWI, it served as a means of transport with six trips made before, and she met her end at Lemnos Isle in Greece before returning to Southampton.

The loss of like on the Titanic's sister ship was less from 1030, who got off. Except for the 30 unfortunates shredded by the giant propellers. Rick Ayrton will be publishing a book about the HMS Britannic.

Related Article: Titanic Artifacts Found, New Discovery Mission "Like Opening a Treasure Box"

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
After Democrats struggled to agree on the outlines of a trillion-dollar spending bill, US President Joe Biden is under pressure to follow through on a crucial campaign promise. Biden is hoping to secure an agreement on his Build Back Better legislation before leaving for the COP26 Summit on Thursday.

According to sources, the amount spent would need to be lowered by around $1.5-2 trillion to bring key Democrats on board. The Australian's Washington Correspondent Adam Creighton has called the proposal the "amazing shrinking bill," as per Express.co.

Disagreements over Biden's broader spending plans have halted plans for the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives to vote on the President's huge infrastructure measure this week.

White House, Pelosi urge Democrats to embrace Biden's spending proposal

Despite high-level negotiations with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have so far refused to support the President's plan.

Before Joe Biden's departure to Europe on Thursday, when he'll attend a global climate summit, Democrats are under pressure to embrace the newest watered-down version of his Build Back Better spending bill.

Both White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) urged progressive and moderate Democrats to work together on Biden's broad social and climate proposal on Tuesday.

Per Daily Mail, Pelosi pushed colleagues in a closed-door conference to embrace the multi-trillion-dollar spending proposal as the clock ticked down on her ability to deliver Biden's program to the floor.

Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) indicated that the leadership is hopeful that the Build Back Better price tag discussions would be completed in the next few hours.

Psaki was asked at her daily briefing what she would say to lawmakers who are still dissatisfied after weeks of back-and-forth. She stated that the White House feels the Democrats' choice is clear.

The first spending proposal proposed by the Progressives was $3.5 trillion. A federally required 12-week paid family leave, an expanded child tax credit, tuition-free community college, a sustainable energy norm, and the formation of a civilian climate corps were among the improvements.

Read Also: Nancy Pelosi Dodges on Question if She Will Run for Speaker Again; Says Tax on Wealthy Assets Would Pay for Only 10% of The Spending Bill

Joe Biden's approval rating declines amid dilemma in passing budget measures

However, after weeks of deadlock fuelled by Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) opposition, it looks that the budget package will not surpass $2 trillion. With no Republican backing, the bill will need the votes of essentially every Democrat in Congress to pass.

Biden's own planned paid family leave scheme, which might be cut to four weeks or none at all, is one of the measures on the chopping block.

Psaki wouldn't say if Biden would still support the bill if it didn't include it, but she highlighted the need of getting something on the president's desk by Thursday, when he leaves for a meeting with Pope Francis in Rome, followed by the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland.

Pelosi encouraged Democrats in a closed-door caucus meeting to embrace whatever compromise is reached, regardless of the cost. President Joe Biden's popularity is in the doldrums, with his approval rating hitting an all-time low on Friday, as he tries to pass two major budget measures on Capitol Hill.

On Monday, Biden earned a 43.5 percent popularity rating and a 50.6 percent disapproval rating, according to a poll-of-polls conducted by data website FiveThirtyEight.

According to the website, Biden had a 53 percent approval rating and a 36 percent disapproval rating at the start of his term. The Democratic president's popularity rating hit a record low of 43.4 percent on Friday, while disapproval hit a new high of 50.7 percent, Newsweek via MSN reported.

However, Biden's approval ratings have plummeted since the US mishandled its pullout from Afghanistan in August, which resulted in the deaths of 160 Afghans and 13 American service members in a terror assault.

Related Article: Families of Hostages, Detainees Abroad Question Joe Biden's Commitment to Their Release, Claims President Neglects Their Loved Ones

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Two former household employees have filed a lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg, alleging harassment and discrimination at their family office, as the Facebook CEO deals with the company's worst crisis in its history.

The employees, who have filed lawsuits against Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, allege that they were subjected to racial and homophobic insults by a top adviser to the CEO, as well as being denied legally mandated work breaks.

Mark Zuckerberg's chief security at the center of lawsuits

The claims of inappropriate behavior against Liam Booth, the chief of Mark Zuckerberg's personal security, are at the center of both lawsuits filed in San Francisco. Booth quit his position in 2019 after the allegations were first made public.

Booth is accused of making racial and gender insults to Mia King, a black household employee, including calling her "ghetto" and suggesting she was only employed because of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's diversity mandate, the Daily Telegraph reported.

According to her claim, he is accused of complaining to her that Meghan Markle, who is half-black, "polluted the royal bloodline." In addition, he is accused of making racial remarks towards Chan.

In late September, another lawsuit was filed anonymously by a former employee named John Doe, who is described as a gay and handicapped household operations manager.

Booth is also accused of grabbing Doe's buttocks and imitating "lewd sex behaviors" in front of Zuckerberg and other staff witnesses at Zuckerberg's Montana ranch in October 2018.

The lawsuits add to the strain on the billionaire father of two, who is now facing allegations from leaked internal Facebook papers about how the business handled disinformation and allegedly kowtowed to authoritarian countries.

According to the lawsuit, several employees had previously observed Booth touching Doe's butt in front of Zuckerberg in Montana. The main home of Zuckerberg and Chan is in the Bay Area, although they also own houses in Hawaii and Montana.

Read Also: Russian Group Linked to SolarWinds Hacking Still Targeting Global Networks; New Efforts Prove Russia is Undeterred With US Sanctions

Facebook's CEO and wife alleged allowing discrimination to happen

When Business Insider first revealed the charges, Booth, a former Secret Service agent who formerly served in President Barack Obama's personal protection detail, resigned from Zuckerberg's family office in 2019.

These allegations have been denied by Zuckerberg and Chan, whose personal spokesperson, Ben LaBolt, declared in a statement that the company's internal inquiry found no evidence of misconduct.

In the three years after the claims first appeared, Booth has yet to make a word about them, as per Daily Mail. Doe's boss, Brian Mosteller, and Monica Moorhouse, an ex-human resources staffer for the family office, are also mentioned in the action.

Per NY Post, Booth blamed Chan for a vehicle accident in another instance, "while pushing back his eye lids and noting that Asian women are usually bad drivers," according to the lawsuit. He allegedly used homophobic epithets and a false stutter while speaking about LGBT employees.

According to court documents, King alleges she complained about the problems several times but was informed that "men are in power" at the workplace. In February 2019, she was "terminated" from Limitless. In the lawsuits, Zuckerberg and Chan are mentioned as employers who allegedly permitted discrimination to occur.

Related Article: Facebook Whistleblower Claims Company is Lying About Their Progress on Hate, Violence, Misinformation

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Some parents who are behind on their Child Tax Credit payments have been confused by the Child Tax Credit schedule. Most families were expected to get up to $300 in child tax credits per kid in October.

If you haven't received your October payment, check with the IRS to be sure your banking and address information is correct and up to date. Americans can monitor the status of their checks using the IRS's online site.

How to trace my October Child Tax Credit payment?

To track on sent payments, Americans can utilize USPS Informed Delivery, the agency's free mail-tracking program that scans your letters and can email you an image each time your letter is delivered.

Per The Sun, it is beneficial to Americans who do not have bank accounts and receive money through a check, which might take seven or more days to arrive. Until the end of 2021, Child Tax Credit stimulus checks will be mailed on the 15th of each month.

If you still have questions or concerns regarding your Child Tax Credit check, you should consult the IRS website since the agency has limited resources owing to a backlog of tax returns and delayed stimulus payments.

According to the White House website, nearly every American family is eligible for up to $3,600 per child under the new Child Tax Credit program.

The amount of money your family receives each month is determined by how old your children are and how late you applied for tax credits. Typically, American families receive $300 per kid under the age of six and $250 for each child between the ages of six and seventeen every month.

Since July 15, the IRS has been distributing money to qualified families, with the CTC valued up to $300 per month for each child under the age of six and $250 for each child aged six to seventeen.

As part of the CTC, which was made possible by President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan package enacted in March, some $15 billion was "given to households that include roughly 60 million eligible children."

In comparison to the first month, the most recent checks helped reach an extra 1.6 million children. According to the IRS and CNBC, a total of $15 billion was delivered to the families of nearly 61 million children on August 13 alone.

Read Also: Others May Receive a Fourth Federal Stimulus Check Worth $1,400; Here's Who Are Eligible and When They Can Get One!

Why is your Child Tax Credit payment delayed?

According to The Motley Fool via MSN, there are a few reasons why it can be late if you haven't received your tax credit check yet.

Outdated information with the IRS

The IRS is determining whether you are qualified for the payments based on your most recent tax filings. If you are confirmed to be eligible, payments will be made to you automatically each month until you want to opt-out. This makes it simpler for millions of families to benefit from the extra money. Still, it also creates problems for anyone who has seen a significant shift in circumstances in the prior year or two.

You unenrolled from the payments

Based on your most recent tax filings, the IRS considers whether you are eligible for the payments. If you are eligible, payments will be given to you monthly until you choose to opt out. This makes it easier for millions of people to benefit from the additional funds, but it also causes issues for anyone who has seen a big change in circumstances in the previous year or two.

You receive your check by mail, not direct deposit

If your Child Tax Credit payment is meant to come in the mail but hasn't yet, it may be delayed due to a problem with USPS rather than the IRS. Direct deposit is the quickest way to get your monthly tax credit payment since these funds are usually accessible within a day or two of each month's payment date.

The IRS doesn't have your information on file

Have you filed a tax return for the years 2019 or 2020? If you don't, the IRS may not realize you're eligible for the tax credit, which might explain why you haven't gotten your most recent payment. While non-filers can still qualify for the Child Tax Credit without income if they fulfill the requirements, they must first sign up for the credit using the Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign-up Tool. The IRS won't know you qualify if you don't submit a tax return, so that you won't get the money each month.

The IRS is working to improve the payment system

On October 15, the IRS began sending the fourth batch of tax credit payments, and millions of households have already received the funds, either through direct deposit or mail. When all of the payments are made, almost 36 million families across the country will have received the money, which totals $15 billion.

However, not every household has received their money this month. System difficulties and other challenges have caused delays or missed payments for families that should have received the maximum payments of $250 to $300 per child in the previous several months. While many of these flaws have been fixed, the IRS's payment system still needs improvement.

Related Article: Stimulus Check Update: Nearly 7 Million Americans Waiting For Their Refund; Does The IRS Owe You Money?

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A Missouri landlord was charged with second-degree murder after stabbing his tenant more than 30 times in a fury after being asked to turn up the heat, the victim dying in his fiance's arms as cries reverberated throughout the neighborhood.

Gordon McBeth, of Kansas City, Missouri, has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing of Darryl Gilland Jr, 28. The couple had just moved into a new house on Topping Avenue in Northland, Missouri, and had negotiated a cheaper rent payment in exchange for assisting with the renovation. The couple had sent a note to their landlord, requesting that the heating be repaired since it was getting cold at night.

Landlord charged in tenant's death in Missouri

The couple had sent a note to their landlord, requesting that the heating be repaired since it was getting cold at night. They had requested a space heater from the landlord, according to Pohlman.

McBeth allegedly stepped out of the car and hurled insulation at the pair, according to Pohlman. McBeth allegedly threatened to kill Gilland if the insulation wasn't good enough for them, according to KCTV 5.

McBeth allegedly stabbed Gilland more than 30 times after that. Pohlman had called for help, and after hearing horrifying screams, neighbors hurried to his rescue. One neighbor grabbed McBeth from Gilland and held him at gunpoint until the cops came. Pohlman held Gilland as he died.

Darryl Gilland Senior, his father, said that the experience was "indescribable" and that he could scarcely hold back tears. According to Fox 4, Samantha notified Darryl Senior that his kid had written about it on Facebook and that his father was proud of him.

Samantha told Fox 4 that she recalled Gilland as "such a kind, nervous guy from the beginning" when they met for the first time five years ago. Darryl Senior stated that he felt "lonely and loved his son very dearly."

Read Also: With Brian Laundrie Dead, Where Would Gabby Petito Slaying Probe Go Next? Fiance's Attorney Details Days of His Abduction

Family sets up a fundraising campaign to help bereaved Fiance

Darryl's family set up a GoFundMe campaign to assist in covering the expense of sending his remains back to his homeland in Indiana, where he would be buried next to his grandparents, according to the family.

Any extra money will be transferred to Samantha to help her get back on her feet. As of October 26, the family has raised $6,988 of their $10,000 goal. The accusations have now been upgraded to first-degree murder, according to the family. McBeth is scheduled to appear in court again on November 2.

As you may think, we are all shocked and in shock by the untimely loss of our loved one, as Mullins said in the fundraising description. Brent grew up in Indiana and resided in Kansas City for several years.

"We feel it is okay to bring him home to be buried alongside his grandparents, knowing his bond with them. As you might assume, the expense of burying a loved one and transferring them to a distant state is a significant financial hardship, especially when it occurs unexpectedly and tragically," as per Newsweek via MSN.

In 2020, there were 176 killings in the city, 13 of which featured a knife, according to a study. An argument was a contributing factor in the attack in 56 of the killings. The homicide rate for 2020 climbed from 148 the previous year, with six killings involving a knife and 43 deaths involving an argument as a contributory reason.

Related Article: Alabama Nurse Arrested After Abusing, Neglecting Adopted Daughter by Repeatedly Stomping, Starving Her



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Democratic lawmakers have revealed new details regarding a proposal to implement a 15% minimum corporate tax on the declared income of many massive corporations.

On Tuesday, three senators announced the proposal, including Elizabeth Warren, Angus King, and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden. The officials who proposed the corporate tax said it would be included as a source of revenue to fund United States President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" bill.

Minimum Corporate Tax

Arizona Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema expressed her support of the corporate minimum tax shortly after it was released. She is considered a key senator in the negotiations as she is also under fire for her continued opposition to Biden's spending bill.

The release given by senators revealed that the corporate minimum tax proposal would apply only to companies that publicly report over $1 billion in profits per year for three years. It would also create a 15% minimum tax on those profits across the board.

The proposed corporate minimum tax will preserve the "value of business credits'' which include R&D, clean energy, and housing tax credits. Additionally, the proposal would give companies some flexibility when it comes to carrying forward losses, utilizing foreign tax credits, and claiming a minimum tax credit against regular tax in future years, CNBC reported.

The situation comes as Democrats are struggling with negotiations on a new proposal that would tax wealthy Americans. Lawmakers are facing resistance to their proposal to double down on tax cheats by requesting bank information of accounts, which has been called out as "screwed up."

Read Also: Joe Biden Rejects Donald Trump's Request To Cover Up His Involvement at The Capitol Riot; White House Won't Release 3 Documents

Democrats face mounting pressure as more and more lawmakers express their doubts about the feasibility of the billionaires' tax. Many officials are looking for ways to raise funds to financially support Biden's bill before the president's trip to Europe later this week.

The planned events include the Group of 20 leaders summit that is scheduled to be held in Rome and a climate change conference. Moderate Democrats are the key opposition to the tax rate increases and have forced other lawmakers to propose different ways to raise money for the $2 trillion bill, the New York Times reported.

Biden's Massive Bill

The situation also comes as Sinema has expressed her support for the corporate minimum tax, a sharp contrast to her continued opposition to Biden's other agendas. In a statement released on Tuesday, the lawmaker said the proposal represented a commonsense step towards having highly profitable companies pay a reasonable amount of tax based on their profits, similarly to other residents.

Sinema added that she was looking forward to negotiating with the White House and her colleagues regarding the expansion of economic opportunities. Under the legislation, roughly 200 billion-dollar firms will be subject to the tax requirements.

Previously, Sinema had opposed a Democrat-backed bill that aimed to offset Biden's spending package costs that would have taxed corporations and high-income individuals. The funds generated by the proposal would have been used for universal pre-K, paid family and medical leave, tuition-free community college, and funds for climate change efforts, The Hill reported.

Related Article: Mitch McConnell Weighs in on Billionaires' Tax as Democrats Move Forward With Negotiations on $1.75 Trillion Bill

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Queen Elizabeth II, the oldest and longest-serving queen in British history, will not attend the global climate summit starting next week in Glasgow, Scotland, as physicians have advised, according to Buckingham Palace.

On Monday, the queen was supposed to attend a reception with international leaders, including President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Boris Johnson, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, often known as COP26.

The palace announced in a statement, "Her Majesty is disappointed not to be able to attend the reception but will offer an address to the present delegates through a recorded video message," NY Times reported.

Queen Elizabeth's health sparks concern

Last week, Queen Elizabeth skipped celebrations in Belfast commemorating the centennial of Northern Ireland's founding after the palace said that she was following her doctors' recommendation to rest for a few days.

She was admitted to the hospital for "preliminary investigations" last week, according to the palace

"It's really irritating when people talk, but they don't do," the queen was recently quoted as saying of international leaders. Queen Elizabeth is the only queen most Britons have ever known, having ascended to the throne in 1952. She will have been queen for 70 years in February, breaking the 63-year record set by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.

The present queen is also the longest-reigning monarch by a considerable margin; the previous record-holder was Queen Victoria, who died at the age of 81.

Prince Philip, Elizabeth's husband, died in April at the age of 99, but the queen quickly resumed a very hectic public schedule. She attended the Group of 7 summit conference in Cornwall, England, in June, among leaders of the world's wealthiest countries.

Read Also: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Reject Archie's Royal Title Over Fear of Mockery at School, Royal Expert Claims

Duchess of Cornwall shows she is ready to be a queen

Meanwhile, a language expert believes Camilla Parker Bowles, Duchess of Cornwall, has demonstrated that she is ready to assist Prince Charles when he becomes king. Prince Charles, 72, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, 74, attended a reception for Reading Room, a "celebration of literature" that the Duchess launched in December.

Per Express.co, Dame Judi Dench and Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox were among the attendees for the royal couple's party on Tuesday afternoon. Camilla gave a bold and amusing speech at the Clarence House reception for authors who have supported the literary vehicle The Duchess of Cornwall's Reading Room on Instagram.

It happened only hours before the Queen canceled her participation in the Cop26 climate conference, and a language expert commended Camilla, saying she seemed "more determined" and "more confident" in her most recent appearance and that she will be crucial to the Firm in the future.

As a mark of respect for the late Princess Diana, Camilla is anticipated to be referred to as Princess Consort rather than Queen Consort when Charles takes the throne. However, the title she receives will ultimately be decided by Charles, and her rising popularity may mean she becomes Queen Consort after all.

Last week, Queen Elizabeth hosted a reception at Windsor Castle for a global investment summit, where she met with luminaries such as Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, and John Kerry, the United States' climate envoy. Queen Elizabeth was obliged to cancel a trip to Northern Ireland just before her hospitalization due to medical advice to rest, as per ABC News.

Related Article: Why Queen Elizabeth May Never Step Down for Prince Charles Despite Latest Health Scare?



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The Federal Bureau of Investigations revealed on Monday that a former US Embassy employee, who worked for the Central Intelligence Agency, sexually attacked at least 24 women in over 14 years.

According to the Department of Justice, Jeffrey Raymond, 45, of La Mesa, California, faces life in prison after confessing to federal sexual assault and transportation of obscene material charges in July after being captured while stationed at the US Embassy in Mexico City.

Raymond's attacks started in 2006. Detectives are still trying to figure out where the other abuse occurred.

FBI discovers ex-CIA staff's collection of images, videos of undressed women

Raymond worked for the CIA for "many years," according to the FBI, although the agency did not specify when he worked there, for how long, or in what capacity. However, a person familiar with the issue told The Daily Beast that after Raymond's arrest, the CIA began administrative action against him, and he left shortly after.

The ex-staff took hundreds of images and videos of at least 24 unconscious and undressed or partially nude women between an undisclosed month in 2006 and May 2020, according to a probe of his electronic devices. Raymond is seen touching the victims' breasts, genitalia, and buttocks in several images, Daily Mail reported.

According to the FBI, almost all of the ladies in the images and recordings suffered memory loss throughout their time with Raymond and had no idea he was capturing, filming, or touching them. They have yet to say whether or not those women are suspected of being drugged.

Raymond will be sentenced on February 7, 2022, in the United States District Court in Washington, DC, following a pre-sentencing evidentiary hearing that begins on January 31, 2022. Some of the women in the images and videos have yet to be identified. The FBI has claimed that it is looking for any more potential victims before Raymond's sentence.

Last May, a naked woman was seen screaming for assistance from the balcony of Raymond's Mexico City residence, prompting an investigation. After taking Raymond's drinks and food, the woman informed the FBI she had no recall of what had happened.

Read Also: Facebook's Former House Staff Sue Mark Zuckerberg and Wife Over Accusations of Harassment and Discrimination

Ex-Embassy staffer sentenced to sexual assault accusations

Raymond has worked for the CIA for several years, according to the FBI. Raymond resigned from the CIA when the agency heard of the DOJ's criminal actions against him, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Raymond, who was born in California and raised in Washington, DC, traveled frequently for work and pleasure. He also resided in other countries, such as Peru and Mexico, and learned Spanish as well as Mandarin Chinese.

Raymond worked in the United States Embassy in Mexico City from August 2018 until May 2020. According to the FBI, he met several of his victims through various dating apps. The CIA "strongly condemns the crimes perpetrated by former Agency officer Brian Jeffrey Raymond," according to a statement.

Per Fox News, anyone who feels they may have been a victim of Raymond or has information about him is asked to complete a confidential questionnaire at fbi.gov/BrianJeffreyRaymond. Following a pre-sentencing evidentiary hearing in January, he will be sentenced in February in the United States District Court in Washington, DC.

Related Article: Alabama Nurse Arrested After Abusing, Neglecting Adopted Daughter by Repeatedly Stomping, Starving Her

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By mid-July 2022, Prince Andrew must answer to Virginia Giuffre's attorneys' inquiries under oath. A US judge has decided that Prince Andrew must respond to Virginia Giuffre's lawyers' questions under oath in her civil sexual assault lawsuit by mid-July next year.

The depositions must be finished by July 14, 2022, according to Manhattan District Judge Lewis Kaplan. In a private hearing, Prince Andrew would be compelled to address questions under oath. Virginia Giuffre's attorneys would present the questions to Prince Andrew, who, on the other hand, would be entitled to legal representation.

Duke of York's sexual abuse case may overshadow the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Per Republic World, both prosecutors and Giuffre's attorneys might formally seek Prince Andrew to give a deposition in the United Kingdom under "Mutual Legal Assistance" (MLA). Prince Andrew's court case might coincide with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June if the deadline is missed.

MLA is a way of collaboration between countries or governments for the purpose of getting legal assistance, which is frequently sought by courts or prosecutors. Prince Andrew has refuted claims that he sexually assaulted Giuffre as a teenager.

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee was threatened with being overshadowed by the sexual assault court case against the Duke of York, as a US judge set a deadline for sworn evidence to be filed a month after the ceremonies.

The Platinum Jubilee celebrations are the highlight of the royal calendar in 2022, with the Queen's children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren by her side to honor the Queen's contribution to national life.

Although a source indicated this might be done outside of court in a private session with an attorney in the UK, Prince Andrew would be required to testify under oath. Both the Duke and Virginia Giuffre, his accuser, will be required to respond to inquiries, The Telegraph reported.

Giuffre alleges she was trafficked to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17 and a minor under US law by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke has not been charged with any crime, and the Metropolitan Police announced earlier this month that it will take no action in response to Giuffre's complaints.

Read Also: Queen Elizabeth Cancels COP26 Attendance Per Doctor's Advice as Camilla Parker Bowles Shows Readiness When Royal Family Needs Her Most

Prince Andrew's legal team urges to keep the legal deal a secret

Prince Andrew's lawyer has requested a New York judge to keep a 2009 legal agreement private, claiming it can protect the prince from charges that he sexually abused an American woman while she was under the age of 18.

The motion was made in US court papers filed in Manhattan federal court, where District Judge Lewis A Kaplan is overseeing Virginia Giuffre's August case. The prince allegedly assaulted her on many occasions in 2001, when she was 17 and a minor under US law, according to the complaint.

Prince Andrew's lawyer, Andrew Brettler, said he is preparing written arguments to seek for the case to be dismissed, and that he wants to put an agreement under seal that he claims precludes the litigation against the Duke. The case, according to Brettler, is "baseless."

He also asked that any parts of his arguments that expose material from the agreement be redacted. The prince and Giuffre do not argue that the release agreement should be kept secret, but they do want it to be kept secret since it is subject to a protective order from another judge hearing over a federal civil lawsuit in New York, as per Stuff.co.

Related Article: UK Courts Help To Serve Prince Andrew with Legal Papers Over Sexual Assault Lawsuit, Documents Reveal



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Dozens of students in Loudoun County, Virginia, protested by walking out to show their disapproval of the recent sexual assault cases at the public school system while also showing their love and support for the victims of the abuses.

In a statement, Loudoun County High School principal Michelle Luttrell said that the students who decided to join in the protests will not be penalized. However, the official requested that students who did participate to conduct the demonstrations peacefully, without signage, and in accordance with the Students Rights and Responsibilities.

Public School Sexual Assaults

Many students who were enrolled at Stone Bridge, Broad Run, Riverside, and several others, announced they would join the walkout that was scheduled on Tuesday. They planned to exit their classrooms for 10 minutes and stay outside in protest of the crimes.

Organizers of the protests urged students and teachers who planned to participate in the demonstrations to wear white and create protest signs. There were about 75 students who temporarily walked out of their classes at Broad Run High School. Unfortunately, the planned mass, widespread walkouts nationwide were not conducted, Fox News reported.

The situation came after a juvenile court judge ruled that a high school student was sexually assaulted by a schoolmate inside a bathroom at Stone Bridge High School located in Ashburn in May earlier this year. The suspect, who is now 15 years old, was charged with sexual battery and abduction of another female student on Oct. 6.

Read Also: Joe Biden's Build Back Better Turns Out to Be More of Renovation; Jen Psaki, Nancy Pelosi Urge Democrats to Support Slimmed Down Plan

A two-hour hearing was conducted in the Loudoun County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. During the opening statements, prosecutor Barry Zweig said that the two teens constantly talked on the Discord app in the weeks prior to the May 28 incident.

The prosecutor said that the teens had "sexually charged conversations" and had previously engaged in consensual sexual relations two times inside a bathroom at the school. But on May 28, the male teen contacted the female victim and asked to meet inside the girls' bathroom, to which the latter agreed. During the encounter, however, the boy forced himself on the girl without her consent, WTOP News reported.

Protest Against Crimes

Principal Luttrell said that the top priority of Loudoun County Public Schools was to keep students and staff safe and secure. The official noted that they would be providing students who decided to participate in the protests a designated, safe space for them to exercise their freedom of expression.

Additionally, Superintendent Dr. Scott Zieger acknowledged on Oct. 15 that the currently enforced procedures were not enough to address sexual assault cases. The official called for the Title IX policy changes after media outlets reported two alleged sexual assaults of students at different LCPS facilities, WUSA9 reported.

The crimes have caused parents to criticize school officials, some demanding Ziegler and the Loudoun County School Board to resign. The issue comes after an email that surfaced last week that suggests officials knew of the sexual assault crimes but did nothing to protect their students.

"You have buried a sexual assault to protect your precious 8040 policy. Every last one of you, resign!" said Carrie Michon, a grandmother of children who study in Loudoun County.



Related Article: Democrats Reveal New Details to 15% Minimum Corporate Tax Proposal To Fund Biden's Build Back Better

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The United States Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that 150 people worldwide have been taken into custody and have been charged with drug trafficking and other illegal activities in a massive law enforcement initiative that targeted operations on the Darknet.

The collaborative global effort, dubbed as "Operation Dark HunTor," operated across multinational agencies and included the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and its counterparts in Australia and Europe. The agencies targeted Darknet drug traffickers and other criminals in multiple countries, including Australia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Massive Darknet Drug Trafficking Sting

Authorities explain that the Darknet is a part of the internet that cannot be indexed by search engines and can only be accessed through the use of special browsers. Due to the difficulty of getting into the Darknet and how hard it is for law enforcement personnel to monitor operations within websites that sell illegal items or services have swarmed the dark side of the online world.

Authorities have seized more than $31.6 million in cash and virtual currencies and roughly 234 kilograms of drugs from various criminals worldwide. The list of illegal items includes amphetamines, cocaine, opioids, and MDMA. The operation lasted for 10 months and the Justice Department said investigators were also able to secure over 200,000 pills of ecstasy, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methamphetamine, CBS News reported.

Out of all the arrested individuals, 65 were from the United States, 47 were in Germany, 24 were from the United Kingdom, four were found in Italy, four were in the Netherlands, three were arrested in France, two were in Switzerland, and one was located in Bulgaria.

Read Also: Joe Biden's Build Back Better Turns Out to Be More of Renovation; Jen Psaki, Nancy Pelosi Urge Democrats to Support Slimmed Down Plan

In a statement, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said that investigators also discovered that darknet vendors were managing fake laboratories in their home countries. The facilities were used to manufacture fake pills that were designed to look like legitimate, prescription pain pills.

However, the fraudulent drugs that were made contained fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other illicit narcotics. The illegal activities were discovered in the part of the internet that was hosted inside an encrypted network, Fox News reported.

Millions Worth of Drugs and Money

On top of the illegal drugs and millions worth of cash and digital currencies, investigators also found 45 guns among the criminals. Authorities said the operation was specifically designed to prioritize illegal drug traffickers who used the darknet as their method of communication with clients and customers.

Officials said that the massive network of illicit drug trade fueled the ongoing opioid crisis that is ravaging communities. Despite the large-scale sting, the Justice Department said the investigation was still ongoing and that investigators were still working to identify any other individuals involved in the darknet accounts.

Investigators were particularly troubled by the massive surge of opioid sales on the darknet during the coronavirus pandemic. Monaco said that since the beginning of the health crisis, more people have turned to the darknet to buy drugs.

"Before I close, I want to address those who remain on the darknet, those who are peddling illegal drugs and thinking they are safe behind layers of digital anonymity. My message to you is simple: There is no dark internet. We can and we will shine a light," said Monaco, NBC Chicago reported.



Related Article: Democrats Reveal New Details to 15% Minimum Corporate Tax Proposal To Fund Biden's Build Back Better

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Alabama Republican Mo Brooks recently denied the allegations that he was involved in the planning of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

During a recent interview, Brooks claimed that he only decided to attend the "Stop the Steal" rally the day before the riot. And he insisted that he give a speech at the protest because it was part of his job as a member of Congress.

Brooks claimed that he didn't also know whether his staff was involved with the planning of the Capitol riot. But if they were, they would have his 100 percent support.

"Quite frankly, I'd be proud of them if they did help organize a First Amendment rally to protest voter fraud and election theft," Brooks said via the Huffington Post.

However, some critics slammed Brooks for seemingly trying to clear his name and then throwing his staff under the bus. Some of them also accused the Republican of lying because two people involved in the rally previously named Brooks as one of the planners.

Other than Brooks, Republican Reps. Paul Gosar, Lauren Boebert, Madison Cawthorn, Andy Biggs, and Louie Gohmert were also accused of organizing the "Stop the Steal" rally.

Read Also: Joe Biden Rejects Donald Trump's Request To Cover Up His Involvement at The Capitol Riot; White House Won't Release 3 Documents

Is Mo Brooks involved in the Capitol riot?

In July, Brooks was also sued by former House impeachment manager Eric Swalwell for helping to organize the riot. However, Brooks denied his involvement and said that he was there as part of his job.

The Department of Justice didn't side with Brooks after stressing that his speech before the riot was not part of the scope of his employment.

According to Rolling Stone, Republicans planned to coordinate the Washington rally and events in states around the country. The initial plan was for the rally to occur at the Ellipse, where Donald Trump would show his supporters proof that the 2020 election was rigged.

Donald Trump still under investigation following the insurrection

The news of Brooks' possible involvement in the Capitol riot came in the heels of the bipartisan congressional investigation into the events on Jan. 6.

According to Insider, the panel is pursuing criminal contempt charges against former Trump aide Steve Bannon. The latter still refuses to share any information he might have about the insurrection.

Earlier this month, Trump also filed a lawsuit against the House select committee, which is in charge of investigating the Capitol riot.

The ex-POTUS also wants to exercise executive privilege on the 47 documents from the White House that the House select committee wants to look into.

But on Monday, White House general counsel Dana Remus told archives director David Ferriero that Joe Biden has not changed his mind regarding the releases of the second batch of documents.

Remus also said that Trump could not use his executive privilege on the Capitol riot because keeping information about the insurrection is not in the country's best interest.

As of late, it's unclear if and when the White House will release the documents to the public.

Related Article: Donald Trump Files a Lawsuit Against the House Select Committee To Ensure Archived Presidential Documents Pertaining to the Jan. 6 Capito Rio Won't Be Released

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Election officials recently revealed some of the harrowing threats they received after Donald Trump claimed that he should have won against Joe Biden last year.

On Tuesday, a Senate hearing was held where several top election officials shared the threat-filled text messages and phone calls they received last year.

Al Schmidt, a Republican city commissioner on the Philadelphia Board of Election, said that Trump supporters even threatened to kill his children if he didn't say that there was election fraud.

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs revealed that armed protesters gathered outside her house and urged her to come out.

"As an elected official, I expected that sometimes I would have constituents who were unhappy with me. But I never expected that holding this office would result in far-right trolls threatening my children, threatening my husband's employment at a children's hospital or calling my office saying I deserve to die and asking, 'What is she wearing today, so she'll be easy to get," Hobbs said via the Huffington Post.

Democrats pushing to pass voting rights legislation

Following the top election officials' threats, the Democrats are pushing to pass the voting rights legislation that will give them more protection during future elections.

The bill introduces new felony crimes for threatening, intimidating, and disclosing the personal information of election workers.

However, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams said that the threats didn't just come following Trump's loss. He confirmed that his office also received harassment after notable Democrats like Hillary Clinton, Ellen DeGeneres, and LeBron James claimed that his office's decision to cut the number of in-person polling locations constituted voter suppression.

But most of the threats that his office received were limited.

Read Also: Cyber Ninjas CEO Denies Requests To Decertify the 2020 Election Result Showing that Joe Biden Beat Donald Trump

Donald Trump continues to say there was election fraud

According to US News, the threats directed at top election officials died down after Biden was sworn into office. But it increased again after Trump insisted that the election was rigged.

To date, the ex-POTUS is still urging some states to recount their presidential votes. However, the Trump administration's cybersecurity and election administration experts previously confirmed that the 2020 election was secure.

They also confirmed that there was no evidence of election fraud. However, Trump and his supporters are still convinced that they were rigged.

Some states agreed to audit presidential votes

Earlier this year, a handful of states said that they would audit their presidential votes to ensure that there was no election fraud.

Georgia previously agreed to review their mail ballots in the large county of Atlanta. But just this month, a Georgia judge dismissed the lawsuit seeking election audit in the state.

"The results were, as we reported, that President Trump came up short in the state of Georgia," Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) said in a statement via Forbes.

Earlier this month, Trump also pressured Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to allow an election review bill to be passed in the state. Abbott agreed to audit the 2020 election votes in four of the largest counties in the state.

He also said that there's nothing wrong with auditing the votes because it's part of the country's democracy.

Related Article: Donald Trump Pressures Texas Gov. Greg Abbott To Allow An Election Review Bill To Be Passed

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A top Pentagon official warned that the ISIS-K terrorist group, which is an affiliate of the famed insurrection group, could attack the United States within six to 12 months due to growing power and military capability.

It was revealed that Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Jack Reed asked Colin Kahl, the Pentagon undersecretary for policy if the latter agreed with Gen. Mark Milley's assessment. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff previously said that it was possible for a resurgence of international terrorism within 12 to 36 months.

Potential Terrorist Attack

In response, Kahl said that the probability of Miller's assessment depended on the group that was being talked about. The official said that both ISIS-K and Al-Qaeda have the intent to once again conduct external operations and are thinking of attacking the United States. However, he said that neither currently had the military capability to do so.

"We could see ISIS-K generate that capability in somewhere between six to 12 months. I think the current assessment by the intelligence community is that Al-Qaeda would take a year or two to reconstitute that capability, and we have to remain vigilant against that possibility," said Kahl, the New York Post reported.

During the hearing, Lt. Gen. James Mingus, who testified, agreed with the Pentagon official's perspective. The two officials were questioned at the hearing regarding the security detail in Afghanistan.

Read Also: Joe Biden's Build Back Better Turns Out to Be More of Renovation; Jen Psaki, Nancy Pelosi Urge Democrats to Support Slimmed Down Plan

Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono later questioned Kahl on how the United States could obtain information whether or not ISIS-K or Al-Qaeda were intending to strike should they develop the capability to do so. In response, Kahl said that the insurrection groups certainly had the intent to do so, citing "considerable evidence," Fox News reported.

The situation comes as the U.S. federal government is in talks with Pakistan while using the latter's airspace to fly drones over Afghanistan. During a press briefing on Monday, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that the American government was continuing to discuss and explore opportunities for over the horizon capabilities and support.

Formation of ISIS-K

ISIS-K was formed in 2015 as an affiliate of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, taking its name, ISIS-Khorasan, from the region that includes both Afghanistan and Pakistan. The group is known for causing thousands of deaths since it was formed six years ago, the majority of which are due to suicide bombings that have caused mass casualties.

Based on data compiled by the United Nations, ISIS-K has launched 77 attacks in the first four months of 2021. Counter-terrorism analysts estimated that the insurrection group's military strength was now at roughly 1,500 to 2,000. However, experts anticipate the number to rise as some captured ISIS-K fighters were being held inside prisons near Kabul, which has recently fallen to the Taliban militant group.

The ISIS affiliate group has already shown its willingness and determination to launch attacks against civilians in Afghanistan. On Aug. 26, the suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members also caused the deaths of more than 150 Afghans who were in the area of the explosion, CNN reported.



Related Article: 150 Arrested on the Darknet; $31 Million Seized in Global Illegal Drug Trafficking Sting by US-Europe Groups

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China just launched a high-tech 5,000-room quarantine facility in Guangzhou. But even though this is considered a welcome development in the country, Chinese residents and foreigners couldn't help but worry. After all, the building of a quarantine facility suggests that China has no plans to ease its restrictions anytime soon.

According to reports, China is one of the few countries still pushing for a COVID-zero strategy. This means that the country will only ease down the travel, quarantine, and lockdown restrictions when all COVID-19 cases are eradicated.

Chinese nationals and foreigners believe that it would take a while before the country reaches its goal. After all, the COVID-19 cases in China are still increasing.

Guangzhou's quarantine facility equipped with a robot

While waiting for things to normalize, China launched a 5,000 room quarantine facility equipped with 5G communication technology and artificial intelligence structure.

Each room can only accommodate one person at a time. And to ensure that those quarantining will be safe, the Guangzhou government will use a robot delivery system to avoid human contact.

The construction of the massive quarantine facility was completed after just three months, which is no surprise. After all, China managed to build fully-functioning hospitals in Wuhan at the start of the pandemic last year.

But as impressive as these developments are, Chinese individuals are convinced that the country has no plans to ease restrictions.

"On one hand you have experts such as Zhong Nanshan and Gao Fu suggesting that once the vaccination rate in China reached over 85 percent, then it's about time to open up. But on the other hand, all the measures in place seem to suggest that Beijing is going to sustain the zero-tolerance strategy," Yanzhong Huang, a fellow at the Washington DC-based Council on Foreign Relations, said via Al Jazeera.

Read Also: Russia, China Team Up for Military Force Training Against Terror, Pose Daily Threat With Lasers and Missiles in Space

China wants to shift from using hotels

Earlier this month, reports revealed that China is building its quarantine facilities not necessarily because there is no plan to ease restrictions in the country.

Instead, some cities in China want to shift away from using hotels for netizens' quarantine needs.

At the time, National Health Commission official Cui Gang said that there should be 20 quarantine rooms per 10,000 people available in Chinese cities by the end of the month, according to SCMP.

Other Chinese cities are building their quarantine hub

According to reports, travelers going to Guangzhou will be transferred on buses directly from the airport and confined to their rooms for at least two weeks.

However, various destinations in China enforce different quarantine rules. For instance, Shanghai requires a 21-day quarantine upon arrival in the city. The first 14 days are classified as centralized quarantine, and the last seven days of quarantine will be done at home.

Beijing has an additional seven days of quarantine, also known as the health monitoring period, which is on top of the 21-day quarantine.

According to CNN, Dongguan is currently building its international health station that will feature 2,000 rooms. Shenzhen is also building its hub, and more cities across China are expected to follow.

Related Article: China's New Vaccine Mandate Requires Children Age 3 to 11 To Get Vaccinate

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A Georgia police officer is recovering after being shot in the neck by an unnamed man while sitting in his patrol car.

According to reports, the police officer was off-duty, and he was working with ATL Plus, a parking enforcement company in Luckie Street. The officer was sitting in his patrol car when the suspect approached him and fired his gun. The officer fired back, and he managed to hit the man. The suspect's injuries eventually killed him. But the Georgia police officer managed to survive with non-life-threatening injuries.

According to WSBTV, the unnamed man who was shot in the neck is the 80th officer involved in a shooting that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation will investigate.

Off-duty police officer got into an argument with suspect

Following the incident, more reports revealed that the officer and the man got into a confrontation over a parking ticket. "The preliminary investigation indicates there may have been some type of altercation between the two males that escalated to gunfire," a spokesperson for the Atlanta police said via Fox News.

They also confirmed that a third victim, a woman, suffered a graze wound following the shooting. She was immediately taken to a nearby hospital to get treatment.

Read Also: Police Clash with Protesters in Brooklyn Center Over Officer-Involved Shooting

More deaths, accidents in Georgia in recent weeks

A slew of harrowing incidents has been taking place in Georgia in recent weeks. According to reports, a Georgia resident was killed in a car crash. His death came on the heels of his wife's passing from COVID-19 just weeks earlier. Their young children survive the couple. And their neighbors set up a GoFundMe page for the Beasley family. As of press writing, the family's GoFundMe page has already exceeded its $5,000 goal.

David Beasley was killed in a car crash while he was on his way to work. He rear-ended a log truck on Highway 21 near Goshen Road.

Last week, a man was also killed following a head-on collision near Statesboro. Georgia State Patrol confirmed that the car traveled on the wrong side of the road before it crashed head-on into a vehicle full of teenagers.

Two men were in the vehicle that caused the crash, and their vehicle caught on fire, resulting in the passenger's death. Three teens in the other car sustained minor injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital. A fourth teen left the scene uninjured, according to WJCL 22.

Other than these accidents, A Georgie sheriff's office also warned students of a social media threat that's been circulating in various local schools in the state.

A statement from the sheriff's office revealed that they are still investigating the matter. But they are convinced that the same threat is being made is various schools in multiple districts of the United States. The sheriff's office also said they would continue the increased presence on all campuses until they get to the bottom of the threats. As of press writing, no casualties have been recorded despite the ongoing social media threats.

Related Article: Massachusetts Police Shot Dead in Distress Woman After Allegedly Weilding Knife at Officers; Family, Friends Question Use of Fatal Force

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Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is facing criminal charges after a Senate investigative committee has approved a report that is calling for the official to be indicted for nine crimes related to his response and handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

The report, which was released on Tuesday, detailed in its more than 1,300 pages, which took the committee more than six months to prepare, that 77 other people and two companies committed similar crimes.

Criminal Charges

Last week, a draft report was released that called for President Bolsonaro to be indicted for genocide and murder. However, senators later opted to drop the harsh charges due to what lawmakers explained to be technical reasons. Additionally, 10 people were included in the list that were not there before to be indicted.

The list of people included in the group of individuals being charged was the governor of interior Amazonas state Wilson Lima. In that region, the lack of hospital oxygen supplies led to the deaths of many people due to asphyxia earlier this year. Lima's government is currently facing a federal investigation regarding corruption related to the purchase of medical equipment, Aljazeera reported.

Despite the charges, Bolsonaro has maintained he is "guilty of absolutely nothing" amid the pandemic that has caused him to receive severe criticisms. The death toll in Brazil is only second in the world to the United States.

Read Also: Joe Biden's Build Back Better Turns Out to Be More of Renovation; Jen Psaki, Nancy Pelosi Urge Democrats to Support Slimmed Down Plan

While the charges attempt to indict the Brazilian president for several criminal acts, there is no guarantee that the vote will lead to actual criminal charges. This is because the report's recommendations are required to be assessed by Prosecutor-General Augusto Aras, who is believed to be supportive of Bolsonaro.

Additionally, the senators' report alleged that President Bolsonaro's government pursued a policy of allowing the coronavirus pandemic to spread through the country in the hopes of letting residents achieve herd immunity. The documents describe the Brazilian president as "the main person responsible for the errors committed by the federal government during the pandemic," BBC reported.

Crimes Against Humanity

The situation comes after former United States President Donald Trump expressed his support for Bolsonaro ahead of the 2022 elections. The Republican businessman's announcement is the latest in his series of endorsements and the first that is of someone from another country.

In his statement, Trump praised Bolsonaro and said they became "great friends" in the past few years. The Republican also touted the Brazilian president's work ethic and personality, saying he had the motivation of fighting for the Brazilian people due to his love for them. Trump compared Bolsonaro's feelings for his people to his own love for Americans.

Trump continued by saying that the Brazilian nation was lucky to have a president such as Bolsonaro serving them. The Republican called Bolsonaro a "great president" who would never let his people down.

The vote to push Bolsonaro to face criminal indictments in a 7-4 vote by the Brazilian Senate. The list of criminal charges includes crimes against humanity, which were made after a six-month investigation into Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, Yahoo News reported.



Related Article: Democrats Reveal New Details to 15% Minimum Corporate Tax Proposal To Fund Biden's Build Back Better

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An interesting tweet was recently spotted on Elon Musk's account. The billionaire investor claimed he has no Shiba Inu and only owns Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin on his crypto portfolio.

However, despite the lack of support, Shiba Inu still saw a massive increase in its price.

Musk, the renowned CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, often tweets about his opinion on different cryptocurrencies. He was never the type to shy away from public conversations, especially on topics of interest. Consequently, Musk got recognized for influencing crypto coin prices and trends.

According to an earlier report, Musk's post about his shiba inu puppy boosted some altcoins in the market, one of them being the Shiba Inu itself.

Shiba Inu Price Hits All-Time High

According to CNN, Shiba Inu is another type of meme currency inspired by the iconic Dogecoin. Despite being a parody coin, it reached a new all-time high in the market and gained a lot of exciting achievements in the process.

Just recently, Shiba Inu grew by 40 percent in trading and climbed as the 11th biggest cryptocurrency in CoinGecko. Overall, the token earned more than 45 million percent growth in the past year.

At the time of writing, Shiba Inu is trading on Coinbase at $0.00005404, with a 129.62 percent growth in the last 24 hours.

Read Also: Apple vs. Microsoft vs. Facebook: How Much Did These Tech Giants Earn in Q3 2021?

Dogefather Elon Musk Snubs Shiba Inu

When directly asked by Twitter user @ShibaInuHodler, Musk said he has no Shiba Inu coin.

None  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 24, 2021

Twitter user @Filasophical followed up a question about Musk's holdings for the crypto coin Floki, which Musk also denied.

Out of curiosity, I acquired some ascii hash strings called Bitcoin, Ethereum & Doge. Thats it.



As Ive said before, dont bet the farm on crypto! True value is building products & providing services to your fellow human beings, not money in any form.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 24, 2021

Musk said that "out of curiosity, I acquired some ascii hash strings called 'Bitcoin, Ethereum & Doge.' That's it." The statement emphasized his lack of support for other altcoins and meme coins branching outside the aforemention cryptos.

Musk also shared an advice for aspiring crypto investors, telling them to not "bet the farm" on it. Instead, he wants people to place value on "building products and providing services to your fellow human beings."

Elon Musk Tweets Dogecoin as the People's Crypto

Earlier this week, Musk showed his support for the cryptocurrency Dogecoin. He said, "(Doge) felt like the people's crypto," because the many people who owned it are not financial experts or Silicon Valley technologists. Instead, it is used by people in the production lines or handling the field for building rockets.

Lots of people I talked to on the production lines at Tesla or building rockets at SpaceX own Doge. They arent financial experts or Silicon Valley technologists. Thats why I decided to support Doge  it felt like the peoples crypto.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 24, 2021

Some of the public shared Musk's sentiments. At the time of writing, Musk's tweet gained 4,100 comments, 8,100 retweets and 32,900 likes.

Musk ultimately left his tweets open to public interpretation, so other investors might give a different kind of explanation for Musk's social media comments.



Related Article: Dogecoin Price, Volume: Should You Trade It With Shiba Inu Crypto Coins?
Citibank Korea's main branch in Seoul is seen in this April file photo. Yonhap



Bank's exit plan increases likelihood of credit-rating downgrades



By Park Jae-hyuk



S&P Global Ratings has sided with Citibank Korea against Korea Investors Service (KIS), Korea Ratings (KR) and NICE Investors Service, all of which expressed skepticism over the U.S. bank's operation in Korea, after Monday's announcement of its decision for a phased closure of its consumer banking unit here without selling it.



On Tuesday afternoon, S&P reiterated Citibank Korea will keep serving as a "highly strategic" subsidiary of Citigroup's global business, despite the latest exit plan.



The New York-headquartered ratings agency also reaffirmed Citibank Korea's long-term issuer default rating at "A" with a stable outlook, as it did when Citigroup announced its plan to exit from consumer banking in 13 countries in April.



Recognizing Citibank Korea for displaying a high level of profitability in the corporate banking sector, S&P said that the shutdown of its consumer banking operation will have a limited impact on the domestic banking industry.



From a credit standpoint, S&P's assessment of the closure of Citibank Korea's retail banking business came as the three domestic rating agencies warned the U.S. lender of the increasing possibility of credit-rating downgrades, saying that its exit plan has made it difficult for them to affirm its current AAA rating.






Citibank Korea's head office in Seoul. Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



The country's financial watchdogs are coming under fire for their moves to actively intervene in the process of Citibank Korea's phased shutdown of its retail banking operation.



The Financial Services Commission (FSC), the country's top financial policy regulator, responded quickly to the lender's announcement that it would halt its consumer banking services. After the announcement, the FSC immediately ordered the lender to submit specific plans to guarantee customer protection before taking steps for the shutdown.



But industry sources said it is already too late for the authority to manage the fallout from the Korean subsidiary of the U.S. banking group's decision.



"It is questionable whether the authorities have remained active in helping Citibank find a middle ground during the past six months before the lender made the decision," an industry source said, Wednesday. "Even if the authority shared its plan recently to thoroughly monitor whether Citibank Korea takes steps to protect customers, the lender's employees and customers will inevitably fall victim to the shutdown in many ways."






gettyimagebank



By Jun Ji-hye



Jeju Island has ranked at the top in a recent survey of popular destinations for travels with companion animals, according to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).



The survey, which the KTO carried out jointly with the Korea Consumer Agency, comes at a time when traveling with companion animals has been growing in popularity, as an increasing number of people are living with pets here.



According to Statistics Korea, the number of households with pets reached 3.12 million as of November last year.



In another survey conducted by KB Financial Group's research institute, 48.7 percent of respondents said they want to have pets, indicating that the number of households living with companion animals is expected to keep increasing.



In the KTO survey, the resort island of Jeju became the most popular destination for travelers with pets, followed by Seoul and Busan.



As for types of accommodation, tourists with pets have increasingly searched for pensions, resorts and outdoor campsites. A pension is a type of accommodation similar to a detached house and is prevalent in Korea.



On the other hand, the search volume for guesthouses shared with other people has decreased apparently because of the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.



Tourists with pets stressed the importance of swimming pools and playgrounds for companion animals in addition to photo spots, food, parking lots and toilets.



Among tourist attractions in Seoul and nearby areas, the top-ranked locations for travel with pets included Seoul Land, an amusement park located in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province; Seoul Grand Park, a zoo near Seoul Land; and Ttukseom Hangang Park along the Han River in eastern Seoul.



Others on the list of popular tourist attractions included Yeouido Hangang Park, Eurwangni Beach, Wolmi Island, Surfyy Beach, Gangchon Rail Park and Gimyujeong Station.





Mount Sanbang with yellow rape flowers on Jeju Island / gettyimagesbank
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., Tuesday. EPA-Yonhap



By Kang Seung-woo



Quickly developing discussions between South Korea and the United States on declaring a formal end to the Korean War appear to have hit a snag as Washington has made it clear that it cannot accept Seoul's proposal, at least at this time, according to diplomatic observers, Wednesday.



Since President Moon Jae-in once again floated the idea in a United Nations General Assembly speech in September, it has been gaining traction, as evidenced by six meetings occurring between South Korea's top nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk and his U.S. counterpart, Sung Kim, since August.



However, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan seems to have stepped on the brakes amid the Moon administration's push for an end-of-war declaration, Tuesday (local time).



"We may have somewhat different perspectives on the precise sequence or timing or conditions for different steps, but we are fundamentally aligned on the core strategic initiative here and on the belief that only through diplomacy are we going to really, truly be able to effectively make progress and that that diplomacy has to be effectively paired with deterrence," Sullivan said during a press briefing.



His remarks are in line with those of Kim following his latest meeting with Noh, Sunday.



At the time, the American envoy said that the U.S. will explore different ideas and initiatives, including Moon's end-of-war proposal, raising speculation that the two sides were not exactly on the same page.



"As South Korea is pushing to declare an end to the Korean War now, the U.S. appears to have drawn a line regarding signing a declaration right away," said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean Studies at Ewha Womans University.



"Considering the remarks by Sullivan and Kim, the allies remain apart over the end-of-war issue."



Park added, "The U.S. government is not opposed to ending the war, but their remarks indicate that the U.S. is not prepared to sign an end-of-war declaration at this time."



The U.S. stance is that North Korea should return to the negotiating table and in the process of nuclear talks, the end-of-war idea could be on the agenda, according to Park.



In response to Sullivan's remarks, a senior Korean government official said that South Korea and the U.S. will hold in-depth discussions on the issue, without elaborating on the U.S. national security adviser's comment.



While Seoul insists that the end-of-war declaration may help bring North Korea back to the dialogue table by offering some security assurances, some believe that it could undermine the legal basis for the stationing of U.S. forces in South Korea.



The U.S. currently maintains some 28,500 troops here.



North Korea has not responded to U.S. overtures since the Joe Biden administration took office in January, accusing the U.S. of harboring what it claims to be hostile intent toward Pyongyang. North Korea has also stayed away from direct, meaningful dialogue with the U.S. since early 2019.


Students go to school in Busan, Sept. 6. Yonhap



By Bahk Eun-ji



Concerns are being raised among teachers and parents of students in elementary, middle and high schools across the country over the starting point of a "Living with COVID-19" scheme and whether schools can resume full in-person classes immediately or should postpone them until after the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) slated for Nov. 18.



The Ministry of Education plans to announce its finalized plan for a gradual easing of virus curbs for classrooms on Friday after collecting opinions from school faculty, teachers' organizations, students and parents.



On the same day, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters will also finalize its plans to shift gradually to a return to "normal life" starting next month. The main goal is to ease restrictions on multi-use facilities by January 2022 in three stages in accordance with the ongoing risk of virus transmissions.



However, parents and teachers are expressing anxiety over the spread of infection, saying that schools should be approached differently when it comes to the easing of social distancing measures in classrooms, where teachers and students are in close contact.



"Since the educational field is different, we are comprehensively considering the overall academic schedule, such as the CSAT, mid-terms, final exams and winter vacation," Vice Minister of Education Jung Jong-chul said in a recent briefing.



"We are gathering opinions about the full resumption of in-person classes, field trips and other activities, as well as the restoration of daily educational activities such as school meals."



A key part of the plan is whether the education ministry will allow more students to attend classes in person. The cap on in-person attendance has been two-thirds for middle school students and half of the total for high school students in areas under Level 4 social distancing measures, which have been in effect in Seoul. Schools outside the Seoul metropolitan area, which are under Level 3, have resumed in-person classes fully.



However, opinions within the education community are divided on the starting date of the full resumption of in-person classes, mainly because entrance examinations including interviews and essay tests, are scheduled after the CSAT.



If cluster infections occur during the CSAT, the remaining test schedules of individual universities will be disrupted.



High school teachers and staff members have said that social distancing measures should be eased in classrooms after the CSAT. A petition filed on the Cheong Wa Dae website calling for delaying the government's plan for a return to normalcy until after the CSAT had attracted more than 4,680 signatures as of Wednesday.



According to a survey conducted by the Korea Federation of Teachers' Associations, about 35 percent of teachers said that in-person school attendance should be postponed until after the CSAT, rather than starting in early November.



This opinion is also supported by the fact that vaccinated teenagers aged 16 to 17, who are in their first and second years of high school, will have developed antibodies starting Nov. 22, which is after the CSAT. The vaccination reservation rate for teenagers aged 16 to 17 is 62 percent, as of Tuesday.



On the other hand, parents and teachers of elementary school students are saying that their children should go to school as soon as possible. In the Seoul metropolitan area, one-third of them are still taking remote classes every day, widening the education gap.



"The full resumption of in-person classes will be the best choice to bridge the education gap between young children, but the virus situation in the Seoul metropolitan area has not been fully contained, so we are collecting opinions and discussing the situation with the teachers and staff members of schools so as to make a detailed decision," said an official from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.




Landing vehicles of the Marine Corps drive on a road in Incheon, west of Seoul, Wednesday, as part of the Hoguk exercise involving the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps against possible provocations from North Korea. The annual exercise, which started on Monday, will run through Friday. Yonhap




South Korea decided to hold a state funeral for late former President Roh Tae-woo, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Wednesday.



Kim unveiled the decision during a Cabinet meeting, saying that Roh made significant contributions to the nation's development as the 13th-term president.



"With Cabinet members, I express my deep condolences on the passing of former president Roh Tae-woo and give my sympathy to his family members," Kim said. "The government will hold a state funeral and thoroughly prepare it with respect so that people can pay tribute to his contribution."



Kim and other Cabinet members will visit the funeral altar of Roh later Wednesday.



The decision comes as the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae faced a dilemma over how much courtesy to extend to Roh, the country's last general-turned-president accused of deep involvement in a coup and the bloody crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising.



President Moon Jae-in has not issued any message yet since Roh died Tuesday at age 88, suggesting that soul-searching is under way to determine the right balance between paying respect to a late predecessor and public sentiment critical of his dark legacy.



Under a law, a state funeral will be held if a former, an incumbent or a president-elect dies. But the law does not specify whether a state funeral will be possible if they commit a grave crime, like a military coup.



Presidential chief of staff You Young-min told lawmakers Tuesday that a state funeral for Roh is "possible, but it needs a process."



Roh rose to prominence after helping former President Chun Doo-hwan seize power through the 1979 military coup in the wake of a political vacuum created by the death of former authoritarian President Park Chung-hee.




SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won visits the funeral home at Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul, Oct. 27, to pay respects over the death of late former President Roh Tae-woo. Yonhap



Politicians, business leaders and citizens on Wednesday mourned the death of former President Roh Tae-woo, whose mixed presidential legacy drew both public praise and criticism.



The family of Roh began receiving mourners at the funeral home at Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul on Wednesday morning, one day after the former president died at age 88.



Roh, who served as president from 1988-93, was recently admitted to a hospital after his health deteriorated but failed to recover.



As soon as the mourning altar opened, a succession of politicians and other social figures, as well as journalists and sympathetic citizens, gathered to pay respect to Roh.



Condolence flowers from President Moon Jae-in, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, former Presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Lee Myung-bak, Samsung Electronics Co. vice chairman Lee Jae-yong and others lined the walls of the mourning room.





Roh Soh-yeong, a daughter of late President Roh Tae-woo, greets a visitor at the funeral home at Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul, Oct. 27, to pay respects over his death. Yonhap




President Moon Jae-in / Yonhap



President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday expressed his condolences to late former President Roh Tae-woo, crediting the deceased with foreign policy achievements but also describing his involvement in a coup and the brutal crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising as "faults."



The measured message by Moon, which came a day after Roh died at age 88, suggested that soul-searching had taken place to determine the right balance between paying respect to a late predecessor and public sentiment critical of Roh's dark legacy.



Earlier in the day, the government decided to hold a state funeral for Roh, the country's last general-turned-president accused of deep involvement in the 1979 coup and the bloody crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in the southwestern city of Gwangju the following year.



"President Moon Jae-in prays for the deceased and delivered his words of condolences to the bereaved family," presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee told reporters.






Seen above is the funeral altar of former President Roh Tae-woo, at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno District, Wednesday. The government will hold a state funeral for Roh, who died on Tuesday at his age of 88. Joint Press Corps



By Nam Hyun-woo



The government will hold a state funeral for former President Roh Tae-woo, who died Tuesday, despite contradicting views over his record as the co-leader of a military coup and his oppression of pro-democracy movements.



"The deceased served as the 13th president of Korea and achieved much in advancing progress for the country," Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said at a Cabinet meeting, Wednesday. "The government will hold a state funeral to praise Roh's achievements and do its utmost in paying its respects to him."



Following the decision, Kim was made chairman of a committee overseeing a memorial period that will last until Saturday.



During the memorial period prior to the funeral service, the government will recommend all public offices and homes fly the national flag at half-mast.



President Moon Jae-in expressed his condolences to the bereaved family, Wednesday.



"President Moon said former President Roh committed a number of questionable historical acts including the 1979 military coup and the brutal crackdown on the 1980 pro-democracy movement in Gwangju, but he also had achievements such as the successful hosting of the 1988 Summer Olympic Games, the pursuit of a Northern Policy and the adoption of a 1991 inter-Korean accord," presidential spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee said.



The decision and the president's comments come after the liberal Moon administration deliberated on the level of "courtesy" it would extend the conservative former president, whose political career is the subject of intense debate.









The State Funeral Act stipulates that the ceremony is held when a person is respected for his or her distinguished service to the country.



The law, however, does not specify whether the honor can be granted to a person who was convicted of a serious crime. Roh was sentenced to a 17-year prison term in April 1997 after being found guilty for his role in the coup and the Gwangju crackdown. He was released from prison on a presidential pardon in December that year.



Due to this, some lawmakers from the ruling, liberal Democratic Party of Korea have raised objections to holding a state funeral for Roh.



"With Roh being one of those responsible for the 1980 massacre, historical punishment has yet to be finished," Rep. Yoon Young-deok, whose constituency is Gwangju, said in a press conference Tuesday. "It is inappropriate to grant Roh a state funeral, just because he is a former president."



Roh did not give a public apology for his crimes, but his son, Jae-heun, has apologized to the bereaved family members of victims of the Gwangju crackdown, saying this was what his father wanted. The son has been regularly visiting the May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju.



In his will made public by the bereaved family, Roh said, "I did my best but now sincerely ask for forgiveness for my shortcomings and faults," and, "I feel very grateful and honored to have humbly accepted my destiny and served the great Republic of Korea and the people."





A condolence banner flies near former President Roh Tae-woo's birthplace in Dong District, Daegu, Wednesday. Yonhap
Citizens pay their respects to the late former President Roh Tae-woo at a memorial altar set up in Daegu, Wednesday, the day after he died at age 88. The government decided to hold a five-day state funeral for the former president, although his contentious legacy has drawn both public praise and criticism. Yonhap




South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday urged the leaders of Southeast Asian countries, as well as Japan and China, to step up their regional cooperation to help the world end the COVID-19 pandemic, his office said.







Moon also reaffirmed the need for stronger regional cooperation to jointly address challenges posed by the pandemic and establish a more resilient and sustainable future, according to Cheong Wa Dae.







During his opening remarks at the annual Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three Summit, Moon said free trade and multilateral trade agreements are important to restore pandemic-disrupted global supply chains.







"As an axis of global vaccine production, the Republic of Korea will make its best efforts for a fair and swift supply of vaccines," Moon said.







Other attendees included Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.







It set the stage for Moon's first meeting with Kishida, albeit via video links, since he became Japan's prime minister.







This week's summits organized by the ASEAN have focused on how to step up cooperation to cope with public health crises, such as COVID-19, and regional solidarity in a post-pandemic era.







Also on Wednesday, Moon was scheduled to attend the East Asian Summit (EAS) session involving the ASEAN members, South Korea, Japan, China, the United States, Russia, Australia, India and New Zealand.







At the EAS summit, Moon is expected to highlight Seoul's efforts toward the goal of making the Korean Peninsula nuclear-free and bringing about peace in the region. (Yonhap)


By Kyung Moon Hwang





Not to disrespect the newly departed, but the first thing that comes to mind when considering former President Roh Tae-woo's place in history is that he seems to have been thrust into significance by forces far beyond his will or skill.



Later historians will uncover more to the story, but for the moment, it appears that Roh's public life, even during his presidency, unfolded rather than developed. He rode the waves of history instead of steering the ship, so to speak, and without a doubt, his career ran contrary to the "great man in history" view of the past.



This is not to deny that Roh, in his own way, was a historically significant personage. By definition, as someone who won the South Korean presidency through a democratic election, he was indeed a major figure.



But his path to prominence was paved by several factors that put him in the right place at the right time, including his education, regional background, military career and other personal ties. What brought all these factors together was indeed a singular man, but this man was Chun Doo-hwan.



Notwithstanding the ongoing debate surrounding his autonomy in the decision to issue the June 29 Declaration of 1987, Roh Tae-woo has been known first and foremost as Chun's right-hand man, and he might never be able to shake off this impression. But the facts clearly indicate that Chun was more responsible for the major moments in Roh's life than Roh himself.



Roh met Chun when they both enrolled in the 11th class of the Korea Military Academy (KMA) in the early 1950s amid the Korean War. After graduation, as army officers, they used their common regional background of North Gyeongsang Province  the same as that of Park Chung-hee  to rise further in the South Korean military. Immediately following Park's coup d'etat of 1961, they helped mobilize KMA cadets to take to the streets in a show of intimidating support.



This attachment to Park, who ruled the country from 1961 to 1963 through a military junta before being elected president in 1963, only grew thereafter. Roh, again following Chun's lead, joined the Hanahoe secret society, which served as an institutional base for Park's control over the military, and hence of Park's control over the state itself. Until the 1990s, this group continued to facilitate the intervention of military figures in the political arena.



During the Yusin dictatorship of the 1970s, Roh followed Chun in directing the Hanahoe as it became more intricately connected to Park's personal security apparatus, headed by Cha Ji-cheol. Cha would fall victim to this intimate association with the government's repression system when he was assassinated, along with Park, in October 1979 by Kim Jae-gyu, director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA).



But this shocking event did not weaken the Hanahoe society or the Chun-Roh duo. General Chun, with General Roh providing indispensable military backing, undertook his own coup in December 1979, just as Park had done in 1961. In film footage, shot in color to underscore the triumphalist, ceremonial momentousness of their actions, a smiling Roh can be seen gathering with Chun and the rest of the new military clique for a commemorative photo.



With good reason, Chun has normally been cast as the dominant villain in the events that suppressed the Seoul Spring democracy movement of 1980, but once again Roh was at his side, helping and learning as he became swept up by events. Their military junta ordered the brutal suppression of the Gwangju Uprising, resulting in a massacre that would forever stain their place in history.



Within Chun's regime, Roh took various ministerial posts while also leading the Seoul Olympic Committee. Chun then named Roh as his successor in the planned indirect presidential election of 1987, which further provoked the mass demonstrations that finally toppled the military dictatorship.



Roh might or might not have made the decision to concede in late June, but he got the credit for the formal "June 29 Declaration," announcing a new constitutional system and a direct presidential election.



And once again, in full actualization of his life pattern, Roh, running as the ruling party's presidential candidate in 1987, was just about handed the victory due to the split opposition. Thus, Chun's original plan, within the dictatorship of the Fifth Republic, to turn over the presidency to his protege was realized after all.



Roh's half decade as the Sixth Republic's first president, from 1988 to 1993, might have been the only period in his adult life when he escaped the dominant shadow of his friend and mentor. President Roh's major accomplishments came in the realm of foreign relations, but he benefited immeasurably from the collapse of the Soviet Union and the further opening of China, which became the basis of Roh's famed "Nordpolitik" initiatives.



He did little, however, to strengthen the democratic foundation of the new South Korea, either politically or economically, and one has to wonder whether Chun, in the new order, would have done more or less the same things as Roh.



As it turned out, like Chun before him, Roh amassed an astronomical slush fund as president, for which  along with the December 1979 coup and the Gwangju massacre  he was tried and convicted in the mid-1990s.



Fittingly, Roh remained attached to Chun, as the two, holding hands in common guilt, appeared in court as co-defendants. But soon, like Chun, Roh won a pardon for his crimes when the country was hit by the Asian financial crisis in 1997. The events turned in his favor a final time.





Kyung Moon Hwang (khwang3@gmail.com) is Korea Foundation professor at the Australian National University in Canberra.


Roh's achievements overshadowed by misdeeds



The late President Roh Tae-woo, who passed away Tuesday, left behind a mixed legacy. He has been under criticism for his deep involvement in the 1979 military coup and the bloody crackdown on the pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju in May 1980. On the other hand he has been credited for leading a transition to democracy in Korea, ending the decades-long military dictatorships.



Despite praise for his achievements, his life was notably tainted with his role in helping his predecessor Chun Doo-hwan seize power through the coup and brutally suppressing the pro-democracy movement in the southwestern city of Gwangju. Roh along with Chun was convicted of treason and corruption in 1997. He also took flak for amassing a massive slush fund.



Most of all, he failed to make a sincere apology to the victims and bereaved family members of those killed in the uprising while he was alive. He only left a note with a posthumous apology, unveiled by his family. Though his son Jae-heon visited Gwangju to apologize on his father's behalf, it was not sufficient to console the victims and their families. In a memoir published in 2011, he even triggered anger among Gwangju citizens by asserting that the pro-democracy protesters were misled by "false rumors" to cause such tragic incident.



On the positive side, he pushed "Nordpolitik," establishing diplomatic relations with the socialist bloc countries, including the Soviet Union in 1990 and China in 1992, as he rode on the wave of global detente at the end of the Cold War. Roh also opened a new era in relations with North Korea with the signing of the South-North Basic Agreement in 1991. In addition, he played a leading role in realizing the simultaneous admission of the two Koreas to the United Nations that year.



He also made the "June 29 Declaration" which led to a constitutional revision to introduce a direct presidential election. With the slogan of ushering in the "Era of Ordinary Citizens" he shifted to a "soft" leadership from his predecessor's authoritarian rule. Roh also made contributions to the development of the national economy by initiating the projects of building a high-speed railway linking Seoul and Busan, and Incheon International Airport.



Despite such efforts toward economic rejuvenation, corrupt ties between politicians and businesspeople were deepened under his administration as seen in many bribery cases. Roh tried to differentiate himself from his predecessor by, for instance, conducting hearings on the Chun administration and the Gwangju uprising, to little avail. This was because he could not be free from his past misdeeds as one of the key players in the military coup.



President Moon Jae-in extended his condolences to the bereaved family members of Roh, Wednesday. "Despite many historical wrongdoings, he made significant contributions to the national development," Cheong Wa Dae spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee quoted Moon as saying. In the same context, the government decided to hold a state funeral for Roh during a Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum. Yet, Roh will not be buried in the National Cemetery but in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, to respect his family's wishes.



Unable to comfortably live his later life due to chronic disease, he finally passed away. In his will, he begged for "generous forgiveness for my past wrongdoings." We wish him eternal peace and rest.


By Andrew Hammond





While much on the agenda in Brussels for the end-of-week summit of Europe's 27 prime ministers and presidents is familiar, there is a historic power shift underway in the club of continental leaders that could bring about significant changes in 2022.



For the summit on Thursday and Friday is likely the last one for now-caretaker German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Moreover, her close collaborator, French President Emmanuel Macron, is about to face an intense election campaign which could yet see him lose power in the spring.



While the Franco-German alliance has long been the motor of European integration, cooperation between the two powers ebbs and flows depending upon the office holders in Berlin and Paris. Merkel and Macron have not seen eye-to-eye on every issue, yet over the last half decade they have been a formidable duo plotting the future of the EU.



Key achievements include persuading squabbling fellow members last year to agree to give the bloc, for the first time in its history, debt-raising powers to finance a 750 billion euro post-coronavirus recovery plan. The pair were also key too to getting the post-Brexit U.K.-EU trade deal over the line last December too.



Despite the striking differences between them, both are extraordinary politicians with an eye on their legacies. Since his remarkable rise to power, Macron for instance has emerged as one the most authoritative defenders of the liberal international order. His victory in 2017 against far-right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen was striking as he held the political center ground and defied the march of populism, post-Brexit and Trump.



Macron potentially aside, Merkel has long been the most important political leader in continental Europe having been in office since 2005. Now into overtime at the end of her fourth term, in terms of length of tenure she sits behind only Otto von Bismarck, who served for almost two decades from 1871 to 1890, during a period in which he was a dominant force in European affairs having helped previously drive unification of Germany.



Both Merkel and Macron believe that Europe is now, a century and a half after Bismarck's time, in another critical period in its history. Despite progress made, key challenges remain, including a growing backlash to Brussels across the continent, including in Poland.



In this context, there still remain a multitude of views on the future of the Brussels-based club. And this week's summit will be another key opportunity to shape this debate. Scenarios range from the EU retreating, post-Brexit, to no more than the current economic single market which seeks to guarantee freedom of movement of goods, capital, services and people.



At the other end of the spectrum, however, is a quite different future where the remaining 27 member states decide to do much more together, reigniting European integration which is favored by Macron if he can win a second term.



Of the wide-ranging scenarios, probably the most likely to be realized is a broad continuation of the status quo. This would see the EU muddling through from where it is today and seeking to deliver on the Bratislava Declaration agreed just weeks after the Brexit referendum, including better tackling migration and border security, plus beefing up external security and defense.



However, further setbacks  which are likely in the next few years  could instead see a retreat. This could see the current scale of EU functions rolled back with attention and limited resources focused instead more on a smaller number of policy areas, including the single Market. One of the potential triggers for this could be further tension between Brussels and key Eastern European states, especially Poland and Hungary.



Only last week, Poland's Constitutional Tribunal ruled that key articles of one of the EU's primary treaties were incompatible with Polish law, in effect rejecting the principle that EU law has primacy over national legislation in certain judicial areas, and France and Germany perceive a "Polexit" may now be a real risk.



Yet, if Macron were to win big next year and form a strong relationship with Merkel's successor, it remains possible that the EU could follow a different pathway of deepening cooperation with states sharing more power and resources, with decisions agreed faster and enforced much more quickly. A re-elected Macron would, for instance, push hard for the creation of a European Defence Union which has assumed new importance for him since the announcement last month of the U.S.-U.K.-Australia security deal.



While the direction of the EU is still so uncertain, what is clear is that the new leaders in Berlin and possibly Paris too will have a huge bearing on events. The next few months could therefore have an outsized impact in defining the economic and political character of the bloc not just well into the 2020s, but potentially well beyond.





Andrew Hammond (andrewkorea@outlook.com) is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.


A Tesla logo is seen at a store in Denver, Colorado. AP-Yonhap



Greater demand for LFP batteries to present opportunities



By Kim Bo-eun



Tesla's recently unveiled plan to power its standard-range electric vehicles (EV) with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode batteries is set to benefit Korean battery makers by opening new opportunities in the market, with other major automakers expected to follow suit.



LFP chemistry batteries, produced by Chinese manufacturers such as CATL and BYD who have the upper hand, currently account for a little more than 10 percent of the market for EV batteries.



Research and consultancy group Wood Mackenzie forecast the LFT-type battery could account for up to 30 percent of the entire battery market. However, there are contrasting views in the industry _ that high-nickel batteries will take up the lion's share of the market in the coming years.



The LFP chemistry is able to keep battery prices low, as costs of the material are cheaper than that of nickel, cobalt and manganese (NCM) or nickel, cobalt and aluminum (NCA) batteries. LFP batteries are around 20 percent cheaper than the other high power cells. Plus, LFP batteries are stretchable and considered to be quite stable compared to NCM-based batteries in terms of potential fire risks.



Their largest challenging factor, however, is a shorter travel distance, which means they need to be recharged more often.



Tesla aims to maintain its leadership in the rapidly-growing EV market and it appears to make sense for the iconic U.S. EV maker to diversify its vehicle lineup from premium to budget models based on the type of batteries. With Tesla announcing greater use of the battery in its models, other carmakers may follow suit, launching more short-range models, which would solidify the battery segment and expand the market.



Ford and Volkswagen have expressed interest, according to analysts. Reports said Apple also reached out to CATL and BYD to purchase LFP batteries for the first-generation of its EV, tentatively named "iCar."



Local battery makers' plans



Korean battery makers LG Energy Solution (LGES), Samsung SDI and SK On are showing mixed responses to the EV market leader's plan.



Some view that Tesla's entry into the LFP-based EV segment would provide an opportunity by widening their client base; therefore, helping it increase revenue. None of the three battery makers are currently producing LFP batteries because of thinner margins and low technology barriers and they have focused instead on high-nickel batteries.



LGES admitted that it was currently developing LFP batteries to be mass produced for energy storage systems (ESS), but implied that it is developing a different low-cost battery. An ESS is a device converting electrical energy from power systems into a form that can be stored to be converted back to electrical energy when needed.



LFP batteries are increasingly being incorporated into ESS, given these devices are mainly installed in areas such as deserts, where battery size is less a matter of concern. ESS makers are therefore opting for the cheaper LFP battery.



"For EVs, we are also developing a low-cost cathode material that is cobalt free, which are able to overcome limitations such as the relatively larger amount of electricity to travel the same distance," an LGES executive told investors in a conference call on the company's third-quarter earnings.



LG and Samsung previously produced batteries with LFP materials.



SK On CEO Ji Dong-seop recently said it was also reviewing the possibility of producing LFP-type batteries. SK's newly-launched battery affiliate will update its plan regarding the LFP battery during an earnings call to be held Friday.



"If SK could be able to produce LFP batteries, it would be as a means to expand its portfolio to better respond to market circumstances," an industry official said. "There are market opportunities because demand is set to grow but supply is insufficient. Producing LFP batteries will also make it possible to hedge the risks of soaring battery material costs and safety issues."



High-nickel batteries are known to be more prone to fires, but this remains contested  although Korea's top battery makers have seen damage from fires that erupted in vehicles using their batteries. Local battery makers are expected to be capable of producing LFP batteries due to the relatively low technological barrier.



Samsung SDI, meanwhile, said it is "not considering production of LFP batteries."



The company has been maintaining a "wait-and-see approach" and intends to enter the market only when there will be sufficient demand for the battery type.



"The issue for vehicles with LFP batteries will also be power, which is why Chinese companies are experimenting, such as by getting rid of the battery module to fit in more batteries," another industry official said. "But this can give rise to risks as covers that protect against heat are removed."



Korean battery makers have also been seeking to lower costs by reducing the portion of cobalt and increasing the portion of nickel. Cobalt is the most expensive material among nickel, cobalt, manganese and aluminum.



Even if local battery makers begin producing the battery, this will account for only a portion of their battery production, industry sources said.



"We don't expect a transition toward LFP batteries to occur," an official said.








By Kim Jae-heun







S-OIL will join hands with Korea Enterprise Data (KED) to support its business partners in adopting ESG (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance) management principles.







The two parties met at S-OIL's headquarters in Mapo District, Seoul to sign the contract on Wednesday.







S-OIL will invent an evaluation model specialized in ESG principles and use it to educate its 130 partner companies. The refiner will use the model to help the companies enhance their risk-management capabilities.







S-OIL has embraced ESG management practices as an eco-friendly chemical firm by establishing an in-house committee and a "Green Vision" project in order to realize carbon neutrality.







In addition, S-OIL said that it aims to prevent environmental accidents while ensuring ethical management.







"The agreement is part of our ESG management activities, upon which we will build a long-term mutual growth relationship with our partner companies," an S-OIL official said.







Meanwhile, S-OIL has received the "2021 Brand Award of the Year," presented by the Korea Advertising Society.







S-OIL has been increasing its brand value by conducting social campaigns and brand marketing.







The refiner changed its corporate logo, which is displayed at its gas stations, to emphasize nature, recyclable materials and eco-friendliness.







It is also conducting credit card marketing promotions based on its members at its 2,500 gas stations and LPG charging stations across the country.


This Oct. 14 picture shows children Faristeh, right, and Shokriya, second from right, who were recently sold to the families of their future husbands, sitting with their parents inside a tent at the Shamal Darya Internally Displaced People camp in Qala-i-Naw, Badghis Province, Afghanistan. AFP-Yonhap



Fahima has wept many times since her husband sold their two young daughters into marriage to survive the drought gripping western Afghanistan.



Oblivious to the deal, six-year-old Faristeh and 18-month-old Shokriya sit by her side in a mud-brick and tarpaulin shelter for displaced people.



"My husband said if we don't give away our daughters, we will all die because we don't have anything to eat," Fahima said of the choice now facing thousands of Afghan families.



"I feel bad giving away my daughters for money."



The oldest commanded a bride price of $3,350 and the toddler $2,800  to be paid in instalments over several years until the time comes to join their new families, their future husbands still minors themselves.



Child marriage has been practiced in Afghanistan for centuries, but war and climate change-related poverty have driven many families to resort to striking deals earlier and earlier in girls' lives.



Boys' parents can drive a harder bargain and secure younger girls, spacing out the repayments.



The World Food Program warned Monday that more than half the population of Afghanistan, around 22.8 million people, will face acute food insecurity from November.



In Qala-i-Naw, capital of the western province of Badghis  one of the regions worst affected by the drought  there is shame and grief.



Village and displaced people's camp leaders say the numbers of young girls getting betrothed started to rise during a 2018 famine and surged this year when the rains failed once more.



Among farmers driven from their homes, AFP journalists quickly found more than a dozen families who felt forced to sell their daughters into marriage.





This Oct. 14 picture shows Sabehreh, right, with her daughter Zakereh, who is betrothed to the grocer's four-year-old son to cover the family's debt, sitting at the Zaimat Internally Displaced People camp in Qala-i-Naw, Badghis Province, Afghanistan. AFP-Yonhap



Grocery debt



Fahima's 25-year-old neighbor in the camp, Sabehreh, ran up a bill at a grocer's shop to feed her family. The business owner warned that they would be jailed if they could not repay him.



To cover the debt, the family agreed that their three-year-old daughter, Zakereh, would be betrothed to the grocer's four-year-old son, Zabiuallah.



The infants are ignorant of their future fate, the shopkeeper having elected to wait until the pair are older before taking charge of the girl's upkeep.



"I'm not happy to have done that, but we had nothing to eat or drink," Sabehreh told AFP.



"If this continues, we'll have to give up our three-month-old," she said, sitting by the iron cradle holding the sleeping infant, as the first chills of winter penetrated the bleak camp.



Another neighbour, Gul Bibi, confirmed that many families in the camp had resorted to child marriage.



Her own daughter Asho, aged eight or nine, is betrothed to a 23-year-old man to whose family Gul Bibi was indebted. The young man is away in nearby Iran, and she dreads the day of his return.

"We know it's not right, but we don't have the choice," commented Hayatullah, a passer-by who overheard the mother's sad tale.





This Oct. 17 picture shows Habibeh, a girl who lives with her mother but should have gone to join her future spouse's family a month ago, carrying a container filled with water near tents at the Zaimat Internally Displaced People camp in Qala-i-Naw, Badghis Province, Afghanistan. AFP-Yonhap



'Never seen them since'



In another Qala-i-Naw camp, Mohammad Assan wiped back his tears as he showed AFP photos of his girls, Siana, nine, and Edi Gul, six, now living far away with their young grooms.



"We've never seen them since," he said. "We didn't want to do that, but we had to feed our other children."



Like many others, Assan and his family sought shelter in the temporary camp during the fierce fighting in recent years as the now victorious Taliban clawed back control of the country from the US-backed government.



"My daughters are surely better off over there, with food to eat," he reasoned, trying to console himself as he showed AFP the crusts of bread his neighbors spared for him.



Assan's wife is sick and he has medical bills to pay, so he has already begun looking for a suitor for his remaining four-year-old daughter.



"Some days I go crazy," his wife Dad Gul said, "I leave the tent and I don't really know where I'm going."



The mothers' grief is long and open-ended: the hard decision to bargain away a child, the months or years waiting for her departure, then the pain of separation.



Rabia, a 43-year-old widow, has done everything to push back the fateful day.



Her daughter, Habibeh, has turned 12 and should have gone to join her future spouse's family a month ago, but she begged them for another year together.



"I want to stay with my mother," whispered the skinny child.



Rabia would refund the 550 dollars she received for Habibeh's hand if she could afford to feed the rest of her family.





This Oct. 15 picture shows a child standing on a dry land in Bala Murghab district of Badghis Province, Afghanistan. AFP-Yonhap
The company logo is seen on the headquarters of China Evergrande Group in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, Sept. 26. Reuters-Yonhap



Chinese authorities have told Evergrande founder Xu Jiayin, once the country's richest man, to use his personal wealth to alleviate the embattled company's debt crisis, according to media reports.



The liquidity crunch at one of China's biggest property developers has hammered investor sentiment and rattled the country's crucial real estate market, while fanning fears of a possible contagion of the wider economy.



Last week, the group unexpectedly paid interest on an offshore bond just before a Saturday deadline, averting a default and giving it a much-needed reprieve.



Evergrande also reported that it had resumed work on more than 10 stalled projects.



But Bloomberg News reported Tuesday that Beijing has pushed Xu  also known as Hui Ka Yan in Cantonese  to dip into his own pocket to help pay off some of the company's debts, citing people familiar with the matter.



The report said the directive from Beijing came after his company missed an initial bond interest payment due on September 23.



However, it is unlikely that Xu's personal sacrifice would make much of an impact on Evergrande's liabilities of more than $300 billion, with Bloomberg reporting his fortune at less than $8 billion.





This photo shows Evergrande's president Xu Jiayin, also known as Hui Ka Yan in Cantonese, attending a meeting in Wuhan, China's central Hubei province, June, 2017. AFP-Yonhap
Veterans take part in a flag-raising ceremony at a former military post on Kinmen, Taiwan, Oct. 15. Sitting on the front line between Taiwan and China, Kinmen is the last place where the two engaged in major fighting, in 1958 at the height of the Cold War, and where memories of war are burned into minds decades later. Reuters-Yonhap



The United States and China are stepping up their war of words over Taiwan in a long-simmering dispute that has significant implications for the power dynamic in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.



Amid a surge in Chinese military activity near the island that China regards as a renegade province and has vowed to reclaim by force if necessary, Washington and Beijing have launched new campaigns for global support for their respective positions, each using the stern and lofty language of sovereignty and international precedent. And neither is backing down.



While the disagreement over Taiwan isn't new and has long vexed relations between the countries, recent developments suggest the two are coming closer to confrontation. Last week, President Joe Biden set off alarm bells in Beijing by saying the U.S. has a firm commitment to help Taiwan defend itself in the event of a Chinese attack.



China protested and the Biden administration sought to play down the comments. White House, State Department and Pentagon officials all said the president did not mean to imply any changes in the U.S. ''one-China policy,'' which recognizes Beijing but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei.



The officials took pains to say that America's commitment to Taiwan remains steadfast but continues to be guided by a policy of ''strategic ambiguity'' over military-related specifics that falls short of a treaty-enshrined mutual defense pact. Since then, however, the administration has upped the ante on the diplomatic front.





In this Sept. 14 file photo, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken listens during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. AP-Yonhap



Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday publicly urged other members of the United Nations to reject China's assertion of absolute sovereignty over Taiwan and join the U.S. in supporting Taipei's independent participation in international organizations related to transportation, health, climate change, culture and education.



''As the international community faces an unprecedented number of complex and global issues, it is critical for all stakeholders to help address these problems,'' Blinken said in a statement. ''This includes the 24 million people who live in Taiwan. Taiwan's meaningful participation in the UN system is not a political issue, but a pragmatic one.''



He noted that Taiwan has been prevented from participating in meetings of the International Civil Aviation Organization despite being a major transit hub and the World Health Organization despite having fielded an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.



''Taiwan's exclusion undermines the important work of the UN and its related bodies, all of which stand to benefit greatly from its contributions,'' Blinken said. ''That is why we encourage all UN Member States to join us in supporting Taiwan's robust, meaningful participation throughout the UN system and in the international community.''



State Department spokesman Ned Price declined to elaborate on what the administration would define as ''meaningful participation.''



Blinken's statement came just five days after Biden's remarks about Taiwan's defense and only two days after the State Department announced that senior U.S. and Taiwanese officials met virtually to discuss expanding Taiwan's participation in UN and other international groupings.



In that Oct. 22 meeting, administration officials ''reiterated the U.S. commitment to Taiwan's meaningful participation at the World Health Organization and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and discussed ways to highlight Taiwan's ability to contribute to efforts on a wide range of issues,'' the State Department said.





Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin / Reuters-Yonhap
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, third from left, and his South Korean counterpart Chung Eui-yong, second from right, meet for talks at the reception house of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Spiridonovka Street. TASS-Yonhap



South Korea and Russia agreed Wednesday to closely cooperate for an early resumption of stalled peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula, Seoul's top diplomat said, stressing the two countries concurred on the urgency of the North Korean nuclear issue.



Chung Eui-yong made the remarks after talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Moscow, as Seoul has been stepping up diplomacy to revive its drive to resume dialogue with North Korea and lay the groundwork for lasting peace on the divided peninsula.



"The two countries shared the view on the urgency of the North Korean nuclear issue and agreed to closely communicate and cooperate at each level for an early resumption of the Korean Peninsula peace process," he told a joint press conference.



"Sharing the understanding that the stable management of the situation on the Korean Peninsula is more important than anything, the countries exchanged opinions on various ways to cooperate for a swift resumption of dialogue with North Korea," he added.



Lavrov stressed the importance of a "diplomatic solution" to issues concerning the Korean Peninsula.



"We believe that a diplomatic solution should be possible and talks should be resumed by all parties concerned," he said during the press conference livestreamed on YouTube by Ruptly, a Russian media outlet. His speech in Russian was interpreted into English.



"We should understand that the search for a long-term comprehensive solution should cover the whole range of issues of the Korean Peninsula, and we need to ensure no factors intervene (to) increase tensions," he added.



During the press availability, Chung expressed appreciation for Moscow's continued support for better inter-Korean relations and called for its "constructive" role in the peace efforts.



South Korea has intensified diplomacy with the United States, Japan and China in the wake of a series of recent North Korean missile launches, which Seoul stressed underscore the pressing need for the resumption of dialogue with Pyongyang.



To encourage the North's return to dialogue, the South has been pushing for the political declaration of a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War, pitching it as an effective confidence-building measure with the North.



Seoul has also been discussing with Washington a wide range of potential incentives for dialogue, such as humanitarian support to Pyongyang in areas of anti-virus quarantine, sanitation and safe water.



Russia is one of five permanent veto powers at the United Nations Security Council, which has imposed multiple sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear and missile tests.



Later in the day, the ministers will attend a ceremony to wrap up events for the commemoration of the anniversary.



The two sides established formal diplomatic ties in 1990, and they have extended the celebration of the anniversary into this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.



On Thursday, Chung will depart for Rome to attend a Group of 20 Leaders Summit to be held on Saturday and Sunday, his office said. (Yonhap)




Sudanese protesters chant slogans next to burning tires during a demonstration in the capital Khartoum, Sudan, Oct. 26. EPA-Yonhap



Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was brought home late Tuesday, his office said, after a day of intense international pressure following his removal in a military coup.



Hamdok was "under close surveillance" while other ministers and civilian leaders remained under arrest, his office added, after the army dissolved Sudan's institutions on Monday.



Earlier in the day, the United States had said it would suspend aid over the coup and the EU had threatened to do the same.



Meanwhile UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres demanded Hamdok "be released immediately" ahead of an emergency Security Council meeting that began at 2000 GMT.



The talks among the top UN powers could produce a joint text condemning the putsch later Tuesday or on Wednesday, a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity said.



Before the meeting, Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia's deputy ambassador to the UN, said the council "should appeal to stop the violence from all sides."



The coup comes just over two years into a delicate power-sharing arrangement between the military and civilians after the army's ousting during enormous street protests in April 2019 of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.



Top General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan had earlier vouched for Hamdok's "good health", while a military source who requested anonymity said Hamdok had been escorted home, with "security measures" erected "around the perimeter".



Angry citizens stood their ground on barricaded streets where tires burned, chanting "No to military rule", the day after four people were shot dead by security forces, according to a doctors' group.



And violence against protesters mounted.



"Frenzied putschist forces are attacking protest gatherings in separate parts nationwide," said the Sudanese Professionals Association, an umbrella of unions which were instrumental in the late 2018-2019 anti-Bashir protests.



It said the "vengeful" attacks followed Hamdok's release.



Witnesses in the east Khartoum district of Burri said security forces fired tear gas at protesters blocking a main road in opposition to the coup.





Sudan's top army general, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, speaks during a press conference at the General Command of the Armed Forces in Khartoum, Oct. 26. AFP-Yonhap



Money on the line



Internationally, Burhan's declaration of a state of emergency and dissolution of government provoked an immediate backlash.



Washington, a key backer of the transition, strongly condemned the military's actions and suspended hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, before the European Union late Tuesday threatened "serious consequences" for Sudan's rulers, including suspension of financial support.



Sudan risks "going back into a period of being shunned by the rest of the world" and losing badly needed financial aid, said Alex de Waal, a veteran expert on Sudan who is executive director of the World Peace Foundation.



Hamdok's government earlier this year unlocked international financial assistance, after it was frozen for years under Bashir.



On Tuesday the country was already physically cut off. The aviation authority said all flights have been suspended until October 30.



Sudan's ambassadors to Belgium, France and Switzerland on Tuesday made clear their allegiance to the civilian leaders, declaring their diplomatic missions as "embassies of the Sudanese people and their revolution", according to the Information Ministry.



Shops around the capital were shuttered following calls for a campaign of civil disobedience.



"We will only leave when the civilian government is restored," said 32-year-old demonstrator Hisham al-Amin.



It was the latest coup in one of the world's most underdeveloped countries, which has experienced only rare democratic interludes since independence in 1956.



Analysts said the generals are trying to maintain their historic control.



US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Hamdok Tuesday, the State Department said, welcoming the prime minister's release from custody but expressing "deep concern" about the takeover and reiterating US support for a civilian-led democracy.



Blinken called for the military to release all civilian leaders and to use restraint in dealing with protesters, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.



A troika of countries previously involved in mediating Sudanese conflicts  the US, UK and Norway  said "the actions of the military represent a betrayal of the revolution".



The African Union and Arab League also expressed concern.





Sudanese security forces are deployed amid protests, a day after the military seized power, Khartoum, Sudan, Oct. 26. AP-Yonhap
DTLAIt may turn out to be nothing, just remarks by a politician in a city replete with remarks by politicians. Then again, Councilman Joe Buscainos brief broadside directed at Los Angeles second-highest elected official may go down as a first, very early strike in what will ultimately be 
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Apple Legal Internship - Summer 2022 Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino) , California , United States Corporate Functions Summary

Posted: Oct 25, 2021 Weekly Hours: 40 Role Number: 200305292 Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming great products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Do you love taking on big challenges without precedent? Do you possess a deep knowledge of the legal field and a passion for innovation? As a part of our Legal group, you'll help uphold Apple's high ethical and corporate standards, as well as defend our intellectual property by providing legal support for all our products and businesses globally. Working for a company that invents entire categories and industries means you'll be challenged to creatively apply your deep legal expertise to rare and often unexplored aspects of the law. Key Qualifications Apple has legal internship opportunities in the following teams:

Products Law

Employment Law

Intellectual Property & Licensing

Privacy & Law Enforcement Compliance

Litigation

Corporate Law

Real Estate & Development Description Some responsibilities may include: Working with attorneys and paralegals, as well as our outside advisers around the world, on domestic and international legal matters covering corporate law, governance, shareholder engagement, international expansion, financing, SEC compliance, compensation and benefits, risk management, banking, credit, and insolvency Working with Apple business groups to understand and find efficient, practical solutions to their legal requirements Preparing legal memoranda and presentations on groundbreaking IP issues Collaborating with Apple's team of in-house attorneys, outside counsel, business and engineering groups Working with the attorneys on a variety of issues, including procurement, joint development agreements, Licensing and regulatory clearance Assisting with ad-hoc projects by researching legal issues and regulatory developments and preparing summaries of research Education & Experience First year law student at an ABA accredited institution




UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON COURTROOM DEPUTY CLERK ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: 22-WAW-07 ANNOUNCEMENT DATE: October 26, 2021 CLOSING DATE: Open until filled; preference given to resumes received by November 7, 2021 The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington is seeking a qualified Courtroom Deputy for incoming U.S. District Judge Tana Lin. This position is located at the federal courthouse in Seattle, Washington. This position is part of the District Court Clerks Office and works as a part of a self-directed team. REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES  Responsible for calendaring and regulating case movement, monitoring filing of pertinent documents and timeliness of responses to judicial orders; setting dates and times for hearing, trials, and conferences; setting and tracking deadlines; examining documents filed in an action assigned to the judge to determine whether they conform to the rules of practice.

 Attends court proceedings. Assists with the orderly flow of proceedings that includes, but is not limited to, setting up the courtroom, assuring presence of all necessary participants, managing exhibits, assisting with jury selection, calling court to order, administering oaths, swearing in witnesses, arranging for interpreters, hosting and directing virtual hearings, trials and meetings using platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, operating courtroom technology, and conducting telephone conference calls.

 Takes notes of proceedings and rulings and prepares minute entries; prepares and distributes documents such as calendars; prepares and enters judgments; maintains case management statistics; assists other courtroom deputies when needed.

 Keeps judge and chambers staff informed of case progress. Answers procedural questions and acts as a source of information to attorneys and pro se litigants.

 Acts as a liaison between the judge and other Clerks Office staff, Probation and Pretrial Services, the bar, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Attorneys Office, the Federal Public Defenders Office, other government agencies, and pro se litigants to ensure that cases proceed smoothly and efficiently.

 Performs other duties as assigned. QUALIFICATIONS  One to two years of specialized, progressively responsible administrative, legal, or clerical experience, preferably in a law firm, legal counsels office, or court environment. Experience should be in performing duties closely related to the work of this position, demonstrating the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities.

 High school diploma or equivalent. The successful candidate must also possess:  Excellent and professional written and verbal communication skills.

 Experience with technology such as electronic calendars, courtroom technology, and virtual meeting platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

 High-level interpersonal, customer service, prioritization, and organizational skills.

 The ability to work effectively as a part of a team, assisting co-workers and demonstrating a willingness to complete a wide variety of tasks as needed.

 The ability to multitask under strict deadlines and consistently demonstrate sound judgment.

 High ethical standards.

 Attention to detail. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS  Knowledge of federal rules and procedures.

 Docketing experience.

 Prior court experience.

 Experience with CM/ECF, (the Judiciarys automated case management system).

 A college degree or paralegal certificate. SALARY Court Personnel System Classification Level:

CL26, Step 1  61, $51,565 - $83,803

CL27, Step 1  61, $56,646 - $92,084

Depending on experience and qualifications; additional promotional potential without further recruitment. BENEFITS The District Court offers a generous benefit package, competitive salary, and a dedication to work/life balance including flexible schedules, ORCA transit passes, 24-hour on-site fitness center, and telework opportunities. Judiciary employees participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System, Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401K), health and life insurance benefits, long term care options, annual sick leave accrual, and eleven paid holidays per year. Judiciary employees are not covered by the Executive Branch civil service classification system or regulations. For additional information on employment with the federal courts, please visit www.uscourts.gov INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS Qualified applicants should submit the following:  Cover Letter

 Resume

 AO78 Form (Application for Employment) Attachments should be submitted as Microsoft Word (DOC) or Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files. Other formats are not acceptable. Applications will be considered complete when all required attachments, in the appropriate format, are received by Human Resources. Applications and/or attachments received after the closing date may not be considered. Application materials can be submitted via e-mail to: seattle_personnel@wawd.uscourts.gov Or to: Human Resources (#22-WAW-07)

U. S. District Court

700 Stewart Street, Suite 2218

Seattle, WA 98101 Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States. Employees of the United States District Court are considered at will employees. Applicants selected for interviews must travel (for in-person interviews) or connect via Zoom (for remote interviews) at their own expense. The United States District Court requires employees to follow a code of conduct which is available upon request. Reference checks with current and former employers will be conducted on top candidates. A background investigation with law enforcement agencies, including fingerprint and criminal record checks, will be conducted as a condition of employment. Any applicant selected for a position will be hired provisionally pending successful completion of the investigation. Unsatisfactory results may result in termination of employment. The Federal Financial Management Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages. The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and seek a diverse pool of applicants in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, languages spoken, veterans status, disability, religion, and socio-economic circumstance. The Court provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please notify Human Resources. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis. The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the announcement, or to fill the position sooner than the closing date, any of which may occur without prior written or other notice. If a position becomes vacant in a similar classification, within a reasonable time from the original announcement, management may elect to select a candidate from the applicants who responded to the original announcement without posting the position. More than one position may be filled from this announcement. The United States District Court is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in the workplace.

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Concept, detail, checkout and maintain electrical schematics and software designs for Freund-Vector's product lines. Provide electrical and software design support, as required, for all functions within the company. Travel as necessary to complete startup and/or warranty projects that support the sale of Freund-Vector's product lines. MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES: Essential Tasks: Concept, detail, and update electrical schematics and software designs as required for sold orders and/or R&D projects. Ensure that all drawings and bills of material are complete and accurate before release to Manufacturing. Provide direction and work instructions to Controls Drafter(s). Execute ECO's and determine status of scrap or rework. Communicate with Project Management, the Controls Group Manager, and other design disciplines as required to complete assigned tasks for sold order projects. Communicate with Purchasing Department and their vendors as designed parts are being manufactured towards the lowest possible cost. Communicate and provide work direction to assembly personnel as necessary to efficiently complete assembly and interconnect of the equipment. Support Service Department, as required, to resolve problems with equipment in the field Participate in factory acceptance testing and startup activities associated with sold orders. Travel, up to 20%, will be required to perform this task. Develop and write detailed design specifications that will be used as a roadmap to develop the software required for Freund-Vectors products. Develop programming skills to program system PLCs and Human Machine Interfaces for Freund-Vectors products. Discretionary Tasks: Assist in preparation of equipment and system descriptions to be used in the quote process. Interface with the Sales, Purchasing, Assembly, and Service departments and the customer as needed. Verify equipment manuals and spare parts list for accuracy and completeness. Coordinate electrical design activities with Mechanical and Project engineering personnel as necessary. Assist in the pre-sale of Freund-Vector products that could include travel to a customer site. QUALIFICATIONS: A. Education - High School graduate and 4-year B.S. degree in Engineering (Electrical/Computer desired) OR a 2-year Associates Degree in electronic or computer technology field with at least 3 years direct work experience in programming and using PLC's for process type applications plus satisfactory performance reviews and project execution will be considered in lieu of the 4-year Electrical Engineering degree requirement. B. Experience - 1-3 years programming experience using Visual Basic/ Visual Studio and/or other programming languages such as C# is preferred. Familiarity with the principles of designing control panels for industrial automation is preferred. C. Special Abilities - Must have excellent ability to conceptualize abstract ideas; May be called upon to communicate with customers on technical issues. D. Physical Requirements - Must be able to travel 20%; Agility and flexibility may be required during in-plant debugging activity; Must be able to climb and descend stairs several times daily. E. Mental Requirements - Good organizational skills; Ability to handle stress produced by time pressure, customer demands, etc.; Must be detail oriented. This job description is not intended to limit the responsibilities of an employee assigned to this position to those duties listed above. The employee is expected to follow any other instructions and perform any other duties requested by the immediate supervisor or company management. The level of involvement may vary based on Company need and individual capabilities. Click apply now to email your resume today!

Benefits:

Freund-Vector Corporation offers a full range of benefits including: Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Optional Insurance

Company paid STD, LTD, Basic Life and AD&D Insurance

401k Plan

Tuition Reimbursement

Paid Time Off

Summer Hours

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United States District Court District of Delaware Vacancy Announcement 21-11 Position Title: PC Systems Administrator Duty Station: Wilmington, Delaware Salary: CL 25 $46,467- $75,507 CL 26 $51,167- $83,156 *Starting salary for this position will be based upon experience and education in accordance with the Court Personnel System for the U.S. Courts. Advancement on the pay scale is contingent upon satisfactory performance. Opening Date: October 27, 2021 Closing Date: Open until filled Position Overview The PC Systems Administrator performs work related to workstation and server administration, end-user support, system and application maintenance and troubleshooting, and computer security. The incumbent is responsible for recommending, planning, and installing new systems, products and applications. Representative Duties Recommend, install, configure and provide technical support for complex administrative and operations specific national applications, including developing new features. Maintain version applicability and local functionality of user applications, such as: MS Windows, MS Office and MS Outlook. Provide technical support and oversee maintenance of telephone systems, courtroom technology, and audio/visual systems, as required.

Determine and recommend computer software or hardware required to install new systems or applications, or alter existing systems/applications. Diagnose hardware and custom off-the-shelf software problems, and replace defective components or design software fixes.

Analyze, isolate, and solve complex system problems utilizing technical resources. Diagnose and remedy computing system failures, both hardware and software. Strong knowledge of network printing, scanning, minor printer repair, configuration, and superior knowledge in print finishing options for users.

Assist with administering computer networks and related computing environments, including computer hardware, systems software, and all configurations. Determine hardware and/or software requirements and recommend changes to improve systems and configurations.

Determine upgrade schedules and software standards for personal computers and other systems. Develop upgrade procedures and plan for future growth. Proficiency in building, analyzing and presenting reports on the current state of the desktop environment.

Maintain, install, and update desktop computers, including new product evaluation and software compatibility analysis. Maintain automated management systems for imaging, software updates, and patch management.

Assist in maintaining computer security resources on all workstations, including anti-virus and firewall systems. Assist with server security systems, as required.

Maintain computer and printer inventory and software licenses.

Assist with network systems, including file server and user account administration, backup management, disaster recovery and connectivity problem solving. Perform system start-up and shut-down procedures.

Prepare written instructions for users and IT staff which are clear and effective. Train users to work with computer systems and programs. Prepare reports and memoranda regarding complex automation issues with a focus on the reader. Qualifications Candidate must show experience that demonstrates the ability to: 1) understand the theories, principles, practices and usage of IT hardware and software; 2) perform hardware and software maintenance and troubleshooting; 3) effectively communicate with others both verbally and in writing; 4) show attention to detail, organized skills, and the ability to manage multiple tasks; and, 5) a team attitude and a willingness to adapt to a changing work environment. Preferred Qualifications Workstation imaging experience a plus

Prefer experience with systems management tools such as KACE, PDQ, Deployment Image Servicing and Management, Microsoft Deployment Technology, Systems Center Configuration Manager

Prefer experience with security management tools such as Endpoint Privilege Management, Desktop Authority, Apex One Trend Micro, Group Policies and Mobile Device Management

Associate degree or above in related field (Information Technology, Computer Science) or technical certification in a related area: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) or above; current VMware Certified Associate (VCA) or above

Experience with Microsoft Operating Systems in a support role

Experience with printing and print server utilities

Desktop support, customer support and/or helpdesk experience

Hands on experience with end-user support processes for workstations, servers and mobile devices

Knowledge of Microsoft Office productivity applications

Some experience with VMware, HP, Dell, Exagrid, APC, Sharepoint, Office 365, OneDrive, Outlook, Cisco Unified Communications, Skype for Business is a plus

Some support experience with iOS device

Some familiarity with active directory and group policies Education and Experience Applicants for this position should possess at least one year of specialized experience. CL 25 One year of specialized experience CL 26 One year of specialized experience Benefits The United States District Court for the District of Delaware offers a generous benefits package which includes the following: Paid annual and sick leave

Eleven paid federal holidays

Participation in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB)

Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP)

Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI)

Flexible Benefits Program

Employee Assistance Programs

Long Term Care Insurance through the Federal Judiciary or OPM

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) - up to 5% match

Student Loan Forgiveness Program for Public Service Employees

On-site fitness facility

Transit Subsidy Program (contingent upon availability of funds) NOTE: Some benefits require a waiting period. Information for Applicants The required application documents include the following: resume, cover letter, references and an AO-78 Federal Judicial Branch Application for Employment. To apply for the position, please visit the Courts website at: https://opportunities.ilnb.uscourts.gov/Employment/appform.cfm?ref=daye8adr&pos=21-11 . Applicants will receive an email confirmation upon receipt. Incomplete applications, paper applications or faxed applications will not be considered. The U.S. District Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the job announcement, or to fill the position(s) sooner than the closing date, if a closing date is shown, any of which action may occur without prior written notice. This job announcement may involve filing more than one position described therein. This position is a mandatory EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) participation for payment of net pay. The U.S. District Court requires employees to adhere to the Judicial Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees which is available on www.uscourts.gov. The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Verification of employment eligibility according to the Immigration Control and Reform Act of 1986 will be required of all new employees of the U.S. District Court. The PC Systems Administrator is a high sensitive position. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must successfully complete a ten year background investigation with periodic updates every five years thereafter. Employees working for the District Court for the District of Delaware are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Employees will be required to complete a Vaccination Attestation form. If you have questions regarding this announcement, please contact Beth Mason at (302)573-6170

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Are you a high performing leader looking for an opportunity to ensure the successful day to day operations of a manufacturing department? Are you skilled in process improvement, high performing team building, and data driven? If you answered YES to all of these questions, we want to talk to YOU!

Sodexo is seeking an experienced Operations Support Manager for a Manufacuring Facility in Framingham, Massachusetts. This position has oversight to a fast-paced manufacturing facility with 24/7 operations. This candidate will support a team of Operations Managers, and must have the ability to appy their facilities expertise to successfully manage key performance indicators to drive strong business results.

Key Responsibilities:

Full integrated facilities management responsibilities

Promotes good working relationships with management team, frontline team members, and vendors

Active participant who is self-motivated, demonstrates a positive & professional demeanor at all times

Excellent planning/organizing skills, ability to communicate at all levels of the organization

Excellent working knowledge of processes in production, quality, and familiar with FDA requirements

Attention to detail

Can demonstrate large operational improvements in production processes, equipment, operating procedures, and working conditions in order to successfully achieve positive results

Inspire others to follow the company's guiding principles of safety, reliability, integrity, innovation, and service improvements

Establish and enforce the use of standardized operating processes and procedures to ensure consistent quality while minimizing cost

Able to analyze and address production issues involving manpower, product, and equipment

Partner with management and the Human Resources to manage employee relations activities in a positive professional manner including:

Ensure proper training and development of all personnel Following company policies/procedures Providing detailed performance feedback Administering disciplinary actions consistently when needed

Maintain confidentiality and work in a professional manner when communicating expectations, handling conflict, and addressing issues

Our ideal candidate will have:

A background in computerized management systems, specifically Maximo, or Infor

Proficient computer skills including MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Outlook, and SAP

5 + years' management experience in hands-on operational roles within an industrial or manufacturing environment

Proven safety record that has creative ways to enhance and improve the safety culture

Ensure proper data management and accurate client invoicing

Learn more about Sodexo's Benefits

Not the job for you?

At Sodexo, we offer Facilities Management positions in Corporate, Schools, Universities, Energy and Resources, Government and Agencies, Health Care and Senior Living locations across the United States. Continue your search for Facilities Management jobs.

Working for Sodexo:

How far will your ambition, talent and dedication take you? Sodexo fosters a culture committed to the growth of individuals through continuous learning, mentoring and career growth opportunities.

Make an Immediate Impact.

Sodexo is the North American leader for Quality of Life Services. More than 150,000 Sodexo employees work to improve the quality of daily life for our 13,000 client sites in North America. Sodexo partners with clients to help them attain their strategic vision by developing Facility Management service solutions that increase the effectiveness of their people, enhance their business processes and optimize their infrastructure, which deliver tangible outcomes.

Our client portfolio spans multiple markets across the nation including education, corporate services, health care and government services, which means we can offer a career full of variety, challenge and tremendous growth opportunities.


Description



System ID 741471

Category Human Resources

Relocation Type No

Employment Status Full-Time

Unit Description

Sodexo has an exciting new opening for a Senior Human Resources Specialist - LOA for the Leave of Absence team. The position can be remote or located at one of our location Gaithersburg, MD, Buffalo/Cheektowaga, NY or Maitland, FL. Ideal candidates should reside in close to Gaithersburg, MD / Buffalo/Cheektowaga, NY / Maitland, FL Responsibilities of the Senior HR Specialist - LOA: Act as a Subject Matter Expert on the Leave of Absence, Worker's Compensation and ADA processes, policies, procedures and manage leaves of absence of varying types.

Educate employees and managers on the LOA, Worker's Compensation and/or ADA interactive process and act as a primary contact to the employee and manager.

Communicate effectively with all levels of the organization and ensure management understanding the company's responsibilities during a person's absence or accommodation.

Responsible for developing, tracking and managing all documentation, notifications, correspondence, administration details, and maintaining detailed information as required in accordance with company process, policy and applicable Federal and State laws from start to finish of an employee leave of absence.

Communicate ideas and process improvements regarding current LOA policies and procedures.

Identify and address LOA-related questions, issues and concerns from internal Sodexo customers.

Diagnose LOA situations and determine when and how and to whom we escalate

Manage multiple lines of contact channels and develop and maintain knowledge of HR systems, departments, policies, and processes to support customer service. The ideal candidate will have the following preferred competencies: 3 - 5 years of experience including LOA/FMLA administrative experience

Ability to work independently as well as across multiple departments.

Ability to adapt to change and manage multiple priorities in a fast paced environment.

Ability to build relationships and establish credibility

Drive and initiative.

Analysis and decision making.

Strong customer service experience and skills

Excellent Verbal, written, and interpersonal skills with a capacity to communicate at all levels in the organizations. At Sodexo, we believe every employee should have the resources to be their best. As part of our overall rewards, we offer benefits programs designed to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle including health, dental and vision insurance. We also offer other benefits like paid time off, financial and savings programs, 401k, and access to our employee assistance program and other discounts. Click here for more information about Sodexo's Benefits.

Position Summary

Coordinates and provides support for 125,00 employees within the PeopleCenter for Leaves of Absence. Identifies and addresses human resource related requests, issues, and concerns from internal Sodexo customers. Diagnoses HR issues and resolves or escalates within appropriate functional areas. Performs exemplary customer service and assistance to employees, leaders and as well to partners outside of the PeopleCenter (ie., Segment HRBPs, Employee Relations Services, Talent Acquisition Group, Compensation, Benefits, Labor Relations). Responsibilities include knowledge of phone and case management system, knowledge base portal, benefits, company policy manual and working knowledge of Ingenium, ADP, Kronos, EDW, payroll, PTO, ER-related areas, iCIMS (M&R) and LOA policy (LOA). Demonstrated proficiency with customer service function; consistently meets or exceeds all performance standards and case management targets. Ability to independently analyze complex situations.

Qualifications & Requirements

Basic Education Requirement - Associate's Degree or equivalent experience Basic Functional Experience - 1 year professional exp. in HR or customer service Sodexo is an EEO/AA/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran employer.



Requirements

See Job Description




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Working in close collaboration with the Africa FinTech Network (AFN), the Mauritius Africa FinTech Hub (MAFH) hosted and successfully delivered the 3rd Africa Fintech Festival (AFF) as a fully virtual series in 2021 around the theme of FinTech, Sustainability and Innovation  The power trio to fast-forward Africas growth. The first part of the series was held on the 16th June 2021 and concluded with a 3-days event running from the 13th-15th October 2021. The main event was sponsored by Peach Payments, IPT, Switzerland Global Enterprise, MCB, Synthesis and Care Ratings Africa.

In 2019, Mauritius won the right to host the 3rd edition of the AFF, a concept created by the AFN. The association was awarded the hosting rights of this strategic initiative to drive and support the growth of a Pan-African FinTech ecosystem, and to facilitate open collaboration for the purposes of driving innovation and financial inclusion in Africa.

After three successful editions, it was announced that there will be a post-AFF event for Mauritius early 2022 for a formal flag relay, leading to the main 2022 AFF edition to be hosted by the Egypt FinTech Association (EFA).

Some key achievements from this series so far have been to showcase Pan-African FinTech solutions & ecosystems, drive partnerships and funds for FinTech development, discuss regulations to enable and unblock FinTech development, and provide learning opportunities to all.

Commenting on the success of the event, and thanking all the stakeholders from the AFN and viewers for having participated in this 3rd edition, CEO of MAFH, Mr Michal Szymanski stated, It has been an absolute honour to represent Mauritius as a host and to be part of the AFN. We are all working to develop our own ecosystems but its really great for us to see everyone working together to develop Africa holistically in this journey.

This virtual conference series comprised of keynotes, panel discussions and fireside chat interviews revolving around the following main themes: FinTech Innovation, Skills & Capacity Building initiatives, Regulatory & Policy strategies, and Investment & Deal Flow opportunities. The event was open to all the stakeholders in the FinTech and allied fields including entrepreneurs, SMEs, startups, corporations, universities, financial service providers, tech companies, investors and regulators.

MAFH is happy to report the following key statistics around this event series conducted over the year: +1400 attendees from +90 countries to listen and engage with +100 key leader speakers across pan-Africa from private & public enterprises, brought together to showcase innovations, discuss some pressing challenges and opportunities in FinTech. As a result, multiple tangible potential solutions and ways forward were debated and presented for this industry, in order for it to keep growing in a sustainable and inclusive manner over the African continent.

Some key topics that were addressed as follows:

 From building to bridging socio-economic ecosystems in Africa

 Fintechs to the rescue building new roads to compliance

 Designing and Scaling innovation organizations In Africa

 Scaling up in Africa  Keys to successful Pan-African expansion

 Investing in Africa: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly

 Funding: The Marriage with clauses?

 Building a blockchain technology ecosystem in Africa

 Industry First: Building the skills & marketplace for growth

 Building Fintechs Champions of Tomorrow (FFC)

 Drivers of digital transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa

 Outlook on insurance products in Africa

 Regulating for Innovation

Looking back on the impact of the Africa FinTech Festival, it is worth mentioning the following achievements this event has had in the different past host countries Nigeria and Uganda, namely :

 Rapid growth of the ecosystem and increased memberships

 Rise in deal flow and investments in innovations in this industry

 Strengthened relationships and more open dialogue with regulators

Such positive outcomes are expected to happen in the ecosystems for the current host (MAFH) and future ones. Looking forward to the post-AFF edition and commenting on it, Noha Shaker, Secretary General of the EFA and elected Vice President of the AFN said, It is an honour and a pleasure to be hosting all the Africa FinTech ecosystem in Egypt next year. We have a lot of exciting activities and initiatives to announce, none of which have been carried out in any part of Africa like the Green Finance Hub that we are going to be launching in Egypt in a few months time with key players around the ecosystem from Africa. We are going to have activities in multiple cities so we are not just going to be in Cairo all the time, there is a lot of sight seeing that can be done on the side of the Festival.

On a concluding note, she said,

The presence of the African government of course, and regulators is going to be one thing that we cannot miss on, the Central Bank in Egypt, the Financial Regulatory Authority and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority which have done enormous work over the past three four years to actually enact laws, to build that regulatory environment that is supportive to FinTech and the financial sector now is actually committing to changes related to Green Finance. Weve had a couple of unicorns coming out of the Cairo this year, during COVID, we see investments that were actually channelled into Egyptian FinTech companies have surged and grown, despite the fact that its been going down and there was a significant reduction in other parts of the world.

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I am bringing this home to the employees who work at Bitty & Beaus because they are my heroes, Amy said in accepting the award. And most of all to my two youngest children, Bitty and Beau, who are my inspiration. I want you to know, because I know you are home watching tonight, that I would not change you for the world, but I will change the world for you.
If you can do that background work ahead of time, it would really help to have more complete election results on Election Day, Schaefer said, noting that was a cause of questions about the vote count in the 2020 presidential election. People kept seeing the vote counts change and the reason for that is that mail-in ballots were still being counted and not because there was anything wrong with the process.
The day after the allegations became public, Lehigh County officials denied them. Kane said after reviewing the 911 tapes from the day of the fire, officials found the call was handled correctly. The victim first called 911 at 11:22 a.m. and police arrived on the scene three minutes later and firefighters two minutes after that.
The action comes as many employers cannot find enough workers. They say they hear the same dynamic that drove the bill: Some job-seekers appear to go through the motions of pursuing a job and then undermine their own chances at it, possibly to allow them to continue collecting unemployment.
Police were called about 10:30 a.m. Monday to a home in the 700 block of Locust Street, where they found the bottles, Northampton County district attorney Terry Houck said. The Allentown Bomb Squad rendered the bottles safe after determining there was no need to evacuate neighbors, police said in a Tuesday Facebook post. The bomb squad then disposed of the bottles.
 My current pet peeve is fair/festival food. I go places solo, and I also enjoy my annual junk food fix at the Allentown Fair or Musikfest. Unfortunately, the food at many of the stands is far too much for me to consume comfortably, and I object to buying something and discarding half of it. I must commend the Pennsylvania Dutch funnel cake stand (near Fair Gate 6 this year) for offering mini funnel cakes, and do not object to paying a premium (more than 50%) for a half-size serving.
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: justice888 (justice888), : Fitness

 : A woman who died under Guo's scam

: GWG

: BBS  (Tue Oct 26 23:01:45 2021, )



The identities of the so-called "mysterious person" and "virus expert" have

finally been exposed recently. Recently, it was revealed that the real

identity of the so-called "flight expert" was Yan limeng, an ordinary

researcher working in Hong Kong. It can be described as an iron fraudster

and a tool man of flowing water. Class 2 lured them to the United States

with their company equity and high bonuses in order to use them as another

chess piece to support their rumor and fraud.



Who is Yan limeng? However, he is a grass-roots researcher working in the

public health laboratory of the University of Hong Kong. The public health

laboratory of the University of Hong Kong where she works is not a national

key laboratory, let alone the standard and grade of P4 laboratory. However,

such a person has become a "senior virus expert" in Guo's mouth. Guo even

hyped the so-called "Hong Kong P3 laboratory" and called it "the most

important, most advanced and international coronavirus bacteria laboratory

in the world". Netizens familiar with the deception routine will not be

unfamiliar. Looking back on the former "comrades in arms" who changed from "

pretty" to "smashing the pot" in those years, who hasn't tasted Guo's "

touting package"?



As we all know, Guo rumor never considers the bottom line. Some days ago,

Guo wunaozihi ran into Shi Zhengli, an expert at Wuhan Virus Research

Institute, calling him "defecting abroad with thousands of documents". As a

result, Shi Zhengli himself sent a circle of friends to refute the rumor and

prove her innocence, severely pumping Guo's mouth. When Shi Zhengli failed

to touch porcelain, Guo threw out a bait and caught an unknown grass-roots

researcher Yan limeng. Unfortunately, this "beauty" is not that "beauty".

Yan limeng has little influence in academia. To hype Yan limeng as the

number one, it can only be said that Guo has been "hungry and greedy" and "

everything in the basket is food". On the other hand, Yan limeng can be seen

from relevant media reports that she lives in a difficult life in Hong Kong

and is quite depressed. She relies on her mainland parents for help and

once suffered from depression. At this time, a big pie that can make him

famous and rich fell from the sky. How can it not make him excited? With the

intention of "mutual utilization" and the dream of "winning both fame and

wealth", Yan limeng's trip to the United States is quite "desperate".

However, the so-called "pie" is a trap designed by Guo Xin. Indeed, even

pigs can take off as long as they stand on the tuyere. But Yan limeng's

mistake was to regard Guo's invitation as a "tuyere". When she went to the

United States to seek skin from the tiger, what she stood on was not the

tuyere, but the "tiger's mouth" of Guo Wengui, who ate people and didn't

spit bones.



It is appropriate to describe Yan limeng's current situation with "good

dream is not awake, nightmare is in full swing". According to her colleagues

, Yan Nu is in the United States, but she has no freedom. According to his

classmates, he has been under house arrest by Guo and can't connect with the

video. He can only contact outsiders by telephone at the specified time. He

is also forced to open hands-free. His words are quite frightened. Yan

limeng's experience is reminiscent of Ma Rui who was illegally detained by

Guo. Guo promised fame and wealth, in fact, are all illusions. His GV is

being investigated by the FBI, and Faji has long become a thing of the past

because of a mess of bad debts. Guo has no way to cheat money. His old

capital is almost finished. He sells buildings, planes and yachts. When Yan

limeng found that she was not on a luxury cruise ship, but a broken ship

that would sink at any time, the psychological gap can be imagined. This

time, he fell into the clutches of deception. The so-called job

opportunities in the United States are just playing the role of tool man

according to the "human design" set by Guo. I used to study mice in the

laboratory, but now I have become a "mouse" of Guo. It is really a nightmare

that I don't know when I will wake up. Recall those women who have a

relationship with Guo, such as Ma Rui, Wang Yanping, Wu Ting, Gong Xiaoxia,

etc. as the saying goes, "touch will die", while those women are more

miserable. Yan limeng's final outcome is not unexpected, but sad.



As the saying goes, poor people must be hateful. From the moment Yan limeng

decided to go to the United States to take refuge in Guo Wengui, its tragic

outcome was doomed. Guo is not a bole who knows people with insight at all,

but a scum who invites a gentleman into a urn. "Beautiful dream" was "

nightmare", and it was empty.

--

 :WWW  mitbbs.com [FROM: 103.]


: rbs (jay), : Military

 : 

: BBS  (Tue Oct 26 14:38:17 2021, )



Investigators in Florida confused Brian Laundrie's mother with her son while

they were monitoring the family's home in the days after Laundrie's fiance

e, Gabby Petito, was reported missing, a police spokesperson said.



"They are built kind of similarly," North Port Police Department

spokesperson Josh Taylor told CNN affiliate WINK on Monday in an exclusive

interview.



The revelation of the surveillance mistake clarifies at least one

discrepancy -- but perhaps raises a new contradiction -- between the

versions of events laid out by authorities and by the Laundrie family

attorney of what happened during a critical few days in September after

Petito went missing while road-tripping with Laundrie but before her body

was found in a Wyoming national forest. A coroner ruled Petito died by

strangulation.



Laundrie's remains were found last week at a nature reserve near his family

home, and his parents could be key to understanding what happened to Petito

and later to him.



After Laundrie returned to Florida without Petito, police saw him drive away

from his family home September 13 in his Ford Mustang, Taylor told WINK.

Then, two days later, the Mustang returned.



"We thought that we had seen Brian come back into the home," Taylor said.

Police now believe the car had actually been driven back to the home by

Laundrie's mother, Roberta Laundrie, Taylor said.



But for the next two days, police believed Brian Laundrie was at home.

Investigators realized the mistake September 17, when his parents told

police they hadn't seen their son since September 14, a Tuesday. They later

changed their recollection, their attorney has said, to say they hadn't seen

him since September 13, after he said he was going to the Carlton Reserve,

the nearby 25,000-acre nature park.

--

 :WWW  mitbbs.com [FROM: 129.]


Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-25 21:28:32|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Oct. 23, 2021 shows people fetching water at a water point in Marsabit, north Kenya. (Xinhua/Ruth Wangara)

NAIROBI, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- On the bank of a dry river bed where camels trudged along with ease, Mbirayon Sarge, a middle-aged mother of four, stood out amid tastefully decorated traditional regalia and hulking voice as she prayed for bountiful rains.

Sarge is among dozens of women from the nomadic Rendille community in the vast northern Kenyan county of Marsabit, who have been gathering at a makeshift shrine near the dry river to perform rituals to end a prolonged dry spell. Sarge's fighting spirit was on display as she defied scorching afternoon heat to belt a tune and make coordinated dance moves while facing upwards in the hope that the fervent request for the rains would be granted.

"We gathered here at the dry river bank to pray for the rains and it has been the routine in the last one month," Sarge told Xinhua during a recent interview at the makeshift shrine. Some of her peers trekked more than a dozen kilometres daily to congregate at the makeshift shrine and perform rituals to pave the way for torrential rainfall.

Her plight mirrors the dire situation herders in the vast, remote and arid northern Kenyan outposts are facing as an acute drought escalates hunger, malnutrition, forced migration and sporadic conflicts.

Langata Turuga, a life-long pastoralist and a once-proud owner of 100 goats, sat pensively on a concrete slab as he waited patiently for his turn to fetch water at a drying community well. The elderly pastoralist revealed that half of his herd of goats had already succumbed to the ravages of drought and disease, hence pushing him to the margins of survival.

"The loss of 50 goats during the current drought has been devastating. We are passionate nomads but are suffering due to biting droughts that have become frequent in recent times," said Turuga. The acute drought in his backyard has forced him to make lengthy day and night trips across treacherous terrains in search of water and pasture to cushion his remaining herd of goats from starvation.

"We rely on livestock to raise our children and pay their school fees but it has become impossible to fulfill those obligations as drought kills our cows and goats," said Turuga.

Seated on a traditional wooden stool outside her makeshift hut, Ntimiton Lelala cut a forlorn image as she massaged a white lamb whose mother had just succumbed to the drought. "We are losing one goat after another as scarcity of water and pasture becomes more severe. Sometimes we go to bed hungry since food is scarce," said Lelala.

She is among more than 2.1 million Kenyans living in more than a dozen arid and semi-arid counties including Marsabit who are currently affected by drought.

John Ougo, assistant director at National Drought Management Authority, Marsabit County Office, said that about 30 percent of its population, or 160,000 people, were food insecure amid failed rains. And over 80 percent of pasture land has been depleted amid biting drought, leading to forced migration and resource-based conflicts in some parts of the county.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta earlier last month declared drought, which is ravaging several parts of the country, a national disaster.

Kenya Red Cross Society said that 2.1 million Kenyans are currently facing high acute food insecurity, up from 1.4 million in February due to a worsening drought situation. According to the organization, the drought-affected counties have had no significant harvest, as most water points such as boreholes, wells and water pans have dried up, increasing distances that people travel looking for water for domestic and livestock use.

Kenya has allocated 2.4 billion shillings (about 21.6 million U.S. dollars) to cushion drought victims in October and November in 23 arid and semi-arid counties. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-26 23:13:14|Editor: huaxia

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China-Europe freight train "Shanghai Express" is seen in Hamburg, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2021. The first "Shanghai Express," carrying 50 containers loaded with apparel, auto parts and solar panels, traveled more than 10,000 km before arriving in northern Germany late on Monday. The China-Europe freight trains traveling along 73 routes have reached more than 170 cities in 23 European countries, since it was launched in 2011. (Xinhua/Wang Qing)

HAMBURG, Germany, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The first fully loaded China-Europe freight train arrived from Shanghai, China's economic hub, in the northern German city of Hamburg on Tuesday, further expanding the rail services between Europe and Asia amid the global logistics disruption.

The first "Shanghai Express," carrying 50 containers loaded with apparel, auto parts and solar panels, traveled more than 10,000 km before arriving in northern Germany late on Monday.

Initially, one train per week will operate, but the service is planned to be extended in the future.

The China-Europe freight trains traveling along 73 routes have reached more than 170 cities in 23 European countries, since it was launched in 2011.

China-Europe freight train trips have gained robust growth momentum since the start of 2021, with the total number surging 32 percent year-on-year to reach 10,030 by the end of August, two months earlier than last year, data from the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. showed.

At the DUSS transshipment terminal in Hamburg, the welcome ceremony was attended by Wang Wei, deputy consul general of the People's Republic of China in Hamburg, and Michael Westhagemann, Hamburg's senator for economic affairs.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the signing of a partner city agreement between Hamburg and Shanghai and the launch of the "Shanghai Express" has raised the two cities' cooperation to a new level, Wang told Xinhua.

"Hamburg's role as an important node in the 'Belt and Road' network has been further strengthened and the city will play an even more important role in the joint construction of the 'Belt and Road' in the future," she said.

According to Westhagemann, a direct connection between Hamburg and China, specifically between Hamburg and Shanghai, is especially needed and important considering the current problems in the logistics chain.

"Shanghai Express" represents a new milestone in the cooperation between Hamburg and Shanghai, as well as between Germany and China, which makes the launch of the first freight train so significant, he told Xinhua. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 00:14:56|Editor: huaxia

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The 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, attends a debate at the Tashilhunpo Monastery in the city of Xigaze, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Oct. 26, 2021. After more than 20 years of sutras study, the 11th Panchen Lama has attained the highest degree in exoteric teachings of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, equivalent to a doctoral degree in modern education. The 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, earned the Kachen degree after completing a two-hour debate Tuesday at the Tashilhunpo Monastery. (Xinhua/Chogo)

LHASA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- After more than 20 years of sutras study, the 11th Panchen Lama has attained the highest degree in exoteric teachings of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, equivalent to a doctoral degree in modern education.

The 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, earned the Kachen degree after completing a two-hour debate Tuesday at the Tashilhunpo Monastery in the city of Xigaze, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

The important occasion was witnessed by about 800 people, including revered Buddhists from major monasteries and temples in Tibet, as well as monks and pilgrims.

Buddhism was introduced into Tibet in the middle of the seventh century. In the history of Tibetan Buddhism, various schools have formed different systems of learning and practicing, and have brought up a large number of knowledgeable Buddhists.

At around 5:30 p.m., the Panchen Lama appeared and was welcomed by monks carrying censers in hands to the second floor facing a square full of people.

After a chanting of sutras, he walked to his seat for the debate, the last one for him to get the highest degree after arduous learning for nearly 26 years.

The 11th Panchen Lama, with the secular name Gyaincain Norbu, was born in February 1990 in Lhari County, the city of Nagqu in northern Tibet.

He was approved by the central government as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama and was enthroned in 1995.

Following the traditional sutras learning system of Tibetan Buddhism, the Panchen Lama began studying the Five Major Treatises in 1996 and passed two related examinations in 2002 and 2020, respectively.

The debate on Tuesday was carried out in two rounds, each lasting about an hour. The Panchen Lama must either debate for or against a particular topic with three learned and respected gurus.

During the debate, the Panchen Lama maintained his composure and spoke with a flow of eloquence, showing his sound logical thinking and proficiency in Buddhist classics.

"The procedure today was just like my examination for the Kachen degree years ago, and it strictly followed traditional rules and rituals," said Duoduo, a Kachen degree holder at Tashilhunpo Monastery and assistant to the sutras teacher of the Panchen Lama.

"The occasion is really special and a complete success," he said.

After two hours of debate, the Panchen Lama was presented with a "manzha," a kind of tribute Buddhist offering, and hadas, or silk scarves used by Tibetans to express respect and greeting, indicating that he passed the exam and attained the highest degree.

"The living Buddha (Panchen Lama) is intelligent and compassionate," said Salung Phunla, 78, a guru and the first director of the monastery's management committee.

"I hope that he will continue to study and practice Buddhist classics, inherit and carry forward the glorious tradition of patriotism and love for Buddhism of the Panchen Lamas, and make greater contribution to world peace and the well-being of all," Salung Phunla added.

Over the past years, the 11th Panchen Lama has given head-touching blesses to over a million believers, and ardently participated in public welfare activities.

He is a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body.

He is also vice president of the Buddhist Association of China and president of the association's Tibet branch. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 03:27:31|Editor: huaxia

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Lawmakers attend a meeting at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, Turkey, on Oct. 26, 2021. Turkish parliament on Tuesday ratified a motion extending authorization for the government to launch cross-border operations in northern Iraq and Syria for two more years. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

ANKARA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Turkish parliament on Tuesday ratified a motion extending authorization for the government to launch cross-border operations in northern Iraq and Syria for two more years.

The motion will authorize cross-border operations to be carried out in Iraq and Syria from Oct. 30, 2021 to Oct. 30, 2023.

The previous cross-border motions were only for one-year duty.

The motion also allowed the deployment of foreign armed forces in Turkey with the principles to be determined by the president.

The Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019, and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in northern Syria in order to create a zone free of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) along its border within the neighboring country.

Turkey sees the YPG group as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Turkish forces frequently carry out ground operations, airstrikes and artillery bombardments against the PKK positions in northern Iraq, especially the Qandil Mountains, the main base of the group, and have been keeping troops in the region.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the EU, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for over 30 years. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 04:54:23|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Sept. 8, 2021 shows a rainbow over the city in Rome, Italy. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)

The Group of 20 (G20) Leaders' Summit slated for this weekend will broadly focus on climate change, health such as the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and ways to improve pandemic preparedness, and the post-pandemic global economic recovery.

ROME, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Luigi Mattiolo, a senior diplomatic advisor to Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, said on Tuesday that the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) Leaders' Summit will broadly focus on three main areas: climate change, health and the global economic recovery.

Speaking to reporters via video conference, Mattiolo said that the discussions about climate change will assess progress made in the run-up to the 26th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-26) to be held in Scotland, while the health-related negotiations will focus on issues such as the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and ways to improve pandemic preparedness.

People march during a climate change protest in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on March 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Liang Sen)

The negotiators will also consider ways to strengthen the post-pandemic global economic recovery and to make economic growth more sustainable, according to Mattiolo.

The G20 summit, slated for this weekend, will also aim to help confront global crises, including the coronavirus pandemic, and will assess the situation in Afghanistan following the collapse of the country's government.

The long-standing ministerial-level talks on finance, labor, education, foreign affairs, development, environmental protection, energy, culture, trade and agriculture are also on the event's agenda.

The highlights of the ministerial meetings this year include: the finance summit focused on the international tax reform; the labor talks focused in part on gender equality; the negotiations on education, including the impacts of the pandemic on the education systems; and the discussions on the environment and energy, in preparation for the upcoming COP26 climate summit.

Each one of the series of talks held earlier in the year concluded with a final declaration that will be formally presented to the heads of state and government for its adoption.

"The big summit's main role will be to review and adopt the conclusions of the many working groups, task forces and ministerial meetings," Antonio Villafranca, research coordinator and head of the European Program at the Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), a think tank, told Xinhua. "In Rome, the leaders will assess what has been done and what can still be done."

One of the issues left to be decided, according to Villafranca, is whether the leaders would call for the curbing or elimination of the incentives that support the use of fossil fuels in the G20 countries.

This decision will be significant since the G20 member states account for around 80 percent of the world's primary energy use, according to an ISPI report.

A customer fuels a vehicle at a gas station in Berlin, capital of Germany, on Oct. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)

If the leaders agree to reduce fossil fuel incentives it would also provide a boost to climate negotiations ahead of the COP26 climate negotiations, which get underway just as the G20 Leaders' Summit closes.

But according to Raffaele Marchetti, an international relations professor at Rome's LUISS University, the effectiveness of the G20 should not be measured by its ability to make decisions.

"The correct way to look at the G20 is as a forum for conversations between global leaders on important topics," Marchetti told Xinhua. "It's not necessarily a body for making major decisions. But those decisions can emerge from the discussions in the G20 context."

"Other forums like the United Nations or the World Health Organization or the World Trade Organization are too large to be focused, and the G7 (Group of Seven) is too narrow and too dominated by western countries," Marchetti said.

"But the G20 includes eastern and western powers alike. In most areas, it's the best forum where the major powers -- the United States, China and the European Union -- are all involved."

Photo taken on June 27, 2019 shows a logo of the Group of 20 (G20) summit at the entrance of the media center in Osaka, Japan. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 04:54:23|Editor: huaxia

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Containers are piled up at the port of Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Oct. 22, 2021. (Xinhua)

It's the latest move aimed at relieving the logjam of cargo ships, which has disrupted global supply chain, according to Yahoo News.

by Peter Mertz

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Beginning next week, a fine of 100 U.S. dollars a day per container will be levied against shipping companies that unload cargo too slowly in the two busiest ports in the United States, Port of Los Angeles (POLA) and Port of Long Beach (POLB).

The twin ports said in a joint statement Monday that arriving containers scheduled to be moved by trucks would be allowed to stay for nine days before fines begin, and that containers moving by rail can stay at the ports for three days.

"Beginning Nov. 1, the ports will charge ocean carriers with cargo in those two categories 100 U.S. dollars per container, increasing in 100 U.S. dollars increments per container per day," the statement read.

"The terminals are running out of space, and this will make room for the containers sitting on those ships at anchor," POLB's Executive Director Mario Cordero said in a statement.

It's the latest move aimed at relieving the logjam of cargo ships, which has disrupted global supply chain, according to Yahoo News.

"The backlog prompted the Biden administration to allow the port complex to operate 24 hours a day to try to get goods unloaded and out to consumers," Yahoo noted, one of a number of recent actions by the private sector and government officials to keep goods flowing into the country in a timely fashion.

The size of cargo ships has doubled since 2000, according to Costamare.com, and today more than a dozen super-sized cargo ships hold more than 20,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units of containers), meaning that fines up to 10,000 U.S. dollars a day could be levied against the shipping companies starting Nov. 1, the ports announced.

Trucks wait to load containers at the port of Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Oct. 22, 2021. (Xinhua)

However, with reports of union crane operators intentionally slowing the offloading of containers, it is unclear how these fines will be collected or even if they are legally tenable, experts said.

Fees collected from stagnant cargo shippers will be re-invested by the two ports for programs designed to enhance efficiency, accelerate cargo velocity, and address congestion impacts throughout the San Pedro Bay, the ports said in the statement, noting "the policy was developed in coordination with the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, U.S. Department of Transportation and multiple supply chain stakeholders."

"I support the actions taken by the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach today to charge ocean carriers for lingering containers on marine terminals. These actions aim to expedite the movement of goods and reduce congestion in our ports," John D. Porcari, Port Envoy to the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, said in the statement.

"As our economy continues to grow, increased demand and disruptions caused by the pandemic are putting our supply chains to the test," Porcari said.

Before the pandemic-induced import surge began in mid-2020, on average, containers for local delivery sat on container terminals under four days, while containers destined for trains dwelled less than two days.

"But those numbers have increased significantly over the last year, making it difficult to clear cargo off the terminals and bring in ships at anchor, contributing to the backup," gCaptain, a website devoted to maritime and offshore management since 2008.

Containers are piled up at the port of Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Oct. 22, 2021. (Xinhua)

"While we've seen new records set in terms of throughput this year at West Coast ports, we need more players throughout the supply chain to keep stepping up. The federal government will continue to bring together private companies and stakeholders from across the supply chain and serve as an honest broker helping to surface solutions like this to address supply chain disruptions," he added.

About 40 percent of all shipping containers entering the United States come through the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports.

"With the escalating backlog of ships off the coast, we must take immediate action to prompt the rapid removal of containers from our marine terminals," Cordero said. "The terminals are running out of space, and this will make room for the containers sitting on those ships at anchor."

"As of today, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach had 102 containerships in port, including 73 at anchor or in hold areas and 29 at berth," gCaptain posted Monday, noting that "the Port of Long Beach has also moved to relax stack height limit restrictions, allowing stacks to be 4 containers high" when stored. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 07:52:04|Editor: huaxia

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Ukrainian student Aly uses speech recognition system at the 4th World Voice Expo in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, Oct. 24, 2021. Aly has been studying Chinese for seven years and now she is a graduate student at Anhui University. She has spent her time trying high-tech products at the World Voice Expo and believes that these products could make a better life for us. Companies and developers specializing in artificial intelligence (AI) and speech technology gathered in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province on Monday for the 4th World Voice Expo and Global 1024 Developer Festival. With the theme of "Symbiosis with AI, a New Journey," the expo features more than 1,000 cutting-edge AI products in fields such as manufacturing, education, medical care and smart city management. The event is mainly organized by iFLYTEK, an AI and speech-technology giant based in Anhui. More than 2.65 million developers from home and abroad have joined an open AI innovation platform backed by iFLYTEK since its launch in 2010, churning out more than 1.26 million applications. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 20:24:31|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that China and Uzbekistan need to strengthen policy coordination and promote all-round cooperation.

He made the remarks in a phone conversation with his Uzbek counterpart, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, during which he once again congratulated the latter on re-election as Uzbek president.

Xi noted that since the establishment of the China-Uzbekistan comprehensive strategic partnership five years ago, bilateral cooperation in various fields has reached an unprecedentedly high level.

The two sides, he added, have been learning from each other in their undertakings of reform and opening-up as well as development and revitalization, and helping each other in the joint battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

China attaches great importance to developing China-Uzbekistan relations, and supports Uzbekistan pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, he said.

Noting that the next year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Uzbekistan, he said bilateral relations will stand at a new starting point.

The two sides should seize the opportunities, build on past achievements, and strive for more tangible outcomes of cooperation for the benefit of both nations, he added.

Xi suggested that the two countries expand the scale of trade and investment and tap into their cooperation potential in such areas as digital finance and cross-border e-commerce.

China, he said, stands ready to import more green and high-quality agricultural products from Uzbekistan.

The two sides also need to lift the level of connectivity, support their enterprises continuing with oil and gas cooperation, boost anti-poverty cooperation, and enrich people-to-people cooperation, he said, adding that Uzbek Olympic athletes are welcome to the Beijing Winter Olympics.

China is ready to deepen cooperation with Uzbekistan in epidemic response, and help the country build a regional vaccine production center and enhance capacity-building in the health care system, he said.

He also suggested that the two countries step up cooperation in such areas as law enforcement and security, so as to safeguard their as well as regional security and stability.

China, he said, supports Uzbekistan playing its role as rotating chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and stands ready to work with other members to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, lift the level of cooperation in all areas, and enable the organization to achieve greater development at a new starting point.

For his part, Mirziyoyev thanked Xi for sending a congratulatory message upon his re-election as Uzbek president and expressing confidence in Uzbekistan's national construction, saying that it is a great encouragement to him and all Uzbek people.

On the centenary of the Communist Party of China, China has made great achievements in economic development and poverty eradication that have been recognized by the world, he noted.

He said he highly appreciates and firmly supports the people-centered philosophy and Global Development Initiative put forward by Xi, and is willing to learn from China's experience in state governance.

The Uzbek president also expressed gratitude for China's selfless assistance for Uzbekistan's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that Uzbekistan firmly supports China's positions on issues concerning China's core interests and opposes the politicization of origins tracing of the novel coronavirus.

Mirziyoyev said that he fully agrees with Xi's views on developing bilateral relations, and that his country is willing to work with China to strengthen practical cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, poverty reduction and connectivity, and deepen the Uzbekistan-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Uzbek side, he added, will actively participate in the fourth China International Import Expo, fully supports China hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics, and looks forward to cooperating with China on this great event.

As rotating chair of the SCO, Uzbekistan will work closely with China to push for new development of the organization, he said.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Afghanistan issue. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 20:38:22|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that China welcomes Equatorial Guinea to join the Global Development Initiative.

In a phone conversation with Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Xi said his country stands ready to work with Equatorial Guinea and other African countries to promote sustainable and common development of developing countries.

Xi noted that in recent years, China-Equatorial Guinea relations have maintained a high level of development, with political mutual trust staying solid and practical cooperation yielding fruitful results.

China, he said, highly appreciates Equatorial Guinea's strong support on issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and human rights among others.

He added that his country will, as always, firmly support Equatorial Guinea in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independently exploring its own development path, and strive for more fruitful results in bilateral friendly cooperation in various fields, so as to create more benefits for the people in both countries.

China, he said, will continue to provide vaccine assistance for Equatorial Guinea's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, deepen bilateral medical and health cooperation, and expand cooperation in various fields within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Chinese side is willing to continue to provide as much support as its capacity allows for the economic and social development of Equatorial Guinea, he added.

Noting that the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century at a faster pace, Xi stressed that China and Africa should continue to cement solidarity, strengthen coordination and mutual support, and safeguard international fairness and justice as well as the common interests of developing countries.

China, he added, is willing to work with African countries to make a success of the upcoming session of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), so as to chart the course for future China-Africa cooperation and open up new prospects for China-Africa relations.

For his part, Obiang extended sincere congratulations on the centenary of the Communist Party of China and the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Noting that this year also marks the 50th anniversary of the dispatch of China's first medical team to Equatorial Guinea, he said Chinese medical teams have made important contributions to improving his country's medical care capacity and protecting the health of its people, which the Equatorial Guinean government and people are deeply grateful for and will always remember.

Equatorial Guinea, he added, has always regarded China as its most important strategic partner, and sincerely appreciates China's offering of valuable assistance, including COVID-19 vaccines.

He said his country will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China policy, firmly support China's positions on issues concerning China's core interests, and firmly uphold multilateralism.

Equatorial Guinea, he said, supports and will actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, and is ready to work with China to enhance bilateral cooperation in various areas as well as cooperation within the FOCAC framework. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 22:25:26|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated the importance of multilateralism and called for deepening bilateral relations in his phone conversations with leaders of Pakistan, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and France on Tuesday respectively.

The following are some highlights of their phone talks:

DEEPENING BILATERAL RELATIONS

In his phone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Xi said the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, with more sources of turbulence and risks around the world.

Under the new circumstances, he called on the two countries to stand together even more firmly and push forward the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two sides, and build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.

Xi stressed that China supports Pakistan in exploring a development path suited to its own national conditions and is willing to share China's high-quality development opportunities with Pakistan.

The two sides should maintain close strategic communication, further synergize development strategies and enhance the sharing of experience on governance, Xi noted.

In his conversation with James Marape, prime minister of PNG, Xi said that the Chinese side stands ready to work with PNG to build a community with a shared future for China and Pacific island nations.

Xi noted that PNG has important influence in the Pacific islands region, and China would like to join hands with the country to maintain the general direction of bilateral friendly cooperation.

The relationship between China and PNG has become a role model of peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation among countries of different sizes and different social systems, Xi said.

China firmly supports PNG in taking a development path that suits its national conditions and is willing to work with PNG to push bilateral relations to a higher level, he added.

During his talk with French President Emmanuel Macron, Xi stressed that the multiple major international events of late have once again demonstrated that France is correct in advocating the strategic autonomy of the European Union (EU).

China and the EU, he said, need to continue high-level communication and dialogue, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and reduce misunderstandings and misjudgments.

The two sides also should properly manage differences, and strengthen political guidance for China-EU ties, so as to ensure steady and sustained development of bilateral relations, he added.

PROMOTING PRACTICAL COOPERATION

When speaking with the Pakistani prime minister, Xi said that China will continue to support Pakistan in its fight against COVID-19, jointly build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor with high quality and strengthen their cooperation in such fields as agriculture, digital economy and people's livelihood.

China will continue to unleash the positive effects of the corridor in promoting growth and improving people's well-being, he said, noting that the two sides should also strengthen counter-terrorism and security cooperation.

In the conversation with Marape, Xi said that the Chinese side is willing to continue to provide PNG with economic and technical assistance with no political conditions attached, and provide various support for PNG in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two sides should work together to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas such as poverty reduction, resource protection and utilization, and promote cooperation in the joint construction of the Belt and Road to reap more fruits, he noted.

Talking with his French counterpart, Xi stressed that China and France, on condition of effective epidemic prevention and control, should advance relevant cooperation, consolidate cooperation in such traditional areas as civil nuclear energy, aviation and aerospace, and expand cooperation in such new fields as artificial intelligence, biopharmacy and ocean affairs.

China, Xi said, is ready to work with France to continue cooperation on biodiversity conservation, deepen green cooperation, implement the Global Development Initiative, and carry out tripartite cooperation in Africa and other regions.

China and France also need to support each other in hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics and the Paris Olympics, he added.

Xi also suggested that the two sides focus on the needs of their enterprises and people, further tap their cooperation potential in such areas as connectivity, digital technology, environmental protection, scientific and technological innovation and health care, and expand the scope of China-EU cooperation.

PRACTICING GENUINE MULTILATERALISM

When talking with Khan, Xi said that China is ready to work with Pakistan to enhance multilateral coordination, practice genuine multilateralism and promote international equity and justice, so as to safeguard common interests and safeguard world peace and stability.

In his conversation with the PNG prime minister, Xi said that the two sides should strengthen coordination and cooperation on international and multilateral occasions, deal with challenges such as climate change, actively carry out the Global Development Initiative, stick to true multilateralism, and safeguard international equity and justice, as well as the common interests of developing countries.

During the talk with the French president, Xi said that since last year, he and Macron have maintained contact in various ways, and the important consensuses they reached on bilateral relations are being effectively implemented with important progress already made.

Noting that the international situation is changing rapidly, he said he and Macron maintaining timely communication and coordination on major issues will help maintain the direction of the China-France relationship and inject more stability into the world. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 09:02:32|Editor: huaxia

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KHARTOUM, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has returned home with his wife under tight security, the prime minister's office said on its Facebook account on Tuesday.

Since early Monday, Hamdok and some of his ministers together with civilian members in the Sovereign Council were arrested.

Earlier on Tuesday, General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan denied arrest of Hamdok, saying the prime minister is staying at Al-Burhan's house at the Guest Palace.

Since a coup attempt on Sept. 21 in Sudan, the tensions between the military and civilian partners, who were assuming the transitional government, have continued to escalate. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 15:00:46|Editor: huaxia

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KHARTOUM, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Detained Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was released on Tuesday, the same day as army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan said the state of emergency could be lifted soon.

Hamdok's office announced that Hamdok has returned home with his wife under tight security, while some other ministers and civilian leaders remained detained.

They were arrested on Monday as Al-Burhan, general commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, declared a state of emergency across the country, dissolved the transitional Sovereign Council and the government, and relieved the state governors, saying that the differences among the partners of the transitional period in Sudan had pushed the armed forces to intervene to prevent the country from sliding into chaos.

However, the army chief denied the "arrest" of Hamdok, saying the prime minister was staying at Al-Burhan's house and was safe, until being released.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Al-Burhan said that "the state of emergency will be cancelled as soon as the institutions are formed," adding that Internet and communication services would resume gradually.

He also vowed to "correct the path of the transition" and denied his actions were a military coup. "The coming government will be a pure civilian government comprising of national competencies and will not include any partisans," he said.

The military takeover in Sudan on Monday triggered demonstrations in the capital of Khartoum and concerns among the international community.

"All parties must immediately return to dialogue and engage in good faith to restore the constitutional order," said Volker Perthes, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' special representative for Sudan, urging all parties to exercise utmost restraint.

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit also noted that it is important to refrain from any measures that would disrupt the transitional period and stability in Sudan.

Sudan is in a 39-month transitional period and is ruled by a transitional government of military and civilian elements, which was established after the ouster of former President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019. The transitional period is set to be followed by elections to form a new government. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 19:17:14|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has granted Kenya 16.7 billion shillings (about 150 million U.S. dollars) to support the country's climate action plan, the National Treasury said Wednesday.

The Treasury said the money will be used to strengthen local resilience to the impact of climate change through a 10-year program dubbed financially locally-led climate action starting in 2020.

"Climate change remains the biggest challenge of our age, with Kenya's climate-sensitive economy being prone to droughts and floods with an economic liability of up to 2.8 percent of the GDP annually," said the Treasury, noting the funds will help strengthen the response to climate change.

Keith Hansen, the World Bank country director for Kenya, said that Nairobi has demonstrated leadership in establishing a policy framework to manage climate risk though climate action is still underfunded.

Hansen added that financing from the bank's International Development Association (IDA) will strengthen the national government's capacity to support county government actions, enhance the collaboration between national entities on climate change, and facilitate national oversight of the program.

World Bank Senior Social Development Specialist and Task Team Leader Nicholas Soikan said communities in rural Kenya, especially those in arid and semi-arid regions which have been affected by the impacts of climate change such as droughts and floods, outbreaks of climate-related diseases, low farmland productivity, and declining livestock, will be the primary beneficiaries of the program.

The IDA financing will be supplemented by a grant of 21.4 million dollars from the Social Sustainability Initiative for All Umbrella Multi-Donor Trust Fund with resources from Denmark and Sweden, making a total of 171.4 million dollars.

According to the Treasury, through the financing agreement, Kenya will be a global pioneer in operationalizing social resilience principles of devolved finance and participatory climate-risk management. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 20:23:49|Editor: huaxia

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MOGADISHU, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The international partners have called on parties to the conflict in the central town of Somalia to halt clashes which they said could derail the ongoing electoral process and increase insurgency.

The partners, including the African Union, the European Union and the United Nations, said the fighting in Guriel between the regional Galmudug State forces backed by Somali National Army (SNA) and a paramilitary group named Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a does not augur well for peace in the country.

"We urge that the parties to this conflict immediately halt the fighting and resolve their differences through negotiations. International partners are prepared to support such efforts if requested by the parties," the partners said in a joint statement issued Tuesday evening.

It said that the continued fighting in the town of Guriel has left at least 30 people dead and more than 70 others injured. The statement came amid reports that Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a, the moderate Islamic group, has agreed to lay down arms and has left Guriel town after mediation efforts by the business and community leaders, and government forces are now fully in control.

Sources said talks between the two warring groups are at an advanced stage and the militia has reportedly handed over two military vehicles seized during the fighting.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said Wednesday that two health facilities were severely damaged Sunday, cutting off lifesaving health services, adding that outreach and mobile health and nutrition teams have discontinued their operations in the town.

It said more than 100,000 people have been displaced to 28 nearby villages, as well as three new sites, noting that of those displaced, about 1,800 people have reportedly arrived in Mataban town, Hiraan region, where they are staying with relatives and friends, and are in need of food, shelter as well as water and sanitation assistance.

Adam Abdelmoula, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, has urged all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), stressing that parties to the conflict must ensure that humanitarian workers have unfettered access to all people in need of assistance. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 23:23:31|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in partnership with Airbus Defence and Space on Wednesday announced the selection of an African team to embark on a space mission for monitoring climate.

A joint statement from UNOOSA and Airbus released in Nairobi said the ClimCam team compromising specialists from Egypt, Kenya and Uganda will receive a one-year free mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to assess impacts of climate change across the East African region.

Simonetta Di Pippo, UNOOSA director said the top cream of researchers selected from the three African countries will fly on-board the International Space as part of the project to develop a remote sensing camera system to monitor weather patterns in a region already reeling from climate-related shocks.

"This project will acquire precious insights for the east African region to address pressing challenges such as droughts and floods, increase the resilience of its agricultural sector, potentially saving many lives and helping to build a better future," said Di Pippo.

According to Di Pippo, a selection of specialists drawn from diverse fields in the Egyptian Space Station, Kenya Space Agency and Uganda National Space Program, marked a milestone in harnessing space technology to address Africa's climate crisis.

She said that selection of the African team to fly on Bartolomeo, the Airbus external payload hosting platform, will inject vitality into the continent's nascent space sector.

Di Pippo said the team was shortlisted after demonstrating ingenuity, adding that it will share data, information and images that will guide future climate response in East Africa.

Andreas Hammer, head of Space Exploration at Airbus Defence and Space said the African team will be provided with technical support to enable it to accomplish the mission of assessing impacts of climate change on ecosystems.

According to Hammer, improving the skills of African space professionals is key to revitalizing action on climate change that has worsened food insecurity and water scarcity in the continent. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-28 00:39:52|Editor: huaxia

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LUSAKA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia (UNZA) on Wednesday held the fourth jobs and career expo where Chinese enterprises based in the southern African nation showcased themselves and tried to lure the local workforce, especially graduating students.

Sande Ngalande, Director of the Confucius Institute, said the institute was keen to ensure that synergy with the industry continues to exist without any disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This is the reason we are providing such a platform we are witnessing today. The expo is a platform at which institutions of higher learning partner together with industry to provide highly skilled human resource that is needed in the companies to enhance productivity and economic growth," he said.

Grace Tembo, acting Dean of Students at the UNZA, said the expo provided a rare opportunity for job seekers to get jobs of their choice and begin new career path.

Tembo expressed the hope that the Chinese enterprises would continue to offer young people in the country job opportunities despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Li Tie, Managing Director of CAMCO Group, one of the enterprises participating at the fair, commended the Confucius Institute for coming up with the initiative, saying the fair was a rare opportunity for engagement networking and interaction between graduating students and potential employers. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 10:10:13|Editor: huaxia

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WELLINGTON, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand reported 74 new Delta variant cases of COVID-19 in the community on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country's community outbreak to 2,832.

A total of 68 of the new infections were recorded in the largest city of Auckland, six in nearby Waikato, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told a press conference.

Forty-one community cases are being treated in hospitals, including five in intensive care units or high dependency units, Bloomfield said.

There are 2,486 cases that have been clearly epidemiologically linked to another case or a sub-cluster, and a further 269 cases for which links are yet to be fully established, he said.

New Zealand also reported four new cases identified at the border among recent returnees. The cases have remained in quarantine in Auckland and Christchurch.

The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand since the start of the pandemic stands at 5,539 currently, according to the health ministry.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins, who is also education minister, said Auckland primary school students could be returning to their classrooms from mid-November.

Students will be attending schools on different days to reduce the numbers of pupils in the classroom at one time, Hipkins said.

Meanwhile, restrictions in the Waikato region will be eased slightly from midnight Wednesday, he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 14:06:06|Editor: huaxia

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DOHA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday briefed the media on his contact with the delegation of the Afghan Taliban's interim government before he left the Qatari capital of Doha.

Wang noted that during his visit to Qatar, he had contact with Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi of the Afghan Taliban's interim government, during which the Afghan side elaborated on the domestic and foreign policies pursued by the Afghan interim government.

The Afghan side has made a more positive statement on issues of China's concern as well as that of the international community, such as increasing the inclusiveness of the government, safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of women and children as well as combating terrorism, Wang said.

Wang said they also talked about bilateral exchanges and decided to set up a working level mechanism, adding that such contact is beneficial and has enhanced mutual understanding.

Wang said when the situation in Afghanistan saw a major turning point, China was the first to put forward a multiple-point expectation for Afghanistan in the future.

First, to build a more open and inclusive political structure in which every ethnic group and faction should participate and play a role.

Second, to implement moderate and steady domestic and foreign policies, including safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of women and children.

Third, to make a clear break with all terrorist forces including the Islamic State and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, and take measures to resolutely crack down on them.

Fourth, to pursue a foreign policy of peace and live in harmony with other countries, especially neighboring countries.

The China-proposed expectation has become the consensus of the international community, and the key is how to realize it.

China holds that an attitude of equality and respect should be adopted to contact and communicate with all parties and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, Wang said, adding that China disapproves of constantly pressuring others and opposes threatening others with sanctions.

Noting that Afghanistan is a sovereign state, and a nation with the spirit of independence, Wang said Afghan history and multiple international incidents have proven that pointing fingers at an independent nation will only backfire. Wilful interference in other countries' internal affairs violates the basic norms governing international relations, he added.

As long as the international community keeps patient, proceeds in an orderly way and actively interacts with the Afghan interim government as well as other parties and ethnic groups, it is believed that the Afghan Taliban will more clearly recognize what can be done to better serve the fundamental and long-term interests of the Afghan people and the expectations of all parties, so as to better integrate into the international community, Wang noted.

Wang stressed that China and Afghanistan are neighbors, and the two peoples enjoy long-lasting friendly exchanges. Many Afghan friends said that China is a major country that has never bullied Afghanistan, and a great neighbor of Afghanistan.

China's policy towards Afghanistan is clear and consistent, Wang said. China respects Afghanistan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, respects the Afghan people's pursuit of a development path that suits their national conditions, and respects the objective reality of the Afghan interim government's rule in the country.

China has never meddled in Afghanistan's internal affairs or sought any private interests, and has no intention to build any sphere of influence in the country, Wand said, adding that China will continue to heed the voices and needs of the Afghan people, help restore stability in Afghanistan within its capabilities and play a constructive role in achieving development in the country.

Wang noted that as for the temporary difficulties facing Afghanistan, China wants to make it clear that the United States and some Western countries have unshirkable responsibility.

China urged those countries to assume their due responsibilities, take practical actions as soon as possible to effectively help alleviate humanitarian crises that may arise, and do concrete things to bring tangible benefits to the Afghan people, he said.

Wang also called on the international community to make concerted efforts to ensure the true implementation of the principle of "Afghan-owned and Afghan-led" in Afghanistan. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 17:26:31|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia will not export meat until the end of this year due to infectious animal diseases, the country's Food and Agriculture Minister Zagdjav Mendsaikhan said on Wednesday.

"This year, the prevalence of highly contagious diseases in animals is high in the country. Therefore, in order to keep domestic meat prices stable and meet demand, livestock and meat will not be exported until the end of this year," Mendsaikhan told a press conference after a regular meeting of the government.

Particularly, the deadly foot-and-mouth disease among cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, and pigs has broken out in more than half of Mongolia's 21 provinces, according to the country's General Authority for Veterinary Services.

In addition, an outbreak of lumpy skin disease in cattle has been reported in eastern provinces of the country.

The livestock sector is a main pillar of the Mongolian economy with around 70 million heads of livestock in the country.

The country's meat exports have been suspended since June due to infectious animal diseases. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 20:02:21|Editor: huaxia

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COLOMBO, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said Wednesday that all countries must come together to address climate change urgently and decisively.

He also called on developed nations to fulfill their commitment to helping the planet heal via video during the High-level Thematic Debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly on "Delivering Climate Action: for People, Planet and Prosperity."

Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka fully understands the importance of balancing ecological concerns with human needs. As a developing, tropical country, Sri Lanka was one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world.

Explaining Sri Lanka's efforts to promote the use of sustainable energy, Rajapaksa said that the country is determined to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

"On the energy side, we aim to increase the contribution of renewable energy sources to 70 percent of national energy needs by 2030. We are also working towards enhancing national forest cover," he said.

"Our rich, philosophical heritage, shaped by the teachings of Lord Buddha, has instilled in us the importance of balancing ecological concerns with human needs," he said.

The president noted that Sri Lanka is proud to be a co-lead of the energy compact for "No New Coal Power" and the country also leads the action group on mangrove ecosystems and livelihoods under the Commonwealth Blue Charter initiative.

Additionally, the Colombo Declaration on Sustainable Nitrogen Management seeks to have nitrogen waste by 2030, he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 21:06:29|Editor: huaxia

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Yang Xiaodu, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, deputy secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and chairman of the National Commission of Supervision, holds talks with Khamphanh Phommathath, Politburo member of the Party Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary, Chairman of the Inspection Committee of the Party Central Committee, and president of the State Inspection Authority, via video link, in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- China and Laos on Wednesday expressed their willingness to deepen exchanges and cooperation in discipline inspection and supervision.

Yang Xiaodu, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, deputy secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and chairman of the National Commission of Supervision, held talks with Khamphanh Phommathath, Politburo member of the Party Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary, Chairman of the Inspection Committee of the Party Central Committee, and president of the State Inspection Authority, via video link.

Noting China and Laos are friendly socialist neighbors, Yang said China is willing to work with Laos to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries. China will also deepen exchanges and cooperation in discipline inspection and supervision, promote the clean construction of the China-Laos Railway, and elevate the building of a China-Laos community with a shared future to a new level.

Khamphanh spoke highly of the tremendous achievements made by the CPC in its centenary and its complete and strict governance over the Party.

He also said Laos is willing to work with China to strengthen mutual learning, jointly promote the construction of a clean Silk Road and push for new progress in discipline inspection and supervision cooperation for the benefit of the two peoples. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 22:07:48|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends the 24th ASEAN Plus China, Japan and ROK Summit via video link, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of China and Brunei on Wednesday called for bringing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) into force at an early date.

They made the remarks at the virtual 24th ASEAN Plus Three leaders' meeting between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and China, Japan and South Korea.

Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega trade deal between the 10 ASEAN member states and ASEAN's five free trade agreement partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said at the meeting Wednesday that the RCEP will arrive at a threshold of entry into force soon, and the countries need to speed up their work for it to take effect as early as possible.

The countries also need to continue to advance free trade and pursue higher-level integration, Li said.

Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah expressed the view at the meeting that the timely entry into force and implementation of the RCEP agreement will accelerate regional economic recovery efforts, according to a statement from the Brunei government.

China, the world's second-largest economy, completed procedures of the RCEP ratification in April this year. Brunei ratified the agreement earlier this month, becoming the sixth signatory to ratify the RCEP, after Thailand, Singapore, China, Japan and Cambodia.

RCEP signatories have expressed the intention of ratifying the agreement before the end of this year for its entry into force from Jan. 1, 2022.

The ratification by at least six of the 10 ASEAN signatories and three of the five non-ASEAN signatories is needed for the trade deal to take effect.

Once in effect, the deal will eliminate tariffs on as much as 90 percent of goods traded between its signatories over the next 20 years.

Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Brunei is the ASEAN chair for 2021. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 22:40:16|Editor: huaxia

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Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias (L) welcomes Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Athens, Greece, Oct. 27, 2021. Wang Yi held talks with Nikos Dendias on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

ATHENS, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- China expects to further consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen strategic communication, and deepen practical cooperation with Greece, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during his visit to Greece.

By doing so, China and Greece will set an example for the international community of mutual respect and equal treatment between countries of different sizes, solidarity, cooperation and mutual benefit among countries with different systems, and exchanges, mutual learning and common development among countries with different cultures, Wang said during the visit at the invitation of Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.

This will demonstrate to the international community that China and Greece are committed to developing comprehensive strategic partnership, Wang said in a written interview with Greek newspaper Ta Nea (The News).

China is confident to work with the international community to host a "simple, safe, and wonderful" Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Wang said, adding that China welcomes Greek athletes to actively participate in the Winter Olympics.

Wang noted that from the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Greece has been actively supporting the Olympic cooperation between the two countries and jointly opposing the politicization of sports.

As an outstanding achievement of China-Greece maritime cooperation, China's COSCO Shipping investment in Greece's Piraeus Port has become a model for China-Greece and China-EU cooperation in jointly building the Belt and Road, he said, adding that with the joint efforts of both sides, the Piraeus Port has rapidly developed into the largest port in the Mediterranean area and has made positive contributions to the economic development of Greece.

Moreover, China will accelerate the expansion of oil tanker terminals and other key projects, focus on energy conservation, emission reduction and digital construction, and continue to enhance the hub status and operational capabilities of the Piraeus Port, so as to build it into a world-class port with diversified development of both land and sea, Wang said.

As to the relations between Greece and Turkey, Wang said maintaining good relations between the two countries is conducive to regional peace and stability and conforms to the common interests of countries in the region and the international community.

It is delightful to see that both Greece and Turkey have recently expressed their willingness to resolve disputes through negotiations, Wang said, adding that China hopes that both sides will firmly grasp the general direction of promoting regional peace, stability and development, resolve historical issues and differences through dialogue and negotiations, so as to jointly boost the development and prosperity of the region.

As to the tripartite security partnership AUKUS, established recently by the United States, Britain and Australia with the plan to carry out nuclear-powered submarine cooperation, Wang stressed that this will inevitably bring about the risk of nuclear proliferation and may trigger a new round of arms race, which will cast a shadow on the peace, stability and development of the region, and cause adverse impact to shipping safety. Therefore, the international community should jointly oppose it, he added.

Both China and Greece are countries of ancient civilizations, Wang said, adding that he believes that the two countries have the wisdom and ability to develop bilateral relations independently without being interfered, and to play a greater leading role in the unity and friendship of all countries in the world. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-27 14:12:58|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The United States has notorious records with regard to arbitrary detention and the Meng Wanzhou incident is a typical case of arbitrary detention, Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said on Tuesday.

Arbitrary detention violates human rights and the rule of law, and most arbitrary detention cases against foreign citizens involve the abusive use of unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction," Geng said in a video address to a UN conference.

Using arbitrary detention as a tool to put pressure on other countries violates the basic principles of international law and basic norms of international relations, such as sovereign equality and non-interference in internal affairs, he told the 31st Legal Advisers Meeting at Law Week 2021.

China is firmly opposed to arbitrary detention and stands against double standards in this regard or using arbitrary detention for political purposes and unilateral bullying, he said.

"When discussing arbitrary detention, we cannot ignore the United States' notorious records in this regard," he noted.

Over the years, the United States has been detaining a large number of suspects in the notorious Guantanamo prison. Some suspects have been detained indefinitely without due process of law, and have been constantly subjected to torture and ill-treatment. The United States has also arbitrarily imprisoned innocent immigrants and forcibly separated children from their parents, breaking up countless families, he said.

The Meng Wanzhou incident, concocted by the United States, is a typical case of arbitrary detention, Geng said.

It has long been fully proven that the so-called fraud charges against Meng are purely fabricated. Even HSBC, the so-called victim portrayed by the U.S. side, has disclosed materials that are sufficient to prove Meng's innocence, he said.

This incident is the result of unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction" by the United States. It is an incident of political persecution against a Chinese citizen, which seriously violated the rules and principles of international law on respect for human rights, the legitimate exercise of national jurisdiction, non-interference in internal affairs, and mutual respect for sovereignty, he added.

The incident is designed to hobble China's high-tech enterprises and impede China's development. It is a blatant act of unilateral bullying, the Chinese envoy said.

Canada has also played a very dishonorable role in this incident. Instead of politicizing arbitrary detention issues under the pretext of discussing legal issues, the Canadian side should do some serious soul-searching and draw lessons from this incident, he said. Enditem
ROWDY Zanu PF members yesterday gathered at MDC Alliance vice-president Tendai Bitis offices and disrupted the opposition partys Press conference on its roadmap to ending Zimbabwes international isolation.

The youth, led by party activist Alex Gakanje, haggled with the police, refusing to vacate the private premises until the law enforcement officers threatened to arrest them.

MDC Alliance condemned violence against its members following two assassination attempts on its leader Nelson Chamisa by suspected ruling party supporters and State security agents while on his rural voter mobilisation tours in Masvingo and Mutare last week.

Addressing the Press conference, MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said despite the attacks in Masvingo and Mutare, Chamisa was determined to conduct rural outreach programmes in other provinces throughout the country.

The key message that we get from the citizens that we engage is that Zimbabwes crisis continues to deepen. The crisis is characterised by poverty, injustice and chronic corruption, Mahere said.

We continue to see the political implosion which calls for deep systematic political reforms. We continue to call for electoral, political and economic reforms so that Zimbabwe can return to legitimacy and democracy.

MDC Alliance co-vice-president Welshman Ncube said there was need for respect of human rights to guarantee good international relations.

We are aware that Zimbabwe has lurched from crisis to crisis, a political crisis for a very long period of time  a crisis of legitimacy, he said.

Over several decades now, we have had disputed elections after disputed elections, which arise because of the huge deficit in governance manifested mostly during elections. There are issues to do with the capture of the law, which have reached unprecedented levels which we never reached during (the late former President Robert) Mugabes rule.

The violence which is taking place continuously and violation of basic rights established shows that all that is wrong with Zimbabwe. Newsday
Swedens tally of 15,002 deaths includes 6,793 women and 8,209 men, all of whom have died with the virus since the pandemic started, according to the Public Health Agency of Sweden as of Tuesday. By Wednesday, the total number had increased to 15,016, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University & Medicines Coronavirus Resource Center.
Americas national parks arent short on natural beauty, especially in the fall. If you love soaking up the season by enjoying colorful fall foliage, here are gorgeous photos that capture the season across Americas amazing national parks.

(The Active Times Staff)
There was like two security guards that were trying to leave because they were getting jumped on, even though people were trying to stop the fight, people were still fighting and jumping in, she said.
I am so grateful to the parole board and to everyone who has supported my father during his more than 40 years in prison, Boudin said in an email to the Associated Press. Im thinking about the other children affected by this crime and want to make sure that nothing I do or say further upsets the victims families. Their loved ones will never be forgotten.
We write with grave concern that too many are being distracted by the ardent advocacy of our Yale colleague, Dr. Harvey Risch, to promote the assertion that hydroxychloroquine when given with antibiotics is effective in treating COVID-19, in particular as an early therapeutic intervention for the disease, Yale doctors wrote in the Aug. 2020 open letter.
If they want to get some more doctors to reach the same conclusion, theyre certainly welcome to do that, said defense attorney Jeffrey Lichtman. Hes also been shackled by both ankles to a bed 24 hours a day and the government told the judge that Andrew was receiving excellent around the clock care.
Detective Juan Jimenez was arrested on Sept. 27, 2019 for sex abuse and forcible touching after a 12-year-old told authorities that he had groped her and tried to kiss her. But a Brooklyn grand jury declined to indict him, and the case was dropped for lack of evidence, his lawyer says. (ShutterStock)
Many New Yorkers who take advantage of the world-class public education at their doorsteps still face enormous financial burdens thanks to the high cost of living here, Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance Jr. said. The last thing students and their families need to worry about is university employees stealing money that is rightfully owed to them.
Cops describe one of the men as light-skinned and between 30 and 40. He was wearing a white tank top. The other man is described as Black and also between 30 and 40. He was wearing a black sweatshirt with a camouflage-colored Puma logo on the front, dark colored pants and Nike sneakers.
One search warrant yielded $1,000 from the trunk of the vehicle along with two cell phones. A court-authorized search of the phones showed Garcia and another individual engaged in a drug-related conversation, during which Garcia sent a USPS receipt in exchange for a picture of a kilogram of cocaine, the indictment said.
Benjamin was standing outside Ziggy Deli Grocery on the corner of Belmont Ave. and Mother Gaston Blvd., not far from the Seth Low Houses, when a killer stepped out of a dark sedan and started shooting, cops said. The gunman let loose several shots, got back into his car and sped off, leaving Benjamin shot in the chest and arm.
Surrency spoke movingly about Monicas smile and her sense of humor. She played jokes  she loved to dance and sing and anything an average 11-year-old child does and likes to do, she said. You know, she was also very smart in school, always the top of her class. Its sad and it hurts that we dont have that any more.
Mullins, however, testified that he at first didnt realize such information was on the report when he posted a copy of it to the Twitter account for the Sergeants Benevolent Association. He headed the union for 20 years until he resigned earlier this month after the FBI seized its financial records as part of probe focused on possible misappropriation of union funds.
The lawsuit bounced around state and federal court for several days before Colon made her ruling. After the suit was filed, the city successfully had it transferred to Brooklyn Federal Court. The PBA then cut elements of the lawsuit that applied to federal law and re-filed it on Staten Island  only to draw Colon at random for a second time, sources familiar with the case said.
Taquan went to Harlem Renaissance High School. He was in the 12th grade and just about to graduate, said his cousin, Janila White, 19. We dont know who would do this. He doesnt do anything to anybody. Hes not in any gangs. All he does is hang out with his friends and come home to his family.
In 2014, Peterson and several members of the DeVos family traveled to California for a meeting with Holmes and Ramesh Sunny Balwani, the companys former president. They provided financial projections, showing the company would have revenue of $140 million in 2014 and $990 million in 2015  despite netting no revenue in 2013 and 2012.
She was confronting the suspect. She was helping people be safe and get out of the way and they shot at her, Ray Dawn, Ackers partner of nearly three years, told the Idaho Statesman. I was told she was helping people and saving them.... I know she would have wanted to make everyone else safe. She would have been the first one to go down to confront somebody.
Though Shedleski, who moved to Las Vegas in 2017, originally told federal officials J.P.S. was traveling, she subsequently confessed to having dismembered his remains and disposing of them after his death at their home in Pennsylvania, according to the complaint.
After the fatal shots, Bergquist began firing bullets into the floor and injured two women before exiting the mall and opening fire on a woman in her car. After cops arrived, he injured an officer outside the mall during a shootout.
As part of the agreement, Merck will allow for the Medicines Patent Pool to issue additional licenses to other drug manufacturers who have already been approved to make the pill. Other terms of the deal include the clause that no company will receive royalties until the World Health Organization no longer deems COVID-19 a global health emergency.
Still, he continued poking fun at anyone and everyone in the public eye. Sahl was the rare person whose dip in popularity eventually meant his own Off-Broadway show in the mid-1980s. At the time, the Daily News described it as tempting to quote Sahl at length because hes so wildly funny. For an hour and a half he has our minds reeling with the loony improbability of our world.
Officers at the time were following up on a 911 call from a resident who reported a man for knocking on doors and lingering outside homes in a cul-de-sac. As they approached the scene, they could see Arboleda driving away, kicking off a slow pursuit that would last about nine minutes.
But a LinkedIn page for Brannan, which was recently taken down, appears to allude to a bigger role at the firm and states that he worked as a private equity broker there from June 2008 to February 2009. When asked about that, Brannan said he would have had to have had a Series 7 certification to serve in that role, but he did not immediately respond to the discrepancy between his LinkedIn profile and his assertion that he was an intern at the time.
The councilman of Washington Heights, he has a green card, which means he has been able to bring his family here, he is able to tap into all the benefits available to citizens. The only thing you cannot do with a green card is vote, Sliwa said. You have to ask yourself, why after all this time would Rodriguez not want to be a citizen of the United States?
Appealing against that decision at the High Court in London, an attorney for the U.S. government on Wednesday denied that Assanges mental health was too fragile to withstand the U.S. judicial system. Lawyer James Lewis said Assange has no history of serious and enduring mental illness and does not meet the threshold of being so ill that he cannot resist harming himself.
Wenisch and her husband, Taha al-Jumailly, purchased the girl and her mother as slaves after ISIS overran northern Iraq and Syria in 2014 and 2015, according to the Post. The extremists massacred thousands of Yazidi men while enslaving women and children. Al-Jumailly is on trial in Frankfurt.
But these things operate and have operated in Haiti historically on different timetables, under different circumstances. And so we need to manage this situation as carefully as possible so that at the end of the day, we achieve our objective, which is the safe return of every single one of those (abducted).
Thanks to a family member with Brazilian citizenship, the family was able to escape Nazi-occupied territory for southern Europe and then Canada, according to her son. At the wars end, she returned to her beloved Paris while her grandchildren and other French Jews later moved to Israel.
Then again, theres little compassion left in conservatism, at least the kind Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush liked to espouse. To many on the right, theres one and only one objective these days: to own the libs, to grind them into the dust, even if that means hollowing out your own moral code in the process. That was evidenced in the giddy jig the movements current leader performed on Colin Powells grave just last week. Former President Trump blasted the war hero as a RINO, and sociopathically ended his cruel rant by shrugging, But anyway, may he rest in peace!
Whats more, we dont need to stop at retirement savings. Independent workers generally lack other protections too, such as paid sick leave, health insurance, workers compensation and more. Legislators should use the same concept of portability that is explicit in the retirement savings program and apply that model to all sorts of other benefits by setting up a portable benefits fund that would allow workers to contribute toward their health plans, retirement, sick leave and more. Under a portable benefits fund, resources would be pooled, and workers would have access to a suite of protections that dont exist for them in their current industries.
We believe that we have in our possession the firearm that was fired by Mr. Baldwin, Mendoza said. This is the firearm we believe discharged the bullet. We also believe that we have the spent shell casing from the bullet that was fired from the gun. The actual lead projectile that was fired has been recovered from the shoulder of Mr. Souza.
When the pandemic hit, of course it was going to hit meatpacking plants really hard and really fast, said Berkowitz, who was scheduled to testify at a House hearing on the report Wednesday. What was the industrys response  not to protect workers and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, not to separate workers 6 feet apart, which was the earlier guidance that came out in late February  but to just keep on going.
In this immediate area theres not a lot of healthy food options, said Keith Raskin, Aspire Health vice president of business operations. You have to drive away for a bit and to get back to work, it takes you away from your work for a longer, extended period of time. Having this right here on-site is giving people that want to eat healthy an option thats right here, including me.
Full-strength shots made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech already are recommended for everyone 12 and older but pediatricians and many parents are clamoring for protection for younger children. The extra-contagious delta variant has caused an alarming rise in pediatric infections -- and families are frustrated with school quarantines and having to say no to sleepovers and other rites of childhood to keep the virus at bay.
Weve got films from Egypt to Korea, weve had films from all over the world. The beautiful thing is, these folks come in, said Daniel Springen, the festivals executive director. Were a film festival thats by filmmakers ... We look through some of the issues with some films because we see the potential. We understand because this is what we do for a living.
The song by Cuban artists, including Gente de Zona and Descemer Bueno, has become the anthem for Cubas freedom movement since the international protests over the summer. This has led many Cubans to speak up and fight for the freedom of Cuba.
The Student Government Senate voted to bring McEnany to campus at the beginning of September, with some students who attended the Sept. 9 meeting saying a visit by McEnany would be an opportunity to promote freedom of speech, while others said it would be unrepresentative of UCF.
That decision aligned the district with the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But it also resulted in a legal fight with the DeSantis administration, which decided to withhold some state money as a penalty. State rules say parents, not school boards, should decide whether their children wear masks at schools.
Threats are not a joke, and false reports are not a prank! Obviously, this child has serious issues and is crying out for attention and help, but this is not the way to get it, said Sheriff Rick Staley.
This spike in user reports resulted from a critical moment in history for the racial justice movement  not from a single Donald Trump post about it, a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. Facebook often reflects whats happening in society and the only way to prevent spikes in user reports during these moments is to not allow them to be discussed on our platform at all, which is something we would never do.
Yet it is McKinsey, with its 95-year history and its position at the apex of the consulting world, that stands out. Its corps of consultants, peppered with Rhodes scholars and Harvard Business School standouts, could focus their talents on helping the firms oil, gas and coal clients cut their emissions. But these well-funded clients, such as Chevron, Shell and Canadas Teck Resources, hire McKinsey to further business goals that often have little connection with the global push to limit greenhouse gases.
We know a shelter pet isnt everyones dream. But we want people to understand one thing: none of the animals under our care are damaged,  the post read. Animals come through our doors for a myriad of reasons. Some have been rescued from horrible conditions and some have been brought in as strays ... others are just victims of circumstance. But a shelter animal does not mean a damaged animal. It simply means that in one way or another, they have been let down by humans. It means an animal that will require a little more kindness and a little more patience.
Two toxicology experts were called by both sides to testify to Todts mental state after he overdosed on Benadryl in what records indicate was a suicide attempt. Bruce Goldberger, medical director of the UF Health Pathology Laboratories Clinical Toxicology Laboratory, said Todt seemed unwell in his two interviews with authorities but that his consistent statements suggest he was aware of what he was being asked.
The evidence strongly suggests that the sheriff, the judge, and the prosecutor all but ensured guilty verdicts in this case. These officials, disguised as keepers of the peace and masquerading as ministers of justice, disregarded their oaths, and set in motion a series of events that forever destroyed these men, their families, and a community, Gladson wrote. I have not witnessed a more complete breakdown of the criminal justice system, nor do I ever expect I will again.
My point, though, is not really about Halloween, but about the moment we're living through. One of the things I find most disconcerting about this stage of the 19-month-old pandemic is that the rules no longer seem clear. In 2020 we were much more locked down, a lot less free to do as we pleased  but at least we knew what was being asked of us in the name of health and safety, and how to comply.
In the military, we plan and prepare for potential threats and mitigate risk where needed. A changing climate is no different. East Central Florida has much to gain by early investment in mitigation and adaptation strategies that save the community in the long run. The World Bank estimates that every $1 invested in resilience results in $4 saved, and sometimes the return on investment is as high as $200 for every dollar spent.
Some regulation is needed. But these guys tried to do it in a really wrong way  not by trying to ensure truths are told, but by trying to force social media companies to allow lies, conspiracies, even porn-sharing from politicians.
Key legal arguments in the case hinge on a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a case known as District of Columbia v. Heller. While the ruling is broadly considered a major victory for gun-rights supporters, it also said certain longstanding prohibitions about guns do not violate the Second Amendment and established that the constitutional right to keep and bear arms is not unlimited.
Lots of folks, including myself, would love to hear some of her thoughts on police accountability. But I also know that for the members of Florida Rising, the same people who experience very horrible things [with the] police, also suffer under severe economic injustice, Rolle said. So when we talk about federal policy, Im really thinking about what else she could be doing when it comes to like [Bidens] Build Back Better plan and reconciliation.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Veterans Advisory Council hosted an official POW-MIA ceremony to honor United States military prisoners of war and those still missing in action as part of national POW-MIA Day. University of Central Florida Air Force ROTC Detachment 159 and color guard lead the symbolic setting of the table, where each item on the table represents the commitment to remember and honor our POW-MIAs from the five military branches: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy.
On Oct. 25, 1971, Roy O. Disney dedicated the theme park and declared that it would be known as "Walt Disney World" in his brother's honor. In his own words: "Everyone has heard of Ford cars. But have they all heard of Henry Ford, who started it all? Walt Disney World is in memory of the man who started it all, so people will know his name as long as Walt Disney World is here." (File / Orlando Sentinel)
The show includes many familiar felt faces, although some are presented in a ghostly way. Of course, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy play their parts, but Gonzo (the Great) and Pepe (the king prawn) are in the starring roles. They are faced with a Halloween challenge of spending the night in a haunted mansion, the interior of which looks very much like a Magic Kingdom attraction.
Our weather Thursday will be affected by the passing of a cold front [Thursday] from Texas and Louisiana, moving through the area and bringing showers and thunderstorms, said Maureen McCann, a Spectrum News 13 meteorologist. There is a risk of a few rotating storms that could produce an isolated tornado.
Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus, pictured above at a recent appearance in Oswego, lauded legislation passed Tuesday to honor the 13 soldiers killed in an attack on U.S. forces during the evacuation of Afghanistan in August.
Oswego, NY (13126)

Today

Generally cloudy. High around 45F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies. A shower of rain or wet snow possible. Low 38F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
The East Carolinian has created a forum that centers around topics within the community where readers can express their experiences and concerns. With November being Native American Heritage Month, do you think East Carolina University has increased its efforts to recognize and honor Native and Indigenous cultures and students, faculty and staff on campus.

Survey
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The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain a bail plea by gangster Abu Salem serving life imprisonment in the 1995 murder case of Mumbai-based builder Pradeep Jain.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana, in its order, said: "This is an application filed on behalf of the applicant/appellant seeking bail during the pendency of the appeal. Having heard learned counsel for the parties and carefully perusing the averments made in the application, we are not inclined to grant bail to the applicant/appellant. ..is, accordingly, dismissed".

A special TADA court on February 25, 2015, had sentenced Abu Salem to life imprisonment for murder of the builder and his driver Mehdi Hassan. Police had claimed that Jain was shot dead on March 7, 1995, by assailants outside his Juhu bungalow after he allegedly declined to part with his huge property to Abu Salem.

The bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, added that "taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, we direct the registry to list these appeals (against February 2015 verdict) for final disposal in the third week of November 2021".

Abu Salem is also a convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. After a long legal battle, he was extradited from Portugal on November 11, 2005.
A number of women took to the streets of Kabul on Tuesday to protest against the closed schools for girls and accused the international community of being silent about what is going on in Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported.

The women who had gathered at the gates of UNAMA in Kabul said that the international community, human rights group, and the United Nations are completely indifferent to the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on Afghan women.

The protesters said that the silence of the UN against the ongoing situation in Afghanistan is "shameful".

The women chanted "rights to education, rights to work, are the fundamental rights of women" and "history will be ashamed of the silence of the UN".

In the meantime, the Afghan women wanted to get a chance to meet with the head of UNAMA Deborah Lyons to talk to her about women's rights and to submit her letter in this regard, the report said.

In a parallel all-women demonstration in Kabul, women asked for the opening of schools for girls and said that their rights should not be violated.
Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/27/2021 -- The hydroponics market was valued at USD 9.5 billion in 2020; it is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.3% to reach USD 17.9 billion by 2026. The pressure on the agriculture industry to meet the growing demand for grains and food leads to the search for high-yielding farming techniques, such as precision farming and urban farming. Hydroponics thus is looked upon as a potential solution for the growing concern about food security in the coming years.



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According to the UN reports on global population, plants grown in hydroponic systems have achieved 20%25% higher yield than the traditional agriculture system, with its productivity being 25 times higher. Also, owing to controlled environmental conditions, the effect of climatic changes can be balanced with the help of these systems, thereby not affecting the annual crop production. CEH techniques directly affect the crop harvest cycle. Since climatic changes show a minimal effect on such systems, crops can be produced all year round, thereby again increasing the produce.



COVID-19 Impact on the Global Hydroponics Market:



Amid the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, many individuals have developed a critical point of view towards outdoor food. With health and food safety becoming the key focus, the populations around the globe have showed an inclination towards home cooking and self-made/homemade meals. This has put the food and hotel industry into jeopardy. After the devastating outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, the adoption rate of urban hydroponic farming systems around the world are estimated to rise sharply.



The agriculture industry faced challenges during the initial phases of the spread of the pandemic. There were huge labour shortages on the farm, some farmers missed their window of opportunity for harvesting for seasonal crops, the falling prices of agricultural products and the disruption of logistics. Many countries also realized their over dependence on imports of food materials and hence began emphasizing on internal and domestic productions.



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Key players hydroponics market include major players such as Signify Holdings (Netherlands), Argus Control Systems (Canada), Heliospectra AB (Sweden), Scotts Miracle Gro (US), American Hydroponics (US), LumiGrow (US), Emerald Harvest (US), Hydroponic Systems International (Spain), Advanced Nutrients (Canada), Vitalink (UK), Hydrodynamics International (Spain), Logiqs B.V (Netherlands), Grobo (US), and American Hydroponics (US).



These major players in this market are focusing on increasing their presence through expansions & investments, mergers & acquisitions, partnerships, joint ventures, and agreements. These companies have a strong presence in North America, Asia Pacific and Europe. They also have manufacturing facilities along with strong distribution networks across these regions.



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Auckland-based diagnostic biotech company Pictor has taken a major step forward in the development of its COVID-19 antibody test, announcing it has signed two US laboratories to conduct clinical trials in the US.

Earlier this year, Pictor announced it had achieved a breakthrough with its COVID-19 IgG antibody test which identifies individuals with antibodies arising from infection with SARS-CoV-2 or as a result of vaccination.

THE US trials will be used to support a regulatory submission to the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) under the Emergency Use Authorization for market clearance of the companys SARS-CoV-2 serology test.

Boca Biolistics of Pompano Beach, Florida and Rain Incubator of Tacoma, Washington have entered into clinical testing agreements for the evaluation of Pictors serology test.

The Pictor serology test detects simultaneously antibodies to two major viral antigens  the spike protein and nucleocapsid protein. Antibodies to the nucleocapsid proteins can be used to confirm previous infection in individuals, while detection of antibodies to the spike antigen can be used to identify individuals vaccinated with anti-spike antigen vaccines.

The test was developed was developed in Pictors Auckland lab with funding from the New Zealand Governments COVID-19 Innovation Acceleration Fund, and is the subject of provisional patent submission to the USPTO.

The Pictor SARS-CoV-2 serology assay is a low-cost, duplex, miniaturised test capable of simultaneous detection of the two antibodies resulting from infection or vaccination, says Pictor Chief Technology Officer Dr Richard Janeczko.

In Pictors recently concluded Alpha Trial the assay exhibited high clinical performance across samples from different individuals. We chose to work with Boca Bio and Rain Incubator because of their vast experience in COVID-19 testing and look forward to extending and demonstrating the uniqueness and versatility of our assay in the trials at both sites. The trials are expected to begin in late October and conclude in November.

Pictor Chief Operating Officer Howard Moore says: As COVID-19 remains a global concern, measuring antibody levels across different populations will be critical for public health initiatives to inform control of potential surges of emerging variants.

Quote from Boca Biolistics

With the expertise Boca Biolistics has developed from our involvement in global viral outbreaks, such as Zika and COVID-19, we look forward to contributing our know-how in infectious disease management, laboratory testing, and clinical trial services to Pictor Ltd, says Valentin Adia, Chief Executive Officer, Boca Biolistics, LLC.

Quote from Rain Incubator

This type of testing is essential to public health efforts, says Dr David Hirschberg, Rain founder and neuroimmunologist. Pictor assays have the potential to help us understand vaccine efficacy against emerging variants, as well as antibody longevity in vaccinated and post infection individuals. This information will guide public health recommendations on who should get vaccinated or boosted and when, which can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and future disease targets. Technology that can be pivoted to newly emerging diseases is important, so that we can more rapidly and effectively address future outbreaks before they become pandemics.

About Pictor

Pictor was founded in 2005 by scientists, Dr Anand Kumble and Dr Sarita Kumble, who retired in 2017. Pictor has since expanded and now has 33 employees in the United States, New Zealand, Europe and India. In August 2020 Pictor established Pictor Inc. in the United States and appointed Dr Thomas Schlumpberger as its new CEO, based in San Francisco. Howard Moore, the previous CEO, is now COO.

Pictor recently announced it has achieved a breakthrough with its COVID-19 IgG antibody test. The diagnostic test, developed on Pictors multiplex platform, can differentiate individuals who have antibodies arising from being infected from those who have been vaccinated.

For more information, and to request an interview please contact: Mark Russell  +64 27 297 0178 or mark@hotmetal.nz

Source: Pictor Limited

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Wellington Drive Technologies (Wellington and the Company), a leading provider of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and energy efficient motors to the retail food and beverage industry, is pleased to update shareholders and the market generally on its latest trading results for the three months ended 30 September 2021 (Q3-2021).

 Revenue was $15.3m compared to $6.0m for the same period in 2020 (Q3-2020).

 US$ invoicing, which is a better indicator of activity, was US$11.1m compared to US$3.8m in Q3-2020, a year-on-year gain of 190%.

 Gross Margin was 27.8% which is consistent with 2020 and constrained by significantly higher freight and componentry charges.

 EBITDA was $0.8m, an increase of $0.9m compared to Q3-2020.

 Cash on 30 September was $6.3m and the Company had $2.4m available under its trade finance facility.

This is a strong performance for the third quarter in a challenging environment. The company continued to deal with the implications of the COVID outbreak and the global shortage of electronic components. Our supply chain and regional sales team have done a fantastic job to mitigate, where possible, the impact. These included a 5-week factory shutdown from our manufacturing source in Vietnam, the short supply and price increases of microprocessors and other components.

For FY2021 to date, the Company achieved an EBITDA surplus of $2.65m and a pre-tax net profit of $0.66m. This result includes a $0.20m expense arising from a change in fair value of the contingent consideration payable for the acquisition of iProximity (last year a $0.74m gain) and a $0.38m expense for the part repayment to staff of 2020 salary reductions. If these one-off charges are excluded, underlying EBITDA for the nine months to 30 September 2021 was $3.22m, a $2.88m increase over the same period last year and the underling pre-tax profit was $1.23m, a $3.44m increase.

Customer demand is buoyant. As noted, the Company is managing through a tight labour market, electronic component shortages, increased input costs, constraints on shipping, increased shipping costs and reduced capacity in the production line in Vietnam due to a COVID-19 restrictions on the labour force.

Notwithstanding these ongoing challenges, the Company is maintaining its full year 2021 guidance of US$ invoicing in the range of US$45m to US$50m and EBITDA earnings to be in the range of NZ$3.5m to NZ$4.5m before deduction of non-recurring charges. The Companys revenue would have been higher than that forecast but for the operating constraints outlined above.

CEO Greg Balla commented, I really want to thank our team, and our partners, for this strong result. It has been their absolute commitment to the customer that has allowed us to find innovative solutions to the many supply challenges caused by COVID-19 and the global electronic component shortages. We are continuing to see very strong demand for our products and our cloud connect IOT platform that brings the products to life and provides the high value insights our customers need. Our new solutions Connect Monitor and Connect Network (to be launched in November) significantly improve the ability of our customers to leverage the platform, allowing customers to retrofit their existing fleet and gain insights in real time. It is an exciting time for Wellington as we push for a record year.

Please see the link below for details

WT9593 - Q3-2021 Trading Update

Source: Wellington Drive Technologies Limited

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The retirement living and aged care provider, which has five operational villages in the state and seven more in the pipeline, has purchased Essendon Terrace retirement apartments in Essendon.

The complex, at 262-270 Pascoe Vale Rd, neighbours the 1.8 hectare site Ryman purchased in May, where it plans to build a new $165 million retirement village.

Essendon Terrace, which is home to 22 existing residents, will become part of that bigger development, offering retirement living and aged care in one village community.

As well as acquiring Essendon Terrace, Ryman also announced the purchase of the 2.35ha block of land next to its operational Deborah Cheetham Retirement Village in Ocean Grove, with plans to build a further 66 villas on the site.

The planned expansion will see the completed village offering a total of 148 independent villas, as well as 53 assisted living suites and a 120-bed care centre.

Ryman Healthcare Australia CEO Cameron Holland said the two purchases marked another significant stride forward in the companys growth plans.

Mr Holland said the planned expansion of the Deborah Cheetham Retirement Village in Ocean Grove was evidence of the strong demand for Rymans full continuum of care offering.

All the available stages of retirement villas at Deborah Cheetham sold out faster than we ever imagined they would, and we have a long waiting list of people wanting to get in.

When the neighbouring property became available for sale, it presented an opportunity to meet that extra demand.

Its just further confirmation for us that theres an incredibly strong appetite in the Victorian market for world class retirement living communities that also offer aged care on site.

About Ryman: Ryman Healthcare was founded in Christchurch in 1984 and owns and operates 43 retirement villages in New Zealand and Australia. Ryman villages are home to 12,750 residents, and the company employs 6,300 staff.

Please see the link below for details

Ryman Healthcare Limited - Ryman acquires extension to two Victorian sites

Source: Ryman Healthcare Limited

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The Vatican is investigating and prosecuting decades of child abuse in the Catholic Church. We hope that no priest of our Sri Lankan origin has been involved in such an inhuman and ruthless act. However, that in such an exemplary global context, Fr. Cyril Gamini and his team members will have a clear understanding of how to fulfill their responsibilities.

Editorial

Some responsible people are misleading the public by producing and propagating false stories and mere assumptions about the 2019 Easter terrorist attacks. This disgusting drama staging deceptive interpretations is continuing. As a result, the general public has lost the opportunity to gain an accurate understanding of this carnage and implement a proactive mechanism to ensure the non-recurrence. Instead, the people of the country are being deceived by certain groups to achieve various narrow political goals. It is awfully unfortunate how various social media and other media tools are being used to cover up the truth of this incident.

Opinions and assumptions are not sacred but facts

Some have accused the government of intimidating and humiliating some Catholic priests and so-called human rights activists who are talking about the Easter attacks. None of these heroes cares about the prejudice that comes with blaming various professionals based on gossips without any credible evidence. Do any of these critiques have any feelings about these officers and their families who are suffering because of these hateful accusations? Is this is a path to justice?

The most recent instance of this kind is the malevolent statement made by Fr. Cyril Gamini pointing at Director-General of State Intelligence Service Major General Suresh Sallay. Fr. Gamini in his ill presentation accused the Intelligence Chief of various issues related to Easter attacks. According to the presentation, Father Cyril Gamini has credible evidence to prove that how the intelligence chief dealt with Zaharan, the ring leader of the suicide bombings and his accomplices who carried out the Easter attacks. If so, he must table that evidence before the law enforcement agencies and the court of law. As far as we know, concealing evidence is against the law.

On the other hand, the prejudiced party (aggrieved party) can challenge the priest's statement and seek justice if the party confidence his innocence. If anyone tells the world that he/she has credible evidence on any form of unlawful activity, it is the responsibility of every individual to provide that evidence. Father Cyril Gamini should fulfil this basic responsibility. He has been given the golden opportunity to prove his purity by acting following the universal principle of rule of law.

The Vatican is investigating and prosecuting decades of child abuse in the Catholic Church. We hope that no priest of our Sri Lankan origin has been involved in such an inhuman and ruthless act. However, that in such an exemplary global context, Fr. Cyril Gamini and his team members will have a clear understanding of how to fulfil their responsibilities. We believe that the Catholic Church is not a conclave of gossipers and liars who are scheming to mislead the general public by propagating fake news and pretrial judgments.

The moment has come to prove by actions before the world that they are doing their duty correctly and working towards achieving justice for all. The first step to achieving this universal goal is to provide credible evidence that they have in their pockets. Let the world know what you know! Let us keep all gossips and conspiracy theories propagated by fake news mongers aside. Let us stand tall for facts to find the truth! Certainly, there is nothing to worry about in your past or the present! As Oscar Wilde tells us, "every saint has the past, every sinner have the future." Over to you, Fr. Cyril Gamini!
On October 22, 1947, militants backed by the Pakistan Army invaded Jammu and Kashmir

by Saleem Samad

The people of Jammu and Kashmir, both in Indian Administered Kashmir and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir observe Black Days on different dates.

The first Black Day was observed on October 22, 1947, when Brigadier Akbar Khan of Pakistan Army was entrusted in a top-secret invasion of the princely state Kashmir, just two months after independence of the two neighbouring countries.

Akbar Khan, a senior commander with Pakistan Army was the mastermind of the aggression of Kashmir and commanded the first-ever India-Pakistan war over Kashmir. The commander bypassed the Rawalpindi Military General Head Quarters (GHQ) when General Sir Douglas David Gracey was the C-in-C of the Pakistan Army.

The brute commander was a Second World War veteran. A war decorated by the British Army for commanding the Burma Campaign against the Japanese invasion of South-East Asia.

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), a landlocked disputed territory in South Asia was the reason for several wars and border skirmishes between India and Pakistan since the birth of two newly independent nations in 1947.

The war was fought between India and Pakistan over the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir from 1947 to 1948. It was the first of the four Indo-Pakistan wars fought between the two neighbours.

In 1846, after the Sikh defeat in the First Anglo-Sikh War, and upon the purchase of the region from the British under the Treaty of Amritsar, the Raja of Jammu, Gulab Singh, became the new ruler of Kashmir. As the partition unfolded, the Maharaja of Kashmir Hari Singh had signed a Standstill Agreement with Mohammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan on August 12, 1947, two days before the formal independence of State for Muslims in India.

In reality, Jinnah signed the Standstill Agreements with all the princely states in Pakistan territory, including Khanate of Kalat (Balochistan), Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Bahawalpur, Chitral, Swat, Hunza, Las Bela, Kharan, Makran, and others. Unfortunately, all the agreements were deliberately flouted by Jinnah.

According to British Rajs agreed compliance, the princely state(s) may join any country  India or Pakistan or hold the status quo as an independent nation. The choice to merge was left entirely to the rulers of the princely states.

For most of the princely states signed a Standstill Agreement with Pakistan, the military forcibly occupied the territory and coerced into signing the treaty of accession. Balochistan is one of the many examples in the post-partition history of Pakistan.

Jawaharlal Nehru expressed doubt that the agreements signed by Jinnah would be disobeyed, but for Governor-General of Pakistan [Jinnah] confidently negated his [Nehru] suspicion.

Akbar Khan in his autobiography Raiders in Kashmir admits that he designed a strategy under the title of Armed Revolt inside Kashmir.

On October 27, 1947, Jinnah ordered General David Gracey to mobilise troops into Kashmir Valley. Gracey declined with a note that all British officers had a stand-down order from Supreme Commander Claude Auchinleck of British forces in India and Pakistan in the eventualities of war and conflict between the two countries.

Impatient Prime Minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan summoned the ambitious Brig Khan at a closed-door conference in Lahore on the tense development in Kashmir, the accession, and possible Indian military intervention. The meeting was attended by Colonel Iskander Mirza (then defence secretary, later became Governor-General) and Chaudhri Mohammad All (then Secretary-General of Muslim League, later became Prime Minister).

With full knowledge of Jinnah, the Pakistan military mobilised thousands of barbarians from the fiercest Pashtun tribes from North-West Frontier Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) to invade Jammu and Kashmir under the command of Brig Akbar Khan.

An estimated 5,000 savage raiders armed with axes, swords, and modern rifles supplied by the Pakistan army and also military lorries were provided to capture Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir.

The raiders known as Lashkars (military or militia) went on a rampage. They plundered, looted, killed, and raped in the brutal invasion, which caused thousands of Kashmiri Pundits to flee the valley.

At midnight on December 30, at the behest of India, a ceasefire came into effect from January 1, 1948. Pakistan accepted the fate of Jammu and Kashmir as the issue was taken over by the United Nations. Thus Pakistan occupied Kashmir is known as Azad Kashmir, installing a subservient government to rule the valley. The Azad Kashmirs puppet government has always been loyal to Rawalpindi GHQ because the powerhouse lies there, not in Islamabad.

Since the stalemate in 1948, Pakistan systematically distorted the history of Jammu and Kashmir. The false narratives are injected in school textbooks, also found documented in national museums and archives. Pakistan got away with it.

After the war, Akbar Khan fell from the grace of the Muslim League government. Liaquat Ali Khan appointed General Ayub Khan as Chief of Army Staff after General Gracey retired on January 16, 1951. Rest is history!

Saleem Samad is an independent journalist based in Bangladesh. He is a media rights defender, recipient of Ashoka Fellowship and Hellman-Hammett Award. He could be reached at saleemsamad@hotmail.com; Twitter @saleemsamad
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A wide range of these U.S. government-funded websites and politicians such as Rubio have been leading the propaganda to support more protests in Cuba.

by Manolo De Los Santos and Vijay Prashad

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) appears to be obsessed with Cuba. Every few days he takes to social media or makes remarks to the press about his desire to overthrow the Cuban Revolution. In recent months, Rubio has played a key role in drumming up support for anti-government protests in Cuba. On September 23, 2021, for instance, Rubio tweeted, The brave people of Cuba lost their fear of protesting against the dictatorship that represses them. Holguin raises its voice against tyranny. Rubio included an article about the Cuban town of Holguin in his tweet, where a group of Cuban citizens are planning to hold a march against violence on November 20. This article appeared in Diario de Cuba, a news site based in Miami, Florida, which received substantial funding from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) from 2016 to 2019, an independent nonprofit that is largely funded by the U.S. Congress.

A quick study of the Diario de Cuba website reveals that it regularly publishes news relating to Marco Rubios views against the Cuban government. According to the Diario de Cuba article shared by Rubio on the November 20 march, the initiative has been promoted by a group called Archipielago that proposes to carry out such peaceful demonstrations throughout Cuba. Rubio has extended his support for the march and on September 29 tweeted about a request by the citizens of Guantanamo seeking similar permission to hold a march on November 20. In his tweet, he shared an article from the news site CiberCuba, which is operated from Florida and Spain. There are several other news sites reporting on Cuba that are funded by the United States government and by foundations like the Open Society and NED, including ADN Cuba, Cubanos por el Mundo, Cubita NOW, CubaNet, El Estornudo, Periodismo de Barrio, Tremenda Nota, El Toque, and YucaByte.

A wide range of these U.S. government-funded websites and politicians such as Rubio have been leading the propaganda to support more protests in Cuba. On October 5, the U.S. administration of President Joe Biden also provided support to this agenda. The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Brian Nichols tweeted, The fight for a free press and free expression continues in Cuba. Meanwhile, during an event hosted by Georgetown Americas Institute, Juan Gonzalez, the senior director for the Western Hemisphere at the National Security Council, criticized the Cuban government for arresting artists and protesters. [W]hen you put artists in jail for singing and for demanding freedom, theres something wrong with you, he said.

November 15

On October 9, the U.S. Embassy in Havana issued a statement that criticized the Cuban governments decision to hold military exercises throughout the country on November 18 and 19, ending on November 20 with National Defense Day, calling it a blatant attempt to intimidate Cubans. The Cuban government holds this regular exercise to prepare its 11 million citizens for multiple scenarios that range from a possible U.S. invasion to natural disasters. Normally military personnel, the civil defense forces, and members of the general population participate.

To counter this announcement, Archipielago announced on its Facebook page that the march would now be moved to November 15 (from November 20), the day Cuban authorities are expected to open its border to tourism. Meanwhile, several U.S. government officials and U.S. elected officials gave their support to what is now being called the 15N March.

The first wave of support came from the U.S. elected officialsmost of them children of Cuban exileswho have publicly committed themselves to overthrowing the Cuban Revolution. On October 10, Florida Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar gave her support for the 15N March. The Biden administration, she told the host of a news program on a Miami television channel, must provide Cuban protesters with clandestine internet access. Two days later, on October 12, Senator Rubio criticized the Cuban government for censoring news about the march, while on October 15 Florida Congressman Carlos Gimenez, the child of Cuban parents who were landowners before 1959, also tweeted in support of the march. Gimenez included an article from the Hill in his tweet that referred to 15N as a civil liberties protest. Floridas other senator, Rick Scott, joined Rubio in tweeting that the U.S. government cant sit on the sidelines during this fight for freedom in Cuba. Scott has introduced a bill in the Senate to increase economic sanctions on Cuba. Meanwhile, the Cuban government denied permission to Archipielago to hold the march on November 15.

Soon after, on October 16, the U.S. State Department published a statement that condemned the Cuban governments decision to deny permission for peaceful protests. U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price tweeted on October 16 about the U.S. support for peaceful assembly by the Cuban people, which was retweeted by the U.S. Embassy in Havana on the same day. On October 17, Nichols also tweeted about the Cuban denial for the 15N protest. This was retweeted by the U.S. Embassy in Havana and by Bradley Freden, interim U.S. permanent representative to the Organization of American States.

On October 20, Nichols shared a Human Rights Watch report on the July protests in Cuba to once more criticize the government for preventing peaceful marches. Two days later, on October 22, Gonzalez warned that the U.S. would have to take action if Cuba does not allow the 15N protest to take place.

The atmosphere is charged. The U.S. government and right-wing Cubans who are in the U.S. Congress have tried to define the terrain for events in mid-November in Cuba. They will ramp up pressure to overthrow the government.

Arrange an Accident

In April 2021, the National Security Archive declassified the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency top-secret documents about Cuba. These documents showed that in July 1960, the U.S. government planned to assassinate Raul Castro by paying a Cubana Airlines pilot to crash his plane. High-level CIA officials who were part of the agency at the time (former CIA Deputy Director of Plans Tracy Barnes, former CIA head of the Western Hemisphere Division J.C. King and a former CIA officer in Cuba William J. Murray) worked with the Cuban pilot (Jose Raul Martinez) to ensure a fatal accident that would lead to the death of Raul Castro. The pilot, however, never found the opportunity to carry out such an accident.

The attempt on Raul Castros life is one of many projects by the U.S. government to overthrow the Cuban Revolution, including 638 attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro and the invasion at the Bay of Pigs in 1961.

Reading the CIA documents from 1960 onward, most of which are available in the CIA reading room, shows how clichedand yet dangerousthe attempts to overthrow the Cuban Revolution by the U.S. government have been. The buildup to 15N bears all the marks of this history, one ghoulish plot both cooked up in and executed by Washington and Miami.

This article was produced by Globetrotter.

Manolo De Los Santos is a researcher and a political activist. For 10 years, he worked in the organization of solidarity and education programs to challenge the United States regime of illegal sanctions and blockades. Based out of Cuba for many years, Manolo has worked toward building international networks of peoples movements and organizations. In 2018, he became the founding director of the Peoples Forum in New York City, a movement incubator for working-class communities to build unity across historic lines of division at home and abroad. He also collaborates as a researcher with Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and is a Globetrotter/Peoples Dispatch fellow. He is a co-editor of Comrade of the Revolution, available from 1804 Books and LeftWord Books.

Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter. He is the chief editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is a senior non-resident fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. He has written more than 20 books, including The Darker Nations, The Poorer Nations, and Washington Bullets, with an introduction by Evo Morales Ayma. He is a co-editor of Comrade of the Revolution, available from 1804 Books and LeftWord Books.
The country experienced two terrorist campaigns in the South in 1971 and 1987-1990 and the 30-year-old war spearheaded by the LTTE. Sri Lanka defeated all three attempts through military means. The country had no option but to deal militarily with terrorism and conventional military challenge, regardless of opposition.

by Shamindra Ferdinando

Under any circumstances, post-war Sri Lanka cannot ignore international concerns as regards the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (No 48 of 79).

A section of the international community wants Sri Lanka to amend the PTA without further delay. The civil society organisation, One-Text Initiative (OTI) has pointed out repealing the PTA is a necessity underscored by the European Union and the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as well as by Western-funded civil rights organisations and international agencies. It would be pertinent to mention that the OTI came into being in 2003 in the wake of the Norway arranged Ceasefire Agreement (CFA). The CFA, too, made reference to the PTA. The following is the relevant section 2.12: The parties agree that search operations and arrests under the Prevention of Terrorism Act shall not take place. Arrests shall be conducted under due process of law in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code. Therefore, the public should know the PTA had been an issue for the LTTE, too.

Supreme Court of Sri Lanka

Following the 5th Meeting of the European Union  Sri Lanka Working Group on Good Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights on Sept. 29, 2021, they issued a comprehensive statement.

Let me reproduce the relevant section verbatim: Sri Lanka provided an update on the action in process to review the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and reiterated its commitment to bring it in line with international norms and standards within a time bound process. The EU and Sri Lanka agreed to take stock of the progress in this regard by the next meeting of the EU-Sri Lanka Joint Commission in early 2022. The need to uphold international norms and standards of human rights while countering terrorism and violent extremism was also underlined.

OTI last Monday (25) arranged a discussion on the PTA and its impact with the participation of lawyer Chrishmal Warnasuriya, Dr Paikiasothy Sarawanamuttu, UK-based Amal Abeywardene and the writer. Harindra B Dassanayake moderated the two-hour discussion. All agreed with Dr. Sarawanamuttus call for a moratorium of the PTA until the government and those engaged in discussions on the future of the security law reached a consensus. The civil society guru also suggested until consensus could be reached on the issue at hand, the Attorney General should be authorised to facilitate bail to those held under the PTA. That proposal, too, should be seriously considered. OTI raised specific issues relating to the PTA. Why does the reforming/ repealing of PTA matter? , What is the situation now, and what is likely to happen? Are there options for Sri Lanka, and with what consequences? What hinders change? And what paths and steps are recommended? The OTI initiative should be appreciated.

Western powers are eternally interested in accountability issues and related matters here. However, there is no such enthusiasm to correct far worse continuing wrongs in places like Egypt, Israel or for that matter the continuing genocide in Yemen, thanks to Saudi Arabia and UAE or against international drug rings freely operating from capitalist citadels, like Dubai!

Since the end of the war in May 2009, the GoSL (Government of Sri Lanka) has been under tremendous pressure to either abolish the PTA or amend it in line with laws in place in other parts of the world. Do we need anti-terrorism laws? Do they serve any purpose or strengthen Sri Lankas response to terrorist challenge? Sri Lanka should have examined how PTA facilitated the countrys overall response to terrorism.

Unfortunately, successive governments conveniently failed to do so just to appease the West fearing a greater orchestrated outcry against the country, thereby contributed to some international efforts to discredit the Sri Lankan military as well as the law enforcement apparatus.

The country experienced two terrorist campaigns in the South in 1971 and 1987-1990 and the 30-year-old war spearheaded by the LTTE. Sri Lanka defeated all three attempts through military means. The country had no option but to deal militarily with terrorism and conventional military challenge, regardless of opposition. Some sections of the international community oppose the PTA. But no one talks about draconian anti-terror laws in place for example in the USA or the UK since 9/11 and thereafter.

They always boast about a rules-based order followed by the international community. What is this international community? It is nothing but a self-appointed handful of countries in the West that earlier plundered much of the world at their will.

Interestingly, almost all those countries demanding abolition or amendments to the PTA provide refuge to those who should have been dealt with in terms of anti-terrorism laws. Those countries swiftly accept accusations that the PTA is used widely and indiscriminately at the expense of public freedom and also against political opponents.

Focus on PTA cases

Let me briefly refer to four recent cases that had attracted international attention due to some of those involved being arrested in terms of the PTA, as well as accusations relating to Sri Lankans seeking political refuge overseas: (i) Arrest of Attorney-at-Law Hejaaz Hizbullah in April 2020 over his alleged involvement in the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage (ii) the recent Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) statement on the arrest and the subsequent release of All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) leader and MP representing the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) Rishad Bathiudeen. The MP was also taken into custody in terms of the PTA over the Easter Sunday attacks blamed on National Thowheed Jamaat. It would be pertinent to mention that the IPU represents altogether nearly 180 Parliaments all over the world (iii) New Zealand police killing Ahamed Adhil Mohamed Samsudeen, 31, who had secured political asylum therein in Dec 2013 on the basis of him being under threat in Sri Lanka. No less a person than New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has admitted how the man from Kattankudy, who knifed several persons in an Auckland shopping mall received inspiration from ISIS (iv) New Zealand granting political asylum to a Sri Lankan wanted in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks. The suspect also wanted under the PTA received New Zealand protection soon after the mayhem in the shopping mall.

Hizbullahs arrest was also taken up by the UK-led Sri Lanka Core Group at the UNHRC as well as by HRC Michelle Bachelet. In spite of Hizbullah personally knowing two of the Easter bombers and their father, Mohammad Yusuf Ibrahim, he should be considered innocent until found guilty in a court of law.

Hizbullah knew them as he had represented the wealthy family in court and his right as a lawyer to represent anyone should never be questioned whatever the accusations directed at his clients. The UN, foreign government and the civil society, too, should have the right to represent the interests of anyone regardless of the accusations. In the absence of own legal representation or the inability to procure legal services, suspects, whatever the accusations directed at them, reserved the right to obtain legal support from the Attorney Generals Department.

Similarly, the State, in this case the Sri Lanka State shouldnt give up its right to take security measures deemed necessary to protect the public. The government cannot forfeit its right to defend the public against acts of terrorism. However, every effort should be made to address concerns of the UN and the EU as regards the PTA.

Most importantly, the government should respond to concerns raised by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and all other political parties representing the Tamil speaking people as well as the civil society such as the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA).

The incumbent government in June this year appointed a high powered committee chaired by Defence Secretary Gen. Kamal Gunaratne to examine the PTA. The Committee has been asked to recommend whether to suitably amend the current law or introduce new counter-terrorism law.

Prez wants PTA examined

President Gotabaya Rajapaksas decision to examine the Counter Terrorism Act (CAT) prepared on the instruction of former Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe should be appreciated. Gen. Gunaratnes committee received specific instructions to study the CAT. The government should be ashamed of its failure to undertake a comprehensive study on the PTA before foreign powers intervened. Having examined the CAT, the writer is quite convinced it addressed concerns of all.

Prepared by the previous government in consultations with the British, French, EU et al, the CAT can be the basis for proposed new law or facilitate required amendments to the existing PTA.

Sri Lanka should seek a guarantee as regards comprehensive cooperation from Western governments to address threats posed by terrorism. They cannot ignore such a request on the basis of their domestic laws. A lot depends on international cooperation to fight terrorism. Western powers no longer can deny their response to terrorism elsewhere, in a way, promoted terrorism on their soil. How many Sri Lankan terrorists received political asylum in those countries, particularly in the UK, Canada and Germany? Sri Lanka cannot forget the fact that Western powers at least do not share information regarding missing persons. How many thousands of those categorised as missing or disappeared Lankans live overseas under different names.

The recent assassination of ruling party British lawmaker David Amess, 69, is a case in point. The police arrested 25-year-old Ali Harbi Ali, British passport holder of Somali origin over the stabbing in a church east of London. Hope the British investigate the circumstances under which the assassin received British nationality. Having declared the MPs killing an act of terrorism, the British should conduct a no holds barred investigation. The British media reported the suspect has been detained in terms of additional powers under anti-terrorism laws.

In June 2016, another terrorist, who believed in white power, assassinated 41-year-old Jo Cox. She was shot thrice and then stabbed 15 times. The British cannot turn a blind eye to the growing threat posed by terrorism. Perhaps, law enforcement authorities require wider powers to deal with new threats.

Incidents in New Zealand, Norway, France, Germany and other countries must influence governments to take sufficient measures to ensure public protection. The civil society as well as international organisations, such as IPU, too, should be accountable for campaigns they do. They should be mindful of their actions.

The IPUs right to be concerned over MP Bathiudeens detention should be respected. There shouldnt be any issue over IPUs response to the Sri Lankan politicians arrest. Let the IPU closely examine MP Bathiudeens case. Perhaps, the IPU should make its position public on the assassination of Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and clandestine meeting the Norwegian government had with the LTTEs British advisor Anton Balasingham in the UK to discuss ways and means of managing the fallout.

Those who want Sri Lanka to adhere to international standards in the formulation of anti-terrorism laws should be reminded how Commonwealth heavyweight India destabilised Sri Lanka. The transformation of Sri Lankas ceremonial armed forces to one of the best fighting forces in the world should be studied against the backdrop of Indian intervention. Sri Lanka needed the PTA as part of the overall measures against terrorism. Can anyone honestly declare that clandestine LTTE operations in Colombo and its suburbs could have been thwarted without the PTA.? Sri Lanka had no option but to fight back. The PTA had been part of the overall defence. The PTA should be discussed taking into account high profile terrorist operations in the South that resulted in political assassinations. Perhaps, the PTA hadnt been enough to neutralise the LTTE. They succeeded in assassinating President Ranasinghe Premadasa on May Day 1993, made an abortive bid to assassinate Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga at the final PA rally ahead of the 1999 presidential election, blew up over 50 people, including UNP presidential candidate Gamini Dissanayake in late Oct 1994, suicide attack on the then Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa in April 2006 and Oct 2009, respectively. All those responsible for the above-mentioned terrorist attacks came to the South as innocent civilians until the moment they transformed themselves into human bombs.

Those who demand that the government treat terrorist suspects with respect did nothing when the LTTE blasted civilians outside the war zone while mingling with ordinary people. Interestingly, years before the ISIS influenced terrorists, the LTTE inspired Norways worst ever terrorist attack. The farright Norwegian terrorist who massacred 77 people, including dozens of children, is on record as having explained how LTTE terrorism directed at Muslims inspired him.

International interventions

The EUs strong push against Sri Lankas current anti-terrorism law should be examined taking into consideration its demand to do away with the death penalty.

The EU-Sri Lanka joint statement issued following the Sept. 21, 2021 meeting also dealt with the death penalty, even though the death penalty had not been carried out in the country since the mid-70s. The relevant section is as follows: The EU reiterated its opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances. Welcoming the continued moratorium, the EU encouraged Sri Lanka to take steps towards the formal abolition of capital punishment.

How is it that the EU is so concerned about Sri Lankas dormant death penalty, but didnt lift a finger to spare the life of Saddam Hussein or the cold blooded killing of Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi, both deaths instigated by the West?

The abolition of the PTA or enactment of new anti-terrorism law should be discussed with push for a new Constitution. The successful conclusion of the war over 12 years ago opened up a new front. The Geneva Human Rights Council got involved with the move to draft a new constitution here. Premier Wickremesinghe spearheaded that effort, too, the way he had handled unfinished project to introduce new anti-terrorism law. In fact, co-sponsorship of the 2015 Geneva resolution had been in line with the overall game plan that brought Maithripala Sirisena into power in January 2015. Following the August 2015 general election, Wickremesinghe enjoyed a commanding position in Parliament with which he could have had achieved major political objectives if not for the Treasury bond scams perpetrated in Feb 2015 and March 2016. That is the undeniable truth.

Having lambasted the UNP, both in and outside Parliament, for planning to do away with the PTA at the behest of Western powers, the SLPP is working with the same lot to either amend or introduce new anti-terrorism laws.

The government seems incapable of at least presenting Sri Lankas case before the international community properly. Sri Lanka should discuss application of anti-terrorism laws during the deployment of the IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force). Did the world care about what really happened in Sri Lankas Northern and Eastern provinces during the IPKF deployment? Having destabilised Sri Lanka, India forced the then government to accept the IPKF in terms of the Indo-Lanka accord signed on July 29, 1987.

Those who had been detained by the IPKF on suspicion were not handed over to Sri Lanka police for investigations. Therefore, the PTA didnt matter. The IPKF hadnt been accountable at all in respect of operations conducted here and those who want Sri Lanka hauled up before foreign judges over alleged war crimes /accountability issues are conveniently silent on the period India had been responsible for Northern and Eastern districts.

Easter Sunday carnage

If not for the Easter Sunday carnage, the UNHRC and the EU would have definitely demanded the abrogation of the PTA. The Western funded civil society, too, would have pushed for the same. Sri Lanka would have found it extremely difficult to justify the need for continuation of anti-terrorism laws. However, the Easter Sunday massacre proved that a country cannot take security for granted. Sri Lankas failure to deal with specific intelligence provided by India pertaining to impending terrorist attack, too, should be dealt in terms of the PTA.

Accusations that the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) benefited at the presidential and parliamentary polls, respectively, as a result of the Easter attacks cannot be ignored. No less a person than Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has repeatedly raised that issue against the backdrop of the incumbent governments failure to implement recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) that inquired into the Easter attacks.

Interestingly, the then Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe used the Easter attacks to justify his governments bid to replace the PTA with a new counter-terrorism law.
Of course, many homes consume much more than 1,000 kWh of electricity, and bills would increase accordingly. The projected increases could become even worse if fuel costs continue to surge. FPL pointed out in a news release that the latest cost hike projections were based on fuel projections that FPL filed with the PSC in September.
In October 2020, JetBlue Airways halted service between Stewart and Fort Lauderdale due to a drop in passenger traffic. That left Allegiant as the only carrier serving Stewart, according to the airport website. It currently offers non-stops to Orlando, Punta Gorda and St. Pete-Clearwater/Tampa. As a result, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spent a considerable amount of time and money wooing airlines, including Frontier, to serve Stewart.
Writing in his weekly blog, De Haan says that the sharp rise seen over the past three weeks should begin slowing soon. This is because gasoline prices have now largely caught up to the jump in oil that started nearly a month ago.
So its our religious exemption to the religious exemption of people who think they can walk around and not get vaccinated and not wear a mask and try to blow their radioactive snot and stupidity on us, Stevens, 57, said.
We think with school back in session and the holidays and travel, people are starting to be open to vaccines for their kids under 11, McKee said. There is good data to support that it decreases the prevalence of transmission. Now more than last year when the first surge occurred, parents are open to it because of the delta variant.
Scotto opened Salty Paws in mid October with his mom, Dianna. Its in the center of busy East Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, surrounded by restaurants, art galleries and apparel boutiques. Many people strolling the Ave bring along their pooches, so the Scottos figured they had a readymade clientele looking for a way to keep their animals occupied during a day or night out.
My Promise to P.J.: Filmmaker and actor Daniel Baldwins first documentary tells of a promise he made to a young friend, P.J. Raynor. Discovering that he and Raynor shared a single item on their bucket lists, Baldwin promised to take Raynor to run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, if he remained clean from heroin for two years. Raynor completed the goal but then relapsed and died. Baldwin, who has been open about his own struggles with addiction, dedicated himself to fulfilling his commitment by running in Pamplona with his friends ashes. The film marks the first time Baldwin and his acting brothers, Alec, Steven and Billy, have appeared on screen together. My Promise to P.J., which won the best documentary feature award at the Seattle Film Festival, will screen at 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at Savor Cinema. Baldwin will attend, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Jupiter-based Forever Frosty Foundations efforts on behalf of teen mental health.
The investigation into the missing money started in March 2019, after Stewart went to a fellow officer at the Davie police department and asked whether someone has committed grand theft if that person withdrew charitable funds for personal use, even if that person is authorized to withdraw the funds.
The investigation was able to determine that the fire started near the bed and a torch lighter was found that was later determined to be the cause of the fire, said Fort Lauderdale Police Det. Ali Adamson. Witnesses on scene reported hearing him say let it burn multiple times so that was another indicator that was something more intentional.
The design for the west tower calls for a new 20,000-square-foot museum, a large ballroom and a rooftop restaurant with outdoor dining, as well as a covered teaching pool. According to the developers pitch, visitors would have breathtaking views of the Intracoastal to the west and the aquatic center and the ocean to the east. The plan would also create enough parking for 202 cars and a public promenade at the western end of the peninsula lining the edge of the Intracoastal.
We know that there are competing interests in this area. Were trying to protect agriculture and were trying to maintain it. Were trying to add enhancements for environmental protection. Were trying to apply and allow for mixed-type of housing so our families can afford to have places to live and were trying to be as accommodating to some of the different business interests.
Our ambulances will now have to take people on an emergency basis to Broward General and they will be out of the city a lot longer because they have farther to go, Thurston said. And, theres a chance the outcomes might not be as good because patients have to travel farther. I am not happy this is happening. I dont see my residents going to the new hospital. They would have to ride the bus a lot longer to get there.
Prosecutors say the main hire, Anthony Big Tony Moscatiello, now 82, decided on his own to kill Boulis, who was gunned down in an ambush in Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 6, 2001. Anthony Little Tony Ferrari, now 64, and a third associate, James Pudgy Fiorillo, were also implicated in the plot. The alleged gunman, John Gurino, died in an unrelated shooting in 2003.
During this century, deadly attacks on Jews have been far more prevalent in Europe than in the U.S. Three mass murders of Jews in the last five years were committed by Muslim extremists born in Europe. These extremists see no difference between Jews and Zionists; neither did the German court that ruled in 2017 that the bombing of a synagogue in Wuppertol was not antisemitic but a protest against Israel. Unfortunately, the U.S. is catching up. Right-wing extremists murdered worshipers at the Tree of Life and Poway synagogues, while academics and students on U.S. campuses increasingly shout anti-Zionist epithets. A shocking survey released by the Louis D. Brandeis Center last month found that two-thirds of openly Jewish students polled feel unsafe because of antisemitism, with one in 10 reporting that they have feared physical assault because they are Jewish.
While there have been some indications that the South Florida market is cooling, such as a decline in closed sales, the fact that home price appreciation surged in September is a sign that the market may not be close to slowing down, said Johnson.
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MBABANE - The scarcity of employment has resulted in youth around the country turning up in huge numbers for the 350 police jobs that have been made available for now.

The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) issued an advert where it called for all suitable candidates to apply for the position of Constable II (cadres). By suitable candidates, the police mean emaSwati between the ages 21 and 35 with normal eye vision, without the use of spectacles. The police service also wants to recruit physically fit candidates, who have no previous criminal records among other requirements.

During a visit to the Mbabane Police Station at around 3pm yesterday, over 100 people were found queuing to submit their application forms. It was gathered that the police station had been a busy place since the first day the advert was published last week. It was also gathered that some people were turned back as they did not meet the requirements. Some of those who did not meet the requirements had less than three credits. Some did not have a pass in English Language as per the requirements. Some were younger than 21 years of age while others were above the age of 35.

Worth noting is that the recruitment comes at the time when results of the 2021 labour force survey pointed out that youth unemployment remained at 58 per cent in the country. Also, the recruitment comes at a time when some youth participate in the ongoing political unrest which has resulted in the looting, vandalism, burning of property and job losses. Those interviewed in the queues claimed that they were never part of the ongoing political unrest.

The aspirants stated that their consciences were clean. They said they were hoping that those responsible for the recruitment would use all possible means to ensure that deserving candidates were recruited into the service. Meanwhile, Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati was on national radio warning those who aspired to join the service to guard against people who would pose as messiahs and claim to help them get the jobs.

Vilakati stated that the vacancies in the service were not for sale. She advised those who might be lured into paying for the jobs to inform the police so that the law would take its course. Vilakati stated that the police job required application, aptitude test, physical fitness and oral interviews.
MHLAMBANYATSI  A take-off to check out the weather ended tragically for a pilot who is also an instructor, after his chopper crashed and exploded at Mhlambanyatsi A10 forest owned by Montigny yesterday morning.

The name of the pilot who was onboard the B206 helicopter is known to this publication but will not be revealed as his family could not be reached for comment at the time of compiling this report. Efforts to get hold of his family were not successful at the time of compiling this report as they were believed to be in South Africa, Cape Town.

Cause

Information gathered from a highly placed source, who is an associate to the deceased and a local pilot who was at the accident scene to establish the cause of the crash, was to the effect that the deceased pilot owned Heli Worx, a business that operated helicopters and his aircraft was fully licensed. He was a qualified pilot and an instructor as well who was working with small scale farmers around Siphofaneni and Big Bend, the associate said. The source stated that the pilot worked with small scale farmers around Siphofaneni and Big Bend who contracted him to spray their sugar cane fields.

Weather

He stated that the pilot took off from the Matsapha Airport yesterday, at around 8am to check out on the weather before clearing his documents to take off at the Sikhuphe International Airport. He stated that the cause of the crash was unknown at the moment as combined reports from all stakeholders were yet to be taken to inspectors, who would be able to determine the cause of the accident.

The above information was reconfirmed by the Eswatini Civil Aviation Authority (ESWACAA). Through a press statement, management at ESWACAA confirmed that a helicopter accident occurred at Mhlambanyatsi area at around 8:10am on Tuesday (October 26, 2021). ESWACAA stated that the Namibian registered helicopter, B206, departed from the Matsapha Airport at around 8am and en route to Lanseria in Johannesburg, SA. ESWACAA will provide further update about this accident and potential investigations, reads part of the statement.

Meanwhile, an eyewitness, who is an employee of Montigny, Julius Dlamini, said just around 8:10am, they heard a loud bang. This, he said happened a few minutes after a helicopter with an unusual sound which was flying very low had passed their workstation. He said together with two of his colleagues, they went outside the office to observe the aircraft, but later returned inside to continue with their work.

Dlamini said a few minutes later, they received a call from their control office, informing them about smoke that was seen around A10 forest. Immediately, we went to inspect the forest and we were shocked by what we discovered, he said. He mentioned that the helicopter was in flames when they arrived and they tried looking around in search of any passengers who were on board. We could not get closer to the aircraft as it continued to explode, he added.

Dlamini said they were later joined, by the plantation manager who was in the company of the police and they put out the flames. He said they realised that there was one person who was burnt beyond recognition. When reached for comment, Montignys Sihle Mavuso stated that the aircraft was a private one and had no business with their company. Mavuso said what they knew was that the owner operated in the sugar belt where he sprayed sugar cane. Chief Police Information and Communication Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the accident, adding that only the pilot was on board the aircraft. Vilakati said they were still investigating on what might have lead to the helicopter crash.
MBABANE  The fate regarding the reopening of schools in the country could be known tomorrow.

This is because stakeholders in the education sector will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the reopening of schools. Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education and Training Bhekithemba Gama confirmed the meeting. Gama said indeed the agenda of the meeting would be the reopening of schools. Worth noting is that the meeting was supposed to be held today but it was subsequently postponed and the reasons for that could not be established. Yes, we are meeting tomorrow with our social partners and the main issue to be deliberated upon will be the reopening of schools, said the PS.

Stakeholders

Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General (SG) Sikelela Dlamini also confirmed that they would be meeting with the ministry and all other relevant stakeholders in the education sector. Dlamini said an update would then be provided thereafter. Welcome Mhlanga, President of the Eswatini Principal Association (EPA) confirmed that as an association they had received an invite to the meeting with the Ministry of Education and Training. Mhlanga said at the moment, there was nothing much to say as they were just invitees to the meeting. He also confirmed that the main agenda would be reopening of schools.

The schools were closed indefinitely following the escalation of protest actions in most schools around the country. Pupils had been boycotting classes, raising various demands which included the release of the incarcerated Members of Parliament (MP) in Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube. Other than the protest actions by the pupils, a lot of schools were set alight by unknown arsonists. Some of those schools were set alight even before the protests by the pupils started.

Some of the schools that were burnt include KaBoyce High School, Mqolo Primary School, Enhlanganisweni High School, Velebantfu High School to name a few. It was for that reason Prime Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlamini ordered schools to be closed on October 16, 2021. When announcing the closure of schools, Dlamini said the decision was taken with the view of ensuring childrens safety and their right to protection. When government announced the closure of schools, it was mentioned that those who were writing external examinations would continue under protection. However, in some schools the exams were interrupted. For instance, during the unrest last week Wednesday, pupils at KaBoyce High School had to abandon their examinations as the school was set alight during the day.
MANZINI  Nurses from some health institutions around Manzini have taken the issue of the recent police brutality to another level as they demand answers within 72 hours, including a public apology from the NATCOM.

This is contained in a petition which was delivered by nurses who are organised under the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU), Manzini Region, to the National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police William Tsitsibala Dlamini, through the office of the Manzini regional commissioner. The petition was handed over to the police by the nurses unions Acting Manzini Regional Secretary Calvin Dlamini and it was titled; Police brutality and bashing of unarmed nurses.

Brutality

In the petition the nurses said following the recent alleged brutality which was meted to against civil servants and nurses in particular, during what was supposed to be a peaceful march to deliver a petition to the Ministry of Public Service on Wednesday October 20, 2021; as medical practitioners from the Manzini Region, they had some demands to present to the NATCOM. They demanded that the office of the NATCOM should desist from issuing commands that the police should shoot to kill as it was alleged by junior officers. The acting regional secretary claimed that junior officers had allegedly told them that there were orders that were issued and were to the effect that they should shoot to kill.

We know that the police have underscored last Wednesday because according to information we gathered, they had a target to shoot at least 1 000 people, the acting regional secretary alleged. When he was pressed further on how and where they got the information that the police allegedly had a target to shoot at least 1 000 people during the civil servants march which was stopped by the law enforcers, the acting secretary claimed that they obtained such details from the police, but indirectly. Again, the nurses demanded that the office of the NATCOM should give a comprehensive explanation and issue a public apology to nurses and the public at large and assurance that this would never happen again.

We demand that the two police officers, who (allegedly) shot two nurses and many other civil servants, be arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder. Failure to implement the above may validate the allegations that your office gave instructions to shoot to kill, read part of the petition. They also demanded that the NATCOM should stop the summons of nurses from Hlatikhulu Government Hospital to report at the police station. The acting regional secretary claimed that some of their members from Hlatikhulu, who went to register their concerns to the police, were allegedly being intimidated with summons, which invited them to the police station to assist the law enforcers with some information on something they were working on.

Arrest

We demand the arrest of the police officers who fired tear gas canisters into a bus which was full of healthcare workers at Nkoyoyo last Wednesday. Their conduct was heartless and inhumane, the nurses said in the petition. On top of that, they demanded professional and ethical reporting from the office of the Police Information and Communications Officer, not the alleged lies and protecting of the ills of the police. They also reminded the NATCOM that the police officer, Sibusiso Bhubesi Shongwe, who was held for allegedly killing their colleague, Dolly Mlangeni, had not been tried in court yet, instead he was working in one of the police stations. Therefore, they demanded justice for Mlangeni.

Moreover, they reminded the NATCOM that the police force should be an organisation for the nation. They added that in their motto, they (police) referred to themselves as a shield for the King and nation, but according to their analysis, the police seemed to be a shield for the King against the nation. They emphasised in the petition that they demanded a public apology and responses to the above demands within 72 hours of receipt of this petition.
MBABANE  As the debate over how the dialogue will be convened in Eswatini rages on, a third view has resurfaced.

A concerned citizen, who elected to remain anonymous, said in his opinion, the dialogue could be convened in Parliament as compared to the Sibaya or any other forum as suggested by others. *Sipho said people could use their Members of Parliament (MPs) to be the ones doing the negotiations inside Parliament. He also called upon the release of the incarcerated MPs in Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza of Hosea and Mthandeni Dube of Ngwempisi so that the people from their constituencies could be represented as well. He said Siphofaneni MP Mduduzi Gawuzela Simelane should also be allowed to come back to the country and the warrant of arrest against him be withdrawn in order for his electorates to have him representing them in Parliament during the dialogue.

Parliament

He said as emaSwati had said it that they wanted to have an elected prime minister; let that be deliberated in Parliament by the MPs. Sipho said even the progressives should be represented in the dialogue. He said they should elect their representatives because at the end of the day, not everyone would speak.

Meanwhile, since the pronouncement that the dialogue would be held through the Sibaya platform, some people voiced out that it should be held at neutral venue like stadiums. The Co-ordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO) Executive Director Emmanuel Ndlangamandla said Sibaya was not a dialoguing space. He said it could only be a space where the King could make an announcement that the dialogue would start and then proceed anywhere else, not at the Sibaya.

The dialogue itself cannot happen at Sibaya, said Ndlangamandla. He added that the Sibaya could not accommodate the emaSwati once they came in numbers.

He said the sooner the government realised that the country was in a serious situation, at a crossroad to find each other, the better. He said the dialogue needed to be convened in a neutral ground where people would sit at a table, face-to-face, having an agenda, and discuss all matters that needed to be deliberated there.

Rejected

Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) and the Swaziland Multi-Stakeholders Forum (MSF), representing a broad range of political and civil society organisations, rejected the Kings offer of dialogue (Sibaya) and vowed they would not attend it. The MSF, chaired by Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko, said Sibaya was not a forum for effective and meaningful dialogue. He said Sibaya had failed in many respects including ensuring people had control or influence on when it must be called.

He stated people had no say on the agenda for Sibaya. It was for that and other reasons the Multi-Stakeholders Forum rejected Sibaya as a form of dialogue and negotiations. At least two groups welcomed the Sibaya platform. The September 6 movement  an organisation that is pro-monarchy  is for the view that Sibaya should not be boycotted. However, the movement had its own reservation, which is the time-frame at which the Sibaya will be held as it was announced that it will only happen after the Incwala ceremony.

Meanwhile, Mangololo Eswatini Movement  a pro  Tinkhundla organisation  appreciated that the King had given direction that Sibaya would be convened after Incwala. Speaking through its Chairperson, Pastor Phetsa Dlamini, Mangololo urged emaSwati to prepare themselves so that they were ready to make submissions once the dialogue commenced.
MANZINI  Political parties are of the belief that the King may not be ideal to play a mediation role in the anticipated dialogue as he is Commander-In-Chief of the State security organs.

The political parties expressed this view subsequent to the announcement by Mbekelweni Indvuna Themba Ginindza, who on behalf of His Majesty King Mswati III, made an announcement that upon completion of Incwala, the Monarch would summon the nation to Sibaya. According to Section 232 (1), Sibaya (the Swazi National Council), the people through Sibaya constitute the highest policy and advisory council (Libandla) of the nation. Sub-section 2 of the Constitution states that Sibaya is the Swazi National Council constituted by Bantfwabenkhosi, the tikhulu of the realm and all adult citizens gathered at the official residence of the Indlovukazi under the chairmanship of Ingwenyama who may delegate this function to any official.

Functions

Also, Sub-section 3 states that Sibaya functions as the annual general meeting (AGM) of the nation, but may be convened at anytime to present the views of the nation on pressing and controversial national issues. Meanwhile, the political parties, through their leaders, said they did not want Sibaya as they were calling for a genuine, meaningful and inclusive dialogue. This dialogue, they said, should be held in a roundtable set-up, which shall be at a neutral venue. The political party leaders argued that Sibaya was usually chaired by the King, who could not be expected to play the mediation role in the ongoing unrest.

This, they supposed, was because the King was involved in the State security organs, by virtue of his position of being the Commander-In-Chief, which are implicated in the alleged shootings of unarmed citizens wherein some have died. Secretary General (SG) of the Swaziland Democratic Party (SWADEPA) Mbongiseni Shabangu said the King, as Commander-In-Chief of State security organs, was purportedly part of the ongoing conflict. As such, Shabangu said, the King could not play a mediation role.

He said as SWADEPA and other pro-change organisations, they wanted a genuine and meaningful dialogue that would be underwritten and mediated by a neutral international organisation. Shabangu said basic principles of dialogue were also clear in terms of neutrality and in terms of the venue. He said in order for an inclusive dialogue to take place, the prerequisites included the unbanning of all political organisations and the removal of impediments.

Again, he said it should also be clear to organisations like the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that peace and stability would only be achieved once the nation attained its full democracy. This means that we are not willing to give a breather to government until emaSwati get what they want. While waiting for this to happen, protest marches, international advocacy and any other means necessary will continue, Shabangu said.

He emphasised that as SWADEPA and pro-change movements, they were ready and willing to engage in a meaningful dialogue, but not to be hosted by the same government that had allegedly oppressed emaSwati for almost five decades.

Negotiation

On the same note, the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) Secretary General (SG) Wandile Dludlu concurred with his counterpart from SWADEPA. He said as a movement, they had set out the main steps in their policy document titled; Towards a constituent assembly through a negotiation process.

He said on the preliminary negotiation process, they needed to set up the agenda for the negotiations, identify an independent facilitator, set up a conflict/dispute mechanism and agree on time-frames for each stage. Dludlu said other steps included the reinstatement of the Bill of Rights, establishment of a national convention, unbanning of political parties and unconditional return of all political exiles. The political activist said the national conventions main role would be to establish an interim authority to manage the negotiation process, set up guidelines for new elections and a new democratic Constitution.

It shall comprise an all-inclusive forum, the political activist said. Also, he said the constituent assembly would be a body elected by people to lead the process of a new Constitution for a new democratic Eswatini. This is what we mean by dialogue, not the Sibaya setting, Dludlu added. On the other hand, the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) President, Sibongile Mazibuko, said they expected a roundtable for the dialogue because Sibaya purportedly failed emaSwati for an extensive period.

Arrested

Mazibuko claimed that there was a man named William Mkhaliphi of Vuvulane, who was allegedly arrested after making submissions during Sibaya. Now the situation is worse because people are being killed, which means things have escalated to a dangerous level, Mazibuko claimed. She was referring to the shooting of protesters, allegedly by security personnel, in recent weeks. Additionally, she said Sibaya usually did not afford the citizenry an opportunity to formulate resolutions while it (Sibaya) did not issue reports to the people. This, she said, resulted in a poor implementation process of what was being deliberated on. In that regard, she said they wanted a dialogue where all parties would be equal. Subsequent to this, Mazibuko said they would implement a three-month long programme which the Political Party Assembly (PPA) would tomorrow issue a statement about.

She said as the NNLC, they would intensify the struggle until the authorities agreed to meet them halfway. There is no going back now, she said. On the same note, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Swaziland Spokesperson, Siphelele Nkomondze said as an organisation, their stand was clear regarding the matter. He said they were calling for a roundtable dialogue, not a Sibaya monologue. He said Sibaya was not the kind of dialogue they were calling for and as such, they stood to reject such a call. He argued that history had taught them that the Sibaya supposedly failed emaSwati on countless occasions for a very long time in strictly addressing matters affecting the populace.

As a result, he said it had been said that emaSwati only go there kuyotihhamula (blow off steam), meaning no concrete solutions came out of that platform. Again, Sibaya is not the rightful platform for an inclusive and honest dialogue which can give political solutions to the political problems we are facing as the oppressed people of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Nkomondze said. In their view, he said Sibaya only encouraged people to make submissions to the King on their individual capacities, not representing any societal group or formation. Considering that, he said dialogue could not be mere submissions to an individual, but a two-way of proposals between two equal partners, not unless it was a monologue which, as an organisation, they were not calling for.

Disappointment

On another note, Nkomondze registered their disappointment on the SADC special envoy that came to the country recently, led by former SA minister Jeff Radebe. He said they were disappointed in the manner they handled this volatile matter of the current political unrest as according to the analysis, they failed to treat it as a matter of urgency and bring practical political solutions.

We call on SADC to take the people of Eswatini seriously before the situation escalates to an uncontrollable state as volatile as it is. The people of the kingdom are clear on what they want, the political activist said. As they move forward, Nkomondze said as an organisation they would intensify the struggle. He said they would go out to put more pressure on government.
When, where and how to vote in the 2021 General Election
Ripple, a leading provider of enterprise blockchain and crypto solutions for cross-border payments, has launched RippleNets first-ever On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) deployment in the Middle East, together with Pyypl, a blockchain-based fintech.



ODL leverages XRP, the best digital asset for payments, for instant and low-cost cross-border payments, eliminating the need for costly pre-funded accounts.



Ripple was the first enterprise company to leverage crypto to tackle the trillion-dollar challenges with cross-border payments. By using ODL, financial institutions and Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) can now leverage previously trapped, pre-funded capital to grow and scale their business.



Mena continues to be a critical region for Ripple thanks to our outstanding roster of customers, a welcoming regulatory environment and a regional focus on the needed improvements in the current financial system, said Brooks Entwistle, Managing Director of RippleNet in APAC and Mena.



The establishment of yet another first-in-market ODL launch demonstrates the understanding that digital assets will play a central role in the future of global payments. We are delighted to partner with forward-thinking companies, like Pyypl, to ensure we can continue to break the status quo in the current global financial system to continue delivering the best experience for customers.



The Middle East contains two of the worlds three largest remittance corridors with the UAE and Saudi Arabia handling a combined $78 billion in payments in 2020. The region has also experienced a rapid transition to digital in the last year making it a market that is primed for fintech innovation.



Antti Arponen, Co-Founder and CEO of Pyypl, commented: Were excited to be Ripples first partner of choice to bring the deployment of ODL to the Middle East. This enables our ever-increasing number of users to deliver remittances instantly and cost-effectively. Weve also reduced our inefficient use of capital through ODL, and look forward to an exciting rollout of its capabilities across the region.



Pyypl has started with ODL in the Philippines and has plans to expand to new markets as well as exploring additional use cases. XRP will not be held within the UAE and transactions will not involve the currency AED as part of the payment flow. Pyypl is licensed by ADGMs Financial Services Regulatory Authority.



Supported by the establishment of a new regional HQ in Dubai in 2020, Ripple already has a significant presence in Mena and is now witnessing 4X growth in transaction volume YTD compared to 2020.



RippleNet continues to see traction around the globe. In APAC, Ripple announced its first-in-market ODL corridor in Japan, in partnership with SBI Remit, and acquired a 40% stake in Tranglo in Malaysia to expand the availability of its ODL service.



RippleNet leverages crypto and blockchain technology to help partners across a global network accelerate their business performance and scale. It delivers a superior end-customer experience, simplified network partnering, liquidity management solutions, lines of credit, and state-of-the-art infrastructure to enable real-time payments.  TradeArabia News Service
The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has announced the issuance of a Royal Directive to deposit $3 billion into the State Bank of Pakistan to help the Pakistani government support its foreign currency reserves and help it in facing the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

The SFD added that, in addition, a royal directive was issued to finance the oil derivatives trade with a total amount of $1.2 billion throughout the year, said a Saudi Press Agency report.

It pointed out that these royal directives confirm Saudi Arabia's ongoing stance in supporting the economy of Pakistan.
Driver Trett, a Global Construction Consultancy, has announced two new additions to its Qatar team, Farshad Mousavi Doust and Robbie Beattie. These hires reflect the continued expansion strategy across the business and enhance the consultancys ability to serve and support the growing list of clients across the region.

Doust has joined the Driver Trett team as a Director, based in Doha. He specialises in forensic delay and disruption analysis and has over 17 years experience in the construction industry, working on high-profile projects in the Middle East, Australia, UK, and USA.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is an RICS Registered Expert Witness. He holds a Master of Construction Law, Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, and International Arbitration Diploma, and has international dispute resolution experience in litigation, arbitration, adjudication, and mediation proceedings.

Beattie has joined as a Senior Consultant. He holds a Master of Law in Construction Law and Practice and has over 15 years experience in Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management in the UK & Qatar. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Mustafa Gun, Regional Director and Country Manager - Qatar and Kuwait said: I am delighted to welcome Farshad and Robbie to our Qatar team. They are a fantastic addition to the team as we grow our business and expand our capabilities across the Middle East.-- TradeArabia News Service
DHL, a leading international logistics service provider, has launched its Mobile Middle East and Africa (MEA) Innovation Centre in Dubai, presenting a collaborative platform for partners and customers.



The first-of-its-kind 450-sq-m facility located in the Logistics District at Dubai South is easily assembled and disassembled, ready to move on to the next location.



The state-of-the-art MEA Innovation Centre will enable thought leaders to solve complex logistics challenges, learn about the latest trends in logistics, and network with industry innovators across the MEA region. Top executives from DHL and Dubai South also officiated the opening of the new facility.



Katja Busch, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Customer Solutions and Innovation at DHL, commented: Middle East and Africa is one of our most vibrant regions. We are proud to bring the DHL Innovation approach into Dubai South, which is an ideal first stop in the region. Our future success is built on how we support customers in a rapidly evolving business and logistics landscape.



We look forward to bringing customer-centric innovation, inspiring ideas and applying our proven innovation methodologies to solve our customer problems so that colleagues in the region can support them in confidently navigating changes.

Mohsen Ahmad Alawadhi, CEO of Logistics District, Dubai South said: Dubai epitomizes disruptive thinking and celebrates innovation. Therefore, it is a pleasure for Dubai South to be home to the DHL Mobile MEA Innovation Centre in the Logistics District, testifying its pre-eminent position as the local and regional hub for the sector. The Centres conception and innovative execution are aligned with Dubai Souths ambition to be a next-generation, innovations-led logistics hub for the region.



The Mobile MEA Innovation Centre will host a selection of exhibits built around key technologies that will shape the logistics industry in the future, alongside proof of concepts successfully implemented in DHLs operations.



Exhibits have been curated to reflect the unique requirements of DHLs customers in the region, with a focus on the topics of IoT, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Bionic Enhancement and Data Analytics across the domains of supply chain analytics, warehouse digital twins and last mile delivery optimization.



The Innovation Centres are the showpiece of DHLs Innovation program, which features its own trend research division, proven innovation workshop methodologies, and a calendar of thought leadership events that deep dive into technologies set to impact the logistics industry, explained Matthias Heutger, SVP Global Head of Innovation & Commercial Development for DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation.



The MEA IC will package this approach and offer our customers a highly-relevant agenda that reflects the possibilities of operating in the region.



The Mobile MEA Innovation Centre is DHLs fourth innovation centre globally  after Chicago, USA; Cologne, Germany; and Singapore; and the first completely mobile one. The Mobile MEA Innovation Centre is a modular building that was shipped to Dubai in containers from Germany, before being assembled on site in Dubai South.



The facility is expected to stay in Dubai until 2022, then move to Qatar, the next location on its journey across the MEA region, and is expected to continue its journey through 2027.  TradeArabia News Service
Afghan authorities yet to allow entry of humanitarian aid from Uzbekistan: UNHCR

Tashkent, Oct 27 (UNI/Sputnik) The Afghan authorities have not yet permitted the import of humanitarian assistance from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), located in the southern Uzbek city of Termez, a UNHCR spokesperson told Sputnik on Wednesday.

In mid-October, the Uzbek logistics center Termez Cargo Center received 96 tonnes of humanitarian aid in a form of essential items from the UNHCR for Afghanistan. The package is expected to be transported to the crisis-hit Central Asian state through the Termez-Hairatan border, situated not far from the cargo center.

"The cargo is still in Termez. The date of its delivery will depend on the receipt of import permits from the Afghan side, and this issue is being resolved by the UNHCR office in Kabul," the spokesperson said.
Islamabad, Oct 27(UNI) Saudi Arabia on Tuesday announced that it has agreed to revive its financial support to Pakistan, which includes about $3 billion in safe deposits and $1.2bn to $1.5bn worth of oil supplies on deferred payments, Dawn reported on Wednesday.

This was agreed upon during Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia this week. However, a formal announcement to the effect will be made by the PMs adviser on finance and revenue Shaukat Tarin and Energy Minister Hammad Azhar on Wednesday at a news conference.

The Saudi government will be depositing $3bn in Pakistans account for a year immediately and keep it rolling at least until the completion of the IMF programme in October 2023, officials said.

This extension of financial facility is expected to help Pakistan convince the IMF about its financing plan. In addition, the Saudi government will also be providing crude oil to Islamabad on deferred payments worth up to $1.5bn per annum.

UNI XC ACL0914
Man jumps before train, dies in Jammu 20 Nov 2021 | 4:35 PM Jammu, Nov 20 (UNI) A middle aged man on Saturday allegedly committed suicide by jumping before train in Channi Himmat area here. see more..

UP achieves magical figure of '5' who are in contact with Corona 20 Nov 2021 | 4:25 PM Lucknow, Nov 20 (UNI) In a giant leap towards eradicating coronavirus, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday witnessed the steepest decline in the number of fresh cases as the state limited the infections to five, making it the lowest single-day tally. see more..

About 50,000 diabetic patients identified under Mukhyamantri Nirog Yojna in HP :Survey 20 Nov 2021 | 3:46 PM Hamirpur (HP), Nov 20 (UNI) About fifty thousand people have been diagnosed with Diabetes in Himachal Pradesh and that the prevalence of diabetes in the state of Himachal Pradesh is 11.5 per cent, which is higher than the national average of 9.8 per cent. see more..
For information only - not an official document

UNIS/OS/559

27 October 2021

PRESS RELEASE

UNOOSA and Airbus pick African team to fly free climate monitoring payload on the International Space Station

VIENNA, 27 October (UN Information Service) - The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and Airbus Defence and Space have selected the winner of their joint opportunity for a free one-year mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The climate mission supporting the UN's Sustainable Development Goals will fly on Bartolomeo, the Airbus' external payload hosting platform.

The winning 'ClimCam' team consists of specialists from different fields and symbolizes the power of international cooperation, bringing together researchers from three institutions: the Egyptian Space Agency, the Kenyan Space Agency and the Uganda National Space Programme within the Ugandan Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

UNOOSA Director Simonetta Di Pippo said: "Together with Airbus, and thanks to the ingenuity of the brilliant researchers selected, we are making it possible for this module made in Africa to fly onboard the ISS. This project will acquire precious insights for the East African region to address pressing challenges such as droughts and floods and increase the resilience of its agricultural sector, potentially saving many lives and helping to build a better future. It will also be an important inspiration for talent in Africa to join the space sector. We are extremely proud to have played a role in making this happen, and we look forward to seeing the project take flight."

"We are very pleased to welcome this UNOOSA-backed team with their African climate mission as a passenger on the Bartolomeo platform," said Stephane Vesval, Senior Vice President at Airbus Defence and space. "Of course, we are offering them our Bartolomeo All-in-One Space Mission Service, meaning that our own experienced space experts will take care of all aspects of this space mission - preparatory formalities, payload launch and installation, operations and data transfer. This way, the team can fully concentrate on the development and exploitation of their environmental monitoring payload, without having to worry about anything else. This is one of the fundamental benefits of the Bartolomeo Service - we make access to space easier than ever before."

"We are very happy that we have won this opportunity in such a world-class competition. The team are very grateful to UNOOSA and Airbus for this opportunity," said Ayman Ahmed, team leader at the Egyptian Space Agency and ClimCam project coordinator. "Of course, we understand the challenges in our region. Climate change has a growing impact on Africa, hitting the most vulnerable the hardest, contributing to food insecurity, and putting stress on water resources. Having an imaging system at ISS will allow us to monitor and see the impacts on our home countries. Developing such a device to operate onboard the ISS is a challenging task but with the support from our partners, we can achieve that goal. The competition was stiff but being awarded this opportunity is only the beginning for our team to learn more and acquire great experience in the field of space technology and its applications."

This is the first time the UN has selected a winner for an opportunity to access space in partnership with a private sector company. For more information about Bartolomeo and its potential for reducing the space divide, please visit: https://www.unoosa.org/documents/pdf/psa/hsti/Bartolomeo/BTL-UG.pdf

* *** *

For more information, please contact:

Martin Stasko

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)

Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-8717

Email: martin.stasko[at]un.org

Ralph Heinrich

Head of External Communications Space Systems

Airbus Defence and Space

Telephone: (+49) 1 71 30 49 75 1

Email: ralph.heinrich[at]airbus.com


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The Strategic Trade Control Enforcement (STCE) Programme delivered a Virtual national training addressed to the China Customs Administration between 18 and 22 October 2021, which was attended by over 60 customs officers.

In preparation for the workshop, the STCE Programme, thanks to the support of its donor Global Affairs Canada, had translated the curriculum and the STCE Implementation Guide into the Chinese language, in order to provide participants with useful documents and tools for their daily work in strategic trade control.

At the start of the training, the Director of the Department of General Operation of the General Administration of Customs (GACC) and the Director of the China Customs Radiation Detection Training Center delivered welcome remarks, thanking the WCO for its efforts and support to its members and highlighting the importance of building capacities and strengthening the role of customs in the fight against the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and related items.

Together with the WCO STCE Programme Coordinator and two STCE accredited Experts Trainers from Thailand and Vietnam Customs, the workshop was supported by presenters from the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the UN 1540 Committee, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the US Department of Energy (US DoE). Thanks to the importance the STCE team gives to International cooperation and the consequent fructuous collaboration with different Agencies dealing with Security issues, the participants had the opportunity to be provided with specialized knowledge and a deep understanding of strategic goods and the international legal framework and regimes to which trade should comply.

The WCO hopes to resume live events shortly, but in the meantime it also acknowledges the opportunities provided by the online conference tools, where experts from International Organizations and WCO Members around the world can easily meet and share knowledge and good practices, and utilize them when possible.
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Halls Sophie Garner-MacKinnon has been named the 2020-21 Gatorade Connecticut Softball Player of the Year, according to a release from Gatorade. Garner-MacKinnon is the first Gatorade Connecticut Softball Player of the Year to be chosen from Hall High School.
? El presidente @PedroCastilloTe y ministros de Estado participaran en el Encuentro Presidencial y VI Gabinete Ministerial Binacional Bolivia-Peru, en La Paz.

???????? Ambos paises impulsaran, a traves del dialogo politico, la agenda bilateral, en beneficio de nuestros pueblos. pic.twitter.com/3mtiAnTvP0
The bill submitted to Parliament in tax matters seeks to expand tax collection, which allows generating greater revenue for key sectors such as health and education, with the aim of reducing existing inequities, particularly in the country's interior regions.

For this purpose, the Executive Branch proposes modifying the Income Tax Law; standardizing the cost for access to legal stability; creating a simplified income tax regimen for small companies; modifying the Law on General Sales Tax and Selective Consumption Tax, as well as the law for the fight against evasion, among others.

Likewise, it suggests modifying the Mining Royalty Law, the law that creates the Special Tax on Mining, and the law that establishes the Special Levy on Mining, with the aim of better reflecting the benefits of mining activity and the review of the amount effectively paid for mining royalty, special mining tax, and special mining levy for income tax purposes.

In financial matters, measures will be taken to strengthen and expand the functions of the State-run Banco de la Nacion (Bank of Nation) , boost greater competition in the provision of transportation and custody of money and securities, adapt the regulations applicable to companies in the financial system related to the composition of effective equity.
Presidente @PedroCastilloTe en Jaen: Este Gobierno, a traves de su gabinete, se ratifica en recuperar el gas de Camisea, impulsar la Segunda Reforma Agraria y un verdadero presupuesto a las autoridades para el desarrollo de sus comunidades. pic.twitter.com/wksWm17Rm0
" " Originally bred as guard dogs and hunters, Shar-Pei are described as intelligent, regal and independent and are noted for their fierce loyalty to their owners. Life On White/Getty Images

Looking for a dog that will turn heads or stop passersby in their tracks? Check out the Shar-Pei. With their unique loose and "wrinkled" skin and hippopotamus-shaped muzzle, Shar-Pei are a unique member of the canine family.

The breed originated in China  the name Shar-Pei literally translates to "sand skin." And this stocky pooch  a full-grown Shar-Pei stands about 2 feet (0.6 meters) high and weighs between 45 and 60 pounds (20 to 27 kilograms)  lives up to its name.

The Shar-Pei coat is short and coarse, falling in heavy folds around the dog's head, neck and shoulders. They are typically fawn-colored, but the American Kennel Club (AKC) lists up to 17 different colors. In addition to their prominent muzzle, Shar-Pei have small, deep-set eyes and tiny ears. Their tongues are blue-black.

But it's the wrinkles that make Shar-Pei so memorable. In an email interview, Dr. Kerstin Lindblad-Toh of Uppsala University in Sweden writes that a Shar-Pei's wrinkles are caused by the hyaluronic acid synthase 2 (HAS2) gene. "HAS2 encodes an enzyme synthesizing hyaluronan, a major component of the skin," she says. "The hyaluronan is up-regulated and accumulates in the thickened skin of Shar-Pei."

In hyper-layman's terms, hyaluronan is a sort of "gel" around the cells in the skin. Among other things, it aids in hydration and elasticity of the skin. In a Shar-Pei, the HAS2 gene goes into overdrive creating way too much hyaluronan and that causes the trademark wrinkles, which are especially visible in Shar-Pei puppies. By the time a Shar-Pei is full grown, its wrinkles have settled down and are typically just in the face, head and neck.

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Keeping Your Shar-Pei Ship Shape

The genetics of the Shar-Pei's wrinkles helped Lindblad-Toh and other researchers uncover a mystery when they used the breed as subjects in a 2011 study connecting Shar-Pei to a fairly common canine illness.

The study linked the HAS2 gene with a tendency of Shar-Pei to fall ill with periodic fever disease, sometimes referred to as Familial Shar-Pei Fever (FSF). Symptoms include episodes of fever that appear to rise out of nowhere, and overall listlessness. Lindblad-Toh says hyaluronan is to blame for periodic fever disease in Shar-Pei and the team's research bears it out.

" " Hey, someone toss me that blanket! Oops, never mind, that's the dog ... Linda Trine/Getty Images

First, they compared the Shar-Pei genome with other dog breeds, then compared it to healthy and sick Shar-Pei, searching for the mutation to the fever. And each time they came to the same conclusion. "In the study, a mutation (in a strand of DNA) affecting both the fever syndrome and the wrinkled skin was found," says Lindblad-Toh. "The duplication mutation was seen near the HAS2 gene, more copies the mutation was associated with and more HAS2, as well as the periodic fever syndrome."

What does it all mean? In addition to being genetically predisposed to periodic fever disease, Shar-Pei are also at risk for Shar-Pei Autoinflammatory Diseases (SPAID) says Lindblad-Toh. "Several symptoms are present," she says, "including recurrent fever, arthritis, dermatitis, otitis (ear infection) and systemic reactive amyloidosis (an inflammatory disease in the body's organs)." Fortunately, Shar-Pei can be tested for SPAID to help owners make better informed breeding decisions.

There are other health issues that can be challenging to Shar-Pei. Because of the folds in Shar-Pei skin, they are susceptible to certain skin problems and a serious eye disorder called entropion, when the eyelid (usually the lower lid) folds inward, causing irritation to the cornea. Other eye problems of concern to the breed are glaucoma, pressure on the eye that can cause blindness; retinal dysplasia, an inherited disease that causes a malformation of the retina; "cherry eye," a prolapsed gland in the third eyelid; chemosis, swelling of the lining of the eye  typical in puppies or young Shar-Pei; and Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome or SARDS, a rare disease that causes blindness.

The Chinese Shar-Pei Club of America also recommends that owners have their dogs screened for a number of health issues including:

Hip dysplasia

Elbow dysplasia

Autoimmune thyroiditis

Patellar luxation (dislocation of the kneecap)

Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF) exam to detect eye and vision irregularities

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The Social Shar-Pei

Shar-Pei look so cuddly. The natural question is are they good family dogs? That depends on what you're looking for. The AKC website suggests Shar-Pei puppies are better with older children. Some describe Shar-Pei facial expressions as scowling while others see a natural smile, but Shar-Pei are almost always described as intelligent, regal and independent; noted for their fierce loyalty to their owners. They were initially bred as guard dogs and hunters. That behavior hasn't changed.

Your Shar-Pei will need a firm hand. Plan to invest in obedience training and socialization because as much as your Shar-Pei loves you, they are not great with strangers or with other dogs. And don't mistake their natural calm for not caring. If they believe their territory is under threat, they will protect it with  you guessed it  dogged determination.

Shar-Pei enjoy a leisurely walk, just not too often. Usually once or twice a day will do. And watch out during the summer months. Shar-Pei don't tolerate the heat well. Owners would do well to take a look at the Chinese Shar-Pei Club of America website. It's chocked full of information about the breed  everything from health issues to training to showing standards. Expect to pay a pretty penny for a pure bred Shar-Pei. You're unlikely to find anyone willing to quote a price online but a puppy can easily cost you anywhere from $600 to $1,000 or more. But Shar-Pei owners will tell you they're worth every cent.

Now That's Interesting Shar-Pei have an unusual blue-black colored tongue, a trait they have in common only with the Chow-Chow, another breed originally from China. This characteristic would seem to indicate a shared ancestor somewhere in the canine family tree, but to date there is no evidence.
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, ARMENPRESS. The ruling bloc and opposition lawmakers failed to agree upon the text of the National Assembly Statement drafted by the opposition which was supposed to be adopted as result of the urgent discussions on The Current Situation and Demarcation Issues at the Line of Contact of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Opposition Pativ Unem bloc MP Tigran Abrahamyan presented the draft statement before a voting.

The draft statement particularly condemned the 2020 Azeri-Turkish aggression involving terrorist formations and mercenaries against Artsakh, gross violations of international law against captives committed by Azerbaijan after the hostilities ended, the actions committed by Azerbaijan constituting war crimes, the annexation of territories of the Republic of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani state-sanctioned Armenophobic rhetoric. It further noted that the abovementioned crimes are still ongoing and that Azerbaijan is displaying aspirations against territories of the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh; and that the determination of borders is the sector of exclusive jurisdiction of bordering countries and that borders are determined through consent of the bordering countries based on international law.

The draft statement noted that the guaranteed exercise of the right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh in their historical territory and the de-occupation of the annexed territories is the main pre-condition of establishing peace in the region in the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship format.

Among others, the draft statement, further obliged the government to refrain from engaging in negotiations, written or verbal agreements, which would violate the requirements of the Armenian constitution and the will of the Armenian people enshrined in the Declaration of Independence.

Majority Leader Hayk Konjoryan said they received the draft statement in the afternoon of October 26. The political majority wasnt anyhow involved in drafting the statement, he said. However, Konjoryan noted that despite receiving the text late in the day, they tried to work with the opposition lawmakers to achieve a consensus variant, but failed.

The clauses and notions in the draft pertaining to the war unleashed by Azerbaijan, the war crimes committed by Azerbaijan, the crimes against humanity  we dont see any problem with these clauses. Moreover, the parliamentary majority is using all its channels and the government is fighting at all levels to raise awareness on these issues internationally and solve the issues, he said.

However, Konjoryan claimed that the draft statement included certain terming of domestic political nature, approaches which are part of the oppositions political narrative, which cant be included in a statement like this, and therefore they didnt reach an agreement.

The statement failed to be adopted.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, ARMENPRESS. The incumbent government will do everything in order to bring to justice the masterminds of the 1999 parliament shooting, Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan said after a commemoration event.

Asked whether or not their political team had the goal of re-opening the investigation to reveal the potential plotters of the assassination who are still at large, Simonyan said: I think that our society knows the main reasons, main participants and the issues which have been left open, like they knew that the elections were being rigged for more than 20 years. I find it needless to voice names now, but I assure you that we will all have the answers to these questions also from the legal perspective.

He noted that as a government official he doesnt have the right to make any statement which would be deemed as containing accusations and would potentially impact any possible future legal process. But politically I already said that it is natural that the main actors are convicted and jailed. Today we must understand the reasons, the true instigators, the people who perhaps had either political or non-political interests from that all. And our society knows the interests of those people, and I think I am entitled to voice this now, he said.

He didnt rule out the possibility that the 1999 assassination of Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan and Speaker Karen Demirchyan, and several other government officials could had been linked with the purported plan on exchanging Meghri.

The situation which we have today pertaining to the war began on October 27, 1999. If the October 27 [attack] didnt happen, we wouldnt have reached this situation, he said.

We will do everything in order for the masterminds to appear behind bars, I think no one should have doubts about this. What happened [on October 27] broke the backbone of our statehood. We are still reaping the consequences of everything that happened on October 27. This is what we should be careful of, we should think that at some moment this process must come to an end, because the flywheel which started on October 27 of 1999 is unfortunately still spinning and having its consequences to this day, Simonyan said.

The Speaker of Parliament said that the current opposition ought to avoid speaking about the October 27 attack because it had happened during their tenure as government. Both the society and all of us can have many questions, for example why the National Security Service director was not in attendance in parliament on that day, he said.

22 years ago on this day, a group of five heavily armed gunmen led by Nairi Hunanyan stormed into the parliament while it was in session and assassinated Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, Speaker Karen Demirchyan, Deputy Speakers Yuri Bakhshyan and Ruben Miroyan, as well as three lawmakers and a Cabinet member. The gunmen held the remaining MPs in parliament hostage until surrendering to authorities the next day.

The five perpetrators, which include Hunanyans younger brother and uncle, were sentenced to life in prison in 2003.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, ARMENPRESS. The opening of the Vaticans Apostolic Nunciature in Armenia will become a symbol of building bridges in the region and opening new paths for fair and lasting peace for Armenia and the international community in general, Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State at the Holy See Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra said in Yerevan during the joint press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.

Edgar Pena Parra said his official visit to Armenia and the meeting held with the Armenian FM reaffirms the cooperative and friendly relations that have always existed between Armenia and the Holy See.

I brought the greetings of Pope Francis, who has bright memories from his visit to Armenia in 2016 and the recent meeting with President Sarkissian and the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, he said.

Edgar Pena Parra said the purpose of his visit is the opening of the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See in Armenia. On this occasion he expressed his deep gratitude to the Armenian President and the government, which urged the Holy See to open a diplomatic representation in Armenia at the mediation of Ambassador Karen Nazaryan.

Despite the lack of resources and staff, the program turned into a reality within several months, because we all believed in that. I am convinced that this Apostolic Nunciature will be a symbol of building bridges in the region, creating opportunities for contact and opening new paths for fair and lasting peace for Armenia and the international community in general, he said.

He said that the physical presence of the Apostolic Nunciature will definitely be useful in solving the potential problems and finding sufficient solutions with proper legal means.

Todays event also shows the respect that Peters successor and the Catholic Church have for this noble land where some of the ancient nation, that was the first to adopt the Christian faith, lives, he said.

Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra also talked about the friendly relations between the Holy See and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, stating that the two churches are committed to continue the work for common welfare.

Summing up his remarks, Edgar Pena Parra reaffirmed the Holy Sees support to the issues on the agenda of the Armenian government and the international community, aimed at peace and disarmament, human rights, human and cultural development, protection of religious freedoms and environment.

I pray to the God with the hope that the whole Armenian nation would enjoy a lasting peace and real social progress, continuing the Christian traditions inherited from your ancestors for centuries, he said.

Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State at the Holy See Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra arrived in Armenia on a two-day official visit.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, ARMENBPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan invited the two opposition parliamentary factions to hold a meeting for discussing Artsakh issue, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan said during the parliament-Cabinet Q&A session.

He noted that the opposition asks questions, knowing that its difficult to answer them publicly. Referring to the calls of the opposition to discuss the issue, Pashinyan invited them to hold a meeting. Who has ever avoided to talk about it? Whom have you ever invited? I will be glad to talk. I accept the proposal and invite the two opposition fractions to hold a meeting, Pashinyan said.
Army Recognition Group Official Media Partner of EDEX 2021 will provide the Official Online Show Daily News and Official Web TV for EDEX 2021 Egypt Defence Expo that will be held from November 29 to December 2, 2021, in Cairo, Egypt. The organizers of EDEX 2021 understood the interest to use the international notoriety and popularity of Army Recognition online Global Defence & Security magazine to spread all activities of the event and to provide the exhibitors with a global online window in parallel with EDEX 2021 defense exhibition.



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President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian paid a working visit to Saudi Arabia, the Presidents administration informed, noting that October 26, 2021 will become a unique page in the history of Armenian-Arabic and particularly Armenia-Saudi Arabia relations.

October 27, 2021, 09:13 President Sarkissian pays historical visit to Saudi Arabia

STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 27, ARTSAKHPRESS: This unprecedented event will definitely be a turning point in Armenias international relations. Under the condition of absence of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Saudi Arabia, when no Armenian official had ever visited that country since Armenias independence, the President of Armenia made a historical step, for the first time visiting that country, which has an exclusive importance in the Arabic and Islamic world, reads the message released by the Presidents Office.

At the airport in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian was welcomed at the highest state level in the person of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Adel al-Jubeir, and according to the official protocol, the state flag of the Republic of Armenia was raised at the airport.
Today the emergency medical department of Martuni Regional Medical Association has been opened.

October 27, 2021, 16:32 The emergency medical department of Martuni Regional Medical Association opened

STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 27, ARTSAKHPRESS: As "Artsakhpress" reports, with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross mission in Nagorno Karabakh, the department has been repaired, furnished and equipped with the necessary equipment.

According to Bertrand Lamon, ICRC's head of mission in Nagorno-Karabakh, as the International Committee of the Red Cross has many years of experience in the field of priority healthcare, they offered their assistance to increase the capacity of the field.

"The aim of the department is to provide timely and quality emergency medical care to the population of the region. Of course, we would not have been able to achieve such a result, if we had not cooperated with the local authorities. In order for the healthcare sector to function fully, only building conditions are not enough, it is also necessary to have skills to master the equipment. The International Committee of the Red Cross will help to organize trainings for the employees of such departments," said B. Lamon.

According to Arshak Davidyan, the head of the ICRC mission's health program, it will be possible to perform serious surgeries in the department, as it is equipped with the necessary equipment.

Artsakh Deputy Minister of Healthcare Tigran Hambardzumyan and Executive Director of Martuni Regional Medical Association, Ruben Baghdasaryan thanked the International Committee of the Red Cross, as such a department will provide quality medical care to the population.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called for establishing a mechanism for recognizing the COVID-19 vaccination certificates, Tass informs.

October 27, 2021, 17:41 Russia calls for mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates, says Putin

STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 27, ARTSAKHPRESS: "Russia strives to make a real contribution to ensuring free and non-discriminatory access to COVID-19 jabs for people all over the world," the president said at the East Asia Summit (EAS) on Wednesday.

"We are in favor of developing a procedure for the mutual recognition of vaccination certificates, without which, it is practically impossible to ensure free movement of our countries residents across the region," Putin noted.

The head of state recalled that "the Russian vaccines, primarily Sputnik V, had been approved by some 70 countries and were supplied to more than 50 states." "We are grateful to our partners from the Asia-Pacific region for their joint contribution to localizing jab manufacturing," the Russian leader went on to say.
Australia's population-wide coronavirus vaccine booster shot program could start in less than two weeks after the medicines regulator gave the green light.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration on Wednesday gave provisional approval for Australians 18 and over to receive a top-up dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation is now preparing advice on how boosters should be rolled out across the community.

Aged care residents and people with disabilities are expected to receive third jabs as a priority.

Health Minister Greg Hunt is confident boosters will be available for all people who were vaccinated at least six months ago from November 8 at the latest.

Mr Hunt said Australia would have one of the highest vaccination rates in the world and roll out boosters before most other nations.

"It's a universal booster, and so it's available for people who've had Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna," he told reporters in Canberra.

TGA boss John Skerritt said a recent study on 1000 people showed a third jab increased vaccine efficacy to 96 per cent.

"Boosters may give additional protection against mild COVID and they may have an impact on having transmission," he said.

"We do know that in the elderly, and people of various shades of immunocompromised that an additional dose is particularly valuable, and it may provide reassurance for frontline health workers."

By January 1, about 1.6 million people will have been six months or more after their two-dose course.

There will be no requirement to have a booster shot but it will be added to the national immunisation register.

Professor Skerritt said while three shots of vaccines for some diseases offered almost lifelong protection, it was unclear if coronavirus was the same.

"Unfortunately, I wasn't issued with a crystal ball when I got this job," he said.

"The answer is we'll have to wait and see."

Story continues

Boosters will be available through GPs, pharmacies, states and territories through the existing rollout.

Leading epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws said third shots were proven to work well.

"There's fantastic evidence now that your booster shot really does supercharge your immune system to get that vaccine efficacy up high," she told the Nine Network.

'There are many people who will benefit from this."
A lauded poet traverses a path into the past in search of who she is and who she was.

"Dear Memory: Letters on Writing, Silence and Grief" by Victoria Chang; Milkweed Editions (168 pages, $25)



Many immigrant stories begin with trauma. The decision to leave behind one's country of birth is rarely a whim and more often a decision reached in the face of repression, imminent threat, or  in the case of my own parents  a sense that in their homeland, there was no future. For the children and grandchildren of immigrants, it can mean that learning more about "where we came from" means asking loved ones to retrieve memories they have no wish to revisit. It doesn't mean that there are not happy memories to be shared, but getting to them may mean excavating dark spaces.

Victoria Chang's "Dear Memory" comprises words and illustrations that illuminate Chang's path back into time. In a series of letters addressed to those who play a part in her memories, she explores with tenderness and compassion the ways that all of us construct our stories of what lies both in our family's past and in our own lives.

Chang, too, escaped the town where her parents settled, an event that brings its own ambivalence. "In truth, I am ashamed to write this, to still think about the past, to still have these memories. I wonder if I am ashamed of the memories, the events, or myself. That fundamentally there was something wrong with me, my family, my countries I never knew."

As she excavates her own memories in the wake of her mother's death and her father's dementia, she recognizes that while she grew up with parents who didn't volunteer a lot of information about their experiences in China and Taiwan, she also missed many opportunities to hear those stories. The fraught relationship with her mother left behind lost opportunities to fill in the blanks. "The problem with silence is that you can't undo it. In that way, it's like death. Small silences toward my mother accumulated over the years. Now they return as a stack of grief."

She also does not have access to the extended family who might fill in the gaps. The child of immigrants often misses the chance to explore repositories of family stories, the mythologies that tell us who we are, where we come from.

The letters that she writes to people from her past show readers how much of what we call "memory' are the stories we tell ourselves and others, how we make narratives of sense impressions and snatches of remembered conversations. The photo collages she assembles gesture toward the ways we create our pasts.

"Dear Memory" is the work of a gifted poet, a wordsmith who is conscious that absent a chance to be an eyewitness to the past, we are left to spin our own webs of emotional significance and nostalgia.



Lorraine Berry is a writer and critic in Oregon.

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In a debate its moderator described as "spirited," Auburn City Council candidates explained their sometimes drastically different views on the direction the city is heading and how that should be handled.

The debate took place at a taped forum at Cayuga Community College Tuesday, with former city mayor Guy Cosentino moderating. Each council contender made their cases why they should win one of the two four-year terms up for grabs this year. Councilor Debby McCormick announced earlier this year she wouldn't be running again, but incumbent Councilor Terry Cuddy is seeking reelection.

Two new faces are pursuing the office, Republican Rob Otterstatter, owner of Auburn restaurant and coffee shop Octane Social House and Democrat Ginny Kent, associate development director for the Cayuga Community College Foundation and former Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education member. Rounding out the candidates are Cuddy, a Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES teacher and Democrat who has been on council since 2014, and Tim Lattimore, a Republican who has previous stints on council and is a former Auburn mayor, who is currently on his third and last term as a member of the Cayuga County Legislature.

After each entrant introduced themselves, all four were asked to describe the city in one word and elaborate on why they chose that word. Lattimore did not mention one specific word, but said he never felt unsafe in his previous decades living in the area but feels unsafe now. He referenced the shooting death of Joshua Poole on Delevan Street in 2019 and said changes to state and federal laws were making it difficult for police officers to do their jobs.

"Tumultuous" was the word Otterstatter chose to describe Auburn, his hometown. He said he was happy to see more businesses downtown when he moved back to the area a few years ago then when he was a child but said he believes the city has an "incredible crime issue" that he didn't recall when he was growing up.

Three separate local business owners have told Otterstatter, he said, that they are considering relocating to other cities due to the amount of crime.

"People are beginning to feel unsafe in Auburn, so I think 'tumultuous' is the word that I'm going to go with," he continued.

Cuddy said Auburn is improving. He added his opponents have previously mentioned the area's population decline, but Cuddy argued that such drops have been happening in "rust belt cities" such as Auburn since 1930. He noted he is a board member with the Auburn Industrial Development Authority and feels his role there has helped bring jobs to the area, such as when Tessy Plastics came in. The incumbent also mentioned the recent announcement that cannabis company Terrapin intends to buy property in Auburn to establish a production facility, with a workforce of about 100 people. Cuddy also said when he has visited constituents during his campaign, he has noticed more young people answering the door.

The word Kent used for Auburn was "upbeat." She mentioned the work she did with the City of Auburn Comprehensive Committee over a decade ago, saying the millions in federal and state money helped realize a lot of "the State Street corridor we see today," mentioning establishments such as Prison City Pub and Brewery and Moondog's Lounge.

"Federal and state funding doesn't come to cities that are in dire straits, necessarily, these kinds of projects," Kent said. "They invest in us because they see us using the money wisely. We're investing in our community."

With council currently consisting of four Democrats and one Republican and the potential for the majority to flip with this election, the candidates made their arguments on why Republicans or Democrats should have the majority.

Kent said the city has been going in a positive direction for the last few years. She said issues Auburn has had are "like any other city," such as the opioid crisis and homelessness, but feels the best way to improve conditions for Auburn's residents is to invest in the city. She said the current council has done that.

Lattimore said having more Republicans could help bring in more industry, which he argued would help reduce taxes. He noted that Walmart is "just inside the city," while Lowe's is just outside the city.

"The taxes, just the property taxes, for the city or the town is another $175,000 for being in the city versus being outside the city. So I'd like to be able to change that around so that we have enough competition that we can get our taxes lowered. I mean, on the county I've lowered the tax rate for the last three years."

Otterstatter said he never ran for public office before this year and to run, "it seemed that you had to pick a side." He said both sides have great thoughts, but argued all Auburnians should be represented, with diversity in thought, gender, race and political affiliation and that "stacking the deck" in favor of one side or the other is dangerous.

Cuddy said he supports the Democratic candidates and the party, but noted he was worked with Councilor Timothy Locastro, who is a Republican.

"We have found common ground. I know that myself, my colleagues, can work together across the aisle," Cuddy said.

Otterstatter, Lattimore, Kent and Cuddy also responded on issues such as public safety, economic development and municipal waste. At the end of the debate, Cosentino said the event was "spirited."

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

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A Cayuga County resident has died of COVID-19, the 106th virus-related fatality in the county since the pandemic began in March 2020.

The Cayuga County Health Department said the resident, a man in his 70s, tested positive for COVID-19 and died. To protect the privacy of the man and his family, the department did not release any other information.

It is the third COVID-19 death reported this month and the 16th during the latest wave that began over the summer. Cayuga County had six COVID deaths in August and seven in September.

Active cases and hospitalizations are on the decline. The health department said there are 174 active cases, down from 179 one day ago. Hospitalizations also dipped, from 14 to 12.

All but one of the hospitalized patients are vaccinated, according to the health department. The same number of patients are aged 70 or older.

"Breakthrough" cases, or positive cases among vaccinated people, are possible. There have been reports of hospitalizations among vaccinated people, especially those who are older and have underlying conditions.

In other news:

 The health department will hold its first booster clinic on Friday.

Moderna booster shots will be available at the clinic, which will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. at Fingerlakes Mall, 1579 Clark St. Road in Aurelius. The clinic will be located in the former Jo-Ann Fabric location. People who attend the clinic should use the exterior entrance to the left of Bass Pro Shops.

Registration is required. The registration link can be found by visiting cayugacounty.us/health and clicking on "COVID-19 vaccine clinics."

 A separate clinic for first and second doses will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Cayuga County Health Department, 8 Dill St., Auburn.

To register, go to cayugacounty.us/health.

The three vaccines  Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer  will be offered at the clinic. Children ages 12-17 are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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.
A ballot question that could grant New Yorkers the right to a "healthful environment" has strong support among voters, but some special-interest groups are divided on the issue, especially pro-business organizations that believe it is the "worst form of lawmaking."

The proposed amendment, according to its text, "would establish the right of each person to clean air and water and a healthful environment." It was approved by two consecutive state legislatures and is now being considered by voters. If a majority of voters support it, the state Constitution will be amended.

Environmental groups, such as Environmental Advocates NY and the New York League of Conservation Voters, are urging New Yorkers to vote "yes" on the ballot question.

Environmental Advocates NY, which held an event in the Syracuse area last week to advocate for the approval of ballot proposal No. 2, believe that the amendment will ensure New Yorkers have clean air and water. The group also highlighted other benefits of the amendment, including lower health care costs, requiring government officials to consider the environment when making policy decisions and protecting communities of color that have been disproportionately affected by pollution.

"Voting YES on Prop 2 will give a right to clean air and water to every New Yorker today and for generations to come," said Kate Kurera, deputy director at Environmental Advocates NY and leader of the 'Vote YES for Clean Air and Water' coalition. "If you want this right for yourself and your family, then go vote  it's yours for the taking."

The New York League of Conservation Voters touted many of the same benefits of the amendment, especially its role in the pursuit of environmental justice.

"Introducing this amendment would ensure that all people, regardless of race, income, or location, will have New York state constitutional law behind them to protect their right to a healthful environment," the group said.

But business groups have panned the ballot question. The New York Farm Bureau released a statement on Wednesday urging voters to reject the amendment. The Business Council of New York State issued a similar message.

While the farm bureau agrees that a clean environment should be a priority, the group argues that the proposed amendment is "vague" and would give courts more authority in determining what is defined as a "healthful environment."

"This has potential implications for farmers who may face new legal challenges from anyone who disagrees with their farm practices, undermining strict, science-based environmental regulations already in place in New York state, and it could put right-to-farm laws in jeopardy that aim to protect family farms from nuisance lawsuits," said David Fisher, president of the New York Farm Bureau.

The Business Council of New York State thinks the amendment is unnecessary because of federal and state environmental laws that are already in place.

But it went further in its criticism of the ballot question. The group labeled it the "worst form of lawmaking" because it is a proposal "with no meaningful definitions or parameters, which would result in tremendous uncertainty as to how it will be applied, left to be sorted out through years of litigation."

"New York's existing legal framework for environmental protection has proven to be effective at providing a high level of environmental protection, and the state legislature has shown its ability to act quickly to address new issues of concern," the group continued. "In contrast, Proposition 2 would result in significant uncertainty about how our future environmental and economic policies will be shaped. New York voters should say no."

A Siena College poll released in June found 80% of voters, including 85% of Democrats and 64% of Republicans, support the environmental rights amendment.

Voters are considering five proposed amendments on the general election ballot this year. The others deal with independent redistricting, voting changes and increasing the New York City Civil Court's jurisidiction.

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif.  Hot Drops, Inc., an emerging NFT platform, has announced its initial group of content creatorsdubbed "the Dirty Dozen."

The Dirty Dozen consists of Dani Daniels, Brandi Love, Nikki Benz, Elsa Jean, Cherie DeVille, Lauren Phillips, Joanna Angel, Eva Lovia, Alison Tyler, Kenna James, Alex Coal, and Reagan Foxx.

The talented group combined accounts for more than 25 million Instagram followers, 6.5 million Twitter followers, and more than 15 billion views of their videos on various platforms.

Hot Drops is going to be the premier adult-only NFT marketplace and we show that right out of the gate by launching with the most impressive group of content creators ever brought together for a project like this, said Ashley Youdan, CEO of Hot Drops. Not only will Hot Drops empower creators to earn lifetime royalties for their content, which they havent had access to before, but it will be a curated experience.

"We plan on having the most talented, most popular, most creative established creators and most promising rising adult stars working with us. The Dirty Dozen is an amazing start to this entire venture. We look forward to adding to this incredible roster of content creators by cultivating an inclusive platform which embraces diversity of all types as we grow upon launch later this month.

Dani Daniels (@akadanidaniels) is Hot Drops Brand Ambassador. She has been nominated for more than 110 adult industry awards and is a 20x award winner. She is also a Penthouse Pet, hosts a popular podcast, and has a multi-season television series on Amazon.

Im thrilled to be working with Hot Drops to create the worlds best adult-only NFT platform, said Daniels. I know every one of the Dirty Dozen personally and professionally and it is an honor to be a part of such an amazing group of talented creators. The sky is the limit for how we will be able to release collectible, limited edition content in unique ways with this exciting new content delivery platform. Im proud to be a part of a project that is built by adult content creators and for creators first in mind. Hot Drops is going to disrupt the way adult content creators are compensated forever.

Brandi Love (@brandi_love) is in the AVN Hall of Fame, has been nominated for more than 60 adult industry awards and has multiple wins. She is also a Fleshlight girl and is also a successful author and regular contributor to the Federalist website.

Nikki Benz (@nikkibenz) is an acclaimed adult star, feature dancer and glamour model who has been taking the industry by storm since 2002. She was named as Penthouse magazines Pet of the Year for 2011 and she was inducted into the AVN Awards Hall of Fame in 2016.

Elsa Jean (@elsajeanofficial) received a 2016 nomination for Best New Starlet as well as nominations for more than 80 adult industry awards since then. She is also a Fleshlight Girl.

Cherie DeVille (@cheriedevillexo) is the three-time AVN MILF Performer of the Year and has won 16 adult industry awards. She recently been signed as an exclusive Brazzers girl.

Lauren Phillips (@laurenfillsup) has been a force in the adult industry since 2013 with multiple nominations, while also being a professional dancer, fetish performer and webcam model.

Joanna Angel (@joannaangel) launched Burning Angel in 2002 and has been a major influence in the mainstreaming of alt porn ever since. She has racked up more than 125 nominations and numerous awards along the way.

Eva Lovia (@lovialongtime) has been nominated for more than 50 adult industry awards, including multiple times for Female Performer of the Year. The former Digital Playground contract model has a general-interest podcast called "Chatting with Candice," a cooking show, and is also a Fleshlight Girl.

Alison Tyler (@6feetofsunshine) is a multi-nominated actress who is perhaps most well-known for starring as Wonder Woman in the award-winning porn parody, Batman v Superman XXX: An Axel Braun Parody.

Kenna James (@realkennajames) was the 2016 Penthouse Magazine Pet of the Year and has has more than 50 different industry award nominations. She also is a Fleshlight Girl.

Alex Coal (@alexxxcoal) has already received more than 15 adult award nominations in 2020 and 2021 and has shot with some of the top production houses in the adult industry.

Reagan Foxx (@thereaganfoxx) is a multi-talented adult film star, cam girl and model who has been performing since 2016. She has received multiple MILF Performer of the Year nominations.

Hot Drops is a decentralized NSFW platform that empowers adult content creators using blockchain technology. Hot Drops allows adult content creators to release limited edition and exclusive pieces of content and rewards to their fans, while retaining lifetime royalties on future resales.

For more information, visit MyHotDrops.com.

Follow Hot Drops on social media:

Twitter @MyHotDrops; Instagram @MyHotDropsNFT

To apply to be a Content Creator on Hot Drops please fill out an application here.
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Editorial Board:

Democratic negotiators appear close to a deal that effectively would halve the original $3.5 trillion asking price of the social spending bill originally advanced by progressives. Disappointment abounds among progressives who were hoping for maximum financial impact on the lives of lower-income Americans.

But since no one anywhere has the mental computing power to fully grasp what a trillion of anything is  be they dollars, stars or grains of sand  non-progressives should be forgiven for failing to get worked up because the final package will only  only  total around $1.75 trillion.

The deal, which the Republican minority announced in advance it would reject, exacts some hard concessions from progressives simply to win the approval of two holdout Democratic senators. Some of the concessions needed to be made because they reached too far and involved spending too much money. In other cases, concessions demanded by Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona were selfish and short-sighted. But since the bill has no chance of passage without their support in an evenly split Senate, they get to have undue influence over the final product.

Particularly galling is Manchins insistence on eliminating caps on methane emissions and measures to reduce coal consumption to reduce global warming. West Virginia is one of the nations largest coal-producing and -consuming states. Manchin is subordinating the planets survival to his own political survival. Delaying action on climate change issues might be the most politically convenient route for Manchin now, but that doesnt make his obstinacy excusable.

Part of the progressives own miscalculation was in their attempt to throw too many shopping items into the same spending bag. A good example was their bid to include language opening a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, which the Senate parliamentarian correctly rejected because it veers too far from the main subject matter  the budget  of the spending bill.

Manchins and Sinemas obstinacy serves neither their party nor the nation when it comes to making a long-term investment in childrens futures. Of particular concern is the haggling over federal funding for universal pre-kindergarten. Such a measure not only would help working parents reduce their child care costs but also would put low-income children into classroom settings at an early age.

Instead of perhaps being parked in front of a television set in day care, pre-K classes are designed to boost vocabulary and early reading skills, so kids are better able to perform at grade level through elementary school.

Cutting such funding is short-sighted, as is the effort to curtail the governments ability to save billions of dollars by negotiating Medicare prescription drug pricing. Manchin and Sinema would rob the nation of future rewards just to advance short-term political goals that are just as unfathomable to American voters as are the trillion-plus-dollar figures still under negotiation.

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The case against a Doney Park man accused of violently stabbing his wife and leaving her to bleed out in a neighbor's lawn has been sent to a Coconino County Superior Court jury for deliberation.

Timothy Duran, 41, is accused of killing his wife, Crystal Morgan, 35, by stabbing her roughly two dozen times with a screwdriver and carving fork in 2019. Court records show Morgan had filed for divorce just three days before the attack.

As the case came to a close Tuesday, Durans defense attorney, Greg Parzych, did not refute the states allegations that Duran carried out the killing. Instead, he told the jury during closing arguments they will have to decide whether the murder was premeditated.

I told you that the evidence was going to show you this is not a premeditated act. This was not reflected on, but was rather impulsive and reflexive, Parzych told the jury.

Meanwhile, prosecutor Bryan Shea maintained that Duran had plenty of opportunities to reflect on his violent actions. Shea pointed to threats Duran made against Morgan to his friends and family just days prior as proof of his reflection.

He knows exactly what he did. He intended to do it, and he carried it out, Shea said.

Shea asked the jury to convict Duran on each of seven total charges: one count of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of threateneing and intimidating and two counts of child abuse.

The jury will have the option to lower Durans murder charge to second-degree if they decide the act was not premeditated. If convicted of first-degree murder, Duran faces life in prison.

The defense began calling witnesses early Tuesday morning and rested its case in about two hours. After hearing from both sides one final time, jurors were sent to deliberate around 4 p.m. in the evening and are expected to reconvene Wednesday morning.

Shea told the jury there are several moments where premeditation is evident in the case. He argued Durans threats served as evidence that the killing was reflected upon, including a phone call he made to the couples 11-year-old daughter where he threatened to kill both his daughter and Morgan.

A report from the Coconino County Sheriffs Office alleges Duran first stabbed Morgan with a screwdriver before reaching for a carving fork to continue the stabbing. Shea claimed because Duran sought out a sharper instrument, the attack was deliberate.

Parzych argued that Duran had a history of impulsive behavior and acted in the heat of the moment. The defense called on forensic neuropsychologist Dr. James Sullivan and Durans sister, Hermie Duran, to testify on Durans behavioral tendencies.

Sullivan said he completed a series of 18 psychological tests on Duran earlier this year that concluded Duran was prone to impulsive and reflexive behavior, particularly when placed in high-stress situations. Parzych argued that behavior manifested itself in a violent way during the divorce.

Durans sister testified that growing up in her childhood household where she lived with her brother was not easy, and had caused them both to experience mental illness. She said her mother was verbally and physically abusive, which caused her and her three older siblings to leave home at a young age.

Timothy Duran, the youngest of the siblings, was never able to get away, she testified.

Duran was arrested in 2019 after attacking Morgan in a fit of rage while she was getting ready for work on March 21. Duran was picked up by Sheriffs deputies shortly after Morgans death traveling south toward Yavapai County with his brother.

Over the course of trial, the prosecution called multiple eyewitnesses who testified that they had seen Duran flee the scene, including the couples 11-year-old daughter.

The daughter testified that she called 9-1-1 and stayed on the phone with dispatchers who attempted to give her instructions to try and save her mother.

Witnesses said Morgan ran out of the house after the attack and collapsed in the neighbors' lawn. She was found dead when Sheriffs deputies arrived.

In the week before her death, prosecutor's said Duran moved out of the familys Doney Park home to live on his parents' property in his trailer. The daughter testified that she helped her mother change the locks just one day before the attack because of the threats made by Duran.

Authorities said Duran burst through the back window of the home around 7 a.m. the next morning. He is alleged to have stabbed Morgan with the same screwdriver used to change the locks.

The daughter testified that, during the attack, she attempted to throw items from around the house to stop Duran to no avail. The familys great-grandmother, Louise Lovelace, told deputies she got behind Duran and attempted to pull him off of Morgan, but failed.

The grandmother was injured during the attack and transported to the hospital to be treated for a stab wound to her hand.

Reports indicate that Duran drove to a friends residence on Skeet Drive after fleeing the scene in his pickup truck. He is alleged to have later called his brother and asked to be picked up and taken to Rimrock.

The two were headed out of town when the brother stopped at a gas station and slipped the cashier a note with his license plate. The note asked the cashier to report his vehicle to authorities.

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In its most recent meeting, the Arizona Board of Regents set at-risk compensation goals for the leaders of Arizona public universities, including Northern Arizona University President Jose Luis Cruz Rivera.

The goals are separated into two categories: annual and multiple-year (2021-2024).

According to an ABOR press release, the goals are designed to advance strategic initiatives, including improving educational attainment in Arizona, generating solutions to societal challenges, advancing efficiency and affordability, and enhancing the quality of students experiences.

Cruz Riveras goals focused on a number of priorities he has previously discussed having for the university since beginning his term as president in June. His annual goals center on leadership, pricing and overall goals for the university, using a collaborative process.

The first is to assemble a leadership team at the university with administrative and deliberative structures, and defined processes for decision making and collaboration. He is also tasked with restructuring pricing and financial aid at NAU, adjusting marketing and recruiting accordingly to drive revenue and differentiate [the university] ahead of the fall 2023 recruitment cycle.

On a larger scale, Cruz Rivera's final annual goal is to develop institutional goals that will lead to a "differentiated and distinguished NAU brand position within the Arizona and broader higher education landscape.

His multiple-year goals focus on the universitys expansion in healthcare programs as well as its outreach to underrepresented populations. The list includes developing and implementing plans to advance priorities from the Diversity Strategic Plan and increasing NAUs profile with Native American and Hispanic communities.

Another population-focused goal is to expand the number of students from working-class families and narrowing completion gaps from these and first-generation and minority groups. This also includes increasing overall graduation rates.

The universitys priority of healthcare -- highlighted in NAUs presentation of its use of New Economy Initiative funds in the same meeting - -is also represented in the multi-year goals, though with a seemingly longer timeline. The second goal is to develop and submit (rather than implement) a plan for the statewide expansion of its allied health programs.

Establishing programs in Maricopa, Pima and Yuma counties, and distributed learning centers elsewhere are listed as part of the goal.

Each goal has a monetary value attached that will be awarded to Cruz Rivera if completed in the given time frame. Specific amounts and more details can be found on ABORs website, but they typically fall in the $15,000 to $35,000 range apiece.

Today we recognize the extraordinary and transformative leadership of our universities presidents, ABOR Chair Lyndel Manson said in a press release. [They] are essentially CEOs of one of the largest and most complex enterprises in the state of Arizona, and its important that we retain these visionary leaders.

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The Arizona K12 Center at Northern Arizona University announced a new program with the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to help Arizona graduate students become K-12 teachers. The Arizona Teacher Residency program is designed to be similar to a medical residency and will provide training and support to aspiring Arizona teachers.

Every child deserves a great teacher, so Arizona Teacher Residency will prepare exemplary teachers who care about their students and remain in Arizona classrooms for years to come, NAU President Jose Luis Cruz Rivera said Monday in a press conference announcing the program.

Arizona Board of Regents sets compensation goals for Northern Arizona University president In its most recent meeting, the Arizona Board of Regents set at-risk compensation goals for 

The center was awarded a $5 million grant from the ADE using Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds granted by the federal government in response to COVID-19.

The two-year program will involve a year of in-school apprenticeship under a supervising teacher, followed by a year in which the student becomes the teacher-of-record. Both years will also involve graduate coursework and professional learning opportunities. Support from the Arizona K12 Center will also be available to residents, both during the program and after graduation.

Students will receive a living stipend during their residency and a salary in their teaching year, along with scholarship opportunities such as the Arizona Teachers Academy. Program graduates will receive a masters degree from NAU and make a commitment to serve in partner districts for at least three years after their residency.

Arizona Teacher Residency will be accepting applications this winter, and the first year of the program will begin with a two-week institute in the summer of 2022.

The program is currently partnering with Title One elementary schools in the Phoenix area, with the hope to eventually expand to high schools and more rural areas. Title One refers to schools that have high percentages of children from low-income families, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

An Arizona Department of Education 2020 Teacher Workforce Report published in July found that schools serving low-income families have more inexperienced and alternately certified teachers.

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman said the program was meant to attract new people to the profession rather than competing with existing programs in the state. She gave examples of non-education majors and people looking to switch careers or re-enter the workforce.

The program was created to respond to Arizona's teacher shortage and high turnover. Several speakers at the conference mentioned ways it would begin to address these issues.

It is no secret that Arizonas severe and persistent teacher shortage is one of the worst in the nation. ...We can talk all day of ways to recover academically from the effects of the pandemic, but without experienced educators to support them, those efforts will be hampered, Hoffman said.

According to the ADE report, 5% of teachers with full-time positions in Arizona were international teachers, emergency certified teachers, emergency substitutes [or] long-term substitutes. It also found a drop in years of experience per teacher a few years after graduation, indicating a tendency for individuals [to] leave the profession early in their careers.

Hoffman said the residency was one of many strategies ADE was using to address the shortage, including investments in teacher mentoring, educator preparation programs and establishing an educator recruitment and retention team.

She said education residencies have a strong track record of advancing teacher retention and student achievement.

NAUs release cited the Learning Policy Institute, which found that 70% to 80% of graduates were still teaching five years after their residency.

Kathy Wiebke, the executive director of the Arizona K12 Center, also said that teachers tend to stay in the profession longer when they had mentorship and professional learning opportunities and regular interaction with administrators and peers.

Cruz Rivera cited NAUs origin as a teachers college as an example of its dedication to Arizona educators.

We have a long history of preparing excellent teachers who are not only the best at ensuring that our students get the education that they need, but we also are very much committed to ensuring that through their efforts they [reduce] educational inequities and eliminate opportunity gaps, he said.

He also said residency programs would help recruit teachers who reflect and understand the students they serve.

The ADE report found that the majority of Arizona teachers are white (75%). Only 16% are Hispanic, 4% are Black and 2% are Native American. It cited ADEs Oct. 2020 Enrollment report, which shows that 45% of students in the state are Hispanic, 38% are white, 5% are Black and 4% are Native.

Women make up 76% of Arizona teachers, according to the report.

The Learning Policy Institute found that 62% of residents with the National Center for Teacher Residencies identified as people of color, compared to 20% of teachers nationwide.

This program takes a big step toward addressing the diversity gap in teaching, Wiebke said. ...We know students gain more confidence and do better academically when they have teachers that look like them.

She credited Arizona Teacher Residencys founding director, Victoria Theisen-Homer, as influential in the program's creation and said that while the program is not a quick fix to the problems facing Arizonas teacher workforce, it is the right step.

Quick fixes...rarely have a lasting impact, she said. Ive wanted a teaching residency in this state for over 10 years because I believe it has the potential to transform the teaching profession. What excites me the most is knowing the impact this program will have on Arizona students and families.

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FLAGSTAFF -- Reagan Evans passion for overlanding and nature conservation is rooted in fond childhood experiences of outdoor adventures with his family.

Overlanding is a form of self-sufficient, off-grid adventure seeking that commonly uses large SUVs and pickup trucks to travel to remote locations using established roads and trails, store outdoor equipment and camp, often for extended periods. To most overlanders, the journey is the goal.

Evans, 46, an Overland Expo Foundation scholarship recipient and full-time traveler from Texas, said overlanders take to natural habitats to explore new sights or get away from civilization.

I would take vehicles and go explore places that got a little bit further away from the crowds, whether it was a national park or state park, just getting a little further down the road or off the road was really appealing, Evans said. And then as the means of travel changed, motorcycles gave even more freedom, where all we needed was a goat trail to follow and we found some amazing vistas.

With climate change and the dependency overlanders have on the Earth to explore new lands, community members have been advocating for natural conservation and cultural respect, as well as cleaner alternatives in the automotive industry, which was part of the focus of last months Overland Expo West in Flagstaff.

Nick Jaynes, director of communications for the Overland Expo Foundation, said fuel efficiency in overlanding vehicles is a real concern with manufacturers and after-market companies catering to the demands of overlanding without considering its environmental impact.

The Overland Expo Foundation is working with automakers to really push their electric vehicles into the overlanding space, Jaynes said. Were working to embrace zero-emissions travel as fast as we can.

The Overland Expo Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2020 to promote freedom of overland travel and fund individuals and organizations working to protect public lands.

More than 100 million pounds of waste are generated per year in national parks, according to Leave No Trace, which seeks to educate people on conservation.

Evans said its important to tread as lightly as possible when it comes to evaluating the impact of where and how overlanders are traveling. This would include keeping clean camping habits along with contributing to the local economy of the areas travelers are staying.

The Overland Expo Foundation awarded Evans a scholarship that will allow him to travel the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve in southern Mexico to promote a necessary balance between outdoor tourism and sustainable practices. Hes scheduled to leave in December.

The biosphere reserve is just a really amazing part of the country with amazing flora and fauna, he said. But because its not well known, theres not a lot of tourism impact on the economy, and so the fear is that a place thats really magical ends up not staying that way because its not well-cared for.

My goal is to try to help the local community understand ways that they can welcome tourism and tourism dollars to help offset logging, animal trade or other things that are going to be detrimental in the long term.

Along with Reagans mission, the Overland Expo Foundation plans to support other individuals and groups that strive to thrust the overland community into a more mindful and sustainable future.

We want to protect the environment, we want to maintain the freedom of overland travelers, and at the same time, be respectful of all cultures and environments, Jaynes said.

Overland Expo East opens Oct. 8 in Arlington, Virginia, where vehicle manufacturers, including Harley Davidson and Toyota, and exhibitors will showcase some new sustainable alternatives.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Ohios top lawyer filed suit against the Biden administration on Monday seeking to restore a Trump-era ban on abortion referrals by family planning clinics that President Joe Biden reversed earlier this month.

The action filed by Republican Attorney Dave Yost in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati was joined by 11 other states.

At issue are new federal regulations set by the Department of Health and Human Services that take the Title X federal family planning program back to the way it ran under the Obama administration, when clinics were able to refer women seeking abortions to a provider.

The two rules Yost wants reinstated were passed in 2019. One required federally funded family-planning clinics to be physically and financially independent of abortion clinics. The other required them to refrain from referring patients for abortions.

He said both rules were intended as firewalls between clinics' family planning services, which can receive taxpayer funding, and their abortion services, which cannot.

"You cant follow the money when all the money is dumped into one pot and mixed together, Yost said in a statement. Federal law prohibits taxpayer funding of abortion  and that law means nothing if the federal money isnt kept separate.

The administration's reversal of both rules came as political and legal battles over abortion are growing sharper amid burgeoning efforts by Republicans to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Yost emphasized that his lawsuit does not challenge the right to an abortion as guaranteed under Roe. The litigation follows a letter he and 20 other states sent to Health and Human Services in May warning the Biden administration against reversing the rules.

The prohibition against family planning clinics funded under Title X using public funds for abortions was contained in the Family Planning Services and Population Research Act of 1970, Yost said.

States joining the challenge are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and West Virginia. Not all states participate in Title X.

Groups representing the clinics said they hoped this month's reversal would lead some 1,300 local facilities that left in protest to return.

The program makes available more than $250 million a year to clinics to provide birth control and basic health care services, mainly to low-income women, many of them from minority communities. The rules established under former President Donald Trump, a Republican, prompted a mass exit by service providers affiliated with Planned Parenthood, as well as several states and other independent organizations.

Womens groups labeled the Trump policies a gag rule, and medical organizations called it a violation of the clinician-patient relationship. But religious and social conservatives praised the policy for imposing a strict separation between family planning services and abortion.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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An autumn view of the Pangquangou National Natural Reserve in Jiaocheng county, Shanxi province. [Photo by Gao Zengping/For chinadaily.com.cn]



With late autumn's arrival in North China, the Pangquangou National Nature Reserve in Jiaocheng county of Shanxi province welcomes its most beautiful season.

Herds of cattle and sheep, mountains covered with colorful leaves and zigzagging rivers make the region a stunning wonderland.

The reserve, which focuses on the protection of rare and endangered plants and birds such as brown-eared pheasants, has become a precious ecological treasure in the province.

An autumn view of the Pangquangou National Natural Reserve in Jiaocheng county, Shanxi province. [Photo by Gao Zengping/For chinadaily.com.cn]



An autumn view of the Pangquangou National Natural Reserve in Jiaocheng county, Shanxi province. [Photo by Gao Zengping/For chinadaily.com.cn]

An autumn view of the Pangquangou National Natural Reserve in Jiaocheng county, Shanxi province. [Photo by Gao Zengping/For chinadaily.com.cn]






A joint effort from two education organizations could be formed as early as next month as part of plans to build a new elementary school in Beatrice.

The Beatrice Public Schools Board of Education and Educational Services Unit 5 are considering a partnership that would form a new public body, out to plan a new school for pre-kindergarten through fifth grades.

After considering several approaches to finance a new building, BPS and ESU5 are discussing a partnership to create a special public entity under the Interlocal Agreement Act. With this option the newly formed Southeast Nebraska Education Agency would be able to secure financing to address a larger building project by pursuing Certificates of Deposit.

BPS Superintendent Jason Alexander said the proposal is a unique avenue to build an educational building that stood out as the best option, in part because it wouldnt raise taxes.

We made a commitment to our community to make sure we didnt leave any stone unturned as to how we may approach this building project, he said. I feel very good about the fact we looked at every single avenue possible. We talked about the possibility that a bond issue could still take place. We talked about lease-purchase, we talked about lease-buyback, we talked about private-public partnerships and at the end of the day essentially where weve ended up is really an avenue that has been around for a long time, but not necessarily an avenue thats been pursued a whole lot by schools.

During Monday nights Board of Education meeting, Michael Rogers, an attorney with Gillmore and Bell, Paul Grieger, managing director of D.A. Davidson Wealth Management and Justin Knight with Perry Law Firm discussed the proposal with the board, and what it would mean for area residents.

Rogers said under the proposed agreement BPS would not own the elementary building, but would lease it from the newly-formed group.

That entity would issue bonds and build a pre-K through fifth grade building and lease it to the school district, he said. Not lease purchase it, but lease it to the school district for a period of time that you would expect to renew multiple times. The bonds then would be payable from the revenues received from this newly formed entity and the bond holders would be paid from those lease revenues.

"Theyd be lease revenue bonds issued by the interlocal agency and the interlocal agency would lease the project to the school district. The school district would not own the building, it would be the interlocal agency thats controlled by the school district and ESU5.

A key point of the presentation was that taking the approach would not result in higher taxes.

Living within the means of that $1.05 tax levy is important to the people in the school district, and so the idea here is that the interlocal agency, itself, would not have the power to levy taxes, Rogers said. It would not get any taxing power from the school district or the ESU. For the school district to make its payments under the lease to the interlocal agency it would not be able to increase its tax levy over the $1.05, so there would not be the power to do a bigger tax levy, unlike if you have a bond election.

The Interlocal Agreement Act allows public entities to partner and pursue financing for a larger scale project. Information provided by the school district stated the arrangement specifically allows school districts to partner with other public entities to address building issues without raising property taxes if the school district has the capacity to do so within the confines of its budget.

Over the last three years Beatrice Public Schools has been researching building options that would address the learning conditions, life safety code violations and inefficiencies with the current prekindergarten through eighth grade schools.

Five community meetings have been held in recent months, along with three smaller presentations to inform the community about these building issues, discuss options, answer questions, and address concerns.

Alexander has previously said all four current preschool through fifth grade buildings have fire code violations, health code violations, ADA compliance issues, and security and surveillance issues.

Alexander indicated ESU5 officials are on board with the plan to form a new group, and both groups could vote on the joint venture at their regular meetings in November. If approved, Alexander said he wants to maintain an aggressive timeframe getting the project off the ground.

Headquartered in Beatrice, ESU5 is one of 17 ESUs in the state created by the Nebraska Legislature in 1965. It serves Gage, Jefferson and Thayer counties.

Details of the new board are yet to be determined in terms of how many members would serve, if representation would be equal between the two groups and how many members there would be. The board would be public and subject to the Open Meetings Act.

Board member Eric Trusty asked about the financial risk to the district if BPS failed on payments. Rogers said in a worst case scenario, ESU5 could foreclose on the building and BPS wouldnt have access to the elementary school.

Trusty also said he supports the idea, questioning if the public would vote in favor of a bond that would bring a tax increase.

I like the creativity of looking at different options because weve seen in the past, number one weve gone for a bond a couple times and also seen other school districts within our ESU even have gone out for bonds and have failed, he said. ...What I like about this is were not asking for additional taxpayer money. Were not asking to go above that levy. We believe we can finance this within the means of that $1.05 tax levy, which is a huge positive for communities, for the taxpayers and for our school district.

Both the BPS Board of Education and ESU5 have their next meetings on Monday, Nov. 8.

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SCOTTSBLUFF -- A Bayard rancher has been indicted on four counts of bank fraud after he allegedly defrauded a bank in an attempt to secure more than $11.2 million in loans.

According to an indictment filed in the U.S. District Court in Nebraska, George Liakos, who grew beans, corn and sugar beets in addition to raising cattle, is accused of attempting to defraud Great Western Bank.

The indictment says Liakos, 62, and his wife entered into an agreement with Great Western Bank on or about June 2, 2017, for a revolving loan of credit of $8.5 million, a machinery and equipment loan of more than $1.8 million and a livestock loan for $850,000. The couple granted the bank a security interest in assets and farm products as collateral for the loans.

On Nov. 26, 2018, the parties signed a forbearance agreement, temporarily reducing payment of the amounts due from the June 2017 loan, with interest, and an additional revolving line of credit of $336,000.

According to the indictment, Liakos is accused of executing a scheme to defraud the bank beginning on or about April 20, 2017, and through on or about May 7, 2019. Liakos is accused of submitting information from a third party financial institution that materially overstated his commodity inventory and materially understated and failed to report loans and accounts payable. The falsified certificates were submitted monthly and Liakos is accused of providing false information to his accountant in preparation and submission of those certificates.

Liakos also allegedly made false statements to bank officials about his commodity and livestock inventory in an effort to hide his current financial condition to Great Western Bank, the indictment alleged.

According to the indictment, Great Western Bank suffered a loss of more than $7.6 million as a result of the alleged scheme.

Liakos is also charged with a fifth count of making a false statement in connection with a commodity loan applied for through the Farm Service Agency.

The maximum possible penalty on each bank fraud charge, if Liakos is convicted, is 30 years imprisonment, a $1 million fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. On the false statement charge, Liakos faces a maximum possible penalty of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment, if convicted.

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Billings residents will have as many as four locations in town where they can buy recreational marijuana once it goes on sale next year.

City Council approved its first draft of recreational cannabis regulations on Monday and it caps at four the number of storefronts allowed within city limits. It also limits the amount of warehouse space where plants could be grown to 7,500 square feet.

Businesses applying to the city to receive one of the four recreational marijuana dispensary licenses will be entered into a lottery with the recipients drawn at random.

Adult-use marijuana goes on sale in Montana on Jan. 1 and state law allows medical marijuana shops to begin selling recreational pot that day, if those shops are in good standing with their municipal authorities.

Those medical marijuana shops will then have 18 months to apply for a recreational marijuana business license if they intend to continue selling recreational pot.

Montana Advanced Caregivers is Billings' one active medical marijuana dispensary. Yellowstone County currently has 29 medical marijuana dispensaries.
"I would love for these folks to have gone through what Gov. Scott Walker and I went through during the recalls: The vuvuzelas and the drums, and the death threats, and the people who were showering inside the public restrooms, sleeping two-by-two in sleeping bags, banging on cars, threatening my children, spreading lies and intimidating us, Kleefisch said in audio obtained by the liberal advocacy group American Bridge 21st Century and provided to The Associated Press on Wednesday. Imagine if school board members felt something like that. Instead, all they feel is the pressure of their actual constituents asking them to do their job.
A Ballantine man has been sentenced to a century in prison after admitting to murdering his ex-girlfriend.

A Montana District Court judge sentenced Steven Craig Phillips, 39, for the death of Jennifer McCollum last year.

The defendant committed these acts in the presence of her three young children who remained there for hours before law enforcement was alerted to the crime. The degree of harm cannot be quantified, wrote Deputy County Attorney Brett Linneweber in sentencing documents.

Deputies with the Yellowstone County Sheriffs Office responded to a 911 call from Phillips mother in May 2020, according to court documents, when she told dispatch that she believed Phillips had killed McCollum. Phillips and his mother were living at the time in a trailer court on West Arrow Creek Road in Ballantine. McCollum, a mother of three, lived next door.

When deputies entered McCollums trailer, they found her dead and her body brutalized. One of her children said that Phillips killed her.
Increasing the amount of water next spring for a brief time will help juvenile salmon pass through the dams and avoid the fish-killing turbines during migration.

The Columbia River Basin was once the greatest salmon-producing river system in the world. But dams built in the basin are blamed by conservationists for pushing salmon runs toward extinction. Four dams along the Snake River in eastern Washington state  Ice Harbor, Little Goose, Lower Monumental and Lower Granite  slow passage along the lower Snake River, a major migration corridor linking pristine cold-water streams in central Idaho to the Pacific Ocean.

About $17 billion has been spent over two decades in efforts to prevent salmon extinction. Because of that, many groups continue to demand those four dams be breached.

Dam supporters blame declining salmon runs on other factors, such as changing ocean conditions. Opponents of breaching the dams include river users and mostly Republican politicians in the region who argue the dams provide many benefits, such as electricity, river navigation and irrigation.

In another development last Friday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, said they were exploring options to breach the four Snake River dams and replace the benefits they provide.
Banner Health, which operates four Wyoming hospitals including the states largest in Casper, could see nearly 10% of its employees terminated for failing to comply with a COVID-19 vaccine requirement, based on current numbers.

Mary Lynne Shickich, a Banner representative, told lawmakers Tuesday that 160 of the 1,629 employees Banner has in Wyoming had not been vaccinated and did not have an exemption.

In mid-July, the company announced being fully vaccinated would no longer be optional, but a condition of employment beginning Nov. 1. That announcement has been a focal point during the special legislative session that began this week, meant to challenge a federal vaccine mandate on businesses with 100 or more employees.

In testifying to the House Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee Tuesday, Schickich said the 160 employees will keep their jobs until the end of November.

The company has not decided on next steps for the Wyoming employees who have not been vaccinated, spokesperson Mandy Cepeda said via email.
Im afraid Ive got to learn just as fast as the kids do, but I think well get to the point where weve got a chance to try some stuff that we havent had yet, Lunceford said.

Luncefords curriculum covers a variety of subjects including welding, small engines, electrical wiring, hydraulics and more. The wide offerings allow students to explore different options that can lead to internships to prepare them for their future careers.

His classes take on large projects, like a recent overhaul of the Lake County Fairgrounds hog barn and horse stock trailers. Lunceford credits these hands-on projects for helping his students gain real-world experience.

Over his career at Ronan High School, hes brought the graduation rate for skilled trades education up from 90% to 100% by the end of last school year.

Luncefords students were among the most excited about the award.

Its been really good (being in Luncefords classes), you get to learn about different stuff every day and some of our classes head out to the stock yards and get to work on those so it gives us some hands on work before actually going into any sort of job, said James Kenelty, a junior at Ronan High School.

This year, the 2021 Hard Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence drew over 700 applications from 49 states. The finalists were narrowed down through three rounds of judging by independent panels of experts from industry, trades, education, philanthropy and civic leadership. The field was narrowed to 61 finalists by July.

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The state of Missouri has filed notice that it will appeal a federal judges August ruling in favor of a Garrison Diversion Conservancy District project.

Missouri challenged a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation environmental review of the Central North Dakota Water Supply project, which would bring water to parts of central North Dakota. Missouri alleged violations of federal policy, including failure by officials to properly study the projects environmental impacts and its alternatives. U.S. District Judge Nanette Laughrey ruled against Missouri on all counts.

The specifics of the appeal aren't known. Court filings so far include only a notice of appeal and an outline of document filing deadlines.

Garrison Diversion General Manager Duane DeKrey said the notice of appeal wasnt completely unexpected but that Laughreys opinion was so strong we thought Missouri might pass.

But it is Missouri, he said, referring to other lawsuits the state has filed over North Dakota water projects. So we were surprised, but then again we werent."

The filing wont slow the water project, DeKrey said, adding that he and the conservancy districts legal team believe the appeal could be settled in eight months.

The Central North Dakota Water Supply Project will receive water from the McClusky Canal for systems in Burleigh, Sheridan, Wells, Foster, Kidder, McLean and Stutsman counties. The project will take water -- nearly 13 million gallons a day -- from the same pipeline as the Red River Valley Water Supply Program. The Red River program will move Missouri River water by underground pipeline from Washburn east to supply systems in the east and central parts of the state.

Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com

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Enrollment declines at North Dakota's institutions of higher learning haven't been as steep as elsewhere since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Enrollment across the country at colleges and universities is down 6.5% compared to two years ago, which is the largest two-year enrollment drop in the last 50 years, according to a new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

North Dakotas declines havent been quite so steep, and in the case of some universities, including Dickinson State, enrollment has increased, KFYR-TV reported.

Students that are interested or deciding to go college, that number is kind of going down. But we, in this specific area of the country, dont have that quite as much as other areas. So we still have a pretty good pool of students that are graduating and going to college, said Stephanie Osborne, DSU admissions director.

North Dakota colleges and universities overall experienced a 3.4% decrease in enrollment from 2019, and a 1.4% decrease from 2020.

Other schools that have actually had enrollment increases since 2019 include Dakota College at Bottineau, Valley City State and the University of North Dakota.
North Dakota's oil tax savings account has made its first investment through a program targeting companies in the state, though officials aren't releasing the amount.

The Legacy Fund's North Dakota Growth Fund program targets a 3% allocation of the $8.4 billion Legacy Fund toward private capital, with a preference to in-state investments. It has invested in St. Louis-based Lewis & Clark AgriFood, a venture capital firm "which has a long track record of investing in the state," according to 50 South Capital, which manages the Growth Fund as general partner.

Company officials refused to disclose the investment amount to the Tribune, citing confidential information. The Growth Fund is authorized up to $250 million but has $100 million for its initial five-year investment period.

Given its track record of investing in North Dakota and its focus on the agrifood industry, we believe Lewis & Clark AgriFood is an excellent investment for the North Dakota Growth Fund given the breadth and diversity of the states agriculture industry and leading entrepreneurs focused on it, 50 South Capital Managing Director Trey Hart said in a statement Tuesday.

Lewis & Clark AgriFood Investor Relations Manager Jessie Chapel said the company was unavailable for comment Tuesday. She did not immediately respond to emailed questions and deferred to 50 South, whose officials referred company-specific questions back to Lewis & Clark AgriFood.

Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford, who chairs the State Investment Board overseeing the Growth Fund, declined to comment beyond the investment press release.

State Retirement and Investment Office Interim Executive Director Jan Murtha said she was unavailable for immediate comment and deferred to 50 South. The Tribune also unsuccessfully sought the investment amount from the state treasurer's office.

50 South first met with Lewis & Clark AgriFood in 2018, and "circled back with them early this spring," Hart told the Tribune.

The company is not based in North Dakota but does have a track record of investments in companies in the state, which meets the Growth Fund's eligibility requirements, Hart said.

State Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said he is familiar with Lewis & Clark AgriFood from a few projects related to food and agriculture distribution, transportation and technologies, including the Bushel agriculture app.

"They seem to have a pretty good nose for good investments. That's the way it looks anyway," Goehring said.

The 2021 Legislature passed a bill directing the State Investment Board to invest a target 20% of the Legacy Fund in the state, putting half in equities, or investing in companies in the state, and the other half in infrastructure loans to local governments and a business loan program through the state-owned Bank of North Dakota. The first 10% includes the 3% targeted by the Growth Fund.

The Legacy Fund's advisory board on Thursday will hear more in-state investment proposals and public comments.

Thirty percent of monthly state oil tax revenue goes into the Legacy Fund, which voters created in 2010. Lawmakers couldn't use the fund or its earnings until the 2017-19 budget cycle.

The fund generated more than $871 million of earnings in the 2019-21 budget cycle. The Legislature has used the fund's earnings only for balancing state budgets and backfilling a shorted state school aid fund.

The Republican-led Legislature this year passed a slate of bills tabbed as the Legacy Fund "trifecta" for putting the savings account to specific uses, including infrastructure bonding repayments and in-state investments. About 1-2% of the Legacy Fund had been invested in North Dakota. The push in the Legislature was to put more of the fund to work within the state, including a $680 million infrastructure bonding bill. Legacy Fund earnings will repay the borrowed money within 20 years.

Last week, the state Retirement and Investment Office recommended the advisory board study the portfolio of the entire Legacy Fund due to the different components of the new investment mandates. The panel did not act due to three of its seven members being absent later in the meeting, but the board is expected to revisit the recommendation this week.

Implementation of the new Legacy Fund investment mandates has been impeded due to vacant positions at the Retirement and Investment Office, which oversees about $20 billion of assets. In the last year and a half, the office has lost 175 years of experience due to employees' retirements and resignations, according to Murtha.

"We are well aware that the expectation in relation to the rollout of (the investment strategy) is evolving, it's important and we want to support it, but we didn't have the staffing levels to support it," she told the House Appropriations Committee last week.

The new investment strategy added "an additional layer of complexity" to the office's workload, she said.

Thirteen of 19 office positions were filled, as of two weeks ago. The office needs a chief risk officer and chief investment officer.

Murtha told the House budget panel that the agency needs six new full-time employees to meet expectations, and wants to use special funds for the positions -- four more investment professionals, another investment accountant and a programs outreach coordinator.

The latter position is key "because we have no resources dedicated to programs outreach" regarding the new in-state investment components, Murtha told the panel.

The investment strategy generated increased demand for information from the office. Office employees don't have the bandwidth to handle the level of interest and calls that have come into the agency outside of 50 South's parameters, Murtha told the Tribune last month.

"If we can't staff to needs, we have to reduce expectations. We do not want to underperform," she told lawmakers.

Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com.

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Thirty miles northeast of Bismarck lies a Jewish cemetery, accessible only if you know which gravel roads lead to a prairie trail that runs to its gate.

Inside the fence lie 15 gravestones, many with Hebrew inscriptions and some with photographs of the settlers whose names they bear. Several dozen Jewish families settled in this area during the early 20th century, attending religious services at each others homes and eventually at an old schoolhouse they converted into a synagogue.

Their houses were scattered around the prairie, the first of them built right after the turn of the century. The settlers were among the first to this part of the state, predating the founding of the towns of nearby Wing and Regan established when the Northern Pacific Railway built its Wilton-Pingree line.

I visited the cemetery this past Saturday as I do each year at the end of October. I first came here to process something traumatic I covered halfway across the country three years ago.

I was a reporter for the public radio station in Pittsburgh when a gunman walked into the Tree of Life Synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018, and fatally shot 11 people. The next week was a blur for me. I reported from a vigil, a rally and a funeral. For one story, I visited the 911 call center where I spoke to a dispatcher who stayed on the phone with a congregant for 44 minutes while he hid from the gunman in a basement storage room.

It wasnt until I moved back to North Dakota the next year that the gravity of what I had covered hit me. In the weeks leading up to the anniversary of the shooting, I felt alone and deeply sad.

During that time, I remembered the Jewish cemetery near Regan. A friend had shown it to me a few years earlier when I lived here before moving to Pennsylvania. I decided to return, as it was the only thing I could think to do to mark the day.

My visit in 2019 was cathartic. Last year, I went at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in North Dakota. I noticed that some of the graves dated to the late 1910s and wondered what the Spanish flu did to the community. This year, I stopped by the State Archives to research the areas Jewish history before driving to the cemetery.

Jews arrived here with the help of the Jewish Agricultural and Industrial Aid Society, an organization based in New York that supported Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe as they started farms in the United States. The Jewish settlers in the Regan area primarily came from Russia or neighboring countries.

Their children attended school with other youth whose families moved to northern Burleigh County from Norway and Finland. The students often learned English in class.

Historical accounts indicate that many of the Jewish immigrants struggled to make a living farming and either moved away or turned to other professions. One family opened a butcher shop, another sold shoes and one started an ice cream parlor. Several worked in nearby coal mines. One man played trombone in the Wing Band.

Most of the families left the prairie by the 1930s, opting to move to bigger cities. The Jewish population has always been small in North Dakota. The largest estimate I could find put it at 1,155 in 1910.

Somewhere between six to 18 Jewish communities formed in North Dakota during the late 19th and early 20th century as immigrants sought to acquire land under the Homestead Act. The first was near Washburn, settled before North Dakota became a state.

Many of the communities had cemeteries, though only several of the sites have been maintained. One at Ashley in McIntosh County was rededicated in 2017 in what former Tribune journalist Caroline Grueskin reported may have been the largest gathering of Jewish people in the town since the 1920s. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, as is another near Devils Lake.

The settlers stories live on in books they or their descendants have written. The Rev. William Sherman, formerly of North Dakota State Universitys sociology department, documented the states early Jewish communities in a 1982 paper. Boxes at the State Archives contain a number of details about the Jews buried in the Regan cemetery, courtesy of records maintained by the late Frances Wold. She was a journalist and historian who kept extensive notes on the history of northern Burleigh County.

A lot of the documents in Wolds collection stem from letters she exchanged with Toba Geller of Fargo in the 1970s. Geller chaired the Jewish Historical Project of North Dakota and planned to write a book. The two women struck up a friendship through their many letters, sharing stories of their religious upbringings and attempts to track down accurate information about early Jewish settlers. They had hoped to meet one day, but Geller died before they had a chance.

Wold made it a point to try to interview the descendants of the people buried at the Jewish cemetery any time she heard of one stopping by from out of town.

It is good to know that the people who lie beneath the markers with the Star of David are not forgotten, she wrote in a 1979 newspaper article. It is important that their story be recorded along with that of the more numerous representatives of other nationalities and cultures who helped settle this part of North Dakota.

After I visited the Jewish cemetery this past weekend, I drove to the main Regan cemetery just outside of town. Wold is buried there, and I wanted to pay my respects. I would have liked to have met her. Its in large part thanks to her that the history of the Jewish settlers near Regan hasnt been lost.

As the anniversary of the shooting approached this year, I thought back to an interview I did at a rally near the synagogue in Pittsburgh. I spoke to a rabbi who, the morning we met, had attended the funeral of a friend the gunman had killed. He told me its important to find meaning in pain.

I think thats why I go to the cemetery. Its where, a year after the shooting, I felt I could finally grieve the lives lost that day in Pittsburgh.

This year, I went with a new purpose -- to honor the people buried there whose stories I feel Ive begun to learn. I drove home this weekend feeling a little more at peace.

Newsroom Notebook is a periodic column written by members of the Tribune newsroom that focuses on our community and everyday life.

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In this report, WNS and Corinium Intelligence conducted a survey of over 100 companies across eight industries to understand their state of digital transformation in the new normal. Download this report to uncover essential findings from the study.
The human rights organization says it can no longer work freely and without fear as the Hong Kong government continues to repress fundamental freedoms. []

London-based Amnesty International has succumbed to the pressures of Hong Kongs wide-sweeping National Security Law (NSL), announcing on Oct. 25 its decisions to withdraw operations from the city.

The human rights organization will close its two Hong Kong branches, citing fear of restrictions of freedoms of expression.

The nongovernmental organization (NGO) said its branch that deals with human rights education programs in Hong Kong will close on Oct. 31, while another branch, which focuses on research and campaigning across East and Southeast Asia, will fold by the end of the year. The group also announced its decision to shift its Hong Kong advocacy to other parts of the Asia-Pacific region.

The NGO has played an ongoing role in influencing for the better the social and civil rights climate in Hong Kong. It was behind the push for full abolition of the death penalty in the city in the 1993 and unveiled police misconduct during the 2019 pro-democracy protests.

Amnesty Internationals announcement marks one of the most prominent departures from Hong Kong, amid pressure from Beijings ever-restrictive crackdown on freedoms of speech, press, and assembly.

The NSL bans what the government deems as secession, terrorism, or subversion of Hong Kongs prosperity. Violations of the law carry penalties up to and including life in prison. The strict legislation has been the grounds for more than 150 arrests since it was passed in June 2020.

Amnestys secretary general, Agnes Callamard, commented on the groups withdrawal from Hong Kong in a tweet posted on Oct. 25:

#HongKong national security law has made it effectively impossible for human rights organizations in Hong Kong to work freely and without fear of serious reprisals from the government, including @amnesty. With a heavy heart, we are closing our offices. pic.twitter.com/MpVUxlAuWV  Agnes Callamard (@AgnesCallamard) October 25, 2021

The NSLs vague wording and broad application, paired with some of the worlds strictest COVID policies, has diminished the level of freedom Hong Kong citizens once enjoyed. The law is also widely unpopular within Hong Kongs international business hub.

Critics of the NSL are hesitant to accept the idea that the law is beneficial to stability in Hong Kong.

Yet Hong Kongs chief executive, Carrie Lam, has shown no concern over the legislations unpopularity. She has repeatedly lauded the laws ability to restore stability and promote prosperity.

According to Bloomberg, at least 35 other civil society groups have closed in response to the same pressures from the NSL as faced Amnesty International. Last month, the group that organizes the annual vigil of the Tiananmen Square Massacre was forced to disband after its members either quit amid fear of the NSL or were arrested for violating it.

The tension in Hong Kong continues to climb as any action that qualifies as political dissent is censored and punished, nullifying freedom of expression.

Amnesty Internationals decision to pull out of Hong Kong indicates that the NSL makes human rights difficult to promote and almost impossible to obtain. Human flourishing will cease if the Hong Kong government, out of fear of losing absolute control, continues to restrict citizens attempts to promote human rights.
ether it's with your voice or a silent but effective side-eye, humans are master communicators. And just like English, Spanish, or French, American Sign Language is another one of the many ways we can communicate with both loved ones, complete strangers, and even little kids.

Even if you don't know anyone who uses ASL to communicate, that doesn't mean being able to sign won't come in handy one day. But if you're actively learning how to use ASL, like with these effective online courses, you can actually become a more valuable asset in the workplace, capable of helping more people in an emergency situation, and beyond.

Jam-packed with 16 courses, this e-learning bundle will teach you how to sign and then some. From the very basics, like the alphabet and common phrases to ideal signs to use in the professional sphere, these courses cover it all. And since they're all available online, you can go through them at your own pace, really getting the most out of your learning experience.

Led by experienced language instructors with nearly perfect ratings, students learn firsthand what it takes to become comfortable signing through ASL. Each course is designed for beginning and experienced signers alike, complete with easy-to-follow lesson plans, fun yet informative exercises, and invaluable insight you'll use for the rest of your life as you sign.

Each course in the 2022 All-in-One American Sign Language Bundle hones in on a different topic, giving you an in-depth understanding of the different facets of this incredible language. You'll explore the world of food vocabulary, signing aimed specifically for business-geared conversations, and ways to better communicate with children through signing. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

As you go through each course, you'll become more and more comfortable signing, and you never know when being fluent in ASL will come in handy.

Save big on the 11-course 2022 All-in-One American Sign Language Bundle, now just $35.99  that's around $3.50 per class!
This happy, chuckling gentleman at Boise State University asked Charlie Kirk when it would be OK to start killing fellow Americans he doesn't like, but even Charlie Kirk think that's too much. I wouldn't be surprised if law enforcement is already investigating this wannabe mass murderer.

During the question-and-answer portion of Kirk's appearance, the trigger-happy Trumpanzee said to Kirk: "At this point, we're living under a corporate and medical fascism. This is tyranny. When do we get to use the guns? [applause from audience] No, and I'm not  that's not a joke. I'm not saying it like that. I mean, literally, where's the line? How many elections are they going to steal before we kill these people?" [applause from audience]

To his credit, Kirk told him it was a bad idea to kill people who don't support Trump, but of course he gives the wrong reason. Not because it's wrong to kill people who don't support Trump, but because the deep state wants Trump supporters to start killing people so they can take away everyone's freedoms: "I'm going to denounce them and tell you why. Because you're playing into all their plans, and they're trying to make you do this, that's okay. Just hear me out. You started with a compliment. So at least give me a little bit. They are trying to provoke you, and everyone here, they are trying to make you do something that will be violent, that will justify a takeover of your freedoms and liberties, the likes of which we have never seen."
A woman in Bankok was so annoyed when she saw painter support rope hanging outside the window of her condo's 21st floor, she cut it. The 34-year-old Karen was furious that she hadn't been informed painters would be doing repair work that day. The only problem with that logic is that the condo administration had informed everyone in the building with a written notice  she just didn't see it.

After she cut the rope, the painters, who were lowering themselves from the 32nd story, got stuck hanging near the 26th story.

From Bankok Post:

While the two repairmen, one of them a Myanmar national known only as Song, were lowering the rope from the 32nd floor of the condo to fix a crack, they saw the rope was cut by a woman living on the 21st storey, making it impossible for them to descend by themselves. One of the workers signalled for help and Prapawan Satasing, who lived on the 26th floor, let them land on her balcony. The workers then went downstairs to report the incident to the condo administration. The condo administration said they had already notified residents in writing that some repair work would be done between 9am and 5pm on Oct 12 involving workers using ropes outside their rooms. They encouraged the residents to close windows and put away any items on their balconies.

And from AP:

The 34-year-old woman at first denied she responsible, but police sent the severed rope for a fingerprint and DNA analysis, media reported. On Wednesday, the woman and her lawyer appeared at the police station. After the police showed her the CCTV footage and the forensic evidence, she confessed but denied any intention to kill the workers. Pongjak said the suspect was temporarily released. Police will file an indictment at the provincial court within 15 days, he said. She could face a prison term up to 20 years if found guilty on a charge of attempted murder.
When Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar was killed by police in 1993, the cops left his hippos behind. Escobar had a whole collection of exotic pets, all of whom were shipped off to other zoos. But the hippos remained. And they fucked. A lot. As Cory Doctorow wrote here in 2016:

In 2003, Colombians began to report encounters with the wild hippos that escaped from Pablo Escobar's private zoo after he was killed by police and his estate was left to rot. More than a decade later, the four hippos that Escobar bought from a private zoo in California have multiplied to 35 animals, an invasive species that spreads disease, predates on local fauna (including manatees) and livestock, and have been sighted as far as 150km away from Escobar's former home. The animals can live up to 60 years and there are no natural predators for them in Colombia. Further complicating the effort to control their reproduction is that it's incredibly hard to castrate a hippo: first, because it annoys the hippo; and second, because hippo testicles retract into their bodies, making it nearly impossible to sex a hippo without a rather intimate inspection. The current strategy is containment-based: local vets and officials are trying to build a fenced-in habitat for the hippos that has everything they need to tempt them to stay, and a combination of natural and constructed barriers to keep them from wandering.

In 2009, Colombian authorities came up with a plan to kill all the horny cocaine hippos. But, as Gizmodo reports:

Last July, Colombian attorney Luis Domingo Gomez Maldonado filed a lawsuit on the hippos' behalf to save them from being euthanized. Instead, the case recommends sterilization. Colombian officials announced a plan to use a chemical contraceptive developed by the U.S. Agriculture Department to sterilize "the main group" of the hippos, and the region's environmental agency Cornare began to implement the plan on Friday, darting 24 hippos. The suit, though, argues for the use of a different contraceptive drug, which it says is safer. And it also notes that the proposal to deal with the hippos could still leave the door open for some of them to be killed. Months later, the U.S. animal advocacy organization Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a legal application to depose two Ohio-based wildlife experts who study nonsurgical sterilization to provide testimony on behalf of the plaintiffswho, to be clear, are the hippos.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund has continued fighting for the rights of Pablo Escobar's horny cocaine hippos  finally won a case in the Southern District of Ohio, where a US judge legally recognized the hippos as persons:

In Colombia, animals have standing to bring lawsuits to protect their interests. In granting the application pursuant to 28 U.S.C.  1782 to conduct discovery for use in foreign proceedings, the court recognized the hippos as legal persons with respect to that statute. This U.S. statute allows anyone who is an "interested person" in a foreign litigation to request permission from a federal court to take depositions in the U.S. in support of their foreign case. The U.S. Supreme Court has said that someone who is a party to the foreign case "no doubt" qualifies as an "interested person" under this statute. The Animal Legal Defense Fund reasoned that since the hippos are plaintiffs in the Colombian litigation, they qualify as "interested persons" under this statute.

In other words, the ALDF lawyers applied for the hippos' rights to give their own testimony. And a US judge said "OK." As Christopher Berry, the ALDF attorney overseeing the US case, told Gizmodo:

The Colombian legal system can't compel someone in the U.S. to provide testimony or to produce documents, but we have this federal law that allows interested persons in Colombia to go to the U.S. and obtain that ability to obtain documents and testimony. Now the [U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio] has granted that application, recognizing that the hippos are interested persons.

Whatever ultimately happens to Pablo Escobar's horny cocaine hippos, this officially establishes a legal precedent for animals as people. And they will certainly be remembered for that, if nothing else.

Pablo Escobar's Cocaine Hippos Are Legally People, Court Rules [Dharna Noor / Gizmodo]

Animals Recognized as Legal Persons for the First Time in U.S. Court [Animal Legal Defense Fund]

Image: Public Domain via PxHere
Last month during SpaceX's first mission carrying only private citizens into orbit, the Crew Dragon capsule's space toilet sprung a leak.

"Nobody really wants to get into the gory details," Inspiration4 mission commander Jared Isaacman told CNN at the time.

Oh sure we do, and now the story has been told. From the New York Times:

A tube that funnels urine into a tank broke loose during the Inspiration4 mission and leaked into the fan, which sprayed the urine in an enclosed area beneath Crew Dragon's floor, Bill Gerstenmaier, a SpaceX official who once oversaw human spaceflight for NASA, told reporters on Monday night. He said the four passengers didn't notice anything was wrong during the mission. "We didn't really even notice it, the crew didn't even notice it, until we got back," Mr. Gerstenmaier said. "When we got the vehicle back, we looked under the floor and saw the fact that there was contamination underneath the floor of Inspiration4."[] Toilets are crucial to NASA's space exploration ambitions as the agency aims to trek beyond the space station, toward the moon and eventually Mars.

I'd say so.
Sullivan said Catholic Health also is assessing whether to allow workers to cross the picket line. To date, Sullivan said Catholic Health has paid "millions" of dollars to Michigan staffing firm Huffmaster, which is providing replacement staff to keep Mercy Hospital operating  albeit operating on a more limited basis. Catholic Health said it has been caring for about 100 patients per day at Mercy, one-third of its typical census.

As the costs add up for the health system and the employees on strike, Catholic Health and Communications Workers of America Local 1133 continue to negotiate. The union also is incurring major expenses during the strike: CWA is paying $300 a week to about 2,000 striking workers, for a tab of about $600,000 a week. If the strike is still underway Friday, those weekly payments will rise to $400 a week, for an expense of $800,000 a week.

+2 Strike benefits kick in for Mercy Hospital workers As about 2,000 striking CWA members support their union's push for a new contract, they are about to receive a financial boost.

In an update to members, CWA said its bargaining team was at the table until 8:30 p.m. Monday after receiving a new package from Catholic Health earlier in the day.

"The proposal does have improvements in it, but we are still not where we need to be," the update reads.
The administration was assessing the situation hour by hour, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

It was a fast-moving day on Capitol Hill that started upbeat as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared that Democrats were in pretty good shape. But hopes quickly faded as Biden's big proposal ran into stubborn new setbacks, chief among them how to pay for it all.

A just-proposed tax on billionaires could be scrapped after Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia objected, according to a senior party aide, who requested anonymity to discuss the private talks.

The billionaires' tax proposal had been designed to win over another Democratic holdout, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, but Manchin panned it as unfairly targeting the wealthy, leaving Democrats at odds.

People in the stratosphere, rather than trying to penalize, we ought to be pleased that this country is able to produce the wealth, Manchin told reporters.

Manchin said he prefers a minimum 15% flat patriotic tax to ensure the wealthiest Americans dont skip out on paying any taxes. Nevertheless, he said: We need to move forward."
The Greater Niagara Frontier Council of the Boy Scouts of America plans to sell two large properties to help fund a bankruptcy reorganization plan for the national organization.

Council leaders informed area Scouting families in a letter Wednesday that the organization is divesting of Camp Stonehaven in Niagara County and Camp Schoellkopf Scout Reservation in Wyoming County to pay its portion of a proposed $1.8 billion settlement with more than 82,000 former Scouts who alleged they were sexually abused by Scout leaders.

The Greater Niagara Frontier Council, which serves Scouts in Erie and western Niagara counties, is on the hook to contribute $1,537,485 toward the Boy Scouts reorganization effort. The two camps have not yet been put on the market, said Scout Executive and CEO Gary A. Decker.

Council leaders said they plan to keep Camp Scouthaven, which includes 400 acres on Crystal Lake in Freedom, Cattaraugus County.
Loraine Steingasser testified that she told Mandy to be home by midnight that night. That was in part because she had spent an entire night seven to 10 days earlier with Christopher Palesh, a boyfriend who testified Monday he left town for Florida on Sept. 17.

"Anytime she went anywhere, she had to call me and when she came home, she had to wake me up," the mother said.

But the only calls she received on the night of Sept. 18-19, 1993, were a hang-up call from an unknown source and then one from a male who asked if Mandy was home.

Loraine Steingasser said she recognized Blazynski's voice in the background urging, "Ask if Mandy's home."

Blazynski said she made the hang-up call and Mielcarek made the second call. Frank said Mielcarek made both calls. Mielcarek said he doesn't remember making any calls.

But he did remember Belstadt, whom he said he barely knew, coming to his house on the morning of Sept. 19 to ask if he knew where Mandy was.

"He said she was missing," testified Mielcarek, who said he hadn't heard that before Belstadt told him.

"I said, 'How do you know she's missing?' " Mielcarek testified. "He said he gave her a ride."
It has been one year and 84 days since Jaylen Griffin's family last saw him.

There have been search parties, social media posts and news coverage.

Now there's a billboard with the 13-year-old's picture along one of Buffalo's busiest highways.

Jaylen's family remains traumatized, both from the boy's disappearance and other tragedies, including the killing of his older brother a few months later, said Tim Newkirk, pastor of GYC Ministries.

"They're looking for answers," said Newkirk, who also founded Community Action Coalition of Western New York, which works to help the families of missing children.

Jaylen was 12 when he was last seen Aug. 4, 2020, at the family's home on Warren Avenue, not far from the Central Terminal. At the time, he was 5 feet, 3 inches and 145 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.

The billboard recently put up near the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Virginia Street, visible from the Kensington Expressway, asks anyone with information to call 716-770-9093.

Buffalo police detectives continue to work the case, Deputy Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said.
Although the response to the pandemic has proven divisive, with debate raging about masks and vaccination, there is wide agreement among superintendents and parents after a year and a half of interrupted schooling, the last thing students need is to be out of school again. Most children would miss five to seven days of school, depending on when they were exposed and when the weekend or other days off fell.

Testing would help ensure that would not happen, said Grand Island Superintendent Brian Graham. He said his district had 40 positive cases between Sept. 1 and mid-October, resulting in the quarantine of 148 students.

"If we had a test and stay program in place, all of them could have come to school every day instead of being home for 10 days," Graham said.

Then there's the case of the student who goes to the nurse with a sore throat or stuffy nose.

"We can't test them. We are obligated to send them home for 10 days until they get a test or a doctors note or a negative Covid test," MacSwan said.

Then it could become an issue of equity of education. Some families may not be able to take time off from work or get a babysitter for the children, or may have trouble affording the test. That child could be out of school longer than a child in another family.
"I am the endorsed Democratic nominee. I am a Democratic socialist," Walton said. "What socialism means is that I want the same things that most of us want."

She presented herself as "a bridge" between progressive and moderate Democrats.

Walton said her refusal to accept contributions from corporations and large developers  unlike Brown  ensured she won't be influenced by campaign contributors.

"I want safe, stable affordable housing. I want quality education for my children. I want people to have access to health care and for folks to be healthy, happy and whole, and I don't think there is anything irresponsible or radical about that idea."

She added that she wants "good-quality, living-wage jobs" and to "take care of the environment and the planet."

Brown said he has big plans for the city. He foresees transforming Buffalo with close to $2 billion in federal, state and city funds over the next two years if the infrastructure bill now before Congress passes.

He plans to spend hundreds of millions to upgrade city streets and sidewalks, streetlights and replace lead water lines.
Some issues in the race have been out of McAuliffe's control.

The surge of the delta variant over the summer boosted support for McAuliffe's strict approach on vaccines and other public health measures, including mask mandates. The Democrat used the issue to link Youngkin to Trump and other GOP leaders who have resisted the federal Center for Disease Control's recommendations.

Youngkin's team privately acknowledged in the early fall that the pandemic focus was hurting his campaign. But as COVID cases declined in the weeks leading up to the election, voters' focus shifted elsewhere  including toward Washington.

Few Democrats on the ground here believe that the Democratic-controlled Congress inability so far to enact Bidens sweeping agenda is a defining issue in the Virginia contest, but it is certainly not helping as McAuliffe struggles to give Democratic voters something to get excited about.

State Democratic Party Chair Susan Swecker acknowledged her personal anxiety while on a bus tour this week designed to energize Democratic voters.

You know how we get. I do this, too, she said. "We wring our hands a little bit. Look, we always knew this was going to be a tough race, right? We got a lot on the line here.



AP writer Sarah Rankin in Richmond contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Another group of workers is suing Los Alamos National Laboratory over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, arguing that the requirement discriminates against employees who sought religious or medical exemptions.

The complaint was filed Friday in federal court by the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based law firm, on behalf of eight workers. Under the lab's policy, those with religious exemptions have to use vacation time or go without pay until they are allowed to return to work, and it's up to lab management to determine when its safe for them to return.

This is discrimination, pure and simple, special counsel Tyler Brooks said Tuesday in a statement. Los Alamos claims to have offered exemptions for those who have sincere religious reasons for not taking a mandatory COVID vaccine, but their one-size-fits-all so-called accommodation is flagrantly illegal. Accommodation by termination has never been a lawful option.
Gonzalez said that Williams provided the children with some food, either by a delivery service or by dropping it off. But it was mostly junk food like noodles, chips and soft drinks, he said. Authorities say it was not enough food for the children and some neighbors also fed them and charged a cellphone for them. But neighbors were unaware of the conditions the children were living in.

One of the first things I asked them, are they hungry. They said they were ... They wanted doughnuts, Wolfford said of his conversation with the children after authorities found them.

Wolfford said investigators believe the younger children were not allowed to leave the apartment and they continued to live in constant fear of beatings from Coulter. Authorities allege Coulter punched the 10-year-old child in the jaw a few weeks before the body was discovered and that neither he nor Williams got the child any sort of medical care. The childs injured jaw will require surgery, Wolfford said.

Throughout this, the children continued to live by themselves in an apartment where they saw their brothers decomposing remains, which were in plain view, Gonzalez said.
Moldovas Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu said Sunday that Gazproms financial and non-financial conditions are not in the interests of Moldovan citizens.

The deal with Polish supplier PGNiG came a week after Moldovas parliament declared a 30-day state of emergency when Gazprom slashed its gas supply by about a third and raised its prices amid a skyrocketing global gas price hike.

Moldovas foreign ministry said Monday that it needs to keep the flow of gas at an acceptable level" to ensure the energy security of the country.

Some observers see the gas dispute as a Russian bid to strengthen its influence over Moldova after a pro-European Union party earned a landslide win in the July 11 parliamentary election. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any political tinge to the gas dispute.

There are no political issues here and there cant be any, Peskov said in a conference call with reporters Wednesday. There is a demand for gas, there is a commercial offer along with a discount offer and the problem of accumulated debt. All that is of purely commercial character and there is no politicization here.

Peskov scoffed at the news of Moldova opting to other gas suppliers, noting that those shipments would be costlier than the Russian gas.
Last Jan. 11, Reed wrote an opinion essay for the New York Times in which he argued that it would be preferable for Congress to censure Trump rather than impeach him, for his role in inciting the Jan. 6 attacks. Reed wrote in the piece that our democratic institutions were assaulted on Jan. 6.

All responsible parties, including President Trump, must face justice. We cannot give credibility to the belief that Washington chooses to hold people accountable only for mere political advantage, especially to the detriment of the Constitution.

The flip side of that statement is that people should not escape accountability for mere political advantage, but Reed voted to give Bannon a pass. Thats disappointing for the congressman who has lowered his public profile since his announcement in March that he would not run for re-election after the Washington Post published a story in which a former lobbyist accused him of sexual misconduct.

Putting principles above party is so rarely done in politics. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who died last week at age 84, was more public servant than politician, but he was an example of adhering to his values, even when doing so was not easy. Powell no doubt lost friends and allies when later in life he switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat.
There is a gathering challenge on Americas horizon, one which we can continue to downplay or ignore only at our long term peril. This challenge is the increasingly aggressive and militarized conduct of the Chinese Communist Party.

China is building fields of hundreds of nuclear tipped ICBM silos, has recently tested an intercontinental, nuclear capable hypersonic missile that is invulnerable to interception with our current technology, has committed daily incursions into Taiwanese airspace, is building a network of military bases in the Southwest Pacific while attempting to interfere with freedom of navigation there, and regularly releases bellicose statements about destroying anyone or anything perceived to be opposed to Chinese national interests.

Meanwhile America is continuing to tear itself apart over vaccinations, personal pronouns, which part of our political spectrum is evil, and what parts of our history are to be taught in schools. We are having tantrums over ideological purity while neglecting to remember that inimical outside forces are watching, and making dangerous conclusions about American strength and resolve.
By Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The world's biggest economies should create a forum to facilitate global coordination for the next pandemic, as well as a new financing facility to keep up with emerging threats, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on Tuesday.

In a letter to their G20 colleagues https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0435, the two finance ministers said the forum would allow health and finance ministers to better cooperate and coordinate prevention, detection, information-sharing, and any needed response.

A copy of the letter, dated Monday, was posted Tuesday by the Treasury Department.

Yellen and Indrawati said the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed nearly 5.2 million people around the world, had revealed a lack of readiness at the country level and a lack of coordination among G20 countries.

"While we are making progress in fighting COVID-19, we also face a stark reality: this will not be the last pandemic," they wrote ahead of Friday's joint meeting of G20 health and finance ministers. "We must not lose this opportunity to demonstrate leadership with a decisive commitment to act."

Several independent organizations, including the High-Level Independent Panel headed by former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Singaporean Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, have called for creation of such a forum,

Yellen and Indrawati said the forum would elevate and empower the work of the World Health Organization and other technical entities, but should include diverse voices and perspectives from around the world, such as the African Union.

They said a new financing facility could complement the resources of multilateral development banks and ensure sufficient dedicated, reliable financing so that vaccination and treatment can keep up with emerging threats.

While the two initiatives were complementary, their timetables need not be interlinked, the ministers said.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Networking & Wireless

Kent State Standardizing on Aruba Networking Gear

Kent State University has gone public with a sizable network upgrade: The eight-campus system is deploying technology from Aruba for its wired, wireless, management and cybersecurity needs. The network addresses the needs of about 35,000 students and 5,000 faculty and staffers.

The wireless network uses Aruba's WiFi 6 indoor and outdoor access points (APs) and mobility controllers. On the wired side, the university system is implementing Aruba's CX Series switches.

Kent State will also adopt Aruba network administration tools, including ClearPass, for network access control (NAC) and policy management; NetEdit for coordinating switch configuration, monitoring and troubleshooting; and User Experience Insight (UXI) for WiFi incident detection.

"Aruba's combination of proven technologies was a key factor in our decision," said Jim Raber, executive director of Support, Infrastructure, and Research Technology, in a press release.

"We needed a reliable, secure high-performance network that could evolve rapidly," added John Rathje, vice president of Information Technology and Kent State's CIO. "With Aruba, we can continuously modernize our network, which helps ensure we can deliver the best possible user experiences across a full spectrum of present and future activities."

"Previously, our wired network was vendor-neutral, which frequently meant contacting multiple sources to troubleshoot a single problem," explained Michael Geist, the university's manager of Network and Telecommunications. "By standardizing on Aruba, we have a single pane of glass and a single partner with an incredibly responsive support team."

Kent State is piloting the use of Aruba Central, which uses artificial intelligence for automating identification and resolution of user, Internet of Things and network issues.

"We've recently deployed Central for a remote learning location and expect to expand it across our footprint," said Geist. "Our team is very excited about exploring Central's AIOps capabilities for making deployments and day-to-day network administration faster and more efficient."

In the future, Kent State expects to adopt other Aruba products, including Location Services for various data-driven initiatives using the network, and Aruba Central for advanced AP and switch management.

According to Rathje, the value of Kent State's new network is foundational to the university's strategy.

"Beyond just having a network, we wanted to align our IT missions across the institution to support and enhance user experiences," he said. "After undergoing an extensive evaluation, we determined Aruba's vision, engagement and the inter-operability of all its solutions throughout the network layers made it the right partner for us."

Geist, Raber and Rathje are giving an Educause presentation about the Kent State network upgrade on Oct. 27, 2021 at 2:15 Eastern time.
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JOSEPH JOHN VENNARI (1958-2017) R.I.P.

Dear Friends, Joseph John Vennari died on Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at 10:46 a.m. E.S.T. It is not only Passion Tuesday, but the 98th anniversary of the death of Blessed Francisco of Fatima  the first Tuesday (the day dedicated weekly to the Holy Face) in April (the month dedicated to the Holy Face). John received the traditional Sacraments and blessings of the Church several times during the past weeks and months. On Sunday, April 2, Holy Mass was offered in his hospital room. John was able to receive Holy Viaticum one last time, as well as Extreme Unction and the Apostolic Blessing. John died wearing the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and the cord of St. Philomena, with the St. Benedict Crucifix (with the special Happy Death indulgence attached) next to him. He died shortly after the recitation of 15 decades of the Holy Rosary and during the recitation of the Commendatory prayers for the dying, and being blessed with Holy Water. He died with his wife Susan and a close family friend at his side. Immediately after his death, another Rosary was prayed for the repose of his soul. Please keep the repose of Johns soul in your Masses, Holy Communions, prayers and sacrifices. Funeral arrangements will be posted shortly. May Johns soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen. Thank you and God bless you.

The Vennari Family FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS Wake

Visitation will be from 3-9 P.M. E.S.T. on Friday, April 7, 2017. The Holy Rosary will be prayed at 7 P.M. The address of the funeral home is:

Amigone Funeral Home (Tonawanda Chapel)

2600 Sheridan Drive

Tonawanda, New York, 14150. Solemn Requiem Mass

The Solemn Requiem Mass will be offered on Saturday, April 8 by Rev. Fr. Adam Purdy. The Mass will begin at 9:30 A.M. The address of the church is:

Corpus Christi Church

199 Clark Street

Buffalo, New York, 14212. N.B. Use the zip code, for G.P.S. purposes, as there is another Clark Street nearby! Burial

Immediately following the Requiem Mass, the interment will take place at Mount Calvary Cemetery. The address of the cemetery is:

Mount Calvary Cemetery

800 Pine Ridge Boulevard

Cheektowaga, New York, 14225. Weather-permitting, the Holy Rosary will be prayed at this time.

Thank you and God bless you. For those coming from out of town, we recommend staying at the:

Holiday Inn Buffalo Airport

4600 Genesee Street

Cheektowaga, NY 15225

Phone: 716 634 6969

A special bereavement rate of $79 per night. Please mention the Vennari Funeral





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Boutique Hotels Gran Canaria

Bozeman

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Bozeman, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 5 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is Hilton Garden Inn rated 8.4/10 at the cost of 203US$ per night. Comfort Suites Airport-University rated 7.4/10 is also a modern hotel for 151US$ per night. This hotel offers air-conditioned and comfortable rooms equipped with a work desk, a coffee machine and a TV set. Visitors can enjoy a hot tub, a spa centre and an indoor pool, as well as an indoor swimming pool, the gym and fitness classes on site. Mountainview Lodge And Suites rated 8.2/10 is a 3-star hotel with air-conditioned and classic rooms. Visitors can enjoy an indoor swimming pool, a business centre and a Jacuzzi. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Boutique Hotels Bozeman

Benidorm

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Benidorm, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 19 boutique options. We recommend Hotel Servigroup Orange rated 8.0/10 as the top boutique property for 117US$ per night with a tennis court, canoeing and horse riding on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Hotel Rh Corona Del Mar 4* Sup rated 8.0/10 for 101US$ per one night. Hotel Servigroup Diplomatic with rating 8.0/10: a 4-star property for 135US$ per night. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Boutique Hotel Benidorm

Monterey

More than 1369 reviews of our travellers may help to find the best Monterey boutique hotel. We recommend Monterey Tides rated 7.4/10 as the top boutique property for 239US$ per night with concierge service, a business centre and canoeing on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Bay Inn rated 8.2/10 for 338US$ per one night. Hotel Pacific rated 8.0/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 489US$ per night. Hampton Inn, Spindrift Inn and Merritt House Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Monterey. To see more modern hotels go here.

Monterey Boutique Hotels

Frankfurt am Main

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Frankfurt am Main, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 7 boutique options. Consider booking Hotel Concorde (rating: 8.2/10) for about 70US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in Bahnhofsviertel district and offers guests concierge service, newspaper service and shopping service on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Hotel Villa Oriental & Restaurant rated 8.0/10 for 65US$ per one night. FlemingS Hotel Frankfurt-Messe with rating 8.0/10: a 4-star property for 167US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Boutique Hotels Frankfurt

Key West

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Key West, you have 9 boutique deals to choose from. Offering a tennis court, an outdoor swimming pool and a golf course on site, Kimpton EllaS Cottages, An Ihg Hotel with rating 8.2/10 for 459US$ per night is the most recommended option by luxury-hotels-in.com guests. Fairfield Inn & Suites By Marriott At The Keys Collection with rating 6.4/10 is a stylish accommodation with a business centre and a desk for 507US$ per night. Fairfield Inn & Suites rated 7.6/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 449US$ per night. Truman Hotel, 24 North Hotel and The Saint Hotel, Autograph Collection are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Key West. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Best Boutique Hotels Key West

Indianapolis

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Indianapolis, you have 37 boutique deals to select from. We recommend Hilton Garden Inn Downtown rated 8.4/10 as the top boutique property for 198US$ per night with an indoor swimming pool, a business centre and a gym on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Sheraton Hotel At Keystone Crossing rated 6.2/10 for 211US$ per one night. Columbia Club rated 8.0/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 165US$ per night. Caribbean Cove Hotel & Conference Center, Rodeway Inn I-70 and Holiday Inn Downtown are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Indianapolis. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Indianapolis Five Star Hotels

Orlando

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Orlando, you have 24 boutique deals to choose from. Offering 24-hour room service, shuttle service and concierge service, Embassy Suites  Airport rated 8.0/10 is a modern Orlando hotel with prices from 57US$ per night. It is located 4.7 km from Shenandoah Baptist Church. Hilton Garden Inn Airport with rating 8.0/10 is a stylish accommodation with a meeting room, a business centre and a desk for 142US$ per night. Doubletree By Hilton East  Ucf Area with rating 8.4/10: a 3-star property for 171US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Best Boutique Hotels In Orlando

Amarillo

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Amarillo, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 8 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is Hilton Garden Inn rated 8.8/10 at the cost of 118US$ per night. Another recommended property is Comfort Suites rated 7.4/10, which provides an indoor swimming pool, a golf course and a business centre on site. Holiday Inn West Medical Center rated 8.8/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 102US$ per night. Hampton Inn & Suites East and Wyndham Garden are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Amarillo. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Amarillo Luxury Hotels

Phoenix

For customers searching for a modern hotel in Phoenix, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 4 boutique options. We recommend Hilton Garden Inn Midtown rated 7.8/10 as the top boutique property for 144US$ per night with an indoor swimming pool, a golf course and a business centre on site. Another recommended property is Hotel Del Sol, Boutique Airport rated 7.6/10, which provides shuttle service, concierge service and a business centre on site. Hilton Garden Inn North Happy Valley with rating 8.4/10: a 3-star property for 147US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Boutique Hotels Phoenix

Seattle

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Seattle, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 31 boutique options. Offering shuttle service, car service and concierge service, Hotel Ballard rated 7.8/10 is a modern Seattle hotel with prices from 119US$ per night. It is located 4.3 km from Hiram M Chittenden Locks. Another recommended property is Palihotel Seattle rated 7.8/10, which provides concierge service, turndown service and a video projector on site. Grand Hyatt rated 8.8/10 is a 5-star hotel with stylish and modern rooms. Travellers can enjoy a golf course, concierge service and a gym. To see more modern hotels go here.

Best Boutique Hotels In Seattle

Columbus

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Columbus, you have 33 boutique deals to select from. Hilton At Easton rated 8.0/10 is a modern hotel with a seating area, a separate bedroom and a safe in the rooms. It is set within 30 minutes walk to Woodside Green Park. Another popular 4-star stylish accommodation is Sonesta Downtown rated 7.4/10 with a golf course, shopping service and fitness on site. Doubletree Suites By Hilton rated 7.6/10 is a 3-star hotel with comfortable, non-smoking and classic rooms. Customers can enjoy newspaper service, a business centre and a Jacuzzi. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Columbus Boutique Hotels

Bruges

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Bruges, you have 17 boutique deals to select from. Hotel Dukes Palace Brugge (rating: 8.8/10) is the top Bruges property with a video projector, porter service and projector screens. Customers can book an air-conditioned, luxury and elegant room with a work desk, a fireplace and a safe box for about 443US$ per night. Another recommended property is Golden Tulip Hotel De Medici rated 7.6/10, which provides shopping service, a solarium and a Jacuzzi on site. Boutique Hotel Sablon with rating 8.0/10: a 4-star property for 415US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Boutique Hotels Bruges

Fort Lauderdale

More than 460 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Fort Lauderdale boutique hotel. Fairfield Inn & Suites Airport & Cruise Port (rating: 8.2/10) is the top Fort Lauderdale property with an outdoor swimming pool, a business centre and shopping service. Visitors can book a contemporary and comfortable room with cable channels, a flat-screen television and a seating area for about 160US$ per night. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is The Lauderdale Boutique Hotel rated 8.2/10 with concierge service, shopping service and a sun terrace on site. To see more modern hotels go here.

Boutique Hotels Fort Lauderdale

Cincinnati

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Cincinnati, you have 6 boutique deals to select from. Offering wedding services, dry cleaning/laundry and housekeeping, Graduate Cincinnati rated 8.0/10 is a modern Cincinnati hotel with prices from 109US$ per night. It is located 3.2 km from Cincinnati Music Hall. 21C Museum Hotel with rating 8.6/10 is a stylish accommodation with computers, a business centre and a conference space for 228US$ per night. Symphony Hotel & Restaurant rated 7.6/10: a 4-star hotel with free shuttle bus service, concierge service and a business centre on site. To see more modern hotels go here.

Boutique Hotels Cincinnati

Granada

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Granada, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 20 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is Khu Hotel rated 8.2/10 at the cost of 113US$ per night. Reina Cristina with rating 7.6/10 is a stylish accommodation with a business centre, a meeting room and a work desk for 137US$ per night. Hotel Plaza Nueva rated 7.8/10: a 3-star hotel with 24-hour room service, concierge service and cots on site. To see more modern hotels go here.

Boutique Hotels Granada Spain

Palm Springs

More than 1256 reviews of our guests may help to find the best Palm Springs boutique hotel. One of the finest boutique hotels is Hyatt Palm Springs rated 7.0/10 at the cost of 113US$ per night. Hotel California with rating 8.0/10 is a stylish accommodation with computers, a fax machine and a photocopier for 249US$ per night. Arrive Palm Springs with rating 7.8/10: a 4-star property for 506US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Best Boutique Hotels Palm Springs

Marseille

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Marseille, you have 13 boutique deals to choose from. We recommend Les Bords De Mer rated 8.0/10 as the top boutique property for 251US$ per night with an outdoor swimming pool, an indoor swimming pool and a private swimming pool on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Hotel Edmond Rostand rated 7.2/10 for 107US$ per one night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Boutique Hotels Marseille

Copenhagen

More than 24190 reviews of our customers may help to find the best Copenhagen boutique hotel. Consider booking Phoenix Copenhagen (rating: 7.4/10) for about 267US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in Copenhagen Centre district and offers customers 24-hour room service, concierge service and newspaper service on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Tivoli Hotel rated 7.8/10 for 218US$ per one night. Hotel Kong Arthur rated 7.6/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 260US$ per night. The Square, Hotel Skt Petri and Wakeup  Borgergade are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Copenhagen. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Best Boutique Hotels Copenhagen

Amsterdam

More than 16379 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Amsterdam boutique hotel. Offering cots, a business centre and shopping service on site, Hotel Cc with rating 7.4/10 for 265US$ per night is the most recommended option by luxury-hotels-in.com visitors. Lloyd Hotel with rating 7.2/10 is a stylish accommodation with computers and a conference space for 300US$ per night. Westcord Art Hotel 3 Stars rated 7.6/10 is a 3-star hotel with air-conditioned and modern rooms. Visitors can enjoy an outdoor swimming pool, a patio and running tracks. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Best Boutique Hotels Amsterdam

Ho Chi Minh City

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City, you have 78 boutique deals to select from. We recommend Norfolk Hotel Saigon rated 8.4/10 as the top boutique property for 97US$ per night with concierge service, cots and a business centre on site. A lam Retreats Saigon River rated 8.4/10 is a stylish hotel with non-smoking and elegant rooms. This 5-star property features an indoor swimming pool, aerobics classes and newspaper service. A balcony, a separate bedroom and a coffee machine along with an exquisite service are offered in the rooms. Harmony Saigon Hotel & Spa rated 7.8/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 63US$ per night. Lotte Hotel Saigon, Aha Boutique Hotel and Silverland Sil Hotel & Spa are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Ho Chi Minh City. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Boutique Hotel Ho Chi Minh

Reykjavik

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Reykjavik, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 14 boutique options. We recommend 101 Hotel, A Member Of Design Hotels rated 7.6/10 as the top boutique property for 422US$ per night with concierge service, newspaper service and a business centre on site. Hotel Holt with rating 8.6/10 is a stylish accommodation with computers, secretarial service and a meeting room for 200US$ per night. Icelandair Hotel Natura with rating 7.2/10: a 4-star property for 196US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Reykjavik Boutique Hotels

Madrid

More than 13006 reviews of our travellers may help to find the best Madrid boutique hotel. Sercotel Gran Hotel Conde Duque (rating: 8.0/10) is a favourite 4-star hotel for travellers searching for a stylish accommodation, featuring concierge service, a video projector and a business centre. Its located in Chamberi district. One more boutique option is a 4-star Vp Jardin De Recoletos rated 8.8/10 for 188US$ per one night. Hotel Infantas By Mij rated 8.2/10: a 4-star hotel with shuttle service, newspaper service and cots on site. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Madrid Boutique Hotels

Bozeman

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Bozeman, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 5 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is Hilton Garden Inn rated 8.4/10 at the cost of 203US$ per night. Comfort Suites Airport-University rated 7.4/10 is also a modern hotel for 151US$ per night. This hotel offers air-conditioned and comfortable rooms equipped with a work desk, a coffee machine and a TV set. Visitors can enjoy a hot tub, a spa centre and an indoor pool, as well as an indoor swimming pool, the gym and fitness classes on site. Mountainview Lodge And Suites rated 8.2/10 is a 3-star hotel with air-conditioned and classic rooms. Visitors can enjoy an indoor swimming pool, a business centre and a Jacuzzi. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Bozeman Boutique Hotels

Lexington

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Lexington, you have 17 boutique deals to select from. Hyatt Place with rating 8.4/10 is a perfect 4-star option with prices from 86US$ per night. Its set a 20-minute walk from the landmark and provides an outdoor swimming pool, an indoor swimming pool and shopping service. Visitors can also enjoy an indoor swimming pool, a fitness studio and fitness equipment on site. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is Homewood Suites By Hilton-Hamburg rated 8.4/10 with a seasonal outdoor pool, concierge service and a gym on site. Hilton Downtown rated 7.2/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 222US$ per night. Origin, A Wyndham Hotel, Towneplace Suites By Marriott South/Hamburg Place and Embassy Suites By Hilton Green are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Lexington. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Lexington Boutique Hotels

Stockholm

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Stockholm, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 3 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is Ersta Hotell & Konferens rated 7.8/10 at the cost of 93US$ per night. Hotell Anno 1647 with rating 7.6/10: a 3-star property for 192US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Stockholm Boutique Hotels

New York

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in New York, you have 158 boutique deals to select from. The Time rated 7.2/10 is a modern hotel with TV, a flat-screen TV and a sofa bed in the rooms. It is set within 15 minutes walk to Trump Tower. Paramount Hotel rated 7.2/10 is a stylish hotel with weight training, a gym and fitness club at the cost of 173US$ per night. Best Western Gregory Hotel with rating 7.6/10: a 3-star property for 151US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

New York Boutique Hotels

Copenhagen

More than 24190 reviews of our customers may help to find the best Copenhagen boutique hotel. Consider booking Phoenix Copenhagen (rating: 7.4/10) for about 267US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in Copenhagen Centre district and offers customers 24-hour room service, concierge service and newspaper service on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Tivoli Hotel rated 7.8/10 for 218US$ per one night. Hotel Kong Arthur rated 7.6/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 260US$ per night. The Square, Hotel Skt Petri and Wakeup  Borgergade are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Copenhagen. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Copenhagen Boutique Hotels

Rio de Janeiro

More than 2782 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Rio de Janeiro boutique hotel. Casa Amarelo Boutique Hotel (rating: 7.8/10) is a favourite 4-star hotel for visitors searching for a stylish accommodation, featuring an outdoor swimming pool, cots and porter service. Its located in Santa Teresa district. Rio Design Hotel rated 7.6/10 is a stylish hotel with soundproof and non-smoking rooms. This 4-star property features an outdoor swimming pool, cots and a business centre. A sitting area, free wireless internet and a TV set along with a quality service are offered in the rooms. Olinda Rio Hotel rated 7.8/10 is a 4-star hotel with air-conditioned, luxury and comfortable rooms. Visitors can enjoy free shuttle bus service, cots and childrens menu. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Rio de Janeiro Boutique Hotels

Antalya

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Antalya, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 27 boutique options. We recommend Pacco Sea & City Hotel Spa rated 7.6/10 as the top boutique property for 82US$ per night with concierge service, cots and porter service on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Wise Hotel & Spa  Adults Only rated 8.2/10 for 64US$ per one night. Adalya Port Hotel rated 7.6/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 64US$ per night. Volkii Hotel, Nun Hotel and Castle Boutique Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Antalya. To see more modern hotels go here.

Antalya Boutique Hotels

Rome

More than 28712 reviews of our guests may help to find the best Rome boutique hotel. Consider booking Domus Australia (rating: 8.0/10) for about 121US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in Central district and offers guests free shuttle bus service, concierge service and childrens menu on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Royal Court rated 7.6/10 for 113US$ per one night. Domus Colosseo with rating 8.4/10: a 3-star property for 147US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Rome Boutique Hotels

Palermo

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Palermo, you have 11 boutique deals to select from. Consider booking Mercure Centro (rating: 8.0/10) for about 90US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in Ruggero Settimo district and offers visitors medical service, newspaper service and a special menu on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Hotel Principe Di Villafranca rated 8.0/10 for 157US$ per one night. Palazzo Brunaccini rated 8.8/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 148US$ per night. Hotel Plaza Opera, Grand Hotel Wagner and Villa DAmato are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Palermo. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Palermo Boutique Hotels

Amsterdam

More than 16379 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Amsterdam boutique hotel. Offering cots, a business centre and shopping service on site, Hotel Cc with rating 7.4/10 for 265US$ per night is the most recommended option by luxury-hotels-in.com visitors. Lloyd Hotel with rating 7.2/10 is a stylish accommodation with computers and a conference space for 300US$ per night. Westcord Art Hotel 3 Stars rated 7.6/10 is a 3-star hotel with air-conditioned and modern rooms. Visitors can enjoy an outdoor swimming pool, a patio and running tracks. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Amsterdam Boutique Hotels

Washington

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Washington, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 38 boutique options. We recommend Capitol Hill Hotel (rating: 8.0/10) as the best 4-star hotel 0.8 km from the landmark. It provides tea service, evening wine reception and 24 hour front desk assistance, as well as a gym and fitness classes on site. The Darcy Hotel rated 7.4/10 is a stylish hotel with fitness club and a gym area at the cost of 169US$ per night. Lyle Dc rated 8.4/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 250US$ per night. Residence Inn, Dc /Capitol, Comfort Inn Downtown Dc/Convention Center and Hotel Zena, A Viceroy Urban Retreat are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Washington. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Washington Boutique Hotels

Cancun

More than 433 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Cancun boutique hotel. Offering shuttle service and airport shuttle service, Terracaribe Hotel rated 7.2/10 is a modern Cancun hotel with prices from 29US$ per night. It is located 4.3 km from Tecnologic Stadium. Another recommended property is Laguna Suites Golf & Spa rated 8.0/10, which provides a golf course, free shuttle service and cots on site. Marazul Hotel Boutique rated 7.8/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 59US$ per night. La Villa Du Golf A Hotel Boutique and Casa Tortugas Boutique Hotel  A Peaceful Hidden Gem are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Cancun. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Cancun Boutique Hotels

Lisbon

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Lisbon, you have 31 boutique deals to select from. Hotel Roma rated 8.0/10 is a modern hotel with cable channels, a balcony and a work desk in the rooms. It is set within 25 minutes walk to Jose Alvalade Stadium. Another recommended property is Patria Hotel rated 7.6/10, which provides cots, 24 hour front desk assistance and 24-hour security service on site. Hotel Lisboa Plaza  Heritage Collection  Avenida rated 8.0/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 152US$ per night. Holiday Inn Continental, Vincci Baixa and Figueira By The Beautique Hotels are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Lisbon. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Lisbon Boutique Hotels

Cebu

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Cebu, you have 16 boutique deals to choose from. Summit Circle  Quarantine Hotel with rating 7.8/10 is a perfect 3-star option with prices from 20US$ per night. Its set a 10-minute walk from the landmark and provides an outdoor swimming pool, concierge service and newspaper service. Guests can also enjoy fitness and fitness centre on site. Golden Prince Hotel And Suites with rating 7.4/10 is a stylish accommodation with meeting rooms, a business centre and a conference space for 42US$ per night. Hotel Elizabeth rated 7.8/10 is a 4-star hotel with modern and air-conditioned rooms. Guests can enjoy newspaper service, a business centre and 24-hour security service. Go here to find out more modern accommodations.

Cebu Boutique Hotels

Frankfurt am Main

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Frankfurt am Main, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 7 boutique options. Consider booking Hotel Concorde (rating: 8.2/10) for about 70US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in Bahnhofsviertel district and offers guests concierge service, newspaper service and shopping service on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Hotel Villa Oriental & Restaurant rated 8.0/10 for 65US$ per one night. FlemingS Hotel Frankfurt-Messe with rating 8.0/10: a 4-star property for 167US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Frankfurt am Main Boutique Hotels

Basel

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Basel, you have 10 boutique deals to select from. Offering cots, a gym and a special menu on site, Novotel City with rating 8.0/10 for 138US$ per night is the most recommended option by luxury-hotels-in.com visitors. Radisson Blu rated 8.0/10 is a stylish hotel with an indoor swimming pool, fitness classes and a gym at the cost of 184US$ per night. Der Teufelhof rated 8.4/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 205US$ per night. Basilisk, Hotel  Da Wohnen, Wo Lebt! and Hotel D  Design Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Basel. To see more modern hotels go here.

Basel Boutique Hotels

Hong Kong

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Hong Kong, you have 34 boutique deals to choose from. Offering an outdoor swimming pool, medical service and cots on site, Nina Hotel Kowloon East with rating 8.2/10 for 261US$ per night is the most recommended option by luxury-hotels-in.com travellers. One more boutique option is a 4-star Cosmo Hotel rated 7.0/10 for 113US$ per one night. Hotel Ease Causeway Bay with rating 7.6/10: a 4-star property for 51US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Hong Kong Boutique Hotels

Glasgow

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Glasgow, you have 26 boutique deals to select from. Offering concierge service, laundry service and dry cleaning, Artto Hotel rated 7.4/10 is a modern Glasgow hotel with prices from 61US$ per night. It is located 1.2 km from St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is Rab HaS rated 6.6/10 with a special menu, restaurant and bar on site. Sandyford Hotel with rating 7.8/10: a 3-star property for 473US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Glasgow Boutique Hotels

Bruges

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Bruges, you have 17 boutique deals to select from. Hotel Dukes Palace Brugge (rating: 8.8/10) is the top Bruges property with a video projector, porter service and projector screens. Customers can book an air-conditioned, luxury and elegant room with a work desk, a fireplace and a safe box for about 443US$ per night. Another recommended property is Golden Tulip Hotel De Medici rated 7.6/10, which provides shopping service, a solarium and a Jacuzzi on site. Boutique Hotel Sablon with rating 8.0/10: a 4-star property for 415US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Bruges Boutique Hotels

Buenos Aires

More than 9355 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Buenos Aires boutique hotel. Consider booking Patios De San Telmo (rating: 8.8/10) for about 28US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in San Telmo district and offers visitors an outdoor swimming pool, a special menu and a solarium on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star First Palermo Hotel rated 7.8/10 for 42US$ per one night. Nuss Soho with rating 8.8/10: a 4-star property for 227US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Buenos Aires Boutique Hotels

Hamburg

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Hamburg, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 13 boutique options. Consider booking Hotel Miramar (rating: 8.0/10) for about 89US$ per night. This 3-star accommodation is set in Hohenfelde district and offers visitors newspaper service, bicycles and room service on site. Mercure Hotel Mitte rated 7.6/10 is a stylish hotel with modern, air-conditioned and quiet rooms. This 4-star property features concierge service, newspaper service and a Jacuzzi. A work desk, glazed windows and an electric kettle along with an impeccable service are offered in the rooms. Hotel Du Nord Alster rated 7.4/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 135US$ per night. Boutique Hotel Poppenbutteler Hof, Hotel Wedina An Der Alster and Landhaus Flottbek Boutique Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Hamburg. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Hamburg Boutique Hotels

Nice

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Nice, you have 4 boutique deals to select from. Hotel Berlioz rated 7.2/10 is a modern hotel with television, a mini-bar and a LCD TV in the rooms. It is set within 15 minutes walk to Galeries Lafayette. Another recommended property is Spity Hotel rated 7.0/10, which provides medical service, shopping service and a slide projector on site. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Nice Boutique Hotels

Dublin

More than 14541 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Dublin boutique hotel. Consider booking The Morgan Hotel (rating: 8.0/10) for about 275US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in Temple Bar district and offers visitors concierge service, a business centre and a special menu on site. Dylan rated 8.0/10 is a stylish hotel with comfortable, beautiful and non-smoking rooms. This 5-star property features a golf course, cots and a business centre. Television, air conditioning and a sofa set along with an impeccable service are offered in the rooms. Trinity City Hotel rated 8.2/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 217US$ per night. Schoolhouse Hotel, Ibis Dublin and Cassidys Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Dublin. To see more modern hotels go here.

Dublin Boutique Hotels

Venice

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Venice, you have 28 boutique deals to select from. Offering tour/ticket assistance, room service and dry cleaning/laundry, Hotel Dei Dragomanni rated 8.2/10 is a modern Venice hotel with prices from 82US$ per night. It is located 0.8 km from Doges Palace. One more boutique option is a 3-star Hotel Flora rated 8.4/10 for 293US$ per one night. Liassidi Palace rated 8.6/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 288US$ per night. Santa Croce Boutique Hotel, Hotel Indigo  SantElena, An Ihg Hotel and Novecento Boutique Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Venice. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Venice Boutique Hotels

Granada

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Granada, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 20 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is Khu Hotel rated 8.2/10 at the cost of 113US$ per night. Reina Cristina with rating 7.6/10 is a stylish accommodation with a business centre, a meeting room and a work desk for 137US$ per night. Hotel Plaza Nueva rated 7.8/10: a 3-star hotel with 24-hour room service, concierge service and cots on site. To see more modern hotels go here.

Granada Boutique Hotels

Munich

More than 5127 reviews of our guests may help to find the best Munich boutique hotel. Hotel Regent rated 7.0/10 is a modern hotel with a mini-bar, air conditioner and a safe box in the rooms. It is set within 15 minutes walk to Michaelskirche. One more boutique option is a 4-star Courtyard By Marriott City Center rated 8.0/10 for 112US$ per one night. Leonardo Hotel City Olympiapark rated 7.6/10: a 4-star hotel with 24-hour room service, a Jacuzzi and dry cleaning on site. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Munich Boutique Hotels

Zurich

More than 7076 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Zurich boutique hotel. Consider booking Boutique Hotel Helvetia (rating: 8.0/10) for about 272US$ per night. This 3-star accommodation is set in Aussersihl district and offers visitors steam baths, shopping service and a special menu on site. Baur Au Lac rated 8.6/10 is a stylish hotel with air-conditioned, elegant and luxurious rooms. This 5-star property features free shuttle service, a special menu and a Jacuzzi. A free minibar, climate control and a flat-screen TV along with an impeccable service are offered in the rooms. Novotel City West rated 7.6/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 179US$ per night. Hotel Marta, Ibis Adliswil and Storchen  Lifestyle Boutique Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Zurich. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Zurich Boutique Hotels

Sydney

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Sydney, you have 28 boutique deals to select from. Larmont By Lancemore rated 8.0/10 is a modern option recommended by luxury-hotels-in.com travellers at the cost of 104US$ per night. Providing a health club and massage, its set 1.3 km from Anzac Memorial. Another popular 4-star stylish accommodation is Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel rated 7.8/10 with cycling, a photocopy machine and housekeeping service on site. Holiday Inn Potts Point -, An Ihg Hotel with rating 8.2/10: a 4-star property for 248US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Sydney Boutique Hotels

Odessa

For customers searching for a modern hotel in Odessa, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 4 boutique options. We recommend Hotel Vele Rosse (rating: 8.2/10) as the best 4-star hotel 4.6 km from the landmark. It provides bike loans, valet parking and 24-hour front desk, as well as fitness room and an indoor swimming pool on site. Another recommended property is Mr Grey Boutique Hotel rated 9.0/10, which provides concierge service, shopping service and a photocopy machine on site. Boutique Dacha Lanjeron with rating 8.2/10: a 3-star property for 48US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Odessa Boutique Hotels

Seoul

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Seoul, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 40 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is Hotel Artnouveau Seocho rated 7.8/10 at the cost of 94US$ per night. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is Imperial Palace Boutique Hotel rated 8.0/10 with concierge service, cots and shopping service on site. H Avenue Hotel Idae Shinchon rated 7.4/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 68US$ per night. The K-Hotel, Eastgate Tower and L7 Hongdae By Lotte are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Seoul. To see more modern hotels go here.

Seoul Boutique Hotels

Athens

More than 2767 reviews of our guests may help to find the best Athens boutique hotel. Airotel Stratos Vassilikos rated 7.6/10 is a modern option recommended by luxury-hotels-in.com guests at the cost of 91US$ per night. Providing steam baths, a steam room and a hot tub, its set 2.9 km from Arch of Hadrian. Another recommended property is Golden Sun rated 7.8/10, which provides a tennis court, a golf course and aerobics classes on site. Civitel Olympic rated 8.0/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 135US$ per night. The Marblous, B4B Signature Hotel and Chic Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Athens. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Athens Boutique Hotels

Dubai

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Dubai, you have 40 boutique deals to choose from. Majestic City Retreat Hotel rated 7.6/10 is a modern option recommended by luxury-hotels-in.com guests at the cost of 116US$ per night. Providing steam baths, a health club and a steam room, its set 2.4 km from The Dubai Heritage Village. Hilton Garden Inn Al Muraqabat rated 8.0/10 is a stylish hotel with fashionable, elegant and comfortable rooms. This 4-star property features an indoor swimming pool, free shuttle bus service and a gym. Cable channels, a dining area and a work desk along with an exceptional service are offered in the rooms. Jumeirah Emirates Towers rated 8.8/10: a 5-star hotel at the cost of 973US$ per night. Movenpick Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, Saffron Boutique Hotel and Carlton Palace Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Dubai. To see more modern hotels go here.

Dubai Boutique Hotels

Singapore

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Singapore, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 33 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is Grand Mercure Roxy  Sg Clean rated 7.6/10 at the cost of 124US$ per night. Goodwood Park Hotel (Sg Clean) with rating 8.2/10 is a stylish accommodation with meeting facilities, a business centre and a meeting room for 229US$ per night. New Majestic rated 8.4/10: a 4-star hotel with cots, a gym and a Jacuzzi on site. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Singapore Boutique Hotels

Beijing

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Beijing, you have 53 boutique deals to choose from. Offering concierge service, newspaper service and a solarium on site, Qian Men Jian Guo Hotel with rating 7.8/10 for 114US$ per night is the most recommended option by luxury-hotels-in.com customers. Holiday Inn Haidian, An Ihg Hotel rated 7.6/10 is a stylish hotel with air-conditioned, non-smoking and modern rooms. This 4-star property features steam baths, concierge service and a Jacuzzi. A dining area, ironing facilities and a work desk along with an outstanding service are offered in the rooms. Radisson Blu with rating 7.8/10: a 4-star property for 166US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Beijing Boutique Hotels

Zermatt

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Zermatt, you have 11 boutique deals to choose from. Alex rated 8.6/10 is a modern option recommended by luxury-hotels-in.com guests at the cost of 589US$ per night. Providing steam baths, a solarium and a hot tub, its set 3.6 km from Gant-Hohtalli Cable Car. Another recommended property is Hotel Berghof rated 8.2/10, which provides an indoor swimming pool, newspaper service and hiking on site. Hotel La Couronne Superior with rating 8.6/10: a 3-star property for 238US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Zermatt Boutique Hotels

Strasbourg

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Strasbourg, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 7 boutique options. We recommend Best Western Plus Hotel Villa DEst (rating: 8.2/10) as the best 4-star hotel 1.7 km from the landmark. It provides 24-hour room service, concierge service and 24-hour front desk, as well as fitness room and the gym on site. Hannong Hotel & Wine Bar rated 8.2/10 is a stylish hotel with non-smoking, air-conditioned and comfortable rooms. This 4-star property features newspaper service, cots and a Jacuzzi. A sitting area, LCD TV and satellite TV along with an outstanding service are offered in the rooms. The Originals Boutique, Hotel Bristol, Centre Gare rated 7.0/10 is a 3-star hotel with soundproof, non-smoking and air-conditioned rooms. Visitors can enjoy newspaper service, cots and a Jacuzzi. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Strasbourg Boutique Hotels

Vienna

More than 5383 reviews of our customers may help to find the best Vienna boutique hotel. Consider booking Hotel Josefshof Am Rathaus (rating: 8.0/10) for about 183US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in Josefstadt district and offers customers cots, a business centre and secretarial service on site. Hotel Boltzmann rated 7.6/10 is a stylish hotel with air-conditioned, non-smoking and modern rooms. This 4-star property features newspaper service, cots and a business centre. A work desk, a safe and flat-screen TV along with a perfect service are offered in the rooms. Hotel Corvinus rated 8.2/10 is a 4-star hotel with soundproof and air-conditioned rooms. Customers can enjoy newspaper service, cots and shopping service. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Vienna Boutique Hotels

Vilnius

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Vilnius, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 26 boutique options. Artis Centrum Hotels rated 8.2/10 is a modern hotel with cable channels, an electric kettle and a mini bar in the rooms. It is set within 10 minutes walk to Gediminas Avenue. Another recommended property is Ivolita Vilnius rated 7.4/10, which provides shuttle service, a business centre and projector screens on site. Novotel Centre rated 8.6/10 is a 4-star hotel with air-conditioned and modern rooms. Visitors can enjoy childrens menu, a gym and a Jacuzzi. To see more modern hotels go here.

Vilnius Boutique Hotels

Salzburg

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Salzburg, you have 16 boutique deals to choose from. Hotel Wolf Dietrich rated 8.2/10 is a modern hotel with flat-screen TV, a mini bar and a seating area in the rooms. It is set within 15 minutes walk to Pferdeschwemme. Another recommended property is Hotel Bristol rated 8.8/10, which provides concierge service, newspaper service and a business centre on site. Sheraton Grand with rating 8.2/10: a 5-star property for 272US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Salzburg Boutique Hotels

Laguna Beach

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Laguna Beach, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 6 boutique options. We recommend Casa Laguna Hotel & Spa rated 8.4/10 as the top boutique property for 257US$ per night with an outdoor swimming pool and concierge service on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Capri Laguna Inn On The Beach rated 6.8/10 for 213US$ per one night. La Casa Del Camino with rating 8.2/10: a 3-star property for 165US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Laguna Beach Boutique Hotels

Madison

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Madison, you have 9 boutique deals to select from. We recommend Doubletree By Hilton Downtown rated 8.4/10 as the top boutique property for 176US$ per night with a golf course, concierge service and a gym on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star The Edgewater rated 8.0/10 for 297US$ per one night. Hilton Monona Terrace rated 7.8/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 306US$ per night. Staybridge Suites  Fitchburg, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites West, An Ihg Hotel and Cambria Hotel East are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Madison. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Madison Boutique Hotels

Harrisburg

More than 352 reviews of our customers may help to find the best Harrisburg boutique hotel. Candlewood Suites, An Ihg Hotel rated 9.2/10 is a modern option recommended by luxury-hotels-in.com customers at the cost of 103US$ per night. Providing a hot tub, a spa centre and an indoor pool, its set 1.6 km from George Park. Best Western Premier The Central Hotel & Conference Center rated 8.0/10 is also a modern hotel for 145US$ per night. This hotel offers comfortable and non-smoking rooms equipped with complimentary wireless internet, a flat-screen television and a safe box. Customers can enjoy a hot tub, a spa centre and an indoor pool, as well as fitness, the gym and fitness club on site. Towneplace Suites By Marriott Hershey rated 8.8/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 289US$ per night. Hilton Harrisburg and Quality Inn Riverfront are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Harrisburg. To see more modern hotels go here.

Harrisburg Boutique Hotels

San Juan

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in San Juan, you have 23 boutique deals to choose from. Canario Boutique Hotel (rating: 7.2/10) is the top San Juan property with a sun terrace, a sun deck and laundry. Guests can book a comfortable and air-conditioned room with cable channels, wireless Internet and flat-screen TV for about 121US$ per night. Another recommended property is Olive Boutique Hotel rated 8.0/10, which provides an outdoor swimming pool, concierge service and a business centre on site. Tryp By Wyndham Isla Verde rated 7.8/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 259US$ per night. Water & Beach Club Hotel, Verdanza Hotel and Acacia Boutique Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in San Juan. To see more boutique hotels click here.

San Juan Boutique Hotels

Acapulco

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Acapulco, you have 3 boutique deals to select from. One of the finest boutique hotels is Caleta rated 7.8/10 at the cost of 100US$ per night. Another popular 4-star stylish accommodation is Mishol Hotel And Beach Club rated 7.8/10 with restaurant, a swimming pool and ironing on site. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Acapulco Boutique Hotels

Las Vegas

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Las Vegas, you have 12 boutique deals to select from. We recommend Royal Vacation Suites (rating: 7.4/10) as the best 3-star hotel 0.9 km from the landmark. It provides shuttle service and laundry facilities, as well as a fitness studio and fitness classes on site. Holiday Inn Express South, An Ihg Hotel rated 8.2/10 is a stylish hotel with non-smoking and air-conditioned rooms. This 3-star property features a tennis court, an outdoor swimming pool and a Jacuzzi. Cable channels, a work desk and a TV along with an outstanding service are offered in the rooms. Candlewood Suites with rating 7.4/10: a 3-star property for 113US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Las Vegas Boutique Hotels

London

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in London, you have 177 boutique deals to select from. Offering 24-hour room service, dry cleaning/laundry and 24-hour reception, The Exhibitionist Hotel rated 7.2/10 is a modern London hotel with prices from 89US$ per night. It is located 2.7 km from Buckingham Palace. The Berkeley with rating 7.8/10 is a stylish accommodation with a conference space, a business centre and a meeting room for 765US$ per night. K+K Hotel George Kensington rated 8.2/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 204US$ per night. The Montague On The Gardens, The Portobello Hotel and Andaz Liverpool Street are some of our most popular boutique hotels in London. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

London Boutique Hotels

New Orleans

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in New Orleans, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 3 boutique options. We recommend Historic Streetcar Inn rated 7.4/10 as the top boutique property for 100US$ per night with concierge service, 24-hour front desk and ironing on site. Moxy Downtown/French Quarter Area rated 8.4/10 is a stylish hotel with fitness classes, fitness room and the gym at the cost of 184US$ per night. Fairfield Inn & Suites By Marriott Downtown/French Quarter Area with rating 7.6/10: a 3-star property for 293US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

New Orleans Boutique Hotels

Barcelona

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Barcelona, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 73 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is U232 rated 8.4/10 at the cost of 111US$ per night. Hotel Balmoral rated 7.8/10 is a stylish hotel with fitness classes, fitness centre and the gym at the cost of 164US$ per night. The Mirror rated 8.2/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 117US$ per night. Sixties Ramblas, Sunotel Aston and H10 Metropolitan are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Barcelona. Go here to find out more modern accommodations.

Barcelona Boutique Hotels

Bangkok

More than 20510 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Bangkok boutique hotel. One of the best boutique hotels is Dream Hotel (rating: 8.2/10) for 69US$ per night. This 5-star hotel offers air-conditioned and fashionable rooms with a balcony, a dining area and a minibar. Visitors can enjoy amenities such as a rooftop pool, a swimming pool and an outdoor swimming pool, as well as 24-hour room service, shuttle service and 24-hour front desk assistance. One more boutique option is a 4-star Holiday Inn, An Ihg Hotel rated 8.2/10 for 124US$ per one night. Old Capital Bike Inn with rating 8.2/10: a 3-star property for 79US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Bangkok Boutique Hotels

South Lake Tahoe

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in South Lake Tahoe, you have 3 boutique deals to select from. Offering concierge service, dry cleaning and 24-hour front desk, Hotel Azure rated 7.6/10 is a modern South Lake Tahoe hotel with prices from 148US$ per night. It is located 0.7 km from Bijou Golf Course. One more boutique option is a 3-star Postmarc Hotel And Spa Suites rated 7.4/10 for 148US$ per one night. Marriott Grand Residence Club, Lake Tahoe with rating 8.2/10: a 4-star property for 295US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

South Lake Tahoe Boutique Hotels

Denver

More than 2544 reviews of our customers may help to find the best Denver boutique hotel. We recommend Embassy Suites By Hilton Central Park rated 8.0/10 as the top boutique property for 136US$ per night with an indoor swimming pool, newspaper service and a Jacuzzi on site. Embassy Suites  Tech Center North rated 8.0/10 is a stylish hotel with non-smoking and contemporary rooms. This 3-star property features free shuttle service, shopping service and a Jacuzzi. Cable channels, a kitchenette and a dining area along with an exceptional service are offered in the rooms. The Westin Downtown rated 7.6/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 200US$ per night. Embassy Suites  International Airport, Burnsley All Suite and Springhill Suites By Marriott Downtown are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Denver. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Denver Boutique Hotels

Miami Beach

For customers searching for a modern hotel in Miami Beach, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 25 boutique options. Consider booking Abae Hotel (rating: 8.0/10) for about 312US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in South Beach district and offers customers an outdoor swimming pool, concierge service and cots on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Hotel St. Augustine rated 8.0/10 for 120US$ per one night. Clinton Hotel South Beach with rating 7.0/10: a 4-star property for 169US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Miami Beach Boutique Hotels

Seattle

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Seattle, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 31 boutique options. Offering shuttle service, car service and concierge service, Hotel Ballard rated 7.8/10 is a modern Seattle hotel with prices from 119US$ per night. It is located 4.3 km from Hiram M Chittenden Locks. Another recommended property is Palihotel Seattle rated 7.8/10, which provides concierge service, turndown service and a video projector on site. Grand Hyatt rated 8.8/10 is a 5-star hotel with stylish and modern rooms. Travellers can enjoy a golf course, concierge service and a gym. To see more modern hotels go here.

Seattle Boutique Hotels

Aurora

More than 174 reviews of our customers may help to find the best Aurora boutique hotel. We recommend Denver Airport Marriott At Gateway Park rated 8.6/10 as the top boutique property for 129US$ per night with a tennis court, an indoor swimming pool and wedding services on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Residence Inn By Marriott Denver Airport At Gateway Park rated 8.8/10 for 114US$ per one night. Radisson Hotel Denver-Aurora with rating 8.0/10: a 3-star property for 107US$ per night. Go here to find out more modern accommodations.

Aurora Boutique Hotels

Virginia Beach

More than 840 reviews of our guests may help to find the best Virginia Beach boutique hotel. Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel (rating: 7.4/10) is a favourite 3-star hotel for guests searching for a stylish accommodation, featuring an outdoor swimming pool, a golf course and a Jacuzzi. Its located in Virginia Beach Boardwalk district. Crowne Plaza Hotel-Norfolk, An Ihg Hotel rated 8.2/10 is a stylish hotel with fitness, a gym area and an indoor pool at the cost of 131US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Virginia Beach Boutique Hotels

Mumbai

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Mumbai, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 10 boutique options. We recommend Hotel Sea N Rock rated 8.2/10 as the top boutique property for 56US$ per night with free shuttle service, newspaper service and a special menu on site. Dragonfly rated 7.6/10 is a stylish hotel with non-smoking and comfortable rooms. This 4-star property features childrens menu, a business centre and a gaming room. A dining area, an electric kettle and flat-screen TV along with a quality service are offered in the rooms. Bawa International rated 7.0/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 39US$ per night. Hotel Park View, and Oriental Residency Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Mumbai. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Mumbai Boutique Hotels

Kissimmee

More than 2390 reviews of our customers may help to find the best Kissimmee boutique hotel. Maingate Hotel with rating 8.0/10 is a perfect 3-star option with prices from 44US$ per night. Its set a 25-minute walk from the landmark and provides an outdoor heated swimming pool, a gym and a Jacuzzi. Customers can also enjoy fitness classes and fitness room on site. Magic Moment Resort And Kids Club rated 8.0/10 is a stylish hotel with fitness classes and a fitness studio at the cost of 121US$ per night. Greenpoint Hotel with rating 6.8/10: a 3-star property for 91US$ per night. Go here to find out more modern accommodations.

Kissimmee Boutique Hotels

Los Angeles

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Los Angeles, you have 35 boutique deals to choose from. The Garland rated 7.8/10 is a modern hotel with cable channels, a balcony and a work desk in the rooms. It is set within 25 minutes walk to Gibson Amphitheatre. Petit Ermitage rated 8.4/10 is a stylish hotel with luxury and air-conditioned rooms. This 4-star property features an outdoor swimming pool, shuttle service and a business centre. A balcony, a kitchenette and a fireplace along with an exquisite service are offered in the rooms. Elan Hotel with rating 8.2/10: a 3-star property for 236US$ per night. Go here to find out more modern accommodations.

Los Angeles Boutique Hotels

Amarillo

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Amarillo, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 8 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is Hilton Garden Inn rated 8.8/10 at the cost of 118US$ per night. Another recommended property is Comfort Suites rated 7.4/10, which provides an indoor swimming pool, a golf course and a business centre on site. Holiday Inn West Medical Center rated 8.8/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 102US$ per night. Hampton Inn & Suites East and Wyndham Garden are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Amarillo. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Amarillo Boutique Hotels

Nashville

More than 1471 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Nashville boutique hotel. Consider booking Aloft West End (rating: 8.6/10) for about 264US$ per night. This 3-star accommodation is set in Music Row district and offers visitors newspaper service, a business centre and shopping service on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Radisson Hotel Airport rated 7.8/10 for 132US$ per one night. Quality Suites Airport rated 7.0/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 165US$ per night. 21C Museum Hotel, Embassy Suites  At Vanderbilt and Noelle, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Nashville. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Nashville Boutique Hotels

Destin

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Destin, you have 6 boutique deals to select from. Consider booking Club Wyndham Majestic Sun (rating: 8.6/10) for about 11603US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in Miramar Beach district and offers visitors a tennis court, windsurfing and water skiing on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Bay Club Of Sandestin, A Vri Resort rated 7.0/10 for 166US$ per one night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Destin Boutique Hotels

San Francisco

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in San Francisco, you have 18 boutique deals to choose from. Four Seasons Hotel At Embarcadero with rating 8.2/10 is a perfect 5-star option with prices from 133US$ per night. Its set a 10-minute walk from the landmark and provides concierge service, newspaper service and a gym. Guests can also enjoy fitness classes and fitness studio on site. Another recommended property is Kimpton Alton Hotel, An Ihg Hotel rated 7.4/10, which provides a tennis court, a golf course and shopping service on site. Executive Hotel Vintage Court rated 7.2/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 198US$ per night. Griffon, The Cartwright Hotel  Union Square, BW Premier Collection and Marriott Vacation Club Pulse, are some of our most popular boutique hotels in San Francisco. To see more boutique hotels click here.

San Francisco Boutique Hotels

Naples

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Naples, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 9 boutique options. Consider booking Boutique Hotel Piazza Carita (rating: 7.8/10) for about 144US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in Naples Historical Centre district and offers visitors free shuttle bus service, concierge service and newspaper service on site. Hotel Futura Centro Congressi with rating 7.6/10 is a stylish accommodation with a business centre, a conference centre and meeting rooms for 97US$ per night. Relais Sul Mare Boutique Hotel rated 8.0/10 is a 4-star hotel with soundproof, air-conditioned and elegant rooms. Visitors can enjoy a tennis court, cots and hiking. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Naples Boutique Hotels

Marrakesh

More than 1768 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Marrakesh boutique hotel. Offering shuttle service, concierge service and room service, Cesar Resort & Spa rated 8.6/10 is a modern Marrakesh hotel with prices from 52US$ per night. It is located 1.1 km from International Automobile Circuit Moulay El Hassan. Another popular 4-star stylish accommodation is 2Ciels Boutique Hotel rated 7.8/10 with an outdoor swimming pool, concierge service and a special menu on site. Zwin Zwin Boutique-Hotel with rating 8.4/10: a 4-star property for 103US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Marrakesh Boutique Hotels

Boston

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Boston, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 45 boutique options. Hotel Commonwealth rated 8.6/10 is a modern hotel with cable channels, a sitting area and WiFi in the rooms. It is set within 10 minutes walk to Fenway Park. Courtyard Downtown with rating 7.6/10 is a stylish accommodation with meeting rooms and a business centre for 282US$ per night. Sheraton Hotel rated 7.4/10: a 4-star hotel with an outdoor swimming pool, an indoor swimming pool and a health club on site. Go here to find out more modern accommodations.

Boston Boutique Hotels

Indianapolis

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Indianapolis, you have 37 boutique deals to select from. We recommend Hilton Garden Inn Downtown rated 8.4/10 as the top boutique property for 198US$ per night with an indoor swimming pool, a business centre and a gym on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Sheraton Hotel At Keystone Crossing rated 6.2/10 for 211US$ per one night. Columbia Club rated 8.0/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 165US$ per night. Caribbean Cove Hotel & Conference Center, Rodeway Inn I-70 and Holiday Inn Downtown are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Indianapolis. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Indianapolis Boutique Hotels

Austin

More than 307 reviews of our customers may help to find the best Austin boutique hotel. One of the finest boutique hotels is Courtyard-University Area rated 7.8/10 at the cost of 165US$ per night. Sonesta Simply Suites South rated 8.2/10 is a stylish hotel with air-conditioned and non-smoking rooms. This 3-star property features a tennis court, newspaper service and a gym. Free wireless internet, TV and WiFi along with an exquisite service are offered in the rooms. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Austin Boutique Hotels

Palm Springs

More than 1256 reviews of our guests may help to find the best Palm Springs boutique hotel. One of the finest boutique hotels is Hyatt Palm Springs rated 7.0/10 at the cost of 113US$ per night. Hotel California with rating 8.0/10 is a stylish accommodation with computers, a fax machine and a photocopier for 249US$ per night. Arrive Palm Springs with rating 7.8/10: a 4-star property for 506US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Palm Springs Boutique Hotels

Ocean City

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Ocean City, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 10 boutique options. Consider booking Paradise Plaza Inn (rating: 7.4/10) for about 81US$ per night. This 3-star accommodation is set in Boardwalk district and offers visitors a seasonal outdoor pool, concierge service and newspaper service on site. Another recommended property is Lankford Hotel rated 7.8/10, which provides shopping service, a free private carpark and complimentary parking on site. Carousel Resort with rating 7.4/10: a 3-star property for 197US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Ocean City Boutique Hotels

Miami

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Miami, you have 8 boutique deals to select from. One of the finest boutique hotels is Hilton Garden Inn Brickell South rated 8.0/10 at the cost of 193US$ per night. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is The Vagabond Hotel rated 7.8/10 with an outdoor swimming pool, a private swimming pool and concierge service on site. Staybridge Suites  International Airport, An Ihg Hotel rated 7.4/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 171US$ per night. Holiday Inn Express Airport Doral Area, An Ihg Hotel and Homewood Suites By Hilton  Airport West are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Miami. To see more modern hotels go here.

Miami Boutique Hotels

Orlando

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Orlando, you have 24 boutique deals to choose from. Offering 24-hour room service, shuttle service and concierge service, Embassy Suites  Airport rated 8.0/10 is a modern Orlando hotel with prices from 57US$ per night. It is located 4.7 km from Shenandoah Baptist Church. Hilton Garden Inn Airport with rating 8.0/10 is a stylish accommodation with a meeting room, a business centre and a desk for 142US$ per night. Doubletree By Hilton East  Ucf Area with rating 8.4/10: a 3-star property for 171US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Orlando Boutique Hotels

Manila

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Manila, you have 9 boutique deals to select from. Offering dry cleaning/laundry, 24-hour front desk assistance and laundry service, Mabini Mansion rated 8.0/10 is a modern Manila hotel with prices from 34US$ per night. It is located 2.6 km from Fort Santiago. Another recommended property is Rosas Garden Hotel rated 7.6/10, which provides newspaper service, a business centre and shopping service on site. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Manila Boutique Hotels

Florence

More than 5449 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Florence boutique hotel. Golden Tower Hotel & Spa (rating: 8.8/10) is a favourite 5-star hotel for visitors searching for a stylish accommodation, featuring an indoor swimming pool, medical service and concierge service. Its located in Florence Historic Centre district. Another recommended property is Dedo Boutique Hotel rated 7.0/10, which provides concierge service, cots and bicycles on site. Hotel Paris rated 7.8/10 is a 3-star hotel with non-smoking and air-conditioned rooms. Visitors can enjoy concierge service, cots and a business centre. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Florence Boutique Hotels

Tokyo

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Tokyo, you have 30 boutique deals to choose from. We recommend Hotel Metropolitan Ikebukuro (rating: 8.2/10) as the best 4-star hotel 1.4 km from the landmark. It provides shuttle service and airport shuttle service, as well as a gym area, fitness classes and fitness club on site. The Peninsula rated 8.8/10 is a stylish hotel with air-conditioned, luxurious and soundproof rooms. This 5-star property features 24-hour room service, free shuttle service and a Jacuzzi. Flat-screen television, Wi-Fi and air conditioning along with an outstanding service are offered in the rooms. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Tokyo Boutique Hotels

Chicago

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Chicago, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 13 boutique options. We recommend Aloft Downtown River North rated 7.8/10 as the top boutique property for 240US$ per night with newspaper service, a business centre and printers on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Marriott OHare rated 7.4/10 for 147US$ per one night. Hampton Inn & Suites-Downtown with rating 8.8/10: a 3-star property for 181US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Chicago Boutique Hotels

San Diego

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in San Diego, you have 20 boutique deals to choose from. Offering a golf course, a business centre and laundry facilities on site, Comfort Inn Gaslamp Convention Center with rating 7.4/10 for 147US$ per night is the most recommended option by luxury-hotels-in.com visitors. Hilton Garden Inn Old Town/Seaworld Area rated 7.8/10 is a stylish hotel with air-conditioned and non-smoking rooms. This 3-star property features an outdoor swimming pool, a business centre and a gym. Cable channels, a flat-screen HDTV and a safe box along with an exquisite service are offered in the rooms. The Pearl Hotel with rating 7.8/10: a 3-star property for 177US$ per night. Go here to find out more modern accommodations.

San Diego Boutique Hotels

Sterling

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Sterling, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 5 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is Washington Dulles Airport Marriott rated 8.0/10 at the cost of 155US$ per night. Another recommended property is Hyatt House/Dulles Airport-North rated 8.6/10, which provides a golf course, a seasonal outdoor pool and horse riding on site. Doubletree By Hilton Dulles Airport-Sterling with rating 8.8/10: a 4-star property for 133US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Sterling Boutique Hotels

Branson

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Branson, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 12 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is Hilton Promenade At Landing rated 8.4/10 at the cost of 278US$ per night. Another recommended property is The Hotel rated 8.0/10, which provides bar and ironing on site. To see more modern hotels go here.

Branson Boutique Hotels

Milan

More than 12563 reviews of our guests may help to find the best Milan boutique hotel. Consider booking Hotel Colombia (rating: 7.6/10) for about 164US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in Stazione Centrale district and offers guests concierge service, newspaper service and a gym on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Hotel Sanpi rated 7.8/10 for 133US$ per one night. The Hub rated 8.0/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 113US$ per night. B&B Hotel Milano Portello, Best Western Hotel City and Corallo are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Milan. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Milan Boutique Hotels

Dusseldorf

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Dusseldorf, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 8 boutique options. We recommend Arosa rated 7.4/10 as the top boutique property for 98US$ per night with concierge service, newspaper service and 24-hour security on site. Hotel Maxim City with rating 7.2/10 is a stylish accommodation with meeting facilities and a desk for 61US$ per night. Central rated 7.2/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 100US$ per night. Boutique Hotel Berial, Avidon Art & Design Hotel and Trip Inn Hotel Schumann are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Dusseldorf. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Dusseldorf Boutique Hotels

Atlanta

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Atlanta, you have 14 boutique deals to select from. One of the finest boutique hotels is The Burgess Hotel Trademark Collection By Wyndham rated 8.6/10 at the cost of 174US$ per night. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is Embassy Suites  Galleria rated 7.8/10 with an indoor swimming pool, a golf course and a gym on site. Embassy Suites By Hilton Buckhead rated 7.4/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 187US$ per night. Artmore Hotel, Airport Marriott Gateway and Hilton Garden Inn Perimeter Center are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Atlanta. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Atlanta Boutique Hotels

Phoenix

For customers searching for a modern hotel in Phoenix, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 4 boutique options. We recommend Hilton Garden Inn Midtown rated 7.8/10 as the top boutique property for 144US$ per night with an indoor swimming pool, a golf course and a business centre on site. Another recommended property is Hotel Del Sol, Boutique Airport rated 7.6/10, which provides shuttle service, concierge service and a business centre on site. Hilton Garden Inn North Happy Valley with rating 8.4/10: a 3-star property for 147US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Phoenix Boutique Hotels

Key West

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Key West, you have 9 boutique deals to choose from. Offering a tennis court, an outdoor swimming pool and a golf course on site, Kimpton EllaS Cottages, An Ihg Hotel with rating 8.2/10 for 459US$ per night is the most recommended option by luxury-hotels-in.com guests. Fairfield Inn & Suites By Marriott At The Keys Collection with rating 6.4/10 is a stylish accommodation with a business centre and a desk for 507US$ per night. Fairfield Inn & Suites rated 7.6/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 449US$ per night. Truman Hotel, 24 North Hotel and The Saint Hotel, Autograph Collection are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Key West. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Key West Boutique Hotels

Punta Cana

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Punta Cana, you have 4 boutique deals to choose from. Offering shuttle service, 24-hour front desk and airport transfer, Green Coast Hotel rated 8.0/10 is a modern Punta Cana hotel with prices from 76US$ per night. It is located 4.5 km from Seaquarium Punta Cana. Another recommended property is The Reserve At Paradisus Palma Real rated 7.8/10, which provides an indoor swimming pool, a golf course and a private swimming pool on site. Las Terrazas Vip Pool Beach Club & Spa with rating 7.8/10: a 4-star property for 319US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Punta Cana Boutique Hotels

Belek

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Belek, you have 3 boutique deals to choose from. Consider booking Soho Beach Club (rating: 8.2/10) for about 225US$ per night. This 5-star accommodation is set in Belek Golf district and offers customers an outdoor swimming pool, an aqua park and sailing on site. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Belek Boutique Hotels

Porto

More than 3797 reviews of our guests may help to find the best Porto boutique hotel. Consider booking Pestana Vintage (rating: 8.2/10) for about 213US$ per night. This 5-star accommodation is set in Uniao de Freguesias do Centro district and offers guests medical service, turndown service and a Jacuzzi on site. Crowne Plaza, An Ihg Hotel with rating 8.4/10 is a stylish accommodation with meeting facilities, meeting rooms and a business centre for 164US$ per night. Infante Sagres  Luxury Historic Hotel with rating 7.8/10: a 5-star property for 217US$ per night. Go here to find out more modern accommodations.

Porto Boutique Hotels

Seville

More than 1235 reviews of our guests may help to find the best Seville boutique hotel. Offering laundry facilities, babysitting service and wake up service, La Casa Del Maestro Boutique rated 8.0/10 is a modern Seville hotel with prices from 127US$ per night. It is located 1.8 km from San Jorge Castle. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is Domus Selecta Boutique Hotel Holos rated 8.2/10 with cots, wake up calls and continental on site. To see more modern hotels go here.

Seville Boutique Hotels

Istanbul

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Istanbul, you have 343 boutique deals to select from. Offering 24-hour room service, shuttle service and concierge service, Movenpick Hotel Golden Horn rated 8.0/10 is a modern Istanbul hotel with prices from 21US$ per night. It is located 3.8 km from Jewish Cemetery. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is Maroon Hotel Pera rated 8.2/10 with free shuttle bus service, concierge service and a business centre on site. Ferman Hotel rated 8.4/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 136US$ per night. Modus Hotel, Lounge Hotel and Barin Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Istanbul. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Istanbul Boutique Hotels

Aspen

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Aspen, you have 3 boutique deals to choose from. Hotel Jerome rated 8.6/10 is a modern option recommended by luxury-hotels-in.com guests at the cost of 909US$ per night. Providing a Jacuzzi, whirlpool baths and a spa centre, its set 4.1 km from Buttermilk Ski Area. Sky Hotel rated 7.8/10 is a stylish hotel with fitness classes and fitness studio at the cost of 159US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Aspen Boutique Hotels

Sedona

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Sedona, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 6 boutique options. Consider booking Arroyo Pinion Hotel, Ascend Hotel Collection (rating: 8.0/10) for about 266US$ per night. This 3-star accommodation is set in West district and offers visitors an outdoor swimming pool, concierge service and a gym on site. Sky Ranch Lodge with rating 8.6/10 is a stylish accommodation with computers and a business centre for 297US$ per night. The Wilde Resort & Spa with rating 8.6/10: a 4-star property for 399US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Sedona Boutique Hotels

Houston

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Houston, you have 26 boutique deals to choose from. Offering a tennis court, an outdoor swimming pool and childrens menu on site, Courtyard Houston/Brookhollow with rating 7.8/10 for 133US$ per night is the most recommended option by luxury-hotels-in.com customers. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is Surestay Plus Hotel By Best Western Medical Center rated 7.6/10 with an indoor swimming pool, free shuttle service and newspaper service on site. Springhill Suites Intercontinental Airport with rating 9.0/10: a 3-star property for 135US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Houston Boutique Hotels

Portland

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Portland, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 27 boutique options. One of the finest boutique hotels is Holiday Inn-Airport I-205, An Ihg Hotel rated 6.8/10 at the cost of 139US$ per night. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is The Paramount Hotel rated 8.2/10 with a golf course, a business centre and a gym on site. Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites-Northwest Downtown, An Ihg Hotel rated 8.6/10 is a 3-star hotel with air-conditioned and non-smoking rooms. Guests can enjoy an indoor swimming pool, cots and a gym. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Portland Boutique Hotels

Panama City Beach

Go here to find out more modern accommodations.

Panama City Beach Boutique Hotels

Dallas

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Dallas, you have 3 boutique deals to choose from. Offering an outdoor swimming pool, a golf course and a business centre on site, Comfort Suites West  Cockrell Hill with rating 8.4/10 for 136US$ per night is the most recommended option by luxury-hotels-in.com customers. Another recommended property is Embassy Suites By Hilton Near The Galleria rated 7.8/10, which provides a tennis court, free shuttle bus service and a gym on site. Candlewood Suites Market Center-Love Field, An Ihg Hotel with rating 7.8/10: a 3-star property for 104US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Dallas Boutique Hotels

Richmond

More than 421 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Richmond boutique hotel. We recommend Residence Inn By Marriott West End rated 7.8/10 as the top boutique property for 147US$ per night with a tennis court, a seasonal outdoor pool and cots on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Richmond Marriott rated 6.8/10 for 255US$ per one night. Quirk Hotel with rating 8.2/10: a 4-star property for 249US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Richmond Boutique Hotels

Fairfax

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Fairfax, you have 4 boutique deals to choose from. Best Western rated 7.4/10 is a modern hotel with a work desk, a sofa bed and a seating area in the rooms. It is set within 30 minutes walk to Fairfax Museum. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is Springhill Suites Fair Oaks rated 9.0/10 with a tennis court, an indoor swimming pool and newspaper service on site. Hilton Garden Inn with rating 8.6/10: a 3-star property for 127US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Fairfax Boutique Hotels

Honolulu

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Honolulu, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 29 boutique options. We recommend Airport Hotel (rating: 7.4/10) as the best 3-star hotel 4.3 km from the landmark. It provides shuttle service and 24-hour front desk, as well as a gym area, fitness and fitness studio on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Waikiki Resort Hotel rated 7.2/10 for 182US$ per one night. Aqua Oasis rated 8.0/10 is a 3-star hotel with unique, modern and air-conditioned rooms. Travellers can enjoy an outdoor swimming pool, newspaper service and a Jacuzzi. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Honolulu Boutique Hotels

Memphis

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Memphis, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 11 boutique options. Hu Hotel rated 7.6/10 is a modern hotel with cable channels, a mini bar and a seating area in the rooms. It is set within 15 minutes walk to South Main. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is Homewood Suites By Hilton Southwind  Hacks Cross rated 8.0/10 with a tennis court, an outdoor swimming pool and newspaper service on site. The Guest House At Graceland with rating 7.8/10: a 4-star property for 215US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Memphis Boutique Hotels

San Marcos

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in San Marcos, you have 3 boutique deals to choose from. One of the finest boutique hotels is Holiday Inn Express & Suites  South, An Ihg Hotel rated 7.8/10 at the cost of 124US$ per night. One more boutique option is a 3-star Courtyard San Marcos rated 7.8/10 for 154US$ per one night. Comfort Inn & Suites rated 7.8/10: a 3-star hotel with an outdoor swimming pool, an indoor swimming pool and a golf course on site. To see more modern hotels go here.

San Marcos Boutique Hotels

Irvine

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Irvine, you have 8 boutique deals to select from. Irvine Marriott rated 8.4/10 is a modern option recommended by luxury-hotels-in.com visitors at the cost of 210US$ per night. Providing a health club, a hot tub and a spa centre, its set 2.8 km from William R Mason Regional Park. Embassy Suites  Orange County Airport rated 7.8/10 is a stylish hotel with an indoor pool, a gym and fitness at the cost of 204US$ per night. Sonesta Simply Suites Spectrum with rating 7.0/10: a 3-star property for 111US$ per night. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Irvine Boutique Hotels

Geneva

For travellers searching for a modern hotel in Geneva, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 13 boutique options. Tiffany Hotel rated 8.0/10 is a modern hotel with a private safe, a work desk and a sitting area in non-smoking and comfortable rooms. Featuring sauna facilities and massage, it is within 15 minutes walk to Brunswick Monument. Hotel President Wilson, A Luxury Collection Hotel, with rating 7.6/10 is a stylish accommodation with a desk, a business centre and a conference hall for 561US$ per night. Hotel Admiral with rating 7.2/10: a 3-star property for 196US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Geneva Boutique Hotels

Benidorm

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Benidorm, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 19 boutique options. We recommend Hotel Servigroup Orange rated 8.0/10 as the top boutique property for 117US$ per night with a tennis court, canoeing and horse riding on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Hotel Rh Corona Del Mar 4* Sup rated 8.0/10 for 101US$ per one night. Hotel Servigroup Diplomatic with rating 8.0/10: a 4-star property for 135US$ per night. Go here to check more modern accommodations.

Benidorm Boutique Hotels

Fort Lauderdale

More than 460 reviews of our visitors may help to find the best Fort Lauderdale boutique hotel. Fairfield Inn & Suites Airport & Cruise Port (rating: 8.2/10) is the top Fort Lauderdale property with an outdoor swimming pool, a business centre and shopping service. Visitors can book a contemporary and comfortable room with cable channels, a flat-screen television and a seating area for about 160US$ per night. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is The Lauderdale Boutique Hotel rated 8.2/10 with concierge service, shopping service and a sun terrace on site. To see more modern hotels go here.

Fort Lauderdale Boutique Hotels

Toronto

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Toronto, you have 53 boutique deals to select from. Consider booking Grand Hotel & Suites (rating: 8.0/10) for about 176US$ per night. This 4-star accommodation is set in Downtown Toronto district and offers visitors an indoor swimming pool, free shuttle bus service and a Jacuzzi on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Executive Hotel Cosmopolitan rated 7.4/10 for 149US$ per one night. W Toronto with rating 7.8/10: a 4-star property for 233US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Toronto Boutique Hotels

Asheville

More than 666 reviews of our guests may help to find the best Asheville boutique hotel. We recommend Brookstone Lodge Near Biltmore Village, Ascend Hotel Collection (rating: 8.4/10) as the best 3-star hotel 7 km from the landmark. It provides concierge service and 24-hour reception, as well as fitness classes, fitness centre and an indoor pool on site. One more boutique option is a 4-star Grand Bohemian Hotel, Autograph Collection rated 8.4/10 for 454US$ per one night. Hilton Biltmore Park with rating 8.6/10: a 4-star property for 236US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Asheville Boutique Hotels

Tampa

More than 158 reviews of our customers may help to find the best Tampa boutique hotel. Hampton Inn & Suites Ybor City Downtown with rating 8.0/10 is a perfect 3-star option with prices from 94US$ per night. Its set a 25-minute walk from the landmark and provides an outdoor swimming pool, free shuttle bus service and newspaper service. Customers can also enjoy the gym, fitness centre and fitness classes on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Grand Suites rated 7.0/10 for 100US$ per one night. Go here to find out more modern accommodations.

Tampa Boutique Hotels

Naples

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Naples, you have 9 boutique deals to choose from. One of the finest boutique hotels is Trianon Old rated 8.4/10 at the cost of 209US$ per night. Another popular 3-star stylish accommodation is Bayfront Inn 5Th Avenue rated 8.0/10 with a golf course, a seasonal outdoor pool and a Jacuzzi on site. Inn At Pelican Bay rated 8.4/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 286US$ per night. Red Roof Inn Plus+ & Suites Downtown-5Th Ave S, Charter Club Resort Of Bay By Diamond Resorts and The Cottages At Bay Resort are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Naples. To see more modern hotels go here.

Naples Boutique Hotels

Charlotte

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Charlotte, you have 16 boutique deals to choose from. Offering an indoor swimming pool, shuttle service and newspaper service on site, Sheraton Airport Hotel with rating 7.8/10 for 222US$ per night is the most recommended option by luxury-hotels-in.com guests. Marriott Southpark rated 7.6/10 is a stylish hotel with fitness and fitness studio at the cost of 171US$ per night. Sonesta Simply Suites University rated 7.6/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 98US$ per night. The Dunhill Hotel, Hilton Airport Hotel and Fairfield Inn & Suites By Marriott Uptown are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Charlotte. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Charlotte Boutique Hotels

Malaga

For visitors searching for a modern hotel in Malaga, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 27 boutique options. Parador De Golf rated 8.0/10 is a modern hotel with cable channels, a balcony and a dining area in air-conditioned and comfortable rooms. Featuring a solarium, a hot tub and a wellness centre, it is within 25 minutes walk to Real Club de Campo de Malaga. Another recommended property is Soho Boutique rated 8.0/10, which provides concierge service, cots and a business centre on site. Atarazanas Boutique Hotel rated 7.8/10 is a 3-star hotel with non-smoking, fashionable and air-conditioned rooms. Visitors can enjoy free shuttle bus service, a video projector and porter service. To see more modern hotels go here.

Malaga Boutique Hotels

Elizabethtown

More than 76 reviews of our travellers may help to find the best Elizabethtown boutique hotel. One of the finest boutique hotels is Comfort Suites rated 8.2/10 at the cost of 110US$ per night. Another recommended property is Days Inn By Wyndham rated 6.2/10, which provides an outdoor swimming pool, a business centre and ironing on site. Go here to find out more modern accommodations.

Elizabethtown Boutique Hotels

Petoskey

We recommend StaffordS Perry Hotel rated 8.6/10 as the top boutique property for 175US$ per night with concierge service, cots and a health club on site. One more boutique option is a 3-star Hampton Inn & Suites rated 8.4/10 for 172US$ per one night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Petoskey Boutique Hotels

Oslo

More than 4588 reviews of our guests may help to find the best Oslo boutique hotel. Consider booking The Thief (rating: 7.8/10) for about 454US$ per night. This 5-star accommodation is set in Frogner district and offers guests an indoor swimming pool, a golf course and a business centre on site. Hotel Continental rated 8.6/10 is a stylish hotel with fitness classes, fitness centre and a gym area at the cost of 399US$ per night. Clarion Collection Hotel Bastion with rating 8.2/10: a 4-star property for 199US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Oslo Boutique Hotels

Split

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Split, you have 3 boutique deals to choose from. Offering a tennis court, free shuttle bus service and concierge service on site, Kastel 1700 Boutique Hotel with rating 7.6/10 for 182US$ per night is the most recommended option by luxury-hotels-in.com customers. Another recommended property is Plaza Marchi Old Town  Mag Quaint & Elegant Boutique Hotels rated 8.0/10, which provides a tennis court, free shuttle service and concierge service on site. Galeria Valeria Seaside Downtown  Mag Quaint & Elegant Boutique Hotels rated 7.6/10 is a 4-star hotel with luxury and air-conditioned rooms. Customers can enjoy free shuttle bus service, cots and hiking. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Split Boutique Hotels

Paris

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Paris, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 260 boutique options. We recommend Art Hotel Batignolles rated 8.0/10 as the top boutique property for 129US$ per night with airport shuttle bus service, dry cleaning and cafe on site. Maison Astor, Curio Collection By Hilton rated 7.8/10 is a stylish hotel with comfortable, air-conditioned and non-smoking rooms. This 4-star property features 24-hour room service, a business centre and a gym. Cable channels, a fireplace and an electric kettle along with an exquisite service are offered in the rooms. Hotel Alison with rating 8.2/10: a 3-star property for 202US$ per night. To see more modern hotels go here.

Paris Boutique Hotels

Dubrovnik

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Dubrovnik, you have 23 boutique deals to choose from. We recommend Villa Dubrovnik rated 8.6/10 as the top boutique property for 866US$ per night with concierge service, newspaper service and diving on site. Valamar Lacroma rated 8.6/10 is a stylish hotel with elegant, air-conditioned and modern rooms. This 4-star property features concierge service, windsurfing and badminton. A flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a balcony and complimentary WiFi along with a perfect service are offered in the rooms. Dubrovnik Palace with rating 8.0/10: a 5-star property for 242US$ per night. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Dubrovnik Boutique Hotels

Ho Chi Minh City

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City, you have 78 boutique deals to select from. We recommend Norfolk Hotel Saigon rated 8.4/10 as the top boutique property for 97US$ per night with concierge service, cots and a business centre on site. A lam Retreats Saigon River rated 8.4/10 is a stylish hotel with non-smoking and elegant rooms. This 5-star property features an indoor swimming pool, aerobics classes and newspaper service. A balcony, a separate bedroom and a coffee machine along with an exquisite service are offered in the rooms. Harmony Saigon Hotel & Spa rated 7.8/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 63US$ per night. Lotte Hotel Saigon, Aha Boutique Hotel and Silverland Sil Hotel & Spa are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Ho Chi Minh City. Go here to see more elegant hotels.

Ho Chi Minh City Boutique Hotels

Edinburgh

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Edinburgh, you have 11 boutique deals to choose from. Offering laundry service, housekeeping service and 24-hour front desk assistance, Leonardo City rated 8.0/10 is a modern Edinburgh hotel with prices from 105US$ per night. It is located 1.3 km from St Giles Cathedral. Another recommended property is Eliza House rated 7.8/10, which provides 24-hour security service, ironing and 24-hour front desk on site. Channings Hotel, An Ascend Hotel Collection Member with rating 8.2/10: a 4-star property for 254US$ per night. To see more boutique hotels click here.

Edinburgh Boutique Hotels

Sorrento

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Sorrento, you have 3 boutique deals to select from. We recommend Magnolia rated 7.6/10 as the top boutique property for 91US$ per night with ironing and laundry facilities on site. Another recommended property is Villa Sabrina Relais rated 8.8/10, which provides cots, bar and restaurant on site. To see more modern hotels go here.

Sorrento Boutique Hotels

Budapest

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Budapest, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 17 boutique options. Danubius Hotel Astoria City Center (rating: 8.0/10) is the top Budapest property with free shuttle bus service, concierge service and a business centre. Guests can book an air-conditioned and soundproof room with a balcony, WiFi and soundproof windows for about 128US$ per night. Another recommended property is Atrium Fashion Hotel rated 7.8/10, which provides a tennis court, 24-hour room service and aerobics classes on site. Sb Hotel rated 7.8/10: a 3-star hotel at the cost of 60US$ per night. Ambra Hotel, City Hotel Ring and Jagello Business Hotel are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Budapest. Go here to find out more modern accommodations.

Budapest Boutique Hotels

Cannes

For those searching for a stylish accommodation in Cannes, you have 22 boutique deals to choose from. Five Seas Hotel with rating 8.8/10 is a perfect 5-star option with prices from 57US$ per night. Its set a 10-minute walk from the landmark and provides an outdoor swimming pool, newspaper service and cots. Customers can also enjoy fitness classes and fitness club on site. Hotel Le Canberra with rating 8.2/10 is a stylish accommodation with a business centre and a work desk for 109US$ per night. Hotel Chateau De La Tour rated 7.4/10: a 4-star hotel at the cost of 269US$ per night. Okko Hotels Centre, Hotel Colette Centre and Novotel Suites Centre are some of our most popular boutique hotels in Cannes. To see more modern hotels go here.

Cannes Boutique Hotels

Tallinn

For guests searching for a modern hotel in Tallinn, luxury-hotels-in.com has more than 22 boutique options. Offering train station pick-up service, housekeeping service and dry cleaning/laundry, Cru Hotel rated 8.4/10 is a modern Tallinn hotel with prices from 47US$ per night. It is located 1.1 km from Kiek in de Kok and Bastion Passages Museum. Savoy Boutique Hotel rated 8.2/10 is a stylish hotel with quiet, comfortable 
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27) - A Canada-based couple is spreading the holiday cheer in their local community through the traditional "parol" - a star-shaped Christmas lantern common in many Filipino households.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' New Day on Wednesday, Ilonggo couple Jemlyn and Melita Demegillo shared how they started their parol business, 6,000 miles away from home.

"Nag-start ako para lang sa amin. Gumawa ako ng parol para lang sa amin. Naka-hang lang 'yan dyan sa porch, nakita ng ibang Pilipinong kababayan natin so sabi nila sa akin kung pwede ko silang magawan ng parol," Jemlyn said.

[Translation: I only started creating one for our household. I only hung it in our porch, then our kababayans saw it and asked me to make one for them too.]

Using Chinese bamboo and yarn, Jemlyn and Melita started running their lantern business last year, helping each other in creating the lanterns, which would then be adorned with different colors and designs.

"Hindi ako marunong maggawa ng parol but 'yung husband ko is the one making it, so katulong ako sa kanya sa pag gawa ng dekorasyon, palamuti," Melita said.

[Translation: I don't know how to make a parol by myself but since my husband is the one making it, I help him with the decorations.]

It usually takes three days for the couple to finish one lantern, but with their booming business, they still have dozens of orders to complete ahead of the holidays.

"Madami talaga. Sa ngayon, ang mga pending orders namin aabot ng 50 yata (We've got so many orders. Right now, I think our pending orders have reached 50)," Jemlyn said.

The septuagenarian couple - who both survived cancer a few years back - also briefly shared their transition to a healthier lifestyle with the help of their family.

"Of course, (we managed) with the help of our children, they are all nurses," Melita said.

"Continue praying, and just think positive. Follow the order of doctor, sleep well," Jemlyn added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27)  Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Wednesday ordered the relief of the Manila Bay Task Force ground commander as the agency investigates the overcrowding at the dolomite beach.

Deputy Executive Director Jacob Meimban of the Manila Baywalk Coordinating Office will be replaced by DENR official and retired Army general Reuel Sorilla to oversee the enforcement of COVID-19 protocols.

Cimatu said DENR will investigate how 121,000 visitors were able to enter the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach on Oct. 24  breaching the allowed number of guests set by the Inter-Agency Task Force.

While the secretary believes Meimban did a good job of averting a possible disaster because the footbridge leading to the dolomite beach gate started creaking due to possible overcapacity so he allowed visitors to enter for five minutes, he thinks a retired general could ensure it won't happen again in the future.

"Ang aking nakita dito is the enforcement. We have plans, we anticipated it, but nagsobra pa din. That's the reason why I am putting somebody to head the enforcement and become the ground commander for the action to be corrected in the future," he said in a media briefing.

[Translation: We saw the problem was with the enforcement. We have plans, we anticipated it, but there was still an overflow.]

DENR is carrying out several changes to prevent another instance of overcrowding and possible COVID-19 superspreader event at the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach. Children under 12 years old are not allowed to enter, an appointment-based system will be enforced, and the closure of the tourist attraction on Undas.

The agency said the reopening of the man-made beach after Nov. 3 remains unsure since they want to prioritize improving the water quality in the area.

"We will conduct meetings para malaman kung bubuksan pa ulit ito after November 3 o kung tuloy-tuloy nang isasara for the Phase 2," he said.

[Translation: We will conduct meetings to decide if we will open it after Nov. 3 or it will remain to be closed for the second phase of the rehabilitation.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27)  The country's daily average COVID-19 cases could drop to below 2,000 by end-November, the independent OCTA Research group said Wednesday.

In a tweet, OCTA fellow Guido David noted that the seven-day average of new cases is down to 4,848 on Oct. 20 to 26 from 6,909 on Oct. 13-19.

He added cases were this low on March 12 to 18, with the same average.

Based on current trends, the 7-day average of new cases could decrease to less than 2,000 by end of November, he said.

David said the coronavirus reproduction number is at 0.52. A reproduction number higher than one indicates significant community transmission.

The Department of Health earlier said that the country is now classified as low-risk for COVID-19, even as the use of intensive care unit beds nationwide remains at moderate level.

In another tweet, OCTA said Cebu City is now classified as very low-risk" for COVID-19.

Researchers noted that the city's average daily attack rate is at 1.72 per 100,000 people per day and its reproduction number is 0.42. It added that the health care utilization rate is 19%, which is also considered low.

Cebu City is part of the NCR Plus Eight bubble. It also group Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Pampanga, Batangas, and Davao City.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Bulacan, Batangas, and Davao City are classified as low-risk for coronavirus infections, OCTA said.

However, Laguna and Pampanga are still classified as moderate-risk due to testing positivity rates higher than 10%, which is at 13% and 11%, respectively.

Once the positivity rate drops to 10%, Laguna and Pampanga will likely be classified low risk as well, said OCTA.
(CNN)  If China were to seize one of Taiwan's outlying islands, the US would have few good options to respond without risking a major escalation and a war between the superpowers, according to the conclusions from a recent war game conducted by foreign policy and defense experts.

The scenario, outlined in a report from the Center for a New American Security, began with China using military force to take control of Dongsha, a tiny atoll in the South China Sea between Taiwan and Hong Kong, where approximately 500 Taiwanese troops are stationed.

This type of limited aggression could be a precursor to the seizure of other islands near Taiwan or an outright invasion of the democratically governed island as Beijing seeks to test and prod Washington's resolve to defend Taiwan.

But once China has established its own military footprint on Dongsha and removed the Taiwanese troops, the US had no credible way to compel China to return the island to the control of Taipei, the report states. Economic sanctions took too long to produce effects and appeared too weak to influence China's decision-making, while any military action risked an escalation to war, which both the US and Taiwan want to avoid if possible.

Instead, the report stressed the need for a multilateral approach, suggesting the US, Taiwan, Japan and others work to deter China from seizing the island in the first place.

"The United States and Taiwan must begin coordinating today to build a credible deterrent against limited Chinese aggression or coercion toward Taiwan," the authors wrote. In every scenario, cooperation with Japan was critical to establishing an effective deterrent.

Tensions increasing

Beijing has ramped up military pressure on the island in recent weeks and Taiwan's defense minister earlier this month made a dire prediction: by 2025, China will be able to mount a "full-scale" invasion of Taiwan. The war game focused on an invasion of Dongsha in 2025.

Last week, US President Joe Biden stated that the US was committed to coming to Taiwan's defense if it comes under attack from China -- remarks that seemed in opposition to America's stated policy of "strategic ambiguity."

Asked twice during a CNN town hall whether the US would protect Taiwan if China attacked, Biden said it would.

"Yes, we have a commitment to do that," he said.

A White House official attempted to clarify Biden's comments on Taiwan after the town hall, saying the President was "not announcing any change in our policy and there is no change in our policy" in his remarks about China and Taiwan.

The US provides Taiwan defensive weapons but has remained intentionally ambiguous on whether it would intervene militarily in the event of a Chinese attack. Under the "One China" Policy, the US acknowledges China's claim of sovereignty over Taiwan.

But the issue is a major focus for the administration and China's plans for Taiwan are among the "preeminent issues" for the CIA's new China Mission Center, a newly-created body focused exclusively on gathering and analyzing intelligence on Beijing, CIA Deputy Director David Cohen said at an intelligence conference this week.

Intelligence officials have not yet seen anything to suggest that China is preparing a military invasion, according to people familiar with the assessments.

Cohen, speaking virtually to a conference in Sea Island, Georgia, said agency analysts are trying "to understand precisely how [Chinese president] Xi Jinping, who is fundamentally the decision maker on this issue, how he is thinking about Taiwan," both "in relation to the [20th Chinese Communist Party Congress]" in 2022 and "in relation to the comparative strength of Chinese military and US military."

The goal is to provide policy makers with "indicators" for a possible invasion  the factors that are driving Chinese decision-making  so US policymakers can determine the best course of action.

"There's a series of number-one issues with China," Cohen said. "Taiwan is definitely one of the number one issues with China we are focused on."

Former intelligence officials also speaking at The Cipher Brief conference suggested that an abrupt military takeover of Taiwan was unlikely, but that China would more likely follow the model used by Russia in its 2014 annexation of Crimea: a slow-rolling, undercover takeover at first followed by more overt military movements to solidify the reality on the ground.

Xi has also "undoubtedly concluded it is to his advantage when he decides to move on to Taiwan to coordinate those activities with Russians to complicate the United States problem with dealing with multiple crises," said Mark Kelton, a former CIA deputy director.

'Taiwan is going to be a test'

"Taiwan is going to be a test," said Norm Roule, former National Intelligence Manager on Iran. "Our resolve on China on Taiwan should be in question. People should say, 'If you didn't stand for Afghanistan, will you stand for other countries?'"

China has shown a broad willingness to test that resolve. Within the last few weeks, China has been sending record numbers of military aircraft into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ), including fighter jets and early warning aircraft. The incursions did not violate Taiwan's airspace, which extends 12 nautical miles from the coast, but signaled a clear message about Beijing's intent.

"With the daily incursions into the air identification zone surrounding Taiwan, Xi is clearly signaling and testing Western resolve," said the CIA's former Deputy Director for Counterintelligence, Mark Kelton, at the conference.

On Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for Taiwan's "meaningful participation" in the United Nations, hailing the island as a "democratic success story." Even though Taiwan could participate as something less than a full member state, any such move to recognize Taipei would anger Beijing, which has made clear it views Taiwan as part of China.

"The fact that Taiwan participated robustly in certain UN specialized agencies for the vast majority of the past 50 years is evidence of the value the international community places in Taiwan's contributions. Recently, however, Taiwan has not been permitted to contribute to UN efforts," he said in a statement.

China's strenuous objections have kept Taiwan out of international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). The US has maintained a policy of strategic ambiguity on Taiwan, declining to recognize the island's independence while also refusing to recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan.

"Taiwan's exclusion undermines the important work of the UN and its related bodies, all of which stand to benefit greatly from its contributions," Blinken said.
(CNN)  The daughter of a former top Saudi intelligence official has told CNN that representatives of the Saudi government attempted to lure her to the same consulate where Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in Istanbul, as part of a series of threats against her and her family.

Hissah Al-Muzaini, the daughter of former Saudi official Saad Aljabri, told CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday that the kingdom encouraged her to go to the "consulate in Istanbul. They tried to encourage me to go there."

"I'm lucky I didn't go or else my kids wouldn't have a mum and dad," she said.

Al-Muzaini's family has previously made this allegation in a civil suit filed earlier this year. According to the suit, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "attempted to lure Dr. Saad's daughter, Hissah Al-Muzaini to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul." At the time of writing, the Saudi government had not responded to CNN's request for comment on the claim.

Her father Saad Aljabri is currently waging a civil lawsuit in Washington, DC, alleging that bin Salman, also known as MBS, sent a hit team to target him in Canada where he and his daughter live in exile, and that the men involved were intercepted and deported by authorities at Ottawa's international airport.

In a CBS interview aired Sunday, Aljabri  who had previously served as an adviser to former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef before he was deposed in 2017  repeated those allegations against Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud, the now de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, and claimed that he has wrongly imprisoned two of Aljabri's children, Sarah and Omar, in Saudi Arabia.

Aljabri's two adult children were convicted of money laundering and attempting to escape, and sentenced to prison in what Human Rights Watch called an "unfair" trial that was "an apparent effort to coerce" Aljabri to return to Saudi Arabia.

Speaking to Amanpour, Al-Muzaini reiterated her father's allegations and also claimed that her husband has been abducted. "We've been living a real-life nightmare for the past four years," she said. "Imagine yourself, your dad has been targeted with hit squads, your siblings (have been) imprisoned and accused of things they've never done ... your husband being imprisoned, kidnapped and then tortured."

Al-Muzaini's husband, Salem, was arrested last year, according to Reuters. Al-Muzaini told Amanpour that her husband had previously been "forced under torture to sign off all his assets and wealth in order for his freedom" after being detained in Riyadh's Ritz-Carlton in 2017. MBS had detained around 200 Saudi royals, officials and business executives in the name of an anti-corruption campaign at the time.

The current treatment of her husband and siblings was part of what Al-Muzaini described as a "personal vendetta that MBS has" against her father. Referring to bin Salman, she said he "fears ... what my dad knows," and that the information her father has may present a barrier between bin Salman and the throne.

"We live in fear. We always look over our shoulder. We don't feel safe. I don't know how we can feel safe when people like this are chasing family members and sending hit squads and killing people in embassies and consulates."

CNN has repeatedly reached out to the Saudi Embassy in Washington and the Saudi Foreign Ministry regarding Al-Muzaini's claims but no one was available to comment at the time of writing.

In a statement provided to CBS, the Saudis denied the allegations and called Aljabri "a discredited former government official with a long history of fabricating and creating distractions to hide the financial crimes he committed, which amount to billions of dollars, to furnish a lavish life-style for himself and his family."

In January, a number of Saudi state-owned companies alleged in a counter lawsuit in Canada that Aljabri had embezzled billions of dollars while he served as a government official. A Canadian court  citing evidence of fraud  has subsequently frozen Aljabri's assets. When pressed on this development, Al-Muzaini said "my dad denied all the allegations and the lawsuit is still ongoing."

"I'm a proud daughter and what I know is the method that they are taking by involving family members, kidnapping, torturing, imprisoning, is not the right way that governments should act. That's what I know," she said.

Al-Muzaini was speaking to Amanpour from Washington and made a public appeal to President Joe Biden "to intervene and help us save and reunite our family."

"We will only feel safe when MBS has been prevented from doing what he's doing," she added.

This story was first published on CNN.com "'We live in fear:' Daughter of former Saudi official says kingdom attempted to lure her to consulate in Istanbul"
(CNN)  A young, popular royal finds love with a commoner. The relationship sparks a tabloid frenzy, and the royal struggles with their mental health. Eventually, the couple marry and leave palace life behind for a fresh start in the US. Royal watchers might think they know this story -- but it's not the one you're thinking of.

On Tuesday, Japan's Princess Mako -- a niece of Emperor Naruhito -- wed her lawyer fiance, Kei Komuro, in a ceremony that was distinctly lacking in the usual bells and whistles.

When you think of royal nuptials, you tend to think of all-out celebrations complete with a lavish public ceremony, thousands of well-wishers lining the streets, and a country caught up in wedding fever. But that wasn't quite the case here.

In fact, it was perhaps as low-key as a wedding can get -- the couple submitted their registration at a local ward office in Tokyo and followed it later with a short news conference.

This muted affair also marked the end of Mako's time as a royal. The newlyweds are expected to move to New York City, where Komuro works at a law firm.

While some may draw comparisons between the couple and the British royal family, the parallels are somewhat superficial.

Sure, it's become fairly routine these days for royals to find their "happily ever after" with commoners. In the Windsor clan alone, we've seen the Queen's sister Princess Margaret marrying photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, William and Kate and, of course, Harry and Meghan. But marrying a non-royal has also been accepted in wider European royal monarchies: Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik wed marketing executive Mary Donaldson, and Spain's then-Crown Prince Felipe married former CNN+ anchor Letizia Ortiz.

And yes, exiting a royal family after falling for a commoner -- one disapproved of by some -- bears a resemblance to the Sussexes. Harry and Meghan famously stepped back as working royals, in favor of a new life in California, but don't expect the Japanese newlyweds to follow suit.

"British royal family members grow up among great wealth. And they also spend a lot of time directly raising money for charitable causes, so know how it works," says Ken Ruoff, director of the Center for Japanese Studies at Portland State University. "So when Harry and Meghan went to the US, by telling various stories about the royal family, they managed to make millions and millions of dollars, all the while draping themselves in feel-good, left-wing causes."

Ruoff says Mako's departure is a "dramatic exit" but thinks they'll opt for a quieter life now they've tied the knot. "I think what's going to happen is they're just going to disappear."

While there are definitely surface level comparisons, Tuesday's not-so-royal wedding in Japan is more nuanced. Most importantly, Mako is not choosing to give up her royal title. She is losing it because of Japan's centuries-old strict imperial law.

The 30-year-old isn't the first Japanese princess to swap the palace for a more ordinary life. Her aunt Sayako, the only daughter of former Emperor Akihito, was the last to do it in 2005 when she wed town planner Yoshiki Kuroda. But compared to that match, Mako and Komuro's union has faced an unusual level of vitriol from large swathes of the public.

It should have been a love story for the ages. The college sweethearts announced their plans to wed in 2017. Excitement initially rippled across Japan but the public's perceptions began to sour shortly afterwards.

The wedding -- originally planned for 2018 -- was delayed. Preparations for it have been plagued by public disapproval of the pair's relationship, and a media frenzy over a financial dispute involving Komuro's mother. The controversy even led some to paint Komuro as a gold-digger unfit for their beloved princess.

"There are so many doubts and misgivings about Kei Komuro and his mom, and people fear the image of the royal family will be sullied," says Kei Kobuta, a royal affairs YouTuber. Kobuta said many royal watchers view Mako like a sister or daughter, and believe she has made the wrong choice.

Many in Japanese society hold the world's oldest monarchy -- and particularly its women -- to mercilessly high standards that reinforce patriarchal values, says Kumiko Nemoto, a professor from the School of Business Administration at Senshu University in Tokyo, whose research focuses on gender.

"The Japanese public wants to feel affinity with the members of the imperial family, but they also want the family to follow gender roles and family norms where a woman, they believe, should obey the male authority in the family and the nation," she explains.

In projecting these extreme expectations -- which are reflective of a wider gender inequality that exists in the country -- onto the family, Nemoto says the public sometimes ends up demonizing those who they see as tarnishing the family's reputation. She says many saw Komuro's career in the US as selfish, and deemed his upbringing by a single parent as improper.

"Perhaps, because many Japanese man and woman continue to live their lives with the large constraints of gender roles or social pressure of traditional family and careers, they may think that a man and a woman should sacrifice themselves for the marriage and family," she adds.

Mikiko Taga, a Japanese royal journalist, tells CNN that Mako -- who has represented her family on official trips to Bolivia and Peru -- won over the public from an early age. "Her manners are impeccable. People viewed her as the perfect royal."

Japanese royals are also required to have a certain mystique about them, says Christopher Harding, a senior lecturer in Asian history at the University of Edinburgh. "There has been no attempt in Japan to create a 'media monarchy' in the way that has happened progressively in Britain. There is more deference and respect, although that doesn't stop some sections of the Japanese media from pursuing tabloid-style gossip stories," he says.

Those smears have taken a toll on the bride who was revealed to be suffering from complex post-traumatic stress disorder earlier this month. She's not the first of Japan's royal women to suffer the intense pressure of public scrutiny.

"The present Empress, Masako, has a well-documented history of struggles with her mental health. So too does her mother-in-law, Empress Emerita Michiko," adds Harding, who explores Masako's role in his book, "The Japanese: A History in Twenty Lives."

Harding says Masako married into the imperial family believing she could continue her diplomatic career. "The reality has been less kind, at least until recently. Masako found that her main duty was to produce an heir."

"Feminists in Japan, the United States and elsewhere were deeply disappointed, because they hoped that she might represent a fresh start," Harding continues. "The Japanese public are generally sympathetic to the toll on mental health that a royal role can involve. But there has also been suspicion that mental health diagnoses are used to deflect criticism, or cover up shortcomings."

"This was particularly the case with Masako," he adds. "She required rest, as part of her treatment, but some criticised her for shirking her duties, and letting her husband do all the work."

As a woman, Mako wasn't in line to the throne -- Japan's conservative and patriarchal succession law blocks that. Instead, her role in royal life was to assist her male relatives. But the rules haven't always been this way. Empresses have ruled Japan at various points over several centuries -- until they were barred in 1889.

Mako's departure will once again reignite the debate on whether imperial law should be amended to allow women who marry commoners to keep their royal titles as men do, and consequently bolster the dwindling line of succession.

For some, the idea of a so-called "empress regnant" on the Chrysanthemum throne is a barrier to modernizing the monarchy. But Harding says the real sticking point is the potential loss of patrilineal succession.

"Even when there have been empresses regnant in the past, the throne has always been passed down the male line," he explains. "Those in Japan who are keen to preserve Japanese tradition ... worry that if women are allowed on the throne then at some point in the future the country may well end with an emperor (or empress) whose mother is of imperial blood but whose father is not. This, for them, would be an intolerable rupture with the past."

(With reporting from CNN's Emiko Jozuka, Selina Wang and Junko Ogura in Tokyo and Nectar Gan in Hong Kong.)

DID YOU KNOW?

With Mako's departure, Japan's imperial family continues to shrink. There's currently only one young successor to the throne, Mako's brother, the 15-year-old Prince Hisahito.

Here's a look at how survival of the world's oldest dynasty rests on the shoulders of a schoolboy.

FROM THE ROYAL VAULT

We mentioned earlier that life as an Empress in Japan's Imperial Family isn't an easy ride. Going back into the CNN archives, we found this 2019 piece from international correspondent Will Ripley exploring the tough experience faced by Japan's Empress Michiko. Have a watch:

At a press event on Tuesday afternoon, Mako appeared alongside her husband in front of a selected group of reporters. The pair apologized for any trouble caused by their marriage while expressing gratitude to supporters.

---

Thanks for reading our special edition on Princess Mako's wedding. Let us know what you thought of the send and whether this is something you'd like to see more of in the future by emailing royalnews@cnn.com. Regular programming of Royal News returns this Friday!

--Max & Lauren

This story was first published on CNN.com Japan's Harry and Meghan? Not so much
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27)  Cebu Pacific announced on Wednesday that it will launch a direct flight from Manila to Camiguin starting next month.

The low-cost carrier said the Manila-Camiguin flights will be every Monday and Friday, beginning Nov. 15.

Camiguin is another underrated gem that we believe travelers will enjoy discovering," Cebu Pacific chief commercial officer Xander Lao said in a statement..

"At the same time, these direct connections will enable residents to fly to and from Cebu and Manila conveniently, be it for leisure or business purposes, Lao also said.

Meanwhile, it will also resume direct flights from Cebu to Camiguin every Tuesday and Saturday starting Nov. 9.

Tourists who wish to visit Camiguin are required to submit necessary documents such as health declaration form and proof of complete COVID-19 vaccination.

Furthermore, a negative RT-PCR test result is required and must be taken at least 72 hours before departure from Luzon or at least 48 hours before departure from the Visayas and Mindanao.

Moreover, tourists should also have a confirmed booking from an accredited hotel or a clearance from the municipal health officer if staying in a private home.

Travelers must create an account on cleancamiguinqr.com and upload there the necessary documents required.

An ID with QR code must be downloaded and saved for presentation before flight.

All tourists should take an antigen test on their fifth day in the island, Cebu Pacific said.

Camiguin is known as the "Island Born of Fire because of its seven volcanoes and the volcanic eruptions that formed the area.

It is also famous for its lanzones fruit.
(CNN)  A small group of ultra-wealthy individuals could help solve world hunger with just a fraction of their net worth, says the director of the United Nations' World Food Programme.

Billionaires need to "step up now, on a one-time basis", said David Beasley in an interview on CNN's Connect the World(https://edition.cnn.com/shows/connect-the-world) with Becky Anderson that aired Tuesday  citing specifically the world's two richest men, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.

"$6 billion to help 42 million people that are literally going to die if we don't reach them. It's not complicated," he added.

Tesla chief executive Musk has a net worth of nearly $289 billion, according to Bloomberg, meaning that Beasley is asking for a donation of just 2% of his fortune. The net worth of US billionaires has almost doubled since the pandemic began, standing at $5.04 trillion in October, according to progressive groups Institute for Policy Studies and Americans for Tax Fairness.

A "perfect storm" of several crises, such as climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic, mean many nations are "knocking on famine's door," Beasley said.

Half of the population of Afghanistan  22.8 million people  face an acute hunger crisis, according to a WFP report released Monday. Rampant unemployment and a liquidity crisis means the country is teetering on the edge of a humanitarian crisis and 3.2 million children under the age of five are at risk, the report concluded.

A series of new reports from the Biden administration issued a stark warning last week: The effects of climate change will be wide-reaching and will pose problems for every government.

Among the reports, the administration details how climate change is driving migration, the first time the US government is officially recognizing the link between climate change and migration. The WFP has warned about this swell of movement in the past, particularly in the "Dry Corridor" region in Central America.

"For example, take the United States and the region in Central America, the Dry Corridor, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua  just down in that area alone," said Beasley Tuesday. "We're feeding a lot of people down there and the climate is just changing with hurricanes and flash flooding; it's just devastating."

In Ethiopia, the WFP estimates that 5.2 million people are in urgent need of food assistance in the Tigray region, where Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has led a major offensive against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) since last year. Thousands of civilians have since been killed, while more than 2 million have been displaced.

Humanitarian organizations like the WFP have struggled to get supplies to those in need in the region, compounding the crisis.

"I don't know where they're getting the food from," said Beasley in the wide-ranging interview. "We're out of fuel. We're out of cash, in terms of paying our people and we are running out of money and we can't get our trucks in."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "2% of Elon Musk's wealth could solve world hunger, says director of UN food scarcity organization."
(CNN)  In public, Facebook has touted the resources it has dedicated to tackling Covid-19 and vaccine misinformation, even scolding US President Joe Biden for his harsh criticism of the company's handling of the issue. In doing so, it claimed that "more than 2 billion people have viewed authoritative information about COVID-19 and vaccines on Facebook, which is more than any other place on the internet."

But internal Facebook documents suggest a disconnect between what the company has said publicly about its overall response to Covid-19 misinformation and some of its employees' findings concerning the issue.

"We have no idea about the scale of the [Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy] problem when it comes to comments," an internal research report posted to Facebook's internal site in February 2021, a year into the pandemic, noted. "Our internal systems are not yet identifying, demoting and/or removing anti-vaccine comments often enough," the report pointed out.

Additional reports a month later raised concerns about the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy  which in some cases may amount to misinformation  in comments, which employees said Facebook's systems were less equipped to moderate than posts. "Our ability to detect vaccine hesitancy comments is bad in English and basically non-existent elsewhere," one of the March 2021 reports stated.

The documents were included as part of disclosures made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen's legal counsel. A consortium of news organizations, including CNN, has reviewed the redacted versions received by Congress.

The World Health Organization (WHO) began describing Covid-19 misinformation as an "infodemic" in the early stages of the pandemic last year, amid a flood of social media posts on conspiracy theories about the origins of the virus, dangerous advice about faulty treatments and unreliable reports on vaccines. The organization called on big tech firms to give it a direct line to flag posts on their platforms that could harm people's health.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted on Facebook on March 3, 2020, that his company was working with the WHO and other leading health organizations to help promote accurate information about the virus. At the time, there were only around 90,000 recorded cases globally and about 3,100 known deaths, most of them in China. Approved vaccines were still months away. But the company was already grappling with the spread of misinformation and myths about Covid-19.

"As our community standards make clear, it's not okay to share something that puts people in danger," Zuckerberg wrote. "So we're removing false claims and conspiracy theories that have been flagged by leading global health organizations."

He added that the company planned to give the WHO "as many free ads as they need for their coronavirus response along with other in-kind support," and would give "millions more in ad credits" to other authoritative organizations, too.

But a flood of comments raising questions and illegitimate concerns about vaccines on the platform meant that, in some cases, those organizations didn't want to take advantage of that free help. One of the March 2021 internal reports noted that the rate of vaccine hesitancy comments was so high on Facebook posts "that authoritative health actors, like UNICEF and the WHO, will not use free ad spend we are providing to them to promote pro-vaccine content, because they do not want to encourage the anti-vaccine commenters that swarm their Pages."

Facebook employees were concerned that while the company's AI systems were trained to detect misinformation in posts, the same wasn't true for comments, which may be more likely to have vaccine-hesitant content, documents show.

"The aggregate risk from [vaccine hesitancy] in comments may be higher than that from posts, and yet we have under-invested in preventing hesitancy in comments compared to our investment in content," another March 2021 report stated.

"One flag from UNICEF was the disparity between FB and IG," one comment on the report stated, "where they said this: 'One of the ways we manage these scenarios on Instagram is though pinning top comments. Pinning helps us highlight our top comment (which will almost always be a link to helpful vaccine information) and also highlight other top comments which are pro-vaccine.'"

UNICEF and the WHO did not respond to requests for comment.

A Facebook spokesperson said the company had made improvements on issues raised in the internal memos included in this report and said: "We approach the challenge of misinformation in comments through policies that help us remove or reduce the visibility of false or potentially misleading information, while also promoting reliable information and giving people control over the comments in their posts. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions to stopping the spread of misinformation, but we're committed to building new tools and policies that help make comments sections safer."

Among other efforts, Facebook  as well as fellow social media giants Twitter and YouTube  has added Covid-19 misinformation to its "strike policy" under which users can get suspended (and potentially removed) for posting violating content since the pandemic began. The platforms also started labeling content related to Covid-19 to direct users to information from authoritative sources.

Earlier this year it emerged that Facebook shelved the public release of a "transparency" report after it revealed that the most-viewed link on the platform in the first quarter of 2021 was a news article that said a doctor died after receiving the coronavirus vaccine, the New York Times reported.

Irresponsible and sensationalist news media coverage of purported dangers associated with Covid-19 vaccines also appear to be richly rewarded on Facebook. The internal February memo noted a tabloid story about vaccine deaths had been shared more than 130,000 times on the platform. The company's challenges have not only been tied to comments and news articles, however.

As of May last year, the "most active" civic groups in the United States "have been the hundreds of anti-quarantine groups in addition to the standard set that have been most active for months/years (Trump 2020, Tucker Carlson, etc.)," according to a May 18, 2020 post to Facebook's internal site.

The post's author wrote how these groups were rife with Covid-19 misinformation and noted that content from the groups were featuring heavily in the Facebook feeds of "the tens of millions of Americans who are now members of them."

A Facebook spokesperson told CNN the company had added new safety controls to groups since that internal May 2020 post.

In July 2021, Biden said platforms like Facebook were "killing people" with Covid-19 misinformation. Biden later backed away from that claim, but not before a Facebook executive published a strong rebuke of the President on the company's website.

"At a time when COVID-19 cases are rising in America, the Biden administration has chosen to blame a handful of American social media companies," Guy Rosen, Facebook vice president of integrity, wrote. "While social media plays an important role in society, it is clear that we need a whole of society approach to end this pandemic. And facts  not allegations  should help inform that effort."

He added that when Facebook sees misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines, "we take action against it," and pointed to research the company conducted with Carnegie Mellon that shows a great majority of US Facebook users had been or wanted to be vaccinated.

Still, the February 2021 internal report about the prevalence of vaccine-hesitant or anti-vaccine messages in Facebook comments suggested that "anti-vax sentiment is overrepresented in comments on Facebook relative to the broader population" in the United States and United Kingdom.

"This overrepresentation may convey that it is normative to be hesitant of the Covid-19 vaccine and encourage greater vaccine hesitancy," the report stated.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Facebook is having a tougher time managing vaccine misinformation than it is letting on, leaks suggest."
(CNN)  Facebook acknowledged to shareholders this week that it is facing "government investigations" related to the tens of thousands of pages of internal company documents leaked by whistleblower Frances Haugen.

"Beginning in September 2021, we became subject to government investigations and requests relating to a former employee's allegations and release of internal company documents concerning, among other things, our algorithms, advertising and user metrics, and content enforcement practices, as well as misinformation and other undesirable activity on our platform, and user well-being," the company said in its quarterly earnings filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The filing did not specify whether the government "investigations and requests" refer to known inquiries by the US Senate and UK Parliament, or to previously unconfirmed probes from federal agencies in the United States and from governments abroad.

Facebook declined to provide specifics on the disclosure. "We are always ready to answer regulators' questions and will continue to cooperate with government inquiries," spokesperson Andy Stone said in a statement to CNN Business.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is said to have begun "looking into" the whistleblower's disclosures, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. In particular, the agency is reportedly looking at whether Facebook might have violated its $5 billion settlement with the agency in 2019 over the company's data privacy practices.

Juliana Gruenwald of the FTC's Office of Public Affairs declined to comment, adding, "FTC investigations are nonpublic so we generally do not comment on whether we are investigating a particular matter."

Haugen, a former Facebook product manager who left the company in May, provided the documents as evidence to support at least eight complaints to the SEC alleging that Facebook had misled investors and the public about issues that surfaced internally. She also provided redacted versions of the documents to Congress. The leaked documents also formed the basis of the Wall Street Journal's "Facebook Files" series and, more recently, a host of reporting by a consortium of news organizations, collectively referred to as the "Facebook Papers." CNN is a member of the consortium.

The SEC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether it has launched an investigation based on Haugen's complaint and disclosures from another, anonymous former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower that emerged Friday.

The documents provide the deepest look yet at many of Facebook's biggest problems and how they've been discussed internally  unprecedented insight into the nearly $890 billion company, whose apps are now used by more than 3.6 billion people worldwide.

Facebook has aggressively pushed back on many of Haugen's claims and much of the reporting around the documents, which the company says mischaracterizes its research and efforts. "Yes, we're a business and we make profit, but the idea that we do so at the expense of people's safety or wellbeing misunderstands where our own commercial interests lie," a company spokesperson previously said in a statement.

Despite the disclosure  and the wave of critical news coverage of the company  it's not clear Facebook shareholders are concerned. After Facebook reported Monday that its quarterly profit had grown to more than $9 billion, the company's stock rose as much as 3% in after-hours trading.

Facebook shares are currently down nearly 11% since last month, but that may reflect investor concern about the impact of Apple's privacy changes on the social media giant's ad business.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Facebook says it's facing 'government investigations' related to whistleblower documents."
(CNN)  Crew members on the set of "Rust" used guns with live ammunition and engaged in a pastime called "plinking" hours before Halyna Hutchins was killed, founder and CEO of The Wrap, Sharon Waxman, told CNN's Don Lemon Monday night, citing information from an individual with knowledge of the set.

One of the guns used was later handed to actor Alec Baldwin, who fired the shot that killed Hutchins, 42, and injured director Joel Souza, The Wrap reported.

"There's this pastime that crew members sometimes do, it's called 'plinking,' and they go out into the rural areas and they shoot at beer cans. This is with live ammunition. We learned that this happened the morning of the day that Halyna Hutchins was killed," Waxman said.

Waxman told CNN that "plinking" is common when there's downtime during a shoot.

CNN has not been able to confirm The Wrap's reporting.

When asked by The Wrap for comment on this reporting, "Rust" producers referred back to their previous statement sent to media outlets, including CNN: "The safety of our cast and crew is the top priority of Rust Productions and everyone associated with the company. Though we were not made aware of any official complaints concerning weapon or prop safety on set, we will be conducting an internal review of our procedures while production is shut down. We will continue to cooperate with the Santa Fe authorities in their investigation and offer mental health services to the cast and crew during this tragic time."

The incident happened at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Thursday.

Souza, who was injured in the shoulder, told investigators the prop gun went off as Baldwin was practicing drawing his gun, according to an affidavit for a search warrant.

Souza spoke to investigators Friday, according to the affidavit released by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office on Sunday.

Souza told them Baldwin was "sitting in a pew in a church building setting, and he was practicing a cross draw," the affidavit said. A cross draw is when a shooter pulls the weapon from a holster on the opposite side of the body from the draw hand.

Souza was looking over Hutchins' shoulder "when he heard what sounded like a whip and then loud pop," according to the affidavit.

Souza also confirmed to an investigator that he heard the term "cold gun" on set, meaning the firearm should have been empty.

According to the warrant, Souza said three people had been handling the firearms for scenes -- they were checked by the armorer and first assistant director and then given to the actor using them.

The investigator said Souza was unaware of anyone on set being checked to see whether they had live ammunition on them before or after the scenes were filmed.

"The only thing checked are the firearms to avoid live ammunition being in them. Joel (Souza) stated there should never be live rounds whatsoever near or around the scene," the affidavit said.

Souza's representatives have not returned CNN's requests for comment.

No charges have been filed. The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office says it will discuss the case further in a news conference Wednesday.

Prior incidents reported on set

There were at least two accidental prop gun discharges on the "Rust" set in the days before the fatal shooting, according to multiple news reports.

The discharges occurred on October 16, when crew members accidentally fired two rounds after being told the gun was "cold," the Los Angeles Times reported, citing two crew members who reportedly witnessed the incident. It was not known whether the discharges included live rounds. No one was injured in the accidental discharges, The Wall Street Journal reported.

There were no complaints of unsafe conditions on the set of "Rust" sent to the Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (OHSB) in New Mexico, according to an email sent to CNN from the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED).

The armorer who prepared the prop gun used by Baldwin on Thursday was identified in search warrant documents as Hannah Gutierrez. She had recently finished work on her first project as head armorer, she said in a September podcast interview.

"I was really nervous about it at first," Gutierrez said of working as head armorer on the set of the movie "The Old Way," starring Nicolas Cage.

"I almost didn't take the job because I wasn't sure if I was ready, but doing it, like it went really smoothly," she said in an interview on the "Voices of the West" podcast, which is dedicated to the Old West.

Her work as armorer ranges from teaching actors how to wear a gun belt to aiming and shooting, she said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27) Amid reports that he is being eyed as a running mate of another aspirant, Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday maintained he will push through with his presidential bid in the 2022 polls.

While Im flattered of various camps seeking me to be their VP, it requires the presidency para magawa ang mga pangako ko sa mga mahihirap at sa mga nagsisikap na mula sa hirap (to fulfill my promises to the poor and those working their way from poverty), Pacquiao said in a statement.

Although I am touched and extremely honored, tuloy ang laban natin sa pagka-pangulo (our fight for the presidency continues), he added.

In a radio interview earlier in the day, Senator Imee Marcos bared that her brother Bongbong Marcos is eyeing a running mate from the Visayas or Mindanao, citing that her family already has the so-called solid north vote.

Marcos said their camp is also considering Pacquiao if the boxer-turned-lawmaker would be willing to slide down to the vice presidency.

Meanwhile, Senator Koko Pimentel, who co-leads a PDP-Laban faction with Pacquiao, also noted that the vice presidency is not on the latters radar.

The ticket must be ideologically consistent too. [Manny Pacquiao] and Marcoses are worlds apart in their analysis of what ails our country, Pimentel said.

Pacquiao formalized his presidential bid earlier this month, being the first hopeful to file his certificate of candidacy for next year's elections. He will be running alongside Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27) President Rodrigo Duterte urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to expedite the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines to aid the recovery of member countries from the pandemic.

Duterte made the call during his intervention at the 38th ASEAN Summit which was aired by state media on Wednesday.

"While we welcome and appreciate the support of our external partners, we as ASEAN community must be able to stand on our own," Duterte told fellow leaders.

"Hence, I urge the ASEAN Secretariat to expedite vaccine procurement through the COVID-19 Response Fund. If there are still available funds, then we should purchase more," he said.

Duterte also highlighted the proposal for the region's own vaccine research and production facilities, which he said would help in future health emergencies. He likewise called for the immediate establishment of the ASEAN Center on Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases.

The Philippines has received nearly 100 million coronavirus shots since February. Some were procured by the government and private sector while others were donated by countries  including the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and Japan.

Duterte, during the summits, also thanked the powerhouse nations for their assistance during the global health crisis.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27) - Motorists will soon be issued a driver's license that's valid for 10 years.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Wednesday said it will start rolling out the extended validity beginning Thursday, Oct. 28.

The rollout will initially be limited to its central office and its licensing center in Quezon City.

Other Metro Manila areas will be covered next week, and the rest of the country in the following days.

However, the LTO said only drivers with zero violations on file are entitled to a license good for ten years. Those who have breached traffic laws may only avail of a five-year renewal.

The agency also noted that motorists seeking to renew their licenses must first pass a comprehensive driver's education (CDE) program before submitting an application.

"Ito'y para sa mga magre-renew ng kanilang lisensiya, professional man o non-professional. Nire-require ito ng batas...na ang magre-renew kailangan dumaan sa parang refresher seminar," LTO chief Edgar Galvante told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Ngayon.

[Translation: This is for those who want to renew their license, whether it be professional or non-professional. The law requires them to go through a refresher seminar.]

To give drivers more time to comply with the CDE requirement, the agency said it is extending the validity of existing licenses by two months from the date of expiration.

"Ang payo namin, ay 'yung mga due na magre-renew niyan, huwag muna sila magpunta sa LTO kung hindi pa nila nakakamit 'yung certificate na...nagpapatunay na nagtapos na sila nung seminar na 'yon," Galvante added.

[Translation: We advise those who are due for renewal not to go to the LTO until they have the certificate to prove they have finished the seminar.]

The LTO said the CDE is being offered for free at all of its offices, as well as on its website and platforms, such as Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Meanwhile, the accompanying exam may be taken through the Land Transportation Management System portal, or at driver's education centers in select LTO offices.

The agency added that the course and the exam may also be taken at accredited driving schools where a fee will be charged.

Should a person fail to pass, they can retake the seminar as many times as needed, Galvante said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27)  Hundreds of thousands of the antiviral pill molnupiravir will arrive in the country in November.

In a briefing Wednesday, MedEthix  the first local importer to secure a compassionate special permit (CSP) on behalf of the first four grantees for molnupiravir  said there would be enough doses for 300,000 patients coming in next month.

"This is the first shipment that is coming by November. And on the availability or the volume that we have...from our supplier, that will cover around 300,000 patients. That's the volume that we have placed in order," said MedEthix co-founder Monaliza Salian.

These will be imported under a CSP requested by four hospitals from the Food and Drug Administration last September.

The medicine is expected to cost around 100 to 150 per each. A five-day treatment would around 40 capsules.

READ: Four hospitals get special permit for molnupiravir to treat COVID-19 patients

Earlier, MSD  the developer of molnupiravir  said clinical trials in the Philippines and other countries wrapped up after the initial study showed "stunning results." Locally, the drug was tested on 27 unvaccinated outpatients in two hospitals: the Lung Center of the Philippines and the Quirino Memorial Medical Center

The FDA said 31 hospitals and five pharmaceutical companies have been granted a CSP to use and import molnupiravir. A drug under a special permit didn't go through the rigorous checks by the FDA, and the doctor or hospital who applied for a CSP is responsible for the patients' safety.

Since molnupiravir has to be taken at the onset of COVID-19 infection, the FDA will let hospitals to stock up on their supplies based on the cap set in their special permits.

CNN Philippines' Carolyn Bonquin contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27)  Two poll watchdogs called for further adjustments to voting day guidelines, which are being finalized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The National Citizens' Movement For Free Elections (Namfrel) and the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) both saw the need for at least one more simulation activity to fine-tune health protocols following the first exercise at the San Juan Elementary School on Oct. 23.

Lente cited a turnout of just 11%, or barely 500 test voters out of 4,235 residents invited for the day-long dry run.

With a low voter turnout, we are unable to assess if the newly-introduced safety measures, such as the holding rooms and isolation polling place (IPP), are enough to ensure the health and safety of all election stakeholders, Lente said in a statement on Wednesday.

A single round of simulation is not enough to give us a clear picture of Election Day 2022," it also said, "and in the interest of democracy, public health and safety, we need to be prepared as much as we can.

Face masks and face shields must be worn at all times by voters and election staff, with the latter also required to wear surgical gloves for added protection.

Disinfection of frequently touched surfaces, as well as ballot markers, must also be done regularly during voting hours.

Meanwhile, Namfrel said Comelec should tap role players in a fresh trial session to see its planned IPP in action.

The IPP was unused in San Juan with no voter experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and needing to vote in the special precinct.

The civic group noted that poll workers deployed in the IPP wore face masks and face shields only and not protective gowns despite the threat of interacting with probable carriers of the coronavirus.

READ: Extend voting hours until 10 p.m., remove choke points to limit virus transmission - PPCRV

Waiting time

Namfrel also pointed out that there is room to further trim the voting time. A tally from the groups volunteers showed it took anywhere between five minutes to 44 minutes to complete the voting process.

Namfrel suggests to include in the information given to voters their sequence number on the list, and the room/building where the assigned clustered precinct may be found, to prevent voters from wandering around or getting lost inside the voting center," Namfrel national chairperson Augusto Lagman, a former Comelec commissioner, said in a letter to the poll body.

"This would be especially important if voters would be using rooms that are different from previous elections."

Lagman suggested that voters be informed of their assigned voting center and the specific location of their clustered precinct ahead, either through text, online, or physical copies of precinct assignments, before the May 9 polls.

The watchdogs also cited the time spent lining up at the voters assistance desk, as well as the retrieval of ballots from the precinct to be brought to the emergency accessible polling place (EAPP)  where senior citizens, persons with disability, and heavily pregnant women are assigned to vote  as choke points.

Any unnecessary extension of their waiting times increases their risk of exposure to COVID-19, Lente added.

READ: Lawmakers fear voting day could become superspreader event

Comelec should consider deploying additional support staff to man the lines and enforce physical distancing and usher voters who cannot find their assigned voting classroom, the groups pointed out.

Ballot secrecy issues

Namfrel and Lente flagged possible violations of ballot secrecy rules in the poll bodys proposed layout of precincts, especially in the three-room setup which requires a voter to shade his or her ballot in one classroom, hold on to the paper and wait in another room to feed it to the vote counting machine.

Comelec tried three layouts for precincts: One where all voting activities are done inside one room, another with one holding area and a separate voting room, and this three-room combination.

The 3-classroom set-up may contribute to crowd dispersal, but it may be vulnerable to illegal handling of election paraphernalia and vote-buying, Lente said. If there is a separate VCM room, the voter shall be allowed to exit the voting room with his ballot on hand.

Namfrel added that this configuration would give voters a chance to take a photo of their ballot, which is prohibited.

Ballot secrecy could also be violated whenever a member of the electoral board assists a voter, especially at the EAPP, and whenever the printed voting record is churned out by the machine.

Commissioner Marlon Casquejo told reporters over the weekend that Comelec is considering a second simulation in the first week of November if needed, this time in a smaller venue to see if the new rules are enough to prevent the elections from becoming a COVID-19 super spreader event.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27)  A faction of the ruling PDP-Laban party now wants President Rodrigo Duterte to run for senator in 2022 after the chief executive dropped an earlier plan to seek the vice presidency.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who leads a faction of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, was quoted in a press statement released on Wednesday, saying the party has been trying to convince Duterte to run for the Senate.

He said should Duterte heed their suggestion, he could also serve as the campaign manager for the tandem of Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa and Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go.

Cusi believes the President is the "best" fit for the job and that he would help boost the Bato-Go tandem's chances in next year's polls.

Dela Rosa has filed his candidacy for president, but there are speculations that he would be replaced before the Nov. 15 substitution deadline. Go, meanwhile, is running for vice president.

Duterte, who sits as chairman of the PDP-Laban Cusi wing, initially accepted his party's nomination, but later withdrew from the vice presidential race, saying he was retiring from politics. He was then replaced by Go.

"If the President would not run (for vice president) because he is firm on his decision not to go back on his word, I said, why not run for the Senate, so he could bring change there? That will be good for the country," Cusi said.

He added Duterte, who has been launching attacks against the Senate due to its investigation into the government's controversial procurement of pandemic supplies, "can continue to push all the reforms needed in the legislature."

The PDP-Laban earlier said it was considering substitutions in its senatorial slate, but it did not mention who among its current candidates might be replaced.

Cusi also said the party was still open to fielding a Go-Duterte tandem, which was its original choice, but that it was leaning on supporting the team-up of Dela Rosa and Go.

"What is good is that we will offer to the public [candidates] for president and vice president, who both believe in the program of government that we are pushing," he said, referring to the administration's "Build, Build, Build" projects, among others.

While the Cusi wing admitted Dela Rosa has so far not led election surveys, "it doesn't mean he can't catch up."

"Based on our studies and the recent surveys that we are seeing, his future is looking bright," it said.

On Monday, Dela Rosa met with presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte to "remind" her of the substitution deadline, which happens in over two weeks.

The PDP-Laban standard bearer has repeatedly said he would give way to the presidential daughter if she eventually seeks the highest position.

Dela Rosa and Mayor Duterte's meeting comes two days after the latter met with another presidential aspirant, former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr, which fueled speculations for a potential BBM-Sara tandem.

CNN Philippines' Correspondent Eimor Santos contributed to this report.
(CNN)  Southern Italy is bracing for two more days of devastating rain and flash flooding, as a 'medicane' storm that has deluged streets and killed two people continues to barrel through the region.

Sicily's President Nello Musumeci confirmed the deaths and said a third person was missing late on Tuesday, while the mayor of the city Catania urged residents to stay home if possible.

"We have been through two very difficult days. We have lived through dramatic hours," mayor Salvo Pogliese said in a video posted to his Facebook page. He said the weather was "definitely better" on Wednesday, but warned the forecast for Thursday and Friday remained "particularly worrying."

Red warnings have been issued for Wednesday and Thursday on the island of Sicily and the region containing the city of Catania, which has already been pummeled by adverse weather throughout the week.

The storm comes as global leaders prepare to gather in Rome, Italy's capital, for a G20 summit. Climate concerns are high on the agenda at the event, which will be immediately followed by a critical COP26 meeting in Scotland.

The medicane  a hurricane-like storm system that formed over the Mediterranean Sea  has dumped one year's worth of rain on the Linguaglossa region in the space of two days, according to climatological data in the nearby city of Catania.

The storm is forecast to linger around the area until the weekend, with more rain expected. Schools and non-essential shops and offices are ordered to stay closed until Friday in Catania.

Over 600 rescue operations have been carried out in Catania in the past day, the interior ministry said Wednesday in a press release.

"The event is not over. Now there is a moment of attenuation, but our weather models tell us it will be back. Complicated hours await us in this area. We expect a significant worsening from Thursday to Friday," the head of civil protection Fabrizio Curcio said at a press conference in Catania.

Regional governor Nello Mosumeci described the situation as "very critical" and described the scenes seen across Catania and its province as "atrocious."

"Roads have been turned into streams" and "countryside into lakes, entire isolated districts and hundreds of flooded houses, incalculable damage to buildings and crops: Eastern Sicily is experiencing a phenomenon that we fear, unfortunately, will be less and less sporadic, with tragic scenarios destined to repeat itself," he said Tuesday on his official Facebook page.

Medicanes occur around twice a year, usually between September and December.

This system is not expected to threaten the G20 talks in Rome, but adds further urgency to the ongoing effort of several countries to commit the world to tougher climate change targets.

Science shows that human-made climate change is making extreme weather events, including heavy rainfall, more frequent and intense. The climate crisis is also contributing to swings between drought and floods in many places, including parts of the United States, like California, as well as the Middle East and Africa.

As the Earth's atmosphere gets warmer, it can hold more moisture, which is why the world is experiencing heavier bursts of rain that it historically has. But the climate crisis is also creating longer dry spells, or drought, which leaves land and soil so dry that it can't absorb the rain as effectively as usual. This combination makes flooding more likely, and often more destructive.

This story was first published on CNN.com "'Medicane' storm tears through southern Italy, flooding streets and leaving two dead"
Editor's note: Sonia Pruitt is a retired Montgomery County, Maryland, police captain. She is the founder of The Black Police Experience, which promotes the education and history of the intersection of law enforcement and the Black community. She is also an assistant professor of criminal justice at Montgomery College in Maryland. The opinions expressed in this commentary are her own. View more opinion at CNN.

(CNN)  I was waiting in line at the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) in Maryland this summer when I noticed two state troopers posted inside. Despite a mask mandate in Prince George's County, neither wore a face covering.

Out of curiosity, I called the Maryland State Police headquarters and asked a sergeant if their troopers are required to follow the COVID-19 protocols of the counties in which they work. The sergeant replied the troopers were state employees, and there was not a statewide mask mandate in place.

When I pointed out it was only reasonable to comply with the county rules, particularly when everyone else in the MVA was masked amid a Delta variant surge, the sergeant simply told me to take it up with the governor.

We have seen police officers resist COVID-19 precautions elsewhere in this country. Last week, a commuter in New York City said he was forcibly removed from a subway station when he asked two NYPD officers why they weren't masked. In Chicago, a vaccine mandate dispute between Mayor Lori Lightfoot and police union President John Catanzara has been so fraught it's brought national attention.

COVID-19 has become the leading cause of death among police officers in the US. Since the start of the pandemic, 476 police officers have died from the coronavirus  about five times the number of deaths from gunfire in the same period. Despite these figures, many police officers have resisted the guidance of public health experts touting the importance of masks and vaccines.

While the reasons officers are refusing to be vaccinated parallel those found in the nation at large  distrust of science, belief that it impinges on civil rights and misinformation about the vaccines  another cause is deeply embedded within police culture: the politics of police unions.

Those politics lean strongly to the right and have historically been a roadblock for accountability and change in policing. And today, those politics are fed by an unimaginably large COVID-19 misinformation machine built during the last presidency. This misinformation has taken on a life of its own and is being spread through conservative news outlets, radio shows, and social media. The disinformation campaign has apparently now taken root in policing, where even a life-saving vaccine is fair game for attack.

Given that most law enforcement work for government entities  either local, state, or federal  it is right to expect police officers follow the rules of their employers as long as they are reasonable. A rule founded in protecting public health is more than reasonable; it is necessary. Rather than inserting themselves as power movers in the politics of the day, or backing their members' right to endanger themselves and others, police unions opposing vaccine mandates should be working to protect the health and wellness of officers and the public those officers serve.

In New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio has issued a vaccine mandate for city employees with an end of the month deadline. As of October 20, roughly 30% of police officers weren't vaccinated, and on Monday, the Police Benevolent Association of New York filed a lawsuit in protest of the vaccine requirement.

In Los Angeles, the County Sheriff has said he will not enforce the county's vaccine mandate. And back in Chicago, the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police has filed a lawsuit alleging the mayor, police superintendent, the city, and the police department failed "to comply with the collective bargaining agreement's status quo."

The scientific evidence is strong: the COVID-19 vaccine is the most effective way of protecting against severe illness or death. In light of police departments across the country losing officers to the coronavirus, police unions should encourage vaccination for all members out of concern for their safety.

It's the same philosophy behind the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requiring employers to offer the Hepatitis B vaccine to workers at risk of exposure, such as police officers. The vaccine can prevent liver scarring or failure, and even liver cancer in its most extreme cases. Where is the police outrage over this effort, similarly intended to mitigate the spread of the disease?

Instead of resisting vaccine mandates, police unions should honor their colleagues by encouraging them to protect themselves, their families, and the public they serve from COVID-19's harmful effects. Rather than police officers turning in their boots, they should consider turning in their police union membership cards.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Why are cops fighting vaccine mandates?"
(CNN)  Sudan has descended into crisis after the military dissolved the country's power-sharing government and declared a state of emergency on Monday.

The move has crushed hopes for a peaceful transition of power following the ousting of former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019.

Here's what you need to know:

What's going on in Sudan?

Sudan had been ruled by an uneasy alliance between the military and civilian groups since 2019. But on Monday, the military effectively took control, dissolving the power-sharing Sovereign Council and transitional government, and temporarily detaining Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

Sudan's top general, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said that the agreement with civilian members of the country's transitional sovereign council "became a conflict" over the past two years, "threatening peace and unity" in Sudan. Several articles of the constitution have been suspended and state governors removed, Burhan also said.

PM Hamdok and his wife, as well as multiple government ministers and officials, were detained on Monday, and later returned to their residence on Tuesday, according to a source with Sudan Prime Minister Office and a military source.

It was not clear whether Hamdok and his wife are able to move freely after they returned to their home, or whether other government ministers and officials are also let go or still detained.

However, key opposition leaders also were swept up Tuesday in a new wave of arrests, including the younger brother of Sudan's foreign minister, pro-democracy sources told CNN.

Who is Burhan?

Sudan's top general, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, is behind the military takeover.

Born in Sudan's River Nile state in 1960, Burhan served as inspector general of the Sudanese armed forces and was its third most senior general, Reuters reported. But he was largely unknown in public life before he became chief of the Sovereign Council, a hybrid civilian-military body set up to guide Sudan to democracy. As leader of the council, he served as head of state for the last two years.

Burhan was supposed to relinquish control of the council to a civilian leader in the next few weeks. Instead, he dissolved the council, saying in a televised statement that he would hold elections in July 2023 and hand over to an "independent and fair representative government" then.

On Tuesday, Burhan said the military had presented the deposed civilian government with options to evade a political deadlock, but they were rejected.

How did the current troubles start?

When Bashir was ousted in a 2019 coup, ending his brutal three-decade-long rule, Sudan's military leadership assumed control to oversee the transition of power, forming the Transitional Military Council.

But the council was strongly opposed by a pro-democracy movement which called instead for civilian rule. After a weeks-long standoff, the two sides agreed to form a Sovereign Council that would govern "for the next three years or a little longer."

Under the deal struck in July 2019, the military council would be in charge of the country's leadership for the first 21 months. A civilian administration would then rule the council over the following 18 months.

But it has proved to be a shaky alliance. The triumphant mood that swept the nation after Bashir's removal has soured, with tensions between the two sides mounting as they fought to maintain control over the nation's future.

Did the coup come as a surprise?

Not entirely. Adam Hireika, an aide to Hamdok, told CNN the premier was aware of the army's plans and had been under pressure to dissolve the government.

Hireika said he visited Hamdok on Sunday evening where he discussed the current state of affairs. He said Hamdok had just met with Burhan.

On Monday, the Information Ministry said Hamdok had been under pressure to release a statement "in support of the takeover." Instead, it said, he called on pro-democracy protestors take to the streets in peaceful protest.

Why is it happening?

Tensions had been rising after some politicians, including Hamdok, pushed for a full transition to civilian rule by November 17, in keeping with the original transitional agreement.

The situation escalated last month, when a military coup d'etat attributed to forces loyal to Bashir failed, resulting in most of the officers involved being arrested.

In the weeks since, military leaders have been demanding reforms to the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) coalition and the replacement of the cabinet. Civilian leaders accused them of a power grab.

Throngs of Sudanese protesters took to the streets last Thursday, demanding that the 2019 transition deal be honored and calling for an elected government. There were also pro-military protests opposing the civilian government.

How has the international community reacted?

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the coup and called for the release of the prime minister and other officials, he said in a tweet Monday, adding that the UN would "continue to stand" with the people of Sudan.

At a press briefing, the White House said the Biden administration was "deeply alarmed" by events unfolding in Sudan, while the United Kingdom called the coup an "unacceptable betrayal of the Sudanese people."

The European Union has "strongly condemned" the coup and stressed the "serious consequences" for the EU's engagement with Sudan, including its financial support, unless the situation is reversed immediately.

Speaking to CNN on Tuesday, Sudan's Foreign Minister Mariam al-Sadiq called for further action from the international community. Al-Sadiq said that she expects "genuine action" from the UN security council on Sudan's military following the takeover. "Some of my colleagues were already in prison and we didn't know about their whereabouts," he said.

What does this mean for US aid?

The United States had high hopes for Sudan's transition to democracy and, in recent weeks, has attempted to avert a potential military takeover.

The US removed Sudan from its state sponsors of terror list last year and, in June, it supported a $50 billion debt relief package for the country. As tensions have escalated in recent weeks, the Biden administration has voiced its support for the civilian-led transition to democracy in Sudan, and emphasized any attempt by military actors to thwart it would have consequences on planned US assistance.

Over the weekend, the US sent its top regional envoy, Jeffrey Feltman, to Khartoum to discuss the democratic transition with Prime Minister Hamdok, Gen. Burhan and Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, urging for "all actors to recommit to working together" to implement the agreement. Just after his visit, the Sudanese military launched its takeover.

The White House on Monday condemned the coup and paused $700 million in emergency assistance to Sudan intended to support the democratic transition -- critical aid for a country grappling with a growing economic crisis.

What do the protesters want?

Thousands of protesters opposing the coup took to the streets of the capital, Khartoum, on Monday, some chanting: "We are walking holding worry in our hearts and worry sleeps in people's chests." They gathered in multiple locations.

The number of protesters killed in Sudan now stand at 8 with more than 140 injured since Monday protests started against a military takeover, three sources at the Ministry of Health and Sudan Central Doctors Committee, which is aligned with the civil component of the now-dissolved Sovereign Council, told CNN.

Videos on social media showed crowds of people making their way towards the military's General Command. Some could be seen removing razor wire that had been placed across a road amid reports of street closures in several parts of the city.

Supporters of civilian rule have also announced a program of civil disobedience and a strike in response to the military takeover, the Ministry of Information said on Facebook.

Where does this leave the democratic transition?

The military takeover threatens to derail Sudan's path to democracy, just as the country had begun to resurface after decades of autocratic rule, global isolation and crippling economic sanctions.

In just a few weeks, Sudanese people were poised to celebrate their first full civilian leadership in three decades. But now, the military has declared it will rule on its own, and it is unclear whether it will make good on its promise for a free election.

Burhan said Tuesday that the transitional period will still focus on creating a civilian government and claimed that the Sudanese military will not be involved in politics. "We only want to correct the path of the transitional phase," he said.

Where is Omar al-Bashir?

The chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague issued arrest warrants in 2009 and 2010 for Bashir on charges of genocide and war crimes related to Sudan's military campaign in Darfur between 2003 and 2008.

Earlier this year the government announced it would hand the former president over to the ICC, along with other officials wanted over the Darfur conflict.

The former president is currently in prison in Sudan; he was sentenced to two years for corruption and illegitimate possession of foreign currency in 2019. He also faces another trial in Sudan over his role in the 1989 coup which brought him to power.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "The military has taken over in Sudan. Here's what happened."
During Tuesdays regular meeting, the Platte County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution opposing 30-by-30, joining dozens of Nebraska counties to do so.

The 30-by-30 plan is a federal initiative by President Joe Bidens administration to conserve 30% of American land and water by 2030.

We just dont feel like we should be automatically setting aside 30% of our agricultural land to where it could not possibly be farmed, Board Chairman and District 2 Supervisor Jerry Micek said.  If you take 30% of agricultural land in Nebraska, thats a lot of farm income.

Gov. Pete Ricketts has been an opponent to the land preservation plan, calling it a land grab. He also said farmers and ranchers are the best conservationists and continuing to support them is the best way forward.

But supports say the initiative will be a response to increased climate change and loss of natural areas and wildlife.

According to a June 28 post about 30-by-30 on the U.S. Department of Interior's blog, the plan was based on scientists recommendation to preserve and reinstate a considerable portion of the planet to curtail the extinction crisis, safeguard water and food supplies, absorb carbon pollution, and reduce the risks of future pandemics and other global health emergencies.

Additionally, the federal government has not selected Nebraska as a primary target for conservation, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's Gap Analysis Project. It also showed most current protected areas are not in the Midwest.

Meanwhile, Platte County is now one of more than 60 Nebraska counties that oppose 30-by-30, according to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. The nearby counties of Boone, Butler, Nance and Stanton are just a few that have joined Ricketts in opposition to the initiative.

Platte County Register of Deeds Diane Kapels  who worked on the resolution with County Clerk Diane Pinger  presented the proposal opposing the conservation plan to the Board.

"I would ask you to make this resolution. It kind of puts a liability on the register of deeds in the counties," Kapels said. "If we do not have this resolution, if somebody brings in a conservation easement deed, we would have to record it. Once it's recorded, it's a record that we can't take back."

Micek agreed.

Once somebody filed something on a piece of property we would hope this resolution would always stay in the play, Micek said. That land could no longer be used for agriculture, for instance, if it was set aside under the proposal put out by President Biden.

Micek said he believes the proposal was an important choice.

I think the Board researched it enough, in my opinion, made the right decision based on all the information that we have so far, he said.

Andrew Kiser is a reporter for The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at andrew.kiser@lee.net.

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At a Columbus Rotary meeting on Tuesday at Hy-Vee, state Sen. Wendy DeBoer encouraged Columbus area residents to reach out to her with ideas and feedback.

DeBoer represents district 10 in the Nebraska Legislature, which covers the northwest part of Omaha.

District 10 used to cover all northwest Omaha and the City of Bennington, but that changed when the legislature finished redrawing its districts a few weeks ago according to the 2020 census.

"Now I have almost none of Bennington, so things have changed a little bit. Now when I introduce myself, instead of saying I'm from Bennington and northwest Omaha, now I say I'm from northwest Omaha," DeBoer said.

Even though she doesn't represent Columbus in the legislature, DeBoer encouraged the people of Columbus to reach out to her.

"I want to invite you all to write this  Omaha senator when you (in Columbus) have ideas, when you have solutions, when you think of something," DeBoer said. "...You have an excellent senator here in Mike Moser, but you can write me, too."

DeBoer began serving in the legislature in 2019 and is nearing the end of her first four-year term. She launched her reelection campaign later in the day on Tuesday, after the Rotary meeting.

At the meeting, DeBoer was introduced by Paul Schumacher, a former state senator who served Columbus's district 22 before the current senator, Mike Moser, was elected.

Schumacher touched on the need for bipartisanship when he introduced DeBoer, who -- unlike him -- is a Democrat. Schumacher mentioned recent discussions he's had on the "depth and dangers of the red and blue divide" in the United States.

"If we're going to get past this challenge, the leadership is not going to come from the old boys. It's going to come from the young (officials)," Schumacher said at the Rotary meeting. "When I was leaving the legislature, three rather remarkable young women showed up: Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, Sen. Megan Hunt and Sen. Wendy DeBoer. Wendy is becoming the intellectual course in the legislature and the conscience of the legislature and she has shown great leadership."

DeBoer covered a number of topics at the Rotary meeting, including prisons, rural broadband, school funding and Nebraska's shifting population. But, she said, the issue she wanted to spend the most time on was Nebraska's relational infrastructure.

"The bridges that go between me in Omaha and you in Columbus, that bridge between people who think differently, that bridge between all the chasms we find our society -- that's  starting to crumble," DeBoer said. "This is the most important infrastructure  our relational infrastructure."

DeBoer said that relational infrastructure grows when people speak face-to-face, especially about issues that might divide them, and stressed the importance of thoughtful civic engagement.

"Engagement from the public helps us," DeBoer said. "...There are 49 people in the (legislature)  but there are lot more brains outside of that room than are in the room. If we have the benefit of your knowledge, of your experience, that really helps us as we're trying to make our decisions. We've got to get that  relational infrastructure in place."

Molly Hunter is a reporter for The Columbus Telegram. Reach her via email at molly.hunter@lee.net.

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MACY  The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska said Tuesday it will start providing as much as $20,000 per household in housing assistance for tribal members who live on the reservation in Northeast Nebraska.

The tribe also announced it has purchased a combination grocery store, gas station and restaurant in Walthill.

About $1 million has been budgeted for the tribe's new Homeowner Assistance Fund Plan. In the first phase, eligible households would receive up to $2,000 in assistance to pay utility bills. In later phases, residents could qualify for up to $6,000 for mortgage assistance, up to $3,000 for delinquent property taxes and, eventually, as much as $10,000 in home-improvement assistance.

The direct assistance would be financed with the tribe's share of $41 million from the American Rescue Plan Act. The COVID-relief package passed by Congress in March also will finance the tribe's purchase of the Walthill grocery store, Heritage Foodtown. The purchase price was not disclosed at a news conference Tuesday in Macy.

Melissa Henscheid, housing director with the Omaha Tribe, said the tribe has been working on the new housing assistance program for months. The first phase, the utility assistance, is expected to begin in a week or so, while the subsequent phases will start at a later date.

Henscheid said at least 180 families living on the reservation should benefit from the assistance, though she acknowledged that figure is a "guesstimate."

The pandemic deepened the reservation's need for housing assistance, she said, particularly mortgage assistance. Meanwhile, utility bill assistance is probably going to be in high demand this winter, as prices for natural gas and other fuels are forecast to spike.

"I think our major part right now is going to be, like, furnaces and keeping people warm for the winter," Henscheid said.

The tribe has just shy of 7,000 members, of which between 2,000 and 3,000 live within the boundaries of the reservation, which lies mostly in Thurston County.

Mike Grant, planning director with the Omaha Tribe, said the now-tribal-owned grocery store in Walthill will help address the availability of fresh foods on the reservation, provide local jobs and spur economic development. The store will close temporarily Thursday night and is set to reopen next week under tribal ownership.

Grant said the tribe is looking at building a second grocery store in Macy, where the tribal offices are located.

"What we want to do is, we want to start our own brand of grocery stores and have that be a part of our economic development," he said.

The roughly 7,500-square-foot store in Walthill will be managed by Sinai Bass. It's vital for reservation residents, Bass said, to have a grocery store that offers fresh vegetables, fruits, meats and dairy that's close to home.

"A lot of the community members don't have vehicles to go off the reservation to get food," Bass said.

Grant said the tribe also plans to address a housing shortage on the reservation by purchasing surplus properties in Thurston County, where it will build houses. Within a year or so, he expects 10 or 12 new houses will be constructed.

"You're looking at three to five generations living under one roof in some homes," he said, referring to the shortage of housing on the reservation.

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During an appearance in his childhood home of Scranton, Pa. this week, President Joe Biden made the case for congressional approval of his nearly $2 trillion dollar Build Back Better agenda, which is currently in the midst of a tug-of-war between progressive and moderate Democrats on Capitol Hill.

Biden put a particular spotlight on $350 billion for child care subsidies and free pre-kindergarten that the spending plan would underwrite, as he reflected on his own experience as a single father who had the help of his family after his wife and daughter died in a car crash in the 1970s.

Millions of Americans, the president noted, dont have access to that kind of extraordinary support system.

A recently released report underlines the challenges the pandemic economy posed for American women, millions of whom dropped out of the workforce as the economy went into recession.

During the first quarter of 2021, female participation in the labor force dipped to its lowest point since 1988, according to the report, jointly released by the United Way of Pennsylvania, the United Way of Bucks County, and the advocacy group, ReadyNation.

It concludes that the swiftest way to return those women to the workforce is for policymakers to stabilize and strengthen the child care system to help women return to and remain in the workforce.

The report paints a vivid and disturbing picture of the pandemics impact on working women in Pennsylvania, which reflects the rest of the nation, finding, among other things, that:

 Unemployment insurance claims were higher for women than for men from January 2020 to January 2021, peaking at 22.3 percent (vs. 19.3 percent for men).

 More than four times as many Pennsylvania women were unemployed in December 2020 than in December 2019.

 Female workforce participation is not expected to fully rebound to pre-pandemic levels until late 2024.

Among women, certain subgroups were particularly impacted, including women of color, those with lower levels of education, and those in low-wage jobs, the report found.

Women also comprised two-thirds of the essential workforce, and were key to providing vital infrastructure services and helping to keep the economy running during the pandemic.

The pandemic also hit mothers especially hard, with approximately one million mothers leaving the workforce nationwide, compared to half that number of fathers, the document continued. Mothers without partners had the sharpest drop in employment among parents. In one survey, 82 percent of mothers leaving the workforce reported that they could not afford to do so.

Families who were already struggling to seek childcare during the pandemic have seen that search complicated by a staffing crisis within the childcare industry, the report found.

In Pennsylvania, 86 percent of child care providers closed at some point during the pandemic, and at least 850 have closed permanently, the report found.

A further 350 providers have remained temporarily shuttered since March 2020. And while 600 new providers have opened during that same time period, they have been run at a reduced capacity, limiting access to care, the report found

The access crisis has further been complicated by an affordability crisis as well, with the average annual cost of center-based infant care in Pennsylvania running to about $11,560, which is close to the $14,770 average cost of public college tuition and fees, according to the report.

Again, that reflects nationwide trends.

A survey by the National Association for the Education of Young Children concluded that four in five daycare centers nationwide are understaffed, and more than three-quarters of them (78 percent) said low wages were the main reason they had trouble finding new employees, CBS News reported this week.

And the economic cost of that crisis is real. Citing a study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the report found that the crisis had resulted in an annual loss of $3.47 billion in tax revenue and to employers bottom line due to employee absences and turnover. COVID-19 has likely increased these costs.

And that was just in Pennsylvania.

The report calls on policymakers to expand access to affordable, quality childcare, with state officials leveraging all available federal childcare and pandemic relief funds to prop up the current system and to prevent more shutdowns.

In the long-term, the report calls for state and federal officials to approve additional recurring investments in the child care sector to address systemic issues like low staff wages, inadequate reimbursement rates for providers participating in the subsidized child care program, and a shortage of high-quality care.

Its all well and good to tell American workers that they have to go back to the office. But unless policy-makers back that up with actual action by approving funding for expanded and affordable child care, such talk is meaningless.

An award-winning political journalist, John L. Micek is Editor-in-Chief of The Pennsylvania Capital-Star in Harrisburg, Pa. Email him at jmicek@penncapital-star.com and follow him on Twitter @ByJohnLMicek.

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HARRISBURG  Pennsylvania's state Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that would make it a crime to flee a police officer who is trying to arrest them, and an additional crime if a police dog is hurt in the pursuit.

The bill passed, 36-14, with every Republican and seven of 21 Democrats supporting it. The bill goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The bill was introduced by northeastern Pennsylvania senators to commemorate a Scranton police officer, John Wilding, who died of a head injury in 2015 after jumping a fence and falling in pursuit of three 17-year-olds suspected of stealing a sport utility vehicle.

The severity of the penalty for knowingly fleeing arrest rises based on the seriousness of the underlying crime. It also rises if someone  including a police officer  is hurt or killed in the pursuit. If someone dies, the penalty is a second-degree felony.

Someone fleeing a summary offense would face an additional summary charge if no one is injured in the pursuit.

Police groups support the legislation and backers said it would protect officers who often follow pursuits into life-threatening situations or suffer horrendous injuries in the process.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania said the bill creates duplicative and unnecessary crimes and criminalizes the legal and constitutional right to run from law enforcement.

Such a law would likely be used to charge young Black men and other people of color who may be legally running from a police officer, the ACLU said in a statement.

The sponsor, Luzerne County Sen. John Yudichak called the ACLU's position radical.

It comes down to a simple question, Yudichak, a registered independent who caucuses with Republicans, told colleagues during floor debate. Do those who protect and serve our community like Officer Wilding have a right to have their lives protected by the law?

On the police dog provision, Sen. Sharif Street, D-Philadelphia, said the bill would unjustly force someone to allow themselves to be attacked by the dog  and possibly suffer irreversible and serious injuries  or face jail for fleeing.

That ignores the "brutal history of the use of dogs in attacking people of color and it makes this bill unconscionable, Street said during floor debate.
The state Department of Health reported 53 cases of COVID-19 and five deaths for Cumberland County Wednesday.

The county has reported 50 deaths so far in October, the highest total since 113 in January. The county reported 21 COVID-related deaths in September.

The number of patients hospitalized in the county with COVID-19 decreased to 92 in Wednesday's report, down nine from Tuesday. There are 22 adults in intensive care (down four from Tuesday) and 17 on ventilators (down two from Tuesday). Eleven adult ICU beds remain open of the 113 currently staffed across the county, and 34 of 95 ventilators in the county are in use.

Wednesday's report included 228 test results, with 23 probable cases. Comparing just the number of negative tests (175) and confirmed positive tests (30), the county saw 14.6% of its tests come back positive.

The southcentral region reported 747 cases and 34 new deaths Wednesday, with 260 cases and nine deaths in York County, 95 cases and three deaths in Dauphin County and 73 cases and three deaths in Blair County.

Franklin County reports 67 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Wednesday (up four from Tuesday), with one of 29 currently staffed ICU beds available in the county and 17 of 35 available ventilators in use. There are 12 adults in intensive care and 10 on ventilators.

Dauphin County reports 115 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Wednesday (up seven from Tuesday), with 27 of 198 currently staffed ICU beds available in the county and 76 of 177 available ventilators in use. There are 29 adults in intensive care and 18 on ventilators.

School-age children

In its weekly update for the eighth week of the school year, the department reported another 118 cases among children aged 5-18 in Cumberland County during the week of Oct. 13-19, the same number of cases as was reported last week. That brings the total number of cases in Cumberland County for this school year to 1,189.

Statewide, the number of cases among 5- to 18-year-olds decreased for the fourth week in a row with 5,877 cases reported. The state said the total number of cases in that age group for the school year is 54,503.

Early Warning Dashboard

Cumberland County saw a decrease 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. Its percent positivity decreased to 11.1% for the week of Oct. 15-21, down from 11.8% the previous week. The incidence rate per 100,000 people decreased to 158.3, down from 213.1 the previous week.

Philadelphia County, which includes the city of Philadelphia, had the second lowest percent positivity in the state for the week of Oct. 15-21 at 4.5% and the lowest incidence rate per 100,000 people at 89.5.

Forest County has the lowest percent positivity for the week at 3.1%.

Penn State Health update (Oct. 25)

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.

Monday's update shows 102 total cases (99 adults, 3 pediatrics) in the health system's four hospitals  20 are fully vaccinated (19.6%) with no one in an ICU and no one on a ventilator, 72 are nonvaccinated (70.6%) with 27 adults in an ICU and 13 adults on a ventilator, and 10 are unknown status patients. All three children hospitalized are unvaccinated, with one in an ICU and one on a ventilator.

Holy Spirit Medical Center in Camp Hill has 19 COVID patients. Seven are fully vaccinated adults (no one in ICU and no one on a ventilator) and 12 unvaccinated adults (three in an ICU and two on a ventilator).

Hampden Medical Center has seven COVID patients. Five are not fully vaccinated (two in an ICU, two on a ventilator) 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 Tuesday evening, the CDC says Cumberland County has seen 62.3% of its total population of 253,370 become fully vaccinated. For the county's vaccine eligible population of people ages 12 and older, 71.9% have been fully vaccinated.

County numbers in the southcentral region (for Oct. 27):

Adams County (pop. 103,009): 48 new cases; 13,213 total cases (10,817 confirmed, 2,396 probable); 43,945 negatives; 220 deaths (+1); 49.7% of county population vaccinated

48 new cases; 13,213 total cases (10,817 confirmed, 2,396 probable); 43,945 negatives; 220 deaths (+1); 49.7% of county population vaccinated Bedford County (pop. 47,888): 18 new cases; 6,743 total cases (4,576 confirmed, 2,167 probable); 12,403 negatives; 170 deaths (+1); 34.5% of county population vaccinated

18 new cases; 6,743 total cases (4,576 confirmed, 2,167 probable); 12,403 negatives; 170 deaths (+1); 34.5% of county population vaccinated Blair County (pop. 121,829): 73 new cases; 17,304 total cases (13,652 confirmed, 3,652 probable); 46,942 negatives; 382 deaths (+3); 46% of county population vaccinated

73 new cases; 17,304 total cases (13,652 confirmed, 3,652 probable); 46,942 negatives; 382 deaths (+3); 46% of county population vaccinated Cumberland County (pop. 253,370): 53 new cases; 28,014 total cases (21,920 confirmed, 6,094 probable); 101,252 negatives; 617 deaths (+5); 62.3% of county population vaccinated

53 new cases; 28,014 total cases (21,920 confirmed, 6,094 probable); 101,252 negatives; 617 deaths (+5); 62.3% of county population vaccinated Dauphin County (pop. 278,299): 95 new cases; 34,666 total cases (29,764 confirmed, 4,902 probable); 127,617 negatives; 642 deaths (+3); 58.2% of county population vaccinated

95 new cases; 34,666 total cases (29,764 confirmed, 4,902 probable); 127,617 negatives; 642 deaths (+3); 58.2% of county population vaccinated Franklin County (pop. 155,027): 66 new cases; 21,689 total cases (17,712 confirmed, 3,977 probable); 64,168 negatives; 455 deaths (+4); 45.2% of county population vaccinated

66 new cases; 21,689 total cases (17,712 confirmed, 3,977 probable); 64,168 negatives; 455 deaths (+4); 45.2% of county population vaccinated Fulton County (pop. 14,530): 10 new cases; 2,233 total cases (1,110 confirmed, 1,123 probable); 4,988 negatives; 31 deaths (+2); 30.8% of county population vaccinated

10 new cases; 2,233 total cases (1,110 confirmed, 1,123 probable); 4,988 negatives; 31 deaths (+2); 30.8% of county population vaccinated Huntingdon County (pop. 45,144): 18 new cases; 6,805 total cases (5,605 confirmed, 1,200 probable); 20,473 negatives; 156 deaths; 46.4% of county population vaccinated

18 new cases; 6,805 total cases (5,605 confirmed, 1,200 probable); 20,473 negatives; 156 deaths; 46.4% of county population vaccinated Juniata County (pop. 24,763): 18 new cases; 2,880 total cases (2,620 confirmed, 260 probable); 6,611 negatives; 115 deaths; 39.7% of county population vaccinated

18 new cases; 2,880 total cases (2,620 confirmed, 260 probable); 6,611 negatives; 115 deaths; 39.7% of county population vaccinated Lebanon County (pop. 141,793): 40 new cases; 20,509 total cases (17,539 confirmed, 2,970 probable); 62,792 negatives; 330 deaths (+3); 50.4% of county population vaccinated

40 new cases; 20,509 total cases (17,539 confirmed, 2,970 probable); 62,792 negatives; 330 deaths (+3); 50.4% of county population vaccinated Mifflin County (pop. 46,138): 37 new cases; 7,220 total cases (6,827 confirmed, 393 probable); 17,506 negatives; 197 deaths (+2); 48.5% of county population vaccinated

37 new cases; 7,220 total cases (6,827 confirmed, 393 probable); 17,506 negatives; 197 deaths (+2); 48.5% of county population vaccinated Perry County (pop. 46,272): 11 new cases; 5,267 total cases (4,064 confirmed, 1,203 probable); 13,175 negatives; 121 deaths (+1); 46.6% of county population vaccinated

11 new cases; 5,267 total cases (4,064 confirmed, 1,203 probable); 13,175 negatives; 121 deaths (+1); 46.6% of county population vaccinated York County (pop. 449,058): 260 new cases; 62,106 total cases (50,560 confirmed; 11,546 probable); 193,346 negatives; 966 deaths (+9); 54.9% of county population vaccinated

ZIP code-level counts (updated Oct. 27):

17013: 3,357 positives, 15,687 negatives - +18 since Oct. 22

17015: 2,016 positives, 7,651 negatives - +18 since Oct. 22

17050: 3,191 positives, 15,984 negatives - +25 since Oct. 22

17055: 3,580 positives, 18,189 negatives - +36 since Oct. 22

17011: 3,313 positives, 15,221 negatives - +32 since Oct. 22

17007: 480 positives, 1,950 negatives - +3 since Oct. 22

17065: 345 positives, 1,352 negatives - +2 since Oct. 22

17324: 383 positives, 1,406 negatives - +6 since Oct. 22

17241: 905 positives, 3,425 negatives - +11 since Oct. 22

17257: 2,320 positives, 7,724 negatives - +22 since Oct. 22

17240: 219 positives, 691 negatives - +3 since Oct. 22

17025: 1,534 positives, 6,167 negatives - +23 since Oct. 22

17070: 1,423 positives, 5,869 negatives - +14 since Oct. 22

17043: 489 positives, 2,231 negatives - +5 since Oct. 22

17019: 1,683 positives, 5,996 negatives - +30 since Oct. 22

17266: 28 positives, 136 negatives - +1 since Oct. 22

School district and college case counts (updated Oct. 22)

The Sentinel's case counts for Cumberland County school districts and colleges or universities are updated Fridays. 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): 14 student cases and 5 staff cases as of the sites last update on Oct. 20.

(reports active cases in past 14 days with school exposure): 14 student cases and 5 staff cases as of the sites last update on Oct. 20. Carlisle Area School District (reports cases as they occur and updates a chart): 13 new cases since Oct. 14; 154 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) according to the charts last update on Oct. 18.

(reports cases as they occur and updates a chart): 13 new cases since Oct. 14; 154 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) according to the charts last update on Oct. 18. Camp Hill School District (posts chart that includes total case count): 7 student cases and no new staff cases since Oct. 18; 61 student cases and 7 staff cases this school year (started Aug. 25.)

(posts chart that includes total case count): 7 student cases and no new staff cases since Oct. 18; 61 student cases and 7 staff cases this school year (started Aug. 25.) Cumberland Valley School District (reports weekly and total number of cases with school exposure): 13 cases since Oct. 18; 180 cases this school year (started Aug. 31.)

(reports weekly and total number of cases with school exposure): 13 cases since Oct. 18; 180 cases this school year (started Aug. 31.) Mechanicsburg Area School District (chart lists total cases actively being monitored, updated Tuesday and Friday): 13 positive and presumed positive cases being monitored as of Oct. 22.

(chart lists total cases actively being monitored, updated Tuesday and Friday): 13 positive and presumed positive cases being monitored as of Oct. 22. Shippensburg Area School District (reports weekly and total confirmed case counts involving school exposure): 6 new cases since Oct. 18; 145 cases this school year (started Aug. 19.)

(reports weekly and total confirmed case counts involving school exposure): 6 new cases since Oct. 18; 145 cases this school year (started Aug. 19.) South Middleton School District (posts notices as cases occur, updates table of case counts weekly on Fridays): 68 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) as of the charts last update on Oct. 15.

(posts notices as cases occur, updates table of case counts weekly on Fridays): 68 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) as of the charts last update on Oct. 15. West Shore School District (reports active cases with school exposure within past 14 days): 35 student cases and 5 staff cases as of Oct. 22.

(reports active cases with school exposure within past 14 days): 35 student cases and 5 staff cases as of Oct. 22. Dickinson College : 3 student cases and 1 employee case since Oct. 18; 32 student cases and 23 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 30.)

: 3 student cases and 1 employee case since Oct. 18; 32 student cases and 23 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 30.) Messiah University : 4 new student cases and 1 new staff case since Oct. 18; 50 student cases and 17 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 7.)

: 4 new student cases and 1 new staff case since Oct. 18; 50 student cases and 17 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 7.) Shippensburg University: 6 new student cases and 1 new staff case since Oct. 18; 150 student cases and 17 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 - 9.4% last 7 days (9.7% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 173.4 (202.6 previous 7 days)

Adams County: Percent Positivity - 15.8% last 7 days (16.6% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 241.7 (220.4 previous 7 days)

Cumberland County: Percent Positivity - 11.1% last 7 days (11.8% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 158.3 (213.1 previous 7 days)

Dauphin County: Percent Positivity - 12.7% last 7 days (12.8% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 204.5 (226.7 previous 7 days)

Franklin County: Percent Positivity - 12.4% last 7 days (14.1% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 162.6 (176.7 previous 7 days)

Lebanon County: Percent Positivity - 13.1% last 7 days (14.4% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 200.3 (249.7 previous 7 days)

Perry County: Percent Positivity - 15.8% last 7 days (20.0% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 175.1 (237.7 previous 7 days)

York County:

Percent Positivity - 14.7% last 7 days (16.5% previous 7 days)

last 7 days (16.5% previous 7 days)

Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 247.4 (289.5 previous 7 days)
WASHINGTON (AP)  Half its original size, President Joe Biden's big domestic policy plan is being pulled apart and reconfigured as Democrats edge closer to satisfying their most reluctant colleagues and finishing what's now about a $1.75 trillion package.

How to pay for it all remained deeply in flux Tuesday, with a proposed billionaires tax running into criticism as cumbersome or worse. Thats forcing difficult reductions, if not the outright elimination, of policy priorities  from paid family leave to child care to dental, vision and hearing aid benefits for seniors.

The once hefty climate change strategies are losing some punch, too, focusing away from punitive measures on polluters in a shift toward instead rewarding clean energy incentives.

Pressure mounting, Biden met Tuesday evening with two holdout Democrats  Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, according to a person who requested anonymity to discuss the private meeting. The president is pushing for an agreement before he departs for global summits later this week.

All told, Bidens package remains a substantial undertaking  and could still top $2 trillion in perhaps the largest effort of its kind from Congress in decades. But its far slimmer than the president and his party first envisioned.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told lawmakers they were on the verge of something major, transformative, historic and bigger than anything else ever attempted in Congress, according to another person who requested anonymity to share her private remarks to the caucus.

We know that we are close, said Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, after a meeting with Biden at the White House. And let me be explicitly clear: Our footprints and fingerprints are on this.

However, vast differences among Democrats remain over basic contours of the sweeping proposal and the tax revenue to pay for it.

From the White House, press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden still hoped to have a deal in hand to show foreign leaders the U.S. government was performing effectively on climate change and other major issues. But she acknowledged that might not happen, forcing him to keep working on the package from afar.

She warned about failure as opposed to compromise

The alternative to what is being negotiated is not the original package, she said. "It is nothing.

More lawmakers journeyed to the White House for negotiations on Tuesday and emerged upbeat that the end product would be substantial, despite the changes and reductions being forced on them by Manchin and Sinema.

Together the two senators have packed a one-two punch  Manchin forcing supporters to pare back health care, child care and other spending and Sinema causing Democrats to reconsider their plans to reverse the Trump-era tax cuts on corporations and the wealthy.

Resolving the revenue side is key as Biden insists all the new spending will be fully paid for and not piled onto the national debt. He vows any new taxes will hit only the wealthy, those earning more than $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for couples, and corporations he says must quit skipping out on taxes and start paying their fair share.

But the White House had to rethink its tax strategy after Sinema objected to her party's initial proposal to raise tax rates on corporations and the wealthy, With a 50-50 Senate, Biden has no votes to spare in his party.

Instead, to win over Sinema and others, the Democrats were poised to unveil a new plan for taxing the assets of billionaires. And on Tuesday they unveiled a proposal to require corporations with more than $1 billion in income to pay a 15% minimum tax, winning Sinema's backing.

Heres the heart of it: Americans read over the last few months that billionaires were paying little or no taxes for years on end, said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, helming the effort.

Under Wydens emerging plan, the billionaires tax would hit the wealthiest of Americans, fewer than 1,000 people. It would require those with assets of more than $1 billion, or three-years consecutive income of $100 million, to pay taxes on the gains of stocks and other tradeable assets, rather than waiting until holdings are sold.

A similar billionaires tax would be applied to non-tradeable assets, including real estate, but it would be deferred with the tax not assessed until the asset was sold.

Overall, the billionaires tax rate had not been set, but it was expected to be at least the 20% capital gains rate. Democrats have said it could raise $200 billion in revenue that could help fund Bidens package over 10 years.

Republicans deride the billionaires' tax and some have suggested it would face a legal challenge.

And key fellow Democrats were also raising concerns about the billionaires' tax, saying the idea of simply undoing the 2017 tax cuts by hiking top rates was more straightforward and transparent.

Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, said, Our plan looks better every day.

Under the bill approved by Neal's panel, the top individual income tax rate would rise from 37% to 39.6%, on those earning more than $400,000, or $450,000 for couples. The corporate rate would increase from 21% to 26.5%. The bill also proposes a 3% surtax on the wealthiest Americans with adjusted income beyond $5 million a year.

Less concerned about the new taxes, Manchin is forcing his party to reconsider the expansion of health, child care and climate change programs he views as costly or unnecessary government entitlements.

Still being debated: plans to expand Medicare coverage with dental, vision and hearing aid benefits for seniors; child care assistance; free pre-kindergarten; a new program of four-weeks paid family leave, and a more limited plan than envisioned to lower prescription drug costs.

On climate change, coal-state Sen. Manchin rejected Biden's earlier clean energy strategy as too punitive on providers that rely on fossil fuels. Instead, the White House floated an idea to beef up grants and loans to incentive clean energy sources.

Manchins resistance may scuttle one other tax idea  a plan to give the IRS more resources to go after tax scofflaws. He said he told Biden during their weekend meeting at the president's home in Delaware that that plan was messed up and would allow the government to monitor bank accounts.

Democrats are hoping to reach an agreement by week's end, paving the way for a House vote on a related $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill before routine transportation funds expire Sunday. That separate roads-and-bridges bill stalled when progressive lawmakers refused to support it until deliberations on the broader Biden bill were complete.



Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Darlene Superville and Colleen Long contributed to this report.



This story has been corrected to show Rep. Richard Neal is from Massachusetts, not New Jersey.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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You can make a difference in the lives of all who travel Missouri roads. The Missouri Department of Transportation has full-time maintenance positions and seasonal emergency maintenance equipment operator positions open across the state.

"Missouri travelers depend on us to treat and plow the roads through the winter storms. We're looking for individuals who are interested in joining our team to help Missouri this winter season and beyond," said MoDOT's Maintenance Director Natalie Roark. "If you are looking for a rewarding job that gives back to your community, there's no better time to apply than right now."

Applicants need to be at least 18 years old, successfully complete a criminal background check (a misdemeanor or felony conviction is not an automatic restriction to employment), and have a commercial driver's license (CDL). A passing grade on the written portion of the commercial driver's license (CDL) exam is required prior to hire date. Must pass the driving portion of the CDL exam with tanker endorsement, no air brake restrictions (Class B).

If you don't already have a commercial driver's license (CDL), MoDOT will provide training to help you obtain one. Full-time maintenance employees receive training and a long list of benefits including paid leave, medical, vision and dental insurance and a retirement plan; and a culturally diverse workplace that is dedicated to safety and personal development. Full-time employment with MoDOT provides opportunities for advancement and a long-term career.

Seasonal help is also needed. Individuals can apply for an emergency maintenance equipment operator position. These are seasonal crew members who help out when inclement weather hits.

"If your normal job doesn't include full time work in the winter months, consider being an emergency operator for MoDOT to fill in those gaps," said Roark. "You earn extra pay and you help the MoDOT team with our winter operations."

To learn more about these opportunities and to apply online for positions across the state, go to www.modot.org/opportunities-maintenance. If you don't have computer access, you may obtain an application for employment at any MoDOT facility across the state.

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NEW YORK (AP)  Joanna Hogg first had the instinct to make a film about her then-unfolding relationship to her heroin-addicted first love  a traumatic and formative time that coincided with her coming-of-age as a filmmaker  in 1979.

Back then, she didnt feel capable of tackling something so ambitious and personal. Her career detoured, instead, into television. It wasnt until Hogg was 47 that she determinedly returned to movies. After making three well-received features, Hogg felt she was finally ready.

The result  The Souvenir, which Hogg made in two parts, filmed two years apart  is a stunner. A sublime work of memory and autobiography, The Souvenir ( the second part of which a24 opens in theaters Friday ) captures a masterful filmmaker using all her accrued skill to revisit her early, half-formed life as a young filmmaker in the midst of finding herself.

I was surprised with the making of both these films how I remembered more than I thought I did, Hogg said in a recent interview from London. (Her Zoom window read fellini.) Sometimes, its just about focusing on that particular point in time and then things come up. I wouldnt have said that before the process because I didnt believe that was possible. I thought you remember what you remember, that theres no way to retrieve a memory.

But I think, actually, you can channel something. Thoughts, ideas, memories, images, sounds. I think one can retrieve them.

As a filmmaker, Hogg is a seemingly incongruous blend of free-flowing and formalistic. Her camera movements are precise, her cuts rigorous. She dresses her sets meticulously  recreating her London apartment in Knightsbridge, using her old clothes to dress her fictional stand-in, played by Honor Swinton Byrne, with whom Hogg shared her old journals. Yet she doesnt script out dialogue. Hogg, 61, uses a 30-page document as a starting point, and shapes scenes through rehearsals and wide-ranging takes.

In the first part of The Souvenir, we see Julie chafing at the structures imposed by her film professors, and later, in part two, dealing with crew members who want a more concrete process. But those challenges are just part of Julie's struggle to summon her voice and lift life into art. That the two films exist as they do is a kind of living proof that Hoggs way, now firmly grasped, yields something genuine and alive. We watch Julie finding her courage as a filmmaker; Hoggs is self-evident.

Tilda Swinton, who co-stars in both films as the mother of Julie (Swinton Byrne is Swintons real-life daughter), is a longtime friend of Hoggs. She even starred in Hoggs film school final project. She recalls Hogg four decades ago taking detailed notes and photographing the views out her windows  preparation for a future, theoretical film. Swinton describes The Souvenir as a beacon in a new kind of poetic cinema.

When I think of these films, I am reminded of that sense in which the project of cinema is that of a defiance of time, Swinton writes in an email.

It takes enormous heart and nerve to be as honest as she is about people  and to give her colleagues the support to be as open as her films require us all to be, Swinton continues. Its a high road and, as all the muddiest are, both unassailable pure and also solidly earthed.

The two parts of The Souvenir have won widespread acclaim, from the Sundance Film Festival to this years Cannes and New York festivals. Some of its most ardent fans are filmmakers. Martin Scorsese is an executive producer.

I think that The Souvenir Parts I & II' is an epic, on a completely human scale, Scorsese says by email.

While Scorsese recalls racing to make his first movie before he was 25 (how old Orson Welles was when he made Citizen Kane), he recognizes a different trajectory in Hogg.

Joanna started at a different moment and took her own path, and she began in a very different frame of mind, says Scorsese. Its reflected in the work, I think. Theres a kind of clarity there, an intensity of focus, that you dont find with someone younger  intensity yes, but of a different kind. But also, of course, its Joanna herself.

In conjuring her own entry into moviemaking, Hogg has also led Swinton Byrne in her first steps into film. Despite growing up on movie sets, The Souvenir marks the 24-year-old's debut. Hogg, unsatisfied with everyone she auditioned, cast her just two weeks before starting the first part, when Swinton Byrne was 19. Julie's evolution is also Swinton Byrne's.

So much happened in those two years between part one and part two. I went away to Namibia for 10 months. I like to think I did a lot of growing up in that time, Swinton Byrne says by Zoom from Edinburgh, Scotland, where shes studying psychology. So I think I went into the second one with much more of a backbone.

I changed, myself, she adds before laughing. There wasnt a lot of acting going on.

To Swinton Byrne, the second part of The Souvenir is particularly empowering. After finishing her studies, she expects to keep acting.

Hollywood depicts this ideal expectation of what to experience in your 20s and 30s, so this is why Im really moved by both films, Swinton Byrne says. These two films, as a whole, shed light on making mistakes, and how thats completely normal and completely healthy, and the more mistakes you make, the more you learn.

With fiction and life merging so much, Hogg has sometimes, herself, been uncertain about whats real and whats not.

The whole thing becomes very confused, not in an uninteresting way, and very hard to unpack, Hogg says, smiling. Sometimes now if I see an image from the film, theres a momentary confusion in my mind as to whether thats a still from the film or a still from my own life.

Having spent so much of her career pushing against the normal methods of filmmaking, Hogg  her voice as a director crystal clear  feels drawn to trying her hand in more prescribed genres. Film noir, where the past is never through with anyone, is especially appealing right now.

Im interested now in playing with known shapes within my parameters, she says.

Last year, Hogg shot The Eternal Daughter, a Wales-set mystery about long-buried secrets, with Swinton. I have been her playmate for 50 years and now we are feeling as if we are finally beginning our work together, says Swinton.

As much as The Souvenir was obsessed with recapturing a long ago, Hogg already feels the films moving away from her. The movies, too, are now a memory, and difficult to readily retrieve.

Part II gets harder and harder to talk about because its receded, Hogg says. They float away into the ether.



Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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On Halloween night, things get gory and gruesome at Cash Fuller's Farmington home ... and it never fails to draw a crowd of people willing to wait in long lines to experience the thrills and chills it provides.

An annual tradition for eight years running, Fuller and his fiance Stacy host the scariest of scary haunted houses in the front yard of his home at 509 Center Street in Farmington.

Ive been doing it for about 18 years total, Fuller said. Its been eight years here. I started out with one tent and it just gets bigger and bigger. People show up here well before dark. I can only function in the dark with the shadows and lighting. Everybody waits and waits and theres a moment  we set off a firework and [Stacy] starts flowing them through in groups.

The King of Creeps  Fuller has a lamp in his living room with a skull and crown proclaiming it  has a screaming passion for Halloween. He spends two weeks each year constructing an abysmal abode for a complete collection of mad monsters, voracious vampires and creepy clowns for a one night only mansion of mayhem. According to Fuller, Center Street becomes a madhouse as a result.

Its all word of mouth, he said. I run into people all the time. They will ask if I do Halloween. They say that theres this house in Farmington that we go to now. Then they find out its us and get excited. Its a nice feeling. [People mention] other houses that decorate. I say, 'You know that there are probably 1,000 people that show up here.'

"We know that by handing out one little candy. It may not be the best for really young kids. [My neighbor] handed out 550 pieces at one per person and she ran out halfway before we were through. The street is just packed. Theres standing room only  you can barely get down the street.

Advertised only by word of mouth, Fuller said that the crowd grows quickly.

The first time my friend did it, we were jumping at people and were getting a good flow," he said. "We chase somebody out of here sometimes. I stopped, went back in and told my friend to go outside. Theres like 250 people out there in front of the house.

Fuller does not charge admission for the spook show, and all of the living actors (or are they?) are strictly volunteers.

I have two people that tried it and thought it was being weird, he said. Now they are like addicted to it. I dont even see them until Halloween, I dont even know where they are. They just show up. Are we doing that? Oh yeah, were doing that.

Sporting an impish smile and eyes that hint of a sneaky surprise yet to come, Fuller shared the backstory of how he became the scare of Center Street. Amusingly enough it all started in California.

I was born in 1965, he said. Around the 1970s was sort of the unusual height of Halloween. I remember a guy had his garage open and he was like a carnival barker, Come see the wild girl! It was a box, you go around the side, the girl shakes, the bars break and you would run for your life and get chased down the street.

"I knew a family that opened their home. You walked in their home. You go in the backyard and they had a trail next to a pool. Imagine now the public walking next to a pool at night with monsters jumping out. Always, some kid was falling in. They all did that. There was a lot in my neighborhood. Then, it sort of just went away.

As Fuller grew into adulthood, his taste for the terrible continued and led him to start a haunted house wherever he lived.

Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach ... everywhere I go, I do it, he said. It takes about a year or two for the crowd to know. Where I was in Huntington Beach, it got so popular that it started to grow, he said. We were at a condo type unit, and the next block over, a guy completely did the side of the street. One guy saved boxes and did a kind of maze with fog that led up to his door. It was very infectious. When I moved, I didnt really tell a bunch of people. I heard later that hundreds of people showed up, and it was like, Oh no! I felt bad about that.

I had a friend that had a magic shop in Newport Beach. He would sell costumes at Halloween time; that was his Black Month. He said he made more money at Halloween than any other time. On Halloween night, I was in the store and said I was going to grab all the props and take them home and bring them back in the morning. He said Whatever, were done. I would lay all these props out and they were so popular. I remember that I only brought about half of them back and told him what I was keeping and he would put it on my tab.

These days, Fuller mostly makes his own props, including what he calls the bodies. He points to a fierce-looking bloody ghoul.

Hes wearing my pants and shoes from way back, Fuller said. Hes one of the oldest. Ive actually replaced that head. Its kind of funny, some of the masks I have. That mask was probably produced in the 1980s. I got it around 2000. It got old and rotten and I found a company. A lot of companies will buy licenses and produce them.

Fuller pointed to a monster in a suit.

This was the first one I made about 20 years ago. You cant get those eyes anymore, theyre made of glass. Im particular about my blood. Theres brands that when it dries, it still looks like its fresh and wet, it never changes. Some of this stuff you buy, it changes, its pink later. Theres this gore stuff that has chunks in it. You put on clothes or whatever and let it dry, it still looks wet.

"Its called Perma Blood. The crazy thing is, its made right here in Missouri. Too much is never enough of that stuff. I can turn cheap props into better looking high-end props and horrific looking things by using that stuff. Thats what we do at night in October. Last night my fiance was painting this vampires eyes  we want them to glow. She went to put it on his body, I said, 'Careful, its wet, the meaty bits are still fresh.' She said, 'Sorry.' These are real conversations we have.

To keep the frights fresh, Fuller prepares well in advance and looks out for new props year round.

It will be in the summer and if I see something, and my fiance and I will see something and say it is good for Halloween, Fuller said. Pool noodles made of foam are great for filling up body parts. Ill buy those at the weirdest time, and I get mad because I forget to. They dont sell them in October.

Buying props for moments of madness throughout the year brings up some odd misunderstandings at retail shops. Fuller says he looks at things very differently than anyone else at hardware stores and other places of business.

(Im the) guy that walks into a thrift shop and looks around at cheap bridal dresses and says Its too much, I want them for less than $15,' he said. They laugh at me and I tell them they dont understand, this is not going to a wedding, its going to be messed up. I buy little kids' beds sometimes, people will go, Oh, is this for your little girl? 'Uh, no. Its going to be for monsters.'

"I had a little circus called Nightmares.' I had these little mini-clowns walking around a bed  that was a theme. I used to go to amusement parks. Im the guy that would see a huge fog machine and I would get in the bushes and Im trying to read the name and model so I can go look it up.

Fuller also occasionally attends haunt conventions.

The biggest haunt convention in the country happens in March in St. Louis," he said. "Its the Halloween and Attractions Show. Thats where you see the big stuff for the big boys. Its a huge trade show. They have good stuff. Its great. Its like going through 100 little mini-haunted houses on display. Theres a lot of pro things that you look for.

The horror of hanging around someone like Fuller is definitely not just for anyone.

He said, You meet somebody  So, I have a lot of monsters in my basement.' These bodies, theres like 15 in one room. I am now forbidden from putting them in the bathroom. I put one in the shower and my fiance was washing and caught it in the reflection in the mirror and yelled.

And yes, Fuller is occasionally shaken up by his own sentinels of scare, especially when he first started building them.

Once in a blue moon, I will catch one out of the corner of my eye and jump, because Ill think theres person sitting in the kitchen, he said. When I am trying to build the haunted house, they are all over the living room because Im pulling things out. I will forget when I put one in a corner, and am walking by and Oh! Its you.'

Running a house of horrors is much harder than it sounds. Fuller says he needs to have six to seven volunteers to run his scare show.

We have run it on five, but its a short staff and we are running around a lot, he said. We try to have at least one person in each type of theme room. I have people that are called rovers. I have a girl about 5 feet tall in a clown outfit. Because she is little, she can hide anywhere, she can even invent hiding places.

Even though Halloween is on Sunday this year and a weekend would lend itself to more nights of nightmares open to the public, Fuller says he will only be operating one night.

Its so much to get the staff to be here," he said. "The people do this because its fun. A friend and I tried to do this more than one night and it was killing us, and it wasnt really worth it.

With two weeks of construction going on in his front yard of fright, Fuller spoke about the anticipation people feel as Halloween night approaches. During the interview, a couple of school buses drove by.

They will make a run this time of the year in front of this house and they slow down, he said. Its my best advertising because the kids go wild.

Fuller brought up several memorable incidents from past nights of chaos and chills.

I will sometimes just run out in the crowd," he said. "I have this clown horn with a battery. Kids scatter. Even guys that are afraid of monsters, sometimes theyll get that jolt. I love it. I have a few know-it-alls that go through. They point at a curtain. I say, Yeah, youre right. But the person that is behind you and grabbing your arm, thats who our target is.

You see funny things. I had a couple they got really low and ran through as fast as they could. Other people, they wont get through it. You scare them and then you back off. I had a young man sit and shake in a fetal position. He got up, went in another room, there was doll that jumped out and screeched at him and he fell on the ground again and wiggled.

One of Fullers volunteers who was dressed as a creepy clown got a little carried away with his terror tactics.

My friend was scaring this girl," he said. "She was just screaming. He ran out here to their car. He got in the back seat of their car and was scaring her while her boyfriend was driving. They drove off with him. Im yelling, Somebody just stole my clown! It was like a full 10 minutes. They pulled up and dropped him off. I asked him if he knew them and he said 'no.'"

He mused about the future of his creepy creations.

I dont know how long I will do this, but I will do it as long as I can, he said. Im not 25 anymore. I dont touch this on the first of November. I can barely move because Ive been hopping around the night before. I wake up in the morning, Im stiff. I will sit and stare at it.

This will be my legacy. I remember going to those houses, I can tell you I did all these things. I know when somebody is my age and Im long gone will go, I remember this house in Farmington that I went to every year.'

More information about Cash Fullers Haunted House can be found on his Facebook page, Cfhaunts.

Mark Marberry is a reporter for the Farmington Press and Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3629, or at mmarberry@farmingtonpressonline.com

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During the St. Francois County Commission meeting Tuesday morning, commissioners received a report on damage from the tornado Sunday night.

St. Francois County Emergency Management Director Nick Jones noted in his report that four homes were totally destroyed, four suffered major damage and 10 had minor damage.

One mobile home had major damage as a result of the tornado.

The storm struck the southern part of St. Francois County at approximately 8:30 p.m. The storm path began on State Route H and traveled in a northeastern direction towards Coffman and entered Ste. Genevieve County, his report said.

Jones spoke to the Daily Journal Tuesday afternoon and provided more details on the tornado.

The tornado is officially an EF-3, he said. Usually an EF-3 rips the tops of houses off, moves the foundation some. Most of it was an EF-2 that we saw, but some of what we saw today was an EF-3 between St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve Counties right on the border.

According to the National Weather Service, an EF-3 tornado has winds estimated between 136-165 mph. The NWS posted that the worst damage of the Coffman/St. Mary/Chester tornado was between Route F and Pleasant Hill Church Road south of Hawn State Park.

Jones said that he is meeting with SEMA on Wednesday.

We are going to plot the path through St. Francois County and try to figure out what the distance was, but they are thinking the whole storm system is 30-40 miles long if not longer. It ran up to St. Mary and Chester, Illinois. It actually started a little further south from here too. I heard that they found some more damage down in Reynolds County.

If anybody needs further assistance, they can reach out to St. Francois County Emergency Management at 573-747-9558.

On Monday morning, Wolf Creek Fire District estimated that 25-30 homes and buildings were completely destroyed with another 25-30 damaged throughout their coverage area in St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve Counties. On Monday evening Wolf Creek provided a map showing the locations of all of the damaged structures from Sunday nights storm.

Possum Hollow Road will remain closed to the public for the remainder of the week and possibly into early next week for St. Francois County Road and Bridge to clean up damage from Sunday nights tornado.

Sheriff Dan Bullock said that deputies are patrolling the area and have turned a lot of people away from entering the road.

Its restricted to local traffic right now, I know people are curious and want to see, they can come back after we get this straightened out, he said.

Highway Administrator John Gross said Ameren finished their work Tuesday, but there is much to be done.

We do have the road where it is passable, he said. Some areas of the road are only one lane. Over the course of the next several weeks we will be in there clearing trees and brush on the right-of-way.

We have road closed signs up. I understand that people are still checking on loved ones or homeowners that they want to help. But from our standpoint, with us using up the entire road to accomplish the cleanup, it really slows down our progress. We have trucks blocking our work zones so that we can do our job unimpeded.

Gross stated that if someone does need to get in for any reason, they need to use patience with county workers.

If you walk up to them and say that you are trying to get to the neighbors house and give them help, you may have to give us 15-20 minutes to get things situated and out of the way, he said. Its not a regular workday where you we can just pull stuff to the side of the road and let you through. Its a unique situation that requires a different approach as to how we work our day-to-day operations.

Mark Marberry is a reporter for the Farmington Press and Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3629, or at mmarberry@farmingtonpressonline.com

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LONDON (AP)  U.S. authorities launched a new battle on Wednesday to make Julian Assange face American justice, telling British judges that if they agree to extradite the WikiLeaks founder on espionage charges, he could serve any U.S. prison sentence he receives in his native Australia.

In January, a lower U.K. court refused a U.S. request to extradite Assange over WikiLeaks publication of secret American military documents a decade ago. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange, who has spent years in hiding and in British prisons as he fights extradition, was likely to kill himself if held under harsh U.S. prison conditions.

Appealing against that decision at the High Court in London, an attorney for the U.S. government on Wednesday denied that Assanges mental health was too fragile to withstand the U.S. judicial system. Lawyer James Lewis said Assange has no history of serious and enduring mental illness and does not meet the threshold of being so ill that he cannot resist harming himself.

U.S. prosecutors have indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks publication of thousands of leaked military and diplomatic documents. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison, although Lewis said the longest sentence ever imposed for this offense is 63 months.

Lewis said American authorities had promised that Assange would not be held before trial in a top-security Supermax prison or subjected to strict isolation conditions, and if convicted would be allowed to serve his sentence in Australia. Lewis said the assurances are binding on the United States."

Once there is an assurance of appropriate medical care, once it is clear he will be repatriated to Australia to serve any sentence, then we can safely say the district judge would not have decided the relevant question in the way that she did," he said.

The U.S. also says a key defense witness, neuropsychiatrist Michael Kopelman, misled the previous judge by omitting to mention that Stella Moris, a member of WikiLeaks legal team, was also Assanges partner and had two children with him. Lewis said that information was a highly relevant factor to the question of likelihood to suicide.

Assange's lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, accused U.S. lawyers of seeking to minimize the severity of Mr Assanges mental disorder and suicide risk.

Fitzgerald said in a written submission that Australia has not yet agreed to take Assange if he is convicted. Even if Australia did agree, Fitzgerald said the U.S. legal process could take a decade, during which Mr. Assange will remain detained in extreme isolation in a U.S. prison.

Assange, who is being held at Londons high-security Belmarsh Prison, had been expected to attend the two-day hearing by video link, but Fitzgerald said Assange had been put on a high dose of medication and doesn't feel able to attend.

Assange later appeared on the video link at times, seated at a table in a prison room wearing a black face mask.

Since WikiLeaks began publishing classified documents more than a decade ago, Assange has become a flashpoint figure. Some see him as a dangerous secret-spiller who endangered the lives of informers and others who helped the U.S. in war zones. Others say WikiLeaks shone a light on official malfeasance that governments would like to keep secret.

American prosecutors say Assange unlawfully helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published. Lawyers for Assange argue that he was acting as a journalist and is entitled to First Amendment freedom of speech protections for publishing documents that exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Several dozen pro-Assange protesters held a boisterous rally outside Londons neo-Gothic Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday, calling the prosecution politically motivated. They urged U.S. President Joe Biden to drop the legal proceedings, which were begun under his predecessor, Donald Trump.

The demonstrators included Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, who said Assange's case relates to our society, it relates to our freedom of expression, it relates to our individual human rights, and we have to watch the government."

WikiLeaks supporters say testimony from witnesses during the extradition hearing that Assange was spied on while in Ecuador's embassy in London by a Spanish security firm at the behest of the CIA  and that there was even talk of abducting or killing him  undermines U.S. claims he will be treated fairly.

The two justices hearing the appeal  one is Englands most senior judge, Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett  are not expected to give their ruling for several weeks. The losing side could seek to appeal to the U.K. Supreme Court.

Assange, 50, has been in prison since he was arrested in April 2019 for skipping bail during a separate legal battle. Before that he spent seven years holed up inside Ecuadors London embassy, where he fled in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault.

Sweden dropped the sex crimes investigations in November 2019 because so much time had elapsed. The judge who blocked extradition in January ordered that he must stay in custody during any U.S. appeal, ruling that the Australian citizen has an incentive to abscond if he is freed.

Outside court, Moris said it was completely unthinkable that the U.K. courts could agree to extradition.

I hope the courts will end this nightmare, that Julian is able to come home soon and that wise heads prevail," she said.



Associated Press writer David Keyton contributed.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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The disgraced former British spy Christopher Steele has kept a low profile in recent years. Understandably so, given that investigations revealed his dossier -- the collection of anti-Trump stories he compiled to try to undermine Donald Trump's 2016 presidential candidacy -- was filled with falsehoods and unverifiable claims. But now Steele has granted an interview to ABC's George Stephanopoulos. And if you were wondering whether Steele feels any remorse for being so wrong about something so important, wonder no more: He doesn't.

Steele is standing behind the dossier, and standing by even its most preposterous, unsupported allegations. Let's take one: the story that in August 2016, Trump fixer Michael Cohen met with Russian intelligence agents in Prague to arrange secret payments to the Russian hackers who hit the Clinton campaign. Cohen has vigorously denied the story, and after extensive investigation by the FBI and special counsel's office, no evidence has emerged that it ever happened. But when Stephanopoulos asked Steele, "Do you accept that finding, that it didn't happen?" Steele responded, "No, I don't."

Cohen has since turned on Trump, accusing his former boss of all sorts of wrongdoing and even implicating himself in some of those allegations. So why, Stephanopoulos asked, if Cohen seems to want to get back at Trump in every way possible, would he lie about the Prague allegation? "It's self-incriminating to a very great degree," Steele answered. "It's so incriminating and demeaning. And the other reason is, he might be scared of the consequences."

It was classic hugger-mugger spy talk, which appears to be Steele's specialty. In response, Cohen issued a statement saying, "I eagerly await [Steele's] next secret dossier which proves the existence of Bigfoot, the Loch News Monster, and that Elvis is still alive."

Stephanopoulos asked Steele whether his refusal to accept the findings of FBI and Justice Department investigators might hurt his credibility. "I'm prepared to accept that not everything in the dossier is 100% accurate," Steele answered. "I have yet to be convinced that [the Cohen story] is one of them."

Nor did Steele give an inch on another completely unproven allegation, the so-called "pee tape" story in which he claimed that in 2013, then-private citizen Trump watched as prostitutes performed a kinky sex act in a Moscow hotel room, with Russian spy cameras catching the whole thing on tape. A Justice Department inspector general's report said the source for that tale told the FBI he warned Steele the story was "rumor and speculation" and had not been "confirmed" by anyone, as Steele claimed. Then, the source told the FBI "that some of the information, such as allegations about Trump's sexual activities, were statements he heard made in 'jest.'" It was bar talk, the source suggested -- a joke.

But not to Christopher Steele. When asked why the source would admit that there was nothing to the hotel room story, Steele answered, "If you have a confidential source and that confidential source is blown or is uncovered, that confidential source will often take fright and try and downplay and underestimate what they've said and done. And I think that is probably what happened here." When Stephanopoulos asked if Steele thought the source is afraid, Steele said, "I think anybody that is named in this context, particularly if they are Russian, has every reason to be afraid."

So again, Steele will not admit anything. When asked if he believes the "pee tape" really exists, Steele said, "I think it probably does, but I wouldn't put 100% certainty on it." He even has an explanation for why, after all that has happened, the Russians have not released the tape. "It hasn't needed to be released," Steele said, "because I think the Russians felt they got pretty good value out of Donald Trump when he was president of the U.S."

All of which brought Steele back to what he does best: speculate. The tape might exist. The source might be afraid. Cohen might be scared, too. It might all be true! Just because the highest levels of U.S. intelligence and law enforcement spent enormous resources looking for proof -- anything -- of Steele's allegations and were unable to support them, they still might be true, right?

The big question is, why is Steele still pushing the dossier? First, it's difficult for someone to admit that the accomplishment for which he is best known was a fraud. But second, it's because Steele is still in the anti-Trump business, and Trump is still in politics. So business could pick up in the coming months and years. If so, Steele will be ready. "The problems we identified back in 2016 haven't gone away and arguably have actually got worse," Steele said. "And I thought it was important to come and set the record straight."

This content originally appeared on the Washington Examiner at washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/byron-yorks-daily-memo-christopher-steeles-hugger-mugger-spy-talk.

Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner.

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Lets expand a little on a country that I briefly talked about several weeks ago. I canceled a trip to India two years ago and still regret that I did. India is a large country with a diverse population whose foods and eating habits are different from one state to another. For example, in the southwest in the state of Karnataka, it is still the custom for men to cook for important guests.

Karnataka is located in the south of India, and thus did not use many of the spices that were transported on the trade routes that traverse east to west through India. The cuisine is simple, based on eggplant, mango, rice, wheat and beans. There is a cookbook that details all of these rules  a guide of life.

An influence of the Indo-Europeans, who first inhabited this region, was the sacrifice of cattle. The Brahmin priests and the ruling elites were kept permanently segregated from manual laborers and all other professions. You could not eat with people of a lower class or even be served food by them. The religion of the area is based on nonviolence. Thus, killing is wrong; no living thing is to be harmed. Even plants that sprout are not used for food.

Obviously, we would perish without food, so the idea is to cause the least amount of violence to other life forms. As in all religions, there is a degree of adherence to these rules.

As in most cuisines, there is good and bad in everything.
Mixing or matching the booster with the original vaccine works equally well, based on a study of 458 individuals who in the setting of a controlled clinical trial were randomized to receive one of the nine possible mix or match combinations of the three approved COVID-19 vaccines. All combinations increased anti-spike antibodies 20-fold.

And you are right that the technology is different for the J&J vaccine, which uses an attenuated or weakened adenovirus (common cold virus) and not mRNA to deliver the Spike glycoprotein to the immune system. One might want to use a precision approach to boosters. If you are a woman 50 years of age or younger you might avoid the J&J vaccine which can cause a rare (1/100,000 women) clotting disorder. If you are a young man, you might consider getting the J&J booster, as the mRNA vaccines are associated with a rare problem in young men of inflammation of the heart, called myocarditis.

4. Now that delta may be behind us  we hope  do you know of other troubling variants that are on the horizon? And is anything being done to develop a vaccine for them, or will the same vaccines be used?
On Saturday, Charlottesville Parks and Recreation will bring a pumpkin patch Azalea, Tonsler, Rives and Washington parks as part of the citys Pumpkins in the Park program.

Pumpkins will be spread out in a grassy area, some easy to find and some hidden. Registration is required, and each registrant picks one pumpkin and receives a bag of treats, as well as some crafts. No tricks are included.

They who find the pumpkin with the parks logo win $50 gift cards to parks and recreation facilities.

Registration can be made by following the links on the parks and recreation webpage at www.charlottesville.gov.

Elliot said the health department wants people to have fun and enjoy themselves, but they want people to be safe at the same time. For some, that may mean staying home.

If youre not feeling well, dont go out. Its a funky time of year when its hard to know if that symptom youre feeling is COVID or if its allergies, if its a cold, or if its the flu, he said. The safest bet is, if youre not feeling great, ask your friends to hang onto some candy for you.

Elliot said that even though the focus is on COVID, fall and winter bring on a wide variety of contagious ailments.

Our focus is still on COVID and the known variants and the fact that there is still transmission throughout our communities, he said. But weve got lots of other infections, especially in kiddos, and those things can be spread. We can still have fun and do a lot of things. Its just how we do it in a way thats safer for everybody. Making little changes can make a big difference.

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Schools and libraries had to apply in order to be considered for funding. In the area, the Louisa County school division received the most at $1,075,105. Across the mountain, Staunton City Schools received $1.3 million.

Orange County school division received $630,000 while Nelson County schools received $233,620.20. The other school systems receiving funding in the area include Charlottesville, Greene County and Madison County. The Covenant School and Charlottesville Waldorf School also received money.

Information about how the school divisions planned to spend the money was not included in Tuesdays announcement.

The money was issued in three waves starting in late September with the last batch arriving this week, according to the release.

Were proud to see these federal dollars go toward keeping Virginias communities connected. This investment will help close the digital divide, while improving access to job opportunities and educational resources for Virginians as we continue to recover from the impacts of COVID-19, the senators said in the release.
Charlottesville is less than a week away from meeting its new City Council. Two Democrats and an independent are vying for a seat in City Hall.

Democrat Brian Pinkston, a project manager at the University of Virginia who ran for the council in 2019, is leading the candidates in fundraising. Fellow Democratic nominee Juandiego Wade has served on the school board for 14 years. Challenger Yas Washington, an independent, is an entrepreneur who founded Rocket Science Integrated, a marketing agency.

The three candidates are vying for two seats on City Council that are currently held by councilor Heather Hill and Mayor Nikuyah Walker. Hill announced early this year that she would not seek a second term. Walker chose to withdraw from the election last month.

However, due to the timing of Walkers decision, her name still appears on the ballot because the ballot had already been printed.
WASHINGTON (AP)  China recently conducted a very concerning test of a hypersonic weapon system as part of its aggressive advance in space and military technologies, the top U.S. military officer says.

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was the first Pentagon official to confirm on the record the nature of a test this year by the Chinese military that the Financial Times had reported was a nuclear-capable hypersonic weapon that was launched into space and orbited the Earth before re-entering the atmosphere and gliding toward its target in China.

Milley said he could not discuss details because aspects involved classified intelligence. He said the United States also is working on hypersonic weapons, whose key features include flight trajectory, speed and maneuverability that make them capable of evading early warning systems that are part of U.S. missile defenses. The U.S. has not conducted a hypersonic weapon test of the sort Milley said China had achieved.

What we saw was a very significant event of a test of a hypersonic weapon system, and it is very concerning," Milley said on The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations on Bloomberg Television.
In Chester, a city of about 8,700 across the Mississippi River from St. Mary, residents reported damage that included a tree falling onto one home and roof damage to a nursing home, said Larry Willis, a spokesman for the Randolph County Emergency Management Agency.

Willis said the nearby village of Bremen took a direct hit before the storm dissipated about a mile (1.6 kilometers) east of that community. In its wake, a large storage building in Bremen was destroyed, and Illinois Route 150 was closed due to downed power lines and power poles.

One St. Mary resident, Tina Lowry, was in bed and her sister was in the living room when they heard a whooshing sound Sunday night. Lowry said she took shelter in her closet and her sister hunkered down in the bedroom as the home was ripped apart. Vehicles also were destroyed by the storm.

Im just happy were alive, she said.

The severe weather in the Midwest came as a powerful storm barreled toward Southern California after flooding highways, toppling trees and causing mud flows in areas burned bare by recent fires across the northern part of the state. Drenching showers and strong winds accompanied the storm.
"Renegades: Born in the USA" by Barack Obama, Bruce Springsteen; Crown (320 pages, $50)



In 2008, an unlikely friendship began to flourish between a rock 'n' roll legend and an American politician. Barack Obama was campaigning to become the first Black president of the United States, and he invited Bruce Springsteen to perform a concert at a rally in Ohio.

"I had wonderful experiences playing those rallies and those appearances with you," Springsteen tells Obama in "Renegades: Born in the USA," a collection of intimate and thoughtful conversations between the president and the Boss, which builds on the duo's eight-episode podcast series of the same name, released by Spotify earlier this year.

Out this week from Crown, "Renegades" contains unpublished anecdotes along with more than 350 illustrations, photographs and historical documents, including copies of Springsteen's handwritten lyrics and marked-up drafts of the former POTUS' speeches.

Openly discussing race, music, masculinity, cultural appropriation and nothing less than the American dream, the pair come off as kind-hearted boomers  grateful for the changes that have marked their lifetimes but realistic about the limitations of their generation and the progress yet to come.

"[You] gave me something that I've never been able to give myself," Springsteen tells Obama in the book. "And that was the diversity that was in the audience. I was playing to white faces and Black faces, old people and young people. And that's the audience that I always dreamed of for my band."

Obama, too, marvels at how his audience has evolved. Reflecting on last summer's police brutality protests set off by the killing of George Floyd, he says it's been "energizing" and made him "hopeful" to see young people on the frontlines of the movement for racial justice.

"In the sixties protest, it was a more limited band of young people who were getting involved," Obama says. "But what you're seeing  and it's sustaining itself  seems to be a change in attitude that is generational or generation-wide. I am encouraged by the willingness of young people to not only put themselves out there" but to ask themselves and their parents "hard questions. To look inward and not just outward."

The New Jersey hitmaker followed up with a question about how the former POTUS makes peace with America's contradictions  with the fact that "the same country that sent a man to the moon is the country of Jim Crow."

"I think that it is partly because we never went through a true reckoning," Obama responds, "and so we just buried one huge part of our experience and our citizenry in our minds."

Reparations could be part of an eventual reckoning, he says. But he says that "white resistance and resentment" made it unattainable during his presidency and that, while campaigning, he preferred to pursue more practical policy goals.

Progress is stymied, he adds, in a country that still struggles "to provide decent schooling for inner-city kids"  and one where "the resentments, the fears, the stereotypes, the tribal lines that are drawn out in our country remain very deep."

These were the kinds of divisions he had meant to bridge during his life in politics. In the "beer summit" of 2009, for example, he invited Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sgt. James Crowley, the white police officer who arrested him outside his Boston home, to have a conversation with him and then-Vice President Joe Biden.

Instead, five years after leaving office, Obama finds himself confronted with the limits of gradual change, as now-President Biden's grand agenda comes up against the hard realities of governing in 2021.

"If our criminal justice system and the way we police are broken and we have to start it from scratch," he asks, "are we obligated to just say that, even if the country is not ready for it? Even if you lose votes, even if you forgo the possibility of making more incremental progress, is it worth it to just articulate that truth?"

Springsteen is equally torn over where the country stands: "We've consistently fallen too short for too many years, for too many of our citizens, and that inequality, social and economic, is a stain on our social contract."

He's tried to bring awareness where he could  through music. Springsteen recalls the tumultuous reception of his song "American Skin (41 shots)," a response to the 1999 killing of Amadou Diallo, an unarmed immigrant from West Africa shot by New York City police officers in the vestibule of his apartment building.

The first time Springsteen performed the song, in June 2000 in Atlanta, "people mildly applauded," he recalls. But by the time he played it in New York's Madison Square Garden later that month, the band was on the front page of the New York Post. "[T]here was a lot of name-calling going on," he tells Obama.

Diallo's parents showed up and "were really lovely. But just as the band was starting to play the song, police officers rushed the stage. We took a lot of heat from the police for several years after that, which I always felt was a result of not really listening to the song."

It's just one anecdote in a broader conversation about the deep fissures of race, class and politics that  they have to admit  continued to grow despite their efforts.

"So how do you think we can bridge those divides?" asks Obama.

Springsteen offers a few "practical" ideas: "politically connecting across party lines; rediscovering common experience, the love of the country, a new national identity that includes a multiracial picture of the United States that's real today, rooted in common ideals."

"Those are hard, hard things to do," he adds  and you can almost hear his world-weary rasp. "Any way we cut it, it's a long walk home."

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  A powerful atmospheric river storm that swept through California set rainfall records and helped douse wildfires. But it remained to be seen how much of a dent it made in the state's drought.

The weather system weakened as it moved south but still dropped enough rain Monday evening to cause mudslides that closed roads in the San Bernardino Mountains northeast of Los Angeles.

The atmospheric river storm, a long and wide plume of moisture pulled in from the Pacific, came ashore in Northern California over the weekend.

Drenching rains caused widespread flooding and rock slides. Strong winds knocked down trees and toppled two big trucks on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge near San Francisco. Pacific Gas & Electric reported that 646,000 homes and businesses lost power, though most had it back by Monday.

By early Tuesday, light rain and snow was still falling in northern parts of California and the lone remaining flood warning was in Sonoma County north of San Francisco, where stream levels were slow to fall.

Despite the problems, the rain and mountain snow were welcome in Northern California, which is so dry that nearly all of it is classified as either experiencing extreme or exceptional drought.

The wet weather also greatly reduces the chances of additional wildfires in a region that has borne the brunt of another devastating year of blazes in the state.

The National Weather Service called preliminary rainfall totals from the storm staggering. Four inches (10 centimeters) fell Sunday in downtown San Francisco, making it the fourth-wettest day on record for the city.

Its been a memorable past 24 hours for the Bay Area as the long talked-about atmospheric river rolled through the region, the local weather office said Monday. We literally have gone from fire/drought conditions to flooding in one storm cycle.

Northeast of San Francisco, 5.44 inches (13.82 centimeters) fell on downtown Sacramento, shattering the one-day record for rainfall that had stood since 1880.

Along the state's central coast, nearly 5.4 inches (13.72 centimeters) of rain was recorded at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo County. In Southern California, 1.1 inches (2.79 centimeters) fell in Beverly Hills.

Interstate 80, the major highway through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Reno, Nevada, was closed by heavy snow early Monday. In Californias Colusa and Yolo counties, state highways 16 and 20 were shut for several miles because of mudslides, the state Department of Transportation said.

The same storm system also slammed Oregon and Washington state, causing power outages affecting tens of thousands of people. Two people were killed when a tree fell on a vehicle in the greater Seattle area.

Water levels at Lake Oroville, a major Northern California reservoir, rose 20 feet (6.10 meters) over the past week, according to the states Department of Water Resource. Most of the increase came between Saturday and Monday during the height of the storm, KHSL-TV reported.

Justin Mankin, a geography professor at Dartmouth College and co-lead of the Drought Task Force at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said the cycle of going from years-long drought to record-breaking downpours is expected to continue because of climate change.

While this rain is welcome, it comes with these hazards, and it wont necessarily end the drought, Mankin said. California still needs more precipitation, and it really needs it in high elevations and spread out over a longer time so its not hazardous.

Christy Brigham, chief of resource management and science at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, said the rain was a big relief after the KNP Complex fire torched an unknown number of the giant trees in the park, along with thousands of pines and cedars.

This amount of rainfall is what we call a season-ending event, Brigham said. It should end fire season, and it should end our need -- to a large degree -- to fight this fire.

Over the weekend, the California Highway Patrol closed a stretch of State Route 70 in Butte and Plumas counties because of multiple landslides within the massive Dixie Fire burn scar.

Cal Fire, the state firefighting agency, did not declare the wildfire season over or cut staffing to lower winter levels.

Wed like to see some more rain coming our way before we look at reducing staffing, spokesman Isaac Sanchez said.

The long-term weather forecast for California suggests drier-than-normal conditions, Mankin said.

To end different aspects of the drought, you are going to need a situation where parts of California get precipitation over the next three months thats about 200% of normal, he said, adding that despite this really, really insane rainfall, the winter is probably going to be drier than average.

Associated Press writers Janie Har in San Francisco, Christopher Weber and John Antczak in Los Angeles and Brian Melley in Three Rivers contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  President Joe Biden told leaders at the East Asia Summit on Wednesday that China's recent actions in the Taiwan Straits are coercive" and undermined peace and stability in the region.

The comments by Biden, who participated by video in the annual meeting of 18 Asia-Pacific nations, come during a surge in Chinese military activity near the island that China regards as a renegade province and has vowed to reclaim by force if necessary.

The president also reiterated the U.S. commitment to the international rules-based order and expressed concern over threats to that order, the White House said in a statement. He made clear that the United States will continue to stand with allies and partners in support of democracy, human rights, rule of law, and freedom of the seas.

Last week, Biden set off alarm bells in Beijing by saying the U.S. has a firm commitment to help Taiwan defend itself in the event of a Chinese attack.

The White House later downplayed the presidents comments, which came during a CNN town hall, and said he did not mean to imply any changes in the U.S. one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have plunged to new lows since nosediving under former President Donald Trump's administration, which adopted a confrontational approach on trade, visas, diplomatic representation and educational exchanges.

A U.S. nuclear submarine deal with Australia and the U.K. has also angered China, which claims most of the disputed South China Sea and warned the pact would threaten regional stability.

Some nations such as Indonesia and Malaysia also fear the pact could escalate tensions and spark an arms race.

Indonesia does not want this region to become an arms race and a power projection that can threaten stability, Indonesian President Joko Widodo told his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison, according to Indonesia's foreign minister.

Australia announced a $93 million package to support security, climate and health efforts in Southeast Asia, while Morrison defended the new pact with the U.S. and UK., saying it does not change Australias commitment to the Association of Southeast Asia Nations or the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific  "indeed it reinforces it.

He said Australia had no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons and remained deeply committed to nuclear non-proliferation.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said his country shared serious concern with ASEAN about challenges to the free and open maritime order in the East and South China seas, according to Japan's Foreign ministry.

He did not mention China by name, but Tokyo has more become vocal in defending the freedom of navigation and resolution of disputes based on international law, at a time China expands its military power beyond its shores, rattling neighbors with the construction of man-made islands and sending ships near their coasts.

The meetings have been clouded by a diplomatic standoff after military-ruled Myanmar skipped the summit in protest of ASEAN's move to bar Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, whose forces seized power in February, from attending.

In Biden's private conversations with ASEAN leaders, he denounced the horrific violence by the military junta in Myanmar as he looks to press U.S. leadership in the Pacific.

In Myanmar, we must address the tragedy caused by the military coup which is increasingly undermining regional stability, Biden told the leaders, according to the White House. The president added, The United States stands for the people of Myanmar and calls for military regime to end the violence, release all political prisoners and return to the path of democracy.

ASEAN's censure of Myanmar was its boldest after the bloc's envoy was prevented from meeting ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political detainees as part of a proposed dialogue to ease the crisis that has left more than 1,100 mostly anti-military protesters dead.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed concern over the detention in Myanmar of Australian academician Sean Turnell, who served as an economic adviser to Suu Kyis government. Morrison thanked Lee for the concern, a Southeast Asian diplomat, who took part in the meeting, told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the discussions publicly.

Myanmar has refused to send a junior representative to the summit, and slammed ASEANs move as going against the blocs principles of non-interference in each others affairs and decision-making by consensus. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Myanmars decision to snub the summit was regrettable and hinted he may also consider not inviting the military-led nations top general to a video summit of more than 50 Asian and European countries Cambodia will host next month, the diplomat said.

There have been concerns that European leaders may skip the summit and just send lower-ranking representatives if the Myanmar general will be allowed to join, according to the diplomat.

In a chairmans statement released after the summit Tuesday, the blocs leaders urged Myanmar to give its envoy, Brunei Second Foreign Minister Eryan Yusof, full access to all parties and release political detainees.

While respecting ASEAN's principle of non-interference, the bloc said it must also strike a balance in terms of rule of law, good governance, democracy and constitutional government in Myanmar's situation.

We reiterated that Myanmar remains a member of the ASEAN family and recognized that Myanmar needs both time and political space to deal with its many and complex challenges," the group said.



Karmini reported from Jakarta, Indonesia. Associated Press journalists Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, Kiko Rosario and Grant Peck in Bangkok, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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COVID-19 infections continue to rise in Colorado as rates in other states drop, putting Colorado in the 14th spot in the U.S. for the highest seven-day incidence rate of infections as of Thursday.

While the state appears to have seen a decrease in cases so far this week over last week, there are still a few days of data yet to collect. State epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy said in a news conference Friday that officials want to see several weeks of declines in COVID cases before they feel confident saying they are decreasing.

We're certainly not there yet, even if we see a slight improvement as this week goes on, Herlihy said.

The state's seven-day rate was 268 cases per 100,000 people Thursday, up from 166 on Oct. 1, which at that time ranked Colorado at 41st highest among the states.

Colorado had 982 hospitalizations Thursday, which state health officials said is the highest number so far in 2021. Seventy-eight percent of those patients  765  are unvaccinated, the state health departments COVID-19 incident commander Scott Bookman said.

He added 89.9% of Colorados ICU beds are currently occupied between COVID and non-COVID patients.

Herlihy and Bookman called the difficulty reaching a sustained drop in case numbers a stubborn plateau. But Herlihy acknowledged she doesnt know with certainty whether Colorados current trend represents the top of a plateau or the beginning of a new surge like the one seen last winter.

This is one of those times where my crystal ball isn't very clear, she said. She added she hopes Colorado will follow the rest of the country in seeing cases drop, but that its counterintuitive to knowledge that respiratory viruses tend to spread most in the fall and winter.

Herlihy said she also isnt sure why Colorados cases have been rising when other states COVID infections have been decreasing. Southeastern states may have had earlier spikes than Colorado associated as warmer temperatures drove people to stay inside, while the opposite may be true in Colorado, she said, but acknowledged other cold, Northern states arent having uniform experiences with their COVID numbers.

I think there's a lot we still don't know about the temporal nature of these waves of illness and how they occur with delta. So I think, really, lots more for us to learn and try and understand and at this point.

COVID-19 case rates continue to be highest among the 6-to-11 age group, followed by 12 to 17-year-olds, then adults. Children ages 0 to 5 continue to have the lowest rates, Herlihy said.

Counties on Colorados Eastern Plains have particularly high case rates right now, including in Cheyenne, Kiowa, Bent, Kit Carson, Lincoln Otero and Yuma counties.

Herlihy and Bookman once again urged people to get vaccinated. In order to be fully inoculated by Thanksgiving on Nov. 25, Thursday was the final day for getting a first shot of the Moderna vaccine. Oct. 21 is the final day to get a first shot of the Pfizer vaccine to be fully vaccinated by Thanksgiving, Bookman said. People getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should get the shot by Nov. 11.

[We] really want to make sure that people are thinking about the safest way to celebrate our holidays this year, he said.

Herlihy encouraged other measures to decrease risk of COVID transmission associated with gatherings, such as testing before attending an event, keeping gatherings small and limiting them to people who have been vaccinated.

Bookman urged people to get a flu vaccine as well, to keep hospitalizations down. Colorado had an unusually mild flu season last fall and winter, influenced by COVID-19 measures such as masking, social distancing, and remote learning for schools. State health officials also pushed flu vaccinations in an effort to reduce hospitalizations in the face of surging COVID cases.

But health officials told The Denver Gazette earlier this week they expect this flu season to look more like typical, non-pandemic years.

Taken together, COVID and flu vaccines really do have the opportunity to protect your hospital capacity as we go into our winter months, Bookman said.
Unifique, Brazils seventh-largest ISP in terms of subscribers, has agreed to acquire regional ISP Click SBS, owner of a fibre network in Itapoa, State of Santa Catarina.

Though the deal is a minor one, Click is valued at BRL7.5 million (USD1.3 million) and serves just 3,000 fixed broadband subscriptions!

The form of payment includes an initial payment of 50% of the purchase price, and 50% of the purchase price with payment in 15 equal, monthly and consecutive installments, and an installment in the 24th month.

"Although the acquisition does not represent a relevant amount when compared to assets, net operating revenue or even the number of the Company's customers, the acquisition reinforces the Company's presence in the State of Santa Catarina", said Jose Wilson Souza Junior, financial director of the group Unifique, in the notice local media.

Publicly traded since July, the operator has been very active in consolidating regional providers. Unifique had already acquired eight operators in the South region until September this year (Click SBS is the ninth), reaching the milestone of 400,000 accesses. The expectation is to end in 2021 with 490,000 customers.

The eight providers purchased by Unifique are BKTech, Naja, TKNet, Neofibra, Zappen, Fibramax, SSTV, and MKS. The most recent acquisitions were from MKS Net and Fibramaxx, purchases also made in this month of October.
Indonesia-based mobile telecommunications services operator XL Axiata has revealed that under its ongoing 4G LTE network rollout programme it has now switched on its signal in most of the sub-districts in West Kalimantan province.

The Jakarta-headquartered mobile network operator said in a press release that under the government-led initiative to accelerate and develop telecommunications and data network infrastructure throughout Indonesia, within the past year, XL Axiata has intensively built a 4G network, in the form of more than 260 4G BTS, to remote rural areas that were previously unreachable.

This initiative is part of the implementation of XL Axiata's commitment at the age of 25 to Build a Digital Indonesia, it said.

Group Head of XL Axiata for the Jabodetabek & Kalimantan Region who also oversees the West Kalimantan area, Rd. Sofia Purbayanti, said, Data traffic throughout West Kalimantan has increased by 215% in the last two years. Therefore, we must continue to build a 4G network, both to improve the quality of service, as well as to expand to areas that are new and have great potential. Along with network development, we also continue to fiberize the network to increase capacity, so that customer convenience will also increase.

According to Sofia, currently, XL Axiata's 4G network throughout West Kalimantan Province has reached 75% of the existing districts or 129 districts, covering a total of 901 subdistricts/villages, with more than 418 thousand subscribers. To support services throughout the province of West Kalimantan, XL Axiata operates more than 1,000 4G BTS.

Sofia added that the existence of the 4G network in the West Kalimantan region is also an implementation of XL Axiata's commitment to contribute to increasing digital literacy for people who live in remote rural areas. The availability of a quality internet network and increasing digital literacy will encourage productivity and help people adapt to various means of the digital economy.
Were all rolling on up toward the holidays, and I want everyone who has any connection to me, either positive or negative, to have a good one. Theres been a ton of research coming out this last couple of weeks that many of the COVID-19 ritualistic class would find upsetting. But in the spi
Youth from across the state exhibited livestock during the Alabama National Fair in Montgomery. The Alabama Farmers Federation and Alfa Insurance sponsor the fairs livestock shows. Events included:

Youth Beef ShowOct. 9

Youth Goat ShowOct. 9

District Dairy ShowOct. 13

State Dairy ShowOct. 14

Youth Sheep ShowOct. 16

Youth Swine ShowOct. 17

While contests vary based on animal exhibited, each show includes awards for Showmanship and Premier Exhibitor. In Showmanship, the exhibitor is judged on criteria including how well they set up their animal, eye contact with the judge and ability to move around the ring with their animal. The Premier Exhibitor contest awards exhibitors based on their overall performance during the entire show as well as their score on a written test.

In all other classes and drives, ribbons are awarded based on the animals performance and qualities.

For the Youth Beef Show, there was a Heifer Show and a Market Show, and awards were given for overall grand champion, overall reserve champion, third, fourth and fifth place in both categories.
The Chipola College Theatre Department brings a new experience for theater-goers in our area with a staged reading of Alabama Rain, Nov. 4-5, 2021 at 7 p.m. in the Experimental Theatre located in the Center for the Arts at Chipola College.

A staged reading is theater in its purest form. No set, no props, no costumes. Actors interact and perform the story with script, similar to listening to an audio book. With more stories to tell than any theater could conceivably produce, staged readings allow audience members to experience more great stories at a lower cost to the theater and give students the opportunity to perform more pieces.

Alabama Rain is the tale of five sisters living in a mythical southern town where it has not rained in 40 years. Monty Lous been pregnant for 10 years; Laurie Lauries dead spirit sings from the old magnolia tree; Pheenies walking the entire coast of Florida; Rachels gone to fetch the Ouija board; and little Dallas LaDean is determined to save them all. The play examines the perils of a stagnant experience as the sisters thirst for fertility and growth.

Cast members include: Kodibeth Bates as Dallas, Riley Rivers as Monty Louise, Victoria Kelly as Rachel, Luci Sloan as Laurie Laurie, Caroline King as Pheenie, and Melanie Canada. The play will be directed by Brooke West Carr and assisted by Raines Carr.
Can vodka be made from honey? Does brandy have to involve fruit? Is bourbon only made in the American south?

From aquavit to vodka, alcoholic beverages can be broken down into categories based on distillation and fermentation. The magic comes in their processes and ingredients, and each spirit is completely unique. This glossary explains the primary characteristics of the most popular spirits to help you become a mixology maven.

Vodka  For years, the U.S. governments Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau defined vodka as neutral, with no odor, taste or color. And because distillers are required to start with pure, near-flavorless alcohol at 190 proof, vodka can begin its life as many things. A common base is grain, like wheat, but vodka can derive from potatoes, corn, grapes or honey.

In 2020, the U.S. dropped the flavorless requirement and now allows sugar and citric acid, though the proof requirement stands and theres still no aging. Producers like Richard Patrick at Cathead Distillery hope this means an evolution of different, more flavorful vodkas that express what theyre made of.

Gin  Start with vodka, add botanicals. The word gin comes from genever, a Dutch word that means juniper. Thats the only botanical gin must have in order to be called gin, though most have many more.

Juniper flavors are often interpreted as tasting piney, green, waxy or herbaceous. Other common botanicals include citrus peel, coriander, cardamom, black pepper and sage, as well as more esoteric angelica root and orris root. London dry gins often have a bright, citrus flavor. Older styles, like genever or Plymouth gin, can add robust or spice flavors to a cocktail.

Brandy  Brandy is made from the juice of grapes, ripe berries and tree fruit like plums, pears and apples. Its roots are in Europe, where the French famously produce cognac and Armagnac as well as Calvados, an apple brandy.

Pisco, made in Peru and Chile, is a brandy. Eau de vie is brandy that has not been aged in barrels, which give the spirit flavor and color. Schnapps in Europe often refers to a brandy, though in the U.S. its usually a fruit liqueur.

Rum  Sugar, either in the form of molasses or sugar cane juice, is necessary to make rum, so its strongly associated with the Caribbean. According to Meehans Bartenders Manual by Jim Meehan, the color of rum tells you little about its age: caramel coloring is often added to young gold rums as well as mature rums, he says, while the inky color and bold character of molasses obscure age.

Variations of rum include rhum agricole, a funky, earthy style made directly from sugar cane instead of fermented molasses, and cachaca, which is made in Brazil and associated with the caipirinha cocktail.

Whiskey  Whiskey is made from corn, wheat, malted barley and/or rye, and is generally aged for at least two years to add its nuance of flavor. White whiskey is sometimes called moonshine. Many classic cocktails, including the mint julep, Sazerac, Old Fashioned and Manhattan, call for whiskey as their base.

Bourbon, made predominantly in the southern United States, must have a mash bill, or recipe, thats at least 51% corn. It is usually sweeter than rye whiskey, which must be at least 51% rye and has more spice flavors.

Japanese, Canadian and Scotch whiskies drop the e in their name. Each whisky has its own parameters for blending, but all must be aged in wooden barrels for at least three years.

Tequila  Made in Mexico from blue agave, tequila has three main types: blanco, unaged; reposado, aged two to 12 months; and anejo, aged at least a year in oak barrels. Tequila is technically mezcal, which is a broader category that encompasses all agave-based spirits. Order mezcal in a U.S. bar, though, and youll get a smoky, traditional Mexican spirit.

Other terms to know:

An aperitif is served before dinner to awaken the palate. A digestif comes after dinner to help digestion. There are no strict rules for either.

Sherry, vermouth, port and Madeira are fortified wines, meaning a distilled spirit is added to the wine. They can be sweet or dry and may be very complex. These are usually served as aperitifs or digestifs.

Aquavit, popular in Scandinavia, is a grain spirit flavored with spices such as caraway, anise, fennel, cardamom or dill.

Liqueurs are often made by macerating fruit, herbs, spices or coffee in a neutral grain spirit. They tend to be lower in alcohol and may be sweetened with sugar.

Sake is a brewed Japanese beverage made from rice, with an alcohol level similar to wine. Shochu in Japan and soju in Korea are both distilled, clear spirits made from rice, barley or sweet potatoes.
Just two reporters were allowed inside a Georgia courtroom to serve as the eyes and ears of the public when jury selection began for the men charged with murdering Ahmaud Arbery. Pandemic restrictions also kept reporters and the public out of the courtroom during the sex-trafficking trial of music star R. Kelly.

And in an Ohio courtroom, a federal judge relegated the press to an overflow room to listen to an audio feed for the trial of a Chinese national charged with trying to steal trade secrets from U.S. companies.

A year-and-a-half into the coronavirus pandemic, courts across the U.S. are still grappling with how to balance public health concerns with the constitutional rights of a defendant and the public to have an open trial. There's no standard solution. Some courts are still functioning entirely virtually. Others are back in person. And many are allowing only limited public access.

This is a fundamental constitutional right that the public has  to have open courts and to be able to see whats happening in real time in a courtroom, said David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, which has prodded California courts to improve public access during the pandemic.
Construction on Vietnam's Vung Ang 2 coal plant to begin in December

An artist's impression of Vung Ang 2 coal-fired power plant in the central province of Ha Tinh. Photo courtesy of Vung Ang II Thermal Power Llc

Vietnam will begin construction on 1,230-megawatt Vung Ang 2 coal-fired power plant in the central province of Ha Tinh this December.

The investor, Vung Ang II Thermal Power LLC (VAPCO), has completed necessary procedures for the $2.2-billion project to go ahead, deputy chief executive officer Hoang Trong Binh told the Vietnam Finance newspaper.

Vung Ang 2, largely owned by Mitsubishi Corp and Korea Electric Power, is scheduled to start commercial power generation in the third quarter of 2025, Binh said.

South Korea's Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction and Samsung C&T were among the construction contractors involved in the project, he added.

A VAPCO spokesman said construction work on the project would start on December 5.

Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh in a statement on Monday called on its miners and relevant authorities to boost domestic coal production as the country grows more reliant on imports.
Fishermen harvest shrimps in the southern province of Ca Mau. Photo by VnExpress/Phuc Hung

Vietnams shrimp exports to the U.S. surged 22 percent to over $775 million in the first nine months despite Covid-19 impacts, according to Vietnam Customs.

Growth is eight times higher than that of total shrimp exports, which rose 2.6 percent to $2.76 billion.

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said in a recent note U.S. demand remains high, especially as the economy resumes after Covid-19 outbreaks and as the end-of-year shopping season approaches.

September was the 10th month in a row the U.S. saw shrimp imports rise. On average, it has imported over $800 million each month in the past 10 months.

The U.S. has been hiking up shrimp imports from Ecuador since the beginning of the year, but as the latter faces a supply shortage, Vietnam has an opportunity to boost exports there, VASEP said.

Vietnamese exporters will also likely benefit from the Christmas shopping season in Europe where demand is set to rise, it added.

Shrimp exports to the EU in the first nine months rose 10 percent year-on-year to nearly $408 million.

The U.S. was Vietnams biggest shrimp export market in the first nine months, accounting for 28 percent of the total, followed by the EU, 15 percent, and China, 11 percent.
A medic holds a vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Hanoi, September 11, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

The Health Ministry announced Tuesday that a nationwide campaign to immunize children and teens against Covid-19 with start next month with the Pfizer vaccine.

"The vaccine is safe for children," Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said at a meeting.

The vaccine, produced by American corporation called Pfizer in New York and BioNTech, a German biotechnology company based in Germany, has been recommended for children by the World Health Organization.

The national campaign will start with those aged 16 and 17 and work its way down.

Only those having the written consent of parents and guardians can be vaccinated. They will have their health checked prior to the inoculation in line with the ministrys Covid-19 vaccination guidelines.

The ministry had on Oct. 14 approved the administration of vaccines for children aged 12-17, prioritizing the 16-17 age group. Tuesdays meeting and announcement was the first instance that specified the kind of vaccine to be used for the age group.

The nations two biggest cities, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, have already prepared plans to vaccinate teenagers and children.

The HCMC Health Department plans to begin vaccinating 780,000 children against Covid-19 starting Wednesday, first in the downtown District 1 and the outlying Cu Chi District. Cu Chi is set to vaccinate around 1,500 children aged 16-17 on the first day, while District 1 will start with 310 12th graders.

Hanois vaccination campaign for children aged 12-17 is expected to commence in 2022.

The Pfizer vaccine has been administered to the12-17 age group in about 30 countries.

On October 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recognized the vaccine as suited for administration to the 5-11 age group.

Vietnam has so far vaccinated 52.6 million adults with at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot and 21.5 million people have been fully vaccinated.
PM Pham Minh Chinh has called on Southeast Asia to join hands to establish an autonomous Covid-19 vaccine supply chain for the region.

Speaking at the 38th and 39th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summits and Related Summits on Oct. 26, he said the bloc should prioritize two tasks in the coming time, "making efforts to control and adapt to the pandemic, and finding a new political and economic position of the bloc given the context that political-economic relations around the world are being re-forming.

"No citizen is safe when there are still other citizens having Covid-19, and no country is safe when other countries in the region and the world still have to fight the pandemic," PM Chinh told the event, held online on Oct. 26  28.

The bloc needs to improve the effectiveness of coordination mechanisms, improve the capacity of the health system, be proactive about vaccines and therapeutic drugs, and raise their people's awareness.

"As one of the ASEAN member states that have been promoting Covid-19 vaccine research and proactively producing vaccines, Vietnam suggested the bloc soon transfer technologies to each other to produce vaccines and drugs to treat Covid-19, forming an autonomous supply chain of the region."

It is necessary to take advantage of the ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework created last year to facilitate essential travel within the region, he said.

"The Vietnamese government has approved a set of criteria for the use of vaccine passports and is ready to exchange certificates of Covid-19 vaccination with ASEAN countries, including digital certificates."

The summits are expected to discuss a number of issues, including further strengthening the capacity of ASEAN to achieve post-Covid economic recovery, enhancing its readiness to tackle common challenges and seizing new opportunities to pursue shared prosperity while maintaining cooperation to achieve long-term goals.

Besides leaders of ASEAN countries, the meetings also saw the participation of leaders of dialogue partners China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, the U.S., Australia, and Russia, and representatives of other countries.
The United States remains gravely concerned about the ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia. Reports of an airstrike against the Tigrayan capital of Mekele and continued human rights abuses and atrocities by the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, the Eritrean Defense Forces, Amhara regional and irregular militia forces, the Tigrayan Peoples Liberation Front and other armed groups are deeply disturbing.

We condemn all such abuses against civilians in the strongest possible terms and call on all parties to the conflict to respect human rights and comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, said State Department spokesperson Ned Price.

He added, We agree with the UN Secretary-General and African Union leaders: There is no military solution to the conflict in northern Ethiopia, and a durable political solution must be found. We urge the Ethiopian government and the Tigrayan Peoples Liberation Front to enter at once into negotiations without preconditions toward a sustainable ceasefire.

The mounting reports of human rights abuses underscore the urgency of independent, transparent and credible international investigations. It is essential that all parties to the conflict allow and facilitate the access necessary for such investigations. We call on the Government of Ethiopia in particular to allow and facilitate such access for all government bodies.

Spokesperson Price said, We look forward to an update from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. . .on the human rights situation in Tigray and to the release of the joint investigation report of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at the earliest possible opportunity. We also urge full cooperation with the Commission of Inquiry of the [African Union] Commission on Human and Peoples Rights.

Establishing transparent, independent mechanisms to hold those responsible for human rights abuses to account is critical for reconciliation and peace in Ethiopia.
A Saudi appeals court upheld the verdict and lengthy prison sentence handed to an aid worker earlier this year by a counterterrorism court.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price expressed disappointment that a Saudi court has upheld the 20-year prison sentence followed by an equal length travel ban for Saudi aid worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression.

We have closely monitored his case, said spokesperson Price, and are concerned by allegations that Mr. al-Sadhan was subjected to mistreatment, that he has been unable to communicate with family members, and that his fair trial guarantees were not respected. As we have underscored to Saudi officials at all levels, the peaceful exercise of universal rights should never be a punishable offense.

Sadhan was arrested on March 12, 2018, from the Red Crescent Society offices in the capital Riyadh, where he worked. His sister Areej, a U.S. citizen who has been advocating for his release, said he was detained without a warrant or charges against him. Rights groups say he was seized after his anonymous Twitter account was broken into.

Following the news that the sentence was upheld on appeal, Areej said, "We are devastated!"

According to the Geneva-based MENA Rights Group, al-Sadhan was brought to trial in April for having run two satirical Twitter accounts and accused of funding terrorism, supporting or sympathizing with the Islamic State militant group, and preparing, storing and sending messages that "would prejudice public order and religious values."

Spokesperson Price said the United States will continue to elevate the role of human rights in our relations with Saudi Arabia and to encourage legal reforms that advance respect for human rights of all individuals.






James Johnston

James Johnston II is captain of the C shift at the Elko Fire Department, where he has served for 21 years. In 2020 he won an American Red Cross Real Hero award. He was the VFW firefighter of the year in 2014 and the City of Elko firefighter of the year in 2018.

Johnston was the EFDs first captain to be credentialed as a Fire Officer from the Center for Public Safety Excellence, and received a Presidents award from Great Basin College for paramedic studies in 2018. He has associates degrees in Fire Science and Emergency Medical Services Paramedic; and bachelors degrees in Fire Technology, Fire Administration and Psychology; and a masters degree in Crisis and Emergency Management.

He is involved in St. Marks Lutheran Church as an elder, a Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital board member, and on the Great Basin College paramedic advisory board.

Johnston helped get the EFDs ambulance available to transport, and received a letter of commendation for training Elko Police Department officers on the dangers of the fire ground.

Nomination: James is a very caring person. He will do everything he possibly can do to help in any situation. He will help physically and mentally. He is secure in his takeover of any situation that needs his stamina and brains. He has been in many situations where he must physically take over for one reason or another. He has the mentality to sort through situations that require his vast knowledge and will do his best, which goes beyond what is necessary.

Gary Davis

Gary Davis has been in the fire service for 37 years, 21 of them here in Nevada. Hes a captain at the Elko County Fire Protection Districts station 28 in Spring Creek.

Nomination: Gary deserves this nomination because he is the kindest person there is. He is an amazing teacher and friend. This man is my second dad and has taught me and so many others. If theres ever a person I need  Gary will always be there.

Mitchell Cannon

Mitch Cannon has been a volunteer firefighter for over 10 years, and works full time at Nevada Gold Mines as an equipment operator. He is a captain for mine rescue. Cannon has completed EMT, AEMT, firefighter1 and firefighter 2 certifications. He has been on two national qualifying teams for the Firefighter Challenge.

Cannon says being in the department has given him lots of great opportunities to learn new skills and grow as a firefighter and help in a variety of calls.

Nomination: Mitch puts his heart and soul into every job. He goes above and beyond to do whats best for any situation.

Ray Mowrey

Ray Mowrey is a second-generation fire captain for the City of Elko. He has served 12 years as a career firefighter and 16 years as a volunteer with Lee Engine Company. Mowrey has served six years with mine rescue, four at the Nevada Division of Forestry, and seven years at the University of Nevada Reno Fire Science Academy as on IFSAC instructor.

Mowrey has been president of the Elko Firefighters Association for the past 10 years. He was responsible for standardizing the training calendar, he researched and developed standard operating procedures for cancer and disease prevention, and as a volunteer in 2004 was awarded an Assistance to Firefighters Grant for the department.

In 2015, he was successful in securing a Public Service Officer Death Benefit for a firefighter who was killed in the line of duty.

Nomination: Ray is very dedicated to his profession and community. He cares about others and always tries to do what is right. He is a wonderful husband, father and friend. He loves a challenge and encourages others to do their best.

Sebastian Velez

Sebastian Velez is a Conservation Crew Supervisor with the Nevada Division of Forestry. He runs an inmate hand crew that responds to wildland fires throughout Nevada and California. He spent the 2021 fire season battling the Tamarack and Caldor fire. He has been working at Carlin for two years and recently earned his Crew Boss qualification.

Nomination: Wildland firefighters are historically under paid and overworked. Despite harsh conditions and being away from family for weeks at at time, Sebastian continues to risk his life to protect Nevada.

Kyle Stone

Kyle Stone is a Driver Operator II for the Elko City Fire Department. He started with the department in 2013, and received the Firefighter of the Year award in 2019.

Stone is bilingual in Spanish, and a technician on ice rescue, radiation/hazmat, car seat and self-contained breathing apparatus. He is an EMS instructor and Emergency Vehicle Operator Course Instructor with a strong learning and teaching ethic.

Nomination: Throughout the years he has attended numerous trainings to further his knowledge and skills to be his absolute best when serving the community. You can find him installing car seats, presenting a school program, giving tours at the station or teaching CPR. Hes passionate about his career and dedicated to his community. I cant think of someone better to recognize and call a hero.

Warren Dorsey Munson

Munson is an emergency response coordinator, trainer, mine rescue trainer, water trainer as well as a city firefighter with the Elko Fire Department.

Nomination: Hes spent many years not only serving Elko County, but training others to make sure everyone is prepared and safe. He deserves this recognition for all of his hard work and positive attitude, and is a great person to be around.

Seth Frandsen

Firefighter Seth Frandsen is a hazardous materials technician with 13 years of service at the Elko Fire Department. He is an IFSAC instructor and is pursuing a Paramedic degree to be completed in May 2022.

Nomination: When Seth first hired on with the City of Elko Fire Department they called him the baby fireman because he was only 20 years old. He is the kind of person you want to have show up in an emergency. Along with his expertise as a firefighter and his medical training he also shows compassion and comfort to those he is helping and their loved ones.

Victor Harrell

Victor Harrell has been with a volunteer fire Department for most of his 26 years living in Nevada. He has held the office of president of a department, and also has held the rank of captain. He currently is the trainer for Golconda fire.

Nomination: Victor has volunteered hundreds of hours to responding and training. He devotes his off time to helping other members with training.

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Lately, the United States has been experiencing troubling shortages of consumer goods. Everything from groceries and paper supplies to electronics and automobiles are suddenly in short supply. Shipping disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic  including a record 100 trans-oceanic cargo ships waiting to enter the Port of Los Angeles  are contributing to a crisis that proves America has become far too dependent on imports. The solution is obvious: the U.S. must start manufacturing more goods and materials at home.

There are two root causes of the current goods shortage. The first is that big-box retailers are waiting on shipments of finished products from China and other countries. The second is that U.S. producers are sitting idle, waiting on imported raw materials and supplies needed to manufacture finished goods. Theyre simply stuck waiting on overseas deliveries of everything from metals and plastics to pharmaceutical ingredients and semiconductors.

It doesnt have to be this way, however. While some domestic producers remain dependent on China, other U.S. manufacturers are actually thriving right now. Thats because theyve wisely opted to source all of their materials from domestic American mills, machine shops, and foundries.

A good example is Sherrill Manufacturing in upstate New York  the last U.S. manufacturer of kitchen flatware. Despite the current market disruption, Sherrills sales are up almost 20 percent this year  in part because its competitors are still waiting on supplies from China and Vietnam. Sherrill doesnt have that problem, though, since it sources all of its materials domestically  including steel from Pittsburgh and Tennessee, and buffing compounds from Ohio and New York. As a result, Sherrill keeps making kitchenware  and employing dozens of U.S. workers  while big-box retailers wait for deliveries of lower-quality flatware from China.

Similarly, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. experienced troubling shortages of many essential medicines. Thats because America now depends on China and India to supply the ingredients needed to manufacture many generic medicines. In fact, China now controls roughly 90 percent of the inputs that U.S. pharmaceutical companies need to make many generic antibiotics and other life-saving medications.

This is an intolerable situation. Its past time to rebuild all levels of U.S. manufacturing. Doing so can help to reduce a dangerous dependence on adversarial nations like China  and ensure that, in the event of another pandemic, the U.S. doesnt face more shortages of everything from face masks and medicines to medical equipment.

Its past time for Washington to rethink this import dependence. That means embracing tariffs to strengthen key industries and also implementing federal policies to reduce Americas overvalued dollar  something currently making U.S. exports too expensive.

The real story of Americas goods shortage is that, for too long, many policymakers have short-sightedly championed cheap imports as a cure-all for the economy. But that needs to change, if Americans are to enjoy safe, ongoing access to the products they rely on every day.

Michael Stumo is CEO of the Coalition for a Prosperous America. Follow him at @michael_stumo.

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Headlines

- Millions begin to see benefit increases in SNAP benefits.

- 4.5 million Californians have received $600 Golden Statestimulus checks.

- Will there be a fourth stimulus check for Social Security recipients?

- Historic increase coming in November for those on receiving CalFresh, or SNAP benefits in California.

- A deep dive into unemployment benefits in the United States

- 2022 Social Security COLA increase to take effect 30 December 2021.

- Increased calls for fourth stimulus check as inflation sees prices rise

Useful information & Links

Child Tax Credit

- Next monthly Child Tax Credit payment to go out on 15 November

Stimulus checks

- Fourth stimulus check: the situation in every US state

- Could a fourth stimulus check happen in November?

- Petition calling for $2,000 recurring checks nears 3m signatures

Medicare

- Open enrollment under way through 7 December

- How old do you have to be to get on Medicare?

- Medigap vs Medicare Advantage plan: the lowdown

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Each autumn, as the leaves begin to change and the temperatures fall, there is an annual routine which prompts confusion every year. We all know that the clocks fall back and spring forward, but when should you change your watch?

The change always takes place in the early hours of a Sunday morning, meaning that the exact date will vary from year-to-year.

This year at 2am on Sunday, 7 November the nations clocks will shift back an hour to 1am. This means that you will essentially live the same hour twice, lengthening the night and giving everyone an extra 60 minutes in bed.

This may sound like a good thing, but the autumnal shifting of the clocks means that winter is on its way and the days will start getting darker earlier. The amount of daylight will continue to shorten each day, until the winter solstice on 21 December.

What is the history of daylight saving?

Although Benjamin Franklin is often credited with the invention of daylight saving for proposing the idea in a 1784 essay entitled An Economical Project, it wasnt seriously consider for another century.

It was William Willetts, a builder from Great Britain, who became the key advocate for the cause and it was first enacted as a way to conserve coal during the First World War.

In the United States the practice of daylight saving continue in a fair ad-hoc basis, employed by various local and state authorities, until being enshrined nationally with the Uniform Time Act of 1966. From then on the change was overseen by the Department of Transportation, who have since linked the federal mandate to reductions in energy and crime.

Although the switch has now become a federal decision, states do have the ability to opt out and a small number do so. Hawaii does not currently observe daylight saving, and most of Arizona also opts out.

Until 2006 Indiana did not follow daylight saving time state-wide, with different counties allowed to decide for themselves. This was particularly confusing because the state spans two different time zones, and a bill passed in 2005 unified time-keeping across Indiana. It seems like a logically move by then-Governor Mitch Daniels became unpopular for passing the controversial law.
China has provided over 1.5 billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccines to 106 countries and four international organizations this year, playing a significant role in reining in the virus and advancing global collaboration, said Luo Zhaohui, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency.

The country has also delivered large amounts of antivirus materials, such as protective clothing, masks and respirators, to 150 countries and 13 international organizations, Luo added.

He said that during the pandemic, China has launched "the longest and the most extensive" emergency humanitarian aid initiative since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

Luo said with China's COVID-19 foreign aid efforts targeting neighboring countries, it has prioritized their emergency situations, streamlining procedures to answer their demands.

He said that when the Delta variant caused serious virus flare-ups in South Asian and Southeast Asian countries in late April, the country promptly rolled out a new program to send antivirus materials to Nepal, Afghanistan, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

China has managed to overcome tight supplies and production capacity constraints, according to Luo.

"Within a few days, we had arranged and dispatched a medical expert team to Laos and sent medical supplies to Nepal," he said.

In addition, China has held over 1,000 video conferences to share its knowledge about fighting the outbreak, has dispatched more than 10 expert health teams and has established an inventory for stocks of medical supplies planned for South Asia.

More than 80 million doses of vaccines were given to neighboring countries as donations, he added.

"Because China has accumulated experiences in battling the virus and winning time for the world to combat the pandemic, many neighboring countries are eagerly anticipating assistance from China and pinning their hopes on us," Luo said.

"We did not let them down," he said, adding that China's assistance had resulted in "outstanding and direct benefits".

Since last year, Ruili, a city in Yunnan province bordering Myanmar, was locked down three times due to new outbreaks.

The circumstances prompted China to cooperate with and supply vaccines and antivirus materials to northern regions of Myanmar, according to Luo.

He said the goal is to strengthen disease prevention efforts along the borders and help contain local outbreaks in Myanmar while preventing imported infections in China.

"China's selfless foreign assistance stands in stark contrast to the aloofness of some other large countries," he added.

Zhou Liujun, vice-chairman of the cooperation agency, said that since the pandemic broke out, China has delivered more than 120 batches of testing kits, respirators and medical supplies to 50 African countries and the African Union, and it has dispatched expert medical teams to 17 African countries.

China has also set up nearly 400 foreign aid projects to bolster economic recovery in Africa. "Nearly 10,000 Chinese workers have manned their positions despite the raging virus," he added.

In the meantime, a new China-funded headquarters for the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Ethiopia began construction late last year. In addition, a maternity and child healthcare hospital in Senegal and an infectious disease department building at a hospital in Mauritaniaboth funded by Chinahave been handed over to local authorities and put into use, he added.

An increasing number of countries and people are receiving China-developed vaccines, said Deng Boqing, vice-chairman of the agency. He said the expanding vaccinations have fully attested to domestic vaccines' safety and efficacy, on top of growing clinical evidence.

"Domestic vaccines that are donated or sold overseas have played an active role in building herd immunity across the world," he added.
Lawmakers attend a meeting at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, Turkey, on Oct. 26, 2021. Turkish parliament on Tuesday ratified a motion extending authorization for the government to launch cross-border operations in northern Iraq and Syria for two more years. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

ANKARA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Turkish parliament on Tuesday ratified a motion extending authorization for the government to launch cross-border operations in northern Iraq and Syria for two more years.

The motion will authorize cross-border operations to be carried out in Iraq and Syria from Oct. 30, 2021 to Oct. 30, 2023.

The previous cross-border motions were only for one-year duty.

The motion also allowed the deployment of foreign armed forces in Turkey with the principles to be determined by the president.

The Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019, and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in northern Syria in order to create a zone free of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) along its border within the neighboring country.

Turkey sees the YPG group as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Turkish forces frequently carry out ground operations, airstrikes and artillery bombardments against the PKK positions in northern Iraq, especially the Qandil Mountains, the main base of the group, and have been keeping troops in the region.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the EU, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for over 30 years. Enditem

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Editor: GSY
BERLIN, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Hoffenheim stepped into the German Cup last 16 with a 5-1 home win over second division outfit Holstein Kiel on Tuesday.

Kiel made a bright start as Fabian Reese's dangerous cross to the far post met Fin Bartels, who volleyed over from a promising position just 30 seconds into the clash.

However, the opening goal was scored at the other end two minutes later, as Johannes van den Bergh cleared Georginio Rutter's square pass into the wrong goal, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead.

To make things worse, Kiel added another own goal at the half-hour mark as Hauke Wahl cleared Munas Dabbu's build-up into his own net.

Kiel eventually created a chance on goal in the 35th minute when Simon Lorenz headed narrowly over following Alexander Muhling's corner.

The lower league side were rewarded for their persistence after the restart, as Phil Neumann finished off his own rebound to halve the deficit from very close range two minutes into the half.

Hoffenheim responded well as Angelo Stiller had time and space to unleash a hammer from 20 meters to restore the two-goal lead at the hour mark.

The hosts continued on the front foot and weren't done with the scoring as Dabbur and Jacob Bruun Larsen got their names on the scoreboard as well, after Kiel's resistance was broken in the closing stages.

"We absolutely deserved to progress as we played very well today. Holstein Kiel is not an easy opponent, but we were fully focussed," said Hoffenheim defender Kevin Vogt.

Elsewhere, fellow second division side Ingolstadt gave Borussia Dortmund a hard time, but the cup holders progressed thanks to a late second-half brace from substitute Thorgan Hazard.

Hertha Berlin also made it into the last 16 after overpowering ten-men Preussen Munster 3-1 with goals from Stevan Jovetic, Ishak Belfodil and Marco Richter.

RB Leipzig had a hard earned 1-0 victory over Babelsberg courtesy of Dominik Szoboszlai's goal.

Mainz fought back to see off Bundesliga rivals Arminia Bielefeld 3-2 in extra-time, and Freiburg needed a penalty shoot-out to eliminate resilient third division outfit Osnabruck after a 2-2 draw.

In upcoming German Cup fixtures, Waldhof Mannheim host Union Berlin, Bochum face Augsburg, Bayer Leverkusen meet Karlsruhe, Borussia Monchengladbach encounter Bayern Munich and Cologne travel to Stuttgart.

Editor: WPY
In September, the leaders of the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia announced the creation of an enhanced trilateral security partnership called "AUKUS." On the same day, the three leaders issued a joint statement, confirming the first initiative under the trilateral partnership - the US and UK support Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, and they are expected to help Australia build a nuclear-powered submarine fleet in the next 18 months.

The three countries also announced that the US, UK and Australia would embark on cooperation in cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and additional undersea capabilities. This is another Indo-Pacific policy adopted by the US in addition to the "Five Eyes Alliance" and "QUAD". Contrary to the joint statement made by the three countries that the alliance will help sustain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, AUKUS can only bring hidden dangers and unease to the world. Meanwhile it further reveals the US sinister intentions and despicable practices that serve its own interest but impair regional peace, prosperity and stability.

The creation of AUKUS shows that the "Cold War mentality" of the US and other countries is still lingering. Starting from the narrow dichotomy of "with us, or against us", the US and some other countries pieced together Anglo-Saxon groups in an attempt to incite antagonism in the region, build a platform for a new Cold War, provoke camp standoffs, and engage in a zero-sum geopolitical game, trying to serve US "Indo-Pacific Strategy" for its self-interests. In fact, since the end of the Cold War, peaceful development, and win-win cooperation have long become an unstoppable trend of the times. Anti-Cold War, anti-antagonism, and anti-separatism have become the consensus of the international community. In the face of various global issues, such as preventing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, promoting global economic recovery, preventing the spread of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, and coping with global climate change, it is essential for the international community to abandon the Cold War mentality, make joint efforts, cooperate in full force, and respond effectively.

According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, in 2021, three-quarters of Americans believe that promoting and protecting American employment should be the top priority of American diplomacy, closely followed by fighting against diseases such as COVID-19 and combating terrorist attacks. It can be seen that the creation of AUKUS is a wrong choice that goes against the trend of the times, and also goes against American peoples priority wishes in terms of foreign policies. It will inevitably lead to dissatisfaction and resistance in this region as well as in the international community.

Regarding the establishment of AUKUS, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that this organization is a security partnership between Australia, the UK and US, which undoubtedly undermines regional stability. France is angry and disappointed at the "treachery" of the US and Australia, and it regrets Australias announcement to stop cooperating with France on its "SEA 1000" and instead engage in nuclear submarine cooperation with the US. On September 17, France recalled its ambassadors to Australia and the US. Many Southeast Asian countries have expressed their concerns about the creation of AUKUS.

In fact, US leaders have repeatedly made commitments to not seeking a "new Cold War," but the creation of AUKUS, which enhances military cooperation, is enough to show that the US breach of promise, inconsistent words and deeds, and treachery have become the norm.

In fact, this alliance is very likely to open the "Pandora's box" of nuclear proliferation, with the three countries commitments to preventing nuclear proliferation becoming nonsense. Historically, the three countries, the US, UK and Australia, were the perpetrators of the nuclear disaster in South Pacific island countries. From 1946 to 1962, the US conducted 105 nuclear tests at the Pacific Test Site. Nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands accounted for 14% of all nuclear tests by the US, with a combined equivalent of 21 billion tons, accounting for 80% of all US nuclear tests. On March 1, 1954, the US conducted a hydrogen bomb test code-named " Castle Bravo" at the Pacific Test Site, with an equivalent of 15 million tons. Due to the wrong estimation of the power of the nuclear test by the US, its radioactive dust drifted to many islands where people were still inhabited and the residents were not evacuated, causing hundreds of fishing boats and more than 20,000 residents operating in nearby waters to suffer severe radiation poisoning, which is the worst radiological disaster in the history of US nuclear testing.

Australia is both an accomplice and perpetrator of these nuclear tests. Australia has allowed the UK to conduct 12 nuclear tests in its territory. The UK has also conducted many nuclear tests in Kiribati. These nuclear tests have severely damaged the local environment, with nuclear waste remaining till today and nuclear radiation still endangering local residents. History can reveal the present and warn the future. The leaders of the US, UK and Australia have promised that what Australia obtains is the nuclear reactor for submarine power rather than nuclear weapons, nor will submarines be equipped with nuclear weapons and Australia will fulfill its obligations of nuclear non-proliferation. However, in history, the US, UK and Australia have harmed South Pacific island countries through nuclear tests. Currently, the US and Australia have conspired to tear up the submarine contract between Australia and France to build submarines. In addition, the US is the only one of the five nuclear powers that refuses to ratify the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone Treaty. Considering the treachery and irresponsibility of the three countries, how can we trust the credibility and persuasiveness of the commitments made by the US, -UK and Australia?

The US and UKs assistance in building and deploying a nuclear submarine fleet in Australia is a flagrant violation of the principles and spirit of nuclear non-proliferation established by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its additional protocols. Australia is a non-nuclear country that has signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. As one of the few countries that has mastered the nuclear submarine manufacturing technology, the US and UK take developing the nuclear-powered submarine as the excuse to export to Australia nuclear technology of building nuclear reactors and weapon-level enriched uranium. Australia will become the second country that has American nuclear submarine technology after the UK.

It seems that Australia has obtained nuclear submarine technology through cooperation with the US, but it is unwise for Australia to tie itself to the American chariot and serve as a pawn and victim of US hegemony and power politics. This may bring hidden dangers and risks of nuclear proliferation, which will be a sharp sword hanging over Australia. What AUKUS will bring to the South Pacific region may be a recurrence of the nuclear nightmare. It will also have serious impacts and negative implications on Southeast Asian countries efforts to build a nuclear-free zone over the years, thereby threatening the overall denuclearization of the world.

Thanks to the joint efforts of China and ASEAN for many years, the region has maintained peace and stability for long and has now become the most dynamic region in the world with the greatest potential for economic development, showing a prosperous scene. China's Belt and Road Initiative has injected a strong impetus into the development and cooperation in the region. However, the three countries, the US, UK and Australia, go against the tide and piece together small groups. The US tries to implement the "Two-Ocean Strategy" with its two allies, the UK and Australia, creating regional tensions, setting up barriers and adding many uncertain factors to regional peace, stability and prosperity. The attempts of the US, UK and Australia to use disgraceful means to disturb the existing order and to instigate regional conflicts for the purpose of gaining self-interests have aroused the vigilance and resistance of many countries in this region. Their attempts to undermine regional peace, development and stability are doomed to fail.

Contributed by Tang Yanlin and Huang Xiuping, both are research fellows at the Research Center of the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, Liaoning University

Translated by Wu You

Editor: Zhang Zhou
Zhang Jun (L), China's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), and president of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid, visit a photo exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the United Nations at UN Headquarters in New York, Oct. 25, 2021. The exhibition, entitled "Promoting Shared Prosperity for a Peaceful Future," is being jointly held by China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations and China Image. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the United Nations (UN) was opened on Monday.

Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, together with president of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid, as well as diplomats and UN officials, visited the exhibition at UN Headquarters in New York.

Speaking to reporters, Zhang described Oct. 25 as a historic day.

Exactly 50 years ago, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 to restore the lawful rights of the PRC in the UN, ushering in a new chapter in China-UN cooperation, he said.

The photo exhibition is dedicated to the hard-won diplomatic victory 50 years ago and helps relive the ever-deepening cooperation between China and the world body, said Zhang.

Every photo tells a story and the exhibition demonstrates that the cause of the UN cannot be separated from China's participation, said Zhang, noting that only after the lawful rights of the PRC were restored did the UN gain its universality, representativeness and authoritativeness.

Meanwhile, he continued, China's development cannot be separated from UN support. The past 50 years has been a process of China going global, and the UN has provided an important platform for China's role in international affairs, he said.

Zhang pledged more efforts to improve UN work and to work with other countries toward a community with a shared future for mankind.

After his visit, Shahid tweeted: "Was delighted to visit the exhibition to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the UN. China's contributions to multilateralism over the past 50 years are invaluable!"

The exhibition, entitled "Promoting Shared Prosperity for a Peaceful Future," is being jointly held by China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations and China Image.

Editor: WXY
Ukraine has registered 22,574 new cases of COVID-19, as well as 1,159 recoveries and 692 deaths in the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian Health Ministry's press service said in a statement on Wednesday.

"New vaccination record: more than 291,000 Ukrainians were vaccinated over the past day! Ukraine recorded 22,574 new cases of COVID-19 (including 1,532 children and 399 medical workers), and 291,293 persons were vaccinated for COVID-19 over the past day, October 26, 2021. The first shot was received by 212,013 persons, while 79,280 fully completed their vaccination," the ministry said on Telegram.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Ukraine has seen a total of 2,825,733 coronavirus infections, including 2,401,705 recoveries and 65,628 deaths, and has performed 14,154,508 PCR tests.

To date, 9,363,493 people have been vaccinated for COVID-19 in Ukraine, including 9,363,491 who have received their first shot of the vaccine, and 7,138,082 fully vaccinated people (including two who received their first shot of the vaccine abroad). As many as 16,501,573 shots have been administered.
The Consulate General of Ukraine in Wroclaw (Poland) will begin full-fledged work by the end of 2021, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said.

"Last year I visited Poland and promised the Ukrainian community to open a general consulate of Ukraine in the city of Wroclaw. We are implementing this promise step by step, and have already reached the home stretch," Kuleba said at an online briefing on Wednesday.

"Tomorrow, on October 28, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland and the President of the city of Wroclaw will sign an official agreement on the transfer for use of the premises for the Consulate General. I have already appointed the head of the institution, and by the end of the year the Consulate General will begin full-fledged work in the interests of Ukrainian citizens and companies," said the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

The minister noted that this is not the last new diplomatic institution of Ukraine, which is planned to open in the near future.

"This work will continue, there will be more news. Every time we do this, we care about the security of Ukraine, citizens of Ukraine and Ukrainian exporters," Kuleba added.
Zelensky fires Kozyr from post of head of Kherson Regional Administration, appoints Dpty Chairman of Regional Council Lahuta to this post

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed two decrees on personnel changes in Kherson Regional State Administration.

Head of Kherson Regional State Administration Serhiy Kozyr is dismissed in accordance with his statement by decree No. 552/2021. In his place, by decree No. 553/2021, incumbent deputy chairman of Kherson Regional Council Hennadiy Lahuta was appointed.

Both documents were published on the website of the head of state.

As reported, the Servant of the People party nominated Kozyr as a candidate for members of parliament in the 184th electoral district in the midterm elections to the Verkhovna Rada, which will be held on October 31, 2021.

Hennadiy Lahuta is the head of the party Ihor Kolykhayev's Party We are to Live Here, was elected to Kherson Regional Council in 2020. On September 14, 2021, he was registered by the Central Election Commission of Ukraine as a candidate for deputies in the 184th electoral district.
The health of jailed former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has worsened, Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova, who visited Saakashvili in prison, told reporters on Wednesday.

"Saakashvili is getting weaker day after day. He has experienced four crises over the period of his incarceration. He receives minimal medical attention at the Rustavi prison, however, the penitentiary is incapable of giving serious aid. Saakashvili does not want to be transferred to the prison infirmary. He said that would not be safe for him," Denisova said.

An ICU doctor will start monitoring Saakashvili's condition on Thursday, Denisova said. "We hope that the Georgian authorities will allow our doctor to meet with Saakashvili," she said.

Saakashvili, currently a citizen of Ukraine, secretly arrived in Georgia from Ukraine on September 29. He was detained in Tbilisi on October 1 and is currently being held in a Rustavi prison. Georgia earlier declared Saakashvili wanted as a person convicted in absentia in several criminal cases and treated as a suspect in some others. Saakashvili has described his detention as unlawful and the charges brought against him as falsified.
The judges of the Court of Appeal of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) confirmed the decision of the court of first instance, which confiscated UAH 1.25 million from MP (Opposition Platform - For Life faction) as an unreasonable asset from the alleged lease of a pulp pit, the Anti-Corruption Action Center has reported.

"Today, the lawyers made an unexpected move. They argued that the pit is not quite a pit, because under it there is supposedly a whole oil depot (tanks for petroleum products) and that is why the lease price was so expensive. The lawyers also stated that the cost of the pit is several dozen times higher due to the underground storage," the Anti-Corruption Action Center said on the Telegram channel.

The court dismissed the petition and upheld the HACC's decision of August 13, 2021 on the civil confiscation of unjustified assets.

It is noted that this is the first million that Ukraine will receive to the budget using the instrument of civil confiscation of unjustified assets.
Kyiv may face a shortage of hospital beds equipped with oxygen supply due to the rapid increase in the number of hospitalizations infected with COVID-19, mayor of the Ukrainian capital Vitali Klitschko said.

"In total, almost 6,000 beds have been prepared in the capital's hospitals for patients with coronavirus, and we continue to prepare additional beds. Almost 66% of beds with equipped oxygen supply, are occupied today (which is 95% of the total number). And with such a rate of spread of the virus, places with oxygen will soon may be not enough," Klitschko wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

According to him, more than 560 people infected with COVID-19 were hospitalized in Kyiv per day, the vast majority of whom are in serious condition, and the number of those in need of hospitalization continues to grow.

The mayor said that many doctors are in favor of introducing a lockdown in Kyiv due to the current situation.

"According to the specialists of the Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 4, one of the pivotal ones for the treatment of patients with coronavirus, 97% of those hospitalized in this institution are not vaccinated. More than 40 ambulances are received at the hospital every day, and many doctors, working in ambulance teams, talk about the need to introduce a lockdown. Because of so many patients, doctors are already working on the brink of their capabilities," Klitschko wrote.
The Supreme Court suspended consideration of the cassation appeal of PrivatBank (Kyiv) against rulings of the lower courts on recognizing as terminated the obligations of Nikopol Ferroalloy Plant JSC (NFP, Dnipropetrovsk region) under one of the loan agreements before the bank pending consideration of a similar case by the Grand Chamber.

"The decision to suspend was made, despite the fact that the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to accept case No.910/14224/20 or not, according to the law, it can return the case back to the Economic Court of Cassation," the bank's press service said on Wednesday.

At the same time, the Democratic Sokyra party said the transfer of the case on the suit of Ihor Kolomoisky's NFP to PrivatBank to the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court "is an attempt to slow down decisions that could affect the decisions of the U.S. courts in favor of PrivatBank."

"Ihor Kolomoisky uses spam tactics. He bombards Ukrainian courts with hundreds of similar lawsuits in order to manipulate American justice. But this scheme could not work if, conditionally, honest Ukrainian judges would rule in favor of Ukraine. But they do not," co-founder of the party Anton Shvets said at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday.

In an interview with Interfax-Ukraine, he accused the leadership of the Economic Court of Cassation within the Supreme Court of unwillingness to make decisions that run counter to the interests of Kolomoisky. "Kolomoisky negotiates with Lvov [head of the Economic Court of Cassation], so they act together," Shvets said.

He also said the President's Office of Ukraine could have influenced the court's ruling. "If the President's Office really wanted Ukrainian judges to make fair decisions, he would have arguments for corrupt judges," Shvets said.
Denmark on October 25, 2021 canceled the national colour model, which grouped countries by the incidence of coronavirus (COVID-19). From that date, travel restrictions to Denmark have been simplified, the Ukrainian Embassy in Denmark said.

"From this date, citizens of Ukraine can enter Denmark without the need to do a test for COVID-19 and self-isolate upon arrival. For this, the Danish border control authorities should present the EU COVID-19 certificate or its equivalent," the embassy said on Facebook on Wednesday.

It is noted that the COVID-19 certificate issued by the Single State E-Services Web Portal Diia is also accepted, since Ukraine has joined the EU digital COVID-19 certificate system.

"The specified COVID-19 certificate must confirm vaccination against COVID-19 with one or two doses of vaccine, a negative test result for COVID-19 or recovery from COVID-19. In the absence of a COVID-19 certificate, citizens of Ukraine need to be tested for COVID-19 within 24 hours after arriving in Denmark at one of the testing centers. The requirement for testing for COVID-19 before arriving in Denmark has been canceled," the embassy said.

If a citizen of Ukraine has previously been ill with COVID-19, but does not have a COVID-19 certificate, you need to present a medical certificate confirming a positive result of a PCR test for COVID-19, made at least 14 days, but no more than a year before entry to Denmark. In this case, there is no need to do a COVID-19 test upon arrival in Denmark.

"If a Ukrainian citizen enters Denmark from countries that Denmark considers to be countries with a very high risk of infection with COVID-19 (now most of the countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America), complete vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 must be confirmed. Otherwise, you need to do a test for COVID-19 immediately upon arrival in Denmark (at the airport) and self-isolate for ten days," the Ukrainian embassy said.

The diplomatic mission also drew attention to the fact that the Danish government reserved the right to quickly restore all restrictions in the event of an emergency related to the emergence of new strains of COVID-19 abroad, which could pose a risk to Denmark.
The Best Affiliate Community Event on the Ukrainian Market is coming soon. Meet the Top Speakers of Kyiv iGaming Affiliate Conference 2021

The sixth Kyiv iGaming Affiliate Conference will take place on November 4, gathering everyone who drives traffic to gambling and wants to meet the top experts of the affiliate industry.

The event will unite experts who know a lot about how to get high-quality traffic in the gambling niche. Speakers will talk about market trends, prospects for its development and the latest tips for promoting iGaming platforms.

The program of the event will be divided into four blocks: Trends in the iGaming Industry for 2022, Traffic, SEO and Social Networks.

Event will be organized by Smile-Expo international company. Interfax Ukraine has become the General News Partner of the event.

Meet speakers of the conference

This autumn, leading industry representatives at Kyiv iGaming Affiliate Conference 2021 will analyze the latest changes in the gambling niche, talk about the best channels for attracting traffic and analyze effective approaches to promoting online casinos and bookmakers.

Introducing the first six speakers of the conference.

 Victor Karpenko - founder of SeoProfy website promotion service. Owner of LinkChecker.PRO. For over 14 years he has been successfully promoting projects at iGaming.

The speaker will make a presentation on the topic Step by step development of a SEO project in the gambling and betting industry: From 0 to result. You will find out how to promote a resource and get to the top of search results without draining your budget.

 Alina Plyushch - co-founder of Sayenko Kharenko law firm. Included in the list of the best private wealth management lawyers. Over the past seven years, she has been actively developing new gambling legislation in Ukraine.

She will cover the topic A year after legalization. What have already been achieved and what legal changes can be expected on the Ukrainian gambling market in 2022? Alina will tell you why so few companies have entered the Ukrainian gambling market, and analyze what factors are holding back the development of the industry.

 Carlo Pagan - Former Vice President of Marketing at European Casino Association. Member of the Board at the European Casino Association.

The expert will present a report: Innovations in game marketing. He will talk about industry innovations and the 7P concept. He will also list the latest affiliate marketing tools.

 Nikita Petrenko - co-owner of ImproveTeam arbitration team. He has five years of experience in gambling and CPA marketing.

Topic: Affiliate programs vs direct advertisers. Which models are better? You will learn about the criteria for choosing an affiliate in arbitration, study the advantages and disadvantages of affiliate programs. In addition, Nikita will tell where to look for direct advertisers, share who ImproveTeam works with and why.

 Alisa Kirichok - EmailConsulting.top creator. Specializes in communications, gambling, fintech, crypto.

The topic of her talk is Alternative traffic sources: web pushing, chatbots and email personalization. She will explain how to grow traffic and get profit from different channels (email, SMS, push, Telegram).

 Maksym Sheyko - owner of Altairlabs.pro, the private crypto affiliate program. He specializes in the gambling and crypto spheres.

Presentation: Facebook. How to master a moderation system or new bypass tricks.

To be the first to know about new speakers, follow the updates on the official website.

Special offer for our audience

Get a 20% discount on a Business category ticket! A unique offer is available on the conference website using the KIAC06 promo code.

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Don't wait for too long and join Kyiv iGaming Affiliate Conference 2021 now. Get a unique opportunity to upgrade your skills, meet the best advertisers and find profitable offers!

More information and tickets are available at affiliateconf.com.ua
TikTok tells U.S. lawmakers it does not give information to China's government

A TikTok logo is displayed on a smartphone in this illustration taken (Photo : REUTERS/Dado Ruvic)

An executive at TikTok faced tough questions on Tuesday during the video-sharing app's first appearance at a U.S. congressional hearing, saying it does not give information to the Chinese government and has sought to safeguard U.S. data.



Senators at the hearing also voiced concerns that TikTok, owned by Beijing-based internet technology company ByteDance, and rivals YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc , and Snapchat have algorithms that can be harmful to young people.



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Michael Beckerman, TikTok's head of public policy for the Americas, became the company's first executive to appear before Congress, testifying to a subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee. Republicans in particular pressed Beckerman on worries regarding TikTok's stewardship of data on the app's users.



Senator Marsha Blackburn, the panel's top Republican, said she is concerned about TikTok's data collection, including audio and a user's location, and the potential for the Chinese government to gain access to the information. Blackburn questioned Beckerman on whether TikTok could resist giving data to China's government if material were to be demanded.



"We do not share information with the Chinese government," Beckerman responded.



Under questioning by Republican Senator Ted Cruz, Beckerman said that TikTok has "no affiliation" with Beijing ByteDance Technology, a ByteDance entity at which the Chinese government took a stake and a board seat https://www.reuters.com/world/china/beijing-owns-stakes-bytedance-weibo-domestic-entities-records-show-2021-08-17 this year.



Beckerman also testified that TikTok's U.S. user data is stored in the United States, with backups in Singapore.



"We have a world-renowned U.S. based security team that handles access," Beckerman said.



Republican Senator John Thune said TikTok is perhaps more driven by content algorithms than even Facebook, as the app is famous for quickly learning what users find interesting and offering them those types of videos.



Beckerman said TikTok would be willing to provide the app's algorithm moderation policies in order for the Senate panel to have it reviewed by independent experts.



Executives from YouTube and Snapchat also testified. In a show of bipartisanship, senators of both parties, including Democratic panel chairman Richard Blumenthal, accused the three companies of exposing young people to bullying and sometimes steering them to information that encouraged harmful behaviors such sexualized games or anorexia.



The executives responded that their companies have sought to create a fun experience and to exclude dangerous or unsavory content.



Republican former President Donald Trump had sought to bar TikTok - a popular platform used by millions of Americans to post short videos - from U.S. app stores, saying it collected data from American users that could be obtained by China's government and posed a threat to U.S. national security.



Democratic President Joe Biden later revoked Trump's plan https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-withdrawing-trump-executive-orders-that-sought-ban-tiktok-wechat-2021-06-09, but sought a broader review of various foreign-controlled apps.


Exhaust fumes are seen coming from a vehicle stopped at traffic lights in Jakarta (Photo : REUTERS/Beawiharta/File Photo)

Current commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions put the planet on track for an average 2.7 degrees Celsius temperature rise this century, a United Nations report said on Tuesday, in another stark warning ahead of crunch climate talks https://www.reuters.com/business/cop.



Governments will be in the spotlight at the COP26 conference next week to meet a deadline of this year to commit to more ambitious cut pledges, in what could be the last chance to put the world on track to limiting warming to below 2C above pre-industrial levels and ideally to 1.5C (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).



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As extreme weather events from wildfires to floods have hit countries around the world, a U.N. report in August https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/un-sounds-clarion-call-over-irreversible-climate-impacts-by-humans-2021-08-09 warned that global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions could breach 1.5C in the next two decades.



British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday it was "touch and go" whether the most important round of U.N. talks since the Paris Agreement in 2015 will secure the agreements needed to tackle climate change.



And the U.N. World Meteorological Organization said ahead of the two-week event that begins in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday that greenhouse gas concentrations hit a record last year and the world is "way off track" in capping rising temperatures.



The annual "emissions gap" report by the United Nations' Environment Programme (UNEP), which measures the gap between anticipated emissions and those consistent with limiting the temperature rise this century as agreed in the Paris accord, said updated pledges only reduce forecast 2030 emissions by an additional 7.5%, compared to the previous commitments.



If continued throughout this century, this would lead to warming of 2.7C, slightly less than the 3C UNEP forecast in its last report. A 30% cut is needed to limit warming to 2C and a 55% cut is needed to limit to 1.5C.



It said current commitments to net zero could limit warming to around 2.2C by the end of the century, but 2030 pledges so far do not put major emitters on a clear path to this.



As a group, G20 countries, which represent 80% of global emissions, are not on track to achieve their original or new 2030 pledges.



"If there is no meaningful reduction of emissions in the next decade, we will have lost forever the possibility to reach 1.5 degrees," U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres told a press briefing.



"It is absolutely essential that all G20 countries present before Glasgow or in Glasgow (pledges) that are compatible with 1.5C," he added.



THE CLOCK IS TICKING



Latest U.N. data shows 143 countries, accounting for around 57% of global emissions, have submitted new or updated emissions cut plans ahead of COP26 and their total emissions are estimated to be around 9% of 2010 levels by 2030 if implemented fully.



But if all pledges by 192 countries under the Paris Agreement are taken together, an increase of around 16% in global emissions is expected by 2030 compared to 2010, which would lead to warming of around 2.7C.



China and India, which are together responsible for around 30% of global emissions, have not yet made enhanced pledges.



Over the last 11 years, policies have been put in place which will lower annual emissions by 11 gigatonnes (Gt) of CO2 equivalent by 2030, compared to what would have happened without these policies, the report said.



However, fossil fuel https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/big-fossil-fuel-producers-plans-far-exceed-climate-targets-un-says-2021-10-20 production is not slowing at the rate needed, with major economies set to produce more than double the amount of coal, oil and gas in 2030 than is consistent with meeting climate goals.



"On current progress, we'll close the 2030 emissions gap sometime in the 2080s," Myles Allen, professor of geosystem science at the University of Oxford, who was not involved in the report, said.



By 2030, to reach the 1.5C limit, annual greenhouse gas emissions need to fall by an extra 28 Gt, or be halved from current levels of nearly 60 Gt, over and above what is promised in updated pledges and other 2030 commitments, UNEP said.



For the 2C limit, an additional 13 Gt cut in annual emissions is needed by 2030.



"We have eight years to make the plans, put in place the policies, implement them and ultimately deliver the cuts," UNEP executive director Inger Andersen said.



"The clock is ticking loudly."


Carpenters work on building new townhomes that are still under construction while building material supplies are in high demand in Tampa, Florida, U.S. (Photo : REUTERS/Octavio Jones)

Sales of new U.S. single-family homes surged to a six-month high in September, but higher house price are making homeownership less affordable for some first-time buyers.



New home sales jumped 14.0% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 800,000 units last month, the highest level since March, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday. August's sales pace was revised down to 702,000 units from the previously reported 740,000 units. Sales increased in the populous South, as well as in the West and Northeast. They, however, fell in the Midwest.



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Economists polled by Reuters had forecast new home sales, which account for more than 10% of U.S. home sales, increasing to a rate of 760,000 units. Sales dropped 17.6% on a year-on-year basis in September. They peaked at a rate of 993,000 units in January, which was the highest since the end of 2006.



Demand for housing surged early in the COVID-19 pandemic amid an exodus from cities to suburbs and other low-density locations as Americans sought more spacious accommodations for home offices and online schooling. The buying frenzy has abated as workers return to offices and schools reopened for in-person learning, thanks to COVID-19 vaccinations.



The median new house price accelerated 18.7% in September to $408,800 from a year ago. Sales continued to be concentrated in the $200,000-$749,000 price range. Sales in the under-$200,000 price bracket, the sought-after segment of the market, accounted for only 2% of transactions.



About 74% of homes sold last month were either under construction or yet to be built. There were 379,000 new homes on the market, unchanged from in August. Houses under construction made up 62.5% of the inventory, with homes yet to be built accounting for about 28%.



Builders are being hamstrung by shortages of key inputs like copper and steel because of strained supply chains. Lumber for framing remains expensive, while labor and some household appliances are also scarce.



The government reported last week that housing starts and building permits fell in September.



At September's sales pace it would take 5.7 months to clear the supply of houses on the market, down from 6.5 months in August.


Queen Elizabeth Being Asked to Step Down? (Photo : REUTERS )

The most recent release of reports Queen Elizabeth isn't the race horse she used to be with regards to her regal obligations. On a new occasion, the ruler strolled with the help of a stick. It drove many to conjecture she was experiencing difficulty getting around.



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While some accept the stick was a precautionary measure, others stress it's an indication that her long periods of extended public appearances are behind her. "There's a developing sense among the sovereign's inward circle that her rule is definitely attracting to a nearby," an insider dishes.



"She's in superb condition for somebody of her age, however, the inclination is that she really wants to make a stride back and permit herself more rest as opposed to propelling herself in an authority limit." Doctors additionally encouraged Her Majesty to renounce her evening mixed drink, yet she doesn't get what all the fight is finished.



"She takes on a great deal since she feels available," the insider demands, "regardless of everyone around her reasoning that she can't deal with it."



The sovereign has no designs to venture down. Above all else, the sovereign's wellbeing has consistently been a profoundly mysterious matter. We genuinely question anybody with genuine knowledge into her prosperity is yakking to the sensationalist newspapers about it. Besides, the sovereign is by all accounts healthy. She dumped the stick at her other public appearances and appeared to get around fine and dandy.



She was hospitalized for a short spell, however, reports clarified that it was a preventative measure so she could get some rest during her UK visit. Furthermore, not long after, the sovereign charitably declined the "Oldie of the Year Award." In an assertion endorsed by the sovereign, her private secretary expressed, "Her Majesty trusts you are just about as old as you feel, accordingly, The Queen doesn't accept she meets the significant standards to have the option to acknowledge and trust you will track down a more commendable beneficiary."



The sovereign feels youthful, and that is what matters. While we're certain Her Majesty is under no fantasies about her age, she's substantiated herself totally equipped for proceeding to run the show. There's no proof to propose anybody is encouraging her to venture down, and we're dicey she has no designs too.



Furthermore, we wouldn't believe anything that needs to say about the royals. Last year, the newspaper guaranteed Prince William and Kate Middleton were skirting Prince Charles in the line of progression. Then, at that point, the magazine announced Queen Elizabeth would venture down in 2021. Then, at that point, the newspaper revealed again that Prince Charles was being disregarded.


Twitter Gives the Heads Up on Meghan Markle Hate Campaign

Twitter Gives the Heads Up on Meghan Markle Hate Campaign (Photo : REUTERS )

Meghan Markle's objective is a planned web-based media disdain crusade against her, as indicated by another examination.



Bot Sentinel, an impartial stage intended to discover bots and savages, directed an examination of more than 114,000 tweets about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The information uncovered that Markle specifically was dependent upon bitter and harmful messages.



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As indicated by the report, 83 records were liable for disdainful substance coordinated at Markle and her significant other, Prince Harry. They represented 70% of the disinformation, misrepresentations, and provocation coordinated at the couple. The mission had a range of 17 million clients.



Christopher Bouzy, originator and CEO of Bot Sentinel, told BuzzFeed in a meeting distributed Tuesday that there was no evident justifiable purpose for the antagonistic spotlight on the imperial couple.



Meghan conceded to Fortune last year that she wasn't via web-based media "for own self-safeguarding".



Twitter's set of principles expressly prohibits content "that bugs or threatens or is generally planned to disgrace or debase others" and coordination. Bouzy let Buzzfeed know that these clients focusing on Meghan and Harry were adroit at trying not to be gotten.



"This mission comes from individuals who realize how to control the calculations, control Twitter, stay under the wire to stay away from location and suspension," he said. "This degree of intricacy comes from individuals who realize how to do this stuff, who are paid to do this stuff".



He made a differentiation between free discourse to condemn the high-profile couple and going too far.



"There's a contrast between free discourse and in a real sense pestering somebody," Bouzy said.



"You have the instigators, then, at that point, the auxiliary records, and afterwards an external organization that additionally intensifies and pushes a specific account".



Bouzy likewise wound up being designated when he sent a positive message about Meghan. The savages sent him bigoted statements and taunted his mom, who passed on recently.



Bouzy told Inside Edition that a portion of these records conveyed between 300-400 tweets exclusively about Meghan and Harry.



"The normal individual isn't tweeting 300 times each day. The normal individual isn't going through a real sense each day tweeting about a particular point or individual. So it's possibly one individual who's not getting a great deal of rest or different individuals utilizing a similar record," he said.



"What's more, we discovered many records like this. So that is one of the signs we search for when we're searching for facilitated action where we're taking a gander at individuals that are important for a slanderous attack".


Prince William isn't to Fond of this Episode of the Crown (Photo : REUTERS )

The hit show, The Crown on Netflix is known for its tell-all way to deal with the British Royal Family, leaving no outrage immaculate. Counting the supposed acts of unfaithfulness of Prince Philip to Queen Elizabeth. Prince Harry safeguarded the show on The Late Show with James Corden. He expressed he approves of the show, as it's anecdotal and doesn't profess to be a narrative. Nonetheless, his sibling Prince William might object to this new meeting as it incorporates an issue he publically requested to not be returned to.



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The issue includes Princess Diana's notorious Panorama meet. The plunk down that Diana had with Martin Bashir was the initial occasion when the Princess of Wales conceded that Prince Charles and her had both been faithless to one another.



As of late a report by Lord Dyson expressed that unlawful strategies were utilized to get Princess Diana to consent to the meeting. This new decision made the BBC settle various claims from individuals that were influenced by the aftermath of the meeting.



After the new court administering occurred in late May of this current year, William begged the media to never have the recording from the meeting air again. He later accused Bashir and individuals engaged with the meeting for destroying his folks' marriage. Looking back possibly launching the occasions that lead to Diana's awkward passing. William expressed in his video address:



"It is my view that the tricky way the meeting was acquired generously affected what my mom said. The meeting was a significant commitment to exacerbating my folks' relationship and has since harmed endless others."



As indicated by sources who addressed the British paper The Sun, Netflix is disregarding Prince William's assertion as the Panorama meet is supposedly set to be one of the significant plot focuses around the new period of the hit Netflix show. The insiders tell The Sun,



"To the authors, the turbulent marriage among Charles and Di hinted at her overflowing on Panorama, and the consequence of that choice characterized her last months."



As a team with Netflix, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle marked a tremendous arrangement as of late that is supposedly worth more than $100 million. Sovereign Harry has been generally calm encompassing the show of the Panorama meet. It stays not yet clear in the event that it influences his arrangement or his working with the decoration.


Thousands of protesters converged on Isfahan in central Iran on Friday to voice their anger after the city's lifeblood river dried up due to drought and diversion, state television said.
The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) approved the regulations that govern the instant payment network (IPN) services in the domestic market, the bank announced on Sunday.
The Red Sea resort cities of Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh received three direct flights from Russia on Monday carrying over 1300 tourists after a six-year hiatus

Egypts Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Enany said the resumption of flights from Russia to the Egyptian Red Seas resort cities is a very positive step, affirming that coordination is underway to increase the number of direct flights between the two sides.

The Red Sea resort cities of Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh received three direct flights from Russia on Monday carrying over 1300 tourists after a six-year hiatus. A flight operated by EgyptAir is also set to reach Sharm El-Sheikh on Tuesday.

In remarks made to Sada El-Balad TV channel, El-Enany said a Russian delegation accompanied the Russian visitors to Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada, considering it a free of charge promotion for Egyptian tourism.

Egypt is coordinating with the Russian authorities to increase the number of weekly flights  currently 12.

The minister said that Egypt has been ready to receive tourists from all countries for years, but the Egyptian state respects each countrys decisions.

More than three million Russian tourists came to Egypt in 2014, El-Enany said, affirming that Russia had been the number one contributor to Egyptian tourism between 2010 and 2015.

The number of tourists coming to Egypt is expected to increase thanks to the preventive measures and the expertise of workers at tourism resorts, hospitals, and clinics, El-Enany added.

God willing, with our preventive measures; the experience of our colleagues working at the resorts of touristic governorates; and the magnificent security measures in the airports, clinics, and hospitals, the number [of tourists] will increase.

The minister said the ministry will take legal action against any hotel or touristic institution that does not adhere to the coronavirus preventive measures, as it affects the livelihoods of more than one million people working in the tourism sector.

He also said that all international reports on Egyptian tourism were positive, and the number of tourists is on the rise.

A Russian health-tourism delegation visited Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada 15 days ago and visited hotels clinics, hospitals, airports, and PCR facilities, El-Enany added.

Egyptian resorts are the best worldwide in terms of keeping tourists COVID-free, the minister added.

The minister said that Egypt will be launching direct flights from Sharm El-Sheikh to Luxor and from Hurghada to Aswan before the winter to enable tourists to also enjoy cultural tourism.

Ending the hiatus

Hurghada received on Monday two flights from Moscow carrying over 800 Russian visitors. The first plane was operated by EgyptAir and the second was operated by Rossiya, a subsidiary of Russias state-owned flagship carrier Aeroflot.

Sharm El-Sheikh also received a flight operated by Rossiya on Monday carrying over 500 passengers.

The planes were received with the traditional water salute and passengers were greeted with chocolate, roses, souvenirs, and oriental and western music performances.

In October 2015, Russia suspended direct flights to Egyptian airports following the crash of a Russian flight in Sinai that killed all 224 people on board.

Egypt has since upgraded its safety and security measures at all airports nationwide.

The country has also received several Russian security delegations to inspect the safety measures being implemented within Egypts airports.

In April 2018, Russia resumed flights to Cairo International Airport, ending a 30-month suspension, but the Russian ban on flights to Egypt's Red Sea destinations was only lifted last July, as per Russian President Vladimir Putins decree.

The Russian president's decision came on the heels of a phone call between Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Putin in April, during which they agreed on the resumption of direct flights between Russia and Red Sea airports.

The chair of the Egyptian parliament's tourism committee, Nora Ali, has said that the resumption of direct Russian flights to the Red Sea represents a big boost for Egypt's economy and the tourism industry.

Other developments in Egyptian tourism

Minister El-Enany also spoke about the massive Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) that is under construction in Giza, saying the date of its inauguration will be determined based on the circumstances of the pandemic and whether the museum can receive visitors while mitigating the spread of the virus.

He added that the engineering work in the museum is on the cusp of completion and its inauguration ceremony will be as grand as the Golden Pharaohs Parade that was held earlier this year.

The GEM complex is located on an area that is approximately 500,000 square metres adjacent to the Pyramids of Giza. It is one of the largest museums in the world displaying the heritage of a single civilisation.

Egypt on Friday evening transported the first Khufu solar boat from its current display in a special museum located at the southern side of the Great Pyramid of Khufu on the Giza Plateau to its new permanent exhibition at the GEM.

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The manufacturing of Sinovac vaccine doses is part of an agreement signed between the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) and the Chinese biopharmaceutical company

Egypt has released the first 1 million doses of its locally-produced Sinovac/VACSERA vaccine after the completion of the required evaluation tests, the Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday.

The manufacturing of the Sinovac doses is part of an agreement signed between the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) and the Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac.

The first million Sinovac/VACSERA doses were produced early in July, with the country planning to manufacture 40 million doses of the Chinese vaccine by the end of the year at VACSERA factories.

The release comes only two days after the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) granted the Sinovac/VACSERA vaccine an emergency use license.

The 1 million doses have been distributed to coronavirus vaccination centres nationwide, totalling 657 so far, including 145 centres for those travelling abroad, health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement.

Megahed noted that the country is also in the final stages of manufacturing and evaluating 15 million doses of the vaccine, which represent VACSERAs production capacity per month, in preparation for their distribution to vaccination centres.

The doses have been released after passing the necessary evaluation tests in accordance with the global rules followed by the World Health Organisation to assess the safety, quality and effectiveness of vaccines, Megahed added.

Minister of Health Hala Zayed, via video conference on Wednesday, extended thanks to the VACSERA staff, hailing the companys achievement as a qualitative and historic leap, according to the statement.

To date, Egypts vaccination campaign has included the use of the imported version of the Sinovac vaccine along with the Sputnik V, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Sinopharm vaccines.

This comes in addition to the countrys plans to produce millions of Sinovac and Sputnik shots annually to cover local and African needs.

The government has set a goal to vaccinate 40 million citizens by the end of the year, representing around 40 percent of population, a step hailed by WHO.

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Russia will lift COVID-related restrictions on flights from its airports to the Egyptian Red Sea resorts of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada starting 9 November, TASS cited a representative of the federal coronavirus prevention headquarters as saying on Thursday.

The decision includes regular and charter flights, the official told reporters.

[It was decided] to lift restrictions on regular and charter flights from Russian airports, from which international flights have been resumed, to destinations in Egypt - the cities of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, the official said.

The Russian decision also includes lifting restrictions on air traffic with the UAE,Austria, Switzerland and Finland.

This comes three months after Moscow canceled the 2015 decree banning Russian airlines from flying to the two Egyptian Red Sea resorts, ending six years of suspension after a deadly Russian plane crash in Sinai in 2015.

Egypt has since upgraded its safety and security measures at all airports nationwide.

In April 2018, Russia resumed flights to Cairo International Airport, but the Russian ban on its flights to Egypt's Red Sea destinations was only lifted in July, as per a decree by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Both Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada received their first direct flights from Moscow on 9 August.

Russian travellers are a major contributor to the country's tourism industry, a key source of hard currency.

Russian tourists in Egypt surpassed 3.1 million in 2014, representing 33 percent of all tourists that year, but they have dropped to average 100,000 tourists per year since the airliner crash in 2015.

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Iranian authorities on Tuesday blamed a mysterious cyber attack for unprecedented disruption to the country's fuel distribution network.

Iran is a major oil producer and the country's motorists, used to cheap petrol, were surprised to see filling stations inexplicably closing one after the other and queues growing longer.

"The Supreme National Security Council confirmed that there has been a cyber attack against the petrol distribution computer system," state television said.

It had earlier reported that the interruption was due to "disruptions to the computer system".

"Details of the attack and its source are under investigation," state TV added, without giving further details.

The conservative Fars news agency linked the breakdown to opponents ahead of the second anniversary of deadly protests sparked by a hike in petrol prices.

Tuesday's disruption had an unprecedented impact because it blocked the IT system that allows Iranians to fill their tanks for free or at subsidised prices with a digital card issued by authorities.

"I don't want to talk. I am in a bad mood," said one motorist, in her thirties, sitting in her car chain-smoking cigarettes and hoping that the fuel pumps would soon be turned back on.

On social media, others complained about having to abandon their cars because they couldn't get petrol.

"What a pain. At the same time the systems were hacked my car broke down in the road," one Twitter user, Sabour, tweeted from the city of Yazd.

- Regular accusations -

An urgent meeting was being held at Iran's national society for the distribution of petrol products in order to resolve the problem, the body's spokesman Fatemeh Kahi said, quoted by state television.

In Tehran, technicians from the oil ministry took IT systems offline in a number of petrol stations to distribute fuel manually, state television reported later in the day.

Fars reported that "a campaign carried out by counter-revolutionary media" ahead of the November 15, 2019 anniversary "reinforces the possibility of a cyber attack."

On that date two years ago the announcement of a sudden increase in fuel prices triggered protests in dozens of locations across the country.

It was Iran's most vocal eruption of public dissent in a decade.

Iranian authorities, who cut the internet for a week, acknowledged a death toll of 230 but experts working for the United Nations said 400 were killed in that unrest.

Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi on Tuesday said that there are no plans to raise petrol prices, calling on people "not to worry", in remarks to the state broadcaster.

Iran on one side and its arch enemies the US and Israel on the other regularly accuse each other of cyber attacks.

In 2010 the Stuxnet virus -- believed to have been engineered by Israel and the US -- infected Iran's nuclear programme, causing a series of breakdowns in centrifuges used to enrich uranium.

In 2019 Iran said that no cyber attack against the Islamic republic had ever succeeded, after American media reported the US launched one during a standoff between the two countries.

The Iranian telecommunications minister acknowledged at the time that Iran had "been facing cyber terrorism".

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Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and his wife, who were detained after the military seized power, were allowed to return to their home in Khartoum, a military official said Tuesday.

His release came after the international community condemned the coup and called on the military to release all government officials who were detained when Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan seized power on Monday.

The official did not say whether Hamdok and his wife were free to move or make calls, adding that their house in Khartoum's upscale Kafouri neighborhood was ``under heavy security.'' He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

Burhan had said earlier Tuesday that Hamdok had been held for his own safety and would likely be released. But he warned that other members of the dissolved government could face trial as protests against the putsch continued in the streets.

A day after the military seized power in a move denounced abroad, pro-democracy demonstrators blocked roads in the capital of Khartoum with makeshift barricades and burning tires. Troops fired on crowds a day earlier, killing four protesters, according to doctors.

The takeover came after weeks of mounting tensions between military and civilian leaders over the course and the pace of Sudan's transition to democracy. It threatened to derail that process, which has progressed in fits and starts since the overthrow of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising two years ago.

The U.N. Security Council was to discuss the situation in Sudan, a nation in Africa linked by language and culture to the Arab world, at a closed-door meeting later Tuesday. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged world powers to come together to act decisively at the council, saying unity was needed to confront an ``epidemic of coups d'etat'' recently.

In his second public appearance since seizing power, Burhan said Tuesday the military was forced to step in to resolve a growing political crisis.

``There were people who were talking about discriminating against others, and that was driving this country to reach a civil war that would lead to the fragmentation of this country, tearing apart its unity, its fabric and society. These dangers were in front of us,'' Burhan told a televised news conference.

But the coup came less than a month before Burhan was supposed to hand the leadership of the Sovereign Council that runs the country to a civilian, a step that would have decreased the military's hold on power.

``The whole country was deadlocked due to political rivalries,'' Burhan said. ``The experience during the past two years has proven that the participation of political forces in the transitional period is flawed and stirs up strife.''

Of the slew of senior government officials detained Monday, some tried to incite a rebellion within the armed forces, Burhan alleged, saying they would face trial. Others who are found ``innocent'' would be freed, he said.

Hamdok had been held at Burhan's home, the general said, and was in good health.

But Hamdok's office issued a statement voicing concern for his safety and for other detained officials. The statement accused the military leaders of acting in concert with Islamists, who have argued for a military government, and other politicians linked to the now-dissolved National Congress Party, which dominated Sudan during al-Bashir's Islamist-backed rule.

Western governments and the U.N. have condemned the coup and called for the release of Hamdok and other senior officials. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration announced the halt of $700 million in emergency assistance to Sudan and said Tuesday it was looking at sending stronger signals to the generals.

``They should first and foremost cease any violence against innocent civilians, and ... they should release those who have been detained and they should get back on a democratic path,'' said National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, adding that the U.S. is working with countries in Gulf, where the generals have allies.

Mariam al-Mahdi, the foreign minister in the government that the military dissolved, was defiant Tuesday, declaring that she and other members of Hamdok's administration remained the legitimate authority in Sudan.

``We are still in our positions. We reject such coup and such unconstitutional measures,'' she told The Associated Press by phone from her home in Khartoum. ``We will continue our peaceful disobedience and resistance.''

The Ministry of Culture and Information, which remains loyal to the deposed government, said in a Facebook post Tuesday that three of Sudan's ambassadors, in Belgium, Switzerland and France, have defected.

Nureldin Satti, the Sudanese envoy to the U.S., said he was working with those diplomats to ``resist the military coup in support of the heroic struggle of the Sudanese people'' to achieve the aims of the uprising against al-Bashir. But he did not specify whether he, too, had defected.

Al-Mahdi, meanwhile, spoke to the wife of one of the officials detained, Minister of Cabinet Affairs Khalid Omar, and said he was humiliated and mistreated during his arrest.

``They (military forces) took Khalid barefoot, wearing only his nightclothes,'' she said.

Hours after the arrests, Sudanese flooded the streets of Khartoum and other cities in protest. At least four people were killed and over 80 wounded when security forces opened fire, according to the Sudan Doctors' Committee. Human Rights Watch said forces used live ammunition against the demonstrators.

The country and the world are waiting to see if more violence will unfold in the nation, which saw a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2019. Some protesters blocked streets on Tuesday. Later, online video showed demonstrators marching in several neighborhoods of Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman. They chanted, ``Retribution!'' and ``Blood for blood, we won't accept compensations!''

A bigger test of how the military will respond to the resistance could come Saturday when protesters plan a mass march to demand a return to civilian rule.

The Sudanese Professionals' Association, a group of unions which was behind the uprising against al-Bashir, also urged people to go on strike and engage in civil disobedience. Separately, the Sudan Popular Liberation Movement-North, the country's main rebel group, denounced the coup and called for people to take to the streets.

In a sign of the divisions among the civilian leaders in Sudan, a group known as the Justice and Equality Movement blamed the deposed government for the military's takeover. It said a few officials had monopolized decision-making and refused to engage in talks to ease tensions.

The group, headed by Finance Minister Gibreil Ibrahim, is the first to publicly voice support for the military but also urged it to end the state of emergency, release the detainees and appoint a civilian government to run day-to-day activities. Earlier this month, the group had taken part in a pro-military sit-in in Khartoum.

Another pro-military group that splintered from the protest movement that ousted al-Bashir also welcomed the takeover, saying it would end a sit-in it had organized outside the presidential palace to support the generals earlier this month.

The military has sent mixed signals about what is ahead for Sudan. Burhan promised to gradually restore internet and communications services that were severely disrupted during the coup. But the Civil Aviation Authority said it was suspending all flights to and from Khartoum International Airport until Oct. 30.

On Monday, Burhan dissolved the Hamdok government and the Sovereign Council, a joint military and civilian body created after al-Bashir's ouster to run the country. He now heads a military council that he said would rule Sudan until elections in July 2023.

The general said he is serious about holding elections on schedule. But much could happen in the next 19 months, and it is not clear if the military will be willing to release the grip it has had for decades.

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The navy has kept pace with the overall progress of the Egyptian Armed Forces and is abreast of international naval developments. Before learning of its extensive offshore reserves of gas, Egypts navy was primarily concerned with conventional coastline security.

In the wake of a series of maritime border agreements in the Eastern Mediterranean that followed the discovery of the vast natural gas reserves, and the emergence of national and regional geopolitical and security challenges, it became necessary to equip the navy to perform on the high seas, and Egypt now possesses one of the largest, most modern and powerful navies in the world.

The navy is responsible for safeguarding maritime security across 74,000 square miles in the Mediterranean and 40,000 square miles in the Red Sea, including access to the Suez Canal, one of the worlds most important shipping lanes.

Al-Ahram Weekly was able to observe 24 hours in the life of the Egyptian navy, in the company of naval commander Vice Admiral Ahmed Khaled Hassan Said, aboard Egypts Mistral-class helicopter carrier, Gamal Abdel Nasser. The occasion was the 54th anniversary of the Egyptian Navy, marked on 21 October.

It was the day, in 1967, that the Egyptian navy sank the Israeli destroyer Eilat after it entered Egypts territorial waters, a milestone in the war of attrition that followed military defeat in June 1967. The sinking of the Eilat upended international naval battle strategy by showing that a large warship could be taken out by small military vessels.

The Weeklys day on Gamal Abdel-Nasser began at the Ras Al-Tin naval base in Alexandria, as the Mistral set sail to receive three homebound formations that had just completed exercises with the Greek, American, and Spanish navies. The participant fleets performed a range of combat tasks designed to strengthen maritime security procedures in the Mediterranean and Red Sea theatres, including identifying and assessing surface and aerial threats. The drills also aimed to enhance the interoperability of joint forces in responding to conventional and unconventional threats to international navigation and the flow of global trade.

Vice-Admiral Ahmed Khaled explained that these activities illustrated the level of cooperation with the worlds major navies and reflected the dynamism of the Egyptian navy that is better equipped than ever to safeguard Egypts vital interests at sea.

Egypt now has five naval bases, equipped to accommodate all types of ships, meeting the needs of the northern and southern fleets and to supporting their operations in all strategic directions. Egypt has also rehabilitated the infrastructure of its maritime defence industries, making it possible to manufacture sophisticated hardware such as the Go-wind class corvette in partnership with the French Naval Group. Other technology transfer projects include the joint manufacture with Germany of the Meko-200 frigate. Egypt also makes smaller patrol craft and other hardware in what the Egyptian naval commander described as the three citadels of the naval defence industry  the Naval Forces Shipyard, the Egyptian Ship Repair and Building Company, and the Alexandria Shipyard Company.

Khaled underscored that Egypts naval defence industry makes a vital contribution to national development, saying it is impossible to draw a line between naval strategy and planning and national political, economic and developmental goals.

In terms of military operations, he addressed said the Egyptian navys participation in Operation Restore Hope in Yemen, explaining that maritime security is a multifaceted concept that starts with freedom of navigation and countering the threats posed by piracy, terrorism, drug trafficking, arms smuggling and other forms of organised crime. The evolving nature of the threats has necessitated changes in the definition of maritime security, which conventionally referred to a countrys ability to protect its coastline and maritime boundaries. The scope of security has now expanded to include the ability to ensure the safety of shipping lanes of strategic importance to world trade and the transport of oil and other essential commodities. For Egypt, this involves securing the vital artery that stretches from Bab Al-Mandeb through the Red Sea to the northern entrance to the Suez Canal.

The navy works closely with the other branches of Egypts Armed Forces to defend strategic, tactical, and logistical assets within Egypts national security realm. It has played an important role in the Comprehensive Operation Sinai counter-terrorist drive, isolating the operational theatre from the sea, preventing the escape of terrorist elements, and cutting off supplies to terrorists in Sinai.

In addition to helping secure the northeastern border, the navy has increased its boarding and search operations of suspicious craft in Egyptian territorial waters. The navys special forces unit hunts down suspicious targets close to shore along the northern coast of Sinai.

According to Khaled, the navy also takes part in maritime border demarcation processes, employing specialised technicians with expertise in the complex technical aspects of border demarcation and trained in the latest software applications.

The naval commander spoke about the training of naval personnel, in general, and the facilities available for training. After a solid formation in the Naval Academy, officers are given opportunities to continue their studies and training in the best naval academies in the world. Volunteers and non-commissioned officers are assigned to naval schools or advanced training facilities, depending on their abilities and aptitudes. In some of these institutes, candidates receive theoretical and practical training in non-combat operations, including technical support, hardware maintenance, repairs and all the other services needed to keep the navy afloat. In general, said Khaled, the navy is committed to a modern, scientific approach and to engaging the most competent military experts in diverse specialisations to keep pace with the developments in international naval defence systems.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 28 October, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Egypt condemned last night's terrorist attack in the Iraqi city of Diyala and left many people dead and injured.

In a statement, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed condolences to the Iraqi government and people over the victims of the attack.

Egypt is siding with Iraq against any threat to its security and stability, added the statement.

At least 13 people were killed and 13 others were injured in the attack.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he expects to meet his US counterpart Joe Biden on the margins of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Turkish media reported Wednesday.

Erdogan's comments to reporters on board his return flight from a trip to Azerbaijan came after the White House released Biden's schedule at this weekend's G20 summit in Rome that included no meeting with the Turkish leader.

"The agenda for Rome and Glasgow appears to have changed," Erdogan was quoted as saying.

"We are likely to meet in Glasgow instead of Rome."

The COP26 UN climate conference opens in the Scottish city on Sunday and runs to November 12.

The meeting, which would be the two leaders' second since Biden was elected president, comes with Turkey seeking compensation after Washington kicked Turkey out of its F-35 fighter jet programme for buying a Russian missile defence system.

The meeting would also come on the heels of a new diplomatic spat that saw Erdogan threaten to expel the US and nine other Western ambassadors over their support for a jailed Turkish civil society leader.

Erdogan, who accused the envoys of meddling in Turkey's affairs, walked backed the threat after the embassies issued statements pledging to stay out of Turkey's domestic affairs.

Erdogan has had a rocky relationship with Biden, who he last met on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels in June.

Turkey's 2019 purchase of a Russian S-400 defence air system has been an irritant on ties, which saw Washington block Ankara's plans to purchase about 100 next-generation US F-35 planes.

Erdogan has insisted on compensation, saying Washington could pay back at least part of the $1.4 billion advance payment Turkey made for the F-35s through the delivery of older-generation F-16 fighter jets.

The F-35 issue will be the most important topic in his meeting with Biden, Erdogan said, adding that he would have a chance to directly confirm if Washington was willing to return the money through F-16 deliveries.

If so, he said, "we will have worked out an agreement."

Any military sales would have to be approved by Congress, where anti-Turkish sentiment is strong because of Erdogan's record on human rights.

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Two million Chinese coronavirus vaccine doses will arrive in Egypt "very soon," Chinese ambassador Liao Liqiang said at an online press conference on Wednesday.

Egypt is using China's Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines in its mass-vaccination campaign.

Egypt has purchased 10 million doses of Chinese vaccines, Liao said.

Egypt's VACSERA has signed an agreement to manufacture Sinovac vaccines under the name Sinovac/VACSERA locally to use in its vaccination program and for export to African countries.

Egypt is expected to buy more than 100 million doses of vaccines this year, according to him.

Egyptian-Chinese bilateral relations have reached a new level since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, given the fact that Egypt and China have been supporting each other, Liao added.

Egypt has managed so far to vaccinate around 24 million people against the coronavirus, according to health officials. The government has set a goal of vaccinating 40 million people by the end of 2021.

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EgyptAir operated on Wednesday morning its first domestic flight from Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport heading to Luxor International Airport after a six-year hiatus that began in December 2015, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced in a statement.

The flight took off at 7am from Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport carrying 110 tourists and Egyptians on board and will return later tonight according to a tour programme to give the passengers an opportunity to visit the museums and archaeological sites of Luxor, enjoy the citys charming atmosphere and traditional market, and board a Nile cruise.

According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities statement, the operation of the flight is within the framework of the Egyptian governments efforts to create a new comprehensive tourist product by integrating leisure tourism with cultural tourism, linking the cities of the Nile Valley with the Red Seas resort cities.

The ministry added that those domestic flights would also enrich tourists time in Egypt and enable them to visit more than one destination at a time.

The operation of this flight was agreed upon during a meeting held between both the Ministers of Tourism and Antiquities and Civil Aviation several days ago to discuss promoting tourism in Egypt.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is currently providing discounted prices for domestic flights to various tourist destinations at a price of 2,150 pounds to Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada, Luxor, and Taba, and 2,450 pounds to both Marsa Alam and Aswan.

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Furious Sudanese protests entered a third day Wednesday, with the prime minister returned home under guard after intense international condemnation.

Sudanese security forces launched sweeping arrests of anti-coup protesters Wednesday, in a bid to end three days of demonstrations against a military takeover that has sparked widespread international condemnation.

Armed forces deployed in large numbers after overnight protests saw clashes in the capital Khartoum, with officers firing tear gas and arresting several leading pro-democracy activists, including from Sudan's largest political party, the Umma Party.

"Police forces have removed all the barricades since Wednesday morning and arrested all the people who stood near them," said Hady Bashir, a protester, after AFP correspondents saw security forces clear rocks and tyres blocking major streets in Khartoum.

Since top General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Monday ordered the dissolution of the government and declared a state of emergency, thousands of citizens have maintained protests, chanting "No to military rule".

Shops have remained closed following calls for a campaign of civil disobedience, as pro-democracy movements ratcheted up calls for "million-strong protests" on Saturday.

On Tuesday, Burhan allowed home Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok -- who was detained by the military Monday along with his ministers and civilian members of Sudan's ruling council -- following intense international pressure.

But Hamdok and his wife were returned "under close surveillance," his office said Tuesday, while other ministers and civilian leaders remain under full military arrest.

In a joint statement, diplomats from the US, UK and Norway -- the grouping previously involved in mediating Sudanese conflicts known as "The Troika" -- as well as the European Union and Switzerland, called for an urgent face-to-face meeting with Hamdok.

"We continue to recognise the Prime Minister and his cabinet as the constitutional leaders of the transitional government," the statement read.

'Vengeful attacks'

The coup comes after a rocky two-year transition outlined in an August 2019 power-sharing deal between military and civilians after the ouster of autocrat Omar al-Bashir on the back of mass protests against his rule.

Monday's coup was the latest in one of the world's most underdeveloped countries, which has experienced only rare democratic interludes since independence in 1956.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said "it would be disastrous if Sudan goes backwards after finally bringing an end to decades of repressive dictatorship".

Burhan, who became de facto head of state in 2019 as leader of the joint military-civilian Sovereign Council, was also a senior general during Bashir's three-decade long hardline rule, and has the support of Sudan's much feared paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Tensions had long simmered between the civilian and military sides, but divisions ratcheted up after what the government said was a failed coup on September 21 this year.

Four people were killed and scores wounded on Monday when soldiers opened fire on protesters, according to a doctors' group.

Violence against protesters has mounted, as security forces launched "vengeful attacks" on protests nationwide, said the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), an umbrella of unions which were instrumental in the anti-Bashir protests.

Late Tuesday, security forces arrested Sedeeq Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi, deputy of Sudan's prominent Umma Party, and took him to "an unidentified location", his family said.

'Serious consequences'

Internet services have been blocked. But Khartoum airport, which has been closed to flights, is set to reopen on Wednesday afternoon, the civil aviation authority said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Hamdok Tuesday, the State Department said, welcoming the prime minister's return home from custody but expressing "deep concern" about the takeover and reiterating US support for a civilian-led democracy.

Washington, a key backer of the transition, has suspended hundreds of millions of dollars in aid over the coup.

The EU has also threatened "serious consequences" for Sudan's rulers, including suspension of financial support.

Analysts warned that the putsch may risk leaving the country "shunned" and risk much-needed international assistance unlocked under Hamdok's government to rescue Sudan's economy, battered by decades of US sanctions and by mismanagement.

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting late Tuesday to discuss the crisis, and the African Union and Arab League also expressed concern.

Sudan's ambassadors to the US, Belgium, France and Switzerland on Tuesday said they backed the civilian leaders, declaring their diplomatic missions as "embassies of the Sudanese people and their revolution", according to the Information Ministry.

Bashir has been jailed since his ouster in 2019 and convicted of corruption. He is on trial for the 1989 Islamist-backed coup which brought him to power.

The former strongman is also wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide in the civil war in Darfur.

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Israel has cancelled a cultural festival at a French-protected site in annexed east Jerusalem, claiming it was sponsored by the Palestinian Authority without Israeli permission, which organisers denied Wednesday.

The scheduled three-day festival at the Abraham's House for religious pilgrims, with performances by Palestinian arts groups, was supported by the United Nations Development Programme, Finland and Austria.

Abraham's House manager Bernard Thibaud told AFP that performances had already begun for children on Tuesday when police arrived and shut it down, adding that he was "shocked and ashamed" by the cancelation.

The French consul general in Jerusalem as well as the consulate's religious affairs advisor had also already visited the festival, diplomatic sources told AFP.

In the cancellation order, Israel's Minister of Public Security Omer Barlev wrote the event was being held "with sponsorship and funding of the Palestinian Authority, and this is without written permission".

Police who came to the venue wore plain clothes and travelled in unmarked cars, the diplomatic sources said.

Abraham's House is managed by a religious charity, Secours Catholique-Caritas France. It is under the protection of the French Consulate in Jerusalem, similar to the Church of Sainte-Anne in the Old City, which President Emmanuel Macron visited last year.

'A little joy'

"The purpose is to bring a little joy and leisure to kids and adults of these surroundings who are experiencing lots of poverty and violence," Thibaud said.

"Having the police stop these cultural events is just bringing more violence to the district."

Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Day War and annexed it, a move not recognised by most of the international community.

Israel prohibits official Palestinian activity in east Jerusalem, where Palestinians hope to establish the capital of their state.

The festival was organised by the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, El-Hakawati Palestinian National Theater and the Qafilah mobile theatre in Jerusalem.

Asked if the PA supported his organisation or the festival, conservatory director general Suhail Khoury told AFP, "no, not at all".

Amer Khalil, director of el-Hakawati, also told AFP the PA was "not at all" supporting his group or the festival, adding that it was a UNDP programme.

Imad Mitwalli, director of Qafilah, said his organisation "never ever" received money from the PA.

Barlev did not immediately reply to AFP questions.

The arts groups publicised the event with the help of a local association in Silwan, a Palestinian neighbourhood at the edge of Jerusalem's Old City.

Hundreds of residents there face potential eviction as Israeli settlers mount legal challenges to claim property that Jews owned before the 1948 war for Israel's independence.

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Saudi Arabia said Wednesday it has licensed 44 international companies to establish regional headquarters in Riyadh, competing with Gulf neighbours, particularly Dubai, for the position of regional business hub.

In February, the oil-rich kingdom issued an ultimatum to foreign firms that those seeking state contracts must have their Middle East headquarters in the country by 2024.

The ultimatum was seen as a direct challenge to Dubai, which has long dominated as the region's business hub, against the backdrop of Saudi efforts to diversify its oil-reliant economy.

"Forty-four companies from various sectors and countries have signed agreements to move (their regional headquarters) and have obtained final licenses," Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih told AFP on the sidelines of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in Riyadh.

He did not disclose the names of the firms.

"We have a short-term goal to reach up to 400 or 500 companies, but there is no cap," added Falih.

Saudi Arabia will offer companies incentives, such as zero percent corporate tax for 50 years, a 10-year waiver from the state's "Saudization" policy to reserve jobs for Saudis and "preferential" treatment in government contracts, according to a document seen by AFP.

"The direct and indirect benefits from the presence of companies (in Saudi Arabia) amount up to 170 billion riyals ($45 billion)," said Falih.

Saudi officials are putting the finishing touches to launch the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), a multi-billion-dollar project announced in 2006, with many companies expected to be based there.

While some experts believe Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's largest economy, is directly competing with Dubai, Falih said it was about "integration" with the emirate.

"If there is competition, it is a creative competition that is beneficial to both parties. Everyone will benefit from growth and openness," he said.

Falih said that the United Arab Emirates, which is made up of seven emirates including Dubai, will also benefit from the kingdom's growth.

"In the UAE, they are trailblazers and successful, and their success and brilliance will continue in many areas, including in the field of attracting companies."

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A settlement monitor said Wednesday that an Israeli committee approved about 3,000 new settler homes in the occupied West Bank, a day after the Biden administration issued its strongest condemnation yet of the proposed construction.

Word of the approval came from Hagit Ofran from the anti-settlement group Peace Now. An Israeli security official who was not authorized to speak publicly also said the plan had been approved, but details were not immediately released by the Defense Ministry.

It was the biggest announcement of its kind since the Trump administration, which tolerated settlement growth and abandoned the decades-long U.S. position that the settlements were illegitimate. Israel embarked on an aggressive settlement spree during the Trump years, advancing plans for more than 12,000 settler homes in 2020 alone, according to Peace Now, the highest number since it started collecting data in 2012.

The ministry's higher planning council, which authorizes West Bank construction, convened Wednesday to authorize the new housing units, with roughly half of them getting final approval before building starts. Israel is expected to discuss the approval of at least 1,300 Palestinian homes next week.

If confirmed, Wednesday's decision is bound to raise friction with the United States and Europe and anger the Palestinians. It also seemed poised to test Israel's fragile governing coalition of ultra-nationalists, centrists and dovish parties that oppose settlements after the 12-year rule of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

``Now, everybody knows that this is not a government of change, but this is a government with the same policy as Netanyahu to build more settlements, to deepen the occupation and to take us away from the chances for peace,`` Ofran said.

Sabri Saidam, deputy secretary general of the Fatah Central Committee, turned his ire on the Biden administration and other countries protesting the plan, challenging the international community to ``move from words to deeds and to express (their) views, by doing and not only condemning.``

Saidam added: ``The Israeli government is implementing the so-called Trump plan, and the Biden administration is almost absent.``

On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department said that it was ``deeply concerned'' about Israel's plans to advance new settlement homes, including many deep inside the West Bank. Secretary of State Antony Blinken protested the plan during a call with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, according to a senior U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

At a press briefing the same day, State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters in Washington: ``We strongly oppose the expansion of settlements, which is completely inconsistent with efforts to lower tensions and to ensure calm and damages the prospects for a two-state solution.''

The Palestinians seek the West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem _ areas Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war _ for their future state. The Palestinians view the settlements, which house some 700,000 Israelis, as the main obstacle to peace, and most of the international community considers them illegal.

Israel views the West Bank, home to more than 2.5 million Palestinians, as the biblical and historical heartland of the Jewish people.

The committee was also supposed to approve housing units for Palestinians who live in areas of the West Bank that are under full Israeli control, outside the enclaves administered by a Palestinian autonomy government.

The Palestinians and rights groups say the 1,300 homes under discussion is a tiny fraction of the need. Palestinians require military permits to build in the 60% of the occupied West Bank that is under full Israeli control. Rights groups say permits are almost never granted, forcing many residents to build without authorization and risk demolition. Palestinians and rights groups say those homes are a small fraction of demand.

On Sunday, Israel announced construction tenders for 1,355 housing units in the West Bank, the first move of its kind since President Joe Biden assumed office pledging to take a harder line on the settlements. It also appeared to run contrary to the new Israeli coalition government's own vows to reduce tensions with the Palestinians.

The move drew condemnation from the Palestinians, dovish members of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's diverse governing coalition, the EU and the U.S.

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U.S. authorities launched a new battle on Wednesday to make Julian Assange face American justice, telling British judges that if they agree to extradite the WikiLeaks founder on espionage charges, he could serve any U.S. prison sentence he receives in his native Australia.

In January, a lower U.K. court refused a U.S. request to extradite Assange over WikiLeaks' publication of secret American military documents a decade ago. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange, who has spent years in hiding and in British prisons as he fights extradition, was likely to kill himself if held under harsh U.S. prison conditions.

Appealing against the January decision, an attorney for the U.S. government on Wednesday denied that Assange's mental health was too fragile to withstand the U.S. judicial system. Lawyer James Lewis said Assange ``has no history of serious and enduring mental illness'' and does not meet the threshold of being so ill that he cannot resist harming himself.

U.S. prosecutors have indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks' publication of thousands of leaked military and diplomatic documents. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison, although Lewis said ``the longest sentence ever imposed for this offense is 63 months.''

Lewis said American authorities had promised that Assange would not be held before trial in a top-security ``Supermax'' prison or subjected to strict isolation conditions, and if convicted would be allowed to serve his sentence in Australia. Lewis said the assurances ``are binding on the United States.``

``Once there is an assurance of appropriate medical care, once it is clear he will be repatriated to Australia to serve any sentence, then we can safely say the district judge would not have decided the relevant question in the way that she did,`` he said.

The U.S. also says a key defense witness, neuropsychiatrist Michael Kopelman, misled the previous judge by omitting to mention that Stella Moris, a member of WikiLeaks' legal team, was also Assange's partner and had two children with him. Lewis said that information was ``a highly relevant factor to the question of likelihood to suicide.''

Assange's lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, accused U.S. lawyers of seeking to ``minimize the severity of Mr Assange's mental disorder and suicide risk.''

Fitzgerald said in a written submission that Australia has not yet agreed to take Assange if he is convicted. Even if Australia did agree, Fitzgerald said the U.S. legal process could take a decade, ``during which Mr. Assange will remain detained in extreme isolation in a U.S. prison.''

Assange, who is being held at London's high-security Belmarsh Prison, had been expected to attend the two-day hearing by video link, but Fitzgerald said Assange had been put on a high dose of medication and ``doesn't feel able to attend.''

Assange later appeared on the video link at times, seated at a table in a prison room wearing a black face mask.

Since WikiLeaks began publishing classified documents more than a decade ago, Assange has become a flashpoint figure. Some see him as a dangerous secret-spiller who endangered the lives of informers and others who helped the U.S. in war zones. Others say WikiLeaks shone a light on official malfeasance that governments would like to keep secret.

American prosecutors say Assange unlawfully helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published. Lawyers for Assange argue that he was acting as a journalist and is entitled to First Amendment freedom of speech protections for publishing documents that exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Several dozen pro-Assange protesters held a boisterous rally outside London's neo-Gothic Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday, calling the prosecution politically motivated. They urged U.S. President Joe Biden to drop the legal proceedings, which were begun under his predecessor, Donald Trump.

The demonstrators included Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, who said Assange's case ``relates to our society, it relates to our freedom of expression, it relates to our individual human rights, and we have to watch the government.``

WikiLeaks supporters say testimony from witnesses during the extradition hearing that Assange was spied on while in Ecuador's embassy in London by a Spanish security firm at the behest of the CIA _ and that there was even talk of abducting or killing him _ undermines U.S. claims he will be treated fairly.

The two justices hearing the appeal _ one is England's most senior judge, Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett _ are not expected to give their ruling for several weeks. The losing side could seek to appeal to the U.K. Supreme Court.

Assange, 50, has been in prison since he was arrested in April 2019 for skipping bail during a separate legal battle. Before that he spent seven years holed up inside Ecuador's London embassy, where he fled in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault.

Sweden dropped the sex crimes investigations in November 2019 because so much time had elapsed. The judge who blocked extradition in January ordered that he must stay in custody during any U.S. appeal, ruling that the Australian citizen ``has an incentive to abscond'' if he is freed.

Outside court, Moris said it was ``completely unthinkable that the U.K. courts could agree'' to extradition.

``I hope the courts will end this nightmare, that Julian is able to come home soon and that wise heads prevail,`` she said.

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The US embassy in Moscow could stop performing most functions next year unless there is progress with Russia on increasing the number of visas for diplomats, a US official warned Wednesday.

The United States earlier this month stopped processing visas in Moscow, with Russians obliged to head to the US embassy in Warsaw.

"We need to make progress soon," a senior State Department official told reporters.

"We're going to confront the situation -- not next month, but sometime next year -- where it's just difficult for us to continue with anything other than a caretaker presence at the embassy," he said.

"We will do everything humanly possible to keep that mission open," he said, while warning that more functions of the embassy, such as sending diplomatic cables, would become difficult without more staff.

He said that the United States lacked staff for basic tasks such as opening and closing the embassy gates, ensuring secure telephone calls and operating the elevators.

Russia on August 1 barred embassies from hiring Russian or third-country staff, forcing the United States to lay off more than 200 locals at missions across Russia, according to the State Department.

The United States complains of a lack of reciprocity with Moscow counting local staff in its tally of US diplomats while Washington only factors in Russian nationals in its limit on numbers.

The United States has around 120 people at its Russian missions, far down from 1,200 in 2017, while Russia has some 230 people in the United States, excluding those posted in New York for its UN mission.

"They have a much bigger presence here in the United States than we have in Russia," the official said.

The United States and Russia have tense relations on multiple fronts including US allegations of hacking and election interference by Moscow, although Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin agreed at a June summit in Geneva to work toward more stable ties.

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Four Egyptian films by Khairy Beshara, Henry Barakat, Raafat El-Mihi and Youssef Chahine will be screened as part of a selection of eight international masterpieces presented at the Red Sea International Film Festival (6-15 December 2021).

The films include the 1994 classic Strawberry War by legendary director Khairy Beshara; Raafat El-Mihis 1995 classic A Little Love Much Violence, a film that is considered one of the most daring in the history of Egyptian cinema; the 1959 drama The Nightingales Prayer, directed by notable filmmaker Henry Barakat; and the 1970 rare classic The Choice, which is among the most essential films by legendary Egyptian filmmaker Youssef Chahine.

It is worth noting that in December 2020, the festival celebrated renowned Egyptian filmmaker Khairy Beshara. The director held a masterclass in Jeddah followed by a retrospective honouring his key works, which were restored by the Red Sea Festival Foundation, namely The Collar and the Bracelet (1986), Bitter Day, Sweet Day (1988), Ice Cream in Gleam (1992), Abracadabra America (1993), Traffic Light (1995).

Other films to be screened within the upcoming classics segment are Wadjda, the 2012 feature directorial debut of Saudi Arabian writer and filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour; the 1979 Bengali-language mystery The Elephant God, one of the most popular films from Indian director Satyajit Ray; the 2016 documentary Lumiere! by French writer and director Thierry Fremaux; Pierrot le Fou, the 1965 classic from French New Wave director Jean-Luc Godard.

With Pierrot le Fou, the French entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 38th Academy Awards, the Festival also is paying tribute to one of the most popular French actors, Jean-Paul Belmondo.

"Beginning with Jean-Luc Godard and the New Wave, it did not take long for him to take the turn of comedy and action film, with more than 80 films to his name. The Festival pays homage to this exceptional actor by presenting a montage of his main roles, prepared by the Lumiere Institute, and by programming Pierrot le Fou in a restored version," reads the festival's official press release.

These films represent not only classics of the Arab world, but also some truly iconic international gems. The Festival gives us the opportunity to celebrate these films with a renewed attention that such pioneering works of cinema are worthy of, given their disruptive and boundary-pushing nature, explains Antoine Khalife, Director of Arab Programs and Film Classics of the Red Sea International Film Festival.

The inaugural edition of the Red Sea Festival was scheduled to take place in March 2020, but due to the pandemic it was postponed. The management has decided that the festival's first edition will only feature a few events from its original schedule under the 'Label Edition' name. The festival organised some events related to its inaugural edition, in December 2020. The festival's second edition was planned take place in March 2021, a date that was moved to December 2021.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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The decision not to extend emergency legislation sends the message that Egypt is now stable and secure, and the government takes human rights seriously.

President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi surprised commentators this week by ending the state of emergency in effect since 2017.

In July the House of Representatives had approved President Al-Sisis decree extending the state of emergency for another three months, from 24 July to 25 October, and most analysts anticipated another three-month extension next week. On Monday, however, President Al-Sisi wrote on his Facebook page that Egypt has become, thanks to its great and loyal people, an oasis of security and stability in the region. As a result, I have decided to cancel the extension of the state of emergency throughout the country.

Let us together move steadily towards building the new republic, inspired by Gods help and support. Long Live Egypt.

On 10 April 2017, the House of Representatives approved declaring the state of emergency in response to bombings that targeted churches in Tanta and Alexandria, leaving 43 dead and injuring more than 100. The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attacks.

At the time, Al-Sisi said a state of emergency was necessary to confront the forces of darkness which were tageting Egypts internal security and stability.

Salah Fawzi, a constitutional law professor at the University of Mansoura, said in a TV interview on Monday evening that we know that the job of the army is mainly to defend the countrys borders, and fight invading forces, but with the emergency law it acquired sweeping powers to face internal dangers such as terrorist groups and drug traffickers that threaten national security.

Salah Abu Himila, a member of parliaments Defence and National Security Committee, told Al-Ahram Weekly that when President Al-Sisi declared the state of emergency in 2017, it was in response to a real threat to national security, when terrorist groups  particularly IS in Libya and North Sinai  were attacking army and security forces, places of worship, and the economic infrastructure.

Abu Himila believes the state of emergency was very effective in countering the dangers, particularly the threat posed by IS-affiliated Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis in North Sinai. The group staged a number of deadly strikes against army and police forces, and soft targets such as mosques, churches, and monasteries.

With the introduction of the emergency law in 2017 the army and security forces were able to almost obliterate the group and stem the tide of terrorist attacks, said Abu Himila.

Abu Himila argues that one factor that might have prompted cancelling the state of emergency is that there are no more dangers coming from Libya which has been able to restore much of its stability in the last two years.

MP Amr Al-Sonbati told the Weekly that the decision was made against a backdrop in which several Arab countries are facing security troubles. Countries like Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, and Tunisia face serious terrorist threats and are imposing their own states of emergency.

Egypt, meanwhile, has become an oasis of stability in a region seething with turmoil.

Al-Sonbati argued that cancelling the state of emergency will benefit Egypt economically because a country without a state of emergency is a safe destination for investments and tourist traffic.

Fawzi pointed out that the state of emergency had allowed authorities to refer offenders to emergency state security courts which were quicker in reaching judgements than civilian courts but that, from 25 October, such courts have been terminated.

Senate Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Wafd Party Bahaaeddin Abu Shoka made the point that the decision has implications on those who face charges for political reasons. Beginning from 25 October, defendants in such cases will be referred to civilian courts. There will be no change, however, in high-profile cases already referred to emergency courts.

Abu Shoka says the decision sends a message to the world that Egypt is a secure and stable country.

I think the president made his decision after concluding that Egypt has won its war against terrorism and that its borders, particularly with Libya and Gaza, are now secure.

MP Ahmed Shalabi, spokesperson for the Guardians of the Nation Party, said lifting the state of emergency will reinforce the national strategy for human rights adopted last month.

The state of emergency in Egypt made it a target of harsh criticism from Western organisations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Our message to these organisations is that the state of emergency was not an end in itself, a tool to defeat terrorist groups, and now this has been achieved the country can return to normal.

According to Abu Shoka, the state of emergency did not cause serious harm to public freedoms since it was applied only to terrorist attacks against military and police forces.

Tarek Radwan, chairman of the Human Rights Committee, sees the move as a step towards bolstering human rights.

Every time the government came to parliament to ask for an extension, it stressed that it did not want Egypt to live in a permanent state of emergency and that the emergency legislation was directed only at terrorist threats, said Radwan.

Egypts National Council for Human Rights hailed the move on Monday calling it an important step towards bolstering, implementing, and protecting human rights, adding that the decision sends a message to Egyptians that the state is serious and determined about strengthening human rights.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 28 October, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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A breathtaking exhibition of Egyptian and international contemporary art awaits visitors to the Giza Plateau and the Pyramids.

Earlier this week, the serenity of the Giza Plateau outside Cairo, the location of the Pyramids, was temporarily broken by artists who had gathered from around the world to display their work as part of the Art dEgypte fourth annual contemporary art exhibition entitled Forever is Now.

The exhibition, taking place in front of the Pyramids, reflects the profound global influence of ancient Egyptian art on artists since and draws on contemporary cultural practices.

Running on the Giza Plateau until 7 November, the exhibition showcases the ways in which ancient Egypt has inspired artists throughout history and united art, history, and heritage. It represents a coming together of ancient heritage and contemporary art at the site of the oldest and last remaining of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The making of art, whether practised by the ancient Egyptians or by contemporary artists, permits one generation to bear witness to the present and speak to the next, said Nadine Abdel-Ghaffar, founder of Art dEgypte, a privately owned Egyptian company supporting the Egyptian arts and culture scene. It is an unrelenting undertaking that reflects humankinds enduring talent for creating works that inspire the imagination and reveal the wonder of humanity itself, its tenacity and, through the arts, its unity, she added.

The first edition of the event was held at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square in Cairo in 2017, and the second was at the Manial Palace in Cairo in 2018. The third was in Historic Cairo in 2019.

I have always been in awe of this extraordinary ancient civilisation that has influenced generations with its discoveries in the sciences, arts, mathematics, social justice, cultural development, and innovation, said Abdel-Ghaffar.

It is a civilisation that managed to design and build monuments that we as human beings to this day cannot fathom and have not been able to replicate.

Abdel-Ghaffar said that Egyptian culture is a gift to humanity and that this was something promoted by the present exhibition. The purpose of this exhibition is to showcase these treasures in a dialogue with the contemporary on an international scale and to the rest of the world, she said.

Ancient Egypt has influenced artists from around the world, and so we bring the world to Egypt and Egypt to the world through art. Its a privilege to stand at the foot of these monuments that have survived turmoil, wars, and pandemics. This exhibition is a token of hope for humanity and a humble tribute to a civilisation that has stood the test of time, Abdel-Ghaffar said.

Exhibiting one of my sculptures in front of humanitys most glorious, timeless creations is a dream come true, said Italian sculptor Lorenzo Quinn, one of the exhibitors, adding that it has also been a daunting task because no artist on earth today can equal the beauty and perfection of the magnificent ancient Egyptian Pyramids.

Quinn said that his piece did not interfere with its surroundings but somehow supported their majestic timeless beauty. It outlines human connections through time, he said.

Among the exhibitors is also Egyptian artist Sherine Girgis, whose sculpture was inspired by an ancient Egyptian musical instrument called a sistrum and is engraved with Pharaonic-inspired patterns and excerpts from a poem by Egyptian poet Doreya Shafik.

The exhibition offers an opportunity for artists to display their works in front of one of the oldest human-built structures in the world. It is the strongest possible promotion for culture and tourism in the country, Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass told Al-Ahram Weekly.

The exhibition also displays works by 10 other Egyptian and international artists, including Egyptian artist Moataz Nasr, Russian artist Alexander Ponomarev, Brazilian artist Huao Trevisan, French artist JR, and Saudi artist Sultan bin Fahd.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 28 October, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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A chaotic start to the school year prompts MPs to demand answers from the minister of education.

A week into the new school year, and tens of videos showing packed classrooms without desks, chairs and sometimes even teachers, have been posted on social media.

In the wake of the images, which have left parents angry, Minister of Education Tarek Shawki issued a ban on filming on school premises.

I am sure that those who shot these videos are hostile elements using social media to damage the ministrys reputation, Shawki said in a TV interview.

The videos prompted MPs to question Shawki over what many say is a disastrous beginning to the new academic year.

MP Sahar Attiya, a member of the House of Representatives Education Committee, said the majority of government in Egypt suffer from overcrowded classes and a shortage of teachers.

It is incredibly sad that the Ministry of Education was so ill-prepared for the new school year. Government schools are in a state of chaos and confusion, said Attiya, who openly wondered whether Shawki has any policies to rectify the situation.

Ihab Mansour, deputy chairman of the Labour Force Committee, said recent social media posts had shown classes containing more than 110 students and all the Ministry of Education has said is that it will seek to recruit 36,000 teachers but has taken no action to this end.

Mohamed Tayseer Mattar, secretary-general of the Human Rights Committee, criticised Shawki for saying he was considering the possibility of dividing the school day into three shifts to reduce overcrowding, pointing out that such a division will seriously disrupt the education process and inevitably impact on the quality of teaching.

MPs Sayed Shams, Sahar Eid, and Magdi Ashour said the three-shift solution would be disastrous for the school year, and that the most that can be hoped for is two shifts, perhaps with pupils attending school on alternate days.

Mohamed Abdel-Aziz, deputy chairman of the Human Rights Committee, criticised Shawki for instructing government schools not to distribute books to students unless they first pay the mandatory fees first. Shawkis orders violate Article 19 of the constitution which stipulates that the state shall provide free education for all students in government schools, said Abdel-Aziz.

MP Hanaa Farouk, a member of the parliamentary majority Mostaqbal Watan Party, argued that the fees as currently set by the Ministry of Education were beyond the financial capacity of low-income families.

Education Committee member Attiya also pointed out that for the second year running Shawki has refused to intervene to address the problem of exorbitant fees being charged by private schools.

Minister Shawkis policy in this respect shows that he accepts that these schools act like a state within a state and can do whatever they like without government supervision, she said.

Faced with such concerted criticism, Shawki conceded in an interview with Sada Al-Balad TV that there is a shortage of school teachers in government schools.

We have a shortfall of between 260,000 and 300,000 teachers across subjects, he said. Recruiting the necessary staff, he added would cost LE9 billion,

Right now we are considering alternatives, including employing university graduates to work as volunteers, or for a nominal fee. Unfortunately the Ministry of Education suffers from a severe shortage of funding.

Shawki said the budget of the Ministry of Education was LE99 billion for 2020-21, 84 per cent of which goes on salaries.

I want to employ more teachers and build more schools, but this ultimately depends on the Ministry of Finance which has the final say on how much money goes to the Ministry of Education, said Shawki.

In an interview with Al-Mehwar channel on 21 October, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait said he is reviewing the financial needs of the education sector. Minister Shawki will present a report itemising the needs of teachers and classrooms. Once this is complete, and has been approved by cabinet, the Ministry of Finance will be ready to allocate the necessary funding, said Maait.

Many online posts blamed Shawki for squandering money on buying tablets for students.

The ministry spent LE9 billion buying tablets for high school students, equivalent to 16 per cent of the total education budget, read one Twitter post.

MPs also point out that the Ministry of Education bought tablets against the advice of education experts who warned that students on rural areas often lacked the necessary Internet coverage to use them.

MP Ihab Mansour said MPs had asked Shawki in January to invest in upgrading the school infrastructure and employing teachers rather than buying tablets.

Shawki said the decision to buy tablets helped save on the cost of printing textbooks.

In an official statement on 18 October, the Ministry of Education also said it will put in place means tested measures to reduce school fees for families who cannot afford them.

The fees are necessary to buy books and cover other costs, and we are considering options to make payment easier, said the statement.

Parents can pay the fees in installments, or if they are unable can submit a request to the Ministry of Social Solidarity which will assess their incomes and when appropriate waiver the fees.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 28 October, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The Giza pyramids archaeological site is now allowing entry using electronic tickets, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced.

The move, which is implemented starting Wednesday, is part of a larger plan to digitise services at archaeological sites.

The electronic tickets bear a QR code and can only be used once at new smart gates that read tickets at a high speed to prevent overcrowding, according to Director-General of Giza Plateau Ashraf Mohieldin.

The new system also will also keep track of the number of visitors, the ministry said in a statement on the new system.

The Giza Plateau is the second archaeological site to install the electronic ticketing system in September, after electronic payment machines were installed at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir.

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Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Tuesday sent a congratulatory letter to the campus inauguration ceremony of Tianjin Juilliard School.

National flags of China and the U.S. [File Photo: VCG]

Peng spoke highly of the cooperation between the Tianjin Conservatory of Music and the U.S. Juilliard School, saying it has developed a new platform for the cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

She also expressed her wishes that China and the U.S. would conduct extensive people-to-people and cultural exchanges, promote mutual understanding between the two peoples and inject impetus into the friendship between them.

As the branch campus of Juilliard School, Tianjin Juilliard School is the first performing arts institution in China to confer a U.S.-accredited Master of Music degree, according to the school's official website. Founded in 1905, Juilliard School is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious educational institutions in drama, music, and dance.
President Joe Biden framed the Virginia governors race as a repudiation of his predecessor, tying the Republican candidate to former President Donald Trump as he campaigned Tuesday night for Democrat Terry McAuliffe in what's become a tight and increasingly bitter campaign.

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at a rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Oct. 26, 2021, in Arlington, Va. [Photo: AP/Alex Brandon]

No Republican has won statewide office in Virginia since 2009, and Biden carried it by a comfortable 10 percentage points in 2020. Yet polls have shown McAuliffe tied with Republican former business executive Glenn Youngkin with the election a week away  and the president's own popularity is on the decline.

In the final days of the race, both candidates are focused on turning out their base supporters, with Republicans pressing culture war issues  prompting a debate over banning books in high school classrooms  and McAuliffe, who previously served as governor from 2014 to 2018, hammering Youngkin for his ties to Trump.

Biden drove that theme home during a rally in Arlington, just across the Potomac River from Washington, mentioning the former president by name more frequently than Youngkin and drawing a direct line from last year's presidential race to next Tuesday's election.

I ran against Donald Trump and Terry is running against an acolyte of Donald Trump," Biden said.

He charged that Youngkin not only embraces some of the essential lack of character, he endorses Donald Trump's bad ideas and bad record."

McAuliffe, meanwhile, told the same gathering that Youngkin is ending his campaign the way he started it: With divisive dog whistles."

We have a choice: A path that promotes conspiracies, hate, division, or a path focused on lifting up every single Virginian, McAuliffe said.

A loss by McAuliffe  or perhaps even a narrow victory  would be an ominous sign for Democrats already likely facing stiff political headwinds in next year's midterm elections, when their narrow control of the House and Senate will be on the line. The party that wins the White House historically losses congressional seats in the next election, and Virginia, this cycle's top off-year race, is seen as a key test of whether Democrats can head into 2022 with momentum.

How much help Biden will offer McAuliffe is unclear, though. The president has seen the percentage of Americans approving of his job performance fall after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and amid an economy that remains far from fully healed as the nation continues to struggle with the coronavirus pandemic.

Biden defended his record Tuesday night, rehashing some of his old arguments with Trump. He said that while Trump presided over a loss of American jobs, the Biden administration has overseen a surge in job creation, and also touted the strength of the stock market on his watch  a nod to one of Trump's favored metrics for success.

And Biden touted aspects of his infrastructure and social services spending proposals, tying his plans to the need to win next week's elections.

We're on the right track, but we've got more to do," Biden said.

Youngkin's campaign released an ad featuring a mother who years ago sought to have the book Beloved banned from classrooms in suburban Washington. The acclaimed 1987 novel by Nobel laureate Toni Morrison is about an escaped slave who kills her infant daughter rather than allowing the girl to be returned to the plantation.

The mother's advocacy led to state legislation McAuliffe vetoed in 2016 and 2017 that would have let parents opt out of having their children study classroom materials with sexually explicit content.

McAuliffes campaign and fellow Democrats blasted Youngkins ad and accused him of trying to silence Black authors.
Donald Trump's social media company will get tens of millions in special bonus shares in a new publicly traded entity if it performs well, handing the former president possibly billions of dollars in paper wealth based on current stock prices, according to a prospectus filed with security regulators Tuesday.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump smiles as he pauses while speaking to supporters at a Turning Point Action gathering in Phoenix, July 24, 2021. [File Photo: AP/Ross D. Franklin]

The filing says Trumps social media company that aims to challenge Twitter and Facebook will be able to exercise warrants convertible to as many as 40 million shares of the new publicly traded company over three years. The exact number will depend on how high the stock in the company trades during that time, with the maximum number granted only if it trades at least at $30 a share or higher for a sustained period.

The bonus shares for his company would come on top of nearly 90 million shares worth possibly billions more.

Trump and his fellow shareholders could walk away with a really big payday, said Jay Ritter, a professor at the University of Florida who specializes in initial public offerings, though he cautioned the stock could plunge. At some point the company needs to produce profits and given the competitive nature of the media industry, that could be a stretch.

Trump launched his new company, Trump Media & Technology Group, last week as he unveiled plans for a new messaging app called Truth Social" to rival Twitter and other social media that banned him following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

TMTGs plan is to become a publicly listed company through a merger with the publicly traded Digital World Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, whose sole purpose is to acquire a private company and take it public.

Digital World's stock plunged 30% Tuesday to close at $59.07. It had traded above $100 last week when Trumps social media company announced it would merge with it.

Still, the closing price implies Trump's bonus earnout shares, if granted in full, would be worth $2.4 billion, though that valuation is far from certain. Ritter warned that if Trump's bonus shares are issued, they would dilute existing shareholders, weighing on the stock price.

The bonus shares are in addition to roughly 87 million shares that TMTG will also receive, based on Ritter's calculation from the merger announcement last week. At current prices, that stake would be worth another $5.1 billion.

The big drop Tuesday in Digital World's stock is a reminder to investors of the risks of investing in SPACs, companies whose stocks have a record of soaring and plunging.

Even with the prospectus, investors are still largely in the dark about Trump's new company. It gave few details on who exactly will be running the day-to-day operations and no financial figures.

IPO expert Ritter said the Trump company valuation is remarkable given the company has divulged so little and has virtually no assets.

"But its obviously got a big brand name that is potentially worth billions of dollars, he said.

Whatever Trump's stake in the new company, he wouldn't be able sell his shares right away. A lock-up" provision outlined in the prospectus says he wouldn't be allowed to sell until at least five months after the merger.

Trump is listed as chairman of TMTG.

The prospectus acknowledges the controversial nature of a business being associated with Trump and his family.

And it says it is taking steps in case Trump should run for president again. It said the new company is structuring Trumps ownership and position in a way that eliminates the need for disruptive changes should Trump decide to run for public office or be convicted of a felony criminal offense.
KYODO NEWS - Oct 27, 2021 - 13:02 | All, World

The Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday it has decided to revoke the authorization for China Telecom Corp.'s U.S. subsidiary to operate in the United States, citing the need to safeguard the nation's telecommunications infrastructure from "potential security threats."

The order directs China Telecom (Americas) Corp., which has been operating for about 20 years in the United States, to discontinue any domestic or international telecommunication services within 60 days.

The U.S. telecom regulator warned that the company's ownership and control by the Chinese government raises "significant" security risks by providing opportunities "to access, store, disrupt, and/or misroute U.S. communications, which in turn allow them to engage in espionage and other harmful activities against the United States."

The U.S. arm of China Telecom is "highly likely to be forced to comply with Chinese government requests without sufficient legal procedures subject to independent judicial oversight," it also said.

The move signals that the U.S. administration of President Joe Biden is building on the tough stance against Chinese companies taken by the previous administration of Donald Trump.

The Trump administration ratcheted up pressure on Chinese companies such as telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co. by restricting their business operations, citing potential threats to U.S. national security.

According to a Senate report released in June last year, China Telecom served more than 335 million subscribers worldwide as of Dec. 31, 2019, and claimed to be the largest fixed line and broadband operator in the world.
KYODO NEWS - Oct 27, 2021 - 16:11 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Around 82 million cloth masks procured by Japan during the coronavirus pandemic, dubbed by the public as "Abenomasks," have gone unused, a government spokesman said Wednesday, a revelation that has sparked criticism as a waste of taxpayers' money.

The number of masks that were in storage as of March account for more than half of the 140 million the government had intended to supply to the elderly and child care facilities amid a shortage of non-woven and other types of mask.

Then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to distribute two cloth masks to each household in Japan last year was widely derided by the public, with many complaining the "Abenomasks" were too small and arrived too late or not at all.

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihiko Isozaki told a press conference the government had finished distributing cloth masks to households but switched to an on-request basis for elderly care facilities, and that led to the surplus.

The revelation followed media reports that the Board of Audit has looked into the matter and will include it in its annual financial review in November.

According to the reports, the 82 million masks cost taxpayers about 11.5 billion yen ($101 million) and another 600 million yen to keep in storage from August 2020 to this March.

Isozaki denied that the Liberal Democratic Party-led government had missed a step by overestimating demand, saying the plan was an "effective way to prevent infections amid the supply shortage in masks last year."

"Based on the situation at the time, I think it was appropriate," he said, adding the government will "give consideration as necessary" as to how to utilize the surplus.

"Abenomask" was trending on Twitter on Wednesday with opposition parties voicing outrage at what they said was a waste of taxpayer money ahead of Sunday's general election.

"We called for the plan to be changed many times, but Prime Minister Abe saw it as necessary," tweeted Renho, a senior member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. "Now no one, including Prime Minister Abe, is wearing the Abenomask."
KYODO NEWS - Oct 27, 2021 - 22:50 | All, Japan

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday vowed to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region in response to China's assertive territorial claims and military buildup.

After attending a series of meetings with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other countries, Kishida told reporters he raised concerns over the human rights situation in Hong Kong as well as the Xinjiang region in northwestern China and stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

The Japan-ASEAN summit, held virtually amid the coronavirus pandemic, was the first occasion for Kishida to participate in an ASEAN gathering after replacing Yoshihide Suga as prime minister earlier this month.

Referring to his past efforts to enhance Japan's ties with ASEAN during his tenure as foreign minister between 2012 and 2017, Kishida said he continues to value the relationship with the 10-member bloc.

"This time, as prime minister, I will work closely with ASEAN and strongly promote efforts toward realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific," he said.

He also said Japan will steadily promote cooperation for the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, an initiative aimed at maintaining peace, freedom, and prosperity in the region, and that it shares the same values as Japan's vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

As 2023 marks the 50th year of ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation, Kishida said Japan plans to hold a special summit at that time to take the relationship to a "new stage."

Kishida and ASEAN leaders exchanged views on the situation in the East and South China seas, where China is increasingly assertive, as well as North Korea and Myanmar, with the prime minister telling reporters he "explained Japan's firm stance on these pressing regional issues."

Kishida was quoted by the Foreign Ministry as telling his ASEAN peers that Japan shares the group's deep concern about any moves challenging the rules-based maritime order in the region and strongly opposes such acts, in a veiled criticism of Beijing.

He also said North Korea is threatening the peace and security of the region and the international community by launching ballistic missiles, and asked members for their help in resolving North Korea's past abductions of Japanese nationals, to which members expressed support.

The prime minister said Japan supports ASEAN's action regarding the Myanmar coup in February, including a five-point consensus calling for an immediate cessation of violence and a visit by the ASEAN special envoy for a peaceful settlement of the crisis.

Kishida urged Myanmar's military leaders to respond constructively.

In their annual summit on Tuesday, the ASEAN leaders voiced concern about Myanmar, an ASEAN member state, and explored a balanced approach for addressing the political turmoil in the country.

The ASEAN summit was held without a representative from Myanmar as its military leader was excluded by the group.

ASEAN consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

In a virtual ASEAN-plus-three summit later Wednesday, Kishida, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae In underscored their respective countries' commitment to helping ASEAN combat the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Kishida said Japan has provided 5.5 billion yen ($48 million) for the ASEAN Center for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases, which was launched last year, and that Tokyo will continue to provide its full support for the facility.

Kishida added Japan has also offered more than 16 million coronavirus vaccine doses to the ASEAN region.

Moon said South Korea has vowed to allocate $5 million this year to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund to facilitate vaccine supplies to the region.

Li said China has offered COVID-19 vaccines and medical supplies necessary to respond to the coronavirus and called for the further strengthening of long-term cooperation with ASEAN while taking measures to contain the pandemic.

Kishida attended the ASEAN-related summits amid campaigning for Japan's general election on Oct. 31.

Related coverage:

ASEAN holds summit without Myanmar, explores balanced approach

ASEAN invites senior Myanmar Foreign Ministry official to summit

ASEAN leaders to urge Myanmar to allow envoy visit for mediation
KYODO NEWS - Oct 27, 2021 - 22:22 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. is in talks with Japan to apply for approval to administer its COVID-19 vaccine to children aged 5 to 11, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.

The revelation came a day after a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel of independent experts voted in favor of issuing emergency use authorization for the vaccine to be administered to children in that age group.

If submitted, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare plans to promptly review the application, according to the sources.

Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, jointly developed with German partner BioNTech SE, is currently available free of charge to people aged 12 and older in Japan, where it has been approved for use.

Coverage has not been extended to children below 12 due to uncertainty over the vaccine's efficacy and safety for that group.

In clinical trials conducted by Pfizer in the United States and other countries, administration of a third adult dose of the vaccine was found to be 90.7 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 infections in children between 5 and 11 years, according to data submitted to the FDA.

Although the subjects experienced sore arms, fatigue and headaches the next day, the side effects disappeared quickly and there were no safety issues.

The results led the FDA panel to conclude at a meeting Tuesday that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks even among children.

According to U.S. media, COVID-19 vaccination of kids could start as early as next week, but some remain unconvinced of the necessity due to the low risk of children developing serious symptoms.

Some experts have suggested that the vaccine rollout should only target children with underlying conditions.

Pfizer is expected to apply for approval in Japan using the results of the same clinical trials.
KYODO NEWS - Oct 27, 2021 - 21:35 | All, Japan

Former Nissan Motor Co. executive Greg Kelly maintained Wednesday his innocence against a charge that he helped his former boss Carlos Ghosn underreport his remuneration by billions of yen.

"I was not involved in a criminal conspiracy, and I am not guilty of any crime," Kelly, an American lawyer, said in a final hearing at the Tokyo District Court. The court will hand down the ruling on March 3.

Nissan, which is also a defendant in the trial, said the crime was committed only to realize Ghosn's "self-interest" and claimed its responsibility is "relatively low." The Japanese automaker has pleaded guilty.

Kelly, 65, was a close aide of Ghosn, 67, who jumped bail to flee to Lebanon in late 2019.

Kelly, who was arrested in November 2018, has been indicted for making misstatements in Nissan's securities reports.

According to the indictment, he helped Ghosn conceal his remuneration from shareholders by around 9.1 billion yen ($80 million) over eight years through March 2018 in a scheme to give deferred payments to the once high-flying industry titan after retirement.

Late last month, Tokyo prosecutors sought a two-year prison term for Kelly, saying he and Toshiaki Onuma, a former chief secretary of Nissan, favored using a "backdoor remuneration" scheme.

The prosecutors at the time argued the role could only have been performed by Kelly, "who was a strategist with knowledge of the law and trusted by the former chairman."

Under the scheme, Kelly and Onuma were set to make deferred payments to Ghosn under another pretext, according to the prosecutors.

Kelly and his defense team have denied the claim, saying he only took lawful actions to retain Ghosn because of his value as a business leader.

Onuma was exempted from prosecution under a plea bargain reached in November 2018, weeks before Ghosn and Kelly were arrested.

Prosecutors sought a penalty of 200 million yen for Nissan, saying proper oversight at the company was not in place.

Related coverage:

Ex-U.S. envoy Hagerty slams Japan's justice system over Nissan case

2-yr jail term sought for ex-Ghosn aide over financial misconduct
By Ami Takahashi, KYODO NEWS - Oct 27, 2021 - 11:09 | All, Japan

While Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed to show the people that his ruling party has been "reborn," voters will still see familiar names on the ballot in Sunday's general election as political dynasties continue to dominate the country's political landscape.

A number of veteran lawmakers have decided to retire by not running in the Oct. 31 House of Representatives election, but many of the fresh faces voters are seeing in their constituencies have the same old names.

In Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo, over 500 people including local assembly members gathered at a shrine in Higashimatsuyama on Tuesday morning where Susumu Yamaguchi, a son of 72-year-old ruling Liberal Democratic Party heavyweight Taimei Yamaguchi, kicked off his campaigning.

The 38-year-old newcomer, who is facing a much older candidate from the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, pledged to follow in the footsteps of his father.

"I'll take over my father's policy," he said in his stump speech as he made reference to his father's principle, "Without regional development, there is no national development."

Veteran LDP upper house members who joined Yamaguchi in his speeches called on voters to support him, reminding them of his father's achievements.

Inheritance of incumbency is conspicuously prevalent in Japan's national politics, with many faces in the LDP hailing from political dynasties.

Former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki, 70, is another veteran lawmaker who is not running in the election. His 45-year-old son is a lawyer contesting for a seat in Ehime Prefecture, western Japan.

Among other veteran LDP members, Jiro Kawasaki, 73, and Takeo Kawamura, 78, are also bowing out and letting their sons take over.

Of the 336 LDP candidates for the upcoming election, 104 people, or 31.0 percent, either have taken over their constituencies from family members, or have parents or grandparents who were lawmakers.

The number is much higher than that of the CDPJ at 29 people or 12.1 percent.

Hereditary politics has long been subject to criticism, as political blue bloods typically inherit a support base and make it difficult for challengers to break the hold of incumbent families in power.

Dynastic politics is common elsewhere around the world, and multiple generations of well-known political family names such as Bush in the United States, Trudeau in Canada, Nehru-Gandhi in India and Aquino in the Philippines served as their countries' leaders.

"Although Japan is not a unique case, it has a higher percentage of lawmakers who hail from a political dynasty in comparison with other democracies," said Yu Uchiyama, a professor of political science at University of Tokyo.

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Uchiyama attributes the abundance of dynasties in the LDP to the fact that younger members of dynasties enjoy three advantages -- an electoral support base, name recognition and financial support -- necessary to win an election.

"But it does not mean political dynasties are bad," Uchiyama said, adding that second- and third-generation politicians tend to know a lot about how lawmakers should behave.

People having new ideas and knowledge of policymaking but lacking human networks and financial resources needed for successful campaigning "will be less likely" to gain a footing in politics after all, Uchiyama said.

The LDP has long sought a change in the party rules to impose stricter criteria in endorsing people who come from a political pedigree, as seen in the party's reform drive for the 2009 general election toward banning people within the third degree of kinship of outgoing LDP members from running in the same constituency.

Kishida's predecessor Yoshihide Suga told a lower house committee last November when he was the premier that the party should impose some restrictions on political dynasties.

However, Kishida, who became prime minister on Oct. 4, appointed many lawmakers who are political blue bloods at the local or national level in his Cabinet. Kishida himself is from a political dynasty.

Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki, 68, is the son of former Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki, and has taken over the post from his brother-in-law Taro Aso, 81, whose grandfather also served as prime minister.

The CDPJ is not strictly voicing denial of dynasties in the upcoming election.

In the past, former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who headed the now-defunct forerunner party of the CDPJ, the Democratic Party of Japan, pushed for a ban on hereditary succession in the 2012 general election, but the policy line has not been passed on to the CDPJ.

Yukio Edano, leader of the CDPJ, said in a press conference in June that the party should not automatically deem political dynasties as unfavorable.

The CDPJ is backing former economic and fiscal policy minister Satoshi Arai's 46-year-old son Yutaka in a Hokkaido constituency as the 75-year-old former minister decided not to seek re-election.

Voters have differing views on hereditary politics.

A 74-year-old man from Saitama Prefecture said, "Japanese politicians seem to be treating national politics almost like a family business."

Meanwhile, an LDP supporter said, "I think it is brave for an LDP lawmaker to retire and make way for his son. I think I can trust the son rather than someone I don't really know."
New Delhi:

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said the BJP needs to be voted to power again, as the Narendra Modi-led government can get Bihar out of backwardness.

Addressing an election rally at Lalji High School ground in Raniganj block in favour of NDA candidate Pradeep Singh, Kumar enumerated the achievements of the BJD-led NDA government.

He also exhorted voters to cast their ballots in favour of the BJP candidate from Araria Lok Sabha constituency.

The JD(U) national president hailed central government programmes that "helped the poor" such as the Ujjwala scheme, Ayushmaan Bharat scheme and the Kisan Samman scheme.

Taking a swipe at opposition leaders of the 'Mahagathbandhan', Kumar said they don't have any unity, unlike the NDA.
New Delhi:

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday replied to the contempt plea filed against him by BJP lawmaker Meenakshi Lekhi. In a reply to the top court, Gandhi said that he regrets the remark and admitted that 'Chowkidar chor hai' after Rafale order was said in 'heat of political campaigning'. He also added that his remark was used and misused by political opponents. During an interaction with media after his roadshow in Amethi, the Congress president had claimed that that the apex courts order had made it "clear" that the Prime Minister "committed a theft". It triggered accusations from the BJP that this was gross contempt of court.

"The Congress president probably doesn't read even half a paragraph of the court's order, but here, by saying that the court has said 'chowkidaar chor hai', it is verging on contempt of court," Sitharaman told a press conference.

Gandhi crossed the line of decency in his comments on the court, she said, adding that he is repeatedly misleading people on the Rafale fighter jet deal.

Asked whether the court order is a setback for the government, Sitharaman said, "Not at all."

The Centre has maintained there were no irregularities on pricing and selection of the Anil Ambani owned company as the offset partner of Dassault, the French manufacturer of Rafale, as alleged by the opposition. Anil Ambani has also dismissed Opposition allegations of irregularities. Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cited the Bofors scam to blunt the edge of the Congress presidents attack on the Rafale deal.

In massive setback to the Centre, the Supreme Court had agreed to hear petitions for a review of its verdict in the Rafale jet deal on the basis of 'leaked' secret documents by dismissing its preliminary objections. The apex court in its verdict on December 14 rejected demands for a court-monitored probe into the Rafale deal and gave a clean chit to the Modi government on procurement of 36 fighter jets from French company Dassault Aviation, holding there was no irregularity in the decision-making process, pricing or selection of Indian Offset Partner. Dismissing the government's contention that sensitive documents accessed by the media on the Rafale deal can't be evidence by claiming privilege and that the petitions were not maintainable, the court had said it will examine the papers while reviewing on merits the review petitions.
New Delhi:

Families of nine of the 16 miners trapped inside an illegal rat-hole coal mine in Meghalaya since December, have given consent to the district administration to stop the ongoing search operations which entered its 130th day on Sunday, officials said. The bodies of only two victims one from nearby Lumthari village and another from Assam, have been retrieved from the mine in East Jaintia Hills district early this year.

"We have received letters of consent from the families to stop the ongoing search operations. The letters, submitted by families to the district administration, have been sent to the state government and the same will be submitted to the Supreme Court for granting necessary approval," a senior official told PTI.

Those who have written to the administration include families of two miners hailing from Lumthari village in East Jaintia Hills and the rest from Assam, the official said. The miners were trapped after water from the nearby Lytein river gushed into the 370-feet deep mine in Lumthari village in the Ksan area on December 13 last year.

On January 28, the Supreme Court had asked the Centre and the Meghalaya government to continue their multi-agency operations to rescue the miners. The families, however, have requested that the compensation be increased, he said.

East Jaintia Hills district deputy commissioner FM Dopth had submitted all the letters to the state government on April 16 last and cited that the operation be called off as there had been no tangible result. Dopth also informed that there was no reduction of water level at the main shaft where the miners are trapped even after several crores litre of water had been discharged.

Currently, submersible pumps of Coal India Ltd, Kirloskar Brothers Ltd and KSB are engaged in pumping out water from the ill-fated mine and nearby mines on a daily basis. The ongoing operation involves the NDRF, the Indian Navy, the Army and the Air Force besides the states disaster response team and the fire services.

The Supreme Court monitors the operation on a weekly basis. The district administration has paid Rs 3 lakh interim relief to the families of the 16 miners trapped in the mine at Ksan area but the families have demanded the relief amount be increased, Dopth said.

Of the 21 miners who went down on the morning of December 13 last year, 5 narrowly escaped the flooded mine and the rest were trapped.
New Delhi:

Forget the ever-smiling best-selfie mates Quokka in Western Australia because this new selfie of gorillas is the newest selfie champion. With a caption that simply says, "just another day in the office", this selfie of an anti-poaching ranger in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a pair of endangered, handsome mountain gorillas is the baddest selfie that is breaking the internet.

According to ABC news, the selfie taken at the Virunga National Park by the anti-poacher officer Mathieu Shamavu with the two atten hut gorillas are part of the units' efforts to raise awareness and funds for the species at the UNESCO World Heritage site.

According to the Virunga National Park website, one third of the world's population of critically endangered mountain gorillas live in the region.

The park is reportedly protected by a team of more than 600 rangers, and is situated in a region of the country which has been impacted by war for more than 20 years.

"These local men and women go through intensive training, risking their lives on a daily basis to safeguard the park's exceptional wildlife, including the last of the world's critically endangered mountain gorillas," the website says.

Ever since the selfie caught the eye of the netzines, Facebook users have flooded the rangers post with tons of gratitude in all types of kind.

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New Delhi:

Apoorva Tiwari, wife of Rohit Shekhar Tiwari who was found dead in his residence in New Delhi on April 16, could be arrested soon as the Delhi Police Crime Branch suspects her role in the murder case, police sources said. They added that Apoorva, who was taken into the police custody on Sunday for questioning, made contradicting statements during the interrogation. According to the sources, she could be arrested late on Sunday night or Monday morning.

The Crime Branch officials questioned Apoorva for over eight hours, the sources said. Besides Apoorva, the Delhi Police Crime Branch on Sunday took Rohit's two househelps -- Martha and Golu -- into its custody in the murder case of former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand ND Tiwaris son.

The sources said the househelps could be released later, but Apoorva is yet to be arrested since a witness was not present at the police station. The reason behind the murder could be related to their troubled relationship, they added.

She was questioned about her entry in their Defence Colony residence, her schedule -- what she did during the day and why she did not find it odd when Shekhar was sleeping throughout the day, they said.

Shekhar's brother Siddharth were also questioned since they, too, were present at his residence at the time of his death, the sources said. The Delhi Police had on Thursday registered a case of murder into the death of Shekhar, 40, hours after his autopsy report stated that he died of asphyxia due to strangulation.

Shekhar, son of late Uttarakhand chief minister ND Tiwari, was brought to Max Hospital in south Delhi around 5 pm on Tuesday in an ambulance and doctors declared him dead.

The case has been transferred to the crime branch for investigation. Shekhar's cousin Rajeev and his wife Kumkum are also being questioned in connection with the case.

The police sources said at least five-six calls were made from Rohit's phone to Kumkum from 2 am to 4 am on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. They said police is trying to ascertain the reason why did Shekhar contact her at the odd hours.

Neighbours claimed that the couple often had fights and just last month a PCR call was made by one of them. "They had a fight last month. A PCR call was also made in this regard. The local police had come to the residence of Shekhar. We could hear noises and we were out to check," said a neighbour requesting anonymity.

Shekhar's mother Ujjwala too reached the Defence Colony residence to join the investigation and left a couple of hours later. The Defence Colony residence is registered in Ujjwala's name.

"My son was under some stress but I don't want to talk about it. By the time I reached home, Apoorva had made him lie down in someone's car. When I saw his condition, I had little hope left about his survival," she said.

"I trusted Apoorva and did not question her as to why was Shekhar sleeping till so late," she said.

Ujjwala said Shekhar, 40, and his wife did not share a cordial relationship and "they had issues since day one of their marriage".

On Sunday, Ujjwala hit out at Apoorva and her parents alleging they had their eyes on his property. "Apoorva's family wanted to take control of the properties of my both sons -- Siddharth and Rohit -- because this house is nearer to the Supreme Court where Apoorva was practising law," she said.

Refuting rumours that Rohit and Apoorva met in the Supreme Court complex, Ujjwala said they both had met in Lucknow through a matrimonial website in 2017.

They were seeing each other for a year and later took a break in between. Rohit Shekhar maintained distance from her and said he did not want to marry her, she said. They were not in touch from January to March, 2018. But on April 2 they came to me and expressed their wish to get married, Ujjwala said.

They also discussed mutual divorce several times and later decided to end their marriage in June, she added. Ujjwala said Apoorva was also against giving a share of property to son of Rajiv Kumar, a relative and aide of Tiwari.

Apoorva always had issues with Rajiv and his wife, Ujjwala said, adding that reports of Rohit having affair with Rajiv's wife is "baseless and false".

"My elder son Siddharth expressed his wish to give a share to Rajiv's son Kartik Raj but Apoorva was disappointed and expressed her displeasure over this," she said.

Shekhar's father-in-law said, "My daughter cannot do something like this. When I got to know about his death, I came down here. Police are probing the matter and soon we will know how he died."

A forensic team that visited Shekhar's residence collected two pillows and a blood-stained bedsheet and also seized mobile phones. Among the seven CCTV cameras installed in the premises, two were not functioning, sources said.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi:

Lt General (Retd) DS Hooda, who oversaw the surgical strikes in September 2016, on Sunday condemned the statements of BJP leader Pragya Singh Thakur on late former Mumbai ATS chief late Hemant Karkare. "Yes, it does hurt when such things are said about a martyr, be it from the Army or the Police, full respect should be given. These utterances are not good," Hooda told reporters in a press conference.

Addressing BJP workers in Bhopal last week, Thakur had claimed that Karkare died during the attack as she had "cursed" him for "torturing" her when he probed the Malegaon blast case as the chief of the ATS.

"I called Hemant Karkare and asked him to let me go if there is no evidence (against me). He (Karkare) said that he will bring evidence but will not leave me. I told him -- You will be ruined," Thakur had said.

Hooda presented a report titled 'India, National Security Strategy'.

The five major points in the report are - assuming our rightful place in global affairs, achieving a secure neighbourhood, peaceful resolution of internal conflicts, protecting our people and strengthening our capabilities.

Speaking on the report, Hooda said: "We have submitted a report to Congress president on national security. We have decided that it should be holy touch. India is doing well diplomatically but there should be a permanent seat in UNSC. The second issue is with the relations with our neighbouring countries and how our relations should be with Pakistan. The attention has been paid to the insurgency in North-East India and Maoism."

"Fourthly, we have looked at public security. The security of common people is also an important part of national security like climate change, demographic change, cyber challenge, energy and economic security. In the fifth point, we have paid attention to how we can increase our military capacity," he added.

Speaking on the politicisation and questions over the air strikes on Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camps in Balakot, Hooda said, "When senior military officers come and say that this operation has been done, that should be the end of it. Unfortunately, the whole debate keeps dragging on and it comes out in various forums that is why the military tends to get drawn into political arguments and debates, that is not correct.

Meanwhile, eight former top police officers have strongly condemned the "despicable" remark of Thakur.

In a statement, the former DGPs said the country owes Karkare, who headed the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad and was killed during the 26/11 terror attack, a huge debt of gratitude and anything that detracts from this is worthy of strong condemnation.

(With agency inputs)

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Colombo:

The suicide bomber waited patiently in a queue for the Easter Sunday breakfast buffet at Sri Lanka's Cinnamon Grand hotel before setting off explosives strapped to his back. Carrying a plate, the man, who had registered at the hotel the night before as Mohamed Azzam Mohamed, was just about to be served when he set off his devastating strike in the packed restaurant, a manager at the Sri Lankan hotel said.

"There was utter chaos," said the manager, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity as he is not allowed to speak for the company.

The Taprobane restaurant at the hotel was having one of its busiest days of the year for the Easter holiday weekend.

"It was 8:30 am and it was busy. It was families," the manager told AFP.

"He came up to the top of the queue and set off the blast," he added. "One of our managers who was welcoming guests was among those killed instantly." The bomber also died. Parts of his body were found intact by police and taken away.

Other hotel officials told how the bomber, a Sri Lankan, checked in giving an address that turned out to be false, saying he was in the city for business.

Two other hotels, the Shangri-La and the Kingsbury, were hit at about the same time, along with three churches packed with worshippers attending Easter Sunday services.

The blast at St Anthony's Shrine, an historic Catholic Church, was so powerful that it blew out much of the roof, leaving roof tiles, glass and splintered wood littering the floor that was strewn with bodies.

Authorities have not said who staged the attacks. But all suffered major casualties and damage. Many of the 35 foreigners killed in the blasts were at the hotels, officials said.

'Shock, grief and mourning'

"There was utter chaos, but we rushed all the injured to hospital in a very short time," the Cinnamon Grand manager said.

"About 20 people were seriously wounded and we sent them to the National Hospital."

The hotel is close to the Sri Lankan prime minister's official residence and Special Task Force commandos were quickly at the scene.

At the Shangri-La, witnesses said they heard two loud blasts and that staff reported some people had been killed. But details of the toll were not immediately given.

An AFP photographer saw extensive damage in the second floor restaurant at the hotel, with windows blown out and electrical wires hanging from the ceiling.

The Shangri-La said in a statment that the bomb hit at approximately 9:00 am local time at its Table One restaurant.

"We are deeply saddened and shocked by the incident and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the casualties and those who have been affected," it said.

"Our immediate priority is to look after the safety and wellbeing of all involved. A Shangri-La crisis management team has been activated to provide all necessary support."

The Kingsbury is also one of Colombo's most expensive hotels, positioned near the city's World Trade Center. The toll there was not known.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the hotel said: "On behalf of the entire Kingsbury team we share in the shock, grief and mourning of our entire nation in the aftermath of the recent attack."

"Medical evacuation and treatment of the injured guests and employees were handled immediately." The hotel said it had been "isolated" for further safety checks.

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New Delhi:

UP Board Result 2019: The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) is likely to declare the date of Class 10 and 12 board exam results today. The candidates who have appeared for the examination are asked to visit the official website of the board for all the latest updates. According to the sources, the board is likely to announce the results from 22 to 27 April, reports said. The date and result will be declared on the official website  upmsp.edu.in.

The Uttar Pradesh board generally announces both class 10 and class 12 results on the same date. This year also, the experts believe that the results will be announced on the same date. This year, around 58 lakh students appeared for the examination. The Class 10 exams were conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Board from 7 to 28 February and the board exam for the Class 12 students was held from 7 February to 2 March, 2019.

"A total of 5,89,622 candidates had registered for Class 12 and Class 10 exams. Out of which, 6,69,860 students skipped the boards, as per the official data. Last year, 26.54 lakh students, including 1.79 lakh private examinees registered for the Inter exams out of which 11 lakh were absent in exams," a report by The Indian Express said.

Soon after the formal declaration of the results, the scorecards will be available on the official website of the board. Alternatively, the candidates can check their results on this page as we will be activating the result link after the announcement. The Uttar Pradesh Board is one of the biggest boards in India. With lakhs of students accessing their results simultaneously, the official website might face some technical glitches. If such situation arises this year, we request the students to check their results here.

For the convenience of the candidates we have mentioned the process through which the candidates can download the UP Board results:

Step 1: Visit english.newsnationtv.com/board-results and click on the UP Board result page

Step 2: Find and enter your roll number and other details.

Step 3: Click on the submit button.

Step 4: Your UP Board 10th Result 2019 or UP 12th Result 2019 will be displayed.

Step 5: Check your UP Board Result 2019 on the screen.

About the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad

The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) is the apex school-level educational body that looks after the development, promotion and regulation of school education in the state. The Board of High School and Intermediate Education Uttar Pradesh conducts the annual UP Board High School Exam for Class 10 students and UP Board Intermediate Exam for Class 12 students. Every year, approximately 60,29,252 candidates appear for the Class X and Class XII Board Exams.
Tiruchirappalli:

A stampede during a local temple festival killed seven devotees and injured ten others near Thuraiyur, about 45 km from Tiruchirappalli , on Sunday, police said. The tragedy occurred when hundreds of people gathered for the 'padikasu' (temple coin) distribution ceremony, held as part of annual 'Chithira Pournami' festival, at the 'Karuppasamy' (a rural deity) temple in Muthiampalayam village.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami expressed anguish over the loss of lives in the incident.

While Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the victims, Palaniswami ordered a solatium of Rs one lakh each and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

The stampede occurred when the priest started distributing the coins and a section of devotees surged forward to collect them, police said.

Seven people, including four women, died on the spot while ten others were seriously injured and have been hospitalised, they said.

Distribution of the coins is the main event of the festival, which draws a large number of devotees from in and around the village. Devotees believe keeping the temple coins at home in their cash box will bring prosperity.

A temple official, on condition of anonymity, said there was no effort to control the crowd nor was there enough security personnel to bring the situation under control.

District authorities said the matter was being looked into and action would be taken against those responsible for the mishap.

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New Delhi :

Ten days ahead of the deadly blasts that killed over 185 people and inured more than 400 others in Sri Lanka, the Island nations police chief had issued a nationwide alert that suicide bombers were planning to hit "prominent churches". According to AFP news agency, Police chief Pujuth Jayasundara sent an intelligence warning to top officers on April 11 about the looming threat.

"A foreign intelligence agency has reported that the NTJ (National Thowheeth Jama'ath) is planning to carry out suicide attacks targeting prominent churches as well as the Indian high commission in Colombo," said the alert.

The NTJ is a radical Muslim group in Sri Lanka that came to notice last year when it was linked to the vandalization of Buddhist statues. So far, no group has claimed the responsibility for one of the deadliest attacks in the history of Sri Lanka but given the alert, it is suspected that National Thowheeth Jama'ath could be behind the blasts.

As many as 185, including 35 foreign nationals, were killed while over 400 others sustained serious injuries as six near-simultaneous blasts rocked three churches and three five star hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday morning.

The blasts targeted St Anthonys Church in Colombo, St Sebastians Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa around 8.45 a.m. (local time) when worshipers were attending Easter services, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Three explosions were reported from the five-star hotels - the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury. Foreigners and locals who were injured in hotel blasts were admitted to the Colombo General Hospital.

According to sources, 129 deaths have been confirmed in the blasts, but local media reports claimed that the death toll has already reached 185 and was likely to increase further. "Many casualties including foreigners," said Harsha de Silva, the Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution.

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New Delhi:

The Interpol on Monday said it is ready to offer full support to the Sri Lankan authorities in investigating the country's deadliest terror attack that killed 290 people in a series of eight blasts that tore through churches and luxury hotels in the country. Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock in a Twitter message said, "Interpol strongly condemns the horrific attacks and has offered its full support to the investigation being carried out by national authorities." Paris-based Interpol is an organisation which facilitates worldwide police cooperation.

Stock said Interpol can deploy an Incident Response Team at the request of a member country to provide on-site support during a crisis situation. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims," he tweeted. Eight coordinated explosions targeted Easter worshippers and high end hotels popular with international guests.

The blasts targeted St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa as the Easter Sunday mass were in progress.

Three explosions were reported from the five-star hotels - the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury. Foreigners and locals who were injured in hotel blasts were admitted to the Colombo General Hospital.

According to the Government Analysts Department, a total of seven suicide bombers carried out the devastating blasts killed 290 people and injured 500 others.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but police on Monday arrested 24 people and declined to give further details. The government has said it will not disclose the details of the suspects involved in the attacks to prevent them from getting publicity.

Meanwhile, media reports said that there was prior intelligence warning that the National Thowheeth Jama'ath - a radical Muslim group - was planning to carry out suicide attacks targeting prominent churches in Colombo.

The blasts - the deadliest attacks in the country's history shattered a decade of peace in the island nation since the end of the brutal civil war with the LTTE.The civil war ended with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, who had fought for 26 years for an independent homeland for the minority ethnic Tamils. The war is thought to have killed between 70,000 and 80,000 people.

The nation has seen some sporadic violence since. In March 2018, a state of emergency was declared after members of the majority Buddhist Sinhala community attacked mosques and Muslim-owned properties.

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Barmer:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that Pakistan has stopped threatening India about anuclear attacka after India destroyed terrorist camp inside its territory. The prime minister also said that India too has nuclear options available in case the need arises.

aIndia has stopped the policy of getting scared of Pakistan's threats. Every other day they used to say "We've nuclear button, we've nuclear button".....What do we have then? Have we kept it for Diwali?a PM Modi said while addressing a rally in Rajasthanas Barmer.A

#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Barmer, Rajasthan: India has stopped the policy of getting scared of Pakistan's threats. Every other day they used to say "We've nuclear button, we've nuclear button".....What do we have then? Have we kept it for Diwali? pic.twitter.com/cgSLoO8nma a ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2019

PM Modi said that India now has the capacity to strike a nuclear attack from water, land, and sea.

aToday India destroyed terrorist camp inside Pakistan's territory that too without any war... This is an example of a powerful government,a PM Modi added.

Hitting out at the Congress, he said that the grand old party believes that terrorism and nationalism are not issues at all.

He also accused the Congress of missing the opportunity to resolve Kashmir issue in 1971 by releasing 90000 Pakistani soldiers. aCongress government missed the opportunity to resolve Kashmir issue in 1971 by releasing 90000 Pakistani soldiers who surrendered,a the prime minister said while addressing a rally in Rajasthanas Barmer.

Earlier, he accused the Congress party of betraying the people, saying injustice was done to the country's growth potential and its resources.

"Post-independence people trusted the Congress for five decades, but the party betrayed the people. Injustice was meted out to resources and potential of the country. Congress did vote bank politics and made power a medium to fill its coffers," Modi said, at an election rally in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh constituency.

He said smaller nations which got freedom in the same period as when India got its independence had developed far more than India.
New Delhi:

As many as eight devastating blasts, beginning with six near-consecutive explosions and majority of them being suicide attacks, struck three churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka, killing 215 people, including three Indians, and leaving over 500 injured.

The blasts  which shattered a decade of peace in the island nation since the end of the brutal civil war with the LTTE  targeted St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and Zion Church in the eastern town of Batticaloa around 8.45 A.M. (local time) as the Easter Sunday mass were in progress, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Explosions were reported from three five-star hotels - the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury in Colombo.

Gunasekera confirmed 207 deaths. However, the News 1st channel said that 215 people have died in the blasts.

Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Kishu Gomes said 33 foreign nationals have been killed in the coordinated attacks believed to be carried out by a single group. Director of the National Hospital Dr Anil Jasinghe identified 12 of the 33 foreign nationals, which include three Indians, two Chinese and one each from Poland, Denmark, Japan, Pakistan, America, Morocco and Bangladesh.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in a series of tweets, identified the three Indians as Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar and Ramesh.

"Indian High Commission in Colombo has conveyed that National Hospital has informed them about the death of three Indian nationals," she said in a tweet.

News 18 quoted Gunasekara saying that 13 suspects have been arrested in connection with the attacks, of which ten have been handed over to the CID.

The report also quoted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe confirming that the government had prior information about the attacks but, failed to take preventive steps.

Notably, police chief Pujuth Jayasundara had issued a nationwide alert ten days ago that suicide bombers were planning to hit "prominent churches".

No group has claimed responsibility for Sunday's attacks.

However, most of the deadly attacks in the past in Sri Lanka were carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which ran a military campaign for a separate Tamil homeland in the northern and eastern provinces of the island nation for nearly 30 years before its collapse in 2009 after the Sri Lankan Army killed its supreme leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Briefing reporters, Gunasekera said the police was not able to confirm at the moment if they were all suicide attacks. He, however, said that one of the blasts at the Katuwapitiya (Negombo) church has signs of being what looked like a suicide attack.

An unnamed official said a suicide bomber blew himself up at the restaurant of the Cinnamon Grand hotel.

Gunasekara said that 66 bodies were kept at the National Hospital while 260 injured were receiving treatment there and 104 bodies were placed at the Negombo Hospital and 100 injured were receiving treatment at the Hospital.

Later in the day, a powerful blast in the capital's southern suburb near the Colombo Zoo killed two persons, Gunasekera said.

When a police team entered a house in the Colombo north suburb of Orugodawatta to conduct a search, a suicide bomber blew himself up causing a concrete floor of a two-storey building to crash on them, killing three policemen in the eighth blast, police said.

Soon after the eighth blast, the government imposed curfew with immediate effect. The curfew will be in force indefinitely until further notice, officials said.

State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene said seven persons had been arrested in connection with the blasts.

"We believe these were coordinated attacks, and one group was behind them," he said.

President Maithripala Sirisena has appealed for calm.

"I have been shocked by this totally unexpected incidents. The security forces haven been asked to take all action necessary," Sirisena said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe termed the blasts as "cowardly attacks" and said his government was working to "contain the situation."

"I call upon all Sri Lankans during this tragic time to remain united and strong... The government is taking immediate steps to contain this situation," he tweeted.

Security has been intensified around the religious places across the capital. The government has temporarily blocked all social media platforms.

"Horrible scenes. I saw many body parts strewn all over," said Harsha de Silva, Sri Lanka's Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo said that it was closely monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka.

"We are closely monitoring the situation. Indian citizens in need of assistance or help and for seeking clarification may call the following numbers: +94777903082 +94112422788 +94112422789," the High Commission tweeted.

"In addition to the numbers given, Indian citizens in need of assistance or help and for seeking clarification may also call the following numbers +94777902082 +94772234176," it said.

The first blasts were reported at St Anthony's church in Colombo and St Sebastian's Church in Negombo just outside the capital.

"A bomb attack to our church, please come and help if your family members are there," read a post in English on the Facebook page of the St Sebastian's Church.

Images circulated on social media showed severely damaged St Sebastian's church, with a shattered ceiling and blood on the pews.

The riot police and the Special Task Force, extra police security has been deployed around the Bandaranaike International Airport, state-run Daily News reported.

All state Universities have been closed until further notice.

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said all Easter masses in the Colombo District have been cancelled.

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, under whose leadership the Lankan Army crushed the LTTE, termed the attack as "barbaric".

World leaders condemn bombings

Countries from across the globe, including India, the US, the UK, Russia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh expressed shock and condemnation over the deadly blasts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena and prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and condemned the serial terrorist attacks in the strongest terms, perpetrated at sites including religious places and during a religious festival, according to a statement from the PM's Office.

Describing the attacks as "cold-blooded and pre-planned barbaric acts", PM Modi said these attacks were another grim reminder of the most serious challenge posed to the entire humanity by terrorism in our region and the entire world.

The Prime Minister renewed the offer of all possible help and assistance to Sri Lanka for ensuring its security against the challenges such as those posed by terrorism, the PMO statement said.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday offered "heartfelt condolences" to the people of Sri Lanka.

"Heartfelt condolences from the people of the United States to the people of Sri Lanka on the horrible terrorist attacks on churches and hotels... We stand ready to help!," Trump tweeted.

British Prime Minister Theresa May described the attacks as "truly appalling".

"The acts of violence against churches and hotels in Sri Lanka are truly appalling, and my deepest sympathies go out to all of those affected at this tragic time," she tweeted.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia was thinking of those killed in a "horrific terrorist attack".

"To the beautiful people of Sri Lanka, Australia sends its heartfelt sympathies and our prayers and our support - and our offer to do whatever we can to support you in this terrible time of need," he said in a statement.

A month after dozens of Muslims were killed in a shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the attack as "devastating".

"New Zealand condemns all acts of terrorism, and our resolve has only been strengthened by the attack on our soil on the 15th of March. To see an attack in Sri Lanka while people were in churches and at hotels is devastating".

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan also strongly condemned the barbaric attacks.

"Strongly condemn the horrific terrorist attack in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday resulting in precious lives lost & hundreds injured. My profound condolences go to our Sri Lankan brethren. Pakistan stands in complete solidarity with Sri Lanka in their hour of grief," he tweeted.

(With inputs from agencies)

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New Delhi:

Chris Lynn blasted a fifty for Kolkata Knight Riders but some magnificent bowling from Rashid Khan and Khaleel Ahmed helped Sunrisers Hyderabad restrict Kolkata Knight Riders to 159/8. In response, David Warner and Jonny Bairstow continued their great form. Warner and Bairstow tore the Kolkata Knight Riders bowling, with Warner registering his 42nd fifty. The 131-run opening partnership ensured Kolkata Knight Riders had no chance and a brilliant 80* from Jonny Bairstow helped Sunrisers Hyderabad achieve a brilliant nine-wicket win at Uppal. The win has boosted Sunrisers Hyderabad to fourth spot while for Kolkata Knight Riders, they lost their fifth consecutive loss. With this loss, Kolkata Knight Riders will have to win their remaining games if they have to stay in contention for the play-offs. SCORECARD

19:15 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Bairstow seals it with a boundary and a big six as Sunrisers Hyderabad complete a massive nine-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders. This has been a thrashing

19:14 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Williamson and Bairstow are guiding Sunrisers Hyderabad closer to the target.

19:03 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In After two dropped catches, Yarra Prithviraj finally gets a wicket on debut as he cleans up David Warner with a off-cutter that knock out the leg stump. Warner falls for 67 but one feels it is too late. Still, reason enough for Prithviraj to enjoy.

18:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Bairstow top-edges the sweep but is dropped by Harry Gurney as Sunil Narine is denied a wicket. Warner makes Kolkata Knight Riders pay by hammering Narine for a four and a six.

18:42 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The 100-run opening stand is up between the duo in just the ninth over. The run-rate is over 11. This is carnage at Uppal and Kolkata Knight Riders are clueless as to how to stop the flow of runs.

18:39 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Jonny Bairstow continues to find the boundary and already he and Warner have the most runs as an opening pair in the IPL ever, going past the record set by Warner and Shikhar Dhawan in 2016, the year where Sunrisers Hyderabad won the IPL for the first time.

18:29 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Brilliant stuff from David Warner. He blasts two sixes and a four off KC Cariappa as the bowler concedes 20 runs in his first over. At the end of the powerplay, Sunrisers Hyderabad are 72/0 and are in a totally dominant position.

18:19 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Bairstow smashes a four and a six off Piyush Chawla and Sunrisers Hyderabad make great progress, scoring at over 11 runs an over. Kolkata Knight Riders need to pull something out of the box to stem this run flow.

18:08 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In David Warner blasts Yarra Prithviraj, the debutant for a big six straight down the ground and Jonny Bairstow carves a short ball to deep backward point where KC Cariappa spills the chance.

18:03 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Steady over from Harry Gurney as he concedes just six runs in his opening over. However, Kolkata Knight Riders need a good exhibition with the ball.

17:44 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In So Kolkata ended up getting 159 runs and when Sunrisers Hyderabad will come to bat, they need 160 to win their fifth game in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League. Chris Lynn hits 9th IPL fifty, and Khaleel Ahmed picks 3 for 33.

17:41 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In WICKET: Piyush Chawla tried to play a reverse sweep but couldn't time it and went straight to the wicket-keeper. Rashid had the last laugh! After 19.3 overs , it's 150/8.

17:38 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In WICKET: After hitting two sixes over mid-wicket, Ande Russell finds fielder for the third time. This is rarest of rare times that Dre Russ failed to get going. Departs for 15 (9).

17:33 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In 18th over went for just one run. Piyush Chawala wasted 5 deliveries! After 18 overs, it's 134/6.

17:30 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In WICKET: Absolute stunner! This is captain Kane Williamson's wicket! Khaleel picks his third. Chris Lynn departs for a well-made 51 (47).

17:21 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In WICKET: Rinku Singh hit six of the last ball and tried to emulate the same on the next ball. However, the failed by some margin, and eventaully lost his wicket. Departs for 30 (25).

17:11 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Just 10 runs have come in last 12 balls which gives a feel that either of two batsman will go after the SRH bowling. This will give SRH a time to pick one more wicket. After 14 overs, it's 109/4.

17:03 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In So 12 overs are done and dusted and Kolkata has scored one less than three figure mark. With 8 overs still to go, they will look to post somewhere between 160-170 and try restricting the opposition.

16:53 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The first leg of the first innings has been dominated well by the hosts. KKR has lost four wickets in first 10 overs and now the onus is on Chris Lynn to get Kolkata to a respectable total. After 10 overs, it's 80/4.

16:47 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In WICKET: Dinesh Karthik one foot away from the crease. His sad run continues in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR has lost four wickets in no time! OUT for 6 (4).

16:37 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In WICKET: Nitish Rana gets a slight nip and through to the keeper. He was promoted up th eorder by Kolkata, but couldn't do justice to the call. Bhuvneshwar Kumar joins the party. OUT for 11 (11).

16:30 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The powerplay is slightly in favor of Sunrisers Hyderabad as they have been able to send two top batsman back to the pavilion. Going forward, Nitish Rana and Chris Lynn will try to play with responsibility and take the innings forward. After 6 overs, it's 61/2.

16:23 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In WICKET: It was a juicy half volley from Khaleel and Shubhman was early in his shot, went straight to the point fielder. He will have to take a long walk back to the pavilion. Didn't trouble the scorers much. OUT for 3 (4).

16:13 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In WICKET: Knocked him over! Narine hit Khaleel for 14 runs in three balls, but Khaleel came back strongly to send dangerous Narine back to pavilion. Departs for 25 (8).

16:08 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Kolkata Knight Riders are off to a flying start at Uppal. Both Narine and Lynn are hammering the opposition bowlers all-around the ground. They have put Sunrisers on backfoot straight away. After 2 overs, it's 28/0.

15:59 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In So Sunrisers Hyderabad players in last hurdle. Kolkata Knight Riders openers are out in the middle and so are the umpires. The two teams occupy fifth and sixth spot respectively and gives latter a chance to interchange the rankings. It's game TIME!

15:40 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Here are playing eleven for two sides:



Kolkata Knight Riders: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Piyush Chawla, KC Cariappa, Harry Gurney, Yarra Prithviraj

Sunrisers Hyderabad: David Warner, Jonny Bairstow(w), Kane Williamson(c), Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Yusuf Pathan, Rashid Khan, Shahbaz Nadeem, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, K Khaleel Ahmed



15:01 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The toss is scheduled to happen in 30 minutes time, and team winning the toss will look to have a bat first as chasing is comparatively difficult on Uppal wicket. However, this remains to be seen if the toss-winning captain goes with the same thought.
New Delhi:

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) will release the notification and application form of SSC Multi Tasking Staff (MTS) Non-Technical today. The candidates who are preparing for the examination can check the application on the official website of the commission i.e. ssc.nic.in. The candidates who have completed class 10/matriculation/SSC and belongs to the age group of 18 to 25 years are eligible to apply for the examination.

The candidates must note that the age relaxation for the reserved category candidates will be in accordance with the official notification. The online registration process of SSC MTS 2019 will be carried out from April 22 to May 25 in online mode. SSC MTS application form can be filled in two parts - Part I (Registration) and Part II (filling the detailed form).

In part I (registration), candidates will have to fill details - name, address, academic qualification, contact details, details of any one photo -identity proof like Aadhar card, Voter ID card, Passport etc. In part II of the application form, candidates will have to make the payment through Debit Card/Credit card or Netbanking and upload the scanned image of signature and photograph.

The first phase exam of SSC MTS will be conducted between August 2 to 6 September 2019 whereas the second phase of SSC MTS examination is scheduled to be held on November 17, 2019. The exam conducting authority has not declared the dates for the third phase of SSC MTS.
New Delhi:

The Election Commission on Friday barred Satpal Singh Satti, BJP chief of Himachal Pradesh, from election campaigning for 48 hours starting 10 am on Saturday for violating Model Code of Conduct.

The poll panel had on Tuesday served a notice to Satti for allegedly making a derogatory comment against Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Satti adds to the list of leaders after UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union minister Maneka Gandhi and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan barred from campaigning by the poll panel for violating the model code of conduct during their election rallies.

Satti had refused to apologise for his remarks, saying he was merely reading a message shared widely on social media, asking party workers not to forward such texts.

Meanwhile, a video, which went viral on social media, showed an alleged Congress supporter Vinay Sharma -- claimed by the BJP to be a former deputy advocate general of the state during Congress rule -- announcing a reward of Rs 10 lakh for any person who cuts off Satti's tongue.

The BJP filed a complaint with the state chief electoral officer, demanding registration of FIR against the Congress and Vinay Sharma for threat, criminal intimidation, instigation of physical violence and for other electoral offences.

On Monday, state Congress general secretary Rajneesh Kimta had filed a complaint with the CEO against Satti for allegedly using expletives against the Congress president.

Kimta also lodged a police complaint, demanding a case be registered against the BJP leader.


New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday condemned serial blasts in Sri Lanka, saying that there is no place for barbarism in the region. He also said that India stands in solidarity with the people of the island nation.

Strongly condemn the horrific blasts in Sri Lanka. There is no place for such barbarism in our region, he tweeted.

"My thoughts are with the bereaved families and prayers with the injured," he added.

PM Modi also held telephonic conversations with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Maithripala Sirisena, expressing condolences over the deadly blasts.

Terming them as cold-blooded and pre-planned barbaric acts, PM Modi pointed out that these attacks were another grim reminder of the most serious challenge posed to the entire humanity by terrorism in our region and the entire world.

Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said she is in "constant touch" with the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo".

"We are keeping a close watch on the situation," she tweeted.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo has shared details of helpline numbers for Indian citizens in need of assistance and for seeking clarification.

The numbers are: +94777903082, +94112422788, +94112422789, +94777902082 and +94772234176.

At least 207 people were killed and over 400 injured after eight blasts rocked the island nation on Easter Sunday. The seventh and eighth blasts occurred hours after six near simultaneous and coordinated explosions that rocked three churches and three luxury hotels frequented by tourists.

The blasts targeted St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa around 8.45 a.M. (local time) as the Easter Sunday mass were in progress, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Three explosions were reported from the five-star hotels - the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury in Colombo. Foreigners and locals who were injured in hotel blasts were admitted to the Colombo General Hospital.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Google is celebrating Earth Day 2019 with an interactive doodle that explores six organisms and their earthly superlative. The Google Doodle dedicated to Earth Day 2019 celebrates the beauty in diversity and uniqueness of our Earth. The Earth Day 2019 Google Doodle aims to show everyone the characteristics that make our planet a wonderful place to live.

The doodle features six organisms which have unique qualities or earthly superlatives, such as being the tallest, smallest, oldest, and so on. "The last thing I wanted to do was feature animals based on their cuteness or how they might appeal in some way to my mammalian sensibilities. We tried to focus on having a good range of organisms from around the globe," says Google's Earth Day 2019 doodle creator Kevin Laughlin.

When the Doodle first opens, the first creature you will see is a wandering albatross, which has the widest wingspan of any living bird. Next, the Doodle shows the coastal redwood, also known as the tallest tree on Earth. The Doodle also flips through the Paedophryne Amauensis, which holds the world record for the worlds smallest frog and smallest vertebrate, and the Amazon water lily, one of the planets largest aquatic plants. Closing out the Doodle is the coelacanth, a 407 million-year-old water creature thats one of the worlds oldest living species and the deep cave springtail, one of the deepest-dwelling terrestrial creatures.

"All life is incredible and worth celebrating. If I can inspire the smallest bit of curiosity or wonder in someone, that would make me very happy," Laughlin said.
New Delhi:

Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has been given the permission to hold a rally in Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency next week. Poll authorities had reportedly denied permission to the rally earlier. The Mumbai city district election office said that it had set up a single-window clearance system for giving permission to election campaigning for all candidates.

Permissions to hold election meetings are given after following a due procedure. It is ensured that there is no injustice to anyone. The permission to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has been given after following a due procedure, the election office said in a statement.

Though the MNS is not contesting the elections this time, Thackeray has been holding rallies across Maharashtra appealing to people to vote against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The BJP and its ally the Shiv Sena are accusing the MNS chief of campaigning against them at the behest of the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). In Mumbai South constituency, Shiv Senas sitting MP Arvind Sawant is pitted against Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora.

Mumbai goes to polls on April 29 and Thackeray is slated to address rallies in Mumbai and suburbs.
New Delhi:

Polling will be held on Tuesday for the third and largest phase of Lok Sabha election in 116 seats, including all constituencies in Gujarat and Kerala, with BJP president Amit Shah, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and several Union ministers among prominent candidates in the fray.

The stakes are high for the ruling BJP and its allies as they bagged 66 seats out of these 116 spread across 15 states and Union Territories in 2014 general election, while the Congress and its alliance partners won 27, and the rest went to other opposition parties and Independents.

Besides all seats in Gujarat (26) and Kerala (20), voting will be held in four seats in Assam, five in Bihar, seven in Chhattisgarh, 14 each in Karnataka and Maharashtra, six in Odisha, 10 in Uttar Pradesh, five in West Bengal, two in Goa, and one each in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir. The polling in Tripura East constituency, which was earlier scheduled for April 18, will be held in this phase.

Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Phase 3: How to download voter slip

Visit the National Voter Services Portal's (NVSP) website.

Search your name in Electoral Roll.

You will be directed to a new page.

Enter your personal details The bottom of the page will show your name.

The next page will direct you to your voter slip.

Click on the print voter information option.

About 18.56 crore voters are eligible for voting in this phase and the Election Commission has set up 2.10 lakh polling booths/stations and has made elaborate security arrangements. In the first two phases, election was held to 91 and 96 seats on April 11 and April 18 respectively. Elections are being held in seven phases and with the completion of third phase, the election process will be completed in southern states.

(With PTI inputs)
Chhindwara:

Tear my son's clothes if he does not deliver, says Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath as he campaigns for his son Nakul who is fighting his first elections from Chhindwara.

Invoking his 40-year-old association with the region, Nath says he has now entrusted the task to serve the people of Chhindwara to his son so that he can work for Madhya Pradesh.

"I am where I am because of the love and strength you gave me," Nath says.

"Nakul is not here today but he will serve you. I have given him the responsibility. Take him to task and tear his clothes if he does not deliver," the 72-year-old Congress leader told the locals.

He was speaking at an election rally on Saturday in Dhanora village which comes under the Amarwada assembly seat, about 65 kms from Chhindwara district headquarters.

"We will start a new journey and create history," he told the locals.

Nath has been the longest serving Member of Parliament (MP) from this Lok Sabha constituency as he served for nine terms and he has now vacated the seat for his son.

The chief minister is also contesting bypoll in the Chhindwara assembly constituency as per the legal requirement of being a member of legislative assembly (MLA) for running the state government.

Nath says due to his efforts the district has a "distinct identity" when it comes to development.

He hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his promises of ensuring Rs 15 lakh in every Indian citizen's bank account, steps against blackmoney and the decision of demonetisation were just "gimmicks and frauds".

"They (Modi and Chouhan) scream we did this, we did that but tell me if they did anything for you?" Nath says, alleging that the two leaders misled the people.

"I want to tell Modiji that while there are no 'acche din' (good days) for the common man, his (Modi's) days are going to end soon," he says.

Modi "harassed" every section of society and under BJP government's watch, farmers in Madhya Pradesh were shot at and their livelihood was hit too, Nath alleged.

Hitting out at the previous BJP government in the state, he charged they "kicked the farmer in the stomach and pointed a gun at his chest".

The chief minister says his government in the state has shown its intent by delivering on the promises made before the 2018 assembly polls.

"As promised, we initiated waiver of loans of the farmers as soon as we took charge in Bhopal and till now I have done so for 22 lakh farmers. Thirty-eight lakh more farmers will be benefitted soon who have a loan of up to Rs 2 lakh," he says.

"We have done the loan waiver in 35-40 per cent cases and I promise it will be done in 100 per cent cases soon," he says.

Nath says the new Congress government in the state has also reduced the cost incurred by poor people to pay electricity bills.

Chhindwara will vote on April 29 along with the single bypoll for the constituency.

In the last general elections, the BJP had won 27 and the Congress secured two seats.
New Delhi:

Patidar and Congress leader Hardik Patel was slapped by a man during a rally at Surendranagar in Gujarat on Friday. A man climbed onto the stage and slapped him. Reacting to this, the Patidar leader said that BJP was sending people to attack him. The police have begun investigation into the case.A As soon as Hardik Patel started his speech at Baldana village under Wadhwan taluka, a man suddenly came on the stage and slapped him.

The man, who looked angry and was seen saying something to Hardik Patel after slapping him, was overpowered by Congress workers, who also beat him up and took him away from the venue. The man was identified as Tarun Gajjar and he said that he wanted to teach Patel a lesson. "My wife was pregnant when Patidar agitation happened, she was undergoing treatment at a hospital, I had faced problems then, I had decided then that I'll hit this man. I have to teach him a lesson anyhow," he said.

He also said that again during his rally in Ahmedabad, when he had gone to fetch medicines for hischild, everything was shut down. "He shuts down the roads, he shuts down Gujarat whenever he wants to, What is he? Gujarat's hitler?" Gajjar asked.

#BREAKING | Congress leader Hardik Patel slapped during a rally in Gujarat's Surendranagar. Watch video



Video credit: ANI@HardikPatel_



Track all election updates here: https://t.co/u47yJ3eCLQ pic.twitter.com/4ruL2wFQ6C a News Nation (@NewsNationTV) April 19, 2019

Congress leader Hardik Patel files complaint with police after he was slapped during a rally in Surendranagar, Gujarat, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/ioZNWMjZy2 a ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019

Tarun Gajjar: Then again during his rally in Ahmedabad when I had gone to get medicine for my child, everything was shut down. He shuts down the roads, he shuts down Gujarat whenever he wants to, What is he? Gujarat's hitler? (2/2) https://t.co/QXo30wJmAB a ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019

Gajjar was later taken to a hospital because of the injuries he sustained after being beaten by Congress workers.

Gujarat: Man who slapped Hardik Patel at a rally in Surendranagar earlier today was admitted to hospital after being thrashed following the incident pic.twitter.com/aTrgQ1nhIU a ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019

On Thursday, Patel had to cancel his helicopter ride to Lunawada in the Mahisagar district of the state at the last moment after the farmer on whose field the chopper was to land did not give permission to use it as a helipad. Patel later travelled by road to the election rally.

Patel, who is all of 25, has emerged as the Congress' star campaigner in Gujarat after being denied persmission from the Supreme Court declined an urgent hearing of his plea seeking a suspension of his conviction in a 2015 Vispur rioting case. He had moved the top court in order to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.A The top court, while declining his petition, asked Patel why did he not come earlier. aYou allowed the order to attain finality. We can't help you if you don't help yourself,a the Supreme Court said, adding "There is no urgency as he was convicted way back in 2015, says Supreme Court." He had joined the Congress on March 12.A Polling for 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held on April 23.
Buniadpur:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, saying that speed-breaker didi has lost her sleep after the first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal.

Addressing an election rally in South Dinajpur district, PM Modi accused the chief minister of fooling people in the name of maa, mati and manush (mother, land and people).

"Speedbreaker didi has lost her sleep after the reports that came in post the first and second phase of polling in the state," the prime minister told a well-attended rally.

He also flayed Banerjee for allowing people from the "neighbouring country" to campaign for the Trinamool Congress in the state.

"It is shameful that people from neighbouring country are campaigning for the TMC. This was done by the party to appease the minority community," PM Modi said, referring to Bangladeshi actor Ferdous canvassing for the ruling TMC.

"Such a thing has never happened in India, where people from neighbouring country have been campaigning for a political party," he said.

The prime minister criticised Banerjee for seeking proof of the Balakot air strikes in Pakistan, and asked her to, instead, collect evidence against those behind chit fund scams.

He also said that tough measures will be taken to identify and stop cross border infiltration after the NDA-led government returns to power.

PM Modi said after the poll results are declared, "those elements who are trying to stop border fencing will have to face the reality".

"After May 23, we would take steps to identify and stop cross border infiltration," he said at Buniadpur, which shares its border with Bangladesh.

Besides, the NDA government is committed to grant citizenship status to refugees, he said.

"During partition, some people had stayed back in other countries. But, due to their religion and faith, they have been facing persecution in those countries... Where will they go?" PM Modi asked.

It is the duty of every Indian and the government to save these people, he said, adding, "It is our commitment to pass the Citizenship Bill in Parliament."

Some political parties, the PM said, are trying to mislead people on the issue of citizenship.

"Be it the TMC, the Congress or the Left, they have only indulged in politics of dividing people, but we believe in taking everybody along with us," he said.

Mocking Banerjee's 'Bengal model', Modi said, "Mamata Didi wants to implement her 'Tolabaji (extortion) Tax' model of development across the country."

Meanwhile, hitting back, Banerjee said that PM Modi is suffering from 'haratanka', a phobia of losing elections and is trying to win in the state by dividing the people on communal lines.

"He(Modi) knows that he will lose the elections and that is why his face has turned pale. He is now suffering from 'haratanka' and everyday is uttering nonsense thinking about losing in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, New Delhi, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha and others," she said at a rally in Panighata in support of party candidate for Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency Mohua Moitra.

"I do not mind if BJP wins in Tripura but that will not give him 543 seats. That is the reason he is roaming around in Bengal hoping to get votes by dividing people along Hindu-Muslim lines," she added.
New Delhi :

As many as 170, including dozens of foreign nationals, were killed while over 400 others sustained serious injuries as eight blasts rocked the island nation of Sri Lanka. The seventh and eighth blasts occurred hours after near six near-simultaneous blasts rocked three churches and three five star hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday morning.

The morning blasts targeted St Anthonys Church in Colombo, St Sebastians Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa around 8.45 a.m. (local time) when worshipers were attending Easter services, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Three explosions were reported from the five-star hotels - the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury. Foreigners and locals who were injured in hotel blasts were admitted to the Colombo General Hospital.

According to sources, 129 deaths have been confirmed in the blasts but local media reports claimed that the death toll has already reached 160 and was likely to increase further. "Many casualties including foreigners," said Harsha de Silva, the Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution.

So far, no group has claimed the responsibility for one of the deadliest attack in the history of Sri Lanka. However, most of the deadly attacks in the past in Sri Lanka were carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which ran a military campaign for a separate Tamil homeland in the northern and eastern provinces of the island nation for nearly 30 years before its collapse in 2009 after the Sri Lankan Army killed its supreme leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has appealed people to remain calm and said that security forces were investigating the attacks. "I have been shocked by this totally unexpected incidents. The security forces haven been asked to take all action necessary," Sirisena said.

The Sri Lankan government has summoned an emergency meeting called. All necessary emergency steps have been taken by the government, a minister said, adding that an official statement will be issued soon.

Horrible scenes. I saw many body parts strewn all over. Emergency crews are at all locations in full force. We, at 1990 also have close to 20 units at the various locations. We took multiple casualties to hospital. Hopefully saved many lives, Harsha de Silva said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the "horific blasts" in Sri Lanka and expressed his condolences towards the kin of decesed in the attack. "Strongly condemn the horrific blasts in Sri Lanka. There is no place for such barbarism in our region. India stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. My thoughts are with the bereaved families and prayers with the injured," Modi tweeted.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo said that it was closely monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka. "We are closely monitoring the situation. Indian citizens in need of assistance or help and for seeking clarification may call the following numbers : +94777903082 +94112422788 +94112422789, the High Commission tweeted.

In addition to the numbers given, Indian citizens in need of assistance or help and for seeking clarification may also call the following numbers +94777902082 +94772234176, it said.

(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi :

A purported video footage of a bomb blast in Sri Lankaas St. Anthony's church has emerged on social media. A dashcam footage of the blast shows smoke coming out of the St. Anthony's church in Kochikade after the blast. News Nation could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage.

As many as 165 people were killed while over 400 others, including foreign nationals, sustained serious injuries as six near-simultaneous blasts rocked three churches and three five star hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday morning. The blasts targeted St Anthonyas Church in Colombo, St Sebastianas Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa around 8.45 a.m. (local time) when worshipers were attending Easter services, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

Three explosions were reported from the five-star hotels - the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury. Foreigners and locals who were injured in hotel blasts were admitted to the Colombo General Hospital.

According to sources, 129 deaths have been confirmed in the blasts, but local media reports claimed that the death toll has already reached 160 and was likely to increase further. "Many casualties including foreigners," said Harsha de Silva, the Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution.

So far, no group has claimed the responsibility for one of the deadliest attack in the history of Sri Lanka. However, most of the deadly attacks in the past in Sri Lanka were carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which ran a military campaign for a separate Tamil homeland in the northern and eastern provinces of the island nation for nearly 30 years before its collapse in 2009 after the Sri Lankan.

Watch the video below:

A dashcam footage showing the blast which occurred this morning at Kochikade St. Anthony's church.#SriLanka #Lk pic.twitter.com/bIWctmTUup a Kavinthan s (@Kavinthans) April 21, 2019

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New Delhi :

Supreme Court on Tuesday shifted former MP and strongman Atiq Ahmed to a Gujarat jail from Naini central jail in Uttar Pradesh. The top court also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the alleged kidnapping and torturing of a businessman by the former politician and his aides inside the jail.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna ordered the suspension of jail officials found guilty for allowing such an incident. According to reports, the case of Ahmed was presented in the court as part of a PIL on fast-tracking proceedings against politicians having criminal cases against them.

Before being transferred to Naini jail, Ahmed was shifted to Bareilly jail from Deoria jail. He was shifted after Lucknow-based businessman Mohit Jaiswal accused the former Samajwadi Party lawmaker of getting him abducted and assaulting him inside the prison.

In his police complaint, Jaiswal alleged that Ahmed's son Umar and about 15 others forcibly took away his SUV in which he was driven to Deoria from the state capital.

Jaiswal alleged that he was assaulted by Ahmed and his supporters and forced to sign papers to hand over his property worth Rs 40 crore before he was let off.

Ahmed, a history-sheeter with at least 70 cases against him, including the killing of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005 in Allahabad, was lodged in Deoria district jail after being transferred from Allahabad's Naini jail. He is now lodged in Bareilly jail.

He has been incarcerated since February, 2017 after being booked for allegedly assaulting faculty members of an agriculture institute in Allahabad in 2016.

With PTI Inputs

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New Delhi:

Hours after making a controversial remark regarding Babri Masjid demolition, the Election Commission has issued a show-cause notice to Pragya Singh Thakur - Bhartiya Janata Partys Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal. This is the second EC notice to Pragya Thakur, key accused in Malegaon blast.

While speaking to a television channel, Pragya Thakur on Sunday said that she was proud of her participation in the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

"Yes, I had gone there (Ayodhya), I had said it yesterday too, not denying it. I had demolished the structure. I will go there and help in the construction of Ram temple, nobody can stop us from doing that, Ram rashtra hain, rashtra Ram hain (Ram is nation, nation is Ram)," news agency ANI quoted the BJP leader as saying.

Unperturbed by the poll panels show-cause notice, Thakur said she stood by her remark and that the notice would be replied to in accordance with the law.

"I am not backtracking. The structure was demolished and a grand temple would be constructed. Nobody can stop me from constructing a grand temple," she said on Sunday.

In reply to another question, she said, "What disputed structure? We will construct a grand Ram temple, will reconstruct it."

According to sources, Bhopal District Collector and Chief Electoral Officer Sudam Khade has asked Thakur to reply to the notice in one day.

The poll panel notice stated that it was a violation of chapter 4 of the model code of conduct, which pertains to maintenance of harmony between castes, communities, religious, linguistic groups.

Earlier on Saturday, the poll panel issued a show-cause notice to Thakur over her remark about Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare, who was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

Addressing BJP workers on Thursday, Thakur had claimed that claim that Karkare died because she had cursed him.
New Delhi:

A 32-year-old woman died after she was allegedly stabbed multiple times by her husband in South Delhi's Ambedkar Nagar area, police said on Monday. The deceased was identified as Tabassum. According to Miraj Khan, Tabassum's elder brother, who works in Mumbai, he got to know about the incident on Saturday and reached Delhi.

"Tabassum got married to Jamal Nasir (47) in May, 2016. After the marriage, we got to know that Nasir lied to us and the place where he was living was taken on rent. He did not have a proper job and was under huge debt," Miraj said.

"Nasir used to take money from our family. He was a habitual drinker and used to torture my sister after consuming alcohol. He shifted to another rented accommodation in Madangir area," he said.

The accused had threatened Tabassum many times that he was a professional killer and will "kill your brothers if you will open your mouth in front of them," Miraj claimed. "On April 2, her elder sister met with an accident in Lucknow and was taken to Delhi for the treatment. We asked Tabassum to come and visit her but Nasir refused and did not allow her to come. Later, he allowed Tabassum to visit her sister," he said.

A couple of days back, she left Nasir's house and said that she would not go there again. She also revealed that Nasir tortured and thrashed her many time after consuming alcohol, Miraj said. "Nasir called me last week and asked to send Tabassum on shab-e-Barat on April 20. Initially, I refused but later allowed her to go even after she wanted not to go there," Miraj said.

She went there with her younger brother Monu Khan. When they reached his place, Nasir took her to another room and stabbed her repeatedly at around 2.30 pm. Monu saw this and cried for help but no one came to rescue, In the meantime, Nasir fled from the spot, he said.

Monu took her to AIIMS in an auto-rickshaw where she died during the treatment. He called me and said that Nasir killed Tabassum after stabbing her multiple times, Miraj said. "Doctors in the trauma centre claimed that they have not seen such brutal murder before," Miraj said.

Nasir has one elder and one younger brothers. He also has a sister who works in a Madarsa in Zakir Nagar area.

Miraj also said that now they got a shocking news that Nasir was married before he tied knot to Tabassum and his first wife died due to illness. "Nasir married our sister just for money as he was under huge debt. He gave all the information about himself false," Miraj said.

Police have filed a case under relevant sections of the IPC and inspected the crime scene. They are trying to nab Nasir, a senior police officer said, adding further details are awaited.

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After both Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping sent junior deputies to an earlier G-20 leaders' meeting on Afghanistan, Russia hosted a meeting with senior Taliban leaders in Moscow this week, it raised the question of whether this is part of a broader strategic plan for how Beijing and Moscow plan to work together on the world stage, according to Nikkei report.

For both China and Russia, Afghanistan is a bit of a conundrum. Despite their fears of a large American military presence on their doorsteps, Moscow and Beijing were secretly relieved that Washington was taking responsibility for the security situation on the ground, according to the report.

Now, irritated at the mess the US has left behind, China and Russia have decided that the best way forward is to engage with the Taliban and jointly explore options. Both publicly engaged with the Taliban before Kabul fell, and both have maintained a significant diplomatic presence since the Taliban took control. Russia and China have both pushed for the lifting of Taliban sanctions at the United Nations, according to the report, which was highlighted during this week's Moscow Summit.

China has strengthened its small base in Tajikistan, undertaking a number of bilateral exercises with Tajik special forces, and the Russians have bolstered the Tajik armed forces as well as strengthened their own 7,000-strong military presence there and participated in larger regional exercises with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, it added.

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The Taliban has been chastised for putting some notoriously shady figures in charge of Afghanistan's interim government, none more so than Sirajuddin Haqqani, a designated terrorist last seen hiding behind a plant.

On October 19, in his first public appearance since being named the Taliban's interior minister in early September, Haqqani praised suicide bombers and promised money and land to their surviving family members in a packed house.

Haqqani can barely be seen sitting behind a strategically placed floral arrangement onstage in an official photo of the event at Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel, which was the target of deadly Taliban attacks in 2011 and 2018. Despite the obvious attempt to conceal Haqqani's identity, a closer look reveals the clearest image of Haqqani's face seen in recent years.

Another camera angle clearly reveals the event's decorations, VIPs, and Taliban special-forces troops wielding recently stolen US military gear. Except for Haqqani, whose body is visible but whose face has been completely removed from the scene, according to the report.

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Halyna Hutchins' father has spoken out for the first time since the cinematographer was brutally murdered on the set of the film Rust last week. On Sunday, Anatoly Androsovych discussed his anguish, adding that he doesn't hold Alec Baldwin accountable for Hutchins' death or director Joel Souza's injuries.

"We still can't believe Halyna is gone, and her mother is inconsolably sad," Androsovych, a native of Ukraine, told The Sun. "However, I don't hold Alec Baldwin accountable - it's the props guys who handle the firearms' fault." Hutchins' 9-year-old child, on the other hand, "had been extremely profoundly impacted" by his mother's death, he noted. "Without his mother, he's lost," Androsovych added. According to PEOPLE, Hutchins' husband Matthew "will determine if legal action will be pursued," according to Androsovych.

Meanwhile, Hutchins died on Thursday after being airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital, and New Mexico officials are investigating his death. Baldwin, 63, murdered Hutchins with a dummy weapon on the set of the film while rehearsing a scene. Souza was also injured in the incident, but he was released from the hospital the next day.

Matt Hutchins, the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' husband, took to Twitter to express his family's thanks for the outpouring of support in the aftermath of her passing. Matt Hutchins tweeted on Saturday, along with a photo of Halyna and their kid, that "Halyna inspired us all with her passion and vision, and her legacy is too significant to express in words." Our loss is enormous. He further requested that any mementos be donated to a scholarship fund established by the American Film Institute in honour of his wife. The grant is intended for aspiring female cinematographers.

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Travelling during the winter has its own charm. The skies are mostly clear, the suns warmth is comforting and if lucky, you might even see some snow. Snow is something that appeals to Nepals urban crowd. Their love is evident during the wintertime when most of them flood places like Chandragiri and Phulchoki in Kathmandu and Ghandruk and Sikles outside Pokhara.

Besides these usual places, where else can you see snow? Today, we bring you a list of places where you can go to watch the snow and make snowmen and snow angels.

1. Pathibhara, Taplejung

Snow seen on the trail that reaches Pathibhara temple. Photo: Bhaskar Man Shrestha for Wikimedia Commons

A place that acts both as a tourist destination and a pilgrimage site, Pathibhara is located at an altitude of almost 3,800 metres and becomes clad in white during the winter. It is quite majestic as the temple located atop a hill offers some magnificent views of the mountains like Kanchenjunga. It is quite a journey to get there, but if you do not have time but have money, helicopter companies provide deals to get you to and back from Pathibhara.

2. Khumbu, Solukhumbhu

Snow in Tengboche. Photo: Shashwat Pant

If you have plenty of time, the Everest region should be your go-to destination. You do not have to go to the Everest base camp. You can just hike up to Tengboche to see snow and the snowy peaks that are barren during the autumn and spring seasons. The hike is easy and quite pleasant. While it does not snow as much down low, it does in areas like Namche, Kunde, Khumjung and Tengboche. The view of snow Khumbu from the Everest View Hotel in Syanboche will leave you wanting more.

3. Kalinchok, Dolakha

A days drive from Kathmandu, Kalinchok offers a lot. With snowing, pilgrimage, a cable car ride and if lucky, a chance to ski in the valleys slopes, Kalinchok should be a place on your bucket list if you want to travel to a place with snow this winter. The time to visit this little paradise if you want to see snow is during December and February. This time, you might also be lucky enough to walk through some rhododendron forests along with a view of the Himalayas.

4. Sailung, Dolakha

Photo: Amin Shrestha for Wikimedia Commons

Another place in Dolakha, on the border of Ramechhap, Sailung is ideal for people who want to experience snow. Closer than Kalinchok, Sailung offers an amazing view of the snowy peaks. With hills over 3000 metres, most of the district is blanketed in snow as soon as temperatures drop. The view from some places in the area is quite majestic when there is snowfall as one can see over 100 hills from the area. Definitely, a must-visit if you have not visited earlier. If you have time, you can do both Sailung and Kalinchok.

5. Ama Yangri, Sindhupalcok

An underrated gem, Ama Yangri in Helambu is the place to be. A part of the Helambu circuit, the place is white with snow during the winters. The view, which is quite majestic, is secondary. Along with the Langtang range, you also see Panchpokhari from Ama Yangri. What makes it better is the view along the top. You will see yaks and yaks, and meadows covered in snow. A place to go if you have not already

6. Bethanchok, Kavre

Sunrise from Bethanchowk.

Bethanchok might be the closest place people from Kathmandu can enjoy snowfall. At an altitude of 3,00 metres, the place offers a unique view of not just the mountains to the north, but also of the endless hills. Even though there are places to stay, it is ideal that you camp in the place to get a holistic experience. The sunrise and sunset from the place are magical.

7. Daman, Makawanpur

Snowfall in Daman is a common affair. Close to Kathmandu, this hill station is an ideal destination for people to go play with snow. Apart from that, the place offers a panoramic view of the greatest mountains of Nepal from Everest to Manaslu to the Annapurnas. Sunrise and sunset from the hill station are also quite magical. Given the place is just three hours drive from Kathmandu, the place can be your ideal place to visit this winter if you do not have time.

8. Sikles, Kaski

Sikles is the closest place that people from Pokhara can go to witness snow. Only four hours drive from Pokhara, the Gurung village is a fun place. The viewpoint from the village is full of snow during the winter as you can see Annapurna II and Annapurna IV along with Lamjung Himal. The people of Sikles are lovely and you are sure to have a wonderful time in the village.

9. Poonhill, Myagdi

While those mentioned above were ideal for people from Kathmandu and eastern Nepal, Poonhill is ideal for those from Pokhara and parts of western Nepal. It is one of the prettiest places to experience snow. Surrounded by mountains, Poonhil along with Ghorepani has to be on your bucket list if you have not been. It is best to go there during the spring, but for a different experience, travelling there during the winter might be quite an experience.
(Adds comment from Facebook)

By Byron Kaye

SYDNEY, Oct 25 (Reuters) - A small Australian publisher is calling for the government to enforce a new law to compel Facebook Inc to negotiate a content deal, prompting the architect of the rule to say he was "concerned" about the social media giant's behaviour.

The petition by academic publisher The Conversation, emailed to its readers at the weekend, reflects a groundswell of disquiet among smaller Australian outlets who have not reached deals with Facebook, as mandated by the new law.

The U.S. internet giant and Alphabet Inc's Google have been required since March to negotiate with Australian outlets for content that drives traffic, and advertising, to their websites. If they don't, the government may take over the negotiation.

Most large media companies like News Corp and the Australian Broadcasting Corp have struck deals with both companies, but some independent outlets like The Conversation - as first reported by Reuters - say they have been unfairly spurned.

"The Conversation should not be treated differently to other media outlets," the publisher's editor, Misha Ketchell, said in the email to readers, seen by Reuters. "We do not want to let Facebook off the hook," he added, calling for readers to sign a petition and write to their local member of parliament demanding Facebook be "designated" for intervention.

Facebook denied the allegations.

"To date, weve signed commercial deals that will support more than 200 newsrooms across the county," Mia Garlick, Director of Public Policy, Facebook Australia and New Zealand, told Reuters.

"In addition, we're establishing a fund with Country Press Australia to support digital transformation of regional newsrooms and we have already announced our $15 million Australian News Fund which provides dedicated funding to independent, digital and smaller newsrooms."

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who ultimately decides whether intervention is needed, said the government "expects all parties to work constructively towards reaching commercial agreements in the spirit of collaboration and good faith encouraged by the code".

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Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chair Rod Sims, who oversaw the design of the News Media Bargaining Code, said the system had been successful but singled out Facebook's refusal to negotiate with The Conversation and foreign language broadcaster SBS for concern.

"Google is still negotiating and finalising deals with more news media companies and seems to be approaching this exercise in the right spirit," Sims said in a statement.

"We are concerned that Facebook does not currently seem to take the same approach."

A planned federal government review of the law next year would "examine closely the performance of all parties and whether the government's expectations have been met," Sims added.

The Conversation's petition had collected 7487 online signatures by late Monday in Australia, and the publisher said it planned to deliver the total result to the treasurer in March 2022, when the review is scheduled to begin. (Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Jane Wardell and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
DALLAS, October 27, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AECOM (NYSE: ACM), the worlds trusted infrastructure consulting firm, today announced it has been awarded its third consecutive indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide global architecture and engineering services to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The multiple-award contract, with a shared program ceiling of $800 million, renews AECOMs partnership with USAID for another five years.

"Since the 1960s, AECOM has partnered with USAID to deliver high-quality, impactful solutions in support of its transformative and vital work," said Karl Jensen, executive vice president of AECOMs National Governments business. "Were honored to work with USAID as it continues to increase its agility in responding to new challenges and changing realities around the world."

Under the new contract, AECOM will provide engineering design, construction management, and related support to strengthen USAIDs efficiency in responding to critical infrastructure development and humanitarian needs. This includes short- and long-term services related to water resources and supply, environmental concerns, transportation, energy, telecommunications, and healthcare and education facilities.

"Were proud to provide USAID with a highly skilled network of technical and development-oriented professionals who understand the impact of this work," said Lara Poloni, AECOMs president. "By extending our relationship, were able to deliver seamless support that maximizes the talents of our local teams, global knowledge hubs, and specialized experts, bolstering the agencys ability to adapt and furthering our commitment to helping communities around the world become more resilient, sustainable, and self-reliant."

USAID administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide. AECOM has previously worked on a broad range of USAID programs, such as addressing the impacts of climate change on agriculture in South America; responding to the impacts of natural disasters on transportation, energy, and health infrastructure in Central America; and providing innovative solutions to help solve water and sanitation infrastructure challenges in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

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AECOM is committed to delivering its transformative environmental, social, and governance objectives through its Sustainable Legacies strategy, ensuring the work it does in partnership with clients leaves a positive impact for years to come.

About AECOM

AECOM (NYSE: ACM) is the worlds trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle  from planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical expertise and innovation, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $13.2 billion in fiscal year 2020. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this communication other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking statements" for purposes of federal and state securities laws, including any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives for future operations, profitability, strategic value creation, coronavirus impacts, risk profile and investment strategies, and any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance, and the expected financial and operational results of AECOM. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of our forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results, performance and achievements, or industry results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: our business is cyclical and vulnerable to economic downturns and client spending reductions; impacts caused by the coronavirus and the related economic instability and market volatility, including the reaction of governments to the coronavirus, including any prolonged period of travel, commercial or other similar restrictions, the delay in commencement, or temporary or permanent halting of construction, infrastructure or other projects, requirements that we remove our employees or personnel from the field for their protection, and delays or reductions in planned initiatives by our governmental or commercial clients or potential clients; losses under fixed-price contracts; limited control over operations run through our joint venture entities; liability for misconduct by our employees or consultants; failure to comply with laws or regulations applicable to our business; maintaining adequate surety and financial capacity; high leverage and potential inability to service our debt and guarantees; exposure to Brexit; exposure to political and economic risks in different countries; currency exchange rate fluctuations; retaining and recruiting key technical and management personnel; legal claims; inadequate insurance coverage; environmental law compliance and adequate nuclear indemnification; unexpected adjustments and cancellations related to our backlog; partners and third parties who may fail to satisfy their legal obligations; AECOM Capital real estate development projects; managing pension cost; cybersecurity issues, IT outages and data privacy; risks associated with the benefits and costs of the Power transaction and other recent acquisitions and divestitures, including the risk that the expected benefits of such transactions or any contingent purchase price will not be realized within the expected time frame, in full or at all; the risk that costs of restructuring transactions and other costs incurred in connection with recent acquisitions and divestitures will exceed our estimates or otherwise adversely affect our business or operations; as well as other additional risks and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements set forth in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statement.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005679/en/

Contacts

Media:

Brendan Ranson-Walsh

Vice President, Global Communications & Corporate Responsibility

1.213.996.2367

Brendan.Ranson-Walsh@aecom.com

Investor:

Will Gabrielski

Senior Vice President, Finance & Investor Relations

1.213.593.8208

William.Gabrielski@aecom.com
Survey Explores How Ethnicity and Gender Influence Young Adults' Access to Financial Resources and Guidance, Further Underscoring the Need to Address Financial Education Gaps

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gen Z is emerging from the pandemic with a greater focus on saving, financial independence, gathering life experiences, and seeking financial education many were without access to in their schools and communities growing up. This is according to new research published today by Bank of America's Better Money Habits exploring what this generation (ages 18 to 24) view as their greatest financial barriers, and how they are taking charge of their financial lives.

(PRNewsfoto/Bank of America Corporation)

"As Gen Z gets started financially and professionally, we see a great deal of motivation and positive steps toward building a solid financial foundation," said Christine Channels, Head of Community Banking and Client Protection at Bank of America. "At the same time, an unmistakable need for more financial education persists among this generation. Through our Better Money Habits platform, we're committed to connecting these young adults to a wide range of resources and guidance to help them develop financial know-how, and navigate barriers to achieving their goals."

Key findings from the research include:

Over the past year, 80% of Gen Zers have taken one or more positive financial actions. Among which, 70% added to savings, 29% mapped out financial goals, 26% contributed to a retirement account, and 26% invested in the market.

Despite financial and other pandemic-related challenges, 68% remain optimistic about their financial future. Nearly 70% also say the pandemic influenced their financial priorities, including a greater focus on saving for future goals (33%) and living a more frugal lifestyle (19%).

Half (49%) describe themselves as fully or mostly financially independent. Among the half still fully (14%) or mostly (36%) dependent on their parents financially, 24% are prioritizing becoming financially independent.

Today, Gen Z views their greatest barriers to financial success as insufficient income to achieve financial goals (46%), lack of job stability (23%) and being unable to save (21%). When asked about the most stressful financial aspects of their lives, Gen Z cites not being able to afford the life they want (37%), lack of emergency savings (33%), student loan debt (22%), health care costs (17%) and simply making it to their next paycheck (11%).

One-third (34%) of Gen Z rate their financial knowledge as low, among whom 40% say they don't even know where to start learning about finances. A significant portion of Gen Z (40%) also say they were never offered a financial education course in school.

Much of Gen Z feels knowledgeable about basic financial concepts  including saving (85%), managing money (82%) and budgeting (77%). However, their knowledge levels decrease significantly when it comes to topics that can be critical to a more secure financial future, including saving for retirement (38%), investing (30%) and buying a home (26%).

When asked where they learned about finances, only 33% said in school (K-12 and/or college). Most learned at home or from their family (75%), while 39% were self-taught, 20% learned from friends and peers and 13% from a financial professional.

The research also explored the role of race, ethnicity and gender in access to financial education and opportunities, uncovering:

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Black/African American Gen Z more likely to be financially independent, cite starting a business in their definition of success

59% of Gen Z in this community identify as mostly or fully financially independent  compared to 47% of non-Black/African American Gen Z. They also cited greater knowledge of several financial topics, including filing taxes (59% vs. 39%), saving for retirement (44% vs. 37%) and purchasing a home (41% vs. 24%).

66% carry debt, and of those that use credit cards, 44% have accrued credit card debt  more than non-Black/African American Gen Z (51% and 21%, respectively)  and are nearly twice as likely to cite debt as a barrier to financial success (30% vs. 17%).

Black/African American Gen Z are nearly 6x more likely to include starting a business in their definition of success (17% vs. 3%), and 2x as likely to cite starting or growing a business as top priority for the year ahead (16% vs. 8%).

Hispanic Gen Z highlight greater gaps in financial education, see homeownership as success

Nearly half (48%) of Hispanic Gen Z say they were never offered a financial education class in school  more so than non-Hispanic Gen Z (37%). This community is less likely to feel knowledgeable about building credit (56% vs. 63%), saving for retirement (34% vs. 40%) and filing taxes (28% vs. 45%).

They are more likely to cite lower income (52% vs. 44%) and job stability (31% vs. 20%) among their top barriers to financial success.

Homeownership is especially important to this community: 39% define financial success as owning a home, compared to 26% of non-Hispanic Gen Z.

Gen Z women face financial knowledge and investing gaps, but are more likely to be taking steps toward financial wellness

The gender investing gap persists in younger generations: Gen Z women are less likely to feel knowledgeable about investing (22% compared to 37% of men) and less likely to have invested in the market over the last year (17% vs. 25%). They also feel less knowledgeable about managing debt (56% vs. 66%) and saving for retirement (35% vs. 41%).

Gen Z women feel more knowledgeable about building credit (66% vs. 57%), however they are also more likely to cite debt as a barrier to financial success (23% vs. 14%). In fact, 36% have at least $5,000 of debt compared to 28% of men  which may be contributing to the fact that more women are prioritizing paying down debt in the year ahead than men (23% vs. 18%).

Gen Z women were, however, more likely than men to have taken positive financial actions over the last year (82% vs. 78%). Positive actions among Gen Z women taking them include contributing to savings (76% vs. 63%), openly discussing money with family, friends or colleagues (63% vs. 48%), sticking to a budget (27% vs. 21%) and seeking guidance on managing finances (25% vs. 16%).

"As a company and as a society, it is critical that we address the financial education and opportunity gaps that persist across the communities of young adults we serve," said Alberto Garofalo, Community Banking & Development executive at Bank of America. "This research is another step in our commitment to fully understanding the unique needs and priorities of diverse communities, so we can provide the resources and guidance to empower everyone on their journey to financial wellness."

Better Money Habits

As Gen Z prioritizes better money habits, they continue to seek advice and guidance as they look to take control of their finances and plan the future. Bank of America's Better Money Habits platform offers free financial education content and tools that break down financial topics in ways that are approachable and easy to understand. The platform connects people at all life stages to relevant tools that help build know-how to help them take action toward their financial goals. It also includes specific resources catered to Gen Z and young adults, covering topics including budgeting, building credit, borrowing, investing and more. We continually look for ways to expand the reach of Better Money Habits and also offer Spanish language resources on the site.

Methodology

The study was conducted August 12  September 7, 2021, by Ipsos in English and is based on nationally representative probability samples of 1,024 general population adults (age 18 or older), and a partially overlapping sample of 635 Gen Z adults (age 18-24), including 28 Gen Z adults from a non-probability sample. This survey was conducted primarily using the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, the largest and most well-established online probability-based panel that is representative of the adult US population. Panelists are scientifically recruited into this invitation-only panel via postal mailings to a random selection of residential addresses. To ensure that non-internet households are included, Ipsos provides access to a tablet and internet connection to those who need them. Because of this probability-based sampling approach, KnowledgePanel findings can be reported with a margin of sampling error and projected to the general population. The margin of sampling error for the general population sample is +/- 3.3 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 66 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,200 retail financial centers, approximately 17,000 ATMs, and award-winning digital banking with approximately 41 million active users, including approximately 32 million mobile users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

Reporters May Contact:

Betty Riess, Bank of America

betty.riess@bofa.com

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SOURCE Bank of America Corporation
Lead Plaintiff Deadline is December 22, 2021

NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP announces that a federal securities class action lawsuit has been filed against BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. ("BioMarin" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: BMRN) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired BioMarin securities between January 13, 2020 and September 3, 2021, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period").



All investors who purchased BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. and incurred losses are urged to contact the firm immediately at classmember@whafh.com or (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774. You may obtain additional information concerning the action or join the case on our website, www.whafh.com.

If you have incurred losses in the shares of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., you may, no later than December 22, 2021, request that the Court appoint you lead plaintiff of the proposed class. Please contact Wolf Haldenstein to learn more about your rights as an investor in BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.,

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CASE

BioMarin develops and commercializes therapies for people with serious and life-threatening rare diseases and medical conditions. The Company is developing, among other product candidates, BMN 307, an AAV5 mediated gene therapy, which is in a phase 1/2 clinical trial to normalize blood phenylalanine concentration levels in patients with phenylketonuria ("PKU"). The Company's Phearless Phase 1/2 study is evaluating BMN 307 in adults with PKU.

On November 7, 2018, BioMarin shared pre-clinical data of BMN 307, which demonstrated lifetime Phe corrections in mouse models, and announced that the Company was planning to file an investigational new drug application ("IND") for BMN 307 with the United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") in the second half of 2019. On January 13, 2020, the Company announced that the FDA granted IND status for BMN 307 for the treatment of PKU. On September 24, 2020, the Company announced that it had dosed the first human participant in the global Phearless Phase 1/2 study of BMN 307.

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On September 5, 2021, BioMarin issued a press release announcing, "that the [FDA] placed a clinical hold on the BMN 307 Phearless Phase 1/2 study", which "is evaluating BMN 307, an investigational AAV5-phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene therapy, in adults with [PKU]." BioMarin advised investors that "[t]he FDA's clinical hold was based on interim safety findings from a pre-clinical, non-GLP pharmacology study."

On this news, BioMarin's stock price fell $7.14 per share, or 8.4%, to close at $77.81 per share on September 7, 2021, the next trading day.

Wolf Haldenstein has extensive experience in the prosecution of securities class actions and derivative litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country. The firm has attorneys in various practice areas; and offices in New York, Chicago and San Diego. The reputation and expertise of this firm in shareholder and other class litigation has been repeatedly recognized by the courts, which have appointed it to major positions in complex securities multi-district and consolidated litigation.

If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions regarding your rights and interests in this case, please immediately contact Wolf Haldenstein by telephone at (800) 575-0735, via e-mail at classmember@whafh.com, or visit our website at www.whafh.com.

Contact:

Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP

Patrick Donovan, Esq.

Gregory Stone, Director of Case and Financial Analysis

Email: gstone@whafh.com, donovan@whafh.com or classmember@whafh.com

Tel: (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.




To

NASDAQ Copenhagen

Executive Board

Lers Parkalle 100

DK-2100 Kbenhavn 

www.rd.dk







Telephone +45 7012 5300

Telefax +45 4514 9622













27 October 2021





Company Announcement No 91/2021

Breakdown of debtors, Realkredit Danmark A/S

Pursuant to 24 of the Capital Markets Act, Realkredit Danmark A/S hereby publishes breakdown of debtors as at Friday 22 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




By Muyu Xu and Chen Aizhu

BEIJING/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Chinese coal traders say they are scrambling for price information on spot transactions, relying on personal communications as Beijing steps up scrutiny amid efforts to tame prices.

The country's top economic planner, the National Development & Reform Commission said this week it would investigate coal and energy index providers over spreading "fabricated" price information. The agency is also studying a new mechanism to guide coal prices within a reasonable range over the long term.

The heightened scrutiny adds strains to the Chinese coal trading community, which is already struggling to keep up with rapid market and regulatory changes in the world's top coal consumer. The pricing confusion also compounds the country's worst power crunch in years, which is hampering industry while Beijing tries to lead a recovery from the pandemic.

Beijing has since September unleashed a raft of measures - from ordering mines to immediately boost production to liberalising thermal power pricing.

"We stopped reading domestic indexes for a while as they are confusing. We now just call up other traders to get the daily prices," said a Guangxi-based coal trader, who like others interviewed for this story declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

China began tightening rules for commodity index providers in June to tame red-hot prices of products ranging from copper to iron ore. The recent move on coal intelligence providers was spurred by stubbornly high prices of the key electricity-generating fuel.

Benchmark Zhenzhou thermal coal futures last traded down 10% at 1,144 yuan around 0700GMT on Wednesday, in a sixth straight day of declines following Beijing's cooling measures. But the price has still more than doubled this year.

(For graphic on China spot and futures coal prices - https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/myvmngrgapr/Pasted%20image%201635302435018.png)

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Data such as coal consumption at major power plants and stock levels at key ports was once available on providers' websites or shared widely on social media.

That information has for months been either hidden behind paywalls or no longer published, traders said.

Instead, traders and analysts have had to rely on personal communications, or use international prices for a gauge.

"We're now using free-on-board Indonesia prices plus shipping cost and others to calculate delivered prices at power plants, to have a rough clue," said a Beijing-based power analyst.

Some providers continue to update spot coal transaction data using numbers barely changed from months ago.

"Some pricing indexes still put out daily assessments, but with prices that are way off real transactions," said a Beijing-based coal trader. "There is almost no reliable prices indexes we can quote now."

The China Coal Transportation and Distribution Association, which represents coal sellers and shippers, and is a data provider, on Wednesday posted online its reference prices of spot Bohai Rim thermal coal of 5,500 kcal at 946 yuan a tonne, unchanged since mid-August.

The website of consultancy Fenwei Digital Information Technology as of Wednesday also showed some coal prices unmoved at about 1,000 yuan a tonne since at least July.

By comparison, deals were made last week at the main spot trading zone Bohai Rim at over 2,000 yuan and the southern port of Guangdong at over 2,500 yuan, traders told Reuters.

A representative with the China Coal Transport and Distribution Association said it continues to update prices and declined to comment further. Fenwei declined to comment.

NDRC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Chinese data providers have been laying low since June, when Beijing issued new rules telling them to provide more transparency and consistency in their price setting.

The government in September banned Yulin Coal Trading Centre Corp, an influential firm in the major coal mining region of Shaanxi province, from publishing price assessments and market news.

"We stopped publishing domestic coal prices for several months. It's hugely sensitive," said a manager with a commodities price assessment agency in Beijing.

($1 = 0.1566 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Muyu Xu in Beijing and Chen Aizhu in Singapore. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - Today CIBC announced a number of initiatives focused on financial wellbeing to help Canadians achieve their goals and ambitions. Through ongoing client events and new tools and resources on financial topics, CIBC is aiming to give Canadians the skills and knowledge to make better monetary decisions to improve their lives.

CIBC Logo (CNW Group/CIBC)

"At CIBC we are reimagining November as Financial Wellbeing Month. Feeling in control of your finances contributes to significantly to your overall health. Our focus on financial wellbeing incorporates tools and advice that can support Canadians on their financial journeys," said Carissa Lucreziano, Vice-President, Financial and Investment Advice at CIBC. "With all the recent changes in the world and the economy, it's more important than ever to strengthen financial knowledge to make well-informed decisions about spending, saving and investing."

Here are some ways in which CIBC is helping Canadians achieve their financial ambitions:

"Whether it's conversations with our families, ourselves or an advisor  it's vital to invest in building our knowledge through ongoing learning to help make wise financial decisions for our future," added Lucreziano.

Canadians may not be aware of all of the financial tools and support available online to help them plan and achieve their ambitions. Whether it's budgeting for a renovation, investing in a child's education or getting tips on paying down debt, CIBC Smart Advice offers insights, interactive tools, and live and on-demand events to help people reach their goals.

About CIBC



CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with 10 million personal banking, business, public sector and institutional clients. Across Personal and Business Banking, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management, and Capital Markets businesses, CIBC offers a full range of advice, solutions and services through its leading digital banking network, and locations across Canada, in the United States and around the world. Ongoing news releases and more information about CIBC can be found at www.cibc.com/ca/media-centre.

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SOURCE CIBC

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<legend role="h2"><span>David A.</span>Hornung's<span>'The</span>Ratten<span>Expedition' is set for a new marketing campaign</span></legend>

BUFFALO, N.Y., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- "I enjoy reading but many of the books in Steam Punk were hardly worth the effort, poor story telling or lazy plot devices. I was inspired by Gail Carriger with her fantastic but coherent stories and Tom Clancy's techno thrillers. So I thought, can I do better? I felt I had no right to criticized others till I tried to write myself," David A. Hornung states. In "The Ratten Expedition" (published by iUniverse in October 2015), he tells an alternate reality steampunk adventure about an eclectic undercover government team  a Civil War veteran, a priest, an assassin, a tinker, and an orphaned girl  work to save the Union.

In an alternate-reality world where the American Civil War lasted 10 years, technology has advanced rapidly. A decade after the guns of the South were silenced, the embers of war still burn white hot. English Canada and French Mexico still snarl at the Union, but a new terror faces the country. Former army major John Morton, now a museum professor, is recruited by his old army comrade, now a Catholic priest, to find missing parishioners. As they will learn, the solution to the riddle is only the start of a cross-county adventure. Recruited to join an eclectic undercover government team, Civil War veteran Morton joins a priest, a beautiful female assassin, a black tinker, and an orphaned girl in the race to find a way to preserve the Union. Can Morton survive long enough to stop a pair of mad renegade scientists hell-bent on the destruction of the Union?

"This is a solid adventure story, with characters who are not perfect but give their all. These are relatable people, not super heroes. It deals people who in various ways are damaged and the reader gets to watch them heal. It is what I like to call 'techno steam punk,' the SP elements are not over the moon but at least feasible, they are not the story but support it. The story is coherent without as I phase it resorting to pulling magic out of my ass to get the characters out of a corner," Hornung says.

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When asked what he wants readers to take away from the book, Hornung answers, "They feel they got a good yarn for their money, roller coaster ride of danger and adventure. They get to meet a group of people they can relate to and care about. Later on, when they are starting to dose off at night, they think about some of the morality that is woven into the book." For more details about the book, please visit https://www.iuniverse.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/703593-the-ratten-expedition

"The Ratten Expedition"

By David A. Hornung

Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 332 pages | ISBN 9781491776575

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 332 pages | ISBN 9781491774762

E-Book | 332 pages | ISBN 9781491774755

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

David A. Hornung holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering, a doctorate degree in environmental engineering, several other degrees in the social and physical sciences. He also holds a MA in pastoral ministry. He enjoys ham radio, historical miniature wargaming and participating in Civil War reenactments. He is a widower who lives in Buffalo, New York, with his cats.

iUniverse, an Author Solutions, LLC, self-publishing imprint, is the leading book marketing, editorial services, and supported self-publishing provider. iUniverse recognizes excellence in book publishing through the Star, Rising Star and Editor's Choice designationsself-publishing's only such awards program. iUniverse is headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana. For more information or to publish a book, please visit iuniverse.com or call 1-800-AUTHORS.

Media Contact

Marketing Services, iUniverse, 844-349-9409, promotions@iuniverse.com

SOURCE David A. Hornung
Flags of Mexico, United States and Canada are pictured at a security booth at Zaragoza-Ysleta border crossing bridge, in Ciudad Juarez

By Sharay Angulo and Dave Graham

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico plans to seek the arbitration of a panel of experts to resolve a simmering dispute with the United States over the interpretation of rules of origin in the automotive industry, three people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

Mexico wants the panel to clear up its differences with the United States over how to apply automotive sector content requirements under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which underpins trade in North America.

Mexico's Economy Ministry, which has taken a firm stance https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/mexico-takes-firm-line-auto-dispute-ahead-economic-talks-2021-09-03 with the United States in the automotive dispute, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on its plans.

Using the panel would escalate the tussle over automotive content rules, which lay at the heart of former U.S. President Donald Trump's drive to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with what became USMCA.

Mexico favors a more flexible interpretation of the auto industry regulations than the United States, which sought an overhaul of NAFTA in order to protect U.S. manufacturing jobs.

U.S. trade unions argue that jobs have migrated to lower-cost Mexican plants since NAFTA first took effect in 1994.

Mexico's government on Aug. 20 requested https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/mexico-wants-talks-with-united-states-over-auto-content-rules-trade-pact-2021-08-21 that the United States initiate formal consultations on the dispute.

Under USMCA rules, if no agreement is forthcoming within 75 days of the request, the matter passes to the expert panel.

A panel is generally to consist of five members drawn from a roster of individuals previously established by signatories of the accord. If desired, a panel of three can be agreed.

Mexico's government said this month it had begun formal consultations with the United States over the rules' interpretation. Canada has also been at odds with the United States over how the auto rules are applied under USMCA.

(Reporting by Sharay Angulo and Dave Graham; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Paul Simao and David Gregorio)
VICTORIA, BC and SMITHERS, BC, Oct. 26, 2021 /CNW/ - Local, regional and national groups support Gitxaala Nation's legal action against the B.C. government. Earlier today, the Gitxaaa First Nation filed a first-of-its kind legal challenge in the British Columbia Supreme Court against the province's "free entry" mineral claim staking regime. The Nation is seeking to overturn multiple mineral claims granted by the province between 2018 and 2020 on Banks Island in Gitxaaa territory, without the First Nation's consent, consultation, or even notification.

BC Mining Law Reform Logo (CNW Group/MiningWatch Canada)

"For more than a century, mining claims have taken undue priority over private landowner rights, municipal land use plans, and the right of Indigenous peoples. For years, environmentalists and First Nations have called on the government to bring B.C.'s gold rush era mining laws into the 21st century," states Calvin Sandborn, Senior Counsel with the University of Victoria Environmental Law Centre. "The Gitxaala Nation here is arguing that mining claim laws are unconstitutional and inconsistent with B.C.'s 2019 Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. If successful, this case could be the beginning of a long-awaited reform."

Nikki Skuce of Northern Confluence and Co-Chair of BC Mining Law Reform network, says, "The B.C. government has not made updating the Mineral Tenure Act a priority, despite claiming that reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples is a top concern."

The Gitxaaa case is not an isolated incident, says Skuce. "Most mining conflicts in recent years can be traced to the 19th century 'free entry' mineral staking system. Under this system, anyone can acquire a mining claim without being required to inform, consult, or obtain the consent of affected surface rights holders, including First Nations, property owners, municipalities, and other land users," she says.

Ugo Lapointe of MiningWatch Canada, a member of the BC Mining Law Reform network, comments, "B.C. remains one of the last main mining jurisdictions in Canada to modernize its mining laws to keep pace with today's legal obligations and societal expectations. For instance, Ontario, Quebec and the NWT have all updated their mineral tenure laws in recent years, with the Yukon currently undergoing reform."

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According to apoll done last year, a large majority of British Columbians (84%) agree that mining companies "should be required to get permission from private landowners, municipalities, and First Nations before doing any business on their lands." And before the government leases land for mining, the same proportion of British Columbians (81%) say "it should modernize land-use plans with communities and First Nations to ensure the protection of water quality and fish habitat." Banks Island Gold on Gitxaaa territory was highlighted by the network as one of B.C.'s "Dirty Dozen" mines in a report earlier this year.

Source: https://reformbcmining.ca/news/2021/10/first-nations-legal-action-challenges-b-c-s-colonial-mining-law-groups-urge-reform/

For more information:

Calvin Sandborn, Environmental Law Centre (UVIC)/BCMLR, csandbor@uvic.ca, 250-472-5248

Nikki Skuce, Northern Confluence/BCMLR, nikki@northernconfluence.ca, 778-210-0117

Ugo Lapointe, MiningWatch Canada/BCMLR, ugo@miningwatch.ca c.514-708-0134

Founded in 2019, the BC Mining Law Reform Network promotes changes to mineral development laws and mining practices to ensure they are environmentally sound, do not pollute waters, respect community decisions, and account for the costs to clean up toxic mine waste sites. The network today represents nearly 30 local, provincial and national organizations from a wide range of sectors, including citizen and community groups, First Nations, academics, and social justice and environmental organizations.

SOURCE MiningWatch Canada

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Dublin, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Fortified Wine Market, By Type (Port, Sherry, Marsala, Madeira, Commandaria, Vermouth, Others), By Distribution Channel (Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores, Liquor Stores, Online and others), By Nature, By Region, Forecast & Opportunities, 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global market for fortified wine is expected to grow at a steady rate in the coming years.

The market is driven by the growing demand for alcohol among the population and developing taste of population for various flavors of wine. Additionally, few health benefits come along fortified wine, for instance, the distilled spirits like brandy are used to clear sore throats.

Additionally, legalization of marijuana in the US has led the manufacturers to produce marijuana infused wines, which is also contributing to the market growth. However, the taxes imposed by government on the consumption of alcohol can restrain the market growth across the globe.



The global fortified wine market is segmented based on type, distribution channel, nature, company and region. Based on nature, the fortified wine market can be segmented into dry and sweet. Dry wines are expected to hold the largest market share as they can be consumed easily by the diabetic people as well due to the absence of sugar in them.



Based on region, Europe accounted for the largest market share in 2020. This is because fortified wines were started in Europe due to which it has pre-existing wine manufacturing companies, which cater to the pulsating preferences of the population.

The inter-company competition keeps on increasing parallelly with the market, which in turn leads to innovations in technology, which eventually leads to better catering of fortified wines to the population.



Major players in the global fortified wine market include

Liberty Wines Limited

Backsberg

Sogevinus Fine Wines SL (Kopke)

Taylor's Port

Albina & Hanna

Contratto

Bacardi

E. & J. Gallo Winery

Gruppo Campari

The Wine Group

Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A.

Atsby Vermouth

Anchor Brewing Company

Gancia

Vinbros and Company

Report Scope:

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Years considered for this report:

Historical Years: 2016-2019

Base Year: 2020

Estimated Year: 2021

Forecast Period: 2022-2026

Global Fortified Wine Market, By Type

Port, Sherry

Marsala

Madeira

Commandaria

Vermouth

Others

Global Fortified Wine Market, By Distribution Channel

Supermarkets/Hypermarkets

Specialty Stores

Liquor Stores

Online

Others

Global Fortified Wine Market, By Nature

Dry

Sweet

Global Fortified Wine Market, By Region

North America

United States

Canada

Mexico

Europe

France

Germany

United Kingdom

Italy

Spain

Asia-Pacific

China

India

Japan

South Korea

Australia

Middle east & Africa

South Africa

Saudi Arabia

UAE

South America

Brazil

Argentina

Colombia

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/tgcgzn

CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900




(Bloomberg) -- How green are those breakfast sausages on your plate? What about the Lays potato chips youll snack on later? And that Perrier to wash them down?

Most Read from Bloomberg

Nestle SA, Pepsico Inc. and local brands are among the 27 companies backing a project that calculates a products environmental impact from farm to store and then grades it with a color-coded label. Its the first time a partnership this big is working to find a one-size-fits-all way to assess the supply chain.

The global economy must reduce CO2 emissions to keep the planet from frying, and the food industry is responsible for as much as 35% of those. With investors scrutinizing environmental bona fides and governments publishing net-zero mandates before the COP26 climate summit, producers are being pushed to reduce their carbon food-prints.

Were looking to transform the food industry, said Cliona Howie, chief executive officer of Foundation Earth, a London-based nonprofit organization leading the project.

The World Bank estimates it will cost $350 billion a year over the next 10 years to green up the supply chain and boost productivity.

Emissions start with the methane belched by cows and pigs, the gases released by rice rotting in paddies, or the chemicals spread in fertilizer. Animal-based products generate 57% of the industrys greenhouse-gas emissions, according to a study published in the journal Nature.

Then theres the energy used in packaging, processing and transportation.

A ready-made cheese sandwich can be responsible for as many as 953 grams of CO2 equivalents, based on estimates by London-based Mondra Global Ltd., which works with Foundation Earth.

Thats equivalent to driving a car 2.5 miles (4 kilometers), using a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calculator.

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About two dozen items, primarily from independent companies such as Finnebrogue Artisan, are labeled in U.K. stores -- with potential scores ranging from A+ to G. The foundation has assessed more than 100 products.

This is going to give us the information to go and scrutinize suppliers, work with them to improve our chain, said Jago Pearson, chief strategy officer at the Downpatrick, Northern Ireland-based sausage maker.

Its also good business since consumers and investors are paying closer attention to environmental, social and governance factors.

Pepsico, which owns Lays, is testing whether it can swap the fertilizer used to grow potatoes for mulch containing recycled peelings. That would reduce the carbon-equivalent emissions by 70%, said Archana Jagannathan, senior director, sustainability for Pepsico Europe.

Were looking at this as an end-to-end transformation, Jagannathan said. Consumers are expecting companies to do the right thing.

Nestle, the worlds largest food company and owner of Perrier, committed to spending $3.6 billion to green its business by 2025.

The Foundation Earth project is one of the options which could bring this ambition to life, said Benjamin Ware, Nestles global head of sustainable sourcing and climate delivery.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / ICONIQ, a leading smart electric vehicle (EV) company in China, recently signed memorandums of understanding with BIG WORLD, a leading Thai automobile company, and OBON, a well-known local telecommunications network company in Southeast Asia. ICONIQ and BIG WORLD will cooperate in smart city operations and 5G-based autonomous driving in Thailand's Free Trade Zone, supported by OBON's 5G technology. This move also marks ICONIQ's official entry into the Southeast Asian market and is a milestone in its market development and technology output.

As a high-end intelligent EV brand, ICONIQ has adhered to passenger-centric principles since its establishment in 2016, i.e. to provide an enriched and personalized riding experience for every passenger. In addition, ICONIQ is committed to integrating comfort, entertainment, office, and advanced technologies into its head-turning vehicles. It has been pointing to the future direction for smart EV developments in general.

With the rapid advancements of the industry, the key successful factors for the intelligent vehicle industry in the future won't be hardware but software that defines cars. Digitalization has become the general trend and the focus of differentiation within the global automobile industry. Putting passenger experience in the first place, ICONIQ aims to meet the needs of every passenger with continuous upgrades and optimization. AI technologies, including an on-board control system, multiple sensors, and autonomous driving, are integrated to create ICONIQ's smart passenger vehicle (SPV) combined with extraordinary design.

BIG WORLD plans to order 20,000 cars from ICONIQ, with deliveries expected within three years. Meanwhile, the two parties are discussing further plans to build production facilities in Thailand to support the local economy, as well as to localize research and development of autonomous driving technology.

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The trilateral cooperation is seen as a win-win move, whereby BIG WORLD can leverage ICONIQ's leading innovative technologies and vehicles, which will promote the development of the smart vehicle industry and 5G-based autonomous driving technology in Thailand.

As an electronic vehicle company in Thailand, BIG WORLD is committed to developing, designing, and distributing electronic vehicles in Thailand and other Southeast Asian markets. OBON, as a leading telecommunication network technology research and development enterprise, is committed to promoting the development and application of 5G technologies in Southeast Asia, encompassing Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Cambodia, etc.

It is worth mentioning that to promote the development of autonomous driving technology in Thailand; the prerequisite is the implementation of infrastructures for 5G-based vehicle-road cooperation. Based on the 5G network, the vehicle-road cooperation system is believed to be a fundamental part of the future smart city operation as it can actually connect the intelligent vehicles, infrastructures, and computing centers to support autonomous driving for all the vehicles and the whole intelligent transportation system which will promise safety, efficiency, and sustainability. Considering the rapid development of 5G network and intelligent infrastructure, Thailand is an ideal place to experiment and build the vehicle-road cooperation system. It's believed that the joint efforts amongst ICONIQ, OBON and BIG WORLD will make the ample application of autonomous driving come into reality sooner.

As home to about 70 million people and the regional automobile manufacturing and export center of Southeast Asia, Thailand has been ushering the development of the clean energy automobile industry. The clean energy or electric transformation of the automobile industry will also profoundly affect the development of Thailand's economy and manufacturing industry. At present, the Thai government has formulated several policies for the development of the clean energy vehicle industry and strives to upgrade Thailand into a clean energy vehicle manufacturing and sales hub. In this context, ICONIQ's footprint in Thailand will not only meet the needs of the local industry development but also benefit many enterprises around the supply chain.

The Thai government has reportedly proposed that all cars sold in Thailand will be electric by 2035. In order to achieve this goal, the government has approved dozens of projects related to electric vehicle production worth over $1.1 billion, and has pledged continued support via tax subsidies, land banks and skilled labor, making Thailand a leading emerging market for EV developments. Besides cooperating with local partners, ICONIQ has analyzed the local industrial policies, laws, and regulations, as well as technical requirements to make its design, production, and technical innovations in autonomous driving more adaptive to Thailand and Southeast Asia, which will promise to maintain ICONIQ's early mover advantages.

At present, the EV market is experiencing unprecedented macro growth globally. ICONIQ, with years of development and accumulation of technologies, design, supply chain relationships, branding expertise, and unique products, will secure a core position in the EV industry worldwide.

ICONIQ plans to go public in the U.S. through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) as soon as this year, and the combined company could be valued at around $4 billion, sources said. In addition to Thailand and Southeast Asia, the company will also leverage its strong roots and relationships in the Middle East under its long-term development plans to become an iconic benchmark in the global smart EV industry.

Media Contact

Contact Person: Moka Zhao

Email: mokazhao@outlook.com

Website: https://www.iconiqmotors.com/

SOURCE: ICONIQ





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(Corrects 4th paragraph to say 'late in 2023' not 'late next year')

JAKARTA, Oct 27 (Reuters) - An Indonesian cabinet minister is pushing for American mining giant Freeport McMoRan to be allowed to expand its copper concentrate output so as to supply a planned smelter in the easternmost region of Papua, he said on Wednesday.

Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said many people in the provinces of Papua and West Papua had sought construction of what would be the first smelter in a region home to Freeport's Grasberg copper and gold mine.

"I am in intense communication with the president, following the requests from our Papuan friends to have a smelter," the minister told an online media briefing.

Bahlil said local arm PT Freeport Indonesia had annual capacity to produce 3 million tonnes of copper concentrate, or just enough for its existing smelter and another plant that is expected to start operations late in 2023 or early in 2024.

He had asked the mining ministry and other authorities to let Freeport raise its annual concentrate output to between 3.8 million and 4 million tonnes, he said, but gave no timeframe.

A spokesperson of Freeport Indonesia did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

Freeport launched construction this month of a new $3-billion smelter in Gresik in East Java, with input capacity of 1.7 million tonnes of copper concentrate.

An existing smelter, also in East Java, has capacity of about 1.3 million tonnes, Bahlil added.

In past hearings with mining officials, some lawmakers from Papua have voiced requests for a smelter to be located there so as to bring jobs to one of Indonesia's poorest and least developed areas.

In April, Indonesia signed a pact with China ENFI Engineering Corporation (ENFI) to build a copper smelter in its province of West Papua, with the capacity to turn out 400,000 tonnes of copper cathode a year. (Reporting by Fransiska Nangoy and Bernadette Christina Munthe; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
- MEIRA celebrated best practice Investor Relations and Corporate Reporting at their annual event '2021: An Odyssey from ESG to IR'

- Five clients win Best Print Annual Report - Large, Mid and Small-Cap Categories

- Five clients win Best Digital Report - Large, Mid and Small-Cap Categories

- Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib wins Best Corporate Investor Relations - Saudi Arabia

DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Projects by Instinctif Partners, a leading international business communications consultancy, with Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Services Group ("HMG"), Saudi British Bank ("SABB"), Etihad Etisalat ("Mobily"), Savola, the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia ("Bahri") and Baladna, were recognised at the 2021 Middle East Investor Relations Association ("MEIRA") Awards.

Instinctif Partners clients win big at MEIRAs 2021 Annual Awards

The MEIRA Conference & Awards is the most anticipated regional Investor Relations (IR) event of the year, celebrating best practice IR by issuers across the Middle East and North Africa. This year, Instinctif Partners placed increased emphasis on its clients' digital annual reports, by incorporating multimedia content, increasing digital report functionality and tailored content. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures have also been increasingly adopted by issuers in the region.

In the large capitalisation category, HMG won first place for Best Digital Annual Report, followed by SABB in second place. SABB and HMG were also recognised for Best Print Annual Report in 2nd and 3rd place, respectively.

In the medium capitalisation category, Mobily won first place for both Best Print and Best Digital Annual Report. Bahri was awarded 3rd place for Best Print Annual Report and Savola came 3rd in Best Digital Annual Report. Baladna earned two first place awards for both Best Print and Best Digital Annual Report in the small capitalisation category.

Samantha Bartel, CEO & Managing Partner at Instinctif Partners Middle East & North Africa (MENA), commented: "We were pleased to attend compelling panel discussions and speeches, as well as to connecting with the MENA IR community. I would especially like to congratulate all the companies who worked effortlessly to showcase their strategic objectives and achievements. We are proud to work with distinguished clients in the region, and to support them in their efforts to achieve best practice IR and Reporting. The recognition of their efforts is truly well deserved."

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Pablo Alday, Head of Content & Creative at Instinctif Partners MENA commented: "We are constantly looking to elevate our corporate reporting offer to add value to our clients and support them in communicating with their stakeholders. This year, we were pleased to see an uptake in digital annual reports, a response to increased demand from investors and stakeholders for interactive and accessible content online. We have also seen a shift to increased multimedia content use, as well as more companies beginning to report on their ESG performance as part of their annual disclosure."

In addition, HMG was also recognised in the Best Corporate Investor Relations (IR), Saudi Arabia Category. The winner is selected based on the results of the 2021 Emerging EMEA Executive Team survey, conducted by Institutional Investor, where buy-side and sell-side analysts rank the IR performance of listed corporates in the Middle East region.

Diana Estupinan, Associate Partner at Instinctif Partners MENA, commented: "It is a great honour to see our clients recognized in the corporate IR category, a testament of a collaborative effort to achieve best practice IR and engage with the market in a strategic manner. In the last year we have seen a shift toward increased transparency, greater corporate access engagement and the adoption of ESG strategies and measurement, trends that are transforming IR. We look forward to continuing to support our clients in navigating the shifting IR landscape."

About Instinctif Partners

Instinctif Partners is a leading international business communications consultancy with expertise across diverse practice areas: capital markets, corporate, public policy, content & creative and insight & research. It is a specialist in reputation and influence, with experience across numerous sectors. It works with clients across multiple and complex audiences combining deep insights, expert storytelling and creative delivery to change behaviours, emotions and perceptions. Instinctif Partners currently employs over 320 people in 12 offices across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

The company is one of the fastest growing consultancies in its industry, and over the past two years has won or been shortlisted for over 30 awards, recognising both client work and the growth of the business as a whole. Accolades include International Agency of the Year 2018 & 2017 at the PR Week Global Awards, Outstanding Large Consultancy of the Year 2018 at the CIPR Excellence Awards, Corporate Consultancy of the Year 2017 at the EMEA SABRE Awards, and City Agency of the Year at the PRCA City and Financial Awards 2016 & 2017. Instinctif Partners also won Gold at the PR Week Best Places to Work 2018 for Large Agency, and was named by the London Stock Exchange as one of 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain. www.instinctif.com

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SOURCE Instinctif Partners MENA
- 150 government and business leaders to meet at FII in Riyadh

- Tourism brought to the forefront of the global agenda for the first time at FII

- HE Al Khateeb: "Economies will not recover until tourism recovers"

- Leaders will endorse 'Principles for Redesigning Tourism'

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- One hundred and fifty Travel & Tourism leaders from international governments and businesses are meeting in Riyadh for the Redesigning Tourism Summit  Laying Foundations for Future Success.

Leaders meet in Riyadh to Redesign the Future of Tourism

The event will be held as part of the Future Investment Initiative (FII), an international platform bringing together over 3,000 global leaders, investors and innovators with the power to shape the future of global investment and humanity.

Speaking at the FII, His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism said: "Tourism is a vital sector  and it's growth is important to economies globally. More than 330 million people depend on tourism for their livelihoods. Prior to the pandemic, tourism accounted for 1 in 4 of all new jobs created across the world.

"The sector was hard-hit by COVID  with 62 million jobs lost. We must strengthen global coordination, to push tourism to the forefront of government agendas to create opportunities and sector resilience in the face of future challenges.

"Economies will not recover until tourism recovers. And that means we must unite to redesign tourism based on shared principles that define the future we want to see. I invite you all to join us, to accelerate the recovery and redesign tourism."

Led by Saudi Arabia and supported by the World Travel & Tourism Council, the Summit will endorse five 'Principles for Redesigning Tourism':

Tourism is a vital sector that shapes societies and builds economies Countries will not recover until tourism recovers To thrive, tourism needs effective public-private coordination and collaboration Tourism must be part of the solution to climate change Everyone has a stake in the future of tourism

Arnold Donald, Chair of the World Travel & Tourism Council, and President and CEO Carnival Corporation PLC welcomed the Principles for Redesigning Tourism on behalf of the private sector, saying: "It is of vital importance that as we reset the Travel & Tourism industry, we do it purposefully and collaboratively. I represent over 200 private sector CEOs  many of whom have called for greater collaboration with governments to ensure a focus on supporting business, enabling seamless travel, and strengthened support for key tourism destinations who need it most."

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I am pleased to support the Principles for Redesigning Tourism which will ultimately strengthen the tourism industry and its livelihoods.

Julia Simpson, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council added: "Travel & Tourism is a driving force behind the global economy. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic the Kingdom brought public and private sectors together, under their G20 Presidency. Today, they are bringing the leaders of Travel & Tourism to reignite the sector."

HE Gloria Guevara, Chief Special Advisor to the Saudi Arabian Minister of Tourism said: "It's great to see the tourism sector at the forefront of this important conference with thousands of public private leaders from the financial world, including investors and decision makers

"The biggest challenge our sector had last year was the lack of international coordination. The Principles recognize critical issues  prioritizing international collaboration to ensure that tourism is better for people, nature, communities and our society."

HE Al Khateeb concluded: "COVID-19 has had a devastating and disproportionate impact on developing countries - many of which rely heavily on tourism's contribution to their economies and survival. Developed countries will be impacted if we don't create jobs for the most needed. Tourism contributes to this growth by providing education and opportunities, while reducing poverty.

"The Principles for Redesigning Tourism will help us to jointly shape our future, for existing and new destinations. For our present and our future.

"I would like to thank the FII for putting tourism at the forefront of this year's 5th Anniversary agenda  recognizing the vital role the sector plays in rebuilding our world".

Notes to Editors

The Principles for Redesigning Tourism:

TOURISM IS A VITAL SECTOR THAT SHAPES SOCIETIES AND BUILDS ECONOMIES. Around the world more than 300 million people depend on tourism and the wealth that it generates for their livelihoods. Tourism is an enabler of socioeconomic development, job creation, poverty reduction and a driver of prosperity. It provides unique opportunities to women, minorities, rural communities, and youth. COUNTRIES WILL NOT RECOVER UNTIL TOURISM RECOVERS. Prior to the pandemic tourism accounted for 1 in 4 of all new jobs created across the world. COVID-19 has resulted in a 18.5% YOY fall in employment, and the sector's contribution to global GDP reduced by 49.1% in 2020.The impact on developing countries  many of which rely heavily on tourism's contribution to their economies  has been disproportionate. TO THRIVE, TOURISM NEEDS EFFECTIVE COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION. The sector is vulnerable to shocks, due to its uniquely interconnected and interrelated nature. We need greater international collaboration and empowered international organizations, to reposition the tourism sector more prominently on a global scale. This would ensure an integrated and coordinated approach that maximizes the sector's contribution to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. TOURISM MUST BE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE. Tourism currently contributes 8% to global greenhouse gas emissions, and the sector is forecast to grow in the coming decades. We need to work together to reduce our contribution to global emissions, and support the millions of SMEs that make up 80% of the global sector in protecting the planet whilst continuing to provide jobs and growth. EVERYONE HAS A STAKE IN THE FUTURE OF TOURISM. The critical importance of this industry means that we all have a stake in its future. We must work together  governments and private sector, developed and developing nations  to strengthen tourism organizations and increase representation in forums like the G20 so that we deliver the future for tourism that we all want and need.

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SOURCE Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia
(Bloomberg) -- McLaren Automotive Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Mike Flewitt will step down after eight years leading the closely held company, which has started a search for a successor.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Woking, England-based supecar maker said Wednesday that Michael Macht, a McLaren Group non-executive director, will oversee technical and operational functions, while Chairman Paul Walsh will lead sales, marketing and public relations. Flewitt joined McLaren as chief operating officer in June 2012, and became CEO just over a year later.

The carmaker controlled by Bahrains sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat has been repairing its finances after the pandemic halted production and scuppered the Formula 1 racing franchise. In July, McLaren raised 550 million pounds ($755 million) from existing investors and the sale of preference shares and equity warrants to new backers Ares Management Corp. and Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund. It also raised $620 million from a bond issue.

In April, the company sold and leased back its headquarters in Woking, near London. And late last year, McLaren Group agreed to sell as much as a third of its racing unit to a consortium of U.S.-based investors.

Combining with a blank-check firm is an option McLaren may consider around mid-decade if all goes well with its restructuring efforts, a person familiar with the matter said in December of last year. Such deals have been popular among auto manufacturers, with Volvo Car Group-backed electric-vehicle maker Polestar announcing a combination with a special purpose acquisition company last month.

(Updates with companys confirmation of CEOs resignation in the second paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
CALGARY, AB, Oct. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) will release a new report, Indigenous Engagement and ESG, its second in a series outlining environment, social and governance (ESG) performance in Canada's upstream natural gas and oil industry.

Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CNW Group/Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers)

This report is the most comprehensive review ever completed documenting the extent of engagement between Canada's oil and natural gas producers and Indigenous communities including consultation, workforce, community programs and investment, and Indigenous investment and participation in resource projects.

CAPP will offer the following virtual press conference hosted as a video webcast on a Cision platform to answer questions from media on this report:

When: Thursday, October 28, 2021  9:00 a.m. MST / 11:00 a.m. EST



Speakers: Tim McMillan, President & CEO, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

Jordan Jolicoeur, President & CEO, Carvel Electric



Video

webcast: Media is required to register with elisabeth.besson@capp.ca in advance of CAPP's

press conference to obtain access information and an embargoed copy of the report.

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) represents companies, large and small, that explore for, develop and produce natural gas and oil throughout Canada. CAPP's member companies produce about 80 per cent of Canada's natural gas and oil. CAPP's associate members provide a wide range of services that support the upstream oil and natural gas industry. Together CAPP's members and associate members are an important part of a national industry with revenues from oil and natural gas production of about $116 billion a year. CAPP's mission, on behalf of the Canadian upstream oil and natural gas industry, is to advocate for and enable economic competitiveness and safe, environmentally and socially responsible performance.

SOURCE Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

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The transition to electric cars could jeopardise 60,000 jobs in Italy, one of the country's main metal workers' unions said on Friday and called on the government to support a sector that is "overwhelmed by changes". Industry analysts say the auto sector in Italy could be hit harder than elsewhere because of the small average size of firms in the country and the scale of investment needed to comply with the European Union's "Fit-For-55" climate plan to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030. Unions and Italy's business lobby Confindustria alike have said many small and medium-sized countries may be forced to close unless the government provides tax breaks and incentives for the sector.
VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - Mind Cure Health Inc. (CSE: MCUR) (OTCQB: MCURF) (FRA: 6MH) ("MINDCURE" or the "Company"), a leader in advanced proprietary technology and research in psychedelics, today announced that Kelsey Ramsden, President & CEO of MINDCURE, will participate in two upcoming events in November 2021:

Mind Cure (CNW Group/Mind Cure Health Inc.)

Wonderland Miami to be held in-person on November 8-9. MINDCURE will participate as a Silver Sponsor at the largest in-person conference focusing on the psychedelic medicine industry. Ms. Ramsden will participate in a number of panel presentations during the conference. The event is organized by Microdose Psychedelic Insights ("Microdose"), a portfolio company of Origin Therapeutics. For panel information or to attend, please visit the event website here.





Mind Medicine Australia ("MMA") will host an International Summit on Psychedelic Therapies for Mental Illness, to be held virtually from Australia on November 19-20. MINDCURE is a Supporting Partner of MMA, and Ms. Ramsden will participate in a panel presentation called "Creating the Future: What the Psychedelic Industry Will Look Like 5 Years Out". To attend, please register here.

For more information about the conferences, or to schedule a one-on-one meeting with MINDCURE management, please contact KCSA Strategic Communications at MindCure@kcsa.com.

About Mind Cure Health Inc.

MINDCURE is a life sciences company focused on innovating and commercializing new ways to promote healing and improve mental health. The company is developing digital therapeutics technology and researching psychedelic compounds to support access to safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies globally. Learn more at mindcure.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Kelsey Ramsden, President & CEO

Phone: 1-888-593-8995

Forward-Looking Information

Certain information presented in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws regarding MINDCURE and its business. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by the use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "feel", "intend", "may", "plan", "predict", "project", "subject to", "will", "would", and similar terms and phrases.

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Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions made by management of MINDCURE, including, without limitation: the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the Canadian economy and MINDCURE's business, and the extent and duration of such impact; no change to laws or regulations that negatively affect MINDCURE's business; the Company will develop its products as expected and that they will attain the outcomes anticipated; there will be a demand for MINDCURE's products in the future; no unanticipated expenses or costs arise; MINDCURE will be able to continue to identify products that make them ideal candidates for providing solutions for treating mental health; that strategic partnerships entered by the Company will create the opportunities and outcomes anticipated; that MINDCURE will advance wellness worldwide; and that trading on the OTCQX will attract additional investment and provide additional liquidity for shareholders.

Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking information inherently entails known and unknown risks and uncertainties about the future and actual results and involves significant risks and uncertainties and should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results as actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Although MINDCURE has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information presented, there may be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements as no forward-looking information can be guaranteed.

Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and MINDCURE does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release and the CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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SOURCE Mind Cure Health Inc.

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PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / Kehoe Law Firm, P.C. is investigating potential securities class action claims on behalf of investors of MP Materials Corp. ("MP Materials" or the "Company") (NYSE:MP) to determine whether MP Materials engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

Grizzly Research ("Grizzly") recently published a research report which, among other things, stated that "[t]he [C]ompany was able to sell itself to investors touting the fact that MP [Materials] is the biggest rare earth producer in the western world, and the only feasible competitor to Chinese producers."

"In reality, [Grizzly] believe[s] that this is nothing more than a smoke and mirrors show. [Grizzly] found that Shenghe, a related party that accounts for 99% of MP's revenue, and a signicant shareholder, can be traced back to the Chinese central government."

Grizzly also reported that "MP is the second iteration of the same mining venture (Molycorp) that previously ended in bankruptcy. However, Chamath and his friends were able to bring MP public again at a 300x valuation increase in only three years without significant business improvements."

Grizzly reported that "MP's mine generates nowhere near the economic essence needed to support the current valuation due to the fact that MP mostly mines less valuable rare earth, namely Cerium and Lanthanum. It does not participate in the favorable trend in rare earth prices the same way competitors do[,]" and "[t]he projections that MP puts forth seem completely unattainable, and the company needs to incur capital expenditures that might lead it back into bankruptcy."

On this news, the stock of MP Materials dropped significantly, thereby injuring investors of MP Materials.

MP MATERIALS INVESTORS WHO HAVE SUFFERED LOSSES GREATER THAN $50,000 ARE ENCOURAGED TO COMPLETE KEHOE LAW FIRM'S SECURITIES CLASS ACTION QUESTIONNAIRE OR CONTACT EITHER JOHN KEHOE, ESQ., (215) 792-6676, EXT. 801, JKEHOE@KEHOELAWFIRM.COM, OR MICHAEL YARNOFF, ESQ., (215) 792-6676, EXT. 804, MYARNOFF@KEHOELAWFIRM.COM, INFO@KEHOELAWFIRM.COM, TO DISCUSS THE CLASS ACTION INVESTIGATION OR POTENTIAL LEGAL CLAIMS.

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Kehoe Law Firm, P.C., with offices in New York and Philadelphia, is a multidisciplinary, plaintiff-side law firm dedicated to protecting investors from securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duties, and corporate misconduct. Combined, the partners at Kehoe Law Firm have served as Lead Counsel or Co-Lead Counsel in cases that have recovered more than $10 billion on behalf of institutional and individual investors.

This press release may constitute attorney advertising.

SOURCE: Kehoe Law Firm, P.C.





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BDO Canada Midmarket Outlook Report provides snapshot of unique challenges and priorities for companies often overlooked in business research

TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - While the COVID-19 pandemic has put significant pressure on Canadian businesses, midmarket decision-makers are pushing forward to rethink their approach and operations, according to new research by BDO Canada. The Midmarket Outlook Report 2021 provides a snapshot of the unique challenges and priorities facing these businesses, including talent attraction and retention, digital transformation, supply chain and ESG, at a critical time as the COVID-19 pandemic presses on.

BDO Logo (CNW Group/BDO Canada)

The Canadian midmarket is comprised of a rich spectrum of organizations, spanning industries and geographies. The report compares the opinions of small (under $25 million in revenue), medium ($25 to $100 million in revenue) and large (over $100 million in revenue) enterprises in the midmarket. The data showed that medium enterprises  often not captured in business research  acted as a bridge, both as a model of growth for small enterprises aspiring to accelerate, and as businesses with an eye on the priorities of larger enterprises.

"There's no question the midmarket punches well above its weight in the Canadian economy," says Daphna Smuckler, Managing Partner, Assurance & Accounting, BDO Canada. "This research demonstrates their resilience and vision, especially during challenging times like what we've experienced over the past 18-plus months, while casting a much-needed light on their particular experiences and priorities."

Half of medium enterprises struggle with attracting new talent

Canadian businesses of all sizes and across industry sectors are experiencing recruitment and retention challenges, a trend that is expected to cascade into 2022. According to the report, 50 per cent of medium enterprises identified 'attracting new talent' as the biggest challenge for their company and expect that to continue. With this top-of-mind, and after more than 18 months of living through a pandemic, business leaders of all sizes (52% of medium enterprises compared to 41% of small and 55% of large enterprises) are aiming to place the mental health of their employees at the forefront of key workforce priorities in the year ahead.

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Interestingly, while it is identified as a top priority, 43 per cent of medium enterprises indicated supporting the mental health and wellness of employees is also a top workforce challenge (compared to 34% for small and 26% of large enterprises) and they are most likely to find challenges with managing remote workers (29% of medium enterprises compared to 19% of both small and large enterprises).

Businesses appear divided when it comes to preferences around work locations; some are keen to prioritize bringing employees back to a physical office, while others prefer to increase remote work options. According to the research, just over one-third of medium enterprises (35%) want all employees to return to the office as soon as possible, compared to just below one-third (29%) seek increased remote work options for employees.

Although there is a division as to whether organizations return to office, expand remote working or opt to pursue a hybrid approach, the need to put employee health and wellbeing front-and-centre cannot be ignored.

The truth about ESG: There is work to be done

With the best of intentions, medium enterprises say they are making ESG a priority, but data shows there is still work to be done. Almost three-quarters (71%) of respondents agree that their organization is doing a good job addressing environmental sustainability issues, and two-thirds (67%) of their management and board consider environmental sustainability to be a priority. Although these companies are making ESG a key focus, the data shows they could be doing more. Almost one-in-seven companies have yet to implement any steps to support environmental sustainability. Governance items rank particularly low, including creating a senior position accountable for driving ESG goals (20%), implementing an ESG framework (18%), and requiring suppliers and/or partners to meet environmental sustainability criteria (16%).

Doubling down on digital transformation

The pandemic has impacted the midmarket in a myriad of ways and digital transformation efforts were not spared. Fifty-four per cent of respondents indicated plans were impacted to some or a significant degree. This isn't holding them back, though. The research shows that medium enterprises plan to commit more resources to their transformation efforts over the next year (64%). What's more, this figure rises to 77 per cent for companies that have either developed and implemented, or have completed, a digital transformation project. Comparatively, large enterprises (54%) plan to increase their spending to support digital transformations over the next 12 months and 59 per cent of small enterprises are going to decrease or won't make any changes in their spending.

The numbers point to another reason businesses are doubling down on digital transformation: they are seeing results. When asked whether they saw the return on investment they had expected from their digital transformation projects, more than two-thirds (67%) of medium enterprises indicated they had. For those who have aligned their transformation plans to business objectives, three-quarters (75%) saw a return on investment, compared to zero for those who hadn't aligned and 44 per cent for those who were neutral on the subject.

At a time when privacy breaches and cyberattacks are on the rise, more employees are working remotely than ever before, and the importance of a positive and seamless customer experience has never been more important, medium-sized enterprises within the midmarket have recognized digital transformation needs to be a top priority in order to remain competitive and profitable.



Supply chain priorities zero in on customers

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact many aspects of supply chain management, but businesses of all sizes have their customers on their mind. When asked to rank their priorities for supply chain improvement, customer service was the top focus for medium enterprises, along with their smaller and larger counterparts. Additional leading priorities include their customer order cycle time and total delivered cost.

"BDO Canada is uniquely positioned to address these pain points and priorities with our clients. Our role is to assist in identifying our clients' specific needs and to develop and implement plans that will drive real results where they are needed most," said Smuckler.

Methodology

This research is based on an online survey of nearly 1100 business leaders and was conducted from July 8 to July 19, 2021, by BDO Canada and Leger Marketing, an independent marketing research firm. Survey participants represented three sizes of enterprise: small  less than $25 million, medium - $25 to $100 million, large - over $100 million. The margin of error is 3 per cent with a confidence level of 95 per cent.

About BDO

BDO is a leading provider of professional services to clients of all sizes in virtually all business sectors. Our teams deliver a comprehensive range of assurance, accounting, tax, and advisory services, complemented by emerging technology savvy and deep industry knowledge gained from nearly 100 years of being connected to local communities.

After years of national and international growth, our global BDO network positions us to provide seamless and consistent cross-border services to clients with global needs. With over 88,000 people working out of more than 1,500 offices in over 167 countries, the network generates worldwide revenue approaching $10 billion.

SOURCE BDO Canada

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2021/27/c2804.html
NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, reminds investors of the deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion no later than November 15, 2021 in a securities class action lawsuit that has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired the securities of The Boston Beer Company, Inc. ("Boston Beer" or the "Company") (NYSE: SAM) from April 22, 2021 through September 8, 2021 (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York alleges violations of the Securities Act of 1934.



If you purchased Boston Beer securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit The Boston Beer Company Inc Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Rujul Patel toll free at (877) 779-1414 or rpatel@bernlieb.com

According to the complaint, Boston Beer issued materially false and/or misleading statements and failed to disclose adverse facts pertaining to the Companys business, operations, and prospects. Boston Beer specifically failed to disclose to investors: (1) that Boston Beers hard seltzer sales were decelerating; (2) that, as a result, Boston Beer was reasonably likely to incur inventory write-offs; (3) that the Company was reasonably likely to incur shortfall fees payable to third party brewers; (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, Boston Beers financial results would be adversely impacted; and (5) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants positive statements about the Companys business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

On July 22, 2021 after the market closed, the Company reduced its full year 2021 guidance, expecting earnings per share between $18 and $22, down from a prior range of $22 and $26. Boston Beer cited softer-than-expected sales in the hard seltzer category and overall beer industry and also stated that it had overestimated the growth of the hard seltzer category in the second quarter.

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On this news, the price of Boston Beer shares fell $246.54, or 26%, to close at $701.00 per share on July 23, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume.

On September 8, 2021, after the market closed, the Company withdrew its 2021 financial guidance, citing decelerating sales of hard seltzer products. The Company also stated that it expects to incur hard seltzer-related inventory write-offs, shortfall fees payable to 3rd party brewers, and other costs for the remainder of fiscal 2021.

On this news, Boston Beers share price fell $21.09, or 3.7%, to close at $538.31 per share on September 9, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume.

If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than November 15, 2021 . A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesnt require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.

If you purchased Boston Beer securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit https://www.bernlieb.com/cases/thebostonbeercompanyinc-sam-shareholder-class-action-lawsuit-fraud-stock-438/apply/ or contact Rujul Patel toll free at (877) 779-1414 or rpatel@bernlieb.com

Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journals Plaintiffs Hot List thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years.

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING.  2021 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. The lawyer responsible for this advertisement in the State of Connecticut is Michael S. Bigin. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

Contact Information:

Rujul Patel

Bernstein Liebhard LLP

https://www.bernlieb.com

(877) 779-1414

rpatel@bernlieb.com




BANGKOK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Siam Piwat Co., Ltd., the owner and operator of prestigious world-renowned retail developments, such as Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery, and a joint venture partner of ICONSIAM and Siam Premium Outlets, is launching Thailand further onto the world stage by announcing its partnership with Pavilion Group, a leading developer, investor, and operator of shopping centers in Malaysia. In this collaboration, Siam Piwat will debut its own curated Thai brands, namely Ecotopia, ICONCRAFT, and Absolute Siam, at Pavilion Bukit Jalil, which is set to become the largest fully integrated regional lifestyle mall in the Southern Corridor of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Siam Piwat further takes Thailand on to the world stage, joining hands with Pavilion Group, Malaysias retail giant, to introduce creative Thainess at Pavilion Bukit Jalil

Ms. Usara Yongpiyakul, Chief Executive Officer - Retail Business Group, Siam Piwat Co., Ltd. said: "One of Siam Piwat's primary policies is to build awareness of Thai brands on the global stage as well as to transform 'local heroes' into 'global heroes' and expand their business internationally. This partnership to introduce Thai products to an overseas market will not only make Siam Piwat's another significant stride towards building a solid network with powerful business leaders, but will also open up additional sales channels for SMEs to help them expand beyond online or e-commerce platforms and help drive the Thai economy. As part of this expansion, we have joined hands with a strong partner like Pavilion Group, a veteran large-mall operator and developer. We have selected Pavilion Bukit Jalil to debut our first stores in Malaysia for three carefully selected Thai brands in a way that will captivate and resonate with both Malaysian and international visitors."

Siam Piwat's three Thai brands, namely Ecotopia, ICONCRAFT, and Absolute Siam, are massively popular among foreign tourists. Ecotopia is an eco-conscious community offering carefully sourced eco-friendly brands. ICONCRAFT is a hub of inspiration to showcase the height of Thai craftsmanship to the world, opening door for over 800 craftsmen, designers, and local communities across Thailand. Absolute Siam is a trendsetting multi-brands store that features distinctive collaborations by Thai designers with a mix of fashion and lifestyle brands.

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"Thailand has just as rich and unique a culture as any other country. This uniqueness and richness is shaped by extraordinary creativity and conveyed through a wide range of exquisite artworks and design products that have proven to appeal to people across the globe. We recognize the value and delicate magnificence of Thai culture and the creativity of Thai artisans, designers, and creators. We are proud to have Siam Piwat's first international presence exclusively in Pavilion Bukit Jalil as they continue to expand abroad. These new stores will provide Malaysians and international visitors the chance to experience a hint of Thai culture without leaving KL," said Dato' Joyce Yap, Chief Executive Officer of Retail for Kuala Lumpur Pavilion Sdn Bhd, the Retail Planner of Pavilion Bukit Jalil.

About Siam Piwat Co . , Ltd .

Siam Piwat is a leading world-class retail and real estate developer from Thailand. Over 60 years, we have owned and operated Bangkok's most visited retail and lifestyle destinations such as Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery, ICONSIAM, and Siam Premium Outlets. We are recognized as a thought-leader in our sector who creates extraordinary prototype properties as well as management excellence in retail development, aiming to consistently deliver unparalleled experiences that delight and inspire customers. Absolute Siam, ICONCRAFT and Ecotopia are the one-of-a-kind prototypes that are curated and operated by us.

About Pavilion Bukit Jalil

Located in the heart of Bukit Jalil, Pavilion Bukit Jalil, the Icon of Connectivity  Malaysia's lifestyle shopping mall sets to transform the southern corridor of Kuala Lumpur into the new cornerstone of metropolitan lifestyle and retail. With Net Lettable Area (NLA) of 1.8 million square feet, Pavilion Bukit Jalil will offer a vibrant retail mix, gastronomical wonders and innovative recreations, reinforcing its position as the lifestyle shopping destination connected to the best-in-class retail, dining and leisure experience.

SOURCE Siam Piwat Co., Ltd.
(Bloomberg) -- The market for initial public offerings is once again supplying Masayoshi Son with the means to borrow billions of dollars on behalf of his first SoftBank Vision Fund.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Ranked as the biggest technology-investing vehicle ever, the fund arranged two margin loans last month, regulatory filings show. One is backed by almost all of its $15 billion stake in South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang Inc., and the other by an undisclosed number of shares from its $8.8 billion investment in online food-delivery service DoorDash Inc.

The loans will help fund distributions to investors, including sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, and Sons Tokyo-based SoftBank Group Corp., people with knowledge of the matter said. The Vision Fund and its successor, SoftBank Vision Fund II, have doled out $29.1 billion of distributions since inception, including $6.7 billion in the second quarter, according to company marketing materials.

The fund deployed a similar strategy in 2019, when it arranged to borrow roughly $4 billion by pledging stakes in two Silicon Valley companies that had recently gone public or were about to do so, including Uber Technologies Inc. Its much easier to borrow against liquid assets.

Compared to a year ago, their cash needs have gone up and the amount of securities they can use is also massively bigger, said Kirk Boodry, an analyst at Redex Research in Tokyo.

Venture capital funds typically begin to unwind their stakes in a startup once the company conducts an initial public offering and creates a market for its stock, and then distribute the proceeds to their investors.

The Vision Fund is also pledging its entire stake in Auto1 Group SE, a Berlin-based online platform for buying and selling used cars, filings show. That stock is pledged as additional collateral for an existing loan, according to a person familiar with the matter.

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Avoiding Taxes

The debt allows the Vision Fund to bolster its quarterly payout without having to sell Coupang stock, which has tumbled about 15% since the firms IPO in March. Borrowing against startup shares rather than selling them also allows SoftBank to avoid paying capital-gains taxes and to continue benefiting from any future appreciation in the stock, an approach that worked well with SoftBanks stake in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

Read more: SoftBank Is Said to Borrow $8 Billion Using Alibaba Shares

Shares of Alibaba climbed steadily for years after the Chinese e-commerce giant went public in 2014, allowing SoftBank to use its stake as collateral for about $10 billion of low-cost loans. The Alibaba and Uber loans bore interest at the the London interbank offered rate, plus 1.5 percentage points.

The Vision Fund could use the borrowings to retire the preferred stock that it initially issued to raise money from the Saudi Public Investment Fund and Abu Dhabis Mubadala Investment Co., according to Redexs Boodry.

It would make sense if the proceeds go to pay down preferred equity, which requires the fund to pay out a 7% distribution annually, Boodry said. Borrowing at a lower rate is just good housekeeping.

There are also risks that come with loans backed by shares of newly public technology companies, which can be volatile. Should the stock fall below a certain threshold, lenders can require borrowers to put up more assets or force them to sell shares at low prices.

The second SoftBank Vision Fund arranged a margin loan in June -- through an affiliate, SVF II Buzzard (Cayman) LP -- that was secured by American depositary receipts of KE Holdings Inc., Chinas largest online platform for housing transactions. The lending arrangement was terminated, according to a July 29 filing, after KE shares lost more than half their value amid Beijings crackdown on private businesses.

An affiliate of the first Vision Fund entered into the DoorDash loan on Sept. 24, according to filings. The fund also pledged 490 million Coupang shares with a market value of $14.1 billion as of late September to a group of lenders, including JPMorgan Chase & Co., Deutsche Bank AG, Arab Banking Corp. and Dubai-based Mashreqbank PSC. Mizuho Bank Ltd. was also added to the lending group, according to an October filing.

Jett Resigns

The terms of the loan give banks the ability to force the firm to sell shares held as collateral to meet margin calls, a person familiar with the matter said. To avoid running afoul of insider-trading guidelines in that event, SoftBank Investment Advisors partner Lydia Jett resigned from Coupangs board this week, people said. Jett, a former JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. banker who joined SoftBank in 2015, notified the Korean company this week that she will step down, they said.

SoftBank declined to comment on the new loans and Jetts resignation from Coupangs board.

The Coupang banks are providing the Vision Fund with just $1.5 billion in financing, a person familiar with the matter said. That would equal about 11% of the collaterals market value at the time the loan was made in late September.

Federal regulations prohibit lenders from making margin loans that initially exceed 50% of the value of the underlying shares. When it comes to making loans against concentrated stakes in volatile tech companies, the banks will require an even larger margin of safety, providing advances that equal a much smaller percentage of the collaterals market value.

(Updates with additional bank in lending group in 14th paragraph. An earlier version of this story corrected the number of companies in the fourth paragraph.)

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2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Through the reliability and affordability of cloud-based video surveillance, TELUS and Genetec are offering businesses peace of mind so they can spend more time focusing on their core operations

VANCOUVER, British Columbia and MONTREAL, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELUS and Genetec Inc. are joining forces to simplify video surveillance for small and medium-sized businesses in Canada through the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of the cloud. This collaboration bundles TELUS security cameras with the Genetec cloud subscription-based video monitoring solution called Stratocast. With Stratocast, businesses no longer need to operate expensive video recording hardware that can only store and stream footage onsite because they can easily monitor their video from multiple locations through cameras that are connected to the cloud. By recording and storing video straight to the cloud  with no need for on-site servers  business owners can keep an eye on their locations no matter where they are by using the Stratocast web portal or mobile application on their phones, computers or tablets.



TELUS has a long history of delivering innovative security technologies to our residential and business customers, and we are proud to partner with Genetec, said Jason Macdonnell, President, Smart Security and Automation. Powered by our world-leading networks, TELUS security solutions provide integrated, flexible systems to make our customers feel safe, connected, and in control. This collaboration highlights both companies focus on using technology to meet the security needs of businesses and improve the day-to-day lives of users.

Stratocast is now available to customers across Canada and starts at $20 per month with the purchase of a camera. Businesses who take advantage of this offer will significantly reduce their security costs by eliminating the need to purchase and maintain on-site video recording hardware at each location  all thats needed is a camera and a network connection. With TELUS PureFibre network, the largest 100 per cent pure fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) network in Western Canada, businesses can access lightning fast upload and download speeds, which provides significant benefits for applications like video surveillance and cloud-based security.

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The cloud offers new ways for small and medium-sized businesses to secure their facilities, while effectively leveraging their operating budgets. We are pleased to be collaborating with TELUS to bring video surveillance as a service to this community, said Marc-Andre Bergeron, Director of Sales, Genetec, Inc. Small and medium-sized businesses are utilizing cloud infrastructure and enjoying cost-savings across many parts of their operations  from POS systems to security. Genetec Stratocast makes it simple for business owners to effectively and affordably protect their operations.

For more details on TELUS Customer Security Systems and purchasing Stratocast, visit telus.com/TCSS to request a sales callback or call 1-888-706-1306.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with $16 billion in annual revenue and 16 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video, and security. We leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. In 2020, TELUS was recognized as having the fastest wireless network in the world, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better. TELUS Health is Canadas leader in digital health technology, improving access to health and wellness services and revolutionizing the flow of health information across the continuum of care. TELUS Agriculture provides innovative digital solutions throughout the agriculture value chain, supporting better food outcomes from improved agri-business data insights and processes. TELUS International (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that delivers next-generation AI and content management solutions for global brands across the technology and games, ecommerce and FinTech, communications and media, healthcare, travel and hospitality sectors. TELUS and TELUS International operate in 25+ countries around the world. Together, lets make the future friendly.

Driven by our passionate social purpose to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS, our team members and retirees to contribute more than $820 million and 1.6 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com , follow us @TELUSNews on Twitter and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

About Genetec

Genetec Inc. is an innovative technology company with a broad solutions portfolio that encompasses security, intelligence, and operations. The company's flagship product, Security Center, is an open-architecture platform that unifies IP-based video surveillance, access control, automatic license plate recognition (ALPR), communications, and analytics. Genetec also develops cloud-based solutions and services designed to improve security, and contribute new levels of operational intelligence for governments, enterprises, transport, and the communities in which we live. Founded in 1997, and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Genetec serves its global customers via an extensive network of resellers, integrators, certified channel partners, and consultants in over 80 countries.

For more information about Genetec, visit www.genetec.com .

For media inquiries, please contact:

Chelsey Rajzer

TELUS Public Relations

Chelsey.Rajzer@telus.com

Veronique Froment|

Genetec | HighRez Public Relations

veronique@highrezpr.com

+1 603.537.9248




(Bloomberg) -- Twitter Inc. rose after reporting third-quarter sales and user growth in-line with analysts estimates, a sign the companys advertising business is weathering Apple Inc.s new limits on consumer data collection.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Twitter said Apples privacy tracking changes, which require users to opt in to data sharing, will have an ongoing modest impact on sales. Rivals Facebook Inc. and Snap Inc. earlier reported that the software changes dented their business because they made it harder to measure an ads effectiveness.

It is still too early for Twitter to assess the long-term impact of Apples privacy-related iOS changes, but the Q3 revenue impact was lower than expected, the San Francisco-based company wrote Tuesday in a letter to shareholders. Sales gained 37% to $1.28 billion. Ad engagements, or the number of user interactions with paid messages, increased 6% from a year earlier. Twitter, unlike Facebook, makes most of its money from brand advertising, which requires less personal targeting and is measured more broadly.

Twitter said it had 211 million daily users in the third quarter, 5 million more than the previous period and a 13% increase from a year earlier. The social media service attributed the growth to ongoing product improvements and global conversations around current events.

The results show that Twitter, which expanded last year thanks to a contentious U.S. election and interest in the global pandemic, has been able to maintain steady growth since. While competitors like Snap and Facebook are struggling to adjust to Apples changes, some aspects of Twitters advertising business that may have seemed like a weakness earlier this year -- such as its reliance on brand advertising -- may suddenly be an asset.

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Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal said the company is watching global supply chain issues closely, but suggested they may be less of an issue for Twitter given how advertisers use the platform.

Well more than half of ad revenue on Twitter is for services and digital goods, he said. Some of the largest advertisers in the world who sell products and services, often the campaigns you see on Twitter from these advertisers are for their services.

Snap said last week that supply chain shortages would hurt its fourth-quarter revenue because businesses are reluctant to promote products they cant produce or fulfill.

Twitter projected that revenue in the current quarter will be $1.5 billion to $1.6 billion. Analysts, on average, estimated $1.58 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The company expects its user base to grow at or above the third-quarter rate during the holiday period, according to the shareholder letter. Operating income will be $130 million to $180 million.

Shares gained about 2.5% in extended trading after closing at $61.43 in New York. The stock has gained 13% this year.

The company reported a third-quarter net loss of $536.8 million, or 67 cents a share, compared with net income of $28.7 million, or 4 cents a share, in the quarter a year earlier. The loss included a one-time litigation-related charge of $766 million resulting from the settlement of lawsuits, including a shareholder class action suit that had accused Twitter of painting an overly optimistic picture of its future in 2014.

Twitter also said it wouldnt recoup an estimated $200 million to $250 million revenue loss in 2022 from the sale of MoPub, the companys advertising platform, while it shifts employees to new tasks. Twitter earlier this month said it would sell MoPub to AppLovin Corp. for $1.05 billion in cash. The company said Tuesday that it expects the deal to close in the first quarter.

The companys shareholder letter was silent on the progress of Twitter Blue, a new subscription offering. Twitter is pushing into subscriptions as a way to diversify its sales. About 90% of the companys revenue is generated by advertising.

(Updates with subscription issue in the final paragraph.)

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TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - The Millwright Regional Council of Ontario (MRCO), launched our second full scale Introduction to Millwrighting (ITM) pilot program at OPG's Darlington Energy Complex in Clarington.

Launch of the second full scale Introduction to Millwrighting (ITM) Pilot Program at OPG's Darlington Energy Complex in Clarington. (CNW Group/Millwright Regional Council of Ontario)

The cohort of 8 individuals who were chosen are all interested in becoming a member of the MRCO. These individuals were selected from various Indigenous communities in the area and were interviewed by a team to confirm their availability and commitment.

The creation and implementation of the program by our MRCO Sisters In The Brotherhood is an excellent example of what can be achieved through collaboration efforts between multiple organizations.

The training and skills-upgrade program will prepare successful candidates to become millwright apprentices and begin careers as millwrights in the construction and maintenance industry.

" The ITM program and its curriculum outlines the fundamentals of the Millwright trade. It provides the participants an incredible opportunity to secure a meaningful and rewarding career as a fully licensed Millwright within the Millwright Regional Council of Ontario." said Drew Chittenden, Business Manager Millwright Local 2309, Toronto.

The ITM program is a 6-week program that consists of 4 weeks of Millwright skills training in conjunction with 2 weeks of training in the area of math, spatial reasoning and communication. The goal of the program is for the participants to be indentured into the MRCO as first year apprentices, guide their successful completion of the required Union entry aptitude test and prepare them for safe dispatch to a site for work.

"The MRCO is committed to working with our partners, Indigenous and community leaders to build pathways for success through education, experience, and knowledge," said Mark Beardsworth, Director of Operations with the Millwright Regional Council of Ontario.

The following organizations were involved in the creation, funding and launching of the ITM program.

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Millwright Regional Council of Ontario

Millwright Local 2309

Ontario Power Generation

OCNI (Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries)

Kagita Mikam

AABO (Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario

Durham College

First Nations Power Authority

The MRCO is committed and eager to look at future opportunities of this nature to support the hiring of more indigenous people into our membership. Upon completion of this 6-week program, a review will be completed and the next ITM program will be scheduled.

About the Millwright Regional Council of Ontario

Millwright Regional Council of Ontario (MRCO) is composed of eight affiliated Local Unions of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) across the Province of Ontario.

We represent thousands of women and men working as progressive cross-trained construction and maintenance professionals with exceptional skills to install, maintain, diagnose, and repair precision machinery.

UBC millwrights are vital partners in industries as diverse as energy, automotive, aerospace, food processing, pharmaceuticals and more.

SOURCE Millwright Regional Council of Ontario

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2021/27/c0141.html
DUBLIN, October 27, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "UK Payroll Training" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Payroll is among one of the most important functions of an organisation. It manages the financial relationship between employers and employees. This highly popular course includes both theory and digital payroll skills.

You will gain practical experience on how to run a payroll, so you get to know the processes, legislation, and procedures.

Everyone who completes the course gets:

A certificate (Accredited certificate and on the success of your assessments where applicable)

A manual as your resources tool

What are the Course Requirements?

There are no prerequisites or entry requirements, as long as you want to get more experience in the field of Payroll, this is the right place for you.

What will be the Career Path?

Payroll Administrator

Payroll Manager

International Payroll Manager

CIS specialist

HR Manager

What is provided with the Course?

Course Material

Recording of Training

Aftercare Course Support

Key Topics Covered:

Payroll Theory: (Day 1 and 2)

Topic 1: Payroll Administration

Topic 2: Introduction / Employment Law

Topic 3: Starters and Leavers

Topic 4: Tax

Topic 5: National Insurance Contribution

Topic 5: Minimum Wage

Topic 6: Holiday Leave

Topic 7: SSP

Topic 8: SMP

Topic 9: Student Loan

Topic 10: Child Care

Topic 11: Automatic Enrolment

Sage Payroll: (Day 3 and 4)

Navigate confidently in Sage 50 Payroll

Check the legislation settings in your software

Configure your software to suit your company requirements

Set-up and amend:

Employee Records

Payments and Deduction

Basic Pension Schemes

Users and Access Rights

Understand reports in the system that aid in the completion of tasks such as Pay Elements Reports and Company Detail reports

Run a basic weekly or monthly payroll

Email appropriate payslips to employees

Perform and submit RTI routines including:

Full Payment Submission (FPS)

National Insurance Number Verification (NVR)

Employer Payment Summary (EPS)

Correct errors during processing using the Rollback and Restore functions

Set up new starters and process leavers

Complete Period End Routines including producing the P3

Process electronic payments to employees and HMRC directly from Sage Payroll

For more information about this training visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/2rak4d

Story continues

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005531/en/

Contacts

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
SILVER SPRING, Md. and RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- United Therapeutics Corporation (Nasdaq: UTHR) announced today that it will report its third quarter 2021 financial results before the market opens on Wednesday, November 3, 2021.

United Therapeutics will host a public webcast Wednesday, November 3, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The webcast will be accessible via United Therapeutics' website at https://ir.unither.com/events-and-presentations. A rebroadcast of the webcast will be available for one week and can be accessed at the same location.

United Therapeutics: Enabling Inspiration

We build on the strength of our research and development expertise and a distinctive, entrepreneurial culture that encourages diversity, innovation, creativity, sustainability, and, simply, fun. Since inception, our mission has been to find a cure for pulmonary arterial hypertension and other life-threatening diseases. Toward this goal we have successfully gained FDA approval for five medicines, we are always conducting new clinical trials, and we are working to create an unlimited supply of manufactured organs for transplantation.

We are the first publicly-traded biotech or pharmaceutical company to take the form of a public benefit corporation (PBC). Our public benefit purpose is to provide a brighter future for patients through (a) the development of novel pharmaceutical therapies; and (b) technologies that expand the availability of transplantable organs. At the same time, we seek to provide our shareholders with superior financial performance and our communities with earth-sensitive energy utilization.

You can learn more about what it means to be a PBC here: unither.com/PBC.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements included in this press release that are not historical in nature are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements relating to our mission to find a cure for pulmonary hypertension and other life-threatening diseases, our ongoing and future clinical trials and other research and development efforts, and our goals of furthering our public benefit purpose, providing superior financial performance for shareholders, and providing our communities with earth-sensitive energy utilization. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, such as those described in our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results. Consequently, such forward-looking statements are qualified by the cautionary statements, cautionary language, and risk factors set forth in our periodic reports and documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. We claim the protection of the safe harbor contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for forward-looking statements. We are providing this information as of October 27, 2021 and assume no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason.

Story continues

For Further Information Contact:

Dewey Steadman at (202) 919-4097

Email: ir@unither.com

Cision

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/united-therapeutics-corporation-to-report-third-quarter-2021-financial-results-before-the-market-opens-on-wednesday-november-3-2021-301407501.html

SOURCE United Therapeutics Corporation
FIGURE 1

Location of the Red Mountain district in the South Gobi porphyry copper belt.

Location of the Red Mountain district in the South Gobi porphyry copper belt.

FIGURE 2

Red Mountain Mining Licence, showing ground Landsat data and priority target locations.

Red Mountain Mining Licence, showing ground Landsat data and priority target locations.

TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xanadu Mines Ltd (ASX: XAM, TSX: XAM) (Xanadu or the Company) is pleased to announce it has consolidated 100% ownership of the highly prospective Red Mountain copper-gold porphyry district. The Red Mountain district is located within the Dornogovi Province of southern Mongolia, approximately 420km southeast of Ulaanbaatar and 70km west of the provincial centre of Sainshand.



Highlights

Xanadu holds a clear 100% ownership and is in full control of the Red Mountain exploration program.

Purchase completed for the 10% minority interest previously owned by Enkh Tunkh Delkhii LLC, for US$350,000 cash, with effective date pending final lodgement of share transfer in Mongolia.

Prior to meeting earn-in conditions, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporate ( JOGMEC ) has elected to terminate the Red Mountain Joint Exploration Agreement 1 , effective 30 November 2021.

A$3.6 million spent under the Joint Exploration Agreement through September 2021, delivering 11,295 metres of diamond drilling and valuable geophysics data to support Xanadus ongoing exploration program, with no dilution to Xanadu shareholders.

Red Mountain exploration will continue with Xanadu as sole owner and operator, prioritising diamond drilling at the Stairy prospect as a potential shallow copper deposit. Discovery drilling of deeper targets expected to commence in 2022.

This is the first step in a broader commercial strategy to consolidate and simplify ownership of Xanadus exploration assets in Mongolia.

Xanadus Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andrew Stewart, said This marks a major milestone for Xanadu, now 100% owner of the highly prospective Red Mountain district. Consolidating Red Mountain enhances the Companys value proposition for investors, strengthens our solid project pipeline, and is an essential step in a broader strategy to streamline ownership across our Mongolian assets. We would like to thank JOGMEC for their valuable partnership and technical contributions over the past two years, which accelerated exploration and provided a significant data set for our ongoing exploration strategy.

Story continues

Purchase of Minority Interest

Enkh Tunkh Delkhii LLC (Enkh) is a private Mongolian company which held a 10% interest in Red Mountain (90% to Xanadu) prior to the Joint Exploration Agreement with JOGMEC. The owners of Enkh agreed to sell their 10% interest to Xanadu for US$350,000. Registration of the change in share ownership is currently being finalised with the Mongolian regulator.

Joint Exploration Agreement with JOGMEC

The Joint Exploration Agreement2, dated 24 March 2020 allowed JOGMEC to earn 51% of the Red Mountain project by investing US$7.2 million over a four-year period. Through 30 September 2021, US$2.6m (A$3.6m) was spent under the agreement. By terminating prior to meeting these conditions, JOGMEC forfeits its rights to the Red Mountain district, and ownership reverts to the previous structure.

Activities funded by JOGMEC include geophysics and 11,295 metres of diamond drilling. This work identified and expanded shallow, high-grade bornite copper-gold-silver at the Stairy prospect and tested several geophysical anomalies, and the resulting data will form the basis for Xanadus ongoing exploration program.

Outside the Red Mountain Joint Exploration Agreement, Xanadu and JOGMEC will continue to progress their joint research and development initiative related to multi-spectral drill core scanning and artificial intelligence analysis.

About Red Mountain

The Red Mountain district is located within the Dornogovi Province of southern Mongolia, approximately 420 kilometres southeast of Ulaanbaatar (Figures 1 and 2). The Red Mountain district includes approximately 57 square kilometres in a frontier terrane with significant mineral endowment, and a granted 30-year mining licence.

Red Mountain comprises a cluster of outcropping mineralising porphyry intrusions which display features typically found in the shallower parts of porphyry systems where narrow dykes and patchy mineralisation branch out above a mineralised stock. This includes multiple porphyry copper-gold centres, mineralised tourmaline breccia pipes copper-gold/base metal skarns and high-grade epithermal gold veins.

FIGURE 1: Location of the Red Mountain district in the South Gobi porphyry copper belt is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/932a6ec6-416e-4d46-b5ed-3c06b2c2a459

FIGURE 2: Red Mountain Mining Licence, showing ground Landsat data and priority target locations is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c3dbcf4c-8427-45f9-9029-b3eff0d3186a

About Xanadu Mines

Xanadu is an ASX and TSX listed Exploration company operating in Mongolia. We give investors exposure to globally significant, large scale copper-gold discoveries and low-cost inventory growth. Xanadu maintains a portfolio of exploration projects and remains one of the few junior explorers on the ASX or TSX who control a globally significant copper-gold deposit in our flagship Kharmagtai project. For information on Xanadu visit: www.xanadumines.com.

For further information, please contact:

Andrew Stewart

Chief Executive Officer

T: +61 2 8280 7497

M: +61 409 819 922

E: Andrew.stewart@xanadumines.com

W: www.xanadumines.com

This Announcement was authorised for release by Xanadus Board of Directors.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this Announcement, including information as to the future financial or operating performance of Xanadu and its projects may also include statements which are forwardlooking statements that may include, amongst other things, statements regarding targets, estimates and assumptions in respect of mineral reserves and mineral resources and anticipated grades and recovery rates, production and prices, recovery costs and results, capital expenditures and are or may be based on assumptions and estimates related to future technical, economic, market, political, social and other conditions. These forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Xanadu, are inherently subject to significant technical, business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results reflected in such forwardlooking statements.

Xanadu disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or release any revisions to any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, circumstances, or results or otherwise after the date of this Announcement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, other than required by the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). The words believe, expect, anticipate, indicate, contemplate, target, plan, intends, continue, budget, estimate, may, will, schedule and similar expressions identify forwardlooking statements.

All forwardlooking statements made in this Announcement are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements. Investors are cautioned that forwardlooking statements are not guarantee of future performance and accordingly investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forwardlooking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

For further information please visit the Xanadu Mines Website at www.xanadumines.com.

1 ASX/TSX Announcement 24 March 2020  Earn In Agreement with JOGMEC

2 ASX/TSX Announcement 24 March 2020  Earn In Agreement with JOGMEC




A man who pummeled an intoxicated bar patron in Fredericksburg last year was ordered Tuesday to serve five and a half years in prison.

Kenneth D. Watson, 45, of Spotsylvania County pleaded guilty to malicious wounding in Fredericksburg Circuit Court and was sentenced to a total of 15 years with nine and a half years suspended. As part of a plea agreement, an aggravated malicious wounding charge was reduced.

According to the evidence presented by prosecutor Justin Witt, an intoxicated man in his 60s was sitting at the bar at the Bourbon Room on William Street late Oct. 6 and early Oct. 7, 2020. An employee, Rebecca Gonzalez, tried to get the man to leave and he fell to the floor.

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Watson, who also worked at the business, was seen on camera going over to the fallen patron and hitting and kicking him. He then picked up a table and dropped it on his head.

Gonzalez, who was slapped by Watson during the incident, also hit the drunk man several times. Gonzalez recently pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and will be sentenced Dec. 21.

The employee dragged the man down the steps and got him out of the building. The man was later taken to Mary Washington Hospital to be treated for a serious head injury and wounds on his face.
One of the surviving siblings, a 15-year-old, called the sheriffs department Sunday and told authorities his brother had been dead for a year and the body was inside the apartment, according to the law enforcement agency.

Deputies found the teen and two other siblings, ages 10 and 7, living alone in the apartment, Gonzalez said. The 15-year-old told authorities his parents had not lived in the apartment for several months.

Gonzalez said it appeared that the surviving children were fending for each other, with the oldest sibling caring for the younger two.

Their apartment didnt have any power, and a neighbor had helped the children by charging a cellphone for them and buying them food, Gilliland said.

The younger children appeared to be malnourished and had physical injuries, according to the sheriffs office. All three siblings were taken to a hospital and assessed and treated.

The children last attended school in May 2020, said Craig Eichhorn, a spokesman for the Alief school district. They didn't return for the 2020-2021 school year, and school officials attempted an unsuccessful home visit in September 2020, Eichhorn said.
Thats right, $5,000 each. And that doesnt include the cost of importing them from Italy at taxpayer expense.

And its not like they will last forever. Each has an estimated lifespan of maybe 10 yearsabout the same as a $100 picnic table from a local Lowes or Home Depot, but those arent as fancy. Thats the way your City Council spends your money. Its profligate spending appears to have no end.

Council recently met to discuss the $65 million middle school the School Board wants to build. Assistant City Manager Mark Whitley explained convoluted options on how the city could pay for it by taking money from its annual surpluses (known as the fund balance) and trying to pay down the debt more quickly to make it manageable.

Councilman Withers would have none of it. He basically said it doesnt matter how you move money from one pot to another, it all has to come from somewhere, and if you spend it on a new school, you wont be spending it on some other city need.

There was absolutely no council discussion at the meeting of cheaper alternatives. No discussion of expanding already existing schools or exploring year-round schoolsboth of which would save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
Fremont Christian Womens Connection will have a noon luncheon on Monday, Nov. 8, at Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., in downtown Fremont.

The luncheon will include an opportunity to Christmas shop with a silent auction, baked goods, gifts, decorations and more. Proceeds will go to Stonecroft Ministries.

Music will be provided by Brian Nelson. Debra Lord of Indianola, Iowa, will speak on True Confessions of a Former Good Girl. She will explain how she discovered the truth about ultimate goodness through the ups and downs of life. She has eight children and 13 grandchildren.

Cost of the luncheon is $15. Call Sue at 402-721-4522 by Nov. 2 to make a reservation. Honoring your reservation is necessary.

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With low donor turnout and high demand for blood, the American Red Cross is facing a critical blood and platelet shortage as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge the supply.

Donor turnout has reached the lowest levels of the year.

And September and October have had the lowest national blood inventory levels in more than a decade, said Josh Murray, regional communications director.

The challenge we are facing is that donor turnout has decreased in recent weeks, while at the same time the demand from hospitals that have patients in need is rising, Murray told the Tribune.

Although its difficult to pinpoint just one or two reasons for the increased demand, part of it has to do with elective surgeries and treatments that were put off during the height of the pandemic.

Numbers of those surgeries and treatments have begun to pick up.

At the same time, people seem to be more active and traveling more, which can lead to increased trauma cases.

The strong demand for blood products by hospitals is causing concern about the availability of blood products for patients throughout the fall and winter months.

Donating blood is essential to help save the lives of patients who are depending on the availability of blood, Murray said.

Type O is the most needed blood group by hospitals. Platelets, the clotting portion of blood, is primarily given to cancer patients during treatment and must be transfused within five days of donation.

Eligible donors of all blood types are needed to make an appointment now to give blood or platelets to ensure critical patient needs are met.

The Red Cross is working around the clock to overcome the current shortage. Donors are the only source of blood for people who need transfusions. Patients  and their families  are counting on the generosity of blood donors, Murray said.

Donors are asked to make an appointment to give blood or platelets as soon as possible by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

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Howard Hanson came from a little town.

Then he went on to do big things.

Known as one of Wahoos Famous Five Sons, Hanson became a renowned music educator, composer and Pulitzer Prize winner. Hansons career took him to the West and East Coasts, but he returned home to Nebraska many times before his death in 1981.

This week, Wahoo is celebrating the 125th anniversary of Hansons birth on Oct. 28 with more activities planned that day and the next.

We feel Howard is so special that were taking two days to celebrate his birthday, said Lisa Brichacek, vice president of the Saunders County Historical Society.

The events will be a time to remember the famous composer and launch a fundraising campaign designed to raise $40,000.

Funds raised will be used to restore the piano that Hanson played as a boy and to provide updates to Hansons childhood home in Wahoo.

Activities begin with an open house at noon Thursday at the Hanson House, 1163 N. Linden St., in Wahoo.

The birthday party will include treats, tours and an opportunity to meet Scott Watkins, a classical pianist and professor of piano at Jacksonville University in Florida.

Watkins is writing a book about Hanson and has discovered unpublished manuscripts.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, the public is invited to a concert during which Watkins will perform pieces of music by Mozart, Beethoven, Claude Debussy and Hanson.

Watson will play three pieces by Hanson  one of which has been performed in public only once and that was in April 1921.

Thursday nights concert will take place in Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Wahoo, the same church where Hanson was baptized and played the organ as a youth. Freewill donations will be accepted for the Hanson House Fund.

Brichacek believes people will enjoy the event.

Scott Watkins is a wonderful pianist and that promises to be a great concert, Brichacek said.

Watkins earned a doctor of music degree in piano performance from Florida State University.

The award-winning pianist has a career thats taken him to many of the worlds concert stages. Watkins has enjoyed collaborations with some of the finest orchestras, noted soloists and masterful conductors, the historical society said in a prepared statement.

Brichacek said while the organ Hanson played is no longer in the church, the building still has a beautiful tin ceiling.

To meet in that setting where Howard was baptized, where he once played, to have Professor Watkins there performing is wonderful and is an opportunity that we dont always have here in Wahoo, Brichacek said.

Some of Hansons relatives have been invited to the performance.

More activities are planned Friday.

They include a Lunch and Listen at noon in the Saunders County Museum, 240 N. Walnut St., Wahoo.

Attendees can bring their own lunches. Erin Hauser, museum curator, will provide information on the former Luther Academy and Luther College in Wahoo.

Luther College merged with Midland College in Fremont, which then became Midland Lutheran College.

Hauser also will have information about Wahoo history and buildings and the era when Hanson lived there.

On Friday night, the kickoff for the fundraising campaign for Hanson House is planned and about 35 people have signed up for the event, Brichacek said.

A little more than half of the funds raised will be used to restore the Henry F. Miller piano that Hanson played in his youth.

That piano was at Midland for a time and then came back into the historical societys possession and is in the Hanson House.

Funds will be raised to address needs of the house.

It was Hansons wish that his birthplace be entrusted to the City of Wahoo. Hanson House was handed over to the care of the Wahoo Womans Club and the Saunders County Historical Society.

In the 1960s, the club restored the house to the era when Howards family lived there. Updates along with landscaping and ongoing maintenance are needed.

We want to make sure the house is preserved and is there for more generations, Brichacek said.

Hanson was born Oct. 28, 1896, in Wahoo to Swedish immigrants. His mother taught him music before he studied it at Luther Academy.

After graduating from Wahoo High School, he attended Northwestern University and later became a professor and dean at the College of Pacific in California.

Hanson spent time in Italy before he became director of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York in 1924. He worked there for 40 years during which time he and the school earned much acclaim, the historical society stated.

Hansons music theory is still used in the classroom today.

Among his many awards is a 1944 Pulitzer Prize for Symphony No. 4, subtitled Requiem.

Hanson died Feb. 26, 1981, in Rochester, New York.

His importance to not only Wahoo but to the world of music is this incredible, lasting legacy, Brichacek said.

She noted something else.

Howard was proud that he came from a small town, Brichacek said. He came back to be a part of programs and activities going on here. He was very connected. There are people in the music industry  when they talk about Howards music, they will say there is a connection in his notes to the heartland. Theres a style in his music that relates to the heartland and where he grew up.

Brichacek invites the public to attend the Wahoo events.

I really hope people attend these events, because Howards music is still important and present today and we oftentimes dont stop and think about these famous men that do come from Nebraska, she said. They come from small towns like Wahoo. So these two days of activities are a chance to celebrate Howards birthday and bring awareness to his music and the fact that small-town people can do really great and wonderful things.

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LONDON (AP)  A Cambridge University college handed over a bronze cockerel looted from Africa in the 19th century to Nigerian authorities on Wednesday, as part of a modest but growing effort in some European countries to return African art taken by colonial powers.

Jesus College is the first U.K. institution to give back one of the artifacts known as the Benin Bronzes. Speaking ahead of Wednesday's ceremony, college master Sonita Alleyne called it a momentous occasion.

British colonial forces took the Okukor statue in 1897 from the Court of Benin in what is now Nigeria  among thousands of artworks seized by occupying troops -- and it was given to the college in 1905.

The college removed the bronze from public view in 2016 after students protested, saying it represented a colonial narrative. The college set up a working group that concluded the statue belongs to the Oba of Benin, head of the historic Eweka dynasty of the Benin Empire. The empire centered on Benin City in modern-day Nigeria.

His Royal Majesty, Oba of Benin, Omo NOba NEdo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, welcomed the handover decision. We truly hope that others will expedite the return of our artworks, which in many cases are of religious importance to us, he said in a statement.

Hundreds of seized Benin Bronzes ended up in the British Museum in London, and hundreds more were sold to other collections such as the Ethnological Museum in Berlin. Germany this year said it would return the items in its possession.

The British Museum said Monday it is working on a collaboration with Nigeria, linked to the construction of a new museum in the West African country, which will allow to reunite Benin artworks from international collections. The museum is also in a decades-long tug-of-war with the Greek government over a restitution of the Elgin, or Parthenon, Marbles.

Such returns are controversial in Europe, where many museums hold works acquired during colonial times.

Across the English Channel, Frances president on Wednesday announced the rightful return home of 26 looted colonial-era artifacts being sent to the government of Benin  some of the estimated 90,000 African artworks held in French museums.

The wooden anthropomorphic statues, royal thrones and sacred altars from the collection known as the Abomey Treasures were pilfered by the French army 129 years ago, and are currently on display in Paris before being handed over to Benin on Nov. 9.

President Emmanuel Macron visited the exhibit Wednesday with Benin Foreign Minister Aurelien Agbenonci, who called it a historic moment."

Describing his long-standing efforts to get the works back, the foreign minister said No one could have predicted this happy outcome ... given how numerous the obstacles were.

The 26 works are an undeniable part of the cultural and religious identity of our country, he said, calling the restitution a key step toward Benins efforts to develop its cultural sector and create jobs.

Macron is the first French president to call for systematic restitution of colonial art, but acknowledged that only two items have been returned so far: a sword to Senegal, and a crown to Madagascar. He called for a law that would create a long-term framework for restitution to make such art handovers smoother.

These works will return home. They will find the men and women who will be able to understand the full power behind these works," Macron said. Their return home is a rightful return home.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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With Afghanistan in the grips of economic collapse and a devastating humanitarian crisis, many Afghans are pinning their hopes on international aid to stave off soaring hunger and poverty.



But Afghans say the limited assistance that is arriving in the war-torn country is being misappropriated by the Taliban, the militant Islamist group that forcibly seized power in Afghanistan in August.



The only people who have received any aid are those who belong to the Taliban, particularly relatives of those Taliban members who were killed or injured while fighting for them, Wali Mohammad, who lives in the southern province of Kandahar, told RFE/RLs Radio Azadi.



The poor, widows, orphans, and those who worked or fought for the previous government cant access aid, Mohammad added.



Observers say the Talibans actions threaten to deprive tens of thousands of Afghans of life-saving assistance. Afghans are suffering from the combined impacts of drought, war, the coronavirus pandemic, and an economic crisis exacerbated by turmoil after the Taliban takeover.



We're 'Left Out'



When the Taliban seized control of Kabul on August 15, Western donors immediately suspended aid to Afghanistan, wary of giving hundreds of millions of dollars to a militant group that is notorious for oppressing women, targeting ethnic and religious minorities, and implementing an extremist form of Islamic Sharia law.



The Taliban has also been deprived of some $9 billion in Afghanistans foreign assets. The holdings, most of it kept in the United States, were frozen after the militants takeover.



Earlier this month, the international community pledged more than $1.2 billion in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. But it is unclear how and when the assistance will be delivered to the millions of Afghans who are in urgent need of help.



The Taliban has received direct humanitarian aid, including cash, basic food items, and medicine, from only some countries. The biggest donors have been China and Pakistan, the Talibans main foreign ally.

But Afghans say the modest levels of aid reaching the country are not going to the neediest.



Only people with influence and access are getting aid while the rest of us are being left out, says Abdullah, a resident of the southern province of Helmand.

Abdullah, speaking to RFE/RL, says the Taliban is funneling aid to powerful tribal leaders who contributed to their 20-year war effort against international and Afghan government forces.



Risk Of Mass Starvation



Afghanistan faced drought, displacement, and a humanitarian crisis even before the Taliban toppled the Western-backed government in Kabul in mid-August, with half the population dependent on aid, according to the United Nations.



The loss of international funding and assistance has exacerbated the dire situation in the country, observers say.



Almost 23 million Afghans, or two-thirds of the population of some 35 million, will suffer acute food insecurity this winter, the World Food Program (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned in a joint statement on October 25.



Last month, a United Nations Development Program (UNDP) study warned that as much as 97 percent of Afghanistans population was at risk of sinking below the poverty line unless a response to the countrys political and economic crises is urgently launched.



In recent weeks, reports have emerged of children dying from hunger on the streets or being sold by desperate parents.

'Completely Impossible'



Despite pledging hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Afghanistan, Western donors face a difficult task of delivering assistance to ordinary Afghans.



Many international organizations and foreign governments evacuated their staff after the Taliban takeover and subsequent withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan. Foreign aid projects, which were run through Afghan government ministries, have collapsed.



It is completely impossible for United Nations agencies and NGOs to fill the vacuum of a collapsing state infrastructure, says Anders Fange, a veteran aid worker and board member of the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA), which leads one of the largest international aid operations in the country.

Fange says UN and U.S. sanctions against Taliban leaders and the reluctance of the international community to deal with the Taliban-led government are creating hurdles for the delivery of aid.



You can talk to [the Taliban], but you cant channel money through them because you will be violating the sanctions regime from the UN itself and from the United States, he said.



At least half of the Talibans cabinet members are on UN sanctions lists. Some prominent Taliban ministers are U.S.-designated terrorists.



Even Afghans who are trying to help their local communities have come up against Taliban bureaucracy. Locals say charities or individuals trying to help must get prior approval from the Taliban.



The Taliban are distributing aid to those who contributed to their war effort, are part of their organization, or who now support their government, says a Kabul resident who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of Taliban reprisals.



They are in no mood to support those who fought against them or have remained neutral during the past two decades, he adds.



'Deserving People'



Only a few countries have given the Taliban direct foreign aid.



China and Pakistan have pledged more than $60 million, in total, in cash to the Taliban government. They have also donated coronavirus vaccines, food, and medicines.

Neighbors Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, collectively, have donated some 6,400 metric tons of wheat flour to Afghanistan since September.



The Taliban has denied claims that it is only distributing aid to its supporters. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told RFE/RL that the group is distributing medical aid and food through relevant government ministries and departments.



These government organs distribute all the aid, and they have established procedures to distribute aid to deserving people, he said.



But that is rejected by Afghans who accuse the Taliban of misusing foreign aid.



Alizai, a resident of Helmand Province, says the Taliban is only distributing aid to the families of slain or living Taliban fighters.



They got everything, says Alizai. How long will this continue?
The European Union is considering reopening its diplomatic mission to Afghanistan, but it has no plans of officially recognizing the Taliban administration, an EU spokeswoman told RFE/RL.

"The idea is, and what the EU is working for right now, is to establish a minimal presence on the ground," Nabila Massrali, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, told RFE/RL on October 26.

The Financial Times reported on October 24 that the EU intends to reopen its diplomatic representation in Afghanistan within a month amid international efforts to find ways to deal with the countrys new Taliban rulers.

Massrali did not give a precise time frame, but reiterated that re-establishing a presence in Afghanistan would not amount to official recognition by the 27-member bloc of the new Taliban administration that seized power in August amid the withdrawal of the U.S.-led forces from the war-torn country.

"For security reasons, of course, we cannot enter into details about when. Whats important though is to remind you that as we have repeatedly said, this is not a sign of recognition," Massrali said.

Massrali added that establishing an EU presence on the ground would allow better assistance to Afghans in need and would also provide assistance to EU and Afghan nationals who want to leave the country.

"We want to be able to better assist the Afghan people who need our help by being close, and inevitably we need to engage with the Taliban to facilitate the safe passage of the EU citizens and Afghans at risk or to ensure the continued access of humanitarian aid," Massrali said.

At a G20 summit on October 12, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU has pledged 1 billion euros in aid for Afghanistan "to avert a major humanitarian and socio-economic collapse."

But disbursing the aid is conditional on the Taliban respecting five benchmarks set by the bloc in September for further operational engagement: preventing Afghanistan from again becoming a breeding ground for terrorism; respect for human rights, rule of law, and guarantees for media freedom; allowing other political forces into a transitional government; granting free access to humanitarian aid respecting EU procedures and conditions for delivery; and granting free passage to those who want to leave the country.

Massrali told RFE/RL that those five conditions must be met before resuming regular development aid.

"It's very important to say that regular EU development aid to Afghanistan remains frozen," Massrali said.

"The five agreed engagements by the EU foreign affairs remain valid. They must be met before regular development cooperation can resume," she said, adding that the 1 billion euros in aid will not go to the Taliban.

"It goes through international organizations and NGOs on the ground but not through the Taliban," Massrali said, adding that the EU and its international partners, including the United Nations, are discussing "the best way forward for the humanitarian approach" while making sure there would be no diversion of funds to the Taliban.

"The details will be worked out in the coming weeks and months," Massrali said.
A senior Pentagon official said it is unclear whether the Taliban has the capability to fight the Islamic State extremist group effectively, even if it is clear that the two groups are mortal enemies.



Colin Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy, told a congressional committee on October 26 that the U.S. intelligence community has assessed that the Taliban is highly motivated to go after Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K). But he added: Their ability to do so, I think, is to be determined."



IS-K has claimed responsibility for some of the worst attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in August. This includes suicide bombings in mosques in Kunduz and Kandahar provinces that killed almost 150 people earlier this month.



Before the U.S. military completed its withdrawal at the end of August, the group claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. soldiers and 170 Afghans, mostly civilians.



In his comments to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Kahl estimated that IS-K currently has a "few thousand" fighters in Afghanistan and said the group could have the capability to attack the United States in as little as six months.



Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister of the Taliban-led government, has said the threat from Islamic State militants will be addressed. He also said Afghanistan would not become a base for attacks on other countries.

U.S. officials and senior Taliban representatives discussed topics such as reining in extremist groups during meetings earlier this month in Doha, Qatar.



Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen told the AP after those meetings that the Taliban will not cooperate with the United States to rein in Islamic State affiliates and other extremist groups, saying it could tackle IS-K "independently.



Speaking to the committee, Kahl also commented on Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, saying the militant group that the Taliban harbored prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks poses a more complex problem, given its ties to the Taliban.



Kahl said it could take Al-Qaeda "a year or two" to regenerate the capability to carry out attacks outside of Afghanistan against the United States, according to the U.S. intelligence community assessment.



The Pentagon has said the United States will continue to be vigilant against threats emanating from Afghanistan by carrying out intelligence-gathering operations in the country that would identify threats from groups like Al-Qaeda and IS-K so they do not become capable of striking the United States.



Kahl also said the United States did not yet have any agreements with countries neighboring Afghanistan to host troops for counterterrorism efforts.

With reporting by Reuters
Three Pakistani police officers were killed and 70 others wounded by gunfire during clashes with activists of a banned Islamist party, the interior minister said.

"They opened fire on police with Kalashnikovs...three policemen were martyred," Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed told a news conference on October 27, adding eight of those wounded were in critical condition.

The renewed violence erupted as thousands of supporters of the Tehrik-e Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party tried to continue a protest march on the capital, Islamabad. The group said several of their activists had also been killed or wounded in the violence near the town of Sadhoke.

The TLP has been demanding Pakistani authorities release its leader Saad Rizvi, who was arrested in April amid violent demonstrations against France linked to the publication of political cartoons depicting Islams Prophet Muhammad.

A day earlier, the interior minister said the government had reached an agreement with the TLP on all of its demands, except for the radical groups call for the expulsion of the French ambassador.

But the TLP, which had suspended it march for three days, then accused the government of lying about the agreement and said protesters would continue their march until the French ambassador was expelled for committing blasphemy.

The government is not sincere in negotiations but if more blood is shed now, revenge will be taken," TLP said in a statement, adding that 40 of its members have been killed since the march began last week.

Prime Minister Imran Khan issued an order for security forces to stop protesters from reaching the capital as police blocked roads and sealed off areas with shipping containers.

"The government and the state are on one page regarding the protests," Khan said during a security meeting, Geo News reported, citing sources. Khan reportedly said the protesters will be "dealt with severely if they try to enter Islamabad."

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the government would use force to block the Islamists from entering the capital.

"It can't be tolerated anymore," Chaudhry told a news conference in Islamabad. "We have shown restraint so far but the challenge to the state's authority can't be tolerated anymore."

TLP supporters clashed with police in the eastern city of Lahore on October 22 when they started their protest march to Islamabad and its twin city Rawalpindi, some 300 kilometers to the north.

Police say the violence led to the deaths of at least two police and injured about a dozen others. Hundreds of protesters were arrested and later released.

Rizvis party has a history of staging violent protests to pressure the government to accept its demands.

The TLP gained prominence in 2017 when it held a monthlong protest sit-in outside Islamabad to force the government to amend the wording of oaths for ministers. The protest ended following the resignation of the then law minister who was accused of changing the oath.

In Pakistans 2018 elections, the party campaigned on the single issue of defending the countrys blasphemy law. Those laws call for death penalty sentences against anyone who insults Islam.

With reporting by Reuters, Geo News, and Dawn
Colorado's hospital capacity is stressed beyond any previous point in the pandemic, state health officials said Wednesday, a metric that leaders have long said will drive any future public health orders. But those officials have remained vague about if any such orders are coming.

Though hospitalizations for COVID are lower now than they were in December 2020, there are still far fewer beds available now than at any other point in the pandemic. During last winter's peak, "we still had 1,800 additional beds available," Scott Bookman, the state's COVID-19 incident commander, told reporters. "Today, we're below that peak and only have an average of 959 (beds left). It's about 90% occupancy in both medical-surgical and intensive care beds."

Officials have said staffing and a rise in more typical hospitalizations  from trauma and illness  are both exacerbating the crisis.

What's more, the situation appears to be worsening, Bookman and Rachel Herlihy, the state's epidemiologist, said. Nearly 8.5% of the state's COVID-19 tests have returned positive on average over the past week, according to state data, the highest level since mid-December. Herlihy said the positivity rate can be a "leading indicator," meaning it may suggest an increase in cases over at least the next week, which will in turn mean more hospitalizations in the week or two after that.

State officials are "very concerned at this point about what we're seeing in our hospitals," Bookman said.

But he was repeatedly noncommittal when pressed about whether the state would institute any public health orders. The executive director of the state's Department of Public Health and Environment told the Board of Health last week that the state was considering a "potential policy response" to blunt the surge. Gov. Jared Polis, echoed by health officials, has said for months that the state would not institute any public health orders unless hospital capacity was threatened.

Asked last week about the executive director's comments, Polis's office deferred comment to the health department.

Though Bookman acknowledged Wednesday that threat is more substantial now than at any previous point, he said there was no number or threshold the state was considering as a trigger for some sort of health order, like masking. He repeatedly said the state was in "constant communication" with hospitals and local health departments.

Several health departments, including in the metro area, El Paso County and parts of the Western Slope, contacted by The Gazette last week said they had not had conversations with the state about health orders or mitigation measures.

Bookman said Wednesday the state still believed that "local control and local orders are a key way" to control the pandemic because the situation varies across different geographic areas of the state.

"Right now, we continue to evaluate hospital capacity, we continue to evaluate the trajectory of the pandemic, but most importantly we continue to work with our local partners who have the best understanding of what's happening and have the best way to mitigate the spread of the disease."

Colorado's COVID-19 trajectory is markedly different than much of the rest of the nation. Though there have been bursts of stagnation or slight declines since cases began to rise again in August, Colorado's hospitalization and transmission rates remain among the highest in the nation. The national average of new daily cases has fallen by more than 50% compared to mid-September; in Colorado, it's continued to climb and now is near its highest point since mid-January.

Experts have said it's unclear why Colorado's situation is worsening while the nation's status improves. Herlihy repeated that Wednesday, saying she and other state officials were still looking for those answers.

Asked about the state's own internal modeling for how the pandemic will unfold in the coming weeks, Herlihy said only that officials will be "taking a closer look at projections" and will have data to share "in the near future."

Jon Samet, the dean of the School of Public Health and a member of the modeling team that gives the state its projections, estimated Tuesday that the state may still be three to four weeks away from the peak of its current surge.

As of Wednesday morning, 1,187 Coloradans were hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 cases, the most since Christmas Eve. Ninety-three percent of intensive care beds have been in use over the past week, with 119  out of 1,634 overall  still available statewide.

Bookman presented data showing that El Paso County had far and away the highest number of new COVID-19 patients admitted over the past week, with 117. The second closest, Jefferson County, was half that, at 58. El Paso County had more hospitalizations over the past week than 33 other counties admitted combined. Twenty-one more had no hospital admits at all.

El Paso County officials told The Gazette last week that they had not talked with the state about any public health measures.

Bookman said the state is "starting to see a real, real tight hospital capacity in many areas of the state, and we're continuing to work with our hospital partners to ensure we're using every bed available in the state."
Lake County Search and Rescue reports that an overdue hiker was able to self-rescue after spending 24 hours on Mount Elbert. A team was called out to find the hiker, but was unable to connect as the hiker ignored calls from the search crew.
Twenty days after Sally Strelecki was shot in the head after a bullet tore through her apartment wall, shes awake, alert and communicating with those around her, said Nick Osano, Streleckis fiance.

Doctors at Littleton Hospital began weaning the 27-year-old off a medication that causes a medically induced coma about 10 days ago and she since has begun to regain some of her motor skills and even talk.

Its absolutely amazing and nothing short of incredible, Osano said.

Strelecki was shot in the back of the skull on the morning of Oct. 2 at her apartment in eastern Centennial.

At the time, Strelecki was at the kitchen counter with her pets food bowls in hand. Osano was on the couch when he heard the gunshot. Then he saw his fiancee on the ground in a pool of blood.

He looked over and before he could say, What is that? she fell, Amy Graham, Streleckis mother, previously told The Denver Gazette.

Graham declined to comment to The Denver Gazette on Friday.

Strelecki was born in Colorado Springs in 1994. For several years, Strelecki worked at her family's restaurant, Smiley's Bakery and Cafe, in downtown Colorado Springs.

Strelecki was admitted to Littleton Hospital following the shooting and was placed on life support. Earlier this week, The Denver Gazette reported Strelecki was being removed from life support, however, that decision was halted.

Currently, Strelecki remains on partial life-support, but since awakening from a medically induced coma has regained the ability to move and squeeze her hands, shake and kick her legs, communicate through American Sign Language and even talk.

Shes even started physical therapy with the assistance of two of her nurses, Osano said.

When I was leaving she pointed to the door, waved goodbye and gave me the sign for I love you, Osano said. (Its) something we used to throw up at each other any time wed leave for work in the morning (and) she remembered all on her own and did it as a response.

On Friday, Strelecki even asked to see the couples dog, Niyah.

Although the road to recovery is just beginning, Osano said his fiancee can handle anything thrown at her.

To know shes fighting as hard as she has to come back to us is nothing short of a miracle, Osano said. Shes got a light and fire that Ive never see in another person and nothing and nobody can extinguish that except for herself.

The family created a GoFundMe page to assist with the medical bills.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is reminding dog owners to keep their furry companions away from wildlife after two deer were fatally wounded by dogs in Jefferson County.

The two incidents in Jefferson County involved dogs mortally wounding doe deer. One of the incidents happened on Oct. 20 in Evergreen, and the dog owner was cited for illegal take of the deer and for negligently allowing their dog to harass wildlife, officials said.

The second incident also involved a dog mortally wounding a deer, but the dog and its owner have not been identified.

"People may forget that their pet dog is a predator and they can injure and kill wildlife if not properly controlled," CPW wildlife officer Joe Nicholson said in a release. "Dog owners are liable for the damage they cause to wildlife."

Officials said whether the dog is attacking wildlife, chasing, or both, these actions are illegal and can carry hefty fines.

Dog owners could be cited for negligently allowing their dog to harass wildlife, which carries a $274 fine. If a dog attack leads to the death of wildlife, the owner can be cited for illegal take, which carries a $959 fine for deer and more than $1,300 for elk, officials said.

Canines who chase wild animals can cause extreme stress and injuries from bites. If this happens during the late winter months, many big-game animals who are susceptible to dog harassment are pregnant, officials said.

As they run to try to escape, deer and elk expend crucial energy that can lead to an increase in the mortality rate of the animals or unborn calves and fawns.

"By winter, deer and elk are just trying to survive the snow and lack of forage," Nicholson said. "If dogs chase them, they quickly expend their already limited fat stores, leading to poor health and eventual death from starvation. That is what we are trying to prevent."

While it might be legal to allow dogs to run free in some recreation areas across the state, wildlife managers strongly encourage keeping pets on a leash whenever encounters with animals are possible.

"The stress and injuries caused by dogs are concerns, but so are conflicts," said area wildlife manager Mark Lamb. "Each year, we investigate numerous incidents in which a person is injured by a wild animal. A common factor in many of these situations is that the victim's dog approached or harassed the animal."

Lamb added that animals such as a moose see dogs as a threat and will aggressively try to stomp any dog that approaches it. In many instances, the dog then runs back to its owner, who then becomes a target of the moose.

In 2021, there have been four moose attacks in Colorado, three of which involved dogs and resulted in injuries to humans, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Wildlife officers encourage anyone who witnesses a dog chasing wildlife to contact their local wildlife officer or the Colorado State Patrol. Denver's office can be reached at 303-291-7227 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Homeless people sleeping in tents or elsewhere outside were not counted in this years annual survey of the unsheltered population.
More than eight months have passed since Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Brian Boatright assured legislators and the public that there would be an independent investigation into a scandal involving allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior by judges and attempts to cover it up.

But state judicial officials have yet to sign a pair of contracts hiring companies to delve into a $2.5 million deal given to a former Judicial Department official or the allegations of rampant misconduct laid out in a memo that prompted it.

Instead, the contracts totaling up to $350,000 have been mired in a negotiations process  which includes the Attorney General's Office  and, as of Monday, remain unsigned.

In the meantime, four other investigations launched by other state agencies into the memo and subsequent deal have been progressing, according to people familiar with those probes.

At least one member of the eight-person committee  formed by the governor, attorney general, president of the Colorado Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives to choose the companies to investigate  said hes concerned the slow-moving process could erode the publics trust in whats to be a transparent inquiry.

Im very disappointed its taken as long as it has, Sen. Pete Lee, D-Colorado Springs, told The Gazette. Weve turned it over to qualified investigative entities to ensure there were competent, impartial, intelligent and knowledgeable people to do a thorough, comprehensive and unbiased investigation. That was the result of many, many hours of very hard work by a lot of busy people.

Boatright in February said he wanted to ensure a thorough inquiry, telling legislators it would begin in about a month.

Nobody wants these investigations to go forward more than I do, Boatright said in a statement in which he asked the state's other leaders to select the members of the panel.

The panel took months drafting the request for a proposal to an investigative company and then days pouring over seven bids before settling on two companies in August: Investigations Law Group and RCT Ltd.

A seven-day appeal process expired for any unsuccessful bidder and the state was left to negotiate the deals. Investigations Law Group would be paid as much as $250,000 to investigate claims of workplace harassment and gender discrimination within the department. RCT Ltd, which is headed by former U.S. Attorney Robert Troyer, would be paid up to $75,000 to investigate the circumstance of the contract given to the departments former chief of staff, Mindy Masias.

Why the contracts haven't been signed is unclear, and the details surrounding the negotiations are not public. Gazette emails to the department seeking information were not returned.

Rep. Adrienne Benavidez, D-Commerce City, was on the panel that selected the companies and said its possible the slowdown is in technical areas of contract language rather than money.

Ive worked in procurement and know how long it can take, so its not that surprising, she said. Indemnification  which is if someone sues them over their report  could be a huge issue, to be sure the state will stand behind them. It can get sticky where investigators are talking to employees and others with some pretty confidential information.

A former administrator has said the contract was given to Masias in return for not filing a sexual discrimination lawsuit that threatened to reveal years of judicial misconduct including the destruction of evidence, payments to harassment victims to protect judges reputations, and a variety of other sexually inappropriate behavior by jurists.

The behavior was laid out in a two-page memo authored by Eric Brown, the departments former human resources director. Brown read from the memo in January 2019 meeting with then-Chief Court Administrator Christopher Ryan, then-Chief Justice Nathan Ben Coats and his legal counsel, Andrew Rottman.

Only one  Rottman  remains with the department.

Masias was eventually awarded the sole-source contract for judicial training in March 2019, a day after she resigned her position following months of sick leave. She took the leave when she was told to resign or be fired over financial irregularities.

The five-year contract was up for public bid, but none of more than 400 eligible companies offered a proposal.

A state auditors report in December 2020 about troubles in the department said there was an appearance of impropriety in how the contract was awarded and that it appeared to be a violation of the Judicial Code of Conduct.

That audit mainly focused on accusations from a whistleblower letter sent to the governors office and the chief justice in early 2019 that outlined a variety of financial concerns. The letter also alleged that Masias committed fraud and threatened to sue.

The auditors office is wrapping up a second investigation it launched after newspaper accounts in February 2021 revealed the memos existence, information auditors did not have at the time of their first review, according to people familiar with that probe.

The whistleblower letter also referred to Masias and Brown traveling to conferences on state time and getting paid to speak there, incidents which were not taken up in the first audit.

Mindy Masias and Eric Brown travel together and speak at conferences for the National Center of State Courts, according to the whistleblower letter. They earn consulting and speaking fees as judicial employees on state time.

State personnel rules specifically say an employee cannot have a second job that overlaps with their government one and cannot accept outside payment for any work they do while on state time. Accepting a state paycheck while simultaneously being paid by the private-sector could be a problem that's referred to prosecutors, depending on the circumstances, according to a former district attorney.

The letter-writer noted how Masias and Brown also spoke at a conference in Arkansas while Masias taking family medical leave at the time she was to be fired.

They both speak on ethics and management even though they are covering up fraud, the letter alleged.

Neither Masias nor Brown has responded publicly to any of the allegations.

The auditors current inquiry is, by law, secret unless criminal charges are filed or the Judicial Department makes it public.

Other agencies delving into the memo and contract scandal include the FBI, the states Attorney Regulation Counsel that oversees lawyer discipline, and the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline.

Several people familiar with those probes have said theyve already been questioned by investigators.

Benavidez said to be patient.

The public would be slighted and would have a lack of confidence if they just made a sole-source award for it to be done very quickly, she said. But those of us on the panel and the judiciary want it to be as fair and transparent as possible. Weve made very deliberate steps along the way.

David Migoya can be reached at david.migoya@gazette.com.
The mostly vacant Rustic Hills North shopping center in Colorado Springs will be transformed into an industrial commerce center  a change that's expected to help inject new life into the Academy Boulevard corridor.

Brennan Investment Group of suburban Chicago, a privately owned firm that acquires, develops and operates industrial facilities nationwide, paid $7 million last week to purchase the 22-acre Rustic Hills North, northeast of Academy and Palmer Park boulevards.

Built in the early 1970s, Rustic Hills North was once a thriving retail center and home to popular stores and businesses such as Albertsons and Longs Drugs that served east-side residents and neighborhoods.

Shifting demographics and changing retail patterns, however, left Rustic Hills North a shell of its former self as stores closed or moved to trendy Powers Boulevard to chase growing numbers of rooftops on the far east and northeast sides. Albertsons shuttered in 2006 and Longs followed the next year.

Now, Brennan plans a series of upgrades and enhancements for the majority of Rustic Hills North that will create spaces for light industrial users, while giving the property a fresh and renovated look, said Brian Roach, a company principal based in suburban Denver.

"There will be some good changes as we go into the new year," Roach said. "The focus now is to just kind of find businesses to fill that space up. But it will look better, I'll tell you that."

Brennan was attracted to Colorado Springs, in part because of its strong population growth, which draws suppliers and other industrial businesses that want to be near booming markets, Roach said. Thriving cities also give businesses a growing labor pool from which to hire, he said.

"If you're in a market that is a static population base, you already probably have all of your suppliers, your providers," Roach said. "Those people aren't going to move tremendously and grow tremendously. But if you have continual population growth, there's always a need for one more supplier."

Rustic Hills North's central location at Academy and Palmer Park, meanwhile, will provide good access to other parts of town for future industrial tenants, while a large parking lot will offer hundreds of spaces for their employees and customers, Roach said.

As part of Rustic Hills North's makeover, Brennan plans to convert three buildings totaling nearly 207,000 square feet into industrial spaces.

Such uses, Roach said, might include warehouses for e-commerce retailers; storage and offices for heating, ventilating and cooling companies; space for construction industry suppliers; or carpeting, flooring and tile showrooms.

Colorado Springs has a shortage of smaller industrial spaces, but Rustic Hills North will accommodate multiple users, some of whom might need as little as 7,500 square feet, said Aaron Horn and Heather Mauro of Cushman & Wakefield/Colorado Springs Commercial. They represented Brennan in its purchase of Rustic Hills North and are marketing the property.

"Industrial groups that are looking for that, they just don't have any choices," Horn said. "They're stuck with renewing (a lease) where they're at. Sometimes they don't come to Colorado Springs at all."

Building smaller industrial spaces, meanwhile, is cost prohibitive, Horn added. Rustic Hills North will charge $9 to $10 per square foot for its space, but newly constructed, speculative projects  those without tenants signed in advance  would have to charge several dollars more to recover building and investment costs, he said.

Brennan's other plans for the property include demolition of a roughly 21,000-square-foot building on the shopping center's north end, which the city had condemned. Plans will be developed for the site's future use.

The company will keep a 9,742-square-foot building on Rustic Hills North's south end and continue to lease it to retail tenants. A restaurant, tax service and laundry currently occupy the retail spaces.

Also remaining: the Colorado Springs Event Center, which has hosted boat and RV exhibits, home expos, gun and knife shows, and other trade, consumer and specialty events at Rustic Hills North since 2011. It has an existing lease and will continue to operate at the property, Roach said.

Brennan is receptive to keeping the Event Center at Rustic Hills North, he added.

The Event Center could be a complementary use to industrial tenants, Roach said. Home show attendees, for example, might be interested in a carpet installer or kitchen and bath company leasing space at Rustic Hills North.

Kevin Hummer, CEO of RJ Promotions in St. Joseph, Mo., who heads one company that leases and operates the venue and another that puts on shows at the facility, said he's ecstatic over Brennan's acquisition of Rustic Hills North.

He's looking to build "synergy" with the new owner and its efforts to upgrade the property and hopes to keep the Event Center at Rustic Hills North. His lease allows for mutually renewable options at the property, he said.

Brennan will undertake extensive improvements at Rustic Hills North, including facade updates, interior renovations, upgrades to a truck court and dock doors on the building's east side, screening the property from nearby residents, parking lot repairs and landscaping enhancements, Roach said.

Rustic Hills North's transformation from a retail center to another use was inevitable because of Colorado Springs' growth to the north and northeast, said John Egan, a broker with NAI Highland in Colorado Springs. He and colleagues Randy Dowis and Craig Anderson represented the property's former owner, a Denver businessman, in the property's sale.

The new use for Rustic Hills North, meanwhile, should help attract more businesses to the central portion of Academy, which city officials identified years ago as a troubled area because of stores and restaurants abandoning the corridor for Powers Boulevard and elsewhere.

"That really is truly the heart of Colorado Springs," Mauro said. "Since I've lived in Colorado Springs, which would be 2007, it's been an area of town that needs some activity, it needs some redevelopment and needs a heartbeat. I think this is really going to offer that to that part of town."
California faces challenges tracking COVID testing, vaccination data

California state agencies require employees to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. Verifying the vaccination status of workers is progressing, but most state-run workplaces have failed to test unvaccinated employees, the LA Times reported.

Overall, the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) said 66% of the states employees have provided proof they are vaccinated, but only half of 59,000 unvaccinated state employees were being tested as required during the first week of October.

At the Department of Motor Vehicles, which has about 3,600 unvaccinated workers, only 411 are being tested, and Cal Fire reported that it is testing just 75 of the 6,700 unvaccinated employees.

Some agencies failing to report vaccination rates or testing information at all.

Testing thousands of unvaccinated state workers is a massive undertaking and the effort has been slowed by supply test shortages, CalHR Director Eraina Ortega said. Additionally, there is no hard deadline for when departments have to begin testing unvaccinated employees, she said, adding that 48 out of 152 state departments already have testing up and running at some or all of their locations.

To help agencies manage the testing and vaccination data, the major HR technology vendors have stepped up.

"All the big HR vendors have some capability with vaccine surveys and tracking, including ADP, Ceridian, Oracle, SAP and Workday," Sam Grinter, London-based senior principal analyst at Gartner, told SHRM. "Most of these tools are not too technically sophisticated. In most cases, they have taken a surveying tool and reconfigured it to track vaccine status."

In July, ADP, for example, added a vaccine survey so employers could poll staff about their vaccine status. Now, workers can upload proof of vaccination and testing results for unvaccinated employees. Employees use a mobile app, but HR departments get information through a web-based interface, allowing them to use the reported data to make workplace decisions.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to release an emergency temporary standard requiring companies with 100 or more employees to mandate vaccination or weekly testing for their unvaccinated employees.

Federal agencies, however, have a little more leeway. According to the Sept. 13 update to the COVID-19 Workplace Safety: Agency Model Safety Principles, federal agencies are no longer required to establish a screening testing program for employees or onsite contractor employees who are not fully vaccinated, although they may do so. They are, however, required to have a process in place for employee diagnostic testing after a workplace exposure.
Some states are cloaking prison COVID data

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice maintains a public dashboard showing the status of COVID-19 in its prisons, including a tally of those who have died. Earlier this week, that number stood at 173 confirmed COVID-19 deaths.

The dashboard links to a list of names that ends with the Jan. 19 death of a 69-year-old serving a life sentence for murder, leaving the impression that no one has died of COVID-19 at a state prison since then.

But thats not the case. Two incarcerated patients died Oct. 6, bringing the total COVID-19 deaths in state prisons to 295, according to the Texas Justice Initiative, a nonprofit that collects its data from reports sent by corrections officials to the attorney general.

Why the state reports one set of numbers to the public and another to its attorney general isnt clear, said Eva Ruth Moravec, executive director of the Texas Justice Initiative. It says where their priority is. If it was important to be transparent with the public, it would be on the public-facing dashboard.

Texas is not the only state that has failed to consistently report COVID-19 cases and deaths in state prisons, local jails and juvenile detention facilities. While most corrections systems have never provided a great deal of information about the spread of the virus in their institutions, lately it has gotten worse, researchers say.

At least a half-dozen states, including Florida and Georgia as well as Texas, provide even less information than they once did, according to researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles COVID Behind Bars Data Project, which collects and analyzes data on the pandemic in corrections settings.

In an online post in late August, the project noted that while prison reporting had been plagued by deep inadequacies since the start of the pandemic, corrections systems cut back even more on public data in recent months. This happened even though prisons, like nursing homes, have been particularly susceptible to deadly outbreaks of the virus.

Agencies had begun to roll back basic data reporting on the impact of COVID-19 in their facilities, the authors wrote of a trend they detected beginning last spring. They characterize the drift as a deliberate cloaking of the reality on the ground.

States that have explained why they cut back on public data mostly say they stopped providing more detailed reports because of a decline in cases, even though they began making the change before this summers surge of the delta variant. Texas said its numbers are delayed because it waits for autopsy results, while Louisiana said the hours spent reporting data took time away from caring for patients.

The Behind Bars authors said the states have stopped publishing information on the number of cases, tests performed, deaths and vaccinations, both among inmates and staff. Some have stopped providing cumulative totals in those categories. Other researchers have found that hardly any prison systems publish demographic information, which would show the age, ethnicity and race of prison populations who have been the most vulnerable.

The UCLA project reported that in addition to Texas, prison systems in Florida, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi also have cut back on information that they had earlier provided about COVID-19 in their prisons. It noted that Arkansas has never disclosed the number of incarcerated people who have died of the virus. Meanwhile, the project observed that, like Texas, all those states were especially hard hit by the delta variant this summer.

Sort of gave up

I think probably there is a disincentive for them to report because the worse the pandemic deaths, the more it will be used against them, said Erika Tyagi, a senior data scientist with the Behind Bars Data Project. I think they thought, why are we giving data that the public will use against us? Its bleak, but they sort of gave up. Tyagi said Massachusetts and Oklahoma also have cut back on data reporting since the project published.

The Florida Department of Corrections did not respond directly to Stateline questions about its data, but it defended its treatment of sick patients and said all prisoners are offered vaccines. However, earlier this summer, the department acknowledged to the Orlando Sentinel that as of June 2 it had stopped posting weekly reports on COVID-19 cases and deaths among inmates and staff, determining that it was no longer operationally necessary.

In July, the Georgia Department of Corrections announced it was no longer reporting COVID-19 data on its website, citing a downturn of cases at the time. Should significant fluctuations occur in the status of COVID-19 cases with our facilities, the dashboard will be reinstated, Joan Heath, a department spokesperson, wrote in an email to Stateline.

In Texas, the public list of names from corrections officials indicates that zero incarcerated people died of COVID-19 from January through this montheven though nearly half of the total COVID-19 deaths among all Texans happened in that same period, as the highly contagious delta variant was running amok.

In response to a query from Stateline about the discrepancies between the number of deaths reported by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the number reported by the Texas Justice Initiative, agency spokesperson Robert Hurst said deaths were counted on the dashboard only after an autopsy or physician determined COVID-19 was the cause of death.
A protective order has been issued and a continuance granted to a Chicago man accused of killing another man near Federal Plaza earlier this month.

Jelani Armon Faulk, 25, was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Cerro Gordo County District Court on charges of felony first degree murder and interference with official acts. Police say Faulk shot Christopher Tucker, 35, of Garner, in the early morning hours of Oct. 3. When an officer arrived on the scene and attempted to order Faulk to the ground, police say he raised his weapon and pointed it at the officer, who then shot Faulk several times.

In a motion filed on Friday asking to delay his arraignment -- when a defendant hears details about the charges against him and can enter a plea -- Faulk's attorneys say County Attorney Carlyle Dalen failed to comply with an order to produce all the required evidence in the case for the defense to review. When contacted by defense attorneys on Tuesday, Dalen said the evidence he had previously passed along -- a handful of witness statements and reports, the defense attorneys wrote -- was "the best I can do at this time," according to court documents.

The court approved delaying Faulk's arraignment until Nov. 9.

Late last week, the District Court Judge Rustin Davenport ordered the state Department of Criminal Investigation to remove from its website and social media platforms a press release and letter from Winnebago County Attorney Kelsey Beenken saying Mason City Police Officer Noah Friese was justified in shooting Faulk.

The letter from Beenken came at County Attorney Dalen's request who sought another independent review of the case.

Faulk's attorneys filed a motion for a temporary protective order indicating that the DCI unnecessarily published information about the case "that may not be accurate and is potentially harmful to the defendant's right to a fair and impartial trial."

In his ruling, Davenport wrote that though the court cannot interfere with press publication of information it receives, he agreed with defense attorneys that DCI's press release might adversely affect jury selection in the case.

Iowa code says that "a prosecutor in a criminal case shall refrain from making extrajudicial comments that have a substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of an accused and exercise reasonable care to prevent investigators, law enforcement personnel, employees, or other persons assisting or associated with the prosecutor in a criminal case from making extrajudicial statements that would be prohibited under the rules."

Besides the DCI, the court also ordered the Mason City Police Department, Cerro Gordo County Attorney's Office and the Winnebago County Attorney's office to not produce the Winnebago County Attorney's letter or the DCI's press release and to remove it from their websites and any social media platform they use.

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Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the accurate vote total of the planning and zoning commission, and to clarify the development plans of future lots.

On Tuesday evening, the Clear Lake Planning and Zoning Commission met to review the site plan for the proposed Hy-Vee grocery store in Clear Lake, along with the larger Emerald Edge preliminary plat.

The preliminary plat proposed by Sukup Ag from Sheffield contains seven commercial lots and one outlot that all run along Highway 18 between North 14th Street and North 20th Street.

The lot furthest east labeled "Commercial Phase 1 Lot 1" along North 20th Street and Highway 18 is where the proposed Hy-Vee and convenience mart would be located.

The plat would also see the creation of two new streets, Jade Street and Hunter Place. Jade Street would run parallel to North 20th Street, but on the west side of the proposed Hy-Vee lot, connecting to Highway 18 with a right in and right out entrance and exit.

Hunter Place is proposed to run east to west parallel to Highway 18, but on the north side of commercial lots three through seven.

Flory noted that there will likely be further projects developed in the other smaller commercial lots, and that the planning and zoning commission could see him again "soon" to discuss other projects within the development.

Jason Petersburg, project engineer for Veenstra & Kimm Inc., recommended that the planning and zoning commission approve the preliminary plat.

The planning and zoning commission approved the Emerald Edge preliminary plat unanimously, 3-0.

The commission then reviewed the site plan specifically for the Hy-Vee grocery store.

The proposed development includes a 47,000 square foot Hy-Vee grocery store, an approximately 4,000 square foot convenience mart and a parking lot in the 6.5 acre lot. Flory noted in a previous meeting that Embree is anticipated to put a capital investment of $8 million on the project.

Hy-Vee grocery store coming to Clear Lake On Monday, the Clear Lake City Council met to review and make changes to its urban renewal plan. One of those changes was to accommodate for a new Hy-Vee grocery store.

Flory noted that the timeline for the Hy-Vee is still up in the air, but the developers hope to break ground "within the next 30 days" with an aim to open in the fall of next year.

Petersburg recommended to the planning and zoning commission that they approve the site plan for the Hy-Vee.

The planning and zoning commission approved the Hy-Vee site plan unanimously, 3-0.

The Embree Development Group is based out of Georgetown, Texas, and the letter of intent stated the group had interest in building a new retail space in the Willow Creek area of Clear Lake.

Zachary Dupont covers politics and business development for the Globe Gazette. You can reach him at 641-421-0533 or zachary.dupont@globegazette.com. Follow Zachary on Twitter at @ZachNDupont

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The 2022 state and midterm elections are more than a year away, but the clock is ticking for Iowa political parties to recruit candidates and launch campaigns, and the delay in legislative approval of a new plan to set election boundaries is not helping.

In Jones County, for example, Democrats say theyve identified potential candidates or had people come forward expressing an interest in running for the Iowa Legislature.

But you cant expect people to get too involved until they know the district and who they will be running against, said former lawmaker Andy McKean of Anamosa.

The hesitancy from potential candidates is not unique to Jones County. Andy Suchorski of the Democrats Iowa Senate Majority Fund sees that happening around the state. Hes seeing strong interest from Iowans who want to run  but want to know who theyll be up against if they do.

Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann also is hearing from Iowans interested in running for the Legislature or Congress who are waiting to see the final redistricting map before making a decision. However, hes hearing from others who want to run for office regardless of the boundaries.

Iowa lawmakers get look at second redistricting proposal Iowans are getting a look at a second redistricting plan that if approved by the Legislature will set the boundaries for the states congressional and legislative districts for the next decade.

It's almost like they're motivated by pure enthusiasm, pure desire to serve, and aren't really worried about the details that they're going to have to worry about at some point, Kaufmann said.

The redistricting process first was held up by COVID-19, which caused the U.S. Census Bureau to delay its head count that is used to redraw the boundaries of congressional and legislative districts to reflect population changes every 10 years. The process then has been further delayed because Senate majority Republicans rejected the first plan. A second plan will be considered in a special session Thursday.

McKean wont say extending the approval process is a Republican strategy, but he doesnt rule it out, either.

One thing I would point out is that its a tremendous advantage to incumbents, he recently told a Democratic gathering. I wouldn't be surprised if that's part of what's going on here. It's just kind of kicking the ball down the road a ways. It could very well be that we don't know what the districts are until at the earliest November, and possibly even later than that.

Until then, McKean added, everyone is in a state of suspended animation, he said.

Although overcoming a 32-18 deficit in the Senate may take more than one election cycle, Suchorski said, Democrats are particularly interested in a couple of races. Theyre targeting Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver of Ankeny, and State Government Committee Chairman Roby Smith of Davenport. Whitver has pushed an aggressive Republican agenda and Smith made his partys argument for rejecting the first redistricting map and has sponsored legislation Democrats label as voter suppression.

Were seeing backlash to that, Suchorski said, adding that potential candidates will present a strong contrast to folks who are in Des Moines who are not working for their constituents. They like to say one thing on the campaign trail and then they go to Des Moines, they vote another way. I think it's catching up to both Smith and Whitver, and I think we're seeing that in the candidate recruitment.

Republican dont face the same recruitment challenge as Democrats. With a 60-40 advantage in the House in addition to their Senate majority, the GOP doesnt have to recruit as a many challengers.

MURPHY: Second time on redistricting maps might be the charm If an end to the decennial redistricting process is the treasure you seek, the Legislative Service Agencys new maps may contain the X that marks the spot.

In fact, Kaufmann indicated the problem may be more candidates than openings. Some potential candidates who are not familiar with the process just know they want to run for something  and you don't want to take away that kind of enthusiasm coming from your base.

One challenge for Republicans is that the redistricting plan under consideration would lump many of the GOP legislators in districts with another Republican incumbent, which could lead to primary contests.

Meanwhile McKean said he and fellow Democrats will continue to work with people interested in running. In addition to learning who they might face or whether there will be no incumbent in a newly drawn district, potential candidates want to know the voters registration numbers before declaring their candidacy.

Jones County is pretty red, McKean said, with 4,753 Republicans and 3,354 Democrats. There are 5,804 other registered voters not aligned with either party. Over the years, both Democrats and Republicans have represented the county in the Legislature.

Its a place where a good candidate who runs a good campaign can get elected, said McKean, who entered the Legislature in 1979 as a Republican and left this year as a Democratic. A Democratic may be an underdog, but not without possibilities.

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A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest for Tuesday:

STATE AGENCY HONORED: The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division has received the Best Stakeholder Outreach Award from Stateways magazine. The award was given for the agencys communication and education efforts to alcohol licensees and consumers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout 2020, the alcohol industry in Iowa, like many others, was reeling from trying to navigate through the ever-changing landscape of the pandemic. ABD Administrator Stephen Larson said the award is a testament to the staffs efforts despite the challenges and pressure we all faced during the ongoing pandemic.

ABD is responsible for governing the alcohol industry in Iowa, with about 16,000 licenses. Education and communication are key aspects in protecting the health and safety of residents in regards to alcoholic beverages.

StateWays Best Practices Awards recognize agencies leading the industry in innovation, education and enforcement and have been awarded annually since 2015. Awards are offered in eight categories and are available to any alcohol control agency from the U.S. and Canada. ABD received its award at the National Alcohol Beverage Control Associations Administrators Conference.

StateWays is a national magazine covering issues affecting alcohol regulatory agencies across the country.

COVID RECOVERY HELP: COVID-19 Recovery Iowa, a program of the Iowa Department of Human Services, has staff who are conducting support sessions to help navigate COVID-related workplace issues. Those include worry about being exposed to the virus at work, concern about taking time off if not feeling well, changing rules and guidelines for masks, vaccines and returning to the workplace, and uncertainty about the stability of an employer because of COVID.

COVID Recovery Iowas services are free of charge. To get more information or to schedule a seminar for your workplace, contact Karen Hyatt at (515) 281-3128 or khyatt@dhs.state.ia.us.

COVID-19 Recovery Iowa is for all Iowans who have been affected by the pandemic or the 2020 derecho. In addition to support groups, activities and resources, COVID Recovery Iowa offers free confidential virtual counseling and emotional support to all Iowans. To reach the Iowa Concern Line, call (800) 447-1985 or (844) 775-9276 or visit www.COVIDrecoveryiowa.org.

Compiled by The Gazette Des Moines Bureau

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CEDAR RAPIDS  Sen. Rob Hogg will be splitting his attention Thursday between a special session of the Iowa Legislature and a climate conference halfway around the world.

While the Iowa lawmakers are considering new maps that will influence politics in the state for a decade, Hogg will be among those considering policies that will affect climate  and humankind  for much longer.

Hogg, 54, a Cedar Rapids Democratic, is among 24 U.S. delegates who will represent the Episcopal Church at the United Nations 26th Conference of Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as COP26.

Hogg, who attends Christ Episcopal Church in Cedar Rapids, and the other delegates will participate virtually rather than travel to Glasgow, Scotland, where conferees will meet Oct. 28 to Nov. 12.

Hogg is unsure of the mechanics of his participation other than the six-hour time difference means many of the sessions will be starting at 4 a.m. for him.

Regardless of the timing, Hoggs efforts will be in line with the goal of increasing ambition.

The Episcopal Church is calling for justice for the worlds poorest peoples who suffer the greatest consequences of climate change and contribute the least to causing the problem, Hogg said.

They also are calling for justice for people working in fossil fuel industries whose jobs will be displaced by the transition to cleaner energy.

Faith communities have a strong calling to care for Gods creation and Gods children, Hogg said.

The faith community, which already helps mitigate the physical and emotional trauma of disasters related to global warming, is seeking a larger role in addressing the impact of climate change.

Hogg is no stranger to the issue.

He authored a 2013 book, America's Climate Century: What Climate Change Means for America in the 21st Century and What Americans Can Do about It. He called climate change the defining issue of the 21st Century and challenged Americans to make the fight against it their national purpose.

He wrote about cultural and faith issues involved in addressing climate change but focused on the role of Congress.

Since then, (Congress) hasnt done much, and its done some bad things, Hogg said.

The political system hasnt fully grasped the full effort science and the faith community believe is necessary, Hogg said.

The faith community offers the potential for a deeper transformation that is not only political, but cultural.

We need to come to grips with the magnitude of the problem, he said. That doesnt happen without the faith community.

Representing a faith community in the global discussion is not a repudiation of politics, Hogg said, but a recognition of its limits.

We desperately need congressional action, but by itself, that isnt enough, he said. This has to be something Americans want.

As someone who has held political office since 2003, Hogg believes it will take more than the political system to address global climate change issues.

He sees his participation in COP26 as a unique way to serve the church in deepening our commitment to addressing climate change.

Its a moment to go deeper, to think about the long-term future of the world, Hogg said.

The conference will not be the end of the discussion.

This is a challenge for a lifetime, Hogg said. Were up against the clock, and we need to find the will to do things most people understand we need to do.

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Terry McAuliffe campaigns in Danville

Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe campaigned in Danville on Wednesday, just after his opponent rallied supporters during an event the night before.

McAuliffe pulled no punches, accusing Republican Glenn Youngkin of filling his campaign with racist dog whistles, including references to ensuring election integrity and running an ad featuring a woman who wanted a book by a Black author, Toni Morrisons Beloved, banned from her sons English curriculum.

They want to ban books, McAuliffe told about 30-40 supporters at Bibleway Cathedral on Wednesday afternoon. It is shocking that the he started his campaign on dog whistles, racist dog whistles.

McAuliffe was referring to a 60-second ad released by Youngkins campaign Monday that has Laura Murphy giving details on her efforts to require schools to notify parents if required books in their childs curriculum includes explicit content and allow students to opt out of reading them.

Beloved, which focuses on former slaves following the Civil War and depicts the horrors of slavery, won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Morrison would later win the Nobel Prize for literature. She died in 2019.
Glenn Youngkin campaigns in Danville

Pledging to cut taxes and reduce government overreach, Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin rallied supporters during a campaign event at the Community Market in Danville on Tuesday evening.

We have a moment here, a defining moment, where we all get to change the trajectory of this great commonwealth of Virginia, not just for Virginians, not just for those who live here, but for the entire United States, Youngkin told about 200-300 supporters.

During his speech before a spirited crowd in a rock-concert atmosphere, Youngkin said he would declare the largest tax refund in the history of Virginia, eliminate the grocery tax and double everyones standard tax deduction.

In the first year, there will be nearly $1,500 in tax savings from tax cuts, Youngkin said.

He took jabs at his Democratic opponent, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, accusing him and his party of wanting to take taxpayers money.

They think its their money, Youngkin said. I know its your money. Terry McAuliffe wants to spend your money. I want to make sure it comes back to you.
There are exceptions to this trend. George Mason, which educates more Pell Grant recipients than any other public school in the state, saw its enrollment grow 2%. Mary Washington, which educates fewer Pell recipients, saw a 12% drop.

Last year, high school students in the state completed fewer forms for the FAFSA  the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Students who fill out the form are more likely to be from low- and middle-income families. They enroll in college at lower rates, and the decline in FAFSA completion indicates they are likely to fall further behind, Allison said.

High schools in Virginia with high concentrations of poverty saw their FAFSA completion rate fall 22%, which was three times worse than the national average for high-poverty schools.

Students who graduated last spring often needed to work after high school to help their families, said Cherrelle Davis, a counselor at Petersburg High. Others struggled with Zoom classes. If they didnt engage with a topic, they checked out.

Why go into debt just to sit in a room and do all my classes through Zoom? said Sky Scott, an adviser for the Virginia College Advising Corps at Buckingham High. It didnt make sense to all our students.
Officials celebrate new foxed-base operator at airport

Averett University celebrated its new role as operator of Danville Regional Airport during an event held at the facility Tuesday.

The university held a ribbon-cutting marking the opening of AU Aviation Services, the new fixed-base operator at the airport.

Dozens of city and university officials attended the event that included recognition of the Rembold family, which had operated the airport for more than 70 years before Averett became the operator July 1 under an agreement with the city of Danville.

This has been a mission, a lifes work, for the Rembolds, Averett President Tiffany Franks told attendees just before presenting a framed photo of an airplane in flight to the family. Pilot after pilot, if theyve been here, theyve known a Rembold and they are so appreciative for all the care that has been shown to them by the Rembold family.

Franks praised the Rembolds dedication and service to the airport, calling them a tough act to follow. Mike and Libby Rembold operated the facility under General Aviation Inc.

These two people are synonymous with the fixed-base operation and they have been the bedrock of the operation at the Danville Regional Airport for decades, Franks said.
In conjuring her own entry into moviemaking, Hogg has also led Swinton Byrne in her first steps into film. Despite growing up on movie sets, The Souvenir marks the 24-year-old's debut. Hogg, unsatisfied with everyone she auditioned, cast her just two weeks before starting the first part, when Swinton Byrne was 19. Julie's evolution is also Swinton Byrne's.

So much happened in those two years between part one and part two. I went away to Namibia for 10 months. I like to think I did a lot of growing up in that time, Swinton Byrne says by Zoom from Edinburgh, Scotland, where shes studying psychology. So I think I went into the second one with much more of a backbone.

I changed, myself, she adds before laughing. There wasnt a lot of acting going on.

To Swinton Byrne, the second part of The Souvenir is particularly empowering. After finishing her studies, she expects to keep acting.

Hollywood depicts this ideal expectation of what to experience in your 20s and 30s, so this is why Im really moved by both films, Swinton Byrne says. These two films, as a whole, shed light on making mistakes, and how thats completely normal and completely healthy, and the more mistakes you make, the more you learn.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones urged supporters of public education in North Carolina on Tuesday to organize to fight anti-history laws being promoted by Republican lawmakers.

Hannah-Jones said the left hasnt gotten mad enough in opposing the culture war that has been contrived by the right wing that has led to laws banning schools from teaching things such as her 1619 Project.

She said at an online forum of North Carolina educators that people are living in dark and scary times where teachers are afraid to even teach and talk about the experiences that their children are having.

Were being outgunned right now and I think thats because this is not an issue thats getting enough of the people on the left angry, Hannah-Jones said. People on the right are very angry and anger is often what inspires you to organize and to push for laws and to push for these changes.

Hannah-Jones was the keynote speaker Tuesday at The Color of Education Summit, a two-day virtual event drawing 1,600 people to engage in critical conversations centered on addressing issues of racial equity and education.
GREENSBORO  A raccoon found on Irwin Street in Greensboro tested positive for the rabies virus on Tuesday, according to a news release from the Guilford County health department.

It's the tenth confirmed case of animal rabies in Guilford County this year.

North Carolina law requires that all domestic pets (cats, dogs, and ferrets) four months or older be vaccinated for rabies. Animals that are confined in outdoor fenced areas also should have current rabies vaccinations, the health department said in the release.

Rabies circulates within the area's wildlife population throughout the year. Here are some tips from the department to help prevent you, your family and your pets from being exposed to the rabies virus:

 Supervise pets when they are outdoors. You may be able to prevent them from having contact with wild animals and lessen the possibility of rabies exposure.

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 Avoid direct contact with wildlife, dead or alive. Do not approach, try to play with, touch, rescue or treat any wildlife. If you find a sick or injured animal, contact Animal Control at 336-641-5990.

 Avoid any animal displaying unnatural behavior. Wild animals are not usually friendly so be very careful if they approach you.
RALEIGH  The spread of COVID-19 has dropped substantially in recent weeks, according to data released Tuesday by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

For the first time since mid-July, the state reported two consecutive days of new daily cases below 1,500. Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases has decreased by more than 35%. Hospitalizations, which have declined by 37% in the last 14 days, are at their lowest levels in nearly three months.

Health officials reported on Monday that K-12 schools, which host kids under 12 who cannot yet be vaccinated, have also seen a drop in cases associated with clusters for five straight weeks.

North Carolinas key metrics show high but declining levels of COVID-19 spread, state health officials wrote in the report.

The share of COVID-19 tests coming back positive over the past week has ranged from 4% to 6%, down substantially from the 8% to 10% daily positivity rate reported a month ago.

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Spread of the more contagious delta variant along with low vaccination rates in many of North Carolinas 100 counties had fueled substantial spread from late July to mid-September.
CHARLOTTE  Courtney Kramer-Wlcek thought she had pink eye  again. She had experienced the symptoms many times before and wasnt overly concerned during a trip to Charlotte in 2018.

She made an appointment with an eye doctor she had seen when she had lived in the city, where she taught German for five years at Smith Academy of International Languages. The doctor was the mother of a student she taught at the former K-8 magnet school.

During the check-up, the doctor noticed a bump on Kramer-Wlceks lower eyelid.

She didnt want to alarm me, Kramer-Wlcek said. (But she said) it may be skin cancer, and I should get it checked out.

Back in Austria, she went in for a biopsy and found out she had basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. It was an unusual diagnosis, her doctors told her, because that type of cancer is normally found in people over the age of 70. She was 39 when they removed the tumor in September 2018.

Kramer-Wlcek is one of more than a dozen former and current Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools employees who worked in the Smith facility and have reportedly been diagnosed with cancer. The building is planned for demolition as Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools probes whether the building caused a cancer cluster in staffers who worked there.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  President Joe Biden told leaders at the East Asia Summit on Wednesday that China's recent actions in the Taiwan Straits are coercive" and undermined peace and stability in the region.

The comments by Biden, who participated by video in the annual meeting of 18 Asia-Pacific nations, come during a surge in Chinese military activity near the island that China regards as a renegade province and has vowed to reclaim by force if necessary.

The president also reiterated the U.S. commitment to the international rules-based order and expressed concern over threats to that order, the White House said in a statement. He made clear that the United States will continue to stand with allies and partners in support of democracy, human rights, rule of law, and freedom of the seas.

Last week, Biden set off alarm bells in Beijing by saying the U.S. has a firm commitment to help Taiwan defend itself in the event of a Chinese attack.

The White House later downplayed the presidents comments, which came during a CNN town hall, and said he did not mean to imply any changes in the U.S. one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei.
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Media Centre Director of the Syrian Democratic Forces, SDF, Ferhad al-Shami posted on his Facebook page, saying Global Coalition UAV targeted the mercenary and leader of what the so-called Shura Council of ISIS mercenaries, Sabahi Ibrahim al-Musleh, named Abo Hamza al-Shuhail in al-Adwanuyah village in the occupied countryside of Sere Kaniye/ Ras al-Ain.

On October 25th, 2021, air strike was carried out by Global Coalition UAV targeting ISIS leader, just days the same raid had been carried out in the Suluk district in occupied Tal Abyed.

The co-chair of WashoKani Camp Council, Alaa Ali, confirmed during ANHA interview, talking about the situation, after occupying the area of Ras al-Ain, Turkey settled large number of ISIS families in the city, added demographic change has been implemented in their areas by imposing Turkification policy, settling of ISIS families in the city instead of indigenous residents, and turning into it to centres to strength ISIS logistically.

ANHA agency, and other local and international media, have previously published reports that revealed the public appearance of ISIS mercenaries in the areas occupied by the Turkish occupation state in Syria, raising their flags, while chanting songs for them, at the Qatna Roundabout "Metan", under the auspices and protection of the Turkish occupation army its mercenaries.

He went on to say the targeting of the Global Coalition UAV of ISIS leader in the area was irrefutable evidence to the existence ISIS elements there.

Turkish occupation state obtained IDs for the Iraqis it brought to the Serekaniye, starting in early 2020, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Member of the only Iraqi Al-Lani family that resided in the city of Serekaniye denied the presence of any Iraqi families in the city prior to the occupation, during his meeting with our agency, after ANHA correspondent was able to reach it.

The Iraqi Aboud Mazal Jabr, aged 52, told ANHA agency, "The Iraqi families that are now in the city of Serekaniye/ Ras Al-Al Ain are the families of ISIS mercenaries, and they came from al-Hol Camp and Ain Issa and from the camps in Turkey. Before the occupation, there were no Iraqis but us in the city."

At the end of his speech, Iraqi uncle Aboud Mezal Jabr indicates that the goal of the Turkish occupation is to complete and implement its occupation projects within the framework of bringing about demographic change in the region, and settling the families of its mercenaries.

T/S

ANHA
COVID-19 vaccinations for people eligible for Moderna and Pfizer boosters will begin next week with a mass drive-thru clinic at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds, health officials said Tuesday.

The drive-thru clinic will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, at 98 W. Custer Ave. Another clinic will take place on Nov. 9.

There are no residency requirements for this clinic, but pre-registration is required. The clinic will be open to those eligible for first, second and booster doses of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.

In addition, there are Nov. 16 and Dec. 14 clinics at the fairgrounds now open to people for Moderna or Pfizer first, second or booster doses.

Appointments for these clinics are now open at the county's COVID hub at https://www.helenamontanamaps.org/LCPHCovid19HUB/. Those who have access barriers to the online appointment system can call the COVID-19 Hotline at 833-829-9219. The hotline is open Monday  Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Moderna vaccine is approved for those over 18. The Pfizer vaccine is approved for those 12 and older.

Last week, the CDC released guidelines for those eligible for booster doses.

The following Pfizer and Moderna recipients are eligible, at least six months after their second dose:

Age 65 and older

Age 50-64 at high risk for severe COVID-19

Age 18-plus at high risk due to medical conditions or job exposure may get a booster after addressing individual risk

Due to supply issues, there are no Johnson & Johnson clinics scheduled at this time.

St. Peter's Health has been offering booster shots to patients since Friday, a spokeswoman said. Patients can also make an appointment at https://www.sphealth.org/stories-news/stories/covid-19-vaccination-information.

The FDA will meet Wednesday to discuss vaccinating children aged 5-11. After the FDA recommendations, the CDC will meet to make a final decision.

Lewis and Clark Public Health said it will announce clinics specific to this age group.

The state of Montana reported 1,132 new cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, with 91 of those occurring in Lewis and Clark County. It was ranked fifth among the 56 counties. Yellowstone County had 307, Cascade County had 110, Gallatin County had 103 and Missoula had 92.

The state has reported 173,104 total cases of the respiratory illness. Of those 159,942 have recovered and 2,305 have died.

There are 458 active hospitalizations. Lewis and Clark County reported 42 hospitalizations overall, related to COVID-19, at St. Peters Health.

The state reports that 1,076,135 total doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given and 55% of the eligible population has been vaccinated, according to its website.

Assistant city editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021 or philip.drake@helenair.com.

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The Lewis and Clark County Detention Center saw its second suicide attempt by an inmate in a little more than a month Sunday evening.

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton confirmed that a male inmate whose identity is not being released tried to hang himself Sunday and remains in the St. Peter's Health intensive care unit as of Tuesday.

According to Dutton, a detention officer made a routine inspection of the cell in which the inmate was being held Sunday evening and appeared fine at the time.

About 15 minutes after the routine inspection, the detention officer returned to the cell with another inmate to be held in that same cell and discovered the man had hung himself with a makeshift noose, officials said.

Dutton said the officer called for medical assistance, removed the inmate from the noose, and paramedics transporting the man to the hospital were able to revive him en route.

The man was arrested recently by sheriff's deputies for allegedly sexually assaulting a juvenile, which Dutton said may have played a role in the inmate's decision to attempt to take his own life.

"His peer group took a grim view of it," he said.

Following his arrest, it was determined he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest out of Yellowstone county.

The man was also scheduled to appear in court Monday.

"The perceived threat was from an extrinsic force," Dutton said. "There was not necessarily an internal threat."

For their safety, it is the detention center's policy to separate inmates accused of crimes against children from the general population, and the man was kept in a pod with inmates accused of similar crimes.

Sunday's attempted suicide comes a little more than a month after a 25-year-old East Helena man, Benjamin "Jammer" Halverson, took his own life while jailed at the detention center.

Halverson was found unresponsive in his cell Sept. 18 by a detention officer.

Life-saving measures were initiated but were unsuccessful, and Halverson was pronounced dead on the scene.

The Montana Department of Justice Criminal Investigation Division has been called in by the sheriff's office to investigate both incidents. Those investigations are ongoing.

Attempts to contact the Montana Attorney General's Office for comment on the investigations were not immediately returned.

Capt. Shane Hildenstab, who oversees operations of the Lewis and Clark County Detention Center, said the detention center, like many other employers, is having difficulty hiring detention officers.

Dutton said the county hopes to hire 12 more officers as soon as possible. The Lewis and Clark County Board of County Commissioners approved over the summer the increase of mills levied to the maximum allowable amount under the jail operations levy approved by voters in 2017 with the intent of hiring more detention officers.

According to Dutton, the county will use the increased property tax revenue to raise the entry level wage for new and existing detention officers in hopes of attracting new recruits.

The county recently completed a nearly $8.3 million renovation and expansion of the jail with that revenue collected in previous years.

The renovation included the construction of a more spacious direct supervision pod that affords well-behaved inmates some extra space and freedoms. That portion of the jail is now shut down due to the lack of officers to monitor it.

Because of the closure, Hildenstab said the detention center has adequate staffing to monitor inmates in the remaining cells.

The Department of Justice is expected to file a report on the suicide and suicide attempt as part of separate investigations that will include recommendations. No timeline for the investigations has been provided, but Dutton said he does not intend to wait for the reports.

"One suicide attempt is too many. Now we have two," he said. "We will be reviewing procedures, reviewing staffing and looking to see what we can do better."

Dutton said mental health crisis intervention training will be a priority for detention officers moving forward and that, due to what he called high turnover, not all detention officers are currently trained in such techniques.

Hildenstab echoed the sheriff's sentiment.

"We are always looking to improve operations," Hildenstab said. "These things are hard on everybody, not just the families, but officers too because they try their best to look out for the inmates."

If you are having thoughts of suicide or if you, or someone you know, are in danger of acting on suicidal thoughts, call 911. For support and resources, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text 741-741 for the Crisis Text Line.

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For its 29th season, Montana Shakespeare in the Schools has hit the road with a tour of Much Ado About Nothing and Tuesday they made a stop at Capital High School.

The group will host 53 performances at 47 schools in communities throughout Montana and Wyoming. A performance is scheduled at Helena High School on Wednesday.

The 10-week tour runs through mid-December. To accommodate schools scheduling needs, productions are trimmed to 75 minutes, along with workshops for students that relate to the play.

Our mission through Shakespeare in the Schools is to share Shakespeare with students who might not otherwise have an opportunity to experience live, professional theater, said Executive Artistic Director Kevin Asselin. Seeing children's curiosity and excitement grow when they hear Shakespearean language for the first time is truly magical for all involved.

The professional eight-member cast that makes up the touring company was chosen at national auditions. The company rehearsed for three weeks in Bozeman before presenting the play to middle and high schools. This year, the cast includes Calvin Adams, Sam Cheeseman, Andres Enriquez, Emily Hawkins, Stephanie Neuerberg, Ethan Miles Perry, Nadja Simmonds and Gerit Wilford.

Montana Shakespeare in the Schools, which is based in Montana State Universitys College of Arts and Architecture, is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts: Shakespeare in American Communities.

For more information, visit shakespeareintheparks.org or call 406-994-3303.

Tour Schedule

Oct. 1  Harrison High School

Oct. 4  Sidney High School

Oct. 5  Plentywood High School

Oct. 6  Wolf Point High School

Oct. 7  Scobey High School

Oct. 8  Pine Hills Youth Correctional Center, Miles City

Oct. 11  Reed Point/Rapelje/Ryegate High Schools, Reed Point

Oct. 12  Hardin High School

Oct. 13  Roundup High School

Oct. 14  Lame Deer High School

Oct. 15  Chief Joseph Middle School, Bozeman

Oct. 18  Powell High School, Powell, Wyoming

Oct. 19  Cody High School, Cody, Wyoming

Oct. 20  Buffalo High School, Buffalo, Wyoming

Oct. 21  Meeteetse High School, Meeteetse, Wyoming

Oct. 22  Worland High School, Worland, Wyoming

Oct. 25  Augusta High School

Oct. 26  Capital High School, Helena

Oct. 27  Helena High School

Oct. 28  East Valley Middle School, East Helena

Oct. 29  Anaconda High School

Nov. 1  Townsend High School

Nov. 2  University of Montana Western, Dillion

Nov. 3  Sheridan High School

Nov. 4  Headwaters Academy, Bozeman

Nov. 5  Sacajawea Middle School, Bozeman

Nov. 8  Corvallis High School

Nov. 9  Plains High School

Nov. 10  Loyola High School, Missoula

Nov. 11  Frenchtown High School

Nov. 12  Florence-Carlton High School, Florence

Nov. 15  Sleeping Giant Middle School, Livingston

Nov. 16  Belt High School

Nov. 17  Power High School

Nov. 18  Simms High School

Nov. 19  Highwood High School

Nov. 22  Belgrade High School

Nov. 23  Petra Academy, Bozeman

Nov. 24  Shields Valley School, Clyde Park

Nov. 29  Ronan High School

Nov. 30  Polson High School

Dec. 1  West Valley Middle School, Kalispell

Dec. 2  Kalispell Middle School

Dec. 3  Sentinel High School, Missoula

Dec. 6  Columbus High School

Dec. 7  Ennis High School

Dec. 8  Lone Peak High School, Big Sky

Dec. 9  Three Forks High School

Dec. 10  Manhattan High School

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The reports of hateful and violent posts on Facebook started pouring in on the night of May 28 last year, soon after then-President Donald Trump sent a warning on social media that looters in Minneapolis would be shot.

It had been three days since Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on the neck of George Floyd for more than eight minutes until the 46-year-old Black man lost consciousness, showing no signs of life. A video taken by a bystander had been viewed millions of times online. Protests had taken over Minnesotas largest city and would soon spread throughout cities across America.

But it wasn't until after Trump posted about Floyds death that the reports of violence and hate speech increased rapidly on Facebook across the country, an internal company analysis of the ex-presidents social media post reveals.

These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd and I wont let that happen, Trump tweeted at 9:53 p.m. on May 28, in comments he repeated on his Facebook account a few hours later. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts the shooting starts!

The former president has since been suspended from both Twitter and Facebook.

Leaked Facebook documents provide a first-hand look at how Trumps social media posts ignited more anger in an already deeply divided country that was eventually lit on fire with reports of hate speech and violence across the platform. Facebooks own internal, automated controls, meant to catch posts that violate rules, predicted with almost 90% certainty that Trump's message broke the tech company's rules against inciting violence.

Yet, the tech giant didnt take any action on Trump's message.

Offline, the next day, protests  some of which turned violent  engulfed nearly every U.S. city, big and small.

When people look back at the role Facebook played, they wont say Facebook caused it, but Facebook was certainly the megaphone," said Lanier Holt, a communications professor at Ohio State University. I dont think theres any way they can get out of saying that they exacerbated the situation."

Social media rival Twitter, meanwhile, responded quickly at the time by covering Trumps tweet with a warning and prohibiting users from sharing it any further.

Facebooks internal discussions were revealed in disclosures made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form by former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugens legal counsel. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including The Associated Press.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Trump was one of many high-profile users, including politicians and celebrities, exempted from some or all of the companys normal enforcement policies.

Hate speech and violence reports had been mostly limited to the Minneapolis region after Floyd's death, the documents reveal.

However, after Trumps post on May 28, situations really escalated across the country, according to the memo, published on June 5 of last year.

The internal analysis shows a five-fold increase in violence reports on Facebook, while complaints of hate speech tripled in the days following Trump's post. Reports of false news on the platform doubled. Reshares of Trump's message generated a substantial amount of hateful and violent comments," many of which Facebook worked to remove. Some of those comments included calls to start shooting these thugs and f- the white."

By June 2, we can see clearly that the entire country was basically on fire, a Facebook employee wrote of the increase in hate speech and violence reports in the June 5 memo.

Facebook says it's impossible to separate how many of the hate speech reports were driven by Trump's post itself or the controversy over Floyd's death.

This spike in user reports resulted from a critical moment in history for the racial justice movement  not from a single Donald Trump post about it," a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. Facebook often reflects whats happening in society and the only way to prevent spikes in user reports during these moments is to not allow them to be discussed on our platform at all, which is something we would never do.

But the internal findings also raise questions about public statements Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made last year as he defended his decision to leave Trump's post untouched.

On May 29, for example, Zuckerberg said the company looked closely to see if Trump's words broke any of its policies and concluded that they did not. Zuckerberg also said he left the post up because it warned people of Trump's plan to deploy troops.

I know many people are upset that weve left the Presidents posts up, but our position is that we should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies, Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook account the night of May 29, as protests erupted around the country.

Yet, Facebook's own automated enforcement controls determined the post likely did break the rules.

Our violence and incitement classifier was almost 90% certain that this (Trump) post violated Facebook's ... policy, the June 5 analysis reads.

That contradicts conversations Zuckerberg had with civil rights leaders last year to quell concerns that Trump's post was a specific threat to Black people protesting Floyd's death, said Rashad Robinson, the president of Color of Change, a civil rights advocacy group. The group also spearheaded a boycott of Facebook in the weeks following Trump's post.

To be clear, I had a direct argument with Zuckerberg days after that post where he gaslit me and he specifically pushed back on any notion that this violated their rules, Robinson said in an interview with the AP last week.

A Facebook spokesperson said that its internal controls do not always correctly predict when a post has violated rules and that human review, which was done in the case of Trump's post, is more accurate.

To curb the ex-president's ability to stoke hateful reactions on its platform, Facebook employees suggested last year that the company limit reshares on similar posts that may violate Facebook's rules in the future.

But Trump continued to use his Facebook account, which more than 32 million follow, to fire up his supporters throughout much of the remainder of his presidency. In the days leading up to a deadly siege in Washington on Jan. 6, Trump regularly promoted false claims that widespread voter fraud caused him to lose the White House, spurring hundreds of his fans to storm the U.S. Capitol and demand the results of a fair election be overturned.

It wasn't until after the Capitol riot, and as Trump was on his way out of the White House, that Facebook pulled him off the platform in January, announcing his account would be suspended until at least 2023.

There's a reason Facebook waited so long to take any action, said Jennifer Mercieca, a professor at Texas A&M University who closely studied the former president's rhetoric.

"Facebook really benefited from Trump and Trumps ability to draw attention and engagement through outrage," Mercieca said. "They wanted Trump to keep going on."



This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the first name of the Ohio State University professor to Lanier; and to correct the times Trump sent posts about George Floyd to Twitter and Facebook.



See full coverage of the The Facebook Papers here: https://apnews.com/hub/the-facebook-papers

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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In response to recent letters from columnist Herbst and Sen. Daines:

From the start of the global pandemic in March 2020 until August 2021, U.S. billionaires increased their fortunes by 1.8 trillion dollars.

These fortunes will not be taxed unless they sell their assets. If they were to sell, the tax rate on these huge gains is less than the average working class tax rate.

Also during this pandemic time frame, an estimated 86 million people have lost their jobs, 38 million have gotten sick, and over 700,000 have lost their lives. This continued tax base inequality has caused the stagnation in our economy as well as our daily lives.

If these billionaires were to pay their fair share of taxes on these fortunes they amassed during the pandemic it would more than pay for half the infrastructure bill. Most of these billionaires are contributors to the Republican Party, so Sen. Daines, why are you Republicans balking on extended Medicare to include eye, dental and hearing?

David Herbst talks about some boondoggle with Sen. Tester that would devastate farmers. Sen. Tester is a farmer.

Maybe the two of you could collaborate a story that has more facts and less Republican propaganda.

Terry Lopuch

Helena

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Officials in Bristol, Virginia say they are following the advice of experts, installing a series of new gas wells and a gas collection system plus pumps to eliminate water as steps to address the odor complaints.

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During the called meeting, Bristol Tennessee City Attorney Danielle Smith updated the council on the assessment.

The independent health assessment the council has asked for is underway, Smith said. Weve reached the point where we have a plan to take samples at the landfill itself. Counsel has had a discussion with the Bristol Virginia city attorney and we have an agreement from the Bristol Virginia city attorney to allow us to go on site and take those samples.

Bristol Virginia City Manager/City Attorney Randy Eads confirmed they would be allowed onto the landfill site.

Smith said the samples will go a long way toward helping our outside experts put together an independent health assessment. Our hope is that health assessment will help to alleviate the concerns the citizens of Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia. At this point, staff recommends we defer any action by council on this issue until we get the results of those samples.

After the meeting, Mayor Mahlon Luttrell said the assessment is important.
ABINGDON, Va.  Lake Road has been patched back up.

On Tuesday, Virginia Department of Transportation officials announced the completion of asphalt patching on Lake Road at the regular meeting of the Washington County Board of Supervisors.

Near Green Spring, Lake Road provides a coastal-style drive in south-central Washington County, overlooking South Holston Lake.

We did some extensive work down there, said Matthew Lewis, the assistant residency administrator at the Abingdon residency of VDOT.

Other patchwork has been completed across Washington County, said Allan Sumpter, the residency administrator for VDOTs Abingdon residency.

We still have some work to do down in the Mendota area, Sumpter said. Weve done some paving down that way.

Additionally, work to further widen U.S. Highway 58 between Abingdon and Damascus will commence this fall, said Joshua Lewis, the assistant resident engineer for VDOT-Abingdon.

Work on a bridge at Taylors Valley is also slated to be completed in the fall of 2022, Joshua Lewis said.
The second option provides 6% of the purchase price of the house. A $200,000 home would get a boost of $12,000. The money is structured into a second mortgage to be repaid over a 15-year period concurrently with the main mortgage on the home.

Its adding a rather modest amount monthly to your payment, but for those who need a little bit more down payment and closing cost assistance, Perrey said, if you are in a higher-cost market and you need a little more to get in on the front end. In both cases, first-time home buyers dont anticipate closing costs. In the not-too-distant past, sellers would cover part of that for you. But in the current climate where you can sell your house in about 10 minutes, the sellers arent offering you anything. Coming up with the funds for the closing costs are increasingly important, and we wanted to help buyers do that.

Perrey also said the incomes served by the THDA are higher than many people think. A single person in Sullivan County can make up to around $71,000 and be eligible for THDA assistance. A family of three can make around $82,000 to be eligible.
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Boyd explains how Estelle Griswold and Norma McCorvey became defendants in cases that involved Americans' rights to privacy, contraception and abortion. He describes the first Human Be-in, held in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. He reveals that 25% of American soldiers in Vietnam came from poor families, 55% from the working class, and just 25% from the middle and upper classes. Boyd reports that two infantrymen swept into Ben Suc with their squad, shot a man riding a bicycle, and declared he had to be Viet Cong because he was leaving town.

"The Shattering" ends in 1972, with President Richard Nixon's re-election, a rout in which he carried 49 states. Less than two years later, amid revelations of the Watergate break-in and certainty of impeachment, Nixon resigned. President Gerald Ford withdrew troops from Vietnam, but not before 2 million Vietnamese civilians, 1.5 million North and South Vietnamese troops, and 58,000 Americans had died.

The 1960s were over. Or were they? Abortion remains a deeply contested issue. The percentage of African American students in segregated schools, Boyd points out, is now 8% higher than it was at the height of integration. The pandemic and the murder of George Floyd underscore that this is not the only disparity between Blacks and whites.
Ive been reading the Best American series.

To be exact, Ive been reading it for 35 years, since high school, when I found a copy of the Best American Short Stories 1986 (edited by Raymond Carver) for a quarter at a yard sale. I dont know why I bought it; that copy was years old, and even in 1988, who needed the best writing from two years earlier? Still, it was cheap and full of the kinds of writers I wanted to claim I had read (Tobias Wolff, Alice Munro). If you dont know, the Best American series arrives annually and vacuums up great writing  from magazines, newspapers, literary journals  into categories: Best American Essays, Best American Travel Writing, Best American Mystery and Suspense, etc.; each genre gets its own volume, though (misleadingly) reflects the best of the previous year, not the year on the cover. Best American Short Stories, the longest-running, was first published in 1915.

I can chart my life with these books.
Dee Snyder conducted the business session. After recognizing the two new members, she presented the presidents report which recapped the DKG International Conference in San Antonio this summer, reviewed recent meetings, and updated the strategic plan for 2021-2022. Snyder announced the completion of the formal agreement with the NC DKG Educational Foundation establishing the Phyllis Frye Copeland Endowed Fund. The Reader Leaders project has been suspended due to COVID-19. Committee reports included the following: Leslie Black (educational excellence) previewed some programs for meetings scheduled this year and the addition of Minute at the Mic when members can share thoughts and memories of DKG; Martha Brown (beginning teacher support) announced that Catawba County Schools beginning teachers are being recognized in 2021-2022, and Nu Chapter provided breakfast for them in August; Brenda Harbinson (educational law and policy) provided links to the latest legislative information; Carol Bostian (membership) updated the number of active members and urged attendees to submit new member prospect cards; Suzanne Cadwallader (teacher grants) announced that Nu Chapter will award grants up to $300 for non-consumable materials; Yvonne Hilderbran (scholarship) presented stipends to Suzanne Cadwallader and Amanda Moose; Kerri Wimberly (communications and marketing) announced that the Nu Chapter directory is now available on the Nu website; and Marilyn Futrelle (rules committee) asked members to ratify the proposed amendments to the Nu Chapter Rules and the establishment of the Phyllis Frye Copeland Endowed Fund to support teacher grants.
LONDON (AP)  A Cambridge University college handed over a bronze cockerel looted from Africa in the 19th century to Nigerian authorities on Wednesday, as part of a modest but growing effort in some European countries to return African art taken by colonial powers.

Jesus College is the first U.K. institution to give back one of the artifacts known as the Benin Bronzes. Speaking ahead of Wednesday's ceremony, college master Sonita Alleyne called it a momentous occasion.

British colonial forces took the Okukor statue in 1897 from the Court of Benin in what is now Nigeria  among thousands of artworks seized by occupying troops -- and it was given to the college in 1905.

The college removed the bronze from public view in 2016 after students protested, saying it represented a colonial narrative. The college set up a working group that concluded the statue belongs to the Oba of Benin, head of the historic Eweka dynasty of the Benin Empire. The empire centered on Benin City in modern-day Nigeria.

His Royal Majesty, Oba of Benin, Omo NOba NEdo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, welcomed the handover decision. We truly hope that others will expedite the return of our artworks, which in many cases are of religious importance to us, he said in a statement.
The recent article entitled: Filth? Bible teaches not to judge, submitted by former N.C. state senator Andy Wells, needs to be addressed biblically. It was related to sexual perversions being promoted to North Carolina public school children  perversions Lt. Governor Mark Robinson has publicly called filth.

In Jude 1:8 sodomites were said to go after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Theyre called, not by Robinson but by God, filthy dreamers who defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. That scriptural context should be enough to settle the issue, especially for anyone who professes to be followers of Jesus Christ.

Jesus words, Judge not, that ye be not judged are quoted in the article from Matthew 5:1-2. The problem; however, is that the context of Jesus teaching is found in verses 1-20. Jesus didnt condemn all judging, far from it, but judging hypocritically, and thats whats in view. Righteous judgment is what the Lord admonishes us all to walk in and, at times, be vocal about.

God warns about mishandling His Word (Revelation 22:19). This is from the very Revelation of Jesus Christ, the same book which says, He which is filthy, let him be filthy still (Revelation 22:11).

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" " A newsie hawks papers announcing the sinking of the RMS Titanic. ARCHIVE HOLDINGS INC./HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES

Spanish philosopher George Santaya is credited with the old adage: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Sure, it's a little dramatic, and you wouldn't be blamed for letting loose a loud sigh and eye roll if someone said it to you in a preachy way. But the man who wrote these words had a good point. Continuity is necessary to progress  or, in normal-people words, we must remember stuff from our past in order to do it better in the future.

When you put it that way, it seems like common sense. You eat ice cream too fast and you get a headache. So next time you slow down a little. Clearly. But if history is full of warnings, we haven't always been very good at heeding them. The past is bursting with people who made mistakes similar to those of their predecessors, and, lo and behold, they suffered similar consequences. These tragedies are especially sad because they are often preventable.

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So did all of history's disasters happen because some poor sap dropped the ball? Not really. Sometimes bad things happen that no one can control. And sometimes they happen over and over again to the same people. It's simply bad luck.

Either way, there are plenty of examples throughout history of repeat tragedies. Here are some of the worst.
" " Gabrielle Coco Chanel, couturier, in her preferred pose, lounging in a chair. George Hoyningen-Huene/Conde Nast via Getty Images

Coco Chanel is an icon for fashion and feminism. She's credited with designing the little black dress, after all. But hanging beside that LBD in her closet are a few pretty big skeletons, too.

From her early life as a de facto orphan to becoming one of the most recognizable names in fashion, Coco Chanel's life story is filled with almost as much myth as it is legend. An icon of women's empowerment, her influence on not just the way that women dress, but also the range of possibilities they can imagine for themselves, is hard to overstate. And with her connection to modernity, it's hard to believe that she was born in the 19th century.

"Before she was a designer, she was a women's advocate," says author and style expert Dr. Courtney Hammonds. Chanel did not necessarily think she was going to be famous, but she knew she had some ideas that were groundbreaking and wanted to prove that women could do anything  and do it even better. "She was a hobnobber," Hammonds says. "She knew how to finesse the crowd."

Chanel's history in fashion began in 1910 when she opened her first shop, and her influence hasn't ended to this day, despite her death in 1971. That she was always more than a designer is clear, but was she a collaborator, a social climber, a feminist? Let's separate fact from fiction and look at who Chanel  the woman who pretty much did it all, and did it all with style  really was.

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Coco Chanel's Early Life

If her image today is one of elegance and sophistication, Chanel's early life did not offer a portent of what was to come. Born out of wedlock on Aug. 19, 1883, in Saumur, France, Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel was named for one of the nuns who ran the poorhouse where she drew her first breath. Her parents eventually married and in all had six children together. According to authors Isabella Alston and Kathryn Dixon, who wrote the book "Coco Chanel," the designer tried to have her birth records erased "out of a burning, undying desire to hide her humble upbringing."

When her mother died in 1895, Chanel's father took her and her sisters to an orphanage at the Obazine Abbey, a Cistercian monastery in the present town of Aubazine, though interviews with Chanel provide quite a different version of her past  she was known for trying to reinvent a more pleasant childhood. Nevertheless, at the orphanage, she learned to sew, and the aesthetic there has been credited for inspiring her future design preferences.

At the age of 18, Chanel left the abbey orphanage for Notre Dame Finishing School in Moulins as a charity student, according to Alston and Dixon. She developed a relationship with her father's family, including a close one with her aunt Adrienne, who was roughly her age. Together, Chanel and her aunt began working as seamstress and tailor assistants, meeting men, visiting concert halls and performing cabaret. Apparently Gabrielle got her nickname Coco from one or two of the songs she regularly performed: "Qui qu'a vu Coco?" and "Ko Ko Rik Ko."

" " Coco Chanel, circa 1937. Lipnitzki/Roger Viollet via Getty Images

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Coco and Her Boy Toys

Her involvement with wealthy and well-connected men served as an initial step to move Chanel from burgeoning cabaret star to successful businesswoman. First, she became the mistress of French socialite and ex-cavalry officer Etienne Balsan, who was also the heir to his family's fortune. The two lived at his chateau Royallieu where hunting and riding were common activities. At Royallieu, her new hobbies introduced her to equestrian clothing, which she found more suitable to an active lifestyle than typical women's fashion of the time period.

While living with Balsan, Chanel became acquainted with British playboy and polo player Arthur "Boy" Capel. She began a long affair with him, not completely giving up Balsan, but her infidelity only matched Capel's.

Interestingly, it was Balsan and Capel who together backed Chanel's launch into the fashion industry  a field in which she started at the top, literally, with hats.

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Coco and Fashion Forward

Although she is famous for clothing like suits and little black dresses, as well as perfume and red lipstick, Chanel began her career in fashion as a milliner. In 1910, she opened a boutique hat shop in Paris and luckily caught the eye of a famous actress. The "actress" referred to may have been Emilienne d'Alencon, an earlier fellow mistress of Balsan.

Chanel's hats continued to gain in popularity, and within a few years, she had opened a location in Deauville, France, which also carried a casual women's clothing line of jersey, a revolutionary fabric at a time when some women still wore corsets. Other signature items she was selling included striped boatneck shirts.

During World War I, Chanel opened a third location, this time in the resort town of Biarritz, France, before launching the famed 31 Rue Cambon in Paris in 1919. It is still situated on the same street as the first hat shop. At 31 Rue Cambon, she "invented the concept of the modern boutique," the website says. The flagship Chanel store remains on the site to this day.

While business thrived, Chanel's personal life took some hits. Capel married a British socialite in 1918 and was killed in a car accident the following year. But he left Chanel 40,000 pounds, some of which she invested in her business.

By 1921, Chanel introduced her brand's first perfume, the iconic Chanel No. 5. Made from jasmine, it was named because it was the fifth fragrance she had tested, Hammonds says. And because five happened to be Chanel's lucky number, the simple name stayed. Created by French parfumier Ernest Beaux, the scent recalls the arctic water of the northern Russian wilderness, according to Alston and Dixon.

"She was one of the first couturiers to launch a perfume," says Dr. Colleen Hill, curator of costume and accessories, The Museum at FIT. The concept of introducing a perfume speaks to her business savvy and also allows people to buy into the expensive brand, through the perfume, which is affordable.

" " A perfume flask of Chanel N5, created in 1921, is displayed as part of the exhibition N5 culture Chanel referring to French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971) at the Palais de Tokyo art museum in Paris, on May 3, 2013. ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP via Getty Images

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Chanel and World War II

Many collections  and affairs  later, Chanel continued to be the epitome of a pragmatic, successful businesswoman. Sadly, her connection with British high society, including an affair with the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor, made clear her antisemitism. That, coupled with relationships she held during the Nazi occupation of France, have led to claims that she was a sympathizer or even a spy for the Germans.

Part of the collaboration narrative relies on her liaison with Baron Hans Gunther von Dincklage, a German intelligence officer. Hal Vaughan's 2011 book "Sleeping With the Enemy" seeks to reveal this WWII tale.

Chanel closed her shops during the war and initially went to stay in the Pyrenees Mountains. But she returned to Paris, where she lived at the Ritz-Carlton and networked with Germans and German sympathizers. She may or may not have been involved in a spy mission. Questioned by French authorities in 1944, she was never charged and could even have been protected by her friend Winston Churchill, possibly to "save many members of the British aristocracy from being implicated as Nazi sympathizers should Chanel have to spill all," according to Alston and Dixon.

After the war, Chanel moved to Switzerland where she stayed for nearly a decade.

Eventually, Chanel re-entered the fashion world. Some experts say it was because of Christian Dior's "New Look," which hit the fashion scene in 1947. Rather than freeing women, Dior's style featured a tight waist, rounded shoulders and a full skirt  and Chanel did not approve. Hammond says in 1954, to contrast this "feminine" style, which had taken over Paris, the 71-year-old Chanel reintroduced a more classic look with elegant appeal.

Her new collection was not met with critical success in Europe, but Americans, who could more easily overlook wartime rumors about the designer, were all in. And whatever critics thought, the public approved in droves. They were buying. Chanel continued to make waves in fashion.

" " Dresses from Coco Chanel are displayed during the Art of Outstanding Television Costume Design Emmy Nominees exhibition at FIDM Museum & Galleries on the Park on July 25, 2009, in Los Angeles. Heather Holt/WireImage

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Chanel's Significance to Fashion

And speaking of Chanel's lasting contributions to fashion, there have been many. In 1926, Chanel introduced the first "little black dress." There are multiple stories about how and why she first designed this iconic piece. Chanel claimed that during a gas burner explosion that supposedly singed her hair  and led to her recognizable bob  also threw soot onto her white dress, inspiring the now-classic look. But other rumors say the dress design came from her mourning  or at least took on additional significance  after her lover Capel's death.

However, Hill says that Chanel did not invent the LBD, she only helped popularize the spare and chic black dress that was wearable in multiple settings. Although an October 1926 issue of American Vogue is cited as evidence of Chanel's innovation, the dress was part of a full spread featuring additional designers. That Chanel often designed in black has also been noted, as has the dress' austere nature that may have been similar to what she had worn in convent school.

Another perennial staple, the Chanel suit was introduced to the fashion world after her post-WWII return to Paris. Chanel wanted to create a "uniform" that represented feminism with strong masculine appeal. Despite the Chanel suit's powerful look, it could never be called unfeminine, Hammonds says.

Made of tweed, the Chanel suits introduced in the 1950s featured multiple design innovations, Hill explains. They provided ways to emphasize modernity and functionality to women's wardrobes. The jackets had a chain sewn in at the bottom hem to give weight to the fabric and maintain the shape, and the lining was quilted for stability.

Speaking of quilting, it's is a recognizable style of Chanel products, and the Chanel 2.55 Handbag (named so because it was first offered in February 1955) is a quintessential example. The original rectangular flap bags are quilted leather and feature metal chain straps; the design was inspired by the equestrian spirit Chanel had grown to love. "It's a real lexicon that Chanel established for her brand," Hill says.

" " A shopper looks at photograph in an installation about French designer Gabrielle Coco Chanel in Moscow. On the right is a rack of iconic Chanel suits. AFP/AFP via Getty Images

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The Chanel Brand Today

Chanel worked until she was in her 80s, passing away during the night at her Ritz apartment in Paris. The late Karl Lagerfeld was at the helm for 36 years until his death in 2019. Hill says Lagerfeld maintained the brand's relevance, honoring Chanel's characteristics while simultaneously pushing the label forward.

Today, Virgine Viard, who worked with Lagerfeld for more than 30 years, is now creative director. The United States is still the largest market for Chanel, with China coming in second, according to Forbes.

More than a century after it was founded, Chanel remains one of the best-known brands globally, and the legend of the woman likewise endures. Everyone knows her name and can likely name some of her signature designs, Hill says.

Now That's Funny While she made lots of things fashionable, we can also credit Coco Chanel for making the suntan popular, too. In the early 1920s  when sunbathing was considered lowbrow  she got a bit too bronzed out on a Mediterranean cruise. But when she arrived back in Cannes and pics were snapped of her with a sun-touched glow, the look became popularized all over.

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Originally Published: Mar 20, 2020
" " Thoreau believed in practicing what he preached. He refused to pay a poll tax because it went to a government that supported slavery and spent a night in jail for his protest. It formed the seed of his book Civil Disobedience. Bettman/Getty Images/HowStuffworks

Henry David Thoreau is one of America's most beloved and misunderstood writers. He's famous for retreating to a rustic cabin at Walden Pond in the Massachusetts woods for two years to ruminate on nature and philosophy, but Thoreau wasn't a hermit or a cranky misanthrope. He was, in a word, a "questioner," says Jeffrey S. Cramer, curator of collections at the Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods, and author or editor of nearly a dozen books about Thoreau and his Transcendentalist friend Ralph Waldo Emerson.

"Thoreau is constantly asking questions in his own writings, both to himself and to his reader, that make you evaluate your life and how you're living it," says Cramer. "If you ask yourself some of the questions that Thoreau asks in his writing and try to answer them honestly, it will, I believe, direct you toward being a better human being."

Born in 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts, Thoreau never married and worked as a teacher, lecturer, handyman, pencil-maker (his father's business) and a writer. His best-known works, "Walden" (1854) and "Civil Disobedience" (originally titled "Resistance to Civil Government" in 1849) weren't bestsellers in his lifetime, but have since become classics of American prose and guidebooks for truth-seekers of all ages.

The few surviving photographs of Thoreau show a dour-looking man with tousled hair and a neck beard, but Cramer says that Thoreau was far from a sourpuss. He had a tremendous sense of humor, was beloved by children for telling wild stories and even played pranks on his buddy Emerson.

If you're still on the fence about Thoreau (pronounced "Tho-row," by the way, with the accent on the first syllable), read the following five quotes that exemplify the straight-talking depth of one of America's most influential thinkers and writers.

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1. "If I am not I, who will be?"

Thoreau was unapologetically true to himself and encouraged others to be. He was very much his own man, uninterested in conforming to the expectations of 19th-century society. Thoreau didn't care for organized religion or government, and thought that slaving away at a job six days a week just to buy more material possessions was a waste.

Cramer is so moved by this quote that he thinks it should be carved in stone over every schoolhouse in America and recited daily in classrooms.

"Can you imagine how differently every student would feel about who they are?" asks Cramer. "We need to be proud of who we are, whatever that looks like, and live the life that only we are destined to live."

Bonus quote: "A man does best when he is most himself."

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2. "What does education often do! It makes a straight-cut ditch of a free meandering brook."

Thoreau's first job was as a teacher. He was fired after only a few weeks at the Concord Center School because he refused to use corporal punishment, so Thoreau and his brother John opened their own school. There they experimented with radical ideas for the time, like open dialogue between students and teachers, and experiential learning.

"If you want to learn what a huckleberry is, you don't sit in a classroom and read a botany book  or have the teacher recite from a botany book that the students then memorize, as they did in those days," says Cramer. "In Thoreau's school, you went out to the field, you found huckleberries, you picked huckleberries and you tasted huckleberries."

Even today, Cramer worries that students have too much of their lives "prescribed" for them by parents and teachers who preach that good grades, the "right" college and a well-paid career is the only recipe for happiness.

"That's when education becomes this 'straight-cut ditch' that Thoreau was talking about," says Cramer. "It takes a 'free meandering student' and puts them on this very narrow path."

Bonus quote: "I am still a learner, not a teacher, feeding somewhat omnivorously, browsing both stalk & leaves."

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3. "Surely joy is the condition of life."

"Joy" and "laughter" are not words that come to mind when you think of Henry David Thoreau and the other members of his Transcendentalist crew. But according to Cramer, Thoreau loved to sing, dance and play the flute, and his public lectures literally left people rolling in the aisles.

"We look at iconic figures like Thoreau and Emerson and we put this layer of seriousness on them," says Cramer. "We forget that they were real people and they had a great sense of humor."

And although Thoreau wasn't a churchgoer, he was "religious" in the sense that he saw the divine in everything, especially the natural world. In an essay titled " Walking," Thoreau laments, "How little appreciation of the beauty of the landscape there is among us!" For Thoreau, watching the leaves change colors in the fall, or gazing at a distant mountain range, inspired a childlike sense of joy that he yearned to share with his readers.

Bonus quote: "Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it."

" " This illustration of the exterior of Thoreau's cabin at Walden Pond, Massachusetts was on the title page of his book "Walden." Culture Club/Getty Images

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4. "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer."

Thoreau did some of his best thinking when he was off alone in a secluded place like the cabin at Walden Pond. But even during that two-year stint in the woods, he didn't cut himself off completely from society.

"People have this idea that he went off to the woods and never saw a soul, and that is not the case," says Cramer. "When he lived at Walden Pond, he was going to town almost daily to visit with friends, to go to the post office, to do various things. And people would visit him at Walden Pond."

As many of us have realized during the coronavirus pandemic, humans aren't meant to exist in isolation. But even the sociable Thoreau recognized the importance of being your own best companion first, so that when you are alone, says Cramer, "you still have yourself."

Bonus quote: "A man thinking or working is always alone, let him be where he will. Solitude is not measured by the miles of space that intervene between a man and his fellows."

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5. "Did ever a man try heroism, magnanimity, truth, sincerity, and find that there was no advantage in them?"

Thoreau was a profoundly principled person who believed in practicing what he preached. He thought that slavery was a despicable practice, for example, so he took his own small stand. During his stay at Walden Pond, he refused to pay a poll tax because it went to a government that supported slavery. He spent a night in jail for his protest and it formed the seed of "Civil Disobedience."

But Thoreau's abolitionism didn't end with a poll tax protest. Cramer says that the Thoreau family home in Concord was a stop on the Underground Railroad, and that after nursing runaway enslaved people to health, Thoreau would accompany them on the train north to Canada.

"When he felt that it was safe and there were no slave catchers around, Thoreau would jump off the train and walk back to Concord," says Cramer. "Even if he didn't join the Abolitionist Party and attend meetings, Thoreau was doing his part in ways that many of his abolitionist neighbors wouldn't dare to do."

Bonus quote: "When the desire to be better than we are is really sincere, we are instantly elevated, and so far better already."

Now That's Cool Thoreau's writings on the beauty and importance of "wild" places were deeply inspiring to John Muir, the father of the American environmental movement, who first read Thoreau and Emerson in 1862, the year Thoreau died.
" " International Committee of the Red Cross rehabilitation center staff members assist a Taliban member on Oct. 11, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan. BULENT KILIC/Getty Images

The government of Afghanistan and that country's economy relied heavily on foreign aid until the U.S. withdrawal. That support is on hold, although the United States and its allies have begun to take steps toward resuming some humanitarian assistance. Here, Mohammad Qadam Shah, an assistant professor of global development at Seattle Pacific University who conducted in-depth research regarding Afghanistan's aid administration, answers five questions about the past, present and future of aid to his native country.

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1. What Did Foreign Economic Aid Accomplish in Afghanistan?

Some $150 billion in nonmilitary U.S. aid flowed into Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020, plus billions more from its allies and international organizations.

For those two decades, Afghanistan's economic development aid largely funded education, health care, governance reforms and infrastructure  including schools, hospitals, roads, dams and other major construction projects.

One notable result in terms of education was that far more students were enrolled in school. The number of students jumped from 900,000 in 2001 to more than 9.5 million in 2020. Foreign aid helped build about 20,000 elementary schools, and the number of universities grew sharply as well. The number of Afghans enrolled in higher education programs soared from 7,000 in 2001 to about 200,000 in 2019. There were no female college students in 2001, but there were 54,861 in 2019.

The share of girls among all students reached 39 percent in 2020, versus only an estimated 5,000 in 2001.

Likewise, aid increased access to health care for most of the population. Life expectancy rose over the two decades by about a decade, to 64.8 years in 2019, according to the World Bank.

Afghanistan also made progress in terms of governance reform, with the adoption of a new constitution in 2004 that established a framework for liberal democratic governance and protecting human rights. It held four presidential and provincial council elections and three parliamentary elections.

The country also adopted hundreds of new laws and regulations regarding education, health, insurance, budgeting, mining, women rights and land titling.

International aid helped construct and pave thousands of miles of roads and streets, either rehabilitated or built from scratch.

Other infrastructure projects included hydroelectric dams and solar power plants to generate electricity, bridges and irrigation and drinking water projects.

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2. What Were the Drawbacks?

International development experts do not dispute that aid can make a positive difference. What they criticize is that this assistance, even in vast amounts, doesn't necessarily solve a country's problems. That is the case in Afghanistan.

Based on what I've seen firsthand in my research, the problem in Afghanistan was not the amount of aid, but its mismanagement.

The highly centralized governance system Afghanistan adopted in 2001 gave its president unconstrained political, fiscal and administrative power, without any way for the legislature or the public to hold the executive branch of government accountable. To a degree, the government was accountable to foreign donors, but this lack of checks and balances contributed to systemic corruption.

A centralized public finance management system gave Afghanistan's president complete control and discretion over planning, budgeting and taxation. He could also tactically allocate government spending to curry favor with elites, interest groups and voters.

Afghanistan's $20 billion economy was heavily dependent on foreign aid, but its centralized governance system was prone to mismanaging it.

For instance, the president had exclusive and unconstrained access to a large share of government funds.

I believe the only way to have fixed this problem, before the Taliban took over again, was to defund the country and reform the aid management system in a way that the people had the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. And I would expect to see a centralized, exclusive aid management system under the Taliban to replicate the same flaws and challenges seen in Afghanistan over the past two decades.

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3. What's Standing in the Way of Aid Delivery?

Economic assistance can support long-term economic development or help meet more immediate humanitarian objectives  such as providing food and shelter after disasters, or any help intended to save immediately imperiled lives.

As long as the Taliban remain in control, the only aid likely to flow from the U.S. and most of its allies will surely be the humanitarian kind. Even that money, however, will likely be contingent upon whether Afghanistan's new authorities respect human rights, form an inclusive government and prevent Afghanistan's territory from being used for terrorist purposes.

But the Taliban are mostly running Afghanistan like they did in the 1990s  with an iron fist.

The Taliban's interim cabinet includes no women or members of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. And there are reports that the Taliban are already forcibly displacing people in Hazara communities and not letting girls go to school.

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4. What's Happening to Afghanistan's Aid?

The U.S. military and diplomatic withdrawal precipitated the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's takeover, disrupting aid delivery. Thousands of foreign aid workers and their Afghan former colleagues have left the country.

The few exceptions include a handful of humanitarian aid programs: the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Red Cross, Doctors witout Borders and the World Food Program are all still operating in Afghanistan.

In August 2021, the U.S. froze more than $9 billion of Afghanistan's assets. Nearly all sources of Afghanistan's aid, including the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and other multilateral organizations, stopped disbursing assistance.

"The economic and development outlook is stark," the World Bank observes.

On Sept. 13, 2021, the U.S. Agency for International Development said it would dispatch $64 million in new humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, channeling it through nonprofits and U.N. agencies. But it's not clear, according to the Taliban, that this money is flowing yet.

In October 2021, the European Union pledged 1 billion euros, about $1.2 billion, in humanitarian aid and other forms of support.

In addition, Pakistan and China are providing emergency aid, as have a few other countries, including Qatar.

China and Pakistan are teaming up with Russia, Iran and India, along with some former Soviet Central Asian countries, to advocate for the U.N. to recognize the Taliban government, which could facilitate the flow of more aid.

" " Officials unload packages of Qatari humanitarian aid in Kabul on Sept. 17, 2021. Qatari Foreign Ministry/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

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5. What Are Some of the Consequences?

The Taliban have not yet shown that they can actually govern Afghanistan.

Resistance groups are forming, and ISIS-K poses a significant threat to their ability to keep control of the country.

Perhaps more important, the Taliban lack the money and expertise required to satisfy the basic needs of the Afghan people.

Thousands of Afghan public servants are demanding their unpaid salaries. Afghans who used to work for nongovernmental organizations have lost their jobs, as have many others.

An estimated 14 million Afghans were already having trouble getting enough to eat before the disruption of aid. That situation is now growing more dire, according to UNICEF.

Mohammad Qadam Shah is an assistant professor of global development at Seattle Pacific University.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. You can find the original article here.
On Monday the tech news landscape was suddenly awash with stories about Facebook after a group of 17 news outlets were given direct access to internal documents from whistleblower Frances Haugen.

Time and again the articles published about Facebooks inner workings show a company that, unsurprisingly, has prioritised profits over the safety and wellbeing of its users and which has struggled with handling the scale of its global operations and the immense intricacies that entails.

The Verge explained how Facebook uses a tier system to determine how it will allocate content moderation resources between countries depending on their risk of social instability, especially during elections.

The US, Brazil, and India were given highest priority and most active monitoring. Then came Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, and Italy which had fewer resources outside of election periods.

Another 22 countries were placed in the next tier which would forgo the companys enhanced operations centres with the rest of the world lumped together in the lowest tier.

The Verge noted significant disparities between how Facebook treated its moderation efforts in different countries, including lax misinformation classification in Myanmar and Ethiopia at times when they were experiencing severe violence and political crises.

Facebook has also struggled with specific instances of abuse on its platforms  although it apparently ramps up its efforts when its bottom line is threatened.

The Associated Press reported how in 2019 Apple threatened to ban Facebook and Instagram from its iOS App Store because the platforms were being used to buy and sell workers  maids in particular  in the Middle East.

Facebook had been aware of poor conditions for cheap foreign workers in places like Saudi Arabia and Egypt that included trafficking people for the purpose of working inside private homes through the use of force, fraud, coercion or deception.

It had known its platforms were being used to facilitate this human trade through programmatic ads on localised versions of its apps, but was struggling to keep up with the scale of the problem given only a fraction of the advertisements were being reported.

Apples removal threat hastened the company which recognised being booted from the App Store would have potentially severe consequences to the business.

So when Facebook kicked over 1,000 accounts and told Apple how it was working on the problem, Apple agreed to keep the apps alive  but, as the Associated Press reported, the problem of its platforms being used for human trafficking still remains.

Maximising engagement

Then of course theres issues with how Facebook tweaks its algorithms to heighten user engagement and maximise advertising revenue, often at the cost of amplifying problematic and divisive content.

As the Washington Post discovered, Facebook tends to increase the ratings of new features to encourage people to use them.

When the company added emoji reacts to posts five years ago, it gave these user reactions a significantly higher weighting than the standard like because it was a stronger indicator of user reaction and engagement.

One result was that controversial posts which garnered lots of angry reactions were pushed higher onto news feeds and helped foster a toxic environment where misinformation spread.

Internally, Facebook staff  including the research teams that Facebook cites as a reason for its trustworthiness  pointed out some of these flaws.

One snippet of an internal document shared by the New York Times concludes that hate speech and misinformation are, in many ways, intrinsically tied to Facebooks operations.

We also have compelling evidence that our core product mechanics, such as virality, recommendations and optimising for engagement, are a significant part of why these types of speech flourish on the platform, the document read.

Facebook has repeatedly denied any allegation of wrongdoing or mismanagement throughout the month-long sage of leaked documents and public hearings with Haugen.

On the back foot

During the companys earnings call on Monday morning, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said news outlets were trying to spin a negative narrative about Facebook.

My view is that what we're seeing is a coordinated effort to selectively use leaked documents to paint a false picture of our company, Zuckerberg said.

The reality is that we have an open culture where we encourage discussion and research about our work so we can make progress on many complex issues that are not specific to just us.

Certainly the effort was coordinated in the sense that news outlets agreed to hold off on posting their stories until the same time on Monday.

But the outlets have also found different angles in their reporting on Facebook and in each case the social network comes off looking like Frankensteins monster: out of its creators control.

This is partly because the nature of its business (maximising advertising revenue) but also because its global scale means Facebook affects the political, economic, and social realities of different countries and cultures around the world.

In response to the Facebook Papers this week, Zuckerberg said his company has to balance social equities when it makes decisions.

He offered the following set of dichotomies: between free speech and stopping harmful speech; between privacy and helping law enforcement; and between allowing interopability and locking down personal data.

It makes a good soundbite to say that we don't solve these impossible tradeoffs because we're just focused on making money, but the reality is these questions are not primarily about our business, but about balancing different difficult social values, Zuckerberg told shareholders.

And I've repeatedly called for regulation to provide clarity because I don't think companies should be making so many of these decisions ourselves.
Morawiecki's recalcitrance crystalized in an interview with the Financial Times over the weekend. When asked if Poland could use its veto power to block legislation in retaliation, for instance on climate issues, Morawiecki said: If they start the third world war, we are going to defend our rights with any weapons which are at our disposal.

The interview did not go down well with Morawiecki's EU colleagues. You are playing a dangerous game, De Croo said.

This is about the overwhelming majority of member states  from the Baltics to Portugal - who agree our Union is a union of values, not a cash machine, De Croo said, alluding to the fact that Poland has long been a major net recipient of EU funds.

The nationalist ruling party in Poland, Law and Justice, has been in conflict with Brussels since winning power in 2015 over a number of matters, including migration and LGBT rights. The longest running dispute, however, has centered on the Polish governments attempts to take political control of the judiciary.

The matter came to a head earlier this month when the constitutional court ruled that some key parts of EU law are not compatible with the nations constitution. The ruling by a court stacked with ruling party loyalists was made after Morawiecki asked it to decide on whether EU or national law has primacy.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
In North Carolina, Graham is remembered, not so much for his negotiating skills as for his courageous defense of academic freedom, his advocacy for the university during the Depression of the 1930s, his support for working people, and his efforts for fair treatment and opportunity for Blacks, all of which Link covers in illuminating detail.

Graham was born in Fayetteville in 1886, the son of a Confederate veteran. He grew up in Charlotte, where his father led the public school system. After an extraordinary career as a student at UNC, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1909. Following graduate work at Columbia University and service in the U.S. Marine Corps, he returned to UNC to teach history. In 1930, over his objection, he was chosen to be president of the university, holding office until 1949 when he was appointed to the U.S. Senate.

His strong efforts to secure public support for the university, his fierce protection of freedom of thought and expression for university faculty, and his support for working people and Blacks are still part of the universitys culture.
Ratings agency S&P Global Ratings says its assessment of Telstra's business risk, following its acquisition of Digicel's business in the South Pacific region, remains largely unchanged.

In a research note, the agency said the purchase of the telco, which operates in the South Pacific, would only marginally erode Telstra's leverage headroom at the current rating level (A-/Stable/A-2).

Telstra announced on Monday that the government would be providing most of the US$1.6 billion (A$2.14 billion) cost of its buy, with the telco to contribute US$270 million compared to the government's contribution of US$1.33 billion.

News about a likely purchase of Digicel first surfaced in July this year and was reportedly to prevent a company like China Mobile from buying Digicel Pacific. The deal is expected to be completed within the next three to six months.

S&P pointed out that the purchase would be partially debt-funded, weighing on Telstra's leverage. The government's contribution would come from its Export Finance Australia agency (via a US$720 million nonrecourse 10-year loan and US$610 million of equity-like capital).

"Telstra's financial commitment to the Digicel Pacific transaction is relatively modest and is done on favourable terms, in our view," S&P said.

"Nonetheless, the acquisition follows Telstra's recent 49% sell-down of its mobile tower portfolio  a transaction that we consider is akin to a sale and lease-back transaction  and a proposed A$1.35 billion in share buybacks over the next year.

"Accordingly, we expect the impact of these transactions to cause Telstra's adjusted debt to EBITDA to approach, but not exceed, our 2.5x downgrade trigger in fiscal 2022 (year ending June 30, 2022)."

The last S&P comment on Telstra came after the telco announced its first-half results in February this year. At that time, S&P said it expected Telstra to return to underlying earnings growth in fiscal 2022 (the year ending 30 June 2022) and to maintain a healthy buffer for the current rating.

In the note issued following the Digicel purchase, S&P said: "In our opinion, the acquisition is unlikely to materially increase country and regulatory risks for Telstra. About 80% of Digicel Pacific's EBITDA is from Papua New Guinea, which we view as a materially higher-risk market than Telstra's home market of Australia.

"Nonetheless, Telstra's earnings exposure will be limited; we estimate Digicel Pacific's EBITDA will represent less than 5% of the broader Telstra group.

"Similarly, we do not consider that the acquisition provides meaningful geographical diversification for Telstra. We also understand Telstra has obtained political-risk insurance to mitigate fallout from political and regulatory-intervention risk over the next six years, if any such events occur."
URBANA  Research from University of Illinois can help producers lower costs and improve the health, breeding, and nutritional needs of their cattle herds.

The latest research in feed, disease, and health management will highlight this years Orr Beef Research Center Field Day. The program begins at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2, at the facility near Perry.

Speakers include Dan Shike and Josh McCann, U of I animal science professors, and Travis Meteer and Teresa Steckler, Illinois Extension commercial ag educators. Meteer serves the Orr Research Center, and Steckler is located at the Dixon Springs Ag Research Center.

Topics include using cover crops in an integrated row crop and beef cattle system, the effects of injectable vitamin E in receiving cattle, least cost rations for beef cows, and the extent and management of anaplasmosis in Illinois beef herds.

The Orr Beef Research Center will be open for tours. Wes Chapple, beef farm manager, will discuss newborn calf health protocols. Producers will view new cattle handling facilities, calving barn, dry-lot pens, and commodity bay feed storage.

Register by contacting Meteer at 217-430-7030 or wmeteer2@illinois.edu. Space is limited. If you need an accommodation to attend, please contact Meteer.

Participants must wear masks and observe social distancing. The event will be held under roof and in open air. Dress for the weather.

Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities.

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MATTOON  A Mattoon man charged with a stabbing another individual multiple times with a knife is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing Monday.

The Coles County State's Attorney's Office charged Nathan T. Tucker, 24, on Oct. 18 with felony aggravated battery with a weapon, a charged that was filed following his arrest by the Mattoon Police Department.

A police department press release on Tuesday reported that Tucker was arrested at 3:57 a.m. Oct. 17 at the station. The charge alleges that Tucker confronted another individual after waiting for him to return to his residence. During a physical altercation, authorities say Tucker stabbed the other male multiple times with a knife. Police said the victim suffered non-life threatening injuries.

During a court hearing on Oct. 18, Tucker's bond was set at a level at which he would need to post $7,500 in order to be released from the custody of the Coles County jail. He subsequently posted bond on Oct. 20. A preliminary hearing, at which the judge will determine if there is probable cause for him to stand trial on the charge, is scheduled for Monday.

Contact Rob Stroud at 217-238-6861.

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COLES COUNTY  This years harvest is seeing significant yields and great prices in Coles County, but it's far from sunshine and rainbows.

Weather and supply chain issues, coupled with the rising cost of goods, such as herbicide, and possible competition with South America, have set the stage for issues down the road.

I had a guy come in and tell me that a monster crop has a long tail, and he's absolutely right, said Bo Holsapple, the manager at the TGM grain elevator in Charleston. The rain coming in every other day is slowing things down progressively.

That being said, the end might be in sight if the weather remains clear, said Holsapple, because the elevators are filling up quickly.

We were pretty well completely empty when we started this year, and it's already everything's filling up fast. And its not just us, it's about everywhere you go, said Holsapple.

However, if the rain continues, harvest could stretch into the third week of November.

Heavy rains throughout the summer  especially in the last several days in Coles County  have made this year a difficult harvest for countless farmers, including Kyle Coffey.

Coffey and his father farm around 3,800 acres of corn and soybeans in Coles and Douglas counties. While they managed to harvest their soybeans earlier than most other farmers, they still have around 400 acres of corn to harvest in northern Coles County.

That's where it seems we've got the most rain, said Coffey. So it'll be a challenge.

The muddy conditions can take a toll on implements, which is riskier this year than most since speedy repairs are difficult.

Farmers throughout the region have noted the supply chain issues causing significant inconveniences primarily due to slowed delivery time for equipment and spare parts. Though the supply chain issues are widespread throughout almost every industry, they impact farmers due to the strict windows of opportunity for harvest.

Were trying right now to find a set of tracks for one of our grain carts to maybe limp across the finish line, said Coffey.

Whats beyond the finish line is also uncertain, said Coffey.

The supply chain delays and rising cost of goods has made the price of glyphosate skyrocket.

I bought all of mine last year I think $9.90 a gallon and now it's as high as $35 to $40 a gallon, said Coffey.

Coffey typically needs about 1,100 gallons of glyphosate each year.

The price of corn is over $5 a bushel and beans are selling for $12, high profits are possible, said Coffey, as long as China, the United State's largest buyer for soybeans, steps to the table. However, they seem to be holding out this year, since South American farmers could also have a record year, too, said Coffey.

You've got high prices for inputs, pretty good prices for crops, but that could turn really quickly, said Coffey. If South America turns out to be in good shape, we could be easily dropping back to $10 beans in a hurry. You would be hovering about cost of production, and that would be a negative thing, but we deal with that stuff all the time.

In the meantime, the grain elevators are working to use the down-time to continue to move grain through and avoid a crunch.

There's only so much space, you know, we're just one elevator and we couldn't handle it all, so it's a good thing there are other elevators, said Holsapple. We're trying to get rail cars loaded and get them out of here to make some room so when the weather does break, we'll have room for everybody.

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PONTOON BEACH  A Pontoon Beach police officer has died after being shot Tuesday morning at a gas station.

Officer Tyler Timmins, 36, died at a St. Louis hospital of his injuries, said Trooper Jayme Bufford of the Illinois State Police.

His body was transported to the St. Louis medical examiners office Tuesday afternoon, escorted by a procession of police cars that stretched for a half-mile.

Timmins was shot about 8 a.m. Tuesday on the parking lot of a Speedway gas station, at Highway 111 and Chain of Rocks Road. As the officer walked toward a vehicle he suspected had been stolen, a man began firing shots, Bufford said.

Illinois State Police said a man was arrested on the scene immediately after the shooting. Police had not publicly identified the suspect.

The vehicle that apparently sparked the officers interest was a stolen Toyota Tacoma pickup truck with Missouri license plates.

The injured officer was rushed to a hospital in Granite City with life-threatening injuries, then transferred to SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital, which specializes in the most critical cases. Officers from numerous departments congregated outside in support.

Pontoon Beach, a village in Madison County, has a population of about 5,800 residents. The village employs 22 people on its police force, including four dispatchers and a records clerk.

Edwardsville police Chief Michael Fillback said some of his officers and other officers throughout the Metro East are filling in on patrol for Pontoon Beach officers now because their officers were so shaken by the shooting.

Timmins joined Pontoon Beach police in April 2020, said Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Elbert Jennings. He was a police officer in Madison County for 14 years and previously served as a police officer in Roxana, Worden and Hartford.

Worden police Chief Joe D. Berry said Timmins began as an officer in that village in 2015, then was promoted to police chief in September 2016. Timmins served as chief in Worden, a village of nearly 1,000 residents, for about 11 months, Berry said.

Berry came to St. Louis on Tuesday to be part of the police escort to the morgue.

Its been a gloomy day, Berry said. But I considered it an honor. You do the best you can to bring him where he has to be.

As is tradition in some departments, Berry said a team of police officers will stand guard round-the-clock over Timmins until his body is returned to Illinois for the funeral.

Worden Mayor Preston Hall said he picked Timmins to be chief in 2016, with the village boards consent, in part because Timmins always conducted himself in a professional manner and was great with the residents.

Tyler was a great man, Hall said. He was a positive person. Thats what Ill remember. I never saw him in a bad mood.

Timmins is survived by his wife, according to a fundraiser from the nonprofit Backstoppers, which provides financial help to the families of first responders who die in the line of duty.

Timmins is the eighth Metro East officer to die on the job since 2006 and the second to be killed this year. Brooklyn police Officer Brian Pierce Jr. was fatally struck Aug. 4 by a fleeing car on the McKinley Bridge in Venice while he tried to place spike strips on the pavement.

Katie Kull of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

Kim Bell  314-340-8115 @kbellpd on Twitter kbell@post-dispatch.com

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The urgency of these cases and our continued shared interest in justice are the most compelling reasons to launch a federal investigation into the disappearance and death of Jelani Day and the increased number of victims of color around the country, he said.
As Halloween creeps closer and closer, we take a look at some of the movies that nightmares are made of that were filmed in the Tarheel state.

North Carolina has a rich history of being the backdrop of multiple genres of film from The Hunger Games to Dirty Dancing to The Last of the Mohicans. But horror films have also found a place in North Carolina filmography.

Halloween Kills, part of the Halloween franchise, is the latest horror film to come out of the state, but there are plenty more.

Check out these 11 horror films that were made in North Carolina:

Halloween Kills  director David Gordon Greens sequel to his 2018 reboot of John Carpenters 1978 original Halloween  finished its first weekend as the No. 1 movie in America.

The Wilmington-shot horror flick brings back Michael Myers and Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, in another showdown.
He was sweaty, and Carmichael said he asked Johnson what happened. After the second time Carmichael asked, Johnson told Carmichael that he would kill him if he kept asking.

Then-Sgt. Ken Bishop of the Winston-Salem Police Department interviewed Johnson, who denied killing Bryson. Johnson was not charged at the time with Brysons murder.

But on March 19, 2019, investigators with the commission tracked Johnson to South Carolina and talked to him in an attempt to obtain DNA from Johnson. Johnson then confessed, according to a deposition. He initially denied knowing anything about the case but acknowledged that he knew Carmichael and that the two men had grown up together.

Johnson then told the investigators that he broke into Brysons house and when Bryson came into the house, he choked her, first saying it was with his arm and then later saying it might have been with a cord. Johnson said he was high on drugs at the time.

I just had nightmares from there, he said, according to the deposition. Ive been having nightmares. Its haunted me, haunted me. I knew the day would come.

Johnson, asked several times, said he didnt know Williams and that Williams was not there that night.
A federal jury in Charlotte awarded a former top executive with Novant Health Inc. $10 million on Tuesday after he claimed in a lawsuit that he was fired from his job because he is a white male, court records show.

David Duvall, who lives in Michigan, said in his 2019 lawsuit that he lost his job as senior vice president of marketing and communication in July 2018 at Novant Health because of the companys efforts to diversify many of its top leadership positions.

The jury said that Duvall proved that his race and gender were motivating factors in Novant Healths decision to terminate him, according to the jurys verdict form. The jury also indicated that Novant Health failed to prove that it would have dismissed Duvall regardless of his race.

We are pleased that the jury agreed that Duvalls race and gender were unlawful factors in his termination  that he was fired to make room for more diverse leaders at Novant, S. Luke Largess of Charlotte, Duvalls attorney, said Tuesday night in a statement.

Duvall was a strong advocate of diversity at Novant, Largess said. We believe the punitive damages award is a message that an employer cannot terminate and replace employees in order to achieve greater diversity in the workforce.
I do expect a pretty high peak (for booster shots), and then for it to plateau out much as we saw with the Pfizer (booster), said Nikki Nissen, Novants chief nursing officer.

Well shift operations to meet what the community demand is.

Priest cautioned that for those under age 65 and not immunocompromised, theres not a huge rush to get the third dose.

If you have had two (vaccine) doses and youve had COVID, youve essentially had three doses, Priest said. He recommended waiting at least two weeks from now before getting a third dose in any case.

Eligible people can get their booster shots from participating health care providers, including local pharmacies, and do not need to get it from the same provider as their initial doses.

Although Priest advises getting the same booster as the initial vaccine doses, he said it is safe to get the booster from another vaccine manufacturer.

The J&J booster shot is recommended for anyone 18 and older who received that vaccine at least two months ago.
The hospitals should respond by offering community and charity care that is commensurate with their tax advantages.

The NCHA responded by saying non-profit hospitals annually submit audits to state and federal tax regulators who determine each year that hospitals meet their tax status obligations.

Todays report, based on 2019-20 data, does not reflect the millions spent each year on investments, such as disaster preparations that equip community hospitals with the resources to survive a pandemic, the NCHA said.

Being in good shape financially allows nonprofit hospitals to continue to operate and employ staff at appropriate levels to provide patients with the high-quality care they need and deserve.

Calling out

Folwell used the report to once again call on legislative leaders to hold hospitals accountable for how they treat the most vulnerable members of their communities.

In separate comment to the Winston-Salem Journal, Folwell said that "from an economic standpoint, I have always been opposed to these multibillion-dollar corporations run by multimillion-dollar executives disguising themselves as nonprofits."
Teachers have it hard enough. Theyre overworked and underpaid, especially in North Carolina. On top of that you have the pandemic. Educators have in some cases had to watch their students get sick and in some cases die because of ignorant parents who failed to protect them. On top of that, they have to worry about sick people with guns shooting up their classrooms. They literally put their lives on the line every day.

Then N.C. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and Forsyth County GOP head Ken Raymond come along and try to portray them as perverts.

If theyre not going to help  if theyre not going to present solutions to improve the lives of educators  they should sit down, shut up and let the pros handle the real work.

I said what I said.

Nancy Grainger

Winston-Salem

Eye-catching

Three articles on the Oct. 25 front page caught my eye.

The first was a charming story about women reenacting the Moravians' walk from Pennsylvania to what's now Old Salem (In their footsteps.) Good for them and for the Moravians!
Keating said after that setback that he planned to demolish the building.

The sale will mean the building will be saved, but beyond that Works said he doesn't have many details to offer, other than the fact that he does plan to convert part of the building to apartments and hopes to attract some "interesting" retail and/or restaurant tenants.

Works, who is involved in both the new Holiday Inn Express at Ninth and O streets and the redevelopment of the Terminal Building at 10th and O streets, recently formed two companies that appear to be related to the building: 1033 Golds LLC and 1033 Brandeis LLC.

In addition to being the home of Gold's Department store, for which purpose it was built in 1924, the building also played host to the Omaha-based Brandeis department store from the 1960s until 1980.

Another prominent downtown building has also finalized its sale.

Trinitas Ventures purchased the former home of the Lincoln Journal Star at 926 P St. for $6 million, according to real estate documents filed earlier this month.
Issues at hand include health care, holiday pay and vacation time as well as the companys two-tier wage and benefit system. Under the system, new employees start at a lower wage scale than longer-term ones. Osborn also said the union is looking to preserve cost of living adjustments.

A breakthrough in resuming negotiations appeared to come after Kellogg Co. agreed to back off its previously requested provision to create a permanent two-tier wage and benefit system for veteran and new employees, union secretary and treasurer David Woods indicated.

(Kellogg) have agreed to bargain off that issue. So weve agreed to go back to the table, Woods said after visiting with striking Omaha employees.

The two-tier wage and benefit system has rankled both new and veteran employees. The prospect of it being permanent in a new agreement was one of the main reasons employees went on strike.

Were looking out for the little guy, said Michael Rodarte, a 15-year employee at Kelloggs Omaha facility.

Osborn said the unions proposals have remained unchanged.
Health-med-fit

editor's pick topical alert top story

Mask mandate extended in Lincoln, Lancaster County

JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star University of Nebraska-Lincoln student Ben Klevorn puts on a mask outside the Nebraska Union on Tuesday, the day the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department extended the city's mask mandate another four weeks.

COVID-19 cases in Lancaster County dropped last week to their lowest level in almost three months.

But the test positivity rate went up, and admissions to local hospitals remain stubbornly high.

For those and other reasons, local officials have decided to extend the county's mask mandate for another four weeks.

Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Director Pat Lopez announced Tuesday that a new directed health measure will go into effect extending the mask mandate, which had been set to expire Thursday, until Nov. 24.

It's the second time the mandate has been extended after it was first reinstated Aug. 24.

"The data tells us our local situation is still concerning, and we're not yet in a position where we can safely remove the mask requirement," Lopez said during Tuesday's weekly news briefing. The Health Department left the COVID-19 risk dial in the high-yellow, or moderate, category, the third week it's been there.

Lancaster County is the only county or city in the state with a mask mandate, which is somewhat due to a quirk in state law that allows its health department to institute such measures without state approval. Opposition from Gov. Pete Ricketts has in some cases prevented other cities and/or counties from instituting a similar mandate this fall.

There are a few school districts and universities that have instituted mask mandates, but some of them have started relaxing or eliminating them.

Starting Wednesday, masks will no longer be mandatory at the two high schools in the Papillion-La Vista district. They will remain mandatory at middle and elementary schools, but the district has plans to make masks optional there over the next few months if data supports it.

Ralston Public Schools plans to drop its mask mandate for middle and high school students Monday.

And the University of Nebraska at Kearney lifted its campuswide mask mandate last week.

Most entities that have removed mask mandates have cited a decline in COVID-19 cases. According to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 3,756 cases statewide last week, a 9% decline from the previous week and a nearly 30% decline from the delta variant-associated peak reached in early September.

Lancaster County has seen an even steeper decline. There were 507 cases last week, a decline of more than 15% from the previous week. Compared with the peak reached the first week of September, cases are down more than 50%.

But local officials have expressed concern at the number of COVID-19 patients that continue to fill up Lincoln's hospital beds.

Though the number of hospitalizations has been dropping, hitting 86 patients Tuesday, the number of patients from Lancaster County has been rising, with 53 of the 86 being local residents.

Derek Vance, president of CHI St. Elizabeth and CHI Nebraska Heart, said pretty much all areas of the Lincoln hospital are full, but not necessarily because of COVID-19.

Vance said those cases currently make up about 10% of patients, down from a high of 40%.

Russ Gronewold, Bryan Health CEO, said his two hospital campuses in Lincoln are "overflowing," with a patient total of 560 as of early Tuesday morning, about 20 more than capacity.

Gronewold said that Monday Bryan had 16 patients from outside of Lincoln on a waiting list for a bed to open up so they could be transferred.

Those were patients "needing to get to a higher level of care and unable to do so because we were full here in town," he said.

Interestingly, none of them were COVID-19 patients, Gronewold said, but the fact that Bryan consistently has anywhere from 50-75 COVID-19 patients daily means many people with other serious health issues can't get the care they need.

He and Vance both said they fully support extending the mask mandate.

The mandate "makes a tremendous difference and we know that it works," Vance said.

What also make a difference are vaccinations, and Lopez announced Tuesday that Lancaster County had finally reached its initial goal of getting 75% of the population 16 and older fully vaccinated.

Achieving this milestone gives us reassurance that weve been able to reach and help protect a significant portion of our population through vaccination," she said.

The goal now is to get 75% of all county residents vaccinated, a goal that may be more realistic after a Food and Drug Administration panel recommended giving the Pfizer vaccine to children ages 5 to 11, something that could happen as early as next week if the federal agency gives its approval.

As of Tuesday, officials said about 60% of the county's 319,000 residents were vaccinated, including better than 80% of people age 45 and over.

Vaccinating more people would likely cut down on hospitalizations and deaths, which have already hit 18 in Lancaster County this month, one more than all of September.

Moderna, J&J booster shots available in Lincoln Hy-Vee has started offering the booster shots, and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department is planning clinics next week.

Nebraska COVID-19 dashboard daily updates will disappear again Gov. Pete Ricketts also rescinded a directed health measure that suspended certain elected surgeries. The move comes as the total number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients dropped below 10% of the state's beds.

Colder weather a concern for COVID-19 case rates After declining 43% from the beginning of September to the end of the month, cases have now gone up slightly each of the past two weeks.
Though the number of hospitalizations has been dropping, hitting 86 patients Tuesday, the number of patients from Lancaster County has been rising, with 53 of the 86 being local residents.

Derek Vance, president of CHI St. Elizabeth and CHI Nebraska Heart, said pretty much all areas of the Lincoln hospital are full, but not necessarily because of COVID-19.

Vance said those cases currently make up about 10% of patients, down from a high of 40%.

Russ Gronewold, Bryan Health CEO, said his two hospital campuses in Lincoln are "overflowing," with a patient total of 560 as of early Tuesday morning, about 20 more than capacity.

Gronewold said that Monday Bryan had 16 patients from outside of Lincoln on a waiting list for a bed to open up so they could be transferred.

Those were patients "needing to get to a higher level of care and unable to do so because we were full here in town," he said.

Interestingly, none of them were COVID-19 patients, Gronewold said, but the fact that Bryan consistently has anywhere from 50-75 COVID-19 patients daily means many people with other serious health issues can't get the care they need.

He and Vance both said they fully support extending the mask mandate.
The Lincoln Board of Education moved closer to identifying a search firm to help find Lincoln Public Schools' next superintendent.

The board narrowed its list of potential search firms to two during a work session before Tuesday night's regular meeting.

Six search firms  all based in the Midwest  sent proposals to the board over the past few weeks, outlining how they would conduct a search to identify candidates to succeed Steve Joel, who announced last month he will retire as superintendent at the end of the school year.

Out of those six, only two made the cut, with the board aiming to select a search firm sometime next month, said board member Kathy Danek, who is facilitating the superintendent search meetings.

Here are the two finalists and their estimated cost (fees do not include candidate expenses):

* Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, Schaumburg, Illinois, $37,500.

* McPherson & Jacobson, Omaha, $42,600.

Joel, who does consulting work for McPherson & Jacobson, said previously he would not be involved in the formal search process, and board member Don Mayhew emphasized the board would "bend over backward" to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.
Last week, there were 570 students in quarantine. That's down 60% from a pandemic high of 1,455 students in isolation the week of Aug. 29-Sept. 4.

That drop is in part attributed to the mask mandate, which was first reinstated Aug. 24, about a week after school started. Since close contacts at LPS are defined as someone exposed to a positive case where one or both persons were unmasked, universal masking cut down on the number of students who had to miss school.

Case numbers are also down  74 students tested positive last week, compared with a pandemic high of 178 earlier this school year. Twenty-five students have tested positive so far this week, with 362 currently in quarantine.

"I think masks have made a big difference," Joel said. "We've only had to close one or two small classrooms. We haven't had the big surges that are happening around the county."

There is more hope on the horizon, too: A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel Tuesday recommended the agency authorize a vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, who could get their jab starting as early as late next week in the U.S.

"As soon as we get the green light ... we stand ready to do clinics for children," Joel said. "We want to do whatever we can to help."
Margaret Reist Local government reporter Margaret Reist is a recovering education reporter now writing about local and county government and the people who live in the city where she was born and raised. Follow Margaret Reist 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

Heres hoping that it will be easier to drive along North 27th Street, thanks to a new control system contract the City Council approved.

The nearly $2 million contract to install an adaptive traffic control system along 27th Street from O Street to Interstate 80 is part of a State Highway Safety Improvement Program project, which means 90% of the cost will be paid for with federal money.

The city is responsible for the remaining $198,789.

The system, which will take 110 days to install, can change the signal cycle along the street based on real-time traffic volume, said Dan Carpenter, the citys traffic engineering manager. And that traffic volume can change dramatically, depending on the time of day.

The citys Green Light Lincoln program has streamlined many of the signals in the city, but 27th Street was a particularly difficult one to time lights on because it has three distinct areas with different traffic patterns  I-80 to Superior Street, Superior to Cornhusker Highway, and Cornhusker to O Street, Carpenter said.

Also, a portion of 27th Street is quite dense with frequent traffic signals.

This one is particularly problematic, he said.
Former President Donald Trump announced Tuesday evening that he is endorsing Charles Herbster in his bid to be elected governor next year, prompting a swift response from Gov. Pete Ricketts who said he "strongly disagrees" with that judgment.

Herbster, who was an agricultural adviser to Trump during his presidency, is a candidate for the Republican nomination.

In his endorsement statement, Trump took a verbal shot at Republican Sen. Ben Sasse and lavished praise on Ricketts.

Herbster "has been a tremendous supporter of America First and Make America Great Again, right from the beginning," Trump said, "and will do a fantastic job" as governor.

Ricketts responded on Twitter.

"I have been a champion of President Trump's conservative leadership and his America First agenda," the governor said.

"While I agree with President Trump on many things, I strongly disagree that Charles Herbster is qualified to be our next governor -- from his choice to headquarter his business in Missouri to his support of tax policy that would tax medical services, prescriptions and food, as well as more than doubling our sales tax.

"Nebraska deserves better," Ricketts said.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  Missouri Republican Mark McCloskey, who is running for the U.S. Senate, said he does not support allowing abortions for young girls who become pregnant through rape or incest.

McCloskey, a St. Louis personal injury lawyer who gained national attention after he and his wife waved guns at racial injustice protesters last summer, made the remarks last week at a forum in Osage Beach in response to a woman who said some candidates who profess to be anti-abortion would allow the procedure in some cases.

Ive got a client who was raped by an uncle when she was 13 years old, had the child; she finished high school, finished college and got a masters degree, McCloskey said. "That child she would have aborted finished high school, finished college and now has a masters degree. ... I don't believe in any exceptions.

McCloskey did not specifically address whether he would support an abortion to save the life of the mother, The Kansas City Star reported.

He said it has always bothered him that people who oppose the death penalty often support abortion rights.
The pandemic deepened the reservation's need for housing assistance, she said, particularly mortgage assistance. Meanwhile, utility bill assistance is probably going to be in high demand this winter, as prices for natural gas and other fuels are forecast to spike.

"I think our major part right now is going to be, like, furnaces and keeping people warm for the winter," Henscheid said.

The tribe has just shy of 7,000 members, of which between 2,000 and 3,000 live within the boundaries of the reservation, which lies mostly in Thurston County.

Mike Grant, planning director with the Omaha Tribe, said the now-tribal-owned grocery store in Walthill will help address the availability of fresh foods on the reservation, provide local jobs and spur economic development. The store will close temporarily Thursday night and is set to reopen next week under tribal ownership.

Grant said the tribe is looking at building a second grocery store in Macy, where the tribal offices are located.

"What we want to do is, we want to start our own brand of grocery stores and have that be a part of our economic development," he said.
Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln told a Lincoln Chamber of Commerce breakfast gathering Wednesday that Nebraska has an opportunity to help shape its future with strategic investment of a billion dollars in federal pandemic recovery funding.

"Think big," she urged, and "really be thoughtful" in selecting proposals that will have lasting impact.

Wishart, vice chair of the Legislature's Appropriations Committee, said she thinks the Legislature is likely to decide to make "a sizeable investment" in the so-called Star Wars proposal that centers on a range of water development opportunities, while workforce development is also "likely to be a priority."

"Mental health is a priority of mine," she said.

Next year, Gov. Pete Ricketts will introduce a proposal for allocating those funds that will go to the Appropriations Committee for its consideration and amendment following public hearings.

The committee will then send its recommendations to the full Legislature.

"We need to invest these dollars in action items," Wishart said.
PARIS (AP)  France announced Wednesday that it will bar British fishing boats from some French ports starting next week if no deal is reached with the U.K. in a dispute over fishing licenses  and suggested it may restrict energy supplies to the Channel Islands as well.

Since the U.K. left the economic orbit of the European Union at the start of the year, relations between London and Paris have become increasingly frayed.

France vehemently protested the decision last month by the U.K. and the Channel Island of Jersey to refuse dozens of French fishing boats a license to operate in their territorial waters. France considers the restrictions as contrary to the post-Brexit agreement that the British government signed when it left the EU. Dozens of other French fishing boats did get such a license.

Jersey, which is only 14 miles (22 kilometers) off the French coast, is a British Crown dependency outside of the U.K. As such, it has its own powers with regards to who is allowed to fish in its territorial waters. It has granted licenses based on its interpretation of the U.K.-EU trade deal, and has accused France of acting disproportionately.
These good folks are sick and tired of getting cheated out of a fair price for their cattle by the current monopoly of meatpacking companies in this country. Four huge companies now control 80% of the beef market. And just why do our so-called representatives in Washington, D.C., do nothing to correct this injustice by the meatpacking industry? Why do these same folks in Washington allow the price of beef to be astronomical in the grocery store?
Govt-and-politics

topical

REDISTRICTING

Just one block: A state Senate district could change, depending on winner of district-maps fight

Wanggaard

RACINE  Van Wanggaards state Senate district is an interesting one. Its one thats been targeted by Democrats who allege it as an example of gerrymandering; Wanggaard has won it numerous times since the current maps were put in place under then-Gov. Scott Walker 10 years ago.

Wanggaard, a retired Racine Police officer, lives in Wisconsins 21st Senate District, which is almost entirely rural and suburban (stretching to include Burlington, Twin Lakes, Wind Lake, Caledonia and Pleasant Prairie along the Wisconsin-Illinois border) and reliably votes for Republicans.

But he also lives in the City of Racine, in the 1200 block of Blaine Avenue just south of Washington Avenue (Highway 20) in West Racine: An urban area that, as a whole, votes for Democrats almost all of the time.

If Wanggaards home were literally one block to the south, under both the current maps and under Republicans very similar new proposed maps, he would live in the district currently represented by state Sen. Robert Wirch, a Democrat who resides in Somers in northern Kenosha County.

Under Republicans proposed redistricting maps that could be adopted next year, his district would be almost unchanged. His home would still be one block away from being in a Democratic-leaning district.

Both of the maps proposed by Gov. Tony Evers Peoples Maps Commission would change that, putting Wanggaard into what would likely be a more urban, more competitive district.

In a statement he released late last week, Wanggaard said: Regardless of what the district looks like, my job, and any elected officials job, is to represent the people they represent.

Cited as an example

The fact that Wanggaards neighborhood is not representative of a rural, conservative district has led to him being called, by some, a beneficiary of gerrymandering.

Heres how NPR described the situation in 2017: Van Wanggaard was elected to the Wisconsin state Senate in 2010 as a Republican. A year later, the Republicans in control of the Legislature redrew the district lines as part of the redistricting process that happens every 10 years.

Wanggaards district was one that was dramatically reconfigured to strengthen the GOPs hold on power. Urban parts of the district that were filled with Democratic voters were sliced off, and areas filled with Republican voters were added. What had once been a competitive seat became safely Republican.

Perhaps whats most striking about the redrawn district is where the line runs  it carefully cuts around Wanggaards house, before sawing off neighbors a few houses down and dumping them into Democratic-leaning territory.

Its not against the law for politicians to consider politics when theyre redrawing districts. But the approach Wisconsin Republicans took was particularly aggressive. Since lawmakers designed new district lines in 2011, theyve kept a solid grip on power, maintaining a sizable majority in the state Legislature without a sizable majority of the vote. For example, in 2012, Republicans won 47 percent of the vote statewide but took 60 percent of seats in the Assembly.

Iowas maps rejected, too

No map is going to make everyone happy.

Even in Iowa, with its touted Iowa Model that takes its map-drawing responsibilities out of the hands of legislators, the first set of proposed maps were rejected by legislators last week. The initial proposal that was rejected wouldve set up dozens of incumbents to face off against one another.

Of the maps Evers commission created, which he had hoped would bring bipartisan support, theres been strong criticism even from the left after it was shown they would likely decrease the total number of districts where black and Latino voters make up the majority. While those voters would make up majorities in fewer districts than they do today, they could represent large enough blocs in some districts to sway the outcome of more elections, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported earlier this month.

Wanggaard said, in a statement last week regarding the commissions maps: Unlike the Governor Evers Maps Commission, which apparently ignored applicable laws including the Voting Rights Act, and diminishes minority representation, the Legislatures (i.e. Republicans) maps comply with the law and protect minority representation.

Neubauer

State Rep. Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, said in a statement last week: The Republican-drawn maps released yesterday explicitly work to maintain the partisan, gerrymandered maps enacted under Scott Walker. Wisconsinites deserve fair, transparent, nonpartisan electoral maps, not gerrymandering 2.0.
RACINE  Van Wanggaards state Senate district is an interesting one. Its one thats been targeted by Democrats who allege it as an example of gerrymandering; Wanggaard has won it numerous times since the current maps were put in place under then-Gov. Scott Walker 10 years ago.

Wanggaard, a retired Racine Police officer, lives in Wisconsins 21st Senate District, which is almost entirely rural and suburban (stretching to include Burlington, Twin Lakes, Wind Lake, Caledonia and Pleasant Prairie along the Wisconsin-Illinois border) and reliably votes for Republicans.

But he also lives in the City of Racine, in the 1200 block of Blaine Avenue just south of Washington Avenue (Highway 20) in West Racine: An urban area that, as a whole, votes for Democrats almost all of the time.

If Wanggaards home were literally one block to the south, under both the current maps and under Republicans very similar new proposed maps, he would live in the district currently represented by state Sen. Robert Wirch, a Democrat who resides in Somers in northern Kenosha County.

Under Republicans proposed redistricting maps that could be adopted next year, his district would be almost unchanged. His home would still be one block away from being in a Democratic-leaning district.

Both of the maps proposed by Gov. Tony Evers Peoples Maps Commission would change that, putting Wanggaard into what would likely be a more urban, more competitive district.

In a statement he released late last week, Wanggaard said: Regardless of what the district looks like, my job, and any elected officials job, is to represent the people they represent.

Cited as an example

The fact that Wanggaards neighborhood is not representative of a rural, conservative district has led to him being called, by some, a beneficiary of gerrymandering.

Heres how NPR described the situation in 2017: Van Wanggaard was elected to the Wisconsin state Senate in 2010 as a Republican. A year later, the Republicans in control of the Legislature redrew the district lines as part of the redistricting process that happens every 10 years.

Wanggaards district was one that was dramatically reconfigured to strengthen the GOPs hold on power. Urban parts of the district that were filled with Democratic voters were sliced off, and areas filled with Republican voters were added. What had once been a competitive seat became safely Republican.

Perhaps whats most striking about the redrawn district is where the line runs  it carefully cuts around Wanggaards house, before sawing off neighbors a few houses down and dumping them into Democratic-leaning territory.

Its not against the law for politicians to consider politics when theyre redrawing districts. But the approach Wisconsin Republicans took was particularly aggressive. Since lawmakers designed new district lines in 2011, theyve kept a solid grip on power, maintaining a sizable majority in the state Legislature without a sizable majority of the vote. For example, in 2012, Republicans won 47 percent of the vote statewide but took 60 percent of seats in the Assembly.

Iowas maps rejected, too

No map is going to make everyone happy.

Even in Iowa, with its touted Iowa Model that takes its map-drawing responsibilities out of the hands of legislators, the first set of proposed maps were rejected by legislators last week. The initial proposal that was rejected wouldve set up dozens of incumbents to face off against one another.

Of the maps Evers commission created, which he had hoped would bring bipartisan support, theres been strong criticism even from the left after it was shown they would likely decrease the total number of districts where black and Latino voters make up the majority. While those voters would make up majorities in fewer districts than they do today, they could represent large enough blocs in some districts to sway the outcome of more elections, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported earlier this month.

Wanggaard said, in a statement last week regarding the commissions maps: Unlike the Governor Evers Maps Commission, which apparently ignored applicable laws including the Voting Rights Act, and diminishes minority representation, the Legislatures (i.e. Republicans) maps comply with the law and protect minority representation.

State Rep. Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, said in a statement last week: The Republican-drawn maps released yesterday explicitly work to maintain the partisan, gerrymandered maps enacted under Scott Walker. Wisconsinites deserve fair, transparent, nonpartisan electoral maps, not gerrymandering 2.0.

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YORKVILLE  The Racine County Sheriffs Office confirmed Wednesday that it has been investigating the 2020 elections in Racine County and across Wisconsin and has called a Thursday morning news conference on the matter.

Little information about the RCSOs investigation has been released. A Wednesday notice, which was also posted on Facebook and with the headline Sheriff to announce proof of state-wide election law violations says a news conference will be held Thursday, Oct. 28, detailing the allegations.

Within 45 minutes, the Facebook post had more than 70 shares, with commenters speculating about what may be entailed.

No further details about Schmaling's investigation have been released. The release did not say which election or elections it has been investigating. The Journal Times has reached out to the sheriff for more information.

After the press conference, "Sheriff Schmaling and the lead investigator will be available to answer questions and provide documentation," the release said.

Recounts and a Republican-ordered audit in Wisconsin confirmed that Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump by a margin of more than 20,000 votes in the 2020 presidential election.

City & WEC

The City of Racine says it was unaware that such an investigation was going on.

I have no idea what youre talking about, City Clerk Tara Coolidge, who coordinates elections in the city, said Wednesday afternoon when asked about the sheriffs announcement, according to Shannon Powell, spokesman for the city and Mayor Cory Mason's chief of staff.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission, which has repeatedly pushed back against claims of widespread fraud, had no direct comment on the sheriff's announcement. "We dont have any information to provide at this point, but check back following tomorrows press conference once we learn more," Riley Vetterkind, the new spokesperson for the WEC, said in an email.

Legislature

A Republican-ordered investigation headed by former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman  who has kept all of his investigations work secret, including who is on the payroll and what the taxpayer money is being used for  is ongoing.

Multiple law enforcement officers were allegedly hired when Gablemans investigation was just starting out, but they quit upon realizing the size of the workload, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said.

Vos has defended the opaqueness of the investigation, saying publicly releasing the information while the probe is ongoing could compromise it, and that all information will be released in the end.

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Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said its possible, if not likely that former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman will request an interview with state elections commission administrator Meagan Wolfe before a Dane County judge takes up a request to bar such an interview.

Vos, R-Rochester, also said its possible the Republican investigation into how the 2020 election was conducted may carry over into 2022 and additional subpoenas could be issued, but he did not say what those might entail.

On Monday, Dane County Judge Rhonda Lanford scheduled a hearing for Dec. 23 on Democratic Attorney General Josh Kauls request for a restraining order against subpoenas, issued earlier this year by Gableman and authorized by Vos. Gableman was hired by Vos to lead the one-party investigation into some of the procedures voters and clerks relied on in casting and processing ballots in the 2020 election.

Gableman had agreed earlier this month to rescind his initial request for interviews with Wolfe and the mayors and election clerks in the states five largest cities, but said he reserved the right to demand meetings in the future. Lanford did not issue an immediate restraining order against Gablemans request on Monday but encouraged attorneys for Gableman, the state Assembly and Wisconsin Elections Commission to notify her if anything changes on the matter.

Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Vos said he is reviewing Kauls request for a restraining order but said Gableman may still seek an interview with Wolfe before the December hearing.

Its certainly possible if not likely that we will issue those prior to the Dec. 23 hearing, Vos said. But in keeping with the judges ruling, well ensure that we do it in a way that also gives an opportunity for those to move forward.

Kaul, who is representing the Wisconsin Elections Commission and Wolfe, issued the request for a temporary restraining order on Thursday, stating that Gablemans subpoenas were overly broad and infected with the numerous legal flaws. Kaul also said interviews need to be held in public before a legislative committee, rather than in private, as Gableman had requested.

Gableman had initially said his review of the election would be completed by the end of October, but Vos said last week the review may be finished before the end of the year. In light of the legal challenge by Kaul, Vos said its possible the investigation wont wrap up until next year. Vos has committed $676,000 in taxpayer funds to the investigation.

Senate Republican leaders on Monday announced plans to conduct their own investigation into the 2020 election, with a focus on the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureaus report on the state and local administration of last Novembers presidential election. The Audit Bureaus report, released Friday, made dozens of recommendations to the Legislature and elections commission on how to improve election administration.

A recount and court decisions have affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes last November. Four voters out of roughly 3 million who cast ballots have been charged with fraud.

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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

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The first white settler in what is now Vernon County was John McCullough who arrived at what is now Liberty Pole in 1844. Thus began the development of our county when pioneers from Ohio, Illinois, other states and other countries, came to Wisconsin seeking land for sale. Vernon County is known as a melting pot with a variety of ethnic groups including Norwegian, German, Czech, Italian and English.

The first settler of the town of Whitestown was Giles White, who arrived in 1855. White was born in Oneida County, New York in 1820. When he was just 17 years old, he traveled to Medina County, Ohio to engage in farming. While living there, he met and married Caroline Kelly in 1843. She was native of Tioga County, New York. Two of their children, Angeline Angie and Mary were born in Ohio. The family left Ohio in 1853 and traveled to several states before settling in Vernon County. He chose 200 acres of timbered land in section 2. The town of Whitestown was established and organized in 1856 and Giles White was elected as town chairman. White was also a member of the county board.

White erected a sawmill in 1856 and was also engaged in lumbering, merchandising and farming. He was known as a successful businessman which not only benefited his family but also the growing community of Ontario which he platted and laid out in 1857.

The Baptist Church of Ontario was established in 1859 by the Rev. B.S. Tuttle. Among the founding members was Caroline White.

The Whites first child, Angie, was born in 1846. She married Elbert W. Sandon in 1874; they had no children. Sandon, who came to Ontario in 1866, was a miller, merchant and farmer in Ontario. Angie died in 1897 and is buried in the Old Ontario Cemetery. Elbert remarried and passed away in 1910. The Whites daughter Mary, who was born in 1848, died in 1865. A third child, Cassius F., was born in 1860. In 1885 he married Rettie De Lap, daughter of Thomas and Mary De Lap, also of Ontario. Thomas De Lap was the Ontario postmaster from 1882-1893. Cassius and Rettie had two children, Glenn and Mary. In 1880, Cassius was in partnership with his brother-in-law Elbert Sandon in the saw mill and flour mill business. He was also a well-known horseman and real estate dealer and lived in La Crosse. While in Forbes, North Dakota in 1913, he was thrown from a horse and became paralyzed. Although he was not expected to live, he returned to La Crosse where he remained until his death in 1917. His wife also remained in La Crosse and died there in 1946. Both are buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, La Crosse.

Giles White passed away in 1896, Caroline in 1901. Both are buried at the Old Ontario Cemetery.

Plans for our annual volunteer and member banquet are being finalized. It will be held this year on Nov. 14 at the Viroqua VFW. Our speaker will be Jeff Kannel, author of the book, Make Way Liberty: Wisconsin African Americans in the Civil War. The book features African American soldiers from Vernon County who lived in the Cheyenne Valley area. Kannel has been a volunteer and tour guide at the Civil War Museum in Kenosha since 2012 and speaks around the state about the role of Wisconsin African American soldiers and employees during the Civil War. Watch our newsletter, website or Facebook page for additional details about the banquet.

Winter is coming and the museums hours are changing. Beginning the week of Oct. 31, the museum will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. These hours continue through March. We are always open by appointment, so please feel free to give us a call a 608-637-7396 or email us at: museum@vernoncountyhistory.org. We will do our best to accommodate you.

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Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area has announced the search for a homeowner for its home to be built in Trempealeau County.

Partnering with the City of Arcadia, Habitat for Humanity was able to purchase a vacant lot on Wilson Avenue. Plans for the home are under development and construction will begin in Spring 2022.

Executive Director Kahya Fox said, Its amazing to begin connecting with a new community. Everyone in Arcadia and Trempealeau County have been supportive. We have a dedicated group of citizens who will be instrumental in constructing the first Habitat home in Trempealeau County.

Habitat is accepting applications for its Homeowner Program through Friday, November 19. Habitat will also host Homeowner Informational sessions on Thursday, October 28 at 5 p.m. and Saturday, October 30 at 10 a.m. at the Ashley Conference Room at the Wanek Center in Arcadia.

For more information about the Homeowner Program, to download the application packet, or to sign up for the Informational sessions, visit www.habitatlacrosse.org.

After the future homeowner is selected, Habitat will start working with the community to organize volunteers and schedule events leading up to the official groundbreaking for the new home.

We will be in Arcadia throughout the summer and into the fall, says Construction Manager, Jeremy Reed. We will need a lot of help from the community to build this home,

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that partners with homeowners and the community to build simple, decent, and affordable housing. For more information, to become a volunteer, or to make a donation, visit its website or or call 608-785-2373.

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Department of Workforce Development Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek and Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld recently joined Department of Corrections Secretary Kevin Carr to celebrate Manufacturing Month and a new job-training program at the Jackson Correctional Institution in Black River Falls.

The department secretaries participated in a Computer Numerical Control certificate of completion ceremony for the first group of people in DOCs care to train in the institutions new CNC Mobile Lab, and then took a tour of the lab where a second group is currently learning.

CNC is a computerized manufacturing process that takes digitized data to control, automate, and monitor movement of a machine to route, weld, grind, laser, stamp, or control a robot to produce machined parts. DOC partnered with Western Technical College, which creates the curriculum and provides an instructor to conduct the training.

As soon as we walk through the doors to the mobile lab, its like were not even in prison anymore, said a student who was part of the first graduating cohort at JCI. Were focused, talking to each other about our work and learning.

I went to college before my incarceration and passed some classes and failed some. I never graduated and didnt think college was for me, said another student, who received his program completion certificate. The CNC program got me back into thinking about getting a job, and it gives me an opportunity to go out and have an income to support my family when I release.

Jackson Correctional Institution is a medium-security facility entrusted with the custody and supervision of adult males. It has a population of around 950, and 45% of the men there have a year or less remaining in the confinement portion of their sentence.

What an incredible collaboration between DOC, DWD and Western Technical College, Carr said. Wisconsin employers are looking for skilled workers and, through this partnership, were providing people in our care at Jackson Correctional Institution knowledge and tools that can help them successfully transition back into their communities. Its great to see the men here are taking advantage of that opportunity.

Education remains a powerful tool that uplifts individuals into high-demand and high-paying jobs, said Kat Linaker, vice president of academics at Western Technical College. This partnership is providing first-class advanced manufacturing education to individuals at Jackson Correctional Institution, providing them an opportunity to contribute to their communities upon release. With our continued labor shortage in the region, this is an investment in the future.

The CNC Mobile Lab is a self-contained training lab designed to deliver an advanced manufacturing training curriculum. As a climate-controlled unit, it is equipped with wireless technology and provides a space where instructors can teach and train advanced manufacturing skills. Persons in DOCs care will train and receive a CNC Operator Certificate and CNC Set up Certificate, earning a total of 13 credits, from Western Technical College.

Certificate programs, such as this one from Western Technical College, help individuals returning from DOCs care obtain employment, gain access to housing and medical care, and start building financial capability, Blumenfeld said. Being able to support themselves upon release with steady employment in a high-demand and well-paying field is an essential step on the path to achieving financial security for themselves and their families.

A new correctional job lab will also be opening at Jackson Correctional Institution later this fall and will provide the persons in DOCs care with the ability to search for jobs throughout Wisconsin in advanced manufacturing, before they return to their homes and community.

Many individuals leaving DOC care face a lot of barriers to seeking full-time employment, Pechacek said. And we know that one of the best ways to positively change someones life is to have a stable, well-paying job that supports them in their transition back to the community.

The goal of DOCs Reentry Unit is crime reduction, fewer victims, reduced state and local criminal justice costs, and most importantly, safer families and communities. He said 95% of those incarcerated at the Jackson County facility will return to their communities.

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Bishop William Patrick Callahan has contracted COVID-19, according to a church official who announced the diagnosis during a service over the weekend.

Callahan, 71, is experiencing mild symptoms, Monsignor Richard Gilles told the parish at the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman during Mass on Sunday, Oct. 24, which was broadcasted.

Our dear Bishop Callahan has COVID, so we certainly want to pray for him. As I understand it, its with mild symptoms so we pray that it stays like that and doesnt get any worse, Gilles said.

In a statement the Diocese said Callahan was in good spirits and was being monitored by a medical team and isolating. He tested positive over the weekend.

I am grateful for the abundance of prayers and good intentions that I have received during this time. It is at times such as this that we are reminded that the Lord provides us with strength and is our salvation in times of distress, Callahan said in the statement.

His diagnosis comes just a few weeks after the former leader of the Diocese, Cardinal Raymond Burke, was hospitalized on a ventilator with the virus. Burke has since been released from the hospital and is undergoing at-home rehabilitation.

It is unclear whether Callahan is vaccinated against COVID-19 or not.

In the spring, Callahan called for the resignation of Father James Altman for continued political rhetoric, which included misinformation on COVID-19 and the vaccine.

In an August letter with other Wisconsin bishops, Callahan also encouraged people to get vaccinated, and while he said personal choices should be respected, he maintained that the unvaccinated should take other precautions.

Callahan is originally from Chicago and has served in different roles within the church in Milwaukee, Chicago and Rome since being ordained to priesthood in 1977. He has led the Diocese of La Crosse since 2010.

This story was updated at 4:45 p.m. to include comments from the Diocese and Callahan.

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The Wisconsin State Assembly is recognizing October 2021 as First Responders Appreciation Month by honoring first responders across the state with a Hometown Hero Award.

Rep. Jill Billings (D-La Crosse) selected Officer Joel Miller of the La Crosse Police Department to represent the 95th Assembly District.

Miller, with the department since 2006, has served as one of its first Neighborhood Resource Officers, the first Victims Services Officer, and the first Community Resource Officer.

I am honored to recognize Officer Joel Miller with the Hometown Hero Award, Billings said. He is truly representative of the best values and qualities we need for law enforcement officers and first responders in our community and communities across the state.

Officer Miller has a wide variety of experience as a Community Resource Officer, Victim Services Officer, Downtown Neighborhood Resource Officer, and a liaison with behavior health specialists. Officer Miller is a caring individual in his job as he helps community members access the services and assistance that they need. He continues to go above and beyond the call of duty and increase his skills and knowledge in order to better serve our community.

Thank you Officer Joel Miller, for your service and dedication to our community, and congratulations on being nominated and selected for the First Responder of the Year award for the 95th Assembly District.

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This week the Wisconsin Assembly hosted the second annual First Responder of the Year ceremony, and each Assembly District selected a first responder to receive the award.

Rep. Steve Doyle, D-Onalaska, selected Pete Jakowski to represent the 94th District and had the following to say:

I was honored to recognize Onalaska Investigator Pete Jakowski with this Hometown Hero Award. Investigator Jakowski has made taking a bite out of crime his lifes work, and Onalaska is better for it.

Throughout his 36 years of service to our community he has consistently demonstrated his willingness to go above and beyond. His caring demeanor is demonstrated in his official duties like his investigative work, and his work mentoring new members of the force, but also in the time he spends helping out with the Special Olympics, and Boy Scouts in his free time.

Thank you Investigator Jakowski for your service to our community, and congratulations on receiving this Hometown Hero Award.

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The American Red Cross is reporting its lowest blood supply during a fall season in more than a decade, with its declaration of emergency need earlier this month still in place.

With severe blood and platelet shortages, the Red Cross is hosting a series of blood drives, and will need to collect 10,000 donations a week in November to meet patient needs. With the approaching holiday season likely to lead to a drop in donations, people are encouraged to give now.

Since declaring an emergency need for donors, thousands of people have come to Red Cross blood drives across the country to roll up a sleeve and help patients who are counting on lifesaving transfusions, the organization says. The Red Cross is incredibly grateful for the kindness and generosity of these blood and platelet donors, but hospital demand remains strong.

Currently, the Red Cross is screening all blood, platelet and plasma donations from self-identified African American donors for the sickle cell trait. Blood transfusion is an essential treatment for those with sickle cell disease, and blood donations from individuals of the same race, ethnicity and blood type have a unique ability to help patients fighting sickle cell disease, the Red Cross says. Sickle cell trait screening results will be available within two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App and the online donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.

Donations of all blood types, especially O, are needed in addition to platelets. Those who donate between Nov. 1-12 will be entered to win a trip for two to Hawaii, and those who donate Nov. 1-23 will receive a $10 Amazon e-gift card.

To schedule an appointment, use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors must be 17 or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and provide a blood donor card, drivers license or two other forms of ID.

Blood drives follow coronavirus precautions, with the wearing of face masks required by all donors and staff regardless of vaccination status.

Upcoming donation opportunities:

8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 29, Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26, La Crosse Blood Donation Center, 1427 Hwy. 16

Noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 29, Valley View Mall, 3800 Hwy. 16

7:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Oct. 30, Nov. 6, 13, 20, 27, La Crosse Blood Donation Center

11:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m., Nov. 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, La Crosse Blood Donation Center

12:30 to 6:15 p.m. Nov. 16, 23, La Crosse Blood Donation Center

12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 22, Bethel Lutheran Church, 1931 Loomis St.

Noon to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 26, Valley View Mall

12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 26, Moose Lodge, 1932 Ward Ave.

Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net.

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NEW YORK (AP)  An Ohio trader in penny stocks was arrested Tuesday on charges alleging he earned over $1 million illegally by lying repeatedly to his over 70,000 Twitter followers to get them to buy stocks in what authorities are calling a new social media-infused twist on an old stock manipulation game.

Steven Gallagher, 50, of Maumee, Ohio, was charged in New York federal court with securities fraud, wire fraud and market manipulation. He was arrested in Ohio. It was not immediately clear who would represent Gallagher at an initial court appearance in Ohio.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a release that Gallagher brought old-school boiler room tactics to the Twitter age, and operated a social media pump-and-dump scam that defrauded ordinary investors.

Ricky J. Patel, head of the New York office for Homeland Security Investigations, said Gallagher turned lies into cash.

Pump and dump stock schemes cause mistrust in the market and have real victims who often invest large sums of money, only to have their hopes shattered by a fraudsters greed, Patel said.

Court papers in Manhattan alleged that Gallagher began defrauding followers of a Twitter account he started in September 2019 under the alias Alex DeLarge, a gang leader character who commits violent crimes in the Anthony Burgess novel A Clockwork Orange. By last week, the account had over 70,000 followers.

Authorities accused Gallagher of secretly buying a substantial number of shares in at least six thinly traded securities known as penny stocks because they are usually worth less than $1 per share. They said he then touted them to followers to cause them to purchase the stocks and drive their values higher.

Then, Gallagher secretly sold his securities while continuing to promote them to his followers so he could gain the highest price possible for his own sales, according to a criminal complaint.

Meanwhile, he boasted of his stock picking prowess to his followers, regularly posting images of his brokerage account balance and gains on his Twitter account to boost his reputation and induce followers to do as he urged, the complaint said.

Trading in one company Gallagher promoted online  Minnesota-based SpectraScience Inc.  was temporarily suspended in February by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which said certain social media accounts may be engaged in a coordinated attempt to artificially influence the share price, the complaint said.

Kingston Moy, a Homeland Security agent who signed the complaint, wrote that he'd spoken to at least two investors who lost thousands of dollars after following Gallagher's advice. The agent said the investors were impressed with how many followers Gallagher had and that he seemed to post his own financial positions.

The agent also said he interviewed Gallagher on Monday and Gallagher confirmed that he controls the DeLarge Twitter account and that he had posted a tweet in July 2020 designed to boost the value of one of the stocks he had been promoting to his followers.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Snowmobilers will have to wait at least another year for a new route through Blue Mound State Park.

An Iowa County judge on Wednesday blocked construction of a long-contested trail outlined in a new master plan that is the subject of legal challenges from the parks volunteer support group.

The Department of Natural Resources had planned to begin construction Nov. 5, but Judge Margaret Koehler granted a request from the Friends of Blue Mound State Park to pause construction until the lawsuits are settled.

The dispute involves a new master plan for the 1,153-acre park on the Dane-Iowa county line.

Approved by the Natural Resources Board in May, the plan includes a 1-mile snowmobile trail through the park to connect the Military Ridge State Trail to county trails to the north. Currently, snowmobilers can ride on the shoulders of roads to get between trail systems.

The Friends asked the court to review the plan, arguing the 12-foot-wide trail could damage ecologically important habitat and threaten the federally endangered rusty patched bumblebee, favoring a sport with waning popularity to the detriment of hikers, bikers and other users.

Koehler conceded the stay would likely mean snowmobilers will have to wait another season for the trail, which has been contested for the past five years. But she said a delay would cause the least damage as snowmobilers can continue using the existing trail.

Theres no immediate urgency to construct this trail, she said. Its been kicked around  since 2016.

DNR spokesperson Sarah Hoye declined to comment, citing pending litigation, but an attorney for the state told the court Wednesday that the master plan has been through a lengthy administrative process and the Friends group has not proven any deficiencies.

The public has been waiting for this trail, said Assistant Attorney General Gabe Johnson-Karp.

Dave Newman, president of the Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs, also declined to comment on the order.

Attorney Brian Potts called the order a win for the Friends group.

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The University of Wisconsin System announced Wednesday that it will comply with an executive order issued by President Joe Biden more than six weeks ago requiring federal contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

We cannot afford to jeopardize millions of dollars in federal contracts, which are integral to our academic and research missions, interim System President Tommy Thompson said in a statement. Therefore, we intend to be in compliance with the federal executive order on vaccine mandates.

The Systems announcement that it would comply with the mandate comes on the last possible day for employees to get their first dose of the Moderna vaccine and be fully vaccinated by Dec. 8, the deadline Biden set in the order. Those receiving the Pfizer vaccine have until Nov. 3 to get their first shot and those getting the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine must do so by Nov. 24.

Bidens Sept. 9 order has compelled colleges across the country to announce vaccine requirements, even in some conservative states where governors and legislators oppose vaccine mandates.

A large share of employees are already vaccinated at the Systems two research universities, with 95% having received the shot at UW-Madison and 82% at UW-Milwaukee. Unvaccinated employees are required to test weekly, an option that isnt allowed under the federal order. Employees can request a medical or religious exemption under the order.

Bidens order covers not only people directly paid by federal contracts, but also anyone who works to support them, such as those in human resources, billing and legal departments. Many colleges have interpreted the broadly written order to be a campuswide employee mandate.

It was not clear whether the UW System read the order in that way, and also whether it would apply to all campuses. System officials did not respond to emails, calls and text messages.

The American Council on Education, a national organization representing colleges across the country, has said in its guidance that the federal order will extend to many faculty and staff with no connection to any federal contract. Indeed, at many institutions they may cover most or all employees.

The three largest universities in Kansas have announced they will comply. So has the University of Alabama System, which cited the potential financial repercussions of ignoring the order.

But the Chronicle of Higher Education reported that some colleges are interpreting the mandate narrowly. Officials at the public university systems in Texas and Tennessee said they are studying which specific employees have work related to federal contracts that would be covered under the order.

The Wisconsin Technical College System doesnt believe the mandate broadly applies to its schools, though officials are continuing to assess whether the very small number of training contracts colleges may have with the federal government would affect them, spokesperson Conor Smyth said.

Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, blasted the UW System for announcing its intention to follow the federal order. The longtime and vocal UW critic said the System was trying to hide details of this decision for as long as possible to avoid potential litigation.

Nass has previously asked legislative leaders to sue the System over what he describes as excessive COVID-19 policies, which include mask mandates and mandatory testing for unvaccinated individuals. His calls have not resulted in a public response from Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg.

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At The Stockyard Inn, chairs, glassware, and dishes familiar to generations of diners have been grouped together and numbered, arranged for an ongoing online auction that will disperse the contents of the landmark Lancaster city restaurant.

Practically everything is for sale as the Fournaris family winds down their nearly 70-year restaurant operation along Lititz Pike. It was one of the oldest, continuously operating restaurants in Lancaster County. The online auction of the restaurants contents, which ends Tuesday, follows the final closure of the restaurants dining room in early September and the May sale of the property to a developer planning a $48 million, 216-unit apartment complex on the site.

Once the sale is finalized, 57-year-old Jim Fournaris said he will consider options for a new venture that could include a version of the Stockyard Inn somewhere else, but wouldnt include his parents and co-owners, Tom and Athena, who are retiring from the business.

This is all that weve ever done. Does that mean thats all I should do? said Jim Fournaris, who recalls washing glasses at the restaurant when he was in elementary school. Maybe part of me says, Why not try something new?

The Fournaris family still owns the Stockyard Inns restaurant liquor license as well as the name, assets that along with proceeds of the real estate sale and auction could be used for a new venture that might include just a small restaurant component.

Whatever Jim would get involved with, we would help out, said Athena Fournaris, who is 79 years old and continued to work at The Stockyard Inn until it closed.

But Jim Fournaris said serious consideration of a next step will only begin once the dust settles from the auction, adding that any new restaurant would be launched with new furnishings and equipment.

If we decided to do something in the same realm, we would start with new equipment, he said.

Getting ready to sell

To prepare for the auction, the Fournaris family spent weeks unpacking and arranging dishes, utensils and equipment theyve used at the restaurant that Thomas father first opened in 1952, much of which had been stored in the basement.

The auction, which includes stoves and other kitchen equipment, is also veritable time capsule of dinner service, illustrating, for example, how plates and glassware have become larger and more uniform over the years.

We have like four generations of plates, we really do. Amazing, isnt it, said Athena Fournaris.

The oldest plates are more colorful and smaller, meant to only hold only a meals main protein. Vegetables and other side items were served separately in smaller, all-purpose monkey bowls. Earlier versions of plates were often paired with metal covers which were useful for stacking and carrying many plates together, and for dramatically revealing an entree to customers.

As time went on, you didnt use that size plate anymore, you went to a larger plate, said Athena Fournaris, noting that most dinner plates are now large, square and white, capable of holding a steak and all the side dishes.

The auctions 755 lots also include red-topped bar stools and upholstered chairs as well as many kinds of tables, several large mirrors and myriad pots and pans. One-hundred-ninety-eight salt-and-pepper shakers will be sold in 11 separate lots. One of the tables in the bar room has been reserved for a longtime customer who just had to have it.

Online bidding for the auction, which is being handled by Hess Auction Group, ends at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Information is available at hessauctiongroup.com.

Historic site became landmark restaurant

The original, four-room stone farmhouse at the Stockyard Inn site is believed to have been built in 1750, with major additions in 1850 and 1922.The property's most famous owner, James Buchanan, bought it in 1856, just before he became president. He sold it to the Pennsylvania Railroad eight years later.

In 1895, the Lancaster Stockyards was founded on adjacent farmland and the farmhouse was converted to an inn that served the visiting cattlemen at what would become the largest stockyards east of Chicago.

James Fournaris purchased the Stockyard Inn in 1952 and the restaurant evolved into an upscale steakhouse that lasted as a Lancaster dining institution long after the adjacent stockyards had gone quiet. As late as 1994, the stockyards auctioned 70,000 head of cattle, but the trade died after the largest dealer, Dunlap & Sons, closed in 1999.

Situated near the Amtrak station at a gateway to the city, the Stockyard Inn has been eyed by a variety of developers, the Fournaris family said.

But not a single one wanted to keep it as a restaurant, said Jim Fournaris, noting that a restaurant on two floors with seating for 270 was unwieldy. Its too big. Its a monster.

With his parents well beyond normal retirement age, Jim Fournaris said a redevelopment plan from Ben Lesher appealed to them, both because of Leshers overall approach to them and the project as well as his commitment to salvage the oldest part of the restaurant. A sale of the 4.6-acre property was finalized in May for $3.65 million, with the Fournaris family leasing the restaurant back since then.

Leshers redevelopment plan, which is currently being considered by the city Zoning Hearing Board, includes a proposal to pare the historic restaurant building down to its oldest portions, then relocate it from the center of the property to the Marshall Avenue side where it would become a clubhouse for apartment tenants.

Im so glad he appreciated the history of the building, said Athena Fournaris. We were happy about that. It would have been very sad to drive on Lititz Pike and not see The Stockyard anymore.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh traveled from Washington D.C. to the Kellogg plant here on Wednesday, telling employees on the picket line that the Biden administration fully supports worker rights -- including the rights being exercised by the strikers.

The 380 unionized workers at the State Road plant are among 1,400 Kellogg employees at four cereal-making plants nationwide to walk out Oct. 5, after their contract expired without an agreement on a new accord or an extension of the old pact.

"I stand here with you today, on behalf of myself and President Biden, to let you know how much the president cares about the workers of America, people's rights to (join unions), people's rights to be able to ask for higher wages and better working conditions...," Walsh said.

Walsh, a former building-trades union leader and former mayor of Boston, is the second high-profile public official to meet with the striking workers. John Fetterman, Pennsylvanias lieutenant governor whos running for U.S. Senate, visited on Oct. 9 to voice support for the workers too.

During his 40-minute stop at Kellogg, Walsh acknowledged "it might be a little different for a secretary of labor of the United States of America coming out and standing on a picket line. But if you have it in your blood, you have it in your blood."

The comment drew loud cheers from the 75 or so Kellogg workers gathered at the plant's truck entrance on the facility's Yellow Goose Road side to meet him. Also in the crowd were several members of other union locals at other companies, who attended to show support for the strikers.

Walsh did not address the issues that triggered the strike, though he briefly walked the picket line. He also posed for photos with numerous workers, many of them holding American flags or signs critical of Kellogg.

"I want you to know that we are watching. You do have support," Walsh said. "And I hope that ... the leadership of your union here, along with the company, get together soon, resolve this strike and get you back where you belong -- on the inside of the fence, not the outside of this fence. Thank you for the opportunity to come here today and be with all of you today. It's an honor to be standing with you and walking the picket line."

Walshs stop in Lancaster, before he headed to Philadelphia for various events, came a day after the Kellogg workers union -- the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International  agreed to go back to the bargaining table for the first time since the strike began.

Talks are set for Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.

Kerry Williams, president of the unions Local 374, which represents the State Road workers, said the biggest obstacle to a new contract remains the fate of Kelloggs two-tier wages and benefits. Under the system, employees hired after 2015 get less pay and lower benefits than those hired before 2015. Williams added that the union is firmly against any concession.

The walkout is the second in the 45-year-old plant's history. The only other strike here was a three-week walkout in 1985, LNP | LancasterOnline records show.

Products made at the State Road plant include Corn Flakes, Frosted Flakes, Raisin Bran, Special K, Shredded Wheat, Frosted Shredded Wheat, Crispix, All Bran and Rice Krispies cereals.

Kelloggs other cereal plants are in Omaha, Nebraska, Memphis, Tennessee, and Battle Creek, Michigan, where Kellogg is headquartered.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Iran's president said Wednesday that a cyberattack which paralyzed every gas station in the Islamic Republic was designed to get people angry by creating disorder and disruption, as long lines still snaked around the pumps a day after the incident began.

Ebrahim Raisi's remarks stopped short of assigning blame for the attack, which rendered useless the government-issued electronic cards that many Iranians use to buy subsidized fuel at the pump.

However, they suggested that he and others in the theocracy believe anti-Iranian forces carried out an assault likely designed to inflame the country as the second anniversary of a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests over gasoline prices approaches.

There should be serious readiness in the field of cyberwar and related bodies should not allow the enemy to follow their ominous aims to make problem in trend of peoples life," Raisi said. State television later aired footage of the president visiting a gas station in central Tehran.

The attack Tuesday also bore similarities to another months earlier that seemed to directly challenge Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the countrys economy buckles under American sanctions.

On Wednesday morning, the state-run IRNA news agency quoted another official who claimed 80% of Iran's gas stations had begun selling fuel again. Associated Press journalists saw long lines at multiple gas stations in Tehran. One station had a line of 90 cars waiting for fuel. Those buying ended up having to pay at higher, unsubsidized prices.

The semiofficial ISNA news agency, which first called the incident a cyberattack, said it saw those trying to buy fuel with a government-issued card through the machines instead receiving a message reading cyberattack 64411.

While ISNA didnt acknowledge the numbers significance, that number is associated with a hotline run through Khameneis office that handles questions about Islamic law. ISNA later removed its reports, claiming that it too had been hacked. Such claims of hacking can come quickly when Iranian outlets publish news that angers the theocracy.

Farsi-language satellite channels abroad published videos apparently shot by drivers in Isfahan, a major Iranian city, showing electronic billboards there reading: Khamenei! Where is our gas? Another said: Free gas in Jamaran gas station, a reference to the home of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

The use of the number 64411 mirrored the attack in July targeting Irans railroad system that also saw the number displayed. Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point later attributed the train attack to a group of hackers that called themselves Indra, after the Hindu god of war.

Indra previously targeted firms in Syria, where President Bashar Assad has held onto power through Irans intervention in his countrys grinding war.

Abolhassan Firouzabadi, the secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, linked the attack to the Irans rail system assault in July in comments reported by IRNA. He also said it affected all of Iran's 4,300 gas stations nationwide.

There is a possibility that the attack, like a previous one on railway system, has been conducted from abroad, Firouzabadi said.

However, a former deputy telecommunications minister, Amir Nazemy, earlier wrote on Twitter that the infrastructure of system of gas stations is an exclusive network and this sort of communications were not on the internet. That raises questions on whether someone inside of Iran with access to the system launched the cyberattack or otherwise facilitated it.

A previously unheard-of group claimed responsibility for the cyberattack hours afterward late Tuesday, in a message on the messaging app Telegram. It did not provide any evidence that it carried out the assault.

Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade, a researcher at cybersecurity firm SentinelOne, said the attack appeared extensively planned. He said that suggests a foreign intelligence agency  not an activist hacking group  could be responsible.

Its super brazen, Guerrero-Saade said.

Cheap gasoline is practically considered a birthright in Iran, home to the worlds fourth-largest crude oil reserves despite decades of economic woes.

Subsidies allow Iranian motorists to buy regular gasoline at 15,000 rials per liter. Thats 5 cents a liter, or about 20 cents a gallon. After a monthly 60-liter quota, it costs 30,000 rials a liter. Thats 10 cents a liter or 41 cents a gallon. Regular gasoline costs 89 cents a liter or $3.38 a gallon on average in the U.S., according to AAA.

In 2019, Iran faced days of mass protests across some 100 cities and towns over rising gasoline prices. Security forces arrested thousands and Amnesty International said it believes 304 people were killed in a government crackdown. Tuesdays cyberattack came in the same month in the Persian calendar as the gasoline protests in 2019.

The attack also came on the birthday of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who, stricken with cancer, fled the country in 1979 just before the Islamic Revolution.

Iran has faced a series of cyberattacks, including one that leaked video of abuses at its notorious Evin prison in August.

The country disconnected much of its government infrastructure from the internet after the Stuxnet computer virus  widely believed to be a joint U.S.-Israeli creation  disrupted thousands of Iranian centrifuges in the countrys nuclear sites in the late 2000s.

Iran, long sanctioned by the West, faces difficulties in getting up-to-date hardware and software, often relying on Chinese-manufactured electronics or older systems no longer being patched by manufacturers. That would make it easier for a potential hacker to target. Pirated versions of Windows and other software are common across Iran.



Karimi reported from Tehran, Iran. Associated Press writer Alan Suderman in Richmond, Va., contributed to this report.
The Lancaster Medical Heritage Museum will hold an open-to-the-public Lunch and Learn webinar on the Plain communitys response to the COVID-19 pandemic at noon Monday.

The one-hour lecture will focus on the role misinformation has exacerbated the pandemic as well as touch on contextual factors within the insular religious community.

This is like a huge historical moment thats happening, said Savannah Eklund, the Columbia University undergrad student in New York City who conducted the research as a part of a summer internship with the museum.

Eklund, who is from Lancaster County, had originally planned to conduct her research on the interplay between traditional medicine and the Amish and Mennonite communities. She switched gears, though, hoping to find data illustrating the communitys response to COVID-19.

But the data  Eklund said  was difficult to come by.

In March, LNP | LancasterOnline reported that as many as 90% of Plain families in Lancaster County have had at least one family member infected with COVID-19, leading many in this religious enclave to believe they had achieved herd immunity.

Public health officials and epidemiologists have not disputed the widespread outbreak described by many in the community, which makes up roughly 8% of Lancaster County.

What Eklund discovered instead was how the COVID-19 misinformation machine that spun conspiracy theories in the wider public also resonated and divided many in the Plain community.

I think a lot of the conspiracies going around have been well positioned to impact the Amish community, Eklund said.

Eklund spent much of the summer reviewing Amish publications through an internship funded by WellSpan Health.

I think it shows that a lot of our discourse is permeating their society, Eklund said.

The webinar is the second in an ongoing series and is open to the public by donation, the minimum is $1. Proceeds go to benefit the Lancaster Medical Heritage Museum.

Last months topic hit on plagues throughout history.

Established in 1982, the museum was created to preserve Lancasters medical heritage through exhibits, education and research. The museum boasts more than 13,000 pieces ranging from medical tools and equipment to early medical texts, according to Kim Jovinelli, the museums executive director.

To register, go to lmhmlunchandlearn2.eventbrite.com.
A Chester County man was sentenced to serve up to 55 years in prison after pleading guilty to killing his girlfriend and giving drugs to a man who then fatally overdosed, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.

Matthew J. Moser, 32, of Honey Brook, pleaded guilty to charges from the two separate incidents, which were about a month apart.

Lancaster County President Judge David Ashworth sentenced Moser to 20 to 40 years for third-degree murder, and six to 15 years for drug delivery resulting in death, according to the district attorney's office. The total sentence amounts to 26 to 55 years as part of an agreement with the state.

Moser was charged with drug delivery resulting in the death of a 24-year-old man after police found him dead in a Caernarvon Township home on Jan. 29, 2020, the district attorney's office said. Investigators later found Moser's Facebook messages, phone records and internet searches showed that he delivered the drugs to the man that resulted in his death.

On March 2, police were called to a home on Twin County Road, also in Caernarvon Township, to check on the welfare of a Kristen Graham, Moser's girlfriend, according to the district attorney's office. Graham's body was found in a bedroom of the residence with the door shut and locked.

She died as a result of strangulation, according to Lancaster County Coroner Dr. Stephen Diamantoni.

Graham was found after her estranged husband called the police, later telling officers his 14-year-old daughter was worried after not seeing her mom for days, police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.

Moser texted his father following the murder, according to court documents, where he said he "choked her out" and called her a witch.

Moser was living at the Twin County Road house with Graham and also living at a Quality Inn hotel in Chester County at the time, according to the district attorney's office. He was arrested on March 3 after a long standoff at the hotel.
A wall inside the meeting room at Manheim Townships municipal building features a framed map labeled:

Manheim Township Agricultural Zone: Best Farm Land in the World.

The map is a nod to the townships agricultural heritage. But its also a snapshot of how much farmland is left inside the boundaries of the townships 23 square miles.

Almost all of whats left of the townships zoned agricultural land is relegated to the townships northeast quadrant. Much of the rest of the township is filled with single-family homes, shopping centers, manufacturing facilities and office buildings. The density gets greater the closer one gets to the townships border with Lancaster city.

Manheim Township is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the county. Its population climbed by 15% in the last 10 years -- in stark contrast to the 2% population decline experienced by its larger municipal neighbor, Lancaster city.

Residents agree its a desirable place to live, with its top-tier school district and parks. But as more people move into the township, concerns about growth are growing. By 2036 -- at the latest -- the township is expected to be fully built out, meaning there will be no undeveloped or unprotected land left to build on, according to the townships last comprehensive plan, last written in 2010.

For many residents, the townships evolution from rich farmland to suburban sprawl is disconcerting.

Its the best farmland in the world, said Marty Wenrich, a farmer in Manheim Township near the Oregon Village project and has farmed there for 40 years. Once its under a dozer, youll never get it back.

Growth and how to manage it, voters say, is the biggest issue in next weeks municipal election. Manheim Township voters will decide whether to keep Democrats in control of the board of commissioners, or return Republicans to a majority on the five-member board.

Just two years ago, Democrats won a 4-1 majority after decades of GOP rule, campaigning on a promise to rein in growth. For their part, Republicans say they can balance their traditional pro-business philosophy with voters' desire for smarter growth.

On paper, the two parties candidates sound alike when it comes to growth (though theyll argue the other side is guilty of stealing their own ideas). All of the candidates promise to create a new comprehensive plan to lead the townships future development, to communicate frequently and openly with all community members, to repurpose underutilized properties, and to protect the remaining farmland zoned for agriculture.

As an example of smart growth, all of the candidates point to the Stehli Silk Mill project as a prime example of what theyd favor. In the mills example, its converting an abandoned factory into 165 market-rate apartments.

As their calling card, Republicans say Democrats had two years to keep their promises to implement smarter growth policies.

When I look at it, they may have ideas, they may have wanted to do something, but theyve sat around these last two years and didnt do anything, said Stacey Morgan Brubaker, a Republican candidate and land-use attorney.

Democrats, meanwhile, say its decades of Republican-led governance that got the township into this mess in the first place.

I really believe were on the right track, but again, weve only had 18 months to do it and we need more time to figure it out, said Tom OBrien, board president and one of the Democrats up for re-election. Our predecessors had 20 years.

Each party touts its candidates diverse experiences and expertise. Republicans boast a slate of heavy hitters: A former state representative, a land-use attorney, a small business owner and an accountant. The Democrats are highly engaged members of the community who say theyll have the most time to dedicate to serving the township: a retiree, a self-employed painting business owner, a communications expert, and a homemaker.

The differences between the two parties on the growth issue are subtle. Democratic candidate Stella Sexton said the commissioners should work to redevelop underutilized space along the townships border with Lancaster city and near public transportation. The goal, she said, is fostering higher density housing where it makes sense to do so.

We have to think about not only how far out of the way it is from existing roads and so forth, but also think about whether its OK to slap high density housing right in the middle of a farming community, she said. My opinion is that thats not the place for high-density housing, because youre going to create a whole lot of traffic right in the middle of an agricultural community.

Republicans say they want to utilize their knowledge of land-use law and federal and state programs to reconfigure local zoning rules in creative ways. For example, Morgan Brubaker and GOP candidate John Bear have been discussing whether they could offer residents a tax break if they improved the homes they already own to reduce demand for bigger, new homes built in agricultural areas.

We have to open the top of the toolbox, take a pause, and say, How else can we get at this thing? Morgan Brubaker said. Were really geared up as a group to look from a comprehensive planning standpoint to see what we can do here in an innovative and a little bit different way.

Oregon trail

The Oregon Village project approved in 2019 provided a campaign issue that helped Democrats win a majority on the township board.

Weve seen how something like Oregon Village creates another spoke in the wheel; an entire highway or roadway will become a commercial strip, said Mary Haverstick, the spokesperson for county farmland preservation advocacy organization Respect Farmland. These things have tentacles We all know that it doesnt take a sprawl engineer; every Lancaster County citizen already knows this because its been happening for the last 10, 20 years.

For the Oregon Village development, farmers sounded the alarm that its conversion of farmland into 554 housing units could disrupt their ability to farm their own lands.

Wenrich, who is Mennonite, said he still feels betrayed by the Republican commissioners who approved it, including Republican candidate Donna DiMeo and Morgan Brubaker, who worked on the project as the township solicitor.

The Republican candidates, however, have tried to distance themselves from the decision by noting that not all of them were serving on the board at the time.

Im a new person here, I wasnt part of any of those regimes. Were a different group of candidates, people proven that they can get things done, Bear said, noting his reputation in Harrisburg for creative, bipartisan solutions.

But Wenrich said hes concerned about Bears connection to developers. Bear is a member of the Pennsylvania Builders Association at the state and county levels. His terms on these boards are set to expire at the end of this year, he said, and he got involved with the groups during his time in state government to get to know small business owners.

Wenrich and Haverstick also said theyre concerned about the political action committee Bear runs, Building a Stronger Pennsylvania. The PAC has received contributions from many industries, including several contributions over the years from developers. Bear told LNP|LancasterOnline hed recuse himself from anything that could be perceived as conflict.

Its never been an issue, he said, noting his time as an elected member of Lititz Borough council. This isnt my first role. Township versus borough, its still the same.

Bears PAC also got support from state Sen. Ryan Aument, whose district includes most of Manheim Township. Aument gave $49,000 to the GOP slates campaign in October, according to a recent campaign filing. Aument gave an additional $15,000 to the Building a Stronger Pennsylvania PAC, which then contributed that same amount to the Manheim Township area Republicans committee that is also supporting the candidates campaign.

For and against

The Democrats and Republicans running for the townships board of commissioners say reworking the 2010 development plan is key to answering voters concerns about growth.

But voters themselves are sending plenty of mixed signals.

On one hand, some are quick to point out that new developments have caused problems for nearby homeowners. Wynnewood Drive in Northbrook Hills is near the under-construction Stoner Farm development that will eventually include 106 single family homes and 18 duplex homes. Since the developer started construction, one woman on the street who declined to give her name said her front yard often becomes a small pond for nearby ducks to swim in after a heavy rain, and shes spent $20,000 in the last four years to address flooding issues in her basement.

Theres no place for water to go, she said.

Its gotten a bit too much, said Dustin Schlenbaker, 43, who owns a home in Northbrook Hills. Theyre developing every square inch, and the schools are already at their max.

For others, like Liz Van Pelt, 33, the symptoms of development like traffic congestion are manageable if it means she gets to keep her way of life: living close to a number of retail options and a quick drive from Lancaster citys restaurant and cultural offerings, all while getting to live in a single-family home with a big yard.

We live close to a city, so it's realistic to expect more traffic as it grows, Van Pelt said. Plus, her young children love construction, she said.

And despite all the talk of development as the key issue in the election, the commissioner candidates seem to understand there are other issues driving voter interest. A new flyer produced by the Democratic slate blasts the previous GOP-run board for wasting taxpayer dollars on providing police coverage for neighboring Lancaster Township.

Before I was a commissioner, I was here for 34 years. Im a taxpayer, and as a taxpayer Im furious, fuming that this was not looked at, OBrien said. Why did it take six years into the contract for someone to figure this out?

The Republican slate, meanwhile, casts the Democrats as inconsistent and dysfunctional. A recent flyer bashes the Democrats for politicizing municipal government by firing the former township manager and overseeing a record number of employee resignations in the year since.

Theres been a lot of disruption, Bear said. One goal is to restore township employee morale, and provide a steady hand in leadership and governance.

Even those partisan messages may not generate interest from some township voters. Van Pelt said shes unsure if shell vote in the upcoming election. If she does, its the Manheim Township school board race that will pull her to the polls, she said, since she has kids in the school district.
THE ISSUE

As LNP | LancasterOnlines Dan Nephin reported, a Lancaster 16-year-old has been charged with two counts of attempted homicide and a slew of other charges for his alleged role in an Oct. 17 shooting at Park City Center. Four people were shot, and more than 50 men, women and children in the immediate area of the shooting were endangered, Nephin noted. None of the injuries was life-threatening. Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams said Jeremiahs Josiah-Alberto Sanchez had been confronted by two men, Elijah Deliz, 18, and Sergio Vargas, 30, and an altercation ensued. According to the charging documents, Sanchez pulled out a stolen handgun and shot twice, hitting Deliz in the left thigh. Another bullet struck a 30-year-old woman in the right arm. As Sanchez was shooting, Vargas grabbed him from behind. Sanchez fired again, striking Vargas in the left hand. An unidentified, 50-year-old armed man who had been shopping in the mall with his wife hurried to the scene. That man fired three times, striking Sanchez at least once, and kept him on the ground until police arrived, Nephin reported.

We deeply admire people who react instinctively in a crisis to help others. Thankfully, there was more than one such person at Park City Center when an altercation led to gun violence on a recent Sunday afternoon.

There were Boy Scouts volunteering at an event in the old Sears Auto Center; they helped people fleeing the mall to find shelter.

There was Phoebe Koppenheffer, an employee of the store Hot Topic, who whisked a 13-year-old customer away to safety. The girl was shopping for earrings with her mother, as LNP | LancasterOnlines Nephin reported. When Koppenheffer heard screaming and a co-worker told her there had been gunshots, my brain kind of shut everything else that was happening down and I guess I just latched on to her and I got her out, Koppenheffer said. One of my siblings is her age, so it was just instinct for me to get the kid out. The girls mother said Koppenheffer helped other people to escape, too, ushering them through the back of Hot Topic and out a door to an employee hallway.

And there was the unidentified, 50-year-old armed man who, according to District Attorney Adams, intervened in the shooting and likely protected other people from injury or death. Although the man was carrying a handgun, and Park City Center policy bans weapons from the mall, Adams said he would not be charged. He was legally licensed to carry a concealed handgun, Nephin reported.

We agree with Adams that the man may have saved other people from harm that day, and for that, we are grateful.

But, for the sake of public safety, we need to point out that the good guy with a gun scenario is generally a myth  mere marketing from the National Rifle Association, which would like overly armed Americans to buy even more firearms.

It is not supported by data.

In 2018, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, for every justifiable homicide with a gun, there were 34 gun homicides, 82 gun suicides, and two unintentional gun deaths.

The blog of the Giffords Law Center notes that after its co-founder, former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords of Arizona, and others, were shot at a constituent event in Tucson in 2011, bystanders acted quickly to disarm the shooter when he paused to reload. But when another man whod heard the shots came running out of a nearby Walgreens, his own gun drawn, he almost shot the survivor who had helped to disarm the shooter.

Shootings are chaotic. Even the best trained police officers can find it difficult to discern between a culprit and a bystander and to target the criminal with precision.

People successfully defend themselves with guns in less than 1% of crimes in which there is contact between a perpetrator and a victim, according to data from the National Crime Victimization Survey. And research indicates that carrying a firearm may increase a victims risk of injury when a crime is committed, with one study (set in Philadelphia) indicating that people in possession of a gun may be more than four times more likely to be shot in an assault, the Giffords Law Center reports.

Moreover, an FBI analysis of 160 active shooter incidents from 2000 to 2013 found that active shooter incidents were rarely stopped by armed individuals who were not law enforcement returning fire. In fact, four times as many shootings were stopped by unarmed civilians restraining the shooter, the center reports.

According to the fact-checking website PolitiFact, the Los Angeles Police Department attained a target hit rate of 48% in 2016 after a lot of reform and training. But that is likely at the high end of hit rates, Gregory Ridgeway, an associate professor of criminology and statistics at the University of Pennsylvania, said.

So, even at best, a highly trained police officer hits his or her intended target less than 50% of the time.

As ABC News reported in 2018, John Donohue, a law professor at Stanford University, co-authored a National Bureau of Economic Research study that examined how gun violence coincides with the ability for individuals to carry concealed weapons. Donohue told ABC News that the research concluded that allowing citizens to carry handguns seems to increase violent crime 13 to 15 percent by the 10th year of right to carry laws being enacted in a state. And in some cases, carrying a gun makes a person more aggressive. So the presence of the gun actually stimulates more provocative action and ends up getting people killed," Donohue said.

So its important that people not draw the wrong conclusions from the armed bystanders actions at Park City Center. He was brave to intervene, for sure. And his intervention was helpful in this instance. But thats not usually the case. Theres also this: Adams said she watched a video of the police interview with the armed bystander. He was visibly distraught at the entire situation, she said. He expressed concern for the juvenile  And I could tell he was wrestling with the decision that he made and the choice that he felt that he had to make.

We shouldnt expect civilians to take on this kind of burden. And guns shouldnt be so prevalent in every American setting that even a mall on a Sunday afternoon becomes a place where heroes are necessary.


The World Bank halted aid to Sudan on Wednesday after the military's capture of power from the transitional government.

Meanwhile, state oil company workers and doctors in Sudan said on Wednesday they were joining protests against the military takeover.

Thousands of people have joined street demonstrations since Monday's takeover led by military chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Several people have been killed in fighting with security forces.

A group of community organizations in the capital Khartoum has announced plans for more protests Saturday. They said it would be a "march of millions."

The announcement by the World Bank comes after Sudans transitional government had gained about $2 billion in financing in March.

"I am greatly concerned by recent events in Sudan, and I fear the dramatic impact this can have on the countrys social and economic recovery and development," World Bank President David Malpass said in a statement from Washington.

In one area of Khartoum on Wednesday, a Reuters reporter saw soldiers and armed people in civilian clothes removing barriers built by protesters.

A few hundred meters away, young people built more barriers just minutes later. One of them said: "We want civilian rule. We won't get tired."

Burhan on Tuesday defended the military's takeover. He said he removed the government to avoid civil war.

Burhan has dismissed the civilian-military committee that had been set up to create a process for democratic elections. The committee took over after long-ruling dictator Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in April 2019.

The military allowed the transitional governments Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, and his wife, to return home Tuesday night.

Workers at state oil company Sudapet on Wednesday came out against the military takeover.

"We announce (we are) joining the civil disobedience in support of the peoples decision backing the civil democratic transformation and until this demand is achieved," Sudapet said in a statement. The Sudanese Professionals Association, a group of workers unions, released the message.

Doctors also said they would go on strike.

"As we promised and previously announced, we would enter a general strike across Sudan in the event of a coup, we are keeping to our word and timing completely," said the Unified Doctors' Office, which is made up of different doctors unions.

The doctors unions were an early and important group behind the 2019 uprising that brought down Bashir. Other striking groups, including oil and central bank workers, could bring the country's economy to a halt.

Civilian groups have accused the military of planning for weeks to take power.

Burhan spoke Tuesday to reporters for the first time since the takeover. He said the military had no choice but to remove the government because politicians were turning people against the military. He also said the militarys action was not a coup.

Serious Risk

Events in Sudan are similar to several other Arab countries where the military tightened its control following uprisings. Sudan is Africas third largest country.

Willow Berridge is a Sudan expert at Newcastle University in Britain. She said it would be difficult for Burhan and the army to stop street protests. Berridge noted the high number of protest committees in many areas of Khartoum.

"My greatest fear is that he will fall back even further on the only legitimacy he can depend on  violence. It is a very serious risk," Berridge said.

Burhan has close ties to countries that worked to contain Islamist influence and lessen the impact of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, in places like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Western countries have denounced the takeover in Sudan, which has a history of military coups. But many Arab countries have only called for all groups involved to remain peaceful.

Jonas Horner is with the International Crisis Group. He said the Sudanese military misunderstands the will on the street quite to their detriment. He added that the military is being poorly advised by other Arab nations more supportive of the coup.

The African Union has suspended Sudan's participation in all activities until the civilian-military committee is reestablished.

Im Dan Novak.

Reuters reported this story. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

_________________________________________

Words in This Story

disobedience  n. refusal or failure to obey rules, laws, etc.

transformation  n. a complete or major change in someone's or something's appearance, form, etc.

coup  n. a sudden attempt by a small group of people to take over the government usually through violence

uprising  n. a usually violent effort by many people to change the government or leader of a country

legitimate  adj. real, accepted, or official

detriment  n. something that will cause damage or injury to something or someone




American drug-maker Merck has agreed to let some companies produce its experimental COVID-19 pill.

The move, announced Wednesday by a health organization supported by the United Nations, is aimed at helping people in poorer countries to get the drug.

The Medicines Patent Pool, or MPP, said in a joint statement that the agreement will make the drug molnupiravir available in 105 low- and middle-income countries. The drug also will need approval from local health officials.

Under the agreement, the health agency is permitted to license qualified companies to manufacture the antiviral drug. Merck and its partners, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Emory University in Georgia, will not receive money for sales of molnupiravir as long as the World Health Organization considers COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Pill awaiting approval

In early October, Merck reported that its experimental pill reduced hospitalizations and deaths by half among people infected with COVID-19 in a drug trial. The company is asking health officials in the United States and around the world to approve the pill for treatment of coronavirus infections.

Pfizer and Roche, two other drug companies, are also working on similar COVID-19 pills. But molnupiravir could be the first pill approved for the treatment of COVID-19. A pill can be taken at home and is easier to send around the world. All other approved COVID-19 treatments must be injected by healthcare workers.

Charles Gore is the Executive Director of MPP. He said early results of the drug were compelling. Gore said the pill is an important tool to help deal with the current health crisis. He said he hoped the agreement will lead to others.

The non-profit group Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF, welcomed the agreement to share Mercks COVID-19 pill. But it said the license doesnt go far enough.

Yuanqiong Hu is a senior legal and policy adviser with MSF. She said the license does not include nearly half of the worlds population in countries like Brazil and China. The two also have strong, established capacity to produce and supply antiviral medicines.

Hu noted the license would also limit the production and supply of more affordable and available generic molnupiravir.

Cheaper generic version

Merck said earlier that it could produce 10 million treatments of the pill this year. The treatment requires two pills a day for five days. The U.S. has already purchased 1.7 million treatments at the cost of $700 each.

The company is also working with several Indian companies to license cheaper, generic versions of molnupiravir for low- and middle-income countries. Researchers at Harvard Universitys T.H. Chan School of Public Health estimated that a generic version could cost less than $20 for each treatment.

Last week, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced that it would spend up to $120 million to help develop generic versions of molnupiravir.

"To end this pandemic, we need to ensure that everyone, no matter where they live in the world, has access to life-saving health products," said Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation, in a statement.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Hai Do wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

____________________________________________________

Words in This Story

pill n. a small, rounded object that you swallow and that contains medicine, vitamins

license n. a legal agreement that permits someone to do, use or manufacture something

compelling adj. capable of causing someone to believe or agree

capacity n. the amount of something that can be produced by a factory or company

affordable adj. able to pay for something

generic adj. not sold or made under a brand name; a lower-cost version of some basic product

access n. the ability to get something, enter a place or meet someone

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Egypt is worried about its supply of fresh water. To help deal with the problem, it is offering financial assistance to private companies to build 17 new desalination factories over the next 5 years.

The process of desalination removes salt from water.

The new factories will increase water desalination in the country by 300 percent. They will operate with solar energy.

The plan fits with Egypts push to increase its sources of fresh water for a fast-growing population. Currently, it is facing competition for Nile River water from a large hydropower dam that Ethiopia is building upstream.

The financial assistance is designed to bring in private investment and technological development. Egypt has struggled in both of these areas.

Investment in new desalination factories would begin with the government guaranteeing to buy the water and re-sell it to its citizens and industries at a much lower price, said Ayman Soliman. He is the head of the Egyptian governments investment fund. He did not estimate how much it would cost the government.

Currently, Egypt desalinates about 800,000 cubic meters of water a day. The new factories would produce about 2.8 million cubic meters of water a day. That amount would later increase by 100 percent. The government is looking for 6.4 million cubic meters by 2050, reports the governments investment fund.

Weve already solicited offers. Whats happening is a combination between a competitive process and a limited negotiation process, Soliman told the Reuters news agency.

Egypts military has been used to increase infrastructure development under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The military has already built 27 desalination factories. In addition, private desalination companies have built factories near resorts along Egypts sea coasts.

Solar energy

During a proposed 25-year period of financial assistance, companies would bring in their own building teams and use renewable energy like solar power. Soliman said many companies have expressed interest in the plan.

Weve received offers to build whatever capacity we need, Soliman said. He added that there is enough demand by investors to build many more factories than planned.

The governments investment fund hopes to reduce the price of desalination by 20 to 25 percent by using renewable energy and creative financing.

Cutting costs

Local solar energy producer KarmSolar was one of the first to publicly say it plans to bid for part of the project. It claims it can lower costs by selling electricity and water using renewable energy. It has begun building a 200-cubic-meter-per-day desalination factory at Marsa Shagra on the southern Red Sea coast. For the past five years, the company has used solar and fuel to supply electricity to resorts in the area.

The machines for digging the wells are there, and weve put the orders for the procurement, said Ibrahim Metawe. He is the manager of the new plant, which plans to begin pumping water in the early months of 2022.

The water intake wells are set a short distance away from the sea to reduce the effects on the environment.

In sunny Egypt, excess water may be produced at the hottest part of the day. Karmsolar is considering several ways to make use of that water, including selling it in bottles.

Im Susan Shand.

The Reuters News Agency reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

desalination - n. the process of removing salt from something, such as water

hydropower  n. electricity produced from machines that are run by moving water

upstream - adj. in the direction opposite to the flow in a stream

fund - n. an amount of money that is used for a special purpose

solicit  v. to ask for something from someone

infrastructure  n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a country, region, or organization to function properly

resort  n. a place where people go for vacations

capacity  n. the ability to hold or contain people or things  usually singular

bid  v. an offer to pay a particular amount of money for something

procurement  n. getting something from someone

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ELWOOD  Give BIG Elwood is preparing for its second year as a partner campaign with Give BIG Lexington and the Lexington Community Foundation and they want to get the word out to the community.

Last year was the first time Elwood had partnered with Give BIG, along with Overton and Cozad. Elwood Area Community Foundation Director Melissa Vinzant said she did not know what to expect of the event.

Vinzant said the first Give BIG Elwood was occurring at the end of a challenging year and wanted to temper her expectations.

However, she said she was, blown away, by the amount of community support they received during the first event. Despite the challenging years, everyone stepped up to make donations; Vinzant said it just showed how important these local organizations are to Elwood.

Give BIG Elwood raised close to $50,000 for 15 causes during its first year, Vinzant said.

This year there are 19 different causes and organizations taking part, said Vinzant, the overall goal this year is $70,000. There have already been donations made toward several causes.
KENOSHA, Wis.  Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges Friday after testifying he acted in self-defense in the deadly Kenosha shootings that became a flashpoint in the debate over guns, vigilantism and racial injustice in the U.S.
Solvang residents and businesses remain under a Stage 2 drought resolution despite a deluge of rainfall this week which did little to address dire conditions.

While we are truly grateful for the rainfall this week, its not nearly enough to reverse the current drought condition," said Solvang Mayor Charlie Uhrig. "We are still asking our residents and business owners to understand how serious our drought conditions are, and to keep in mind the following associated Stage 2 drought regulations."

The resolution, which went into effect Aug. 23, will remain in effect until lifted by city officials, keeps in place a number of mandatory water usage regulations adopted by the Solvang City Council. Customers are subject to water usage penalties as outlined in the city's posted resolution notice.

To access the notice and additional information about the current Stage 2 drought resolution and conditions, visit www.CityofSolvang.com or contact Solvang City Hall at 805-688-5575.

+7 Santa Barbara County suffers little damage from fast-moving storm Santa Barbara County dodged the storm bullet that hit Northern California hard over the weekend, with no damaging debris flows, flood of traff
Although it is too late to reform the system before new voting maps have to be adopted, that is not an excuse for passing yet another gerrymander nor for delaying reform. Lawmakers should reject these maps for better ones. The Peoples Maps Commission has done plenty of legwork and provided sound recommendations, eliminating the need to go back to the starting block and start over.

And after lawmakers adopt fair voting maps, they can do the right thing and establish a nonpartisan redistricting process for Wisconsin. The voters deserve nothing less.

Andrea Kaminski is the former executive director of the Wisconsin League of Women Voters and currently serves on the group's state legislative committee. Her views here are her own.

Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.
"What Steineke failed to mention is that the Republican maps were rejected by the very same legislators with whom he was suggesting he was in agreement."
JUNEAU  A 25-year-old Carlisle, Pennsylvania, man was sentenced Tuesday to 22 years in prison for sexually assaulting two Reeseville girls while he was staying with the family several years ago.

Steven Barlow was found guilty in August of two felony counts of first degree child sexual assault. He appeared before Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Brian Pfitzinger on Tuesday who sentenced Barlow to 22 years of prison followed by 12 years of extended supervision.

The parents of the child victims tried to help the defendant by letting him move into their home, and he repaid their generosity by sexually assaulting their children in complete violation of the trust that had been placed in him, Dodge County Assistant District Attorney Yolanda Tienstra said in a press release from the Dodge County Sheriffs Office.

According to the criminal complaint, the mother of the children called the sheriffs office the summer of 2018 reporting that her daughters, ages 6 and 7, had been sexually assaulted. The woman told an investigator that her 7-year-old daughter had told her about the abuse.

The mother then spoke to her 6-year-old daughter, who also said she had been abused by Barlow. The mother said it would have happened about two years previously when Barlow was in the area.
As the court is preparing for a new trial for Jensen, prosecutors surprised Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Anthony Milisauskas with word that the United States Supreme Court may be taking up the issue of the letter.

I wasnt aware that the Supreme Court was considering this, Milisauskas said.

A longshot request

In August, attorneys with the Wisconsin Attorney Generals office filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court asking the justices to take up the issue of whether fear of a future crime would be testimonial hearsay. The state is asking the Supreme Court to consider whether Julie Jensens letter and voicemail should be considered as evidence.

The request was a longshot. The Supreme Court receives about 7,000 requests to review cases each year and takes only 100 to 150 of them.

But at a hearing last week, special prosecutor Robert Jambois told Milisauskas that since the court has now asked for a defense response to the states petition  and asked that they file that response more quickly than the deadline the defense has requested  it makes it more likely that the Supreme Court will take up the case. The court is asking for a defense response to be filed by Nov. 9.
An early 18th-century painting depicting Yale University's namesake with an enslaved Black child has been returned to public display at one of its museums even as art experts investigate its origins and campus discussions about the school's ties to slavery continue.

The nearly life-size, oil-on-canvas portrait shows Elihu Yale and family members sitting at a table with tobacco pipes and wine glasses, while an enslaved boy with a metal collar locked around his neck looks on. In the background, children believed to be Yale's grandchildren are playing.

The Yale Center for British Art removed the painting from display in October 2020 to conduct a technical analysis, which continues and includes efforts to identify the boy, as well as to confirm the identities of the others. Over the years, some patrons expressed concerns about the depiction of an enslaved child, but that was not a reason for removing it, said Courtney Martin, the centers director.

There are always going to be concerns about putting a work that has volatile subject matter on view, Martin said. But I think you alleviate those concerns by both saying we understand that this is a painting that has a context that we need to explore further."
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Specifically, block nets are put into place to form cells throughout the segment. Electrofishing boats and boats fixed with underwater speakers then help herd the fish out of these outer nets into the next cell until they are all concentrated into a central harvest net. A seine net is then dropped, a vertical net with weights at the bottom that essentially form a wall in the water. Crews then constrict this net slowly, bring all the fish inside to a central collection pool towards the shore.

The noise that helps herd the fish was specially crafted in a lab for the invasive carp species. It's not nearly as attractive to native fish species, Hines said, and it is also used as a deterrent to potentially drive the invasive carp away, and speakers emitting the sound have been placed at lock and dams in southern spots along the river.

Officials had an early indication on Tuesday that there were none of the invasive species of carp  silver, bighead, black and grass  because they didn't see any of their giveaway jumping as the net was pulled in tighter.

Crews knew to search in Pool 8 because of GPS tags attached to some of the invasive fish last fall that they have been tracking. One of those tags was picked up in the region on Monday, but officials said the fish may be moving in and out of the location.
Friends of Gaida testified he had been in a good mood during the hour before his death, when he went to Radio Shack to buy parts for his stereo and chatted with his next-door neighbor about his stereo.

Bruno did not testify during the trial, which started Monday.

Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Agnieszka Rogalska testified Tuesday that she found 28 stab and slash wounds on Gaidas body, but some could represent more than one stabbing or cutting motion. A knife handle was broken off and a bent blade remained in Gaidas neck, she testified.

In his closing arguments Wednesday, Deputy District Attorney William Brown said it may never be known exactly what happened, but the evidence showed that Gaida, still holding the Radio Shack receipt, the items he bought and mail he had brought inside, was attacked by Bruno for reasons that are not clear.

Mr. Bruno was on a murderous rampage, Brown said. You may never know why. Thats why Im asking you to find him guilty.

Eric Schulenburg, Brunos lawyer, said Bruno stabbed Gaida in self-defense after Gaida had brandished a knife at Bruno and threatened to kill him. He said he tried to flee from Gaida, but was unable to get out of the house, and knocked over furniture to block Gaidas path.
Former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch downplayed threats against school board members, saying recently that she would love for those targeted with anger during the pandemic to have experienced what she and former Gov. Scott Walker did during the Act 10 union protests a decade ago.

Kleefisch, a Republican running for governor in 2022, has spoken out against violence targeting people in office. But she walked a fine line when speaking at an Oct. 11 Pints and Politics event organized by the Kenosha County Republican Party.

Kleefisch referenced a letter from the National Association of School Boards asking President Joe Biden for federal assistance to investigate and stop threats made over policies including mask mandates. The association, which represents school board members, likened the vitriol to a form of domestic terrorism. The letter cited a meeting in Oshkosh that was postponed after anti-mask protesters stormed it.

She also referenced the large protests that targeted Walker when she was his lieutenant governor in 2011 after he proposed effectively ending collective bargaining rights for most public workers. Both she and Walker received death threats and were targeted for recall elections in 2012, which they won.
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Vos said he is reviewing Kauls request for a restraining order but said Gableman may still seek an interview with Wolfe before the December hearing.

Its certainly possible if not likely that we will issue those prior to the Dec. 23 hearing, Vos said. But in keeping with the judges ruling, well ensure that we do it in a way that also gives an opportunity for those to move forward.

Kaul, who is representing the Wisconsin Elections Commission and Wolfe, issued the request for a temporary restraining order on Thursday, stating that Gablemans subpoenas were overly broad and infected with the numerous legal flaws. Kaul also said interviews need to be held in public before a legislative committee, rather than in private, as Gableman had requested.

Gableman had initially said his review of the election would be completed by the end of October, but Vos said last week the review may be finished before the end of the year. In light of the legal challenge by Kaul, Vos said its possible the investigation wont wrap up until next year. Vos has committed $676,000 in taxpayer funds to the investigation.
Our editorial board interviews policymakers, public officials, corporate executives and thought leaders on the record and uses the interviews to develop official editorial positions. However, Facebooks representatives insisted that no one they would make available could be quoted about their perspective on the legal and regulatory issues involving Facebook and the tech industry. We told Facebook we werent interested.

They profess to want internet regulation, but its no secret that Facebook money pours into D.C. politics. Last year, Facebook spent nearly $20 million on its lobbying efforts in Congress, the most of any tech giant. Does anyone really believe theyll willingly allow themselves to be regulated in a way that they cannot manipulate?

Facebook officials say they expect the press to hold us accountable, given our scale and role in the world, yet they cry foul and push back against data-driven journalism and important questions  questions that many of their 2.9 billion users would like to see answered. ...

As long as Facebook is operating in the dark, it is accountable to no one, said Haugen when testifying before Congress. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., compared Facebook to Big Tobacco in that it targets kids and young adults with products it knows are harmful.
BURLEY  Contested election races across Cassia County on Nov. 2 include three Burley City Council seats, two Declo City Council seats, a Declo Cemetery District race and a race for the Cassia County School District Trustee in Zone 4.

Burley City Council, three four-year seats

Incumbent Casey Andersen, 66, is a Burley business owner and auto repairman and auto restorer. Hes owned his own business for 42 years. Andersen attended the College of Idahos Auto Technician Program.

I am running because I want to give back to the community and make it grow and prosper, Andersen said.

Andersen has been on the City Council for nearly 12 years and has served as council president. He also served on the planning and zoning commission for two years and on the Association of Idaho Cities board. He was the recipient of the Idaho Newspaper Foundations 2016 Max Dalton Open Government Award.

Incumbent Jon R. Anderson, 76, is a retired credit union manager. He received a degree in marketing from Idaho State University.

I would like to serve one more term, Anderson said. There are so many things that will happen in the next four years in the city, including hiring a new city manager and city clerk. I think my experience will add to the citys effort in bringing those people in and help continue what weve worked for years to have.

Anderson has been on the City Council for eight years and was mayor from 2002 to 2009. He has served on the Association of Idaho Cities board, on the board of the Idaho Association of Credit Unions and twice on the Fifth District Magistrates Commission.

Incumbent Bryce Morgan, 41, is an accountant with a masters degree in business.

Since Ive been on the council weve accomplished a lot of things and the next four years will be vital for Burley as we deal with housing and unemployment issues and putting infrastructure in place to accommodate all the growth, Morgan said.

Morgan has served on the City Council for eight years and is part owner of Handy Truck Line, where he manages 210 employees.

Stegen Phillips, 36, has a bachelors degree in IT and administration.

The biggest reason Im running is the mess weve had in the world lately. It concerns me for our future, Phillips said. It also concerns me that so many people are moving to the area. It worries me as a citizen and for my kids. Id like to get ahead of any problems and help out.

Phillips is an entrepreneur and owns several businesses including Dragonfly Salon & Spa, Kiosk Wireless and Team Mobile.

Declo City Council, two four-year seats

Incumbent Clinten Heward, 44, is the service manager at the Sprinkler Shop and a part-time farmer. Heward was originally appointed to the council and has served for two terms and a two-year appointment.

Im running because I want my city to be great and I want to grow in a direction that positive, Heward said.

Orville Hormann, 73, is a retired litigation director for an insurance company.

Im running because I want to get involved in the city, Hormann said, who has lived in Declo for seven years.

Hormann has no prior political experience but has served as a leader during his career and for his church.

Lamont Young, 61, is the maintenance superintendent for the city of Declo. He plans to retire in mid-November.

I know how the city runs and I think I could be of use to the city and offer some insight, Young said.

Young previously served as a fire commissioner in Albion for 20 years and was a volunteer emergency medical technician in Albion for 13 years.

Declo Cemetery District Sub-District 3, one four-year seat

Incumbent Fred Darrington was appointed to the seat two years ago. Hes a crop consultant and he attended Cassia County schools.

It is a beautiful cemetery and I have a lot of family and friends there and I want to keep it beautiful, Darrington said.

His previous political experience includes serving as president of the Cassia County Farm Bureau.

Pamela M. Young, 63, teaches U.S. history at Declo High School. She has a masters degree in geography.

I believe our cemetery is one of the nicest in the area and I want to maintain that, Young said. This is an opportunity to step in and serve. I know a lot of people who are resting there and they deserve someone who cares about them.

Cassia County School District Board of Trustees, Zone 4, one four-year seat

Incumbent Bruce B. Thompson, 75, is a retired project and facilities manager for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I still think I have something to offer along with my experience, Thompson said.

Thompson said hes concerned about how money is being spent.

Thompson has served nearly a full term on the board. He has been a bishop for his church twice along with serving as a stake president. He has a bachelors degree in psychology.

Mandy Baker, 48, is the mother of six children and three grandchildren and is currently a homemaker.

I feel compelling to run this time. The world is changing so quickly, Baker said. I want to add a mothers voice. Right now there are five great men on the board, but no women. Im an advocate for the family. I think parents are the primary stakeholders in our childrens education.

Baker wants to uphold what the state constitution says education should be and believes the community can disagree on so many things but still come together and unify on principal.

Baker has an associates degree in nursing science and has served Republican committee in Cassia County and in leadership roles for her church and in nursing.

Sanie Baker, 69, has filed as a write-in candidate; her name will not appear on the ballot.

Baker is a retired educator, who spent 31 years as a teacher, counselor and administrator.

I am a big advocate for public education, Baker said about why she is running for a seat on the board. And I believe I can use my experience and education to help make solid decisions for the district.

Her prior leadership experience includes working as a school principal and leadership roles for her church.

Uncontested races, which may not be on ballots

Albion City Council, two four-year seats, incumbents Kevin Lloyd and Wayne Winder

Burley mayor, incumbent Steve Ormond

Malta City Council, two four-year seats, James T. Houghton IV and Brandon C. Smith

Oakley City Council, two four-year seats, Ralph Barnard and Christopher Tuck West

One two-year-seat, Alvin Lowe

Cassia County School District trustee Zone 3, incumbent Darin Moon

Cassia County School District trustee Zone 5, Kent Kidd

Albion Cemetery District, Sub District 3, four-year seat, Dee Yeaman

Declo Cemetery District Sub-District 2, Kathy D. Eklund

Oakley Valley Cemetery District Sub District 3, Douglas Pickett

Pella Cemetery District Sub District 3, four-year seat, Joel T. Robins

Sublett Cemetery Sub District 3, Russell Zollinger

Valley Vu Cemetery, four-year seat, Darlene Henrie

View Cemetery District, Sub District 2, four-year seat, Rick Wrigley

Ace Fire District #1, two-year seat, David Herring

Ace Fire District #2, four-year seat, Jason Tracy

Ace Fire District #3, four-year seat, Jay L. Black

Albion Fire Protection District A, four-year seat, Jon Fillmore

Albion Fire Protection District Sub District 2, four-year seat, Jeff Leach

Minidoka County Fire Protection District Sub District #2, four-year seat, Todd Belnap

Minidoka County Fire Protection District Sub District #1, four-year seat, Dan Lloyd

North Cassia Rural Fire District Sub District 1, four-year seat, Scott Beck

North Cassia Rural Fire District Sub District 2, four-year seat, Steve Carson

Raft River Fire Protection District Sub District 2, Rick Neff

Almo Recreation District #2, four-year seat, Laura Jones

Almo Recreation District #3, Tonya Ward

Oakley Recreation District Sub District 1, four-year seat, Benjamin Nelson

Oregon Trail Recreation District Sub District 3, four-year-seat, Clark Harman

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BOISE  Roberto Padilla Arguelles, 49, was shopping for gifts for his family at the Boise Towne Square mall on Monday afternoon. He was planning to soon return home to Mexico to see his wife and children for the first time in months.

Then he was shot.

The suspect...fired multiple rounds inside the building, striking the glass escalator and a second victim who succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, the Boise Police Department said in a statement Tuesday.

Police said Jacob Bergquist, 27, of Boise, fired 18 rounds inside the mall before exiting. Two people, Padilla Arguelles and Jo Acker, 26, of Caldwell, died and two others were injured. Bergquist then exchanged gunfire with law enforcement on North Milwaukee Street, injuring a Boise police officer and a woman who was inside her vehicle. Bergquist died in the hospital on Tuesday, according to the Boise Police Department.

Padilla Arguelles family, who live in Zacatecas, Mexico, have had a difficult time navigating the tragedy from so far away.

Im devastated, his 26-year-old daughter Yanet Padilla told the Idaho Statesman in a message. I felt that I died when my husband told me what happened. I feel sad, and I feel that my life (went) away with him. Its so difficult when I see my mom crying for (her) husband.

Padilla Arguelles had three children with wife Maria de Jesus Mora: Yanet, Rosalinda Padilla, 21, and Ivan Padilla, 14. He also had a two-year-old grandson, Elian Gael, who Yanet called the love of his life.

Yanet described her father as a very kind, responsible and honest person. According to his daughter, Padilla Arguelles was in a work program in which he would alternate working for three months in Rupert, Idaho as a truck driver and then spend three months back in Mexico.

Before his death, Padilla Arguelles was planning to return home in two weeks.

The family has set up a GoFundMe to raise the money needed to bring Padilla Arguelles body home for a burial.

All of the costs will be to return our brother to his family in Mexico with a proper burial and funeral service, his brother-in-law Ricardo Macias wrote on the page. We greatly appreciate any type of help and hopes to be able to put our brother at rest.

The City of Rupert posted a statement to its Facebook page on Tuesday: Today, the City of Rupert received word that a member of our community, (Roberto) Padilla Arguelles, was killed during the Boise Mall shootings on Monday, October 25, 2021. The City of Rupert would like to offer our heart-felt condolences to the family of Mr. Arguelles in their time of grief. The City of Rupert offers its support to those investigating the Boise Mall shooting, our thanks to the first responders, and express our sympathy to all those who were affected by this senseless act of violence.

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BOISE  A federal court has rejected a request by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, a group arguing its rights were violated while campaigning at a northern Idaho school on Election Day.

The court last week denied the committees request to grant a permanent injunction that would have forced the Coeur dAlene School District to allow groups to hand out election materials on school grounds even if they interfered with kids getting to school.

The court didnt rule on the merits of the case, which continues. But the court found that the group was unlikely to win the case because, among other things, it misinterpreted Idahos campaign-free-zone election law.

Specifically, the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee argues that it can hand out election materials anywhere on school grounds as long as the group is more than 100 feet (30 meters) from the building where voting is taking place.

While campaigning is allowed at schools, The Coeur dAlene School District contends it can prevent electioneering within 100 feet (30 meters) of campus grounds if groups are interfering with kids going to class.

While Plaintiffs seemingly believe that Idaho (law) is meant to protect their right to electioneer 101 feet (30 meters) or more from the polling place, the language of the statute instead illustrates that it is meant to protect voters from interference, Chief U.S. District Court Judge David C. Nye wrote.

Katharine Brereton, an attorney representing the school district, said the district is confident going forward that it will win.

Judge Nye recognized that children have an interest in safe, peaceful education environments, and the childrens interest in that environment outweighs the potential minimal harm to people who choose to engage in electioneering efforts on school property on Election Day, she said.

Jeremy Morris, an attorney representing the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, declined to be interviewed on the phone but said he would respond to emailed questions. Morris didnt immediately reply to those questions on Tuesday.

The lawsuit stems from the Nov. 3, 2020, general election when a number of people, according to the lawsuit, set up at the Hayden Meadows Elementary School in Hayden and handed out sample ballots and talked to people about the election, encouraging them to vote for Republicans.

Officials at the 350-student school became concerned that some individuals were taking up limited parking spots by setting up lawn chairs and a cooler, court documents said, and interrupting the free flow of traffic by talking to drivers entering the parking lot and potentially making kids late for school. They were asked to move.

But the group said in the lawsuit they were asked to move due to viewpoint discrimination, a violation of their rights under the U.S. Constitution.

However, Nye found that the group wasnt asked to move due to the types of material they were handing out, and that the group failed to prove otherwise.

There is no evidence that Plaintiffs were asked to move out of the Hayden Meadows parking lot because they were associated with the Republican Party, Nye wrote.

Nye also wrote that the areas of the school grounds where the electioneering was taking place are not public forums, as the group contended, but a limited public forum, based on previous decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court.

As a limited public forum, Nye wrote, the District may lawfully exclude Plaintiffs or others from school grounds on election day as long as it has a reasonable and viewpoint neutral reason for doing so.

Its not exactly clear how many public schools serve as polling places in the state, a decision made at the county level.

Public schools have often been used across the state as polling locations, said Idaho Chief Deputy Secretary of State Chad Houck. Counties coordinate with those different school boards. However, that varies on a county-by-county basis.

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The Biden administration on Friday said it will consider new measures to protect greater sage grouse, which was once found across much of the West but suffered drastic declines due to oil and gas drilling, grazing, wildfires and other pressures.
TWIN FALLS  Explosive growth, affordable housing, and constitutional rights are some of the biggest issues facing Twin Falls, City Council candidates say.

Four candidates for Seat 5 participated Tuesday evening in a livestreamed discussion moderated by College of Southern Idaho associate professor of political science Perri Gardner and Times-News Editor Alison Smith.

Spencer Cutler, Liyah Babayan, Mike Allred and Hannah J. Cameron are all running for the seat. All but Babayan are first-time political candidates. This is the third time Babayan has run for the City Council.

Discussion topics ranged from qualifications, biggest issues facing the city, the role of city government, and the top responsibility of council members.

Watch now: Twin Falls City Council candidates discuss growth, debate city's role Explosive growth, affordable housing, lack of mass transit, and abortion are some of the biggest issues facing Twin Falls according to City Council candidates.

Qualifications

Cutler, 42, is the facilities director at the College of Southern Idaho, which includes managing large budgets, leading large groups of people and seeing into the future to determine what a projects needs are going to be.

Babayan has 16 years of civic experience, starting with her seven-year appointment to the Twin Falls City Park and Recreation advisory board. Later, she was involved in the renewal of Main Avenue downtown.

Allred, 36, is a newcomer to politics who says he offers a different perspective to the Twin Falls City Council: His perspective is through the trades and being a small business owner.

I also know what its like to live from paycheck to paycheck, Allred said.

Cameron, 24, held a political internship with the Missouri State House of Representatives, studied international relations in Europe, holds a teaching certificate in government and public policy and is pursuing a masters degree in public administration with an emphasis in government and public policy.

The biggest issue facing Twin Falls

Most of the candidates placed an emphasis on the infrastructure. The explosive growth in the area has put a significant demand on the towns powerlines, pipelines, wastewater, streets and resources, they said.

The city of Twin Falls has really got to cope with that because it has put such a demand on our resources, Cameron said.

The housing shortage is another issue brought on by the towns recent growth spurt.

Right now only 60% of the population of Twin Falls residents actually own the house that they live in, meaning that 40% of the population is renting, Allred said. And that demand is only getting worse for the limited supply of housing that we have.

Babayan illuminated a systemic problem she sees in city business, specifically low voter turnout and the good old boy system of a handful of people benefiting from taxpayer money. She called it a stagnation in our representation that creates stagnation in the conversations that are happening and a stagnation in the ideas being exchanged...

Cutler agreed.

Its growth, he said. Whether its affordable housing or the burden on taxpayers to have the infrastructure to keep up with the growth, its all related to growth...

How do we deal with that? Its stay engaged with our neighbors and other community leaders. Its also make sure that as were doing that we keep in mind the citizens needs.

The primary tool that I focus on to do that is the citys strategic plan.

Role of city government

Candidates were asked what they believe is the role of city government in relation to controversial national issues.

Cutler said he was focused on the big issues that city government has a lot of control over.

I worry about getting distracted or divided as a community fighting over issues we dont have much influence over, he said. We have to have somewhat of a consensus about what we are going to do as a community. As stewards of taxpayer money, we need to deal with those issues that we can influence... like the basic city services with the least amount of burden on the taxpayers.

Babayan countered Cutler, saying, I do know that national issues matter to people because we live in a nation  we live in a united nation  and we are not an island unto ourselves...

Its very easy to look at those things as political, national issues, but they trickle down and they affect peoples lives here.

Allred advised looking at the state and U.S. constitutions for guidance with the roles of various governments.

Cameron agreed, saying the primary role of local government is to provide residents with local infrastructure and community services.

In addition, it is to uphold the Idaho State Constitution, which does give the right to life, liberty and the right to bear arms, she said. So I, too, would look to the Idaho Constitution that we uphold because thats where our rights do come from.

Top responsibility of a council member

Candidates agreed that the primary responsibility of a City Council member is to be accountable to the citizens for the money they spend.

Its a tough job, Cutler said. Its why I am running.

Nov. 2 election

Early voting takes place at the Twin Falls County West at 630 Addison Ave. W., Twin Falls.

A video of Tuesdays forum is available with this story at Magicvalley.com. A similar forum for Seat 1 was held last week and is also available to watch online.

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TWIN FALLS  The city announced Wednesday that Magic Valley Regional Airport has been notified that United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines to and from Denver will be discontinued Nov. 30.

Its disheartening that the Denver flight was cancelled despite such robust travel on the new connection, Twin Falls Mayor Suzanne Hawkins said. However, these are business decisions made by United and SkyWest and we will continue to work with them to provide air service to our growing community.

Earlier this month the airport announced Twin Falls would lose one of its two daily flights to Salt Lake City. The city said Wednesday that SkyWest will possible expand service to include a second flight in March.

SkyWest and other airlines have experienced significant cost and labor challenges around the country, and many smaller airports have seen reductions in service, the city said.

Twin Falls to lose 1 of its 2 daily flights to Salt Lake City The Twin Falls airport is about to lose half of its daily flights to Salt Lake City, officials announced Tuesday.

The airline industry across the country and around the world continues to experience impacts from the Covid Pandemic as well as disruptions to their labor market, said Bill Carberry, Magic Valley Regional Airport manager. We have worked directly with the airline service providers to explore solutions to the current changes, but we have, unfortunately, not been able to find solutions to the challenges they face.

Flights to and from Denver began in May and was met with excitement from the public because it offered faster travel to the east coast.

Were very disappointed that despite the strong passenger counts and support from communities across Magic Valley, SkyWest still felt that the new Denver connection was not sustainable, said Twin Falls County Commissioner Brent Reinke. Regardless, we are a growing and vibrant region and our airport will continue to seek out new air service opportunities for Magic Valley.

The Magic Valley airport said that despite its brevity, the Denver connection brought hundreds of new visitors to Magic Valley who might not have visited otherwise. It said the airport will continue to review and seek out new air service opportunities to serve travelers in the future.

First Denver flight lands in Twin Falls The first flight from Denver landed in Twin Falls on Wednesday afternoon. Local officials spoke about how the flight will promote regional tourism and make traveling more convenient.

Both economic and personal growth comes with our ability to travel and for others to travel to us, said Shawn Barigar, President and CEO of the Twin Falls Area Chamber of Commerce. Continued difficulties posed by the pandemic have limited business air travel. But were optimistic that both business and leisure travel will rebound in the coming months and that more robust air service connections will come to Twin Falls.

Passengers with United whose travel plans may be impacted by this change in service should be notified by their booking agent, or they can contact customer service at United.com. And passengers with Delta who have upcoming travel plans that may be impacted by this change in service should be notified by their booking agent, or they can contact customer service at Delta.com. To connect with SkyWest Airlines, the provider for both of these airline services in Twin Falls, contact SkyWest at corporate.communications@skywest.com.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  In March, as claims about the dangers and ineffectiveness of coronavirus vaccines spun across social media and undermined attempts to stop the spread of the virus, some Facebook employees thought they had found a way to help.

By subtly altering how posts about vaccines are ranked in peoples newsfeeds, researchers at the company realized they could curtail the misleading information individuals saw about COVID-19 vaccines and offer users posts from legitimate sources like the World Health Organization.

Given these results, Im assuming were hoping to launch ASAP, one Facebook employee wrote in March, responding to the internal memo about the study.

Instead, Facebook shelved some suggestions from the study. Other changes werent made until April.

When another Facebook researcher suggested disabling comments on vaccine posts in March until the platform could do a better job of tackling anti-vaccine messages lurking in them, that proposal was ignored at the time.

Critics say Facebook was slow to act because it worried it might impact the companys profits.

Why would you not remove comments? Because engagement is the only thing that matters, said Imran Ahmed, the CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, an internet watchdog group. It drives attention and attention equal eyeballs and eyeballs equal ad revenue.

In an emailed statement, Facebook said it has made considerable progress this year with downgrading vaccine misinformation in users feeds.

Facebooks internal discussions were revealed in disclosures made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form by former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugens legal counsel. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including The Associated Press.

The trove of documents shows that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook carefully investigated how its platforms spread misinformation about life-saving vaccines. They also reveal rank-and-file employees regularly suggested solutions for countering anti-vaccine misinformation on the site, to no avail. The Wall Street Journal reported on some of Facebooks efforts to deal with antivaccine comments last month.

The inaction raises questions about whether Facebook prioritized controversy and division over the health of its users.

These people are selling fear and outrage, said Roger McNamee, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist and early investor in Facebook who is now a vocal critic. It is not a fluke. It is a business model.

Typically, Facebook ranks posts by engagement  the total number of likes, dislikes, comments and reshares. That ranking scheme may work well for innocuous subjects like recipes, dog photos or the latest viral singalong. But Facebooks own documents show that when it comes to divisive, contentious issues like vaccines, engagement-based ranking only emphasizes polarization, disagreement and doubt.

To study ways to reduce vaccine misinformation, Facebook researchers changed how posts are ranked for more than 6,000 users in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil and the Philippines. Instead of seeing posts about vaccines that were chosen based on their engagement, these users saw posts selected for their trustworthiness.

The results were striking: a nearly 12% decrease in content that made claims debunked by fact-checkers and an 8% increase in content from authoritative public health organizations such as the WHO or U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Employees at the company reacted with exuberance, according to internal exchanges.

Is there any reason we wouldnt do this? one Facebook employee wrote in response.

Facebook said it did implement many of the study's findings  but not for another month, a delay that came at a pivotal stage of the global vaccine rollout.

In a statement, company spokeswoman Dani Lever said the internal documents dont represent the considerable progress we have made since that time in promoting reliable information about COVID-19 and expanding our policies to remove more harmful COVID and vaccine misinformation.

The company also said it took time to consider and implement the changes.

Yet the need to act urgently couldnt have been clearer: At that time, states across the U.S. were rolling out vaccines to their most vulnerable  the elderly and sick. And public health officials were worried. Only 10% of the population had received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. And a third of Americans were thinking about skipping the shot entirely, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Despite this, Facebook employees acknowledged they had no idea just how bad anti-vaccine sentiment was in the comments sections on Facebook posts. But company research in February found that as much as 60% of the comments on vaccine posts were anti-vaccine or vaccine reluctant.

Even worse, company employees admitted they didnt have a handle on catching those comments, or a policy in place to take them down.

Our ability to detect (vaccine hesitancy) in comments is bad in English  and basically non-existent elsewhere, another internal memo posted on March 2 said.

Los Angeles resident Derek Beres, an author and fitness instructor, sees anti-vaccine content thrive in the comments every time he promotes immunizations on his account on Instagram, which is owned by Facebook. Last year, Beres began hosting a podcast after noticing conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and vaccines were swirling on the social media feeds of health and wellness influencers.

Earlier this year, when Beres posted a picture of himself receiving the COVID-19 shot, some on social media told him he would likely drop dead in six months time.

The comments section is a dumpster fire for so many people, Beres said.

Some Facebook employees suggesting disabling all commenting on vaccine posts while the company worked on a solution.

Very interested in your proposal to remove ALL in-line comments for vaccine posts as a stopgap solution until we can sufficiently detect vaccine hesitancy in comments to refine our removal, one Facebook employee wrote on March 2.

The suggestion went nowhere until mid-April, when Lever said the company stopped showing previews of popular comments on vaccine posts.

Instead, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on March 15 that the company would start labeling posts about vaccines that described them as safe.

The move allowed Facebook to continue to get high engagement  and ultimately profit  off anti-vaccine comments, said Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

Facebook has taken decisions which have led to people receiving misinformation which caused them to die, Ahmed said. At this point, there should be a murder investigation.



Seitz reported from Columbus, Ohio.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Meatpacking giant Tyson Foods says more than 96% of its workers have been vaccinated ahead of the company's Nov. 1 deadline for them to do so.

The company based in Springdale, Arkansas, said the number of its 120,000 workers who have been vaccinated has nearly doubled since it announced its mandate on Aug. 3. At that point, only 50% of Tyson workers had been vaccinated.

This is an incredible result  not only for our company, but for your families and our communities across the country,  Tyson President and CEO Donnie King said in a note to employees Tuesday.

Tyson, which has long been dealing with worker shortages, said employees who dont get vaccinated before the companys deadline will be fired, but that the former employees will be welcomed back if they do get vaccinated later.

Id also like to say to those who remain unvaccinated  this is your choice, and we respect that choice," King said. If you change your mind and want to rejoin Tyson  let us know. Our doors are open.

Spokesman Gary Mickelson said very few employees have left the company so far because of the mandate.

The industry was hit hard by the pandemic in the spring of 2020 when the virus tore through meatpacking plants and forced the temporary closure of many of them because so many workers became ill or had to quarantine. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union said at least 132 of its members died from the virus during the outbreaks and another 22,400 of them were infected or exposed.

King said Tyson saw a significant decline in the number of virus cases in its workforce as more employees got vaccinated.

Tyson remains the only major company in the meatpacking industry to require vaccinations. The other meat giants such as JBS, Cargill and Smithfield Foods, have been relying on efforts to encourage workers to get vaccinated.

The UFCW union praised Tyson's progress with vaccinations because the mandate came with an agreement to provide 20 hours of paid sick leave to all the company's employees. The mandate also included exceptions for medical and religious reasons, but it wasnt immediately clear how many of those exceptions Tyson granted.

"We urge every company, across this country, to do what is right by their frontline workers and work cooperatively with their unions and employees to help end this pandemic and keep all of Americas essential workers and their families safe, UFCW President Marc Perrone said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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A recent letter to the editor used the phrase natural aristocracy and triggered a train of thought I have been developing for over time.

It has been an unchallenged axiom that you cannot change human nature. However, a traveling Rabbi 2022 years ago said something different. He said that we could and should love everybody as our creator loves us. Then, our nations founders explained one of the reasons for their rebellion against a government by the aristocracy with the same assertion. Perhaps the time is now for those who believe in the United States of America to work on that challenge set by our founders.

One mental strategy that I have used to avoid feeling less than is to think up reasons for being more than. It can apply when I do not prevail in a group or when people like me suffer degrading public comments. Is this merely human nature? Perhaps. Or it could be a response learned from others. I prefer this latter idea.

The idea of aristocracy has practical uses. It is a way of preserving both power and property. Its acceptance frees others to pursue alternate goals; until those goals run counter to the aristocrat. According to our biological imperative, our primary need is to survive. As human life has become more sophisticated, that survival has translated into the preservation of power. When three or more people are involved, it becomes political. Who should have the power?

In recent times, we have replaced aristocracy with meritocracy. The advantage, of course, is that the accident of birth does not guarantee personal power. The disadvantage is that it is sometimes difficult to discern which precise characteristics apply to the situation. When I taught performance management to supervisors, they often complained that writing performance standards were challenging. It was easier to think, they really ought to want to. We say that about congress all the time. Its a phrase that has little meaning.

The problem with Democracy is that not everyone always gets the government policies they want. Even when everybody I know agrees with me, I dont know everybody. Others have friends who agree with something different. None of us have unlimited power. Even lethal force has its drawbacks. Someone can use deadly force against you. Going back to biology, we all want to prevail.

Our current lack of civility and winner take all approach to public politics and economics is the subject of this discussion. People who sell their physical and mental effort and their precious time to investors and their entrepreneur partners lack economic advantage. Their share of the profit gained does not give them political profit.

When you have adequate assets, you can buy time and access to education. With these, you can accumulate more wealth or have an extensive choice of activities. Time is bought by hiring others to do your work. For the fortunate, retirement gives you time since you dont have to work for your income. A smaller range of choices in life is constraining. That is the opposite of the freedom promised as a privilege of being an American citizen. When added to any constraint of opportunity to gain social prestige, we have the impulse to play a socially based game of King of the Hill. We push other people out of power with words and actions that have the effect of lowering their self or public worth.

Academic and bureaucratic institutions, plus the arts, have always defined an elite. The term, often subjective, has been the subject of both comedy and drama for centuries. Thanks to the social sentiments exposed since the 2016 presidential campaign, our nation has made fighting words out of the elite.

What if we, as individuals, pay less attention to the elite as an American substitute for aristocracy? What if we become skeptical about the privilege that the word elite gives someone? What if we dig deeper into personal characteristics and less into global adjectives? What if we decide not to assign worth, blame, or disdain as the adjective that describes each other. Actions are fair game, the person, not as much.

It is hard to legislate civility, but we can certainly practice it individually.

Linda Brugger, retired from the Air Force Reserve, leaning Democrat and community activist can be reached at IdahoAuthor@outlook.com. She welcomes feedback.

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The catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan has been thoroughly canvassed. The Biden administrations failures in its retreat have been discussed at length. The fallout from President Joe Bidens decision to leave Afghanistan the way we did will tarnish Americas reputation.

All of this has been covered. Why, then, is it still important to talk about it now?

It bears discussing because in the administrations haste to end a war without preconditions or guarantees of Americans safety from the Taliban, the Biden White House squandered 20 years of blood and sacrifice, reopened America to the threat of terrorist attacks, and damaged the United States credibility on the world stage.

By the administrations own admission, it abandoned hundreds of Americans and left thousands of Afghan allies vulnerable to the murderous Taliban. My office received countless calls from Idahoans who had friends or family members trapped in Afghanistan, and I am deeply thankful that we were able to get every single Idahoan safely out of Afghanistan.

Its heartbreaking that the same cannot be said for every American. Thirteen U.S. service members tragically lost their lives to a suicide bomber in the rushed and chaotic evacuation. And because of the Biden administrations cataclysmic mismanagement of its withdrawal, Afghanistan is once again a breeding ground for terrorism.

A blunder of this magnitude begs the question: who is making foreign policy decisions in the White House? Nobody seems to have a satisfactory answer.

During an August 21st news conference, President Biden claimed we had no indication that American citizens were struggling to access the Kabul airport. At almost exactly the same time, reporters in Afghanistan were describing the extremely dangerous conditions facing U.S. citizens trying to get to the airport  something later admitted by Bidens team.

President Biden asserted he ordered the withdrawal from Afghanistan based on the advice of senior U.S. military advisers. Yet last month, top Pentagon officials testified under oath that they advised the President to keep 2,500 troops on the ground and were not asked for advice on the withdrawal until Aug. 26, directly contradicting the Presidents claim.

In a July interview, President Biden said a collapse of the Afghan government and a Taliban takeover of the country was highly unlikely. Yet, a memo sent that same month from the Kabul Embassy reportedly warned that the withdrawal as planned would result in the very debacle that unfolded. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, I asked Secretary of State Antony Blinken for information about that memo. He refused to disclose it.

This memos existence indicates one of two possibilities: the President knew about the coming disaster and lied to the American people, or the Presidents advisers never informed him about it. Either conclusion is deeply disturbing.

Is President Biden responsible for these failures, or are others in his administration pulling the strings?

Congress has a vital oversight role to play in foreign policy, a charge I take seriously as the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. However, the lack of answers and absence of accountability were currently receiving from this administration is shameful. I pushed Secretary of State Blinken hard at last months committee hearing and intend to do so again during the next Afghanistan hearing.

In only nine months, this administrations miscalculations have weakened our allies, emboldened our adversaries, and left Americans less safe. If the administration doesnt take drastic steps to execute a strong, accountable approach to foreign policy, Im afraid to see how the remaining years of the Biden White House unfold.

President Biden and his administration must be accountable for their decisions, and they must do better.

Jim Risch is a U.S. senator from Idaho. The Republican has served since 2009. His Twin Falls office can be contacted at 208-734-6780.

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Family Fall Festival: 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Mill Creek Baptist Church , 6200 Henry Road, Henry. Vehicles on display; hotdogs; games; prizes; sweet treats; hayrides and more. Everything is free and outside. To display a vehicle, call the pastor at 434-713-9239. Rain date is Nov. 6.

Covered Bridge 5K Run/Walk: 9 a.m. Registration 8-8:45 a.m. at the Smith River Church of the Brethren, 2282 Bob White Road, Stuart, and transportation will be provided at the start and end of the run from that spot. Fundraiser for the Southern Virginia Child Advocacy Center. $25 ($15 for ages 6-12; get registration form at www.CoveredBridge5K.com or contact Stephanie Vipperman at 276-694-3945 or stephanievipperman@embarqmail.com or Linda Martin at 276-692-7138.
The Henry County Board of Supervisors voted to address Sheriff Lane Perrys stated problem of losing deputies and not being able to recruit enough new ones by agreeing to increase their pay by $2 per hour with American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

Henry County Administrator Tim Hall told the board the money may be used for hazard-pay allocations for law enforcement and public safety personnel, and so the board approved the increase to include public safety staff as well.

The cost will be about $1.1 million, and the board will have to reconcile the increase from that point forward with a regular source of revenue if it is to be continued. Hall estimated a hike of 3.9 cents per $1,000 of real estate taxes would be needed to sustain the increase.

Weve had one of our deputies to come back, said Perry at a regular meeting of the Henry County board of supervisors Tuesday afternoon. We have a good community. Despite how it looks, we have a low rate of violence.

I thank you for your support and the recognition.

Collinsville District Supervisor Joe Bryant told Perry and other officers in the Summerlin Room at the Henry County Administration Building that the request took the board members some time to consider.
TODAYS WORD is gamine. Example: Audrey Hepburn was the classic gamine.

TUESDAYS WORD was hector. It means to talk to (someone) in a bullying way. Example: During the community forum, some guy in the back corner kept hectoring one particular candidate.

Letters to the editor

Were now less than a week away from elections. Its important to learn about candidates and issues from a variety of sources, one of the most helpful being the opinions and endorsements of other people in the community. Thats what the letters to the editor on the opinion page of the newspaper do.

The letters to the editor section is an important forum for public discussion of political and societal events which affect the community, both local and global, and all levels in between. Send your letters to info@martinsvillebulletin.com or P.O. Box 3711, Martinsville, Va., 24112.
The close of retail outlets, restaurants and bars due to the pandemic cut off distillers from their main connection to drinkers. So early last year, many distillers around the country pivoted production. Some turned to making hand sanitizer instead of gin and whiskey.

Others batched reserve bottles into take-home cocktail kits, made new partnerships with direct-to-consumer companies and launched new ready-to-drink lines to capture trends.

Some of these shifts may last, some may not. Either way, its an excellent time to celebrate the resiliency  and deliciousness  of craft distilling in the U.S. Because distribution laws vary state to state, the products below may not be available where you live. Check each site directly, or use this as inspiration to visit some of your own local distillers.

Rum may be the spirit of the Caribbean, but it has roots in New England, from where 1700s island distillers imported molasses to make local rum.

Theres a deep, rich history of rum in New England and we had an opportunity to bring it back, says Bob McCoy (pictured), director of sales at Privateer Rum in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Some rums are sweetened and flavored and artificial. We dont have to sweeten, color or filter our rums. With a great spirit, the still will do the talking for us.

New England Daiquiri This maple-sweetened daiquiri is prepared fresh and shaken, not blended.

For nine years, head distiller, Maggie Campbell, helped build a name for this distillery, founded by Andrew Cabot in 2011.

Current director of production, Dylan Turner, aims to continue to make older, stronger, tastier rums, McCoy says, using long, cool fermentation and sugar cane grown in a single valley in Santa Lucia, Guatemala. Were recreating what we call a New England style, McCoy says.

When head distiller, Joe OSullivan, started to work at Clear Creek Distillery in 2005, hed shock people when he said all Clear Creeks ingredients came from within 50 miles of their Hood River, Oregon, company just east of Portland.

It was mind-blowing to people that it was an option, OSullivan says. What makes us unique is these connections we have with orchardists and berry growers and farmers we work with going on 35 years.

Pear Brandy Sidecar A classic since the 1920s, quality pears make all the difference in this brandy-forward delight.

Founded in 1985 by Steve McCarthy and owned by Hood River Distillers since 2014, Clear Creek was among a handful of small, principled distilleries that helped establish a farm to glass trend, OSullivan explains.

Now, Clear Creek is best known for its fruit brandies, some clear, some aged, starting with locally sourced pears, cherries, blue plums and raspberries. Most striking is its pear-in-a-bottle brandy, made by slipping bottles over barely developed pear buds and waiting for them to grow and ripen. Clear Creek is also celebrated nationally for its excellent liqueurs, too, made from Marionberries, currants, loganberries and more.

What makes gin sing in a cocktail? According to Dampfwerk, a family-run distillery just outside of Minneapolis, its not just the botanicals. Its how they use them.

You can make gin in two hours, says Bridgit Loeffelholz, Dampfwerks creative director. We slow it to five or six. Were running our still really slowly so those botanicals are under tension longer. You get a lot of undertones.

Dampfwerks London dry gin focuses on gins key botanicals, including coriander, angelica, orris root, lemon peel and, of course, juniper. Some they pre-soak, to soften them.

Espresso Martini This sophisticated take on the popular dessert drink combines peppermint liqueur with cold brew.

The result is a woodsy, resinous gin, earthy in style, with freshness from citrus at the front end and a nuttiness on the back. For a barrel-aged version, they use red wine barrels which allow the floral aromas to sing a little more. It really carries through in every cocktail you put it into, Loeffelholz says.

Dampfwerk is family-operated; Loeffelholzs parents are co-owners. Her German-born father, Ralf, is the main distiller and her brother, Christian, works on gin and whiskey.

Ralf really created everything to be drunk neat, Loeffelholz says. This includes the Crane gin, inspired by an ancient Prussian recipe. More juniper, plus rosemary, lavender, chamomile and clove, make it almost like an herbal liqueur.

Flavored vodka feels like a relic of the 1990s, with flavors like coconut, whipped cream, blue raspberry and cake. Cathead Distillerys mission takes a different approach. The distillery in downtown Jackson, Mississippi, instead prepares small-batch products that evoke the flavors of the South.

Cathead, the first legal distillery in the state, was founded in 2010. It infuses several of its corn-based vodkas, such as an aromatic honeysuckle vodka, and a toasted pecan version, which is currently on production pause.

Co-founder Richard Patrick approached the former as a liqueur, blending slowly to capture the mouthfeel and flavor of the honeysuckle more than the floral aromas. We make natural honeysuckle into an extract using the white flowers, Patrick says. Its very effervescent.

In spring, Cathead released a bitter orange vodka made with extract from the Satsuma mandarins that start appearing in Southern grocery stores each November.

In 2013, former merchant mariners and longtime friends, Bill Karlson and John OMara, founded their distillery in Manassas, Virginia, with a love of great whiskey. Their two main product lines  Bare Knuckle and Distillers Reserve  are made with rye, wheat, corn and malted barley from Virginia farms and they are fermented with a workhorse yeast that lets the grain do the talking.

Whiskey & Spiced Cider Shrub Cocktail With notes of butterscotch, vanilla and anise, this warm whiskey drink is just as complex as it is sweet.

The grain is really what puts forward all the beautiful flavors, says Peter Mowery, Virginia sales and marketing director for KO. For example, Mowery says, the cask strength version of the Bare Knuckle straight rye whiskey, which ranges from 120 to 128 proof, surprises people with its flavor profile.

KO recently released a high rye bourbon, both in single-barrel and cask strength expressions. A bottled-in-bond rye is aged at least four years in new, charred American oak.
Louisiana State University announced it will keep its indoor mask mandate in place through the end of the semester. New Orleans also wont necessarily follow the governors lead, with a city spokesperson saying Mayor LaToya Cantrell wants to look closely at the data before making any decisions about easing the city's masking requirements.

Edwards said he'd consider returning to the face-covering requirement if Louisiana sees another surge in the coronavirus illness: I hope we won't need it, but I won't hesitate to do it.

In August, Edwards reinstated Louisianas now-expiring mask mandate for all public indoor locations as the state faced its worst surge of the coronavirus illness and had the highest per capita COVID-19 infection growth in the nation. At the time, hospitals were overrun with COVID-19 patients, describing stretchers filled with people waiting for beds and critical surgeries delayed.

The face-covering requirement covered both vaccinated and unvaccinated people  though the Edwards administration made little public effort to strongly enforce the mandate.
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A new rapid screening test for glaucoma could help advance early detection of the disease, a leading cause of irreversible blindness.

Developed by a research team of engineers and ophthalmologists led by RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, the test uses infrared sensors to monitor eye movement and can produce accurate results within seconds.

About 80 million people worldwide have glaucoma, with more than 111 million expected to be living with the disease by 2040.

The loss of sight is usually gradual and 50% of people with glaucoma do not know they have it.

Currently, glaucoma is diagnosed through a 30-minute eye pressure test delivered by an ophthalmologist.

The new AI-powered test takes just 10 seconds to show if there is a risk of glaucoma, making it ideal for use in a national screening program.

Lead researcher Professor Dinesh Kumar, RMIT, said early detection, diagnosis and treatment could help prevent blindness, so making screening faster and more accessible was critical.

"This research will allow a non-contact, easy-to-use and low-cost test that can performed routinely at general clinics," he said.

"It could also promote a community-wide screening program, reaching people who might not otherwise seek treatment until it's too late."

How it works

The pioneering technology differentiates between glaucoma and healthy eyes by analyzing changes in pupil size.

In the study, published in IEEE Access, pupils were measured 60 times per second using a low-cost commercial eye tracker.

Under ambient light conditions, patients looked at a computer screen while custom software measured and analyzed specific changes in their pupil size.

The software then compared the results against existing samples of glaucoma and healthy eyes to determine the risk of glaucoma.

Dr. Quoc Cuong Ngo, RMIT, said the new tech was faster and better than any similar AI-based approach.

"Our software can measure how the pupil adjusts to ambient light and capture minuscule changes in the shape and size of the pupil," he said.

"Existing AI glaucoma tests require the patient to be perfectly still for up to 10 minutes. Our tech does the job in 10 seconds, without compromising on accuracy."

Next steps

The team is now looking to adapt the technology to work with smartphone cameras instead of the eye tracker used in the study.

With further research, the software could also be extended to detect other neurological conditions.

Explore further New glaucoma test 15 times more likely to detect high risk patients

More information: Quoc Cuong Ngo et al, Pupillary Complexity for the Screening of Glaucoma, IEEE Access (2021). Quoc Cuong Ngo et al, Pupillary Complexity for the Screening of Glaucoma,(2021). DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3122079
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COVID-19 patients were more likely to receive a medical diagnosis of physical or psychological symptoms and illnesses more than three months after acute infection than those who were not diagnosed with COVID-19, according to an extensive study of health insurance data. In addition to adults, children and adolescents are also potentially affected by post-COVID: The most documented symptoms and illnesses related to COVID-19 among children and adolescents include feeling unwell, sudden fatigue, cough, sore throat and chest pain as well as anxiety and depression. Common medical diagnoses in adults included loss of taste, fever, cough and respiratory problems. Several German public health insurers participated in the study, which has been coordinated by the Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare (ZEGV) at Dresden University Hospital and the Robert Koch Institute. The findings have been published in as a preprint on the Medrxiv site.

"Internationally, this is one of the first and largest controlled cohort studies on post-COVID. Our partners' extensive database and innovative methodical procedure have facilitated reliable conclusions about the long-term consequences of COVID-19 in children and adolescents for the first time," said Prof. Dr. Jochen Schmitt of University Hospital Dresden. More research is needed to understand the links between COVID-19 and these illnesses. "Future analyses should focus on the persistence of possible health problems among the participants of the study. It is also crucial to investigate how applicable these results are to subsequent phases of the pandemic and associated changes in care conditions," adds Dr. Martin Roler from Dresden University Hospital.

Post-COVID comprises persistent or newly developed symptoms of illness and health problems in the long term (at least three months subsequent to infection with SARS-CoV-2). However, it remains unclear what exactly characterizes post-COVID and how many people are affected by it. Addressing this question relies on controlled studies which observe the current health of SARS-CoV-2 patients over a sufficiently long period, and compare their data with a well-defined control group. Previous international studies of this kind indicate an impact on adults' health in the long term. This analysis by ZEGV, RKI and the health insurance providers has now provided new insights on post-COVID in younger age groups based on data from German health insurance providers. The data used for the study was the billing data from 2019 and 2020 of about 38million public insurance holders from AOK Bayern, AOK PLUS Sachsen and Thuringen, BARMER, DAK-Gesundheit, Techniker Krankenkasse and the research database InGef, from which a significant portion of the data from company health insurance funds was extracted. The analysis included data from over 150,000individuals who were diagnosed with COVID-19 by a medical laboratory in the first half of 2020, 12,000 of whom were children and adolescents. For each infected person, five non-infected insurance holders of comparable age and sex, and with comparable pre-existing medical conditions were included in the study for a similar follow-up period. Infected and non-infected individuals were collated with regard to 96 predefined symptoms and conditions, which were newly documented three months subsequent to the date of infection/inclusion in the study.

The analyses demonstrated that new symptoms and conditions were more commonly diagnosed in adults, children and adolescents more than three months after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis than in comparable persons belonging to the control group. The newly documented diagnoses concern both physical and mental illnesses as well as many different organ systems and symptom complexes. With regard to all of the symptoms and illnesses analyzed, the prevalence of newly documented illness was approximately 30% higher in children and adolescents who had previously been diagnosed COVID-19 as in those who had not been diagnosed with COVID-19. The study compared diagnosis rates based on 1,000 person-years, taking into consideration the different follow-up observation periods for the individuals included in the study. The rate of diagnosis in children with COVID-19 was about 437; for children not diagnosed with COVID-19, it was about 336. At around 616, the rate of diagnosis with other illnesses in adults previously diagnosed with COVID-19 was approx. 33% higher than that of the control group without COVID-19 at 464. Overall, children and adolescents were less frequently affected than adults.

The study is part of the "Post-COVID-19 Monitoring in Routine Health Insurance Data" (POINTED) project. Earlier analyses examined risk factors for severe cases of COVID-19 based on health insurance provider data (see the publication in EpidBull 19/2021 www.rki.de/DE/Content/Infekt/E  /2021/19/Art_02.html).

More information: Post-COVID in children, adolescents, and adults: results of a matched cohort study including more than 150,000 individuals with COVID-19. Post-COVID in children, adolescents, and adults: results of a matched cohort study including more than 150,000 individuals with COVID-19. www.medrxiv.org/content/10.110  021.10.21.21265133v1
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Australia's drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), today provisionally approved the Pfizer COVID vaccine to be used as a booster for anyone over the age of 18.

The TGA said people can take the third dose from six months after their second dose.

People can take Pfizer as a third dose regardless of which two shots they got first.

Moderna's vaccine is yet to be approved as a booster, while the federal government does not expect AstraZeneca's vaccine to be used as a booster.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said he expects the booster program to start from November 8. However, the federal government is awaiting further advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) about who should receive it and when.

Given our approved vaccines were originally marketed as two-dose jabs, why are we now looking at an extra dose?

Why another jab?

Scientists have often said we may need another jab in the future to have better long-term protection against COVID. This is because of concerns about the possibility the immunity will decrease over time.

Initially it was hard to predict when this might happen. But it's clear now the need and timing for an extra vaccine dose depends on what group of people you're talking about.

For those living with cancer or other diseases affecting the immune system, current COVID vaccines often fail to generate a strong level of immunity. Getting a third dose seems to help, leading the United States and United Kingdom to recommend additional jabs for people who are immunocompromised.

Earlier in October, boosters for people who are severely immunocompromised became available in Australia. These are available 28 days after the second dose.

Among those who do have a strong response to a two-dose vaccine, their level of protection against infection or serious disease is being tracked over time.

Earlier this year, Israel reported increasing rates of infection in fully vaccinated people aged 60 years and older. This led the government to provide third doses for this age group.

In the short-term, the strategy appears to have worked, with infections dropping ten-fold at least two weeks after the boost.

What is 'waning immunity?'

We've heard a lot about "waning immunity," but this may actually be referring to more than one topic.

Across a population, we can track how well vaccines are performing at preventing people from getting infected, getting sick, or needing to go to the hospital.

There is evidence of gradual decreasing vaccine effectiveness over time.

However, the ability of vaccination to prevent hospitalization from COVID remains very high even after six months.

The Pfizer vaccine is 90% effective at preventing hospitalization for up to six months, according to a large new U.S. study. The findings, which also document a waning of protection against infection, come as officials debate the need for booster shots. https://t.co/7vKNH1b6tE  The New York Times (@nytimes) October 4, 2021

At an individual level, scientists can also study the waning of immune responses over time.

There are two key parts to this immunity: the antibodies that can bind to the virus and stop infection completely, and the cells that remember the virus for (hopefully) years to come, ready to be reactivated if the virus gets in.

After a few months, the levels of these antibodies have dropped somewhat among those who receive two doses, likely explaining why vaccine effectiveness declines and breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people occur.

But if our immunity drops, why are people still protected from hospitalization and severe disease?

That's where our immune memory comes in. If you do get infected after being vaccinated, your white blood cells will quickly jump into action, producing lots of antibodies and getting ready to kill the virus.

Although longer-term immunity from vaccination dramatically reduces the need for hospitalization, breakthrough infections following the waning of immunity do result in further spread of the virus, complicating efforts to control the epidemic.

So, after six months, the vaccines may be less likely to stop us from becoming infected at all, but they're still extremely important for preventing hospitalization and death.

Therefore, administering boosters will likely reduce infection and transmission, but the effect of boosters to prevent serious disease and death is more modest, at least in those under 60.

Are boosters effective?

Early reports have shown strong immune responses to the third dose, and similar side effects to the first shots (mostly pain and fatigue).

Vaccinating people who previously received AstraZeneca with mRNA vaccines can produce particularly strong antibody responses.

This is important in Australia, as most vulnerable older people received the comparatively less potent AstraZeneca vaccine, and using a potent mRNA booster vaccine is wise.

3-dose vaccine, or booster dose?

Most discussion of additional doses uses the terms "third dose" and "booster dose" interchangeably. But there's a key distinction.

Many vaccines for other diseases are given as three-dose vaccines, including the Hepatitis B and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. In these cases, you're considered fully vaccinated after having three doses, and in some cases, are expected to have life-long immunity.

This is different from situations in which people might need intermittent booster vaccines to maintain their immunity, such as the annual flu vaccine.

For COVID, a third dose vaccine isn't likely to provide life-long immunity against any infection, and further doses may be needed.

The third dose of Pfizer will be the same formulation that's currently being given across Australia. In the US, Moderna is planning to administer a half-dose as the third shot.

When should boosters be given?

The best timing of third doses for widespread use isn't yet clear, and there are two conflicting considerations.

On the one hand, earlier administration will provide more immediate protection from breakthrough infections and virus spread.

However, a longer gap between vaccine doses generally results in higher and more durable immunity.

The best timing of booster vaccines requires careful follow-up in trials.

Are boosters ethical?

There's a question about whether wealthy countries should be embarking on third-dose rollouts given global vaccine supply is limited.

Many developing countries have vaccinated very small proportions of their populations. They remain vulnerable to widespread outbreaks and the overwhelming of already fragile health-care systems.

Also, large numbers of infections across the world can drive additional variants and economic and political instability.

There's a moral and political imperative for wealthy countries to donate vaccines to initiatives such as the World Health Organization's COVAX program.

In this context, the decision to shut down local manufacturing of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Australia from early next year is disappointing. Australia had been exporting many of these doses to its Pacific neighbors.

Explore further EU drug regulator OKs booster doses of Moderna's COVID shot

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Military surgeons may be getting less training and experience with the high-risk procedures they need to maintain clinical readiness and provide care in military medical treatment facilities (MTFs) and deployed settings. Concerns about a decline in military surgeon readiness have waxed in recent years, but until recently, it has been challenging to quantify the decline. A new study uses the recently created Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) metric to quantify deficits in clinical readiness. The study, led by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital in collaboration with military surgeons from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, found that the number of surgical procedures contributing to KSAs has decreased by approximately 25 percent at military hospitals from 2015 to 2019, creating a potential gap that may require the need to address substantial changes. Results are published in JAMA Surgery.

"Over time, the military health system has been shifting care for its soldiers and their families away from big military treatment facilities, allowing them to receive care from civilian hospitals. But this has had an unintended consequence," said senior author Joel Weissman, Ph.D., of the Center for Surgery and Public Health at the Brigham. "Our study has found that by 2019, only 10 percent of general surgeons had enough experience under their belts to be considered ready for combat clinical care."

"The operative volumes available to military surgeons at military hospitals have been historically low, but they have continued to decline in recent years, especially as volume has shifted to civilian hospitals," said lead author Michael Dalton, MD, MPH, a former fellow at the Brigham's Center for Surgery and Public Health. "Our study is the first to specifically quantify the lost readiness value of those procedures to military surgeons."

MTFs are intended not only to provide health care for service members but also to ensure that military medical professionals receive the surgical experience they need to be ready to provide care. But military surgeons have operative volumes far lower than their civilian counterparts. And surgical volumes at MTFs have been declining as service members and their dependents seek care at civilian hospitals. To quantify this decline and its potential impact on surgical readiness, the military surgical community developed KSA metrics. In partnership with the American College of Surgeons, military surgeons evaluated general surgery proceduresincluding procedures such as hepatectomy, pancreatectomy, kidney transplants and moreand assigned each a KSA value to represent the importance and relevance of the procedure to the skill sets required for a deployed military surgeon.

The team analyzed the workload of general surgery performed across the U.S. Military Health System and calculated KSA values to compare metrics from 2015 to 2019. They found that the proportion of military general surgeons meeting the KSA readiness threshold declined from 16.7 percent in 2015 to 10.1 percent in 2019.

"It is essential that we have a method to measure the individual clinical readiness of our critical wartime skill specialties,"said co-author retired Navy Capt. Eric Elster, MD, DACS, FRCSEng (Hon,), dean of the School of Medicine and Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. "This article validates that we no have this KSA Metric and that a plan is in place to implement its use to ensure we are providing this readiness across the Military Health System.

The authors note that their study is limited to the data coded in the Military Health System Management Analysis and Reporting Tool Data. Future studies that capture civilian general surgeon workload may help provide additional context. The authors also acknowledge the complexity of addressing the decline in surgical volume and patient flow.

"This study can be seen as beginning a process for the military health system to use its own measurement tools to closely monitor the preparedness of its surgeons," said Weissman. "Due to decreased surgical volume, in the event of another military conflict, military surgeons may not be as ready for combat-related injuries as they should be. Ensuring that military surgeons have the experience they need may help everyone feel safer."

Explore further Skills course quickly and significantly sharpens rarely used military surgeons' skills

More information: Analysis of Surgical Volume in Military Medical Treatment Facilities and Clinical Combat Readiness of US Military Surgeons, JAMA Surgery (2021). jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/  1/jamasurg.2021.5331 Journal information: JAMA Surgery Analysis of Surgical Volume in Military Medical Treatment Facilities and Clinical Combat Readiness of US Military Surgeons,(2021). DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2021.5331
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Around the world, the coronavirus pandemic has put unprecedented strain on intensive care resources. In some places, including parts of Italy, the United States, Canada, and the Asia-Pacific, ICUs have been overwhelmed. Reports from Italy found doctors were "weeping in the hospital hallways because of the choices they were going to have to make."

In this respect, Australia has fared relatively well in the pandemic. Initial modeling suggested Australian ICUs would be overwhelmed in April 2020, but successful public health measures prevented this.

COVID vaccines now offer significant protection against hospitalization. But as Australia prepares to open its borders, experts have raised concerns that even with 80% of the population vaccinated, hospitals may yet be strained and possibly overwhelmed.

This raises the difficult question of how to undertake triage: who gets scarce life-saving resources when hospitals are overwhelmed, and how are these decisions made?

So far, Australian state and territory governments have not answered these questions.

Resource allocation in a crisis

Health systems can increase their capacity in a crisis. However, a recent study found although Australia now has enough ICU beds and ventilators, we lack sufficient trained staff to operate them. If we are overwhelmed by COVID, not all patients who might benefit will be treated.

In some countries, governments have released their triage protocols for such scenariosdocuments that set out the process and rules that determine which patients get treatment if hospitals are overwhelmed.

Most triage protocols aim to prioritize those who are most likely to benefit from ICU admission.

For example, a province-wide protocol has been released in Alberta, Canada. While not yet activated, the Alberta government is instructing clinicians on its use as the province faces a devastating fourth wave.

The Alberta protocol involves a phased, multi-step process to decide which patients to admit to critical care when demand for resources outstrips supply.

In phase 1 (major surge with critical care bed occupancy at 90% or greater), those with certain conditions including severe dementia, advanced cancer, bad burns, or at a high risk of stroke, are deprioritised.

In phase 2 (large scale surge with critical care bed occupancy at 95% or greater), further categories of adult patients are deprioritised. Pediatric triage is also activated, using similar criteria related to a child's life expectancy and likelihood of survival.

Benefits of transparent triage protocols

When health system resources are overwhelmed, clinicians may be forced to deny treatment to patients who would otherwise receive it.

This creates a risk clinicians might be subject to lawsuits for negligence, disciplinary sanctions, or even criminal charges.

These legal risks may be reduced by triage protocols, which may provide clinicians with a legal defense.

Another benefit of triage protocols is they can promote transparent and consistent allocation decisions and minimize perceptions of bias.

A lack of transparent protocols

To maximize consistency and fairness, triage protocols should be issued by governments, not individual hospitals.

However, in Australia, government coronavirus triage protocols either do not exist, or have not been made public.

Our research found a lack of protocols on state and territory government websites. Health department websites for the ACT, Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia did not mention a coronavirus triage protocol.

Queensland Health released a detailed ethical guidance framework, which was later removed from its website in mid-2020, without an official statement or explanation.

New South Wales Health has created a pandemic response framework, which mentions allocation frameworks and tools, but these have not been made public.

Public scrutiny

There are good reasons to prepare and publicly release triage protocols before a health crisis.

First, this allows debate on the ethical basis for decisions.

While there is broad agreement about some principles (for example, that protocols should apply to all patients, not just those with COVID), considerable debate remains on other issues.

Should younger people be prioritized? What about those who are vaccinated? If two patients are eligible for a resource, what factors should act as a "tiebreaker"? Should essential workers be prioritized?

Timely release of triage protocols allows for public scrutiny of these ethical questions.

Second, releasing triage protocols before a health crisis allows exploration of whether a protocol is lawful.

There are inherent risks here. A triage protocol could veer into unlawful discrimination on the basis of age or disability, or violate guardianship laws designed to protect the vulnerable.

Transparency, consultation, and litigation all play a role in testing the legal boundaries. Guidelines in the United Kingdom, for example, were updated after a legal action was initiated. The proposed challenge argued the guidelines unlawfully discriminated against people with long-term disabilities by relying too heavily on a frailty assessment tool. The revised guideline clarified that the tool should not be used in certain groups.

Third, prior release enables preparation and education. Triage policy and decision-making cannot be left until the ICU door.

Clinicians and the public must know what to expect and have a chance to understand the necessity for triage and the basis of decisions being made.

What needs to happen now?

State and territory governments should release triage protocols (if they have them), and if not, they should develop them, with public consultation.

Governments can readily borrow from the experience of other jurisdictions. They might also look to professional organizations for guidance.

While it's possible Australian health services will not be overwhelmed, proposed relaxations of border and quarantine controls clearly signal that pressure will build in coming months.

Having unimplemented public triage protocols in place would be a small problem; having no protocols when they are needed could be devastating.

Explore further Triage rules needed for health workers

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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President Biden has released his rollout plan for COVID-19 vaccines in anticipation of approval to use the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 511 as part of an emergency use authorization.

"The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) will be meeting to review the data that was submitted for emergency use authorization on Oct. 26," says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician with the Mayo Clinic Children's Center. "After it goes through that process, and if it is approved by the FDA, the next step will be for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practicesthat is an advisory committee to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)to review and make a recommendation either for or against vaccination."

Vaccinations won't take place immediately, says Dr. Rajapakse.

"We anticipate at the earliest, early November, the vaccine may become available for use in this age group. Certainly, sometime in November, we hope that we will see that the vaccine is available."

"Pfizer has submitted an application for emergency use authorization for a two-dose series, a vaccine for children 5 to 11 years of age," says Dr. Rajapakse. "The two doses are spaced 21 days apart, which is the same as what has been authorized for use in adults, but the dose is smaller. It's about a third of the dose that we give to teenagers and adults. Early studies have shown that the vaccine is safe and effective."

Nipunie Rajapakse, M.D. / Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Credit: Mayo Clinic

COVID-19 vaccines are now available for children 12 and up.

"We highly recommend anyone over 12 years of age gets vaccinated. Vaccination significantly reduces your risk of getting sick, ending up in hospital or dying from COVID-19," Dr. Rajapakse says.

Along with vaccination, Dr. Rajapakse says it's important to follow other safety protocols to reduce the risk of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections:

Wear masks in public spaces.

Practice good hand hygiene.

Stay home if you are not feeling well.

Practicing physical distancing of 6 feet as much as possible.

A COVID-19 vaccine can prevent children from getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. If a child gets COVID-19, a COVID-19 vaccine could prevent him or her from becoming severely ill.

"We also know that there's a rare complication called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children that can be life-threatening as well. The only way to prevent that is to prevent kids from getting COVID-19. And that's another reason why vaccination is an important part of preventive strategies," Dr. Rajapakse says.

Explore further COVID-19 vaccine for younger kids a step closer
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Change is upon us once again. Come the first Sunday of November, we will gain an hour of morning sunlight. The one-hour adjustment to the clock on the wall may not sound dramatic. But our biological clock begs to differ.

Take, for example, the members of society blissfully unaware of social time: Our youngest children and pets. While many will soon enjoy an extra hour of sleep, our children and pets will be the first to wake. It will be a few more days before their biological clock adjusts to the new social time.

In fact, most of us need a few days to adjust to time changes. In the meantime, we may suffer some consequences.

"Heart attacks and traffic fatalities increase in the days following the change to daylight saving time (DST) in the spring," said Erik Herzog, Washington University professor of biology in Arts & Sciences and past president of the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, a scientific organization dedicated to the study of biological clocks and sleep.

Recently, a 2020 study quantified a 6% increase in traffic fatalities in the days following the time change to DST. Six percent translates to 28 fatalities in the United States per year because of time switchinga tradition that most, including Herzog, agree it is time to retire.

Yet, here we are nearing November 2021, preparing to adjust to a social change once again with no help from the sun, which will rise and set on its own schedule. What is holding us back from eliminating time changes?

Do we keep DST and enjoy more sunlight in the evening hours or standard time (ST) and wake up with the sun? We cannot seem to agree.

"There has been legislation for permanent ST and for permanent DST," said Herzog, the Viktor Hamburger Distinguished Professor in Arts & Sciences. He advocates for keeping standard time. "There are currently 19 states considering 45 key pieces of legislation that would eliminate annual time switching. Some already have; Arizona and Hawaii live on permanent ST."

Keeping standard time forever

Saying goodbye to DST, and the summertime memories we associate with it, can be difficult. But Herzog reminds us that we need sun in the morning.

"Your biological clock, which controls your daily rhythms in things like sleep and wake, eating and fasting, interprets light in the morning as sunrise, and advances your wake up time. Evening light tells your biological clock to wake up later the next morning, making it more difficult to live without an alarm clock," Herzog explained.

In fact, those who live on the eastern edges of time zones and experience more morning sunlight tend to do better than those to the west in terms of health, economics and other indicators of well-being.

The current scientific data points to year-round ST being the better option for health, but also for things like safety and learning in schools. Will children be safe going to school in the dark in the morning? Does more sunlight in the evening deter crime?

Less than a month after Richard Nixon's failed attempt to force year-round DST in 1974, leaders of public schools opposed the change after six deaths were directly linked to children going to school in darkness. Meanwhile, data do not show that there is less crime during DST or more crime in states like Arizona and Hawaii on permanent ST.

But Herzog points out that we need more data. In the short term, the health benefits of permanent ST are clear. Yet, there are little data on the long-term consequences of living without annual time changes.

"At this point, we need to make the best decision using what we know and collect data on issues that matter most to people for once and for all," Herzog said.
Immunohistochemistry for alpha-synuclein showing positive staining (brown) of an intraneural Lewy-body in the Substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease. Credit: Wikipedia

A new study shows that in the last two decades the death rate from Parkinson's disease has risen about 63% in the United States. The research is published in the October 27, 2021, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study also found that the death rate was twice as high in men as in women, and there was a higher death rate in white people than other racial/ethnic groups.

"We know that people are living longer and the general population is getting older, but that doesn't fully explain the increase we saw in the death rate in people with Parkinson's," study author Wei Bao, MD, Ph.D., who conducted the research at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. "Understanding why more people are dying from this disease is critical if we are going to reverse the trend."

The study looked at a national death registry that included 479,059 people who died of Parkinson's between 1999 and 2019.

After adjusting for age, researchers found that the number of people who died from the disease increased from 5.4 per 100,000 people in 1999 to 8.8 per 100,000 people in 2019. The average annual increase was 2.4%.

Researchers found mortality increased significantly across all age groups, both sexes, various racial and ethnic groups and different urban-rural classifications. However, death rates were twice as high in men as in women. Bao says one possible explanation for this sex difference is that estrogen, which leads to higher dopamine levels in parts of the brain that control motor responses, may protect women from developing Parkinson's.

White people were more likely to die from Parkinson's than other racial and ethnic groups. In 2019, the death rate for white people was 9.7 per 100,000 people, followed by Hispanic people, at 6.5 per 100,000 people, and non-Hispanic Black people, at 4.7 per 100,000 people. Bao said previous studies have shown that compared to white people, Black and Hispanic people are less likely to see an outpatient neurologist, due to socioeconomic barriers, suggesting that white people may have a higher chance of receiving a Parkinson's diagnosis.

"It's important to continue to evaluate long-term trends in Parkinson's death rates," Bao said. "This can inform future research that may help pinpoint why more people are dying of the disease. Also, updating vital statistics about Parkinson's death rates may be used for priority setting and financing of health care and policy."

A limitation of the study is that only one underlying cause of death was recorded on each death certificate, so only people who were recorded as having died of Parkinson's were included in the study. This may not accurately reflect the prevalence of the disease as a cause of death.

Explore further Persistent disparities in drowning death rates
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New research from UBC Okanagan shows that gradual nicotine reduction is key to helping e-cigarette users quit.

The study, published in this week's issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research, has implications for young adults who are currently hooked and want to stop using e-cigarettes, commonly called vapes.

"Vaping has become a popular global phenomenon, with more than 40 million users worldwide," says Dr. Laura Struik, assistant professor in the UBCO School of Nursing and lead researcher of the study. "Despite this growth in popularity, many current vapers admit they want to quit, particularly young Canadians. In fact, over 60 per cent of youthages 15 to 19who vape reported trying to quit in the last year. Our study is the first to use the social media forum, Reddit, to find out how they are breaking this habit and how they can be best supported."

According to Health Canada, vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling an aerosol produced by a vaping product, such as an electronic cigarette. Unlike cigarette smoking, vaping doesn't require burning, rather, the device heats a liquid into a vapor, which then turns into an aerosol.

Dr. Struik and Youjin Yang, a recent UBCO Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate, analyzed 1,228 public posts from 318 users on a "quit vaping" Reddit forum. The information was categorized into quitting method, reasons for quitting, and barriers and facilitators to quitting.

"We chose social media to gather our data because this is where individuals, especially young people, the largest users of e-cigarettes, are sharing their experiences, including those about health," says Dr. Struik.

The research showed that negative health experiences were the number one reason these individuals chose to quit. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, wheezing and poor sleep were the complaints listed, which concerns Dr. Struik.

"This is very different from the number one reason that smokers want to quit smoking, which is future health concerns," she says. "We need to pay attention to these early adverse health effects. I'm particularly concerned by the impact of vaping on young and healthy lungs. That e-cigarette users are experiencing such intense negative health effects from vaping relatively early indicates that something different is going on biologically compared to smoking."

Dr. Struik also notes that the users reported intense withdrawal symptoms and dependency on nicotine as the top barrier to quitting.

"This is not surprising given that the most popular e-cigarettes deliver very high concentrations of nicotine," she says. "In addition, previous studies suggest that the developing brain, such as that seen in youth and young adults, is vulnerable to long-term nicotine addiction. This makes quitting harder for this population."

For those who pursued quitting, the study found that more than 65 per cent of them said they preferred a gradual reduction approach. This involved tapering the nicotine concentration, followed by using different nicotine replacement therapies, such as patches and gum. To help with this, individuals used distraction techniques like exercising, to keep themselves busy and get a dopamine releasethe "feel good" neurotransmitter in the brainfrom something other than vaping.

It was also noteworthy that e-cigarette users were vocal about the need for self-grace and a positive self-concept as they engaged in the quitting process.

"Health promotion efforts should encompass messaging that does not shame those who vape or are struggling to quit; instead, we need to build each other up and support each other's efforts in reducing exposure to health risks, like vaping."

She suggests that online interventions may be particularly useful for this group, given that most of them are young and embrace digital platforms. "We have an opportunity here to help support them."

Dr. Struik also notes that cessation guidelines, including pharmacological and behavioral approaches, specific to e-cigarette are critical.

"Our research findings show that vaping and vapers are different than those who smoke tobacco. Therefore, the cessation approaches should also be unique."

Explore further Half of youth e-cigarette users intend to quit

More information: Laura Struik et al, e-Cigarette Cessation: Content Analysis of a Quit Vaping Community on Reddit, Journal of Medical Internet Research (2021). Journal information: Journal of Medical Internet Research Laura Struik et al, e-Cigarette Cessation: Content Analysis of a Quit Vaping Community on Reddit,(2021). DOI: 10.2196/28303
Credit: The Detroit News

As a young adult, Javier Evelyn didn't always carry his epinephrine autoinjector, which dispenses the medicine he needs if he has a food allergy reaction. It wasn't cool to carry a clunky piece of equipment, he recalled.

"I did not carry my device with me at all for most of college, so I was just really fortunate, to be real with you, when it came to not having any big scares as I was more independent down the road," said Evelyn, 38, a Chicago area native who is allergic to some tree nuts, fin fish and casein, a protein found in cheese.

Evelyn, who has a tech background, moved to Detroit in 2013 and decided to create a more convenient device. His innovation: a cellphone case with an attached epinephrine auto-injector.

"I really wanted to solve a problem that was personal to me," he said. "Something I cared about deeply. Being that I have this lifelong problem and I never really carried an EpiPen growing up because I thought it was not cool to carry. ... Fast-forward in Detroit, I'm having conversation with folks that I know, and a lot of folks felt the same way."

Evelyn, whose business, Alerje, is based at TechTown Detroit, was recently granted a patent on the phone case, called Omniject, by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He also was honored by TechTown as a Toast of Town Salute Awardee, and this year, his company received a small business innovation research grant award from the National Science Foundation.

Paul Riser, managing director of technology-based entrepreneurship at TechTown, said he's watched Evelyn's business grow during the past few years and believes his device could be a game-changer.

"I see this becoming a standard of addressing allergies in communities at all scales and all socioeconomic bubbles," Riser said.

An estimated 32 million Americans have food allergies, including 5.6 million children, according to Food Allergy Research & Education, a Virginia-based nonprofit. Annually, 200,000 people in the U.S. require emergency medical care for an allergic reaction to food, according to FARE.

Evelyn said the high number of food allergy sufferers and the experience of managing his allergies led him to create the autoinjector as well as two apps for food allergy management.

"It was the convergence of me having this problem, seeing a bigger problem that affects a lot more people and coming up with a solution, although novel at the time, that essentially could fit in the background," he said. "Your device is there when you need it ... but it's not when you don't."

The Omniject smartphone case has an attached rectangular autoinjector on the back that is about half an inch thick. If the owner experiences an allergic reaction, they can inject themselves with epinephrine. The device includes software that will alert the patient's support circle if a dose is discharged.

Although it is recommended by doctors that those with food allergies carry two epinephrine auto-injectors with them at all times, people don't always follow that advice, as was the case with Evelyn in his younger days.

According to a 2018 study led by health behavior researcher Christopher Warren of the University of Southern California, of 900 respondents with food allergies, 89% had filled a prescription for an epinephrine auto-injector but 45% reported not having one with them during a severe allergic reaction.

"People are less likely to carry their epinephrine with them to parties, sports, activities or beaches," said Dr. Malika Gupta, a pediatric allergist and assistant professor for the University of Michigan Health System. "Concern for temperature sensitivity of the medication and tight clothing are some of the other issues I have seen that are a hindrance to carrying epinephrine."

But it's crucial for patients to have their medication available at a moment's notice.

"The only effective treatment for a severe allergic reaction, or anaphylaxis, is epinephrine," Gupta said. "It is quite literally a life-saving medication. It is also vital to use the medication early in a reaction, hence the importance of having it on hand at all times."

Gupta, who has served on Alerje's medical advisory board since earlier this year, hopes the device will make it easier for people to carry their medication.

"Bundling this essential medication to something that people carry nearly all the time is a brilliant solution and might influence the willingness of our adolescent patients to carry their epinephrine," she said.

Evelyn's work began with the idea for the device and led to the creation of a lifestyle app, called Alerje, which is available for iOS and Android.

The Omniject will tie in with the Alerje app, which allows users to track foods that could be dangerous to them. Evelyn and his team are also working on an app to help patients undergoing food desensitization, known as oral immunotherapy (OIT) treatment, to track and communicate their progress with their allergist. He has submitted a provisional patent for that.

When developing his company, Evelyn drew from his experience leading app projects for MeridianRx/Meridian Health Plan in Detroit. He is also a founding member of MedTech Color, a Encino, California-based nonprofit organization that works to increase and support people of color in the medical device industry. The group also discusses strategies to increase clinical trial enrollment of under-represented ethnic groups.

He's part of a team of six people working on the device and the app, including developers, marketers and legal and regulatory consultants. Evelyn said he's working with a large autoinjector maker he could not name because of an agreement.

Evelyn said to date, the company has raised close to $2 million collectively for its projects and needs an undisclosed amount to bring it to market. They plan to seek additional Series A financing next year to continue to pursue regulatory approval as well as to develop the OIT digital platform.

"We believe that with the right partner and building up additional team members, we'll be able to move forward with the commercialization of our device," he said.

Riser sees a bright future for Evelyn and his enterprise.

"I think Javier has a keen understanding of the importance of obviously entering the market and working with the larger companies who can help him accelerate that pathway, but I also know that Javier will never forget and/or dismiss the importance of the cost of health care and ensuring that devices and services and solutions like his are also affordable for people at all levels or strata of the economic sphere," he said.

"I see him growing this company nationwide and beyond."

2021 The Detroit News

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Transmission electron microscope image of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, emerging from human cells. Credit: NIAID

New research published in Anaesthesia (a journal of the Association of Anaesthetists) says that the use of facemask ventilation during routine surgery should not be classed as an aerosol-generating procedure and does not increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission compared with normal breathing/coughing of patients.

Thus this procedure is not high risk and can be performed confidently for both routine surgery and emergency airway management. Its use should neither slow down operations or necessitate the use of extra personal protective equipment for medical teams.

Facemask ventilation is an essential intervention used by anaesthetists as part of the 'life support' of most anaesthetised patients having surgery. Its designation as an 'aerosol-generating procedure' (AGP) by the World Health Organization has had a major impact on operating theatre efficiency and processes. However, there is no direct evidence to indicate whether facemask ventilation is a high-risk procedure for aerosol generation. No study to date has measured the aerosol generated during facemask ventilation and the evidence for its AGP classification is based largely on one study of infections in anaesthetists dating back to the previous SARS-1 epidemic in 2003.

As a result of this AGP designation, current guidance dictates that anaesthetists performing facemask ventilation in a patient at risk of having COVID-19 would have to wear a respirator mask, eye protection and additional personal protective equipment. This would also apply to nearby theatre staff. In addition, extra time (up to half an hour per case) had to be added to each operation to allow sufficient air changes in theatre to remove any of the presumed infectious aerosol. This greatly reduces the number of cases that can be done each day, especially for urgent or emergency surgery, and is contributing to the backlog in the healthcare system.

In this new study, the authors conducted aerosol monitoring in anaesthetised patients during standard facemask ventilation, and facemask ventilation with an intentionally generated air leakto mimic the worst-case scenario where aerosol might spread into the air. Recordings were made in ultraclean operating theatres (at Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust, UK) and compared against the aerosol generated by each patient's normal breathing and coughing.

Respiratory aerosol from normal breathing was reliably detected above the very low background particle concentrations with median aerosol concentration of 191 particles per litre. The average aerosol concentration detected during facemask ventilation without a leak (3 particles per litre) was 64-times less than that for breathing. When an intentional leak was introduced the aerosol count was 17 times lower than breathing (11 particles per litre).

When looking at peak particle concentrations the team found that a patient coughing produced a spike of 1260 particles per litre, compared to the peak of 60 per litre (20 times lower) for regular facemask ventilation and 120 per litre with an intentional leak introduced (10 times lower).

Dr. Andrew Shrimpton, the lead author of the study, commented: "This study demonstrates that facemask ventilation, even when performed with an intentional leak, does not generate high levels of bioaerosol."

The authors add: "The low concentration of aerosol detected during facemask ventilation even with an intentional leak is also reassuring given that this represents a worst-case scenario. Both normal breathing and a voluntary cough generate many-fold higher quantities of aerosol than facemask ventilation On this basis, we believe facemask ventilation should not be considered an aerosol-generating procedure. Accumulating evidence demonstrates many procedures currently defined as aerosol-generating are not intrinsically high risk for generating aerosol, and that natural patient respiratory events often generate far higher amounts."

They conclude: "The emerging evidence from quantitative clinical aerosol studies is yet to be incorporated into clinical guidance for aerosol-generating procedures and we believe this needs urgent reassessment. Declassification of some of these anaesthesia-related procedures as aerosol-generating would seem appropriate due to their lack of aerosol generation. Our findings also raise the broader question of whether the term 'aerosol-generating procedure' is still a useful concept for anaesthetic airway management practice in the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 or other airborne pathogens."

Dr. Mike Nathanson, President of the Association of Anaesthetists said: "This important work will allow clinicians to better understand the risks of general anaesthesia in patients with COVID. As we enter another winter, and with a high prevalence of COVID, the backlog of surgical cases is increasing. Anaesthetists will wish to carry on working for as many of their patients as possible. As the authors suggest, this research will inform the debate on how we can work safely."

This study is the result of a collaboration between Anaesthetic and Aerosol research groups based in Bristol, UK and Melbourne, Australia as part of the NIHR funded AERATOR study. The results reinforce the findings of similar studies performed by the AERATOR group demonstrating many anaesthetic procedures are not high risk for aerosol generation.

Explore further New research could help clear backlog of surgery

Provided by AAGBI
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

In a new publication from Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications, Hui Yang, Pu Zou, Yuhu He and colleagues from Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China discuss risk factors for prognosis after the Maze IV procedure in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing valve surgery.

The authors of this article evaluated risk factors related to persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) at discharge (AF-d) and recurrent atrial fibrillation (rAF) and all-cause death after the Maze IV procedure. Two hundred nineteen patients (63 female, aged 52.58.8 years) with valve disease and persistent AF undergoing valve surgery and the maze IV procedure between 2015 and 2016 were included. Baseline demographic and clinical data were obtained by review of medical records. The median follow-up period was 27 months (interquartile range 2134 months) in the patient cohort. The primary end point was all-cause death. The secondary end point was AF-d or rAF. rAF is defined as AF recurrence at three months or later after the procedure.

Twenty-eight patients (12.8%) died during follow-up. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that thrombocytopenia, elevated serum total bilirubin level, a larger right atrium, AF-d, and rAF were independent determinants for all-cause death after the Maze IV procedure after adjustment for age, sex, and clinical covariates, including New York Heart Association class III/IV disease, hypertension, and aortic regurgitation, while valvular disease duration and left atrial diameter greater than 80.5 mm were independent determinants for AF-d, and thrombocytopenia, elevated serum total bilirubin level, higher mean pulmonary artery pressure, and AF-d were independent predictors for rAF.

The authors conclude that thrombocytopenia, elevated serum total bilirubin level, an enlarged right atrium, AF-d, and rAF are independent predictors of all-cause death in patients undergoing the Maze IV procedure.

Explore further Cardiac CTA parameters predict post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement mortality

More information: Shenghua Zhou, Risk Factors for Prognosis after the Maze IV Procedure in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Valve Surgery, Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications (2021). Shenghua Zhou, Risk Factors for Prognosis after the Maze IV Procedure in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Valve Surgery,(2021). DOI: 10.15212/CVIA.2021.0026

Provided by Compuscript Ltd
In this Dec. 11, 2006 file photo, a silicone gel breast implant is shown at Mentor Corp., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, in Irving, Texas. On Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, U.S. health regulators finalized stronger warnings for breast implants, including a new requirement that people receive detailed information about their potential risks and complications before getting them. Credit: AP Photo/Donna McWilliam, file

U.S. health regulators on Wednesday finalized stronger warnings for breast implants, including a new requirement that people receive detailed information about their potential risks and complications before getting them.

The Food and Drug Administration announced the new regulations mainly aimed at implant manufacturers, who are also being required to add a boxed warning messagethe most serious typeto their written patient materials.

The FDA requirements are the latest step in a decades-long effort to manage safety issues with the devices, which are primarily used for breast augmentation, the most common cosmetic surgical procedure in the U.S. Roughly 400,000 people get implants each year, 100,000 of them after cancer surgery.

The FDA had originally proposed the rules as voluntary measures in 2019, but Wednesday's action makes them legal requirements for breast implant makers, including leading manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson's Mentor unit and Allergan.

In the biggest shift, plastic surgeons and other health professionals who work with the implants must give their patients a checklist detailing possible side effects, such as scarring, pain, rupture and even a rare form of cancer. The checklist also explains that breast implants often require repeat surgeries and they should not be considered lifelong devices.

The doctors must sign the document and confirm that the recipient was given an opportunity to review it before surgery. Companies that sell implants to doctors who don't comply could face fines and other penalties from regulators. The rules begin to take effect in 30 days.

In recent years, the FDA and regulators worldwide have grappled with a link between a rare cancer and a type of textured implant. That's on top of a separate issue involving tens of thousands of people who blame their implants for a host of other health problems including rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue and muscle pain.

The concerns led the FDA to convene a public advisory meeting in 2019 followed by the new proposals to give patients more information about safety problems.

The devices have a silicone outer shell and are filled with either saline or silicone. The FDA's regulations also provide updated recommendations for regular screening to catch potential implant ruptures.

Explore further FDA wants stronger warning on breast implants about risks

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A recently published study says that affective touch facilitates attachment, promotes well-being and conveys feelings and intentions. The pandemic has caused a large part of the population to lose access to closeness and intimacy, and for a lot of people, important needs have been put on hold. Credit: Shutterstock / NTB

The human body is programmed to like human contact. Infants depend on being taken care of not only because they need care and food, but to develop normally.

"Adults need that physical touch to feel closeness, too," says Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, a professor of psychology at NTNU.

Touch hunger

What happens to us when someone touches us?

"Touch is a positive experience as long as you're safe and in a good atmosphere. The concept of hungering to be touched that people have described during the pandemic is the experience of not receiving closeness and intimacy," Kennair says.

The psychologist explains that the body's production of certain hormones that make us feel better increases when we are touched.

"Hormones like dopamine and serotonin regulate stress and anxiety. Oxytocin, often called the 'cuddle hormone," is linked to attachment and proximity. We feel safer, less stressed and connect better with people when we're touched, and that's why we touch others," he says, and adds that physical touch makes us feel closer and more intimate.

"Friendships deepen, a love relationship becomes more sexual, and flirting is better with a little bit of affective touch thrown in," says Kennair.

Touch is indicator of closeness

"With your closest family or friends, physical contact is a marker of intimacy, which shows that you are relationally close. Losing this kind of a marker in life is unfortunate," says Kennair.

He points out that a number of development studies document that this contact is essential for young children.

"Young children need touch for normal development. Not having human contact and closeness impacts their emotional cognitive development," he says.

In a recently published study, co-authors Kennair and Mons Bendixen state that touch facilitates bonding, promotes well-being and conveys feelings and motivations. A mother's touch of her infant promotes development of the areas of the child's brain that are pivotal for their social traits.

Our skina social organ

The study points out that the skin of mammals is densely packed with specialized nerve fibers that respond to a gentle stroking touch.

"Our skin is full of nerves that react in a positive way to even and gentle slow stroking. There is a certain frequency of stroking that is perceived as good. The skin is a social organ. It helps us to experience closeness, emotionally, in our relationships and our family," says Kennair.

He adds that the closer people are to each other, the more likely it is that they express their affection by being physically close to each other, too.

"This closeness includes hugging, stroking and holding. Different cultures have different levels of touch. For example, Italian men might hold hands while walking in a public space, something a lot of people in Norway would find quite startling. Yet in Norway, a mother breastfeeding her child in public doesn't raise eyebrows," says Kennair.

The study he and Bendixen were a part of deals with interpersonal touch patterns in close relationships all over the world. The study included 14 000 participants in 45 different countries. The study revealed that the amount of touch in close relationships was higher in warm countries, in less conservative and religious countries and among younger people, women and liberals.

Forced incel status for everyone

"The pandemic has shown us how a large part of the population has lost access to closeness and intimacy, as well as sexual contact. I've gotten a number of questions from journalists about how sad the lack of intimacy is for people. But this is the same situation that people who call themselves incels have been complaining about, long before the pandemic," says Kennair. Incels are an internet subculture of men who feel rejected from having physical and emotional contact with women.

Kennair is interested in finding ways to encourage people to have greater empathy with those who are perceived as outsiders.

"We used to sometimes make fun of people who needed sex and human contact. Then all of a sudden everyone was missing those things. Only when people we think are like us have the same experience, do we understand it and show empathy," he says.

Lack of human and social contact

Kennair points out that the restrictions during the pandemic have not hit everyone equally hard. Some people have simply ignored the advice from the health authorities and have continued to get together with others. The same number of condoms have been distributed and the same number of appointments were made for sexually transmitted diseases in the student health service during the pandemic as before, for example.

"People followed the rules in different ways. The loneliest people during the pandemic have been the folks who've followed the rules, who aren't as impulsive and who were previously the most lonely to begin with. And we've seen how there's been a lack of human and social contact. The elderly population in particular has been subjected to a lack of social contact and hugs and physical affection," he adds.

Transition can feel difficult

As society opens up again, says Kennair, "some people will feel that everything feels really crowded with less distancing between people. For folks who are very cautious, the transition will be challenging because they've learned to use safety behaviors. There'll be a transition phase where some people will want to keep behaviors like wearing a face mask. Some of them will be rational, some not so rational. But it will be great to see people again! Hopefully we'll be able to travel again and most people will find the loosening of restrictions a relief."

"The pandemic may have taught us how important social contact is. There are some things we haven't learned yet. I think the important things we'll learn from the pandemic will happen afterwards. What are the after effects of shutdowns versus not shutting down? We'll be able to look at the differences between Norway and Sweden, between different parts of the United States, and compare long-term effects on the health of the population, the economic situation, on vulnerable groups, loneliness and so on.

Explore further Why we missed hugs

More information: Agnieszka Sorokowska et al, Affective Interpersonal Touch in Close Relationships: A Cross-Cultural Perspective, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (2021). Journal information: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin Agnieszka Sorokowska et al, Affective Interpersonal Touch in Close Relationships: A Cross-Cultural Perspective,(2021). DOI: 10.1177/0146167220988373
In this Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021 file photo, medical workers wearing protective gear wait to administer the COVID-19 vaccine, at Belgrade Fair makeshift vaccination center, Serbia. Slovenia's health minister on Wednesday, Oct. 27 warned the country could face a nightmare scenario if it does not contain its coronavirus outbreak, which is coming amid a surge in infections in low-vaccination countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Serbian doctors said children and small babies are among those on ventilation, and heath authorities are considering bringing some school classes online instead of in-person. Credit: AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File

Slovenia's health minister on Wednesday warned that the country could face a nightmare scenario if it does not contain the virus outbreak raging in the small Alpine nation and other low-vaccination countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Health Minister Janez Poklukar said hospital beds have been filling up as the country logged the highest number of daily cases since January. With more than 3,000 confirmed infections in the past 24 hours, Poklukar said a lockdown is looming.

"While we watched with fear at neighboring Italy at the start of the epidemic, we are now at a turning point because of low vaccination rates and we could easily have a Bergamo scenario," Poklukar said, evoking the hardest-hit Italian city last year.

Officials say Slovenia has fully vaccinated around 53% of its 2 million people. Authorities plan to open more COVID-19 wards in the European Union nation as intensive care units are 92% full, Poklukar said.

Other nations in Central and Eastern Europe that also have low vaccination numbers have seen infections surge to record levels. Reluctantly, countries have been reimposing some restrictions to get a grip on the situation.

Slovenia so far has required COVID-19 passes for employees to enter their workplaces. Croatia has required them for health care and nursing home workers and in Serbia, the health pass detailing one's vaccination status is required for late evening hours in bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Romania has reinstated tougher restrictions that also include a curfew and shutting down some venues.

While the European Union's average vaccination rate is around 70%, countries in Central and Eastern Europe hover around 50% and less. Despite high numbers of COVID-related deaths in recent weeks in the region, it has seen only a slight up-pick in vaccinations.

"We have the weapon and the means, which is vaccination," Poklukar said. "And we are not using it."

In neighboring Croatia, health authorities on Wednesday also reported surging daily new cases of around 4,500 in the country of 4.2 million. Every second test in the capital Zagreb came out positive and new testing sites are being opened, authorities said.

Serbian doctors said children and small babies are among those on ventilation as the weeks-long surge of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations shows no sign of abating. Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said there will be no immediate new restrictions but health authorities were contemplating shifting school classes online.

Serbia on Wednesday logged nearly 7,000 new infections and 64 more deaths. More than 1.1 million people have been infected in the Balkan country of 7 million while nearly 10,000 have died.

"The most important thing at this moment is to implement the rules already in place," said Brnabic. "If we don't do that, any new measures will make no sense."

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

People who received a shot of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine will be offered a second dose from a different drug maker, Spain's health authorities said on Wednesday.

Spain's health ministry said that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has proven to be less effective than other vaccines. So Spaniards who have received it will now be offered a booster shot of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna vaccines once three months have passed.

Only 1.9 million of the 37 million Spaniards who have been vaccinated have received the J&J shot.

Spain boasts one of the most successful voluntary vaccination campaigns in the world with 88% of its target population of 12 years and up fully vaccinated.

Explore further J&J to ask FDA to approve its COVID booster shot

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Figure 1. Trial profile. IVIG=intravenous immunoglobulin. sJIA= systemic onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Credit: DOI: 10.1016/S2352-4642(21)00270-4

Kawasaki disease (KD) is rare, with fewer than 6,000 diagnosed cases per year in the United States. It is most common in infants and young children and causes inflammation in the walls of some blood vessels in the body. KD is a common cause of acquired heart disease in children around the world, causing coronary artery aneurysms in a quarter of untreated children.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is also rare, a life-threatening illness that follows exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). MIS-C is characterized by the acute onset of fever and variable symptoms, including rash, cardiovascular complications, shock and gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting.

KD and MIS-C share several clinical features and immune responses. Both conditions are treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), a therapeutic containing antibodies purified from blood products. Antibodies in the blood protect us from a number of viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens, but when administered as IVIG, can also suppress excessive inflammation. How it does this is an ongoing area of research worldwide.

In a pair of new studies, published online October 26 and August 31, 2021, two collaborating teams of researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine examined the use of IVIG in two groups; one group used a second dose of IVIG in children with KD who do not respond to the first dose of the drug, and the other group used IVIG as an effective treatment for MIS-C.

"Our research teams looked further into KD to improve treatment, and then used what we know about that disease to advance science in another illness," said senior author Jane C. Burns, MD, professor and director of the Kawasaki Disease Research Center at UC San Diego School of Medicine and Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego.

In a paper published in the October 26, 2021 online edition of The Lancet: Child and Adolescent Health, researchers found treating IVIG-resistant KD patients with infliximab, a targeted anti-inflammatory drug, was more effective than a second dose of IVIG.

In an earlier paper, published in the August 31, 2021 online edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers found why IVIG is a successful treatment for MIS-C.

Is a second dose of IVIG effective in kids who don't respond to the first?

IVIG is the standard of care for KD and can alleviate symptoms and stabilize patients within hours of administration. However, 10 to 20 percent of children have recurrence of fever after initial therapy and are at an increased risk of coronary artery aneurysms. Historically, a second dose of IVIG has been advocated for treatment of IVIG-resistant KD.

In a national, randomized clinical trial, known as KIDCARE, involving 30 clinical sites and 103 children, researchers looked at a second dose of IVIG versus infliximab in children with KD who did not respond to the first dose of IVIG. They found those treated with infliximab had shorter duration of fever, reduced need for additional therapy, less severe anemia and shorter hospitalizations.

"Researchers in this field have been trying to answer the question of what we should use when the first dose of IVIG does not work since the 1980s," said Burns.

"This clinical trial was designed to find out the safest and most effective way to stop the fever and get these children out of the hospital. Our results show that infliximab is the best treatment that does the job safely and quickly."

Additionally, IVIG administration can take up to 12 hours while infliximab requires two.

Trials of infliximab for KD treatment began in the early 2000's in San Diego. Researchers found that the target of infliximab, a pro-inflammatory molecule called TNF, was markedly elevated in the bloodstream of KD patients. This suggested that infliximab, a monoclonal antibody that neutralizes TNF, might be an effective treatment.

"We are on the forefront of advances in treatment for KD patients and this finding is another example of how our team moves innovative research from the lab to the patient bedside," said Burns.

Next steps include clinical trials to determine the best treatment for children with KD who come to the hospital already showing damage to the coronary arteries.

IVIG found to be successful in treating MIS-C after SARS-CoV-2 infection

MIS-C was first identified in children in April 2020 and is a rare complication of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. The inflammation caused by the condition affects several organs and progresses over time. Symptoms are usually seen between two and six weeks after initial infection, which may in fact not cause any symptoms at all.

Both KD and MIS-C share a robust activation of the innate immune system, termed the "first responder" arm of the immune system. In contrast to KD, however, additional anti-inflammatory therapies, such as steroids or biologic therapies are often needed to further reduce inflammation with MIS-C.

In a recent study, researchers examined what IVIG does to white blood cells (WBC) in MIS-C and KD. Neutrophils are a type of WBC that prevent serious infections by killing invading bacteria and fungi.

Using cell samples from children with MIS-C or KD, researchers found that neutrophils laden with IL-1b, a key mediator of the inflammatory response, are generated in large numbers and play an active role in inflammation in patients. Exposing these patient cells to IVIG in the laboratory, researchers showed that IVIG targets and kills those neutrophils, thus, reducing inflammation.

"This finding is important because it shows how and why IVIG is successful in rapidly reducing inflammation in kids. It targets a different part of the immune response to steroids, which can also suppress inflammation," said Ben Croker, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

"Initially, we borrowed from the KD playbook to treat MIS-C because of the similarities between the two diseases. We were challenged to treat a severe reaction (MIS-C) to a novel virus no one on the planet had seen two years ago. Our studies now support an important role for IVIG as a therapy for these patients," said Burns.

Croker noted that these findings pave the way for the next discovery, which will be understanding the mechanism by which IVIG accomplishes its killing mission so that it could be replaced with a less expensive, more readily available treatment.

Explore further Antibody treatment for MIS-C works by depleting inflammatory immune cells

More information: Jane C Burns et al, Infliximab versus second intravenous immunoglobulin for treatment of resistant Kawasaki disease in the USA (KIDCARE): a randomised, multicentre comparative effectiveness trial, The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health (2021). Jane C Burns et al, Infliximab versus second intravenous immunoglobulin for treatment of resistant Kawasaki disease in the USA (KIDCARE): a randomised, multicentre comparative effectiveness trial,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/S2352-4642(21)00270-4 Yanfang P. Zhu et al, Immune response to intravenous immunoglobulin in patients with Kawasaki disease and MIS-C, Journal of Clinical Investigation (2021). DOI: 10.1172/JCI147076 Journal information: Journal of Clinical Investigation
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Survivorship care plans are an important tool to help cancer survivors transition out of active treatment and back to their regular lives, but a new study found that a number of vulnerable groups are not receiving those plans.

A survivorship care plan is a formal treatment summary that includes information on actions needed to prevent and detect new and recurrent cancer, interventions for long-term effects from cancer and its therapies, and coordination of care between specialists and primary care providers. The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) does not require but recommends providers deliver these plans.

Researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine, Regenstrief Institute and the Ohio State University analyzed data from the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System's (BRFSS) Survivorship modules, which are self-reported measures gathered via telephone survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to determine the role that social determinants of health play in the reception of survivorship care plans.

Data showed that factors associated with a lower chance of receiving a care plan were:

Low educational achievement.

Widowed/divorced/separated marital status.

Being uninsured.

Being 65 or older.

"These groups often lack access to care or struggle with continuity of care, so they need these plans more than anyone," said author David Haggstrom, M.D., MAS, director of the Regenstrief Center for Health Services Research, associate professor of medicine at IU School of Medicine and a member of the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. "Healthcare frequently struggles with transitions, so care plans are important to serve as support to the patient as they end active cancer treatment as well as help with coordination of care."

"The findings of this study highlight the fact that when care plan dissemination is not universal, it can further widen the disparities and clinical outcomes of cancer patients who already face roadblocks to care," said first author Lava R. Timsina, MPH, Ph.D., assistant professor of surgery at IU School of Medicine. "Policy initiatives addressing patient education and access to these plans may be necessary to increase their delivery."

Study authors recommend several steps to reduce barriers to plan delivery and encourage physician participation. They are:

Including care plans as an accreditation requirement with the CoC.

Providing insurance reimbursement for creating the plan.

Standardization of linguistically and culturally appropriate plans.

Empowering patients to advocate to receive the plans.

Increasing the use of telehealth to deliver the plans.

The data included patients from nine states and one U.S. territory: Indiana, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin and U.S. Virgin Islands. This is one of the only studies to take a national view of care plan dissemination among diverse populations.

The research was published in Supportive Care in Cancer.

Explore further Study: Individuals with primary care physician continuity have better cancer survival

More information: Lava R. Timsina et al, Dissemination of cancer survivorship care plans: who is being left out?, Supportive Care in Cancer (2021). Journal information: Supportive Care in Cancer Lava R. Timsina et al, Dissemination of cancer survivorship care plans: who is being left out?,(2021). DOI: 10.1007/s00520-020-05915-x
The skyrocketing costs of construction materials and labor are causing delays and uncertainty for the planned development of what eventually will be the largest affordable homeownership project in Montana history in Missoulas Northside neighborhood.

However, progress is being made on designs and the entire initiative is still moving forward at a steady pace.

Called the Scott Street development, the project calls for at least 70 permanently affordable Community Land Trust homes, along with a childcare facility, retail buildings and a large green space.

A local development team, Ravara Development, has purchased a 6-acre parcel thats currently empty north of the train tracks on Scott Street. They gave an update on their plans last week to the Missoula Redevelopment Agency, which has contributed $226,160 in tax increment financing to pay for planning efforts on the site.

We would all like to see this happen yesterday, because demand and desire for housing is there, said Dawn McGee, the CEO of Ravara. But the likelihood is there that its going to be another 24 months before this begins to come to fruition.

The cost of building, along with getting the property a different zoning designation, has led to delays, she said.

There are levels of frustration, McGee said. Weve been told by everybody that nobodys got the bandwidth to even start thinking about talking about putting pen to paper on more (construction) drawings until January. And the timelines were getting by the people responsible for drawing these up are more extensive than wed like to see.

Its a horrible environment to find contractors or even materials right now based on the preliminary numbers theyre getting from contractors, she said.

Her colleague Kiah Hockstetler agreed.

We all know the cost of construction has substantially gone through the roof, both from materials as well as subcontractors, he said.

Melanie Brock and Nancy Moe, both members of the Missoula Redevelopment Agencys board, want to know whether any of the units would have solar panels or if the site could be powered by geothermal energy.

Theres not a lot of wiggle room for doing all the things we would love to do, quite honestly, McGee replied.

Hockstetler said the team will make every effort to ensure the units are built in such a way that the owners can have renewable energy systems installed. For example, townhomes will have conduits pre-run so walls wont have to get torn into later.

Right now, plans call for 42 townhomes and 36 condos, all of which would be permanently affordable. The homes are meant to be sold to people making between 100% and 120% of area median income. Theres no telling what that number will be in two or three years, but the initial goal is to sell the units for between $250,000 and $340,000. The median sales price of all homes sold in the Missoula urban area from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30 of 2021 was $445,000.

To deliver these in this market where were pushing right up against the cost limits of between 100% and 120% of area median income ... were working as hard as we can to change that building cost, Hockstetler explained.

Another portion of the property would have market-rate homes.

The team is trying to maximize density while maintaining open space and parking, McGee said. Right now, theyre planning on an underground parking structure in order to have a large open green space. Some of the townhomes on Scott Street will be live/work spaces, she noted, so people could have small hair studios in them, for example.

Were charged by the city with building 70 units on three acres, McGee said. Thats pretty hard to do in a way thats successful and still has a feeling of spaciousness. Im proud of what weve come up with.

They took a lot of input from the community, and the central square green space was deemed important, as was long-lasting construction materials, she said.

Development team member Rob Brewster said its a frustrating project because theyre trying to get all the pertinent permits and zoning changes from the city, which is a long and complicated process. Every delay means the projects timeline gets further out where theres more uncertainty about what interests rates and labor availability will be.

However, the team is still diligently working on lots of other details. Theyve partnered with the North Missoula Community Development Corporation to provide the housing land trust services for the site. That means that the land underneath each housing unit will not be owned by the property owners, which will allow each unit to be more affordable.

McGee also said theyre working on a way to prevent any of the units from being used as an Airbnb-type rental.

This is housing for the community, not people who want to come on vacation here, she said. Theres a lot of devil in the details.

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The Missoula County Elections Office is urging voters to send back their ballots and get registered early.

Montana no longer has same-day voter registration due to recent changes in state law. Those wishing to vote in the 2021 municipal election need to register before noon on Monday, Nov. 1, according to a news release. This year's election will decide the races for Missoula's mayor, six Missoula city council seats, three municipal judges and a county tax on marijuana sales.

Missoula's election is fully by mail, meaning polling places will not open on Election Day. However, ballots can be hand-delivered until 8 p.m. on Nov. 2 to the county elections office at 140 N. Russell Street, which is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. It will also be open on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Eleven ballot drop-off locations will be open across Missoula County from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 2.

In addition to the Elections Office, they are: Missoula County Library (455 E. Main), Hellgate Elementary School administration office (2385 Flynn Lane), Missoula County Fairgrounds (1101 South Ave. W.), Missoula Early Learning Center (2625 Briggs St.), Franklin Elementary (1910 S. 11th St. W), Bonner Elementary (9045 Hwy. 200), Frenchtown Fire Station (16875 Marion St.), Lolo Elementary (11395 Hwy. 93 S.) and Seeley Lake Elementary (200 School Lane).

Those delivering ballots will not be required to show identification or be asked to sign documentation.

The Elections Office is offering tours throughout the process, which began on Oct. 26. The next tour is scheduled for noon on Oct. 28.

The U.S. Postal Service recommends a ballot be mailed seven days in advance of Election Day, the release said.

Jordan Hansen covers news and local government for the Missoulian. Shout at him on Twitter @jordyhansen or send him an email at Jordan.Hansen@Missoulian.com

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The reports of hateful and violent posts on Facebook started pouring in on the night of May 28 last year, soon after then-President Donald Trump sent a warning on social media that looters in Minneapolis would be shot.

It had been three days since Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on the neck of George Floyd for more than eight minutes until the 46-year-old Black man lost consciousness, showing no signs of life. A video taken by a bystander had been viewed millions of times online. Protests had taken over Minnesotas largest city and would soon spread throughout cities across America.

But it wasn't until after Trump posted about Floyds death that the reports of violence and hate speech increased rapidly on Facebook across the country, an internal company analysis of the ex-presidents social media post reveals.

These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd and I wont let that happen, Trump tweeted at 9:53 p.m. on May 28, in comments he repeated on his Facebook account a few hours later. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts the shooting starts!

The former president has since been suspended from both Twitter and Facebook.

Leaked Facebook documents provide a first-hand look at how Trumps social media posts ignited more anger in an already deeply divided country that was eventually lit on fire with reports of hate speech and violence across the platform. Facebooks own internal, automated controls, meant to catch posts that violate rules, predicted with almost 90% certainty that Trump's message broke the tech company's rules against inciting violence.

Yet, the tech giant didnt take any action on Trump's message.

Offline, the next day, protests  some of which turned violent  engulfed nearly every U.S. city, big and small.

When people look back at the role Facebook played, they wont say Facebook caused it, but Facebook was certainly the megaphone," said Lanier Holt, a communications professor at Ohio State University. I dont think theres any way they can get out of saying that they exacerbated the situation."

Social media rival Twitter, meanwhile, responded quickly at the time by covering Trumps tweet with a warning and prohibiting users from sharing it any further.

Facebooks internal discussions were revealed in disclosures made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form by former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugens legal counsel. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including The Associated Press.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Trump was one of many high-profile users, including politicians and celebrities, exempted from some or all of the companys normal enforcement policies.

Hate speech and violence reports had been mostly limited to the Minneapolis region after Floyd's death, the documents reveal.

However, after Trumps post on May 28, situations really escalated across the country, according to the memo, published on June 5 of last year.

The internal analysis shows a five-fold increase in violence reports on Facebook, while complaints of hate speech tripled in the days following Trump's post. Reports of false news on the platform doubled. Reshares of Trump's message generated a substantial amount of hateful and violent comments," many of which Facebook worked to remove. Some of those comments included calls to start shooting these thugs and f- the white."

By June 2, we can see clearly that the entire country was basically on fire, a Facebook employee wrote of the increase in hate speech and violence reports in the June 5 memo.

Facebook says it's impossible to separate how many of the hate speech reports were driven by Trump's post itself or the controversy over Floyd's death.

This spike in user reports resulted from a critical moment in history for the racial justice movement  not from a single Donald Trump post about it," a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. Facebook often reflects whats happening in society and the only way to prevent spikes in user reports during these moments is to not allow them to be discussed on our platform at all, which is something we would never do.

But the internal findings also raise questions about public statements Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made last year as he defended his decision to leave Trump's post untouched.

On May 29, for example, Zuckerberg said the company looked closely to see if Trump's words broke any of its policies and concluded that they did not. Zuckerberg also said he left the post up because it warned people of Trump's plan to deploy troops.

I know many people are upset that weve left the Presidents posts up, but our position is that we should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies, Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook account the night of May 29, as protests erupted around the country.

Yet, Facebook's own automated enforcement controls determined the post likely did break the rules.

Our violence and incitement classifier was almost 90% certain that this (Trump) post violated Facebook's ... policy, the June 5 analysis reads.

That contradicts conversations Zuckerberg had with civil rights leaders last year to quell concerns that Trump's post was a specific threat to Black people protesting Floyd's death, said Rashad Robinson, the president of Color of Change, a civil rights advocacy group. The group also spearheaded a boycott of Facebook in the weeks following Trump's post.

To be clear, I had a direct argument with Zuckerberg days after that post where he gaslit me and he specifically pushed back on any notion that this violated their rules, Robinson said in an interview with the AP last week.

A Facebook spokesperson said that its internal controls do not always correctly predict when a post has violated rules and that human review, which was done in the case of Trump's post, is more accurate.

To curb the ex-president's ability to stoke hateful reactions on its platform, Facebook employees suggested last year that the company limit reshares on similar posts that may violate Facebook's rules in the future.

But Trump continued to use his Facebook account, which more than 32 million follow, to fire up his supporters throughout much of the remainder of his presidency. In the days leading up to a deadly siege in Washington on Jan. 6, Trump regularly promoted false claims that widespread voter fraud caused him to lose the White House, spurring hundreds of his fans to storm the U.S. Capitol and demand the results of a fair election be overturned.

It wasn't until after the Capitol riot, and as Trump was on his way out of the White House, that Facebook pulled him off the platform in January, announcing his account would be suspended until at least 2023.

There's a reason Facebook waited so long to take any action, said Jennifer Mercieca, a professor at Texas A&M University who closely studied the former president's rhetoric.

"Facebook really benefited from Trump and Trumps ability to draw attention and engagement through outrage," Mercieca said. "They wanted Trump to keep going on."



This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the first name of the Ohio State University professor to Lanier; and to correct the times Trump sent posts about George Floyd to Twitter and Facebook.



See full coverage of the The Facebook Papers here: https://apnews.com/hub/the-facebook-papers

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  The state of Arkansas filed a consumer protection lawsuit Wednesday against a Virginia-based medical supplier for nearly $11 million for failing to deliver supplies during the coronavirus pandemic, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said.

Rutledge said Wednesday that Med-Care Healthlink LLC of Suffolk and its representatives failed to deliver gowns, ventilators and face shields ordered in March and April 2020 to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.

This had been a company the state had worked with previously, and so therefore there was no reason to believe at that point that we would have something this significant occur, Rutledge said.

A phone call to the company rang unanswered.

Deputy Attorney General Shannon Halijan said state officials were told at various times the supplies were bought by another entity, held in China or were in other states.

UAMS attorney Sherri Robinson said the company initially responded to questions about the supplies, then stopped after four to six months.

UAMS ordered 1.5 million medical gowns and 60 ventilators while the state ordered 2.5 million gowns, 500 ventilators and 1 million medical face shields, Rutledge said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A Republican secretary of state who challenged former President Donald Trump's false claims of election fraud in 2020 will lead the Biden administration's effort to protect future elections.

Kim Wyman, 59, has led elections in Washington state for years, and she was reelected to a third term in November  the lone statewide-elected Republican on the West Coast. She will serve as the election security lead for the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the agency responsible for safeguarding U.S. elections, the agency announced Tuesday.

As I assume this new role, I remain committed to protecting the integrity of our elections and working closely with local and state elections officials nationwide to bolster this foundational pillar of our democracy, Wyman said in a statement.

She will serve as the governments top liaison to the states, a job that was high profile before 2020, and will only be more so following Trumps false claims about the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden, and the embracing of those false claims by other members of the GOP.

Trump and his allies made  and still make  false assertions that there was rampant election fraud in 2020, despite evidence to the contrary. Former Attorney General William Barr told AP there was no sign of widespread fraud. As Trump railed over the election, leaders of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency stated publicly that it was the safest election in history. One was fired by Trump shortly after.

Scores of lawsuits filed by Trump and his allies over claims of possible election fraud were dismissed by the courts, including by Trump-appointed federal judges.

Still, millions of Americans believe the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. That misinformation prompted thousands to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in a violent but failed effort to stop the certification of Biden's win.

Homeland Security officials said Wyman will help lead the next round of elections in a non-partisan manner to ensure the security and resilience of our election infrastructure."

Kims reputation is second to none and I am personally thrilled to have her lead CISAs election security efforts," CISA director Jen Easterly said in a statement. Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of our democracy; Kim and I share a common view that ensuring the security of our elections must be a non-partisan effort.

Wymans resignation, effective Nov. 19, means that Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee can appoint a temporary successor, who would serve until the general election in November 2022, which will determine who will serve the remainder of Wymans four-year term.

Unlike vacancies in other partisan offices, like the Legislature or county offices, the governor is not limited to appointing someone from a specific political party, which means that Republicans could lose their hold on the office for the first time in more than 50 years.

When asked about the possibility he could appoint someone from the GOP to the position, Inslee spokeswoman Tara Lee said via email that they were not ruling anything out.

"It is possible," she wrote.

The next regular election for secretary of state will be in November 2024.

In a message posted to Twitter Tuesday, Wyman said the hardest part of the decision was leaving her post before the conclusion of her term.

However, the threats to our countrys elections system continue each day and they must be met with a combined effort by IT and cybersecurity experts alongside election professionals at the local, state, and federal level, she wrote.

Last October, Wyman published the book Elections 2020: Controlling Chaos: How Foreign Interference, a Global Pandemic, and Political Polarization Threaten U.S. Democracy.

She was a constant presence on national networks in the weeks leading up to the 2020 election, extolling the safety and security of the vote-by-mail system in her state, a process in place there for years. She disputed Trump's claims that mail-in voting was fraudulent.

If the president wants to rant and rave about how insecure vote by mail is or how our elections are going to be rigged, then Im going to talk about the security measures that Washington state put in place, she told AP in September 2020. And Im going to spend my time talking about the facts, and no, Im not going to get mired down in some sort of political debate and posturing.

Before the states 12 members of the Electoral College cast their votes for Biden in Olympia, Washington, in December, Wyman got emotional while talking to them about the vote they were about to take.

While some people continue to question the outcome of this election, average citizens from all walks of life will step up today to exercise their responsibility to perform their constitutional duty to the best of their ability, she said. This is an important ceremony. This is the American way of governance. This is democracy in action.

Inslee noted Wyman's certification of the 2020 election results, saying in a written statement: When confronted with the choice of adopting election lies being promulgated by powerful forces in her party, Kim chose to stand by the will of the people."

She is a great fit to lead these crucial efforts at the national level and I have no doubt that her expertise, energy and focus will lead to more secure elections and help restore faith in the democratic process," he wrote.

Wyman has never shied away from the fact that shes a Republican, but has said she believes shes approached the job in a nonpartisan way.

Its how you do the work every day, and my job is to inspire confidence in every voter no matter if they are a staunch Democrat or a hardcore Republican, she said last year.



La Corte reported from Olympia, Washington.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  Missouri Republican Mark McCloskey, who is running for the U.S. Senate, said he does not support allowing abortions for young girls who become pregnant through rape or incest.

McCloskey, a St. Louis personal injury lawyer who gained national attention after he and his wife waved guns at racial injustice protesters last summer, made the remarks last week at a forum in Osage Beach in response to a woman who said some candidates who profess to be anti-abortion would allow the procedure in some cases.

Ive got a client who was raped by an uncle when she was 13 years old, had the child; she finished high school, finished college and got a masters degree, McCloskey said. "That child she would have aborted finished high school, finished college and now has a masters degree. ... I don't believe in any exceptions.

McCloskey did not specifically address whether he would support an abortion to save the life of the mother, The Kansas City Star reported.

He said it has always bothered him that people who oppose the death penalty often support abortion rights.

The justices of the Supreme Court in the most heinous crimes dont have the right to decide who should live and die, he said. But every 13-year-old girl on the street should be able to decide the fate of the life of their child?

The video of the full candidate forum, hosted by We the People Camden County, has been posted online. A portion of his comments was captured and sent to The Star by American Bridge, a Democratic research organization.

A federal appeals court is deciding the fate of a Missouri law that would ban abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy. The full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis isnt expected to rule for several weeks.

In June, a three-judge 8th Circuit panel upheld an injunction from U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs prohibiting Missouri from enforcing the laws provisions, but the full court decided to hear the case.

Jane Cunningham, a Republican former state senator who attended the event, said the audience was thrilled by McCloskey's answer.

The abortion issue is "one of the litmus tests if youre running in a Republican primary, Cunningham said.

The subject of abortion exceptions sank the U.S. Senate campaign of Republican Todd Akin in 2012. Akin, who was the Republican nominee, was asked if he supported abortions for women who were raped.

Akin, who died this month, responded, If its a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. He was later soundly defeated by Democrat Claire McCaskill.

McCloskey announced his Senate candidacy after he and his wife waved weapons at Black Lives Matter protesters marching past their house in St. Louis last summer. He later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and his wife pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment but they were pardoned by Gov. Mike Parson.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Kansas City Star.

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ATLANTA (AP)  Faced with deadlocked jurors, a judge on Tuesday declared a mistrial in the case of three former Georgia sheriff's deputies accused of murdering a Black man whom they had repeatedly shocked with stun guns during a 2017 arrest.

Senior Judge H. Gibbs Flanders Jr. granted the defense motions for mistrials on the charges against Henry Lee Copeland, Michael Howell and Rhett Scott in the death of Eurie Martin, 58. The jury foreman told the judge that no juror in the Sandersville courtroom had changed their mind since Friday, the first day of deliberations, and that more time was unlikely to lead to the unanimity needed for convictions or acquittals.

Martin had a history of schizophrenia and was walking through the central Georgia town of Deepstep on a scorching day in July 2017, taking a 30-mile (50-kilometer) journey to see his relatives for his birthday. A resident called 911 to report Martin as suspicious after Martin approached the person and asked for a drink of water.

Responding officers said Martin refused to stop walking, threw down a soda can and took an aggressive stance, prompting them to fire their stun guns when he didn't follow instructions.

Beyond murder, the fired deputies faced charges of involuntary manslaughter, false imprisonment, aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless conduct.

The case points to a continuing reluctance by some jurors to convict law enforcement officers on charges of misconduct.

District Attorney Tripp Fitzner wrote in an email that he has requested a trial transcript and wants to study it before deciding whether to retry the case. Out of respect for Mr. Martins family, they will be the first ones to know, Fitzner wrote, praising prosecutors for working diligently and passionately.

For now, the three men remain under indictment and are free on bail.

Muwali Davis, a lawyer for Martin's family, said relatives were disappointed and said Martin's life is worth the investment to retry this case.

This family wanted justice and wanted closure and this is not either," Davis said in a telephone interview after the verdict.

Prosecutors argued Copeland, Howell and Scott, all white men, had no reason to detain Martin. They pointed to extensive video evidence they said showed the deputies were unreasonably aggressive, as well as testimony from some witnesses.

Defense attorneys, though, said Martin had illegally walked in the road, littered when he dropped a soft drink can, and took an aggressive stance and obstructed an officer when he didn't obey the commands of the deputies. They also argued that the stun gun didn't cause Martin's death, which means officers were not assaulting him with a deadly weapon, a key underlying element of one of the murder charges.

Defense lawyer Mark Shaefer told jurors in closing arguments that Martin was not allowed to walk away and the officers' actions were justified, calling it a tragic, tragic accident but not a crime.

Assistant District Attorney Kelly Weathers, though, argued that a death was not an accident "if your actions are in reckless disregard of what is foreseeable.

Howell and Scott, but not Copeland, testified in their own defense.

The trial came after the Georgia Supreme Court rejected a lower court ruling that the deputies should be immune from prosecution. Flanders initially found use of force against Martin was justified under Georgias stand your ground law. That law allows for people to defend themselves with violence if they have a reasonable belief that they are in bodily danger.



Follow Jeff Amy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jeffamy.

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BARCELONA, Spain (AP)  For the second time in a month, a member of Spains government met with Algerian officials on Wednesday to guarantee the European countrys supply of natural gas after Algeria closes a pipeline that runs through Morocco this weekend.

While a leader in wind and solar power, Spain still relies heavily on energy imports, and Algeria provides over a third of its natural gas. Spanish officials worry that a shortage in supplies will augment skyrocketing energy prices that have made electricity bills a major problem for its left-wing coalition government.

The trip by Spains deputy prime minister for ecological transition, Teresa Ribera, to Algiers came only a month after the country's foreign minister travelled to the Algerian capital to discuss the gas supply that Spain fears could be a collateral victim of Algerias diplomatic spat with Morocco.

After meeting with Algeria's minister for energy and mining, Mohamed Arkab, Ribera thanked him for his pledge to ensure the viability of the transport of natural gas and to honor the commitments for its purchase between different Algerian and Spanish companies.

Algeria has said it wont renew an agreement set to expire on Sunday that has kept its natural gas flowing through Morocco and onward to Spain for the past 25 years. The development follows a deterioration of relations with Morocco, highlighted by the recall of the Algerian ambassador.

The pipeline that travels across northwest Africa before a short crossing of the Mediterranean at Zahara de los Atunes on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar supplied Spain with just over 10% of all its natural gas in 2020, according to CORES, Spains public corporation that watches over its strategic energy reserves.

The pipeline also supplied Morocco with enough gas to produce 10% of its total electricity on top of the annual $60 million it received for crossing its territory.

A second, longer pipeline from Algeria to Almeria in Spains southeastern shore currently provides 16% of its total natural gas imports.

There are plans to boost that pipelines capacity from eight to 10 million square meters in the coming months. Even so, that won't fully make up the shortfall unless boats can bring in enough liquefied natural gas to Spain directly from Algeria.

Ribera said that her counterpart also agreed to be prepared in case Spain requested to increase the supply of natural gas.

Spains diplomatic mission comes amid a spike in energy prices across Europe that are hitting the Iberian peninsula hard and driving up electricity bills for homes and businesses.

Ribera, a respected environmental policy maker, has been tasked by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to find a solution.

She called Spains relations with Algeria regarding the supply of natural gas capital for the wellbeing of Spanish society.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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With all of the attention given to getting Montanans vaccinated, theres one part of our getting-back-to-normal strategy that is frequently overlooked: COVID-19 testing.

Testing is a critical part of our ability to separate the standard cold from early symptoms of a highly contagious and potentially serious disease  especially for the unvaccinated. That knowledge allows us to remain at work, travel freely and safely gather with friends and family.

Over the past year, Montana has made tremendous strides increasing access to timely COVID-19 testing. At the same time, access to and coverage for testing has changed considerably. Its critical that Montanans understand their options and know how to find the most appropriate and affordable testing in their community.

You should get tested for COVID-19 if you or a loved one are exhibiting any combination of the following symptoms: fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; and/or diarrhea. Its frustrating but true: COVID-19 symptoms are similar to the typical crud we see this time of year.

Here are some tips to find the best place for a COVID-19 test:

1. Use the CDC and your county public health websites to find the testing sites in your community. The most common testing sites are national pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS, community health centers, and your primary care provider.

2. If you have health insurance, be sure to contact your health plan to understand what they cover for COVID-19 related tests and services. Earlier in the pandemic, most health plans waived copays and deductibles for COVID-19 tests and care. Many of those copays and deductibles are now in effect again. If you had a test last year that you didnt pay for, you may be surprised to find you have to pay for it this year.

3. If you dont have insurance, its important to shop around. The federal government has shifted the vast majority of testing resources to national pharmacy chains like Walgreens and CVS. The federal government is fully funding the PCR test (the gold standard COVID-19 test for its accuracy and reliability) at pharmacy chains, community health centers, and Indian health centers across Montana. This was a deliberate move to make testing more widely available to consumers while providing relief to hospitals so they can focus on the treatment of severe COVID-19 cases.

4. Testing for patients who do not have symptoms (including tests for travel purposes) may be limited. For travel testing, its important you do your research to determine which tests are accepted at your destination. Confirm your testing site can provide the appropriate test and results in the required timeframe.

On behalf of the hospitals, community health centers, Urban Indian Centers and other health care providers we represent, we continue to encourage every eligible Montanan to get vaccinated. The vaccine is safe and provides effective protection against COVID-19. If you havent been vaccinated, please speak to your primary care provider today. Widespread adoption of the vaccine is the fastest path to reducing the crisis inside our hospitals, slowing the spread of the disease, and getting us back to normal.

Rich Rasmussen is president and CEO of the Montana Hospital Association. Cindy Stergar is CEO of the Montana Primary Care Association.

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Court records provided some details about the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of "Rust" near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Authorities have said that the assistant director, Dave Halls, handed the weapon to Baldwin and announced "cold gun," indicating that the weapon was safe to use.

In an affidavit released Sunday night, the film's director, Joel Souza, said Baldwin was rehearsing a scene in which he drew a revolver from his holster and pointed it toward the camera, which Hutchins and Souza were behind. Souza, who was wounded by the shot, said the scene did not call for the use of live rounds.

It's not clear yet where the gun-handling protocol failed. Souza said the movie's guns were usually checked by armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and then again by Halls.

At least two people have aired doubts about Halls' safety record.

In an email statement to The Associated Press, a producer for the movie "Freedom's Path" confirmed Monday that Halls was fired from the 2019 production after a crew member suffered a minor injury "when a gun was unexpectedly discharged." The producer, who asked not to be identified by name, wrote that Halls "was removed from the set immediately." Production did not resume until Halls was gone.
Shoplifter caught

Luther Norman Whaley, 61, of Butte pushed a cart of 84 items out via the automotive department at Walmart without paying for them. He didnt get too far and police were called. The items totaled $604.

When police arrived, Whaley gave a fictitious name. Once he was brought to jail, his wallet contained his true identification.

He was jailed for the misdemeanor offenses of theft and obstructing a police officer.

Refused to leave

Just before 11 a.m. Sunday, a call came in about a disturbance in the 1900 block of Walnut Street.

When officers arrived, they were told that Cheryl Marie Blackburn, 30, of Butte was asked repeatedly to leave the residence and she refused to do so. She reportedly did not live there and got into a verbal confrontation with officers when they, too, asked her to leave.

Again, she refused and was jailed for misdemeanor failure to disperse.

Mechanical issues

On Saturday afternoon, an officer noticed a vehicle was having mechanical issues while driving near Harrison Avenue and Elizabeth Warren.

Myron Eugene Walker, 45, of Butte was behind the wheel and was driving with a suspended drivers license. During the traffic stop, the officer learned he also had a $25,000 warrant for his arrest out of Flathead County and a $2,500 warrant for his arrest out of Anaconda-Deer Lodge County. The vehicle also had license plates that were stolen.

Walker was jailed on a $27,870 bond.

Felony warrants

On Thursday afternoon, Jacob Edward Loesch, 23, of Butte was driving near Colorado and Aluminum when he ran a stop sign.

When the officer stopped the vehicle, it was learned that Loesch had two felony warrants for his arrest for revocation of sentence. He was jailed on a $100,000 bond.

Misdemeanor DUI

Just after 2 a.m. near Cinz Bar, 301 E. Mercury St., police stopped Bryan Antonio Chamba-Vasquez, 24, of Butte for driving without headlights.

The officer smelled alcohol and did an on-site sobriety test on Chamba-Vasquez, which he failed. At the Butte Detention Center, he refused a Breathalyzer and was jailed for misdemeanor driving under the influence (refusal) and failure to have lamps lit.

Aggressive behavior

During the DUI investigation, Dylan Iokia Reason, 27, of Butte came up to yell at Chamba-Vasquez and after being told by police to stop, he ignored them and continued to shout.

Reason then told an officer he was on a public street and he could do anything he wanted. Other people in the area tried to get Reason to leave but he reportedly continued his aggressive behavior.

That behavior got him jailed for the misdemeanor offenses of criminal contempt and disorderly conduct.

Felony stalking

Police were dispatched to the Richest Hill Casino, 22 W. Galena St., on Thursday night regarding Angelo Jesse Moreno Jr., 37, of Butte, who was wanted for felony stalking.

Moreno was arrested without incident and is in jail on a $10,000 bond.

Gun stolen

On Friday afternoon, it was reported that a handgun and range finder were taken from a vehicle parked in the 1800 block of Thomas.

Tires taken

Also on Friday afternoon, it was discovered that a vehicle parked in the 3500 block of Harrison Avenue was put up on cinder blocks and all four wheels were taken.

Car scratched

A woman reported on Friday afternoon that while she was shopping at Safeway on Front Street, someone scratched the side of her vehicle.

Vehicle vandalized

A vehicle was vandalized late Saturday night in the 2100 block of Farragut.

Home break-in

Just before midnight Saturday, a home in the 700 block of West Park Street was burglarized by breaking a window. Items taken include a computer, jewelry and other items.

Gunshot heard

A resident living in the Hamblin Heights area reportedly heard a gunshot at around 10 p.m. Sunday. Police investigated but found nothing.

Man with a gun

It was reported late Sunday that there was a man with a gun at Sagebrush Sams, 122040 Nissler Road. The case is still under investigation.

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Scholarship awarded to Montana Tech student

Montana Technological University student Baylie Phillips has been awarded the William Park Woodside Founder's Scholarship from the ASM Materials Education Foundation. The scholarship was established in 1996 by a gift from Mrs. Sue Woodside Shulec in honor of her grandfather, William Park Woodside.

From Butte, Phillips is a junior majoring in metallurgical and materials engineering with chemistry and mathematics minors. In the summer of 2021, she participated in a highly selective summer research internship program through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Materials Research Laboratory and Materials Research Science & Engineering Center. Phillips, the only student selected from Montana, studied additive manufacturing of net-shaped single crystal turbine blades.

Phillips is currently completing an undergraduate research project studying metal matrix composites. This fall, she will work on Montana's NSF EPSCoR CREWS project to investigate selenium absorption and removal in continuous flow metal recovery systems to improve Montana's water quality. After graduating, she plans to obtain a master's degree and a doctoral degree in materials science and engineering.

Treat Street a go

Treat Street, sponsored by KGLM, KBOW and KOPR radio stations, will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, at The World Museum of Mining, 155 Museum Way.

Peer reviewed chapter accepted for book

Dr. John W. Ray of Montana Techs Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Department has had a peer reviewed chapter accepted for the forthcoming book entitled: Rhetorics of Evidence to be published by Parlor Press under the auspices of the University of Tubingen and the University of Heidelberg, which are both in Germany. The chapter is entitled: An Analysis and Criticism of Chaim Perlmans Approach to Evidence and Argument as Developed in The New Rhetoric.

Ray has also had a peer reviewed paper accepted for presentation at the Seventeenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences to be held at the University of Athens-Greece. The title of Rays paper is Critical Race Theory: The Fiction and Reality.

Ray teaches classes at Montana Tech in political science, ethics and political philosophy.

John Fox Sound plays at Elks

ANACONDA  The John Fox Sound will play for a public dance from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, at the Anaconda Elks Lodge, 223 Main St. Dance music from big band, polka, swing, Latin and waltzes are featured for peoples dancing and listening pleasure. Admission costs $ 10 per person.

Toys for Tots fundraiser set at Elks

There will be a Toys for Tots fundraiser from 5 to 11 p.m., Friday, Nov. 12, at the Butte Elks Lodge, 206 W. Galena St. Dinner will be provided and Ken Rich will be performing live. This is a great opportunity to drop off a new unwrapped toy.

For more details, call 406-782-3278.

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This may be Montanas political Groundhog Day, an endless loop in which no matter how many congressional district maps are drawn, they reset to 1980.

On Saturday, Montana will be very close to putting two congressional districts on a map for the first time in 40 years. There have been 231 map submissions by the public in the past two months, with roughly a dozen more drawn up by members of the bipartisan Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission.

The final two maps, available for public comment through Oct. 30, look a lot like Montanas congressional districts of the 1980s, so much so that one commissioner quipped last week that former U.S. Rep. Pat Williams, the Democrat who represented the west for 14 years, would be pleased.

Williams had told Lee Montana Newspapers in April that a north-south dividing line like the one that created his old district would give western Montana the opportunity to continue to be politically moderate to moderately liberal in its politics. And give eastern Montana the same opportunity to follow its natural course, which is to be moderately conservative in its politics.

But the region has changed and both maps have a partisan lean that would make it challenging for Williams or any Democratic House candidate to get elected. When the commission last met Oct. 21, Republicans were frustrated that making the districts competitive was even being discussed.

Democrats seemed content to have one congressional district with a partisan lean favoring Republicans by 4.75%, this after spending 26 years in the political dunk tank that Montanas at-large congressional district became for Democratic candidates. Montana was demoted to at-large status after a poor showing in the 1990 Census. Williams won the at-large seat twice but chose not to run for reelection in 1996.

The commissions goal Oct. 21 was to settle on one map to offer for public comment Oct. 30, after which there could be minor adjustments, but the congressional districts would be almost baked in.

But disagreement between the two Republicans and two Democrats on the commission derailed those plans. Both groups produced maps on the fly Oct. 21 that the other wouldnt support. Then, Commission Chairwoman Maylinn Smith, the likely tiebreaker in deciding what Montanas congressional map will be, announced that if the other commissioners couldnt agree on a single map, she would rely heavily on public opinion and make the final decision.

I would strongly encourage people to do written comments on the maps so we have as many of the comments on those beforehand, Smith said. That will certainly help me in making a decision as to which of these two maps, if it comes down to me, which of these two maps would go forward.

The biggest difference between the maps drawn by the Republicans and Democrats is the way two of the states most quickly growing communities are handled. Republicans exclude portions of Gallatin County from the Western District, while also excluding Lewis and Clark County. They also include the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in the West. Most importantly, the Republican version, identified as Congressional Proposal 10, includes all of Flathead County.

Flathead County is a Republican stronghold, producing the second most Republican votes of any county other than Yellowstone, Montanas most populated county.

The Democrats' map keeps Gallatin County completely intact. Gallatin is the states fastest growing county and has become a must win for Democratic candidates seeking state or federal office. Identified as Congressional Proposal 11, the map also puts Park County in the West as well as Lewis and Clark County. Sure to raise Republican concerns, Congressional Proposal 11 divides Flathead County, putting Whitefish in the West, while Kalispell and the bulk of Flathead go the east. The proposal also puts the Blackfeet Reservation in the Eastern District.

The old Western District represented by Williams included all the communities partisans on the commission are now trying to remove. The footprint of the old Western District also illustrates how Montanas population growth has taken place in the Western part of the state.

Williams Western District would have 104,650 more people in it today than the Eastern District. Its an area where Republicans carried every statewide race in 2020, including high profile races for U.S. Senate and House. Conversely, the district supported incumbent Democrats for governor in 2016 and for U.S. Senate in 2018.

Commissioner Jeff Essmann, a former chairman of the Montana GOP and veteran state legislator, told commissioners Oct. 21 that Montana was trending Republican. He said he hadnt spent much time looking at the past election results, or observations made by pundits eyeing Montanas maps.

It's just a bunch of talking points that people can use to support their particular argument. So, we'll reach a point where we'll need to make a decision, but I think this whole point, this whole digression this afternoon, shows the fallacy of trying to draw competitive districts when you've got a state that as a whole is trending in one direction, Essmann said. I don't have data, but I expect that's going to continue to happen.

Written public comments may be submitted through the webform at the commission's website, by email at districting@mt.gov, or by mailing the comments to Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission, PO Box 201706, Helena, MT 59620. Comments received by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 27 will be provided to the commissioners prior to the meeting. Comments received after that time but before Oct. 30 will be given to the commissioners prior to or at the meeting. Comments received on Oct. 30 or during the meeting will be provided to the commissioners prior to their next meeting.

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A man pleaded guilty Tuesday in Blackfeet Tribal Court to negligent endangerment and was sentenced in relation to Arden Pepions disappearance.

Pepion, who would now be 4, disappeared April 22 in the area surrounding Joe Show East off U.S. Highway 89 South.

HaHaax Vielle was given a nine-month suspended sentence  he will serve the nine months on house arrest, Blackfeet Tribal Prosecutor Josh Lamson said. Vielle accepted responsibility for the loss of Arden and admitted that he did not exercise the appropriate care for someone of Ardens age.

"It's a tragic event all the way around," Lamson said.

He will also have to pay a $1,000 fine, with half of that amount suspended. Vielle is permitted to travel to work, Lamson said, and will be supervised by probation. He was represented by the Blackfeet Tribal Defenders Office.

Vielle had previously entered a not guilty plea on June 16. He was initially also charged with one count of child neglect, which was dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

In a May 28 interview with the Missoulian, Vielle confirmed he was with Arden the night she went missing. The two of them had spent time together beforehand, he said, and had gone to the Two Medicine area near Joe Show East to hang out and so he could practice shooting.

He noticed Arden was missing while he was reloading his gun, he said. After looking around, he saw footprints of hers leading toward the river starting about 40 to 50 yards from where the water was.

Vielle and his girlfriend, Kimberly Higgins, searched for several hours, and then his girlfriend called law enforcement to report her disappearance, he said.

Initially, Higgins was charged with one count of accountability for failing to notify authorities in a reasonable amount of time after becoming aware that a young child was missing in dangerous conditions. Her charges have been dropped as part of the plea agreement, Lamson said.

Family members of Ardens read victim impact statements at Tuesdays hearing.

Diana Burd has been helping Ardens parents and family with search efforts and was with the family after Tuesdays hearing adjourned.

Its a hard pill to swallow, Burd said, adding she thought the sentence would be harsher. This was her life, Ardens life. Its not OK to just lose a kid.

Arbana Pepion, Ardens mom, said this does not feel like a step toward justice.

Search efforts in the Two Medicine River area to recover Arden are continuing as long as the weather permits, Burd said.

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One year ago, Montanans were hearing from Republicans on the campaign trail that if elected, they would prioritize jobs and economic growth. A year on, the only economic leadership our state is seeing is coming from Senator Jon Tester and Democrats in our Legislature.

Tester has been hard at work in Washington, with quite a bit to show for it. In the last few months, Tester has delivered multiple pieces of landmark legislation that will provide the foundation not just for Montanas immediate economic recovery, but for our next several decades of economic growth and prosperity.

The first of these measures is the American Rescue Plan Act, a monumental bill that is helping Montana recover from this pandemic and rebuild stronger than ever. ARPA sent nearly $3 billion in urgently-needed pandemic relief to Montana small business, families, and communities  thats hundreds of millions to help schools reopen safely and get students back in the classroom, improve our crumbling infrastructure, fund local governments and keep first responders on the job, bolster our overburdened health care system, connect rural communities to high-speed internet, and so much more. Democrats in our Legislature fought to ensure that those funds will go where theyre needed most, and are continuing to hold the Gianforte administration accountable to get it done.

Working tirelessly across party lines, Senator Tester also delivered a once-in-a-generation infrastructure package through the Senate on an overwhelming and bipartisan vote. Testers bipartisan infrastructure bill will provide long-overdue investments in Montanas roads, bridges, water systems, high-speed internet and more, creating good-paying jobs, helping Montana businesses grow, and allowing Montana families to stay connected.

These bills will lower costs for families and provide generations of Montanans with the means to provide for themselves and their families. Folks looking around their communities and wondering if theres a future for them in our state can rest assured that they have a champion in Washington fighting for them, day in and day out.

And while Senator Tester has been working day and night delivering for Montana families, where have Republican leaders been? Senator Daines and Representative Rosendale voted against the American Rescue Plan Act. Daines was just one of just 33 senators to vote against the bipartisan infrastructure bill..

Governor Gianforte is sitting on hundreds of millions in ARPA funds while jet-setting across the country, ignoring a worsening COVID crisis, and holding our economic recovery hostage, all while pushing out press releases claiming credit for Senator Testers achievements.

And Attorney General Austin Knudsen is perpetrating abuse of power after abuse of power, and is now facing an investigation from his own partys leadership for sending a Montana Highway Patrol trooper to St. Peters Hospital in Helena to intimidate already beleaguered health care providers.

Montanans expect their elected leaders to do more than just play politics  they expect them to work hard and deliver on their promises to grow our economy. While Montana Republicans focus on their extreme partisan agenda, Senator Tester and Montana Democrats in the legislature will continue to fight to lower costs and deliver good-paying jobs and opportunity for all Montanans.

Robyn Driscoll is chair of the Montana Democratic Party.

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I remember as a little boy having an army of little plastic soldiers.

They were mine to command. It was a mini-power trip to order around my private little army to do my bidding in my make-believe world.

Apparently, our Culbertson-farm-boy-turned-attorney-general thinks he has his own army in the form of the Montana Highway Patrol.

When a Republican friend of Attorney General Austin Knudsen asked for a personal favor involving the health care of her COVID-stricken mother, Knudsen dispatched a Highway Patrol trooper to threaten and scare the hell out of the medical professionals caring for the elderly woman at St. Peters Health in Helena.

What an extraordinarily inappropriate and blatantly politically partisan move.

Subsequently, the Helena Police Department, Lewis and Clark Attorneys Office and the Lewis and Clark sheriff suggested Knudsen had overstepped his jurisdiction.

Knudsens office first claimed it had the authority to order the Highway Patrol to nose around the health care of a GOP loyalist because of a general statute listing actions that Montana considers crimes. A few days later, Knudsens spokesman chose another law as justification: one creating the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit within the Justice Department.

That unit has the authority to investigate alleged fraud or abuse involving Medicaid applicants, recipients and providers. But thats not the problem with what Knudsen did. He had no business sending a trooper to investigate a health care matter.

First, the law says the jurisdiction of Highway Patrol officers is offenses on highways, rest areas and state highway properties adjacent to the highway involving motor vehicles (emphasis added). The patrol is an extraordinary organization of officers well-trained to carry out its self-described mission of protecting the lives of those who travel on Montanas highways.

The patrol is not intended to be a state police force involved in myriad disputes and certainly not trained to roam hospital halls assessing the quality of health care provided by medical professionals.

I recall my days as a reporter covering legislative sessions in the 1980s (when little Austin was barely out of diapers) and the debates over fears that the Highway Patrol would be transformed into such a force. The concern among lawmakers was that the organization would end up with unbridled power. With Knudsen in office, that appears to be exactly what is happening. (By the way, this is the same man inanely endorsed by the Independent Record last fall as the best choice to do the most good as Montanas next attorney general.)

Second, the fraud unit is required by law to communicate and cooperate with and  provide information to other federal, state, and local agencies when there is an investigation. That clearly wasnt done in this case, according to the Helena and Lewis and Clark County officials who questioned Knudsens move. In addition, nothing in the statutes establishes the Highway Patrol as an unrestricted investigative arm of the fraud unit.

Heres the issue folks: The Culbertson farm boy doesnt understand that as attorney general he does not have his own personal army of troopers that he can utilize for political purposes.

I have known dozens of Highway Patrol officers over the years and found them to be among the most brave, dedicated and professional in all of law enforcement. I sympathize with patrol members for any stain left on that reputation by Knudsens misguided actions.

Montanans should be appalled by his indiscriminate use of the patrol to act beyond its jurisdiction. Montanans should be damn scared that he will continue to abuse the power of his office by using the patrol to inappropriately deal with a property dispute, a home burglary or a house fire  so long as the matter involves a complaint from a fellow Republican.

Knudsen should either resign or be removed from office before he orders his troops to strike again.

Bob Anez was a journalist for 30 years, including more than two decades covering state government and politics for The Associated Press in Helena.

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BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Authorities have said a bullet struck the brim of a baseball-style cap worn by a Boise, Idaho, police officer who exchanged gunfire with the gunman in Mondays shooting at the citys largest shopping mall that killed two people.
Polk County District Court Judge Paul Scott, however, found the video evidence submitted by Deere in support of its request failed to show any illegal conduct on the part of the UAW or its members.

"The video evidence ... shows vehicles have been slowed down by picketers in crosswalks; it fails to prove illegal conduct has occurred," Scott wrote in his order denying Deere's request.

The company had asked the court to limit the number of picketers at entrances to Deere's Des Moines Works factory to four (as it was able to do in Scott County), and prohibit picketers at its warehouse in Ankeny. Deere claims that no union or bargaining unit work is performed at the Ankeny warehouse.

The UAW, as well, has placed limitations on the number of people protesting at the picket sites (10 people at the main gate and five at other sites); posted rules for and held presentations on picketing for members before going to picket sites; and ensured that each site has a captain who is responsible for ensuring the picketing is done peacefully an accordance with federal, state and local laws, according to testimony from the chairman of UAW Local No. 450.
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MUSCATINE  The Muscatine County Arts Council is planning an exhibit at the Muscatine Art Center featuring pieces done by Muscatine artists called the Art Array-22.

It will open in March.

The Muscatine County Arts Council was looking for another visual art project, and so one of the board members came up with this idea to have a local juried exhibition, Council Vice President Angela Woodhouse said.

It is open to artists within a 50-mile radius of Muscatine, and will be limited to two-dimensional artwork pieces. A panel of judges, including Curator Jennifer Saintford from the Augustana Museum and Visual Arts Director Dawn Wohlford-Metallo from Quad City Arts, will select the pieces from the submissions.

While this is the third year the Arts Council has sponsored an exhibition, Woodhouse said this will be the first time the Council has offered cash prizes, with 1st place receiving $500, 2nd place receiving $300 and 3rd place receiving $200.

Looking back on the brief history of the exhibition, Woodhouse noted that the number of submissions grew from only 14 to over 35 entries within the span of a year.
The armorer on the Baldwin film, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, said she checked dummy bullets on the day of the shooting to ensure that none were hot rounds. She also told a detective that while the guns used for filming were locked up during a crew lunch break, ammunition was left on a cart unsecured, according to a search warrant released Wednesday ahead of the news conference.

Gutierrez Reed told a detective that no live ammo was ever kept on the set.

When reached Wednesday by The Associated Press, she declined to comment. She said Monday by text message that she was looking for a lawyer.

Assistant director David Halls, who handed the gun to Baldwin before the shooting, said Gutierrez Reed typically opened the hatch of the gun and spun the drum, though he couldnt recall if she did that before the shooting. He said he only remembered seeing three rounds in the gun, according to the warrant.

After the shooting, Halls took the gun to Gutierrez and said he saw five rounds in the gun, at least four of them were dummy rounds indicated by a hole on the side and a cap on the round. Halls said there was also a casing in the gun that did not have the cap and did not have the hole indicating it was a dummy, the warrant said.
Individuals have donated enough miles and credit card points to cover 20,000 flights, according to Miles4Migrants and Welcome.US, a new not-for-profit coalition that is trying to generate private-sector support for arriving Afghans.

It is incredibly inspiring to see the American people and American companies coming together to welcome our new Afghan neighbors in this way, said Nazanin Ash, the CEO of Welcome.US and a former State Department official during the Bush and Obama administrations.

The organizers are looking to raise enough additional donations to pay for another 30,000 flights. Using donated miles and cash to pay for travel will free up government refugee aid for housing and other services, organizers say.

Historically, the evacuees typically pay for their own travel. That is quite a burden to be putting on people who come (to the U.S.) with very little, said former Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, who is President Joe Bidens point person on aiding the Afghan refugees and is also Bidens nominee for ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Migrants rest on a railway bridge in an area in Huixtla before they continue with a caravan, heading to Mexico City to apply for asylum and refugee status, in Huixtla, Mexico on Oct. 26, 2021.
Kilili: More families eligible for food stamps, up to 23% benefit increase agreed; thanks Biden administration move toward parity
Eskom announced on Tuesday that it had shared its Transmission Development Plan (TDP) for the period 2022 to 2031 with stakeholders during a virtual public forum.

This forms part of the power utilitys transmission licence requirements issued by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa.

It calls on Eskom to publish a TDP annually.

Eskom said that 30GW of new generation capacity is expected to come online during this planning period  mainly from renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaics and wind.

This represents more than two-thirds of Eskoms coal-based generating capacity of 44,055 megawatts (44.1GW). Eskoms total installed capacity is 51,920.2MW.

The power utility noted that this 30GW of new solar and wind generation capacity would be built in areas with limited electric network infrastructure.

Former South Africa Wind Energy Association CEO Ntombifuthi Ntuli previously told MyBroadband that wind power would make up a total of 14.4GW of power supply by 2030.

Wind energy will play a significant role in the energy transition as it will contribute 18% to the total power system by 2030, she stated.

Eskom said that it would need to build an additional 8,300km of extra-high-voltage lines and 119 transformers to bring on board 58,970 MVA of transformer capacity over the next ten years.

The total Eskom Transmission capital plan amounts to R178 billion over the next ten years, said Eskom group executive for transmission, Segomoco Scheppers.

Of this amount, R144 billion is required for new capacity expansion projects to meet the reliability requirements, connection of new generation capacity and loads, as well acquire servitudes.

Scheppers said a further R34 billion is required for refurbishments to the existing asset base and procurement of production equipment, as well as strategic spares.

As a state-owned entity, Eskom understands the critical role it plays in enabling South Africas economic recovery efforts, stated Scheppers.

Without reliable electricity, there can be no sustainable economic recovery or growth.

Scheppers also said that work is underway to connect utility-scale renewable generation projects for Bid Window 5 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).

These projects are expected to be connected to the national electricity grid by 2024/25.

We are also making our systems ready to connect the additional 2,000 MW capacity procured through the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP), said Scheppers.

This capacity is meant to relieve pressure on Eskoms grid and reduce the need for load-shedding.

However, the RMIPPP involves controversial Turkish powership supplier Karpowership.

Scheppers said that this capacity is expected to be available during the course of next year.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the launch of the local production of the Corolla Cross as an important step to South Africas path to transform the car-making business into a green industry success story.

It will take hard work but we must do it, the First Citizen told the delegates on Tuesday.

The President was speaking at the unveiling of the brand new Toyota South Africa production plant in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

The President has since labelled the first-ever Toyota hybrid car made on home soil as a fine achievement and historic moment.

The Corolla Cross is the first generation of commercial-scale hybrid electric vehicles to come off a South African assembly line.

According to the President, this was more than simply a new model coming off a production line.

However, he said it was about the country embracing the opportunities of a greener economy, country and continent while ensuring that South Africa benefits.

South Africa is currently one of only seven global locations for the production of this hybrid car, which he believes is a testament to the skilled, productive workforce and competitive plant.

During the plant tour, I met workers who are passionate and committed and I saw the value of the skills programme the management has put in place.

The President announced that the Corolla Cross will be exported to 40 countries across Africa, which will boost the African Continental Free Trade Area.

I am advised that the company will seek to ramp up its projected 4 000 hybrid vehicles planned for next year if the availability of batteries improves.

Meanwhile, the President views the R2.6 billion investment by Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer as a vote of confidence.

In addition, he said Japan is a long-term and significant investor in the country, with about 130 companies operating locally, including Nissan, Isuzu and Sumitomo Rubber Industries.

He also thanked the company for the relentless support following the unrest in the province in July.

Companies who stand with the nation during difficult times are companies that we will support in the years to come.

He also acknowledged the unsung heroes of daily production, the workers, for making excellent, safe vehicles that the rest of the world can drive with confidence.

Jobs

Toyota has created 575 new jobs in the plant and a further 1 200 new jobs have been created in the supplier companies.

He said the auto industry is one of the drivers of our localisation programme and a significant contributor to gross domestic product, accounting for more than 100 000 jobs.

It is a big magnet for foreign direct investment.

He also revealed that the seven local light vehicle producers invested a record R9.2 billion in 2020, while the component sector invested R2.4 billion during the same period.

Masterplan

The President believes that these investments are made possible by an enabling policy regime in the form of the new version of the masterplan, the Automotive Production Development Programme, which came into effect in July 2021.

Through the masterplan, government aims to grow the industry over a 15-year period to reach 1% of global production.

In addition, the State is looking at increasing the local content of South African assembled vehicles to 60% from 40% and double employment to at least 224 000 jobs.

The plan seeks to transform the industry across the value chain to bring in Black South Africans and young people and to deepen value addition, said the President.

He added that Toyota was also looking at increasing the number of new local suppliers from the global supply chain, which is key in the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan.

I am advised that there are 56 local suppliers for this new model, of which 16 are Black-owned companies.

President Ramaphosa believes that these efforts will contribute to the common goal agreed to at the National Economic Development and Labour Council to reduce the countrys overall import bill by R200 billion over the next five years.

Climate action

The President said South Africa has identified three key priorities for climate action. These include Eskom reducing its carbon emissions, electric vehicles to be locally produced, and the green hydrogen economy to be fast-tracked.

Toyota South Africa CEO Andrew Kirby said the company has invested over R6.1 billion in the plant over the past five years.

So, were therefore committed to further developing and strengthening our business in South Africa.

According to Kirby, Toyota South Africa also plans to change the New-Energy Vehicle (NEV) landscape in South Africa, from selling a few hundred to well over 10 000 units per year.
What can I say about Phoebe Ellsworth? Ill miss her low-key charisma, her artistic talent, her dignity, and her sense of humor. Her son is our mayor, but in a spiritual sense, Phoebe was St. Helenas mom. My condolences to her family and those who loved her  which, in her case, includes virtually everyone who ever met her.

***

We must carry on, Dear Readers. Lets hear it for St. Helena Drama! Led by co-directors Mazzy Jones and Zoey Pratt, their staging of Almost, Maine exemplified the adage The show must go on, as they handled technical and meteorological challenges with grace and aplomb. They performed three shows in a tent outside the St. Helena Performing Arts Center before staging Sundays fourth and final performance indoors, masked. I was lucky enough to attend Saturdays rainy show, and the experience was the emotional equivalent of sipping a warm mug of hot chocolate on a chilly day. We brought the rain from Maine and the kids handled the noreaster like the hearty folks from the North would have done, said drama director Patti Coyle.

***

The Saint Helena Community Band, directed by conductor Andy Collinsworth, returns to live performance with a free concert honoring Dia de los Muertos at noon Sunday, Oct. 31, at the Napa Valley College Upper Valley Campus. Bring the family and set up a blanket or a low-backed chair on the lawn to enjoy the show. Masks are required at the Dia de los Muertos event, which runs from noon to 3 p.m.

***

The Napa Valley Museums Dangerous Games exhibit has expanded with a new space section featuring the 1960 board game Men Into Space, satellite jump shoes (sounds like a hoot), and a 1970s-era sparking ray gun. To infinity and beyond 

***

Is the supply chain crunch making it harder for you to find your favorite products on store shelves? Jay Smith of Sunshine Foods posted the following on Facebook, on behalf of the Sunshine team: We would like to thank everyone for your patience in these difficult times. The pandemic, supply chain difficulties, labor shortages and general unrest are taking a toll on our ability to live up to expectations. Thank you for working with us while we navigate these trying times. With your help we will all come out of this better and stronger than before. THANK YOU ALL! And thank you, Sunshine.

***

It almost goes without saying after the storm, but dont forget to turn off your irrigation. Water rationing remains in effect, theres no more irrigation allowance for the month of November, and your plants (at least the ones that have survived) are perfectly happy at the moment.

***

Worried about flooding? During storms the city maintains sandbag stations at the end of Adams Street and at the parking lot between Crane Park and the primary school.
Wednesday, Oct. 20

0804  Report of a fire near a pool on Sulphur Springs Avenue.

0810  Report of a fire on top of a power pole on Sulphur Springs Avenue.

0840  Police were notified of an Instagram account connected with drug sales.

1510  Report of a pickup parked on the wrong side of Kearney Street, more than 18 inches from the curb.

1533  A branch and rocks were reportedly blocking Spring Mountain Road a half-mile north of Spring Mountain Court, and also near the county line.

1738  A man said someone had fraudulently used his credit card information in Indianapolis.

2300  Police arrested a 54-year-old Napa man for public intoxication on Main Street.

Thursday, Oct. 21

0517  Police cited an unlicensed driver near Main/Spring.

0732  Someone smelled smoke inside a Hunt Avenue business.

1031  Report of a vehicle fire on Hillview Place.

1421  Two dogs were running loose near Fulton/Railroad.

1527  A juvenile was doorbell ditching on Oak Avenue.

Friday, Oct. 22

0750  A driver reported there were rocks and boulders on Deer Park Road between Sanitarium and Sunnyside roads.

0918  Non-injury accident on Dowdell Lane.

0946  Report of an ongoing problem with a man dumping trash in a commercial dumpster near Main Street. Police were asked to tell the man to stop.

1027  A box truck hit a traffic light at the northeast corner of Main/Fulton.

1541  Report of a possible drunk driver turning from Silverado Trail onto Pope Street.

2342  A 15-year-old boy was late getting home. Police looked for the boy but couldnt find him. His mother didnt want to report him missing yet.

Saturday, Oct. 23

0141  Report of someone screaming and crying on Spring Street. Police arrested the 40-year-old Santa Rosa man on suspicion of public intoxication and resisting arrest.

1316  Someone parked on private property on Money Way. The property owner asked the police to help before the vehicle is towed.

1430  Report of an unstable person making threats.

1525  A fire alarm went off on Knoll Place.

1839  A tree was blocking Silverado Trail near Deer Park Road.

1840  Police took a report on a vehicle collision on Main Street.

2348  Medical aid for a person with high blood pressure on San Juan Court.

Sunday, Oct. 24

0114  Medical aid on Edwards Street.

0521  Report of minor flooding at Main/Madrona and Main/Pine.

1827  The downstairs of a Church Street home was flooding. A resident asked for the fire department to help get the water out.

1901  An officer made checked for hazards on Silverado Trail from Zinfandel Lane to Deer Park Road, and Deer Park Road to Highway 29.

2352  Report of an impaired or sleepy driver on Highway 29 near Inglewood Avenue. Police arrested the 27-year-old Daly City woman on suspicion of DUI and drug possession.

Monday, Oct. 25

0304  An officer found minor rockslides on Spring Street, but nothing that needed immediate attention.

0700  Police checked Pope Street during a power outage.

0743  Medical aid on Pope Street.

0839  Report of a hit-and-run at Deer Park Road and Highway 29.

0910  A caller from Spring Mountain Road said their water was brown. Public Works spent Monday afternoon and Tuesday repairing an 8-inch water main that had been broken by an uprooted tree and flushing the system.

1440  A van got stuck in the mud on Mills Lane.

1718  Police patrolled the Pratt/Park area, which was extremely congested due to cars cutting over from the road closure on Silverado Trail.

Tuesday, Oct. 26

0806  Non-injury hit-and-run on Fulton Lane.

1358  Medical aid on Pope Street.

1652  Report of two large huskies running loose on Adams Street.

2025  Following a traffic stop at Pope/College, police arrested a 54-year-old Fairfield man on suspicion of DUI.
This weekends storm drenched the Upvalley and damaged a segment of Silverado Trail, but it wont help with St. Helenas Phase II water emergency.

A gauge near the Pope Street Bridge registered 10.6 inches of rain since last Tuesday, including 7.9 inches on Sunday. Another gauge at the top of Spring Mountain Road registered 16.5 inches from Friday to Monday morning.

Sulphur Creek, which was dry until early Sunday morning, crested at 9.7 feet near the Pope Street Bridge on Sunday afternoon, its highest level since August 2015.

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As far as Bell Canyon Reservoir is concerned, the rain came at an inopportune time. The reservoirs permit prohibits the city from storing water that enters the reservoir between April 15 and Nov. 15. Any water collected during that period must be bypassed into Bell Creek.

The city is implementing the operational requirements of Bell Canyon, which includes bypass requirements through Nov. 15, City Manager Mark Prestwich said.

Heavy rain washed out a section of Silverado Trail between Meadowood Lane and Madrone Knoll Way. The Trail remains closed in both directions.

Work is expected to commence by Friday, and to complete by 11/12, county Public Works Director Steven Lederer said Tuesday. But we are looking at ways (such as double shifts) to try and accelerate that to 11/5, if possible.

In the meantime, the closure is snarling traffic at Deer Park Road and Highway 29 and on Pope Street. Police Chief Chris Hartley told drivers to avoid the Pope Street Bridge and Silverado Trail, and to stay on Highway 29 as much as possible between Calistoga and Yountville.

People need to be patient and cautious driving around town, Hartley said.

The St. Helena High School Homecoming Parade is scheduled for Nov. 5 on Main Street, but alternate routes are under discussion in light of the Trail's closure and the resulting traffic on Main Street, Prestwich told the City Council on Tuesday.

A Church Street house flooded after water rose in the backyard. The dispatchers area at the St. Helena Police Department had to be professionally cleaned after it flooded due to clogged drains.

A falling tree broke an 8-inch above-ground water main on Spring Mountain Road. Public Works crews were still repairing it on Tuesday.

Public Works staff worked overnight to address water intrusion resulting from a pump failure at the citys corporation yard on Charter Oak Avenue. The incident left Charter Oak impassable for most vehicles.

St. Helenas flood project performed as designed, preventing flooding at Vineyard Valley Mobile Home Park, although the park was without power for over 24 hours.

The storm gave the Napa Valley almost everything we could handle and demonstrated the benefits of Measure A, the flood control sales tax that funded numerous projects from 1998 to 2018, Prestwich said.

Up and down the valley, the ability of our systems to largely manage through this, with the exception of localized flooding, was remarkable, Prestwich said. I think we would have had more challenging stories had it not been for the investments made by Measure A.

You can reach Jesse Duarte at 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com.

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SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Investigators said Wednesday that there was some complacency in how weapons were handled on the movie set where Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed a cinematographer and wounded another person, but it's too soon to determine whether charges will be filed.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza noted that 500 rounds of ammunition  a mix of blanks, dummy rounds and suspected live rounds  were found while searching the set of the Western Rust.

Obviously I think the industry has had a record recently of being safe. I think there was some complacency on this set, and I think there are some safety issues that need to be addressed by the industry and possibly by the state of New Mexico, Mendoza told a news conference nearly a week after the shooting.

Authorities also confirmed there was no footage of the shooting, which happened during a rehearsal.

Investigators believe Baldwins gun fired a single live round that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.

Detectives have recovered a lead projectile they believe the actor fired last week. Testing is being done to confirm whether the projectile taken from Souzas shoulder was fired from the same long Colt revolver used by Baldwin. The FBI will help with ballistics analysis.

Two other guns were seized, including a single-action revolver that may have been modified and a plastic gun that was described as a revolver, officials said.

Souza, who was standing behind Hutchins, told investigators there should never be live rounds present near the scene.

We suspect that there were other live rounds, but thats up to the testing. But right now, were going to determine how those got there, why they were there because they shouldnt have been, Mendoza said.

District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said investigators cannot say yet whether it was negligence or by whom. She called it a complex case that will require more research and analysis.

It will take many more facts, corroborated facts, before we can get to that criminal negligence standard, she said.

Investigators said they planned to follow up on reports of other incidents involving misfires with guns on the set.

Mike Tristano, a veteran armorer, or movie weapons specialist, was alarmed to hear that live rounds were mixed in with blanks and dummy rounds.

I find that appalling, Tristano said. "In over 600 films and TV shows that Ive done, weve never had a live round on set.

The shooting has baffled Hollywood professionals and prompted calls to better regulate firearms on sets or even ban them in the age of seamless computer-generated imagery. Court records say that an assistant director grabbed the gun from a cart and indicated the weapon was safe by yelling cold gun.

The armorer on the Baldwin film, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, said she checked dummy bullets on the day of the shooting to ensure that none were hot rounds. She also told a detective that while the guns used for filming were locked up during a crew lunch break, ammunition was left on a cart unsecured, according to a search warrant released Wednesday ahead of the news conference.

Gutierrez Reed told a detective that no live ammo was ever kept on the set.

When reached Wednesday by The Associated Press, she declined to comment. She said Monday by text message that she was looking for a lawyer.

Assistant director David Halls, who handed the gun to Baldwin before the shooting, said Gutierrez Reed typically opened the hatch of the gun and spun the drum, though he couldnt recall if she did that before the shooting. He said he only remembered seeing three rounds in the gun, according to the warrant.

After the shooting, Halls took the gun to Gutierrez and said he saw five rounds in the gun, at least four of them were dummy rounds indicated by a hole on the side and a cap on the round. Halls said there was also a casing in the gun that did not have the cap and did not have the hole indicating it was a dummy, the warrant said.

Halls "advised the incident was not a deliberate act, according to the warrant, which was issued Wednesday in order to search a truck that was used on the set.

Baldwin, 63, who is known for his roles in 30 Rock, The Departed and The Hunt for Red October, along with his impression of then-President Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, has described the killing as a tragic accident.

The gun Baldwin used was one of three that the armorer had placed on a cart outside the building where a scene was being rehearsed, according to court records.

The production of Rust was beset by workplace disputes from the start in early October. Hours before the shooting, several camera crew members walked off the set amid discord over working conditions, including safety procedures.

Baldwin in his role as actor appeared unlikely to be held criminally or civilly liable for the tragedy. As a producer, however, he is among a long list of associates on the film who could face some sort of liability.

Concerns have been raised about Halls' safety record by colleagues on two previous productions. Halls has not returned phone calls and email messages seeking comment.

Rust Movie Productions, the production company, says it is cooperating with authorities and conducting its own internal review of procedures with the production shut down.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  Former Weather Underground radical David Gilbert has been granted parole after 40 years behind bars for his role in a deadly 1981 Brinks robbery that was a violent echo of left-wing extremism born in the 1960s, the state corrections department said Tuesday.

Gilbert, 76, has been imprisoned since shortly after the infamously botched armored car robbery in which a guard and two police officers were killed. He became eligible for parole only after his 75 years-to-life sentence was shortened by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in August, hours before he left office.

Gilbert appeared before the state parole board Oct. 19 and was subsequently granted parole, Thomas Mailey, a spokesperson for the New York state corrections department, said Tuesday.

He will be able to leave Shawangunk Correctional Facility in the Hudson Valley next month.

Supporters  including his son, San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin  lobbied to have Gilbert join other defendants in the case who have been released from prison.

In an email, Boudin said, I am so grateful to the parole board and to everyone who has supported my father during his more than 40 years in prison. Im thinking about the other children affected by this crime and want to make sure that nothing I do or say further upsets the victims families. Their loved ones will never be forgotten."

But even the prospect of Gilbert's release had angered some local officials in the Hudson Valley and family members who said his release would insult the memory of the slain men.

In a statement, Rockland County Executive Ed Day called the decision a cruel and unjust slap in the face to the families of those killed.

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Parole Board should be ashamed for allowing this domestic terrorist to walk free on our streets, Day said. Theres no reason that David Gilbert should not have to face the full consequences of his heinous crimes, no matter how much time has passed.

Gilbert and other former members of the Weather Underground, a militant group that grew out of the anti-Vietnam War movement, had joined with members of the Black Liberation Army in the Oct. 20, 1981, robbery. They stole $1.6 million in cash from an armored car outside the Nanuet Mall near the Hudson River community of Nyack.

Brinks guard Peter Paige and two Nyack police officers, Sgt. Edward OGrady and Officer Waverly Brown, were killed in the holdup and ensuing shootout at a nearby roadblock.

Though unarmed, Gilbert was charged with robbery and murder, since people were killed during the crime. Also charged was Chesa Boudins mother, Kathy Boudin. The boy was 14 months old when his parents were imprisoned.

In a sometimes raucous trial, Gilbert and two other defendants cast themselves as freedom fighters and deemed the proceedings illegitimate. At one court session, Gilbert and defendant Judith Clark raised their fists and shouted Free the land!

Kathy Boudin avoided a harsher sentence by pleading guilty and was paroled in 2003. Clark was granted parole in 2019, three years after Cuomo commuted her sentence. She had been denied parole after her first hearing two years earlier.

Gilbert was not eligible for parole until 2056 before Cuomo commuted his sentence. The former governor said Gilbert made significant contributions to AIDS education and prevention programs, and worked as a tutor, law library clerk, paralegal assistant, teachers aide and aide in various prison programs.

Chesa Boudin was raised by his parents Weather Underground compatriots, Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn.

He ran a progressive campaign for San Francisco district attorney in 2019 in which he said visiting his parents in prison showed him the criminal justice system was broken.

Matthews reported from New York City.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  The deluge California received from a powerful atmospheric river made streams and waterfalls come alive while coating mountains with snow, but as the storm headed east to the Plains on Tuesday it left the Golden State still deep in drought.

The atmospheric river, a long plume of moisture pulled in from the Pacific, capped a series of back-to-back storm systems that abruptly switched the state's immediate emergency concerns from wildfires to flooding.

But the long-term problem of a drought that scientists say is part of a warming and drying trend driven by climate change was not washed away.

One storm this early in the water year does not predict the rest of the winter storm season, state climatologist Michael Anderson said in a statement. After this system we see a period of dry conditions return to California.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 2021 winter forecast shows the probability of precipitation in California to be significantly below average while temperatures run well above average.

And the state is already running a water deficit.

During normal years, the winter snowpack in the Sierra Nevada supplies about 30% of water statewide when the spring melt comes and water runs off to be captured in the state's system of reservoirs.

Winters, however, have not been normal lately.

Last April 1, the date when the snowpack is typically at its deepest and contains the greatest amount of water, the state Department of Water Resources' system of electronic monitors found it was only 59% of average.

Then, in a stunning development, about 80% of the predicted runoff never appeared. Soils were so dry and temperatures so warm that the water instead was soaked up or evaporated, and reservoir water storage fell to shocking levels.

One of those huge reservoirs, Lake Oroville, has risen more than 20 feet (6 meters) since the series of storms began last week, but the Department of Water Resources website showed it was at just 27% of capacity Tuesday.

The early season storms were beneficial but officials say much more rain is needed.

We have much less accumulated precipitation over the past few years than we should normally receive and the soils are particularly dry  we cannot fix this condition with one storm, Anderson said.

The northern Sierra generally received 2-20 inches (5-51 centimeters) of snow, with a few sites reporting more, but snow depth dropped to 1-2 inches (2.5-5 centimeters) in the central Sierra and just a trace fell in the southern end of the range, according to the department.

Even before the rains, the pace of California wildfires that have burned nearly 3,900 square miles (10,100 square kilometers) this year was slowing and then the wet weather pushed several of the remaining huge blazes to 100% containment.

In Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the lightning-sparked KNP Complex fire was 69% contained after receiving several inches of rain and snow. Firefighters sheltered in place Monday and on Tuesday supervisors were to assess conditions. When safety permits, the crews will reengage the fire, a situation report said.

Most of this year's major fires have occurred in now-saturated Northern California. In Southern California, however, the fire season typically begins in fall, when the region's powerful, dry Santa Ana winds blow.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  Former President Donald Trump's lawsuit to get his Twitter account restored must be heard in a California court, not a Florida one, under a user agreement covering everyone on the social media platform, a federal judge ruled.

U.S. District Judge Robert Scola in Miami rejected Trump's contention that because his Twitter account was suspended during his last days as president the California court requirement did not apply to him.

The requirement, known as a forum selection clause, was in force when Trump originally joined Twitter as a private citizen in 2009, Scola wrote in his order issued Wednesday.

First, Trumps former status as the president of the United States does not preclude the application of the forum selection clause. Second, the forum selection clause is valid and mandatory, Scola wrote in a 13-page order.

The decision means Trump's lawsuit will be heard in a northern California federal court instead of in Miami. A similar lawsuit by Trump against YouTube has also been transferred from Florida to California, while yet another Trump lawsuit against Facebook remains in Miami for now.

Twitter banned Trump's account on Jan. 8, two days after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol while Congress was certifying the victory of Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. In making the decision, Twitter cited the risk of further incitement of violence following the deadly insurrection.

So far, more than 680 people have been charged with crimes stemming from that insurrection and a congressional committee is examining what led up to the riot.

Trump and other conservatives sued Twitter on July 7, claiming that the decision to suspend his account violates his First Amendment rights and amounts to an attempt to censor conservative voices under coercion from Democrats.

At the time, Trump's @realdonaldtrump account had more than 88 million followers on Twitter.

Twitter's user agreement states that all legal actions against the San Francisco-based company must be brought only in northern California state or federal courts. Scola's ruling found that Trump did not make the required legal showing to keep the case in Florida, where Trump has his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach.

Twitters forum selection clause is mandatory, not permissive, Scola wrote.

The lawsuit, a potential class action, will now move to a federal judge in the northern district of California.

Twitter reports it has more than 200 million users subject to the same agreement and bound by the California legal forum for any lawsuit against the company.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  A California police officer was convicted Tuesday of assault with a firearm in the 2018 fatal shooting of an unarmed mentally ill man who was shot nine times while driving away from police in a wealthy San Francisco suburb.

After deliberating barely two days, the jury agreed that Officer Andrew Hall was guilty of the felony charge in the death of 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda, a Filipino whose family says he suffered from depression, psychosis and schizophrenia.

The jury deadlocked on a second count of voluntary manslaughter. Halls sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 14, according to the Contra Costa County district attorneys office, which said he could face up to 17 years in prison.

The case marked the first time a police officer was charged in an on-duty shooting in Contra Costa County, east of San Francisco. The case is part of a push by more prosecutors to punish police misconduct after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis set off nationwide calls for social justice.

Todays guilty verdict holds accountable defendant Andrew Hall for his excessive use of force in the fatal shooting of Laudemer Arboleda, District Attorney Diana Becton said. His actions were not only a crime, but they tarnished the badge and they harmed the reputation of all the good, hard-working police officers that work for our community.

Becton said in a statement her office will be discussing whether to seek a retrial on the voluntary manslaughter count.

Becton faced criticism for spending more than two years reviewing the case before filing charges on April 21, 2021. The announcement of charges came a day after a jury convicted Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin of killing Floyd.

It also came six weeks after Hall, who is white, shot and killed another man, Tyrell Wilson, a Black homeless man whose family said was suffering from depression and paranoia. The shooting of Wilson remains under investigation.

During a three-week trial, prosecutors and defense attorneys presented competing narratives, alternately asking the jury to sympathize with the officers need to make split-second decisions or the troubled victim whose only crime was not stopping for police.

The events unfolded after a resident called 911 to report that a man later identified as Arboleda was knocking on doors and lingering outside homes in a Danville cul-de-sac. When officers arrived, they saw Arboleda get into into his car and drive away.

Arboleda led officers on a 9-minute, slow-speed chase through Danville. Hall was not involved in the initial pursuit but stopped his vehicle at an intersection to block Arboledas car. Police video shows Hall stepping in the path of Arboledas vehicle and firing a volley of shots into the windshield and passenger-side window.

Prosecutors argued Hall used excessive, unreasonable and unnecessary force. Halls lawyers said the officer feared for his safety, and used body cam footage to show the right front tire of Arboledas car was pointed at Hall when the shooting started, indicating it was heading in his direction.

The fatal shooting cast a spotlight on what criminal justice activists call a case of delayed justice and its deadly consequences.

The Contra Costa Sheriffs Office, which has a contract to provide police services to Danville, had cleared Hall of misconduct after a nine-month investigation into Arboledas shooting. Hall has been on paid administrative leave since the shooting of Wilson.

-

This story has been corrected to show that the jury deadlocked on a second count of voluntary manslaughter.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
It is sad that Shellie Rice would think that my letter, "A slow slide into Fascism" (Sept. 12) would be about the medical necessity to wear masks and get vaccinated ("You believe in freedom or not," Oct. 14). That a mandate to protect others somehow imperils her freedom. These science-backed medical protocols serve one purpose: to save lives.

Her accusation that I over-simplified some issues is partly true, but not the over part. Limited to 800 words, complex issues must be simplified, and Ive attempted to do that.

It seems pretty clear that she has not done her homework. Mandating life-saving medical protocols such as vaccinations, face-masks, and social distancing are what a responsible government does. They are not fascistic.

History.com reports In 1901 a deadly smallpox epidemic tore through the Northeast, prompting the Boston and Cambridge boards of health to order the vaccination of all residents. But some refused to get the shot, claiming the vaccine order violated their personal liberties under the Constitution.

One of those holdouts . took his anti-vaccine crusade all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The nation's top justices issued a landmark 1905 ruling that legitimized the authority of states to reasonably infringe upon personal freedoms during a public health crisis by issuing a fine to those who refused vaccination.

Today, the CDC states: Thanks to the success of vaccination, the last natural outbreak of smallpox in the United States occurred in 1949. In 1980, the World Health Assembly declared smallpox eradicated (eliminated), and no cases of naturally occurring smallpox have happened since. 

All 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC) have state laws that require children entering childcare or public schools to have certain vaccinations. Today, Thanks to a successful vaccination program, the United States has been polio-free since 1979.

Other mandates include: A Drivers License is required in order to drive a vehicle. The Selective Service Act? AKA The Draft. Signed into law May 18, 1917, the law requires all males to sign up for the draft when they turn 18. The greatest resistance to past mandates was probably to the draft, because of the life and death risks. Nevertheless, it is still on the books and can be re-activated.

The 14th Amendment delegates public health responsibilities to the states. Shame on those states failing to enact mandates that reasonably Infringe upon personal freedoms in order to save lives. Wearing a mask; getting vaccinated; social distancing? All very reasonable. These protocols save lives.

A Quick Review:

Wearing a mask is not designed to prevent you from getting Covid-19. It is to prevent you from unknowingly giving it to someone else.

Anti-masker arguments continue to claim masks dont work. Heres why they do work.

COVID-19 is extremely contagious and is passed primarily through the air, in three media: aerosols; water droplets; and fomites.

Aerosols are the tiniest of droplets. They can be generated from larger, infectious droplets, or be projected out of our lungs already in aerosol form.

Droplets are generated from sneezes and coughs. This is believed to be the most dominant form of transmission. Infectious droplets ejected by coughing and sneezing can be converted to aerosols.

The droplets whirl about and land on objects where the moisture evaporates but the virus remains. These viral fomite particles reside on door handles, countertops, shipping carts, etc. Thus comes the recommendation to wash your hands regularly.

Masking up strongly restricts the amount of infectious material flying through the air to smack the unmasked in the face.

And while COVID-19 vaccinations increase ones immunity, they do not do so absolutely, as we know from medical news reports. But the shots do reduce the vulnerability to the disease, and now certain age defined groups, and other compromised individuals, are getting a third booster shot.

The impression Ms. Rice gives, by claiming that wearing a mask curtails her freedom, is that she doesnt give a darn about the life of someone else  her family; friends; colleagues; strangers; children, and grandchildren  all are potentially forfeit to an unmasked COVID carrier.

However, I care about you; we care about you; we wear our masks because we do care about you.

Richard Bruns

Napa
Singapore is good example for Armenia, says President Sarkissian

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UK Premier Johnson considering boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

Artsakh President visits Askeran city, meets with regional capitals youth

President to Russia Patriarch: Armenian people highly value your efforts aimed at achieving peace in our region

870 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

8 injured in tragic accident on Yerevan-Gyumri motorway are discharged from hospital

China, Russia, US agree to promote political dialogue on Iran

Azerbaijan mother, son commit suicide on same day

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European Council: Pashinyan and Aliyev agreed to establish direct communication line at level of defense ministers

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YEREVAN.  Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: October 27, 1999 was again a Wednesday, the day of questions and answers with the government in the RA NA [(National Assembly)], when 8 statesmen, headed by NA Speaker Karen Demirchyan and Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, were shot.

The criminal case initiated on that occasion still has questions. About two years ago, in December 2019, the RA Prosecutor General's Office had granted the appeal of the lawyers of Anahit Bakhshyan, the widow of NA Deputy Speaker Yuri Bakhshyan who fell victim to the October 27 crime, to start a new investigation into the part separated and terminated from the "October 27" case.

To remind, that part of the case was separated in 2000 to find out if there were other participants in the crime, instigators, and possible organizers. However, 4 years later, the Prosecutor General's Office had terminated it due to the lack of corpus delicti. About two years after the reopening of the terminated case, no new public details are known about it. Zhoghovurd daily has learned that many people were interrogated, documents were studied within the framework of the case. The information was confirmed in a conversation with us by the prosecutor's advisor, Gor Abrahamyan.

He explained the fact that no publicizing has been made on the case for about two years by the fact that it contains rather large elements of confidentiality. "There are no new charges," he said and assured: "The investigation of the case has not been put to sleep."

Abrahamyan, however, did not detail who were summoned for questioning within the framework of the case. In a conversation with Zhoghovurd daily, Anahit Bakhshyan's lawyer Zaruhi Mejlumyan mentioned that Bakhshyan was summoned for questioning once in 2 years. Mejlumyan herself also does not know additional details. It should be noted that Anahit Bakhshyan was connecting the reopening of the above-mentioned case with a change of political course in Armenia. After the political reshuffle in 2018, the legal successors of the victims of October 27 were really hopeful that [PM] Nikol Pashinyan's government would get involved in fully solving the tragic crime.

The reality, however, is that more than three years after the change of power [in Armenia], the representatives of the law enforcement system [in the country] not only did not find out and present anything new about the crime that killed eight people, but, also, Judge Samvel Uzunyan of the case of "October 27" left Armenia days after the case was sent for a new investigation.
I believe that the opening of the Vaticans Apostolic Nunciature office in Armenia will become a new symbol for Armenia and the entire international community in building bridges and achieving righteous peace in the region. This was said by Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, the Substitute for General Affairs of the Holy See, at Wednesdays joint press briefing with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, in Yerevan.

According to him, his current visit to Armenia and meeting in the country confirm the partnership between Armenia and the Vatican.

The archbishop noted that next year the 30th anniversary of the relations between Armenia and the Vatican will be celebrated, and that the opening of this nunciature office will strengthen the relations, the ties between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Holy See, the Catholic community of Armenia.

"This is also a testament to the respect of the Catholic Church for this land where a part of the ancient people live, who were the first [in the world] to adopt Christianity. The cooperation and friendship between the Vatican and [the Mother See of Holy] Etchmiadzin are known. We are ready to work together for the welfare and development of the Armenian people," the Vatican official emphasized.

Summing up, Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra reaffirmed the Vatican's support for the steps taken by the Armenian authoritiesand aimed at achieving peace, disarmament, human rights, cultural and human development, religious freedom, and protection of the environment.
In Cyprus I was greeted at the highest level, starting from the representatives of the Armenian community and ending with the local authorities. This is what Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Alen Simonyan told reporters today, touching upon the chants of land giver and traitor heard during a demonstration held against him in Cyprus.

Four people who were a little surprised that I approached them and asked what was wrong are not considered an Armenian community. They felt that their demonstration was a failure and returned with four more people the next day, and I said it was their right to complain against everything, but the Armenian people have already made it clear who the land givers and traitors are, Simonyan said.

When told that the members of the opposition state that removing member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun political party, deputy of the opposition Armenia faction of the National Assembly Gegham Manukyan from the podium yesterday was a response to what happened in Cyprus, the parliamentary speaker said he believes Gegham Manukyan did it on purpose in order to be removed from the podium and considered the activities of the parliamentary opposition a failure.
A meeting of the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan is not scheduled yet. This is what Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan said during todays question-and-answer session with government officials in parliament, commenting on the news about the alleged signing of a trilateral document on delimitation of the border with Azerbaijan in Moscow.

According to him, currently, various proposals for this or that format of a meeting are being considered.

I dont rule out the signing of a particular document after a similar meeting, but there wont be signing of the document that the Armenian presses are spreading news about. The first issue for discussion is the return of Armenian prisoners of war and detainees, the preservation of Armenian cultural heritage and weakening of tension in the region, he said, noting that, as a rule, agreed texts are made public after such meetings.

The Armenian presses reported that Armenia and Azerbaijan will sign two new documents on November 9 in Moscow. The first concerns the demarcation and delimitation of the borders based on the maps of the General Staff of the Soviet army in the 1920s, and the second concerns the unblocking of communications in the South Caucasus.
It is necessary to understand which Soviet maps have the sufficient legal rationale for determining the borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This is what Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said during todays question-and-answer session with government officials in parliament, responding to a question from deputy of the opposition Armenia alliance Armenuhi Kyureghyan.

According to Pashinyan, the maps for demarcation that President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin previously mentioned, match with the borders described in the Law on Administrative and Territorial Division of Armenia by at least 99%, if not 100%.

The maps almost match the maps of the Soviet republics. It is necessary to understand which of these maps can serve as a starting point to determine the borders, and that is a different story. After all, the borders of the Soviet republics have changed several times. We need to understand how, when and why they have changed, the head of government said.

Let us recall that the Republic of Azerbaijan is not the legal successor of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Azerbaijan, and this makes the pretensions of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the borders of Soviet Armenia incomprehensible.
I personally gave the order to pull out the troops from the Syunik Province of Armenia. This is what Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said in response to deputies questions during todays question-and-answer session with government officials in parliament, adding that he took this decision to prevent the resumption of hostilities.

We didnt want to lose the strategic road, at least temporarily, Pashinyan clarified.

The deputies particularly stated that the Azerbaijani border guards appeared in Syunik Province right after the order for the pullout of troops was given on December 19. This wasnt envisaged in the trilateral statement signed on November 9 of last year. Question: Was the order to pull out the troops verbal or in writing? Had the Security Council convened a session before this decision was taken? deputy of the opposition Armenia Alliance Anna Grigoryan asked, to which the Prime Minister said the following:

As far as Syunik Province is concerned, have I ever refuted my responsibility for this decision? Orders are given according to procedures. Yes, there was a discussion. The Security Council didnt hold a session, but all members of the Council, as well as the regional governor of Syunik Province and the foreign minister attended the discussion. We wanted to avoid a new war, and if this decision wasnt adopted, there would be more hostilities. At the time, there would be serious issues in Syunik, the head of government said, adding that the decision was taken in accordance with the results of the negotiations.

We had an agreement to transfer 7 regions. It was written in the law on administrative and territorial division, Pashinyan clarified and admitted that he had personally gave the order to pull out the troops and that former Minister of Defense Vagharshak Harutyunyan had assumed execution of the order.

With this, Pashinyan affirmed that even back then Azerbaijan hadnt implemented and still isnt implementing the trilateral agreements according to which the parties needed to stay where they had reached.
One of the technologies on which the students will work is The Sandia Hand, Sandia National Laboratories.

National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has always relied on academic partnerships for scientific research and to find future members of the Nuclear Security Enterprise. The latest partnership, with the Technological Innovation: Generating Economic Results (TI:GER) Program at Emory University School of Law, is a brand new way of working with students.

Despite NNSAs visibility as the steward of the U.S. nuclear stockpile and leader in global nonproliferation, the cutting-edge research conducted at the National Laboratories goes far beyond nuclear weapons work. The technology transfer program spanning the labs, plants and sites is a major source of American innovation, resulting in thousands of new inventions that become part of a consumers everyday life, or part of a federal agencys mission work.

The Nuclear Security Enterprise has amassed the largest numbers of patents across the federal government and has created billions of dollars in economic impact. Tech transfer efforts are led by NNSAs Office of Strategic Partnership Programs, with the strategic goals of technology development, commercialization and maturation; workforce development, recruitment and retention; economic development; public branding; outreach and collaboration; and protection of American technologies.

One compelling example is the Wavefront technology, originally developed for NASA telescopes but now a critical part of modern LASIK eye surgery. Another is the DYNA3D computer code, which analyzes the structures of bombs but also predicts vehicle behavior by using collision test simulations, saving the U.S. auto industry billions each year. The clean room, which was originally created for the nuclear weapons program, has led to advances from semiconductor development to biotechnology, and eventually enabled the modern smartphone that you might be reading this on right now.

To improve the market research on various technology transfer projects underway at NNSA, the labs will be working with Emory Laws TI:GER Program, a nationally recognized collaborative initiative with Georgia Tech. Directed by Nicole Morris, Emory Law professor of practice, the program brings together annually more than 60 Emory Law students with a passion for law and technology.

This semester, 33 of these students will become an essential part of NNSAs process for commercializing its cutting-edge technological discoveries and creations. Outsourcing the market research to students will help NNSA understand the viability of a potential product and the best applications for its use.

This is a wonderful opportunity for Emory Law students to work with renowned researchers at NNSAs world-class laboratories and facilities, Morris says. Moreover, these researchers are solving complex problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and global security concerns. The TI:GER Program is uniquely structured to provide opportunities for our students to work in teams with the assigned researcher in a small class setting, providing our students with a competitive advantage among our peers.

Morris is responsible for managing communications with the eight NNSA laboratory researchers that will work with her students, as well as guiding the student teams to build their understanding of the material. Her teaching style emphasizes experiential learning and real-world practice, making this collaboration the perfect fit. In this role as the TI:GER Program director, she reflects on her own experience in the tech field and what this collaboration means to her personally.

As a Black woman attorney, working in STEM is a responsibility beyond the work I do, she says. It means I must be selective in the opportunities to which I say yes. Working with the Department of Energy and NNSA is a chance to engage in rewarding research, but its also a prime opportunity to show the STEM community that there is a wealth of top-notch talent and skill among the underrepresented groups within the field  and that paying attention to those voices is advantageous to progress.

Emorys programs highlight the truth of this statement  20 of the students participating in this collaboration are people of color. Finding more representation for women in STEM is an important goal for Morris as well.

The TI:GER Program has been remarkable, and I now feel better prepared to meet with clients, clearly identify their needs, and produce the best results in return, says Lauren Madeira, a law student in the current cohort. Professor Morris provides a perfect balance of ensuring we have the foundational principles we need to be successful, while encouraging us to take initiative and be creative to help guarantee the clients' needs are met. This has provided me with more real-world practice experience than I ever thought I would receive in a law school setting.

Abigail Dagher 23L, another law student in the program researching electromagnetic propulsion systems, agrees on the value of the experiential learning TI:GER provides.

Even though I was already leaning towards a career in intellectual property, the program has redefined the bounds of what that could look like as I learn more about technology law, Dagher says. My time working on the technology commercialization process is transferable to my current career opportunities and has solidified my decision to continue working on similar projects at an intellectual property firm this coming summer. I will be starting my dream journey in intellectual property law with the advantage of having already helped to develop revolutionary ideas.

Having worked with Morris for years, she describes her teacher and mentor as an innovative, thoughtful, and passionate professor. Her resourcefulness is endless and her genuine eagerness to help us students become the best legal leaders we can be is a motivating force behind every project.

Leading this tech transfer collaboration from the NNSA side is Jahleel Hudson, technology program manager for the Strategic Partnership Programs office. He sees this as not only an opportunity for the programs immediate tech transfer goals, but as a turning point for NNSAs public presence and potentially for recruitment of the next-generation workforce.

There is great value in exposing these students to scientists and engineers from our world-class laboratories, Hudson explains. This shows them not only the wealth of resources and expertise that we have, but that we do so much more than weapons technology.

The various technologies that Emory students will research include:
Oct. 27The Alaska Railroad board of directors on Tuesday voted unanimously to rescind an employee COVID-19 vaccine mandate that they announced just days earlier in a companywide email.

The initial mandate, which stipulated that all railroad employees be vaccinated by Dec. 8, was issued to comply with sweeping federal vaccine requirements ordered by President Joe Biden last month. Under the rules, all U.S. businesses with 100 or more workers must require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or get tested weekly, and employees of federal contractors  such as the Alaska Railroad  must be vaccinated with no option for a testing alternative.

The Alaska Railroad currently has a vaccination rate of 52.6% among its 692 employees, railroad spokesman Tim Sullivan said.

"Over the last six weeks, we've carefully reviewed additional EO guidelines and our interactions with federal agencies to determine if the Alaska Railroad is affected. We are. As a federal contractor, ARRC must meet this standard," said the Friday email to Alaska Railroad employees.

Noncompliance with the mandate could cost the state-owned corporation millions of dollars in federal grants and contracts, and the space it leases from the U.S. Forest Service in the historic freight shed in Anchorage, Sullivan said.

But the latest decision to hold off on requiring staff vaccinations followed legal challenges to the federal mandate, Sullivan said.

"The board rescinded the requirement and may revisit it, depending on what happens with the legal actions that have come to light since we (sent the letter out) late Friday afternoon," Sullivan said, citing an amended complaint to a lawsuit filed by the Arizona attorney general to block the mandate.

"We expect that there will be other legal actions and we're waiting to see what the courts do," he said.

Alaska Railroad board members who voted to block the mandate said during Tuesday's virtual meeting that they were deeply reluctant to require vaccinations of employees.

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"We've been put in a very difficult position by the federal government," said John Shively, board chair. "There's not a single board member that likes this at all," he said.

"I think it might be premature to do something that ultimately could be harmful to Alaska railroad families and the railroad itself," added John Binkley, the board member who proposed the stop-order.

"We have one of our U.S. senators that has implored us and others within the state of Alaska not to make these decisions until there is more certainty on what direction is the country is headed on this," Binkley said during Tuesday's meeting, referencing comments U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan made in a speech on the Senate floor last week.

"There just seems to be a lot of state of flux in terms of how this is going to manifest itself," Binkley said.

(Binkley's sons and daughter are the owners of the Anchorage Daily News, and Binkley himself does not have a role in the paper's operations. The Binkleys are not involved in news coverage.)

During the meeting, railroad employees were given an opportunity to offer input on the vaccination requirement.

One of the speakers was Scott Sigman, who introduced himself during the meeting as an engineer and conductor at the Alaska Railroad for more than 24 years. He called the federal vaccine mandate "an overreach."

"I don't understand why this is happening. What happened to my body, my choice? This is destroying lives right now," he said.

The uncertainty over how the railroad's approach to the federal vaccine mandate may affect its workforce, grants and government contracts could complicate its recovery from blows dealt by the pandemic. The Alaska Railroad lost $7.8 million in revenue in 2020, according to its annual report.

Tim Sullivan, the railroad spokesman, said the company went from moving about 520,000 people in 2019 to about 30,000 in 2020, and an estimated 180,000 in 2021.

"We're hopeful that things in 2022 will be much better," he said.

[Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported the last name of the Alaska Railroad board chair. His name is John Shively, not John Shirly. This story has also been updated to clarify the federal vaccination requirements and specify that the Alaska Railroad is a federal contractor.]
Alec Baldwin is getting through this dark and difficult time by leaning on his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, and their kids.

On Oct. 21, the 63-year-old actor discharged a gun  he was told was "cold" or unloaded, indicating the weapon was safe  in the Bonanza Creek Ranch set of his movie "Rust" and accidentally killed the film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. He also injured director Joel Souza, who is recovering.

The police in New Mexico are currently investigating the incident and no arrests or charges have yet been made.

"It's such an unthinkable tragedy and the grief and trauma for him are unbearable," a source told People magazine. "Alec is still in shock and his heart is completely broken. He is doing his best to cope and is leaning on Hilaria and the kids for support."

ALEC BALDWIN'S FATAL PROP GUN SHOOTING: EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON HOW ACCIDENT HAPPENED

"Obviously, what happened here is devastating for everyone," the insider added. "Alec will need time and space to work through and process this tragedy."

The couple shares six kids together: daughters Carmen, 8, and Maria Lucia, 7 months, and sons Rafael, 6, Leonardo, 5, Romeo 3, and Eduardo "Edu," 13 months. Baldwin also has a 26-year-old daughter, Ireland, from a previous marriage.

Alec Baldwin (R) is leaning on his wife Hilaria (L) after he accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Baldwin made a statement on social media Friday about Hutchins' death. He expressed his condolences to Hutchins' family and called the shooting an accident.

"There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours," he said Friday morning on Twitter.

GUN THAT KILLED HALYNA HUTCHINS USED FOR LEISURE SHOOTING BY CREW THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT: REPORT

"I'm fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna," the actor concluded.

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ALEC BALDWIN HANDED PROP GUN ON 'RUST' SET BY CREW MEMBER WHO WAS PREVIOUSLY FIRED AFTER 2019 MISHAP

Hilaria, 37, took to Instagram on Monday where she shared a note expressing her condolences to Hutchins family and noted that her thoughts are with them as well as her husband amid the tragedy.

"MY HEART IS WITH HALYNA. HER HUSBAND. HER SON. THEIR FAMILY AND LOVED ONES. AND MY ALEC. ITS SAID, THERE ARE NO WORDS BECAUSE ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPRESS THE SHOCK AND HEARTACHE OF SUCH A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. HEARTBREAK. LOSS. SUPPORT," she wrote in a text photo in all caps.

Meanwhile, Ireland wrote on her Instagram Story. "My love and support go to Halyna Hutchins' family and friends. Sending healing thoughts to Joel Souza. And wishing I could hug my dad extra tight today."

Hutchins' husband, Matthew, told Fox News on Friday, one day after his wife's death, that he had made contact with Baldwin.

"I have spoken with Alec Baldwin, and he is being very supportive," Matthew Hutchins told Fox News.

Baldwin was spotted Matthew and his 9-year-old son in Santa Fe. The two had an emotional meeting in which they were photographed hugging each other.
Alyssa Milano is opening up about her current relationship with her former "Charmed" co-star Shannen Doherty.

"I would say we are cordial," Milano, 48, recently told "Entertainment Tonight" about where the two actors stand with each other.

She and Doherty, 50, starred together on the supernatural mystery drama, which ran from 1998 until 2006. Doherty left the series in 2001 after season three amid reports of conflict between her and Milano on set.

Doherty and Milano starred together on

"You know, I could take responsibility for a lot of our tension that we had, feeling that I was in competition rather than it being that sisterhood that the show was so much about, Milano told "ET." "And I have some guilt about my part in that."

The Insatiable actor also talked about contacting Doherty following her cancer diagnosis. Doherty revealed in February 2020 that her breast cancer had returned and was now stage 4. She had previously been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and went into remission in 2017.

"When I heard about her diagnosis, I reached out to her," Milano said. "And I send her DMs every couple of months to just check in."

Milano, who is opening up about her life and career in a new book, Sorry Not Sorry, added that she has great respect for Doherty.

Great actress, loves her family so much, she said. And I just wish I could've felt strong enough in who I was to recognize that then.

The actor and activist has been a prominent voice in the #MeToo movement as well and looked back on how she was sexualized during her time on Charmed.

"When I think about the '90s ... you watch reruns of 'Charmed' and I'm running around in, like, a bra and underwear for 80% of every episode," she said. "We had to be scantily clad in order for that show to be a hit."
An already heated debate over Question 2 became more so on Wednesday, as Minneapolis' police chief questioned whether residents would be any safer with the passage of the ballot measure that could dramatically change policing in the city.

His remarks set off an immediate frenzy, both privately in local political circles and on social media, where some questioned whether the chief violated ethics rules that forbid city officials from engaging in partisan campaigns.

Standing in full uniform against a backdrop featuring the department's logo, Chief Medaria Arradondo told reporters that he was never asked for input into the proposed charter amendment that would remove a minimum police staffing requirement, paving the way for a new "public health-oriented" agency that would send trained professionals to emergencies involving substance use, mental health and homelessness  while maintaining an unspecific number of armed "peace officers" to respond to violent crimes. But, Arradondo said, the amendment's proponents have never laid out a specific plan for addressing rising gun violence, in a city where four out of every five shooting victims are Black.

At this point, he said, "frankly, I would take a drawing on a napkin."

Arradondo said that while he respected residents' constitutionally protected right to vote, he didn't believe the ballot measure would lead to a safer city, nor solve the current problems with policing.

Yes 4 Minneapolis, the political committee that crafted the proposal, released a statement critical of MPD and the city's approach to public safety.

"Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo campaigning in uniform, in explicit contradiction of the policy he himself wrote last year, is one of many examples revealed in his press conference today, why structural change is imperative to keep the people of Minneapolis safe and to implement an accountable and transparent relationship with those who are called to protect and serve," said Yes 4 Minneapolis Campaign Manager Corenia Smith.

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Susan Trammell, the city's ethics officer, had publicly warned elected officials earlier this year that they needed to be careful not to use government resources to advocate for or against the proposals that would come before voters this fall.

"It has long been understood in Minnesota that public funds may not be used to promote one side of a ballot question seeking a particular outcome at an election," she wrote in a May memo.

With Election Day less than a week away, the political rhetoric around Question 2 is heating up.

Arradondo has until now stuck to the fringes of the debate, at least in news interviews, offering a single written statement that said the proposed changes to the department would make it "wholly unbearable" for any law enforcement leader. Speaking to a group of several dozen supporters on the city's North Side earlier this month, he said that any attempts to decrease the department's size amid a rise in violent crime was "absolutely ridiculous."

But his office and that of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have in recent months coordinated behind the scenes with a group called Operation Safety Now that campaigned against Question 2, according to a trove of e-mails released through a public records request. Proponents of the charter amendment have been backed by similarly well-funded outside groups, the e-mails showed.

When asked whether he would stay on with the department if the charter amendment passed, Arradondo was noncommittal, saying he would make a decision after talking to his family and Frey. He also said that officers would continue to show up to work on Nov. 3, even if the ballot measure passed. He added that he would work with the measure's authors if it passes.

The city's upcoming elections have gained national attention as the country watches to see whether  and how  Minneapolis will fulfill a promise to transform public safety. For months, Frey and some members of the City Council have been locked in a divisive debate about whether the money for violence prevention and mental health programs should come from the department's budget or other sources.

Wednesday's news conference was not held in a city or department building, but rather at a South Side church that regularly hosts police graduation and awards ceremonies. But critics on social media questioned the appropriateness of the city's top law enforcement official seeming to so publicly endorse a political issue. Council Member Cam Gordon posted on Twitter a screenshot of city rules barring any "local official, employee or candidate for elective office" from using "city facilities, property, funds, personnel, the city logo, the city seal or other city resources to engage in political activity."

Others drew parallels to an episode earlier this year in which City Council members were scolded at a public hearing when they began to discuss particulars about what the new public safety agency might look like.

The chief's comments come as the department's number of officers has dipped below 600, with dozens of officers retiring, going on medical leave or taking jobs elsewhere.

At the same time, the spike in violence that began in the wake of Floyd's death last year has continued.

On Wednesday, Arradondo reiterated that the department, down nearly a third of its officers since last year, had turned largely "one-dimensional" in its crime-fighting efforts.

The chief touched on staffing shortages during his budget address last week, in which he told council members that given the disproportionate number of Black residents being victimized by a rise in gun violence, it's "not acceptable to have any more reductions right now in our staffing."

Policing and politics have long been intertwined in Minneapolis, dating to when the city's notoriously corrupt Mayor Albert Alonzo "Doc" Ames named his brother as police chief in 1902.

By the 1950s, the police union was a player in city politics, helping elect mayors and City Council members, with cops putting up lawn signs and distributing campaign literature. What followed was a period of extreme politicization of the department, which peaked with the election of former union boss Charlie Stenvig as mayor in 1969, several years after the race riots on Plymouth Avenue. His successor, Don Fraser, lamented that politics "had so seeped into the department's being that it could barely function," and hired an outsider, Tony Bouza, to clean up the department.

The union's sway at City Hall eventually waned as more officers moved out of Minneapolis, but its influence at the state Legislature has grown. In recent years, several officers have run for public office, most notably Richard Stanek, a former police captain who was elected to the state House of Representatives in the mid-1990s.

As law enforcement became more professionalized, departments like Minneapolis became somewhat "insulated" from political meddling, according to Michelle Phelps, a University of Minnesota sociology professor.

"And yet it's still in the case like Minneapolis, you have the mayor and the police chief pretty connected," she said, pointing out that the chief's picture appeared in much of the mayor's campaign literature.

This suggests, she said, that Arradondo is "an essential to part of their campaign strategy."

She said that Arradondo's comments seemed to ignore the fact that City Council members had been explicitly instructed not to work on transition plans. She also questioned the timing of the news conference, with the election right around the corner and polls showing that voters were split on Question 2.

"This seems suspiciously timed as a last-ditch response to try to bolster opposition to this charter amendment, and that has probably raised people's hackles as well," she said.

Staff writer Liz Navratil contributed to this report.

Libor Jany  612-673-4064
Carol Cone ON PURPOSE clients prove authentic social impact to win Best Proof of Authenticity and Best Health categories at the PRWeek Purpose Awards

Northampton, MA --News Direct-- Carol Cone ON PURPOSE

October 27, 2021 /3BL Media/ - With purpose instrumental to organizational success today, two Carol Cone ON PURPOSE (CCOP) clients were awarded top honors at the 2021 PRWeek Purpose Awards, held October 13 in New York City. Authenticity is at the core of each winning initiative, resulting in thoughtful, real, and sustained actions that impact the business internally and externally, while having a positive impact on society. How purpose empowers and powers organizations to embrace extraordinary new stakeholder responsibilities is profound when developed, embedded, and activated authentically.

CCOP is proud to celebrate the success of Action Against Hunger, a global humanitarian nonprofit, for taking top spot in the Health category, and Quest Diagnostics, a leading healthcare provider of diagnostic information services, for winning the Proof of Authenticity category.

Authenticity, innovation, and creativity are essential to truly living an organizations purpose--and these honors for Action Against Hunger and Quest Diagnostics are proof, said Carol Cone, CEO and Founder of Carol Cone ON PURPOSE. On behalf of the entire CCOP team, we want to thank these two outstanding clients for their commitments to serving stakeholders, especially amid a challenging year.

CCOP partnered with Quest to help tell the story of Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE), an over $100 million initiative to close the gap in health disparities for underserved populations.

Five months into the pandemic we launched Quest for Health Equity to address the significant health disparities COVID-19 revealed among vulnerable populations, said Gary Samuels, Chief Communications Officer at Quest Diagnostics. We knew we needed trusted nonprofit partners to deliver critical services on the ground. We also needed an agency with deep social impact expertise to help us communicate our actions to Quests employees and throughout communities where we committed to making an impact. Carol Cone ON PURPOSE is invaluable for this work.

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Choose Healthy Life (CHL), a nonprofit focused on health issues in Black communities, was the first Q4HE grant recipient and began engaging Black clergy leaders to build trust among congregants and encourage them to get tested and ultimately vaccinated. With Quests support, CHL partnered with The Black Clergy Leadership Council to engage fifty Black ministers in some of the countrys hardest-hit cities, including Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Calvin Butts, and Senator Ralph Warnock. Beyond COVID-19 education and testing, Q4HEs support enabled CHL to deliver 30,000 vaccinations in its five targeted communities. Other finalists in the Best Proof of Authenticity category included IBM, Procter & Gamble (Crest Toothpaste), and Frito-Lay North America.

Action Against Hungers Global Hunger Awareness campaign was launched in 2020 to engage two specific audiences: affluent markets, with a primary goal to raise awareness and funds, and vulnerable communities in low- and middle-income countries, where the campaign promoted effective health measures against COVID-19.

Unfortunately, global hunger isn't a new issue, and it can be challenging to break through to a variety of key audiences. That is a significant strategic challenge for us, since we are working to lead a global movement that can end hunger in our lifetimes, said Emily Tyree, Associate Director of Communications for Action Against Hunger. By leveraging data, storytelling, and creative activations, we have been able to mobilize a new generation of donors, activists and potential partners. The Carol Cone ON PURPOSE team has been invaluable in collaborating on everything from big picture strategy to day-to-day activations that have delivered real, on-the-ground social impact.

This comprehensive campaign involved surveys which indicated that most people in affluent countries are not aware of the extent of global hunger, or the fact that 2 million children die from hunger every year. Once educated on the issues, 70% of those individuals express interest in supporting a global hunger organization. To capitalize on that interest, Action Against Hunger launched educational initiatives which ranged from a virtual film festival to Waters of Africa activations in supermarkets to bring to life the 319 million people on the continent without access to clean water.

In response to COVID-19, Action Against Hunger engaged local influencers and partner channels within vulnerable communities with a goal of providing factual information via radio, SMS, social media, and grassroots efforts. Creative methods, such as embedding toys in soap to encourage hand-washing among young children, helped establish healthy habits and curb the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases. Other finalists in the Best Health category included Pfizer for its #StandWithScience vaccine campaign, Walgreens, Krispy Kreme, and Degree.

The annual PRWeek Purpose Awards recognize activations that use creative ideas to further positive causes. Read more about these winning initiatives and others here.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Carol Cone ON PURPOSE on 3blmedia.com

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/how-authenticity-is-at-the-core-of-award-winning-purpose-initiatives-for-quest-diagnostics-and-action-against-hunger-917511621
Chinese authorities have told Evergrande founder Xu Jiayin, once the country's richest man, to use his personal wealth to alleviate the embattled company's debt crisis, according to media reports.

The liquidity crunch at one of China's biggest property developers has hammered investor sentiment and rattled the country's crucial real estate market, while fanning fears of a possible contagion of the wider economy.

Last week, the group unexpectedly paid interest on an offshore bond just before a Saturday deadline, averting a default and giving it a much-needed reprieve.

Evergrande also reported that it had resumed work on more than 10 stalled projects.

But Bloomberg News reported Tuesday that Beijing has pushed Xu -- also known as Hui Ka Yan in Cantonese -- to dip into his own pocket to help pay off some of the company's debts, citing people familiar with the matter.

The report said the directive from Beijing came after his company missed an initial bond interest payment due on September 23.

However, it is unlikely that Xu's personal sacrifice would make much of an impact on Evergrande's liabilities of more than $300 billion, with Bloomberg reporting his fortune at less than $8 billion.

Xu, 63-year-old, was once the wealthiest person in China, worth more than $40 billion just a few years ago, before Evergrande's troubles began.

People cited by Bloomberg also said that local governments across China are monitoring the developers bank accounts to ensure company cash is used to complete unfinished housing projects and not diverted to pay creditors.

The crackdown on China's indebted real estate sector that prompted Evergrande's cash crisis has also hit several other builders, with Sinic and Fantasia among those failing to make debt payments.

On Wednesday ratings agency Fitch downgraded another, Modern Land, saying it failed to make a $250 million payment this week.

A key Chinese regulator also urged companies to meet their offshore bond payments in a statement on Tuesday.

Evergrande's woes come as Chinese President Xi Jinping ramps up rhetoric of his "common prosperity" campaign designed to equal out wealth and tighten oversight of home-grown private giants.

rox/bys/dan
BRUSSELS (AP)  European Union founding member Belgium warned Poland on Wednesday not to treat the EU like a cash machine to boost its economic fortunes while disregarding its democratic and rule of law principles at will.

You cannot pocket all the money but refuse the values, said Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo at the opening of the College of Bruges, an academic well of European thinkers.

De Croo targeted Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki who accused the EU of threatening World War III for insisting that Poland should respect the independence of the judiciary and the primacy of EU law. The Belgian prime minister said his Polish counterpart was playing with fire when waging war with your European colleagues for internal political reasons.

The comments follow years of disputes over changes Polands government has made to the countrys courts. The EU believes the changes erode democratic checks and balances, and the European Commission is holding up billions of euros to Poland earmarked in a pandemic recovery plan.

The war of words also comes on the heels of an EU summit, where Polish arguments that fundamental judicial changes the country made would not undermine the EU failed to convince key bloc leaders.

Among them was French President Emmanuel Macron, who will meet his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda later Wednesday.

Morawiecki's recalcitrance crystalized in an interview with the Financial Times over the weekend. When asked if Poland could use its veto power to block legislation in retaliation, for instance on climate issues, Morawiecki said: If they start the third world war, we are going to defend our rights with any weapons which are at our disposal.

The interview did not go down well with Morawiecki's EU colleagues. You are playing a dangerous game, De Croo said.

This is about the overwhelming majority of member states  from the Baltics to Portugal - who agree our Union is a union of values, not a cash machine, De Croo said, alluding to the fact that Poland has long been a major net recipient of EU funds.

The nationalist ruling party in Poland, Law and Justice, has been in conflict with Brussels since winning power in 2015 over a number of matters, including migration and LGBT rights. The longest running dispute, however, has centered on the Polish governments attempts to take political control of the judiciary.

The matter came to a head earlier this month when the constitutional court ruled that some key parts of EU law are not compatible with the nations constitution. The ruling by a court stacked with ruling party loyalists was made after Morawiecki asked it to decide on whether EU or national law has primacy.
Sen. Ben Sasse called a Justice Department memo about threats toward school boards political hackery on Wednesday and said Attorney General Merrick Garland politicized the DOJ.



Earlier this month, the department issued a memo directing the FBI to watch out for threats of violence against school boards and education officials. Critics of the memo called it an effort to silence parents protesting school board meetings over issues such as mask mandates or curricula.

TOM COTTON SWIPES AT GARLAND: THANK GOD YOU ARE NOT ON THE SUPREME COURT

At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Sasse said it is political hackery that brought that topic to your desk, not reality.

Im strongly against all violence against everyone in public life and all threats of violence, Sasse said. Youve not at any point here given us any data that shows us why this would in any way be a federal priority at this time.

Garland said the purpose of the memo was to assess the extent of the problem.

And if there is no problem, if states and local law enforcement are capable of handling it, then there is no need for our involvement, Garland said. It has nothing to do with politics.

Sasse asked Garland if he would report back to the committee how big a threat the American parent class is to school boards.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Id be happy to get a report back to you, but this is not about the American parent, Garland said.

I know. Its about the politicization of the DOJ, Sasse said. Garland said he did not agree.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Ben Sasse, Merrick Garland, Department of Justice, Senate

Original Author: Kate Scanlon

Original Location: Ben Sasse accuses Merrick Garland of 'political hackery' over school board memo
Oct. 27WINDBER  Before the season began, Berlin Brothersvalley coach Corey Will was unsure if his inexperienced squad could advance to a championship match, let alone win one.

Safe to say, that uncertainty no longer exists.

Lynndee Ickes tallied 15 kills, Jenny Countryman collected nine and the Mountaineers convincingly triumphed over Portage in straight sets, 25-20, 25-17, 25-23, to win their third WestPAC championship in the past five years.

With the future of the conference up in the air, it very well could be the last WestPAC title for the Mountaineers.

"They're all special," said Will, who is in the midst of his 29th season coaching volleyball. "I've been to this game a lot of times, and haven't won very many of them. I've come to really appreciate every chance you get. I didn't know if I'd ever get back to one of these again after the crew that we graduated."

Berlin's offensive attack was inconsistent for spurts, but it stayed ahead by capitalizing on numerous Portage hitting errors.

Senior setter Kylee Hartman, who dished out 27 assists, also had a hand in the Mountaineers' ability to stay on track offensively.

Leading the first set 11-10, the Mountaineers ripped off a 7-1 run to lift themselves to an 18-11 advantage before Countryman pounded down a kill to end it.

"It's high school volleyball. You're not going to be perfect all the time," Will said.

"You just have to be good enough, and we were good enough tonight."

Will said the game plan was to keep the ball away from Portage libero Keira Sossong when serving.

The Mountaineers successfully did that, which caused plenty of issues for the Mustangs in serve-receive.

In turn, Portage (15-6) managed only two short-lived leads throughout the entire match and its offense never really clicked.

Senior Sydni Sossong and sophomore Brooke Bednarski, two of the Mustangs' leading hitters, combined for just 12 kills.

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"I think the nerves got to us big time tonight," Portage coach Lauren Cordwell said. "This is the first really big game that Portage has been in, in volleyball. We just couldn't get those passes up to get our offense in a good rhythm tonight."

After being knotted at 5-all in the second set, the Mountaineers (19-2) took full control with an 8-1 flurry to make it 13-6.

They never trailed after that, and a Portage attack error ended it.

The third set was tight throughout, but the Mountaineers stayed ahead with their defense led by senior libero Maddy Nemeth, who racked up 13 digs on the night.

"Maddy Nemeth has become just an excellent libero," Will said. "Savanna Snyder, Peyton Grenke and Regan Laurer in the back row have picked up their game all season. That's critical. You have to be able to pass your opponents' best swings."

Following a service error and another Mustangs point, Berlin's lead was cut to just one, 24-23, but Ickes sealed the set win and the match by hammering a kill right into an open hole in the Mustangs defense.

"It felt pretty good," Ickes said. "I wasn't really expecting that kill to actually make it. In the end, it did. It was more of a team effort, and everybody pitched in a lot."

Berlin will enter the District 5 Class 1A playoffs as the No. 1 seed as it looks to build on an already successful season.

"I told the girls there on the line, this is hopefully the first step to bigger and better things for us yet this season," Will said.
US President Joe Biden on Wednesday criticised Beijing's "coercive" actions across the Taiwan Strait in an address to a summit of Asia-Pacific nations also attended by China's premier.

Tensions have soared as Beijing steps up air incursions near Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy that China considers to be a province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

Speaking via video link to the summit, Biden said the United States was "deeply concerned by China's coercive and proactive actions... across the Taiwan Strait" which separates the island from mainland China.

Such actions "threaten regional peace and stability", he said, according to a recording of his remarks obtained by AFP.

Biden was speaking at the East Asia Summit, which brings together 18 Asia-Pacific nations -- although the leaders met virtually this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was attending, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of South Korea and Japan.

The US president's comments come at a time of high tensions between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan, with Biden pressing ahead with rigid policies against China that appear broadly in line with those of his predecessor Donald Trump.

Biden last week told a televised forum the United States was ready to defend the island from any Chinese invasion, remarks that were quickly walked back by the White House amid warnings from China.

And on Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged greater inclusion of Taiwan in UN institutions - prompting China to insist the island had no right to join the world body.

The United States switched recognition in 1979 to Beijing, but Congress at the same time approved the Taiwan Relations Act that obligated the supply of weapons to the island for its self-defense.

Washington has been deliberately ambiguous on whether it would intervene militarily if China attacked.

Biden also took aim at China's maritime claims during Wednesday's summit, saying the US was "fully committed to the freedom of the seas, open waterways, and unimpeded flow of commerce, including in the South China Sea".

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Beijing has overlapping claims in the flashpoint sea with several Southeast Asian states.

He also said the US will "speak out for human rights in Xinjiang and in Tibet, and the rights of the people of Hong Kong".

The summit was organised by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and capped three days of annual meetings hosted by the 10-member bloc.

The focus has been Myanmar, which has been in crisis since a military takeover in February.

At Wednesday's summit, Biden said the United States "stands with the people of Myanmar and calls for the military regime to end the violence, release all political prisoners and return to the path of democracy".

Biden also held separate talks with ASEAN leaders Tuesday.

jsm-mba/sr/mlm
President Joe Biden took the stage on Tuesday night for his all-in effort stumping for Democrat Terry McAuliffe in Virginia, exactly one week from the election in which the fate of the tight governors race will be sealed.

Bidens speech in Arlington, Va., kicked off as a crowd of about 2,500 chanted, We love Joe, before being interrupted by protesters. Its not a Trump rally  we let them holler, Biden said in his first mention of the former president, who was known for having dissenters ejected from his events.

In the 15-minute speech, Biden touted the former Virginia governors record on the economy, education, health care and gun safety, casting McAuliffe as a leader who will put the presidents agenda into action in the state.

You dont have to wonder what kind of governor Terry will be because you know what a great governor he was, Biden said. It wasnt just because of what he promised. Its what he delivered.

Bidens speech then turned into a wide-ranging rebuke of the Republican candidate, Glenn Youngkin, and, ultimately, a rebuke of Donald Trump.

But how well do you know Terrys opponent? Biden said. Remember this: I ran against Donald Trump. And Terry is running against an acolyte of Donald Trump.

Biden dug in, telling the crowd that Youngkin wouldnt allow Trump to campaign for him.

Whats he hiding? Is he embarrassed? the president said, amplifying his voice.

Bidens rant hit Trump on everything from his claims of election fraud, the pandemic and the Jan. 6 insurrection, to the former presidents recent attacks on former Secretary of State Colin Powell following his death. He lambasted Youngkin, who has recently tried to distance himself from the former president, for standing by Trump.

One of Bidens sharpest attacks against Youngkin came toward the end of his speech, when he said extremism could come in many forms. The president said it could arrive in a mob-driven assault on the U.S. Capitol.

Then again, Biden added of Youngkin, it can come in a smile and a fleece vest.

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Biden said next to nothing about the negotiations on his signature social welfare and infrastructure legislation happening just across the Potomac, instead diving into issues that have defined the governors race in the closing days. Before he took the stage, McAuliffe aides passed out books by the late Toni Morrison, after Youngkin in an ad this week featured a woman who had tried to have Morrisons novel Beloved  which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1988  banned in public schools. Later, Biden noted that his wife, first lady Jill Biden, had traveled to Princeton University to interview the author, dismissing Youngkin as a know-nothing.

McAuliffe didnt shy away from amplifying this message when he addressed the crowd ahead of Biden.

Glenn Youngkin is promoting banning books by one of Americas most prominent Black authors, McAuliffe said, before adding that it bothers him that Youngkin uses education to divide the state.

Youngkins zeroing in on education could in part explain the tightening race, the second-most-important topic to Virginians as they decide whom to vote for on Nov. 2, following jobs and the economy. Just last week, a poll from Monmouth University showed the candidates deadlocked, with both at 46 percent support among registered voters.

The presidents quick stop in Arlington also comes as he faces alarming poll numbers in Virginia and nationwide, with a recent Monmouth poll putting him at a 43 percent job approval rating. (He still had high support among Democrats, with 84 percent approval and plus-10 favorability in Northern Virginia.)

Virginia isnt a loss Democrats want to explain. With the face-off between McAuliffe and Youngkin just days away, the president and the party are leaning into these early elections as a referendum on the presidency and a glimpse into challenging congressional races in 2022.

Over the weekend, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, Jaime Harrison, and other party officials touted Democratic investments in Virginia, as well as visits from Biden, the first lady and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Were all in, Harrison said at a Richmond rally for McAuliffe over the weekend. Virginia is very important; we want to make sure that we turn the vote out.

Bidens out-front approach is a break from Barack Obama, whose team distanced the former president from the Democratic gubernatorial campaigns in 2009 and 2013. Bidens move could backfire if Youngkin succeeds, giving Republicans more fuel to criticize the White House in upcoming elections.

Virginias off-year elections dont always predict the future. McAuliffe, for example, won in 2013, defying the states tendency of electing a governor from the party that isnt in the White House. Still, Biden projected a sense of urgency on Tuesday night as he talked about the importance of the gubernatorial election for Virginia, and the rest of the country.

Virginia, show up, the president said. Show up like you did for Barack and me. Show up like you did for me and Kamala. Show up for a proven leader like Terry McAuliffe. Show up for democracy. For Virginia. For the United States of America.

Christopher Cadelago contributed to this report.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this report misquoted President Joe Biden's characterization of Glenn Youngkin. Biden called Youngkin an acolyte of former President Donald Trump.
Secretary of State Tony Blinken protested the decision to approve 3,000 new housing units in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank during a tense phone call on Tuesday with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, three Israeli officials tell me.

Why it matters: This is the first time new construction in the settlements has been approved since President Biden assumed office, and the Biden administration had been privately pressing the Israeli government not to proceed.

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The U.S. gave us a yellow card.

Senior Israeli official on the "very difficult" call between Gantz and Blinken.

The backstory: Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had hoped a Ministry of Defense committee would approve the new housing units before he visited Washington in August. But that didn't happen, and then Biden personally pressed him to show restraint on the settlements issue.

That complicated matters and contributed to a two-month delay. But then last week, the Ministry of Defense announced the committee would convene to approve even more housing units than had previously been planned.

The top U.S. diplomat in Jerusalem, Michael Ratney, called Bennetts foreign policy adviser Shimrit Meir to protest the move, in a call the sources described as "difficult."

Behind the scenes: The U.S. pressure escalated on Tuesday when Blinken called Gantz and told him both the number of housing units and their locations deep inside the West Bank were unacceptable," according to the Israeli officials.

Blinken asked Gantz to take the U.S. position on settlements more into consideration in the future.

Gantz told Blinken he understands the Biden administration's concerns and had decreased the number of building plans up for approval as much as he could.

He also pointed out that he had approved plans for 1,300 new housing units for Palestinians in the Israeli-controlled West Bank, something that hadn't happened in over a decade.

Gantz also told Blinken that he'd been criticized by his political rivals for meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and for granting legal status to 4,000 Palestinians living in the West Bank, adding "I am planning to take more such steps soon, according to one Israeli official.

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Gantz told Blinken that, the settlements dispute notwithstanding, the new Israeli governments objective was to strengthen the Palestinian Authority and improve the lives of Palestinians in the West Bank, the Israeli officials said.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Sunday called on the U.S. and international community to "confront the fait accompli being systematically imposed by Israel."

Between the lines: The latest flare-up over the settlements began in the same week that Gantz signed an order to designate six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organizations, which also sparked criticism from the State Department.

An Israeli delegation is expected to hold talks with State Department officials later this week on the designations.

What's next: After the Israeli government passes its budget next week, and thus ensures its short-term political survival, the Biden administration is expected to resume discussions over reopening the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem  another very contentious issue.

The bottom line: Senior Israeli officials admit that the U.S. position on settlements was tougher than they had expected, but note that the criticism is coming mainly from the State Department, with the White House not weighing in publicly for now.

We shouldnt waste the goodwill we get from this administration," one senior Israeli official said.

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BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to block a possible ruling suspending him from social media.

A Senate investigative committee on Tuesday called for https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-senate-committee-approves-report-calling-bolsonaro-be-indicted-2021-10-26 Bolsonaro to be indicted for nine crimes related to his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and asked that his social media accounts be suspended for spreading misinformation about COVID-19.

The committee has also requested access https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-senators-call-records-bolsonaros-internet-activity-2021-10-26 to his internet activity since April 2020. The government solicitor general asked the top court to bar social media companies from providing that information.

The report approved by the Senate committee on Tuesday holds Bolsonaro responsible for errors committed in handling the pandemic, which has killed more than 600,000 Brazilians.

It was delivered on Wednesday to the country's top public prosecutor, who was appointed by Bolsonaro and is not expected to indict the president.

Earlier this week, Facebook and YouTube removed https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/facebook-takes-down-bolsonaro-video-over-false-vaccine-claim-2021-10-25 from their platforms a video by Bolsonaro in which he made a false claim that COVID-19 vaccines were linked with developing AIDS.

(Reporting by Ricardo Brito, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
Bostons area sheriff wants to move some 100 homeless addicts from deteriorating conditions at a tent encampment into a nearby empty jail building once used for ICE detainees within the next three weeks, as he rushes to finalize plans for a controversial "mobile courtroom" at the facility.

About 400 people are living in some 200 tents in an area known as "Mass and Cass," centered at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard. At least half of those individuals have outstanding criminal warrants, and Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins is ironing out a new program to house those homeless addicts in an empty building at the Suffolk County House of Corrections, which is just a quarter mile away.

Rape and open-air drug dealing has permeated the encampment, Tompkins told Fox News Digital, as women and even young boys are subjected to human trafficking. The sheriff wants his program, aimed at bringing about 100 of those homeless individuals to the jail for addiction treatment, up and running by Thanksgiving. His office is aiming to get people off the streets before winter sets in.

"Its a horrific scene. Its something that if you didnt actually walk through this every day you wouldnt believe this is America. It is outrageous what is going on out there," Tompkins told Fox News Digital. "Having an open-air drug den where people are relieving their bodily wastes, where people are fornicating, well thats a real problem. Society has to step in and do something."

BOSTON ADVANCES PLAN TO MOVE HOMELESS ADDICTS INTO JAIL ONCE USED FOR ICE DETAINEES AMID PROGRESSIVE PUSHBACK

The sheriff seeks to transform two empty floors in Building 8, which previously housed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees, into a space where homeless addicts can begin addiction treatment and connect with services to reunite with family members or find employment options.

Tompkins received pushback from Democratic socialist U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and others who argue his plan is wrongfully "criminalizing" addiction.

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"We are not trying to criminalize people, we are trying to save lives," Tompkins said, explaining how his program targets people with outstanding warrants, not every homeless person at the camp. "I think the verbiage is really off the mark. Were not criminalizing anybody  these are people who are already engaged with the legal system, so some of them are already criminals."

Critics of the proposal also stress Massachusetts is already facing litigation for involuntarily committing individuals who had never been charged with crimes to undergo forced addiction treatment at other correctional facilities under a state law called Section 35.

"I understand that the ACLU has a job they have to do, which I respect," Tompkins said. "But we really arent trying to criminalize or institutionalize anyone. In the absence of a plan of their own, what are we talking about? These are human beings. These are peoples children and mothers and fathers and family members. We have to, as a society, intervene and help. Thats all were trying to do."

Meanwhile, under a new executive order from Acting Mayor Kim Janey, Boston city crews began the process this week of a promised "mass clean-up" at the homeless encampment, as workers went from tent-to-tent distributing bins for people to collect their belongings and head to beds at shelters or be connected with other services. The order seeks to create a "coordinated response" to the public health emergency, noting the encampment generates "two dump trucks of trash and debris daily," and has created rodent and infectious disease outbreaks.

Under his plan, Tompkins said the Boston Police Department, not the sheriffs office, would be picking up homeless addicts with outstanding warrants off the streets and transporting them to Building 8. Once at the jail, a "mobile courtroom" created in coordination with the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office, will allow homeless offenders, with their lawyers present, to appear virtually before a judge. The judge then will order them to remain for Tompkins 90-day program or, depending on the level of the offenders criminality, grant them bail or deem they should be moved elsewhere.

"We have a pretty dire situation here right outside my department," Tompkins said. "I have an empty building, I can house about 100 people and get them off the streets, get them a bed, food, clothing, medical attention and casework until the city can find some other alternative."

Building 8 is a stand-alone structure which cannot be entered through any other buildings at the jail complex. The two floors to be used for the program can house up to 75 people each, and up to three people would be assigned to each cell, which would not be locked at any time of the day.

The set-up will be "dormitory style," as external partners will bring in sofas and board games so "it does not look or feel like a prison environment," the sheriff said. Officers assigned to the floors would forgo their uniforms for khaki pants and polo shirts, and residents would not wear prison jumpsuits.

"Were looking at a way where we can be a part of the solution to get people off of the street, particularly with the bad weather coming," he said. "We have a pretty serious homelessness situation out West, but its warmer for most of the year. Here, in the North, it gets frightfully cold."

During the first 30 days, medical providers will oversee addiction recovery treatment, helping those hooked on methamphetamine or heroin "step down" to the lesser replacement drugs of methadone, suboxone or vivitrol, Tompkins said. The remaining 60 days will focus on casework, and external partners will help residents reunite with family and find employment options or treatment for other medical issues.

Tompkins officers will handle security, and medical providers, either part of Tompkins internal team of experts or contracted through WellPath or Mass Health, will handle mental health and substance abuse treatment. Through its already existing OASIS, or Opioid and Addiction Services, the sheriffs department has for the past several years been providing intensive addiction treatment to detainees awaiting trial.
Oct. 27A bicyclist struck and killed in Rosemount on Monday was a newly installed Burnsville priest, and authorities said the motorist who hit him had been previously convicted nine times for driving without a license.

Police said that Dennis Keith Dempsey, 73, was riding his bicycle on the shoulder of Dakota County Road 42 when he was fatally struck Monday afternoon.

According to a Tuesday post on its Facebook page, the Church of the Risen Savior in Burnsville said that Dempsey, who served the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis for 41 years, was the new parish priest there.

"We learned Monday evening that Father Denny Dempsey had been riding his bike in Rosemount, as he so loved to do. He was struck by a motor vehicle and did not survive the impact," the post said.

Rosemount Police Chief Mikael Dahlstrom said Dempsey's death was especially difficult for the police department to handle because the priest had baptized the children of a several staff members, including one of the officers who responded to the scene of the collision.

"It's a tragic story," Dahlstrom said. "He's very well connected and had done a lot of charity work in this area."

The chief said that Dempsey and the driver who struck him were both traveling westbound on County Road 42 (145th Street) near Auburn Avenue in Rosemount when the 3:30 p.m. collision occurred.

Dempsey was riding his bike on the far shoulder of the road when he was hit, Dahlstrom said.

The driver, Trejean Derrell Curry, 26, was detained and formally arrested Monday night and is being held without bail in the Dakota County Jail on suspicion of criminal vehicular homicide. A first appearance in Dakota County District Court was scheduled for noon Wednesday.

Curry has been convicted nine times for driving without a license, Minnesota court records show. His license is currently revoked, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

Curry's most recent conviction was Sept. 21 for driving 100 mph in a 70-mph zone. His license had been revoked in July in Alexandria, Minn. At the time, he listed a Minneapolis address. He owed $515 in the case as of Tuesday, according to a court record.

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Dempsey had been at the Church of the Risen Savior since July. Before that, he spent 15 years at the Church of St. Dominic in Northfield.

The Church of the Risen Savior had planned an event this weekend to welcome Dempsey as their new priest.

"A previously planned welcome event for Father Denny this coming weekend, October 30 & 31, will shift to an opportunity for us to gather and remember our beloved pastor," the church's Facebook post said, noting that Twin Cities Archbishop Bernard Hebda was working to find an interim pastor for the church.

In a Tuesday post on its Facebook page, St. Dominic's shared the news of Dempsey's death and said, "We know this news will be devastating to many who know and so loved him. Our hearts are broken."

According to an article in the suburban Sun newspaper, Dempsey was involved in working with the Latino religious communities and had made more than a dozen trips to Northfield's sister city of Maltrata, Mexico. He celebrated Masses in both English and Spanish and also celebrated bilingual Masses.

"In 2017, Northfield's Human Rights Commission honored Dempsey with its annual Human Rights Award for his work advocating for Latino immigrants," the paper said, citing an earlier Northfield News article.

In that article, a St. Dominic's volunteer said Dempsey always made small gestures to show he cared.

"You always saw him on his bike visiting people," Claudia Bauer said. "He would call me on my birthday and wish me a happy birthday. ... He's very much part of the community."

According to the Catholic Spirit newspaper, Dempsey grew in Minneapolis and was ordained in the Twin Cities archdiocese in 1980.

He also served as pastor of St. Francis de Sales and St. James in St. Paul from 1999 to 2004. After that, he went to St. Dominic in Northfield, serving as pastor from 2004 to 2019. In July 2019, he left to work a second time for the archdiocesan mission in Venezuela, where he served from 1993 to 1999 and learned Spanish. Dempsey returned to the Twin Cities in June in advance of his Burnsville assignment.

Other parishes he served included St. Pius X in White Bear Lake (1980-1984), St. Wenceslaus in New Prague (1984-1988), St. Michael in St. Michael (1988-1993) and Annunciation in Hazelwood in rural Rice County (2014-2019).

Funeral arrangements for Dempsey were pending Tuesday.

Mara Gottfried contributed to this report.
To cheers and a trumpet fanfare, a Cambridge University college on Wednesday handed a bronze statue looted in the 19th century back to Nigerian officials, in the first such move by a UK institution.

Sonita Alleyne, the head of Jesus College, gave the elaborately carved cockerel known as "Okukor" to a Nigerian delegation.

Okukor was among thousands of African artefacts stolen from the continent during British colonial rule.

It was looted along with hundreds of sacred sculptures and carvings known as the Benin Bronzes by a punitive British military expedition in the former kingdom of Benin in southern Nigeria in 1897.

Jesus College is the first UK institution to hand back a Benin bronze, raising pressure on other establishments, including the British Museum, to follow suit.

"We are proud to be the first institution to simply act," said Alleyne, hailing a "really historic occasion" as she formally transferred the cockerel's ownership.

"We are delighted that it is now with its rightful owner," she added.

Jesus College was given the bronze in 1905 by the father of a student, and more recent students had been campaigning for its restitution.

The Benin Bronzes are held in collections of numerous British, European and US museums and institutions.

The British Museum, which has the largest collection, has not agreed to return its bronzes.

It has long argued that its vast trove of foreign artefacts, such as the Elgin Marbles taken from the Parthenon in Athens, are best housed with explanatory notices in purpose-built premises.

Nigerian officials taking part in the ceremony included ambassador to the UK Sarafa Tunji Isola and Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, the brother of the historic kingdom's traditional ruler, the Oba of Benin.

At the end, they held the cockerel aloft to cheers, applause and a trumpet acclamation.

- 'A great example' -

"I thank you for this wonderful initiative. The people of Nigeria are grateful," the ambassador said, passing on the thanks of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

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Prince Aghatise Erediauwa said that "Jesus College is indeed challenging the erroneous arguments that stolen art cannot be returned because of the existence of different legal jurisdictions on the matter".

Jesus College used to display the cockerel in its dining hall, but removed it in 2016. British campuses in general have seen a recent wave of soul-searching spurred on by the "Black Lives Matter" movement.

Abba Isa Tijani, the director general of the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments, hailed the college's act as "a great example for other institutions and other countries".

He urged the British Museum to change its stance on the bronzes in its collection, and noted that Nigeria has handed over a formal request for their repatriation.

Tijani insisted that the sculptures "are going to the right place and they will be looked after".

Several other Western institutions have said they too plan to hand looted African treasures back.

This week, the Quai Branly museum in Paris is exhibiting a trove of Benin Bronzes for a final time before they are handed back to the modern-day state of Benin.

The University of Aberdeen is to hand another Benin Bronze over to the same Nigerian delegation on Thursday.

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(This October 27 story corrects 14th paragraph to show that the think-tank is linked to China's military, not an arm of the foreign ministry)

By Yew Lun Tian

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will not take the lead in recognising Afghanistan's Taliban government and will only do so in a concerted move with Pakistan, Russia and Iran, an expert familiar with China's foreign policy considerations told Reuters on Tuesday.

The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August and set up an interim government in September with old guard Islamists in top posts.

No country has formally recognised the Taliban government though China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, met members of the interim government in Qatar this week.

"Things will be different when the four countries of China, Pakistan, Russia and Iran arrive at a consensus on this. We will not be the first," said Hu Shisheng, a South Asian expert at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICR), the official think-tank of China's national security apparatus.

Speaking at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, a security forum organised by an official think-tank of the military to promote China's views on security, Hu gave a rare insight into Chinas calculations on Afghanistan.

He anticipated that the United States would, after withdrawing from Afghanistan, want to strengthen military cooperation with India, and that could make India more "adventurous" and prone to risk-taking when dealing with China.

China and India have been uneasy neighbours for decades. Their troops clashed on a disputed section of their Himalayan border in June last year and remain locked in a standoff.

"New skirmishes cannot be totally ruled out," Hu said.

Hu also said there were international expectations that the Taliban would stop the spread of Islamist militancy and prevent a slide back into chaos, which would have an impact on China and its regional "belt and road" development plans.

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He also raised concern that the United States could direct resources to creating "disturbances" for China in areas such as the South China Sea, Taiwan and the Korean peninsula.

"The United States invested $2 trillion in Afghanistan over the past 20 years. Even if it only diverts $50 billion ... China's going to feel a lot of pressure."

After pulling out of Afghanistan, the United States is in talks with countries in the region, including India, to set up bases for counter-terrorism operations.

This also worries China.

"The U.S. says the bases are for fighting Afghan terrorists, but it could have other motives related to China and Russia," Du Nongyi, vice chairman of the China Institute for International Strategic Studies, a think-tank with links to Chinese military, told Reuters.

"Central Asia is Russia's backyard. We can't let the United States have a foothold."

(Reporting by Yew Lun Tian; Editing by Robert Birsel and William Mallard)
BEIJING (Reuters) - China has reported nearly 250 locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 since the start of the current outbreak 10 days ago, with many infections in remote towns along porous international borders in the country's northwest.

China had 50 new local cases for Oct. 26, the highest daily count since Sept. 16, official data showed on Wednesday.

The overall number is tiny versus many clusters outside the country. It is also modest compared with more than 1,200 local cases reported during China's July-August outbreak and the more than 2,000 cases in January during the last winter.

However, the steady increase of cases in the past week and their geographical spread alarmed local authorities and prompted the return of complex sets of restrictions on travel as well as on the tourism and catering sectors.

China has said the COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest challenge to its hosting of the Winter Olympics in February. Officials suspected the current flare-up was caused by a virus source from overseas.

Richer cities such as Beijing have managed to keep infection numbers low by quickly quarantining and testing potential cases. But small border towns, battling a higher risk of infections imported from overseas while equipped with relatively few resources, have suffered more severe and prolonged disruptions amid China's zero tolerance for COVID-19.

Prior to COVID-19, Ejina Banner, a remote administrative division on China's border with Mongolia, saw 8 million visitors in 2019 thanks to attractions such as a drought-resistant forest that would turn a golden yellow in October.

But the settlement of 36,000 residents has been hard hit in the latest outbreak. Ejina has gone into a lockdown since last week, rendering nearly 10,000 tourists unable to leave, a local official said on Tuesday. Nearly half of those visitors are aged over 60.

"[Ejina Banner] has fewer medical workers and virus control staffers," Fan Mengguang, a health official at Inner Mongolia where Ejina is based, told state television.

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"Because Ejina is large but sparsely populated, it's hard for it to seal its border," Fan said.

Ruili in the southwestern province of Yunnan, rocked by multiple domestic outbreaks this year, has been served with the toughest curbs ever seen in China.

People who want to leave the city, except for those leaving for a few essential reasons, must be quarantined at centralised facilities for at least seven days before departure, Ruili said on Wednesday.

Ruili is a key transit point for Yunnan, which has fought to monitor its rugged 4,000 km (2,485-mile) border with Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam for illegal immigration amid unauthorised crossings by those seeking a haven from the pandemic.

(This story removes extraneous "its" in 8th paragraph)

(Reporting by Ryan Woo, Roxanne Liu and Liangping Gao; Editing by Sam Holmes and Michael Perry)
Oct. 27State Rep. Anne Dauphinais, R-Killingly, is again facing condemnation from Democrats and other groups for her comparison of COVID-19 precautions to Nazi Germany.

On Monday, the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus put out a lengthy statement denouncing Dauphinais for remarks at an America First political rally Saturday in Plainfield. The rally's headlining speaker was U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, an incendiary Georgia Republican who repeatedly has been criticized for making comments similar to Dauphinais' statements Saturday.

Since taking office this year, Greene has faced criticism for supporting the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon. In February, she was exiled from her committees by the U.S. House "for endorsing the executions of Democrats and spreading dangerous and bigoted misinformation," the New York Times reported.

She also has been reprimanded for racist and antisemitic comments and for downplaying the COVID-19 pandemic. In August, she was suspended from Twitter for a week for sharing misleading information regarding coronavirus vaccines.

The Black and Puerto Rican Caucus singled out a statement from Dauphinais and called for her "to apologize immediately for her anti-Semitic statements made in response to the vaccine requirement for state employees."

"We know what happened in the '30s when that started happening to a community of people. They were taken out of their jobs and they were segregated and discriminated against," Dauphinais had said Saturday. "Do you all know about that, because that's history."

The caucus's statement dubbed Dauphinais' words "an insensitive comparison" that "makes light of the horror and inhumanity experienced by Holocaust victims and survivors" and is ultimately "a slap in the face to Holocaust survivors and their families."

The Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut issued a statement to The Day that "strongly condemns recent comments comparing Hitler and Nazis to Governor (Ned) Lamont." Dauphinais already turned down invitations to apologize for a comment she made on a CTNewsJunkie Facebook post earlier this month.

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She also referenced that incident in her speech on Saturday, repeating for the frenzied crowd, "I said, 'King Lamont, AKA Hitler.'"

"Such linkage trivializes the extent of crimes against humanity, diminishes the suffering of survivors, and offends those who understand the profound evil Hitler and the Nazis represented," the federation's statement reads.

Federation Executive Director Carin Savel said in the statement that the connections Dauphinais is trying to make are false equivalencies. "There is simply no comparison between contemporary Connecticut political issues and the actions of Hitler who was responsible for the murders of over 6 million Jews."

Romana Strochlitz Primus, former board president of the federation, also was quoted in the statement. "My parents were both Holocaust survivors," she said. "The Nazis murdered their parents, their siblings, their aunts, uncles and cousins. When they were liberated from the Bergen Belsen concentration camp, my father weighed 74 pounds and my mother was too ill to know she had been liberated. My parents built wonderful lives in the U.S. and were eternally grateful to this great country. Please don't trivialize the evil of the Holocaust by equating it to the inconvenience of a mask mandate intended to protect public health."

The BPRC also took issue with Dauphinais using the terms "discriminated" and "segregated."

"To use this type of language in relation to a public health mandate, in which people have options for compliance, is ignorant of and insensitive to the decades of racial discrimination and oppression faced by Black Americans because of the color of their skin," the caucus statement reads.

The state Democratic Party on Tuesday announced the launch of CTRepublicans.org, "a website spotlighting the new faces of the state's Republican Party, including anti-maskers and anti-vaccination protesters, profanity, questionable leadership, racism and dog whistles."

"This is the new face of the Connecticut Republican Party, aided and abetted by party leaders who ignore anti-Semitism, racism and other hateful rhetoric and behavior," said Nancy DiNardo, chair of Connecticut Democrats. "When viewed as a whole, it shows an unprecedented level of ugliness. It is long past time for the leaders of the Connecticut Republicans to repudiate this hateful behavior, or admit they support it."

Dauphinais, who did not respond to a request for comment, struck a defiant tone Saturday, ridiculing Republicans and Democrats alike who've asked her to tone down her rhetoric, this time from behind a podium rather than a keyboard.

"I've been called antisemitic, Trump, deplorable, racist, Christian, crazy, extremist, white supremacist, and it's OK, because I don't care," she said Saturday.

In contrast to Dauphinais, who left attendees in a frenzy, state Rep. Doug Dubitsky, R-Chaplin, did not receive such a warm reception from the between 1,000 and 1,500 people gathered in Plainfield on Saturday. He faced vocal and repeated pushback from the crowd after he implored them to turn their ire away from "RINOs," or "Republicans in name only," and toward "socialists," or Democrats.

The Black and Puerto Rican Caucus also named state Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco, R-Wolcott, in its statement, who, on the House floor in September, compared the dying words of George Floyd  "I can't breathe"  a Black man murdered by Minnesota police in 2020, to mask mandates for children in schools. Eric Garner, whose name also became a rallying cry of the Black Lives Matter movement, was killed by New York City police officers in 2014 while telling them, "I can't breathe."

"The BPRC is calling on Reps. Dauphinais and Mastrofrancesco, and any others who would follow their example, to put an end to this insensitive and hateful rhetoric," the statement reads. "We are also demanding Republican leaders in Connecticut address this ongoing behavior in their party and help stop any further comments from being made."

s.spinella@theday.com
Donna Young of IATSE Local 700 Motion Picture Editors Guild, writes "fair wages for all" on a union member's car during a rally on Sept. 26. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

The union representing film and TV crews has reached an agreement with the major studios on a new contract covering 20,000 workers outside of Los Angeles and New York City.

The tentative so-called "area standard" agreement was agreed to on Sunday, according to a statement from the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.

The proposed agreement, which needs to be ratified by members, covers workers in crafts represented by 23 locals nationwide. It is modeled on a similar pact between IATSE and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on behalf of 40,000 members of 13 West Coast-based IATSE locals.

President Matthew Loeb said this second agreement will offer similar improvements to all the members, including wage increases, more rest time during weekends and improved pay for streaming productions.

We were able to achieve gains in all of our core areas, Loeb said in a statement Tuesday.

This latest agreement paves the way for the union to move forward with plans to ratify contracts that will affect 60,000 workers who work behind the scenes on film and TV sets.

The proposed contract has already faced a mixed reception from members who believe it falls short of improving their lives.

Concerns about long hours on sets have been magnified by the death of Halyna Hutchins, who was killed Thursday on a movie set by an accidental discharge from a prop gun fired by Alec Baldwin. Camera workers walked off the set prior to the accident in a dispute partly over work hours.

A majority of members from each local must approve the deal for it to be ratified. No vote date has been set.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Former Nissan executive Greg Kelly said Wednesday he was "not guilty of any crime" as the defence wrapped up its case in Tokyo, where he faces jail over financial misconduct allegations.

Japanese prosecutors are seeking a two-year prison sentence for Kelly, a US citizen and former aide to ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn.

Kelly, 65, is the only person to stand trial over claims Nissan tried to hide planned payments to auto tycoon Ghosn, who jumped bail and fled Japan hidden in an audio equipment box in December 2019.

"I was not involved in a criminal conspiracy, and I am not guilty of any crime," Kelly said in his closing remarks at the Tokyo District Court.

The actions taken "to find a lawful way to retain Mr Carlos Ghosn after he retired were in the best interests of Nissan," he added.

His defence lawyers said prosecutors had failed to prove Kelly was behind an alleged plot to under-report Ghosn's compensation over several years.

The charges against Kelly involve around 9.1 billion yen ($80 million at current rates) that prosecutors say was promised to his former boss upon retirement.

"It is clear that the prosecution's portrayal of Kelly is unfairly distorted," Kelly's lawyer Yoichi Kitamura told the court.

"There's no indication that Kelly had any personal interest in considering the payment for Ghosn... the only possible conclusion in this case is acquittal."

Kelly and Ghosn -- a fugitive in Lebanon -- were arrested in Tokyo in 2018, sending shock waves through the business world.

They have both maintained their innocence, saying no final agreement was made on any post-retirement pay, and therefore no disclosure was legally required.

"There was no crime," Kelly said outside court after the hearing. "Carlos Ghosn never was paid anything. And there was no enforceable agreement."

"Three and a half years, is that being given the right to a speedy trial?" he said, adding he had liked working for Ghosn, but "wasn't his friend".

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Nissan, standing trial as a company alongside Kelly, has pleaded guilty and on Wednesday asked the judge for leniency ahead of the verdict on March 3.

Prosecutors have demanded Nissan be fined 200 million yen, but the firm's lawyers said the alleged misconduct "was carried out to benefit Ghosn" and not the company.

It comes after Rahm Emanuel, nominated as the next US ambassador to Japan, said last week he would prioritise Kelly's case.

"The number one responsibility of an embassy ambassador is to ensure the safety of a US citizen on foreign soil," Emanuel told the Senate.

"I'm going to be approaching this subject as a former US congressman who knows what it means when you have a constituent at heart."

hih-kaf/jfx
TOKYO (AP)  The defense for former Nissan executive Greg Kelly said Wednesday there was no evidence or motives linking him to alleged under-reporting of his ex-boss Carlos Ghosns compensation.

Kellys chief defense lawyer, Yoichi Kitamura, said in wrapping up the defenses arguments that Kelly is innocent and he had no knowledge of the complex calculations over Ghosns unpaid remuneration, tabulated and updated by Nissan Motor Co. secretariat official Toshiaki Ohnuma.

Kitamura told the Tokyo District Court prosecutors had presented no evidence of exchanges about Ghosns compensation between Kelly and Ohnuma.

Kelly was not involved at all, Kitamura said.

Kelly, who sat quietly with the defense lawyers wearing his usual red tie and dark suit, pleaded innocent at the opening of the trial a year ago. In closing remarks, he reiterated he had been just trying to find legal ways to pay Ghosn after retirement.

I was not involved in a criminal conspiracy, and I am not guilty of any crime, Kelly said, standing before the panel of three judges at the end of the session.

Reading from a statement, he said he always consulted Nissan lawyers to make sure all efforts to retain Ghosn were legal and acted in the company's best interests.

I believe that the court will reach the same conclusion as the defense after a fair review of the relevant evidence in this case, he said.

Earlier in the daylong session, Kitamura, known for winning acquittals in a nation with a conviction rate higher than 99%, argued there was "no motive at all for Kelly to carry out such an illegal act.

Greg Kelly is a lawyer. Even if he had wanted to prevent Carlos Ghosn from leaving, would he have committed a crime? said Kitamura.

Kelly, an American, was in semi-retirement in the U.S. when Nissan lured him back to Japan, on the pretext of attending a meeting. He was arrested in November 2018, at the same time as Ghosn. But Ghosn jumped bail and fled to Lebanon in late 2019. Lebanon does not have an extradition treaty with Japan.

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At the center of the case is a 1 billion yen ($9 million) a year pay cut Ghosn voluntarily took, starting in 2009, when disclosure of big executive salaries became legally required in Japan. Ghosn was worried about a public backlash as hefty executive pay packages are not common in Japan.

Prosecutors say that money, totaling about 9 billion yen ($80 million) should have been reported as compensation even though it was never paid or stipulated in a formal contract.

In wrapping up their arguments last month, prosecutors demanded two years in prison for Kelly. A verdict is not expected until March.

Critics of Japan's judicial system have blasted the cases against Ghosn and Kelly as hostage justice."

Ghosn told The Associated Press in a recent interview he believes there was a conspiracy, concocted by officials at Nissan who feared greater control by French alliance partner Renault.

Greg is paying the price of his honesty and his being straightforward, Ghosn said of Kelly. He is the only person who isnt lying in the process.

After Wednesday's session, Kelly told reporters he had not spoken with Ghosn, but he loved Nissan and he wasn't going to worry about the verdict.

I know what happened. Others know what happened. Weve got documents that show what happened. And there was no crime. So ultimately, you know, my family or my friends, they know me. They know who I am. So what do I care about the rest? I mean, they know I didnt commit a crime," he said.

In a sign that Kelly is gaining support back home, Rahm Emanuel, former Chicago mayor, President Joe Biden's nominee for ambassador to Japan, told a Senate committee confirmation hearing last week that looking into Kellys case was a top priority.

The No. 1 responsibility of an embassy and an ambassador is to make sure the safety, and ensure the safety, of a U.S. citizen on foreign soil, he said in response to a question from Republic Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, the state where Kelly lived before his arrest.

You have my word, Emanuel said.

Hagerty, ambassador to Japan until mid-2019, said Kellys human rights were violated, and his name should be cleared.

Nissan, the automaker behind the Leaf electric car and Infiniti luxury models, did not fight charges in the same trial as a corporate entity.

Separately, two Americans extradited from the U.S. on charges of helping Ghosn escape Japan were convicted in July. Michael Taylor was sentenced to two years in prison. His son Peter Taylor was sentenced to a year and eight months.

___

Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
Donald Trump is a TV star again  in political ads being run by both parties.

Why it matters: Records show millions of dollars have been spent on ads invoking Trump's name nearly a year after he lost his re-election campaign. It's more evidence of how polarizing and motivating a figure the former president remains for Democrats and Republicans alike.

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Trump is the central figure in campaign ads ranging from mayoral contests in Buffalo and Seattle to four different gubernatorial races, as well as heated GOP Senate primaries.

By the numbers: Since August, 36 campaigns and political committees have spent at least $13.5 million on 50 different television ads invoking his name, according to campaign finance records and data provided to Axios by the advertising intelligence firm AdImpact.

Millions more have been spent on digital ads on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Google.

Those numbers are guaranteed to spike approaching next year's midterms.

What theyre saying: Loyalty as well as opposition to President Trump looks like it will be a key test across both Dem and GOP primaries in 2022," said John Link, AdImpacts vice president of sales and marketing.

Driving the news: The latest buy comes from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. It's airing an ad that tries to drive a wedge between Trump and Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), who chairs the House Republicans' campaign arm.

The ad highlights Emmer's recent dismissal of Trump's warning that Republicans won't turn out in midterm elections next year because of false claims about 2020 voter fraud.

The spot, "Not Invited," is set to air in the Palm Beach, Florida, market ahead of a Trump-headlined fundraiser next month for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

The most expensive Trump-focused ad campaign this year aired in California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom spent nearly $4.5 million on a pair of ads going after "Trump Republicans" seeking to recall him.

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In Virginia, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe has relentlessly sought to tie Trump to his Republican opponent, Glenn Youngkin.

McAuliffe's campaign has spent nearly $3.5 million to put that message on TV. It also teamed up with the Democratic Governors Association on an ad that began airing last week, calling Youngkin "Donald Trump's candidate, not yours."

On Tuesday, the Lincoln Project, a group of anti-Trump Republicans, began airing a new spot that also called Youngkin "Donald Trump's candidate."

The other side: Trump also features heavily in new ads from the Club for Growth and the USA Freedom Fund, both of which are backing Republican Josh Mandel in Ohio's U.S. Senate primary.

Each group is spending about $450,000 on TV spots hitting Republican opponent J.D. Vance. Both groups' ads focus on past Vance criticism of Trump.

In Arizona, a super PAC backing Republican Senate candidate Blake Masters is taking a similar line of attack against GOP primary opponent Mark Brnovich.

"Saving Arizona" has spent just under $600,000 on a pair of ads accusing Brnovich, Arizona's attorney general, of breaking with Trump on immigration and voter fraud conspiracy theories.

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The nation's reckoning with systemic racism a year ago put pressure on companies to incorporate social justice into their corporate values.

What's new: The question is whether the movement can hold its ground. The B:Civic Summit that opens in Denver Wednesday will make the case that a continued emphasis on corporate social responsibility is vital to a company's bottom line.

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"There's still a lot of work that needs to be done, and we need business to really lead in this effort and not fall by the wayside," says Ramona Houston, a social impact strategist leading a workshop at the conference.

State of play: A look-back at how the private sector responded to last year's social upheaval revealed two broad camps, Houston and other experts said.

A number of major companies embedded social justice into their brands, looking at internal practices as well as external focus in the community.

Others took a more performative approach with little action behind the words, what is known as "woke washing."

What's happening: The companies that became purpose-led "were much more able to adapt during the COVID time period and navigate it," says Diane Primo, CEO of Purpose Brand Agency and a keynote speaker at the conference.

She argues the companies that prioritize purpose are more long-term focused and able to weather social disruptions.

A number of major investment firms are pushing companies in this direction, making the case that it's the new way to do business.

The bottom line: The message Primo will tell Colorado business leaders is simple. A company's purpose "is now in the mainstream. This is something that can no longer be ignored," she says.

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By Khalid Abdelaziz

KHARTOUM (Reuters) -The World Bank halted disbursements for operations in Sudan on Wednesday in response to the military's seizure of power from a transitional government, while state oil company workers, doctors and pilots joined civilian groups opposing the takeover.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets since Monday's coup led by armed forces chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and several have been killed in clashes with security forces.

Burhan has dismissed the joint civilian-military council set up to steer the country to democratic elections following the overthrow of autocrat Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising in April 2019.

He said he acted to stop the country slipping into civil war, but the World Bank decision to pause payments and stop processing new operations is a setback to his plans for one of Africa's poorest countries.

After isolation from the international financing system across three decades of Bashir's rule, Sudan achieved full re-engagement with the bank in March and gained access to $2 billion in financing.

"I am greatly concerned by recent events in Sudan, and I fear the dramatic impact this can have on the countrys social and economic recovery and development," World Bank President David Malpass said in a statement from Washington.

Abdalla Hamdok, prime minister in the deposed transitional government, had touted World Bank re-engagement as a major accomplishment and was depending on the funding for several large development projects.

The government had instituted harsh economic reforms that succeeded in achieving rapid arrears clearance and debt relief and renewed financing from the World Bank and IMF.

An IMF spokeswoman said the fund was monitoring developments but it was "premature" to comment.

Hamdok, who was detained on Monday and is under guard at his home, was in good health when visited by envoys from France, Germany, Norway, the UK, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, the U.N. mission in Sudan said on Twitter on Wednesday. The West has called for restoration of the council and the release of civilian leaders.

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Hamdok says any retreat from the path to democracy threatens stability and development in Sudan and he warns against the use of violence against protesters, a source close to him said.

Late on Wednesday, Sudan state TV reported that Burhan had relieved six Sudanese ambassadors from their posts, apparently because they rejected the military takeover. The six were envoys to the United States, the European Union, China, Qatar, France and the head of mission to Geneva.

MARCH OF MILLIONS

Scattered protests took place in Khartoum on Wednesday and intensified at night across the capital, although no new bloodshed was reported.

In one Khartoum neighbourhood, a Reuters journalist saw soldiers and armed people in civilian clothes removing barricades erected by protesters. A few hundred metres away, youths built barricades again minutes later.

"We want civilian rule. We won't get tired," one said.

In Bahri across the river, witnesses told Reuters protesters were met with tear gas and heard gunshots on Wednesday evening as protesters came out across the capital's three cities.

In the northeastern city of Atbara, protesters marched and chanted, "Down with the military regime".

Neighbourhood committees announced plans for protests leading to what they said would be a "march of millions" on Saturday.

Workers at state oil company Sudapet said they were joining the civil disobedience campaign to back the stalled democratic transition and pilots from the national carrier Sudan Airways have gone on strike, as have pilots from carriers Badr and Tarco Airlines.

Sudan's armed forces sacked Ibrahim Adlan, head of the county's civil aviation authority, sector sources said.

Central Bank employees have also stopped work in a further setback for the functioning of the economy.

Doctors belonging to the Unified Doctors' Office group of unions also said they were striking. The doctors were one of the driving forces behind the uprising that brought down Bashir.

Power-sharing between the military and civilians had been increasingly strained over several issues, including whether to send Bashir and others to the International Criminal Court, where they are wanted for alleged atrocities in Darfur. Military commanders now leading Sudan also served in Darfur.

At his first news conference since announcing the takeover, Burhan said on Tuesday the army had no choice but to sideline politicians who he said were inciting people against the armed forces.

U.N. Special Representative Volker Perthes met Burhan on Wednesday and told him the United Nations wants to see a return to the transition process and the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.

SERIOUS RISK

Events in Sudan - Africa's third largest country - mirror those in several other Arab states where the military has tightened its grip following uprisings.

Willow Berridge, a Sudan expert at Newcastle University, said it would be difficult for Burhan and the army to suppress street mobilisations against the takeover because of the presence of resistance committees in many neighbourhoods.

"My greatest fear is that he will fall back even further on the only legitimacy he can depend on  violence. It is a very serious risk," Berridge said.

Burhan has close ties to states that worked to roll back Islamist influence and contain the impact of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

(Reporting by Alaa Swilam; additional reporting by El Tayeb Siddiq in Khartoum, Ebaid Ahmed in Atbara, Nafisa Eltahir and Lilian Wagdy in Cairo, Dawit Endeshaw in Addis Ababa, Tom Perry in Beirut, Michelle Nichols in New York; writing by Nadine Awadalla, Michael Georgy and Nafisa Eltahir; editing by Angus MacSwan, Sonya Hepinstall and Grant McCool)
By Alexandra Valencia

QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso on Wednesday called for dialogue following a second day of demonstrations by indigenous and civil society groups against gasoline price rises, and said his government would keep security forces on highways to maintain order.

Thousands of demonstrators marched on Tuesday in rejection of Lasso's increase of the price of gasoline extra, a cheaper gasoline that is Ecuador's most-used fuel, to a fixed $2.55 a gallon, and diesel to $1.90 a gallon.

Lasso, a conservative ex-banker who took office in May, was under pressure from unions and others to freeze incremental gasoline price increases begun by his predecessor last year.

Marchers argue the increased cost falls unfairly on regular citizens already struggling economically because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I call once more for dialogue, for consensus, for thinking of the good of the country and not of personal, party or union interests," Lasso said during a military ceremony. "In these moments of economic recovery it's time to be united."

Various road blockades begun ahead of Tuesday's protests were continuing on Wednesday, including a barricade of earth and trees on one of capital Quito's access roads.

Other roads in the country's center and south were also closed, emergency services ECU 911 said, and transportation in the Amazon region was reportedly delayed by closures.

The Ecuador Confederation of Indigenous Nations (CONAIE) said on Twitter that protests would take place around the country and posted video of one demonstration in Tungurahua province.

Police were being deployed to clear some blockades, footage on local media showed.

"If tomorrow the challenges remain we'll maintain the control by police in the cities, plazas and countryside of Ecuador," Lasso said.

At least eight police officers were injured during Tuesday's demonstrations and 37 people were arrested for blocking roads, the government said. CONAIE said demonstrators had also been hurt but did not give a figure.

(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
Parents with young children will welcome this weeks news that an advisory committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted to recommend the use of Pfizer-BioNTechs coronavirus vaccine in kids aged 5-11.

Thats another important sign of progress in the fight against the virus. Its a firm reminder that the best defense against the coronavirus  and the way out of the pandemic  is through the vaccines which are widely available.

As Virginia pivots toward winter, a time largely spent indoors and which features holiday gatherings with friends and family, the trends are cause for cautious optimism. Infections and deaths are down, vaccinations are up.

Recall that a year ago, the commonwealth was braced for the worst. New cases, hospitalizations and deaths were all sharply increasing  and would get much, much worse. The first vaccine dose was administered in December, and it would take several more months before they were available in sufficient supply.

It is heartbreaking that so many Virginians died in the months since. The state Department of Health reports that the commonwealth is perilously close to recording 14,000 deaths during the pandemic, each a staggering loss to their loved ones. There have been more than 919,000 confirmed cases since the pandemic began.

Today, however, the numbers look favorable heading into the colder months. Nearly 70% of Virginians have had at least one vaccine dose and, according to the VDH dashboard, that number jumps to 82.5% of adults (age 18 and older).

Higher vaccination rates make for safer communities. They mean fewer restrictions are needed and, indeed, there are localities and school districts which are planning to end mandatory mask policies and other restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of infection.

But  and theres always a but when discussing this insidious public health menace  the circumstances differ widely from city to city and county to county.

We can cheer that Isle of Wight County reports 73.8% of its adult population has had at least one vaccine dose and celebrate Newport News reaching 66.3% while showing concern for low vaccination rates in Norfolk, Portsmouth and several other Hampton Roads cities.

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Vaccine mandates will help with that, even though they were the option of last resort. Government and private business recognize thats the most promising route to get over the hump, after voluntary acceptance and incentives werent doing enough.

The fact is, the pandemic has caused a tremendous strain on public health resources. Its has shaken hospitals and health care workers. Its causing health care costs (often subsidized by employers) to spike and creates a substantial drag on economic activity.

The only path forward is through vaccinations, which may not prevent infection but keep people from serious illness, hospitalization and death. The booster, now recommended for seniors and people in high-risk housing or employment, will help strengthen that protection and limit variant mutations that could prove more deadly than even the delta strain.

So too will vaccination approval for children, who are less likely to die from COVID but who can still become infected and suffer long-term ailments from the virus. Parents who have taken every precaution in order to protect their kids should see FDA approval as the long-awaited light at the end of the tunnel.

That is all very promising and very good, though public health officials still urge caution. Virginia is in a much better place than a year ago, but COVID will continue to be a problem  especially in communities where vaccination levels are low.

That should prompt local and state officials to redouble efforts to reach those who might be reluctant (especially those who are relying on false information) or who want the vaccine but because of circumstances (cant miss work, taking care of kids, etc.) havent received it.

While we may never eradicate COVID-19, Virginia is doing better to protect its citizens and manage the virus. Thats reason for optimism and for hope.
President Biden participates virtually in this week's summit of Southeastern Asian nations. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press)

President Biden is preparing for two international conferences in Europe this week, campaigning for Democrats and trying to reach an agenda-fulfilling deal on expanding safety net programs.

But he cleared a chunk of his schedule on Tuesday and Wednesday to participate in a virtual summit of Southeast Asian nations, a sign that the president remains keenly focused on foreign policy challenges posed by a rising China.

Like his predecessor, Donald Trump, Biden has expressed alarm about China's trade practices, its efforts to assert control over the South China Sea and its increasing aggressive behavior toward Taiwan.

However, Biden is devoting more time to building alliances, a shift from Trump, who skipped the same summit for three straight years.

"You can expect to see the United States deepening our longstanding cooperation," Biden said during the first of two meetings of the Assn. of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. He described the organization as "a linchpin for maintaining the resilience, the prosperity, and security of our shared region," and he suggested that he was planning a trip to Asia.

Experts said Biden's decision to simply show up for the summit is a show of progress.

"The bar is relatively low," said Ja-Ian Chong, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore. "And part of the reason the bar is low is because there's still a hangover from the Trump years, where there was a lot of unpredictability and uncertainty."

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, rear, speaks during the ASEAN summit, which was held virtually, on Tuesday. (Duong Van Giang / VNA via AP)

ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Although most of the countries are small, their total population is 650 million and their combined economy would rank as the fifth largest in the world.

Biden's participation in ASEAN came in the middle of a busy week. He's trying to seal the deal on legislation that would, among other things, increase funding for childcare and guarantee paid family leave for workers, and the White House is working with Democrats on ways to pay for expanded benefits.

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He also campaigned on Tuesday for Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic candidate in the closely watched Virginia governor's race, and is preparing to fly to Europe on Thursday. He's attending the G-20 forum in Rome and a United Nations conference on climate change in Glasgow, Scotland.

However, Biden believes that closer ties in Asia will provide his administration strategic leverage in dealing with Beijing, making this week's ASEAN summit an important part of his approach to the region.

"The Biden administration's strategy is to contain China," said Eyck Freymann, a doctoral candidate in China studies at the University of Oxford. "They just don't use that word."

The president, he said, is hoping "to build an alphabet soup of overlapping coalitions," with the idea that "if you build enough of these coalitions, it's an impenetrable thicket."

Biden has already taken steps to strengthen such alliances. In September at the White House, he hosted the first in-person meeting with leaders of four major democracies with interests in Asia.

Though Biden and the leaders of Japan, India, and Australia  a group known as the Quad  did not mention China in a joint statement, it was clear Beijing was on their minds. Following their meetings, the leaders said they had recommitted "to our partnership, and to a region that is a bedrock of our shared security and prosperity  a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is also inclusive and resilient."

Less than two weeks before the Quad meeting, Biden announced a new security partnership with the United Kingdom and Australia, known as AUKUS. In addition to increased cooperation on issues like cybersecurity, the U.S. plans to work with Australia on a new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, allowing its fleet to travel further and stealthier in a hotly contested region.

A man climbs over a barricade in an alley in Vung Tau, Vietnam, on Sept. 20. The city was divided by barricades and roadblocks during a coronavirus lockdown. (Hau Dinh / Associated Press)

Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, suggested that there's an opening for the U.S. because China has turned off other countries by throwing its weight around.

"China is pursuing this aggressive, sort of in-your-face diplomacy," he said. "It's just totally unproductive and they've been undermining themselves."

Daniel Russel, a former State Department official who now works at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said American distribution of COVID-19 vaccines is one way to make headway in the region. Although China was faster to market its vaccines in Southeast Asia, there's skepticism about their effectiveness and growing interest in U.S.-developed versions.

"This is another example of where it's the American technology that looks best from the Southeast Asian point of view," Russel said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Oscar Rodriguez, brother of 18-year-old Mona Rodriguez, joined the family's attorneys in calling for justice after Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascon announced a murder charge against Eddie F. Gonzalez on Wednesday. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

A murder charge was filed Wednesday against a former Long Beach school safety officer who shot an unarmed 18-year-old in the head near a high school last month, prosecutors said.

The decision came less than a year after Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascon swept into office on a criminal justice platform that included a vow to aggressively pursue law enforcement officers who use excessive force.

The school safety officer, Eddie F. Gonzalez, 51, fired into a fleeing vehicle in late September after a fight between Manuela "Mona" Rodriguez and an unidentified 15-year-old girl one block from Millikan High School. Video from the scene appears to show Gonzalez fire at least two rounds after screaming at the vehicle as it speeds off.

Rodriguez, who was in the vehicle's passenger seat, was struck in the head, police said. Her 20-year-old boyfriend, Rafeul Chowdhury, and his 16-year-old brother were inside the car when Gonzalez opened fire. They were not hit.

The injury left the 18-year-old mother brain-dead. Rodriguez was taken off life support and her organs were donated before she died Oct. 5.

Gascon announced the charge during a news conference in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday.

"This case really illustrates the importance of holding public officials accountable," he said. "Especially public officials that are entrusted with the safety of our family and our kids."

Standing outside the building where Gascon announced the charge, Rodriguez's older brother held a T-shirt emblazoned with his sister's face. Though he was thankful Gonzalez was being prosecuted, Oscar Rodriguez questioned why the officer wasn't immediately arrested after opening fire in a crowded area where others could have been hurt.

This is a first step toward justice, and hopefully our healing process. Ive waited a long time for something that was pretty obvious, but I guess this is how the justice system works," he said.

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Gascon said Gonzalez was arrested Wednesday in Orange and charged with one count of murder. The Long Beach Board of Education voted unanimously this month to fire Gonzalez for violating its use-of-force policy.

Gonzalez could not immediately be reached for comment, and it was not clear who his attorney was. He was being held at the Long Beach jail in lieu of $2-million bail and is expected to be arraigned Friday in a Long Beach courtroom.

The charge came exactly one month after the shooting and eight months after Gascon first announced plans to hire an outside prosecutor to reexamine fatal police shootings that his predecessor, Jackie Lacey, declined to charge as crimes. .

Lacey's 2020 reelection bid was strongly supported by law enforcement unions, leading some to question whether her office was truly independent enough to hold police accountable. She did file manslaughter charges against an L.A. County sheriff's deputy in 2018 in a case somewhat similar to Mona Rodriguez's slaying, but that marked only the second time the office chose to prosecute an officer in an on-duty shooting since 2000.

Gonzalez was employed by the Long Beach Unified School District and not the Police Department, and school safety officers do not have the same level of authority as sworn police officers. Still, some expressed optimism that Wednesday's charge could mark a sea change in the way police shooting cases are handled in L.A. County.

For so many years, those in positions of authority escaped responsibility [for] these types of criminal acts," Chowdhury's attorney, Robin Perry, said. "The community demanded more and D.A. Gascon has answered the call. The Long Beach Police Department answered the call."

L.A. County Dist. Atty. George Gascon and Long Beach Police Chief Robert G. Luna announce the charges Wednesday. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

The shooting drew widespread criticism from law enforcement experts, who said it violated established police policies that warn against shooting at moving vehicles if they don't pose an imminent threat to life and safety. Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia had previously called for charges against Gonzalez.

But Gascon's decision to seek a murder charge, as opposed to manslaughter, troubled some legal experts. Police officers are rarely charged with murder in on-duty shootings as juries are not considered likely to convict police of that crime.

Since 2005, 142 police officers have been arrested on suspicion of murder or manslaughter in the U.S., according to data tracked by Philip M. Stinson, a criminologist at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Only 44 of those officers were convicted of any crime, according to Stinsons research, and just seven were convicted of murder.

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff's Cmdr. Charles "Sid" Heal, a use-of-force expert, said he wasn't surprised that Gonzalez was criminally charged but added that murder  which implies premeditation  may be an overreach.

"This was an in-the-heat-of-the-moment act," he said.

Dmitry Gorin, a former prosecutor and defense attorney, said he would have argued for a charge of "implied malice" murder because Gonzalez's conduct was "so reckless it amounts to indifference to human life."

"An officer should have known better that someone would die," Gorin said, while noting that a defense attorney will probably argue Gonzalez never intended to kill anyone.

Video footage from the scene shows the car nearly clipping Gonzalez as it speeds away, although other experts have noted that he could have eliminated any potential threat by simply stepping out of its path.

The shooting occurred after Gonzalez, on patrol driving through the Millikan High School area, observed a fight between Rodriguez and the unidentified 15-year-old girl that had spilled into traffic, Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna said.

The 15-year-old was a student at Millikan, Luna said. Rodriguez's family previously said neither she nor the other two individuals in the car were students at the school. Luna said he did not know whether Gonzalez had previously interacted with Rodriguez or any of the people involved in the fight.

"This really impacted our community heavily," Luna said. "This is just a step in trying to bring some closure to this very unfortunate and impactful incident, not only to our city but the Rodriguez family."

Investigators have said Rodriguez initiated the fight that preceded the gunfire; there is no evidence that she or anyone else involved in the melee was armed. Gascon said there were no plans to prosecute any of the people involved in the fight..

In a statement, school district officials thanked the Police Department and the district attorney's office for their "diligent work and swift action on this case."

"We acknowledge the impact of this tragedy and we again extend our sincerest condolences to everyone who has been impacted, especially the family, friends and loved ones of the shooting victim, Manuela Rodriguez," they said.

Rodriguez's son, Isael, was 5 months old at the time of the shooting.

"It's an unfortunate and unnecessary death that left a 6-month-old without a mother, a family without a daughter and clearly a tremendous loss to our entire community," Gascon said.

Before serving as a school safety officer, Gonzalez had two brief stints as a city police officer.

He worked for the Los Alamitos Police Department from January to April 2019, according to city officials who declined to provide details about his departure.

Gonzalez later joined the Sierra Madre Police Department in September 2019, but again left after less than a year on the job, according to police spokeswoman Laura Aguilar. She said the city chose to separate from Officer Gonzalez but would not provide additional information.

Police officer disciplinary records are largely shielded from public view under California law, unless the officer has used deadly force, been accused of sexual misconduct or dishonesty on duty.

Given Gonzalez's career history, Oscar Rodriguez said he was incredibly frustrated that the man who shot his sister was employed by Long Beach's school system in the first place.

I dont get how these people get hired," he said. "How is it hard for you guys to fire, or not hire, someone that already has a bad history?

]

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Facebook/GoFundMe

A former Southern California school safety officer has been charged with murder for shooting an 18-year-old in the head as she drove away from him in late September. The shooting left the teenager brain dead and on life support.

It was an unfortunate and unnecessary death that left a six-month-old without a mother, a family without a daughter, and clearly a tremendous loss to our entire community, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said at a press conference. This case really illustrates the importance of holding public officials accountable, especially public officials that are entrusted with the safety of our family and our kids.

Manuela Mona Rodriguez, the mother of a 6-month-old son, had been involved in a fight with a 15-year-old girl and was trying to leave Millikan High Schools campus on Sept. 27. She was unarmed. Officer Eddie Gonzalez, 51, had attempted to break up the fight. After Gonzalez approached the passenger side of Rodriguezs sedan, she drove away with two others in the car. Gonzalez shot twice.

Oscar Rodriguez, Monas brother, said in a statement via the familys lawyer, This is the beginning of justice for my mother and the Rodriguez family. It took too long to arrest the man who killed my sister.

Three days after Rodriguez was hospitalized and doctors declared her brain dead, her family disconnected her life support. She died Oct. 6. Her family donated her heart, liver, lungs, and both kidneys, which saved five peoples lives, according to her family.

Gonzalez had only been on the job since January. Long Beach Unified School Districts safety policies disallowed officers from shooting at both moving cars and suspects on the run, despite the fact that Rodriguez appeared to be both, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Didnt Do His Job: School Cop Who Shot Teen Was Only Hired Months Ago

Gonzalez was placed on paid leave during the investigation, though that lasted only a week. Long Beach Unified fired him early this month.

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Long Beach Unified superintendent superintendent Jill Baker said at the time, After our internal review, we clearly saw areas where the employee violated district policy and did not meet our standards and expectations. We believe the decision to terminate this officers employment is warranted, justified and quite frankly, the right thing to do.

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Oxygen

A 20-year-old New York man was facing eight years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting four teenage girls during parties in his parents home, but this week a judge sentenced him to eight years of probation because jail was inappropriate. Im not ashamed to say that I actually prayed over what is the appropriate sentence in this case because there was great pain. There was great harm. There were multiple crimes committed in the case, Niagara County Judge Matthew J. Murphy I
The United States on Tuesday banned China Telecom from operating in the country citing "significant" national security concerns, further straining already tense relations between the superpowers.

The move marks the latest salvo in a long-running standoff that has pitted the world's biggest two economies against each other over a range of issues including Taiwan, Hong Kong, human rights, trade and technology.

It also comes as US President Joe Biden presses ahead with a hardline policy against Beijing broadly in line with that of his predecessor Donald Trump, whose bombastic approach sent tensions soaring.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ordered China Telecom Americas to discontinue its services within 60 days, ending a nearly 20-year operation in the United States.

The firm's "ownership and control by the Chinese government raise significant national security and law enforcement risks," the FCC said in a statement.

It warned that it gives opportunities for Beijing "to access, store, disrupt, and/or misroute US communications, which in turn allow them to engage in espionage and other harmful activities against the United States."

The announcement came hours after Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen held a video call, with discussions on trade that Beijing described as "pragmatic, candid and constructive."

It will also raise the stakes for virtual talks planned to take place later in the year between Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

"The FCCs decision is disappointing," China Telecom spokesman Ge Yu said in an email, according to Bloomberg News. "We plan to pursue all available options while continuing to serve our customers." There was no response to an email sent to the press contact at the Chinese embassy in Washington.

Tuesday's announcement ramped up concerns about further measures against Chinese tech firms and battered shares in such firms listed in New York. The selling continued Wednesday in Hong Kong, where the Chinese technology firms, and the selling continued in Hong Kong with the Hang Seng tech Index losing more than three percent.

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China Telecom is China's largest fixed-line operator, and its shares jumped some 20 percent in August in its Shanghai stock debut.

But it has faced turbulence in the United States for years, particularly during Trump's presidency as the former president repeatedly clashed with Beijing over trade.

The company was delisted by the New York Stock Exchange in January along with fellow state-owned telecoms firms China Mobile and China Unicom.

That followed a Trump executive order banning investments by Americans in a range of companies deemed to be supplying or supporting China's military and security apparatus.

The US Justice Department had already threatened to terminate China Telecom's American dealings in April last year, saying US government agencies "identified substantial and unacceptable national security and law enforcement risks associated with China Telecom's operations."

US regulators have also taken action against other Chinese telecoms, notably private giant Huawei.

Trump's White House in 2018 began an aggressive campaign to short-circuit the global ambitions of Huawei, cutting the tech giant off from key components and banning it from using Google's Android services.

"(The move) sends a broader message to Beijing, that regardless of who's president, the US continues to be concerned about the risks posed by Chinese tech firms operating in the US," Martijn Rasser, of the Center for a New American Security in Washington, told Bloomberg.

mlm-rox/dan
For months, conspiracies about the 2020 election being stolen from Donald Trump have fueled Republican efforts nationwide to rewrite election laws. But now, some GOP operatives and Trumpworld luminaries are worried that the truly wild conspiracists may be mucking it all up.

Hogan Gidley, one of Donald Trumps top lieutenants, took a subtle dig at some Trump allies and put some distance between their efforts and his groups work on election reform. Other Republicans have expressed fears that talk of audits, machine rigging and foreign plots will depress voter turnout and discourage some people from seeking office.

People are going to do whatever they want, and I cant answer for any of those other groups, said Gidley when asked about misinformation and efforts by Mike Lindell and others to overturn the 2020 election.

But as it relates to election integrity and voter protection, it is vital that we help states get these simple, popular security mechanisms in place to ensure honesty for the 2022 midterms, added Gidley, who is heading the Center for Election Integrity at the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute. I want to make sure that the data we gather and the information we share is built on solid ground as opposed to sinking sand.

The comments illustrate the growing fissures erupting within Republican circles over how the party should address the last election. Its a fissure thats been caused mainly by Trump, who has been intent on continuously re-litigating the 2020 outcome with increasingly outlandish conspiracies that other Republicans echo. Gidley himself has pushed misleading arguments about some of the 2020 election outcomes, including on the day of the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.

When asked for comment, Lindell  who has led a national crusade to push false claims of fraud and voting machine hacking, and is being sued for defamation by voting machine manufacturer Dominion for $1.3 billion  said in a text message that he would be bringing his voter fraud case to the Supreme Court on Nov. 23 at 9 a.m.

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The results of it all are evident in new polling which reveals just how intensely Trump voters distrust election security.

A POLITICO/Morning Consult poll released Wednesday shows that 77 percent of Democrats, 49 percent of independents and 28 percent of Republican voters trust the election system a lot or some. Just 9 percent of Republicans say they trust the election system a lot.

Among self-identified 2020 Trump voters, just 22 percent said they believed the 2020 elections were free and fair; while 72 percent said they probably or definitely were not. They were slightly more optimistic about the 2022 elections, with 38 percent saying they believed that they would be free and fair. But 51 percent still said they believed they would not be. Asked if they would vote for a candidate who believed that the 2020 elections should be investigated, 75 percent of 2020 Trump voters said yes, while only 11 percent said no.

The numbers demonstrate the vast skepticism and distrust Trump voters have of elections and the potential challenges Republicans could have convincing voters their ballots count.

"When my fellow Republicans are focused on the wrong things, when theyre focused on conspiracies about secret algorithms on voting machines, and theyre focused on ideas there is a group of ballots printed in China snuck in the back door of the board of elections  all those things are easily disproven," said Republican Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who is running for re-election next May. But a focus on those things distracts from what I consider the real concerns about election integrity.

The Morning Consult polI offers some measure of relief for Republicans worried that voters wont turn out amid talk of vast election conspiracies. A full 92 percent of self-identified Republican voters said that they planned to vote in the 2022 elections, with just 4 percent saying they did not plan to. By contrast, just 70 percent of self-identified Democrats said they planned to vote, and 29 percent said they did not plan to.

Nevertheless, in recent weeks, some prominent Republicans have begun warning in increasingly sharp terms that so much talk of fraud and the 2020 election could depress turnout.

I'm of the view that the best thing that President Trump could do to help us win majorities in 2022 is talk about the future, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), said on Meet the Press. [B]etter off to talk about the future than to focus on the past in every election.

Republican Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, meanwhile, said re-litigating 2020 is a recipe for disaster in 2022.

The election is passed, its been certified, the states made decisions on the integrity of each of their elections and made improvements where it need be. Its about the future, its not about the last election, and that  those kind of comments are not constructive, he said on Meet the Press.

Neither Blunt nor Hutchinson are running for re-election in 2022. And their warnings seem likely to be drowned out by Trumps routine statements calling for more investigations into an election that has been routinely certified as accurate and secure. In a recent statement, Trump threatened that voters will not show up at the polls unless election laws are changed. And in an interview for a new book by David Drucker, "In Trump's Shadow: The Battle for 2024 and the Future of the GOP," Trump admitted that his focus on 2020 could be an asset or a problem for the GOP.

Such proclamations have set off a scramble among Republicans worried voters might not show up. Notably, last week Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) tweeted, "I recently conducted a poll on Georgia's elections and if my constituents felt their votes would count during a teletown hall. Sadly, 4% said they won't even vote due to voter fraud. This is WRONG. Legal votes by Rs are just as important as stopping illegal ones."

And in interviews, Republicans have called on the ex-president to stop talking about 2020 and start focusing on 2022, instead.

When people dont trust elections they dont participate, bottom line, said LaRose.

In GOP primary races across the country, however, candidates have openly called for additional audits of the 2020 presidential vote, despite its continuous verification. Josh Mandel, a Republican Senate candidate in Ohio, has called for audits in all 50 states. And Trump endorsed candidate for Arizona governor, Kari Lake, has campaigned on her claim the 2020 election was stolen.

Theyve also fed the movement among elected Republicans to pass voter restriction laws in their statehouses. According to an October tally by the progressive-minded Brennan Center for Justice, at least 19 states enacted 33 laws that make it harder for Americans to vote in 2021.

On both sides of the aisle, this has led to an urgency to passing voting reform. According to the POLITICO/Morning Consult poll, over three quarters of American voters (78 percent) think working to ensure integrity in U.S. elections should be a priority or Congress. That cuts across party lines, with 79 percent of Democratic voters, 70 percent of independent voters and 83 percent of Republican voters agreeing.

The POLITICO/Morning Consult poll was conducted Oct. 22-24, surveying 1,999 registered voters. The margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points.

Last week, Democrats once again failed to push through voting rights legislation after Senate Republicans filibustered the Freedom to Vote Act and despite efforts by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to compromise with Republicans on the bill. The bill would have established Election Day as a national holiday, set standards for voter identification laws, expanded the ability to vote by mail and curbed partisan gerrymandering.

Gidleys group, the Center for Election Integrity, is among the conservative groups working on election reforms with legislators, business and advocacy groups at the state level to try and address issues and concerns around voting procedures. The center has published a list of the The Top 25 Common-Sense State Election Integrity Reforms that includes verified voter identification, uniform ballot counting procedures and mail-in ballot reforms.

There are cases of bipartisan work on the issue. Earlier this year Kentucky passed bipartisan legislation that expanded early voting and set in place new voting measures that passed in the Republican supermajority legislature and was signed by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.

Republican Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, who testified before the Senate on Tuesday and said misinformation is the most serious threat facing the election system, credited his success working with a Democratic governor by making sure their messaging was in lock-step.

Having both sides at the table meant that his concerns on access, and my concerns on security were all addressed, Adams said. Thats the biggest mistake Republicans are making in state legislatures and Democrats are making in Congress. When you do this on a one party basis, the other side thinks youre trying to cheat them, and you cant make policy that way.
Associated Press

Khari Hasan Kalo peered out of the window of the repatriation flight as it touched down in northern Iraq. It's a place he and his family had hoped never to see again after they left for Belarus two months ago, driven by dreams of a new life in Europe. Kalo, 35, had begged for loans and spent his savings on the ill-fated journey to the Belarusian capital of Minsk, the first stop on a journey to the West.
Joseph Ladapo defends his stance in meeting with a Democratic state senator being treated for breast cancer, claiming masks limit clear communication.

Joseph Ladapo, the appointee for surgeon general of the state of Florida, is being criticized for refusing to wear a mask during a meeting with a state senator being treated for cancer.

Ladapo was meeting with Sen. Tina Polsky, a Democrat who represents Boca Raton, who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Reportedly, Ladapo offered to have the meeting outdoors or in a hallway, which Polsky declined, and the surgeon general refused to wear a mask in the lawmakers office.

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo is being criticized for refusing to wear a mask during a meeting with a Democratic state senator being treated for breast cancer. (Photo: Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/Sipa USA/AP Images)

According to The Tampa Bay Times, as media reporting about the exchange went viral in the Sunshine State, even Senate President Wilton Simpson, a Republican, denounced Ladapos behavior as unprofessional.

However, the widespread criticism has not deterred the doctor, who, in a statement on Twitter, wrote that he would never knowingly be disrespectful to anyone, but that he attempted in good faith to find some way for us to communicate that would respect each of our preferences.

So Duh-santis latest fringe appointment, Joe Ladapo as Surgeon General, harvested from the sea of lunatic morons, refused to wear a mask into Senator Polskys office, even though she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Top Doc? Or just another TFG acolyte?

You decide  Stephen Canfield (@StephenCanfiel6) October 27, 2021

Having a conversation with someone while wearing a mask is not something I find productive, especially when other options exist, he continued. It is important to me to communicate clearly and effectively with people. I cant do that when half of my face is covered.

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Polsky told The Times she kind of was backing up into my aides office because I really started to feel uncomfortable, and they just wouldnt do it, and he just kept trying to negotiate.

She noted that Ladapo was meeting with her regarding his efforts to be confirmed into his role as surgeon general by the states legislature. But Dr. Ladapos shameful excuse that he cant communicate with a mask on is not only absurd it is insulting, Polsky said. It is especially insulting in that immediately following our abruptly canceled meeting, he was bragging to staff that he was having fun arguing the point with me.

She added that physicians, nurses and support staff wear masks during surgery and other procedures where communicating clearly is literally a matter of life and death, and contended his outlandish notion that one cannot communicate with a mask on all but renders his qualifications as our states surgeon general an absurdity.

As previously reported, Ladapo was appointed to his post last month by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and has adamantly opposed both vaccination and mask mandates. He reportedly will not comment on whether or not hes been vaccinated.

In an article for The Wall Street Journal, Ladapo contended mask-wearing has a modest effect on stemming the spread of the virus.

Mandates infringe on personal autonomy, which can lead to political strife and unintended consequences, but they have value in some situations, he wrote. In general, however, wise policymaking respects the intrinsic value of personal autonomy and seeks the least burdensome path to achieve social gains.

Like DeSantis, Ladapo feels that the state should be less focused on stopping the spread of COVID-19, and instead focus on therapies that treat the disease. He also advised a combination of vaccination, losing weight, exercising more, [and] eating more fruits and vegetables.

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The post Fla. surgeon general criticized for not wearing mask in meeting with cancer patient appeared first on TheGrio.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  Former President Donald Trump's lawsuit to get his Twitter account restored must be heard in a California court, not a Florida one, under a user agreement covering everyone on the social media platform, a federal judge ruled.

U.S. District Judge Robert Scola in Miami rejected Trump's contention that because his Twitter account was suspended during his last days as president the California court requirement did not apply to him.

The requirement, known as a forum selection clause, was in force when Trump originally joined Twitter as a private citizen in 2009, Scola wrote in his order issued Wednesday.

First, Trumps former status as the president of the United States does not preclude the application of the forum selection clause. Second, the forum selection clause is valid and mandatory, Scola wrote in a 13-page order.

The decision means Trump's lawsuit will be heard in a northern California federal court instead of in Miami. A similar lawsuit by Trump against YouTube has also been transferred from Florida to California, while yet another Trump lawsuit against Facebook remains in Miami for now.

Twitter banned Trump's account on Jan. 8, two days after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol while Congress was certifying the victory of Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. In making the decision, Twitter cited the risk of further incitement of violence following the deadly insurrection.

So far, more than 680 people have been charged with crimes stemming from that insurrection and a congressional committee is examining what led up to the riot.

Trump and other conservatives sued Twitter on July 7, claiming that the decision to suspend his account violates his First Amendment rights and amounts to an attempt to censor conservative voices under coercion from Democrats.

At the time, Trump's @realdonaldtrump account had more than 88 million followers on Twitter.

Twitter's user agreement states that all legal actions against the San Francisco-based company must be brought only in northern California state or federal courts. Scola's ruling found that Trump did not make the required legal showing to keep the case in Florida, where Trump has his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach.

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Twitters forum selection clause is mandatory, not permissive, Scola wrote.

The lawsuit, a potential class action, will now move to a federal judge in the northern district of California.

Twitter reports it has more than 200 million users subject to the same agreement and bound by the California legal forum for any lawsuit against the company.
During a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland confirmed that he will not dissolve the task force he formed to investigate threats leveled by parents against school-board members, despite the National School Board Association apologizing for the letter which Garland has said served as the predicate for the task forces formation.

When asked about the task force by ranking Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, Garland suggested that the body is still necessary even though the NSBA backtracked on its original request for federal intervention to probe and potentially prosecute parents found guilty of threatening school administrators. In its apology statement released last week, the organization also reversed its characterization of parent protests at school board meetings as domestic terrorism.

On behalf of NSBA, we regret and apologize for this letter. . . . There was no justification for some of the language included in this letter, it read.

The NSBAs about-face came after state school board chapters across the country distanced themselves or formally disassociated from the national group, which they said failed to consult them before issuing a memo they would have refused to endorse.

In defense of his decision to keep the task force, Garland said the NSBA letter wasnt the only predicate for DOJ action, citing news reports detailing threats against school board members that he suggested justified intervention.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton rebuked this idea, however, referencing the Loudoun County student sexual assault report published by the Daily Wire revealing that the parent of a female victim was silenced by the school board and subsequently arrested for protesting the incident at a meeting.

This is shameful, Cotton said. Thank God youre not on the Supreme Court. You should resign in disgrace.

At least 19 state school board groups told non-profit Parents Defending Education that they disagreed with the messaging of the NSBA letter branding parent demonstrations as possible hate crimes and with the plea for federal intervention, which they argued infringed upon the constitutional authority of local school boards to manage their own public-school systems. In addition, the groups said the NSBA neither consulted nor informed them of its intention to send a letter to President Biden.

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As of Tuesday, the Ohio, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Louisiana state school board groups have severed their relationship with the national organization in response to its letter and the DOJs memo.

In its letter to the NSBA, the Ohio group wrote that its departure is a direct result of the letter sent by you to President Joe Biden late last month.

The NSBA demonstrated just how out of touch the national association is with the concerns of local school boards and the principle of local control, it added.

During the hearing, Republican Senator Ben Sasse questioned why Garland would not disavow his memo when so many state school board associations have rejected it as well as cut ties with the national group. He accused Garland of launching a campaign against parents to politicize the DOJ.

Why did the Ohio school board association disassociate from the National School Board Association?, Sasse asked.

I dont know, Garland replied. Because this was political hackery, Sasse shot back. The senator reiterated that while legitimate threats should not be condoned or dismissed, local law enforcement is more than able to handle one idiot or twelve idiots at local school board meetings.

But you have made it a federal issue and I have no idea why, Sasse added. He then demanded that Garland report back to the House Judiciary Committee to share the findings of the task forces assessment to elucidate for Congress how big of a threat parents really pose.

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"This very EV6 just set a new Guinness World Record."Automakers took on electric vehicle leader Tesla at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Thursday, unveiling new, more affordable and larger electric SUVs.EVs represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. auto market- and a growing number of automakers are eager to cash in.Kia Motors called Tesla out at the show, announcing that its upcoming electric crossover EV6 beat Tesla's record for the shortest charging time by more than five hours.Kia Brand Experience Director Michael McHale says the competition against Tesla is heating up."They have strong sales and they have a very good public awareness, but not everything is for everybody so there should always be an alternative and we're a different way to approach EVs."Tesla has become the world's most valuable automaker, with a market capitalization of more than $1 trillion.It's redefined the EV market with sleek, high-tech cars such as the Model Y, and it's taken advantage of that edge by raising the cost of its in-demand vehicles.That's created what its rivals see as an opening -- challenger Vinfast says its cars will be more reasonably priced, while others like Fisker are betting on novel features like a rotating dashboard screen.Still, analysts say it'll be tough for other automakers to scale up their EV production -- and make a dent in Tesla's market dominance.
Oct. 27Hawaii Department of Health officials reported 74 new confirmed and probable infections today, bringing the state's total since the start of the pandemic to 83, 522 cases.

No new virus-related fatalities were reported today so the statewide COVID-19 death toll remains 888.

The state's official coronavirus-related death toll includes 668 fatalities on Oahu, 112 on Hawaii island, 93 on Maui, nine on Kauai, one on Molokai and five Hawaii residents who died outside the state.

The U.S. coronavirus-related death toll today is over 738, 000 and the nationwide infection tally is more than 45.5 million.RELATED :

Today's new confirmed and probable infection count by island includes 36 new cases on Oahu, 19 on Hawaii island, two on Maui, 12 on Kauai and five Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state.

State health officials have been including probable infections in its total case counts. Probable infections include people who never received a confirmatory test but are believed to have had the virus because of their known exposure and symptoms or because of a positive antigen test.

The total number of confirmed and probable coronavirus cases by island since the start of the outbreak are 57, 548 on Oahu, 10, 933 on Hawaii island, 9, 460 on Maui, 2, 554 on Kauai, 239 on Molokai, and 142 on Lanai. There are also 2, 646 Hawaii residents who were diagnosed outside of the state.

Health officials also said today that, of the state's total infection count, 1, 679 cases were considered to be active. Officials say they consider infections reported in the past 14 days to be a "proxy number for active cases." The state's total number of active cases increased today by 14.

By island, Oahu has 960 active cases, the Big Island has 419, Maui has 175, Kauai has 119, Lanai has two and Molokai has four.

Health officials counted 2, 334 new COVID-19 test results in today's tally, for a 3.17 % statewide positivity rate. The state's 7-day average positivity rate is 2.3 %, according to the Hawaii COVID-19 Data dashboard.

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The latest Hawaii COVID-19 vaccine summary says 2, 152, 849 vaccine doses have been administered through state and federal distribution programs as of Monday, up 6, 605 from a day earlier. Health officials say that 71 % of the state's population is now fully vaccinated, and 79.7 % have received at least one dose.

Of all the confirmed Hawaii infection cases, 4, 664 have required hospitalizations, with seven new hospitalizations reported today.

Twenty-four hospitalizations in the overall statewide count are Hawaii residents who were diagnosed and treated outside the state. Of the 4, 640 hospitalizations within the state, 3, 651 have been on Oahu, 526 on Maui, 386 on the Big Island, 67 on Kauai, five on Lanai and five on Molokai.

According to the latest information from the department's Hawaii COVID-19 Data dashboard, a total of 78 patients with the virus were in Hawaii hospitals as of today, with 19 in intensive care units and 17 on ventilators.

The state's 7-day average positivity rate is 2.3 %, according to the Hawaii COVID-19 Data dashboard. The seven-day average case count for Oahu is 69 and the seven-day average positivity rate is 2.1 %, state health officials said today.------This breaking news story will be updated as more information becomes available.------
Two top House GOP leaders are calling upon the Justice Department to investigate whether EcoHealth Alliance violated the law after the National Institutes of Health confirmed the organization run by Peter Daszak had violated the terms of its federal grant when it conducted risky bat coronavirus research.

Reps. Jim Jordan and James Comer, respectively the ranking members on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight Committee, penned a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday, asking the DOJ to look into whether EcoHealth had broken federal laws against grant fraud.

Amid the search for the origin of COVID-19, two of the Biden administrations top doctors, Dr. Francis Collins and Dr. Anthony Fauci, have been adamant that the NIH did not fund so-called gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. But both men, the respective leaders of the NIH and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also admit they dont actually know what the secretive Chinese lab has been up to.

The Republicans said they have been investigating whether U.S. taxpayer dollars funded dangerous research into deadly pathogens in Wuhan and that the NIH and Fauci have denied using taxpayer money to fund this type of research for more than a year. However, they added that a recent admission from the NIH reveals that EcoHealth Alliance, an NIAID grant recipient, may have violated federal law in its taxpayer-funded work on deadly pathogens. Thus the lawmakers have called for the investigation.

Lawrence Tabak, the NIH's principal deputy director, said in a Wednesday letter that EcoHealth provided a five-year progress report on bat coronavirus research conducted under an NIH grant and that in this limited experiment, laboratory mice infected with the SHC014 WIV1 bat coronavirus became sicker than those infected with the WIV1 bat coronavirus.

FAUCI STANDS BY GAIN-OF-FUNCTION DENIALS

The new GOP letter noted that EcoHealth Alliance received a $3.7 million grant from NIAID in June 2014 titled, Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence, and it added that through that grant, EcoHealth sent more than $600,000 to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

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The Republicans said the rules of the grant required EcoHealth to report to the NIH and immediately stop all experiments if it created a virus that showed evidence of viral growth 1,000% that of the original virus. They added, Even if EcoHealth did not immediately report an experiment that met these parameters as required by the grant, EcoHealth would have to submit its annual progress report by September 30, 2019. But they said EcoHealth failed "on both counts," adding that last weeks letter from the NIH showed EcoHealth had failed to report properly and promptly on its coronavirus experiment that violated the terms of the grant while also failing to submit an annual report until August of this year, nearly two years later than it had been required to do so.

Jordan and Comer told Garland that the revelation in the NIH letter raises the prospect about whether EcoHealth violated 18 U.S.C.  1031 and committed a major fraud against the United States.

The Republicans also pointed to the U.S. governments Grant Fraud and Responsibilities of Recipients website, which lists examples of grant fraud, including misrepresenting a project's status to continue receiving government funds.

And they contended that between Sept. 30, 2019, and Aug. 3, 2021, EcoHealth received $21,648,574 in grant funds from U.S. taxpayers that the company may not have received if it had timely disclosed to NIH that it had created a virus that would trigger the cessation of its experiments.

It appears that EcoHealth Alliance had six grants from the Pentagon beginning after September 2019, along with two from the Department of Health and Human Services starting during that time.

The fact that EcoHealth received more than $21 million during this period shows that the company had a clear financial incentive to violate the terms of its grant by failing to stop its experiments, the Republicans said. In addition, EcoHealths failure to provide the required reporting to NIH for nearly two years  despite a requirement in the grant to do so annually  suggests that EcoHealth knowingly withheld information from NIH in an effort to misrepresent the projects status.

Jordan and Comer asked the DOJ to look into whether EcoHealth broke the law "by misrepresenting the status of its project to NIAID or NIH" and requested a response by next Wednesday.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul requested in July that Garland criminally investigate Fauci over Senate testimony in which he said the NIH never funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan lab. Garland told Republican Sens. Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz on Wednesday that it was long-standing DOJ policy not to comment on the existence of any investigations when asked whether the DOJ was investigating Fauci for allegedly lying to the Senate.

Over the weekend, Fauci stood by his denial, saying Paul was "absolutely incorrect." Fauci also said EcoHealth should have put their progress report in in a timely manner  no denial of that, and there will be administrative consequences.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Daszak maintained a long working relationship with Wuhan lab bat lady Shi Zhengli, sending her lab at least $600,000 in NIH funding. Daszak was also part of the World Health Organization-China team that dismissed the lab leak hypothesis as extremely unlikely earlier this year.

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Tags: News, Health Care, Coronavirus

Original Author: Jerry Dunleavy

Original Location: House GOP calls for DOJ to investigate if EcoHealth Alliance broke law
Huma Abedin in 2016. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

Huma Abedin described an alleged sexual assault in an upcoming book, the Guardian reported.

She described pushing the senator away as he forcefully kissed her after a dinner in DC.

Abedin said she stayed friendly with the senator and repressed the memory of the event for years.

Former Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin said that she was sexually assaulted by a US Senator in 2005.

The claim was made in excerpts of her upcoming book "Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds," which were obtained by the Guardian and the BBC.

Abedin did not name the Senator. According to the Guardian, she said the incident occurred in Washington, DC, not long after she and the Clintons attend the wedding of Donald and Melania Trump in January 2005.

She was working for Hillary Clinton at the time, who was then a US Senator for New York.

Abedin, per the reports, said that the dinner was attended by "a few senators and their aides."

She said she "ended up walking out with one of the senators, and soon we stopped in front of his building and he invited me in for coffee. Once inside, he told me to make myself comfortable on the couch."

Abedin gave no identifying details of the senator other than his gender. There was 86 male US Senators at the time.

She wrote that the senator then removed his jacket and began to make coffee. Then, per the Guardian, she said that "in an instant, it all changed."

"He plopped down to my right, put his left arm around my shoulder, and kissed me, pushing his tongue into my mouth, pressing me back on the sofa.

"I was so utterly shocked, I pushed him away. All I wanted was for the last 10 seconds to be erased."

Abedin said the senator apologized for misreading the situation and said they remained friendly afterward, adding that she "buried the incident" entirely in her memory, the Guardian reported.

Abedin said she did not recall what happened until allegations of sexual assault were made against Brett Kavanaugh in the run-up to his confirmation as a Supreme Court Justice.

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Abedin said that her memory resurfaced when Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her in their college years, was challenged on why she had only recalled the incident in 2012.

Kavanaugh strongly denied the allegations, which did not prevent his confirmation.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The man identified by police as the perpetrator of Mondays fatal shooting at the Boise Towne Square mall was a felon and had been flagged by Idaho State Police in April on suspicion of illegally possessing firearms, according to public records.

Jacob Bergquist, 27, had a run-in with Idaho State Police at the Statehouse on April 2 that prompted the agency to investigate potential charges against him, a police report shows. The Boise Police Department on Tuesday identified Bergquist as the man who killed two people and injured four others in a Monday afternoon shooting at the mall, firing 18 rounds inside the building and more outside.

Police Chief Ryan Lee said Bergquist was known to other law enforcement. Bergquist died at a local hospital Tuesday after exchanging gunfire with police Monday following the mall shooting.

According to the Idaho State Police report, Trooper James Love saw Bergquist apparently recording a video in the Capitol rotunda at around 2 p.m. April 2. When the trooper directed another Capitol visitor toward Gov. Brad Littles office, Bergquist followed, Love said.

Love said in the report that he had noticed Bergquist was armed with a holstered semiautomatic handgun on his left hip. It is legal to carry firearms at the Idaho State Capitol.

Love said he followed Bergquist and the other visitor to the governors office, where Bergquist asked the trooper whether he could speak to the governor. Love directed Bergquist to the receptionist, Tamara Felter.

I listened while the young man explained to Ms. Felter that he wanted to interview the governor to get his thoughts on persons convicted of felonies being able to carry guns, Love wrote. He went on to say that he was a felon and that by Idaho Code 18-310 he was able to carry a firearm and that he was trying to get the word out to others that they, too, could carry in Idaho.

Idaho Code cited

The Idaho code Bergquist cited outlines how the right to possession of a firearm is denied to individuals convicted of certain felonies. Public records show that Bergquist was arrested in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in 2011 and charged with possession of marijuana and intent to sell, which is a felony. Those charges were pleaded down to a misdemeanor. Had he been convicted of felony possession of a controlled substance, Bergquist would not have been allowed to possess firearms in Idaho.

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Bergquist was also arrested in Cook County, Illinois, in 2012 and convicted of theft in excess of $300. That charge is a Class 3 felony in Illinois, but theft does not disqualify Idaho felons from possessing firearms per the code Bergquist cited. The Idaho Statesman has reached out to Cook County authorities for more details on the conviction.

Bergquist told Felter that he was convicted of theft, according to Loves police report. He also reiterated to Love that Idaho Code 18-310 allowed him to possess firearms in the state.

Love requested that the Ada County Prosecutors Office investigate charges against Bergquist for possible violation of Idaho Code 18-310 as well as Code 18-3316, which makes it a felony for a convicted felon to possess firearms.

According to an emailed statement from the Ada County Prosecutors Office, it followed up on Loves request.

Our office determined he was not a prohibited possessor in Idaho, based on Idahos laws including Idaho Code Section 18-3316 and 18-310, the statement said.

Idaho Code Section 18-310(2) has a list of qualifying felony convictions which prohibit firearm possession. Mr. Bergquist did not have a felony conviction for a listed offense. He was prosecuted for a qualifying offense in another state, but that case did not result in a qualifying felony conviction. On July 28, 2011, a misdemeanor judgment of conviction was entered in that case. He was prosecuted for a retail theft offense in Illinois which does not qualify under 18-310 as a qualifying felony prior conviction. Our office could not take any action.

Love said Felter had also learned the name of Bergquists YouTube channel, which included two videos that clearly show him in the Capitol and armed. The original YouTube channel, titled Guns N Rodents, no longer exists, but the Idaho Statesman was able to examine videos posted to another channel, called Guns N Rodents Reloaded, before it was taken down by the website Tuesday evening. The about section of the channel identified the channel owner as Jacob Bergquist and said he was a convicted felon living in Boise.

This channels main dedication is towards repealing the prohibited possessor list in various states throughout the union, the channels about section stated.

The most recent video, posted to the channel on Oct. 21, showed Bergquist firing a Beretta Bobcat at an indoor shooting range.

The Guns N Rodents Reloaded page linked to a third account with no videos posted. The about section of that page said the channel was for firearm content and conservative politics. Screengrabs of the about section on the original Guns N Rodents channel show Bergquist using racial slurs and declaring minorities are not welcome here!!
By Scott Murdoch and Alun John

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Investment banks and corporate advisors are pushing back against Hong Kong's proposed rules for blank check listings, arguing they are too onerous and will not make the city competitive, three sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Interested parties have until Oct. 31 to lodge submissions with the Hong Kong stock exchange over its proposed framework for Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs).

The criticism comes at a time when rival Asian financial hub Singapore has shot ahead with its preparations to allow SPACs, which raise money on stock markets to buy private companies, giving those businesses a quick and cheap route to a listing.

Key concerns raised include a proposed requirement that any SPAC deal be worth at least HK$1 billion ($130 million) as that excludes smaller buyout targets, said the sources who have worked on submissions.

The sources were not authorised to speak to media and declined to be identified.

The proposed rules also stipulate that there need to be at least 75 professional investors in a SPAC listing, 40% of which must be institutional while retail investors cannot participate until after the company has carried out its merger - requirements likely to make trading illiquid, the sources added.

The rules also require the merged entity to appoint a financial sponsor to carry out due diligence and meet the exchange's existing listing requirements which could tack on another three to six months to the listing process.

"It is of the view to some practitioners that it could undermine the intention of offering the SPAC as an alternative and streamlined listing approach," the city's Financial Services Development Council said of the due diligence requirement in a submission lodged on Wednesday.

The Hong Kong stock exchange did not comment on whether it would be amenable to making concessions when asked for comment by Reuters.

Its SPAC consultation paper says the bourse does not want to replicate U.S. SPAC rules but instead plans to create a regime "tailored to the particular risks and requirements of the Hong Kong market", adding that several proposals are "designed to provide a high entry point for SPAC listing applicants and De-SPAC targets.

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Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission told Reuters in a statement it would work closely with the exchange to take into account market feedback when finalising the new rules.

There has been nearly $137 billion worth of SPACs issued globally so far in 2021, according to Refinitiv. The pace of deals has fallen sharply https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/how-wall-streets-hottest-dealmaking-trend-fizzled-2021-09-16 since the first quarter, however, with U.S. investors spooked by the vehicles' poor financial performance and a regulatory crackdown.

While Hong Kong is still debating its rules, Singapore last month became the first Asian market to allow SPACs to list, making concessions after the initial proposals were seen as too strict.

European asset manager Tikehau Capital is among the first https://www.reuters.com/article/tikehau-capital-listing/asset-manager-tikehau-capital-applies-to-list-spac-on-sgx-sources-idUSKBN2HH05F to plan a SPAC listing in Singapore, sources have told Reuters.

"I think there is a concern that the proposed SPAC regime for Hong Kong is less competitive than that in other jurisdictions," said Vivian Yiu, a Hong Kong-based capital markets partner at law firm Morrison & Foerster.

"While the Stock Exchange is understandably putting in place these safeguards to prevent abuse and market manipulation, there is perhaps room for relaxation in some areas as retail investors are excluded from investing until the de-SPAC completes," she said.

Hong Kong authorities have spent years trying to combat illegal practices linked to the formation and speculative trading of shell companies, which they say provide opportunities for market manipulation and insider dealing. Those concerns resulted in strict rules in 2019 that constrain back door listings.

(Reporting by Scott Murdoch and Alun John in Hong Kong; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
Israel on Wednesday advanced plans for building more than 3,000 settler homes in the occupied West Bank, a move condemned by the Palestinians that came a day after the US forcefully criticised such construction.

The Civil Administration's high planning committee gave final approval to 1,800 homes and initial endorsement for another 1,344, a spokesman for the military body that oversees civilian matters in the Palestinian territories told AFP.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in a statement voiced "strong rejection" of the approvals, and said the US needed "to implement its pledge to reject settlements and unilateral (Israeli) measures."

About 475,000 Israeli Jews already live in settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law, on land Palestinians claim as part of their future state.

The approvals came a day after Washington criticised Israel for its policy of building settlements. President Joe Biden's administration said it "strongly" opposed new construction in the West Bank.

The policy stands in stark contrast to that of his predecessor Donald Trump, whose presidency endorsed Israel's activity on occupied Palestinian territory.

"We are deeply concerned about the Israeli government's plan to advance thousands of settlement units," State Department spokesman Ned Price had said on Tuesday, ahead of Israel's announcement on final and preliminary approvals.

Price stopped short of saying the matter would jeopardise relations with the Jewish state, a major US ally.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also raised the settlement approvals in a call with Israel's Defence Minister Benny Gantz on Tuesday, a senior State Department official said.

- 'Falling asleep' -

The locations of the Jewish homes approved on Wednesday were spread across the West Bank, from the suburbs of Jerusalem to new neighbourhoods of settlements deep inside the territory.

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Some are proposed but others have already been built and received retroactive approval.

Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and east Jerusalem has been a policy of every Israeli government since 1967, when it occupied these areas in the Six Day War. It later annexed east Jerusalem.

Israel's housing ministry had separately on Sunday published tenders to build 1,355 new homes in the West Bank.

While moving forward the plans for Israeli settler homes, the Civil Administration is also scheduled on Sunday to advance plans for the construction of 1,301 residences for Palestinians in Israeli-controlled parts of the West Bank.

Critics say that move is an attempt to allay criticism from Israeli allies and the anger of left-wing partners in an unwieldy coalition government headed by right-wing Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

It is the first time that the Civil Administration, the military rulers of the West Bank, has approved settlement construction under Bennett's government.

He came to power in June as the head of an ideologically disparate eight-party coalition with members ranging from the Jewish religious far-right to Israel's Islamist party.

The former head of a settler lobby group, Bennett opposes Palestinian statehood.

He has ruled out formal peace talks with the Palestinian Authority during his tenure, saying he prefers to focus on economic improvements.

Israeli anti-occupation group Peace Now accused the government of "violating the status-quo" over the settlements, and charged proponents of the two-state solution in Bennett's coalition with "falling asleep on their shift."

dac-jjm/bs/it
By Sakura Murakami

KASHIWAZAKI, Japan (Reuters) -Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's push to restart Japanese nuclear power plants idled after the Fukushima disaster faces stiff opposition ahead of a general election on Sunday, where his future as leader hangs in the balance if the vote is tight.

A decade after triple meltdowns at Fukushima forced mass evacuations and a shut-down of the nuclear industry, Japan has restarted only a third of its 33 operable reactors.

Debate over whether to fire more of them back up is highly charged, with 40% of the population opposing the move.

It matters most in rural cities hosting the idled plants which had once relied on them for economic activity, such as Kashiwazaki, 265 km (165 miles) northwest of Tokyo - home to the world's largest atomic power complex.

"The reason why we feel so strongly about this is because we feel the danger of the nuclear power plant - it hangs over our heads every day," said Mie Kuwabara, a resident of a town close to Kashiwazaki and anti-nuclear activist.

Voters mostly care about economic recovery from the pandemic. But energy policy came into sharp focus last month, when Kishida beat a popular anti-nuclear candidate in the race for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) chief.

The architect of Kishida's victory, party veteran Akira Amari, assumed a key party post and immediately pushed for restarts of 30 reactors while also promoting new, smaller reactors to replace ageing ones.

Amari says Japan must revert to nuclear power to meet its 2050 carbon neutrality pledge, avoid rapidly rising prices of imported coal and gas and to cut its reliance on other countries for energy needs.

Amari faces a tight race in his home district, where he is struggling to attract support from anti-nuclear junior coalition partner, Komeito.

Opposition to his plan is strong in Kashiwazaki too.

"This prefecture as a whole, even within the LDP, is united behind the idea that the nuclear power plant can't be restarted," said Mineo Ono, who runs the LDP's local chapter where anti-nuclear proponent Taro Kono polled higher than Kishida in the leadership race vote.

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Ono cited local distrust caused by what he called multiple mishaps by the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Holdings (Tepco).

The nuclear regulator upended plans for a restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, which can power 24 million households, in April, after identifying operational issues including faulty intruder detection alarms and the misuse of ID cards.

Nation-wide, restarts have been delayed by technical issues, lawsuits and regulatory reviews.

Tepco in an emailed statement apologised and said it would work to regain the trust of locals. It added that while nuclear energy is instrumental in achieving carbon neutrality, the time is not right to discuss restarts.

That poses a problem for the LDP, which polls show is on the brink of losing its simple majority, an outcome that would still let it cling to power thanks to the coalition with Komeito, but that may lead to a push inside the party to oust Kishida.

The government said in its latest energy policy on Friday it would double 2020 levels of renewable energy to 38%, but has maintained nuclear power will provide some 22% of the country's energy by 2030, up from 6% in the 2018 financial year.

'DIVIDING FACTOR'

Kashiwazaki, a town of 80,000, sits on the coast of the Sea of Japan. In the evening, buses unload workers maintaining the complex around the main train station.

"We host the world's biggest nuclear plant, but that energy goes mostly to Tokyo and its surrounding regions. Locals feel deeply about that," LDP's Ono said. There is a 'divide' between the sentiment of the locals and people in Tokyo, he said.

A restart is critical for Tepco, which needs money to fund the clean-up at its Fukushima plant. Restarting two reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa would save an estimated $880 million per year in fuel costs, it says.

But even the local chamber of commerce, instrumental in wooing the plant which started operations in 1985, says it is tired of what it sees as Tepco's repeated failures.

"It's almost unbearable, seeing how shoddy they are," said chamber of commerce chief Masao Saikawa.

To allay these fears, Kenichi Hosoda, the LDP candidate in the district who serves as the vice minister at the Ministry of Industry overseeing energy policy, has toned down his pro-nuclear message.

"Now is not the time to discuss the issue," he told Reuters after a recent rally held near the plant.

In response to a question on why discussions on the nuclear plant have been toned down before the vote, local LDP leader Ono spoke of "a large group of swing voters who the candidates have to capture."

"When it comes down to it, the issue of nuclear energy will be the dividing factor. It's a fact that the nuclear element has an influence," said Ono.

(Reporting by Sakura Murakami; Additional reporting by Aaron Sheldrick; Editing by Antoni Slodkowski and Lincoln Feast)
A New Jersey teaching assistant was suspended Tuesday after a Muslim student claimed the teacher responded to his query about homework with a reference to terrorism.

The Garden State's Ridgefield School District indicated it may pursue legal action after a teaching assistant allegedly responded to a request from Mohammed Zubi, 17, to finish his homework at home by saying, "We don't negotiate with terrorists."

"The Ridgefield School District has absolutely no tolerance for any sort of discrimination against any student or staff member," The district posted on its front page. "The District strives to create an inclusive environment where students and staff members' race, religion, national origin, and sexual orientation are embraced ... Additionally, the District has notified law enforcement for its assistance. The District fully intends to pursue any and all legal remedies against the staff member as any discriminatory conduct has absolutely no place in our District."

DAY CARE GROUP WARNS VACCINE MANDATES WILL LEAD TO LESS ACCESS

Zubi said the instructor's remark was met with mixed reactions from other students in the classroom.

"I look around in shock," Zubi told local outlet WABC. "There's people laughing, and there's other people in shock. I turn around and ask my friend, 'Did he really just say that?' and she said, 'Yes.'"

The unidentified teaching assistant later approached Zubi and reportedly told him, "I didn't mean it like that."

The teenager said he has not returned to school since the teacher's comments.

"I don't feel like going back. I'm really uncomfortable," he said.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, offered the school district diversity training for its teachers and staff "to help combat Islamophobia and bullying."

"We are very concerned about these allegations and urge the school district to take appropriate corrective measures following a swift and transparent investigation," said CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut in a Friday press release.

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Maksut made clear that "this type of insensitive language by an authority figure is unacceptable because it perpetuates stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The district declined to comment on the story for legal reasons but stated that it suspended the teacher while investigating Zubi's claims.

This is the second recent incident of alleged Islamophobia in New Jersey, according to CAIR. An elementary teacher elsewhere in the state was accused in early October of forcibly removing the hijab of a Muslim student. That school district pledged due process for the teacher while reaffirming its commitment to "diversity, equity and inclusion throughout [its] schools including providing anti-bias and anti-racism training for all educators in the district on a regular basis."

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Islam, New Jersey, Discrimination, High School

Original Author: Christopher Hutton

Original Location: New Jersey educator suspended after allegedly telling Muslim student 'We don't negotiate with terrorists'
Statue of Liberty clouded by exhaust fumes

Joe Biden heads to Glasgow in the coming days for a crucial climate summit at which he hopes to cajole international partners into era-defining commitments to reduce carbon emissions. But two senators could undermine his green credentials at the worst possible time.

In a Senate balanced on a knife's edge between Democrats and Republicans, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have found their moment.

They may share the moderate lane of the party, the centre ground of US politics, but beyond that the two could hardly be more different.

The rugged 74-year-old man from the mountains of West Virginia and the 45-year-old iconoclastic woman from the deserts of Arizona.

One enjoys extended chats with political reporters and hosts parties for fellow senators on his houseboat. The other barely speaks to the press and flies back to her home state at the slightest opportunity.

But for all their differences, they are united in opposing parts of Joe Biden's ambitious climate programme - with its ultimate goal of reducing US greenhouse gas emissions to half of 2005 levels.

And now it's a race to strike an agreement on a spending bill that allays their concerns without diluting the US president's green agenda before he arrives in Glasgow on Sunday.

So what is driving their thinking?

The man from the mountains

On Sunday morning in Wilmington, Delaware, the president of the United States, the majority leader of the US Senate and the senator from West Virginia sat down for breakfast.

Manchin, hailing from a rural state with only 1.8 million people and a fraction of a percent of the total US gross domestic product, was the one calling the shots.

Because of a legislative procedure, Biden and the Democratic congressional leadership hope to use to pass their upcoming spending package with a simple majority, Manchin's support could be the difference between success and failure.

Joe Manchin

The West Virginian had already effectively scuttled what was the centrepiece of Biden's legislative climate agenda, a $150bn programme that would have rewarded energy producers that switched to renewable sources of power and fined those that continued to rely on fossil fuels. Now he is reportedly targeting a fee on the emission of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

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He has said he is more amenable to investments in renewable resources as long as they are accompanied by research to make fossil fuel cleaner and don't endanger existing subsidies for the energy industry.

Part of Manchin's concern with Biden's social-spending and climate agenda is ideological. Manchin is a centrist in a party that is trending more to the left. He's a throwback to a time when his state was controlled by Democrats, but last year Republican Donald Trump won West Virginia by 39 percentage points. Manchin is now the lone Democratic holdout in West Virginia politics and, if he were to choose not to run for re-election in 2024, his seat would almost certainly flip to the Republicans.

Another component of Manchin's view, on climate in particular, is practical.

He is one of the two senators - the other a Republican - from a state whose economy is dominated by the coal industry. In 2019, the most recent year for which there are figures, coal contributed $9.1bn to the West Virginian economy and accounted for about 27,000 jobs. Manchin's energy investments personally provided him with almost half a million dollars in income in 2020. Energy companies gave more to Manchin's political campaigns than any other senator's.

Art installation in NYC about climate change

From his perch as chair of the Senate Energy Committee, Manchin has a particular interest in the climate policies his party - and president - seek to enact. And climate policies that present an existential threat to his state's energy business have little hope of escaping his reach.

The woman from the west

If Manchin's motives to scale back Biden's climate agenda are reasonably clear, the reasoning of the other key Senate centrist on the issue is more of a cipher.

Sinema started her career in politics as an activist in the Green Party, before she began a steady climb up through Arizona elective office.

As she's elevated her position, she's moved steadily toward the middle of the political spectrum, culminating in her Senate victory in 2018, the first for a Democrat in the state in 30 years.

Sinema is a keen triathlete and once completed an Ironman

In the past year, she's infuriated her party with a vote against raising the minimum wage and by skipping a procedural vote on forming a committee to investigate the January attack on the US Capitol. She's also frustrated liberal activists by keeping her public statements about the spending-bill negotiations to a minimum. Where Manchin will frequently spell out what he will - and won't - support, Sinema treats reporters - and their questions - like a toxic outbreak.

Sinema's relative silence has created a cottage industry of speculation about her motivations and objectives. The left wing of the party point to her frequent meetings with corporate lobbyists as evidence that she's in league with big business interests, perhaps preparing herself for a lucrative post-Senate career.

It's a theory political reporter Joshua Marshall of the website Talking Points Memo doesn't buy.

"You just don't work that hard and that successfully to climb the ladder of political power to flame out after one Senate term to get a job as a lobbyist," he writes. "The money isn't that good."

Death Valley is getting hotter and drier

Marshall speculates that Sinema is styling herself after the late Arizona Senator John McCain, who frequently quarrelled with his fellow Republicans and, shortly before his death, cast a deciding vote against his party to block the repeal of Democratic health-insurance reforms in 2017.

McCain's maverick persona - along with his war-hero record - helped him become an institution in Arizona and ultimately win the Republican presidential nomination in 2008.

Sinema's calculation may be that the key to success in her state, and perhaps nationally, is to burnish her independent credentials. In a state where registered independents outnumber Democrats, it could be a winning strategy.

And so she has expressed opposition to some of the bigger-ticket green-energy subsidies, community funding and spending items in Biden's climate package, while still voicing interest in a tax on carbon used in energy-production (an idea that probably won't fly with Manchin, however).

A Democratic war

There's already talk in liberal circles of mounting a challenge to Sinema in the 2024 Arizona Democratic primary, and left-wing activists have taken to chasing her through airports and in other public spaces to pressure her to be more of a party team player. Manchin has faced similar scrutiny - and liberal outcry.

It is, perhaps, a reflection of just how effective efforts by these two centrists have been that Democrats on the left have become increasingly frustrated with the diminished size of the final bill - and a left-wing rebellion against the final agreement is still a possibility.

It may be too late, however.

While the party's liberal flank has succeeded in delaying passage of an accompanying bipartisan infrastructure bill that both Sinema and Manchin have championed, the size of the president's social spending package has been reduced by trillions of dollars - and the scope of the climate measures have been significantly curtailed - because of the two centrists' efforts.

The liberal wing of the party has been scathing in its criticism of Manchin and Sinema

According to reporting by Axios, the White House has scrambled to find a number of new ways to cut emissions, having lost the battle with Manchin over the cleaner energy grid.

As Biden prepares to head to Scotland for next week's climate summit, it will be Manchin and Sinema who are defining the limits of what he can promise the US will deliver - and, perhaps, whether he can make any promises at all.
The Illinois teenager fatally shot two people during a protest in Wisconsin last year

The judge overseeing Kyle Rittenhouses murder case ruled Monday that lawyers can refer to the men he shot as rioters and looters, but not victims during the upcoming trial, The Chicago Tribune reports.

On Monday, Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder ruled that prosecutors in the Rittenhouse case can not refer to the three wounded men as victims during the trial because it would be prejudicial to Rittenhouse, The Chicago Tribune writes.

The word victim is a loaded, loaded word, Schroeder said.

Judge Schroeder did, however, rule that Rittenhouses defense team can refer to the men as rioters or looters.

The behavior of many people there was lawless, defense attorney Mark Richards said of the protest in Wisconsin last year. Mr. Rosenbaum was at the top of that list.

The terms that Im identifying here such as rioter, looter and arsonist are as loaded, if not more loaded, than the term victim, Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger said. This is an attempt to tell the jury that Mr. Rosenbaum was a bad guy who deserved to die, Binger said. Thats really whats going on here, your honor.

Rittenhouse, an Illinois teenager, fatally shot two people during a protest in Wisconsin last year. He traveled across state lines, armed with what has been described as a long gun, purportedly to help support law enforcement and protect public property amid protests over Jacob Blake, a Black man who was unarmed when he was shot in the back a Kenosha, Wis. police officer.

Rittenhouse was charged with first-degree murder for shooting and killing Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, Anthony Huber, 26, and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz, 26, with an AR-style semiautomatic rifle. Conservatives across the country have rallied around Rittenhouse, raising $2 million to cover his bail. Black Lives Matter supporters have painted him as a trigger-happy racist.

Kyle Rittenhouse, second from right, appears in court with his legal team for a motion hearing in Kenosha, Wis., on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. (Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via AP)

A judge ruled last month that prosecutors cant argue that Rittenhouse is affiliated with the Proud Boys or that he attacked a woman months before the shootings.

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Rittenhouse has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His legal team claims he shot two individuals in self-defense as they were trying to disarm him. Witnesses have alleged that he was stalking the city and threatening people with his weapon.

Earlier this month, attorneys for Rittenhouse tried to get the misdemeanor charge for possession of a deadly weapon dismissed by invoking hunting laws. They cited a Wisconsin hunting statute that allowed the teen to carry an assault rifle on the night he traveled from Illinois to Kenosha where he fatally shot two people and injured a third, NBC News reports.

Judge Schroeder refused to dismiss the misdemeanor weapons charge, stating that a review of the state statutes was necessary, according to the report.

I dont feel comfortable making a ruling, he said. The basic concept is the rule  has to be clear to ordinary people.

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The post Judge: Men Kyle Rittenhouse killed can be called looters but not victims appeared first on TheGrio.
Keanu Reeves in 2020. Steve Granitz/WireImage

Keanu Reeves reportedly gave members of his stunt team on "John Wick 4" Rolex watches.

Social-media photos appear to show Reeves celebrating with his team, and the watches themselves.

The "Matrix" star even had a sweet message of thanks engraved on the back of each Submariner.

Keanu Reeves gifted members of his stunt team on "John Wick 4" Rolex watches, according to reports - and he even had a heartfelt message of thanks engraved on the back of each one.

Photos shared to social media show Reeves celebrating the wrap of the fourth "John Wick" movie with his stunt team (a group Reeves dubbed the "The John Wick Five") in Paris.

And screenshots that appear to be from team members' Instagram Stories show the special present Reeves gave each of them: a Rolex Submariner watch, with a personalized note engraved on the back of each.

One stuntman dubbed the gift the "best wrap gift ever."

According to the Rolex website, similar models retail for $8,100, but HypeBeast reported that the rare watches can often go for much more.

Stuntmen Jeremy Marinas, Li Qiang, Bruce Lee Concepcion, and Dave Camarillo all received watches from the "Matrix" star, People reports.

Reeves, who's starred in films like "My Own Private Idaho" and "Something's Gotta Give," is known for his kind behavior towards costars and random fans alike.

In March 2019, a Los Angeles-bound plane that Reeves was on was forced to make an emergency landing - but that didn't stop the actor from kindly posing for photos with his fellow passengers.

Reeves even went above and beyond, and helped organize transport to San Francisco, their destination.

And one of Reeves' more famous moments of generosity came during the filming of 1999's "The Matrix," when he gifted a dozen stuntmen with Harley-Davidson motorcycles to thank them.

"I just wanted... to give a bigger thank-you to all these guys who helped me make this," Reeves said of his generous act.

Read the original article on Insider
The Haitian government is working to extradite a former Colombian military officer who is a key suspect in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise from Jamaica to Haiti, where 18 former soldiers are currently jailed in connection with the killing.

Mario Palacios Palacios was arrested in Kingston earlier this month after surrendering. The arrest had remained secret until multiple Haitian and Jamaica sources, speaking to the Miami Herald on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that he had been taken into custody.

We are working on getting him transferred to Haiti, Haiti Foreign Minister Claude Joseph said as he left Italy Wednesday, where he says he discussed the extradition with Jamaica Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamina Johnson Smith and Colombia Vice President Marta Lucia Ramirez. Ramirez is also the South American nations foreign minister.

There was chatter in Haiti that Palacios might be extradited to the U.S., which has been working with Haitian authorities to bring the assassins to justice. But because Palacios is not wanted on charges of committing a crime in the U.S. or Jamaica, where hes being held on an immigration violation, his fate remained uncertain.

The same is true for Colombia.

He doesnt have any criminal notice in Colombia, Defense Minister Diego Molano Aponte told the McClatchy Washington Bureau and Miami Herald.

Molano said Colombian Foreign Minister Ramirez is checking to see what laws, if any, apply to Palacios. Of course the position of the government of Colombia is to cooperate with the Haitian authorities, he said.

According to information gathered with Interpol, Molano said, the ex-Colombian military members were involved in the full homicide process; they knew the reason they were hired, and all of them were involved until a certain point.

It is unclear how long Palacios had been in Jamaica and why he chose the country when he became a fugitive from Haitian police after the July 7 slaying, in which former first lady Martine Moise was seriously injured. In an interview from hiding, Palacios told the Colombian publication Semana that he would rather throw himself into the sea than give himself up to Haitian justice because there are no guarantees of anything.

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Here the police are all crooked. There is nothing here. This is no mans land, he said.

The investigation into Moises middle-of-the-night slaying has been stymied by allegations of political interference and Haitian police handling of the evidence. The Colombians in custody have accused Haitian police of using force and pressure to get them to confess their roles, and the government of Colombia has written to Haiti officials expressing concerns about the treatment of its nationals and respect for human rights.

In all, 44 suspects have been arrested, including three Haitian Americans who lived in South Florida and members of the presidents security detail. An investigative judge is currently assigned to the case and is carrying out questioning similar to a grand jurys work in the U.S.

On the same day that Palacios arrest was made public, Haitis police director, Leon Charles, resigned. His replacement, Frantz Elbe, who was named the same day, is now facing questions about his own human rights record while in the force. Shortly after being named, Elbe sought to replace the head of the investigative police unit, who had been leading the investigation and evidence-gathering in the case.

Adding to the challenges is the current state of affairs in the battered country, where the interim prime minister and justice minister both face calls to resign amid a cascade of crises. Theres an upsurge in gang violence, which led to the kidnapping of 16 American missionaries and a Canadian. A week later they are still being held along with their five children.

Meanwhile, a worsening fuel crisis is threatening to shut down hospitals because gangs have been preventing trucks from transporting fuel to pumps.

On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the administration would be helping the Haiti National Police secure transportation corridors to allow for fuel deliveries.

There are parts of Haiti where it is hard to get to. Thats why  because of threats of crime on the ground and challenging circumstances on the ground. So these transportation corridors are meant to help enable these fuel deliveries, to get fuel out to communities that need it, she said.
Oct. 26An officer from the Maine Correctional Center in Windham has been accused of drunken driving.

The officer, whom the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office did not identify, later tried to flee Monday morning when officers brought him to the Lewiston Police Department, according to the Sun Journal.

He was taken to Central Maine Medical Center, where he was treated for a minor injury, the newspaper reported.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is telling colleagues he has deep concerns about a proposed billionaire tax but is waiting for more details before making a final decision, people familiar with the matter tell Axios.

Why it matters: The senator's doubts reveal an uncomfortable truth for the White House and congressional leaders as they race to finish  and pay for  their nearly $2 trillion social spending and climate package: A tax solution designed to satisfy Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) isn't necessarily acceptable to Manchin.

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

The billionaire tax gained currency over the weekend because Sinema, a fellow moderate and key negotiator, signaled her opposition to corporate, personal and capital gains tax hikes. Manchins potential opposition to the billionaire-tax proposal would blow a $200 billion to $250 billion hole in the Democrats' plans for new revenues.

Manchin has long had concerns about mark-to-market proposals, which try to assess  and then tax  the appreciation of an asset before its been sold. That would be the underpinning of the billionaire tax.

On Tuesday, Manchin noncommittally told reporters: "I haven't seen the text on it.

Driving the news: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, planned to release the details of his tax on unrealized gains for billionaires Tuesday evening, with senators and key House lawmakers eager to see actual legislation.

These are complicated ideas and the devils in the details, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) told Axios.

Asked by Axios' Alayna Treene if he was skeptical about the proposal, Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) said, Oh of course. I think that  you know, I mean, I got to look at it.

Some House Democrats, including House Way and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.), have expressed misgivings about the proposal but haven't formally announced their opposition.

The big picture: Senate leaders unveiled a separate plan to impose a 15% minimum book tax on corporations with more than $1 billion in profits.

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Previously estimates have put the potential revenue for that provision at $150 billion over 10 years, but Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) suggested Tuesday it could raise between $300 billion and $400 billion.

Sinema proclaimed her support on Twitter, and Manchin told reporters earlier Tuesday he's comfortable with the plan.

Between the lines: Even with the 15% minimum tax, Democrats are running out of potential revenue sources to pay for their proposed new spending.

That could force them to shrink the overall size of the package and discard some progressive priorities, including paid family leave or a Medicare expansion.

On Tuesday, Manchin all but killed a proposal to require banks to share more information about customers accounts with the IRS to help the agency find tax cheats  depriving negotiators of an estimated $200 billion in additional revenues.

"I think that one's going to be gone," Manchin said at an event hosted by The Economic Club of Washington.

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NY Daily News

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said what many were thinking after a jury acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse of all charges on Friday. This is America, Kerr said Friday before his team played the Pistons. Were treading down a dangerous path. It wasnt a shocking verdict, but one that poses great risk going forward if we continue to go down this path. ... States determining that people can just ...
The several thousand migrants traveling in a large group through southern Mexico toward the United States are expected to head to Del Rio, Texas, or Yuma, Arizona, according to two Border Patrol agents who have reviewed government intelligence reports.

The 2,000-3,000 migrants departed the Guatemala-Mexico border heading north on foot late last week. The group is first headed to Mexico City, an 800-mile journey that will take weeks to complete unless the migrants can find transportation. At present, the caravan of people has reportedly traveled 25 miles in four days.

From Mexico City, the group could split off in different directions, depending on whether smugglers escort them or they go it alone with the goal of illegally crossing the U.S. border.

Migrants are traveling north from Tapachula, Mexico Washington Examiner

Historically, what we've seen is the caravan will get to Mexico City, and then, they'll start to splinter out, and they'll go to multiple areas along the southwest border, Mark Morgan, the former senior official performing the duties of Customs and Border Protection commissioner, said in a phone call.

MEXICO THREATENS COURT-ORDERED RESTART OF TRUMP BORDER POLICY

Border Patrols intelligence agents will have a better idea of where the migrants plan to cross once the group departs Mexico City, one of the agents wrote in an email. CBP, Border Patrols parent agency, has more than 1,000 employees overseas who assist with tracking efforts and notify their U.S.-based counterparts of where to expect large groups of migrants before they arrive.

The same agent said the caravan may steer clear of Texas because of the political climate, adding that California would be much more welcoming.

In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is preemptively warning caravan members not to travel to Texas, saying that state police will arrest anyone caught trespassing and hold them in jail.

While the Biden Administration is MIA, the Lone Star State continues to surge resources and personnel to secure our border, Abbott tweeted on Tuesday.

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Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Lt. Chris Olivarez said the state has moved personnel to the Del Rio International Bridge, where more than 20,000 primarily Haitian migrants created an encampment in September after illegally crossing the river. The state has also sent police and military to Eagle Pass, a smaller town roughly 50 miles southeast of Del Rio.

Olivarez expects the migrants to head to the Del Rio region of Yuma, adding that it "would be the path of least resistance and you dont have a heavy presence of cartel activity in Acuna, right across from Del Rio." The cartels charge each migrant roughly $1,000 to cross the U.S.-Mexico border, a fee that migrants can avoid paying by crossing parts of the border where the cartels are not as present.

Morgan was not as concerned with the caravan, relative to daily levels of illegal migration.

Multiply that times three, and that's what's reaching the southwest border every single day. The United States Border Patrol deals with multiple caravans every single day. Its just spread out through the entire southwest border, Morgan said in an interview with the Washington Examiner Tuesday.

This caravan is not the first, with the phenomenon having emerged over the past few years. The group is the largest one to have formed since President Joe Biden took office nine months ago.

The largest caravan to travel to the border to date formed in late 2018, when more than 5,000 people made it to Tijuana, Baja California, across the border from San Diego, California. Roughly 1,000 people in the group tried to rush the border.

Then, in February 2019, a group of 1,800 migrants, primarily from Central America, traveled in a caravan-style group to Piedras Negras, Coahuila, across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas. Texas deployed hundreds of state troopers to the border to create a show of force and deter illegal migration through the Rio Grande.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Morgan, who briefly oversaw the Border Patrol at the end of the Obama administration, said no one in the group is eligible for asylum because asylum-seekers must seek refuge in the first country they enter, but they have chosen to travel through multiple countries with the intention of going to the U.S.

When you're an economic migrant, there is a lawful way to do that. And it's not to break into our country and then file a false asylum claim, Morgan said.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Border Crisis, Immigration, Mexico, Texas, Arizona

Original Author: Anna Giaritelli

Original Location: Migrant caravan expected to aim for Del Rio, Texas, or Yuma, Arizona
A teenage girl was likely persuaded by another person to leave her Fort Worth home last week and has not returned or been in touch with her relatives, her mother said on Wednesday.

Dashayla Wolfe, 14, has been missing since Oct. 20. She left between 11:30 p.m. and 4:30 a.m., her mother, Cynthia Wolfe, said at a news conference outside the Walls of Jericho Deliverance Church in the Stop Six section of the city.

The Baptist Ministers Union of Greater Fort Worth and the Ministers of Justice Coalition of Texas called the conference on the missing teenager.

A 14-year-old Fort Worth girl has been missing since Oct. 20, officials said. Dashayla Wolfe was last seen in her home.

Cynthia Wolfe and others offered a plea to her daughter to return home or for someone with information about her location to share it. Walls of Jericho Deliverance Church is offering a $5,000 reward in the case, its pastor, the Rev. John Reed, said.

Dashayla teaches Sunday school at the church and sings in its choir.

Her mother, who is a minister at the church, said she believed that Dashayla had been persuaded to leave in some kind of way.

Just come home or let someone know that you are OK, she said.

A Fort Worth Police Department spokesperson did not answer questions from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the case.

Dashayla Wolfe was described as biracial with brown hair and hazel eyes. She is about 5-foot-2 and weighs about 190 pounds.

Anyone with information should call Fort Worth police at 817-392-4222.
A mom and her boyfriend were arrested Tuesday in the death of an 8-year-old boy whose body was discovered in an apartment where his siblings were abandoned, Texas cops say.

The Harris County Sheriffs Office initially said the boy was 9 years old, but they later determined he was 8 years old at the time of his death last year. The boys 15, 10 and 7-year-old siblings lived inside the home without any adult supervision while the 8-year-old boys decaying body laid unconcealed, the sheriffs office said.

The mother of the children and her boyfriend were located Sunday night but were released by deputies after being questioned, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. Later on Tuesday, the sheriff announced their arrests.

The 31-year-old boyfriend of the childrens mother was charged with murder, Gonzalez said. The mother, 35, was charged with injury to a child by omission and tampering with evidence (human corpse), the sheriff said. Additional charges are expected to be filed.

They were caught at a public library, where KTRK reported they were reading news articles about themselves.

Glad we have arrested the two responsible for the death of this innocent child, and the abuse of the other children, Harris County Sheriffs Chief Deputy Edison Toquica said. Houston, its a sad situation when individuals responsible for the welfare of innocent children are the ones that turn their back on them.

The Harris County Medical Examiner ruled the 8-year-old boys death a homicide, saying he sustained multiple blunt force injuries, according to KPRC. The man is believed to have beat the boy to death before he and the mom moved out of the apartment, KTRK reported.

That left the three other children alone in the home and they were fending for each other, Gonzalez said, McClatchy News reported. He said the oldest of the siblings was basically doing the best he could.

A neighbor sensed something was wrong and said she began giving food to the 15-year-old about six months ago, KTRK reported.

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I didnt want to push him away by asking questions because I knew he was starving and needed food, she said.

The boys attended a local school district, but officials said they hadnt been to class since May 2020, KHOU reported.

Gonzalez said the youngest two boys appeared malnourished and showed signs of physical injuries. All three were hospitalized for assessment and treatment.

The children are in foster care, according to KHOU.

Editors note: McClatchy News is omitting the names of the mother and her boyfriend to protect the identities of the children involved.

Mom receives maximum sentence in Ohio after pleading guilty in death of 6-year-old son

4-year-old homicide victim beaten by dad for not being potty trained, Indiana cops say
Oct. 26MORGANTOWN  The Monongalia County Democratic Executive Committee on Monday evening unanimously endorsed a statement urging Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., to support President Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act.

In the statement the committee says, "We deplore Sen. Manchin's efforts to obstruct and whittle down President Biden's signature legislation. His actions thus far have only served to appease his corporate benefactors and harm constituents who have actually voted for him in the past."

The committee also voices support ending the filibuster and for passage of the Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

County Executive Committee chair Shane Assadzandi told The Dominion Post Tuesday that they called an emergency meeting to discuss the issue.

"Enough is enough, " he said. "Sen. Manchin has really been obstructing very positive legislation that is attempting to come out of this presidential administration. ... It's one thing to be an independent voice and negotiate for concessions, but now every time they give him a concession he asks for something different."

Assadzandi mentioned Manchin's position on the child tax credit: Manchin wants a work requirement and an income limit of $60, 000 ; the current limit is $150, 000 for a couple, $112, 500 for a single parent.

This was the first action the committee has taken, Assadzandi said, but more may follow. All options are on the table, including a no-confidence vote.

On the filibuster, Assadzandi responded to the often-expressed opinion that it encourages bipartisanship and helps smaller states.

He disagrees, he said. "The filibuster is preventing both parties from passing any meaningful legislation beyond naming a post office. ... In a certain sense, the filibuster actually prevents bipartisanship because it really incentivizes the minority party to just block every single thing the majority party brings up."

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Assadzandi's parting thought was, "We really hope Sen. Manchin does the right thing." Mon County had his back when he won reelection in 2018 by a narrow margin of 49.57 % to challenger Attorney General Patrick Morrisey's 46.26 %19, 397 votes out of 586, 034 cast.

"If he wants the people of the state to have his back in the future, " Assadzandi said, "then he needs to do the right thing now and pass legislation that will improve the quality of their lives."

Manchin's office declined comment on the statement.

Here is the statement in full:

The Monongalia County Democratic Executive Committee fully supports Senator Joe Manchin III's Freedom to Vote Act and any changes to the filibuster necessary to pass this and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, legislation integral to protecting the rights of all citizens to vote. Democracy itself is at risk without these two bills.

We also support President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act. We support transformational investments for children and families, seniors, and saving the planet, which will benefit all of us. Specifically, we support investments for:

 expansion of Medicare to include dental, vision and hearing care for seniors ;

 giving Medicare authority to negotiate lower drug prices ;

 universal pre-kindergarten ;

 investments in childcare, home-and community-based care ;

 extension of child tax credits ;

 paid family leave ;

 and definitively addressing climate change.

We deplore Senator Manchin's efforts to obstruct and whittle down President Biden's signature legislation. His actions thus far have only served to appease his corporate benefactors and harm constituents who have actually voted for him in the past.

Senator Manchin has told West Virginians that we do not have another Democrat who can be elected statewide, and that he is free to do as he pleases. Whether this is true or not, it is absolutely true that he is not helping West Virginians. His attitude and actions are reprehensible.

Democrats, Republicans, and Independents in our great state need to have their voting rights protected and will benefit from Build Back Better in its transformational whole. The Monongalia County Democratic Executive Committee urges Senator Manchin to pass these bills by any means necessary.

TWEET @DominionPostWV
It is usually uneventful when a single insider buys stock. However, When quite a few insiders buy shares, as it happened in NickelX Limited's (ASX:NKL) case, it's fantastic news for shareholders.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

See our latest analysis for NickelX

NickelX Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when insider Jason Peterson bought AU$391k worth of shares at a price of AU$0.16 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of AU$0.14. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.

NickelX insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. Their average price was about AU$0.13. These transactions show that insiders have confidence to invest their own money in the stock, albeit at slightly below the recent price. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

NickelX is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Insider Ownership

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It appears that NickelX insiders own 29% of the company, worth about AU$2.7m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

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So What Does This Data Suggest About NickelX Insiders?

The fact that there have been no NickelX insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Insiders do have a stake in NickelX and their transactions don't cause us concern. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. When we did our research, we found 3 warning signs for NickelX (2 make us uncomfortable!) that we believe deserve your full attention.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

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.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  New Orleans is largely ending a mandate requiring residents and visitors wear masks indoors as infections of the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus continue to fall, the city's mayor announced Wednesday.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell said in a news release the mandate will be lifted Friday, with some exceptions: Masks will still be required in healthcare facilities, on public transportation and in K-12 schools.

That comes as the city slowly revives some of the large-scale events that it was known for before the pandemic. On Saturday thousands crowded city streets for the first large parade  Krewe of Boo  since Mardi Gras 2020. The 2020 parades were largely considered fuel for New Orleans becoming an early virus epicenter. Music festivals and parades that normally draw hundreds of thousands of people, including this year's Mardi Gras, were canceled.

But it increasingly looks as if the city will host Mardi Gras parades next year. On Friday, Cantrell said the parades will go ahead if there's no dramatic rise in coronavirus infections.

The city's mask mandate was implemented July 30 as the fourth coronavirus surge packed hospitals. Soon after, Gov. John Bel Edwards implemented a statewide mask mandate.

At the time, Louisiana had the nations highest per capita COVID-19 infection growth and hospitals were inundated. New hospitalizations have fallen dramatically since, and Louisiana now has one of the nations lowest rates of new infections.

The city's announcement comes one day after Edwards largely lifted the statewide mask mandate, saying the worst of the fourth surge appeared to be over.

But another key city measure requiring people to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to enter certain businesses will remain, the mayor said.

About 60% of New Orleans is fully vaccinated while 75% of those eligible for the shots are fully vaccinated, according to the news release.
An early 18th-century painting depicting Yale University's namesake with an enslaved Black child has been returned to public display at one of its museums even as art experts investigate its origins and campus discussions about the school's ties to slavery continue.

The nearly life-size, oil-on-canvas portrait shows Elihu Yale and family members sitting at a table with tobacco pipes and wine glasses, while an enslaved boy with a metal collar locked around his neck looks on. In the background, children believed to be Yale's grandchildren are playing.

The Yale Center for British Art removed the painting from display in October 2020 to conduct a technical analysis, which continues and includes efforts to identify the boy, as well as to confirm the identities of the others. Over the years, some patrons expressed concerns about the depiction of an enslaved child, but that was not a reason for removing it, said Courtney Martin, the centers director.

There are always going to be concerns about putting a work that has volatile subject matter on view, Martin said. But I think you alleviate those concerns by both saying we understand that this is a painting that has a context that we need to explore further."

So far, the research and analysis by experts at the center have not been able to determine the identity of the boy, whom they believe to have been about 10 years old. But they have determined that some of the adults were misidentified by a previous owner, and that the portrait was painted between 1719 and 1721, the year of Yales death, instead of 1708, as originally thought.

It's also not certain who painted the portrait, although experts at the center believe it was John Verelst, a Dutch artist. Researchers also believe the painting was done at Yale's home in London. It was returned this month to public display at the museum.

For several months, the painting was replaced by a 2016 work of art by Titus Kaphar that included a portrait of just the enslaved boy, without the metal collar, on top of what appears to be a crumpled version of the original painting.

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There is no evidence that Elihu Yale owned slaves. His papers, including financial records, have not been found. And it remains unclear if the enslaved child was owned by one of the other men in the painting, who researchers believe include Yale's son-in-laws, Lord James Cavendish and Dudley North.

But experts believe Yale oversaw slave trading and other commerce when he was governor of Fort St. George in India and working for the East India Company. And there are other paintings showing Yale with slaves, including one that was removed in 2007 from the meeting room of Yale University's board of trustees after years of complaints. And his relatives in New Haven, home to Yale University, were slave owners, researchers say.

The college was named for Yale in 1718 after he donated more than 400 books, profits from the sale of goods and a portrait of King George I, according to the university.

The painting is a part of a larger discussion on campus about the university's ties to slavery, which included associations with people who favored slavery and were racist against Black people. In 2017, the school renamed Calhoun College  named after John C. Calhoun, a 19th-century Yale alumnus, U.S. vice president and slavery supporter  as Grace Hopper College, in honor of the pioneering mathematician and Navy rear admiral who earned Yale degrees in the 1930s.

Slavery is an important part of the institutions history, said Edward Rugemer, an associate professor of African American studies and history at Yale. And thats a part of the history that the Yale community needs to think about deeply and come to terms with and move forward in terms of what should be done about racial injustice that persists in our society.

Rugemer said self-portraits that included slaves were popular during Elihu Yale's lifetime. Even George Washington had paintings of himself with slaves.

And although there is no proof Yale owned slaves, he felt it was important to include a slave child in his self-portrait, because including the slave child in the portrait presented him to the public as a man of empire, as a man of wealth, as a master. From Yale's perspective, the child complements his stature.
Oct. 27To hear Lexi Erb recall it, her love for volleyball came because she wanted to hit something.

Pound it, pummel it.

"I had to find my groove with it and fall in love with it," she recalled this week."Once that happened, I wanted to dominate, to knock someone out."

Not with her fists.

Let her coach explain.

"She came in with a force," said Okay coach Andrea Collins. She wanted to be the best hitter in the area and she worked real hard to get to that point and change things,"

She did just that, earning her second Phoenix Most Valuable Player award in three seasons. She averaged 10 kills and 2.4 aces per match, as well a 3.9 digs and two assists in helping Okay to make the Class 3A state quarterfinal round, going 19-12 on the year.

"I've known her forever knowing her mom, but from the get-go she wanted to be a big part of the team and not sit around and pick it up from the older kids," Collins said.

How much grit does that require?

Back after the 2019 season, her sophomore year, she fractured her ankle playing basketball. At the time she thought it was just a sprain, She tried to play through it, and even made a squad in the prestigious Club One volleyball organization out of Broken Arrow.

"I have a high pain tolerance and just dealt with it to that point," she said. "It would swell and hurt after every practice and it got to the point where I couldn't walk without it hurting, and it would be twice the size of my other."

She went to get it examined at that point, and she was diagnosed with a hairline fracture with cartilage damage. Surgery followed in January. She missed last season in basketball, but returned this fall for volleyball  and wound up with a stress fracture of the same ankle.

She battled through the year with a wrap and brace on it. Just this week, she had a cast put on this week.

She played through this fall with continued issues and yet excelled. Now it's just a situation of getting someone to notice that.

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"I think the club opportunity was where some of those offers would come," Collins said. "Now we're just making emails and phone calls. She deserves a shot."

Bailey Walters gets the nod as Defensive Player of the Year. She was a selection to the team a year ago.

She had 6.5 kills, 2.3 aces, six digs and two assists per match this season.

"Without her presence on that back row, I don't think we'd have the numbers hitting with Lexi that we did," Collins said. "She's very consistent with what she gives us back there with her defense and good digs which makes our setter make good sets.

"Bailey spent a lot of time working on passing. If she makes a bad pass, she's mad at herself. She really worked at her game and it paid off."

This year's honors was special awards only with just three schools in the circulation area.
BRUSSELS (AP)  A study commissioned by the environmental group Greenpeace shows that over one-third of the busiest short-haul flights in Europe have viable train alternatives which are far less polluting.

The group called on European governments Wednesday to boost train travel so fewer polluting planes are flying over the continent. The study by OBC Transeuropa showed that 34% of the 150 busiest short-haul flights have train trip alternatives of less than 6 hours.

The study, released ahead of a U.N. climate change summit that opens in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday, highlighted some particularly problematic air routes, ones with flights the authors said can emit a dozen times more carbon dioxide than trains would.

The routes, including Madrid-Barcelona, Frankfurt-Berlin and Brussels-Amsterdam, could be covered by train in two to four hours, the study said.

Europe could replace almost all of the top 250 short-haul flights and save some 23.4 million tons of CO2 per year, as much as the annual CO2 emissions of Croatia, Greenpeace said.

The report said it would help if European Union governments promoted train travel more, especially night trains, the report said.

Airlines argue that some short-haul flights are necessary because they are essential connections for longer-distance trips.

___

Follow AP's climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
Vancouver, British Columbia --News Direct-- Western Magnesium Corporation

Western Magnesium Corporation

Washington, D.C.  TheNewswire - October 27, 2021  Western Magnesium Corporation (WMC) (TSXV:WMG) (Frankfurt:3WM) (OTC:MLYF) (Western Magnesium or the Company) is one step closer to rebuilding the United States Industrial base by offering its innovative, eco-friendly, and high-quality clean magnesium metal production solution starting in Harrison County, Ohio. The 122-acre propertys proximity to the future home of a modern mixed fuels power plant, a dolomite supplier, and an infrastructure of rail and highway will carry WMCs finished magnesium product to industries across the U.S.

Evaluation work at the Cadiz, OH plant property is now underway as local drone and geotechnical firms (Whitemyer Advertising Inc. and Diversified Engineering, Inc.) have conducted light detection and ranging (LIDAR) drone surveys, as well as a topographical fly-over on the magnesium metal production property. This survey will enable Geographic Information System models to be created for environmental planning, geotechnical drilling, and early civil works planning for the property evaluation, facility design, and location.

The raw data and model sets have been completed and supplied to WMC by the contractors. This data is now ready to be reviewed by one of the chosen Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management Groups that are currently undergoing review for the project. The near-term use of this data is to create the cut-fill analysis prior to early earth works beginning, to allow for proper planning and permitting of this process. A geotechnical drilling program to analyze and understand the stability and composition of the property will commence shortly thereafter.

Sam Ataya, Executive President and CEO said We are excited to have started work on the site building toward the first full scale deployment of our proprietary magnesium extraction technology in the United States. Each step that we take continues to lay the foundation for building a state-of-the art magnesium production plant, which will provide hundreds of safe and well-paying jobs in the Harrison County area. Once the geotechnical work is complete, we will start the exciting process of working with local companies in Ohio to bid for the earth works.

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About Western Magnesium

Western Magnesium's goal is to be a low-cost producer of green, primary magnesium metal, a strategic commodity prized for its strength and light weight. Unlike outdated and costly production processes, Western Magnesium looks to use a continuous silicothermic process to produce magnesium, which significantly reduces labor and energy costs relative to current methods and processes, while being environmentally friendly.

Company Contact: John Ulmer | julmer@westmagcorp.com | 604-423-2709

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, including the Company's dolomite reserves may not be mined because of technical, regulatory, financing or other obstacles, the market price for magnesium may make our resources uneconomic and we may not be able hire and retain skilled employees. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forwardlooking information except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forwardlooking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release.

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.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release. Such securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any state securities laws, and, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or U.S. Persons, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.

For additional information please visit our website at www.westmagcorp.com

View our profile on SEDAR

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/update-as-progress-continues-at-harrison-county-plant-site-403437238
A round of ammunition believed to have killed a cinematographer on the set of the movie Rust last week was recovered from the shoulder of the movies director, Joel Souza, New Mexico authorities said on Wednesday.

The bullet was among about 500 rounds of ammunition found on the set, with that ammunition being a mix of blanks, dummy rounds and what we are suspecting are live rounds, said Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza at a press conference.

We know that there was one live round, as far as were concerned, on set, said Mendoza. We suspect that there were other live rounds, but thats up to the testing. But right now, were going to determine how those got there, why they were there, because they shouldnt have been there.

Local residents and members of the film community gathered Saturday to mourn the loss of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. (Photo: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The bullet removed from Souzas shoulder, which authorities believe killed 41-year-old Halyna Hitchens, has been sent to an FBI crime lab to determine with certainty whether it was a live round, Mendoza said, adding that authorities strongly believe it was live, since it was fired from a weapon and caused injuries.

There was additional ammunition found in the gun fired by actor Alec Baldwin but authorities dont believe any of it was live, Mendoza added.

I think there was some complacency on this set and I think there are safety issues that need to be addressed by the industry, he said.

Mendoza confirmed that the films assistant director Dave Halls and the firearms specialist Hannah Gutierrez-Reed had both handled or inspected the gun that was given to Baldwin.

I think there was some complacency on this set and I think there are safety issues that need to be addressed by the industry.

Halls admitted to an investigator, according to an affidavit obtained by The New York Times on Wednesday, that he did not properly inspect the gun he handed to Baldwin as he should have.

He told an investigator that Gutierrez-Reed opened the gun for him to inspect but he did not check all of the rounds and he couldnt recall whether Gutierrez-Reed had spun the drum where the cartridges are held.

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Both Mendoza and Santa Fe County District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, who spoke just prior to the Times publication of Halls interview, said that its too early to comment on potential charges.

No one has been ruled out at this point, Carmack-Altwies said when asked whether Baldwin, who has been described as cooperative with investigators, could face charges.

The Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot. (Photo: via Associated Press)

Baldwin told authorities that he believed he was holding an unloaded pistol when the gun went off, killing Hitchens and wounding Souza, who had been standing behind her.

Halls has faced scrutiny over his safety practices in recent days, with a former coworker accusing him of allowing unsafe working conditions related to firearms on a previous set. Two people who worked on the film The Old Way, starring Nicolas Cage, with Gutierrez-Reed told The Daily Beast that there were concerns about gun safety on that set as well.

Before the shooting last week, production staff had raised concerns about safety issues on the Rust set, including related to firearms. The Los Angeles Times reported that Baldwins stunt double accidentally fired two live rounds on set five days before the shooting. The stunt double had reportedly been told that the gun did not contain live ammunition. The New York Times, citing three former crew members, similarly reported that there had been at least two earlier accidental gun discharges on the set.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
By Moira Warburton

VANCOUVER (Reuters) - British Columbia will begin offering COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to everyone over the age of 12 from January, officials said on Tuesday, becoming the first major Canadian province to significantly widen eligibility for boosters.

People over the age of 70 as well as indigenous people over 12 will be invited to book shots sooner than the new year, said Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province's medical officer of health. Residents of long term and assisted living are already eligible.

The interval from the second dose will be roughly six to eight months, the government said, and invitations for the optional shot will be issued based on age and risk level.

Although vaccines are effective, the province is "starting to see a gradual decline in protection over time" from the first and second doses of vaccines, Henry said, leading them to take the "proactive" step of offering booster shots.

Other Canadian provinces have so far committed to booster shots only for residents of long term care, people with immunodeficiency issues, or those over a certain age, among other criteria.

Vaccines with mRNA technology will be used for booster shots in British Columbia, officials said, regardless of which vaccines a person initially had.

More than 82% of Canadians aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated, according to government data.

(Reporting by Moira Warburton in Vancouver; editing by Richard Pullin)
The Waukee school district removed three LGBTQ books from the Northwest High School library last week after someone requested a review of their contents, school officials say.

The books, "All Boys Aren't Blue," "Lawn Boy" and "Gender Queer," will be reviewed by a committee of school staff to determine if they're appropriate, said district spokesperson Amy Varcoe.

Driving the news: Community member Amanda McClanahan, who is not a parent in the school district, read sexually explicit excerpts from the books during Monday night's school board meeting, and condemned district leaders for having them on shelves.

The excerpts described oral sex in detail, as well as teens losing their virginity.

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The big picture: What's happening in Waukee isn't unique. There's a nationwide movement to remove the three young adult LGBTQ books, including in Pennsylvania and Kansas, and it's falling on school board members.

There's been a 60% increase in people challenging books, including the ones brought up in Waukee, this school year, said Deborah Caldwell-Stone of the American Library Association.

In recent years, the majority of banned books are LGBTQ-related topics.

Zoom in: The district purchased 7,800 books for the new high school from their third-party vendor, Follet, this year, Varcoe said.

School staff didn't read every single book, but the vendor does give literature that's deemed age-appropriate for high schoolers.

Parents and community members who are concerned about school material can request a review. A committee comprised of educators from a different school will review and see if it fits district standards.

What they're saying: McClanahan claimed the books were allowed in under the "guise of equality and equity" that's pushed by the school board.

"Can you tell me  does equity and inclusion also include incestuous relationships, child-adult sex and books that promote pedophilia?"

The other side: Caldwell-Stone said it's unfair to pull excerpts that put them out of context, and that the books address coming-of-age and questioning sexual and gender identity

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The books don't fit the values of every family, but they do fit the needs of some, she said.

High school students "deserve" to see themselves reflected in the library, Caldwell-Stone added.

The bottom line: With less than a week until school board elections, our classrooms are the political battlegrounds and books are just one of the weapons being used.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin asked Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to encourage the Biden administration to ease some of its sanctions on Syria in order to allow Russian companies to take part in the reconstruction of the country, Israeli officials briefed on the talks tell me.

The big picture: The U.S. Caesar Act, which was signed into law by President Trump in Dec. 2019, imposed sanctions on several sectors of the Syrian economy, including energy and infrastructure. The law is the main deterrent for foreign companies interested in getting involved in the Syria reconstruction effort.

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

Behind the scenes, Israeli officials say Putin wants Russian companies to get most of the big reconstruction projects in Syria, to boost both revenues and Russian influence in the Syrian economy.

Putin told Bennett during their meeting in Sochi last Friday that some Russian companies are afraid to do business in Syria because they dont want to be hit by U.S. sanctions.

The Russians argue that this opens the way for Iranian companies that are already under U.S. sanctions to get those major projects, thereby increasing the Iranian influence in Syria, Israeli officials say.

The Israeli Prime Ministers office declined to comment.

Between the lines: The Russians seem to hope that the Israeli interest in weakening Irans hold in Syria will encourage Bennett's government to push the Biden administration to ease the sanctions.

State of play: Several Arab countries have recently moved to normalize relations with Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria.

In recent weeks, Assad has spoken with the leaders of Jordan, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

The Russians are encouraging this trend, while the U.S. says it opposes such normalization with Assad or moving ahead with the reconstruction of the country.

Whats next: The Russians want to hold a trilateral meeting of the national security advisers of Russia, Israel and the U.S. to discuss the way forward in Syria.

Israeli officials say they are discussing this idea with both sides but no date has been set.

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Good Morning America

After suffering unspeakable abuses and deprivation at the hands of their parents, the Turpin siblings -- it seemed -- were on the path to a new life: a future with the resources needed to start fresh, to make up for the years they were locked away from the world. Nearly four years ago, after authorities rescued the 13 Turpin siblings from their family home in Perris, California, where they were subjected to brutal violence and deprived of food, sleep, hygiene, education, and health care, advocates and county leaders assured the siblings -- and a concerned public -- that help was on the way. "We are confident, given what they've been through and how resilient they are, that they're going to be really successful," said Jack Osborn, a court-appointed attorney for the seven adult children, after their parents' sentencing in 2019.
PeopleImages / iStock.com

When you're applying for a job, your resume gets mixed in with hundreds  and sometimes even thousands  of other resumes. If you're not getting called for interviews, it might be because your resume isn't up to par with the competition.

Find Out: How To Write a Good Resume With No Experience

Jobs: 20 Jobs Where You Can Make $60,000 Out of College

If you're not a recruiter, you probably haven't seen too many resumes other than your own. That makes it hard to know what you're doing right and what you need to work on. Lucky for you, online resume builder Zety analyzed more than 670,000 resumes to find out what the ideal resume should look like in 2021, what components it must include and what you should definitely leave out.

Here's what job hunters need to know.

Last updated: Oct. 27, 2021

undrey / Getty Images/iStockphoto

The Average Resume Length Is Roughly 500 Words

The Zety analysis found that the average resume length is 439 words, while the median length is 406 words. To put these numbers into perspective, a one-page resume is typically 380 words or less.Preparation: Smart Ways You Can Prepare For Job Loss While Youre Still Employed

bernardbodo / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Recruiters Prefer 2-Page Resumes

Gone are the days when you are expected to cram your entire resume onto a single page. In fact, Zety found that recruiters actually prefer a two-page resume."Statistically, recruiters are 2.9 times more likely to choose a candidate with a two-page resume for management jobs and 1.4 times more likely for entry-level employment if the applicant has a two-page resume," Zety's research found. "Furthermore, 77% of employers believe that seasoned professionals seem less experienced when utilizing a one-page resume."Work Worth Considering: 28 Genius Side Hustles You Never Knew Existed

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Tempura / Getty Images

Job Seekers Usually Send the Same Resume for Every Job Listing

The median number of resumes created by job seekers is one  the average is 1.4  but this is a major mistake. Most recruiters  63%  want to receive resumes tailored to the open position. That means that you should create one master resume and tweak it for every application you send, so no two jobs openings will receive the same application.Read: 20 Ways To Improve Your Chances of Getting a Job

  / Getty Images/iStockphoto

But Some Job Seekers Take Resume Personalization to the Extreme

Zety found some users who created more than 100 resumes  and one user who created 363  but clearly, this is not the norm. Since most people don't take the time to create a new resume for every job opening, you'll have an edge on the competition if you do  only 2% of applicants create five resumes or more.

Tero Vesalainen / Getty Images/iStockphoto

There Are 5 Must-Have Resume Sections

There are five sections your resume should have  and if you're missing one of these, you're in the minority. These are the big five sections along with the percentage of resumes that include them:Personal information: 99%

Education: 99%

Work experience: 97%

Skills: 95%

Summary or objective: 95%



Jirapong Manustrong / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Why You Need a 'Skills' Section

According to Zety data, not including a list of professional skills can hurt a resume as much as a year of unemployment. The skills section makes it easy for recruiters to see if your skillset matches what's needed to do the job right off the bat.Discover: Why You Should Consider Putting Mother on Your Resume

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The Most Common Soft Skills To List on Your Resume

Your "skills" section shouldn't just include software and applications you are adept at using  it should also include soft skills. These are the most common soft skills found across the analyzed resumes:Communications: 14%

Customer Service: 9%

Project Management: 7%

Time Management: 6%

Leadership: 5%

Problem Resolution: 5%

Problem-Solving: 5%

Team Management: 5%

Quick Learning: 4%

Teamwork: 4%

You don't need to include all of these skills, but Zety recommends including a few that apply to you.

jamesteohart / Getty Images/iStockphoto

The Most Common Hard Skills To List on Your Resume

You might think that your proficiency in Microsoft Office is a given and doesn't need to be included in your skills section, but not including it is actually a red flag, according to Zety.These are the overall top 10 "hard" skills listed on resumes:Microsoft Office: 7%

Microsoft Excel: 5%

Strategy Planning: 4%

Python: 4%

Java: 3%

SQL: 3%

Data Analytics: 3%

JavaScript: 3%

HTML5: 3%

Microsoft PowerPoint: 3%



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Do Include a Header Statement

Zety reports that your resume should also include a header statement  your "summary" or "objective"  but instead of listing what your career aim is, you should state what you would bring to the position.Check Out: Top Resume Mistakes That Hold Job-Seekers Back

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Go Beyond the 5 Traditional Resume Sections

The five standard resume sections are the bare minimum  to stand out, you should add at least one additional section. Your competition likely already is  the analysis found that the majority of job seekers include an additional section on their resume.

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The Most Popular Additional Resume Sections

Not sure what to add? These are the most popular additional resume sections, according to the survey:Languages: 36%

Certifications: 27%

Custom (user-defined) section: 25%

Interests: 17%

Software: 17%



trait2lumiere / Getty Images

The Most Common Foreign Languages Listed on Resumes

You certainly should only include a "languages" section if you are fluent in other languages, but even if you're not, it could be useful to know the top languages spoken by your competition:English: 69%

Hindi: 19%

Spanish: 16%

French: 11%

Arabic: 9%

German: 7%

Tamil: 5%

Russian: 4%

Telugu: 3%

Marathi: 3%



jacoblund / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Always Add a Certification Section If Possible

According to Zety, certifications are "the single most provable method of demonstrating your knowledge. So if you have any certifications, make sure to list them separately and prominently on your resume." If you don't, consider getting certified to get a leg up on the competition.

Brothers91 / Getty Images

The Harsh Reality of the Job Search

Even with the "perfect" resume uniquely crafted for each job you apply for, you will likely need to apply to 30 to 50 positions to get a job. According to Zety, only 10% of job applicants are offered an interview, and of those, only 20% are offered a job. That means that the job application success rate is roughly 2% to 3.4%.With odds so low, you shouldn't be discouraged if it takes a lot of time and effort to land a job. But with these resume tips in mind, your application could float to the top of the recruiter's pile.Also See: 94 Money-Making Skills You Can Learn in Less Than a Year

mapodile / iStock.com

A Deeper Dive: How To Craft Resumes for the Most Common Professions

Zety did a further analysis of resumes for the three most common professions: software engineer, administrative assistant, and project manager.If you're applying for one of these positions, read on for some job-specific tips for crafting the perfect resume, including the keywords that are most common to each field.

DragonImages / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Software Engineer Resume Tip

Before an actual person looks at your resume, it is usually run through an applicant tracking system (ATS) that scans your resume for keywords that indicate if you match the particular requirements for a job. If you're applying for a job as a software engineer, these are the keywords you should have sprinkled throughout your resume:Engineer

JavaScript

Software

Java

Backend

Development

Python

Developer

Years

Angular



iStock.com

Administrative Assistant Resume Tip

Very few administrative assistant candidates included an additional resume section outside of the five standard sections. That means that including a section for certifications, courses, conference participation or other additional activity will give you a competitive edge.These are the top keywords that administrative assistants want to make sure to include in their resumes: Administrative

Assistant

File

Skills

Environment

Service

Offering

Concurrent

Strong

Team

Finding a Job: 40 Legit Companies That Will Pay You To Work From Home

iStock.com

Project Manager Resume Tip

Even though Atlassian's JIRA has become a popular project management tool, Microsoft Office and Microsoft Project were both among the top 10 skills listed on resumes for project management positions, while Atlassian and JIRA were not. The takeaway? Don't neglect to include Microsoft in your "skills" section, or you could be at a disadvantage.Do, on the other hand, try to include some of these keywords: Construction

Project

Management

Manager

Skills

Milestones

Years

Specification

Parse

Projects

More From GOBankingRates5 Things Most Americans Dont Know About Social Security

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Andrew Lisa contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Is Your Resume Up To Par With the Competition?
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Sanders said progressive priorities in the "Build Back Better" plan were crucial to US democracy.

If they don't pass, "the very fabric of American democracy is in danger," he told reporters.

Democrats are still trying to come to an agreement over the social-spending bill.

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the progressive firebrand and chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said on Wednesday that American democracy would be imperiled if key progressive priorities were left out of the "Build Back Better" reconciliation bill, which is central to President Joe Biden's domestic agenda.

Sanders made the comments to a group of reporters at the Capitol as Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema met with White House officials in a nearby room. Following questions from reporters about the status of various provisions in the bill that are vulnerable to cuts, Sanders emphasized his stance on the issues.

"Let me just say a few words," Sanders said. "Sometimes, when we're inside the beltway, we lose track of reality and where the American people are.

"So let me repeat. The American people are very clear about what they want their government to do."

He then listed progressive priorities like lowering prescription-drug costs; expanding Medicare to cover vision, hearing and dental health; taxing the rich; and addressing the climate crisis.

"The challenge that we face in this really unusual moment in American history is whether we have the courage to stand with the American people and take on very powerful special interests," Sanders said. "And I'm going to do everything that I can support the president's agenda and make sure that we do just that."

Sanders then raised his voice.

"If we fail - in my view, if the American people do not believe that government can work for them and is dominated by powerful special interests, the very fabric of American democracy is in danger," he said. "People will no longer believe have faith that their government represents them. That's what this issue is about."

Democrats had hoped to pass both the Build Back Better bill and the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill this week before Biden traveled to Glasgow, Scotland, on Thursday for the UN's COP26 climate-crisis conference, which appears unlikely.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Proposed legislation continues to emerge in advance of the Tennessee Legislature's COVID-19 special session, including six Senate bills that were filed Tuesday.

The special session starts at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Senate Bill 9001, sponsored by Sen. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, is a companion bill to House Bill 1643. It bill prevents private employers from requiring a COVID-19 vaccination for an individual who already has had COVID-19, and it makes the private employer liable for damages if the vaccination causes the employee injury.

Senate Bill 9002, also sponsored by Niceley, is a companion to House Bill 9003, which prohibits public employers from requiring a COVID-19 vaccine and puts liability on private employers who require a vaccine if health issues arise.

Senate Bill 9003, sponsored by Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, is a companion of House Bill 9002, which allows local school board elections to be partisan.

Senate Bill 9004, sponsored by Hensley as a companion to House Bill 9001, places liability on an employer or private institution of higher learning for side effects from a COVID-19 vaccine if the vaccine is required.

Senate Bill 9005, sponsored by Hensley, prevents school districts, public higher education and public charter schools from having COVID-19 contact tracing procedures while allowing those procedures to be created for other communicable diseases.

Senate Bill 9006, sponsored by Sen. Paul Rose, R-Tipton, puts a county mayor or top city official in charge of establishing and implementing health policies that affect an area during a health emergency. The county health director, health officer and board of health then would be charged with advising the mayor or highest-ranking city official. House Bill 9014 from Rep. Tom Leatherwood, R-Arlington, is the companion bill.

House Bill 9009, from Rep. Clay Doggett, R-Pulaski, prevents any state funds from being appropriated or dispersed to a public or private entity that has a COVID-19 vaccination or mask-wearing requirement for entry. It also allows the Tennessee Department of Finance & Administration to recoup state funds previously sent to an entity that begins a vaccine or mask requirement.

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House Bill 9010, also from Doggett, prevents a K-12 school that receives state funds from having a COVID-19 vaccine requirement or from separating students based on vaccination status.

House Bill 9011, from Rep. Brandon Ogles, R-Franklin, creates a human rights private cause of action for anyone who suffers an adverse action by another because of a religious objection to the COVID-19 vaccine.

House Bill 9012, also from Ogles, requires any entity that requires a COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a vaccination to allow for a religious exemption for those whose religion or sect is conscientiously opposed to the COVID-19 vaccine.

House Bill 9013, sponsored by Ogles, prevents a health care provider from giving a minor the COVID-19 vaccine without parental consent.

House Bill 9015, from Rep. London Lamar, D-Memphis, establishes uniform mask requirements for local school districts that implement mask-wearing rules.

House Bill 9016, also from Lamar, allows private employers to adopt a dress code that requires a mask for anyone on the business premises and provides immunity to those employers.

House Bill 9017, from Rep. Tim Rudd, R-Murfreesboro, prevents the state from entering into a state contract or providing incentives to an employer that requires the COVID-19 vaccine.

House Bill 9018, from Rudd, allows for a replacement for a district attorney will be appointed in cases where a sitting district attorney says he or she will not prosecute a certain offense.

Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County, filed four bills Tuesday. House Bill 9019 enacts the Tennessee Religious Objection to COVID-19 Treatment Act, and House Bill 9020 enacts the Tennessee COVID-19 Treatment Freedom Act, which prevents the board of medical examiners and board of osteopathic examination from disciplining a licensed physician related to the physicians prescription, recommendation, use or opinion relative to COVID-19 treatment.

House Bill 9021 prevents discrimination based upon COVID-19 vaccination status. House Bill 9022 allows those who leave a job to avoid a COVID-19 vaccination mandate or are put on unpaid leave based on refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccination to be eligible for unemployment payments.

Eight House bills were filed Monday.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, State, Tennessee, Coronavirus

Original Author: Jon Styf, The Center Square

Original Location: Senate bills surface for Tennessee's COVID special session
Violence erupted at a KFC drive-through in St. Petersburg, Florida, last week and a patron ended up arrested.

According to a police report, Alexandra Maldonado was caught on restaurant surveillance video at around 5 p.m. last Friday attacking a teenage employee after an unnamed issue with her food order.

The complaint says that the video shows the 23-year-old suspect exit her car and walk inside the restaurant, which was closed to the public, then strike the worker as she sat in the takeout booth.

The employee, a minor at 16, was left with a visible red mark on her neck, approximately one inch by four inches in size, said the affidavit.

With the footage, police were able to track down Maldonados car shortly thereafter. Post Miranda, the defendant admitted to hitting the teen whom she had never met before that day.

Maldonado, of St. Petersburg, was charged with burglary of an occupied structure and child abuse. She was released on $15,000 bond, according to Pinellas County court records.
(Reuters) - The United States and South Korea held a disarmament and non-proliferation consultation on Tuesday, the U.S. State Department said.

U.S. Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins and Republic of Korea Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Ham Sang-wook held the consultation in Washington D.C. on Oct. 26, the State Department said in a statement.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Chris Reese)
By Lucinda Rouse

MONROVIA (Reuters) - A fisheries watchdog group has accused a Senegalese-Spanish company of plundering valuable Liberian shrimps that retail for around $80 per kilogram, using an experimental licence intended for research purposes.

Brussels-based Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements (CFFA) said three bottom trawlers belonging to SOPERKA S.A., a subsidiary of the Spanish Grupo Pereira, were taking advantage of the license to pay fewer taxes and that Liberia was potentially losing millions of dollars in profits.

Grupo Pereira did not respond to multiple requests for comment, and SOPERKA representatives reached by phone said no one was available for an interview.

SOPERKA acquired its authorisation in May under a deal between Senegal and Liberia which allows a fixed number of Senegalese vessels to operate in Liberian waters.

The bilateral agreement was opposed by local fishing associations over concerns of overfishing. Artisanal fishing provides a livelihood for some 33,000 people in Liberia.

Once among the richest in the world, West Africa's fish stocks have been plundered Ocean Shock: Fishmeal factories plunder Africa in recent years by industrial trawlers combing the oceans to feed European and Asian markets.

"Senegal allowed their waters to be depleted. We're worried the same will happen to us," said John Adams, secretary general of a fishermen's association in the Liberian town of Robertsport.

The foreign vessels are not complying with the requirements for research fishing, which include having two Liberian observers on board and undertaking an environmental impact assessment, the CFFA said.

The company is also exempted from a 10% export tax that would normally apply, it said.

Austin Saye Wehye, director of research and statistics at Liberia's National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, said the vessels were operating under a temporary research authorization to inform the development of a shrimp fishery.

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He refuted most of the charges in the CFFA report but accepted that there were fewer observers on board the trawlers than legally required. He said Liberia wanted to create its own national fishing company rather than rely on foreign vessels.

(Removes reference to loophole in first paragraph, clarifies comments from govt official)

(Reporting by Lucinda Rouse; Editing by Nellie Peyton and Jon Boyle)
Isaiah Andrews spent the last 45 years of his life in prison, convicted of murdering his wife in 1974.

Now at 83 years old, the Cleveland man is cleared to live his life outside prison walls. This news comes after a jury found him not guilty in his wifes killing.

Ive become free, Andrews said after his retrial hearing, according to cleveland.com.

His newfound freedom was decided upon by a jury that took 90 minutes to reach a unanimous verdict, according to a Facebook post from the Ohio Innocence Project. Andrews was a client of the Cincinnati Law organization, which works to free every innocent person in Ohio who has been convicted of a crime they didnt commit.

Andrews retrial was granted when lawyers with the Ohio Innocence Project discovered that investigators of his wifes death had another suspect but didnt share that information with the original jury, according to WJW.

As soon as we saw the report, it was clear that Isaiah Andrews was innocent and somebody else committed the crime, Ohio Innocence Project attorney Brian Howe said, according to cleveland.com.

The other suspect, Willie Watts, died in 2011, the site reported. Initial evidence had connected him to the killing, though he was released before detectives named Andrews a suspect.

Andrews wife, Regina, was stabbed 11 times in the Colonial House Hotel, WOIO reported, before her body was swaddled in bedroom linen and discovered in Forest Park.

Since her death, Andrews has continued to say he is innocent, according to the Ohio TV station.

In court, Cuyahoga County prosecutors said theres no showing that any evidence was destroyed in bad faith during the investigation of Reginas death, according to WJW.

We went through all the evidence, piece-by-piece, a juror who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, according to cleveland.com. We tried to connect the dots, there just werent a lot of dots to connect. Even if we assumed that the testimonies we were read were completely accurate, there are still holes in the story.

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No physical evidence connects Andrews to Reginas death, the site reported.

Its a good day for justice in #Ohio, the Ohio Innocence Project shared on social media.

A photo from from the organization shows Andrews, in a wheelchair, surrounded by his support crew  fellow clients of the organization. Another photo shows Andrews speaking to media following the jurys verdict.

The Ohio Innocence Project, a member of the international Innocence Network, says it has worked to free at least 33 wrongfully convicted Ohioans since it was founded in 2003. Combined, those 33 people had served almost 650 years in custody.

Man gets life in prison in death of waitress ex-girlfriend at Bob Evans: Ohio officials

79-year-old dad shoots son over guitar playing  and then they fought, Ohio cops say

School play with gay character canceled in Ohio. It was deemed not appropriate
Starbucks (SBUX) on Wednesday became the latest company to hike pay for its workers, announcing plans to increase all U.S. hourly wages to at least $15 per an hour  up from the current $12 rate  by the summer of 2022.

Effective in late January of 2022, all U.S. partners (the company's term for employees) with two or more years of service could receive a raise of up to 5%, while partners with five or more years of service could receive a raise up to 10%. The move comes as the service industry has been hampered by a shortage of workers, prompting many to offer higher salaries to attract and retain talent.

This will bring the average pay for all Starbucks' U.S. hourly partners to nearly $17 per an hour, with average hourly rates ranging between $15 to $23. Previously, the average wage was $14 per an hour, while more than half of its partners were already at $15 an hour, according to a Starbucks' spokesperson.

As of October 27th, the federal minimum wage for covered nonexempt employees is $7.25 per hour, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Meanwhile, Starbucks' move puts its hourly rate closer to other food and retail companies such as Target ($15), Costco ($16), Ben & Jerrys ($18.13), McDonalds ($13) and Chipotle ($15).

Wednesday's news represents the third investment by the Seattle-based coffee giant in wage, benefits and support in the last 24 months. In December of 2020 Starbucks committed to raising its wage floor to $15 an hour.

And in January of 2021, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson told Yahoo Finance he expected all partners in the U.S. to be at or above $15 per hour within the next two to three years, bringing the company ahead of the schedule with this latest announcement.

In an internal memo that went out on Wednesday afternoon, Starbucks North America EVP Rossann Williams noted "Our wage increases from Dec. 2020 to the Summer of 2022 will mean at least a 17% increase for partners, and at least 20% for tenured partners, in two years."

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She continues, "I share all this only to reaffirm our belief that investing in our partners is not a cost, its an opportunity  and we intend to let our shareholders and peers know the same."

Starbucks brews up sweeteners for workers

EDGEWATER, COLORADO - APRIL 07: Starbucks employees wear a mask while working the drive-thru window on April 07, 2020 in Edgewater, Colorado. Starting today Starbucks will require all employees to wear facemasks at work. The chain has closed in-store cafes however drive-thru locations remain open. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

The pay boost comes as workers across all major sectors are advocating for wage hikes and better working conditions companies like Netflix (NFLX), John Deere (DE) and Kellogg's (K).

Starbucks itself has not been immune from the trend: workers in the Buffalo area launched Starbucks Workers United Organizing Committee. In a letter to Johnson, the group asked for assurances that employees who favor a union won't face reprisals.

"We are organizing a union because we believe that this is the best way to contribute meaningfully to our partnership with the company and ensure both our voices are heard...we do not see our desire to organize as a reaction to specific policies but as a commitment to making Starbucks, Buffalo, and the world a better place," the letter said. Amid the union push, the group met with U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (D, NY).

In addition to the wage hike, Starbucks announced an extension of its $200 referral bonus to help attract new talent on top of a revamped training process including a complete redesign of its Barista Basics guide.

In a release, the company noted a "significant customer demand" and an "increasing pace of beverage innovation" with plans to improve store staffing and test a "shifts app" to make it easier for partners to work available shifts.

According to the memo, this initiative will be led by Starbuck's labor team, which is comprised of data analysts, former store partners and the company's Store Manager Labor Council. The company also aims to improve its bar floor design and equipment, beginning with a testing a new Cold Beverage Station redesign to "make it easier to handcraft drinks and connect with customers," as cold drinks grab a larger share of its beverage sales.

To help improve partners' work experience and "reduce complexity in stores," Starbucks is using its Tryer Lab, which is known as the coffee giant's hub of innovation, to test bar layout redesign, new store equipment, and technology and evolving operational roles with a rotation of more than 20 store partners.

"This partner-focused effort helps hold support partners accountable to the store experience with real-life challenges being designed by both support center and store partners, together, working shoulder to shoulder," the company noted in a release.

Among the other benefits Starbucks offers to part-time employees include healthcare, equity rewards, retirement plans, childcare, paid sick leave, paid vacation, paid family leave, free college tuition through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan with Arizona State University and mental health support through a partnership with Lyra.

Starbucks signage outlines the perks of being a partner. (Courtesy: Starbucks)

On Thursday, Starbucks is expected to report its fourth-quarter earnings results and fiscal year end 2021 results after market-close. According to Bloomberg estimates, Wall Street expects same-store sales to increase 24 percent in the U.S. and global same-store sales to rise 4.3 percent compared to a year ago.

Year-to-date shares of Starbucks are up 6.4 percent, while shares are up 27 percent compared to a year ago.

Brooke DiPalma is a producer and reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @BrookeDiPalma or email her at bdipalma@yahoofinance.com.

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance.

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit.
(Fixes word 'talks' in second paragraph)

WASHINGTON/BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Reuters) -President Joe Biden told Southeast Asian nations on Wednesday the United States would stand with them in defending freedom of the seas and democracy and called China's actions towards Taiwan "coercive" and a threat to peace and stability.

Speaking at a virtual East Asia Summit attended by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Biden said Washington would start talks with partners in the Indo-Pacific about developing a regional economic framework, something critics say his regional strategy has lacked.

Southeast Asia has become a strategic battleground between the United States and China, which controls most of the South China Sea, and Beijing has turned up military and political pressure on fiercely democratic Taiwan, a self-ruled island Beijing considers its own.

Biden reiterated that the United States had a "rock-solid" commitment to Taiwan. "We are deeply concerned by China's coercive ... actions," Biden said, charging that they "threaten regional peace and stability."

Li Keqiang told the summit, which brought together leaders of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with regional partners, that upholding peace, stability, freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea was in everyone's interest. "The South China Sea is our common home," he said.

Biden last week said the United States, which is obliged by a 1979 law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, would come to Taiwan's defense if it was attacked by China. Those comments caused a stir because they appeared to depart from a long-held U.S. policy of "strategic ambiguity" as to how Washington would respond to such a scenario.

The White House said Biden was not signaling a change in U.S. policy toward Taiwan, and some analysts dismissed his comments as a gaffe.

Tensions between Taiwan and China have escalated in recent weeks as Beijing has staged repeated air missions over the Taiwan Strait, the waterway separating the island and the mainland.

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China expressed displeasure at Biden's comments last week, urging Washington "not to send the wrong signals to the forces of Taiwan independence, to avoid seriously harming Sino-U.S. ties and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

Biden joined Southeast Asian leaders in rebuking Myanmar's junta.

"In Myanmar, we must address the tragedy caused by the military coup which is increasingly undermining regional stability," he said, calling for the release of political prisoners and a return to democracy.

ASEAN began three days of summits on Tuesday without a representative from Myanmar following its top general's exclusion for ignoring peace proposals.

Biden also said he would speak out for "human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet (and) the rights of the people of Hong Kong." China denies rights abuses in its outlying regions of Xinjiang and Tibet and in the former British colony of Hong Kong.

BIDEN'S ECONOMIC INITIATIVE

Biden said Washington would begin discussions with partners in the Indo-Pacific to develop a regional economic framework.

Critics of U.S. strategy for the region point to its lack of an economic component after former President Donald Trump withdrew from the trade deal now known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2017.

The Biden administration has so far avoided any moves to return to an agreement that critics say could cost U.S. jobs and a senior official of the U.S. administration stressed that the initiative the president referred to is not a trade deal.

What the president said ... was that we will begin discussions with partners to develop an economic framework to position us well for the future  laser-focused on making life better for workers and the middle class - and that will guide our economic engagement in the region, the official said.

A White House readout said the envisaged network would also "define our shared objectives around trade facilitation" as well as standards for decarbonisation and clean energy.

Australia and ASEAN agreed on Wednesday to establish a "comprehensive strategic partnership," a sign of Canberra's ambition to play a bigger role in the region.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the pact would strengthen diplomatic and security ties and promised the country would "back it with substance".

Morrison sought to reassure ASEAN that a trilateral security pact agreed last month between the United States, Britain and Australia, under which Australia will get access to nuclear-powered submarines, would not be a threat to the region.

(Reporting by Ain Bandial in Bandar Seri Begawan and Tom Allard in Sydney; Additional reporting by Stanley Widianto in Jakarta; Kiyoshi Takenaka in Tokyo, Colin Packham in Canberra, David Brunnstrom in Washington and Neil Jerome Morales in Manila; Writing by Martin Petty and Nick Macfie; Editing by Jon Boyle, Sonya Hepinstall and Howard Goller)
AUSTIN, Texas  National Guard members deployed in Texas by Gov. Greg Abbott have arrested more than 32,000 people on state trespassing and human smuggling charges as part of a highly unusual operation that has turned soldiers into law enforcement officers, the Washington Examiner has learned.

Most of those arrested are noncitizens who illegally crossed the international border from Mexico into Texas and, in doing so, trespassed onto private land, according to a spokeswoman for the Texas Military Department. The arrests began in July and the numbers go through late October.

NEW COALITION OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES SUE BIDEN OVER VACCINE MANDATE

The military department has sent thousands of National Guard members to the border and has "thousands more coming, the spokeswoman said, one indication that migrant and smuggler arrests are expected to rise further in the coming months.

Under normal circumstances, members of the military are not allowed to make arrests or enforce laws. Until July, any state military forces sent to the border assisted Border Patrol, state police, and local law enforcement in ways that did not cause them to interact with migrants. They manned surveillance cameras and watched the border, among other tasks.

The Posse Comitatus Act forbids federal military like the U.S. Army from enforcing civilian law without the approval of Congress, explained Lora Ries, senior research fellow on homeland security at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington. Texas found an exception by sending in its own National Guard.

Up into this point, when the president has sent down the Guard, it's been a supporting role, said Ries. This is a state commander telling state Guard to enforce state laws. And when these people cross the border and set foot in Texas, they're breaking state laws. And so the state Guard then can arrest for state crimes.

The Republican governor in March created a statewide initiative known as Operation Lone Star in which state troopers from DPS would be sent to the border to help arrest trespassers while Border Patrol agents are pulled from the field to transport and process people in custody.

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In a letter sent on July 27, Abbott ordered TMD Major General Tracy Norris to take new action. Abbott cited Article IV, Section 7 of the Texas Constitutions authority for the governor to "call forth the militia to execute the laws of the State and instructed Norris to do so.

Those arrested by the military would be transferred to law enforcement to be booked into the system. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw acknowledged that the military doing police work was unusual.

Nobodys ever really used the Guard before in this capacity, McCraw said in an interview with Todd Bensman, a fellow for the Center for Immigration Studies, a right-leaning research group in Washington.

The Guard members were required to complete 40 hours of training on the Fourth Amendment and the use of force since they are authorized to use their weapons.

State officials would not provide additional information about the border operation, though Bensman wrote in a recent report for CIS that the state is only arresting men. Women, children, and families are turned over to the Border Patrol. More than 140 landowners have agreed to let the state erect fencing on their land and to "become complainants in misdemeanor-level criminal trespassing cases that DPS officers will charge (and have been charging since July)."

It is not clear what the state is doing with the tens of thousands of migrants apprehended for illegally crossing the border since just 1,300 have been charged with trespassing to date, according to Bensman's report.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Between the unprecedented military arrests and arrests by state police, Texas authorities have taken into custody more than 80,000 this year, the governor's office and TMD told the Washington Examiner.

Of the 80,000 figure, 73,000 were apprehended by soldiers and troopers for trespassing as illegal immigrants. More than 7,000 others were arrested on allegations of committing a state crime, such as human or drug smuggling, according to Abbott spokeswoman Renae Eze.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Border Crisis, Military, Texas, National Guard, Mexican border

Original Author: Anna Giaritelli

Original Location: Texas National Guard has arrested tens of thousands of illegal immigrants at Mexican border
Thailand's once-lucrative tourism sector is a shadow of its former self after months of coronavirus travel restrictions.

But on Monday, the kingdom reopens its doors to vaccinated travellers from more than 40 countries.

Here's what you need to know:

- Tourism, year zero -

Before the pandemic struck, Thailand attracted a record high of almost 40 million visitors in 2019, with tourists flocking to its island beaches and cultural hotspots.

Travellers fell to around seven million in 2020 after virus restrictions seized up global travel, while only around 73,000 international visitors have so far flown into Thailand in 2021.

The country saw some of the largest losses in the world in the tourism industry, with revenues dropping from $63.75 billion in 2019 to $11 billion in 2020.

The cashcow industry directly and indirectly contributes 18 percent of the country's economy, which contracted in 2020 by 6.1 percent -- its worst performance in more than two decades.

The impact reverberated across different sectors, including the restaurant industry and transportation, slashing more than 3 million jobs out of 4.03 million.

- Who can come back? -

Beginning November 1, fully vaccinated travellers from 46 countries and territories that Thailand deems "low risk" will be allowed to enter without going through quarantine.

The giants on the list are China -- which accounted for the lion's share of the kingdom's pre-pandemic visitor total -- and its territory Hong Kong, as well as the United States, Britain, and France.

A slew of other European countries are on the list too -- such as Germany, Spain and Italy -- while some Asian neighbours Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore and Japan are also included.

All travellers must have a negative Covid test before flying into Thailand, and get re-tested upon arrival.

They must also book a single night in a government-approved hotel as they wait for the test results.

- What about Covid? -

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So far, Thailand has registered more than 1.8 million cases and 18,865 deaths -- the bulk of them detected after the highly contagious Delta variant emerged in April.

The country is still reporting about 10,000 new cases per day.

Authorities aim to have 70 percent of the population jabbed by the end of the year. So far, about 40 percent of Thais have been fully vaccinated.

- Tourism outlook? -

Authorities expect 1 million tourists to touch down in Thailand by March 2022.

Revenues are expected to surpass $30 billion for the whole of next year.

But many in the industry do not expect a real return to normalcy until at least 2024.

They point to China -- the biggest source of visitors -- still requiring returnees to undergo a strict quarantine, which is expected to discourage foreign travel.

The United States also still has a travel alert out for Thailand, advising Americans to avoid the country due to high Covid infection numbers.

ton-sde-dhc/aph/qan
The duo have hosted the annual awards ceremony the last three previous years, and are set to co-produce as well.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. As the Soul Train Awards heads to the New York for the first time, the familiar faces of Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold are coming along too as co-hosts, once again.

Tisha Campbell (L) and Tichina Arnold perform during the 2019 Soul Train Awards at the Orleans Arena on November 17, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

The 34th annual Soul Train Awards will be held at the world famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York next month, and BET has announced that Campbell and Arnold are returning as co-hosts of the ceremony, according to a press release. This years event will be commemorating the 50th anniversary for the long-running syndicated music television show that bares its name.

Soul Train premiered to a nationwide audience in 1971. Its creator and host Don Cornelius ushered in a musical show that was also an innovative forum for dance, fashion and culture. Airing until 2006, its the one of the longest-running syndicated American television programs in history, according to Britannica.

The show featured the music and performances of legendary acts like The Jackson 5, New Edition, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and the Pips, LL Cool J and Public Enemy, just to name a few.

Campbell and Arnold, real life best friends, made their marks by playing on-screen best friends in the Fox sitcom Martin. Campbell went on to star in other hit television series like My Wife and Kids and Last Man Standing. Meanwhile, Arnold also has been a mainstay in television, starring in Everybody Hates Chris, and films like The Last Black Man in San Francisco. In addition to hosting, Campbell and Arnold will be producing the award show as well.

This will be the fourth year in a row that Campbell and Arnold are co-hosting the Soul Train Awards.

Tisha Campbell (L) and Tichina Arnold co-host the 2019 Soul Train Awards presented by BET at the Orleans Arena on November 17, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for BET)

Producing and hosting the Soul Train Awards for the last three years with my childhood friend has truly been one of the high points of my life, Campbell said in the release. Yet, upon hearing Tichina and I would be filming at the World Famous Apollo this year, we literally lost our minds with excitement. It is already an extreme honor to be synonymous with Don Cornelius legacy, and now, to also walk in the footsteps of the multitude of African-American talent that graced the Apollo stage is mind-blowing to both of us!

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Arnold is thrilled that this years ceremony is taking place in her native city. Returning to my hometown where it all began for us as young girls and hosting the iconic Soul Train Awards at the Apollo is a truly a childhood dream come true, Arnold said in the release. Im honored to stand beside Tisha and take our place in history hosting and creatively producing such an iconic show.

The 2021 Soul Awards also marks the return of a live in-person audience. The 2020 ceremony was produced virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by Billboard. This years award show will air Nov. 28 on BET and BET Her. The show will be overseen by Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, who is happy for the return of Campbell and Arnold.

We are thrilled to welcome back the incomparable pair, Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold, to host the Soul Train Awards for a legendary night in Harlem at the World Famous Apollo, Orlando said in the release. Their energy, like that of the Awards, remains unparalleled. Our hosts are a great complement to this years special event, celebrating the legacy of Soul Train with electrifying performances that will keep everyone buzzing.

Nominees and performers for the 2021 Soul Train Awards have yet to be announced.

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The post Tisha Campbell, Tichina Arnold to return as co-hosts of 2021 Soul Train Awards appeared first on TheGrio.
This article originally appeared on Simply Wall St News.

United Parcel Service, Inc. ( NYSE:UPS ) released third quarter results yesterday. The stock price gained nearly 7% after the company beat consensus estimates on the top and bottom line and raised full year guidance.

Highlights from the quarterly results:

Consolidated revenues were up 9.2% year-on-year, to $23.2b. This increase was off a high base set a year ago, and 27% higher than the third quarter in 2019.

Diluted EPS were up 18.3% year-on-year at $2.71.

US Domestic segment operating profit up 28%.

Full year guidance for revenue growth raised to 13.8%.

Full year guidance for operating margin raised to 13%.

The market evidently approved of these results and is anticipating a strong holiday season despite the ongoing supply chain issues.

One aspect of UPS that may concern investors is the high level of debt. The companys debt to equity ratio is 2.05 which is very high, so we decided to take a closer look at how manageable this debt is.

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

Debt and other liabilities become risky for a business when it cannot easily fulfill those obligations, either with free cash flow or by raising capital at an attractive price. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. However, a more usual (but still expensive) situation is where a company must dilute shareholders at a cheap share price simply to get debt under control. By replacing dilution, though, debt can be an extremely good tool for businesses that need capital to invest in growth at high rates of return. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

View our latest analysis for United Parcel Service

How Much Debt Does United Parcel Service Carry?

As you can see below, United Parcel Service had US$22.2b of debt at June 2021, down from US$26.5b a year prior. However, it also had US$9.95b in cash, and so its net debt is US$12.2b.

How Strong Is United Parcel Service's Balance Sheet?

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Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that United Parcel Service had liabilities of US$15.8b due within 12 months and liabilities of US$38.3b due beyond that. Offsetting this, it had US$9.95b in cash and US$10.5b in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by US$33.6b.

Since publicly traded United Parcel Service shares are worth a very impressive total of US$189.9b, it seems unlikely that this level of liabilities would be a major threat. Having said that, it's clear that we should continue to monitor its balance sheet, lest it change for the worse.

In order to size up a company's debt relative to its earnings, we calculate its net debt divided by its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) divided by its interest expense (its interest cover). Thus we consider debt relative to earnings both with and without depreciation and amortization expenses.

United Parcel Service has net debt of just 1.2 times EBITDA, suggesting it could ramp leverage without breaking a sweat. In addition, UPS actually managed to receive more interest than it paid, over the last year. So it's fair to say it can handle debt quite easily with the current level of earnings. In addition to that, we're happy to report that United Parcel Service has boosted its EBIT by 34%, thus reducing the spectre of future debt repayments. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if United Parcel Service can strengthen its balance sheet over time. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts .

Finally, a company can only pay off debt with cold hard cash, not accounting profits. So the logical step is to look at the proportion of that EBIT that is matched by actual free cash flow. During the last three years, United Parcel Service generated free cash flow amounting to a very robust 87% of its EBIT, more than we'd expect. That positions it well to pay down debt if desirable to do so.

Our View

Our conclusion is that UPS can manage its debt with the current level of earnings - though it may become a problem if revenue or margins decline. But debt is just one aspect of a company that should be considered when making an investment. In particular, the valuation and outlook for earnings should be considered.

Have a look at our latest analysis for United Parcel Service for a full overview of the company as well as a few warning signs we have identified.

Of course, if you're the type of investor who prefers buying stocks without the burden of debt, then don't hesitate to discover our exclusive list of net cash growth stocks , today.

Simply Wall St analyst Richard Bowman and Simply Wall St have no position in any of the companies mentioned. This article 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
LONDON (AP)  U.S. authorities launched a new battle on Wednesday to make Julian Assange face American justice, telling British judges that if they agree to extradite the WikiLeaks founder on espionage charges, he could serve any U.S. prison sentence he receives in his native Australia.

In January, a lower U.K. court refused a U.S. request to extradite Assange over WikiLeaks publication of secret American military documents a decade ago. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange, who has spent years in hiding and in British prisons as he fights extradition, was likely to kill himself if held under harsh U.S. prison conditions.

Appealing against the January decision, an attorney for the U.S. government on Wednesday denied that Assanges mental health was too fragile to withstand the U.S. judicial system. Lawyer James Lewis said Assange has no history of serious and enduring mental illness and does not meet the threshold of being so ill that he cannot resist harming himself.

U.S. prosecutors have indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks publication of thousands of leaked military and diplomatic documents. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison, although Lewis said the longest sentence ever imposed for this offense is 63 months.

Lewis said American authorities had promised that Assange would not be held before trial in a top-security Supermax prison or subjected to strict isolation conditions, and if convicted would be allowed to serve his sentence in Australia. Lewis said the assurances are binding on the United States."

Once there is an assurance of appropriate medical care, once it is clear he will be repatriated to Australia to serve any sentence, then we can safely say the district judge would not have decided the relevant question in the way that she did," he said.

The U.S. also says a key defense witness, neuropsychiatrist Michael Kopelman, misled the previous judge by omitting to mention that Stella Moris, a member of WikiLeaks legal team, was also Assanges partner and had two children with him. Lewis said that information was a highly relevant factor to the question of likelihood to suicide.

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Assange's lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, accused U.S. lawyers of seeking to minimize the severity of Mr Assanges mental disorder and suicide risk.

Fitzgerald said in a written submission that Australia has not yet agreed to take Assange if he is convicted. Even if Australia did agree, Fitzgerald said the U.S. legal process could take a decade, during which Mr. Assange will remain detained in extreme isolation in a U.S. prison.

Assange, who is being held at Londons high-security Belmarsh Prison, had been expected to attend the two-day hearing by video link, but Fitzgerald said Assange had been put on a high dose of medication and doesn't feel able to attend.

Assange later appeared on the video link at times, seated at a table in a prison room wearing a black face mask.

Since WikiLeaks began publishing classified documents more than a decade ago, Assange has become a flashpoint figure. Some see him as a dangerous secret-spiller who endangered the lives of informers and others who helped the U.S. in war zones. Others say WikiLeaks shone a light on official malfeasance that governments would like to keep secret.

American prosecutors say Assange unlawfully helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published. Lawyers for Assange argue that he was acting as a journalist and is entitled to First Amendment freedom of speech protections for publishing documents that exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Several dozen pro-Assange protesters held a boisterous rally outside Londons neo-Gothic Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday, calling the prosecution politically motivated. They urged U.S. President Joe Biden to drop the legal proceedings, which were begun under his predecessor, Donald Trump.

The demonstrators included Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, who said Assange's case relates to our society, it relates to our freedom of expression, it relates to our individual human rights, and we have to watch the government."

WikiLeaks supporters say testimony from witnesses during the extradition hearing that Assange was spied on while in Ecuador's embassy in London by a Spanish security firm at the behest of the CIA  and that there was even talk of abducting or killing him  undermines U.S. claims he will be treated fairly.

The two justices hearing the appeal  one is Englands most senior judge, Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett  are not expected to give their ruling for several weeks. The losing side could seek to appeal to the U.K. Supreme Court.

Assange, 50, has been in prison since he was arrested in April 2019 for skipping bail during a separate legal battle. Before that he spent seven years holed up inside Ecuadors London embassy, where he fled in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault.

Sweden dropped the sex crimes investigations in November 2019 because so much time had elapsed. The judge who blocked extradition in January ordered that he must stay in custody during any U.S. appeal, ruling that the Australian citizen has an incentive to abscond if he is freed.

Outside court, Moris said it was completely unthinkable that the U.K. courts could agree to extradition.

I hope the courts will end this nightmare, that Julian is able to come home soon and that wise heads prevail," she said.

___

Associated Press writer David Keyton contributed.
Veteran Daniel Flowers, seen here with his late wife Elizabeth, recently donated a Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche airplane to the Snead State Aviation College.

Veteran and Hoover native Daniel Flowers recently decided to help share his love of aviation with like-minded students at Snead State Community College, according to a press release from the Boaz school

Flowers, 86, contacted the school about two years ago about contributing to Snead State's Aviation College, the release said.

The details for Flowers' donation recently became a reality, as he gave the Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche airplane he owned in order to help train students in the basic start-up procedures and general and preventative maintenance practices of aircraft.

The plane will be used for training though the school's Airframe and Powerplant Technology programs.

I chose to donate my airplane to give other people the opportunity to train in aviation and enjoy the income and security I had in my life," Flowers said in the release. "I feel Ive received a lot of breaks throughout my career, and I wanted to offer the same type of opportunities to young people today who want to get started in aviation.

School preparation and training would make it a lot easier for students to get into the airlines than it was for me," he continued. "I chose to give my plane to Snead because it was a program in my home state of Alabama and because I have a personal contact with a former employee of Snead State who had also been an airline pilot.

Daniel Flowers is pictured during his military career.

Snead State Technology Division Director Dr. Greg Randall said the donation will be a huge help for the program.

Training on a real plane will better prepare students for high-demand and high-wage career positions in the field of aviation," Randall said. "Mr. Flowers generous donation will help Snead State further strengthen the aviation program in the coming years.

Snead State President Dr. Joe Whitmore also expressed his appreciation to Flowers.

The education and training through the A&P program open doors to a lot of opportunities for students," Whitmore said. "They can work in the aviation field or they can work in other industries that would make use of their maintenance and engine training. Mr. Flowers generous donation gives them the hands-on experience to make them more competitive and sought-after employees in a demanding field. We appreciate his generosity.

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Originally from McKinley, about an hour and a half west of Montgomery, Flowers enlisted in the Marines at age 17 and served from 1952 until 1961. He is a veteran both of the Korean and Vietnam wars. He was chosen by the Marines to train as an aircraft electrician, a position now referred to as an avionics specialist.

After Flowers was honorably discharged in 1961, he settled in Indianapolis and started a job for Lake Central Airlines as a mechanics assistant, an opportunity he received at least in part because of his military experience.

Flowers' love of flying began before he enlisted in the military. He began taking flying lessons around 1950, though he said he didnt get serious about pilot training until 1963 when he received his twin-engine pilots license.

From there, Flowers became a copilot for Lake Central Airlines in 1966. During his career, the company changed from Lake Central to Allegheny Airlines, then to USAir and finally to US Airways. He retired in 1995. He and his late wife, Elizabeth, were married for 61 years and had six children.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Snead State acquires airplane for Aviation College from veteran
HANOI, Vietnam (AP)  Vietnam on Wednesday started to vaccinate children as part of an effort to reopen schools after more than half a year of closures due to COVID-19.

About 1,500 teenagers between 16 and 17 years old in Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam were among the first to receive jabs before the inoculation program is rolled out nationwide in November, the health ministry said on its website.

During the first phase, Vietnam has only approved the Pfizer vaccine for children. Parents or guardians must sign a consent form for their children to be vaccinated, the report said.

Vaccination safety for children is the top priority, health minister Nguyen Thanh Long said during a meeting on Tuesday ahead of the launch.

Last week, the ministry approved vaccinations for children between 12 and 17 years old, with older teens in more populated cities receiving priority for the first doses. There are about 14 million Vietnamese children in that age range.

According to the report, children will be vaccinated at their schools and those who do not attend school will be vaccinated at pediatric hospitals.

About 55% of Vietnams 98 million people have received COVID-19 vaccine jabs, but only half of them have been fully vaccinated with both doses.

Vietnam closed schools and education institutions in May when an outbreak fueled by the delta variant spread across the country. No date has been set for reopening schools, but the government is aiming for early 2022.

Southern provinces were the worst hit by the virus, with Ho Chi Minh City as the epicenter. About 800,000 people were infected and 20,000 died in less than four months as the outbreak surged.
Virginia Foxx is not unique in her disdain for Joe Biden and the Democratic Party. But this week she took it to a new and hypocritical level Tuesday in remarks she made to the House about a domestic violence bill  before voting against that bill.

Foxx was on the floor to discuss H.B. 2119, an improvement plan for the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA). She spent part of her time on the floor pointing out issues she blames on Biden that have potentially led to an increase domestic violence cases.

COVID-19 and President Bidens failed economic policies have dealt our nation government-mandated restrictions and economic challenges, Foxx told the House. It appears those negative outcomes have snowballed to exacerbate an even worse fallout.

That fallout, she suggested, was an increase in domestic violence in North Carolina and across the country. Recent statistics show that domestic violence-related homicides have increased in my home state of North Carolina, Foxx told the House. Domestic violence in any form is an evil that demands a strong response.

But in spite of her apparent frustration with domestic violence trends, Foxx voted against H.B. 2119, which would have expanded funding for domestic violence prevention services across the country, saying it pushed left wing priorities and wasnt bipartisan enough.

She wasnt the only member of the Republican Party to vote no. She was joined by 199 of her closest friends, including the other seven Republicans in North Carolina. Yet she was the only North Carolina Republican to speak against the improvement plan, and despite alluding to the bills necessity, wouldnt budge on the matter.

Foxx is entitled to her beliefs on abortion (ones that the majority of U.S. residents do not share). But some things, such as domestic violence prevention, should be non-negotiable.

Foxx claims H.B. 2119 paved the way for taxpayer funded abortion, despite the fact that federal taxes cant be used to cover almost all abortions under the Hyde Amendment. Aside from that discrepancy, the bill does not mention reproductive care at any point, which could be the issue for Foxx. I reached out to Foxxs Washington office multiple times for comment.

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She also claims that religious organizations are hurt by the bill, presumably because abortions might get funded with the same tax dollars. The reasoning she has for this is also unclear: the bill specifically allows funds to be used to foster prevention programs with faith-based organizations.

The bill also tramples the rights of faith-based providers by forcing organizations to abandon their sincerely-held religious beliefs, or give up helping victims through these programs, she says.

Foxx has never been one to shy from reactionary politics. This past May, she and Rep. Greg Murphy sent a letter to the UNC-Chapel Hill chancellor expressing their very strong disappointment in, and objection to Nikole Hannah-Jones becoming a journalism professor. Months before, Huffington Post reported her indifference to setting off metal detectors in the House chamber days after the Jan. 6 insurrection attempt. It goes back years: in 2009, she called Matthew Shepards death a hoax while opposing new hate crime legislation (she later apologized, which was not accepted by Matthews mother).

North Carolinians shouldnt condone her hypocrisy when others are being assaulted in their homes. Maybe its time for her to be a bit more flexible if she wants bipartisanship like she claims. Her Democratic counterparts have been for years.
Americans Imprisoned in Venezuela

Dennysse Vadell holds portraits of her husband Tomeu Vadell in Lake Charles, La., in October 2019. Credit - Matthew Genitempo for TIME

On Oct. 16, Cristina and Veronica Vadell found themselves frantically following the dotted line of a planes path on a flight-tracking website from their homes in coastal Louisiana. The aircraft, which belonged to the U.S. Justice Department and was en route to Miami from Cape Verde, was rumored to be extraditing Alex Saab, a Colombian financier with close ties to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

It was the very scenario the two sisters had been dreading for months. Their father, Tomeu Vadell, is one of six U.S. men who have been imprisoned in Venezuela since November 2017 on what the U.S. government says are trumped-up corruption charges. The so-called Citgo 6, employees of the U.S. subsidiary of Venezuelas state-owned oil giant, had been granted house arrest in April in what was widely seen as a goodwill gesture from Maduro to the new U.S. President Joe Biden. It had allowed their 62-year-old father a reprieve from the squalid conditions and COVID-19 risks in the crowded military prisons where he and his colleagues had been detained for years.

Cristina called her father in Caracas, using a code word they had agreed on to let him know what was happening. Soon after, he texted his wife: They are here looking for us. After that, he stopped responding. Just hours after Saabs extradition, the Citgo 6five of them American citizens and one a U.S. permanent residenthad been picked up by Venezuelas intelligence service SEBIN and sent back to Maduros notorious Helicoide prison.

The development crushed family members back home in Texas and Louisiana, some of whom had been communicating their concerns over Saabs extradition to State Department and National Security Council officials for months, begging for a contingency plan. This is emotional torture for us, and mental and physical torture for our dad, Veronica Vadell tells TIME. And its not only the Venezuelan government that is doing this at this point, its the U.S. government tooback and forth for four years. Every time there is an opening the U.S. is either not listening or not prepared to respond. Now its directly putting their lives at risk.

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The U.S. decision to go ahead with Saabs extradition, knowing Maduro might retaliate, has confirmed these families long-held fears that despite assurances, the Biden Administration is prioritizing broader foreign policy goals over securing the release of their loved ones. This had happened once before: after being granted house arrest in December 2019, the men were put back in jail two months later when Trump welcomed Venezuelas opposition leader Juan Guaido to the White House. Some critics, including lawyers and former officials who work in hostage affairs, told TIME that Saabs extradition was ill-timed, risking the recovery of the Citgo 6 and three other Americans detained in Venezuela for Saabs facing money laundering charges in a U.S. court and potential domestic political gain.

People walk in front of a mural with the image of Alex Saab in Caracas, Venezuela, October 25, 2021. Rayner PenaEPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Somebody made a political decision that talk of democracy in Venezuela, which is not going to happen anytime soon, is more important than rescuing American citizens, says Jason Poblete, a Washington-based attorney who has represented U.S. citizens held hostage abroad, including members of the Citgo 6. U.S. officials were aware of the possible repercussions for the American hostages if they extradited Saab, he says, but despite the Administration knowing that could happen, they went ahead with it anyhow, and the men were picked up.

The Biden Administration is under increasing pressure not just from the families of the Citgo 6, but the families of other Americans being held hostage and wrongfully detained around the world. They, too, fear that their loved ones release could be sacrificed to political calculations, and have been questioning whether the Administration is doing enough to bring them home.

The same day the U.S. executives were put back in prison in Caracas, 16 American missionaries were kidnapped on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince by a Haitian gang, which is demanding a ransom of $1 million per person. While the White House says U.S. officials are working around the clock to help secure their release, the renewed attention on the issue has put a spotlight on the Biden Administrations handling of less prominent cases around the globe. The White House did not respond to request for comment for this story.

The U.S. can no longer continue to be bogged down in burdensome processes or policy debates that keep our loved ones from coming home and keep us uninformed of what you can and cannot do to help us, the families of more than two dozen individuals detained in Afghanistan, China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Mali, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Venezuela wrote Biden in a letter on Monday. We need to be shown that the promises of your administration to prioritize the return of our family members are not empty.

Former President Donald Trump made a point of frequently and publicly highlighting U.S. efforts to retrieve Americans held hostage or being detained overseas as part of his America First foreign policy. Not long before leaving office, he touted his record of bringing home more than 50 Americans from detention in 22 countries, including Andrew Brunson, an evangelical pastor who had been held in Turkey; Xiyue Wang, a Princeton graduate student held in Iran; and two Americans held by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Trump called for their release from the White House podium, met with family members, and even invited former U.S. detainees who had been freed under his administration to appear with him at the 2020 Republican National Convention.

Despite Trumps brazen capitalizing on those optics and his Administrations unorthodox approachesincluding a high-profile effort to free American rapper A$AP Rocky after he was accused of assault following a fight in Stockholm the community of hostages families took this as a welcome signal that their loved ones cases were being prioritized at the highest levels.

That feeling has faded since Biden took office. While many said they felt optimistic after a call with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in February, there has been less direct engagement with families during the Biden Administration from the President or National Security Adviser level, advocates say.

Families feel that meetings and statements from top U.S. officials illustrate the prioritization and the importance of their loved ones cases among all the competing policy concerns, says Margaux Ewen, the executive director of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit that tracks the cases of Americans being held abroad and advocates for their families. The reality is that there are very few Americans who have returned from captivity in the past nine months, so weare very concerned by that.

Read more: The American Hostages Left Behind for Trumps Taliban Peace Deal

At present, there are 66 publicly disclosed U.S. hostage and wrongful detention cases, according to the Foley Foundation, including the 16 missionaries kidnapped in Haiti. That dramatic and ongoing stand-off, which has made headlines around the world, has garnered high-profile responses from the Administration. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says he personally briefs Biden on the situation every day, and told reporters on Oct. 26 that the President has a deep interest in making sure every single one of those Americans gets home safely. Although they have provided few details, White House officials have insisted that the FBI and the State Department are working in a coordinated U.S. government effort to help free the American missionaries.

Since 2015, when President Barack Obama signed an executive order that publicly stated for the first time that the U.S. government could communicate or negotiate with hostage-takers, there has been strong bipartisan support for overhauling U.S. hostage policy. Recent legislation has codified these reforms, including by creating the interagency Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, which is headquartered at the FBI and assisting in the Haiti case.

The Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act, passed by Congress in December 2020 and signed by Trump before he left office, is meant to streamline the U.S. governments response to these cases. The law, named after a former FBI agent who died in Iranian custody after being abducted in 2009, also made permanent the positions for a special envoy for hostage affairs and a hostage response group at the National Security Council.

The United States will use every appropriate resource to gain the safe return of U.S. nationals who are held hostage, the legislation says. It also states clearly that U.S. policy does not preclude engaging in communications with hostage-takers the U.S. Government may itself communicate with hostage-takers, their intermediaries, interested governments, and local communities to attempt to secure the safe recovery of the hostage.

For the families of the Citgo 6, the past four years have shown the limits of the U.S. governments willingness to follow through with these pledges in a case caught between Washington and Caracas ongoing political and economic battle.

Saab, a Colombian businessman close to Maduro, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2019 and had been sought by the Justice Department over money laundering charges. U.S. prosecutors allege that he was behind a corrupt bribery scheme that allowed Maduro and his allies to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from a government-subsidized food program. While U.S. officials undoubtedly hope his potential cooperation will shed light on the Maduro regimes financial ties and how some of its leaders evade U.S. sanctions, this is likely to be a long, drawn-out legal process.

The Venezuela [case] is just one illustration of policy considerations being put before the individual cases, says Ewen. Its really important that the U.S. government not sit idly by, and not prioritize bilateral issues that are about broad policy versus figuring out the impact that decisions like extraditing Alex Saab have on six individual human beings who should have been home long ago.

The six American executives are about to enter their fifth year of captivity. They were arrested by masked security agents in November 2017 after being lured to Caracas for a business meeting. They were charged with embezzlement for a never-executed proposal, which their lawyers, family members and U.S. officials say amount to contrived charges, and sentenced to lengthy prison terms last year.

Read more: 6 Americans Imprisoned in Venezuela Are Hoping COVID-19 Brings Them Home

To be very clear, these are wrongful detainees, State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on Oct. 18, after they were taken back to prison. The regime continues to detain them to gain political leverage.a Venezuelan court convicted these individuals after a sham trial without any evidence.

This undated file photo posted on Twitter on June 18, 2020 by Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, shows CITGO oil executives Jose Angel Pereira, from left to right, Gustavo Cardenas, Jorge Toledo, Jose Luis Zambrano, Tomeu Vadell and Alirio Jose Zambrano, standing outside the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service, in Caracas, Venezuela. The oil executives were jailed in Venezuela more than three years ago on corruption charges. Jorge ArreazaVenezuela's Foreign Ministry/AP

Some of the men have developed serious health conditions over the course of their years of imprisonment, according to their families. They had received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while under house arrest, and were due to get their second when they were taken back to prison. The military jail where theyre being held has been under scrutiny by Venezuelan NGOs for recent COVID-19 outbreaks and the subsequent deaths of high-profile prisoners. The same week the Citgo 6 were returned to the prison, a jailed former Venezuelan defense minister being held there died of COVID-19.

Family members of the Americans imprisoned in Venezuela tell TIME that there appears to be little political will to free their loved ones if it involves engaging with Maduros government. While they appreciate the efforts of many career officials that have been working on their case, they have been frustrated by both the Trump and the Biden Administrations insistence on tying any future hostage negotiations to the outcome of Maduros talks with opposition leaders, which they say seems to dismiss the urgency of their situation.

We need communication between the U.S. government and Venezuela, otherwise I may never see my dad again, says Carlos Anez, whose stepfather Jorge Toledo is one of the imprisoned Americans. But its more important for them to bring one person to justice than to free six innocent people. Thats how I see it.

The families had been told that if there was progress during recent talks held in Mexico between Maduro and his opposition the U.S. might engage directly with the Venezuelan government to secure the release of the imprisoned Americans. Now, in retaliation for Saabs extradition, Maduro has suspended those negotiations.

Mr. President, we are frustrated by the lack of action by your Administration, the families of the Citgo 6, as well as those of three other Americans being held in Venezuela, wrote in a letter to Biden on Oct. 18. We refuse to accept that the U.S. government is holding back direct negotiations regarding the lives of Americans as leverage to get progress in an internal Venezuelan political dialogueOur loved ones are already being played as pawns in Venezuela, it is unacceptable for our own governmentyour Administrationto do the same.

For now, families of the Americans being held in Venezuela have been able to do little but send food, water, mattresses and cleaning supplies to the six men, who are back to being held together in a single cell so small that they have to take turns to exercise one at a time. Once again, phone calls are sporadic and family members are forced to comb through news reports, official statements and social media rumors from both countries to glean any information about what could happen next.

Its like a horrible deja vu that never ends, says Denysse Vadell, the wife of one of the imprisoned Americans. Its too much for us. Its just too much, going back to having our heart in our throat every day. Her daughter Cristina added These are peoples lives. This has to end.
Target Corp. has been very productive during quarantine.

While other retailers have shuttered or continue to struggle to make ends meet, the big-box retailer has opened Ulta Beauty and Apple shops-in-shop in select stores, increased its assortment of both private-label and in-house brands, grew its retail fleet (including smaller-format stores), expanded additional fulfillment options and made considerable top-and-bottom line gains.

More from WWD

Last March, Target said it would invest $4 billion annually to continue to grow its ecosystem. In the most recent quarter, Target logged $1.8 billion in profits with strength across all categories. As a result, shares of Target are up about 61 percent, year-over-year.

Weve spent years building and investing in the durable model we have today, which is supported by a differentiated strategy and the best team in retail, Brian Cornell, chairman and chief executive officer, said in August. Even after unprecedented growth over the last two years, we see much more opportunity ahead of us.

Our theme for this quarter was growth on top of growth, the CEO said during the conference call with analysts that same month. But you should expect that theme to continue going forward. Were going to continue to invest in our stores. Well continue to invest in new, highly productive stores, invest in our brands, invest in our fulfillment services and invest in our team. And our focus on continuing to drive consistent growth and market share expansion quarter after quarter will be a theme youll hear for years to come.

The success Target has seen over the last year, and its ongoing focus, are the reasons the company is receiving this years WWD Honor for Best-Performing Retailer, Large Cap.

Part of Targets success can be traced back to the fact that it was deemed an essential retailer during the height of coronavirus lockdowns, allowing it to stay open. But even as stay-at-home restrictions began to ease, shoppers continued to frequent the mass-merchant for both food and essentials, as well as fashion, apparel and beauty needs. And consumers werent just shopping in-stores either (although Targets in-store traffic has continued to grow throughout the pandemic), but also online and by way of drive-up shopping as well. Drive-up services surged 80 percent in the last three months. In August, Cornell said that over the last two years, second-quarter sales through drive-up services alone increased by nearly $1.4 billion.

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On a macro level, the Minneapolis-based retailers winning formula includes its omnichannel model, vast array of stores, coveted mix of products  both essential and discretionary  and its commitment to social causes, as well as investing in its workforce.

Target is operating on all eight cylinders. And if they had more cylinders theyd be operating on those as well, said Craig Johnson, founder of Customer Growth Partners. Yes, theres a lot of competition in the retail industry and everything else. But they are about as well positioned as anybody.

For one, the list of ways consumers can actually purchase products from Target is plentiful: in its roughly 1,900 stores around the nation, or by way of e-commerce; buy online, pick up in store; the Target app; drive-up or home delivery. And while other retailers are fretting over whether or not they will be able to secure delivery services for the upcoming holiday season, Target offers same-day delivery in a number of hours by way of its own last-mile delivery service Shipt, something few others in the industry can claim.

It comes as little surprise then that total digital comparable sales rose 10 percent in the most recent quarter, year-over-year, even as shoppers began to return to physical stores.

Target has taken the friction out of the shopping process, making it as easy as possible for customers to do business with them, said Michael Lasser, equity analyst at UBS.

At the same time, Targets in-store retail experience continued to gain traction, with new stores popping up (or soon to pop up) on New Yorks Upper East Side, Hawaii and near Disney World in Orlando, Fla. There are also a number of smaller format stores in college towns and urban centers around the country, new flow centers and store remodeling projects in the works.

Our properties team has had a busy year as they ramp up our remodel program following last years temporary suspension, Michael Fiddelke, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Target, said during Augusts conference call. In addition, theyre working to open new neighborhood stores, distribution centers and sortation centers across the country. More than 100 remodel projects are currently in flight and were on track to complete about 140 remodels in 2021 and an even higher number in 2022.

Fiddelke pointed out that the additional investments in real estate increase brand awareness. But even more relevant is not only Targets vast number of stores, but that many of them are situated in off-mall locations. This has been key to attracting consumers during the pandemic, many of whom are still fearful about entering enclosed spaces.

Its also simply easier to go to one store for all your shopping needs. Which is why Targets assortment of merchandise has also served as a growth driver. The mass merchant sells everything from food to essentials to electronics to fashion to home goods, making it an attractive shopping option for consumers who want to consolidate trips. And once shoppers are in stores  whether online or in real life  it stands to reason that theyre more likely to buy more than originally planned.

But Target is also appealing to smaller brands. While landing in department stores was once the fastest route to generate excitement around a brand, many brands today are heading to Target instead to help them scale. The list includes luxury lingerie brand Journelle, Levis Red Tab products, Thinx period apparel, New Zealand beauty brand Monday Haircare and Priyanka Chopras new hair care brand Anomaly, all of which can be found at Target.

Through the years Target has also collaborated (and subsequently offered affordably priced products) from brands and designers such as Hunter, Lilly Pulitzer, Zac Posen, Anna Sui, Missoni, Phillip Lim, Rodarte, Jason Wu and LoveShackFancy.

In addition, the big-box retailer has been successful with luring in new customers by way of carve-outs in stores. Target opened its first 52 Ulta Beauty shops-in-shop in select locations this summer (100 units are expected by the end of the year), offering consumers quick access to prestige brands, such as MAC Cosmetics, Clinique, Tarte, Too Faced, The Ordinary, Tula, Mario Badescu, Philosophy, Pattern Beauty, Ouai, It Cosmetics, Shiseido and First Aid Beauty.

Earlier this month, Target revealed plans to more than double the number of Apple shops-in-shop from 17 to 36 ahead of the holiday shopping season. Target has also previously opened Disney shops-in-shop in stores.

Theres also Targets in-house brands, many of which make billions of dollars annually in their own right. In February, Target revealed that its All In Motion activewear line had surpassed $1 billion in annual revenues after only a year on the market. It was also the firms 10th owned-brand to surpass that level in revenues.

Were proud that our brands are meeting guests evolving needs and sparking moments of daily comfort and joy for the entire family when they need it most, Jill Sando, Targets executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, said at the time.

In addition, Target offers contactless payment options  which further tames some shoppers fears of contracting COVID-19  and self-service checkouts, which serve to both speed up the overall shopping experience and ease tensions around the labor shortage.

One of the key attributes of well-run retailers is speed, Lasser said. In the stores, [Target has] done a great job of speeding up checkout, with a common cue and all the self-serves. The quicker you can process people, the quicker you let your customers pay you, the better youre doing.

But increasingly important to both would-be employees and consumers alike is how well companies and brands treat their staff  something Target has taken note of. Last year, the company (along with a number of other big retailers) raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour. This year the company said it would offer tuition assistance so employees can attend college. Thats in addition to six rounds of employee bonuses during the pandemic. Most recently, the company said it will pay associates $2 extra an hour for select hours worked during the peak holiday season as a thank you for their service.

The temporary $2 extra an hour is in recognition of the Target teams continued hard work to serve guests and the critical role they play in driving our business forward, said a spokesperson.

The retailer has also ramped up its diversity and inclusion efforts. In September 2020, in response to the killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis (home to Target HQ), the company said it would increase its representation of Black team members by 20 percent by 2023. The following month, Target said it would contribute $1 million over the next five years to the National Racial Equity Initiative, a program that selects Black college students to be social justice policy fellows in Congress for a 12-month period.

Then, earlier this year, the big-box retailer said it would spend more than $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by 2025. That includes adding products from more than 500 Black-owned businesses across the assortment and partnering with more Black-owned firms, such as marketing agencies, construction companies, suppliers and maintenance facilities, among others.

There is also Targets growing interest in sustainability, which includes designing 100 percent of its owned brands with regenerative, recycled or sourced sustainably materials by 2040; committing to contributing zero waste to landfills in the U.S. and net zero emission across both Target operations and the retailers supply chain within the same time frame and diversifying the companys workforce to better reflect the communities it serves by 2030.

Target is an incredible brand. Theyre uniquely positioned in the market, said Gerald Storch, CEO of Storch Advisors, a retail advisory firm, as well as the former vice chairman of Target. Hes also the mastermind behind target.com. Post-pandemic Target only gets better.
Theyre stuck with Dominion. And they should not be forced to pay for the political choices made by highly paid Dominion executives. Blues total compensation last year was $6.2 million. If he wants to support the Accountability Virginia PAC, ActBlue, or any other political organization or candidate in Virginia, hes free to do so with his own money.

What makes this even more outrageous is that while Dominion was giving $200,000 to a PAC it says it didnt even bother to properly vet, and after pocketing a 13.6 percent profit between 2017 and 2020 that was far more than the state law allows, Dominion was trying to convince the State Corporation Commission to allow it to raise its future profits to 10.8 percent.

Other public corporations that give contributions to politicians and PACs that support them must weigh the advantages of doing so with the very real possibility that they could alienate a large percentage of their customers as a result. Utilities have no such concerns. All the money they use to make political contributions is coming from captive ratepayers who have nowhere else to go to purchase electricity, a basic necessity of life.

This is wrong. Dominions employees and shareholders are free to support whatever political causes and candidates they choose. But their customers should not be forced to make involuntary contributions every time they turn on a light.

 The (Fredericksburg) Free Lance-Star
Japan's nuclear regulator says a massive number of pumice stones drifting in waters in the country's southwest could affect domestic nuclear power plants.

Ishiwatari Akira, a member of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, told a regular meeting on Wednesday that the stones may affect the intake of water used for cooling nuclear reactors.

The pumice stones are being washed ashore on the coast of Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami region of Kagoshima Prefecture. They come from an undersea volcanic eruption near the Ogasawara island chain in the Pacific Ocean in August.

Ishiwatari said the stones will likely come to Japan's main island of Honshu and called on officials to be prepared.

The authority says accumulated pumice and other objects may clog up the seawater intake equipment for cooling nuclear reactors.

It plans to assess the impact of the stones as the situation develops, and see how it is being addressed by the operators of nuclear power plants.

Officials of the Nuclear Regulation Authority had earlier taken up the impact of pumice stones when they discussed overall impacts of volcanos on nuclear power plants.

They say one of the effective ways to get rid of pumice is the measure being taken at each plant to remove jellyfish in the event of a plague. They also say installing fences in front of the water intake equipment can work.
North Tripura (Tripura): A mosque was vandalised and several shops were set ablaze in the Chamtilla area in North Tripura district during a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) rally taken out to protest against recent violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, said police on Wednesday.

The North Tripura District Police said that for the last one week such small incidents have been reported in some parts of the state and added that the situation is under control while urging people to maintain peace.

Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) has demanded an immediate halt to anti-Muslim violence in Tripura.https://t.co/0IjrHr9gOU pic.twitter.com/yAIc7bhTTc  SIO of India (@sioindia) October 25, 2021

North Tripura District Police is taking lawful action in connection with the incident that happened today. The situation is under control. Some people are spreading rumours and circulating provocative messages on social media. It is an appeal to all not to believe such messages and maintain peace, said police in a tweet.

The police further said that action will be taken against those circulating rumours on social media platforms and trying to disturb the peace.
New Delhi: On Wednesday, search engine giant Google is celebrating the legacy of Czech chemist Otto Wichterle. Today on his 108th birth anniversary, Google paid tribute to the legendary with a doodle. Wichterles invention of soft contact lens changed the lives of millions of people around the globe. Over 140 million people in the world wear contact lenses today.

Heres what you should know about Otto Wichterle:

# Wichterle was born on this day in 1913 in Prostejov, the Czech Republic (then, Austria-Hungary).

# Otto Wichterle was awestruck by science from the days of his youth, and hence went on to earn his doctorate in organic chemistry in 1936 from the Prague Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT).

# He taught as a professor at his alma mater during the 1950s while developing an absorbent and transparent gel for eye implants.

# However, due to political turmoil he was pushed out of the the ICT, though he continued refining his hydrogel development at home.

# In 1961, Wichterle  who also wore glasses  produced the first soft contact lenses with a DIY apparatus made of a childs erector set, a bicycle light battery, a phonograph motor, and homemade glass tubing and molds.

# According to a Google blog post, Wichterle  as the inventor of countless patents and a lifelong researcher  was elected the first President of the Academy of the Czech Republic following the countrys establishment in 1993.

Happy birthday, Otto Wichterlethanks for helping the world see eye to eye!, Google wrote in its blogpost.
Archer Daniels Midland's Columbus dry mill is part of a plan the company announced Monday to turn ethanol into sustainable jet fuel.

ADM said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with a company called Gevo Inc. to transform ethanol into sustainable jet fuel and other renewable hydrocarbon fuels.

According to terms of the deal, Colorado-based Gevo would use its processing technology to turn about 900 million gallons of ethanol produced at ADMs dry mills in Columbus and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as well as its Decatur, Illinois, complex into about 500 million gallons of sustainable, low-carbon fuels for aviation and other industries.

The Columbus and Cedar Rapids facilities both have production capacities of about 300 million gallons a year, so it appears the plan is to dedicate all their capacity to the sustainable fuels effort.

Gevo CEO Patrick Gruber said in a news release that it has potential demand from customers for more than 1 billion gallons of sustainable fuels.
The video evidence ... shows vehicles have been slowed down by picketers in crosswalks; it fails to prove illegal conduct has occurred, Scott wrote in his order denying Deeres request.

The company had asked the court to limit the number of picketers at entrances to Deeres Des Moines Works factory to four (as it was able to do in Scott County), and prohibit picketers at its warehouse in Ankeny. Deere claims that no union or bargaining unit work is performed at the Ankeny warehouse.

The UAW, as well, has placed limitations on the number of people protesting at the picket sites (10 people at the main gate and five at other sites); posted rules for and held presentations on picketing for members before going to picket sites; and ensured that each site has a captain who is responsible for ensuring the picketing is done peacefully an accordance with federal, state and local laws, according to testimony from the chairman of UAW Local No. 450.

The Union asserts that it has made and it continues to make good-faith efforts to address issues and concerns raised by Deere, Scott wrote in his order. If a picketer steps outside the bounds of protected activity, that picketer is removed.

Scott ruled Deere failed to show it will suffer substantial injury or damages unless an injunction is granted.
People who want to start their holiday shopping early and/or online have a golden opportunity this week.

Kendra Scott Jewelry will donate 20% of designated proceeds from Friday and Saturdays purchases to Wings of Hope Cancer Support Center in Council Bluffs.

No need to worry about empty shelves or busy crowds  we have the answer, said Carolyn Ettinger, program director. This coming weekend you can enjoy a cup of coffee and shop from the comfort of your own living room.

The chain annually supports breast cancer-related charities during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, she said. Wings of Hope is the designated charity this year for Iowa.

The opportunity was a surprise to Ettinger.

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They emailed us and said would you be interested?, she said. Its great for us  and its good for them, because they get promoted.

While visions of diamonds may be dancing in some peoples heads, Kendra Scott also offers inexpensive jewelry in the $30 to $50 range.

You dont have to spend $300, Ettinger said.
Local officials celebrated the opening of the Southwest Iowa Law Enforcement Training Centers new 100-yard firing range on Wednesday.

The $3 million addition is part of a partnership between Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County that will allow for enhanced training by police and sheriffs office personnel, along with another 58 different agencies from Iowa and Nebraska, along with the U.S. Air Force, according to Police Chief Tim Carmody and the city. In all, about 1,000 members of federal, state and local agencies will use it each year.

Were extremely excited. This is an investment made by our people and our community thatll serve our whole region, Carmody said. This new range is going to allow us to expand that training capacity. And its going to be here for generations to come.

In July of 2020, the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors and Council Bluffs City Council signed off on an updated 28E agreement between the county and city that included a provision that requires board and council approval of capital improvement expenditures that exceed $10,000. The two bodies both worked together on approving the training center expansion project.
DES MOINES  Iowas Republican U.S. Senators, Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, have signed a bipartisan letter expressing their disappointment with the Pentagons proposed timeline for implementing newly recommended measures to sexual assault in the military.

The U.S. defense department in September announced its plan to implement recommendations put forth in a report from the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault, which was ordered by President Joe Biden.

The proposal includes implementation of some measures between 2027 and 2030, according to the senators letter.

More than 20,000 active U.S. service members may have experienced sexual assault, according to the most recent study from the defense department.

The letter, addressed to U.S. Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin and signed by eight U.S. senators, including Ernst and Grassley, expresses frustration that the defense departments proposed implementation is too slow, calling it a vague approach and lax timeline.

This approach does not rise to the challenge of addressing the crippling and endemic sexual assault crisis afflicting our nations military, the letter says.
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Many of them already were receiving some kind of support, such as Medicaid or day services, he said.

The additional funding approved by the 2021 Legislature, Green said, will allow even more people on the list to gain a full range of services and move off the registry  once he can find and train people to serve them.

Unfortunately, he said, only 22,000 Nebraskans are drawing unemployment benefits at a time when the official state unemployment rate is a record-low 2% and the state has 50,000 openings for both public- and private-sector jobs.

For now, Green said, his division is telling the next people in line in the registry to pick providers and check out their services.

But it will take eight to 12 weeks for me to provide staff, including recruitment and training time, he said.

The state is stepping up financial incentives to fill its vacancies and help service providers recruit and retain people. But I dont know if this will ever solve it if we dont get people to fill those jobs or fill out an application.
Multiple bills proposed for a three-day special legislative session this week would allow students and their parents to forgo legally mandated vaccines to attend public or private K-12 schools in Wyoming. One of them is backed by a joint committee.

State statute already allows parents to request religious or medical exemptions to any of the vaccines currently required to attend school in Wyoming. To request those exemptions, parents must provide evidence that the vaccines violate their religious beliefs or are contrary to advice from their students physicians.

The proposed legislation would add a third waiver category, allowing parents or legal guardians to request exemptions without any rationale beyond it being their personal choice.

I do not feel like a personal exemption for the state required vaccines is a good idea, said Regan Story, president of the Wyoming School Nurses Association.

Vaccines are important to keep illness down in and outside of school, she said, adding that its relatively rare that parents request religious or medical vaccination waivers.

Story said in a situation where a large number of students requested such exemptions, it would pose a greater risk to those students than anyone else in the building.
Many people talk about the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns many states imposed as if they are the same thing. Theyre not. The pandemic was out of our control; how we choose to deal with COVID is not.

The choices we have made over the past year and a half will have consequences. We are already seeing some of these consequences play out today.

For the first time in the nearly 50-year history of the National Assessment of Educational Progress long-term trend assessment, certain groups of students scores were down last year. This test, also known as the Nations Report Card, measures the academic success of Americas 9- and 13-year-old students.

While the scores of 9-year-olds were unchanged since the test was last given in 2012, 13-year-old students scored lower in both reading and math. You have to go back to the 1970s to find a time when these students average scores were lower. On top of that, in 2020 more students than ever before said that they never or hardly ever read for fun.
This article was featured in One Great Story, New Yorks reading recommendation newsletter. Sign up here to get it nightly. Photo: Dina Litovsky for New York Magazine

Lina Khan was an associate professor at Columbia Law, working remotely from Texas, when she found out that President Joe Biden wanted her on the Federal Trade Commission. She was 32, just a handful of years out of law school, and the prospect of being one of five commissioners on the panel was a coup. Then the record skipped. At some point after her confirmation hearing, Khan says, she was pretty startled to learn that the administration would tap her to chair the commission  a century-old agency with 1,100 employees, a $384 million budget, and, shed argue, a set of priorities that went disastrously astray some 40 years ago.

I think its fair to say that my tenure here represents change in a whole host of dimensions, Khan told me. And I think change can be hard. Dressed in a dark-blue blazer, she was sitting in her office at FTC headquarters in Washington, a temporary space that overlooks a 12-foot statue of a muscle-bound behemoth restraining a raging stallion. Man Controlling Trade, its called. Khan, who is seven years younger than the certified D.C. wunderkind Pete Buttigieg, is now indisputably the most powerful figure in the anti-monopoly vanguard. She gives a clarifying voice to the idea that super-concentrated corporate power is a threat to ordinary Americans  not just to our economic well-being but to our freedoms.

Its a throwback to the 1920s Progressive-era notion that a free people need fair markets. When we spoke in mid-October for a tightly scheduled 29 minutes and 37 seconds, Khan was at her most animated discussing those moments when Americans lack choice and lack power in nearly any act of commerce. The chicken farmer that is subject to the whims of the massive chicken processor is going to face analogous contract terms to the author that is subject to a major bookseller, she said. The worker at the whims of his boss, and who is bound by a noncompete agreement so he cant quit and go next door; or the small-business franchisee thats at the whims of the big franchiser; or even the consumer that wants to switch internet providers, but theres no other service in their neighborhood  to Khan, these are all symptoms of markets that have been conquered by oligarchs.

Khans central argument is that none of this is inevitable; rather, its the product of legal and policy choices made since the Reagan era. By seeking to rewind those choices, she has made enemies out of all the companies that have gained the most from the present system  which is to say, the most formidable corporations in America, including Facebook, Alphabet, and Amazon. This is a David-and-Goliath story, says Barry Lynn, the executive director of the Open Markets Institute, who hired Khan for her first job in the field. And shes the perfect David.

In 1903, Theodore Roosevelt created the Bureau of Corporations to ward off monopolies; a little more than a decade later, Woodrow Wilson signed its successor agency, the FTC, into existence as part of a reform push inspired by the breakup of Standard Oil. The commission played an essential role in keeping corporate power in check for decades. Then, in 1978, the Yale Law professor Robert Bork wrote The Antitrust Paradox. The book, to simplify a bit, argued that companies could get as big as they liked as long as people paid low prices  part of a standard that came to be known as consumer welfare. It redefined the field, and courts endorsed Borks views as settled law for decades.

Eleven years into the Bork era, Khan was born in London to parents with Pakistani roots. Her family are very sophisticated people, says Lynn. Khans father is a consultant who for a time was the CEO of a major Indian online-gaming company, and her mother has worked in the health-care industry. The family moved to Larchmont in 2000, and Khan graduated from Williams College magna cum laude. She landed in Washington, where Lynn hired her at his think tank to research structural market problems that spanned industries, from airlines to chicken farming to grain futures. Khan had a knack for making her findings accessible, and soon she was writing them up in publications like Washington Monthly, Slate, and Time, where one representative headline read, Why So Little Candy Variety? Blame the Chocolate Oligopoly.

Khan considered taking a reporting job at the Wall Street Journal, but, convinced that the hands-off interpretation of antitrust law was key to the consolidation she saw happening in industry after industry, she went to Yale Law School instead. In 2017, in her third year, she published a 96-page journal article with a Bork-tweaking title: Amazons Antitrust Paradox. It was a direct attack on the prevailing antitrust regime, which, with its focus on prices, was flummoxed by companies like Amazon and Facebook: How could they be harming consumers when they were known for driving costs down, if not providing services for free? Dissecting Amazons complex business model, Khan argued that its nearly monopolistic power resulted in all kinds of harm  to distributors, shippers, payment networks, small businesses, and competitors forced to use Amazons infrastructure. The paper was the first robust application of a contra-Bork legal framework to the digital age. As a bonus, it was a good read, relatively speaking, with lines like It is as if Bezos charted the companys growth by first drawing a map of antitrust laws, and then devising routes to smoothly bypass them. If law-journal papers can be said to go viral, this one did. The New York Times called it a runaway best-seller in the world of legal treatises, whose popularity has rocked the antitrust establishment, and is making an unlikely celebrity of Ms. Khan in the corridors of Washington.

Newly famous-for-D.C., Khan took her arguments directly to her natural critics. On Fox News, she laid out a case for treating Amazon the way the country long ago decided to treat railroads: requiring that third-party sellers get equal access to its e-commerce platform. Wouldnt that be a political decision? the host asked. I think all decisions are political, Khan shot back. At a University of Chicago event, the former Obama-administration economist Austan Goolsbee said that abandoning consumer welfare as a North Star was risky and could lead to uncharted territory. Khan observed that the standard does not exist in the text of the law itself. How did we get it? she asked. We got it because judges and a certain set of scholars decided that the idea of competition is really too vague. As she saw things, it was Borks book and all that followed that led the economy into the wild, not the other way around.

Khan worries about the existential stakes of underreaching. Going too far? Doing too much? When identifying the top ten threats to this agency, thats not on the list.

After graduating from Yale, and now counting senators like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren among her admirers, Khan returned to Open Markets for a year and then joined the staff of FTC commissioner Rohit Chopra. She moved on to Capitol Hill  where she helped lead a House subcommittee investigation into the tech giants  and then Columbia. A month after Biden took office, with a vacancy at the FTC, Warren contributed an essay about Khan for Times 100 Next list of emerging leaders. As Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon face growing scrutiny, we have a huge opportunity to make big, structural change by reviving anti-trust enforcement and fighting monopolies that threaten our economy, our society and our democracy, Warren wrote. I cant wait to see how Lina will continue to shape that debate. Biden nominated Khan the next month.

Tapping her as chair was a surprising shift for Biden, and he admitted as much in July as he signed an executive order on competition with Khan over his right shoulder. Im a proud capitalist. I spent most of my career representing the corporate state of Delaware, Biden said. I know America cant succeed unless American business succeeds. But let me be very clear: Capitalism without competition isnt capitalism; its exploitation.

Amazon and Facebook greeted Khans swearing-in by firing off petitions saying she should recuse herself from any cases involving them because shed arrived in office having already decided theyd broken the law. When I asked Khan what she made of this, she shrugged. Yeah, I mean, look, its no secret that these companies have a lot on the line here, she said. Theyre well resourced, and theyre going to marshal every argument that they have, meritorious or meritless.

Four months into the job, Khan seems more concerned with winning over the FTCs rank and file. Until recently, she was splitting her time between D.C. and Harlem, working occasionally out of the agencys regional office in New York, and she still hasnt met most of the Washington workforce. In normal times, a chair would just have an ice-cream social and see everybody, she said. Khan attempted an all-hands Zoom call for FTC employees, but with something like 900 people on the grid, it was, she admits, a bit weird. There have been grumbles that Khan is insular. She tapped three people who worked for her old boss Chopra for important roles: as her chief of staff and as heads of two of the FTCs three formal bureaus. (Chopra is now running the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.)

Khan also has to deal with her two Republican commissioners. One of them, Christine Wilson, who has extensive experience at the FTC, having previously worked in roles from law clerk to chief of staff, regularly needles Khan in public meetings about perceived policy failings and mistakes as an administrator. The two have never met in person.

The rash of changes Khan has already made  tossing an Obama-era statement limiting the scope of the unfair practices cases the agency can bring; naming herself or an appointee rather than an administrative judge the decision-maker in some procedures; reserving the right to go back and vet already consummated mergers  has coalesced into a narrative: that Khan is something of a consolidator of power herself, taking it away from minority commissioners and staff and rattling the corporate sector in the process. The two Republican members have called it a disturbing trend of pulling the rug out from under honest businesses and the lawyers who advise them. Senator Mike Lee, the top Republican on the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, has called it a progressive putsch.

Khans allies would agree theres been an ouster. What weve done is weve restored the American tradition from 1776 to 1981, says Lynn, referring to the year that Borks analysis went mainstream. Weve driven the radicals out of the temple.

Khan told me she worries about the existential stakes of underreaching  of neutering the tools available to the agency, constantly disappointing both Democrats and Republicans in Congress, and having the public forget the FTC even exists. Going too far? Doing too much? When identifying the top ten threats to this agency, she said, thats not on the list.

In addition to internal reforms, Khan will soon have to start making difficult decisions about headline cases, such as Amazons proposed purchase of MGM Studios for $8.45 billion. Approving the deal risks angering supporters who see her as an Amazon killer. If she fights the acquisition, she risks losing: Compared to Disney (which owns Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and other brands) and Netflix, Amazon is hardly a monopolist of streaming video. As a private citizen, Khan used to criticize regulators for being risk averse in bringing cases, arguing that they should pursue ones that might not succeed to show the public and Congress that the law is broken. But now she has the FTCs limited resources to consider and must answer to a Congress with strong opinions on how she spends its money.

Those around Khan say shes more important than any one case. To them, shes a vehicle for the courage to stand up to the corporations that have been bullying Americans ever since regulators abdicated their power, and they hope others follow her lead. Its going to take a lot more than Lina, says Matt Stoller, the author of Goliath: The 100-Year War Between Monopoly Power and Democracy (and a former colleague of Khans at Open Markets). This is not a one-person job. Its not a one-agency job. We are trying to undo 40 years of pro-concentration policy across the entire government. What Im hoping happens with Lina is the FTC becomes a kind of intellectual and policy center for the government and spreads this movement across the other parts of the government and into the states. He adds with a laugh, And of course Id like her to break up Facebook.
Thousands of demonstrators have protested the economic policies of conservative Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso, days after he raised petrol prices, blocking roads in some parts of the country.

Lasso, a former banker who took office in May, last week scrapped planned incremental rises in petrol charges, meant to eventually align with international costs, following pressure by indigenous and other organisations.

He opted instead to raise the price of gasoline extra, a higher octane petrol that is Ecuador's most-used fuel, to a fixed $A3.40 a gallon and diesel to $A2.53 a gallon.

But unions and other groups want Lasso to freeze prices at lower rates and exempt sectors hit hard by COVID-19.

Five police officers were injured and two members of the armed forces were being held on Tuesday by a community in northern Quito, but were unharmed, Defence Minister Luis Hernandez told journalists.

Thirty-seven people were detained for blocking roads, he added.

The Ecuador Confederation of Indigenous Nations said demonstrators had been injured but did not give a figure.

Interior Minister Alexandra Vela said marches were peaceful except for a few incidents in the afternoon and said the government was open to dialogue.

Petrol costs have risen significantly since Lasso's predecessor, Lenin Moreno, began monthly increases in May 2020.

Police used tear gas in the capital amid small clashes with protesters, while officers on horseback blocked the entrance to the plaza that had been the marchers' destination.

Marches also took place in Guayaquil and Cuenca.

Indigenous groups blocked the road that connects Quito to the country's north with earth and trees, and others in various Andean provinces were closed.

Indigenous organisation CONFENIAE said some roadways in the Amazon region had been shuttered from the early morning.

"We didn't come to destabilise, we came to make economic demands of the government," CONAIE president Leonidas Iza told demonstrators in Panzaleo.
I dont believe anybody should be forced to take a vaccine or lose their job; this is coercion, and its not freedom, Odle said. I talked to defense contractors and workers up in Huntsville, and they said  (theyre) going to lose a great portion  10% or more  of their workforce in one company. These are not just jobs you can replace.

Odle also said he is not pleased with mandates nor Gov. Kay Iveys executive order issued Monday that seeks to prevent vaccine requirements statewide  an order at odds with President Bidens order. He cited Alabama House Bill 31, which aims to ban employer vaccine mandates across the state, as an example of where he conflicts with Iveys approach to blocking mandates.

(Ivey) talks about standing up to Biden, but she doesnt push for HB31 that will put a stop to these mandates, he said. The executive order (Monday) basically only protects her executive employees and their contractors (but) it doesnt do anything for the private sector or in the federal sector across the state.

HB31 has been contested by the Business Council of Alabama on grounds it would open Alabama businesses up to frivolous lawsuits, with its president Mark Colson calling it government overreach. Odle has not received a COVID-19 vaccine and has chosen not to do so.


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As the United States slowly begins to recover from the economic low-point of the pandemic, some states are getting left behind. Jobs numbers are creeping up around the country, but five states -- Alaska, Hawaii, Wyoming, New Mexico and Louisiana -- have not yet recovered more than half of the jobs lost over the course of the pandemic according to a recent report from Fitch Ratings based on data gathered in August.

Notably, of these five states, Hawaii is the only one that doesnt count oil and gas as a key part of its economy. The oil sector had a roller coaster ride during the development of the novel coronavirus pandemic, which took the bottom out of global oil demand in early 2020. This contraction was followed by a spat and then all-out oil price war waged between the leading OPEC+ members of Saudi Arabia and Russia. The ensuing oil glut maxed out global oil storage and pushed oil prices into the previously unthinkable negatives. On April 20, 2020 the West Texas Intermediate crude benchmark ended the day at nearly $40 below zero per barrel.

Things have turned around, to say the least. At the time of writing, the West Texas Intermediate benchmark stood at $83.47 a barrel. In 2020 oil supplies were so high that owning oil was a liability. Today, Saudi Arabia is now warning that the worlds spare oil capacities are falling rapidly and has urged for greater investment in production. This has led to the addition of oil jobs in some areas. Texas added 2,900 oil exploration and production jobs in September alone.

Other oil sectors, however, continue to struggle. Alaska, and in particular the Alaskan oil industry, has been hit hard. In April, the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced that Alaskan oil production had hit a 40-year low. In-state oil jobs are at a 15-year low. Most other trades have seen positive growth over the last year, The Anchorage Daily news reported this week. Still, the Alaska workforce remains 25,000 jobs below pre-pandemic levels.

In one illustrative case in January of this year, Donald Trump opened up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to would-be oil drillers as one of his last actions before leaving office. But when the auction took place, almost no one showed up. While the last couple of years have been particularly hard for Alaskan oil, its likely that this winter is going to be even harder. Its going to be lean times, which affects the state in the long-term, Dave Cruz, owner of oilfield services company Cruz Construction told the Anchorage Daily News. People who have jobs out there should take care of them. Theres not much out there this winter.

Industry insiders have projected that the delayed effect of rebounding oil demand and the current oil price rally will reach the Alaska job market sometime next year, but the prognosis is grim for the rest of 2021. Furthermore, there are a lot of factors that might keep Alaskan oil from ever rebounding to pre-pandemic levels -- which, it should be said, were already very low compared to the heyday of Alaskan oil.

Indeed, there is a whole lot standing in the way of an Alaskan oil renaissance. After oil companies slammed the brakes on Alaskan oil projects during the pandemic due to bottomed-out oil prices and concern for worker safety, starting back up is a slow process. Plus, Hilcorp bought out BPs Alaska assets and, in doing so, left hundreds of workers behind.

And then there are all of the external factors. Previous drilling approvals handed down by the Trump administration have been walked back due to failure to comply with environmental standards. The Biden administration is trying to push forward a clean energy agenda which may not bode well for Alaskan oil drillers -- and the Democrats are far from alone in their distaste for drilling in the great white north. Nearly all of the major banks are completely divesting from drilling in the ecologically vulnerable Arctic.

The divestment trend is likely to continue. Around the globe, world leaders are starting to get serious about combating climate change. And, as we speak, tens of thousands of representatives from all corners of the globe are headed to Glasgow for the 26th annual United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), known as COP26, where they will work on furthering the global agenda to curb greenhouse gas emissions. No matter how that agenda develops, you can be sure that it wont bode well for Alaskan oil.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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Libyas Es Sider pipeline has a major leak that will require a 7- 10-day shutdown for maintenance, NOC reported on Wednesday.

The news comes on the back of Tuesdays report on skirmishes by armed groups that severely damaged Libyas Zawiya Oil Complex, Libyas National Oil Corporation reported on Tuesday.

The Es Sider shutdown will take 200,000 bpd of Libyan shipments out of commission, said NOCs media department, according to Reuters. NOC blamed the leak on the fact that there is still no budget, after the parliament earlier rejected the GNUs proposal.

Libya has been plagued with maintenance and security issues that have disrupted crude oil production, which have so far kept the OPEC producer from achieving its production goals.

13 petroleum products and crude oil storage tanks sustained damage on Tuesday, as well as an electrical transformer supplying power to the main station for oil mixing and filling.

The NOC was still determining the full extent of Tuesdays damage when Wednesdays pipeline disruption was announced.

Such criminal acts cannot be accepted in or near our sites. Many of our facilities have been sabotaged during the past years as a result of clashes, but those damaged sites have been renovated and returned to work. It may take years to repair these new damages, and could cost the Libyan state an exponential amount of money, which is difficult to obtain, Chairman of the NOC, Mustafa Sanalla, said on Tuesday, adding that The infrastructure of the oil sector represents the lifeblood of the Libyan state. Therefore, vandalising these facilities, destroying them, or exposing their workers to danger, is a crime that cannot be tolerated. Therefore, we ask the respective authorities to extend their security in and around these sites, protect our workers, and provide security requirements to ensure we continue our operations there.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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The COP26 meeting next week will likely be the largest divestment party ever seen. Investors with $39.2 trillion in investments under management have already committed to divest from oil and gas and the list of anti-hydrocarbon policies and divestment strategies will only grow from here. The largest Dutch pension fund ABP, which mainly represents government and civil servants and holds more than EUR530 billion of assets, has announced that it will divest its oil, gas, and coal holdings before 2023. ABP chairwoman Corien Wortmann-Kool confirmed that ABP will not be investing anymore in oil and gas companies. She also indicated that the reports of the IEA, the energy watchdog of the OECD in Paris, and the UN IPCC reports have been a wake-up call and fundamental in ABPs decision-making process. At the same time, some analysts have said that this is a move to quell any possibility of the expected lawsuit against ABP by activist shareholders and pensioners, such as ABP Fossielvrij (Fossil Free). The move from ABP, a company that made a hefty margin on oil and gas futures in the 1990s-2000s, is seen by anti-fossil groups as a major coup. The new move shows that even Dutch pension funds, legally forced to take a prudent investment view long-term, are now susceptible to political and societal pressure groups. To set up a new anti-fossil fuel strategy based on reports such as those from the IPCC and the IEA is rather strange, as both reports are unclear and come from organizations that continue to contradict one another. The IEAs Fatih Birol, for example, first called for an end to all investment in upstream oil and gas before asking oil and gas companies to increase their production substantially due to the ongoing energy crisis. Despite this lack of clarity, Wortmann-Kool indicated that there is a strong desire within the group for divestment.

It remains unclear what the real impact of the ABP decision will be. With only around EUR15 billion invested in oil and gas, the move is unlikely to have a material impact on markets. The fund also has given itself until Q1 2023 to put it all in place.

Related: Oil Price Controls Wont Solve The Energy Crisis

The ABP move is in-line with other statements by international pension funds, especially in the USA and the Netherlands. ABPs decision to divest comes after several other Dutch pension funds did the same. A new report published by DivestInvest states that around 1,500 investment institutions overseeing a combined $39.2 trillion of assets under management have now committed to divest from fossil fuels. Big names that joined this year include the $16 billion Ford Foundation, Harvard University with its $42 billion, and the U.S. state of Maine. Most of these funds claim, just as ABP does, that hydrocarbon divestments are a quick win for funds wishing to decarbonize portfolios. They all claim that this is a major step forward in the battle against climate change.

In reality, these moves are far from effective. Divested equity and bonds of major international listed oil and gas companies, or oilfield services, will not drive lower oil and gas production or lower global demand. In reality, global demand for hydrocarbons is going to increase further, with some observers believing demand wont decrease until 2050. The reality of demand will not be changed by pension funds and investors taking a stand. Instead, the equity and asset divestments will quickly be picked up by others, especially non-OECD investment funds, such as Saudi PIF, Abu Dhabis ADIA, or Russian-Chinese combinations. At the same time, private equity funds are very keen to grab the available stocks, bonds, and assets, as the margins in oil and gas, and even coal, are very impressive and will remain so for longer. National oil companies and non-Western oil and gas giants will be happy to produce every last drop of oil, gas, and even coal they can. Private equity funds, with a much shorter investment horizon than funds, will be pushing for higher production sooner, which will not only produce higher emission levels but will constrain the price competitiveness of renewables.

Political activism and sustainability are definitely not a marriage made in heaven. While activists are currently cheering in the streets, even in the Netherlands, all riding the same COP26 bandwagon, there will be little to no tangible result. Hydrocarbon and energy experts understand that global energy demand is going to increase exponentially in the coming years. Whatever multitrillion investments are being made in renewables, hydrogen, or even nuclear energy, fossil fuels have not lost their shine at all. Global economies are hooked and addicted to oil and gas and will be for years to come.

By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com

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Consumers all over the world have already started to feel the pinch of the global natural gas crisis and surging prices in Europe and Asia. Households in Europe are paying much higher gas and power prices, while nearly half of U.S. consumers are bracing for a 30-percent jump in winter energy bills as they primarily use natural gas for heating.

The pain for consumers wont stop with higher winter energy bills. The natural gas price surge has also triggered price increases for global food and fuel. Both are set to jump in the coming months, partly due to the indirect effect of record-high gas prices, which are curtailing production of critical components for the food industry and agricultural commodities.

This winters big chill could be felt far, long and wide, The Wall Street Journals Jinjoo Lee wrote in an article this week.

Indeed, soaring gas prices are not only directly raising energy bills for households. They are also indirectly impacting the global food supply chain, the effects of which could still be felt as far away as next year. Thats because of the reduced production of fertilizers that would lead to tighter supply and potentially influence the decision of farmers on which crops to plant next year in a bid to reduce the pain of high fertilizer costs.

In mid-September, giant European firms from chemicals and mining to the food sector said sky-high gas and electricity prices were hitting their profit margins and forcing some of them to curtail operations.

Related: Money Managers Are Throwing Their Weight Behind The Oil Price Rally

Lower fertilizer production is not only sending fertilizer prices soaring, but it is also hitting the food supply chain because ammonia and nitrogen production has carbon dioxide (CO2) as a byproduct. CO2 is widely used in the food industry to make soft drinks and in the packaging of perishable foods.

For example, CF Industries, a manufacturer of hydrogen and nitrogen products, said in mid-September that it was halting operations at both its Billingham and Ince manufacturing sites in the UK due to high gas prices.

The Billingham plant makes carbon dioxide, so the UK government secured a short-term deal with the company, which produces 60 percent of the UKs CO2, to ensure the continued supply to businesses and avoid food shortages.

Soaring natural gas prices have prompted shutdowns of fertilizer plants and have wide-ranging implications, not only for industry, but for farmers and global food supply, Deepika Thapliyal at Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS) said on Tuesday.

The rally in energy prices, especially coal and natural gas, have sharply increased agricultural input costs. This includes fertilizers, which have risen more than 55 percent since January, with several fertilizer manufacturers halting or reducing production capacity, the World Bank said in its Commodity Markets Outlook this month.

If energy and fertilizer prices do not stabilize next year as expected, food prices would be subject to upward pressures, the bank said.

In Europe, the chokingly high gas prices are making the production of ammonia and fertilizers unprofitable, industry association Fertilizers Europe said early this month.

If prolonged, this situation will lead to lower European fertilizer production and a tightened market situation which could affect next years agricultural yield, the group added.

Related: Aramco CEO: Underinvestment In Oil Is A Huge Concern

The European Commission presented on October 13 a toolbox to address soaring energy prices, yet this does not solve the immediate crisis, Fertilizers Europe said.

Surging energy prices lead to reduced fertilizer production, higher input costs for farmers, and in turn food price spike. But fertilizer industry is not just about food for plants. Our industry is also a key supplier of AdBlue for heavy weight vehicles, CO? supply for meat and beverage industries to name the few, said Jacob Hansen, Director General at Fertilizers Europe.

China, for its part, is said to have started to restrict, or at least closely monitor, its exports of fertilizers, which additionally tightens global supply and could lead to additional price shocks for food.

Tightening global fertilizer supply will not spare U.S. farmers, either, analysts say. Corn, wheat, and oats crops are sensitive to the amount of fertilizer used. In addition, more expensiveand a tighter supply ofcorn, for example, would raise the price of ethanol used for blending into gasoline as per the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

All in all, the record-high natural gas prices will raise heating bills this winter, steak prices next spring, and fuel prices next summer.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The trend is clear: activist shareholders in the energy industry are making waves. This time, the target is Royal Dutch Shell.

Activist investor Dan Loeb, through Third Point LLC, holds a $750 million stake in Shell, according to Bloomberg sources. Third Point, in a letter last Thursday, said that Shell would benefit from splitting off certain divisions.

According to the investor, it would be beneficial for Shell to split off its LNG and renewables divisions, leaving Shells upstream, refining, and chemicals operations to be separated from the greener divisions.

Shell (NYSE: RDS.A), with a market cap of $193 billion, is a global force in the energy industry and produces roughly 2 million barrels of oil per day.

But in February, the oil titan said that its oil production would decline by as much as 18% by 2030, and 45% by 2050 as the world moves towards greener energy sources.

But even in 2050, this decline would see Shell continue to produce more than a million barrels of oil daily, and Shell still plans on sinking $8 billion into oil exploration and pumping, with only $2 -$3 billion set aside for renewables and hydrogen. Another $8-$9 billion is earmarked for integrated gas and chemicals.

The sizable investments in oil exploration and smaller investments into renewables and hydrogen has drawn the ire of activists who feel this is not going far enough.

Shell is set to announce earnings on Thursday. Analysts have estimated that Shell will report earnings per share of $1.50 and revenue of $63.4 billion.

Shell recently sold its Permian Basin assets to ConocoPhillips for $9.5 billion and its Western Desert assets in Egypt to Cairn Energy. Those moves follow a rather difficult period in Shells history that have seen the energy company slash its dividend and a rather unfavorable court ruling that will require the Dutch major to meet even more strict emissions standards.

Loeb has criticized Shell for having too many irons in the fire. You cant be all things to all people, Loeb said in the letter.

A breakup of an energy company the size of Shell would reverberate throughout the energy industry.

Shell was up 2.13% on Wednesday afternoon at $49.92.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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Thursdays Congressional hearing of top executives from Big Oil companies could be the start of a year-long investigation into whether the worlds largest oil firms have misled the public about the harm to the environment caused by their products, a Democratic lawmaker part of the hearing told Reuters.

On October 28, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Ro Khanna, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Environment, will hold a hearing of the CEOs of Exxon and Chevron, the CEO for America at BP, the president of the U.S. affiliate of Shell, and the president of the American Petroleum Institute (API), as part of an investigation into the oil industrys alleged role in not properly informing the public about climate change.

The hearing on Fueling the Climate Crisis: Exposing Big Oils Disinformation Campaign to Prevent Climate Action, would look to examine the fossil fuel industrys long-running, industry-wide campaign to spread disinformation about the role of fossil fuels in causing global warming, the House

Committee on Oversight and Reform said last week.

This will be a year-long investigation and the hearings mark the beginning of it, progressive Democrat Ro Khanna, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Environment, told Reuters in an interview published on Wednesday.

The idea is for them to admit to the American people what they have done, Khanna said.

More recently, some large fossil fuel companies took public stances in support of climate actions while privately continuing to block reforms, invest overwhelmingly in fossil fuel extraction, and support efforts to extend the life of fossil fuel investments, the House committee says.

The industry reportedly spends billions to promote climate disinformation through branding and lobbying. Moreover, they increasingly outsource lobbying to trade groups, obscuring their own roles in disinformation efforts, according to the committee.

The oil industry is preparing to argue that the world cannot make a rapid shift to just clean energy, as evidenced in recent global energy price spikes with growing demand for fossil fuels ahead of the winter, a source involved in pre-hearing preparations of the oil firms told Reuters. The executives at the oil firms will also use the hearing as an opportunity to underscore the industrys recent commitments to slash emissions and invest in low-carbon energy, the source added.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Oil refiners in Japan have been asked by power-generating firms to provide additional oil supply to utilities, which are struggling to secure liquefied natural gas (LNG) at very high prices.

Spot LNG prices have risen considerably and we have received requests from electric utilities that want to use oil as a substitute, Tsutomu Sugimori, president of the Petroleum Association of Japan (PAJ), said on Wednesday as carried by Reuters.

Last week, the spot LNG price for December delivery into Northeast Asia was around $34.50 per metric million British thermal units (mmBtu), down by $3.90 on the previous week, per industry sources cited by Reuters.

Prices are off the records seen in the past month, but they remain at very high levels amid a natural gas crunch from Europe to Asia.

Utilities that can burn oil and oil products instead of gas have already started to switch away from the expensive gas, boosting global oil demand.

Earlier this month, Saudi Aramcos chief executive Amin Nasser said that the natural gas crunch had raised global oil demand by 500,000 bpd.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its Oil Market Report for October that the energy crisis had spurred a switch to oil products from natural gas. This, the IEA says, could raise global oil demand by 500,000 bpd compared with normal conditions, or a market in which energy and power prices are not setting record highs.

Japan has joined other major oil-consuming nations, including the U.S. and India, in calling on the OPEC+ group to boost crude supply to the market.

Industry minister Koichi Hagiuda was quoted as saying that the calls would continue until the next OPEC+ meeting, which is scheduled for November 4. Meanwhile, Japans foreign minister has talked with his Kuwaiti counterpart specifically about a potential increase in supplies.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
A 19-year-old Omahan charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of an 18-year-old was ordered held without bail Wednesday by a Douglas County judge.

Justyn Wagner is accused of killing KorVanta Hill on Oct. 18 near 39th and Pratt Streets. He also is charged with use of a weapon to commit a felony and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Officers were called to 39th and Pratt after a ShotSpotter gunshot-activation alert went out at 8:10 p.m. Oct. 18. Pratt is halfway between Maple Street and Ames Avenue.

Prosecutor Nathan Barnhill said Wednesday that witnesses saw Wagner jump out of a Chevy Cruze and fire 10 shots at Hill, who was walking with his stepfather. Some of the shots hit Hill, who was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Barnhill said the witnesses told police that Wagner was in the back seat of the Chevy, which had been driving down the street with its lights off. Wagner later was spotted on video buying ammunition at Cabelas, Barnhill said.

A gun was recovered at Wagners home, Barnhill said. A preliminary investigation found that it appears the gun was used in the slaying of Hill.
Westside Community Schools will join other Omaha-area school districts in making masks optional for some students starting next month.

Citing few cases of COVID-19 in recent weeks, Superintendent Mike Lucas said in a note to students and families that masks will be optional for seventh through 12th graders, staff and visitors at Westside Middle School and Westside High School beginning Nov. 1.

Lucas said all students and staff in the middle school and high school have had ample time to get vaccinated if they choose to do so.

Masks will still be required for pre-kindergarten through sixth grade students, staff in those schools and all visitors to those schools. Lucas said the district is waiting until vaccination options have been made available to those students before making changes to the mask policy.

Please understand that we will go back to required masking in all buildings if we see an increase in the number of confirmed cases and/or quarantines that force our students to miss school, Lucas wrote.
He said the 58% of credits claimed this year exceeded what he expected, based on typical patterns for income tax credits. Even with the larger amount available next year, he predicted the state would fall far short of distributing 100% or even 90% of the money.

Its an unreachable goal, he said. I barely see a path to achieving 70%.

Burger and Curry pointed to several reasons why people did not claim the credit. Many did not know about it, especially if they prepared their own taxes. Some electronic tax filing applications did not include the credit as an option, at least early in the tax season. Even if they learned of the credit later, they may not have wanted to go through the time and effort of filing an amended return.

In addition, property owners who live outside the state were unaware of the credit or do not file Nebraska income taxes. Other property owners decided against claiming the credit because of the additional cost for a tax preparer to calculate the credit.

In some cases it did not make sense to pay $50 for a $28 credit, Burger said.
While Ricketts, who is being term-limited out of office, has not announced an endorsement, he has shared the stage with Pillen at events to denounce President Joe Biden's 30-by-30 conservation proposal.

"I have been a champion of President Trumps conservative leadership and his America First agenda," Ricketts said in a statement. "While I agree with President Trump on many things, I strongly disagree that Charles Herbster is qualified to be our next governor."

Ricketts objected to Herbster's "choice to headquarter his business in Missouri (and) his support of tax policy that would tax medical services, prescriptions, food, as well as more than doubling our sales tax.

"Nebraska deserves better," Ricketts said.

Trump also took a shot at U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, who was one of the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump of inciting the Jan. 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol. Despite their differences, Sasse voted with the former president about 85% of the time, according to the political tracking site FiveThirtyEight.
LONDON (AP)  European Union regulators opened an investigation Wednesday into graphics chipmaker Nvidias $40 billion purchase of chip designer Arm over concerns it would limit competition, adding to global scrutiny of the deal.

The European Commission said it's concerned the combined company would have the ability and incentive to restrict access to technology from United Kingdom-based Arm Ltd., whose chip designs power the vast majority of the worlds smartphones.

The commission, which is the EU's top antitrust authority, said it worried the deal would result in higher prices, less choice and reduced innovation in the semiconductor industry.

Nvidia Corp., based in Santa Clara, California, said last year that it was buying Arm from Japanese technology giant Softbank. The deal raised concerns that Arm would abandon its neutral business model of licensing its chip designs to hundreds of tech companies, including many of Nvidias rivals.

Our investigation aims to ensure that companies active in Europe continue having effective access to the technology that is necessary to produce state-of-the-art semiconductor products at competitive prices, said EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who's in charge of competition and digital issues for the bloc.
On Wednesday morning, the state-run IRNA news agency quoted another official who claimed 80% of Iran's gas stations had begun selling fuel again. Associated Press journalists saw long lines at multiple gas stations in Tehran. One station had a line of 90 cars waiting for fuel. Those buying ended up having to pay at higher, unsubsidized prices.

The semiofficial ISNA news agency, which first called the incident a cyberattack, said it saw those trying to buy fuel with a government-issued card through the machines instead receiving a message reading cyberattack 64411.

While ISNA didnt acknowledge the numbers significance, that number is associated with a hotline run through Khameneis office that handles questions about Islamic law. ISNA later removed its reports, claiming that it too had been hacked. Such claims of hacking can come quickly when Iranian outlets publish news that angers the theocracy.

Farsi-language satellite channels abroad published videos apparently shot by drivers in Isfahan, a major Iranian city, showing electronic billboards there reading: Khamenei! Where is our gas? Another said: Free gas in Jamaran gas station, a reference to the home of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP)  Slovenias health minister on Wednesday warned that the country could face a nightmare scenario if it does not contain the virus outbreak raging in the small Alpine nation and other low-vaccination countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Health Minister Janez Poklukar said hospital beds have been filling up as the country logged the highest number of daily cases since January. With more than 3,000 confirmed infections in the past 24 hours, Poklukar said a lockdown is looming.

While we watched with fear at neighboring Italy at the start of the epidemic, we are now at a turning point because of low vaccination rates and we could easily have a Bergamo scenario, Poklukar said, evoking the hardest-hit Italian city last year.

Officials say Slovenia has fully vaccinated around 53% of its 2 million people. Authorities plan to open more COVID-19 wards in the European Union nation as intensive care units are 92% full, Poklukar said.

Other nations in Central and Eastern Europe that also have low vaccination numbers have seen infections surge to record levels. Reluctantly, countries have been reimposing some restrictions to get a grip on the situation.
The lynching threat came in an anonymous voicemail message Wilburn received at home on Oct. 9. The next day, a caller left a voicemail that included a racial epithet, and Wilburns state legislative account received a profanity-laden email that included the racist term. Police are investigating the messages.

Some might argue that these are the actions of only one or a few hate-filled individuals, so theres no need to exaggerate the magnitude of concern. The point, though, is that our countrys current political climate, with its incessant anger and paranoia, makes radical individuals increasingly comfortable with pushing the envelope in regard to what they can say and do.

A large portion of Americans, at opposite ends of the political spectrum, view those who disagree with them with deep suspicion that curdles into contempt and alarm. They see disagreement with their beliefs as a direct threat to the country. Given todays No Boundaries political culture, that kind of thinking can lead a person down a dangerous mental corridor. They begin to see political opponents as outright enemies who must be reviled and stopped.
My Medicare journey

There are about 350,000 Nebraskans on Medicare. I am one  a senior citizen reviewing choices for Medicare 2022.

I have degrees in math and engineering, and for 40 years I worked in software. I was not worried when I went to the Medicare website. It would be easy. Briefly:

There were 22 plans to choose from for drugs. The first one plan took 30 minutes to review, and I still didnt understand all I need to. Then I looked at the 12 Medicare Medigap plans in Nebraska. I picked the same one Ive had.

I decided to start with Medicare Advantage. I doubt that many people know that it is not really Medicare but private insurance companies that need to meet Medicare requirements. These are the ads you see on TV (Jimmy Walker, Joe Namath, etc.). There are 22 policies in Nebraska. I clicked on the companies I have heard of to compare. Each had different drug coverage and health care coverage.

My solution, without sufficient information, was to pick a Medicare Advantage Plan, pick a company I like, and call. I found a knowledgeable agent with the patience of Job. We spent hours on the phone and in email and he answered all my questions.
About three dozen McDonalds workers and activists walked down Randolph Street in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago Tuesday afternoon to protest alleged sexual harassment at the fast-food giants restaurants.

Members of the group carried signs saying My smile is not on the menu and Sexual harassment is unacceptable as they gathered outside the companys corporate headquarters.

Its time for McDonalds to address the pattern of sexual harassment in its stores, said Adriana Alvarez, 29, who said she has worked at a Cicero McDonalds for 10 years.

Protests were held in 11 other cities in response to recent complaints of sexual assault and harassment at the companys restaurants, according to the Fight for $15 workers rights group.

Last month, a teen who worked at a McDonalds in the Pittsburgh area filed a lawsuit alleging the restaurant manager raped her and that other employees were aware of sexual harassment in the restaurant. Separately, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit in federal court in Nevada in September alleging a franchise owner with restaurants in Nevada, Arizona and California was aware of, perpetuated, and tolerated sexual harassment in its restaurants.

AMTCR, the franchisee sued by the EEOC, declined to comment. Michele Rice, the franchisee who owns the Pittsburgh restaurant, called the allegations deeply disturbing in a statement provided by her lawyer.

My organization has no tolerance for sexual harassment and we terminated the employee in question as soon as we learned about a complaint against him, Rice said.

Local McDonalds employees have also alleged they experienced harassment on the job and filed complaints with the EEOC, according to the Fight for $15.

Activists and McDonalds workers held a similar protest outside the chains Chicago headquarters in 2018.

McDonalds introduced a set of standards for all of its restaurants in April that require they provide retaliation, harassment and violence prevention policies and training and provide a process for reporting complaints or concerns. The requirements go into effect in January.

Every single person working at a McDonalds restaurant deserves to feel safe and respected when they come to work, and sexual harassment and assault have no place in any McDonalds restaurant, the company said in a statement. We know more work is needed to further our workplace ambitions, which is why all 40,000 McDonalds restaurants will be assessed and accountable to Global Brand Standards.

Alvarez said she doesnt think the standards can hurt, as long as the company doesnt keep trying to brush it under the rug.

While Alvarez hasnt experienced sexual harassment at work, she said shes seen it happen to co-workers. Alvarez and other activists at the protest called for a union to ensure our voices can be heard.

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PERU  Five hundred people gathered at waters edge Tuesday afternoon and marched the streets of Peru, retracing the sites where the last traces of Jelani Day were found.

See it with your own eyes, said his mom, Carmen Bolden Day. See why Im so adamant about finding out what happened to my son. Please please please help me find justice. Thats all Im asking.

Day, a Danville native and graduate student at Illinois State University, was reported missing from Bloomington on Aug. 25. His body was found Sept. 4 in the Illinois River near Peru and identified Sept. 23.

In the time between his disappearance and the positive ID, his belongings were found in the LaSalle-Peru area, none of them together.

I need you to see for yourselves the area of where Jelanis car was found, the area where the clothing was found, the area where the body was found, the distance between the three, Bolden Day said. None of this stuff adds up.

A caravan of supporters traveled from the Peru Police Department through the city from location to location, finally arriving under the bridge that carries Route 251 over the Illinois River.

From the river, the crowd marched, led by Days family walking side by side, hand in hand with the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

This is the beginning of a movement, said Jackson, before marching with other members of his organization, the Rainbow People United to Serve Humanity Coalition. "Jelani will live as long as we remember him. Fight for him, keep fighting for him ... and those who killed him will pay their dues."

In the mile and a half between the bridge and the Illinois YMCA, marchers filled the quiet streets of Peru with chants, calling for justice, shouting his name, raising their fists and ensuring Peru could not ignore them.

Let this city hear you, one man yelled between chants. Perus gonna hear us today.

They came from Bloomington-Normal, Danville, Decatur, Peoria, St. Louis and as far as Texas carrying handwritten and printed signs bearing Days name.

Purple and gold stood out among the crowd as Days brothers of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. marched, as well as members of other National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations.

Students arrived by the car and busloads from Illinois State, Eastern Illinois, Northern Illinois and Western Illinois universities. Members of local chapters of Black Lives Matter, NAACP and Afrosocialists and Socialists of Color Caucus participated.

The LaSalle County coroner said Monday his cause of death was drowning. Jonathan Jackson, national spokesman for Rainbow PUSH, said that report was an insult to Days family and they were not informed privately before the information was released publicly.

Bolden Day said despite the coroners report indicating no signs of foul play, she knows her son did not put himself in that river.

They want us to believe that that area down there where his car was found, that he put it there; that area where his clothes were found, that he took his clothes off; that river where his body was found, that he put himself there, she said. I needed yall to see it for yourself that Jelani wouldnt have did none of this to himself. None of it.

Standing at the edge of the wooded area where Days car was found near the YMCA, Days younger sister Zena Day said her brother did not put his car there but now everyone gathered could see all the missing pieces.

Weve been confused since the day we announced him missing. So now everyone is welcomed to our world of confusion, she said. Now lets all come together and find out what happened to Jelani Day.

Bolden Day said they want Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Illinois Department of Justice and FBI to lead this case, not just oversee it as part of a multi-jurisdictional task force.

Peru Police Chief Robert Pyszka told The Pantagraph last week that the FBI declined to take the lead on this investigation.

"Were asking (Raoul) simply to use the resources of the state to pick this issue up so that the family can have some answers and some closure," Jonathan Jackson said. "But right now its having more questions than we have answers.

"When a parent cannot bury their child and have any idea of what happened, when the university is too silent, when friends and colleagues are too silent, when we have the police department that is moving too slow too quietly through back channels  we want them to take the cover off and share the evidence that they know."

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

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WASHINGTON  U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Chicago, is calling on Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray to start a federal investigation into the disappearance and death of Illinois State University grad student Jelani Day.

The urgency of these cases and our continued shared interest in justice are the most compelling reasons to launch a federal investigation into the disappearance and death of Jelani Day and the increased number of victims of color around the country, he said.

Day, 25, was last seen Aug. 24 and his family in Danville and a faculty member reported him missing after he did not show up for class for several days.

His remains were found in the Illinois River in Peru on Sept. 4 and the identity was released on Sept. 23.

LaSalle County Coroner Richard Ploch on Monday said Day died of drowning. The cause of death opinion is part of the forensic autopsy report for the case.

Ploch said "there was no evidence of antemortem injury, such as manual strangulation, an assault or altercation, sharp, blunt or gunshot injury, infection, tumor, natural disease, congenital abnormality, or significant drug intoxication.

It's also unclear how Day ended up in the river.

On Tuesday, the Rev. Jesse Jackson led a march from the Peru Police Department to near where Day's car was found on Aug. 26. Jackson and others have said Day's death looks similar to other racially motivated killings.

Rush in his letter drew parallels to death of Emmett Till, who was killed in Mississippi in the mid-1950s.

As I learned the details of Days case, I was reminded of the lynching of Emmett Till, whose body was found floating in a river in 1955 and still, decades later, no one has been held legally accountable for his death," he said.

A multi-jurisdictional task force including the Illinois State Police, the Bloomington and Peru police departments, LaSalle County Sheriffs Office, and the FBIs Behavioral Analysis Unit are investigating Days death.

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PERU  Five hundred people gathered at waters edge Tuesday afternoon and marched the streets of Peru, retracing the sites where the last traces of Jelani Day were found.

See it with your own eyes, said his mom, Carmen Bolden Day. See why Im so adamant about finding out what happened to my son. Please please please help me find justice. Thats all Im asking.

Day, a Danville native and graduate student at Illinois State University, was reported missing from Bloomington on Aug. 25. His body was found Sept. 4 in the Illinois River near Peru and identified Sept. 23.

In the time between his disappearance and the positive ID, his belongings were found in the LaSalle-Peru area, none of them together.

I need you to see for yourselves the area of where Jelanis car was found, the area where the clothing was found, the area where the body was found, the distance between the three, Bolden Day said. None of this stuff adds up.

A caravan of supporters traveled from the Peru Police Department through the city from location to location, finally arriving under the bridge that carries Route 251 over the Illinois River.

From the river, the crowd marched, led by Days family walking side by side, hand in hand with the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

This is the beginning of a movement, said Jackson, before marching with other members of his organization, the Rainbow People United to Serve Humanity Coalition. "Jelani will live as long as we remember him. Fight for him, keep fighting for him ... and those who killed him will pay their dues."

In the mile and a half between the bridge and the Illinois YMCA, marchers filled the quiet streets of Peru with chants, calling for justice, shouting his name, raising their fists and ensuring Peru could not ignore them.

Let this city hear you, one man yelled between chants. Perus gonna hear us today.

They came from Bloomington-Normal, Danville, Decatur, Peoria, St. Louis and as far as Texas carrying handwritten and printed signs bearing Days name.

Purple and gold stood out among the crowd as Days brothers of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. marched, as well as members of other National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations.

Students arrived by the car and busloads from Illinois State, Eastern Illinois, Northern Illinois and Western Illinois universities. Members of local chapters of Black Lives Matter, NAACP and Afrosocialists and Socialists of Color Caucus participated.

The LaSalle County coroner said Monday his cause of death was drowning. Jonathan Jackson, national spokesman for Rainbow PUSH, said that report was an insult to Days family and they were not informed privately before the information was released publicly.

Bolden Day said despite the coroners report indicating no signs of foul play, she knows her son did not put himself in that river.

They want us to believe that that area down there where his car was found, that he put it there; that area where his clothes were found, that he took his clothes off; that river where his body was found, that he put himself there, she said. I needed yall to see it for yourself that Jelani wouldnt have did none of this to himself. None of it.

Standing at the edge of the wooded area where Days car was found near the YMCA, Days younger sister Zena Day said her brother did not put his car there but now everyone gathered could see all the missing pieces.

Weve been confused since the day we announced him missing. So now everyone is welcomed to our world of confusion, she said. Now lets all come together and find out what happened to Jelani Day.

Bolden Day said they want Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Illinois Department of Justice and FBI to lead this case, not just oversee it as part of a multi-jurisdictional task force.

Peru Police Chief Robert Pyszka told The Pantagraph last week that the FBI declined to take the lead on this investigation.

"Were asking (Raoul) simply to use the resources of the state to pick this issue up so that the family can have some answers and some closure," Jonathan Jackson said. "But right now its having more questions than we have answers.

"When a parent cannot bury their child and have any idea of what happened, when the university is too silent, when friends and colleagues are too silent, when we have the police department that is moving too slow too quietly through back channels  we want them to take the cover off and share the evidence that they know."

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

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Four states were removed from Chicagos travel advisory, which lists places in the U.S. where unvaccinated people should take extra COVID-19 precautions when visiting, officials said Tuesday.

Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland and Mississippi are no longer on the list of states where travelers who are not fully vaccinated are asked to quarantine upon return to Chicago and to take COVID-19 tests before and after, public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said on Facebook Live.

What were seeing here is that overall the country is definitely improving, Arwady said.

Tuesdays change to Chicagos travel advisory means there are now 41 states and two territories under Chicagos travel advisory. California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. are the only other areas not subject to the recommended COVID-19 mitigation measures for unvaccinated travelers.

New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and the Virgin Islands might get off the list next week.

Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.

The most updated guidance from the city advised that unvaccinated people get tested one to three days before leaving for their trip. Upon return, they should get a COVID-19 test within three to five days as well as quarantine for seven days. If they choose not to get tested, they should quarantine for 10 days.

States get on the travel advisory if they average at least 15 daily cases per 100,000 residents for two consecutive weeks.

Illinois  which is not subject to the list because authorities dont want to restrict intrastate travel  is faring better than all other Midwestern states, with 12.9 daily cases per 100,000 residents, Arwady said.

Chicago is even lower, at 10.5 daily cases per 100,000 residents.

Other city stats on COVID-19 include an average of 285 new cases per day and a 1.6% positivity rate.

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The Illinois Prisoner Review Board will decide this week whether an Alton woman who killed her two infant daughters will be set free after more 30 years in prison.

Paula Sims was a household name in the metro-east in 1990, when she was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of 6-week-old Heather Sims the year before. She later admitted to the 1986 killing of her other daughter, 13-day-old Loralei Sims.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker commuted Paula Sims' life sentence in March, making her parole-eligible for the first time.

Her attorney, Jed Stone, will argue at a Springfield hearing on Thursday that Sims, 62, committed the crimes while suffering from postpartum psychosis, a rare mental illness that causes some new mothers to experience delusions, hallucinations and paranoia.

"Because of her age, because of her rehabilitation, because of her acceptance of responsibility, she is ready to be released from prison," Stone said last week in a interview from his Waukegan office.

"Prisons are the most expensive solution to America's criminal-justice problem. To house a geriatric woman who is of no threat to herself or to others at a cost of about $40,000 a year for the rest of her life is an abomination."

Stone said knowledge and understanding of postpartum psychosis and depression have evolved over the past three decades, and recent changes in Illinois law allow them to be considered as mitigation factors in sentencing.

Sims is an inmate at Logan Correctional Center for women, about 30 miles northeast of Springfield. She was incarcerated at Dwight Correctional Center until it closed in 2013.

An Illinois Prisoner Review Board member interviewed Sims recently and submitted a report to the full board to help with its decision-making on the case, according to spokesman Jason Sweat.

Widespread coverage

Sims' sensational, four-week trial in 1990 made headlines across the United States. It was moved from Madison County to Peoria County because of intense publicity in the St. Louis region.

The jury convicted Sims of first-degree murder, concealing a homicide and obstructing justice in the suffocation death of Heather, whose badly decomposed body was found in a trash can six weeks after Paula and her husband, Robert Sims, reported her missing from their Alton home.

Three years earlier, Loralei's remains had been found in a wooded area near the family's former home in Brighton. In both cases, Paula Sims told police the babies were abducted by a masked gunman.

"Surely, lightening doesn't strike twice in the same place," former Madison County Assistant State's Attorney Don Weber said at the time of her trial, summing up the case by quoting his wife's reaction.

The jury asked Judge Andy Matoesian to sentence Sims to life in prison without parole instead of giving her the death penalty because of lingering questions about Robert's involvement in Heather's murder and the subsequent cover-up, according to one juror.

Authorities had openly speculated that Paula Sims may have killed her baby girls because Robert preferred boys. He was never charged with a crime. The couple divorced shortly after her conviction.

Paula Sims ultimately pleaded guilty in Jersey County to obstructing justice in the investigation of Loralei's death.

Stone, 72, said he's been representing Sims pro bono (free of charge) since the 1990s, when she wrote him a letter asking for help, because he believes in redemption for those who deserve it.

Stone has submitted Sims' pleas for clemency to other Illinois governors, as well as requests for a new trial over the years. All were denied.

Pritzker didn't grant Sims full clemency, but he commuted her sentence from life without parole to life with the possibility of parole.

Prosecutor weighs in

Weber prosecuted the Sims case under the late William Haine, Madison County state's attorney from 1988 to 2002. His son, Tom Haine, now holds the office.

Haine, 36, sent a five-page letter to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board on Aug. 30, "strenuously" opposing parole for Sims. He began by quoting a 2001 order by Justice Clyde Kuehn, of the Fifth District of the Appellate Court of Illinois, upholding a lower-court ruling on one of her petitions.

"Paula J. Sims gave birth to three children, but she was a mother to only one," Kuehn wrote. "Rather than nurture her two baby girls, she killed them."

Haine argued that Sims lied about the crimes for years to avoid punishment and confessed only after she was found guilty of murder and wanted to avoid the death penalty.

Haine characterized Sims' request for clemency as a "shifting and far-fetched psychological story" that shouldn't change the conclusions of jurors at her trial or the decisions of judges who handled appeals, petitions and other court reviews over the years.

"Post-partum depression is a difficult mental illness and complicated issue," Haine wrote. "But in this case, Defendant's claims about her psychological state from decades ago have been fully litigated and her life sentence maintained."

William Haine served as an Illinois state senator for the 56th district from 2002 to 2019. He died in August.

Weber went on to write a true-crime book about the Sims case titled "Precious Victims" with co-author Charles Bosworth, a former St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter. It was made into a TV movie in 1993. Weber also served as a judge before returning to private law practice.

Disturbing details

Haine's letter to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board summarized key facts and allegations in the prosecution's 1990 case against Sims, stating that:

Sims suffocated Loralei and threw her "small, lifeless body" into a wooded ravine 100 feet from the doorstep of her home in Jersey County.



Sims suffocated Heather and kept her body in a freezer before wrapping it in a trash bag and dumping it in a trash can in a public park in West Alton, Missouri.



Sims falsely told investigators that the same masked intruder took both babies and, in the second abduction, rendered Sims unconscious by striking her in the head.



Sims took significant steps to conceal information and avoid discovery of the two bodies to escape punishment.



Sims repeatedly lied to police, doctors, family members, friends and jurors.



Sims confessed to the killings only when facing the death penalty in hopes of getting a lighter sentence.



The Fifth District of the Appellate Court of Illinois affirmed Sims' conviction in 1993.



The Illinois Supreme Court denied Sims' request for leave to appeal in 1997.



Kuehn in 2001 upheld a lower-court decision to deny Sims' petition for post-conviction relief, rejecting an argument that her attorney failed to provide an adequate defense.

Suffocation was considered Heather's cause of death during the trial. However, Sims told author Audrey Becker in the early 1990s that she allowed both babies to drown in their baths. That was included in Becker's book, titled "Dying Dreams: The Confessions of Paula Sims."

Postpartum revisited

One of Haine's arguments against the Illinois Prisoner Review Board granting parole for Sims is that her use of postpartum psychosis as an explanation for the murders is old news.

In Sims' 1994 petition for post-conviction relief, she maintained that her Alton attorney, Don Groshong, failed to provide adequate representation, partly because he didn't pursue an insanity defense based on the mental illness.

Groshong considered going that route, according to Haine, but he ultimately rejected it. Again, the state's attorney quoted Justice Kuehn's order:

"An insanity plea would have detracted from Paula's claimed innocence. Moreover, Paula had never complained of depression-like symptoms, and an examination of her medical records proved consistent with this lack of complaint."

Experts say postpartum psychosis occurs in one to two mothers per 1,000 who give birth. The resulting delusions and hallucinations can cause the women to hurt themselves or their children, according to Chicago-area psychologist and author Susan Feingold.

Stone has asked Feingold to answer questions at the parole hearing on Thursday at Crown Plaza Hotel in Springfield. The board also will hear from Bill Ryan, a prison-reform activist who knows Sims.

It's unclear who else might speak at the hearing. Ex-husband Robert Sims, 63, and son Randall, 27, died in a Mississippi car crash six years ago. Paula Sims has no other close family, Stone said.

Haine isn't expected to attend the hearing.

"Our office has made its position known, and now it's in the hands of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board," spokesman Philip Lasseigne said last week.

Sims is Inmate No. B07074 at Logan Correctional Center. Stone said she counsels other female inmates through a prison ministry and helps women all over the country understand and cope with postpartum psychosis and depression.

Stone called freedom for Sims a matter of "justice and mercy."

"She's really a genuinely decent woman who did an unspeakably bad thing, came to grips with it and struggled to understand it," he said. "(She has) done everything she was asked to do to rehabilitate herself."

Editor's note: This story was corrected at 10:12 a.m. Tuesday to state that Robert and Randall Sims died in a car accident in 2015, not 2019.

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A day after Cook County authorities identified Francis Wayne Alexander as one of John Wayne Gacys victims, his family recalled him as a fearless young man who called home every month.

Speaking with Chicago reporters through an audio-only Zoom call Tuesday afternoon, Alexanders siblings, Carolyn Sanders and Richard Clyde said he was a fun-loving, sensitive young man whose disappearance after November 1976 was out of character.

The news from Cook County sheriffs police was bittersweet for the family who long wondered where their beloved Wayne had gone. We waited 45 years. Not that we wanted it to end this way, or to find out anything like this, said Sanders, 59. Obviously we knew something (was wrong) because we hadnt heard from him and that wasnt like him.

Cook County sheriffs officials said it appeared hed lived on the citys North Side for about a year before he vanished.

His family expressed surprise that Alexander was in the Chicago area, believing he had relocated to California for work around the time of his disappearance. In his final phone call to his mother in November 1976, he asked her to mail his birth certificate to a California address for a security job.

He called my mother every month and when we didnt get the December 1976 call, we knew something was amiss, Sanders said.

On Monday, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart released Alexanders identity following a two-year investigation that, with the help of DNA experts, cleared a 43-year-old mystery that continues for five others slain by Chicagos most notorious serial killer.

Alexander, who was about 21 when he went missing, was one of 29 people found buried underneath Gacys home in unincorporated Norwood Park Township in December 1978. Four other victims were dumped from a bridge.

Sheriffs officials were able to identify Alexander through a partnership with the nonprofit DNA Doe Project, which helps law enforcement agencies identify bodies through DNA. A group of volunteers worked to have DNA extracted from Alexanders remains, analyzed and then used a genealogy database and public records to narrow the search to his family.

I think its a great thing, genealogy, being able to find your relatives and people you didnt know  your people, said Clyde who was just 4 years old when his brother left home. How it brought Wayne to us is a miracle.

When Cook County investigators first contacted Alexanders family last June, they did not mention that the case was connected to Gacy, but Sanders said the year of the bodys discovery and its Chicago area location made Gacy pop into her head. It did cross my mind, yes ... that was my first thought, she said.

Cook County Sheriffs police Lt. Jason Moran, the lead investigator in the unnamed Gacy cases said it would be cruel to make them aware of the Gacy connection before it was officially confirmed. I basically introduced myself to the family as a cold case detective and Im looking into missing unidentified person cases and to learn about Wayne.

Sanders described the wait for confirmation as excruciating.

I had no choice but to wait and find out, but it was very hard and I tried not to call and email Jason all the time. It was difficult, she said.

Sanders clarified a statement by sheriffs police and said the family didnt believe he wanted to be left alone following the end of his brief three-month marriage in 1975.

I dont think any of us ever felt that he didnt want to not talk to us. I dont think that feeling ever hit any of us at all, she said. Its just something is preventing him from contacting us, we just didnt know what that something could be.

After his disappearance, his parents called a police department in California to check the address where he asked them to mail his birth certificate. The police called, saying no one by that name lived at the address given.

She said her family had believed that their contact with police was the start of a missing-person report.

This is in 1976. Things were tremendously different. What we thought was the beginning of a missing persons report. Unbeknownst to us, it was not, Sanders said. It was like a well (being) check. And that was it. We waited to hear back and we never did.

Born in North Carolina, Alexander was one of seven children raised in Long Island, New York, by his mother, now 87, and his stepfather, who had helped raise him since he was 3. Wayne, of course, was our half brother, Sanders said. We dont consider half. To us, were brothers and sisters, period. There is no half for us.

I remember him as a jokester and yet sensitive, said Sanders, who was 14 when Alexander went missing. He loved me. He loved us all, but I was the little girl in the family, she said.

A devout religious household, Alexander and his siblings spent a lot of time at the local church. We were in church Sunday morning. Sunday night. Wednesday night. We cleaned the church on Saturdays and it was a family affair. We did it as a family, even all of us children, she recalled.

Sanders remembered a family camping trip, where a venomous copperhead snake went underneath the family car.

Wayne knew no fear. He never knew fear, Sanders said. He crawled under the car and grabbed the snake by the head. It was a copperhead. It was nothing to him to do that. It scares everybody else, but he would do that, she said. I just miss him terribly.

Despite being seven years younger than her brother, Sanders said their relationship was close, without any of the usual sibling rivalry.

If he was going for a walk with his friends, (he didnt say) Oh, Ive got to take my little sister. It wasnt like that. He would say Hey, do you wanna go?

Their connection was apparent in a postcard she said she received from him around the time he went missing.

The only thing it said, which I remember to this day, was Hey baby. Ill see you soon because I love ya. Wayne. So we got excited thinking hes coming home for Christmas, Sander said. And he never did, Sanders said, her voice breaking.

The siblings said the grieving process has just begun for the family, but that the remaining siblings are rallying together to help their mother.

Were tight. Were close, all of us in the family, Clyde said. We look out for one another and take care of one another and...were trying to process it all and its difficult. We want to be strong for our mother. Shes very important to us. We want to take care of her and make sure shes OK. Well be fine in the end...were just relieved that hes been found. Were forever grateful for that, he said.

Sanders added: We are a Christian family so we have our faith. And by the grace of God, we know we will get through this, she said. Dont get me wrong, we are grieving. I can hear a song and I cry. But I know he suffered, Im sure, but hes not suffering anymore.

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PONTOON BEACH  A Metro East police officer has died after being shot Tuesday morning at a gas station in Madison County.

Pontoon Beach Officer Tyler Timmons died at Saint Louis University hospital of his injuries, said Trooper Jayme Bufford of the Illinois State Police.

The officer's body was transported to the St. Louis medical examiner's office in a long police procession Tuesday afternoon.

Timmons was shot about 7:50 a.m. Tuesday on the parking lot of a Speedway gas station, at Highway 111 and Chain of Rocks Road. As the officer walked toward a vehicle he suspected had been stolen, a man began firing, Bufford said.

State Police said a man was arrested on the scene immediately after the shooting. Police had not publicly identified the suspect.

The vehicle that apparently sparked the officer's interest was a stolen Toyota Tacoma pickup truck with Missouri license plates.

The injured officer was rushed to a hospital in Granite City with life-threatening injuries, then transferred to the St. Louis hospital, which specializes in the most critical cases. Officers from numerous departments were congregating outside in support.

Edwardsville police Chief Michael Fillback said some of his officers and other officers throughout the Metro East are filling in on patrol for Pontoon Beach officers now because their officers were so shaken by the shooting.

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Democratic lawmakers in the Illinois House and Senate on Tuesday set up potential votes this week on two lightning rod issues: A measure that would repeal a law requiring a parent to be notified when a minor seeks an abortion and one that seeks to prevent people from using religious or moral objections to skirt coronavirus vaccination requirements.

And with a new Illinois congressional map at the top of the to-do list for the fall session scheduled to end this week, Democrats indicated Tuesday that there will be at least a third revision of their proposed boundaries for the states new 17 U.S. House districts.

A Senate committee voted along party lines to send to the full chamber a measure that would repeal a 1995 law requiring a parent or other adult family member to be notified when someone under 18 is going to have an abortion.

Parental consent is not required under current law, and minors can ask a court to waive the notification requirement if they fear for their safety. But Democrats who support abortion rights are eager to secure Illinois place as a safe haven for those seeking an abortion as other statesrestrict access and seek to overturn the U.S. Supreme Courts landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

What Illinois is saying, is continuing to say and is continuing to establish itself as is a beacon for individuals to have access to the rights that they deserve, said the measures sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Elgie Sims of Chicago.

A vote on the Senate floor was expected as soon as Tuesday night, but there remained some opposition among the legislatures majority Democrats, particularly in the House. Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker has expressed support for the proposal.

Opponents of repeal, largely Republican lawmakers, religious leaders and anti-abortion groups, have sought to frame the debate as one about parental rights rather than about abortion access.

GOP Sen. Jil Tracy of Quincy called the repeal proposal illogical and said its an example of Pritzkers radical agenda that drives wedges between parents and their obligations to their children.

Of all the human relationships, theres none stronger than a relationship between parent and a child, and certainly while it lasts an entire lifetime, there is no better time and critical event in the minor years that child needs nurturing and support and counseling from their parents. Tracy said at a news conference ahead of Tuesdays committee vote.

A House committee, meanwhile, advanced a Pritzker-backed proposal to revise the states Health Care Right of Conscience Act, which also has met some resistance among the Democratic supermajority.

The law, in effect since 1998, was passed in large part to allow doctors, pharmacists and other health care workers to refrain from performing abortions, dispensing contraceptives or providing other services to which they have a moral or religious objection.

But it has been used in ongoing lawsuits to resist Pritzkers COVID-19 vaccine and testing mandates for teachers, health care workers and others.

A federal judge in Chicago is expected to rule Friday on a request to temporarily block state and city vaccine mandates, in part by citing the right of conscience law. A lawsuit filed Monday on behalf of 14 unnamed employees of Northshore University Health System also cites the law in arguing against the hospital systems alleged refusal to grant religious exemptions to its vaccination requirement.

The measure, sponsored by Democratic state Rep. Robyn Gabel of Evanston, would specify that it is not a violation of the law for the state, an employer or another organization to take any measures or impose any requirements  to prevent contraction or transmission of COVID-19 or any pathogens that result in COVID-19 or any of its subsequent iterations.

The House Executive Committee sent the proposal to the full chamber on a 9-6 party-line vote.

Gabel had to assure Republican legislators that she wasnt trying to change the law but clarify it so that the law cant be applied in Illinois by people who use it to object to getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Theres nothing in it that says it can be used for COVID, so were just saying it cant be, she said in a question-and-answer session with Republican Rep. Dan Brady of Bloomington.

The law intends to make changes and thats what has people very, very concerned, Brady said.

Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, a Republican from Elmhurst, expressed concerns that people cannot refuse the vaccine for religious reasons under the amendment. Gabel tried to explain that the law doesnt stop someone from invoking a federal religious exemption.

Now youre saying, Oh, well were upset that people are trying to invoke their right of conscience. Weve always let people invoke their right of conscience, particularly when it involves religious freedom exemptions at the state level, Mazzochi told Gabel.

The committee also advanced a measure that would tweak a law Pritzker signed this summer, over objections from Mayor Lori Lightfoot, that will create a fully elected Chicago school board by 2027.

The new proposal, sent to the full House on a 9-6 committee vote, would remove a requirement that Chicagos mayor get City Council approval for appointments of 10 board members and the board president when a partially elected, partially appointed board takes effect after the November 2024 election. The measure also specifies that the board positions will be unpaid.

Judge to rule Friday in federal lawsuit by Chicago workers challenging vaccine mandates A federal judge on Tuesday said he was puzzled by an emergency request by more than 100 Chicago firefighters and other city employees seekin

Of all the issues before lawmakers this week, the most pressing is approving a new congressional map before candidates have to begin circulating nominating petitions in January.

State Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez, a Cicero Democrat who chairs the Illinois House redistricting panel, said, we dont have a final map, when asked at a morning committee hearing about procedures to vote on a final plan. Another leading Democrat said privately that additional revisions are expected before the legislature votes.

Democrats unveiled their first plan Oct. 15 and a second version Saturday. The latest version creates the opportunity for a second Latino district in Illinois. It also pits Democratic U.S. Reps. Sean Casten of Downers Grove and Marie Newman against one another in a suburban district and sets up two potential matchups between Republican incumbents: Darren LaHood of Peoria against Adam Kinzinger of Channahon, and Mary Miller of Oakland against Mike Bost of Murphysboro.

The latest version is aimed at giving Illinois Democrats a 14-3 advantage over Republicans, compared to the current 13-5 edge that they hold. Illinois lost one seat due to a decline in population.

Democrats acknowledged that political considerations were taken into account in drafting the map, which is legal. But Republican state Rep. Tom Demmer of Dixon noted that there are no witnesses from any Black or Latino advocacy groups testifying that these maps make them happy.

Perhaps the people who are happy with these maps are only Democratic incumbents, who were consulted in the creation and design of these maps, Demmer said.

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Its not exactly Sophies Choice, but its still painful for Democrats. Their big spending bill includes three programs for children: a subsidy for child care, monthly checks to parents and a paid family leave program. But they need the vote of Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and he says they can have only one of the three. They should go with the checks.

Each idea has its advocates, as a New York Times survey of experts in family policy demonstrated. Deciding among them requires picking which of multiple goals is most important.

The Times quoted a sociologist who argued that paid leave was necessary for changing gender norms both at work and at home. Another sociologist backed making child care cheaper for parents because it would likely pull more women in the workforce.

Sending checks to parents, as the proposal to expand the tax credit for children would do, does not directly advance those objectives. Families could use the extra money to allow new mothers to take a few months off from paid employment with an eye toward resuming it. Fathers, too, for that matter.

But families with mothers who work for money only part-time, or not at all, would also get the checks. They might even use the money to help finance a reduction in paid work.

That flexibility ought to be considered one of the tax credits virtues. Families vary in their needs and desires. We generally, and rightly, leave it to parents to make judgments about whats best for their children.

If a policy aims to send resources to help families with children, then why not give them the money and let them do what they want with it? The federal government should not put its thumb on the scale to encourage more mothers to stay at home or to earn an income.

Some readers, especially those of a libertarian bent, would go further and say that the government should be neutral between households with and without children  and not transfer resources from the childless to parents in the first place.

There is also a more technical economic argument for helping two-income families that need to pay for child care. Since we tax peoples pay, we should give tax breaks for incurring the costs associated with paid work. Thats not a special favor for two-income families, the argument continues. The only reason we dont give a corresponding tax break to couples with a stay-at-home parent is that were not taxing the second parents work in the first place.

Both the principled objection to helping parents at all and the technical case for helping two-earners in particular are, however, blinkered. Aid to parents is not, in the first place, a way of favoring them over non-parents: Its a way of helping children. Some households dont have children, yes, but all future households are run by former children. Governments need not be indifferent to the welfare and even the existence of future citizens.

We also have a large implicit tax on parents, and especially on parents of large families. As Ive argued elsewhere, one hidden effect of the federal governments programs for the elderly is to transfer resources from large families to small ones.

Giving money to parents based on how many children they are raising, and without regard to how they divide paid and unpaid work, offsets an existing bias in federal policy against children without creating any new one among different households with children. So thats what pro-family legislation should do.

Picking the child credit and dropping the other proposals would begin to address Senator Manchins conditions. But he has others. He thinks that households that receive the credit should have to work. (Presumably, he means at least one parent in each household.)

The way forward for Democrats on this piece of their spending bill, then, ought to be clear: Stick with the child credit, include a work requirement  and get Manchins sign-off.

Ramesh Ponnuru is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist.

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The Accra High Court has dismissed an application filed by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Kwasi Agordzo, which sought leave from the court to travel outside Ghana as a resource person for a security sector reform training in Nairobi, Kenya.



In a ruling Tuesday (October 26, 2021), a three-member panel of the court, presided over by Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe, held that the court will not stay proceedings for the sake of one person.



ACP Agordzo, Dr Mac Palm, Bright Alan Debrah, Ezor, Johannes Zikpi, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, Warrant Officer Class II Esther Saan, Corporal Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akanpewe, are facing varied charges such as conspiracy to commit crime, high treason, possession of arms and abetment.



However, they have denied the charges and are on bail.



They trial is before a three-member panel.



Other members of the panel are Justices Hafsa Amaliba and Stephen Oppong.



Application



In his application moved by Mr Kormivi Dzotsi who held the brief for Mr Martin Kpebu, ACP Agordzo, argued that in his absence, his wife and sureties will be available to monitor proceedings for him.



However, the prosecution, led by Principal State Attorney, Ms Winnifred Sarpong, who opposed the motion argued that the charge against the accused person was one that his presence was needed for the court.



She added that ACP Agordzo could resort to an online video conference instead of traveling all the way to Kenya.



Court



The court in its ruling said the trial can never take place on the accused persons absence as a result of the charge leveled against him.



It was the considered view of the court that it cannot stay proceedings for the accused person to travel.



We are not going to allow anyone to distract our schedule and we are not going to allow such precedent to be set, Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe said.







Source: graphiconline.com









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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday swore in members of the Police and the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) councils at a ceremony at the Jubilee House in Accra.

The members of the councils took the official oath and the oath of secrecy.



Police Council



The Police Council is chaired by the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the members include the Minister of the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery; the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare; the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame; Mr Kwaku Bram-Larbi, representing the Ghana Bar Association, and a retired Commissioner of Police (COP), Mr Joseph Boakye Appiah, representing the Retired Senior Police Officers Association.



The rest are Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Faustina Agyeiwaa K. Andoh-Kwofie, representing the senior rank of the Ghana Police Service; Inspector Felix Essuman, representing the junior ranks, and Mr Hadih A. Bin Salih and Madam Cecilia Eguakun, nominees of the President.



Armed Forces Council



The Vice-President again chairs the GAF Council, with the Minister of Defence, Mr Dominic Nitiwul; the Minister of the Interior, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, and the Chief of the Defence Staff, Vice-Admiral Seth Amoama, as some of the members.



Others are the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Frank Hanson; the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. T. Oppong-Peprah, and the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu.



The rest are Brig. Gen. R.O. Sackey (retd), Col C.B. Ankomah-Danso (retd) and Master Warrant 0fficer Daniel Addo, a Senior Warrant Officer, all nominees of the President.



Constitutional bodies



President Akufo-Addo, in his address to the Police Council, said the council was one of the most important organs of the state, for which reason he would count on the members to discharge their functions well to help maintain law and order in the country.



The effective execution of your mandate is premised on helping the IGP build a professional Police Service that is accountable, responsive, transparent, trustworthy and respectful of human rights and accommodates the concerns of the public it serves, he said.



He said the actions of the IGP had so far received the strong backing of Ghanaians, as many were now realising that the laws of the land would not spare anybody who fell foul of the law.



Logistics



The President said his administration had provided arguably the largest logistical support for the Police Service in its history.



Currently, he said, processes to recruit 4,000 men and women for the service were ongoing.



We have also put in place far-reaching measures to improve the quality of the service and the welfare of its personnel and will continue to do more in the coming years and the council should enable us to achieve this goal, he said.



He expressed confidence in the members of the council to meet the expectations of Ghanaians.



I envisage a Police Service that goes about its duty of protecting ordinary citizens confidently, and there will be no interference from the powers that be, he said.



Armed Forces



Speaking to the GAF Council, President Akufo-Addo said it might make regulations for the official performance of its functions, the control of administration of the GAF and the conditions of service for officers relating to enrolment, salaries, pensions, gratuities and other allowances for officers, men and women of each service.



He urged the council to protect the interests of the people and the officers and men of the GAF.



Highlighting his vision for the GAF, the President said in terms of preparedness, the government would actively support contemporary training methods to ensure that the GAF remained the beacon of armed forces across the continent.



As we have done since 2017, we are committed to providing the GAF with modern military equipment which will complement the training they receive, he said.



He said the government was also committed to enriching the human resource base of the GAF by supporting initiatives that would provide further education for soldiers, sailors and airmen to enhance further their skills and protect our territorial integrity.



Response



Dr Bawumia, on behalf of the members of the Police Council, expressed gratitude to President Akufo-Addo and gave an assurance that they would work hard to build on the image of the Police Service.



We will roll out the necessary strategic interventions to enable the Police Service to deliver on its core mandate of maintaining law and order, he assured the President.



He pointed out that the growth and development of the country and improved living standards depended on public safety and the security measures put in place to guarantee an environment that protected lives and properties.



He said the increased population, with its attendant demographic dynamics and sophisticated crime trends, called for the development of proactive security measures to counteract the trends associated with the developments.



On the GAF, Dr Bawumia said they had seen tremendous improvement in their welfare and operational readiness under President Akufo-Addo.



He mentioned the ongoing barracks regeneration projects which had improved on accommodation challenges for troops, while modernisation of health facilities was going on.



He added that the retooling and re-equipping of the forces had also improved their operational efficiency, which was evident in successful outcomes of security operations, both locally and internationally.





Source: graphiconline.com









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The Majority Whip and Member of Parliament(MP) for Nsawam/Adoagyiri constituency, Frank Annoh Dompreh, has described the provision of a borehole to Anoff as well as Cupboards and Reading Materials to the Anoff Basic School in Nsawam/Adoagyiri in the Eastern Region as a timely and significant intervention to the community.



The Borehole and Reading Materials were provided by Mr Michael Laryea and Mrs Evelyn Laryea and Children who live in the UK with the collaboration of Hon Frank Annoh Dompreh.



Speaking to Peace FM News, Hon Frank Annoh Dompreh assured the people of Anoff and other communities in the constituency of his commitment towards lobbying for more social amenities to be provided to his constituents to promote development in the area.



In an interview with Peace FM News at Anoff on the commissioning of the Borehole, Mrs Evelyn Laryea said she and her family provided the borehole and the books to the Anoff Community and Anoff Basic School to help enhance potable water supply to the people and to promote learning in Anoff.



The Abusuapanyin of Anoff, Manu Barfo thanked Mrs Evelyn Laryea and family as well as Hon Frank Annoh Dompreh for their kind gesture and appealed to NGOs to come to the aid of AAAAAnoff for speedy development of the community.

Source: Emmanuel Akorli/Parliamentary Correspondent/Peace FM









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A Ghanaian woman has lamented over her inability to find a husband, which she blamed on bad roads in her community.



Local news platforms reported that the aggrieved woman stated that when strangers come to her town and get on their road, they get discouraged from ever returning.



She also decried how the activities of armed robbers in the area depletes men of the resources they could use to marry people like her.



She added;



Because of how bad the road is, robbers keep stealing from the men who would want to marry us. So we are begging the government to come and fix the roads for us to be able to find love."



Watch the video below....









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Chiefs who thwart investigations into rape, defilement and other criminal cases and settle them in their palaces will suffer swift and ruthless consequences, DCOP Edward Kwateng, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Volta Regional, has warned.



He made it clear at a Meet-The-Press session in Ho yesterday that chiefs do not have any mandate whatsoever to settle such cases.



The regional police commander also warned pastors who meddled in police investigations to desist from that conduct in their own interest.



DCOP Kwateng revealed that since the beginning of this year, 14 people had been sentenced to a total of 140 years in jail for sex-related offenses in the region while four robbers were caged for a total of 82 years.



Five others convicted of human trafficking have been sentenced to a total of 24 years imprisonment and fines adding up to GH 25,840.



He said that the Volta Regional Police Command was maintaining an uncompromising stance to prevent crime and make the region safe for the people and the business community.



In that vein, the regional police commander said that any individual or group whose unruly conduct disturbed the public peace would be made to face the full rigors of the law.



He said that the Volta Region was one of the peaceful regions in the country and that the police would continue to adopt and implement strategic initiatives at operational and tactical levels of law enforcement to enhance security in the region.



Meanwhile, DCOP Kwateng announced that police officers in the region had benefitted and were still receiving training in the area of high-risk law enforcement while personnel of the Criminal Investigations Department had also trained in crime scene investigations, anti-human trafficking, and cyber-related crimes.



There is no doubt that the training is manifesting positive results in sensitive criminal cases, he added.



DCOP Kwateng touched on the recent activities of secessionists in the region and gave the assurance that with the collaboration of other sister security agencies situation was now under control.



He renewed his appeal to the public to promptly volunteer information to the police on suspicious characters to speedy action.





Source: The Ghanaian Times









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President Buhari has said that 12 million children in the country are traumatized and afraid of going to school due to the rate of abduction in the country.



The President disclosed this during the opening of the Safe School Programme in Abuja on Tuesday, October 26.



Represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the President also said it had been tough dealing with security challenges in the country.



The incessant attacks on the countrys education system such as kidnapping, abduction of pupils/students, increased activities of insurgence and general insecurity in our schools have exacerbated many factors responsible for the growing number of out-of-school children.



It is disheartening to note that even when the abducted students are released, the trauma of the incidences remain long in their minds; hence the plan to have teachers trained on psycho-social support.



There are more than 12 million children currently traumatised and afraid of going to school, especially the girl child.



I must tell you that it has been tough dealing with these security challenges and their effect. Moving forward, our faith in the nation is unshaken. We have been strong, determined and robust in order to enhance the security of learning institutions.



Permit me to share with you a report released by S.B Morgen which revealed that a total of 1,462 learners and education personnel were abducted between 1st December 2019and September 2021 in school-related abductions, as well as home and community-related abductions of learners and teachers.



A total of 17 lives of teachers and learners have been lost in these abductions. On the other hand, for learners currently in school, the fear and trauma created by having their fellow students and friends attacked has impacted negatively on the quality of schooling as concentration and attention span for learning in such conditions have certainly waned.''the President said









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The Ranking member of the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, Mr John Abdulai Jinapor, has called on the government to suspend the Special Petroleum Tax on petroleum products in the 2022 budget.

That, he explained, would provide some respite for Ghanaians from the high cost of fuel at the pump.



We make this demand because crude prices which were pegged at a benchmark price of $54.75 dollar per barrel in the 2021 budget statement has risen to over $85 representing an increment of over 55 per cent, he stated on behalf of the Minority in Parliament.



Addressing a press conference in Parliament House yesterday, Mr Jinapor said as a net exporter of crude oil, Ghanas revenue receipts from petroleum exports were expected to increase from the initially projected figure of $800 million to more than $1.2 billion.



What this means is that the nation is making huge unanticipated revenues from crude exports hence the need to abolish the Special Petroleum Tax to ameliorate the suffering of the ordinary Ghanaian, he stated.



Sanitation levy



Touching on the sanitation levy, Mr Jinapor said despite the introduction of a sanitation levy of 10 pesewas per litre of fuel, the country continued to be engulfed in filth with poor management of garbage across the various towns and cities of the country.



He, therefore, called for a review of the levy by resorting to the polluter pay mechanism which was a more pragmatic way of managing waste.



He said it was untenable to tax ordinary fuel consumers since the consumption of same did not contribute to the waste being generated daily.



TOR



Mr Jinapor called for the reconstitution of the Board of the Tema Oil Refinery and appointing a substantive managing director with the task of ensuring that the refinery processed domestic crude to its fullest capacity.



The current state of TOR leaves much to be desired. It will be recalled that as part of efforts to revamp TOR and ensure value addition to our domestic crude, the NDC at the time procured about two million barrels of crude for processing by TOR, he stated.



He said the NDC rejected the decision by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to turn the refinery into a tank farm, stressing that with the right polices, the refinery can be turned around to fulfil the purpose for which it was built.



Accountability



Mr Jinapor appealed to the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, to withdraw the nuisance taxes imposed on LPG.



We equally demand proper accountability on the collections, utilisation and balances of revenues accruing from the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levy primarily meant to cushion consumers in times of high crude prices, he stated.



He also called on the government to re-prioritise and focus on critical capital expenditure to anchor the economy for long-term gains.



Mr Jinapor said the Minority would not countenance any further tax increases or new tax handles.



This is not what the NPP promised Ghanaians prior to the 2020 election. We were told the economy was on track. We were told that all was well and Ghana was ready for a take-off. What has changed? We therefore demand the abolition of these taxes, he stated.









Source: graphiconline.com









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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) to work to deepen transparency and promote popular participation, as well as accountability, at the local level.

He said they should also respect the sector ministers and the various regional ministers, as the ministers were his representatives playing supervisory role over MMDCEs.



The President also warned that he would not hesitate in firing any MMDCE who exhibited ineffectiveness and inefficiency and got involved in needless conflicts that dented the image of the government.



The President gave the warning when he opened a four-day orientation programme for MMDCEs in Accra yesterday.



Orientation



The programme was on the theme: Effective leadership for local economic transformation and improved services delivery in Ghana  The role of MMDCEs.



It is being attended by 250 confirmed MMDCEs, excluding 11 who are yet to be confirmed.



The orientation seeks to educate participants on the demands of the office of MMDCEs and equip them with knowledge, skills and the right attitudes necessary for effective leadership.



It is also to create opportunities for MMDCEs to interact with national-level actors and share information on government priority projects and programmes and orient new MMDCEs on the legal and institutional arrangements for effective local governance.



Hallmark of success



President Akufo-Addo said the charge was the hallmark for successful leadership and the attainment of results, adding: If you are fruitful in this, then we will be making good progress towards strengthening the structure of our governance system and bringing democracy and progress to local government.



He said it was a good time to be MMDCEs because they presided over the local economy and were to transform it to create jobs for the people.



The President added that the local area was the target for all the programmes set forth since 2017, and that whether they initiated them or not, they must be aware of them and work towards their attainment.



You are to familiarise yourself with everything, whether you initiated it or not, he stressed.



He said while a lot of funds would be channelled into the various assemblies from the central government, MMDCEs should work to maximise internally generated funds, explaining that they would not make the desired progress if all development programmes are solely dependent on the relatively modest sums you get from the common fund allocation.



He advised that they should use the common fund judiciously for planned and approved projects, explaining that the fund was not for recurrent expenditure and should not be used as such, misused or abused.



Security



President Akufo-Addo said development could not be attained if there was no peace and, therefore, admonished them to be careful and tactful in managing issues of intelligence and security.



He also urged them to declare their assets three months on assuming office, as demanded by the Public Office Holders Declaration of Assets and Disqualification Act, 1998 (Act 550), and assured them that it would be monitored.



It is important that the Ghanaian people understand that, for us, public service is exactly public service, not for personal gain, he said.



Election



President Akufo-Addo reiterated his commitment and belief that MMDCES must be elected because that would lead to the deepening of decentralisation and accountability.



After a broad national consensus on that approach, he said, the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), made a U-turn and said it was no longer prepared to go along with the national consensus.



He said should a consensus arise for the repeal of Article, 55 Clause 3 of the Constitution and an agreement reached for political parties to participate in and sponsor candidates for MMDCE positions at any point during his tenure of office, the matter would be brought back to the front burner of public discourse for the necessary actions.



Policy guidelines



The Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe, said the ministry would continue to support the policy guidelines, manuals and logistics to enable MMDCEs to function better.



He said in September this year, the ministry issued new fee-fixing guidelines to aid MMDCEs in their revenue mobilisation effort.



Mr Botwe gave an assurance that the ministry, in collaboration with other institutions, would monitor and ensure regular reporting on the performance of MMDCEs.









Source: graphiconline.com









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The Chairman of the Council of State, Nana Otuo Siriboe II, has charged metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) not to be armchair administrators but to move out regularly to the villages.

Moving to the communities, he said, would ensure that they were constantly in touch with the people on the ground instead of sitting in their offices.



Every year the President goes round the country at least once, ...opens new projects, commissions new ones and they feel the presence of the President in their localities. So I expect you to move out of your comfort zones, he stated.



Nana Siriboe, who is also the Omanhene of the Juaben Traditional Area, said this at the opening of a four-day orientation programme for MMDCEs in Accra yesterday.



My advice to you as you begin this new journey would be first to avoid needless confrontations with traditional authorities, Members of Parliament (MPs), opinion leaders and your assembly members, he advised.



He further advised them to develop an attitude of patience, endurance, tact and respect in the course of their work, adding that if they showed the people respect, for example, they would win their affections.



The orientation programme for the newly-elected MMDCEs is on the theme: Effective Leadership for Local Economic Transformation and Improved Service Delivery: The Role of MMDCEs



Visitation



Nana Siriboe, who chaired the event, encouraged the MMDCEs to visit their localities, document and present detailed reports to their respective regional ministers.



I would urge the regional ministers and the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development to be served with proposed itinerary of your stay in the localities at the beginning of the year and I also expect that at the end of the year, you also serve the regional minister and Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development detailed and comprehensive reports of the visits that you undertook, he further stated.



Responsibilities



Nana Siriboe II said MMDCEs were the face of the President in their various localities and called on them to take time to adequately explain government budgets and policies to their people before the media took them up.



Finally, remember that you are going to serve and not to be served, he said, and advised them not to be obsessed with the privileges that came along with the positions because doing so could mark the beginning of their failure.



Representative



The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey, said MMDCEs needed to provide clear and concrete action plans and lead with the implementation of governments policies and programmes.



He said, for instance, with democracy, citizens had become more aware of their rights and demanded quality services, fairness and accountability from the public servants and therefore, expect MMDCEs to perform their duties satisfactorily and not give flimsy excuses.



Commitment



On behalf of all the regional ministers, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa, said the regional ministers looked forward to a renewed commitment, dedication citizen-centred and results-oriented leadership from the MMDCEs.



The ministers, he said, would monitor and provide regular performance assessment and feedbacks to the minister of local government, decentralisation and rural development and the President on the performance of all MMDCEs for timely decisions.









Source: graphiconline.com









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Former NDC Central Regional Chairman, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has expressed dissapointment in his former party's 2020 Presidential candidate, Ex-President John Mahama over his recent remarks about the Electoral Commission (EC).



The EC, according to Mr. John Mahama, performed poorly in the 2020 elections.



The former President elucidated that, "2020 was Ghanas worst election. If I was marking her, I would have given her an F. She is marking her own paper after the examination so she can give herself any mark she likes.



He has also accused the election management body of stuffing 1 million ballots for President Nana Akufo-Addo to emerge a victor in last year's elections.



Tell me which election in Ghana was ballot papers printed yet one million ballot papers were found elsewhere...We didnt witness this under Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan. She [Jean Mensa] knew there was ballot stuffing," he is quoted on 3news.com.



But Bernard Allotey Jacobs has taken Mr. Mahama's allegations with a pinch of salt.



According to him, "the 2020 elections is the best among the best".



He cautioned the former President to refrain from engaging in what he termed as ''vile propaganda'' as it won't augur well for him and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).



He called on Mr. Mahama to apologize to the people of this country and the Electoral Commission for peddling what he believes are lies.



"May be what he has to do is to apologize to the EC and the people of Ghana."



Allotey Jacobs made his submissions on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' Wednesday morning.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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China has stated that Taiwan has no right to join the United Nations, after the United States made a call for the democratic island to have greater involvement in the world body.



In a statement marking 50 years since the UN General Assembly voted to seat Beijing and boot out Taipei, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday October 26, he regretted that Taiwan had been increasingly excluded on the world stage.



As the international community faces an unprecedented number of complex and global issues, it is critical for all stakeholders to help address these problems. This includes the 24 million people who live in Taiwan, Blinken said. Taiwans meaningful participation in the UN system is not a political issue, but a pragmatic one, he said.



That is why we encourage all UN member states to join us in supporting Taiwans robust, meaningful participation throughout the UN system and in the international community.



Taiwan has become a democratic success story, Blinken said. We are among the many UN member states who view Taiwan as a valued partner and trusted friend.



Blinken pointed to Taiwans exclusion from meetings associated with the International Civil Aviation Organization and the World Health Organization. He noted that Taiwan was hailed for its world-class response to Covid-19  which largely spared the island after early intervention  and that tens of millions of passengers go through Taiwanese airports each year.



China considers Taiwan where nationalist forces fled to in 1949 after losing a civil war to the communists, to be a province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.



Chima responded to Blinkens statement, emphasising its position that Taiwans government had no place on the global diplomatic stage.

Taiwan has no right to join the United Nations, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, told reporters.



The United Nations is an international governmental organisation composed of sovereign states Taiwan is a part of China.

The latest statement adds to an escalation of diplomatic rhetoric and military posturing over Taiwan.



US President Joe Biden last week told a televised forum that the United States was ready to defend Taiwan from any Chinese invasion.













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A former clerk to Parliament, Emmanuel Anyimadu, has kicked against the Speakers directive for MPs to publicly vote on the controversial anti-gay bill before Parliament.



Alban Bagbin on Tuesday directed that committee sittings, debates and voting on the passage of the proposed Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 will be made public to ensure transparency and inclusiveness.



Reacting to the comment on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Wednesday (27 October), Anyimadu said secret voting is ideal.



 It would have been better to ask members to vote secretly, after all we have a way of doing it, everybody will have a stance on marking or picking whether they are in favour of the bill or not, Anyimadu said.



At the end of the day the papers that are picked are counted. But then they have decided that this is how they want to go and once the decision has been taken, that is if leadership has met on the matter and they have agreed that this is how they want to do it, they can go ahead and do it. I dont see anything wrong with it. But personally I would have advised that it should be done privately or secretly, he added.



Anyimadu, however, admitted the speakers stance may have been influenced by some background deliberations.



It will be very difficult for a Speaker to come publicly to speak the way he spoke, otherwise somebody might get up from the floor and even challenge what he said. So, I have a strong belief that something might have gone on, he added.



Background

Bagbin has directed that committee sittings, debates and voting on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 (anti-LGBTQ+ bill) will be made public to ensure transparency and inclusiveness.



Welcoming MPs from recess to commence the third meeting of the first session of the eight Parliament on Tuesday (26 October), Bagbin gave the assurance that all stakeholders and interested parties will be given the opportunity to share their opinions on the bill.



The Parliament of Ghana is capable of handling the situation. Ill assure citizens of this country that well create the enabling environment for all to put across their views. At the end of the day the processes of the House will determine the outcome, Bagbin said.



And when that is done, Im convinced that the law that will come out of this, will protect the culture and values of our people and the Ghanaian identity.



The law agrees that we also take into consideration the human rights and freedoms that have been guaranteed under our constitution and its a law that takes into consideration the richness of the common sense, human decency and morality, fact and logic. And at the end of the day its a law that will bring and transform this country into something else. Lets allow all stakeholders to participate in the deliberations of this House, he said.



He added: I know Ghanaians are expectant and I know weve over 100 petitions before the committee of constitutional, legal and parliamentary affairs. Its not only Africa but the whole world is looking for the outcome of this bill, so well not just allow people to come and delay the process. Well make the process public and the decision of this House will be public. Well want to know where each Member of Parliament stands.



Violation of human rights

A group of 18 prominent Ghanaian citizens has rejected the anti-gay bill in Parliament, saying it constitutes an impermissible invasion of the inviolability and human dignity of the LGBTQI community.



The first reading of the anti-LGBTQI Bill took place on 2 August 2021 in Parliament, and its consideration is expected to resume in November 2021.



It was initiated by some six MPs, led by the opposition MP Sam George. The new law seeks to criminalise lesbianism and sex between men in Ghana.



The group of prominent citizens, led by the renowned legal practitioner Akoto Ampaw, said the anti-LGBTQI Bill violates all the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the 1992 constitution. The group said that, if passed into law, the proposed legislation would send Ghana to a dark age of lawlessness.



The bill violates virtually all the key fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the constitution, namely the right to freedom of speech and expression, the right to assemble, freedom of association and the right to organise, the right to freedom from discrimination and the right to human dignity, Ampaw said at a press conference on Monday (4 October).





Source: asaaseradio.com









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Ghanaian comedian, Funny Face has returned to social media a few days after the court ordered him to stay away from the platform. It can be recalled that Funny Face was arrested for threatening the lives of some individuals on social media after which he was ordered by the court to undergo psychiatric examination.



To aid his healing process, he was asked to stay away from social media where he usually attacks individuals and engages in a series of banters.



But Funny Face is back on social media as he has been captured lying down on his hospital bed and engaging his fans via an Instagram live video.



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" " Protesters hold placards in front of the Pennsylvania State Capitol during the Rally for Reproductive Rights. The rally was organized after the United States Supreme Court refused to block a Texas law prohibiting almost all abortions. Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Nearly 50 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court made one of its most controversial rulings with its landmark decision in Roe v. Wade. The ruling declared states criminalizing abortion violates a woman's right to due process, meaning a woman has the right to choose whether to terminate a pregnancy with limited government restrictions.

Until that point, nearly all 50 states outlawed abortion except in cases to save a woman's life or health, or in situations such as rape, incest or fetal anomaly.

In the years since the landmark decision, state legislators have made numerous attempts to chip away at abortion rights through ballot measures and legislative moves, and cumulatively have passed more than 1,300 restrictions on abortion. Dozens more are currently making their way through state legislatures. But the precedent set by Roe v. Wade and its progeny case, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, remain intact.

However, a Mississippi case set to be reviewed this fall by the Supreme Court holds the potential to shake the very foundation upon which these cases stand. The aftershocks of which will either strengthen or reshape the future of abortion rights in America.

" " Attorney Gloria Allred (right) and Norma McCorvey (center), aka Jane Roe, are seen here during an abortion rights rally, July 4, 1989, in Burbank, California. Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images

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Background of Roe v. Wade

On Jan. 22, 1973, by a vote of 7 to 2, the Supreme Court legalized abortion in the U.S. under Roe v. Wade. The court's judgment was based on the decision that a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy fell under the freedom of personal choice in family matters protected by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The case created the "trimester" system, which says states cannot impose any restrictions on women choosing to terminate their pregnancies during the first trimester, though it does allow some government limits in the second trimester. States can restrict or ban abortions in the last trimester once the fetus becomes able to live outside the womb.

However, Roe v. Wade also established that, in the final trimester, a woman could obtain an abortion if doctors certify that it is necessary to save the life or health of the woman.

In 1992, the Supreme Court made another landmark decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. In that case, the court upheld a woman's constitutional right to have an abortion established by Roe, but also applied the undue burden standard for abortion restrictions establishing that no laws should be too burdensome or restrictive of one's fundamental rights.

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Recent Developments Threatening Roe

There have been numerous challenges to Roe and Casey through the years that the Supreme Court has struck down, including a six-week ban in North Dakota and a 12-week ban in Arkansas. The court also struck down a 2016 Texas law that impeded clinics' abilities to perform abortions.

Earlier this year, however, Texas lawmakers found a way to get around the Supreme Court  at least for now.

At midnight Sept. 1, 2021, the nation's strictest abortion law went into effect in the state. Known as the "fetal heartbeat" bill or SB8, the law bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy (or six weeks after a person's last menstrual cycle)  before most women know they are pregnant and far earlier than legally provided by Roe v. Wade. What makes Texas' law different from others is that it is enforceable only through private civil action.

Essentially that means the law empowers citizen(s) to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps another get an abortion  or even intends to assist someone  after a fetal heartbeat has been detected. The person suing does not have to be connected to the person considering the abortion or to a provider  or even live in the state of Texas. If the accuser wins their case, the person or entity being sued would have to pay the accuser (or accusers) at least $10,000, as well as costs for attorney's fees, according to the law.

" " Pro-choice protesters march outside the Texas State Capitol Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, in Austin after Texas passed SB8, which effectively bans abortions. Sergio Flores For The Washington Post via Getty Images

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The Supreme Court's Hesitance

Whole Woman's Health, an independent abortion provider in Texas, challenged the law in an emergency application to the Supreme Court on the grounds that the six-week ban was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court remained mute on the subject until hours before the law went into effect, issuing an unsigned opinion consisting of a single, long paragraph that stated the abortion providers failed to make their case. Chief Justice John Roberts, who was appointed by Republican President George W. Bush, and left-leaning Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, dissented.

The Texas law was able to skirt a Supreme Court review at this juncture "because it relies on private actors to enforce the law [as opposed to state officials] and no one yet has enforced it," explains Stefanie Lindquist, foundation professor of law and political science at Arizona State University and a recognized expert on the Supreme Court. "Courts are very reluctant to resolve cases that have not yet reached a concrete dispute."

However, the U.S. Department of Justice has a different source of standing, she explains. On Sept. 9, 2021, the Department of Justice sued Texas on behalf of U.S. citizens on the grounds that Texas' abortion law is a violation of federal law. "The act is clearly unconstitutional under long-standing Supreme Court precedent," Attorney General Merrick Garland said during a news conference.

The Justice Department filed the lawsuit in the Western District of Texas and seeks a permanent injunction. But the case will likely eventually make its way to the Supreme Court.

" " Anti-abortion activists participate in the March for Life outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. The March is an annual event to mark the anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the U.S. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

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Changing Landscape of the Supreme Court

When Roe went into effect in 1973, the majority of the court comprised Republican-appointed justices. Even Justice Harry Blackmun, who wrote the Roe v. Wade opinion, had been appointed by Republican President Richard M. Nixon. Since then, "the ideological orientation toward abortion has changed," Lindquist says. "The Republican Party is now firmly entrenched as the party that opposes abortion."

By degrees, the balance of the Supreme Court has been changing, and it was by design. Before President Donald Trump took office in 2017, he vowed to appoint justices to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Justice Anthony Kennedy's retirement in 2018, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death in September 2020, allowed Trump to do so, with conservative picks Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. The Supreme Court now has a 6-3 conservative majority with all six taking hostile positions against abortion at one point or another.

Since Roe was decided, legislators in conservative states have pressed to impose additional restrictions on abortion, but now they see a window of opportunity with the personnel changes at the Supreme Court, Lindquist says. "With the majority of justices being Catholic and most of them being appointed by Republican presidents, the assumption is that now is the time," she says. "Strike while the iron is hot. Legislation can finally get to the Supreme Court where Roe could be challenged and struck down."

" " A technician wears a shirt supporting a woman's right to choose at Jackson Women's Health Organization, the only remaining abortion clinic in the state of Mississippi. The clinic is challenging the the constitutionality of a state law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Supreme Court will hear the case this fall. Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post via Getty Images

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The Mississippi Case and Roe v. Wade

The opportunity to entice the Supreme Court to revisit Roe v. Wade presented itself in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

The case stems from a law passed by the Mississippi legislature in 2018 that banned abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the only licensed abortion provider in Mississippi, challenged the law's constitutionality. A U.S. District Court sided with the clinic, reasoning that Roe v. Wade does not allow states to ban abortions in the first six months of pregnancy when the fetus is not yet viable outside the womb. The U.S. District Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld that decision on appeal.

Mississippi took the case to the Supreme Court, asking the justices to weigh in on whether pre-viability bans on elective abortions are unconstitutional. On May 17, 2021, the Supreme Court announced it would review the case this fall, the outcome of which could impact the precedents set by both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

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And Speaking of Precedent, Doesn't Roe Set One?

It does, so what does that mean? "Precedent is one of the cornerstones of our judicial system," Lindquist explains. Precedents are considered as authority for deciding subsequent cases involving similar facts or legal issues. The concept, called stare decisis, which means "let the decision stand" in Latin, provides stability and predictability in law.

"The system of precedent provides that when courts make decisions and those decisions become law, they will remain on the books until that same court or an appellate court overrules those precedents," Lindquist says.

Judges and justices often rely on precedents to make rulings in other cases. For example, five justices relied on precedent set by Casey when striking down a Louisiana law that would have required doctors performing abortions to have admissions privileges at a state-authorized hospital within 30 miles (48 kilometers) of the clinic.

The Supreme Court can overturn an existing precedent with a majority vote. And this happens surprisingly more often than the general public realizes, about two to three times per term, Lindquist says. "But these are cases that don't make the news," she says. "In the case of Roe v. Wade, obviously if the precedent is overturned, it would, in fact, disrupt many, many, many peoples' expectations and abortion providers' expectations about the legal restraints on their actions."

When a new precedent is established or law is changed on an issue, it is known as a "landmark decision."

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What Happens if Roe Is Overturned?

If Roe is ultimately upended, the aftershocks would be felt immediately. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a worldwide research and policy organization, 11 states have trigger laws in place that would instantly ban abortions. Conversely, 14 states plus Washington, D.C., have laws in place to protect abortion access.

Overturning Roe would also add strength to Texas' fetal heartbeat law, Lindquist says. However, if Roe is upheld, "it will have major implications for the Texas case simply because it will reaffirm the core right to abortion prior to viability."

The Supreme Court isn't likely to deliver a decision in the Mississippi case until the spring or early summer 2022.

Now That's Interesting One well-known example in which precedent was overturned occurred in the landmark 1954 case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. In that case, the justices ruled unanimously that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. The decision overturned the high court's prior ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson, which established the precedent of "separate but equal" in education.
Figure: Sky region showing the PHz G237 protocluster and the identified galaxy members. The left panel shows a multi-band image (11 arcmin x 11 arcmin) combining the Herschel sub-millimeter image at 350 micron in red (star formation tracer), the Spitzer image at 3.6 micron in green (stellar mass tracer), and the XMM-Newton X-ray image in blue (tracer of accreting supermassive black holes). The region observed with the Subaru Telescope is delimited by a yellow dashed rectangle. Galaxy members identified through observations with the Subaru Telescope are shown as yellow diamonds, and the galaxies identified spectroscopically are shown as light blue circles. The right panel shows a zoom in the central 2.7 arcmin x 1.9 arcmin region of the protocluster (red: 2.14 micron, green: 2.07 micron, blue: 1.25 micron). Credit: ESA/Herschel and XMM-Newton; NASA/Spitzer; NAOJ/Subaru Telescope; Large Binocular Telescope; ESO/VISTA; Polletta et al. 2021; Koyama et al. 2021

An international team of astronomers has reported the discovery of a structure thought to be a "protocluster" of galaxies on its way to developing into a galaxy supercluster. Located 11 billion light-years from Earth, the observations show the protocluster as it appeared when the universe was 3 billion years old, during an epoch when stars were produced at higher rates in certain regions of the cosmos.

Even galaxies don't like to be alone. While astronomers have known for a while that galaxies tend to congregate in groups and in clusters, the process of going from formation to friend groups has remained an open question in cosmology.

In a paper published in the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal, an international team of astronomers reports the discovery of objects that appear to be an emerging accumulation of galaxies in the making  known as a protocluster.

"This discovery is an important step toward reaching our ultimate goal: understanding the assembly of galaxy clusters, the most massive structures that exist in the universe," said Brenda Frye, an associate professor of astronomy at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory and a co-author of the study.

To cite a local analog, the Milky Way, the galaxy that is home to our solar system, belongs to a galaxy cluster known as the Local Group, which in turn is a part of the Virgo supercluster. But what did a supercluster such as Virgo look like 11 billion years ago?

"We still know very little about protoclusters, in part because they are so faint, too faint to be detected by optical light," Frye said. At the same time, they are known to radiate brightly in other wavelengths such as the sub-millimeter."

A simulation of the cosmic web - a vast, three-dimensional spider web of gas filaments crisscrossing in the cosmos. Rather than being randomly distributed, galaxies tend to cluster at the nodes of the cosmic web, depicted by the red regions, forming protoclusters such as G237. Credit: International Gemini Observatory-NOIRLab-NSF-AURA-G. L. Bryan-M. L. Norman

Initially discovered by the European Space Agency's Planck telescope as part of an all-sky survey, this protocluster showed up prominently in the far-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Sifting through a sample of more than 2000 candidate objectsstructures that could be in the process of becoming clusters  the researchers came across a protocluster designated as PHz G237.01+42.50, or G237 for short. The observations looked promising, but to confirm its identity required follow-up observations with other telescopes.

Led by Mari Polletta at the National Institute for Astrophysics, or INAF in Milan, Italy, the team conducted the observations using the combined power of the Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona, which is managed by UArizona, and the Subaru Telescope in Japan. As a result of this combined study, the team identified 63 galaxies belonging to the G237 protocluster. The original discovery was published in a paper (ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021  S.503L...1K/abstract), and follow-up observations were also obtained using archival data, the Herschel Space Observatory, and the Spitzer Space Telescope.

"You can think of galaxy protoclusters such as G237 as a galaxy shipyard in which massive galaxies are being assembled, only this structure existed at a time when the universe was 3 billion years old," Frye said. "At the same time, the genealogy may be closer than you think. Because the universe is homogeneous and the same in all directions, we think that the Milky Way may have docked at a protocluster node similar to G237 when it was very young."

At first, the observations of G237 implied a total star formation rate that was unrealistically high, and the team struggled to make sense of the data. The G237 protocluster seemed to be forming stars at a rate of 10,000 times that of the Milky Way, the authors note. At that rate, the protocluster is expected to rapidly use up its stellar fuel and subsequently settle down into a complex system similar to the Virgo supercluster.

"Each of the 63 galaxies discovered so far in G237 was like a star factory in overdrive," Frye said. "It's as if the galaxies were working on overtime to the assemble stars. The rate of production was unsustainable. As such a pace, the supply chains are expected to break in the near future, and in a way that permanently shuts down the galaxy shipyard."

Such high yields can only be maintained by a continuous injection of fuel, which for stars is hydrogen gas. Frye said the result required an efficient and unbroken supply chain that drew in unreasonably-large amounts of fresh gas to fuel the star-forming factories.

"We don't know where that gas was coming from," she said.

Later, the team discovered that some of the signal was coming from galaxies unrelated to the protocluster, but even after the irrelevant signals were removed, the total star formation rate remained high, at least a thousand solar masses per year, according to Poletta. For comparison, the Milky Way produces about one solar mass each year.

"The picture we have pieced together now is that of a successful galaxy shipyard which is working at high efficiency to assemble galaxies and the stars within them and and has an energy supply that is more sustainable," Frye said.

All galaxies in the universe are part of a giant structure that resembles a three-dimensional spider web shape called the cosmic web. The filaments of the cosmic web intersect at the nodes, which equate to the galaxy shipyards in the analogy used here.

"We believe that the filaments mediate the transfer of hydrogen gas from the diffuse medium of intergalactic space onto these hungry, newly forming protocluster structures in the nodes," Frye said.

Pointing to future research, Polletta said: "We are in the process of analyzing more observations on this and other Planck protoclusters with the goal of tracing the gas that gives birth to these newly-forming stars and feeds the supermassive black holes, to determine its origin and explain the observed extraordinary activity."

Frye said she is looking forward to combining data from the Large Binocular Telescope with planned observations using the James Webb Space Telescope, to be launched in December.

"Protoclusters offer an opportunity to investigate key questions in astronomy that only this new observatory can answer," she said, "such as what mechanisms drive the prodigious star formation, and when will the hydrogen supply run out, forcing this galaxy shipyard to close its doors and turn into a supercluster similar to the one our Milky Way is in?"

Explore further Study inspects galaxy protocluster PHz G237.01+42.50
Figure 1. Examples of peptide mass fingerprints for O. rufus, P. cinereus, S. harrisii, T. aculeatus, T. cynocephalus and V. ursinus. Credit: DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211229

A team of researchers from Australia, Germany, the U.S. and Canada has found that it is possible to identify old bones by scanning the collagen they contain using mass spectrometry. In their paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the group describes using the technique to identify extant monotreme and marsupial species on Australia's Barrow Island.

Collagen is a fibrous protein typically found in connective tissue in humans and other animals. Prior research has shown that it has a unique chemical signature between species. In this new effort, the researchers applied that knowledge to the study of bones found on Barrow Island.

As the researchers note, figuring out which animal left its bones behind is quite often difficult, particularly when they have become fragmented. In the past, zooarchaeologists have had to rely on the shape of the bones or teeth to identify them. To improve on these methods, the researchers studied the use of mass spectrometry to identify collagen sources in their lab. Such efforts led to the development of a technique they call ZooMS (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry.)

The technique involves collecting samples as small as a few milligrams, dissolving them with certain enzymes and then scanning the results with a mass spectrometer. Once scanned, the results are compared with other samples that have already been identified. During testing, the researchers identified 24 unique species of creatures living in Australia.

The researchers note that the technique is not perfect, particularly if there is high diversity in a collection of bones. They note that in some cases, the technique may only be able to go as far as identifying a genus for the bones under study. Still, the researchers were able to use the technique to identify one species of turtle at a dig site on Barrow's Island. Prior research had shown that the large collection of bones there were left on the island by indigenous divers in the 19th century who had been forced to dive for pearls by European masters. The bones were the remains of the animals the divers had captured to feed themselves.

Explore further New insights on animals in the African past

More information: Carli Peters et al, Species identification of Australian marsupials using collagen fingerprinting, Royal Society Open Science (2021). Journal information: Royal Society Open Science Carli Peters et al, Species identification of Australian marsupials using collagen fingerprinting,(2021). DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211229

 2021 Science X Network
Photo-driven catalytic process based on the AlNC catalyst. Credit: NIMTE

Prof. Chen Liang's group and Prof. Lu Zhiyi's group at the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) proposed a highly-active carbon-based catalyst, which can directly utilize renewable energy (e.g., solar energy) to improve the efficiency of photo-driven CO 2 cycloaddition effectively. The study was published in Advanced Materials.

In recent years, the increasing greenhouse gas (mainly CO 2 ) emissions have exacerbated the global warming and ocean acidification. With the aim to peak CO 2 emissions and achieve carbon neutrality, the elimination of CO 2 based on the capture and conversion of CO 2 is urgently needed. The cycloaddition of CO 2 with epoxides to generate cyclic carbonates has attracted extensive attention thanks to the diverse application of products.

By virtue of a versatile molecule-confined pyrolysis strategy, researchers at NIMTE proposed and synthesized a semiconductive Al-N-C catalyst possessing high density of atomically dispersed Al-N 4 motifs.

The Al and N species serves as Lewis acid and base sites, respectively, which are combined to facilitate the substrate activation for the photo-driven CO 2 cycloaddition reactions. Under light irradiation, the synthesized AlNC catalyst showed excellent catalytic performance (95% conversion, reaction rate = 3.52 mmol g-1 h-1) for the CO 2 cycloaddition reaction.

In addition, both experimental and theoretical analysis revealed that light irradiation facilitated the photo-generated electron transfer from the semiconductive AlNC catalyst to the epoxide reactant, contributing to the high-efficiency formation of a ring-opened intermediate through the rate-limiting step. This process constitutes a new activation mechanism for CO 2 cycloaddition reaction.

This study has provided a novel approach for high-efficiency CO 2 cycloaddition based on the integration of atomically dispersed Al species and photothermal effect, and shed light on the future design of advanced catalysts for diverse catalytic reactions.

More information: Qihao Yang et al, Atomically Dispersed HighDensity AlN 4 Sites in Porous Carbon for Efficient Photodriven CO 2 Cycloaddition, Advanced Materials (2021). Journal information: Advanced Materials Qihao Yang et al, Atomically Dispersed HighDensity AlN 4 Sites in Porous Carbon for Efficient Photodriven CO 2 Cycloaddition,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/adma.202103186
The ancient Chaco Canyon landmarks Una Vita Pueblo ruins in the foreground and Fajada Butte on the left are close to the research team's excavation sites. Credit: Nicholas Dunning

While some current scientific theories point to ancient Chaco Canyon, a distinctive archeological site in the American southwest, as simply a prehistoric ceremonial site populated only during sacred rituals, University of Cincinnati researchers are turning that popular belief on its head.

"The ancestral Puebloans interacted with the local ecosystem in ways that helped them adapt and thrive for over a millennium," says David Lentz, UC professor of biology and co-author of the study published in the journal PLOS ONE titled "Ecosystem impacts by the ancestral Puebloans of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, U.S."

"Many active researchers, however, align with the idea that Chaco Canyon was too arid to sustain day-to-day living, arguing that the land and architectural structures were not permanent dwellings.

"Basically, they contend that the massive stone and timber infrastructure at Chaco Canyon, built over many centuries, was used only as a periodic ceremonial center and storage facility. But it was not that simple and our evidence contradicts many of the currently proposed theories about the occupation of Chaco Canyon in ancient times," says Lentz.

Through on-site pollen and botanical analysis and lidar mapping technology during the last decade, Lentz and a team of interdisciplinary researchers from UC's departments of anthropology, geology, geography and biology, including a select group of national collaborative scientists, reveal the economic and environmental impact of ancestral puebloans in Chaco Canyon during the culture's great preeminence.

"Our goals focused on providing fresh insight into the sustainability of land use practices in Chaco Canyon during the ancestral puebloan occupation," adds Lentz. "Our findings add new data that reveal measurable changes in the juniper pinyon woodlands that occurred before 600 B.C. when the food procurement system transitioned from hunting and gathering to agricultural production."

The shift in ancestral Puebloan food resource management enhanced their ability to sustain larger populations in a harsh, barren landscape for several centuries during the pre-Columbian era.

"But with their landscape modifications came serious environmental ramifications. At the cost of major reduction of tree density in the local woodlands, their activities ultimately contributed to a destabilizing environmental impact prior to their final exodus," adds Lentz.

This innovative interdisciplinary research is a stellar example of academic excellence, an ongoing tenet of UC's strategic direction called Next Lives Here.

Early pueblo builders of the southwest

Chaco Canyon, a 34,000-acre center of social complexity located in the southwestern region of the U.S., flourished during the height of the Chaco culture between (800 to 1140 A.D.), a period Lentz refers to as the Bonito phase.

During the cultural flourishment, the hierarchical society was known for elaborate ceremonial activities, the maintenance of long-distance trade routes and impressive architectural complexes, including more than a dozen immense structures that Lentz and archeologists refer to as "great houses." One of the houses, known today as "Pueblo Bonito," may have had over 600 rooms, including crypts that housed more than 100 burials.

Earlier research revealed a system of roads that connect many Chaco culture sites with evidence of astronomical alignments, indicating that some of the structures were oriented toward the solstice sun and lunar standstills.

Against this backdrop, archeologists generally agree that Chaco Canyon functioned as a remote trade center and ceremonial site for the Chaco culture. Until now, however, Lentz says studies lacked evidence to support human management of the canyon's precarious environment for daily living.

Hidden clues

Using lidar aerial mapping technology and the analysis of various ancient substances including carbon isotopes, pollen content, macrobotanical remains and chemical composition of soils, the research team evaluated alternative hypotheses relating to environmental impacts by the ancestral Puebloans.

It became clear to the researchers that as ancient Puebloans tussled with the unpredictable environment, they kept their society thriving for more than 1,000 years through agriculture by growing a variety of crops such as corn, beans and squash in the canyon while simultaneously harnessing local pinyon and juniper tree woodlands for architectural needs, food resources and firewood for cooking.

"This is a very arid area," says Lentz. "In arid woodlands the trees are essential for holding the soil in place. When the Puebloan inhabitants removed those woodlands, the result was eventually severe erosion and the deterioration of croplands."

The researchers found a gradual degradation of the local woodlands beginning around 600 B.C., much earlier than previously thought, Lentz says. In spite of the woodland clearance, the people living in the canyon flourished for nearly a millennium through indigenous agricultural practices while using water irrigation methods from the nearby Chaco, Escavada and Fajada Wash tributaries.

Research team director, Vernon Scarborough, UC professor of anthropology, emphasizes the highly interdisciplinary character of the project, noting that, "Although the focus of our work was on the identification of ancient ancestral Puebloan water systems within this arid environment, past landscape alterations were more broadly brought to light."

Critical evidence for utilizing the local juniper trees for firewood to cook locally cultivated corn, beans and squash was especially important, says Lentz. The pinyon pine nuts provided a valuable source of food, so the Chacoans protected the pinyon trees from over-harvesting for firewood. But the juniper trees, an excellent source of fuel, were not spared from this extensive harvesting.

"We found a reduction of the pinyon-juniper woodlands, with a loss of mostly juniper trees, happened at about the same time there was an introduction of agriculture into the canyon along with the technology for making pottery," says Lentz. "Through radiocarbon dating from previous studies, we know that the woodlands were established and flourishing in that area as far back as 5,000 years ago, centuries before the Puebloans began the use of agriculture."

Early environmental impact

While the juxtaposition of utilizing agriculture and local wood for cooking had shifted the way the Puebloans ate and prepared food, the ongoing clearing of the juniper trees placed an inexorable demand on the woodlands, say the researchers, eventually drastically reducing the number of trees.

"In this arid area, rain tends to come in buckets," says Lentz. "After hundreds of years of thinning out the tree root systems that hold the soil in place, the rain began washing away much of the fertile topsoil, creating an environment that suffered continuous degradation."

Prior to the emigration of many of Chaco's residents from the canyon, these unsustainable land use practices resulted in bouts of erosion, which reduced the resilience of the landscape and likely exacerbated the ability of the ancestral Puebloans to endure the period of extensive droughts and aridity that followed, says Lentz.

Present-day Chaco Canyon

With Chaco Canyon now declared a national park and UNESCO World Heritage site, visitors to Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico can marvel at the remains of 12 great houses and more than 4,000 areas of archeological interest in the rocky landscape. The structures and ruins are protected from destruction and development and given national monument designation by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907.

Because skywatching is deeply ingrained in the site's past, Chaco Canyon's 34,000-acre park was proclaimed a dark sky park in 2013, a designation intended to keep it free of light pollution, allowing visitors to see the stars.

"This study markedly enhanced our revelation about the rate and process of early environmental change by ancient societal consumption practices and the climatic fluctuations," says Scarborough. "This work, as well as that of others, ought to be yet another wake-up call for what is happening to our planet more generally today."

Explore further Ancient Chaco Canyon population likely relied on imported food

More information: David L. Lentz et al, Ecosystem impacts by the Ancestral Puebloans of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, USA, PLOS ONE (2021). Journal information: PLoS ONE David L. Lentz et al, Ecosystem impacts by the Ancestral Puebloans of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, USA,(2021). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258369
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Analysis of countries' plans to fight climate change show they are not enough to avoid the worst impacts unless further promises are kept.

New and updated climate commitments fall far short of what is needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement of keeping temperature rises well below 2C above the average temperature before the industrial revolution and ideally below 1.5C.

Currently, the commitments leave the world on track for a global temperature rise of at least 2.7C this century, according to the UN Environment Programme's "Emissions Gap Report 2021: The Heat Is On," co-authored by an Imperial researcher.

The report analyzes the impacts of countries' updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)  non-binding national plans proposing climate actions, such as cutting greenhouse gas emissions, to achieve the targets set out in the Paris Agreement in 2015.

It finds that the latest submitted NDCsand other commitments made for 2030 but not yet submitted in an updated NDConly take an additional 7.5 percent off predicted annual greenhouse gas emissions in 2030, compared to the previous round of commitments. Reductions of 30 percent are needed to stay on a pathway for 2C and 55 percent for 1.5C.

Defining pivot point

Released ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), the latest round of climate talks taking place in Glasgow in November, the report also finds that additional net-zero pledgespromises to balance the amount of greenhouse gases emitted with that removed from the atmospherecould make a big difference.

If fully implemented, these pledges could bring the predicted global temperature rise down to 2.2C, providing hope that further action could still head off the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. However, net-zero pledges are still vague, incomplete in many cases, and inconsistent with most 2030 NDCs.

Dr. Joeri Rogelj, director of research at Imperial's Grantham InstituteClimate Change and the Environment, has been a Lead Author on the reports for the past decade, and this year led the report's chapters on net-zero targets and on the global emissions gap).

He said: "For the first time, the most optimistic interpretation of all pledges that are put on the table add up to global best estimate warming just below 2.0C over the course of this century. That is not yet in line with keeping warming 'well below' 2C or 1.5C, but encouraging nevertheless. After the promises, we now need plans and policies to deliver on the emissions reductions.

"UNEP has been tracking progress on climate action for the past decade, and shows that discussions at the forthcoming COP26 climate summit can be a defining pivot point in our response to the climate change challenge."

Clock is ticking

A total of 49 countries plus the EU have pledged a net-zero target in addition to their NDCs. This covers over half of global domestic greenhouse gas emissions and a third of the global population. Eleven targets are enshrined in law, covering 12 percent of global emissions.

Current NDCs are predicted to lead to a 2.7C temperature rise. However, if made robust and implemented fully, net-zero targets could shave an extra 0.5C off global warming, bringing the predicted temperature rise down to 2.2C. However, many of the national climate plans delay action until after 2030, raising doubts over whether net-zero pledges can be delivered.

Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP, said: "To stand a chance of limiting global warming to 1.5C, we have eight years to almost halve greenhouse gas emissions: eight years to make the plans, put in place the policies, implement them and ultimately deliver the cuts. The clock is ticking loudly."
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

In 2000 and 2001, the use of child slaves on cocoa farms in West Africa was exposed in a series of documentaries and pieces of investigative journalism, sparking an international outcry .

This series of events was far from unprecedented.

As discussed in my paper, since the 19th century, when cocoa was first introduced to Africa (and despite the formal abolition of domestic slavery in the region), cocoa farming in West Africa has been linked to narratives of slavery and ensuing protests from chocolate consumers in Europe and America.

As recently as the early 20th century, the Portuguese were importing slaves into Sao Tome and Principe to work on cocoa farms. This process was described by the British journalist Henry Woodd Nevinson , who had been funded by Harper's Magazine to investigate rumors of slave labor in cocoa plantations. On reaching Sao Tome or Principe, each slave was asked whether they were willing to work there. Nevinson reported: "In most cases no answer was given. If any answer was made, no attention was paid to it. A contract was then drawn out for five years' labor."

This allowed both the Portuguese and chocolate producers in Europe to argue that the workers were contracted laborers rather than slaves. However, the "contracts" produced were meaningless, as the slaves were not permitted to leave the plantations for five years.

Some things have changed since then. Modern slavery primarily involves the trafficking of children, who are treated as a "disposable" source of labor. However, some things remain the same. Cocoa buyers and chocolate manufacturers still use various strategies to deny, deflect and divert when the issue of child slavery is raised.

Modern slavery and chocolate manufacturers

After the practice was exposed in the 2000 documentary Slavery: A Global Investigation, the chocolate industry initially denied that trafficked children were involved in cocoa farming. In response, civil society groups in chocolate-consuming countries launched a campaign calling for the elimination of child slavery in the cocoa industry.

The campaign was particularly successful in the US due to its unique history of slavery. It led a US representative, Elliot Engel, to introduce legislation requiring chocolate firms in the US to label their products "slave free" to prove that no child slaves were involved in their supply chains.

Chocolate companies first responded by hiring professional lobbyists to prevent the passage of the "slave free" legislation in the US Senate due to the legal implication of such a label.

Subsequently, conceding that child slavery might actually exist in their supply chains, the companies took a different approach. They teamed up with various stakeholders to create the HarkinEngel Protocol , which effectively quelled the 20002001 campaign. But this was a tactics.

The HarkinEngel Protocol set out six date-specific actions that were supposed to lead to the establishment of an industry-wide standard for product certification on July 1, 2005. However, the deadline was extended to 2008 and then to 2010. After 2010, the protocol was basically abandoned.

Following the missed deadline in 2005, some US campaigners turned to the courts, sponsoring former slaves to sue multinational chocolate companies directly. However, all hope of winning these cases was lost in June 2021, when the US Supreme Court determined that companies such as Nestle and Cargill could not be sued for child slavery in their supply chains .

The campaigners were at a clear disadvantage compared with the chocolate makers, not least because they did not fully understand the root causes of child slavery in cocoa farming in West Africa.

The causes

The issue of child slavery in cocoa farming in West Africa has been only superficially addressed in the literature. Survey and survey-type studies have sought to determine the extent of child slavery (and child labor) in West African cocoa farming, but they have failed to consider its causes.

An example is a series of field surveys conducted by Tulane University to ascertain the prevalence of the worst forms of child labor in cocoa farming in Ghana and Ivory Coast.

Meanwhile, investigative reports and televised documentaries have painted merely a qualitative picture of the phenomenon. An example is the 2010 documentary The Dark Side of Chocolate . This sought to provide visual evidence of child slavery in cocoa production in West Africa. Representatives of the chocolate industry declined both requests for interviews and invitations to watch the film.

The filmmaker, Miki Mistrati, broadcast the documentary on a large screen next to Nestle's headquarters in Switzerland , making it difficult for employees to avoid catching glimpses of child slavery in the company's supply chain.

Scholars, journalists and filmmakers addressing the topic of child slavery in West African cocoa farming have thus far failed to engage with the history of cocoa farming and the evolution of the process of cocoa cultivation.

Properly engaging with this history would help anti-child slavery campaigners understand what exactly they are fighting against. The conditions that created a demand for cheaper sources of labor in the past are still in place today, and nobody understands them better than chocolate multinationals.

This has been the subject of my research.

These conditions arise from changes in the ratio of labor to land needed to continue cultivating cocoa. The availability of forestland is the decisive factor.

Cocoa farming once involved the consecutive phases of boom and bust, followed by a shift to a new forest area (production shift), a different product in the same area (diversification) or a different system of cocoa cultivation requiring extra production factors. Studies of cocoa cultivation in West Africa have provided evidence of planters' migrating to new forest after exhausting existing forestland, resulting in shifts in production centers within and between countries.

However, accessing new forestland is becoming ever more difficult, and far more labor is needed to replant cocoa than to plant on pioneer forest soil.

This labor problem is particularly pronounced in cocoa cultivation areas that depended on migrant labor in the past (such as Ivory Coast). Here, a reduction in migration over time, coupled with deforestation, has resulted in a labor crisis: although post-forest cultivation requires more labor than pioneer planting, less labor is now available. To continue cultivating cocoa, planters in these areas have turned to cheaper sources of labor, such as family members and children.

This change in labor relations seems to have led to an increase in child slave labor.

Investing time

Chocolate producers such as Mars and Nestle are well aware of the labor problem in cocoa cultivation. Historically, this problem has led to diversification: when cocoa has become difficult to cultivate, planters have turned to other products. Although such diversification may be good for farming communities, it spells bad news for buyers of the raw material. This has led to multinationals intervening under the banner of sustainability to prevent diversification away from cocoa. Their "sustainability" programs are ostensibly designed to combat child labor, slavery or trafficking or labor. They are, however, in fact productivity-boosting programs with token anti-slavery components.

It is no longer sufficient merely to show that child slavery exists in cocoa farming in West Africa. To have any chance of combating these practices, campaigners must invest time and effort to truly understand the processes and conditions that create them.

Explore further Cocoa DNA testing to end slavery and child labor in chocolate industry

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Jeremy Holden/FFI

The forests, grasslands and coastal and marine ecosystems that Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and partners are working to safeguard are not just biodiversity havens. They also play a vital role in the global carbon cycle by removing it from the atmosphere and storing it for decades, centuries, or even millennia. Between 2007 and 2016 these natural carbon sinksincluding terrestrial forests and other, relatively unappreciated, carbon-rich ecosystemsabsorbed 28% of total man-made emissions, serving as a hugely significant brake on runaway climate change.

Forestsperennially popular

Forests have been making headlines for decades, often touted as the "lungs of our planet," capable of slowing the alarming global heating rate if only we'd give them a chance. But the carbon sink and storage potential of forests varies greatly across the world's ecoregions, and even within a forest there are many factors to consider.

Greater tree species diversity within forests has been linked with higher carbon storage in many regions and in recovering forests. A comprehensive study on tropical forests demonstrated that biodiversity has an independent, positive effect on ecosystem functioning, biomass and thus, carbon storage, not only in relatively simple temperate systems but also in structurally complex and extremely species-rich tropical forests.

It is likely that environmental factors such as rainfall and soil condition are influencing these varying levels of carbon uptake, and tree density and size also play an important role. A forest's history of disturbance, such as fire, logging or clearance, also affects carbon uptake. In designing and implementing carbon conservation strategies, the prevention of biodiversity loss is therefore paramount.

The rate of carbon sequestration in young forests is higher than in old ones, as young trees are actively growing and absorbing carbon. Over time, the rate of carbon absorption slows, but the economic value of the carbon stored in the ecosystem continues to accumulate as forests mature and increase in size. To retain the benefit of the carbon sequestration, forests must be protected and supported to develop into mature, high-carbon storing forests.

Liberia's Sapo National Park, which FFI and partners are working to protect, lies within the biologically rich and globally important Upper Guinea forest ecosystem. It is home to the critically endangered western chimpanzee and African forest elephant, and to the endangered pygmy hippopotamus. Our initial estimates suggest that the park's species- and carbon-rich ecosystem (covering over 180,000 hectares of mainly intact rainforest) can store a whopping 58 megatonnes of carbon in its vegetation and soil. This is equivalent to the carbon content of almost 500 million barrels of crude oil.

Credit: Alex Diment/FFI

GrasslandsCinderella syndrome

Grasslandsincluding savannahare among the largest ecosystems in the world; some estimates suggest they cover around a third of the global terrestrial surface. Apart from acting as key water catchments and biodiversity havens, grasslands also play a crucial role in reducing global warming, serving as giant carbon sinks that capture carbon and store it undergroundhidden from our eyes. Global estimates suggest that grasslands have more than 10% of the biosphere's carbon tied up in their soil.

Carbon in soil is vital for plants; the vast majority of the nutrients that plants require for healthy growth is acquired via carbon exchange in collaboration with soil microbes. In addition, high-carbon soils require much less irrigation and are less reliant on rain to stay healthy.

Land degradation and conversion threaten these ecosystems and the wildlife they harbor worldwide. Poor land management leads to reduced soil productivity and carbon-storage capacity. Planting trees on native grasslands also results in lower soil carbon stocks, which actually reduces or negates the net carbon benefits provided by woody biomass as well as depleting biodiversity. Therefore, experts warn, afforestation should be avoided in historically non-forested biomes.

In addition to promoting the protection and sustainable use of Tajikistan's unique fruit-and-nut forests within FFI's project sites at Childukhtaron and Dashtijum, we also aim to ensure better management of grassland habitats. Between them, the two reserves incorporate around 16,200 hectares of subalpine meadows, with a combined carbon stock estimated to be up to 1.4 megatonnes. Thanks to the dominant soil types and the cool temperate climate, the soils have a high carbon storage potential, accounting for more than 90% of the carbon stored in these mountain grassland ecosystems.

New blue superheroes

Blue carbon is the carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass meadows and salt marshes. These unsung superheroes sequester and store more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forestswith sequestration rates up to four times greater than those observed in mature tropical forestsand hence are increasingly recognized for their role in mitigating climate change. In these ecosystems carbon is predominantly (5099%) stored below ground in the soils and sediments, where it can remain for millennia.

Credit: Beth Watson/Ocean Image Library

The enormous carbon sink capacity of these ecosystems is the icing on the cake. They also protect against storm surges and sea-level rise, prevent coastal erosion, regulate water quality, provide habitat for commercially important fisheries and endangered marine species, and improve food security for coastal communities.

In Honduras, with our in-country partners and community support, FFI is contributing to a mangrove monitoring program throughout two marine protected areas, covering a significant proportion of the 8,500-hectare mangrove found across the seascape in which we work. Initial estimates suggest that the total carbon stock of mangrove forests could be at least 3.2 megatonnes (comparable to carbon content in the UK's monthly oil production).

Some of the most impressive carbon stocks in coastal sediments include mangroves in Belize, which in some places have accumulated carbon-rich soils up to 10 meters deep and more than 6,000 years old. A meadow of seagrass in Portlligat Bay, Spain, has built carbon-rich deposits of similar depth and age. Some tidal salt marsh sediments in northern New England are three to five meters thick and 3,0004,000 years old. However, when degraded or destroyed, these ecosystems release carbon back to the atmosphere and ocean.

Although their historical extent is hard to determine, up to 50% of the total global area of these ecosystems is estimated to have been lost in the past 50-100 years. If current rates of loss continue (up to 3% annually), a further 3040% of tidal marshes and seagrasses and nearly all unprotected mangroves could be gone within a century.

The slow-growing seagrass Posidonia oceanica plays a vital role in carbon sequestration, but remains under threat from destructive fishing practices including bottom trawling, as well as tourism, coastal development, aquaculture and sand extraction. Seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean are severely depleted; FFI is working in Turkey with local partner Akdeniz Koruma Dernegi to build the resilience of the marine ecosystem in the eastern Mediterranean via a network of effectively managed marine protected areas. Assessment of the below-ground soil carbon across sample sitesincluding intact and degraded seagrass meadowsis helping to inform conservation of existing blue carbon stocks in these delicate habitats.

Peatlandshidden talents

Peatlands are found across all climate zones from the tropics to tundra. They occur in various forms, from swamp forests to blanket bog landscapes with open, treeless vegetation, all of which are incredibly rich in carbonand strongholds of biodiversity. Indeed, peatlands are the largest natural terrestrial carbon store; worldwide, the remaining area of near-natural peatland (over three million square kilometers) contains more than 550 gigatonnes of carbon, exceeding the volume stored in all other vegetation types combined, including forests.

Credit: Zafer Kizilkaya

Thanks to year-round waterlogged conditions, dead plants accumulate to form peat, which can become many meters thick, locking in carbon for millennia. In their natural, wet state peatlands help regulate water flow, minimizing the risk of flooding or drought, and provide food, fiber and other products that sustain local economies.

However, damaged peatlandsmainly due to drainage, agricultural conversion, burning and mining for fuelare a major source of greenhouse gases, annually releasing almost 6% of global anthropogenic emissions. Daily emissions from weeks-long fires in Indonesia's peat swamp forests in autumn 2015 exceeded daily emissions from the entire US economy.

According to local studies, Indonesia's vast peat swamps in Sumatra and Kalimantan have been persistent carbon sinks for the past 15,000 years. The resulting peat carbon stores can contain as much as 1,000 tons per hectare, with values over 7,500 reported for exceptionally thick (over 12 meters) peat layers. This far exceeds the carbon storage capacity of the above-ground biomass of mature tropical rainforest (typically 130240 tons per hectare). Indonesia's peat swamps also harbor incredible wildlife, including charismatic species such as critically endangered Sumatran tigers, orang-utans and the weird and wonderful proboscis monkey. Peatland protection and restoration therefore brings significant climate and biodiversity benefits. Working closely with the government, FFI is supporting efforts to ensure the remaining peat swamp forest in areas such as West Kalimantan is protected from further degradation as a result of illegal logging, mining activities and fire, and we have also helped set up nurseries to plant seedlings of threatened trees that are unable to regenerate naturally.

Enough is enough

Human pressures, rising global temperatures and increasing climate extremes are threatening to further undermine all these ecosystems' ability to soak up and store carbon. In order to enable them to play their crucial climate regulation role, we need to prevent further degradation and prioritize their protection and restoration. Rapid, nature-positive decarbonisation is essential if we are to keep warming under 1.5C and ensure a safe climate where nature and people can thrive. Well-designed, high-quality nature-based solutions, if combined with other forms of emission reduction, could allow us to peak at just 1.4C of warming, keeping us well within the targets set in the Paris Agreement.

Explore further Tropical forest soils capture carbon under elevated nitrogen deposition
Hair from Lakota Sioux leader Sitting Bulls scalp lock, from which DNA was extracted for analysis. Credit: Eske Willerslev.

A man's claim to be the great-grandson of legendary Native American leader Sitting Bull has been confirmed using DNA extracted from Sitting Bull's scalp lock. This is the first time ancient DNA has been used to confirm a familial relationship between living and historical individuals.

The confirmation was made possible using a new method to analyze family lineages using ancient DNA fragments, developed by a team of scientists led by Professor Eske Willerslev of the University of Cambridge and Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Center. The results are published today in the journal Science Advances.

The technique searches for 'autosomal DNA' in the genetic fragments extracted from a body sample. Since we inherit half of our autosomal DNA from our father and half from our mother, this means genetic matches can be checked irrespective of whether an ancestor is on the father or mother's side of the family.

Autosomal DNA from Lakota Sioux leader Sitting Bull's scalp lock was compared to DNA samples from Ernie Lapointe and other Lakota Sioux. The resulting match confirms that Lapointe is Sitting Bull's great-grandson, and his closest living descendant.

"Autosomal DNA is our non-gender-specific DNA. We managed to locate sufficient amounts of autosomal DNA in Sitting Bull's hair sample, and compare it to the DNA sample from Ernie Lapointe and other Lakota Siouxand were delighted to find that it matched," said Professor Eske Willerslev in the University of Cambridge's Department of Zoology and Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Center, senior author of the report.

Lapointe said: "over the years, many people have tried to question the relationship that I and my sisters have to Sitting Bull."

Photograph of Legendary Native American leader Sitting Bull c.1885. Credit: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Lapointe believes that Sitting Bull's bones currently lie at a site in Mobridge, South Dakota, in a place that has no significant connection to Sitting Bull and the culture he represented. He also has concerns about the care of the gravesite. There are two official burial sites for Sitting Bullat Fort Yates, North Dakota and Mobridgeand both receive visitors.

With DNA evidence to back up his claim of a bloodline, Lapointe now hopes to rebury the great Native American leader's bones in a more appropriate location.

The new technique can be used when very limited genetic data are available, as was the case in this study. The work paves the way for similar DNA testing of the relationship between many other long-dead historical figures and their possible living descendants.

The technique could also be used to answer important questions based on old human DNA that might previously have been considered too degraded to analyzefor example in forensic investigations.

"In principle, you could investigate whoever you wantfrom outlaws like Jesse James to the Russian tsar's family, the Romanovs. If there is access to old DNAtypically extracted from bones, hair or teeth, they can be examined in the same way," said Willerslev, who is a Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge.

It took the scientists 14 years to find a way of extracting useable DNA from the 5-6cm piece of Sitting Bull's hair. The hair was extremely degraded, having been stored for over a century at room temperature in Washington's Smithsonian Museum before it was returned to Lapointe and his sisters in 2007.

Analysis of DNA extracted from Sitting Bull's scalp lock has confirmed that Ernie Lapointe is Sitting Bull's great-grandson, and his closest living descendant. Credit: Ernie Lapointe

The technique differs from traditional approaches to DNA analysis, which look for a genetic match between specific DNA in the Y chromosome passed down the male line, or, if the long-dead person was female, specific DNA in the mitochondria passed from a mother to her offspring. Neither are particularly reliable, and in this case neither could be used as Lapointe claimed to be related to Sitting Bull on his mother's side.

Tatanka-Iyotanka, better known as the Native American leader and military leader Sitting Bull (1831-1890), led 1,500 Lakota warriors at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876 and wiped out US General Custer and five companies of soldiers. The blood-soaked featalso known as 'the Battle of the Greasy Grass' - will forever symbolize the resistance of Native Americans to the white man's insatiable appetite for empire-building. Sitting Bull was assassinated in 1890 by the 'Indian Police', acting on behalf of the US government.

"Sitting Bull has always been my hero, ever since I was a boy. I admire his courage and his drive. That's why I almost choked on my coffee when I read in a magazine in 2007 that the Smithsonian Museum had decided to return Sitting Bull's hair to Ernie Lapointe and his three sisters, in accordance with new US legislation on the repatriation of museum objects," said Willerslev.

He added: "I wrote to Lapointe and explained that I specialized in the analysis of ancient DNA, and that I was an admirer of Sitting Bull, and I would consider it a great honor if I could be allowed to compare the DNA of Ernie and his sisters with the DNA of the Native American leader's hair when it was returned to them."

Until this study, the familial relationship between LaPointe and Sitting Bull was based on birth and death certificates, a family tree, and a review of historical records. This new genetic analysis provides an additional line of evidence to strengthen his claim.

Before the remains from the Mobridge burial site can be reburied elsewhere, they will have to be analyzed in a similar way to the hair sample to ensure a genetic match to Sitting Bull. Under US law, Lapointe owns the legal rights to Sitting Bull's genetic data so can decide who should do the analysis.

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More information: Ida Moltke et al, Identifying a living great-grandson of the Lakota Sioux leader Tatanka Iyotake (Sitting Bull), Science Advances (2021). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abh2013 Journal information: Science Advances Ida Moltke et al, Identifying a living great-grandson of the Lakota Sioux leader Tatanka Iyotake (Sitting Bull),(2021). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh2013
The method uses a data representation where the presence of a planet (right) is seen as a river in the sky (left). The image on the right shows the measured luminous flux of the star Kepler-36 with the plot of eclipses due to the planet Kepler-36 b. Credit: Dave Hoefler

By implementing artificial intelligence techniques similar to those used in autonomous cars, a team from the UNIGE and the UniBE, in partnership with the company Disaitek, has discovered a new method for detecting exoplanets.

The majority of exoplanets discovered to date have been discovered using the transit method. This technique is based on a mini eclipse caused when a planet passes in front of its star. The decrease in luminosity observed makes it possible to deduce the existence of a planet and to estimate its diameter, after the observations have been periodically confirmed. However, theory predicts that in many planetary systems, interactions between planets alter this periodicity and make their detection impossible. It is in this context that a team of astronomers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), the University of Bern (UniBE), and the NCCR PlanetS, Switzerland, in collaboration with the company Disaitek, used artificial intelligence (AI) applied to image recognition. They taught a machine to predict the effect of interactions between planets, making it possible to discover exoplanets that were impossible to detect until now. The tools developed, published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics, could be used on Earth to detect illegal dumps and waste dumps.

Detecting a planet by the transit method is a long process. Finding the signal induced by small planets in the data can be complex, if not impossible with the usual techniques, in the case where interactions between planets alter the periodicity of the transit phenomenon. To counter this difficulty, it is necessary to develop tools that can take this effect into account.

"This is why we thought of using artificial intelligence applied to image recognition," explains Adrien Leleu, a researcher in the Department of Astronomy at the UNIGE Faculty of Science and the NCCR PlanetS. It is indeed possible to teach a machine, using a large number of examples, to take into account all the parameters and predict the effect of interactions between planets in a pictorial representation of the induced effect. To do this, the astronomers have joined forces with the company Disaitek through the NCCR's Technology & Innovation Platform.

An artificial neural network capable of identifying objects

"The type of AI used in this project is a neural network whose aim is to determine, for each pixel in an image, the object it represents," explains Anthony Graveline, president of Disaitek. Used in the context of an autonomous vehicle, this algorithm makes it possible to identify the road, the pavement, the signs and the pedestrians perceived by the camera. In the context of exoplanet detection, the aim is to determine, for each measurement of the star's luminosity, whether the eclipse of a planet is observed. The neural network makes its decision by cross-referencing all available observations of that star with the range of configurations seen during its training.

"From the first implementations of the method, we discovered two exoplanetsKepler-1705b and Kepler-1705cthat had been completely missed by previous techniques," reveals Adrien Leleu. The planetary systems thus discovered are a gold mine for our knowledge of exoplanets, and more particularly of terrestrial-type planets, which are generally difficult to characterize. The method developed not only makes it possible to estimate the radius of planets, but also provides information on their mass, and therefore on their density and composition. "The use of AI, in particular of 'deep learning' as in this paper, is becoming increasingly widespread in astrophysics, whether to process observational data, as we did here, or to analyze the results of gigantic numerical simulations producing terabytes of data. What we have developed in this study is a new example of the fantastic contribution that these techniques can make to our field, and probably to all fields of research," notes Yann Alibert, Professor at the University of Bern, and Scientific Officer of the NCCR PlanetS.

Technology for Earth observation

While this technique is proving effective for astronomical observation, it can be just as useful for observing the Earth and its environment. "In developing this technology, we quickly realized its potential for application to other problems for which a small amount of data is available," says Gregory Chatel, R&D manager at Disaitek. Using very high-resolution satellite images, Disaitek is now using this AI to deal with environmental problems, in particular the detection of illegal dumping. This scourge, which is constantly on the increase, has no clear answer with traditional means.

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More information: A. Leleu et al, Alleviating the transit timing variation bias in transit surveys. I. RIVERS: Method and detection of a pair of resonant super-Earths around Kepler-1705, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2021). Journal information: Astronomy & Astrophysics , Astronomy and Astrophysics A. Leleu et al, Alleviating the transit timing variation bias in transit surveys. I. RIVERS: Method and detection of a pair of resonant super-Earths around Kepler-1705,(2021). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202141471
"It's really coffee, because there is nothing else than coffee material in the product," Heiko Rischer tells AFP, pointing to a dish of light brown powder.

Latte drinkers may in the future be sipping on java sourced from a petri dish rather than a plantation, say scientists behind a new technique to grow what they hope to be sustainable coffee in a lab.

"It's really coffee, because there is nothing else than coffee material in the product," Heiko Rischer tells AFP, pointing to a dish of light brown powder.

His team of researchers at the Finnish technical research institute VTT believe their coffee would avoid many of the environmental pitfalls associated with the mass production of one of the world's favourite drinks.

The coffee is not ground from beans, but instead grown from a cluster of coffee plant cells under closely controlled temperature, light and oxygen conditions in a bioreactor.

Once roasted, the powder can be brewed in exactly the same way as conventional coffee.

Rischer's team used the same principles of cellular agriculture that are used to produce lab-grown meat, which does not involve the slaughter of livestock and which last year was given approval by Singapore authorities to go on sale for the first time.

"Coffee is of course a problematic product," Rischer said, in part because rising global temperatures are making existing plantations less productive, driving farmers to clear ever larger areas of rainforest for new crops.

For the time being, they are only allowed "to taste and spit, but not swallow it," said research scientist Heikki Aisala.

"There is the transport issue, the fossil fuel use... so it totally makes sense to look for alternatives," Rischer said.

The team is carrying out a fuller analysis of how sustainable their product would be if manufactured on a large scale, but believe it would use less labour and fewer resources than conventional coffee.

"We know already that our water footprint, for example, is much less than what is needed for field growth," Rischer said.

Taste test

For coffee lovers, the key to the success of the lab-grown variety will be in its tastebut so far only a specially trained panel of sensory analysts are authorised to try the new brew because of its status as a "novel food".

For the time being, they are only allowed "to taste and spit, but not swallow it," said research scientist Heikki Aisala, an expert in sensory perception who leads the testers on the project.

"Compared to regular coffee, the cellular coffee is less bitter," which may be due to a slightly lower caffeine content, Aisala told AFP, adding that fruitiness is also less prominent in the lab-produced powder.

Rischer estimates it will be a minimum of four years before the team's lab-grown coffee gains the regulatory approval and commercial backing to enable it to sit alongside its conventional cousin on the shelves.

"But that being said, we really have to admit that we are not professional coffee roasters and a lot of the flavour generation actually happens in the roasting process," Rischer said.

Other initiatives are also under way in search of a more sustainable alternative to coffee.

The Seattle startup Atomo in September announced it had raised $11.5 million in funding for its "molecular coffee", which has the same flavour makeup as the drink, but is originated from other organic material than a coffee plant.

But surveys in the US and Canada have suggested widespread public wariness towards lab-grown food substitutes, although less so among younger consumers.

Despite the environmental benefits, some food policy specialists have warned that coffee producers' livelihoods could be hit if there is a widespread move towards lab-produced products.

In Helsinki, Rischer estimates it will be a minimum of four years before the team's lab-grown coffee gains the regulatory approval and commercial backing to enable it to sit alongside its conventional cousin on the shelves.

The project has a special significance in Finland, which according to analyst group Statista ranks among the world's top consumers of coffee, averaging 10 kilos (22 pounds) per person every year.

"There's definitely a lot of enthusiasm for it," Aisala said.

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 2021 AFP
Several autonomous marine robots, including these Wave Gliders from Scripps Institute of Oceanography and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, will deploy from R/V Oceanus ship. Credit: Laurent Grare / Scripps Institute of Oceanography

After a successful test run in May, a NASA campaign is deploying aircraft, a research vessel and several kinds of autonomous ocean robots to study small ocean whirlpools, eddies and currents.

Using instruments at sea and in the sky, the Sub-Mesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experiment (S-MODE) team aims to understand the role these ocean processes play in vertical transport, the movement of heat, nutrients, oxygen, and carbon from the ocean surface to the deeper ocean layers below. In addition, scientists think these small-scale ocean features play an important role in the exchange of heat and gases between air and sea. Understanding small-scale ocean dynamics will help scientists better understand how Earth's oceans slow the impact of global warming and impact the Earth climate system.

On Oct. 19, the research vessel Oceanus, owned by the National Science Foundation, set sail to an area a hundred nautical miles out to sea off the coast of San Francisco, accompanied by a fleet of several types of autonomous marine research vehicles. For the following three weeks, two aircraft will also fly repeatedly overhead to collect measurements from above while the vessel and the autonomous vehicles samples the ocean below. The eyes-in-the-sky perspective from the aircraft will allow the team to monitor a large swath of ocean at once, as well as direct the research ship and autonomous ocean vehicles in the water to move toward areas of interest.

"The overall goal is to understand vertical transport in the ocean, and how the remote sensing measurements relate to the in situ, or 'wet,' measurements," said Dragana Perkovic-Martin, a radar system engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

A type of autonomous marine robot called a Saildrone being deployed from Alameda, California. Credit: NASA / Jesse Carpenter

Aerial Views of the Ocean Surface

From its vantage 28,000 feet in the air aboard the NASA Armstrong King Air B200, the DopplerScatt instrument bounces radar signals off the ocean to provide information about winds and currents at the surface. The MASS instrument aboard the Twin Otter DHC6 plane flies below the clouds to observe how surface waves move and break. It collects measurements with a complex suite of laser-based and imaging devices, which allow the team to infer ocean currents from these measurements.

"The aircraft instruments provide spatial observations but can't penetrate the ocean's surface, while the autonomous vehicles and ship are providing in situ data that will give profiles of the ocean," said Luc Lenain, an ocean scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. Used in conjunction, these data show what is happening over an area of the ocean surface and into the depths below.

Animation showing the research ship and some of the gliders and floats the S-MODE team will use to study small-scale ocean whirlpools, currents and eddies. Credit: NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center / Scientific Visualization Studio

All Aboard the R/V Oceanus

While the aircraft collect data on wind, currents and ocean properties from the sky, the ship will be taking similar measurements from the ocean surface. "Since the aircraft-based observations of ocean currents are relatively new, we want to know how they relate to our traditional ways of studying the ocean," said Andrey Shcherbina, an oceanographer at the Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington and chief scientist on the R/V Oceanus.

The ship will also serve as a launching point for a small fleet of several types of autonomous ocean vehicles. Four Wave Glidersessentially surfboards with a suite of scientific instruments aboardwill bob up and down on the surface to propel themselves around the study area. Several Saildrones will sail from San Francisco Bay to join the fleet collecting data at the study site. The Saildrones and Wave Gliders will measure a vast array of factors such as ocean currents, wind speed and direction, air and water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll content.

A map of the ocean floor topography off the coast of San Francisco, California, with black lines outlining the S-MODE study site. Credit: Cesar Rocha / University of Connecticut

Two kinds of trackers will float freely in the water, providing information about where and how currents are moving and interacting. The drifters remain on the surface, while the Lagrangian Floats follow the underwater ocean currents in three dimensions.

With all these instruments working in coordination with each other, with the vessel, and with the aircraft, the team hopes to capture rapidly shifting ocean currents and properties within the study area. "Our best bet is to have a lot of instruments sampling this small patch of ocean so that we have a comprehensive multi-faceted view," said Shcherbina. From this data, the team hopes to learn more about small-scale ocean movements and how these movements may move heat, nutrients and gases within the ocean and between air and sea.
The scientists cultivated the microbial consortia in the laboratory. The black masses, for the most part, are amorphous carbon. Credit: MARUM  Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen; G. Wegener

Life on the Earth is based on carbon. Through the course of evolution, living organisms have learned to form and process large numbers of different carbon compounds. Carbon is the cornerstone of most biologically produced organic compounds such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats and DNA. All of these compounds contain, in addition to carbon, many other elements, including hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen.

Elemental carbon is formed from organic carbon compounds in the Earth without biological influence when high temperature and pressure conditions expel all of the other elements such as hydrogen and nitrogen. For example, wood deep underground first becomes coal under high temperatures, then with increasing pressure and temperature, forms with very high carbon content like anthracite and graphite are formed. These are crystalline forms of carbon. When wood, gas or oil is burned, soot is formed that consists mostly of an amorphous form of carbon. It was previously not known that living organisms themselves can also produce elemental carbon.

For more than 15 years, the Bremen scientist Dr. Gunter Wegener has been cultivating microorganisms that consume methane without oxygen to produce the energy they need. These are archaea that live in symbiosis with bacterial partners. Not much energy can be obtained from this process for either partner, so the consortia grow with doubling times of several months, which is a very long time for microorganisms. The researchers noticed some time ago that the microbial consortia were unusually dark, almost black. At an early stage, a portion of this black mass had already been described as metal sulfides. These are formed from iron that is added to the culture medium and the sulfide produced by the partner bacteria.

Wegener's colleagues, Dr. Kylie Allen and Prof. Robert White from Virginia Tech (U.S.), are always searching for new biomolecules and their functions. As a part of their efforts, they extracted methane-oxidizing cultures from the specimens in Gunter Wegener's laboratory using organic solvents. A residue of black material was left behind that could not be dissolved by strong acids or bases. "At first we had no idea what this black mass could be," explains Robert White. "Then we used other methods to analyze the material as a solid phase and found that it was almost pure carbon. This existed in a highly disordered form known as amorphous carbon." Where did this elemental carbon come from? The team ruled out the possibility of a pure chemical origin. They then fed the culture with isotopically labeled carbon, which can be tracked in the breakdown process, and analyzed the carbon formed. "We were thus able to prove that the methane-oxidizing archaea were indeed responsible for the formation of elemental carbon," says Gunter Wegener.

Next, the researchers investigated the methane-forming, or methanogenic archaea, which are closely related to the methane oxidizers. "Although not to the same degree, many of these groups also produced elemental carbon," says Robert White.

The study, however, is now generating more questions than answers. For example, how is this carbon formed? The formation of elemental carbon normally requires high pressures and temperatures. Both were absent in the cultures. "This kind of formation of elemental carbon by organisms is completely new to science. There must be reactions going on in archaea that were previously completely unknown," explains Kylie Allen, the principal author of the study. "We still do not know at all what biochemical reactions and enzymes are at work here."

The question of 'why' has also not yet been explained. "Elemental carbon is a good electrical conductor. Carbon may be the key to the symbiosis between the archaea and their partners," speculates Gunter Wegener. Electrical charges could be transported optimally via carbon-based compounds. It is also completely unknown how much elemental carbon is formed by microorganisms in nature. "Because the carbon is deposited in sediments and remains there over very long time frames, our results could also imply a heretofore unknown natural carbon sink." The team will now begin to tackle the unanswered questions, in part within the framework of the Cluster of Excellence "The Ocean FloorEarth's Uncharted Interface," which is housed at MARUM.

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More information: Kylie D. Allen et al, Biogenic formation of amorphous carbon by anaerobic methanotrophs and select methanogens, Science Advances (2021). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abg9739 Journal information: Science Advances Kylie D. Allen et al, Biogenic formation of amorphous carbon by anaerobic methanotrophs and select methanogens,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg9739

Provided by University of Bremen
Americans Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron as well as German Matthias Maurer of the European Space Agency (ESA) will launch aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft named "Endurance," fixed atop a Falcon 9 rocket at 2:21 am (0621 GMT).

NASA is teaming up with SpaceX once more to send four astronauts to the International Space Station on Sunday, including three first-timers.

The crew of mission "Crew-3" will spend six months on the orbital outpost, conducting research in areas including material sciences, health, and botany, to help inform future deep space exploration and benefit life on Earth.

Americans Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron as well as German Matthias Maurer of the European Space Agency (ESA) will launch aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft named "Endurance," fixed atop a Falcon 9 rocket at 2:21 am (0621 GMT) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"Last night we got to go see Endurance in the hangar as they got ready to roll it out to the pad, and actually put our hands on the Dragon, which is a pretty special experience," Chari, a US Air Force colonel who is commanding the mission, said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Of the four, only Marshburn has gone to space before. The medical doctor flew aboard a Space Shuttle in 2009 and a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in a mission from 2012-13.

Barron, who along with Chari was selected for the NASA astronaut corps in 2017, the most recent recruitment, previously served as a submarine warfare officer for the Navy, and told reporters she saw many parallels between that experience and going to space.

The pair are also in the mix for NASA's Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon later this decade.

Maurer, a materials science engineer, will become the 12th German to go to space and will join fellow ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet of France on the ISS, an overlap that will likely last a few days before the Frenchman returns to Earth with the rest of his Crew-2 colleagues.

Following a 22-hour voyage, Endurance will autonomously dock with the space station at 12:10 am Monday (0410 GMT).

Growing plants without soil

Scientific highlights of the mission include an experiment to grow plants in space without soil or other growth media, and another to build optical fibers in microgravity, which prior research has suggested will be superior in quality to those made on Earth.

Maurer will help operationalize the European Robotic Arm which is currently being installed on the Russian side of the ISS, and test out CIMONan artificial intelligence assistant developed by the German space agency DLR, Airbus and IBM.

"It's an experiment which is really paving the way towards exploration," he said.

For example, it may one day act as a geology expert that astronauts on a future mission to Mars could consult for quick answers because the lag time to communicate with Earth would be 40 minutes, he said.

The Crew-3 astronauts will also conduct spacewalks to complete the upgrade of the station's solar panels, and will be present for two tourism missions including Japanese tourists aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft at the end of 2021, and the Space-X Axiom crew, set for launch in February 2022.

Crew-3 is part of NASA's multibillion dollar partnership with SpaceX that it signed after ending the Space Shuttle program in 2011, in order to restore American capacity to carry out human spaceflight.

Boeing is also part of the same commercial program but its Starliner capsule has been beset by delays and won't fly its first crew until the end of 2022 at the earliest.

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 2021 AFP
The dome of NASAs Laser Communication Relay Demonstrations Optical Ground Station-2 in Haleakala, Hawaii, seen here, is one of two ground stations that will communicate with the mission. Credit: NASA

NASA launches satellites, rovers, and orbiters to investigate humanity's place in the Milky Way. When these missions reach their destinations, their science instruments capture images, videos, and valuable insights about the cosmos. Communications infrastructure in space and on the ground enables the data collected by these missions to reach Earth. Without ground stations to receive it, the extraordinary data captured by these missions would be stuck in space, unable to reach scientists and researchers on Earth.

Since the dawn of space exploration, NASA missions have primarily relied on radio frequency communications for this transfer of information. But this fall, NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) will launch and showcase laser communicationsa revolutionary way of communicating data from space to the ground.

LCRD's ground stations, known as Optical Ground Station (OGS) -1 and -2, are located on Table Mountain, California, and Haleakala, Hawaii. These remote, high-altitude locations were chosen for their clear weather conditions. While laser communications can provide increased data transfer rates, atmospheric disturbancessuch as clouds and turbulencecan disrupt laser signals as they enter Earth's atmosphere.

"The way the local meteorology works, there is minimal dust and less atmospheric turbulence at the top of the mountain, which is great for laser communications," said Ron Miller from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and former development lead for OGS-2 in Hawaii. "It's about 10,000 feet up, so you're above a lot of the atmosphere and weather that occurs below the summit. It's very common to have a nice sunny day at the top and be cloudy around the midpoint of the mountain."

The LCRD mission will communicate with two ground stationson Table Mountain, California, and Haleakala, Hawaiito demonstrate optical communications between space and Earth. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA communications engineers selected these sites because their weather patterns typically complement each other. When OGS-1 in California is cloudy, OGS-2 in Hawaii tends to be clearand vice versa. To monitor cloud coverage and determine which station is to be used, commercial partner Northrop Grumman provided an atmospheric monitoring station that observes weather conditions at Haleakala. This monitoring station runs nearly autonomously 24 hours a day, seven days a week. OGS-1 has similar weather monitoring capabilities at Table Mountain.

Despite the usually clear weather at these locations, NASA engineers must still work to reduce the effects of atmospheric turbulence on the data received by OGS-1 and OGS-2. To do this, both stations leverage the power of adaptive optics.

"An adaptive optics system uses a sensor to measure the distortion to the electromagnetic signal that's coming down from the spacecraft," said Tom Roberts, the manager of OGS-1 development and operations at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. "If we can measure that distortion, then we can send it through a deformable mirror that changes its shape to take out those aberrations that the atmosphere induces. That allows us to have a nice, pristine signal."

While OGS-2 was developed specifically for the LCRD mission, OGS-1 is based at JPL's Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory, which prior to LCRD was used for previous laser communications demonstrations. To get OGS-1 ready for LCRD support, engineers had to upgrade the ground station, modifying the system to bring it up to a higher standard. One such upgrade involved replacing the mirrors to have better reflectivity and higher laser thresholds so that the telescope can receive and send laser signals to and from LCRD.

Prior to mission support, LCRD will spend about two years conducting tests and experiments. During this time, OGS-1 and OGS-2 will act as simulated users, sending data from one station to LCRD then down to the next. These tests will allow the aerospace community to learn from LCRD and further refine the technology for future implementation of laser communications systems.

After the experimental phase, LCRD will support in-space missions. Missions, like a terminal on the International Space Station, will send data to LCRD, which will then beam it to OGS-1 or OGS-2.

LCRD is a hosted payload on the Department of Defense's Space Test Program Satellite-6 (STPSat-6). While LCRD is a laser communications payload, the spacecraft will still have a radio frequency connection to the ground. The Payload to Ground Link Terminal (PGLT) located at the White Sands Complex near Las Cruces, New Mexico, will communicate tracking, telemetry, and command data to the spacecraft over radio waves.

NASA manages LCRD's ground elementsOGS-1, OGS-2, and PGLTout of LCRD's mission operations center at White Sands.

"The mission operations center is the central brains of the LCRD system," said Miriam Wennersten, LCRD's ground segment manager of NASA Goddard. "It coordinates the configuration of the payload and all three ground stations at the same time, scheduling the various optical services and links."

Without ground infrastructure, extraordinary science and exploration data would not make it to researchers on Earth. LCRD's ground segment will be critical to the success of the mission, providing engineers with the opportunity to test and refine laser communications. In turn, LCRD will usher in a new era of laser communications, where missions will have unprecedented access to insights gleaned from satellites and probes in space.

More about the mission

STPSat-6, part of the Space Test Program 3 (STP-3) mission, will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida no earlier than November 22, 2021. STP is managed by the United States Space Force's Space Systems Command.

LCRD is led by NASA Goddard and in partnership with JPL and the MIT Lincoln Laboratory. LCRD is funded through NASA's Technology Demonstration Missions program, part of the Space Technology Mission Directorate, and the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program at NASA Headquarters. NASA Goddard manages OGS-2, while JPL manages OGS-1.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

For as long as "History" with a capital "H' has been written, Indigenous peoples have been placed outside its circle. Consequently, whole groups of peoples, whole continents like Australia, and whole spans of human time, are missing from history's scope.

Why have Indigenous peoples become History's outsiders? One reason is the formal discipline of history originated in Europe and was based on analyzing written texts.

Traditionally History has used books and articles to share its findings. It has also relied on documentary archives for its data. Yet Indigenous cultures the world over had their own methods of maintaining History: story telling, art, ritual, dance and song. Many cultures still practice these today.

In our collection, The Routledge Companion to Indigenous Global History , we reveal no truly global history can be written unless we take account of the depth, scale and scope of Indigenous histories.

Our book assembled a wide range of contributors (Indigenous and settler), working across a vast array of geographical locations, including Africa, Asia, Northern Europe and the Americas. The collection spans many time-zonesfrom the human journey out of Africa hundreds of thousands of years ago detailed by Martin Porr to the forced migrations of North American peoples in the 1820s and 30s, to the intermixed groups arising from slavery in the Caribbean.

Indigenous authors include Paulette Steeves, May-Britt Ohman, Kirstine E. Mller, Kella Robinson, Judi Wickes, and John Maynard. These authors reconnect with their traditions through an exploration of early Native American archaeology, Saami fishing stories, and the hidden stories of Australian Indigenous identity. These personal accounts repeatedly show us we have much to learn from Indigenous histories. Not only in their content, but also in their ways of telling.

Indigenous peoples histories

Over eons, Indigenous peoples have developed a vision of a world shared by people and their environmentthe animals, plants and their entangled stories. It is one that is mutually interdependent and intimately interconnected. It is emotional and nurturing.

During the age of discoverywhen imperial and colonial powers mapped, documented and occupied their landsIndigenous people were observed, but often as a background, fast disappearing presence. Expected to soon disappear, in Australia they were the "dying race."

Traditionally, Western historians have focused on change, key moments and events. As a result Indigenous peoples prior to European arrival have been seen, incorrectly, as unchanging people confined to a timeless zone, a kind of limbo before History itself began.

Indigenous people were not unchanging, but rather, they were inventive and dynamic. Indigenous people's long custodianship of their forests, rivers, and seas offer pathways to a more sustainable future. In the mounting climate emergency that the world faces today, Indigenous people's knowledge is more important than ever.

In recent decades, much has been written about the arrival of colonialism as a huge rupture, a dramatic turning point after which nothing could be the same. Consequently, historical writing has focused upon the plight of Indigenous peoples after Europeans arrived on their lands: the violence, the massacres, the disease, the appropriation of lands, and destruction of cultures.

Acknowledgement of Indigenous peoples' rights on a global stage

With their tragic histories now better known, in 2007 the United Nations endorsed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This declaration represented the culmination of meetings of over 700 Indigenous representatives, the participants hailing from many diverse environments and regions around the world. Indigenous peoples had long demanded their fundamental human rights be reinstated. Now they were heard in an international arena.

It is noteworthy that Australia and its English speaking allies, United States, New Zealand and Canada initially opposed the declaration. Eventually agreeing to sign, they remained concerned about its potential impact on their national sovereignty.

The UN Committee recognized Indigenous people as entitled to a special category of rights. In the Declaration they shared a common entitlement to what they had held historically and was still under threat: "their political, economic and social structures and [] their cultures, spiritual traditions, histories and philosophies, especially their rights to their lands, territories and resources."

Our Routledge Companion to Indigenous Global History takes a few more steps to recognizing that historical suffering and ongoing injustice on a global scale. But the Companion does not overlook the richness, power and strength of Indigenous peoples.

They have developed their own historical interpretations and modes of historical practice through millennia. In our collection, authors Paul Lane, Chris Ballard, Peter Veth and colleagues, Paulette Steeves and John Maynard explain the deep stories held in the land, the sea and the sky.

The history of the deep pasts and modern presents of Indigenous peoples is the story of peoples who are the custodians of the planet upon which we all live. They have left, and continue to leave profound legacies.

On a planet where waterways, seas, lands and skies are being exploited ever more destructively, Indigenous people's respect for the environment offers inspiring insights for future generations.

Explore further Scientists warn on the harmful implications of losing Indigenous and local knowledge systems

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The fly's heart (left) - a minuscule structure made of two single rows of cells - is imaged non-invasively while the fly walks freely on a custom-made device (right). Credit: Charlotte Rosher, Moita lab, Champalimaud Foundation.

The sound of an accelerating heartbeat can instantly send chills down your spine. You know that sound means trouble. We are so accustomed to the way our hearts seem to continuously mirror how we feel that we can easily imagine different hearts racing, aching or skipping a beat.

But do the hearts of other animals actually follow the same rules when in danger? When it comes to our fellow vertebratesfrogs, cats, antelopethe answer has been long-known to be "yes." But what about insects?

According to a study by scientists at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown in Lisbon, Portugal, which was published today (October 27th) in the journal Current Biology, the hearts of fruit flies respond to danger in very much the same way human hearts do.

"We were quite surprised by this result," recalls Marta Moita, the neuroscientist that led the project. "We know that when vertebrates face a threat, their autonomic nervous system kicks into action, generating the changes in cardiac activity that we are all familiar with. However, this system doesn't exist in insects, and so it was unclear whether they would exhibit similar cardiac alterations."

The team zoomed in on the fly's hearta minuscule structure made up of two single rows of cells. The researchers followed the heart's activity through the fly's transparent exoskeleton while it was walking about by lighting up the heart's cells with fluorescent molecules. Occasionally, a dark expanding circle appeared on a large screen in front of the fly, mimicking an approaching threat.

"Amazingly, just like in humans, the fly's heart changed its activity depending on which defense response is assumed. If the fly decided to escape, the heart accelerated, but if the fly froze in place for a sustained period of time, its heart slowed down," Barrios recounts.

"This finding is very intriguing," Moita adds. "Since flies don't have an autonomic nervous system, it means there's another mechanism at play here. The question is whether there's an autonomic-nervous-system-like structure that we are not aware of, or is there an entirely different mechanism yet to be discovered."

A change of heart

Remarkably, this unexpected result was only the first in a series of revelations. The next happened when the team examined the heart's activity in more detail.

"The structure of the fly's heart is very different from ours: it's just a single tube," Barrios explains. "And since its body is essentially divided into two sealed compartments, the heart alternates pumping in two directions."

The team tested whether the direction of pumping also changed depending on the fly's defensive response, and discovered that in both casesescape and freezingthe heart was pumping more actively towards the front section of the fly.

"Pumping more nutrients into the front section while escaping makes sense. This is where the brain, legs and wings are located, so that's where the action is. But we didn't expect to see this while the fly was freezing," says Barrios.

According to the researchers, freezing is considered an energy-saving behavior. Indeed, the slowing down of the heart indicates just that. But then, what was the reason the heart was pumping more actively towards the front? The results of this next series of experiments ended up undermining yet another widely held scientific theory.

Freezing burns calories

"We suspected it meant that even though it was freezing, the fly was getting ready for action," Moita explains. "And that it was consuming energy to maintain this state of preparedness."

To test this hypothesis, the team compared the sugar levels of flies that froze with sugar levels of flies that were exposed to neutral images, and therefore didn't exhibit any defensive behaviors. The results were striking: flies that froze had significantly lower sugar levels.

"This finding refutes the generally held belief that freezing is a passive, energy-saving behavioral state," Moita argues. "Instead, it suggests that freezing is a state of active preparedness. Now, the question iswhat is the fly preparing for? What is the range of actions that may follow freezing, and how is the choice between actions made by the brain?"

A new path

These questions join a string of new research avenues raised by this study. One of the most pressing is identifying the neural structure that controls cardiac responses to danger in flies, and deciphering how it works.

"Since flies and humans share many genes, the hearts of flies are commonly used to study various aspects of cardiology, particularly relating to disease," Barrios points out. "However, little attention has been directed towards how the fly's heart responds to danger."

"Now that we've demonstrated this new commonality, we can move forward to investigate how it happens. Eventually, we hope that insight gained in the fly will lead to an understanding of how the brain controls behavior in other animals, including humans," Moita Concludes.

Explore further Scientists discover a social cue of safety

More information: Marta A. Moita, Threat induces cardiac and metabolic changes that negatively impact survival in flies, Current Biology (2021). www.cell.com/current-biology/f  0960-9822(21)01367-1 Journal information: Current Biology Marta A. Moita, Threat induces cardiac and metabolic changes that negatively impact survival in flies,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.10.013

Provided by Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown
Newly planted oil palm trees on a plantation in northern Colombia. Credit: Paul Furumo

Knowing the steps is not the same thing as knowing how to dance. Similarly, policy interventions to stop deforestation are most effective when enacted in a certain order, according to a new Stanford study.

The first-of-its-kind analysis, published Oct. 27 in Global Sustainability, provides a blueprint for public and private interventions that could help empower countries around the world to reverse the destruction of a precious global resource.

"Stopping deforestation is a classic collective action problem," said study lead author Paul Furumo, a postdoctoral research fellow in Earth system science at Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences (Stanford Earth). "While it is encouraging to see new public and private actors making commitments, we need to accelerate progress."

Despite a slew of corporate commitments, national laws and international financial support aimed at slowing deforestation, the opposite has occurred. Forest loss over the past decade was greater than the previous decade, and the Amazon rainforest has seen a record level of destruction this past year.

"Deforestation is a wicked problem that eludes easy solutions," said study coauthor Eric Lambin, a professor of Earth system science in Stanford Earth. "Targets, strategies and progress depend on a wide range of variables, such as geographic context, and stakeholders with diverse motivations, land uses and values. This has led to a messy mix of strategies that may be redundant or outright antagonistic."

Oil palm trees, which produce the palm oil ubiquitous in many consumer products, in central Colombia. Credit: Paul Furumo

Focusing on commodity production in Brazil, Costa Rica and Colombia, Furumo and Lambin set out to understand how a well-designed sequence of interventions can deliver conservation goals at lower cost across entire at-risk regions. The researchers reconstructed the policy mix of over 60 public and private zero-deforestation interventions in each country. These policies fell into three domainsdomestic public policies, international financial incentives to reduce land-based emissions and supply chain initiatives. They classified each intervention as either a disincentive, incentive or enabling measure, and noted when each was introduced into the policy mix.

A pattern soon revealed itself.

Brazil, Costa Rica and Colombia historically tended to start with disincentives or deterrents, such as expanded protected areas and stiffer consequences for violators, to slow land clearing, consolidate the agricultural frontier and deter speculation.

Next came regulatory incentives, such as conditional payments to protect private forests and the freezing of agricultural credit in counties with high rates of deforestation, to make legal compliance more attractive.

The third step was often voluntary initiatives, such as a $1 billion commitment from Norway in exchange for Brazil's 2009 pledge to reduce deforestation by 80% by 2020. This type of international climate financing tied to forests helped Brazil, Costa Rica and Colombia take on broader institutional reforms.

As a final step, the three countries are now pursuing performance-based supply chain interventions, such as public-private partnerships and market exclusion.

From this pattern of interventions, Furumo and Lambin gleaned several overarching lessons for effectively slowing deforestation. Among them:

The policy sequence should match the evolving threats or drivers of deforestation, as core forests become active frontiers and eventually transition to production landscapes. Since unplanned infrastructure often initiates this cycle, a key first step is channeling these projects away from intact forests.

Slowing land clearing in frontier forests requires state-led command-and-control measures that increase risks, such as fines, for illegally cutting forests, as well as incentives, such as cash payments, to reduce opportunity costs.

In later stages, the focus of policies should be on accelerating forest recovery. Sustainable agricultural policies that expand alternative models of production, provide access to non-forested lands, and create more value for farmers are key since most gains in forest cover occur in production landscapes outside of protected areas.

A deliberate sequencing of policies helps overcome resistance by powerful actors with vested interests, and builds political support for sustainable land use. This requires forging coalitions in support of stronger conservation measures, such as by offering incentives for sustainable forestry practices before putting a ban on forest clearing.

Technology is an ally. Advancements, such as satellite-based forest monitoring systems, can underpin interventions by tracking deforestation at the farm level to support enforcement of land use regulations and zero-deforestation commitments by companies. This also unlocks new opportunities for public-private partnerships whereby companies make performance-based commitments and governments monitor progress.

"We are in the midst of an unprecedented opportunity to reduce deforestation through public and private collaboration" said Furumo. "It won't be done with a single strategy and it won't be a matter of copy-pasting successful interventions from one country to another. It will be a product of more efficient and coordinated governance that designs synergies across instruments and actors."

Explore further New study exposes big differences amongst Amazonian countries in their rates of forest recovery as well as deforestation

More information: Paul R. Furumo et al, Policy sequencing to reduce tropical deforestation, Global Sustainability (2021). Paul R. Furumo et al, Policy sequencing to reduce tropical deforestation,(2021). DOI: 10.1017/sus.2021.21
In this 2013 photo, workers install a component of MicroBooNE's precision detector, called a time projection chamber, into the cylindrical container, or cryostat. Credit: Reidar Hahn, Fermilab.

New results from the MicroBooNE experiment at the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory deal a blow to a theoretical particle known as the sterile neutrino. There is no such thing.

For more than two decades, this theory of a fourth neutrino has remained a promising explanation for anomalies seen in earlier physics experiments. Finding a new particle would be a major discovery and a radical shift in our understanding of the universe. And also a likely Nobel Prize. But it's not to be.

Among the scientists who are part of the international, multi-university multi-agency MicroBooNE effort is Camillo Mariani, a professor in the Department of Physics, part of the Virginia Tech College of Science. He worked on the project from its start, beginning in 2012.

"The most recent results are very important for the neutrino community, for two main aspects. It is the first big physics results coming out of a liquid argon time projection chamber (TPC). Liquid argon TPC has always been very promising in terms of technology but never produced big physics results. The second is of course that we now understand nature better," said Mariani, who also is a member of the Center for Neutrino Physics at Virginia Tech and director of Kimballton Underground Research Facility in Giles County.

The international MicroBooNE experiment uses a 170-ton detector placed in Fermilabs neutrino beam. The experiment studies neutrino interactions and has found no hint of a theorized fourth neutrino called the sterile neutrino. Credit: Reidar Hahn, Fermilab.

The results, announced today, align with the Standard Model of Particle Physics, scientists' best theory of how the universe works. The data is consistent with what the Standard Model predicts: three kinds of neutrinono more, no less. Neutrinos come in three known typesthe electron, muon and tau neutrinoand can switch between these flavors in a particular way as they travel.

"For many years we investigated the possibility of existence of a fourth neutrino, a new particle, not predicted in the standard model of particle physics," Mariani added. "The MiniBooNE experiment in early 2010 showed an anomaly, one could possibly explain with the existence of a sterile neutrino. I was part of this collaboration and author of one of the most recent papers from MiniBooNE. With the advance in technology and detailed offered by liquid argon projection chamber, MicroBooNE was able to disfavor the interpretation of the MiniBooNE low energy excess as due to sterile neutrino. It is a bit sad seeing the possibility of discovering another particle, but we advance our knowledge of nature and that is a very important thing."

MicroBooNE is a 170-ton neutrino detector roughly the size of a school bus has operated by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago since 2015. The international experiment has close to 200 collaborators from 36 institutions in five countries. They used the technology to record spectacularly precise 3D images of neutrino events and examine particle interactions in detaila much-needed probe into the subatomic world, according to FermiLab.

The MicroBooNE detector uses special light sensors and more than 8,000 painstakingly attached wires to capture particle tracks. It's housed in a 40-foot-long cylindrical container filled with 170 tons of pure liquid argon. Neutrinos bump into the dense, transparent liquid, releasing additional particles that the electronics can record. The resulting pictures show detailed particle paths and, crucially, distinguish electrons from photons.

MicroBooNEs advanced liquid argon technology enables researchers to capture detailed images of particle tracks. This electron neutrino event shows an electron shower and a proton track. Credit: MicroBooNE collaboration.

Beginning in 2012 with his arrival in Blacksburg, Mariani and several postdoctoral researchers participated in the construction, assembly, and commissioning of the MicroBooNE detector.

"We had responsibility for the online system that monitors the quality of the data coming out of the detector and we did some preliminary detector work with undergraduate students that built a mini-detector and drove it to Fermilab in 2014. The detector was used to identify muons cross sing the main detector volume," Mariani said.

Neutrinos are one of the fundamental particles in nature. They're neutral, incredibly tiny, and the most abundant particle with mass in our universethough they rarely interact with other matter. They're also particularly intriguing to physicists, with a number of unanswered questions. These puzzles include why their masses are so vanishingly small and whether they are responsible for matter's dominance over antimatter in our universe. This makes neutrinos a unique window into exploring how the universe works at the smallest scales, Fermilab said in a news release.

With sterile neutrinos further disfavored as the explanation for anomalies spotted in neutrino data, scientists are investigating other possibilities, according to Fermilab. These include things as intriguing as light created by other processes during neutrino collisions or as exotic as the theorized dark matter.

Workers install a component of MicroBooNEs precision detector (called a time projection chamber) into the cylindrical container, or cryostat. Credit: Reidar Hahn, Fermilab.

Mark Pitt, department chair and a professor of physics, said many of his faculty from the Center for Neutrino Physics have been actively involved with the search for the sterile neutrino.

"Detection technologies to search for sterile neutrinos have been an active interest of center faculty members Jonathan Link and Bruce Vogelaar," Pitt said. "On the theoretical side, center director Patrick Huber and Camillo's group have been leading the way in understanding how liquid argon experiments like MicroBooNE are affected by the modeling of neutrinos interacting with the argon nucleus."

Pitt added that as far back as 2011, Mariani hosted the international workshop Sterile Neutrinos at the Crossroads as one of the center's first events.

Huber, the director of the center, added, "This is the first time we got a real sort of top-of-the-line physics observation from a liquid argon detector, it also shows this is a complicated technology. The analysis took a long time. They had stopped data taking quite a while ago, but just converting that raw data from the detector into a statement about physics is a really difficult process.  It's a good day for science, we learned something, we learned it's photons, not electrons."

What's next for Mariani? He's part of the new Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (or DUNE for short), a flagship international experiment also hosted by Fermilab that already has more than 1,000 researchers from over 30 countries. DUNE will study oscillations by sending neutrinos 800 miles through the earth to detectors at the mile-deep Sanford Underground Research Facility. The combination of short- and long-distance neutrino experiments will give researchers insights into the workings of these fundamental particles. Now under construction, the detector is expected to go live in 2027.

More information: MicroBooNE stie: MicroBooNE stie: microboone.fnal.gov/
Credit: KTH Royal Institute of Technology

One of the solar energy market's most promising solar cell materialsperovskiteis also the most frustrating. A research team in Sweden reports a possible solution to the environmental instability of perovskitean alternative to silicon that's cheap and highly efficient, yet degrades dramatically when exposed to moisture.

The team from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm developed a new synthetic alloy that increases perovskite cells' durability while preserving energy conversion performance. The researchers published their findings in Communications Materials.

"Perovskite usually dissolves immediately on contact with water," says co-author James Gardner, a researcher at KTH. "We have proven that our alloyed perovskite can survive for several minutes completely immersed in water, which is over a 100 times more stable than the perovskite alone. What's more, the solar cells that we have built from the material retain their efficiency for more than 100 days after they are manufactured. "

Perovskites are a class of materials with a specific crystal structure, named after the mineral with that structure. In solar cells they have shown potential for high performancewith energy conversion efficiencies as high as 25 percentand, best of all, low production costs.

However, these thin-film cells are highly susceptible to outdoor elements, which accelerates their degradationand limits their viability in a solar market where virtually all panels are based on silicon.

KTH researcher James Gardner says that his team's work represents a step towards developing an alternative, more stable perskovite product. They encapsulated a light-absorbing perskovite layer with a 2D perskovite film layer that provides a water repellent quality thanks to the addition of long-chain alkylammonium ions.

The researchers report that the cells' power conversion efficiency dropped by 20 percent after six months at a relative humidity of 25 to 80 percent; and they could be completely immersed in water for a few minutes before degradation started.

Gardner says that the 2D perovskite coating also mitigates energy losses in the light-absorbing 3D perovskite, which leads to an enhancement in the photovoltage. The findings indicate that long-chain alkylammonium cation-based 2D perovskites can improve the environmental stability of 3D-based perovskites, without significant loss of performance and may lead to commercially successful perovskite solar cells.

Explore further Perovskite solar cells with atomically coherent interlayers on SnO electrodes

More information: Bhushan P. Kore et al, Moisture tolerant solar cells by encapsulating 3D perovskite with long-chain alkylammonium cation-based 2D perovskite, Communications Materials (2021). Bhushan P. Kore et al, Moisture tolerant solar cells by encapsulating 3D perovskite with long-chain alkylammonium cation-based 2D perovskite,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s43246-021-00200-8
Hikers walk next to sinkholes in the southern part of the Dead Sea.

In the heyday of the Ein Gedi spa in the 1960s, holidaymakers could marinate in heated pools and then slip into the briny Dead Sea. Now the same beach is punctured by craters.

A spectacular expanse of water in the desert, flanked by cliffs to east and west, the Dead Sea has lost a third of its surface area since 1960.

The blue water recedes about a metre (yard) every year, leaving behind a lunar landscape whitened by salt and perforated with gaping holes.

Going forward, "you might be lucky to have a channel of water here, that people will be able to put their toes in," laments Alison Ron, a resident of Ein Gedi who once worked at the spa.

"But there will be a lot of sinkholes."

The sinkholes can exceed 10 metres (33 feet) in depth and are a testament to the shrinking sea. Receding salt water leaves behind underground salt deposits. Runoff from periodic flash floods then percolates into the ground and dissolves the salt patches. Without support, the land above collapses.

Ghost town

At the Ein Gedi thermal baths, the roughly three kilometres (two miles) of rocky sand that now separate the spa from the shore are dotted with holes and crevices.

Further north, a whole tourist complex has turned into a ghost town, disfigured by craters and enclosed in fences. The pavement is gutted, the lampposts overturned, the date plantation abandoned.

The Dead Sea has lost a third of its surface area since 1960, receding by about a metre every year.

Ittai Gavrieli of the Israel Geological Institute told AFP there are now thousands of sinkholes all around the shores of the Dead Sea, in Jordan, Israel and the occupied West Bank.

They reflect human policy that has literally decimated the flow of water into the Dead Sea. Both Israel and Jordan have diverted the waters of the River Jordan for agriculture and drinking water. Chemical companies have extracted minerals from the seawater.

Climate change further accelerates evaporation. In Sodom, Israel, southwest of the Dead Sea, the country's highest temperature in over 70 years was recorded in July 201949.9 degrees Celsius, or nearly 122 Fahrenheit.

'Nature's revenge'

Gavrieli said the Israel Geological Institute is monitoring the formation of sinkholes from space but it is not an exact science.

He said they are certainly "dangerous" but also "magnificent."

There are now thousands of sinkholes all around the shores of the Dead Sea.

"It has potential to become a tourist attraction, if you're willing to take the risk on one hand and if insurance issues are clear," he said.

Much too perilous, answers Gidon Bromberg, Israeli director of the NGO EcoPeace, for whom the sinkholes are "nature's revenge" for "the inappropriate actions of humankind".

"We will not be able to bring back the Dead Sea to its former glory," he said. "But we are demanding that we stabilise it."

His organisation, comprised of Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli environmentalists, advocates increased desalination of seawater from the Mediterranean to relieve pressure on the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan, which could then flow back to the Dead Sea.

EcoPeace would also like the industry to be "held accountable" by paying more taxes.

Inescapable decline

Asked by AFP, a spokesman for Jordan's water ministry offered no detailed fix for the crisis. Instead, he said the donor community should play a "vital role" in sparking interest "to find reasonable solutions to the Dead Sea problem".

A hiker stands atop crystalised minerals in the Israeli Kibbutz Ein Gedi area on the shores of the Dead Sea.

In June, Jordan abandoned a long-stalled proposal to build a canal with Israel and the Palestinians to carry water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea.

Instead, Amman announced it would build a desalination plant to supply drinking water.

Even if the canal had been built, it could not have saved the lake on its own, said hydrologist Eran Halfi of the Dead Sea-Arava Science Center.

"The Dead Sea is at a deficit of one billion cubic metres per year and this was supposed to bring 200 million cubic metres," he said. "It would slow the drop but not prevent it."

So is the Dead Sea doomed to evaporate? Scientists say its decline is inevitable for at least the next 100 years. Sinkholes will keep spreading over the century.

However, the lake could reach an equilibrium because as its surface decreases, the water becomes saltier and evaporation slows down.

Scientists say the Dead Sea's decline is inevitable, and that sinkholes will keep spreading over the next 100 years.

In Ein Gedi, Ron said that forecast gave her little satisfaction. By diverting rivers and building factories, she said, "man has interfered".

"We have to be ashamed of ourselves that we have allowed this to happen," she said.

Explore further Jordan, Israel sign deal to help save Dead Sea

 2021 AFP
Map from the Kansas Health Institute shows variations in internet access throughout Kansas. Many rural counties have high percentages of residents without sufficient access to broadband internet. Edward Scanlon is co-author of an article arguing the digital divide is a social justice issue that should be addressed thoroughly by the social welfare field as well as policymakers. Credit: Kansas Health Institute

A University of Kansas professor is co-author of a new article that argues broadband access is a human rights issue and social justice matter as marginalized communities are left behind in the digital divide.

The United Nations General Assembly declared access to the internet a basic human right in 2016. As such, the field of social work needs to become more involved in pushing for expanded broadband access for all, and policymakers should take on efforts to ensure access is capable for all communities. Edward Scanlon, associate professor of social welfare at KU, made those arguments and shared resources and advocacy tips on the front lines of the issue in an article published in the Journal of Human Rights and Social Work. The study is co-written by Cynthia Sanders of the University of Utah.

"The digital divide is more than just access to high-speed broadband," Scanlon said. "That part is very important, obviously, but there is also the issue of people simply having a device to access the internet. A third piece has to do with digital literacy and understanding what it means to get online. It's no longer considered a luxury. It's now basically considered a utility."

The digital divide is not just a policy or infrastructure issue. It is a social justice matter in that lack of access disproportionately affects people of color, low-income individuals and families, and those who live in rural areas, the authors wrote, and at the intersection of all of those are Native communities. Scanlon noted that tribal entities in the U.S. are often disadvantaged in this way and shared the example of the Potawatomi Nation, which resides in a Kansas county where more than 40% of the population lacks access to high-speed internet.

"The pandemic has made this issue even more pressing for telehealth and education reasons. Many students struggled to have the ability to do their schoolwork and gain access to access education during the pandemic," Scanlon said.

The matter is also a social justice issue in that people are less able to get vital information, news or connect with others without broadband. It can also limit peoples' ability to get adequate education, connect with health care providers, work, apply for jobs, pay bills or receive benefits such as social welfare and other services considered basic human rights in the 21st century, the authors wrote.

There are efforts underway to address the digital divide. Perhaps the best example is California's Internet for All Now Act, which passed in 2017. The act formed a public-private partnership in which the state authorized hundreds of millions to be allocated to help private companies expand internet access to nearly every part of the state.

"We highlighted that because it's a few years older than a lot of efforts, and it allocated $330 million," Scanlon said. "The sheer amount and goal of getting 98% of every geographic area of the state covered is significant."

Scanlon also pointed to Kansas' formation of the Office of Broadband Development, recently formed to expand access throughout the state. The office's work has helped take Kansas from the 40th to 28th most connected state, he added. But, while the numbers look good in many areas, there are still some areas where as many as 40% of residents don't have adequate access.

Such public-private partnerships as in California's case are politically expedient as they appeal to conservatives' wishes to avoid the government taking over expansion efforts and progressive desires to avoid the enrichment of private companies at public expense, the authors wrote.

The authors also argued the field of social work has a role to play in closing the digital divide as well. Just as the field has advocated for and served low-income, marginalized and underrepresented communities in terms of child care, health care access, mental health and other areas, they should focus on the digital divide as a serious social justice issue. It's especially timely as social work services move online like so many other services.

"If you're going to deliver social services via telehealth, you have to be sure people have access to broadband," Scanlon said. "Social workers need to advocate like they do for mental health, issues of race, fighting poverty and those traditional causes."

Scanlon and Sanders shared resources, links to online toolkits, recommendations for talking to policymakers and tips for advocacy groups in the paper.

"Social workers can help amplify the voices of those working on these issues. Almost every community has a broadband access advocacy group. Sometimes they're centered around universities, or libraries, or even business groups. But we argue social workers need to step out of their typical comfort zones and work on these issues with them," Scanlon said. "One thing social workers are really good at is listening to people tell their stories and helping share them with those in power. We want to help them share the struggles of those with limited access with policymakers."

The problem would be best addressed with a consistent national strategy, similar to those taken during the New Deal era to electrify even the most remote parts of the country, the authors wrote, but until then, state and local efforts can learn from success stories.

"This really is a problem that's national in nature and needs to be seen as part of infrastructure, just like utilities and bridges and roads," Scanlon said. "While we don't have that yet, we think we can see best practices from states and local efforts replicated widely."

Explore further $1B in grants to go for broadband on tribal lands

More information: Cynthia K. Sanders et al, The Digital Divide Is a Human Rights Issue: Advancing Social Inclusion Through Social Work Advocacy, Journal of Human Rights and Social Work (2021). Cynthia K. Sanders et al, The Digital Divide Is a Human Rights Issue: Advancing Social Inclusion Through Social Work Advocacy,(2021). DOI: 10.1007/s41134-020-00147-9
Credit: Unsplash/User dole777

Social media has the ability to connect us with almost anyone in the world, but it can also change the way brains form new social relationships, maintain current ones and participate in social groups, according to a new book by a Penn State researcher.

The book"Social Media Communication: Trends and Theories," written by Bu Zhong, associate professor of communications at Penn Stateexplores how social media affects information processing, the media industry, and business marketing, as well as interpersonal and group communication.

Zhong said he wanted to write the book not to examine specific platforms like Facebook and TikTok, but to analyze how social media as a whole affects the human mind and behavior, as well as business and industry.

"The popularity of social media, to many, might be plausibly attributed to the influx of new media technologies," Zhong said. "The vital driving force behind it, however, is nothing but the trait of people being socially wired. This is consistent with the ample evidence from psychologists, who have discovered that the desire to form and maintain interpersonal attachmentsthe need to belongis a fundamental human motivation."

Fundamentally, Zhong said, our minds are hardwired to be social.

According to Zhong, social media is a type of computer-mediated communicationcommunication that takes place with the help of a computer, such as email, video conferencing and instant messaging. This not only opens up new ways for people to connect, but also forces our brains to adapt to a form of communication it wasn't designed for.

Do-it-yourself background checks

When most people meet someone new for the first time, the book explains, they often feel a need to "reduce uncertainty" about that personor learn more about them when deciding whether to form a friendship.

This is usually done in three ways: by interacting directly with the person, asking others about the individual, or by observing the person interact with others. But now, research has shown that social media has introduced a fourth strategy.

"Platforms like Twitter and Facebook are particularly rife with uncertainty-reducing information such as personal beliefs, friends and acquaintances, and photographs," Zhong said. "This could be useful information to people forming any kind of relationship, but potential employers especially tend to do routine social media searches for job applicants before scheduling a face-to-face interview."

Blind communication

Speaking to someone face to face allows a person to pick up nonverbal cuessuch as smiling, arm crossing and body positioningthat help people communicate. But because social media lacks this face-to-face contact, research has found that people have adapted to compensate when communicating online.

"People may ask more direct questions and disclose more information about themselves when communicating with a stranger through a computer than when interacting face to face," Zhong said. "Uncertainty might decrease more slowly when communicating online, but this strategy is still effective."

Taking a stand

According to Zhong, group communication was often difficult prior to the Internet. But now, social media and other online platforms have made collaborating with large groups of other people much easier.

One of the ways this has manifested is through social movements, both positivelike campaigns to engage votersand negative, such as recruitment by terrorist organizations. And, in countries without a free media, it can act as a way to get important information to citizens.

"In some countries, where anti-government demonstrations erupted and turned into mass protests lasting for months, platforms like Twitter and Facebook became a crucial source of information for protestors and activists," Zhong said. "In this way, social media can often serve as a citizen-powered version of CNN during a social crisis, where people can seek real-time information that the news media are unwilling or unable to cover."

Overall, Zhong said the book could be helpful for anyone who uses social media. In addition to discussing how social media affects communication, business, and industry, it also delves into what constitutes problematic social media use, and concerns about safety and privacy.

"We used to talk about media literacy, and now I think we need to expand that to social media literacy," Zhong said. "With how much social media can affect the brain, it's important to be able to understand and take control of how social media is affecting youfrom information processing to health information to the integrity of our elections."
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Students who are suspended from school even once are much more likely to have contact with the juvenile justice system, according to new research from Rice University's Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC), which also shows that students who come in contact with the juvenile justice system are more likely to face suspension.

The studies, led by former HERC researcher Horace Duffy, examined the relationship between suspensions and interaction with the juvenile justice system among students in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). (Juvenile justice system contact is defined as any interaction with the system, regardless of whether a student is found guilty or not guilty.)

Duffy found that for every suspension a student faced, they were 7% more likely to have contact with the juvenile justice system. Once those students returned to school, they were 20% more likely to be suspended.

Duffy also found students were at greatest risk of suspension and interaction with the juvenile justice system in ninth grade, right after the move from middle to high school. Males were 1.8 times more likely to become caught up in the juvenile system than females, and English language learners and gifted and talented students were less likely than other groups.

Black, Latino, economically disadvantaged and special education students were more likely to be suspended from school following juvenile justice interaction than their white and/or more economically advantaged peers.

To reduce school suspensions, Duffy recommends training to make staff aware of the racial differences in school discipline, implementing support systems and interventions for at-risk students; coordinating school counselors to better support students during the transition from middle to high school; and diversion programs to address the social and economic factors that contribute to juvenile crime.

HERC hopes the research provides insights into when students are at risk of punishment, while also giving the district suggestions on how they can intervene and respond to school suspensions and juvenile justice interaction.

Data for the studies came from HISDspecifically grades 6-12and the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department.

More information: School suspensions associated with future juvenile justice contact: School suspensions associated with future juvenile justice contact: rice.app.box.com/s/vv4yqr47et7  u6bimua6u96i0nb88vcp The timing of first school suspension and juvenile justice contact in the Houston independent school district: rice.app.box.com/s/zf57cpoqh36  sf1yykziazo1gry3jvqc
Palladium nanocrystals on aluminum oxide. Some facets enable isomerisation of 1-butene to 2-butene, others favor hydogenation to butane. Credit: Vienna University of Technology

Chemical reactions can be studied at different levels: At the level of individual atoms and molecules, new compounds can be designed. At the level of tiny particles on the nano and micrometer scale, one can understand how catalyst materials influence chemical reactions. And in order to use chemical reactions in industry, it is necessary to look at the macroscopic scale.

Typically, different approaches are used for each area. But this is not sufficient for complex chemical reactions on catalyst surfaces. At TU Wien (Vienna), an important step has now been taken: for the first time, it was possible to connect all levels from the microscopic to the macroscopic level in order to describe a technologically important chemical reaction under realistic conditions. This allows to understand why the size of catalyst particles plays a decisive role. The results have now been published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.

Isomers: Same composition, different molecules

Many molecules come in different variants: The same set of atoms can be arranged in different ways, which are then referred to as "isomers." It is important to distinguish between these isomersfor example, a certain isomer of the hydrocarbon butene is favorable for fuel production, but another butene variant is preferred for polymer manufacturing. Producing exactly the desired isomers or converting one isomer into another is a tricky task that can be achieved with very specific catalysts.

"A particularly important catalyst for such processes is palladium," says Prof. Gunther Rupprechter from the Institute of Materials Chemistry at TU Wien. "Normally, palladium is placed on a surface in the form of tiny nanocrystals. Certain molecules then bind to these granules, and this enables the chemical reaction."

It is a well-known fact that the particle size is often crucial for a specific catalytic function, but mostly there has been no detailed rationalization of how this works. "It is impossible to create a full-scale quantum-chemical model of these particles on a computer, because they simply consist of too many atoms," says Dr. Alexander Genest, the first author of the current study. "We therefore have to find alternatives to combine the different methods to study chemical catalysis."

Realistic conditions instead of idealized systems

The research team at TU Wien and its cooperation partners from Singapore, Alicante and Munich chose a complex but important reaction for their investigations: The isomerisation of alkenes. "This is particularly challenging because there are several reaction pathways that play a role at the same time," says Gunther Rupprechter. "It was important for us to study the reaction under realistic conditions: In previous basic research, reactions were often analyzed in (ultra-)high vacuum, at low temperatures. But in an industrial setting, you have to deal with completely different parameters. We therefore wanted to find out how this isomerisation takes place at atmospheric pressure and 100C."

The team started at the level of atoms and molecules: "With the help of density functional theory, we can model elementary reaction steps of the molecules that attach to various facets of the palladium crystals," says Alexander Genest. These calculations yield parameters for so-called microkinetic models, which can be used to predict the dynamics of chemical reactions on a much larger time scale on a computer. And from these results, in turn, it is then possible to infer the total amount of desired chemical products that will be present after a certain time at certain parameters.

"The model calculations agree very well with our experimental measurements, not only qualitatively but also quantitatively," emphasizes Prof. Gunther Rupprechter. "This is an important breakthroughsuch agreement was not possible like this before." Now it can be explained in detail why various sizes of palladium particles have different effects on the chemical processes: Large particles have smooth surfaces, while smaller ones are more round and stepped. The arrangement of the palladium atoms in alternative geometries influences the reaction energy and thus the catalytic behavior.

Optimal results instead of just trial and error

"When you optimize a chemical process in industry, you often have to rely on trial and error," says Gunther Rupprechter. "Which external parameters should be chosen? Which catalysts do you useand in what form? These are questions that could hardly be answered on a theoretical level until now." Usually multiple variants are tested and then the most successful one is chosen. But if a process is then supposed to be scaled up from laboratory scale to industrial scale, completely different parameters may be required.

"We have now shown that you can comprehensively understand such processes if you link several time- and length scales," says Alexander Genest. "This approach is of course also applicable to many other catalytic reactions." In the chemical industry, it should thus become possible to optimize chemical manufacturing processes through computer modeling and at the same time reduce expensive and time-consuming benchmarking to a minimum.

Explore further Nanoparticles: The complex rhythm of chemistry

More information: Alexander Genest et al, The origin of the particle-size-dependent selectivity in 1-butene isomerization and hydrogenation on Pd/Al 2 O 3 catalysts, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications Alexander Genest et al, The origin of the particle-size-dependent selectivity in 1-butene isomerization and hydrogenation on Pd/Alcatalysts,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26411-8
Photo of Vervet taken in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania by Alexander Landfair. Credit: Wikipedia.

A colony of wild monkeys in Dania Beach soon may get a permanent home, complete with fences, medical care and regular meals.

But the creation of a monkey sanctuary east of the Fort Lauderdale airport may mark the beginning of the end of a bizarre wildlife population that has survived on a wedge of swampy forest for more than 70 years.

Dania Beach Vervet Project, a nonprofit organization, is negotiating with Hertz Corp. to lease 3.75 acres next to a rental car facility to house 17 of the 45 or so African Vervet monkeys in the group. With a fenced facility, they could legally take care of the monkeys, providing them with food and veterinary care, which wouldn't otherwise be possible under state law since they're a nonnative species.

"The idea is to keep the monkeys from going out into the urban spaces," said Deborah "Missy" Williams, a biologist who wrote about the monkey colony in her Ph.D. dissertation at Florida Atlantic University and heads the group. "They're electrocuted, they get hit by cars, people try to take them for pets."

The monkeys, descendants of a group that escaped from a breeding operation in the 1940s, can be seen at the fringes of a mangrove forest between U.S. 1 and Port Everglades, where they enjoy handouts of peanuts, fruit and candy from their human admirers.

The 17 monkeys that would go to the sanctuary are one of four groups in the population. The plan calls for placing them in a quarter-acre enclosure, with travel tubes that allow them to explore the full sanctuary site.

The plan also calls for them to be sterilized. Williams said that's not ideal, and some members of her group aren't happy at the impending decline of the colony. But she said it would be impossible to find home for any additional monkeys, since it's illegal to release them into the wild and zoos aren't interested in such a common species.

"If we ended up with a surplus of animals, it would be difficult to place them," she said. "They want the monkeys to be in Dania forever. And I appreciate that. It's just the welfare issues outweigh that."

In the past year, the colony lost more than 10 members to car strikes, electrocution on power lines, injuries that could have been treated, and illegal trapping for pets.

"If they can live out the rest of their lives in this habitat that's now their own, that would be ideal," said Julie Abolafia, managing director of Meridian Commercial, a real estate firm, who volunteered to help the monkey organization obtain the lease.

Hertz has agreed in principle to a long-term lease, Williams said, and they're now negotiating the details. The rent has not been set. The nonprofit group has begun raising money to pay the cost, as well as the cost of taking care of the monkeys. They've set up a fundraising site.

The sterilization policy means that the population in the sanctuary inevitably will dwindle. The other bands of monkeys eventually may go in too, Williams said, although not for years.

"There will be three other social groups that will still be free ranging there," she said. "There's still the possibility for this group to exist in the future. It's just the ones we put into the sanctuary won't be contributing to the future generations."

Even without the sterilization of the monkeys in the sanctuary, Williams said, the colony's long-term prospects are pretty bleak. Computer programs that assess a population's viability, looking at factors such as age distribution and mortality rates, predict the colony's extinction over the next 100 years.

For the monkeys, however, the future of the colony may not be all that important. Their ancestors escaped from the Dania Chimpanzee Farm, which imported monkeys to the United States for use in laboratories. Although they had no way of knowing their original fate, they presumably would prefer life in the Florida sunshine.

Explore further Study confirms origin of vervet monkeys living near an urban airport for decades

2021 South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

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Boehringer Ingelheim Partners with Thoeris to Investigate a Novel Approach to Treat Urea Cycle Disorders

Details Category: More News Published on Wednesday, 27 October 2021 12:23 Hits: 812

Boehringer Ingelheim will be commencing a new collaboration with Thoeris GmbH with the goal of advancing a first-in-class approach for the treatment of urea cycle disorders (UCDs) independent of the underlying monogenetic cause

UCDs are genetic disorders with highly variable onset and severity, causing excess ammonia levels in the blood, which can lead to irreversible brain damage, coma and death

This collaboration is part of Boehringer Ingelheims commitment to leveraging emerging science to deliver transformative treatment options for patients with high medical need.

INGELHEIM, Germany & VIENNA, Austria I October 26, 2021 I Boehringer Ingelheim and Thoeris GmbH announce a collaboration and license agreement with the aim to investigate novel first-in-class therapies for patients with urea cycle disorders (UCDs). UCDs are rare diseases caused by genetic liver dysfunctions leading to excess ammonia levels in the blood for which only insufficient treatments exist to date. Thoeris has developed a novel approach that could transform the treatment of patients with these conditions. Boehringer Ingelheim will contribute its expertise in drug discovery and development to advance potential medications into the clinic.

The new UCD therapy approach developed by Thoeris could enable disease symptom control by boosting a pathway to detoxify the excess ammonia levels in the body. We are very excited to team up with the scientists at Boehringer Ingelheim to develop our approach into a practical treatment for acute intervention and chronic therapy, stated Tamara Nicolson, Ph.D., CEO of Thoeris.

Strengthening emerging medical science to offer new therapies that change medical practice and improve quality of life of patients is a key element of Boehringer Ingelheims strategy, said Detlev Mennerich, Ph.D., Global Head of Research Beyond Borders at Boehringer Ingelheim. We very much look forward to working with Thoeris, aiming to deliver a novel therapeutic option to patients suffering from UCDs, independent of the underlying inherited mutation.

This collaboration stems from the therapeutic commitment of Boehringer Ingelheims Research Beyond Borders (RBB) group, which acts as an innovation radar for Boehringer Ingelheims R&D to explore unchartered scientific territories. RBB collaborates with leading academic and biotech partners to unleash newly-discovered disease biology, bringing Boehringer Ingelheims excellence in drug discovery, drug development and manufacturing on board in order to translate these pioneering discoveries into innovative therapies with breakthrough potential that could change medical practice.

In people with UCDs, one of several proteins involved in the degradation of ammonia is missing or defective. This leads to hyperammonemia, a build-up of toxic concentrations of ammonia in the body, which is associated with acute pathological effects such as cerebral edema, lethargy, neurologic dysfunction and potentially death. In the long term, patients suffering from UCDs face developmental delay, cognitive disabilities, and seizures. Due to insufficient treatment options, chronic UCDs are associated with recurrent crises in which ammonia levels escalate out of control, worsening the condition. The only available curative option to date is liver transplantation.

About Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim is working on breakthrough therapies that improve the lives of humans and animals. As a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, the company creates value through innovation in areas of high unmet medical need. Founded in 1885 and family-owned ever since, Boehringer Ingelheim takes a long-term perspective. Around 52,000 employees serve more than 130 markets in the three business areas, Human Pharma, Animal Health, and Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com

SOURCE: Boehringer Ingelheim
LAKE GEORGE  About 80% of the septic systems located in the Lake George Park are on lots that may have steep slopes or shallow or bad soils, which could lead to poorly functioning systems, according to the Lake George Park Commission.

Executive Director Dave Wick updated the commission on Tuesday on the research that a special committee studying whether to develop a septic system inspection program and implement design standards has conducted.

About 65% of the occupied parcels in Lake George Park are on septic systems. There are more than 6,200 septic systems in the Lake George Park area, according to Wick.

In addition, about 3,400 are within 500 feet of a lake or 100 feet of a stream.

Another issue is small lots. The median lot size is about 0.8 acres, according to Wick.

Theres limited room on the properties to move around their septic systems to some more viable areas, he said.

Poorly functioning septic systems can contribute to E.coli or fecal coliform bacteria or excessive levels of nitrogen getting into the lake, according to Wick.

He said there have been smaller studies that have shown that there is a reduction in harmful algal blooms, which are indicative of human-based pollution, by implementing septic inspection system programs.

There was a bloom in July. There was another bloom earlier this month. Wick said it was largely in Harris Bay, but also identified in other locations in the southern basin.

He added that DEC confirmed the bloom, but there were no toxins detected and the density of cyanobacteria was very low. It was confined to a few localized areas of 5 to 10 square feet in size, where Wick said the algae were concentrated enough to create a thin paint-like color on the surface.

Wick said the septic committee has a variety of experts on it including local engineers, a representative from the state Department of Environmental Conservation and representatives from lake protection organizations including Walt Lender, executive director of the Lake George Association, and Lake George Waterkeeper Chris Navitsky.

We have a very good mix of people that are helping to advise and guide this process along the way, Wick said.

The Lake George Park Commission has retained the services of The Chazen Companies to help with this research. Engineers are reviewing other studies of septic system impacts to lakes, evaluating the status of septic systems around Lake George and researching other lakes that have implemented similar inspection programs.

Wick said the commission does not need to reinvent the wheel but can look to other communities about what they have done.

Each program is tailored to that particular lake. It was very insightful for us to understand how those folks got the program in place, how they manage them, what the funding stream is, he said.

Warren County is considering implementing a program that would require a septic system inspection upon transfer of property. Queensbury has a similar program. Wick said commission staff talked to Queensbury officials and found that the program requires about 100 to 150 inspections per year.

Wick said if the program was implemented for the entire Lake George watershed, the commission would be looking at having to do 800 to 1,000 inspections per year with no dedicated staff.

Wick said Lake George town and village officials support the commissions work to develop regulations.

Town Supervisor Dennis Dickinson has been vehemently opposed to the proposed county septic inspection law, saying it will create a burden on the county.

Wick said the commission plans to be as open and transparent as possible and wants feedback from the public.

The committee meets on Zoom at 2 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month.

Wick said the goal is for the committee to complete its work by mid-winter and report back to the commission.

Lake George Waterkeeper Chris Navitsky said there are clear impacts of septic system pollution on water quality. The lake is a drinking water source and he believes that the commission should set higher standards than what the state Department of Health has in order to recognize the importance of the lake.

Michael Goot covers politics, crime and courts, Warren County, education and business. Reach him at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com.

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JACKSON  A local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution fulfilled one of Susan B. Anthonys last wishes Sunday afternoon with the unveiling of a plaque honoring her brother.

In 1904, Daniel Read Anthony, known as D.R. in the family, ordered a granite monument in memory of his and Susans grandparents and parents for the Battenville Cemetery. Their mothers father, Daniel Read, was a veteran of the Revolutionary War who served in several battles. The family was very proud of his service, although the Anthony side of the family was Quaker.

As local historian Debi Craig explained during the open-air ceremony, D.R. moved to Kansas in 1854 and remained there until the end of his life. He founded a newspaper in Leavenworth that is still published. Unfortunately, D.R. died before the monument was delivered.

Craig recently discovered that after D.R.s death, Susan wrote to a childhood friend in Battenville and included wording she wanted to add to the monument in honor of her brother. Susan died in 1905, and the letter was forgotten until the family recently sold it at auction.

Craig, who is chaplain of the Willard Mountain Chapter of the DAR, thought, We can do this! The chapter agreed to take on the project. The granite stone did not have room on the back for the wording Susan specified, so the chapter decided to place a free-standing plaque next to the stone. The chapter raised private donations to have International Bronze Co. design and cast the plaque.

The unveiling Sunday was done by David Read, a direct descendant of Daniel Read and first cousin four times removed of Susan and D.R. Anthony. Others in attendance included Coline Jenkins, a descendant of Susan B. Anthonys friend and fellow suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton; Jackson Town Supervisor Jay Skellie; Heather Mabee, director of the DAR district that includes the Willard Mountain Chapter; Willard Mountain DAR members; and Susan B. Anthony admirers. Craig recognized Caleb Blackler, grandson of Willard Mountain member Claudia Blacker, who cleaned the granite monument over the summer.

This is wonderful, Mabee said. History needs to be promoted to our youth. An important part of the DAR is remembering our heritage.

Craig said all four of Susan B. Anthonys grandparents, a sister who died in infancy, and several other family members are buried elsewhere in the cemetery. Not all of the graves are marked, in keeping with Quaker tradition. The monument stands near what would have been the front door of a Reformed church that the Reads attended.

The ceremony was followed by a reception on the lawn at the Susan B. Anthony childhood home, a short distance away. The house is closed for structural repairs.

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The Rally for the Navesink was envisioned to be a model," Jones said. "So thats what brings us to Barnegat Bay, and specifically to the Toms River, Jones said.

Forsberg, of Save Barnegat Bay, said she was hopeful similar programs could eventually be implemented in Atlantic County, saying she hoped police dogs in local K-9 units could be used as part of a potential future project.

Clean Ocean Action Executive Director Cindy Zipf said the Rally for Barnegat Bay work was just one step toward protecting New Jersey waters from pollution, including from fertilizer and oil.

That's what we're trying to do with this project, is not only raise the awareness of the 'poolution' (from sewage waste), but also the other pollution that we people contribute," Zipf said.

For the student volunteers from MATES, a secondary school that allows students to take a more science-oriented curriculum, doing work for Rally for Barnegat Bay was a natural.

"I'm a Toms River resident, and I didn't really recognize that the Barnegat Bay watershed is under these conditions," said MATES junior Bethany Suliguin, whose sister Brianna is also a MATES junior volunteering for the project. "Seeing the numbers, it really just opens your eyes to what needs to be done in this community, so that's why I'm glad to be a part of this."

Contact Chris Doyle cdoyle@pressofac.com

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Some people like the foliage, others enjoy the crisp autumn air, but there are many people for which the fall is centered around one thing and one thing only  Halloween.

Sure, you could argue that its only one day out of a whole season, but the truth is that Halloween events start rising from the grave long before Oct. 31. Everything from costumed parades to pumpkin carvings to movie theaters filled with horror films have popped up over the last few weeks, setting the tone for the holiday. And the truly masochistic among us will head out to have the daylights scared out of them at one of the many haunted attractions throughout South Jersey.

Want to come along for the (hay)ride, but not sure where to start? Here are some of the best places to head to for Halloween fun in our neck of the (probably haunted) woods.

The local spots

Terror in the Junkyard
Popovic started at Smittys in 1974 during her summer off from Pennsylvania State University, where she met and fell in love with owner Peter Popovic, who had taken over the year before with friend Denis Dixon, who has since died.

In Smittys earlier summers, it was open 24 hours a day, driven by New Jerseys 18-year-old drinking age and the absence of casinos just 15 minutes away in Atlantic City.

It morphed into a family spot  open Mothers Day weekend to mid-September  with bar seating and tables and a casual menu. Its generational, both with customers and our employees, Popovic said.

The customers have been extra-supportive, Popovic said. People are trying to help us. Thats been very encouraging and has softened the blow of the news. She said she guessed that the clam bar could relocate, if need be. The $6 million price tag, she said, is out of their price range.

Co-owners Angelo DeRosa and Todd Simpson, who are relatives, have been doing the bulk of the work, as Popovic, 66, and her husband, 70, are still a part of the business but had been easing out of the day-to-day grind. An adjacent breakfast shop, operated by a friend, closed in March 2020.
However, we take any accusations of abuse seriously and have specific, detailed child protection policies in place, which can be found at Marianist.com/healing, Groner wrote in an email Wednesday. She said Koch is no longer in active ministry and does not live in Cape May.

Noaker said the civil lawsuit seeks monetary damages, with the amount to be determined by a jury. More importantly, he said, the suit seeks to change the way the Marianists handle child protection and allegations of abuse.

He described sexual abuse as having a different impact on different people.

With a child as young as this, it is always very significant. It really is devastating, he said. Noaker described retreat centers as particularly dangerous, because people stay there for extended periods, which can mean more opportunity to isolate a potential victim.

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According to the complaint, Jane Doe lived in nearby Cape May and would regularly ride her bike to the retreat center. Noaker alleges Koch gave her a crucifix as a gift to encourage her to continue to visit the center, to continue to develop her faith and so that he could continue sexually assaulting her.
NEW DELHI (AP)  Indias top court on Wednesday established a committee of experts to look into accusations that Prime Minister Narendra Modis government used Israeli military-grade spyware to monitor political opponents, journalists and activists.

The Supreme Court order came in response to petitions filed by a group of Indian journalists, rights activists and opposition politicians following an investigation by a global media consortium in July. The committee, headed by a retired judge, is expected to give its findings by year-end.

Indias opposition has been demanding an investigation into how the Israeli spyware, known as Pegasus, was used in India.

Modis government has unequivocally denied all allegations regarding illegal surveillance. Indias information technology minister Ashwani Vaishnaw in Parliament dismissed the allegations in July, calling them highly sensational, over the top and an attempt to malign the Indian democracy.

But the government in an affidavit did not tell the court whether it used the Israeli equipment for spying, citing security reasons.

On Wednesday, the court said the state cannot get a free pass every time by raising security concerns.
That doesnt mean the problem is solving itself, he warned.

Warming will continue until we release fewer emissions than can be absorbed. ... That threshold still seems to be decades away. We need to work harder to bring it closer.

But while theres not much optimism in the short term, the long-run goal of slowing and then reversing global warming no longer looks unreachable. The problem can be solved with tools we have: evolving technologies, efficiency and conservation.

The environmental movements problem now is doomism, the view that a hotter planet is inevitable.

Fear-based messaging was once useful because it grabbed peoples attention, but now it risks getting in the way, Katharine Hayhoe, chief scientist of the Nature Conservancy, told me. Her new book, Saving Us, makes a case for hope.

Doomism isnt helpful when it leads to inaction, she said. Were not just tied to the railway track, where theres nothing we can do. Were in the locomotive with our hand on the throttle. We have the ability to take our hand off the throttle and put our foot on the brake.
New Jersey has long had strict gun-control laws and awareness of that seems widespread. A single firearms offense will result in a person facing a minimum sentence of 5 years in state prison.

Less well-known is that last year, state government enacted a very strict law regarding imitation firearms and toy guns. The purpose of the law was to prohibit the sale of anything that may be mistaken for a real weapon. Its goal was to prevent situations in which police mistakenly shoot people carrying a fake gun.

The law requires manufacturers of toy or imitation guns to follow these guidelines:

They must be a color other than black, blue, silver or aluminum;

They must have a wide, permanent orange stripe running the length of the barrel on each side;

Barrels must be at least an inch in diameter, closed at the front and made with the same material as the rest of the model weapon.

Sellers of toy or imitation guns that dont meet the standards face a fine of $500 for a first offense and subsequent penalties of $1,000. The realistic imitation guns for use in movies and TV productions are exempt from the ban.
Uncontrolled immigration threatens NJ, America

I came from Mexico, went to school, learned the spoken word of Americans, became involved in my communitys affairs. Now I want America to be saved from the tyranny of the Democrats who are communists disguised as socialists.

I am concerned that Gov. Murphy will let so many immigrants into New Jersey that I wont be able to get work to earn money to live on.

There are so many illegal immigrants President Biden is letting across the border into the USA that has encouraged Murphy to say they can live here and that scares me very, very much.

Some of these immigrants are thieves, drug lords, rapists, murderers and are the scourge of the countries they are fleeing from. They come to America to live off the taxes we hard working American people pay.

New Jersey and our American way of life can no longer survive under the cruel and evil things Bidens staff and cohorts are allowing to fester in America.

My friends and I talk politics and often wonder who the insane Democrats are who write Bidens speeches, telling him what to say, as he stumbles to the podium to pretend to act like a president.
by Steve Gardner

Yesterday, the Ninth Circuit issued an excellent opinion on the issue of preemption of state law claims for deception involving foods regulated by USDA. Cohen v. ConAgra Brands, Inc.

Robert Cohen sued ConAgra for violations of California consumer laws. As the Court noted:

Cohen began purchasing various frozen chicken products such as chicken nuggets and fried chicken. These chicken products are produced by ConAgra and similarly labeled, with prominent representations on the front of the packaging that read (in capital letters of varying sizes): Made with 100% Natural White Meat Chicken; No Preservatives; No Artificial Colors; No Added Hormones; No Artificial Flavors; and 0g Trans Fat per Serving.

Mr. Cohen alleged that the products he bought contained three synthetic ingredients: sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, and modified corn starch.

ConAgras primary defense was that USDA had approved its claims because it had approved its labels.

The district court agreed and held that Mr. Cohens claims were preempted.

The Ninth Circuit disagreed, holding that preemption applied to product labels only if USDA had actually approved the labels. It refused to take ConAgras word that USDA had approved its labels (because, for some reason, ConAgra did not introduce any evidence of USDA approval).

And, as to claims made on ConAgras website, the Ninth Circuit found that USDA preemption did not apply to websites.

In a last-gasp effort, ConAgra tried that old chestnut, the primary jurisdiction doctrine, urging the Ninth Circuit to leave things to USDA because this was a complicated issue. The Ninth Circuit demurred, concluding that it could read words.

Mr. Cohen was well-represented by Gretchen Elsner, supported by amici curiae National Association of Consumer Advocates, Animal Legal Defense Fund, and Food & Water Watch Inc. (I represented NACA but others handled the great bulk of the briefing, especially Kenya J. Reddy, Morgan & Morgan Complex Litigation Group.)
The company pointed to affidavits from two contractors and video from Deere's Ankeny facilities, claiming picketing UAW members have attempted to block access to delivery vehicles and discourage third-party contractors from conducting "critical work that is not part of the work performed by the Union and its members." As a result, Deere claims the union and its members have and continue to cause "irreparable loss and injury to Deere."

Polk County District Court Judge Paul Scott, however, found the video evidence submitted by Deere in support of its request failed to show any illegal conduct on the part of the UAW or its members.

"The video evidence ... shows vehicles have been slowed down by picketers in crosswalks; it fails to prove illegal conduct has occurred," Scott wrote in his order denying Deere's request.

The company had asked the court to limit the number of picketers at entrances to Deere's Des Moines Works factory to four (as it was able to do in Scott County), and prohibit picketers at its warehouse in Ankeny. Deere claims that no union or bargaining unit work is performed at the Ankeny warehouse.
Every 10 years, congressional and state legislative lines must be redrawn, based on the most recent Census. This is a redistricting year, with district lines being redrawn based on the 2020 Census.

In 37 states, state legislatures are primarily responsible for redrawing congressional district lines. Illinois is one of these states. Four states have independent commissions tasked with redrawing congressional district lines, subject to final approval by the state legislature. Iowa is one of these states. (Seven states have only one representative in Congress, making redistricting a moot point; two states have other mechanisms in place.)

In Iowa, the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) prepares redistricting plans for approval by the Iowa Legislature. The LSA is comprised of civil servants committed to nonpartisanship. The LSA is assisted in its work by a commission comprised of one member selected by the majority leader of the Iowa Senate, one member selected by the majority leader of the Iowa House of Representatives, one member selected by the minority leader of the Iowa Senate, one member selected by the minority leader of the Iowa House of Representatives, and one member selected by the first four members specified. The members of this commission may not hold partisan public office or an office in a political party.
A safety complaint was filed at John Deere Seeding Group in Moline on Oct. 19 to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in Peoria.

The complaint covered employees that were affiliated with a union and was filed six days into the strike.

The complaint could have been filed retroactively to the incident if the employee was on strike, according to Scott Allen, public information officer for OSHA Region 7, which includes the state of Illinois. OSHA is required to investigate all complaints and has a six month period to do so, according to Allen, but will investigate this complaint as soon as possible.

If violations of OSHA regulations are found, Deere & Co. will likely be required to pay a fine. The amount of the fine depends on how much liability Deere had in the incident as well as the severity of the safety accident, according to Allen. Sometimes corporations can lower the costs of fines by putting in new guidelines to prevent safety incidents from happening again. There are other specific details in the complaint that can impact the amount of the fine.

More details on the incident will not be available until the investigation is completed.
You should see how fast people drive here, one Moline union worker said.

On Oct. 19, for example, Moline Police said a semitruck entered Gate 24 of the Moline plant driving too fast near a group of union workers on the picket line.

Union members were near the driveway when the truck entered the gate. A night-shift officer in a squad car was at the intersection when the truck entered the plant and asked the driver to drive slower.

The officer dealt with the incident like any any other observed traffic infraction, Moline police said in an email to the Quad-City Times/Moline Dispatch-Argus at that time. No additional police were called to the scene.

Paul Iversen, labor expert at the University of Iowa Labor Center, said deaths on the picket lines were not common but near misses or minor accidents, like the incident at Moline, are. Specifically, vehicles entering a plant with a picket line in front have been known to speed through the picket line without waiting for union members to completely clear the driveway.

It doesn't sound like that was the case in this situation, Iversen said. But there are a number of situations where there have been near-misses where people have had to jump out of the way very quickly to avoid being hit.
 Damien Pernell Shepherd of Moline, who was 35 at the time of his arrest, is charged with attempted enticement of a minor. His attorney, Federal Public Defender Thomas Patton, has filed a motion to suppress the statements that Shepherd made to agents in the case. Patton argues that Shepherd told authorities he wished to invoke his right to remain silent at the time he was arrested. However, authorities kept up a dialogue with Shepherd on other topics. Patton argues that Shepherd is intellectually disabled and was manipulated into using one of the officers phones to call his mother, which the agents allegedly overheard and recorded to obtain evidence. Patton argues that the agents continued dialogue with Shepherd and alleged sardonic remarks about his refusing to speak with agents eventually broke the mans will and he spoke with agents without an attorney present. U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow ordered federal prosecutors to respond to Pattons motion by Oct. 25. In his response, Acting U.S. Attorney Douglas Quivey said that the government concedes that it cannot carry its burden of proving that defendants (Shepherds) express waiver of Miranda rights in the third recording was made voluntarily, and thus, the government will not admit such statements in its case-in-chief. However, Quivey did argue that the statements Shepherd made to his mother that were overheard and recorded are not protected by the Fifth Amendment because they were not made in response to any interrogation. Quivey argues that officers gave Shepherd the opportunity to make a call to his mother, but warned him that he would not have privacy. Shepherd told his mother that he was arrested because he was talking with a young guy online. Quivey argues that Shepherd was not coerced into making comments since his answers to his mothers questions remained evasive. According to Quiveys response, Shepherd actively sought to avoid making incriminating statements when he responded to his mothers questions about the boys age and the boys advertised profile information rather than what the boy told him. Judge Darrow has not made a ruling on Pattons motion.
Were seeing backlash to that, Suchorski said, adding that potential candidates will present a strong contrast to folks who are in Des Moines who are not working for their constituents. They like to say one thing on the campaign trail and then they go to Des Moines, they vote another way. I think it's catching up to both Smith and Whitver, and I think we're seeing that in the candidate recruitment.

Republican dont face the same recruitment challenge as Democrats. With a 60-40 advantage in the House in addition to their Senate majority, the GOP doesnt have to recruit as a many challengers.

In fact, Kaufmann indicated the problem may be more candidates than openings. Some potential candidates who are not familiar with the process just know they want to run for something  and you don't want to take away that kind of enthusiasm coming from your base.

One challenge for Republicans is that the redistricting plan under consideration would lump many of the GOP legislators in districts with another Republican incumbent, which could lead to primary contests.
What is redistricting?

Iowas redistricting process is widely hailed  both from within the states borders and beyond  for its nonpartisan nature. In other states, lawmakers create the new maps and then vote on them. That creates the ability for lawmakers to draw new political boundaries that serve their own political interests, rather than creating maps that are politically and demographically fair.

In Iowa, the maps are drawn and proposed by the Legislative Services Agency, a state department of nonpartisan legal and fiscal analysts. State law requires the maps to be drawn using population and demographic data and without any consideration for potential political impacts. Once LSA draws the maps, lawmakers vote on whether to accept them.

The entire process has three stages, if needed. A first set of maps is proposed, and lawmakers vote the entire set of maps  for statehouse and Congressional districts  up or down. If they approve that first set of maps, those boundaries go into effect for the next 10 years, starting with the next years statewide elections. (In this case, next Novembers midterm elections.)

If lawmakers reject the first maps, the process resets and LSA proposes another set of maps. Lawmakers again vote on those maps. That is what Thursdays second special session is for.
The great Martin Luther King Jr. once said the three greatest challenges facing American society were: racism, poverty and violence. Well, we in Scott County are confronted daily by these three afflictions every time we read in the paper or see in the news about a car-jacking, gun violence, vandalism or break-ins.

The unfortunate truth is some of these offenses are committed by juveniles living on the edge of poverty, who, according to David Williams of the Chicago-based Youth Advocate Program, "have no family structure".

In Scott County from 2016-2020, Scott County judges issued 117 orders moving a young person from juvenile court to adult court  86 orders impacting Black youth. During the same period, Polk County judges issued only 91 orders to adult court. Polk Countys youth population (10-17 years of age) is three times larger than Scott County. There is only one juvenile justice system in the state of Iowa. But it is implemented very differently in Scott County  particularly as it impacts our Black youth. The consequences of that disparate impact is taking its toll on all of us.
After a spread of COVID-19 this week, Grandview Elementary School is closing Thursday and Friday due to staffing shortages.

Superintendent Lori Simon made the decision after 50 staff and students tested positive for COVID-19 since Oct. 17, according to an email sent to families. Simon has the authority to close a school because of staffing shortages, but after a Board of Education policy adopted last month she cannot order a closure due to a pandemic.

Closure because of a pandemic will require a separate policy approved by the Board of Education, according to the newly revised emergency closings policy.

In Grandview Elementary School, all students, including special education students, will learn remotely for the rest of the week, according to the email to families.

By mid-day Tuesday, the RCAS website reported 43 active COVID-19 cases at the school, which has a student population of 401, with 52 total staff members. By late Wednesday, the number of active cases was back at 43, including students and staff members. With the 43 cases, Grandview had more active cases than 41 counties in South Dakota.

Simon explained, in a telephone interview, that she consulted with Grandview Elementary Principal Cyndi Lundgren on Tuesday night, and the two agreed that coverage would be sufficient to keep school open on Wednesday.

Our discussion ended (Tuesday) night with the understanding that if any other teachers or staff called in (unable to come to school), then we were looking at a situation where she could not staff the school, Simon added.

Simon explained that she and Lundgren spoke again on Wednesday, and Lundgren reported that two more teachers had tested positive for COVID-19 and that other teachers had called in sick with unrelated illnesses. Simon decided at that point to close Grandview Elementary School for the rest of the week.

She noted that theres no particular percentage of absent staff absences that dictates a closing since needs vary from building to building.

Principals know their buildings best, she said. Its really about working closely with the building principals.

Simon talked with Lundgren from Chamberlain, where Simon has been attending a superintendents meeting. Shes scheduled to be back in her office on Thursday.

Simon added that she has been in contact with local health officials and my lead health staff has been in communication with the Department of Health. She said no cause had been determined for the outbreak at the school.

Earlier, the Rapid City Area Schools Board of Education posted a resolution for consideration at Tuesdays regular meeting to close Grandview Elementary School temporarily.

The resolution notes that the school has seen an increase in Covid cases among 9.5% of staff and students. It also notes that the Emergency Closure of Schools policy EBCE does not allow for a closure of school due to a pandemic until a separate policy can be passed by the board.

The resolution recommends that The period of closure will be determined by the Superintendent in consultation with the RCAS Health Advisory team after consulting with area pediatricians and approved by the board at a meeting to be held in 48 hours.

The school districts policy governing emergency closings was amended by the RCAS Board of Education on Sept. 21, with this addition to the general statement of policy: This policy does not apply to the closure of schools due to a pandemic. Closure due to a pandemic will require a separate policy approved by the Board of Education.

Board member Amy Policky crafted the resolution to temporarily close Grandview Elementary after Id been contacted by staff members and parents concerned about whats happening in the school, she explained in a telephone interview.

The staff are very concerned for the safety of the students during the school day because of the sub situation, Policky said, noting the shortage of substitutes in the school district. Policky said staff members felt torn between protecting their families by not exposing them to COVID-19 and serving the children in the school who needed their guidance.

Later on Wednesday, after Simon issued the decision to close Grandview Elementary School for the rest of the week, Policky said next week she may revisit the resolution to close Grandview Elementary with three factors in mind. She said she wanted to seek guidance from the South Dakota Department of Health, to consider the infection rate of students, and to consider the infection rate of staff.

My biggest concern is the safety of the students and staff, and that we are able to provide a learning environment where they can learn without too much disruption, she said.

Policky emphasized that Simon was monitoring the situation closely, but Policky contended that the revised emergency closings policy curtails the possibility for quick action in the face of an emergency related to the pandemic. The policy preserves the superintendents ability to cancel school because of staffing shortages  something Simon did on Wednesday  but it requires a separate policy approved by the Board of Education to close schools due to a pandemic.

Its not able to address an emergency because it takes a month, in reality, to pass a policy, Policky said.

Policky also contended that the inability of the superintendent to close a school because of the pandemic  now the boards responsibility  created a delay in the case of Grandview Elementary School.

We escalated the number of illnesses by not acting last week and waiting until a number of staff got sick, she said.

Kimberly Hayden, the parent of a third-grader at Grandview Elementary school, expressed concern but not surprise about the high number of COVID cases at the school.

From a health care provider perspective, this is exactly what we expected to see from a school with an unvaccinated population of students, since theyre too young to receive a vaccination, said Hayden, whos a physician assistant with Monument Health.

The school board failed months ago, and were seeing the ramifications now. But none of us are surprised, she added.

Hayden said she spoke in favor of a temporary mask mandate in the district earlier this school year. She expressed particular concern about the educational consequences of what she called a lack of key safety measures, such as wearing masks in a classroom filled with children.

She stressed that she supported in-person learning, at least when cases are not so plentiful as they are in Grandview Elementary School this week.

Kids need to be in school, she said. I 100% agree with that.

But she contended that rapid spread could endanger students caretakers and impede the education they receive in class.

Being present in the classroom doesnt meet all the needs, she said. You have to have healthy teachers there, as well.

Hayden also noted the burden on caretakers when elementary-school students have to stay at home with COVID-19.

These are students at a young enough age that they cant stay home by themselves, she said. Parents (or caregivers) will have to stay home.

Policky said she has requested that the boards policy regarding pandemic-related closures be reviewed, but she said any change, based on school board policy, would have to wait 60 days from the date the policy passed.

Efforts to reach Board President Kate Thomas were not successful on Wednesday.

As for what happens next week, Simon explained, I will continue to monitor the situation, and talk with health officials and the board of education. She added that she will follow up with communication to staff and families if further closure is needed.

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A 32-year-old man died in a one-vehicle crash in Rapid City on Tuesday night, according to a news release from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.

A 33-year-old woman sustained life-threatening injuries in the crash, which happened at 9:25 p.m. Tuesday on Interstate 90.

"Preliminary crash information indicates that a 2005 Saturn Vue was westbound on Interstate 90 when the vehicle entered the median, crossed the eastbound lanes, went into the ditch and eventually rolled," the release states.

Neither of the occupants were wearing seat belts and both were thrown from the vehicle.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene and the woman was taken to a Rapid City hospital.

The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

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The St. Thomas More volleyball team closed out the regular season with a win as it swept Douglas Tuesday night in Rapid City.

The Cavaliers opened the match with a 25-17 victory in the first set, took the second set 25-12 and closed it out with a 25-21 win in the third.

Reese Ross paced the Cavs with 11 kills, Marian Duffy added seven kills and six digs and Megan Lee finished with three blocks.

Dani Godkin chipped in with 15 assists, three aces and three blocks for STM.

The Cavaliers closed out the regular season at 21-13, while the Patriots (8-19) host Rapid City Stevens on Thursday.

CUSTER 3, LEAD-DEADWOOD 1: The Wildcats finished the regular season with a win as they defeated the Golddiggers Tuesday night in Lead.

Custer kicked off the match with a 2-0 advantage with 25-21 and 25-18 victories, but Lead-Deadwood battled back to take the third set 25-21.

The Wildcats bounced back in the fourth set and put the match away with a 25-21 victory.

Jayna Prince paced the Golddiggers with 10 kills, Piper Rogers had 25 assists and Allison Mollman finished with 12 digs.

Tilli Katon tacked on four aces and a block for Lead-Deadwood.

The Wildcats finished out the regular season at 10-15, while the Golddiggers (4-21) play at Belle Fourche on Thursday.

RAPID CITY STEVENS 3, STURGIS 0: Rapid City Stevens snapped a four-match losing skid with a straight-set victory over the Scoopers Tuesday night in Sturgis.

The Raiders got out to a quick start in the first set, using an early 11-1 advantage to pick up the 25-20 victory.

Stevens edged the Scoopers 25-23 in the second to make it 2-0 and finished it out with a 25-20 win in the third.

No other information was made available for this match.

The Raiders (14-15) will play at Douglas on Thursday, while Sturgis (9-19) is at Rapid City Central on Tuesday.

ECHL

Rush goaltender Tendeck called up to Tucson

The Rapid City Rush announced Tuesday that goaltender David Tendeck has been assigned by the Arizona Coyotes to the AHLs Tucson Roadrunners.

Tendeck started both of Rapid Citys games during the opening weekend and went 1-1-0 with a 3.01 goals against average and .918 save percentage. He helped the Rush earn a win on Friday night by making a career-high 42 saves on 44 shots in the 4-2 victory over the Tulsa Oilers.

The second-year pro spent time with the Roadrunners during the 2020-21 season but did not appear in a game. With the Rush last season he went 11-14-0 with a 2.78 GAA and .909 save percentage in 27 appearances.

Rapid City returns to action Friday night in Boise against the Idaho Steelheads at 7:10 p.m.

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Legislative redistricting has been called perilous work. It is a process that will not make everyone happy. Our Senate proposal reflects a commitment to coming up with a map that is fair for South Dakota, based on census data to develop districts that are as nearly equal in population as is practicable, that are contiguous and compact, and that respect political boundaries and communities of interest.

Under the new map, areas of Hughes and Hyde counties that are part of the Crow Creek Indian Reservation would be included with the rest of the reservation in District 26. An earlier version of our map kept Hughes and Hyde counties whole but included part of Tripp County to help meet population goals in District 26. The new map keeps all of Tripp County in District 21.

We changed the map to keep Fall River County whole, rather moving some of the eastern precincts to District 27. We propose adding part of eastern Pennington County to District 27 to get us closer to our population goals while at the same time adhering to the Voting Rights Act.

Based on public input and feedback from House members, we revised the map to put all of Turner County, except for one precinct needed to meet population requirements in the neighboring district, into a district with southern Lincoln and part of Union to form a rural district south of the Sioux Falls metro area. We propose keeping Clay County whole with the exception of one precinct needed to meet population needs in Yankton County. We revised the map to keep the entire city of Watertown within one legislative district, aligning the rest of Codington County with Grant, Deuel, Hamlin, and Clark counties to comprise a rural legislative district.

We received many comments about the very southeastern part of South Dakota, encompassing Clay and Union Counties. Much of the public feedback expressed concern about splitting the town of Vermillion among three different legislative districts. Our proposal puts Clay and southern Union County back together, as they were in the 1970s and 1980s, and keeps Vermillion in one district.

Brown County residents expressed a desire to be split between no more than two legislative districts. As we looked at map proposals based on this request, the results showed the adjoining legislative District 23 stretching from Pollock to Wessington Springs, splitting Beadle County along the way. Our new map proposes adding part of rural Brown County to District 23, to meet population requirements.

The Sioux Falls area generated mixed comments from the public. One thing we heard early in the process is that the current Districts 9 and 25 look gerrymandered. We are proposing a map that joins the agricultural area of northern Minnehaha County with Moody County, while the area encompassing Brandon and the growth in eastern Sioux Falls would have its own legislative district. We also propose that District 9 encompass northwest Sioux Falls and the immediate townships surrounding Sioux Falls where the city is expected to see rapid growth.

Our revised Blackbird 2.0 map is available for viewing online at sdlegislature.gov under the 2021 Redistricting tab. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to any member of the Senate redistricting committee.

The Senate Legislative Redistricting Committee, on a 5-2 vote, is recommending the Blackbird 2.0 map proposal for the full Senate to consider when it convenes for a special legislative session on redistricting in November. The new version of the map reflects changes to the original Blackbird map based on public feedback, conversations with House colleagues, and ideas offered for consideration.

Mary Duvall is the Representative for District 24 serving Hughes, Hyde, Stanley, and Sully counties and chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee.

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This week Id like to introduce you to a rancher from Hermosa, located in Custer County, South Dakota. For confidentiality purposes, we will refer to her as Mrs. Smith. Mrs. Smiths family homesteaded her land in 1899, that is one hundred twenty-two years ago, the same year that South Dakota became a state. She has worked and lived on this ranch most of her life and to her knowledge, the land mentioned below has only been used as grazing land.

In early September she reached out to the Custer County Assessors office to outline the discrepancies in a report that she received from them regarding the designation of soils for her land from grassland to cropland. She addressed the parcels of land in question, noted the parcels that were missing from the report and provided a description of the lands current use, and issues with the terrain.

Below are examples of the issues she faces with the soil assessment of her property:

Parcels 280, 283, 284 and 287 are contiguous, broken by intermittent and flowing creeks, and with large numbers of cottonwood trees, so that all the fields are small. Used by my lessee as a hayfield where possible, and sometimes grazed after the hay is harvested.

Parcel # 1115, #1123 and # 9566: Acreage listed as suitable for crops is 90.52 acres of 156 total acres. Designated crop acreage is broken up by an intermittent stream leading to a dam, by a highway that has been expanded three times in my lifetime, and by rocky outcrops and areas of sand, rocky slopes, and gullies. Used as grazing land where possible.

Parcel # 1077: Acreage shown as suitable for crops is an irregular blob of 77.47 of a total of 146.03 acres, broken by a railroad, and by intermittent water holes, ridges, and rocky outcrops.

Parcel #945: Cropland shown is 57.79 acres of 146, arranged in patches between narrow, rock-covered slopes difficult for modern equipment to negotiate; used as grazing land.

Parcel # 9576: Section 32: no cropland, too rocky and sloped.

Parcel #1120, #944: Crop acreage indicated as 63.8 of 237 acres. The acreage is located in irregular patches/strips, widely separated and are not contiguous and unsuitable for crops.

Parcel #1116: Acreage indicated as suitable for crops is 4.67 acres of a total of 80; two tiny patches, separated by the entire width of the parcel.

Parcel #1114: Indicated crop acreage is 25.05 of 38 acres. The 24-acre patch lies between a railroad and a gully, and broken by fencing. The 1.5-acre patch lies alongside the railroad.

She noted that, many of the patches of soil listed as cropland are too small, and too widely separated to be of interest or use to anyone with todays large haying equipment. If the assessor had walked the ground, they would have seen firsthand that the parcels in question couldnt possibly be used to crop.

According to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture, South Dakotas agricultural land is comprised of 19,000,000 acres of cropland and 23,000,000 acres of pastureland. In my opinion, with that much acreage, it would be virtually impossible for the states county assessors to have boots on the ground and physically walk, and test the actual soil types in order to make the appropriate adjustments to the soil classification.

After her husbands death, Mrs. Smith spoke to nearby landowners about using some of this land for crops or hay, but they were not interested, citing the distance they would have to transport their equipment was too great for the small return.

Even though the Department of Revenues newly proposed soil reassessment and tax tables are not in place at this time, they are under review and the timeline for implementation is unclear.

Senator Castleberry, and I are pressing forward with Draft Bill HB-50, a bill that simply states, If grassland has been grassland for 20 or more years, it shall remain grassland, helping to ensure that our ranchers taxes will be fair and equitable.

Representative Trish Ladner, District 30

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Letters to the editor, Oct. 27, 2021

Americans value life

The Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization case before the Supreme Court challenges a Mississippi law that restricts abortions after 15 weeks. The question is whether all pre-viability prohibitions on elective abortions are unconstitutional.

This case is an opportunity for the Court to catch up to the 21st Century. Scientific advances in fetal imaging have brought light into the womb. A 15-week-old baby has eyes and eyelids with a well-formed face, hands, and feet with toes and fingers. The baby is already making red blood cells and other organs are fast developing. Muscle and bones grow and become harder making it possible for the child to move. Weve all seen the images of the child making a fist or sucking their thumb.

They feel pain. According to the Charlotte Lozier Institute, from 15 weeks onward the fetus is extremely sensitive to painful stimuli.

Americans overwhelmingly support a ban on late-term abortion and restricting it during the first trimester. A recent Marist poll found 75% of Americans, including 61% of those who identify as pro-choice, say abortion should be banned at the very least after the first trimester. Americans value life. Time for the Supreme Court to catch up.

Linda Schauer, Leola, SD - State Director Concerned Women for America

The marijuana mind

"The Marijuana Mind" The altered mind of anyone supporting any use of this drug. Medical opened up the door. Recreational is not about health. It's called a "high," avoiding the realities of life.

Anyone promoting, bringing legislation to legalize marijuana is contributing to diminishing the health and well-being of all. I believe the majority in our community do not support drugs like this being legalized. There is a way to make a stop to the passage of such drugs. The majority of voters do not realize that on the average 6 out of 7 registered do not vote. That means...14% of the registered voters control the outcome of any issue brought up to a vote. Interested parties benefit by knowing this and implement their strategies. Look what drugs have done. Legalizing drugs is a step to legalizing crime. All it takes is for nonvoters to vote.

Allen McPherson, Rapid City

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Thomas D. Leppert, who owned Sam Millers restaurant in Shockoe Slip for nearly 50 years and was a catalyst in transforming the historic district into a popular spot for other restaurants, hotels and offices, died last week. He was 74.

He had an amazing restaurant life, said Ren Mefford, a former general manager of Sam Millers who now is vice president at EAT Restaurant Partners, the Richmond-based restaurant group that operates 13 area restaurants.

Besides owning Sam Millers for decades, Mr. Leppert was involved in and was a big promoter of Shockoe Slip, particularly in the 1970s when the district was starting to be rejuvenated.

He was known as the mayor of Shockoe Slip because he was very involved in the development of Shockoe Slip in the 70s, Mefford said.

Michael T. Byrne, a partner with Mr. Leppert for 21 years and a longtime friend, said Mr. Leppert was really inspirational in those early years in the development of the Shockoe Slip neighborhood.

But more importantly, he said, is the fact that Sam Millers is still operating today.
[HUDs Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity] strongly recommends that [RRHA] ensures it is considering the identified housing needs of applicants and residents, including families with children and persons with disabilities, when making plans to redevelop its public housing projects to ensure a sufficient number of units, in a range of sizes, and with necessary accessible features in line with the needs of the wait lists.

Additionally, HUD noted RRHAs initial submission did not include its plans for the Calhoun Family Investment Center, the ailing community center in the Gilpin Court neighborhood. Talks of transferring the property to the city gained momentum after RRHA submitted its initial plan over the summer.

The housing authoritys Board of Commissioners earlier this month endorsed giving the center to the city to facilitate a major renovation. HUD must sign off on that plan. However, the federal agency noted the omission from RRHAs annual plan would inhibit the housing authority from submitting a separate application that starts HUDs formal review process.

Plans for the Calhoun Center are considered a significant amendment, said Angela Fountain, an RRHA spokeswoman. Adding them will require the housing authority to reopen public comment on its amended plan before resubmitting it.

Fountain did not immediately provide the agencys timeline for doing so, but said it aimed to resubmit the amended plan as soon as possible.
Giles and Nachmanoff will fill the seats of Judges Liam OGrady and Anthony Trenga, who are taking senior status. They will both preside in court in Alexandria.

Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law, said the two appointments mean that the district will, for the moment, have all of its current openings filled.

However, Tobias said, Judge John A. Gibney Jr., who sits in Richmond, will assume senior status on Monday, and Judge Raymond Jackson, whose chambers are in Norfolk, will become a senior judge on Nov. 23.

According to the U.S. Courts website, judges are eligible to take senior status if they are at least 65 years old and have served at least 15 years on the bench, or any combination of age and years of service thereafter that equals 80. Judges must serve at least 10 years to qualify for senior status.

Senior judges may choose to handle a reduced caseload, but by taking senior status, even if maintaining a full caseload, a judge creates a vacancy on the court to be filled by the nomination and confirmation process.

Senior judges receive the salary of their position at the time of taking senior status as an annuity. Because there is no mandatory retirement age, there is no requirement that they take senior status.
The highest gust of the storm was recorded at 94 mph (151 mph) at a ferry dock on the island of Marthas Vineyard, officials said.

Dozens of schools canceled classes. In Connecticut, power lines came down on a school bus headed to Middletown High School. No injuries were reported. Six students were on the bus, which continued its route after emergency responders removed the power lines.

In Rhode Island, authorities closed the Newport Pell and Jamestown Verrazzano Bridges amid wind gusts as high as 70 mph early Wednesday, then reopened them shortly afterward to most vehicles. School buses were not permitted to cross until Wednesday afternoon.

Ferry service to Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket islands was suspended Wednesday.

One driver was killed and another injured when a tree limb fell on two passing vehicles in Morris Township in northern New Jersey, authorities said.

The body of a kayaker who disappeared off New York's Long Island was recovered near the Bronx after being spotted in the water by a helicopter search crew, Coast Guard officials said Tuesday. Laurence Broderick, 45, had been reported missing early Tuesday.
A lot of the things I hear from people is just that they sense that things are sort of upside down, or at least off track, and they think theres at the very least some balance and correction needed, he said. We want safe schools and we want parents involved. Probably more than any other issue, schools come up.

Close to half of voters in the district are in Chesterfield. Nearly 45 percent are in Richmond and the rest in Henrico. Adams defeated then-Del. Manoli Loupassi, a Republican, in 2017.

Adams, who lives in Richmond, said people are trying to navigate a world where COVID-19, through variants, is still a concern. The pandemic exposed problems in accessing health care, she said.

The No. 1 issue continues to be health care, she said. I feel like what we really saw was how difficult it is to have an employer-based health insurance plan. I really feel like weve got to come to a better solution.

Another focus: Working to allow affordable ways for people to receive care while remaining in their own homes as they age, she said.

And she said another priority is finding new solutions to help serve people with mental health challenges.
This matter has taken its toll on his mental and physical health because of the level of incarceration, the motion stated. The 48-year-olds father died earlier this month, Rollins wrote.

The next hearing for Robertson and Fracker  who were both fired by the Rocky Mount Police Department days after photographs of them in the Capitol surfaced on social media  is Monday.

About 650 people from across the country have been charged so far with participating in the insurrection, which disrupted a session of Congress and forced lawmakers to flee as they met to certify an election that Trump lost to President Joe Biden.

More than 90 individuals have pleaded guilty, 13 to felony charges, according to a summary by prosecutors that was last updated Oct. 6. Of the 12 defendants sentenced so far, five have received periods of incarceration.

A Dallas man who pleaded guilty to posting threats on social media in connection with the riot was sentenced to 14 months in prison Oct. 21, which the Associated Press reported was the longest term to date resulting from the insurrection.

Robertson and Fracker are each charged with one felony offense of obstructing an official proceeding and several misdemeanors that allege illegal entry of the Capitol.
ARLINGTON  President Joe Biden is still targeting Glenn Youngkin as an acolyte of former President Donald Trump.

Three months after Biden first came here to urge Virginians to elect former Gov. Terry McAuliffe for a second non-consecutive term, the president on Tuesday night dismissed Youngkins attempts to distance himself from Trump after winning the Republican nomination.

There was a price he had to pay for the nomination and he paid it, the president told a boisterous crowd of 2,500 on a chilly night at Virginia Highlands Park.

Now he doesnt want to talk about Donald Trump anymore. But I do.

He wont stand next to Donald Trump now that the campaign is on, Biden said. What is he trying to hide?

Biden and McAuliffe also sought to close the book on Youngkins closing campaign message, which they say includes banning Beloved, an acclaimed 1987 novel by Toni Morrison, from being taught in public schools in Virginia as part of a push for parental control of school curriculum.

Hes gone from banning a womans right to choose to banning books by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, the president said.
The 2015 bill McAuliffe signed was sponsored by then-Sen. Frank Wagner, a Republican who the governor appointed in 2019 as deputy director of the Virginia Lottery.

The bill was requested by Dominion Energy, and it paused the ability of the Virginia State Corporation Commission to fully review and potentially adjust the companys base electricity rates.

Attorney General Mark Herring opposed the bill in 2015, saying it tied the hands of state regulators at setting appropriate electricity rates for consumers. The law is among numerous utility-friendly laws passed by the General Assembly that led to SCC staff last month finding the regulated monopoly earned about $1.1 billion above a fair profit from 2017 to 2020.

With the laws severely limiting how much customers can get back, Dominion, the SCC and attorney general have agreed that the Richmond-based company should refund $330 million to customers in the case thats ongoing at the commission, where the three judges could accept, reject or modify the agreement.
The Hertz order sent Tesla shares soaring nearly 13% to a record closing price of $1,024.86 and pushed the world's most valuable automaker's total market value to just over $1 trillion for the first time. The wealth of CEO Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, grew 11.4% to $255.8 billion, according to Forbes.

In his interview with the AP, Fields made clear his belief that electric vehicles are increasingly moving into the mainstream and that Hertz intends to be a leading provider of EVs to rental customers. He pointed to surveys showing that over the past five years, consumer interest in electric vehicles has grown dramatically.

More are willing to try and buy, he said. It's pretty stunning.

Fields said that Hertz, which is based in Estero, Florida, is in discussions with other automakers, too, about buying additional electric vehicles as it expands its EV fleet as more models enter the marketplace.

Hertz also is investing in its own charging network. Fields said it has plans for 3,000 chargers in 65 locations across the United States by the end of 2022 and 4,000 by the end of 2023. Many of the sites will be at Hertz locations such as airports, he said, while others will be in suburban areas.
There was no dispute that Cressells actions led to Trails arrest, or that Pulaski County prosecutors dropped the charges as soon as they learned of the mistake, an opinion from the appeals court stated.

The legal question then turned to whether the investigator had probable cause at the time.

Ruling that he did not, the 4th Circuit noted that Cressell was aware that the suspects name provided by a confidential informant who bought diazepam from a woman did not match Trails, and that the informant could not identify Trail as the person who sold her the drugs in a Pulaski County home.

Earlier in his investigation, Cressell relied on information from a co-worker that Trail lived at the home, which turned out to be based on incorrect information from a police report.

The lawsuit claims that nothing was done as questions began to emerge.

Cressell proceeded to obtain an indictment without conducting any further investigation or informing the grand jury of material facts, a three-judge panel of the 4th Circuit ruled.

We further conclude that, at the time of Trails arrest, the law clearly prohibited Cressell from making intentionally or recklessly false ... omissions in order to obtain a warrant, the opinion stated.
Republican Glenn Youngkin poured $3.5 million more of his own money into his campaign for governor in the first three weeks of October, bringing his personal contributions to $20 million.

Youngkin, a former private equity executive, and Democrat Terry McAuliffe, locked in a tight contest for governor, continued to shatter the state's fundraising record, collectively bringing in $28 million in the first three weeks of the month.

Collectively they had raised $117 million through Oct. 21, dwarfing the previous high. Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie had combined to raise $64.7 million combined at this stage in 2017, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

In the contest for attorney general, Republican challenger Jason Miyares surged past Democratic incumbent Mark Herring in fundraising and cash on hand in the latest reporting period, while in the contest for lieutenant governor Democrat Hala Ayala far surpassed Republican Winsome Sears.

As Democrats seek to retain control of the House of Delegates, the party's most vulnerable incumbents brought in huge sums in the homestretch. Eleven different Democrats  nine of them incumbents  raised at least $500,000 in the three-week period, topped by Del. Wendy Gooditis, D-Clarke, who raised $1.38 million in three weeks.
For other families Ive spoken to, it means they dont have to choose between sending their kid on a field trip or having enough food on the table for dinner. For some families, the cost of a $10 field trip is too much for their budgets, even though they knew their kids would get real hands-on learning about science.

In the richest country in the world, families should not need to make those choices, and many will no longer have to if we simply extend this tax refund. All children should be able to live and thrive. For the average family in Pulaski County with two kids, the tax credit increases their income by over 10%. To those families, who are hardworking rural Virginians, this is not a handout. Its money they earned and are getting back, which will give them the freedom to invest in their kids futures and to build a dignified life for their families.

Ive heard some politicians say they are opposed to the child tax credit because people who dont make enough money to pay federal taxes still qualify. They should speak to some of the women I know, like my neighbor who wants to work but cannot without a little help with transportation. They should also realize that there are countless costs to raising children, and that parents pay a lot in sales tax in order to provide for their kids.
And why would either party  bruises from court-imposed redistricting, notwithstanding  want to be on the wrong side of history?

Contact Jeff E. Schapiro at (804) 649-6814 or jschapiro@timesdispatch.com. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter,

@RTDSchapiro. Listen to his analysis 7:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. Friday on Radio IQ, 89.7 FM in Richmond and 89.1 FM in Roanoke, and in Norfolk on WHRV, 89.5 FM.
One thing neither Parson nor Vandeven has done so far is own up to the fact that someone in authority attached teachers Social Security numbers to a state website. The person who alerted them to the problem is now irrationally the target of their ire, threats and accusations.

Which brings us back to Vandevens strange response. Yes, absolutely, the administration should do its research. Find out where the problem is and who is responsible for those data security issues. And, by all means, do all this before making that accusation.

Whats clear so far from the state response is that officials lashed out at the easy target  Renaud  instead of researching and getting answers to the most fundamental questions: How did this data get online? And who in the state government thought it was OK to include Social Security numbers in source code on a publicly accessible website?

Had Vandeven followed her own advice, she and Parson would not be the object of ridicule for their obvious failure to understand the basics of website construction. They have made themselves look silly and embarrassed Missouri on the national stage.

In addition to heeding Vandevens advice, perhaps the administration should consider the words articulated on the pages of The Washington Post almost exactly 110 years ago when a politician found himself in a fix of his own making: Nor would a wise man, seeing that he was in a hole, go to work and blindly dig it deeper.
For anyone who still needs it, most Republican House members last week provided more evidence that the GOP  once the law-and-order party  is now the party that coddles criminals.

By overwhelmingly voting against holding Donald Trump crony Steve Bannon in criminal contempt for his refusal to testify in the investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, this shameful roster (which included all six of Missouris GOP House members, and all four of Virginias Republican congressmen) is once again running interference for a lawless ex-president who tried to overthrow a valid election.

This certainly isnt the first time congressional Republicans have sided with criminality lately. Not once but twice, most of them voted against holding Trump accountable for clearly impeachable acts (extorting a foreign ally for political support, and inciting the Capitol riot).

They defended or silently tolerated Trumps outrageous string of self-serving, swampy pardons for criminally charged or convicted supporters like Michael Flynn, Roger Stone and Bannon himself. Theyre currently defending wealthy tax cheats by blocking Democratic efforts to strengthen Internal Revenue Service collection powers.

With a law-and-order party like this, who needs crooks?
FROM THE VINE Wine Spectator magazine was originally based in San Francisco, and in 1989 I was invited to become the assistant wine tasting coordinator. A few years later, the publisher moved the headquarters to New York City. Thats when I became the tasting coordinator for the San Francisco office.
Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers.
" " PEMDAS is the tried-and-true method that gives us the order to work when solving mathematical problems. HowStuffWorks

They never told us what she did. Every middle school in the U.S. teaches its students to remember this simple phrase: "Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally." But why are we apologizing for her behavior? Did she wear white after Labor Day or something?

The world may never know. "Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally" is just a mnemonic. It's a tool educators use to help us memorize information through a catchy rhyme, phrase or acronym.

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For another example, we turn to the realm of geography. If you can't remember the names of all five Great Lakes, just say "H.O.M.E.S." Each letter in that mnemonic acronym stands for one of the lakes in question: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. Nice and simple.

"Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally" is a math mnemonic. This time, the thing we're supposed to memorize is a critical concept called the algebraic order of operations.

Suppose it's finals week and you're expected to solve the following equation:

9  (2 x 3) x 4 + 52 = ?

Don't panic. This is where a certain auntie comes in. For every word in the phrase "Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally," there's a corresponding math term which begins with the same letter:

P arentheses

E xponents

M ultiplication and D ivision

Addition and Subtraction

Boys and girls, behold the order of operations! Also known as PEMDAS in the United States, it tells us which procedure(s) to perform first.

Before doing anything else, PEMDAS dictates that we ask ourselves a simple question: "Are there any parentheses?" If the answer is "yes," then our first move should be to resolve whatever's inside them.

So in the above example, we see "2 x 3" between two parentheses. Therefore, we'll begin by multiplying two times three, which gives us six. Now the equation looks like this:

9  6 x 4 + 52 = ?

Cool beans. Time to bring on the exponents! In print, exponents take the form of a little number pressed against the upper righthand corner of a larger number. See the 52? That itty-bitty "2" is an exponent, fella.

Here, the tiny two tells us to multiply five by itself. And 5 x 5 equals 25, giving us this:

9  6 x 4 + 25 = ?

What's next? Glad you asked. Having taken care of the parentheses and exponent(s), we shall now proceed to those next two operations: multiplication and division.

It's important to note that we're not saying multiplication comes before division here. Not necessarily, at least. Let's say you're looking at a different problem which  at this stage  contains both a multiplication sign and a division symbol. Your job would be to perform the two operations in order from left to right.

The concept is best explained by way of example. If the equation reads 8  4 x 3, first you'd divide the eight by the four, giving you two. Then  and only then  you would multiply that two by three.

We now return to our regularly scheduled math problem:

9  6 x 4 + 25 = ?

Whoever wrote the original equation kept things nice and simple; there's nary a division sign in sight and only one multiplication symbol. Thank you, merciful exam gods.

Without further ado, we're going to multiply the six by the four, giving us 24.

9  24 + 25 = ?

As with multiplication and division, addition and subtraction are part of the same step. Once again, we're performing these two operations in order from left to right. So we're going to have to subtract that 24 from the nine.

Doing so will give us a negative number, specifically -15.

BUT the 25 is a positive number. So in its current form, the equation consists of a negative 15 plus a positive 25. And when you add those two together, you get a positive 10.

So there it is. The answer to our riddle.

9  (2 x 3) x 4 + 52 = 10

Before we part ways, there are a few more things you should know. You may someday find yourself looking at a complex equation with lots of different operations sandwiched between two parentheses. Maybe something like this:

9  (23 x 3  18) x 4 + 52 = ?

Don't sweat it. All you've got to do is go through the PEMDAS process inside those parentheses before you move on to the rest of the problem. Here, you'd take care of the exponent first (i.e., the 23), then handle the multiplication/division. Easy-peasy. (In case you're interested, the answer to the equation is 28 2/3, or 28.67 if you prefer decimals.)

Finally, you might be interested to learn that the order of operations  as Americans know it today  was probably formalized in either the late 18th or early 20th century. This coincided with the rise of the U.S. textbook industry.

In an email, math and science historian Judith Grabiner explains that concepts like the order of operations are best thought of as "conventions, like red-means-stop and green-means-go, not mathematical truths."

"But once the convention is established," she says, "the analogy to traffic lights holds: Everybody's got to do it the same way and the 'same way' has to be 100 percent unambiguous." Math and ambiguity are uncomfortable bedfellows.

Other countries have their own acronyms, though. In certain parts of the world, children are taught to remember "BODMAS"  Brackets; Orders (i.e., exponents and square roots); Division and Multiplication; Addition and Subtraction  instead of "PEMDAS."

Now That's Interesting Robert Recorde  a physician and mathematician who was born in Wales in about 1510 C.E.  is credited as the inventor of the equal sign (=). He decided to use two parallel lines for this symbol because, in his words, "noe 2 thynges can be moare equalle [sic]."

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Originally Published: Dec 16, 2020
COLUMBIA, S.C.  Duke Energys attempt to get a higher rate increase was not successful.

The South Carolina Supreme Court issued an opinion Wednesday affirming the South Carolina Public Service Commissions order approving a partial rate increase  $8.06 for the typical customer but the company has reduced its rates since this number was developed  for Duke Energy Progress and Carolinas customers.

Duke Energy Progress is a subsidiary of Duke Energy and serves approximately 169,000 customers in northeastern South Carolina, including Florence and Darlington counties.

In specific, acting Chief Justice John Kitteridge writes in the opinion that the Public Service Commissions order was supported by evidence in the record, that the order wasnt controlled by an error of law and that the decision was not arbitrary.

The company proposed a rate increase in December 2018 to compensate the company for costs associated with coal-fired powerplants that it uses or used in the past.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The reports of hateful and violent posts on Facebook started pouring in on the night of May 28 last year, soon after then-President Donald Trump sent a warning on social media that looters in Minneapolis would be shot.
WAYNE, Neb. -- When the Nebraska Department of Economic Development announced this morning that 14 communities across the state would receive funding for public works projects, one Siouxland town made the cut.

The City of Wayne is receiving $303,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds to upgrade a swimming pool bath house. According to a press release, the upgrades will allow for the space to host events such as picnics, Boy and Girl Scout meetings and family reunions. The improvements will also make it possible for the park to connect to the town's current trail system. That trailhead will be ADA accessible as will a connecting pathway.
SIOUX CITY -- Mary J. Treglia Community House has agreed to help 50 refugees from Afghanistan resettle in metro Sioux City.

Becky Carlson, executive director of the nonprofit, which focuses on educating, empowering and advocating for all new Siouxlanders, said Tuesday she doesn't know exactly when the refugees will arrive, but assumes it will be within in the next month or so. She said she doesn't know which U.S. military bases they will be coming from, either.

At least 50,000 Afghans are expected to be admitted into the United States following the fall of Kabul as part of an "enduring commitment" to help people who aided the American war effort and others who are particularly vulnerable under Taliban rule, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has said.

"We're working with landlords and trying to figure out affordable housing and ways to get folks integrated into the community. We also are working with employers, because most refugees come able to work fairly quickly. We'd like to get them some opportunities to get employment," said Carlson, who said that Lutheran Services in Iowa is also planning to resettle an unknown number of Afghan refugees in the metro area.

A spokeswoman for Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) did not respond to a Journal reporter's request for comment by the print deadline at 4 p.m. Tuesday. A call to LSI's Sioux City office also was not immediately returned.

Carlson said Mary J. Treglia Community House staff have been in contact with local school districts in an effort to get children from Afghanistan enrolled in classes.

"We, as an agency ourselves, work on English language learning classes and we have a preschool here, so we can support families in that capacity and also just making sure that they have what they need to be able to be successful in settling here," she said.

Carlson said learning English and navigating Sioux City's housing shortages will be some of the biggest challenges facing incoming refugees. She said her organization is focused on securing them immediate accommodations rather than long-term housing.

"We've been doing resettlement for a few years now. It's mostly going to be the language barrier. Learning English is something that we work with them on, for sure, to be able to go to the grocery store and things like that," she explained. "And, then, once they get to a certain proficiency level, we would refer them on to Western Iowa Tech."

Last week, the Iowa National Guard announced that a total of 65 members, including 30 from the 185th Air Refueling Wing, will be assigned to an undisclosed location in the United States to assist with Operation Allies Welcome, an ongoing effort to bring U.S. citizens home from Afghanistan and to resettle vulnerable Afghan refugees. They will deploy for approximately 60 to 90 days under Title 10 federal deployment orders, starting in November.

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SIOUX CITY -- Siouxland officials are urging multi-residential property owners in Sioux City to appeal their valuations by Monday's deadline.

Owners of apartment buildings, townhomes, assisted living centers, nursing homes and other multi-residential properties face a 22% increase in their valuations for tax purposes under an order issued by the state.

On Monday, Mayor Bob Scott, Siouxland Chamber President Chris McGowan and Chamber Executive Vice President Barbara Sloniker traveled to Des Moines to discuss the increase with Iowa Department of Revenue leadership.

During the council comments portion of Monday's City Council meeting, Scott said he "didn't come away from that meeting feeling very confident" that the state would overturn the increase.

Sioux City Assessor John Lawson has said he is appealing the Department of Revenue's equalization order, saying it's the "result of an incorrect calculation" in a department presentation in the fall of 2019 that advised assessors on the correct way to calculate the range of values for multi-residential properties.

"I would encourage everyone that owns those type of properties to file your appeal by Monday. Just because it's going to a certain amount doesn't mean you can't appeal it the local level," Scott said. "You have to remember when they do an across-the-board 22%, some areas in this town the property values don't increase as dramatic as they do in other areas of the town, so you need to appeal no matter what. You need to get that appeal filed by Monday, so that at least you reserve those rights to have a sit-down with the city assessor and that board that they have that oversees those appeals."

The 2021 assessments will be used to calculate local property taxes for the 2022-23 fiscal year, with the first of two payments due in September 2022.

Protests may filed by mail, in person, or by electronic mail. All appeals must be received by Monday or postmarked on or before that date. To assist in the process, the Sioux City Assessor has put into action an appeal program at siouxcityassessor.com.

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SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa -- A Spirit Lake man who had been missing has been located.

The Dickinson County Sheriff's Office said in a post on its Facebook page that Allan Duus has been found. The post did not give additional details.

The sheriff's office on Wednesday afternoon had posted an alert that Duus, 87, who lives in rural Spirit Lake on the west side of Big Spirit Lake, hadn't been seen since earlier in the day and had been driving with his dog in a silver 2001 Toyota Tundra pickup truck.
SIOUX CITY -- In past years, crowds packed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers annual fall meetings, voicing their displeasure about flood management on the Missouri River.

With drought conditions persisting for much of 2021 throughout the river's upper basin, Tuesday's meeting at the Betty Strong Encounter Center in Sioux City was tame compared to past sessions. A sparse crowd asked a total of five questions, none pertaining to flood control.

Though flooding wasn't much of a concern this year, the corps faces other potential problems if dry conditions continue into 2022 and force reduced water releases from the river's six reservoirs.

"Drought conditions create a set of circumstances different from what we experienced in 2019," said Col. Geoff Van Epps, commander of the corps' Northwestern Division, which includes the Missouri River basin. "Under drought conditions, we see challenges of not having enough water."

Flooding from earlier in the year was still fresh in the minds of many who attended the corps' last in-person meeting updating the public on river operations in 2019. The COVID pandemic wiped out in-person meetings in 2020 and this spring.

"A lot has changed in the two years since (the fall 2019 meeting)," Van Epps said.

In 2019, runoff into the basin above Sioux City was 60.9 million acre-feet, the second-highest total since record keeping began in 1898, and flooding caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

This year's runoff forecast sits at 14.8 MAF, 57% of the average of 25.8 MAF, and on pace to be the 10th lowest in recorded history. The corps on July 1 enacted water conservation measures, dropping releases from Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, South Dakota, and reducing flow support to downstream navigation. The corps previously announced that winter releases from Gavins Point would be at the minimum level of 12,000 cubic feet per second.

Navigation likely will be affected from the start in 2022 if dry conditions continue. Runoff that's average or below will mean minimal flow support for navigation, said Mike Swenson, team leader of the corps' Power Production Division. Ongoing drought would likely lead to lower river and reservoir levels, affecting intakes that withdraw water for irrigation and municipal and industrial use. Lower water levels also could leave boat docks and marinas high and dry.

Rather than figuring out how to push flood waters through the system with minimal downstream flooding, Van Epps said, the corps will seek the best way to keep water flows high enough to maintain vital operations.

"It's a delicate balancing act, and we'll have to make sure we're monitoring conditions carefully," Van Epps said.

If there's any silver lining to the drought, there will be extra room in the system to hold runoff from next year's snow melt and spring rains. System storage on Sunday stood at 49.9 MAF, more than 6 MAF below the system's flood control storage zone, which begins at 56.1 MAF and extends to 67.7 MAF.

National Weather Service data presented Tuesday showed current climate signals are too weak to predict if precipitation in most of the basin will be above or below average this winter. The Weather Service this month declared that a La Nina pattern in the Pacific Ocean will be present this winter, and that typically means above-normal snowpack in the mountains of Wyoming and Montana. Though it's no guarantee, the higher snow totals would lead to more runoff in the spring that could fill Missouri River reservoirs.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Pennsylvania prosecutors have dropped a felony theft charge against a man who underpaid for a bottle of Mountain Dew by 43 cents.

Prosecutors in Perry County dropped the theft charge this month against Joseph Sobolewski, 38, and downgraded another charge, the Patriot-News reported Tuesday.

In August, Sobolewski went into an Exxon in Duncannon and saw a sign advertising two 20-ounce Mountain Dew bottles for $3, he said. He took one bottle, slapped $2 on the counter for what he thought was a $1.50 soda and walked out, not realizing the discount did not apply to a single bottle.

The bottle really cost $2.29, so including tax, he owed the store 43 cents.

State police found Sobolewski and arrested him on a felony charge. A judge ordered him held on $50,000 cash-only bond. He was in jail for seven days before his public defender successfully argued for his release, the newspaper reported.

Sobolewski had twice in the past 10 years been charged with theft, once for not paying for a tank of gas and another time for stealing a pair of shoes from a store. Under Pennsylvania's three-strikes law, a third theft charge must be a felony, regardless of the amount or value involved. He faced up to seven years in prison.

District Attorney Andrew Bender did not answer emails or calls from the Patriot-News. Sobolewski did not return messages seeking comment.

Sobolewski told the newspaper it was great news that the felony was being dismissed. I feel I was treated unequally because I had a record.

The newspaper previously reported that Sobolewski had been charged with theft in Cumberland County earlier in the summer on suspicion of trying to take items from a Hobby Lobby with his wife. For that charge, his bail was set at $2,000, and he is applying for a diversion program there.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Pennlive.com.

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JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  The Alaska Legislature is in special session but it's quiet at the Capitol, where many legislative offices have been dark, floor sessions in some cases have lasted seconds and little progress has been made toward resolving the state's fiscal issues.

Since the session started Oct. 4 in Juneau, House committees have had five meetings on fiscal-related topics, all in Anchorage; the Senate has had no such hearings.

I dont think its making a lot of sense to be here doing what were doing right now. So if were not going to do anything, gavel out," said Republican Rep. DeLena Johnson of Palmer, one of four House members present last week for a so-called technical floor session held to satisfy a meeting requirement but at which no business is taken up.

Outside the first day, there has been one regular floor session. That was in the House and after bill introductions, much of the time was spent on speeches, some memorializing people who died recently, others on topics like COVID-19 vaccines.

There has been interest in finding a long-term solution to a yearly, divisive fight over what size dividend to pay residents from the states oil wealth. A legislative working group recommended a constitutional guarantee of a dividend as part of a package with elements including new revenue, budget reductions and a revised spending limit.

The recommendations weren't binding, and there are different ideas among legislators about the various components.

There was little enthusiasm for this special session, the fourth of the year, which came weeks after the prior one ended. Alaska has a citizen Legislature, meaning some lawmakers have other jobs. Costs for special sessions so far this year weren't immediately available.

House Speaker Louise Stutes, who leads a bipartisan coalition, had asked Gov. Mike Dunleavy to cancel this special session, citing COVID-19 and cost concerns and calling it unnecessary for lawmakers to continue work on fiscal measures.

Dunleavy, a Republican, said it wasnt a mistake to forge ahead, even as some legislators said members need a break or have other obligations as regular and special sessions have consumed much of the year and yielded no agreed-upon path forward on the dividend and a fiscal plan.

Dunleavy, who like most legislators faces reelection next year, said lawmakers have plenty of options before them and need to hear and bring bills up for votes.

They can say theyre tired, theyre old, theyre sleepy, theyre hungry. They can say all that stuff. But in the end, they either did it or they didnt, he said.

Dunleavy said he will not call another special session this year.

Dunleavy has advocated splitting annual draws from the oil-wealth permanent fund 50/50 between dividends and government, which the legislative group recommended working toward. While Dunleavy said the administration has responded to legislators' questions, some lawmakers said they would like to see Dunleavy more engaged and clearer on what elements he would support as part of a plan.

Senate President Peter Micciche, a Soldotna Republican, said Alaskans don't care about a show on the floor. They care about results. This special session had no potential to deliver the results, he said.

Micciche said the Senate is divided and his job is to try to move senators to more common ground to be positioned to act on bills during the next regular session, starting in January.

Micciche said he preferred to wait for lawmakers to have the support to call themselves into a special session because that would mean we've had more forward progress on the potential to agree on a fiscal plan. We're not even close.

He said this special session was irresponsible and would have been much more wasteful had we not just sent people home.

Stutes, a Kodiak Republican, said she wanted to keep the ball moving forward whether there was a special session or not and said she thinks that's happening, despite frustrations voiced by legislators who see stagnation.

Stutes and Micciche each indicated they did not plan to adjourn the session early. The clock on this special session expires Nov. 2.

If we dont have anything to move and the Senates not moving, its absolutely foolish to bring our troops down here to do nothing, Stutes said.

Anchorage Rep. Laddie Shaw, a leader in the Republican minority, showed up early for a technical session last week, at times checking his watch while waiting for Johnson, Stutes and another legislator to join him. The floor session lasted less than a minute.

Shaw said he has traveled back and forth between Anchorage and Juneau. He said he is frustrated with the pace and lack of movement on bills.

Sen. Bill Wielechowski, an Anchorage Democrat and a labor attorney, said he came to Juneau for the start of the special session before returning home. He said he has been waiting to get a call to return or for hearings. Wielechowski said the Legislature just seems stuck.

Rep. Ivy Spohnholz, an Anchorage Democrat who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, said she expects conversations to continue once this special session ends but that her committee may set things aside until the regular session begins in January.

Legislators need a break, and the pandemic has brought added stress, she said. They need to go back to real life for a little while, get reconnected to constituents and get rested up to go back and do the hard work of governing in the 2022 regular legislative session," she said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  Republican lawmakers serving on a redistricting committee swiftly advanced proposed legislative and congressional maps Tuesday  just one day after the maps were completed  over the objections of Democrats, who say the process was rushed and the congressional map fails to reflect the states racial diversity.

The Joint Legislative Reapportionment Committee voted 16-6 to approve the map that maintains one congressional district likely to elect a Black representative. Some groups and lawmakers have argued there should be two such districts to reflect the states minority population. The vote broke down along party lines, with Republicans voting yes and Democrats voting against it.

The approved map  as well as legislative and state school board districts  will be introduced as legislation for the special session that begins Thursday. Lawmakers are required to draw new districts every 10 years after new census numbers are released.

Democratic Rep. Chris England of Tuscaloosa said Republicans were rushing the process, noting committee members just saw the proposed maps one day ago.

"This is going to be what we operate off for the next 10 years and I think we owe the public a lot more due diligence," England said. I think we did the state of Alabama a huge disservice today.

Republican Rep. Chris Pringle and Republican Sen. Jim McClendon, co-chairmen of the committee, noted that the committee was only voting on a recommendation.

McClendon said lawmakers had to rush because the state received census numbers late and lawmakers had to get four maps ready before the special session begins.

There is plenty of time between now and when the legislators have to actually vote on this for citizens in Alabama to make comments to their legislators, McClendon said.

Democratic Sen. Bobby Singleton argued that the current congressional delegation and proposed map do not reflect the states diversity. The seven-member delegation for decades has consisted of a single African American, elected from the only district with a majority Black population. The district is now represented by Rep. Terri Sewell.

African Americans make up about 26% of the states population, and that is reflected in the composition of the Alabama Legislature and the Alabama Board of Education. "The congressional map is the only map we will draw that does not represent the 26%," Singleton said.

Singleton said he will introduce an alternate map during the special session.

McClendon said drawing the committee-approved map increases the chance that a minority will win District 7. He said creating two districts could lower those odds.

Changes to the congressional district included shrinking the physical size of Congressional District 5 in north Alabama to accommodate the heavy population growth in the Huntsville area.

The committee also approved proposed maps for state school board and legislative districts.

This will be the first full redistricting process that doesn't require pre-clearance from the Department of Justice, a condition that was instituted under the Voting Rights Act in 1965 in mostly Southern states with a history of voting rights violations. The U.S. Supreme Court effectively ended the requirement in 2013 when it ruled the federal government was using an outdated method to decide which states were subject to it.

McClendon said even without the requirement, lawmakers were careful to comply with the Voting Rights Act and related court rulings.

The proposed maps could be bound for federal court anyway. There is already a pending lawsuit arguing the current congressional map is racially gerrymandered.

Democratic Sen. Rodger Smitherman of Birmingham said he was disappointed in the rushed process. Its kind of saying, I dont give a heck about what you think or say  so take me to court,' Smitherman said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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LAS VEGAS (AP)  A 69-year-old Las Vegas woman is accused of defrauding Social Security for years after she allegedly dismembered her dead husbands body and threw his remains in the trash, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Nancy Shedleski deposited $121,000 of her husband's retirement benefits after his 2015 death, and Social Security officials didn't know anything was wrong until they received an anonymous tip in 2019 that the husband had disappeared, according to the complaint filed last week in Nevada.

The complaint, which charged Shedleski with theft of government money, identified the husband only as J.P.S." and said he was in his 70s when he died.

Survivor benefits for Shedleski in 2019 if her husbands death had been reported would have been $14,000, but her husbands benefits that were distributed that year totaled $24,000, the complaint said.

When contacted by federal officials, Shedleski initially said her husband was traveling, but she later admitted to dismembering his body and disposing of his remains after he died at their Pennsylvania home, the complaint said.

Shedleski confirmed there was no ambulance, no hospitalization, no funeral, no burial and no cremation," the complaint said.

The complaint did not specify the husband's cause of death or say where the couple lived in Pennsylvania before Nancy Shedleski moved to Las Vegas in 2017.

The complaint said her husband last received medical care in 2015 at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Jefferson Hills, which is near Pittsburgh.

Shedleski was arrested last Thursday and appeared in court in Las Vegas on Friday. She was not asked to enter a plea and was released on her own recognizance pending a Nov. 5 court hearing.

Her court-appointed lawyer, Wendi Overmyer, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Shedleski's behalf.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP)  Requiring workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 would result in up to $10 million in fines and at least $500,000 in damages under bills Wyoming lawmakers will consider in a rare special session that began Tuesday.

In all, they plan to look at 20 proposals  including a few having nothing to do with President Joe Biden's plans to require COVID-19 vaccination for certain workers  over the next several days after legislators debated whether to adjourn without considering anything at all.

The House and Senate voted to move ahead despite rejecting time-saving rules to limit testimony and debate and prohibit bills unrelated to COVID-19 vaccination in an effort to wrap up the session in just three days.

If this is important enough for us to assemble here, its important for us to do it right, said Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, who voted against the special rules and in favor of adjournment.

Other lawmakers warned of high stakes, saying they expected the Biden administration to release details of its COVID-19 vaccination mandate for health care workers, federal contractors and large businesses early next week.

In five days we are going to have hundreds of people, potentially thousands, who are going to lose their jobs because of a mandate," Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, said.

Gray is lead sponsor of a bill co-sponsored by 11 others that would allow people denied work because they're not vaccinated to collect at least $500,000 in civil damages. A bill sponsored by Rep. Bill Fortner, R-Gillette, would fine any public servant who tries to enforce any COVID-19 vaccine mandate up to $10 million.

Schools would be barred from enforcing student mask-wearing and vaccination against not just COVID-19 but any disease under a bill sponsored by Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie. The bill is named for a Laramie high school student who was suspended for refusing to wear a mask and then arrested for alleged trespassing when she returned to school and refused to leave.

Wyoming has been one the most vaccine-resistant states, behind only West Virginia, and as a result one of the highest COVID-19 rates in the U.S. over the past couple months. The vast majority, about 84%, of those filling Wyoming hospitals with record numbers of COVID-19 patients have not been fully vaccinated, according to the Wyoming Department of Health.

Even so, many Wyoming workers have been vocally opposed to vaccine mandates, saying they would rather face routine testing for the virus than get the jab.

It remains to be seen, though, which if any of the anti-vaccine-mandate bills would have any real effect if passed. Federal law trumps state law under the U.S. Constitution and Gov. Mark Gordon has signaled willingness to veto, saying he opposed state mandates as well as federal ones.

I believe in liberty for individuals and that those liberties extend to how individuals choose to run their businesses. These principles cannot be decoupled for political expediency, Gordon wrote in a statement to lawmakers read in the House and Senate.

The rejection of special rules for the session means some bills unrelated to COVID-19 could get traction like during a typical legislative session.

One would allow state officials to proceed with expanding the federal Medicaid health-coverage program in the state, an idea getting more debate and support in Wyoming in recent years. Another bill would freeze increases to firefighter pensions.

Not all COVID-19 vaccination bills oppose the federal mandate, meanwhile. People who quit jobs because their employers wouldn't enforce COVID-19 vaccination requirements would qualify for unemployment benefits under a bill sponsored by Rep. Cathy Connolly, D-Laramie.

Wyoming lawmakers planning how to allocate federal coronavirus relief funding held their first special session in 16 years in 2020. The current special session is the 24th in state history.



Follow Mead Gruver at https://twitter.com/meadgruver

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who appears to be in the witness protection program when it comes to her assigned role of restoring our southern border, has re-surfaced in a video she sent to 300 Black churches in Virginia. In it, she calls on congregants to vote for Democratic candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe. She even reminds them they can vote on Sundays and urges them to do so following their church service, presumably after worshipping an Authority higher than the state.

Did Harris just violate the Hatch Act? The Hatch Act says of employees of the federal government: an employee may not use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election. Im sure getting out the vote for McAuliffe qualifies.

In the video, Harris touts what she says was McAuliffes record during his previous governorship from 2014 to 2018. She claims he brought thousands of jobs to the state. Former President Donald Trump also made this claim. But the Biden administration gives no credit to Trump for anything, though it has quietly restored some of his policies, such as requiring migrants to remain in Mexico while their asylum claims are processed.

Some other takeaways from the Harris video include her failure to mention anything the current Democratic governor, Ralph Northam, has done. It is as if Northam has been erased from memory, like the Soviet Union used to do with leaders who had fallen out of favor and whose photographs were scrubbed from official ceremonies, and ultimately history, to service the Bolshevik propaganda machine.

In the video, Harris says when she attended church in Oakland, California, it was our sacred responsibility to raise our voice and to lift up the voices of our community. Translation: vote for Democrats, though their track record is less than admirable when it comes to serving Black and brown communities. For Democrats, African Americans never seem to succeed and are always in need of government. Why? To do what? Reduce shootings in the streets of our major cities? Create and keep families together? Give parents an opportunity for their children to escape failing public schools and allow them to choose a school that provides a real education in a safe environment? None of the above. It is in Democrats self-interest to keep African Americans loyal and beholden to their party, though so little is given in return.

When a liberal Democrat talks God there is no criticism from the advocates of church-state separation because the left, which now dominates that party, knows they arent serious. You can call yourself anything you want so long as you ignore the instructions, admonitions, and salvation message of Scripture. Thats why Roman Catholics like President Biden and Speaker Nancy Pelosi seem to get away with proclaiming themselves faithful Catholics yet ignore  even oppose  their churchs teaching on abortion, marriage and homosexuality. As long as you are for the same policies advocated by secular progressives you can be religious, and the left doesnt care.

Democrats who have told conservative Christians they should not try to impose their beliefs through government obviously have no problem imposing misinterpretations of Scripture and even non-beliefs through government and judicial fiat. Some are even inconsistent in those beliefs, accepting their churchs teaching when it opposes the death penalty for murderers, but rejecting teachings that seek to protect unborn human life.

By sending a video to Black Virginia churches, Harris is guilty of the same condescension we have seen for years within her party when it comes to certain demographics. If government is the answer, would it not have succeeded by now with so many programs enacted and so much money spent?

Will Harris be held accountable for violating the Hatch Act? Of course not. Washington always protects its own, unless the person is a Republican, or Donald Trump.

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We live in a No Boundaries political culture that raises concerns. Honest political disagreement is fine and healthy, but in todays wired age, vast numbers of Americans let their political passions and cynicism run wild. They push the boundaries of whats acceptable in terms of language and, for some, their actions.

Our society is seeing a dangerous trajectory of radicalism that fuels ever-greater extremism.

The examples are mounting: Local government meetings where security personnel must escort out-of-control audience members from the scene. Street violence where activists don masks and act as if they can assault people with impunity. Social media and streaming channels where people show no hesitation to hurl the most repellent insults and outrageous allegations against their political opposites.

And most disturbing of all, the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. This was a direct attack on American democracy, which some apologists still shrug off as misguided but essentially innocuous.

The public as well as political leaders, here in the Midlands and nationwide, must have the integrity and good sense to step back from this extremism.

A troubling recent example comes from Iowa. State Rep. Ross Wilburn of Ames, the first Black Iowan to chair the state Democratic Party, has received a lynching threat over a newspaper essay in which he criticized Donald Trump and Iowa Republicans who support him.

The lynching threat came in an anonymous voicemail message Wilburn received at home on Oct. 9. The next day, a caller left a voicemail that included a racial epithet, and Wilburns state legislative account received a profanity-laden email that included the racist term. Police are investigating the messages.

Some might argue that these are the actions of only one or a few hate-filled individuals, so theres no need to exaggerate the magnitude of concern. The point, though, is that our countrys current political climate, with its incessant anger and paranoia, makes radical individuals increasingly comfortable with pushing the envelope in regard to what they can say and do.

A large portion of Americans, at opposite ends of the political spectrum, view those who disagree with them with deep suspicion that curdles into contempt and alarm. They see disagreement with their beliefs as a direct threat to the country. Given todays No Boundaries political culture, that kind of thinking can lead a person down a dangerous mental corridor. They begin to see political opponents as outright enemies who must be reviled and stopped.

Many politically interested Americans act as if their beliefs should be beyond critique, but the opposite actually is true: Society benefits when political arguments are rigorously tested and challenged. This is one of the central benefits that flow from the First Amendment and an open political system  and that separates a free society such as ours from unfree ones in countries such as Russia and China.

Individuals and public figures have a responsibility to uphold a sound political culture. Politically interested Americans should feel free to defend their beliefs and criticize public officials. At the same time, they should reject loutish behavior and beware of succumbing to political hysteria. Elected officials have a duty to stand up against pettiness and speak out against dangerous radicalism. The more they promote a serious debate of ideas, the better the example they set for their supporters.

People should feel empowered to stand up for their political values. But the countrys future is threatened if Americans abandon their sense of decency.

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Climate jargon can feel overwhelming. Illustration by Dennis Lan/USC, CC BY-ND

As a major U.N. climate conference gets underway on Oct. 31, 2021, youll be hearing a lot of technical terms tossed around: mitigation, carbon neutral, sustainable development. The language can feel overwhelming.

It sounds like youre talking over people, one person said of the terminology during a recent study colleagues and I conducted through the USC Dornsife Public Exchange.

Climate reports are often written at a scientific level. So we thought it would be helpful to clarify some of the most common terms.

To do that, we interviewed 20 people about common terms used by climate scientists and climate journalists. We then used their feedback to explain those terms in everyday language. With the help of the United Nations Foundation, we chose eight terms from reports written by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Heres a guide that may help you to follow the news about climate change. The explanation of each term starts with the technical definition from the IPCC. The text that follows puts it into plain language.

1. Mitigation

IPCC definition: Mitigation (of climate change): a human intervention to reduce emissions or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases.

Translation: Stopping climate change from getting worse.

When people talk about mitigation they often focus on fossil fuels  coal, oil and natural gas  used to make electricity and run cars, buses and planes. Fossil fuels produce greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide. When these gases are released, they linger in the atmosphere. They then trap heat and warm the planet.

Some ways to mitigate climate change include using solar and wind power instead of coal-fired power plants; making buildings, appliances and vehicles more energy efficient so they use less electricity and fuel; and designing cities so people have to drive less. Protecting forests and planting trees also help because trees absorb greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and lock them away.

Use of solar power as an alternative to fossil fuels is growing. Gerard Julien/AFP via Getty Images

2. Adaptation

IPCC definition: In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects, in order to moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate and its effects.

Translation: Making changes to live with the impacts of climate change.

Climate change is already happening. Heat waves, wildfires and floods are getting worse. People will have to find ways to live with these threats. Los Angeles, for example, is planting trees to help people stay cooler. Coastal cities like Miami may need sea walls to protect against floods. More adaptation actions will be needed as climate change gets worse.

3. Carbon dioxide removal

IPCC definition: Carbon dioxide removal methods refer to processes that remove CO2 from the atmosphere by either increasing biological sinks of CO2 or using chemical processes to directly bind CO2. CDR is classified as a special type of mitigation.

Translation: Taking carbon dioxide out of the air.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air has been increasing for many years. In 2019, there was 1.5 times more of it than in the late 1700s. Planting trees and restoring grasslands can remove carbon dioxide from the air. There are also carbon dioxide removal technologies that store it underground or in concrete, but these are new and not widely used.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee discusses equipment that can remove carbon dioxide from the air. Gov. Jay Inslee/Flickr, CC BY-SA

4. Carbon neutral

IPCC definition: Carbon neutrality is achieved when anthropogenic CO2 emissions are balanced globally by anthropogenic carbon dioxide removals over a specified period. Carbon neutrality is also referred to as net-zero carbon dioxide emission.

Translation: Adding no net carbon dioxide into the air. This does not have to mean that you cant add any carbon dioxide. It means that if you do add carbon dioxide into the air you take out the same amount.

The IPCC warns that the world needs to be carbon neutral by 2050 to avoid a serious climate crisis. This means using both mitigation to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide added to the air and carbon dioxide removal to take carbon dioxide out of the air.

5. Tipping point

IPCC definition: A level of change in system properties beyond which a system reorganizes, often abruptly, and does not return to the initial state even if the drivers of the change are abated. For the climate system, it refers to a critical threshold when global or regional climate changes from one stable state to another stable state.

Translation: When it is too late to stop effects of climate change.

One of the most talked-about tipping points involves the collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet. Some research suggests it may have already started happening. West Antarctica alone holds enough ice to raise sea levels worldwide by about 11 feet (3.3 meters). If all glaciers and ice caps melt, sea levels will end up rising about 230 feet (70 meters).

6. Unprecedented transition

IPCC definition for transition: The process of changing from one state or condition to another in a given period of time. Transition can be in individuals, firms, cities, regions and nations and can be based on incremental or transformative change.

Translation: Making big changes together to stop climate change  in a way that has not been seen before.

In 2015, countries around the world agreed to try to keep the planet from warming more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 F). Among the biggest sources of global warming are coal-fired power plants. Quickly shifting the world to renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, would be an unprecedented transition. Without big changes, climate change could make the world unlivable.

7. Sustainable development

IPCC definition: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and balances social, economic and environmental concerns.

Translation: Living in a way that is good for people alive today and for people in the future.

The United Nations has shared sustainable development goals. These goals aim to help countries grow in ways that are healthy for both people and the environment. Producing more carbon dioxide than the planet can manage is an example of unsustainable development thats causing climate change.

Levels of carbon dioxide in the air have risen quickly over the past 70 years. NOAA

8. Abrupt change

IPCC definition: Abrupt climate change refers to a large-scale change in the climate system that takes place over a few decades or less, persists (or is anticipated to persist) for at least a few decades and causes substantial disruptions in human and natural systems.

Translation: A change in climate that happens much faster than it normally would.

Our world is changing quickly as a result of climate change. Wildfires are raging in parts of the Western U.S. that were once too wet to burn. Coral reefs are dying as the ocean is getting warmer. These changes would not have happened so quickly  or at all  were it not for climate change.

___

Lance Ignon, a former communications adviser for the IPCC and now senior associate dean for strategic initiatives and communication at USC Dornsife and a co-author of the paper with Wandi Bruine de Bruin, Lila Rabinovich, Kate Weber Marianna Babboni and Monica Dean, contributed to this article.

Get our best science, health and technology stories. Sign up for The Conversations science newsletter.

Wandi Bruine de Bruin has received support from the University of Southern California Dornsife College Public Exchange and the Center for Climate and Energy Decision Making (CEDM) through a cooperative agreement between the National Science Foundation and Carnegie Mellon University. This project is a collaboration between the University of Southern California and the United Nations Foundation.

___

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BELLE FOURCHE, S.D. (AP)  A California company plans to build one of the largest ramen producing facilities in the country in a small Black Hills community.

Albany Farms CEO Bill Saller says the complex in Belle Fourche will include a flour mill, production factories and packaging areas that would produce more than 100 million packages of ramen each year and eventually employ up to 900 people.

Belle Fourche Rail Park and South Dakota's agriculture economy are part of the plan, South Dakota Public Broadcasting reported. Wheat will be brought to the factory while ramen cups and packets will be shipped by train, Saller said.

Albany Farms recently bought a building in Belle Fourche for its factory and is working on purchasing 11 of the surrounding acres, according to company spokeswoman Stephanie Magoon.

The company manufactures its products overseas but decided it needed to switch gears once the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

With the onset of COVID, importing food became problematic. Transportation has become a major issue for food companies and certainly for us, Saller said.

Saller said the price for their shipping containers has increased an average of $18,000 per container, doubling import costs. So, the company decided to move all manufacturing to the United States.

Albany Farms began looking for a site within the Black Hills after its lead engineer happened to be driving through the area, Saller said.

Albany Farms struggle with the international supply chain is a part of a global trend. Ports are clogged with shipping containers and companies and consumers have reported long wait times to receive products produced overseas.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

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Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Falls City businessman Charles Herbster as the Republican nominee for Nebraska governor, a move that drew a strong negative reaction from current Gov. Pete Ricketts.

Trump wrote in his endorsement Tuesday evening that Herbster "will do a fantastic job. A proud native of Nebraska, Charles is an extraordinarily successful businessman who will fight for our Farmers and Ranchers, support our Military and Vets, and protect and defend your under siege Second Amendment rights."

While Ricketts, who is being term-limited out of office, has not announced an endorsement, he has shared the stage with Pillen at events to denounce President Joe Biden's 30-by-30 conservation proposal.

"I have been a champion of President Trumps conservative leadership and his America First agenda," Ricketts said in a statement. "While I agree with President Trump on many things, I strongly disagree that Charles Herbster is qualified to be our next governor."

Ricketts objected to Herbster's "choice to headquarter his business in Missouri (and) his support of tax policy that would tax medical services, prescriptions, food, as well as more than doubling our sales tax.

"Nebraska deserves better," Ricketts said.

Trump also took a shot at U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, who was one of the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump of inciting the Jan. 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol. Despite their differences, Sasse voted with the former president about 85% of the time, according to the political tracking site FiveThirtyEight.

"With a Looney Tune Senator like Little Ben Sasse representing the wonderful people of Nebraska, it is particularly important that a great Governor (Pete Ricketts has been terrific!) be elected to help fortify the State," the statement said.

Sasse couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Herbster has staked out a position as a staunch Trump ally. He was an agricultural adviser to the former president's 2020 campaign.

Herbster met with Trump's sons and other political advisers at Trump's private residence the day before the Jan. 6 riot and attended Trump's speech the day of Jan. 6. He has said he left the area before the riot and then flew to Florida with Trump's family.

Herbster tweeted Tuesday evening that he'd gotten a call from Trump telling him about the endorsement.

"He's given me his complete and total endorsement!" Herbster tweeted, echoing a statement in Trump's endorsement.

According to Hunter Arterburn, a radio broadcaster and station manager at Flood Communications, Herbster was in Sidney on Tuesday evening for a meet-and-greet when he got a phone call from Trump.

"As he was walking into Beans & Steams Coffee House, he was on the phone with former President Donald Trump," Arterburn tweeted, adding, "Herbster says Trump sends warm wishes to Sidney."

"Charles W. Herbster has my Complete and Total Endorsement!" Trump said in his emailed endorsement, which also included a button to donate to Trump's Save America campaign.

Trump has proved immensely popular in Nebraska.

In the 2020 Republican presidential primary, he won 91% of the vote, with former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld picking up the remainder, according to the Nebraska Secretary of State's Office.

In the general election, Trump won all but two of Nebraska's counties. Biden won Lancaster and Douglas Counties. In terms of total votes, Trump finished 19 percentage points ahead of Joe Biden.

A Pillen campaign representative could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening.

Tori Mahoney, campaign manager for Lindstrom, provided this statement after the endorsement was announced.

"Senator Lindstrom is proud to stand on his pro-America, pro-family, & pro-freedom record. We look forward to continuing our conversations with the people of Nebraska on the issues they care about most, sharing our conservative record and allowing voters to make their choice for Governor in 196 days.

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BRUSSELS (AP)  European Union founding member Belgium warned Poland on Wednesday not to treat the EU like a cash machine to boost its economic fortunes while disregarding its democratic and rule of law principles at will.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Iran's president said Wednesday that a cyberattack which paralyzed every gas station in the Islamic Republic was designed to get people angry by creating disorder and disruption, as long lines still snaked around the pumps a day after the incident began.

Ebrahim Raisi's remarks stopped short of assigning blame for the attack, which rendered useless the government-issued electronic cards that many Iranians use to buy subsidized fuel at the pump.

However, they suggested that he and others in the theocracy believe anti-Iranian forces carried out an assault likely designed to inflame the country as the second anniversary of a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests over gasoline prices approaches.

There should be serious readiness in the field of cyberwar and related bodies should not allow the enemy to follow their ominous aims to make problem in trend of peoples life," Raisi said. State television later aired footage of the president visiting a gas station in central Tehran.

The attack Tuesday also bore similarities to another months earlier that seemed to directly challenge Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the countrys economy buckles under American sanctions.

On Wednesday morning, the state-run IRNA news agency quoted another official who claimed 80% of Iran's gas stations had begun selling fuel again. Associated Press journalists saw long lines at multiple gas stations in Tehran. One station had a line of 90 cars waiting for fuel. Those buying ended up having to pay at higher, unsubsidized prices.

The semiofficial ISNA news agency, which first called the incident a cyberattack, said it saw those trying to buy fuel with a government-issued card through the machines instead receiving a message reading cyberattack 64411.

While ISNA didnt acknowledge the numbers significance, that number is associated with a hotline run through Khameneis office that handles questions about Islamic law. ISNA later removed its reports, claiming that it too had been hacked. Such claims of hacking can come quickly when Iranian outlets publish news that angers the theocracy.

Farsi-language satellite channels abroad published videos apparently shot by drivers in Isfahan, a major Iranian city, showing electronic billboards there reading: Khamenei! Where is our gas? Another said: Free gas in Jamaran gas station, a reference to the home of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

The use of the number 64411 mirrored the attack in July targeting Irans railroad system that also saw the number displayed. Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point later attributed the train attack to a group of hackers that called themselves Indra, after the Hindu god of war.

Indra previously targeted firms in Syria, where President Bashar Assad has held onto power through Irans intervention in his countrys grinding war.

Abolhassan Firouzabadi, the secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, linked the attack to the Irans rail system assault in July in comments reported by IRNA. He also said it affected all of Iran's 4,300 gas stations nationwide.

There is a possibility that the attack, like a previous one on railway system, has been conducted from abroad, Firouzabadi said.

However, a former deputy telecommunications minister, Amir Nazemy, earlier wrote on Twitter that the infrastructure of system of gas stations is an exclusive network and this sort of communications were not on the internet. That raises questions on whether someone inside of Iran with access to the system launched the cyberattack or otherwise facilitated it.

A previously unheard-of group claimed responsibility for the cyberattack hours afterward late Tuesday, in a message on the messaging app Telegram. It did not provide any evidence that it carried out the assault.

Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade, a researcher at cybersecurity firm SentinelOne, said the attack appeared extensively planned. He said that suggests a foreign intelligence agency  not an activist hacking group  could be responsible.

Its super brazen, Guerrero-Saade said.

Cheap gasoline is practically considered a birthright in Iran, home to the worlds fourth-largest crude oil reserves despite decades of economic woes.

Subsidies allow Iranian motorists to buy regular gasoline at 15,000 rials per liter. Thats 5 cents a liter, or about 20 cents a gallon. After a monthly 60-liter quota, it costs 30,000 rials a liter. Thats 10 cents a liter or 41 cents a gallon. Regular gasoline costs 89 cents a liter or $3.38 a gallon on average in the U.S., according to AAA.

In 2019, Iran faced days of mass protests across some 100 cities and towns over rising gasoline prices. Security forces arrested thousands and Amnesty International said it believes 304 people were killed in a government crackdown. Tuesdays cyberattack came in the same month in the Persian calendar as the gasoline protests in 2019.

The attack also came on the birthday of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who, stricken with cancer, fled the country in 1979 just before the Islamic Revolution.

Iran has faced a series of cyberattacks, including one that leaked video of abuses at its notorious Evin prison in August.

The country disconnected much of its government infrastructure from the internet after the Stuxnet computer virus  widely believed to be a joint U.S.-Israeli creation  disrupted thousands of Iranian centrifuges in the countrys nuclear sites in the late 2000s.

Iran, long sanctioned by the West, faces difficulties in getting up-to-date hardware and software, often relying on Chinese-manufactured electronics or older systems no longer being patched by manufacturers. That would make it easier for a potential hacker to target. Pirated versions of Windows and other software are common across Iran.



Karimi reported from Tehran, Iran. Associated Press writer Alan Suderman in Richmond, Va., contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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DAKOTA CITY -- Nearly half the workers at Tyson Foods' Dakota City beef plant contracted COVID-19, and 18 workers succumbed to the virus, according to a congressional report released Wednesday.

The plant, by far the largest employer in metro Sioux City, was the epicenter of an outbreak in the spring of 2020 that, at various times, was the worst in the U.S., relative to population.

The numbers cited in the congressional report -- 1,973 infections among the plant's 4,300 employees, or an infection rate of about 46 percent -- was far more than previously believed.

That's also what the new U.S. House report showed at other meatpacking plants across the country. At least 59,000 workers caught COVID-19 and 269 workers died when the virus tore through the industry last year.

The meatpacking industry was one of the early epicenters of the coronavirus pandemic, with workers standing shoulder-to-shoulder along production lines. The U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, which used internal documents from five of the biggest meatpacking companies for its report, said companies could have done more to protect their workers.

The new estimate of infections in the industry is nearly three times higher than the 22,400 that the United Food and Commercial Workers Union has said were infected. And the true number could be even higher because the companies' data didn't generally include coronavirus cases confirmed by outside testing or self-reported by employees.

In the initial weeks of the pandemic, Tyson acknowledged some Dakota City workers had tested positive, but did not disclose a number of cases. Local and state health officials also refused to discuss any link to the plant or the spike in positive tests.

On April 30, 2020, The Journal reported that 669 workers had tested positive, citing sources close to the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Journal also talked to the families of three Tyson workers who had died from the virus.

In late May, 2020, Tyson acknowledged 786 active COVID-19 cases at the Dakota City plant.

At the height of the outbreaks, U.S. meatpacking production fell to about 60% of normal levels as the Dakota City plant and several others were forced to temporarily close for deep cleaning and safety upgrades or operated at slower speeds because of worker shortages.

The report, which was based on documents from JBS, Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods, Cargill and National Beef, which together control over 80% of the beef market and over 60% of the pork market nationwide, said companies were slow to take protective steps such as checking employee temperatures, distributing protective equipment and installing barriers between work stations.

Instead of addressing the clear indications that workers were contracting the coronavirus at alarming rates due to conditions in meatpacking facilities, meatpacking companies prioritized profits and production over worker safety, continuing to employ practices that led to crowded facilities in which the virus spread easily, the report said.

An internal Tyson talking points obtained by the Select Subcommittee show that on March 20, 2020, "Tyson had not even begun to conduct temperature checks, but nonetheless was telling its workers: 'It is vital that you come to work as planned, despite stories about shelter in place. 

Tyson, Cargill, Smithfield and JBS released statements Wednesday saying they worked aggressively to meet federal health and safety standards and took additional measures to protect their employees, such as conducting widespread testing and urging employees to get vaccinated.

The companies also expressed regret at the toll the virus has taken.

Even one illness or loss of life to COVID-19 is one too many, which is why weve taken progressive action from the start of the pandemic to protect the health and safety of our workers, Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson said.

The North American Meat Institute trade group also defended the industry's response to the pandemic.

Frontline meat and poultry workers were among the first impacted by the pandemic, but publicly available data confirm that comprehensive measures implemented in the sector since spring 2020, including extensive infection prevention and vaccination efforts, have successfully protected the sectors dedicated and diverse workforce as they have continued feeding Americans and keeping our economy working, said Julie Anna Potts, president and CEO of the trade group

The report said infection rates were especially high at some meatpacking plants. At a JBS plant in Hyrum, Utah, 54% of the workforce contracted the virus between March 2020 and February 2021. Nearly 50% of workers at a Tyson plant in Amarillo, Texas, were infected in the same time frame. And 44% of employees at National Beefs plant in Tama, Iowa, caught COVID-19 from April 2020 to February 2021.

The rate of the infection at Tyson's Dakota City was slightly higher than at the Smithfield pork plant in Sioux Falls, the site of another major outbreak. The Sioux Falls plant had 1,674 infections among its 3,969 employees, a rate of infection rate of over 42 percent.

The report said internal documents show Smithfield aggressively pushed back against government safety recommendations after experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention inspected the Sioux Falls plant. A few days earlier, Smithfield's CEO emphasized the severity of the problem when he told the CEO of National Beef in an email that Employees are afraid to come to work.

Debbie Berkowitz, with Georgetown University's Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor, said the industry was slow to respond and federal regulators didn't force them to act.

When the pandemic hit, of course it was going to hit meatpacking plants really hard and really fast, said Berkowitz, who was scheduled to testify at a House hearing on the report Wednesday. What was the industrys response  not to protect workers and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, not to separate workers 6 feet apart, which was the earlier guidance that came out in late February  but to just keep on going.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Next Match: at Morehead State 10/29/2021 | 5:00 pm

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE volleyball started off strong, but could not hold off the visiting Eastern Illinois Panthers in a four-set loss on Tuesday evening.The match started off with promise, as the Cougars claimed an opening set victory on the back of stout defensive efforts that saw SIUE hold the Panthers to a hitting percentage of just .077. The second set saw EIU find their footing, putting together a pair of lengthy scoring runs and holding the Cougars to a match-low 31 attacks en route to a 25-20 second set win. The EIU offensive onslaught continued in the third set, as the Panthers hit .455 and held SIUE to a clip of just .000 to claim the 25-10 third set win. The Cougars would enter the fourth set attempting to force the match into a decisive fifth set. EIU and SIUE would trade points back and forth, concluding with the longest set in theera with a 31-29 defeat.The Cougars were led by, who registered 11 kills and a .333 hitting percentage to continue her consistent run of form. True freshmanfollowed close behind with nine kills of her own, while also adding five digs and a pair of blocks.again led SIUE in the assist department, recording 18 in the contest while also notching a pair of kills and six digs.just narrowly beat outon the digs leaderboard, as Kijowski registered 14 digs to Hurst's 13.came just short of registering yet another double-double, putting together 10 digs and seven kills.SIUE, which falls to 5-18 overall and 2-10 in OVC play, will embark on a four-match road swing starting with a Friday night fixture at reigning Ohio Valley Conference champions Morehead State. First serve from the Bluegrass State is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
Obstacles Biden could face in changing approach to climate cost-benefit analysis

Posted on 27 October 2021 by Guest Author

This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Lexi Smith

ABiden administration shift from cost-benefit analysis to cost-effectiveness analysis could allow President Biden to pursue more aggressive climate action. But any such shift also would face some administrative and legal challenges. While President Biden could act unilaterally to change cost-benefit analysis practices, political resistance given a closely divided House and Senate could still be an obstacle, particularly during the upcoming mid-term election campaign season.

This companion piece to Part 1, which focused on economic issues, explores legal and administrative barriers to such a shift.

Does cost-effectiveness analysis stand a chance?

Assume for purposes of discussion that the Biden administration were to decide to reform current cost benefit analysis (CBA) practices to enable more ambitious climate policy. What then?

The answers depend in large part on the administrations willingness  or lack thereof  to go to battle both publicly, against staunch opponents in the courts, and privately, against the inertia of the administrative state.

Likely legal challenges 

Many conservatives already oppose the existing social cost of carbon framework, as evidenced by a recent lawsuit brought by 13 Republican state attorneys general challenging the Biden administrations interim reinstatement of the Obama-era social cost of carbon.

That suit, led by Missouri Attorney General and U.S. Senate candidate Eric Schmitt, argued that the Biden administration was exercising a quintessentially legislative power in setting the social cost of greenhouse gases. The complaint also alleged that the social cost of carbon calculation was arbitrary and capricious, that is, inadequately supported by reasoned justifications.

The suit was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Audrey Flessig in the Eastern District of Missouri on procedural grounds rather than on the merits of the state AGs claims. The administrations adoption of a cost-effectiveness approach would likely face similar challenges, so it is worth evaluating how the AGs claims might apply to judicial review of such a switch.

The first claim, that President Biden is exercising quintessentially legislative power, seems very unlikely to succeed. The executive branch has an extensive and largely bipartisan history of running cost-benefit analysis across all major federal proposed rulemakings through the Office of Management and Budgets Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). OIRA was established by a series of executive orders beginning with President Reagan and continuing still. Its practices have been honed by Democratic and Republican administrations alike. If it were beyond presidential authority to conduct cost-benefit analysis of federal rulemakings, the courts likely would have already done so, but in any event would have to strike down a wide range of long-standing executive actions.

The second claim  that federal agencies use of cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness analysis in evaluating the climate impacts of policy decisions, is arbitrary and capricious  may pose a more serious obstacle. Under the Administrative Procedure Act, many actions by federal agencies must be supported by adequate reasoning, and courts often review agency actions to determine whether they meet the arbitrary and capricious standard. (Courts, however, have generally tended to afford agencies policy decisions a good deal of deference.)

The transition to cost-effectiveness analysis would likely be subjected to legal challenge. In some instances, courts have held that environmental statutes require cost-benefit analysis, but those cases involved agency actions under specific congressional statutes rather than taken through unilateral executive authority. At the same time, courts are generally hesitant to find agencies policy decision-making processes arbitrary and capricious unless there is no rational connection between the facts examined and the conclusions drawn. But even so, there is a small chance that a court could find a shift from cost-benefit to cost-effectiveness analysis to be inadequately well-reasoned and therefore arbitrary, or oppose it on the grounds that it conflicts with statutory demands for cost-benefit analysis.

 and executive branch agency push-back

As mentioned above, OIRA was established by executive order to oversee cost-benefit analysis for major rulemakings under the executive branch. This origin means that the president has power to change the agencys mandate, meaning President Biden can mandate that OIRA implement cost-effectiveness analysis in the climate context.

However, it is worth noting that attempts to reform OIRA by both Presidents Clinton and Obama largely failed. Both Democratic presidents had tried to curtail the agencys authority over executive agencies like EPA: They did so by placing time limits on its policy reviews, requiring more transparency, and placing more emphasis on values that are often difficult to quantify, such as distributive equity, discrimination, and health, safety, and environmental concerns.

In practice, OIRA staff often circumvented these requirements. As some experts put it, OIRA has doggedly clung to its cost-reduction mission, justifying its function as a check on the federal bureaucracy with reference to the pervasive belief that agencies will systematically overregulate.

These sorts of ingrained staff attitudes can be difficult to change, so President Bidens attempts to reform the agencys cost-benefit analysis approach could face an uphill battle even from within. Moving toward cost-effectiveness analysis in the climate context would mean revising or abandoning decades of guidance, expertise, and established agency practice, and implementing a new policy review paradigm more or less from scratch. That would be an imposing hill to climb for any administration, especially during a tight upcoming mid-term election year.

Making the switch from cost-benefit analysis to cost-effective analysis would not be easy  nor would it happen overnight. OIRA and other centers of cost-benefit decisionmaking in the administrative state are firmly entrenched in their practices, going back to the early Quality of Life review controversies during the Reagan administration. But if the Biden administration is serious about addressing the limitations of traditional climate economics and implementing a framework that supports more ambitious climate action, it may have to think seriously about trying, forgive the cliche here, to teach those old dogs some new tricks.

Lexi Smith is a third-year student at Yale Law School. She studied environmental science and public policy as an undergraduate at Harvard, and she worked as an advisor to the Mayor of Boston on climate policy before enrolling in law school.
However you may feel about the place superhero blockbusters have occupied in the cultural landscape for the past dozen-plus years, there is something ineluctably sad about the way directing one has become the primary marker of success for a gifted emerging filmmaker. Distinguish yourself in your field, as Chloe Zhao did when she won the Best Director and Best Picture Oscars last year for her contemplative indie road movie Nomadland, and you are ceremoniously handed the keys to the Marvel cara gigantic CGI-enhanced vehicle that can navigate black holes and shoot rays of plasma out of its headlights, but that always moves in the same direction to arrive at the same predetermined spot.

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Thats not to say that Zhaos Eternals doesnt feel different from the average Marvel offering. This is a movie with a prominently featured gay male relationship, a (PG-13rated) sex scene between two other major characters, the first deaf superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Lauren Ridloffs Makkari), and the most diverse cast of superbeings the franchise has yet offered. Eternals is as sociologically inclusive and as pictorially beautiful as any movie in the franchise, with scene after scene bathed in the warm light of Zhaos favorite time of day, the pre-dusk golden hour. But its also one of the weakest Marvel movies Ive seen, meandering and wan. It takes place over a vast timespan in locations all over the globe (and the galaxy), yet it has the curiously claustrophobic feel of a Saturday afternoon serial filmed entirely in a windowless studio.

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The Eternals, a gang of immortal quasi-divinities created thousands of years ago by even more powerful space beings called the Celestials, have spent the last few millennia scattered around Earth living undercover as regular mortal beings. As the groups tech wizard Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry)a sort of divine IT departmentpoints out, that requires changing residences periodically so your neighbors never notice how you dont seem to age. Flashbacks threaded throughout the films first half show us that members of the Eternals have been present at many of the great atrocities of human history: the siege of the ancient city-state of Tenochtitlan by colonizing Spanish forces, the dropping of the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima. But according to an ancient law not unlike the prime directive of the Star Trek universe, the Eternals are forbidden to interfere in human affairs. They may save individual lives in a pinch, but they cannot use their superpowers to prevent the global problems that arise from the poor moral choices made by humans. This places the Eternals in an existential, even religious dilemma: What purpose were they created for, if not to engage their Celestial-given skills to help the planet they have come to love? Is it possible that its time to stand up to Arishem (voiced by David Kaye), the Celestial space gianta literal sky daddywho has dictated their every move for millennia?

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When Earth is once again menaced by a race of monsters known as the Deviantspacks of vaguely lupine CGI beasts made of what appear to be bundled gray extension cordsthe Eternals must reunite. Their leader, Ajak (Salma Hayek), who has been spending her semi-retirement on a picturesque South Dakota ranch, emerges, resplendent in a cowboy hat and shearling vest, to gather the crew from their various hideouts around the globe.

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One of the most well-adjusted Eternals, and the closest thing this sprawling multicharacter story has to a protagonist, is Sersi (Gemma Chan). Working by day as a teacher at the Natural History Museum in London, she limits her superheroic efforts to her off hours. Sersis power is to be able to transform any material into any other material, a skill that comes in handy when a child is about to be crushed by a large falling object, as happens twice in the early scenes of Eternals. Sersi also has a mortal boyfriend, Dane (Kit Harington), who is unaware of her cosmic back story. But a part of her is still enmeshed with fellow Eternal Ikaris (Richard Madden), with whom she was romantically involved for centuries (been there, sister) and who has now reappeared to help fight the Deviants with his extremely silly-looking but apparently undefeated ability to shoot laser beams from his eyes while hovering broodingly in midair.

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There are more Eternals, so many more. Gilgamesh (Don Lee) is a super-strong sweetheart whose main role is to watch over the volatile Thena (Angelina Jolie). She, in turn, is a white-catsuited glamourpuss with country-music hair whose power involves conjuring an indestructible golden sword out of thin air. Thena is suffering from a kind of immortality-induced mental illness that causes her to periodically lash out at her fellow Eternals as if they were enemies; when this happens, her eyes turn into opalescent marbles, a good look for her.

Thats not to say that Eternals doesnt feel different from the average Marvel offering.

Sprite (Lia McHugh) is the only underage Eternal, a permanent adolescent who pines after the hunky Ikaris and longs, Pinocchio-style, to be turned into a real girl. Druig (Barry Keoghan) is a rebellious type who uses his psychic powers to create an isolated Amazon jungle settlement of peaceful, if brainwashed, human followers. And Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani) is the comic-relief superhero. His hands can generate lethal fireballs at will, but he is more interested in remaining one of Bollywoods top male stars. In one of the movies best jokes, Kingo shows another character a wall of movie posters demonstrating his presence in the Indian film industry over three generations, passing himself off first as his own grandfather and then as his father. After walking out on a (delightful) Bollywood dance sequence to join his mighty ex-co-workers, Kingo brings along his valet (the endearing Harish Patel) to shoot a puff-piece documentary about the Eternals. This setup makes for some welcome humor amid the solemn pageantry to come, though it seems strange that none of the superheroes would object to the idea of being publicly outed after millennia spent living incognito.

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The film, scripted by Zhao, Patrick Burleigh, and Ryan and Kaz Firpo, weaves plenty of jokes in with long stretches of intergalactic hocus pocus and equally long action set pieces. But the parts only sporadically cohere into anything like a whole. Zhao, a director whose previous three films have all centered on the everyday lives of working-class rural outsiders, seems ill-suited to a movie of this scale and frankly uninterested in the fight scenes.

Perhaps this movies sluggish pace, what I can only describe as a lack of narrative muscle tone, can be attributed to the lack of a single identifiable villain. Instead of the Avengers sagas mauve meanie Thanos, whose staunch belief in the rightness of his must-destroy-half-the-universe mission made him an actual character with a comprehensible if horrifying motivation, all we get here are sad ropy CGI dogs with no apparent goals beyond the desire to destroy the Eternals. A scene where Phastos, standing in the ruins of Hiroshima, berates himself for allowing his technological advances to make way for the Atomic Age feels in questionable taste when the movies ultimate conflict takes place not in the crucible of the human soul but in a landscape overrun by animated superbeasts.

Eternals cinematography incorporates a little more natural light and open landscape than your average Marvel joint, but the demands of a $200 million corporate enterprise ultimately prevail over any aspirations to auteurship. Thats OKa filmmaker of Zhaos gifts has earned the right to try her hand at what, like it or not, is one of the dominant genres of the 21st century. She has also earned the right to make a bad movie, shrug it off and move on. Whatever world she decides to build next, I hope its heroes are significantly less super.
Mort Sahl, who died on Tuesday at 94, may be unknown to most people who are younger than half that age, but in his prime in the 1950s, he sparked a revolution in stand-up comedy that persists to this day.

Before Sahl, the headline comics performed on the Vegas strip or the Catskills circuit, reciting jokessnappy setups and rim-shot punchlinesabout wives, kids, and mothers-in-law. Sahl, who made his mark at the hungry i, a dank, dingy nightclub in San Franciscos North Beach district, uncorked discursive monologues on politics and the eras raft of social hypocrisiesthe sorts of topics that polite people didnt talk about in public. (Yes, Will Rogers poked fun at politicians, but in a genial manner; Sahl was out for blood.)

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Sahl had the look and manner of a hip Berkeley professor, dressed not in a suit and tie but in chinos, a V-necked sweater, and a shirt with an open collar, bounding to the stage with a sly grin, a few newspapers and magazines tucked under his arm. (Many years later, he would teach a course on the other America at Claremont McKenna College.) With the cadence of a jazz musician, he would read from some of the articles, commenting sarcastically; digress to another issue; cackle at some improvised observation; then return to the topic after musing, Now where were we?

Other, similar comedians and satirists would soon emerge from similar scenes with their own forms of rebellionLenny Bruce, Jonathan Winters, Tom Lehrerbut Sahl was the first, the tone-setter, and the most enduringly influential. Without him, it is hard to imagine the likes of Woody Allen, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, or Dave Chappelle.

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Sahl was the most overtly political of the gang that some stuffy scribe denounced as sick comics. He first appeared at the hungry i on Christmas night, 1953, and, after a few weeks of experimenting, scored with these two jokes about the eras Red Scare: Joe McCarthy doesnt question what you say so much as your right to say it. And: Every time the Russians throw an American in jail, the House Un-American Activities Committee retaliates by throwing an American in jail, too.

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By the end of the decade, Sahl had become fabulously rich and famous, appearing on the cover of Time, starring in a hit one-man Broadway show called The Next President, and playing nightclubs around the nation for $7,500 a week (roughly $52,000 in todays dollars), as much as the average American earned in a year. Walter Kerr, the New York Herald Tribunes theater critic, lauded Sahls play as an indication that something in our society has begunafter too many muddy and fearful yearsto change. First thing you know, irreverence will be in vogue again, and even satire may wear its old, outrageous, and becoming smile. Its nice to know improper things can once more be said in public.

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Sahl had no discernible ideology except for a distrust of all authority, regardless of which party was in power, and a disdain toward all shibboleths. Is there any group here that I havent offended? he would often say toward the end of a set. I wish I had a cause because Ive got a lot of enthusiasm, he was quoted as saying in a 1960 New Yorker profile.

John F. Kennedys election as president in that year marked Sahls peakand the start of his downfall. Sahl adored Kennedyhis insouciant wit and youthful charmand the Kennedy crowd adored Sahl in return, laughing along with his trenchant stabs at Eisenhower, Nixon, and the stagnant complacency of the era. But then, once Kennedy entered the White House, this same crowd was appalled when Sahl started going after him. Sahl found himself blackballed from Camelot and never got over the sting. Nor, however, did he quite get over his infatuation with Kennedy himselfand JFKs assassination wrecked him. He plunged deep down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories, going onstage not with his usual props of newspapers and magazines but rather with a marked-up copy of the Warren Report (which concluded that JFK was shot by a sole gunman), devoting entire, hourslong sets to shredding its inconsistencies.

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In short, Sahl committed the cardinal, often fatal sin of a stand-up comedian: He became unfunny. (Dave Chappelle, take note.)

Lenny Bruce committed the same sin around this time, though Bruce spent time onstage dissecting the transcripts of his own court trials on charges of obscenity and drug possession. Bruce died of an overdose in 1966, at the age of 40. Sahl, who was just two years younger than Bruce and an uneasy friend till the end, avoided that degree of self-destruction, but he vanished from the public light for a few years.

Sahl made a comeback with the reemergence, then implosion, of another blast from the past: Richard Nixon. The abortive second term of Nixons presidencyfrom his landslide over George McGovern in 1972 to the Watergate hearings of 73 and his resignation in 74served as a perfect scene-setter for Sahls subtly savage satire and shrewd social observations.

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But he never came all the way back. Over the past few decades, he hosted some short-lived cable shows, wrote a few unproduced movie scripts, and did infrequent nightclub gigs. He became a comedians comedianvenerated by other comedians, especially those old enough to know that they wouldnt be doing what they were doing if it werent for himbut he never quite kept up with the shifting times in a way that restored his appeal with a broader audience. Not long after his Watergate revival, he spent a few years as a resident comedian at a big hotel in Las Vegasas clear a sign as any that his brand of humor had gone mainstream: a triumph, but an ambivalent one for an artist who had once been fueled by an avant-garde edginess.
Last weekend, the leading voices of the QAnon camp gathered in Las Vegas to discuss the state of the world and the future of their movement. The prominent names in attendance at the convention included Jim and Ron Watkins, a father-and-son pair accused of inventing the conspiracy theory.

But the speech that ultimately garnered the most attention was by the actor Jim Caviezel, who is best knownat least among the conservative Christian crowdfor playing Jesus in Mel Gibsons 2004 film The Passion of the Christ. Caviezels speech, which amounted to a literal call to arms against the liberal worldview, concluded with the proclamation that the Storm is upon usa direct invocation of QAnons central conspiracy theory.

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On Monday, Caviezels speech was quoted approvingly by a Catholic bishop. All need to listen to this speech, wrote Joseph Strickland, the bishop of Tyler, Texas.

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All need to listen to this speech Freedom is the right to do what we ought..Jim Caviezel: HISTORIC SPEECH & The Storm is Upon Us @ The TPV Patriot Double Down in Las Vegas | Media https://t.co/vytGo5B1TI  Bishop J. Strickland (@Bishopoftyler) October 25, 2021

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While Strickland didnt directly reference QAnon in his tweet, his critics werent surprised that he agreed with the sentiment. Strickland, who is 62, rose to prominence in the Texas Church while blogging about his daily jogs, priestly duties, parish goings-on, and his eventual elevation from priest to bishop under Pope Benedict in 2012. He has maintained his online presence since then, and while he is just one of some 250 bishops in the U.S., he has leveraged his platform to become one of the leading voices of the Catholic right.

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In 2018, Strickland threw his support behind Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganos broadside against Pope Francis, accusing him of covering up sex abuse allegations. Strickland was, from that point, associated with the Francis opposition. He went on to accuse the Church of having a deep state and challenge the pope to fire him for not being politically correct.

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His interference in secular politics is even more direct. An outspoken critic of President Joe Biden and all other Catholic Democrats, Strickland has typically focused his energy on crying out against gay marriage and, most emphatically, abortion, labeling the supporters of abortion rights as agents of evil. But those arent the only issues that Strickland cares about, and while his position on abortion lines up with Catholic teaching, several other stances very much do not.

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The most shocking evidence for this came from his firm support for a blogger priest named Fr. James Altman, whose reactionary positions led his own bishop in Wisconsin to ask him to resign. (Altman is currently challenging his ousting in a canonical appeal.) Altman set off a firestorm in 2020 with a video titled You cannot be a Catholic & a Democrat. Period. In the video, he asserted that Democrats would burn in hell because of the partys support for abortion rights, DACA, and climate change mitigation efforts.

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As the Bishop of Tyler I endorse Fr Altmans statement in this video, Strickland wrote on Twitter in response. My shame is that it has taken me so long. Thank you Fr Altman for your COURAGE. If you love Jesus & His Church & this nationpleases HEED THIS MESSAGE.

In subsequent videos, Altman said both climate change and COVID were hoaxes, made homophobic, misogynistic, and antisemitic comments, blasted Black Lives Matter and cancel culture, blamed Breonna Taylors death on her choice of boyfriends, urged Catholics to avoid the COVID vaccine, called the Jan. 6 insurrection a false flag operation, and accused Pope Francis of betray[ing God] like Judas.* Strickland has only doubled down on his support for Altman, tweeting that the priest was only in trouble for speaking the truth. For a while, onlookers speculated that Altman would try to transfer to Stricklands diocese for shelter.

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Fr James Altman is in trouble for speaking the truth. I originally supported him when he spoke bold truth during the election. I continue to support him for speaking the truth in Jesus Christ. He inspires many to keep the faith during these dark days. Let us pray for him.  Bishop J. Strickland (@Bishopoftyler) May 24, 2021

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Strickland likes to be in the news. He led a prayer for a national election fraud rally. He has continued to crusade against the COVID vaccine, which he incorrectly claims uses fetal cells from abortions. He has also agreed to sponsor a project called Veritatis Splendor that plans to establish a 600-acre commune for Conservative Catholics to free themselves of the perceived anemia of liberal Catholicism. For critics, each of these positions shows one clear thing about Strickland: He is eager for a fight.

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Like many conservative Catholics who feel their worldview has been sidelined by Francis papacy, Strickland speaks often of the ascendance of evil and sin in the world and the urgent need to overthrow the current state of things. In an interview last year, Strickland recalled a meeting with Francis with disdain. The world is falling apart and Pope Francis was very cordial, very welcoming, he said. But like I said, I mean, when a leg has been severed and were bleeding out, I dont think we really need cordial and welcoming. We need something more.

This, ultimately, was Caviezels message as well. In his 20-minute speech, the actor spoke of sex trafficking and abortion, of the welfare state, of the corrosion of freedoms and the vague evils of liberalism. He compared the current state of the country to that of the enslaved Israelites, or of the oppressed American colonies, or of Europe facing the menace of Nazi Germany. Were at war now with the most dangerous enemy that has ever faced mankind, Caviezel said. He continued:

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Theres only one guaranteed way you can have peace and you can have it in the next second: surrender. Admittedly theres a risk to any course we follow other than this. But any lesson is history tells us the greater risk lies in appeasement. And this is the specter our well-meaning Christian liberal friends refuse to face. Our priests, our pastors, and now, sadly, even our pope. Our policy of accommodation is appeasement and it gives us no choice between peace and war, only between fight and surrender.

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Caviezel then quoted in full Gibsons final speech in Braveheart in which the character William Wallace urges Scottish soldiers to sacrifice their lives for freedom. (Gibson, who Caviezel mentioned several times, is strongly associated with the fringe Catholic right as well and recently spoke at an event for canceled priests.) My fellow Americans, you and I have a rendezvous with destiny, Caviezel said. We are headed into the storm of all storms. Yes, the Storm is upon us, but not without Jesus as our rudder.

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Stricklands support for Caviezels speech wasnt that surprising to his critics, given that he has already shown himself to be on board with conspiracy-minded thinking: He signed a letter earlier in the year asserting that the COVID pandemic had been used as a pretext to deprive Americans of their freedoms and promote a world government. There is, after all, a certain shared DNA to QAnon and the conspiratorial Catholic right. Each has its byzantine conspiracy theories positing a depraved, Satanic evil at the core of their respective institutions. But the Strickland situation shows their similarity to be deeper. As with the leaders of QAnon, its not Stricklands strange and unfounded beliefs that cause Catholics to worry about division in the Churchits his direction to his followers to fight for them.

Correction, Oct. 28, 2021: This piece originally misspelled Breonna Taylors first name.

Is there an interesting story happening in your religious community? Email tips to molly.olmstead@slate.com.
Its not a golden era for Americas state governments.

The governor of New York, regardless of who it is, only seems to exist to screw up in nationally humiliating ways. Californias leadership class is just getting around to dealing with the literally existential quandary of having too much housing for nature to sustain and not enough housing to sustain humanity. Blue states in the Midwest may be trying their best but are held back by gerrymandered-in Republican legislators whose only goal is the continuous reinvestigation of voter fraud that did not take place. Red states are, obviously, also laser-focused on pretend fraud, but not to the extent of ignoring other priorities like making sure no one learns about racism in high school or has to get vaccinated during a death wave. If states are supposed to be laboratories of democracy, then flames are shooting out of the beakers, alarm klaxons are bleating horribly, and the scientists are running back and forth screaming.

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Not in New Jersey, though. New Jerseythe home of Thomas Edisons laboratory, by the way, which is usually considered the greatest laboratory of all timeis getting things done.

The state is belittled, in general, for many fairly sound reasons, and its politics have historically been associated largely with the phrase multiple-count indictment. But it has in recent years become a model of how to run a government that can respond to the United States myriad problems, old and new.

For real!

First, the coronavirus. When the pandemic exploded in the U.S., New Jersey was victimized by poor federal planning and what we now know to have been a fatal hesitancy to lock down New York City, where many of the states residents are (or were) obligated to travel for work. Since then, however, it has executed a consistent and successful strategy of shutdowns, mask encouragement, and vaccination. Its going back and forth with New York for the distinction of having the highest vax rate of any state with an at least equally large populationboth states have double-jabbed 66 percent of all residentsand it has one of the lowest rates of infection in the country. Pockets of vaccine hesitancy have been attacked proactively with school- and neighborhood-based outreach programs. (My colleague Aymann Ismail, who lives in Newark, confirms: There are tents everywhere.) In the midst of all this, New Jersey ran an entire presidential and congressional election in which mail ballots were sent to every voter and thenunlike in New Yorkcounted quickly afterward.

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As far ahead of the pack as not screwing basic things up puts an American institution these days, New Jersey also has a record of progress that exists apart from the pandemic. In 2018, the state passed a law guaranteeing 40 hours of annual paid sick leave to in-state workers. In 2019, it passed a law that will raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024. (Its currently at $12.) In 2020, it passed a tax increase on individuals earning more than $1 million a year, a reform similar to one that Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has failed to get through in his state, and which has helped New Jersey actually fulfill its social-spending commitments to a degree not seen in many years. 2020 also saw the enactment of a bill, described by Politico as a groundbreaking win for the environmental justice movement, that requires regulators to consider historic levels of pollution in a given neighborhood or area before approving further risks. (Seems like a no-brainer, but progress is progress!) And in 2021, the dirty Jerz decriminalized marijuana and set up a process to begin the legal sale thereof.

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One of the people who deserves credit for this is the states governor, Phil Murphy, who won office in 2017 and is currently up for reelection in voting that concludes next Tuesday. His entry into state politics did not at first seem like a populist triumph: Hes a former Goldman Sachs executive who has one of his superexpensive homes in Middletown Township, a classy-skewing, New York Cityaccessible part of the Shore. (He maintains other dwellings in Berlin and Italy, as one does.) But as Brandon McKoyuntil recently the president of New Jersey Policy Perspective, a progressive policy grouptold me, it quickly became clear that Murphy had retained the lower middle class perspective of his Boston-area upbringing and believed in a bottom-up, middle-out theory of growth. Noted McKoy, whos now an executive with the D.C.-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: The first two major policies he was campaigning on were a millionaires tax and the minimum wage.

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As McKoy points out, none of the bills that Murphy has signed into existence are controversial ones. Theyre popular not just with the Democrats who increasingly make up the local populationFairleigh Dickinson professor Dan Cassino recently observed to New Jersey Spotlight News that the state is exporting a lot of Republicans to Florida, while importing a lot of Democrats from Brooklynbut with voters as a whole. However, the Biden administrations Build Back Better agenda, which is currently wedged between the House and Senate like a cargo ship in the Suez Canal, is a vivid reminder that even popular proposals can get pulverized into junk by special interest lobbies, the individual legislators who protect them, and the apparently ineradicable Democratic reflex to project responsibility by turning something that would help everyone into something that would help a smaller number of people and confuse and anger everyone else.

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Murphy deserves credit for keeping his eye on the ball, then, as well as for prioritizing practical competence and large-scale reform over the presidential campaignminded accumulation of superficial resume items. (Both Andrew Cuomo and Murphys Republican New Jersey predecessor, Chris Christie, were extreme offenders on this count, and look where it got them!) From a political perspective, its impressive that hes been able to keep his relationship with the states Democratic legislative machine in working order, although the cost of that goodwill, it was suggested to me, was his decision to support the renewal of expensive and dubiously useful economic development tax breaks. Hes also been criticized for taking a cautious approach to criminal justice and police reform, pandemic relief for the undocumented, and in-state Immigration and Customs Enforcement detentionissues, basically, that have the potential to alienate conservative white voters. Decisions on these subjects have considerable consequences in a place that is 15 percent Black and almost 25 percent immigrant; relative to other states, though, New Jerseys baseline consensus on social tolerance and law-enforcement accountability is an adequate one.

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Since before Murphys time, meanwhileand before they became salient, middle classcrushing concerns for national Democratsthe state has also been forward-minded (albeit in fits and starts) about housing and early-childhood education, two issues with racial justice implications. In respective rulings related to two landmark decisions, Mt. Laurel and Abbott v. Burke, the states supreme court ordered local governments to attempt to use their zoning powers to create affordable housing and to (among other things) make education available to 3- and 4-year-olds. Advocacy groups, crucially, have held governments accountable for actually following those decisions, whose mandates Murphy and the Legislature have also recently begun funding at increased levels. The Fair Share Housing Center estimates that Mt. Laurel has helped create 70,000 affordable housing units and that 50,000 more will be built in the next decade; one legacy of Abbott is that many counties have free pre-K systems, which Joe Biden has cited as models for the rest of the country, in which the state covers tuition for children enrolled at privately run preschools that meet given standards. Somewhere between one-quarter and one-third of the states 3- and 4-year-olds are currently enrolled in the program, including your authors 3-year-old daughter. Its like living in Scandinavia but with many, many more Italian-food options.

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Does New Jersey have problems? Of course. Despite its efforts to build out affordable housing, and the rapid, dense development of Jersey City, the state still has some of the most cost-burdened renters in the country. Its unemployment insurance system suffered some of the same pandemic meltdowns as those elsewhere, and its wealth gaps are extremely noticeable even on short trips from town to town. One governance expert, Yales David Schleicher, alluded to a famous Chris Rock routine in noting to me that the states finances are kept afloat by its millions of rich dentists; it was an exaggeration, but not a huge onethe state has one of the countrys highest median incomesand those dentists are interspersed with pockets of poverty from Trenton to Newark to Atlantic City. There are also the perennial issues of aesthetically off-putting factory sprawl and things like, you know, the maple syrup event.

But the big question about the United States future isnt whether it will encounter economic and environmental crises. Its whether it can react to its problems functionally. (Were talking about addressing the challenges of being a post-industrial pluralistic democracy here rather than just, like, whose well-to-do urban neighborhoods look nicest, Massachusetts.) And the country would, jokes and stereotypes aside, be well-served by its other governments starting to keep up with the Bon Jovi Toxic Waste Sopranos State.

For realseriously!
On a recent episode of Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick spoke with Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of Berkeley Law, about the Supreme Courts latest rulings on police immunity and his new book, Presumed Guilty: How the Supreme Court Empowered the Police and Subverted Civil Rights. A portion of their conversation, which has been edited and condensed for clarity, has been transcribed below.

Dahlia Lithwick: The Supreme Court generously provided a little illumination for this discussion with a pair of unsigned opinions last Monday, which had the court siding with the police in not one but two cases in which plaintiffs claimed that officers had used excessive force, and the court overturned two separate lower court rulings that had allowed the officers to be sued for civil rights violations. Can you talk us through these pair of opinions and maybe through the lens of the much larger conversation you have in the book about this line of qualified immunity cases?

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Erwin Chemerinsky: My guess is that most of the audience is familiar with qualified immunity. But just a bit of background: Whenever any government official is sued for money damages, theres always an immunity defense. Some government officials have absolute immunity and cant be sued at all for certain tasksjudges for the judicial tasks, prosecutors for the prosecutorial tasks, have absolute immunity.

But government officials who dont have absolute immunity always have qualified immunity. And the Supreme Court has said that qualified immunity means that a government officer is liable only if he or she violates clearly established law that every reasonable officer should know. It has to be a right established beyond debate. I do think its worth pausing saying this is all just judicially created law. Theres nothing in any statute, let alone the constitution, about this. Many on both the right and the left have criticized the Supreme Courts qualified immunity jurisprudence. In reality, its close to absolute immunity, and thats especially so in police excessive force cases.

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Both the rulings that you referred to were police excessive force cases. And I think together, they establish a really important point. The first of these is Rivas-Villegas v. Cortesluna. And it involves a situation where a woman and her two daughters where barricaded into a bedroom. Abusive boyfriend was there, apparently with a chainsaw to try to cut down the door, and one of the daughters called the police. The police come, they get in an altercation with the man, they shoot him with a couple of bean bags, and then they pin him down to the ground and do so with great force, causing injuries to him. And the question was: Was the action of the police pinning him in that way excessive force? The 9th Circuit said, under 9th Circuit precedent, it clearly was excessive force. The Supreme Court in its per curiam opiniontheres no dissentsays that its reversing the 9th Circuit, and it stresses that theres no case exactly on point in this situation, so the officers are protected by qualified immunity.

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The other case that came down is also a police abuse case. This is the City of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, v. Bond. It also is a tragic domestic dispute. A woman calls the police on her ex-husband, the police get in a conversation with him in a tool shed, he pulls a hammer off the wall, it appears that he might throw the hammer at the police. Even though theyre many feet away, the police shoot and kill him. The state sues for excessive force. And here its the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit that says that the case can go forward, let the jury decide if its excessive force. But the Supreme Court, again, once more in a unanimous per curiam opinion reverses, and once more the court stresses that theres not a case on point. The Supreme Court says, and I quote: Not one of the decisions relied on by the Court of Appeals comes close to establishing that the officers conduct was unlawful. The court concludes in the last paragraph, Neither the panel majority nor the respondent have identified a single precedent finding a Fourth Amendment violation under similar circumstances. The officers entitled qualified immunity. What the Supreme Court is saying, and saying explicitly, is unless theres a case with identical facts, the officers are protected by qualified immunity. And of course, rarely are you going to have identical facts, which then means that qualified immunity is still very protective of police officers.

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I know that this is rank speculation, but the thing Ive been asked the most since these decisions came down is where are the dissents? Why are we not getting a passionate dissent from Justice Sotomayor? Why are we not getting an angry dissent from Justice Kagan?

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Just a year ago in Taylor v. Riojas, the Supreme Court, 71, said you dont need a case on point, so long as the office had fair notice that the conduct was unconstitutional, no qualified immunity. Why doesnt one of the liberal justices say that here? My guess is that the liberal justices are trying to figure out: When is it worth their writing dissenting opinions? Justice Sotomayor said a few weeks ago that people are going to be very disappointed by this term. She knows whats on the docket. She knows what her colleagues are likely to do. And my guess is that the liberal justices decided these werent the cases to expend their political capital. These werent the cases to expend their time on dissents.

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So I guess this dovetails into the question that I wouldve led with otherwise, which is: Your book ends on this slightly depressing note. You say, We must hope all this attentionand youre talking about the protests that happened in 2020will pressure all the branches of government at every level to take action to change policing in the United States, but the Supreme Court has become ever more conservative over the last half-century, especially in the last few years. The protests are unlikely to resonate with these justices.

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And so I think were sitting here in this doom loop where horrible things happen. The nation reacts with horrorwhether its Eric Garner or George Floyd. They take to the streets. They demand reform. And I think your point, both in that quote and in the book, is that the court is as much a driver of these police practices as police departments and local governments. And yet, somehow, they are left out of this conversation. We give them a pass. And we take to the streets and were angry, but the prime mover here gets off scot-free.

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The thesis of the book is that the Supreme Court is responsible for so many of the problems of policing in the United States and especially the racialized nature of policing in the United States. And the reality is at least among the six conservative justices, theres no recognition of a problem of policing, no recognition of a problem of racialized policing in the United States. So in the book, I dont let the court have a free pass. In fact, the reason I wrote the book was to say: We need to blame the Supreme Court for the problems of policing in the United States. But I also dont think we can look to the Supreme Court for the solution, not in the near term. Given the six conservative justice in their age, I dont see theyre changing their views, and I dont see their being replaced. So my point in the last chapter is meant to be a hopeful one.

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There are places that we can go for reform other than the Supreme Court. Now I have to admit when I finished the manuscript in October of 2020, I was more hopeful than I am now a year later. Because the tragic death of George Floydthe protest in all 50 states led me to believe that there was going to be legislative action. A good bill, not a perfect bill, passed the House of Representatives that wouldve changed many things, including qualified immunity. But it stalled in the Senate and because of the likely filibuster, its not going to pass.

Some local governments have adopted laws. California adopted a law a year ago that prohibits police from using the chokehold. California, this year, adopted laws that are quite good in terms of certain reforms of the police. A police officer, after certain disciplinary violations, now is decertified and cant move someplace else in the state to become a police officer. Many cities adopted ordinances, prohibiting the use of the chokehold. I thought thered be more legislative action. I worry now that its going to take the death of the next George Floyd, or Eric Garner, or Laquan McDonaldthe next mobilization to push through reform. But I still think its possible.

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In your book, in every one of these cases, you tell us the backstory, but you also toggle back and forth to conversations you have with your students and how they react to these cases. And most chillingly for me, conversations youve had in your various students and interventions with police forces, who sometimes come to you and say, Help us understand this. And I wonder if you can help us understand some of those conversations. If, like me, you dont want to believe that cops are just racist, what is the thing that you hear time and time and time again, when youre talking to police chiefs and other officials who are explaining to you why we cant get out of this doom loop?

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Ill tell a couple of stories to answer your question. One is a little bit over 20 years ago, when the Rampart scandal came to light in Los Angeles, I was asked to do a study of the Los Angeles Police Department. And I recruited a wonderful group of civil rights lawyers to work with me. Over about six months, I interviewed about 100 police officers. And overall I was tremendously impressed by them. So many of them told me that the proudest day of their life was the day that they got their badge. And what I also found so disturbing was I learned a lot about the culture of the Los Angeles Police Department. So many officers told me that at the police academy, they were taught the law and then they were taught how policing was really done in the city of Los Angeles. Many of the officers told me that they knew that if they ever reported misconduct by another officer, the next time they were in the field in danger, no one would protect their backs. That they feared that theyd often be punished by the brass and retaliated against for exposing wrongdoing by other officers. And I became convinced that the key problem in Los Angeles wasnt overt racism. Certainly there was a great deal of implicit bias, but the real problem was a culture. And its a culture that really exalted Dirty Harry and shunned Serpico.

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My other story is more recent. Youd remember a case in 2016, Utah v. Strieff. It involved, if the police illegally stopped somebody, but then find that theres an outstanding warrant: Is the evidence gained admissible? And Justice Thomas writing for the court said that it is. Justice Sotomayor wrote one of her most important dissents talking about what it is like to be a person of color in the United States and the talks that have to be given to children about dealing with the police. About six months after that case, the inspector general of a major city police department came to my office with all of his staff. And he said, Theres a tremendous increase in illegal stops by our police department. So the police learned in Utah v. Strieff that an illegal stop doesnt matter if you find an outstanding arrest warrantthen the evidence you get is admissible. And how do we deal with the problem of this tremendous increase in illegal stops? And it showed me if nothing else, the police learned very quickly what the Supreme Court says and what they can do and get away with.

I think the police very much want to follow the law. And if the law imposes greater restrictions, theyll follow that. So if the city allows the chokehold, the police are going to use it. And if the city prohibits the chokehold, the police wont use it. If the law allows the police to enter a residence at night without knocking and announcing, the police will do it. But if the law prohibits entering without knocking and announcing, the police wont do it. The police generally are rule followers. Yes, of course, they are bad apples. And yes, theyre overtly racist police, but having talked to a lot of police over many years, I think the police do want to follow the law. And if we had better law, better law from ordinances and statutes and state Supreme Courts, in the U.S. Supreme Court, we would then have better policing.

To hear the entire discussion, listen below, or subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts.
I called up Tim Schwab because I was hoping he could tell me the origin of this phrase Ive been hearing more and more of recently: vaccine apartheid. Ive heard it from the head of the World Health Organization. Ive heard it on the floor of the United Nations.

But Schwab had heard it way before all of that: first, in conversation with friends and colleagues, and then in this article in a South African newspaper called the Mail & Guardian. This article was written by a journalist who has been warning that Africa could become the continent of COVID. He was angry. This resonated with Schwab, because the article didnt just blame structural inequality or manufacturing delays for vaccine apartheid. It blamed Bill Gates.

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Tim Schwab has spent the past few years investigating Gates and his foundation. It is giving charitable grants, he says. But its just operating in such a complicated way that on paper sometimes it feels more like an investment bank than it does a charity.

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If you ask Schwab, having one of the worlds biggest global health charities work like an investment bank, thats the real origin of vaccine apartheid. And the cost is high. As of this month, only 27 percent of people in low-income counties have received a single coronavirus vaccine dose. Compare that to 70 percent of people in some high-income countries.

On Wednesdays episode of What Next, I spoke with Schwab about how the global response to COVID was shaped by the charity of Bill Gates. And when we talk about vaccine apartheid, is an American billionaire to blame? Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Tim Schwab: Bill Gates, he had decades of experience working with vaccines. That has always been an important essential feature of the Gates Foundations work. They had contacts and networks with pharmaceutical companies with which they worked closely for decades. Theyve worked on R&D. Theyve worked on distribution.

It sounds like they were prepared to help.

Yeah, they came in and they were the first mover. They had the network. They had the people on staff. They had a plan, when a lot of government leaders didnt have a plan. And everyone just looks to them for leadership because they seem to know what theyre doing.

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In previous outbreakslike when Ebola hit, in 2014governments were calling the Gates Foundation begging for help. So this time around, they were prepared. Theyd already set up something called Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and then, to address COVID, they popped open COVAX, a global vaccine distribution project.

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All in all, the Gates Foundation spent $1.8 billion on global public health in 2020 alone. But that meant there were few checks or balances on what Gates-funded groups were up to.

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If you look across global health, theyre funding everybody. Nobody is more than one degree removed from the Gates Foundation. So its really difficult to avoid the foundations money. And thats also the case for journalists. If youre a journalist writing about global health, you might end up getting a fellowship or a grant to do reporting thats funded by the Gates Foundation. So its really hard to overstate how much influence that gives the foundation.

So COVID struck. My understanding is that the Gates Foundation was kind of like, This is what we do. We do innovation. And so we should really be leading this. Almost to the chagrin of someone like the World Health Organization that was saying, Hold it. This is what we do. Is that your impression as well?

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The World Health Organization is the obvious place where this pandemic response should be happening for the global poor because they have a mandate. It has some semblance of a democratic institution, where you have member states and you have votes. This should be the place where this is happening. But the World Health Organization has really been hollowed out over the decades because it hasnt been well-funded. And what thats meant is that Bill Gates, and the Gates Foundation, has become one of the most important fundersthe second-largest funder, I thinkof the World Health Organization, which gives it a really outsized role in influencing how it works. So at the point that the pandemic came, the Gates Foundation had certainly felt like it had more of a network and more of a background and better capacity to be leading this pandemic. So the response did end up being routed nominally through the World Health Organization. But all the phone calls, all the working groups, all the meetings, it was really the Gates Foundation that was directing.

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It seems like a shadow government.

I dont know if Id call it a shadow government, but there is certainly something thats fundamentally undemocratic about it. The Gates Foundation doesnt have a constituency that elects it or that can unelect it. Theres virtually no checks and balances over a private foundation. Theres no transparency. So I would say its undemocratic and maybe even anti-democratic. And in some important ways, the growing institutionalized influence of the foundation in fields like global health and other public policies is really eroding democratic institutions and the power of democracy to solve these problems. Instead, were looking to a private billionaire in Seattle for solutions.

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I understand that from the very beginning the Gates Foundation ethos of open markets influenced how some of these projects worked. The vaccine that they got behind was the AstraZeneca vaccine. But my understanding was that was supposed to be an open licenseanyone could make it. But that didnt happen. Why?

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This is part and parcel of these halcyon early days of the pandemic response when there was this really rich discourse around a peoples vaccine and not doing a business-as-usual approach. And one of the early vaccine innovators, it wasnt a pharmaceutical company. It was a university, the University of Oxford in the U.K. And early in the pandemic, there were all these stories about how they had a head start against the coronavirus compared to other vaccine companies because they had a research lab that had been doing work that so closely related to the coronavirus. And as these stories were coming out, you had the researchers in this lab saying that this cant be a profit-driven pandemic response. This really needs to be about public goods and public health. And certainly, the message that they were telegraphing was that you could develop this vaccine and have it available as an open license, which would mean that any capable manufacturer anywhere around the world could get a hold of the vaccine technology and start producing it.

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Sounds smart.

Yeah, it does sound smart. It sounds super resilient. This idea that you could have manufacturing facilities, you can build them or retrofit them in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. So youd have these manufacturing facilities getting on stream all over the world because they knew they could access the vaccine technology and start producing it. And if the University of Oxford had gone that direction that could have really changed the direction of the pandemic. It could have really inspired other players to go in that direction also. But thats not what happened.

What youre saying is that in the beginning, if a big mover had said, Hey, were putting our stake in the ground. Lets share all of our information, that might have influenced beyond their specific vaccine.

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It would have been a really different pandemic response if they had made that decision. But the story that came out was that Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation came to the University of Oxfordtheyd been funding the University of Oxford and their work on vaccines for years. So Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation had a relationship. You could even say they had leverage there, and they talked to the university and they encouraged them. They pushed them, really. And they said, You should really be partnering up with a major multinational pharmaceutical company, somebody who has the wherewithal, the resources, the experience to get this over the finish line and out into peoples arms. And not long after that they partnered with AstraZeneca. And the die was cast. Now it was an exclusive license with AstraZeneca, and so they ended up going down this business-as-usual route to patents, exclusive license, the way the pharmaceutical industry has always operated.

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Locking up intellectual property has been a key criticism of the Gates Foundation approach to every public health crisis. How has Bill Gates responded to that criticism?

One of the arguments that Bill Gates continues to make is that there simply are not available manufacturing facilities around the world that could scale up production. So, he wants to say theres no reason that we should be having this conversation about waiving intellectual property and patents because its not like theyre all of these idle manufacturing facilities out there that could be producing these vaccines.

And to a lot of people, that smacks of a certain patriarchy or colonialism. This idea that poor nations arent sophisticated enough or smart enough to produce this complicated vaccine, which just doesnt make sense because at the same time that Bill Gates is saying this, the New York Times is coming out with a big investigation, highlighting 10 vaccine manufacturers around the world, which could be producing these mRNA vaccinesthat have the capacity, that have the professional expertise, that have all the ingredients in place to be producing these vaccines. And this is not a new story. Throughout the spring of this year, you had all these vaccine companies who were waving their hands saying, If these vaccine companies would waive the patents and share the technology, my facility could be producing this many doses this year.

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Bill Gates doesnt really engage with that. He just reverts back to this talking point to say that theres no such facilities out there

But then there was this other desire to speed up vaccine distribution. Was the Gates Foundation able to help do that?

Well, vaccine distribution is limited by the supply, and so the supply was all being snapped up by rich nations, which were making all these advance purchases against Pfizer and Moderna and everyone else. The Gates Foundation had a long-standing relationship with the Serum Institute of India, the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world. So the foundation leaned on this Serum Institute and made several deals that they were going to start producing vaccines, and those vaccines would go into the arms of the global poor. But then a second wave of the COVID hit India. They had a major problem. The Indian government issued an export ban, which basically meant everything the Serum Institute was producing was going to the arms of Indians.

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So now that were starting to do an autopsy of everything that went wrong with COVAX and the pandemic response, people are saying, where is the risk assessment to put all of our eggs in one basket? So much of this Gates-led project went to this one manufacturer in India. And when things went wrong, they went really wrong for everybody.

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Some people might listen to your criticisms and say, Does this guy really have it in for Bill Gates? What would you say to someone who heard you and thought that?

Well, its not just me saying this. All these news stories are coming out right now providing this autopsy of what went wrong with COVAX. But whats not at the front and center of this is Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation.

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I noticed that too. Theres a lot of conversation about inequity but not a lot of conversation about how we got there.

Thats part of the autopsy. You have to do that to figure out how do we pivot and move forward in this pandemic, and how do we prepare for the next pandemic? And in my mind, as a general principle, if you want to step up and be a leader, when things go wrong, you should take responsibility. And the Gates Foundation clearly is incapable of doing that because they seem to think that the pandemic response is going OK.

But thats also where journalists need to step up and look at: We know if you go back to 2020, there were several news articles talking about how the Gates Foundation was really the chief architect of this program. So now here we are in the other end, lets ask, Well, what was the Gates Foundation role in all of this? And does it make sense for a billionaire in Seattle to have as much power as Bill Gates seems to have? And it goes even beyond this pandemic response, but you could look across U.S. education, African agriculture, global health more broadly, whether youre looking at malaria control or polio eradication. You have this private institution with Bill Gates money in Seattle, and its just an incredible amount of power. And in my mind, the pandemic response is just this really important moment that we need to be looking back at the foundations role in all this and think, Well, maybe next time we should have a more democratic response. We shouldnt depend on billionaire philanthropy that has no checks and balances or transparency to play such an influential role.

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The Gates Foundation is a very top-down technocratic enterprise where Bill Gates sees himself as this really smart guy with these innovative ideas and technology, and he surrounds himself with this elite cadre of highly educated experts. And its his view that from this purse in Seattle, they can devise solutions to fix all the problems of the global poor. And thats a very different approach than going out into a poor nation or a poor community and talking to people and asking them what they need and what they want.

Youve called it colonial.

Its not just me, but a lot of people see that as colonial or neocolonial. I recently did a study looking at the Gates Foundations fundingall of the $70 billion in charitable grants theyve pledged over the last two decades. The face of the foundation is very much these poor Black and brown faces in the global south, as its called. But if you start to look at their grant-making, almost all of their money goes to the wealthiest, whitest nations. Theyre funding NGOs and companies in the United States and the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Very little of their grant-making actually goes to institutions in sub-Saharan Africa, for example. And I think its hard not to raise a question about colonialism when you see it played out in such a striking way. Bill Gates is one of the richest people in the world, and hes getting richer year over year. Hes not getting poorer. We have this idea that hes giving away all of his money, but thats not the case. From such a privileged position and from such an unequal position, Bill Gates has nevertheless managed to brand the Gates Foundation as geared uniquely toward equity, to making sure that all lives have equal value. So theres a real paradox in how the foundation functions along those lines of wealth and power.

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I started birding one summer in college, after I picked up a copy of the Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. During that three-month break from studying biology, I wanted to connect with nature outside the classroom, to be a real naturalist. So I kept my eyes pressed up against my binoculars all day. I spent nights poring over the field guide. I kept with the hobby. Over the years, birding has helped me feel more connection with the world, and more joy in everyday encounters. It helped me become the kind of person I admired.

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Last year, as people searched for something safe and outdoors to do, my hobby went mainstream, entering into the pandemic zeitgeist. You can do it anywhere, the New York Times told readers. Wake up early, exhorted the Washington Post. These stories apparently worked, as Audubon reported a jump in sales of feeders and seed. The youth even found ways to justify an activity that is typically associated with aging boomersVox called it Pokemon Go, but for nature.

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The case for birding during the pandemic is easy to make. But as everyone else picked up their binoculars, I stopped birding. I cant exactly explain whyin between working and taking graduate-level classes in science journalism, I had some free time, but I mostly spent it watching Seinfeld. I simply lost the motivation to zip up my cargo vest and head out to look for wrens and warblers.

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To be quite bluntI have not been birding in the past 18 months. I wanted to figure out what happened, and to find a way to fall in love again.

I thought maybe understanding why humans enjoy nature in the first place could help. So I picked up the phone. Psychologists offered me a few theories about the appeal of plants and wildlife. One is the biophilia hypothesis, or the idea that were genetically preprogrammed to pay attention to elements of nature, says Susan Clayton, a psychologist at the College of Wooster. And we appreciate animals specifically as emissaries from another world, she says.

Nature is also full of fractal patterns and movementsendlessly repeating shapes and patterns of varying sizeswhich our brains might process more easily than the hard edges and straight lines of the city, says Marc Berman, a psychologist at the University of Chicago. Things like trees swaying in the wind or a fish bobbing around a tank can be very pleasant to watch, perhaps due to the fractal nature of those movements and shapes, he says. Birds can exhibit fractals, too, in their feathers, as red-legged partridges do, and in their flight patterns, as is the case for foraging albatrosses.

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In general, nature may stimulate our involuntary attention, Berman says, which means that when we look at a field or a flock, we are free to take it all in without thinking too much about what were looking at. Stimulating our involuntary attention, including through nature, might recharge our supply of directed attention, he adds, which is what we use while listening to a lecture or working on a computer, for example. Doing something like going on a walk in the middle of the workday to gaze at birds can help you feel more focused when you get back to your desk. And unlike directed attention, you probably cant run out of involuntary attention, Berman says.

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You dont often hear people say, Oh, I cant stand looking at that beautiful painting anymore. Its just too interesting,  Berman says.

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In those magical early days, I couldnt look away from that beautiful painting either, so to speak. Id spot a bird, yellow on its front, black around the eyes, small, jumpy, and flip through the pages to find a match: common yellowthroat! Id look at the bird, whose name I now knew, and marvel that it had always been right in front of mecommon yellowthroats live in grasslands and forests across North Americaand Id never known it.

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But after a while, seeing a common yellowthroat started to feel a little mundane. They are, as the name implies, quite common! I craved that initial feeling of a new species, that shock of wonderits infectious. So, as I started to run out of new species to see around my neighborhood, my birding became less leisurely backyard pastime and more thrill-seeking adventure sport.

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I spent my spring break senior year of college birding myself into a tizzy driving around southern Florida to see painted buntings, Florida scrub jays, and anhingas. I drove across the country after school and birded in the swamps of Louisiana, the grasslands of Texas, and the mountains of Southern Arizona. In the years after graduation, I traveled for my job in wildlife conservation, flying out to the Peruvian Amazon or Ghanaian highlands. Id always buy the requisite field guides and make sure to pack my binoculars. I racked up species after species on my life list, riding the wave of mystery as I clambered up mountains and through jungles to spot another avian delight.

And then lockdown hit. My birding options became limited to the parks near my home in D.C. Without the promise of a toucan or a biblical torrent of shorebirds, what was the rush to go see some sparrows Id seen a thousand times before?

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Involuntary attention may be inexhaustiblethat is, you can look at gorgeous bird after gorgeous bird. But to actually stimulate that involuntary attention, our nature experiences cant be boring either, Berman says. And different people are bored or stimulated by different levels of activity, he adds. When you see Monets Water Lilies for the first time, you could probably stare at the painting all day. But seeing it for the hundredth time? You might not even give it a second glanceespecially if youve decided that looking at paintings is now about seeing as many different ones as possible.

Now, Ive seen my fair share of birds. But Im not even close to the worlds most experienced birder. And if this kind of apathy could plague me, I wondered what might happen to a real birding superstar.

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In 2015, Noah Strycker traversed the planet, from Antarctica to Uganda, spotting 6,042 bird speciesmore than half the bird species on Earth. Hes also the author of multiple bird books, and he leads birding tours.

But being a committed birder is about more than flying off to far places to see technicolor sunbirds and hordes of penguins. Strycker tells me that he birds anywhere he finds himself, whether its the Subantarctic Islands or a backyard in Oregonit grounds him. Theres the trying to find new birds and lifers and go on adventures, and theres the studying bird behavior and watching, you know, one bird for a long time and trying to learn about it, and then everything in between, he says. And I really like both aspects of birding.

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I used to be like that too, before the drive to add new birds to my list overtook everything elseletting the hours pass, ignoring my emails, and watching the sandpipers forage in the mud or the ducks toss in the choppy Atlantic Ocean. It was  transcendent.

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Maybe the issue is I dont feel the way about birds that I used to, I thought. Maybe I havent in a long time.

I tried abandoning my computer for a bit to take a walk in the woods. Its not procrastination, I told myself, its stimulating my involuntary attention.

Along my route, a mob of Canada geese had congregated by the lake and hissed at me. A sharp-shinned hawk swooped from one branch to another and stared me down. In a gully, I walked past five American robins splashing together in a creek. Ive seen all these birds before, and Ive been hissed at, swooped past, and treated to the sight of a bird pool party before. But in each of these moments, I noticed a vestigial flutter, a hint of a familiar joy I could nurture back to life.
Since Friday, more than a dozen outlets have published about 100 articles and counting based on tens of thousands of internal documents leaked by former Facebook product manager Frances Haugen. Among the new findings are that Facebook granted impunity to the worst purveyors of misinformation and hate speech in India, did not have a clear plan for addressing content that helped fuel the Capitol riot, and has struggled to keep human traffickers off of the platform. Haugen initially gave interviews and provided documents to the Wall Street Journal, which ran a blockbuster series in September known as The Facebook Files, revealing internal research that Instagram makes body image issues worse in teen girls, and that Facebooks news feed algorithm promoted angry and divisive content even after the company said it had tweaked it to turn down the temperature. In early October, Haugen decided to share the documents with a wider array of news outlets, which led to the deluge of stories about Facebook over the past few days.

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Beyond some attempts to tarnish Haugen on social media and in the press, Facebook doesnt appear to have done much so far to retaliate against her personallyone more thing that makes Haugen one of the more exceptional dissidents to come out a tech industry thats been known to come down hard on whistleblowers and leakers. Indeed, Haugen was uniquely positioned to reveal what she did without leaving herself exposed to the tactics that big tech companies often pursue to squash employees who want to speak out.

Haugens cache of documents very likely amount to the most consequential leak in Facebooks history; New York Times media columnist Ben Smith recently referred to her as one of the greatest sources of the century. Part of her effectiveness has to do with the methodical rollout of her leaks: first speaking to the Journal, then giving an interview to 60 Minutes, then testifying before Congress, and finally releasing the documents to more outlets. This carefully planned strategy has helped her pretty much bulldoze over Facebooks objections and counternarratives; it certainly helps that she had top Democratic PR and tech operatives and the prominent Whistleblower Aid nonprofit advising her on the rollout. Haugen also has the luxury of being independently wealthy thanks to her investments in cryptocurrencySmith reports that she and her crypto friends are currently living in Puerto Rico, which has become a cryptocurrency tax havenand does not have to disseminate these leaks while also working as a Facebook employee. Facebook has tried to discredit Haugen in the public sphere by claiming that she did not work on child safety or Instagram research, and that she was employed by the company for less than two years, but those attacks have fallen flat. Haugens lawyers further claim that she is entitled to whistleblower protections, since she reported Facebook to the Securities and Exchange Commission for misleading investors, which could provide her with some level of immunity if the company tries to sue.

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Other Silicon Valley leakers have not been so lucky and often face more serious consequences for speaking out. Facebook itself has reportedly resorted to some fairly extreme tactics to crack down on leakers, including monitoring internet use and phone calls, randomly searching bags and vehicles, and leaving decoy USB drives out in the open as bait to see whether employees would turn them in. The company in the past has even used a rat-catching team that acts as a sort of secret police to track down employees who talk to the press. Facebook not only fires employees who are caught, but also uses legal threats and restricted stock to discourage those who might speak out.

Facebook isnt the only Big Tech company that zealously persecutes leakers; Apple is currently embroiled in controversy over the way it handles employee whistleblowing. In mid-October, Apple fired program manager Janneke Parrish, who is a leader of the #AppleToo employee movement exposing instances of harassment and inequality at the company. Apple suspected that shed leaked a recording of a September town hall meeting, in which CEO Tim Cook discussed employee vaccination policies, the companys recent victory in a lawsuit with Epic Games, and workplace conditions. After the Verge reported the leaks, Apple demanded that Parrish turn over her company phone and computer for an investigation. Parrish told the New York Times that she wasnt the leaker, though she did delete some data on her devices like the Robinhood stock trading app and sensitive political campaign information before handing them over to her employer. Apple reportedly terminated her for deleting this data, labeling it as an act of noncompliance.

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Recently, Apple has been intensifying its crackdown on product leaks. In July, the site MacRumors reported that a number of reliable Apple leakers had received warning letters from lawyers commissioned by the company. The #AppleToo movement, however, argues that Apple has been using the pretense of combating product leaks to chill whistleblowing about workplace issues.

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Apples alleged tendency to conflate IP leaks with whistleblowing is exemplified in an internal email to employees from late September, in which Cook wrote that people who leak confidential information do not belong here. He noted that most of the details from the recent launch of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and watchOS 8 had already been leaked by the time the announcement was made. The email, which was itself leaked to the press, went on to say, we do not tolerate disclosures of confidential information, whether its product IP or the details of a confidential meeting. The confidential meeting he was referring to was the same one that Parrish was fired over, which didnt really have to do with any IP secrets, but rather employee vaccinations and winning against Epic. Cook wrote of these meetings, though, that these opportunities to connect as a team are really important. But they only work if we can trust that the content will stay within Apple.

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A current Apple employee and member of the #AppleToo movement, who asked not to be named or directly quoted for fear of retribution, told me that the corporate workforce almost universally seems to agree that IP and product leaks are incredibly frustrating, as it spoils the surprise of launching major projects that theyve put so much effort into. However, the employee also noted that Apple tends to label pretty much everything as confidential information, which makes it hard to speak out about issues like harassment and discrimination. He noted that employees were surprised to see company leadership equate coronavirus policies to upcoming product details, which speaks to how overly broad Apples definition of confidential is. Apple did not respond to an inquiry about how it treats product leaks versus whistleblowing.

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Allegations that Apple treats all leaks in the same way are now the subject of a case before the National Labor Relations Board, stemming from a complaint filed by another former employee named Ashley Gjvik, who was fired for leaking in early September. Gjvik maintains that Cooks email limiting discussion about company meetings could go against NLRB protections that employees have to talk about workplace concerns. Her complaint also alleges that several stipulations in the Apple employee handbook, such as restrictions on speaking to reporters, may also violate labor laws. But thats hardly a slam dunk. The NLRA [National Labor Relations Act] has notoriously toothless protection for whistleblowers. The retaliation inquiry will look at the specific content of what was leaked, said University of CaliforniaHastings law professor Veena Dubal. But under Trump-era NLRB precedent, even the kind of company policy that Gjvik leaked may not be considered protected. The question is, are her rights outweighed by legitimate business interests?

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Google was the subject of a similar controversy in 2016, when a product manager sued the company and submitted a complaint to the NLRB, alleging that it is overly broad in its definition of classified content. According to the suit, pretty much everything at Google is considered classified, which prevents employees from going to regulators to report wrongdoing and may also violate labor laws by restricting discussions of workplace conditions. Google responded that those confidentiality requirements were only meant to protect trade secrets, though the plaintiff seemed to be suggesting that the company was cynically flattening the distinctions between different kinds of leaks. Another employee named Kevin Cernekee also filed a complaint to the NLRB after he was allegedly fired in 2018 for promoting conservative views. Google and the NLRB eventually came to an informal settlement in which the company made it clear to employees that they could discuss wages and workplace issues.

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Leaks about products have always been a phenomenon in Silicon Valley, though one of the most notable examples in recent memoryGizmodos 2010 report on an upcoming iPhone modelhappened because someone accidentally left it in a bar in Redwood City, California. Principled leaks about company practices and working conditions have been rarer, at least until around 2017 or 2018, when the charge that major tech companies are harming society and democracy through their products and policies became more prominent in public discourse. Since then, theres been a flood of insiders whove divulged information to the press, with notable examples including leaks about Googles work on a censored search engine in China, Ubers system for evading regulators, and Amazons anti-union messaging directed at Whole Foods employees. Whistleblowing on principle is still a risky prospectformer Tesla employee Martin Tripp was ordered to pay $400,000 to the company after giving information to the press about the amount of raw material it was wasting.

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Theres been some discussion in the press recently about Facebook whistleblower Sophie Zhang, who revealed inside information last year indicating that the company was ignoring international election interference occurring on its platforms but received far less public attention than Haugen. In a recent interview with Protocol, Zhang commented on this dynamic, noting, Its probably a statement on both the fact that shes [Haugen] not an extreme introvert, and the fact that she probably has a great PR team supporting her. I am certainly not a PR expert, and Ive been doing everything myself. (Zhang also alleges that Facebook shut down the personal website where she had posted a memo criticizing the company.)

As of now, its unclear whether Facebook will ultimately try to escalate its counteroffensive against Haugen from a PR campaign to a legal suit. According to the National Law Review, Facebook could try to argue that Haugen broke her nondisclosure agreement by releasing trade secrets, and might even try to seize items from her to prevent further leaks. However, the company would have to prove that her leaks actually do contain intellectual property and not just reports of wrongdoing. It would also be a risky PR move, as Facebook would appear to be trying to silence a whistleblower. That Facebook is confronted with such a dilemma in the first place speaks to how powerful the publicity campaign behind Haugens whistleblowing has been. Her success thus far may also speak to the troubling reality that it likely takes meticulous planning and access to vast resources to enable employees to effectively speak out against Big Tech companies.
ARCHIVED - Rain and cool temperatures forecast for All Saints Day in Spain



November 1 will be marked by wet, windy weather throughout Spain

According to the experts, the active weather system will sweep across the north of Spain before gradually moving south over the next few days, meaning that the celebration of All Saints Day on November 1 could be a wash-out.

From Thursday, the arrival of temperate winds from the Caribbean Sea will bring an atmospheric river of humidity to all of Spain along with the rainfall, which may be strong and persistent in the north and west.

On Friday, the rains will spread to the east and will affect a large part of the northwest half of the peninsula. Much of the country will also experience cloudy skies and gusty winds as the week moves on.

The Todos los Santos holiday weekend is likely to be marked by instability, with south-easterly winds picking up on Saturday and widespread rain across the west and inland areas.

On Sunday, Spain will wave goodbye to October with generalised rains in the northwest and on Monday, the wind will pick up, leading to a drop in temperatures. The worst of the rain will be confined to the Cantabrian, Balearic, Catalonian and Pyrenees regions, where more than 200 litres per square metre can be expected in some areas.

Image: Aemet
The missing stretch of the M30 highway was put to use on Tuesday.

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The new stretch of the Hungarian M30 highway ends at the Slovak borders. (Source: TASR)

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Slovakia's two largest cities, Bratislava and Kosice, are finally connected with a highway. However, the highway runs through Hungary.

After more than 3.5 years, Hungary completed the construction of the last section of the M30 highway between Miskolc and Tornyosnemeti (close to the Slovak borders), and the 57-kilometre stretch was put into use on October 26.

The completed stretch ends at the border crossing in Milhost and connects to the express dual-carriageway R4 to Kosice, the SITA newswire reported.

The M30 highway near Miskolc has a direct connection to the M3 highway leading to Budapest, where drivers can continue onto the M1 highway up to the Slovak borders and then to Bratislava.

Im glad that with the help of the Hungarian government this promise, made by several previous Slovak prime ministers, has finally been fulfilled, said Kosice Mayor Jozef Polacek, as quoted by SITA, adding that the new road will significantly shorten the journey between Kosice and Bratislava, avoiding several sections in Slovakia known for tailbacks.

The ceremonial opening of the new stretch was attended by Hungarian PM Viktor Orban.

It remains unclear when the Slovak cross-country D1 highway will be completed. There are several missing stretches, particularly in northern and eastern Slovakia.
Robert Fico refuses to explain leaked recordings. Daily caseload the highest since the second waves peak.

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Good evening. Catch up on the main news of the day in less than five minutes with the Wednesday, October 27, 2021 edition of Today in Slovakia. We wish you a pleasant read.

Robert Fico talks about recordings but provides no explanation

Robert Fico (Source: TASR)

Smer chair Robert Fico was quick to react to the leaked camera footage capturing his meeting with Robert Kalinak, the former interior minister of his government, and people linked to corruption scandals in a hunting cottage.

Yet, he failed to provide a proper explanation as to why they were meeting and discussing live cases that are currently under investigation.

When you are about to look at how I eat bacon and cheese there  why do you care? Fico reacted.

He played down the questions posed by the journalists about the meetings captured in the footage and called them personal meetings. He also failed to explain why in one of the videos, attorneys Marek Para and Pavol Gaspar (the son of charged former police chief Tibor Gaspar) instruct Kalinak on how to testify in the cases. Fico himself has been talking about how the alleged manipulation of witness testimonies has been used to the detriment of the opposition.

Write a title that Fico impacts criminal proceedings and he should be imprisoned. Full stop, Fico said in response to the Sme daily's question.

Meanwhile, General Prosecutor Maros Zilinka and the police inspectorate of the Interior Ministry said they will deal with the video leak.

Number of black-tier districts more than doubles

The map of districts from November 1, 2021. (Source: Health Ministry)

As many as 24 districts will follow the strictest measures set by the Covid automat alert system as of next Monday, November 1. Currently, there are only 10 of them.

The limitations in the black-tier districts are quite strict, including for their fully vaccinated inhabitants. Everybody is required to cover their faces when outside and FFP2/KN95 respirators are mandatory inside buildings and on public transport. Restaurants are closed except for take-out and delivery, while fitness centres, wellness centres and water parks will be completely shut. Mass events are allowed for vaccinated participants only, but with restrictions.

Another 39 districts will be in the dark red tier, eight in the red tier and eight in the orange tier. The latter include the five districts of Bratislava, plus the districts of Galanta, Komarno and Sala.

Even though the currently valid Covid automat proposes implementing a curfew and some limitations on travelling between districts, these cannot be applied until a national emergency is declared. Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky (OLaNO nominee) reiterated the government does not plan to do so for now.

If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription. Thank you.

More coronavirus and vaccination developments

More than 66,000 booster shots have been administered as of October 26, 2021. (Source: TASR)

4,746 people were newly diagnosed as Covid positive out of 19,658 PCR tests performed on October 26, which is the most since early January , when the second wave hit its peak in Slovakia. The number of people in hospitals has increased to 1,352 . Twenty-two more deaths were reported on Tuesday. The vaccination rate is at 45.34 percent; 2,493,542 people have received the first dose of the vaccine. More stats on Covid-19 in Slovakia here.

were newly diagnosed as Covid positive out of 19,658 PCR tests performed on October 26, which is , when the second wave hit its peak in Slovakia. has increased to . were reported on Tuesday. The vaccination rate is at 2,493,542 people have received the first dose of the vaccine. More stats on Covid-19 in Slovakia here. The Covid beds in Slovak hospitals are occupied at 32 percent of the maximum capacity . The number of people on artificial lung ventilation oscillates between 120 and 130, said Health Minister Lengvarsky.

. The number of people on artificial lung ventilation oscillates between 120 and 130, said Health Minister Lengvarsky. Altogether 66,304 booster shots were administered between October 19 and 26, and another 8,822 people are currently registered in the online waiting room. Registration for the third shot was launched yesterday, but not everybody can sign up for it yet.

were administered between October 19 and 26, and another in the online waiting room. Registration for the third shot was launched yesterday, but not everybody can sign up for it yet. Slovakia has the third-lowest share of fully vaccinated people against Covid in the EU , amounting to only 42.02 percent. The only countries with a lower share are Romania (27.91 percent) and Bulgaria (21.20 percent). (CTK)

, amounting to only 42.02 percent. The only countries with a lower share are Romania (27.91 percent) and Bulgaria (21.20 percent). (CTK) Chief hygienist Jan Mikas submitted a criminal complaint against a demonstration held in front of the Public Health Authority (UVZ) building, during which its participants attacked a dummy similar to himself in appearance. (Dennik N)

Quote of the day

 I ask them to strictly follow the currently valid legislation, which includes imposing a sanction. 

Infectious disease specialist Jan Pavol Jarcuska admitted to violating pandemic measures in a red-tier district. He attended a party, reportedly with other participants of the infectology conference, and did not wear a respirator, even though it was required. He reported himself to the respective authorities.

The video, capturing him dancing with some other colleagues, was published by the public-service broadcaster RTVS.

video //www.youtube.com/embed/I6mTcmOL8YM

Feature story for today

In an interview, Jozef Janiga, chief of the Mountain Rescue Service, explains what information is important to provide when calling rescuers, on which days they expect to be busiest and whether Czech tourists in the High Tatras really need the intervention of the mountain rescuers more often than other nationalities, as the running joke among Slovaks suggests.

When injured or lost in the mountains, who do you call? Read more

In other news

Economy Minister Richard Sulik (SaS) survived an ousting attempt , initiated by the opposition.

, initiated by the opposition. The state allocated more than 1.9 million for 654 projects submitted by applicants from 29 countries within the grant scheme of the Office for Slovaks Living Abroad, as a 2020 annual report showed.

within the grant scheme of the Office for Slovaks Living Abroad, as a 2020 annual report showed. The cabinet approved the draft amendment to the law on the protection of nature and the country that contains the reform of national parks at its October 27 session. If the new rules are passed by the parliament, the lands in national parks currently owned by the state will be managed by the State Nature Conservancy of Slovakia.

that contains at its October 27 session. If the new rules are passed by the parliament, the lands in national parks currently owned by the state will be managed by the State Nature Conservancy of Slovakia. The tax office will publish on the Financial Administration's website the bank account numbers of VAT payers . This stems from the amendment to the Tax Code, approved by the parliament on Wednesday.

on the Financial Administration's website the . This stems from the amendment to the Tax Code, approved by the parliament on Wednesday. German company Vaillant Group Heat Pump Production will invest 120 million in a new plant to produce heat pumps and a technology centre in Senica (Trnava Region), with the promise to create 841 new jobs by 2026. The company will receive 18 million in investment aid in the form of tax relief.

More on Spectator.sk today:

Thumbelina and Ugly Duckling, soon to be read by Rusyns in their native language Read more

New block of flats will where former block exploded, only some inhabitants want to return Read more

Bratislava is finally linked to Kosice, through Hungary Read more

If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/afghanistans-remaining-hindus-and-sikhs-accuse-india-of-stalling-their-visa-applications-1090244740.html

Afghanistan's Remaining Hindus and Sikhs Accuse India of Stalling Their Visa Applications

Afghanistan's Remaining Hindus and Sikhs Accuse India of Stalling Their Visa Applications

Once a thriving business community numbering in the thousands, there are just over 200 Sikhs and Hindus left in Afghanistan today, on account of decades of... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

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afghanistan

pakistan

kabul

narendra modi

russia

china

afghanistan

india

mohammed stanekzai

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https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/1b/1090250834_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_a93c8485f2b8fd59cb362349734067c3.jpg

Over 220 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, as well as Indian passport-holders, stranded in Afghanistan since August have accused the Indian government of stalling their electronic visa applications, which has been preventing them from reuniting with their loved ones in India.Gurnam Singh, an Afghan Sikh who is the president of the Kart-e-Parwan Gurudwara (Sikh temple) in Kabul, told Sputnik that the stranded community members applied for an e-visa back in August.The Kart-e-Parwan Sikh temple in Kabul currently houses four Indian citizens and 223 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus. Only eight Afghan Sikhs and Hindus have so far been granted e-visas by the Indian authorities, while the fate of 208 of the Indian-origin community members remains unknown. Seven of the stranded Afghan Sikhs and Hindus dont hold any passports at all.In fact, the Taliban also asked Indias Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to resume commercial flight operations between the two nations in a communication dated 7 September, as per a release.The Afghan Sikh temple head says that all of the stranded people wanting to leave Afghanistan had a valid Indian visa before New Delhi invalidated their visas on 25 August and called for fresh e-visa applications in the wake of the Taliban taking over Kabul on 15 August.Singh further questions why their cases are being treated differently from those of Afghan Muslims who have already been evacuated to India in recent months. The Indian government helped in the evacuation of 106 Afghan nationals to Delhi on 8 October, most of the evacuees being patients availing treatment at Indian hospitals or at risk of persecution.To date, the Indian government has flown back to the country 67 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in two batches  on 22 and 24 August.The Sikh community leader says that the stranded Indians and Indian-origin people dont even require any financial assistance from the Indian government to help with their evacuations.In a letter to the Indian Foreign Ministry on 11 October, a travel agency based in New Delhi requested the Indian side to arrange for landing permissions in India for a Mahan Air charter flight that could accommodate 200 people.The Indian Home Ministry is tasked with issuing visas to foreign nationals after granting necessary security clearances, with the Foreign Ministry (in this case) concerning itself with facilitating the travel arrangements.Taliban Isnt Harming Us, But Our Economic Situation is Dire, Say Sikhs and Hindus70-year-old Ram Sharan Bhasin, an Afghan Hindu who runs a grocery store in Kabul, tells Sputnik that Taliban officials have been helpful and werent harming the minorities.The septuagenarian Hindu community leader points out that almost every Afghan Sikh and Hindu in the country owned spice and grocery stores.After the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August, the US Treasury froze nearly $9 billion in Afghan assets in US-based global financial institutions, amid fears that the funds could be channelled into terror financing by the Taliban.Several countries, including Pakistan, China, and Russia, among others, have called for Afghan federal funds in global financial institutions to be unfrozen in order to avert an impending humanitarian crisis.The participants of the Moscow Format talks  Russia , China, Pakistan, Iran, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan  said in a joint statement after their meeting in Moscow on 20 October that the core burden of post-conflict economic and financial reconstruction and development of Afghanistan must be shouldered by troop-based actors which were in the country for the past 20 years.Mansha Singh, an Afghan Sikh who wants to return to India, says that, so far, the Taliban has stayed true to its international commitments to respect the rights of minorities living under its rule.He cites an incident on 5 October, when unidentified gunmen stormed the Kart-e-Parwan shrine and vandalised the temple as well as the CCTV cameras on the premises.The Taliban denied responsibility for the incident.The people behind the incident have been arrested now, he says.Indias Official ResponseIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security on 17 August, two days after Kabul fell to the Taliban. During the meeting, he asked officials to immediately evacuate Sikhs, Hindus, Indian citizens, as well as those at the risk of persecution from Afghanistan.In a press statement issued after the Moscow Format talks, the Taliban said that it had held separate bilateral discussions with the Indian delegation, which was led by J.P. Singh, a joint secretary in the Indian Foreign Ministry. New Delhi has remained tight-lipped about the meeting so far.In another meeting between Indias envoy to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, and the head of the Talibans political office, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, on 31 August, Indian officials called for safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan.However, it remains unclear as to why the Indian government has so far refused to resume the repatriation process.A petition filed by Indian social activist Parminder Singh, a Sikh community leader, in the Delhi High Court on 25 October urged judicial intervention to nudge New Delhi to grant immediate visas to the stranded people.Sputnik has approached both the Indian Home Ministry and the Foreign Ministry spokespersons for a comment, but has not received a response as of the time of publication.*The Taliban and Daesh, also known as ISIS/Islamic State/IS, are terrorist groups banned in Russia and many other countries.

https://sputniknews.com/20210908/pakistani-imprint-ex-envoys-say-new-taliban-cabinet-in-afghanistan-isnt-good-news-for-india-1088873633.html

https://sputniknews.com/20210913/new-afghan-govt-to-take-every-legal-step-possible-to-lift-us-asset-freeze-taliban-says-1089032736.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211005/unidentified-gunmen-storm-sikh-shrine-in-kabul-taliban-denies-responsibility-1089686081.html

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pakistan, kabul, narendra modi, russia, china, afghanistan, india, mohammed stanekzai
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/blinken-speaks-to-sudan-prime-minister-welcomes-his-release---state-dept-1090234263.html

Blinken Speaks to Sudan's Prime Minister, Welcomes His Release - State Dept.

Blinken Speaks to Sudan's Prime Minister, Welcomes His Release - State Dept.

WASHINGTON, October 27 (Sputnik) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a telephone call with Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok welcomed his release... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T01:00+0000

2021-10-27T01:00+0000

2021-10-27T05:14+0000

sudan

us

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"The secretary welcomed the prime minister's release from custody and reiterated his call on Sudanese military forces to release all civilian leaders in detention and to ensure their safety", Price said on Tuesday.Blinken and Hamdok discussed the growing and collective condemnation of the military takeover by the international community, Price said.Blinken in his call with Sudan's prime minister expressed deep concern over the ongoing takeover and emphasised the need for the Sudanese military to refrain from violence against protesters, Price said. The US secretary of state underscored the need for a return to the transition civilian government, Price added.Earlier on Tuesday, the broadcaster Al Hadath reported that Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was ousted in the military takeover, was returning home. Hamdok was reportedly being held at the home of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who is also the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces.The takeover came as the term of the 11-member transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan was approaching completion. Thereafter, the council was set to transfer power to a civilian government.

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sudan, us
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/china-signs-economic-deal-with-cuba-us-accuses-iran-in-syria-attack-1090234036.html

China Signs Economic Deal With Cuba; US Accuses Iran in Syria Attack

China Signs Economic Deal With Cuba; US Accuses Iran in Syria Attack

China has countered Biden's Taiwan measures and called out the US's hypocrisy by signing a belt and road-related economic deal with Cuba. 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T09:42+0000

2021-10-27T09:42+0000

2021-10-27T09:42+0000

julian assange

sudan

coup

syria

facebook

nato

the critical hour

aukus

radio

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China Signs Economic Deal with Cuba; US Accuses Iran in Syria Attack China has countered Biden's Taiwan measures and called out the US empire's hypocrisy by signing a belt and road-related economic deal with Cuba.

Gerald Horne, professor of history at the University of Houston, author, historian, and researcher, joins us to discuss the Sudan coup. The African nation of Sudan is in chaos after a military coup that has many casting a suspicious eye towards the US. Creating further suspicion, Israeli officials have voiced support for the extra democratic move in a recent interview.Marjorie Cohn, professor of law at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, joins us to discuss Julian Assange. Dr. Cohn argues that the UK high court has no option other than to drop the charges and release the beleaguered journalist in light of recent information regarding an assassination plot by US intelligence leaders.James Carey, editor/co-owner at Geopoliticsalert.com, joins us to discuss Afghanistan. Zalmay Khalilzad served as the ambassador to Afghanistan and was also involved in the withdrawal negotiations. Khalilzad has opened up in a recent interview to give his side of the story.Dr. Ken Hammond, professor of East Asian and global history at New Mexico State University and activist with Pivot for Peace, joins us to discuss China. China has countered Biden's Taiwan measures and called out the US's hypocrisy by signing a belt and road-related economic deal with Cuba. Biden's "rules-based order" is being exposed as a fraud. The US continues to make military and economic maneuvers on the borders of Russia and China while arguing that the entire Western hemisphere is under its umbrella.John Kiriakou, journalist, author, and Host of The Backstory joins us to discuss the Facebook whistleblower. Recent information that has been unearthed is exposing the so-called Facebook whistleblower as an intelligence operative bent on supporting the US's desire to impose complete control over social media. Frances Haugen is represented by US intelligence insiders and claims to have worked for a Facebook unit that is staffed by former intelligence operatives.Jack Rasmus, professor in economics and politics at St. Mary's College in California, joins us to discuss the US economy. Dr. Jack argues that a financial transaction tax is not only a good idea but desperately needed to revive the US economy and pay for the proposed build-back better legislation. He says that a minimal tax would create 2.4 trillion dollars within the first five years.Scott Ritter, former UN weapon inspector in Iraq, joins us to discuss US foreign policy. An article in the American Conservative magazine poses the question as to whether the threats and bluster of the Biden administration is going to lead the US into a disastrous war. As is normally the case, the US is again blaming Iran-related groups for an attack on an illegal military base in Syria.Dan Lazare, investigative journalist and author of "America's Undeclared War," joins us to discuss NATO. NATO has deteriorated into a theatre of the absurd. Ridiculous claims against Russia have now been joined by a chorus of anti-China rhetoric as some elements in the rapidly fracturing coalition seek to join the US in a misguided shift to include the Asian power in their quixotic crusade.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com

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julian assange, sudan, coup, syria, facebook, nato, the critical hour, aukus, , radio
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/congress-to-get-tough-on-armed-services-after-2000-military-firearms-stolen-during-the-2010s--1090234433.html

Congress to Get Tough on Armed Services After 2,000 Military Firearms Stolen During the 2010s

Congress to Get Tough on Armed Services After 2,000 Military Firearms Stolen During the 2010s

A bombshell report from the Associated Press in June of 2021 has spurred Congress to tackle systemic problems that led to over 2,000 military firearms being... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T01:50+0000

2021-10-27T01:50+0000

2021-10-27T01:50+0000

department of defense

congress

firearms

mark milley

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According to the AP report, over 2,000 military firearms were stolen from the Army, Marines, and Air Force throughout the 2010s, with some being used in violent crimes. In response, members of Congress are writing stricter regulations into the National Defense Authorization Act for branches of the military to report and prevent the theft of firearms.Members are expected to negotiate and hash out any differences in their proposed legislation before sending the bill to US President Joe Biden.Top-ranking General Mark Milley, in the wake of the June report, said the Department of Defense would look to make a systemic fix to stop the proliferation of AWOL firearms. However, some members of congress are unsure if the Department of Defense will do an adequate job.There is also a lack of trust that the Department of Defense will make the necessary changes. A concern raised in the initial AP report noted that some armed services suppressed basic information, indicating that the actual number of stolen firearms could be far larger. When reporters questioned military officials, they were often given conflicting statements.The Department of Defense can improve security and tracking measures of military firearms, but trusting it to police itself properly could be difficult without additional transparency. Congress has proposed inserting tracking devices into military firearms but has met resistance from military officials. The technology that makes weapons trackable reportedly doesnt stop at the battlefield and could put military operations at risk.Lawmakers have requested a progress briefing by November 19th in which spokespersons from branches of the military will answer to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

https://sputniknews.com/20211025/us-has-no-issue-with-russia-china-military-drills-in-indo-pacific-region---pentagon-1090203524.html

Uninformed And the rest! 0

goja kah I get paid over $87 per hour working from home with 2 kids at home. I never thought Id be able to do it but my best friend earns over 10k a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The potential with this is endless. Heres what Ive been doing .. 0

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https://sputniknews.com/20211027/daughter-of-former-saudi-official-claims-mbs-agents-tried-to-lure-her-into-istanbul-consulate-1090257916.html

Daughter of Former Saudi Official Claims MBS' Agents Tried to Lure Her Into Istanbul Consulate

Daughter of Former Saudi Official Claims MBS' Agents Tried to Lure Her Into Istanbul Consulate

Daughter of Former Saudi Official Claims MBS Agents Tried to Lure Her Into Istanbul Consulate

2021-10-27T17:48+0000

2021-10-27T17:48+0000

2021-10-27T17:48+0000

saudi arabia

middle east

canada

turkey

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Hissah al-Muzaini, the daughter of the former number two Saudi intelligence official, has claimed in an interview with CNN that Riyadh tried to "lure" her into the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul. She added that the alleged act was just the latest in a series of actions against her father, Saad Aljabri, and his family.al-Muzaini went on to repeat numerous accusations that her father had made against the Saudi authorities and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), including prosecuting members of her family on made-up charges and trying to kill Saad Aljabri.Aljabri's two sons, Sarah and Omar, were arrested and convicted in Saudi Arabia on money laundering charges. The former intelligence official claims this was an attempt by Riyadh to lure him out. In addition, al-Muzaini claims that Saudi agents kidnapped her husband.Al-Muzaini called on US President Joe Biden to intervene in the situation and "help us save and reunite our family".Washington has not yet responded to al-Muzaini's request, nor has Riyadh reacted to her claims.However, Saudi authorities have strongly rejected Saad Aljabri's allegations, suggesting that he made them in order to shift the limelight away from his own crimes. At home, several Saudi state companies filed lawsuits against the former official, accusing him of embezzling billions of dollars. Aljabri's assets in Canada, where he lives, have since been frozen, with a local court citing evidence of fraud in his case.By claiming Saudi agents attempted to lure her into the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, al-Muzaini was apparently referring to the threat of being killed, as happened to one of the kingdoms critics, journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in the very same building. He arrived at the consulate to get papers for his planned marriage on 2 October 2018, but was detained, killed, dismembered, and smuggled out of the building.The killing was carried out by a group of Saudi agents. However, while human rights defenders claim that it was a hit ordered by the Crown Prince, Riyadh and MBS strongly deny these claims. Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated in the aftermath that he bore responsibility as a ruler for the actions of the "rogue agents", but maintained that Khashoggi's assassination had never been sanctioned.

https://sputniknews.com/20210803/saudi-arabia-not-to-have-lapses-in-security-services-work-like-in-khashoggis-murder-1083519209.html

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saudi arabia, middle east, canada, turkey
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/facebook-papers-whistleblower-prepares-to-testify-before-indian-parliament-1090243490.html

Facebook Papers: Whistleblower Prepares to Testify Before Indian Parliament

Facebook Papers: Whistleblower Prepares to Testify Before Indian Parliament

Internal documents called the Facebook Papers, recently obtained by the 'New York Times' and other US publications, revealed that the social media giant failed... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T12:43+0000

2021-10-27T12:43+0000

2021-10-27T12:43+0000

the facebook papers

mark zuckerberg

narendra modi

whistleblower

facebook

political violence

hate speech

india

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Former Facebook data analyst and whistleblower Sophie Zhang said on Wednesday that she is ready to appear before the lower house of the Indian parliament if New Delhi opens an investigation into malpractice at the social media giant. Zhang added that she would happily testify before the parliament of any democratic nation.The former Facebook data scientist testified before the UK parliamentary committee on the Online Safety Bill earlier this month. According to Zhang, Facebook is "allowing authoritarian governments to manipulate political discourse".She reacted to the demand put forward by the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) - a digital advocacy group - urging the Narendra Modi government to take notice of the Facebook papers. The IFF has asked the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology to open an inquiry into the revelations made, specifically about India, and call the relevant characters to testify before it.Two whistleblowers, Frances Haugen and Sophie Zhang, have come forward with claims that Facebook is well aware of the harm its platforms cause users but deliberately doesn't do everything in its power to stop this as it would hurt the company's financial growth.Zhang, who was sacked by Facebook in 2020 because of alleged poor performance, shone the spotlight on the fact that the American firm was selective in removing fake accounts during the 2020 Delhi elections. The Indian government has yet to react to this revelation.However, the IFF claimed that a document titled 'Problematic Non-violating Narratives' revealed that Facebook deleted less than 5 percent of all the hate posted on its platform. Another paper, titled 'What is collateral damage?', goes on to state that Facebook's core mechanics, such as allowing stories to go viral, recommendations, and optimising for engagement, are a major reason hate speech, misinformation, and divisive political speech all flourish on the platform.Earlier this month, former Facebook product manager Frances Haugen told the US Congress that the company was allegedly aware that it had inflicted harm on the mental health of teenagers. Still, it intentionally did not take action to prevent content promoting hate and division within society.Zuckerberg has denied the allegations made by the whistleblowers, insisting that the company cares "deeply" about users' safety-related issues.

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mark zuckerberg, narendra modi, whistleblower, facebook, political violence, hate speech, india
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/gas-stations-in-iran-resume-work-following-alleged-cyberattack-1090256370.html

Gas Stations in Iran Resume Work Following Alleged Cyberattack

Gas Stations in Iran Resume Work Following Alleged Cyberattack

BEIRUT (Sputnik) - Gas stations in Iran, crippled by an alleged cyberattack on Tuesday, have resumed operations, and the incident did not lead to an increase... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T16:37+0000

2021-10-27T16:37+0000

2021-10-27T16:37+0000

cyber attack

iran

gas station

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"Operations at 3,000 gas stations in the country have resumed. We apologize to the population and promise to pay attention to similar situations in the future," the minister said, as aired on a state-run broadcaster.Ovji assured that the "rumors" about the rise in fuel prices following the incident do not correspond to reality, adding that the Iranian government did not even consider the issue of raising prices at all.Iranian state television reported on Tuesday that gas stations were malfunctioning across the country as a result of the cyberattack.Secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, Abolhassan Firouzabadi, did not rule out that the attack was carried out from outside the country, adding that the recent attack has similarities with the one on Iran's railway company in July.Iran has repeatedly come under so-called state-sponsored cyberattacks. In July, hundreds of railway services in Iran were delayed or canceled as a result of the attack on the management systems of the state railway company, according to Iranian media. In April, the Iranian Natanz nuclear plant suffered an accident involving electricity distribution, which the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran described as "nuclear terrorism" and cyberattack carried out by Israel's foreign intelligence service.

mandrake Good but it doesnt really change the fact that the jews are causing all these problems for Iran and they must pay for it, pay for it dearly, e.g. Being kicked to hell with no return, ever. I think the better part of the world will agree that the jews need to go and dont come back! 2

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cyber attack, iran, gas station
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/india-warns-beijing-against-altering-status-quo-at-lac-under-pretext-of-new-border-law-1090245989.html

India Warns Beijing Against Altering Status Quo at LAC Under Pretext of New Border Law

India Warns Beijing Against Altering Status Quo at LAC Under Pretext of New Border Law

On 23 October, the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress, Chinas top legislative body, adopted a new law aiming for the protection and... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T13:21+0000

2021-10-27T13:21+0000

2021-10-27T13:21+0000

pla

ladakh region

china

indian army

border tensions

people's liberation army (pla) navy

india

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The Indian government has expressed concern over Chinas new land boundary law that could affect ongoing border tensions between the two countries, calling the legislation a unilateral move. The law states that China abides by treaties concluded with or jointly acceded to by foreign countries on land boundary affairs. It also has provisions to reorganise districts in the border areas.Bagchi further hopes that Chinas unilateral move will have no bearing on the bilateral arrangements on boundary issues that both sides have already reached in the past. The two countries have concluded several bilateral agreements, protocols, and arrangements to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China border areas.China passed the law while the two countries were engaged in easing the 17-month-long tensions along the loosely demarcated Line of Actual Control (LAC). The latest meeting, held at the beginning of October, ended without any progress, as both sides accused each other of seeking "unreasonable" favours on border issues.The Indian Army and Chinas People Liberation Army have reportedly deployed over 50,000 additional troops and sophisticated weapons in the western sector of the LAC due to the ongoing border stand-off. The tensions erupted in spring last year over border infrastructure in the Ladakh region. According to Xinhua news agency, the new land law asks the state to take measures to safeguard territorial integrity and land boundaries and guard against and combat any act that undermines [these]. The state can take measures to strengthen border defence, support economic and social development as well as opening-up in border areas, improve public services and infrastructure in such areas, encourage and support peoples life and work there, and promote coordination between border defence and social, economic development in border areas, it has reported.

https://sputniknews.com/20211026/chinas-new-border-law-mandates-pla-to-build-dual-use-infrastructure-on-its-borders-expert-says-1090195265.html

Dicksonrp Else WHAT??? The coolies will go cook curry with plenty pepper, feed it to Chinese soldiers then run away with all the toilet paper? 5

Gone LOL! 1

2

ladakh region

china

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pla, ladakh region, china, indian army, border tensions, people's liberation army (pla) navy, india
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/indian-cop-probing-shah-rukh-khans-son-over-drug-case-in-the-dock-for-alleged-fraud-1090240606.html

Indian Cop Probing Shah Rukh Khan's Son Over Drug Case in the Dock for Alleged Fraud

Indian Cop Probing Shah Rukh Khan's Son Over Drug Case in the Dock for Alleged Fraud

Leading officer in Indias Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Sameer Wankhede, has been investigating a ring of high-profile drug users. One such person under... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T12:06+0000

2021-10-27T12:06+0000

2021-10-27T12:06+0000

drug

bollywood

drug trafficking

narcotics

drug smugglers

bollywood

drug gangs

india

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A state minister from India's Maharashtra, Nawab Malik, has ratcheted up the pressure on Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB's) officer Sameer Wankhede, accusing him of extortion, fraud and framing Aryan Khan in the ongoing cruise ship drug case.Malik, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) politician, held a press conference on Wednesday morning and accused officer Wankhede of extortion.He raised questions against Wankhede's previous investigations involving Bollywood actresses Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, and Shraddha Kapoor, and asked why no arrests had been made despite police complaints.The state minister claimed that Wankhede has extorted more than INR10 billion (roughly $133 million) from Bollywood celebrities.On Tuesday, Malik posted a letter on Twitter which he had apparently received from an NCB official that claimed that Wankhede had broken rules and framed people to extort money.On Wednesday, Malik made a personal attack on Wankhede as he posted documents and pictures on Twitter, accusing him of forging documents to secure his government job with the help of a caste certificate. The minister also tweeted pictures of Wankhede's first wedding when he married Dr Shabana Quraishi, performed in Islamic style in 2006.However, Wankhede's second wife, Kranti Redkar, and his family rushed to his defence and said Wankhede's birth certificate which was posted by Malik is wrong. They said he legally didn't change his religion and caste because his first wife was a Muslim, they got married according to Islamic tradition.Wankhede's father Dnyandev Wankhede also said to Indian media that the family are Hindu Dalits (so-called Untouchables) and not Muslims. Meanwhile, five members of the NCB have arrived in Mumbai to investigate allegations against Wankhede and the drugs raid carried out at the beginning of October. The bail plea of Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, is set to be heard at the Bombay High Court after being rejected several times by other courts. After getting a tip-off about the cruise rave party, the NCB raided it on 2 October and the next day arrested Aryan and his friends Arbaaz Merchant, Munmun Dhamecha, Nupur Sarika, Ishmeet Singh, Mohak Jaswal, Vikrant Chhokar, and Gomit Chopra.Although Aryan's lawyer claimed that he had simply been invited to the event by the party organisers, and no drugs were recovered from him, NCB officer Wankhede said there was evidence to the contrary.So far, the NCB has arrested 18 people, including Aryan, since the raid on the ship. They have been held for allegedly possessing and consuming drugs on the cruise ship off the coast of Mumbai.Aryan and the other defendants have been in jail since 3 October and are waiting to see whether they will be granted bail.

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drug, bollywood, drug trafficking, narcotics, drug smugglers, bollywood, drug gangs, india
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/indian-supreme-court-sets-up-independent-committee-to-probe-pegasus-spyware-scandal-1090248208.html

Indian Supreme Court Sets Up Independent Committee to Probe Pegasus Spyware Scandal

Indian Supreme Court Sets Up Independent Committee to Probe Pegasus Spyware Scandal

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Supreme Court of India ruled on Wednesday to set up a special independent committee that would investigate whether the Israeli-made... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T12:25+0000

2021-10-27T12:25+0000

2021-10-27T12:26+0000

india

spyware

pegasus

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"We constitute a Technical Committee comprising of three members, including those who are experts in cyber security, digital forensics, networks and hardware, whose functioning will be overseen by Justice R.V. Raveendran, former Judge, Supreme Court of India", the court said.The judge will be free to receive the assistance of any serving or retired officers and legal or technical experts, according to the statement.The committee will determine whether the software was used to access Indian citizens' data stored on phones and other devices, what steps the authorities took after the first reports of Indians' WhatsApp accounts being hacked emerged in 2019, and whether the Indian government was itself using Pegasus to hack citizens' devices.Since the Pegasus surveillance scheme was uncovered by an international consortium of media and rights groups in summer, the Indian Supreme Court has received over 10 requests for an independent probe from citizens who believe they may have been targeted.The Pegasus report was published in July, revealing a list of over 50,000 phone numbers whose owners were monitored by state-linked clients of Israeli company NSO Group, the creator of Pegasus. It included over 1,000 Indian phone numbers belonging to journalists, businessmen, and politicians, including ex-Indian National Congress president Rahul Gandhi.Following the bombshell publication, the Indian National Congress requested an investigation into the alleged role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the scandal, accusing him of "treason."

Dicksonrp Modi never misses an opportunity to lick the American and isrealhell zio terrorist jew scumm arses clean after toilet use 1

1

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india, spyware, pegasus
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/israel-plans-to-allow-entry-for-sputnik-v-vaccinated-tourists-from-15-november-source-says-1090236906.html

Israel to Recognise Sputnik V Vaccine

Israel to Recognise Sputnik V Vaccine

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) - Russians vaccinated with Sputnik V will be allowed to enter Israel starting 15 November, Israeli Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov told... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T06:28+0000

2021-10-27T06:28+0000

2021-10-28T19:04+0000

russia

middle east

israel

vaccine

covid-19

sputnik v

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"The issue of recognition of Sputnik V by Israel was on the agenda at yesterday's meeting between the prime minister and the Ministry of Health, they approved: from November 15, the Sputnik V vaccine [certificate] will be recognized by Israel," Razvozov said, adding that it will be necessary to have a serology test done before arrival.The minister added that the serology test requirement will be lifted once the World Health Organization (WHO) recognises the Russian vaccine.Earlier in the day, a source in the Israeli government told Sputnik that the countrys authorities have tentatively approved an initiative to allow entry for tourists vaccinated with Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine starting from 15 November."During a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, the initiative of Tourism Minister Konstantin Razvozov on admitting tourists vaccinated with the Sputnik V vaccine to Israel was approved", the source said.Israel closed its borders to foreign tourists in March 2020. In October, entry was allowed for tourists inoculated with vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sinovac and Sinopharm, as well as Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).

https://sputniknews.com/20211021/who-to-inspect-sputnik-v-vaccine-in-russia-in-coming-weeks-1090105926.html

israel

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russia, middle east, israel, vaccine, covid-19, sputnik v
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/joe-biden-mocked-for-being-fixated-on-donald-trump-after-mentioning-rival-24-times-in-speech-1090245735.html

Joe Biden Mocked For Being 'Fixated' on Donald Trump After Mentioning Rival 24 Times in Speech

Joe Biden Mocked For Being 'Fixated' on Donald Trump After Mentioning Rival 24 Times in Speech

The Democrat arrived in Virginia to support fellow Democrat Terry McAuliffe, who is running to be elected as state Governor on 2 November. The election is... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T12:42+0000

2021-10-27T12:42+0000

2021-10-27T12:42+0000

joe biden

gubernatorial elections

donald trump

us

united states

virginia

terry mcauliffe

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US president Joe Biden mentioned his predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, 24 times in his speech in Virginia, the 'New York Post' reported. According to the media outlet, Trumps name featured significantly in Bidens 17-minute address to the audience.The Democrat, who arrived to support the candidacy of Terry McAuliffe in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, laid into his predecessor for criticising late Republican senator John McCain and former US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, who died on 19 October and described Trump as a person, who continues to incite people, blaming his rival for the storming of the Capitol on 6 January.Biden then linked Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin, who is running against McAuliffe, to Donald Trump, wondering why Youngkin pledges loyalty to Trump in private, but fails to do it in public.Whats he trying to hide? Is there a problem with Trump being here? Is he embarrassed? the president asked the audience.Bidens statement echoes those made by Terry McAuliffe, who has, for months, mentioned the former president when attacking his rival.The last remark refers to Donald Trumps claims that he lost 2020 presidential race to Biden, because the vote was rigged by the Democrats. Glenn Youngkin previously said that voting machines in Virginia should be regularly tested and audited, suggesting that would ensure voters "can trust the process".Social media users have mocked Joe Bidens and Terry McAuliffes frequent invocation of Donald Trump labelling it a "fixation".Many users criticised both politicians for using Trump as the bogeyman to persuade constituents to vote for the Democrats.Still others joked that the left "misses" Trump, whereas others suggested that they were afraid of him.Gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey are widely seen as a litmus test for Joe Bidens presidency. Polls predict a tight race in Virginia, a state where Biden beat Trump by 10 points. The election comes in the wake of Joe Bidens approval ratings nosediving in recent months. The majority of respondents (53 percent) surveyed by Quinnipiac University, disapprove of Joe Biden's performance. The significant fall in ratings was caused by the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan as well as a vaccine mandate for federal workers, which some employees deemed controversial.

Jack Black Brandon knows all of America despises him and he can't hold a candle to the mean tweeter . Trump is in the heads of the little demmunist everyday and night 24/7 1

raindrop Trump won, the election was stolen 1

3

virginia

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joe biden, gubernatorial elections, donald trump, us, united states, virginia, terry mcauliffe
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/meghan-markle-and-prince-harry-were-target-of-coordinated-hate-campaign-on-social-media-report-says-1090251545.html

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Were Target of Coordinated Hate Campaign on Social Media, Report Says

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Were Target of Coordinated Hate Campaign on Social Media, Report Says

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have previously complained about misinformation and toxic comments about them being spread on social media, with Markle saying... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T14:48+0000

2021-10-27T14:48+0000

2021-10-27T14:48+0000

prince harry

misinformation

uk royal family

cyberbullying

meghan markle

uk

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https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/08/1083098010_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_276e73d203c3ed79a5db670429c995de.jpg

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been the target of a coordinated hate campaign on social media, says report conducted by data firm Bot Sentinel. It said that since January 2020, when the couple decided to step down from their senior roles in the royal family, there has been an increase in disinformation and targeted harassment directed at the couple on social media platforms, particularly towards Meghan Markle.Bot Sentinel analysed 114,000 posts on Twitter that featured hashtags and keywords related to the Sussexes and found 83 accounts, which it said were behind 70 percent of the vitriolic content about the royals. The data firm said that combined together, the accounts had 187,000 followers and had a potential reach of 17 million Twitter users.According to its report, 55 accounts were identified as the primary hate accounts that were responsible for the vast majority of the negative content about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, while the other 28 accounts mainly amplified the primary accounts. 'Nothing Like That Seen Before'Established in 2018, Bot Sentinels main goal is to fight disinformation and targeted harassment. The data firm has previously released reports on high-profile cases such as the online campaign aimed at discrediting the results of the US 2020 presidential race, as well as the abuse campaign directed at players of Englands national team after it lost in the Euro 2020 final.Christopher Bouzy, CEO of Bot Sentinel said the campaign of hate against Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, particularly against the duchess, is something that he and his team had never seen before. Bouzy said that the accounts are not bots and are run by real people. The entrepreneur stressed that the individuals operating those accounts are tech savvy, as they tried to avoid being flagged and banned by Twitter by posting positive information on other members of the royal family, making accounts private, or posting non-Sussexes content. Such actions made it difficult for Bot Sentinel to detect the accounts. Mr Bouzy stressed that unlike in previous analyses, it is not clear why the individuals are targeting Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.A Twitter spokesperson said the company didnt find any evidence of "widespread coordination, the use of multiple accounts by single people, or other platform manipulation tactics". The spokesperson stressed that Twitter had deleted four of the 55 "primary hate accounts" and said it is "actively investigating the information and accounts referenced in this report  we will take action on accounts that violate the Twitter Rules".The report by Bot Sentinel appears to corroborate statements made earlier by the Sussexes. Last year, Meghan Markle opened up about her struggle with toxic content on social media. Speaking on the podcast "Teenager Therapy", the Duchess said she was told that in 2019 she was the most trolled person in the entire world  male or female. The royal did not reveal who told her that or what the information was based on.She stressed that misinformation and hateful comments about her had had a profound impact on her mental health. The Sussexes came under severe criticism in January 2020 after they announced their decision to step down from their senior roles in the royal family and move to North America in order to become financially independent. The move polarised Britain, with critics accusing the couple of greed and of abandoning the family. The situation worsened this year after the couple gave an interview to US talk show host Oprah Winfrey, during which they made several sensational claims against the royal family.

Rokenbok Well it really doesnt help when Meagan and Harry paints a bullseye target on their foreheads. 1

Gone "83 accounts, which it said were behind 70 percent of the vitriolic content about the royals. The data firm said that combined together, the accounts had 187,000 followers and had a potential reach of 17 million Twitter users" --- Now, there's a scary thing for Black Mirror. 0

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prince harry, misinformation, uk royal family, cyberbullying, meghan markle, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/prince-andrews-lawyer-asks-to-keep-epsteins-settlement-with-virginia-giuffre-sealed--1090236709.html

Prince Andrew's Lawyer Asks to Keep Epstein's Settlement With Virginia Giuffre Sealed

Prince Andrew's Lawyer Asks to Keep Epstein's Settlement With Virginia Giuffre Sealed

In 2009, the royal's accuser, American Virginia Giuffre, sued financier Jeffrey Epstein and his life companion Ghislaine Maxwell, alleging the couple of sex... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T07:06+0000

2021-10-27T07:06+0000

2021-10-27T07:06+0000

prince andrew

jeffrey epstein

rape

sexual abuse

virginia roberts giuffre

uk

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107755/42/1077554263_0:2:2852:1606_1920x0_80_0_0_9d8da1aff1b3b3f374a973212f0ab9df.jpg

Prince Andrew's lawyers have asked a New York judge to keep Jeffrey Epstein's 2009 settlement with Virginia Giuffre sealed. A request to that effect has been filed in a Manhattan court.Andrew Brettler, who represents the Duke of York, said he is preparing written arguments to ask US District Judge Lewis Kaplan to dismiss the ongoing lawsuit against Prince Andrew, citing the 2009 settlement, which he argues makes Prince Andrew immune from any lawsuits. Brettler asked to redact those portions of his arguments that could reveal information in the settlement.The lawyer stressed that both Prince Andrew and his accuser Virginia Giuffre want the 2009 deal to remain secret, because it is subject to a protective order from another judge presiding over a federal civil action in New York.Giuffre's Connection to Epstein and Accusation Against Prince AndrewVirginia Giuffre is one of the alleged sex slaves of US financier Jeffrey Epstein who has been accused of sexual abuse and rape by dozens of women. Epstein had many acquaintances in high circles - presidents, entrepreneurs, billionaires, celebrities, royals, including Prince Andrew. Giuffre claims she became acquainted with Epstein at the age of 17 after she was hired as a masseuse by his ex-girlfriend and life companion Ghislaine Maxwell, a well-known UK socialite and daughter of billionaire Robert Maxwell.However, the job offer turned out to be a ruse and the girl was made a sex slave, who was abused by Epstein and his powerful friends. Her allegations match those of other purported victims of Epstein, who alleged that they were promised a job at the house of a wealthy person, but instead ended up in sexual servitude.Giuffre claims that when she was still a minor she was trafficked to London by Epstein and Maxwell and was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew. She purports that she met the Duke of York at a nightclub before all four of them headed to Maxwell's mansion where she slept with the royal.The 38-year-old claims Prince Andrew had sex with her at least two more times without her consent.Giuffre said she managed to escape Epstein's sexual servitude during a trip to Thailand in 2002, where she met her future husband.In 2009, she sued Epstein and Maxwell for sex trafficking. Back then, the case was settled for an undisclosed amount of money. Prince Andrew's lawyers have argued that the settlement protects the royal "from any and all liability" as it apparently made Epstein, his co-conspirators, and friends immune from further lawsuits.Mrs Guiffre's legal team has insisted that the settlement is "irrelevant to the case against Prince Andrew".Prince Andrew's Response to AllegationsVirginia Giuffre came forward with accusations against the royal in the early 2010s. However, the case received widespread attention after Epstein was arrested in 2019 and charged with running a sex trafficking network of minors. The development prompted Prince Andrew to explain his relationship with Epstein as well as publicly address the accusations.In an interview with the BBC that same year, the Duke of York vehemently denied the allegations against him, saying he has an alibi for the day the purported sexual intercourse occurred in London and said he had no recollection of ever meeting Giuffre. The veracity of the royal's statement has been questioned. There is at least one photo showing the Duke of York with Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell with the royal's hand on the girl's waist.One woman claims to have seen Prince Andrew dancing with Giuffre at the nightclub on the day he allegedly slept with her.When pressed about the photo showing the two together with Prince Andrew's arm around Mrs Giuffre's waist, Andrew said: "Nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored".Mrs Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against Andrew on 9 August 2021, seeking "accountability" from the Duke of York and demanding compensation for physical and mental damage. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for next week.Jeffrey Epstein was found hanging in his cell on 10 August 2019 while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide, although some people believe that the financier was murdered by his powerful friends, who may have feared they could be implicated in the scandal. Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested by the FBI in July of 2020 and her trial is scheduled for November.

pgb in nz "Prince Andrew's Lawyer Asks to Keep Epstein's Settlement With Virginia Giuffre Sealed" - another admission of guilt from the slimey scummy bast-ard !! 3

goja kah I get paid over $87 per hour working from home with 2 kids at home. I never thought Id be able to do it but my best friend earns over 10k a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The potential with this is endless. Heres what Ive been doing .. 1

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prince andrew, jeffrey epstein, rape, sexual abuse, virginia roberts giuffre, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/pyramid-scheme-project-for-women-only-island-in-finnish-archipelago-fails-to-materialise-1090235247.html

'Pyramid Scheme': Project for Women-Only Island in Finnish Archipelago Fails to Materialise

'Pyramid Scheme': Project for Women-Only Island in Finnish Archipelago Fails to Materialise

The project for an island off the coast of Raseborg ran into difficulties as it raised both environmental issues and questions about gender equality, before... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T05:09+0000

2021-10-27T05:09+0000

2021-10-27T05:09+0000

news

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So-called Supershe Island on Fjardskar in the Ekenas archipelago in southwestern Finland, marketed as an exclusive holiday paradise for women with luxury accommodation for ten people only, is now for sale for 2.4 million euros ($2.8 million).Nearly four years ago German-American businesswoman Kristina Roth started marketing the concept of Supershe Island as a private holiday resort reserved for women only. The plans for a women-only luxury island made headlines around the world and, according to Roth, thousands had applied to come there. However, the plans to turn the 3.5-hectare island into a getaway spot have since come to an ignominious end.Sven Holmberg, the chairman of the planning committee, said he is not surprised that the island is now up for sale.At Raseborg City's tourist department, the tone was initially very positive and the project was seen as a vehicle to market the town internationally. Since then, however, the project has run into difficulties. Among other things, Kristina Roth has expressed frustration over the rigid bureaucracy and the electricity supply to the island. Furthermore, both the environmental impact and the principle of gender equality in the archipelago have been discussed with local politicians.Yet, the key question was the amount of housing to be built on the island. When Kristina Roth first bought the island, there were four smaller buildings from the 1970s. Her wish was to expand, therefore she applied to increase the building rights from 340 to 690 square metres. Raseborg City's planning committee, however, ruled that this was not sustainable.Furthermore, Kristina Roth also had some buildings erected on the island of Fjardskar without permission. According to Raseborg's leading planning engineer Niklas Skog, an application for an exemption permit was submitted afterwards, but the case has not been processed yet. Skog emphasised that if the island is sold, it is up to the new owner to sort it all out.

finland

scandinavia

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Igor Kuznetsov

Igor Kuznetsov

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Igor Kuznetsov

news, europe, finland, women, scandinavia
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/too-white--male-adam-schiff-expresses-concern-over-lack-of-diversity-in-intelligence-community-1090261696.html

Too White & Male: Adam Schiff Expresses Concern Over Lack of Diversity in Intelligence Community

Too White & Male: Adam Schiff Expresses Concern Over Lack of Diversity in Intelligence Community

Too Much White & Male: Adam Schiff Shows Concern Over Luck of Diversity in Intelligence Community

2021-10-27T21:11+0000

2021-10-27T21:11+0000

2021-10-27T21:11+0000

us

gender equality

diversity

adam schiff

intelligence community

us house intelligence committee

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House Intelligence Committee Chairman, Democrat Adam Schiff, claimed that diversity is US' greatest national strength and pointed out that the frequency by which the Intelligence Community (IC) has been sending white males to give testimony before the Committee.According to the chairman, the IC has been ignoring the diverse talents and backgrounds found across the country, for too long and this threatens to harm the ability of the IC to keep pace with the evolving national security challenges the United States will face in coming years.The diversity among some American state bodies has been a hot topic since Joe Biden has taken office. The US president has faced harsh criticism from some GOP members for the abolition of a law that had banned transgender people from serving in the military. The measures were accompanied by a series of recruitment ads aimed at promoting gender and LGBT equality.Republicans say that the focus on the progressive agenda distracts the US military from its intended purpose. Back in May, 30 House Republicans wrote a letter to US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin urging him to take immediate action against the spread of radical leftist ideas among the armed forces. According to the Congressmen, the tendency threatens the national security of the country.They stated in the document that under the pretext of extremism checks within the ranks of the US military, some officials were given broad freedom to both catechize and root out service members who will not affirm far-left doctrines.

Hess It should become Jewish, devoted to Israeli terrorism and Zionism. That was what Adam Schiff said last time. 3

TruePatriot I hate to break it to you Schiff-for-brains, but you are very much what you are accusing the so-called intelligence agencies of. PLUS you are about as stupid and deranged as they come. Why don't you just sit down and STFU. As to the intelligence agencies in the US, they'd best go back to school and recruit some folks with real intelligence, because the dreck they've been coming up with isn't worth the paper it's printed on. 2

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Alexandra Kashirina

Alexandra Kashirina

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Alexandra Kashirina

us, gender equality, diversity, adam schiff, intelligence community, us house intelligence committee
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/turkey-deploys-troops-on-syrian-border-to-launch-offensive-against-kurds-report-claims-1090256109.html

Turkey Deploys Troops on Syrian Border to Launch Offensive Against Kurds, Report Claims

Turkey Deploys Troops on Syrian Border to Launch Offensive Against Kurds, Report Claims

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Turkey has deployed hundreds of soldiers in northern Syria to launch an offensive against US-backed Kurdish forces, Turkish officials told... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T16:33+0000

2021-10-27T16:33+0000

2021-10-27T16:33+0000

turkey

syria

kurdish militia

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The main goal of the planned offensive is to ensure that two-thirds of Turkeys 560-mile border with Syria is free from the presence of Kurdish forces, the officials told the news agency, speaking on the condition of anonymity.The move by Ankara could also help the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan build up domestic support and put pressure on the US and Russia to pacify Kurdish forces, officials added.Officials also noted that Ankara intends to seize areas in the south of the city of Kobani in order to unite the territories under its control to the west and east of the Euphrates River. Another potential target of the Turkish authorities could be the Menagh airfield, over which the Kurdistan Workers' Party and the Syrian Kurdish Self-Defense Forces, banned in Turkey, have established power.On 13 October, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlud Cavusoglu claimed that Russia and the United States have failed to fulfill their obligations and did not clear Syrias north from Kurdish militant units. Later, on October 21, the Turkish President threatened that the country's armed forces will use heavy weapons to solve the problem and "not leave the situation as it is."In 2016-2019, the Turkish army conducted three operations in northern Syria - "Euphrates Shield" against militants of the IS terrorist group (banned in Russia), "Olive Branch" and "Peace Spring" against Kurdish formations. Damascus has repeatedly called the presence of Turkish forces on the border territory of Syria illegal calling on Ankara to withdraw troops.

https://sputniknews.com/20211023/turkish-defence-minister-notes-stabilization-in-syrias-idlib-after-putin-erdogan-meeting-1090151517.html

vigilante Isn't time for the Kurds to accept Syria's offers of agreements? The US is boosting the Kurds expectation then it will dump them . The Kurds have not yet understood the flimsy sense of loyalty of the US. They may end up begging Bashar Al Assad to take them back in Syria. 10

mandrake The kurds are sort of the linchpin in syria, turkey, iraq and iran and as long as the white house morons can keepnthe kurds going with the proceeds from the stolen syrian oil the morons tactics will succeed. But once the foremention countries join forces, the kurds will be quickly forgotten and the jews next on the program. Total devastation and the jews evicted to hell. But first the kutards and then the jews! 8

4

turkey

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turkey, syria, kurdish militia
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/us-6-january-committee-to-subpoena-lawyer-who-advised-trump-on-challenging-bidens-2020-victory-1090246506.html

US 6 January Committee to Subpoena Lawyer Who Advised Trump on Challenging Biden's 2020 Victory

US 6 January Committee to Subpoena Lawyer Who Advised Trump on Challenging Biden's 2020 Victory

US 6 January Committee to Subpoena Lawyer Who Advised Trump on Challenging Biden's 2020 Victory

2021-10-27T12:06+0000

2021-10-27T12:06+0000

2021-10-27T12:06+0000

us

donald trump

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The House 6 January committee probing the storming of the Capitol will be will be subpoenaing John Eastman  the lawyer who apparently chartered a course for Donald Trump to challenge his opponent Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 elections, the chairman of the committee told The Washington Post. While Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) said "it will happen", he failed to specify when the subpoena will be issued.The committee has already requested all the files, documents, and copies of communications between him and Trump's team, where he allegedly detailed how the then-president could challenge and overturn the outcome of the election. Eastman is believed to have penned two memos that served as a basis for a 4 January meeting in the Oval Office to discuss ways of overturning Biden's electoral victory.The attorney himself claims he was asked to write those memo by an unidentified member of Trump's legal team.An anonymous source told The Washington Post that Eastman could have avoided the subpoena, which remains to be issued, if he had cooperated with the case. Eastman himself insists he returned the call from the committee and left a voice message, having no further contact with them.The lawyer insisted that the memos he wrote for the Trump team do not necessarily represent his views. At the same time, Eastman did not rule out the possibility that irregularities did take place on 3 November 2020, something that Trump's legal team failed to prove in courts. If that was the case, then the 6 January events, which Democrats and some Republicans call an "insurrection", could be looked at in a different light.While Trump himself later condemned the actions of the mob that stormed the Capitol on 6 January, he refused to call it an "insurrection", labelling it a "protest" against alleged acts of voter fraud in the 2020 election instead. Republicans in several states are still trying to verify the claims that voting irregularities took place, but, so far, they've found no solid proof to back Trump's accusations of voter fraud.

https://sputniknews.com/20211026/biden-cant-thwart-work-of-6-january-committee-but-it-is-not-in-his-interests-us-media-claims-1090223295.html

TruePatriot Eastman, give them the same answer Bannon gave them. Let's go Brandon. 1

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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

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us, donald trump
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/us-says-ready-to-quickly-reach-implement-return-to-jcpoa-with-iran-in-new-round-of-vienna-talks-1090259713.html

US Says Ready to 'Quickly Reach, Implement' Return to JCPOA With Iran in New Round of Vienna Talks

US Says Ready to 'Quickly Reach, Implement' Return to JCPOA With Iran in New Round of Vienna Talks

The US State Department said on Wednesday it was prepared to return to Vienna for a seventh round of talks with Iran early next month. 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T18:58+0000

2021-10-27T18:58+0000

2021-10-27T21:17+0000

middle east

iran

joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa)

us state department

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State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement the US believes it is still possible to "quickly reach and implement an understanding on return to mutual full compliance" with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as only a small number of outstanding issues remain to be settled from the last round of talks in June.The seventh round, which is expected to begin early next month, will be the first since Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office in August. A conservative, Raisi has criticized his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani, for being too eager to reach a settlement with the Western powers and has ordered a comprehensive review of all aspects of the negotiation process begun in April.The deal initially reached in 2015 between Iran, the US, UK, France, Germany, European Union, Russia and China, and saw Iran accept strict limits on the purity of uranium-235 it could refine and volume it could store in exchange for the removal of sanctions against the Iranian economy. However, in 2018 then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and accused Iran of secretly violating the deal, reimposing sanctions afterward that crippled Iran's economy and exacerbated the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.In response, Iran began reducing its commitments to the deal, producing steadily higher purities of u-235 and storing greater quantities of the radioactive material, which can in some very high purities be used to make a nuclear weapon, but which is generally used to fuel nuclear power plants or conduct medical research. Highly enriched uranium can also be used to produce plutonium-239, the most common explosive in a nuclear weapon.Iran has denied accusations that it is pursuing a nuclear weapon and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, has issued a fatwa banning the use of all weapons of mass destruction. Israeli intelligence has also dismissed reports Iran might be close to a nuclear weapon, noting there were no indications of new weapons-level work alongside the new refinement efforts.America and many of its regional allies, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, have said they want an even stricter version of the JCPOA than that created in 2015. Price said last week the US was not "optimistic, not pessimistic," but simply "clear-eyed" about the Vienna talks.

luca US "clear-eyed" about the Vienna talks ? .... Impossible and laughable, puppets do what their bosses tell them to do, and we know who their bosses are... nothing new since Arthur James Balfour 10

vot tak "Washington and Jerusalem" ... Jeruselem is the capital of Palestine, tel aviv is the capital of israel. Other than that error, fairly good article. The zio-quisling price is obviously lying, israeloamerica has no interest in returning to the original JCPOA, they are only intetested in rendering Iran more vulnerable to their aggressive war crimes. Since Iran isn't interested in surrender to these zionist quisling/nazis, that ain't going to fly. The zio-media will blame Iran for the israeloamerican intransigence, as always, and the zionist war against Iran will go on. 10

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middle east, iran, joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa), us state department
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/us-top-general-says-alleged-chinese-hypersonic-missile-launch-was-very-close-to-sputnik-moment-1090259569.html

US Top General Says Alleged Chinese Hypersonic Missile Launch Was 'Very Close to Sputnik Moment'

US Top General Says Alleged Chinese Hypersonic Missile Launch Was 'Very Close to Sputnik Moment'

US Top General Says Alleged Chinese Hypersonic Missile Launch Was 'Very Close to Sputnik Moment'

2021-10-27T19:06+0000

2021-10-27T19:06+0000

2021-10-27T19:06+0000

us

china

hypersonic missiles

hypersonic weapons

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Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, has stated in an interview with Bloomberg that the recently reported launch of a hypersonic missile by China has left Washington very concerned. The general went as far as to put its significance next to the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, by the USSR, which alarmed the then-US government, as it showed that America was losing the space race.Milley went on to point out the progress that China has made in its development, not only in the space and cyber spheres, but also in all the traditional military domains  air, land and sea, regularly rolling out new models of vehicles, armaments and equipment. He stressed that the Asian nation will undoubtedly be "the biggest geostrategic challenge" for the US in the next 10 to 25 years.The Financial Times reported earlier this month that China had tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile in August 2021. According to the newspaper, citing anonymous sources, the test caught the US "by surprise," as the hypersonic glider managed to fly around the Earth orbit and then land a strike, missing its target by only a couple dozen miles. The significance of the test is that the alleged weapon is capable of flying over the south pole and striking US territory from a direction that is not as extensively covered by air defence radars as the northern border.China disputed the FT's report, saying that it had carried out the test in July, but it was not a hypersonic missile trial. Beijing stated that it had tested a new reusable space rocket, which would help it revolutionise space travel and cargo delivery. Similar rockets are used by the US-based SpaceX company.

https://sputniknews.com/20211018/china-denies-testing-hypersonic-missile-says-it-was-space-vehicle-trial-1090001837.html

TruePatriot Yes indeed, the US military is still soiling nappies over it. They must come to realize their myopic, egotistical vision of a unipolar world has been thoroughly blown up and debunked. They face a multipolar world now that they must humble themselves to gain admission to. And, they are choking on that, because it would also spell the beginning of the end of the MIC. 8

vot tak This the israeloamerican oligarchy pushing for vastly increased welfare at our expense. 7

10

china

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Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg

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us, china, hypersonic missiles, hypersonic weapons
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/washington-provides-assurances-to-uk-that-assange-can-serve-any-us-imposed-sentence-in-australia-1090242191.html

Washington Provides Assurances to UK That Assange Can Serve Any US-Imposed Sentence in Australia

Washington Provides Assurances to UK That Assange Can Serve Any US-Imposed Sentence in Australia

In January, a British judge turned down the US request to extradite Assange on the grounds there was a high risk of him committing suicide in American custody... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T09:58+0000

2021-10-27T09:58+0000

2021-10-27T14:45+0000

julian assange

us

uk

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The US government has given assurances to the UK WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could serve his sentence in Australia, the country of his birth, if he is convicted in the US, a legal document has shown. Washington also provided assurances to the Court of Appeal in London that Assange, 50, will be provided with "any such clinical and psychological treatment as is recommended by a qualified treating clinician" at a prison, where he will be kept in custody.The High Court in London is hearing a two-day appeal by US prosecutors against a ruling by District Judge Vanessa Baraitser that the Australian-born Assange should not be extradited to America. Judge Baraitser said the whistleblower - indicted on 17 counts of espionage and one count of computer misuse - should not be extradited to the US due to a high risk of suicide.But on Wednesday, 27 October, James Lewis, QC for the US government, said assurances had been given about how Assange would be treated in the US.Mr Lewis said Judge Baraitser concluded the psychiatric expert called on behalf of Assange had "misled" her and she should therefore had ruled his evidence as unreliable and sent the case "back to the beginning" to be completely reheard.A legal document said: "The United States has also provided an assurance that the United States will consent to Mr Assange being transferred to Australia to serve any custodial sentence imposed on him."Washington also promised not to hold him in the infamous Administrative Maximum Facility (ADX) or supermax prison in Florence, Colorado, which holds notorious inmates including Joaquin Guzman aka El Chapo, World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef and the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski.Assange's lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald QC, said in a written submission that Australia had not agreed to take Assange if he was convicted and even if it did the legal process could take a decade "during which Mr Assange will remain detained in extreme isolation in a US prison.''He also accused Mr Lewis of seeking to "minimise the severity of Mr Assange's mental disorder and suicide risk.''Mr Fitzgerald said his client "doesn't feel able to attend the proceedings."WikiLeaks' publication of thousands of leaked military and diplomatic documents infuriated the White House and the Pentagon and Assange could face a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison if convicted in the US.Prosecutors say Assange unlawfully helped US Army intelligence analyst Bradley Manning - a transgender woman now known as Chelsea Manning - to steal classified diplomatic cables and military files so WikiLeaks could publish them.Assange's lawyers argue he was entitled to protection under the First Amendment right to freedom of speech because he was a journalist acting in the public interest by exposing US wrongdoing in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.Lawyers representing the US government are expected to argue Assange was not "so ill" he could not resist harming himself.Assange is still being held on remand at London's high-security Belmarsh prison pending the outcome of the appeal. He is following the hearing on a video link.England's most senior judge, Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett, sitting with Lord Justice Holroyde, will reserve judgment on Thursday, 28 October, meaning the outcome will not be known for several weeks. Even if the US government wins the appeal, Assange's lawyers would be free to appeal to the UK Supreme Court.Among the documents WikiLeaks published were assessments of 765 people who had been held at the US prison facility at Guantanamo Bay between 2002 and 2008.The majority of those were detained when a US-led coalition invaded Afghanistan in the wake of 9/11 or in Iraq after it was invaded in 2003. WikiLeaks revealed 220 were classed as dangerous terrorists but around 150 were Afghan and Pakistani citizens who had been entirely innocent.They also revealed that one of the detainees, Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi, described as "Osama bin Laden's military commander in Tora Bora", was taken by the CIA to Egypt where he was tortured and "falsely confessed that al-Qaeda* operatives had been meeting with Saddam Hussein to discuss obtaining chemical and biological weapons".Al-Libi later recanted this claim, but it was used by the George W. Bush administration to justify the invasion of Iraq. The Pentagon said the revelations "could damage anti-terrorism efforts".*Al-Qaeda is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia and many other countries

Barros US has no credibility. 9

Truth-Teller If Assange would have published the same secrets about Russia or China he would be a hero today. I don't see the point to prosecute anyone who never break in to steal information but received information from a source. Why not prosecute the people behind the Panama papers? The reason to extradite or not extradite are the wrong reasons. The judge set him free and block any US attempt, because he has done nothing wrong. He is a publisher and we should be glad that there are people like him. Anyone should be free to publish US wrongdoings 8

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Chris Summers

Chris Summers

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Chris Summers

julian assange, us, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20211027/weakness-invites-aggression-taiwan-to-beef-up-defence-capabilities-amid-beijing-taipei-tensions-1090253199.html

Weakness Invites Aggression: Taiwan to Beef Up Defence Capabilities Amid Beijing-Taipei Tensions

Weakness Invites Aggression: Taiwan to Beef Up Defence Capabilities Amid Beijing-Taipei Tensions

China continues to regard Taiwan as a breakaway province, while Taipei has repeatedly rejected Beijing's proposal to adhere to the "one country, two systems"... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

2021-10-27T15:02+0000

2021-10-27T15:02+0000

2021-10-27T15:02+0000

xi jinping

china

cooperation

asia-pacific

invasion

island

aggression

reunification

taiwan

defence capabilities

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Taiwans Foreign Minister Joseph Wu has emphasised the importance of Taipei strengthening its defence capabilities in the face of growing tensions between the island and Mainland China.He told reporters on Wednesday that the situation in the Taiwan Strait is growing tense and seems to be growing more dangerous and that there are several things we have been doing and are trying to do again and again.According to him, the second imperative is to bolster cooperation with friendly nations on the international stage.The remarks come after Taiwan's Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters earlier this month that China could be capable of mounting a "full-scale" invasion of the island by 2025. The minister also argued that the China-Taiwan tensions are now at their worst in 40 years.The warning followed a report in The Wall Street Journal that cited unnamed sources as saying that about two dozen US special operations forces and Marines had secretly trained Taiwanese troops "for at least a year".In a separate development, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged that his country's peaceful "reunification" with Taiwan under a "one country, two systems" policy will "definitely" be implemented.In a sign of mounting tensions, the Chinese military sent almost 40 fighter jets to fly near Taiwan's air defence identification zone for two days in a row in early October. Taiwan's Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang responded by condemning the flights as "brutal and barbarian actions", which he claimed were jeopardising regional peace.The situation is exacerbated by the US repeatedly sending its warships to the Taiwan Strait, which separates the island from the mainland. China sees such missions as provocations, describing Washington as "the destroyer of peace and stability" in the Taiwan Strait and "a security risk creator in the region".Taiwan IssueOfficially known as the Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan severed all ties with Mainland China in 1949, in the wake of the Chinese Civil War.At the time, forces led by then-Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong of the People's Republic of China (PRC) defeated ROCs Kuomintang party nationalists and forced them to flee to the island.With both the ROC and the PRC claiming the country's territory, the UN recognised the PRC as the one and only legal China in 1971. Beijing considers the island an integral part of the country, and adheres to a policy of peaceful reunification under the "One China  Two Systems" model.The US does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but maintains a representative office in Taipei, remaining the islands biggest supplier of military hardware.

https://sputniknews.com/20210623/beijing-decries-us-warships-passage-via-taiwan-strait-as-threat-to-regional-peace-1083215581.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211013/china-says-its-military-drills-near-taiwan-aimed-at-preventing-outside-interference-1089881623.html

Rokenbok Taiwan should also define democracy or what it means by being democratic. If its anything like the US, UK, AU, Canada, France or EU then they may want to rethink that statement. 7

Rokenbok This is misleading. Taiwans air defence identification system extends into mainland China because the island is so close. Taiwan also imports over a 100 billion dollars or so from mainland China. If China today wanted to invade Taiwan, they could doit without firing a shot, like Canada invading a roque PEI. Taiwan has a puppet government lead by the USA as usual, so China is just waiting things out. 6

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https://sputniknews.com/20211027/worst-prepared-denmarks-solo-mission-against-piracy-off-the-coast-of-africa-meets-criticism-1090236146.html

'Worst Prepared': Denmark's Solo Mission Against Piracy Off the Coast of Africa Meets Criticism

'Worst Prepared': Denmark's Solo Mission Against Piracy Off the Coast of Africa Meets Criticism

While describing Denmark as a "large and proud maritime nation", Defence Minister Trine Bramsen emphasised that the mission in the Gulf of Guinea is purely... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

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The Danish frigate "Esbern Snare" has been sent on a mission to deter pirates off the coast of West Africa.The Danish media broadly described the Gulf of Guinea, where 40 percent of global pirate attacks occur, as "the world's most dangerous bay". Danish Shipping CEO Anne Steffensen portrayed the Gulf of Guinea as a "hotspot for violent attacks" and "the most dangerous place to sail".A broad majority in the Danish Parliament threw its weight behind the mission, which, according to Defence Minister Trine Bramsen sends a "clear signal".However, the solo mission consisting of a single ship accompanied by a helicopter, raised questions about its efficiency. Among others, the military outlet Olfi unleashed sharp criticism of the endeavour.While the nation's military described the mission as a "purely Danish operation", Defence Minister Trine Bramsen, underscored "close coordination and cooperation", citing the presence of allies in the area, including the US, France, and the UK.The Gulf of Guinea has been plagued by piracy for years. A whopping 95 percent of all kidnappings at sea in 2020 occurred in the Gulf of Guinea.Most recently, the Russian anti-submarine ship "Vice-Admiral Kulakov" thwarted a piracy attack on the Panama-flagged container ship "MSC Lucia" in the Gulf of Guinea, which was en route from Togo to Cameroon.

TruePatriot LOL, while you are there, let the Russians show you how to chase the pirates off since they've just done that twice in the last week. 1

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https://sputniknews.com/20211027/your-husband-will-be-killed-nobody-can-save-him-state-chief-advisers-wife-threatened-1090235122.html

'Your Husband Will Be Killed, Nobody Can Save Him', State Chief Adviser's Wife Threatened

'Your Husband Will Be Killed, Nobody Can Save Him', State Chief Adviser's Wife Threatened

Alapan Bandyopadhyay landed in a spot of bother earlier this year after the state chief of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, refused to sack him as Secretary of... 27.10.2021, Sputnik International

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Sonali Chakraborty, the wife of former West Bengal chief secretary, Alapan Bandyopadhyay, has received a letter containing a death threat against her husband. Your husband will be killed. Nobody can save the life of your husband, read the letter, which was obtained on Tuesday evening.A complaint has been registered with Kolkata Police, and they are searching for the subject. So far, no arrest has been made.Bandyopadhyay was embroiled in a tussle between the federal government and the Mamata Banerjee-led state government in May. He also applied to have the federal government shift his case from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) Bench in the state capital Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) to the principal bench of the CAT in the country's capital city, Delhi.The central government brought an action against Bandyopadhyay for not being present to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the official visit to Kalaikunda air base, West Bengal, on 28 May to review Cyclone Yaas.

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Each candidate has raised more than $58 million in the election so far, according to the most recent campaign finance reports. The combined $117 million raised nearly doubled the previous record for a Virginia governors election. Youngkin, a wealthy former private equity executive, has lent his campaign $20 million from his personal fortune, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

McAuliffes team decided long ago to devote the bulk of his fundraising haul to a message focused on national issuesspecifically, Trumpinstead of his accomplishments while governor, which included a strong state economy and a surge in funding for education. McAuliffe often mentions such governing accomplishments at his events on the campaign trail, but his television commercials, which is how most voters interact with the campaign, have most recently been aimed at tying Youngkin to Trump and the GOPs push to curtail abortion rights.

Easter said it remains to be seen whether Democrats can still win by embracing an anti-Trump message now that he is no longer in office.

Ill know Nov. 3, she said.

Some issues in the race have been out of McAuliffes control.
A portion of the land has been identified as part of the Dawn Village Growth Area. The area is a mix of agriculture, forest and single-family homes. The Virginia Department of Corrections facility named Camp 2 is located to the south and west of the property.

The Caroline Sheriffs Office expressed concerns about traffic and the Virginia Department of Health stated that drain fields need to be properly abandoned as necessary. County staff recommended that planning commissioners visit the site before it moves forward.

The Paige Road project involves 34 parcels of land. One nearby resident wrote a letter to Finchum objecting to the solar farm.

The resident of 30 years said shes frightened the county will approve the project as it will detrimentally affect our citizens in numerous ways. She expressed concern that vegetation will be destroyed and wildlife will be displaced. She said the cycling community will have to watch out for increased traffic during construction.

She wrote that the electricity provided wont serve the power needs of the community but will likely be sold to large corporations such as Microsoft and Amazon. She expressed disappointment that some of the sites havent been visited by county officials.

Paige Road is a jewel of the county, full of character and charm, she wrote. It connects Bowling Green to [U.S. Route 1] and is infused with beautiful small farms and country homes. No one on Paige Road wants the CC Solar facility to go through.

Taft Coghill Jr: 540/374-5526 tcoghill@freelancestar.com
Terry McAuliffe is a compulsive liar. This time The American Spectator, Washington Times, CNS News, Townhall, Politics 406, and others recently noted it in a number of newsworthy articles.

His lies should negatively affect his run for Governor of Virginia. In 2000, 2001, and 2004, this left-leaner repeated false claims Bush stole the election from Gore, accusing the Supreme Court for the outcome.

In a recent debate, McAuliffes response to a Critical Race Theory (CRT) question, it is a dog whistle. Denying CRT was taught or is being taught in Virginia schools, evidence suggests otherwise. As Governor in 2015, his Education Department initiated CRT as an important analytic tool for addressing power and privilege in all Virginia schools. It just so happens that CRT rolled right into the Northam administration and was expanded. This counters his argument that CRT was not taught in prior years through today.

In a recent interview, he was asked to define CRT. He avoided responding and diverted attention to something else. He did not have an answer because he does not even know what it is. Then enters Trumps name as a diversion for division. Other times this year in a September debate what he said about the COVID-19 masking, We need to make life hard on people [Virginians], another denial.
The conditions made for the season's first heavy, wet snow across the Sierras and soaking rains for the coastline and valleys across central and Northern California. The system has since pushed east, ushering severe storms Tuesday into the Plains.

"We had quite a storm, with over six inches of rain in Yosemite Valley over the past 36 hours," park managers posted Monday to Facebook.

"We don't have any direct measurements, but sensors suggest a few feet of snow fell at the higher elevations. Snow level for much of the storm was high, causing rivers and creeks to rise substantially (8.5 feet on the Merced River at Pohono Bridge, 1.5 feet below flood stage)."

The storm system indeed broke records in coastal areas, with San Francisco seeing by "far the wettest Oct day ever." Sacramento set a new 24-hour rainfall record, the weather service office there said.
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  A California police officer was convicted Tuesday of assault with a firearm in the 2018 fatal shooting of an unarmed mentally ill man who was shot nine times while driving away from police in a wealthy San Francisco suburb.

An attorney for the man's family called it a major step forward in holding law enforcement accountable.

After deliberating barely two days, the jury delivered a split verdict in the case against Officer Andrew Hall, who now faces up to 17 years in prison. They agreed Hall was guilty of the felony charge of wrongfully firing his gun in the death of 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda.

But the jury deadlocked on another and more serious count of voluntary manslaughter. Halls sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 14, according to the Contra Costa County district attorneys office, which says it is deciding whether to pursue a retrial on the manslaughter charge.

The case marked the first time a police officer was charged in an on-duty shooting in Contra Costa County, east of San Francisco, and is part of a push by more prosecutors to punish police misconduct after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis set off nationwide calls for social justice.
A Marion man has pleaded guilty in federal court to one count possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a fentanyl containing substance.

Anthony Peter Arrindell, 19, was one of three Marion men arrested in late September in connection to the distribution of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl in Smyth County.

Three Marion men charged in federal counterfeit pill case Three Marion men are facing federal drug and conspiracy charges following months of investigation into the distribution of fake painkillers co

Law enforcement began investigating the distribution of the pressed pills, as well as fatal and non-fatal overdoses in the county earlier this year. According to court documents, counterfeit pills containing fentanyl have been linked to four fatal overdoses in Southwest Virginia.

During the investigation, law enforcement intercepted a suspected drug package in July which was found to contain more than 1,700 counterfeit oxycodone-hydrochloride pills containing fentanyl, according to court records. In mid-August, investigators intercepted another package with the same California return address and conducted a controlled pick up at the post office in Marion.

Law enforcement met Arrindell as he exited the post office with the package containing approximately 22.7 grams of the pills, court documents state.
Alford is encouraged that statistics indicate that at least 4 million people have watched the film Found. since its release.

The whole thrust of the story is about leaning on God during hard times when things are out of control, he said. Found. is about a boy who is lost in the world on his own, and the only person he has to count on is God, and it sees him through.

Im hoping that people who are feeling life is a little bit out of control right now will hear that message and trust in God. Its a word of encouragement I hope everyone picks up from the film.

Alford said he has received messages from a viewer in Nigeria who watches encouraging scenes in the film daily just to help him in his struggle with depression.

That alone makes the movie worth doing. If there are more stories, thats just icing on the cake.

Royal Ashes

Alfords upcoming third film, Royal Ashes, is about a young family of five siblings whose parents are battling problems. The kids are faced with raising themselves.

The storyline has more urban problems whereas Found. has an Appalachian feel to it, said Alford.
MEADOWVIEW, Va.  Pastry chef Willie Bordwine has a passion for a lot of things in life.

Hes hiked the White Mountains in New Hampshire, the Green Mountains in Vermont, Haleakala Crater, a Hawaiian island of Maui, and many more places.

Hes also a poet, even writing a few poems about the relationships between the kitchen and the soul.

Successes and failures in the kitchen and on paper are very much alike, Bordwine said.

But the pastry chef has always felt a calling in the kitchen.

Baking is a nice balance for me as a type A person. Its calming, and it helps me to focus on things that are pleasurable, he said.

Nowadays, the Hayters Gap native is getting quite the reputation for his farm-to-table desserts and breads at the Harvest Table Restaurant in Meadowview.

The baker, whose chocolate tortes and apple pies are winners among customers at the restaurant, learned the art of baking while, oddly enough, earning an undergraduate degree in creative writing and the classics and a Master of Fine Arts degree in English, specializing in writing poetry.
A prominent piece of commercial property could soon be rezoned in Abingdon, Virginia.

The property sits at the corner of Russell Road and Porterfield Highway.

The owner has requested to have it rezoned. The rezoning would allow some sort of retail establishment, said Abingdon Mayor Derek Webb.

In recent years, the property has been used for car lots, tobacco warehouses and flea markets.

A decade or so ago, when it was a flea market, there was a lot of traffic going in and out of there, Webb said.

A request has been made to move the property from limited industrial to general business, said Myana Rice, the towns director of community development, when speaking at the Oct. 21 Abingdon Town Council meeting.

Placing the lot under general business would give it a much wider range, Rice said, and the move would also be more in compliance with the towns zoning in that area, Rice said.

Staff continues to support this request, Rice said.

I think there is some desire that that parcel may ultimately be a travel center, Rice said.
Petersburg spends a little more than $11,000 per public school student. Affluent Falls Church spends nearly $20,000. When it comes to replacing and repairing aging schools and keeping teachers, this is obviously a problem. Two children starting their educational experience in those two places likely wont have the same outcome in 13 years or so.

The state Board of Education has something called Standards of Quality for education programs and staffing. The Legislature, however, views those standards as suggestions rather than rules. This is somewhat understandable, since adhering to the Standards of Quality reportedly would cost about $1 billion a year.

In the last decade, the At-Risk Add-On was developed in Virginia to give more money to districts with high poverty rates, but the gap is still wide.

The Board of Education is pushing for an equity fund that would add to the Add-On and help close the gap between the haves and have-nots. That has not as yet been embraced by the Legislature.

It should be. Poorer districts lose their best teachers to other localities (or states). Facilities crumble for lack of funds. Kids are deprived of a chance at a good education.
Charlotte has likewise faced vaccine resistance among its officers. The Police Departments 66.5% vaccination rate is the third lowest among Charlottes city departments, WCNC reported. In the U.S., 78% of adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Charlotte has stopped short of mandating vaccinations, but it has offered cash rewards for city employees who get the shot, and it requires that the unvaccinated to be tested weekly. The city also requires that all new hires be vaccinated.

The resistance among U.S. law enforcement officers is particularly striking given the toll the virus has taken on their ranks as the leading cause of officer deaths. Since the start of the pandemic, 476 officers have died from COVID-19 compared to 94 killed by gunfire and about 100 who died in vehicle-related incidents, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.

In Raleigh, the police holdouts say their refusal is about freedom. In its letter to the city, the CRFC said that its members are not opposed to vaccines, but they oppose top-down mandates, coercion, and control. Fundamentally, CRFC is for freedom and for respect of the individual.
Editors note: Information is provided by the Cowlitz County Corrections Department and local law enforcement agencies. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Burglary  Longview police deputies Wednesday arrested Russell Downs, 36, of Monroe, Washington, on suspicion of second-degree burglary, attempted burglary, making or having burglar tools and criminal trespassing.

Burglary  Longview police deputies Wednesday arrested Brandon Hill, 24, of Gresham, Oregon, on suspicion of second-degree burglary, attempted burglary, theft, making or having burglar tools and criminal trespassing.

Child molestation  Cowlitz County sheriff's officers Tuesday arrested a 39-year-old Longview man on suspicion of child molestation. (Editor's note: The Daily News does not name arrestees of sex crimes until suspects are charged to ensure alleged victims aren't identified before the suspect has been formally accused of a crime.)

Fraud  Woman transferred money to an alleged landlord after being told they could help her find an apartment, but never heard back. When the victim contacted the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office Tuesday, the "landlord" called claiming to be an IRS agent. Investigation was handed over to the Kelso Police Department.

Assaults

1900 block of Allen Street, Kelso. Tuesday.

2600 block of 30th Avenue, Longview. Tuesday. Man got out of his car to assault person in another vehicle. Suspect fled in gray car with other passengers.

Burglaries

300 block of Pinkerton Drive, Woodland. Tuesday. Commercial burglary from previous night.

1200 block of 15th Avenue, Longview. Tuesday. Employee arrived at work to see bathroom light was on. Bathroom light was turned off when employee turned on other lights.

Stolen vehicles

3000 block of Maryland Street, Longview. Tuesday. Red 2014 Dodge Ram, Washington plates. Tools were in the vehicle when it was stolen.

10th Avenue and Broadway, Longview. Tuesday. White 2000 Honda Civic, WA BXM1900. Black spray paint lines on the hood.

2900 block of Louisiana Street, Longview. Tuesday. Blue 2000 Ford F150, WA B51909S.

Thefts

800 block of West Side Highway, Kelso. Tuesday. Caller saw man sawing catalytic converter off truck, leave scene with possible accomplice.

3600 block of Memorial Park Drive, Longview. Tuesday. Shoplifting.

100 block of Toutle Park Road, Castle Rock. Tuesday. Social Security card stolen, used in other states.

2200 block of 52nd Avenue, Longview. Tuesday. Mail stolen, causing caller to be affected by late payments.

Vandalism/malicious mischief

Chickadee Drive, Kelso. Tuesday. Water meter outside home damaged.

200 block of 28th Avenue, Longview. Tuesday.

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Cowlitz County clinics and pharmacies are offering boosters of all three authorized COVID-19 vaccines, after the state and federal agencies gave the OK late last week.

The Food and Drug Administration, followed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Western states review group, recommended the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine boosters for certain groups of people to help better protect against severe COVID-19.

The agencies authorized Pfizer boosters in late September.

Officials also approved mix and match dosing for booster shots, allowing eligible people to choose the same type of vaccine they originally received or a different booster.

The COVID vaccines continue to offer very strong protection against severe illness and death and are saving lives every day, said Gov. Jay Inslee in a statement. Now people who qualify to get a booster dont have to be restricted to one brand of vaccine. They are able to get whichever is available to them and is best for them.

For people who received Pfizer or Moderna vaccines at least six months ago, federal and state health officials recommend boosters to people 65 years old and older, long-term care residents 18 and older, and those 50- to 64-years-old with underlying conditions or at high risk of social inequities.

People 18- to 49-years-old at high risk of severe COVID-19 because of underlying conditions or higher risk of social inequities or who are at increased exposure risk because of their job or institutional setting may get a booster.

Officials recommend boosters for anyone 18 and older who received the single-dose J&J vaccine at least two months ago.

The regular vaccine series still protects against severe illness, hospitalization and death, but may have a drop in protection over time, according to the state Department of Health. Boosters will help provide continued protection against severe illness to people at high risk.

The Cowlitz Family Health Center is rolling out Moderna boosters starting Wednesday, said Jim Coffee, CEO. The organization also will be offering the vaccines to staff because most got Moderna or J&J vaccines, he said.

Patients have been inquiring about when the boosters would be available for several weeks, Coffee said. Now many are reaching out because the recommendations are confusing some people who dont know which vaccine to get, he said. Since mixing and matching is allowed for boosters, it is a personal preference which to get, Coffee said.

Coffee said he hopes people get the flu vaccine at the same time as their booster shot because there is no waiting period between the COVID-19 vaccine and others. The clinics are offering both vaccines.

That will hopefully keep people safer over the winter, he said.

Although he suspects the COVID-19 vaccine may become annual like the flu shot, Coffee said he hopes more frequent doses arent recommended.

People are exhausted just from masking. If youre telling them they need multiple shots a year, youll lose them to that as well. Hopefully thats not the case.

PeaceHealth patients can receive COVID-19 vaccines from their primary care provider, according to the organization.

Kaiser Permanente is offering Pfizer and Moderna boosters at its Longview clinic to members and non-members by appointment.

Cowlitz Tribal Health is offering Moderna boosters to eligible patients and staff at its Longview and Tukwila clinics.

Safeway, Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS and Walmart pharmacies have COVID-19 vaccines available, including boosters.

Wahkiakum County Health and Human Services is offering Pfizer boosters to eligible people starting Wednesday. COVID-19 vaccinations area available from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays in the health department located on the lowest floor of the county building. No appointment is necessary.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  An 84-year-old Iranian-American man who has been detained in Iran for more than five years underwent surgery on Tuesday to clear a blockage in an artery to the brain that his family and supporters have described as life-threatening.

The surgery on Baquer Namazi appears to have been a success and Baquer is awake, although he remains groggy, according to a statement from Namazi's attorney, Jared Genser. He is expected to remain in the intensive care unit for two more days and then be transferred to a general recovery ward before being released.

Genser and Namazi's son, Babak, urged Iran weeks ago to lift a travel ban that has kept his father inside the country so that he could receive medical care in another country. Genser submitted a brief earlier this month to the United Nations saying Iran's actions violated Namazi's rights.

Instead, the surgery occurred in Iran, and Genser said that though the family was grateful that the operation went well, dire concerns remain about the quality of aftercare available in Iran, the significant risk of Covid-19 exposure in the hospital, and the need for a stress-free environment for recovery, all of which threaten Baquers survival and long-term well-being.

He reiterated his demand that Iran permit Namazi to leave the country immediately to continue his medical recovery and to reunite with his family.

Namazi, a former UNICEF representative and dual Iranian-American national, was detained in 2016 when he traveled to Tehran to see his son Siamak Namazi, a businessman arrested in Iran months earlier. Both Namazis were sentenced to 10 years in prison in Iran on what the United States and United Nations say were trumped-up spying charges.

Baquer Namazi was granted medical furlough in 2018 and his sentence was subsequently commuted to time served, but Iranian authorities have not permitted him to leave the country. Siamak Namazi remains jailed in Irans notorious Evin prison.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Windows 11 is the biggest update to Microsofts operating system in the past six years and the arrival of the update earlier this month brought several new visual, performance and security enhancements to the companys widely used operating system for desktop and laptop computers. However, one prominent feature that was missing, was support for Android apps, which is expected to arrive in a future update. However, these apps are from Amazon. But now, a developer has now found a workaround to installing not just Android apps, but the Google Play Store itself on Windows 11.

At the time of publishing this article Microsoft allows users on the Windows Insider preview builds to try out 50 Android apps on the testing versions of Windows 11 to see how they perform on various kinds of hardware. However, the apps as designed, will be available through the Amazon Appstore. Meanwhile, a developer with the screen name ADeltaX has found a way to install the Google Play Store and other Android apps on their Windows 11 desktops and provided the steps online.

Also read: Looking for a smartphone? Check Mobile Finder here.

The process, however, is not easy and will pose a challenge for beginners. Users will be able to install the Play Store and sign in with their Google account. It involves installing Windows Subsystem for Android using this link, then Windows Subsystem for Linux and Ubuntu from the Microsoft Store. These are prerequisites for being able to install and run the Google Play Store and logging in on your Windows 11 PC or laptop.

Users will then have to enter a few commands, then create a custom package on the OpenGApps service that generates Google Apps packages which include the Play Store. The developer has also provided various .sh scripts to complete the process, but users must remain aware that they are performing unsupported steps on their PC and that it could have unwanted side effects. Those who are interested in installing Android apps on their computer can check out the developers video tutorial.

However, there is a caveat. In order to try this feature out, users will first have to download the Windows 11 testing version that has enabled this feature, which means they will be running beta-level software. This should not be done on your primary computer as it could cause serious issues. Users will also have to change their PC settings to the United States, use a US-based Amazon Appstore account and have a compatible Windows 11 supported processor, with 8GB of RAM and an SSD.
Google has banned another 150 dangerous apps from its app store called the Google Play Store. These 150 malicious SMS scam apps on Play Store were part of a campaign called UltimaSMS wherein malicious actors sign victims up for expensive premium SMS services that earns them money while ultimately leaving victims facing big losses. Avast says that these apps have been downloaded more than 10.5 million times from Google Play Store and are nearly identical in structure and functionality. You can check link of full list of 150 SMS scam apps banned by Google Play Store later in article.

What is worrisome about UltimaSMS scam campaign is that it is not limited to a country or topography. Rather it is spread across the globe with Android users in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, UAE, Turkey, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, US and Poland being the most affected countries.

How these sickening SMS scam apps work - the modus operandi

As Avast explains it, when a user downloads these apps from Google Play Store, the app checks their location, IMEI number, and phone number to determine which country area code and language to use for the scam. Once the user opens the app, a screen in the local language of their device is set to prompt them to enter their phone number, and in some cases, email address to gain access to the apps advertised purpose.

Upon entering the requested details, the user is subscribed to premium SMS services that can charge upwards of $40 per month depending on the country and mobile carrier. Instead of unlocking the apps advertised features, these apps either display further SMS subscriptions options or stop working altogether. The sole purpose of the fake apps is to deceive users into signing up for premium SMS subscriptions.

...many people who submitted their phone numbers into the apps might not even realize the extra charges to their phone bill are connected to the apps, Avast wrote in the blog.

Google apps ban: Check full list of 150 sickening apps removed from Google Play Store

You can check the entire list of malicious malicious apps banned by Google Play Store here.

How to save yourself malicious apps found on Google Play Store

Avast has shared some tips to help users to protect themselves from such SMS scams on these dangerous apps. Take a peek:

1. Disable the premium SMS option with your carrier. Disabling this option will nullify the UltimaSMS scam.

2. Carefully check reviews. Scam apps often have boosted review averages, but written reviews may reveal the true purpose of an app.

3. Dont enter a phone number unless you trust the app.

4. Read the fine print available in the app details before entering details.

5. Stick to official app stores - Google Play Store or Apples App Store - when downloading apps.
Deliveries on the 787 have been halted since May, a major factor in the company's third-quarter loss.

Troubles with the 787 jet and a delayed NASA test launch were a drag on Boeing in the third quarter, resulting in another loss reported Wednesday as the aviation giant struggles to fully recover from earlier stumbles.

The company had posted a profit in the second quarter after six straight losses, but wound up back in the red in the three months ended September 30 with a loss $109 million.

Major drivers were expenses tied to the 787 problems and one-time costs associated with the delayed test flight of the CST-100 Starliner capsule.

Those are the latest setbacks for Boeing, which navigated an existential crisis in early 2020 when the downturn in aviation due to Covid-19 added to the hit from the lengthy grounding of its 737 MAX.

Chief Executive David Calhoun told CNBC he was an "optimist," and aims to enter 2022 "with a decent trajectory" as the aviation industry recovery accelerates.

Revenues rose eight percent to $15.3 billion in the latest quarter, reflecting the benefit from returning deliveries of the 737 MAX.

Boeing announced $1 billion in new expenses connected with the 787 Dreamliner, with $183 million coming in the third quarter.

The company halted deliveries of the 787 in May following a series of issues with the plane.

Avoiding forecasts

Earlier this month, the company said it would rework undelivered 787s after being notified by a supplier that some parts were not manufactured properly.

It is currently manufacturing just two 787 planes a month.

As the company works through the issues, Calhoun said he is following a "deliberate process" in interfacing with the regulators in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

He likened the back-and-forth with the agency to the experience with the 737 MAX, which the FAA cleared to fly in November 2020 following a 20-month grounding in the wake of two fatal crashes.

The discussions with the FAA are "the mirror image of the MAX," he said.

He noted that Boeing had frustrated investors repeatedly by offering an overly-optimistic timeframe for returning the grounded plane to service.

So for the 787, "I can't predict delivery times," he said, adding "we are going to stick to our knitting."

But "the good news is ... that the MAX is out there, it is flying like crazy, and it is as reliable as any airplane in any fleet in the world," Calhoun said.

Boeing plans to increase production of the MAX to 31 a month in early 2022 from 23 currently.

The company is exploring further production increases, but Calhoun cited supply chain challenges as a wildcard, repeatedly highlighting questions about labor availability, as well as raw materials and logistics.

It is "not an assessment of demand that gets us to whatever number we get to," he said of MAX production.

"I think we're going to be in a supply constrained world probably from second half through all of '23 with respect to narrow-bodies."

Another question mark for the MAX concerns China, which still has not approved the plane to resume service.

Boeing is working to win approval in China by the end of 2021, with deliveries to resume in the first quarter of 2022, the executive said.

Starliner costs

A second charge of $185 million connected to the delayed test flight of the Starliner capsule also hit results.

The CST-100 had been scheduled to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on August 3 but the flight was aborted just hours before launch because of problems with propulsion system valves.

Boeing officials earlier this month said they were still testing and hoped to conduct the trial flight in the first half of 2022.

NASA gave Boeing and SpaceX multi-billion dollar contracts each to provide its astronauts with taxi services to the space station and end US reliance on Russian rockets for the journey.

Boeing needs to complete a successful mission without crew before it can carry astronauts.

The company's share price fell 1.5 percent to end the day at $206.63.

Explore further Boeing aims for unmanned Starliner test flight in first half of 2022

 2021 AFP
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

As aviation struggles to emerge from the historic, pandemic-driven downturn, another longer-term challenge already looms. Concern about air travel's contribution to climate change threatens to curtail growth of an industry that has expanded steadily for decades, shrinking the world for travelers and connecting the global economy.

The airline industry, contending with growing political pressure in Europe and recently even in Seattle for new restrictions on flying, this month formally committed to a target of "net zero" carbon emissions by 2050.

To achieve that, governments and industry will have to invest billions of dollars in infrastructure in the coming decade. Further out, Boeing and Airbus will have to develop dramatically new airplane designs.

For the flying public, all outcomes in the years ahead point to an increase in the cost of flying.

Yet that distant net-zero emissions target is so radical, and the proposed technology solutions so uncertain, that aviation risks falling far short.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury recently warned that if the industry's new push for climate sustainability fails, governments could force a reduction in air travel by banning some of the flying that is routine todaya major step back after more than 100 years of passenger flights.

"Aviation has a very important role on the planet to connect people and to contribute to prosperity," he said at a two-day aviation sustainability summit convened by Airbus in France last month. "We are at a point where this is in danger if we don't manage to transition and succeed in the decarbonization of the sector."

This is "the number one matter of discussion in the industry, even more than COVID now," he added.

Under pressure, the world's major airlines have firmly committed to one key technology that will dominate aviation's environmental push in the coming decade: Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF.

For the plane manufacturers, the major costs and big risks will come later.

In the coming decade, Airbus and Boeing will make money from the airlines' push for sustainability by promoting the sale of new, more efficient jets to replace older planes that burn more gas and produce more carbon emissions. But further out, the plane builders will need to develop dramatically new technologies.

Airbus is already aggressively pursuing research to develop by 2035 a zero-emission, short-haul airliner powered with hydrogen. That research is largely funded by European governments.

Boeing contends that hydrogen-powered aircraft won't be realistic until as late as 2050. But as Mike Sinnett, Boeing vice president of product development, recently said, "whatever the next airplane is, we recognize sustainability is going to be a driving factor."

After the world's airlines announced the new "net zero by 2050" goal at this month's annual conference of the International Air Transport Association, IATA Director General Willie Walsh demanded a big technology leap from Airbus and Boeing.

"It's not good enough that we get incremental change in efficiency with the aircraft," Walsh said. "To get to net zero we're going to need a fundamental change."

Climate campaigns

The latest definitive scientific study estimates that aviation contributes a net 3.5% of total human-induced climate impact. Cleaning it up has become a focus of those who see an existential crisis in climate change.

"There is a limited time for a life-altering change for my generation and my children's generation," said Sarah Shifley, a lawyer who volunteers on the aviation team of climate activist group 350 Seattle.

This summer, 350 Seattle mounted a campaign opposing a planned expansion of flights at Boeing Field, where corporate jets and cargo aircraft, as well as Boeing delivery and test flights, fly in and out.

Locally, the Puget Sound Regional Council that makes long-term decisions about transportation needsand is weighing the need for one or more new airportsprojects takeoffs and landings in the region will double by 2050 to over 800,000. In similar fashion, Boeing projects the world's fleet of airliners doubling by 2040, driven by growth in emerging economies.

That's an appalling prospect to Shifley.

"After the summer we've had, of heat domes and hurricanes and floods and fires, it's unfathomable to me to be considering doubling" air traffic, she said.

Elsewhere, particularly in Europe, flying is already being curbed by government policy. France in April banned domestic flights between cities with a train connection of less than 2.5 hours. Various government agencies and organizations around Europe have imposed similar bans on short-haul flights for employee business travel.

At the Airbus sustainability summit, Andrew Murphy, aviation director at Transport & Environment, a nonprofit that campaigns for clean transportation, said planned expansion of airports in Europe should stop.

He called for mandates with strict timelines to spur the decarbonization of aviation.

"What would drive innovation and drive focus in the sector is if we were to say, by 2035, we will end the sale of jet aircraft for short-haul flights in Europe," Murphy said.

Ross Macfarlane, a vice president at both the Sierra Club and the Clean Energy Transition Institute, which seeks to cut carbon emissions out of the Pacific Northwest economy, said the U.S. needs to look at high-speed rail and other alternatives to flying.

He said the COVID-19 lockdown has demonstrated there are "ways to do business that are frankly more efficient than jumping on a plane at the drop of a hat."

Yet he acknowledges how critical aviation is to modern life and the global economy. "It's both unrealistic and not in society's interest to take a stance of simply advocating for aviation to go away. It's not going to happen," he said.

Science and uncertainty

Jet airplane engines burn a lot of fuel. Alaska Airlines alone burns 750 million gallons per year.

Alaska provided data for a Boeing 737-900ER flight Oct. 6 from Seattle to Philadelphia: It burned 4,388 gallons of jet fuel, or about 24 gallons per passenger, counting bags and some extra cargo.

Yet driving that 2,800-mile trip in a typical family car would use about 112 gallons of gas, making it less fuel efficient even with four people in the car.

The most recent comprehensive scientific analysis of aviation's impact on the atmosphere over timepublished in January in the journal Atmospheric Environment and cited by both climate activists and the industryestimated the sector's contribution as 3.5% of total human-induced climate change based on 2011 global flight data.

That's the same percentage calculated by the U.N."s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change more than two decades ago based on 1992 flight data.

Though aviation grew enormously between 1992 and 2011 as the world's fleet of airliners more than doubled, the increasingly efficient airplanes burned less fuel. Meanwhile, other human-induced climate impacts grew as fast so that percentage contribution was constant.

Sean Newsum, director of environmental sustainability strategy at Boeing, said one can infer "that aviation emissions are growing at a rate no greater than the global emissions overall."

The Atmospheric Environment analysis estimates that only a third of aviation's 3.5% net contribution to climate change is from its CO 2 emissions, with the largest contribution coming from airplane contrails.

A jet contrailthe line of what looks like white smoke that sometimes trails an airplaneis not an emission from the airplane. It's water vapor that is already in the air around the plane that's triggered to condense, forming ice particles.

While contrails often disappear completely in a short period, under certain atmospheric conditions they persist as diffuse cirrus clouds that reflect back terrestrial radiation, with a net warming effect.

The conclusion that aviation's non-CO 2 impact on the climatemostly from contrails, but also from soot particles, nitrogen oxides and other trace emissionsis twice as large as that from its CO 2 emissions alone is often cited with alarm by climate activists.

However, there's great scientific uncertainty around the climate impact of the non-CO 2 emissions.

A lead author of the Atmospheric Environment paper, David Fahey of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, Colorado, said in an interview that modeling the effect of contrails is complex, producing calculations with such wide probability ranges that the warming impact is "of uncertain magnitude."

Speaking at the Airbus sustainability summit, another leading climate expert, Drew Shindell, professor of earth science at Duke University, said the impact of contrails "really is still up for debate in the scientific community" and is "probably not such an enormous problem."

That suggests aviation's total net contribution to climate change could be significantly less than 3.5% of the total human-induced impact.

Fahey said climate scientists aim to provide policymakers the best available data, while also laying out all the uncertainties.

"People are throwing rocks at aviation," he said. "It's complicated."

Hydrogen power

At the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP26, which convenes at the end of this month in Glasgow, Scotland, countries around the world will commit to new targets to lower emissions.

As a global business, international air travel has until now fallen outside the scope of those national targets, its goals instead set through the U.N."s International Civil Aviation Organization, which is heavily influenced by the world's airlines.

However, as conference host, the U.K. is launching the International Aviation Climate Ambition Coalition in Glasgow to try to get more countries to sign a substantive declaration on aviation emissions.

Clearly, if aviation is to avoid regional restrictions being imposed on flying, major industry players will have to convince the public and governments that they are taking real action.

Airbus CEO Faury is confident his engineers will have a hydrogen-powered short-haul airplane ready by 2035, though the jet maker won't have to commit significant investment of its own until it formally launches an airplane program around 2027.

At the IATA conference in Boston, Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief Stan Deal expressed his doubts that hydrogen-powered airliners can be ready in that time frame.

First, there's the complexity of a totally new airplane design. Deal pointed out that liquid hydrogen occupies 18% more volume than current jet fuel and must be wrapped in cryogenic equipment to keep it cooled to -418F. Designing such a system, he said, presents "some physics problems."

Certifying it as safe to fly also will be a major hurdle. As Boeing's Sinnett expressed it, "To have a safe system that can carry liquid hydrogen and be as safe as we are with jet fuel today, that might be bigger and heavier than you want to put on an airplane."

Even Airbus acknowledges it will take far longer to develop hydrogen power for large, long-haul aircraft.

In addition, hydrogen production requires lots of electricityand if that comes from a carbon-dirty source, there's no net climate benefit in using it as fuel. So energy companies will have to vastly scale up production of "green hydrogen," produced from sustainable sources.

And then airports around the world will have to invest in the cryogenic tank infrastructure and equipment needed to dispense the liquid hydrogen to airplanes.

Hydrogen, Sinnett said, "is not ready for prime time yet. It's a longer-term play."

While Boeing has worked with NASA on various futuristic "green airplane" concepts, for now it offers the prospect of only incremental technology tweaks to its current planes.

Otherwise, it promotes SAF as the potential solution to aviation's climate impacta technology being developed and paid for not by the manufacturers but by alternative energy startups with government support.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel

On that, Faury and Airbus agree: If the industry is to meet the net zero goal, it cannot wait for hydrogen and must over the next three decades dramatically scale up the use of SAF.

Yet that too is a difficult technological goal.

SAF is a hydrocarbon fuel typically produced from biomass feedstock such as waste oils or plant debris and purified so that the final liquid is essentially identical to current jet fuel.

When SAF burns in a jet engine, it produces exactly the same carbon emissions. Nevertheless, it's deemed "sustainable" because the life cycle of those emissions shows the carbon being absorbed from the air by plants, then recycled back to the air.

This contrasts with fossil fuel, where the carbon going into the air had previously been sequestered underground for millions of years.

If SAF is carefully produced using the cleanest methods, it's touted as providing a life-cycle reduction in carbon emissions of between 50% and 80% compared with fossil fuels.

Because SAF can be simply dropped in a tank instead of jet fuel, neither the design of the airplane nor the fueling infrastructure at the airport need to change.

The problem is producing SAF in sufficient quantities at an affordable price.

The small quantities produced today cost five to seven times as much as jet fuel. Though demonstration flights have flown on SAF, it makes up less than 1% of the aviation fuel currently used.

To hit its net zero emissions target, IATA wants that scaled up so that 65% of all aviation fuel is SAF by 2050.

Macfarlane of the Sierra Club believes SAF can work, while acknowledging that "skepticism is well justified."

"There are many proposals out there for biofuels that would be used for aviation, that aren't sustainable and aren't really scalable," he said.

Identifying truly sustainable sources is problematic. Imported palm oil, for example, the cause of deforestation in Southeast Asia, is unacceptable. And producers must consider what land use is displaced by growing the feedstock.

Still, momentum and investment are building to overcome these obstacles. Multiple SAF projects are in the works in the U.S. and around the world.

Oil giant Shell has committed to produce 2 million metric tons of SAF per year by 2025, though to be clear, that's less than 1% of aviation's annual fuel needs.

The Bend, Oregon-based U.S. subsidiary of alternative fuels startup SkyNRG plans to build a plant for producing such jet fuel out of landfill waste. Boeing has a deal with SkyNRG to tap that proposed facility for its own aviation fuel needs.

The Department of Energy in September awarded $64.7 million in new funding for biofuels, with SkyNRG getting $1 million of that.

With coal and gas climate change provisions already cut from President Joe Biden's proposed social spending legislation, Sen. Maria Cantwell is pushing to retain $1 billion for SAF research and tax credits so as to stimulate production of 3 billion gallons of SAF per year in the U.S. by 2030about 10% of U.S. airline fuel needs.

Major companies keen to burnish their own sustainability credentials are putting money into jump-starting SAF production.

Microsoft has agreed to pay Alaska Airlines for SAF, expensive as it is, to be used on certain West Coast routes frequently flown by its employees.

At the Airbus summit, John Holland-Kaye, CEO of London's Heathrow Airport, said that without sustainability, "we won't have a business."

"It may well be that the flying does cost a little bit more," he said. "But that will be a price worth paying."

2021 The Seattle Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Maura R. Grossman. Credit: University of Waterloo

Maura R. Grossman, JD, Ph.D., is a Research Professor in the Cheriton School of Computer Science, an Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, and an affiliate faculty member of the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence. She is also Principal at Maura Grossman Law, an eDiscovery law and consulting firm in Buffalo, New York.

Maura is best known for her work on technology-assisted review, a supervised machine learning approach that she and her colleague, Computer Science Professor Gordon V. Cormack, developed to expedite review of documents in high-stakes litigation. She teaches Artificial Intelligence: Law, Ethics, and Policy, a course for graduate computer science students at Waterloo and upper-class law students at Osgoode, as well as the ethics workshop required of all students in the master's programs in artificial intelligence and data science at Waterloo.

What is AI?

Artificial intelligence is an umbrella term first used at a conference in Dartmouth in 1956. AI means computers doing intelligent thingsperforming cognitive tasks such as thinking, reasoning, and predictingthat were once thought to be the sole province of humans. It's not a single technology or function.

Generally, AI involves algorithms, machine learning, and natural language processing. By algorithms we simply mean a set of rules to solve a problem or perform a task.

There are basically two types of AI, though some people believe there are three. The first is narrow or weak AI. This kind of AI does some task at least as well as, if not better than, a human. We have AI technology today that can read an MRI more accurately than a radiologist can. In my field of law, we have technology-assisted reviewAI that can find legal evidence more quickly and accurately than a lawyer can. Other examples are programs that play chess or AlphaGo better than top players.

The second type is general or strong AI; this kind of AI would do most if not all things better than a human could. This kind of AI doesn't yet exist and there's debate about whether we'll ever have strong AI. The third type is super intelligent AI, and that's really more in the realm of science fiction. This type of AI would far outperform anything humans could do across many areas. It's obviously controversial though some see it as an upcoming existential threat.

Where is AI being used?

AI is used in countless areas.

In healthcare, AI is used to detect tumors in MRI scans, to diagnose illness, and to prescribe treatment. In education, AI can evaluate teacher performance. In transportation, it's used in autonomous vehicles, drones, and logistics. In banking, it's determining who gets a mortgage. In finance, it's used to detect fraud. Law enforcement uses AI for facial recognition. Governments use AI for benefits determination. In law, AI can be used to examine briefs parties have written and look for missing case citations.

AI has become interwoven into the fabric of society and its uses are almost endless.

What is ethical AI?

AI isn't ethical, just as a screwdriver or a hammer isn't ethical. AI may be used in ethical or unethical ways. What AI does, however, is raise several ethical issues.

AI systems learn from past data and apply what they have learned to new data. Bias can creep in if the old data that's used to train the algorithm is not representative or has systemic bias. If you're creating a skin cancer detection algorithm and most of the training data was collected from White males, it's not going to be a good predictor of skin cancer in Black females. Biased data leads to biased predictions.

How features get weighted in algorithms can also create bias. And how the developer who creates the algorithm sees the world and what that person thinks is importantwhat features to include, what features to excludecan bring in bias. How the output of an algorithm is interpreted can also be biased.

How has AI been regulated, if at all?

Most regulation so far has been through "soft law"ethical guidelines, principles, and voluntary standards. There are thousands of soft laws and some have been drafted by corporations, industry groups, and professional associations. Generally, there's a fair degree of consensus as to what would be considered proper or acceptable use of AIfor example, AI shouldn't be used in harmful ways to perpetuate bias, AI should have some degree of transparency and explainability, it should be valid and reliable for its intended purpose.

The most comprehensive effort to date to generate a law to govern AI was proposed in April 2021 by the European Union. This draft EU legislation is the first comprehensive AI regulation. It classifies AI into risk categories. Some uses of AI are considered unacceptably high risk and they tend to be things like using AI to manipulate people psychologically. Another prohibited use is AI to determine social scores, where a person is monitored and gets points for doing something desirable and loses points if doing something undesirable. A third prohibited use is real-time biometric surveillance.

The next category are high-risk AI tools like those used in medicine and self-driving vehicles. A company must meet all sorts of requirements, conduct risk assessments, keep records, and so on before such AI can be used. Then there are low-risk uses, such as web chatbots that answer questions. Such AI requires transparency and disclosure, but not much else.

Can AI conform to human values or social expectations?

It's very difficult to train an algorithm to be fair if you and I cannot agree on a definition of fairness. You may think that fairness means the algorithm should treat everyone equally. I might believe that fairness means achieving equity or making up for past inequities.

Our human values, cultural backgrounds, and social expectations often differ, leaving it difficult to determine what an algorithm should optimize. We simply don't have consensus yet.

In machine learning, we often don't know what the system is doing to make decisions. Are transparency and explainability in AI important?

That's a difficult question to answer. There is definitely something to be said for transparency and explainability, but in many circumstances it may be good enough if the AI has been tested sufficiently to show that it works for its intended purpose. If a doctor prescribes a drug, the biochemical mechanism of action may be unknown, but if the medication has been proven in clinical trials to be safe and effective, that may be enough.

Another way to look at this is, if we choose to use less sophisticated AI that we can more easily explain, but it is not as accurate or reliable than a more opaque algorithm, would that be an acceptable tradeoff? How much accuracy are we willing to give up in order to have more transparency and explainability?

It may depend on what the algorithm is being used for. If it's being used to sentence people, perhaps explainable AI matters more. In other areas, perhaps accuracy is the more important criterion. It comes down to a value judgment.

Explore further Twitter drops image-cropping algorithm after finding bias
In this Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 file photo, people gather in the Nvidia booth at the Mobile World Congress mobile phone trade show in Barcelona, Spain. European Union regulators opened an in-depth investigation Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021 into graphics chip maker Nvidia's $40 billion purchase of chip designer Arm over concerns it would limit competition, adding to global scrutiny of the deal. Credit: AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, file

European Union regulators opened an investigation Wednesday into graphics chipmaker Nvidia's $40 billion purchase of chip designer Arm over concerns it would limit competition, adding to global scrutiny of the deal.

The European Commission said it's concerned the combined company would have the ability and incentive to restrict access to technology from United Kingdom-based Arm Ltd., whose chip designs power the vast majority of the world's smartphones.

The commission, which is the EU's top antitrust authority, said it worried the deal would result in higher prices, less choice and reduced innovation in the semiconductor industry.

Nvidia Corp., based in Santa Clara, California, said last year that it was buying Arm from Japanese technology giant Softbank. The deal raised concerns that Arm would abandon its neutral business model of licensing its chip designs to hundreds of tech companies, including many of Nvidia's rivals.

"Our investigation aims to ensure that companies active in Europe continue having effective access to the technology that is necessary to produce state-of-the-art semiconductor products at competitive prices," said EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who's in charge of competition and digital issues for the bloc.

The commission said Nvidia had offered concessions to address preliminary concerns but that they weren't enough to ease "serious doubts" about the deal.

Arm referred requests for comment to Nvidia, which said it's "working closely" with the commission.

"We look forward to the opportunity to address their initial concerns and continue demonstrating that the transaction will help to accelerate Arm and boost competition and innovation, including in the EU," Nvidia said in a statement.

The commission has until March 15 to decide whether to clear the deal. The EU concerns echo those cited by the U.K's competition watchdog, which opened its own investigation earlier this year.

Nvidia has pledged to maintain Arm's open licensing model and customer neutrality, keep Arm's headquarters in Cambridge, England, and expand its British staff. Nvidia previously said the purchase would not be completed until early 2022 because of expected scrutiny, including from regulators in the U.S. and China.

Explore further UK watchdog investigates chip maker Nvidia's takeover of Arm

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Silicon Valley has a powerful new adversary: Its own workforce.

Attracted by high salaries, world-class perks and the promise of being able to make a positive difference in the world, employees of the biggest tech and internet companies have long ranked high on measures of job satisfaction and loyalty. But with their companies frequently at the center of contentious political and cultural struggles, they are increasingly concluding that doing good requires breaking with the corporate lineoften publicly.

Recent episodes at Facebook and Netflix have seen tech workers taking problems with their employers outside the buildingto the media, to the streets and to Capitol Hillin ways that were rare just a few years ago.

"We are experiencing a major shift in work norms," said Catherine Bracy, founder and chief executive of TechEquity Collaborative, an organization focused on mobilizing the tech sector to address economic inequity. "Executives and upper management often come from a tradition that expects workers to check their personal lives and opinions at the door. Rank-and-file workers, especially millennials and Gen Z-ers, aren't willing to make those kinds of compromises."

"We're seeing that difference in expectation play out very publicly these days," Bracy added via email.

The shift has been on full display in the "Facebook Papers," a large-scale journalism project based on reams of previously internal Facebook documents made available by whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former product manager for the company. Haugen's leaks have led to revelations about Facebook's hesitancy to stifle the flow of anti-vaccine misinformation, its lack of local language content moderators and concerns flagged by Apple that it was being used to buy and sell Middle Eastern maids.

And Haugen isn't the only Facebook worker who's grown disillusioned; as the leaked documents reveal, employees have been taking to the company's internal message board to voice concerns over the social network's role in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and other matters.

At Netflix, comedian Dave Chappelle's latest stand-up speciala platform exclusive in which Chappelle made remarks many have condemned as transphobicsparked the streaming giant's first major public protest by employees.

Last week, transgender Netflix employees and their allies protested in Los Angeles with an organized walkout. Some staff members have also released a list of demands and (in a move that mirrors Haugen's actions) one employee allegedly leaked financial data about Chappelle's special to the media, resulting in the employee's firing.

Google employees have agitated against company projects they disapproved of, and several hundred unionized. Amazon workers have spoken out against the company's environmental and labor practices. Smaller, more under-the-radar tech companiesHootsuite, Basecamp, Coinbasehave dealt with their own internal reckonings over conflicts between what workers want and what management demands.

Tech workers turning to external channels to agitate for change represents a significant cultural shift for Silicon Valley, which has long prided itself on internal transparency and empowering individuals, and where rank-and-file workers once largely accepted the notion that frictionless internal collaboration and candid leadership required a commitment to keeping company secrets.

Those norms might have held when the companies employed a few thousand workers, said Adam Fisher, author of "Valley of Genius: The Uncensored History of Silicon Valley." "But now that these are some of the biggest companies that have ever existed on the planetat least by value, and probably by size; other measures tooit's just harder to keep stuff secret."

The value proposition has changed as well, with the companies' need for talent giving tech workers "a lot of economic power," Fisher said. "These companies don't run themselves, and we're at a place [where] you've got million-dollar signing bonuses for some of the hottest young engineers, literally, so you need to care about what they think, no matter what it is."

Forrest Briscoe, a professor of management at Penn State, said that whistleblowing and demonstrations are "close cousins, with lots of theoretical overlaps"but that the two strategies also have some differences.

"Activism more often involves collective action (but not always)," Briscoe said via email, whereas "whistleblowing more often involves misconduct/rule violation allegations (but not always)."

One can lead to the other, said Arunima Krishna, an assistant professor of public relations at Boston University whose work has explored employee activism.

"I think the major difference between what's happening at Netflix versus Facebook, and why I'm less optimistic about the latter is that  Facebook's situation to my mind is a failure to respond to employee activism, thus taking such activism to the next level, whistleblowing," Krishna said via email. "Whistleblowing typically is a result of employee pushback against policies being ignored, forcing (former) employees to go public with allegations of wrongdoing."

Just as employees have a spectrum of responses to choose from when faced with concerns or frustrations about their bosses, executives also have flexibility in how they respond to pushback.

Camille Reyes, an associate professor in the communication department at Trinity University, said the decisions that organizations make in crises exist along a "contingency continuum."

At one end of that continuum is "accommodation," Reyes said, when a company apologizes unequivocally or capitulates fully to employee-activist demands. At the other end is "advocacy," wherein "the organization is going hard defending themselves."

In its initial response to the protests over Chappelle, Netflix was on the advocacy end of the continuum, Reyes said, with corporate leadership sending out a memo saying the comedy special didn't "directly translate to real-world harm." Subsequently, Netflix has gradually shifted closer to the middle, "trying to build empathy" but still not fully embracing employee concerns, she said.

Facebook, by contrast, has "gone hard on the advocacy side."

"They continue to attempt to discredit Haugen," Reyes said. "In addition to attacking her as just a disgruntled ex-employee, their primary talking point with the mainstream media seems to be that the data points alleging Facebook misdeeds are cherry-picked, painting a false picture."

Facebook has been cagey about whether it will retaliate against Haugen for whistleblowing.

It's a risky strategy, however, and one whichmore so than Netflix's wavering but increasingly conciliatory approachcould hurt Facebook's reputation in the long run.

"Based on our research of employee activism at Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Wayfair, being dismissive of employee demands and retaliating against employees are not the most effective tactics," said Ed Carberry, associate professor and chair of the management department at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and Nishi Gautam, Carberry's advisee and a doctoral candidate researching tech employee activism. "Generally, companies need to be careful to take these issues seriously, trust their employees when they say they have a problem and listen to them."

It's a dynamic that tech companies are having to think more and more about as their employees become increasingly comfortable airing dirty corporate laundry in public.

"Listen to your employees, listen to what's important to them," said Krishna, the Boston University assistant professor. "They want to have a voice in their organization, and are not afraid to use that voice against the organization if they believe that the organization's values are not being followed."

2021 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

It's 7:15 am on a Friday morning, and Jordan wants to download an application to their laptop. They know the app by name, or so they think; they open a new tab in their Internet browser and mistype the app's name. The error brings them to a malicious website that looks like a legitimate site, only it isn't, causing Jordan to download an app containing malware. Jordan's computer is now infected with malware.

Jordan is a real person, although their name isn't really Jordan. They were a participant in a new study by CyLab researchers that aimed to learn what "normal" Internet browsing looks like. Such datasets didn't previously exist, but now that one does, researchers can better understand how people like "Jordan" are led to download malicious content and come up with ways to prevent that from happening again.

Their study, titled "How Do Home Computer Users Browse the Web?" was published in the latest issue of ACM Transactions on the Web.

"The goal for this paper was to be a foundation that other researchers could use," says CyLab's Kyle Crichton, a Ph.D. student in Engineering and Public Policy and the study's lead author. "Now that we know what normal behavior looks like, we can start to identify anomalous behavior and begin to address any number of security challenges."

To create their dataset, the authors of the study observed the browsing behavior of 257 willing participants through the Security Behavior Observatory (SBO), a group of participants consenting to have their daily computing behaviors observed. One might think consenting to being monitored may lead one to act a bit different than they normally would, but Crichton says he doesn't believe that happened here.

"In general, there was a substantial number of visits to potentially pirated streaming websites, pornographic websites, and gambling websites," Crichton says. "Therefore, we assume that they were generally behaving as they normally do."

So what does "normal" browsing look like? Lots of browser tab usagesome use just a few and some use a tonand most time is spent on the top 1% of websites.

"People spend most of their time on a small number of websites," says Crichton. "Fifty percent of people's browsing time is spent on roughly 30 websites, among millions of websites."

Occasionally, Crichton says, people end up at what he refers to as "the periphery" of the Internetrelatively low traffic websites that are commonly associated with riskier content. These sites are often adware, gambling, pornography, and potentially illegal streaming websites.

"We observed a lot of people who started out at a popular streaming service like Netflix or Hulu, and they must not have found what they wanted, then they'd jump out to the periphery," Crichton says.

While the study may serve as a foundation for other researchers to use, it'll do so only until people's browsing behavior evolves enough to necessitate recording a new baseline, which Crichton says is inevitable.

"When Google came out in the late 90s, people's way of finding content quickly changed," he says. "People's browsing behavior shifted again when tabbed browsing was introduced in the mid-2000s. It's these game changers that are introduced, and things rapidly evolve."

Explore further Misconceptions plague security and privacy tools

More information: Kyle Crichton et al, How Do Home Computer Users Browse the Web?, ACM Transactions on the Web (2021). Kyle Crichton et al, How Do Home Computer Users Browse the Web?,(2021). DOI: 10.1145/3473343
A worker leans against a gasoline pump that has been turned off, at a gas station in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. Gas stations across Iran on Tuesday suffered through a widespread outage of a system that allows consumers to buy fuel with a government-issued card, stopping sales. One semiofficial news agency referred to the incident as a cyberattack. Credit: AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

A cyberattack in Iran affected all of the Islamic Republic's 4,300 gas stations, a senior official said, as some still faced problems Wednesday.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack that began Tuesday, though it bore similarities to another months earlier that seemed to directly challenge Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the country's economy buckles under American sanctions.

Abolhassan Firouzabadi, the secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, linked the attack to another that targeted Iran's rail system in July, in comments reported by the state-run IRNA news agency.

"There is a possibility that the attack, like a previous one on railway system, has been conducted from abroad," Firouzabadi said.

He added that an investigation into the incident was underway.

On Wednesday morning, IRNA quoted another official who claimed 80% of Iran's gas stations had begun selling fuel again.

Tuesday's attack rendered useless the government-issued electronic cards that many Iranians use to buy subsidized fuel at the pump. The semiofficial ISNA news agency, which first called the incident a cyberattack, said it saw those trying to buy fuel with a government-issued card through the machines instead receiving a message reading "cyberattack 64411."

Cars wait in line to fill up at a gas station because pumps machines are out of service, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. Gas stations across Iran on Tuesday suffered a widespread outage of a system that allows consumers to buy fuel with a government-issued card, stopping sales. One semiofficial news agency referred to the incident as a cyberattack. Credit: AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

While ISNA didn't acknowledge the number's significance, that number is associated with a hotline run through Khamenei's office that handles questions about Islamic law. ISNA later removed its reports, claiming that it too had been hacked. Such claims of hacking can come quickly when Iranian outlets publish news that angers the theocracy.

Farsi-language satellite channels abroad published videos apparently shot by drivers in Isfahan, a major Iranian city, showing electronic billboards there reading: "Khamenei! Where is our gas?" Another said: "Free gas in Jamaran gas station," a reference to the home of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

The use of the number "64411" mirrored the attack in July targeting Iran's railroad system that also saw the number displayed. Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point later attributed the train attack to a group of hackers that called themselves Indra, after the Hindu god of war.

Indra previously targeted firms in Syria, where President Bashar Assad has held onto power through Iran's intervention in his country's grinding war.

A gas station is empty because the gas pumps are out of service, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. Gas stations across Iran on Tuesday suffered through a widespread outage of a system that allows consumers to buy fuel with a government-issued card, stopping sales. One semiofficial news agency referred to the incident as a cyberattack. Credit: AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

Cheap gasoline is practically considered a birthright in Iran, home to the world's fourth-largest crude oil reserves despite decades of economic woes.

Subsidies allow Iranian motorists to buy regular gasoline at 15,000 rials per liter. That's 5 cents a liter, or about 20 cents a gallon. After a monthly 60-liter quota, it costs 30,000 rials a liter. That's 10 cents a liter or 41 cents a gallon. Regular gasoline costs 89 cents a liter or $3.38 a gallon on average in the U.S., according to AAA.

In 2019, Iran faced days of mass protests across some 100 cities and towns over rising gasoline prices. Security forces arrested thousands and Amnesty International said it believes 304 people were killed in a government crackdown. Tuesday's cyberattack came in the same month in the Persian calendar as the gasoline protests in 2019.

The attack also came on the birthday of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who, stricken with cancer, fled the country in 1979 just before the Islamic Revolution.

A gas station is empty because the pumps are out of service, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. Gas stations across Iran on Tuesday suffered through a widespread outage of a system that allows consumers to buy fuel with a government-issued card, stopping sales. One semiofficial news agency referred to the incident as a cyberattack. Credit: AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

Iran has faced a series of cyberattacks, including one that leaked video of abuses at its notorious Evin prison in August.

The country disconnected much of its government infrastructure from the internet after the Stuxnet computer viruswidely believed to be a joint U.S.-Israeli creationdisrupted thousands of Iranian centrifuges in the country's nuclear sites in the late 2000s.

Explore further Hackers disrupt Iran's rail service with fake delay messages

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Midwater moorings and the Tidal Bottom Landera heavy, low-profile frame with an instrument-packed, pop-up buoy in the centerwere in the water throughout July and August 2021.The ships surveys conducted in late August measured the cross-channel variability of current speeds, sediment concentrations, salinity, and temperature. All hardware, including anchors, were designed to be recovered from the site. Credit: Al Hicks, NREL

The ocean was calm when the Peregrine Falcon ship left the harbor in Homer, Alaska, last month with three moorings resting on its deck, all loaded with scientific instruments.

Eighteen hours later, these moorings were lowered into the silty waves where they collected data for two months. Two of the moorings were 12-foot submarine-shaped buoys that floated 60 feet below the inlet's surface, and the third rested on the sea floor; all three gathered data on the velocity, turbulence, and sediments at the nation's top-ranked tidal energy site.

A highly energetic corner of the Pacific Ocean, Cook Inlet holds one of the greatest tidal resources on Earth. All that energy has the potential to reduce Alaska residents' dependence on declining oil and gas production and provide excess renewable energy that could stimulate the Alaskan economy. That is why researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) submerged their moorings in Cook Inlet; the data they collected will help identify important details of the opportunities and challenges that come with turning these surging waters into a reliable and renewable power source for Alaskans living on the nearby shore.

But that is no easy feat.

"Models and local knowledge tell us the currents here are extremely strong. There is silt and sea ice in the winter. We expect the turbulence to be intense," said Levi Kilcher, an NREL senior scientist who leads ocean energy resource assessments like this one.

Credit: National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Capturing energy from the ebb and flow

Just as wind turbines extract energy from moving air, underwater turbines can create energy from the ebb and flow of the tides. Tidal energy has the potential to provide more than 220 terawatt-hours per year of clean, renewable energy in the United States, which is enough to power 21 million homes. Tidal technologies are promising, with new demonstration projects showing the world that they can operate reliably and efficiently. And yet, it is still an early-stage industry when compared to wind and solar. As of September 2020, only three tidal turbines were operating in the United States.

"So much of our work builds on NREL's background in wind power," Kilcher said. "It took time to understand the importance of accounting for turbulence in wind turbine designs. We're learning from that and getting ahead of the turbulence questions now by making these measurements. But in the ocean, there are so many additional environmental challenges: We've also got to deal with sea ice, sediment, marine growthnot to mention the corrosive properties of the salt water itself. So, we're trying to understand the details of these environmental challenges as well."

For the Cook Inlet study, Kilcher led a multilaboratory team that included researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories. The team also contracted help from TerraSond Limited, Ocean Renewable Power Company, and Integral Consulting. NREL has performed similar studies in Puget Sound, Washington, and off the coast of Maine, but the Alaskan environment poses unique challenges: currents that are stronger, sea ice in winter, and sediments that wash into the inlet from the glaciers dotting the nearby mountains. The turbulence stirs up sand and silt from the inlet floor, creating frothy, gray water at the surface and a slurry of sand and gravel at the bottom.

"The strong currents at the site create sand dunes on the sea floor that are 30 feet tall. Instruments have been lost at this site, most likely buried in sand," Kilcher said. "We've used midwater moorings and inflatable chambers in the Tidal Bottom Lander to ensure we get this stuff back."

NREL researchers and crew prepared to deploy three moorings in Cook Inlet, Alaska, in July to collect data for a potential tidal energy site. From left to right: Chris Higgins (Peregrine Falcon), Patrick Verity (Peregrine Falcon), Brian Hunt (TerraSond Limited), Frank Spada (Integral Consulting), Levi Kilcher (NREL), Andrew Smith (TerraSond Limited), Gwen Sovitski, Olivia Cormier (TerraSond Limited), Jeff Johnson (Peregrine Falcon). Credit: Christopher Pike

It is an environment Kilcher knows well. He grew up in Homer, a small fishing town on Cook Inlet where he played on the beach of these icy waters, practiced subsistence fishing, and later worked as a deckhand for his father's freight business. He earned a Ph.D. in oceanography with a focus on ocean turbulence from Oregon State University. Ten years ago, he brought his expertise to NREL's Water Power team to help design tidal power systems that could, one day, power his hometown.

"I've always been attracted to problems that seem unsolvable. Turbulence is one of those problems, and tidal energy has sometimes felt like one too, but the industry is starting to see real success," Kilcher said.

Now, to help in the effort, Kilcher and his team are gathering some of the information needed to start designing projects in Cook Inlet. In addition to turbulence, researchers are measuring the water's velocity, salinity, temperature, and the sediment composition and concentration. With that data, they will validate and refine models to paint a much more detailed picture of the site, including how much energy could be generated there and how to build tidal turbines that can withstand the elements.

The detailed understanding of the Cook Inlet tidal energy resource that stems from this project will allow the industry to design tidal turbines that perform reliably for decades in the harsh Cook Inlet environment. Ultimately, this work could also help design turbine arrays that maximize power production while minimizing impacts to marine life and the inlet's ecosystems.

Transforming Alaska's economy with clean, affordable, local energy

Having access to clean, affordable energy would transform the Alaskan economy, which is currently facing a deep economic recession due to decreased oil and gas production and high energy prices. Alaskan residents depend on oil and gas not just for jobs and state revenue but also for heating and power. Because of their extreme climate, remote location, and lack of infrastructure, they spend twice as much on energy as the average American; many communities pay three times more, according to the Cold Climate Housing Research Center's 2018 Alaska Housing Assessment.

"It's a huge amount of power that we have access to at our doorstep," said Chris Rose, executive director of the Renewable Energy Alaska Project, a nonprofit that advances clean energy solutions for Alaska. "The economic and environmental benefits would be immense."

With affordable energy, local industries could process the raw materials harvested in Alaska, such as wood, minerals, and fish, rather than exporting them to places with cheaper energy prices. Communities could switch from diesel to electric power for transportation and heating. With surplus electricity, companies could even start making hydrogen as a fuel with which to export the state's vast renewable energy resources.

Tidal power technologies are at a critical stage of development; U.S. and European companies have had increasing success in single-device demonstration projects and are now planning pilot-project arrays that demonstrate long-term reliability and scalability. Cook Inlet's strong currents and harsh environment are ideal for demonstrating technology robustness. Given these successes, NREL engineers believe tidal technologies could make significant contributions to Alaska's energy demand in the next decade. This would help transform and revitalize the Alaskan economy and would be a significant contribution to help meet the marine energy industry's goal of 1 gigawatt of marine energy plants deployed by 2035.

"It's kind of like saying to the people in Arizona 40 years ago that if solar power ever gets really cheap, we'll have a bonanza here. Guess what? It happened." In other words, Rose said, "the time to start investing in tidal energy is now."

Out in Cook Inlet on the Peregrine Falcon, Kilcher deployed and successfully recovered three moorings to gather the data needed to engineer the next generation of tidal devices. When he returned to the harbor, the sun shone over the snow-covered mountains, and Kilcher looked for the humpback whales the team saw the day before. He thought about the precious data they had just collected and the device engineering it will facilitate. And he thought about the childhood dream that grew from these same waters.

Explore further Harnessing marine energy at all scales, from a village microgrid to a vast tidal inlet
US TikTok Vice President and Head of Public Policy Michael Beckerman (R) testifies in a Senate hearing about kids'safety online on Capitol Hill 2021, with Snapchat Vice President of Global Public Policy Jennifer Stout (L).

Three social media networks massively popular with the youngest usersTikTok, Snapchat and YouTubetried to convince skeptical US lawmakers Tuesday they are safe as worry about Facebook's potential harms spills over to other platforms.

Video-sharing app TikTok and photo network Snapchat, in their first testimony to US senators, argued they are built to protect against the mental health and safety risks present on social media.

"Your defense is, 'We're not Facebook,'" Senator Richard Blumenthal told the networks' representatives. "Being different from Facebook is not a defense, that bar is in the gutter."

"Everything you do is to add users, especially kids, and keep them on your apps," he continued.

While a recent whistleblower-fueled controversy has focused on Facebook's knowledge that its sites could cause harm, other social media giants also grapple with safety issues.

"Snapchat was built as an antidote to social media," said Jennifer Stout, Snap VP of global public policy, noting images on the platform delete by default.

Under questioning later in the hearing, she said the company is making efforts to crack down on the drug dealing that has proliferated on the platform, with sometimes deadly consequences.

TikTok, which said in September that it has one billion active users, has fast become a phenomenon among youths and argued it is a different kind of platform.

"TikTok is not a social network based on followers.... You watch TikToks, you create on TikTok," said Michael Beckerman, TikTok's head of public policy in the Americas.

Yet the app has been attacked on charges its algorithm can serve content to kids, for example, that encourages dangerous weight loss or introduces them to viral challenges that promote the destruction of school property.

'How long will this continue?'

The site also became a political battleground after then-president Donald Trump targeted the app in 2020 for a subsequently abandoned shutdown effort on the argument the platform represented a national security risk because of its links to China.

The ByteDance subsidiary, whose equivalent in China is called Douyin, nevertheless remains well behind YouTube, which claimed 2.3 billion monthly active users in 2020.

Though 13 is the official minimum age limit to join most social media platforms, both TikTok and YouTube have versions that are aimed at younger children.

"Our child safety-specific policies... prohibit content that exploits or endangers minors on YouTube," said Leslie Miller, vice president of public policy at YouTube.

She added that between April and June its moderators removed nearly 1.8 million videos that violated policy.

YouTube has battled with a surge in Covid-19 and vaccine misinformation as the pandemic drove people online looking for information.

Senator Marsha Blackburn, who was co-chairing the hearing, drew little difference among the platforms and their arguments for safety.

"For too long we have allowed platforms to promote and glorify dangerous content for its kid and teen users," she said. "How long are we going to let this continue?"

Facebook, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, has delivered testimony repeatedly before US lawmakers and is facing one of its worst crises ever with the leaking of thousands of internal studies to authorities and journalists.

However, the company has previously been hit by major scandals that did not translate into major new US legislation aimed at regulating social media.

Explore further TikTok says it has over 1 billion users

 2021 AFP
Multimedia Reporter

Staff writer Harry Funk, a professional journalist for three-plus decades, has been on the staff of The Almanac since 2015. He has a bachelors degree in journalism and master of business administration, both from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
The field of eight candidates vying to be Brunswicks next mayor was reduced to two on Nov. 2 with Cosby Johnson and Ivan Figueroa emerging from the pack to qualify for the runoff.
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I specifically asked Kendall to apply to be an officer for our FFA chapter because I thought she would bring maturity and a good head on her shoulders to the team, Clinkscales said. Her leadership skills are great and you know anytime you need something to be done, Kendall will make sure its done and you dont have to check back in on her.

And although she enjoys serving as a leader, Bone said her favorite aspect of agriculture is growing her herd of sheep. A favorite memory of hers occurred early in high school, when Bones family began breeding a sheep and got a buck out of the process.

My dad named him Problem Solved because he was really just a blessing, Bone said. He was born in April 2020, right in the middle of COVID-19 lockdown, so I got to see him as a baby because I had nothing else to do being stuck at home. I worked him all the way up until he was able to show and I showed him at two breeding sheep shows.

At the first show, the Chisholm Trail National, Bone and Problem Solved won supreme, the shows highest honor. Bone then traveled to the Houston Livestock Show with Problem Solved in pursuit of a trophy.
However, she still maintains a clear separation between Jewish ritual and magic. I dont try to reconcile the two at all.

But Laura Tempest Zakroff, an artist and author of Anatomy of a Witch: A Map to the Magical Body, who lives in New England, sees her witchcraft and Jewish heritage as inseparable. Zakroff calls herself a Jewitch, demonstrating this syncretic relationship through word play.

It describes someone who acknowledges their Jewish cultural heritage and where that intersects or informs their witchcraft, she said.

Zakroff was raised mostly in her Catholic mothers faith, but she became strongly connected to her fathers Jewish heritage through history, reading, music and dance.

That heritage comes through in the way she performs her magic, she said. I know a lot of folks probably (think) the Kabbalah or Qabalah, but to me, (Jewish witchcraft) is the everyday mysteries found within daily ritual  the blessing of a beverage, the honoring of food through preparation. Its the attention to detail that acknowledges we arent alone in this world, she said.
Biden administration officials acknowledged in documents published to the federal register that in canceling Trump's rules, they were adopting views that federal wildlife agencies rejected just months ago.

But the Biden administration officials said a reevaluation of the Trump policies showed them to be problematic because they limited the government's ability to advance conservation by protecting areas where plants and animals are found.

Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz said the proposal would bring the endangered species law into alignment with its original intent and purpose  protecting and recovering America's biological heritage for future generations.

Republicans lawmakers pushed back. Arkansas Rep. Bruce Westerman, the ranking GOP member of the House Natural Resources Committee, called Tuesday's move a tone deaf reversal of needed reforms to the endangered species law.

Westerman and other Republicans said they were introducing legislation to make the Trump rules permanent. That stands little chance of passing while Democrats remain in control of the House and Senate.
The College Station City Council voted in a split decision to ask voters to hold elections for council on odd years only.

City elections in odd numbered years have failed to exceed 10 percent of registered voters in any of the past four elections. Voter turnout in council elections in even-numbered years has exceeded 58% in every even-numbered year contest: six times more voters in even-numbered year elections vs. the odd- year elections.

It is not that voters dont care in odd years. Odd-year elections simply dont get enough publicity as the even numbered years and voters dont turnout.

The majority of the College Station City Council are not trying to suppress the votes of poor people or people of color, but they are trying desperately to suppress the votes of Aggies. In College Station, really?

Only Mayor Karl Mooney and Councilmembers Elizabeth Cunha and John Nichols opposed the odd-year schedule. Councilmembers John Crompton, Bob Brick, Dennis Maloney and Linda Harvell supported this obvious suppression of Aggies voting in College Station elections  ensuring Aggies dont have a say in local government decision-making in College Station.
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.
Tyler Lee was only 28 years old when he won election to town council in 2020. He would love it if more people his age would try their own hand at running for office.

You know, all this stuff is fun, Lee said. You always get to meet new people, you always get to brainstorm the next feature thing inside of a locality. Theres no better spot than being in a leadership spot to try to hit the gas pedal on initiatives that you come up with.

Though its unclear whether Lee is the youngest council member in the towns history, hes definitely the youngest in recent years. I dont remember anybody younger, said Linda Stanley, managing director of the Franklin County Historical Society.

Going back to her days as a reporter who covered Rocky Mount Town Council meetings, I remember lots of old people, she said, but young people didnt want to get in it. They were out making a living, doing other stuff. It was a thankless job even back in the 60s and 70s, she said.
Investigators combed through all his belongings, and a federal grand jury was convened, yet no charges were ever filed against Bowman.

By 2006, two men had been convicted in federal court of lying to investigators by making claims they had seen Bowman at the Shorts home the night of the slayings. Prosecutors said the men were after the reward money, and that the lies they told led to hundreds and hundreds of hours of misguided investigation before their stories unraveled.

Still, a cloud of suspicion hung over Bowman until his death in 2014. Even today it lingers, despite the fact that in 2007, both Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry and an FBI agent publicly stated that Bowman was not a suspect in the case.

As Bowman himself lamented, This will live with me until the day I die, or until its solved.

The question must be raised: compounding the horrific tragedy of the Short familys deaths, was an innocent mans life destroyed?

To those who have the answer: Please, do the right thing.

Regarding the handling of the Short case, the Henry County Sheriffs Office has had a cloud of its own to contend with.
That might just be her personality, she said. She always tries hard to see the good in people. And maybe thats where that comes from, but Im just bewildered.

Cox, who joined the State Fair in January of 2018, hired Kopke.

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We had such high hopes for his position and the things that he could do for Nebraska State Fair from a financial prudence standpoint, and that just didnt happen, clearly, she said by phone from Montana.

Cox and board members Harry Hoch and Chuck Rolf worked together in filling the finance manager position and made that decision as a team, she said.

Hoch and Rolf, who were on Coxs Executive Committee, are astute businessmen, she said. And Patrick, I guess you could say, conned us all, she said. And we were very sad about that, Im sure collectively, but I sure am sad about it.

Cox is thankful to the Nebraska State Patrol for its work in uncovering the financial theft. Patrol employees were incredible in working with me in getting to the bottom of the entire situation, she said.
The cornerstone of the center is to bring comprehensive cancer treatment to an area of Nebraska some consider relatively underserved, said Dr. Mehmet Sitki Copur, the centers medical director.

Central Nebraska, Grand Island, Hastings is a place that can combine and support rest of the state. Our unique tradition with academic affiliation with the University of Nebraska creates a wonderful opportunity for us to build the bridge here. We can connect the rest of the state to the east and comprehensively treat all rural Nebraskans and enable them to access academic level care.

Academic medicine is a merging of education and health care, and something Copur places a high value on. The exciting part is the academic connection, bringing the academic and research cancer care to a rural setting in the country. My goal is to create an academic program in central Nebraska, where academic medicine is a big unmet need.

The center puts the different facets of cancer care in one location, which is needed in central Nebraska, Callahan said.

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The group has been beset by legal and financial troubles in recent years but remains a potent force politically and has more than 5 million members.

Allan Liska, an intelligence analyst at the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future, said it's highly unusual for a politically active group such as the NRA to be targeted by ransomware gangs, but he said there is no evidence the attack was politically motivated. He said ransomware gangs usually do not target organizations, but vulnerable technologies.

It's not likely that this was specifically targeted at the NRA, the NRA just happened to get hit," he said. You never know, though.

Liska said the email problems could be related to the ransomware attack. He said email systems are top targets of ransomware gangs because they often contain sensitive information and hamper an organization's response to an attack, further incentivizing them to pay a ransom.

Spokespeople for the FBI did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
We supported people across the country, and efforts across the country, for Republicans that supported coal, Carey said in an interview in August. But as far as House Bill 6, look, we were completely neutral on the bill, because we had companies that were for the bill and we had companies that were against the bill.

Russo tells voters she would be a voice for working families" if elected, rejecting claims in grainy Carey attack ads that paint her as a Democratic loyalist who would vote 100% with Nancy Pelosi when she got to Washington.

I have been an independent voice in the Statehouse. It has been very clear from my time in office that I am not about partisan politics, I'm not about special interest politics, she said in an interview last week. I'm there to represent the people that I serve and their issues. I am a pragmatist. I'm interested in getting things done. If my opponent wants to run against this made-up bogeyman, then that's pretty typical of the Republican playbook.

Two different organizations tried to set up debates where the candidates could have hashed out their differences before voters. Carey declined to participate.

We dont believe that candidates who lie in their ads or run illegal ads are worthy of debating, Carey's spokesperson Blaine Kelly said. Russo's campaign stands by the ads.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
WASHINGTON (AP)  For nine months under President Joe Biden, the U.S. has pursued a diplomatic strategy that could be characterized as about China, without China.

On security, trade, climate and COVID-19, the Biden White House has tried to reorient the focus of the U.S. and its allies toward the strategic challenges posed by a rising China  all while there has been little direct engagement between the two rivals.

The president is now preparing for a pair of global summits where he again won't be meeting with Chinas Xi Jinping but the tensions and aggravations between the world's two largest economies will nonetheless be on ready display.

Biden heads first to the Group of 20 summit in Rome this weekend after months of still-unresolved negotiations over his proposals to invest billions more in U.S. workers and key industries. He's promoted those policies by offering them as the solution to a generational threat posed by China and by exhorting the rest of the world to join his cause.
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Distance Learning

Stanford Delivering First-Ever Dual-Enrollment Course for High Schoolers

Stanford University is delivering its first-ever dual-enrollment class with 15 high schools across the country. A fall 2021 pilot has enrolled 220 students Computer Science 105, an introductory course for students who attend high schools where at least 40% of students live in low-income households.

This is the first initiative undertaken by a new office at Stanford charged with broadening equity and access to higher education through digital pathways. The Office of the Vice Provost for Digital Education will "incubate and support" digital education initiatives across the institution, to "serve the public good."

For this first program, Digital Education is working with the National Education Equity Lab, a nonprofit that works to bridge the gap between high school and college. The duo intends to offer additional courses later in the year, all credit-bearing.

Stanford lecturer Patrick Young, who is leading the course, worked with Digital Education and the Ed Equity Lab to design lessons for a group of students who may not have much background in the subject.

"The goal is college-level rigor with support designed to meet the needs of high school students," Young said in a statement.

The high schoolers attend the class as part of their daily school schedules. Stanford alumni and students serve as section leaders and advisors. Teachers from each of the 15 participating high schools are in the classrooms to facilitate and help with each lesson; all have received professional development and support from Stanford's Transforming Learning Accelerator.

The dual-enrollment program hopes to encourage students from underrepresented backgrounds to aim higher in their college pursuits. According to program officials, research has shown that most high-achieving high school students from low-income families don't apply to or attend "selective" colleges "where they would have opportunities to flourish."

"Our work is rooted in the fact that talent is evenly distributed, opportunity is not," said Leslie Cornfeld, Ed Equity Lab's chief executive officer. "By connecting our college partners with our nation's historically underserved high schools, we aim to change that, at scale. Stanford's effort shows what it looks like for a university to play a leadership role in broadening educational opportunity."

The new Digital Education office at Stanford is led by Matthew Rascoff, newly appointed as vice provost for digital education. In a campus interview, Rascoff explained that the new office "has a distinct mission  to advance education innovation for equity and opportunity."

He said that he expected the office to curate and negotiate partnerships with outside organizations, that will help the university "contribute to a more just, equitable and accessible system of education by uniting Stanford's human and technological capabilities in new combinations."
Learning Tools

Zoom Updates Address Low Bandwidth for Teachers

Zoom has introduced several new features designed specifically for educators.

For teachers or instructors who are working with low bandwidth, the "stop incoming video" function allows them to stop incoming video feeds of others in the meeting, replacing the videos with students' profile images. The feature only affects the educator's view and it won't turn off his or her camera. Students will continue seeing the teacher's video and anything else being shared. The company said the feature would also be useful for students "prone to seizures," allowing them to take quick visual breaks. It's enabled in Zoom's video preferences menu and activated in the in-meeting "view" menu.

Zoom's poll capability will shortly have some new functionality:

Polls will have more variety, allowing for images in questions, ranked response questions and questions with matching answers, short and long text responses and fill-in-the-blank.

Polls can be turned into quizzes by selecting the right response to each question. Educators can also choose to show students how many answers they got right after they're done with the quiz.

Alternative hosts will be able to edit polls. Previously, that ability was limited to the meeting host; now it can be handed off to "alternative hosts," such as teaching assistants or substitute teachers, allowing them to change questions on the fly.

The application's newly updated LTI Pro app, which integrates videoconference into the learning management system, will shortly allow meeting hosts to invite guests  people who are outside of the school's account  to a session and enable educators to pre-assign students to breakout rooms directly from within the LMS.

Teachers and faculty can already create "galleries"  seating charts akin to the ones they maintain for their physical classrooms  arranged in alphabetical order or prioritized based on other factors, such as students who will need for help. Beginning in November, they'll be able to save their gallery view and load it for recurring meetings with the same meeting ID. For educators who need multiple galleries, they will have to use a unique meeting ID for each class.

Administrators are also getting some new powers. A bulk delete, unlink or deactivate will allow Zoom administrators to clean up account lists at the end of the year and remove those students who are no longer enrolled.

They'll also be able to review individual students' Zoom attendance record with an "advanced participant search." People can be looked up by name and Zoom will report on which dates they joined and when they entered and left the meeting.

For more information, visit the Zoom blog.
[The first day's comments have been posted.]

As you might recall, I'm a lunatic. The moon is one of those things, like new-fallen snow, that for some unknown reason I think I have to photograph. I was heading to a meeting the other night when I crested a rise and saw this, so I had to hop out of the car and try a picture. A beautiful full moon rising over Seneca Lake. Of course all I had with me was the phone [unhappy face emoticon].

I hope you can see the picture okay. It's tough to get the density right on the blog because some people see pictures brighter on their monitors and some people see them darker. So when you're trying to hit the edgealmost dark but not quite, like hereit can get dicey. There is only a particular register where it sings, or hits the right key. Click on it to enlarge it and it might be a little better.

Pictures with predominantly mid-tones have more tolerance for being too light or dark. It's one of the big advantages of a printyou can get the values exactly right, and then they're set, or fixed. Of course then you have to worry about the viewing lightbrighter light will open the shadows; dim, weak light (as is now favored by many museums, very unfortunately), will block the shadows and dull the highlights. (Many photos in museums now, although honored by being exhibited, remain mute and shrouded.) So there's no free lunch.

The detail is extremely murky in most of this picture, as you can see in the 100% detail below from the middle of the frame. But the interesting thing about that, and the reason I thought I'd bring it up for discussion, is that although it's far from sharpthe leaves of the oak look almost impressionistic, like brushstrokesis that this level of detail works fine for an after-sunset picture. That's because our eyes (well, my eyes, anyway) see that way. I don't see distinctly in the near-dark. I don't know, maybe you do?

The detail is very vague, as in certain kinds of figurative paintings.

I did have to graft in a fake moon. It's the same size and position as the full moon that was there in reality, the but the phone couldn't handle the highlights, so I performed a little Photoshop surgery. Don't tell anyone.

Here's a strange habit I have...every time I stop to take a picture, or most times, I turn around and take a picture in the opposite direction after I'm done. Here's that one:

It's not a compulsion, but I've been doing this for years. It started many years ago when I was doing a project with a view camera in the northern tip of the lower part of Michigan. I was getting frustrated by the tyranny of the framemy own tendency to pluck out little picturesque arrangements from out of the unruly landscape. (It's a form of lying, this selection.) One day, aware that I was just playing little games and deploying the same tricks over and over, and feeling disgusted about it, I just swung the camera around and took a picture in the opposite directionand it turned out to be pretty good! Generally they're not, but I guess I just like to make a record of where I was, so I can get a sense of what was outside of the frame of the first picture. It lets the first picture breathe, in a way.

I used to love illustrators when I was a kid, and was a fan of people like Arthur Rackham, N.C. Wyeth, Nancy Ekholm Burkert (who was a friend of the family) and Gustave Dore. A book about Wyeth talked about "easel pictures," by which they meant single, standalone paintings, as opposed to book illustrations which were obviously sets of pictures. I guess "easel pictures" were also painted from life. It introduced to me the idea of single images versus pictures in sets or series. Most photographs tend to work best in sets or series; one photograph is seldom enough to express an idea or describe a story.

As an aside, I never lost my taste for illustrated books, and consider it a shame that only children's books are seen as being fit to illustrate. I'd like it if every book were illustrated. Why shouldn't books like The Accidental Tourist or The Omnivore's Dilemma or The Road or The Known World be published with twelve or twenty commissioned illustrations approved by the author, like Dickens' Phiz or Dodgson's Tenniel? Do we not have artists? But that's not the convention. A shame. I have some first edition Mark Twains (inherited), and they're illustrated on almost every page. (That's a spread from the original edition of Life on the Mississippi in the inset.)

The eyes we've got

And speaking of seeing indistinctly in the dark, I had my eye appointment the other day. Happy to say I passed with flying colorseverything is good, said Dr. Holly, and I don't need new glasses this time, which is a relief. Throughout the process of getting my cornea replaced I've had to get new glasses several times. It's an expense.

This is probably the last of the phone pictures for a while. These were taken right before the new Sony got here.

Parting words for this Wednesdayhere's a trick. Take the cardboard inner tube of a roll of paper toweling, or make something similar, say from a rolled-up magazine. Then open the top picture on your monitor, close one eye, and, with the other eye, look at the dark foliage through the cardboard tube. Interesting, huh? It has the same effect as turning up the ambient lighting on a physical print.

Mike

P.S. And a brief blog note: I had thought the three-posts-a-week format was not working out very well, but then the "Soiling of Old Glory" post on Monday got the most views of anything in nearly a month. I didn't see that coming! I do need to learn to be more scheduled to give the new format a fighting chance.

Book o' the Week

Photo No-Nos: Meditations on What Not to Photograph by Jason Fulford. Although I would never actually let anyone tell me not to photograph anything, this is a fun book for getting "the lay of the land" as what subjects and treatments are common. There are some nice insights, and it's a pleasant read, although I think it will be more fun if you already know a lot about photography and can relate to the subjects he discusses.



The above is a link to Amazon from TOP. Once you're at Amazon, anything you search and buy will be credited to TOP. The following logo is also a link:



Original contents copyright 2020 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)

Featured Comments from:

Geoff Wittig: "Nice photograph, Mike!

"The single greatest challenge (or dilemma) of photographic printing is deciding how to distribute the value range of the image across the very limited tonal scale of a photographic print, from paper white to D-Max. That's what the 'Zone System' is all about. Digital image processing and inkjet printing makes it a lot simpler mechanically than in the darkroom, but you still have to make some decisions based on what you want the print to 'say.'

"Landscape painting presents exactly the same challenge. Starting from a blank canvas, you deliberately structure the painting's value range to say something. Dark and moody or bright and sunny, it's all in your hands. The standard teaching from skilled landscape painters is that photographs are inadequate as a source of painting information because of blocked up shadows, distorted colors, and perspective errors. That has not been my experience. My 30 years of landscape photography mean I'm capturing (in my humble opinion) much better image files than most painters work from. I make conscious decisions about shadow value range and color balance when I'm taking photographs knowing I'll be using them as the starting point for paintings.

"Charles Cramer trained me to understand how to pitch the shadow values in an inkjet print properly, so they read as shadow but aren't lost in the murk. Painters have the same problem; if I paint with bright light on my easel, the painting will be far too dark for viewers to see into the shadows in dim room light.

"Right now I'm working up a painting based on photos and thumbnail sketches of that same full moon I made last week on the way to work, as it was setting just before sunrise. The goal is a painting that lets you smell the damp earth and feel the chilly pre-dawn air."

Martin Pallett: "First time I've commented, but just have to say how much I enjoy your site and the contents therein. The phone image is very pleasing and I would be happy had I taken it, would look good as a print. Keep up the good work Mr. Johnston!"

Mike replies: Thank you Martin, and good to hear from you.

Bruce Bordner: "You got really luckythe low angle light looks almost artificial. And always shoot behind you at sunset! I love this type of image, but it is a pain to display no matter how you do it. Take a print outside in the sunlight if you want to see everything. It's just a reflective medium, and you don't get colors not in the light. The 'easel pictures' effect is another problem for meI have 13,000(?) images at Flickr but less than 200 that make good standalone prints. (In the 'Prints in Waiting' album for convenience.) I do more slideshows in effect by creating albums. Still, I have no idea what people are seeing when they open a 36MP file on their phone.... My only popular image is 'Panopticon Pussy,' so I give up in trying to be popular. Everyone told me 'you should sell that!' on every print but not one gave me money so I just do it for fun. It's good enough to share getting lucky. Few actually observe the world anymore."

Kent Wiley: "Your non compulsion to turn around and photograph the opposite direction sounds familiar. For a while a large format landscape photographer, I'm now more 'democratic' in my selection of viewpoints. Or is it indecisive? I'm collecting environmental viewson videothat encompass 360 degrees, from all 50 states, so the decisions about what to look at are either non existentor infinite. It should be displayed as four different streams on the four walls of one room. Here's a single stream taste so far."

Jim Freeman: "I have found that, in many cases, the scene behind makes a better picture than what initially caught your eye. Also, this is one of your best posts, new format or old."

Jonathan Morse: "A 19th- and 20th-century author who thought deeply about illustration was Henry James, who loved illustration himself but didn't want illustrators to distract readers' attention from his envisioned reality with theirs. So when the time came for James to publish a collected edition of his novels, each volume bore only one illustration: a frontispiece photograph by Alvin Langdon Coburn. James's language in those books was one actuality and Coburn's photography was another: a complement, not a competition. Want a philosophical short story about that? Try James's 'The Real Thing.'"
Tom Miller has no plans to formally commemorate his 45th year of working in radio. He really doesnt want to draw attention to the anniversary  which is this week. For that matter, he really doesnt want to draw attention to himself.

In fact, seasoned listeners to The Morning News Watch on WJPF, will notice that Miller, the daily shows host for 20-plus years, never introduces himself on the air. He may host, but the program is not about him or even his on-air guests. Its about the listeners.

A rock ' n ' roll g uy

His career in broadcasting has been, by his own admission, varied. He began carrying equipment for Harrisburgs WEBQ at the age of 16, soon recording programs for the station, then known as Rock 100. After a short while, he abruptly left.

I quit because I did not like KC and the Sunshine Band, Miller recalls of the growing movement to play disco music. I was a rock 'n' roll guy.

But his absence wasnt long. The station hired him again, this time to be on the air Friday nights. Introducing himself as Coyote Tom, Miller handled the 6 p.m. to midnight shift, one he said he worked for a long time. Eventually, his show became Miller Time in the afternoons and later, a move to the early shift rebranded him as Miller in the Morning.

Ready for change after a number of years on the air, Miller left to work for a Tennessee broadcaster. Even before a section in his new contract prohibiting him from radio work in Southern Illinois had expired, Miller wanted to come back to the region.

I was home sick and I wanted to go home, he recalled of his time in Tennessee in the late 1980s.

Coming home

Thats when I was offered a job at WTAO. They hired me to host the morning show and pretty soon I was the program director.

Miller said he enjoyed the creativity and freedom he was allowed  still as a rock 'n' roll guy  at WTAO for about a decade.

They let me off the leash, he explained with a grin.

Then it all came to a halt.

They fired me and I dont exactly know why, but as long as I didnt work for any other radio station, they would continue to pay me. That was pretty fun, he said.

Miller said his creativity had earned him a reputation.

You know, off-the-hook crazy, a wild card, loose cannon, all of that stuff.

A new perspective

Millers absence from the airwaves was short-lived. Soon, he was back on the air, once again as Miller in the Morning; this time at WXLT-FM, part of the River Radio group of stations.

When he was asked to take on a morning talk program focusing on news, he realized things would be different  no more off the leash, no more craziness. In fact, this time it wasnt about him.

I had to remake myself completely, he recalled. I didnt use my name; I focused solely on content. I didnt want anybody to think about any of the other stuff I had done before, because in this format it is about what you say and how you say it. It became about credibility.

Since taking the reins of the Morning News Watch, Miller estimates he has conducted some 9,000 interviews  everything from national political dignitaries to leaders of local charities. Hes sharing the things that his listeners need to know and asking the questions they want answered.

I talk about whats the temperature, what roads are closed, you need to do this, you need to know that. I stay in the content, Miller said. I want people to be able to walk and talk with a level of authority because they know I wont lie to them.

A defining moment

If Miller hadnt already become somewhat of an icon in Southern Illinois radio, May 8, 2009 and the days that followed cemented his place. It was Miller who took to the airwaves after a derecho  also known as an inland hurricane  rocked the region.

Working double and triple shifts day after day, he was a calming voice to thousands, letting the hungry know where a meal might be found, providing updates on the widespread power outages and reassuring Southern Illinoisans that things would be alright.

"Don't forget that the way people behaved after the storm was remarkable, and I'd like to think that we were partially responsible for that. I wanted the messages to be very well tuned, 'This too shall pass; you're OK; it is only a house. Yes, the truth is you're not going to be happy for a while, but it will be OK, he shared with The Southern in a 2010 interview.

Miller still has a folder full of emails, cards and letters he received following his post-storm broadcasts, but he said in 2010 the accolades and the thanks were not the most important thing to him.

"Once you realize that it's not about you, the world changes," he says. "A lot of people needed help. Helping people - that's very rewarding to me, he said.

Miller said he does not know how many more years he will continue with the show.

Ive been thinking a lot lately and Ive been talking to my mom and dad about retiring, but I dont know how you quit doing the only think youve ever done besides farm since you were 16, he said. For now Im going to keep on learning, keep on preparing and working hard.

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The challenges and struggles of local journalism as well as the importance of small town newspapers was the topic of a film and panel discussion Tuesday at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

A screening of Storm Lake, an hour-long documentary chronicling the struggles of Iowas Storm Lake Times, a struggling local newspaper serving a rural Iowa community, preceded a community discussion on the current and future state of local journalism, especially in an era of declining subscriber numbers and advertising revenue.

The film, which followed the family-owned Times through daily reporting, the 2020 Iowa caucuses and the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, noted that more than 2,000 local newspapers have shuttered in the last two decades and how many areas in the country are news deserts  areas unserved by a local newspaper.

In a community discussion following the films showings, WSIU-FMs Jennifer Fuller, Renee Trappe of the Southern Illinois Local Media Group (publisher of the Carbondale Times, Du Quoin Call, Marion Republican and other area newspapers) and Daily Egyptian Faculty Managing Editor Annie Hammock shared their reactions to the film as well as the changes they have seen in local journalism.

Trappe, a Southern Illinois University Carbondale graduate, recalled when her company purchased newspapers in the region.

In 2016, there were a bunch of small Southern Illinois newspapers and their previous owner was going to just shut them down. They werent making any money; they had tried for years, she said, adding that the Illinois Press Association asked her organization to consider purchasing the papers. We thought it was a good idea because these papers were just going to die.

Hammock pointed out the importance of local news coverage.

We tend to care about things in concentric circles, and we care the most about things closest to us. That's what local small town journalism can provide, she said.

Trappe agreed.

One of the things that local papers do a pretty good job of is engaging the community, presenting the information that is important to the community and educating the community about what's going on. You need to give people something that they honestly can't get for themselves, she said.

She said  as the film portrays  financial pressures are a concern for small newspapers, but money is not the only worry. Succession is another.

Trappe explained: You get these small papers that have been around for 100 or so years and theyre being run by an old couple or elderly guy. What does that mean for the future of the paper?

She said programs such as Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to aid in reporting on under-covered issues or communities, can help bring talented journalists into underserved areas.

Trappe explored the changing business model of journalism that has moved away from relying primarily on display and classified advertising revenue and more to subscriptions or online memberships.

The emphasis now seems to be on circulation rather than advertising, she said. For that to work, you need a loyal subscription base.

All of the panelists stressed the importance of local newspapers to small communities, echoing Storm Lake Times Editor Tom Cullen in the film: Without strong journalism to tell the story of the community, the strands of the community become frayed.

The screening and discussion was sponsored by WSIU, the SIU School of Journalism, Morris Library and the Carbondale Public Library. The documentary will be broadcast on WSIU-TV at 9 p.m., Monday, Nov. 15 and will be available for streaming in November at pbs.org.

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CHICAGO  The national furor over alleged voter fraud has come to DuPage County, with a group fronted by Republican politician Jeanne Ives claiming that more than 1,000 people voted in the November 2020 election using DuPage addresses where they no longer lived.

Ives said her organization, Breakthrough Ideas, compared voter records against the U.S. Postal Services national change of address database and found that 1,343 people who gave notice that they had moved prior to Election Day ended up voting from their old addresses.

Though she said her groups research isnt meant to overturn last years results, in which Democrats solidified their ascendancy of the former Republican stronghold, she suggested the alleged discrepancy might have made the difference in several close races.

Our investigation shows a lack of coherent procedures in the (DuPage County Clerks) office, sloppiness in maintaining voter data lists and outright negligence in assuring we have fair elections in DuPage County, she said at a news conference Friday.

Ives, a former Illinois state representative who lost a Republican primary race for governor in 2018 and a congressional election last year, said she had turned the groups findings over to county prosecutors as voting from an address that is not your lawful place of residence constitutes an illegal, fraudulent vote.

Adam Johnson, spokesman for DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek, said in a statement the office follows federal law in maintaining its voter rolls, using everything from death certificates to undeliverable mail to biannual change of address notifications to keep the list up to date.

He said the one voter Ives highlighted at her news conference  a person who allegedly moved to Florida from Hinsdale but still listed the old address while voting by mail  notified the clerks office months before the election that they had moved elsewhere within DuPage County and cast the proper ballot.

The Chicago Tribune could not reach the voter for comment.

Voting rights advocates say numerous groups have used change of address databases to question voter eligibility, a tactic they said has been driven by the ready accessibility of the information.

This is obviously an easy data point, said Spencer Scharff, senior adviser to the States United Democracy Center, which advocates for voter protection. Its easy to have a headline and difficult to understand the nuances.

He cited one example in Nevada, where days after the November election, Trump campaign lawyers claimed that change of address information indicated 3,000 of the states voters had been ineligible. Reporters, though, found that many of those people were military members deployed away from home. (Ives said her tally stripped out voters with military or foreign service addresses.)

In another case, the Cyber Ninjas group hired by Arizona Republicans to audit that states election results used a commercial database to bolster their claim that more than 23,000 voters in Maricopa County sent mail-in ballots from addresses where they no longer lived.

County election officials rejected that conclusion, saying they reviewed hundreds of examples flagged by the company and found no evidence of illegal voting.

The allegation also arose late last year in Georgia, just before a pivotal special election that would determine control of the U.S. Senate.

An organization called True the Vote announced it was challenging the eligibility of more than 360,000 voters after the Postal Service database indicated they no longer lived at their registered addresses. That spawned a lawsuit after election officials in Muscogee County told people who allegedly appeared in the database that theyd have to prove their residency before their vote would count.

Several voters told the court that while they had temporarily moved for work reasons, gone off to college or left the state for military deployments, they had maintained their permanent addresses in Muscogee County. One man said his son, who shares his name, was the one who moved away.

A judge ruled against the election officials, saying their actions confuse and intimidate voters by acting as a hurdle they must cross before they can be assured that their vote will count.

Eliza Sweren-Becker, voting rights and election counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice, called the change of address database a very bad proxy for where you live and are permanently registered to vote, given the many reasons why people have their mail forwarded.

She said federal law requires election officials to send notice to voters whose addresses appear to have changed. If they do not respond, officials must wait for two federal election cycles to pass without the people voting before they can be removed from the rolls.

The DuPage County effort, she said, seems as if (it) is part and parcel of this ongoing attempt to cast doubt on the validity of last years election results as a way to undermine voter confidence.

Ives said such criticism betrays an ignorance of the data.

If theyre comfortable with people voting from wherever they want to vote from and not complying with the laws, were coming from two different mindsets, she said.

DuPage County prosecutors regularly investigate allegations of election fraud, and States Attorney Robert Berlin said the initial tips usually come from the clerks office. His office looked at 32 cases following last Novembers election and brought charges in five  two of which concerned people who applied for mail-in ballots at an Aurora address after they had moved to Texas.

Johnson said communication with the (couple) ... indicated that they no longer resided in DuPage County, and that they did not receive ballots or vote in the election. The clerks office sent the information to prosecutors, who charged the pair with perjury in election code, a felony.

Court documents indicate they pleaded guilty and were allowed into a diversion program that will let them eventually clear their record.

We have a good relationship with (the DuPage County Clerks office), Berlin said. To my knowledge theyre proactive and they reach out to us when they discover something amiss.

He declined to comment about the voter list sent to him by Breakthrough Ideas. Ives said she plans to highlight other alleged DuPage election problems in the coming weeks.

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For years, Grundy County Deputy Chief Coroner Brandon Johnson has been trying to find out what happened to a young woman found dumped in a ditch decades ago. Thought to be between 15 and 27 years old, the African American victim was found shot in the head off a highway in Seneca on Oct. 2, 1976.
SPRINGFIELD  Efforts to repeal the Parental Notice of Abortion Act, one of the few remaining pro-life measures on the books in Illinois, moved forward in the state legislature Tuesday, but hurdles remain.

The measure, which would repeal the 1995 law that requires an abortion provider give an adult family member at least 48 hours notice before the procedure is performed on a girl under the age of 18, passed the Illinois Senate 32-22. It now heads to the Illinois House.

"This is a necessary proposal to move our state forward to protect our young people, often those who cannot protect themselves," said state Sen. Elgie Simms, D-Chicago, the bill's sponsor.

However, there were still doubts the legislation would have enough support to eventually pass the House as even some pro-choice lawmakers in that chamber expressed reservations about moving forward.

Several downstate House Democrats said they had "no comment" on the legislation when asked by Lee Enterprises. State Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, a more progressive lawmaker, told WCIA-TV that "a lot of our members are not sold that this is the thing that we need to do yet."

Faith leaders and pro-life activists also descended upon the State Capitol urging lawmakers not to repeal the legislation, which went into effect in 2013 following years tied up in court.

Though opponents were united in their pro-life views, many said even before getting to the abortion issue, they believe the repeal legislation drives a wedge between daughters and their parents.

The PNA requires parental notification, not consent. And girls in fear of their safety can seek a court waiver from the requirement, known as "judicial bypass."

Essentially, it is not even really a religious issue, it is a matter of parental rights and the best interests of children, said Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield. Parental rights should be protected in law, especially when it comes to a procedure that can have real physical and emotional consequences.

Paprocki was among a coalition of 50 faith leaders who were lobbying lawmakers Tuesday afternoon. They were also joined by a few dozen activists from Illinois Right to Life, a pro-life organization.

Paprocki called the law incoherent and unjust, noting that there are several laws on the books that require minors to receive parental consent in matters considered less serious.

Illinois law bans minors from tanning, buying lottery tickets, buying cigarettes and serving as a military, Paprocki said. Illinois law requires parental consent for minors to get tattoos or body piercings.

These laws exist because they protect children from making serious life-changing decisions that they are not yet equipped to make, he continued. These laws exist to protect the rights of parents to fulfill the duty that God has entrusted to them and that no government can take away.

However, proponents of the effort say that the notification law is "dangerous and unnecessary" by delaying health care for girls, who they said should be trusted to make decisions with whomever they chose to consult.

My decades of experience as a physician and researcher brings me to conclude that forced parental involvement laws like this act serve no valid purpose and hurt young people and delay care, said Amy Whitaker, chief medical officer at Planned Parenthood Illinois.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, speaking in Springfield earlier this month, said the law does harm to girls who do not have a healthy relationship with their parents.

When you talk about parental notification, it sounds like a good idea, but it also puts those vulnerable young people  the ones who do not have good communications with their parents  in a very vulnerable place, where they have no other options, Duckworth said.

The debate over law's possible repeal takes place amid a national fight over abortion rights as several conservative states move to significantly restrict the procedure.

The constitutionality of laws in Texas and Mississippi that restrict the procedure after six weeks and 15 weeks, respectively, will be considered by an increasingly conservative Supreme Court, possibly setting up a ruling that could strike down or significantly gut the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling.

At the same time, Illinois has moved in the opposite direction, enacting some of the most liberal abortion laws in the country.

The states abortion-rights position was codified with Gov. J.B. Pritzkers signing of the Reproductive Health Act in 2019. The law enshrined reproductive health care  including abortion access  as a fundamental right in Illinois.

In 2017, then-Gov. Bruce Rauner signed House Bill 40, which permitted state health insurance and Medicaid coverage for abortions. The parental notification law is one of the last pro-life laws in the books in the state, passed by a Republican-controlled legislature in 1995.

Republicans are uniformly against the measure's repeal.

A pregnant 14-year-old girl does not have the emotional maturity to deal with the implications of her decision, said state Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy. No matter what choice she makes, her decision will have lifelong physical and mental consequences and she needs her caregivers  her parents  to be aware of those decisions so that they can provide the appropriate support.

And some Democrats also have reservations. Four Democrats voted "no" and five did not vote in the Senate. These concerns could threaten the bill's passage in the House.

Lawmakers are scheduled to be in session through Thursday. Pritzker said earlier this month that he supports the measure.

Beyond repealing the PNA, the legislation would create a task force to identify resources existing and needed for young women who are pregnant or may become pregnant.

The task force, which will have both adults and youth, will produce a report to the General Assembly no later than July 1, 2023.

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A shuttered lumber mill in rural Allendale County will be reopened by a Canadian manufacturer that plans to hire 135 workers to capitalize on the Southeast building boom, according to postandcourier.com

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. announced Oct. 26 that it has struck an agreement to buy the South Carolina business from Georgia-Pacific Corp. for $280 million in cash. It also will invest another $70 million to ramp up operations, according to the Charleston newspaper's report.

The sale requires U.S. regulatory approval.

The idled mill is on Highway 321 between Fairfax and Ulmer. It was built around 2006 by Canadas Grant Forest Products to produce a fast-growing and cheaper alternative to plywood called oriented strand board, or OSB. The composite material is made by layering wood strips in patterns and adding high-strength adhesives to form structural panels for floors, roofs and other uses.

Grant Forest ended up in financial trouble and filed for bankruptcy protection after the 2007 recession. Georgia-Pacific snapped up the Allendale mill and two others for $400 million in 2010. The Atlanta-based timber giant idled the plant and another in McCormick County about two years ago, blaming soft market conditions and saying they were unprofitable.

The closings eliminated 240 jobs and affected other businesses, including loggers and trucking firms.

West Fraser Timber makes an assortment of forestry products, from newsprint to building materials, at more than 60 manufacturing sites in North American and Europe. Its two existing South Carolina plants are along U.S. Route 76, in Newberry and in nearby Kinards.

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editor's pick alert featured

50 years of safe flying: Orangeburg pilot receives Wright Brothers honor

GENE ZALEKSI, T&D Carroll William Joye received the Federal Aviation Administrations Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50 years of flying experience on Tuesday. Pictured, from left, are Joyes son-in-law, Bruce Cramer; daughter Margie Joye Cramer; granddaughter Rachel Cramer; daughter Connie Joye; Carroll Joye; wife Beverly Joye; and son Randy Joye. Joyes son, Richard, could not be in attendance, but watched the proceedings via Zoom. SPECIAL TO THE T&D Carroll William Joye is pictured in 1987 with a Piper Navajo. The Navajo is one of many planes Joye has flown over the past 50 years.

U.S. Air Force veteran Carroll William Joye of Orangeburg loves to fly.

I think its the greatest thing in the world that I ever did, other than give my life to God," the 82-year-old said.

Joye has been doing what he loves for a long time.

He celebrated his 50th anniversary of flying on July 18.

The feat was recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday.

STORIES OF HONOR: From aircraft mechanic in Vietnam to top-flight flight instructor As an aircraft mechanic, U.S. Air Force veteran Carroll Joye didnt see combat in Vietnam, but he did have some harrowing experiences.

The agency presented Joye with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. The award is presented to those who have 50 years or more of practicing and promoting safe aircraft flight. Joye has about 30,000 hours of flight time.

It means a whole lot to me, Joye said of the honor. It means I have gone 50 years and have not had a serious incident or accident. It is a big thing.

Orangeburg Municipal Airport is a reminder of city's rich aviation history The history of aviation in Orangeburg began in the 1930s.

FAA South Carolina Flight Standards District Office officials, including South Carolina FAA Safety Team Program Manager Lanny Cline, presented Joye with the award virtually through Zoom.

Our heartfelt congratulations, Cline said.

A letter was read from South Carolina FAA District Office Manager Randy DeBerry congratulating Joye for the award.

Your professionalism as an airman has contributed to the safety of our national airspace system and has enabled safe air travel by many Americans for more than half a century, DeBerry wrote. Congratulations on a very successful aviation career.

The letter came with a lapel pin, a certified FAA Blue Ribbon package with Joye's airman records/achievements and an award certificate.

Joye's recognition will be posted on the electronic roll of honor online at the FAA Safety website.

Joye viewed the award presentation at the Orangeburg Municipal Airport, where he was once manager. He was surrounded by his family during the presentation.

During the award presentation Joye recalled his first solo flight out of Madrid, Spain now over 50 years ago.

I could not get my right leg to stay on the rudder pedals because it was bouncing up and down the whole time, Joye said. I was just nervous until my instructor got back into the aircraft with me. Then it stopped. Everything was good.

His instructor's name was Barb Snowden, who was the manager of the Torrejon Air Base aeroclub.

He took me on and taught me flying, Joye said. I will forever be grateful to him.

Joye said he just loves the idea of being in the air.

I have had a chance to fly pretty good-sized jet airplanes and the very smallest of airplanes, he said.

Joye always enjoys the challenge of flight.

You are responsible for getting people in the back from one place to another safely, Joye said. And the weather can make flying tricky.

It is good to be 40,000 and 50,000 feet up in the air, Joye said. I can't really describe it.

Throughout his flying career, Joye has enjoyed flying small airplanes as much or almost as much as I do flying one of those big jets.

When asked if he still flies, Joye said, Oh yeah!

A friend of mine owns a twin engine airplane and I get a chance to fly with him sometimes, he said. I just fly and if I have to sit in right seat, I do. I just like to be there.

Mr. Aviation, is how his wife Beverly describes him. He would rather fly than eat when he is hungry. If you mention airplanes, he is all for it.

She called the recognition awesome.

A lot of pilots don't reach 50 years and hang with it. He is still hanging in there. This is a major honor for him. This man loves to fly, she said.

Joye is originally from Orangeburg but has lived throughout the area, including Branchville, Bamberg and Rowesville.

Joye's love for flying started after he entered the United States Air Force in 1957.

While in the Air Force stationed over in Spain, he learned to fly and later became a flight instructor.

He served in the U.S. Air Force for 22 years.

During his stint, he worked as an aircraft mechanic during the Vietnam War. He went to Arizona after Vietnam, working on F-100s and F-104s.

From there, Joye went to Ohio and helped develop the C-119 and C-130 gunships.

TheTandD.com: Full access for 6 months for just $1 Support local journalism by becoming a member at www.TheTandD.com The editor's limited time offer is full access to all the website has to offer for just $1 for six months. https://go.thetandd.com/june3

After retiring from the Air Force as a senior master sergeant, he started teaching as an automotive mechanic instructor. He later worked as a corporate pilot and flight instructor, which he still does.

Joye decided to become a flight instructor so he could earn money while continuing to enjoy flying.

I never had any desire to go to work for the airlines, Joye said. I still enjoy teaching.

Joye also worked for Belk Hudson for a time, flying a Piper Navajo.

He recalled getting into the plane in Florida with Mr. Hudson and wondering about a certain switch on the plane's panel.

It did not seem to belong in the airplane, Joye said. We could not find it in the POH (pilot's operating handbook). We were talking about that thing and Mr. Hudson's mike was shorted out.

The controller down there was listening to everything we said, Joye continued. He broke in and said, You guys ought to learn to fly that airplane and learn about all the equipment it has before you get up in there. That was comical.

Joye has been recognized for his flying experience before.

In the fall of 1995, nominated by former student Raymond S. Graule, Joye was named "Certified Flight Instructor of the Year" by the FAA.

In 2003, Joye was inducted into the South Carolina Aviation Hall of Fame by the South Carolina Aviation Association.

Joye has a two daughters, two sons and two stepsons; 14 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren. He attends Cope Baptist Church.
Two 19-year-old Orangeburg men have been charged in the shooting that left two women dead and another injured.

Trevon Tyriek Dixon, of Louise Drive, and Dimonte Jashon Fields, of Ellis Avenue, are both facing two counts each of murder and attempted murder in the Sept. 12 shooting outside Orangeburg.

Earlier this month, Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office deputies arrested Jamore Makel Ellison, 18, of 1753 B St., Orangeburg. Hes facing the same charges as his co-defendants.

The shooting occurred as four women were leaving a Coleman Avenue party in a Honda, according to the sheriffs office.

Witnesses reported seeing an SUV cut off the Honda.

Two people exited the SUV and opened fire.

We havent stopped since that initial call came in early that morning, Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said in a release.

We have followed the leads until we came up with these two being there during this senseless and tragic shooting, he said.

Ellison and Dixon are accused of shooting firearms. Fields is accused of driving them.

Fields is also accused of being armed during the encounter.

His warrant accuses him of driving multiple co-defendants to search for a vehicle they believed was occupied by a rival subject.

Fields allegedly followed the Honda and then pulled out in front of it.

This enabled the co-defendants to fire multiple times into the vehicle, the warrant alleges.

Fields then drove the shooters away, warrants claim.

Candice Brown, 35 and Jessica Johnson, 39, both of Orangeburg, were killed in the incident.

A third woman sustained a gunshot wound to the arm.

A fourth woman in the Honda was not physically injured.

Law enforcement officers took Fields into custody at his home around 7 a.m. Friday, according to an Orangeburg Department of Public Safety incident report.

The U.S. Marshals Service and sheriffs office had Fields in custody and sitting on the front lawn when ODPS officers arrived to assist them.

The report alleges that Fields attempted to flee law enforcement by jumping through a closed window and once he made it out of the window, a U.S. Marshal tased Mr. Fields in order to subdue him.

Orangeburg County EMS arrived at the scene, but Fields refused medical attention.

Dixon has been held at the Orangeburg County Detention Center since Sept. 24 on charges of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Hes accused of sexually forcing himself on a woman back on Sept. 19, according to a sheriffs office incident report.

The woman said she told the man to stop multiple times. The woman went to the Regional Medical Center for treatment once the man left.

Dixon is also has a pending charge of possession of 28 grams or less of marijuana.

Dixon and Fields appeared for arraignment hearings before Orangeburg County Magistrate Stephanie McKune-Grant on Monday afternoon.

A circuit court judge may consider setting bonds on Fields, Ellison and Dixon at a later date.

If convicted of murder, they each face up to life in prison.

Ravenell said the investigation is ongoing.

Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD

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NASHVILLE, Tenn.  Orangeburg native James H. Salley has been named president and chief executive officer of Africa University (Tennessee) Inc.

The Africa University (Tennessee) Inc. Board of Directors voted last week to create the position of president/CEO and name Salley to it as part of the ongoing evolution of governance within the United Methodist-related institution.

We are thrilled to name Mr. Salley the first president/CEO of Africa University Inc., the U.S. organization that raises, holds and distributes funds for the benefit of Africa University, board Chair Lisa Tichenor said.

The new role is in addition to Salleys current responsibilities as associate vice chancellor for institutional advancement.

Africa University (Tennessee) Inc. is the oldest of three legal entities that comprise Africa University. It was created in 1988 to enable the birth of Africa University as part of the global mission and ministry of the United Methodist Church.

Two Zimbabwe-registered entities were subsequently addedAfrica University (Zimbabwe), which delivers the teaching/learning, research and community outreach operations of the institution; and the Mutare United Methodist Educational Company (MUMEC), which holds title to Africa Universitys physical assets in Zimbabwe such as land, buildings and other infrastructure.

Bishop Julius C. Trimble, chair of the AU (Tennessee) Board Development Committee, said Mr. Salleys record of leading the efforts to raise friends, funds and institutional stability and growth for AU is well documented.

The growth in enrollment of students and the expansion of buildings and partnerships is a reminder that with God, all things are possible. This new role allows Mr. Salley to continue to cast the vision and open partnership windows for resources as he works with his Africa University Development Office team, the vice chancellor and leadership team of Africa University (Zimbabwe) and friends of Africa University across the globe.

A graduate of South Carolina State University, Salley once worked as the director of institutional advancement for S.C. State.

Known to many as Mr. Africa University, Salley was a member of the site selection committee which chose Old Mutare, Zimbabwe, in 1988 as the future home of Africa University.

He served on Africa Universitys founding board of directors, representing the General Board of Global Ministries.

In 1992, Salley left the AU board and a senior institutional advancement role at S.C. State to become Africa Universitys chief advancement officer.

He established the Africa University Development Office, located within the headquarters of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry in Nashville, Tennessee.

The AUDO, managed by Mr. James H. Salley since 1992, has developed into a major organization requiring leadership of a CEO, Tichenor said. With over $100 million in endowed funds, it requires the structure and leadership to continue to build Africa University. As the United Methodist Church determines its course, Africa University will have a strong presence to ensure support for future African students.

Bishop Mande Muyombo, chair of the Africa University (Zimbabwe) Board of Directors, highlighted Salleys hard work and dedication.

He has been the face of Africa University and has been preaching Africa University in the power of the Holy Spirit throughout the U.S.A. and the world, Muyombo said. To name Mr. Salley as president/CEO of Africa University (Tennessee) Inc. is a recognition of the growth of Africa University, and its nearly 30 years of investing in Africa's future.

It is also a celebration of the hard work of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, the agency that has been the focal point for implementation of the vision of the United Methodist Church of a university for all of Africa.

Africa University has 3,116 students enrolled for the 2021-2022 academic year, of whom 540 are studying part-time. There are 27 African nations represented in the student body this year and 57.5 percent of the students are female.

The formal celebration of the 30th anniversary of the opening of Africa University is scheduled for Oct. 22-24, 2022. The celebration will feature virtual, as well as in-person, events in various parts of the world.

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  The family of a mentally ill man who was shot nine times by a police officer in a wealthy San Francisco Bay area suburb has received a $4.9 million settlement from the town and county where the officer worked, nearly three years after the 2018 fatal shooting, the familys lawyer said Wednesday.

The announcement of the settlement in the lawsuit brought by the family of 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda came a day after a jury convicted Officer Andrew Hall in the related criminal case.

The jury on Tuesday convicted Hall of felony assault with a firearm in Arboledas death but deadlocked on the more serious charge of voluntary manslaughter.

The guilty verdict marked the first felony conviction of a law enforcement officer in Contra Costa County, which is east of San Francisco, over an on-duty police shooting.

The lawyer for Arboleda's family, John Burris, said the countys Board of Supervisors agreed to settle the familys wrongful death lawsuit earlier this month while Halls trial was underway but did not discuss that decision publicly during the trial.

The lawsuit named as defendants the town of Danville, the County of Contra Costa and Hall, who shot Arboleda nine times while he was slowly driving away from police.

I hope the message this sends is that the public will hold police accountable for police misconduct, said Burris. And that cities and counties have some responsibility to train their officers in such a way that they do not use deadly force under circumstance where it is unnecessary.

Officials for the town and county did not immediately respond to phone messages seeking comment about the settlement.

Hall faces up to 17 years in prison for the shooting, which happened on Nov. 3, 2018 after a Danville resident called 911 to report that a man later identified as Arboleda was knocking on doors and lingering outside homes in a cul-de-sac.

Officers who responded saw Arboleda get into into his car and drive away. He then led officers on a 9-minute, slow-speed chase through Danville.

Hall heard about the pursuit over his patrol car radio and pulled his cruiser to an intersection in an effort to block Arboledas car.

Police video shows Hall stepping in the path of Arboledas vehicle and firing a volley of shots into the windshield and passenger-side window. Hall fired 10 bullets and nine hit Arboleda.

The lawsuit was filed in June 2019, long before criminal charges were brought against Hall earlier this year. The lawsuit claimed that Hall inexplicably opened fire" on Arboleda, who was unarmed, and that the county and town breached their duty to the public by failing to discipline Hall for the misconduct.

The Contra Costa Sheriffs Office, which has a contract to provide police services to Danville, cleared Hall of misconduct after a nine-month investigation into Arboledas shooting.

Contra Costas District Attorney Diana Becton was criticized for spending two and a half years reviewing the case before bringing charges against Hall in April 2021.

During that period, Hall fatally shot another 33-year-old man, Tyrell Wilson, a Black homeless man whose family said suffered from depression and paranoia. The shooting of Wilson is still under investigation.

During Halls three-week trial, prosecutors and defense attorneys presented competing narratives, alternately asking the jury to sympathize with the deputys need to make split-second decisions or the troubled victim whose only crime was not stopping for police.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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South Koreas pursuit of a declaration that the Korean War is over is an exercise largely unknown to virtually all Americans aside from those with a stake in the debate. Ask just about any U.S. citizen if anyones waging war in Korea, and the response will be one of bewilderment. What war, what are you talking about, is there a war going on over there, are typical answers.

Of course, there is no war, but some people seem hellbent on convincing everyone the Americans and South Koreans are fighting the North Koreans and maybe the Chinese. Unless youve been following the discussion, which virtually no one I know has been doing aside from diplomats and think-tankers and activists, you wont know or care. Often, talking to ordinary folk outside the loop, you have to explain, yes, we were waging war in Korea seven decades ago and, no, we dont want to have to fight another war there.

That should end the conversation, other than maybe for a few questions from people whove seen the headlines about this crazy man in North Korea who persists in making big statements and showing off his toys, which happen to be nukes and missiles. Among most people, theres no real concern that hes going to fire anything or nuke anyone. Other issues make the headlines, led by President Joe Bidens battle to get a divided Congress to legislate his multi-trillion dollar Build Back Better infrastructure and the struggle to convince anti-vaxxers of the need to get the jab.

The death of Colin Powell -- Vietnam War veteran, former chairman of the joint chiefs of the U.S. armed forces, former defense secretary and former secretary of state -- was a reminder of his level-headed view of Korea. South Korea had had only limited success in reaching out to North Korea, he said in a visit to Seoul in 2008. You have to be firm with the North Koreans.

That advice, if repeated today at either the Pentagon or State Department, would undoubtedly not be welcomed by South Korean leaders as they beseech the Americans to look for the magic password for drawing the North into dialog and above all to agree to a statement saying the war is over. What war, and why repeat the obvious, would be the response from the vast majority to whom the discussion is massively irrelevant.

Powell himself came close to asking the same question last year at a conference in Seoul marking seven decades since the opening months of the Korean War. On a link from the U.S., he said China would not stand for North Korea waging another Korean War and he wasnt concerned about North Korean missile tests. Mercilessly, he berated Donald Trump, hot on the campaign trail for re-election as president, for demanding South Korea pay far more than seemed reasonable for having 28,500 U.S. troops on major bases in-country, and he praised the South for what its done for its own people.

Against his background as a military leader and diplomat, Powell was all in favor of dialog but not at the expense of concessions. His service as a battalion commander in Korea in the 1970s is almost overlooked in between his early days as an officer in Vietnam and his final posts at the Pentagon and State Department.

If Powells record is any guide, he would have encouraged dialog while sticking to demands for North Korea to show definite signs of giving up its nukes and missiles. Listening to the other guy did not mean bowing to intimidation.

Powell came to regret his speech at the U.N. in 2003 setting forth the phony rationale for invading Iraq for having weapons of mass destruction. Iraq under Saddam Hussein may not have had WMD as then-defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld claimed. But North Korea is a different story. Kim Jong Un boasts of his nukes and missiles.

Ignoring American entreaties for dialog, the North Koreans are betting the South Koreans will be urging the U.S. to compromise on principles. Powell as a soldier/diplomat would have stood up against pressures from the South as well as the North. If South Koreas President Moon Jae-in wants to sign a declaration declaring the Korean War is over, fine, but the Americans dont have to be a signatory to such a meaningless document.

Donald Kirk is the author of 10 books on Korea, Okinawa, the Philippines and the Vietnam War. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.

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CONCORD, N.H.: The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance announced its 2021 Seven to Save list today, highlighting vulnerable historic resources and related threats to community life and economic well-being exaggerated by the pandemic.

These places are both highly visible landmarks and lesser-known significant places. These properties seem very different from each other, said Nicholas Mitchell, chair of the N.H. Preservation Alliance board of directors, but every one of these landmarks is an icon of life in New Hampshire at different times in our history, he said.

Preservation Alliance leaders emphasized that New Hampshires small towns and historic buildings give our state its distinctive and appealing character. All of the listees need transformative investment to become viable community assets again. We need these places to survive and thrive, said Jennifer Goodman, executive director of the Preservation Alliance.The mix of old and new building stock, as well as the design and scale of historic main street buildings, attract varied ages and types of people, help incubate small businesses and create attachments to communities that boost economic vitality, she said.

The 2021 Seven to Save list features these endangered historic structures and resources:

United Baptist Church, Laconia: A classic example of Victorian polychromatic design, this impressive wood-frame church in Lakeport remains largely unchanged since it was built in 1892. The churchs structural integrity is at risk and its 120-foot steeple requires stabilization.

A classic example of Victorian polychromatic design, this impressive wood-frame church in Lakeport remains largely unchanged since it was built in 1892. The churchs structural integrity is at risk and its 120-foot steeple requires stabilization. The Weirs Drive-In and Archaeological Site, Laconia: This largest of three remaining drive-in theaters in New Hampshire is currently for sale, and it stands on land that was heavily used by indigenous people for fishing-related activities.

This largest of three remaining drive-in theaters in New Hampshire is currently for sale, and it stands on land that was heavily used by indigenous people for fishing-related activities. Wilder-Holton House, Lancaster: Built in 1780, this was the first two-story house in Coos County. Now home to the local historical society, the structure stands at the head of Main Street. It needs considerable rehabilitation to be fully usable and continue to meet the needs of the community.

Built in 1780, this was the first two-story house in Coos County. Now home to the local historical society, the structure stands at the head of Main Street. It needs considerable rehabilitation to be fully usable and continue to meet the needs of the community. Milford Bandstand: Built on the Oval in 1896 for the Milford Cornet Bands summer concerts, this significant Victorian bandstand now requires extensive renovation to continue to serve future generations as a focal point for community gatherings and activities.

Built on the Oval in 1896 for the Milford Cornet Bands summer concerts, this significant Victorian bandstand now requires extensive renovation to continue to serve future generations as a focal point for community gatherings and activities. Newington Railroad Depot : Built in 1873 and unused for the last 50 years, this multi-use building stands at the edge of Little Bay and once housed the station agent and toll collector, who also operated the adjacent bridge. A new use and investment are needed.

: Built in 1873 and unused for the last 50 years, this multi-use building stands at the edge of Little Bay and once housed the station agent and toll collector, who also operated the adjacent bridge. A new use and investment are needed. Two Cornish Colony properties in transition share a spot on the list : Blow-Me-Down Farm and the Percy MacKaye Home: Opera North is renovating a part of Blow-Me-Down Farm for the arts, while descendants of writer Percy MacKaye are seeking new preservation/stewardship solutions for his home and studio. New Hampshires Connecticut Valley rolling hills, farms and beautiful vistas attracted artists, writers, musicians, and other creative people like MacKaye, Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Maxfield Parrish who, in turn, left an artistic legacy with local and national importance.

and Opera North is renovating a part of Blow-Me-Down Farm for the arts, while descendants of writer Percy MacKaye are seeking new preservation/stewardship solutions for his home and studio. New Hampshires Connecticut Valley rolling hills, farms and beautiful vistas attracted artists, writers, musicians, and other creative people like MacKaye, Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Maxfield Parrish who, in turn, left an artistic legacy with local and national importance. The Preservation Alliance also is featuring a thematic listing of New Hampshires Historic Theaters on this years list. Many of these beloved community landmarks across the state were already struggling to maintain historic venues when the pandemic struck, adding new challenges. Said Andrew Pinard, Executive Artistic Director of Claremont Opera House, "NH's historic performing arts venues maintain a connection from the past to our future. They celebrate the human need to come together, to hear and tell stories, and to share experiences. The act of finding meaning through expression is at the core of their mission and celebrates not only who we are, but also who we might be." Often the architectural gems of their communities, New Hampshires theaters have been placed on uncertain footing by the pandemic. Revenue streams that were tenuous even in the best of times dried up as theaters went dark due to COVID; they are now only returning at a trickle said Byron Champlin, former trustee of the New England Foundation for the Arts. Community-wide support is critical to save these cornerstones of our vibrant downtowns.

The Seven to Save announcement event was held virtually this year because of the pandemic. Past announcement locations have included significant, once-threatened sites like Daniel Webster Farm in Franklin and the Wolfeboro Town Hall.

Since 2006, the Preservation Alliance's annual Seven to Save list has helped attract attention and resources to irreplaceable landmarks around the state. More than half are now considered out of danger or saved. Many owners and advocates for the former listees used the designation to help develop new solutions and secure new investments. Many places are in the process of rehabilitation, while others continue to need significant additional help. A few have been lost. Criteria for selection include: historical significance, imminence of threat, and potential impact of listing a site.

Sponsors of the program include: Anagnost Companies, Chinburg Properties and Milestone Engineering & Construction, Inc. Also Great Bridge Properties; JLT Painting; Turnstone Corporation; American Steeple & Tower Co., Inc.; SMP Architecture; Dennis Mires, P.A., The Architects; Ciborowski Associates; Fisher Engineering; JR Graton Historic Restoration, LLC; Misiaszek Turpin, PLLC; Peter W. Powell Real Estate; Graham & Veroff; P.C. Summit Engineering; Yeaton Associates, Inc.; Ambit Engineering, Inc.; DB Architects, LLC; Altus Engineering, Inc.; Erie Landmark Co.; Emanual Engineering, Inc.; Alba Architects, LLP; Enviro-Tote, Inc.; Arch Weathers Historic SashWorks, LLC; Udelsman Associates Hamblet Electric; Samyn-DElia Architects; Abatron, Inc.; and Nobis Engineering, Inc.

The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance is the statewide membership organization dedicated to preserving historic buildings, communities and landscapes through education and advocacy. For more information, visit www.nhpreservation.org.
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(TBTCO) - Mot ngay khong the thay the hay bu ap cho tat ca uoc, Le tuong niem ong bao tu vong va can bo, chien si hy sinh, trong ai dich Covid-19 uoc to chuc vao luc 20 gio toi qua 19/11 tai hai iem cau TP. Ho Chi Minh va Ha Noi khong nhung phan nao am long nguoi ra i, nhe long nguoi o lai ma con la luc canh tinh cho tat ca chung ta, nhac nho chung ta ve noi au va trach nhiem.
Today

Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 59F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 37F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow

Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 62F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
Rowan University is among the first in the region to join a new, Princeton University-led innovation network designed to transform scientific discoveries into new commercial ventures.

The NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Northeast Hub brings together eight institutions from Delaware, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania to develop a diverse and inclusive innovation workforce. The consortium is backed by a $15 million, five-year grant from the National Science Foundation.

The hub is one of five in a nationwide NSF-funded network of universities formed to accelerate the economic impact of federally funded research and invest in technologies that improve everyday lives, delivering benefits in health care, energy and the environment, computing, artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced materials and other areas.

Supported by a web of academic, industrial and government partnerships, the I-Corps Northeast Hub will provide entrepreneurial training, mentoring and resources to researchers from all backgrounds, including those historically underrepresented in entrepreneurship. The program is designed to help researchers form startup companies and transform their scientific discoveries into benefits for society.

This new partnership exactly fits where we want to go as a research university, said Dr. Tabbetha Dobbins, interim vice president for research at Rowan University. Rowan is already an economic engine in the region and were excited by the possibilities for our innovators.

Princeton will be the principal institution in the new hub, with the University of Delaware and Rutgers University as partner institutions. The hub will include five initial affiliates: New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Rowan University in New Jersey, Lehigh University and Temple University in Pennsylvania, and Delaware State University, a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). The hub will expand by adding new affiliates each year.

As a group, the eight institutions represent $1.4B in annual research spending, have trained 430 I-Corps teams in regional cohorts and have spun out more than 80 deep technology ventures in the past five years.

The I-Corps program gives innovators the support they need to rapidly develop products and business plans based on customer feedback and market needs, said Dr. Yatin Karpe, director of Rowan Universitys Office of Technology Commercialization and Rowan Innovations.

Rowans inclusion in the I-Corps Northeast Hub will give our faculty researchers quick and easy access to entrepreneurial resources and networking opportunities, Karpe said. Weve already seen growing interest among our researchers in bringing their innovations to the marketplace and I expect that interest will grow exponentially with the hub's new regional and national networking opportunities.

Since 2018, through Karpes leadership, Rowan University has sent 15 teams of researchers to regional I-Corps training. Ten Rowan researchers have earned national I-Corps awards, and one earned additional funding through the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Nidhal Bouaynaya, associate dean for research and graduate studies at the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, will serve as Rowans lead in the hub. A professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Bouaynaya earned Rowans first national I-Corps award to support her innovation: artificial intelligence to dramatically improve the detection of brain tumorsabout three years earlier than the standard of care.

Our vision for an inclusive entrepreneurial futurefrom ideation to commercializationwill foster an ecosystem that responds to current national crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and structural racism, said Bouaynaya, co-founder of MRIMath, LLC, a Rowan-affiliated startup.

The I-Corps program is already making an impact in South Jersey. Innovations under development include a surgical robot to align femur fractures and new technology to protect people in areas affected by earthquakes and flash floods.

With help from his I-Corps award, Dr. Ben Wu from the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering and his team developed a prototype for a noninvasive way to detect skin diseases. His technology received a U.S. patent.

We found that the I-Corps programespecially the training they offeredwas very helpful to commercialize our idea, said Wu, an electrical and computer engineering professor. We switched our mindset from what can we build in the lab to fit the market to what does the market want us to build to solve the current pain points.

For more information, visit www.icorpsnortheasthub.org
Govt-and-politics

breaking featured

Legislature moves forward with session after rejecting adjournment votes

Rhianna Gelhart, Wyoming Tribune Eagle The Wyoming House of Representatives convenes Tuesday for the start of a special session at the Wyoming Capitol. The session survived adjournment votes in both chambers after lawmakers couldn't agree on a special set of rules to govern the gathering.

CHEYENNE  The Wyoming Legislature moved forward with its special session Tuesday, beating back two attempts to adjourn after lawmakers couldnt agree on a new set of rules for the gathering.

The Senate and House had earlier failed to obtain the two-thirds majority to pass specific rules for the special session, which triggered a vote on whether or not to adjourn before lawmakers even began discussing legislation.

Those votes concluded a long morning of debate over how the special session, which was called to fight against the Biden administrations employer vaccine mandate, should proceed and what rules lawmakers should have to follow to honor the three-day timeline legislative leaders were hoping to maintain. Among the proposals were limitations on how long and how often members could debate a piece of legislation, as well as a shortened timeline for committees to debate.

Lawmakers opposed to the special rules said they did not allow for enough debate and would rush what is intended to be a careful process.

We do the hard work and we do it through a deliberative process and we do it so that its transparent, said Rep. Cathy Connolly, D-Laramie. I do not see these rules abiding by that (deliberative process.)

While those in Connollys camp were ultimately successful in defeating the special rules, not all lawmakers agreed with the argument.

Theres going to be plenty of public testimony, theres going to be plenty of transparency, said Rep. Jared Olsen, R-Cheyenne. Each year we modify rules in our session ... because we have such a volume of work to do for the people. When we modify the rules, we are respecting the process.

Passing the special rules required a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, but neither chamber could deliver the necessary support.

Wyoming House sends six bills to committee after determining special session will move forward The House declined to debate a bill that would require health officers to give students waivers to mask requirements, and a proposal to limit school administrators from passing policies around public health and the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the rules were defeated, it triggered a vote to adjourn the session altogether. That vote required a simple majority. The House voted 21 to 35 against adjourning, while the Senate voted 6 to 23 against it.

We need to take action here, said Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper. This is not making sense. Were 18 months of this, and until we take a stand, it is not going to stop, Im afraid.

Those supportive of adjournment were so for varied reasons.

I think weve conflated a couple of different issues here, Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, said. He acknowledged that members believed a federal vaccine mandate was a constitutional overreach but said if that is the case, the legal system would be better suited to address the problem. The right place to deal with constitutional disagreements is in the court system.

Rhianna Gelhart, Wyoming Tribune Eagle Speaker of the House Eric Barlow presides over the first day of the special session on Tuesday at the Wyoming Capitol in Cheyenne.

Another lawmaker who opposed continuing on with the session without a truncated process was Rep. Art Washut, R-Casper.

My concern about operating this special session under the regular rules is that we will have no limit on the number of bills that will come before this body. We dont know how many days will be required, he said, adding that he voted to have a special session and voted to support the special rules.

It also has to do with the budget process, he continued. It has to do with committees. Weve got work to get done in order to be ready for the budget session.

All Democrats voted against the rules, as they promised to. The vote did not exactly fall along party lines, however. A number of Republicans also voted against the rules and then voted in favor of adjourning.

One of the Democrats main arguments against the special session rules was that they short many of the processes that regularly go into debating and passing bills. If the special rules were adopted, lawmakers would have only had a couple days to pass laws aimed at combating Bidens vaccine mandate  limiting the amount of public input.

Casper has paid 227 employees for getting vaccinated in first month of incentive program The 227 employees who have claimed their payments are almost entirely full-time workers. That means that around 45% of full-time employees have reported being fully vaccinated.

After the adjournment votes failed, lawmakers in both chambers moved forward with introducing legislation. Without a new set of rules, they will operate on the ones that governed the most recent general session.

Without the special rules, some members worried there would be a rush of unrelated proposals that would keep lawmakers in a stalemate for weeks, but legislative leadership maintained strict standards for what bills they introduced to the body.

Any bills, whether they make it off the floor today or not, that dont fit the topic of this session, I give you my word that theyre not coming up on the board, Senate Majority Floor Leader Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, told members.Now, instead of streamlining the process with mirror bills being heard simultaneously in the House and Senate, they will go through one chamber to the next, allowing for more public participation on each bill.

The push for the special session began in September, after President Joe Biden signed an executive order that would require workers at companies with more than 100 employees to either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing. The move angered many in Wyoming, the nations most vaccine-hesitant state, and one with a long history of skepticism toward the federal government.

Before the mandate can go into effect, the federal-rule making process has to be completed. While that hasnt happened yet, political pressure from the right pushed lawmakers to convene the gathering, even though the lack of details about the final rules could hamper lawmakers ability to block them.

Lawmakers must also contend with the U.S. Constitutions Supremacy Clause, which holds that federal law supersedes state statute.

That didnt stop the Legislature from drafting 20 bills, most of which are aimed at vaccine requirements in general and COVID-19 guidelines in particular. Some lawmakers have even considered loosening all K-12 vaccine requirements.

The session is taking place as Wyomings hospitals contend with record-levels of COVID-19 patients. Last week, hospitalizations hit an all-time high. The state also announced 69 COVID deaths that week  a high for 2021.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  A California police officer was convicted Tuesday of assault with a firearm in the 2018 fatal shooting of an unarmed mentally ill man who was shot nine times while driving away from police in a wealthy San Francisco suburb.

An attorney for the man's family called it a major step forward in holding law enforcement accountable.

After deliberating barely two days, the jury delivered a split verdict in the case against Officer Andrew Hall, who now faces up to 17 years in prison. They agreed Hall was guilty of the felony charge of wrongfully firing his gun in the death of 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda.

But the jury deadlocked on another and more serious count of voluntary manslaughter. Halls sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 14, according to the Contra Costa County district attorneys office, which says it is deciding whether to pursue a retrial on the manslaughter charge.

The case marked the first time a police officer was charged in an on-duty shooting in Contra Costa County, east of San Francisco, and is part of a push by more prosecutors to punish police misconduct after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis set off nationwide calls for social justice.

Todays guilty verdict holds accountable defendant Andrew Hall for his excessive use of force in the fatal shooting of Laudemer Arboleda, District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement. His actions were not only a crime, but they tarnished the badge and they harmed the reputation of all the good, hard-working police officers that work for our community.

Becton faced criticism for spending more than two years reviewing the case before filing charges on April 21, 2021. The announcement of charges came a day after a jury convicted Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin of killing Floyd.

It also came six weeks after Hall, who is white, shot and killed another man, Tyrell Wilson, a Black homeless man whose family said was suffering from depression and paranoia. The shooting of Wilson remains under investigation.

The fatal shootings  in a span of 2 1/2 years by the same officer  cast a spotlight on what criminal justice activists call a case of delayed justice and its deadly consequences. The Contra Costa Sheriffs Office, which has a contract to provide police services to Danville, had cleared Hall of misconduct after its own nine-month investigation into Arboledas shooting.

Civil rights lawyer John Burris, who represents Arboledas family in a separate civil lawsuit, said the assault conviction offered a measure of justice to the family but also left them disappointed.

For them there was no acknowledgement that (Arboleda) was killed wrongfully by the police. They thought he should have been charged with murder, not manslaughter, said Burris, who nonetheless felt the verdict showed progress.

It sends a message to other police officers that clearly you can be prosecuted and you can be convicted, said Burris, whose roster of high-profile police violence cases includes Rodney King and Oscar Grant.

Its a major step forward in looking at holding police officers accountable, Burris said. This was important. Is it a George Floyd ramification? Perhaps. But I also think its a drumbeat of what has taken place over the past 30 years from Rodney King to now.

During Halls three-week trial, prosecutors and defense attorneys presented competing narratives, alternately asking the jury to sympathize with the officers need to make split-second decisions or the troubled victim whose only crime was not stopping for police.

The events unfolded on Nov. 3, 2018, after a resident called 911 to report that a man later identified as Arboleda was knocking on doors and lingering outside homes in a Danville cul-de-sac. When officers arrived, they saw Arboleda get into into his car and drive away.

Arboleda led officers on a 9-minute, slow-speed chase through Danville. Hall was not involved in the initial pursuit but stopped his vehicle at an intersection to block Arboledas car. Police video shows Hall stepping in the path of Arboledas vehicle and firing a volley of shots into the windshield and passenger-side window.

Prosecutors argued Hall used excessive, unreasonable and unnecessary force. During opening remarks prosecutor Colleen Gleason presented dashboard and bodycam footage showing Hall jumping out of his car, running up to Arboledas vehicle and firing repeatedly into the cars windows.

The defendant fired 10 shots into the slow-moving vehicle of a mentally ill man, Gleason said. Nine of the bullets hit Arboleda, who had periodically shown signs of depression, but began displaying concerning behavior in the months before his death. Just months before his encounter with Hall, Arboleda was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital for three weeks and prescribed medication for psychosis and schizophrenia, his family has said.

Halls lawyers said the officer feared for his safety, and used body cam footage from different angles to show the right front tire of Arboledas car was pointed at Hall when the shooting started, indicating it was heading in his direction.

During the trial, defense attorney Harry Stern emphasized the quick life-or-death decisions Hall had to make.

Really this comes down to about a two-second window, Stern told reporters earlier in the trial. Thats what this case is all about.

Stern could not immediately be reached for comment after Tuesdays verdict.



This story has been corrected to show that the jury deadlocked on a second count of voluntary manslaughter.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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SHERIDAN  Between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Monday morning, 26 people filed through Sheridan law enforcement offices to blow into a plastic tube. They returned Monday night. And they will return every 12 hours until their case is decided.

This is how Sheridan Countys 24/7 Breathalyzer program works. After being ordered to take part in the program by a local judge  usually as a condition of bond  participants appear every 12 hours to be Breathalyzed. So long as no alcohol is detected in their system, program participants are free to go.

While law enforcement proponents argue the program  at most  saves lives and  at least  stops people from drinking excessively while awaiting trial, civil liberties organizations worry the program is infringing on defendants constitutional rights.

The 24/7 Breathalyzer program began in Wyoming in 2017, the result of an addition to the states sentencing laws.

The purpose of the program, the law, called the 24/7 Sobriety Program Act, states, is to reduce the number of repeat crimes that are related to substance abuse by monitoring an offenders sobriety through intensive alcohol and drug testing and immediate and appropriate enforcement of violations.

According to statute, the 24/7 Breathalyzer program is administered by the attorney general, but operated in each county by the sheriffs office.

In Sheridan County, the 24/7 Breathalyzer program is overseen by Undersheriff Levi Dominguez and primarily involves participants arrested for DUIs for whom involvement in the program is an additional condition of their release on bond.

The program, Dominguez said, operates as a collaborative effort between the Sheridan County Sheriffs Office and the Sheridan Police Department. While officers at the police department test participants in the morning, officers at the sheriffs deputies perform evening and weekend testing.

Its a really positive partnership with the police department, Dominguez said.

Sheridan County based its 24/7 Breathalyzer program, which began in July 2019, on Campbell Countys program.

Although some programs  including Campbell Countys  test for illicit substances as well as alcohol, Sheridan Countys program only tests for alcohol and has no plans to expand, Dominguez said.

Overall, Dominguez said, the program ensures people dont drink excessively or drive drunk while awaiting the conclusion of their criminal cases.

Some, however, question the constitutionality of the 24/7 Breathalyzer program. The American Civil Liberties Union of Wyoming, takes issue with the program, arguing the 24/7 Breathalyzer program and the punishments used to enforce it are unconstitutional under the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.

The ACLU of Wyoming objects to the 24/7 Breathalyzer program, said Stephanie Amiotte, legal director for the ACLU of South Dakota, North Dakota and Wyoming, because it primarily targets people who have yet to be convicted of a crime.

Most participants in the Breathalyzer program are presumed innocent but compelled to submit to warrantless searches of their person in the form of Breathalyzer testing twice daily. This, Amiotte said, is a blatant violation of the Fourth Amendment.

Amiotte asserted the implementation of the program in certain counties, including Teton and Campbell counties, is particularly problematic because participants are punished  arrested  when they fail to appear for testing or are late for testing. Under the Fifth Amendment, Amiotte said, vague statutes that do not require bad intent on the part of program participants are facially unconstitutional because they can be inconsistently enforced.

In Sheridan County, 24/7 Breathalyzer violations work in a three-strikes system, in which first violations  including testing positive, failing to show or repeatedly running late  result in immediate arrest and 24 hours in jail, second violations result in immediate arrest and 48 hours in jail and third violations result in immediate arrests and incarceration until seen by a judge.

Although Dominguez said the sheriffs office works with 24/7 Breathalyzer participants to approve absences from the program in case of emergency or offer leniency in appropriate cases, Amiotte and the ACLU of Wyoming question the programs legitimacy.

The ACLU of Wyoming is currently considering litigation to challenge the constitutionality of the 24/7 Breathalyzer program for participants awaiting trial.

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Rex Rammell, Rock Springs veterinarian and frequent candidate, officially announced his bid for governor of Wyoming on Tuesday.

Rammell previously announced his candidacy in February, but he dubbed the recent announcement his official bid with the launch of his campaign website.

In the upcoming 2022 election, he will be running as a Republican against incumbent Gov. Mark Gordon.

Rammell, a veterinarian, focused his official announcement around COVID-19 vaccinations and Gordons lack of leadership.

Wyoming continues to struggle with multiple issues, but none greater than the lack of leadership provided by Governor Gordon, Rammell said in the announcement.

After voicing his opposition to vaccine mandates in the announcement, Rammell clarified that he is pro-vaccination.

The risk of death is much greater than the risk of adverse reactions to the vaccine, the statement said.

Rammell did not respond to request for comment.

Rammell has run for the Wyoming Statehouse, governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate in Wyoming and Idaho. All of those bids were unsuccessful, with Rammell typically losing his campaigns by margins of 28 points or more.

During his 2020 campaign for the Wyoming Senate in Pinedale, the legitimacy of his residency was called into question. Rammell filed to run using the Pinedale address of his veterinary clinic, WyoFile reported at the time. At the time, he also owned a home in neighboring Sweetwater County. Rammell told WyoFile he was living at the clinic while remodeling it.

In 2018, Rammell ran for governor as a member of the Constitution Party, but only obtained 3% of the vote in the general election. The Democratic candidate got 27.5% of the vote.

Rammell will be on a get vaccinated tour of Wyoming during the week of Nov. 1. This story will be updated when the stops on his tour are released.

Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis

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Wyoming lawmakers are hurriedly working a slew of bills today as part of the special session to challenge President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate. Star-Tribune reporter Victoria Eavis is at the Capitol, monitoring the action.

Here's the latest:

3:15 p.m.

House Bill 1002 also passed with three amendments and is moving onto second reading in the House.

1002 prohibits employers from enforcing federal vaccine mandates until the judiciary steps in.

Speaker Barlow signaled that the House may attempt to speed up the rest of the process on certain bills by possibly voting to have both the second and third readings on the same day.

The House and Senate will reconvene Thursday at 8:30 a.m.

Looking ahead, majority floor leader Sen. Driskill estimated Wednesday that the Legislature will be in session until Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

2 p.m.

One of the most important amendments to the heavyweight bill on the House side just passed.

Amendment number four to House Bill 1001 passed in a voice vote around 2 p.m. Wednesday.

This amendment addresses some of the main concerns on both sides of the aisle about this bill (and the special session as a whole, frankly).

Amendment four is meant to make House Bill 1001 comply with federal law, thereby not violating the Constitution, a major concern surrounding this session.

The other major concern from lawmakers was that businesses would suffer because theyd be caught in between federal and state law, not knowing which or which not to comply with.

This amendment is meant to avoid this precarious situation for employers.

Lawmakers also made the argument that passing this bill without the amendment could cut off Centers of Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) funds from outfits like nursing homes and hospitals. Both Democrats and Republicans pointed to this possibility as a reason their colleagues must vote aye.

Tom Lacock, a spokesperson for the AARP of Wyoming, said that this amendment does in fact remedy the CMS funding concerns.

Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, who was against the amendment, argued that the federal government is not likely to actually cut off those funds.

Despite Grays and other lawmakers best efforts to vote no on the amendment, it passed.

The bill as a whole passed onto second reading with 36 votes in favor. The House spent roughly four and a half hours on House Bill 1001.

This is the real work, said Speaker of the House, Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, at the conclusion of the vote.

1:15 p.m.

On the second day of the special session, the Senate heard three bills and moved two of them forward to second reading.

One of these bills, Senate File 1003, has emerged as a key measure in the session, and one that defines the very reason lawmakers have convened in Cheyenne, multiple senators said on the floor.

If enacted, Senate File 1003 would prohibit discrimination based on COVID-19 vaccination status in certain circumstances. It also prohibits a requirement of COVID-19 vaccination in order to receive or access benefits, services or educational opportunities.

It would be a shame if we voted this down today because this is the very reason we are here, said Sen. Tim Salazar, R-Riverton.

Lawmakers who opposed the bill argued that it is divisive and anti-business.

I think this bill looks at one overreach that could possibly happen and then takes another overreach that I think is far more draconian to try and fix it, said Mike Gierau, D-Jackson.

The idea of remedying federal government overreach with more government --in this case, on the state level-- has been a main argument from Democrats against the special session for weeks.

I'm a little surprised that a bunch of folks who I hear all the time during campaign season and say they are pro-business, put out a bill, that in my view, is anti-business, Gierau added.

A number of the lawmakers who supported advancing the bill noted that the very reason lawmakers have these debates is to amend legislation as it moves through the process so the end result is something everyone can agree on.

Sen. Bo Biteman, one of the most conservative state lawmakers, compared restrictions on unvaccinated people in certain venues to racial segregation.

What are we having right now with COVID? Second-class citizens, Biteman said on the floor. Im hearing members who are perfectly OK with that; think it's funny to have a vaxxed bar versus an unvaxxed bar. Its not funny to have a Black only bar versus a whites only bar. Were beyond that in this country. Thank God.

His comments did not cause much of a stir on the floor.

The body spent the first hour of the day on Senate File 1019. On the face of it, 19 is an uncontroversial bill. The bill revises an error in a previous bill from the general session about the Wyoming Gaming Commission, and is completely unrelated to federal vaccine mandates (the premise for the special session).

Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, didnt take issue with the substance of the bill, but rather the fact that it was even being heard.

Now we're down here doing bills that we should be doing during the (regular) session, Bouchard said.

I'm going to vote against it just for that reason.

Sen. Lynn Hutchings, R-Cheyenne, furthered his point, but the measure ultimately moved onto second reading.

Senate File 19 is not necessarily purely opportunistic-- there was speculative chatter about having a special session solely dedicated to solving this error, multiple sources, including Sen. Charlie Scott, R-Casper, and Sen. Drew Perkins, R-Casper, told the Star Tribune. There was fear that illegal gambling practices could slip by without correcting the mistake.

The consensus was ultimately that there was not a need for a special session around this particular issue, said Majority Floor Leader Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower. I think the governor still doesnt see a need right now, he added.

The Senate did not address Senate File 1019, because the House has a similar bill, Driskill said.

The Senate is adjourned until 8:30 a.m. Thursday, when they will revisit these bills for a second reading.

11:27 a.m.

The House of Representatives has passed the first reading on House Bill 1001, one of two bills it will consider today.

The bill would lay out requirements for any Wyoming business looking to enact its own mandate for employees, including a wider range of acceptable exemptions, funding for regular COVID-19 testing and severance pay for workers who leave or are fired from their job because of a vaccine requirement.

HB 1001 is actually one of the more lenient proposals being brought in this special session, since it does set out a path to enforceable local vaccine mandates for businesses.

But the proposed exemptions in their current form would require any religious exemption to be accepted without review, and would also allow people who have recovered from COVID-19 to exempt themselves from the shots on the basis of "natural immunity."

The House passed nine out of ten parts of an amendment from the Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee this morning. One aims to extend the mandate rules to apply to any future vaccine with emergency use approval.

Two others would extend deadlines originally set for March 2022 to coincide with the end of the upcoming budget session  one allowing ARPA funds to be used for testing through October 2024 and another that would repeal the vaccine mandate rules after March 2023.

9:21 a.m.

Ten bills are so far advancing through the legislative process. Generally speaking, the bills address vaccines and COVID-19 policies, including the federal employer mandate that spurred lawmakers to convene months before the next scheduled session in February.

For an overview of them, click here.

Lawmakers yesterday beat back an effort to adjourn the session almost immediately. That move came after neither chamber could agree on rules for the session.

How'd we get here?

The push for the special session began in September, after President Joe Biden signed an executive order that would require workers at companies with more than 100 employees to either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing. The move angered many in Wyoming, the nation's most vaccine-hesitant state, and one with a long history of skepticism toward the federal government.

Before the mandate can go into effect, the federal-rule making process has to be completed. While that hasn't happened yet, political pressure from the right pushed lawmakers to convene the gathering, even though the lack of details about the final rules could hamper lawmakers' ability to block them.

Lawmakers must also contend with the U.S. Constitution's Supremacy Clause, which holds that federal law supersedes state statute.

That hasn't stopped the Legislature from drafting 20 bills, most of which are aimed at vaccine requirements in general and COVID-19 guidelines in particular. Some lawmakers have even considered loosening all K-12 vaccine requirements.

The session is taking place as Wyoming's hospitals contend with record-levels of COVID-19 patients. Last week, hospitalizations hit an all-time high. The state also announced 69 COVID deaths for the week -- a high for 2021.

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Banner Health, which operates four Wyoming hospitals including the states largest in Casper, could see nearly 10% of its employees terminated for failing to comply with a COVID-19 vaccine requirement, based on current numbers.

Mary Lynne Shickich, a Banner representative, told lawmakers Tuesday that 160 of the 1,629 employees Banner has in Wyoming had not been vaccinated and did not have an exemption.

In mid-July, the company announced being fully vaccinated would no longer be optional, but a condition of employment beginning Nov. 1. That announcement has been a focal point during the special legislative session that began this week, meant to challenge a federal vaccine mandate on businesses with 100 or more employees.

In testifying to the House Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee Tuesday, Schickich said the 160 employees will keep their jobs until the end of November.

The company has not decided on next steps for the Wyoming employees who have not been vaccinated, spokesperson Mandy Cepeda said via email.

We will comply with any state rules regarding the mandate of vaccines. We will also comply with any federal rules, which may supersede state law, she said, adding, Our deadline has not passed yet and were still hopeful that all of our team members will come into compliance.

Its unclear how many Banner Wyoming employees have received exemptions to the policy. Shickich only provided that figure for Washakie Medical Center, at which 84 employees are vaccinated and 16 were granted exemptions.

When Shickich was asked for additional data, the request was referred to Cepeda, who said we dont have any additional numbers to release.

The hospital was also asked by the Star-Tribune for a copy of a blank exemption request form. Cepeda denied the request, saying Banner does not publicly release internal documents.

Wyoming Medical Center CEO Lance Porter Tuesday told the committee that Caspers hospital staff is 75% vaccinated. Among clinic staff outside of the hospital, that figure rises to 85%.

Porter maintained the need for a vaccine requirement, particularly as the states largest hospital routinely records record-high patient totals.

The problem we face is when you are unvaccinated and you are exposed outside of work, you get COVID, youre out of the fight, he said.

The hospital was treating 206 total patients at one point last week, 42% of which had COVID-19.

He said some patients have asked to only be treated by vaccinated nurses, as the more contagious and more aggressive delta variant leaves more people severely ill.

Banner is concerned about the high rate of COVID hospitalization and low rate of vaccination in the counties where it operates in Wyoming. This is putting significant strain on its Wyoming hospitals, Cepeda later added.

Statewide, hospitalizations have soared despite the number of active cases declining.

Last week, Wyoming reported the most COVID-19 hospitalizations than at any point thus far in the pandemic, with 249 individuals being treated.

Several facilities have teetered into crisis standards of care, meaning they dont have enough resources to treat the patients they have.

Twelve Wyoming hospitals Wednesday reported a critical staffing shortage to federal officials.

Some officials have said the shortage is brought on by employees testing positive or being exposed to the virus, and then being forced to quarantine and miss work. Others have claimed staff are leaving their jobs directly in response to vaccine requirements.

The Wyoming Hospital Association says the latter is clearly not having as large of an impact as some are claiming.

People leaving because of a mandate is not the largest driver, said Josh Hannes, spokesperson for the hospital association. Its not at all the biggest cause of challenges around staffing.

Follow health and education reporter Morgan Hughes on Twitter @m0rgan_hughes

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CODY (WNE)  A firefighter from Powell died Oct. 11 in California while on assignment to fight a fire in the Inyo National Forest, according to a National Forest news release.

Layla Bradley, 29, died while on an assignment to the forest.

She was working as a member of a wildland fire engine crew from Dragon Fighters Inc., a company that works under contract with the U.S. Forest Service. They were providing additional initial attack coverage for the forest during a difficult fire season.

The forest received a report of a medical emergency at the Rock Creek Fire Station on Oct. 11. Forest Service personnel responded and attempted lifesaving efforts on Bradley. Mono County Emergency personnel also responded. The efforts were unsuccessful.

The Inyo National Forest staff appreciates the support that contract fire companies provide to the U.S. Forest Service and expresses their deepest condolences to Bradleys family and friends.

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THE Confederation of Regional Business Chambers (CRBC) is calling on the Government to consider an extension on the submission of the property tax forms beyond November 30, 2021.

The CRBC, in a statement yesterday, said there can be criminal liabilities or a penalty if these forms are not filed by November 30, hence, Government is urged to consider the request to extend the deadline as an urgent matter.
THE murder toll continues to rise following the shooting deaths of three men in separate incidents between Thursday evening and yesterday morning.

The killings took place in Laventille, San Juan and Freeport.

Two of the victims have been identified as Aaron Thomas and Nathaniel Phillip, while the victim in the Freeport incident remained unidentified up to yesterday evening.
The pre-election splurge by the PNM-led Tobago House of Assembly (THA) draws attention to constitutional loopholes that should be addressed.

Here is an administration which went in with a comfortable majority for the election which was held in January this year and came out in a dead heat with the challenger party.
This set up partitions, which were written to partition-folders by their date values. Because they were already grouped by the date column, it was very easy for each one of them to become a data file without worrying about cases where there is more than one date value per partition. In other words, with this partitioning approach, most of the partitions were ready to be written just as they were  Spark didnt need to rearrange the partitions or recombine them when partitionBy was called.

So, how do we choose a good x? This ends up being a process of estimation and sampling. Of course, it is better to perform tests earlier with less data (being distributed in the same way as the original) so that we waste less time on adjustments.

In conclusion, when writing partitioned data, we need to consider our various options and goals, along with our writing methods. These can have implications for how our data will be stored at the destination and the performance of the writing process.

This article shares some insight into the challenges the ZipRecruiter Tech Team works on every day. If youre interested in finding solutions to problems like these, please visit our Careers page to see open roles.
After being in hibernation for over a year, the Tucson Museum of Art is howling back to life.

The museum is hosting a Halloween themed Howl at the Museum on Friday, Oct. 29.

The indoor/outdoor event will feature dancing to cumbia music, an audience-voted cocktail competition with Tucsons best bartenders and a costume contest hosted by drag queens Apple, Diva and Venus.

The event also will feature art works representing indigenous, Western and European cultures.

The goal is to usher in new members to the museum and bridge the gap between downtown and who you might think of as the typical museum crowd, said Korey Schultz, a co-chairman of the Howl Host Committee.

Several Tucson restaurants  Commoner & Co., Flora's Market Run, Prep & Pastry, Cafe a la C'Art and LaCo Tucson (formerly La Cocina)  are providing food while Portal Cocktails and Finley Distributing are providing beverages.

The event also features Whiskey del Bac's Del Bac Showdown, a cocktail competition showcasing creations by Tucson's best bartenders. Audience members will vote on the cocktails and the winners will receive cash prizes.
NOGALES, Arizona  If you come to Nogales and you dont go to La Cinderella, its like you didnt come to Nogales at all  thats the saying anyway, says Adreana Ortega, a manager in the iconic shoe shops sister store, across the street from the border with Mexico.

The problem is very few people have come to Nogales since the U.S. closed its borders because of the pandemic to non-essential travel, which includes the many Mexican shoppers who used to cross the border daily to spend money at La Cinderella and its sister store Korys, a womens clothing shop.

The U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada are set to reopen Nov. 8, for travelers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, after about 20 months of closure to non-essential travel.

The number of people who could cross the U.S.-Mexico border during the closure dropped dramatically, with people who arent U.S. residents allowed to cross only for reasons that include work, education and medical treatment.

While downtown Nogales used to bustle with shoppers coming up from Sonora, many residents say since the border closed in March 2020, its been a ghost town. Korys clientele is usually about 80% Mexican shoppers. Ortega says the store has survived the extended border closure because of clientele in Sierra Vista, Tucson and Phoenix who are familiar with the shop, which has been there for more than 50 years.

But many of the shops on Morley Avenue, part of Nogales downtown, have not been so lucky. At least 20 stores closed in the small downtown center because of the pandemic and border closure, says the Nogales Chamber of Commerce.

The majority of shops on the street were closed on a recent Wednesday afternoon. Some look closed for good, with empty rooms or covered windows. Others look as if they had been left in a hurry and could open again at any moment  fully decorated but with dark windows and half-clothed mannequins.

Pre-pandemic, 60% to 70% of sales in all of Santa Cruz County came from Mexican shoppers, who have since been unable to cross, the Nogales Chamber of Commerce says.

$1 billion spent in Tucson

The border reopening is huge for Arizona border towns like Nogales and Douglas but also for cities like Tucson and the state as a whole, says J. Felipe Garcia, executive vice president at Visit Tucson, the citys destination marketing organization.

Every year the Department of Homeland Security counts 20 million to 25 million visits from Mexican nationals crossing the border into Arizona. Close to 80% of those visitors are coming here to shop, spending about $1 billion in Tucson and about $2.5 billion a year across the state, Garcia says.

So just imagine the challenges were facing because those individuals were not able to come across the border and spend money, he said.

Visit Tucson recently launched a campaign, on social media and with billboards and TV ads in Mexico, to welcome people back. Many Tucson venues are already programming events to attract visitors from Mexico, Garcia says.

For example, when best-selling Latin-American artist Richardo Arjona plays at the Tucson Music Hall on March 27, Garcia expects a couple thousand people will cross the border to see him.

As well, Gov. Doug Ducey and the Arizona Office of Tourism announced last week that 43 businesses and organizations across the state will receive a total of more than $9.4 million in grant funding for festivals, arts and culture and community events, of which more than $4.67 million is going to organizations in Tucson and the southern part of the state.

Mexico vaccines an issue

One factor that could hinder a return to pre-pandemic tourism is that to enter the U.S., visitors need to be vaccinated with one of the COVID vaccines authorized by the World Health Organization. Two common ones used in Mexico, Sputnik V and CanSino, are not authorized.

So, although Mexican officials say that about 90% of adults who live in municipalities along the countrys northern border are fully vaccinated, not all will be able to cross.

We know this is not going to be everything or nothing, Garcia said about welcoming back tourists from Mexico. Its a phased approach, but were glad to start with something. Its great news for merchants, great news for hoteliers, great news for event venues, great news for restaurants. Were very happy about it.

Many of the remaining merchants in Nogales downtown are gearing up for a lot of shoppers, especially as the holiday season approaches.

Pre-COVID, Nogales typically saw 10,000 to 15,000 people coming from Mexico a day, and during the holidays, 80,000 to 100,000, says Nogales Mayor Arturo Garino.

Nogales, Sonora, has a population of more than 260,000 while Nogales, Arizona, has only about 20,000 residents.

The Arizona city has no property tax and so relies on sales taxes. Before COVID, residents of Sonora supplied 60% to 65% of the citys sales tax collections, Garino says.

Those people that come across, they come as tourists, they come as shoppers, he said. They fill up their cars with gasoline and they stay in our hotels, use our restaurants and shop. That increases our sales tax, which is key for any municipality, especially along the border.

Nogales received federal funds from COVID-relief packages to balance its budget last year, but thats not sustainable, Garino says.

Faces light up

Losing the international market affected workers as well as business owners.

Every time Korys  the dress shop across the street from the closed port of entry  had to shut its doors because of the lockdown, a COVID case in the store or just not enough customers, Ortega felt more disheartened. With two kids and a new house she had just rented, she worried about whether she would make it through the loss of income.

But the last time the store reopened, Ortega came back to work full time, though fewer people were needed to work the store.

Ortega loves her job and says everyone she works with is excited and anxious to see what business looks like once the border reopens.

Throughout Nogales, the businesses that have weathered the closures and loss of Mexican shoppers are all excited. Faces light up when people are asked about the border reopening, like that of Ivan Ortiz, who owns Baby Market Boutique, about a mile-and-a-half from the border.

With about half of his clientele in Nogales, Sonora, Ortiz had to pivot for his business to survive. He began selling his products online and crosses the border himself to bring purchases to established clients.

For some other business owners, the damage is done, he said. They couldnt do anything to survive.

Many of the stores that stayed open on Morley are larger, more established stores. About half the shops in the plaza with Baby Market are empty. The dress shop next door has a sign on the door that says its taking customers by appointment only.

Ortiz opened his childrens clothing store that he runs with a little help from his mother about a year before COVID hit. Without having built a clientele over that year, he wouldnt have made it through the border closure, he says.

Families separated

Another effect of the border being closed is that it separated families who live on opposite sides of the border.

This was the case for Ortizs grandmother, who lives in Sonora and missed a grandsons wedding because she couldnt cross into the U.S. since she is not a resident. Ortiz says his abuelita is very excited for the border to reopen.

The border reopening is good news for many families on both sides, said Tucsons Consul of Mexico Rafael Barcelo Durazo. The closure has separated many families since family visits were not considered essential, he said.

In some cases, the family member living in Mexico had a visa to visit the U.S., but the person living in the U.S. may not be able to visit Mexico, either for health or immigration reasons.

Therefore, in addition to the people whose jobs or businesses depend on the commerce and tourism of Mexican people, many binational families are joyous at the news that the border will reopen, Barcelo said.

Lots of people in Nogales have parents or a spouse who live in Mexico and couldnt come across to visit once the border was closed, said Garino, Nogales mayor.

Its meaningful that the border is reopening in time for the holidays, for more than economic reasons.

If everything goes good, all of us will be together this Christmas, Garino says, because we havent had that opportunity.

Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223 . On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara

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Photojournalist

Rebecca Sasnett has been a photojournalist with Star since 2019. Previously she worked as a freelance photographer for Arizona Athletics and USA Today Sports. She loves hanging out with her three cats and four dogs.
PHOENIX  The Independent Redistricting Commission is pushing ahead with maps designed to help ensure that there will be more Republicans from Pima County in the Legislature after the 2022 election.

The panel is working with plans advanced by Commissioner David Mehl on behalf of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, of which he is a founding member.

Mehl told Capitol Media Services the goal is to unite the Pima County communities of Marana and Oro Valley into a district that would also run through SaddleBrooke in southern Pinal County.

But the executive director of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, Ted Maxwell, acknowledged theres more at play here than what might be considered creating a community of interest. His interest is political.

Put simply, he said, its hard for a group like his to get desired changes in law from what is now  and could remain  a Republican-controlled Legislature unless it includes more Republicans from Pima County.

As you know, the majority party is the one that gets to vote legislation, he told Capitol Media Services. But he said there isnt a single Republican legislator whose district is entirely within Pima County.
The other half of the problem, for Romero, comes down to the decision to extend the division between the districts east on Broadway all the way to the Pantano Wash.

Romero said the problem with that is it adds non-Latino areas into Congressional District 7, diluting the voting strength of the Latino majority neighborhoods in the Broadway and 22nd Street corridor.

The mayor said if Broadway is to be used as a dividing line, she wants that line to turn south at Craycroft Road with everything east of that put into CD6, the district that goes into Cochise County.

What that does, she said, is strengthen the Latino influence in CD7, ensuring their voting power is not diluted.

More to the point, concentrating Latino communities in CD7, the area currently represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, would help to maintain a congressional district where minorities have a good chance of electing someone of their own choice, she said.

This is more than a political issue. The federal Voting Rights Act precludes states from taking actions that dilute minority voting strength.

Romero also said she thinks portions of Flowing Wells and Amphitheater should be included in CD7, with that area becoming increasingly diverse.

The Independent Redistricting Commission will adopt final maps in late December after receiving public input.
On Thursday afternoon, 13 high schoolers gathered at the front of their science classroom for a polling exercise to gauge their beliefs when it comes to drugs and substance use.

Facilitator Monica Contreras read the statement, Teens use more drugs than adults, and the students filtered towards the center and right side of the room, indicating their partial or full agreement with the statement.

The lone participant on the disagree side was their principal, Kim Babeu, who came to Envision High School at the end of 2020 after spending years on the faculty of Toltecalli, a charter school on Tucsons south side.

For the next statement  People who use drugs are bad  the entire group migrated over to Babeus side of the room, standing firmly in staunch disagreement with the sentiment.

The first several questions of the poll reflected a variable mix of agreement, disagreement or students who fell somewhere in the middle, but the statement about drug users being bad was the only question in the lot of 10 that generated 100% agreement among participants.
The interview was edited for clarity and length.



Q: Why did you want to write this book?

A: The philanthropy industry really only ever counts giving money to nonprofits. When we dont look at all these other things, we cant possibly understand why there may be rises and dips in that one act. For most of us, our time, our money, our interests are not infinite. So if youre choosing to do one thing, you may well not be choosing to do another. And we need to understand those dynamics much better.

Q: What Safe Passage does in San Francisco is a type of giving we dont hear much about these days.

A: Weve often forgotten that that kind of activity is philanthropy. Its not the Gates Foundation; thats something else. One of the things we heard, loud and clear, from the people we talked to in these workshops across the country is that all the things they think of as giving are actually about participating in their community, about participating in the world.

Q: Between new proposed tax laws and revelations about the U.S. becoming a tax haven for the ultra-wealthy, there has been a lot of discussion about how tax benefits affect philanthropic donations. Did you find that in your research?
ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that he expects to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden on the sidelines of a climate summit in Glasgow, during which he would take up Turkeys ouster from the U.S.-led F-35 stealth fighter jet program.

The United States removed NATO ally Turkey from the international program that produces the F-35 jets in 2019 over Ankaras decision to buy Russias advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system. Washington says the Russian system compromises the F-35s security.

Erdogan has previously said that his government is seeking to recover a $1.4 billion payment that the country made before it was expelled from the F-35 program and that the United States has proposed selling F-16 fighter jets to Turkey to make up for the payment.

Most likely, we will have a meeting in Glasgow instead of Rome. Our most important issue will be the F-35, Erdogan told reporters on his return from a trip to Azerbaijan.

Erdogan had previously said he planned to meet with Biden during a G-20 meeting in Rome.

He said: We have a 1.4 billion payment regarding the F-35s. We need to discuss how the repayment plan will be.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  The family of a mentally ill man who was shot nine times by a police officer in a wealthy San Francisco Bay area suburb has received a $4.9 million settlement from the town and county where the officer worked, nearly three years after the 2018 fatal shooting, the familys lawyer said Wednesday.

The announcement of the settlement in the lawsuit brought by the family of 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda came a day after a jury convicted Officer Andrew Hall in the related criminal case.

The jury on Tuesday convicted Hall of felony assault with a firearm in Arboledas death but deadlocked on the more serious charge of voluntary manslaughter.

The guilty verdict marked the first felony conviction of a law enforcement officer in Contra Costa County, which is east of San Francisco, over an on-duty police shooting.

The lawyer for Arboleda's family, John Burris, said the countys Board of Supervisors agreed to settle the familys wrongful death lawsuit earlier this month while Halls trial was underway but did not discuss that decision publicly during the trial.

The lawsuit named as defendants the town of Danville, the County of Contra Costa and Hall, who shot Arboleda nine times while he was slowly driving away from police.
Garland told senators he was never sent the U.S. attorney's memo and did not know specifics about it. A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office in Montana did not immediately respond to questions about whether Johnson had consulted senior Justice Department officials before issuing the memo.

Ive never seen that memo, Garland said. No one has sent me that memo, so I havent seen it.

The National School Board Association has since said we regret and apologize for its letter, which asked for federal assistance to combat harassment and violence against school officials and said some of the acts could be domestic terrorism.

The original letter asked for the federal government to investigate cases where threats or violence could be handled as violations of federal laws protecting civil rights. The association asked for the Justice Department, FBI, Homeland Security and Secret Service to help monitor threat levels and assess risks to students, educators, board members and school buildings.
LONDON (AP)  U.S. authorities launched a new battle on Wednesday to make Julian Assange face American justice, telling British judges that if they agree to extradite the WikiLeaks founder on espionage charges, he could serve any U.S. prison sentence he receives in his native Australia.

In January, a lower U.K. court refused a U.S. request to extradite Assange over WikiLeaks publication of secret American military documents a decade ago. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange, who has spent years in hiding and in British prisons as he fights extradition, was likely to kill himself if held under harsh U.S. prison conditions.

Appealing against that decision at the High Court in London, an attorney for the U.S. government on Wednesday denied that Assanges mental health was too fragile to withstand the U.S. judicial system. Lawyer James Lewis said Assange has no history of serious and enduring mental illness and does not meet the threshold of being so ill that he cannot resist harming himself.

U.S. prosecutors have indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks publication of thousands of leaked military and diplomatic documents. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison, although Lewis said the longest sentence ever imposed for this offense is 63 months.
CLEVELAND (AP)  A jury acquitted an 83-year-old man Wednesday who was convicted at his first trial of killing his wife and spent 45 years in prison.

The Cleveland jury deliberated for less than 90 minutes before delivering its verdict in Isiah Andrews second aggravated murder trial, Cleveland.com reported.

Andrews said after the verdict that it relieved all the weight off him. Ive become free, he said.

Andrews had been released from prison last year after a judge ruled that prosecutors failed to tell a jury in 1975 that police had interviewed another suspect in the slaying of Regina Andrews.

Attorneys for the Ohio Innocence Project had hoped Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley would dismiss the charge against Andrews. O'Malley instead offered a plea bargain that would keep Andrews out of prison if he pleaded guilty to killing his wife.

Andrews rejected the offer, telling visiting Judge Tim McGinty, I want justice for my wife.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  A man who was killed in an Idaho shooting at a Boise mall on Monday was shopping for gifts for his family when he was wounded, family members said.

Roberto Padilla Arguelles, 49, was a truck driver who lived part of the year in the southern Idaho city of Rupert and part of the year in Zacatecas, Mexico, the Idaho Statesman reported, and at the time of his death was planning to return to his home in Mexico in two weeks. He was one of two people killed in an attack that left four others injured at the Boise Towne Square Mall.

Im devastated, Padilla Arguelles' daughter Yanet Padilla, 26, told the Idaho Statesman in a message. I felt that I died when my husband told me what happened. I feel sad, and I feel that my life (went) away with him. Its so difficult when I see my mom crying for (her) husband.

Police said Jacob Bergquist, 27, of Boise, fired 18 rounds inside the mall before exiting. Padilla Arguelles and Jo Acker, a 26-year-old security guard from Caldwell, died and two others were injured inside the mall. Bergquist then exchanged gunfire with law enforcement on a nearby street, injuring a Boise police officer and a woman who was inside her vehicle. Bergquist died in the hospital on Tuesday.
PONTOON BEACH, Ill. (AP)  A southern Illinois man was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a police officer at a gas station.

Scott Hyden, 31, of Highland was arrested at the gas station following the shooting Tuesday of 36-year-old Pontoon Beach Officer Tyler Timmins. Hyden was being held in the Madison County Jail without bond, Madison County States Attorney Tom Haine said.

Hyden also faces charges that include aggravated discharge of a firearm at a peace officer, unlawful possession of weapons by a felon and possessing a stolen firearm.

Those who attack police officers  public servants who have dedicated their lives to protecting us all from harm  will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Haine said. And here, we will be seeking the maximum possible sentence available under Illinois law, natural life, for the defendant.

Timmins was shot at a Speedway gas station along Route 111 and was taken to a hospital in nearby Granite City before being transferred to a St. Louis hospital.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  A Maryland congressman announced Wednesday that he has deactivated his official congressional and campaign Facebook and Instagram accounts until their parent company and Congress make substantial reforms to protect children, health and democratic values.

Democratic Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger said his decision follows disturbing whistleblower reports about the company's own research revealing harm to democracy, the mental health of teens and the amplification of hate speech.

In a news release, Ruppersberger cited a report in The Washington Post that Facebooks algorithm at one time treated angry reactions as five times more valuable than likes, disproportionately promoting content that was likely to include misinformation, toxicity and low-quality news.
PHOENIX (AP)  Election officials told a congressional committee Tuesday they've received graphic threats to their safety since the 2020 election and warned that pressure on election workers is a threat to democracy.

Experienced election administrators are increasingly leaving the field as they face unsupported accusations of manipulating election results, a bipartisan group of state election officials told the Senate Rules and Administration Committee.

It's not worth it any more for these not-very-high-paying jobs, combined with the level of threat theyre experiencing at the moment, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat who is running for governor, said.

Hobbs has at times had round-the-clock security due to threats from supporters of former President Donald Trump who falsely claim that his loss in Arizona was marred by fraud. She described threatening phone calls to her office and said critics tried to get her husband fired from his job.

Let's be clear, this is domestic terrorism, said Al Schmidt, a Republican city commissioner in Philadelphia and a member of the Board of Elections. The whole point is to terrorize, to intimidate and to coerce."
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Twenty-one Republican state attorneys general sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Wednesday saying they think his COVID-19 vaccination mandate for federal contractors stands on shaky legal ground," is confusing to contractors and could exacerbate supply-chain problems.

They wrote that companies could be blacklisted for federal contracts unless they get their workers vaccinated on an unworkable timeline.

We strongly urge you to instruct agencies to cease implementing the mandate or, at a minimum, to provide clarity to agencies and federal contractors across the country and delay the mandates compliance date, said the letter signed by attorneys general from Texas, Mississippi, Alaska and other states.

Republican officials have already threatened to sue over the order that Biden issued Sept. 9. Some legal experts have said they think the Biden administration is on strong legal footing with the mandates to protect public safety.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Twin Metals will appeal a federal decision that dealt a serious blow to its proposed copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota, the company said Wednesday.

Last week, the Biden administration ordered a mineral withdrawal study on 225,000 acres of federal land that could lead to a 20-year ban on mining upstream from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a popular recreational area in the Superior National Forest.

The order, which was issued by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, also prohibits issuing new prospecting permits or leases for mining-related activities in that area. The agencies said it does not affect valid existing rights or activities on private lands, including Twin Metals leases in the area, although they are currently the subject of a federal court challenge.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to the communities of northeast Minnesota, said Kelly Osborne, Twin Metals Chief Executive Officer. We have a viable mining project that we will move forward under existing law.
MILAN, Ill. (AP)  A vehicle struck and killed a United Auto Workers member Wednesday as he was walking to a picket line to join striking workers outside a John Deere distribution plant in northwest Illinois, the union and police said.

The man, identified as 56-year-old Richard Rich, was struck at about 6 a.m. CDT at an intersection near a road that leads to the John Deere Parts Distribution Center in Milan, Illinois, Police Chief Shawn Johnson said.

Rich was crossing the Rock Island-Milan Parkway at Deere Drive when he was hit by the motorist, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

We don't believe it to be intentional, but it's still an ongoing investigation and it did happen out near the middle of the intersection where the pedestrian was crossing the roadway," Johnson told The Associated Press.

UAW leaders said Rich was a 15-year employee of the Deere plant. He was a member of UAW Local 79 in Milan, UAW said in a statement.

On behalf of the UAW and all working families, we mourn the passing of our UAW brother, said UAW President Ray Curry. It is a somber time to lose a member who made the ultimate sacrifice in reporting to picket for a better life for his family and co-workers.
The administration's reversal of both rules came as political and legal battles over abortion are growing sharper amid burgeoning efforts by Republicans to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Yost emphasized that his lawsuit does not challenge the right to an abortion as guaranteed under Roe. The litigation follows a letter he and 20 other states sent to Health and Human Services in May warning the Biden administration against reversing the rules.

The prohibition against family planning clinics funded under Title X using public funds for abortions was contained in the Family Planning Services and Population Research Act of 1970, Yost said.

States joining the challenge are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and West Virginia. Not all states participate in Title X.

Groups representing the clinics said they hoped this month's reversal would lead some 1,300 local facilities that left in protest to return.
Still, Dormer said, the movie industry is likely moving away from real guns, albeit slowly.

The term prop gun can apply to anything from a rubber toy to a real firearm that can fire a projectile. If its used for firing, even blanks, its considered a real gun. A blank is a cartridge that contains gunpowder but no bullet. Still, it can hurt or even kill someone who is close by, according to the Actors Equity Association.

Thats why many are calling to ban blanks as well, and use disabled or replica guns.

Really there is no good reason in this day to have blanks on set, director Liz Garbus wrote on Twitter. CGI can make the gun seem real, and if you dont have the budget for the CGI, then dont shoot the scene.

Broadway actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein wrote that the tragedy certainly made him wonder why Hollywood wasnt leaning more on special effects.

Why, with all of the Hollywood magic available, are they still firing off gun powder? They know that they are going to goose-up the gunshots in post production, he wrote on Facebook. Why chance an accident in the first place?

But he also said the death raised even broader questions.
The Special Attacking Force said it had issued many warnings to the Road Transport Administration Department and other government offices that support the functioning of the government, called the State Administration Council.

But some civil servants neglect our warning and they are still continuing to work for their own benefit. Many people are very upset about this, it said in a statement. We had warned that we will punish the SACs slaves in a gentle or rough way to stop all the supporting pillars that financially help to buy bullets to kill people.

A person who lives near the transport office said it was the fourth bombing at that location, but the first carried out at an hour when it would be crowded, around 11 a.m.

The explosions today were the strongest, and rocked her house, said the woman, who asked not to be identified.

According to a statement issued by the government last week, there have been 986 terror attacks, 2,344 bomb attacks and 312 arson attacks from from February to late October.
BARCELONA, Spain (AP)  For the second time in a month, a member of Spains government met with Algerian officials on Wednesday to guarantee the European countrys supply of natural gas after Algeria closes a pipeline that runs through Morocco this weekend.

While a leader in wind and solar power, Spain still relies heavily on energy imports, and Algeria provides over a third of its natural gas. Spanish officials worry that a shortage in supplies will augment skyrocketing energy prices that have made electricity bills a major problem for its left-wing coalition government.

The trip by Spains deputy prime minister for ecological transition, Teresa Ribera, to Algiers came only a month after the country's foreign minister travelled to the Algerian capital to discuss the gas supply that Spain fears could be a collateral victim of Algerias diplomatic spat with Morocco.

After meeting with Algeria's minister for energy and mining, Mohamed Arkab, Ribera thanked him for his pledge to ensure the viability of the transport of natural gas and to honor the commitments for its purchase between different Algerian and Spanish companies.
OPINION: "The importance of an opinion journalist at a newspaper, and the reason the press is mentioned in the First Amendment, is to call out powerful people when they abuse their power," writes the Star's new Opinion editor, Curt Prendergast.
We will never hear President Joe Biden proclaim that he or his administration made any mistakes. He will allow for the technical tinkering that Washington-based reviews often become  such as a claim in a report that new rules need to be put in place or further reviews are needed.

Biden will not accept that the operation was faulty or that there were problems with his decisions, no matter what any report says or who writes it.

As former Defense Secretary Robert Gates stated on a recent episode on CBS News 60 Minutes, Ive worked for eight presidents.  Ive never encountered a single one of em who ever  who ever said, Well, I really blew that one.

In both high-level reports, we can expect that there will be finger-pointing by both State and Defense.

Even if the investigators find that the other organization was more to blame, much of the results of the investigators will include statements from players big and small that the other organization blew it.

One thing that may very well emerge and even expand will coincide with the statements by Austin, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Mark Milley and U.S. Central Command commander Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth McKenzie in Senate and House hearings Sept. 28 and 29.
Due to the size of the bridge spans  the shipping loads are 18 foot, 6 inches wide  traveling down the interstate, the state of Missouri requires front and back police escorts, said Jeff Stava, director and trustee of Tulsas Gathering Place LLC.

On Tuesday, the second piece of the first arch was installed on the west side of the river. Crews from Hillsdale Fabricators will continue working their way east until they get to the middle of the river; then theyll shift to the east bank of the river and work their way west until all of the arches are joined.

There are 6 miles of welds on the whole project, Stava said. Think about that for a minute. Four miles of welds are done in their shop, and 2 miles of welding is done on site.

Once the bridge spans are in place, the decking will be added. Thats another big undertaking  1.65 million pounds of precast concrete topped with exposed aggregate deck surface identical to the material used on the Gathering Places pathways.

Crossland Construction has been working in the river for months to establish the foundation for the bridge. So far, five columns and an abutment on the west bank have been completed. When work shifts to the east side, likely in February, five more columns and an abutment on the east bank will be constructed.
The University of Tulsa will require all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8, the university announced Wednesday.

On Sept. 9, President Biden signed an executive order directing that all employees of contractors that do business with the federal government are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, TU said in a statement.

The University of Tulsa is a federal contractor, and the order applies to TU along with most other research universities. Universities in Kansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Arizona, Virginia and elsewhere have begun notifying their communities of the need to comply.

After concerted efforts to incentivize and educate our employees about the personal and community benefits of receiving a vaccine, the vast majority of TU employees already are immunized against COVID-19, the statement says.

While these voluntary efforts have proven effective, as demonstrated by our high vaccination rate and our low number of cases, we have no option but to comply with the mandate.

The executive order requires federal contractor employees to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 8, TU said.
On Oct. 5, the Pardon and Parole Board chose not to recommend that Gov. Kevin Stitt grant clemency to Grant. It was his second clemency denial.

Grant has a lengthy criminal history, dating back to when he was 11 years old. He spent time in the juvenile system before going to the adult corrections system.

Defense attorneys said he grew up in a troubled and poor home. They said the state failed to provide him proper treatment.

The state put executions on hold in 2015.

Lethal injection issues: The decision came after the botched execution of Clayton Lockett in 2014 and the 2015 execution of Charles Warner using the wrong drug.

In March 2018, Oklahoma announced that it would use nitrogen gas to execute condemned inmates because it could not find the drugs for the lethal-injection process.

A law in 2015 allowed for nitrogen hypoxia to be used as an execution method.

Two years after the announcement about using nitrogen gas, the state said it had secured a reliable source for the drugs and would resume executions by lethal injection.

The drugs to be used Thursday are midazolam, vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride.
The plan going to the governor for approval halves the number of Hispanics in CD5. Democratic lawmakers say the move is an attempt to dilute the largely Democratic Hispanic vote and help Republicans "retake the House."
That made survival by Indigenous people even more difficult.

In 1900, only 300 bison were known to exist. Through targeted conservation, the population now extends into the several hundred thousands. Oklahoma is home to many bison herds, and the bison is the official state animal.

The legislation would direct the Department of the Interior to create a program with three goals: promote and develop the capacity of tribes and tribal organizations to manage buffalo and buffalo habitat; protect and enhance buffalo herds for the maximum benefit of tribes; and include tribes in the decision-making regrading buffalo.

It would keep tribal nations in control of the bison herds and provide federal funding and expertise for tribal herds.

Inhofe is right to champion this bill. Reps. Markwayne Mullin, Tom Cole and Stephanie Bice have stated support for this legislation on the House side.

It is an important move forward in restoring what was taken from American Indians. It will strengthen tribal nations and Oklahoma to have more bison roaming on the land.

Featured video: Uniquely Oklahoma  Summer on the prairie: 'When the tall grasses start reaching for the sky'

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After his Vietnamese grandmother passed away three years ago, Francois Bibonne was inspired to make a special journey back to her home country to understand his own origin.

As a young Frenchman with a history degree who has a passion for classical music, Bibonne would like to set out on the journey in his way: getting to know, exploring, and understanding his grandmothers hometown in Vietnam through classical music.

His work, a documentary titled 'Once Upon a Bridge in Vietnam,' is in the final stages of completion in France.

He intends to release the film this winter as a gift to the country that continues to teach him new things each day.

Love at first sight

Having a Vietnamese grandmother, Bibonne spent his childhood filled with unforgettable stories of Vietnam.

Among them were the foods, music, fashion, beautiful landscapes, and heroic tradition of fighting invaders.

But he had never been to Vietnam until his grandmother, Therese Nguyen Thi Koan, passed away three years ago.

The death of his grandmother prompted him to make a journey to Vietnam as soon as he had a chance.

Bibonne came to Vietnam at the beginning of 2018 under a project of a tourism company.

He paid a visit to the northern destinations of Hanoi, Sa Pa, and Ninh Binh then.

The Frenchman fell in love with the nature, people, and characteristic cultures at the places where he could set his foot in.

Bibonne did not want to just be a tourist in the home country of his grandmother, however.

He returned to Vietnam in early 2020 and stayed for 15 months to make his first documentary, 'Once Upon a Bridge in Vietnam.'

He chose to tell his story through music, especially classical music, which is his passion besides history.

The filmmaker wants to travel through several provinces across Vietnam to explore the countrys classical music.

In fact, he did not know whether Vietnam had a symphony orchestra. With the idea of making the film in mind, Bibonne found his way through various provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Nam Dinh, Bac Giang, and Bac Ninh.

During the journey, he tried to make his documentary a musical story told by beautiful landscapes of the countryside throughout Vietnam.

He narrated the story of an old brass trumpet that had been carried by the French since the 19th century and can be seen now in the northern province of Nam Dinh.

The Frenchman presented another story of a violin class in a pagoda next to a paddy field in a village where there are many generations that enjoy playing the violin.

He shared what he knew about how the people living in Bac Ninh preserve folk songs, and his admiration when listening to stories recounted in French by musicians in Ho Chi Minh City.

Francois Bibonne works with a choir while he makes his film in a supplied photo

Bibonne taught French and English to earn more money during 15 months of living and making the film in Vietnam.

He traveled to several provinces and cities across the country with a small camera to explore the hidden beauties of his grandmothers homeland through his own passion for classical music.

Bibonne decided to raise funds for this documentary project. To date, he has raised 8,265 (US$9,626), around 68 percent of the 12,000 ($13,978) goal he set out at the beginning of the project.

The documentary has been under processing in a French studio and is expected to be released this winter.

About 10 percent of the raised fund will be used to finance a campaign to plant bamboo trees in the northern province of Yen Bai, where he shot some parts of the film.

Inspiring a love for real world

Bibonne primarily wanted to make 'Once Upon a Bridge in Vietnam' a documentary to help him better understand his roots when he started the project.

But now he likes to introduce his first film to as many young people in the world as possible after his visit to and exploration of such a beautiful and impressive Vietnam.

He would like to help them come to know that Vietnam has a special treasure of culture apart from its glorious history against invaders, which international media often focus on when talking about the Southeast Asian country.

To Bibonnes mind, Vietnam is much more compelling and interesting than what he saw in some videos promoting tourism.

As a classical music fan, he wants to make the film as a gift to music lovers, especially the young Vietnamese generation.

He would like to remind them of the fact that their country is much more beautiful and heart-touching than the virtual world on social media that they have spent so much time watching every day.

I hope that the young focus more on the interesting things in real life, where you are living in rather than the virtual world, said the filmmaker.

Bibonne has a specific idea for the next documentary at the moment. He intends to relate a story about Vietnamese instruments and electronic music in the background of traditional and modern contexts.

In the future, he will visit the central city of Hue to get to know Hue Royal Refined Music, which was recognized in 2003 by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, then the Central Highlands to learn about the space of 'gong' culture, which was certified as a Masterpiece of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005 by UNESCO.

His next project may be in Ho Chi Minh City.

Francois Bibonne (right) sits with a group of artists performing 'chau van,' or Vietnamese ritual singing, while he makes his film in a supplied photo.

Francois Bibonne is a resident of the French city of Fontainebleau. His grandmother was of Vietnamese origin. Bibonne learned to play the piano since he was a boy. Despite having played the instrument for 15 years, he did not pursue a music career as his original ambition. He got a masters degree in history from Sorbonne University. Bibonne once worked as a media manager at the Fontainebleau Schools for Music and Fine Arts, a job that gave him a special love for music and film. It is the love that inspires him to make 'Once Upon a Bridge in Vietnam.'

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An expert panel on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to recommend the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorize the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, saying the benefits of the shot outweigh the risks.

An authorization for that age group would be would be an important regulatory step toward reaching about 28 million children for inoculation, most of them back in school for in-person learning.

The vaccine could be available to the younger age group as soon as next week. The FDA is not obligated to follow the advice of its outside experts, but usually does. The vote was 17 in favor with one abstention.

If the FDA authorizes the shots for this age group, an advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet next week to make a recommendation on the administration of the vaccine. The CDC director will make the final call.

While children becoming seriously ill or dying from COVID-19 is relatively rare compared with adults, some develop complications, and infections in unvaccinated kids have risen due to the easily transmitted Delta variant of the coronavirus. Data from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that more than 500 U.S. children have died from COVID-19.

It "is the eighth highest killer of kids in this age group over the past year," said Dr. Amanda Cohn, a pediatric vaccine expert at the CDC and a voting member of the panel. "Use of this vaccine will prevent deaths, will prevent ICU admissions and will prevent significant long-term adverse outcomes in children."

Only a few other countries, including China, Cuba and the United Arab Emirates, have so far cleared COVID-19 vaccines for children in this age group and younger.

In the United States, just 57% of the population is fully vaccinated, lagging other nations such as the UK and France.

Still, the percentage of young children who receive the shots may be low. The U.S. vaccination rate for 12- to 15-year-olds trails other age groups at roughly 47%.

The World Health Organization since May has been urging rich countries to reconsider plans to vaccinate children and instead donate COVID-19 shots to the COVAX program for distribution to poorer countries.

Lower dose

Pfizer and BioNTech are seeking clearance for a lower, 10-microgram dose of the vaccine in young children, versus 30 micrograms for those age 12 and older. The shot has been authorized for ages 12-15 since May after being cleared for those age 16 and older in December.

The companies have said their vaccine showed 90.7% efficacy against the coronavirus in a clinical trial of children aged 5 to 11.

The advisers paid close attention to the rate of a heart inflammation called myocarditis that has been linked to both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, particularly in young men.

If the number of myocarditis cases in the younger age group turns out to be similar to that in 12- to 15-year-olds, the hospitalizations prevented for COVID-19 would outnumber those prevented for myocarditis in most scenarios analyzed, FDA staff reviewers said in documents prepared ahead of Tuesday's meeting.

Some panel members suggested that due to the myocarditis risk, the vaccine should be given to a narrower group of children, such as those with conditions that make them more likely to be hospitalized.

"There are certain kids that should be vaccinated. The question of how broadly to use it, I think it's a substantial one," said Eric Rubin, Editor-in-Chief of the New England Journal of Medicine.

If authorized, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is likely to be the only one available to the age group in the United States for some time.

On Monday, Moderna released data from its own clinical trial of children ages 6 to 11, and said it would soon ask regulators for authorization in the age group.

It is unclear when U.S. regulators will consider that. The company is still waiting for a response to its application filed in June for use of its vaccine in children ages 12 through 17.

Pfizer has said it could have data from its clinical trial in even younger children - ages 2 to 4 - by year end.
The Ministry of Health logged 4,411 new COVID-19 infections in Vietnam on Wednesday, along with 2,024 recoveries and 54 deaths.

The latest cases, including seven imported and 4,404 local infections, were registered in 47 provinces and cities, the health ministry said, adding that 2,052 patients were detected in the community.

Ho Chi Minh City reported 1,140 of the domestically-infected cases, Binh Duong Province 521, Dong Nai Province 499, Dak Lak Province 254, Bac Lieu Province 242, An Giang Province 221, Tay Ninh Province 202, Kien Giang Province 150, Tien Giang Province 127, Can Tho City 98, Binh Thuan Province 97, Quang Nam Province 92, Khanh Hoa Province 44, Hanoi 26, Ba Ria-Vung Tau 17, and Da Nang three.

Vietnam had registered 3,592 locally-acquired infections on Tuesday.

The Southeast Asian country has recorded 895,793 community transmissions in 62 out of its 63 provinces and cities since the fourth virus wave emerged on April 27, 809,497 them having recovered from the respiratory disease.

Ho Chi Minh City is the largest epicenter with 428,013 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 230,406, Dong Nai Province with 62,970, Long An Province with 34,375, Tien Giang Province with 15,985, Dong Thap Province with 9,525, Khanh Hoa Province with 8,887, Da Nang with 4,959, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 4,584, and Hanoi with 4,465.

Vietnam documented only 1,570 locally-transmitted infections in total in the previous three waves.

The health ministry announced 2,024 recoveries on Wednesday, taking the total to 812,314.

The toll has mounted to 21,856 deaths after the ministry confirmed 54 fatalities on the same day, including 32 in Ho Chi Minh City and eight in Binh Duong Province.

Vietnam has found 900,585 infections since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit it early last year.

Health workers have administered almost 76 million vaccine doses, including 1,017,279 shots on Tuesday, since vaccination was rolled out on March 8.

More than 22.2 million people have been fully inoculated.

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.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen on Tuesday announced the donation of 200,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam, according to national radio station Voice of Vietnam (VOV).

Cambodian Ministry of Health Secretary of State Or Vandin will represent PM Hun Sen to hand over the vaccine doses to Vietnam during a ceremony at Bavet - Moc Bai International Border Gate on Friday, VOV reported without specifying the types of the jabs.

The donation is aimed at helping the Vietnamese government win the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting the prime ministers concern for the health and well-being of the Vietnamese people, especially those living along the border between the two countries.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Cambodia and Vietnam have provided each other with financial aid and medical supplies to support pandemic prevention and control efforts in each nation.

By Wednesday afternoon, Vietnam had documented 896,174 COVID-19 cases, with 810,290 recoveries and 21,802 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The nation aims to secure 150 million COVID-19 vaccine shots to cover at least two-thirds of its 98-million population, and it has so far got more than 100 million jabs from different sources, including the COVAX Facility, contractual purchases, and donations.

Nearly 75 million vaccine doses have been administered in the country since inoculation was rolled out on March 8, with more than 21.8 million people fully vaccinated.

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The Ho Chi Minh City Management Center of Public Transport has mooted that all bus routes in the metropolis be allowed to resume operations by November 15, as the COVID-19 situation has been alleviated.

The center has submitted to the municipal Department of Transport a stepwise plan to reopen all bus routes in the city, which will depend on residents travel demand and the developments of the pandemic.

From October 25 to November 1, 16 important bus lines are expected to be restored, connecting major bus stations and bus stops in the southern economic hub.

From November 8, another 29 routes will reopen if the pandemic situation continues to improve, followed by those linking industrial parks, export processing zones, and wholesale markets.

From November 15, the remaining 41 bus routes will be put back into operation.

Routes No. 50, 52, and 86, whose passengers are mainly students, will reopen when authorities allow them to go back to school.

All bus routes will operate from 4:00 am to 7:00 pm daily and at 70 percent of their regular capacity.

Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City will also discuss with their counterparts in neighboring localities regarding the resumption of intercity bus lines.

Ho Chi Minh City has been the hardest-hit locality in the country since the fourth outbreak began on April 27, documenting over 426,800 local infections.

The municipal authorities had imposed social distancing measures at various levels since May 31 and suspended public transport, including buses, from June 20.

As the city has achieved good results in pandemic prevention and control, four bus routes were restored in Can Gio District on October 5 and another eight routes went back on stream on October 25.

However, the number of passengers along these routes has been quite low.

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4 part documentary series The Line will screen on Apple TV+ in November.

Based on a podcast of the same name, the series examines the unprecedented 2018 case in which a U.S. Navy SEAL platoon accused its chief, Eddie Gallagher, of war crimes.

Featuring exclusive interviews with Gallagher, his wife Andrea, members of SEAL Team 7 who accused their chief, journalist Dave Philipps, former Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer and more, the docuseries is a raw look inside Seal Team 7 and the deployment that pushed the bonds of brotherhood to their limits. Told through first-person accounts and never-before-seen footage gathered by the SEALs during their controversial tour in Mosul, Iraq, The Line hunts for the truth behind the events that led to one of the highest profile war crimes trials in recent history, revealing a nation deeply divided over how we fight war.

Hailing from Academy Award winning Jigsaw Productions, the team behind the Apple TV+ Original podcast, The Line is produced by Doug Shultz, executive produced by showrunner Brad Hebert, Alex Gibney, Jeff Zimbalist, Michael Zimbalist, Stacey Offman and Richard Perello. Doug Shultz and Jeff Zimbalist serve as directors on the series.

All episodes of Apple TV+ Original Podcast The Line are currently available on Apple Podcasts, where available. Hosted by Dan Taberski, the podcast takes an unflinching deep dive into moral ambiguities of forever wars and their impact on special operators through the lens of the Gallagher war crimes trial.

All four parts will premiere on 19 November on Apple TV+.
Former Bachelorette and Gogglebox star Angie Kent has been fined $1200 and a 4 month disqualification after pleading guilty to a .081 drink driving charge.

It was her second driving conviction, with the first in 2014, and followed several demerit letters.

Kent was pulled over for a random breath test on Sunday October 3, on the Anzac Bridge ramp in Pyrmont.

I was pulled over on my way to a picnic in early October, she told The Daily Telegraph. 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.

She was in Sydney to film Dancing with the Stars: All Stars at the time with her lawyer noting she was away from her Queensland home and support base.

Kent has also completed a Traffic Offenders Program. Today in Sydneys Downing Centre Local Court Lawyer, Justin Wong said Kent was determined to make sure it never happened again.

The judge determined Kent had suitable prospects of rehabilitation, accepts responsibility for her decision and was regretful.

Source: news.com.au, Daily Mail
ABC Managing Director David Anderson was this week asked how the broadcaster enforces its Personal Use of Social Media Guidelines under the ABC Code of Conduct.

It follows high-profile defamation cases where public figures have chosen to sue over personal social media posts.

Speaking at a Senate hearing this week, chair Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg suggested dozens and dozens of staff were seemingly in breach of ABC policy.

David Anderson offered to look into specific cases, but said the vast majority of staff have understood guidelines and modified their behaviour.

When people raise matters we do look at each one. We do not have a disproportionate, onerous squad of people constantly monitoring peoples use of personal social media. We do trust our employees to understand what the requirements are of them. But for those matters that are raised to us, I assure you that we do look into them. Some people are disciplined. Other people are simply counselled, he advised.

I think what were doing Senator is tackling what is otherwise quite a difficult situation that I think all organisations are facing at the moment, when it comes to their staff and personal use of social media. So banning use of social media is is not reasonably enforceable, he continued.

Anderson also confirmed he made the decision as managing director to pay Four Corners reporter Louise Milligans personal legal costs of some $184,000 after she was sued by federal MP Andrew Laming over tweets sent in March because his legal counsel advised of financial exposure and feared an apology would not settle the matter.

He added, Every staff member is entitled to confidentiality under the terms of their employment. So Im not going to confirm whether or not Ms. Milligan was disciplined or not. But I will assure you that of course, Ms. Milligan was spoken to about it.

In August staff were told what is separately created and posted on personal social media accounts is editorially and legally the responsibility of the owner of the accounts.
The Israeli air force (IAF) conducted its fifth Blue Flag drill this month, with for the first time the participation of squadrons and fighter pilots from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Greece, France and India. In another first, the chief of the Emirate air force, Vice Marshal Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed al-Alawi, arrived in Israel to observe the exercise, joining the heads of air force commanders from 10 other countries. Al Monitor reports that Alawi was received by his Israeli counterpart, Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin, at the Palmachim air force base in central Israel, where they reviewed an honor guard.

While senior officers from Arab countries have visited Israel in the past, their visits were always clandestine. This time, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued photos showing the Emirati guest reviewing the honor guard alongside Norkin, who then pinned the exercise ribbon on the lapel of his colleague. The visuals were aired on Israeli media, but their target audience was 1,700 kilometers (1,050 miles) to the east, in Tehran.

Imagine an Emirati squadron taking part in the next Blue Flag exercise, not just its air force commander, a senior diplomatic source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. Or, alternatively, that in two weeks, two months or two years you suddenly see an IAF squadron drilling in the UAE. You can imagine what effect this would have in Tehran, right?

Al-Monitor has reported often in recent years on Irans efforts to encircle Israel  its involvement and entrenchment in Syria, its control of Lebanon through Hezbollah, its attempt to create a presence on the Syrian Golan Heights, its influence on Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, its potential use of Yemen as a launchpad for missile attacks against Israel, and more. What has evaded the spotlight, so far, is Israels successful and no less interesting effort to encircle Iran, which behind closed doors is being described as a diplomacy of encirclement."

A Western diplomat serving in our region recently told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, The Iranians are diligently monitoring these developments, which are prompting grave concern In Tehran. They see Israel reaching Bahrain, ensconced in the Emirates, talking to the Saudis. They see Israel in Azerbaijan. They understand that Israel is much closer than they thought.

According to reports last week, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi has instructed the IAF to resume exercising for a possible attack in Iran. Other reports say the government has allocated 5 billion Israeli shekels ($1.5 billion) to upgrade the so-called military option that Israel has been entertaining for the past 11 years. Brig. Gen. Amir Lazar, head of the IAFs Air Division, told reporters during the exercise that the IDF is shifting its starting point and focusing more on looking to the east. Israel must not forget that the air force has the basic capabilities required for action in the third circle, so that the IDF is not starting from scratch, he noted.

The third circle is the term Israel uses for states such as Iran, which do not share a border with Israel and are located two countries away from the IAF, which nonetheless enjoys a significant strategic edge over all its competitors in the region. Israel has greatly amplified such signals in recent days, in apparent response to US foot-dragging about its willingness to consider a credible military option designed to bring the Iranians back to the negotiating table and exert pressure on them to compromise.

For example, the military censors allowed the publication of reports that Iran was supplying Syria with air defenses and that an Iranian anti-aircraft battery recently tried to intercept IAF jets during an attack on targets in Syria. These batteries, according to the reports allowed for publication, were supplied by Iran and operated by local crews. The Israeli planes reportedly evaded the missiles fired at them and destroyed the battery. Meanwhile, attacks in Syria continue, with another raid attributed to Israel on the night of Oct. 24-25  this time against targets on the Syrian Golan Heights. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

The relative long distance between Israel and Iran greatly limits Israels ability to deal a significant blow to Irans nuclear project. Contrary to nuclear projects launched at the time by Iraqs Saddam Hussein and Syrias Bashar al-Assad, which Israel, say foreign reports, nipped in the bud, the Iranian capability is not based on a single nuclear reactor. Iran has spread its uranium enrichment facilities over extensive areas and heavily fortified them deep underground. These conditions greatly impact Israels military option, sophisticated though it may be, to crush Irans nuclear ambition.

However, these conditions would change considerably if Israeli attack jets could land  before or after their strikes  far closer to Iran. Israels creeping movement closer to Iran, i.e., the strategic alliances it is forging with Irans neighboring states, are raising the level of Iranian anxiety to new heights. Israel has no choice, a diplomatic source in Jerusalem told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. The Americans are not really on the same page as we are, they continue to believe in diplomacy and diplomacy alone. Despite the latest declarations about other options, we understand that we are the only ones currently able to present a real, credible military option.
Shusha was the key to the recent war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Now Baku wants to turn the fabled fortress town into a resort, Foreign Policy writes. Nagorno-KarabakhAbove a valley carpeted with dense pine forest, the rocky cliff that leads to the town of Shusha is riddled with scars left by the impact of thousands of bullets. It is so pockmarked that the damage looks like residue left by heavy summer rainit is here that last years Nagorno-Karabakh war was won.



The hilltop town, the showpiece of Azerbaijans victory, was the site of one of the last and bloodiest battles of the brutal six-week war with Armenia. Smashed windows and war-damaged walls still line the empty streets. Yet today, nearly a year after the end of the war, Azerbaijan is bent on turning Shusha into a tourist resort. The immediate area has been cleared of ordnance, and transport links from Azerbaijan are being built at breakneck speed.

The enclaves first airport was formally inaugurated this week in the district of Fuzuli, and over the last 10 months, a 60-mile Victory Road has been built connecting Fuzuli to Shusha. Two hotels have also been renovated, and work on a new rail line began this month.



Shusha is thought of as the beating heart of Karabakh, itself part of an enclave long disputed by Azerbaijan and Armenia. A natural fortress surrounded by sheer cliffs, the town has strategic significance: Overlooking the vital city of Khankendi, Shusha is considered to be the key to Karabakh. The citys fall in the last war allowed Azerbaijani troops to march into the outskirts of Khankendi; Armenia almost immediately agreed to peace terms. But its more than a fortress. It has been home to poets and musicians of both ethnicities since it was established by a Turkic Persian khan in the 18th century. In May, Azerbaijan declared Shusha its cultural capital.



Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regionsall of which are recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijanhad been under Armenian control since the first Karabakh war in the early 1990s. While much of the enclave itself is still administered by ethnic Armenians, Azerbaijan aims to reintegrate the areas it reclaimed by connecting them to its power grid and road network.



Armenia has had to accept that the city is lost with little chance of getting it back, said Richard Giragosian, the director of the Regional Studies Center, a think tank in Yerevan. But plans to turn it into a tourist resort, he said, are seen in Armenia as gloating. For the Armenian government, the stark postwar reality necessitates a painful yet clear acceptance of the losses, including the city of Shushi, he said. As with the acceptance of the Russian-imposed cease-fire that ended the war, for Armenia, there is no alternative and little recourse.

Some of the land lies entirely derelict, scattered with the ruins of the first war, as well as the burned-out remains of the houses Armenians set fire to as they fled last year. Development is being hampered by the presence of landmines and unexploded weaponry.



Some of the Azerbaijanis displaced from Karabakh in the first war will be able to start returning next year. It might take a little longer to resettle residents in Shusha. Aydin Karimov, Aliyevs representative to Shusha, said it could take a year and a half for residential buildings to be ready to receive returning residents, but tourists are expected to arrive as early as next year. Our current plan is to rebuild infrastructure such as power supplies, but we are thinking about development in terms of giving opportunities for Shushas residents. We have prioritized setting up a school and a hospital, he said. The tourist development, he hopes, will serve as an economic anchor for a region that otherwise lives off agriculture and remittances. We began by working with what we have so we can receive touristswhen you receive tourists, then you need people to serve them. It means the future residents will have plenty of work opportunities, Karimov said.



The changes in Shusha are brought home most clearly by the fate of Holy Savior Cathedra. During the war, Azerbaijani shells partially collapsed the cathedrals roof. Baku plans to scrap the last three decades of Armenian adaptations and restore Holy Savior using Soviet-era plans for the building.



32-year old Ersham wants to plant a memorial tree for his father whj died on the day Armenian forces took Shusha in 1992. He and the rest of the family fled, ending up in Baku in recent years. Baku is nice, but nothing is as important to me as Shusha. To know it is with our people gives me great comfort, Ersham said on the sidelines of the planting ceremony. We have waited long years to return. These are not just our damaged homethey are our childhoods and our memories.


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 war's thirty-first day, October 27, the occupying forces of Armenia were trying all night to re-seize the territories liberated from them. Terter and neighboring villages continued to be targeted by artillery strikes. One of the anti-tank missiles fired by the invaders hit the car with Euronews reporters.



The head of the main grouping of the occupation forces in Karabakh was dismissed after information about his death. Later, the head of the Armenian counterintelligence service was dismissed. The Armenian Defense Ministry recognized the violation of the first, second and third truce by the Armenian troops. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, in turn, stressed that Azerbaijani troops respond to provocations from the Armenian side.

Baku drew the attention of international organizations to the use of children in hostilities by the invaders. The results of the first month of the war were summed up: the liberation of four cities and hundreds of villages, the war crimes of Armenia against the civilian population of Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry denied the fake news about strikes on Armenian territory.

In an interview with Rai-1, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stressed that he sees Karabakh as the land of peace, where Azerbaijanis and Armenians live side by side. He also denied the participation of the Turkish military in the war.



In Jabrayil, a monument to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War destroyed by the invaders was discovered. Yerevan reported on sending hundreds of border guards to the front, of which 37 have already been killed. By this time, blood supplies for the invaders wounded at the front were depleted in Armenia. The number of officially recognized losses of the invaders has exceeded one thousand.

The Kremlin stressed that the involvement of third countries in the conflict settlement will be possible only on the condition of consent from Azerbaijan and Armenia. In turn, Baku recalled that ending the war was possible after the withdrawal of the occupation troops from Azerbaijan. Tehran has planned the Deputy Foreign Minister's visit to Moscow for talks on an Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement, promising to present an "Iranian plan."

It was estimated that during the month of the war, Armenia lost in battles or abandoned military equipment worth $2.7 billion, which is the size of the republic's six-year military budget.

After 16:00, the Terter, Goranboy and Barda regions of Azerbaijan were hit by cluster munitions. Several shells killed the civilians of Barda. In total, four bardiners died in this terrorist attack, including a seven-year-old girl. Evidence was presented that these were Smerch MLRS missiles with cluster warheads.

The foreign ministers of Russia and Turkey called on not to allow the participation of foreign militants in the Patriotic War of Azerbaijan. Later, negotiations were held between the presidents of Russia and Turkey, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. U.S. President Donald Trump said he was disappointed with the collapse of the third truce.



Thus, on the thirty-first day of the war, Armenia, having lost control over the troops, having lost or thrown almost $3 billion worth of equipment and ammunition on the battlefield, focused on new terrorist attacks against the civilian population of Azerbaijan. Now the target of the Armenian terrorists was the city of Barda; four civilians, including a child, were killed in the first terrorist attack. It was less than two weeks until the end of the war.
U.S. President Joe Biden heads to a meeting of G20 leaders in Europe this week to discuss energy prices, the Iranian nuclear program and supply chain issues, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said.

Biden will also seek to cement progress on a global minimum tax during his trip, Sullivan told reporters.

Biden leaves for Italy on Thursday. He is slated to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday before kicking off meetings with leaders of the worlds largest economies in Rome. After the G20 meetings, Biden travels to Glasgow, Scotland, to attend the U.N. climate change conference COP26.

Sullivan said the United States and Europe were united ahead of the two summits and noted that Chinas President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were not attending in person. Xi has not traveled outside of China since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

The U.S. and Europe will be there, and theyll be there energized and united at both the G20 and COP26, driving the agenda, Sullivan said.

Biden will meet with Pope Francis amid criticism from U.S. bishops over Bidens stance on abortion rights. Sullivan said the two men would discuss climate, migration and income inequality during their meeting.

The president will then hold talks with Italian leaders and a sit-down with French President Emmanuel Macron in an effort to repair relations here after a rift over a U.S. security pact with Britain and Australia.

On Saturday and Sunday, Biden will attend G20 meetings, which will touch on Haiti but focus on core economic themes, such as global minimum tax.

Hell be laser focused on supply chains and energy prices because he knows that these issues impact working families here in America," Reuters cited Sullivan as saying.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will accompany President Joe Biden on travel to Vatican City, Italy, and the United Kingdom from October 28 to November 2, 2021, according to the White House press service.

"Secretary Blinken will travel to Italy, October 28 to 31, 2021. He will join the President and the First Lady on a visit to Vatican City and an audience with His Holiness Pope Francis. The Secretary will then accompany President Biden to the Summit of the G20 Heads of State and Government. Secretary Blinken will engage with foreign counterparts and private sector leaders on efforts to address shared challenges such as economic growth and job creation, health security, and combating the climate crisis," the statement reads.

From October 31 to November 2, Secretary Blinken will accompany President Biden to Glasgow, United Kingdom, for the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which will be held October 31 to November 12.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Armenia should mend ties with arch foe Azerbaijan if it wants better relations with Ankara.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations, a closed frontier and a long history of hostility rooted in killings of Armenians under the Ottoman Turks during World War I.

The bitter relationship has deteriorated more recently over Turkeys support for Azerbaijan, which last year fought a war with Armenia for control of the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region.

On a visit to Azerbaijan on Tuesday, Erdogan set out conditions if Yerevan wanted better ties with Ankara.

"If Armenia shows sincere goodwill towards Azerbaijan, then there will be no obstacles for the normalisation of ties between Turkey and Armenia," Hurriyet cited Erdogan as saying.

"Turkey will reciprocate to Armenias steps aimed at building lasting peace in the region," he told a news conference after attending the opening of a newly-built airport in Azerbaijans Fizuli district recaptured during the six-week war last year.

In September, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Yerevan was prepared to hold discussions to repair relations with Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said issues over the F-35 fighter jet program will be the main topic at his upcoming meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden.

Erdogan said the meeting, earlier expected to take place in Rome on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, will be held in Glasgow during the U.N. climate conference (COP26), which will start on October 31.

Turkey, a manufacturer and buyer of the F-35s, was expelled from the program over its purchase of Russia's S-400 air defense systems. It says its removal is unjust and has demanded reimbursement for a $1.4-billion investment in the program.

Erdogan has said Washington offered Ankara a package of F-16 jets and modernization kits in exchange for the payment, Anadolu Agency reported.

"The information we received is that there is a payment plan of some sort with them," Erdogan was cited as telling reporters on a flight from Azerbaijan. "Whether this is true or not, we will find out from them. It will be good for me to discuss this with Mr. Biden at the highest level. If so, we will go for a deal in that regard."
A 35-year-old Austrian man attacked passers-by with a knife in Vienna on Tuesday evening, injuring four people.

Four people were injured when a man attacked several passers-by in Austrian capital of Vienna on October 26, Sputnik news agency reported.

Austrian police say that assailant, a 35-year-old Austrian, who was mentally ill, has been arrested.

Police detectives have denied any political or religious motivation for the crime, the report added.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan viewed works done under the "smart village" project implemented in Aghali village, Zangilan district.

Minister of Agriculture Inam Karimov informed the heads of state of the works done in the village.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said he hoped the meeting of foreign minister of Afghanistans neighboring countries could send a unified message to the global community and Afghanistan.

Amirabdollahian who was delivering a speech in the Second Meeting of Foreign Minister of Afghanistans Neighboring Countries in Tehran on Wednesday, said that the security of Afghan citizens and the countrys borders was upon the caretaker government in Kabul.

Iran supports formation of an all-inclusive government in Afghanistan, the top diplomat said, adding that every country should help bring Afghanistan out of the current situation.

He named respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries and the principle of non-intervention among the basic principles of foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Exiting from the current crisis in Afghanistan requires internal coherence and leveraging all capacities and potentials of the country, the foreign minister continued.

He called on all neighboring countries and the world community to pay special attention to the humanitarian situation, expansion of terrorism, drug trafficking, human rights situation and women in Afghanistan, IRNA reported.
The Taliban interim government (outlawed in Russia) has a real, albeit elusive opportunity to bring Afghanistan back to the world arena as a responsible and peaceful country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday in a video address to participants in a ministerial meeting of Afghanistan's neighboring countries involving Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

"Now, there is a new administration in Kabul. This is the objective reality. Afghanistan has a real, albeit elusive opportunity to return to the international arena as a responsible and peaceful country," TASS cited the minister as saying.

Moscow respects the objectives to stabilize the political and military situation, include members of national minorities and political forces in the interim government, and hold a general election afterwards, Lavrov stressed. "We note the efforts to resume the activities of state administration bodies, create a regular army, and ensure the security of foreign diplomatic missions," he added.
A man convicted of banditry has been put on the wanted list after escaping from a mental hospital in Russia's southern Astrakhan region, the regional branch of the Federal Penitentiary Service said in a statement on Wednesday.

"He has been declared wanted nationally," TASS cited the statement as saying.

The regional branch of the Russian Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that a man named Magomed Alkhanov, who had been convicted of banditry and sent to an Astrakhan mental facility for treatment, had escaped. His name and date of birth match those of Magomed Alkhanov, a member of Shamil Basayev's gang included in the list of terrorists and extremists available on the Federal Financial Monitoring Service's website. He was detained in mid-June 2021 for participating in an attack on members of the 6h Company of Russia's 76th Pskov Guards Air Assault Division. Investigators planned to charge him with armed rebellion, participation in gang activities and infringement on the life of service members.

On February 29, 2000, an armed gang led by Basayev and Emir Khattab attacked members of the 6th Company of the 76th Pskov Guards Air Assault Division in a woody mountain area near the Ulus-Kert settlement in Chechnya's Shatoi district. A total of 84 service members were killed in the attack and four suffered wounds.
More than 500 coronavirus patients are connected to lung ventilators in the Moscow region, Moscow regions governor Andrei Vorobyov said on Tuesday, TASS reports.

"The public health system is working at full capacity. Some 10,000 hospital beds are occupied. <> We see that 80% of patients in hospitals are unvaccinated people," he said in an interview with the Rossiya-1 television channel. "We see that the virus is quite aggressive, with a shorter incubation period - two-three days. Many serious lung damage cases - a total of 502 patients are connected to ventilators."

He also noted that the number of those willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 nearly doubled in the past two days. Thus, whereas some 4,000-5,000 people were inoculated daily some time ago, now this figure has gone up to 10,000.

To date, 8,316,019 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 7,213,584 patients having recovered from the disease. Russias latest data indicates 232,775 fatalities nationwide. The Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed to expand the program for training epidemiologists from ASEAN countries in Vladivostok.

"Of course, we are ready to trade expertise with interested countries on the practical issues of fighting the [coronavirus] infection," the Russian head of state said in a video address to the East Asia Summit on Wednesday.

"We can expand the program of training epidemiological experts from the ASEAN states at Vladivostoks center for studying the issues of biological safety in the Asia-Pacific region," Putin noted.

He said that in November-December the center would hold "a new series of field-specific advanced training courses" and Russia expects to see the representatives of the regions countries there.

According to Putin, "East Asian summits provide a good opportunity to discuss the situation in the Asia-Pacific region, map the paths of resolving the most pressing problems and develop the measures of support for peace and stability, for boosting mutually beneficial and multifaceted cooperation." "Our shared region, indeed, has become one of the most dynamic global centers of political, business and investment activity. At the same time, it also encounters serious challenges and threats in the sphere of security, economic, social development to which the coronavirus has been added over the past two years," TASS cited the Russian president as saying.

"It is quite logical that the summit is focusing precisely on the subject of fighting the pandemic, overcoming its consequences, on the issues of the implementation of the joint statement on cooperation along the anti-epidemic track adopted on Russias initiative at the previous meeting," Putin concluded.
A court in Turkeys Antalya has ruled to release seven Russian nationals who were arrested on charges of setting fire to a forest, on a pledge not to leave the city, Ivan Melnikov, vice president of the Russian division of the International Human Rights Committee said.

"A court in Antalya selected a pledge not to leave the city as a measure of restraint for the seven Russian nationals," he said.

According to earlier reports, the seven Russians were released from custody. However, nothing was said about the measure of restraint selected instead of custody.

According to Melnikov, the release was thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Russian foreign ministrys consular service department and attorneys. "I would like to thank the Russian foreign ministrys consular service for its prompt and efficient actions and attorneys for their professionalism," he noted, adding that the Russians cannot afford a long sojourn and lawyers in Turkey. "Regrettably, it typically takes quite a lot of time to examine the merits of a case. So, it is not ruled out that court hearings on the case of our compatriots will take a long time and they will need financial assistance," TASS cited him as saying.

Earlier in the day, Melnikov said that the Russian nationals attorneys had challenged the court ruling on their arrest and appealed for their transfer to house arrest. Apart from that, he said there were people who could bail them out.

The Anadolu Agency reported earlier that seven Russian tourists had been arrested on suspicion of setting fire to a forest in the Turkish southern Antalya province. According to the agency, they set up tents and lit a camp-fire that later grew into a forest fire in a national park near Sivri Mount. It took a plane, three helicopters and five fire engines to put out the fire. The Russians said on their social network accounts that they had only tried to help extinguish the fire.
"I refuse to be transferred to the Gldani prison," reads the address of the third President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, which was reads to journalists by his lawyer Nika Gvaramia after leaving Penitentiary Establishment No 12, InterPressNews reports.

According to Saakashvili, he intends to stay in Rustavi Establishment No 12 despite his health condition.

"Whatever my health condition, I refuse to be transferred to the Gldani Prison Hospital. I would rather stay where I am now until this situation is ended by my death or my freedom. In any case, I refuse to be transferred to the Gldani prison, Saakashvili said.
Terrorists are stepping up their activities in the northern Afghan regions bordering Tajikistan, Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin said on Wednesday at a ministerial meeting with Afghanistan's neighboring countries (Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan).

"At the same time, there are increased activities of terrorist groups in the northern Afghan provinces, especially in those areas that border on our country," the Tajik foreign minister noted. "Involving citizens from the regions countries in terrorist groups from Afghanistan urges us to take joint efforts in order to eliminate possible threats and dangers," Muhriddin went on to say.

The top diplomat emphasized that Tajikistan was not going to recognize the interim government in Kabul, which "seized power by force regardless of the opinion of the countrys people, including other ethnic groups." "Tajiks should be included in the new Cabinet since they make up 46% of [Afghanistans] total population," the foreign minister insisted.

Muhriddin also expressed concern over the indifference of the global community to the Afghan issue, noting that it could result in "a new long-lasting civil war." "Tajikistan calls on the global community to make every effort to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan, to stabilize the challenging political situation in the country through negotiations," the top diplomat said.

The first meeting of Afghanistans neighboring countries took place online on September 8. During the current talks in Tehran, the parties plan to focus their efforts on helping to establish an inclusive government in Afghanistan, which will include all ethnic groups. Apart from Iran and Russia, some representatives of China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are taking part in the event.
The Ministry of Finance (MOF)has advanced $9.83 million from the accumulation fund for debt repayment to pay due debts for the Ministry of Transport (MOT) as the investor of Cat Linh  Ha Dong project.

The report to the National Assembly says MOF has begun paying debts for the project, though the railway has not yet operating.

MOF said the project is implemented with loans worth $690.62 million provided by Chinese Eximbank under three agreements.

The Prime Minister approved a special finance mechanism, under which MOT authorizes the Management Board of Railways Projects to sign an agreement on re-borrowing foreign loans to implement items related to the exploitation and operation.

MOT takes the responsibility of arranging reciprocal capital to pay foreign debts (the re-borrowed loan) and other expense items during the construction period, until the project is completed and handed over to the Hanoi Peoples Committee.

The Hanoi Peoples Committee will acknowledge the debt when it takes over the railway from MOT and has the responsibility of paying the money advanced by MOT to the State budget.

As the loans used to implement the Cat Linh  Ha Dong railway project are Government loans, when the loans are due, MOF has to make debt repayment on schedule to the Chinese Government and Eximbank.

The loan provided to MOT to relend to implement items related to the operation of the project is also having problems in repayment, so MOF has had to advance money from the accumulation fund for debt repayment to pay the debt of the project.

Regarding the payment of the MOTs re-borrowed loan, MOF said MOT has arranged reciprocal capital to pay interest under the agreement signed with the Vietnam Development Bank (VDB). Some problems have arisen during the arrangement of capital to pay principal of the re-borrowed loans, because since the day of signing the contract on relending, MOT has not been allocated capital to pay the principal.

Under the Law on Public Debt Management and legal documents that guide the implementation of the law, for the re-borrowed item, project owners have the responsibility of arranging capital to make repayment to MOF.

However, since the debt repayment obligation for the re-borrowed loan arose, MOT has paid VND398 billion ($17.3 million) in principal only. It still has to pay $9.83 million (VND227.322 billion) in principal, and $1.65 million (VND38.37 billion) in overdue principal and interests.

Since 2019, MOF has many times reported to the Prime Minister about the fact that MOT needs to cooperate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) to arrange capital to pay debts. However, to date, MOT has not been allocated capital to pay principal. Therefore, MOF has to use $9.83 million (VND227.3 billion) from the accumulation fund for debt repayment to pay debts for the project.

Luong Bang
To force petrol prices down, the Government needs to cut the environmental protection tax rate, which is at the ceiling level.

Records about to be broken

At 8 pm on June 23, 2014, petroleum distributors all quoted RON95 petrol prices at VND25,730 per liter (Zone 1) and VND26,240 per liter applied to areas far from the center and at ports (Zone 2).

This is the highest RON95 price level ever. However, analysts believe that the record high price is about to be broken as the petrol price has been escalating recently.

In May 2019, Vietnam witnessed a succession of days of rapid petrol price increases. But, the price fell after reaching the peak of VND22,190 per liter.

However, its highly possible that the 2014 historic price peak will be broken as fuel prices are rising all over the world. With the current price level of VND24,330 per liter, another VND2,000 per liter would establish a new peak.

In fact, the new petrol price record would be higher than the VND25,370 per liter set in 2014, if Vietnam were not using the petrol price stabilization fund to stabilize the market. According to MOIT, petrol prices would increase by VND1,859 per liter (E5RON92) and VND2,527 per liter (RON95).

However, analysts warn that Vietnam will not be able to continue relying on the stabilization fund.

As of early May 2019, the stabilization funds of many large petroleum distribution companies had become negative : minus VND355 billion for Petrolimex and minus VND500 billion for PVOil. Meanwhile, they still had to use funds to subsidize petrol prices. They complained that they had to use their own money and borrow money to offset the prices.

The same thing is occurring now. The stabilization funds of many enterprises are now more negative than in 2019. As of 4pm on October 26, Petrolimexs fund had become minus VND262 billion. As of October 11, PVOil fund was minus VND700 billion.

This means that if petrol prices in the world continue escalating, the domestic prices would also rise because the stabilization funds no longer can help curb escalation.

Cut tax to curb prices

The price stabilization fund should be seen as a savings book of a family. Family members need to know when they should spend money and how much to spend with their conditions. It was unreasonable to use the money from the fund when the pandemic developments were complicated, people had to stay at home, factories had to suspend operations and production became stagnant. And now, when people return to normal life and travel and factories reopen, petrol prices are escalating while the fund is running out of money, an expert said.

He warned that the ups and downs of petrol prices in the time to come may not match the increases and decreases in the world market. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), the use of stabilization fund recently has helped the domestic prices fluctuate less heavily than the world prices.

While the average prices in the world market have increased by 59.08-76.03 percent, the domestic petroleum prices have increased by 40.23-52.59 percent only.

If the prices in the world market decrease in the time to come, the domestic prices will fall more slowly, because the watchdog agency may have to think of accumulating more for the stabilization fund for use when necessary.

If the prices in the world market continue to increase, the domestic prices will also increase. If so, the burden on people and businesses will be heavy (people use petrol, while businesses use diesel).

The Government has previously asked to seek ways to force the petrol prices down. But domestic prices must go up and down in accordance with world prices.

Therefore, analysts believe that cutting the tax is the only way to slash petroleum prices. Cutting the environmental protection tax would be the most effective way.

The environmental protection tax on petrol has increased by VND1,000 per liter to VND4,000, the ceiling level, since January 1, 2019, while the tax on diesel has gone from VND1,500 to the ceiling level of VND2,000.

High tax rates have been imposed on petroleum products since then, except the reduction on air fuel in 2020.

However, if slashing the tax, the State budget would lose revenue of tens of trillions of dong. So, its necessary to obtain an agreement from Ministry of Finance (MOF), which will submit the tax cut plan to the National Assembly Standing Committee.

Luong Bang

Domestic petrol prices to reach new highs on global market rally Retail petrol prices in Vietnam are likely to reach new highs when the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry and Trade announce their price adjustments on October 11.
HCM City has given 12 million vaccination shots so far since the first shot in March. This has allowed the city to control the outbreak and reduce the mortality rate.

On March 8, 2021 Doctor Du Le Thanh Xuan from the HCM City Hospital of Tropical Diseases was the first person getting a vaccination. The vaccine used was AstraZeneca from the first consignment of vaccines arriving in Vietnam.

The vaccine in the first consignment was given to medical workers, who fought Covid-19 on the front lines.

On June 19, the largest ever Covid-19 immunization campaign in HCM City started with 836,000 doses provided.

This was the largest vaccine allocation campaign for HCM City, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said.

In July 2021, the national immunization campaign was launched. In HCM City, both public and private healthcare sectors mobilized for the campaign, which raised the immunization capacity to the highest possible level. With over 1,000 immunization points, HCM City could give up to 280,000 shots each day.

In order to maximize the number of people to be vaccinated amid short supply, HCM City saved every drop of vaccine. In principle, one AstraZeneca vaccine bottle can be used for 10 individuals. However, medical workers, with suitable needles and technique, could give 11-12 injection shots.

With the manufacturers packing, there are always 1-2 vaccine doses in excess. The number of vaccination shots is higher than the number of doses handed over, the representative of HCM City CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) said.

In order to speed up the vaccinations, districts and Thu Duc City authorities have sent mobile immunization teams to every house to vaccinate people. Medical workers have worked through lunchtime and weekends to increase the vaccination coverage in the community. Older people and people with underlying health conditions have been prioritized.

The local authorities in Ward 14, District 8 offered 5 kilograms of rice to every citizen getting vaccinated.

The vaccination rate has been increasing rapidly.

As for Vero Cell vaccine, HCM City has used it to vaccinate 3,201,431 individuals so far. Meanwhile, 20,000 Sputnik V doses have been allocated to Thu Duc City which are expected to be used for the vaccination campaign in mid-October.

HCM City, in an effort to rapidly increase coverage, on September 24 allowed to shorten the interval of two AstraZeneca vaccine shots to six weeks instead of 8-12 weeks.

Prior to that, Ministry of Health (MOH) allowed the people who got AstraZeneca vaccine for the first shot to get Pfizers vaccine for the second.

Women over 13-weeks pregnant and those breastfeeding babies are prioritized also.

Vaccination  the important solution

As of the end of September, HCM City had provided 10 million vaccination shots.

As of the end of October 21, the city had provided 12,697,067 shots, including 5,558,512 second shots. 99 percent of people aged 18 and above had got the first shot and 77 percent had been fully vaccinated.

As of the end of October 21, the city had provided 12,697,067 shots, including 5,558,512 second shots. 99 percent of people aged 18 and above had got the first shot and 77 percent had been fully vaccinated.

According to the Covid-19 vaccination information portal, HCM City has been allocated 14,091,264 vaccine doses, which means an allocation rate of 19.1 percent, the highest level in the country.

Do Van Dung from the HCM City Medicine and Pharmacy University noted that vaccine coverage has changed views about fighting the pandemic. If people had not been not vaccinated, there would have been five severe cases using ICU (intensive care unit) treatment and two deaths for every 100 cases.

Director of the HCM City Healthcare Department Tang Chi Thuong said HCM City has an advantage in that it was prioritized for vaccines, which helped create immunity for the community and reduce the mortality and morbidity rates.

Nguyen Duc Thai, a Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) scientist sharing the same view, commented that the Government has made great efforts in implementing vaccine diplomacy to get vaccines for the country. This has allowed HCM City to obtain enough vaccines for its needs.

However, experts point out that HCM City needs to learn a lesson from the immunization organization. On the first days of immunization, too many people gathered at immunization points, which raised the cross-infection risks among people. Meanwhile, the software products used to manage the vaccinations were unsynchronized, which caused difficulties for people.

Following encouraging results in vaccinations, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son has instructed the healthcare sector to continue to vaccinate people aged 18 and above in October.

HCM City has enough vaccines to vaccinate migrant workers who return to work in HCM City, Deputy Director of the HCM City Health Department Nguyen Huu Hung.

MOH is planning to also vaccinate children aged 12-17. Vaccines will be prioritized for areas where students are about to return to school, Son said.

HCM City said it will vaccinate children soon after MOH decides which vaccines will be used and gives guidance on training medical workers.

However, Thai warned that HCM Citys vaccination achievements are still not ideal as the world is facing new coronavirus variants and the virus is getting smarter.

Previously, virus spread quietly, attacking older people and people with underlying conditions and then young people. Now, new variants such as MU and Delta Plus are spreading more rapidly than the old variant, which is a warning about the need to have a new strategy to cope with them. If not, the achievements so far may be lost, Thai said.

Linh Giao

HCM City no longer requires negative COVID-19 test for vaccinated visitors Twelve checkpoints in the gateways to HCM City will only check vaccination records and will not require a negative COVID-19 test for people traveling to HCM City, except for those coming from "very high-risk" areas.
The new business addition will help Waco put its place on the map, he said.

In August of this year, the Wall Street Journal ranked Waco as the seventh fastest emerging housing market in the county, Meek said, also noting the citys growth as a tourist spot.

I think the world is really watching Waco right now, Meek said.

He said Waco isnt trying to be seen, but people keep Waco on their radar due to the values the city carries.

People see who we are, they see what is in our DNA, Meek said. I call it the Waco way: people with integrity, goodness, grit and resilience, always improving, innovating and advancing.  And when I look at the company of Hello Bello, I see similar values.

Waco City Council Member Kelly Palmer said she hopes having Bell and Shepard, and the couples positive image, attached to the business will add to the developments casting Waco in a positive light.
LONDON (AP)  Queen Elizabeth II has canceled her planned appearance at the U.N. climate conference in Glasgow, accepting doctors' advice to rest just days after spending the night in a hospital for tests.

The 95-year-old monarch announced Tuesday that she has regretfully decided that she will no longer travel to Glasgow to attend the reception on Nov. 1  a move that will dash the hopes of Britain's Conservative government, which is anxious to show the importance of the session to the fate of the planet. The climate conference runs from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12 and her attendance was meant to kick it off in style and splendor.

Her Majesty is disappointed not to attend the reception but will deliver an address to the assembled delegates via a recorded video message, Buckingham Palace said.

The news came after the sovereign held virtual audiences Tuesday at Windsor Castle  the first since revelations that her doctors ordered her to rest last week.

The sovereign greeted the ambassadors from South Korea and Switzerland during her first technology-aided appearance since she was driven to Londons King Edward VIIs Hospital on Oct. 20 for preliminary investigations. She returned to her Windsor Castle home at lunchtime the next day and has been taking on light duties since.
Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston, said it doesnt surprise him that Krause has taken initiative on a conservative item, especially since there is crowded field in the Texas attorney general race.

Hes not well known statewide, and so he needs to put down a pretty tall conservative flag to get notice, Rottinghaus said. As a political statement, it certainly conveys the clear message that the Republicans are watching.

Rottinghaus said he doesnt recall a time in recent memory when legislatures have taken the role of investigating school districts.

The monitoring of this definitely is a political statement and so the fact that the legislature is attentive to it definitely implies that theyre not going to drop the issue, he said.

Jim Walsh, a school district attorney, pointed out there is nothing in the law that says books must be removed and Krauses investigation also doesnt call for books to be removed. For now, its up to school districts to decide how they will respond, but whats certain is that it will add more workload to Texas schools that are already struggling from the effects of the pandemic.
Voters have until Friday to cast early ballots for the Nov. 2 election that includes eight proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution, two local school bond proposals and a handful of school board and city races.

With three days left in early voting, the McLennan County Elections Office reported Tuesday that 1,970 voters had cast ballots since early voting opened Oct. 18.

As of last years November election, the county had 149,737 registered voters. Every registered voter in the county can weigh in on the Texas Constitution amendments, and most have at least one city- or school-related contest.

McLennan County voters can vote at one of five locations around Greater Waco from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday and from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday and Friday.

The amendments to be decided involve issues on county road bonds, judicial candidate requirements and tax breaks for certain bereaved spouses, while voters will decide city elections in Bruceville-Eddy, Riesel, Robinson, Moody and West and a school board election in Riesel.

In McLennan County, voters in Waco Independent School District will consider a $355 million slate of school bond projects, including a new Waco High School. Connally ISD voters will consider a $39 million bond to build a new elementary school.
A notoriously rough stretch of Mars Drive and Old Hewitt Road providing access to Midway High School and several industrial sites will be repaved in concrete early next year.

The $8.5 million project will cover Mars Drive between Hewitt Drive and Texas Central Parkway, and Old Hewitt Road from Imperial Drive to Mars Drive, a total of about a mile-and-a-half of roadway.

Anyone driving the road today can see and feel the results of patchwork maintenance over the years, said Jim Reed, Wacos capital improvement program manager.

I think everybody out in that area has been craving this, Reed said of the repaving. That road has just gotten to a point of disrepair, and its very difficult for us to keep up maintenance on it. Now were catching up, and were going to take care of it.
Grocery giveaway

Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church, in conjunction with Shepherds Heart Food Pantry, will have a grocery giveaway from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at 2625 S. 18th St.

The giveaway will include meat, dry goods, canned goods, produce and drinks.

For more information, call 644-8207 or 716-4770.

Zombie 5K Run

The Humane Society of Central Texas will host a 5K Zombie Run and 1K Dog Walk of the Dead on Saturday as part of the Finish Line Halloween Festival.

The festival will be from 3 to 8:30 p.m. at Brazos Park East, 3516 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., and will feature music, games, food, beer and costume contests.

To sign up visit, humanesocietycentraltexas.org/zombierun. The 5K will start at 4:30 p.m.

First responder breakfast

First Woodway Baptist Church will provide a drive-thru breakfast to honor first responders from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Venue building, 110 Ritchie Road. Doctors, nurses, fire and police personnel, and emergency medical service providers are invited to enjoy free breakfast. For more information, email rmaciel@firstwoodway.org.
It remains to be seen what survives in the brutal negotiations in Congress for Biden's broad family services agenda, but the pandemic is proving to be a make-or-break catalyst for the future of the child care industry.

At Forever Young Daycare in the Seattle suburb of Mountlake Terrace, Amy McCoy is burning out fast.

She's spent half of this year trying to hire a new assistant for her in-home child care, but until then, the former public school teacher works 50 hours a week caring for children herself, and more doing the cooking, cleaning and administrative work needed to run her business.

At what point is my day care more important than my own family?" McCoy asked.

One of McCoy's assistants, who worked there for five years, quit the $19-an-hour job in April for a $35-an-hour job nannying. McCoy has posted the opening for an entry-level assistant on Indeed and Facebook, offering $16 per hour  nearly 20% more than the state minimum wage. She's gotten few responses and all turned her down over pay, making hiring impossible without a tuition increase.

Nobody wants to work for what I can afford to pay right now, McCoy said. I absolutely believe these are $20-an-hour employees, but I hate that, most likely, I will have to raise tuition."
Council member Teea Winger said she was concerned about the funding of the grant, and member Jim Glendenning asked whether they could postpone accepting the grant until the council could see an inventory of the proposed purchases.

Wolfe said the final grant report was due by May, but she had hoped to purchase books by the end of November.

Multiple people voiced concerns about the council waiting for a list of books before voting on the grant.

Council member Henry Knackstedt called the move a slippery slope, adding what titles would be purchased was not pertinent to him.

Council member Glenese Pettey said its important that resources available in the library are not censored.

Making sure that we have books that represent different points of view in our library and not censoring information and protecting our freedom of speech and freedom of access is highly important, Pettey said.

Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander said the library received $59,000 last year to buy books at its discretion, and Wolfe consistently looks for ways to make more books available to residents.
WASHINGTON (AP)  An 84-year-old Iranian-American man who has been detained in Iran for more than five years underwent surgery on Tuesday to clear a blockage in an artery to the brain that his family and supporters have described as life-threatening.

The surgery on Baquer Namazi appears to have been a success and Baquer is awake, although he remains groggy, according to a statement from Namazi's attorney, Jared Genser. He is expected to remain in the intensive care unit for two more days and then be transferred to a general recovery ward before being released.

Genser and Namazi's son, Babak, urged Iran weeks ago to lift a travel ban that has kept his father inside the country so that he could receive medical care in another country. Genser submitted a brief earlier this month to the United Nations saying Iran's actions violated Namazi's rights.

Instead, the surgery occurred in Iran, and Genser said that though the family was grateful that the operation went well, dire concerns remain about the quality of aftercare available in Iran, the significant risk of Covid-19 exposure in the hospital, and the need for a stress-free environment for recovery, all of which threaten Baquers survival and long-term well-being.
Stewart said he initially pushed Devouton's hand off him, then tried to ward off the blows from other officers, while screaming for them to stop. But he said he did not initiate any contact or strike the officers.

Jones and a neighbor witnessed the attack. When Jones went toward the car to retrieve her infant son, Officer Cliff House pointed a gun at her and told her to stop, the lawsuit says.

Officers twice searched the couple's apartment, at one point threatening to arrest Jones for a traffic warrant and to have her children placed in protective custody if she did not sign forms consenting to the searches. They also seized a weapon that Jones legally owned.

Stewart suffered a fractured nose and a black eye and emotional pain and fear, and the illegal searches also caused Stewart and Jones concern for the safety of themselves and their children, the lawsuit said. It seeks compensatory and punitive damages but does not name a specific amount.

Stewart said in a statement released by ArchCity Defenders public interest law firm, which is representing him, that he wants police accountability. Jones is being represented by Kenneth Powell, of the Powell Law Firm.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The United States and China are stepping up their war of words over Taiwan in a long-simmering dispute that has significant implications for the power dynamic in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

Amid a surge in Chinese military activity near the island that China regards as a renegade province and has vowed to reclaim by force if necessary, Washington and Beijing have launched new campaigns for global support for their respective positions, each using the stern and lofty language of sovereignty and international precedent. And neither is backing down.

While the disagreement over Taiwan isnt new and has long vexed relations between the countries, recent developments suggest the two are coming closer to confrontation. Last week, President Joe Biden set off alarm bells in Beijing by saying the U.S. has a firm commitment to help Taiwan defend itself in the event of a Chinese attack.

China protested and the Biden administration sought to play down the comments. White House, State Department and Pentagon officials all said the president did not mean to imply any changes in the U.S. one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei.
Yet Shatner summed up in almost Shakespearean Captain Kirk style just what he saw at risk upon staring out the Blue Origin capsule window at the thin layer of planetary atmosphere, this comforter of blue that protects on Earth all we know and all we love (or should know and should love) from death and void in the endless, merciless vacuum of space: (Y)oure looking into blackness, into black ugliness  Theres the blue down there, and the black up there  Is there death? I dont know. Was that death?

In later interviews, while noting hes been on Earth longer than most of us, Shatner condemned eternal bickering over whether global warming will happen: Were there.

The privately funded crew sent into orbit by SpaceX (and beyond the orbit of the International Space Station) is equally inspiring: 38-year-old billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, self-made in the great American tradition; 41-year-old Lockheed Martin data engineer Chris Sembroski, an Air Force veteran; 51-year-old community college professor Sian Proctor, now the fourth African American woman in space; and childhood cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux, at 29 the youngest person in space.
MACY  The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska said Tuesday it will start providing as much as $20,000 per household in housing assistance for tribal members who live on the reservation in Northeast Nebraska.

The tribe also announced it has purchased a combination grocery store, gas station and restaurant in Walthill.

About $1 million has been budgeted for the tribe's new Homeowner Assistance Fund Plan. In the first phase, eligible households would receive up to $2,000 in assistance to pay utility bills. In later phases, residents could qualify for up to $6,000 for mortgage assistance, up to $3,000 for delinquent property taxes and, eventually, as much as $10,000 in home-improvement assistance.

The direct assistance would be financed with the tribe's share of $41 million from the American Rescue Plan Act. The COVID-relief package passed by Congress in March also will finance the tribe's purchase of the Walthill grocery store, Heritage Foodtown. The purchase price was not disclosed at a news conference Tuesday in Macy.
This is quite a strong message, and clearly, we hope that the solidarity in the region will stand with the people who overwhelmingly elected Suu Kyi last November, she said.

Schraner Burgener said she is in regular contact with the ASEAN envoy to Myanmar, Brunei Second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof, whose visit has not taken place because he was told he couldnt meet Suu Kyi.

I think this is the right decision from the ASEAN special envoy, but I still hope that certain dialogue will be possible with the military leaders, though for the moment, Im very skeptical, she said.

The U.N. envoy said she also met privately with Suu Kyi 15 times before the February takeover, and I am really still convinced that she wanted only the best for the country, and she had to deal with the army, otherwise we would have the coup before." The military-installed government has not let Schraner Burgener visit since it seized power.

She said she is in constant contact with China, which has an important role in the region, and doesnt want to see it destabilized. So, therefore, I still count on China  that they will make the right decisions for the people and the stability in the region.

What would the right decisions be?
Manchin brought up the back-to-back meetings with President Joe Biden over the weekend. Biden previously joked that bringing Manchin and Sanders together would be "homicide."

As President Biden and Democratic negotiators struggle to reach a compromise on their sizeable economic stimulus package, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is being pressured relentlessly from all sides to support his nomination.

Manchin sits in the middle of a 50-50 Senate and is one of the most difficult "yes" votes for the White House to win over. As a result, he serves as an unofficial gatekeeper for what gets included in the social spending bill, which started at around $3.5 trillion but is expected to end up closer to his preferred top-line figure of $1.5 trillion.

Manchin has said that he does not like the present attention of being the decider on numerous of the party's issues.

While speaking at a luncheon with The Economic Club of Washington, DC, President Obama said, "I wouldn't wish that on anybody."

The experience is not pleasant... "It's not a really enjoyable experience."

On the other hand, Manchin's influence is being felt broadly as Democrats attempt to reach a framework agreement in a few days.

An unusual invitation to Biden's home in Delaware over the weekend allowed him to meet with the president and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) in an attempt to reconcile significant divisions between the red-state Democrat and the majority of his colleagues in the Senate.

While some Democrats have expressed dissatisfaction with Manchin, they understand that they cannot afford to lose him if they want their initiatives, such as the Build Back Better spending package, to reach President Biden's desk.

They are aggressively attempting to persuade him to include some of their top demands in the legislation.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) attempts to persuade Manchin to support the inclusion of paid parental leave in the bill, which is one area that is in danger of being eliminated.

Democrats had wanted to grant 12 weeks of paid vacation under the Affordable Care Act. Democratic leaders said they are now aggressively pursuing Manchin's approval for any paid leave provisions that may be included in the package, despite Biden's suggestion last week that it may be reduced to four weeks.

According to Gillibrand, she is now working with President Barack Obama to determine whether paid leave can be included in a final agreement.

She claimed that she was developing a new plan and that she was in "nonstop" discussions with Manchin, who refused to respond more than once to reporters on Tuesday other than to remark that they were in the midst of negotiations.

It isn't only Gillibrand who is being targeted. Members of Congress from both the House and the Senate speak with Manchin about their efforts to expand Medicaid to around 2 million individuals in states that did not expand their programs as part of ObamaCare.

Manchin has said that he believes the idea would be unfair to states that have already freely expanded their Medicaid programs, such as his own.

Democrats, on the other hand, said on Tuesday that they are still attempting to collaborate with him as they strive to finalize the broad terms of a deal this week, according to CNN.

The senator from West Virginia, Raphael Warnock, stated, "I told him that we needed to expand Medicaid, and at the end of the day, West Virginia is going to receive a little bit more than us with this arrangement" (D-GA). "As a result, I'm still optimistic that we'll be able to complete it."

This week, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) spoke with Manchin to discuss the need for Medicaid expansion.

"I wasn't having a debate with him," Clyburn said afterward. "I simply set out my thoughts on what I believe we should do."

Manchin has also met with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, and Chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). While speaking with President Joe Biden over the weekend, Manchin brought up the back-to-back meetings. Biden had previously joked that getting Manchin and Sanders in the same room would be "homicide."

"So I went to the White House on Sunday and told Mr. President that I had followed his advice. "Bernie and I have met for at least an hour a day for the past three days to get to know each other," Manchin said. "Bernie and I have met for at least an hour a day to get to know each other." "I had a fantastic encounter with Pramila Jayapal," says the author.

However, Manchin and Sanders have also been embroiled in a days-long proxy battle over whether to use the spending bill to expand Medicare coverage to include hearing, vision, and dental care as well.

Manchin has indicated that he does not favor the expansion, saying that Congress should instead strengthen Medicare in the long run. On the other hand, Sanders has said that the policy is a must-have in any final legislation.

Both men crowded together in the Senate basement on Tuesday afternoon, pleading with media to give them room so they could have a private conversation.

Manchin was once a member of a substantial number of Senate moderates from both parties in the Senate. The last middle ground has been more narrow in recent years. Manchin recognized his growing outlier status this week by identifying himself as "out of sync" with the other 48 members of the Senate Democratic Conference.

On Tuesday, he made a public jest about his odd-man-out status while speaking at an event hosted by The Economic Club. He said that his life would be "much simpler" if he were to switch parties and get contacted about the subject daily.

In his speech, he remarked, "I don't believe the R's would be much happy with me than the D's right now... I don't know where in the heck I belong." The crowd erupted in laughter when he said this.

It has also brought Manchin to the forefront of the public's attention.

On Tuesday, Manchin was approached by climate protestors at a number of locations across Washington.

A small number of them accosted him as he exited the Capitol and made his way into the Hart Office Building on Tuesday, asking him, "Why are you standing in the way of our legislation?"

Democrats, on the other hand, feel they have a realistic chance of securing an agreement on climate policies, including a price on methane emissions, with the support of Manchin. Several Democratic senators, including Schumer and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-DE), met with Manchin on Monday night to discuss climate change wording.

Furthermore, even though Manchin has irritated some members of his party by drawing red lines on their priorities, congressional Democrats say they have a better understanding of his positions than fellow moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), who has done the majority of her negotiating with the White House.

"Sen. Manchin has always been honest and forthright. During an interview with Fox News, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said, "You know precisely where he stands on everything."

"There are certain things I disagree with, but I appreciate that."
Speculators trying to lock in profits rather than changes in fundamentals are the reason for Wednesday's price drop.

After U.S. government data indicated a rise in domestic crude stocks, as well as a decrease in stockpiles at a major crude delivery hub, oil futures fell on Wednesday, with U.S. prices pulling down from a seven-year high.

In an interview with MarketWatch, Manish Raj, the chief financial officer of Velandera Energy Partners, said the price decrease on Wednesday "mainly reflects traders seeking to lock in their gains, rather than a shift in fundamentals."

Despite the small increase in crude inventories reported by the Energy Information Administration and the American Petroleum Institute, "traders are aware that the market remains tight, the natural gas crisis in Europe continues, and liquefied natural gas shipping lines remain clogged, while demand for all fuel types  coal, natural gas, and oil  remains robust," he said in a statement.

WTI oil for December delivery slipped $1.53, or 1.8 percent, to $83.12 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange on Wednesday, after closing Tuesday at a seven-year high for the first time since 2007.

After ending Tuesday at a three-year high, ICE Futures Europe's December Brent crude fell $1.69, or 2 percent, to $84.71 a barrel. Brent crude is the world's benchmark oil.

The crude oil futures contract for January delivery, the most commonly traded commodity, fell $1.75, or 2 percent, to $83.90 a barrel.

According to the Energy Information Administration, U.S. oil stockpiles increased by 4.3 million barrels in the week ending October 22, which published its data on Wednesday.

According to sources, the American Petroleum Institute recorded a 2.3 million-barrel increase on Tuesday. Still, experts surveyed by S&P Global Platts predicted a 100,000-barrel fall on average.

According to EIA statistics, crude stockpiles in Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery center for Nymex futures, decreased by 3.9 million barrels over the course of the week.

According to Matt Smith, a principal oil analyst for the Americas at Kpler, although the headline crude increase may be perceived as pessimistic, another major decline in Cushing stocks, which are now down to 27 million barrels, the lowest level since October 2018, is expected to limit today's selloff.

By December, based on the current rate of drawdowns, Cushing may be at the tank bottom.

As Tariq Zahir, managing member at Tyche Capital Advisors, said in a MarketWatch interview, "Saudi Arabia is...in charge of price action going ahead."

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will meet next week. The United States has been pressuring the organization to raise output.

In Zahir's opinion, Saudi Arabia is the only country whose output can be raised in a timely manner.

To keep up with the rise in output that has already occurred, Nigeria and other countries have had a difficult time.

Everyone will be watching closely for what Saudi Arabia does at the OPEC summit next week.

Meanwhile, the EIA recorded weekly inventory decreases of 2 million barrels for gasoline and 400,000 barrels for distillates.

2.7 million barrels of gasoline were forecast to be reduced by the S&P Global Platts poll. In comparison, 2 million barrels of distillates were predicted to be reduced.

As Kpler's Smith said, "slow refining operations has produced in moderate draws for both gasoline and distillates, despite indicated demand for both falling."

During trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange on Wednesday, November gasoline fell by 2 percent to $2.467 a gallon, while November heating oil fell by 1.8 percent to $2.532 a gallon.

Prices of natural gas futures were slightly higher ahead of the contract's expiry, which will occur after today's session.

With front-month prices above $6 per million British thermal units intraday, natural gas prices in November climbed by 1.5 percent to $5.97 per million British thermal units, the highest intraday level in about three weeks.

A 0.9 percent increase was seen in the December natural-gas contract, which will be converted to the front month at the conclusion of the session.
It has been just over a year since our last report on restoration progress with Claudio Coltris combat-veteran Curtiss P-40E Warhawk (41-13570), which has been under rebuild at Pioneer Aero Ltd. in Ardmore, New Zealand since 2015. A lot has happened in the interim, with the aircraft recently receiving its Certificate of Airworthiness.

Well-known and highly experienced P-40 pilot, Frank Parker will be conducting the first flight when the opportunity presents itself. A break in New Zealands spring-time drizzle allowed Parker to run the P-40s engine and taxi the fighter around the perimeter track at Ardmore to get a feeling for how the newly-restored aircraft will handle once he can take her aloft. While the aircraft is ready to go right now, they are holding off on the first flight in the hopes that renowned photographer Gavin Conroy can be on site to record the moment  present pandemic-related regulations make inter-district travel somewhat complicated. Regardless, Frank Parker is a highly-seasoned pilot and an ideal choice for performing the initial flight; indeed Parker has performed a number of P-40 first-flights for Pioneer, including for the ex-Vintage Wings of Canada Kittyhawk Mk.IV (A29-414) now owned by our publisher, Tim Savage. Parker, of course, is perhaps more famous for operating his former Royal Australian Air Force Kittyhawk Mk.IV (A29-448) at air shows with a set of functional .50 cal machine guns with which he can fire blank cartridges to stunning effect!

For a historical recap, some readers may recall that Claudio Coltris P-40E (41-13570) served with the Soviet military during WWII under Lend-Lease. It first flew in late 1941, with the U.S. Army Air Forces formally accepting her on January 23rd, 1942. She was soon on her way to the Soviet Union though, arriving in Russia, most likely at the port of Murmansk, during the spring of 1942. From here the P-40 moved to an airfield at Murmashi, just south of Murmansk, where she became a part of the Soviet 14th Army with the locally based 20 GvIAP (20th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment) whose duties were to cover the Kola Peninsula and Murmansk. In the early hours of June 1st, 1942, Jr. Lt. A. V. Pshenev Kittyhawk was flying this Kittyhawk alongside P-39s and P-40s from the 19 GvIAP to escort Tupolev SB bombers on a mission to attack a German-held airfield at Petsamo. They encountered heavy opposition from the Luftwaffe, tangling with Messerschmitt Bf 109s of II/JG5 near Pja Ozero just west of Murmansk. During the melee, Pshenevs P-40 received hits to its engine, which rapidly began to overheat. The pilot decided to ditch the aircraft in Lake Kod Ozero, rather than risk the uncertainty of putting her down in the obstacle-strewn tundra nearby. Pshenev survived the heavy impact as his P-40 down struck the lake surface (still semi-frozen in June!), and made it safely to shore, likely imagining that his now-sinking P-40, was gone forever.

Amazingly, on August 31, 1997 a recovery team raised the P-40 from the lake, with the bedraggled though largely intact airframe initially going to a British collector. The project passed between a number of different owners and restoration shops over the intervening decades, but has been with Pioneer Aero since 2015. Once the aircraft flies again in the coming weeks, then successfully completes its required test plan, Pioneers technicians will disassemble her for shipment to Europe. Based upon earlier statements, the P-40s first port of call will be in Germany, where the fighter will likely have to fulfill certain requirements for European certification. After that hurdle, the Warhawk will then be able to make its way to Claudio Coltris hangar in Italy, where the aircraft will likely be the first of its type based in the nation since the end of WWII!

Once Claudio Coltris P-40 is finished, the team at Pioneer Aero will be able to focus on three other P-40s presently in their shop, including a sister-ship to Coltris example which apparently served with the same unit in the Soviet Union. The latter airframe is presently destined for a syndicate based in the Netherlands. The Military Aviation Museums Vought OS2U-3 Kingfisher (A48-2/BuNo.5985) is also at Pioneer, as is that museums Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless project which arrived earlier this year so this world-class warbird restoration shop has plenty to be working on at present!
WATERLOO -- Today from 3:30-5 p.m., the Waterloo Career Center (WCC) will host its annual Fall Career and Technical Education Advisory Meeting. More than 50 business partners typically attend this event.

This meeting is a unique opportunity to gather together our instructors, our business partners, and representatives from Hawkeye Community College and the University of Northern Iowa, said Superintendent Dr. Jane Lindaman. Its a chance for us to celebrate and express gratitude for the incredible work underway with our partners as well as to discuss current efforts within each of our distinct Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

The WCC, launched under Lindamans leadership, has grown its partnership and donor support, internships, and apprenticeship offerings. Enrollment has also steadily grown over the years with the academic experiences, exclusively available through the WCC, serving students from 10 school systems in the Cedar Valley.

This gathering supports WCC efforts to stay current with our curriculum and with what is current best practice in business and industry, said Jeff Frost, Executive Director of Professional Technical Education. It also gives us a chance to discuss the future vision for the Waterloo Career Center.

The gathering will include information on the expansion of programs at the WCC, a review of what various business partnership models can look like with WCC, information about our new work-based learning program, and breakout sessions with business partners and post-secondary partners.

We want to ensure that business partners have a say in this vision and the direction in which we are heading, said Frost. While its a wonderful chance to celebrate the efforts that have made such a positive impact on our students and in our community, its also an incredibly valuable opportunity for us to better understand what the needs are for the future workforce.

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WATERLOO  Todd Holcomb is proud of the gains in equity and inclusion hes shepherded at Hawkeye Community College in his two years as president, particularly in recruiting and retaining diverse students and faculty.

Last week, members of the public told him a lot more needs to be done.

Holcomb and Nina Grant, vice president of student affairs and institutional diversity, faced tough questions from the public during the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Forum at Jubilee United Methodist Church in Waterloo on Thursday evening.

The forum was presented jointly by HCC and the Waterloo Commission on Human Rights. It follows on the heels of a similar meeting with leaders from the University of Northern Iowa. The commission also plans a forum involving Wartburg College in Waverly.

Holcomb outlined his background in DEI issues at other colleges, including increasing Latinx enrollment at Western Nebraska Community College from 10% to 22%. He said hes constantly learning.

Early on in my life and career, Ive been engaged in the idea of education, knowledge, inclusion and understanding and appreciation of diversity, and Im a very strong advocate, he said.

Grant, who began her position in June, described herself as a multi-racial Latina who grew up in diverse places and learned to work within our spheres of influences to make a difference.

Im always focused on working with students from diverse backgrounds and trying to make sure they felt welcomed and supported, she said. Its a passion of mine.

Hawkeyes student population is most diverse at its Van G. Miller Adult Learning Center in downtown Waterloo, Holcomb said. Students hail from 37 countries and speak 29 languages, with a lot of migrant and immigrant workers enrolled in English language learning programs.

As a whole, Hawkeye students are predominantly female, at 59%, and have been for the last decade, a trend nationwide, Holcomb said. A new strategic plan centered on diversity has helped: This year, HCCs proportion of diverse student enrollment rose 10% to 20% of the total, Holcomb said.

Our hope and goal is to reflect the diversity of the community were in, he said.

During the question period, some in the audience disputed whether that goal is being communicated and implemented across the college.

Moderator Teresa Culpepper, who also works for HCC and serves on the human rights commission, asked about the percentage of diverse faculty and staff and how the college is recruiting such employees. She noted students persist when faculty and staff look like them.

Holcomb didnt have a specific number but said probably about 20 individuals that represent people of color work at HCC full time, up from around 12, out of a total of more than 600. He said the college is aggressively recruiting, including using a consulting firm when necessary.

Culpepper also asked about why there are so many people of color at UNI that had left Hawkeye.

UNI pays them a lot more money than we do, and were trying to address that, Holcomb said, noting another staff member left for the university just this past week. Retaining a diverse staff when were significantly behind in our salaries is very difficult.

Grant noted programs had sprung up for students, including a recent Gardner Equity Academy study that examined disparities at Hawkeye that the college is in the process of analyzing. She said it is a balancing act trying to implement changes to help one population without it affecting positive experiences of other students.

There are students talking about how positive and wonderful their Hawkeye experience is, Grant said, and students that say the exact opposite.

That is also the case with faculty, said LaTanya Graves, the county NAACP president who worked at Hawkeye for 25 years.

When I worked there, a lot of staff of color felt unheard, Graves said.

Holcomb said he wants to make sure thats no longer the case, and noted the college is in the process of creating an evaluation process that will use cultural competency as part of formal reports.

I would hope that they would say, Dr. Holcomb is committed to creating a welcoming climate for faculty, staff and students, and very open to listen to us in creating recommendations, he said.

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"While there has been a great deal of media attention surrounding this vote and the ongoing strike, I felt it was important to share the details of John Deere's offer directly with you," she wrote.
A UAW Local 79 member was struck and killed walking to the picket line at John Deere Parts Distribution Center in Milan on Wednesday morning.

According to Milan Police, Richard Rich, 56, was struck and killed by a motorist as he walked to the picket line at John Deere Parts Distribution Center in Milan. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the UAW leadership, he was a 15-year employee of the Deere PDC.

We didnt want it to come to this, said one Moline worker about the strike. We are still trying to take it all in.

Picketing was halted for the day at the Milan site, a union member said.

At the Milan gate intersection, streetlights have been out since the start of the strike, according to union workers, who feel this may have contributed to decreased visibility in the dark.

One union member, who asked to remain anonymous due to fear of retribution, called the Milan Municipal Building on Oct. 15 to report the outage. A Milan public official submitted a streetlight repair request that day to MidAmerican Energy Company for the intersection.

An Oct. 15 confirmation email from a MidAmerican customer service account said standard completion time is three weeks; however, some orders may take longer to complete.

Deere & Co. released a statement Wednesday morning, stating we are saddened by the tragic accident and death of one of our employees and are awaiting reports from law enforcement.

All of us at John Deere express our deepest condolences to their family and friends, the statement read.

The UAW also issued a press release on behalf of the national and Region 4 offices.

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our brother who was reporting to the picket line. Our brother was fighting for what is right and we all mourn for his family and co-workers, said Ron McInroy, director of UAW Region 4, in the release. Through our tears, we continue to picket and honor the solidarity of our fallen brother. But we do this with heavy hearts today.

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Ace, a 13-year-old pit bull, had absconded from his familys Adrian Street yard Tuesday night, possibly after a visitor left a side gate open, said owner Amanda Schmitt.

The family looked until 3 a.m. Wednesday and renewed their efforts when the sun came up, finding people who had seen the wayward pooch.

They posted on social media accounts focused on missing pets and printed up flyers featuring Aces photo. They were about to begin handing out the posters when a fisherman spotted the dog in a storm drain along the river just downstream from the Sixth Street Bridge.

Animal Control workers and Waterloo firefighters leaned over the edge to call to the dog, which remained inside the pipe. Firefighters used an inflatable rapid deployment craft to paddle over to the drains mouth and lift Ace to safety.

It wasnt clear how Ace became trapped in the drain or how long he had been there.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Louisiana will receive $595 million in federal disaster block grant aid to help with housing restoration and other recovery needs from last year's back-to-back blows of Hurricanes Laura and Delta, the state's two U.S. senators announced Tuesday.

While welcomed by officials as critical to rebuilding efforts in southwest Louisiana, the money falls far short of the multibillion-dollar estimates of need, offering only about 20% of the $3 billion in assistance requested by Gov. John Bel Edwards.

It also comes 14 months after Laura wrecked the Lake Charles region, a delay that had locals questioning whether the nation had forgotten them.

It has been over a year since Louisiana was hammered by Hurricane Laura and this relief has taken far too long, Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy said in a statement. This funding is a welcome first step, but there is more work to be done to return southwest Louisiana to wholeness.

GOP U.S. Sen. John Kennedy said the money will provide a helping hand as we rebuild.

Louisianians are still reeling from the damage left by Laura and Delta, he said in a statement.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will oversee the block grant aid, which will require the state to outline plans for spending the money and receive federal approval of the plans. The state Office of Community Development will oversee the spending.

Edwards said Louisiana already is drafting its spending proposal for submission once HUD issues its regulations. But the Democratic governor also suggested the state will be requesting more assistance from Washington, saying the current amount is not in our view sufficient.

We will do everything that we can with the money we are given to make sure that there is a complete and robust recovery, but it will be very challenging to do that with $595 million, Edwards said.

The federal disaster aid was included in legislation passed by Congress last month that also helped avoid a government shutdown. Billions were set aside for disaster relief across multiple states. Louisiana had been waiting to receive its specific allocation figure.

Laura struck the southwestern parishes on Aug. 27, 2020, as a fierce Category 4 hurricane. Less than two months later, Delta swept into the same area as a Category 2 storm. Historic flooding followed in May. Across southwest Louisiana, homes still bear blue tarps and await roof repairs, businesses remain boarded up and some neighborhoods look almost abandoned. Thousands remain displaced.

The region has received hundreds of millions of dollars in disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help people with short-term needs and to help replace damaged government buildings. But the block grant aid will help with long-term housing assistance and other rebuilding work that didn't qualify for FEMA aid.

After the first estimates emerged about what Louisiana would receive for Laura and Delta recovery, Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter described the block grant money in a Facebook post as woefully insufficient" for the outstanding recovery issues, but he also said it will make a dent in our great housing need.

Cassidy has said the congressional delegation will keep making the case for more federal aid for southwest Louisiana, but he said that will be difficult to achieve.

Louisiana also is hoping to get additional disaster block grant assistance for its recovery from Hurricane Ida, which struck southeastern parishes on Aug. 29 as a Category 4 storm and left a widespread trail of damage.



Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  President Joe Biden's administration announced Tuesday plans to cancel two environmental rollbacks under former President Donald Trump that limited habitat protections for imperiled plants and wildlife.

The proposal to drop the two Trump-era rules by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service is part of a broad effort by the Biden administration to undo regulations that Democrats and wildlife advocates say favored industry over the environment.

The designation of lands and waters as critical for the survival of vulnerable species can limit mining, oil drilling and other development. That's made the designations a flashpoint for conflict between environmental and business interests.

Industry groups and Republicans in Congress have long viewed the Endangered Species Act as an impediment to economic development. Under Trump, they successfully lobbied to weaken the laws regulations with changes that gave added weight to economic development and other interests.

The Trump administration changes had backing from an array of industry groups that said economic impacts had not been given enough consideration in past U.S. government wildlife decisions. Those groups ranged from livestock and ranching organizations to trade associations representing oil, gas and mining interests.

Biden administration officials acknowledged in documents published to the federal register that in canceling Trump's rules, they were adopting views that federal wildlife agencies rejected just months ago.

But the Biden administration officials said a reevaluation of the Trump policies showed them to be problematic because they limited the government's ability to advance conservation by protecting areas where plants and animals are found.

Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz said the proposal would bring the endangered species law into alignment with its original intent and purpose  protecting and recovering America's biological heritage for future generations.

Republicans lawmakers pushed back. Arkansas Rep. Bruce Westerman, the ranking GOP member of the House Natural Resources Committee, called Tuesday's move a tone deaf reversal of needed reforms to the endangered species law.

Westerman and other Republicans said they were introducing legislation to make the Trump rules permanent. That stands little chance of passing while Democrats remain in control of the House and Senate.

The rule changes under Trump were finalized during his last weeks in office, meaning they've had little time to make a significant impact. No new critical habitat designations have been affected by the rules since they went into effect in January, Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Brian Hires said.

One allows the government to deny habitat protections for endangered animals and plants in areas that could see greater economic benefits from development. Democratic lawmakers and wildlife advocates complained that would potentially open lands to more drilling and other activities.

The other rule provided a definition of habitat that critics charged would exclude locations species might need to use in the future as climate change upends ecosystems.

The two rules came in response to a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling involving a highly endangered Southern frog  the dusky gopher frog.

In that case, a unanimous court faulted the government over how it designated critical habitat for the 3 -inch-long (8.9-centimetre-long) frogs that survive in just a few ponds in Mississippi.

The issue arose after a timber company, Weyerhaeuser, sued when land it owned in Louisiana was designated as critical in case the frogs returned there in the future.

Trump officials described the changes as giving more deference to local governments when they want to build things like schools and hospitals.

But the rules allowed potential exemptions from habitat protections for a much broader array of developments, including at the request of private companies that lease federal lands or have permits to use them. Government-issued leases and permits can allow energy development, grazing, recreation, logging and other commercial uses of public lands.

Environmentalists who have urged Biden to reverse Trump's conservation policies said dropping the habitat rules marks a major step toward that goal.

You really cant save endangered species without protecting the places they live or need to live, said Noah Greenwald with the Center for Biological Diversity.

Still pending, he said, are expected changes to a Trump-era a rule that reduced protections for wildlife categorized as threatened with extinction, a less urgent protection status than endangered.

Animals potentially affected by the changes include the struggling lesser prairie chicken, a grasslands bird found in five states in the south-central U.S., and the rare dunes sagebrush lizard that lives among the oil fields of western Texas and eastern New Mexico, wildlife advocates said.



Follow Matthew Brown on twitter: @MatthewBrownAP

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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DES MOINES  Iowas Republican U.S. Senators, Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, have signed a bipartisan letter expressing their disappointment with the Pentagons proposed timeline for implementing newly recommended measures to sexual assault in the military.

The U.S. defense department in September announced its plan to implement recommendations put forth in a report from the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault, which was ordered by President Joe Biden.

The proposal includes implementation of some measures between 2027 and 2030, according to the senators letter.

More than 20,000 active U.S. service members may have experienced sexual assault, according to the most recent study from the defense department.

The letter, addressed to U.S. Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin and signed by eight U.S. senators, including Ernst and Grassley, expresses frustration that the defense departments proposed implementation is too slow, calling it a vague approach and lax timeline.

This approach does not rise to the challenge of addressing the crippling and endemic sexual assault crisis afflicting our nations military, the letter says.

The letter is also signed, among others, by Democratic U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, of New York. Ernst -- a former combat veteran in the Iowa National Guard and a sexual assault victim -- and Grassley have in recent years worked with Gillibrand on addressing sexual assault in the military. They have proposed legislation that would move the decision whether to prosecute sexual assault allegations outside of the military chain of command to independent military prosecutors, and boost training and security measures. The Senate version of the bill has more than 60 bipartisan cosponsors, and the identical House version has 220 cosponsors.

The senators letter says if the bill proposed by Gillibrand, Ernst and Grassley were to pass, many of the defense departments proposals would be mandated within six months.

Ensuring the safety of all who serve and delivering justice for victims of sexual violence are not problems that can wait to be resolved on the Department of Defenses proposed timeline, the letter says. The men and women who serve in our military cannot continue to operate another day, let alone another decade, under a chain of command that is unwilling or incapable of taking decisive action to address this epidemic. A problem of this magnitude demands an immediate, proportionate response.

The letters other signees are Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.; Mike Braun, R-Ind.; Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

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Q: Regarding the shooting on the movie set with Alec Baldwin, I heard that was the third shooting on that set. Is that true?

A: The New York Times reported that there were at least two earlier accidental gun discharges, citing three former crew members. According to the Los Angeles Times, a crew member who was alarmed by the misfires told a unit production manager in a text message, Weve now had 3 accidental discharges. This is super unsafe, according to a copy of the message reviewed by the newspaper. Hours before actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot Halyna Hutchins with a prop revolver gun, half a dozen camera crew workers walked off the set to protest working conditions.

Q: How can someone refuse a COVID vaccine under a religious exemption exactly?

A: According to NPR, whether an employer grants a religious exemption to a vaccination requirement is generally based on a judgment of the employees sincerely held religious belief  and whether the accommodation poses an undue hardship on the employer, or would present a direct threat to health and safety of others. First, employers may probe whether an employees religious belief is in fact sincere. They may ask questions about that employees vaccination history or church attendance. If the employer determines the belief is not sincere, it may deny the exemption request. But even if an employees religious belief is determined to be sincere, its the employer who decides what the reasonable accommodation will be. It does not have to be the accommodation requested by the employee.

Q: Is Waterloo going to do something with how rough Ridgeway is from Kimball to the Cedar Falls city limits?

A: Ridgeway Avenue from Kimball Avenue to Ansborough Avenue will be overlaid in 2022. Waterloo Public Works is currently patching Ridgeway Avenue from U.S. Highway 63 to Cedar Falls.

Q: I see cars parked the wrong way on Upton Avenue all the way. Isnt that illegal?

A: Parking the wrong way on any street is illegal.

Q: Do Waterloo code enforcement officers work all year long? And what is their salary?

A: Code Enforcement works 12 months a year. There are four code enforcement officers. Their hourly rates are $20.40, $29.77, $29.10 and $33.48.

Q: What time does the local Courier office open?

A: The Courier opens at 9 a.m. Monday through Friday.

Q: I am still not getting a Pulse. Who do I contact to get one?

A: The Pulse is distributed to non-Courier subscribers and/or Courier subscribers that are not six-day subscribers within our delivery area. The mailing list is updated monthly. If you think you should be receiving a Pulse but are not you can contact us at (319) 291-1533.

Q: What is Bernie Sanders contact phone number?

A: You can contact Sen. Bernie Sanders office at 332 Dirksen Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; phone: (202) 224-5141.

Q: What year was it that the UAW 838 signed the two-tier contract with John Deere?

A: That six-year labor agreement was signed in October 1997.

Calls are taken on a special Courier phone line at 234-3566. Questions are answered by Courier staff.

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The parade of storms that blasted California over the past week marked a strong start to the rainy season. Some parts of the state, including Napa, Santa Rosa and Sacramento, received half the rain in 24 hours that they got in all of the past year.

But with California locked in one of its worst droughts in modern history and some areas short two years' worth of water, a lot more wet weather is needed to mend the state's water woes.

The long-term forecast calls for more dry conditions across much of California in the months ahead. Climate scientists are watching a La Nina weather pattern emerge in the tropical Pacific, which can push the storm track to the north and divert needed rain from the state during the crucial wet season. This would make it even harder for California to get the above-average precipitation required to put an end to the drought.

"Pretty much everyone in my neighborhood was watching their Halloween decorations wash away this weekend," said Dave Rizzardo, a hydrology manager for the California Department of Water Resources. "It's easy to think we're out of the drought now, but this storm is clearing out. It's not going to rain much more this week and possibly beyond that."

The past two years have been two of the driest in a century, a situation exacerbated by record warm temperatures that have further choked the brown and brittle landscape. California saw one of its worst fire seasons this year, with nearly 2.5 million acres burned, in part because of the drought. Meanwhile, dwindling water supplies have prompted restrictions on drawing water in many watersheds, hitting the agricultural industry especially hard. Some cities and towns have also faced cutbacks, though no statewide reductions have been ordered by the governor.

In the northern Sierra, where precipitation is vital because its big reservoirs provide much of the state's water, up to a foot of rain fell in the past few days. The quantity is impressive, helping Lake Oroville, one of the largest reservoirs, swell 100,000 acre feet, or more than 10% its current volume, even before all of the runoff was counted. In some mountain areas, rainfall totals were 20% of what typically falls in a year.

This year, however, officials at the Department of Water Resources say the northern Sierra will need much more than average precipitation  perhaps 140% to 150%  to bring water supplies back to average, or at least close.

"Average doesn't pull us out of this drought," Rizzardo said. "We're trying to make up for several years. There's still a long way to go."

As of Sunday night, Lake Oroville was at only 25% of capacity, or about 41% of where it typically stands at this point in the year. Shasta Lake, the only reservoir that is bigger than Oroville, was just 22% full, holding about 37% of what it typically holds on this date.

"There's still a tremendous amount of rain needed," said Brad Sherwood, assistant general manager for the Sonoma Water agency, which delivers water to communities in Sonoma and Marin counties.

Lake Mendocino, one of Sonoma Water's two primary reservoirs in the Russian River watershed, added a third of its volume over the past week. However, the lake remained less than 15% full.

The heavy rain Sunday and Monday capped a weeklong siege of on-and-off wet weather in California, Oregon and Washington from the Pacific. The train of storms was largely triggered by a "bomb cyclone," an area of rapidly decreasing low pressure, that pushed the systems ashore, including a Category 5 atmospheric river over the weekend.

An atmospheric river is a giant plume of moisture that generally wrings out when it makes landfall. Similar to hurricanes, the intensity of the systems is measured on a 1 to 5 scale.

In addition to widespread flooding and mudslides in areas that recently burned in wildfires, especially in and around the scar of the northern Sierra's Dixie Fire, the atmospheric river drove many record 24-hour precipitation totals.

Downtown San Francisco received 4.02 inches of rain on Sunday, the highest daily total ever for October, according to the National Weather Service. Sacramento reported 5.44 inches, the most ever recorded in a 24-hour period there.

Also over the weekend, the city of Napa recorded a 24-hour rainfall total of 5.35 inches and Santa Rosa recorded a 7.83-inch 24-hour period. Both totals were more than half the amount of rain that fell during the past water year, from Oct. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021, according to the weather service.

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En espanol

In Uganda, solar-powered shipping containers are making medical care convenient for older adults living in rural villages. Thousands of miles away, in England, technology is returning a sense of independence to seniors battling chronic diseases. And in Vietnam, local community centers are meeting the health and social needs of their older residents.

While vastly different, these programs, featured in a new report from AARP and Economist Impact, all have one thing in common: Theyre helping to close a growing gap between how long we live (lifespan) and how many of those years are spent in good health (healthspan). And doing so has never been more critical.

Separating aging from illness

People around the world are living longer than ever. Life expectancy in the U.S. is roughly 79 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Compare that to the turn of the 20th century, when Americans werent expected to make it to 50. Trends in other countries are following a similar track.

But all of those added years arent necessarily healthy ones. Chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes become more common later in life, and these ailments, which affect about 85 percent of older adults, can disrupt the ease of daily activities and upend independence.

Feeling disconnected from society also contributes to the lifespan-healthspan gap. Nearly 1 in 4 adults age 65 and older are socially isolated, which the CDC says increases the risk for a number of health concerns, including depression, dementia  even death.


SEAAOC Conference Presentation

Sydney, Oct 27, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - APA Group ( ASX:APA ) and Empire Energy Group Ltd ( ASX:EEG ) ( OTCMKTS:EEGUF ) have today executed an MOU to explore opportunities for the development of Beetaloo mid stream infrastructure including gas and liquids gathering, processing and pipelines.APA is a leading Australian energy infrastructure business connecting sources of gas supply and markets across mainland Australia delivering approximately half of Australia's natural gas usage.APA will support Empire to get production to market, promptly, leveraging its existing network of gas transmission infrastructure.APA and Empire are supportive of a common infrastructure approach amongst Beetaloo upstream producers to deliver lower per unit costs.The 'Northern Strategy' will support the development of a gas fed manufacturing industry and LNG export expansion at Darwin.The 'Eastern Strategy', including a new Beetaloo Pipeline to Mount Isa, will allow Beetaloo gas to be transported to all Australian east coast domestic markets (Wallumbilla, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne) and LNG export through Gladstone.To view the presentation, please visit:About Empire Energy Group Ltd

Empire Energy (ASX:EEG) (OTCMKTS:EEGUF) holds over 14.5 million acres of highly prospective exploration tenements in the McArthur and Beetaloo Basins, Northern Territory. Work undertaken by the Company since 2010 demonstrates that the Eastern depositional Trough of the McArthur Basin, of which the Company holds 80% has very considerable conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon potential. The Beetaloo sub-Basin, in which Empire holds a substantial position, has independently assessed world class hydrocarbon volumes in place with a major ramp up in industry activity underway to appraise substantial discoveries already made by major Australian oil and gas operators.

Empire Energy is an experienced conventional oil and gas producer with operations in the Appalachia region (New York and Pennsylvania). Empire has been successfully developing and producing oil and gas since 2006.


Lithium Update Henderson Project

Perth, Oct 27, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Venus Metals Corporation Limited ( ASX:VMC ) is pleased to provide an exploration update on the lithium potential of its Henderson Gold-Nickel Project situated in the central section of the Mt Ida/Ularring Greenstone Belt, ca. 50km northwest of Menzies in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia (Figure 1*).Interest in the Mt Ida/Ularring Greenstone Belt as a target for hardrock lithium exploration has increased significantly following recent announcements by Red Dirt Metals (RDT) of substantial intersections of spodumene-bearing lithium pegmatites at their Mt Ida Project, located directly north from and abutting VMC tenement E30/520 (Figure 1*; Refer RDT ASX releases 28 September 2021, 14 October 2021).Lepidolite-rich lithium pegmatites are also known from tenements to the south of E30/520 as reported by Ora Banda Mining (OBM).Historical geological mapping identified abundant pegmatite occurrences, several classified as lithium bearing, over an extensive 10km zone surrounding the Riverina Gold Mine (Refer OBM ASX release 11 October 2021) (Figure 1*).- VMC has initiated a review into the hard-rock lithium potential of the Henderson tenements. Available historical geological mapping confirms the common presence of pegmatite dykes cross-cutting the greenstone sequence at VMC's Snake Hill and Emerald South Prospects (Figure 1*; open file reports A14919, A21888).- A sampling and mapping programme has started to determine the composition of outcropping pegmatites. A total of 97 rock samples have been collected during a reconnaissance first field visit (Figure 1*) with assays pending.- Results will be released to the market after assay results have been received and completion of the review.The Henderson Project comprises five exploration licences covering an approximately 800 km2 area that includes about 25km strike length of the Mt Ida/Ularring Greenstone Belt (Figure 1*). The current sampling is focussed on tenement E30/520 (90% Venus, 10% Prospector) and E29/1112 (100% Venus).*To view 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.


Quarterly Activities Report 30 September 2021

Perth, Oct 27, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Horizon Minerals Limited ( ASX:HRZ ) is pleased to provide the September 2021 Quarterly Activities Report. Horizon is a gold production, development and exploration company within the Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie regions of Western Australia.Exploration drilling at Kestrel confirms potential for new discovery with excellent drilling results to date including:o 18m @ 4.64g/t Au from 49m including 1m @ 56.65g/t Au from 64m and 5m @ 5.22g/t Au from 94m including 1m @ 18.91g/t Au from 97m (KRC21002)o 15m @ 4.66g/t Au from 84m including both 1m @ 21.69g/t Au from 84m and 1m @ 18.50g/t Au from 98m (KRC21007)A key focus for the Company is on exploration upside within our 1,100km2 tenement package with up to four drill rigs currently operating as part of the largest ever 50,000m exploration program. Horizon holds numerous non-core assets including listed investments and a joint venture in place covering the world class 1.8Bt Richmond - Julia Creek oxide Vanadium Project in North Queensland.Primary activities during the Quarter included the continuation of the 50,000m project generation and new discovery drilling program and release of results, resource modelling and mine optimisation studies as part of the consolidated Feasibility Study, pursuit of further regional consolidation, joint venture reviews, consolidation and divestment opportunities and strengthening of the team ahead of a significant growth phase.To view the Quarterly Report, please visit:About Horizon Minerals Limited

Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed.

Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline.

Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage.


Diorite North Significant High-Grade Gold Discovery

Perth, Oct 27, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Torian Resources Limited ( ASX:TNR ) is pleased to announce significant high-grade gold intercepts from Diorite North and shallow gold intercepts from Diorite East.Torian's Executive Director Mr Peretz Schapiro said "We have always believed in the prospectivity of Diorite as it is a historically mineral-rich tenure situated within a very prolific region of the Goldfields. Today's discovery justifies this belief. We believe that these high-grade results are just the tip of the iceberg of what Diorite has to offer. We are excited to follow up on these results in the near future as we begin work on planning our next drilling campaign at Diorite. The shallow gold results in oxide at Diorite East are also very significant as it continues to confirm our interpretation of the area regarding its structural and geological similarities to Mt Stirling-Viserion. In addition oxide gold is considerably valuable and highly sought after by other companies in the region. The technical success of this campaign cannot be overstated. Claudio has expertly planned and managed this drilling campaign which has confirmed his structural and geological model of Diorite. Again, the board would like to thank geological and field team for their efforts in significantly improving assay turn-around times. This is obviously critical work in enabling the company to move forward at a faster pace, as the data received helps plan future exploration work on the assets.Diorite Drilling updateSignificant high-grade gold mineralisation has been intercepted at Diorite North from the Unexpected Mine Workings with multiple high-grade and composite anomalous intervals returning:- 2m @ 12.18 g/t Au from 20m (DIRC030); inc 1m @ 14.67 g/t Au from 21m; with a further significant anomalous zone of 4m @ 4.95 g/t Au from 52m- 4m @ 1.41 g/t Au from 64m (DIRC031)High-grade mineralised zone extends recent intercept of 1m @ 4.66 g/t Au from 109m (DIRC014 ASX 08/08/2021).Torian's Diorite tenure hosts numerous historical mines and workings including the historic Diorite King mine that produced at 73 g/t Au.The Unexpected Mine Workings along with Diorite King, Diorite Queen and Kiaora-Meteor prospects, all share structural links.Assays from Kiaora-Meteor also returned shallow mineralisation up to 1m @ 1.09 g/t Au from 29m (DIRC027).A total of 10 RC drill holes for 806m were drilled at Diorite East and Diorite North.Shallow oxide gold mineralisation has been intercepted at Diorite East, sub-parallel to the Diorite East Shear Zone with peak intercepts of:- 2m @ 1.11 g/t Au from 19m (DIRC022); inc 1m @ 1.51 g/t Au from 20m- 1m @ 1.75 g/t Au from 32m (DIRC023)Drilling at Diorite East Shear Zone (DESZ) tested the central and north-west section of the interpreted ~460m target zone following up recently discovered mineralisation with a peak 1m @ 2.19 g/t Au from 8m (DIRC006; ASX announcement 8 August 2021).Diorite East shares structural and geological similarities to Mt Stirling-Viserion structural setting in that both are NW-SE shear zones situated sub-parallel to the regional significant Ursus Fault.To view tables and figures, please visit:About Torian Resources Limited

Torian Resources Ltd (ASX:TNR) is a gold exploration and development company with an extensive and strategic land holding comprising eight projects and over 400km2 of tenure in the Goldfields Region of Western Australia.

Torian's flagship project, Zuleika, is located along the world-class Zuleika Shear. The Zuleika Shear is the fourth largest gold producing region in Australia and consistently produces some of the country's highest grade and lowest cost gold mines. Torian's Zuleika project lies north and partly along strike of several major gold deposits including Northern Star's (ASX:NST) 7.0Moz East Kundana Joint Venture and Evolutions (ASX:EVN) 1.8Moz Frogs Legs and White Foil deposits.

Torian's other projects include the strategically located Mt Stirling and Malcolm Projects in the Leonora region (near Red 5's King of the Hills Project), where it recently completed updated Mineral Resource Estimates and preliminary scoping studies, and a suite of other projects in the Kalgoorlie region including Credo Well JV Zuleika JV, Bonnie Vale, Gibraltar and Mount Monger/Wombola.
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Malibu, CA, Oct 27, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Join Ellis Martin for a conversation with Robert Rohlfing, the CEO of Desert Mountain Energy Corp. ( CVE:DME ) ( OTCMKTS:DMEHF ). Desert Mountain Energy is a forward-looking resource company actively engaged in the exploration and development of Helium and Rare Earth Gas properties in the U.S. Southwest, with its executive offices in Vancouver, Canada. Currently, the company holds +85,000 acres land in Arizona, the world's best address for Helium. In this segment Ellis meets chats with these gentlemen in Scottsdale Arizona's Old Town District as Desert Mountain Energy Discovers Commercial A Helium/Hydrogen Well.To listen to the Interview, please visit:About Desert Mountain Energy Corp.

Desert Mountain Energy Corp. is a publicly traded exploration and resource company focused on the discovery and development of rare earth gas fields in the US. The Company is primarily looking for elements deemed critical to the green energy and high technology industries.
PAGE, Ariz.  The superintendent of the Page Unified School District who resigned after allegedly making a racist remark at a school board meeting now intends to stay on the job.

Larry Wallen resigned Sunday but notified the district early Tuesday that he changed his mind, the district posted on its Facebook page.

Phoenix TV station CBS 5 reported that parents in the far northern Arizona school district that borders the Navajo Nation allege Wallen called Indigenous students brown kids in a discussion about how to address a shortage of teachers and other faculty members.

The discussion at the Oct. 19 school board meeting included having more virtual teachers in the classroom with the help of a classroom assistant, rather than having the teachers physically at the school. One parent asked how that would affect student performance, and alleged Wallen responded by suggesting brown kids in the district will struggle.

Wallen has served as superintendent for less than two years in the district where the majority of students are Native American. Wallen said hes embarrassed following the allegations and apologized for creating this kind of disharmony.

What most people dont know is my whole family is Navajo, Wallen told CBS 5. My wifes Navajo, my grandkids are Navajo, my sons Navajo, Wallen said. And to think that I would make racist remarks is  after 35 years on Navajo, is very unforgiving.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  State health officials say they have a plan to end the 13-year wait faced by families seeking services under a developmental disabilities program.

In a legislative hearing Tuesday, members of the state departments of Health and Human Services said they are awaiting federal approval to tap into a temporary funding stream to move about 4,100 people off the waiting list and into services in the next two years.

State funding of about $75 million a year would be needed eventually.

Acting Health Secretary David Scrase, who also leads the Human Services Department, called it a rare opportunity of alignment between federal funding and a critical state goal.

This is an exciting time, he told legislators.

Incredibly long waits have plagued the state Developmental Disabilities Waiver program for years. In the Albuquerque area, for example, the individuals now getting removed from the waiting list have typically been waiting since 2008 for the funding to become available.

Participants can receive therapy, help with employment and other services aimed at allowing them to be active members of the community. Its called a waiver program because the federal government has waived the requirement to use a nursing home or other institutional setting to provide the services.

Jason Cornwell, director of the Developmental Disabilities Supports Division of the Department of Health, outlined the plan to end the waiting list during a meeting of the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee.

The state would rely on federal funding at first to pay for services for every individual on the waiting list, and then use state funding starting in about four years to maintain the program.

We believe we have a blueprint to move our state forward and tackle this problem, Cornwell said.

New Mexico is seeking approval from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to use funding available for home- and community-based services.

In public testimony Tuesday, Robert Kegel, whose son receives waiver services, urged legislators to take immediate action on a variety of fronts to improve the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities.

Weve denied people the care theyre absolutely entitled to, he said.

Senate Majority Whip Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, said New Mexicos strong financial position makes it an appropriate time to end the waiting list.

Strong revenue growth is projected for the coming year, and federal stimulus funds have flooded the state.

We have to figure out a plan  a plan that really works, Lopez said.
WASHINGTON  The U.S. moved a step closer to expanding COVID-19 vaccinations for millions more children as government advisers on Tuesday endorsed kid-size doses of Pfizers shots for 5- to 11-year-olds.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted unanimously, with one abstention, that the vaccines benefits in preventing COVID-19 in that age group outweigh any potential risks. That includes questions about a heart-related side effect thats been very rare in teens and young adults despite their use of a much higher vaccine dose.

While children are far less likely than older people to get severe COVID-19, ultimately many panelists decided its important to give parents the choice to protect their youngsters  especially those at high risk of illness or who live in places where other precautions, like masks in schools, arent being used.

This is an age group that deserves and should have the same opportunity to be vaccinated as every other age, said panel member Dr. Amanda Cohn of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The FDA isnt bound by the panels recommendation and is expected to make its own decision within days. If the FDA concurs, theres still another step: Next week, the CDC will have to decide whether to recommend the shots and which youngsters should get them.

Full-strength shots made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech already are recommended for everyone 12 and older but pediatricians and many parents are clamoring for protection for younger children. The extra-contagious delta variant has caused an alarming rise in pediatric infections  and families are frustrated with school quarantines and having to say no to sleepovers and other rites of childhood to keep the virus at bay.

In the 5- to 11-year-old age group, there have been over 8,300 hospitalizations reported, about a third requiring intensive care, and nearly 100 deaths.

States are getting ready to roll out the shots  just a third of the amount given to teens and adults  that will come in special orange-capped vials to avoid dosage mix-ups. More than 25,000 pediatricians and other primary care providers have signed up so far to offer vaccination, which will also be available at pharmacies and other locations.

But for all that anticipation, there also are people who strongly oppose vaccinating younger children, and both FDA and its advisers were inundated with an email campaign seeking to block the Pfizer shot.

Dr. Jay Portnoy of Childrens Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, said despite over 4,000 emails urging him to vote against the vaccine, he was persuaded by the data showing it works. Portnoy said he also was representing parents I see every day in the clinic who are terrified of sending their children to school.  They need a voice also.

Panelists stressed they werent supporting vaccine mandates for young children  and the FDA doesnt make mandate decisions. FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks also said it would be highly unusual for other groups to mandate something thats cleared only for emergency use. Several advisers said they wished they could tailor the shots for the highest-risk youngsters, a decision that would fall to the CDC.

Dr. James Hildreth of Meharry Medical College said he ultimately voted in favor of the vaccine to make sure that the children who really need this vaccine  primarily Black and brown children in our country  get it.

Pfizer studied 2,268 elementary schoolchildren given two shots three weeks apart of either a placebo or the kid dose. Vaccinated youngsters developed levels of virus-fighting antibodies just as strong as teens and young adults who got the full-strength shots. More important, the vaccine proved nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic infection  based on 16 cases of COVID-19 among kids given dummy shots compared to just three who got vaccinated.

The kid dosage also proved safe, with similar or fewer temporary side effects  such as sore arms, fever or achiness  that teens experience. At FDAs request, Pfizer more recently enrolled another 2,300 youngsters into the study, and preliminary safety data has shown no red flags.

But that study isnt large enough to detect any extremely rare side effects, such as the heart inflammation that occasionally occurs after the second full-strength dose, mostly in young men and teen boys. The panel spent hours discussing if younger children, given a smaller dose, might face that side effect, too.

Statistical models developed by FDA scientists showed that in most scenarios of the continuing pandemic, the vaccine would prevent far more COVID-19 hospitalizations in this age group than would potentially be caused by that rare heart problem.

FDAs models suggested the vaccine could prevent 200 to 250 hospitalizations for every 1 million youngsters vaccinated  assuming that virus spread remained high, something thats hard to predict. FDA scientists also said younger kids likely wont have as much risk of heart inflammation as teens but if they did, it might cause about 58 hospitalizations per million vaccinations.

I do think its a relatively close call, said adviser Dr. Eric Rubin of Harvard University. Its really going to be a question of what the prevailing conditions are but were never going to learn about how safe this vaccine is unless we start giving it.

Moderna also is studying its vaccine in young children, and Pfizer has additional studies underway in those younger than 5.

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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.
HOUSTON  A woman and her boyfriend were arrested Tuesday in the death of the womans 8-year-old son, whose skeletal remains were found inside a Houston-area apartment with three surviving but apparently abandoned siblings, officials said.

Brian W. Coulter, the 31-year-old boyfriend of the dead childs mother, was charged Tuesday with murder. The mother, Gloria Y. Williams, 35, was charged with felony injury to a child by omission, and tampering with evidence (human corpse), Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted Tuesday night.

Both were booked into the Harris County Jail without bond pending appearances before a magistrate. It was not immediately clear if the two had attorneys. Gonzalez said more charges are possible.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston, which conducts all autopsies in the county, listed the primary cause of death as homicidal violence with multiple blunt force injuries.

Michele Arnold, a spokeswoman for the institute, said her agency could not provide additional details.

Deputy Thomas Gilliland, a spokesman for the Harris County Sheriffs Office, also said he could not immediately provide any more information because his agency was still investigating the death.

One of the surviving siblings, a 15-year-old, called the sheriffs department Sunday and told authorities his brother had been dead for a year and the body was inside the apartment, according to the law enforcement agency.

Deputies found the teen and two other siblings, ages 10 and 7, living alone in the apartment, Gonzalez said. The 15-year-old told authorities his parents had not lived in the apartment for several months.

Gonzalez said it appeared that the surviving children were fending for each other, with the oldest sibling caring for the younger two.

Their apartment didnt have any power, and a neighbor had helped the children by charging a cellphone for them and buying them food, Gilliland said.

The younger children appeared to be malnourished and had physical injuries, according to the sheriffs office. All three siblings were taken to a hospital and assessed and treated.

The children last attended school in May 2020, said Craig Eichhorn, a spokesman for the Alief school district. They didnt return for the 2020-2021 school year, and school officials attempted an unsuccessful home visit in September 2020, Eichhorn said.

A judge on Monday granted the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services temporary custody of the three children.

Investigators were still trying to determine why no one with the apartment complex had noticed anything unusual, Gilliland said.

Highmark Residential, the property management company which runs the apartment complex, did not immediately return a call seeking comment on Tuesday.

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This story has been corrected to show that Brian W. Coulter is 31 years old and Gloria Y. Williams is 35 years old.

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Associated Press writer Terry Wallace in Dallas contributed to this report.

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Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

The state reported 11 additional COVID-19 deaths Tuesday, a day after New Mexico surpassed the grim milestone of 5,000 deaths from the virus.

Also Tuesday, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel endorsed a kid-sized version of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.

The panel found that the vaccines benefits in preventing COVID-19 outweigh any potential risks.

State health officials estimate that 72.3% of New Mexicans 18 and older have completed the COVID-19 vaccination series, and 81.8% have received at least one dose.

The New Mexico Department of Health on Tuesday reported 687 additional COVID-19 cases, including 147 in Bernalillo County, 91 in San Juan County, and 68 in Dona Ana County.

The 11 additional deaths bring the states COVID-19 death toll to 5,012, the Department of Health reported.

On Monday, the agency reported 5,002 COVID-19 deaths. But the death of one Bernalillo County man previously listed as a COVID-19 victim was removed Tuesday due to insufficient information, health officials said.

Two Bernalillo County residents were among those whose deaths were announced Tuesday, including a man in his 50s who died more than 30 days ago.

Recent deaths also include those of two San Miguel County men, and residents of Chaves, Curry, San Juan, Santa Fe, Sandoval and Sierra counties, all in their 60s, 70s and 80s.

Those who died recently also include an Otero County woman in her 30s who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
PHOENIX  Election officials told a congressional committee Tuesday theyve received graphic threats to their safety since the 2020 election and warned that pressure on election workers is a threat to democracy.

Experienced election administrators are increasingly leaving the field as they face unsupported accusations of manipulating election results, a bipartisan group of state election officials told the Senate Rules and Administration Committee.

Its not worth it any more for these not-very-high-paying jobs, combined with the level of threat theyre experiencing at the moment, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat who is running for governor, said.

Hobbs has at times had round-the-clock security due to threats from supporters of former President Donald Trump who falsely claim that his loss in Arizona was marred by fraud. She described threatening phone calls to her office and said critics tried to get her husband fired from his job.

Lets be clear, this is domestic terrorism, said Al Schmidt, a Republican city commissioner in Philadelphia and a member of the Board of Elections. The whole point is to terrorize, to intimidate and to coerce.

Threatening phone calls died down after President Joe Biden was sworn in but have since ratcheted back up since Trump supporters have pushed for the Legislature to review the 2020 vote count, he said.

Cybersecurity and election administration experts in the Trump administration said the 2020 election was secure, and no evidence have widespread fraud has been found. But Trump and an army of his supporters have aggressively promoted the false narrative that the election was stolen from him and have pushed for audits led by people who share their views.

Most prominently, a post-election review led by the Arizona Senate Republicans confirmed Bidens victory in Maricopa County but spread falsehoods about malfeasance that ignored basic facts about how elections are run.

Michael Adams, the Republican Secretary of State of Kentucky said said hes faced verbal abuse form Democrats accusing him of promoting vote suppression.

An exodus of experienced election workers would have ripple effects that undermine the ability to efficiently run trustworthy elections, experts said.

That could mean longer wait times, closure of polling places, a rise of voter intimidation and harassment at the polls and widespread loss of confidence in elections, said Wade Henderson, interim president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
SANTA FE  New Mexico would bolster job training, better align its higher educational programs with the needs of employers and dedicate more money for business development efforts under a new 20-year economic plan unveiled Tuesday.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and several Cabinet officials in her administration said the plan could help stem a brain drain of young people leaving New Mexico and attract out-of-state residents looking for good-paying jobs.

A lot of these ideas arent really new, but they are being supercharged in a way our business partners have been requesting for decades, Lujan Grisham said during a Tuesday news conference at the state Capitol.

The governor also signed an executive order aimed at reducing red tape in the states occupational licensing processes  the latest attempt to make the state more business friendly.

The order directs the state Regulation and Licensing Department to identify rules or requirements that impose an unnecessary regulatory burden on the public by mid-December, but stipulates any changes should not compromise consumer protection.

The targeted fields could include construction, cosmetology and mental health providers, with the licensing period for such officials possibly being extended from one year to three years, Regulation and Licensing Superintendent Linda Trujillo said.

Removing red tape and bureaucracy is probably the best way to tell entrepreneurs we want you to do well in our state, Lujan Grisham added.

While New Mexico has posted recent job growth, the states population increased by just 2.8% since 2010  to slightly more than 2.1 million people as of 2020  and is growing at a much slower clip than other states in the region.

Given that backdrop, the state Economic Development Department hired nonprofit research firm SRI International earlier this year to conduct stakeholder interviews and help develop a strategy.

The 384-page document was paid for out of a $1.5 million federal grant and identifies five key challenges for New Mexico  ranging from misalignment between higher education and industry to the dominance of the public sector in the states innovation ecosystem  that have contributed to some of the states economic woes, including low wages and slow labor force growth compared to neighboring states.

In addition to taking a statewide look, the document examines challenges and opportunities in different regions of New Mexico, looking at details from affordable housing in Santa Fe to transportation infrastructure in Las Cruces.

The plan also establishes six main strategies to help alleviate those challenges, including modernizing the states economic development framework, adding capacity for New Mexicos cities, towns and tribal communities and reforming workforce training efforts.

These recommendations are best viewed as a roadmap, one that enables New Mexico to build upon its current momentum to create a robust, diverse economy that provides greater opportunities for residents and businesses of New Mexicos urban, rural, and tribal communities, the study reads.

The 20-year plan and executive order were lauded Tuesday by business leaders, some of whom attended the governors news conference.

We believe that by reducing the regulatory burden on individuals and small businesses, we increase access to the economy for all New Mexicans, especially for those communities who have been historically disenfranchised and excluded, said Rob Black, president and CEO of the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce.

Journal staff writer Stephen Hamway contributed to this report.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Crime remains a major concern for Albuquerque voters, but homelessness has emerged as another significant worry, according to a new Journal Poll.

Two-thirds (66%) of likely city voters surveyed this month said crime is the biggest issue facing Albuquerque residents. In the unaided question, almost a quarter (23%) named homelessness as a top issue.

No other one issue was raised by more than 5% of survey respondents.

While respondents were asked to name the biggest issue, poll takers accepted up to three responses. Dozens of issues were cited, ranging from a need for more police to the cost of housing to health care.

The new poll somewhat resembles voters sentiment before the last Albuquerque mayoral election, in 2017, when 69% of voters the Journal polled said the high crime rate was the citys biggest issue.

But homelessness was not a common answer four years ago, as more voters then identified the economy, education and even Albuquerque Rapid Transit construction as the citys top problem.

Journal pollster Brian Sanderoff said voters in years past tended to consistently say jobs and the economy were their top concerns, but that has given way to crime. He said that both statistics and politics could be driving that trend. Mayoral challengers Manuel Gonzales and Eddy Aragon each have criticized incumbent Mayor Tim Kellers record on public safety, arguing they could do better. While overall crime has dropped in the city due to reduced property crime, Albuquerque has in 2021 already broken its annual homicide record, with over two months still to go.

I think that crime is a focus of the campaign, so it helps bring the issue top of mind to voters, but I think the voters on their own are really concerned about crime, said Sanderoff, whose Albuquerque-based firm, Research & Polling Inc., conducted the poll.

The percentage that mentioned crime as a main concern differed widely based on candidate preference. Among Keller supporters, 60% listed crime as a main concern, compared to 74% of Aragon supporters and 81% of those planning to vote for Gonzales.

Is it that Gonzales and Aragon voters are just more likely to be concerned about crime or have they been receptive to (those candidates) message? Sanderoff said. Its probably both, frankly.

In the same poll, interviewers also asked respondents to rate their level of concern about Albuquerques crime rate, homelessness, the quality of public school education, COVID-19 and climate change on a 1-5 scale, with 5 representing the highest level of concern.

An overwhelming majority  87%  gave crime a 4 or 5, though even more  89%  said the same for homelessness.

Older poll participants and Republicans were far more likely to rate crime as a serious concern.

Only 54% of those ages 18 to 34 rated crime a 5, compared with 79% of those 65-plus.

Similarly, 61% of Democrats and 71% of independents gave crime the highest score, compared with 91% of Republicans.

There also were dramatic political disparities on the questions about COVID-19 and climate change.

While 55% of all respondents rated climate change a 4 or 5, it was far higher among Democrats specifically (78%) and considerably lower among Republicans (20%).

On COVID-19, 49% expressed concern overall, but that includes 61% of Democrats and 29% of Republicans.

This is part of the culture wars, Sanderoff said of how differently Democrats and Republicans reported their fear about the pandemic and climate change.

Worry about education varied less based on political affiliation, though more Republicans than Democrats described themselves as very concerned.

Republicans and Democrats are more aligned when it comes to their concern about homelessness.

However, more women (71%) than men (55%) reported the highest level of concern about homelessness, as did more Hispanic (76%) than Anglo (58%) respondents.

The poll, which took place Oct. 15 through Oct. 21, was based on a scientific, citywide sample of 536 likely regular local election voters. The voter sample has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points. The margin of error grows for subsamples.

All interviews were conducted by live, professional interviewers, with multiple callbacks to households that did not initially answer the phone.

Both cellphone numbers (82%) and landlines (18%) were used.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

The New Mexico Cancer Center is planning to build a $43 million proton beam therapy facility at its Albuquerque headquarters, bringing to the state for the first time a technology that fights certain cancers in a more targeted fashion than traditional radiation.

This will definitely be an advance for this cancer center, said New Mexico Cancer Center CEO Barbara McAneny during an interview with the Journal.  It really puts us at the forefront of being innovative.

McAneny said the planned proton therapy facility, which will be the equivalent of three stories tall and involve two components that each weigh more than a Boeing 737 aircraft, will take around three years to design and build. Still, she said the benefits to patients are numerous, giving the center another way to fight a range of cancers that are difficult to treat through other methods.

We want to be able to have the tools here for New Mexicans, that they can get every modality of treatment that they absolutely need, and have it in one building, McAneny said.

City and state leaders were on hand to celebrate the expansion during a news conference Tuesday. During the event, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who lost her sister to brain cancer, praised the center for bringing the most advanced, significant therapy available to New Mexico.

Im incredibly gratified, incredibly touched, just thinking about every single life you will save, Lujan Grisham said.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said the technology has the potential to make Albuquerque the center for this kind of care for other areas of the Mountain West, bringing patients to the city rather than requiring them to travel to other parts of the country.

Were proud to be the health hub for a thousand-square-mile radius around us, he said.

Keller said the facility is expected to create 250 construction jobs, and $1.5 million in additional economic impact.

When we do think about the cornerstones of what makes Albuquerque special  one is absolutely health care, he said.

Gary Barlow, radiation oncology director for the cancer center, said Friday that proton therapy has gained popularity over the last 15 years as a technique to fight cancers that are challenging to treat with traditional radiation routines. Unlike conventional radiation, which uses X-rays that travel in and out of the body and can damage normal tissue cells along with cancerous ones, proton therapy attacks the cancer specifically.

Barlow, who developed similar centers in Texas and Florida before coming to New Mexico, said the technology accelerates protons  subatomic particles present in the nucleus of an atom  using a device known as a cyclotron. The protons are then administered to the patient. Unlike radiation, the therapy can be administered very precisely, Barlow said, attacking just the tumor and stopping without passing through the patient. This, Barlow said, means less damage to surrounding cells, and fewer harmful side effects.

When you dont damage normal, healthy tissue, you dont get chronic, long-term side effects, he said.

A 2019 study from medical journal JAMA Oncology notes that the treatment was associated with significantly reduced acute adverse events that caused unplanned hospitalizations when compared with conventional radiation.

Because the therapy is more precise, Barlow said its useful for combating tumors that are near organs, including central nervous system cancers, prostate cancer, lung cancer and breast cancers located near the heart.

We dont get to choose where a cancer happens in our bodies, Barlow said.

McAneny said just 38 locations across the country currently offer proton therapy, due in large part to its higher cost. McAneny did not offer a specific cost range, but acknowledged that it would likely cost slightly more than radiation treatment at a New Mexico hospital.

Despite that, McAneny said shes optimistic that the funding structure can help the cancer center keep costs relatively low for patients. The cancer center is privately funding the project, which McAneny said should allow the center not to charge additional fees to patients.

What we have here is a bunch of doctors that are going to the bank and taking out a loan and signing our personal guarantees on that loan to build this, McAneny said. So were committed to bringing this.
CAIRO  The general leading Sudans coup has vowed to usher the country to an elected government. But Abdel-Fattah Burhan has powerful allies, including Gulf nations and a feared Sudanese paramilitary commander, and he appears intent on keeping the military firmly in control.

Burhan first gained prominence in 2019, when he and other top generals toppled Omar al-Bashir, under pressure from mass demonstrations against the autocrats 30-year rule.

He remained in charge for several months, until international pressure forced the military to reach a power-sharing deal with the protesters. That established a joint civilian-military Sovereign Council headed by Burhan that was supposed to rule Sudan until elections, set for 2023.

Burhans record was relatively clean and he was not indicted by The International Criminal Court like al-Bashir and others for crimes against humanity during the Darfur conflict of the early 2000s. He was a rare non-Islamist among the top generals during al-Bashirs military-Islamist regime. That helped Sudan emerge from the international pariah status it had under al-Bashir.

On Monday, Burhan swept away the vestiges of civilian government. He dissolved the Sovereign Council and the transitional government, detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and other officials, and declared a state of emergency. Hamdok was released Tuesday, but others remain in custody.

The takeover came just weeks before Burhan, 61, was scheduled to be replaced by a civilian as head of the council. He has promised that the military will hand over power once a government is elected in July 2023.

Civilian control would not only undermine the militarys political power, but also threaten its extensive financial resources and could lead to prosecutions for rights violations in the past 30 years.

Burhan has been backed in recent years by Egypt, led by a general-turned-president, and Gulf countries, particularly the United Arab Emirates. He trained in Egypts military college and has made multiple visits since 2019 to the Emirates de-facto ruler, Abu Dhabi crown prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In a sign of the decisive behind-the-scenes role of Gulf countries, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with the foreign minister of regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia about Sudan on Tuesday. A State Department statement said both men condemned the military takeover.

On Monday, Egypt and some of the Gulf countries had avoided criticizing the coup, calling instead for calm and dialogue.

Theres a general preference for a strong military leader who is very transactional. That fits Gulf interests more than a democratic government, said Cameron Hudson, a former U.S. State Department official and Sudan expert at the Atlantic Councils Africa Center.

Theyre fearful of what an Arab Spring success story looks like, he said, referring to the uprisings in 2011 that helped inspire the Sudanese protests.

Also standing behind Burhan is another general, one who is more feared: Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, commander of the Rapid Support Forces  a paramilitary unit that grew out of the al-Bashir-backed Janjaweed militias notorious for atrocities and rapes during the Darfur conflict.

RSF fighters were prominent in Mondays coup, taking part in arresting Hamdok and other senior officials and clamping down in the streets. The force is virtually a de facto parallel army of tens of thousands of battle-tested fighters, said Suliman Baldo, senior adviser at The Sentry, an investigative and policy group focusing on war crimes in Africa.

Burhan has a long connection with Dagalo, who is also known as Hemedti. Burhan was a commander in Darfur, where the military and RSF waged a brutal campaign to crush an insurgency, Baldo said. As many as 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were displaced in a campaign of mass rape and abuse.

He distanced himself from the atrocities, once telling the BBC, I am not responsible for any bad actions in Darfur As far as Im concerned, I was fighting an enemy just as all regular forces do.

In 2015, Burhan and Dagalo coordinated the deployment of Sudanese troops and RSF fighters to Yemen to fight with the Saudi-led coalition against Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels. Their forces received hefty payments from the Saudis and Emiratis, building those countries connections to the two commanders.

In the uprising against al-Bashir, Burhan and Dagalo refused orders to violently disperse the protesters and even met with them at their sit-in camp. Behind the scenes, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates encouraged them to push out al-Bashir.

But protests continued after al-Bashirs fall, with demands for the military to give up. On June 2, 2019, security forces and RSF fighters attacked the protesters. More than 100 people were killed, and soldiers raped dozens of women. Prosecutors blamed paramilitary forces, but the bloodshed stained Burhan and Dagalo in the eyes of protesters.

Burhan was responsible because he was the leader, its that simple, said Osman Mirgany, a Khartoum-based columnist and editor of the daily al-Tayar. He promised not to touch the sit-in and then a massacre occurred. From that point on, people realized he would never keep his promises.

For the militarys opponents, that skepticism hangs over Burhans promises of civilian rule. Baldo, of the Sentry group, said the general and Dagalo are both intent on remaining free from civilian oversight.

Moreover, he said, they are concerned about being held accountable for atrocity crimes committed under their command  in Darfur and in the 2019 sit-in killings and rapes.



Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai contributed.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  The reports of hateful and violent posts on Facebook started pouring in on the night of May 28 last year, soon after then-President Donald Trump sent a warning on social media that looters in Minneapolis would be shot.

It had been three days since Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on the neck of George Floyd for more than eight minutes until the 46-year-old Black man lost consciousness, showing no signs of life. A video taken by a bystander had been viewed millions of times online. Protests had taken over Minnesotas largest city and would soon spread throughout cities across America.

But it wasnt until after Trump posted about Floyds death that the reports of violence and hate speech increased rapidly on Facebook across the country, an internal company analysis of the ex-presidents social media post reveals.

These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd and I wont let that happen, Trump tweeted at 9:53 p.m. on May 28, in comments he repeated on his Facebook account a few hours later. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts the shooting starts!

The former president has since been suspended from both Twitter and Facebook.

Leaked Facebook documents provide a first-hand look at how Trumps social media posts ignited more anger in an already deeply divided country that was eventually lit on fire with reports of hate speech and violence across the platform. Facebooks own internal, automated controls, meant to catch posts that violate rules, predicted with almost 90% certainty that Trumps message broke the tech companys rules against inciting violence.

Yet, the tech giant didnt take any action on Trumps message.

Offline, the next day, protests  some of which turned violent  engulfed nearly every U.S. city, big and small.

When people look back at the role Facebook played, they wont say Facebook caused it, but Facebook was certainly the megaphone, said Lanier Holt, a communications professor at Ohio State University. I dont think theres any way they can get out of saying that they exacerbated the situation.

Social media rival Twitter, meanwhile, responded quickly at the time by covering Trumps tweet with a warning and prohibiting users from sharing it any further.

Facebooks internal discussions were revealed in disclosures made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form by former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugens legal counsel. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including The Associated Press.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Trump was one of many high-profile users, including politicians and celebrities, exempted from some or all of the companys normal enforcement policies.

Hate speech and violence reports had been mostly limited to the Minneapolis region after Floyds death, the documents reveal.

However, after Trumps post on May 28, situations really escalated across the country, according to the memo, published on June 5 of last year.

The internal analysis shows a five-fold increase in violence reports on Facebook, while complaints of hate speech tripled in the days following Trumps post. Reports of false news on the platform doubled. Reshares of Trumps message generated a substantial amount of hateful and violent comments, many of which Facebook worked to remove. Some of those comments included calls to start shooting these thugs and f the white.

By June 2, we can see clearly that the entire country was basically on fire,' a Facebook employee wrote of the increase in hate speech and violence reports in the June 5 memo.

Facebook says its impossible to separate how many of the hate speech reports were driven by Trumps post itself or the controversy over Floyds death.

This spike in user reports resulted from a critical moment in history for the racial justice movement  not from a single Donald Trump post about it, a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. Facebook often reflects whats happening in society and the only way to prevent spikes in user reports during these moments is to not allow them to be discussed on our platform at all, which is something we would never do.

But the internal findings also raise questions about public statements Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made last year as he defended his decision to leave Trumps post untouched.

On May 29, for example, Zuckerberg said the company looked closely to see if Trumps words broke any of its policies and concluded that they did not. Zuckerberg also said he left the post up because it warned people of Trumps plan to deploy troops.

I know many people are upset that weve left the Presidents posts up, but our position is that we should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies, Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook account the night of May 29, as protests erupted around the country.

Yet, Facebooks own automated enforcement controls determined the post likely did break the rules.

Our violence and incitement classifier was almost 90% certain that this (Trump) post violated Facebooks  policy, the June 5 analysis reads.

That contradicts conversations Zuckerberg had with civil rights leaders last year to quell concerns that Trumps post was a specific threat to Black people protesting Floyds death, said Rashad Robinson, the president of Color of Change, a civil rights advocacy group. The group also spearheaded a boycott of Facebook in the weeks following Trumps post.

To be clear, I had a direct argument with Zuckerberg days after that post where he gaslit me and he specifically pushed back on any notion that this violated their rules, Robinson said in an interview with the AP last week.

A Facebook spokesperson said that its internal controls do not always correctly predict when a post has violated rules and that human review, which was done in the case of Trumps post, is more accurate.

To curb the ex-presidents ability to stoke hateful reactions on its platform, Facebook employees suggested last year that the company limit reshares on similar posts that may violate Facebooks rules in the future.

But Trump continued to use his Facebook account, which more than 32 million follow, to fire up his supporters throughout much of the remainder of his presidency. In the days leading up to a deadly siege in Washington on Jan. 6, Trump regularly promoted false claims that widespread voter fraud caused him to lose the White House, spurring hundreds of his fans to storm the U.S. Capitol and demand the results of a fair election be overturned.

It wasnt until after the Capitol riot, and as Trump was on his way out of the White House, that Facebook pulled him off the platform in January, announcing his account would be suspended until at least 2023.

Theres a reason Facebook waited so long to take any action, said Jennifer Mercieca, a professor at Texas A&M University who closely studied the former presidents rhetoric.

Facebook really benefited from Trump and Trumps ability to draw attention and engagement through outrage, Mercieca said. They wanted Trump to keep going on.

___

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the first name of the Ohio State University professor to Lanier; and to correct the times Trump sent posts about George Floyd to Twitter and Facebook.

___

See full coverage of the The Facebook Papers here: https://apnews.com/hub/the-facebook-papers
SAN FRANCISCO  A powerful atmospheric river storm that swept through California set rainfall records and helped douse wildfires. But it remained to be seen how much of a dent it made in the states drought.

The weather system weakened as it moved south but still dropped enough rain Monday evening to cause mudslides that closed roads in the San Bernardino Mountains northeast of Los Angeles.

The atmospheric river storm, a long and wide plume of moisture pulled in from the Pacific, came ashore in Northern California over the weekend.

Drenching rains caused widespread flooding and rock slides. Strong winds knocked down trees and toppled two big trucks on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge near San Francisco. Pacific Gas & Electric reported that 646,000 homes and businesses lost power, though most had it back by Monday.

By early Tuesday, light rain and snow was still falling in northern parts of California and the lone remaining flood warning was in Sonoma County north of San Francisco, where stream levels were slow to fall.

Despite the problems, the rain and mountain snow were welcome in Northern California, which is so dry that nearly all of it is classified as either experiencing extreme or exceptional drought.

The wet weather also greatly reduces the chances of additional wildfires in a region that has borne the brunt of another devastating year of blazes in the state.

The National Weather Service called preliminary rainfall totals from the storm staggering. Four inches (10 centimeters) fell Sunday in downtown San Francisco, making it the fourth-wettest day on record for the city.

Its been a memorable past 24 hours for the Bay Area as the long talked-about atmospheric river rolled through the region, the local weather office said Monday. We literally have gone from fire/drought conditions to flooding in one storm cycle.

Northeast of San Francisco, 5.44 inches (13.82 centimeters) fell on downtown Sacramento, shattering the one-day record for rainfall that had stood since 1880.

Along the states central coast, nearly 5.4 inches (13.72 centimeters) of rain was recorded at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo County. In Southern California, 1.1 inches (2.79 centimeters) fell in Beverly Hills.

Interstate 80, the major highway through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Reno, Nevada, was closed by heavy snow early Monday. In Californias Colusa and Yolo counties, state highways 16 and 20 were shut for several miles because of mudslides, the state Department of Transportation said.

The same storm system also slammed Oregon and Washington state, causing power outages affecting tens of thousands of people. Two people were killed when a tree fell on a vehicle in the greater Seattle area.

Water levels at Lake Oroville, a major Northern California reservoir, rose 20 feet (6.10 meters) over the past week, according to the states Department of Water Resource. Most of the increase came between Saturday and Monday during the height of the storm, KHSL-TV reported.

Justin Mankin, a geography professor at Dartmouth College and co-lead of the Drought Task Force at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said the cycle of going from years-long drought to record-breaking downpours is expected to continue because of climate change.

While this rain is welcome, it comes with these hazards, and it wont necessarily end the drought, Mankin said. California still needs more precipitation, and it really needs it in high elevations and spread out over a longer time so its not hazardous.

Christy Brigham, chief of resource management and science at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, said the rain was a big relief after the KNP Complex fire torched an unknown number of the giant trees in the park, along with thousands of pines and cedars.

This amount of rainfall is what we call a season-ending event, Brigham said. It should end fire season, and it should end our need  to a large degree  to fight this fire.

Over the weekend, the California Highway Patrol closed a stretch of State Route 70 in Butte and Plumas counties because of multiple landslides within the massive Dixie Fire burn scar.

Cal Fire, the state firefighting agency, did not declare the wildfire season over or cut staffing to lower winter levels.

Wed like to see some more rain coming our way before we look at reducing staffing, spokesman Isaac Sanchez said.

The long-term weather forecast for California suggests drier-than-normal conditions, Mankin said.

To end different aspects of the drought, you are going to need a situation where parts of California get precipitation over the next three months thats about 200% of normal, he said, adding that despite this really, really insane rainfall, the winter is probably going to be drier than average.

___

Associated Press writers Janie Har in San Francisco, Christopher Weber and John Antczak in Los Angeles and Brian Melley in Three Rivers contributed to this report.
PHOENIX  The boards of supervisors in Maricopa and Pinal counties on Wednesday selected three people to fill vacancies in the Arizona House of Representatives.

Architect Christian Solorio will fill a vacant seat from Legislative District 30 in west Phoenix and Glendale.

The Maricopa County supervisors chose Solorio to replace fellow Democrat Raquel Teran, who resigned from the House after being appointed to the Arizona Senate.

In the Senate, Teran replaced former Sen. Tony Navarrete, who resigned after being charged with child molestation. He has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial.

In Pinal County, supervisors picked Republicans Neal Carter to fill a House seat in District 8 and Teresa Martinez for District 11.

Carter, an attorney who works for a software firm, will replace Rep. Frank Pratt, who died. Martinez, an aide to U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, takes over for Rep. Bret Roberts, who resigned for personal reasons.

Solorio, Carter and Martinez will serve through 2022, when all legislative seats are up for election.

State law requires that an appointed replacement come from the same party as the person they replace.
Instagram Celebrity

One of of the biggest names in comedy in the 1950s and 1960s, the caustic comic was famous for poking fun at politicians and presidents during his routines.

Oct 27, 2021

AceShowbiz - Comedy king Mort Sahl has died, aged 94. The caustic comic, who used to perform with a trademark rolled-up newspaper, was one of of the biggest names in comedy in the 1950s and 1960s and became the first stand-up comedian to be featured on Time magazine's cover.

Sahl died on Tuesday, October 26 at his home in Mill Valley, California. He was famous for poking fun at politicians and presidents during his routines and at one point he was so in-demand he earned upwards of $1 million a year.

He was also a sought-after guest on TV talk and variety shows, and he co-hosted the Oscars and fronted the inaugural Grammy Awards. His 1955 album, "At Sunset", is considered the one of the most important recorded comedy LPs, influencing the likes of Woody Allen and many of today's veterans.

Born in Montreal, Canada in 1927, Sahl served in the Army and studied at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. His stand-up career began there but he landed his big break in 1953, when he was hired to perform at a top Berkley, California club. From there, he toured with jazz greats Stan Kenton and Dave Brubeck and became a guest panellist on hit TV game show "What's My Line?"

He also appeared in the films "In Love and War" and "All the Young Men". He upset TV host Ed Sullivan by poking fun at then-President John F. Kennedy on his show and by the mid 1960s, following the death of Kennedy in 1963, his style of political humor was no longer in fashion and Sahl struggled to find work.

Following Kennedy's assassination, Sahl put his comedy career on hold to assist an investigation that concluded the murder was sanctioned by the CIA.

Sahl enjoyed a career resurgence in the early 1970s thanks to the success of his autobiography, "Heartland", and for a decade he appeared on stage and TV. His private life was marred with troubles and tragedies - all three of his marriages ended in divorce and his son, Mort Jr., died in 1996, aged 19.
Instagram Celebrity

The 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' star credits her late father, lawyer Robert Kardashian, for influencing her passion as the mother of four enjoys working hard.

Oct 27, 2021

AceShowbiz - Kim Kardashian is a workaholic, but wouldn't have things any other way.

The star has founded various brands over the years, including SKIMs, KKW Beauty and KKW Fragrance, and Kim thinks she gets her passion for working hard from her late father, Robert Kardashian.

The brunette beauty - who has North, eight, Saint, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, two - explained, "I know, I know, I am (a workaholic). I get a lot of my work ethic from my dad."

Kim admits her days are "full," but she also loves spending time at home with her kids.

The reality star - who has been named a brand innovator by WSJ Magazine - told the publication, "My days are completely micromanaged to the minute."

"In order to get away from the kids, I will go into my office at my house and study. And then working on beauty and rebranding and SKIMs, constantly, I'm always in fittings and fabric meetings. My days are pretty full."

Despite this, Kim can't imagine a time when she's happy to slow down.

The TV star insisted she actually enjoys working and pushing herself to achieve her ambitions.

"I don't see me floating on a yacht," she mused. "I think I'll always feel good when I'm working."

Kim has been tipped to eventually replace Kris Jenner as the leader of the Kardashian/Jenner brand.

She's involved in her family's business dealings, but Kim admitted she's already "really busy."

Speaking about their long-term plans, Kim said, "We've talked about it. I would assemble a team of people to take over. I hope it doesn't happen for a really long time, because I'm really busy."
Marvel Studios Celebrity

During an interview on 'Live With Kelly and Ryan', the star of 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' also opens up about his own struggle with the coronavirus.

Oct 27, 2021

AceShowbiz - Benedict Cumberbatch has applauded Marvel bosses for their health and safety efforts on the set of the "Doctor Strange" sequel. The actor, who has battled COVID-19 since wrapping the film earlier this year (2021), admits he never felt safer during the pandemic than when he was shooting the blockbuster.

"I was lucky enough to be, perversely, all the way through the winter lockdowns we had here [in the U.K.]... doing 'Doctor Strange 2', and it was like the gold standard," he tells "Live With Kelly and Ryan". "I felt more safe there than I have done since that finished."

Cumberbatch is healthy again now, but admits he struggled with the coronavirus. "I'm better now...," he adds. "It's no picnic and it's just a sharp reminder that this thing ain't over yet. I was one of the lucky ones, for sure, but it's horrible."

It was not the first time Cumberbatch showered "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" crew with praises. In September, he told The Hollywood Reporter, "With this government-approved gold standard testing and tracing and temperature taking... it worked, and 500-plus crew came back after Christmas, and there was not one single positive test."

"We never stopped it. I got taken off, because of someone near me getting a false positive. But that was it. People made such sacrifices," the 45-year-old continued. "Some of their children were going to school, and they weren't necessarily going to be sleeping in the same part of the house, or even in the same house. I was really, really blown away by that."
Instagram Celebrity

The talk show host's former spouse reportedly purchased the $80,000 diamond engagement ring for his alleged mistress in 2020, months before the TV hostess started experiencing health issues.

Oct 27, 2021

AceShowbiz - Wendy Williams' ex-husband is ready to walk down the aisle for a second time. Kevin Hunter has gotten engaged to his alleged mistress Sharina Hudson amid "The Wendy Williams Show" host's health crisis.

On Tuesday, October 26, a source close to the former television executive told The Sun that he recently got down on one knee to ask Sharina for her hand in marriage. Adding more details, the informant claimed that Wendy's ex-husband spent $80,000 on the diamond rock for his baby mama. The ring was allegedly purchased back in 2020, months before Wendy started experiencing health issues.

An expert told the publication that the 36-year-old's ring is around four carats with a "round center diamond set in an intricate setting." It's also said that the band sparkles with "a three row-pave, while the center stone is surrounded by a diamond halo."

The engagement news came a year after Kevin's divorce from the talk show host was finalized. In the divorce filing, Sharina was accused of playing a major role in their split after 22 years of marriage.

The talk show host slapped Kevin with legal papers after discovering Kevin had knocked up Sharina and was shacking up with her in a New Jersey home. She cited Kevin's love child as being too much for her to handle or work through with him.

"I've known about her almost since the beginning. I've known that Kevin is a serial cheat. The first time I found out was while I was pregnant with our son on bedrest," Wendy dished after leaving Kevin. "This girl wasn't the only one. She just happens to be the one who kept his baby," she spilled.

After finalizing his divorce, Kevin moved out of the New Jersey mansion he shared with Wendy. An informant said that he "is living with Sharina and their baby" in Boca Raton, Florida. The source added, "They're just really happy together, they have moved on from all the drama in New Jersey with his marriage."

As for Wendy, she's currently recovering from "serious" health complications and taking a break from her daytime show. Amid her absence, the producers on the show were reportedly scrambled as they decided to pay people to fill in empty seats in the studio.

According to Onset Productions website, the show offered $75 cash to "non-union, vaccinated people to sit in the studio" when Whitney Cummings guest-hosts the talk show. "The Wendy Williams Show is the provocative, must-see talk show in daytime," the message read, before adding, "$75 CASH incentive, given same day (3 hrs)."

In the Monday, October 25 episode of the show, Whitney sent her well-wishes to Wendy. "It is completely surreal to be here. I just want to say thank you to Wendy for letting me guest host. What an honor," the 39-year-old actress said during the "Hot Topics" segment.

"Nobody could ever replace you," Whitney continued, after many fans expressed their disapproval as the show's "not the same" without Wendy. "We all miss you, we wish you well, we cannot wait to see you back in your purple chair very, very soon. So we miss you and we love you."

Season 13 of the show was originally scheduled to premiere on September 20, but it had to be delayed after Wendy tested positive for COVID-19. Following her diagnosis of the deadly virus, she was hospitalized for "psychiatric services."
WENN/Avalon Celebrity

The former 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' star believes the controversy surrounding the comedian's jokes in 'The Closer' is about 'woke cancel culture run amok.'

Oct 27, 2021

AceShowbiz - Caitlyn Jenner is the latest celebrity who has weighed in on Dave Chappelle controversy. Sharing her two cents on the criticism about the comedian's jokes in Netflix's special "The Closer", the former Republican candidate for California governor surprisingly showed her support for Dave.

In her tweet posted on Tuesday, October 26, the trans and LGBTQ+ activist defended Dave against "woke cancel culture run amok" and excused his controversial remarks under the "free speech" rights. She wrote, "Dave Chappelle is 100% right."

Caitlyn further elaborated her opinion, "This isn't about the LGBTQ movement. It's about woke cancel culture run amok, trying to silence free speech. We must never yield or bow to those who wish to stop us from speaking our minds."

Caitlyn Jenner defended Dave Chappelle amid backlash over his trans jokes.

Dave enraged LGBTQ community after his comedy special "The Closer" premiered October 5 on Netflix. In it, he stated that "gender is a fact" and declared he is "Team TERF," the acronym for trans-exclusionary radical feminist. He also suggested the blood in transgender women's vaginas is "beet juice."

His remarks prompted a protest from Netflix employees as well as LGBTQ activists, including actor Elliot Page (formerly Ellen Page). However, Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos sided with Dave and ignored request to remove the special.

Dave himself has several times addressed the backlash. Remaining unapologetic, he said during a screening of his documentary at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles earlier this month, "If this is what being cancelled is about, I love it... I don't know what to tell you, except I'm a bad motherf**ker." He added, "This is the kindness conspiracy."

He recently also said that he is willing to meet with transgender people under several conditions. "To the transgender community, I am more than willing to give you an audience, transgender community, I am more than willing to give you an audience," the Emmy winner said in an Instagram clip posted on Monday, October 25.

He continued, "And if you want to meet with me, I am more than willing to but I have some conditions. First of all, you cannot come if you have not watched my special from beginning to end. You must come to a place of my choosing at a time of my choosing, and thirdly, you must admit that Hannah Gadsby is not funny." Hannah previously called Dave "emotionally stunted" over his trans jokes.
Facebook Celebrity

Ali Abulaban, who has nearly a million followers on the social media app, murders his estranged wife and a friend, whom he believes his wife was having affair with.

Oct 27, 2021

AceShowbiz - TikTok star Ali Abulaban has been accused of murdering his estranged wife and a friend, whom he thought she was having affair with. According to jail records, Ali has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

KNSD reports that Ali, who has nearly a million followers on the social media app, was arrested into San Diego Central Jail last week hours after a shooting on the 35th floor of the Spire San Diego luxury apartment complex on Island Avenue in the East Village. He allegedly confessed to shooting his wife Ana and her friend, Cadenas Barron.

Prosecutors claimed that Ali had been living at a hotel after his estranged wife kicked him out of their San Diego apartment on October 18. He then started stalking his wife after he snuck back into the apartment to download an app with a listening device on his 5-year-old daughter's iPad that was left in a bedroom. Deputy District Attorney Taren Brast additional revealed in court Monday that Ali trashed the apartment before leaving.

Through the said app, he heard his wife talking with another man and that made him angry. He quickly went to the apartment with a loaded gun and shot Cadenas three times in the neck, cheek and back of the head at close range. He later shot Ana in the forehead.

Ali then called his mother, confessing about the murder, before picking up his daughter from school while still carrying the weapon he used to kill his wife. He later called police to confess while driving and was subsequently taken into custody.

The murder arrived a month after Ana filed a police report against her husband. In the report, she claimed that he pushed and injured her.

He is scheduled to appear at the court on Thursday.
WENN/The Styleograph Celebrity

In a lawsuit filed by the state of California, it is alleged that the 'Hurricane' spitter-owned fashion business has 'repeatedly violated' the state's business code.

Oct 27, 2021

AceShowbiz - The demand for Kanye West's Yeezy products is apparently so high that they fail to deliver in time. While die-hard fans of the clothing line, which is known for its drapey fits and modern silhouettes, are more than willing to wait for the items to arrive, the state of California is taking it seriously as it has filed a lawsuit against the company.

The lawsuit was filed on Friday, October 22. According to legal documents, the "Gold Digger" hitmaker-owned fashion business has allegedly "repeatedly violated" the state's business code by "failing to ship items within thirty days and failing to provide adequate delay notices to California consumers, or provide an offer of a refund."

Under California's business code, companies are required to ship items which are purchased online within 30 days. If they aren't, the merchant must provide a refund, or pursue another of several prescribed remedies, including issuing a delay notice.

The lawsuit claims Ye's company failed to give customers adequate delay notices on items than hadn't shipped within 30 days. The suit also alleges that Yeezy "made untrue or misleading statement regarding its ability to ship products within a certain timeframe, particularly where customers paid an additional charge for expedited shipping."

The suit was filed by in Los Angeles County Superior Court by the State of California via L.A. County District Attorney George Gascon. The district attorneys of Alameda, Napa and Sonoma counties are also listed in the suit.

The district attorneys are seeking a judgment that would permanently restrain Wests companies from repeating the alleged practices. They additionally are requesting that Yeezy be fined "$2,500 for each violation" and pay "restitution on behalf of affected consumers."

Yeezy items, which include a wide range of collections from sneakers to sweatshirt, are often rapidly sold out when they are first launched despite their high prices. The shoes designs also often drew polarized opinions from fans and critics.
Instagram Celebrity

Social media users express their shock after finding out that the 'Escape Room' star has been in a longtime relationship with model Nina Senicar, but she never appears on his Instagram page.

Oct 28, 2021

AceShowbiz - Following his rise to fame with his role on HBO's drama "Insecure", Jay Ellis' private life is also scrutinized by public. Now, his fans have found out that he apparently has been in a longtime relationship with Serbian model Nina Senicar, which surprised them as she never appears on his social media page.

This leads to the allegation that the black actor has been purposefully keeping "his white wife off his Instagram page" for work. "Nah I just can't get over I just know for a fact Jay Ellis publicist be telling him to keep his white wife off his Instagram page," one person alleged on Twitter.

"He is married to a white woman???? Omg," another asked in disbelief, while another expressed shock as saying, "Yo y'all knew Jay Ellis had a white wife bc EYE did not." A fourth speculated that Nina was nowhere to be found on Jay's social media channels because "he has a black women [sic] fanbase it don't work lol..everyone hide they white partners cause of this."

Seemingly agreeing, someone else alleged that "she's bad for business," while another supported the argument as claiming that "the entire black community will roast you for not having a black partner."

Blaming his publicist, one other wrote, "AND nobody is against interracial couples, my shock is in response to the original tweet of him being told by PR not to post bec of the fan base he has & the show he's on.. how have we been following him for 5 years & never seen this woman on his socials this is just funny."

Another person appeared to mock Jay as writing, "He's not hiding his yt wife, he's hiding the world from his yt wife or whatever Drake said."

Jay and Nina are reported to have been dating since 2015, but never confirmed that they are married yet. They welcomed their daughter, Nora Grace, in November 2019. There is no confirmation whether they're still together now as Nina herself has never featured the "Escape Room" star on her Instagram page.

However, in 2017, Jay admitted that he's in a relationship, but preferred to keep it private. "I am in a relationship. I'm in a very happy relationship and that's where I leave it," he said. "I don't really worry about anything else and that's it. I think for me, we give so much of ourselves in what we do no matter what side of the industry we're on so for mea relationship for me is probably the most important thing that I think two people can have."
WENN/Avalon/Ivan Nikolov Celebrity

The '50 First Dates' actress and the Canadian actor meet in person for the first time in two decades when he makes an appearance on 'The Drew Barrymore Show'.

Oct 27, 2021

AceShowbiz - Drew Barrymore and Tom Green have reunited for the first time in 20 years. At their "face-to-face" reunion, "The Drew Barrymore Show" host and her ex-husband recalled their sweet honeymoon.

On Tuesday, October 26, Drew was joined by Tom and Ross Matthews for the "Drew's News" segment of her show. During the chat, the exes reminisced about their trip to Ireland where they hiked up a mountain for hours.

"I think we might've hiked up two mountains," the 50-year-old Canadian actor/comedian joked, before saying, "It was a nice trip." In response to his statement, the TV host replied, "It was one of my favorite trips of my life."

"It was our honeymoon," Tom then reminded his former spouse. "It was our honeymoon." Feeling touched by the memory, the Golden Globe-winning actress gushed, "And it was a good one."

When co-host Ross asked the pair about how it felt to see each other in person, Tom answered, "It's sort of an out-of-body experience. It's very nice to see you. It does feel weird though. Not weird in a bad way. Weird In a good way." He added, "I actually think this is a nice way of reconnecting actually, it takes a little bit of the pressure off."

Drew then responded, "Well, I respect and love you." After her ex replied, "Love you, too," the audience and Ross erupted into cheers.

The exes first reunited remotely on her talk show in 2020. "I really love you and I celebrate you," the mother of two told her ex-husband during their virtual reunion. "You've had a whole life and I've had a whole life. It's just really nice to come together and check in and talk about it, it just thrills me to no end. I celebrate you and I always have, and I always will."

Drew and Tom, who co-starred in 2001's "Charlie's Angels", were married from July 2001 to October 2002. The "50 First Dates" star then married Will Kopelman, with whom she shares two children together. The marriage, however, also ended in divorce.
CHICO, Calif. - Chico State held a domestic violence awareness event tonight on campus.

Participants shared the stories of 30 victims of domestic violence, some of those victims as young as 2 years old. The group could not have an event last year due to COVID.

Tuesday night, they are telling the stories of all domestic violence victims in the Northern California area from 2020 and 2021.

"I know a lot of people are impacted by this, and it's just not something that we talk about. So it's very near and dear to my heart to see the people who care who are there to help and the resources that are there to help them," Senior professional at WellCat Safe Place Leslie Godinez.

The group took a silent march right by Big Chico Creek where they will release petals into the water in remembrance of those lost.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence says just under 35% of women and 31% of men in California experience intimate partner abuse in their lifetime.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Authorities have identified the suspect in a Boise, Idaho mall shooting as 27-year-old Jacob Bergquist.

Police say Bergquist died at a hospital late Tuesday morning.

Police say he is believed to have killed two people and injured four others in the Monday afternoon shooting.

The Ada County Coroner says Jo Acker, a 26-year-old security guard who first tried to stop the shooter, is one of the people who died.

Roberto Padilla Arguelles, a 49-year-old Rupert man, was also shot and killed.

Boise Police Chief Ryan Lee told reporters that officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect, who had been hospitalized in critical condition.
OROVILLE, Calif. - Live theater is returning to Butte College as the Butte College Showcase opens on Friday.

The free event begins on Friday and will run through Nov. 7 at the Black Box Theatre in the Art Building on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

It is all student-written, said Florence Ives. This is the first kind of showcase that we have done like this, I believe, at Butte College. The students have written comedic, dramatic songs and theyve even choreographed a dance.

Some of the featured scenes will include "Turmeric Turkey Bacon," "Men are Creepu," "Love From the Bench," "Alr;ght," "Group Therapy," "The Tomato Farmer," and "Interview With a Loser."

Students made a piece of varying dramatic, comedic, musical and improvised performances.
CHICO, Calif. - Enloe Medical Center is awaiting approval from the U.S Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in kids ages 5 to 11 years old.

Once that happens, Enloe said it will work with Butte County Public Health to vaccinate people who want it.

One parent said she is ready to see this age group be protected from the virus.

"I would like to see it available, said Chico resident Marya Bell. I would like to know that it is safe of course, and if they feel it is safe then I think they should be protected.

Pfizer said the dosage for kids is about a third of an adults dose and is safe and 90% effective.

Enloe also has rules in place to keep patients safe.

People wanting to come to the hospital to visit their loved ones do not have to be vaccinated.

RELATED: FDA advisers back Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine for young kids

A representative from the hospital said you don't have to be fully vaccinated, but if you're not, you have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

They said this is all just part of the effort to keep people who are already sick as safe as possible.

All visitors and patients must wear a mask at all times and not gather in hallways, waiting for areas or common spaces.

For most patient care areas, patients can have up to two visitors at a time.

While it is not required to be vaccinated in order to be a visitor at Enloe Medical Center, health officials still urge people to get vaccinated.

The hospital said these visitation policies are temporary. Visiting hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and visitors must check-in at the Enloe facilities reception area.
CHICO, Calif. - Police are looking for a suspect who stole a scooter from Chico State, according to Chico State Police Department.

Police said the man stole an electric scooter from campus Tuesday.

Anyone with information on who this may be should contact the Chico State Police Department at (530) 898-5555.
REDDING, Calif. - The Redding Rancheria Community Foundation of the North State gifted more than $122,000 in community fund grants.

Organizations in Shasta and Trinity counties will be receiving grants that total to $122,207.

The community foundation received 68 applications for the fund which had a focus on indigenous, youth and/or rural populations.

We are proud to play our part in the community, said Tracy Edwards, chief executive officer at the Redding Rancheria. Knowing how much need exists in our region, decision-making continues to be difficult. We are dedicated to supporting worthy causes and know there will be additional opportunities in the future, starting with our next grant cycle in the spring.

The following 38 organizations and the amount gifted is listed below.
SHASTA LAKE, Calif. - The much-needed recent rain is raising our local lake levels.

The rain and cold wind is not stopping local fishermen from heading out to Shasta Lake. For them, the wet weather theyre experiencing is a relief.

This has been such a crazy drought for California and they really need this water, said Ty Manterolla of Redding. You can see how low the lake is, and it's really hard to launch a boat out here.

Ty Manterolla and James Hawkinson both fish on Shasta Lake once or twice a week, even if its cold and rainy.

Fish bite better when it's cold and rainy out, said James Hawkinson of Redding. No one else was out. There were no other boats at the launch ramp. It just makes fishing easier.

Manterolla told Action News Now the fishing will only get better with the rising water levels.

RELATED: Lake Oroville water on the rise after rainy weekend

Once they get enough water, I think this place will start to get better and fish will start coming up, said Manterolla. I do think this winter is going to get up, said Hawkinson. I was very worried seeing the lake this low.

Since Oct. 18, the Bureau of Reclamation said that Shasta Lake received close to 10 inches of rain, raising the lake levels close to three feet.

The Bureau of Reclamation said even with the recent storms it will take some time before the lake is out of the drought range.

But both Manterolla and Hawkinson agree the rain is promising.

Over the course of the winter, we definitely need to see more rain but this definitely a step in the right direction, said Manterolla. It's been pouring pretty hard in the last week or so. If we can get a trend of this - may be a little less at a time - but a consistent rain in the wintertime, this will help out this whole area a lot.

The Bureau of Reclamation said that right now, Shasta Lake is 22% full
Headquartered in Mumbai, end-to-end digital and performance marketing agency, Ethinos is excited to announce the appointment of Mr. Kumar Anish as a Business Head.

An eminent leader with rich experience of 15+ years across industries and in various leadership positions, centered around Insurance & Banking domain and a few startups. He completed his graduation and then MBA from ITM, Navi Mumbai. He has successfully handled large pan India projects ranging from E-Commerce business delivery with responsibility of P/L, Aggregator tie -ups & on-boarding (high level B2B tie ups  online & offline), Partner engagement and delivery. He has also handled large financial and non-financial tie-ups with some of the major brands like Induslnd Bank, DBS, Air Deccan, Eureka Forbes, Oxford Book Store, to name a few.

Most recently, he served as Head- E Commerce at Aviva Life Insurance Company India LTD, where he managed to drive revenue growth through online campaigns by creating ROI based working culture around data. Prior to this, he worked with some of the countrys leading groups/brands Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance as Head E  Commerce, Aegon Religare Life Insurance as Head Digital Sales & E Commerce, HDFC Standard Life Insurance as Associate Vice President, Aviva India as AVP  BD & Strategy to name a few. Additionally, following his passion towards fitness- he is a fitness enthusiast, loves to be updated about world affairs & currently trying his hands at playing the ukulele.

An ecommerce and business development profession having a strong skillset: -

 Build E -Commerce platforms for transitioning businesses to digital channels  Mobile first approach.

 Running digital marketing campaigns to deliver revenue targets, analytics, UI/UX, content repositories, customer journey mapping and need based API integrations.

 Manage large E assist centers dedicated to working on closing leads generated through online campaigns.

 Manage new partnerships and relationship with large aggregators, financial and non-financial entities.

 Revamp UI/UX in the user journey to improve the bottom funnel

 Create Omni channel business models wherein the customer can be serviced through various touchpoints  online & offline.

As a business head, Anish will steer the companys Indian and global businesses, he will focus on transforming Ethinos into a more customer-centric organization that leverages emerging technologies to deliver innovative solutions in specific industry verticals. He will also be responsible for driving business operations, and synergy while aligning organizational long-term strategy.

Mr. Kumar Anish as Business Head, Ethinos commented, I am extremely high in spirits to lead this outstanding organisation in its next phase of growth. I am looking forward to bring in my years of experience into practice and become an integral part of the brands identity while continuing the seamless momentum of current processes. I am ready to expand existing client relations, developing new ones and architecting innovative strategies while creating digital milestones.

Brijesh Munyal, Joint Managing Director, Ethinos commented, We are happy to bring Mr Anish on board, he comes with an impressive background and brings with him the right mix of expertise, experience and industry insights we seek at this juncture. Also he has handled financial and non-financial clients which I think is a boon for us as an organization. It's been our constant endeavour to bring world-class talent on board to support our future endeavours.
Are you afraid of the dark or do you enjoy getting goosebumps? Youve come to the right place. The darkest, scariest and the sickest desires of the undead will resurrect. Halloween is coming early this year and &flix is ready to make it as spooky as it gets. This October 31st, we bring to you the scariest titles from our finest picks to make your Halloween a special one. Lets begin preparing for the fun celebration, which centres around dressing up in creative costumes and collecting candy. To further enhance this, &flix brings to you, Flix Halloween Special, a day-long binge of the spookiest Hollywood blockbuster and double premieres of The Unholy and Save Yourselves this Sunday. #LeapForth to the world of ghosts and get out your favourite costume as this Halloween is about to get chilling.

The best possible way to celebrate Halloween is enjoying horror movies with your loved ones that is sure to get you looking for their hands as you survive the jump-scares. &flix has the perfect line-up starting with the supernatural horror film, The Unholy directed by Evan Spiliotopoulos premiering at 1PM and 9PM. A story about Alice, a girl with hearing impairment, who can hear, speak and even heal the ill after having visions of the Virgin Mary. But when a journalist probes into the matter, he unearths a conspiracy. Spine-chilling, isnt it? Calm down! Now is not the time for fear, it also comes later. Following this super-natural horror is another sinister film, Save Yourselves directed by Alex Huston Fischer premiering at 3PM and 11PM. A story about a young Brooklyn couple head to an upstate cabin to unplug from their phones and reconnect with each other. Blissfully unaware of their surroundings, they are left to their own devices as the planet falls under attack. Whats going to happen? Come find out this Halloween.

Trust us when we say its not for the weak hearted. The excitement doesnt end here, catch a day long binge of the scariest of titles which will give you chills with I Know What You Did Last Summer, Craft Legacy and much more with Flix Halloween Special Sunday, 31st October only on &flix.

This Halloween, celebrate creative costumes and collecting candy and catch the television binge of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters horror movies airing this Sunday, October 31st only on &flix
GroupM India has appointed Ritika Taneja as Head of E-commerce. In this role, Ritika will be leading the e-commerce product offerings to clients and will also be responsible for co-creating the e-commerce vision and strategy charter for GroupM India. Ritika comes with a diverse experience in the e-commerce and offline retail space. As a digital business leader, she has experience in engaging with consumer tech companies. She joins the GroupM India team with a proven track record of building successful consumer-centric brands and businesses.

Atique Kazi, President - Data, Performance and Digital Products, GroupM India, said: There is a growing importance of strengthening e-commerce practices for brands in todays digital economy and e-commerce has transformed the ways in which businesses are done in India. Ritikas appointment is a part of our continued investment in talent, especially in areas of enormous growth opportunities, like e-commerce. With the kind of extensive knowledge in this vertical that Ritika brings to the table, I am certain that we will continue to make the e-commerce practice a GroupM differentiator for our clients and brands.

In her career spanning over 17 years, Ritika has spent a large part working in the online and offline retail space. Her experience also includes working on several international brands managing and growing their brand portfolios.

Ritika Taneja, Head of E-commerce, GroupM India, said: I am ecstatic to be a part of the GroupM family. The e-commerce landscape is evolving massively and there is a need for brands to advance their e-commerce strategies with this changing landscape and consumer behavior. GroupM provides a unique environment for leading the e-commerce sector that is transforming brands and helping drive new trends in the country. I look forward to closely working with the leadership and help our clients on e-commerce opportunities by creating services and product offerings.

Ritika will be based out Gurgaon and report to Atique Kazi, and closely work with Toni Ruotanen, Head of E-commerce services GroupM APAC.
Keeping the consumers at heart, Volkswagen India has moved from product-focused communication by launching the mid-size SUV Taigun with the Hustle Mode On campaign conceptualized by DDB Mudra with digital amplification by 22feet Tribal Worldwide. The film features Ali Fazal and Kriti Kharbanda celebrating the fast-paced, never-relenting consumer while showcasing the SUVW as their perfect dynamic partner.

Turning the Hustle Mode On, the ad film encapsulates this go-getter attitude of young India, its vibrant and confident consumers who believe in moving fast, working smart and chasing their dreams. This is an SUVW that focuses on them, not itself.

The SUV segment is highly competitive and competes for the consumers attention with high frequency advertising. To strengthen the Taiguns SUV perception, the holistic campaign on the product was initiated with innovative consumer engagement activations such as Spotify playlists and quizzes on social media. The initiatives were aimed at familiarising people to the SUV portfolio of the brand Volkswagen and introduce the latest SUVW, Taigun. The Taigun Squad was another unique initiative to provide exclusive product experience to the Taigun Squad members. The members of the exclusive group were made privy to updates and activities that kept them up close and personal with the Taigun, even before its launch in India.

Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India, said: For the Volkswagen Taigun, identifying the target audience and customer positioning was one of the key requirements to build the product campaign. The Taigun customer base is someone who is passionate, ambitious, energetic, vibrant, upwardly mobile and confident. Perfectly matching our customer lifestyle is the Bold, Dynamic and German engineered Volkswagen Taigun. Through the campaign, weve intended to represent the lifestyle and journey of our customers, which has been narrated and captured well by our creative partners.

DDB Mudra Group CCO Rahul Mathew said: If there is a word that captures the zeitgeist of the youth, its hustle. So, we wanted the new Taigun to stand for the perfect partner to their everyday hustle; whatever it may or wherever it may take them. And the campaign brings to life the verve, drive and vibrancy of the urban hustle.

Agency Credits:

Creative Teams: DDB Mudra West & 22feet Tribal Worldwide Mumbai

Director: Aakash Bhatia

Production House: Loudmouth Films
Xapads Media announced the expansion of its offerings, international team and client base in Indonesia to deliver its innovative ad-tech services. The company also announced the appointment of Mr. Edo Fernando as its Country Head in Indonesia. Edo will lead the business in Indonesia and will be responsible for the strategic growth of Xapads Media in the country. He will also be further strengthening the local team, partnerships, and innovation in the sector.

Before joining Xapads Media, Edo served as Country Director for Appnext & Pokkt and led the firm to become the market leader in the ad-tech space in Indonesia. With over 15 years of experience, he has worked with many multinational advertising and ad tech companies in Indonesia and got ample opportunities to work with top global brands along with all partners including OEMs, Publisher and MMPs.

Xapads is already catering to companies such as Lazada, Halodoc, PizzaHut, Payfazz, Pintu, Moxa, TunaiKu, Mitsubishi, Zipmex, IQ Option and many more in the Indonesian market. It utilizes smarter audience targeting techniques, global reach, RTB compliance and programmatic ad exchange to offer the finest results for both advertisers and agencies in the global market, providing them with better reach and performance.

Xapads expansion plan comes into effect after successfully creating a footprint in the Indian digital advertising sector and establishing operational offices in the US, Russia UAE and Singapore. Elated about the expansion, Nitin Gupta, CEO, Xapads Media, said, The vision with which Xapads was founded was to make this home grown ad-tech platform a Global Platform, a true Indian MNC. I feel proud and grateful with this expansion, which brings us one step closer to our goal. We are very excited for this new chapter of our journey and look forward to catering Indonesian brands whole-heartedly.

On the appointment of country head for Indonesia, Mr. Ramneek Chadha, Chief Operating Officer, Xapads Media said, Edo is a result-oriented person with a strong commitment to the growth of the organization as he has phenomenal insights about the changing landscape of the digital ad market in the region. Xapads is opening a new chapter of its journey in the region and we see him as a natural fit for driving the companys growth journey in the Indonesian market and taking the companys vision forward.

With over 70 percent internet penetration in the entire region, the Southeast Asia digital advertising market is set to become a core part of Xapads Medias journey with its expansion in Indonesia. Xapads currently has a market reach of over 550 million users globally with over 50 million unique users in Indonesia per month which can be a game-changer in helping the company bring high-end results for their partners. With its keen interest in sectors like e-commerce, food & drink, delivery, medical & health, fintech, entertainment etc, Xapads Media aims to clock around US$12 million over the next one year in the country.

Expressing his happiness, Mr. Edo, Country Head Indonesia, Xapads Media, said, I thank Xapads Media for showcasing their confidence in my abilities, I am extremely delighted to join the fastest growing Indian Ad-tech firm which is looking at creating a mark in the Indonesian market. With its advanced tech-based advertising solutions, I am sure we will be able to establish Xapads amongst the top ad tech companies in the country. I look forward to working and contributing to the growth of Xapads Media in Indonesia.
The Federal Council

Bern, 27.10.2021 - Monacos application to join French-language television channel TV5MONDE has been approved by Switzerland. On 27 October 2021, the Federal Council gave the green light for the Principality of Monaco to become a partner state alongside Switzerland, France, Belgium, Canada and Quebec. To this end, it instructed the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) to sign the updated TV5MONDE Charter on Switzerlands behalf as well as an agreement on the terms and conditions for Monacos integration.

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Press service, Tel. +41 58 460 55 50, media@bakom.admin.ch

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https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html



General Secretariat of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications; General Secretariat DETEC

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Alton, IL (62002)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High around 60F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 43F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
About 50 neighbors and friends sent trucks and combines into the corn and soybean fields to harvest crops for ailing Jim Brummond in late October of 1977. Workers estimated a million dollars worth of equipment were operated during the friendly neighborhood gesture which completed a two-week job in a matter of hours.
Wireless LoRa (long range) devices from Semtech Corporation use the non-licensed Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) with the cloud to help producers monitor cattle health, as well as fertility and water conditions in the soil.

Since many farms and ranches are located in areas where there is poor cell coverage, the LoRaWAN network fills the void. It uses a radio frequency that can reach up to five miles on rural farms and ranches, said Marc Pegulu, vice president of IoT (Internet of Things) strategy and products at Semtech.

More than 100 agribusiness companies throughout the world now use Semtechs connectivity with LoRaWAN and LoRa devices and sensors for farm and ranch monitoring.

Pegulu says that Semtechs LoRa devices and wireless technology, which connect with the LoRaWAN network and send data to the cloud, are the wave of the future since they use low power.

The future of ag is real-time data monitoring, in-field sensing equipment, and long-term data analysis that saves labor, time, and money, he said.

A French IoT supplier has developed a new cattle health monitoring solution based on Semtechs LoRa devices, called FarmLife.

FarmLife and its LoRa-enabled sensors can help detect cattle health, cow estrus, drive improved nutrition and predict the onset of disease in cattle, Pegulu said.

Available through the FarmLife cloud platform, the services in which livestock producers can monitor their cows from include: HeatLive for heat detection; FeedLive for nutrition optimization; TimeLive for animal welfare; and VelLive for calving detection.
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Phoebe nurse/breast cancer patient pushes wellness care ahead of womens health clinic

Special Photo Anza Richardson, with her granddaughter, Ava, is the nurse manager of Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospitals surgical unit. She is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

ALBANY  During the busy year-plus of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital workers have worked long hours. Some have even have delayed care for themselves because they were busy caring for others.

For one Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital nurse, keeping her annual mammogram appointment this year was important, and may have vastly improved her chance for successful treatment.

Anza Richardson got her diagnosis  breast cancer  in April. Richardson, nurse manager of the hospitals surgical unit, has had abnormal mammogram results in the past that turned out not to be cancer, but this time was different.

This year, when it was abnormal and I had to have a biopsy, I thought it would be like those other times, she said. I tell people that is the most disappointing diagnosis you can get.

We did catch it very, very early. They did tell me if I had delayed or didnt have a mammogram ... waiting six months it could have been Stage 2 or 3.

Richardson, who said some of her colleagues have put off health exams due to their hectic schedules during the pandemic, will be on hand on Saturday for a drive-through womens health clinic. Several other nurses currently are undergoing treatment for breast cancer along with Richardson, who is undergoing chemotherapy treatments that will be followed with radiation therapy.

The 8 a.m.-noon event at Albany State Universitys West Campus, with the theme Hear Her Roar, will this year feature a live broadcast on local radio station V101.7 with a DJ.

The participants will be able to tune in and get all of the breast cancer education and other womens wellness information as well, Keisa Mansfield, manager of clinical research at Phoebe, said. Even after they leave they can still listen to the live remote.

Attendees can stay in their car to receive goodies from volunteers in Halloween dress that includes T-shirts and a bag of fresh produce from Flint River Fresh as well as a flu vaccination. In addition to Flint River Fresh, Phoebes partners for the effort include Peach State Health and Albany State.

This will be the second year the womens health fair will be a drive-thru event due to COVID. Last years fair brought 315 women, and organizers are hoping for a similar turnout on Saturday.

Its going to be really fun, Mansfield said. I know the volunteers always have a good time. They love doing it.

For Richardson, the message is for women to care for themselves by doing monthly checks for lumps and having regular exams. Catching breast cancer early improves womens chances of survival and can lessen the severity of the treatment regimen.

I think thats the important thing to me, she said. There are so many women, especially in health care, who put off things to care for others. There are so many women who put off their mammograms. This is something we have to do.

The earlier the diagnosis, the better outcome you will have and the treatment will be better for you.
I had the opportunity to ask questions of a doctor currently practicing medicine in Iran and dealing with the COVID crisis there. The interview below has been edited for clarity and to protect the doctors identity.

Is the government being honest with the Iranian people about COVID in Iran?

First of all, I should inform you that I am Dr. [name withheld], a doctor from the city of [name withheld] in the province of Khorasan in eastern Iran, a supporter of the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran and that I have twenty years of medical experience in this province.

In response to your question, I must say that after the Corona [i.e., COVID] pandemic, the field of health services of the Iranian people was handed over to the intelligence and security organizations of the regime, and they carefully manipulated the statistics regarding the mortality and the number of cases of the Corona patients. So, to understand the correct statistics we must rely on the knowledge of epidemiology.

The simplest way is to look at the mortality statistics of previous years. Comparing 2019 with 2020that is, during the first year of the Corona epidemicwe find that the death number has increased by about 220,000 compared to the previous year. And in 2021, in the first half of the year, the death toll was 200,000. This means the mortality has increased compared to the first six months of the year 2020. That is, the daily death rate without the Corona epidemic was 1,100; during the first year after the epidemic, this number was close to 1,800 people; and, in the second year of the Corona, it reached 2,500 deaths. The daily death toll was due to the actual mortality statistics, which reveals the inaccurate official (government) mortality statistics. This deviation from reality is obvious. We call it engineering statistics by the government.

If not, does the physician have a sense of the real COVID death numbers in Iran?

Yes, the actual statistics of Corona mortality are reported by doctors and other medical professionals. That is why the ruling regime fired 1,400 famous Iranian doctors. Then, an IRGC doctor took over the management of the medical system, filtered the medical staff. and banned Iranian doctors from providing any information about Corona patients to news agencies.

Of course, the Peoples Mujahedin Organization (MEK); whose supporters are very active inside Iran, has been continuously giving the actual death toll from the Corona pandemic to the international community and the news media; thus exposing the ruling regimes lies. MEKs last report says that the actual death toll has passed 460,000 now.

How are Iranian doctors treating COVID patients?

The treatment of patients with Coronavirus is in accordance with the protocols of the World Health Organization (WHO), and Iranian physicians follow exactly the defined standards of treatment for such patients.

The increase in the mortality rate of patients with Coronavirus is mostly due to the late start of mass vaccination which, with a delay of six months compared to other countries, caused the formation of two waves of the disease in Iran. This delay was transferred to the medical system and exerted extra pressure on the medical staff; otherwise, doctors had no role in the increase of mortality.

According to the WHO, Iranian physicians are highly ranked among the physicians in the world, and the Iranian medical education system is very capable and familiar with the latest technologies in the world. Doctors work completely in the field of expert and scientific treatment.

If there are a lot of COVID cases, what is happening to medical care for other illnesses?

There are 140,000 hospital beds in Iran with 10,000 for intensive care cases. During the Corona epidemic, 40,000 beds were initially allocated to the Corona patients. In the fourth and fifth waves, we saw the need for more beds.

In the fourth wave, 50,000 beds were required to cope with the COVID patients and, in the fifth wave, 70,000 beds. That is why, during the fifth wave, even the prayer halls of some cities and some hotels were used for treating COVID patients. During the peak of the fifth wave, the shortage of intensive care beds caused some CCUs (intensive care units for heart patients) to be assigned to the Corona patients. The exact number is not known, but it is estimated that 500 CCU beds were allocated to these patients.

Another problem was the provision of oxygen ventilators. Due to the shortage of beds, many patients were told just to stay home. We have no exact statistics for these deaths.

Finally, what does the physician think we in America should know?

The Iranian regime took advantage of the Corona epidemic to curb and calm the mass protest that had been widespread before the Corona pandemic and which threatened the ruling regime.

By order of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, they did not import credible vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna), while other countries were competing to get the vaccine. This delay in providing the vaccine actually caused a massacre of the Iranian people.

The bloody protests of November 2019, in which about 1,500 people were shot dead at the streets by security forces and the Revolutionary Guards, and the downing of a Ukrainian plane in December 2019 which cause another widespread protest inside Iran, had in fact brought the regime to a critical point in confrontation with the Iranian people. Unfortunately, the Corona pandemic caused these mass protests against the government to weaken and lose its strength.

Otherwise, maybe by now, the people could have toppled the regime.

Cyrus Yaqubi is a Research Analyst and Iranian Foreign Affairs Commentator investigating the social issues and economy of the Middle East countries in general and Iran in particular.

Image: COVID ward in Iran. YouTube screen grab.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Evil may attack us, but sometimes it takes a pause, lulling us into complacency before striking with greater force. After Germany rolled over Poland in 1939, inflicting half a million casualties in one week, Europe went strangely quiet for a six-month period, ironically dubbed the Phoney War.

Hitler had been considered by many to be nothing more than a vulgar barking dog until Poland was crushed by the German military machine, which was not even supposed to exist according to the terms of the 1918 Armistice.

But the Blitzkrieg, the lightning strike on Poland, put the world on notice: the Germans had an army and werent afraid to use it. But then, surprising everyone, Germany appeared to lay down quietly to gnaw on Poland, while secretly muscling up in preparation for adding Norway, Denmark, and France to its portfolio. At the Nuremberg trials after the war, General Alfred Jodl admitted that Germany would have easily been defeated in 1939 had Britain and France acted quickly. Instead, they held their breath while Germany caught up to, and surpassed, Allied strength.

In that strangely silent interim, the British people tentatively inched their way back towards normal. Dodged a bullet, they thought. Whew. In a profound misunderstanding of the nature of evil, they hoped it was over.

Its a fatal error to believe that evil can be satisfied. It needs to cram more and more down its maw, and it has an ever-expanding cavity. As C. S. Lewis mythologizes in The Great Divorce, the only way to deal with evil is to kill it. The gradual process is of no use at all.

Evil is an emptiness. St. Thomas Aquinas reasoned that evil is not a thing in itself, but rather the lack of good, just as darkness is not a thing itself, but a lack of light. Because it lacks, evil can never stop trying to fill itself. It is a sucking vacuum.

Genuine evil is never satisfied, like Moloch. Ancient cultures built statues of Moloch, furnaces with mouths through which live children were fed. Was any number of children sufficient to satisfy the evil god? No, but the pagans kept offering them up anyway because evil never says enough. You cant mollify it; you must defeat it.

A blitzkrieg was launched against us in 2020, beginning with a virus, progressing to censorship of medical information, loss of livelihoods, coerced inoculation, and now threatening control of our lives by electronic passports. The vaccines must be universally accepted, against medical contraindications, moral objections, and whether or not they cause death and debilitating injuries.

We gamely agreed to two weeks to flatten the curve, and now its been two years, with no signs of retreat. Evil is a tapeworm; it never gets enough.

If American institutions and agencies are deliberately deceiving and manipulating us, thats not poor judgment; thats evil. If the pandemic was planned, if the virus was lab-engineered, if news of effective treatments was silenced to create conditions into which a lucrative vaccine could be introduced, and if that vaccine causes more damage than good while being forced on the population thats evil on a grand scale.

It is utterly futile to hope that it will go away on its own and allow us to have our normality back.

The hundreds of thousands of people who could have been treated had the government, media, and medical establishment not suppressed news of repurposed drugs and early in-home treatment not coming back.

The businesses that dried up, the families habituated to the government dole, surviving employers who cant find workers, disappearing consumer goods that wont be restocked not coming back.

The credibility of media and government, which have so mangled the truth that people cant trust anything theyre hearing anymore, making consensus impossible not coming back.

War has been declared, not by a foreign enemy, but by the very domestic institutions we have trusted in the past.

We are in that quiet interim. We are hoping for the best, but evil has put us on notice. To use the Phoney War to our advantage, we have to stop lulling ourselves with the mantra, Well be back to normal soon. We wont, not considering the nature of evil. The first, most essential thing is to accept that normal is gone. Grieve it if you must, and then lets get moving. There is a long and absolutely necessary mental leap from I just want my life back to I will fight for truth and freedom at all costs.

The Phoney War shows signs of breaking out into the open soon. In Italy, where the Green Pass was mandatory after October 15, massive protests have been met by riot police in urban assault vehicles. In Australia, a de facto police state has come into being in Victoria, leading to protests met, again, with riot squads. New York is picking up the baton, followed by other cities where health discrimination passports have been rolled out. The sides are being drawn.

When we truly understand evil and dont flinch from its intentions, we will know in our gut that it must be confronted. We are alive in this moment to take up a battle. Whether we like it or not, this is our place in history. The enemy has been using our torpor and confusion up until now to gather its resources. Let us make the most of the time we have left.

Graphic credit: GDJ Pixabay license

Sheryl Collmer is an independent consultant in Texas for several non-profit organizations. She holds a Masters in Theological Studies, as well as an MBA.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
How far has the influence of influencers gone?

Very far gone, it seems.

Recently a new phenomenon has cropped up, that of peoplemostly teen girlsdeveloping various tics akin to Tourettes Syndrome after watching people on Tik Tok who actually have (or claim to have) the malady.

Interestingly, the reaction to the situation has been surprisingly reasonable and very unlike the reaction to another trend that is also quite possibly linked to social media: the recent surge in claims of gender dysphoria.

This is not the first time social contagion situations involving young women (and men, but to a far lesser extent) have arisen. From the Salem witch trials to more recent episodes in upstate New York (again, a movement disorder that spread through a relatively limited locale) to the hiccupping girls of Danvers, Mass. only a few years ago, incidents of social contagion or mass psychogenic illness or memeticism (various names are used) have been widely documented.

Most previous cases have been limited in geographical scope, but social media has now turned somewhere into everywhere and, like gain-of-function research, whether intentionally or not, you can now put one thing into one end of the Twitterverse and come out with something incredibly damaging on the other end.

Most of the incidents seem to involve young women. Its a matter of some debate exactly why this is so, but teenage girls social structure is without question fertile ground for this kind of issue. Quite possibly out of an evolutionary instinctual urge to band together for safety from potential predators (i.e., whether human or animal), young women tend to cluster. This is not a bad thingthere is safety in numbers.

But this cluster effect can leave an opening for a herd mentality to blossom. From Valley Girl speak to bangs or no bangs to scrunchies to Mean Girl cliques, trends and fashions tend to burn through teenage girls with speed and ferocity. Obviously, yes, all teens are susceptible; you can almost always find a group of boys who are all aficionados of mullets, Marlboros, and muscle cars in the high school parking lot.

Movement disorders are comparatively rare in girls, doctors say, hence the initial surprise. After some discussion and investigation, it was noted that many girls were avid Tik Tok viewers. The current theory is that Tourettes videoscombined, to an extent, with individual underlying anxiety issues and the acute psychological stress so many children and teens have been subjected to during the pandemicare at the heart of the matter.

So, what are doctors telling worried parents to do about the Tik Tok tics? Basically tell the kids to put down the phone, get trusted professional help, minimize its impact by keeping everything else as regular as possible, and dont overreact, dont feed into it.

This calm approach can be taken even further. In the Danvers hiccups case, state health officials who investigated the matter seemed to come to a social contagion causal conclusion but decided not to release that to the public because the social stigma that could then be attached to the sufferers (no one wants to think they could ever fall prey to such nonsense) might cause lasting harm. They, essentially, just let it drop.

What the doctors in this situation are not doing is prescribing two packs of Camel every day to the girls, although nicotine has been shown to have significant ameliorative effects on the symptoms of Tourettes. Giving cigarettes to kids would clearly be crazy. Smoking causes long-term damage and prescribing a harmful permanent solution to what is almost assuredly a short-term issue is never a good ideaany doctor who did so would be deservedly drummed out of the profession.

So then why are doctors right now prescribing harmful drugs and performing life-altering surgeries on girls who just decided they were born in the wrong body?

The environment around the sudden-onset Tourettes sufferers is disturbingly close to that surrounding the recent explosion in gender dysphoria claims made by young women. As noted in Abigail Shriers book, Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, a very significant number of the girls now requesting gender transition treatment follow a similar pattern. In both situations, the same facts are present: underlying, but usually mild, psychological issues combined with the onset of teendom and the stresses that brings; a devotion to social media; and, quite possibly, a desire for attention or the desire to fit in by standing out.

But, again, only gender dysphoria is treated unquestioningly as permanent, real, and requiring radical and immediate intervention to solve. Gender transition clinics and their advocates in government and the media are not saying dont feed into it. Instead, they are intentionally gorging it, either for financial gain, socio-political advantage, or as basic a desire to be one of the cool kids in their own profession. And there are the true believer physicians who think that drugging and chopping up a vulnerable teenage girlquite possibly against the wishes of her parents and/or even without their knowledgeis a good idea. One wonders how any of these physicians would react if they were told to prescribe cigarettes to social contagious tics.

It seems the social media reaction to the recent spate of stories on the tic issue has mostly been reasonable, along the lines of hmm, thats odd, too bad for those girls, glad to hear its most likely a passing phase, maybe we should do something about Tik Tok, good thing the experts are putting this into perspective and handling it with proper and careful treatment so they can get back to their normal lives, etc.

It does not appear that there has been a social media deluge of activists demanding that medical professionals prescribe the cigarettes to handle the issue as there probably has been with activists demanding that medical professionals prescribe hormones and surgery.

Its just wrong to deny unequivocally the possibilitydespite comparable situations of mass hysteria that the recent surge in gender dysphoria cases/claims could in any way be influenced by social media, peer issues, etc. It also ignores the scientific method and permanently and incomprehensibly damages teens going through one of the most difficult parts of life.

Actual Tourettes is realabout one-half of one percent of children have it. Actual gender dysphoria is realabout one in ten thousand teens have it. There is no denying that both issues deserve intelligent compassionate attention. But, unlike the situation with tics, even mentioning the possibility that social media (and other non-individual inherent factors) has conceivably played a role in the enormous rise in cases is as forbidden to discuss as was the COVID lab leak hypothesis just a few months ago.

It gets better seems to be the tack medical professionals are taking with the tic issue and thats good. It Gets Better is also a positive and common trope in the LGBTQ community when discussing the teen years. But what if the instantaneous intervention of drugs and surgery makes it impossible for girls eventually to get better?

Then everything gets worse.

Thomas Buckley is the former Mayor of Lake Elsinore and a former newspaper reporter. He is currently the operator of a small communications and planning consultancy and can be reached directly at planbuckley@gmail.com. You can read more of his work at https://thomas699.substack.com

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Autumn in New York during a small-town election season is a lot like living in a classic Norman Rockwell painting  it is just that "All American." Under crisp blue skies, there are more lawn signs than I've seen in years, interspersed with the flags that continue to wave over the homes of many who never removed their Trump banners. There is real excitement in the air as voters are attending the forums and debates, where they can question the candidates before they cast their ballots.

Although it is an off-year and nobody is running for governor or federal office, the county and town races are quite contentious, with candidates having their feet held to the fire about CRT, transgenderism, and COVID mandates. It is refreshing to have this level of civic involvement after so many years of the apathy that developed from what seemed like universal screen addiction.

The main reasons why the local elections are so hot this year are mainly the repercussions from the CCP Flu scamdemic that has nearly destroyed what was once the Empire State.

Because of the lockdowns, parents have had their eyes opened about what is going on in their kids' classrooms. They got to see firsthand just how their hard earned tax dollars were being spent, and it wasn't pretty. When the schools were closed to in-person "learning," parents, especially the moms, discovered the depravity that had infected every aspect of their kids' curriculum from kindergarten to high school.

All of the Marxist indoctrination that parents were hearing about on Tucker Carlson and in other media was happening right in their hometown. With the online Zoom classes, they could see with their own eyes how their kids were being taught with curricula and library books that promoted everything from CRT to transgenderism and even pedophilia.

Thanks to social media, hundreds of parent groups sprang up overnight: Parents for Liberty, Parents against CRT, Save our Schools, Say No to Mandates, and Unmask NY, to name but a few. Information was shared; meetings and demonstrations were scheduled; and candidates were nominated to run for office, whether school board or town council. Regardless of party affiliation, candidates had to be willing to take a strong stand against CRT and the COVID mandates, or they didn't have a chance.

Speaking of mandates, you have to realize that, because New York is one of the most hard-left blue states in the USA, we are still living under the rules of the COVID dictatorship that were imposed on us back in March 2020. The tyranny is unbelievable unless you like living in a Commie gulag like New York, and there is no sign that it will be ending any time soon.

Nowhere are these mandates more stringent than in our schools, where everyone from adults to very young children and teens is still being forced to wear the suffocating muzzle masks while on district property. This edict extends to everyone who attends meetings and other events held in the school buildings, regardless of exemption status.

In many places, there are armed sheriff's deputies, AKA "resource officers," who guard the door at board of education meetings to make sure that residents have their faces properly covered. Having experienced this indignity firsthand, I can tell you that it has served to further outrage and energize the voters of my town.

It also doesn't help that if students are discovered to have been near someone who got the virus, they can be quarantined at the drop of a hat and not allowed back in school for weeks. To say parents are fed up with these disruptions is a gross understatement.

One other thing that is a priority for New York voters is the block of amendments to our state constitution that the Democrats pushed through the state Legislature. If these amendments are not voted down, we will see our property rights eroded, more Green New Deal policies, and the permanent implementation of practices such as "no excuse" absentee ballots that will destroy what's left of our election integrity.

After seeing what happened last year, we know that our best chance of influencing our government is at the grassroots level. It has never been truer that all politics is local, as we are finding out in every small town across the country. Win or lose, the parents and taxpayers have been awakened. They are not woke; they are furious, and they are not backing down, this year or in the foreseeable future.

Irene Heron is a pseudonym.

Image: Protesting CRT. YouTube screen grab.
On February 5, 1777, George Washington issued an order for all troops to be inoculated against smallpox. He feared that the deadly disease raging through his troops was a worse threat than the British. In Washington's time, the only way to protect against smallpox was variolation, a procedure involving obtaining smallpox scabs from those sick with the disease, making a small cut into a healthy person's arm, and then inserting the scab into that cut.

Most variolated people would get a mild form of smallpox and become immune, although a certain percentage would get full-blown smallpox. Smallpox is a dreadful disease, killing many of the people it infects and leaving the survivors disfigured for life. Its 30% mortality rate justified Washington's drastic order.

COVID is another story. It has a survival rate between 97% and 99.75%. With that survival rate, there is no reasonable way to claim that it's serious enough to warrant the government mandating vaccination on the population. Nevertheless, Joe Biden seems determined to do just that and to use the full power of his office to force unwilling Americans to submit to experimental mRNA gene therapy.

Americans are fighting back. Florida governor Ron DeSantis opposes vaccine mandates and has flatly stated that Biden's attempts to mandate vaccination are unconstitutional. California parents demonstrated statewide against vaccine mandates for schools. Thousands of workers across the country are choosing job loss over vaccination. Thousands of Kaiser Permanente employees have refused vaccination and been suspended. Twenty-four states are threatening to sue the administration. Southwest Airlines caved on its threat to put unvaccinated employees on unpaid leave. Business groups met with White House officials to ask for a delay of the vaccine mandate.

Are all these people anti-vaxxers who want their fellow citizens to die of COVID? Hardly. Most people are not opposed to vaccination. Vaccines are known to be safe and effective against many diseases. In America and the West generally, vaccines have eradicated measles and polio, while smallpox has been entirely eradicated.

However, mRNA vaccines are a new technology. There is no long-term data on possible side effects. Some people may choose to take these vaccines. Others are not willing to be experimented on or to have their children subjected to gene therapy experimentation. Washington was willing to order inoculation against smallpox, and his troops submitted because smallpox is a shattering disease that kills large numbers of people. For the vast majority, COVID is only the sniffles. Experimental gene therapy should not be forced on people to avoid the sniffles. It seems that more and more people are willing to fight for that cause.

Pandra Selivanov is the author of Future Slave, a story about a 21st century black teenager who goes back in time and finds himself a slave in the old south.

Image: Vaccine (cropped) by Artem Podrez.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
The jailing of the Jan. 6 riot defendants is not just an obvious miscarriage of justice, given the length of time they've spent in detention without trial. It's also turning into something that's full Soviet.

Here's the latest from one Judge Amy B. Jackson, who, after denying release at least once to one guy, went ahead and let him out. He's a Buffalo, New York-based defendant named Thomas Sibnick, who's recanted:

WASHINGTON  A federal judge reversed her bond decision Tuesday for a Capitol riot defendant accused of robbing a D.C. Police officer  in part because she found "toxic" conditions in the D.C. Jail were likely to contribute to his further radicalization if he was kept in pretrial detention.

U.S. District Judge Amy B. Jackson released Thomas Sibick, 35, released to his parents' Buffalo, New York, home under 24-hour incarceration on Tuesday after hearing from his lawyer and a tearful plea from his father, Dr. Eugene Sibick, a former officer with the U.S. Navy who publicly criticized his son's detention at the "Justice for J6" rally in September and has called him a "political prisoner."

A good thread of what went down, with far more relevant details from WUSA reporter Jordan Fischer, was retweeted by journalist Glenn Greenwald and is worth reading here.

The reason he got out while the others stayed in?

His groveling letter denouncing President Trump, which was so self-abasing that it would make Nikolai Bukharin blush:

"While many praise Trump, I loathe him, his words and actions are nefarious causing pain and harm to the world," Sibick wrote. "He is not a leader and should be ostracized from any political future, what he honestly needs to do is go away!"

That didn't seem to be his point of view back on Jan. 6, when he was allegedly assaulting a police officer and stealing his badge, according to the charges. He certainly was some kind of nut and probably had more legal problems than the other defendants, who were simply in the wrong place or who were pushed into the Capitol, possibly by the FBI's paid agents provocateurs, or who were invited in by Capitol cops and waved the flag. He probably ought to be punished.

The main reason Jackson let him out was that she bought Sibnick's defense attorney's argument that he needed to be "saved" from "radicalization" from other defendants and because he was supposedly so young and suggestible.

[Sibick's lawyer] Brennwald says #CapitolRiot defendants being detained together in the D.C. Jail are "radicalizing." Says he's heard them singing the Star Spangled Banner, which they do every night at 9. "It was almost cult-like." Referring to this story by @misstessowen. https://t.co/zp4AIXdCNW  Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord) October 26, 2021

Throughout his letter to the judge, Sibick writes of being young and impressionable and at 35 says he's finally starting to change and grow up  which is a little queasy-making, but probably a typical legal defense from a guy who doesn't have much else.

Among other things, though, his problem was his politics rather than his judgment. He'd watched too much Fox News, which "could inflame his thoughts":

Judge Jackson: "He came here fired up about the stolen election. Where was he getting his information? Facebook? The news?"

To point to Fox for his actions is full-blown nonsense. Fox News, recall, called Arizona for Biden before the votes were counted, and retains significant numbers of NeverTrumps, including Paul Ryan on its board, as well as among many of its anchor staff. Whatever got into this guy's head to participate in the Capitol riot didn't exactly come from Fox News, let alone Trump, who's on record calling for peaceful protest. It was something stupid he did.

Her stipulation on this phony theme was this:

"I'm not going to order that he not watch Fox News; I'm going to order that you turn off the talk shows, period. No MSNBC either," Jackson said. "I'm trying to make sure it's a calm environment. And I'm looking to you to make sure of that."

Ah, she covered her tracks, being even-handed and all. One wonders if that's a lifetime order, to ensure he stays quiet and low-information, and ignorant and malleable, as the left desires of all conservatives. She actually thinks he committed his acts because of Fox.

The bigger problem is that the idiot made a "confession," professing that he had changed his views and created propaganda for the Democrats. That's what got him out. He also likely created harsher conditions for the defendants who remain unlawfully detained without trial, nearly nine months out from the incident, still waiting for a lot of unreleased video evidence (which makes the government's case against many of them fall flat), who still have no charges. Nobody charged with treason yet, because the reality is, this was a crowd control issue for the most part. But a convenient propaganda pawn for Democrats, well, he gets out.

Funny how it happens that the ones who get out happen to be the ones who denounce Trump.

This Sibnick case, while egregious, is not the first.

There was also the old grandma from some place like Minnesota several months earlier whose name escapes me  she'd been imprisoned on Jan. 6 and wrote a letter renouncing her previous views and got let out on those grounds.

Jackson, in fact, seems obsessed with what the Jan. 6 defendants think rather than what they did, which has nothing to do with her job as a judge.

Here she is wandering off the reservation and editorializing on this group of defendants' views:

Jackson slammed Dresch's views as "misguided," noting that judge after judge smacked down the former president's claims of election fraud.

Really? Does it matter what their views are, or is it her job to pay attention to what they did?

Do we hear her asking such questions of Antifa-supporters or Black Lives Matter looters? Don't think so.

There is zero legal basis for her statements, which are solid political opinion, and which she in her quest for power seeks to make into written law. Perhaps her obsession with defendants' views is a function of the fact that the government has such a flimsy case against them.

So now we see the creepy Bukharin situation. Defendants are unjustly jailed for extended periods for merely trespassing, with some creating mayhem. Now, suddenly...their thoughts have changed. Suddenly, they're good little establishment leftists.

It definitely makes you admire the ones who've refused to do that and despise the weaklings who'd say anything to get out, but the big issue is  is this the United States?

It's like the Soviet Union. We all recall how dissidents were imprisoned in psychiatric institutions if not the hard-labor Soviet Gulag for having the "wrong" thoughts, or more specifically "failing to recognize Soviet reality."

That happened a lot in the late Soviet era, but its rationale dated from Lenin, as this academic paper on Soviet abuse of psychiatry titled "Medicine Standing on Its Head" shows:

Lenin asserted that individual psychology and behavior was the product of social experience, and that "true cognition is an adequate reflection of reality, and social practice is the criterion of truth."[9] Thus, a mentally healthy citizen was one whose behavior reflected the truth of the Soviet reality. Early Soviet psychiatrists appropriated this Marxist-Leninist understanding of consciousness as the foundation for psychotherapeutic and psychiatric treatment.

Sometimes in the Soviet Union, they'd get let out when they professed the "right" thoughts, given that this happened in the creepy dry-rot Brezhnev era, and then serve as Soviet propaganda. Other times, as in the case of the hapless Bukharin, who professed his love for communism and Stalin at his 1938 show trial, despite admitting to being a "degenerate fascist" working for the "restoration of capitalism," it didn't work so well. Bukharin groveled like nobody's business to get out alive and got shot anyway.

What we are seeing now is that exact same dynamic: letting them out from their still chimeric non-charges in many cases if they promise to change their politics. That's full-blown Soviet. What's wrong with this picture?

Image: Wikipedia, public domain.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
New Jersey's governor, Phil Murphy is another Democrat governor who has seen COVID's appearance on the scene as the opportunity to expand his power far beyond the Constitution's parameters. In 2020, he implemented some of the most draconian lockdown orders in America, including locking down vulnerable seniors with people already infected with COVID. Now that he's in a tight re-election race against a dynamic Republican candidate, Murphy planned to keep secret that he intends to mandate vaccines. Project Veritas Action, however, gave away the secret. New Jersey voters should be outraged.

Murphy, a product of the Ivy League and Goldman Sachs, became New Jersey's governor in 2018. A formerly generic Democrat, he became a power-mad tyrant once COVID hit America. As happened in New York, he locked down gyms and restaurants, and even put the kibosh on family gatherings and religious services.

In April, Murphy ordered the arrest of 15 men for attending the funeral of their rabbi, something that is exceptionally important in the Orthodox Jewish community. When Tucker Carlson quizzed him about riding roughshod over the First Amendment's assertion that people have an inherent right to worship and assemble freely, Murphy guffawed, saying core constitutional rights are "above my pay grade." Instead, he said, all that mattered were data.

First, the Constitution is never above a politician's pay grade. Second, there is no clause in the Constitution saying a governor can ignore it completely because the scientists say so. And we know that Murphy wasn't listening to the scientists anyway.

After all, if Murphy had been listening to scientists, he wouldn't have herded people infected with COVID into old-age homes when it's been known since the virus first appeared that the elderly are the most vulnerable. In August 2020, when there was still a rule of law in America, the Department of Justice asked the governors of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan to explain the orders they issued that resulted in the deaths of so many nursing home residents. The DOJ noted that "New Jersey's death rate by population is 1,733 deaths per million people  the highest in the nation." Luckily for the four Democrat governors who conveniently wiped out the people most reliant on state-funded medical services, Biden's DOJ dropped the investigation.

Murphy's opponent in the upcoming gubernatorial election, the personable, dynamic Jack Ciattarelli, had a field day talking about Murphy's disregard for citizens' rights.

Ciattarelli is going to have even more fun with Project Veritas Action's most recent expose. It turns out that, once he is re-elected, Murphy plans to mandate vaccinations for all New Jersey citizens.

Setting aside the fact that this is almost certainly an unconstitutional plan, the big news is that Murphy had no plans to tell New Jersey's voters about his plan to force them to take an experimental gene-altering vaccine. Nevertheless, both his senior campaign adviser and the manager of an organization working with the New Jersey Democratic State Committee to re-elect Murphy say he will absolutely do so.

Here's the transcript from Project Veritas:

Wendy Martinez, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Campaign Senior Advisor: "What do you mean the mandates?" Veritas Journalist: "The [COVID] vaccine mandates, like California, that has the mandate that everyone has to be vaccinated." Martinez: "He [Murphy] is going to do it, but he couldn't do it before the elections. Because of the independents and the undecided." Veritas Journalist: "The independents and the undecided would not vote for him if he did the mandates." Martinez: "Because they are all into all the s---. My rights, my s---  and they don't care if they kill everybody." Veritas Journalist: "Well, you see that's good to know thenafter he wins, then he'll do the mandates. The [COVID] vaccine mandates." Martinez: "He will, but right now is about him winning. It will be fine."

Matthew Urquijo, the manager of New Jersey forward, said the exact same thing. (You can see the transcript at Project Veritas, too.)

On Tuesday, when Project Veritas caught up with both Martinez and Murphy to ask them about what Martinez had said, both refused to comment (although Murphy's press secretary promised to email an answer). Neither could just say "no."

No matter your political party, if you're a New Jersey resident who doesn't think a governor should have the ability to force people to take experimental gene-altering shots with significant side-effects, especially for a disease that, for people under 60, has a greater than 99% survival rate, then you'd do well to vote for Jack Ciattarelli. After all, even if you're "pro-vaccine," the next shot Murphy orders might be one you don't want to take, but...too late...there'll be a precedent.

Image: Wendy Martinez. YouTube screen grab.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
First, permit me to make this suggestion about the left's aim on their mammoth spending bill: they always intended to pass a $1.5-trillion measure and started out at $3 trillion so as 1) to seem conciliatory by accepting reduction by half and 2) to appear as accommodating the wishes of stalking horse Joe (I don't trust him to be a moderate) Manchin.

Now to comment on the weekly Bret (Stephens) and Gail (Collins) show on what used to be called the op-ed page of The New York Times  but, when they have their seemingly anodyne chats transcribed, becomes the paper's weekly steno pad.

The Bret and Gail chat for October 26 began with expressions of sympathy for Republican turncoat Liz Cheney, from Republican turncoat Bret Stephens, who went over to the other side when he quit The Wall Street Journal for The New York Times at the time of Donald Trump's first presidential campaign.

Stephens, in his opening remark, alluded to the "latest effort [of House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy] to make Liz Cheney's life as unpleasant as possible." This is projection from Stephens, as it is Cheney who is intent on making the lives of true House Republicans "as unpleasant as possible" by her service as a Pelosi puppet on the January 6 "sham" (quoting Rep. Jim Banks, barred from the panel by Pelosi diktat) select committee. I quickly add that Stephens did not elaborate on the alleged effort from Mr. McCarthy vis-a-vis turncoat Cheney. Would that it were her ouster from the House Republican Conference.

Stephens went on, in response to a question from Collins, to shrug that Cheney's quest for re-election is not likely to succeed, while at the same time he issued a statement despicable but expectable from the likes of leftist fanatics: "But I'm guessing that Cheney's re-election chances aren't great, either. I think that, at best, she can lay down a marker for the future, proving that at least some Republicans refused to participate in the cult of Il Duce wannabes." It takes an apostate desperate for approval from his new masters to be so mendaciously malevolent.

Stephens then called for a third party "that stands for classically liberal values like free speech, free markets and free societies." But if this journalistic turncoat gives aid and comfort to the left, as by invidious mention of "Il Duce," he cannot truly want a third party. Besides, the GOP is all about free speech and free markets and free societies  aren't you, House Republicans?

Stephens, acknowledging that a third party would split the GOP, not the Democrats, remarked, "I just want to wrest a remnant of thoughtful conservatives out of the maw of Trumpism. The alternative is that Donald Trump and his minions become the default every time Democrats stumble." Poor Stephens  he cannot accept the likelihood that "thoughtful conservatives" will see through his pitiful polemics and those of his ilk and is too addled by left-think to recognize "Trumpism" as standing for conservative populism, which is the bane of the left and the swamp for which it stands.

The rest of the Bret-Gail transcript, October 26, consisted of leftist balderdash on the issue of abortion  Stephens warning that reversal of Roe v. Wade will be bad for the GOP (a warning to warm the hearts of his paymasters at the Times)  and assurances that although Biden may have "'lost a step,'" his "performance," sneered Stephens, "is still much preferable to Trump's, who kept his step and lost his mind." To which Collins high-fived: "Loved your Trump line, by the way."

How maliciously clever these anti-Trump/NeverTrump columnists are  but never accuse them of being thoughtful. After all, "thoughtful leftist" is an oxymoron. Take it from this Trump minion and bank it.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
"In reality, 'critical race theory' being taught in elementary, middle, and high school isn't a concern. All students deserve to be taught the truth and all educators deserve the right to teach it."

Alice O'Brien, general counsel, National Education Association

Ms. O'Brien then says Critical Race Theory is a legal theory that posits that what appears to be neutral in American law is really a device to perpetuate systemic racism. Honesty in education, or "truth" as Ms. O'Brien sees it, would require teachers to teach and support ideological organizations such as Black Lives Matter so American schoolchildren get the full picture regarding American history, such as the "murder" of George Floyd and the January 6, 2020 "insurrection" in Washington, D.C.

The "truth" also includes the 1619 Project, which reframes American history to support the theory that the apparently republican principles at our founding are merely a cover to support slavery. New restrictions on teaching these theories in ten or more states are really right-wing political groups trying to hide the full story from students and perpetuate non-inclusive and racially insensitive public education.

Goodness. O'Brien goes on to say the NEA is there to help teachers who want to add CRT to their teaching in states that oppose it and advises that they talk to their union representatives for guidance about Black Lives Matter or other advocacy posters. NEA lawyers will be there to back these "truth-tellers" by challenging any over-broad interpretations of restrictions on ideological education and strictly enforcing collective bargaining agreements and state tenure laws.

Stated another way, the NEA is promoting these theories as factual and is telling teachers that they have a right to teach what is factual. Is this statement true? If we add duty, don't public school teachers have the right and duty to teach what is true? The answer is no and yes.

1. What is politically true for one teacher is not a "truth"; it is a political opinion. O'Brien states that parents or states resisting Critical Race Theory or the 1619 Project are trying to make Republicans out of students. That is patently untrue. So, no, teachers do not have the right to teach their personal political views as fact or truth. The Supreme Court of the United States makes this clear in a case that upholds the rights of Jehovah's Witnesses regarding pledging allegiance to the flag.

"If there is any fixed star in our constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. If there are any circumstances which permit an exception, they do not occur to us."

West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943), Robert H. Jackson

In a case prohibiting official invocation and benediction prayers as part of middle school and high school graduation ceremonies, the Supreme Court says:

"As we have observed before, there are heightened concerns with protecting freedom of conscience from subtle coercive pressure in the elementary and secondary public schools. . . what may appear to be reasonable. . . in a school context may appear to the dissenter to be an attempt to employ the machinery of the State to enforce. . . a[n] orthodoxy."

Lee v. Weisman, 505 U.S. 577 (1992), Justice Kennedy

Many states consider public school teachers' personal political opinions violations of their state Hatch Acts because teachers are representatives of the state's machinery. O'Brien, in her national podcast to subscribers, clearly states and strongly implies that Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project represent "civics education" and "true history." They are no such thing. These are theories of the truth, not true history itself.

2. What public school teachers may do  in fact, have a duty to do, as arms of the state, funded by the state's citizens  is like a physician's duty: first, do no harm. Children are children. They are growing human beings with limited biological capabilities and developing hearts and minds. The primary source of their education is at home through their parents, grandparents, siblings, and other family members. This familial bond is the abutment that supports the weight of our civilization. Nothing a teacher should say or imply should in any way negate the importance of the family and its values.

Teachers and administrators have a duty to make sure that objective, not theoretical, age-appropriate knowledge is passed along to each generation so that there is continuity in our civilization and a sense of pride and belonging to the school, to the community, to the state in which one lives, and to the country at large.

None of what teachers have a duty to do includes their own political perspectives, supported by their politicized union, that might include ugly divisiveness, racial stereotyping, sarcasm or cynicism about a child's world, promotion of ideological activism, omission of universal and ageless values that undergird American civilization, or sexual concepts completely inappropriate for a child.

For the NEA to approve and promote what harms a child's heart, what harms a child's mind, and what destroys a child's future is wickedness beyond comprehension.

"The child is not the mere creature of the State."

Pierce v. Society of Sisters 268 U.S. 510 (1925), Justice McReynolds

M.E. Boyd's Apples of Gold  Voices from the Past that Speak to Us Now is available at www.amazon.com using the title and subtitle.

Image: Classroom. Pixabay license.
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Drugs In AP: Pawan Kalyan Takes A Dig Against YSRCP:- The entire nation is discussing about Andhra Pradesh turning a hub for the production and consumption of drugs. The government of Andhra Pradesh led by YSRCP is criticized badly and several attacks are planned by YSRCP supporters on the offices of TDP after the opposition party alleged about the ongoing drug trade. Janasena Chief Pawan Kalyan took a dig on the leading YSRCP government for the drug trade which is exploiting the youth across the nation. Pawan Kalyan during his 2018 tour in the Andhra Odisha border received several complaints about the illegal drug trade in the agency regions. He took his social media page to post several videos about the recent complaints received in several states after the drug rackets are busted. Surprisingly, the interrogation told that the roots of the drugs originated from Andhra Pradesh.

As I had travelled extensively in AOB( Andhra Orissa border) in 2018 & locals told me there is an intricate criminal network,which they were scared to reveal.I hope Govt Of India should put an interstate Task-force under central Home ministry to curb the menace.  Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) October 27, 2021

During my  Porata Yatrain 2018,which was meant to understand the socio,economic issues of people of the state. In the tribal areas of  Andhra Orissa Border I had received numerous complaints about health, unemployment, illegal mining and also about ganja trade & its mafia. pic.twitter.com/OU74YN0LOk  Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) October 27, 2021

"As I had traveled extensively in AOB( Andhra Orissa border) in 2018 & locals told me there is an intricate criminal network, which they were scared to reveal. I hope Govt Of India should put an interstate Task-force under the central Home ministry to curb the menace. During my  Porata Yatrain 2018, which was meant to understand the socio, economic issues of people of the state. In the tribal areas of Andhra Orissa Border I had received numerous complaints about health, unemployment, illegal mining and also about ganja trade & its mafia. Delhi police have seized huge amounts of ganja and in subsequent interrogation reveals, it came from Visakhapatnam, AP. AP - Narcotics hub of the Nation supplies Ganja to Pune, Mumbai and rest of the Maharashtra too. Maharashtra Police have seized the ganja shipments" posted Pawan Kalyan on his twitter page.

Delhi police have seized huge amounts of ganja and in subsequent interrogation reveals , it came from Visakhapatnam, AP. pic.twitter.com/NdG8zGQ5pe  Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) October 27, 2021
(Image source from: Instagram.com)

Samantha back to Vacay Mode:- Samantha is back to single status after she parted ways with her husband and actor Naga Chaitanya. Samantha is living her life to the fullest and is on a break. She has signed a couple of projects but she decided to take up tours all over before she returns to work. After spending ample time in Goa and Hrishikesh, Samantha is now off for a vacation abroad. The actress along with Sadhana Singh and Jukalkar Preetham flew abroad this morning. She landed in Dubai this afternoon and she would return back to Hyderabad this weekend.

Samantha also turned quite active on Instagram in the recent times and she has been posting regular updates about her happenings. Samantha is done with the shoot of Shaakuntalam, a pan-Indian film that will release next year. She signed a film for Sridevi Movies which was announced recently. The shooting formalities will commence in December. Samantha is also keen to take up web-based projects and there are speculations that she signed a Telugu web series for Aha.
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has offered some insight into the companys work in the augmented reality (AR) segment. Pichai was speaking at Alphabets third-quarter earnings call.

Responding to a question from a Morgan Stanley analyst, Pichai cited Ambient Computing as one of the areas where it is focusing investments. This concept was first mentioned last year after Googles hardware division acquired North, the producer of Focals smart glasses. Ambient Computing was also detailed during the Google Tensor SoC introduction last week.

For a while, we have deeply focused on thinking through computing for the long term. Weve talked about ambient computing, and its just a matter of time before, you know, beyond phones, youll see other successful form factors. And AR is an exciting part of that future, Pichai said (via).

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Googles VR venture, known as Daydream, ended last year

Alphabet wants its shareholders to know that AR is a major area of investment for the company. But Googles ambitions in the AR sphere arent official. While companies like Facebook have offered some details on their virtual reality (VR) and AR ambitions, Googles approach has been limited to functionality on Android devices or mobile apps.

Google has worked on projects like Daydream, though it didnt last too long. However, its acquisition of North was an indicator of the companys intentions in the field of AR and VR.

Based out of Canada, North built augmented reality glasses. Google said after the acquisition that it wants to invest in Norths hardware efforts and ambient computing future.

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This led to the winding down of Norths Focals smart glasses, a bitter disappointment for early adopters. North then introduced the Focals 1.0 in January 2019. These glasses came with a laser in one of the temple arms, projecting content in front of the users eyes. The Focals 1.0 was also capable of pairing with phones via Bluetooth for notifications and even directions.

Meanwhile, Googles Daydream VR was shelved following the release of Android 11 last year. Google also stopped sending security and software updates to its Daydream VR headsets. First announced in 2016, this technology saw multiple iterations, including a version compatible with the first-gen Pixel phones.
WhatsApp earlier this year rolled out the ability to transfer chats from iOS to Android. This feature was initially exclusive to Samsung Galaxy devices, though the company promised to add support for Android devices from other OEMs as well in the future. Googles Pixel devices are the next in the pipeline. The internet giant has announced that all Pixel phones now support WhatsApp chat transfers from iPhones. Moreover, all new Android smartphones launching with Android 12 will also support this feature. So it will not be a Samsung or Google thing for much longer.

Transferring your WhatsApp chat history from an iPhone to an Android smartphone is a fairly simple process. The transfer will take place locally, meaning youll require to connect the two phones using a cable. Unfortunately, Apple sticking to a Lightning port on iPhones means you need a USB-C to Lightning cable to get started.

Once youve connected the two phones, youll get a prompt while setting up your new Android device. It will ask you to scan a QR code with your iPhone for the transfer process to begin. You can also open WhatsApp on your iPhone and navigate to Settings >> Chats >> Move Chats to Android to move all your conversations, media, and more over to your new Android device.

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Google says your WhatsApp data will be protected during the transfer process so no one can access it. It will simply copy the information from the iPhone and bring it over to your Android phone. The company will also ensure that new messages arent delivered to your old device while the transfer is in progress.

iOS-to-Android WhatsApp chat transferring is coming to all new Android 12 devices

The ability to transfer chats from iOS is available on all Samsung devices running Android 10 or higher. But they also require the Samsung SmartSwitch app. Google Pixel phones have no such additional requirement. And going forward, it appears the company is adding this feature to the Android OS itself, starting with Android 12. So in a few months, transferring chats from iOS to Android should not be a big deal as most new devices will support the feature.

Meanwhile, it recently appeared that WhatsApp is also working on the ability to transfer chats the other way round, i.e. from Android to iOS. This feature is currently in development and should be available in the coming months. Well keep you posted about all these developments around cross-platform transferring of WhatsApp chats.
Samsung Vice Chairman and de-facto leader Lee Jae-yong cant seem to get over his legal woes. Currently out of jail on parole, Lee has been fined by a South Korean district court for the illegal use of a sedative. The Seoul Central District Court Tuesday fined the Samsung Group heir KRW 87 million (approx. $74,000) for using the sedative propofol for purposes other than medical treatments. This includes a penalty of KRW 17 million for violating the Narcotics Control Act.

According to the Korean media, Lee was convicted of taking propofol illegally 41 times between January 2015 and May 2020. The sedative is said to have the same high levels of addiction and dependency as other illegal drugs. Lee reportedly administered the strictly prohibited drugs illegally at a plastic surgery clinic in southern Seoul.

Prosecutors indicted the Samsung chief of the charges in June this year. They had initially sought a KRW 50 million fine for Lee but later filed for a higher amount after finding him taking the illegal drugs more frequently. A district court has now fined him the same amount prosecutors had demanded. Lee had reportedly pleaded guilty to the charges in a prior hearing.

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Judge Jang Young-chae said the seriousness of Lees crime is quite high not just because of the level of dosage he had taken, but also because of his position and social influence. He should be compliant with the law and serve as an exemplary person, the court said. The judge, however, noted that Lee had confessed to all his crimes and had no prior convictions on related crimes. The court urged him to break free of propofol and become a healthy and exemplary parent to children.

Legal troubles for Samsung leader Lee Jae-yong keep compounding

As mentioned earlier, Lee Jae-yong is currently out of jail on parole. He was serving a 2.5 years sentence in prison for bribing former South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Lee, who is the richest person in South Korea, had bribed Park to help him take control of the Samsung Group. The current South Korean President Moon Jae-in granted him parole in the national interest in August this year.

Moreover, Lee is also facing another investigation for fraud and stock manipulation involving a couple of Samsung affiliates. These offenses relate to the merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries in 2015. If found guilty, he might have to head back into prison again or at least face another hefty fine.
Google is announcing a new safety feature to maintain the privacy of minors on its search platform. The company said it would allow minors under the age of 18 to request the removal of their images from Google Search results.

The feature was first launched in August and is now rolling out to more users, according to The Verge (via). Google says it will remove images of minors unless its a case of compelling public interest or newsworthiness.

Googles support page indicates that this policy would only apply to individuals currently 18 or younger. Requests can be put in by minors, parents, guardians, or legal representatives from the companys support page.

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Google will ask for the image URLs you want to be removed from its search results. Users also have to submit information such as the name and age of the minor, as well as the name of the individual representing them. However, the company points out that it cannot remove web URLs or pages containing text and images.

If a users removal request is denied, they will have a chance to re-submit their request later

Moreover, users cant request the removal of images that are hosted on other websites. Google recommends getting in touch with the sites webmaster to initiate content removal in such cases. Theres also a guide included with steps to contact a webmaster.

So what happens when the content removal request is denied? Google says it will include a brief explanation while informing the user of the news.

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If your request is denied and later you have additional materials to support your case, you can re-submit your request, Google says. We recommend going through the FAQ section on Googles support page for any specific query on content removal.

Recently, YouTube launched a new mechanism to track the views on videos that violate the sites policies. Known as Violative View Rate (VVR), this metric helps the company ascertain the progress it has made in removing such content. Google will share stats on VVR every quarter in the YouTube Community Guidelines Enforcement Report.

We also learned that YouTube removed a total of 2,055,515 channels in 2020 over policy violations. These violating channels had a total of 51,078,806 video uploads.
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(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 27 - Pope Francis on Wednesday told his weekly general audience that human life must be defended form conception to natural death.

"I entrust t your prayers every child conceived, whose life is sacred and inviolable," said Francis after blessing bells titled The Voice of the Unborn for a Polish pro-life foundation, which will be sent to Ecuador and Ukraine.

"May their sound announce to the world the 'Gospel of Life', rouse consciences in men and the memory of the unborn," said the pontiff. (ANSA).


(ANSAmed) - ROME, OCT 27 - The parents of Giulio Regeni, an Italian research student abducted and tortured to death in Egypt in 2016, on Wednesday asked the European Union to help them get truth and justice in the case.

Regeni's mother, Paola, asked the EU for "proximity and help with concrete facts, so the truth is discovered and justice is done for our son".

"Seeking the truth and justice for our son would also mean helping the Egyptian people", said Paola Regeni, who went to the European Parliament on Wednesday with husband Claudio and their attorney, Alessandra Ballerini, to talk about Egypt's disregard for human rights.

"In all these years we have only heard about words and few actions, while single countries proceeded according to their interests. We ask for support through actions as well as words", added Claudio.

"In Egypt the situation is extremely concerning for human rights, and this has been clearly denounced both by the UN and the EU. We have lodged a complaint against the Italian government, for the violation of law 185/90 that bans the sale of arms to countries violating human rights. This is practically not respected by any EU or non-EU nation", added Regeni's father.

While his wife Paola stressed: "Rome prosecutors have an autopsy of over 260 pages on Giulio and this is the biggest testimony we can offer on the lack of respect for human rights".

"Impunity" for the abduction, torture and murder of Giulio Regeni "is intolerable and traumatizing and can't be definitive", said the lawyer of the Regeni family to the European Parliament, recalling that a court decided not to proceed in the absence of defendants, urging to obtain an address for the four Egyptian security officers who are suspects.

The first hearing in the trial in absentia of the four Egyptian security agents took place in Rome on October 14, when a Court of Assizes judge ruled it could not proceed until the defendants received notice of being on trial, sending the case back to a preliminary hearings judge.

Regeni was found dead in a ditch on the Cairo-Alexandria highway on February 3, 2016, a week after disappearing. He had been tortured so badly that his mother said she only recognised him by the tip of his nose.

He had been fingered as a spy by the head of Cairo street sellers' unions, the politically sensitive issue that was the subject of his doctoral research for Cambridge University.

"As was also written in the decision of the Assize Court - stressed attorney Ballerini - there is no collaboration from Egypt. There can be no confidence towards a regime that promises and then acts in a completely different way".

The ruling in the Assize Court is a "setback but it cannot be definitive", continued the lawyer.

"We ask the EU ambassadors, European institutions and the European Parliament to exercise the utmost pressure at every single meeting with Egyptian authorities to obtain an address for the four defendants" where judicial communications can be sent and that this be "subordinated to any business. No business deal can hold in front of the impunity of those abducting, torturing and killing".

The Regenis have condemned continued Italian arms sales to Egypt including two frigates. (ANSAmed).


(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 27 - Some of the keys used to generate the European Green Pass have been stolen and distributed on programming networks to create false COVID-19 health certificates, qualified Italian sources said on Wednesday.

A series of meetings at the EU level were being held on Wednesday to examine the situation, according to the sources.

It has been decided to cancel all the passes created with those keys, the sources said.

The theft of the generation keys did not take place in Italy, they said. (ANSA).


ROME - Bordeaux (France) and Valencia (Spain) have been selected in Brussels as European capitals of smart tourism 2022 (www.SmartTourismCapital.eu). The two winners will receive the official prize at an award ceremony to be held on November 16 during a gala dinner of the European Tourism Forum, an event organized by the Slovenian presidency of the EU Council together with the European Commission. In total, 30 cities from 16 countries have participated including seven that were invited to present their candidature to a European jury.



Bordeaux and Valencia have particularly impressed the jury not only for their great results in all four categories in competition, but also for the extraordinary programs of activities they intend to implement in 2022 and for their ability to be a role model for other cities. The European capital of smart tourism is an initiative of the EU, currently funded by the COMSE program. It recognizes the excellent results of European cities as tourism destinations in four categories: accessibility, sustainability, digitalization, cultural heritage and creativity. It has the aim of contributing to the growth of Europe's visibility as a destination of smart tourism and it will favor the creation of a platform to share the best practices in tourism between European cities.
Spain: deputy PM in Algeria to discuss gas provisions Contract expiring on gas pipeline passing through Morocco

(ANSAmed) - MADRID, OCTOBER 27 - Spain's deputy premier and minister for ecological transition, Teresa Ribera, is awaited Wednesday in Algeria, according to the official agenda of the government. As stressed by Spanish media, the mission is coming a few days before the expiration of a contract for the provision of gas through a pipeline arriving in Spain from Algeria through Morocco. The agreement could not be renewed after Algiers interrupted diplomatic relations with Rabat in the summer. This should be the topic at the center of conversations between Ribera and Algerian authorities.



Madrid's first alternative is to obtain the gas it needs through a pipeline that does not cross Moroccan territory, a perspective already guaranteed by authorities of the North African country to the Spanish government, according to statements made a few weeks ago by Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares.(ANSAmed).




MADRID - Spain's deputy premier and minister for ecological transition, Teresa Ribera, is awaited Wednesday in Algeria, according to the official agenda of the government. As stressed by Spanish media, the mission is coming a few days before the expiration of a contract for the provision of gas through a pipeline arriving in Spain from Algeria through Morocco. The agreement could not be renewed after Algiers interrupted diplomatic relations with Rabat in the summer. This should be the topic at the center of conversations between Ribera and Algerian authorities.



Madrid's first alternative is to obtain the gas it needs through a pipeline that does not cross Moroccan territory, a perspective already guaranteed by authorities of the North African country to the Spanish government, according to statements made a few weeks ago by Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares.
BEIRUT - The war in Syria continues despite the fact that many States and analysts prefer to think the conflict is over, according to Paulo Pinheiro, president of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria tasked by the UN with shedding light on humanitarian violations committed during the war.



In a speech pronounced over the past few hours in front of members of the third commission of the UN General Assembly gathered in New York, Pinheiro recalled that in Syria there are "several hundred thousands of people who have been killed", "tens of thousands of detainees", "more than 12 million people suffering from food insecurity" and "12 million displaced".



In his address, Pinheiro said: "many States and analysts would prefer to close with the Syrian conflict. The government controls more than 70% of the country and President Assad has been reelected. But the reality is that war against the Syrian population continues". "As we speak - he continued - millions of civilians are continuing to be condemned to war, terror and pain. Many of the displaced have seen their property destroyed or seized by the government, by armed groups or terror groups".



"Winter is arriving once again - he added - bringing stinging cold weather to their makeshift tents. Syrians are dealing with a new wave of the pandemic and only 2.1% of the population is completely vaccinated". In light of this data, the president of the commission of inquiry stated: "now is not the time to think Syria is safe for the return home of its refugees. We are instead assisting to an increase of fighting and violence".



Pinheiro spoke about the escalation of armed violence reported last summer in the north-west, in the south, north and east of the country. "Hundreds of thousands of Syrians wake up every morning, concerned for the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones", he said.


Banks are set to save 4 billion in taxes over five years from a cut to the banking surcharge in April 2023, according to the Budget.

A surcharge of 8% was cut to 3% by Chancellor Rishi Sunak to maintain the competitiveness of our financial services, he said.

As a result, the amount paid by banks will fall by 220 million next year, 830 million in 2023/24; 975 million in 2024/25; 995 million in 2025/26 and 1.02 billion in 2026/27, the Budget Red Book states.

The financial sector has been lobbying hard for a cut to the tax, warning that the tax on institutions would leave them uncompetitive with international rivals, particularly in the US.

(PA Graphics)

Mr Sunak had previously announced plans for a review of the tax in light of the rising corporation tax rate.

He told Parliament: The overall rate of corporation tax on banks will in 2023 increase from 27% to 28%, and will remain higher than the rates paid by other companies.

The Chancellor added: Small challenger banks are improving banking competition which is good for the sector and good for consumers, so to help them I will also raise the annual allowance to 100 million pounds.

This is a rise from the current threshold of 25 million before the surcharge kicks in, adding around 35 banking groups who will fall out of the scope of the surcharge completely.

Banks currently pay 27% tax on their profits, made up of 19% corporation tax and 8% bank surcharge.

A man withdrawing money from an ATM (Aaron Chown/PA)

The Treasury said: We are not only retaining a bank surcharge, we are also retaining other bank-specific taxes and interventions.

By keeping the bank surcharge in place from 2023, we will ensure that banks will continue to pay a higher rate on their profits than most other business.

As well as the bank surcharge, we also have the Bank Levy, a charge on banks balance sheet liabilities.

It added: If the surcharge remained the same, from 2023 banks would have had to pay an effective rate of 33% on profits, higher than the rate in New York, US (26%), Frankfurt, Germany (32%) or France (29%, but intending to reduce to 25.8% by 2022), making UK bank taxes a major global outlier.
The Duchess of Cornwall has paid tribute to those whose lives have been brutally ended as she called for action to prevent violence against women.

Camilla acknowledged a number of women who have died in violent circumstances, including Sarah Everard, at a reception for the Shameless! Festival at the Wellcome Collection in London.

While urging for their names to never be forgotten, she recalled a victim impact statement read out in court by Sarah Everards mother, Susan, describing it as searing.

The duchess said: Each one of these women endured unimaginable torment  and their loved ones who are left behind continue to suffer in the wake of their deaths.

On September 30, Sarah Everards mother stood before her daughters killer to give her searing victim impact statement.

After quoting from the statement, the duchess added: I know that all of you here today join me in paying tribute to all these precious lives that have been brutally ended, and in renewing our commitment to do everything we can to bring about the end of violence against women.

On the same day Sarah Everards killer, Wayne Couzens, was arrested, a survey was published stating that 86% of young women in the UK have been sexually harassed in a public space, Camilla said.

She added that a crime survey for England and Wales showed that 144,000 women were victims of rape or attempted rape in the last year, which equates to roughly 16 every hour.

Camilla said she hoped the upcoming Shameless! Festival  a collaboration between the WOW (Women of the World) Foundation, of which she is president, and Birkbeck, University of Londons SHaME (Sexual Harms and Medical Encounters) project  would help create the world free from violence against women.

Together, today, let us resolve to support survivors to be shameless and not to take on misplaced feelings of stigma, she said.

Through speaking up about our experiences, we break the wall of silence that allows perpetrators to go unpunished and increases the feeling of isolation that so many survivors describe.

She also urged for men to get involved in the movement, saying they need to be on board to tackle violence against women.

Because how many more women must be harassed, raped or murdered before we truly unite to forge a violence-free world? Camilla asked.

The Duchess of Cornwall (left) with Boris Johnsons wife Carrie (Peter Nichols/PA)

Ahead of the reception, Camilla met with Jude Kelly, founder and director of the WOW Foundation, and Julia Gillard, chairwoman of Wellcome, which is supporting the festival.

Other guests at the event included Carrie Johnson, members of the WOW Foundation and representatives of Birkbecks SHaME project.

Mrs Johnson, who is understood to have been personally invited to the event by the duchess, was seen practising her curtesy ahead of Camillas arrival.

Camilla, who was wearing a black dress and a WOW badge, greeted Mrs Johnson when she arrived and said: Hello Carrie, very nice to see you.

At the start of the event, Camilla took to the stage alongside Ms Kelly and former Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard, now chair of the Wellcome Trust.

Mrs Gillard made the audience laugh by asking if she should refer to Mrs Johnson as the First Lady, to which the Prime Ministers wife replied Absolutely not! and laughed.

Julia Gillard (left) speaks as Jude Kelly looks on (Peter Nichols/PA)

A glass of wine was seen knocked over behind Mrs Johnson at the same moment. Mrs Gillard jokingly apologised and said that in Australia they have a First Bloke. Thank you very much for that, Mrs Johnson said and smiled.

The Shameless! Festival will take place at Battersea Arts Centre on November 27, where it aims to bring together activism and art to confront and change attitudes towards sexual violence.

Camilla has previously been an advocate for preventing and addressing the issue of sexual violence and harassment.

In 2017, she worked with Boots to launch the Wash Bag Project, a scheme that provides a wash bag of toiletries to sexual abuse survivors across the UK.

In March last year, she spoke about domestic violence at the Women of the World Festival and recorded a video message for the United Nations Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in November.

In September, the duchess was named patron of the Mirabel Sexual Assault Centre in Lagos.

Such an honour to join HRH The Duchess of Cornwall at tonights @WOWisGlobal event ahead of this months Shameless! Festival against sexual violence: https://t.co/vP0jLnbttZ pic.twitter.com/rWK4NapFzC  Carrie Johnson (@carrielbjohnson) October 27, 2021

Ms Kelly said the event was quite joyful as some people at the event felt they were liberated due to having a safe space to discuss their traumas.

Outlining her thoughts on the duchess speech, she told PA: I think its great that shes refusing to moderate the message. Because its too urgent to be coy or diplomatic.

Its great to see her right at the front of the subject matter. Ive known her for a long time now and she wants to know the hard stuff from the survivors she met.

She added that she also spoke to Mrs Johnson during the event.

She said Anything I can do to help, call on me anytime. It [the event] really had moved her, Ms Kelly added.

Labour MP for Walthamstow Stella Creasy, who also was at the event, told PA: I think this is such a powerful, potent, and timely festival that theyre organising.

I was blown away by what the Duchess of Cornwall said. I think it shows that there is a revolution taking place where women are not going to take it anymore. I think this festival could be a powerful part of that.

She added that the job now falls on people like her to continue that momentum through Parliament.

Ill certainly be trying to recruit the Duchess of Cornwall to make misogyny a hate crime on what she said tonight  she makes a powerful case for it, she added.
Here are the main points from Chancellor Rishi Sunaks Budget:

 The Budget is focused on the post-Covid era, according to the Chancellor, and will pave the way for the Prime Ministers economy of higher wages, higher skills, and rising productivity.

 Independent forecaster the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has scaled down its assumption of the scarring effect of Covid-19 on the economy from 3% to 2%, Mr Sunak told the Commons.

 The OBR has downgraded its unemployment forecast due to the coronavirus pandemic from 12% down to 5.2%, the Chancellor told MPs.

 The minimum wage will increase to to 9.50 an hour next year, up from the current 8.91.

 The Universal Credit taper rate will be cut by 8% from no later than December 1, bringing it down from 63% to 55%.

 Alcohol duty is being radically simplified by introducing a system designed around the principle of the stronger the drink, the higher the rate.

(PA Graphics)

 A draught relief will apply a lower rate of duty on draught beer and cider, cutting the tax by 5% on drinks served from draught containers over 40 litres and bringing the price of a pint down by 3p.

 A planned rise in fuel duty will be cancelled because of pump prices being at their highest level in eight years.

 Flights between airports in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be subject to a new lower rate of Air Passenger Duty from April 2023.

 Every Whitehall department will receive a real terms rise in overall spending as part of the Spending Review, the Chancellor said, amounting to 150 billion over this Parliament.

 Mr Sunak confirmed a levy will be placed on property developers with profits over 25 million at a rate of 4% to help create a 5 billion fund to remove unsafe cladding.

Rishi Sunak said every Whitehall department will receive a real terms rise in overall spending (Jacob King/PA)

 Devolved administrations will be given the largest block grants since 1998, with an increase to Scottish Government funding in each year by an average of 4.6 billion, 2.5 billion for the Welsh Government, and 1.6 billion for the Northern Ireland Executive.

 An extra 2.2 billion has been announced for courts, prisons and probation services, including 500 million to reduce the courts backlogs.

 300 million will go towards A Start for Life parenting programmes, with an extra 170 million by 2024/25 going into paying for childcare.

Our Global Talent Network will identify and attract the best talent from around the world in Science and Technology. #Budget2021 #SpendingReview pic.twitter.com/G5AS6dyH2D  HM Treasury (@hmtreasury) October 27, 2021

 The Chancellor said core science funding will rise to 5.9 billion a year by 2024-25, a cash increase of 37%.

 A new 50% business rates discount will apply in the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors, with eligible businesses able to claim a discount on their bills of up to a maximum of 110,000.

 Ahead of the Budget statement, 7 billion transport funding was announced for areas including Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and South Yorkshire for projects ranging from tram improvements to introducing London-style improvements in infrastructure, but only 1.5 billion of this was believed to be new funding.

 A 6 billion package of funding will help tackle NHS backlogs and invest in technology was also trailed ahead of the statement.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff said Wednesday that other live rounds may have been on the set of Rust last week, in addition to the one that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza said that investigators recovered 500 rounds of ammunition, which included a mix of blanks, dummy rounds and, possibly, live rounds. The sheriff said that investigators are continuing to interview witnesses in an effort to determine how live rounds made it onto the set.

Were going to determine how those got there, why they were there, because they shouldnt have been there, Mendoza said.

Hutchins was shot during rehearsal of a scene at the Bonanza Creek Ranch, a popular filming location near Santa Fe. Alec Baldwin, the star of the film and also a producer, was holding the gun at the time, and was demonstrating how he would point it toward the camera when it went off. According to affidavits in the case, Baldwin had been told he was holding a cold gun, and was unaware it contained a live round.

Mary Carmack-Altwies, the local district attorney, said it is too soon to say whether any charges will be filed.

We cant say it was negligence by whom, how many people were involved, Carmack-Altwies said. It is a very complex case If the facts and the evidence and law support charges, then I will initiate prosecution at that time. I am a prosecutor that was elected in part because I do not make rash decisions and I do not rush to judgment.

Mendoza noted that film sets are typically safe, but said that in this case, I think there was some complacency on set.

I think there are some safety issues that need to be addressed by the industry and possibly by the state of New Mexico, Mendoza said. But Ill leave that up to the industry and the state to determine what those need to be.

Mendoza told reporters that a live round was recovered from Souzas shoulder, which was the same round that hit Hutchins, causing her death. Mendoza identified the weapon as a F.LLI Pietta Long Colt .45 revolver.

Mendoza also addressed rumors that the guns used on set may have been used earlier for recreational shooting, and said that investigators have not confirmed that to be true.

We are aware of those statements and we are investigating whether or not that is true or isnt true, he said. We would encourage anybody who has any information that any target practicing or any firearm was discharged away from the movie set or for practice or for whatever reason, to contact the Sheriffs office.

Three guns were recovered from the scene. The ammunition will be sent to the FBI crime lab in Quantico, Va., for analysis, Mendoza said.

The shooting was not captured on video, Mendoza said. He said there were about 100 people on the property at the time, but only about 16 people were in the vicinity of the shooting, which took place in a church building on the ranch.

Dave Halls, the assistant director, had handed the gun to Baldwin and said it was cold, meaning it that did not have any live rounds, according to a search warrant affidavit filed on Friday. Halls had retrieved the gun from a cart, where it had been placed by the armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed.

Mendoza said that Baldwin, Gutierrez Reed, and Halls have all cooperated with the investigation and given statements.

Souza, who was released from the hospital, told investigators that there should never be live rounds whatsoever near or around the scene, according to an affidavit.

Investigators retrieved spent shell casings, revolvers, clothing and swabs with blood on them from the scene on Friday, according to a search warrant return filed on Monday.

IATSE Local 480, the union that represents most film workers in New Mexico, issued a statement on Tuesday saying it was disturbed by reports that non-union workers had been hired after the camera crew walked off the set. The crew reportedly complained of poor working conditions.

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Glover Teixeira will turn 42 years old on Thursday, two days before he challenges Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight title at Etihad Arena on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi in the main event of UFC 267 on Saturday.

The UFCs present to Teixeira, whose only title fight previously was a one-sided decision loss to Jon Jones at UFC 172 in 2014, was the construction of the Performance Institute (PI). Teixeiras on a late-career resurgence and credits the work of the staff at the PI for much of it.

Theyve got him training the right way and so were getting the most out of him now, Teixeira head coach John Hackleman said.

Teixeira is on a five-fight winning streak, finishing four of the five, since a 2018 decision loss to Corey Anderson on July 22, 2018, in Germany.

Teixeira was at a low point after the loss but wasnt ready to concede that age was the reason he was no longer as effective as he once was. But, as it turns out, it was.

At least in part, anyway.

Teixeira reached out to Duncan French, the vice president of performance at the PI, for help. They met for the first time in May 2019, right after he defeated Karl Roberson.

And while Teixeira didnt want to point the finger at age, French immediately noticed it.

Obviously, Glover is a guy coming to the twilight of his career, and hes 41 now, French told Yahoo Sports. The age consideration was an important thing. When he first came to us and engaged with us, we had a conversation about prolonging his career and maximizing his earning potential.

We looked at his training strategies and did a lot of work to make his training approach more efficient, more effective and promote his recovery so he could go into each training session with his coaches and really maximize his potential. What is really endemic in this population, there was some overreaching and overtraining activities that we felt we could help him out with.

Teixeira took to heart the advice he received, and hes been a different fighter since.

Hes shot up the rankings and is poised to win a title he has sought for as long as he can remember.

Glover Teixeira of Brazil prepares to fight Thiago Santos in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Apex on Nov. 7, 2020 in Las Vegas. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

He said I had to change my lifestyle, but in his case, changing his lifestyle was meant differently from most who say that. Teixeira went too hard, too often and didnt allow his body to rest and recover. So come fight night, he wasnt able to perform optimally.

Hes a world-class athlete and he overcame that for the most part, but beating the best of the best of the best, which one must do to win a world title, was a different story.

The PI staff often faces pushback when they try to get the fighters to adjust what they do. Theyve had a lot of success in just getting to the UFC and theyre concerned that changing may negatively impact them.

Teixeira, though, had an open mind and French was grateful, because hes been able to affect meaningful, and obvious, change.

Thats the crux of it, French said when asked about getting successful athletes to alter their training regimen. Were working with world-class athletes. They were hugely successful before us and theyll be successful after were gone as well. We keep that in perspective, but clearly, with many of these athletes, theyre successful in spite of and not because of their training methods.

Were also dealing with the warrior spirit that is a combat athlete. They basically have a desire to run through a brick wall and put themselves through a pretty ambitious training schedule. Its a real thing we deal with. There is a lot of dogma. You think of a guy coming out of the favelas in Brazil and jiu-jitsu athletes and there is a cultural issue. Were trying to implement science and the latest insights.

The UFC has collected more than 320 data points on Teixeiras body and how it reacts in training. At 41, hes not testing above some of the 23- or 25-year-olds that are there, but hes made significant improvements and that, combined with his natural MMA talent and experience, are making a difference.

Teixeira said he knew he needed to change to maximize his window.

Im not going to be fighting when Im 80, he said, chuckling. There is a short period of time where I can still do this. I have to be smarter and do things in a scientific way and I have been able to get the most out of myself. Im going into the fights as good as I can be and thats allowing me to have success.

A Teixeira win on Saturday might make French one of the most popular employees of the UFC. Other fighters who arent taking advantage of what the PI has to offer may be calling French on Monday to set up an evaluation.

For me, its what I had to do and Im able to be at my peak when the [bell rings], Teixeira said. Thats the whole point of [training], to be at your best when the fight starts.
President Biden sought to boost Democrat Terry McAuliffes run for governor in Virginia on Tuesday, telling voters that a Republican victory would boost efforts to continue spreading falsehoods about the 2020 election and undermine democracy.

We cant let this happen, Biden told supporters at an outdoor rally in Arlington Tuesday evening.

The president said that extremism can come in many forms such as the rage of a mob but also with a smile and a fleece vest. McAuliffes Republican opponent, Glenn Youngkin, has campaigned in a trademark vest. Bidens reference to a mob followed his warnings about the violence of Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Either way, the big lie is still a big lie, Biden said, urging Virginians to show up for democracy.

President Biden with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe at Virginia Highlands Park on Tuesday in Arlington, Va. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Biden focused much of his speech on Trump. He said Youngkin had embraced the former president during the Republican primary, but that Youngkin doesnt want to talk about Donald Trump anymore.

Well, I do, Biden said. [Youngkin] wont allow Donald Trump to campaign for him. ... Whats he trying to hide? Is there a problem with Trump being here? Is he embarrassed?

Biden called Youngkin an acolyte of Donald Trump and quoted from a Washington Post editorial that said the Republican candidate had failed the character test by tolerating the former presidents lies about the 2020 election.

At a moment when democracy itself is under assault, Mr. Youngkin chose to dignify a fundamental fiction that is subverting our system, rather than stand up squarely for the truth. In so doing, he proved himself unfit for office, the Post wrote.

The Virginia governors contest is seen as a bellwether for the national political mood and could have major implications for the presidents domestic agenda. Political observers will draw conclusions about the Democratic Partys chances of retaining control of Congress in the 2022 midterm elections depending on the outcome. Bidens visit comes amid his own declining approval numbers, and as he continues to push Democrats in Congress to reach a deal on infrastructure and social programs by the end of this week.

A deal in Congress would deliver much-needed funding to help fix the nations aging roads and bridges, and would expand the social safety net for lower-income and middle-class Americans. It would also provide a big boost to Bidens presidency, which is widely viewed as being on the ballot as much as McAuliffes own record as governor during his first term.

Former President Barack Obama leaves a campaign rally for Terry McAuliffe in Richmond, Va., on Saturday. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

McAuliffe, who was governor from 2014 to 2018 and was limited by the state constitution from serving more than one consecutive term, can use every bit of help he can get.

McAuliffe led Youngkin, a former private equity CEO, by around 8 points in August, according to the FiveThirtyEight polling average. That lead is now down to about 2 points, and pollsters have picked up on an enthusiasm gap between reliable Republican voters and regular Democratic voters in a state that had trended Democratic in recent cycles.

Republicans have not won a statewide election since 2009, and the last Republican presidential candidate to win Virginia was George W. Bush in 2004.

In an attempt to overcome apathy and overconfidence among Democratic voters, McAuliffes campaign has called in a list of politicians and entertainers to help him turn out supporters. Former President Barack Obama campaigned with McAuliffe in Richmond on Saturday, and musicians Dave Matthews and Pharrell Williams are also pitching in to headline events for the Democratic candidate.

Youngkins campaign is a test of whether Republican candidates can bring back voters who were turned off by Trump without alienating the former presidents hard-core supporters. Youngkin presents himself as a country club Republican in the mold of Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, which is appealing to suburban Republicans who could not stomach Trump.

But the GOP candidate has also retained the support of Trump voters in the commonwealth by using language that many interpret as support for the former presidents falsehoods about the 2020 election. Earlier this year Youngkin talked regularly about election integrity  a phrase used often as a placeholder for disproven claims about the election  and more recently he has called to audit voting machines, which already takes place.

Talk about an oxymoron: Donald Trump and election integrity, Biden said. I cant believe he puts Donald Trump and integrity in the same sentence.

Youngkin has also leaned hard into a major miscue by McAuliffe, who came across as dismissive of the concerns of parents of public school children when arguing that the process for deciding curricula cannot be ad hoc and chaotic. Im not going to let parents come into schools, and actually take books out, and make their own decision, McAuliffe said. I dont think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin at a rally on Saturday in Henrico, Va. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

Youngkin pounced on those remarks and has attempted to make them the central issue of the campaign.

If you had any doubt  any doubt whatsoever  about Terry McAuliffes principles, he laid them bare last week, Youngkin said at an October rally.

Youngkins campaign then ran an ad featuring a parent outraged that her childs school had assigned a book that she claimed contained material inappropriate for the classroom. Though the ad didnt name the book, it turned out to be Beloved, the acclaimed novel by Toni Morrison.

McAuliffe made sure his audience knew the book and the author in question.

Yesterday, Glenn Youngkin released his closing argument of this campaign. In it he promotes an effort to ban books by Toni Morrison from Virginia schools, he told his audience Tuesday evening, adding, Glenn Youngkin is promoting banning books by one of Americas most prominent Black authors. Just the fact that hes even discussing this is bringing shame to the commonwealth of Virginia.

Bidens speech was interrupted at times by protesters in the crowd. The president forged ahead, cracking jokes at a few moments, and using even those moments to draw a contrast with his predecessor.

This isnt a Trump rally. We let them holler, he said.

____

Read more from Yahoo News:
CLEVELAND (AP)  A jury acquitted an 83-year-old man Wednesday who was convicted at his first trial of killing his wife and spent 45 years in prison.

The Cleveland jury deliberated for less than 90 minutes before delivering its verdict in Isiah Andrews second aggravated murder trial, Cleveland.com reported.

Andrews said after the verdict that it relieved all the weight off him. Ive become free, he said.

Andrews had been released from prison last year after a judge ruled that prosecutors failed to tell a jury in 1975 that police had interviewed another suspect in the slaying of Regina Andrews.

Attorneys for the Ohio Innocence Project had hoped Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley would dismiss the charge against Andrews. O'Malley instead offered a plea bargain that would keep Andrews out of prison if he pleaded guilty to killing his wife.

Andrews rejected the offer, telling visiting Judge Tim McGinty, I want justice for my wife.

Cleveland police initially arrested another man who provided an alibi for the time period when detectives initially believed Regina Andrews was killed. Detectives didn't question the man again after reconsidering their timeline. The other suspect died in 2011.

There was no physical evidence linking Isiah Andrews to the slaying.

The new trial mostly consisted of transcripts being read from the first trial because detectives who investigated the case in the 1970s have since died.
ATLANTA (AP)  The political organization led by Democratic titan Stacey Abrams is branching out into paying off medical debts.

The Fair Fight Political Action Committee on Wednesday told The Associated Press it has donated $1.34 million from its political action committee to the nonprofit organization RIP Medical Debt to wipe out debt with a face value of $212 million that is owed by 108,000 people in Georgia, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Lauren Groh-Wargo CEO of allied group Fair Fight Action and senior adviser to the PAC said paying off medical debt is another facet of the groups advocacy seeking expansion of Medicaid coverage in the 12 states that have refused to expand the health insurance to all poorer adults.

What is so important about this is the tie between Medicaid expansion and just crushing medical debt, Groh-Wargo said.

Of the states targeted, Arizona and Louisiana have expanded Medicaid.

Fair Fight said letters will be sent to those whose debts have been absolved to notify them. The purchase will forgive the debt of nearly 69,000 people in Georgia, more than 27,000 people in Arizona, more than 8,000 people in Louisiana, and about 2,000 people apiece in Mississippi and Alabama.

The group has raised more than $100 million since Abrams founded it after her 2018 loss in the Georgia governors race. Fair Fight has been most noted for its advocacy of voting rights, but has also been pushing for broader health care. The group launched ads last week demanding that Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp add Medicaid expansion to the list of topics that Georgia lawmakers will consider in a special session starting next week to redraw electoral districts. Democrats are hoping Abrams will run against Kemp again in 2022, a narrow loss that launched her into political stardom.

I know firsthand how medical costs and a broken healthcare system put families further and further in debt, Abrams said in a statement. Across the sunbelt and in the South, this problem is exacerbated in states like Georgia where failed leaders have callously refused to expand Medicaid, even during a pandemic.

RIP Medical Debt said Fair Fight is giving the third-largest donation in its history. Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott gave the group $50 million last year. The group has aided more than 3 million people since it was founded in 2014, typically buying bundles of medical debt at steep discounts from the face value. The bills often are purchased from collection agencies that have been trying to get debtors to pay for years. The group has wiped out debt with a face value of more than $5.3 billion.

Allison Sesso, executive director of RIP Medical Debt, said such liabilities often drive people into bankruptcy, can deter people from seeking needed medical care, and can lead to wages being garnished or liens filed on property.

I wouldnt underestimate the mental anguish that people have from medical debt, Sesso said.

Sesso said her group is not just pursuing debt abolishment but thinking about how we can improve the system nationwide, trying to advocate that hospitals should do more to make charity care available. She also said research shows states that expanded Medicaid have lower rates of medical debt.

We are not the permanent solution, Sesso said. There does need to be a larger solution around what we do about medical debt.

Groh-Wargo said the money was given by donors for political action, but said the money represents only a small percentage of what Fair Fight has raised.

I think of this as politically tithing to help the community we are advocating for and with, Groh-Wargo said, saying the group has done smaller scale charitable efforts.

___

A previous version of this report incorrectly stated the donation was coming from Fair Fight Action. The donation is coming from Fair Fight Political Action Committee.
ALPHARETTA, Ga.  City Council members took Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin and staff to task Oct. 25 for signing an agreement last year that obligates the city to share costs for maintenance and repair of the dam at Lake Windward.

The document, signed in January 2020, came to light only recently when the Windward Community Services Association notified the city that it wants to be absolved from any financial responsibility for the risk of flood damage downstream. The association is calling on the city to execute a contractual indemnification and hold it harmless for any damage downstream arising from failure or damage to the Lake Windward dam.

Council members Donald Mitchell and Karen Richard said they knew nothing of the agreement until two months ago, and it has taken them that long to track down emails and correspondence that led to its signing.

It felt like a very secretive thing that didnt get out, Mitchell said. It felt like it was done in the dark of night.

Mitchell said it is incomprehensible that the city would sign an open-ended agreement to share expenses without setting a limit or without a clear idea of what those expenses would be.

Councilman John Hipes said he, too, was in the dark, and he agreed with Mitchell that information about the agreement should have been shared with the full council. But he also said Mitchell should have brought it to everyone back in August.

Richard said she wants to know who determined the city should pay half the costs.

While the contract provides the HOA authority over the dams maintenance and inspection, it obligates the city to pay 50 percent of the costs. It also requires both parties to maintain insurance that covers the risks of loss associated with the operation and maintenance of the dam.

Whether a mud fence or a mortared mountain, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division regulates more than 4,000 dams in the state. The agencys Safe Dams Program monitors all but the states largest dams, those operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

According to the citys internal emails and correspondence, in late 2018, the EPD notified the Windward Community Services Association that the Lake Windward dam was scheduled to be reclassified as a Category 1, meaning its improper operation or failure would result in a probable loss of human life.

With this reclassification, the EPD also named the city as a co-owner due to the public road at the top of the dam.

Owners of Category 1 dams are required to submit a permit application, complete an assessment of the dam (including hydrologic analysis of the pond), complete an Emergency Action Plan, have a quarterly inspection program, submit annual inspection results, complete maintenance as necessary, and have an approved Operations and Maintenance Plan.

The agreement to share costs was signed in January 2020 by Mayor Jim Gilvin and Angela Lyons, president of the Windward Community Services Association at the time.

Since that time, the city has already paid out expenses to the tune of more than $35,000  thats half the bill for a certified inspection of the dam for $45,000, and for additional site analysis with soil borings at $26,000. The expenses never came before the City Council because they fell well below the citys procurement threshold of $50,000 required for council approval.

Public Works Director Pete Sewczwicz told the council that once the studies are completed, the EPD will issue a to-do list for the first year.

He said based on preliminary estimates, it could cost about $30,000 a year to perform preventative maintenance on the dam. The city would pay half that amount under the agreement.

No one could say for certain how the contract was drafted and signed without coming before the full council. Officials alluded that the document was drawn up and endorsed by City Attorney Sam Thomas, who died in August.

City Administrator Bob Regus said he wasnt privy to the late city attorneys reasoning.

I just dont know, he said. I do know that Sam must have given the mayor the comfort level, if you will, to sign his name.

Gilvin said that as mayor, he signs hundreds of documents, ranging from legal forms to purchase orders.

I am not an attorney, and I am not an engineer he said. As mayor, I rely on my staff to a huge extent.

Gilvin said he reads or scans all documents he signs, but he cannot parse each one with the technical skillset of an engineer reading a land acquisition document, for example.

He said the Windward agreement had been under negotiation for nearly a year before it was signed. When the document was finally drafted, Gilvin said, he was assured by Thomas that it would obligate the city to expenses below the threshold of the $50,000 required for City Council approval.

I dont sign anything  except a proclamation  that has not been reviewed by staff, Gilvin said.

Though the Windward agreement dominated the council workshop session, officials agreed to work with the association to pursue an amended agreement that will address the issue of insurance liability. Right now, the homeowners association is finding it difficult to buy insurance to cover the potential magnitude of the risk defined by the Georgia EPD.
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YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, ARMENPRESS. The government-backed bill on cutting the New Year holidays passed parliament at first reading by 53/16/3 votes.

Before, Armenia had a week-long holiday starting December 31st (New Year holidays until January 2nd, then until January 5th pre-Christmas holidays, January 6th Christmas, and the 7th of January was observed as Merelots (Day of Commemorating the Dead).

By the new law, only December 31st and January 1st, as well the January 6th will be non-working days.

The recommendation was brought forward by Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan, who says that the week-long holidays negatively impact the GDP and production volumes in different branches of the economy, as well as foreign economic activities and the implementation of contract relations with domestic and foreign organizations.

The opposition Hayastan bloc proposed to keep January 2 and 7 as non-working days, but the recommendation was rejected.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, ARMENPRESS. On October 26th Lilit Makunts, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Unites States of America, met with Assistant to the Speaker of the House Representatives, Congresswoman Katherine Clark (D - Massachusetts). Katherine Clark is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, one of the most important committees, the Embassy of Armenia in the USA said in a statement on social media.

Ambassador thanked Congresswoman for her continuous support to the issues concerning Armenia and Artsakh.

In her turn, Congressman Clark highly assessed the role of Armenian-Americans in strengthening bilateral relations.

Ambassador presented the situation in Armenia due to COVID-19 and briefed about the preventive steps implemented by the Government of Armenia.

During the meeting interlocutors discussed issues aimed at further deepening of Armenian-American inter-parliamentary cooperation. In this regard Congresswoman Clark expressed readiness to make efforts towards promoting the cooperation between the legislative bodies.
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, ARMENPRESS. The Parliament of Armenia is debating the candidacy of Artak Manukyan for the position of member of the Board of the Central Bank.

Vice Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan said that the parliamentary standing committee on financial-credit and budgetary affairs is proposing Artak Manukyans candidacy. He has been nominated by the ruling Civil Contract party.

I think I didnt have any point in my biography which would deter me from applying to this position, taking account the experience I have. I think I can bring certain additional value to the structure like the Central Bank, Manukyan said in his remarks and thanked the ruling party for nomination.

Manukyan says that he could contribute to the works on developing the CBA strategy if elected.

Previously Artak Manukyan has served as vice-chair of the standing committee on financial-credit and budgetary affairs of the 7th convocation parliament.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Lawmakers observed a moment of silence to commemorate the victims of the 1999 October 27 parliament shooting.

Vice Speaker Ruben Rubinyan proposed lawmakers during the session to hold the moment of silence.

22 years ago on this day, a group of five gunmen led by Nairi Hunanyan stormed into the parliament while it was in session and assassinated Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, Speaker Karen Demirchyan, Deputy Speakers Yuri Bakhshyan and Ruben Miroyan, as well as three lawmakers and a Cabinet member. The gunmen held the remaining MPs in parliament hostage until surrendering to authorities the next day.

The five perpetrators, which include Hunanyans younger brother and uncle, were sentenced to life in prison in 2003.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, ARMENPRESS. With the opening of the Vaticans Apostolic Nunciature in Armenia, a new page will begin in the history of the diplomatic relations between Armenia and the Holy See, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan said during the joint press conference with Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State at the Holy See Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra in Yerevan.

In his remarks the FM said he is happy to welcome Edgar Pena Parra in Armenia, the first country that adopted Christianity as a state religion.

An event with a great Armenian-Vatican meaning will take place soon, the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See is going to open in Armenia. I want to praise this as a new page is opening in the history of the diplomatic relations between Armenia and the Holy See, the minister said.

During their private meeting today the Armenian FM and the Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State exchanged ideas about the bilateral relations and expressed readiness to deepen the ties between the two countries based on Christian values, historical and cultural ties, as well as on coinciding approaches over the international relations.

We discussed the recent visit of the Armenian President to the Holy See, highlighted the fact that February 27 is celebrated in the Roman calendar as the day of remembrance of St. Gregory of Narek, which once again shows the spiritual connection between Armenia and the Holy See, the Armenian FM said.

Ararat Mirzoyan said that the Holy See has always stood by Armenia at difficult moments, and last year was not an exception as well.

The FM said that the Vaticans consistent position over the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the preservation of lasting peace and stability in the region is highly important. He, in particular, highlighted the messages addressed by Pope Francis during last years aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh and the subsequent period, as well as his calls for releasing the prisoners of war.

As you know, now as well Azerbaijan, in violation of the international humanitarian law and its commitments assumed by the November 9 statement, continues holding the Armenian prisoners of war and civilians in captivity, and we ask the Pope to always remember in his prayers and public addresses the Armenian POWs and emphasize the necessity of their immediate release, the Armenian FM said, reminding that after the 2020 War, the Armenian historical-cultural and religious heritage of Artsakh, which have come under the Azerbaijani control, are currently under danger.

In this respect the sides highlighted the interest of both UNESCO and the Holy See over the matter.

FM Mirzoyan said that the Armenian people are grateful to Pope Francis for the principled and unequivocal statement on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

The condemnation of that crime against humanity is very important in terms of preventing the repetition of such crimes in other parts of the world, the Armenian FM said.

Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State at the Holy See Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra arrived in Armenia on a two-day official visit.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, 27 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. There are various issues on the agenda of the Armenian Government at the moment, one of which is the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, and the other is the demarcation and delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, ARMENPRESS reports the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said at the National Assembly.

He agreed with a recent statement of Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Armenian-Azerbaijani border issue should be settled according to Soviet-era maps, noting that these maps, if not by 100 percent, are by 99 percent the same as those described in the 2010 law on administrative division of Armenia.

The map of the Soviet Union should be used for delimitation. Our research shows that maps of different years are reprints of each other, we need to go deeper with those maps and understand which of them have legal basis. There are certain territorial differences between those maps," Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister stated that Russia, as a Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, as a mediator in this issue, should be involved.
YEREVAN, 27 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan says that the command of withdrawal of troops in Syunik was given by him in order to avoid military actions, with the intention of not losing the strategic road at least for some time, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan said during the parliament-Cabinet Q&A session referring to the question of MP from ''Armenia'' faction Anna Grigoryan.



Grigoryan mentioned that Azerbaijani border guards appeared in Syunik, because on Dectember 18 there was a command of withdrawal of troops, which was not envisaged by the November 9 declaration. 'Was the command of withdrawal of troops oral or written? What is the first and last name of the person who made such command, was a Security Council meeting held before making such decision?'' asked the member of parliament.



With regards to Syunik, have I ever refused that I am the responsible person for that decision? Wheather the command was oral or written, they are made according to procedures. Was there a discussion? Yes, there was, session of the Security Council was not held, but all members of the Security Council, Governor of Syunik participated. The Minister of Foreign Affairs said they were not aware, but the Deputy Minister also participated in the discussion, the discussion took place at the Government. And the decision was made in order to avoid war'', Pashinyan said.



According to him If the decision was not made, military operations would start there. And in Syunik we would really have problems. We were standing dozens of kilometers ahead, unfortunately we reached here'', the Prime Minister said.



He mentioned that the decision was made with the logic that during the negotiations there was a perception that 7 regions are to be handed over. ''Those territories were handed over because of being part of the 7 regions. Why are they part of the 7 regions? Even if you dont like it, it is registered by the Law on Administrative Territorial Division, it is not something new, Pashinyan said and assured they have no secrets.



According to the Prime Minister, the decision was made with the intention of not losing the strategic road at least for some time. He said that the command of withdrawal of troops was given by him, implemented by former minister of defense Vagharshak Harutyunyan.



According to Pashinyan, he is the sole resonsible for Syunik. But there were discussions before making that decision, with members of the Security Council, thought a formal session of the Security Council was not held but a consultation was held. Discussions were held 5-6 times, there were negotiations, visits, written agreement was reached.



He noted that the opposition carried out a political fight for 8 months and never said that they will remove Armenia's signature from the November 9 declaration. He called on the opposition to state that they, in case of coming to power, will remove Armenia's signature from November 9 declaration.
Slovakias program for the renewal of its infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) fleet is following on the heels of similar programs in neighboring countries: the Czech Republic and Hungary. As armed forces in Central Europe replace outdated Soviet-era equipment, acquisition programs are unique opportunities to meet the demands of modern and future battlefields as well as economic requirements.

Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Rheinmetall Lynx KF41 at IDEB 2021 (Picture source: AH)

Whos in the running?

The complete list of potential providers for the Slovak IFV program is not yet closed. Some suppliers have already confirmed their participation, including BAE Systems with the CV90, General Dynamics with the ASCOD and Rheinmetall with the Lynx KF41.

The contenders are, therefore, similar to the providers vying to provide the Czech Republic with its new IFV fleet. Final offers have been submitted for the Czech program, after several weeks of tests had been undertaken earlier this year to determine the vehicle best matching the requirements of the Czech armed forces. However, the program has been running for several years now and nobody knows when the final decision will be made.

In Slovakia, Rheinmetall was the first participant to present its Lynx KF41 IFV at Zahorie to Slovak decision-makers. After that, BAE Systems made its presentation with two variants of its CV90, while GDELS showed its ASCOD 2 fitted with the Elbit Systems MT-30 turret.

Undoubtedly, Rheinmetall's Lynx KF41 is the biggest and heaviest vehicle in the competition, with a weight capacity of up to 50 tons. Yet it is also the most modern. The Lynx has not yet been tested in active service, but more than 200 units are currently under production for Hungary. And the vehicle is also a contender for programs in Australia (Land 400 Phase 3), the Czech Republic, and the USA (OMFV). Both the CV90 and ASCOD 2 vehicle types were either excluded or not considered for the Australian and US programs.

As mentioned before, GDELS presented its ASCOD 2 with Elbit MT-30 turret at Zahorie. The ASCOD 2 chassis is in service in the UK (Ajax); Spain (Pizarro) and Austria (Ulan) are using a lighter Ascod chassis weighing about 35 tons. The armed forces of the Philippines have recently chosen an ASCOD variant for their Light Tank Acquisition Project. The vehicle's turret is already fitted on a number of platforms already and is in competition for Land 400 Phase 3 on the AS-21 Redback of Hanwha.

The CV90, from Swedish company BAE Systems Hagglunds, is in service in different variants in several European countries. It can be considered the most proven system among all the competitors for the Slovak program, although even the Mk IV variant presented by the company at Zahorie cannot hide the fact that the vehicles concept was designed some 30 years ago.

On the plus side, the CV90 is the lightest vehicle in the competition, with a maximum weight of 38 tonnes, but its inner volume is also very limited. The 120mm CV90 light tank shown at Zahorie is not yet in service, and its 120mm Mjolnir mechanized mortar has so far only been purchased by the Swedish Army.

GDELS ASCOD 2 with a manned turret at the NATO Days 2019 in Prague (Picture source: Armadny Noviny)

Will innovation or experience be the deciding factor?

Whereas BAEs CV90 and GDELSs ASCOD 2 have been already in service for some years, Rheinmetalls Lynx stands apart because of its relative youth. While CV90 is undergoing mid-life upgrades in the Netherlands and Switzerland, Hungary has put its trust in Rheinmetalls new concept, ordering a total of 218 units last year, most of which will be produced at a major new manufacturing plant in Zalaegerszeg, western Hungary.

Arguments against the Lynx usually focus on its unproven status in an actual theatre of conflict. Indeed, if battlefield experience were the sole criteria for Slovak decision-makers, the Lynx would not be able to compete with the Ascod 2 or CV90 models. Production of the CV90 vehicle type began in the 1980s when very different fighting conditions prevailed in global conflicts. And although the ASCOD has been in service for almost two decades, the recent history of the vehicle family has been far from smooth. Britains Ajax is the subject of escalating concerns as the UK armed forces struggle with delivery and technical problems, including vibration and noise issues causing significant discomfort for soldiers.

For lethality, BAE Systems and GDELS chose the Orbital ATK Mk44 as the main armament for their vehicles, while Rheinmetall is using the Mk30-2 manufactured by the former company Mauser, now Rheinmetall Weapon & Ammunition. Both weapons are airburst capable but use different types of technologies. An airburst round is a type of tactical anti-personnel/anti-material ammunition, typically a shell or grenade, that is time fuzed and detonates at a defined distance from the target, causing destructive effects by the kinetic energy of defined (sub projectiles, e.g. tungsten cylinders) none defined (shrapnel) fragments.

The ATK 30mm Air Burst Munition System (ABM) provides any platform an immediate lethality improvement. The system provides the new capability to burst a 30mm projectile at a precise point in space resulting in increased effectiveness against targets in defilade. The ATK ABM system is composed of the ATK 30mm Mk44 Bushmaster cannon employing an integrated fuse setter in the feed system; an ABM fuse setter module in the gun control unit (GCU); an ABM ballistic algorithm integrated into the platform fire control unit; and the Mk310 Programmable Air Burst Munition (PABM). The PABM can function in an airburst, point detonating and point detonating delay modes. The projectile has proven penetration capability and significant behind armor effects against lightly armored vehicles. The ATK ABM system is also capable of being retrofitted into existing Mk44 cannons.

As a matter-of-fact BAE chose the Rheinmetall ABM/ KETF technology for at least two of their CV90 programs in Europe, in the Netherlands, and Denmark.

Rheinmetalls airburst ammunition (ABM) is the ideal solution for contemporary vehicle main armament, ground-based anti-aircraft guns, and naval applications. Based on NATO-qualified Ahead technology, each ABM round contains a large number of sub-projectiles and a programmable fuse, which is supplied with data from the fire control computer via an electric fuse programming coil as it departs the barrel. After measuring the current velocity of the round, the electronics calculate the optimum detonation time, inductively programming each round as it passes through the muzzle. Since the ejection interval can be altered, the insensitive Rheinmetall airburst ammunition can be used to engage a wide spectrum of modern battlefield threats. The ABM round is available in caliber 30 mm x 173 and 35 mm x 228.

ATOM 35mm Air Burst Ammunition developed by the Turkish company ASELSAN is a smart ammunition having a base fuse. The effectiveness of the barrelled guns is increased noticeably with the use of Air Burst Ammunition and they become an important option for small and high-speed targets.

Together with the ability of precise time counting and the capability of being programmed during firing by taking muzzle velocity into consideration; ATOM 35mm Air Burst Ammunition provides high hit probability against various types of air and land targets.

Who will make it?

All the contenders to renew Slovakias IFV fleet have positives and drawbacks. Ultimately, the result may come down to whether or not decision-makers wish to play it safe with the older design of BAE Systems or GDELS, or opt for the higher-risk, higher-reward option of Rheinmetalls innovative Lynx design. Whatever the outcome, the countrys armed forces will be hoping for the arrival of a vehicle type with which they can work for decades to come.

BAE Systems CV90 at DSEI 2021 (Picture source: Army Recognition)
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India noted that, the 'unilateral' move by Beijing 'will have no bearing on the arrangements that both sides have already reached earlier'

New Delhi: The Indian government on Wednesday expressed concern and strongly criticised Chinas new Land Boundary Law, terming it as a unilateral decision that can have implications on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question, and urged Beijing to avoid undertaking any action under the pretext of this law that could unilaterally alter the situation in the India-China border areas.

Pointing out that the new Chinese law passed last Saturday states that China abides by treaties concluded with or jointly acceded to by foreign countries on land boundary affairs with provisions to carry out the reorganisation of districts in the border areas, New Delhi noted India and China have still not resolved the boundary question and that hence such an unilateral move by Beijing will have no bearing on the arrangements that both sides have already reached earlier, whether it is on the boundary question or for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas.

New Delhi also said the passage of the new Chinese law cannot legitimise the so-called China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963 which India has always maintained is an illegal and invalid agreement. It may be recalled that Pakistan had illegally transferred about 5,000 sq km of land in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to China in 1963 under that pact.

In a statement, the MEA said: We have noted that China has passed a new Land Boundary Law on 23 October 2021. The law states among other things that China abides by treaties concluded with or jointly acceded to by foreign countries on land boundary affairs. It also has provisions to carry out reorganisation of districts in the border areas. It may be noted that India and China have still not resolved the boundary question.

The MEA added: In this regard, Chinas unilateral decision to bring about legislation which can have implication on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question is of concern to us. Such unilateral move will have no bearing on the arrangements that both sides have already reached earlier, whether it is on the boundary question or for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China border areas. We also expect that China will avoid undertaking action under the pretext of this law which could unilaterally alter the situation in the India-China border areas.

New Delhi added: Both sides have agreed to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution to the boundary question through consultations on an equal footing. We have also concluded several bilateral agreements, protocols and arrangements to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China border areas in the interim.

It added: Furthermore, the passage of this new law does not in our view confer any legitimacy to the so-called China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963, which the Government of India has consistently maintained is an illegal and invalid agreement.
All the complaints received against Wankhede will be probed by officer Milind Khetle

CB Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede arrives at the NCB office in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

Mumbai: Mumbai Police have appointed an ACP-level officer, Milind Khetle to investigate the allegations levelled against NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, said police sources on Wednesday.

All the complaints received against Wankhede will be probed by Khetle. Four Police stations in Mumbai have received such complaints so far, said the sources.

However, the Mumbai police have not registered any case against Wankhede.

Prabhakar Sail, who is the personal bodyguard of Kiran Gosavi and a witness in the Mumbai cruise ship raid, had alleged that Wankhede, Gosavi and some other NCB officers had sought Rs 25 lakh from Bollywood Actor Shah Rukh Khan to release his son Aryan Khan in the drugs bust case.

However, the Mumbai Police did not elaborate what complaints that they have received against Wankhede.
It has been also asked to suggest a mechanism for citizens to raise grievances on suspicion of illegal surveillance of their devices

New Delhi: In a major jolt to the Narendra Modi government, the Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed an expert committee under the supervision of a former top court judge, Justice R.V. Raveendran, to probe the alleged snooping of the mobile phones of political leaders, top judges, media personalities and other eminent people by using the Pegasus spyware as it thrashed the Centre for flagging national security and the fight against terrorism to stonewall any public disclosure of information.

Recognising that the scope of judicial review was limited when it comes to matters pertaining to national security, the court said, however, that this does not mean the State gets a free pass every time the spectre of national security is raised and the courts become mute spectators in such instances.

The court set up the expert committee, noting that despite being given ample time to disclose all information, the government took no clear stand on the action taken by it on the issue. It is for this reason, the court said, it had declined the governments plea to allow it to appoint an independent expert committee to probe the matter as such a course of action would violate the settled judicial principle against bias, i.e. that justice must not only be done, but also be seen to be done.

Asking the expert committee to expeditiously place the report before it after a thorough inquiry, Chief Justice N.V. Ramana, heading a bench that also included Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said: There has been no specific denial of any of the facts averred by the petitioners by the  Union of India. There has only been an omnibus and vague denial in the limited affidavit filed by the Union of India, which cannot be sufficient. In such circumstances, we have no option but to accept the prima facie case made out by the petitioners to examine the allegations made.

Dwelling on the Centres harping on national security concerns and the fight against terror in refusing to share detailed information on the Pegasus snooping, Chief Justice Ramana said: The  Union of India must necessarily plead and prove the facts which indicate that the information sought must be kept secret as their divulgence would affect national security concerns. They must justify the stand that they take before a court. The mere invocation of national security by the State does not render the court a mute spectator.

Accepting that the government can decline to furnish information when constitutional considerations, including the security of the state, or when there is a specific immunity under a specific statute, the court said: It is incumbent on the State to not only specifically plead such constitutional concern or statutory immunity but they must also prove and justify the same in court on affidavit.

Noting that certain limitations operate in the exercise of the right to privacy as is the case with other fundamental rights, the court said that there has to be a balancing of competing interests -- the concerns of national security and the right to privacy of citizens. In a democratic country governed by the rule of law, indiscriminate spying on individuals cannot be allowed except with sufficient statutory safeguards, by following the procedure established by law under the Constitution, the Supreme Courts ruling said.

The expert panel set up by the court on Wednesday has been tasked to not only probe the snooping but go beyond it to prevent it in future by recommending enactment (of new laws) or amendments to existing laws and procedures on surveillance to secure an improved right to privacy, improve cyber security, prevent the invasion of citizens right to privacy, except in accordance with law, by State and non-state entities through such spyware.

It has been also asked to suggest a mechanism for citizens to raise grievances on suspicion of illegal surveillance of their devices, setting up of an independent premier agency to probe cyber security vulnerability to probe instances of cyberattacks in the country and what interim steps be taken by the court to protect the citizens rights, pending the filling up of the lacunae by Parliament.

Two other members of the panel are Alok Joshi, a former head of the Research and Analysis Wing, Indias external intelligence agency, and an 1976 batch IPS officer of the Haryana cadre, and Dr Sundeep Oberoi, the chairman of the subcommittee of International Organisation of Standardisation as also International Electro-technical commission and Joint Technical Committee.

Leaving it up to the panel to opt for any further experts, the court named a three-member technical committee to assist the panel -- Dr Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, professor of cyber security and digital forensics and dean of the Gandhinagar-based National Forensic Sciences University, Dr Prabhakaran P, professor of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Anritapuri, Kerala, and Dr Ashwin Anil Gumaste, associate professor in IIT Bombay. The order details their experience for these appointments.

The court has ordered the listing of the case after eight weeks.
The clarifications are sought to conduct a final 'risk-benefit assessment' for Emergency Use Listing of the vaccine

United Nations/Geneva: The World Health Organisation's technical advisory group on Tuesday sought "additional clarifications" from Bharat Biotech for its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin to conduct a final risk-benefit assessment for Emergency Use Listing of the vaccine.

The technical advisory group will now meet on November 3 for a final assessment.

Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, which has developed Covaxin, had submitted EOI (Expression of Interest) to the WHO on April 19 for the vaccine's Emergency Use Listing (EUL).

The technical advisory group met on Tuesday to review data on Covaxin for the emergency use listing of India's indigenously-made vaccine.

"The TAG met today (26 October 2021) and decided that additional clarifications from the manufacturer are needed to conduct a final EUL risk-benefit assessment for global use of the vaccine, the WHO said in an email response to a question by PTI on the decision regarding the Emergency Use Listing of Covaxin.

"The TAG expects to receive these clarifications from the manufacturer by the end of this week, and aims to reconvene for the final risk-benefit assessment on Wednesday, 3 November, it added.

The Technical Advisory Group for Emergency Use Listing (TAG-EUL) is an independent advisory group that provides recommendations to WHO on whether a Covid 19 vaccine can be listed for emergency use under the EUL procedure.

Earlier Tuesday, WHO spokesperson Dr Margaret Harris had said that on COVAXIN, the technical advisory group that reviews all the data for a potential emergency use listing was reviewing that data.

"Now if all is in place, and all goes well, and if the committee is satisfied, we would expect a recommendation within the next 24 hours or so, she had said during a press briefing.

The Covaxin has demonstrated 77.8 per cent effectiveness against symptomatic COVID-19 and 65.2 per cent protection against the new Delta variant. In June, the company said it concluded the final analysis of Covaxin efficacy from Phase 3 trials.

Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and AstraZeneca and Oxford University's Covishield are the two widely used vaccines in India.

The WHO has so far approved Covid-19 vaccines of Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca-SK Bio/Serum Institute of India, Johnson & Johnson-Janssen, Moderna, and Sinopharm for emergency use.

Last week, the WHO had said it is expecting one additional piece of information from Bharat Biotech regarding Covaxin and emphasised that it has to thoroughly evaluate to ensure vaccines are safe and cannot cut corners before recommending a vaccine for emergency use.

WHO has said the timeframe for its Emergency Use Listing procedure is dependent on how quickly a company producing the vaccine is able to provide the data required for WHO to evaluate the vaccine's quality, safety, efficacy and its suitability for low- and middle-income countries.

"When the information provided addresses all questions raised, WHO and the Technical Advisory Group will complete the assessment and come to a final recommendation whether to grant Emergency Use Listing to the vaccine, it has said.
The program lets senior living facilities use Amazon Echo devices to send announcements or other messages to residents' rooms

Washington: Amazon has announced that it has two new programs that integrate Alexa into hospitals and senior living communities.

As per The Verge, they're run through Alexa Smart Properties, which allows organisations to control a centralised Alexa system.

"Early on in the pandemic, hospitals and senior living communities reached out to us and asked us to help them set up Alexa and voice in their communities," Liron Torres, global leader for Alexa Smart Properties, said in an interview with The Verge.

Hospitals wanted ways to interact with patients without using protective equipment, and senior living communities wanted to connect residents with family members and staff, she said.

The program lets senior living facilities use Amazon Echo devices to send announcements or other messages to residents' rooms.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many facilities relied on printed out sheets of paper slipped under resident doors to communicate changes in protocols, like around meals or quarantines. The Alexa program lets them send messages instantly into patient rooms.

"Staff can be more available for other tasks," Torres said.

Residents can also place calls through Alexa to family members or friends without having to rely on a staff member. Approved contacts would also be able to call in through Alexa. The facility could enable calling for a set of contacts approved by the resident and family members when they arrive.

Two networks of senior living communities, Atria (which is nationwide) and Eskaton (based in California), are adding Alexa to some facilities, Amazon said. Amazon declined to say how much the program costs those facilities.

In hospitals, the Alexa Smart Properties program lets nurses communicate with patients through the calling and intercom-esque drop-in features without having to enter patient rooms. Patients could ask questions, or nurses could check on how someone is feeling through the feature.

"This enables hospitals to increase productivity and be able to save on medical supplies," Torres said.

Hospitals can also send information and announcements to patients through Alexa.

Patients can toggle on "do not disturb" to prevent drop-ins, Torres said.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, BayCare Health System in Florida, and Houston Methodist are adding Alexa to their facilities, Amazon said.
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MQB

The nameplate takes inspiration from the beginnings of the automaker in Mlada Boleslav, from the period when they were known as Laurin & Klement. Founders Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement marketed their first bicycles under the Slavia moniker. Essentially a replacement for the Rapid, the family sedan leaves much to be desired because India is a cost-sensitive market.To understand how cost sensitive, the attached press release confirms up to six airbags even though U.S. and European customers are offered more airbags completely as standard. Skoda also presents the all-new sedan in the guise of a mid-size car although 4.5 meters long blurs the line between the C and D segments. The Czech manufacturer has further confirmed TSI-branded engines, as in the 1.0 and 1.5 turbo mills offered in the locally-built Kushaq Speaking of which, the Slavia and Kushaq share the-A0-IN platform derived from the A0 platform that underpins the likes of the Volkswagen Polo, Skoda Fabia, and Scala, Audi A1, and two SEAT models. The Slavia, therefore, will be offered exclusively with front-wheel drive paired with a six-speed manual, six-speed automatic, as well as a seven-speed DSG transmission.The second model of the India 2.0 project headed by Skoda will be revealed next month. Series production will be handled by the Pune assembly plant in Maharashtra, the second-most populous state in the Republic of India.With our new Slavia, we are launching a feature-rich vehicle that offers outstanding design, build quality, reliability, and driving dynamics. The Slavia combines the benefits of a mid-size saloon with Skodas emotive design language, modern technology, and state-of-the-art assistance systems, declared Zac Hollis, the local brand director at Skoda's local division.
EV

Cars with bigger batteries are a relief for their owners since they can rely on their range. They usually charge them at the end of the week if they don't have a charger at home. However, even in that situation, sometimes they are faced with a challenging task: add some juice to the batteries for a short, 80 mile (130 km) trip. Since they didn't have a reservation for a fast-charger, they might wait too long for that.Enter the scene L-Charge. Dimitry Lashin, CEO of this startup, created the company to help charge electric vehicles facing these situations. He came with a simple idea: a mobile charging station. They built a vehicle powered by a Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) powerplant, which produces less CO2 than conventional gasoline or diesel engines. The emissions made by these types of generators are, generally, lower than those produced by a coal powerplant.In October, the Russian startup started a tour around Europe, providing free electricity in cities. It also came with a designated Android or iOS app named "Hey Charge." For the moment, the startup gathered $1.5million in funds for its ambitious project and received orders for $5 million. Apart from the mobile charging stations built on top of utility vehicles, L-Charge provides stationary generators which can be refilled with LNG tanks. Thus, they can provide electricity wherever is needed, regardless of the power grid.Moreover, the L-Charge said that its mobile charging stations could supply enough electricity for 130 km (80 miles) in under ten minutes. Maybe that's a good idea for those who want to take theiroff-road vehicles in the woods and don't want to remain stranded between some trees without any juice left in their batteries.
One of Rheinmetalls main products is an armored infantry fighting vehicle called Lynx , a version of which is currently being considered by the American military as a replacement for the M2 Bradley.The Bradley has been around since the early 1980s, and like most of the hardware currently fielded by the U.S. Army, it is quickly getting old. Thats why back in 2017 the Army launched the Next-Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) program, seeking a replacement known for now as the Optionally-Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV).There are presently several options on the table, including the Lynx and General Dynamics Griffin III. On the Rheinmetall front, the latest development is the announcement made last week that a test chassis of the thing will be shipped to the U.S. all the way from Australia, where Rheinmetall is currently making one version of the vehicle.According to Rheinmetall Defence Australia Managing Director Gary Stewart, the chassis to be shipped stateside is a test rig destined for Rheinmetalls Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) campaign to showcase advanced automotive capabilities in the Lynx platform.The exact specs of the finished vehicle that will be submitted to the Army are not known at this time. Generally speaking, the Lynx is a tracked armored vehicle that brings to the fight autocannons, light machine guns, and grenade launchers. The engine it hides under the armor is capable of developing 750 hp and gives the thing a top speed of 70 kph (43 mph).
ADS

The CTOs of Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, and Safran, recently came together in London, at an industry event held by, an organization that represents the aerospace industry (among other industries) in the UK.The main focus areas for the future development of sustainable aviation, according to the joint statement that was issued, are engine and aircraft innovative technology development, on one hand, and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and hydrogen research, on the other hand.Both Airbus and Boeing have reaffirmed their readiness to have their entire commercial fleets run on 100% SAF by 2030, while Dassault Aviation's Falcon range is already SAF-compatible. Boeing has partnered with SAF specialist SkyNRG, has launched a joint venture with Kitty Hawk, to advance electric air taxis, and is testing multiple innovative technologies on its ecoDemonstrator program. Airbus is also approaching sustainability from different angles and supporting SAF while also working on hydrogen-powered aircraft.Rolls-Royce intends to demonstrate, by 2023, that all of its Trent engines are compatible with 100% SAF. It has also signed an agreement with Shell, for advancing SAF production and its collaborating with several companies that are developing all-electric aircraft.Also related to engines, GE Aviation and Safran have launched the CFM RISE (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines) program, earlier this year. These innovative engines could enable 20% lower fuel consumption, compared to current advanced engines, and the program also focuses on their compatibility with SAF and hydrogen. On the other hand, Safran is also working with Airbus, to test hydrogen technologies at their joint venture (ArianeGroup)s facilities.Last but not least, Pratt & Whitney announced a partnership with Collins Aerospace and the Canadian government, to develop a hybrid-electric flight demonstrator. Plus, its new facility in Carlsbad, California, is developing engine technologies. The seven CTOs also launched a call to action, which invites government representatives, fuel producers, and airport operators to support these efforts, by investing in SAF, hydrogen research and a new infrastructure.
A jewelry company located in Lafayette, Los Angeles, is working with NASA, to send diamonds on an extraordinary trip to the International Space Station (ISS)  an unprecedented endeavor. The unique Diamonds in Space program was officially launched on October 26, when people with a passion for luxury and space exploration can pre-order one of these unique gems.Each of them is numbered, engraved, and documented by the American Gem Society Laboratory, and the buyers will be able to track their diamonds all throughout their historic journey. This unusual offering includes natural and lab-grown diamonds, which can be purchased as loose gems, or set into the customers preferred mounting. According to Dianna Rae Jewelry, prices start from $745, with the most expensive ones going up to $2 million.The company also unveiled a new collection featuring some of the diamonds that will be flown to space, with designs inspired by space missions, such as Space Angel and Cupola.NASA is expected to announce the official launch date of SpaceX CRS-25, the Commercial Resupply Service mission to the ISS that will also have these diamonds on board, by mid-December 2021. Somewhere around May 2022, the diamonds will make their historic flight to space , and then come back and be delivered to customers, by August, that same year.Perhaps this will become a regular thing in the near future, as commercial missions to space are becoming more frequent and accessible. But the ones who will buy these out-of-this-world gems will be able to say that they own the first diamonds ever to fly to the ISS.
SUV

Located near Morrison and Lakewood in Colorado, the NHRA facility with a seating capacity of 23,500 was inaugurated back in 1958 and is home to NHRA's Dodge/SRT Mile-High Nationals. Courtesy of the videographer behind the Wheels account on YouTube, the dragstrip, also known as Thunder Mountain, keeps its Mopar reputation intact during the latest video (embedded below).According to the description, a new Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody is the focus of these encounters, dressed up in a brown paintjob that would make any Root Beer aficionado swell with joy. People also quickly noticed the color makes every single line on the Charger shine pristine. But, of course, we are not here just to admire the cool looks of this four-door Mopar.Instead, the widebody Dodge was present at the dragstrip to prove its stock mettle, first against a Jeep Trackhawk and secondly against its Challenger sibling. The initial skirmish saw the all-wheel-drive once the most powerful in the world before the arrival of the Durango SRT Hellcat  shoot off like a rocket over the first 60 yards.But that didnt prove enough, as the Charger slowly  and steadily  caught up with the hulking SUV. In the end, the ETs showed a small but measurable difference : 12.21s for the Dodge and 12.47s for the Jeep. Next up, from the 1:15 mark, came the second challenger (pun intended), and this time the roles were reversed.As such, the Charger Widebody proved to be the one in a hurry this time around, as it actually jumped the start. It was a futile attempt anyway, as the Challenger proved victorious as far as the ETs were concerned as well, nailing a 12.07s victory against its fellow Dodges 12.44s result. Good, another Mopar case closed...
So far this year, Ducati has sold more motorcycles in the first nine months of 2021 than it did in all of last year. While its true that 2020 was a horrific year if youre in the business of selling motorcycles, Ducati sales are up 25% compared to the same time period in 2021. Moreover, those numbers represent a huge uptick as, during Q3 2021, Ducati says their numbers reflect the best third-quarter sales for Ducati in history.According to Ducati VP of Global Sales and After Sales, Francesco Milicia, the companys sales are up across their entire range of offerings.Ducati closed the first nine months of the year with sales volumes that are already higher than the full year 2020, both for the bikes and for after-sales products like clothing, accessories and spare parts, Milicia says. This is a source of pride and satisfaction for us here in Borgo Panigale and in all Ducati subsidiaries worldwide. The brand is now more solid and appreciated than ever and we are already focusing on next year. In fact, in these weeks, we are presenting to the world the new products for the coming year, through the web series Ducati World Premiere 2022.As far as sales go for Ducati by region, Italy is leading the pack with 7,954 bikes sold, followed by the United States at 7,475 units and then Germany with total sales of 5,627 machines.Most of the results have come in the form of the Ducati Multistrada V4 . The companys Scrambler 800 are next in line, and the Streetfighter V4 and Monster are also on the list of top sellers.And if the trends hold, its likely Ducati to maintain their sales momentum into the 2022 model year. The company says their expectations are high for new bikes such as the Streetfighter V2 , a Pikes Peak branding of the Multistrada V4, and an all-new DesertX adventure bike.
The 15EX variant of the decades-old fighter jet was inducted into service earlier this year by its present maker, Boeing, as the most advanced to date. The two made so far have already been delivered to the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, from where pilots conducted several sorties already as they put the airplane through its paces.None of the sorties so far were full, large-scale operational tests, as Lt. Col. Kenneth Juhl from the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center calls them.That changed last week, when the F-15EX was deployed at the Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, from where it flew alongside F-15Cs and F-15Es. The exact scope of the tests was not disclosed, but the U.S. Air Force (USAF) says they will continue, and there will be both day and night missions with the planes in defensive and offensive counter air scenarios.The tests are meant to show the differences between the EX and the C model. The new incarnation of the F-15 comes with a new digital flight control system, but also the fancy Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System ( EPAWSS ), which is supposed to make the pilots of the aircraft truly aware of their surroundings.As per the available info, Boeing was to make eight of these planes by the end of the year, but since it delivered the second one back in May, everything on the Eagle II front went quiet.When fully operational and integrated, the Eagle II will join something called a streamlined fleet of aircraft, which comprises the F-35 Lightning II, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and A-10 Thunderbolt II, but also a brand new, sixth-generation aircraft that is yet to be announced.
Aside from joy and fun, the event is the perfect venue for custom builders from across the continent to showcase their masterpieces. In fact, Indian encourages this type of display, and announced it is running a custom Indian competition open to all those willing to attend, with the only limits being the designers imagination and engineering skills.There are six classes custom builds can be enlisted in, namely Indian Scout / Bobber, Bagger 23, 2022 Indian Chief, Indian Thunderstroke 111  116, Indian FTR Flat Track Style Scrambler, and Custom paint / Airbrush Master.All that the American bike maker is asking is for the builds to presented be in working order, rideable, and should preferably be road legal in the European Union, or at least the country of original registration. Each class will have its winner, but there will of course be a Best in Show title awarded by a panel of international jurors.The contest is committed to showcasing the talent of young, rising talent and the wild creativity of experienced custom creators, said Indian in a statement.All entries are welcome with creativity encouraged for entirely transformed bikes, insane custom motorcycle concepts, unusual design projects, or spectacular masterpieces.Aside from the display of custom builds, IRF will be home to a number of other events. They include the presence of an official Indian demo fleet, a chance to win an Indian Chieftain Limited, a 25 km (15.5 miles) ride, and even glamping opportunities.IRF 2022 is scheduled to take place from June 10th to 12th. Those willing to attend the custom competition will have to fill out a form first - full details here
Lori Harvey, who is Steve Harvey s stepdaughter, is a model, who has just launched her own skincare line, SKN by LH. Just like almost every celebrity out there, if theres no room in the makeup line, they switch over to skincare. Yawn.Attending the event was also her famous stepfather and her boyfriend, actor Michael B. Jordan. But while the 24-year-old's event was very successful, its even more interesting how she got there: in a Rolls-Royce Ghost. Wearing a white dress that matched the luxurious vehicle, Lori revealed Platinum Group provided the car for her event. She wrote on her Instagram Stories: Thank you, @Platinum_Group for getting me to and from my launch event safely.While Platinum Group is known for creating jaw-dropping custom models, they also offer car rental services, providing a series of luxurious vehicles including this 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost According to the amenities listed on their official website , the car comes with leather interior with heated seats and rear privacy glass, and a starry-night ambiance with the Starlight headliner.When it comes to performance, the 2021 Ghost puts out 563 horsepower (571 ps) and a maximum torque of 627 lb-ft (850 Nm) at 1600 rpm, courtesy of its 6.75-liter V12 engine. You never need to worry about not getting there in time, because it has an acceleration from zero to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in just 4.8, reaching a top speed of 155 mph (250 kph). Basically, everything she needed for a successful arrival at her launch party.Back in her garage, Lori Harvey has a Lamborghini Urus, a Bentley Flying Spur, and used to own a Mercedes G-Wagon before crashing it in November 2020.Since all eyes were on her for the event, Lori Harvey matching her dress to the Rolls-Royce Ghost was a great move.
There are several routes that can lead to maritime transport decarbonization, including biofuels and hydrogen-electric propulsion, but wind power is one of the few thats non-controversial, as Michel Desjoyeaux says. He is not only a famous skipper with a lot of experience, but also the ambassador of Michelins WISAMO project. Launched earlier this year, WISAMO is seen as an innovative wind propulsion system that can reduce the shipping industrys environmental impact, without affecting performance.Now, Michelin has taken another step in that direction, by joining IWSA, a non-profit organization that brings together ship builders, maritime associations, government representatives, and companies in the industry, with the purpose of promoting wind power as an eco-friendly solution for all types of vessels.The next step for Michelin will be to begin producing the WISAMO system, which is set to happen as soon as 2022, after trials will be completed. This wing sail system that combines the ancient sailing technique with modern technology, for increased performance, is automated, telescopic (so that it can pass under bridges and enter harbors easily), and inflatable. It was designed by the Michelin Research & Development team, together with two Swiss inventors.The system was also meant to be highly versatile. It can be installed on merchant ships, as well as leisure vessels, and its particularly suitable for ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) cargo ships, bulk carriers, plus oil and gas tankers. Another advantage is that it can be installed on new ships, or retrofitted on older ones. According to Michelin, WISAMO could improve a ships fuel efficiency by up to 20%.Considering that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will only make toxic emissions regulations even harsher in the future, this modern sailing system could be one of the most reliable and cost-effective solutions for green maritime mobility.
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Nothing is changing for DS at this point. The plan is to continue in China, she stated.After Stellantis was created, CEO Carlos Tavares promised to keep all the groups 14 brands active, if each of them focuses on its strongest markets and segments. As far as DS is concerned, their sales have slumped to a record low in China, which is why something needs to be done, and quickly.Part of this new plan, according to Autonews Europe , is for Stellantis to focus on fully-electric Opel vehicles while using one of the plants from its joint venture with GAC  which specializes in producing Jeep models. Meanwhile, DS (one of the Stellantis upmarket brands, like Alfa Romeo and Lancia) will launch a new passenger vehicle in 2024, featuring the groups STLA Medium electric platform.In China, customers can currently choose between three DS models, starting with the entry-level DS 3 , followed by the DS 7and the DS 9 mid-size sedan. The latter two feel surprisingly premium, even compared to various German rivals. Also, both the DS 9 and the DS 3 are available with various forms of electrification.The DS 9 can be had as a plug-in hybrid in E-TENSE form, while the DS 3 E-TENSE is fully electric thanks to a 50-lithium-ion battery. It boasts a range of 200 miles (322 km) as permeasurements, and you can recharge it completely in a minimum of 5 hours using a standard public terminal. Opt instead for a 100-rapid charger (if you have access to one), and you can charge the DS 3 E-TENSE to 100% in just 30 minutes.
That company is ICON and its 3D printer Vulcan has made the headlines multiple times in the past, proving it can be used to print almost any type of structure, regardless of how big or small. This 11.5 ft (3.5 m) tall engineering marvel uses some sort of polymer concrete called Lavacrete, being able to print 28 ft (8.5 m) wide foundations and walls that are as high as 8.5 ft (2.5 m).3D printing is a new technology in architecture but one that the real estate industry has quickly and enthusiastically embraced. ICON has already left its fingerprints in East Austin, Texas, where it helped with building four homes on East 17th Street , a project that proved to be an instant success. Now the American construction company has an even more ambitious project in mind and announces its intentions to build the largest neighborhood of 3D-printed homes to date.In order to accomplish this grand project, ICON teamed up with homebuilding company Lennar and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), an architecture and designing firm based in Copenhagen. The community in discussion is going to total 100 3D-printed homes built also in the Austin area and is expected to break ground next year.ICON boasts of its ability to provide affordable and energy-efficient homes using its 3D printing technology. Compared to traditional methods, 3D printing offers more freedom in design, it is faster and leads to less material waste. Moreover, the company claims the materials it uses are stronger and longer-lasting than traditional ones, being able to cope with extreme weather. ICONs constructions can withstand wind, flood, and fire.The Vulcan system can build structures that are up to 3,000 sq ft (278.7 sq m).While were all waiting for the 3D-printed neighborhood to take shape, here are the four homes built earlier by ICON in East Austin.
EV

Back in July, I noticed that Loren Haleston , one of the pro videographers with a lot of experience in drifting, had traveled to the Faroe Islands. And Larry Chen, the world-acclaimed photographer was there as well. They were working on a new project with Vaughn Gittin JR. featuring the Ford Mustang Mach-E 1400. And here we are today. The video is now online. You might want to get some popcorn and play it on a big screen TV, it's worth it.The almost 13-minute long production is a mixture of impressive sights and electric hooning that will make you want to visit the Faroe Islands ASAP. It seems quite fitting to bring out anfor the task, considering how clean and serene everything looks like on the island. The livery has been updated for this project, and you could say that it's somewhat reminiscent of Vaughn 's drift car design.It also seems like under glow lights are making a comeback, and the tunnel shots look great, to say the least! There are some funny parts here in there, and also an attempt to create a backstory. But ultimately, this video is all about Vaughn shredding tires throughout the island. The Mach-E 1400 is being driven in Unbridled mode throughout the video, and at one point, we get to see that the battery level is at 68%.To further emphasize how "green" of a vehicle the Mach-E 1400 is, Vaughn drives it up a hill and starts charging the car by using power coming from a windmill. In case you're curious what kind of cameras have been used for production, it seems that the Red Komodo played an important role in this project."Free Rein" might be a good first step towards convincing users that the Mach-E can be just as much fun as a regular Mustang. But Ford still has some work to do to convince the hardcore petrolheads that going electric is the way forward.
XIDEA is one of the many startups created by former employees of major companies in the automotive industry who want to take a different approach and use their experience and knowledge to create something truly innovative . Founded in 2009 by specialists who came from the Honda Research Institute and other major companies, this motorcycle maker prides itself on having 80% of the staff directly involved in the design process.The companys latest concept motorcycle was presented at the 19th China International Motorcycle Exhibition, which took place last month in Chongqing. Called XCELL, this two-wheeler boasts two major innovations  its powered by hydrogen fuel cells and allows the adjustment of the riding position at any time.According to XIDEA, the future XCELL will be fitted with four hydrogen storage tanks in the front, and it will feature electronic directional regulation for adjusting the handlebars, pedals, and cushions. The rider and his motorcycle could become one, metaphorically speaking, as they will be able to switch to a more comfortable position at any time, fast and easy.Plus, XCELL will also be equipped with an intelligent active safety system, meant to expand the riders field of vision, predict blind corners, and alert against potential obstacles early on, based on road conditions.Luke Lu, XIDEA Chief Design Officer, said that a motorcycles chassis and suspension should act as extensions of the rider and that they should be flexible and solid as the bone.The company hasnt revealed more details about the hydrogen fuel cell propulsion and the storage tanks, but XCELL represents one of the projects that XIDEA intends to develop in the next years.
Copyright  2020 by Mountain Times Publications. Digital or printed dissemination of this content without prior written consent is a violation of federal law and may be subject to legal action.
Phillip Greene has been Pastor at Newland Christian Church since 2016. He has been Station Manager at Glory1130 in Newland since 2012 and is active in the local community as a coach and public address announcer for Avery County athletics. His devotions are available by clicking to phillipgreene.wordpress.com.
A Brazilian Senate committee Tuesday voted to approve a report recommending President Jair Bolsonaro be charged with a raft of criminal indictments, including crimes against humanity over his response to the COVID-19 pandemic, per AP.

Why it matters: Bolsonaro has become the face of a right-wing approach to the pandemic that includes repudiating vaccines and masks and resisting lockdowns and other mitigation measures. The Senate report holds him personally responsible for half of the country's 600,000 deaths.

Driving the news: The vote comes after a six-month investigation by an 11-member committee investigating Bolsonaro's handling of the pandemic.

The committee recommended 12 charges for Bolsonaro, including inciting crimes, charlatanism and misuse of public funds.

It also recommended he face charges for the genocide of indigenous people and two counts of "crime of responsibility."

What they're saying: Sen. Renan Calheiros, the report's lead author, accused Bolsonaro after the vote of being "on the side" of dictators, such as Adolf Hitler, according to Reuters.

"The chaos of Jair Bolsonaro's government will enter history as the lowest level of human destitution," Calheiros said.

Background: Bolsonaro has repeatedly flouted restrictions meant to curb the virus' spread, despite surging cases and his country having the second-highest tally of COVID-19 deaths in the world.

He has advocated for hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the virus despite a lack of evidence.

By the numbers: The 11-member committee voted 7-4 in favor of the charges, per AP.

What's next: The case will now go to prosecutor-general Augusto Aras, who will decide whether the investigation should move forward. Aras is a Bolsonaro appointee and is widely viewed as someone who protects the president, per AP.

The crimes against humanity charge will need to be pursued in the International Criminal Court.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with Calheiros' comment.
Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned Wednesday that China's test of a hypersonic missile is "very concerning" and "very close" to the kind of "Sputnik moment" that triggered the Space Race during the Cold War.

Why it matters: The comments by America's top uniformed general underscore the depths of U.S. concerns about China's rapid military expansion and development of advanced weaponry.

The big picture: In 1957, the Soviet Union's stunning launch of the Sputnik satellite raised alarms that the U.S. was falling behind in a technology race.

The Financial Times reported last week that China's test of a hypersonic missile, which could deliver a nuclear weapon that evades U.S. missile defenses, caught intelligence officials by surprise.

"I dont know if its quite a Sputnik moment, but I think its very close to that. It has all of our attention," Milley told Bloomberg Television's "The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations."

Between the lines: Weapons experts told Axios that the "Sputnik" comparisons are not appropriate, noting that the technology China employed is similar to what the U.S. developed with the Space Shuttle program in the 1970s.

"The point about Sputnik is that the Soviets had beaten us to the punch, they put the first satellite up," said Joshua Pollack, a nuclear proliferation expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. "Weapons payload aside, this is old hat for the United States."

But the pace of China's progress, in tandem with its military aggression toward Taiwan, expansion of nuclear missile silos, and broader geopolitical tensions with the U.S., has been enough to spark fears of a "new cold war."

What they're saying: "Theyre expanding rapidly  in space, in cyber and then in the traditional domains of land, sea and air, Milley said. "And they have gone from a peasant-based infantry army that was very, very large in 1979 to a very capable military that covers all the domains and has global ambitions."
U.S. envoy for Iran Rob Malley will meet on Friday in Paris with senior diplomats from France, Germany and the U.K. to discuss the stalemate in the nuclear talks with Iran, sources briefed on the meeting told me. Malley will arrive in Paris after a four-day trip to the Gulf.

Why it matters: The nuclear talks have been stalled since June, and Americas Arab partners are extremely concerned by Irans nuclear advances in recent months. Several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, are engaging with Tehran to try to de-escalate regional tensions.

Driving the news: Malley and the State Departments point person for the Gulf, Daniel Benaim, started their regional tour in Abu Dhabi and met Emirati national security adviser Tahnoun bin Zayed and presidential adviser Anwar Gargash. They also met Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.

The next stop was Doha where they met Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who had spoken a day earlier to his Iranian counterpart.

Malley then moved on to Saudi Arabia  the most important stop on the trip considering the strained U.S.-Saudi relationship and the ongoing Saudi-Iranian dialogue. He discussed Iran's nuclear program and regional activity with Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, per the official Saudi news agency.

Malley also spoke by phone with the foreign minister of Bahrain.

Meanwhile back in Washington, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met on Tuesday with the head of the UNs nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, to discuss Irans nuclear program.

What theyre saying: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Monday that Iran has never left the negotiating table and is serious about the nuclear talks. For the other side, a readiness to lift sanctions can be a sign of their seriousness, he said.

The U.S. and its European allies have accused the Iranians of wasting time and warned that their patience is not unlimited.

Whats next: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told the UN secretary-general in a phone call on Tuesday that Irans chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri, would travel to Brussels next week for talks with EU political director Enrique Mora, who is coordinating the nuclear negotiations. Its unclear if and when the sides will return to Vienna.
In the absence of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Saudi Arabia since Armenia's independence, when no official from Armenia had ever visited that country, the President of Armenia took a historic step, visiting for the first time a country with a unique role and significance in the Arab and Islamic world, Sarkissians press office said in a late-night statement.

It emphasized the fact that Sarkissian was greeted at Riyadh airport at the highest state level by Saudi Arabias Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir.

According to the official protocol, the state flag of the Republic of Armenia was hoisted at the airport, added the statement.

Sarkissian sat next to Crown Prince Mohammed at the opening ceremony of the Future Investment Initiative forum held later in the day and also attended by other foreign leaders. The presidential press office reported on Wednesday that the two men talked to each other during the event.

The President of Armenia and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia talked about the need to develop relations between the two countries and their future, it said. It was noted that the rich historical ties between the two peoples are a good basis for building future interstate relations.

It was not clear whether the president, who has largely ceremonial powers, discussed with Crown Prince Mohammed or other Saudi officials the possibility of establishing diplomatic relations between the two states.

Like Turkey and Pakistan, Saudi Arabia has for decades refused to establish such relations ties due to Christian Armenias conflict with Muslim Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The unresolved conflict has not prevented Armenia from developing ties with other Gulf Arab monarchies, notably the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Both nations have embassies in Yerevan. Also, successive Armenian governments have maintained close links with Iran, Saudi Arabias main regional rival.

The oil-rich kingdoms relations with Turkey deteriorated significantly several years ago and remain strained. The Saudi crown prince held talks in Riyadh on Tuesday with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece, another country at odds with Ankara.
The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund launched an international fundraising campaign immediately after the outbreak of the war on September 27, 2020. Hundreds of thousands of Armenians from around the world responded to its appeal for urgent aid to Karabakh, donating roughly $170 million within weeks.

The charity headquartered in Yerevan redirected more than $100 million of those proceeds to Armenias government. The Armenian Finance Ministry said the sum will finance the governments infrastructure, social and healthcare expenditures necessitated by the six-week war.

President Armen Sarkissian and Armenian opposition leaders criticized the donation, saying that it undermined donors trust in Hayastan. Sarkissian said in December that the government should consider redefining the hefty contribution as a loan and eventually reimbursing the fund.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian defended the donation, saying that it was used for purposes defined by Hayastans statutes. He also suggested that lawmakers scrutinize the donation.

Earlier this month, the two opposition groups represented in the Armenian parliament demanded the creation of ad hoc commission tasked with doing that. The parliaments pro-government majority gave the green light for such an inquiry.

The commission will be headed by Artsvik Minasian of the opposition Hayastan and comprise ten other deputies to be named by the parliamentary forces. Minasian promised an objective probe.

Our main task is to determine whether there were abuses and illegalities, and if so, hold the guilty accountable, recover funds and, most importantly, restore the Armenian peoples trust in this instrument important for Armenia and Artsakh, he said.

President Sarkissian, who heads Hayastans board of trustees, has also demanded an international audit of the funds activities. According to the funds executive director, Haykak Arshamian, the results of the audit will be presented to the board members next month.

Hayastan has implemented $400 million worth of various infrastructure projects in Karabakh and Armenia since its establishment in 1992.
Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, the Vaticans substitute of the Secretariat of State, and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan inaugurated the Apostolic Nunciature at a ceremony attended by diplomats and senior clergymen.

The inauguration of this building demonstrates the solid bilateral relations that already exist between the Republic of Armenia and the Holy See, Parra said in a speech. Just a few years ago, Armenia made the welcome decision to open an embassy to the Holy See and to appoint a residential ambassador. Today, the Holy See gladly reciprocates that gesture in the hope that our diplomatic ties will continue to deepen.

The good bilateral relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Holy See are due in no small part to our mutual appreciation for the positive role that religion plays in civil society, he went on. Armenians are a people of profound faith and this country will always have the distinction of being the first nation to have embraced the Christian faith.

As a source of strength and perseverance through good times and bad, the Christian faith helped form the rich spiritual and cultural heritage of Armenia that remains a source of pride today and will continue to inspire and enrich the lives of future generations of Armenians, added the archbishop.

Mirzoyan, who held talks with Parra earlier in the day, spoke of the beginning of a new stage of cooperation between Armenia and the Holy See.

Armenia's relations with the Vatican have always been marked by a high-level political dialogue based not only on Christian values but also on common historical and religious heritage and similar approaches to the challenges of the modern world, he said at the ceremony.

Pope Francis and Catholicos Garegin (Karekin) II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, met as recently as on October 6 during an international conference of religious leaders held in Rome.

Garegin discussed with him the aftermath of last years war in Nagorno-Karabakh. His office said he thanked the pontiff for his support to the Armenian people and Armenia during the war.

Francis saluted Armenia for making Christianity an essential part of its identity when he visited the South Caucasus nation in June 2016. He and Garegin held an ecumenical liturgy in Yerevans central square which attracted thousands of people. They praised the growing closeness between their churches in a joint declaration issued at the end of the papal trip.

The Catholic and Armenian churches had essentially ended their long-standing theological differences with a joint statement issued in 1996. In 2001, John Paul II became the first Pope to have ever visited Armenia.

Successive Armenian governments have similarly sought closer ties with the Vatican.
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan did not explicitly rule out the possibility of such a summit. But he denied that Yerevan is planning to make far-reaching concessions to Baku.

First of all, I want to say that no meeting in that format is planned for the moment, Mirzoyan told the Armenian parliament.

Proposals for different meetings in different formats are being discussed. Presumably an agreed text might be released as a result of possible meetings, he said during the governments question-and-answer session in the National Assembly.

Some Russian and Armenian media outlets reported late last week that that Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to host fresh talks between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Citing unnamed Armenian diplomatic sources, Aliqmedia.am claimed that Aliyev and Pashinian will sign two agreements envisaging the demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the opening of transport links between the two South Caucasus states. The publication said one of those documents will also commit Baku and Yerevan to recognizing each others territorial integrity.

The signing of those two documents with such content is definitely not planned, said Mirzoyan. He insisted that Pashinians administration will not sign any deals contradicting its public statements on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Pashinian was present at the session but did not comment on the matter. He answered instead other conflict-related questions asked by opposition lawmakers.

Some of those deputies again expressed concern over the media reports. Armen Rustamian of the opposition Hayastan alliance said he fears that Pashinian will commit to fateful concessions to Aliyev.

Earlier on Wednesday Hayastan and the opposition Pativ Unem bloc tried unsuccessfully to have the parliament adopt a statement saying that any agreement referring to Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory is unacceptable to Armenia and that Soviet-era maps alone can serve as a basis for Armenian-Azerbaijani border demarcation.

The parliament majority representing Pashinians Civil Contract party blocked the passage of the statement. The head of Civil Contracts parliamentary group, Hayk Konjorian, said the majority objected to the document because of its internal political wording. Opposition lawmakers dismissed the explanation.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Cloudy early with peeks of sunshine expected late. High 59F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low near 45F. Winds light and variable.
One year after the police killing of Walter Wallace, Philadelphia agrees to give Tasers to every officer
A purported delay in the distribution of rental and utility assistance in Kern County has some worried unnecessary evictions will soon take place.
Kern County has released the first look at how supervisorial districts could be redrawn to account for new population figures gleaned from the
Brenda Ruth Street Mitchell, age 71, of the Peapatch area of Jewell Ridge, VA, went home to be with our Lord and Savior on Friday, November 19, 2021 at home on Peapatch surrounded by her loving family. She was born and raised in Whitewood, VA and was a daughter of the late Arthur Street and 
ExxonMobil and the United Steelworkers Union in Beaumont met at the negotiation table again on Tuesday, but there are signs that attentions are starting to drift to the election that will determine the future of the union representation.

The meeting ended without an agreement  or apparently much discussion in general, according to both sides  but there was plan to meet again on Wednesday.

It was the first time both parties met since union members voted down the companys first and only amended offer last week.

The union and company released statements following the meeting that painted a picture of rising tensions from the no vote by union members and the coming decertification election in November.

Bryan Gross, a USW District 13 representative, said that bargaining committee brought a new proposal to the table and were hoping that the decision made by employees would encourage more consideration by the company.

Instead, he said the company seemed dismissive and came to the table empty handed.

We got the feeling that the company was expecting the vote to go the other way, Gross told the Enterprise.

ExxonMobil acknowledged that the USW did bring their own proposal but explained why it felt there wasnt any ground for progress during the Monday meeting.

The company told the Enterprise after the contract vote on Oct. 19 that its current offer would still be on the table, even after its arbitrary Nov. 1 deadline, and there wasnt any expectations for it to change anytime soon.

The company delivered that amended offer at the end of September, after sticking largely to the same contract offer since negotiations began in January.

As we stated clearly before employees ultimately voted to reject it, this was the best offer we could make under the circumstances, representatives for the company wrote in a statement.

As for the unions offer, the company said it was essentially a non-starter, as it incorporated proposals ExxonMobil had already said it wouldnt consider.

ExxonMobil set a Nov. 1 deadline that would cue the end of potential bonuses, raises or arbitration for terminated employees if a ratified contract isnt in hand by that time.

Both sides will have to juggle upcoming negotiations with their preparations for the decertification vote, which Gross said the USW was already honing in on.

The U.S. National Labor Review Board approved a mail-in secret ballot for the election and workers can expect ballots to be delivered to their homes on or after Nov. 12.

Once delivered, full members of the United Steelworkers Union and non-members represented under their contract with ExxonMobil will have until Dec. 22 to deliver their vote determining whether they want to keep or end representation from Local 13-243.

Please make sure your voice is heard  plan to vote and mail your ballot back to the NLRB shortly after you receive it, ExxonMobil said in a Monday night bulletin to workers.

An employee-led notice and a petition signed by more than 30% of the represented workforce was required to start the process, which was completed on Oct. 6.

The NLRB has been verifying the signatures and organizing with the parties involved before officially setting the election timeline and methods.

But the decertification movement was brewing before over 620 workers were locked out of the complex on May 1 and has been the subject of several complaints filed to the NLRB against both the company and the union.

The union had been telling the media and workers that the election would likely be months away, comparing it to a similar effort at the ExxonMobil complex in Baytown, but Gross said the USW legal counsel worked with the NLRB to expedite the process.

We want everyone to have the opportunity to vote and we felt like it was beneficial not to have anyone standing over them, Gross told the Enterprise. In an in-person vote, both sides have observers and I believe the company was pushing to have it in the facility. We didnt want that.

ExxonMobil previously said it would only consider ending the lockout of represented workers if a contract was ratified by membership or if workers decided to end union representation.

After USW membership rejected the companys amended offer in an Oct. 19 election, the company swiftly shifted its messaging focus to reminding workers about the upcoming move to decertify.

The good news is that soon you will have the opportunity to vote again  in a decertification election, ExxonMobil representatives wrote in a Friday evening bulletin to employees. This time, your vote will determine whether you want to put an end to Union irresponsibility, pressure on your loved ones, and unnecessary risks, such as strikes and lockouts.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
Local Toasted Yolk franchise owners have set a date for the opening of the new location in Port Arthur.

The restaurant announced it is hosting an opening celebration on Nov. 8 from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., and is giving $25 gift cards to the first 25 groups to visit the secon Southeast Texas location.

One guest at the new Toasted Yolk will win free food for a year by entering the digital raffle.

The brunch spot announced a location would be opening on Memorial Boulevard in Fall, after a Facebook page was created at the beginning of September.

The announcement coincided with a new location that opened in College Station earlier in the month.

The concept was created by Chris Milton and Mathew DeMott in 2010 as a cafe that serves American breakfast classics staples and chef-inspired brunch items in a laid back atmosphere.

The Beaumont location was opened by Brett Baumgartner at the beginning of 2020 at the former K-Bobs location on Phelan Boulevard.

The Nederland Chamber of Commerce celebrated a ribbon cutting at My Tribe Nutrition in Port Neches on Tuesday.

The new tea and shake spot opened at 1002 Magnolia Avenue in August.

The shop sells nutritional teas, shakes, baked goods and other protein snacks for people on the go.

Aspire2B, a local franchise holdings company in Southeast Texas, has launched a new addition in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The company that recently opened the Arbys location in Lumberton and owns Buffalo Wild Wings, Rusty Taco and other franchise locations in Southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana opened a new Arbys in Lake Charles on Monday.

Representatives with the company previously told the Enterprise that has been in expansion mode this year, which could possibly mean new projects for Beaumont in the near future, including a new Arbys location.

Labcon North America, which is owned by the Beaumont-headquartered company Helena Laboratories, has announced a $59.3 million contract award from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Labcon, based in Petaluma, California, will expand domestic industrial manufacturing of pipette tips and tubes as a part of the supply chain for COVID-19 diagnostic testing.

This COVID-19 supply chain effort will allow Labcon to increase production capacity from 100 million to 236 million pipette tips per month. Tube production will increase from 27 million to approximately 58 million tubes per month by October 2025.

It is a tremendous honor to be awarded this contract and to team with the US government to be sure this country is prepared for future pandemics. Helena is proud to be an American company and has been part of the healthcare solution since 1966. said Tipton Golias, chairman and founder of Helena Laboratories.

The Beaumont company is a leading manufacturer of clinical laboratory diagnostic products used in major medical centers and reference laboratories around the globe, with subsidiaries and distributors worldwide.

The U.S Department of Defense Assisted Acquisition (DA2) Cell led this effort in coordination with the U.S Department of the Air Force's Acquisition COVID-19 Task Force (DAF ACT). This effort was funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to enable and support domestic industrial base expansion for critical medical resources.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

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Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise, Photo Editor

A capital murder trial has been set for a Beaumont man accused of killing his four roommates.

Lively James Stratton, Jr.s trial is expected to start April 25. He was indicted for capital murder after allegedly shooting his roommates Sept. 29, 2019. All five lived in a duplex in the 4100 block of Highland Avenue, where the shooting occurred just before 12:15 p.m., according to court documents.
KOUNTZE  Nestled in Kountze is a 100-acre wooded escape known as Indian Springs Camp.

Just north of New Holland Cemetery, the camp has served for many years as a place for veterans and children to forget about their worries, illnesses and disabilities and instead remember what they are capable of doing, like a catching a fish and hunting deer out in the country.

We want to make sure that they know that they can do what they used to do, said Ronnie Stockholm, who built the camp in 1985 following his daughters own battle with cancer to help return his family back to some normalcy. The family also invited children with MD Andersons Cancer Center to the relaxing outdoor environment.

Related: Kountze camp heals, teaches hunting skills

But Tropical Storm Harvey robbed the camp of some of that peace. For six weeks, the storm pushed 20 feet of flood water over the lake that Ronnie Stockholm built by backing up a small stream more than two decades ago.

The damage led to the growth of an invasive weed species that destroyed the camps lake and fishing program over a period of a year.

We started seeing this aquatic growth come in from the bottom, and it just grew and grew, and it just covered our whole lake, Ronnie Stockholm said.

But the community is banding together to heal the place built to heal others.

The Stockholm family previously made several attempts to remove the Milfoil species to save and restore the lake. They even reached out to the Lower Neches River Authority, the Army Corp of Engineers, Texas A&M University and Helena Laboratories for help.

They all tried to give us chemicals to kill this stuff, and we didnt have any results at all, Stockholm said. The first and only thing that we could do was knock a hole in the dam, drain the lake, dig it out a little bit deeper and rebuild it that way.

Stockholm said they received funds for the camp from previous events such as the Hogs & Strings Cook-off and Music Festival, which was canceled last year due to the novel coronavirus, and community organizations like the Hardin County Rotary Club.

On Saturday the Hogs & Strings music festival was held once again, and United Way presented a $45,000 grant award to Stockholm. The grant will help restore the campgrounds lake, which is used to support nature programs for children, veterans, the physically-challenged, and the under-privileged, United Way information said.

Representing United Way of Beaumont in North Jefferson County, Karyn Husbands said the organization raises money annually to help fund 36 programs put on by 20 local nonprofits. The organization also works after natural disasters.

About a year ago, Husbands became aware of Indian Springs trouble. She said she was honored to present the check on Saturday.

We help people on a daily basis, but to have an opportunity to know that we are really going to help continue services to veterans and disabled children is one of the best things Ive gotten to do this year, Husbands said. It just touched my heart to be able to represent United Way and make this contribution on their behalf.

The large check is a big help in moving forward, Ronnie Stockholm said.

We can get started with what weve got, and we can work our way until the money runs out, Ronnie Stockholm said.

Stockholm estimates the total cost for the project will come in between $150,000 and $200,000. The family hopes to also build wheelchair-accessible piers as well. Stockholm confirmed more funds are needed to complete the project, and they are still looking for contractors with the special equipment needed to do the project.

Once that happens, the project could be completed in as soon as three weeks, Ronnie Stockholm said.

While the children and veterans are not able to fish right now, the camp continues to take veterans deer and hog hunting. Continuing these programs is particularly important to Stockholm these days.

We are time right now in our history where things are so in turmoil, Im talking about political, both sides are just - we dont know what our future is going to hold for the next generation, Stockholm said. That is what scares me as far as our kids and grandkids. But as far as what we do here now, we are trying to take care of the ones that have served or come home with an injury of some type - whether it be medical or mental.

We just want to give them the appreciation and know that they can do what they used to do just with a little bit different way of doing it, he continued. But we want to make sure that they can do it. We enjoy it. In fact, I enjoy it more taking someone out there hunting and watching them kill something. I hadnt hunted in years. I just enjoyed taking the guys and gals.

During the Saturdays music festival, Carmen Gonzalez Jr., a disabled U.S. Marine Corp Veteran who served in Vietnam, and now hunts and volunteers at the camp spoke to the crowd.

 The least I could do was serve my country. I signed up for four years. Did my time, was able to get my E5 and get out. When I got out, I was not welcome home, Gonzalez Jr. said. I was told not to wear my uniform and to not even let anyone know that I served in the military.

He stayed in his home for a year, he said.

He felt alone.

He felt helpless.

He ultimately became a national field director helping disabled and paralyzed veterans across the country find employment. Now hes retired, but he still helps veterans.

Gonzalez said he learned about the hunt at Indian Creek Camp from another veteran.

I hadnt picked up a rifle in 30 years, Gonzalez said. I didnt know how I would react or how it would come to me. But I came here.

The road wasnt paved yet. And due to his challenges with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder he stayed in a tent at the bottom of the hills instead of the cabins.

I wasnt here for five minutes and they pulled my name out of the hat to go across the street and take a shot at an Axis deer, Gonzalez said. I didnt know what an Axis deer was. I had never even shot a deer in my life.

They told him to be patient.

I was patient, Gonzalez said. All the little ones came out. The white tails came out. Then here come the big buck. Yeah, the big buck. The guy was with me and asked, Are you nervous? I never get nervous when it comes to taking a shot.

He took the shot.

He got the buck.

Now, he invites other veterans to the camp.

It changed my life and I have seen the changes in other veterans that attend this event, he said.

During the Hogs & Strings event, a young girl who painted for weeks to make artwork to sell at the event shared she raised over $100. She decided to donate $40 to the Indian Springs Camp.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com
HUIXTLA, Mexico (AP)  After three days of walking along a scorching highway in southern Mexico, a couple thousand migrants decided to rest here Tuesday, receive medical attention for badly blistered feet, wash clothing in the river and doze in any shade they could find.

Nitza Maldonado and Omar Rodriguez sprawled on the sidewalk beside a local church with their 6-year-old son. The Honduran family had paid a smuggler $12,000 last year to get to the United States, but they were nabbed in Texas and deported.

Due to the pandemic, they had lost their jobs there  she as an assistant at a law firm and he as a worker in a laundry. Back in Honduras, they faced unemployment and debts from their failed attempt to migrate so they decided to leave again on their own.

Sleeping on the ground and sometimes eating only one meal a day, they decided the risks of rough handling or deportation by Mexican authorities were worth joining the large group effort to walk north.

You have to migrate because in our country theres a lot of unemployment, theres no education, Maldonado said. Thats why this is happening to us.

It has been years since Mexican authorities allowed such a large group of migrants to walk out of the southern state of Chiapas. Recent smaller attempts were dissolved, sometimes with excessive force, by National Guard troops and immigration agents after the migrants tired.

On Tuesday, there was still no visible move to break up the group. Including hundreds of children, the group has been moving slowly, covering just 25 miles (41 kilometers) in three days.

Migrants took advantage of the pause to charge phones, dry out from Monday's rain and cool off in the river.

Dayana Flores, 17, and her 20-year-old husband Kevin Ortiz, left Honduras four months ago when their baby was only 20 days old. Since then theyve been in the southern Mexican city of Tapachula going regularly to Mexicos asylum office, lining up before dawn as they attempted to get legal status, but nothing seemed to advance.

Better to run the risk, maybe one can make it (to the U.S.), than to be there caged without work, without a place to work, without food, without anything, Flores said.

Others spoke of similar frustration with the slow pace of Mexicos asylum office.

Rosibel Maldonado said she waited the 45 working days that the agency said it would take to process her asylum application, but never heard anything, so she left.

Not all said they were trying to make it to the U.S. Mexico has seen the number of asylum applications it receives skyrocket in recent years. Through September, Mexico had received 90,000 applications, more than two-thirds of them in the Tapachula office.

While the government has tried to contain migrants to southern Mexico, far from the U.S. border, many seek to reach northern cities where there are far more employment opportunities than in the economically depressed south.

Carlos Fuentes was traveling with his wife and six children. They want to make it to the northern city of Monterrey.

Fuentes spent six years in the U.S. before being deported a decade ago. He said gang members tried to recruit his kids  the boys to sell drugs, the girls as girlfriends  so they had to leave.

Were out of money and so we decided to come with the caravan and thank God they havent detained us, he said.
WATERLOO, Iowa (AP)  A man who crashed a stolen fuel tanker into other vehicles before smashing into a Waterloo home last year has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Dakota Luck, 26, was sentenced Monday after he pleaded guilty in July to theft, reckless use of explosives, reckless driving and marijuana possession, station KWWL reported.
The Port Neches Fire Department paid tribute to the first responders who lost their lives during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers with a Memorial Stair Climb on Saturday.

A small group of community members cheered on the fire fighters early Saturday morning as each one made 28 trips up and down a nearly 40-foot tower behind the fire station.

Hes climbing the stairs, said 6-year-old Autumn Hoffpauir as she watched her father, Firefighter Brandon Hoffpauir, from below.

PNFD Chief Eloy Vega said the 28 trips equals the 110 stories of the twin towers.

The guys gave it their all like always, Vega said. They finished it true and strong.

Vegas jacket bore Laredo on the back. He was a paramedic with the Laredo Fire Department on an ambulance when he learned of the attacks on the radio. He traveled with members of the department two weeks later to Ground Zero where he was immersed in the reality of the devastation.

On Saturday, Vega climbed past brightly colored chalk writing on the walls of the tower paying tribute to the 20th anniversary of one of the darkest days in the nations history.

It was definitely a proud moment but not easy, said Vega, as he described the experience of the memorial stair climb. Most, if not all proud moments, are not easy. The effort makes it worthwhile.

This is something that we all do, the guys not only here in Port Neches but all of the fire departments across the nation or even across the world  we are the last line of defense.

These men and women in the fire service and around the world and dedicate their lives and chose this profession and vocation to serve others, he said. That is our mantra, to serve others, whether we are fire, EMS or police.

Sweating under the sun, firefighters carried about 50 pounds of gear on them. Throughout the exercise, some of the firefighters paused to remove some of the heavy equipment, such as oxygen tanks, and to hydrate with water before returning to the stairwell to finish with the rest of the crew.

Its a challenge. It definitely feels rewarding and humbling to put in that sacrifice the same as those guys did, said 28-year-old PNFD Fire Engineer Gerald Finley, of Bridge City.

Family members, including children of the firefighters, watched and shouted encouragement.

I think it is awesome, a perfect display of respect and honor for the men and women who sacrificed their lives, said Port Neches resident Darian Watts, 28, while holding 1-year-old Adley.

The pair, along with Watts son Beau, watched Adley and Beaus father, Zack Watts, finish the tribute with his team.

Vega said firefighters were passionate about commemorating and remembering the 20th anniversary. He said many of the firefighters were still in elementary or middle school when the towers were hit.

To hear them say this is what inspired me to join the service, this is what inspired me to become a firefighter  it was very inspiring, and it makes me very proud to work alongside such passionate and dedicated individuals, Vega said.

Their drive and passion is certainly inspiring to me to be a better firefighter in every aspect that I can.

Twenty years ago, Port Neches Fire Department Capt. and EMT Tyler Hebert was in his first period class as a freshman at West Brook High School.

I remember a teacher from across the halls came and poked her head in, and said, Hey, a plane just hit the World Trade Center, Hebert said. I had no idea what the World Trade Center was back then. I just thought, huh, someone doesnt know how to fly.

The teacher returned and informed the class another plane had hit another tower. He said after the Pentagon was hit and another plane went down, it was apparent this was more than just an individual who didnt know how to fly.

Starting from that day forward we all came together, and we all watched each other a little bit closer, he said.

Those attacks set a course for his future. During his senior year, he decided to join the United States Marine Corps, where he served for four years.

He spent his time overseas in Japan. While he was in a less hostile environment than other service members, he said the Marines based there still trained to be ready to head to the Middle East.

It was still a huge impact, even on us three or four years down the road after 9/11 attacks  that we were still honoring those victims by training and pushing ourselves to the limit to make sure that we were (finding) the kind of people who planned and thought of those types of attacks, he said.

When he returned home, Hebert attended school to become a motorcycle mechanic. But the job market ultimately led him to become an EMT. He later joined the fire academy and pursued a fire service career because he found it rewarding to help people and serve the community.

He and other firefighters took time on Saturday morning to reflect on the 343 firefighters the New York City Fire Department lost two decades ago.

They charged into those buildings fearlessly, and they had one mission  even though they knew at the end of the mission that might be the last day on the job, he said.

He said that time for reflection recharges first responders thinking and reminds them they are training not only for themselves, but to protect the community.

Its a good feeling, Hebert said. You still have to be sad and remember the lives that were lost, but if we leave it at that, we are not protecting the future and the future generations.

To do that is when we start reflecting and remembering all the fortitude and bravery that those men and women showed that day to be able to protect their community.

Aside from the mental and emotional impact the event has had on first responders, it also significantly changed the way first responders run command on incidents, whether its a small car accident or a major disaster like the explosion at TPC Groups Port Neches plant.

It improved the organization within the incident command system, which made it possible to better and more strategically manage incidents, compared to the past when incident command was still in its infancy.

That had a huge impact not just on the fire service, but homeland security and the way police departments and EMS operates, Hebert said. It has become more of a multijurisdictional effort to mitigate and eliminate any kind of hazards we were faced with, and that gives us a better sense of the multiple agencies we could be working with: FBI, police department, homeland security, neighboring fire departments, our local EMS.

It gives us an umbrella of where to start and I think that was one of the most positive things that could have from that, he said.

Related: Post-9/11 grants built SE Texas emergency radio system

Sept. 11, 2001, also influenced training.

Hebert said seeing those firefighters walk 80 flights of stairs with gear, hoses and other equipment brought a fresh way to look at the way they physically train for the job.

Hebert, who also serves the IAFF Local 3713 President, said grants stemming from the Sept. 11 attacks have helped fire departments across to the nation fund better equipment that they may not have been able to provide.

He has said fire department pay and budgets have improved, noting in the 1930s and 1940s that old Port Neches Fire Department documents showed a $10 budget, now that communities are looking to have firefighters on hand at a moments notice.

And in the years following the Sept. 11 attacks, more medical diagnosis from firefighters and others who assisted with the disaster and recovery began to surface. Hebert said many of the people who helped inhaled concrete dust and asbestos.

He said this underscored the need to look at the carcinogens and dangerous gases that are in the smoke and the environment firefighters work in.

From 9/11 until the present, our view and our awareness on trying to stay clean and trying to mitigate the contact that we have with the carcinogens in the air has definitely improved, Hebert said.

Hebert said theres a fight for better health screenings now, such as he is wanting to pursue with Port Neches Local No. 3713s push for collective bargaining.

The professional firefighters association has received the number of required signatures to add the agreement to the November ballot. To pass, voters must choose the option on election day.

We are fighting for the coverage on medical expenses that result in firefighters being diagnosed with cancer, Hebert previously told The Enterprise.

 As far as our health and well-being is concerned, since 9/11, we have definitely improved on what we are doing and trying to protect our firefighters from long-term health effects.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Koreas president said Monday hell keep striving to promote peace with North Korea through dialogue until the end of his term next May, after Pyongyang raised animosities with a resumption of provocative weapons tests.

While launching a spate of newly developed weapons in recent weeks, North Korea has also slammed Washington and Seoul over what it calls hostility toward the North. Its actions indicate North Korea wants its rivals to ease economic sanctions against it and accept it as a legitimate nuclear state, experts say.

In his final policy speech at parliament, President Moon Jae-in said hell make efforts to the end to help a new order for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula be established through dialogue and diplomacy.

Moon, a champion of greater reconciliation with North Korea, once shuttled between Pyongyang and Washington to help facilitate now-stalled nuclear diplomacy between the two countries. Pyongyang turned a cold shoulder on Moon after its diplomacy with Washington broke down in early 2019 amid bickering over the sanctions.

Moon praised himself for paving the way for a peace process on the Korean Peninsula by holding three summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and helping arrange the first-ever North Korea-U.S. summit between Kim and then-President Donald Trump in 2018.

But Moon acknowledged his push for peace through dialogue remains incomplete.

Moon's single five-year term ends next May, and he's barred by law from seeking reelection. The presidential candidate of Moon's ruling liberal party has unveiled a similar North Korea policy as Moon's. Surveys indicate a neck-and-neck race with a potential conservative candidate, who will likely take a harder line on the North.

Moon's appeasement policy on North Korea has been divisive, with his supporters call him a peace-making mediator while his opponents accused him of helping North Korea find ways to weaken international pressure and perfect its weapons systems.

The North Korean weapons systems tested recently are mostly short- and medium-range weapons that place South Korea and Japan within their striking ranges. Last Tuesday, North Korea fired a ballistic missile from a submarine in its most significant weapons test since President Joe Biden took office in January.

Some experts say North Korea may test a longer-range missile that could pose a direct threat to the American homeland to increase its pressure on Washington in coming weeks.

In part of his efforts to ease tensions, Moon has recently been pushing for a symbolic declaration to end the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. When Moon meets Pope Francis at the Vatican this week during his European tour, theyll discuss a possible North Korea trip by Francis as the pope has repeatedly expressed hopes to visit the North, according to Moons office.

South Koreas Unification Ministry said Monday the government will make efforts to help realize Francis trip to North Korea if related talks have progress. Spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo said a North Korea visit by the pope would make a big contribution to peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Nabi Mohammadi moved to Des Moines, Iowa, from Afghanistan in 2013. He worked as a translator for the U.S. Army and served with the Iowa National Guard when they were deployed to Afghanistan in 2010.

He said his American military service put a target on his family's back.

"The people who work with Americans are targeted," Mohammadi said. "The Taliban is going after them and going after their families just because their family supported them when they were working with Americans."



His family almost escaped on Aug. 26, the day of the attack on the Kabul airport that killed at least 60 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops. They were trying to get through the gate to board a flight, but Mohammadi's brother injured his leg while pushing through the crowd. His family decided to leave and, 30 minutes later, the airport was bombed.



"I could have lost my whole family. When I think about it, I would have not forgiven myself, you know, because it was something that would have been a nightmare," Mohammadi said.

A coworker connected him to Iowa state Sen. Zach Nunn who is the co-founder of Task Force Argo, a private group working to rescue Americans and Afghan partners trapped in Afghanistan. Nunn said the group has evacuated over 2,000 people so far. That includes Americans, their family members and Afghan allies.

Task Force Argo was able to evacuate Mohammadi's brother and his brother's family to Dubai and then to Wisconsin. Mohammadi's parents remain trapped in Afghanistan, despite being on the evacuation list. They fled their Kabul home and are now hiding in an apartment with more than 20 other relatives.



Mohammadi said Taliban members recently moved into the same apartment building. Now, his family is confined to the room and "living in fear" as they wait to get out of the country. He said he calls them every morning and every night to make sure "they're still okay and all still there."

Task Force Argo is working to evacuate them. According to Mohammadi, his parents have their visas, but their children only have their national IDs. He said the group is currently working to get the whole family processed and prioritized so that they can fly "out of the country to safety."



Nunn said Mohammadi's story is reflective of many shared with him on a weekly basis.

"The challenge going forward is that we still have, not just Afghan allies, but American citizens who remain in Afghanistan," Nunn said. "I don't think any American wants to see that be our legacy, that we would leave our fellow citizens behind."

He said the group will continue their rescue efforts as long as there's a need, but they're asking the federal government to step in and help evacuate Americans, legal permanent residents and their families who are still trapped in Afghanistan and in immediate danger.

To donate or learn more information about the rescue mission, you can go online to Taskforceargo.com.

"We started off thinking this was going to be a several-week thing and here we are turning into several months, that could end up being upwards of a year," Nunn said. "Now, there is no U.S. presence, there is no diplomatic opportunity for American citizens or for Afghan allies to evacuate. And so we've had to move very aggressively, but smartly, to help get these individuals to safety."
While most cities conduct their local government elections in the spring, the cities of Bevil Oaks and Groves have several candidates running for elected office this month. Early voting already has started, and Election Day is Nov. 2.

The Enterprise reached out to all contested candidates in Bevil Oaks and Groves to learn more about them and their platforms. Heres more:

Bevil Oaks

Race: Mayor

Q1. What are the top issues the city of Bevil Oaks faces, and how do you plan to address them?

Q2. What sets you apart from the competition?

Q3. Why did you decide to run for Mayor?

Barbara Emmons

Age: 56

Occupation: Retired

Highest level of education: College

Volunteer Work, endorsements, or previously-held elected office: Ward II city council member, City Secretary, Tribal Council and various nonprofits

A1: Flooding, trying to pull in help with flood mitigation by attending hazard mitigation meetings and reporting our issues. The water rate/user fees are main concerns to me, and I am pleased to say that I have voted twice in the past two years to lower our user fee. I plan to be proactive in making sure that we revisit water consumption and connections on a regular basis and adjust rates accordingly. I am passionate about getting an enforceable animal ordinance in place, to take care of the ongoing problem of vicious and stray animals. I am actively involved in petitioning Jefferson County to get an animal shelter in place for rural areas and small cities like ours, and I believe that, as Mayor, I will be in a good position to see that issue resolved, in one way or another.

A2: Experience

A3: To continue to help and give back to my community. I was raised to always give back to my community and others, to give help where help is needed, and I pledge to continue doing that for my fellow citizens of Bevil Oaks! I am ready to be your mayor and would very much appreciate your vote! I pledge to work with all of you in growing our little city on the bayou into the best city that it can be!

Jennifer Joyce

Age: 36

Occupation: Full-time student

Highest level of education: Bachelors Degree in Management, Associates Degree in medical billing/coding as of November 2

Volunteer work, endorsements, or previously held elected office: N/A

A1: There are a few issues that Bevil Oaks faces. I plan on facing these issues as a community.

A2: I bring a fresh mind to the City of Bevil Oaks. I have dedication and know the value of teamwork.

A3: I decided to run for Mayor because I feel that the City is ready to move forward and get their voices heard.

Race: Councilmember Ward I

Q1: What are your biggest concerns about the city of Bevil Oaks, and how do you plan to address these issues?

Q2: Why did you decide to run for city council?

Q3: What sets you apart from your competition?

Billy Canant

Age: 39

Occupation: Insurance Adjuster with Texas Windstorm Insurance Association

Highest level of education: High School and Fire Fighter in the U.S. Air Force

Volunteer Work, endorsements or previously held elected office: I've helped with an advocacy group that focuses on housing homeless veterans.

A1: Communication and Transparency. I commend the current council for the amazing things they've accomplished. I feel like they truly have the best for Bevil Oaks at heart. My only issue, and the reason I decided to run, is due to the silent disdain felt between some on the council and some in the community.

A2: No one is right all of the time. I believe we need people on the council working with people in the community that are aware they may not be right. I believe we need people that are open to considering they may be wrong and don't hesitate to move forward in a direction that makes sense, even if it's not theirs.

A3: My ability to do that.

Louis Bud Merendino

Age: 64

Occupation: Retired Mobiloil and involved in family-owned business

Highest level of education: Pursued Lamar University criminal justice degree

Volunteer work, endorsements, or previously held elected office: Four years on city council previously; volunteered at civic events and maintenance

A1: High water bills, but Im disclosing my ideas yet.

A2: Now we have a chance to rebuild.

A3: Most of my friends and family wanted me to run for mayor, but I dont have the time. We are backing Jennifer Joyce for mayor.

Phillip Neichoy (I)

Age: 67

Occupation: Retired

Highest level of education: High school and Lamar University

Volunteer work, endorsements, or previously held elected office: I was a Bevil Oaks Municipal District Board member for 13 years and am the current Ward 1 councilman. I previously was a first responder for the volunteer fire dept and board member for the River Oaks Civic and Recreation Club.

A1: Biggest concern for the city  stop the flooding. We have some of the highest elevations in Jefferson co.yet we flood. I think this is due to increased development of unimproved woodlands becoming subdivisions with improved drainage increasing the volume of water going into the Pine Island Bayou. You can't keep dumping water into the bayou without increasing its ability to handle it. The natural floodway has been blocked. The flooding must be stopped, and it can be by just opening nature's floodway.

A2: I'm the current Ward 1 council member and want to continue to work for our city. I believe our water rates are too high and must come down. I want to see our city continue to thrive and move forward, and I think we can. I want to see more families in our city but we must stop the flooding for this to happen.

A3: I have lived in Bevil Oaks 56 years, and I was a previous Bevil Oaks Municipal Utility District Board Member and I am retired and have the time to devote to our city.

Groves

Race: Council member Ward III

Q1. What are your biggest concerns about the city of Groves, and how do you plan to address these issues?

Q2. Why did you decide to run for city council?

Q3. What sets you apart from your competition?

Rob Vensel

Vensel could not be reached for comment.

Michael Campise

Age: 67

Occupation: Retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant, retired construction specialist/supervisor with Road & Bridge Division city of Port Arthur, superintendent for Commissioner Ed Moor of Jefferson County Precinct 4 Road & Bridge Division, retired roadway crew chief with TxDot Road & Bridge Division

Highest level of education: Lamar University Mid-Management Degree

Volunteer work, endorsements, or previously held elected office: Immaculate Conception  St. Peter the Apostle Church, Planning & Zoning commissioner for the city of Groves, Knights of Columbus, Elks Lodge, Southeast Texas Veterans Group, Sabine Neches Community Advisory Panel, Retired Senior Volunteer Program

A1: Budget, Economic Development Corporation, edc funds, streets & drainage, communication with our citizens, divisions within our city, police and fire. As councilman I will work to maintain a balanced budget, review each departments budget  line item by line item  and cut all unnecessary fat. This will help to keep our taxes at the lowest rate possible. We need to increase support for our local business as they are our friends, family and neighbors. They are the backbone of our community and the ones who have laid the foundation of economic growth. I will work toward a more comprehensive, long-term, consistent ditch and drainage maintenance program. I will open avenues of discussion to include our citizens. This would begin to restore trust in our leadership. I will continue my support for citys departments and our police and fire departments. If they require additional tools or training to improve on the requirements of their positions, then we as a council need to evaluate how we can assist.

A2: As a Groves resident I felt that now was the time to accept the responsibility of giving a voice for all citizens of Groves. I have decided to run for City Council to help make Groves a better place for us all and support for our community. I would like the opportunity to bring fresh ideas to the forefront.

A3: I have over 28 years of experience and knowledge of city, county and state government, over 28 years of experience and knowledge of building and maintaining city, county and state highways and roadways, including the many drainage issues faced by these entities. I also have 20 years of military service working with a diverse group of men and women as a team to accomplish our missions.

Barbara Edington

Age: 57

Occupation: Administrator of a local home health agency

Highest level of education: Did not answer

Volunteer work, endorsements, or previously held elected office: I have organized the Tour de Groves bike ride for seven years, donating thousands of dollars to local entities such as the Groves Senior Center, Blue Santa and Toys for Tots. In addition, Im co-director of Texas Winter 100k  a canoe race beginning in Austin and ending in Bastrop.

A1: My biggest concerns about the city of Groves are the lack of oversight in our spending and the disregard of policies & procedures in place to protect our interests. I want to work to get systems in place to have better accountability in how our money is spent and to limit the amount that can be spent without city council approval. In addition, I want to get systems in place to hold our city manager more accountable to finish projects within budget and on time  specifically our street and ditch program.

A2: I decided to run for council so that I can work with the mayor and existing council in order to get those systems in place for better accountability. I am of the mindset that we should all try to be a part of the solution, especially if we are unhappy with how things currently are.

A3: I believe I am set apart from my competition in that I have a background in business management that has worked extensively with profit and loss statements, budgets, staffing effectively, etc. In addition, I have reviewed many documents directly from within the City of Groves to give me a better insight as to how we have conducted business and what avenues we might need to take going forward.

Compiled by Rachel Kersey.
The battle against COVID-19 is hampered with too much confusion, but heres some clarity that all Americans can appreciate: Booster shots have now been approved for all three of the Covid vaccines  Moderna and Johnson & Johnson now along with Pfizer, which had been approved earlier.

There are a few guidelines that still must be followed for certain age groups or those with underlying conditions. But the recommendations are not complex.

The Johnson & Johnson booster is authorized for anyone 18 and over who took that vaccine. For people who received a first dose of the J&J vaccine, doctors advise getting the booster at least two months after the first shot.

The Moderna booster, which is a half-dose of the original shot, has been OKd for people 65 and older, or adults with underlying medical conditions or greater exposure on their job. It can be taken at least six months after the second shot of the two-dose Moderna vaccine.

Also, someone who received the Johnson & Johnson product can get a booster dose with Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech, as long as the person is 18 or older. And someone who has been fully vaccinated with Moderna can get a booster with Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer, if they are older than 65 or at high risk.

The FDA isnt recommending any particular combination of vaccines and boosters  or whether it would be better to stick with an original vaccine or switch to a different one. Some doctors believe that switching offers more protection, but thats not conclusive. Even if thats true, the additional protection is not dramatic.

The bottom line here is that boosters are now authorized for a large portion of the U.S. population. That can ease the logistics of the booster campaign for pharmacies and clinics offering vaccines.

And it shouldnt need to be said, but these boosters dont undermine the value of the original vaccines. They just mean that the protection they provide can decrease over time and need to be boosted after a while. That process is similar to the influenza vaccine that many of us receive every year.

Talk to your doctor or health care provider to see which of the three options is best for you. But when you roll down your sleeve after the booster shot, you can be confident that you are as fully protected from this deadly disease as possible.
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First responders event, open house scheduled for Thursday

Will DeShong / Gazette Photo/Will DeShong Pictured are the Bedford Borough Municipal Building and Bedford Fire Department on Tuesday.

Bedford Borough will celebrate its 225th anniversary with an event honoring the communitys first responders on Thursday night.

The 200-block of West Penn Street will be closed for the celebration, which will include open house tours of the new Bedford Fire Department and newly renovated municipal building, police department and Bedford Area Ambulance Service building.

Its a bit overwhelming to see it come to a close, Barbara Diehl, borough manager, said about more than two years of renovation work on the properties, all located near the corner of Penn and West streets.

The public is invited to attend the event from 4:30 to 7 p.m.

Olde Bedford Brewing Company will have a special brew called The Front Line available at the event. Sampling of the beer will be available inside a fenced area, while commemorative cans will be available for purchase.

The focus of the event is really on our first responders and everything they do for the community, Diehl said. Its an expression of gratitude because they put their lives on the line every day.

Diehl said their commitment to public safety was shown throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

If you talk about essential workers  they never took a day off, she said.

The event also will be a time to recognize the 225th anniversary of Bedford Borough in 2020. The borough was unable to have a ceremony last year due to the pandemic.

Borough officials, including Diehl, Mayor William Leibfreid, and Council President Tim Weaverling will speak at the event, as will Chris Clark, president of the Bedford Fire Department, and Heather Beegle Deibert, executive director of the ambulance service.

The public will be able to walk through and tour the municipal building, fire station and ambulance building.

Building tours will begin after the speakers.

The Bedford Fire Department and the borough partnered for renovation work in 2019, with plans to tear down the former three-bay fire station and replace it with a six-bay station that would house the entire department.

Previously the departments fleet of apparatus was divided between the station and the garage in the municipal building, which also previously housed the department offices.

The fire departments move from the municipal building allowed the Bedford Police Department to move to the upper level of the building on Penn Street, including into the two-bay garage. The boroughs administrative offices relocated to the northern end of the building, while renovations also included a new council chambers.

The municipal building renovations followed the fire department work last year and were recently completed.

The borough and police department were temporarily housed in the Bedford Ambulance building across Penn Street for the duration of the renovation work.

This year, Bedford Ambulance also had renovations done to its building as part of its 50th anniversary.

The 200-block of Penn Street will be closed 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday for the event.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison attends the Australia-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit via a video link from Parliament House in Canberra, Oct. 27, 2021.

Indo-Pacific players Australia and ASEAN agreed to upgrade their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the regional blocs chair said Wednesday, announcing the type of enhanced relationship with the grouping that China has been coveting since last year.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Australia elevated their relationship a month after some of the blocs members criticized the signing of the AUKUS pact, by which Washington and London will give Canberra technology for building nuclear-powered submarines.

Brunei, this years holder of ASEANs rotating chair, declared in a chairmans statement that the two sides were now moving beyond a mere strategic relationship.

We agreed to establish a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between ASEAN and Australia that is meaningful, substantive and mutually beneficial, the ASEAN chair said.

Australia and ASEAN first established a bilateral dialogue in 1974.

We were pleased with the steady progress in enhancing ASEAN-Australia Dialogue relations over the past 47 years, including in the implementation of the Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-Australia Strategic Partnership, the ASEAN chair said.

Before Brunei issued the statement, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke about the comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP) as he led his countrys delegation in the inaugural ASEAN-Australia summit on Wednesday.

Canberra, he said, had proposed upgrading ties and should ASEAN decide to agree to CSP, Australia is, of course, ready.

A CSP, though, is more than just a label. We will back it with substance that positions our partnership to address complex challenges in the future, Morrison told his ASEAN counterparts.

Canberra will also provide A$124 million (U.S. $93.1 million) to fund projects, jointly identified by ASEAN and Australia, to address emerging challenges, he added. These include COVID-19 recovery, terrorism, transnational crime, energy security and the transition to lower emissions technology.

China vis-a-vis ASEAN

Meanwhile, Beijing is still waiting to hear from ASEAN about Chinas wish to elevate its partnership with the bloc, as it stated last year and reiterated in June. The Asian superpower is competing with the United States  and now also with the United Kingdom and Australia  to wield influence in a region that has become a theater in global geopolitics.

Chinas desire to upgrade bilateral relations reflects ASEANs long-standing economic and strategic importance to Beijing, the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, a Singapore think-tank, noted in an article it published last month.

At Tuesdays China-ASEAN Summit, Beijing did not talk about upgrading relations. But it did sweeten the pot by offering to jointly hold a summit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the China-ASEAN dialogue relationship, which President Xi Jinping may attend, according to some reports.

Chinas proposal so far has been met with a polite muted response from ASEAN, said the article in the ISEAS publication.

ASEAN fears that adopting it may be construed as taking sides against Washington, it said, adding that any political or security relationship between China and the bloc would be subject to changing push-and-pull tensions to do with the South China Sea.

The Royal Australian Navys HMAS Waller (SSG 75), a Collins-class diesel-electric submarine, is seen in Sydney Harbor on Nov. 2, 2016. [AFP]

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, including waters within the exclusive economic zones of Taiwan and ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Beijing is militarizing the South China Sea, which it considers its backyard.

It has stepped up its unabashed incursions into other claimant nations exclusive economic zones, used its maritime militia to harass fishermen in waters claimed by other countries and parked its survey ships in oil-rich zones in others waters.

Now, in the face of Washingtons accelerated freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, Beijing is looking for allies in Southeast Asia, but the regions nations are wary despite Chinas financial clout.

On Wednesday, during his address to the East Asia Summit, U.S. President Joe Biden reiterated the U.S. commitment to the international rules-based order and expressed concern over threats to that order.

The United States will continue to stand with allies and partners in support of democracy, human rights, rule of law, and freedom of the seas, Biden said, according to a White House statement.

The East Asia Summit is an Indo-Pacific dialogue forum made up of the 10 ASEAN member-states, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Russia.

AUKUS and ASEAN

None of these issues was a factor between ASEAN and Australia, although the trilateral AUKUS pact has been a source of heartburn for some of the blocs member-states.

Neither ASEAN nor Australias Morrison shied away from addressing the pact between Australia, the U.S. and U.K. that was announced on Sept. 15.

AUKUS is thought to be designed to counter Beijings growing influence in the Indo-Pacific, especially in the South China Sea.

AUKUSs three maritime democracies did not mention China. They said the pact would enable them to strengthen support for each others security and defense interests and help sustain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

But Indonesia and Malaysia were unhappy about the pact, saying it would foster an arms race  perhaps a nuclear one  in Southeast Asia. The Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam were more upbeat about AUKUS. ASEAN, which works by consensus, could not agree on a joint statement about the pact.

PM Morrison and other top Australian officials spoke over the phone and met in person with ASEAN leaders and ministers, to reassure them that Canberra was aware of its commitment on nuclear non-proliferation and believed in ASEAN centrality in Southeast Asia.

On Wednesday, the ASEAN chairs statement said the bloc welcomed Australias continued support and reaffirmation for ASEAN centrality and its commitment to regional peace, stability and security.

Among individual ASEAN member-states, Indonesia reiterated its concern but also said it fully supported the new, upgraded relationship that the bloc has forged with Australia.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said arrangements such as AUKUS must not complicate our working methods for cooperation.

For his part, Australias Morrison told ASEAN that AUKUS reinforces the backing that Canberra has for an ASEAN-led regional architecture.

AUKUS adds to our network of partnerships that support regional stability and security, he said Wednesday.

J.C. Gotinga in Manila, Ahmad Syamsudin in Jakarta and Muzliza Mustafa in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.
Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo and his wife, Iriana Joko Widodo, are seen at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017.

Indonesian leaders say they will focus on strengthening international cooperation to achieve equitable post-pandemic economic growth when their country takes over the presidency of the G20 grouping of nations for the first time.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi is scheduled to hand over the presidency of the G20 to Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo at the groups 2021 summit in Rome on Sunday.

The country will be taking over the G20 presidency at a crucial juncture, said Indonesias chief economics minister, Airlangga Hartarto.

This is a meeting of the worlds biggest economies and influential leaders, which will attract global attention, Airlangga said during a speech Wednesday at the Golkar Institute, about next years G20 summit, set to be held in Bali.

By assuming the 2022 presidency, Indonesia has a strategic opportunity to participate in determining the direction of global economic recovery, post-COVID-19 pandemic, Airlangga told reporters last month.

The G20 consists of developed and developing countries, which together account for 85 percent of the worlds gross domestic product, 80 percent of global investment, 75 percent of world trade and 66 percent of the worlds population.

Indonesia, the only Southeast Asian member of the G20, was first invited to attend the G20 summit in 2008 in the United States.

Indonesia is Southeast Asias largest economy and the fourth most populous country in the world. With a diverse population and thousands of islands, it is not an easy place to govern, Airlangga said.

However, even in the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have managed to keep our democracy and economy relatively healthy, he said.

Home to 270 million people, Indonesia has recorded more than 4.2 million coronavirus infections and more than 143,000 deaths since the pandemic began.

By contrast, the U.S., home to about 330 million people, has recorded 46.5 million infections and nearly 46,000 deaths.

Earlier this week, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the G20 leaders at this years Rome summit were expected to issue a joint declaration committing to global recovery efforts and strengthening economic cooperation.

Multilateralism

Thomas Noto Suoneto, an analyst at the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), said that Indonesia as G20 president would foster cooperative decision making.

In the past few years, multilateralism has faced quite serious challenges, worsened by the pandemic, Noto told BenarNews.

So, I think 2022  its very strategic to show that as a developing country, Indonesia can be a bridge to overcome these challenges.

Noto also said that as G20 president, Indonesia should push for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

What will G20 do about this? So far, theres no vaccine cooperation scheme under the G20, Noto said.

Yose Rizal Damuri, an economist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Jakarta, said Indonesia would need to accommodate the interests of all G20 countries.

Indonesia must consider issues of common interest for both developed and developing countries. I think the joint economic recovery agenda is one of the issues that is important for all countries, Yose told BenarNews.

Future pandemics

Meanwhile, Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called on G20 countries to prioritize efforts to thwart future pandemics by financing the health sector.

We have all personally grappled with the deep human and economic cost brought on by this borderless, unforgiving pandemic, Sri Mulyani and Yellen said in a joint statement posted on the U.S. Treasury Departments website on Tuesday.

And while we are making progress in fighting COVID-19, we also face a stark reality: this will not be the last pandemic.

The officials noted that the COVID-19 pandemic over the last 1 years shows countries were not ready to respond, mitigate and protect their citizens with vaccines while dealing with the impact of the economic downturn.

Sri Mulyani and Yellen agreed to set up a special forum focusing on financing, to coordinate prevention, detection and others responses during health sector disruptions.
The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and Japanese destroyer JS Kaga sail together in the Bay of Bengal, Oct. 17, 2021.

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and its strike group returned to the South China Sea this week for a joint exercise with a Japanese destroyer, officials said, as Southeast Asian leaders held a virtual meeting to discuss regional issues including a maritime Code of Conduct.

The strike group and the Izumo-class helicopter destroyer JS Kaga of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force were conducting maritime security operations including flights, coordinated tactical training between surface and air units, refueling-at-sea, and maritime strike exercises, the U.S. Navy said in a statement issued Monday.

Cooperative maritime engagements and U.S. carrier operations in the South China Sea are part of the U.S. Navys routine presence in the Indo-Pacific, the statement said.

The Carl Vinson last sailed in the disputed South China Sea in early September. The strike group is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. Navy said.

At the time of the first deployment, the groups commander, Rear Adm. Dan Martin, told Radio Free Asia (RFA)  a BenarNews sister entity  that it aimed to ensure the freedom of all nations to navigate in international waters.

He also spoke about how that was threatened by unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea  an apparent reference to China.

The U.S. military and its allies have stepped up exercises in the South China Sea this year. It wasnt clear whether the USS Carl Vinsons latest deployment was at all timed for this weeks summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and various related meetings.

China does not want to be constrained

On Tuesday, China joined member countries of ASEAN at a virtual summit to discuss, among other topics, the establishment of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang urged ASEAN countries to expedite COC negotiations and strive for its early conclusion, according to the transcript of his speech at the meeting. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, there had been positive progress this year, he said.

Among the ASEAN members are other South China Sea claimants: Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Next year will mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) between ASEAN and China. It was meant to pave the way for the COC, which is intended to be a binding agreement to reduce the chance of conflict breaking out over territorial and maritime disputes.

But the chances of finalizing it by then are slim, analysts say. China continues to press its sweeping claims, despite a 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration award in a case brought by the Philippines. The ruling found that Chinas claims to historic rights over the South China Sea had no basis under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

At the summit on Tuesday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said ASEAN should pursue COC negotiations in accordance with international law, including the 2016 arbitral award.

China does not recognize the ruling, having declared it null and void.

Basically, ASEAN countries want to curb Chinas behavior, but China does not want to be constrained, said Viet Hoang, a well-known Vietnamese commentator on South China Sea.

Some ASEAN countries want to boost cooperation with external powers to counterbalance Chinas increasing assertiveness and they may find Chinas approach unacceptable, the Vietnamese analyst said.

ASEANs decision-making is based on the principle of consensus, so I cant see how ASEAN countries and China can achieve any agreement on key issues, even if Chinas ally Cambodia will take over the blocs presidency next year, he added.
Distrust of COVID-19 vaccine jabs driven by fake news is a reason why new infections and virus-related deaths have shot up in Thailands Deep South, a doctor from a health-task force in the border region said Wednesday.

On the same day, all those who died from coronavirus infections in the far southern provinces were unvaccinated, and 23 percent of Thailands hospitalizations from the virus were reported in the Deep South, according to officials at the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

The problem is that people are afraid to get vaccinated because of fake news, including that you can die from vaccines after two years [and] you can die even when vaccinated, said Dr. Anurak Sarapap, deputy province chief medical officer at the Songkhla Provincial Public Health Office, citing some of the fears expressed by locals about the vaccine.

I insist that these are fake news.

After an online meeting with local public health officials, the doctor linked religious leaders and media in the Deep South with pushing fake news that has driven down vaccination rates. The mainly Muslim and Malay-speaking region along Thailands frontier with Malaysia is made up of the provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, and four districts of Songkhla province.

Anurak pleaded for regional media to report accurate information about the coronavirus in order to aid in vaccination efforts.

Within the Deep South, 551 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19 in Songkhla, 532 in Pattani, 475 in Yala and 331 in Narathiwat the seventh. Thailand recorded 8,542 new infections on Wednesday, according to health officials.

Dr. Sumanee Watcharasin, a director at the Bureau of Risk Communication and Health Behavior Promotion, told MPs that most COVID-19 deaths were linked to people who were not vaccinated, including four in Pattani, three in Yala and one in Songkhla on Wednesday.

One hundred percent of deaths today, all eight people who died were not vaccinated. CCSA is concerned that more than 90 percent of deaths in the last month in the Deep South are people older than 60 years old, people with seven congenital diseases, pregnant women and children, all of whom were not vaccinated, she said.

Among 3.58 million people in the southern border region, 41.9 percent or 1.5 million people had received a first vaccination dose while only 27.2 percent, or less than 1 million people were fully vaccinated as of Oct. 10.

On Wednesday, 33.3 percent or 1.2 million people in the Deep South were fully vaccinated, compared to 80 percent or 5.8 million people in Bangkok.

Anurak said health officials would be stationed in Deep South communities to start vaccinating religious leaders on Thursday.

Artef Sohko, a local NGO director in Pattani, said the government should make vaccination centers more accessible to the people and create a more friendly atmosphere.

The government should understand the Malay-Muslim people are conservatives and they distrust the central government. Vaccination centers should be set up close to the communities and the people who run them should be trusted among the locals, he told BenarNews.

This may help increase the number of people who will be inoculated, he said, noting some residents need to be vaccinated to work in Malaysia or other countries.

A Yala farmer said he was against getting a vaccination because of risks in taking the shots.

Im scared. A lot of people on the news died from getting vaccines, Sulaiman Mudosalae told BenarNews. Even though someone may not die immediately, he or she could get cancer from it.

My friend told me that many people contracted COVID-19 even after being inoculated, he said. I may not be allowed in the bank but I still wont do it.
Bennington, VT (05201)

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Gov. Charlie Baker says he wishes he could solve the riddle of why 1,500 state workers have defied his vaccine order. "I wish I could just figure out what it is that makes the sale. Because I know that [the vaccines] are safe, I know they're effective, and I know they make our commonwealth not just a safer place, but most importantly, a more vibrant place and a place that's more normal than it was two months ago or three months ago or four months ago."
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PITTSFIELD  A city man arrested on a charge of stealing money from a 68-year-old woman at Harry's Supermarket over the summer was sentenced Friday to serve 18 months in the Franklin County Jail, after pleading guilty to two charges.

Jerrod L. Kendig, 41, who is listed in court documents as homeless, pleaded guilty during a Zoom hearing administered in Central Berkshire District Court to assault and battery on a person 60 or older and larceny from a person over 65.

Kendig originally was charged with three additional offenses: unarmed robbery of a person over 60, carrying a dangerous weapon and being a "common and notorious thief," court documents show, but those charges were dismissed by the state. A spokesman for the Berkshire District Attorney's Office on Friday declined to offer additional comment about the agreement.

A 68-year-old woman called police July 13 to report that a woman who investigators later identified as Kayla Beaudin took $20 the woman had placed on the counter in the checkout line at Harry's, then ran away, police said in a report.

The victim told police she followed Beaudin outside and tried to take a picture with her phone, but Kendig "grabbed her" by the shoulders, pushed her up against a wall, then snatched about $60 the victim had remaining in her hands before Beaudin and Kendig ran away.

Officers arrested the two at Beaudin's Wahconah Street apartment. Police charged that both defendants were carrying folding knives in their pants at the time of their arrest.

According to the report, Kendig has been found guilty of larceny charges at least 15 times, and has a record that also includes charges of identity theft, larceny of a motor vehicle, and breaking and entering.

Kendig has been incarcerated at the Franklin County Jail since his July arraignment. He was given 121 days' credit for time served.

At the time he was arrested for assaulting the woman, Kendig was on probation, according to court documents. The jail sentence imposed as part of the plea agreement also resolves probation violations on five of Kendig's other criminal cases.

Beaudin was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon and larceny from a person over 65, according to court documents. Her bail was revoked last week, after she violated the terms of her release.
PLEASE CONSUME RESPONSIBLY. This product may cause impairment and may be habit-forming. For use only by adults 21 years of age or older. Keep out of the reach of children. This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breastfeeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgment. The impairment effects of edibles may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact the poison control hotline 800-222-1222 or 911. This product may be illegal outside of Massachusetts.
The film crew for the PBS Now Hear This series on Great Performances sets up for a mid-January week of filming an episode, Beethovens Ghost, at the Blantyre resort in Lenox. The episode will air on PBS on Friday night.
An aerial view of the southern end of the Stockbridge Bowl in July 2018.
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Greta Jochem, a Report for America Corps member, joined the Eagle in 2021. Previously, she was a reporter at the Daily Hampshire Gazette. She is also a member of the investigations team.
Adam Lurch fishes from the rocks off Eastern Point along the Long Island Sound in Groton, Conn., on Tuesday, as a Nor'easter was about to bring heavy rain and strong winds.
For Pittsfield-based ghouls and goblins, the best bet is a good coat, poncho or umbrella  or to haunt the following night in one of the neighboring towns. Or, if you're lucky, your kid already decided to dress as a mermaid or Longshore fisherman.
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Local leaders push vaccine booster shots

Grace Ramey / Grace Ramey A sign rests against a tree outside the Med Center Health Medical Center Urgentcare building located at 291 New Towne Drive informing patients they can receive the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine booster shots by appointment only on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. (Grace Ramey/photo@bgdailynews.com) Grace Ramey / Grace Ramey Medical personnel at the Med Center Health Medical Center Urgentcare building located at 291 New Towne Drive are currently giving eligible patients the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine booster by appointment only. (Grace Ramey/photo@bgdailynews.com)

Local health leaders are pushing for at-risk individuals to receive COVID-19 vaccine booster shots as cases across the state continue to decline.

Pfizer and Moderna booster shots were recently made available in southcentral Kentucky at most pharmacies and family physicians offices, including at Med Center Healths Medical Center Urgentcare at 291 New Towne Drive.

Med Center Health Vice President of Corporate Support Services Dr. Melinda Joyce said individuals should obtain a booster shot whenever eligibility allows.

People still need to do everything they can to protect themselves. It provides protection for others as well, she said. Anybody who has other illnesses or is elderly  its really important to go ahead and get that booster.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently expanded eligibility for COVID-19 booster shots.

For those who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a booster shot at six months or more after their initial series: 65 years and older, age 18-plus who live in long-term care settings, age 18-plus who have underlying medical conditions and age 18-plus who work or live in high-risk settings.

While she recommended individuals stick with a booster that matches the vaccine they received, Joyce said individuals can get a different booster shot if they want.

It is a little confusing with the mixing and matching, Joyce said. Its really just up to the individual if they want to get a booster shot of Pfizer or Moderna. What we did see in our research is that people had more side effects to the Moderna than they had to the Pfizer, but I do want to stress that those side effects were minimal.

Joyce also said it was OK for anyone who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to get either one of the booster options.

The CDC recommends people receive a booster if they are 18 and older and were vaccinated two or more months ago.

What we saw at first was a real demand for those that got the Pfizer vaccine early, Joyce said. Those are the people we saw wanting a booster dose. Our demand then dropped off, but we have so many places where people can get their vaccines.

As of Tuesday, Med Center Health had administered 5,175 vaccine booster shots across its corporate system.

T.J. Regional Health will offer Moderna booster clinics in Glasgow and Columbia beginning this week.

In Glasgow, Moderna booster clinics will be Wednesday, Nov. 5 and Nov. 12 at T.J. Health Pavilion Community Center at 310 N.L. Rogers Wells Blvd. In Columbia, a Moderna booster clinic will be Friday from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post at 500 Greenhills Road.

To schedule an appointment, go online at tjregionalhealth.org/vaccine or call the T.J. Vaccine Hotline at 270-659-1010 between 8 a.m. and 11a.m. Monday through Friday.

Patients are asked to bring their COVID vaccine card and ID when getting the booster. Appointments are required to receive a booster shot.

T.J. Regional Health Executive Vice President of Marketing Stacey Biggs said Pfizer booster shots are also available at the T.J. Samson Community Pharmacy after calling 270-659-5599.

The demand is so high that we are offering these mass clinics so we can treat as many people as possible at once, Biggs said. Right now, we are trying to keep them in these community clinics. We are trying to make it as convenient as possible for people. We will add more (clinics) if needed.

She said people who sign up online will be able to see which appointment slots are available at each clinic.

Barren River District Health Department Marketing and Communications Coor-dinator Ashli McCarty said the department is still waiting on guidance from the Kentucky Department of Public Health before it starts administering booster shots.

It will happen in the future, and we will announce when that will be available, McCarty said. In the meantime, we are directing individuals to local pharmacies who are offering the booster shots. You want to boost immunity to COVID-19 as much as you can  especially if you are 65 or older.

 Follow reporter John Reecer on Twitter @JReecerBGDN or visit bgdailynews.com.
Warren County Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon was honored with the unveiling of a commemorative bronze plaque at the entrance to the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, for his role in securing funding for the continued operations of the Bowling Green performing arts center.

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Spearfish, SD (57783)

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Cloudy early with peeks of sunshine expected late. A shower of rain or wet snow possible late. High 43F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

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Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com A few years ago some people were saying Barack Obama was not born in the USA. The Factor investigated and found birth announcements in both Honolulu newspapers. It would have been impossible for anyone to forge that. Thus, it is clear to us that the president was born here. The allegation that he was not is a big lie. However, that lie is insignificant. It has no effect on anyone's life. But today there are big lies that directly affect every American. Case number one: the Supervisors in San Francisco refusing to cooperate with federal law on foreign felons who defy deportation. That killed 32-year-old Kate Steinle. DAVID CAMPOS (D), SAN FRANCISCO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: What happened in the Steinle family case is tragic. But what's equally tragic is that this tragic incident is being used by people like Donald Trump, Bill O'Reilly, and others to scapegoat an entire community. That's a complete lie. We have never scape-goated anyone. In fact in 2014, Talking Points laid out a very fair and effective immigration reform plan. You can check it out on BillOReilly.com. So David Campos does not tell the truth, but even worse than that he and his peers are anarchists. They are refusing to comply with federal law putting innocent people in danger. If I were the attorney general I would have Campos and his cohorts arrested and charged with obstruction of justice. Case number two: President Obama believes the American justice system is biased against African-Americans, therefore some convicts should be released from prison because their sentences were too harsh. In the meantime violent crime in the USA is rising -- homicides in 35 large cities up about 20% so far this year. President Obama apparently thinks that heavyweight hard drug dealers are non-violent. A huge lie. Every law enforcement agent in the country knows the street drug trafficking industry is brutal, and there are few minor offenders in federal prison. For example, fewer than one percent of drug convicts have been convicted of simple drug possession. And how about the racial aspect that is driving the insane sympathy for dope dealers? Well Hispanics make up 48% of all drug offenders in federal prison, blacks 27%  whites 22%. So another big lie is saying the government is targeting blacks in drug cases. Case number three: last week New York City Police Officer Randolph Holder was shot dead by a long-time drug dealer that a judge refused to incarcerate instead ordering the man to rehab. This person, Tyrone Howard, had 28 arrests on his sheet but again, the judge would not put him in prison. Thus Officer Holder is dead. Less than a week after the officer was killed and before his funeral even took place, Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino traveled to New York City to condemn American police. QUENTIN TARANTINO, MOVIE DIRECTOR: Michael Brown, Junior. CROWD: Michael Brown, Junior! TARANTINO: An 18-year-old black teenager - Ferguson, Missouri. On August 9, 2014 Michael was walking to his grandmothers house with a friend when he was stopped and harassed by Darren Wilson, a Ferguson cop. After being shot once, Michael tried to run away. He was shot a total of 6 times including twice in the head. As you may remember, a grand jury saw this case completely differently. They exonerated Officer Wilson, as testimony clearly demonstrated Michael Brown attacked the officer violently. But to Tarantino, who lives in a world of his own, facts don't matter. He has no problem spreading big lies. All of this has demoralized many American police officers, and violent crime is rising as we reported. The entire situation has gotten the attention of FBI Director James Comey: JAMES COMEY, FBI DIRECTOR: I spoke to officers privately in one big city precinct who described being surrounded by young people with mobile phones held high, taunting them when they get out of their cars. They said to me, We feel under siege and we dont feel much like getting out of our cars. So the big lies now being spread by the far left are having a direct effect on life in America. And here's another disgraceful fact: Many in the media who are mandated to report the truth actually knowingly spread the lies. And that's the memo.
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com Hate to say it but the debates are getting kind of tedious on both sides. Canned answers rule, very few thoughtful responses ... most of the questions are easily deflected by the well-rehearsed politicians. Last night in Milwaukee, Clinton and Sanders faced off once again under questioning by two PBS anchors. There were a couple of moments when things got interesting. One was a Sanders criticism of President Obama spoken before the debate: MSNBC Wednesday: BERNIE SANDERS: "There is a huge gap right now between Congress and the American people. What presidential leadership is about is closing that gap." KASIE HUNT, MSNBC: "And you don't believe President Obama has successfully closed that gap?" SANDERS: "No, I don't." Democratic Debate Thursday: HILLARY CLINTON: "The kind of criticism that we've heard from Senator Sanders about our president I expect from Republicans. I do not expect from someone running for the Democratic nomination to succeed President Obama." SANDERS: "Madam Secretary, that is a low blow." No, it wasn't. Mrs. Clinton's poke at Sanders was smart and will rally Obama loyalists to her cause. Hillary won that round. But she lost this one: JUDY WOODRUFF, PBS ANCHOR: "Nearly half of your financial sector donations appear to come from just two wealthy financiers, George Soros and Donald Sussman, for a total of about $10 million. You have said that there's no quid pro quo involved. Is that also true of the donations that wealthy Republicans give to Republican candidates, contributors including the Koch Brothers?" HILLARY CLINTON: "I can't speak for the Koch Brothers, you're referring to a Super PAC that we don't coordinate with, that was set up to support President Obama, that has now decided that they want to support me. They are the ones who should respond to any questions." Baloney. Soros coordinates with all powerful Democrats. He is a puppet-master, a seeker of power who operates behind the scenes. Secretary Clinton's answer was disingenuous and she completely dodged the issue. If she is going to condemn big PAC money going to Republicans, she can't take cash from Soros and rich democrat PACs? Excuse me, I said she can't? Of course she can because her supporters don't care. And that is the crux of this memo tonight. Devoted followers of a politician pretty much will accept anything from him or her. When Richard Nixon was forced to resign his presidency over Watergate about a third of Republicans still supported him. It is obvious in this campaign that followers of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, to give two vivid examples, are not expecting precise political analysis. It is the tone those candidates strike that is driving their support. As I told Mr. Trump earlier this week when he appeared on The Factor, the federal courts would block his attempt at mass deportations, as all those living in the USA even illegally are entitled to due process. Mr. Trump disagrees with me and that's fine, but legal precedent has been established so I have to report it. On the Sanders front, there is no way his draconian taxation vision could even come close to covering his endless list of entitlements, including free public college tuition. Thus the current 19-trillion dollar debt would explode even further if his policies were implemented. No Congress would ever allow that. But to Bernie's followers, it doesn't really matter. Like a bad gift, it's the thought that counts. While Donald Trump would run America as a tough-minded business changing the landscape by negotiating better deals both within and outside the country, Sanders is calling for a brand new system. I received a letter from Rhonda Hallet, who lives in Jacksonville, North Carolina, asking me to define Bernie's doctrine of "Democratic Socialism." Well, that's basically what some countries in Western Europe have, a political system that limits personal income through taxation in return for cradle-to-grave payouts from the governments. That's the trade. Even if you're a derelict, you will be supported by the government and in return you will do what the government tells you to do. Housing: You can get it supplemented, but you are assigned to units. Daycare: Sure, but your kids are assigned to centers. Same thing with your doctor, dentist. If you can't pay privately, you go where you're told to go. Education depends on your ability. Yes, public ed is free in Britain, for example, but you will not likely be going to Oxford. And you won't be going anywhere unless the government okays it. So you can see that Democratic Socialism where citizens still vote but are mostly told what to do by guys like Bernie Sanders is a system of subservience to a big central government. There is little power to the people. Now the majority of those supporting Senator Sanders have no blankin' clue what he actually wants. They are hypnotized by the prospect of free stuff, education, healthcare because of course they deserve that. Why? Because the system is rigged by billionaires, so why shouldn't Bernie provide for me and take from the greedy rich folk who made their money by exploiting the peasants? That is right out of the Fidel/Che handbook. But, again, Talking Points submits many of those voting for the Bern-meister have no idea who Che was or who Karl Marx was or even who Fidel is. Getting ill-informed folks to follow you isn't all that hard, as proved by the Kardashians. A dose of flamboyance mixed with some passion and more than a smidgen of resentment can rally some people who don't know very much. Talking Points has spent time in 80 countries around the world. There is no place where opportunity is more available than America, which is why millions of people have furtively entered this country. Even capitalistic powerhouses like Switzerland and Singapore pale beside the capitalistic colossus we have here. But capitalism is not easy, and there is no Uncle Bernie to provide if you do not work hard and educate yourself to succeed. Sadly, many would forfeit their right to prosper in a major way for the false security of a government controlled economy. But those folks -- the Bernie people -- remain a distinct minority. As we will see going forward. And that's the memo.
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com After reading the details of the nuke deal, I can tell you that Iran got the better of the negotiation. The undeniable fact is that the Iranians do not have to submit to snap inspections, so they can cheat if they want to and they may get away with it. Twenty-four days is a long time to wait before inspectors can examine suspicious activities. Now it is true that some Americans and the Israeli government would oppose a nuke deal with Iran no matter what. The only thing that would win them over would be a total cessation of nuclear activity in that country, to which the Mullahs would never agree. It is also true that President Obama sees the issue in stark terms: either you make a deal or Iran develops a nuke and war breaks out. But here the president makes a mistake. He could have held out a bit longer and upped the sanctions that would have given the USA more leverage. Mr. Obama's press conference was very instructive today. He took a few questions and answered them as a college professor would, with long explanations full of asides. There were no follow-ups, no challenges to his answers. So that's what Talking Points will do now. Here is the toughest moment in the press conference: MAJOR GARRETT, CBS NEWS: As you well know, there are four Americans in Iran--three held on trumped up charges, according to your administration. One, whereabouts unknown. Can you tell the country sir why you are content with all the fanfare around this deal to leave the conscious of this nation, the strength of this nation, unaccounted for in relation to these four Americans? And last week, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said under no circumstances should there be any relief for Iran in terms of ballistic missiles or conventional weapons. It is perceived that was a last minute capitulation in these negotiations. Many in the Pentagon feel you left the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff hung out to dry. Could you comment? OBAMA: Ive got to give you credit Major for how you craft those questions. The notion that I'm content as I celebrate with American citizens languishing in Iranian jails -- Major, that's nonsense. And you should know better. Mr. Obama went on to give a long, windy answer that made two points. The four Americans hostages being held in Iran could not be part of the negotiation because that would have empowered Iran. And the USA will closely monitor any missiles and weapons to make sure Iran doesn't give them to terrorists. On the first point, the president certainly could have asked for the Americans to be released and should have. Maybe he's working behind the scenes. Maybe. On the weapons front, the Iranians will get them in five to eight years and will likely use them, including ballistic missiles. By that time Mr. Obama will be making millions lecturing. But all of that is small ball to Mr. Obama. Here's the crux of the president's argument: OBAMA: The point I've repeatedly made, and I believe hard to dispute, is that it'll be a lot easier for us to check Iran's nefarious activities -- to push back against the other areas where they operate contrary to our interests or our allies' interests -- if they don't have a bomb. It's the old keep your enemies closer philosophy. Now to address the very large concern that 24 days to inspect is absurd, the president said this about confronting Iran's ability to cheat: OBAMA: In the agreement, we've set it up so we can override Iran's objection. And we don't need Russia or China in order for us to get that override. ((EDIT)) As for the fact it may take 24 days to finally get access to the site, the nature of nuclear programs and facilities is such  this is not something you hide in a closet. Maybe, but there is no question that if Iran decides to cheat it will have breathing room to obscure the situation. In the press conference today Barack Obama demonstrated once again that he is a true believer  in himself. His demeanor clearly showed he has no doubts that he did the right thing and once again defused conflict overseas. That has been his foreign policy from the very beginning, avoiding armed confrontation. And we can see the result of that as the world absorbs a tremendous amount of instability and violence. Talking Points is not a knee-jerk platform. War with Iran would be a disaster. But this nuke deal is a gamble, one that -- like the total pull out from Iraq -- could lead to terrible consequences. President Obama the gambler believes he knows when to fold 'em. He did that for a deal that has delighted the Mullahs and divided Americans. A deal that will clearly define itself only in the years to come. And that's the memo.
PLI scheme for the Pharma sector will give a boost to the industry and has potential to make India a Pharma hub: Dr Mansukh Mandaviya

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers Dr Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated and addressed the Investor Summit - 'Opportunities and Partnerships in Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices' via video conferencing, on 27 October.

The summit was organised by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, in partnership with Invest India as part of the vision to further strengthen Indias position globally in terms of pharma and medical devices.

Enlisting the various policies, schemes and initiatives of the government to encourage pharma industries, Dr Mandaviya said that Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the pharma sector will give a boost to the industry and has the potential to make India a pharma hub. He underlined the fact that India is going to become a huge market for medicines and medical devices.

India strives to become the best investment destination in the world for pharma sector. The sector has witnessed a substantial increase in investments. FDI increased 98% year on year in 2020. Pharma exports from India grew by 18% in the last financial year, he added.
Naresh Maharaj chats to Yota Baron, newly appointed chief financial officer at Ford Motor Company Southern Africa.

Yota Baron, CFO of FMCSA | image supplied

Youre the first woman to be appointed CFO of Ford Motor Company Southern Africa (FMCSA). That must feel like a significant achievement.

So mentorship is something you take seriously?

Theres an ongoing discussion about women in business, and the benefits and perspectives they bring to traditionally male-dominated sectors. Weve all read books like Sheryl Sandbergs Lean In, but whats your view?

Thats certainly a very inclusive leadership style. Youve been with Ford for 30 years: does that style fit the company culture?

Tell us some more about your tenure with Ford so far?

Several members of the FMCSA executive team have, like you, spent quite a lot of time working overseas. What are the sorts of benefits that delivers?

Youve returned to SA at an interesting time: weve just exited the third Covid-19 wave, we had a spate of rioting a few months ago, and Ford is undertaking a massive investment and expansion. How does that feel?

And Fords R15bn investment?

Baron: It is, and Im humbled by the opportunity. But with that opportunity comes responsibility, particularly the development of young talent by inspiring them to take a leap of faith when opportunities arise, even if that might seem daunting.Im the first woman in my family to have graduated from university. My maternal grandmother was illiterate. So if that change can happen in one generation, then it can happen to other women in South Africa it too. Its our responsibility to make sure it does.Baron: Absolutely, mentorship and advocacy are crucial for career development. If youre a young person, its important to feel confident enough to reach out to leaders inside and outside of an organisation you admire, to seek guidance, inspiration and feedback helps you to grow.I encourage young South Africans to dream big and be prepared to put in the hard work so that when opportunities arise theyre in the consideration pool.Baron: My job is focused on hard data for the most part, but its equally important to look at the soft data too, particularly when dealing with young people who need a more empathetic approach. Today's leadership style needs to be inclusive by creating a sense of belonging. You cant lead by fear.You must encourage diverse opinions and perspectives to develop the best creative solutions. Diversity covers many aspects such as race, gender, religious beliefs, age and experience versus inexperience, just to mention a few. The key is to listen without judgement so you can encourage an environment of inclusion.Baron: Yes, it does. Leadership is about walking the talk, leading by example, and valuing the input of everyone, whether its the person on the shop floor or the top executives. Great leaders listen to others and are really interested in what they have to say.Baron: My focus has primarily been on emerging markets in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions. Ive had a number of leadership positions, including internal control, treasury, customs and tax, marketing, as well as manufacturing finance.I helped set up the finance team in the regional Ford Dubai office for Middle East and Africa. Before that, I was operations controller at Ford South Africa, overseeing financial management of the Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria and the Struandale Engine Plant in what is now Gqeberha, between August 2013 and September 2015.Baron: Working overseas brings a real depth in experience, which the team are able to bring home and apply. Being South African, we also better understand what the South African customers needs are and provide them with the experience they want. But theres no compromise on Fords global benchmarking of best practice. Working abroad also helped us to build up a broad network, which is useful in many ways.Baron: Its tremendously exciting. South Africans are resourceful and we have a habit of overcoming setbacks. We have a lot of work to do to be seen as an attractive destination for investors, but Im very confident.Baron: Its a massive vote of confidence in the country, and it shows Fords optimistic outlook for the domestic and export markets.It will create about 10,000 jobs across the supply chain and include the establishment of new training centres to upskill the workforce, so its not just about investing dollars, but also about investing in people. Ford doesnt make reckless investments, so the South African expansion is a solid commitment to its presence in SA in long term.
US prosecutors who are on Wednesday arguing for the London High Court to overturn a prior January ruling by Judge Baraitser banning WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's extradition to the US on the basis that he would face cruel punishment in a US federal 'supermax' prison, are now offering multiple "assurances" in order to get that ruling overturned.

Most importantly, the US side says it will allow Assange to serve any prison time stemming from US charges - which include 18 criminal counts related to espionage - in his native Australia. Lawyer for the US DOJ James Lewis filed a document with the court promising the following:

"The United States has also provided an assurance that the United States will consent to Mr Assange being transferred to Australia to serve any custodial sentence imposed on him."

Stella Moris, the partner of Julian Assange, speaks to the media in front of the High Court, via The Independent.

The January ruling which the US is this week seeking to have overturned was based on Assange being a potential suicide risk if transferred into US custody. It was a huge win for the WikiLeaks legal team, but the US side is now arguing that it can provide many assurances that this wouldn't be the case.

WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson this week said it would be "totally unacceptable" and "unthinkable" for the London court to reverse the prior decision, lifting the extradition ban.

Among the "package of assurances" the US lawyer is offering the court is that US authorities would ensure "any such clinical and psychological treatment as is recommended by a qualified treating clinician" at whatever prison Assange would be kept in custody.

Lewis has additionally said that Judge Baraitser had admitted to being "misled" by the psychiatric expert called on behalf of Assange, thus the case should be sent completely "back to the beginning". His strategy has been to pick apart all psychiatric testimony as unreliable and inaccurate.

Prosecutors will talk quite a lot about "assurances," which were offered by the US government AFTER the extradition request was blocked by District Judge Vanessa Baraitser on January 4 and AFTER the extradition hearing in September 2020.



These are the "assurances": pic.twitter.com/S6L5Ly2VMq  Kevin Gosztola (@kgosztola) October 27, 2021

At the start of Wednesday's proceedings Assange himself was not present, with his lawyer saying he wasn't feeling well - also as his fiance Stella Moris told supporters outside the court during a rally that he was thin and sickly due to his ongoing harsh confinement in Belmarsh. However, he later appeared via a video link to the court.

As we highlighted previously, not helping the case of the US prosecutor is the recent devastating Yahoo News investigation exposing details of an alleged CIA plot to either assassinate or kidnap Assange, and render him to US soil by force. Both Assange's legal team and his family - especially his fiance - have lately pointed out that the CIA revelations alone destroy Washington's case and standing.
Tesla submitted an application to begin selling electricity to consumers in Texas.

Tesla Energy Ventures is a subsidiary of Tesla that would expand the companys role in the energy industry. Tesla is known for selling its electric vehicles, solar panels, and solar batteries, but has not operated as an energy provider before.

After this Februarys winter storms, the Texas energy industry is in flux. Several energy providers left the market after the storms and many Texans are concerned that the power grid is not reliable enough.

Tesla has applied to become a retail electric provider (REP) in Texas. The company filed an application with the Texas Public Utility Commission on August 16, 2021. If approved, Tesla will sell electricity to Texans living in deregulated areas. Approximately 85 percent of Texas has a deregulated energy market, including major cities such as Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington.

Entrepreneur Elon Musk created a new subsidiary of Tesla to break into the retail electricity market  Tesla Energy Ventures. However, Musk himself will not be leading Tesla Energy Ventures. Instead, the role of President is filled by Ana Stewart. Stewart brings a wealth of relevant experience in the energy industry, including working as a senior analyst and analyst for renewables portfolio management at Direct Energy, a retail electric provider (REP) that operates in Texas. If the Texas PUC approves the application, Tesla Energy Ventures will join the other 120 retail energy providers operating in the Texas deregulated market.

Teslas application states that it will use its existing Tesla Energy Customer Support as the point of contact for energy consumers. The [Tesla Energy Customer Support team] has already established procedures and escalation paths in place to ensure timely action to customer inquiries. The Tesla Energy Customer Support organization will receive training on retail operations, procedures, and regulation to ensure adequate capability and effectiveness, the application states.

Tesla also filed applications to the PUC to build several utility-scale battery projects in Texas. One is a 250-megawatt battery outside of Austin. The second is a 100-megawatt battery outside of Houston. This is not the first Tesla battery project in Texas that has turned heads. In March, Bloomberg reported on Teslas 100-megawatt battery project in Angleton, Texas, which marked the companys first major move into the state.
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As people sipped beer, ate hamburgers and talked business at the Dome Building on Tuesday evening, the sound that dominated the proceedings was that of reunion.

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As people sipped beer, ate hamburgers and talked business at the Dome Building on Tuesday evening, the sound that dominated the proceedings was that of reunion.

Faces may have been obscured and voices slightly muffled by the masks people were wearing, but even brief eye contact was enough for those in attendance to know that they were among old friends.

COLIN SLARK/THE BRANDON SUN Exhibitors line up for hamburgers at the Ag Ex Exhibitors' Evening dinner at the Dome Building Tuesday. The first Ag Ex since 2019 gets underway Wednesday.

On the night before the beginning of the first Manitoba Ag Ex since 2019, the Exhibitors Evening gave the cattle producers participating in the show, organizers who have worked hard to keep the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba going during the COVID-19 pandemic and visiting dignitaries the chance to catch up after a lengthy absence of the kind of events that have brought them together for years.

The choice of beef for dinner was a natural fit given the celebration of all things cattle going on at the Keystone Centre this week.

Its the first major event the Provincial Exhibition has hosted since Ag Ex in 2019, made possible by the organizations relentless fundraising that has kept the lights on after it had to cancel two Royal Manitoba Winter Fairs, two Manitoba Summer Fairs and the 2020 Ag Ex.

As the first speaker of the evening, Provincial Exhibition president Greg Crisanti thanked the organizations staff for making the event possible despite being short-staffed, but he also gave credit to the exhibitors who came back to bring Ag Ex to life once again.

COLIN SLARK/THE BRANDON SUN Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler proclaimed this week to be Manitoba Beef Week as part of his introduction to the Ag Ex Exhibitors' Evening on Tuesday. More than 100 people showed up to grab hamburgers and beer the day before the cattle show starts.

"Were very glad to have you back," Crisanti told the crowd. "Things are a little different, so we really appreciate your patience as we work through some safety protocols."

Show chair Dallas Johnston said there were exhibitors present he knew when they were kids attending the show, and the kids he last saw at the 2019 event have grown like weeds since the last time he saw them.

"People are happy to visit with their friends not only from Manitoba, but theres people here from Saskatchewan and Alberta," he said. "Everybody here is a friend of mine. Ive got to know lots of people with what I do here and its great to see them all."

Providing some introductory remarks was provincial Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler. In the afternoon before the show, Eichler expressed excitement about the events return in a phone interview with the Sun.

"Thanks to all the board and volunteers that put this show on," Eichler said. "Its been 18, 19 months since weve been shut down, so this is a first of its size. Were very pleased with the number of exhibitors that are coming, the number of cattle that are coming. Its been a tough year on our producers and people who show cattle."

On a personal note, Eichler said that as someone who used to make a living raising purebred cattle, it was nice to make a return to an event he has attended many times as an exhibitor.

"Its such a legacy part of Brandon and the ag world as we know it," he said. "People come from all over to understand how important the show business is for our livestock sectors and those exhibitors who are showing their wares as well.

Ag Exs return, he said, is proof that as the province continues the struggle with COVID-19, large-scale events can be held safely.

"The message is clear that were open for business and were open for the opportunity to take it to a new level," Eichler said. "Its going to be a role model. Are we going to try everything we can? Absolutely. Will we make mistakes? Probably. But its [more about] what we learn from it, how do we do better next, what it is that we have to improve upon."

On Eichlers to-do list is to have a chat with exhibitors about how theyre handling current conditions, which include not just the problems caused by COVID-19, but drought conditions that made it tough for some producers to water their crops and livestock.

"Were optimistic and were hopeful and were praying for those moisture levels to come back," Eichler said. "Rain since August has really helped. A lot of the crops, the grasses, have started to come back, even the hay. Thats going to make a big difference for the start of next year.

"Having said that, our dugouts are still relatively low. Were hoping for those winter snows to come and hopefully still some fall rains. The weathers been holding out, so a lot of guys have been leaving their cattle out on the pasture to cut down on some of that overhead."

At the conclusion of the dinners opening remarks, Eichler, Crisanti and Johnston jointly signed a document proclaiming this week as Manitoba Beef Week.

 cslark@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ColinSlark
A Brandon police officer was recognized last week for his work in saving a mans life in 2019.

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A Brandon police officer was recognized last week for his work in saving a mans life in 2019.

It was just another day for Brandon Police Service Const. Jason Medwechuk when he saved Herb Burridge, who collapsed after suffering a massive heart attack in the parking lot of Brandons Canadian Tire store on Sept. 23, 2019.

MATT GOERZEN/THE BRANDON SUN Brandon Police Service Const. Jason Medwechuk received the St. John Ambulance Silver Award Oct. 19 for his efforts in saving a man's life in 2019.

Medwechuk, who was off duty at the time, rushed over to perform CPR and yelled to a bystander to call 911, the Sun reported at the time. He kept working on Burridge until paramedics arrived a few minutes later.

"Its just something I would expect from any of our officers at Brandon Police Service," Medwechuk said Tuesday, more than two years since he saved Burridges life.

Burridge, who was 71 at the time, was airlifted to Winnipeg. He recovered in hospital in Brandon.

SUBMITTED Former premier Gary Filmon and Const. Jason Medwechuk at the St. John Ambulance Investiture Ceremony on Oct. 19.

On Oct. 19, Medwechuk received the St. John Ambulance Silver Award for his efforts during the organizations Investiture and Life Savings Awards Ceremony at Government House. The awards are given out to recognize qualities of heroism and people who risk their lives to protect others.

The day he saved Burridges life was a "positive outcome," Medwechuk said, but continued like many others afterward. He said he and his wife finished their shopping at Canadian Tire in the aftermath.

"After meeting with the family at the hospital  it was fulfilling to know how great of an impact it had on the family," he said.

Medwechuk said he heard directly from St. John Ambulance he had won the award and met former premier Gary Filmon at the event, which he described as an honour.

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Medwechuks mother was also a lifesaver, he said. His mom, Denise Legare, was an instructor with the St. John Ambulance and volunteered for years with the organization. She used to volunteer at Brandon Wheat Kings games and community events with the organization, he explained.

Reached at his home in Rapid City on Tuesday afternoon, Burridge said he is very grateful to Medwechuk for his work on that fateful day. He said he made a full recovery thanks to the officers quick thinking.

"He saved my life  how could you not be grateful about something like that?" Burridge said.

While the two havent connected since 2019, mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Burridge said he hopes they can speak again.

"Im very grateful for what the man did. He was right there on the spot and obviously from the condition I was in, if nobody had applied CPR, I probably wouldnt have made it."

At first, the family didnt know who was responsible for saving Burridges life. But Lana Russell, Burridges daughter, put out a call on social media and connected with Medwechuk.

 dmay@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay_
A familiar face is throwing her hat into the political ring for the next provincial election.

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A familiar face is throwing her hat into the political ring for the next provincial election.

Former city councillor Lonnie Patterson announced on Tuesday that she would once again seek the Manitoba NDPs nomination for the constituency of Brandon East.

SUBMITTED Former city councillor Lonnie Patterson announced on Tuesday that she would once again seek the Manitoba NDPs nomination for the constituency of Brandon East.

An NDP stronghold since 1969, Progressive Conservative MLA Len Isleifson has represented Brandon East since 2016 after defeating former Gary Doer and Greg Selinger cabinet minister Drew Caldwell and flipping the seat blue for the first time.

When Manitobans returned to the polls in 2019, Patterson unsuccessfully challenged Isleifson as the NDP candidate, but placed second with 36.2 per cent of the vote.

Since then, Patterson has become the partys president.

Speaking to the Sun by phone on Tuesday, Patterson said she would continue as president as she pursues the nomination, though she will recuse herself from nomination-related decisions and central election planning committee meetings until the local race has been completed.

"There are two reasons," Patterson said about her decision to run again. "One of the big ones is that a lot of people asked me to run again after the last provincial election. They felt that I mounted a strong campaign and that what I was talking about during that election reflected their values and reflected what they wanted to see in the constituency."

After being asked by potential constituents to run again, Patterson said that when thinking about the decision, her experiences as an education worker during the pandemic showed her how much the people of Brandon East could use an experienced voice in the Manitoba legislature.

Manitobas next provincial election will take place on or before Oct. 3, 2023, meaning there are approximately two years before residents head back to the polls barring any early election calls like provincially in 2019 or federally earlier in 2021.

However, Patterson said she would start to get involved in the near future by door-knocking and registering new party memberships in the constituency.

Since the last election, Patterson said she has heard a lot of complaints regarding delays in the health-care system, a lack of support available in the education system, difficulties finding child care and the increasing cost of basic needs.

"We see the minimum wage go up at a snails pace, but we see the cost of other things like fruits and vegetables and Hydro all going up at a much greater rate," Patterson noted. "Quite honestly, [these issues] were there before the pandemic  its just that the pandemic has really magnified them and shone a light on those realities."

For a party that has been looking to get back into government for the last six years, Patterson said the NDP has been working hard to acknowledge the struggles of Manitoba in their work at the legislature and in through the media.

On Saturday, the NDPs main competition will make history by electing the first-ever female Progressive Conservative leader and consequently Manitobas first female premier as party members choose between former provincial health minister Heather Stefanson and former Saint Boniface MP Shelly Glover.

Despite the PCs achieving those historic firsts, Patterson said that they still believe in the same policies and ideals as before.

"I think its really important that our elected government have gender diversity," Patterson said. "Increasing the number of women, non-binary or gender non-conforming people that are running for office and eventually get elected is a good thing, I think. In terms of the PC party, it really does not matter who wins this weekend. They still have the same values, they still put the bottom line ahead of people, and I really think that its the Manitoba NDP that is working on understanding the real issues in our health-care and education systems and really trying to build a vision for a positive future for Manitoba."

With the announcement of Pattersons candidacy, the Sun also reached out to the Manitoba Liberals and the Progressive Conservatives to see if they had any candidates for nomination or confirmed candidates yet.

In an emailed statement from the Liberals election readiness committee, co-chairs Sachit Mehra and Ernie Gilroy wrote the following:

"Manitoba Liberals have been actively recruiting across the province for months. We have received interest from various potential candidates to run in Brandon and surrounding constituencies. Right now, we are in the process of intake and screening for candidates and we have several nominations planned, with more to be announced shortly."

The Manitoba NDP sent this statement:

"The Manitoba NDP is actively preparing for the next election, and this includes starting our nomination process. The Manitoba NDP will hold nomination contests in constituencies throughout Manitoba over the coming months and we anticipate more people will announce their intention to seek the nomination in the coming weeks. We are excited by all the great people who are putting their names forward and we will be ready to offer a real alternative to the PCs in the next election."

While PCs did not respond by press time, all parties have a long time to get their ducks in a row ahead of Manitobas next election.

 cslark@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ColinSlark
Virden RCMP are investigating after a 17-year-old girl died after being hit by a vehicle on Monday evening.

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Virden RCMP are investigating after a 17-year-old girl died after being hit by a vehicle on Monday evening.

At approximately 8:40 p.m., police responded to a report of a vehicle-pedestrian collision on Highway 21, approximately five kilometres west of Sioux Valley Dakota Nation.

When officers arrived, they found the teenage girl from Birdtail Sioux Dakota Nation, who was pronounced dead at the scene, the RCMP said in a press release.

Police say she was travelling in a vehicle that stopped on the highway. She left the vehicle she was in before being hit by a passing vehicle, according to police.

The driver of the passing vehicle, a 35-year-old woman, stopped and immediately called 911. She was not hurt.

Police say the vehicle the victim was in fled before police arrived. Officers later found it in Virden and seized it for investigation.

Manitoba RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Paul Manaigre said police are not considering criminal charges for the driver of the vehicle that hit the woman.

Charges "are likely" once police identify the driver of the vehicle the victim was in before she was hit, Manaigre said, but the investigation is ongoing.

Local RCMP, the criminal collision investigation team, an RCMP forensic collision reconstructionist, forensic identification services and RCMP Major Crime Services are still investigating.

 The Brandon Sun
Crown Resorts directors could be put in an untenable position of having decisions they believe are in the best interests of the scandal-plagued company overridden by the new special manager appointed to monitor its Melbourne casino, legal experts say.

Victoria on Tuesday appointed former public sector corruption watchdog Stephen OBryan to be embedded in Crowns flagship Southbank complex for the next two years to ensure it reforms itself, after the states royal commission ruled it unfit to run a casino.

Crown Melbourne. Credit:Jason South

Mr OBryan will have unfettered access to all areas of the casino, its records and board meetings, and after two years will decide whether Crowns licence should be cancelled.

He will also be able to veto board decisions and issue directions to the company, which the state government said makes him the ultimate decision-maker at the casino.
Elizabeth Holmes targeted ultra-wealthy families as early backers of Theranos to avoid the potential pressure from larger investment firms to go public, according to an investor at the DeVos family office who kicked in $US100 million for the blood-testing startup.

Lisa Peterson, who helped manage the DeVos family fortune at RDV Corp., testified at Holmess criminal fraud trial on Tuesday that the hot-shot entrepreneur courted the family with voluminous investment binders, private conversations, a lengthy tour of the company in Palo Alto, California, and a personalised on-site blood test.

Elizabeth Holmes at the federal courthouse for her trial in San Jose, California last month. Credit:AP

The DeVos family, whose patriarch was a billionaire industrialist, gave its support to Theranos in 2014, by which time Theranos was one of Silicon Valleys hottest companies and Holmes was gracing magazine covers.

She was hand-picking five or six private families to invest in her firm, Peterson told jurors in federal court in San Jose, California. She was inviting us to participate in this opportunity, she said, adding that the company projected revenue for 2015 of almost $US1 billion. They wanted to get to know us as much as we wanted to do due diligence on them.
An administrative error at EISS Super caused one member to lose $75,000.

The 61-year-old man, who asked not to be named for privacy reasons, had spent his entire working life with the fund.

Superannuations new stapling measure will stamp out duplicate fees and help persuade fund members to become more engaged with their retirement savings. Credit:Quentin Jones

He was defaulted into the funds membership by the Electrical Trades Union while working as a labourer for a government organisation in the 1980s.

We only had one choice back in those days. It was EISS, he says. It was all locked in with the unions.
A Senate hearing has been suspended after a fiery spat over former Liberal MP Julia Banks' claim that she disclosed alleged sexual harassment by a male Cabinet minister to Services Minister Linda Reynolds but was ignored.

Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching launched into a tirade while quizzing the minister on why she had not yet answered a question about the allegation, taken on notice at an early hearing, that Senator Reynolds had gone "underground" after the disclosure.

Senator Kitching making life uncomfortable for Senator Reynolds. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

In July, Ms Banks went public with the allegation that a then male cabinet minister had "put his hand on my knee and rounded up my leg on my inner thigh."

Senator Reynolds said she had not answered Senator Kitching's question because she had not been given access to "the primary source", being an interview Ms Banks gave on Seven's Sunrise program.

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"I gave you the transcripts of Ms Banks when she went on the Sunrise show and she said that she had confided in you and you ignored her, as you did with Brittany Higgins," Ms Kitching said over attempts by the committee's acting chair, Liberal Senator Dean Smith, to interject.

"You got a promotion, that's what happened, and you thought 'I'll throw her under the bus', like you do, like you did with Brittany," Senator Kitching said.

Senator Smith suspended the hearing for five minutes after struggling to maintain decorum, interjecting: "Ladies! Ministers!"

Upon resuming, he said told both senators: "Just to remind colleagues, these are committee hearings of the Parliament and they are public. I'd like you keep that at the forefront of your minds."

Senator Reynolds said she had been sent a West Australian newspaper article about Banks' claim, "but that wasn't the primary source that actually made that allegation from the person that was asserted, who made the allegation".

"So, I'm still unable to answer the question because I haven't been provided with the primary source," she told the hearing.

Services Minister Linda Reynolds says she cant to answer the question without seeing the video clip. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"I'm very happy to do it. But the premise of the question is incorrect. I mean, I can't answer a question that I don't have a primary source for the matter concerned."

Senator Kitching said she had now sent a video clip of the Sunrise interview to the minister's office and asked her to take on notice the question of what steps she had taken "to support Ms Banks".
NSW government staff raised concerns internally last year that WaterNSW was pushing its ecological consultants to downgrade the dangers to threatened species from raising the Warragamba Dam wall.

The Herald has seen documentation that revealed fears from within the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment over the treatment of conservation issues, with internal inquiries being undertaken. However, the official line is that no complaint was ever received.

The Kowmung River, one of the areas expected to be flooded by the raising of the Warragamba Dam wall. Credit:Wolter Peeters

The revelation comes as NSW Treasurer and Environment Minister Matt Kean told a parliamentary hearing this week that the economics of the $1.6 billion-plus proposal to raise the dam wall by at least 14 metres were difficult while being grilled by Labor over the governments stance on the costly biodiversity impacts.

The controversial project, which has seen the withdrawal of support from the insurance industry and strong criticism from traditional owners and environmentalists, is proposed to mitigate the risks to residents of the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley during major flood events.
Most people say, thats random, when they see a flight simulator sitting beyond rows of chewing gum and souvenirs at the back of Ahmed Abdelwaheds convenience store on Elizabeth Street, in Sydneys central business district.

A decade ago, Mr Abdelwahed was holed up in a new neighbourhood in Cairo that bordered the desert, defending the home that he shared with his father, brother, wife and baby boy against the gangs who had taken advantage of the civil unrest stirred up by the Arab Spring.

Ahmed Abdelwahed outside the flight simulator he has constructed in his EzyMart store on Elizabeth Street. Credit:Brook Mitchell

An aviation electrical engineer by trade, he invented an electrical self-defence tool to deploy against anybody who tried to storm the building. They watched looters carry bedsheets and juice cartons out of the supermarket next door. They closed their gate, filled jars with boiling oil and slept in shifts.

It was a very difficult time, he said.
A man has been charged after an allegedly stolen van was abandoned on train tracks near Wollongong and destroyed by a four-car passenger rail which then derailed.

Four people were injured, including the driver of the train who was trapped in the front carriage after it derailed and overturned.

A man has been arrested over a train derailment on the South Coast railway line. Credit:Nine News

Allan Martin Simpson, 47, was arrested in the Wollongong suburb of Dapto about 1.30pm on Wednesday after police last week made a public appeal to find him.

He was taken to Lake Illawarra police station, where he was charged with stealing a car, two counts of destroying or damaging property, larceny, driving while disqualified, endangering safety of a person on a railway, obstruction to railway locomotive and entering enclosed land without lawful excuse.
Paramedics say it is a miracle two drivers have survived a fiery truck crash on a major thoroughfare in Sydneys west, as buildings are evacuated 100 metres in each direction due to toxic smoke.

Emergency services were called to Victoria Street in Wetherill Park at 6.30am on Thursday following reports of a truck accident.

Two semi-trailers are involved and theyre both on fire now, Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Brendan Hurley said shortly before 7am, before the fire was contained.

Police said officers were called to reports that two B-double trucks had crashed and caught fire.
An autopsy on a four-year-old boy who died in central Queensland shows he was dead before entering a pool, despite his mother initially reporting he had drowned.

On August 29, the woman reported that her son had drowned in a residential pool at Munbura, near Mackay.

But police said post-mortem and scientific examinations indicated the cause of death was inconsistent with drowning and, as a result, a homicide investigation codenamed Operation Tango Anise was launched.

Detective Inspector Tom Armitt said the boy was at home with his mother, and she was the one who reported the death.

At this present stage, the cause of death is unknown, however its believed the child was deceased before being placed or entering the pool, he said.
New polling conducted for these mastheads has found the Nationals have lost 40 per cent of voter support.

The drop from 5 per cent to 3 per cent means weakened support for the government, cutting the Coalitions primary support from 39 to 37 per cent.

The Liberals party increased their primary vote from 34 to 35 per cent, but this was not enough to make up for the hit to the junior partner.

The polling, conducted exclusively by Resolve Strategic for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, was conducted earlier this month while debate raged about climate policy as well as scrutiny on the vaccine rollout and a political storm over hidden donations to former attorney-general Christian Porter.
Business groups are backing limits on carbon emissions to drive the green transition to net zero, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says the world needs a price on carbon and global leaders must deliver it together.

But the federal government is ruling out both carbon caps and a carbon price in its plan to achieve Australias new net zero by 2050 emissions target.

The IMF has told the worlds richest nations they must set a minimum price on carbon to ensure businesses are guided to make the emissions cuts needed to hit net zero within 29 years.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out imposing a price or cap on carbon emissions. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen.

One thing is clear: putting a robust price on carbon lies at the heart of any comprehensive policy package, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva told a meeting of G20 leaders in Rome on Wednesday night.
For example, schools have received guidance and government assistance to ensure there is good ventilation in classrooms. The report says childcare centres should get that same help with funding and governments need to make sure there is a co-ordinated and sector-wide approach. Another measure, cohorting, is nearly impossible in childcare where children might be in a different room with different staff every day  unlike a Year 4 class with one teacher in one classroom. Loading Paediatrician Sharon Goldfeld, who heads up the population health section at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, said while data showed transmission in childcare was mostly between adults, the sector still needed special consideration. It should be part of the recommendations that come from the AHPPC [ Australian Health Protection Principal Committee]. In the same way theyre going to make recommendations around schools, they should make recommendations around ECEC, she said.

One area she thought needed guidance was the use of face masks for educators. It was sensible to keep them in the short term, especially while there were still wide community outbreaks such as in Victoria, but in the longer term its not great for young kids to be surrounded by adults in masks. Government Services Minister Linda Reynolds told a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday the AHPPC was working on advice relating to childcare, which national cabinet would consider at its next meeting on November 5. Education Department officials told the committee they had not done any modelling on expected rates of infection in childcare or centre closures. Nor did the Commonwealth have any data on how many educators were vaccinated, saying that was a matter for the states. However, they were working on support arrangements for centres forced to close temporarily because of COVID cases once restrictions lifted. Its something were working on as a priority  but I cant give a time frame, department official Tristan Reed said.

Thrive by Five chief executive Jay Weatherill said policy responses for the sector seemed to fall between the cracks of overlapping government responsibilities. There are a whole range of special considerations to under-fives, which we havent seen any evidence of being addressed at the moment in terms of the COVID response, Mr Weatherill said. During the pandemics early stages other sectors such as health and education were set up to weather it but the sector that nearly fell over was childcare. The federal government stepped in with a package to keep services open, and has spent more than $3 billion on the sector during the pandemic. In the recent lockdowns, the Commonwealth has paid $234 million to support more than 6250 childcare services in NSW, Victoria and the ACT, and waived fees for parents where health orders dont permit them to send their children to care. Apart from the health considerations, Mr Weatherill points out many four-year-olds will have missed out on the 600 hours of preschool theyre entitled to and may need extra help in their first year of primary school to make up for it.

There are also funding questions if services are forced to close temporarily because of cases among staff. Loading Thrive by Five wants governments to develop an early-years COVID plan that guarantees support for children who missed out on learning during lockdowns, priority vaccinations for people working with young children, and an income guarantee for childcare services during lockdowns or times of uncertainty. Australias childrens commissioner Anne Hollonds said young children had been overlooked in the thinking about what is needed during the pandemic and the reopening. Their learning cant be replaced by Zoom, frankly, she said.
One of former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklians barristers, Sophie Callan, SC, is asking former NSW Liberal MP Daryl Maguire some questions after his earlier evidence about the nature and extent of his relationship with Ms Berejiklian.

He has said that relationship started in 2015 and continued until shortly before this inquiry started public hearings in September last year.

Sophie Callan, SC (right) who is representing Gladys Berejiklian at the ICAC. Credit:Kate Geraghty

Ms Berejiklian previously agreed the relationship continued until at least July 2018, when she asked Mr Maguire to quit politics following his evidence at an earlier ICAC inquiry.

Mr Maguire was not the central focus of that earlier investigation but the corruption watchdog recommended in March this year that the Director of Public Prosecutions consider prosecuting him with the offence of giving false or misleading evidence to the ICAC.

Ms Berejiklian told the ICAC in October last year that she maintained contact with Mr Maguire until September 13, 2020.

Mr Maguire, the former member for Wagga Wagga, has told the ICAC he had a key to Ms Berejiklians house and stayed with her from time to time in Sydney. He agreed with Ms Callan that he had his own accommodation in Sydney and that occasionally he was in town and didnt tell her.

You did not share a diary with Ms Berejiklian, did you? Ms Callan asked.

No, Mr Maguire replied.

Youve never met any member of Ms Berejiklians family? Ms Callan asked.

No, not officially. I did know them [from official functions], he replied.

She was not introduced to your family, for instance, as Daryls girlfriend?Ms Callan asked.

No, Mr Maguire replied.

They did not have an anniversary date they celebrated, he agreed.

Ms Callan asked Mr Maguire if he was using the close personal relationship he had with the former NSW premier in order to access her to lobby for projects in which he had an interest.

Mr Maguire replied that we tended to keep our private discussions and our business discussions fairly separate but he would have given her a hard time on some things, and wouldnt have cut her any slack.
Ltd (AEL) on Wednesday reported a 55.3 per cent decline in consolidated profit at Rs 194.54 crore for the quarter ended September, hit by higher expenses.

The company had posted a consolidated profit of Rs 435.73 crore in the year-ago period, said in a filing to BSE.

However, consolidated total income during July-September quarter increased to Rs 13,597.10 crore over Rs 9,312.14 crore in the year-ago period.

Total expenses increased to Rs 13,408.53 crore from Rs 8,788.59 crore.

"AEL continues to prove itself as India's most successful incubator -- and remains unmatched in developing exciting new ideas strategically linked to the Adani portfolio of companies," Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, said.

"AEL is both enhancing the span of it is incubating and accelerating the pace at which they are being incubated. We believe this is fundamental value creation in a world where digitisation has become the most significant business transformation vehicle ever known," he said.

AEL's existing businesses are stronger than they have ever been and this year, the company has launched several new businesses critical to a strong 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. These include a digital consumer aggregation platform, networked airport ecosystems, green data centres, and advanced road, metro and water infrastructure, he said.

Ltd is the flagship company of the Adani Group.

Having successfully built unicorns like Adani Ports & SEZ, Adani Transmission, Adani Power, Adani Green Energy and Adani Total Gas, the company has contributed significantly to make the country self-reliant, it added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India's said on Wednesday it was abandoning plans to build a container terminal in Myanmar, weeks after applying for a U.S. licence for the project, saying it believed it did not violate sanctions.

A military coup in in February and an ensuing crackdown on mass protests in which hundreds have been killed has drawn international condemnation and sanctions on military figures and military-controlled entities.

"The company's risk management committee, after a review of the situation, has decided to work on a plan on exiting the company's investment in Myanmar, including exploring any divestment opportunities," Adani said in a statement, without giving further reasons for the change in plan.

The company is expected to fully exit the investment in the strife-torn south Asian nation between March and June next year, it said.

The operator said in August it had asked the United States' Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for a licence to operate the container terminal.

Adani had said in May it would abandon a container terminal project and write down the investment if found to be in violation https://www.reuters.com/world/india/adani-ports-says-could-abandon-myanmar-project-if-found-violate-us-sanctions-2021-05-04 of U.S. sanctions.

The company had invested $127 million, including a $90 million upfront payment for leasing land, it said in May, adding a write-down would not have a material impact as the project accounts for only about 1.3% of the company's total assets.

Adani last year won the bid to build and operate Yangon International Terminal, which it has said is an independent project fully owned and developed by the company.

A March report released by two rights groups cited documents purporting to show that an Adani unit would pay up to $30 million in land lease fees for the project to the Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), one of two military-controlled conglomerates under U.S. sanctions.

Adani did not comment on the lease payments detailed in the report at the time, but later said it had a "zero-tolerance policy https://www.reuters.com/world/india/adani-ports-says-could-abandon-myanmar-project-if-found-violate-us-sanctions-2021-05-04 on sanctions."

(Editing by Vinay Dwivedi and Mark Potter)

(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.)
and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) on Wednesday said it has decided to exit its investment in by June next year.

APSEZ, the largest port developer in India, is part of the globally diversified Adani Group.

"The Board has decided to actively work on a plan on exiting Company's investment in including divestment opportunities (expected to be concluded by March - June 2022)," said in notes to its second quarter results.

In August this year, had said its investment in a port in was not in violation of any sanction guidelines issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of Treasury.

" believes that it is not in violation of any sanction guidelines issued by OFAC, and has, therefore, applied to OFAC for a general license to operate the Port," it had said.

The project had run into controversy after it was reported that APSEZ chief executive Karan Adani had in July 2019 met Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the army chief who led a coup against the elected government.

The Adani Group had previously said it had won the Yangon International Terminal project last year through a global competitive bid. The project requires USD 290 million investment.

The land acquisition for the project was facilitated by "the Myanmar Investment Commission led by U Thaung Tun, its chairman and Minister of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations under the guidance of President Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy government," it had previously 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's antitrust watchdog on Wednesday raided the offices of and Som Distilleries as part of an investigation into alleged price fixing in liquor products, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The (CCI) officials were conducting search and seizure operations across several cities and the case is about the allegedly violating anti-trust laws by colluding on prices while seeking necessary regulatory approvals from states, the sources added.

The investigation is looking at price fixing of so-called country liquor, or low-priced locally made alcohol, the sources added.

India has strict regulations for the alcohol sector. Most states individually regulate alcohol pricing and the need to submit and get prices approved every year by the local authorities.

The CCI did not respond to a request for comment. E-mails and phone calls to Associated Alcohols and Som Distilleries went unanswered.

Further details of the case and the raids were not available from the CCI as the agency typically does not make public information on its investigations.

Associated's website says it is the leading supplier of liquor to the government of Madhya Pradesh for sales in the state. SOM Group, which includes Som Distilleries, has a portfolio of brands that includes spirits and beer products.

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Christian Schmollinger)

(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.)
Leading German specialty glass maker SCHOTT Glass India has announced an additional investment of 70 million euros to expand its tubing plant that already makes FIOLAX glass used in Covid-19 vaccine packaging in India.

According to the company, almost 95 per cent of Covid-19 vaccines in India are packed in glass tubing made by SCHOTT at its plant in Jambusar, In the wake of German Ambassador to India Walter J Lindner's visit to the plant, SCHOTT Glass India's Managing Director Pawan Shukla reiterated the announcement of an additional investment of 70 million euros in the plant, following several million in investments over the last few years.

"It (the German Ambassador's visit) gave us an opportunity to showcase a successful example of know-how and transfer of technology (TOT) from Germany to India. We have recently announced an investment of 70 million euro in the site to set up additional glass melting tanks and ensure adequate supply to the Indian pharma industry as well as neighbouring countries," said Shukla

The tubing plant in is the Asian manufacturing hub of high-quality pharma glass tubing. It has also been a frontrunner in the fight against Covid-19 and provided pharmaceutical glass for primary packaging to fill billions of Covid-19 vaccines worldwide. In India, almost all approved vaccines are packed in FIOLAX glass made by SCHOTT, which has been the gold standard for pharmaceutical packaging for more than a century.

According to SCHOTT, the material is best suited for vaccines and life-saving medications, as it avoids the interactions between containers and the drug formulation that can limit its effectiveness.

Post his visit, German Ambassador to India Walter J. Lindner said that any vaccination program across the globe wouldve been very difficult without SCHOTT glass.

"In fact not many people know that SCHOTT glass is responsible for almost 95 per cent of Covid-19 vaccine packaging in India. I want to congratulate the SCHOTT team here as they promote a product that is German high quality and produced in India," he added.

Earlier this year in August, Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest vaccine producer and manufacturer of highly effective biologics, has bought the 50% stake in the Indian joint venture SCHOTT Kaisha from former co-owners Kairus Dadachanji and Shapoor Mistry. The joint venture is the leading Indian manufacturer of pharma packaging products such as vials, syringes, ampoules, and cartridges used to package life-saving medications.
eGovernments Foundation (eGov) is partnering with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab South Asia (J-PAL South Asia) to conduct research on improving delivery across Indian states through effective use of and data.

Under this partnership, eGov will facilitate access to administrative data that can be used by J-PAL affiliated researchers to design and evaluate policy programs. The data will be collected from digital platforms which have real-time information on transactions and metrics around municipal services. These platforms have been developed by eGov in collaboration with its government partners.

eGov Foundation was established in 2003 by Nandan Nilekani and Srikanth Nadhamuni. The foundation is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Nilekani Philanthropies, Omidyar Network India, and Tata Trusts.

There has been a huge dearth of data around how Indian cities work. This has negatively impacted their governance and policymaking. Over the last 18 years, eGov foundation has built digital platforms for cities that makes real-time data on municipal services available to policymakers and governments. With J-PAL now onboard, we hope this data will be used to study, analyse and design effective government policies. said Viraj Tyagi, CEO, eGov Foundation.

Large amounts of data are now being digitally collected and stored in India, creating new opportunities for researchers to design and evaluate social policies. This has great potential to improve the delivery of government services in the smaller towns and cities, home to a third of Indias urban residents, where local governments and civic bodies face significant shortages in workers and funding, said the statement.

eGov and J-PAL South Asia will aim to work in the areas of urban services, health, sanitation, and public finance.

Aparna Krishnan, Project Director, J-PAL South Asia said: We are pleased to partner with eGov to support governments at all levels in enhancing the use of digitally stored administrative data for delivery. We can significantly improve our social programs by collecting, aggregating and analyzing data in a timely manner, transforming the lives of the millions of Indians who depend on them on a daily basis. This partnership also illustrates J-PAL South Asias commitment to create a culture of policy making based on rigorous data and evidence.

eGov and J-PAL South Asia will also work toward enhancing the decision-making capabilities of local governments by providing customized capacity building and advisory support on analyzing administrative data.
Engineering and infrastructure (infra) major reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 1,819.5 crore for the July-September quarter (second quarter, or Q2) of 2021-22 (FY22), down 67 per cent year-on-year (YoY), as the year-ago periods profit was boosted by exceptional income.

Revenues for Q2FY22 were up 12 per cent YoY to Rs 34,773 crore as infra, information technology (IT) services, and the hydrocarbon business segments contributed significantly to the top line.

The YoY fall in the companys profits is mainly due to the base effect of our one-off exceptional items of Rs 10,650 crore (profit from discontinued operations) in the last year quarter - missing in Q2FY22, said R Shankar Raman, chief financial officer, L&T, in an earnings call.

According to Bloomberg, analysts had pegged L&Ts top line at Rs 35,521 crore, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (Ebitda) at Rs 3,995 crore, and the bottom line at Rs 1,718 crore.

The bottom line for Q2FY22 includes Rs 144 crore gain on divestment of stake in hydel power plant in Uttarakhand (a part of the Development Projects Segment) and tax expense of Rs 47 crore arising on transfer of the NxT Digital Business from the parent to Mindtree.

The companys net profit after tax and share in profit/(loss) of joint ventures/associates from continuing operations before exceptional items (NPAT-EI) was up 51.4 per cent YoY at Rs 2,135 crore.

Sequentially, there is good improvement in all three crucial parameters - revenue, Ebitda, and NPAT-EI.

The companys infra segment contributed the highest to revenue at Rs 14,156 crore, followed by IT and technology services at Rs 7,903 crore, and the hydrocarbon segment at Rs 4,884 crore.

Consolidated Ebitda stood at Rs 3,995 crore in Q2FY22, up 20 per cent YoY, and matched estimates.

In terms of segment-wise Ebitda, IT and technology contributed highest at 23.3 per cent, followed by heavy engineering at 15.7 per cent, and defence engineering at 13.7 per cent.

Ebitda margin at 11.5 per cent was higher than 10.7 per cent in the year-ago period and at 10.8 per cent in the preceding quarter.

The companys order inflow was Rs 42,140 crore, up 50 per cent YoY and 59 per cent sequentially.

Shankar Raman expects the order inflow to reach pre-Covid levels by end-FY22.

With regard to rise in commodity prices, L&T is rescheduling its contracts wherever possible. "Only 10 per cent of total projects is the worry," he added.

But a bigger worry is escalating energy costs.
Indias largest carmaker, India (MSIL), on Wednesday reported a 65.35-per cent year-on-year plunge in net profit at Rs 475.3 crore for the July-September quarter of 2021-22, compared with Rs 1,371.6 crore in the same quarter last financial year (2020-21).

The company said the profit was primarily influenced by a record rise in input costs and decline in production due to shortage of semiconductor chips.

However, the company expects relief on both fronts, given that production is expected to increase in November and there are signs of prices of precious metals softening to some extent. Input cost was primarily driven by an increase in commodity prices.

MSIL Chairman R C Bhargava said at 80.4 per cent of net sales, material costs stood at an all-time high at the end of the September quarter.

This quarter was also marked by an unprecedented increase in the prices of commodities, such as steel, aluminium, and precious metals, within a span of one year, said the company in a statement.

While MSIL undertook four rounds of price hikes to offset the cost of production, Bhargava said the company had to absorb input cost increases. He said it was unviable to increase product price without impairing sales.

Steel prices had increased from Rs 38,000 to Rs 65,000 per tonne, while the price of copper in the international market had gone up from $5,200 in 2019-20 to present-day $10,200 per tonne. Prices of precious metals, such as rhodium, too, had gone up from Rs 18,000 per gram to around Rs 64,000.





ALSO READ: Chip shortage: Crisil, Ind-Ra cut growth forecast for passenger car market

Automotive (auto) typically have three- to six-month contracts with suppliers. Any alteration in commodity prices manifests after some time. The increase in material costs by 6.4 percentage points is a huge impact," said Bhargava.

Another factor hitting sales was the global shortage of semiconductor chips, forcing auto to scale back production and hold up delivery dates. The company was hit since one of its major supplier of parts providing electronic components from its factory in Malaysia got impacted because of a surge in Covid cases. In September and October, production had fallen to 50-60 per cent of the usual output because of a semiconductor chip shortage - a key component in modern cars and sport utility vehicles.



Semiconductor chips are used to power a variety of vehicle features, from power steering and back-up cameras to emergency braking systems. Automotive semiconductor integrated circuits with different functionalities are used in various automotive products, like navigation control, infotainment systems, and collision detection systems.

There is a shortage of semiconductor chips. This has impacted production of cars the world over. We have a significant number of customers waiting for cars. But much of what is happening is not in anybodys control, said Bhargava.

The company sold a total of 379,541 units during the quarter, hamstrung by a global shortage in the supply of electronic components. Sales in the domestic market were at 320,133 units. However, exports were at 59,408 units - the highest-ever in any quarter for the company, primarily driven by Toyota dealerships the company has a tie-up with.

Due to chip shortage and electronic components, MSIL couldnt produce 116,000 vehicles in the second quarter, mostly corresponding to the domestic models, even as the company had more than 200,000 pending customer orders at the end of the quarter.

This is a little more than a months production. We never estimated we would lose so much production at the beginning of the financial year, added Bhargava.
Indias biggest domestic car manufacturer India reported a 65.3 per cent year-on-year (YoY) decline in net profit at Rs 475.3 crore for the July to September quarter of FY22 (Q2FY22). It was Rs 1,371.6 crore in Q2FY21.

On a sequential basis, the profit rose 7.8 per cent from Rs 440.8 crore.



This quarter was also marked by an unprecedented increase in the prices of commodities like steel, aluminium and precious metals within a span of one year. The Company made maximum efforts to absorb input cost increases offsetting them through cost reduction and passed on minimum impact to customers by way of car price increase, said in an exchange filing.



Revenue from operations, meanwhile, came in at Rs 20,538.9 crore, up from Rs 18,744.5 crore reported in the year ago period, and Rs 17,770.7 crore logged in Q1FY21.



During the Q2FY22, the company registered net sales of Rs 19,297.8 crore compared to nets sales of Rs 17,689.3 crore in Q2FY21.



The Company sold a total of 379,541 units during the Quarter constrained by a global shortage in the supply of electronic components. Sales in the domestic market stood at 320,133 units. Exports were at 59,408 units, the highest ever in any quarter. During the same period previous, the Company clocked a total sale of 393,130 units including 370,619 units in domestic market and 22,511 units in the export market, it said in a statement.



It added: An estimated 116,000 vehicles could not be produced owing to the electronics component shortage mostly corresponding to the domestic models. The Company had more than 200,000 pending customer orders at the end of the quarter for which the Company is making all efforts to expedite deliveries.



Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization) was Rs 854.8 crore, down 55.8 per cent YoY, from Rs 1,933.6 crore. Ebitda margin, too, shrank 610 basis points to 4.2 per cent from 10.3 per cent YoY.
Corporation, a mid sized information technology services firm said Tuesday it had appointed a new team including a new industry vertical's chief executive officer, a new chief financial officer and chief technology officer.

Samir Dhir was named CEO-Global Markets and Industries, a newly formed role, to lead profit and loss management for all industry groups and markets worldwide. Dhir has been with for 11 years. Prior to this role, he led the overall P&L management for the Americas.

Amit Bajoria has been appointed as Virtusas new CFO, his predecessor who had previously resigned. Bajoria has over 20 years of experience at Wipro, most recently as Senior Vice President, Finance and Global Controller, where he was responsible for deal structuring, financial reporting, Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) reporting, financial controls, and Merger and Acquisition activities.

Ram Meenakshisundaram has been appointed as Virtusas Chief Technology Officer (CTO), a new role within to lead lines of service including technology strategy and solutions, building digital competencies and capabilities, and working with Virtusas alliance group to enable partner solutions.

Meenakshisundaram has over 30 years of industry experience, with his last 16 years in roles at Cognizant, most recently as Head of Delivery, Growth Markets, where he was responsible for leading a $4 billion business with a geographically distributed team. He also served on the executive team at Cognizant.

The addition of Ram and Amit bolster an already solid leadership team, and their experience and track records will contribute to the growth path were on. Samir has done a tremendous job in leading our Americas business, and Im confident in his ability to build upon that success, said Santosh Thomas, CEO of Virtusa.

These appointments report to Santosh Thomas, CEO and are effective immediately.
Poonawalla Fincorp on Wednesday reported a 153 per cent jump in its consolidated net profit to Rs 96 crore in the quarter ended September 2021.

The company had posted a net profit of Rs 38 crore during the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year.

Its total income during July-September 2021, however, fell nearly 15 per cent to Rs 513 crore, against Rs 603 crore in the year-ago period, Poonawalla Fincorp said in a regulatory filing.

The non-deposit-taking non-banking financial company (NBFC) also registered a 15 per cent fall in its interest income to Rs 483 crore in the September 2021 quarter, from Rs 566 crore in the year-ago quarter.

Assets under management (AUM) grew nearly six per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs 15,275 crore at the end of September 2021, Poonawalla Fincorp said in a statement.

Collections showed an improving trend from 93.1 per cent in June 2021 to 98 per cent in July to further 99.9 per cent in September 2021, it said.

"Consequent to improvement in collections in Q2FY22, gross stage-3 (non-performing assets/ NPAs) and net stage-3 assets decreased from 5.4 per cent and 2.7 per cent, respectively, as at June 2021 to 4.1 per cent and 2 per cent, respectively, as at September 2021 on a consolidated basis," it added.

The company continues to maintain a strong liquidity position with around Rs 1,700 crore of surplus liquidity, with additional term loan sanctions in the hand of Rs 1,750 crore.

"Significant amount of existing loans were re-priced in Q2FY22, with reduction of over 120 bps (basis points). New sanctions received at sub-6.5 per cent," it added.

Pune-based Poonawalla Fincorp (formerly Magma Fincorp) is owned by Cyrus Poonawalla group, which focuses on consumer and small business financing.

Shares of Poonawalla Fincorp on Wednesday closed at Rs 164.45 apiece on the BSE, up 2.52 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.)
will sell around 20 per cent of its total stake in Policybazaars initial public offering, the fintech company said today. The Japanese venture fund currently has a 13 per cent stake in the IPO-bound company.

The consists of a fresh issue of Rs 3,750 crore, along with an offer for sale (OFS) of Rs 1959.72 crore by existing promoters and shareholders.Of the total offer for sale, Softbanks sale is Rs 1,875 crore while individual shareholders will share Rs 85 crore. had initially filed a draft red herring prospectus in July, saying that the offer for sale in the would be Rs 2,267.5 crore--meaning, the OFS amount now is 85 per cent of the initially planned amount.

The company said it will use around Rs 1,500 crore out of the net proceeds to fund marketing initiatives over the next three years.

Further, it intends to use Rs 375 crore to expand the consumer base, including offline presence; Rs 600 crore for strategic acquisitions and investments; Rs 375 crore for expanding presence outside India; and some portion for general corporate purposes. Kotak Mahindra Capital, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup Global Markets India, ICICI Securities, HDFC Bank, IIFL Securities, and Jefferies India are the book running lead managers to the issue.

Founded in 2008 by Yashish Dahiya, boasts of marquee investors like Tiger Global, Softbank, Falcon Edge Capital, Tencent and others.
The on Wednesday set up a 3-member independent expert panel to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for targeted surveillance in India, observing the state cannot get a free pass every time the spectre of security is raised and that its mere invocation cannot render the judiciary a mute spectator and be the bugbear it shies away from.

In a significant verdict over the issue of protecting citizens right to privacy that was welcomed by legal experts, a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana asserted that in a democratic country governed by the rule of law, indiscriminate on individuals cannot be allowed except with sufficient statutory safeguards by following the procedure established by law under the Constitution.

Stating that it was compelled to take up the cause to determine the truth and get to the bottom of the allegations, the court said the entire citizenry is affected by these charges due to the potential chilling effect, lamenting that no clear stand was taken by the Centre regarding actions taken by it over the Pegasus row.

The court then went on to list the compelling circumstances which prompted it to order the probe, noting the petitioners in the Pegasus spyware case have placed on record certain material that prima facie merits consideration by this court and that there has been no specific denial of any of the facts by the Centre.





The top court also referred to the freedom of the press and speech and said the media is an important pillar of democracy and that the task of the judiciary in the present matter assumes great significance with regard to the importance of protection of journalistic sources and the potential chilling effect that snooping techniques may have.

Former apex court judge R V Raveendran, 75, will monitor the probe by the technical panel whose members are experts in cyber security and digital forensics. Justice(retd) Raveendran, who has been part of benches which heard major cases such as the row over quota for OBCs in central universities, the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts and the Krishna-Godavari basin dispute over natural gas, would be assisted by former IPS officer Alok Joshi and cyber security expert Sundeep Oberoi.

The tehnical panel comprising Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, Prabaharan P and Ashwin Anil Gumaste was constituted in response to pleas seeking investigation into the alleged widespread and targeted surveillance of politicians, journalists and activists, among others using Pegasus.

The expert panel will have the power to enquire, investigate and determine whether the Pegasus spyware was used on phones or other devices of the citizens of India to access stored data, eavesdrop on conversations, intercept information and/or for any other purposes and the details of the victims and/or persons affected by such a spyware attack, the court said.

Legal experts described the verdict as the watershed moment and said it will go a long way in giving a warning signal to the government that they cannot spy on citizens in the garb of security.

While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the use of Pegasus spyware was an attempt to crush Indian democracy and that the order is a big step that will help bring out the truth, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said it is in line with the government's affidavit on the row.

(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 Chinese government ordered the northwestern city of Lanzhou locked down on Tuesday as officials carried out widespread testing to quash a small Covid-19 outbreak.

Lanzhou, a city of about four million people, reported six new cases on Tuesday, and a total of 39 over the past week. China, where the first emerged in late 2019, has been battling a recent flare-up of new cases largely in the northwest of the country that were spread by domestic travel.

The country enforces a strict zero Covid policy, carrying out widespread lockdowns and testing to eliminate even small-scale outbreaks.

By Monday evening, medical workers had tested nearly 12 million people in Gansu Province, including more than 2.8 million in Lanzhou, its capital. The testing in Lanzhou continued on Tuesday.

Nationwide, announced 29 new domestic cases on Tuesday. Most of those were concentrated in the northwest, including 15 in Alxa League, an area of Inner Mongolia. Beijing, the capital, reported three new cases on Tuesday.

This week has also expanded its extensive vaccination program by extending eligibility to children as young as 3.

The effort to vaccinate younger children began Monday, according to documents issued by several provincial governments, including Hunan, Hubei and Hainan. The goal is to drive the vaccination rate above the current 76 percent.

The government approved emergency use of vaccines produced by Sinovac and Sinopharm for children aged 3 to 17 in June, but the mass inoculation for children was limited to those aged 11 to 17.

An outbreak in Fujian last month ignited public discussion of protecting younger children, as many of those infected were kindergarten and primary school students
The has asked all government departments and ministries to clear the dues of and Express with immediate effect on the back of the ongoing disinvestment process of the airline.

It further said that since has stopped giving credit facility on account of purchase of air tickets, they may be purchased in cash till further instructions.

The government also clarified that in all cases of air travel (both domestic and international), including leave travel concession where the Centre bears the cost of air passage, the officials concerned are not required to travel exclusively by Air India.

The Government of India has decided to disinvest Air India. The process of disinvestment of Air India and Air India Express is ongoing. Air India has stopped extending credit facility on account of purchase of air tickets. Therefore, all ministries/departments are directed to clear Air Indias dues immediately. Air tickets from Air India may be purchased in cash till further instructions, the Department of Expenditure said in a notification.

The government on Monday signed a share-purchase agreement with Tata Sons for the sale of the carrier for Rs 18,000 crore. Earlier this month, the government had accepted an offer by Talace  the holding company of Tata Sons - to pay Rs 2,700-crore cash and take over Rs 15,300 crore of the airline's debt.

On October 11, a letter of intent was issued to Tata Group, confirming the government's willingness to sell 100 per cent of its stake in the airline. The deal also includes the sale of Air India Express and the ground handling arm Air India SATS.

The Tatas beat the Rs 15,100-crore offer by a consortium, led by SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh, and the reserve price of Rs 12,906 crore set by the government for the sale of its 100 per cent stake in the loss-making carrier.

This is the first privatisation since 2003-04. Air India will be the third airline brand in the Tatas' portfolio. It holds majority interest in AirAsia India and Vistara, a joint venture with Singapore Airlines.
The Karnataka government has issued fresh travel guidelines and made negative RT-PCR report mandatory for those coming to the state from abroad, in view of the new super-spreader AY.4.2 Delta variant of COVID-19, which is spreading in some foreign countries.

Releasing the guidelines for international arrivals, the government said the global trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to decline with certain regional variations.

It, however, noted that the need to monitor the continuously changing nature of virus and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern must still remain in focus.

The new guideline makes it mandatory for travellers to submit a self-declaration form regarding the authenticity of the COVID negative report on the online portal 'Air Suvidha' before the scheduled travel, since a fake report will be liable for criminal prosecution.

"Uploading a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report. This test should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey," the travel advisory said.

It further read, "They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to Ministry of Civil Aviation through airlines concerned before they are allowed to undertake the journey that would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority to undergo home quarantine or self-health monitoring as warranted."



Only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed after the thermal screening, it said. Passengers have also been advised to download the 'Arogya Setu' application on their mobile phones.

Those found symptomatic during screening will be immediately isolated and taken to a medical facility as per the health protocol.

If tested positive, then their contacts will also be identified and managed as per the protocol, it added.

The government also gave a list of 'countries at-risk' from where travelers would have to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival testing.

The countries include Europe, United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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The government on Wednesday asked ministries and departments to clear dues of debt-laden immediately and henceforth purchase tickets only in cash.

The government earlier this month decided to sell to Talace Pvt Ltd, a unit of the holding company of salt-to-software conglomerate Tata group, for Rs 18,000 crore.

The Department of Expenditure, under the Finance Ministry, in a 2009 order, had said that in cases of air travel (both domestic and international), including LTC where the Government of India bears the cost of air passage, the officials may travel only by

The Expenditure Department said the process of disinvestment of Air India and Air India Express is ongoing, and the airline has stopped extending credit facilities on account of air tickets.

"Therefore, all Ministries/Departments are directed to clear Air India dues immediately. Air tickets from Air India may be purchased in cash till further instructions," the department said in an office memorandum.

It also directed the ministries/departments to alert its subordinate offices/institutes under its administrative control for compliance to this office order.

On October 25, the government signed the share purchase agreement with Tata Sons for the sale of carrier Air India. Tatas will now seek various regulatory clearances before the handover of the airline by December end.

The deal involves a 2,700 crore cash payment and takeover of the airline's Rs 15,300 crore debt.

The government is divesting its 100 per cent ownership of Air India and Air India Express along with its 50 per cent stake in ground-handling company AISATS.

Tatas beat the Rs 15,100-crore offer by a consortium led by SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh and the reserve price of Rs 12,906 crore set by the government for the sale of its 100 per cent stake in the loss-making carrier.

As of August 31, Air India had a total debt of Rs 61,562 crore. And 75 per cent of this debt or Rs 46,262 crore will be transferred to a special purpose vehicle AIAHL before handing over the loss-making airline to the Tata Group.

(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 top Air Force officer on Wednesday said there was no plan "at the moment" to capture Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), but expressed the hope that someday India will have the "whole of Kashmir".

Speaking to reporters at an event here to mark the 75th anniversary of the Indian troops' Budgam landing, Air Officer Commanding in Chief (AOC-in-C) of Western Air Command, Air Marshal Amit Dev, also said the people in are not being treated very fairly by the Pakistanis.

...All the activities which were carried out by the Indian Air Force and the Army (on October 27, 1947) resulted in ensuring the freedom of this part of Kashmir. I am sure that someday, the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will also join this part of Kashmir and we will have the whole of Kashmir in years to come, he said.

However, when asked if the force has any plans to capture the PoK, Air Marshal Dev said there was no plan at the moment.

(The whole of) Kashmir is one, a nation is one. People on both sides have common attachments. Today or tomorrow, history is witness, that nations come together. We do not have a plan at the moment, but, God willing, it will always be there because people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are not being treated very fairly by the Pakistanis, he said.

Indian troops had landed in Kashmir on October 27, 1947, a day after the then Maharaja Hari Singh signed the instrument of accession with India following the Pakistani tribal raids.

The AOC-in-C of the Western Air Command said the IAF faces many challenges, but the basic one is of technology.

The rate of change of technology is so fast in the world today that we have to keep pace with that. If any nation which is to grow economically has to have a strong military, we must fulfil our obligation to the nation in the years to come...and we are always ready for the challenge, he said.

The IAF has become a very capable force and in the years to come, "'we will continue to serve the nation with honour"' he added.

Asked about the drone attacks, Air Marshal Dev said they can inflict minimal damage only.

We had equipment against it (drone attacks) ready, and it was deployed here as well. We are now increasing the deployment by further procurement. Drone challenge is a small challenge and we will be able to deal with that challenge as and when it comes, he said.

He said celebrating the 75 years of Budgam landing was a historic occasion.

After the instrument of accession was signed, we moved in our troops quickly and Srinagar airfield was saved and thereafter we launched further offensive and pushed the Pakistani military, which came as Kabalis (tribals), further back.

"I am sure if the UN had not intervened, perhaps, the entire Kashmir would have been ours, he said.

He said the IAF and the Army carried many other small missions including the operations in Poonch after an airstrip was laid there in a short span of seven days, attacks at Srinagar airfield, in Skardu on ammunition dump, and in Leh.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
has deputed police officers for enquiry into complaints of alleged extortion against NCB officers including zonal director Sameer Wankhede in the bust case involving Aryan Khan, a senior police official said on Wednesday.

Police are conducting inquiry into four complaints, filed by independent witness in the NCB case Prabhakar Sail, lawyers Sudha Dwivedi and Kanishka Jain, and Nitin Deshmukh, he said.

All the complaints have been clubbed together. On Tuesday and Wednesday, police recorded Sail's statement.

Dilip Sawant, Additional Commissioner of Police (South Region) will supervise the enquiry and DCP Hemrajsingh Bagul will assist him as supervisory officer.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Milind Khetle, Police Inspector Ajay Sawant, Assistant PI Shrikant Karkar and Sub Inspector Prakash Gawali will be part of the enquiry team.

The order of enquiry was issued by Vishwas Nangre Patil, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order).

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A special NIA court on Wednesday convicted 10 persons in connection with the serial blasts that took place in 2013 at the venue here of a political rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was then the chief minister of Gujarat.

Special NIA judge Gurvinder Mehrotra, who passed the order, also acquitted one of the accused for want of evidence.

The NIA had submitted charge-sheets against 11 people in the course of investigation. Of these, one was a minor and his case was referred to the juvenile justice board. The remaining were put on trial.

Today, all but one were convicted. The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on November 1, Special Public Prosecutor Lalan Prasad Singh, who appeared for the probe agency, told PTI-Bhasha.

Those who were pronounced guilty are Imtiaz Ansari, Mujibullah, Haider Ali, Firoz Aslam, Omar Ansari, Iftekhar, Ahmed Husain, Umair Siddiqui and Azharuddin. The court acquitted Fakhruddin, he added.

The blasts had taken place at the Gandhi Maidan on October 27, 2013 when the BJP's Hunkar Rally' addressed by Modi, who had been declared the party's prime ministerial candidate, was underway.

The explosions and the ensuing stampede had claimed six lives, while scores were injured.

Although no terror outfit claimed responsibility for the serial blasts, the involvement of SIMI and its new avatar, the Indian Mujahideen, have been suspected.

(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 an important pillar of democracy, the Supreme Court observed on Wednesday and said the court's task in the Pegasus matter assumes great significance with regard to the importance of protection of journalistic sources and the potential chilling effect that snooping techniques may have.

The apex court, which appointed a three-member expert panel to probe into the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for surveillance of certain people in India, highlighted the aspect pertaining to the and said it is compelled to take up the cause in the matter to determine truth and get to the bottom of the allegations made.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said it is undeniable that surveillance and the knowledge that one is under the threat of being spied on can affect the way an individual decides to exercise his or her rights.

Such a scenario might result in self-censorship. This is of particular concern when it relates to the freedom of the press, which is an important pillar of democracy. Such chilling effect on the freedom of speech is an assault on the vital public-watchdog role of the press, which may undermine the ability of the press to provide accurate and reliable information, said the bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli.

In its 46-page order passed on a batch of pleas seeking independent probe into the alleged Pegasus snooping matter, the top court said protection of journalistic sources is one of the basic conditions for the and without it sources may be deterred from assisting the media in informing the public on matters of public interest.

Having regard to the importance of the protection of journalistic sources for press freedom in a democratic society and the potential chilling effect that snooping techniques may have, this court's task in the present matter, where certain grave allegations of infringement of the rights of the citizens of the country have been raised, assumes great significance, it said.

Referring to the apex court judgement delivered in January last year on pleas against curbs imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre's abrogation of provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to the erstwhile state, the bench said in that verdict the court had highlighted the importance of freedom of press in a modern democracy.

An important and necessary corollary of such a right is to ensure the protection of sources of information, it said.

It said initially, the court was not satisfied with the pleas filed in the matter as they were completely reliant only upon certain newspaper reports.

The bench said the apex court has generally attempted to discourage writ petitions, particularly public interest litigations, which are based entirely on newspaper reports without any additional steps taken by the petitioner.

While we understand that the allegations made in these petitions pertain to matters about which ordinary citizens would not have information except for the investigating reporting done by news agencies, looking to the quality of some of the petitions filed, we are constrained to observe that individuals should not file half-baked petitions merely on a few newspaper reports, it said.

The top court said such an exercise, far from helping the cause espoused by an individual filing the plea, is often detrimental to the cause itself.

This is because the court will not have proper assistance in the matter, with the burden to even determine preliminary facts being left to the court. It is for this reason that trigger happy filing of such petitions in courts, and more particularly in this court which is to be the final adjudicatory body in the country, needs to be discouraged, the bench said.

It said this should not be taken to mean that news agencies are not trusted by court, but to emphasize the role that each pillar of democracy occupies in the polity.

The bench said news agencies report facts and bring to light issues which might otherwise not be publicly known and these may then become the basis for further action taken by an active and concerned civil society as well as for any subsequent filings made in courts.

But newspaper reports, in and of themselves, should not in the ordinary course be taken to be readymade pleadings that may be filed in court, it said.

The bench said later, various other pleas were filed in the court, including by individuals who were purportedly victims of the alleged Pegasus spyware attack.

It said the subsequently filed petitions and additional documents filed by others have brought on record certain materials that cannot be brushed aside.

Additionally, the sheer volume of cross-referenced and cross-verified reports from various reputable news organizations across the world along with the reactions of foreign governments and legal institutions also moved us to consider that this is a case where the jurisdiction of the court may be exercised, it said.

It noted that during the arguments, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had suggested that many of these reports are motivated and selfserving.

However, such an omnibus oral allegation is not sufficient to desist from interference, it said.

An international media consortium had reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for alleged surveillance using Israeli firm NSO's spyware Pegasus.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The on Wednesday appointed a three-member panel of cyber experts to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for surveillance of certain people in India, saying every citizen needs protection against privacy violation and mere invocation of  security by State does not render the court a mute spectator.

Finding material that prima facie merits consideration, a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli declined the Centre's plea to appoint expert panel on its own, saying such a course would violate settled judicial principle against bias.

The top court urged its former judge Justice R V Raveendran to oversee the functioning of the three member panel and sought a report expeditiously from the committee.



It posted the batch of pleas in the matter, including the ones filed by Editors Guild of India and veteran journalists N Ram and Shashi Kumar, for hearing after eight weeks.

The bench took note of the vehement submissions of the Centre on security and rejected it saying, ...this does not mean that the State gets a free pass every time the spectre of  security' is raised.

National security cannot be the bugbear that the judiciary shies away from, by virtue of its mere mentioning. Although this Court should be circumspect in encroaching the domain of national security, no omnibus prohibition can be called for against judicial review. Pronouncing the verdict, the CJI said the Centre must justify the stand that they take before a Court. The mere invocation of national security by the State does not render the Court a mute spectator.

Justice Raveendran will oversee functioning of the panel of cyber security, digital forensics, networks and hardware and the three members are: Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, Prabaharan P and Ashwin Anil Gumaste.

The apex court said that former IPS officer Alok Joshi and Sundeep Oberoi -- Chairman, Sub Committee in (International Organisation of Standardisation/ International Electro-Technical Commission/Joint Technical Committee) -- will assist Justice Raveendran to oversee the task to the committee.

The top court said that in this world of conflicts it was an extremely uphill task to find and select experts who are free from prejudices, are independent and competent, rather than relying upon any government agencies or any private entity.

"We make it clear that our effort is to uphold Constitutional aspirations and rule of law, without allowing ourselves to be consumed in political rhetoric," the bench said, adding that this court has always been conscious of not entering political thicket.

"Members of civilized democratic society have reasonable expectation of privacy. Privacy is not singular concern of journalists or social activists," the bench said.

In a democratic country governed by rule of law, indiscriminate spying on individuals cannot be allowed except with sufficient statutory safeguards, by following procedure established by law under Constitution, it said.

The bench had reserved order on September 13, saying it only wanted to know whether or not the Centre used the Pegasus spyware through illegal methods to allegedly snoop on citizens.

The apex court was hearing a batch of pleas seeking independent probe into the alleged Pegasus snooping matter.

The pleas seeking independent probe are related to reports of alleged snooping by government agencies on eminent citizens, politicians and scribes by using Israeli firm NSO's spyware Pegasus.

An international media consortium had reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.

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The on Wednesday refused to grant bail to extradited gangster serving life imprisonment in the 1995 murder case of Mumbai-based builder Pradeep Jain.

A bench of Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said, This is an application filed on behalf of the applicant/appellant seeking bail during the pendency of the appeal. Having heard counsel for the parties and carefully perusing the averments made in the application, we are not inclined to grant bail to the applicant/appellant.

The bench, however, taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, directed the Registry to list his appeals against the February 25, 2015 verdict of the special TADA court, for final disposal in the third week of November 2021.

On February 25, 2015, the special TADA court had awarded Salem life imprisonment for murdering the builder, along with his driver Mehndi Hassan.

Another accused in the case Virendra Jhamb's sentence was set off against the period of detention undergone by him in prison during the various stages of investigation in the case.

According to police, on March 7, 1995, Jain was shot dead by assailants outside his Juhu bungalow after he allegedly refused to part with his huge property to Salem.

While one other accused Naeem Khan had turned approver, another accused Riyaz Siddiqui, who had also become approver, later turned hostile in the court. The trial of Siddiqui was later separated.

The court, in January 2014 had dropped some charges against Salem in the case on the request of prosecution which said that some changes need to be withdrawn to maintain cordial relations between two sovereign countries - India and Portugal.

Salem, also a convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, was extradited from Portugal on November 11, 2005, after a prolonged legal battle.

The of Portugal, in 2012, had dismissed an appeal of the CBI which had challenged the termination of his extradition.

In June 2012, Salem was shot at in Taloja Central Jail in Navi Mumbai allegedly by gangster Devendra Jagtap alias JD, an accused in the murder case of advocate Shahid Azmi who had represented a 26/11 Mumbai attack accused.

In June 2017 Salem was convicted and later awarded a life sentence for his role in the 1993 serial blast case in Mumbai.

Salem was found guilty of transporting weapons from Gujarat to Mumbai ahead of the blasts.

On March 12, 1993, the country's commercial capital had witnessed an unprecedented attack with a series of 12 bomb explosions that took place one after another in about two hours.

The dastardly attacks had left 257 dead, 713 persons seriously injured, and destroyed properties worth crores.

In 2020, a Portugal court has dismissed a plea of Salem claiming that the Indian government had violated the condition of his extradition.

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The on Wednesday appointed a three-member committee to probe if the government use the Israeli spyware software Pegasus to surveil its poltical rivals and critics. Maruti Suzuki India Ltd posted a 65.3 per cent plunge in second-quarter net profit. More on those stories in our top headlines.



'State cannot get free pass': SC appoints Pegasus probe committee

The on Wednesday appointed a three-member panel of cyber experts to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for of certain people in India, saying every citizen needs protection against privacy violation and mere invocation of  security by State does not render the court a mute spectator. Read more



Maruti Suzuki Q2 profit falls 65% YoY to Rs 475 crore

Indias biggest domestic car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki India reported a 65.3 per cent year-on-year (YoY) decline in net profit at Rs 475.3 crore for the July to September quarter of FY22 (Q2FY22). It was Rs 1,371.6 crore in Q2FY21.

On a sequential basis, the profit rose 7.8 per cent from Rs 440.8 crore. Read more



Delhi Assembly summons Facebook again

The Committee on Peace and Harmony of Delhi Assembly has summoned Facebook to appear before it on November 2 for evidence and suggestions to prevent communal disturbances like the 2020 Delhi riots. The summons says that it is a continuation of its notice sent to Facebook in February and refers to the Supreme Courts verdict on the matter in July. Read more

Long-only funds outperformed long-short strategies in September

Long-only alternative investment funds (AIF) strategies outperformed long-short funds in September. The former gave average category returns of 3.7 per cent compared with 1.5 per cent by the latter, shows data from PMS Bazaar. Read more





Swiss Re to invest Rs 920 cr for 23% stake in Paytm's insurance unit

Financial services firm Paytm said today that its associate, Paytm Insuretech Private Limited (PIT), has entered into a strategic partnership with Swiss Re, one of the worlds leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer. Read more




The government has imposed a stock limit for storage of edible oils in an attempt to curtail its artificial shortage during the festival season.

A government spokesperson said was the first state to declare such a ceiling, a notification for which was issued earlier in October in which stock limits in the range of 1-25 tons have been prescribed for different stakeholders.

"On September 8, the Centre had written to all states and asked them to take action against artificial shortage and high prices of edible oils. has already notified this ceiling, having set limits for different categories like retailers, wholesalers, bulk consumers and refiners," the spokesman added.

Other states like Haryana, Gujarat and Rajasthan are in the process of issuing similar notifications.

Last week Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed officials to take action against anyone caught profiteering, hoarding and causing artificial price hikes on food items so that people could access food and at reasonable rates during the festival season.

The government spokesman said the impact of the stock limits would be visible in Uttar Pradesh soon.

"Due to Covid-19, oil production had decreased. However, now the situation is returning to normal and we hope the prices will also come down. The effect of the stock limit will soon be visible in the markets across Uttar Pradesh," he added.

--IANS

amita/khz/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.)
Backed by the ' Plus One' sentiment globally, Indias is expected to grow by 81 per cent to $65 billion by 2026 from the pre-Covid level of around $36 billion in 2019, said a report by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and global consulting firm Kearney. This jump is likely to generate 7.5-10 million new jobs.

A large chunk of this targeted increase, or around $16 billion may come from the Plus One sentiment due to Indias relatively large strategic depth compared with Vietnam or Bangladesh, the report said. We believe with the right actions from the industry majors and robust execution of government schemes, India can hit $65 billion in exports (implying 9-10 per cent compound annual growth rate) by 2026. This, coupled with growth in domestic consumption, could propel domestic production to reach $160 billion, said Siddharth Jain, Partner, Kearney.

Other key areas where the growth is expected include fabrics where the target is a $4 billion jump by positioning India as a regional fabric hub, starting with cotton wovens and then extending to other sub-categories. In home textiles too, the target is an increase of $4 billion by building on existing advantages to expand the global customer base. On man-made fiber and yarn a $2.5 billion to $3 billion jump is expected with a focus on gaining share in MMF (man made fiber) products. On the other hand, in technical textiles around $2 billion jump is targeted by building capabilities in select key sub-segments on the back of potential domestic demand growth.

Covid-19 has triggered the redistribution of global trade shares and a recalibration of sourcing patterns ( plus one sourcing), providing a golden opportunity for Indian textiles to stage a turnaround and regain a leadership position as a top exporting economy. We believe Indias should target 8-9 per cent CAGR during 20192026, driven by domestic demand growth and significant growth in annual exports (reaching $65 billion by 2026) says Neelesh Hundekari, Partner and APAC Head of Lifestyle Practice at Kearney.

The employs almost 45 million people in the farming and manufacturing sectors. However, the countrys recent performance in global trade has not been commensurate with its abilities. Exports declined by 3 per cent during 20152019 and by 18.7 per cent in 2020. And yet during the same period, other low-cost countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam have gained share.

A variety of factors have contributed to Indias recent trade performance. India has factor cost disadvantages (example, power costs 30 to 40 percent more in India than it does in Bangladesh). Lack of free or preferential trade agreements with key importers, such as the European Union, United Kingdom, and Canada for apparel as well as Bangladesh for fabrics, puts pricing pressure on exporters. The high cost of capital and high reliance on imports for almost all textiles machinery makes it difficult to earn the right return on invested capital, especially given Indias slight cost disadvantage. Longer lead times than for Chinese manufacturers make India uncompetitive, especially in the fashion segment.
The civil aviation ministry has announced waiver of landing, parking and route navigation charges for freighters at select Airport Authority of India-operated airports to promote transport of agricultural products from North East states and hilly and tribal regions.

The sops are a part of the revised version of the Krishi Udan scheme which prioritises seven routes and aims to create a hub and spoke model for transport of agro-produce within and outside India. The revised policy was announced today.

The move will benefit SpiceJet which operates Bombardier Q-400 and Boeing 737 freighters. Concessions in landing, parking or navigation charges will not be available for carried in the belly of a passenger flight. The government has also modified the provision which required an airline to carry a minimum 50 per cent agro-produce in a flight to claim the concession.

Krishi Udan 2.0 will be a vehicle for value creation for farmers, help reduce wastage and improve margins, civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said while highlighting the success of flower exports in Kenya.

The Krishi Udan scheme was first announced in the union budget of 2020. Last December the scheme was aligned with the Operations Green Scheme of the ministry of food processing industry and a 50 per cent subsidy was proposed on domestic air freight and terminal storage and processing charges at airports. The subsidy was provided for 41 fruits and vegetables. An official said shippers would be able to get subsidy benefits under food processing ministry schemes which too are being modified to include more products.
The Railway Board has issued an order that will now make public sector companies, including those under the national transporter, compete with the in the open market for rail contracts.

The order on Tuesday, in effect, takes away a level of protection the PSUs enjoyed under a policy formed in 2019 which gave them dibs at juicy rail contracts.

Sources indicate that the decision taken by Railway Minister Ashwini Kumar aims to cut down on paybacks, bring in more competition and thus lower the Railways' cost.

"The policy approved by the Board, in their meeting held on 19.12.2019 to introduce competition amongst the PSUs for awarding Railway works, hereby stands withdrawn with immediate effect," the order stated.

Under the earlier policy introduced in 2019, the Railways identified eligible PSUs and awarded the contract after a competition within them. The winning PSU would then float tenders for contractors for the works.

The Tuesday order said, "To further enhance benefit from competitive bidding, it has now been proposed to withdraw the policy for competition among eligible PSUs for allotment of work by Railway Board and the same shall now on be done through open tendering with immediate effect."



"Also, all such works awarded to PSUs under existing scheme for which LOA (letter of award) has not been issued or MoU signed or no major contractual obligation undertaken in any form, will also stand cancelled with immediate effect," it stated.

Under the new policy, the zonal railways will float tenders in the market and the contract would be awarded to whosoever wins the bid -- a PSU or any other company.

"This in effect cuts out a layer in the process which will save both time and money. It also will weed out corruption and even monopoly of certain groups," an official said.

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Deputy Governor M Rajeshwar Rao on Wednesday said while the central bank will foster growth in the (MFI) sector, the lenders in the space should not throw caution to the wind to achieve higher asset growth and returns.

Speaking at a conference organised by Sa-Dhan, a self-regulatory organisation for MFI sector, Rao said lenders should not try to mimic the strategies of mainstream finance, as those serving the borrowers have a greater need to balance the social objectives with their lending operations.

While chasing higher asset growth and returns, (MFI) lenders should not throw caution to the wind. Any slip-up through adverse action of MFIs may undo the tremendous progress achieved over the decades and the sector can ill afford to do that, Rao said.

The roots and origins of microfinance should not be forgotten, he added.

He said from the regulatory side, RBI would 'look to foster growth of the sector, guided by the ultimate objective of financial inclusion and customer protection, while providing a level playing field'.

The Deputy Governor said MFIs should focus on understanding the needs of customers first and offer them adequate level of support through appropriate financial products.

He said since the MFI customers had low levels of financial awareness and are too desperate to turn away any source of credit, they need to be treated with care and empathy and should not be considered as mere data points for investor presentations.

Rao said strong corporate governance at microfinance lenders could play a critical role in balancing seemingly exclusive but potentially complementary objectives of growth and social welfare from a long-term perspective.

He said microfinance has come of age in India and has developed into an important financial delivery mechanism. It has, particularly, helped women to become owners of assets, have an increased say in decision-making and leading dignified lives.

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Ocugen, Bharat Biotech's US partner for COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, on Wednesday said it has submitted Investigational New Drug Application (IND) to the US Food and Drug Administration to conduct clinical trials.

The development comes a day after the World Health Organisation sought more details from Bharat Biotech to consider its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin for Emergency Use Listing.

The US firm in a press release said the Phase 3 trial, proposed in the IND, is designed to establish whether the immune response experienced by participants in a completed Phase 3 efficacy trial in India is similar to that observed in a demographically representative, healthy adult population in the USA.

The US drug regulator earlier in June "recommended" Ocugen Inc, to go for Biologics Licence Application (BLA) route with additional data, instead of Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA).

The proposed trial can be to people who either have not been vaccinated for COVID-19 or who already received two doses of an mRNA vaccine at least six months earlier in the USA.

"We are very excited to take this next step in the development of Covaxin, which we hope will bring us, closer to introducing a different type of COVID-19 vaccine to the American public. We are hopeful that the study conducted under the IND, if allowed to proceed, will help demonstrate that the data from India will be applicable to the U.S. population, " Dr Shankar Musunuri, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-Founder of Ocugen said.

If the study is allowed to proceed, Ocugen's Phase 3 immuno-bridging study, OCU-002, will seek to enroll several hundred healthy adults in the U.S. Subjects will be randomized to receive either two doses of Covaxin or placebo, 28 days apart.

The Phase 3 study conducted in India by Ocugen's business partner, Bharat Biotech, involved 25,798 participants receiving two doses of Covaxin or placebo, 28 days apart.

Ocugen has already sought regulatory approval from Health Canada for Covaxin to be used in that country.

Covaxin is a whole-virion inactivated COVID-19 investigational vaccine candidate that uses the same vero cell manufacturing platform that has been used in the production of polio vaccines for decades.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
When Hui Ka Yan was cruising the world in a private jet, splurging on mansions and jewellery at the peak of Chinas Gilded Age, his extravagant lifestyle barely stood out among the countrys burgeoning billionaire set.



Now the Group founders property empire is teetering on the edge of default  and his personal fortune has landed squarely in the Chinese governments crosshairs.



As struggles to meet obligations to creditors, suppliers and homeowners, authorities in Beijing are urging Hui to alleviate the crisis with his own wealth. The directive came after missed an initial September 23 deadline for an interest payment on one of its dollar bonds, according to people familiar with the matter. Thats drawing fresh attention to a hard-to-answer question: Just how much money does Hui have? The sum -- while likely to be a tiny fraction of Evergrandes more than $300 billion in liabilities  may help determine the severity of a crisis that has roiled Chinas credit market and undermined confidence in a real estate sector that accounts for about a quarter of the nations economic output.



The Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates Huis fortune at $7.6 billion, down from $42 billion at its peak in 2017. While the value of his stake in Evergrande has dropped more than 80 per cent this year, Hui has received more than $7 billion in dividends since the company started trading in 2009, the most among 82 Chinese tycoons tracked by Bloomberg.



The question of where Huis personal wealth has flowed may now factor into whether his company has the ability to keep paying debts in the near term. He wouldnt be the first Chinese property tycoon to provide his firm with much-needed funding: Guangzhou R&F Properties Co.s stock surged last month after major shareholders pledged $1 billion in financing.
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has started looking into disclosures that Inc's internal company research had identified ill effects from its products, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.



Officials are looking into whether research documents indicate that it might have violated a 2019 settlement with the agency over privacy concerns, according to the report.



and the FTC did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. In a statement, Facebook said that it is always ready to answer regulators questions and will continue to cooperate with government inquiries.



The FTC has been in touch with Haugen's team, the Journal reported, citing a source. The company has come under fire after Frances Haugen, who worked as a product manager on the civic misinformation team at Facebook, revealed that she was the whistleblower who provided documents underpinning a recent WSJ investigation.



In September, the Journal published a report that focused on data suggesting that Instagram had a harmful effect on teenagers, particularly teen girls, and that Facebook had made minimal efforts to address the issue.



America on fire: Facebook watched as Trump ignited hate Leaked Facebook documents provide a first-hand look at how Trump's posts ignited more anger in an already deeply divided country that was eventually lit on fire with reports of hate speech and violence across the platform.

Facebook's own internal, automated controls, meant to catch posts that violate rules, predicted with almost 90 per cent certainty that Trump's message broke the tech company's rules against inciting violence. (AP)

Russia opens case against Apple in App Store payment dispute Russia has opened an antitrust case against Apple for failing to allow app developers to tell customers about alternative payment options when using its App Store platform, Russia's anti-monopoly regulator said on Wednesday. The US tech giant could face a fine based on its revenue in Russia if found guilty of a breach, the regulator said. It did not indicate the size of any potential fine. Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. (Reuters)

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India on Wednesday hit out at for its "unilateral" decision to bring about a new land border law and said it is a matter of concern as the legislation can have implications on the existing bilateral pacts on border management and on the overall boundary question.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India expects that will avoid undertaking action under the pretext of the law that could unilaterally alter the situation in the India- border areas.

He said such a "unilateral move" will have no bearing on the arrangements that both sides have already reached earlier -- be it on the boundary question or for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Last week, China's national legislature adopted the new law on the protection and exploitation of the land border areas, which could have bearing on Beijing's border dispute with India.

"China's unilateral decision to bring about a legislation which can have implication on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question is of concern to us," Bagchi said.

He was replying to a media query on the matter.

"Such unilateral move will have no bearing on the arrangements that both sides have already reached earlier, whether it is on the boundary question or for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China border areas," he said.

Xinhua news agency reported last week that the law, which becomes operational from January 1 next year, stipulates that "the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People's Republic of China are sacred and inviolable".

"We have noted that China has passed a new 'Land Boundary Law' on October 23. The law states among other things that China abides by treaties concluded with or jointly acceded to by foreign countries on land boundary affairs," Bagchi said.

He said the legislation also has provisions to carry out reorganisation of districts in the border areas.

The MEA spokesperson noted that India and China have still not resolved the boundary question and that both sides have agreed to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution to it through consultations on an equal footing.

He said both sides have also concluded several bilateral agreements, protocols and arrangements to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China border areas in the interim.

The spokesperson said India expects that China will avoid undertaking action under the pretext of this law.

"Furthermore, the passage of this new law does not in our view confer any legitimacy to the so-called China Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963 which government of India has consistently maintained is an illegal and invalid agreement," he said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Supreme Court Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana has refused to resign from his post amidst allegations that he helped his brother-in-law secure a berth in the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led Cabinet, triggering an unusual judicial crisis.

A section of the Supreme Court justices has demanded Chief Justice Rana's resignation while some lawyers have decided to boycott the apex court.

During a meeting with 15 apex court justices on Tuesday, Rana said that he is not going to step down just because voices were raised in the streets and in the media for him to quit the top post.

"Rana told the justices that he would rather face the constitutional procedure but won't quit the post," Supreme Court spokesperson Baburam Dahal told PTI.

"I will not step down under any pressure but follow legal procedure if needed," Rana was quoted as saying by Dahal.

A section of lawyers has decided to boycott the Supreme Court while justices are busy holding meetings, affecting hearings, just as there are thousands of cases pending.

The Bar Association has also warned to stage nationwide protests if Rana did not resign voluntarily.

Supreme Court Spokesperson Dahal, however, said that some justices have started returning to their normal work from Wednesday.

According to the constitutional provision, 25 per cent of the lawmakers in the House of Representatives can file an impeachment motion against the Chief Justice and it requires a two-third majority vote to endorse the impeachment motion leading to the removal of the Chief Justice.

Rana faces accusation of entering an implied quid pro quo deal with the executive by seeking to induct his brother-in-law in the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba as a reward for invalidating the move of former prime minister K P Sharma Oli's government to dissolve Parliament twice.

However, Rana has rejected the charges labelled against him by the Bar Association and some of the Supreme Court justices.

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Gajendra Bahadur Hamal had tendered his resignation 48 hours after being appointed to the Cabinet led by Deuba on October 10, following media reports that he was appointed at the recommendation of Chief Justice Rana.

However, justices have demanded resignation of Rana, as removal of the minister on the issue was not sufficient as it would tarnish the image of the judiciary.

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Thousands of demonstrators from a banned Pakistani Islamist group clashed with police outside Lahore on Wednesday, killing and wounding several, police and the group said, in a row about a French magazine's cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad.

The clash broke out at a rally of the banned Tehrik-e-Labaik (TLP) on a highway in Sheikhupura, just outside the eastern city of Lahore, a spokesman for the Punjab police said on Wednesday.

"TLP activists used SMG, AK-47 and pistols to target police officials as the result of which several officials were martyred," the spokesman said.

The interior minister told reporters that three police officers had been killed and 70 wounded, adding that the government had deployed paramilitary troops in the Pakistani province of Punjab to help manage the situation.

"They will be there for 60 days. I have given them authority that they could go to anywhere they want in Punjab," he told reporters. "I'm still warning the TLP to please back off."

The group said several of its activists had also been killed or wounded.

This is the group's third countrywide protest campaign since 2017 over a series of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad published in the French satirical magazine Such caricatures are considered deeply insulting by Muslims.

first published the cartoons in 2006 and republished them last year to mark the opening of a trial over a deadly attack on the magazine by Islamist militants in 2015.

Pakistani Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the government will use force to block the Islamists from entering the capital Islamabad.

"We have shown restraint so far but the challenge to the state's authority can't be tolerated any more," he told reporters.

Thousands of TLP activists have blocked Pakistan's busiest highway since Friday, demanding the release of their leader and the expulsion of France's ambassador.

After negotiations with the government failed, the demonstrators began marching towards the capital Islamabad on Wednesday.

Districts along the Grand Trunk Road were brought to a standstill where the city administration had already placed shipping containers to block entry and exit routes.

Police said they had tried to block the march, which triggered the clashes.

The highway sit-in followed clashes in the eastern city of Lahore on Friday that killed three police.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
has agreed to provide USD 4.2 billion worth of assistance to cash-strapped to support its economy, it emerged on Wednesday after Prime Minister Imran Khan held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Riyadh this week.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter to announce the assistance which came just two days after Khan paid a three-day visit to the Gulf kingdom.

Saudi Arabia's announcement supports with 3 billion US dollars as deposit in central bank and also financing refined petroleum products with 1.2 billion US dollars during the year, he said in a tweet.

Prime Minister Khan thanked Crown Prince Salman for the generous aid when Pakistan's was facing difficulties.

I want to thank HRH Prince Mohammad bin Salman for supporting Pak with $3 bn as deposit in Pak's central bank & financing refined petroleum product with $1.2 bn. KSA has always been there for Pak in our difficult times incl now when world confronts rising commodity prices (sic), he said on Twitter.

Prime Minister's Adviser on Finance Shaukat Tarin, addressing a press conference, said that the Saudi financial support package of USD 4.2 billion was for one year and would prove to be useful to lift pressure on the Pakistani rupee.

He said that during talks in Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Salman expressed his happiness to extend the support to Pakistan, saying Pakistan holds a special place for the Kingdom.

Tarin stated that the Saudi package had no connection with the IMF programme, which he said would be revived.

The Pakistani currency has depreciated around 13.6 per cent since May and it is said that smuggling of dollars to neighbouring Afghanistan was the main reason for it.

In 2018, had provided USD 3 billion in cash deposits and promised a USD 3 billion oil facility to Pakistan to help its foreign exchange reserves in 2018.

However, as the bilateral relations deteriorated later, Islamabad had to return USD 2 billion of the USD 3 billion deposits.

Pakistan announced in June this year that was about to make available USD 1.5 billion oil facility per annum.

Now it has provided direct disposition assistance along with oil facilities after the visit of Khan.

The Saudi government would immediately deposit USD 3 billion in Pakistan's account for a year and keep it rolling at least until the completion of the Monetary Fund (IMF) programme in October 2023, Dawn newspaper said.

Pakistan and the IMF had signed the USD 6 billion deal in July 2019 but the programme was derailed in January 2020 and restored briefly in March this year before again going off the track in June.

From June to August there were no serious discussions between the two sides.

In addition, the Saudi government would provide crude oil to Islamabad on deferred payments worth up to USD 1.5 billion per annum, the report 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.)
Companies in have applauded the government's move to reopen borders to India, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries but they are also seeking clarity on the measures that will allow manpower for the labour-intensive construction sector which has been badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Several companies, facing labour shortage, have expressed uncertainty about the rate of workers from South Asian countries allowed to enter from Wednesday, reported the Channel News Asia.

started allowing travellers from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to enter or transit through the country from 11.59 pm on Tuesday. Short-term visitors are not included.

Straits Construction, which is building two executive condominiums and a public housing estate at Tengah Housing Board among other projects, welcomed the relaxed measures. Most of its workers are from

"As you know, the industry is actually very short of workers currently. The numbers that are coming in are hardly enough to replace those going back," the Channel quoted executive director and chief operating officer Kenneth Loo as saying.

"The issue going forward is what is the rate of workers coming in, and whether the gates will be open, though still in a controlled manner, which I presume it probably will be. How is that going to be regulated and what's the pace," he asked.

Travellers from these countries are subject to Category IV border restrictions which include a 10-day stay-home notice at dedicated facilities.

Long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with travel history to Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the last 14 days were barred from entry or transit in Singapore since May 2. A similar ban had applied to India since April 24. The restrictions were implemented as the COVID-19 outbreak in India worsened and Singapore clocked more local cases.

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said in Parliament on May 11 that the number of work permit holders in construction, marine shipyard and process sectors fell by nearly 60,000, or 16 per cent, last year.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a statement to the media that same month that "over the last year, the outflow of migrant workers has exceeded the inflow, as many workers have ended their contracts and chosen to return home." But as a result of border restrictions to "mitigate importation risks", the ministry said it wasn't able to adequately replace those who left Singapore before the country completely stopped entry of all from on May 2.

A pilot programme was launched in July by some companies in construction, marine and process sectors to bring in migrant workers from India in a "calibrated manner".

Companies that traditionally relied on migrant workers from India and Bangladesh also began looking further afield for labour but several of them told the Channel that the cost of hiring workers from countries like China was too high.

More details on the new border measures are yet to be given by authorities but it is "positive news" nonetheless, noted Louise Chua, executive director at Singapore Contractors Association.

"The news doesn't give us a lot of information, so actually currently we are working with the agencies BCA (Building and Construction Authority) and MOM to understand what does it mean to bring in vaccinated workers from South Asian countries to Singapore, especially for the construction sector," she said.

Likewise, the easing of border measures is good news for Success Forever, a building maintenance company that counts several town councils and government agencies among its clients but director Jack Oei worries there may be a rush of workers coming in, leading to a "bottleneck" in the approval process.

"Of course I feel good having this piece of news but the only thing is suddenly everybody wants (the workers from to come in). So most probably it will be a bottleneck as well," he told CNA.

"Everyone wanting to come at once is also not possible. I think the beginning will be a mad rush," Oei was quoted as saying.

For companies that hire workers from South Asian countries, the relaxation of border controls means they can apply for tenders once they have a fixed date for workers to enter Singapore.

"We need to know very clear when this relaxation of this new intake of workers is going to take place," said Goh Eng Lam, president of the Landscape Industry Association (Singapore).

"Once they are able to come into Singapore, I can plan my time and my deployment. For instance... if there is any tender or job opportunity and I know it's going to cross into early next year or December this year, and I know my worker may be here in October or November and may need to quarantine for three months, at least I know, I can plan," he said.

"But today, I dare not take on some of these opportunities, because what if I'm being given them and I have no manpower to fulfil the contractual obligations," he asked.

Although companies in the labour-intensive construction sector now have "better foresight in our workload", authorities need to address specific arrangements for workers, added the association's treasurer Raymund Ooi.

"We're a little bit happier that they're relaxing (the rules), but they're not clear on what is the relaxation. So probably we want a little bit more clarity," said Ooi, who runs landscape and construction company, Limelite Productions.

(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 government of and that countrys economy relied heavily on foreign aid until the U. S. withdrawal. That support is on hold, although the United States and its allies have begun to take steps toward resuming some humanitarian assistance. Here, Mohammad Qadam Shah, an assistant professor of global development at Seattle Pacific University who conducted in-depth research regarding Afghanistans aid administration, answers five questions about the past, present and future of aid to his native country. 1. What did foreign economic aid accomplish in

Some US$150 billion in nonmilitary U. S. aid flowed into Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020, plus billions more from its allies and international organizations.

For those two decades, Afghanistans economic development aid largely funded education, health care, governance reforms and infrastructure  including schools, hospitals, roads, dams and other major construction projects.

One notable result in terms of education was that far more students were enrolled in school. The number of students jumped from 900,000 in 2001 to more than 9.5 million in 2020. Foreign aid helped build about 20,000 elementary schools, and the number of universities grew sharply as well. The number of Afghans enrolled in higher education programs soared from 7,000 in 2001 to about 200,000 in 2019. There were no female college students in 2001, but there were 54,861 in 2019.

The share of girls among all students reached 39% in 2020, versus only an estimated 5,000 in 2001.

Likewise, aid increased access to health care for most of the population. Life expectancy rose over the two decades by about a decade, to 64.8 years in 2019, according to the World Bank.

also made progress in terms of governance reform, with the adoption of a new constitution in 2004 that established a framework for liberal democratic governance and protecting human rights. It held four presidential and provincial council elections and three parliamentary elections.

The country also adopted hundreds of new laws and regulations regarding education, health, insurance, budgeting, mining, women rights and land titling.

aid helped construct and pave thousands of miles of roads and streets, either rehabilitated or built from scratch.

Other infrastructure projects included hydroelectric dams and solar power plants to generate electricity, bridges and irrigation and drinking water projects.

2. What were the drawbacks?

International development experts do not dispute that aid can make a positive difference. What they criticize is that this assistance, even in vast amounts, doesnt necessarily solve a countrys problems. That is the case in Afghanistan.

Based on what Ive seen firsthand in my research, the problem in Afghanistan was not the amount of aid, but its mismanagement.

The highly centralized governance system Afghanistan adopted in 2001 gave its president unconstrained political, fiscal and administrative power, without any way for the legislature or the public to hold the executive branch of government accountable. To a degree, the government was accountable to foreign donors, but this lack of checks and balances contributed to systemic corruption.

A centralized public finance management system gave Afghanistans president complete control and discretion over planning, budgeting and taxation. He could also tactically allocate government spending to curry favor with elites, interest groups and voters.

Afghanistans $20 billion economy was heavily dependent on foreign aid, but its centralized governance system was prone to mismanaging it.

For instance, the president had exclusive and unconstrained access to a large share of government funds.

I believe the only way to have fixed this problem, before the took over again, was to defund the country and reform the aid management system in a way that the people had the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. And I would expect to see a centralized, exclusive aid management system under the to replicate the same flaws and challenges seen in Afghanistan over the past two decades.

3.

Whats standing in the way of aid delivery?

Economic assistance can support long-term economic development or help meet more immediate humanitarian objectives  such as providing food and shelter after disasters, or any help intended to save immediately imperiled lives.

As long as the remain in control, the only aid likely to flow from the U. S. and most of its allies will surely be the humanitarian kind. Even that money, however, will likely be contingent upon whether Afghanistans new authorities respect human rights, form an inclusive government and prevent Afghanistans territory from being used for terrorist purposes.

But the Taliban are mostly running Afghanistan like they did in the 1990s  with an iron fist.

The Talibans interim cabinet includes no women or members of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. And there are reports that the Taliban are already forcibly displacing people in Hazara communities and not letting girls go to school.

4. Whats happening to Afghanistans aid?

The U. S. military and diplomatic withdrawal precipitated the collapse of the Afghan government and the Talibans takeover, disrupting aid delivery. Thousands of foreign aid workers and their Afghan former colleagues have left the country.

The few exceptions include a handful of humanitarian aid programs: the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Red Cross, Doctors witout Borders and the World Food Program are all still operating in Afghanistan.

In August 2021, the U. S. froze more than $9 billion of Afghanistans assets. Nearly all sources of Afghanistans aid, including the European Union, the Monetary Fund and other multilateral organizations, stopped disbursing assistance.

The economic and development outlook is stark, the World Bank observes.

On Sept. 13, 2021, the U. S. Agency for Development said it would dispatch $64 million in new humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, channeling it through nonprofits and U. N. agencies. But its not clear, according to the Taliban, that this money is flowing yet.

In October 2021, the European Union pledged 1 billion euros, about $1.2 billion, in humanitarian aid and other forms of support.

In addition, Pakistan and China are providing emergency aid, as have a few other countries, including Qatar.

China and Pakistan are teaming up with Russia, Iran and India, along with some former Soviet Central Asian countries, to advocate for the U. N. to recognize the Taliban government, which could facilitate the flow of more aid.

5. What are some of the consequences?

The Taliban have not yet shown that they can actually govern Afghanistan.

Resistance groups are forming, and ISIS-K poses a significant threat to their ability to keep control of the country.

Perhaps more important, the Taliban lack the money and expertise required to satisfy the basic needs of the Afghan people.

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Thousands of Afghan public servants are demanding their unpaid salaries. Afghans who used to work for nongovernmental organizations have lost their jobs, as have many others. Perhaps more important, the Taliban lack the money and expertise required to satisfy the basic needs of the Afghan people.

An estimated 14 million Afghans were already having trouble getting enough to eat before the disruption of aid. That situation is now growing more dire, according to UNICEF.

Mohammad Qadam Shah, Assistant Professor of Global Development, Seattle Pacific University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Market benchmarks closed in the red for the first time this week on Wednesday amid a bearish trend overseas and volatility ahead of expiry of monthly derivatives contracts. A depreciating rupee and mixed corporate results also took a toll on sentiment, traders said.

Snapping its two-session rising streak, the 30-share BSE Sensex closed 206.93 points or 0.34 per cent lower at 61,143.33. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty slipped 57.45 points or 0.31 per cent to 18,210.95.

was the top loser in the Sensex pack, tanking 6.52 per cent, despite reporting an over 86 per cent jump in standalone net profit at Rs 3,133.32 crore for the September quarter. Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, IndusInd Bank, HUL, Tata Steel and NTPC were among the other laggards.

On the other hand, Asian Paints, Sun Pharma, Infosys, SBI, UltraTech Cement, Bharti Airtel and HCL Tech were among the gainers, climbing up to 4.42 per cent.

Maruti Suzuki closed marginally higher after posting a 66 per cent decline in consolidated net profit at Rs 487 crore for the second quarter, impacted by the ongoing semiconductor shortage and increase in commodity prices.

"Echoing weak global sentiments, domestic indices slipped into negative terrain in today's choppy trade. Bleeding financial stocks dragged the market despite improvements in asset quality and favourable results.





"Stagflation worries and flare-up in US-China tensions forced global investors to trade cautiously ahead of the announcement of another batch of Q2 corporate earnings," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.

Ajit Mishra, VP - Research, Religare Broking, said, " are closely watching earnings for cues and we'll see the reaction to the numbers of select index majors in early trade on Thursday. Besides, volatility is expected to remain high due to the scheduled monthly derivatives expiry." Sectorally, BSE metal, bankex, energy, oil and gas and finance indices lost as much as 1.82 per cent, while IT, teck, healthcare and telecom closed higher.

Broader and smallcap indices advanced up to 0.30 per cent.

The global equity rally stalled amid ratcheting up of US-China tensions and concerns over the Chinese property market, even as tech giants like Alphabet and Microsoft continued to post stellar results.

In Asia, bourses in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul ended with losses. Stock exchanges in Europe were also trading on a negative note in the afternoon session. Meanwhile, international oil benchmark Brent crude slumped 1.09 per cent to USD 84.72 per barrel.

The rupee weakened by 7 paise to end at 75.03 against the US currency on Wednesday amid a strong greenback in the overseas market. Foreign institutional investors remained in selling mode, offloading shares worth Rs 2,368.66 crore on Tuesday, according to exchange data.

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FSN E-Commerce Ventures, which owns beauty startup Nykaa, has seen 40 times more demand than shares on offer in the anchor book, said people in the know.

A total of Rs 2,396 crore worth of shares are available in the anchor category. A clutch of large foreign as well as domestic funds have submitted bids worth over Rs 95,000 crore.

Investment bankers are still collating and finalising the allotment. The process should be completed by 9pm, said a source.

Canada Pension Fund, Blackrock, Capital, Fidelity are some of the global funds that have made an application in the anchor category, added sources.

Nykaas Rs 5,300-crore opens for subscription on Thursday. The price band is Rs 1,085-Rs 1,125 per share. At the upper end of the price band, the company will be valued at Rs 53,200 crore.

The comprises a fresh issue of Rs 630 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of Rs 4,722 crore.
Indian-origin Canadian politician Anita Anand on Tuesday was appointed as the new of Canada in the latest cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, just a month after his Liberal party returned to power in September 2021.

According to CTV News, a 39-member Cabinet was sworn in at the Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

Anand replaced Harjit Sajjan as the She also led the procurement effort of the vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic and was the procurement minister of the country.

Anand told reporters that her top priority is to make everyone feel safe in the armed forces. Notably, Sajjan was criticised for his handling of military sexual misconduct, reported CTV News.

"My top priority is to make sure that everyone in the Armed Forces feels safe and protected and that they have the support that they need when they need them, and the structures in place to ensure that justice is served," CTV News quoted Anand as saying.

"We have a team of familiar faces and new faces that are ready to put all their strengths, all their hard work towards delivering for Canadians in the coming years," CTV News quoted the Prime Minister as saying earlier in the day.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has constituted a committee to review height regulations applicable for buildings within the radius of

"MoCA constituted a committee to examine aerodrome safeguarding policy and regulations vis-a-vis the development of cities around the airports," MoCA order reads.

The experts' committee of MoCA has sought views and suggestions from the representatives of town planning authorities and developers associations including other stakeholders about the height-related issues nearby the area of the airport in Mumbai in the last week of October.

"The Committee is also going to take views from the planning authorities including Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA), and City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) in these matters," the Committee meeting schedule read.

The Committee has met with all developer associations - CREDAI, NAREDCO, and PEATA in which height-related issues were taken in depth.

The issue of implementation of height restrictions due to high-frequency communication equipment at Juhu and Dahisar was also taken up with the Committee with the suggestion to either mount it at a higher height or shift it to other alternative locations.

Speaking to ANI, Kunal Chheda who represents real estate developer associations said, "We have raised all issues before the Committee of Experts constituted by MoCA to review building height regulations and are hoping for early resolution in this policy matter."

"As far as implementation of this additional restriction at Juhu and Dahisar is concerned, it is a classic case of lack of coordination and communication amongst and between central departments and state departments, due to which real estate projects, its developers, customers, and rehabilitation members are stuck. Hopefully, now with the launch of PM Gati Shakti Master Plan which seeks to resolve such inter-departmental issues, we hope for an early resolution in this implementation logjam," he added.

As per the developer associations presentation in the MoCA experts committee meeting, more than 300 projects who have paid a substantial premium, taken approvals, and created third-party rights in favour of lenders or customers are stuck for many months.

On the above issues, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi met aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and submitted before the minister about the residential redevelopment scheme and height related issues around the area of Mumbai airport and its development affected due to the airport radar.

"Even the Maharashtra State Government through the Urban Development department has written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation highlighting the sensitivity of the matter and seeking further clarification on its implementation, whether intended by the Ministry and AAI on a prospective or retrospective basis," Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shiv Sena MP told ANI.

In view of the seriousness of the matter, the Maharashtra Government has written a letter to the aviation ministry asking it to take cognisance of the matter. Due to these height restrictions, permissible building heights for plots within one km radius from high-frequency transmitter radar at Juhu and within 3-4 km radius from high-frequency receiver radar at Dahisar have drastically reduced.

Even the Maharashtra State Government through the Urban Development department has written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation highlighting the sensitivity of the matter and has sought further clarification on its implementation, whether intended by the Ministry and AAI on a prospective or retrospective basis.

"We had requested that opportunity may be given to the Government of Maharashtra (GoM) and its town planning authorities such as MCGM, MMRDA, SRA, MHADA, CIDCO to make a presentation to the Committee of Experts headed by its chairman Major, Air Chief (retd.) Fali Homi, constituted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to examine Aerodrome Safeguarding Policy and Regulations vis-a-vis development of cities around airports, highlighting the issues faced in the development of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) along with measures to mitigate these hardships," Maharashtra Urban Development Secretary letter reads.

MoCA experts committee on height-related issues headed by Fali Homi has sought views and suggestions from the planning authorities and developer associations in this regard.

(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 Mainland China share market finished lower for second straight session on Wednesday, 27 October 2021, as risk aversion selloff continued amid heightened Sino-US tension after the U. S. license of one of China's biggest telecoms companies was revoked, citing national security concerns.

At closing bell, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.98%, or 35.33 points, to 3,562.31. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, dropped 1.11%, or 26.88 points, to 2,397.51. The blue-chip CSI300 index decreased 1.31%, or 64.94 points, to 4,898.16.

Chinese tech stocks tumbled as a flare-up in Sino-U. S. tensions sparked fears that more scrutiny from Washington could be in store for the sector. The US Federal Communications Commission revoked the license that allows China's largest telecom operator China Telecom Corp to do business in the U. S., citing national security concerns, dealing the latest in a series of blows against major Chinese businesses in the country.

Shares of environmental protection-related companies and new energy vehicles advanced on the country's plans to hit a carbon emission peak before 2030.

China's cabinet said the country will take action to reduce waste, promote renewables and unconventional fuel, and reform its electricity network as part of its plan to bring carbon emissions to a peak before 2030.

ECONOMIC NEWS: China Industrial Profits Climb 16.3% On Year In September- China's industrial profits in September rose 16.3% on year to 738.74 billion yuan, following a 10.1% rise in August, even as surging raw material prices and supply bottlenecks squeezed margins and weighed on factory activity. For the January-September period, industrial firms' profits grew 44.7%% year-on-year, slowing from a 49.5% increase in the first eight months of 2021, the statistics bureau said on Wednesday. Liabilities at industrial firms rose 8.2% from a year earlier at end-September, down from 8.4% growth as of end-August. The industrial profit data covers large firms with annual revenues of over 20 million yuan from their main operations.

CURRENCY NEWS: China's yuan was little changed against the U. S. dollar on Wednesday as firmer mid-point fixing by central bank. Prior to the market opening, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) set the midpoint CNY=PBOC at 6.3856 per dollar, 34 pips or 0.05% firmer than the previous fix of 6.3890. In the spot market, onshore yuan CNY=CFXS was changing hands at 6.3849 by midday, 19 pips weaker than the previous late session close of 6.3830.

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Hong Kong stock market finished session lower on Wednesday, 27 October 2021, weighed down by technology stocks after hearing by US lawmakers raises fear that a law is in the offing to possibly get Chinese companies booted from American exchanges.

At closing bell, the benchmark Hang Seng Index fell 1.57%, or 409.53 points, to 25,628.74. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 1.79%, or 165.63 points, to 9,093.80.

Chinese tech stocks tumbled as a flare-up in Sino-U.

S. tensions sparked fears that more scrutiny from Washington could be in store for the sector. US lawmakers held a hearing on how to protect American investors that invest in Chinese stocks over issues ranging from audits to fake company names and forced labour, fanning speculation that Congress will enact laws next year that will probably lead to the delisting of Chinese companies trading in the US.

In another related development, the US Federal Communications Commission revoked the licence of a China Telecom subsidiary to do business in the U. S., citing national security concerns, dealing the latest in a series of blows against major Chinese businesses in the country.

Alibaba Health Information Technology retreated 6%, extending an 11% decline a day earlier spurred by a profit warning.

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Japan stock market finished subdued session slight lower on Wednesday, 27 October 2021, weighed down by profit-taking after sharp rises in the previous session and ahead of quarterly earnings announcement by several big-name domestic companies.

Investors also refrained from making bold moves to sees how the ruling Liberal Democratic Party will fare in Sunday's general election as uncertainty grew after the LDP lost one of two House of Councillors by-elections last weekend.

The market largely shrugged off the Tokyo Stock Exchange Inc announcement of regular trading hour extension by 30 minutes to make the bourse more competitive internationally,

At closing bell, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average fell 7.77 points, or 0.03%, to 29,098.24. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange dropped 4.59 points, or 0.23%, to 2,013.81.

Trading volume turnover on the main section stood at 1.14 billion shares worth 2.62 trillion yen.

Total 24 of 33 industry groups of the Topix ended down, with worst performing sector were Marine Transportation (down 3.9%), Air Transportation (down 1.4%), Electric Power & Gas (down 1.4%), Information & Communication (down 1.3%), Nonferrous Metals (down 1.2%), and Electric Appliances (down 1%), while best performing issues included Transportation Equipment (up 0.9%), Foods (up 0.8%), Insurance (up 0.8%), and Chemicals (up 0.7%).

Canon shares tumbled after the digital camera and office equipment maker cut its operating profit forecast for its business year through December.

Airline ANA Holdings shares declined after a report that it is expected to book an operating loss of around 110 billion yen for the April-September half.

CURRENCY NEWS: The Japanese yen appreciated to upper 113 level against greenback on Wednesday. The Japanese yen traded at 113.72 per dollar, stronger than levels around 114.2 seen earlier against the greenback.

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Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he will meet Union Home Minister on Thursday to discuss possible solutions to the ongoing farmers' stir against the Centre's three farm laws.

Singh on Wednesday said he will be meeting Shah along with some agricultural experts.

Tomorrow I am going to meet Home Minister Shah and 25-30 people will go with me, he said while addressing the media here during which he also said that he is on the verge of launching a political party and would announce its launch as soon as the Election Commission of India approves its name and symbol.

I think I can help in finding a solution as I have been the chief minister of Punjab and am also an agriculturist, said Singh.

He said he had met the Union home minister thrice in the past on farmers' issues.

While there could be no pre-decided formula for the resolution of farmers' stir, something will emerge during the talks as both sides the Central government as well as farmers -- want a resolution to the crisis triggered by the farm laws, he said.

He made it clear that he had not met any farmer leaders over the issue.

Singh said he had deliberately not interfered in the matter as the farmers did not want politicians to be involved in it.

The farmer leaders had four inconclusive meetings with the Centre but backchannel talks have been going on, he added.

Singh had earlier also met Shah in Delhi and had discussed the prolonged farmers' stir with him while urging him to resolve the crisis urgently with the repeal of the three farm laws.

Singh had said any seat arrangement that he might make with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would be subject to a resolution of the farmers' issue in their interest.

A large number of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and UP, have been camping at the Delhi borders since November 26 last year, demanding the repeal of the three new farm laws.

(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.)
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor from Thursday will be on a two-day visit to poll-bound Punjab, during which he will meet farmers and businessmen of the state.

The AAP, which is the main opposition party in Punjab, is keen on contesting all 117 assembly seats in the elections in the state next year and hopes to emerge victorious and form its government.

On the first day of his visit, Kejriwal will meet farmers in Mansa and "have a dialogue" with them, co-in charge of the AAP's political affairs in Raghav Chadha said on Wednesday.

Kejriwal will visit Bhatinda on Friday and meet with businessmen, he added.

This is Kejriwal's second visit to this month in the run-up to the state assembly polls due to be held early next year.

"Farmers and businessmen in are having a hard time. The successive governments have given them false hope. All political parties have only deceived them, Chadha said in a video message in Punjabi.

Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal is coming to Punjab tomorrow on a two-day visit, he said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Confusion prevailed over Congress- tie-up in on Wednesday when Lalu Prasad hinted at a thaw following a telephonic talk with Sonia Gandhi, but AICC in-charge of the state Bhakt Charan Das accused the former chief minister of "misleading" people on the final day of campaign for by-elections.

Prasad had told reporters here, before leaving for Tarapur and Kusheshwar Asthan assembly constituencies, that during his congenial conversation with Gandhi he told her that she headed a party with "an all India presence" and asked her to hold a meeting of like-minded outfits to take on the BJP.

A few hours later, Bhakt Charan Das, who was recently at the receiving end of the supremo's acerbic tongue, told a press conference he (Lalu) is misleading the people. There has been no rapprochement. Had it been so, I would have received instructions to back the candidate in Tarapur, where we have fielded our candidate, in protest against their betrayal of coalition dharma in Kusheshwar Asthan.

Das claimed that his party, which has been marginalised in the state's over the years, had stunned the RJD as well as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) by the aggressive manner in which it has approached the by-elections to the two assembly seats.

"The result is that in Tarapur we are getting a good response while in Kusheshwar Asthan, which we lost last year by just over 6,000 votes, we are winning back sections of the society which had become estranged because of our alliance with the RJD," he asserted.

To a pointed query as to whether he was refuting Prasad having spoken to Gandhi, Das said, "I am Sonia ji's representative here......I am clearly stating his claim of any political discussions (with AICC president) is baseless. They have dishonoured the alliance. And now there will be no further tie-ups. We will contest all 40 Lok Sabha seats also."



He, however, added "we cannot say what will happen post-polls (in 2024)" and expressed annoyance over RJD having unilaterally decided to contest both seats, despite being aware that the would have liked to fight Kusheshwar Asthan.

"I had met Lalu ji in Delhi a few months ago to enquire about his health. He never bothered to have a word with me, despite our personal equations, about the by-polls. To top it all he abused me and now he is trying to mislead people," said Das, recalling Prasad's infamous use of Bihari pejorative "bhakchonhar" (fool or stupid), which the has sought to portray as the insult of a "dalit" leader.

Replying to another query, he said, "I may or may not meet Lalu Prasad in my personal capacity in future. We do not cease to be social beings because of political differences. I have excellent personal relations with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar whom I have never been able to meet despite spending so much time in "



It is widely speculated that Prasad had snubbed the because of induction of former CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who hails from and is seen as a potential rival to the former's son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav.

Kanhaiya has, notably, campaigned intensively in both seats and hurled indirect barbs at the RJD, along with the NDA which is currently in power, blaming "those who have ruled Bihar in the last 30 years" for the state's current plight.

A section of Congress leaders has also claimed that a possibility of the party regaining its support base among upper castes has always irked Prasad who is wary of emergence of a "secular alternative to the RJD".

Kanhaiya Kumar is an upper caste Bhumihar an influential community which dominated the Congress when it was a power to reckon with but, following its decline, has gravitated towards the BJP.

(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.)
Days after chief N Chandrababu Naidu visited the national capital, the on Thursday claimed he was "buttering up" the top brass to forge an alliance with the ruling party at the Centre after ditching them ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Addressing a press conference here, national general secretary Vijaysai Reddy said it is "reliably learnt that Naidu has offered 13 Lok Sabha seats out of total 25 in Andhra Pradesh to the and in return would like to have more assembly seats".

Reddy made it clear that YSR Congress' issue-based support to the NDA would continue but it would not join the BJP-led alliance.

The is the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh.

" leader N Chandrababu Naidu is buttering top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to stitch an alliance with the ruling party at the Centre," he claimed.

Asked how his party would be impacted if the join hands with the BJP, which is already in alliance with Jan Sena, Reddy replied that it would not have much effect.

"Our (YSR Congress') vote share in last assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh was about 50 per cent and it has gone further up after that. Even if three parties -- BJP, TDP, Jan Sena -- come together, it wouldn't impact us much," Reddy said.

Dubbing Naidu the "most selfish politician", Reddy said he "ditched" BJP before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. It is for BJP to see whether the party can trust him, the YSR Congress leader said.

Asked about Naidu's demand of imposing president's rule in the state, Reddy alleged that the TDP supremo "wants to show the state in a poor light by making false and fabricated allegations".

On YSR Congress' relations with the BJP, Reddy said his party will continue to give issue-based support to the NDA but will not join the ruling alliance.

"Our chief minister and YSR Congress president Jagan Mohan Reddy in 2019 had decided that the party will extend issue-based support to the NDA but will not join the BJP-led ruling alliance at the Centre. That is our stand at present and we will continue to follow that," he said.

Reddy also downplayed the idea of a third front, saying there is no leader, no binding force who can coordinate and bind all parties together.

(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.)
Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo will arrive in Goa on Thursday for a three-day visit to the state, where Assembly polls are scheduled early next year.

"The West Bengal chief minister is scheduled to arrive in Goa around 5.30 pm on October 28," a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

This is her maiden visit to the coastal state, where the has decided to contest the upcoming Assembly elections due in February 2022, he added.

"During her visit, Banerjee will meet intellectuals, thinkers, professionals and others," he said.

Banerjee will leave Goa on October 30 morning, he said.

The TMC, however, did not share with the media the party chief's detailed programme schedule in Goa.

The Banerjee-led party, which swept the West Bengal legislative Assembly elections earlier this year, has already announced its decision to contest the upcoming Goa polls.

Last week, Banerjee had urged political parties, organisations and individuals to join her party in defeating the Goa's ruling party BJP and its "divisive agenda".

(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 has granted bail to an Ayodhya man arrested by the Control Bureau after allegedly being found in the possession of nearly 350 kg of

A Lucknow bench of the high court granted bail to Ayodhya resident Kaleem, booked under the stringent provisions of the NDPS Act in January 2019, ruling that he has a fit case for bail according to the larger mandate of Article 21 of the Constitution of India dealing with the Fundamental Right to life and personal liberty.

While granting bail to the accused on October 21, a bench of Justice Siddharth also held the case worth enlarging the accused on the bail in the view of the nature of accusations and the nature of evidence in support thereof.

The accused had been in jail since January 18, 2019.

The NCB had arrested the accused with heavy contraband in possession and hence booked him under the NDPS Act.

The FIR in the case was lodged at the NCB police station in the Ayodhya district.

In his bail plea, the accused had contended that the recovery was planted due to ulterior motive and as such he was innocent.

It was also submitted by him that there was no independent witness to the recovery of the

"There was no compliance of the provisions of section 50 of NDPS Act which stipulates asking the accused if he wanted his search in presence of a magistrate," said the accused.

He also promised to the bench that if released on bail, he will not misuse the liberty of bail.

Opposing the bail plea, the NCB counsel contended that there was no occasion to plant such heavy contraband on the accused.

The NCB counsel also argued that the innocence of an accused cannot be adjudged at the pre-trial stage of the case.

"If the accused is released on bail, he would be involved in similar activities, the NCB counsel added.

The bench, however, allowed the bail plea, saying "Considering the plea of bail in view of a Supreme Court ruling, the larger mandate of Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the nature of accusations, the nature of evidence in support thereof., I am of the view that it is a fit case for grant of bail."



Among other reasons for the grant of bail, the bench also listed severity of punishment, the character of the accused, circumstances peculiar to the accused, reasonable possibility of securing his presence at the trial, reasonable apprehension of the witnesses being tampered with, the larger interest of the public interest and other circumstances.

(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 Wednesday hit out at China for bringing out a new land border law and said it expects to avoid taking any action under the "pretext" of the legislation that could "unilaterally" alter the situation in the border areas.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi described China's decision to bring out the law as a matter of "concern" as it can have implications on the existing bilateral pacts on the management of the border and the overall boundary question.

"China's unilateral decision to bring about a legislation which can have implication on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question is of concern to us," he said.

"Such unilateral move will have no bearing on the arrangements that both sides have already reached earlier, whether it is on the boundary question or for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China border areas," he said.

Bagchi was responding to media queries on China's new land boundary law that came in the midst of a 17-month border standoff between the two countries in eastern

"We also expect that China will avoid undertaking action under the pretext of this law which could unilaterally alter the situation in the India-China border areas," he said.

"Furthermore, the passage of this new law does not in our view confer any legitimacy to the so-called China Pakistan "Boundary Agreement of 1963 which Government of India has consistently maintained is an illegal and invalid agreement," the spokesperson said.

China's legislature on October 23 adopted the new law on the protection and exploitation of the land border areas.

Xinhua news agency reported that the law, which becomes operational from January 1 next year, stipulates that "the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People's Republic of China are sacred and inviolable."



"We have noted that China has passed a new 'Land Boundary Law' on October 23. The law states among other things that China abides by treaties concluded with or jointly acceded to by foreign countries on land boundary affairs," Bagchi said.

He said the legislation also has provisions to carry out reorganisation of districts in the border areas, noting that India and China have still not resolved the boundary question.

"Both sides have agreed to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution to the boundary question through consultations on an equal footing," he said.

"We have also concluded several bilateral agreements, protocols and arrangements to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China border areas in the interim," he said.

India and China have already held over 20 rounds of border talks under the framework of Special Representatives dialogue which was set up to find an early solution to the border dispute.

Both sides have been maintaining that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

China brought out the new border law in the midst of the eastern row.

The eastern border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

The tension escalated following a deadly clash in Galwan Valley on June 15 last year.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in February and in Gogra area in August.

The last round of military talks on October 10 ended in a stalemate following which both sides blamed each other for the impasse.

In a strong statement after the 13th round of talks, the Indian Army said the "constructive suggestions" made by it at the negotiations were neither agreeable to the Chinese side nor could provide any "forward-looking" proposals.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector.

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Artificial intelligence-driven content intelligence platform Instoried has raised $8 million in funding from Pritt Investment Partners and 9Unicorns with participation from Mumbai Angels, Venture Catalysts Angel Fund, SOSV and a few HNIs.

The funds will be used to further strengthen tech stack, enter newer geographies and expand the team and operations, it said in a statement on Wednesday. Instoried said it uses OpenAI's GPT-3 along with in-house built proprietary AI to enable enterprises to reach their optimal content goals.

The product offering includes both content evaluation and creation, some of the features being short form content generation, emotional quotient analysis, grammar check, plagiarism check, headline analysis, tonality check and panel testing, it was stated.

Founder & CEO, Instoried, Sharmin Ali, said: With all brands selling online and the world going virtual, we were able to identify a huge opportunity in this adversity (pandemic time) and have grown 50X in the last one year".

"We are now looking at scaling operations in the US. This fundraise will help us go to market, build a strong team in the US and add more product offerings to our existing portfolio", she added.

Instoried has previously raised $2 million from investors including SOSV, Artesian Investments, Mumbai Angels, 9Unicorns, Venture Catalysts, and Rockstud Capital.

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A city resident has filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court, seeking directions to Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik to refrain from making any comments against the (NCB), in light of the drugs case in which actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan is an accused.

The public interest litigation (PIL) was filed on Tuesday by one Kausar Ali, who claims to be a priest and a person working for the rehabilitation of drug addicts.

Ali has urged the HC to direct Malik not to make any comments against the NCB or any other investigating agency associated with the Aryan Khan case and officers of such agencies, saying it will demoralise the probe agencies and encourage drug abuse among citizens.

Citing some of Malik's recent tweets, the PIL says the minister has been tweeting and making claims against the NCB and its officer Sameer Wankhede to "demoralise" them.

The plea claims that the NCB, under the supervision of Wankhede, has proven to be the "most effective" agency in the recent past.

The high court is yet to assign a date for hearing the PIL.

Aryan Khan (23) was arrested on October 3 along with his friend Arbaaz Merchant, fashion model Dhamecha and some others by the NCB, after it raided a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast and claimed to have seized drugs onboard.

While Aryan Khan and Merchant are now lodged at the Arthur Road prison, Dhamecha is at the Byculla women's prison.

A special court for NDPS cases had refused to grant them bail following which they moved the high court.

Malik has repeatedly termed the cruise drugs case as "fake" and levelled various allegations against Wankhede, including illegal phone tapping.

Wankhede has refuted the allegations and denied any wrong-doing.

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US regulators are expelling a unit of Telecom Ltd., one of the country's three major state-owned carriers, from the American market as a national security threat amid rising tension with Beijing.

Telecom (Americas) Corp. is required to stop providing domestic interstate and service in the within 60 days, under an order approved Tuesday by the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC cited the danger that Beijing might use the company eavesdrop or disrupt U.S. communications and "engage in espionage and other harmful activities against the

The Biden administration has extended efforts begun under then-President Donald Trump to limit access to U.S. technology and markets for state-owned Chinese due to concern they were security risks or helping with military development. Telecom is among that were expelled from U.S. stock exchanges under an order by Trump barring Americans from investing in them.

The FCC said in 2019 that due to security concerns it planned to revoke licenses granted nearly two decades ago to China Telecom and another state-owned carrier, China Unicom Ltd. It rejected a license application by the third carrier, China Mobile Ltd.

China Telecom Americas' ownership and control by the Chinese government raise significant national security and law enforcement risks, said an FCC announcement.

The company's conduct and communications to U.S. government agencies demonstrate a lack of candor, trustworthiness and reliability, the FCC said, without giving details.

The Chinese government has said it would take steps to protect its but has yet to announce any retaliation over their status in the U.S. market.

The telecom companies are on a U.S. government blacklist of entities deemed by the Pentagon to be involved in military development. Others include state-owned oil companies, suppliers of processor chips and video technology and construction, aerospace, rocketry, shipbuilding and nuclear power equipment companies.

Beijing warns US support for Taiwan poses huge risks

China condemned the USs latest overture toward Taiwan, warning that ties between the two countries faced huge risks just weeks after Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping agreed to hold a video summit. US Secretary of State Antony Blinkens call for greater participation by Taiwan in UN organisations violated the one China understanding between Beijing and Washington.

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After announcing robust quarterly results during the earnings call, Alphabet and CEO said the new Pixel 6 series and Tensor chipset lay a good foundation.

The new Pixel 6 and 6 Pro bring together the best of Artificial Intelligence (AI), software and hardware, with the most advanced and inclusive cameras the company has ever built, Pichai added.

"If you look at the Google Tensor bet, these are multiyear bets, which finally play out and I couldn't be more excited by the reception for Pixel 6 and Google Tensor," he said.

"And I think it lays a good foundation of what we want to do in the future," he added.

The Google CEO said he is excited about the range of Pixel phones available this holiday season.

"They are beautiful, fast and powered by Google Tensor, a first-ever system on a chip," he added.

"It's specifically built to support Google AI and machine learning on device, and provides a long-term foundation for our Pixel devices," he said.

The Pixel 6 comes with a 6.4-inch OLED display while the Pixel 6 Pro comes with a 6.7-inch LTPO display that will feature a variable refresh rate ranging from 10Hz to 120Hz.

The Tensor chip houses the Titan M2 security chip that Google says has the most layers of security.

"On Pixel, we worked with an entire ecosystem of partners. We signed partnership agreements with more than 45 carriers and retailers across nine countries at launch, including deep collaboration, with each of the major US carriers: AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon," said Philipp Schindler -- Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer.

Meanwhile, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has posted a record revenue of $61.9 billion for the July-September quarter along with a record profit at $18.9 billion.

Google Services revenues were $59.9 billion, up 41 per cent, and Google Search and other advertising revenues of $37.9 million in the quarter were up 44 per cent.

--IANS

vc/khz/bg

(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.)
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], October 27 (ANI/PNN): 121 Finance, an RBI registered NBFC, focused on Short Term Working Capital Finance, has become one of the first lenders on GeM SAHAY and hence one of the earliest adopters of OCEN (Open Credit Enablement Network). This Government e-Marketplace SAHAY initiative brings a complete financing solution for sole proprietors to avail instant, frictionless financing to help fulfil government orders. With this, 121 Finance joins ICICI Bank and UGRO capital on this platform.

121 Finance has built a proprietary technology stack that can provide end-to-end digital loans as low as Re.1. Passionate about Working Capital Management, Dr Ravi Modani founded 121 Finance, now present in 86 cities across the country. 121 Finance offers various innovative products ranging from Invoice Discounting to Factoring; Purchase Finance to Credit Coverage solutions like 121 Smart Credit as Channel Finance from Distributors to Dealers.

GeM Sahay opens up a multibillion-dollar opportunity with almost 50 lakh products, a transaction value of Rs.147,000 crores, and 29 lakh registered suppliers. "Going live on GeM Sahay also opens a huge opportunity to act as co-lending partners and tech-enabled lending partners to various banks. Being able to disburse a loan in less than 10 minutes of the application being made is a showcase of the technical competence, agility, maturity, and disruption in Trade Finance with innovative, customised solutions. 121 Finance uses its own proprietary algorithm named RACE(), which is based on machine learning to enhance the deliverables and also underwrite risk, without the involvement of human emotion.", says Dr Ravi Modani, Founder & CEO, 121 Finance.

Prashant Kumar Singh, CEO Government eMarketplace, says, "It is great to have 121 Finance onboard to provide cash flow based loans. Purchase order financing will help MSMEs accept larger purchase orders and hence provide a boost to economic activity."

This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)

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Kauvery Hospital Chennai, a unit of Kauvery Hospitals, one of the leading healthcare chains in Tamil Nadu successfully treated a 91-year-old man and an 80-year-old woman for Stroke recently. The former presented with weakness on right side of his body and was unable to speak or move his limbs freely.

"The elderly patient came to us with a slight paralysis on right side of his face and we proceeded for a CT brain to rule out any bleeding. We then administered him with IV Thrombolysis, (a therapy given to remove any clots in the blood vessels and improve blood flow within 30 minutes of presentation. He was then transferred to ICU and with constant monitoring, medication, physiotherapy and speech therapy he improved in a couple of days. He is currently stable and walking. This highlights the fact that age is not a hurdle to provide modern medication for stroke. With advanced treatment and technology, a stroke can be reversed, but only with right diagnosis, right treatment at the right time," explains Dr Sivarajan Thandeswaran, Senior Consultant Stroke and Neurovascular Medicine.

A stroke can turn fatal if not diagnosed and treated at the right time. It is important to be aware of the symptoms and signs, as it aids people to help someone undergoing similar situations. However not every patient comes with same set of symptoms, it is the right diagnosis and understanding of a patient's medical history that helps in providing the right treatment at the right time.

The second patient an 80-year-old woman developed a sudden weakness on left side of her body and loss of consciousness. She was evaluated by her family doctor and hence was transferred to the emergency room of the hospital under 35 minutes. "The patient underwent a CT scan within 10 minutes of her admission to the ER, and a long clot was detected. Upon analysis, we predicted that an IV Thrombolysis may not be successful, and hence was immediately mobilized to the cath lab where the clot was removed with a stent retrieveserved on 29th October, and the aim has been to create awareness on stroke, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment."A stroke generally occurs due to high blood pressure, uncontrolled diabetes and poor lifestyle patterns such as smoking or consumption of alcohol. However, age is a major risk factor as it most commonly affects people above 60 years. The symptoms include weakness of facial muscles, legs or hands, difficulty to move, inability to speak. The first 4.5 hours is the golden period to reverse a stroke attack," he adds.

r technology (a procedure used to remove clot from arteries). She was discharged in a week and is now stable," adds Sivarajan.

Every year World Stroke Day is obSpeaking about the two successful cases, Dr Aravindan Selvaraj Co-founder and Executive Director, Kauvery Hospital Chennai say, "During the time of stroke, the immediate step should be to rush the individual to the nearest hospital and begin the treatment in the 'golden period'. Also, there's a misconception that senior citizens, especially those above 80 years have lesser chances of surviving a stroke attack, but it is to be noted that the right diagnosis is required to provide the right treatment as anything which may go unnoticed can lead to further complications or turn fatal. Our centre has the most advanced treatment technologies and the right expertise to diagnose and treat patients across all age groups and the dedicated geriatric care provides a holistic approach in treating the elderly. I congratulate Dr Sivarajan Thandeswaran and team for successfully treating stroke in a time-critical fashion with shortest door to needle/treatment time and also stressing on the importance of timely diagnosis and modern treatments."

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Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 27 (ANI/NewsVoir): Committed to enhancing employee health in India, Bangalore-based employee wellness platform Nova Benefits has partnered with AI-based leading healthcare management platform Zyla Health to offer high quality, personalized and real-time 24 x 7 care to all partners of Nova Benefits.

This partnership will offer a personalized wellness program to corporations - starting with a Health Risk Assessment, along with an Annual Health Check-up. Based on the results of the assessment and the check-up, Zyla will prepare a Group Health Report which will explain the risk cohorts, along with recommended interventions to the corporate partners.

Founded in 2020 by Saransh Garg and Yash Gupta, Nova Benefits, is a technology-led employee wellness platform, centered around insurance. Since its inception, the company has been working towards providing employees with access to their wellness benefits on a single platform, increasing their insurance coverage and helping HRs save time by automating manual workflows. Through the partnership, Nova Benefits will receive access to Zyla's unique healthcare offering powered by an experienced medical team & an AI care engine that understands the risks before suggesting interventions & treatment for effective health risk management.

Commenting on the announcement, Saransh Garg, Co-founder and CEO, Nova Benefits said, "The health and wellness industry in India has witnessed a significant upsurge in the past few years. Our partnership with Zyla brings us closer to our vision of a full-stack health and wellness offering for our partners."

As a part of the risk assessment, Nova Benefits will offer corporates a full body health checkup from Zyla that will include 61 tests including Hemogram, Lipid Profile, Liver Function Test, Diabetes Screening, Thyroid Profile Total, Iron Deficiency Profile. Additionally, the employees will go through a health assessment (lasting 15-25 minutes) with the Zyla medical team, on the basis of which a personalised risk profile will be shared with the employees to plan their interventions, if required.

Speaking on the development, Khushboo Aggarwal, Founder and CEO, Zyla Health, commented, "At Zyla, we are on a mission to personalise care to every individual. The generic, one-size-fits-all approach is obsolete & ineffective when it comes to healthcare. We are proud to lead this paradigm shift in personalising care as per the employee's unique health assessment and delivering it by a world-class team of in-house Doctors and healthcare professionals backed by data-driven and empathetic technology. With this latest partnership, we aim to cater to the healthcare needs of more than 100,000 Nova users by bringing to them a personal healthcare expert that is always by their side."

Nova Benefits is an Employee Wellness Platform with a core focus on corporate health insurance. We help companies buy and manage their health insurance policies, in addition to wellness benefits such as fitness-engagement, doctor-on-call facility, mental health counselling, and many more.

Headquartered in Bangalore, Nova works with 150+ companies across India, with over 100,000 users and works with all major insurance providers in India.

With a user rating of 4.8 on the Google Play Store, Zyla is currently the highest-rated care management app in the medical category in India. The key differentiating factor of Zyla is that it takes a holistic, clinical approach to provide hyper-personalized and real-time patient care programs under an experienced team of accomplished doctors and healthcare experts.

Its programmes are built on four pillars - Medication, Nutrition, Physiotherapy, and Emotional wellbeing - to provide all-around, end-to-end care to the patients. The app features an advanced AI-based chatbot, which is built on 50,000+ medical protocols with inputs from leading doctors from around the country. While the chatbot is designed to address simpler lifestyle-related queries of patients, more complex queries are escalated algorithmically to an in-house team of doctors & paramedics.

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

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All that we suspected about  that it advances hate-filled content and induces anxiety and depression among youngsters  seems to be increasingly coming in the glare and drawing regulators serious attention. The papers, the giants internal research documents leaked by former employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugen, suggest that was acutely aware that its platform was being used to spread misinformation and propagate hate and violence in many countries. Haugen has also accused the company of harming children and weakening democracy. The Facebooks papers, among other things, suggest that Facebooks algorithm favours and that Instagram might be worsening body image issues among teenage audiences. The importance of these findings cannot be fully appreciated unless one grasps the size of the universe. With an active monthly user base of 2.74 billion, Facebook has a 59% share of the worlds social networking population. In India, which is its largest market by user base, Facebook has 410 million users. Add to that the user base of the companys other platforms  WhatsApp has 530 million users and Instagram 210 million. As much as 75% of the countrys social networking population uses Facebook. If we undertake a deeper examination of the allegation against Facebook  that it is promoting hate-filled content on users feeds  then we need to delve into what could be the possible incentive for doing such a thing. The answer might lie in Facebook's business model, which is advertising-driven. Advertisers want more visibility and want to reach more and more users. And according to Facebook's own research  as revealed by Haugen to CBS' 60 Minutes  Facebook users stay hooked to the app when they see content that plays to their prejudices and inspires an angry reaction in them. She said: "Facebook has realised that if they change the algorithm to be safer, people will spend less time on the site, they'll click on less ads, they'll make less money. Facebook, meanwhile, has countered these allegations.

Its CEO Mark Zuckerberg said: The argument that we deliberately push content that makes people angry for profit is deeply illogical. We make money from ads, and advertisers consistently tell us they dont want their ads next to harmful or angry content. These findings are very relevant for India, too. Last year, the Delhi Assembly was also probing the role of Facebook in instigating violence during the Delhi Riots of February. The clamour for regulations for big tech is growing. But is it possible to rein in these big tech players whove grown bigger in financial muscle than most countries even? Recently, there were reports that India was considering revoking the safe harbour provision, which allows social media platforms to avoid liability in case illegal content is circulated on their platforms.
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
Photo: David Wylie/ the oz. Jeff and Sheri Aubin founded Smoker Farms in Beaverdell, BC.

Jeff and Sheri Aubin are the passionate couple behind the mom-and-pop legal cannabis grower Smoker Farms.

In fact, you may have smoked a little something, something grown by Jeff before cannabis became legal. Hes been at it for 25 years and has brought his legacy experience to the legal market.

Cannabis is my life, he says. All Ive ever wanted to do is grow weed.

Located in Beaverdell, B.C., Smoker Farms is a micro-cannabis producer able to grow about 500 pounds a year. The operation is tucked into in the West Kootenay woods off Highway 33 on a lot where the Aubins plan to build a home. They sold their place in Kelowna and uprooted their life in November 2020 to follow their cannabis dream.

I was in the black market, hiding behind a medical licence like everybody, says Jeff. Obviously I was hoping one day it would lead to this, but never thought it would ever happen in our lives. When the legalization of cannabis came around we had to make quick decisions on what are we going to do because I was done with the black market; its a saturated market. I was sick of being afraid that everything Id worked for so long would be taken away from us by illegalities.

Smoker Farms first small-batch release was The Ultimate, which smells and smokes like the good stuff from back in the day. The Indica-dominant hybrid has 21.8% THC and 2.89% terpenes, mainly caryophyllene, limonene, and myrcene. Its packaged and distributed through Joint Venture Craft Cannabis.

When I visited this past summer, their first batch of highly anticipated Master Kush Ultra was just harvested and hanging to dry, and a second batch was already flowering. Now, its hit the BC cannabis marketclocking in at over 26% THC, its getting lots of positive reviews.

Jeff says the strain is the couples all-time favourite and what hes growing is truly unique to the legal market.

Nobody has this Master Kush Ultra strain that I have, says Jeff, adding theyre seeds from 15 years ago that hes spent years perfecting.

Its such a unique Master Kush Ultra strain. Its got such an addictive flavour. It hits like a hammer too.

The Aubins got their micro-cultivation licence on June 26, 2020, after successfully fulfilling Health Canadas arduous application process. They did a lot of the work themselves, but had guidance from Michael Ciardullo at dicentra Cannabis Consulting out of Toronto.

My blood, sweat and tears are in every nail and every screw in this place, says Jeff.

Theyve kept the facility relatively simple and had friends come help with the construction to keep costs down. Walls in the corridor are exposed plywooda much different look than many of the larger scale producers.

Inside the grow rooms, however, Smoker Farms has tapped into modern cannabis-growing techniques. Instead of soil, they use much cleaner rock-wool blocks. They also employ a Dosatron system that allows Jeff to feed the plants exact amounts of food at specific times. He can control much of the operation from his cellphone.

They received help with their setup and techniques from master grower Daniel Saez, who helped them with genetics and guidance on growing.

It entered a whole new world for us of growing with science, says Jeff. We can grow like the big boys. As part of their process, they remove almost all the leaves and lower portions of the plants, so that only the top colas remain.

Our concept here is that we want just to grow the flowers and we want all upper canopy flowers, says Jeff. Everything in testing always tests higher at the top of the plant.

Their passion is evident in the care they take with the plants, from playing rock music in the grow rooms to ensuring the preservation of the trichomes as much as possible.

Trichomes are everything, he says. We spend countless hours in our room sitting and manicuring, making sure all the leaves are off, making sure there are no stems there. We touch every bit of cannabis, says Jeff.

Only with gloves though, adds Sheri with a laugh.

The couple met 27 years ago at Splashs Nite Club, a Kelowna bar. Theyve been inseparable sinceeven through the immense challenges of building a cannabis facility and getting licensed.

Most of our friends think were out of our mind a little bit for doing this, says Jeff.

Obviously this is a huge test for anyone. I know any business will test your strength and your bond with each other. This one it seems extra; it just seems around every corner theres something new to deal with.

Theres been a lot of tears, adds Sheri. Its not an easy journey. We were due for a complete life change.

Jeff says there are big things yet to come from Smoker Farms.

I have some of the best seeds on the planet in my vault. Ive got some 30% seeds, Ive got some crazy seeds, man. Just holding back a little bit. Dont want to release them all just yet, says Jeff.

I always wanted to produce some of the best cannabis on the planet. Thats what I strive for every dayto produce a flower that when somebody opens that little tin, they look at it and go, Holy! Its a work of art and I dont even want to smoke it its so beautiful.
Photo: CTV News

A man has been arrested after he tried to break into an ATM machine and steal money while asking Victoria Police officers for help.

Police say they were patrolling the 900-block of Yates Street in Victoria just after 3 a.m. Tuesday when they saw a man attempting to steal money from a bank machine, CTV News reports.

Two officers in uniform approached the man and saw that he had damaged the machine.

Police say the suspect knew there were people behind him and without turning around the suspect asked the two officers for help with the attempted theft.

The officers then identified themselves as officers and said that the suspect was under arrest, but then the man attempted to escape.

Police say the suspect was tackled to the ground and continued to fight during the arrest. No one was injured during the incident. The investigation is ongoing.

-with files from CTV Vancouver Island
Photo: The Canadian Press Rogers corporate head office and headquarters seen from Ted Rogers Way in Toronto on Monday, Oct. 25, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Evan Buhler

The boardroom drama engulfing Rogers Communications Inc. intensified Tuesday after Edward Rogers filed a petition to have his newly constituted board declared legitimate, and said his mother and sisters had previously supported his moves.

The son of late Rogers Communications Inc. founder Ted Rogers asked the B.C. Supreme Court on Tuesday for a declaration confirming the validity of his board. He also asked Rogers to adjust its registry to reflect the board he created.

The board is at the heart of a dispute that has broken out between Edward Rogers and his mother Loretta Rogers, sisters Melinda Rogers-Hixon and Martha Rogers and several of their associates.

Edward Rogers named five new directors to the board on Friday, a day after his mother, sisters and other members ousted him from his role as board chair because of what media reports described as a plot to remove CEO Joe Natale and replace him with Tony Staffieri, the company's former chief financial officer.

Natale, who was previously CEO of competitor Telus Corp., was appointed president and CEO of Rogers in April 2017, while Stafferi had been CFO for 10 years.

The other family members continue to back Natale, insist the board Edward Rogers formed is illegitimate and say the board as it existed prior to Edward Rogers changes is the only valid one.

However, the affidavit Edward Rogers filed when seeking affirmation of his board raises new questions about how strongly Natale is supported.

The court filings say that several board members, including Loretta Rogers, raised concerns about Natales performance as the firm was staging a $26-billion takeover of rival Shaw Communications Inc. and they began discussing Mr. Staffieri as a replacement.

My mother Loretta and sister Martha in particular expressed the firm view that Mr. Natale had had more than four years to prove himself and that it was time for a change, Edward said in his affidavit.

They also expressed support for Mr. Staffieri as a strong candidate to replace Mr. Natale.

Loretta Rogers disputes that characterization.

"The claims Edward makes in his affidavit are as unfortunate as they are untrue, she said in an email.

Edward Rogers alleges in the court filings that Natale approached him and said he overheard Staffieri talking about the plan. Natale told Edward Rogers he wanted to terminate Staffieri, but Edward refused.

At a Sept. 22 board meeting a few days afterward, Edward Rogers said he presented a slide presentation laden with performance metrics to show Rogers was underperforming its competitors under Natale's leadership.

Exhibits entered as part of Edward Rogers' affidavit show Rogers' share price had fallen during Natale's tenure and it was adding fewer wireless and internet subscribers than BCE Inc. and Telus Corp.

He alleges that he talked to Loretta and Martha Rogers about the circumstances in advance and the potential for Staffieri to take over. Both supported the plan, he said, and Loretta Rogers even prepared a statement to the board.

"Tony will be a strong CEO at Rogers and I look forward to working with him in his new role," Edward Rogers alleges Loretta Rogers said in her statement.

"He is all about results and execution and that is what we need as we have a tough five years ahead of us with integrating Shaw and achieving the objectives of that deal."

Loretta Rogers said the statement was written for her by Edward Rogers and based on information she thought to be "full, complete and accurate" about Natale's performance because it was provided by her son and board member Alan Horn.

She said she later developed a more complete perspective on the issue and reversed course to support Natale.

Melinda Rogers-Hixon said she too continues to back Natale.

It is unfortunate that Edward has advanced a false narrative regarding our mother to provide cover for his misguided position to replace the independent directors of RCI by the stroke of a pen," she said in a statement. (RCI is the company's stock ticker.)

Edward Rogers said in court documents, the companys board voted 10-1 in late September to accept Natales retirement, which was to happen on Oct. 1, but deferred resolutions related to Staffieris appointment a few days so his compensation package could be arranged.

John MacDonald, who was named board chair after Edward Rogers' removal and continues to speak for Rogers, said that's not true.

"At no time did the majority of the board vote to remove Joe Natale as CEO of Rogers Communications," he wrote in an email. "There are several critical and material items that are categorically false in the chair of the trusts affidavit and I plan to fully set the record straight when given the opportunity through the court process.

Edward Rogers said in court filings, board member John MacDonald interrupted a subsequent meeting to tell him some members have a new plan to present. MacDonald, Edward Rogers alleges, gave the floor to Martha Rogers to a present a plan to fire Staffieri and rescind Natale's retirement.

Edward said he, Horn and Melinda Rogers later visited his mother's cottage, where she was with Martha Rogers, to try to reach a resolution and he proposed letting Natale and Staffieri work together as the Shaw transaction neared closure.

"The next day, I received a brief email from Mr. MacDonald, copying his director group and Melinda, Martha, and my mother, saying 'Edward, we have reviewed the proposal you suggested to me yesterday and have rejected it.'" Edward Rogers wrote in his affidavit.
Photo: The Canadian Press Senator Renan Calheiros speaks during a session by the commission investigating the government's management of the COVID-19 pandemic at the Federal Senate in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

A Brazilian Senate committee recommended on Tuesday that President Jair Bolsonaro face a series of criminal indictments for actions and omissions related to the worlds second highest COVID-19 death toll.

The 7-to-4 vote was the culmination of a six-month committee investigation of the governments handling of the pandemic. It formally approved a report calling for prosecutors to try Bolsonaro on charges ranging from charlatanism and inciting crime to misuse of public funds and crimes against humanity, and in doing so hold him responsible for many of Brazils more than 600,000 COVID-19 deaths.

The president has denied wrongdoing, and the decision on whether to file most of the charges will be up to Prosecutor-General Augusto Aras, a Bolsonaro appointee who is widely viewed as protecting him. The allegation of crimes against humanity would need to be pursued by the International Criminal Court.

Sen. Omar Aziz, the chairman of the inquiry, said he would deliver the recommendation to the prosecutor-general Wednesday morning. Aras' office said the report would be carefully reviewed as soon as it is received.

Regardless of whether charges are filed, the report is expected to fuel criticism of the divisive president, whose approval ratings have slumped ahead of his 2022 reelection campaign  in large part because of Brazils outsize COVID-19 death toll. The investigation itself has for months provided a drumbeat of damaging allegations.

Since the start of the pandemic, Bolsonaro has sabotaged local leaders' restrictions on activity aimed at stopping the virus' spread, saying the economy needed to keep humming so the poor did not suffer worse hardship. He also has insistently touted an anti-malaria drug long after broad testing showed it isn't effective against COVID-19, assembled crowds without wearing masks and sowed doubt about vaccines.

Bolsonaro has defended himself by saying he was among the few world leaders courageous enough to defy political correctness and global health recommendations, and that he hasn't erred in the slightest.

Report author Sen. Renan Calheiros first presented the nearly 1,200-page document last week. It says that by insisting on treatment with the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as practically the only government policy to fight the pandemic, Jair Bolsonaro strongly collaborated for COVID-19's spread in Brazilian territory" and as a result is "the main person responsible for the errors committed by the federal government during the pandemic.

Committee members in the so-called G7 group of senators who arent from Bolsonaros base agreed on most of the points in Calheiros' report. They met Monday to hammer out final adjustments to the text.

Changes include recommending charges for 13 additional people, many of them current or former Health Ministry employees, as well as the governor of hard-hit Amazonas state. The final report recommends charges against two companies and 78 people in all, including Bolsonaro, administration officials, dozens of allies and the presidents three sons, who are politicians.

It also adds an additional violation for allegedly spreading false news following Bolsonaro's live broadcast on social media last week claiming incorrectly that people in the U.K. who received two vaccine doses are developing AIDS faster than expected.

The report also contains recommendations for two counts of "crime of responsibility, which are grounds for impeachment. But Lower House Speaker Arthur Lira, a staunch Bolsonaro ally, would have to bring a vote on whether to open impeachment proceedings  something seen as highly unlikely considering Lira is currently sitting on more than 120 other impeachment requests, according to information from the legislative body.

Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, one of the president's sons, called the report legally weak and politically motivated.

The intent of some senators on the investigative committee is to cause the maximum amount of wear and tear on the president, he told journalists.

An earlier draft had recommended the president also be indicted for homicide and genocide, but that was scrapped even before its presentation last week. Some committee members opposed such charges, while others expressed concern that bombastic claims could undermine the reports credibility.

The Senate committees final hearing on the inquiry Tuesday ended with a moment of silence for victims of the virus in Brazil.
Photo: The Canadian Press Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister announces that he will not be seeking re-election in front of the Dome Building in Brandon, Man., on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski

The Manitoba government has lost a two-year-long court battle against the federal government's carbon pricing plan.

A Federal Court judge has rejected Manitoba's argument that Ottawa should not have imposed an escalating minimum price on carbon, because the province was planning its own emissions plan that could have been just as effective.

"The (Ottawa) decisions were consistent with the statutory purpose of reducing (greenhouse gas) emissions by putting a price on them," Justice Richard Mosely wrote in a judgment released Tuesday.

"The inclusion of Manitoba on the list (of provinces subject to federally imposed pricing) was consistent with the statutory purpose and the guideline of ensuring that emissions pricing is applied broadly in Canada."

Former Manitoba premier Brian Pallister planned to have a flat $25 per tonne price on carbon. That was lower than the federal figure, but Pallister said Manitoba deserved credit for billions of dollars spent on clean hydroelectric projects, which utility customers continue to pay for.

Ottawa brought in a "backstop" carbon price on provinces that did not develop a carbon-pricing or cap-and-trade plan that met or exceeded the federal one. Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario argued the federal government was interfering in provincial jurisdiction. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled last March that Ottawa was within its constitutional authority.

The Manitoba government continued with its more limited court argument that the federal government has no right to impose a carbon pricing plan in a province where one already exists to reduce emissions equally.

Pallister said Manitoba's emissions plan, which included wetlands improvements and subsidies for fuel efficiency in the trucking industry, could meet or exceed federal targets without imposing a high carbon tax.

The judge said not only was Manitoba's plan not enacted at the time of the court challenge, the province's math was wrong.

"Manitoba relies on a misreading of its own evidence," Mosley wrote.

"According to Manitobas own evidence, Manitobas plan is 76,000 tonnes of CO2 (equivalent) lesseffective in 2022 than a price in accordance with the (federal criteria)."

Pallister stepped down as premier last month.The Progressive Conservative government said Tuesday it would review the ruling.

"The province will consider its options, now that Canada has again opened the door for jurisdictions to propose carbon pricing systems of their own beginning in 2023," Conservation and Climate Minister Sarah Guillemard said in a prepared statement.

Opposition NDP Leader Wab Kinew said the court fight was wrong from the start.

"Manitobans want a government that fights the climate crisis, not pointless legal battles."
Photo: The Canadian Press

A California police officer was convicted Tuesday of assault with a firearm in the 2018 fatal shooting of an unarmed mentally ill man who was shot nine times while driving away from police in a wealthy San Francisco suburb.

An attorney for the man's family called it a major step forward in holding law enforcement accountable.

After deliberating barely two days, the jury delivered a split verdict in the case against Officer Andrew Hall, who now faces up to 17 years in prison. They agreed Hall was guilty of the felony charge of wrongfully firing his gun in the death of 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda.

But the jury deadlocked on another and more serious count of voluntary manslaughter. Halls sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 14, according to the Contra Costa County district attorneys office, which says it is deciding whether to pursue a retrial on the manslaughter charge.

The case marked the first time a police officer was charged in an on-duty shooting in Contra Costa County, east of San Francisco, and is part of a push by more prosecutors to punish police misconduct after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis set off nationwide calls for social justice.

Todays guilty verdict holds accountable defendant Andrew Hall for his excessive use of force in the fatal shooting of Laudemer Arboleda, District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement. His actions were not only a crime, but they tarnished the badge and they harmed the reputation of all the good, hard-working police officers that work for our community.

Becton faced criticism for spending more than two years reviewing the case before filing charges on April 21, 2021. The announcement of charges came a day after a jury convicted Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin of killing Floyd.

It also came six weeks after Hall, who is white, shot and killed another man, Tyrell Wilson, a Black homeless man whose family said was suffering from depression and paranoia. The shooting of Wilson remains under investigation.

The fatal shootings  in a span of 2 1/2 years by the same officer  cast a spotlight on what criminal justice activists call a case of delayed justice and its deadly consequences. The Contra Costa Sheriffs Office, which has a contract to provide police services to Danville, had cleared Hall of misconduct after its own nine-month investigation into Arboledas shooting.

Civil rights lawyer John Burris, who represents Arboledas family in a separate civil lawsuit, said the assault conviction offered a measure of justice to the family but also left them disappointed.

For them there was no acknowledgement that (Arboleda) was killed wrongfully by the police. They thought he should have been charged with murder, not manslaughter, said Burris, who nonetheless felt the verdict showed progress.

It sends a message to other police officers that clearly you can be prosecuted and you can be convicted, said Burris, whose roster of high-profile police violence cases includes Rodney King and Oscar Grant.

Its a major step forward in looking at holding police officers accountable, Burris said. This was important. Is it a George Floyd ramification? Perhaps. But I also think its a drumbeat of what has taken place over the past 30 years from Rodney King to now.

During Halls three-week trial, prosecutors and defense attorneys presented competing narratives, alternately asking the jury to sympathize with the officers need to make split-second decisions or the troubled victim whose only crime was not stopping for police.

The events unfolded on Nov. 3, 2018, after a resident called 911 to report that a man later identified as Arboleda was knocking on doors and lingering outside homes in a Danville cul-de-sac. When officers arrived, they saw Arboleda get into into his car and drive away.

Arboleda led officers on a 9-minute, slow-speed chase through Danville. Hall was not involved in the initial pursuit but stopped his vehicle at an intersection to block Arboledas car. Police video shows Hall stepping in the path of Arboledas vehicle and firing a volley of shots into the windshield and passenger-side window.

Prosecutors argued Hall used excessive, unreasonable and unnecessary force. During opening remarks prosecutor Colleen Gleason presented dashboard and bodycam footage showing Hall jumping out of his car, running up to Arboledas vehicle and firing repeatedly into the cars windows.

The defendant fired 10 shots into the slow-moving vehicle of a mentally ill man, Gleason said. Nine of the bullets hit Arboleda, who had periodically shown signs of depression, but began displaying concerning behavior in the months before his death. Just months before his encounter with Hall, Arboleda was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital for three weeks and prescribed medication for psychosis and schizophrenia, his family has said.

Halls lawyers said the officer feared for his safety, and used body cam footage from different angles to show the right front tire of Arboledas car was pointed at Hall when the shooting started, indicating it was heading in his direction.
Photo: The Canadian Press Poland's President Andrzej Duda.

The European Union raised the stakes Wednesday in a standoff with Poland over judicial independence and the primacy of EU law, with the bloc's top court fining Poland $1.2 million a day to prevent what it called serious and irreparable harm to the EU's legal order and values.

The European Court of Justice imposed the penalty after a weeklong war of words in which Poland told the EU to stay out of its judicial affairs while other EU nations insisted that Warsaw could not continue to get huge EU subsidies while disregarding the bloc's democratic principles at will.

You cannot pocket all the money but refuse the values, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Wednesday, warning Poland not to treat the EU like a cash machine.

The Court of Justice decided to syphon off some of that money, saying the daily fine was necessary in order to avoid serious and irreparable harm to the legal order of the European Union and to the values on which that Union is founded, in particular that of the rule of law.

The EU's executive commission had requested the penalty until the Polish government acts to improve the functioning of the Polish Supreme Court and suspends new laws deemed to undermine judicial independence.

Polands deputy justice minister, Michal Wojcik, hinted that Poland may not respect the European courts decision once again, arguing that its not a proper ruling and has "no legal basis because the court allegedly acted outside its jurisdiction.

Radoslaw Fogiel, a spokesman for Polands nationalist ruling party, brushed the penalties off, saying Polands contribution into the EU coffers is much larger than that.

Overall, however, EU figures show that Poland is a net recipient of 12 billion euros ($14 billion) a year from the bloc.

The point of contention is the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court, a body that the ruling party empowered to discipline judges. Many Polish judges view the chamber as a tool to pressure judges to rule in favor of the governing authorities.

In July, the European Court of Justice ordered the suspension of the disciplinary chamber, but it is still operating.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told the European Parliament last week that the chamber will be abolished, but he gave no precise time for when that would take place. Wojcik said the proper legislation will come in due time.

De Croo on Wednesday targeted Morawiecki, who accused the EU of threatening World War III for insisting that Poland should respect the independence of the judiciary and the primacy of EU law. The Belgian prime minister said his Polish counterpart was playing with fire when waging war with your European colleagues for internal political reasons.

The comments follow years of disputes over changes that Polands right-wing government has made to the countrys courts. The EU believes the changes erode democratic checks and balances, and the European Commission is holding up billions of euros earmarked for Poland in a pandemic recovery plan.

Wednesday's decision also comes on the heels of an EU summit, where Polish arguments that its fundamental judicial changes would not undermine the EU failed to convince key bloc leaders.

Among them was French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Paris on Wednesday.

Morawieckis recalcitrance crystalized in an interview with the Financial Times over the weekend. When asked if Poland could retaliate by using its EU veto power to block legislation on climate issues, for instance, Morawiecki said: If they start the third World War, we are going to defend our rights with any weapons which are at our disposal.

The interview did not go down well with Morawieckis EU colleagues.

You are playing a dangerous game, De Croo said. This is about the overwhelming majority of member states  from the Baltics to Portugal  who agree our Union is a union of values, not a cash machine.

Poland's nationalist ruling party, Law and Justice, has been in conflict with Brussels since winning power in 2015 over a number of matters, including migration and LGBT rights. The longest running dispute, however, has centered on the Polish governments attempts to take political control of the judiciary.

The matter came to a head earlier this month when Poland's constitutional court ruled that some key parts of EU law are not compatible with the nations Constitution. The court stacked with ruling party loyalists gave its opinion after Morawiecki asked it to decide on whether EU or national law has primacy.

The fine imposed on Wednesday comes on top of a 500,000 euro daily fine that the Court of Justice ordered Poland last month to pay for having ignored its injunction to close the Turow brown coal mine. The ruling came in a dispute between Poland and the Czech Republic.
Photo: The Canadian Press Conservative Leader and leader of the official opposition Erin O'Toole listens to a question from a reporter during a news conference following caucus in Ottawa, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole says his caucus will respect and abide by a requirement that members of Parliament be vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a medical exemption to take their seat in the House of Commons.

However, he said at the earliest opportunity a question of privilege will be raised in the House to challenge the "improper conduct and precedent" set by the board of internal economy, which established the vaccine mandate.

O'Toole made the remarks Wednesday after a caucus meeting to discuss the Tories' position on mandatory vaccination and what it means for unvaccinated members.

The board of internal economy, an all-party committee that governs how the Commons operates, decided last week to make vaccines mandatory for everyone entering the House precinct who doesn't have a medical exemption.

The decision put O'Toole in a challenging spot as he has refused to disclose how many of his 118 members are fully vaccinated while he also opposes any return to a hybrid Parliament.

O'Toole said only the House of Commons itself  not the board  can determine its composition or conduct.

"Before the Speaker or House rules, and after they rule, the entire Conservative caucus will respect and abide by all the rules and all health guidance," he told a news conference.

The Conservative leader said he has always encouraged every Canadian to get vaccinated and there never should have been an election during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Justin Trudeau should frankly be ashamed of himself for politicizing vaccines and dividing Canadians at a time we need to come together."

O'Toole continued to say he's not in favour of a hybrid Parliament, where MPs are able to participate virtually in proceedings, and would not say whether his entire caucus is vaccinated. He did say that every Conservative member in the House of Commons will be vaccinated.

His own caucus members are split on the issue and what Conservatives should do next.

Before entering the caucus meeting, Alberta MP Ron Liepert said he has no problem telling people he's double vaccinated and believes the issue has become a distraction.

"We don't have the luxury of sitting here as an opposition party arguing about whether you should be vaccinated or not," he said.

"We should be doing what constituents ended up sending us here to do, and that's to hold this Liberal government to account."

British Columbia MP Mark Strahl said before the meeting that Conservatives must be clear like they were during the election campaign when they opposed vaccine mandates and said those who are unvaccinated should have the option to take rapid tests.

Also speaking before the meeting, Alberta MP Glen Motz said he doesn't think it should be up to the party leader to disclose personal health information.

An analysis by The Canadian Press shows at least 80 Conservative MPs report being vaccinated against COVID-19, with two saying they can't because of medical reasons.

Among the Conservatives who believe in keeping their vaccination status private is newly elected Ontario representative and former leadership contender Leslyn Lewis.

Lewis has been an outspoken critic of vaccine mandates and last week also posted on social media about vaccinating children against COVID-19.

She said parents question doing so partly because the shots don't guarantee against transmission of the virus.

Public health experts say there is overwhelming evidence the immunizations prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death.

"The media and the power structure expect me to sit in the back of the bus. I wont!" tweeted Lewis, who is Black, after her message about vaccinating kids against COVID-19.

"They will try to paint me as a reckless lunatic in order to lynch me into silence. I will always tell Canadians the truth, (and) no bully or threats will succeed against us!"

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said earlier Wednesday that the Tory approach to mandatory vaccines in Parliament was "selfish" and "elitist."

"I think the debate just shows how the Official Opposition  the Conservatives  are just talking about their own interests rather than what is happening in peoples daily lives."
HeidelbergCement agrees to 68% stake in Tanga Cement

ICR Newsroom By 27 October 2021

HeidelbergCement has signed an agreement to acquire 68 per cent of the shares in the Tanzanian cement producer Tanga Cement. The step aims to strengthen its local business and create significant synergies with its existing assets in Tanzania, says the company in a statement.



Through its subsidiary Tanzania Portland Cement, the largest cement-producing company in the country, HeidelbergCement already has a good market position in Dar es Salaam in eastern Tanzania. As part of this transaction, HeidelbergCement secures an important limestone quarry with measured resources for at least 30 years on top of its already existing reserves. Tanga Cements quarry and the associated cement plant with a capacity of 1.3Mta are located in the north of the country.

The closing of the transaction is subject to the fulfillment of customary conditions precedents (especially the clearance by several local authorities), which have to be fulfilled or waived within an agreed timeframe. As of 26 October 2021, closing of the transaction is expected in the second quarter of 2022. Upon closing, HeidelbergCement will make a public tender offer to acquire the remaining outstanding shares in Tanga Cement, following Tanzanian law and in alignment with the respective local authorities.

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GCC reports 12% rise in 3Q21 net sales

27 October 2021

Mexicos GCC has announced consolidated net sales of US$315.4m in the third quarter of 2021, up 12.2 per cent YoY on US$281.1m in the 3Q20.



EBITDA also advanced 10.2 per cent to US$110.1m from US$99.9m, while its EBITDA margin saw a modest decline to 34.9 per cent from 35.5 per cent.



We are pleased with the results delivered despite supply chain and energy cost challenges. GCC is on track to meet our full-year guidance, assuming favorable weather conditions continue, said Enrique Escalante, GCC's CEO.

"During the quarter, we reached positive net cash and our balance sheet is ready for growth to prepare GCC for a new phase of the industry's cycle."

US cement volumes increased 9.7 per cent YoY, as prices in the region were also up 10.3 per cent.

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After meetings on Tuesday in Moldova with top government officials and parliamentarians, Senator Bob Corker said Russias interference in Ukraine and Moldova is a wake-up call, calling on the U.S.

to strengthen relations with both countries in order to help stabilize the region.

Whats happening in Ukraine and Moldova is a wake-up call. Americans are beginning to understand we are paying the price for our disengagement from the region following the collapse of the Soviet Union, said Senator Corker. One of President Putins worst nightmares is to have a country like Moldova in his neighborhood that is reducing corruption, improving its democracy and forging closer ties with the West. Instead of a short-term response, the U.S. must have a long-term strategy to stabilize the region by strengthening relations with countries like Moldova and Ukraine.

Senator Corker is on a four-day trip to Moldova and Ukraine to assess firsthand the situation on the ground since Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and continued destabilizing involvement in eastern Ukraine and throughout the region.
Things were bleak. The final couple of groups were headed through 17 to the par 5 18th with the Chattanooga Mocs five strokes behind UT Martin at Black Creek Club. The Mocs made up the difference to share the team title with the Skyhawks at 7-under 857.The par 3 17th almost undid the Mocs. The counters played it 4 over but bounced back with three birdies at 18. UTM navigated the 243-yard 17th well at even par. But three pars and a triple bogey surged the Mocs into contention.Birdies from Matt Smith and Leon Bader made it a 4-stroke margin.Braedon Wears birdie made up all four shots as his Skyhawk counterpart triple bogeyed finding the water down the left side of the fairway twice off the tee.Paul Conroy got a bit unlucky as his second shot caught a slope over the over the green and jumped onto the cart path. He had to drop on the opposite side from the green and the awkward distance got him leaving it just short on the greens ledge that burned him to begin with.UTM had a birdie putt staring at Conroy just off the green. He calmly chipped the ball which got the assembled throng excited before it settled near the hole for the tap in par. The Skyhawks birdie effort was off and the two teams shared the win.Conroy finished at 6-under 210, tied for third. Nick Sutton from Tennessee Tech ran away with the win with 5-under on the day pushing him to 12-under 204.Conroys 69 today paced the Mocs 291 over the final 18. Matt Smith added even-par 72 as Braedon Wear turned in 74. Lean Bader had 76 ahead of Connor Nolans 78 which served as the drop score. Gabe Hunter led the individuals for Chattanooga in the field with 72. Alex Cobb was one behind at 73.Wear and Smith joined Conroy under par for the event with 1-under 215 which tied for 11th. Hunter wasnt far behind with 219 just ahead of Cobb and Gage Winklers 221. Nolan and Bader were next with 223 and 225, respectively, as Parker Highsmith completed the 54 holes at 235.The last team win was last fall at the J.T. Poston Invitational.Battle at Black CreekOct. 25-26 | Chattanooga, Tenn.LineupT1st of 17: 288-278-291=857 (-7)T3) Paul Conroy: 71-70-69=210 (-6)T11) Braedon Wear: 71-70-74=215 (-1)T11) Matt Smith: 74-69-72=215 (-1)T22) Gabe Hunter (I): 77-70-72=219 (+3)T36) Alex Cobb (I): 75-73-73=221 (+5)T36) Gage Winkler (I): 74-71-76=221 (+5)T47) Connor Nolan: 72-73-78=223 (+7)T57) Leon Bader: 80-69-76=225 (+9)T81) Parker Highsmith (I): 81-71-83=235 (+19)
Police were dispatched to Family Dollar, 2038 S Willow St., for a wreck turning to a disorder in the parking lot. Police spoke with the driver of a red Nissan Xterra, who said that the driver of the gold Chevrolet Cruze (no tag), claimed that he hit her car and wanted money for it. The man said he gave the woman $500 in order to appease her, and thought that everything was okay. It was at this time that she upped the amount, telling him she wanted more money. Instead of $500, she said she wanted $2,500 more from him.

After speaking with the man, police spoke with the woman, who claimed that while the man was backing up, he hit her bumper and pulled it off. The woman claimed that she asked him for money in order to fix the bumper and not call the police. She said he had $300 on him that she saw and when she asked for more money he said he needed to go to an ATM, that he didn't have that kind of cash on him. She then said that he gave her $500 instead of the $300 he originally had out. The woman said that was not enough money to fix her bumper, and that's why she called the police. Police then spoke with a person, who wished to remain anonymous due to fear of the police, who said that the man and the woman pulled up at the same time and that the gold Cruz was parked already and the bumper was already hanging off, and that when the man started to back up, the woman stopped him, saying that he hit her car. Police then spoke with another witness who said that she witnessed the passenger in the gold Cruz get out and start trying to pull the man out of his car and that the man was scared, and that's why he gave them that $500. This witness also stated that the man did not hit the woman's car. Police informed the woman that she had two options; that she could either give the man his money back and file a report, or keep the money and fix it herself. The woman asked police if they could have the man give her $200 more dollars and police said absolutely not - these were her options and she needed to make a choice. The woman decided to keep the $500, due to her not having insurance and the man not having insurance.

* * *

A woman called police asking for assistance looking for a lost apartment key. She said she lost her key when she was running, thinking she lost it in Coolidge Park when she stopped. Police were unable to locate the key. Police then gave her a ride back to her dorm.

* * *



A woman on Lee Avenue told police she had been having issues with her roommate over the volume at which she was playing her music. She informed police that she would be moving out of the apartment in 30 days. The roommate was not present at the time of police arrival, and the woman was unable to provide police with her information.

* * *

A man on Water Street told police he had just gotten home from being out and had gotten into a verbal disorder with his ex-girlfriend. When police spoke with the woman, she said that she and the man had been in an argument and she just wanted him to leave. While the man was gathering his things, there was a dispute over the location of money that had been in the woman's purse; however, the money was located. The man left the house and there was no longer a disorder.

* * *

A man on Youngstown Road told police he is having an ongoing issue with the ex-homeowner. He said he had told the man to gather the rest of his property from the residence. However, he said the man has been living in the garage area. Police spoke with the man at a local market store. He said he needed more time to get all of his belongings. He said he would also stop living out of the garage. The current owner said he would give the man more time.

* * *

An employee of Coin Laundry, 2411 Market St., told police a white female was refusing to leave the property. He said he wished to have the woman trespassed from the property. Police told the woman to leave the property and if she returned to the property, she would be arrested for criminal trespass. The woman left the property without incident.

* * *



An x-ray tech at AFC Urgent Care, 1521 Gunbarrel Road, told police that she arrived at the work around 7 a.m. and noticed the power was off to the building. She also noticed that a grate cover had been displaced in the parking lot. She walked outside and noticed that the power lever had been placed in the "off" position. She then walked to the rear deck of the business and observed the deck to be vandalized. A square hole had been cut in the deck. It is unknown what motive there was to cut a hole in the deck. No suspect information could be obtained. She was able to place the grate cover back in the proper position.

* * *

A man told police that while he was walking along the side of the soap box derby track, 6900 Bonny Oaks Dr., he observed a black leather purse. He said he opened the purse and found a small box containing a check, along with several pictures. Police collected the items and turned them over to Property.

* * *

The manager at WanderLinger Brewing Company, 1208 King St., told police that there was a group of people yelling racial slurs at another person in the bar. The manager told both people to leave and that he had called the police. All people involved went their separate ways without further incident, prior to police arrival.

* * *

Employees at the Speedway, 1330 E. 3rd St., told police a black male broke the beer fridge door. The store clerk said that the man walked over to the fridge door that had a "locked" sign on it and ripped the door open, causing the lock to break. The man left the scene prior to police arrival. The store clerk was unable to give police an estimate for the amount of damage caused to the door.
Around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Lake Forest Middle School students and faculty began receiving screenshots of a social media threat towards their school with a specific location, time, and plan of action.

LFMS SRO Craig Frost immediately began a precautious investigation in attempt to uncover the truth and protect the students and faculty of Lake Forest Middle School.

The Bradley County Sheriffs Office Patrol Deputies also responded to Lake Forest to monitor the school, hallways, and classrooms while they resumed their normal schedule.

After multiple students were interviewed, it was discovered that the post was being shared by a 7th grader, who also admitted to sharing the post after screenshotting it from another social media app.

The juvenile was taken into custody and charged with False Reports.

He is currently being held at the Bradley County Juvenile Detention Center, pending a detention hearing this week.

Sheriff Steve Lawson said, We are taking the school threats which have been shared on social media sites over the last few days very seriously. We want to send a clear message to students that anyone who participates in such activity will be prosecuted.

The Bradley County Sheriffs Office thanked SRO Lt. Jamie Thurman, LFMS SRO Craig Frost, BCSO patrol deputies, and Lake Forest Middle School administration for their collaboration, which ultimately led to the source of the social media threat.
In Hulus Dopesick Season 1 Episode 5, Whistleblower, Rick Mountcastle (Peter Sarsgaard) and Randy Ramseyer (John Hoogenakker) look for someone inside Purdue Pharma to testify. Meanwhile, DEA agent Bridget Meyer (Rosario Dawson) threatens Richard Sackler (Michael Stuhlbarg). Betsy Mallum (Kaitlyn Dever) and Dr. Samuel Finnix (Michael Keaton) sink deeper into addiction in Finch Creek, Virginia.

[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from Dopesick Season 1 Episode 5 Whistleblower.]

Jaime Ray Newman as Kathe Sackler and Michael Stuhlbarg as Richard Sackler | Gene Page/Hulu

Dopesick Episode 5: Things worsen in Finch Creek, Virginia

When Dopesick Episode 5 opens, viewers find Dr. Finnix drives continually from state to state to get more OxyContin from various doctors. He takes 400 mg to keep himself from getting Dopesick. In the middle of a procedure on a patient, Dr. Finnix makes too wide of an incision, and the patient begins to bleed excessively. His nurse, Leah Turner (Arischa Conner), calls the Sheriff (Anthony Reynolds) and shows him Finnixs empty pill containers. The doctor at the hospital questions Finnixs mistake, and the sheriff arrests him. Later in the episode, he checks into a rehab facility. When Billy Cutler (Will Poulter) visits the doctor, Finnix explains that he lost his medical license. However, the actual reason Finnix wanted Billy to visit was to get more OxyContin.

Meanwhile, Betsy takes her mothers pearls and wedding ring to a pawn shop, and the owner gives her extra money for a sexual favor. When Betsys parents, Diane Mallum (Mare Winningham) and Jerry Mallum (Ray McKinnon), ask her about the wedding ring, she admits she sold it. Betsy also admits she gets her OxyContin from the AA meetings. When Diane and Jerry go to the pawnshop to get their jewelry back, the owner of the Pawn Shop offers to sell it back for $3000. When they cant afford that, he tells them to press charges against their daughter.

Richard Sackler becomes president of Purdue Pharma

In Dopesick Episode 5, at the Sackler family board meeting, Richard Sackler predicts that OxyContin will become a billion-dollar drug within the next three years. He also moves to make himself the president of Purdue Pharma. Although they laughed at him initially and Uncle Mortimor Sackler (Andres Erickson) insisted Richard could never become president, later the family elects him. Kathe Sackler (Jaime Ray Newman) and Richard agree to make a move together. She convinces her siblings to vote for Richard, and in return, he nominates Kathe as Vice President.

This community will never be the same. A new episode of #DopesickHulu arrives tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/FmFHIz7v4j  Dopesick On Hulu (@DopesickOnHulu) October 26, 2021

RELATED: Dopesick: How to Watch the Michael Keaton Series That Everyones Talking About

Rick and Randy almost secure a Whistleblower in Dopesick Episode 5

In 2004, Assistant U.S. attorney Randy paid a visit to former sales rep Paula Greene (Caitlin Mehner). She explained that the whole sales rep team knew OxyContin was more addictive than Purdue claimed. However, Paula cant testify because she took a severance that included signing an NDA. She insists Randy leave.

Meanwhile, in a 2002 storyline, a young boy gets off the school bus, but his mom isnt there to get him. He told his grandmother that his mother changed after taking OxyContin. Rick Mountcastle discovers Mary Ann Sculics website, and she cries when he calls because Rick is the first person to return her call. According to Dopesick Episode 5, she bought her Purdue merchandise from Howard Udells (Brendan Patrick Connor) former secretary, Maureen Sara (Audrey Moore).

Dopesick Episode 5: Audrey Moore as Maureen Sara | Gene Page/Hulu

RELATED: Dopesick Episode 4 Pseudo-Addiction Recap  Dr. Samuel Finnix Sinks Deeper

The secretary of Howard Udell found (in 1999) that OxyContin was quickly becoming more popular than cocaine to crush and snort. She sent her findings to the Sacklers and higher-up management (According to Courthouse News, Maureen Sara did this in real life). After she sent the memo, her boss screamed at her and told her to delete all email records. Then she was fired for becoming an addict after Howard insisted she tries OxyContin. However, Maureen is afraid to testify because she knows the harassment she would receive. Rick and Randy explained that the grand jury file is sealed, and Purdue will never find out that Maureen testified. However, she relapses from the stress and is unable to testify.

Bridget fights racism and sexism at the DEA

In Dopesick Episode 5, Bridgets superiors, Louis Melton (Paden Fallis) and Jermaine Spellman (Samual Ray Gates), worry that shes too aggressive with the press. So, they choose the white man to be the face of the DEA. He insists it is not a war on Purdue Pharma, although Bridget believes it is. When Richard Sackler requests a meeting with the DEA, he asks that Bridget not be in attendance. However, she joins the meeting anyway. Richard offers to finance classes to help doctors and pharmacists learn how to prescribe better. However, Bridget tells Richard she wont back down until the pills are off the street.

Meanwhile, at home Bridgets husband, Paul Mendelson (Raul Esparza), confronts her about her case against Purdue. He asks if she cares at all how it affects him, and she doesnt.

Richard Sackler purchases One Stamford Forum in Dopesick Episode 5

As one of his first orders of business as President of Purdue Pharma, Richard Sackler purchases the sprawling new headquarters at One Stamford Forum. He pays 84 million dollars in cash, and the building pictured in Dopesick is the actual Purdue Pharma Headquarters that Richard Sackler purchased.

Actual headquarters of Purdue Pharma at One Stamford Forum in Stamford, Connecticut | Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

RELATED: Dopesick: The Real-Life Herschel Jick is Essentially Mortified About the Porter Jick Study

How many episodes of Dopesick are left?

At this point in the Hulu series, many viewers want to know how many more episodes of Dopesick they have to look forward to. According to IMDb, Dopesick has eight total episodes. After episode 5, viewers have three more episodes to watch weekly until the finale on Nov. 17. Dopesick drops to Hulu weekly on Wednesdays at 12:01 EST.
After the Floribama Shore episode A Lot Alike aired on Oct. 21, Gus Smyrnios and Candace Rice got into it on Twitter. The reality TV stars shared their sides of the same story regarding Gus sisters visit to the Georgia Peach House. Arguing continued between the two Floribama Shore stars throughout the weekend of Oct. 22, but the rest of the Floribama Shore cast kept quiet. Kirk Medas reveals why.

Gus Smyrnios; Candace Rice | MTV

Candace Rice talked to Gus Smyrnios sister Hannah when he ran away from the Montana house

The Foribama Shore cast Twitter feud revolves around a call Candace took from Gus sister, Hannah, when he was on the run in season 4. While the Floribama Shore cast was filming in Montana, Gus got frustrated with his roommates. Tired of being dubbed the bad guy, Gus got heated and ran away from the house, his roommates, and MTV production crews.

After realizing what happened, the roommates roamed around the Montana town trying to find Gus. Candace stayed back at the house, where she took a call from Hannah, who threatened to harm Candace if something happened to her brother. If anything f****** happens to my brother, Im going to personally beat your f****** ass, Hannah told Candace at the time.

Eventually, producers found Gus. When he came back to the house, he apologized for stressing the roommates out. But Candaces conversation with Gus sister got pushed aside until now.

Floribama Shore cast avoids the Twitter feud because they were told to not get involved

In the Floribama Shore episode A Lot Alike, Candace learns about Hannah coming to visit. She becomes frustrated with her roommates when they dont express concern about Gus sister, especially after the way she spoke to Candace.

What happened on the show between Hannah and Candace has yet to unfold. But Candace and Gus got into an argument on Twitter about the alleged racism among the Floribama Shore cast. Thats when Kirk spoke out.

I have bills to pay, Kirk tweeted on Oct. 23. When my boss tells me to not get involved in something. I dont.

Just [because] I dont put s*** on here for yalls pleasure doesnt mean s*** hasnt been said, he mentioned in a later tweet from the same day. Twitter isnt real life. The other members of the Floribama Shore cast havent spoken out about Gus and Candaces argument on Twitter, either.

Gus Smyrnios says fans will see his sister and Candace interact in future episodes of Floribama Shore

Floribama Shore still has more episodes to air, including the one where Hannah comes to visit. For the record, yall will see in a couple weeks, Gus tweeted on Oct. 22. My sister met Candace months ago and is extremely apologetic saying she was just worried about me she didnt mean to act like that. Candace then waits 6 months to talk s*** on Twitter.

@GusSmyrnios yo sist came in the house & asked producers if she could apologize. She had a whole apologetic spirit, when there was space & opportunity. We was sitting on the couch right next to each other. So if she was faking that apology, jus say that then#MTVFloribamaShore https://t.co/Z49DRqDiCF  Candace Renee Rice (@pimpfrydrice) October 23, 2021

RELATED: Floribama Shore: 4 House Rules the Cast Made up and 1 They Broke That Started a Feud

Candace has a different version of how things went down. Yo [sister] came in the house & asked producers if she could apologize, she replied in another tweet Gus deleted about setting up a fight between Hannah and Candace. She had a whole apologetic spirit, when there was space & opportunity. We was sitting on the couch right next to each other. So if she was faking that apology, jus say that then.

Showbiz Cheat Sheet reached out to MTV for comment. Representatives for the show did not reply by the time of publication.

Watch Floribama Shore on MTV Thursdays at 8PM EST.
Actor Keanu Reeves has always been known to be a nice guy. He has a willingness to help those in need and has regularly treated his fans with kindness and respect. A lot of folks in Hollywood could learn a thing or two from him. Reeves has also donated large sums of money to childrens hospitals. Reeves is continuing his nice streak after wrapping on John Wick 4. He purchased his stunt crew some very luxurious gifts that will connect them forever.

John Wick 4 will provide more worldbuilding

Keanu Reeves | VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images

John Wick 4 will be expanding the assassins world that was further explored in John Wick: Chapter 3  Parabellum. The plot details are kept secret, but Reeves previously said that John Wick 4 will dig deeper into the worldbuilding. New characters are also being added to the franchise.

Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane, and Lance Reddick will all be reprising their roles. Actor Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgard, and Scott Adkins are some of the new actors joining the cast. However, it isnt very clear how they will fit into the story quite yet.

John Wick 4 is sure to include a whole lot more big action set-pieces. The production was busy filming in Berlin, Paris, and Japan. Its the first installment to have a script not written by franchise creator Derek Kolstad. Chad Stahelski will be directing Shay Hatten and Michael Finchs screenplay.

Keanu Reeves gave the stunt crew very luxurious gifts

Keanu Reeves gave the 'John Wick 4' stunt crew $10K Rolex watches as a thank you for their hard work



(via jermskillz | IG) pic.twitter.com/pSPtMlTsVu  Fandom (@getFANDOM) October 26, 2021

Comic Book reported that John Wick 4 is either wrapped or very close to wrapping. Reeves purchased luxurious gifts for each stunt crew member, including Bruce Lee Concepcion, Jeremy Marinas, Dave Camarillo, and Li Qiang. He bought them each a Rolex Submariner. Reeves had each one customized with a specialized engraved back that reads, The John Wick Five, [NAME] Thank you. Keanu. JW4 2021.

Comic Book reports that each watch is worth $10,000 in value, which sets the gift total to around $50,000. This price includes the one he purchased for himself. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has interrupted the production of these watches, which makes it even more impressive that he managed to secure them. However, this is just another example of how giving Reeves is.

Keanu Reeves is dominating the action genre

Reeves has some big action movies coming down the pipeline. John Wick 4 isnt the end of the franchise. John Wick 5 has already been greenlit. The two action flicks were supposed to film back-to-back, but that ended up not working out. Reeves is also serving as producer on the television series The Continental. The Starz series will follow events occurring years prior to the movies over the course of three 90-minute episodes.

Next, Reeves The Matrix Resurrections will be hitting theaters on Dec. 22. The actor is returning to the role of Neo for the first time since 2003s The Matrix Revolutions. He will also be lending his voice in DC League of Super-Pets.

John Wick 4 is slated for May 27, 2022.

RELATED: John Wick 4 Is the Best Time Donnie Yen Has Had on Any Hollywood Film
Its safe to say most fans of Jurassic Park remember the bare-chested Jeff Goldblum scene from the 1993 film. Perhaps it was hard to tell when it was happening how truly iconic it would be today, but it turns out it was an unscripted decision by Goldblum that led to Dr. Ian Malcom becoming what some fans would argue is the movies sexiest character.

Goldblum is aware the scene is a favorite from all the various movies for some watchers. It did inspire its own Funko Pop! figure and a colossal statue, after all. The actor once revealed what led to his choice and whether he thinks the scene is as sexy as so many of his admirers seem to believe.

Jeff Goldblum | David Livingston/Getty Images

Jeff Goldblum broke down how his famous shirtless scene from Jurassic Park came to be

While speaking to IGN in 2018, Goldblum revealed that the scene in question was not in the script. He recalled some of the moments leading up to the decision to have him unbutton his shirt.

I cant even remember much, he started before describing some of the sequence. He noted that his character was injured after being bumped by movie villain  T-Rex. Plus, they were supposed to be in Costa Rica in the film, where he guessed it would be hot.

When it came to the actual moment, Goldblum said he didnt remember if director Steven Spielberg told him to or if he made the decision himself, but he unbuttoned his shirt. After joking that he asked for body oil, he clarified there was some natural sweat going on.

And thats how a sweaty, open-shirted Goldblum became part of cinema history from that moment forward.

Jeff Goldblum recreated the scene in 2020

Jeff Goldblum Recreates His Shirtless Jurassic Park Scene to Encourage Us All to Be Good Citizens https://t.co/6aIcNxnoU3  People (@people) October 9, 2020

In 2020, Goldblum paid tribute to the scene by recreating it when he was nearly 70. But he seemingly only did it for a good reason  to encourage voting.

Of important note, Goldblum has also shared his opinion on the sexiness of the moment. He said to IGN, No, there was nothing sexy going on there.

In the end, he concluded he wasnt quite certain how the scene developed or why it resonated with fans the way it did  and still does. He said, I dont know how this shirtlessness came to be. I dont know.

But just because he cant explain it doesnt mean it doesnt make him happy. He pointed out how his image inspired a Funko Pop! doll, asking excitedly, Did you see that  with me and my shirt?

A colossal Jeff Goldblum statue was displayed for the thirsty masses  but only for a short time in 2018

This is what fandom LOOKS LIKE sweetie.



A massive, shirtless #JeffGoldblum statue has appeared in London in celebration of Jurassic Parks 25th anniversary. Are you a fan? #JurassicPark Get the story here: https://t.co/GDNPb1mQzV pic.twitter.com/PU9nt2Fu16  9Honey Celebrity (@9HoneyCelebrity) July 19, 2018

After 25 years as a fan-favorite, someone in London decided to commemorate the coincidental movie moment with a giant statue of the open-shirted wonder. It appeared near the Tower Bridge  which is a world-famous historic landmark. So, tourists came to see the Tower of London and were probably surprised to find the statue included in the historically scenic view.

The monument portrayed a bronzy-looking Goldblum as Ian Malcolm, posed with an unbuttoned shirt and in the famous sprawled position. While the statue drew plenty of spectators eager to pose for pictures, it was only briefly displayed in 2018.

Goldblum gave a nod to the display by giving it 10/10 Goldblums on his Instagram. While the physical statue was removed after a short time  it is memorialized in image in many places on the internet.

So, as it turned out, that one off-the-script choice would find Goldblum sculpted  literally and figuratively  into the cultural landscape.

RELATED: Jurassic Park: A Paleontologist Who Worked On the Movie Could Recreate Real Dinosaurs By 2025
RuPauls Drag Race is a reality television series that often places emphasis on its humor. RuPaul, the recurring judges, and celebrity guests are constantly enjoying an onslaught of puns. Several jokes are repeated or referred to throughout the show. RuPaul once said on a talk show that he has a list of favorite comebacks to say that work in any given situation.

RuPaul is all about quick-witted banter on Snatch Game

L-R: Helen Mirren, RuPaul, and Jack Whitehall | Isabel Infantes/PA Images via Getty Images

Drag reality television competition show RuPauls Drag Race enjoys its quick-witted comebacks so much, theres an entire challenge dedicated to it. Snatch Game is a fan favorite. Drag queen contestants are given the opportunity to do their best celebrity impersonations. However, making RuPaul laugh through quick, witty banter is the main objective of the challenge.

RuPaul can be seen bursting into laughter during many Snatch Game episodes. He has also expressed disappointment on the impersonations that didnt make him laugh. Alaskas Mae West, BenDeLaCremes Maggie Smith, and Jinkx Monsoons Little Edie are only some examples of incredibly impressive snatch game performances.

RuPaul has a list of perfect comebacks

RuPaul talked about this banter on The Graham Norton Show along with fellow guests Helen Mirren and Jungle Cruises Jack Whitehall. The RuPauls Drag Race host had some difficulty remembering some of the comebacks, which generated big laughs from Mirren, Whitehall, and Norton.

In that clip of Catherine the Great, she utters one of my favorite lines that works all the time, RuPaul said. I say it all the time. I love saying, Ill be the judge of that. You can say it for everything. Like when the waiter says, Walk this way, Ill be the judge of that. I love it.

RuPaul believes that its important to have these lines in your head. He has even passed this advice down to the drag queen contestants on his show.

RuPaul continued: There are a lot of thoseI always love to say, Thanks for the warning. And I tell the kids on our show [RuPauls Drag Race], if you dont know what to say, at least have 10 things you can say. Like, for small talk, you can have a list of 10 things to say that work in every situation always. Always.

RuPaul has one favorite line that he likes to use for any situation. However, it catches some folks off guard and requires him to follow up with an explanation. Finally, he has three main sayings that are his favorites.

My all-time favorite one isI dont see how thats any of your business (laughs). And its funny, a lot of the time, I have to say to the person, Im just kidding, because no one ever expects it. So, the takeaway here, I dont see how thats any of your business, Ill be the judge of that, and Thanks for the warning.

Graham Norton told a Lucille Ball story

Graham Norton (@grahnort) will be joining the judging panel for @RuPaul's Drag Race UK.



Coming soon to BBC Three. pic.twitter.com/1o46fCTpuO  BBC Three (@bbcthree) February 14, 2019

Norton himself is a recurring judge on RuPauls Drag Race UK. He already has an established banter with RuPaul thats displayed on the show. Norton responds to RuPauls comebacks with one that hes heard before. However, this one is from star Lucille Ball herself.

Lucille Ball used to have one, Norton said. If she was having a dinner party and somebody went to the loo, when they came back in, shed go, Tell her to her face (bursts into laughter).

RELATED: RuPaul Charles Sashays Into Scripted Film and Television with Sony Pictures TV Deal
The disappearance of Carole Baskins husband, Don Lewis, was one of many things that captivated Tiger King viewers. They tuned into a documentary about big cat zoos, and ended up in a true crime series. Joe Maldonado-Passage, aka Joe Exotic, alleges Baskin killed Lewis and fed him to her tigers, but Maldonado-Passage also got convicted of hiring a hitman to kill Baskin. But wait, theres more. Tiger King 2 is coming.

Carole Baskin from Netflixs Tiger King |. Netflix

Netflix released the NSFW trailer for Tiger King 2 on Oct. 27. Its just a tease of the new revelations in the show, but it includes some major developments for the Lewis case. Tiger King 2 premieres Nov. 17 on Netflix, and heres what the trailer reveals about the ongoing Lewis case.

The latest on Carole Baskins husband Don Lewis in Tiger King 2

The Tiger King 2 trailer features new clips of many of the famous Tiger King players. Baskin, Jeff Lowe, and Tim Stark are there. Maldonado even speaks to the filmmakers by phone from prison. When it comes to Lewis, there are some soundbites without accompanying video.

What happened to Don Lewis? a man asks. Carole knows something.

One speaker addresses Lewiss travels. Apparently he was involved in some business that may have gone south.

Tiger King Season 2 premieres November 17! #TUDUM  Netflix (@netflix) September 25, 2021

RELATED: Tiger King: Jeff Lowe Worries Carole Baskin Will Turn Joe Exotic Zoo Into The Graceland of Oklahoma

He was dealing with some shady characters down in Costa Rica, he says.

Finally, another man hints at the fact that Lewis may have gotten in obver his head.

Don liked to play with dangerous stuff, the man says. Theyll kill you for that.

This is not the first time Costa Rica has come up in Tiger King. Baskin has previously cited planned trips to Costa Rica with Lewis to defend against allegations that they were having marital troubles.

Carole Baskins suspicion in the Don Lewis case

Lewis was Baskins second husband and she his second wife. They met in 1981 and opened the Wildlife on Easy Street sanctuary for bobcats. Lewis disappeared in 1997. Lewiss children from his first marriage allege Baskin fed their father to her tigers. Baskin, in turn, alleged that Lewis staged his own disappearance.

RELATED: Tiger King: Jeff Lowe Thinks Carole Baskin Would Have Lost Her Case If Joe Exotic Had Defended Himself

As the investigation continued, it was uncovered that Lewis had filed a domestic violence injunction against Baskin two months before his disappearance. Lewiss van was found 40 miles from the sanctuary. By 2002, Lewis was declared legally dead. However, the fact that his body was never found has fueled suspicion of Baskin.

Tiger King devoted an entire episode to Baskins scandal. When Lewis went missing, Maldonado-Passage publicly attacked his rival.

Other developments with Carole Baskin and Don Lewis since Tiger King

Had there been no Tiger King documentary, Lewis may have remained just another cold case. However, the attention of the show lit a fire under law enforcement to continue the investigations. New evidence continued to come to light. In June 2020, the Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister confirmed that Lewiss will had been forged, as his children also alleged.

The sheriff also opened a tip line to solicit new leads. Chronister has also suggested multiple people murdered Lewis. Lewiss attorney Joseph Fritz suggested he was strangled and dropped from an airplane into the Gulf of Mexico. Baskin herself wrote a blog post addressing some of the rumors that arose since Tiger King aired. She claimed it would have been impossible for her to put Lewiss body through a meat grinder to feed him to the tigers.
An artists rendering of the Legends Resort & Casino that Cherokee Nation Businesses hopes to build in Pope County, Arkansas.
Burnout. Compassion fatigue. Vicarious trauma. These words are often used to describe those in helping professions whose experiences weary them to the point of giving up. However, these terms further stigmatize those attempting to be Better Samaritans. The blame for any less than a sturdy stance in the presence of suffering is laid at the feet of the individual helper; its a character flaw, or a response to an unintended bit of friendly fire that wasnt meant to wound. The helper is seen as perhaps not cut out for the jobtheyre too soft or weak.

In todays world of the pandemic, natural disasters, and mounting refugee crises, humanitarian workers are crucial to our collective survival. Increasingly, the issues faced at work are also seen at homenurses care for the sick while worrying about spreading infection to their family, firefighters battle blazes while their homes are in the path of wildfires, and justice organizations help immigrants while wondering if their funding is secure. News reports reveal that anxiety, stress, and depression are increasing while those in helping fields are leaving the workforce in alarming numbers.

Those in helping fields are leaving the workforce in alarming numbers.

The wounded healer isnt a new concept. But as we grapple with the enormity of present needs, its time to reframe how we identify and heal these wounds. Rather than naming them as individual hurts, they must be seen as affecting a bodya collective. Their root cause isnt an inability of one individual to deal with others traumas, but the absence of recognition that despair results from failure on the part of trusted leaders and community members to acknowledge the lived experience of the helper. Likewise, the remedy is not the solitary journey of an individual engaged in self-care, but rather a communal reshaping of the places inflicting injury onto the healers.

A better term to describe the situation of the weary worker is moral injury. Moral injury is the profound dissonance we feel when what we hold as central values guiding our actions are seemingly contradicted in the conduct of our work. Shame, guilt, and workplace errors result from moral injury. Initially attributed to veterans dealing with the aftermath of war, the term now is used more generally. Moral injury displaces our trust in leadershipmilitary commanders, public health experts, faith leaders, or government officials. At its worst, moral injury makes us distrust God. For example, the timeless question of how a good God can let a child suffer may particularly resonate with child abuse specialists.

Currently, moral injury is seemingly inflicted by those we are trying to help. Protesters scream at health care personnel, when just weeks before, they were cheering them on from city windows. Educators try to provide safe learning environments while parents picket guidelines for their children. This assault on the would-be Samaritan by the presumed one in need adds fresh injury to unhealed wounds.

Recognition of moral injury as a cause of workplace stress is increasing, but antidotes for its healing are poorly understood. Destigmatizing moral injury by naming moral anguish and moral grief as appropriate responses to such wounds is a step toward healthy resolution. Anguish and grief, though, cannot be permanent states.

A new therapeutic approach is needed. All physical healing in the human body is a collective process dependent upon a diverse array of individual components collaborating to provide the right resources for the space to heal with restored function. So, too, our collective body must come together to heal the wounds of moral injury. The injured Samaritan needs to be met with others who recognize the injury, provide the resources, pull together the wound edges, and allow healthy scars to form so function can go forward. Ideally, restoration occurs such that all band together in reaching for the good they cherish, perhaps more fit for the work now than they were previously.

Subscribe to email digests from the Better Samaritan.

How does this take practical shape? There is much to learn. A start is for leaders to recognize and name the injuries experienced. Some hospitals practice reflection rounds where staff can visit the wounds of the day, giving voice to their feelings in the company of their peers. Churches may offer services of lamentthese can be fashioned with particular emphasis on humanitarian helpers and their losses. Where two or three are gathered, Christ offers his presencethose in these vulnerable settings can be provided real partnership in their work rather than relying on individual approaches. Spiritual care fully integrated into the workplace setting can offer a holistic response to the wounds of the day. Tenderly showing community members our wounds is a humanizing process that may pull us back to each other across our divides.

Better Samaritans are often the walking wounded. May we bind ourselves more fully into each others needs so that none are outside of anothers care.

Jennie A. McLaurin (MD, MPH, MA) is a Senior Fellow for Public Health Integration and Innovation at the National Association of Community Health Centers. Her recent book, Designed to Heal: What the Body Shows Us about Healing Wounds, Repairing Relationships, and Restoring Community, examines ways we can mirror the bodys healing processes as we engage with our social wounds.
A Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday considered the nomination of Rashad Hussain to be President Joe Bidens ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. Hussains confirmation would make him the first Muslim to hold the position.

Hussain held a number of roles in the Obama administration, serving on the National Security Council, as an associate White House counsel, and as special envoy for strategic counterterrorism communications and special envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The OIC is an intergovernmental organization representing 57 member states, most of them with a Muslim majority.

The 42-year-old lawyer was one of five nominees who took part in the virtual confirmation hearing on Tuesday.

(A)s a Muslim American, I have seen the impact of bigotry and guilt by association tactics used against minority communities, including the message it sends and dangers it poses to young people, Hussain said during his prepared remarks to the committee.

Hussain, born in Wyoming to Indian parents and raised in Texas, is a Hafiz, or person who has memorized the entire Quran.

Hussain vowed to ensure that religious freedom issues would never be sacrificed in diplomatic or economic negotiations with China.

China is one of the worst abusers of religious freedom in the world, Hussain said in response to a question about Americas response to the Uyghur genocide. Hussain called for increased US pressure on China to alleviate the suffering of not only the Uyghurs but Tibetan Buddhists, Chinese Christians, and members of the Falun Gong religious movement.

He suggested that America should encourage Muslim-majority nations to protest Chinas treatment of its Muslim population, suggesting such a strategy would have a significant chance of making an impact and helping the lives of people in China.

As the OIC special envoy and in other roles, Hussain gained experience in interfaith diplomacy. He oversaw the Marrakech Declaration, an effort to ensure protections for Christians and other minority religious groups in OIC member states.

A staggering 80 percent of people worldwide live in environments with high or severe restrictions on religious freedom, Hussain told the Senate committee.

He also vowed to continue the work of his predecessor, Ambassador Sam Brownback, nominated by President Donald Trump, vowing to continue to build the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. The intergovernmental arrangement involving 27 countries was the signature initiative of Brownbacks tenure in the office.

In the history of this position, no ambassador has brought the breadth of policy knowledge that Hussain brings, wrote Princeton University professor Robert P. George and former IRF ambassador Rabbi David Saperstein in an op-ed for RNS. They highlighted the support for his nomination from the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention and from the Baptist World Alliance, as well as from Jewish groups.

Christian leaders advocating for international religious freedom have applauded his nomination and encouraged the Senate to confirm him to the position.

As the first Muslim to serve in this role, Hussain would send a strong signal rejecting despicable anti-Muslim discrimination, stereotyping and hatred that we have seen in America and abroad, wrote Bob Roberts, a Texas pastor and multifaith ministry leader, and Chris Seiple, president emeritus of the Institute for Global Engagement, in a column for the Dallas Morning-News last week.

And, we should note, he is the perfect person to visibly and vocally defend the rights of religious minorities, especially Christians, in some Muslim-majority contexts that have struggled to promote religious freedomas we have witnessed him do throughout his career.

Additional reporting by CT.
Challenging Biden, Alabama gov. orders state agencies to fight federal vaccine mandates

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Citing outrageous overreach by the federal government, Republican Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed an executive order Monday instructing state agencies to resist the Biden administrations vaccine mandates.

The federal governments outrageous overreach has simply given us no other option, but to begin taking action, which is why I am issuing this executive order to fight these egregious COVID--19 vaccine mandates, Ivey said in a statement. Alabamians  and Americans alike  should and must have the choice to roll up their sleeves to get this shot and certainly not forced by government. While President Biden laughs at the idea of protecting your freedoms, I will continue fighting for Alabama businesses and their employees.

Iveys order comes after President Joe Biden moved last month to mandate that all employers with 100 or more employees require their employees to be fully vaccinated or show a negative COVID-19 test at least once a week or be fined $14,000 per violation. The order also mandated vaccines for healthcare workers, federal contractors and most federal workers who could face penalties if they refuse.

Weve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin. And your refusal has cost all of us. So, please, do the right thing. But just dont take it from me; listen to the voices of unvaccinated Americans who are lying in hospital beds, taking their final breaths, saying, If only I had gotten vaccinated. If only, Biden said in remarks announcing the mandates on Sept. 9.

Ivey argued that COVID-19 vaccine mandates are not the way to go, noting in her order that the best ways to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations in Alabama is through education, transparency, communication and persuasion  not government coercion.

Effective immediately, no agency, department, board, commission, or other entity within the executive branch of state government shall, under color of state law, seek to impose a penalty on any business or individual for noncompliance with any federally imposed requirement that has the purpose or effect of (a) forcing an individual to receive a COVID-19 vaccination or (b) requiring a business to force its employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, the governor's order states in part.

To the extent any such entity is required or compelled to impose such a penalty as a result of federal law, the entity shall take all practical steps to notify the affected business or individual that the State of Alabama does not approve, condone, or otherwise endorse the imposition of such a penalty.

At least 24 Republican state attorneys general threatened legal action last month against the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates and Ivey joined that choir on Monday.

If the federal government presses on with these new federal mandates, then the Biden White House has once again failed the American people. As I have stated, no doubt, this will be challenged in federal courts. I am already working in concert with Attorney General Steve Marshall, because Alabama is standing firm in this fight. This latest move by the federal government is what I believe is an illegal overreach, and I am confident we will win the battle in the courts, she said.

I am adamantly opposed to federal mandates related to the COVID-19 vaccine and adamantly opposed to state mandates related to the COVID-19 vaccine, plain and simple. As long as I am your governor, the state of Alabama will not force anyone to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Through todays order, the state of Alabama is making our position on this issue crystal clear. A state law in response to President Biden is not enough. The courts are where this will be resolved. Today is one step in this fight, but certainly not the last, Ivey added.
Congressmen demand AG Garland retract memo calling on FBI to investigate parents, school board threats

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Republicans in the House of Representatives have urged U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to rescind a memorandum directing the FBI to investigate parents and alleged threats against school board members and teachers.

In a letter sent to Garland on Monday, the House Republicans said the attorney generals testimony before the Judiciary Committee about his memo was troubling.

You acknowledged that you issued the unusual directive soon after reading about the thinly sourced letter sent by the National School Boards Association (NSBA) to President Biden and not because of any specific request from state or local law enforcement, read the letter.

During your testimony, you sidestepped the obvious effect of your ill-conceived memorandum and the chilling effect that invoking the full weight of the federal law enforcement apparatus would have on parents protected First Amendment speech.

The letter went on to state that parents have a right to object to controversial curricula and that local law enforcers are the appropriate authorities to address any local threats or violence instead of the FBI.

Because the NSBA letter was the basis for your memorandum and given that your memorandum has been and will continue to be read as threatening parents and chilling their protected First Amendment rights, the only responsible course of action is for you to fully and unequivocally withdraw your memorandum immediately, it concluded.

Notable signatories of the letter include Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Louis Gohmert of Texas, Darrell Issa of California, Burgess Owens of Utah and Jerrod Nadler of New York.

In late September, the NSBA sent a letter to President Joe Biden expressing concern over an alleged uptick in threats directed at school boards and officials by parents and others.

The NSBA asked for "federal law enforcement and other assistance to deal with the growing number of threats of violence and acts of intimidation occurring across the nation."

"Local school board members want to hear from their communities on important issues and that must be at the forefront of good school board governance and promotion of free speech," explained NSBA President Viola Garcia and Interim Executive Director & CEO Chip Slaven.

"However, there also must be safeguards in place to protect public schools and dedicated education leaders as they do their jobs."

On Oct. 4, in response to the NSBA letter, Garland issued a memorandum calling on federal agencies to work with states on "strategies for addressing threats against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff."

Garland said in his memo that there was a "disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff."

"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," stated Garland.

"Those who dedicate their time and energy to ensuring that our children receive a proper education in a safe environment deserve to be able to do their work without fear for their safety."

Earlier this month, a group of parents sued Garland over the memo, claiming that it was politically driven overreach aimed at silencing parents who express valid objections to certain ideas being in the curriculum.

"Contrary to the Attorney General's false assertion, there is no widespread criminality at school board meetings where parents and concerned citizens have expressed their opposition and outrage to the 'progressive' agenda being forced upon their children in the public schools," reads the lawsuit.

"Yet, the Attorney General considers these private citizens engaging in constitutionally protected activity to be domestic terrorists. Accordingly, the Attorney General labels these private citizens, which includes Plaintiffs, as domestic terrorists."
Tomlin United Tour removes VIP option amid backlash over celebrity-style commercialized worship

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Following scrutiny from online critics, Hillsong United and Chris Tomlin eliminated the "VIP" ticket option from their upcoming United States concert tour.

The Tomlin United Tour concert tickets, which went on sale Oct. 22, no longer include a VIP option that allowed buyers to walk on stage with the artists and take pictures in a catwalk-style photoshoot. The VIP ticket option also allowed buyers to receive premium seats, exclusive gifts and meet-and-greets.

However, the inclusion of a staged catwalk for the artists and their fan base took things a step too far, according to online critics, who said that Hillsong United and Tomlin were engaging in celebrity-style commercialized worship.

Tom Read, the founder of the United Kingdoms Modern Hymnal, took to Twitter to express his distaste about the ticket option.

I'm not sure which is worse: that Hillsong and Chris Tomlin think that this is OK in the context of worship; or that there's actually a demand for it? he tweeted.

Some people will think that I'm being unfair here, or unnecessarily divisive, but at what point are we allowed to say something is not OK? Because this is not OK, and justifying it just contributes to the problem.

Read, who said he's been heavily influenced by both Hillsong United and Tomlin, added that the option for VIP tickets was hugely disappointing, but sadly not surprising.

Modern day worship has become so corrupt that I have no doubt Jesus would flip the tables on so much of it, he wrote. In my opinion, worship needs its own reformation that rids itself of the celebrity culture that it's become so entrenched in  This will continue as long as we give a platform for it to continue. So please, do not buy a 'VIP EXPERIENCE' for worship events. It's the opposite of what worship should be about. We need to do better.

[Hillsong United and Chris Tomlin] have both actively branded themselves as worship leaders for the last 20+ years so I don't think they get off on a technicality, Read added.

However, Chris Llewellyn, a Rend Collective worship band member, said in an op-ed for Premier Christianity that tours would not be possible without VIP options, which typically provide financial perks that allow the artists to afford their tours.

"One of the main mechanisms by which large Christian concerts actually break even is via upgraded ticketing  think 'VIP experience'  or through sponsorship, he said. I can say confidently that without these things my own band would be unable to tour.

This is because we already reduce our ticket prices to staggeringly low rates compared to equivalent artists in the secular world to make the concerts as accessible as possible, continued Llewellyn.

"Yes, there's a price tag for [VIP] service, but in a world of compromise, I'd rather offer this service at an extra charge to people who have expressed that they want it, than have to have a more expensive ticket for everyone," he added.

Hillsong United and Tomlins concert tickets for their 33-day tour are available now with a new option to buy Experiences instead of VIP tickets.

Despite the controversy surrounding VIP tickets, Tomlin and Hillsong UNITED remain optimistic about the upcoming tour.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Tomlin, who is behind worship hits like "How Great is Our God" and "Good Good Father," said that it's "critical" for believers to come together in worship.

"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."

Jonathon Douglass of Hillsong United told CP that the artists have a "real sense of trust that this is the right time" to resume in-person concerts.

"We really believe this tour is going to be an experience unlike any other," he said. "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."
Kidnapped American pastor freed in Haiti as gang holds 17 missionaries hostage

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Jean Pierre Ferrer Michel, a 79-year-old American pastor who was kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang two weeks before 17 mostly American missionaries were abducted by the group earlier this month, has been freed after $550,000 was reportedly paid for his release.

Michels release was announced in a video posted on Facebook by his daughter on Tuesday.

The pastor, who is a founding member of Jesus Center in Delmas 29, Haiti, was kidnapped from the church by heavily armed individuals dressed in different uniforms of the National Police of Haiti at about 8 a.m. on Oct. 3, Haiti Libre reported. Two other church members, Isabelle Devendegis and Norman Weiner, were also taken.

While the gang released the female congregant, Michel and Weiner were held hostage even though they reportedly paid a ransom. The Miami Herald reported Tuesday that relatives of Michel and the two congregants initially paid $300,000 to secure their release. Delex Etienne, a communications consultant in Haiti, said in a statement on Twitter that an additional $250,000 was paid on Monday for Michel and Weiner's release.

Michels family did not immediately respond to a request for an interview when contacted by The Christian Post on Wednesday, but his daughter thanked supporters on Facebook who helped bring awareness to his abduction after the kidnapping of the missionaries appeared to get all the media attention.

They dont talk about it, like they are talking about the case of the group of 17. But this man is an American citizen, too, a family friend told the Miami Herald prior to Michels release. Its not the same attention that the 17 people who they abducted in Croix-des-Bouquets are getting.

While Michel is now free, the missionaries remain in captivity pending payment of a $17 million ransom. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told the Miami Herald on Tuesday that President Joe Biden continues to be briefed daily about the kidnapping of the 16 Americans and a Canadian citizen who work for Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries. Biden is reportedly particularly concerned about the five children in the group, the youngest of which is only 8 months old.

I personally give an update on this issue every single day to the president, who is taking a deep interest in making sure we get every single one of those people home safely, Sullivan said.

Shortly after the kidnapping of the missionaries on Oct. 16, he said, three FBI agents were deployed to Haiti. Since then, Sullivan said the United States has sent a significant number of law enforcement specialists and hostage recovery specialists to work closely with the ministry, the families and the Haitian government to try to coordinate and organize a recovery.

We are looking at every possible option for how to go about doing that, he explained. I will be sensitive to what obviously is a delicate situation, not say more here, other than we have put the assets and resources in place that we believe can help bring this to a successful conclusion.

As they wait for a peaceful resolution of the hostage situation, Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement to CP that they would dedicate Wednesday as another special day for prayer and fasting.

We invite believers from around the world to join us. We again request ongoing prayer for those being held, government officials who are assisting, and the kidnappers themselves, the ministry said Tuesday.

Recent media attention has focused on the kidnapping of our workers and loved ones, but a civil society group reports that 600 kidnappings in Haiti were recorded from January to September 2021, compared with 231 over the same period last year. While fasting and praying, we encourage you to remember others who are being held hostage as well as those recovering from the experience of being kidnapped, the group said.

Since the kidnapping of the missionaries, Haitians have taken to the streets to demand their release. Schools and most businesses were closed for several days in Port-au-Prince last week, according to The Haitian Times, following a call for a general strike to protest kidnappings and widespread insecurity, which followed the assassination of the countrys late President Jovenel Moise in July.

In their statement Tuesday, the international charity also defended their decision to have missionaries working in dangerous places like Haiti.

Occasionally we are asked why our workers were in Haiti. Why travel to dangerous places? Why not let these countries take care of their own issues? These are good questions which deserve an answer, the group said.

We live in a very broken world. A world of broken relationships, broken trust, and broken political systems. It is a world of loneliness, fear, and violence. And Jesus came, not just so men could go to Heaven when they die, but also to show the kind of a world God intends right here on Earth, they continued.

We go to places like Haiti because we have found Jesus and His teachings to be the answer for our own lives and we want others to enjoy the joy, peace, and redemption we have experienced in the kingdom of God, they added.  Haitians live under constant fear. They have no way to escape. For many, every trip to the market is overshadowed by the continual threat of violence. As we continue to pray earnestly for our American staff, we also encourage fervent prayer for the Haitian people.

As negotiations for the missionaries' release continue between the gang and officials in the troubled Caribbean nation and the U.S., a recent video of Wilson Joseph, leader of the 400 Mawozo gang, showed the crime boss wasn't pleased with the pace of negotiations.

I swear by thunder that if I dont get what Im asking for, I will put a bullet in the heads of these Americans, Joseph threatened last Thursday, according to a translation cited by Bloomberg Quicktake.

Joseph further threatened Haitis Prime Minister Ariel Henry, as well as the chief of Haitis National Police, Leon Charles. Bloomberg noted that Josephs speech was made in front of open coffins that apparently held several members of his gang who were recently killed.

You guys make me cry. I cry water. But Im going to make you guys cry blood, he said.
Pastors wife who helped restore Jill Bidens faith calls her a true friend

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Robin Jackson, wife of Pastor Charles B. Jackson Sr., who leads Brookland Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina, called First Lady Jill Biden, "a true friend" just over a week after Biden revealed her as the prayer partner who helped restore her faith in God after the death of her stepson, Beau Biden, from brain cancer in 2015.

Im glad that God has planned it this way, Jackson, a former music teacher, told USA TODAY in an interview. Its all God that we are able to support each other and be there for each other and be sincere and true sisters.

The 70-year-old Biden, who is also an educator, told Brookland Baptist Church during an unannounced visit on Oct. 17 that her faith in God was renewed in 2019 after an encounter with Jackson at the church.

"After Beau died, I felt betrayed by my faith, broken. You know, my own pastor wrote emails occasionally, which he was checking in with me, inviting me back to the service. But I just couldn't go. I couldn't even pray. I wondered if I would ever feel joy again," Biden said.

As her husband campaigned to become the next president of the United States in 2019, the journey took them to Brookland Baptist Church. That's when Jill Biden felt like God spoke to her.

"In the summer of 2019, many of you may remember this, Joe and I came to worship here at Brooklyn Baptist Church. And something felt different that morning," she said.

During worship that day, Biden said Jackson sat beside her and offered to be her "prayer partner."

"And I don't know if she sensed how moved I had been by the service. I don't know if she could still see the grief that I'd feel still hides behind my smile. But I do know that when she spoke, it was as if God was saying to me, 'OK, Jill, you've had enough time. It's time to come home,'" Biden recalled.

Jackson told USA TODAY that during the 2019 service, she noticed that both Biden and her husband got emotional. Joe Biden would later explain that the choir reminds me of my sons funeral.

Somehow I felt that Jill was a little emotional in the in the service, having been there myself, been touched by the music as well as the preaching, I felt compelled to just say to her, Would you mind me being your prayer partner? Jackson said.

Since that encounter, the two women remained in touch.

I would always text her and say that Im lifting you up in prayer, Jackson said. She would respond back to say to me Thank you, my friend, and that just continued.

After learning about Beau and his death, then I fully understood now what the pain was, Jackson explained. My texts would always reflect on knowing that you can get through this and knowing that it will be okay.
Dave Hollis opens up about divorce from Rachel Hollis, finding true purpose through Christ

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Dave Hollis still cringes slightly when he remembers the speech he gave at the Hollis Company Christmas party in 2019.

I audaciously, to our collective team at a Christmas party, said I was going to have my best year ever in 2020, The New York Times bestselling author and host of the Rise Together podcast told The Christian Post.

I'd saved it for my 45th year on the planet, it was going to be the best year ever. And what I did not appreciate in the declaration was that I would not have a say in the conditions through which my best year would show up.

That year, Hollis weathered a highly publicized divorce from his wife, Rachel Hollis, the controversial self-help author of Girl Wash Your Face. His book tour was subsequently canceled, and he transitioned away from the company hed spent years building with his wife.

Navigating a pandemic, grappling with the fallout from the end of a yearslong marriage and parenting four children alone, Hollis said, was anything but easy.

"2020 was the hardest year of my life, outpacing any other year by a factor of 100," he told CP. But it was also the best. As I look back, 18 months removed from the hardest things that I've ever been through  I don't want to relive them, but I can sit here today with a wild amount of gratitude for having gone through them, because of the way that it brought me to my knees and drew me closer to God.

Though hes been a professing Christian his entire life, Hollis said the events of 2020 forced him to examine what he truly believed.

Telling people that you have faith is something that is easy until you go through really, really hard things, he said. I realized how much stronger my faith could be because it had been tested.

He cited James 4:8, which reads, in part: Come near to God and He will come near to you.

I found myself, because of the conditions around me, closer to God than I'd ever been. And in that, I developed faith that the things that I would need in this journey would show up when I needed them. When you do that, you find God in unexpected places.

Though shaken by the events of 2020, for Hollis, leaning into the unexpected and stepping out of his comfort zone is nothing new.

In 2018, he made headlines after announcing he was leaving his lucrative job as president of distribution for Walt Disney Studios to become CEO of his then-wifes company and relocate his family to Texas. Over the years, the company saw staggering success, and the couple would host Rachel and Dave episodes of the "Rise Together" podcast.

So when the couple announced their divorce in July 2020, it sent shockwaves throughout their loyal fanbase.

Hollis admitted that over the last several years, his primary identity was in being a husband to Rachel Hollis  and that loss allowed me to find myself and my ability to be resilient through pain.

It took a season of journaling, prayer and self-discovery, Hollis said, but todays hes the strongest hes ever been, mentally, emotionally, relationally and spiritually."

I just have a massive amount of gratitude for everything that's happened, even though I wouldn't have wanted it to go down the way that it did, he said.

Today, Hollis is on a mission to help others cultivate courage in the face of adversity, find their God-given purpose and understand that failure is a requirement for growth. His latest book, Built Through Courage: Face Your Fears to Live the Life You Were Meant, seeks to help readers do just that.

There is, for every single one of us, a very intentional purpose that our Creator has placed us on this planet for, and our work in this life we have is to do everything we can, every single day, to honor the intention of that Creator, he stressed.

But doing that work, finding a way to step closer to our purpose or honor that intention, is something that requires courage, because it often requires leaving what we've known for what we need; transitioning from who we were to who we're becoming. That can be uncomfortable both for us and can make the people who have become accustomed to who we've been uncomfortable as we grow into who we were meant to be.

In his book, Hollis draws on life experiences and wisdom from others to offer practical advice for leading well during a crisis and pushing past ones comfort zone to find true freedom. He urges readers to have an honest conversation with themselves, showing radical candor about where they are  and where they want to be.

Own where you are and where youre starting from, cast a visit to where you want to go, he advised. That needs to be connected to what you believe, because thats the greatest way of honoring the intention of your Creator. And then, get specific about what its going to take to get there.

One life-changing moment that occurred in the wake of his divorce, Hollis said, was when he realized that hed been chasing his wifes goals and vision instead of identifying the calling God placed before him.



I think there are times when, in the pursuit to achieve or in an attempt to be loved or affirmed, we can make the mistake of chasing things that we believe other people are interested in us achieving, or that the achievement will affirm us in some way, instead of staying connected to that voice inside of us that's attempting to guide us to where we're meant to go, he reflected.

There is something in your gut that is saying you should be going in this direction, but we often trust others more than we trust ourselves. Its important to trust that voice, to separate yourself from the noise that might distract you from what it's trying to tell you and to listen to it in a way that allows you to step closer to it.

Hollis understands that being refined through fire isnt easy  but its worth it. And to those struggling to find their purpose, he offered the reminder that God put you here for a very, very specific reason, adding: He's given you the tools to achieve something greater than you can even believe if you can believe it yourself.

Part of that is understanding that you are a limited edition, one of one, there is no one like you, with your wiring, with the way you think or feel, the way you love, the experiences that youve had, he continued.

There is an opportunity to step closer to that purpose that only you can live out on this Earth  I want to encourage people to step closer every day to that purpose and find exactly where God wants them to be.
Eric Metaxas on why atheism is 'incompatible' with science, why the Church must 'wake up' and 'fight'

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Eric Metaxas believes that culture is at a paradigm-shifting moment, with science and archeology increasingly pointing to the existence of God  and those opposed to Christianity arent going to like it."

We've all lived at a time when not only is the trend that science is pointing us away from God, but we've been living for over 100 years with the narrative that says, science is fundamentally at odds with faith, that reason is at odds with religion, the Christian author, speaker and conservative radio host told The Christian Post.

The one thing everybody kept saying  science is leading us away from religion. Ironically, in the last 50 years, precisely the opposite has happened. Science is leading us to God. It's big news."

In his latest book, Is Atheism Dead? Metaxas uncovers new evidence and arguments against the idea of a Creatorless universe. He draws on the insights of top scientists and five scientific discoveries to prove that atheism is untenable.

I am genuinely more excited about this book and about getting the information in this book out to people than I have ever been about any book I have written, the New York native told CP.

One archeological discovery Metaxas said particularly intrigued him was the reported discovery of the biblical Sodom. Some scientists have speculated that a city known as Tall El-Hammam was destroyed by a meteor and could actually be the site of Sodom, the ancient biblical city destroyed for its wickedness.

Most believers, and definitely most non-believers, don't know this information, and it's because we live in a media echo chamber that tends to filter out this kind of information. By the grace of God, I've been able to stumble on this stuff," he said.

Metaxas explained that the title of his latest book is based on the 1966 Time magazine article that provocatively asked Is God Dead?

Maybe the logical question in 1966 was, Is God dead? But the logical question, now that science itself is pointing to the existence of God, which sounds crazy but it's true, and nobody knows it  maybe now's the time to write a book with the title, Is Atheism Dead?

Based on his research, Metaxas stressed that science, archaeology, and history dont just support Christianity  they also undermine atheism.

This idea that data and science are at odds  the biggest news is that not only is that not true, there are two things that follow, Metaxas explained. The second is, according to John Lennox ... it is actually atheism that is incompatible with science, which is a dramatic statement. The third thing, which nobody seems to know, but it's true, is that Christian faith led to modern science  this is a historical fact; this is not some Christian gloss on history.

Science lately ... is discovering things about our universe, about the Earth, about human life, about cellular life that looks so fine-tuned, so perfectly calibrated  that even atheists are being shaken. That's the one thing that they don't know quite how to handle it, he added.

The more advanced science gets, the more it points to the idea that there had to be a Creator who created the universe, Metaxas said, citing, for example, the complexity of water and plate tectonics.

Every believer needs to understand how freakish it is. I mean, for you to study science, the more you look, the more you just think, I almost can't bear this. The evidence of God is just  everywhere I look, including things like water and erosion, he said. It makes you realize God is even more amazing than any of us could ever dream.

Metaxas expressed concern that some Christians today buy into a secular narrative that says its possible to believe in Jesus and the Bible until Scripture seems to contradict science.

That's not the kind of belief God is interested in, he stressed. He doesn't tell you to believe in something that is not true to the bottom. He is truth  either Jesus rose from the dead bodily or He didn't. Either what the Bible says is true or it isn't. Either the Lord created the universe and every detail in it or [He] didn't. "

He added: "This idea that we would sort of put ... our faith as Christians kind of in a corner, we're participating in the marginalization of our faith. Our faith is supposed to touch everything: science, math, history. We need to be much bolder in saying, If this is true, it is true everywhere.

The Bonhoeffer, Amazing Graceand Martin Lutherauthor acknowledged that though science and archeology increasingly prove the existence of God, there will always be naysayers who refuse to acknowledge such truth.

I think in these last days, as things unravel around the world, God is shining His light brighter and brighter; He's allowing us to discover things via science and via archaeology  it simply gets harder and harder to deny Him, Metaxas said. God will just keep pushing out this evidence .. but at the end of the day, it's got to be the Holy Spirit.

Though Is Atheism Dead was written for anyone eager to learn "with an open mind," it was primarily written for the Church, Metaxas said  a Church he believes desperately needs to wake up.

In my Bonhoeffer book I deal with this  the Church was slow to wake up, he contended. And that is a model of what not to do. If we do not wake up and fight  and a lot of Christians have bad theology that says, Oh, I don't think I'm supposed to fight'  not only is that not biblical, that's demonic. God pulled us to fight evil. He calls us to fight on our knees in prayer, but He also calls us to fight in all kinds of other ways.

Part of the reason I wrote this book also is to say to people, Hey, this is not a philosophy. Our faith is not a truth  this is truth. And God is giving this to us so that we can be emboldened.'"

Metaxas said he believes God is going to turn things around  but His Church has to fight and be armed with information.

On the science thing ... I'm thinking, tell me where I'm missing something here? I know I'm not, because I got all this information from scientists. So people are gaslighting us, that Christians have their weird views. It is nonsense. We have to be bold, we have to know what we believe, and we have to act. And, if you don't do it for yourself, do it for your kids and your grandkids.
Its deadly and it kills you: Ex-medium was possessed, saw shadow people until exorcism saved her life  and her family

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The fear was overwhelming. This is just one of the ways in which ex-medium Ivani Greppi described her childhood  a Brazilian upbringing that was deeply steeped in the occult.

Greppi, an ex-medium who once believed her spiritual abilities were a gift from God, is now sharing how her harrowing 38-year journey  which included regular possessions  led to a dramatic deliverance (known as exorcism in some circles) that transformed her entire family.

LISTEN: HEAR STORIES OF POSSESSION, EXORCISM AND HEALING ON THE PLAYING WITH FIRE PODCAST

Greppis spiritual issues were multigenerational, as she said her great-grandparents and grandparents were mediums and healers. Despite calling themselves Catholics, she said the familys real religion was spiritism.

We didnt even have a Bible. We didnt own a Bible. We didnt believe in the Bible, she said on the premiere episode of The Playing With Fire Podcast, a four-part docu-series produced by Edifi. Spiritism is where a medium becomes possessed by a spirit who can either bring healing, bring counseling or a message from a relative that has passed.

Listen to episode one of Playing With Fire:

Greppis experiences with what she called shadow people started early on as a child, and she revealed how these apparitions left her absolutely terrified.

From early on in my childhood, I was able to see what we believed to be spirits, but now I know were demons, she said. The fear was overwhelming.

By the time Greppi was an adult, she said it was normal to see these shadowy figures moving in and out between walls and doors throughout the day. Having been raised to believe that seeing these spirits was a gift, she pushed fear to the side and continued on in her spiritism journey.

Then, as a teenager, Greppi was introduced to Umbanda, a Brazilian religion that engages in the occult and spirit worship  and as the years wore on she involved herself in elements of temple worship, possession and other related practices.

You call on [spirits] to come and take possession of you, she said of the rituals she took part in. For two years  at least once a week I was becoming possessed.

Greppi eventually moved with her family from her native Brazil to the United States, got married, had kids and became a nurse, but she never left behind these religious practices  something that left her trapped in a very dark space.

In 1997, though, something profound happened. Her family had opened a print shop in Florida and a pastor walked in one day and began speaking with her sister, Marli Souto.

Like Greppi, Souto was raised around spiritism, but had never actively participated in Umbanda. Something the pastor said that day truly resonated with Souto.

He introduced her to Christ, Greppi said, explaining that her sister instantly became a Christian. It was a conversion that greatly troubled Greppi. We were afraid of Christians. We thought they were evil.

At Soutos request, Greppi reluctantly agreed to meet with the pastor at her sisters home one day. During the encounter, the preacher clashed with Greppi over faith and religion, as Greppi doubled down on her spiritism and scoffed at the idea that Christianity had legitimacy.

At the end of their conversation, though, something strange unfolded.

At the end, he said, Can I at least pray before we leave? Greppi recalled. As soon as he started praying, I became possessed.  it was something that took over.  I became distorted and I was dancing  backwards. And I did lose consciousness off and on.

Souto, who also appeared on The Playing With Fire Podcast, backed up this account and noted that this was the first of a number of dramatic spiritual interactions with the pastor.

In the moment, Greppi was angry and believed that the pastor was manifesting the experience, though she soon learned that something else far more sinister was afoot: her more than three decades engaging in the occult had brought her to the end of herself.

From there, Greppi said an intense spiritual battle began. On another occasion, the pastor began performing a deliverance at Greppis home and she was once again possessed  an account that three family members recounted and corroborated on the podcast episode.

They started praying and that entity got a hold of Ivanis body, Souto said, revealing some of the dramatic moments that followed. It looked up at my son and my nephew and it said, Help me.

All of this culminated in a third and final deliverance. Greppi, her son, nephew and Souto all appeared on the podcast to verify the details of what unraveled, but one of the more startling moments took place when the pastor placed two crosses near Greppis forehead.

The first cross, which had Jesus pinned to it, sparked a sinister reaction.

He pointed it at Ivanis head and the entity that was in her started laughing and laughing and laughing, Souto said, adding that an empty cross sparked a starkly different reaction. As soon as he put it on Ivanis forehead, the entity started screaming and I started crying because it was so horrible to hear.

After many hours, Greppi was healed and never again experienced any sort of possession. Today, shes a committed Christian  and she shares all of the details on Playing With Fire.

I was born again. That day I was born again and it was beautiful, she said. My heart goes out to these people who are deceived, [who] are in this darkness. Its deadly and it kills you and thats what these spirits want to do.

The impact of Greppis healing was deep and profound on her family, with many of her loved ones later converting to Christianity.

Her son, Andre, said he knows some will be skeptical of the story, but he said what his mother and the family experienced was undeniable.

I know out there theres a lot of doubt about this, he said. The truth is the truth, and once youre faced with it you have to decide.

Listen to the full story on the premiere episode of The Playing With Fire Podcast, a show based on the book, Playing With Fire: A Modern Investigation Into Demons, Exorcism and Ghosts.
Old monasteries and churches await in Southwest Germany

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A recent road trip across Baden-Wurttemberg, a state in Southwest Germany, took me to old monasteries and churches.

Baden-Wurttemberg, Germanys third-largest state, was created in the aftermath of World War II from the historically separate territories of Baden and Wurttemberg. For centuries they existed as duchies or kingdoms first within the fragmented Holy Roman Empire and later in the unified German Empire until the various monarchies were abolished following the kaisers loss in World War I.

Reminders of the history are everywhere, including in the religious fabric of Southwest Germany. Unlike other parts of the country, where Lutheranism came to dominate after the Reformation, adherents of the old religion still make up a plurality in Baden-Wurttemberg.

My road trip started in Stuttgart, the capital of this state and a city many know for Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. After spending the night at an airport hotel, I picked up my ride from Sixt, a Renault Captur crossover, and embarked upon a four-night trip that took me to Maulbronn, Calw and Alpirsbach in the Black Forest followed by Reichenau Island, Constance and Meersburg near Lake Constance in the foothills of the Alps.

I first stopped at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Maulbronn Monastery in Maulbronn, about 45 minutes by car from Stuttgart.

The remarkably complete and well-preserved medieval monastic complex dates to the first half of the 12th century and includes the former Cistercian abbey church  a Lutheran church since the Reformation  and assorted outbuildings that have been repurposed over the centuries. Unlike other sights I later visited, a self-guided audio tour in English was available. Not only was this essential, but it allowed me to explore at my own pace and not worry about keeping up with a guide. Hands down the best part of the former monastery is the churchs interior with numerous period architectural and decorative details, including misericords on the underside of the extensive quire stalls.

An hour away is Calw, where I would sleep at the Hotel Kloster Hirsau after visiting the ruins of Hirsau Abbey.

Destroyed during the Nine Years War at the end of the 17th century, the ruins are a blend of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Against the backdrop of the Black Forest, the one-time Benedictine abbey resembles a romanticism painting. What appears to be the surviving church was originally a mere chapel. It was heavily modified in a gaudy and inauthentic attempt at Gothic revival in the 19th century for use by the local Lutheran parish. Without much to do besides a walk around the ruins, you might consider skipping Hirsau for more time at the next destination.

Having woke up early the next day I made my way to Alpirsbach, where a Benedictine monastery existed from its founding in the 11th century until the dissolution in the 16th century by the then-duke of Wurttemberg, a Protestant.

The cruciform-shaped, cathedralesque edifice  a fine specimen of mostly Romanesque architecture  is, in fact, the third iteration of the abbey church and dates to the 12th century. Much of what you see, particularly on the exterior, is original. This includes the circa 1130 tympanum above the west fronts doors. Inside, a masterpiece wooden altar from the early 1500s is in the north transept.

As with the other pre-Reformation monastic churches, the space is presently used for the rites of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Wurttemberg. The entrance for visitors, incorporated in an adjoining building that originally served as the abbots residence, leads to a small gift shop, ticket window and comprehensive museum. While much of the exhibits, including a rare painted wood Romanesque lectern, were self-explanatory almost nothing was translated.

For my second night, I stayed at Hotel St. Elizabeth. The upscale three-star hotel sits on the grounds of a modern-day monastery belonging to the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross, a Roman Catholic religious order.

After one of the best breakfasts of my trip, I drove about 5 miles to Reichenau Island, also on the UNESCO World Heritage List, with its three medieval churches.

Connected to the mainland by a causeway, the island in Lake Constance has had a Christian presence since at least 724, when a Benedictine monastery was founded by itinerant Bishop and later St. Pirmin. What he founded eventually became the Imperial Abbey of Reichenau and was among the richest and most prominent monasteries in the Holy Roman Empire. I was fortunate to receive an extensive, behind-the-scenes tour from Gunter Andres, a retired English teacher-turned-guide. Without him, I would have been lost. Literally and figuratively. I also wouldnt have seen the treasury room with its holy relics, including the bones of St. Mark the Evangelist and a pitcher used during the wedding at Cana.

A short drive away through vineyards and farm fields is the Church of St. George.

The Romanesque church looks mostly unchanged since its founding by the archbishop-elector of Mainz, who built the church after receiving the skull of St. George from the pope in 896. Inside, one finds a nave lined with spectacular wall paintings. Dating to 1000, the eight paintings depict biblical miracles performed by Jesus. They are complemented by a depiction of the last judgment from 1708 or 1709 in the west apse.

Nearby is Constance, a mid-sized university city on Germanys border with Switzerland.

The big draw here is Constance Minster, which hosted the Council of Constance during its centuries-long stint as the cathedral and seat of the prince-bishop of Constance. The pre-Reformation council, held from 1414 until 1418, was presided over by the Holy Roman emperor and, among other things, settled the schism that resulted in competing papal claimants, affirmed papal supremacy, and condemned early Reformer Jan Hus to death by burning at the stake. While its appearance has changed  the churchs exterior was given a Gothic makeover  the Romanesque nave from the time of the council remains largely intact.

Running behind schedule and out of daylight, I retrieved my rental car from the underground parking garage at the Fish Market (Fischmarkt) and drove to the car ferry for the shuttle across Lake Constance to Meersburg. Here, I slept at the family-owned Hotel Lowen (more on that later).

Meersburg, it is claimed, dates to the 7th century when a Merovingian king built a castle here. No trace of that castle exists, though a later medieval castle, called the Old Castle, still stands with a commanding position over the newer lower town and waterfront. The town is largely a result of the Reformation driving the prince-bishop from his see in 1526. Constances loss proved to be Meersburgs gain as the cityscape seen today can be credited to the successive prelates with their dual ecclesiastical and temporal authority. One such landmark is the baroque New Palace, which today houses a fascinating museum. In nicer months, the museum cafe has outdoor seating with million-dollar panoramic views.

The cobblestoned streets have something to discover around every corner  think vines growing in every vacant parcel on the steep slope separating the upper and lower old towns, centuries-old half-timbered buildings, and endless other photo opportunities for the Instagram set. One of my unexpected discoveries was the Bible Gallery, which occupies a 500-year-old former Dominican convent next to the tourism office on the aptly named Church Street (Kirchstrae). Established in 1988 by the Evangelical or Protestant Church in Baden, the multi-floor museum tells the story of the Bible and how it continues to influence daily life even in a highly secular society. Exhibits include countless artifacts and other objects, all of which are intended to have the soft touch of evangelization. There is also a recently revamped English self-guided audio tour.

My fourth and final night in Southwest Germany was spent at a countryside inn on the grounds of Salem Monastery and Palace, a Cistercian abbey-turned-palace-turned boarding school.

The former Imperial Abbey of Salem was founded in 1136 and, as with Reichenau, thrived as one of the most prominent monasteries in the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1803 during the age of Napoleon. The baroque and rococo buildings  the original Gothic abbey church miraculously escaped a great fire in 1697  were expropriated by the former Grand Duchy of Baden, whose rulers kept most of the estate until 2009 when the state government of Baden-Wurttemberg purchased everything except a small wing occupied by the 88-year-old margrave of Baden.

Today, the one-time monastery is split between a small noble residence and an elite boarding school with visitors admitted during normal hours for sightseeing and tours. Unfortunately, the inns location beyond the gate means no after-hours access, not even for an early morning walk.

If you go

Germany is fully open to vaccinated Americans. Visitors should be prepared to show proof  the paper vaccine cards with the CDC logo work  at restaurants, hotels and indoor attractions or sights. Additionally, medical-grade masks are required indoors.

I had no problems driving in Germany, especially on stretches of the autobahn highways without a posted speed limit. Just be sure to get a rental with guaranteed GPS navigation. The built-in navigation on my Renault rental was excellent and easy to use after I changed the systems language to English. Also, you will want to carry some spare change as parking lots dont generally accept credit card payments. In fact, carry plenty of cash because an unusually high number of small shops, restaurants and even hotels in Germany dont accept credit cards.

In hindsight, I would have stayed another night or two at Hotel St. Elizabeth. While overnighting at the heart of Meersburgs old town was memorable, it was also an inconvenience due to the combination of pedestrian streets and extremely limited to nonexistent parking.

Information, including at most of the old monasteries and churches covered in this column, was seldom translated. English-speaking guides can be booked through the local tourism offices in Constance and Reichenau, though tours may not be available every day. Expect to use Google Translate at hotel restaurants as English menus were also rare.

Despite Delta Air Lines discontinuing its nonstop service from Atlanta to Stuttgart, the airport can still be reached from major U.S. airports with just one connection. Alternatively, the airport in Zurich, Switzerland, is about an hour from Constance.

Follow @dennislennox on Instagram and Twitter.
Charles Stanley honored by alma mater Southwestern Seminary with chair in evangelism school

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Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has voted to honor one of its most visible alumni, notable author and pastor Charles Stanley, with an endowed chair in their evangelism school.

Last week, the SWBTS Board of Trustees voted to approve the creation of the Charles F. Stanley Chair for the Advancement of Global Christianity, which will be part of the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions.

The establishment of the chair was supported through a donor agreement between SWBTS and the In Touch Foundation, the charitable arm of Stanleys In Touch Ministries.

SWBTS President Adam Greenway told The Christian Post in an interview Tuesday that he believed Stanley may be one of our most prominent visible alumni in the history of Southwestern Seminary.

He and his ministry were looking for a way to honor his legacy, certainty a worthy legacy of honoring, and they saw that Southwestern Seminary was a fitting institution to partner with to do something that would be significant in terms of their investment, explained Greenway.

And significant in terms of an opportunity to have Dr. Stanleys name and his commitment to global missions and evangelism honored in perpetuity.

The chair honoring Stanley is the first endowed chair at Southwestern to be fully funded at $2 million, which Greenway labeled a significant accomplishment that shows an academic commitment.

We all know that one of the significant challenges is how to pay for the costs of seminary education today, he continued. The proceeds of an endowed chair support the salary of a professor who will be named to the chair, and the more of those endowed chairs a seminary has, the more likely it is it will be able to sustain its academic mission long into the future.

In a statement included in the official seminary announcement, Stanley said that he is honored to think of all the pastors, professors, and even founders of seminaries, who will be trained through the World Christian Studies program at Southwestern Seminary.

When I was a young man just starting out, a pastor helped me so I could receive a scholarship and get an education. It is a joy to think In Touch is partnering with Southwestern to do that for young men and women all over the world, Stanley stated.

In September of last year, Stanley announced that he was stepping down as senior pastor at First Baptist Church Atlanta, Georgia, a position that he had held for nearly 50 years.

A former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Stanley became pastor emeritus of the congregation. He was officially replaced by Anthony George, who had assisted Stanley as the churchs associate pastor since 2012.
Andy Stanley reflects on restoring 'broken' relationship with father Charles Stanley

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Pastor Andy Stanley of Atlanta's North Point Community Church reflected on his past struggles with a broken relationship with his father, famed evangelist Charles Stanley, and offered biblical advice for restoring fractured relationships.

In an Oct. 24 sermon series titled Reassembly Required; A Beginners Guide to Repairing Broken Relationships, Stanley revealed that nearly three decades ago, he felt angry and hurt every week, sitting with his father in an office at church receiving counseling sessions.

At that time, Stanley said he found it strange that he and his father were feeling stuck, trying to fix difficulties in their relationship. Both men, he said, had spent their entire careers as experts telling other people how to fix broken and damaged relationships.

[My father] saw things his way  I could not understand for the life of me why we werent making any progress, Stanley said. The odd thing about this is, it doesnt seem like it would be that difficult to fix a relationship. It just seems like we should be able to do this, but it is difficult and thats why I decided we really do need to talk about it.

Stanley identified how to handle fractured or distant relationships between friends, siblings, family, relatives, coworkers, spouses, parents with children and any other relationships.

There are four components that people tend to revert to in situations when arguments arise in broken relationships, according to Stanely. These are, convince, convict, coerce and control.

These components, he said, are not effective solutions to solving relationship issues.

The strange thing is, you look at [these four components] and you say yeah, thats not the way forward,' but, in spite of all that, these are the things we almost always reach for first either intentionally or even unintentionally, Stanley said.

Then, you tell yourself, theres nothing I can do about it. I tried. And besides that, I just dont even care. Or, we just keep pressing and pressing, trying to fix the relationship the wrong way, which means things continue to go wrong and we end up pushing people even further [away], he explained.

Oftentimes, he said, people arent even aware that they are using the four components on others.

For example, Stanley said that people often say, Im sorry if I offended you." But, that is often translated to mean, Youre too easily offended. What I said wouldnt have offended most people," he contended.

You just offended them without even meaning to, because fixing and repairing or reassembling a relationship  whether its been broken long term or short term or a minor infraction  is not intuitive, and we just intuitively reach for all the wrong tools and we say all the wrong things, he said.

We are better at starting our cars than repairing our cars. You can start it, you can drive it, but when something goes wrong you really dont know what to do. The same thing is true when it comes to relationships. Starting a relationship is somewhat intuitive, managing or navigating a relationship, but fixing a relationship isnt only not intuitive, it is the opposite of intuitive, Stanley continued.

In his career as a pastor, Stanley said he has heard about many occasions when people in various forms of relationships let distance, brokenness or problems go unresolved.

In some of these cases, he said, the issues tend to fester for many years, and then occasionally somebody becomes injured, or theres an accident or somebody dies. At the funeral, people suddenly find themselves in a very emotional environment, Stanley recounted.

And that [unresolved issue] that was so big, so consequential, that mountain will never get over  that offense that Ill never be able to fully forgive, suddenly in the midst of tragedy, it gets smaller and smaller, Stanley explained.

And in those situations, people do and say what they shouldve said a long time ago. And because they didnt do what they shouldve done or say what they shouldve said a long time ago, in some cases, they missed out on years of relationship.

When people reconcile, the pastor said they often wonder why it took very long for their relationship to be repaired and reassembled. People spend many months and even years, he said, waiting, rehearsing and avoiding.

Reassembling a broken relationship is a learned skill, and many of us have never even seen it modeled well. Everything we reach for generally is initially the wrong thing, Stanley said.

Waiting for the other person ends up becoming waiting for what you should do. And the reason you should do it is that youre the better person. The better person should initiate the apology.

Stanley revealed that his relationship with his father was fractured for a long time, until one day, they were sitting at a restaurant, not speaking to one another.

It was just so awkward.  We are grown men, we are pastors, were professional Christians," he recalled.

"We couldnt have a conversation. We were both so angry and so locked down and we both knew how ridiculous it was because of how much time we spent with other people and couples with difficult family relationships. Ill never forget this moment, when finally my dad looked at me and he said, Andy, we both know what happens to fathers and sons who go through something like this. I dont want that to happen to us. And I said, Me neither.

Both of us were willing to work at it, but it was so hard, Stanley emphasized. This is such an emotional topic. For men, there are certain emotions that are so terrifying to us that we will do anything to keep them from surfacing. Because theres something in you that if it comes up, youre not sure how youre going to respond or how its going to feel.

This is why for some of you, your fathers are so shut down. Its like they are so afraid to go there, even though they dont know where there is, they're afraid. And its why we just make excuses, he said.

Though people should work and pray for reconciliation, when it comes to restoring adult relationships, the goal should not be reconciliation, shared Stanley. He said that adults shouldnt set goals for other adults because doing so is operating in a relationship based on an agenda.

Unlike a broken toy or dish or a broken iPhone screen, when you think about a broken object, you have control over all the pieces ... but, when it comes to repairing relationships with other people, we dont have access to all the pieces, Stanley said. Agendas always undermine or put a box around relationships. Agendas ensure that broken relationships stay broken.

The goal in reassembling broken relationships is having no regrets, according to Stanley, which will ultimately lead to a repaired relationship or the satisfaction that someone did everything they could possibly do to try to repair the relationship, even if it doesnt end in reconciliation.

Christians, he said, dont have a choice in the matter, because attempting to reconcile or restore a relationship is the operative noun in the Christian faith.

Its knowing that you did everything you could do; that we opened the door, that we put out the welcome mat, that we put down the drawbridge, that we put down the weapons, that we removed any unnecessary obstacles to reconnecting with that person and were going to learn how to take the pressure off to create space for them to move toward, Stanley concluded.

This means, no matter whose fault it was and no matter how much blame sits with them, versus sits with you, you and I always have a part in the process of reconciliation. As Jesus followers, this isnt optional for us."
NJ AME church rejects appointed pastor because of her sex, supporters say

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Ratona Stokes-Robinson, a pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal Church who was appointed to lead St. James AME Church in Thorofare, New Jersey, in June, is still waiting to preach her first sermon from the pulpit as congregants have kept her locked out of the church building because of her sex, pastors in the denomination say.

Orsella Hughes, the pastor of Allen Chapel AME Church - Hartford and executive director of the Prosperity Foundation in New Haven, Connecticut, highlighted the standoff in a Facebook post on Sunday after visiting St. James AME Church.

Today, when we pulled up to the church, we expected to see our Rev. Sister, Ratona Stokes- Robinson in her pulpit. Instead, she was still locked out of her church, Hughes wrote.

Again, the officers have not given her the keys to the church since her appointment began June 20, 2021. Since that Sunday, she has shown up every week and preached from the front steps, without receiving any of her salary or other benefits, Hughes added.

She has asked for email addresses so that she can at least hold service on zoom; and still, she hasnt received anything. Imagine preaching in the heat of the summer, the chill of the fall, and at times, even in the rain and not even having access to the bathroom to refresh after preaching.

Hughes said she personally witnessed church members who live in the parsonage across the street from the church refuse to give Robinson access to the building because of her sex.

Imagine all of this is happening to you because you are a WOMAN! Yes, the members have declared they do not want a woman as their Pastor and thats why shes been locked out! I didnt have to imagine, I watched this happen today and my heart hurts, Hughes said, adding that "nobody deserves" to be treated in such a manner.

St. James AME Church and Robinson were not immediately available for comment when contacted by The Christian Post on Tuesday.

However, the Connectional AME Women in Ministry, the official professional organization for women pursuing excellence in ministry in the AME Church, acknowledged the situation in a statement on Monday.

The group said: Connectional AME Women in Ministry has been made aware that a woman in ministry, because of her gender, has been locked out of her church and prohibited from proclaiming Gods word from the pulpit since June 20, 2021. As we celebrate a woman as President of the Bishops Council, a woman as President of the General Officers Council, a woman as President of the Presiding Elders Council, and an all-woman Executive Board of the National Council of Churches (USA), we are greatly distressed to hear of women in ministry concurrently being oppressed by systematic strongholds and discriminatory behavior."

The AME Church, which was formed in 1816 by Richard Allen and others who fought against segregation within their churches, has developed a reputation over the years for its activism on social issues, including womens rights.

In 2000, the denomination, which boasts some 3.5 million adherents, elected Vashti Murphy McKenzie as the first woman to the office of bishop  the highest rank for a church official.

Earlier this year, Elaine Flake became the woman pastor with the largest congregation in the United States after being she was appointed lead pastor of the more than 23,000-member Greater Allen Cathedral of New York, an AME church, at 72.

Flake took over the position formerly held by her husband, the Rev. Floyd Flake, 76, who also spent 11 years in Congress fighting to improve life for constituents in his church community in Jamaica, Queens.

In light of this history, Deborah Blanks, the pastor of Mount Pisgah AME Church in Princeton, New Jersey, condemned the actions of the St. James AME Church officers, stressing that this is not us.

There is much that can be said about the unconscionable act of being locked out of the church, but what disturbs my soul is the reprehensible assault on the dignity and personhood of this preacher that is inextricably tied to that lockout. No one should ever be treated in this manner. Period! Full stop! Blanks wrote in a post on Facebook Tuesday.

Blanks noted that she served as Robinsons dean at the New Jersey Annual Conference Ministerial Institute.

I watched with pride via Facebook Live in June as her first official appointment was read to serve as a pastor in African Methodism. Just for the record, she is a devoutly faithful, extremely gifted, passionately prophetic, and an extremely industrious woman. She is a social worker in her secular job doing the important work of serving people, Blanks noted before denouncing the actions of St. James AME Church.

This is not African Methodism, which knows deeply in its own history the indignity of being forced from our knees at an altar by those who did not honor our humanity, Blanks said.

 This is not us  a denomination that has elected five women to serve in the episcopacy, female general officers, a considerable number serving as presiding elders, a host as pastors, and an incremental number of pastoral appointments of women to first churches. The AME Church is known for preaching a liberating gospel; thus, it behooves us to be a liberated church: doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.
Twitter mob comes for Dave Chappelle. Its time to realize it isnt as powerful as it thinks

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Editors note: While the CP Opinion page believes the backlash against Dave Chappelle by trans activists and the media is a poignant example of cancel culture and the secular push to manipulate language and ignore biological realities, we do not condone the comedians offensive language, nor would we characterize the onslaught of criticism hes faced in his career as persecution.

Perennially persecuted comedy legend Dave Chappelle is under fire yet again.

The controversy began after his latest special The Closer aired on Netflix. Chappelle, with his usual brand of acerbic humor, made a series of jokes that ran afoul of transgender ideology.

Chappelle is no stranger to controversy. His 2019 special Sticks & Stones faced similar accusations of transphobia from a vindictive press.

One topic that Chappelle joked about in The Closer was the outrage directed at Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.

They canceled J.K. Rowling  my God. Effectively, she said gender was a fact, the trans community got mad as s , they started calling her a TERF, said the comedian.

TERF stands for trans exclusionary radical feminist and is used as a pejorative against feminists who dont think biological men are women.

Chappelle continued, Im Team TERF. I agree. I agree, man. Gender is a fact.

Cue the outrage. Articles spewed forth from the font of regularly aggrieved leftist journalists, including a loaded headline from NPR reading, For Dave Chappelle, Punchlines Are Dares. His New Special, The Closer, Goes too Far.

Not to be outdone, The Independent ran a piece titled, Meet the New Dave ChappelleMisogynistic, Anti-Trans and Socially Irresponsible.

The hit pieces against Chappelle continued as the story developed. Netflix Defends Dave Chappelles Anti-Trans Remarks and Suspends a Trans Employee, reported Time magazine after Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos initially defended Chappelle and the special and the company suspended Terra Field, a biological man who identifies as a woman, along with two other employees for barging into an executive-level meeting in order to complain about the The Closer.

Notably, Sarandos has since caved to the pressure, saying he screwed up in his preliminary response to the outrage. However, the special remains on Netflix.

But for all of those news outlets writing on this uproar, there appears to be more demand for outrage than can be provided naturally.

Stephen Miller, a contributor with The Spectator, noted, The story cites 3 tweets, one from an account they call a Twitter user with 200 followers. If a news story simply cites you as one twitter user said ... your opinion isnt newsworthy. Its irrelevant. Facebook is not the problem.

The story cites 3 tweets, one from an account they call "a Twitter user" with 200 followers.



If a news story simply cites you as "one twitter user said ..." your opinion isn't newsworthy. It's irrelevant.



Facebook is not the problem https://t.co/R8f3xFtieo  Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) October 7, 2021

The media are so desperate for oxygen to keep the Chappelle controversy alive, theyre soliciting actor Channing Tatums thoughts on it.

Really? Why should we care about what Tatum, a man most famous for playing a stripper in a movie six years ago, has to say about Chappelle? In fact, why should we care what any number of leftists on Twitter have to say about Chappelle?

Twitter is not indicative of real life. According to a 2020 Pew Research Center report, just 10% of users produced 92% of all tweets from U.S. adults since last November, and that 69% of these highly prolific users identify as Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents.

That is an obscenely small number of people driving cultural narratives like the Dave Chappelle story. But it also indicates that the narrative itself is being propped up by a group that doesnt represent the average American, who likely either agrees with Chappelle or couldnt care less.

June Gallup polling indicates that 30% of Americans identify as socially conservative, while 35% identify as moderate. Thats a far cry from a majority who buy into the radical Lefts demands for progressive orthodoxy.

Chappelle himself said it best during The Closer, When Sticks & Stones came out, a lot of people in the trans community were furious with me and apparently they dragged me on Twitter. I dont give a  cuz Twitters not a real place!

The sooner people stop giving unrepresentative Twitter mobs the time of day, the sooner they lose their monopoly on the narrative.

Originally published at The Daily Signal.
Va. AG facing pressure to investigate Loudoun County School Board over handling of sexual assaults

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Five former attorneys general of Virginia are calling on the states current attorney general to investigate the Loudoun County School Board over its handling of the sexual assaults of two female students in the districts high schools at the hands of a trans-identified male.

In a letter sent to Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, five of the most recent attorneys general of Virginia, all Republicans, sent a letter to Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, asking him to immediately open an investigation into the sexual assault scandal thats plaguing the Loudoun County School Board. The former state officials also expressed concerns about recently enacted legislation they contend told local school systems not to report sexual assaults.

#BREAKING ???????? Five Former Attorneys General Call on Mark Herring to Immediately Open an Investigation into the Loudoun County School Board pic.twitter.com/VhM8vGZM5e  Jason Miyares (@JasonMiyaresVA) October 25, 2021

The letter, signed by former attorneys general Jim Gilmore, Mark Earley, Jerry Kilgore, Robert McDonnell and Ken Cuccinelli, comes after a Daily Wire investigative report that detailed the sexual assault of two teenage girls at two separate high schools in the district at the hands of the same trans-identified male that has sparked outrage in Loudoun County and nationwide.

Loudoun Now reported that on Monday, the perpetrator of the assaults was convicted on one count of forcible sodomy and one count of forcible fellatio in relation to the first sexual assault, which took place in a girls bathroom at Stone Ridge High School on May 28.

The former attorneys general, who spent a combined total of nearly two decades as the top law enforcement official in the state, reported that the Loudoun County School Superintendent and the School Board chose not to report two sexual assaults to parents. A May 28 email obtained by local news outlet WTOP revealed that Loudoun County Superintendent of Schools Scott Ziegler informed board members that a female student alleged that a male student sexually assaulted her in the restroom earlier that day.

More than three weeks later, at a school board meeting that took place as the school district was considering implementing a policy allowing trans-identified students to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity as opposed to their biological sex, Ziegler assured concerned parents that To my knowledge, we dont have any records of assaults occurring in our restrooms.

The transgender bathroom policy was implemented on Aug. 10. Eight weeks later, the perpetrator of the May 28 sexual assault, who had been transferred to Broad Run High School, sexually assaulted another teenage girl in an empty classroom.

Shortly after the sexual assault at Broad Run High School, Scott Smith, the father of the victim in the first sexual assault, went public with his story, which was published less than a week later. While the school district has defended its handling of the sexual assaults, additional reporting by The Daily Wire and other news outlets has led parents and concerned citizens to demand further action.

Given the broad powers of a State Attorney General, AG Herring shouldve stepped in once the horrific facts surfaced demonstrating that the Superintendent and the School Board knew of the assaults yet did nothing, the former attorneys general wrote. The actions of Loudoun County and the inaction of the Attorney General demonstrate a pattern of indifference toward sexual assaults.

Maintaining that parents have a right to know when sexual assaults occur in their school systems, the signatories slammed the Democrat-controlled Virginia General Assembly for passing House Bill 257, which amended Virginia law regarding reports of certain acts to school authorities.

During a debate on the legislation on the floor of the House of Delegates, Delegate Mike Mullin explained to his colleagues that sexual battery was among the misdemeanors that school officials would no longer have to report to law enforcement if a Senate amendment to the bill was passed. The former attorneys general also accused Herring of not pushing back strongly enough against the legislation: AG Herring did nothing to stop the legislation during the General Assembly session even though his office reviews and comments on all legislation.

Herring is seeking a third term in office. His Republican opponent in next weeks general election, state Rep. Jason Miyares, vowed in a tweet Tuesday that he will conduct an investigation if elected: Mark Herring refuses to help. He wont do the job. But I will.

Mark Herring refuses to help.



He wont do the job.



But I will. https://t.co/AYH9Qnz881  Jason Miyares (@JasonMiyaresVA) October 26, 2021

Miyares also expressed support for Broad Run High School students engaging in a walkout to express support for sexual assault victims, stressing that We need an immediate investigation into the Loudoun County School Board and their coverup of sexual assaults. Parents, students, and victims deserve better.

Proud of these students for stepping up.



We need an immediate investigation into the Loudoun County School Board and their coverup of sexual assaults. Parents, students, and victims deserve better.



Mark Herring refuses to help, he refuses to do the job. But I will. https://t.co/4FWEn9D4x3  Jason Miyares (@JasonMiyaresVA) October 26, 2021

Recent polling of Virginia voters indicates a close race. A poll conducted by Emerson College late last week found Herring leading Miyares 47% to 44%, with the gubernatorial race between Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin tied. A poll from USA Today and Suffolk University yielded a similar result, with Herring leading Miyares 48% to 45% and McAuliffe leading Youngkin 46% to 45%.

Regardless of what happens in the attorney generals race, the legal proceedings surrounding the perpetrator of the two sexual assaults in Loudoun County Schools will continue. He is due back in court on Nov. 15 to face charges of sexual battery and abduction for the Broad Run High School incident.
DC police officers say they were ordered to get abortions or be fired

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Two female police officers with the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department have revealed that when they were cadets, their superiors ordered them to terminate their pregnancies.

Chanel Dickerson, assistant chief of the MPD Youth and Family Engagement Bureau, explained at a recent community gathering at Unity Baptist Church of D.C. that she became pregnant during her time at the police academy. She was told to get an abortion if she wanted to keep her job.

When I was 18 years old, as a police cadet, I was told I had to have an abortion or be fired from the MPD cadet program, Dickerson said, as reported by Fox 5. Wow. My choice to have a baby was personal and it shouldve been mine alone and not ... with an employer ultimatum.

Dickersons ultimatum was not a unique phenomenon. A day after publishing the report about Dickerson, Fox 5 broadcast an interview with Karen Arikpo, a police officer who alleged that abortion was painted as a mandatory course of action for pregnant police cadets. Arikpo recalled a female sergeant in the police academy telling the cadets: If we were pregnant, we need to get an abortion or we would be fired.

Arikpo later told her sergeant that she was pregnant. In response, she recalled the sergeant saying she needed to have an abortion" and "she referred me to a doctor. Arikpo, who graduated with Dickerson from the police academy in 1997, said the consequences of her abortion still haunt her to this day.

Ive never been able to have a kid, she explained. Arikpo maintained that if she could go back in time, she would have quit the police academy and had the baby: I did this for a job. ... And then to want kids and cant have them. How do you tell people that?

Dickerson is one of 10 African American female police officers who joined a class-action lawsuit filed last month against the MPD, which accuses the department of engaging in discrimination on the basis of race and gender. The plaintiffs are seeking $100 million in compensatory damages and an order declaring that the MPDs employment policies, practices and procedures towards Black women police officers constitute unlawful discrimination and retaliation.

Their legal complaint claims that the Equal Employment Office, the division in charge of dealing with discriminatory problems within the department, is itself headed by a man who has repeatedly expressed hostility to women officers, and who colludes with management to crush Black women who complain about race and gender discrimination and sexual harassment.

Dickerson elaborated on the workplace culture during her remarks at Unity Baptist Church. When one of her colleagues needed a shift that was conducive to taking care of her child as a single mother, she declared that her colleague had to do things no woman should ever have to do to care for her child.

NBC News reported that Tiara Brown, who worked for the MPD for five years and is one of the complainants, was named officer of the year in 2019.

Of the 10 women, three said they were forced out of their jobs with MPD, while five remain on the force, one is retired, and the tenth complainant resigned last year.

While we cannot discuss the specific allegations due to pending litigation, the Metropolitan Police Department is committed to treating all members fairly and equitably throughout our organization, responded MPD spokesperson Alaina Gertz in a statement to NBC News.

We take these allegations seriously and we will be reviewing them thoroughly and responding accordingly, she vowed.
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One day last spring on the stunning Sewanee campus of the University of the South in Tennessee, I watched with interest as workers deftly chiseled away the words, Otey Parish and carved in their place the words St. Mark & St. Paul. It was a sign of the times, removing the name of the universitys first Chancellora devout churchman, but, alas, a slave owner. The renaming was also a well-intentioned act of reconciliation in the wake of the parishs segregated history in which African-Americans worshiped as St. Marks an

d whites as St. Pauls-on-the-Mountain.

Given the laudable goal of rectifying past racial inequities, one couldnt help being struck by the irony of replacing Otey with St. Paul, who, critics have argued, was an apologist for slavery, instructing slaves to obey their masters, and making no explicit call for liberation when declaring that we are one in Christ, whether slave or free. Although contextually more nuanced (see 1 Timothy 1:10), these Pauline teachings were historically used as biblical support for justifying slavery, likely by Bishop Otey himself.

Its not only Pauls slavery-related passages that grate these days. Considering other Pauline teachings, one might wonder why any Christian university with current sensitivities would continue offering a theological curriculum based upon an ancient text that condemns same-sex unions and mandates male spiritual leadershipboth now deemed to be on the wrong side of historyand is out of step with prevailing scientific consensus regarding human origins and increasing rejection of binary, biological gender (see Genesis 1:27).

Raising the conundrum for faith-based universities: Jettison the unfashionable parts of Scripture, and inexorably the credibility of the text is so undermined that faith itself becomes problematic, and even the moral foundation for racial and social justice is eroded.

Far from spinning in his grave at his name being expunged, Bishop Otey likely would welcome disassociating his name from trendy theological and moral stances being embraced by many in Christian education, undoubtedly considering those departures spiritually repugnant, and perhaps thinking theres more than one way to deftly chisel away whats written in stone.

As the evil of slavery practiced by people of faith highlights the problem, might the culturally-driven, conveniently-rationalized moral lapses of previous generations be mirrored in those of todays generation? Even yesterdays oppressed slaves, whether God-fearing or otherwise, would be appalled and mystified at what the church proudly blesses today, dressed up in the sanctimonious robes of diversity and inclusivism.

Sewanee, of course, is not alone in being seduced by the spirit of the age insidiously beguiling faith-based universitiesfrom moral relativism, to political correctness, to a smug, holier-than-back-then cancel culture. The Wheatons, Baylors, Pepperdines, and Notre Dames of the academic worldindeed, all Christian schools large and smallare equally at risk of falling prey to the Sewanee syndrome of simplistic generational hubris passing as social justice, and a bewildering ideological mishmash of theological and moral incoherence.

Historically religious universities championing manifestly unbiblical practices alongside just social causes will, in the end, become spiritually irrelevant. Given the historical devolution from faith-based to secular at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, and Yale, todays guardians of Christian education should count it their duty and honor to be on the wrong side of history.
17 Coptic Christians go missing in Libya, fears rise over possible abduction by terrorists

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At least 17 Egyptian Coptic Christians have gone missing in Libya, and it's feared an armed group might have abducted them in the north African country where 21 Coptic Christians were beheaded by ISIS in 2015.

The Coptic Christians, who were living in an Egyptian neighborhood in Tripoli, have either been detained by the authorities or taken by an armed group due to their Christian faith, friends and family believe, according to the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern, which says that they have been missing since Sept. 30.

The Copts had work visas for labor work in Libya, but they failed to get work opportunities and the costs of renewing the visas are high and its likely that the police of Libya detained them from September 30 until now, a lawyer and friend of one the missing Copts was quoted as saying.

The Copts were staying in the Gargash District in Tripoli, he added. In this residency, they were surrounded by so many persons of other countries like India and Bangladesh. So the action of detaining 17 Copts only is such a mysterious action! We are fearing of repeating an incident like the one who did by ISIS. We are contacting the Egyptian Foreign Ministry to intervene in the situation.

Numerous Coptic Christians cross over to Libya in search of work despite knowing that they will face severe persecution, including death.

The Sunday Times quoted a Coptic Christian as previously saying: We know it is more likely we will die than live in Libya but we don't have a choice.  More and more people are going to Libya because of the economic crisis here. You can't get work, you can't make money in Egypt. We are aware of the dangers, particularly as Christians.

In 2017, Libyas interior ministry said they had found a mass grave with the bodies of 21 Coptic Christians who were beheaded by the Islamic State two years earlier.

The heads are separated from the bodies clad in orange jumpsuits, hands bound behind the back with plastic wire, said the ministrys unit for fighting organized crime in the city of Misurata at the time, according to Agence France Presse.

The authorities came to know about the mass grave near the one-time Islamic State bastion of Sirte, 280 miles east of Tripoli, after an ISIS prisoner confessed to the group's killings.

ISIS had kidnapped the Copts in separate incidents in Libya throughout December 2014 and January 2015. The terrorist group then released the video of their execution on Feb. 15, 2015, showing the Christian men in orange jumpsuits kneeling on the sand as the terrorists stood behind them, ready to carry out the executions at a beach near Tripoli.

ICC earlier reported that the victims' family members took pride in how their loved ones stood up to the Islamic radicals and refused to deny their faith despite the imminent threat of death.

One wife said that her husband kept the faith, and was martyred in the name of Christ. His faith was very strong. I'm proud of him. He has lifted our heads up and honored us and all the Christians.

Another family member said: Im very happy that my brother is in Heaven with Jesus now. I loved my brother when he was alive on the Earth, but now I love him more than before. He was martyred in the name of Jesus Christ.
Apple takes down Bible app in China to appease communist regime

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Apple has removed a popular Bible app and a Quran app in China after the communist countrys regime deemed that the apps violated local laws on hosting religious texts.

Bible App by Olive Tree, which has over 1 million downloads, and Quran Majeed, used by millions of Muslims, have been taken down due to compliance issues, the tech company told the BBC.

Apple refused to comment but directed the BBC to its Human Rights Policy: Were required to comply with local laws, and at times there are complex issues about which we may disagree with governments.

Apple also told the BBC that the apps had been removed because Chinese officials had stated they violated laws on hosting illegal religious texts.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook has been accused of hypocrisy from politicians in the U.S. for speaking out about American politics, but staying quiet about China, the BBC noted.

Chinese authorities are also removing Bible apps and Christian WeChat public accounts as new highly restrictive administrative measures on religious staff went into effect earlier this year.

Open Doors estimates that China has more than 97 million Christians, many of whom worship in unregistered or so-called illegal underground churches.

The U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern documented more than 100 incidents of Christian persecution in China between July 2020 and June 2021 as the countrys communist regime seeks to forcefully convert independent religious groups into mechanisms of the Chinese Communist Party.

ICC tracked 23 incidents of authorities demolishing religious structures and symbols during its reporting period, the group said in its report.

The CCP has torn down, destroyed, and removed numerous churches in China, especially those that refused to submit to its control, the report said.

The persecution watchdog added in the report that it recorded 14 cases of Sinicization, which is a state campaign to forcefully assimilate religious groups into CCP-defined Chinese culture.

As an example, ICC highlighted the plight of a church bookstore that was forced to display Mao Zedongs Little Red Book instead of the Bible. The Administration for Religious Affairs also ordered Christians to study President Xis book and memorize his speeches.

Under the direction of President Xi Jinping, officials from the CCP have been enforcing strict controls on religion, according to another report released in March by China Aid.

Open Doors USA, which monitors persecution in over 60 countries, estimates that there are about 97 million Christians in China, a large percentage of whom worship in what China considers to be illegal and unregistered underground house churches.

Christians are not the only religious minority to face persecution at the hands of the CCP, however.

Estimates suggest that as many as 1 million to 3 million Uyghur and other ethnic Muslims have been subject to internment camps in the western Xinjiang province, where they are taught to be secular citizens who fall in line with the CCP. In January, the U.S. State Department recognized Chinas treatment of Uyghurs as a genocide.
Archaeologists find rare 2,000-year-old Balm of Gilead gemstone seal near Western Wall

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Archaeologists in Israel say they have discovered in eastern Jerusalem a 2,000-year-old precious gem an engraving that depicts the Balm of Gilead, a rare perfume used medicinally and which was mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.

The Israel Antiquities Authority announced the discovery of an ancient amethyst seal bearing the first known depiction of the plant just north of the City of David, Jewish News Syndicate reported.

The seal was found during excavations in the Emek Tzurim National Park along the foundation stones of the Western Wall in Jerusalems Old City, it added.

This is an important find, because it may be the first time that a seal has been discovered in the entire world with an engraving of the precious and famous plant, which until now we could only read about in historical descriptions, archaeologist Eli Shukron, who conducted the excavation, was quoted as saying.

Toward the end of the Second Temple period, the use of stone stamps expanded and became more common, The Jerusalem Post quoted Prof. Shua Amorai-Stark, an expert in engraved gems, as saying.

But in most stamps discovered so far with plant engravings, it is common to find plants that were common in Israel at the time: vines, dates and olives, which are among the seven species. But on this stone seal, we immediately noticed that the fruit that appears on it is unlike any of the fruits we have encountered to date.

The Bible prominently mentions the Balm of Gilead, also known as balsam tree or persimmon.

After having cast him into a pit, Josephs brothers saw a caravan on its way from Gilead to Egypt, with their camels bearing spicery, and balm, and myrrh, according to Genesis 37:25.

While dispatching his embassy into Egypt, Jacob gifted a little balm to the unknown ruler, as per Genesis 43:11. During the final years of the Kingdom of Judah, Jeremiah asks in Jeremiah 8:22, Is there no balm in Gilead?

The oval stone uncovered by archeologists is about 10 mm long and five mm wide, and it also features a bird that looks like a dove, the archaeologists said.

The balsam plant is a positive symbol because, beyond the fact that it was used to produce perfumes and medicines, the ancient persimmon  which, by the way, is not at all similar to todays persimmon  was attributed magical and ceremonial properties and is one of the ingredients used for making the Temple incense during the Second Temple period, which is when this seal was made, Shukron was quoted as saying.

The dove is also a positive motif in the Hellenistic, Roman and Jewish world, Amorai-Stark said. It symbolizes wealth, happiness, goodness and success.
Catholic Church census reveals growth in Asia and Africa, decline in Europe

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An annual census by the Vatican news agency, Fides, shows that the number of Catholics has increased in Africa, the Americas and Asia but gone down in Europe.

The list of Catholic Church Statistics, released Thursday, reveals that the number of Catholics grew by more than 15 million from 2018 to 2019. However, in Europe, the number of Catholics decreased by 292,000. The release of the statistics came ahead of World Mission Day, which took place Sunday.

As of Dec. 31, 2019, the world population was approximately 7.6 billion with an increase of 81.4 million compared to the previous year. The population grew on every continent, including Europe, the census notes.

Catholics in the world numbered 1.3 billion with an overall increase of 15.4 million, as of Dec. 31, 2019, compared to the previous year. A video presentation of the statistics notes that Catholics accounted for 17.7% of the world population in 2019.

In Africa, the number of Catholics increased by 8.3 million, by 5.3 million in America, by 1.9 million in Asia and by 118,000 in Oceania. Catholics comprised 19.4% of the population in Africa, 63.8% of the population in America, 3.3% of the population in Asia and 26.3% of the population in Oceania.

As the number of Catholics increased worldwide, the total number of bishops in the world decreased by 13 to 5,364, according to the census. The report also shows that the number of priests worldwide increased, mainly in Africa and Asia, by 271 to 414,336.

The census put the number of lay missionaries in the world at 410,440, with an overall increase of 34,252.

In the field of education, the Catholic Church runs 72,667 kindergartens with 7,532,992 pupils; 98,925 primary schools with 35,188,771 pupils; 49,552 secondary schools with 19,370,763 pupils. The Church also cares 2,395,540 high school pupils and 3,833,012 university students, the census says. Charity and healthcare centres run in the world by the Church include: 5,245 hospitals, most of them in Africa (1,418) and in America (1,362).

Other charities overseen by the Church include 532 Care Homes for people with Leprosy, mainly in Asia (269) and Africa (201); 15,429 Homes for the elderly, or the chronically ill or people with a disability, mainly in Europe (8,031) and in America (3,642); 9,374 orphanages, mainly in Asia (3,233) and in Europe (2,247); 10,723 creches, mainly in Asia (2,973) and in America (2,957); 12,308 marriage counselling centres, mainly in Europe (5,504) and America (4,289); 3,198 social rehabilitation centres and 33,840 other kinds of institutes.

Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso, president of the Pontifical Mission Societies, responded to the statistics, concluding that de-Christianization is evident. I think it will be necessary to implement courses for Christian formation, he remarked, according to Premier Christian News.

In a statement issued in honor of World Missions Day, Pope Francis asserted that The call to mission is not a thing of the past. He stressed the need for hearts capable of experiencing vocation as a true love story that urges them to go forth to the peripheries of our world as messengers and agents of compassion.
India: Human rights groups document over 300 acts of Christian persecution in 2021

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Human rights groups in India say they have documented over 300 incidents of Christian persecution in just the first nine months of 2021, warning that this year might be the worst in terms of the number of such incidents in the countrys history.

While Christians make up only 2.3% of Indias population and Hindus comprise about 80%, radical Hindu nationalists have been carrying out attacks on Christians under the pretext of punishing the minority for using force or monetary rewards to convert Hindus to Christianity,

A.C. Michael, the National Coordinator of the United Christian Forum, said at a press conference in Delhi this week, The brutal attacks have taken place across 21 states. Most of the incidents are taking place in northern states and 288 instances were of mob violence, he added, according to the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern.

The press conference was held jointly by the United Christian Forum, the United Against Hate, and the Association of Protection of Civil Rights, which released a fact-finding report titled Christians Under Attack in India.

This is a scary situation, raising critical questions over the role and the position of the National Human Rights Commission and the Home [Interior] Ministry and their failures in stopping this violence, Michael added. Over 49 FIRs [police complaints] have been registered, too, but no substantial action has taken place.

Earlier this month, a mob of 200 radical Hindu nationalists left a church damaged and at least three Christian women seriously injured in an attack in the northern state of Uttarakhand.

The attackers accused the church of illegally converting people to Christianity.

The mob attacked the church on Oct. 3 in Roorkee citys Solanipuram Colony and was comprised of members of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party and radical Hindu nationalist groups associated with the party, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal.

As the service was about to begin, the mob reportedly barged into the church, thrashed the congregants and vandalized church properties, injuring at least three Christian women who were taken to a hospital in Dehradun city.

Several Indian states have anti-conversion laws, which presume that Christians force or give financial benefits to Hindus to convert them to Christianity.

While some of these laws have been in place for decades in some states, no Christian has been convicted of forcibly converting anyone to Christianity. These laws, however, allow Hindu nationalist groups to make false charges against Christians and launch attacks on them under the pretext of the alleged forced conversion.

The law states that no one is allowed to use the threat of divine displeasure, meaning Christians cannot talk about Heaven or Hell, as that would be seen as forcing someone to convert. And if snacks or meals are served to Hindus after an evangelistic meeting, that could be seen as an inducement.

India ranks as the 10th worst country globally when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has urged the U.S. State Department to label India as a country of particular concern for engaging in or tolerating severe religious freedom violations.

Open Doors USA warns that since the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party took power in 2014, persecution against Christians and other religious minorities has increased.

The group reports that Hindu radicals often attack Christians with little to no consequences.

Hindu extremists believe that all Indians should be Hindus and that the country should be rid of Christianity and Islam, an Open Doors fact sheet on India explains. They use extensive violence to achieve this goal, particularly targeting Christians from a Hindu background. Christians are accused of following a foreign faith and blamed for bad luck in their communities.
Archbishop Justin Welby, former PM Gordon Brown warn against legalizing assisted suicide

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The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and the U.K.s former Prime Minister Gordon Brown have warned that a proposed law to allow assisted suicide would undermine the sanctity of life and could pressure the frail and vulnerable to end their lives.

In a joint-letter with Cardinal Vincent Nichols, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales, along with Ephraim Mirvis, the Chief Rabbi, the archbishop expressed our profound disquiet over a bill, tabled by Baroness Meacher in the House of Lords, which would allow adults who are of sound mind and have been told they have six months or less to live to receive life-ending medication if two doctors and a high court judge approve of it.

We acknowledge that Baroness Meacher is seeking the alleviation of suffering, they wrote, according to The Telegraph reported. This motivation we share wholeheartedly, but we disagree on the means advanced to address this very real concern.

The provisions of the Assisted Dying Bill involve risks and dangers and real-life practical inadequacies, they added. By the faiths we profess, we hold every human life to be a precious gift of the Creator, to be upheld and protected.

All people of faith, and those of none, can share our concern that the common good is not served by policies or actions that would place very many vulnerable people in more vulnerable positions."

While announcing the bill, Meacher, chairwoman of the group Dignity in Dying, said: This option would enable terminally ill, mentally competent people whose suffering is beyond the reach of palliative care to die well and on their own terms, should they choose it. And it would also provide comfort and control to countless more who may never avail themselves of this option but would be comforted by the simple fact of its existence.

Gordon also opposed the bill. If death were to become not just an option but something close to an entitlement through the bureaucratic processes that an act of parliaments provisions impose, we would, in my view, be altering fundamentally the way we think about mortality, he wrote in an op-ed forThe Times.

The risk of pressures, however subtle and indirect, on the frail and the vulnerable, who may feel their existence burdensome to others, cannot ever be entirely excluded, the former prime minister added. And the inevitable erosion of trust in the caring professions  if they were in a position to end life  would be to lose something very precious.

Most Christian medical professionals believe God alone should decide a persons death.

Canadas Christian Medical and Dental Society, which represents about 5,000 practitioners in that country, stated in a document in 1995: The time of the giving of life and the termination of life should be Gods prerogative and not ours.  Suffering should always evoke compassionate care and euthanasia should not be used as a way out. Those who suffer are important members of society who should be affirmed. We believe that the courageous bearing of suffering has the utmost moral and social benefit to society and the recognition by society of that contribution affirms the individual.
Boeing Co. reported a third-quarter loss on Wednesday, as it struggled to fix problems with its 787 Dreamliner airline plane and a space capsule designed to ferry astronauts to the international space station.

Those setbacks overshadowed rising orders and deliveries as airlines and Boeing recover gingerly from the pandemic, which devastated air travel and demand for new planes.

Boeing said it lost $132 million, of which $109 million was attributable to shareholders.

Chicago-based Boeing offered a hopeful outlook for aircraft sales, saying that the rollout of vaccines against COVID-19 and easing of global travel restrictions will help the company sell more planes.

More immediately, however, Boeing faces more uncertainty around major programs.

The company has large numbers of parked 787s and 737 Max jets. It hasn't delivered any 787s in several months because of a series of production flaws including substandard titanium parts.

CEO David Calhoun said he couldn't say when 787 deliveries will resume. I can't give you certainty until I'm certain, he told analysts during a conference call. We're well past halfway.

Calhoun said the company will correct problems on the 787, a large plane designed for long international flights, the same way that it brought back the Max after two deadly crashes and a worldwide grounding  by working with regulators to win approval for corrections to the plane. In the case of the Max, that process took 18 months.

As long as those deliveries are stopped, Boeing is losing a key source of cash.

Boeing has scaled back production of the 787, which caused the company to take a $183 million charge in the third quarter. It expects eventually to absorb $1 billion in abnormal costs on the plane.

Boeing also took a $185 million charge in the third quarter for its troubled Starliner space capsule. A unmanned test flight in 2019 failed to achieve the correct orbit, and a second flight was scrubbed in August because of problems with valves in the propulsion system. NASA and Boeing plan to try another launch next year.

Even though Boeing has resumed deliveries of the 737 Max  and won some large new orders for the plane  it is still trying to whittle down an inventory of 370 of them, which are parked at various places around the country.

China was Boeings biggest market for the Max before the crashes, and the company is still waiting for regulators there to let the plane fly again. If that approval doesnt come in the next six to 12 months, the company will have to trim plans to boost Max production, Calhoun said.

Boeing is currently building 19 Max jets a month at a plant near Seattle, and aims to boost that to 31 a month early next year, a goal that Cowen aerospace analyst Cai von Rumohr called ambitious.

The third-quarter results compared with a loss of $449 million in the same period last year, when the pandemic caused demand for new planes to collapse.

The most recent loss amounted to 19 cents per share, but the loss excluding special items was wider, at 60 cents per share. Wall Street expected an adjusted loss of 20 cents per share, according to a FactSet survey of 16 analysts.

Von Rumohr called it a deck-clearing quarter. While the core loss was wider than expected, cash outflow was not as bad as feared, he said in a note to clients.

Boeing's commercial airline business suffered an operating loss of $693 million even as revenue rose 24% to $4.46 billion. Boeing delivered 85 jets, mostly Maxes, to airlines and other customers in the quarter, up from 28 a year earlier.

The company's defense and space division earned $436 million and its services wing earned $644 million, providing a sense of stability during all the turmoil in the commercial-airplanes business.

Boeing's total revenue was $15.28 billion, far short of the $16.70 billion forecast by analysts. Two years earlier, before the pandemic, quarterly revenue was $19.98 billion.

The company's shares fell 1.5% to close at $206.61.

___

David Koenig can be reached at www.twitter.com/airlinewriter

___

This story has been updated to correct that Boeing's loss was $132 million including losses attributed to non-controlling interests, not $132.
In the latest trading session, PPL (PPL) closed at $29.09, marking a +0.31% move from the previous day. This change outpaced the S&P 500's 0.18% gain on the day.

Prior to today's trading, shares of the energy and utility holding company had gained 2.26% over the past month. This has lagged the Utilities sector's gain of 2.43% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.96% in that time.

Investors will be hoping for strength from PPL as it approaches its next earnings release, which is expected to be November 4, 2021. On that day, PPL is projected to report earnings of $0.35 per share, which would represent a year-over-year decline of 39.66%.

PPL's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $1.18 per share and revenue of $6.26 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of -50.83% and -10.67%, respectively.

Any recent changes to analyst estimates for PPL should also be noted by investors. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the company's business outlook.

Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection remained stagnant. PPL is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #5 (Strong Sell).

Looking at its valuation, PPL is holding a Forward P/E ratio of 24.58. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 18.61, which means PPL is trading at a premium to the group.

The Utility - Electric Power industry is part of the Utilities sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 166, which puts it in the bottom 35% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.

More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!

It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 77 billion devices by 2025, creating a $1.3 trillion market.

Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 4 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2022.

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According to Times of Entrepreneurship, 81% of entrepreneurs start a company without funding. Starting a business without cash on hand means that most entrepreneurs operate from a place of scarcity  saving every dollar, tasking employees with multiple jobs and working long hours with little sleep. There is never enough: never enough time, money, staff, resources or sleep. We have been taught to believe this mindset is necessary for survival of the enterprise.

But is it?

What if entrepreneurs flipped the script and operated from abundance? An abundance script says, There is always enough.

Giving is the secret of abundance. When I started FlyteVu, my partner and I made the decision that we would operate with an abundance script. Rooted in our faith, we believed that there would always be enough, and if there is always enough, there is always something to share with others.

From the first day of business, we started by giving 10% of all revenue to charity, doubling that number in two years to 20%, and then creating the FlyteVu Fund, a donor-advised fund that collectively has now exceeded $1 million in donations to local and national nonprofits and charities.

In 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, we decided to focus our giving efforts on another important group: our clients.

Related: Power With Purpose: The Four Pillars of Leadership

In May of 2020, as one of my clients delivered the bad news that she would be terminating our agency retainer due to budget cuts as a result of Covid, she broke down in tears. We had done excellent work, but she had to choose between keeping her employees or ours. I didnt fault her for making the choice she did; I would have made the same one to protect my own team. It was one of eight calls she was going to make that day, terminating agencies, partners and contracts, and with that, she would carry the weight of what that meant for hundreds of jobs. She wasnt going to sleep well that night, and neither was I.

Covid-19 brought high levels of stress and burnout

Many leaders thrive on pressure and performance, but only when balanced with achievement and results. During Covid, leaders were thrust into crisis situations and stayed in crisis mode for more than a year, resulting in the highest levels of stress and burnout.

These leaders had spent a year bearing the weight of making tough decisions for their businesses, terminating top-performing staff without cause, furloughing employees, taking unexpected pay cuts themselves to cover for staff and carrying the emotional weight of the team who looked to them for stability. Good leaders were forced to take on the needs of everyone else, putting themselves and their needs last, or ignoring them altogether. Navigating the stresses of Covid in the workplace as well as at home, leaders did not have a safe community to offload pain. The normal isolation that comes with a leadership position, now amplified because of Covid and coupled with the prolonged crisis response, had led to one commonality: massive burnout and depression.

Although Covid had taken a toll on our own staff, we realized we had an opportunity to operate from abundance. We decided to lean in and talk to these executives about their hopes and dreams, what they'd do if they had 24 hours free of responsibilities  which seemed impossible when there wasnt enough time, energy or financial resources to go around. Circumstances from the pandemic had forced them to work from a scarcity script and even thinking about hopes and dreams felt impossible. Their tanks were empty and inspiration had flown out the sunroof on the highway to burnout.

So, we flipped the script.

Related: Mandatory Covid Vaccines? Employers Consider Their Options

Don't put a toe in the water; grab your knees and do a cannonball

We brought together a like-minded group of ten top executives from our list of clients including UPS, Cracker Barrel, Vistaprint, the American Red Cross and more for a virtual session under the guise of inspiration. To host the session, we invited Bob Goff, speaker and author of Dream Big. Goff had inspired me when I made the decision to become an entrepreneur. One of my favorite quotes of his is, Don't put a toe in the water; grab your knees and do a cannonball. Goff's words apply perfectly to the leap of faith required in entrepreneurship, but also the faith required to live with abundance. You cant just dip your toe in; you have to do a cannonball. And thats just what we did.

Together, we surprised each executive by revealing that we had made his or her bucket-list dream come true  a cruise to Alaska, a trip to meet a favorite musician, an opportunity to showcase photography with a famed photographer and more  all at our cost.

But there was one caveat. They had just minutes to accept as their dreams would be fulfilled in the next 24 hours.

I knew that if we didnt force these executives to make a quick decision, they would talk themselves out of it. The excuses would pile up: too many responsibilities, too many meetings, too many important family obligations. Indecision is the worst enemy of an entrepreneur. Being a leader means making decisions, taking risks and being accountable for the results.

And the results were fascinating:

Seven out of ten accepted the bucket-list dream on the spot.

Two out of the seven who accepted backed out after saying yes, claiming they didnt have the time (operating from a scarcity script).

Five followed through with the dreams.

The act of abundance was far more meaningful than the actual gift.

So how does one live an abundance script? Here are my top five tips:

Give. give. give. Everyone has something to give. Start by giving $1 for every $100 you make. Instead of missing that $1, you get used to operating with $99, and soon youll realize that the act of giving is better than having the $1 in hand. Celebrate all the wins, even if they arent yours. Abundance mentality says that there is enough for everyone, so someone elses gain is not your loss. When someone else succeeds, you know that you can still have your own success. So, celebrate all the wins. Be a rainbow. As Maya Angelou says, "Be a rainbow in someone elses cloud." Look for the clouds in someones life and show up as a rainbow. I keep a calendar of my clients and employees worst days  the death of a loved one, a divorce, the loss of a child. These are the days I make sure to show up, often overlooked by others, an opportunity to give and serve, and draw from the well of abundance. Choose joy. If youre not happy with what you have now, you wont be happy with more of it. Stop waiting for a goal to be achieved or a certain level of success or your bank account to reach a certain number. Choose joy in what you have today. Because all you may have is today. Choose your thoughts. When scarcity thoughts cross your mind, let them cross your mind, leave your mind and wish them well. Recognize them, but do not claim them as your own. When I recognize a thought as a "scarcity" thought, I write it and put it in my thought box, a little box that serves as the graveyard for all the thoughts and fears I dont want to pick up. This is a great experiential tool to help me control my thoughts and not let them control me.

"Abundance is the simple recognition of enough"

Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, is known for her abundance-based leadership. After announcing she had sold majority stake of her company to Blackstone, she rewarded each of her employees with $10,000 and two first-class tickets to any place in the world of their choosing. Other founders have led companies from startup to IPO, or sold to private equity, but Blakely will be admired and remembered most for her abundance script.

Building a business from abundance will feel uncertain, unstable and uncomfortable when you start. But the investment will pay off in dividends, transforming your culture, clients and everyone you encounter. It means anyone can be rich, with or without money or resources, because abundance is the simple recognition of enough. And there is always enough.

Related: Lead With Thoughts of Abundance, Not Scarcity

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Investigators said Wednesday that there was some complacency in how weapons were handled on the movie set where Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed a cinematographer and wounded another person, but it's too soon to determine whether charges will be filed.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza noted that 500 rounds of ammunition  a mix of blanks, dummy rounds and suspected live rounds  were found while searching the set of the Western Rust.

Obviously I think the industry has had a record recently of being safe. I think there was some complacency on this set, and I think there are some safety issues that need to be addressed by the industry and possibly by the state of New Mexico, Mendoza told a news conference nearly a week after the shooting.

Authorities also confirmed there was no footage of the shooting, which happened during a rehearsal.

Investigators believe Baldwins gun fired a single live round that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.

Detectives have recovered a lead projectile they believe the actor fired last week. Testing is being done to confirm whether the projectile taken from Souzas shoulder was fired from the same long Colt revolver used by Baldwin. The FBI will help with ballistics analysis.

Two other guns were seized, including a single-action revolver that may have been modified and a plastic gun that was described as a revolver, officials said.

Souza, who was standing behind Hutchins, told investigators there should never be live rounds present near the scene.

We suspect that there were other live rounds, but thats up to the testing. But right now, were going to determine how those got there, why they were there because they shouldnt have been, Mendoza said.

District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said investigators cannot say yet whether it was negligence or by whom. She called it a complex case that will require more research and analysis.

It will take many more facts, corroborated facts, before we can get to that criminal negligence standard, she said.

Investigators said they planned to follow up on reports of other incidents involving misfires with guns on the set.

Mike Tristano, a veteran armorer, or movie weapons specialist, was alarmed to hear that live rounds were mixed in with blanks and dummy rounds.

I find that appalling, Tristano said. "In over 600 films and TV shows that Ive done, weve never had a live round on set.

The shooting has baffled Hollywood professionals and prompted calls to better regulate firearms on sets or even ban them in the age of seamless computer-generated imagery. Court records say that an assistant director grabbed the gun from a cart and indicated the weapon was safe by yelling cold gun.

The armorer on the Baldwin film, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, said she checked dummy bullets on the day of the shooting to ensure that none were hot rounds. She also told a detective that while the guns used for filming were locked up during a crew lunch break, ammunition was left on a cart unsecured, according to a search warrant released Wednesday ahead of the news conference.

Gutierrez Reed told a detective that no live ammo was ever kept on the set.

When reached Wednesday by The Associated Press, she declined to comment. She said Monday by text message that she was looking for a lawyer.

Assistant director David Halls, who handed the gun to Baldwin before the shooting, said Gutierrez Reed typically opened the hatch of the gun and spun the drum, though he couldnt recall if she did that before the shooting. He said he only remembered seeing three rounds in the gun, according to the warrant.

After the shooting, Halls took the gun to Gutierrez and said he saw five rounds in the gun, at least four of them were dummy rounds indicated by a hole on the side and a cap on the round. Halls said there was also a casing in the gun that did not have the cap and did not have the hole indicating it was a dummy, the warrant said.

Halls "advised the incident was not a deliberate act, according to the warrant, which was issued Wednesday in order to search a truck that was used on the set.

Baldwin, 63, who is known for his roles in 30 Rock, The Departed and The Hunt for Red October, along with his impression of then-President Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, has described the killing as a tragic accident.

The gun Baldwin used was one of three that the armorer had placed on a cart outside the building where a scene was being rehearsed, according to court records.

The production of Rust was beset by workplace disputes from the start in early October. Hours before the shooting, several camera crew members walked off the set amid discord over working conditions, including safety procedures.

Baldwin in his role as actor appeared unlikely to be held criminally or civilly liable for the tragedy. As a producer, however, he is among a long list of associates on the film who could face some sort of liability.

Concerns have been raised about Halls' safety record by colleagues on two previous productions. Halls has not returned phone calls and email messages seeking comment.

Rust Movie Productions, the production company, says it is cooperating with authorities and conducting its own internal review of procedures with the production shut down.
People who know the sport  really know it  will tell you that the best snowboarding movies are those that never let you get too comfortable.

That might explain how Dear Rider" could very well end up in that category, even though nobody dropped out of a helicopter or plunged off a cliff to make this film.

Instead, the best storytelling in the documentary about snowboarding icon Jake Burton, who died in 2019 after a relapse of testicular cancer, comes from the nimble stitching together of decades of home movies and archival media interviews to paint a well-rounded portrait of the man who saw a sport in that undefined slab of fiberglass and forever changed life on the mountain.

Some might argue the wounds from Burton's death are too fresh to allow for an unflinching narrative about a man whose life and influence on the sport he created are detailed in this 90-minute film, which debuts on HBO on Nov. 9.

But in large part because Burton had been plotting out the movie of his life story well before his death, and knew exactly where he wanted to go with it, much of the fluff that might have accompanied such a project so soon after his passing never makes the cut. A lot of the hard truth of what it took to build a snowboarding empire, then leave it behind too soon, comes to light.

What results is a movie that is, no doubt, an homage to Burton. But it also serves as a history lesson about a pastime that became a sport in the late 1970s when Burton quit his Wall Street job to produce snowboards in his garage in Vermont. It's a lesson that does not shirk from the uncomfortable realities of his undertaking: Yes, he built it for fun, freedom and who-gives-a-crap rebellion, but no billion-dollar industry sprouts up purely on good vibes and bro hugs.

Some of the most enlightening moments revolve around the sport's first superstar, Craig Kelly, and his role in the business side's first major rivalry, between Burton and another snowboard maker, Tom Sims.

It includes backbiting and lawsuits, while also touching on Burton's potentially career-killing miscalculations at the sport's outset. The most notable involves prickly issues surrounding the patent for the snowboard that turned Burton, both the man and the company, into something of a pariah within the sport they created. The chapter ends with Kelly's untimely death in an avalanche in 2003.

It is instructive, not always easy to watch. And while Sims, who died in 2012, would certainly have had a different take on many of these events, the fact this unvarnished portrayal of the main subject makes it into the movie at all is a testament to what Burton, his wife, Donna, and his son, George, were trying to do with this project.

He was a very resilient man, but the more we could honestly show what his demons were, what his struggles were, and then show how he overcame them, that was always our focus, said director Fernando Villena, who met several times with Burton before being chosen for the project.

The documentary shows Burton growing as a man while his snowboard becomes both a sport and an industry. He accepts the Olympics and marvels that his invention helped produce a champion such as Shaun White, whose two Rolling Stone magazine covers essentially cemented the sport's acceptance into the mainstream. Those triumphs also lock in the reality that snowboarding will never return to the days of hand-dug halfpipes and using the legs from overturned park benches as makeshift starting gates.

Being OK with that allowed Burton, and his company, to overcome their rough beginnings and blossom into what they became as the upstart '80s became the 2010s.

Lest anyone get too comfortable, the last 25 minutes of this movie are mostly sad but partly uplifting. Dozens of family photos and film clips follow Burton as he overcomes cancer, then a paralyzing autoimmune disease, then another bout with cancer that takes him away just as the snow starts falling in the late fall of 2019.

We worked very consciously not to make this too sad, because Jake wasn't a sad guy, said his wife, Donna Carpenter. But it had this certain rawness that maybe it wouldn't have had had the movie been completed while Burton was still alive.

For those new (two decades or less) to the snowboarding scene, the old snapshots and film clips of Burton  sometimes sneering, always bristling, never afraid to challenge the snobby ski suits in America and across Europe  are a stark reminder of how much work it took to elbow out room for himself and his baggy-panted diehards on the mountain.

Years passed and Burton Snowboards, always privately owned, branched out and became a behemoth that many in the industry thought was too big. The movie doesn't flinch from this topic, either.

An interview with a Burton distributor, Andres Erlandsen, about the company's largesse taps into the main undercurrent of this film  one that's particularly poignant when viewed through the lens of Burton's recent death.

One day I asked him, Have you ever thought about selling Burton?" Erlandsen said. And he told me: 'Anyone who owns Burton Snowboards has to love snowboarding more than me. And I don't know anyone yet.'

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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In 2016, Kelly Grimsley was vacationing in Los Angeles when she was invited to lunch with a family friend. The lunch turned out to be a pitch meeting for an investment in an independent film, and Grimsley ended up putting in $250,000 to get it made.

Grimsley would later sue the producers  Ryan Smith and Allen Cheney  claiming they had improperly embezzled $40,000, some of which went to pay a personal credit card bill and health insurance premiums.

The suit portrays Smith, 36, and Cheney, 33, as being in well over their heads, ultimately having to be rescued by Cheneys father, the CEO of a local bank. The complaint describes the pair as fledgling film producers with virtually no creative or business achievements in the film industry.

Smith and Cheney are in the spotlight because they were also a producer and executive producer, respectively, on Rust, the Alec Baldwin film that shut down production after the cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot and killed on set Thursday near Santa Fe, N.M.

The incident has shone a light on how crews can sometimes face slipshod working conditions on low-budget independent films, with allegations that Rust producers hired non-union crew to replace camera workers who walked off the production, as well as allegations about poor safety practices.

A third person involved in Rust, executive producer Emily Salveson, 36, also got into the business relatively recently with support from her father, an attorney experienced in tax credit financing. Salveson has made extensive use of Section 181, a provision of the tax code that allows wealthy people to write off their investments in low-budget films.

Rust had a dozen credited producers and executive producers, including Baldwin and Matt Delpiano, his former CAA agent who is now a manager at Cavalry Media. It is not yet entirely clear who was actually in charge of hiring the crew and making sure conditions were safe.

In a statement issued Tuesday night, Rust producers responded to a New York Times story raising the possibility that criminal charges could be coming. Santa Fe County D.A. Mary Carmack-Altwies told the Times we havent ruled out anything and that her offices investigation will take weeks, if not months.

None of the producers of Rust have been contacted by the New Mexico District Attorneys office, We will continue to fully cooperate with any and all law-enforcement investigations as they work through the details of this heartbreaking tragedy, according to a statement sent by a representative for producers of Rust.

Rust was shot under the low-budget theatrical agreement with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. It was a Tier One production, with a budget between $2.75 million and $7.5 million, which is the lowest budget category in the contract except for ultra-low budget films. Rust was budgeted in the $6 million-$7 million range.

Baldwin was involved with many of the same producers  including Salveson, Smith and Cheney  on Supercell, a low-budget film about storm chasers that shot in Montana earlier this year. One question that lingers over the production of Rust is why Baldwin, an A-list actor, would involve himself in such low-budget fare with relatively inexperienced producers.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter in June, Baldwin explained that he only had to do one week of shooting on Supercell, which allowed him to spend more time with his six young children.

Im going to stay home with my family and whatever work I can find that allows me to stay home, thats what Im likely going to do, he said at the time. Its unclear how extensive Baldwins role was on Rust.

Grimsleys lawsuit was filed in June 2017, and dismissed a few months later. In it, she states that Smith and Cheney were looking to make a movie about Cheneys grandfather, who led a musical troupe in rural Georgia. She said she agreed to invest on condition that she got to approve any expenditures on the project. But in February 2017, she noted that numerous transfers had been made out of the projects account without her permission. When confronted, Cheney initially blamed a bank error, according to the complaint, which Grimsley described as a bald-faced lie.

Grimsley alleged in her suit that in a subsequent meeting at the bank, Cheneys father stated, if the transfers werent illegal they were the dumbest thing Ive ever seen. Cheneys father later forced his son to sell his stock in the bank to repay the funds, according to the suit.

Michael Ross, an attorney who represented Smith and Cheney in the case, declined to comment.

Its ancient history, he said.

Smith joined Salvesons company, Streamline Global, in 2018 as its president. Salveson is listed as the companys CEO and founder.

Salveson has appeared at a number of industry events to talk up the companys investment model, which relies heavily on Section 181. The tax code provision  which was renewed last year as part of the CARES Act  allows investors to deduct their investment in a film project, up to $15 million, at the time the money is spent.

When combined with state tax incentives  such as the 25%-35% credit awarded in New Mexico  investors can recoup most of their money before the film is even distributed.

Hal Corky Kessler, an attorney who has worked extensively on Section 181 productions, helped Salveson get her start in the industry a few years ago. He said that those who are involved in financing are often not equipped to take on the role of a true producer, who is responsible for actively overseeing the production.

This was a nightmare waiting to happen, Kessler said. People who put money and have not had experience doing the jobs they have titles to should not do them. I dont know what she did or didnt do. I dont speak ill of her. But at the same time, the questions have to be asked. Why did they get rid of the union people? There is something strange about this whole thing.

In public appearances, Salveson has sometimes appeared to take credit for originating the use of Section 181 financing. In 2017, she appeared on a panel at Cannes with Kessler as the moderator.

When I created this financial model, I thought is there a way to make it so that the profits of the film are not what defines whether the investor makes money or not? she said at the time. With 181, it doesnt matter whether the film is fully completed. The investor still gets their benefit on day one.

(Pictured: Emily Hunter Salveson and Ryan Smith)

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LONDON (AP)  Young women across the U.K. are boycotting nightclubs and pubs Wednesday as university towns and cities join in a national girls night in protest after increasing reports of drink spiking and students being drugged by needle injections.

The online campaign, which has gained momentum in university cities including Bristol, Brighton and Nottingham, wants to raise awareness about women's safety and demand more urgent action by the government and nightclubs to prevent date rape drugs from being brought into clubs. Girls Night In accounts organizing boycotts in British cities this week have gathered thousands of followers on social media.

The protests came after a sharp rise in recent months of reports of drink spiking and needle spiking -- where women report being injected with drugs in the back or in the leg at nightclubs -- as students return to campuses after a long spell away due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Police Chiefs Council said there have been 198 confirmed reports of drink spiking in September and October across the U.K., and 24 reports of people being injected while on nights out.

Police in Nottingham, central England, said last week that extra officers were being put on patrol on the weekends to ensure people could enjoy a safe night out. The force said that since Oct. 2, 14 women and a man have alleged being spiked by something sharp, as opposed to a traditional method of contaminated alcoholic drinks.

Student Zara Owen, 19, told the BBC that she blacked out soon after arriving with friends at a nightclub in the city earlier this month. She said she had no recollection of what happened that night, but woke up with a pain in her leg before she discovered a pin prick.

In Brighton, the southern England seaside city, detectives said they were investigating six reports of women being injected during the past week.

Police were carrying out unannounced checks through the night, and all reports were being taken incredibly seriously, said Chief Superintendent Justin Burtenshaw, commander for Brighton and Hove. Anyone who believed they may have been a victim of spiking should let police or bar staff know immediately so they could be tested for potential drugs before their effects wane, he added.

Organizers of the boycott said on Instagram that spiking has become an epidemic.

Never before have we heard of so many students waking up with no memory of what had happened the night before, read the message. This is not getting black-out drunk, this is getting drugged and is something that can be changed.

On Wednesday, a 29-year-old man appeared in court in the city of Manchester charged with rape after a woman reported that her drink had been spiked during a night out in September.

An online petition calling for nightclubs to be required to thoroughly search people on entry has garnered almost 170,000 signatures.
As questions about Delta 8 THC's legality wade their way through Texas courts, all eyes are on massive stockpiles of the now-illicit products that could spell legal trouble for retailers and manufacturers after a ruling by an Austin judge Friday.

That issue is at the center of a new legal argument pushing back against the Delta 8 ban brought by Houston-based smoke shop Vape City. Michelle Donovan, an attorney representing the Texas chain of more than 75 retail stores  which sells smoke and vape items including Delta 8 THC products  filed a request for a temporary restraining order this week asking a Travis County judge to remove Delta 8 THC from the Texas Department of State Health Services' list of schedule I controlled substances.

The substance's moniker is derived from its chemical makeup, Delta 8 tetrahydrocannabinols (or Delta 8 THC). It's considered an isomer of Delta 9 THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Manufacturers, retailers and consumers all believed that Delta 8 was made legal under the 2018 federal Farm Bill and subsequent state legislation that effectively legalized all hemp products containing less than 0.3 percent Delta 9 THC. Texas state attorneys, however, argue that Delta 8 THC is and always has been illegal.

The new filing is similar to a request filed last week from Austin-based hemp retailer Hometown Hero, which claimed State Health Services failed to give proper notice to an October 2020 public hearing regarding the fate of Delta 8 THC as a controlled substance. Not one person filed a comment or showed up to the hearing, which attorneys argue is indicative that no one was given proper notice. Then, when the State Health Services department published its ruling determining that Delta 8 THC was to remain on the controlled substances list, it was published in an image format rather than text format  making it difficult for industry leaders to find.

JustCBD

State district judge Gary Harger on Friday ruled against the request for a restraining order, meaning products containing Delta 8 THC will continue to be considered an illegal controlled substance. Vape City CEO Ali Sheikhani said Friday's ruling meant he's now sitting on millions of dollars worth of products he can't sell, despite having no trouble doing so as recently as two weeks ago.

"Right now, Vape City is all panic," Sheikhani said. "People don't know if we sell it. We took all the Delta 8 products out. They're confused. What are we going to tell customers?"

Sheikhani said he's having to cut hours for his more than 500 employees across the state to prepare for the loss of revenue he planned to make off of Delta 8 THC products. Outside the economic ramifications, he and his attorneys are worried about any crackdowns from law enforcement now that the substance is understood to be illegal.

"Businesses and consumers are going to be arrested onsite because they have these products on hand," Sheikhani's lawyer Donovan said of a worst-case scenario. "There's an immediate and abrupt harm. Basically, they're criminals overnight for having these products."

Donovan is still awaiting a hearing date for her request. She hopes her arguments detailing the potential harm to otherwise well-to-do business owners capitalizing on Delta 8's popularity will make the difference needed to nail a key, early victory in the drawn out legal fight ahead.

The earlier case filed by Hometown Hero has a full hearing Nov. 5 to determine if the Department of State Health Services violated Texas law regarding public notices. Friday's ruling was only a rejection of the immediate request for a restraining order and not a ruling on the full breadth of the case. During the upcoming hearing, advocates with the Texas Hemp Federation will provide testing experts who will testify to the rigorous examination that Delta 8 products undergo.

Andrea Steel, an attorney specializing in compliance issues with Hometown Hero, said manufacturers and retailers are now "in a very precarious situation" after Friday's ruling.

"Law enforcement in some areas may feel emboldened to take action where they previously did not, especially in smaller localities," Steel said. "Hopefully the Temporary Injunction hearing next week will provide additional clarity. There could likely be ramping up of regulatory or enforcement action in the interim."

For now, Sheikhani of Vape City is in a holding pattern regarding his stockpile of Delta 8 products. His stores continue to sell CBD and other products and accessories, but the Delta 8 ban struck a major blow to his expected revenue. "We took everything out," Sheikhani said. "I don't know what we're going to do with this millions and millions worth of inventory. I have no idea."
A man claimed he wanted to smuggle a 9mm handgun so his parents could use it for protection in Mexico, according to an arrest affidavit.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting outbound inspections at the Colombia Solidarity International Bridge inspected a silver Toyota pickup that was attempting to leave the United States at about 2:10 p.m. Oct. 24.

CBP officers identified the driver as Jesus Antonio Martinez-Cruz and the passenger as a U.S. citizen. Martinez-Cruz gave a negative declaration for weapons, ammo or more than $10,000. He stated he was on his way to Lampazos, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

While other CBP officers inspected the vehicle, another CBP officer conducted a pat down on Martinez-Cruz. The CBP officer then felt a hard object in the inner left boot of Martinez-Cruz. Asked what it was, Martinez-Cruz replied es un cuete, a slang term for a gun, according to court documents.

CBP officers seized a 9mm Smith & Wesson with a magazine and six rounds of ammo. Homeland Security Investigations special agents responded to investigate the gun smuggling attempt. Martinez-Cruz allegedly agreed to provide a post-arrest statement.

He added he was traveling from Ganado, Texas to Lampazos to pick up a vehicle and bring it back to the United States. Martinez-Cruz allegedly admitted to concealing the gun inside the boot he was wearing and added he had recently purchased the gun at a fleamarket in Houston.

Martinez-Cruz stated he paid $200 for the gun, the magazine and eight to nine rounds of ammo. He stated he was going to give the gun to his parents who live in Mexico.

Martinez-Cruz stated the handgun was going to be used for protection in Mexico, states the affidavit.

Martinez-Cruz was charged with export or attempt to export a firearm and ammo.
NEW YORK (AP)  The body of a kayaker who went missing off Long Island was recovered near the Bronx, Coast Guard officials said,

A rescue swimmer from a Coast Guard helicopter crew spotted the body of 45-year-old Laurence Broderick in the water near Orchard Beach at around 2 p.m. Tuesday, a Coast Guard spokesperson said.
DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP)  Five family members in southwestern Kansas are fighting for their lives after being sickened by carbon monoxide, Dodge City police said.

Police were called Monday to a home in Dodge City, where they encountered thick vehicle exhaust and found five men unconscious and critically ill. All five were quickly removed and taken to hospitals, where they remained Tuesday in critical condition, police said.
CAIRO (AP)  A Moscow-bound EgyptAir flight returned to the Egyptian capital shortly after takeoff Wednesday after a threatening message was found onboard, authorities said.

A statement by Egypts flagship airline said flight MS79 had returned safely to Cairo International Airport some 22 minutes after takeoff. The flight was heading to the Russian capital, it said.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that he expects to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden on the sidelines of a climate summit in Glasgow, during which he would take up Turkeys ouster from the U.S.-led F-35 stealth fighter jet program.

The United States removed NATO ally Turkey from the international program that produces the F-35 jets in 2019 over Ankaras decision to buy Russias advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system. Washington says the Russian system compromises the F-35s security.

Erdogan has previously said that his government is seeking to recover a $1.4 billion payment that the country made before it was expelled from the F-35 program and that the United States has proposed selling F-16 fighter jets to Turkey to make up for the payment.

Most likely, we will have a meeting in Glasgow instead of Rome. Our most important issue will be the F-35, Erdogan told reporters on his return from a trip to Azerbaijan.

Erdogan had previously said he planned to meet with Biden during a G-20 meeting in Rome.

He said: We have a 1.4 billion payment regarding the F-35s. We need to discuss how the repayment plan will be.

Erdogans comments came days after the Turkish leader stepped back from a threat to expel the ambassadors of the United States and nine other Western nations over their support for a jailed activist, defusing a potential diplomatic crisis.

The envoys last week called for the release of philanthropist Osman Kavala, who has been in a Turkish prison for four years awaiting trial on charges that many view as unfounded.

The crisis was averted after the embassies stated that they comply with Article 41 of the Vienna Convention, which outlines diplomats duties to respect the laws of the host state and not to interfere in internal affairs.

Erdogan denied that he had taken a step back in the crisis.

I am on the offensive. There is no back-stepping in my book, he said.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  The family of a mentally ill man who was shot nine times by a police officer in a wealthy San Francisco Bay area suburb has received a $4.9 million settlement from the town and county where the officer worked, nearly three years after the 2018 fatal shooting, the familys lawyer said Wednesday.

The announcement of the settlement in the lawsuit brought by the family of 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda came a day after a jury convicted Officer Andrew Hall in the related criminal case.

The jury on Tuesday convicted Hall of felony assault with a firearm in Arboledas death but deadlocked on the more serious charge of voluntary manslaughter.

The guilty verdict marked the first felony conviction of a law enforcement officer in Contra Costa County, which is east of San Francisco, over an on-duty police shooting.

The lawyer for Arboleda's family, John Burris, said the countys Board of Supervisors agreed to settle the familys wrongful death lawsuit earlier this month while Halls trial was underway but did not discuss that decision publicly during the trial.

The lawsuit named as defendants the town of Danville, the County of Contra Costa and Hall, who shot Arboleda nine times while he was slowly driving away from police.

I hope the message this sends is that the public will hold police accountable for police misconduct, said Burris. And that cities and counties have some responsibility to train their officers in such a way that they do not use deadly force under circumstance where it is unnecessary.

Officials for the town and county did not immediately respond to phone messages seeking comment about the settlement.

Hall faces up to 17 years in prison for the shooting, which happened on Nov. 3, 2018 after a Danville resident called 911 to report that a man later identified as Arboleda was knocking on doors and lingering outside homes in a cul-de-sac.

Officers who responded saw Arboleda get into into his car and drive away. He then led officers on a 9-minute, slow-speed chase through Danville.

Hall heard about the pursuit over his patrol car radio and pulled his cruiser to an intersection in an effort to block Arboledas car.

Police video shows Hall stepping in the path of Arboledas vehicle and firing a volley of shots into the windshield and passenger-side window. Hall fired 10 bullets and nine hit Arboleda.

The lawsuit was filed in June 2019, long before criminal charges were brought against Hall earlier this year. The lawsuit claimed that Hall inexplicably opened fire" on Arboleda, who was unarmed, and that the county and town breached their duty to the public by failing to discipline Hall for the misconduct.

The Contra Costa Sheriffs Office, which has a contract to provide police services to Danville, cleared Hall of misconduct after a nine-month investigation into Arboledas shooting.

Contra Costas District Attorney Diana Becton was criticized for spending two and a half years reviewing the case before bringing charges against Hall in April 2021.

During that period, Hall fatally shot another 33-year-old man, Tyrell Wilson, a Black homeless man whose family said suffered from depression and paranoia. The shooting of Wilson is still under investigation.

During Halls three-week trial, prosecutors and defense attorneys presented competing narratives, alternately asking the jury to sympathize with the deputys need to make split-second decisions or the troubled victim whose only crime was not stopping for police.
WASHINGTON (AP)  China recently conducted a very concerning test of a hypersonic weapon system as part of its aggressive advance in space and military technologies, the top U.S. military officer says.

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was the first Pentagon official to confirm on the record the nature of a test this year by the Chinese military that the Financial Times had reported was a nuclear-capable hypersonic weapon that was launched into space and orbited the Earth before re-entering the atmosphere and gliding toward its target in China.

Milley said he could not discuss details because aspects involved classified intelligence. He said the United States also is working on hypersonic weapons, whose key features include flight trajectory, speed and maneuverability that make them capable of evading early warning systems that are part of U.S. missile defenses. The U.S. has not conducted a hypersonic weapon test of the sort Milley said China had achieved.

What we saw was a very significant event of a test of a hypersonic weapon system, and it is very concerning," Milley said on The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations on Bloomberg Television.

I think I saw in some of the newspapers, they used the term Sputnik moment, he added. I dont know if its quite a Sputnik moment, but I think its very close to that. So its a very significant technological event that occurred, or test that occurred, by the Chinese. And it has all of our attention.

The launch of a Sputnik satellite by the Soviet Union in 1957 stunned the world and fed U.S. fears that it was falling behind technologically in an accelerating arms race in the early stages of the nuclear age.

China has disputed Western news reports about its test, saying it was working on technology for a re-useable space vehicle for peaceful purposes.

Asked about Milley's remarks, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said he was conveying concern about Chinas military modernization.

They continue to pursue capabilities that increase tensions in the region, she said. "And we continue to have concerns about that. And I think that was reflected in his comments.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby declined to comment on the test or on Milley's remarks beyond saying that China's work on advanced hypersonic weaponry is among a suite of issues that cause the Biden administration to be concerned by the trajectory of where things are going in the Indo-Pacific.

Asked about progress on U.S. hypersonic weapon technologies, Kirby said it is real, it's tangible, and we are absolutely working toward being able to develop that capability. He declined to provide specifics.

Some U.S. defense experts say the worry about China's work on a hypersonic weapon that could deliver a nuclear weapon from space are overblown.

James Acton of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace wrote in an essay last week that the United States has long been vulnerable to a Chinese nuclear attack.

While the prospect of a nuclear attack against the United States is terrifying, this is no Sputnik moment  partly because its not entirely clear what was tested, but mostly because the threat of a Chinese nuclear attack on the United States isnt remotely new, Acton wrote.

In addition to its advances in hypersonic weapons, China has been expanding its network of underground silos that could be used to launch intercontinental-range nuclear missiles, and it has rebuffed U.S. calls to join nuclear arms control talks. The U.S. also has raised concerns about what it calls Chinese efforts to intimidate Taiwan, the self-ruled island that China claims as part of its territory, and to claim disputed islands and other land features in the South China Sea.



Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor and Alexandra Jaffe contributed to this report.
ATHENS, Greece (AP)  The fatal sinking of a migrant boat in the Aegean Sea that cost the lives of four people shows up the flaws of a deal between the European Union and Turkey to stem unchecked westward migratory flows, Greece's migration minister said Wednesday.

Notis Mitarachi said the victims of the accident off the eastern Greek island of Chios  two children and two adults from Somalia  should never have been allowed to leave the Turkish coast in an overcrowded smuggling dinghy.

Greece is a major entry point to the EU for Asians or Africans fleeing conflict or poverty, who mostly leave Turkey in unseaworthy boats. Stronger patrols by Greek authorities, assisted by the EU border agency, have restricted flows in recent years after nearly a million people made the journey in 2015.

Mitarachi told a press conference that up to four people are still reported missing from Monday's sinking, while 22 Somalis, Eritreans and Sudanese were rescued - three of whom are being treated in hospital.

He said the sinking highlights the cruel reality of the exploitation of migrants" who don't face persecution in Turkey, by criminal gangs.

Mitarachi said Somalis in particular fly to Turkey with visas, are well received in Turkey ... and have all the characteristics of somebody that has been provided with a safe place to be. Therefore we see absolutely no reason for them to go to Greece  or to other EU countries.

Greece has designated Turkey a safe country for Somalis, Afghans, Syrians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis  nationalities that figure prominently among people crossing illegally from Turkey to Greece.

The minister said those facing danger in their own country should obviously be entitled to seek asylum, but that doesnt give them the right to to travel through many countries to fine out that fits (them) best.

A 2016 deal between the EU and Turkey  which has a huge population of migrants and refugees itself  sought to limit illegal migration. But Mitarachi said it's not working, as the deal was meant to stop unnecessary journeys such as Monday's.

The Turkish authorities can and must do more to prevent the exploitation (of migrants) by criminal gangs ... for which ... the European Union needs to offer tangible support to Turkey, he said.

Turkey says the EU hasn't fulfilled its side of the deal on funds transfers.

Mitarachi conceded that not everyone in the European parliament or the executive Commission agrees on how to handle migratory flows.

But in the case of people crossing illegally from safe countries, not attempting to save their lives from conflict or persecution, and crossing in a very dangerous way with dinghies, we should be able to agree that such acts put lives at risk, he said.

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Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
(RNS)  In a scene from a recently released movie, three older women in a small room slowly walk clockwise around a table covered in candles, chanting curses softly.

A scene from the latest Macbeth remake? Not exactly: Its a moment from indie film A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff, a musical exploration of spirituality, Jewish identity and the Bernie Madoff case.

Its creator, Alicia Jo Rabins, identifies as a Jewish artist and educator who incorporates elements of witchcraft into her practice of Judaism, an increasingly common, if still controversial, combination.

In both the modern witchcraft and Jewish communities, people are bringing together magic  often called witchcraft  and religious ritual. The ways in which these two seemingly distinct practices merge is often highly personal, depending on heritage, education and spiritual calling.

The kinds of witchcraft that I practice draw on my training in Jewish ritual, said Rabins, who holds the Torah in the above scene in the Madoff film. I dont see it as opposed to it, but as building on it.

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This content is written and produced by Religion News Service and distributed by The Associated Press. RNS and AP partner on some religion news content. RNS is solely responsible for this story.

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Rabins, whose upbringing was not very religious, discovered texts and traditions and the religious rules and laws and ways of living as an adult and immersed herself in yeshiva.

The more she studies and practices Judaism, she said, the more she also feels the pull of witchcraft or Jewish folk magic  practices shes caught glimpses of in the edges of Scripture, as well as from Jewish cultures.

My relationship to Judaism is kind of like classically trained, and then with witchcraft, it feels more like Im just kind of intuiting, she said.

Rabins admits the two practices seem contradictory, considering that at several points the Torah specifically forbids witchcraft. She interprets these passages as prohibitions against negative practices. The two also overlap in their observance of the natural world: Rabin is a member of a womens group that gathers for Rosh Hodesh, or each new moon, a longstanding tradition in Judaism as well as in witchcraft.

But in an ancient patriarchal society, she said, Jewish leaders likely wanted to set themselves apart from the surrounding culture.

Rabbi Jill Hammer highlighted this point in an interview with Religion News Service, explaining that the difference between Jewish ritual and witchcraft is mostly political.

Often the way that its structured is, if youre part of the hierarchy  its called ritual, its called prayer, its called ceremony. And if you are doing something outside of the hierarchy, thats often called magic or sorcery or witchcraft, Hammer explained.

This distinction was made to shut out particular types of spiritual practitioners and ideas, the rabbi explained.

Witchcraft is often associated with marginalized people, particularly women, she said. Theres a whole body of womens ritual that tends to be called witchcraft simply because it is womens ritual.

Hammer is co-founder of the Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute, which seeks to reclaim and innovate embodied, earth-based feminist Judaism, according to its website. While Kohenet is not a school of witchcraft, its teachings can include magic as ritual and ceremony within a Jewish context free of political stigma.

We are not interested in that distinction, she said.

Once you remove the boundaries between ritual and magic, she added, you realize its not very different from what Jews have been doing for thousands of years.

The Torah and the Talmud contain many stories of magical ritual traditions, even if such practices were not always sanctioned. Hammer pointed to the Book of Samuels positive portrayal of the witch of Endor as an example of how the rules forbidding magical practice were not upheld consistently.

Apart from sanctioned rituals, Jewish folk practices often included healing and protection magic, as well as ancestor veneration, especially during the high holidays. Archaeologists have also found ancient incantation bowls once used to capture demons and expel illness.

Rarely were any of these ceremonies called witchcraft.

Kohenet is working to reclaim much of these traditions along with others, according to Hammer, and the institute has attracted people with many different spiritual backgrounds, from rabbinical scholars to Wiccans with Jewish heritage. The ways these clients engage with these ritual practices varies greatly, depending on their background and comfort levels.

This variety is evident anywhere you find people who practice Jewish witchcraft. Professional astrologer Aliza Einhorn doesnt merge Judaism and magic at all. Einhorn grew up in a traditional Jewish household and continues an Orthodox practice. However, along the way, she studied astrology and other forms of esoterica.

I was hungry for spiritual knowledge. I wanted to learn, she said.

While Einhorn does call herself a Jewish witch, she does not seek to define what that means. Words like witch are fluid and mean different things to different people, she said. I do what I do.

In fact, Einhorn never even used the title Jewish witch until recently, when she stumbled across the term. It encompassed so much of what I was already doing, she said, so she adopted it.

However, she still maintains a clear separation between Jewish ritual and magic. I dont try to reconcile the two at all.

But Laura Tempest Zakroff, an artist and author of Anatomy of a Witch: A Map to the Magical Body, who lives in New England, sees her witchcraft and Jewish heritage as inseparable. Zakroff calls herself a Jewitch, demonstrating this syncretic relationship through word play.

It describes someone who acknowledges their Jewish cultural heritage and where that intersects or informs their witchcraft, she said.

Zakroff was raised mostly in her Catholic mothers faith, but she became strongly connected to her fathers Jewish heritage through history, reading, music and dance.

That heritage comes through in the way she performs her magic, she said. I know a lot of folks probably (think) the Kabbalah or Qabalah, but to me, (Jewish witchcraft) is the everyday mysteries found within daily ritual  the blessing of a beverage, the honoring of food through preparation. Its the attention to detail that acknowledges we arent alone in this world, she said.

For Rabins, Jewish tradition gives her spiritual life structure, she said, while other rituals meet her needs in the moment. The connection, however, is seamless in practice: It might mean untying all the knots in the house before a birth, in keeping with Eastern European Jewish rituals, or incorporating plants mentioned in the Talmud into her practices.

I think thats part of why its easy for me to kind of dismiss the traditional Jewish rules against witchcraft  because I grew up in a place that basically de facto had rules against traditional Judaism, she said.

I already kind of broke all the rules I grew up with, and from here on its all just kind of searching.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Iran's president said Wednesday that a cyberattack which paralyzed every gas station in the Islamic Republic was designed to get people angry by creating disorder and disruption, as long lines still snaked around the pumps a day after the incident began.

Ebrahim Raisi's remarks stopped short of assigning blame for the attack, which rendered useless the government-issued electronic cards that many Iranians use to buy subsidized fuel at the pump.

However, they suggested that he and others in the theocracy believe anti-Iranian forces carried out an assault likely designed to inflame the country as the second anniversary of a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests over gasoline prices approaches.

There should be serious readiness in the field of cyberwar and related bodies should not allow the enemy to follow their ominous aims to make problem in trend of peoples life," Raisi said. State television later aired footage of the president visiting a gas station in central Tehran.

The attack Tuesday also bore similarities to another months earlier that seemed to directly challenge Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the countrys economy buckles under American sanctions.

On Wednesday morning, the state-run IRNA news agency quoted another official who claimed 80% of Iran's gas stations had begun selling fuel again. Associated Press journalists saw long lines at multiple gas stations in Tehran. One station had a line of 90 cars waiting for fuel. Those buying ended up having to pay at higher, unsubsidized prices.

The semiofficial ISNA news agency, which first called the incident a cyberattack, said it saw those trying to buy fuel with a government-issued card through the machines instead receiving a message reading cyberattack 64411.

While ISNA didnt acknowledge the numbers significance, that number is associated with a hotline run through Khameneis office that handles questions about Islamic law. ISNA later removed its reports, claiming that it too had been hacked. Such claims of hacking can come quickly when Iranian outlets publish news that angers the theocracy.

Farsi-language satellite channels abroad published videos apparently shot by drivers in Isfahan, a major Iranian city, showing electronic billboards there reading: Khamenei! Where is our gas? Another said: Free gas in Jamaran gas station, a reference to the home of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

The use of the number 64411 mirrored the attack in July targeting Irans railroad system that also saw the number displayed. Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point later attributed the train attack to a group of hackers that called themselves Indra, after the Hindu god of war.

Indra previously targeted firms in Syria, where President Bashar Assad has held onto power through Irans intervention in his countrys grinding war.

Abolhassan Firouzabadi, the secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, linked the attack to the Irans rail system assault in July in comments reported by IRNA. He also said it affected all of Iran's 4,300 gas stations nationwide.

There is a possibility that the attack, like a previous one on railway system, has been conducted from abroad, Firouzabadi said.

However, a former deputy telecommunications minister, Amir Nazemy, earlier wrote on Twitter that the infrastructure of system of gas stations is an exclusive network and this sort of communications were not on the internet. That raises questions on whether someone inside of Iran with access to the system launched the cyberattack or otherwise facilitated it.

A previously unheard-of group claimed responsibility for the cyberattack hours afterward late Tuesday, in a message on the messaging app Telegram. It did not provide any evidence that it carried out the assault.

Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade, a researcher at cybersecurity firm SentinelOne, said the attack appeared extensively planned. He said that suggests a foreign intelligence agency  not an activist hacking group  could be responsible.

Its super brazen, Guerrero-Saade said.

Cheap gasoline is practically considered a birthright in Iran, home to the worlds fourth-largest crude oil reserves despite decades of economic woes.

Subsidies allow Iranian motorists to buy regular gasoline at 15,000 rials per liter. Thats 5 cents a liter, or about 20 cents a gallon. After a monthly 60-liter quota, it costs 30,000 rials a liter. Thats 10 cents a liter or 41 cents a gallon. Regular gasoline costs 89 cents a liter or $3.38 a gallon on average in the U.S., according to AAA.

In 2019, Iran faced days of mass protests across some 100 cities and towns over rising gasoline prices. Security forces arrested thousands and Amnesty International said it believes 304 people were killed in a government crackdown. Tuesdays cyberattack came in the same month in the Persian calendar as the gasoline protests in 2019.

The attack also came on the birthday of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who, stricken with cancer, fled the country in 1979 just before the Islamic Revolution.

Iran has faced a series of cyberattacks, including one that leaked video of abuses at its notorious Evin prison in August.

The country disconnected much of its government infrastructure from the internet after the Stuxnet computer virus  widely believed to be a joint U.S.-Israeli creation  disrupted thousands of Iranian centrifuges in the countrys nuclear sites in the late 2000s.

Iran, long sanctioned by the West, faces difficulties in getting up-to-date hardware and software, often relying on Chinese-manufactured electronics or older systems no longer being patched by manufacturers. That would make it easier for a potential hacker to target. Pirated versions of Windows and other software are common across Iran.

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Karimi reported from Tehran, Iran. Associated Press writer Alan Suderman in Richmond, Va., contributed to this report.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP)  A judge has ruled that a federal fraud investigation can't be mentioned during the murder trial of a Connecticut physical therapist accused of killing his wife and three children at their home in central Florida.

Osceola County Judge Keith Carsten on Tuesday sided with Anthony Todt's defense lawyers, who argued that there was no evidence tying the fraud investigation to the killing of his family. Todt worked as a physical therapist in Connecticut during the week and spent weekends with his family at their home near Walt Disney World.

Federal agents serving an arrest warrant in January 2020 found Todt inside the familys home with his dead wife Megan, 42, and three children, Alek, 13, Tyler, 11 and Zoe, 4. The family dog Breezy was also killed.

Details of his initial confession to deputies have not yet been made public, but Orange-Osceola Assistant Public Defender Peter Schmer told the court that Todt denied that the killings were tied to healthcare fraud, and prosecutor Danielle Pinnell said her team had never planned to tie the killings to the fraud case, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Mr. Todt went on at great length to talk about the motivation for the killings being this reckoning of an apocalyptic nature, Schmer told the judge.

Court documents that have never been publicly released suggest Todt told deputies he strangled his family, the Sentinel reported. He later accused Megan Todt of drugging their children and later stabbing and suffocating them.

Still to be decided is whether a jury can learn about Todts initial confession. His lawyers argue he wasnt mentally coherent when deputies interviewed him. They also say he was not properly advised of his rights.

Todt is charged with first-degree murder and animal cruelty, but the judge has prohibited referring to the killings as murder, and calling the house where the family was found dead the murder scene.

Todt was also allowed to appear in court unshackled, and the judge has forbidden mention of his last name as the German word for dead, the newspaper reported. The jury will be allowed to see photos of the victims bodies, despite protests from the defense.

During a four-hour hearing on Tuesday, lawyers and the judge sought to settle pending motions before jury selection, which is set to begin Nov. 1. The judge said the trial could still be delayed, calling next weeks date a placeholder.
BOSTON (AP)  A noreaster that battered the Atlantic coast with hurricane-force wind gusts left more than a half-million homes and businesses without power in New England and forced the closure of bridges, ferries and schools in the region Wednesday.

Utility workers labored to restore power as the storm's winds and rain, which were felt as far north as Nova Scotia, diminished throughout the day. Restoring power in the hardest-hit areas in southeastern Massachusetts will take days, the utility Eversource told the Cape Cod Times.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reported about 425,000 power outages after powerful winds blew tree branches laden with wet, heavy leaves onto power lines. Utilities reported about 90,000 customers without power in Rhode Island, 17,000 in Maine, 15,000 in Connecticut and 6,000 in New Hampshire.

Officials advised against travel in southeastern Massachusetts because of wind, toppled trees and downed power lines. At the airport in New Bedford, the wind flipped a small plane over a fence.

The highest gust of the storm was recorded at 94 mph (151 mph) at a ferry dock on the island of Marthas Vineyard, officials said.

Dozens of schools canceled classes. In Connecticut, power lines came down on a school bus headed to Middletown High School. No injuries were reported. Six students were on the bus, which continued its route after emergency responders removed the power lines.

In Rhode Island, authorities closed the Newport Pell and Jamestown Verrazzano Bridges amid wind gusts as high as 70 mph early Wednesday, then reopened them shortly afterward to most vehicles. School buses were not permitted to cross until Wednesday afternoon.

Ferry service to Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket islands was suspended Wednesday.

One driver was killed and another injured when a tree limb fell on two passing vehicles in Morris Township in northern New Jersey, authorities said.

The body of a kayaker who disappeared off New York's Long Island was recovered near the Bronx after being spotted in the water by a helicopter search crew, Coast Guard officials said Tuesday. Laurence Broderick, 45, had been reported missing early Tuesday.
An early 18th-century painting depicting Yale University's namesake with an enslaved Black child has been returned to public display at one of its museums even as art experts investigate its origins and campus discussions about the school's ties to slavery continue.

The nearly life-size, oil-on-canvas portrait shows Elihu Yale and family members sitting at a table with tobacco pipes and wine glasses, while an enslaved boy with a metal collar locked around his neck looks on. In the background, children believed to be Yale's grandchildren are playing.

The Yale Center for British Art removed the painting from display in October 2020 to conduct a technical analysis, which continues and includes efforts to identify the boy, as well as to confirm the identities of the others. Over the years, some patrons expressed concerns about the depiction of an enslaved child, but that was not a reason for removing it, said Courtney Martin, the centers director.

There are always going to be concerns about putting a work that has volatile subject matter on view, Martin said. But I think you alleviate those concerns by both saying we understand that this is a painting that has a context that we need to explore further."

So far, the research and analysis by experts at the center have not been able to determine the identity of the boy, whom they believe to have been about 10 years old. But they have determined that some of the adults were misidentified by a previous owner, and that the portrait was painted between 1719 and 1721, the year of Yales death, instead of 1708, as originally thought.

It's also not certain who painted the portrait, although experts at the center believe it was John Verelst, a Dutch artist. Researchers also believe the painting was done at Yale's home in London. It was returned this month to public display at the museum.

For several months, the painting was replaced by a 2016 work of art by Titus Kaphar that included a portrait of just the enslaved boy, without the metal collar, on top of what appears to be a crumpled version of the original painting.

There is no evidence that Elihu Yale owned slaves. His papers, including financial records, have not been found. And it remains unclear if the enslaved child was owned by one of the other men in the painting, who researchers believe include Yale's son-in-laws, Lord James Cavendish and Dudley North.

But experts believe Yale oversaw slave trading and other commerce when he was governor of Fort St. George in India and working for the East India Company. And there are other paintings showing Yale with slaves, including one that was removed in 2007 from the meeting room of Yale University's board of trustees after years of complaints. And his relatives in New Haven, home to Yale University, were slave owners, researchers say.

The college was named for Yale in 1718 after he donated more than 400 books, profits from the sale of goods and a portrait of King George I, according to the university.

The painting is a part of a larger discussion on campus about the university's ties to slavery, which included associations with people who favored slavery and were racist against Black people. In 2017, the school renamed Calhoun College  named after John C. Calhoun, a 19th-century Yale alumnus, U.S. vice president and slavery supporter  as Grace Hopper College, in honor of the pioneering mathematician and Navy rear admiral who earned Yale degrees in the 1930s.

Slavery is an important part of the institutions history, said Edward Rugemer, an associate professor of African American studies and history at Yale. And thats a part of the history that the Yale community needs to think about deeply and come to terms with and move forward in terms of what should be done about racial injustice that persists in our society.

Rugemer said self-portraits that included slaves were popular during Elihu Yale's lifetime. Even George Washington had paintings of himself with slaves.

And although there is no proof Yale owned slaves, he felt it was important to include a slave child in his self-portrait, because including the slave child in the portrait presented him to the public as a man of empire, as a man of wealth, as a master. From Yale's perspective, the child complements his stature.
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP)  Health officials in Washington said Wednesday they are expecting about 316,000 doses of kid-sized Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to arrive in the state next week ahead of the expected final approval of the shots for 5- to 11-year-olds.

Michele Roberts, the state Department of Healths acting assistant secretary, said the state has ordered 230,000 doses to be delivered to providers next week, and that an additional 86,000 doses were expected to arrive at pharmacies through the federal pharmacy program.

On Tuesday, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel endorsed the shots for 5- to 11-year-olds. The FDA isnt bound by the panels recommendation and is expected to make its own decision within days. If authorized by the FDA, next week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will decide whether to recommend the shots and which youngsters should get them.

We are one step closer, Roberts said.

She said that the shots won't be able to be administered until after the CDC recommendation, but she said that she believed kids could start being vaccinated as soon as the end of next week. Of the nearly 680,000 kids in the 5-11 age group, Roberts said they were estimating parents would be seeking shots immediately for about 30% of that population.

Full-strength shots made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech already are recommended for everyone 12 and older but pediatricians and many parents are clamoring for protection for younger children.

Lacy Fehrenbach, the deputy secretary the Department of Health's COVID-19 response, said the state is working with schools ahead of the authorization, and she noted some have already been offering clinics on site for vaccination for older students. In addition, they have vaccine caravan efforts that will focus on the younger population.

Just like every other group thats been eligible it is our goal to vaccinate these 5- to 11-year-olds as quickly and equitably as possible, that is our path out of this pandemic," she said.

Fehrenbach said there were a total of 189 COVID-19 outbreaks reported in Washington K-12 schools between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30.

She said there are 1,284 cases associated with those outbreaks and that 88% of the cases were among students age 19 and under. Currently, when theres a case of a close contact of someone with a COVID diagnosis, schools had the option to choose one of three quarantine options: a seven-day quarantine with return on Day 8 with a negative test on Day 5 or later; a 10-day quarantine with no test; or a 14-day quarantine.

Most schools had used the 14-day quarantine option, Fehrenbach said, but now schools will be required to offer families the option of the seven-day quarantine, with a test on Day 5 so that students can return to class more quickly.

As of this week, 78.6% of people age 12 and older have initiated vaccination in Washington state and more than 72.5% are fully vaccinated.

That number does not include booster shots, which were expanded to more people last week, including the option for people to choose a different companys vaccine that their original series. As of this week, more than 363,000 people have either received a booster or a third dose, Roberts said.

There have been more than 634,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases  plus about 83,000 probable cases  in Washington state, and 8,511 deaths.
VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis has agreed to visit Canada to help efforts at reconciliation with Indigenous peoples following shocking revelations of the Catholic Churchs role in the abuse and deaths of thousands of native children, the Vatican said on Wednesday.

In a brief statement, the Holy See's press office said the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops invited the pope to make an apostolic journey to Canada also in the context of the long-standing pastoral process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

In return, Francis has indicated his willingness to visit the country on a date to be settled in due course," the statement said.

The pilgrimage could be the occasion for a papal apology that has been demanded by many in Canada.

Francis had already agreed to meet in December with Indigenous survivors of Canadas notorious residential schools amid calls for a papal apology for the Catholic Churchs role. At that time, the bishops conference said the pontiff had invited the delegations to the Vatican and would meet separately with three groups  First Nations, Metis and Inuit  during their Dec. 17-20 visit. The pope will then preside over a final audience with all three groups Dec. 20.

On Wednesday, Toronto Cardinal Thomas Collins said the December encounters will help lay the groundwork for the Canadian pilgrimage. "Over the course of several days, through authentic listening and dialogue, Pope Francis will hear directly from those who have suffered,'' said the cardinal in a statement.

Collins said that his country's bishops had apologized earlier this year as they sorrowfully acknowledged the historical and ongoing trauma and the legacy of suffering and challenges faced by Indigenous peoples that continue to this day.

The cardinal added that he was praying the pope's visit will allow for healing and dialogue to continue through authentic encounters of compassion, understanding and reconciliation.

In Canada, Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme said a papal visit would be a step toward reconciliation. But he said it would have to come with an apology from the church to validate the pain many survivors still live with today.

An apology is the beginning, Delorme said. An apology is required, and the rebuilding of a relationship would follow the apology.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald echoed the call for a long overdue apology. In a post on social media, she added that there should also be criminal charges and reparations.

Earlier this year, investigators in Canada using ground-penetrating radar have reported finding hundreds of unmarked graves at the sites of two residential schools for Indigenous children. The discoveries  more than 600 graves in one school, 215 bodies in another  revived calls, including from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, for the pope to make a formal apology.

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend state-funded Christian boarding schools in a campaign to assimilate them into Canadian society. Thousands of children died there of disease and other causes; others never returned to their families.

Nearly three-quarters of the 130 residential schools were run by Roman Catholic missionary congregations. Others were run by the Presbyterian, Anglican and the United Church of Canada, which today is the largest Protestant denomination in the country.

The Canadian government formally apologized for the policy and abuses in 2008. In addition, the Presbyterian, Anglican and United churches have apologized for their roles in the abuse.

In response to the Vatican's announcement on Wednesday, Canada's Minister of Indigenous Relations Mark Miller said he expected from the pontiff full recognition of the harm caused to the Indigenous peoples."

In the grand scheme of what we call reconciliation for Indigenous peoples, that full recognition is something that is long awaited for from the Holy Father himself," Miller said.

The newly elected head of the Canadian bishops' conference, Bishop Raymond Poisson, expressed hope that the pope's visit to Canada "will be a significant milestone in the journey toward reconciliation and healing.

-

Associated Press Writer Rob Gillies in Toronto, Canada, contributed to this report.
ROSEMOUNT, Minn. (AP)  A Twin Cities area priest has been struck and killed while riding his bike in Rosemount.

Risen Savior Church in Burnsville announced Tuesday that the Rev. Dennis Dempsey was the bicyclist who died Monday afternoon after he was hit by a car on County Road 42.
BARCELONA, Spain (AP)  For the second time in a month, a Spanish minister met with Algerian officials on Wednesday to guarantee the European countrys supply of natural gas after Algeria closes a pipeline that runs through Morocco this weekend.

While a leader in wind and solar power, Spain still relies heavily on energy imports and Algeria provides over a third of its natural gas. Spanish officials worry that a shortage in supplies will fuel already skyrocketing energy prices that have made electricity bills a major problem for its left-wing coalition government.

The trip by Spains deputy prime minister for ecological transition, Teresa Ribera, to Algiers came only a month after the country's foreign minister travelled to the Algerian capital to discuss the gas supply that Spain fears could be a collateral victim of Algerias diplomatic spat with Morocco.

After meeting with Algeria's minister for energy and mining, Mohamed Arkab, Ribera thanked him for his pledge to ensure the viability of the transport of natural gas and to honor the commitments for its purchase between different Algerian and Spanish companies.

Algeria has said it wont renew an agreement, set to expire on Sunday, that has kept its natural gas flowing through Morocco and on to Spain for the past 25 years. The development follows a deterioration of Algerian relations with Morocco centered around the disputed region of Western Sahara, highlighted by the recall of the Algerian ambassador.

The pipeline that travels across northwest Africa before crossing the Mediterranean Sea at Zahara de los Atunes on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar supplied Spain with just over 10% of all its natural gas in 2020, according to CORES, Spains public corporation that watches over its strategic energy reserves.

The pipeline also supplied Morocco with enough gas to produce 10% of its total electricity on top of the annual $60 million it received for crossing its territory.

A second, longer pipeline from Algeria to Almeria in Spains southeastern shore currently provides 16% of its total natural gas imports.

There are plans to boost that pipelines capacity from eight to 10 million square meters in the coming months. Even so, that won't fully make up the shortfall, unless boats can bring in enough liquefied natural gas to Spain directly from Algeria.

Ribera said her counterpart also agreed to be prepared in case Spain asked Algeria to increase the supply of natural gas.

Algeria, through the company Sonatrach, will honor its commitments with Spain, relating to natural gas supply and is ready to discuss the terms of additional gas deliveries, Arkab said, according to the Algerian official news agency APS.

Spains diplomatic mission comes amid a spike in energy prices across Europe that are hitting the Iberian peninsula hard and driving up electricity bills for homes and businesses. Ribera, a respected environmental policy maker, has been tasked by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to find a solution.

___

Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.
WESTERLY, R.I. (AP)  Rhode Island is implementing a test to stay option in the Westerly schools as a pilot program to minimize days out of the classroom during the pandemic, the governor said Wednesday.

Other districts nationwide are using this method, where children can remain in school despite exposures to infected people as long as they continue to test negative for COVID-19.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The outgoing U.N. envoy for Myanmar says civil war has spread throughout the country and the international community should consider measures aimed at replacing the military juntas leaders with people who are more constructive and want to find a peaceful solution to the armys ouster of the elected government.

Christine Schraner Burgener, whose 3 1/2-year term ends Sunday, said in an interview with The Associated Press that the measures could be sanctions imposed by individual countries or by the U.N. Security Council, but its up to them.

She proposed the idea of holding an all-inclusive dialogue to the deputy commander-in-chief, Vice Senior Gen. Soe Win, on July 16 but never received a response and has not heard from the military since September. She said she thinks the military is determined to win exactly as it did in the past  but this is not the case anymore, and I hope it will not be the case again."

Myanmar for five decades had languished under strict military rule that led to international isolation and sanctions. As the generals loosened their grip, culminating in Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyis rise to leadership in 2015 elections, the international community responded by lifting most sanctions and pouring investment into the country.

The Feb. 1 coup followed November elections which Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party won overwhelmingly and the military rejects as fraudulent. Since the military takeover, Myanmar has been wracked by unrest, with peaceful demonstrations against the ruling generals morphing first into a low-level insurgency in many urban areas after security forces used deadly force and then into more serious combat in rural areas, especially in border regions where ethnic minority militias have been engaging in heavy clashes with government troops.

On Sept. 7, the National Unity Government, the main underground group coordinating resistance to the military which was established by elected legislators barred from taking their seats when the military seized power, called for a nationwide uprising. Its peoples defense forces known as PDFs operate in many areas and have received training and weapons from some armed ethnic groups.

The PDFs and ethnic armed groups are now up against Myanmars military, one of the largest in Southeast Asia with a reputation for toughness and brutality from years of jungle warfare. Although many Western nations maintain an arms embargo against Myanmar, there is no U.N. arms embargo, and the military buys equipment from countries such as Russia, China and Ukraine.

Last week, Schraner Burgener called what's taking place in Myanmar an internal armed conflict, using words from international law.

But in Monday's AP interview, she said, We have everywhere violence, its not controlled anymore, and the scale of violence is very high. And, therefore, I would say, `yes, a civil war.

Unlike the generals' coup in 1988, when people were killed or put in prison and the military conducted business as usual, Schraner Burgener said this time the PDFs will not give up.

She said people are not yielding, the PDFs are getting more military support from the ethnic armed groups, the U.N. has heard around 4,000 soldiers have defected from the army, and so far neither the United Nations nor the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Myanmar, has accepted the coup.

The U.N. has heard that many soldiers are on the ground conducting clearing operations in northwest Chin state, Schraner Burgener said, reminding the world that the military's clearing operation in Rakhine state in 2017 saw villages burned down, widespread rapes and more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims flee to neighboring Bangladesh.

We heard also from the ground that it will be difficult for the army because Chin region is a very mountainous region, and the Chin people are very determined to defend themselves," she said. So, I fear that we will have victims on both sides, and it will be terrible.

With both sides so invested in armed struggle, what could really have an impact to restore peace?

Schraner Burgener said the U.N. Security Council adopted a presidential statement in March calling for a reversal of the coup, upholding democratic institutions, a halt to violence and the release of Suu Kyi and other arrested officials. But the U.N.s most powerful body has not adopted a legally binding resolution on the military takeover and escalating violence.

The U.N. envoy said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has shifted from a position of non-interference to say that the reputation of ASEAN is also important, and therefore they didnt allow the commander-in-chief to participate at the ASEAN summit which ends Thursday..

This is quite a strong message, and clearly, we hope that the solidarity in the region will stand with the people who overwhelmingly elected Suu Kyi last November, she said.

Schraner Burgener said she is in regular contact with the ASEAN envoy to Myanmar, Brunei Second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof, whose visit has not taken place because he was told he couldnt meet Suu Kyi.

I think this is the right decision from the ASEAN special envoy, but I still hope that certain dialogue will be possible with the military leaders, though for the moment, Im very skeptical, she said.

The U.N. envoy said she also met privately with Suu Kyi 15 times before the February takeover, and I am really still convinced that she wanted only the best for the country, and she had to deal with the army, otherwise we would have the coup before." The military-installed government has not let Schraner Burgener visit since it seized power.

She said she is in constant contact with China, which has an important role in the region, and doesnt want to see it destabilized. So, therefore, I still count on China  that they will make the right decisions for the people and the stability in the region.

What would the right decisions be?

Well, I think it must be several measures concerted from the international community, which can maybe lead to a decision to change the leaders of the army to people who are hopefully more constructive and want a peaceful solution, she said, mentioning sanctions as well.

While the coup has left Myanmar in a civil war, Schraner Burgener said there is one positive result.

The majority ethnic Bamar people  also called Burmans  and the ethnic minorities have a better understanding of each other, she said, and there is more unity in the country.

She said the ethnic minorities helped those fleeing, gave them shelter and she is already hearing from the Bamar that they are very sorry that they didnt help ... the Rohingyas, more in the past.

If Myanmar can revert to a democratic path, Schraner Burgener said, she hopes in the next five to 10 years the country will have a multi-ethnic government where minorities are protected by law, the citizenship law and constitution are reformed, and that we have a federal structure in the country where everybody has the same right.
CHESTER, S.C. (AP)  A soldier in the U.S. Army is back in South Carolina from a post in Germany to face charges he killed his grandfather and great-grandmother 16 months ago.

Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey says 24-year-old Gene Alexzander Alex Scott was indicted last week on two counts of murder. Dorsey said military police in Germany took Scott into custody and he was flown back to the United States this past weekend, WCSC-TV reported.
AP

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP)  An Alabama woman received a life sentence Wednesday for helping her husband plan the 2015 killings of his estranged pregnant wife, her unborn child and three others.

Rhonda Carlson, 48, avoided the death penalty in a deal with prosecutors in exchange for testifying against her husband, Christopher Henderson, prior to his trial. She admitted to helping plan the attack and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
BANGKOK (AP)  A resident of a high-rise condominium in Thailand cut the support rope for two painters, apparently angry she wasn't told they would be doing work, and left them hanging above the 26th floor until a couple rescued them, police said Wednesday.

The woman is facing attempted murder and property destruction charges, Pol. Col. Pongjak Preechakarunpong, chief of the Pak Kret police station north of the Thai capital, told The Associated Press.

Pongjak did not say what prompted the suspect to cut the rope, but Thai media reported that she was apparently frustrated when the workers appeared outside her room and hadn't seen an announcement by the condo that they would be doing work on Oct. 12.

A video clip on social media showed two painters asking the residents on the 26th floor to open the window and let them in. One of the painters, a Myanmar national named Song, told the Thai media that he and his two friends had lowered themselves from the 32nd floor to repair a crack on the building.

When he reached the 30th floor, he felt that the rope was heavier and when he looked down, he saw someone on the 21st floor open a window and cut his rope. He tried asking for help from other units, but nobody was in. The third colleague continued to support them from the top floor, said Praphaiwan Setsing, the resident who saved them.

Praphaiwan said her British husband noticed one painter signaling for help and called her to talk to them.

This incident is shocking and should not happen at all," she said.

The management of the condo accompanied the painters to report the incident to the police. The 34-year-old woman at first denied she responsible, but police sent the severed rope for a fingerprint and DNA analysis, media reported.

On Wednesday, the woman and her lawyer appeared at the police station. After the police showed her the CCTV footage and the forensic evidence, she confessed but denied any intention to kill the workers.

Pongjak said the suspect was temporarily released. Police will file an indictment at the provincial court within 15 days, he said. She could face a prison term up to 20 years if found guilty on a charge of attempted murder.
An Austin hemp manufacturer and retailer asked a judge Wednesday to temporarily suspend the Texas Department of State Health Services classification of Delta 8 THC as a controlled substance, the first legal step taken since the department quietly announced the change last week.

Delta 8 THC is a cousin of marijuana's active ingredient and is sold over the counter across the state. Up until last week, retailers and manufacturers worked under the assumption that Delta 8 THC products were legal to sell and possess under Texas law after the federal Farm Bill of 2018 and subsequent changes to Texas law legalized certain hemp products, according to attorneys for Austin-based Hometown Hero CBD. But a sudden change to DSHS's website on the state's Consumable Hemp Program detailing Delta 8's controlled substance designation left the industry in a lurch.

"These recent developments have caught companies that sell hemp-derived products as well as their consumers off guard, immediately turning them into potential felons subject to arrest despite years of engaging in this same business without issue or law enforcement interference, and without having any knowledge of or intention to violate the law," attorney David Sergi wrote in the petition provided by the Texas Hemp Federation.

Attorneys claim DSHS and Commissioner John Hellerstedt didn't have the authority to change the list of controlled substances, despite the department claiming otherwise. In August 2020, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency updated its list of controlled substances to reflect the changes made by the Farm Bill, paving the way for other types of THC to be legal under the new hemp law  including Delta 8 THC.

Any time the DEA "designates, reschedules, or deletes" any part of the federal controlled substances, individual states are allowed to choose whether or not to adopt the changes or stick with their existing rules. In Texas, that decision is solely up to Hellerstedt. However, attorneys argue that the changes implemented by the DEA in 2019 were merely "conforming" the list to the new federal law rather than taking action that "designates, reschedules, or deletes" anything.

That means, according to the attorneys, that DSHS had no legal authority to object to the changes. State law already mirrored the Farm Bill's language on hemp-derived products, but the state's controlled substance list reflected otherwise because of the department's decision. A public notice for the hearing to decide the change was posted online in September 2020 titled "Objection to Implementing DEA Rule Changes," but it provided no further context. No one showed up to the public hearing in question, and no one wrote in any comments.

Then, when publishing their ruling in Texas' official record March 19, they used screen grabs of a document rather than the text itself, records show and attorneys argue. Typically, attorneys and those in the industry use web services to comb through expansive documents published online by the government to find relevant information based on specific keywords. But those programs don't work on pictures of text, only the text itself  meaning no one in the industry knew that the rules had been changed.

In Houston, some shops stopped selling Delta 8 products upon learning of the questionable legality earlier this week. The Texas Department of Public Safety did not respond to questions about any plans to enforce the law, including what shop owners are to do with Delta 8 products they've amassed. In Harris County, a spokesperson for the District Attorney Kim Ogg said any arrest for Delta 8 possession brought by by law enforcement will treated on a case-by-case basis. In College Station, one person is already facing charges.

Bayou City Hemp, which manufactures and sells CBD and Delta 8 products to customers and retailers, helped finance Hometown Hero CBD's legal effort to fight the so-called ban on Delta 8 products.

"Prohibition is very tough," Bayou City Hemp CEO Ben Meggs said. "We don't think that's the right direction."

Meggs said the timing of DSHS' announcement is questionable. Crop growers typically harvest this time of year, but could be unable to sell any products if bulk buyers and manufacturers are skeptical of the plant's legality. It follows the same timing pattern of 2019's smokeable hemp ban, which also hurt the industry that season, according to Meggs.

But despite the ban in 2019, industry leaders fought back and eventually got the new law overturned, according to Hemp Industry Daily. Meggs said they're hoping for similar results regarding Delta 8's legality.

"Here we are again," Meggs said. "We're going to go through another round of issues on a slightly different case but within the same field."

From here, a judge will decide whether or not to grant the temporary restraining order, which will last 14 days if approved. During that time period, attorneys will be exploring additional legal remedies, according to Jay Maguire of the Texas Hemp Federation.
Some rejoiced, some fumed, but overall, book authors expressed feelings of incredulity upon finding their works included in a new list of 850 books set to be investigated in Texas school districts. In an Oct. 25 letter, Rep. Matt Krause, a Republican state lawmaker and candidate for state attorney general, asked schools to confirm whether the book titles are on shelves at public school libraries or classrooms, according to the Texas Tribune.

Krause did not specify why and how the books in the 16-page list were chosen, but most include elements relating to race or sexuality. In the letter, Krause told districts to also provide information on any other books in their collection that potentially violate House Bill 3979, the state's critical race theory law that has led to confusion and fear among teachers regarding the compliance of reading materials available to their students.

Among the authors whose works are featured in the expansive list is Mikki Kendall. Kendall's 2020 book Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot discusses how race, class, sexual orientation, and ability intersect with gender inequality. In a series of tweets Tuesday, Kendall said she wont let Krauses investigation discourage her from writing.

I am in great company, but also? This is a fight, Kendall tweeted. I know how to do that. They banned Hood Feminism. They didnt ban Amazons, Abolitionists & Activists or Wonder Women of the World. Ill write more books.

Though Kendall tweets her books were outright banned, Krauses letter only states the books are being investigatedfor now.

Twitter / @StevenSSWrites

Also on the list is award-winning author Jerry Craft, whose books were temporarily removed in Katy ISD after being accused of teaching critical race theory. Four of his works are noted on Krause's list, including Craft's graphic novel Class Act, a sequel to "New Kid," which was taken under review in the district. The author has not released a statement on this latest investigation.

San Antonio young adult author Kalynn Bayrons book Cinderella is Dead, a reimagining of the classic tale featuring a Black, gay protagonist, was also included. On Wednesday, Bayron addressed Krause in a tweet saying he cant keep her work away from young readers.

Id like Matt Krause to know that nothing he does will keep my work out of the hands of young readers. Texas educators are, for the most part, amazing people and we work together to make sure the work gets to the kids who need it most.

Steven Salvatore, author of the listed book Cant Take That Away, a novel about a genderqueer teen who finds the courage to stand up and speak out for equality, celebrated his books addition to the investigation with a We did it, Joe meme of Vice President Kamala Harris calling President Joe Biden to celebrate their election win.

We did it, Joe! Cant Take That Away has finally made a list! Life imitating art imitating art, much?

Likewise, author and legal scholar Duchess Harris, who has four books listed, most exploring the subject of race and police violence in the U.S., tweeted she is so proud with a laughing emoji and the hashtag life goals.

Texas school officials have until Nov. 12 to respond to Krause's request for books that may violate state laws.
Nearly everything about the Fellowship of Friends feels like the stuff of fiction. In the 1970s, a charismatic leader builds a community devoted to high art and higher consciousness. The burgeoning group plants a vineyard 2.5 hours north of San Francisco and finds itself at the vanguard of the natural wine movement. The teaching turns apocalyptic, but the end of the world stubbornly fails to arrive. And then, as so often is the case, the absolute power corrupts the man in charge without consequence.

But the story of the Fellowship is all too real. And in a new podcast from the journalist Jennings Brown, which premiered this month on Spotify, allegations of abuse by the charismatic leader Robert Burton are laid out in chilling detail over the course of six episodes. With Revelations, Brown takes us to the Fellowships compound in Oregon House, California, and then shows us how Burton used his perch atop the Fellowship to allegedly abuse scores of young male followers for years. Brown hopes that finally, two decades after the first allegations were made public, there will be justice for the survivors.

In November 2017, at another commune called Teal Tribe, Brown had a fateful conversation. He was working on his Gizmodo podcast The Gateway, which told the story of Teal Swan, a controversial social-media savvy guru with a fervently devoted following. I was out at her healing retreat center in Costa Rica, which was weirdly similar to Nine Perfect Strangers, Brown tells me over Zoom from his Brooklyn apartment.

Swans then-husband Ale Gicqueau mentioned that his own awakening had begun at a compound in Northern California with a spiritual group called the Fellowship of Friends, but he eventually came to see the Fellowship as a predatory cult. But the way [Gicqueau] described it, it just seemed like this fantasy land, says Brown. This strange Shangri-La out in the wilderness where they had this giant vineyard and were collecting Renaissance art and had an amphitheater and this pantheon of 44 angels, that included Shakespeare, Bach, Rembrandt and da Vinci. Im just like, What the hell is this?

Brown filed the information away, eventually returning to what he believed would be a magazine feature in 2018. It proved to be fortuitous timing. Burton had predicted that October 2018 would be an Armageddon; after the collapse, their sprawling property out in Oregon House, California, would serve as a Noahs Ark of sorts from which to restart society.

To Browns surprise, he was invited to attend the End Times event at Apollo, the name Burton had given his 1,200-acre forested compound. So, I was there for their final black-tie dinner before the end of the world, Brown says. I mean, as a journalist, I was like, How often am I going to get a chance to see an apocalyptic group in the days leading up to their predicted apocalypse? I thought that was the story.

But his podcast series Revelations  which had its fourth of six episodes publish on Spotify on Saturday  tells a much darker tale. There had been allegations of sexual assault against Burton from the 1990s, but the Fellowships charismatic leader remained a free man, still running what many viewed as a doomsday cult. Surely, Brown thought, the abuse had ended years before.

Over his three years spent working on the podcast, Brown recorded interviews with current and former members and found that Burtons alleged sexual abuse had continued. In the fourth episode, theres a haunting scene where survivors recount Burtons alleged attempt to have sex with a hundred of his male followers in a single day. Brown also spoke with Eastern European ex-members who said they received religious visas to come out to California, only to learn when they arrived that sex with Burton was an unwritten part of the deal.

So thats where it gets into the question, does this constitute human trafficking? Brown says. I realized I needed to report the hell out of this and make sure that its legally airtight. We got a fact checker and a legal team, because it was clear that this story was huge.

The Brooklyn-based Brown is an extrovert, with light blue eyes and a just-barely-there Texas twang. He was raised in Dallas at a Methodist church where George W. Bush was a parishioner. I was just fascinated by religion and power, he says. As I went to college and became more interested in global affairs and abuses of power, I began to reflect on the power structure in the church that I was raised in.

Even as a religious child who sang in the choir and went on youth mission trips, Brown felt a pull to the esoteric. He read books on Buddhism, on the occult and on many other religions, drawn in by the world-building inherent to religion building. I was just intoxicated by that and thats still why Im drawn to religions and spiritual groups, Brown says. When I reach out to these people to report on them, they see that Im not just like, How can I find the skeletons in your closet? They see Im genuinely interested.

When Brown reached out to the Fellowship, he says they were open at first. But when they learned of his past reporting on eccentric gurus  stories of spiritual leaders buoyed by the internet  he says they became reticent. Yet after voicing their hesitation, the Fellowship still let Brown and his recorder in (and haven't commented on the podcast since its release).

Perhaps the access was tied to a confidence bolstered by decades of laudatory press coverage and seeming indifference to the accusations. Amazingly, the Fellowships former winemaker Gideon Beinstock was at the vanguard of the natural wine movement, which meant the Fellowships wine  Renaissance  has received rave reviews for years. But Brown also thinks the Fellowship let him in because they needed a spotlight to attract a new, younger cohort of recruits.

Obviously, the gamble backfired. Browns podcast gives space to followers who explain the draw of the Fellowship  they paint a picture of a community removed from modernity where painting, ballet, classical music and beauty in general are exalted. But the alleged abuse by Burton, which Revelations presents through first-person interviews with survivors, prove too ghastly for any of that to matter.

When the journalist stepped into Apollo, he thought he would tell a story about the cognitive dissonance necessary to keep believing after a prophesied apocalypse fails to arrive. Instead, his podcast tells of absolute power and the way it corrupts. Its a story about a peculiar community and natural wine, but more than that, its one about scores of young believers who say they were victimized by a man who reportedly believed himself a goddess in a mans body.

Brown thinks Revelations may finally lead authorities to take notice of the compound a short drive from San Francisco. The allegations are on the same level as NXIVM or worse, Brown says, describing the charges that sent New York cult leader Keith Raniere and several others to federal prison. Im hoping itll lead to some sort of justice for the brave survivors who spoke out.

The fifth episode of Revelations will be on Spotify on Oct. 31.

Joseph Bien-Kahn is a journalist from San Francisco who has written for the New York Times Magazine, Playboy and Vulture. He lives in Los Angeles.
Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP)  A museum dedicated to telling the history of Juneteenth with a national scope is set to be built in Fort Worth, Texas.

The National Juneteenth Museum is also expected to host seminars and lectures, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. Sable Brands, a Fort Worth-based marketing firm, said Tuesday that the museum will be part of a mixed-use development.
The optics for the recent developments at Disneyland have not been pretty lately. Sold-out Magic Key annual passes. Parking price hikes. A new, highest-price-ever ticket for the most in-demand days like holidays. At least two more months without parking trams.

And thats all just this week.

But theres one bright spot in all of this, literally: The Main Street Electrical Parade appears to be coming back to the park soon. The iconic and much-beloved parade started at Disneyland in 1972, ran through 1996 and features whats believed to be approximately 500,000 light bulbs on its floats, which depict iconic scenes from movies like Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland.

According to Disney blog Allears.net, when it was retired, the parade had been performed almost 3,600 times for more than 75 million guests.

Disney hinted at the parade's return on TikTok this morning via a video of a sparkling snail, one of the Electrical Parade floats, headed towards a Disneyland truck, followed by the message to be continued. Fan reception on social media has been positive, but many have been wondering whether its a move designed to engender goodwill towards the company in the midst of such a prolonged bad news cycle (including an ongoing lawsuit in which 25,000 cast members are suing Disneyland for a living wage).

There are few guarantees in life, @MadnessKingdom tweeted, but Disney trotting out the Main Street Electrical Parade whenever theyre having some sort of trouble at the California parks is one of them.

The move wouldnt be without precedent. Disneyland has a history of using this particular parade to smooth over rough patches at the park. When the park retired the parade in 1996, the company used the idea that it was the last chance to see it to create a huge boost in attendance and profits. Then in 2001, it brought the then-retired parade to Disney California Adventure to combat lackluster attendance numbers. There, it became Disneys Electrical Parade since California Adventure doesnt have a Main Street.

Disneys California Adventure opened in February 2001, Disneyland history blog Yesterland wrote. When expected attendance levels failed to materialize, [the park] had to take quick action. Its not surprising that their first big initiative involved the Main Street Electrical Parade.

If killing the parade could work such wonders, how about bringing it back from the dead?

Although the parade was popular enough to keep it around for several years at California Adventure, it didnt solve the underlying issues with the park. If the parade was meant to provide an instant fix to the parks attendance problems, it failed, Yesterland wrote.

Main Street Electrical Parade also made brief reappearances in Disneyland Park in 2017 and 2019.

Considering the Walt Disney Companys enormous year-over-year profit and the launch of paid fast passes earlier this month, some Disney fans have noted that this parade  using equipment thats existed for nearly 50 years and requires no real investment of time or finances that a new show would demand  feels convenient.

Is this just a new [and] inexpensive way to get a parade going? one commenter on the TikTok asked.

Yall made your customers angry so you gotta drag this out again, huh? another questioned.

Im in the most toxic abusive relationship ever with Disney, another said. Raise prices but wait I love you heres the MSEP.
UPDATE 11:15 a.m.:

Severe weather continues to move through the Southeast Texas area, including with strong winds and flash flood warnings in Jefferson and Orange counties.

NWS also has received reports of serious damage in the Newton County area following reports of a tornado confirmed on the ground near the Deweyville area. A tornado was also reported in Southwest Louisiana.

NWS plans to send storm survey crews this afternoon to assess.

We will see exactly what kind of damage was experienced and how strong that tornado was, NWS Lake Charles Meteorologist Donald Jones said around 10:30 a.m.

Emergency management officials for Newton and Orange counties could not immediately be reached to confirm reports of damage or injuries.

Jasper County Judge Mark Allen said shortly before 10:30 a.m. that there were no confirmed damage or injuries in Jasper County at the time. There was a risk for strong winds as the storm continued.

We are continuing to monitor this secondary wave that is currently moving east into our area, Allen said.

The Port Neches Fire Chief Eloy Vega confirmed officials continue to monitor the weather and he has not received reports of damage or injuries.

10 a.m.: Meteorologist Donald Jones has confirmed that a potentially large and dangerous tornado is moving through northern Orange County and into Western Calcasieu Parish. The tornado was moving east of Mauriceville and in the Deweyville area at the time of the update.

This is a confirmed tornado on the ground, Jones said. There have been reports of damage and reports that is this is a large tornado.

Original Story:

A tornado warning remains in effect as a cold front rolls into Southeast Texas.

A tornado watch is in effect for the entire area through mid-afternoon, the National Weather Service in Lake Charles posted on social media. The primary threats with this watch include a few tornadoes (possibly intense) and damaging wind gusts to 70 mph. Stay weather aware!!!!!

Southeast Texans awoke Wednesday morning to several weather alerts, including to shelter-in-place due to tornado warnings.

At 9:32 a.m. a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Orangefield, or near Bridge City, moving northeast at 30 mph, the NWS warning said. HAZARDTornado. SOURCERadar indicated rotation. IMPACTFlying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely 

A tornado watch continues until 4 p.m.

A cold front is expected to create a squall line and kick-start non-hurricane severe weather season a little early this year. Southeast Texas and several parts of the surrounding area have a 15% chance of damaging winds of 60 mph or greater. There is also a 5% chance of isolated tornadoes across the region, according to a previous article in The Enterprise.

...I think the vast majority of both the damaging winds and the potential for tornadoes will be within this squall line itself, and the good news with that is the potential for severe weather is going to exist only for a couple of hours as that squall line is impacting certain areas and the system continues to move across, NWS Lake Charles Meteorologist Donald Jones previously said during a forecast.

Related: Cold front brings risk of 60+ mph winds Wednesday

The squall line is expected to move through Southeast Texas from 8 a.m. to noon before crossing over the Sabine River. Rain is expected with the system as it moves over the area, but the agency only expects 1 to 1 1/2 inches for the Beaumont area, The Enterprise previously reported.

The temperature also is expected to drop Thursday and last into early next week, with highs in the 70s and lows in the upper 40s and lower 50s. The rain is expected to stop once the squall line heads further west, but it is expected to leave behind higher-than-usual winds, The Enterprise previously reported.
UPDATE 12:50 p.m.:

Orange County Emergency Management Director Joel Ardoin has confirmed that a tornado hit Orange County, outside of the city limits, in the Little Cypress-Mauriceville area. No deaths have been reported. At least one person has been taken to the hospital but is not believed to have life-threatening injuries.

We have a few areas that got hit pretty hard, Ardoin said. We dont have an actual count yet. We are estimating about 100 homes.

The officials are still assessing the situation, but he confirmed some of the homes have significant damage. The homes are in a subdivision in north LCM off Highway 1130.

No road closures have been reported.

12:20 p.m.:

Possible tornado Looking towards port Neches from our total refinery location on the Neches river off of 73. pic.twitter.com/dJEHHiPywQ  Johnny Ray Lively (@JRayLively) October 27, 2021

Newton County Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator Olen Bean confirmed there are no reports of injuries from a tornado that touched down in the Deweyville community earlier today.

He reported damage in the Sandy Oaks subdivision, south of the Deweyville intersection of state highways 12 and 87, which is close to the Orange County line.

We have one house that we have found so far that has major damage to it probably another 10-12 that have some type of roof damage or shingles off, Bean said. Several out buildings have damage, have been destroyed, or collapsed. A lot of trees down, a lot of power polls and lines so far.  We have not found anybody that has been injured.

Bean also reported damage in Orange County south of Mauriceville towards Interstate 10.

For the Deweyville area, Bean said there were no major road closures to report. One private road for a house had a large tree down with power lines in it. Due to the heavy rainfall, the officials had to wait to get the electrical company to assist with the removal. He confirmed the residents were safe.

We have a real good fire department here, South Newton County Fire and Rescue, they have been out trying to check on residents, on the calls that have been reported, and with the commissioner getting the roads opened up and where everyone can get in and out real soon, Bean said.

Bean said the state is once again asking Texans to document storm damage through the State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) mobile phone application. The application was also used to document damage during the winter storm.

11:45 a.m.

NWS Lake Charles Meteorologist Donald Jones said tornado warnings across the area have been allowed to expire.

There are still strong winds with the thunderstorm activity that is moving across the Southeast Texas area and into Southwestern Louisiana. NWS reported winds over 60 mph, including some radar indicated winds up to 80 mph over Sabine Lake.

The activity is along the Sabine River and will move into Southwest Louisiana over the next hour or two, he said.

There is no reason to think this activity is not going to put out some pretty gusty winds as it goes through the entire region so if you havent yet gone through this line of activity you are expected to see some strong winds, Jones said shortly before 11:30 p.m.

Behind the line is light rain across the areas of western Jefferson, Hardin tyler and Jasper counties.

Once this line gets through your particular area the severe weather threat will come to an end, Jones said. Now the winds are going to be breezy out of the Northwest, but they are not going to be destructive. They are not going to be life threatening. The life threatening and a severe weather threat is going to be right along and ahead of this activity which is pretty much almost through southeast Texas as of right now and will be moving into southwest Louisiana ...

The Office of Emergency Management sent out an alert for Beaumont residents that said the severe thunderstorms and heavy rains are producing localized street flooding throughout the City and will remain in the area throughout this afternoon.

Use caution if you have to travel in the weather, the alert said. Avoid flooded roadways and underpasses. Be Safe.

11:15 a.m.:

Severe weather continues to move through the Southeast Texas area, including with strong winds and flash flood warnings in Jefferson and Orange counties.

NWS also has received reports of serious damage in the Newton County area following reports of a tornado confirmed on the ground near the Deweyville area. A tornado was also reported in Southwest Louisiana.

NWS plans to send storm survey crews this afternoon to assess.

We will see exactly what kind of damage was experienced and how strong that tornado was, NWS Lake Charles Meteorologist Donald Jones said around 10:30 a.m.

Emergency management officials for Newton and Orange counties could not immediately be reached to confirm reports of damage or injuries.

Jasper County Judge Mark Allen said shortly before 10:30 a.m. that there were no confirmed damage or injuries in Jasper County at the time. There was a risk for strong winds as the storm continued.

We are continuing to monitor this secondary wave that is currently moving east into our area, Allen said.

The Port Neches Fire Chief Eloy Vega confirmed officials continue to monitor the weather and he has not received reports of damage or injuries.

10 a.m.: Meteorologist Donald Jones has confirmed that a potentially large and dangerous tornado is moving through northern Orange County and into Western Calcasieu Parish. The tornado was moving east of Mauriceville and in the Deweyville area at the time of the update.

This is a confirmed tornado on the ground, Jones said. There have been reports of damage and reports that is this is a large tornado.

Original Story:

A tornado warning remains in effect as a cold front rolls into Southeast Texas.

A tornado watch is in effect for the entire area through mid-afternoon, the National Weather Service in Lake Charles posted on social media. The primary threats with this watch include a few tornadoes (possibly intense) and damaging wind gusts to 70 mph. Stay weather aware!!!!!

Southeast Texans awoke Wednesday morning to several weather alerts, including to shelter-in-place due to tornado warnings.

At 9:32 a.m. a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Orangefield, or near Bridge City, moving northeast at 30 mph, the NWS warning said. HAZARDTornado. SOURCERadar indicated rotation. IMPACTFlying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely 

A tornado watch continues until 4 p.m.

A cold front is expected to create a squall line and kick-start non-hurricane severe weather season a little early this year. Southeast Texas and several parts of the surrounding area have a 15% chance of damaging winds of 60 mph or greater. There is also a 5% chance of isolated tornadoes across the region, according to a previous article in The Enterprise.

...I think the vast majority of both the damaging winds and the potential for tornadoes will be within this squall line itself, and the good news with that is the potential for severe weather is going to exist only for a couple of hours as that squall line is impacting certain areas and the system continues to move across, NWS Lake Charles Meteorologist Donald Jones previously said during a forecast.

Related: Cold front brings risk of 60+ mph winds Wednesday

The squall line is expected to move through Southeast Texas from 8 a.m. to noon before crossing over the Sabine River. Rain is expected with the system as it moves over the area, but the agency only expects 1 to 1 1/2 inches for the Beaumont area, The Enterprise previously reported.

The temperature also is expected to drop Thursday and last into early next week, with highs in the 70s and lows in the upper 40s and lower 50s. The rain is expected to stop once the squall line heads further west, but it is expected to leave behind higher-than-usual winds, The Enterprise previously reported.
If passed, the new legislation would make it easier for immigrants to work in regulated occupations, ban non-compete agreements, implement a "disconnect from work" policy for certain employers, and more.

Ontario labour minister seeks more immigration and better worker conditions If passed, the new legislation would make it easier for immigrants to work in regulated occupations, ban non-compete agreements, implement a "disconnect from work" policy for certain employers, and more.

Ontario labour minister seeks more immigration and better worker conditions If passed, the new legislation would make it easier for immigrants to work in regulated occupations, ban non-compete agreements, implement a "disconnect from work" policy for certain employers, and more.

Ontario labour minister seeks more immigration and better worker conditions If passed, the new legislation would make it easier for immigrants to work in regulated occupations, ban non-compete agreements, implement a "disconnect from work" policy for certain employers, and more. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Ontarios minister of labour, who also oversees immigration, is calling for legislative changes to make the province a more attractive place to work.

Monte McNaughton introduced the Working for Workers Act on October 25. If it gets passed, it could mean big changes for Ontario workers.

The act includes the proposed changes that were announced last week for immigrants who are trying to work in regulated occupations in Ontario.

Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration

In short, the Ontario government wants to see the requirements eased on newcomers getting licensed in non-health-related occupations. Namely, they want to remove the requirement for regulatory bodies to require Canadian work experience, eliminate the need to do a language test for the purpose of licensing, and speed up the licensing process, especially in cases of emergency.

It is imperative that we recognize credentials of new Canadians and get them to pass their licensing requirements and get them into these meaningful jobs if we want to build our province, McNaughton told CIC News over the phone.

McNaughton cited labour shortages in skilled trades occupations that will only increase as more workers retire. He also referred to a recent study that suggested Ontario would see an additional $12 to $20 billion added to its economy if the skills gap between immigrants and Canadian-born workers was addressed.

The proposed legislation for regulatory bodies does not currently include healthcare occupations. McNaughton did not explain why, but said the government hopes to change that in the near future.

If passed, Ontario would be the first province in Canada to eliminate the requirement for Canadian work experience in regulated occupations. It would also be the first to introduce right-to-disconnect policies, and to ban non-compete agreements.

Employers with 25 or more workers would have to implement a policy that would allow employees to disconnect from their jobs at the end of the work day. The new legislation would also restrict employers from implementing non-compete agreements, where workers have to sign a contract saying that, for a certain amount of time, they will not work for a competitor after they leave their company.

A media representative from the ministers office said the entire process could take two years to go into effect, including the legislative process as well as implementation. The minister hopes the bill will be passed before Ontarios election in June 2022. This is important because when Ontario goes into an election, all of the bills being considered by the Legislature cannot move forward unless they are re-introduced in the new session. The ministers office currently does not have a date for when the debates will begin.

Beyond the amendments to laws governing regulatory bodies, the immigration minister would also like the federal government to give more immigration powers to Ontario. For 2021, the federal government has allowed Ontario to welcome 9,000 newcomers through its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). McNaughton would like to see that doubled due to the ongoing labour shortages that persist despite Ontario being the most popular province for new immigrants.

This year we prioritized healthcare workers and skilled trades workers but that number really needs to increase because of the huge labour shortage we have, McNaughton said. We are well positioned to match these newcomers to jobs that are going unfilled.

Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
AI took centre stage at GITEX 2021, the Middle East's biggest tech conference, with a host of industry and government representatives highlighting how enterprises and municipalities are using artificial Intelligence to enhance public services and create new business opportunities.

Analytics based on advanced AI techniques like machine learning are being deployed by enterprises in various business sectors, healthcare providers, and public administrations throughout the Middle East. Recognizing the importance of AI to economic growth in the region, GITEX, which closed its doors last week, was held under the motto 'GITEX Global x AI Everything'.

Globally, AI is certainly gaining momentum in business. AI will enhance business productivity and add US$15.7 trillion in value to the global economy by 2030, according to PwC, which estimates that of this amount, the Middle East's share will be 2%, or $320 billion.

"In absolute terms, the largest gains are expected to accrue to Saudi Arabia where AI is expected to contribute over US$135.2 billion in 2030 to the economy, equivalent to 12.4% of GDP. In relative terms the UAE is expected to see the largest impact of close to 14% of 2030 GDP," according to a PwC report.

The overwhelming majority of top managers of large companies associate the next technological revolution with AI, judging from GITEX speakers and attendees who shared their own experiences with the technology and offered tips on what CIOs need to consider before becoming an AI conduit for their companies.
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In July 2015, James Clapper, then the Director of National Intelligence, issued Directive 191, officially codifying the duty to warn. All US intelligence agencies would be required to provide warning regarding threats to specific individuals or groups of intentional killing, serious bodily injury, and kidnapping.

A few years later, in 2017, according to a New York Times report, US intelligence agencies began to pick up word of a Saudi Arabian plot to kill the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who had been publicly critical of the Kingdoms rulers. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told a top aide that he would use a bullet on Khashoggi if he could not be compelled to return to Saudi Arabia. On October 2, 2018, Khashoggi was lured into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where he was drugged, strangled, and then dismembered with a bone saw by a team of assassins dispatched from Riyadh.

The question that lingers is whether the US intelligence community was aware that the plot to kill or kidnap Khashoggi was moving ahead. If so, did they fail to exercise the legal duty to warn, in violation of Directive 191?

In November 2018, the Knight First Amendment Institute and the Committee to Protect Journalists came together to demand answers. We each filed a Freedom of Information Act request asking for records from intelligence community member agencies, including the CIA, NSA, FBI and the State Department. When those requests were ignored, we sued those agencies.

Our legal action prompted a response from the State Department, which informed us that it had no relevant records. But the other intelligence agencies, including the CIA, refused to provide any answer at all, asserting that to either confirm or deny the existence of responsive records would compromise sources and methods and thus pose a risk to national security. In legal parlance, this was a Glomar response, a reference to a 1975 incident involving a ship called the Glomar Explorer that was or was not used in a CIA operation. (It was.)

In its ruling on our action, the US District Court backed the intelligence community. We contended that this Glomar response undermined any potential accountability, and appealed the decision to the US Court of Appeals for the DC circuit. Forty-one media and human rights organizations joined our effort and signed on to two amicus briefs. On August 27, the US Court of Appeals issued its ruling, once again siding with the government.

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Our experience has convinced us that the law is unenforceable in its current form. The ability of the intelligence agencies to invoke Glomar, and the extraordinary deference that the courts have traditionally shown for such assertions, makes meaningful oversight impossible. If the duty to warn is going to have meaning, then Congress must act to ensure accountability.

Rote assertions by the intelligence community that to confirm or deny the existence of records related to the duty to warn would compromise national security do not pass the sniff test.

Compliance with Directive 191 already requires that the threatened individual be informed of the plot. This cannot be done without implicitly confirming relevant intelligence exists. Conversely since there is a legal obligation to warn threatened individuals, except in very limited circumstances, the lack of such a warning should serve as a tacit acknowledgement that there is no such intelligence, provided the law is followed. The Khashoggi case proves the point, as there are only two possible explanations for the facts. Either the US intelligence agencies missed the plot against Khashoggi, or they were aware that they failed in their legal duty to warn.

What might Congressional action look like? First and foremost, Congress should compel the intelligence agencies to make public any information about the plot to murder Khashoggi and should take steps to ensure that the US intelligence agencies that may have had prior knowledge of the plot acted in accordance with Directive 191.

Secondly, Congress should consider ways to limit Glomar responses, which have become more and more routine, subverting the government transparency FOIA was intended to foster. Rather than the current deference, any Glomar responses should trigger a high level of judicial scrutiny and oversight to ensure that the response is based on genuine national security concerns rather than an effort to suppress embarrassing facts.

Why is the duty to warn important to journalists around the world working on sensitive stories? Since 1992, when CPJ began keeping detailed data, nearly 1000 journalists have been murdered in reprisal for their reporting. In about 40 percent of those cases, the journalists were threatened before being killed, meaning there was an active plot against them. If US intelligence agencies have knowledge of such plots and effectively exercise their duty to warn, lives could be saved.

Next week, November 2, is the UN-designated International Day to End Impunity in the Killing of Journalists. Ill mark the day by providing testimony in The Hague as part of a Peoples Tribunal, a grassroots trial based on international law intended to gather evidence, highlight the recent murders of journalists and bring the killers to justice. More than 80 percent of all murders of journalists go unpunished, and so we must continue to fight the scourge of impunity with everything we have. But it would be far better of course, to reduce the death rate.

The duty to warn is a powerful tool that can help save lives, but because there is no accountability within the US Intelligence Community when it comes to its application, we dont know if its being used effectively, or at all. CPJs experience shows that the courts offer no recourse. Its time for the Congress to get involved.

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Joel Simon is the executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, and the author of We Want to Negotiate: The Secret World of Kidnapping, Hostages and Ransom.
Last weekafter Colin Powell died of complications from COVID-19 and early news reports mentioned that he was fully vaccinated, without also noting that he had received treatment for a type of blood cancer that weakens the immune systemI started to contemplate what those words actually mean at this stage of the pandemic. Earlier in the year, it was relatively clear that a person (in the US, at least) was fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or first dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccinethe maximum number of shots authorized per person at the time. Since then, however, weve entered a murkier moment, with booster shots now recommended, but only for some people based on factors including age, health, and occupation. Powell had been scheduled for a booster prior to his death, but its not clear that even that would have saved him, given the weakness of his immune system. Was he fully vaccinated when he died? Could he ever have been?

It turned out that James Hamblin, a medical doctor and writer, had a similar response to the Powell coverage. The term fully vaccinated is inappropriate in many cases, primarily because there is no consensus on what it means, Hamblin wrote, in an op-ed for the Washington Post. Most of us fall into a gray area between the 21-year-old Olympic decathlete in no need of more doses and the 90-year-old with emphysema who sings in an unvaccinated choir and would quite benefit from boosting. All of this boils down to, essentially, an ongoing attempt to define fully vaccinated. Who is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and for how long? The honest answer is that the target is moving before our eyes.

ICYMI: Local photojournalism gets a boost from a California nonprofit

As Hamblin notes, the pandemic has taught us that precision of language and transparency in delineating the known and the unknown are key to any effective public health responsebut as Ive often written in this newsletter, people, not least journalists, have often struggled with both imperatives in the face of immense novelty and uncertainty; in the early days of the pandemic, for instance, many news outlets treated case counts as definitive statistics even though testing was highly inadequate and many very real cases were going uncounted. (As I wrote in May 2020, confirmed cases was then, and remains now, a more useful phrase.) Recently, Katherine J. Wu, a science writer at The Atlantic, compiled some other common pandemic terms that are slippery or just plain wrong. The list includes fully vaccinated but also asymptomatic (you might actually be pre-symptomatic, and in any case, what counts as a symptom?), mild COVID-19 (which can be a sniffle or disease so bad you only narrowly avoid hospitalization), and even COVID-19 itself. (The latter term is supposed to be reserved for the symptomatic disease that follows some infections with the virus SARS-CoV-2, which is what tests detect; Wu points out that theres actually no such thing as a COVID test, and theres no such thing as asymptomatic COVID.) As Elena Semino, a linguist, told Wu, the pandemic has seen a great deal of linguistic leakage, where jargon that was previously used only within a professional community has become universal, often without the (hopefully) clarifying intermediate work of journalism.

Often, new terminology becomes more widely understood over time. But it strikes me that many of the confusions of pandemic language have not only persisted, but worsenedmirroring the broader ways in which, as I wrote over the summer, the pandemic itself has somehow only become harder to understand and explain, with the science of viral transmission still murky, data visibility still imperfect, and mass vaccination having diminished the appropriateness of blunt, society-wide restrictions and increased the salience of much more complicated collective and individual risk calculations. In some cases, terms we thought we clearly understood, like fully vaccinated, have become fuzzier. In other cases, meaning has been flipped on its head. If youd told me a year ago that youd had a vaccine breakthrough, Id likely have hailed a miracle of cutting-edge medical technology. Tell me that today and Id ask you to stay well away from me.

Some pandemic language is hard to pin down because it skates atop complex philosophical questions that lack a right answer. In August, as concern about breakthrough infections increasingly made (often misleading) headlines, The New Yorkers Dhruv Khullar asked what actually constitutes an infectiona breakthrough infection could manifest as symptomatic illness in a fully vaccinated person (you can see how tricky this is getting), or it could just mean that a highly sensitive test found viral matter in your nose while your vaccine-pumped immune response was working, just as it should, to fight it. Technically, some cells got infected and the virus started to replicate, Angela Rasmussen, a virologist, told Khullar. But the immune system prevented you from getting sick and shedding copious amounts of virus that can go on to infect someone else. As well as the scientific, there are social and political dimensions to such conundrums, of course: whether it makes sense to define the latter scenario as an infection, for example, is in part tangled up with questions around the behaviors we expect of infected people, and the risk calculations that inform those expectations. Fully vaccinated invites similar questions. To many people, full connotes total, one-hundred-percent protection, which is an impossible expectation that can nonetheless lead to a loss of confidence if/when it isnt realized. Others might understand fullness as lifting them above an acceptable risk threshold for daily life. One person, in other words, might see their immunity as half empty; another as half full.

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All of this matters beyond pedantry. Our collective understanding of language informs our collective understanding of the pandemic, which in turn informs how we behave in almost all aspects of our lives; to reverse this causality somewhat, when the pandemic eventually ends and our behavior changes, our understanding of pandemic language may have to change, too. (Will an infection always trigger isolation?) The fully vaccinated example, and attendant debate over boosters, offers a glimpse of this. Over the summer, as that debate ground into gear, it was quite common to hear concerns about vaccine equity in media coverage, with reporters and experts asking if its fair to give some Americans a third shot before millions of people in poorer countries have had the chance to get one. Now that boosters are a reality, it seems to me that those concerns, while still present in much coverage, have generally been overshadowed by a narrower discussion about logistics. (Who gets a booster? And which one?)

As Wu has pointed out, the word booster itself plays into this dynamic, insofar as it carries a connotation that sounds both overwhelmingly positive and additive of immunity; other languages, Wu notes, instead use words that translate more closely as reinforcement or recollection, which sounds more like replenishing something that some people have lost and less like inviting people for third helpings at a buffet line when some people are still starving outside the restaurant. Hamblin, for his part, argues that the inequitable distribution of shots isnt just a matter of equity, but of efficacy: if being fully vaccinated is a useful thing to aim for, its more at the level of the community, and less at the level of the individual. Asking whether a person or a planet is fully vaccinated can lead to very different conclusions about where to prioritize sending shots. Colin Powell was fully vaccinated in a country that very much is not.

Journalists arentand shouldnt want to bethe language police; Wu noted that her list of linguistic gripes was likely a futile exercise, since the words have already slipped through my fingers like so much semantic sand. Still, journalists can control the language that they use, and have some power to enforce their own standards of precision and clarity. And sometimes, pandemic language can shift at the mass level in helpful ways. In late May, the World Health Organization renamed coronavirus variants that had previously been identified by their country of discovery (British, South African, Brazilian, Indian) by assigning them Greek letters instead; this was, to some extent, an arbitrary exercise, but the WHOs aim was also to remove toxic stigma around the variants, in part so that governments wouldnt fear the reputational consequences of reporting vital new knowledge about the virus. At the time, I was skeptical that the Greek letters would catch on, but they have become the default, including in media coverage. By the time the Indian variant was widespread in the US, it was Delta.

Again, journalists should scrutinize language policing: the WHO is a powerful institution that is far from infallible; the Indian government, for its part, co-opted opposition to the Indian variant as part of a broader crackdown on online speech. But the overall effect of the switch to Delta has been positive. And top-down linguistic changes dont usually catch on when they serve to confuse, rather than clarify. In August, after Pfizers COVID vaccine won formal approval from US regulators, the company moved to market it under the new name Comirnaty. Me neither.

Below, more on the pandemic and language:



A programming note, and an invitation: Two weeks from now, Ill be writing this newsletter from inside COP26, the vital global climate summit in Scotland, reporting and commenting on the media stories surrounding both the conference and the climate crisis itself. If you or your news organization is headed to COP, Id love to hear about your coverage plans (especially if youre lining up something innovative) or just to say hi. If you arent heading to COP, Id love to hear about what youre looking for from others coverage of the conference, or any thoughts you may have on the state of climate journalism generally. You can reach me at [email protected]cjr.org.



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: The coup in Sudan and a dismal moment for press freedom across North Africa

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Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
Lawyers for the shareholders called the all-cash settlement, filed on Monday night, an excellent result, citing Luckins liquidation proceeding in the Cayman Islands and its related filing for protection under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

The accord also covers Luckin officials, and underwriters of the Xiamen, China-based companys $645 million initial public offering in 2019 and a later offering of American depositary shares.

U.S. District Judge John Cronan in Manhattan approved the preliminary settlement on Tuesday, and scheduled a Jan. 31, 2022 hearing to consider final approval. The settlement also requires approval by a Cayman Islands court.

Luckin denied wrongdoing. Its U.S.-based lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Founded in 2017, Luckin ended March with about 5,000 stores.

Shareholders sued Luckin in February 2020, two weeks after short-seller Muddy Waters Research accused it of inflating revenue.

Two months later, Luckins share price sank 81% after the company said an internal probe found that its chief operating officer and other staff fabricated about $310 million of sales in 2019, or about 40% of annual sales projected by analysts.

Luckin agreed last December to pay a $180 million fine to settle U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accounting fraud https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-sec-luckincoffee/luckin-coffee-to-pay-180-million-penalty-to-settle-accounting-fraud-charges-u-s-sec-idUKKBN28Q34P civil charges.

The SEC said Luckin raised more than $864 million from equity and debt investors while the fraud was taking place.

Shareholders in the class action are led by Swedish pension fund Sjunde AP-Fonden and the Louisiana Sheriffs Pension & Relief Fund.

Their lawyers, led by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check and Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann, may seek fees of up to 25% of the settlement fund.
Hippo Taps Hiscox Executive For Claims

Digital home insurer Hippo hired a former Hiscox executive to be its first chief claims officer, with a mission to expand claims operations for the now publicly-traded California-based insurtech as it grows nationally.

Grace Hanson will take on the new position as of January 2022.

Protecting the home is a passion of mine and Im excited to build on Hippos innovative successes to push the bar for customer experience in claims and take care of our customers when they need us most, Hanson said in prepared remarks.

Hippo bills itself as standing out, in part, with a personalized approach to claims as well as home insurance coverage itself. In her new role, Hanson will extend the companys use of technology and data to increase claims efficiency and ensure that customers are able to complete claims with limited effort.

Previously, Hanson was the chief claims officer for Hiscox. In her career, Hanson built experience with insurtech companies as senior vice president, chief claims officer of Homesite Insurance, the first insurer to offer a fully digital homeowner product.

Hanson has a law degree from Tulane University, a masters in business administration from Northeastern University, and a chartered property casualty underwriter (CPCU) designation. She is also a board member of Build Change, which works to improve the structural stability of housing in emerging countries vulnerable to seismic and cyclonic risk.

Rossmiller Heads Chartwell Laws Portland Office

Chartwell Law partner David Rossmiller will lead the law firms first West Coast office in Portland, Ore.

Rossmiller is a veteran insurance coverage litigator, Chartwell said in a press release. His practice has also includes railroad and trucking law, environmental contamination litigation, bodily injury and property damage insurance defense and medical malpractice litigation.

Rossmiller has written extensively for Appleman on Insurance treatises and other insurance publications, the firm said. He is a past author of the the Insurance Coverage Law Blog.

Rossmiller became a lawyer after an early-life career as a journalist, including working as an investigative reporter for a daily newspaper in Phoenix, Arizona. Partners Elissa Boyd, Andrew Gust, Ryan Tarter and associate Dustin Dorsey will join Rossmiller in the Portland office.

Chartwell Law operates in 26 states and Washington D.C. The company started as a four-lawyer firm in Valley Forge, Penn. in 2002. It now employs 175 attorneys in diversified practice areas.

The firms Northwest office is located at 1050 SW 6th Avenue, Suite 1100, in Portland.

Charles Taylor Hires China Director

Charles Taylor Adjusting appointed Derik Chen as regional director for greater China.

Chen will oversee the international claims management firms growth in China and Taiwan and lead the establishment of the property and casualty adjusting business in Taiwan, Charles Taylor said in a press release.

Currently based in Shanghai, Chen has managed claims arising from natural disasters and defective equipment, product liability claims and loss adjustment during a 25-year insurance career, the company said.

He previously worked as a claims manager with Axa XL in China.

Chen will report to Wee Loon Yong, chief executive officer of Asia Property & Casualty, based in Singapore. The companys local marine operation has been operating in China for over 15 years

CoreLogic Appoints Claims Director

CoreLogic has appointed Garret Gray, founder of Next Gear Solutions, to lead its combined claims operations.

CoreLogic, a property data analytics firm based in Irvine, Calif., purchased Next Gear Solutions in September. The Oxford, Miss.-based business provides digital workflow platform to the property restoration industry.

Under Garrets leadership, we expect to aggressively expand our claims solutions and tools bringing greater customer focus, innovation and more optionality for all property insurance ecosystem stakeholders, stated CoreLogic President and Chief Executive Officer Frank Martell. There has never been a greater focus on transforming critical workflows in the insurance ecosystem and CoreLogic is committed to continuing to invest heavily in expanding our state-of-the-art platforms and digital solutions that will drive innovation and make our customers more successful.

Carrier Management, a sister publication, contributed to this report.
Federal prosecutors in South Carolina announced that 12 people have pleaded guilty to tax fraud and immigration charges in a check-cashing scheme that was used to avoid payroll taxes and workers compensation premiums.

The plea agreements came after a multi-year investigation by the U.S. Attorneys Office for South Carolina, the office said in a press release Tuesday. The defendants admitted to cashing at least $15 million in checks.

Prosecutors said the investigation found that similar schemes operating along the South Carolina coast has resulted in tens of millions of tax losses.

By evading millions of dollars in taxes and falsely claiming their workers had insurance, these defendants made it harder for honest business owners to compete in the construction industry along South Carolinas coast and they left their workers exposed to injury without insurance, stated acting U.S. Attorney M. Rhett DeHart.

According to the press release, unlicensed contracts met with check cashers in parking lots outside of stores and coffee shops. They handed over business checks made out to a company that the check cashing company created. The check cashiers would hand over bags of cash that were used to pay employees, charging the contractors 3% of the amount of the check.

The check cashing companies also provided certificates of workers compensation insurance for the construction company that were not actually valid. The check cashers agreed to claim to be subcontractors that provided the construction company with workers, but the scheme was actually a way for the construction companies to hire unauthorized aliens who would accept untaxed cash payments.

The office said investigators embedded themselves in the Myrtle Beach area and recorded multiple interactions with the construction companies.

Contractors with Daniel Lavoie Construction Services, Duran Masonry, Extreme Siding, Master Homes Calabash, Metro Concrete Finishers, Master Homes Design Center and Paint by Numbers pleaded guilty. The 12 defendants have agreed to pay restitution in an amount just under $3 million, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Chief U.S. District Judge R. Bryan Harwell accepted each of the guilty pleas and will sentence the defendants after he receives and reviews a sentencing report by the U.S. Probation Office. The defendants face a maximum penalty offive years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and six months in prison and a fine of $250,000 plus $3,000 for each unauthorized alien hired, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) _ The final giant chunk of an overturned cargo ship was removed from waters along the coast of Georgia on Monday, almost a year after demolition began on the wreck that tipped over with 4,200 automobiles in its cargo decks.

Weighing more than 4,000 metric tons (4,410 U.S. tons), the eighth and last section of the South Korean freighter Golden Ray left the wreck site off St. Simons Island after a crane lowered it onto a big barge outfitted with a special cradle to hold the wreckage.

This is the end of the wreck removal phase, said Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Himes, a spokesman for the multiagency command in charge of the demolition.

But the salvage job isnt over. Big pieces of the ships side and other debris were left behind after the ships center, the most damaged part of the vessel, was cut in two, Himes said. Those were the final two sections removed.

Cleanup of that debris and stray wreckage that fell from the other larger sections, including some cars, will take two weeks or longer, Himes said. Then crews will remove metal shipping containers and rock placed around the partly submerged wreck to stabilize it during demolition, as well as take down the giant mesh barrier installed around the site to contain debris.

That should all be finished before the end of the year, Himes said.

Meanwhile, the last two large sections taken from the wreck site must be broken down further before they can depart Georgia for a salvage yard in Louisiana. Himes said that likely wont be done until early 2022.

The ship capsized onto its side on Sept. 9, 2019, shortly after departing the Port of Brunswick. All crew members were rescued safely, but salvage experts deemed the ship itself, measuring 656 feet (199 meters) long, was a complete loss.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board reported the combined losses totaled more than $204 million. The agency concluded an officers error in calculating the ships stability left its center of gravity too high, causing the vessel to capsize.

They settled on a plan to straddle the shipwreck with a towering crane and use a long anchor chain powered by winches and pulleys to slowly saw it into eight giant pieces for removal.

Demolition work began last Nov. 6 and was periodically interrupted by breaks in the chain, one big fire that engulfed the wreck after being sparked by cutting torches and leaking oil that fouled 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of beach and marsh grasses.

Some conservationists have asked the multiagency command overseeing the demolition for a formal assessment to determine the extent of the ecological damage from oil spills and other pollutants that came from the wreck. No decision has been announced.

About the photo: A barge carries the eighth and final giant section of the overturned cargo ship Golden Ray, Monday, Oct. 25. 2021, from the coastal Georgia waterway where the vessel capsized more than two years earlier. The South Korean freighter overturned in September 2019 with 4,200 automobiles in its cargo hold. The crew was safely rescued, but the ship was deemed a complete loss. Demolition work to cut the vessel into eight sections began in November 2020. (Terry Dickson/The Brunswick News via AP)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
ATLANTA (AP)  Georgia state government has settled a lawsuit filed by three former Insurance Department employees who said they were fired by ex-Insurance Commissioner Jim Beck because they had leaked information to a television reporter.

The state is paying $870,000 to Loranda Allen, Candice Sprague, Sherry Mowell and their attorneys, WAGA-TV reported.

Jurors convicted Beck in July on 37 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering and tax fraud. The charges stemmed from Becks scheme to channel more than $2.5 million from the Georgia Underwriting Association through a series of companies to his own bank accounts. Beck managed the state-chartered private insurer of last resort for years before the Republican was elected insurance commissioner.

A judge earlier this month sentenced Beck to more than seven years in prison and ordered him to pay $2.6 million in restitution.

Federal officials began investigating Beck as he was elected statewide in 2018 as Georgias chief insurance regulator, indicting him shortly after the Republican took office in 2019. The investigation was capped by an eight-day trial that ended with jurors convicting Beck after fewer than two hours of deliberation.

The lawsuit stemmed not from the charges Beck was indicted on, but a story from Fox affiliate WAGA-TV about a 2017 arson that burned down a Carrollton rental property that Beck owned. The television station obtained a copy of Becks insurance application that showed two weeks before the fire, Beck nearly doubled his insurance coverage, from $95,000 to $186,000. Beck said he increased the insured value because of renovations. No one was ever charged with arson.

The television station also reported that Beck was managing the Georgia Underwriting Association at the same time that he had a full-time state job as a victim-witness advocate for a district attorneys office.

The lawsuit alleged that Beck told another department employee that he blamed the women for providing the information for the reporting by Fox News. and said he was going to clean the place up and get rid of the three women after taking office in 2019.

People shouldnt be damaged financially or otherwise, for just doing their jobs. And, doing them well, said Ed Tarver, a lawyer for the women.

The three women issued a joint statement saying: We hate that this convicted felon destroyed so many careers when he came into office. That is sad for all Georgians.

Lawyers for Beck did not respond to requests for comment.

Beck was automatically removed from office on conviction. He had been suspended after his indictment, but kept drawing a $195,000 yearly salary.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Judy van Rheenen

Assistant Director, Foreign Student & Scholar Advisor

Judy serves as an Assistant Director, Foreign Student and Scholar Advisor in OIE. A native of Rochester, NY, Judy has lived most of her life in Pennsylvania. Judy studied at Gannon University in Erie, where she earned a bachelors degree in Foreign Languages (French and Spanish) and International Business. After serving many years in the corporate realm, Judy returned to Erie to begin a career in higher education. After working in various capacities at Gannon University, including the Director of the International Student Office, she moved to Pittsburgh to become a member of the OIE team.

Judy loves spending time with her family and is fond of all things Dutch. She enjoys traveling and meeting students and scholars from around the world.

Contact Judy
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 25)  The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is eyeing the use of polymer banknotes by the first half of next year, an official said Monday.

In a briefing, BSP deputy governor Mamerto Tangonan said they hope to be ready to test a few hundred million pieces of 1,000 bills made of polymer material nationwide by the first half of 2022. The high denomination was chosen because it is the banknote most used in automated teller machines, he added.

Banknotes made of polymer also have a lifespan 2.5 to 4 times longer than that of paper banknotes and can be melted and reused once declared unfit, he added. This makes them more cost-effective as it takes longer to replace them, noted Tangonan.

Given their durable and unique makeup, polymer banknotes can be sanitized without getting damaged. Citing a study from Mexico, the BSP official reported that polymer bills were found to have less bacteria than cotton-based notes.

Polymer bills are likewise more difficult to fake, according to the central bank official, noting that facilities and materials used to produce them are less accessible to the public than the usual paper and printers used by counterfeiters. They also have a different set of security features, he added.

The current peso bills are made of cotton-abaca and have an average lifespan of 18 months. Testing the effectiveness of polymerizing banknotes, meanwhile, could last from 45 to 72 months, or about three to six years.

Tangonan assured that the effect of polymerizing banknotes will have a minimal effect on the abaca industry, adding that the test will displace only about 0.1% to 0.2% of overall abaca exports, or roughly 210 to 481 jobs. He said the central bank has been ramping up utilization of abaca in its corporate products and coordinating with other agencies to further promote its use.

Should the test be successful, the deputy governor said it would be up to authorities succeeding them to decide on the next step.

After a successful testing, we have to present to the next set of policymakers how to proceed or where to go from there. We already have the actual data under Philippine local conditions for the policymakers to make a very well-informed decision on what to do next, said Tangonan.

The BSP bases its planning and research on polymerizing peso bills from the experiences of the central banks of Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27)  The Commission on Elections (Comelec) agrees with the imposition of a 100,000 penalty on anyone found to be a nuisance candidate, as proposed in a House of Representatives bill now being tackled in the Senate.

The poll body wants to take it a step further by barring the nuisance candidate from running for any position not just in the immediate elections but in the next one too.

We support the imposition of the fine of 100,000, Comelec law department director Maria Norina Tangaro-Casingal said Wednesday during a Senate hearing on various electoral issues.

And we also would like to propose that those who have been declared as nuisance candidates be disqualified from running for two successive elections, she added.

Senator Imee Marcos, chairperson of the committee on electoral reforms, said the fine may be hefty but necessary to put an end to this dreaded practice.

Marcos, however, raised concerns over the expedited proceedings in the House-proposed amendments to the Omnibus Election Code.

Under the current law, the Comelec can cancel a certificate of candidacy (COC) if it was filed to put the poll process in mockery or disrepute, or confuse voters by using names similar to other candidates or by committing other acts which clearly demonstrate that the candidate has no bona fide intention to run for the indicated post.

It does not provide a timeline or sanctions other than disqualification from the immediate polls.

Under House Bill No. 9557, the verified petition against a nuisance candidate shall be filed with the Comelec five days after the last day of filing of COC, and the commission, following a set of procedures, shall render its decision within 16 days. The ruling will be final and executory five days after it is received by the parties, unless the Supreme Court intervenes.

Im a little bit hesitant, Marcos said.

While we want to get rid of the plethora of candidates para hindi rin mahirapan yung Comelec sa printing at pati 'yung botante kasi nakakahilo sa dami talaga yung kandidato (so the Comelec wont face difficulties in the printing of ballots and the voters would not be confused by the many candidates), at the same time, were also aware of the long line of Supreme Court decisions pertaining to nuisance candidates. From Marquez vs. Comelec onwards, the high court has constantly reminded us to be cautious, not to be arbitrary and oppressive in determining nuisance candidates, she added.

As of the Oct. 8 end of filing of COCs for next year's polls, 97 aspirants for President, 29 for vice president, and 176 for senators have filed their candidacy.

How about substitution?

Senator Francis Tolentino pointed out that challenges against nuisance candidates should be filed after November 15, the last day of substitution.

Marcos and Tolentino urged the Comelec to also revisit the rules on substitution and align them with the policies on nuisance candidates.

They really are two varieties of the same impulse and they should be stopped, Marcos said.

Substitution has been a hot topic after Senator and PDP-Laban standard bearer Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa publicly said he would give way if Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte changes her mind and decides to replace him as presidential candidate. The presidential daughter is seeking reelection.

Bills have been filed in the House and the Senate removing the withdrawal of ones candidacy as a ground for substitution.

In a forum hosted by the Philippine Press Institute on Wednesday, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said passing the pending election reform bills is an uphill climb, with a few session days left in the 18th Congress. During the forum, political analysts said it's all up to the Comelec commissioners for now.

"Dapat ang kanilang treatment nila diyan is very strict," Dennis Coronacion said. "Dapat hindi mo agad agad iga-grant ito, sana i-scrutinize mabuti, alamin nila kung bakit magwi-withdraw yung previous candidate."

[Translation: Their treatment should be very strict. They should not grant the substitution immediately but scrutinize it, look into why the previous candidate withdrew.]

"'Yun 'yung problem, eh, pupunta sa Comelec pero di naman pala siguradong tatakbo... Kaya naging katawa-tawa yung process," Ramon Casiple said.

[Translation: That's the problem, they will go to Comelec without being sure of running. That's why the process has become comical.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27) Experts from the Food and Drug Administration are conducting a review on booster shots and third doses, FDA Director-General Eric Domingo said Wednesday.

"Im giving the experts time to take a look dahil napakarami rin talaga ng studies. Several studies [sa] iba ibang bansa, iba-iba iyong methodology tapos maliliit lang iyong mga sample size," Domingo told CNN Philippines.

[Translation: Im giving the experts time to take a look because there are several studies conducted in various countries with different methodologies and small sample sizes.]

The review stemmed from the Department of Health's request to look at the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) of COVID-19 vaccines being used in the country after DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III approved the recommendation of an independent panel to give COVID-19 booster shots and third doses to certain individuals.

Boosters are given to those whose COVID-19 immunity has waned over time after vaccination while a third dose is for those who did not generate a strong immune response following inoculation, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier explained.

READ: DOH approves guidelines for booster and additional COVID-19 vaccines, but no rollout yet

She said an amendment to the existing EUAs of COVID-19 vaccines is needed before they can administer additional doses.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr earlier said the government is eyeing to administer additional shots next month.

Infectious disease expert Rontgene Solante, for his part, underscored the importance of giving boosters, mainly to healthcare workers who had breakthrough infections.

"Malaking bagay ito (This is a huge thing) especially for healthcare workers," he said in a government briefing.

CNN Philippines Correspondent Carolyn Bonquin contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27)  The proposed national budget for 2022 is now up for deliberation and approval by the Senate.

The House of Representatives said the 5.024-trillion spending plan was on schedule for enactment before the end of the year, following its early transmittal to the upper chamber last Monday or two days ahead of the deadline.

House Bill No. 10153 or the 2022 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) was approved on second and final reading in succession on Sept. 30, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte certified it as urgent.

"We hope to give our senators reasonable time to scrutinize and pass their own GAB, as we look forward to the bicameral conference where we can thresh out and reconcile the differing provisions of the House and Senate versions, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said on Wednesday.

Velasco reiterated there will be no reenacted budget next year.

"We cannot afford a reenacted budget, which is expected to dampen the country's recovery from the COVID-19 crisis," he said. "[It] will definitely ruin our efforts to build back better and deliver much-needed services for our kababayans (countrymen)."

The budget, the highest in Philippine history, is intended for beating COVID-19 and putting the economy back on growth track.

A chunk of it will go to the Department of Education, which is set to receive 773.6 billion.

It is followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways with 686.1 billion and the Department of the Interior and Local Government with 250.4 billion.

The Department of Health will only get about 242 billion, although it is the lead agency in pandemic response.

CNN Philippines' Correspondent Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 26)  Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said he is willing to unite with fellow presidential aspirants Vice President Leni Robredo and senators Panfilo Lacson and Manny Pacquiao if it means discussing how to address the country's problems, not just how to win the elections.

This comes amid speculations on Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte joining forces with presidential aspirant and former senator Bongbong Marcos.

"If we are going to unite on the issues at hand and challenges of our people, then I'm willing, but if we're going to unite just to win because they wanted to win, medyo hindi ako masyadong ano dun, eh (I'm not sure)," Moreno told CNN Philippines' Politics As Usual on Tuesday, when asked if he would unite Robredo, Lacson and Pacquiao.

"Kasi ang kailangan, 'yung pag-usapan natin, 'yung problema ng tao, eh," he added.

[Translation: Because what we need to talk about are the problems of the people.]

He also addressed his previous spat with Robredo's supporters, which erupted after he criticized the Vice President for mentioning that she's running for president partly because of Moreno's stance on the Marcos family.

"I have moved on," he said. "If they're offended, I'm no angel, but definitely, I'm not the devil. I'm just trying to stress some points."

Moreno reiterated that if elected, he will hold people accountable for their atrocities. He said this sentiment also applies to those behind alleged extrajudicial killings under the Duterte administrations war on drugs.

"Let's pursue it if there is liability on anybody, that includes former president, whether the family benefited from it, whoever, especially 'yung what we call na nag-abuso sa pandemya (who took advantage of the pandemic), and the EJK," he said.

Moreno also rejected rumors branding him as a "Duterte candidate" or a secret presidential bet allied with the administration.

"That's a no, but definitely, I'm a president of a party, and I ran under my party," he said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27)  The Court of Appeals has declared as "unconstitutional" a number of Mandaluyong City ordinances barring male backriders on motorcycles.

Mandaluyong Ordinance Nos. 550 S-2014, 595 S-2015, and 694 S-2018 only allow females, spouses, male relatives within the first degree of consanguinity, children aged seven to 10 years old, and all members of the Philippine National Police Tactical and Mobile Unit and the Station Tactical Motorist Reaction Unit assigned in the city to backride on motorcycles.

The ordinances aim to prevent crimes allegedly committed by motorcycle-riding criminals.

But the CA Fifth Division said the ordinances were "oppressive" as there is no statistical data presented before the court to show that motorcycle-riding criminals are males.

The Mandaluyong City government also "failed to establish that there are no other alternative means with less intrusive measures...for the accomplishment of their purported purpose in enacting subject ordinances," according to the decision penned by Associate Justice Raymond Lauigan.

The ordinances were "discriminatory both as to gender and as to use of motorcycles as a mode of transportation, and depended on broad generalizations, it added.

"Mandaluyong City Ordinance Nos. 550 S-2014, 595 S-2015 and 694 S-2018 are hereby declared unconstitutional. City of Mandaluyong is prohibited from enforcing and implementing Mandaluyong City Ordinance Nos. 550 S-2014, 595 S-2015 and 694 S-2018," said the CA Fifth Division.

Lawyer Dino de Leon filed a petition against the ordinances after he was apprehended and sued for backriding on a motorcycle in March 2019.

In July 2020, a Mandaluyong court dismissed de Leons appeal for "lack of merit." He filed a motion for reconsideration, but it was denied in October 2020. This prompted de Leon to ask the CA to review and reverse the lower court's decision.

Mandaluyong City government reasoned that the appeal against the ordinances is "moot and academic" because these have been suspended during the community quarantine. But the CA ruled on the petition as the ordinances may be reimposed by the local government.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27) Metro Manila is ready to shift to Alert Level 2 from 3 by November, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Wednesday.

Handang handa po ang DILG. Handang handa rin po ang ating mga mayors sa National Capital Region," DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in a government briefing.

[Translation: The DILG and the mayors in the National Capital Region are prepared.]

"Alam na po ng mga mayors 'yung additional capacity na ibibigay sa establishments na regulated under the alert level system, he added.

[Translation: They already know the additional capacity that will be allowed for establishments regulated under the alert level system.]

The capital region is under Alert Level 3 for the second half of October.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said she sees a very high possibility that the capital region will shift to Alert Level 2 should infections and coronavirus-related hospitalizations continue to drop.

Secretary Carlito Galvez, the chief implementer of COVID-19 policies, told CNN Philippines' The Source on Wednesday this transition is "likely" due to the improving situation and vaccination coverage in the region. More than 86% of NCR's population is fully vaccinated, he added.

The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines also believes the government may downgrade the alert level in NCR.

"Kasi ang difference lang naman actually ng level 2 and level 3, if you will note ano, is...'yung percentage of people na ina-allow nila papasukin sa mga, halimbawa, indoor dining, et cetera," the hospitals' group president Dr. Jose Rene de Grano told CNN Philippines' News.PH.

[Translation: Because the only difference between level 2 and level 3, if you will note, is the percentage of people allowed, for instance, in indoor dining, et cetera.]

De Grano said as long as minimum health protocols are followed, the spread of the coronavirus can still be prevented even with the further easing of restrictions.

Metro Manila has been pilot testing the COVID-19 alert level system, which focuses on localized lockdown, since mid-September.

Malaya said 94 areas, mostly in Manila, are currently under granular lockdown.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 27)  The government will allow those who completed their Sinovac doses to choose any brand as booster shot that will be approved by regulatory bodies, the country's vaccine czar said on Wednesday.

Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the National Task Force Against Covid-19, told CNN Philippines' The Source that they are waiting for the approved amendment of the current emergency use authorization issued to COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers. The manufacturers are expected to submit their applications for the amended EUA of their boosters within the week.

Once approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization-Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (WHO-SAGE) will give its final recommendation by mid-November on which vaccine brand can be used for a third dose or mixed with the previous doses administered.

He said Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO representative to the Philippines, intimated to the task force that the final guidelines will be out "more or less" on Nov.15, and the government will execute it immediately.

"Uunahin po natin ang (We will prioritize the) health workers and immunocompromised at later na yung other priority sectors," Abyeasinghe said.

"We are still waiting for the guidance from WHO if we can give the heterologous or different brand considering that...healthcare workers (want to) choose their own vaccine," Galvez said.

Asked whether Sinovac recipients will be allowed to choose their booster shots, Galvez said he personally does not find any problem with this because the country has an abundance of vaccines like Sinovac, Pfizer and Moderna, with more supplies coming later this year.

"In case sabihin ng WHO-SAGE na Pfizer, Moderna, Sputnik and even AstraZeneca are also viable doses for boosters, 'pag sinabi ng WHO na better ang mix-and-match, pwede nating i-deploy po yun," he said.

[Translation: In case WHO-SAGE approves Pfizer, Moderna, Sputnik and even AstraZeneca as viable doses for boosters, once WHO says they can be applied under mix-and-match, we can deploy them.]

However, Galvez noted that the government will have to wait for WHO's final say to prevent "discrimination" of other brands.

The Health department recently approved the recommendation of the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) to give booster shots for healthcare workers and senior citizens six months after they complete the single- or two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, while immunocompromised patients can get additional shots at least 28 days after they complete their vaccination.

READ: DOH approves guidelines for booster and additional COVID-19 vaccines, but no rollout yet

Mixing-and-matching of vaccine brands is allowed for Sinovac and AstraZeneca, the HTAC said. It added that those who completed their Sinovac shots should preferably be given Pfizer or AstraZeneca as their booster six months after completing their two doses.

Boosters are given to those whose COVID-19 immunity has waned over time after vaccination while a third dose is for those who did not generate a strong immune response following COVID-19 immunization.
Former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo made it official Tuesday: the Lakewood Republican is endorsing U.S. Senate candidate Erik Aadland, one of eight Republicans running for the Colorado seat held by Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet.

Erik has served our country proudly in combat, and now hes taking that leadership experience into the U.S. Senate race in service once again, said Tancredo in a statement. He cares deeply about the direction we are headed and has the drive and know how to help lead our nation out of chaos and to put us back on course.

Tancredo, who ran for governor three times, introduced Aadland at his campaign kick-off on Sept. 11 at a Lakewood park. He told Colorado Politics at the event that he felt Aadland was a strong candidate but wasn't yet ready to make a formal endorsement.

In a release, an Aadland campaign spokeswoman said the first-time candidate is "strongly aligned" with Tancredo on immigration policy, describing their shared position as "calling for better methods to manage immigration in a manner that is compassionate but also protects American citizens."

Added the spokeswoman: "Both men share the conviction that American citizens are the highest priority and most important beneficiaries of public policies."

Tancredo earned a reputation for hardline immigration proposals during his five terms in the House and in his 2008 presidential campaign, when he often clashed with eventual GOP nominee then-U.S. Sen. John McCain on the issue.

Im deeply grateful to have Congressman Tancredos endorsement, said Aadland in a written statement. His proven experience in serving Colorado and the United States is extensive and commendable; to have his endorsement is a significant honor.

Aadland, a decorated Army combat veteran and graduate of West Point Military Academy, worked in the oil and gas industry before launching his campaign this spring shortly after changing his registration from unaffiliated to Republican.

Other Republicans running for the nomination include state Rep. Ron Hanks, R-Canon City, 2008 Olympian and Air Force veteran Eli Bremer, developer and former Fort Collins Councilman Gino Campana, construction company owner Joe O'Dea, former talk radio host and actress Deborah Flora, former congressional candidate Peter Yu and Army veteran and first-time candidate Juli Henry.

The primary to designate candidates for next year's election in Colorado is June 28.

+7 COVER STORY | Bennet's GOP challengers slow out of the gate, post modest fundraising totals Colorado voters wont be marking their ballots to pick their next U.S. senator for another year, but already the match-up between U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, the Democratic incumbent, and his Republican challenger is beginning to take shape.

+9 COVER STORY | Colorado's 2022 Republican U.S. Senate candidates Heres a look at U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and the eight Republicans hoping to challenge him in the 2022 election, listed in the order they lau

'Pro-Trump warrior' Ron Hanks blasts Bennet, office equipment in Senate campaign video "As our next senator, I will fight for our conservative values, and Ill start by targeting our broken election system," Hanks says in the video, as he pulls the trigger of a rifle aimed at a piece of office equipment labelled "Dominion Voting Machine."
This year our dine and drink business locations throughout the Gorge have suffered with closures. You can help support your favorites by purchasing take out and gift cards. Many of these business will offer curb-side delivery and some will deliver to your home. Lets keep the Gorge going strong!
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10/27/2021

Photo (c) trumzz - Getty Images Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 45,638,297 (45,558,326)

Total U.S. deaths: 739,254 (737,615)

Total global cases: 244,800,062 (244,264,890)

Total global deaths: 4,967,907 (4,959,865)

FDA panel greenlights vaccine for kids

A panel of health experts advising the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Pfizers vaccine for children as young as five. The group made its recommendation late Tuesday after reviewing clinical trial data.

The decision is now up to the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Both agencies typically go along with the recommendations of their advisory committees.

Members of the FDA advisory committee said the clinical trial data shows that the Pfizer vaccine provides a strong defense against COVID-19 and "effectively neutralized the Delta variant" in young children.

Merck will make its pill available to poor countries

Poor nations around the world have struggled to vaccinate their populations. Merck, which recently announced details of a pill that has shown effectiveness in treating COVID-19 cases, says it will make quantities of the treatment pills available to nations that are being overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases.

The company announced the signing of a voluntary licensing agreement to facilitate affordable global access for molnupiravir, an investigational oral COVID-19 antiviral medicine for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults who are at risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization.

Mercks mission to save and improve lives is a truly global commitment, said Frank Clyburn, executive vice president and president of Human Health at Merck. This agreement...is another important element in our multi-faceted strategy to accelerate broad, affordable access to molnupiravir, if approved or authorized, for patients no matter where they live.

CDC: Some people may need a fourth shot

While Americans are just beginning to roll up their sleeves for a booster shot, health officials at the CDC are contemplating the need for some people to get a fourth shot. Updated CDC guidance issued this week said some people with certain health conditions that make them moderately or severely immunocompromised may get a fourth mRNA COVID-19 shot.

The CDC has already authorized a third dose for certain immunocompromised people who are 18 and older. The agency said a third dose instead of a booster is necessary to bolster these consumers immune systems.

The CDC reports that a number of small studies have shown that fully vaccinated immunocompromised people made up nearly 44% of the breakthrough cases that required hospitalization.

Around the nation

Florida: Gov. Ron DeSantis is denying published reports that Florida is trying to recruit unvaccinated police officers from states that have vaccination mandates and are in danger of losing their jobs. However, he acknowledges that the state is seeking officers from northern states to fill vacancies in the state police.

Louisiana: Gov. John Bel Edwards has announced that the state is ending its COVID-19 mask mandate. Its the first state to roll back a mask mandate that was enacted during the summers Delta variant outbreak. Edwards said he believes the virus surge in his state is over.

Minnesota: Gov. Tim Walz did a little bragging about his state on Tuesday, noting that Minnesota currently ranks third in the nation for adults who have completed their initial COVID-19 vaccination series, in addition to a booster shot. Walz made his remarks during a photo op, where he received his booster shot.

Oregon: Officials say 203 state employees have been placed on paid administrative leave for failing to be fully vaccinated by the mandate deadline. The employees are spread across a number of state agencies, including the Department of Agriculture and State Police.
10/27/2021

Photo (c) AerialPerspective Images - Getty Images As of December 26, 2021, China Telecom Americas will no longer be doing business in the U.S. Citing security concerns, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an order on Tuesday that prevents China Telecom from providing any domestic or international services in the U.S.

The move is a major blow for China Telecom because its mobile virtual network in the U.S. includes more than 4 million Chinese Americans, 2 million Chinese tourists a year visiting the United States, 300,000 Chinese students at American colleges, and more than 1,500 Chinese businesses.

However, it wasnt completely unexpected. In 2020, the Executive Branch warned that it was considering shutting down the U.S. operations of state-controlled Chinese telecommunications companies, including China Telecom Americas.

Officials had offered China Telecom a chance to disprove the agencys findings, and they established a process that allowed for China Telecom, the U.S. Executive Branch agencies, and the public to present any remaining arguments or evidence regarding the matter.

The Federal Communications Commission has a long history of working to open American markets to foreign telecommunications companies when doing so is in the public interest, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said.

These connections can make us stronger because they help share our democratic values with the rest of the world. But we also recognize not every connection is consistent with the national security interest of the United States. Thats because some countries may seek to exploit our openness to advance their own national interests. When we recognize this is the case and cannot mitigate the risk, we need to take action to protect the communications infrastructure that is so critical to our national security and economic prosperity.

FCC offers to help China Telecoms U.S. users

Fortunately for China Telecoms U.S. users, the FCC is not leaving them out in the cold. The agency said it will help customers transition to other mobile service providers. Officials say they will issue a guide that outlines what other options consumers might consider for mobile services.

This document will be available in English, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese and made available on the FCCs website.
Contractors Question: Due to an inter-family property purchase in Spain I began before Brexit, I've achieved Spanish residency, alongside still being a UK passport holder.

I've now returned to the UK for a brief time but with the residency in Spain achieved, I plan to see out my days working remotely from near Barcelona for UK businesses. Ive set up a UK limited company but wonder if theres a more tax-efficient way of working, than via my new PSC?

I did plan to remotely serve Spanish firms, but the pay rates are lower than UK businesses pay, so I imagine my clientele will end up in the UK, and outside of Spain.

But do I need to watch the time I spend here in the UK with family due to the 183-day rule, or will HMRC have less interest in me now that I've got Spanish residency, so am only half Hector's problem now!?

Experts Answer: Thank you for this exciting question, and well done for registering in Spain in time!

Dual pursuit

As you plan to live most of your time in Spain, your company will form a permanent establishment and become subject to Spanish corporation tax. But HMRC will also pursue you for UK tax as they presume that any UK-registered business should pay UK corporation tax.

The result will be that you will end up paying the higher of the two rates. You will therefore have to negotiate with HMRC and the Spanish tax authorities where the taxes are due. I am not sure this bother is justified!

Tax rate medley

Theres quite a bit more to consider unfortunately with the route youve started. The main UK rate of corporation tax is due to increase to 25% for the financial year 2023, starting on April 1st 2023. However, companies with profits of 50,000 or less will continue to pay corporation tax at the rate of 19%.

The general Corporate Income Tax (CIT) rate in Spain is 25%. Other tax rates may apply, depending on the type of company that is taxed and its type of business. For Permanent Establishments (PEs) in Spain of foreign companies, Non-Resident Income Tax (NRIT) is levied on income that may be allocated to the PE -- at a 25% tax rate.

But be aware, NRIT is also chargeable on non-established foreign companies/individuals that obtain income in Spain. Fortunately for you, it looks unlikely that this will apply to you if your clients are not in Spain.

New company tax is also among the nitty gritty

Further in Spain however, the authorities tax newly created companies at 15%, albeit for the first tax period in which they obtain a profit, plus the following tax period. Then there is the business and professional activities tax to consider. Its a local direct tax levied annually on the performance in Spain of business, professional, or artistic activities. The tax payable is up to a maximum of 15% but depends on several factors.

Standing back from the nitty gritty, it becomes clear to me that this is complicated for what you wish to achieve, and not particularly tax-efficient. Our advice would therefore be for you to register as an Autonomo or self-employed person.

Don't disregard duration

As to timeframes, the duration you may spend in the UK once you have become a non-resident can be considered under the Statutory Residence Test. You can follow the link here for more details: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rdr3-statutory-residence-test-srt



In general, once you have established UK non-residence and you want to avoid regaining it, you typically cannot spend on average as many as 180 days in a tax year in the UK. Good luck!

The expert was Kevin Austin, managing director of Access Financial.
Imoviedl.com scored 43 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 Dec 2012, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

It is liked by 3 people on Facebook, it has 19 twitter shares and it has 2 google+ shares.

The total number of people who shared the imoviedl homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the imoviedl 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 imoviedl homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if imoviedl has a Facebook fan page). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the imoviedl homepage on Twitter + the total number of imoviedl followers (if imoviedl has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the imoviedl homepage on StumbleUpon.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE imoviedl forum DESCRIPTION Place of free movies KEYWORDS imoviedl forum 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 URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English UTF-8English DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER nginx admin (PHP/5.3.18) OPERATIVE SYSTEM

Type of server and offered services. The language of imoviedl.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Operative System running on the server. 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 imoviedl.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 total number of people who like website Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. The URL of the found 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 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
Vans-china.cn 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 18 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the vans-china homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the vans-china homepage on Twitter + the total number of vans-china followers (if vans-china has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the vans-china 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 vans-china homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if vans-china has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the vans-china homepage on StumbleUpon.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE SCM DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS



The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. 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 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE GBK DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER OPERATIVE SYSTEM

Type of server and offered services. Operative System running on the server. The language of vans-china.cn 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.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for vans-china.cn by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The type of 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
William Beaty Boyd was a vice-chancellor at UC Berkeley when the college received an interesting offer. A director wanted to shoot a movie on their campus, a comedy based on the changing sexual politics of the 1960s. It would be edgy and controversial, and if it was a hit, they might benefit from being featured in it. Berkeley turned him down, thinking the association would cause more harm than good.

That movie was The Graduate. It ended up being the highest-grossing film of 1967 and was nominated for Best Picture.

A decade later, Boyd was the president of the University of Oregon. Once again, a director asked to film at his school. This movie, too, would be a comedy set in the '60s with sexual themes, and this time, Boyd didn't let the opportunity slip through his fingers. He said yes.

This movie was Animal House. And while some would say it's one of the best comedies of all time, it isn't exactly an Oscar-y meditation on isolation and identity. It's a full-fledged sex farce. Every other college that director John Landis contacted read the script then said no, turned off by such humiliating plot points as the dean getting vomited on and his wife sleeping with a student.

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Maybe the University of Oregon went on to regret the decision. At some point, they did ask Landis to keep their name out of the movie (though he was probably going to do that anywaythe movie was set on the east coast). But they don't look too ashamed of it today. They've got a big old page on their website praising the film, inviting visitors to take a campus walking tour to spot all the shooting locations.

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For more on Animal House, see also:

5 Works of Art So Good, They Ruined Their Whole Genre

5 Insane Parties (Disguised As Movies)

The 5 Best Jokes Ever Told (Without a Single Word)

Top image: Universal Pictures
According to legend, all that it took to spark a war between rival medieval Italian city-states was a stolen bucket. The war, which earned the appropriate title of the War of the Oaken Bucket, involved tens of thousands of troops and resulted in more than 2,000 deaths.

Not to ruin things too quickly, but the bucket was probably not the cause of the fighting. Instead, the War of the Oaken Bucket was one episode in a long-running conflict between cities with different allegiances. A bucket does get involved at the end, though, so don't worry.

The War of the Oaken Bucket involved one battle, the Battle of Zappolino, fought between the northern Italian city-states of Modena and Bologna in 1325. Italy, and much of Europe overall, was split between loyalties to the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor. In Italy, those loyal to the Pope were known as Guelphs, while those loyal to the Holy Roman Emperor were known as Ghibellines.

Modena was a Ghibelline city, and Bologna was a Guelph city, which meant that tensions between the two were always high. Seeing as the two sides were always a few mean words away from stabbing each other, a stolen bucket would be as good of a reason as any for swords to start swinging.

The story goes that some troops from Modena stole a wooden bucket from a well in Bologna. Humiliation from the theft led the Bolognese to bring an army to meet the Modenese and reclaim their bucket.
Breach disclosure has recently been in the news, and not necessarily in a good way. Missouri Governor Mike Parsons press conference on a newspapers reporting of a security vulnerability on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Educations website created a social media backlash. He blamed the reporter who discovered publicly accessible sensitive data for the exposure rather than a faulty website implementation.

This incident reminded me of a lesson I learned years ago from several people who worked in communication regarding Microsoft security issues. A Microsoft security incident would be in the news with all sorts of details, but the Microsoft security communications team would be annoyingly and frustratingly silent. Id take this as a sign that they didnt understand the security issue at hand, but later I would find out that they were either waiting for follow-up resolution or some fact that was still being investigated.

Being first to break the news about a security event often means you will get something wrong, or worse yet, your spokespeople do not fully understand the situation and give wrong information that often cannot be easily remedied. In this 24/7 news world, being too communicative too soon in the process can often bring unnecessary scrutiny to your security issue. You dont want to be first to communicate, nor the last. There is always a middle ground of communication that should be followed in breach notifications.

Its wise to have a plan in place for how you will respond to a breach. Heres how to build that plan.

Know your cyber insurance carriers breach processes
The group of hackers responsible for the SolarWinds software supply chain attack have continued to seek out ways of indirectly gaining access to enterprise networks by targeting IT and cloud services providers that have admin rights on their customers' systems through virtue of their business relationship.

In a new report this week, Microsoft warns that since May, the group known as Nobelium has targeted over 140 cloud service resellers and technology providers and has succeeded to compromise as many as 14. Nobelium, also known as APT29 or Cozy Bear, is considered the hacking arm of Russia's foreign intelligence service, the SVR.

"This recent activity is another indicator that Russia is trying to gain long-term, systematic access to a variety of points in the technology supply chain and establish a mechanism for surveillingnow or in the futuretargets of interest to the Russian government," Tom Burt, corporate vice president for Customer Security & Trust at Microsoft, said in a blog post.

Compromise one to compromise many in the supply chain

Supply chain attacks can come in many forms. They can involve Trojanized software updates like in the SolarWinds, CCleaner (Winnti), NetSarang (ShadowPad) or M.E.Doc (NotPetya) incidents or can involve the abuse of privileged access granted to external contractors, business partners, or IT services providers. The 2013 credit card breach at Target traced back to the compromised credentials of an HVAC subcontractor. In the past several years, many managed services providers (MSPs) around the world were targeted by ransomware groups to abuse their access to corporate networks.

While security experts have long warned about supply chain risks, enterprises have lagged behind putting the necessary controls and monitoring in place to detect them. Part of why such attacks can be a big blindspot is because defending against them requires a combination of technologies, including up-to-date IT asset and software inventories, logs analysis, behavior monitoring, network traffic and credential use, implementing principles of least privilege for accounts and software, multi-factor authentication and more. It's not as easy as patching a vulnerability or deploying endpoint malware detection.

In fact, most of the Nobelium attacks that Microsoft has seen do not exploit any vulnerability. Instead, the group uses well-known techniques like spear phishing, access token theft, unprotected API abuse, and password spraying (i.e., trying common passwords against a list of usernames present in the system). In fact, one successful supply chain attack can collect credentials for additional supply chain attacks.

In one case, the Microsoft researchers traced a Nobelium attack through four distinct providers before reaching a downstream customer. The group gained access to a cloud services provider and launched a spear-phishing attack against an MSP. With the credentials collected from the MSP they jumped to a different cloud service provider where they exploited an AD Azure trust relationship to access an IT provider and finally jump to the end victim's network.

"By stealing credentials and compromising accounts at the service provider level, Nobelium can take advantage of several potential vectors, including but not limited to delegated administrative privileges (DAP), and then leverage that access to extend downstream attacks through trusted channels like externally facing VPNs or unique provider-customer solutions that enable network access," the researchers warned in an advisory.

The hackers are very adept at researching and understanding the business and access relationships between various services providers, subscription resellers, and their customers or partners. The downstream organizations that eventually get compromised are carefully selected based on their value to intelligence collection efforts.

"Microsoft assesses that organizations, such as cloud service providers and other technology organizations who manage services on behalf of downstream customers, will be of continued interest to persistent threat actors and are at risk for targeting via a variety of methods, from credential access to targeted social engineering via legitimate business processes and procedures," the company said.

Nobelium behaviors and characteristics

According to the company, the following behaviors and characteristics are common to Nobelium intrusions:

Nobelium leverages anonymous infrastructure, which may include low-reputation proxy services, cloud hosting services, and TOR, to authenticate to victims.

Nobelium has been observed leveraging scripted capabilities, including but not limited to RoadTools or AADInternals, to conduct enumeration of Azure AD, which can result in authentication with user agents of scripting environments.

Nobelium has been observed authenticating to accounts from anomalous locations that might trigger impossible travel analytics or fail to pass deployed conditional access policies.

Nobelium has been observed modifying Azure AD to enable long-term persistence and access to sensitive information. This can include the creation of users, consent of Azure AD applications, granting of roles to users and applications, and creation of additional service principal credentials.

In one incident, MSTIC observed the use of Azure RunCommand, paired with Azure admin-on-behalf-of (AOBO), as a technique to gain access to virtual machines and shift access from cloud to on-premises.

Nobelium has demonstrated an ongoing interest in targeting privileged users, including Global Administrators. Security of at-risk organizations is greatly enhanced by prioritizing events that are detected on privileged accounts.

Nobelium is frequently observed conducting activities consistent with intelligence collection. Routinely monitoring various log sources for anomalies consistent with data exfiltration can serve as an early warning for compromise.

Organizations previously targeted by Nobelium might experience recurring activity and would benefit from implementing proactive monitoring for new attacks.

How to mitigate Nobeliums supply chain attacks

Microsoft released specific guidance for partners and resellers operating on its cloud platforms. The Microsoft Partner Center security requirements include using multifactor authentication and conditional access policies for cross-tenant access, as well as monitoring the Partner Center activity log for any suspicious user activities, high privileged user creations, and role assignments and so on.

More generally, all partners are advised to remove delegated administrative privileges that are no longer in use. End customers provide DAP to their services providers to manage their subscriptions on their behalf. Microsoft plans to introduce a tool that will help partners discover unused DAP connections as well as review how their active DAP connections are being used.

Downstream customers should also review, audit and minimize access privileges and delegated permissions they've granted to partners as well as review all admin accounts and the devices authorized for MFA use on those accounts.

"In addition to using the delegated administrative privilege capabilities, some cloud service providers use business-to-business (B2B) accounts or local administrator accounts in customer tenants," Microsoft said. "We recommend that you identify whether your cloud service providers use these, and if so, ensure those accounts are well-governed and have least-privilege access in your tenant. Microsoft recommends against the use of 'shared' administrator accounts."

Azure AD sign-ins and configuration changes should be reviewed periodically through the Azure AD sign-in logs, audit logs and the Microsoft 365 compliance center. Organizations should understand the logging options available to them on their cloud platforms, as well as ask the partners that manage such services for them about their own logging policies and use.

Microsoft has also published on GitHub detections and hunting queries for Azure Sentinel, as well as detections for Microsoft 365 Defender and Microsoft Cloud App Security that can be used to detect some of the behavior and techniques associated with supply chain attacks such as those performed by Nobelium.
NEW YORK (AP)  A New York judge on Wednesday refused to pause a COVID-19 vaccine mandate set to begin Friday for the citys municipal workforce, denying a police unions request for a temporary restraining order.

Judge Lizette Colon said the mandate can take effect as scheduled while also ordering city officials to appear in court Nov. 12 to defend the requirement against a union lawsuit seeking to have it declared illegal.

Police officers, firefighters and most other city workers must show proof theyve gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by 5 p.m. Friday. Previously, city workers were able to show proof of a negative test to stay on the job.

Workers who don't comply will be put on unpaid leave starting Monday.

As a result, the citys fire department said it was preparing to close 20% of its fire companies and have 20% fewer ambulances in service.

Colon, whose court is on Staten Island, issued the ruling hours after hearing arguments from lawyers for the Police Benevolent Association, the citys largest police union, and the city, which prevailed in arguing the mandate should be implemented without delay.

PBA President Pat Lynch said in a statement that Colon's refusal to halt the mandate sets the city up for a real crisis" and will inevitably result in fewer cops available to protect our city.

As of Tuesday, 73% of police department personnel had gotten at least one vaccine dose, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea told WPIX-TV on Wednesday. More than 60 NYPD employees have died of COVID-19.

The NYPD did not provide specific answers when asked how it will manage personnel levels and public safety if one-quarter of its workforce  including thousands of officers  is put on unpaid leave for noncompliance.

In response to detailed questions, NYPD spokesperson Al Baker provided a one-sentence written statement: We will be prepared for any changes in personnel due to the mandate.

The fire department reported a vaccination rate of 68% as of Wednesday. The department, whose EMTs and paramedics were working around the clock in the early days of the pandemic, lost 16 workers to the virus.

A firefighters union said it was holding a rally Thursday outside Mayor Bill de Blasios residence to protest the mandate.

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said in a statement Wednesday night that the FDNY will use all means at our disposal, including mandatory overtime, mutual aid from other EMS providers, and significant changes to the schedules of our members to ensure continuity of operations."

A lawyer for the city said police officers, firefighters and other affected city workers will be given back pay if the judge ultimately sides with the police union, which argued that the vaccine mandate is arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of discretion.

Lawyers for the PBA, which represents about 23,000 current and retired NYPD officers, said in court papers after Wednesdays hearing that the vaccine mandate forces officers to choose between their careers and their personal beliefs, infringing officers right to bodily integrity.

The PBA argued that some officers put on leave wont be able to afford to wait out a legal fight over the mandate and will be forced either to get vaccinated or find new jobs, which it said will mean the loss of seniority and city medical and pension benefits.

Also Wednesday, a federal appeals panel presiding in another mandate-related case seemed to be supportive of arguments that a New York state vaccine mandate for health care workers does not violate their Constitutional rights even though the mandate doesn't provide religious exemptions.

The three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals did not immediately rule, but largely seemed in agreement with oral arguments by a state lawyer. The arguments came after a Utica federal judge ruled that the mandate violated workers Constitutional rights.

In an August order, the state required at least a first shot for health care workers at hospitals and nursing homes by Sept. 27, and more recently expanded the requirement to include workers at assisted living homes, hospice care, treatment centers and home health aides.

New Yorks deputy solicitor general, Steven Wu, said employers can allow religious exemptions when workers agree not to work directly with patients. Religious exemption requests are as much as 20 to 30 times higher than medical exemption requests in the northern part of the state, Wu said.

Wu also defended the mandate's exemption for medical reasons when the threat to a worker from something like an allergic reaction to a vaccine poses as big a threat as the coronavirus. He said medical exemption requests are generally temporary and affect relatively few workers.

Attorney Christopher Ferrara, arguing for medical workers, said the state had allowed nurses and doctors to continue doing what they did for 18 months when they were heroes on the front line before imposing the mandate.

The Christian plaintiffs oppose medical cooperation in abortion as a matter of religious conviction. All of the available vaccines employ aborted fetus cell lines in their testing, development or production, according to court papers, but religious leaders have disagreed over the issue and the Vatican issued a statement last year saying the vaccines were morally acceptable.
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP)  Cambodia's government announced plans Tuesday to reopen the country in several stages to fully vaccinated foreign tourists starting from the end of next month.

The program beginning Nov. 30 will allow visitors who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus to skip being quarantined if they stay at least five days in designated areas, the Tourism Ministry announced.

The first such areas are two seaside provinces, Sihanoukville and Koh Kong, on the Gulf of Thailand.

On arrival, visitors must show proof they have been vaccinated and take a rapid results test for COVID-19. They can proceed without quarantine if the results are negative.

Siem Reap province, home to the famous Angkor temples, is to be added to the quarantine-free province list in January.

Other destinations will then be added if the program is judged successful, with the entire country opening up when the coronavirus is considered under control.

Cambodia in 2019, before the pandemic, received 6.6 million foreigners who accounted for nearly $5 billion in revenue, and most of them visited Angkor and seaside destinations, according to the Tourism Ministry.

In 2020, the number of visitors dropped sharply to 1.3 million, and earnings from them plunged to about $1 billion.

Cambodia recorded 112 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, its lowest number since April, bringing its total since the pandemic began last year to 118,000.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the reopening to tourists program begins at the end of November, not this month.
BRIDGEPORT - A former gang hit man, serving 120 years in prison for two murders and an attempted murder, wont be going home any time soon.

Following a hearing Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Alex Hernandez denied a sentence modification to Caesar Yellow ONeil that would have allowed ONeil to be immediately released from prison.

Im not denying any responsibility, Im sorry for my acts, ONeil told the judge. I want to go home.

In the early 1990s ONeil was considered the most dangerous man in the city.

Known as Yellow on the street, he was a hit man for a Jamaican drug gang called The Rats and had made the FBIs top 10 fugitive list. Convicted in 1997 of two murders, an attempted murder and ordering the murder of a witness against him, he was sentenced to 120 years in prison.

Jennifer Rodriguez, whose father, Rafael Rodriguez, was one of those killed by ONeill, broke into tears as she urged the judge not to release ONeil.

I grew up with the comfort that the man who committed such an awful crime would never get out of prison, Rodriguez said. Our community remains safe as long as he is in prison.

ONeils lawyer, Emma Rotondo, told the judge that her client was 16 when he was accused of the murders. She said while in prison he earned his high school degree and began a program mentoring other inmates.

This was not the impetuosity of youth, Supervisory Assistant States Attorney C. Robert Satti Jr. said of ONeils crimes. He was a hit man for a group. He does not deserve any reduction in his sentence.

Judge Hernandez agreed that ONeil appeared to have made progress towards rehabilitation while in prison but added, You murdered two people in cold blood, it was deliberate violent actions which injured innocent passersby on the streets of Bridgeport. Reducing these sentences in any way would send the wrong message to the community.

Because of a recent law ONeil will be eligible for a parole hearing in 2027.
PONTOON BEACH, Ill. (AP)  A police officer was shot to death Tuesday by a man at a gas station in an Illinois suburb of St. Louis, authorities said.

Pontoon Beach Officer Tyler Timmins, 36, died after being taken to a hospital, Illinois State Police Trooper Jayme Bufford said.

The officer was shot at around 8 a.m. at a Speedway gas station along Route 111 and was rushed to a hospital in nearby Granite City before being transferred a St. Louis hospital that specializes in the most critical cases, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Bufford said Timmins had approached a car in the gas stations parking lot because he suspected it had been stolen, and that a man began firing on him. The suspect was taken into custody.

The vehicle that apparently sparked the officers interest was a stolen Toyota Tacoma pickup truck with Missouri license plates.

Illinois State Police are investigating the shooting.

Bufford did not immediately release additional information, saying that the investigation is in its infancy."

Timmins joined the Pontoon Beach police force in April 2020, State Police Master Sgt. Elbert Jennings said. He was a police officer in Madison County for 14 years and previously served as a police officer in Roxana, Wordon and Hartford.

Edwardsville Police Chief Michael Fillback said officers throughout the area are filling in on patrol for Pontoon Beach because that city's officers were so shaken by the shooting.

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This story was updated to correct that Michael Fillback is the Edwardsville police chief and that the slain officer's last name is spelled Timmins, not Timmons.
PHOENIX (AP)  A judge on Tuesday told lawyers that he will likely rule that a new Arizona law that prevents a majority of civilians from serving on police oversight panels is unconstitutional.

But Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah indicated that he was unlikely to strike down the whole state budget bill containing the police oversight provision that was challenged by the city of Phoenix.

The law took effect on Sept. 29 and is preventing Phoenix from appointing a director for its new police oversight office. Phoenix also is challenging a part of the criminal justice funding bill that expands an existing law that allows a single lawmaker to request an attorney general investigation into city or county laws.

The city alleged that the Republican-controlled Legislature violated provisions of the state constitution that require all bills to cover a single subject and that their titles reflect the bill's contents. The challenged parts were neither described in the title nor related to the subject matter in the criminal justice budget bill, the city said.

The very likely result is theres going to be something for everybody, Hannah said. "I do think the legislation violates the single subject rule, but Im not inclined to strike down the whole bill, just the parts that the city has challenged."

Hannah said a ruling is imminent, possibly by the end of the day. His comments came at the start of a brief hearing where he quizzed lawyers on details of handling an attorney fee request.

The judge's announcement of the expected ruling comes just a week before the Arizona Supreme Court hears arguments in a fast-tracked case involving four other acts that were part of the 11-bill budget package enacted by the Legislature in June.

Another judge blocked provisions in three of those budget bills because those items weren't identified in the bill title and declared another one completely void because it violated the constitution's rule requiring bills to cover just a single subject. Those rules were designed to prevent lawmakers from logrolling, or compiling a mish-mash of policy provisions into one bill and forcing lawmakers opposed to one part to back the bill while limiting public knowledge or debate.

Judge Katherine Cooper's Sept. 27 ruling prevented several parts of the budget package from taking effect as scheduled on Sept. 29, including a state ban on local school mask mandates and bans on other local COVID-19 restrictions.

The Arizona Supreme Court has accepted the state's direct appeal and will hear the case on Nov. 2.

The Legislature in the case Hannah is considering targeted civilian oversight offices and boards that Phoenix and other cities are creating to boost police accountability.

Republican lawmakers acted after Phoenix created a new Office of Accountability and Transparency designed to be led by a civilian to provide independent oversight of Phoenix police. The new ordinance passed in May also created a civilian oversight board to review police actions and policies.

The city ordinance barred any current or former Phoenix police officer from serving as the director of the office or on the oversight board.

The Legislature included provisions in the state budget criminal justice budget bill requiring at least 2/3 of any oversight board be certified police officers working for the agency it regulates. Phoenix contends that completely guts the new accountability office's independence.

The city also challenged a provision in the same budget bill that allows any lawmaker to request an attorney general's investigation into "any written policy, written rule or written regulation adopted by any agency, department or other entity of the county, city or town.

The provision is an expansion of an existing law known as SB1487 that penalizes local governments by withholding their state-shared revenues if they pass ordinances laws conflicting with state statutes. Cities and counties get a large part of their revenue from a share of sales and income taxes collected by the state.

Regardless of ones position on police oversight and S.B. 1487, those amendments deserved our Legislatures proper (and constitutional) consideration, according to the city's complaint.

Burying them in a massive budget bill covering eight subjects and 28 sections violated the state's constitutional mandate that bills be debated and passed on their merits, Phoenix attorney Jean-Jacques Cabou wrote.

The attorney representing the state, Patrick Irvine, told the court in his response that the city doesn't have the right to sue and that the issue is political in nature and does not belong in the courts. Irvine also said the provisions rightfully related to criminal justice" and a more detailed title isn't required.

Judge Hannah called Irvine and Cabou into court Tuesday to discuss how he can handle the attorney fees request in the case if he issues a ruling now that allows the parties to ask the Supreme Court to consider his ruling. The state and city agreed to let the attorney fee question await the high court's resolution of the other case.

If the Supreme Court upholds Cooper's ruling and the one expected from Hannah, it will have far-reaching ramifications for the GOP-controlled Legislature.

Lawmakers have long ignored the constitutional requirement that budget bills only deal with spending items, instead packing them with unrelated policy item. This year majority Republicans were especially aggressive, but that no longer would be possible.
Steve Ruark/AP

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  A Maryland congressman announced Wednesday that he has deactivated his official congressional and campaign Facebook and Instagram accounts until their parent company and Congress make substantial reforms to protect children, health and democratic values.

Democratic Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger said his decision follows disturbing whistleblower reports about the company's own research revealing harm to democracy, the mental health of teens and the amplification of hate speech.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Ghosts and goblins can scratch the White House from their trick or treating routes this year.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will be in Europe on Halloween and won't be at the White House to help hand out candy and other treats.

Instead, the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the White House will be lit up in orange light to celebrate the spooky holiday, said the first lady's spokesperson, Michael LaRosa.

It's the Bidens' first Halloween at the White House.

The president and first lady will be traveling internationally during the last days of October, and will not be hosting a specific event at the White House, LaRosa said in a statement.

The Bidens will be in Rome, where the president will attend the annual Group of 20 summit of the world's leading rich and developing nations from Oct. 30-31.

LaRosa did not mention the coronavirus pandemic in his statement, but he said Biden and his wife were encouraging families and children to celebrate Halloween by trick or treating outdoors. Public health experts say outdoor activity is safest during the pandemic.

Last year during the pandemic, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump hosted trick or treaters at the White House for Halloween shortly after they both had recovered from COVID-19. The celebration was tweaked to take the coronavirus into consideration.

The president and first lady did not personally hand out treats, but waved and gestured as the costumed kids walked by them. Guests older than 2 and White House personnel working the event were required to wear face coverings and practice social distancing. Staffers giving out candy also wore gloves.
ANSONIA  Police are looking for a man who robbed a bank Tuesday afternoon.

Police said a man who looked about 35 years old entered the Ion Bank on Tremont Street around 12:44 p.m. Tuesday. He handed the teller a note stating he had a weapon and demanded money. The man did not display a weapon nor did he make verbal threats, according to Lt. Patrick Lynch with the Ansonia Police Department.

The man stole several thousand dollars and fled on foot toward East Main Street and Tremont Street, Lynch said.

Lynch said detectives have several strong leads and are attempting to identify the suspect.

Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact the Ansonia Police Department at 203-735-1885. Anonymous tips can be left by visiting https://bit.ly/3GppoIO.

liz.hardaway@hearst.com
STRATFORD  A sex offender convicted of falsely claiming police brutality has been charged with impersonating a cop.

Edward Minerly, 59, served six years in prison in the 1990s for sexual assault convictions involving 6- and 9-year-old victims. He is on the states sex offender registry.

Since then, he pleaded no contest to a 2013 Derby arson and admitted to falsely filing a complaint with the FBI accusing Derby cops of brutality.

He appeared briefly at Superior Court in Milford Wednesday, where he faces probation violation charges connected to the arson case  for which he owes up to 10 years of suspended jail time if found guilty.

According to a warrant, Stratford cops were sent to a construction site at Boston and Bruce avenues Aug. 25 because there was a person standing in the road directing traffic with a T-shirt that said POLICE on the back.

Police said they identified the person as Minerly, who was also allegedly wearing a police duty belt with scanner and a silver badge that said Security Enforcement Officer and Liberty & Justice For All.

According to the warrant, Minerly told cops the shirt was an old Fire Department shirt and he would take it off if they wanted, but he did not have any excuse as to why he was wearing the duty belt and badge, according to the report.

Minerlys record includes several felony and misdemeanor convictions and arrests, including impersonating a police officer, as well as a 2008 second-degree forgery conviction for using a fake name while trying to become a Shelton firefighter.

The impersonating a police officer charge is a Class D Felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

He faces double that time on the probation violation, a prosecutor said in court Wednesday.

Mr. Minerly owes 10 years, Supervisory Assistant States Attorney Howard Stein said. He is in need of legal counsel.

Judge Peter Brown gave Minerly until Dec. 14 to return to court with a lawyer.

Works for me, Minerly said.

A message was left for Minerly after his appearance in court Wednesday.

He is free after posting $20,000 bond in the case.

The arson charge stems from a March 22, 2013, fire Minerly was accused of setting in his Main Street, Derby, apartment.

A prosecutor in that case said Minerlys motive for setting the fire was simple  he was unhappy with the subsidized housing he was living in and wanted to move.
STRATFORD  Town voters will not get a chance to hear from the candidates for school board in person, after all three Republican candidates pulled out of a planned candidate forum that had been scheduled for Wednesday.

The party objected to a vaccination mandate for forum attendees, and claimed a partisan bias, citing moderator Jean Rabinows Democratic Party affiliation. As a result, the League of Women Voters of the Bridgeport Area, which was to host the event, canceled the forum.

Rabinow, the leagues membership coordinator, said such actions by Republicans are becoming more common.

As far as I know, all of the objections so far this year, have come from the Republican side. And they have been not only about questions about debate format, which we would expect, but about things like Why is there a mask mandate? Or why are you asking for proof of vaccine? she said. These are sort of side issues to the fairness of the debate, but weve been getting them statewide as I understand it. Weve been having a lot of these problems.

In a written statement issued Oct. 22, the Stratford Republican Party stated that their three candidates would not participate because they objected to Rabinow being a Democrat. The release also criticized a vaccination requirement.

The party also said the organization had not extended invitations, and was keeping them in the dark about the event.

It is impossible and impractical to participate given the Leagues lack of planning and absence of formal invitations or confirmation of availability, the release stated.

Rabinow, who is also the Democratic registrar of voters in Trumbull, said that simply isnt the case. It was the Republicans, not the league that wasnt communicating, she said. Stratford Republican Party Chairman Lou DeCilio had not gotten in touch with her and they rarely speak, she said.

DeCilio did not return a message seeking comment.

She also criticized the Stratford Republican Party for insinuating she wouldnt be fair. Her record as a moderator is proof that she goes out of her way to be impartial in candidate forums, she said.

Thats really disingenuous because that would be like me saying, or anybody saying that Lou DeCilio could not be an impartial Registrar of Voters because hes an elected Republican, she said. And quite frankly, anybody who has seen any debate that Ive ever moderated, would be very hard pressed to tell you which party Im in, just by watching me moderate. Theyd have to look it up.

Lisa Carroll-Fabian, a Democratic candidate for Board of Education, said she had received her invitation to the forum via Facebook Messenger from the Stratford PTA Council.

I was told they did not know another way to contact us, but had reached us that way and shared the information of when the forum would be, Carroll-Fabian said.

Rabinow also took issue with the claim that the league had mandated vaccinations. The Trumbull candidate forums that the Stratford GOP cited in the release also had various COVID restrictions in place, including vaccine requirements, masks and social distancing. The restrictions had come from both campaigns, she said.

Mark Block, the Republican candidate for first selectman in Trumbull, confirmed Tuesday that the League of Women Voters had nothing to do with the restrictions. Rabinow said that the league had been flexible in the past, and previously held forums over Zoom and had candidates speak with their masks off when possible.

While the candidates will not participate in the forum, voters will be negatively impacted according to Brooke Miron, a Stratford parent and vice president of the Flood Middle School PTSA.

Miron said the decision to pull out has kept vital information away from voters who wont be able to hear them directly and get a better understanding of where they stand on education.

Voters who otherwise wouldnt hear about them will instead go to the ballot box with an at best, murky awareness of who they are voting for, she said.

It really doesnt give them an opportunity to learn about the candidates, and these debates and these face-to-face conversations with them, thats how we learn about the issues, she said. Thats how we learn about what they stand for and what they want to do with this immense budget that the Board of Education is in charge of.
CAIRO (AP)  Sudanese security forces detained three prominent pro-democracy figures overnight, their relatives and other activists said Wednesday, as internal and international pressure mounted on the country's military following its coup.

The arrests came as protests denouncing Mondays takeover continued in the capital of Khartoum and elsewhere, and many businesses shut in response to calls for strikes. The coup threatens to halt Sudans fitful transition to democracy, which began after the 2019 ouster of longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising.

Groups of protesters  in some places, dozens, in others, hundreds  set up barricades of stones on main roads throughout the day. Security forces waded in, chasing demonstrators and dismantling the barriers.

It looks like a hit-and-run process, they remove, and we build, activist Nazim Sirag said.

Some protesters were shot and wounded, activists said, though they did not have exact figures. Security forces confronting demonstrators have killed at least six people since Monday and wounded over 140 others, many in critical condition, according to physicians with the Sudan Doctors Committee.

Prominent rights defender Tahani Abbas said the pro-democracy movement would continue street protests despite the crackdown.

We are frustrated, she said, but we have no other option but the street.

In a nod to deteriorating security conditions, the State Department authorized nonessential personnel and the families of all government employees at the U.S Embassy in Khartoum to leave Sudan due to civil unrest and possible supply shortages.

The coup came after weeks of mounting tensions between military and civilian leaders over the course and pace of Sudan's moves toward democracy.

The African Union suspended Sudan  an expected move typically taken in the wake of coups. The AU Peace and Security Council said via Twitter on Wednesday that the suspension would remain in place until the effective restoration of the civilian-led Transitional Authority, as the deposed government is known.

The AU plans to send a mission to Sudan to hold talks with rival parties.

The World Bank also suspended disbursements for its operations in Sudan, whose economy has been battered by years of mismanagement and sanctions and was dealt a blow when the oil-rich south seceded in 2011 after decades of war, taking with it more than half of public revenues and 95% of oil exports.

We hope that peace and the integrity of the transition process will be restored, so that Sudan can restart its path of economic development and can take its rightful place in the international financial community, bank President David Malpass said in a statement.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's now-deposed government had embarked on a series of reforms meant to transform the countrys economy and have the nation rejoin the international community after over two decades of isolation under al-Bashir.

In May, the World Bank said it had allocated $2 billion to Sudan to finance big infrastructure projects along with others over the next 12 months, after the U.S. provided bridge financing of $1.15 billion to Cleese Sudans overdue payments to the global financing body.

Following widespread international condemnation, the military allowed Hamdok and his wife to return home on Tuesday night. Hamdok, a former U.N. economist, was detained along with other government officials when the military seized power.

Several Western embassies in Khartoum said Wednesday they will continue to recognize Hamdok and his Cabinet as the constitutional leaders of the transitional government of Sudan.

In a joint statement, the embassies of the European Union, the U.S., the U.K., France and several other European countries called for the release of other detained officials and for talks between the military and the pro-democracy movement.

EU foreign affairs chief Joseph Borrell tweeted that he spoke with Hamdok on Wednesday to voice his support for the return of a civilian-led transitional government as the only way forward.

We dont want Sudan to go back to dark hours of its history, he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken also spoke with Sudanese Foreign Minister Mariam al-Mahdi about how to support the civilian-led transition to democracy, and condemned the military takeover.

The general leading the coup, Abdel-Fattah Burhan, has pledged to hold elections, as planned, in July 2023, and to appoint a technocrat government in the meantime.

Burhan met Wednesday with Saudi Ambassador Ali Hassan bin Ghafar to discuss efforts to resolve the crisis through consultations with all concerned parties, the Sudanese military said.

But critics doubt the military is serious about eventually ceding control, noting that the coup came just weeks before Burhan was supposed to hand over the leadership of the top ruling body, the Sovereign Council, to a civilian. The council, which was made up of both civilian and military leaders but led by a general, was the ultimate authority in the country, while Hamdoks transitional government ran day-to-day affairs. Both were dissolved in the coup.

Volker Perthes, the U.N. special envoy for Sudan, met Wednesday with Burhan and reiterated the U.N.s call for a return to the transition process under the constitutional document and the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained.

Perthes also met Hamdok in his residence where he remains under guard, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

The activists taken overnight were Ismail al-Taj, a leader of the Sudanese Professionals Association, the group at the forefront of the protests that brought down al-Bashir; Sediq al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, a leader in Sudans largest political party, known as Umma and brother of Foreign Minister Mariam al-Mahdi; and Khalid al-Silaik, a former media adviser to the prime minister.

The three have been outspoken critics of the military takeover and have called for protests. Already, tens of thousands of Sudanese have taken to the streets, and activists are planning a mass demonstration on Saturday.

Al-Silaik was detained moments after he gave an interview to broadcaster Al-Jazeera, according to his wife, Marwa Kamel. In the interview, he criticized the militarys takeover, calling Hamdok and his government the legitimate administration of Sudan.

What Gen. Burhan did is a complete coup. ... People will respond to this in the coming days, al-Silaik said.

Activists Nazim Siraj and Nazik Awad and the Umma party confirmed the arrests of the other two figures.

When Burhan dissolved the Sovereign Council and the transitional government on Monday, he alleged that the military was forced to step in to prevent the country from sliding into civil war. But he had repeatedly warned he wanted to delay the transition to civilian leadership of the council.

Meanwhile, flights in and out of Khartoums international airport resumed Wednesday, a day after the countrys Civil Aviation Authority said they would be suspended until Oct. 30.
LONDON (AP)  U.S. authorities launched a new battle on Wednesday to make Julian Assange face American justice, telling British judges that if they agree to extradite the WikiLeaks founder on espionage charges, he could serve any U.S. prison sentence he receives in his native Australia.

In January, a lower U.K. court refused a U.S. request to extradite Assange over WikiLeaks publication of secret American military documents a decade ago. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange, who has spent years in hiding and in British prisons as he fights extradition, was likely to kill himself if held under harsh U.S. prison conditions.

Appealing against that decision at the High Court in London, an attorney for the U.S. government on Wednesday denied that Assanges mental health was too fragile to withstand the U.S. judicial system. Lawyer James Lewis said Assange has no history of serious and enduring mental illness and does not meet the threshold of being so ill that he cannot resist harming himself.

U.S. prosecutors have indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks publication of thousands of leaked military and diplomatic documents. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison, although Lewis said the longest sentence ever imposed for this offense is 63 months.

Lewis said American authorities had promised that Assange would not be held before trial in a top-security Supermax prison or subjected to strict isolation conditions, and if convicted would be allowed to serve his sentence in Australia. Lewis said the assurances are binding on the United States."

Once there is an assurance of appropriate medical care, once it is clear he will be repatriated to Australia to serve any sentence, then we can safely say the district judge would not have decided the relevant question in the way that she did," he said.

The U.S. also says a key defense witness, neuropsychiatrist Michael Kopelman, misled the previous judge by omitting to mention that Stella Moris, a member of WikiLeaks legal team, was also Assanges partner and had two children with him. Lewis said that information was a highly relevant factor to the question of likelihood to suicide.

Assange's lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, accused U.S. lawyers of seeking to minimize the severity of Mr Assanges mental disorder and suicide risk.

Fitzgerald said in a written submission that Australia has not yet agreed to take Assange if he is convicted. Even if Australia did agree, Fitzgerald said the U.S. legal process could take a decade, during which Mr. Assange will remain detained in extreme isolation in a U.S. prison.

Assange, who is being held at Londons high-security Belmarsh Prison, had been expected to attend the two-day hearing by video link, but Fitzgerald said Assange had been put on a high dose of medication and doesn't feel able to attend.

Assange later appeared on the video link at times, seated at a table in a prison room wearing a black face mask.

Since WikiLeaks began publishing classified documents more than a decade ago, Assange has become a flashpoint figure. Some see him as a dangerous secret-spiller who endangered the lives of informers and others who helped the U.S. in war zones. Others say WikiLeaks shone a light on official malfeasance that governments would like to keep secret.

American prosecutors say Assange unlawfully helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published. Lawyers for Assange argue that he was acting as a journalist and is entitled to First Amendment freedom of speech protections for publishing documents that exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Several dozen pro-Assange protesters held a boisterous rally outside Londons neo-Gothic Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday, calling the prosecution politically motivated. They urged U.S. President Joe Biden to drop the legal proceedings, which were begun under his predecessor, Donald Trump.

The demonstrators included Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, who said Assange's case relates to our society, it relates to our freedom of expression, it relates to our individual human rights, and we have to watch the government."

WikiLeaks supporters say testimony from witnesses during the extradition hearing that Assange was spied on while in Ecuador's embassy in London by a Spanish security firm at the behest of the CIA  and that there was even talk of abducting or killing him  undermines U.S. claims he will be treated fairly.

The two justices hearing the appeal  one is Englands most senior judge, Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett  are not expected to give their ruling for several weeks. The losing side could seek to appeal to the U.K. Supreme Court.

Assange, 50, has been in prison since he was arrested in April 2019 for skipping bail during a separate legal battle. Before that he spent seven years holed up inside Ecuadors London embassy, where he fled in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault.

Sweden dropped the sex crimes investigations in November 2019 because so much time had elapsed. The judge who blocked extradition in January ordered that he must stay in custody during any U.S. appeal, ruling that the Australian citizen has an incentive to abscond if he is freed.

Outside court, Moris said it was completely unthinkable that the U.K. courts could agree to extradition.

I hope the courts will end this nightmare, that Julian is able to come home soon and that wise heads prevail," she said.

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Associated Press writer David Keyton contributed.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The White House on Wednesday responded skeptically after Iran's chief negotiator announced that Tehran was ready to return to nuclear negotiations in Vienna by the end of next month.

Ali Bagheri, Iran's deputy foreign minister and chief negotiator for the talks, in a Twitter posting said Iran has agreed to restart negotiations by the end of November and a date for a resumption of talks would be announced in the course of the next week.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said administration officials were aware of Bagheri's comments but were waiting for European officials to confirm that Iran is indeed ready to resume talks.

I would leave to the negotiators to determine when the next round of discussions will be, Psaki said. "Our framing continues to be compliance for compliance, and well leave it up to the Europeans and our negotiators to determine when the next step would be.

Former President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal and the U.S. has participated indirectly in the Vienna talks, which were aimed at bringing both Washington and Tehran back into compliance. The talks have been on hiatus since June when Irans President Ebrahim Raisi took power.

Bagheris signaling that Iran was ready to resume talks comes after U.S. special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, said this week there is a deep and growing concern in the Biden administration about Irans refusal to commit to a date to resume negotiations in Vienna.

The UNs atomic watchdog has said Iran is increasingly in violation of the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union remain part of the deal.

Psaki said the U.S. and its partners still want a diplomatic solution, but White House officials say they are considering alternatives, although a decision will be dependent on Irans actions. Biden is set to travel to Rome later this week for the Group of 20 summit, where he's expected to consult with allies about the Iran nuclear program on the margins of the summit.

We will be sending clear messages to the Iranians ... that this window is not unlimited, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday.

Last week, after Malley met with European officials in Paris, France urged Iran to curb nuclear activities of unprecedented gravity.

Malley has also recently held a series of high-level meetings in Washington between senior Biden administration officials and the foreign ministers of Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and the European Unions diplomatic chief.

Bagheri also said on Twitter that he has engaged in very serious and constructive dialogue with Enrique Mora, the European Unions deputy secretary general for political affairs, on the essential elements for successful negotiations.
Nearly 50 years ago, Britain was dubbed the dirty man of Europe because of our vile rivers and beaches, foul air and weak nature protection laws.

Shamed into taking action by the courts over the ensuing decades, we were forced to come into line with European rules  dragged kicking and screaming into a cleaner, greener age.

And, in many ways, the UK is now a much healthier place to live in than it was back then.

The reality is that whenever it rains heavily, our antiquated systems cannot cope, and dumping disgusting waste into rivers and waterways has become routine for water companies

Our air is better, we recycle more waste, we are all much more aware of the environment and we have started to lead the world in reducing carbon emissions.

And yet, just as government prepares to host the worlds most important environmental meeting in years, water pollution is once again rearing its rancid head.

Last week, MPs voted to block an amendment to the Environment Bill which would have prevented water companies from chucking vast amounts of untreated sewage straight into our rivers and seas.

It was a decision that sparked outrage which was further inflamed when film footage from Budds farm, Southern Waters largest sewage treatment plant in Hampshire, emerged yesterday showing a deluge of rank, untreated sewage pouring into neighbouring Langstone Harbour.

Much of the discharge from water companies occurs when sewerage systems are overwhelmed by storms and floods.

And in an attempt to resolve the situation, the Government  which had initially appeared to side with the water companies  was last night forced into a climbdown, and introduced a new amendment for MPs to vote on.

This amendment, says the Department of Environment, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, will ensure water companies secure a progressive reduction in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows.

Although many still believe the amendment does not go far enough.

Discharging raw sewage is supposed to take place only as a last resort.

The inevitable result is that Britain is yet again saddled with some of the dirtiest rivers and beaches in Europe

But the reality is that, whenever it rains heavily, our antiquated systems cannot cope, and dumping disgusting waste into rivers and waterways has become routine for water companies.

Shockingly, there were more than 400,000 water pollution incidents last year with firms pumping raw sewage into Englands waters for a staggering three million hours in total.

The inevitable result is that Britain is yet again saddled with some of the dirtiest rivers and beaches in Europe.

Fearful that they will be forced to clean up their act, water firms and other polluters argue it would cost hundreds of billions of pounds to fix our inadequate Victorian sewerage systems.

They add that bills would have to rise steeply to pay for the repairs, just at a time when the cost of living is soaring.

The Government and MPs who voted against the amendment were worried about how unpopular this would be with voters. But the relentless tide of filth cannot continue.

And the water firms argument for not taking more action is rich coming from fabulously wealthy private companies which have  for decades  enjoyed monopolies and, since they were privatised three decades ago, have hugely increased our bills to make billions for their shareholders and executives.

The difficulty is that current laws are little, if any, deterrent.

Southern Water  which regularly makes more than 200million profit a year and pays large bonuses to executives  was fined 90million in July for repeatedly pumping raw sewage around much of the South East coast and the Isle of Wight.

Canterbury Crown Court  which found Southern Water guilty of 51 charges of releasing raw sewage  said it was the worst case brought by the Environment Agency in its history.

Sewage on the Jubliee River in 2020. There were more than 400,000 water pollution incidents last year with firms pumping raw sewage into Englands waters for a staggering three million hours in total

But perhaps most shockingly, the prosecution explained it had been done deliberately, because it is cheaper for water companies to cynically pay the fines rather than to properly treat the sewage before releasing it.

And the health implications of such behaviour cannot be overstated.

Back in the 19th century, polluted water led to cholera and other diseases, and it took huge public investment to eradicate the threat.

The UK went on to develop the worlds cleanest urban drinking water supply, but it is no exaggeration to say we are now in real danger of experiencing more water-borne diseases as pollutants increasingly leak into our waterways and contaminate crops because flooding of farmland is so common.

Record numbers of people are going to the seaside and enjoying the new boom in wild swimming in our rivers and lakes  and nasty illnesses seem all too likely to follow.

This Environment Bill is the best opportunity Britain has had in many years to end this scourge of mass pollution.

And this amendment is certainly a start. If our politicians dont act decisively, the stench of scandal will be with them for years to come.
Women who were dressing for the 'male gaze' have ditched outfits they think appeal to men in favour of edgy, eye-catching trends in a new social media trend.

The 'male gaze' is a feminist theory claiming that society is viewed through the prism of the masculine, heterosexual perspective - with men constantly objectifying women, often seeing them only as sexual objects.

The theory argues women have been conditioned from childhood to dress to please men, for example wearing typically feminine outfits, tight clothing and short dresses.

In a viral TikTok trend, users who say they're style was dictated by what they thought men like, have showed off their new wardrobe now they're choosing outfits based on their own taste.

Fashion blogger Lola, from Dublin, shared a video saying she had stopped dressing for the 'male gaze' which showed off her style before, including tight pink dresses with platinum blonde hair (left) and her new style, which sees her wearing baggy jeans and jumpers with brown hair and trendy highlights (right)

Fashion influencer Chloe, from California, shared picture of her style before dressing for the 'female gaze' (left), wearing a plain black minidress paired with sunglasses and white trainers and after (right), wearing a black leather jacket with green fur and black Dr Martins boots

Lola is pictured left wearing a tight pink minidress with a cropped midriff which she paired with a bejewelled bag. Right, Lola wearing a fashionable oversized blazer paired with trendy sunglasses with blonde highlights

A typical example of the trend sees users showing off what they wore 'for the male gaze' which tends to include short skirts, crop tops, neutral colours and minimal prints.

However when dressing for the 'female gaze', several users were seen in more flamboyant, colourful outfits which are often looser fitting with quirkier hairstyles and accessories.

Fashion blogger Lola, from Dublin, shared a TikTok video revealing how she wore tight dresses with minimal patterns and either blonde or brunette hair.

But her updated wardrobe includes loose fitting shirts in vibrant colours, baggy jeans and jumpers, and her hair is now its natural colour with trendy blonde streak highlights at the front.

Chloe is pictured left wearing a plain white vest paired with black striped trousers and a straw hat. Right, Chloe wears monochrome polkadot flares with a red statement jacket, trends sunglasses and a designer bag

Left, Chloe is dressing in a more simple and feminine way, wearing a short denim skirt paired with a leopard print blouse and black beret. Right, Chloe is wearing leather trousers paired with an oversized blazer

Chloe's new wardrobe includes lots of layering, trainers, retro accessories and quirky prints and patterns

Before updating her wardrobe (left), Lola wore tight fitting, short dresses in plain colours. Now, the fashion blogger wears psychedelic prints in bright colours and oversized jackets

Examples of dressing for the 'female gaze' also included a daring lime green tank top paired with a cascading emerald skirt, as well as a psychedelic skirt and oversized black blazer jacket.

Her video racked up over 6,000 likes and one user commented on Lola's video: 'Nothing wrong with the first at all, but it's clear that the second is more you and that's what matters most, dressing to make you happy.'

Fashion influencer Chloe, from California, also shared a TikTok video of her previous outfits, such as denim jeans, skirts, plain blouses, simple dresses and feminine, floral prints.

However her updated style includes statement pieces including monochrome polkadot flare trousers which she paired with an oversized red jacket and Dr. Martens boots, and she said she's 'so much happier now'.

Before updating her style (left) Chloe wore feminine clothing such as a floral mini dress. Now, the fashion logger wears more eye-catching designs including patterned trousers and waistcoats

Lola, pictured before and after updating her wardrobe, wore tight fitting outfits which she thought would appeal to men. Now, she wears fashionable outfits including an emerald green skirt paired with a lime green cropped shirt

Chloe is pictured left wearing plain clothing and short denim shorts. Right, she wears loose fitting jeans aired with a bomber jacket and fashionable accessories

Other outfits includes leather flare trousers with a loose fitting blazer, a leather jacket with a green, fluffy hemline and her wardrobe now includes lots of layering, trainers and retro accessories.

Captioning the video, the blogger insisted she's 'so much happier now' while users agreed that dressing for the 'female gaze is freeing'.

Speaking to Refinery29, Dr Lauren Gurrieri, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at RMIT University, claimed that the 'male gaze' means women are viewed as objects of 'desire and pleasure'.

'The male gaze reflects expectations of how women's bodies are supposed to look and what is aesthetically required of women - which in turn positions women as sexualised, idealised and objects of heteronormative desire and pleasure', she said.

'Dressing in more stereotypically feminine ways then operates as the other side of this dynamic  with femininity traditionally associated with marginalised meanings of submissiveness, decorativeness and frivolity.'
A US traveller has detailed her strange obsession with a specific loaf of Australian bread after she tried 'godsend' toast that tasted like 'ecstasy'.

The woman said she experienced the 'softest, most amazing bread I've ever had in my sad American life' after she bought a loaf at a grocery store during her visit - before she was mocked by hundreds when she admitted it was by Tip Top.

In a Reddit thread titled: 'I ate bread in Australia and it ruined my life', she said nothing compared to the budget $3.40 loaf after she searched through the bread aisles in American supermarkets.

'Guys, I can't live without that bread. Ever since I got back to America I've been in pursuit of a bread that can deliver just as well. But I've found nothing,' she wrote.

'Am I doomed to live for the rest of my life without that bread? How am I supposed to go on knowing that such delicacies lie on the other side of the planet, and I have no means of access? American bread is small, thinly sliced. It's not as fluffy.

A US traveller has detailed her strange obsession with a specific loaf of Australian bread after she tried 'godsend' toast that tasted like 'ecstasy'

'Please help.'

During her trip Down Under, she said she purchased the bread with an orange-coloured packaging labelled 'toast'.

'The very first bite was ecstasy. I had around three slices before I even thought about popping some in the toaster,' she said.

'And the toast was something else. The toast was a godsend. I would pay just to live off of that toast for the rest of my life. It was still soft despite it being toasted. I remember thinking, 'is this the Australian standard? Is this how they live?''

'The very first bite was ecstasy. I had around three slices before I even thought about popping some in the toaster,' she said

She shared her bread experience on Reddit two years ago, but her post resurfaced on Twitter on Wednesday after a Sydney writer shared it on her page and said it was the 'saddest' thing she'd read.

Hundreds agreed with the writer, claiming the bread wasn't even 'close' to the best on offer.

'That's like the bread you buy when they're out of everything that isn't home brand,' one man wrote.

'She bought Tip Top bread and thought it was the best bread she'd ever tasted. Sh*t. I am so spoiled with my $7 sourdoughs from The Gordon Street Bakery,' another added.

She shared her bread experience on Reddit two years ago, but her post resurfaced on Twitter on Wednesday after a Sydney writer shared it on her page

'When even Tip Top inspires such rave reviews you know the bread situation in the US is completely dire,' agreed a third.

Others backed the American woman, saying they too could understand why Tip Top would be a highlight after tasting awful bread while travelling in the US.

'American bread is awful. I have no idea what they do to it but it's gross. It's like eating cake. A lot of the food I ate over there just seemed overly processed,' one wrote.

Another said: 'Lived in the US for close to a year. Ate their bread, it's bad. Bland, processed, sugar added badness. To make matters worse I couldn't even find real butter to spread on it.'

'Can confirm. Lived in the US for 18 years. The bread is too sweet and the cheese is too yellow.'
A British grandmother that shocked This Morning viewers when she shared graphic detail of her sexual antics with her Egyptian boyfriend 46 year her junior, has revealed compared being kept apart from him to 'death'.

Iris Jones, 82, from Weston-super-Mare, has vowed to move to Egypt to be with her husband of one year, Mohamed Ahmed Ibriham, 36, if his visa application is denied.

Iris, who met Mohamed on Facebook in 2019 before flying to Egypt to be with him before marrying each other in November 2020, described her 'unbelievable' heartache as the pandemic keeps the couple apart while they wait for the home office to decide whether he will be allowed to move to Britain.

The couple's relationship hit the spotlight last year when Iris went on ITV's This Morning to discuss the huge age gap and ended up revealing details of their sex life.

Iris Jones, 82, from Weston-super-Mare, has vowed to move to Egypt to be with her husband of one year, Mohamed Ahmed Ibriham, 36, if his visa application is denied

Iris, who met Mohamed on Facebook in 2019 before flying to Egypt (seen) to be with him before marrying each other in November 2020, described her 'unbelievable' heartache

Speaking to The Sun about how much she misses her husband, Iris said: 'The heartache is unbelievable. All we are talking about now is what will happen when we meet.

'If he didnt get a visa it would feel like the end of the world. Its like hes dead but hes not dead  just missing.'

She added: 'I haven't got age on my side. I could drop dead tomorrow. Every day is precious. It's bloody awful being apart.'

The Home Office told This Morning they should have a decision on Mohammed's visa by November 4th.

Iris revealed how the Home Office have asked for 'evidence' of their relationship, their finances and his' command of English, adding that he had passed the required English test

Iris revealed how the Home Office have asked for 'evidence' of their relationship, their finances and his' command of English, adding that he had passed the required English test.

Denying that she is a 'daft old biddy being taken advantage of', she argued that she 'isn't the type of woman to be scammed' and that she 'doesn't have any money' - explaining that they split all their expenses 50/50.

As their one year anniversary approaches, Iris - who hasn't seen Mohamed since December 2020- added that she 'trusts him with her life', and that she is prepared to move to Egypt if his application is denied, adding: 'Nothing will keep me and Mohamed apart.'

Denying that she is a 'daft old biddy being taken advantage of', she argued that she 'isn't the type of woman to be scammed' and that she 'doesn't have any money' - explaining that they split all their expenses 50/50

The couple's relationship hit the spotlight last year when Iris went on ITV's This Morning to discuss the huge age gap and ended up revealing details of their sex life.

Iris made hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield blush after admitting that their first night of passion, which included an 'entire tube of KY jelly', left Iris 'saddle sore'.

Appearing on the show last month, she told Holly and Phil: 'My skin is very thin. It's like tissue. Mohamed has to be careful when he gets hold on me, because he rips my skin.

'The skin on my legs is very very thin. When it comes to making love it can be painful. I can end up at the A&E with skin rips.

'But we've solved that problem as we do it doggy-fashion. Love hurts.'.

Giggling with Holly host Phillip added: 'Love finds a way'.

Iris first struck up a conversation with Cairo native Mohamed in summer 2019 on a Facebook group exploring atheism.

He initially declared love for her through social media and then said his feelings were confirmed when he saw Iris for the first time at Cairo airport that November.

Speaking to MailOnline earlier this year, he recalled: 'I was very nervous but the moment I laid eyes on her I knew that it was true love. I'm a very lucky man to have found a woman like this.'

Mohamed worked as welding inspector but gave up his job to spend time with Iris when she came to Cairo.

He lives in a three-room house with his parents plus two sisters and a brother who are all younger than him, but vehemently denied he was with Iris for her money or a passport to Britain.

As their one year anniversary approaches, Iris - who hasn't seen Mohamed since December 2020- added that she 'trusts him with her life', and that she is prepared to move to Egypt if his application is denied, adding: 'Nothing will keep me and Mohamed apart.'

Iris, a former cleaner, lives in a 220,000 bungalow and gets by on a 200-a-week pension and disability benefit.

Mohamed said: 'I don't care where we live or how rich or poor she is, I just want to be with Iris. At the end of the day, which country she wants to make her home is her choice; it can be either Britain or Egypt.

'People think I am with her for all the wrong reasons. I know Britain is a beautiful country and a lot of people want to go there but I'm not bothered. I'm prepared to live with her anywhere in the world.'

Mohamed revealed that during her visit to Egypt he took Iris home for dinner, where she spent time with his mother.

'My mother really liked Iris and they got on well even though there was a language problem. But my mother said to me that if I'm happy, then she's happy. That's all any mother wants; for her son to be with a woman he really loves.'
Rolling Stones fans are fighting back against the band's decision to remove Brown Sugar from their US tour setlist after it came under fire over its depiction of slavery and sexual violence.

The song was axed from the 13-date US tour over fears the British rockers would be 'cancelled' by woke music fans who take issue with lyrics like the opening lines: 'Gold Coast slave ship bound for cotton fields / Sold in the market down in New Orleans / Skydog slaver knows he's doin' all right / Hear him whip the women just around midnight.'

Confirming its removal from this setlist in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Keith Richards said the band did not want to get into 'conflicts' over the song.

But furious Rolling Stones fans said they don't understand the controversy surrounding the track as it is clearly anti-slavery, with many saying artists should be free to express themselves without fearing 'cancel culture'.

Now fans are calling on the band to reintroduce the song by bombarding the group's official Instagram account with requests for it to be performed.

Rolling Stones fans are fighting back against the band's decision to remove Brown Sugar from their US tour setlist after it came under fire over its depiction of slavery and sexual violence. Pictured, Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger at Inglewood, California, this month

Now fans are calling on the band to reintroduce the song by bombarding the group's official Instagram account with requests for it to be performed. Ahead of each show, the group's management takes to social media to ask fans to vote for a bonus song to be added to the setlist. Dozens have asked for Brown Sugar in the comments. Above, a post shared this week

Ahead of each show, the group's management takes to social media to ask fans to vote for a bonus song to be added to the setlist for the upcoming performance.

A shortlist of four songs is added to the Rolling Stones website for fans to choose from.

But fed-up fans have taken to the comment section of Instagram to argue the case for Brown Sugar.

In the three most recent social media posts, all shared in the three weeks since the Rolling Stones' interview confirming they had stopped playing Brown Sugar, the song title received more support than any other.

It marks a clear shift from the fan polls before the interview, in which Brown Sugar does not appear.

Although these votes are not counted because they are not part of the official online vote, and Brown Sugar has not been included in any of the shortlists, it gives a clear signal that fans do not agree with the decision to stop performing the hit.

The 1969 song has been a staple of the Rolling Stones live shows since it came out 50 years ago, and is the second most played song in their catalog after Jumpin' Jack Flash, with 1,136 known performances, according to Rolling Stone magazine.

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards (right) and Ronnie Wood (left) are seen on stage in Nashville on earlier this month. The band have decided to stop performing Brown Sugar on this tour

Fed-up fans have taken to the comment section to argue the case for Brown Sugar. In the two post recent social media posts, the song title received more support than any other. Pictured above, fan votes shared on a post by the Rolling Stones account last week

It marks a shift from the start of the tour, before the removal of Brown Sugar made headlines. Pictured above, an example of the comments section requesting other tracks to be played from September 29. The song's removal was confirmed in an October 7 interview

The last time the Stones played Brown Sugar, which has sold more than 2.7million copies since its release, was on August 30, 2019, in Miami, Florida. The performance was met with a backlash and questions over its suitability for a 2021 audience.

Keith Richards, who recorded the song with Jagger over a three-day session at the famed Muscle Shoals studio in Alabama, said he was taken aback by the recent discomfort about the song - a graphic story about slavery, with the song's first verse depicting a slave driver whipping a group of women.

The band has frequently changed its controversial lyrics since the song was first created, starting with Jagger changing the title from 'Black P****' to Brown Sugar.

One lyric that was altered after the song's release was: 'Brown Sugar, how come you taste so good? / Ah, got me feelin' now for brown sugar, just like a black girl should.'

A selection of comments from the most recent post asking for fan votes, shared yesterday. Although other song titles appear, it is Brown Sugar that has more mentions than any other

In later recordings, the band decided to swap the words 'black girl' for 'young girl'.

Jagger explained in an interview back in 1995 that he was uncomfortable with the lyrics of the song, which was named as number 495 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

'God knows what I'm on about in that song,' said Jagger, in a 1995 interview. 'It's such a mishmash. All the nasty subjects in one go.'

While the song later continues: 'I bet your mama was a tent show queen / And all her boyfriends were sweet 16 / I'm no school boy but I know what I like.'

Jagger, when asked about the song's absence from their recent set lists, told The Los Angeles Times they had decided to give the song a break.

'We've played 'Brown Sugar' every night since 1970, so sometimes you think, We'll take that one out for now and see how it goes,' he said.

'We might put it back in.'

Speaking about the song's meaning, Richards, 77, added: 'I'm trying to figure out with the sisters quite where the beef is.

'Didn't they understand this was a song about the horrors of slavery? But they're trying to bury it. At the moment I don't want to get into conflicts with all of this s***.

'But I'm hoping that we'll be able to resurrect the babe in her glory somewhere along the track.'

The removal of Brown Sugar from the setlist sparked a backlash against cancel culture and censorship of lyrics touching on controversial subjects.

Brown Sugar was recorded in 1969 at Muscle Shoals studio in Alabama
Boris Johnson's daughter has become the first member of her family to publicly pay tribute to her late grandmother Charlotte Johnson Wahl who died last month aged 79.

Lara Johnson-Wheeler, 28, said her grandmother was 'unflinchingly honest' as she wrote about her work as a painter in a sweet piece for Tatler

The journalist, who is one of Boris Johnson's four children with ex-wife Marina Wheeler, added that there was talk among her cousins to get her late grandmother's signature tattooed because her 'hands shaped her lifes work' as a painter.

In the piece, Lara also examines Charlotte's work as a painter, saying her favourite was one of her great uncle Edmund, while she also touches on her mental health battle.

Boris Johnson's daughter has become the first member of her family to publicly pay tribute to her late grandmother Charlotte Johnson Wahl who died last month aged 79. Lara Johnson-Wheeler is pictured with Charlotte Johnson Wahl and Boris Johnson in 2014 in London

'Growing up, I knew Grandma had struggled severely with mental health and had been admitted to hospital for a time, but  as with a number of difficult things  we didnt speak about it often. But her paintings speak for her. They are clear depictions of her anguish, of the desperate scenes around her and in her own head,' she wrote.

Charlotte also revealed that a few days before Charlotte's Notting Hill funeral, one of her 'wonderful cousins' shared a voice note with her - a tinny recording of a voicemail she left a few days before her sudden death.

'Another image that came to mind as I listened to that birthday voicemail was that of Grandmas strawberries. She loved them and loved to paint them. During the cataloguing, six canvases featuring her uniquely wonky, seeded berries emerged, painted between 1969 and 1980,' Lara went on.

Lara, who is the oldest of Boris Johnson's six children, added that she was never 'lucky enough' to be a star of a Charlotte Johnson Wahl portrait but added she does have a fax of drawing her grandmother made of her when she was just seven.

'In it, I am wearing a gingham dress in blue and red, and there are strawberry-patch details on the shoulder and hem. I can remember the joy I felt when it inched its way through the machine. Unfortunately, I felt I could improve it further by defacing it with my green apple-scented smelly gel pen. Im sure Grandma didnt mind  the strawberries and fabric remained untouched,' she added.

Charlotte died 'suddenly and peacefully' at St Marys Hospital in Paddington, London last month. Her death was recorded in a notice placed by the family in the Times.

Lara Johnson-Wheeler (pictured), 28, said her grandmother was 'unflinchingly honest' as she wrote about her work as a painter in a sweet piece for Tatler .

Boris Johnson is said to have called his mother, a professional artist who painted stars such as Joanna Lumley, the 'supreme authority' in his family. The Prime Minister also previously credited her with instilling in him 'the equal value of every human life'.

But, despite raising two sons who became Conservative politicians, along with journalist Rachel and entrepreneur Leo, Mrs Johnson Wahl said she herself had grown up around 'rich socialists'. And in a candid 2015 interview with the Radio Times, she admitted that she had 'never voted Tory'.

Mrs Johnson Wahl had an unhappy marriage to Boris' father Stanley, who was accused of breaking her nose in the 1970s.

Born Charlotte Fawcett in Oxford in 1942, Mrs Johnson-Wahl was the daughter of the barrister Sir James Fawcett - who was president of the European Commission for Human Rights in the 1970s.

Despite raising two sons who became Conservative politicians, along with journalist Rachel and entrepreneur Leo, Mrs Johnson Wahl said she herself had grown up around 'rich socialists'. And in a candid 2015 interview with the Radio Times, she admitted that she had 'never voted Tory'. She is pictured with Boris and Rachel

One of five children, she studied English at Oxford University. But she interrupted her education to travel to America with Stanley Johnson, whom she met at Oxford and married in 1963.

Speaking about meeting Stanley, she told Tatler magazine in 2015: 'I was engaged to somebody called Wynford Hicks, who was extraordinarily beautiful to look at but actually quite boring.

'Anyway, [after the dinner] Stanley sent me a note asking if he could come to tea and go for a walk.

'So a few days later we went for a walk and he suddenly said, Love is sweet. Revenge is sweeter far. To the Piazza. Ah ha ha har!", which made me laugh so much I fell in love with him.'

She returned to complete her degree as the first married female undergraduate at her college, Lady Margaret Hall.

Finishing the piece, Lara added that she will miss her grandmother 'terribly'.

'She has left incredible scenes with us, though. Her paintings ensure shes heard, seen and remembered. Her voice, her emotions and her stories come through in each one, as vibrant, as truthful and as eternally entertaining as she.'
One of Britain's first gay dads have revealed he's hoping to father triplets with his ex-husband and his toyboy fiance.

Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, 51, made history with his then partner Tony Drewitt-Barlow in 1999, when they became the first gay couple to be registered as parents after welcoming twins Saffron and Aspen via surrogacy, followed by a son, Orlando.

Father-of-six Barrie, separated from Tony in 2019 and got together with his new fiance Scott Hutchinson, 25, who used to date his daughter, with the pair welcoming a daughter Valentina in October 2020.

Both men donated sperm to have Valentina with an egg donor via surrogacy, and don't know who is her biological father.

Now Barrie has told Closer of his plan to have triplets with both his fiance and his ex-husband, who still lives under the same roof at the family's 10-bedroom Florida estate, and a surrogate is lined up to be implanted with three embryos in the next few weeks.

One embryo is Valentina's biological sister and was previously fertilised with either Barrie or Scott's sperm, while the other two have been frozen for 22 years since Barrie first embarked on the surrogacy process with Tony.

It's believed that older batch were fertilised only with Barrie's sperm meaning that Tony will have no biological link to the new babies.

Yet Barrie is determined that they will become the first three people of the same sex to have their names on their children's birth certificates, and will raise the children together as a family.

Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, 51, who made history in 1999 when he and his then partner Tony became Britain's first ever gay parents, has announced he now wants to have triplets with Tony, and his new toyboy Scott Hutchinson, 25, with whom he already shares daughter Valentina, one. The trio want to raise the children together in the home they share in Tampa, Florida

They believe it will make them the first three people of the same sex to all have their names on their children's birth certificates.

Explaining the decision to have more children together despite their

'Even though Tony and I are separated, we are still very much a family. We have made history as the first same-sex couple to have our names on our children's birth certificates - now we want to make history again as "throuple" dads,' Barrie said.

'I love being a dad more than anything and don't see myself stopping having babies any time soon,' he added.

The trio have already found a surrogate, who will be implanted with the three embryos in the next few weeks.

Tony, 56, is also dating a new partner, but wants to raise the triplets together with Barrie and Scott, with whom he lives

Barrie and Tony made history when they welcomed twins Saffron and Aspen in 1999, pictured. Their name both appear as 'father' on the twins' birth certificate

One of the embryos is a biological sibling of Valentina, which was donated by a donor and fertlised with their sperm sample when she was conceived via IVF in March 2020.

The other two embryos have been frozen for 2022 years and are biological sibling of Tony and Barries' first IVF twins Saffron and Aspen.

Barrie, a father-of-six, had more children with Tony after the birth of his eldest children in 1999.

They welcomed Orlando in 2004 who's now 17, and twins Jasper and Dallas, ten, in 2011.

After 32 years together, the couple separated ,and Barrie began dating Scott, who is the ex-partner of his daughter Saffron, 21.

Together, the pair welcomed their daughter Valentina, one, in October 2020. Barrie said triplet would be the 'perfect gift' for her.

Barrie's fiance Scott once dated his daughter Saffron, 21, pictured, but now the gay couple want to have more children

Barrie and Scott are both parents to Valentina,one, pictured, who was born in October 2020. In total, Barrie has six children, five of which he shares with his ex-husband Tony

He admitted the child wants for nothing, thanks to her billionaire dad, who made his fortune thanks to his and Tony's research company and property investments.

'She already has a wardrobe of designer clothes, 30,000 Tiffany diamond ring and we have invested in a 600,000 flat for her future.

However, he said Scott and him wanted Valentina to have siblings that were close to her age as well.

Generous dad Barrie revealed in June that his six children have an unlimited spending allowance and admitted he's spoilt them from the moment they were born to make up for them not having a mother in their lives.

The Manchester-born businessman, 51, told how he gifted daughter Saffron, 21, a 500,000 diamond and ruby ring once owned by Wallis Simpson when she was a baby.

Scott, Barrie and Tony plan on raising the triplets as a trio in Tampa, in the 10-bedroom-mansion they share

Barrie began dating Scott in 2019 after separating from Tony. The pair are now engaged and share a daughter together, pictured

Barrie, who now lives in a 6million, ten-bedroom mansion in Tampa, Florida with all the family, insisted his generosity doesn't make his children ungrateful, and argued that parents who claim buying their children anything they ask for makes them spoilt brats are 'using it as an excuse not to treat them'.

'Nothing makes me happier than seeing my children light up when I buy them the latest design gear or a new set of wheels,' he told Fabulous Digital at the time.

'None of my children have an allowance, what's the need? Instead Aspen, Saffron and Orlando, 17, have an unlimited Black Amex card. They can just spend whatever they want and at the end of the month I pick up the bill.
Viewers of the Great British Bake Off were left hiding behind their hands last night after the 'most stressful episode ever' of the show.

This week's pastry challenge proved a difficult one for the bakers as they were tasked with making decorated chouxnuts in their signature, before creating a terrine pie showstopper.

But many of those watching were particularly stunned by the technical challenge, declaring it was 'impossible' for the bakers to craft baklava within the time limit.

Radio 1 presenter Nick Grimshaw tweeted: 'I swear Bake Off used to be basically valium for the eyeballs...has it always been this stressful? The music! The pies! I can't take it!!'

Viewers of the Great British Bake Off were left hiding behind their hands last night after the 'most stressful episode ever' of the show (pictured, Amanda attempting to repair her broken showstopper pie)

But many of those watching were particularly stunned by the technical challenge, declaring it was 'impossible' for the bakers to craft baklava within the time limit (pictured)

Another wrote: 'I've watched less stressful horror films.'

During the programme, the bakers began pastry week by crafting two batches of chouxnut with intricate toppings.

Lizzie complained: 'I feel like I'm having heart palpitations', while Crystelle confessed she was so stressed she had forgotten to put on the timer for her bake.

Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith told her that the choux had 'let her down a bit', while they said Amanda's were 'too rosy and too sweet.'

Many of those watching the programme declared it was 'the most stressful episode of Bake Off they'd ever seen'

After Lizzie's pastries were judged, she confessed that she had been 'in a panic' during the challenge.

And for the technical challenge, Paul and Prue tasked the bakers with the gargantuan task of baking a baklava using filo pastry, which they had to make from scratch.

It marked the first time ever that bakers on the programme had been asked to make filo pastry in a technical challenge.

Paul told the bakers: 'This particular recipe will push you to your limits. Don't waste any time.'

Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith told her that the choux had 'let her down a bit', while they said Amanda's were 'too rosy and too sweet' (pictured, Amanda with the judges)

The challenge quickly descended into chaos, with a number of bakers left fearing the worst.

Lizzie forgot to put her timer on and ended up finishing in seventh place, while George was in sixth place and Amanda was in the fifth position.

Meanwhile for their showstopper, the bakers were asked to create ornately designed terrine pies.

Amanda and George both struggled while creating a pastry terrine pie. Both of their pies took too long to cook and ended up collapsing after being taken out of the oven.

Meanwhile Paul and Prue tasked the bakers with the gargantuan task of baking a baklava using filo pastry, which they had to make from scratch (pictured)

Amanda could do nothing but shout to the other bakers for help as her 'fancy terrine pie' disintegrated, with half of it remaining in the baking tin as she attempted to remove it.

Chigs raced to help her salvage the pie but the duo couldn't repair Amanda's broken pie.

She ultimately ended up being the one sent packing and, speaking after her elimination, said: 'You've got to go some time haven't you?'

Many viewers declared the episode was one of the most stressful ever, with one commenting: 'How is pie SO STRESSFUL? *watching behind a cushion.'

Amanda and George both struggled while creating a pastry terrine pie for the Showstopper challenge, with Amanda's collapsing as she tried to remove it from the tin

The other bakers were left aghast as they watched Amanda struggle to repair her showstopper pie during the final challenge (pictured, Giuseppe)

Another wrote: 'Who'd have thunk pie week would be so stressful?'

A third commented: 'This is the most stressful episode of #gbbo I've ever watched.

'Myself and @jackpowerIT have just been shouting 'NOOOOO!' for the past 5 minutes.'
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will live to regret their 'poisonous choice' of cutting people out of their lives, a royal author has claimed.

Commentator Tom Bower, who is currently working on a biography of Meghan, 40, told Closer magazine the 'stubborn' mother-of-two will regret cutting ties with her father Thomas Markle, 77, and moving her husband and two children away from the royal family to Montecito, California.

He said The Duke, 37, and Duchess of Sussex are growing increasingly isolated in America, and that it is 'sad' for them both, as well as for their children Archie, two and Lilibet, who was born in June.

Bower warned that the couple's wish to control their narrative will do more harm than good and that their children risk growing up without a family around them.

This comes after Thomas Markle Senior said on ITV this week that his daughter had 'changed' after meeting Prince Harry in 2017.

Commentator Tom Bower, who is currently working on a biography of Meghan, 40, told Closer magazine the 'stubborn' mother-of-two would regret cutting ties with her father Thomas Markle, 77, and moving her husband and two children away from the royal family in Montecito, California. Pictured: Prince Harry, 37, with son Archie, now two and Meghan during her pregnancy with their daughter Lilibet, who is now five-months-old

'I believe Meghan is a very stubborn person, but I think eventually even she'll realise that this isolated world she and Harry and built for themselves was a poisonous choice,' Bower said.

'They seem so desperate to control the narrative that they can't risk anyone else influencing it - but this will simply cause more damage to them in the future, when their children grow up with no family around them,' he added.

Fellow royal biographer Andrew Morton painted a similar picture in an interview with Us Weekly, recalling hom the couple reportedly turned down Earl of Dumbarton as a title for Archie because it contains the word 'dumb', and they didn't want him to be teased at school.

'It shows you their sensitivity to image,' he said. 'Which is something, you know, somebody was saying to me [that] the other day that they contacted team Sussex and the first question [the Sussexes] asked was: "What pictures are you using?".

'And that person thought, "Thats everything you need to know about the Sussexes".'

Archie was born in England on May 6 2019, and met the royal family soon after. But it is believed he has not seen his British relatives in the flesh since his parents left the country and moved to Canada in late 2019, before relocating to the US in March 2020.

Meanwhile, his sister Lilibet was born in June in California, and although she shares the Queen's private family nickname, she is yet to meet her great-grandmother, 95, in the flesh.

Bower said the couple's decision to cut their families out of their lives was a 'poisonous choice' they'll both regret (pictured at Global Citizen Live on September 25, 2021 in New York)

Pictured: Meghan and Archie in California in 2021. Bower said Meghan was 'unforgiving' and 'stubborn'

Meghan's estranged father Thomas Markle ,77, told Good Morning Brtain on October 19 he hadn't spoken to her in four years and said he would keep on giving TV interviews until Meghan speaks to him

What did Thomas Markle tell GMB ? On doing TV interviews: 'I've made it quite clear that until I hear from her, until she does speak to me, that I will continue to do this' On Lilibet and Archie: 'The kids are going to grow up without knowing that they have two families.' On his ex-wife Doria Ragland: 'I don't even know where her mother is at this point, I don't think she's in Los Angeles, or with Meghan and Harry' On Prince Harry's influence: 'I don't know what changed her. She's never been that way before and once she hooked up with Harry, she changed.' On why Meghan 'ghosted' him: 'She thought I was giving too much attention to her brother and sister  to her stepbrother and stepsister, but nonetheless she wanted me to stop talking to them and I couldn't.' On son Thomas criticising Meghan: 'My son Thomas has been shunned just like I have been, and I'm sure he's responding the same way others are that get ghosted' On Piers Morgan: 'Piers was right - we all get ghosted, so somebody wants to respond.' On suing to see Lilibet and Archie: 'People have suggested in California that I sue to see my kids, but I think if I did that I'd be a hypocrite' On Harry's new book: 'The book he's writing should be not Finding Freedom - it should be Finding Money, that's all they seem to care about right now.' On when he last tried to talk with her: 'About a month ago maybe. I really can't go down to Montecito because I'll be pointed out as a stalker, so I can't do much like that.' Advertisement

Bower claimed Harry and Meghan, who moved to California in 2020 following their decision to step down as senior royals, think they are getting 'stronger' by cutting people out of their lives.

However, he said they are just clashing with their family and risk ending up feeling lonely.

The author, who is working on a biography of the Duchess due to be published next year, said Meghan should expect her estranged father and step-brother Thomas Markle Jr to share more embarrassing stories about her.

He said the best way for 'unforgiving' Meghan to avoid this happening is to communicate with both men.

In a new bombshell interview with ITV's GMB, Thomas Markle claimed 'childish' Meghan 'changed' when she met Harry and said it was 'ridiculous' that he had been estranged from his daughter for nearly four years, MailOnline reported on 19 October.

The retired lighting director, who lives in Rosarito, Mexico, added that he and Meghan both needed to 'grow up, talk, make up' and mend their relationship.

Mr Markle has never met Harry or the couple's children Archie and Lilibet, and did not attend their wedding in 2018 after he had a heart attack and needed surgery.

Asked whether television interviews were the only way he can communicate with Meghan, Mr Markle said: 'I've made it quite clear that until I hear from her, until she does speak to me, that I will continue to do this.

'The kids are going to grow up without knowing that they have two families. This is more than just me and my daughter now, this is me and my daughter, her husband and two babies involved now, so it's time to do something. It's time to talk.'

Just a few days earlier, Meghan's step-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, 55, said Prince Harry's days as Meghan's husband are numbered as his younger sister's last marriage only lasted two years.

In the trailer for the American reality show Celebrity Big Brother, which was released on October 14, Markle Jr alleged Meghan 'walked all over' her first husband, American film producer Trevor Engelson, but it's unclear if he had any knowledge of the circumstances of their split.

In the trailer, Markle Jr said: 'The guy that she was married to the first time - she just walked all over him and dumped him.'

In response to another housemate who said that sounded 'cold-blooded', Markle Jr nodded before adding: 'Harry's on the chopping block next.'
Jeremiah Duggar had announced that he is officially in a relationship with a woman four years his senior, nearly seven months after his twin brother Jedidiah tied the knot.

The 22-year-old  who starred on his family's reality show, Counting On, until it was canceled this summer  shared his excitement to be in a courtship with fellow Christian fundamentalist Hannah Wissmann, 26.

With an engagement likely in the near future, Jeremiah's family is no doubt rejoicing over a bit of good news as they await older brother Josh Duggar's child pornography trial in November.

Speed dating: Jeremiah Duggar, 22, had announced that he is officially in a relationship with Hannah Wissmann, 26

'Never been so happy. Never felt so blessed!!' he wrote, posting a series of photos with Hannah in which they hold hands and side-hug

Finger flirting: The Duggars follow very strict rules governing male-female interactions. Hand-holding has been saved for engagement by some Duggars

'Getting to know each other has been one of the greatest joys of our lives!' he wrote, adding the hashtag #mygirlfriend

Jeremiah, or 'Jer,' announced the courtship on Instagram today.

'Never been so happy. Never felt so blessed!!' he wrote, posting a series of photos with Hannah in which they hold hands and side-hug.

The Duggars follow very strict rules governing male-female interactions. In addition to saving their first kiss for their wedding day, Duggars generally refrain from physical contact any more intimate than a short side-hug before marriage. Some engaged couples agree to hold hands.

'Getting to know each other has been one of the greatest joys of our lives! We are excited to start sharing our story with all of you and to see what God has in store for our future,' he wrote, adding the hashtag #mygirlfriend.

Hannah posted the same images and caption with the hashtag #myboyfriend.

Fans of the Duggars have speculated that the couple has been dating for months. In the past, other Duggars have kept their courtships under wrap for some time, only revealing them to the public shortly before getting engaged.

One exception was when Josiah, then 19, announced that he was courting a young woman named Marjorie Jackson, then 18, back in 2015. The pair broke up after four months  during which time Josh's first scandals made headlines.

It's time to take a wife! Jeremiah's announcement comes almost seven months after his twin brother Jed (left) got hitched

Hitched soon? Some fans think that Jeremiah and Hannah  who, at four years older than Jeremiah, would make a unique Duggar bride  may already even be engaged

Procreation fascination: Like Jeremiah, Hannah was raised in a conservative Christian family, the ninth of 13 children

Godly tunes: The Wissmann family also has their own musical group, and on the family website, Hannah is described as an 'energetic, social butterfly'

Josiah, 25, has since gone on to marry Lauren, and the couple has one daughter.

Some fans think that Jeremiah and Hannah  who, at four years older than Jeremiah, would make a unique Duggar bride  may already even be engaged.

Like Jeremiah, Hannah was raised in a conservative Christian family, the ninth of 13 children.

The Wissmann family also has their own musical group, and on the family website, Hannah is described as an 'energetic, social butterfly.'

'Hannah is a skilled and creative young woman. She loves spending time in the kitchen  trying new recipes and creating culinary masterpieces,' reads her bio.

'Our home also greatly benefits from her interest in interior design and seasonal decor. She is one of our lead vocalists and skillfully adds her fiddle to our musical selections.'

Interestingly enough, Hannah's older brother Stephen, 28, is rumored to be dating eldest Duggar daughter Jana  though no one from either family has publicly confirmed a romance at this point.

First to the altar: Jed and Katey Nakatsu, 22, tied the knot in April after keeping their engagement private

'We have enjoyed quietly developing our relationship over the past year and every moment together has been amazing!' Jed wrote. 'Im so grateful God brought Katey into my life'

Jed 2020! Jed ran a failed campaign for a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives last year, losing to Democrat Megan Godfrey (right)

Where the magic... didn't happen: After moving out of their parents house, Jed and Jer had side-by-side twin beds in a shared bedroom in their apartment

Jeremiah's announcement comes almost seven months after his twin brother  with whom he used to share a single bedroom in an apartment with a pair of twin beds  got hitched.

Jed, who ran a failed campaign for a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives last year, told fans on Instagram that he and Katey had been dating for a year before the nuptials, adding that he is 'the happiest man in the world' and 'so grateful God brought Katey into my life.'

The Duggars typically make much fanfare about announcing that they are 'courting' and engaged, publicizing their announcements on TLC  even if they wait several months to do so.

But Jed took a more private route, keeping mum about his relationship on his wedding day.

On April 3, he share a photo of himself in a blue suit, posing nose-to-nose with his new bride.

'For a long time I have prayed for my future spouse, not knowing who that person would be. God answered my prayers far beyond what I could have ever imagined in Katey!' he wrote.

'We have enjoyed quietly developing our relationship over the past year and every moment together has been amazing!

They do: Part of Jed and Katey's ceremony was broadcast live on YouTube, capturing the moment Katey came down the aisle and the vows that the pair recited to one another

Patriarchy: Jed said that the husband is 'the head of the wife' and promised to remain faithful, listen to Katey's needs, and love her whether she is 'healthy or sick, rich or poor, young or old'

'Im so grateful God brought Katey into my life and excited to share with you all that today she became my wife! Katey, the thought of sharing the rest of my life with you makes me the happiest man in the world! I love you so much!!' he concluded.

Part of the ceremony was broadcast live on YouTube, capturing the moment Katey came down the aisle and the vows that the pair recited to one another.

Jed cited the bible, saying that the husband is 'the head of the wife' while promising to remain faithful, listen to Katey's needs, and love her whether she is 'healthy or sick, rich or poor, young or old.'

Katey, meanwhile, quoted Ephesians 5:22: 'Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.'

She promised to 'submit to your authority as you do to Christ,' 'submit to your leadership, pray for you always, trust you, honor you remain faithful to you, be your greatest encourager.'

Disgusting: Josh, 33, was indicted on federal charges in April stemming from a 2019 raid that turned up a trove of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children

Protect those kids: Some of the material he is accused of possessing shows children under the age of 12. Josh is a father of seven

The courtship is no doubt a rare cause for celebration in the Duggar family, which has been experiencing a dramatic and troubling time these past six months.

In April, Josh was arrested and then indicted on child pornography charges stemming from a 2019 raid on his car dealership.

Some of the material he is accused of possessing shows children under the age of 12, and Homeland Security special agent Gerald Faulkner described some of the content as 'in the top five of the worst of the worst that I've ever had to examine.'

After a hearing, Josh was released on house arrest, and has been staying at the home of third party custodians LaCount and Maria Reber  where his wife Anna has visited him regularly, even bringing along their children for supervised visits.

Anna had announced that she was pregnant with the couple's seventh child shortly before his arrest, and she may have already given birth.

In the wake of Josh's arrest, TLC announced that it was canceling the family's reality show, Counting On. Though Josh has never appeared on Counting On, critics argued that Jim Bob was making a lot of money on the show  some of which he has likely put toward Josh's legal feels.

A nightmare houst guest: Josh was released on bail while he awaits trial for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material. He is staying with third-party custodians

Counting On itself was a reboot of 19 Kids and Counting, which was rebranded after Josh's first sex-related scandals in 2015.

That summer, inTouch broke the news that when Josh was a teenager, he had sexually abused five minors  including four of his younger sisters, the youngest being five at the time.

Shortly after, Josh was discovered to have had an account on the adultery website Ashley Madison, and he admitted to being unfaithful and suffering from an 'addiction' to pornography.

Since Josh's arrest this spring, the Duggars appear to have had precious little to celebrate.

In July, Jessa, 28, welcomed her fourth child, a daughter named Fern to join older siblings Sprugeon, Henry, and Ivy.

But no other Duggar pregnancies, births, courtships, engagements, or weddings have been announced.
As she walked into the meeting room, immaculately dressed and perfectly briefed, Suzanne Alderson was determined not to allow the strain of the past few months to show.

Three months earlier, Suzannes world had fallen apart when her 14-year-old daughter Issy went alone to see their GP to say she was planning to take her own life because she was being bullied at her private school.

The teenager was barely eating or sleeping and the doctor had rung Suzanne to tell her she couldnt be left on her own at home for a moment, in case she carried out the threat.

But despite the emotional turmoil she was in, Suzanne, 49, who ran a Leamington Spa-based marketing business and lives near Coventry, felt she had to be at work.

FEMAIL investigated the need for 'teen-ternity leave' for parents who need time out to look after teens, as the number of teenager off school with anxiety and depression in the UK increases. Pictured: Suzanne Alderson with daughter Issy

It was a meeting with the managing director of a multi-million-pound client, she says. We had a strong rapport and I wanted to support our team, talk about our wins.

Over the next hour, Suzanne thought she had managed to put her worries about her daughter out of her mind long enough to present her professional persona.

But then, as the meeting wound up, the client said: Are you OK? He noticed I wasnt myself, not in a business capacity, but personally.

I was blindsided and had to compose myself as I tried to work out whether, despite my best efforts, my worries had become apparent. I said my child was seriously ill and left it at that. It wasnt until a year later that I could tell him the full extent.

At that moment, Suzanne realised she could no longer do two jobs, be a high-flying businesswoman and a carer for a teenager who needed her around the clock.

After that, I took eight months off. I couldnt pretend everything was fine and that I could work at the intensity I had before Issy became suicidal. I sat down with my husband Ross, with whom I ran the company, and he said hed take over my clients and shield me as much as possible.

I had to recognise that what had been important in the boardroom now felt meaningless. The important work was in my home: caring for my daughter and keeping her alive.

I could have applied for a carers allowance of 67.60 a week and Issy could have claimed Disability Living Allowance to pay for her care needs  but these benefits are hard to secure so it wasnt worth it.

Suzanne (pictured) took eight months off from running a Leamington Spa-based marketing business to help her daughter recover

Suzanne was lucky to be able to take a break which helped her daughter, now 20, recover, go to college and take up a place at university.

But as the number of teens off school with anxiety and depression rises, her dilemma is becoming more common  how do you balance earning a living and caring for a mentally-ill child, especially now the pressure is on for employees to return to the workplace?

Post-pandemic, mental health services are buckling under the weight of adolescent referrals. Waiting lists for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), the NHS service that treats young people with mental health difficulties, have risen by more than a third in some places since the pandemic began.

The number of children admitted to acute wards with eating disorders more than doubled in the three months to June 2021, compared with the same period in 2019. More than ever, an army of parents is needed to support these teens as they wait for professional help. All of which begs the question: as well as maternity leave, do we need teen-ternity leave for parents who need time out to look after teens?

To find out, Femail canvassed a Facebook group run by the charity Parenting Mental Health, where parents go to get support when their child struggles, which has 20,000 members. While about a fifth of those who responded said employers were supportive, many more felt they had no choice but to take unpaid sabbaticals, or leave their jobs.

Others spoke of guilt over leaving colleagues in the lurch as they devoted time to teens who couldnt cope at school, were having panic attacks or threatening suicide. Still more reported their work performance had suffered because they couldnt concentrate  or that they have been eased out of their jobs for missing shifts or being unreliable.

Heather Westland, 54, (pictured) from Shropshire, chose not to return to work when her son Ollie had a breakdown in Year 11

All spoke of the feeling of having to choose between being there for their teenager in a crisis and having to earn the money to pay the bills.

This was the conflict faced by Jane Peters*, who took two months teen-ternity when she felt it had become untenable to keep up her job as a book-keeper while her daughter Maya*, then 15, struggled at school.

Jane, 52, says: There were days when as soon as I got to work, Id get a call to tell me Maya wasnt coping at school and asking me to collect her. Then one day, they rang to say shed taken an overdose on the train in. Theyd called an ambulance but I needed to go to the hospital.

At times such as this, she wanted me, not her dad, and I was the only person who could calm her. It was like having a toddler.

I felt I had to be open with my work. My employer was amazing  if I had to leave, it was accepted, but I felt guilty as other colleagues had to pick up the pieces.

When the stress became too much, Jane asked her GP if she could be signed off work. Seeing the toll it was taking on her health, he agreed.

For two months, I focused 100 per cent on my daughter, and that was when we got the connection back.

At first, Maya wanted to be in her room. But slowly she started coming out, talking more, watching TV with me. I think because I was calmer, she calmed down. When I wasnt working I felt more in tune with her.

She became less resistant to communicating and started missing fewer days of school. Gradually the calls reduced. Now shes doing well at school and has a part-time job.

While Jane sought help from CAMHS and Maya was assessed quickly by a nurse, she was then put on a nine-month waiting list for therapy.

Janes husband runs his own HR company, and she stresses how lucky she was to be able to afford to take time off, but adds: If parents can, I think taking a work break like this can really help. I think parental stress plays a huge role in all this.

A teacher for 22 years, Claire Whitehead* also took a break from work when her daughter Amelia* stopped going to school in Year 7, after a breakdown.

Now 16, Amelia has since been diagnosed with autism, anxiety and depression.

Looking back, Heather (pictured) believes that the pressures on Ollie to succeed in his GCSEs worsened his mental health

Claire, 46, who lives near Bristol, says: It was a huge secondary and by April, the size of the school and pressure socially and academically meant she collapsed. She refused to come out of her room and said she was going to kill herself.

Until that point, Claire had intended to apply for more senior education posts. But all this made it impossible. It impacted my career far more than my husband Jamess, who works in engineering  as he is a higher earner, it was obvious for me to cut back.

My headteacher has been supportive, but cutting down work to just one day means my salary is a fraction of what it was. Instead, as a family, we get 300 a month disability living allowance for Amelias needs.

Yet Claire regrets she didnt take more time off earlier, When Amelia first became ill, I cut back my days gradually, but I wish Id taken a year off at the start, rather than trying to juggle everything. Maybe she wouldnt have got worse.

I think giving families the option of a teen-ternity break  like maternity leave where you get 90 per cent of your average weekly pre-tax earnings for the first 6 weeks, and then a minimum of 151.97 or your average weekly earnings for the next 33 weeks  is a good idea.

She adds: Your GP or a social worker would secure eligibility based on the individual case, and then each teen may be reassessed weeks later to see if further parental leave was needed.

While its not yet being officially talked about, it could be cheaper for the Government than the millions they spend on mental health services for young people.

For some mothers, their childrens mental health problems have stopped them returning to the workplace altogether.

Heather Westland, 54, is a divorced mother-of-two from Shropshire who has a postgraduate degree in social policy and housing management. She hoped to return to work when her two children were older.

But in Year 11, her son Ollie had a breakdown. Now 18, he has been diagnosed with ADHD, depression, anxiety and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, which means he only eats a limited range of bland foods.

Looking back, Heather believes the pressures on Ollie to succeed in his GCSEs worsened his mental health.

He started having panic attacks at school. Then one morning, he came downstairs and fell apart. After that, even if he made it into school, he got little support so felt too anxious to go to lessons.

Belinda Lester, 52, (pictured), from North London, an employment law expert, thinks we need a societal shift so parents can take that time to support their teens if they are struggling

Heather feels she still has to devote much of her time to her son  so hasnt returned to work.

I have to be his reminder to eat and its a full-time job to get him the professional support, therapy and medication he needs. As his mother, Im his safe place; basically anything that impacts on him, impacts on me.

Sometimes, I imagine what life would have been like had I said: Right, thats it! Im going back into the workplace. But the good thing is Ollie is back on track. Hes at college doing a diploma in Sporting Excellence and I dont think he would have succeeded if I hadnt had the time to help him.

Belinda Lester, 52, is an employment law expert who knows what its like to be in this position. Her sons panic attacks reached a crisis point at secondary school.

When he started to refuse to go into his 1,500-pupil comprehensive, he joined the 700,000 youngsters who are listed as persistently absent from school, according to the latest government figures.

She found the problem eased when he was diagnosed with autism and she moved him to a small specialist school.

While Belinda, from North London, could work at home as she was already running her own practice, Lionshead Law, she says many women see their careers suffer.

She adds that parents have the right to take up to 18 weeks parental leave over the course of their childs life up to the age of 18, but it is unpaid and must be taken at a rate of four weeks a year in blocks of one or two weeks.

They can also apply to work flexibly but need to have worked for the same employer for 26 weeks. She adds: The employer needs a good reason to turn down flexible working requests.

Going forward, Belinda thinks we need a societal shift so parents can take that time to support their teens if they are struggling.

One of the biggest problems about all of this is that its seen as a womans problem. Nothing will significantly change until it becomes a people problem to be shared between both parents.

Suzanne (pictured) advises parents not to see their child's difficulties as a judgement on their parenting or their worth as an employee

Even though the provision to take time off for children is there, Belinda believes many parents still dont take it, fearing it will damage their careers.

Under the law, employers cant treat you less favourably.

Of course, whether the families, employers or the state bear the burden, the money isnt limitless.

In a nation where more than one in ten children is estimated to be facing some sort of mental health difficulty, we also have to address the underlying reasons our young people are struggling so much in the first place.

While many factors contribute to mental illness, the fact so many young people crumble when they join secondary school indicates our education system needs to change, says Suzanne Alderson, who set up the Parenting Mental Health charity after what her daughter went through.

Education has become depersonalised, focused on attainment, meaning children dont feel seen or heard as individuals. They are put under extraordinary pressure and when they have a difficulty, whether its anxiety or bullying, they are getting lost in the system.

Id like to see caring for a child with a mental health issue to be automatically covered by statutory sick pay. While for many, it wont take away all the financial pressures, it would give some security in a very uncertain and highly stressful time.

She adds: The Government also needs to recognise the impact this kind of caring has on the family, employers and wider society, support parents to do the important work of caring with flexibility, and ensure parents arent discriminated second-hand for their childs mental health issues.

Suzanne also believes its essential for parents to look after themselves, too.

Once youve seen your child try to end their life, it changes your perspective on what is important.

When I tried to work when Issy became ill, tasks that used to take me ten minutes took more like ten hours. When I stepped back from work, it gave me the emotional bandwidth to focus on her 100 per cent. Given time in a less stressed environment, Issy made her own way back.

Whatever a mothers circumstances, Suzanne, who has since written a book Never Let Go: How To Parent Your Child Through Mental Illness, also believes being transparent with your employer and colleagues is key.

Dont see your childs difficulties as a judgment on your parenting or your worth as an employee. Acknowledge whats going on, and dont be ashamed or gloss over it. After all, if your child had a physical illness, you wouldnt hide it.

If you are a parent with a mentally ill child, you can find support at facebook.com/parentingmentalhealth. Anyone seeking help can call Samaritans free on 116 123 or visit Samaritans.org.

Tanith Carey is author of Whats My Teenager Thinking? Practical Child Psychology For Modern Parents.

* These names have been changed.
The pandemic was a rough time for Rent the Runway, which lends customers designer clothing for work, nights out, and special occasions. With special occasions  really, all occasions  on hold, the company's business tanked in 2020.

But on Wednesday, the fashion-lending brand began publicly trading on Wall Street at $23 per share, with with a staggering $1.7 billion valuation.

The company did even better than expected, capping off the meteoric rise of co-founder Jennifer Hyman, 41  whose 5.1 per cent ownership stake is now worth about $48.9 million.

Rent the Runway began publicly trading on Wall Street at $23 per share on Wednesday, up from a $21 IPO price

CEO Jennifer Hyman's 5.1% wnership stake is now worth about $48.9 million

The 41-year-old (right) launched the company is 2008 with Harvard Business School classmate Jennifer Carter Fleiss (left), who left in 2018 but still owns 1%

The debut marks an incredible turnaround from the chaos that began last spring.

Additional funding had led Rent the Runway to be valued at $1 billion in 2019, and pre-pandemic, their $159-per-mont subscription service was booming, growing faster that 100 per cent per year.

But in early March, as the US began shutting down, customers fled.

Many subscribers, who had made up 75 per cent of business, canceled or paused their accounts. Forbes reported that only 30 per cent still had active accounts by May.

The company went through pay cuts, furloughs, and layoffs, and shut all of its brick-and-mortar stores. During a round of funding in the fall, the company's valuation dropped to $750 million valuation.

According to Yahoo, their total revenue for the 2020 fiscal year declined 38.7 per cent to $157.5 million, compared to $256.9 million the year before.

But during that time, Rent the Runway also went through some product changes. Hyman overhauled their subscription service, and opened up sales of its used clothing to all customers, even those without a membership.

The company had marketed 15 million shares for between $18 and $21, but ended up selling 17 million for $21 each on Tuesday

On Wednesday, when trading opened to the public, it was up to $23 per share, 9 per cent above its IPO price

'Im so proud of this milestone day,' Hyman said. 'Weve gone from a single dress and a single situation to building a full closet in the cloud that women can access for every occasion'

As more and more people felt comfortable going out again as vaccination rates climbed this year, so too did Rent the Runway's bottom line, culminating in its IPO this week.

The company had marketed 15 million shares for between $18 and $21, but ended up selling 17 million for $21 each on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, when trading opened to the public, it was up to $23 per share, 9 per cent above its IPO price.

'Im so proud of this milestone day,' Hyman told the New York Times. 'Weve gone from a single dress and a single situation to building a full closet in the cloud that women can access for every occasion.'

Hyman had previously said she would know it was 'time the IPO for when Rent the Runway will have the best success'  and she seems to hav efound the right moment.

Hyman launched Rent the Runway in November 2019 with co-founder Jennifer Carter Fleiss, whom she's met two years earlier when they were both MBA students at Harvard Business School in 2007

In April of 2019, the co-founders held a pop-up shop at Harvard where fellow students could rent dresses. On November 10 of that year, they launched their website

Hyman launched Rent the Runway in November 2019 with co-founder Jennifer Carter Fleiss, whom she's met two years earlier when they were both MBA students at Harvard Business School in 2007.

They came up with the idea over Thanksgiving break in 2008. Hyman's sister, Becky, had spent $2,000 on a dress to wear to a wedding  which put her in credit card debt  and it occured to Hyman that it would be smarter if women could rent designer clothes rather than buy them.

'I never said, Oh, this is a brilliant idea, this is going to be a billion dollar company, we have to do this,"' Hyman admitted to the Muse. 'My reaction was: I had an idea, I thought it was interesting, Jenny thought it was interesting, we thought it was fun, and we thought, lets figure out if this is a great idea.'

A month later, the women cold-emailed Diane von Furstenberg and set up a meeting. The designer was skeptical, according to their website, but she gave them advice.

In April of 2019, the co-founders held a pop-up shop at Harvard where fellow students could rent dresses.

It was a success, together, the co-founders raised funding from Bain Capital Ventures and Kleiner Perkins. On November 10 of that year, they launched their website and opened business to the public.

The business continued to grow, expanding stock to include accessories and plus-size clothing. By 2011, they carried more than 15,000 dresses from 120 designers

More and more investors had money pouring in, year after year

The business continued to grow, expanding stock to include accessories and plus-size clothing. By 2011, they carried more than 15,000 dresses from 120 designers.

And more and more investors had money pouring in, year after year.

In October 2014, the company launched its brick-and-mortar store in New York City, and would go on to open several more.

The company continued to grow as Hyman's personal life took a turn. In 2013, the then-32-year-old was set to marry former Starwood Hotel executive Peter Mack in a 'close to one million-dollar' ceremony at a horse ranch in Aspen, Colorado.

But three days before the nuptials, she called off the 200-person wedding.

' I wanted to share the very sad and devastating news that Ive decided to postpone/call off my wedding this weekend in Aspen,' she wrote in a message to guests, which was leaked to the New York Post .

Hyman was set to marry former Starwood Hotel executive Peter Mack in a 'close to one million-dollar' ceremony at a horse ranch in Aspen, Colorado in 2013

But three days before the nuptials, she called off the 200-person wedding

'I know you have each made huge commitments of your time and money to come... this weekend, changed summer plans, made vacations out of it and I am so sorry  for everything.

'I feel horribly to have made this decision so last minute, to have had to make this decision at all and I hope that each of you can understand and support me through what I know will be a very difficult time in my life.'

She said there were 'a number of very important reasons' why she made the decision, which she would share 'personally' in good time.

'I am extremely saddened by this situation and its been incredibly hard for me to get to this point. But, I do believe that it is the right thing for me to do,' she added.

Meanwhile, drama unfolded on the work front, too. According to Fortune, there was an 'exodus' of employees in 2015, with former employees comparing the encironment to the movie Mean Girls.

In October 2014, the company launched its brick-and-mortar store in New York City, and would go on to open several more

A chief operating officer, a chief financial officer, a chief marketing officers, a chief creative officer, a chief technology officer, a chief people officer, and a head of partnerships all departing in the span of 10 months.

'The culture is unpredictable and erratic,' said one former employee. 'Everyone knew and talked about it amongst themselves, but it was never formally acknowledged. It's not like there were complaints to HR. People were too afraid. There wasn't even really an HR.

The employee also said there were 'frequent screaming matches' between exectutives.

'You don't feel it's an environment where women support each other,' said another former employee. 'It felt like high school, it was very clique-y.'

Another spoke of 'disillusionment' and 'unprofessional' treatment, while one said: 'Everyone who leaves there has the same PTSD,' said another ex-employee.'

Responding to Forbes, Hyman said she thought the company was the 'opposite' of Mean Girls: 'There are no cliques in the office. There is an openess. People feel extremely comfortable with me personally. I have office hours where they can come talk to me.'

She also argued that similar things wouldn't be said about a male company founder.

There was an 'exodus' of employees in 2015, with former employees comparing the encironment to the movie Mean Girls

Rumblings aside, the company continued to grow, with 100,000-plus pieces of clothing, jewelry, and accessories by about 100 designers in 2016

Rumblings aside, the company continued to grow, with 100,000-plus pieces of clothing, jewelry, and accessories by about 100 designers in 2016.

That year, they launched a monthly subscription service  which put expected revenue for the year at $121 million.

In 2017, co-founder Fleiss left the company, holding onto a 1 per cent stake and leaving Hyman in charge.

Things took an upturn after that, and in 2018, she and fiance Benjamin Stauffer, a film and television editor, welcomed a baby girl named Aurora.

Soon after, the couple  who met on Hinge  married in a 'super down-to-earth' wedding at Gurneys in Montauk, New York.

According to Vogue, Hyman wore a Marchesa dress for the event, which had over 100 guests.

In 2018, she and her fiance, film and television editor Benjamin Stauffer, welcomed a baby girl named Aurora. They married soon after

Another high came in 2019, following a round of investing that raised $125 million from Franklin Templeton, Bain Capital, and T. Rowe Price  and elevated Rent the Runway to 'unicorn' status with a $1 billion valuation.

Then the pandemic swooped in and shook things up. Hyman laid off a third of her staff, furloughed another 37 per cent, and reduced everyone else's salaries for three months.

In April 2020, their valuation was demoted to $800 million after a $100 investment that helped get them through the economic downturn.

The company, which had previously posted 133,572 active subscribers and $256.9 million in revenue in 2019, was down to just 54,797 active subscribers and $157.5 million in revenue.

'They took a huge hit because if you dont need to leave your domicile to wear an outfit at a wedding or a prom or a graduation, youre going to dress in comfortable clothing,' Shawn Grain Carter, an associate professor of fashion business management at the Fashion Institute of Technology, told the New York Times.

But fortunately for Hyman and her employees, business began picking up quicky in 2021.

Then the pandemic swooped in and shook things up. Hyman laid off a third of her staff, furloughed another 37 per cent, and reduced everyone else's salaries for three months

But fortunately for Hyman and her employees, business began picking up quicky in 2021

'The recovery is happening much earlier and is much steeper than we ever imagined,' she said

In May, Gwyneth Paltrow joined the company's board, despite never having used the service

'The recovery is happening much earlier and is much steeper than we ever imagined,' she told Forbes in June. 'Nobody wants to wear anything they wore in 2020.'

Revenue increated 39.4 per cent from April 30, 2021 to July 31, 2021, and subscribers (including those with accounts on pause) were back up to 143,464  even higher than they were in 2019.

In May, Gwyneth Paltrow joined the company's board, despite never having used the service.

'Whats fascinating is that, in my own way, Ive been renting the runway for years,' she told the New York Times. 'Borrowing a dress from a designer for a single moment at a premiere or an awards show, then giving it back afterward. Now I guess everyone is doing it. But Ive got my welcome code in my inbox, so Ill soon be trying it out.'

As for the future, Hyman said she expects to branch out into other categories, and is open to goods, to shoes, 'luxury,' and kids  but she never expects to abandon her company.

'I have no desire to sell Rent the Runway,' she said on the podcast Recode Decode in 2017. 'I have a 50-year vision for Rent the Runway, at least, to change consumer behavior and actually put the closet in the cloud.

'And I think that it actually takes a long time to change consumer behavior, to get us from a place where were buying closets filled with things that we dont use, to a world where youre being smarter about how you get dressed.'
More than 250,000 British babies are born in toxic air hotspots every year - equal to one every two minutes, a study has revealed.

Experts warn the pollution is putting the tots at increased risk of developing potentially life-threatening health conditions.

Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation described their findings as a national shame and called for urgent action to tackle the problem.

Researchers from the charities examined air quality around hospitals and midwifery units along with births in each area in 2019.

Almost a third of hospitals in England were in areas where levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exceeded World Health Organisation guidelines.

This includes 71 maternity units where an estimated 183,979 babies are born each year - almost three in ten of all newborns.

PM2.5 comes largely from vehicles and industry and has been linked to premature death and heart and lung problems.

Analysis revealed more than 250,000 children were born in areas where PM2.5 levels were above WHO guidelines levels of 10 that year.

But the WHO lowered its limits to 5 this September, with researchers estimating 600,000 babies would now be born in the UK each year in areas that exceed this threshold.

Researchers from charities Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation examined air quality around hospitals and midwifery units along with births in each area in 2019

Almost a third of hospitals in England were in areas where levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5)  one of the most problematic pollutants  exceeded World Health Organisation guidelines, researchers found. The graph shows the level of PM2.5 in the UK since records began in 2009 for urban areas (purple) and by roads (red)

Air pollution increases the risk of several conditions, including heart attack, stroke and diabetes

Julia Kovaliova, 37, (pictured with her baby Maya) is a full-time finance manager from Manchester, which has some of the most polluted roads in the country and one of the worst rates of childhood asthma hospital admission in the country

Evidence shows air pollution can damage every organ in the body and can stunt the growth of lungs, meaning children are more vulnerable than adults.

Mother of 11-year-old pollution-induced asthma sufferer 'terrified' her other children will develop condition A mother-of-three is terrified two of her children will develop pollution-induced asthma that her oldest suffers from. Julia Kovaliova, 37, is a full-time finance manager from Manchester, which has some of the most polluted roads in the country and one of the worst rates of childhood asthma hospital admission in the country. She has three children, Maksim, 11, who has pollution-induced asthma, Mark, five, and one-year-old Maya. She is terrified Mark and Maya will get asthma like their brother. She said: 'Maksim was six when he first had an asthma attack and it seemed to come out of nowhere. He'd had a cough and a bit of a cold and one minute he was running around and the next he was complaining he couldn't catch his breath. I had to rush him to hospital and he was diagnosed with asthma. We live in an area which was supposed to be family-friendly, yet it is a near a busy main road where traffic is constantly whizzing by and there is not much green space. Maksims asthma is always worse when the roads are busy and I am convinced it is triggered by air pollution. When we are away from home, such as on holiday or visiting family in Lithuania where there is much less traffic, his breathing problems miraculously disappear. It is terrifying that air pollution can make children so ill and I worry that Maksims asthma will get steadily worse. I am really concerned that Maya will develop asthma like her brother  she was breathing in dirty air while she was in the womb and now is breathing in toxic air as a small, innocent baby. But we cant afford to move somewhere less polluted. I am campaigning to stamp out air pollution, and with a group of other parents, I stopped the council building a car park near my sons school but it is time now for the Government to step up and really make a difference. Advertisement

Air pollution can also damage the lungs and brains of babies while they are still in the womb and emerging evidence shows pregnant women who breathe toxic air are more likely to give birth prematurely and with a low birth weight.

Toxic air is also estimated to cause 36,000 premature deaths in the UK every year.

At local authority level, Newham Council in London topped the charts as having the worst levels of air pollution followed by the City of London and Waltham Forest councils.

Birmingham, which has the highest rates of birth in the country, is the second most polluted city after London.

But it isnt just large cities affected, with leafy St Albans and Windsor and Eton also recording dangerously high levels air pollution, with more than 1,500 babies exposed in each area.

The findings come ahead of next weeks UN Climate Change conference (COP26).

Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation, said: It is a national shame that a quarter of a million babies are born breathing toxic air every year.

How can it be acceptable that the first breath a baby takes could be so dirty it could seriously affect their long-term health?

Every child deserves the best start in life and our Government needs to act now to cut air pollution levels and do their duty to protect future generations from this invisible threat.

The UK Government must blaze a trail, not just at COP26 but beyond, to bring in bold new clean air laws and set ambitious targets to clean up the air by 2030.

If people are encouraged to swap their car for cleaner modes of transport and Government invests in more cycle routes, more frequent bus routes and if local councils expand clean air zones, there is hope that we can tackle air pollution and all enjoy cleaner air.

But we cant press for change alone.

We need people to share their stories of how air pollution affects them and support our campaign to put pressure on the Government to urgently tackle air pollution.

Low income groups are disproportionately affected by air pollution, and often contribute least to the problem as they are less likely to own a car or drive long distances.

Furthermore, the new analysis found pollution levels around maternity units are highest in the most deprived areas.

The charities want the Government to put improving air quality at the heart of its levelling up agenda, ensuring people can access clean air regardless of where they are born or where they live.

Andy Ratcliffe, executive director of programmes at campaign group Impact on Urban Health, said: Where a baby happens to be born determines whether, from its very first breath, it will be exposed to toxic levels of poisonous air.

This new report shows that pollution levels around maternity units are highest in areas of social deprivation. This is an unacceptable example of inequality in action.

COP26 is a crucial moment for the Governments levelling up agenda.

Do we want to be a society where the burden of poisonous air is disproportionately borne by those whose health is most susceptible - children, older people, people with heart and lung conditions and those in lower income communities?

Or do we want to make sure every parent can be confident their baby has equal access to safe air and a healthy life, right from the very first breath?

Meanwhile, a mother-of-three has shared her concerns about pollution levels in Manchester, after her first born child develop asthma in response to poor air quality.

Julia Kovaliova, 37, is a full-time finance manager from Manchester, which has some of the most polluted roads in the country and one of the worst rates of childhood asthma hospital admission in the country.

She has three children, Maksim, 11, who has pollution-induced asthma, Mark, five, and one-year-old Maya. She is terrified Mark and Maya will get asthma like their brother.

Ms Kovaliova said: We live in an area which was supposed to be family-friendly, yet it is a near a busy main road where traffic is constantly whizzing by and there is not much green space.

Maksims asthma is always worse when the roads are busy and I am convinced it is triggered by air pollution.

It is terrifying that air pollution can make children so ill and I worry that Maksims asthma will get steadily worse.

I am really concerned that Maya will develop asthma like her brother  she was breathing in dirty air while she was in the womb and now is breathing in toxic air as a small, innocent baby.

But we cant afford to move somewhere less polluted.'
A subvariant of the Covid Delta strain which is on the rise in the UK is now on the World Health Organization's radar.

AY.4.2  detected in all but 12 areas of England  is feared to be up to 15 per cent more infectious than its already highly virulent ancestor.

UK health chiefs labelled it a 'variant under investigation' last week as they seek to establish how much infectious it is or if it is better able to evade vaccines.

Now the WHO is also taking special notice of AY.4.2, dedicating a whole segment of its weekly epidemiological report to the new strain.

More than 26,000 cases of the offshoot have been reported from 42 countries as of October 25, the UN agency said.

The UK's outbreak gets a special mention, given Britain  which has one of the strongest Covid surveillance schemes in the world  has detected around 93 per cent of the global total reported cases.

The new Covid variant AY.4.2 has been found in 42 countries, but has been most prevalent in the UK, US, Denmark, Poland and Germany. This graph shows the percentage of AY.4.2 cases as a proportion of the country's total Covid cases. The UK has led case growth since the variant was fist identified in July, but in recent weeks Poland has eclipsed this, and there are signs Germany is also catching up

The above map shows the 12 areas AY.4.2 was not detected in (white) over the two weeks to October 16, the latest available. It has spread to almost every area of England

The above chart showed AY.4.2 accounted for a slightly higher proportion of cases in the latest week  one in ten  compared to two weeks ago  one in 13. Scientists said the slow rise was still compatible with a 10 per cent transmission advantage over Delta

It wants to learn if the variant, which is thought to have emerged in England, is more dangerous than existing strains.

The WHO said a 'gradual increase' in the proportion of AY.4.2 Covid cases has been observed in Britain.

AY.4.2: Everything you need to know Where did AY.4.2 come from? This sub-variant of Delta was first detected in the UK on June 26, according to UK-based tracking. Scientists say it is likely that AY.4.2 evolved here because the UK has much higher case numbers than other countries. But it is possible that the variant was imported from abroad and then started to spread in the country. Why is it only in a few countries? AY.4.2 has been spotted in more than 40 countries including the UK, Germany, Denmark and the US to date. It may not have been spotted in other places due to a lack of Covid surveillance, which would lead to new sub-variant not being spotted. But travel restrictions may also be behind the slow spread, which have made it less likely that the virus will be passed between countries. How infectious is the sub-variant? Experts estimate that AY.4.2 is around 10 per cent more infectious than the Delta variant. They say this may lead to a marginally higher number of cases, but that it will not trigger a spike similar to that seen when Delta arrived in the UK. Should I be concerned about AY.4.2? Scientists say there is no reason to be too concerned about AY.4.2. There is no evidence to suggest that vaccines are less effective against the sub-variant, or that it increases the risk of hospitalisation and death. But laboratory tests are underway at labs in the UK and Denmark to assess this. Professor Lawrence Young from Warwick University said: 'There is no reason to suggest vaccines won't be as effective.' And Professor Anders Fomsgaard from Denmark's Covid surveillance centre said: 'We are not concerned by this. We see nothing in this point of time that indicates it is more contagious, resistant or pathogenic.' Advertisement

Figures show the new variant makes up for about 10 per cent of all new cases, compared to just 5 per cent last month.

The WHO report adds that further studies assessing if AY.4.2 is more contagious or deadlier are already underway.

'Epidemiological and laboratory studies are ongoing to assess if AY.4.2 confers any additional phenotypic impacts (e.g. a change in transmissibility or a decrease in the ability of antibodies to block the virus),' the report reads.

While the UK has recorded the vast majority of the world's AY.4.2 samples, there are signs outbreaks could be underway in other countries.

Britain's world-leading genomic capabilities mean it is better equipped to pick up on new strains, even if they emerged in other countries.

AY.4.2 makes up about 16 per cent of all Covid cases in Poland, according the latest surveillance data.

But a lack of genomic Covid testing in Poland makes it hard to compare with Britain with the country only recording 132 cases of AY.4.2, compared to the UK's 23,820.

In the UK, the Government's Covid surveillance programmes detected AY.4.2 in 303 of 315 local authorities in England in the fortnight ending October 16, the latest available.

The 12 areas where AY.4.2 was not detected in the latest fortnight were: Babergh, Burnley, Copeland, Hinckley and Bosworth, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Melton, Mid Suffolk, Newark and Sherwood, Oadby and Wigston, Pendle, Rushcliffe and South Holland.

Despite data showing it is still outcompeting its ancestor, some scientists are now questioning how much more transmissible than Delta the subtype really is.

Figures show it is now behind about one in ten cases in the UK, up slightly from around one in 13 a fortnight ago. But the data also reveals its curve is flattening off.

Northumbria University scientists involved in variant surveillance say it is still 'unclear' if AY.4.2 is actually more transmissible because too little is known about its mutations.

They pointed to the 'founder effect' as an alternative explanation, when a strain spreads rapidly because it is the only one in a specific cluster of cases, like a school.

But Professor Francois Balloux, a geneticist and Covid commentator at University College London who was among the first to raise concerns about AY.4.2 last week, said the slower rise was 'still compatible' with a 10 per cent transmission advantage.

And Professor Jeffrey Barrett, who heads up Covid surveillance at the Sanger Institute, said the data was 'consistent with a small, but real, growth advantage vs other Delta'.

AY.4.2 was first detected in the UK in June, where it has gradually spread across the whole country.

While not officially named, it could soon be called the the Nu variant under the Greek alphabetical system for naming new strains of the Covid virus.

Experts estimate it first emerged in London or the South East, but there is no clear proof on its origin yet.

It carries two key mutations, A222V and Y145H, which both slightly alter the shape of the spike protein which the virus uses to invade cells.

Scientists claim A222V was previously seen on another variant (B.1.177) first spotted in Spain. But studies suggest it did not make the strain more transmissible, and that it was only spread by holidaymakers returning home.

There is more concern about the mutation Y145H, which slightly changes the shape of the site antibodies bind to making it harder for them to stop an infection from happening.

Scientists say this builds on mutations in Delta, and could make the subtype even more resistant to vaccines than its parent.
Britain has ordered 60million doses and firm said it expects a 'positive decision'

If approved, it would be the fifth vaccine authorised against the coronavirus

Novavax has submitted data on its Covid vaccine to the UK medicine regulator

Novavax has formally sought regulatory approval of its coronavirus vaccine in Britain.

The US-based firm submitted its final trial data to drug safety watchdogs, in a move that could see another jab added to the UK's roster.

No10 has already bought 60million doses of the jab. But it is not clear how it would be used, if approved.

Novavax expects a 'positive decision' from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Its vaccine, officially known as NVX-CoV2373, would be the first protein-based jab approved in the UK, if given the green light.

Novavax's vaccine, officially known as NVX-CoV2373, would be the first protein-based jab approved in the UK, if given the green light

The Government has ordered 60million doses of Novavax, which the MHRA is currently reviewing. 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 of the jab made by GSK. Meanwhile, the Government has requested 50million CureVac vaccines, 20million Janssen and 17million Moderna injections. But only four jabs have been approved in the UK: AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen

Other injections already approved are either viral vector vaccines that are made from a common cold virus (AstraZeneca and Janssen), or an mRNA vaccine made from enzymes (Pfizer and Moderna).

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NOVAVAX COVID-19 VACCINE THAT PREVENTED MORE THAN 90% OF PEOPLE FALLING ILL How does the vaccine work? The Novavax vaccine works like other vaccines by teaching the immune system to make antibodies to the coronavirus spike protein. Researchers inserted a modified gene into a virus, called a baculovirus, and allowed it to infect insect cells. Spike proteins from these cells were then assembled into nanoparticles which, while they look like coronavirus, cannot replicate or cause Covid-19. These nanoparticles are then injected into the body via the vaccine where the immune system mounts an antibody response. If the body encounters coronavirus in the future, the body is primed to fend it off. The vaccine is given as two doses. Are there advantages of the Novavax vaccine? Yes. While the jabs from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna need to be kept at ultra-low temperatures, the Novavax jab is stable for up to three months in a normal fridge. How effective is the vaccine? According to results of phase III trials, the jab offers 100 percent protection against severe disease, including all hospital admission and death. It is 86 percent effective against the Alpha (Kent) variant and 100 percent effective in preventing cases caused by the original strain of the coronavirus. Has the Novavax vaccine been approved? Not yet. The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency is reviewing data on the jab. In the U.S., the data will be examined by regulators at the Food and Drug Administration after Novavax applies for Emergency Use Authorization. Advertisement

Novavax's contains proteins that mimic the spikes on the coronavirus, causing to produce antibodies to fight the infection. It is administered in two doses 21 days apart.

Protein vaccines already in use include the hepatitis B and meningitis jabs.

Trials showed the vaccine was up to 100 per cent effective at stopping moderate and severe disease.

The UK has ordered more than 400million doses of eight difference vaccines, but only four have been approved by the MHRA: AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen.

The agency decides whether to approve any vaccine based on safety, quality and effectiveness data.

Maryland-based Novavax's submission includes data from the phase three clinical trial, which tested the jab on more than 15,000 people in the UK.

It revealed the jab had an efficacy rate of 96.4 against mild, moderate and severe disease caused by the original coronavirus strain.

And it also offered 86.3 percent protection against the Alpha strain.

Meanwhile, a trial of the vaccine on 30,000 people in the US and Mexico found it gave 100 per cent protection against moderate and severe disease.

Trials found the injection to produced a 'robust' antibody response, is safe and only triggered mild side effects.

Stanley Erck, the company's president and chief executive, said: 'This submission brings Novavax significantly closer to delivering millions of doses of the first protein-based Covid vaccine, built on a proven, well-understood vaccine platform that demonstrated high efficacy against multiple strains of the coronavirus.

'We look forward to MHRA's review and will be prepared to deliver vaccine doses following what we anticipate will be a positive decision.

'We thank the clinical trial participants and trial sites in the UK, as well as the UK Vaccines Taskforce, for their support and vital contributions to this programme.'

The MHRA could not provide any details of its review of the jab due to commercial confidentiality.

Novavax said it plans to submit its jab to regulators in Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand 'shortly', as well as to the US by the end of the year.

Earlier this month, it was announced that the 15,000 participants in the UK Novavax trial would have to have two further doses of another vaccine to travel abroad.

Thousands of volunteers have been unable to travel because other countries do not recognise Novavax as a valid Covid vaccine.
Virtual health care visits skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study finds.

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University, both in the Boston area, looked at the use of telehealth before and during the pandemic compared to in-person appointments.

In 2019, the year before the pandemic, virtual visits accounted for just 0.3 percent of health care usage.

That figure jumped nearly 100-fold amid the Covid crisis, accounting for 29.6 percent of visits from June 2020 to April 2021.

Conversely, in-person visits made up 92 percent of health care appointments before the pandemic, which declined to 63 percent during the pandemic.

Researchers believe that the rise of virtual care has not added much to health care in America, but has instead just substituted existing systems.

Virtual health care made up a insignificant portion of health care before the pandemic. Once COVID-19 arrived its use grew, though, and it now accounts for around 30% of all health care

Researchers believe the virtual care will not add to the amount of care being delivered, but instead serve as a substitute to some in-person visits. Pictured: A Covid patient receives treatment at a Worcester, Massachusetts, hospital on December 4, 2020

'Our results suggest that the transition to incorporate virtual care into our ambulatory care offerings was not associated with increased overall visit volumes,' researchers wrote.

'We believe this suggests that, to date, virtual care has been substitutive, rather than additive, within our system and provided a vital avenue for care delivery.'

While virtual care has always existed, telehealth became commonplace during the pandemic, opening a new dimension to the health care system.

Many have lauded virtual care as the future, as it makes quick doctor visits much easier and more accessible.

It also removed potential transportation barriers some may face in getting treatment.

Virtual care will always be lacking compared to in-person visits, though, and there are many basic functions that cannot be performed virtually.

Researchers, who published their findings on Wednesday in JAMA Network Open, gathered data from 12 hospitals in the Massachusetts General Hospital health care system from October 2019 to April 2021.

They compared data from the pre-pandemic period, October 2019 to February 2020, to the pandemic period from June 2020 to April 2021.

In total, there were 10.5 million visits among 1.5 million patients during the study period.

In the pre-pandemic period, there were 578,084 health care visits, with only 1,488 - or 0.3 percent - of visits being virtual.

Covid caused many to move their care into a virtual setting.

During the pandemic period, from June 2020 to April 2021, there were 590,613 health care visits - a two percent increase in total health care usage.

Of those visits, 174,579 - or 29.6 percent - were virtual.

There was a near equal decrease in use of on-site in-person health care visits,.

Prior to the pandemic, there 530,156 visits the pre-Covid period, making up 91.7 percent of appointments, which fell to 369,239 during the pandemic, or 62.7 percent of all appointments.

Researchers also found a 25 percent increase in overall behavioral health visits during the pandemic, with the exact same 0.3 percent to 29.6 percent jump in virtual care visits once the pandemic started.

Behavioral health care became especially important during the pandemic, with there being a reported spike in mental health issues across the country - especially among kids.

While virtual health does have its limitations, it has become a boon to behavioral and mental health care.
Giving NHS staff a no jab, no job ultimatum would have a 'devastating' impact on staffing in the health service, top doctors have warned.

The British Medical Association (BMA) warning comes as the Government considers making both Covid and flu vaccines mandatory for NHS staff, with any who refuse facing the sack.

There are around 100,000 NHS workers in England who have not yet had their first vaccine.

With Health Secretary Sajid Javid saying compulsory vaccination for staff could come this winter, the BMA said the threat of sacking staff was 'of grave concern' considering upcoming seasonal pressures and the massive NHS care backlog.

There is already a staffing shortfall of nearly 10,000 medics and almost 40,000 nurses in England as the country heads into potentially one of the toughest winters ever for the NHS.

It is unknown how many of the about 100,000 unvaccinated NHS staff are doctors and nurses.

BMA council chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said while they support the Covid vaccine rollout, Government needed to consider the potential consequences of compulsory vaccinations.

A 'no jab no job' ultimatum in an attempt to force NHS staff to get the Covid vaccine could backfire and lead to staff shortages, the doctors' union has warned

The above graph shows the proportion of NHS staff that have been vaccinated against Covid in England. There are some 100,000 employees who are yet to get their first jab

'There is, however, an important distinction between believing every healthcare worker should be vaccinated and advocating for mandatory vaccinations; this comes with its own legal, ethical and practical implications that must be considered,' he said.

'The threat to staff who refuse the vaccine of losing their jobs is also of grave concern.'

Care homes may have to close because of compulsory staff Covid vaccines Elderly and vulnerable care home residents could be left at higher risk of catching Covid-19 because of the Governments ban on unvaccinated staff, it is feared. Under a tough new law, more than 40,000 frontline carers will be forced out of their jobs within weeks after refusing to get the jab. But providers were already struggling to fill record numbers of vacancies and say they will be forced to close units, floors or even entire residential homes if they cannot meet required staffing levels from November 11. This could mean pensioners being moved into hospital wards, where they could be looked after by unvaccinated former care home staff as the no jab, no job rule does not currently apply in the NHS. Care industry bosses are pleading with ministers to put the mandatory vaccination order on hold during the winter, when the health service is already expected to come under huge pressure from another wave of coronavirus cases as well as a resurgence in flu. Professor Martin Green, chief executive of trade body Care England, said: The Government talks about an integrated system and yet they have not imposed the same rules for vaccination on the NHS. If we have a really severe staff shortage, services will close. It will mean the residents will lose their homes but also that the system will have to find them somewhere else to live and that may put extra pressure on the NHS. Advertisement

Dr Nagpaul says that although more than 90 per cent of NHS staff in England have had the Covid jab, losing even a comparatively small portion of the workforce to a 'no jab no job' policy could have massive consequences.

'Even if a small number of staff were forced out of work because they are not vaccinated, this would have a big impact on a health service thats already under immense pressure,' he said.

'With severe workforce shortages afflicting the NHS, and 93,000 unfilled vacancies, any reduction in healthcare workers could be devastating for patient services as we face a record backlog of care and winter pressures.'

The union boss said the Government should explore giving unvaccinated staff a way out of the policy so they could still contribute to the NHS.

'The Government should explore options for those who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons or may refuse, including, for example, remote working, possible redeployment, greater PPE protection and more regular testing,' he said.

But Dr Nagpaul added that the biggest question, how a compulsory vaccine policy would impact staffing is unknown and the Government should explore this before implementing the policy.

'We would like to see the Government produce an impact assessment to give an indication of how much this policy may affect staffing levels' he said.

'It would be irresponsible to move forward with this plan without doing this at the very least, and we would recommend delaying the policy until such time as a more complete understanding of its implications on workforce levels can be reached.'

Speaking last week, Mr Javid said making vaccines compulsory would encourage the unvaccinated staff to get their jab and make patients safer.

'Theres around 100,000 that are not (vaccinated in the NHS) at this point but what we saw with the care sector is that when we announced the policy then we saw many more people come forward and do the right thing and get vaccinated,' he told Sky News.

'If they havent got vaccinated by now then there is an issue about patient safety and thats something the Government will take very seriously.'

Ministers launched a six-week consultation on making Covid and flu vaccinations compulsory for NHS staff at the beginning of last month. The results are yet to be published.

If enacted it will mirror No10's controversial 'no jab, no job' policy already in care homes, with staff working in elderly residences having a vaccination deadline of by November 11.

Care bosses have warned that many homes will be forced to close because they won't be able to find enough vaccinated workers.

But a critical difference in the NHS staff compulsory vaccination proposal is the addition of the flu jab.

While Covid vaccinations have been high, with the vast majority of hospitals in England achieving vaccination rates in excess of 85 per cent, convincing staff to get the flu jab has proven more problematic.

Last year's flu vaccine drive for NHS staff, which ended in February, saw an overall uptake of just under 77 per cent, meaning about a quarter of staff didn't get it.

There were also regional variances, with some hospitals only getting 53 per cent of their staff to get the flu jab.

While Mr Javid's comments were in relation to compulsory Covid vaccines, in theory the same would apply to flu vaccines, under the proposed policy.

Other health unions have also warned against making vaccines compulsory for staff.

The Royal College of Nursing has also voiced its concerns with the policy, as other health bodies such as NHS confederation.

Care home bosses have already sounded the alarm about compulsory jabs with some fear they may have to close because of the Government's ban on unvaccinated staff, with 40,000 frontline workers still to get jabbed.

Providers were already struggling to fill record numbers of vacancies, and say they will likely need to close units, floors or even entire residential homes when the policy comes in to force.

This could mean pensioners are moved to hospital wards, where they could be looked after by unvaccinated former care home workers.

Care industry bosses are already pleading with ministers to put compulsory vaccination orders on hold over the winter, when they are already expecting to come under huge pressure from Covid and flu.

While studies show Covid vaccines dramatically reduce a person's risk of being hospitalised or dying they are slightly less effective at stopping transmission.

Some vaccines are already required in parts of the NHS, including the Hepatitis B, for all those working in exposure-prone parts of the health service such as surgery.

Most people who catch the virus are able to clear the infection, but in rare cases it can trigger liver failure, a potentially fatal complication.
The number of COVID-19 cases and deaths recorded at U.S. meatpacking plants during the first year of the pandemic may have been a significant undercount, a new congressional report finds.

On Wednesday, the U.S. House Select Subcommittee of the Coronavirus Crisis published the findings of its investigation into Covid outbreaks at plants of major meat companies across the country.

Committee members found that between plants belonging to JBS USA Food Company, Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods, Cargill Meat Solutions and National Beef, there were likely 59,000 cases of Covid - a three times the reported figures.

Nearly 270 deaths were discovered by investigators as well, triple the 89 reported deaths.

A JBS plant in Hyrum, Utah; a National Beef plant in Iowa; and a Tyson plant in Amarillo, Texas' were highlighted as plants that had particularly dire Covid situations.

Meatpacking plants were reported to be the source of COVID-19 outbreaks early on in the pandemic, though it appears the situation was worse than previously believed.

An investigation into JBS USA Food Company, Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods, Cargill Meat Solutions and National Beef found that the number of reported Covid cases and deaths among meatpacking plant employees could have been only one-third of the true totals

Certain plants, such as a JBS plant in Utah, a National Beef plant in Iowa and a Tysons plant in Texas, were identified as virus hotspots Pictured: Employees work in a Peery, Iowa, Tysons plant

The subcommittee launched an investigation into the meatpacking plants in February based on the reported data of more than 250 employee deaths at Tyson, Smithfield and JBS plants.

'Public reports indicate that under the Trump Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) failed to adequately carry out its responsibility for enforcing worker safety laws at meatpacking plants across the country, resulting in preventable infections and deaths,' Rep James Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat, wrote to OSHA when the investigation launched.

'It is imperative that the previous Administration's shortcomings are swiftly identified and rectified to save lives in the months before coronavirus vaccinations are available for all Americans.'

That investigation has since uncovered that the situation at these meatpacking plants was worse than previously believed.

The investigation found that there were over 59,000 meatpacking employees at the five companies infected with Covid from March 2020 to February 2021 - nearly triple the reported figure of 22,700.

There were also at least 269 deaths found among the employees, which is three times higher than the previous estimate of about 90 by the Food and Environment Report Network.

Investigators also note that their figures may still be underestimates becuase they were reliant on self-reported data and did not include many employees who tested positive for the virus off-site.

'Public reports indicate that meatpacking companieshave refused to take basic precautions to protect their workers, many of whom earn extremely low wages and lack adequate paid leave, and have shown a callous disregard for workers' health,' Clyburn said in February.

'These actions appear to have resulted in thousands of meatpacking workers getting infected with the virus and hundreds dying.

'Outbreaks at meatpacking plants have also spread to surrounding communities, killing many more Americans.'

The report highlighted three plants in particular for being especially dangerous.

Just under half of the workforce at Tyson's Amarillo, Texas, plant tested positive for Covid, the report found.

The report also finds that Tyson was not performing temperature checks on employees who arrived for work every day as of March 20, 2020, and told employees to come to work despite 'shelter in place' orders by some local governments.

Tyson foods told DailyMail.com that the company has spent more than $810 million to address COVID-19, and gotten almost all of its employees vaccinated by spending $6.3 million in incentives.

'Even one illness or loss of life to COVID-19 is one too many, which is why weve taken progressive action from the start of the pandemic to protect the health and safety of our workers, including extensive testing and a vaccine requirement that has led to over 96 percent of our U.S. workforce being vaccinated,' a Tysons representative told DailyMail.com in an email.

At National Beef's plant in Tama, Iowa, 44 percent of employees contracted the virus.

National Beef did not immediately respond to a DailyMail.com request for comment.

The worst offender was JBS's plant in Hyrum, Utah, where 54 percent employees tested positive for COVID-19.

'The health and safety of our team members always comes first and our response since the onset of the pandemic has demonstrated that commitment, with an investment of more than $760 million to date,' a JBS representative told DailyMail.com in an email.

'We have taken aggressive action to keep the virus out of our facilities and adopted hundreds of safety measures that often outpaced federal guidance and industry standards, including requiring facemasks for 100 percent of our workforce in the early stages of the pandemic, voluntarily removing vulnerable populations while providing full pay, covering 100 percent of worker healthcare costs related to COVID-19, and conducting more than 80,000 surveillance tests to date.'

The representative also noted that the company's employee death rate was one-third of the national death rate.

A large portion of deaths included in the national rate are among people in nursing homes and other elderly adults who would be too old or not in a condition to be working, though.

Meanwhile, Smithfield was found to be pushing back against federal and state government Covid recommendations in order to keep their plants operating.

'Smithfield moved immediately in the earliest days of the pandemic  even before any direction from health officials  to implement worker safety measures,' a Smithfield representative told DailyMail.com in an email.

'In fact, at the time when public health officials finally released guidance for the industry, Smithfield had already implemented more than 90 percent of the recommendations. Smithfield swiftly and effectively came into compliance with all health and safety recommendations and continues to operate under that guidance today.'

The representative also said the company regularly performs widespread testing of its workers.

Rep Jim Clyburn (pictured), a South Carolina Democrats, blames OSHA and President Donald Trump for the conditions at meat packing plants

In a statement, Cargill Meat Solutions insisted that its top priority was keeping employees safe.

'Throughout the pandemic weve worked hard to maintain safe and consistent operations,' a Cargill representative told DailyMail.com in an email.

'At the same time, we have not hesitated to temporarily idle or reduce capacity at processing plants when we determined it necessary to do so. Our response to the pandemic has been guided by our values  putting people first, doing the right thing and reaching higher.

'We have operated in a manner that meets or exceeds the federal governments health and safety standards issued for meat processors and have hosted several governmental agencies for tours of our protein facilities.'

In February, Clyburn blamed the Trump Administration and OSHA for failures to regulate these companies.

'[I]n the last year, OSHA failed to issue enforceable rules, respond in a timely manner to complaints, and issue meaningful fines when a company's unsafe practices led to the deaths of employees,' Clyburn said.

'As a result, I am concerned that under the Trump Administration, OSHA did not fulfill its mission to protect vulnerable meatpacking workers during the pandemic.'

A public meeting will be held Wednesday by the subcommittee where the report's findings will be discussed.
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Just two months ago, Florida was experiencing the worst COVID-19 surge in the United States.

The Sunshine State had the highest seven-day average of cases per day as well as the highest hospitalization rate in the country.

Despite these grim metrics, Governor Ron DeSantis did not issue new lockdowns, closures or stay-at-home orders, arguing that the spike was due to a seasonal pattern of the virus and urging residents to get vaccinated.

Now, with Halloween and Thanksgiving right around the corner, the Covid crisis looks really different in Florida.

Inexplicably, cases and deaths have been going down despite DeSantis implementing no new mitigation measures.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show Florida is recording one of the best case and death rates in the country.

This is similar to what's been seen nationwide as Covid-related infections and fatalities in the U.S. drop to the lowest levels recorded since April 2021.

Additionally, the state is doing just as well as California, despite the West Coast State taking a very strict approach including implementing mask mandates, limiting gatherings and closings bars and indoor dining at restaurants.

Experts say Covid waves usually occur in a two-month cycle - with infections rising for two months before declining - and instead of trying to prevent the cycle from occurring, DeSantis just let it ride out.

The declining rates could change as Floridians head inside for the winter months, potentially causing cases to rise again, but, as of now, it seems like Florida's downward trends will only continue.

FLORIDA CASES: During the peak of the recent COVID-19 surge in Florida, the state was recording 101 cases per 100,000, which has since declined to nine new cases per 100,000

FLORIDA DEATHS: Florida was recording 1.77 new deaths per 100,000 people during the peak of the surge, which has since fallen to fewer than 0.01 deaths per 100,000

In mid-August, the COVID-19 crisis perhaps looked no more dire than in Florida.

The state reached a record-high 26,000 Covid cases reported in one day or about 101 cases per 100,000 people.

This is 44 percent higher than the previous peak of 18,000 cases per day recorded in January 2021, according to CDC data.

During this time, there were 17,200 COVID-19 hospitalizations - three-fold higher than the 5,700 seen just one month earlier.

Additionally, Florida reported a record-high 227 deaths per day in mid-August or 1.77 per 100,000.

However, Governor DeSantis defended himself against critics and told Fox News in an interview on August 26 that the state was having 'great success' treating COVID-19 patients early with monoclonal antibodies.

He also slammed President Joe Biden for failing to end the pandemic.

'You know, he said he was going to end Covid. He hasn't done that,' DeSantis told host Jesse Watters.

'At the end of the day, he is trying to find a way to distract from the failures of his presidency.'

At the time, doctors and public health experts said that DeSantis's laissez-faire approach was a gamble, but it appears to have paid off.

CDC data show Florida is recording 64 cases per 100,000 people in a week or nine cases per 100,000 people per day as of Wednesday.

This means the The Sunshine State has the best case rate in the country behind California, Mississippi, Hawaii and Alabama, respectively.

Currently, California recording 28 cases per 100,000 people in a week or three cases per 100,000 people per day.

The declines are despite Governor Ron DeSantis insisting the state would not shut down and refusing to implement mask or vaccine mandates and instead focusing efforts on early treatment. Pictured: DeSantis speaks at a press conference at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, August 2021

Experts have suggested the declines seem to follow a familiar two-month cycle since the pandemic began with cases and deaths increasing for about two months before dropping, which as been seen in other states that experienced surges over the summer such as Alabama, Louisiana and Texas

The same curve can be seen with Covid deaths.

Florida is recording 0.2 deaths per 100,000 people in a week - making it the second best state in the nation.

It is behind only California and New Mexico, which are recording 0.1 death per 100,000 people in a week.

Both of these metrics are despite DeSantis refusing to allow business and schools from implementing mask and vaccine mandates.

This is similar to what has been seen in the U.S. with the recent Delta variant-fueled surge.

On September 1, America was averaging 49.9 cases per 100,000. As of Wednesday, this has dropped to 21.2 cases per 100,000.

Despite taking very different approaches to the pandemic, Florida and California are recording nearly the same amount of average cases and deaths per day

So does the governor deserve all the credit for Florida's improvement? Not necessarily.

These declines seem to follow a familiar two-month cycle since the pandemic began in early 2020 with cases and deaths increasing for about two months before declining, according to David Leonhardt of The New York Times.

Early explanations - such as the virus being seasonal like the flu or compliance of mask wearing and social distancing increasing and decreasing - have not held up.

However, more logical explanations include that as people have contracted COVID-19 over the last two months, the virus is (slowly) running out of people to infect.

'Since the pandemic began, Covid has often followed a regular - if mysterious - cycle. In one country after another, the number of new cases has often surged for roughly two months before starting to fall,' Leonhardt wrote.

'The Delta variant, despite its intense contagiousness, has followed this pattern.'

This means a variant may only need eight weeks to spread throughout a community before it begins to recede.

The two-month cycle theory has also been seen in the U.S. during every surge including the summer 2020 wave and the winter 2020-21 wave

During the summer 2020 surge in the U.S., cases began rising in early July before declining again in early September.

What's more, during the winter 2020-21 surge, Covid infections steeply increased in late November 2020 only to fall again in late January 2021.

It seems that what has occurred on a nationwide scale is what occurred on a much smaller scale in Florida.

The recent surge saw cases starting to rise in the Sunshine State in early July and declining in mid-September, following the two month-schedule.

And it's not the only state: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas, all of which saw cases surge during the recent fourth wave, have seen declines since early September.
Dr Michael Kurilla (pictured), of the NIH's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, was the only member to abstain in the FDA's advisory committee vote of 17-0-1 to recommend approval of COVID-19 vaccines in children ages five to 11

The only member of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) advisory committee to abstain from a vote on recommending Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine to young children says he did so because there is not enough evidence that all children need the shot.

On Tuesday, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted 17-0-1 that benefits of the vaccine for kids aged five to 11 outweigh the potential risks.

Dr Michael Kurilla, the director of the Division of Clinical Innovation, at the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, who was the only member to not vote 'yes', told DailyMail.com there were several reasons behind his abstention.

Kurilla says there are children at high-risk of severe Covid due to underlying conditions who would benefit from the shot, but he's not sure if this applies to all kids in this age group.

Additionally, he said that kids who have been infected with Covid in the past already likely have immunity because of it.

Kurilla added current data does not suggest the vaccine's protection will last long enough and he is worried that antibodies will wane in children as has been seen in adults.

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Kurilla said many childrren have already been infected with Covid and may have immunity against reinfection. Weekly cases have declined from a peak of 243,000 in September to 117,000 currently

He also said that data has shown antibodies wane over time in adults and there is no evidence the same won't occur in children. Pictured: Lydia Melo, 7, is inoculated with one of two reduced doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine during a trial at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, September 2021

Kurilla said he does not doubt the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and that is a big reason why he abstained rather than voting 'no.'

'A vote "no" would have been interpreted as a vote against the vaccine itself rather than the administration of the vaccine,' he said.

'There clearly are children with risk factors who could potentially benefit from a vaccine, but I don't see the need for "emergency use" of this vaccine across the entire age group and would have preferred a more nuanced approach.'

One of the factors that led to his decision was the Pfizer clinical trial data, which showed its COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90 percent effective against infection in younger kids.

For the study, Pfizer recruited 2,268 children between ages five and 11 and started testing them in October 2020 for safety with the larger part of the study looking at efficacy beginning in the spring.

The study participants had very little follow-up data with the average being about two months and the most three.

This is much smaller than the 30,000 participants who were recruited for the trial among those aged 16 and older.

Kurilla said the trial only looked at how many kids who were vaccinated had COVID-19 symptoms, not how many tested positive.

'About 50 percent of children who get Covid are asymptomatic and the younger you are, there more likely you are to have an symptomatic infection,' he said.

'They were not testing all kids to see if they were infected. Just testing to see if they had any symptoms.

'Because of that, I think the percentage overestimated the prevention of infection.'

Not only are half of all pediatric infections asymptomatic, but the cases with symptoms rarely result in severe disease.

Kurilla added that the 90% efficacy of the vaccine against infection may have been 'overestimated' because researchers only looked for kids with symptoms. Pictured: Bridgette Melo, 5, reacts as she holds the hand of her father, Jim Melo, during her inoculation of one of two reduced doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine during a trial at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, September 2021

There have been 584 pediatric deaths since the start of the pandemic - according to the American Academy of Pediatrics - indicating children make up less than 0.1 percent of all deaths.

In fact, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that the vaccine would only prevent one in one million deaths among children aged five to 11.

Because of this low risk of severe illness, polls have shown that many American parents are not inclined to vaccinate their children.

One poll from Axios/Ipsos in September found that 44 percent of parents of children aged five to 11 said their kids were likely to get a vaccine and 42 percent said it was unlikely their children would be immunized.

Another aspect from the clinical trial that worried Kurilla was that 20 percent of children in the trial had been infected previously with COVID-19.

'All those people with prior Covid experience, none of them experienced a subsequent infection,' he said.

'Statistically, one could conclude that prior Covid infection is 100 percent efficacious against reinfection.

Kurilla said he realizes that this sample is quite small for that statistic to be replied upon but evidence in adults would suggest the same thing.

'Does vaccinating [kids who have previously been infected] provide additional protection? Probably.'

'Will it hurt it them? Probably not. Will it help them? Maybe, but I don't think there's any additional benefit. I don't think the benefits outweigh the risks.'

In the UK, experts have said Britain's Covid cases may be falling because children have naturally built-up herd immunity following the back-to-school wave despite just 20 percent of teenagers being vaccinated, one of the Government's top scientific advisers claimed on Wednesday.

Professor John Edmunds, an epidemiologist who sits on SAGE, said the spike in infections over the last few months was driven by 'huge numbers of cases' in youngsters.

Health officials estimate as many as one in 12 children across England were carrying the virus last week.

The surge in infections 'will eventually lead to high levels of immunity in children' which will see cases plateau and then fall, Professor Edmunds said.

Kurilla is also concerned that vaccinating younger children will not prevent transmission of the virus.

'A lot of impression from the Pfizer briefing document as well as many members of the committee is that vaccinating this population was going to have a major impact on transmission of disease,' he said.

'That's one of the great vaccines, not only do they protect you, but you being vaccinated also protects those around you.

'But there's not enough data to suggest that vaccinating this population is going to prevent this from transmitting the disease.'

He mentioned the outbreak in Provincetown, Massachusetts, in which 469 cases of cases were linked to an outbreak in the holiday town between July 3 and July 17.

Of the infections, 74 percent occurred in fully vaccinated people who had one of the three FDA-emergency approved vaccines and 80 percent had symptoms.

'In Provincetown, people who were vaccinated still seemed to be able to transmit,' Kurilla said.

'Now, I hope [the vaccine in kids] does [prevent transmission], but there's not any data to support it.'

Pfizer said data suggested efficacy of two doses declines from 96.2% to 83.7% after six months and that people vaccinated early in the rollout are at heightened risk for a breakthrough infection

The last thing Kurilla is concerned about is waning immunity.

Data from Israel has shown people fully vaccinated with Pfizer in January 2021 had a 2.26-fold increased risk for breakthrough infections compared to those fully vaccinated in April 2021.

And Moderna released data in September showing people who received its COVID-19 vaccine last year are nearly twice as likely to get a breakthrough infection compared to those recently vaccinated.

Kurilla is worried the same thing could occur in children.

'There's very little data. mostly from just two months of follow-up and the most is three months,' he said.

'I asked if they had any data that the antibody decay rate was better in children than what was seen in adults. And they didn't have that.

'Now, that's not to say it will happen but, if after two months, [the vaccine] seems to be working as well in kids, as it did in adults, then one would assume that it wanes in children as it wanes in adults.'
Any expectation that Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), might find a way to put sand in the wheels of the plan by the senior management of insurer LV to sell itself to private equity outfit Bain Capital cruelly has been dashed. A four-page update from the FCA runs up the white flag.

The City regulator states that it is not empowered by Parliament to consider the form of ownership of the acquirer. The FCA also lacked direct enforcement powers over London Capital & Finance where supervision fell outside the so-called perimeter.

That did not prevent former chief executive Andrew Bailey and colleagues from being criticised over failings. A more intrusive enforcer might at the very least let its views on private equity ownership of a former mutual with 1.16m members be known.

Any expectation that Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), might find a way to put sand in the wheels of the plan by the senior management of insurer LV to sell itself to private equity outfit Bain Capital cruelly has been dashed

The Competition & Markets Authority had no direct powers to intervene in the Clayton, Dubilier & Rice takeover of Morrisons. It took the opportunity to spell out to MPs the risks, including the potential dangers of debt financing.

These have become very obvious at Asda. An unfortunate aspect of the effort by chairman Alan Cook and chief executive Mark Hartigan to take the mutual private is the plan to railroad it through by changing the voting rules.

LV is asking the court to alter its articles of association to ease the passage of the deal. At present it requires 75pc of at least 50pc of members to approve a deal. This is intended to keep rascals at bay and, in the best mutual tradition, ensure members are heard. Under a rule change proposed it would be possible for 75pc of a small minority of members to approve the deal.

The court would make the ultimate decision but it would be nice to think that the FCA, which is ultimately a protector of consumer interests, was willing to line up in court in defence of the original voting structure.

The LV deal is complex and, rightly, the FCA is demanding that LV steps up its communications with policyholders

The LV deal is complex and, rightly, the FCA is demanding that LV steps up its communications with policyholders. It also says it will be holding senior managers to account for any subsequent problems should the interests of policyholders be compromised.

This in effect is asking Hartigan and his executive team to mark their own homework in a set-up in which they are expected to have a direct equity interest. None of this passes the smell test. That ought to be the ultimate guide for regulators when lifetime savings are at stake.

Make your voice heard on LV We are encouraging LV members, customers, or others, who would like to see it retain its mutual status, rather than be bought out by private equity, to write to it. You could use the wording from the letter printed in the Daily Mail newspaper's City pages (pictured here). We have included the words for you to copy and paste into a letter below. Send it to Alan Cook, Chairman of LV=, Liverpool Victoria, County Gates, Bournemouth, BH1 2NF Dear Alan Cook, I, the undersigned, urge you to reconsider your decision to sell LV= to Bain Capital and instead maintain its mustual status.

Rickety Hut

No one can accuse Matt Moulding, founder and executive chairman of The Hut Group (THG), of ignoring his critics. In a rapid-fire series of moves, triggered by fumbled capital markets day earlier this month, he has sought to clean up governance. Moulding has discarded his golden share, dissolved a 100m personal loan deal with Barclays and is seeking to strengthen independent presence on the board. Carelessly, the first new non-executive is not independent at all, since Andreas Hansson is a senior executive in Softbank, a key THG investor. The search for a non-executive chairman has begun but it wont be easy.

Credible City figures and industrialists will be wary of catching a falling knife. The belief, shared on these pages, that a governance clean-up is the answer to Mouldings problems is so far unproven. The bigger questions look to be around the business model. On paper at least the core asset Ingenuity, THGs open architecture tech platform, is going great guns, with revenues 131pc up year-on-year.

There is still no clear data on how this number is achieved because of the mystery of inter-company pricing. Revenues may look good but investors dont believe they are robust, hence the latest 20pc plunge in the shares. What an embarrassment for Britains patchy market for new floats.

Bumpy landing

After the onslaught from UK carriers over proposals for higher landing charges at Heathrow, highly paid chief executive John Holland-Kaye is asking customers and businesses to show sympathy to its greedy sovereign wealth fund and private equity owners, claiming a halving in its value. The notion that the drop in value from 20bn to 10bn is anything but transitory caused by the pandemic is a fiction. The smart way to restore income is to avoid gouging users with higher charges.
The new year marks the start of the biggest insurance shake-up for decades. Under strict rules set by the City watchdog, from January 1 insurers will no longer be allowed to overcharge loyal customers.

It is a victory for Money Mail, which has long campaigned to end the 1billion-a-year loyalty penalty.

But as our investigation today reveals, customers will have to keep their wits about them to avoid paying more than they have to.

And as the deadline draws closer, experts have accused firms of employing sneaky pricing tactics to cash in while they can.

The new year marks the start of the biggest insurance shake-up for decades

Some policyholders say insurers are continuing to hike premiums at renewal, despite offering new customers a much cheaper deal.

Others are offering tiny price cuts of a few pence in a bid to cling on to their business.

Yet a sharp drop in the cost of cover since the pandemic means failing to challenge your renewal quote could mean you miss out on significant savings.

It is estimated that car insurers have already pocketed 3.3billion during the Covid crisis by failing to pass on savings to customers, according to the Association of Consumer Support Organisations.

Firms made an extra 118 per customer but gave discounts worth just 25 to policyholders, on average, the research showed.

Experts are warning new customers to prepare for price hikes of up to 30 per cent next year as insurers seek to minimise the impact of the new rules on their profits.

They also claim that insurers will be hungry for data, which could mean households and drivers are forced to answer long questionnaires when applying for cover.

Here, we explain everything you need to know about the new era of insurance pricing  and how to get the best deal.

What will be changing?

For years, insurers have hiked prices for loyal and often elderly customers while tempting new customers with discounted deals that can be hundreds of pounds cheaper.

But, from January 1, firms will have to offer new and existing customers the same price. This applies to vouchers and cashback, too.

So if a firm offers new customers a 20 gift card, those renewing their policy should get a discount of the same value.

However, prices can be 'channel specific', which means they could differ depending on how you buy your policy.

For example, if you took out a policy through a price comparison site, you may not be quoted the same premium if you went direct to the insurer.

Your individual circumstances and any claims you have made will also impact your premium as usual.

The new rules only apply to car and home insurance  but not other types of policies such as boiler breakdown, pet and life cover.

The average motor insurance premium fell by 11 per cent to 619 in the 12 months to August

Will premiums shoot up?

Car and home insurance costs have plummeted since the pandemic after a fall in claims because policyholders were at home.

The average motor insurance premium dropped by 11 per cent to 619 in the 12 months to August, according to data from Compare The Market.

Meanwhile, the cost of a typical building and home contents policy fell by 7 per cent to 191.38.

But experts warn that prices could shoot up again for new customers when insurers cannot charge loyal policyholders higher premiums.

If firms are no longer willing to offer cheap deals because they cannot recoup losses from existing customers, savvy switchers could lose out as a result.

Industry sources have told Money Mail that new home insurance customers could end up paying around 30 per cent more next year, while car cover costs could rise by 15 per cent.

However, if you have been with the same insurer for years you could be in line for a significant price cut.

Experts suggest this could be as much as a 40 per cent reduction for home insurance customers and 10 per cent for motorists, according to analysis of data from City watchdog the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The savings differ because motorists are more likely to shop around for cover than home insurance customers so the price gap is not so wide.

I turned 3p saving into 50 When Maddy Watkins received her car insurance renewal quote in June, it was just 3p lower than the previous year. But after searching online, she discovered that her insurer, Hastings, was offering new customers the same deal for 50 less than the 487.27 price she had been offered. Maddy, 23, a nurse, first passed her test in 2016 and had expected her premium to continue coming down as it had in previous years. As she has never made a claim, she called Hastings and an agent agreed to renew her policy at the cheaper price. Maddy, who lives in Leicester, says: 'It was cheeky to offer me such a small discount. 'It is like they thought I would just accept it and not shop around.' A Hastings spokesman says the firm had not 'completed the necessary system changes' when Maddy renewed her policy. He adds: 'We continue to proactively support and work towards the regulatory changes from the FCA in the coming months.'

Should I still shop around?

Barely more than a third of home insurance customers said they would make a concerted effort to shop around after the new rules come into force in January, according to a survey by Compare The Market.

But households are being urged not just to accept their renewal offer after January.

This price will be the cheapest deal available from that firm for a particular level of cover.

But comparison sites could still help you find a cheaper policy with another insurer.

Drivers can currently save around 267 by shopping around for a better car insurance deal and 110 for home cover, according to research by Compare The Market.

And while these savings are set to shrink next year, it is expected that comparison websites will be looking to win new customers with added incentives.

GoCompare, for example, is offering drivers who use its website 250 towards any excess they may have to pay when claiming on their car insurance.

These incentives for new customers are allowed under the new rules, as long as the insurer is not directly funding them.

Insurers will also be able to offer exclusive deals through the sites. But these should be matched for existing customers.

Customers who take out policies through cashback websites such as Quidco or TopCashback could also make additional savings.

Compare home insurance, car insurance and travel insurance Beat the renewal blues and compare the best deals for home, car and travel insurance. Every year, these bills can creep up and the best way to save is to shop around to make sure your loyalty doesn't cost you. Our tool below with This is Money's partner, Compare the Market, could also potentially save you hundreds of pounds a year on motorbike, pet and van cover. >> Check to see if you can start saving money now

Is it best to switch now?

If your policy is due to expire before the end of the year, be sure to take advantage of cheap deals elsewhere before they disappear.

Many customers have reported sticking with their existing insurer after receiving a slightly reduced quote at renewal.

More than a quarter of home and car cover customers have seen their premiums cut over the past 12 months, according to research by Compare The Market.

But around a fifth of these policyholders said they had been offered discounts of 9 or less. And falling premiums mean you could save hundreds of pounds more by shopping around.

Ursula Gibbs, a director for the site, says: 'In lowering prices now, insurers are trying to lock in as many customers as possible and drive down switching.'

Louise O'Shea, chief executive of Confused.com, adds: 'If your renewal price has decreased to less than last year, it's likely that other insurers have reduced their rates as well. So, it's worth shopping around before accepting tiny discounts.'

If your policy is due to expire before the end of 2021, take advantage of cheap deals elsewhere

The best time to shop around for a new car insurance deal is 23 days before your renewal quote, according to analysis of millions of quotes by MoneySavingExpert.

For home insurance, it is 21 days before your policy expires. This is because insurers tend to view those who wait until the last minute as higher risk.

If your policy does not expire until after the new rules come in, you could consider renewing early.

Your insurer should refund you for the months not used if you paid for your cover upfront in full.

But there may be an exit fee of around 50, so you must to be able to save more than this for it to be worthwhile.

And check you will not lose any perks by switching early, such as a year of no claims, which can earn you future discounts.

How could insurers react to the move?

Insurers have previously lured in new customers by offering cheap policies that top the best-buy tables on comparison sites. But from January experts expect firms to compete by offering different levels of cover.

Ryan Fulthorpe, of comparison site GoCompare, says: 'We could start seeing more bronze, silver and gold policies  with gold plans offering the most extensive cover at the highest prices.'

By doing this, insurers could justify a price increase at renewal if the customer has a higher level of cover than its cheapest deal on offer.

It is also widely believed that insurers will start using even more detailed data to price premiums.

James Daley, of consumer group Fairer Finance, says: 'Age could be used to justify a price hike at renewal. For example, a 44-yearold man could be told that the firm prices 43-year-old men differently.

'But if an insurer chooses to go down this route they will have to charge all new 44-year-old policyholders the same price and that could mean they miss out on business.'

'The renewal trap cost me dearly' Gordon, 98, took out home insurance with Age Co 11 years ago. He believed the policy, offered by charity Age UK, would offer a fair deal. But his niece Janet Wilson, 65, discovered he has been overpaying by hundreds of pounds. Gordon, who did not want to give his surname, had allowed his policy to auto-renew each year. But the policy price increased again last month, by 43.74 to 568.47. He was paying an extra 50.88 a year because he does monthly instalments. Janet has found him another deal for less than a sixth of the price, at 86.80. Gordon, a widower from Barnsley, says: 'I was probably careless. I just let the policy roll over. But the company was linked to Age UK so I didn't expect it to rip me off.' An Age Co spokesman says it takes its responsibilities seriously, adding: 'Every year, at renewal, we ask customers to check their policy and cover to ensure all the information is correct and the policy continues to meet their needs.' Gordon has been offered a 1,123 goodwill gesture but has refused it.

Insurers may also begin asking new customers more questions to ensure they are not losing out by offering cheap prices to higher risk customers.

Darren Black, head of insurance at Nationwide, says: 'Some home insurers will ask a customer if they have a cat or a dog, because dogs are more likely to knock something over.

'We could see more of those kind of questions and longer application forms as firms will be hungry for as much data as possible.'

Another concern is that insurers could attempt to manipulate the system by hiking premiums for new customers when they are due to send out a large amount of renewal letters.

This means they would not have to offer existing customers such cheap deals. On a positive note, insurers could strive to improve customer service to stand out from the crowd.

A survey by analysts Mintel revealed that 32 per cent of home cover customers would switch provider if they thought another firm had a better service record.

What about extra fees?

Customers who spread the cost of their annual policy over 12 monthly instalments are often charged high rates of interest, which can add more than 100.

Insurers also typically charge additional fees for any changes made mid-policy, such as amending your job title.

Under the FCA's new rules, firms will be required to do more to consider how they offer 'fair value'.

Experts say this could mean punitive charges are scrapped or reduced. Brian Brown, of data analysts Defaqto, says: 'These fees might not disappear overnight but firms may decide to reduce them if they are going to have trouble justifying them as fair.'

Insurers will also have to make sure it is easy for customers to opt out of policies that renew automatically after a year. This might include reducing call waiting times.

However, drivers should bear in mind that car insurance is a legal requirement and the option of allowing a policy to roll over ensures you are never without cover.

More than a fifth of complaints about premium prices were upheld in favour of customers

Which firms will be worst hit?

Larger firms, such as Admiral, Axa, Direct Line and Aviva, are likely to have the biggest databases of existing customers.

This means they may have to reduce premiums for more policyholders than their rivals  which could in turn force them to increase prices across the board.

But industry sources say these types of firms are more likely to have the capital set aside to weather the change.

Smaller firms may struggle to attract new customers if households become less likely to shop around.

Darren Black says: 'You could see quite a few of smaller firms exit the market entirely.'

But James Daley adds: 'The advantage some of the smaller firms have is that they will have very few existing customers they may need to offer reduced renewal quotes for.'

How to make a complaint

The FCA will be keeping a close eye on how insurers respond to the new rules. Firms will also be required to hand over more data around policies and pricing.

But you can complain yourself if you discover you have been overcharged over the years and could have got a much cheaper price as a new customer.

If the firm ignores your complaint, go to the Financial Ombudsman.

More than a fifth of complaints about premium prices were upheld in favour of customers last year.

A spokesman for the Association of British Insurers says it fully supports the reforms and will be working closely with the FCA to ensure they are delivered effectively.

He adds: 'As the FCA has said previously, in a highly competitive market where insurers do not make excessive profits, any revision is likely to lead to a re-balancing between new and renewing customers.

'Motor insurers supported customers throughout the pandemic including providing cover for key workers to drive to work free of charge.'
Heathow sparked a fresh war of words with the airline industry as it revealed losses have hit 3.4bn since the pandemic began.

Boss John Holland-Kaye said the airport was 'on the cusp of recovery' after coronavirus restrictions resulted in another dire summer. But he warned it would take at least another five years for passenger numbers to get back to pre-Covid levels.

And he said the outlook meant regulators should allow it to charge airlines and passengers more to help speed up the rebound and reward backers.

Heathow sparked a fresh war of words with the airline industry as it revealed losses have hit 3.4bn since the pandemic began

Heathrow has been at loggerheads with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and airlines  led by British Airways  over its demands to ramp up the fees it charges to allow planes to take off and land. These are typically passed on to customers, and airlines have warned it is the wrong moment to push up ticket prices at a time when they are trying to encourage people back into flying.

The airport, which was Europe's largest before Covid, wants to charge airlines up to 43 for every passenger handled. This is a hike from 22 in 2020. The CAA has since suggested a compromise of 34.40 and is currently consulting on that figure. The industry hit back at Heathrow's latest demand for higher prices last night. Airlines UK said the regulator 'needs to stand its ground'.

A spokesman for the trade body said: 'Any further increase in charges  not least by the 50pc the CAA are mooting  will hit consumers and make travel more expensive. 'How can we have Global Britain when we levy the highest aviation taxes and allow the most expensive hub airport anywhere in the world to keep raising its fees? It would just make us even more uncompetitive.'

Heathrow is already thought to be the most expensive airport in the world. Its latest data showed that in the first nine months of the year just 10m passengers passed through its terminals. It was processing around 80m a year before the pandemic and some 19m in the first nine months of 2020.

Boss John Holland-Kaye said the airport was 'on the cusp of recovery' after coronavirus restrictions resulted in another dire summer

Holland-Kaye said: 'It has definitely been a tough 18 months, but we are starting to see the recovery coming through. We are on the cusp of a recovery that will unleash pentup demand. But we need a fair financial settlement from the CAA to sustain service and resilience after 15 years of negative real returns from investors.'

Previously state-owned, Heathrow was taken private by Spain's Ferrovial in 2006 and its investors now include the sovereign wealth funds of Qatar, Singapore and China.

Airport sources that said its shareholders should be rewarded for transforming Heathrow from a 'national embarrassment' into an airport that passengers now rate as one of the best in the world.

Holland-Kaye said: 'In most years, they've had no returns at all. And some years they've had to put money into the airport.' He added: 'We provide tremendous value for money and all we are looking to do is make a fair return on our investment.'

Heathrow's harrowing financial results revealed it lost 458m during the usually lucrative summer season between July and September, compared with a 516m loss in the summer of 2020. Losses in the first nine months of 2021 topped 1.5bn, bringing the total loss to 3.4bn since it was forced to cancel virtually all flights in March 2020.
Mutual insurer LV came a step closer to falling into private equity hands after it won backing from regulators

Mutual insurer LV came a step closer to falling into private equity hands after it won backing from regulators.

The Financial Conduct Authority said LV can put the proposed 530m takeover by Bain Capital to a vote by its members.

That paves the way for LV  set up in 1843 and previously known as Liverpool Victoria  to be demutualised despite concerns over its future in private equity hands. The deal needs 75pc approval by members on a 50pc turnout.

But, fearing it will not get half to take part, LV will ask those who do to also vote to drop the turnout threshold. Critics have branded the rule change reprehensible and urged the Government to step in.

Former government minister Lord Heseltine said: The Government could intervene but dont, anything is for sale and that is the problem. No week goes by without the predators enjoying the free-for-all that is the British marketplace.
Homeserve, the owner of handyman website Checkatrade, has bought home emergency assistance firm Cet for around 53million, the company said today.

Cet is a British firm that provides emergency plumbing, heating and electrics services to households on behalf of insurers.

Homeserve, which benefited from a global surge in demand for repairs during the pandemic, said the acquisition would allow it to expand its UK business in home assistance and emergency cover.

Homeserve has bought home emergency assistance firm Cet for around 53million

Homeserve shares rose 2.8 per cent to 855p in early trading on Wednesday.

However, they remain some 30 per cent below their pre-pandemic levels in February 2020.

Homeserve was booted out of the top FTSE 100 index at last year's reshuffle and is now listed on the FTSE 250.

Co-founder and chief executive, Richard Harpin, said the acquisition of Cet represented 'a new avenue of growth' as part of the group's digitalisation push.

'HomeServe's UK business continues to deliver attractive returns and market leading service to our customers,' he added.

Harpin, one of the longest-serving chief executives of the Footsie, warned this summer that Britain was facing a 'perfect storm' of staff shortages that would hamper the recovery from the coronavirus crisis.

Homeserve shares are still to fully recover from last year's crash in the wake of the pandemic

Ross Clemmow, HomeServe's EMEA chief executive, said Cet provides home emergency assistance for one in eight UK households.

'We are very impressed by the business, its customer partnerships and its digital capabilities, and there are exciting opportunities to develop the plumbing, heating and electrics services which are core to both of our operations,' he added.

In its last financial year to March, Cet raked in 32.3million in revenues, up from 29.2million in the previous year, with the business expected to deliver 'strong growth' in the current financial year.

The acquisition, on a debt-free and cash-free basis, will be funded through existing debt facilities, Homeserve said.

The group said the year was progressing well, with trading in line with previous guidance.

It will announce its interim results on Tuesday 16 November.
Transport business FirstGroup has confirmed its intentions to return up to 500million to shareholders.

From tomorrow, the company is offering investors the chance to sell their shares for 105p, a 9.2 per cent premium on their closing price yesterday, until lunchtime on November 29.

The offer forms part of a promise that it made when it sold two North American businesses, First Student and First Transit, earlier in the year to Swedish private equity firm EQT Infrastructure for 3.3billion.

Ready to go: FirstGroup, the operator of the Avanti West Coast train line, is offering investors the chance to sell their shares at a 9.2 per cent premium on their closing price yesterday

Activist investor and the group's largest shareholder, Coast Capital, has now committed to selling down its holding of more than 156million shares, which would comprise about one-third of the tender offer.

Should the full 500million not be returned, FirstGroup has said it would oversee a 50million share buyback scheme and distribute any remaining amount above this figure in the form of a special dividend.

Coast Capital has pressured the firm for some years to offload its North American businesses due to a long-term period of stock market weakness that worsened after the coronavirus pandemic caused travel levels to plummet.

But it heavily criticised FirstGroup's sale of its American school transport and city bus services divisions to EQT, describing it on one occasion as a 'disastrous proposal.'

Its principal criticisms were that the 3.3billion price tag was too cheap - Coast founding partner James Rasteh said the deal left 'billions of dollars on the table' - and was poorly timed given it was happening in the midst of a pandemic.

The private equity firm sought to expel chief executive Matthew Gregory and two board directors from the company. Gregory has subsequently left, though he has denied investor pressure was behind his departure.

Big sale: Last week, FirstGroup agreed to sell its Greyhound bus arm to German company FlixMobility for 125m after two years of trying to find a buyer

FirstGroup was motivated to sell off the two businesses as part of a reorientation towards its UK-based operations, where it runs numerous bus and train services, including Avanti West Coast and the Great Western Railway.

David Martin, the executive chairman of FirstGroup, said today's announcement by the firm 'marks the culmination of our portfolio rationalisation strategy, as announced in December 2019, which has refocused the Group on its leading UK public transport businesses.'

'In doing so, we have created a cash generative company with a well-capitalised balance sheet, a focused strategy and attractive growth prospects in our markets.

'The policy backdrop in the UK has never been more supportive, and public transport has a critical role to play in helping communities and economies build back better and more sustainably.'

UK focus: FirstGroup has sold its North American divisions as part of a move towards focusing on its UK-based operations, where it runs train services such as the Great Western Railway

FirstGroup's strategy took another major step last week when it agreed to sell its Greyhound bus arm to German company FlixMobility for 125million after two years of trying to find a buyer.

FirstGroup will hold onto some of Greyhound's financial liabilities as well as several properties, which it plans to lease back to Greyhound before selling them at some point over the coming three to five years.

Aside from the share offer, FirstGroup also vowed to use proceeds from the deal towards slashing its debt pile, including the 300million it borrowed from the UK Government in emergency coronavirus loans, and putting a total of 336million into its UK pension schemes.

Shares in FirstGroup ended trading 4.5 per cent higher at 100.5p on Wednesday. Since the start of 2021, their value has grown by almost half.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak stood up to deliver his much-anticipated - and much pre-briefed - Autumn financial statement at 12.36.

Below we itemise the key announcements, along with the key stories and charts that illustrate some of the predictions for the economy in the coming months.

Tee-total Chancellor Rishi Sunak admitted to having a 'sugar problem' this week and said his preferred pre-speech boost is a Twix and a can of Sprite.

The Autumn Budget: What it means for you

- Will the Universal Credit boost help you? What people need to know about the Autumn Budget help for lower paid workers

The Chancellor has announced a change in the Universal Credit taper that will allow people to keep more of their benefits as they increase their income from working.

The move, unveiled today by Rishi Sunak in his Autumn Budget, is aimed at supporting 1.9million working households on low incomes at a cost of around 2billion.

- Tax loophole depriving low-paid workers of pension cash will FINALLY be fixed - but not until 2025

The Government has promised to fix a tax quirk that deprives low-paid workers of pension cash paid to better off colleagues - but not until 2025.

Critics who had demanded action welcomed the announcement in the Autumn Budget, though one said it was 'a shame' the move would not happen sooner.

Another noted that by the time it does low earners will have lost millions of pounds due to 'years of dithering' by the Government.

- Landlords welcome CGT freeze in the Budget as Chancellor decides against rise that could have resulted in an 'avalanche' away from buy-to-let

Portfolio buy-to-let landlords have breathed a sigh of relief, as Chancellor Rishi Sunak decided not to increase capital gains tax in today's budget.

There were concerns in the sector that a tax hike, which had been rumoured in the days and weeks leading up to today's speech, would prove a tipping point for landlords and prompt them to sell their portfolios.

This, they said, would have resulted in a further reduction in available rental homes in what is already an undersupplied rental market.

- Long live the local: Hospitality industry raises a toast to the Chancellor as he slashes business rates and beer tax... but there are calls for more help

After a year and a half of difficulty, English pubs will be raising a toast to the Chancellor today after he slashed business rates and simplified alcohol duty in a bid to encourage punters back to pubs.

A total of 358,254 hospitality, retail and leisure premises in England have received 17.16billion in rates relief since the onset of the pandemic, according to Atlus Group.

The measures were due to come to an end next year but Rishi Sunak today announced a one-year 50 per cent cut, worth 1.7billion.

- Leaseholders react to Chancellor's levy on developers, aimed at helping to cover cost of cladding repair bills

Leaseholders caught up in the cladding scandal have criticised an announcement in the Budget for a 4 per cent levy on large construction firms.

The money will help to create a 5billion fund to help cover the cost of repairs to dangerous cladding and fire safety defeats.

But those homeowners affected by the crisis said the money was not a new announcement and would fail to cover the true cost of the crisis.

- Rishi goes on a 150bn spree AND pledges to reduce debt

Chancellor says Tories are now the party of public spending as he unveils huge Universal Credit giveaway, cuts duty in Brexit booze dividend and promises to cut taxes one day.

- OBR warns interest rates could soar to 3.5% as inflation may head to a three-decade high of 5.4% next year

The Government's watchdog today warned that a 'wage spiral' or energy shock could drive inflation to a three-decade high of 5.4 per cent next year and force the Bank of England to take drastic action.

In a stark assessment alongside the Budget, the Office for Budget Responsibility said its central forecast is for headline CPI to peak at 4.4 per cent in the second quarter of year.

That is far above the current 3.1 per cent, and more than double the Bank's 2 per cent target.

Pilots' union fury at Budget and Chancellor's 91 tax on ultra-long-haul flights

Families face paying more for their big holidays and visits to relatives in far-flung places after Rishi Sunak said taxes would be raised on ultra-long-haul flights.

The Chancellor has increased Air Passenger Duty for flights of over 5,500 miles, which includes places such as New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Japan.

Key measures at a glance

Economy

OBR figures show the UK's economic recovery is expected to be 'quicker' than previously expected, returning to pre-Covid levels by next year.

UK growth is now expected to be 6.5 per cent for 2021, 2.1 per cent in 2022 and 1.3 per cent in 2023.

GDP growth for the year was forecast at just 4 per cent in March when Britain was still under a lockdown.

Unemployment peaked at just 5.2 per cent, below 12 per cent estimates - reflecting 12m fewer people out of work.

Sunak said the Budget increases total departmental spending over the Parliament by 150billion - the largest increase this century.

Wages are rising, up 3.5 per cent from February 2020.

Business investment is forecast revised up over next five years OBR has revised down scarring assumption from 3 per cent to 2 per cent.

Sunak announced a new Charter for Budget Responsibility, ensuring that 'in normal times' the state 'should only borrow to invest in future growth and prosperity'

Personal taxes and levies

Minimum wage will increase next year from 8.91 to 9.50 an hour.

Flights between airports in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Island will see a lower rate of air passenger duty.

Alcohol duty system 'outdated' - Budget promises reform whereby the strength of a drink determines duty paid.

'Draught relief' introduces a lower rate of duty on draft beer, while the Chancellor has scrapped the 'irrational duty premium' of 28 per cent for sparkling wines.

Planned fuel duty rise will be cancelled.

Universal Credit taper cut by 8 per cent.

Spending

New grant funding to local government worth 4.8billion over the next three years, the largest increase in core funding for over a decade.

11.5billion to build new affordable homes

Schools will get an extra 4.7billion by 2025 with with just under 2billion of new funding to help schools and colleges to recover from the pandemic.

'Levelling Up Fund' will see 1.7billion invested in 'the infrastructure of everyday life in over 100 local areas', with 170million for Scotland, 120million for Wales and 50million for Northern Ireland.

On transport funding, 2.6billion is committed via a 'long-term pipeline' for more than 50 local road upgrades while more than 5billion is being committed to local roads maintenance.

The Chancellor promised public sector workers will also see a 'fair and affordable pay rises' across the whole Spending Review period.

Business taxes

Levy will be placed on property developers with profits over 25million at a rate of 4 per cent to help create a 5billion fund to remove unsafe cladding.

Corporation tax on banks increases from 27 per cent to 28 per cent from 2023. But 3 per cent bank surcharge retained.

UK business rates retained, but Sunak pledged to make the system 'fairer and timelier'.

The economy in charts

Inflation: The October 2021 forecast now shows how inflation is set to be riding higher than previously predicted next year

Public borrowing: The revised forecast slims down the public sector net borrowing slightly

Real GDP: Is set to be slightly better than forecast in March 2021
Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz reconciled with his crack-smoking biological mom over a Zoom call from prison - only to lose her to cancer, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.

Ex-felon Brenda Woodard did not know that the son she gave up for adoption 23 years ago was the gunman until his lawyers tracked her down in the wake of the February 2018 school massacre.

Friends have revealed to DailyMail.com that Cruz's legal team passed on the message that he was desperate to meet Woodard, who agreed to a conversation over video chat in the months before her death.

Nikolas Cruz, 23, (pictured in court last week) managed to reconcile with his biological mom, Brenda Woodard, via video chat, months before she died of cancer

Cruz was put up for adoption by Woodard (pictured left in 2019) who spent most of her life in and out of jail, chalking up dozens of arrests for offenses including battery, burglary, resisting arrest, theft, trespassing and panhandling

However any further attempts to bond were cut short when 65-year-old Woodard died earlier this year after battling cancer for more than a year.

'Nikolas reached out to her and said he wanted to talk and the lawyers came here and set it up so she could speak with him at the prison,' revealed her neighbor and close friend Doug Clark, 61.

'That was what he wanted and so she agreed. She said they had a good conversation but I gave her privacy. It was something she felt she needed to do.'

Cruz pleaded guilty Wednesday to murdering 13 students and three teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as well as an additional 17 counts of attempted murder.

In a rambling statement he told a Broward County, Florida courtroom that he regretted the rampage, carried out when he was aged 19, before appearing to blame his killing spree on drug usage.

'I hate drugs and I believe this country would do better if everyone would stop smoking marijuana and doing all these drugs and causing racism and violence out in the streets,' Cruz said.

His guilty plea opens the penalty phase of proceedings with jurors set to decide in January whether the warped outcast should face the death penalty or life without parole.

The gunman (pictured as a baby) and his brother Zachary were adopted by Lynda Cruz (pictured) who died in 2017 - three months before his murderous rampage

Cruz and his brother Zachary are seen placing their mother's urn in a tomb before the mausoleum was sealed

Defense lawyers are expected to recount his history of mental illness and his traumatic childhood, tracing his problems all the way back to Cruz being abandoned as a baby by Woodard.

The mom-of-three was in and out of jail throughout her chaotic, drug-plagued life, chalking up dozens of arrests for offenses including battery, burglary, resisting arrest, theft, trespassing and panhandling.

In fact she was said to be so familiar with the workings of the court system that one acquaintance dubbed her 'The Judge'.

Her explosive temper once saw her charged with attacking a friend with a tire iron.

In June 1998, Woodard was six months pregnant with Nikolas when cops in Fort Lauderdale busted her for possession of crack cocaine.

The highly-addictive drug is known to heighten the risk of miscarriage and can cause developmental problems in babies.

Woodard refused to take any responsibility for her gunman son's murderous path in life when DailyMail.com found her residing in government-funded accommodation in Dania Beach, Florida back in January 2019

Her friend and former neighbor Doug Clark told DailyMail.com, however, that privately, Woodard was shocked by the massacre and he felt it played a part in her declining health. She died several months ago after battling cancer for more than a year

Woodard spent six days in jail but was released on three years' probation subject to urine testing and Nikolas, her second child, was born September 24, 1998.

Her decision to give the baby boy up for adoption meant that Cruz appeared to have escaped his law-breaker mom's malign legacy.

The same was true for his brother Zachary, who was born around one year later and was taken in by the same couple, insurance executive Roger Cruz and his wife Lynda.

A daughter, Danielle, remained but was taken into foster care at age 12.

Now aged 34, Danielle has chalked up 16 felony convictions of her own. She is currently behind bars in Miami awaiting trial over a violent carjacking.

Woodard refused to take any responsibility for her gunman son's murderous path in life when DailyMail.com found her residing in government-funded accommodation in Dania Beach, Florida back in January 2019.

'You've already cooked me. You've fried me in a frying pan. I'm the one-woman wrecking team,' she hissed at our reporter, before asking us to leave.

But Clark said that, privately, his former friend was shocked and upset by the massacre and he felt it played a part in her declining health.

Cruz entered guilty pleas to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the Valentine's Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in a Florida court last Wednesday

In a rambling statement Cruz told a Broward County, Florida courtroom that he regretted the rampage, carried out when he was aged 19, before appearing to blame his killing spree on drug usage

'Brenda knew she had made mistakes in life, mainly petty stuff, but she didn't try to hide that,' Clark told DailyMail.com.

'His [Cruz] birth was not planned. She told me he was the product of a rape. She figured he would have a better life if she adopted him out.'

Clark said she Woodard met her estranged son via video chat in her final months.

She is believed to have died three months ago.

Cruz and his brother Zachary did indeed enjoy a stable, well-to-do suburban upbringing, punctuated by the loss of their adoptive father Roger to a heart condition in 2004.

Then in November 2017, three months before Cruz embarked on the worst school shooting in history, homemaker Lynda died from pneumonia.

Cruz had regularly clashed with his adoptive mother over his love of firearms and his violent temper tantrums.

There was ample evidence of his behavioral problems but the warnings went unchecked until he headed to his former high school on February 14, 2018 armed with an AR15-style automatic rifle.

Surveillance video captured Cruz, now 23, stalking the hallways of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018, aged 19

Cruz fled the scene but was later arrested without incident in nearby Coral Springs later that afternoon. He reportedly identified himself to police as the gunman responsible

'We watched the shooting on the news. Brenda had no idea at the time it was her son. She didn't know him, she didn't know anything about him,' added Clark.

'When the lawyers came here to talk to her she was shocked, she was upset. If she didn't care she would not have agreed to talk to him on the video.'

For the most part Woodard stayed out of trouble in her final years having undergone programs to beat her drink and drug habits.

She held down jobs at Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma and The Fresh Market, according to court filings.

'I liked Brenda and I will miss her a lot. But she's better off where she is now,' added Clark. 'The woman was in a lot of pain.'
A federal judge temporarily blocked a Texas school district's enforcement of a grooming policy that prohibits boys from having long hair.

Chief US District Judge Lee Rosenthal's ruling on Monday came days after seven students, ages 7 to 17, sued the Magnolia Independent School District.

The students alleged 'explicit gender discrimination' over the policy that bans boys - and not girls - from having long hair.

According to the district's dress code, male students are not allowed to have hair longer than the bottom of a shirt collar.

Rosenthal's ruling covers a small group of students who she said were being harmed by the policy.

According to the Magnolia Independent School District's dress code, male students are not allowed to have hair longer than the bottom of a shirt collar

Chief US District Judge Lee Rosenthal temporarily blocked the Magnolia Independent School District's grooming enforcement

Tristan Berger, a student at Magnolia High School, had to cut 16 inches off of his hair because he did not want to miss classes. 'If he had kept his experience as he liked it with the long hair, he would've been excluded from all of his honors classes. He's a very good student. He's in the top five percent of his class,' said his father

The district has said its grooming policy complies with state law and is in line with community values.

Tristan Miller, 11, who identifies as nonbinary, is one of the students affected.

Danielle Miller, his mother, told ABC 13 that she had been called by the assistant principal on the second day of school and was told Tristan's hair was out of the dress code.

'When I was told that we would have to cut Tristan's hair, I was met with trauma from Tristan,' she said.

'Tristan is absolutely not getting an equal education at all,' Miller added.

When Tristan refused to cut their hair, he was placed in suspension.

Michael Berger also told the outlet that his son had to cut 16 inches off his hair.

'If he had kept his experience as he liked it with the long hair, he would've been excluded from all of his honors classes. He's a very good student. He's in the top five percent of his class,' said Berger.

'Tristan is absolutely not getting an equal education at all,' said Daniel Miller, the mother of an 11-year-old nonbinary student who was placed in suspension after refusing to cur his hair

'When I was told that we would have to cut Tristan's hair, I was met with trauma from Tristan,' Tristan Miller's mother said

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Miller's and Berger's son and other five boys by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the ACLU Women's Rights Project and three major Houston law firms.

Three of the boys kept their hair long and ultimately stopped attending school as a result of the policy. Rosenthal ordered the district to let them return to class.

Tristan, who sometimes wore barrettes and clips in their locks, was allowed back in class under an exemption set to expire this week.

Another student was placed in suspension for five weeks and then sent to 'a disciplinary alternative education program' for seven weeks after refusing to cut his hair. The 9-year-old Latino boy, wore a ponytail like his father and uncle, Out reported.

Attorney Brian Klosterboer, from the ACLU of Texas, said he spoke with the students parents and they said the young plaintiffs were 'so happy to go back to school.'

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of six male and one nonbinary student by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the ACLU Women's Rights Project and three major Houston law firms

'I mean it feels dehumanizing to have a school government force me to cut my hair and meet their expectations of appearances,' said Magnolia High School student Daniel Hoosier

'We have warned the district repeatedly that its gender-based hair policy violates the Constitution, but the district continues to derail students' lives and deny their right to a public education free from discrimination,' Klosterboer had said previous to Rosenthal's ruling.

'I mean it feels dehumanizing to have a school government force me to cut my hair and meet their expectations of appearances,' said Magnolia High School student Daniel Hoosier.

Rosenthal said she would determine at the next hearing what to do about the other three plaintiffs, like Hoosier, who reluctantly cut their hair at the start of school in August but are growing it back.

That hearing, which is set for November 10, will address a preliminary injunction being sought by the plaintiffs. If granted, such an order would last until the lawsuit is resolved, and could potentially extend to more children.
Attorney General Merrick Garland is facing public pressure to name a special counsel to probe the events surrounding Jan. 6th, with former Watergate figure John Dean calling for an investigation into the people who 'organized' the riot.

Dean told DailyMail.com the Justice Department where he once served should act on the subject if the agency does not conclude it can mount a wide-ranging probe through the ordinary channels.

The push comes after new revelations about the Willard hotel 'war room' set up by Trump allies in the hours leading up to January 6th, and claims by event organizers that they had extensive communications with sitting lawmakers and staff.

'I think the Justice Department should handle things internally, but if theyre not inclined to do so they should select a special counsel,' Dean, who served as President Nixon's White House counsel, told DailyMail.com.

'While it is clear they are looking at the lower level people involved in the penetration of the Capitol building on Jan. 6th, there has been no indications they are looking at the people who organized and implemented the effort to cancel the certification process by Congress. Nor does there appear to be any investigation of the Willard war room crowd,' he added.

Former White House counsel John Dean called for a wide-ranging probe of those who 'organized and implemented' Jan. 6th, and said the attorney general should name a special counsel if there isn't such an investigation underway

Dean, who also served as associate deputy attorney general, wrote in an email that it was his 'fervent hope' DOJ already has a full investigation going but the public is not aware of it.

If they 'have decided to not pursue the big fish, and a full investigation, for any reason, then they must select the special counsel to make an inquiry to report to the Attorney General,' he continued.

'If there is a bigger deal in our democracy than a conspiracy to illegally overturn a presidential election, I have no idea what it might be. The undertakings to overturn the 2020 election makes Watergate appear like childs play,' he wrote.

Garland said Wednesday the DOJ has not constrained FBI agents 'in any way' in its probe  which he has otherwise declined to elaborate on.

There are new calls for Attorney General Merrick Garland to name a special counsel to probe Jan. 6th. Robert Mueller (above) served as special counsel for the Russia probe

Watergate figure John Dean tweeted about a special counsel following a report that Jan. protesters said they coordinated with members of Congress

The House vote to hold Steve Bannon in contempt  along with the House select committee on Jan. 6th's widening probe of Donald Trump's election overturn effort  is prompting new calls for Garland to appoint a special counsel to investigate.

Biden nominated Garland to the post in part due to his reputation for independence as a top federal judge on a U.S. court of appeals. But the House vote to hold Bannon in contempt places the decision on whether to prosecute the former top White House aide in the lap of the Justice Department.

Moving against Bannon could subject the department to accusations of politicizing the case  with former President Trump already ripping the House probe as a 'witch hunt.'

President Joe Biden already had to walk back a comment when he said the Department should prosecute Bannon, prompting the DOJ to issue a statement asserting its independence.

A special counsel could operate outside the normal chain with added protections. John Durham, special counsel selected by former AG Bill Barr to look at alleged FBI misconduct, continues his own probe long after Trump left office.

The push comes amid new revelations about the events in the days preceding the Jan. 6th Capitol riot

'We have a very clear-cut case. I would suspect it is quite possible that Attorney General Merrick Garland will appoint a special counsel to look at this, because the evidence is so clear for a massive Watergate-style attempt to destroy the process of electing a president,' said author and journalist Bob Woodward

Dean tweeted on the topic Monday after a Rolling Stone article quoting Jan. 6th organizers who said anonymously that they held multiple meetings with GOP lawmakers.

'The potential that Members of Congress were deeply involved in the failed Trump Coup is another reason AG Garland must appoint a Special Counsel to investigate Jan. 6th. There are Congressional staff who can testify to the involvement of Members,' he wrote.

Max Boot, an anti-Trump former Republican columnist, penned an op-ed Tuesday noting a series of existing or potential Trump probes, where he suggested that Garland is farming out cases to local prosecutors when possible 'to avoid politically vexatious cases.'

'Thats why I think Garland needs to appoint a special counsel to thoroughly investigate Trumps abuses of power; indeed, he should have done so months ago,' he wrote.

'Naturally Trump and his partisans would describe any investigation as a witch hunt, but they will make the same accusations against local prosecutors who are also Democrats. That it would still be up to a jury to convict him would provide a measure of political insulation,' Boot continued.

At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) tried to get Garland to say the Jan. 6 probe won't be limited to 'people in the building that day'  meaning rioters. He called for 'due diligence' by the FBI to look at funders and 'players behind the scenes.'

Garland was typically circumspect. 'The investigation is being conducted by the prosecutors in the US Attorneys office and by the FBI field office. We have not constrained them in any way,' he answered.

In the background of any decision is Robert Mueller's Russia probe, which culminated in a report that presented 10 cases of potential obstruction by Trump, but failed to bring any charges. That probe came about when former Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself due to his contacts with the former Russian ambassador to the U.S.  infuriating Trump to this day.

Some lawmakers are frustrated by what the Mueller team was able to produce amid limitations Mueller followed. California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff writes in his new book it was 'heartbreaking' to watch Mueller struggle under questioning during his pivotal 2017 testimony to Congress.

Former FBI agent Asha Rangappa, a CNN commentator, developed a thread with arguments for and against the idea of a special counsel.

Her first point: 'It's warranted. Contrary to what some have suggested, a conflict of interest is not a requisite for appointing an SC. Appropriate grounds include that an independent prosecutor would be in the "public interest" or that there are "extraordinary circumstances."'

But she notes counter arguments: 'It creates a new space for politicization, as we saw with [former special counsel Robert] Mueller,' and gives potential defendants a 'head's up' they are being investigated.

She said it could fuel attacks on the special counsel, FBI, and the Justice Department 'probably louder and by more people than we are seeing now, which could undermine the eventual fruits of the investigation.'

After sorting through the mixed bag of information, she concludes there are 'many' upsides to a special counsel, while the downsides of a special counsel compared to an internal Justice Department probe are 'about the same.'

Also pushing the issue have been authors Bob Woodward and Rober Costa, whose book, Peril, explores the overturn effort in the 'war room' at the Willard Hotel Jan. 5th.

'That's what we're trying to understand  what's next for Merrick Garland the attorney general, is there going to be a special counsel, especially if Congress can force Bannon to testify,' Costa told MSNBC Tuesday.

Woodward also raised the idea of a special counsel on CNN last week, after spelling out multiple instances of 'conspiratorial actions.

'We have a very clear-cut case. I would suspect it is quite possible that Attorney General Merrick Garland will appoint a special counsel to look at this, because the evidence is so clear for a massive Watergate-style attempt to destroy the process of electing a president.'

Backing the idea is Harvard law professor Lawrence Tribe, who called for a special counsel who is 'far more effective and less snail-paced than Robert Mueller and very much more disciplined and focused than Ken Starr,' in reference to the Watergate prosecutor whose probe into the Monica Lewinsky scandal and related matters undergirded the Bill Clinton impeachment.

Weighing in against the idea is former House impeachment lawyer Daniel Goldman.

'There is no conflict of interest that warrants a special counsel. Garland was an apolitical judge until this year. Just because Trump turned the DOJ into his political arm in court does not mean thats what DOJ is. Garland is perfect to handle this,' he wrote.

Unknown in the case of Bannon is not just whether he will be charged, but how long it will take the DOJ to decide. The House panel is acting swiftly, with the knowledge that a GOP House takeover would almost certainly end it.

Dean said he had no idea how long a charging decision might take, 'but I cannot think of an instance in recent history where theres been more pressure on the Department to take action swiftly.'
The crooked Malaysian businessman known as Fat Leonard, who brought down Navy top brass in one of the biggest corruption scandals in the history of the military, has broken his silence in a stunning new podcast where he boasts about plying admirals with booze and prostitutes, and the sweet informant deal he struck with the US government.

Francis Glenn Leonard, 57, was arrested after the scandal erupted in 2013.

Famous for his towering portliness, he is known widely as Fat Leonard and the scandal - which toppled dozens of Navy officers and implicated commanders and admirals - became known by that nickname too.

Leonard was arrested in 2013 and pleaded guilty to fraud and bribery after spending years plying the Navy with gifts, cash, trips and prostitutes' in exchange for favorable contracts and secret information.

He flipped after his arrest and agreed to testify against the Navy as part of a sweeping prosecution by the Department of Justice's that remains ongoing; seven Navy officers are still awaiting trial and Leonard is the star witness.

Despite being told by the government not to talk, Leonard - who has kidney cancer - is revealing how he infiltrated the upper echelons of the Navy in Fat Leonard, a new nine-part podcast by author and journalist Tom Wright, which DailyMail.com has previewed.

'Fat Leonard', aka Leonard Glenn Francis, the Malaysian businessman who infiltrated the US Navy in Manila and blackmailed officers into giving him favors and shipping routes, is speaking out in a new podcast

'Everybody was in my pocket. I had them rolling around in my palm. I had the Navy by their balls. I turned my torpedo, my guns against them, because they betrayed me,' Leonard says in one episode.

He also revealed that the government had arranged for visas for his whole family, saying: 'Everybody came legally. Uncle Sam knows, everybody knows what Im doing. My children are my children.

They wanted to have the good life that they could not have. They wanted the fine dining, the fine gifts, hotel rooms, sedans, luxury cars, watches, handbags, fancy meals, alcohol, cigars

'My wellbeing is more important than anyone else I am their star witness,' Leonard said.

Wright shared unreleased episodes with DailyMail.com where Leonard, who is described as 'entirely unrepentant', calls the mother of his children a 'prostitute' and reveals that the US government gave his kids visas in order for them to come to the country and be with him.

In one episode, he talks proudly about going after Michael Misiewicz, a commander who he supplied with prostitutes in Tokyo in exchange for secret shipping routes to Australia.

Misciewicz had value, you know, he was like the number two guy in the scheduling department.

'If you look at him, hes actually a really nice guy, very gentle personality, friendly, great dad to his kids, womanizer...' Leonard said, adding that his number two - New Yorker Edmond Aruffo - 'embedded' him.

They wanted to have the good life that they could not have. They wanted the fine dining, the fine gifts, hotel rooms, sedans, luxury cars, watches, handbags, fancy meals, alcohol, cigars,' he said.

Leonard is shown with Rear Admiral Bolivar, who was investigated as part of the scandal.

Fat Leonard, aka Leonard Glenn Francis, on his warship - the USS Braveheart - which he bought. He is obsessed with American culture and speaks with an American accent, despite never having lived in the US

Leonard had infiltrated Misiewicz's family and friends while he was working on the USS Blue Ridge out of Manila in 2011.

He gave him and his family tickets to the Lion King in Tokyo, bought his wife Marcy a Gucci handbag when she became suspicious of him, and arranged for Michael to sleep with prostitutes in Tokyo on a regular basis.

The scheme came crashing down in 2013 after Marcy Misiewicz, Michael's wife, suspected he was cheating on her and confronted him. He struck her and she reported it to the NCIS, which started filtering through Michael's emails.

Among them were exchanges with Leonard, where Michael had supplied secret shipping routes to Australia.

Leonard, who had a spy in the NCIS, found out and tried to placate her but he was eventually arrested, along with Misiewicz, who was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Marcy is interviewed in one episode and talks about balking at Leonard's 'smarmy' right-hand-man, Ed Aruffo.

'I played professional and sexual... the Navy expected me to put on these orgies and these parties,' Leonard says of his role in the Navy. He organized parties for officers throughout Asia. Above, an unidentified group at one party

More Navy senior officials at a party Leonard says he threw for them in his unofficial role

Aruffo, a New Yorker, was Leonard's man on the inside. He helped him choose the Navy commanders and officers to corrupt.

She told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that she never spoke to Leonard - the man who tore apart her family by corrupting her husband's once stellar career.

'Listening to Leonard is like he and Ed have the same personality. It's the same nauseating feeling I get when I hear him as I did with Ed.'

She said she 'never in a million years' would have thought her husband would have sex with prostitutes, and that she can 'only imagine' why he did.

Marcy was interviewed by the NCIS in Yokosuka Japan, where she lived with on base with the couple's four kids, after the incident where her husband struck her.

They said they had received an anonymous tip about her husband's involvement with Leonard. She filed for divorce before Michael's arrest, returning to Illinois with the couple's four kids.

She does not have 'much' contact with him now, nor do the children.

Marcy does not blame Leonard for the destruction of her family, instead calling him the 'mastermind' of a plot that many were willingly sucked into.

'I'm not sure you can pinpoint it on one person, it's a recipe for disaster. Leonard is a mastermind, but people have to be easily swayed.

'He found their Achilles heel. It's multilayered and a lot falls through the cracks,' she said.

Obsessed with America and specifically The Godfather, Leonard - who has a $130million mansion in Singapore - bought his own warship, the Braveheart, and kept a crew on board.

Captain Jeffrey Breslau (left) was sentenced to six months and Rear Admiral Bruce Loveless (right) was arrested but he retired from the Navy

Navy Rear Admiral Robert Gilbeau (left) was sentenced to 18 months in prison and Commander Michael Misiewicz (right) was sentenced to six years

'He had his cell phone programmed to 'God Bless America', he wore stars and stripes neckties, he talks with an American accent even though he never lived in the US..

'Hes a conman. Hes able to charm  I got charmed by him in the process of talking to him in 20 hours,' Wright told DailyMail.com on Wednesday.

He revealed why Leonard thinks he did nothing wrong, in the grand scheme of his contributions to the US Armed Forces.

Leonard claims that although he is 'foul' he is 'deeply Catholic' and performed a 'good job' for the Navy

'Hes entirely unrepentant. He has a point that he did a very good job for the Navy; if it's the job of a bag man to open up ports to the Navy in corrupt places, then he did a good job.

'He was able to help the fleet, he had his own warship, a flotilla of 180 ships, went on al Qaeda missions, he was really part of the Navy.

'He did do a good job and he will say, "I played professional and sexual... the Navy expected me to put on these orgies and these parties."

'Ultimately though this is a story about the war on terror and how much money was flowing. This never should have happened and this is the US taxpayer who pays for it,' Wright added.

In one episode, Leonard talks about why he loves the movie The Godfather so much.

'How the family was so close knit and how much respect and power a single don could have over an entire clan.'

He is not so close-knit with his own family; Wright reveals how one of his former partners, Morena, is fighting for custody of their kids.

Despite courts in Singapore and the Philippines ruling that the kids belong with her, they ended up in San Diego, under Leonard's care, in a house-arrest apartment. She was unaware until Wright, who first started speaking with Leonard remotely in February 2021, told her.

She told the podcast how he cheated on her frequently when they were together, something he doesn't deny in the case of Morena or any other relationship he has had.

'They came to me with their eyes open, they werent blind. They all knew I had multiple wives and partners. I was a playboy  they all knew it. It wasnt like I was the Virgin Mary.

'Females out there are dropping like flies. I push everybody away. It comes with problems. Ive had multiple partners, wives  its not like Im a bad husband, its just that women cant keep up with me,' Leonard says.

He says cruelly of his ex-wives: 'The first wife was just too lazy for me. The second one was messing around  she said I was impotent and thats why we couldnt have kids. BS.

'She was on birth control and just trying to keep her figure.

He also revealed how his own father beat his mother and cheated on her when he was a child, but that he never abandoned him because 'you only get one mother and father'.

'The kids want to be with me of course, Im super daddy, mommy, granddaddy everything. Im a very open book dad. I dont hide anything. These little ones now, Im here for them.

The Braveheart, Fat Leonard's warship, which he bought in 2003, was used as a 'floating brothel', according to some of those interviewed as part of the investigation

'When youre wealthy, everybody wants a piece of cake. I bring up my kids, I love my kids. I dont have babies just for fun. I love children and I enjoy doing what I do,' he said.

Leonard also suggests that some of the most senior admirals he corrupted are being protected by the Navy, a claim that is bolstered by the fact that some were disciplined in military courts, whereas others were pursued by the Department of Justice.

'Some of the more senior admirals got handled by the Navy because then they can be brushed under the carpet, its little more than a slap on the wrist, they call it different spanks for different ranks.

'If youre an admiral you dont get punished to the same degree as if youre junior,' Wright said.

The Department of Justice has not addressed the discrepancy, nor has it answered why Leonard's kids were allowed to be put into his care when two separate foreign courts have ruled that they should be returned to their mother.

It's also unclear what will become of his house-arrest set-up now that he has spoken publicly, potentially jeopardizing his deal with the DoJ.

Mark Pletcher, the chief prosecutor in the case, did not respond to DailyMail.com's inquiries.

Fat Leonard is a nine-part podcast hosted by journalist and author Tom Wright. It can be found at PRX, here.
He is seen as a threat to Japan's Chrysanthemum Throne, but Kei Komuro just wants to be a loving husband to his vulnerable bride.

The man whose Tuesday marriage to Princess Mako, the older sister of the country's likely future emperor, has led to nationwide protests, admits his new wife's mental health is 'not good,' but he wants to take care of her.

'I love Mako. We only get one life, and I want us to spend it with the one we love,' he told the country during a televised press conference in Tokyo.

Now the newlywed couple are heading to freewheeling New York to make a new life half the globe away from the stiff and formal royal palace where Mako grew up.

Princess Mako of Akishino, 30, the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and niece of reigning Emperor Naruhito, tied the knot with university sweetheart Kei Komuro, a commoner, in Tokyo on Tuesday after an eight-year engagement. They have been engaged since 2013 and were due to marry three years ago, but the wedding was delayed following a financial scandal involving his mother

Princess Mako (left) gave up her royal title in order to marry her commoner boyfriend (right) in a ceremony stripped of all pomp and glamour in Tokyo Tuesday

Polls show that up to 80 per cent of Japanese oppose the marriage that took place with none of the usual pomp and ceremony in a register office in Tokyo.

Komuro was raised by his widowed mother, Kayo. His father died when he was still in elementary school. His jobs in Japan included working in a bank and a French restaurant.

He met Mako in 2013 when they were both studying at the International Christian University outside Tokyo.

His proposal propelled him to the front page of Japanese newspapers - his only previous claim to fame had come from being named Prince of the Sea to lead a tourism campaign in the coastal town of Fujisawa.

The couple, both now 30, got 'unofficially engaged' in 2017, and planned to tie the knot in November 2018.

Initially the news was greeted with delight in Japan, but then a scandal grew up when it was discovered that Kayo had not repaid a 4million yen ($35,000) loan from a former fiance, partly to pay her son's tuition.

Komuro pictured during his childhood. The 30-year-old left Japan for New York in 2017 to study law

Komuro was raised by his widowed mother, Kayo. His father died when he was still in elementary school. He is pictured above age nine with his late dad

His only previous claim to fame had come from being named Prince of the Sea to lead a tourism campaign in the coastal town of Fujisawa. He is pictured wearing the Prince of the Sea sash in 2010

That led critics to suggest Komuro was only marrying the princess for money or fame.

Komuro issued a 24-page explanation about the money - claiming it was a gift not a loan. That made him even more unpopular.

Eventually he said he would repay it, although it is not known whether the money has been returned.

In an online poll just five per cent of respondents in Japan said they would congratulate the couple or celebrate, with an overwhelming 91 per cent saying they wouldn't.

But despite the turmoil Kei and Mako's love endured. Last year the now ex-princess begged the Japanese public to support her decision.

'We are irreplaceable to each other - someone to rely on during both happy and unhappy times,' she said, announcing the wedding would go ahead.

'So a marriage is a necessary choice for us to live while cherishing and protecting our feelings.'

Komuro (pictured above in Yokohama in 2017) and Princess Mako, both now 30, got 'unofficially engaged' in 2017, four years after they met at university

Komuro is pictured at an amusement park with friends in 2009. Prior to moving to New York, he worked in a bank and at a French restaurant in Japan

News of the couple's engagement was initially greeted with delight in Japan, until it emerged that his mother was 4million yen ($35,000) in debt. Pictured: Komuro in 2012

On Tuesday, her words were nearly identical. 'For me, Kei is irreplaceable,' she said. 'Marriage was a necessary choice for us.'

In prepared remarks, she also said: 'I acknowledge that there are various opinions about our marriage. I feel very sorry for the people to whom we gave trouble.

'I'm grateful for the people who have been quietly concerned about us, or those who continued supporting us without being confused by baseless information.'

She said incorrect reporting on her new husband had caused her 'great fear, stress and sadness.'

'The flow of arbitrary criticism of Kei's actions, as well as one-sided speculation that ignored my feelings, made falsehoods somehow seem like reality and turn into an unprovoked story that spread,' she added.

Komuro has not lived in Japan for three years.

Soon after the marriage was postponed, he moved to New York, studying law at Fordham University in the Bronx and then landing a job clerking at Lowenstein Sandler in Manhattan, counseling companies and investors on venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions.

Komuro has not lived in Japan for three years and only returned in September to prepare for his wedding ceremony. But his trip home only drew more negative publicity after he arrived at Narita Airport sporting a ponytail, a hairstyle that is deemed disrespectful

He was also criticized for wearing a pin-striped suit when visiting his future in-laws in 2017 (left). He wore pinstripes again during his marriage ceremony (pictured) on Tuesday

He had become so disillusioned with his homeland that he didn't return once to see his fiancee until going back in September to prepare for his wedding.

And his trip inevitably brought more bad publicity. Conservatives were shocked that he arrived at Narita Airport sporting a ponytail - which he cut off before getting married.

They deemed his hairstyle 'disrespectful' and piled on the scorn when they noted that he visited his future in-laws wearing a pin-striped suit rather than one in a solid color. He got married in pinstripes as well.

He was also criticized for his body language - his foes say he keeps his hands in his pockets too much.

But despite the negative feeling towards Komuro, the Japan Times called him 'a polite and upstanding man.'

On the day of his marriage, he was announced as winner of the New York State Bar Association's annual student writing competition for a piece on 'compliance problems in website accessibility and implications for entrepreneurs.'

His prize was a check for $2,000, which won't go far toward the $1.35million Mako agreed to give up under pressure from an unsympathetic Japanese public. That amount has been paid to the two princesses who have previously left the royal family.

High profile: Princess Mako of Japan, right, donned a traditional Junihitoe as she took part in a procession through Tokyo's Imperial Palace to mark her uncle's formal ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019

Princess Mako of Akishin is seen left before her graduation ceremony at the International Christian University on March 26, 2014 in Mitaka, Tokyo, where she met her husband. The marriage means she will be stripped of her royal title and will not be able to return to the family even if the union ends in divorce

Only male members of the Japanese imperial family are allowed to marry 'commoners, so Mako's decision to marry for love means a whole slew of new things for her.

For a start, she is no longer considered a princess - even if the marriage ends in divorce she can never return to the family.

For the first time in her life she has a surname and will be known just as Mako Komuro.

She will also have to apply for a passport - royals don't need them - so she can move Stateside.

She can no longer live in the Imperial Palace. And any sons the couple have will not be in the line of succession for the male-only emperorship.

And that is a potential problem in Japan where there are now only three people allowed by the Imperial Household Law to succeed 61-year-old Emperor Naruhito - and one of those, his uncle Masohito, is 85.

At the press conference, the couple read out prepared statements in which they apologized for any distress their marriage has caused - but defended their decision to go ahead with the ceremony

There were also no official portraits, like these ones taken of then-Crown Prince Prince Naruhito and his wife Crown Princess Masako with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko after their wedding at the Imperial Palace June 9, 1993 in Tokyo

The other two are Nauruhito's 55-year-old brother Akishino - Mako's father - and Mako's brother Hisahito, 15.

The couple blame the negative publicity focused on Mako for the decline in her health.

The Imperial Household Agency said earlier this year that she is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder brought on by the public pressure.

And that could only have been made worst by the protestors who gathered in a Tokyo park holding signs opposing the marriage.
A Florida senator battling breast cancer who canceled a meeting with the state's surgeon general after he refused to wear a mask has said she has no idea how he was appointed.

Democratic Senator Tina Polsky told Dr Joseph Ladapo she could not allow him inside her office without a mask because she had a serious illness - which she later revealed to be cancer.

'I have no idea why this person was chosen, except for, you know, political points with people who don't believe in science,' Polski told CNN.

Polsky said she has numerous meetings on a daily basis but since receiving her diagnosis, she decided to require anyone in her office to wear a mask as a preventive measure against COVID-19.

Ladapo was appointed by Governor DeSantis who has notoriously opposed mask mandates.

Florida State Senator, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, has a strict mask policy during meetings in her office. She said nobody had refused to wear masks during said meetings until Florida's surgeon general last week

Dr Joseph Ladapo (left) said he offered to meet outside or in a hallway for his scheduled meeting last week with Democratic Senator Tina Polsky (right). The meeting was canceled after Ladapo refused to wear a mask

'He needs to be confirmed by the senate, if not this session, then the one next year so he's going around to senators trying to get our votes, and yet he refused to wear a mask,' she added.

Polsky said in a statement that Ladapo's excuse for not wanting to wear a mask was 'absurd' and 'insulting.' He told her masks were not ideal to have a conversation.

'Further, physicians, nurses and support staff wear masks during surgery and other procedures where communicating clearly is literally a matter of life and death,' Polsky said.

Polsky said that after the meeting was abruptly canceled, Ladapo was heard saying to his aides that he was 'having fun' arguing with the senator.

Ladapo said in a statement released Tuesday that he offered to meet outside or in a hallway for his scheduled meeting last week with Democratic Senator Tina Polsky.

In the statement, Ladapo also said he didn't believe he could communicate clearly and effectively while wearing a mask.

Polsky, who later revealed she has cancer, was not satisfied, he said.

'Having a conversation with someone while wearing a mask is not something I find productive, especially when other options exist,' Ladapo said in a statement posted on Twitter.

I am genuinely saddened by Senator Polsky's recent diagnosis of breast cancer and I pray for her and her family and wish them God's blessings and strength,' Ladapo wrote in the public statement after Polsky revealed her breast cancer diagnosis

Polsky retweeted a post on Twitter, which she said was an 'excellent question,' suggesting that Ladapo may have reacted differently if she was a 'Republican male Senator'

Ladapo also promoted malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the coronavirus. Former President Donald Trump said he took the drug, which was briefly authorized by the FDA before the decision was quickly reversed, when he contracted the virus last year

Florida's New Surgeon General Asks People To Step Away From What You Hear On TV For A Moment...



And Listen To What He Has To Say About School Mask Mandates & The Data... pic.twitter.com/5kngX0UQft  Covid-1984 (@NeverSleever) October 20, 2021

'I attempted in good faith to find some way for us to communicate that would respect each of our preferences,' he added.

The incident drew broad attention over the weekend after Polsky revealed that she has breast cancer, though at the time of the meeting last Wednesday she had told Lapado only that she had a serious health condition.

'I am genuinely saddened by Senator Polsky's recent diagnosis of breast cancer and I pray for her and her family and wish them God's blessings and strength,' Ladapo wrote in the public statement after Polsky revealed her diagnosis.

Ladapo had asked to meet her in Tallahassee as he seeks confirmation in the Senate.

Polsky said she and her aide were wearing masks and Ladapo and two people accompanying him were not.

Ladapo reportedly tried to negotiate with Polsky in the waiting room.

When the senator asked Ladapo if he had a reason for not wearing a mask, he did not give her one, she said.

'His outlandish notion that one cannot communicate with a mask on all but renders his qualifications as our states surgeon general an absurdity, she added.

Democrats have voiced their opposition to the appointment of Ladapo in September by Governor Ron DeSantis, who has notoriously opposed mask mandates.

A day after he was named to the post, Ladapo signed rules allowing parents to decide whether their children quarantine or stay in school after being exposed to COVID-19.

'In Florida, we are going to stay close to the data... and the data do not support any clinical benefit for children in school with mask mandates,' he said addressing the press in September.

Ladapo is seeking Senate confirmation. 'He needs to be confirmed by the senate, if not this session, then the one next year so he's going around to senators trying to get our votes and yet he refused to wear a mask,' Polsky said

Democrats have voiced their opposition to the appointment of Ladapo (left) in September by Governor Ron DeSantis (center), who has notoriously opposed mask mandates

But a study by the CDC found that schools that did not have mask mandates were 3.5 times more likely to have COVID outbreaks than schools that required students and staff to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

The tense exchange at the senator's office also drew criticism from the GOP.

The Republican leader of the Florida Senate, Walter Simpson, said in a memo that it was disappointing, and that visitors should respect masking and social distancing requests of senators and staff within their offices even though the building has no mask mandate.

On Tuesday, US Rep. Charlie Crist, who is challenging DeSantis in the gubernatorial race next year, said he was joining a group of local doctors to call for Ladapo's resignation.

DeSantis has opposed mask mandates in schools and said last week that he would call state lawmakers back to work early to pass legislation to fight vaccine mandates enacted by businesses.
An Army veteran-turned security guard has been hailed as a 'hero' after she died while trying to stop the Idaho mall gunman.

Jo Acker, 26, a transgender woman, was one of two victims shot dead when 27-year-old Jacob Bergquist opened fire at Boise Towne Square on Monday. Roberto Padilla Arguelles, 49 - who lived in Rupert, Idaho - also died at the scene.

Five others, including a police officer, were injured.

Gunman Bergquist died in the hospital today from injuries he sustained in a shootout with police.

The Boise Police Department (BPD) confirmed that Acker - who was a forward observer in the US Army for three years, according to her Facebook profile - died trying to stop the shooter.

Jo Acker (left and right), 26, was a transgender woman was working as a Boise Towne Square security guard when 27-year-old Jacob Bergquist fatally shot her after opening fire at the shopping center yesterday afternoon

Acker's sister Shawna Lee Lannigan (right with Acker, center) called her 'a hero' and wrote in a tribute post: 'I cant even put into words how completely devastated and shattered I am'

Roberto Padilla Arguelles (not pictured), 49 - who lived in Rupert, Idaho - was another victim of the tragic shooting. He was pronounced dead at the hospital

Acker's sister Shawna Lee Lannigan called her 'a hero' and wrote in a tribute post: 'I cant even put into words how completely devastated and shattered I am.'

'Jo you were always kind and lovingyou always had such an enormous heart of gold. I always felt like your keeper I always wanted to protect you and you always wanted to protect others.'

Lannigan added: 'I love you to the ends of this earth and beyond. I will miss you until we meet again!'

Tiffany Luna, another sister, also paid tribute to Acker in a post calling her 'a hero (who) will be greatly missed'.

'Because of (Jos) heroics many lives were saved,' she added.

Coroner Dotti Owens said Bergquist's cause of death was still pending, according to The Washington Post.

Boise Police Chief Ryan Lee said at a news conference the shooting was reported about 1.50pm on Monday - as well as a report that one person was 'shot and down' at that time.

Ada County dispatch said that callers identified the shooter as a white male adult, dressed in black and in possession of guns, as reported by CBS 2.

The BPD explained in a statement on Tuesday: 'Evidence indicates the suspect was contacted by a security officer on the first floor of the building near a department store on the west side of the building.

'The suspect shot the security officer who died at the scene.'

The security guard was later identified as Acker, who joined the Army after high school and was a forward artillery observer and a paratrooper stationed in Florence, Italy, for two years.

Ray Dawn (right with Acker), Acker's partner of nearly three years, described her as 'one of the strangest, quirkiest individuals Ive ever known' and added that she 'loved her family'

Acker joined the Army after high school and was a forward artillery observer and a paratrooper stationed in Florence, Italy, for two years

Acker was born in Seattle and grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Boise, Idaho.

Ray Dawn, Acker's partner of nearly three years, told the Idaho Statesman: 'She was confronting the suspect. She was helping people be safe and get out of the way and they shot at her.

'I was told she was helping people and saving them... I know she would have wanted a make everyone else safe. She would have been the first one to go down to confront somebody.'

Dawn described Acker as 'one of the strangest, quirkiest individuals Ive ever known' and added that her partner 'loved her family'.

Dawn told the Statesman: 'I know that theres different gender things, but I know that I can say she didnt care what her family thought of that at all. She knew that she loved them and that they loved her.'

A grieving Dawn recalled how Acker also 'talked like a '90s mom' because she used words like 'goober' and 'adored' her cats Sebastian and Peridot' more than anything in the world,' according to the Statesman.

She 'had the palate of a 10-year-old,' Dawn noted, adding that her lover - who she also described as a 'proud nerd' - enjoyed french fries and pizza more than anything else.

Kevin Goncalves, who was stationed in Italy with Acker, told the Statesman that Acker was introverted, a lover of video games, 'an excellent runner' and a caring person.

She 'always stood up for the right thing, even if it brought trouble. That was always something I admired about Jo,' he added.

The shooting left two people dead at the scene and t five others, including Bergquist and a police officer, injured

Acker's friend Dominique Cairistiona said of her death: 'I have very confusing emotions right now. On one hand Im upset that she was selfless and put herself in danger - but on the other hand I would expect nothing less of her.

'Thats exactly her character, to do whatever she could to help as many people as she could.'

Acker's high-school friend Shiloh Ren agreed and said Acker was a 'radiantly sweet person,' adding that she will be remembered as the first one to try and cheer someone up.

Ren told the Idaho Press: 'She had this presence about her that just made you feel safe and respected. She is going to be missed by many but forgotten by none.'

Meanwhile, when the officers arrived they spotted someone who matched the description of the suspect and at least one officer exchanged gunfire with him in the mall parking lot. A bullet injured a 69-year-old woman sitting in her car.

Bergquist was then arrested and taken to the hospital along with the officer he shot at.

The injured cop was treated and released from the hospital on Monday evening. As of that time Bergquist was in critical condition but he would not survive. The coroner said that he died late Tuesday morning.

Investigators believe Bergquist acted alone and Lee confirmed at the conference that there is no ongoing danger to the public.

The BPD said the suspect had more than one gun and a total of 18 shell casings were found inside the mall.

The investigation into Bergquist's motive is still ongoing and a search warrant was issued at a home on Fry Street - less than two miles away from the Boise Towne Square - according to CBS.

When officers arrived at the mall they spotted someone who matched the description of the suspect and at least one officer exchanged gunfire with him in the mall parking lot. A bullet injured a 69-year-old woman sitting in her car

The Boise Police Department (BPD) said the suspect had more than one gun and a total of 18 shell casings were found inside the mall

'There is...a multi-state effort underway to learn more about the suspect. We have been coordinating with our local, state and federal partners to investigate rumors and reports from social media and there is no evidence of additional planned attacks or ongoing threats to the public,' Lee said.

After the shooter shot and killed Acker he then fired several rounds inside the mall, hitting the glass escalator and a second unidentified victim who later died from his injuries at the hospital.

Bergquist continued firing throughout the mall. According to CBS he shot into the floor and injured two females. A male victim was also taken to a hospital and treated for injuries after he fell while rushing out of the building.

Video recorded by shoppers who were at the mall at the time of the shooting showed people running from the exit doors at shots were being fired. People were also heard screaming in the background.

Shopper Cheri Gypin said she thought something had fallen from the ceiling when she heard large bangs. Then she and a friend saw about 60 people, including families pushing strollers, come running at them - with some shouting there was an active shooter at the mall on Monday afternoon.

North and Southbound lanes on Milwaukee Street between Emerald and Franklin roads were closed as police cars swarmed to the scene

Bergquist fired multiple rounds throughout the mall. He even shot into the floor and injured two females. A male victim was also taken to a hospital and treated for injuries after he fell while rushing out of the building

Officers are still investigating the motive behind the shooting

Gypin said: 'My friend was trying to process it. I just looked at her and said: "We've got to run."

'So we just ran and kept running until we got to the outer perimeter of the parking lot.'

North and Southbound lanes on Milwaukee Street between Emerald and Franklin roads were closed as police cars swarmed to the scene.

The Boise Towne Square is the largest shopping mall in the city with more than 153 stores.'We are heart broken and are working closely with the Boise Police Department as they investigate the circumstances that led to this terrible tragedy,' the mall wrote in a Facebook post.

'In observance and respect for our community our shopping center will be closed tomorrow. This is a developing investigation,' it added.
Celebrity cosmetic surgeon Dr Daniel Lanzer has claimed he's the victim of a 'plastic surgery turf war' after shocking allegations about his practice aired on Four Corners.

The program showed videos and spoke to experts about the manner in which cosmetic procedures are conducted at Lanzer's clinics.

One video showed surgeons at one of Lanzer's clinics dancing, singing and laughing as they thrust long metal cannulas in and out of an unconscious man during a liposuction.

In an Instagram story posted Tuesday night, Dr Daniel Lanzer described himself as the 'victim' of a 'terrible turf war'. 'The normal Dr Lanzer would love the opportunity to defend my position in the media as I know the truth and there is nothing to hide'

In social media posts on Tuesday Dr Lanzer blamed a longstanding surgery 'turf war' for the Four Corners story about his clinics.

'There's a group of three plastic surgeons who have got together to try and defame me.'

Dr Lanzer said he would reveal 'the truth' about the surgeons involved in the turf war.

But in another statement last night, Dr Lanzer said he would not come forward with the promised information despite describing himself as the 'victim' of the 'terrible turf war'.

'The normal Dr Lanzer would love the opportunity to defend my position in the media as I know the truth and there is nothing to hide,' he said in the video.

'However I have made a decision I am not going to respond to any of the ex-staffers' claims nor am I going to come forward with information relevant to the turf war which prompted the surgeons to criticise me.'

Instead, Dr Lanzer said he would launch an independent assessment of the allegations and practices at his clinics 'to ensure they maintain highest standards of care that have been a hallmark of my 30-year career'.

No detail was provided on who would conduct the assessment. Daily Mail Australia approached Dr Lanzer for comment on this question.

One of the most shocking scenes in the Four Corners investigation showed two surgeons thrusting cannulas in and out of an unconscious male patient during a liposuction procedure, while dancing to Dolly Parton's 'Jolene'

A Four Corners episode on Monday examined some of the practices and procedures of high-profile cosmetic surgeon Dr Daniel Lanzer

He also said he had been 'set up' by the former employees who spoke to the program.

'Many issues were raised on the our Corners program in an unfair manner, with disgruntled ex-staffers who set me up while they were employed by me and made demands for money before they appeared,' he said.

Dr Lanzer, a dermatologist and father of 10 who regularly appears on commercial TV to discuss cosmetic surgery, has built an audience of more than five million followers on TikTok and 300,000 on Instagram.

In a 2018 profile, he was estimated to be worth more than $20million.

One of the most shocking scenes in the Four Corners investigation with the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age showed two surgeons thrusting cannulas in and out of an unconscious male patient during a liposuction procedure, while dancing to Dolly Parton's 'Jolene'.

Another attendant dances next to the operating table while the woman filming the scene laughs hysterically.

The producers asked Dr Mark Ashton, Clinical Professor of Surgery at University of Melbourne and former president of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, to comment on the video,

'These two - I'm not even going to call them surgeons - these two gentlemen, are not even watching where the tip of the cannula is going,' he observed.

'It is dangerous, disrespectful. It is bewildering,

'If this was not true you'd think, ok, this can't be Australia. If you didn't show me these people, you'd think, oh, this can't be happening in Australia and here it is, you're showing me.

'Where have we gone so wrong in Australia that these two individuals think this is acceptable, think this is reasonable, think that this is fair game.'

The program said Dr Lanzer had reprimanded the staff members involved in the incident.

One video posted to social media showed Dr Lanzer talking to the camera while he moves a large cannula in and out of a patient. 'This is incredibly dangerous,' plastic surgeon Dr Mark Ashton said after viewing the video

Another video Dr Lanzer posted to social media shows him talking to the camera while he moves a large cannula in and out of a patient.

'In the four sentences I saw Dr Lanzer talk to the camera then, he didn't have any idea where the tip of that cannula was,' Dr Ashton said.

'You need to visually, directly look at where the tip of the cannula is, at all times. That's surgery 101 that you learn in the first week of training.

'This is incredibly dangerous.'

Two specialist plastic surgeons, Dr Craig Rubinstein and Dr Patrick Briggs, also weighed in on Dr Lanzer's method.

'One of the risks of liposuction is penetration through the abdomen into other organs, such as liver, kidney and even an aorta.

'To be using a cannula, not actually watching where the cannula is, is dangerous.'

Other former patients complained to the program about the lasting effects of the cosmetic work they had received at one of Dr Lanzer's clinics.

A nurse, Kathy Hubble, claimed she was diagnosed with a serious bacterial infection, cellulitis, after two procedures over two days at Dr Lanzer's Sydney clinic.

Four Corners played audio messages from Dr Lanzer to staff in which he stressed they were never to admit fault in the face of a complaint by a client.

'Never, ever, ever, not slightly ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever admit to a patient that something's bad or wrong,' he said in the message.

'They'll use it against you 100 times for the rest of your life.

'Never, ever, ever, ever own up to anything.'

He also told staff not to send clients to a GP because it's 'the worst possible thing you can do  and it always creates problems.'

In an Instagram post on Monday Dr Lanzer said he would be 'forced to share the truth on every aspect of this attempt to defame me'

Dr Lanzer filmed a video response to the claims made in the program in which he claimed to have 'the highest standards of hygiene and safety.'

'I do not think that there's a surgeon in the world who could show a better safety record than I've done over the last 30 years,' he said.

'In my 30-year career, I've never had a single ruling or recommendation against me regarding my method of surgery or my patient care by any regulator.'

In an Instagram post yesterday Dr Lanzer said he would be 'forced to share the truth on every aspect of this attempt to defame me'.

'It's not going to be nice and goes against the core of my body. I have no choice but to spread the truth. Be patient and you will see all.'

He addressed followers on Instagram in response to the program in which he said he was the victim of a 'turf war' that had been going on for a number of years.

'There has been a longstanding, one-sided, jealousy and financially related turf war between a group of surgeons called plastic surgeons and non-plastic surgeons,' he said.

'I've kept quiet all these years because I always said just focus on what you're doing but now they're trying to go public, it's given me no choice and I'm going to have to reveal to Australia and the world the truth.

'I'm going to show you some horrific, horrific results of one of those surgeons who says he's so great and puts me down.'

'I love you all, the truth will prevail. I'm smiling and laughing because I know the truth, so don't worry.'
Annastacia Palaszczuk has made her first appearance at an official event with her new millionaire surgeon boyfriend with the pair hosting a swanky farewell dinner for the state's Governor.

The Queensland Premier hosted a goodbye bash for departing Paul de Jersey on Monday evening. He will be replaced in just days by Ms Palaszczuk's close ally, Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young.

And as any body language expert will tell you - the way he's affectionately leaning into the Queensland premier shows he's definitely keen on her.

During the weekday event, Ms Palaszczuk was joined by her new partner Dr Reza Adib, a high-profile surgeon who specialises in weight loss treatment including lap bands.

It was believed to be the first time Dr Adib - general and laparoscopic surgeon - has attended an official function on Ms Palaszczuk's arm.

Dr Adib, a multi-millionaire, is the CEO of the Brisbane Obesity Clinic and previously worked at Royal Brisbane Hospital.

On his clinic's website he boasts having performed more than 20,000 operations and more than 5,000 weight-loss procedures.

In an article published last month, Ms Palaszczuk said: 'He is a gorgeous man.

Annastacia Palaszczuk has made her first public appearance with her new millionaire surgeon boyfriend at a celebratory dinner for the state's outgoing governor

Her millionaire boyfriend wore a navy blue suit with a red tie as he showed his affection for the Annastacia Palaszczuk by leaning in towards her (above)

Dr Adib is the CEO of the Brisbane Obesity Clinic and boasts on his website that he has clients that travel for his surgery from all around the world

'He is a very warm and caring, intelligent man with a great sense of humour, and we are just enjoying getting to know each other.'

Dr Adib's website said he has studied in Australia, England, Scotland, France and Austria.

'This broad international background puts him in a unique position to understand and treat a wide range of people from a variety of backgrounds and environments,' it said.

'Our patients travel from all over Australia to be under Dr Adib's quality care, knowing they will achieve the best results.'

Dr Adib lives in a three-level, five-bedroom, five-bathroom mansion at Indooroopilly which property records show he bought a decade ago for $6.25million.

Dr Adib lives in a three-level, five-bedroom, five-bathroom mansion at Indooroopilly which property records show he bought for $6.25million a decade ago. The house is pictured

The multi-millionaire boasts on the clinic's website he has performed more than 20,000 operations and more than 5,000 weight-loss procedures

Dr Jeannette Young will take over as Queensland governor from November 1

The Queensland leader was criticised after revealing their relationship given she was facing backlash for allowing the families of NRL players into the state, but lockingout everyone else.

Premier Palaszczuk, who has recently revealed her fertility battle after two broken marriages, was seen happily smiling alongside her new partner alongside a who's who of Queensland's elite.

The pair posed for pictures alongside outgoing governor Paul de Jersey and his wife Kay, as well as the departing chief justice Catherine Holmes and Speaker Curtis Pitt.

The premier was dressed in a black and white shin-grazing dress with bright red boots, while her millionaire boyfriend wore a navy blue suit with a red tie.

Premier Palaszczuk was joined by her new partner Reza Adib, a high-profile surgeon that specialises in weight loss treatment including lap bands

The premier has been pictured alongside Dr Adib at other events but not before going public with their romance at a time that was criticised by many of her adversaries

Premier Palaszczuk was pictured with Dr Adib at the Caloundra Cup at the Sunshine Coast Turf Club on July 11, leading to speculation the pair were romantically linked

The incoming governor Dr Jeannette Young was nowhere to be seen after Premier Palaszczuk confirmed her appointment to the role in June.

In a statement, Ms Palaszczuk said: 'Queenslanders have come to know Dr Young who has stood by my side during hundreds of COVID media conferences

'The people of this state know she stood by their side too and kept us safe.

'There is no-one more deserving of the title ''Her Excellency''.'

The 52-year-old has previously said her personal life had fallen by the wayside as a result of her political career and that her busy schedule made looking for love almost impossible

Awkwardly the premier sat opposition leader David Crisafulli on the same table as his former boss Campbell Newman and wife Lisa, despite Newman's heavy public criticism of Crisafulli a few months ago.

Newman has been consistently vocal against his former protege, calling him directionless and saying the party has 'lost its way'.

Premier Palaszczuk was pictured with Dr Adib at the Caloundra Cup at the Sunshine Coast Turf Club on July 11, leading to speculation the pair were romantically linked.

In one photograph the father of two had his arm around the smiling premier as she leaned in towards him on the course rail. In another they were seated together at a table inside.

The twice-married Premier Palaszczuk unveiled a glamorous makeover late last month during one of her daily Covid-19 press conferences, raising speculation there had been other changes in her private circumstances.

The 52-year-old has previously said her personal life had fallen by the wayside as a result of her political career and that her busy schedule made looking for love almost impossible.

'It's simply not true that we all need a partner to be fulfilled,' she said two years ago.

'It's lovely when it's the right person of course, but it is very possible to be single and very happy.'
A man in Brooklyn was captured on camera going on an aggressive anti-Semitic rant as a woman walked down the street.

Ring surveillance footage recorded the unidentified man in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn yelling hateful profanities at a woman: 'Jewish b***h, the f**k outta here, the f**k outta here, you f**king Jewish b***h.'

He continues: 'That's why I wish Hitler was still here, murder your children, you and your husband.'

The camera is set above two doors semi-enclosed behind a staircase. The aggressive man is seen standing on the sidewalk in broad daylight.

An unidentified man went on an disturbing anti-Semitic rant in Flatbush, Brooklyn

'You f**king Jewish b***h. That's why I wish Hitler was still here, murder your children, you and your husband,' he yelled as a woman walked down the street

Ring surveillance footage recorded the shocking incident which was posted on Twitter

The family, who is off camera, seems to catch his eye as he turns around and begins berating them.

Another person is seen sitting on the stairs not reacting as the man goes on his threatening rant.

The disturbing video was tweeted by NY Scanner, an account that post crowd sourced videos of crime and other wild scenes from around New York City.

Hate crimes in New York City have sky rocketed in the past year. In 2020, NYPD reported 209 hate crimes through September. This year the police department recorded 424 hate crimes in the same time period equating to an increase of 103%.

The Jewish population in the city has seen hate crimes against their community spike 50%. Last year, NYPD recorded 98 hate crimes against Jewish people through September while they reported 147 hate crimes against Jews in 2021 for the same time period.

Overall crime in New York City increased by 2.6% in September 2021, compared with September 2020. While, crime year-to-date decreased by 0.2% compared to 2020.

Crime has sky rocketed in New York City, while rates have stayed relatively consistent with last year, they have more than doubled since 2019 in some cases including shooting victims

But officials continue to tout a decline in violent crime in the city noting that murder and robbery incidents have continued a downward trend compared with last year.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea commented on the supposed decline in 'violence': 'The ongoing, downward trend in violence reflects the hard and often dangerous work of the men and women of the NYPD.'

'And while I applaud their courage and tenacity, the police cannot do this alone. Public safety must be a collective mission.'

'It requires intelligence-based policing, but it also requires a fully functioning court system and meaningful consequences that send a clear message to those who would pull a trigger: expect to be caught, and expect to be held accountable.'

However, overall crime throughout New York City has continued to escalate.

According to newly released data from the FBI, the number of hate crimes reported in the U.S. in 2020 was the highest recorded since 2001- the year of the September 11 attacks.

After hate crimes that involved race, which made up the majority of the cases, 20 percent involved sexual orientation bias, 13.3 percent were biases related to religion, 2.7 percent involved gender identity bias (which means attacks against transgender and non-binary people), 1.4 percent involved disability bias, and 0.7 percent involved gender bias.

Of the 7,750 hate crime offenses classified as crimes against persons in 2020, 53.1 percent were for intimidation, 27.9 percent were for simple assault, and 17.9 percent were for aggravated assault. Twenty-two murders and 21 rapes were reported as hate crimes. The remaining 32 hate crime offenses were reported in the category of other.
Two young musicians who were found dead next to each other in a house in regional Victoria have been remembered as loving friends who 'struggled with demons'.

Ethan Sfetcopoulos, 19 and Sawandeep Singh Chhokar, 20, were found by emergency services after being called to a house on Kinchega Drive, North Shepparton on Monday morning.

Victoria Police confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances but said their 'exact causes of death' had not been determined.

A police spokeswoman said she could not comment on speculation from close friends that drugs were involved in their deaths.

Sawandeep Singh Chhokar, 20, (left) and Ethan Sfetcopoulos, 19, (right) were found by emergency services after being called to a house on Kinchega Drive, North Shepparton on Monday morning. There were no suspicious circumstances

Local rapper Yungkily Jons remembered Ethan Sfetcopoulos as kind and supportive

Their friends and fellow musicians filled social media with tributes, memories, photos and some shared the music of Mr Sfetcopoulos.

Tyson Cameron said he would miss Mr Chhokar like a 'little brother'.

'You were a kind hearted kid who meant no harm and was struggling with demons.

'I am glad I was able to talk you through what you were going through, I am thankful for the times we had hanging out making beats and just talking about life.'

He said Mr Sfetcopoulos was 'a great person to be around, lots of great energy and so much talent.'

'Two great kids who had a whole lot ahead of them, lost their lives to drugs.'

Earlier Mr Cameron had posted 'please be safe with drugs. check on your friends.'

'Drugs dont love you. The pain Im going through is something I dont wish on anyone. Get clean and go be with the people that love you,' wrote friend Kaitlyn Edwards.

'My heart is broken, can't believe it.'

'Thank you for everything youve done for me. Ill miss you forever and always,' she said.

A friend remembered Mr Chhokar as 'kind hearted' but 'struggling with demons'

Kimberley Martin wrote that she was struggling to find the right words to describe how the Mr Chhokar's death affected her.

'But there just arent any I could use to describe this hurtful feeling. Swan, you were the kindest friend I couldve ever had.'

Another friend, Matt Hoare, wrote 'Im still struggling to believe that this sh*** is actually real. rest easy kings.'

Patrick Choudary said remembered the pair as 'kings' who he shared 'crazy memories with, but also as decent people.

'Thanks for being there for me when I was going through some of the hardest parts of my life. Love you boys, rest in paradise.'

'Gone way to soon, fly high beautiful boys,' wrote friend Chloe Bryant, while Kheiryn Ridgeway said 'rest in peace my boys'.

Local rapper Yungkily Jons said he 'woke up wishing all this was just a crazy nightmare', remembering the pair as supportive and kind.

'Gone but will never be forgotten, Ethan Sfetcopoulos was the first person ever in Shepparton to show me love and told me to keep going with my music.'

'I'll forever appreciate your love and support... it's sad how in the blink of an eye we can lose the ones we love.'

'Sawandeep Singh Chhokar told me we gonna work [together] one day and put Shepparton on the map.'

Friends and family of Mr Sfetcopoulos and Mr Chhokar plan to farewell them on Thursday night in Shepparton.

'Police will prepare a report for the coroner after two men, aged 19 and 20-years-old, were located deceased at a property in Shepparton North on 25 October,' the Victorian police statement read.

'Emergency services responded to the Kinchega Drive property just after 11am.'

'The exact cause of death will be determined by a post mortem but the deaths are not being treated as suspicious.'
A Victorian woman has sparked a furious debate online after she started advertising a range of clothing emblazoned with the phrase 'F**k you Dictator Dan'.

Erin Harkins has been promoting the clothing on community Facebook groups in Melbourne and Victoria.

While supporters of the Victorian premier have blasted the clothing as 'disgusting', others said they would be happy to don the controversial message, having suffered through six gruelling lockdowns under his government.

Ms Harkins told Daily Mail Australia she has been selling shirts with messages from all sides of the Covid-19 debate, relating to vaccinations, lockdowns and Mr Andrews himself.

Erin Harkins has been promoting the slogans which also come on hoodies, singlets and long sleeve tops on local community Facebook groups in Melbourne and Victoria

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'There are people for and against and I respect that. I have made tops for all aspects of this topic,' she said.

'People are passionate and have a lot to say. I started making tops like these after one was requested and decided to post it online. This top in particular has been my bestseller so far!'

Since posting the shirt online on Tuesday night, Ms Harkins has sold 15 tops already with more orders coming in on Wednesday morning.

She stressed the messages were based on customer requests and did not always reflect her own opinion.

The shirts have sparked controversy with some Daniel Andrews supporters labelling them 'disgusting' while others say they would be more than happy to wear them

One woman said if Mr Andrews actually run his state like a dictatorship, posts like this would not be allowed

Others say they would buy as many shirts as possible in order to 'spread the word'

'I have never had an issue making things for all sides as I believe everyone has a right to their opinion and should feel free to say that,' she said.

Ms Harkins said while she wasn't a huge 'fan' of Mr Andrews herself, she accepted he had a tough role dealing with the Covid outbreaks.

'I can't please everyone and don't try to. People take offence to many things and that's ok with me. That's life,' Ms Harkins said.

'I have just always believed people should be brave enough to say how they feel.'

Her posts on local Facebook groups were flooded with comments from many, some condemning the shirt.

'If this was a dictatorship and you were here trying to sell these stupid shirts you would be in prison being tortured or killed for speaking out against the state,' one said.

'What a joke, you'd be dead if it wasn't for his prescience or listening to experts,' wrote another.

Other shirts on her website have the message '#freevictoria' but Ms Harkins stressed the majority of her designs were customer's requests and not her own beliefs

'Disgusting, he's saved countless lives by actually caring about people rather than big money,' one said.

However others fully supported the message.

'I would get a billion, trillion of them and give them away if I had the money, be so worth it to spread the word,' one said.

'Love it. Why not? Hope you are making coin off the shirts. All of them,' commented another Victorian.

Other shirts on her website JStone have slogans such as '#sackdannow' and '#freevictoria' while others have tops proudly endorsing their vaccination status including one that reads 'I'm vaccinated, you're welcome'.
Emily Maitliss stalker will continue to brood and to write letters to her from prison after harassing the BBC presenter for more than 25 years, a court heard yesterday.

Edward Vines is alleged to have attempted to breach a restraining order by penning letters expressing his unrequited love for Miss Maitlis.

Vines, who was described as persistent and obsessive, is behind bars after breaching restraining orders designed to protect the married mother-of-one a dozen times.

Emily Maitliss (pictured) stalker will continue to brood and to write letters to her from prison after harassing the BBC presenter for more than 25 years, a court heard yesterday

The 51-year-old is now alleged to have attempted to breach a restraining order against the 250,000-a-year presenter six further times between May 31 2020 and September 21 this year.

Nottingham Crown Court heard that in one of his letters Vines said he would continue to brood and to write letters in prison unless she spoke to him about her behaviour in 1990.

Prosecutors said he suffered a perceived slight by Miss Maitlis while studying at Cambridge with her some 30 years ago, and that what happened still caused him hurt.

A jury was told that Vines had breached two restraining orders imposed in 2002 and 2009.

An eighth prosecution was opened against him yesterday for trying to send six letters to Miss Maitlis and her mother, Marion Maitlis, all of which were intercepted by staff at HMP Nottingham.

The court heard that one letter, dated December 5 last year, comprised six pages of hand-written text.

Edward Vines (pictured) is alleged to have attempted to breach a restraining order by penning letters expressing his unrequited love for Miss Maitlis

A separate two-page letter began: You still have not spoken to me about your behaviour in 1990 and you lied to the police about it.

Vines, who denies all six charges, insists the letters should not be seen as harassment.

Prosecutor Ian Way told the court: On the contrary, he [Vines] stated that it was Miss Maitlis who was being unreasonable by not agreeing to his requests to talk to him.

The trial continues.
Prince Andrew's lawyer has asked a New York judge to seal a 2009 legal agreement that he believes can protect the royal against claims he sexually assaulted Virginia Roberts when she was under 18.

A US lawsuit filed by Roberts, now known as Virginia Giuffre, alleges she was trafficked to London as a 17-year-old by pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and forced to have sex with the Prince at Ghislaine Maxwell's house.

In her lawsuit, Giuffre claimed Andrew knew she was a victim of sex trafficking by Epstein, and also knew she was a minor under US law.

But the royal's attorney, Andrew Brettler, believes a legal agreement reached between Epstein and Giuffre in 2009 absolves Andrew of all responsibility in the lawsuit he described as 'baseless' and which the prince himself has strongly denied.

Brettler said the agreement 'releases Prince Andrew and others from any purported liability arising from the claims Ms. Giuffre asserted against Prince Andrew here', and officially made the request to keep the agreement sealed to the Manhattan federal court yesterday.

He also requested to redact any portions of his arguments that reveal information in the agreement.

This picture, dated 2001, shows Prince Andrew with his arm around the bare midriff of a 17-year-old Virginia Roberts, (now known as Virginia Giuffre) while Ghislaine Maxwell grins in the background. Giuffre alleges she was trafficked to London as a 17-year-old by pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and forced to have sex with the Prince at Ghislaine Maxwell's house

The royal's attorney, Andrew Brettler (pictured), believes a legal agreement reached between Epstein and Giuffre in 2009 absolves Andrew of all responsibility in the lawsuit he described as 'baseless', and formally requested that the agreement remain sealed to protect Prince Andrew

In her civil lawsuit, Giuffre (left) also claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew at the mansion of Epstein (right) in New York and on Little St James, his private island in the Caribbean

The prince's lawyers said that the agreement reached by Giuffre and Epstein prevents Giuffre from filing a lawsuit anyone else connected to Epstein.

Giuffre settled her damages claim against the billionaire sex offender in 2009, who later died in prison in 2019 from suicide - the legitimacy of which has been highly contested.

Brettler said neither the prince nor Giuffre contend that the release agreement must remain sealed, but they wanted to ask that it stay secret because it is subject to a protective order from another judge presiding over a federal civil action in New York.

A pretrial hearing pertaining to the lawsuit is scheduled for next week in the Manhattan court and will be presided over by US District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who said that depositions in sexual assault case must be completed by mid-July of next year.

In addition to her allegations that she was forced into sleeping with Andrew in London in 2001, Giuffre alleges Andrew also sexually assaulted her at Epstein's mansion in New York and on Little St James, his private island in the Caribbean.

Prince Andrew's lawyers have said that a legal agreement reached by Giuffre and Epstein prevents Giuffre from filing a lawsuit anyone else connected to Epstein. Giuffre settled her damages claim against the billionaire sex offender in 2009 (Pictured: Prince Andrew, April 2021)

British police announced earlier this month that they have dropped their probe into the prince after conducting a review prompted by Giuffre's claims (Pictured: Andrew with Epstein in Central Park, New York in 2010)

It comes after British police announced earlier this month that they have dropped their probe into the prince after conducting a review prompted by Giuffre's claims.

The Metropolitan Police had previously examined the allegations made by Giuffre against Andrew but did not open a full investigation, saying the case was a matter for the US authorities.

The police also said no action would result from allegations that Epstein's alleged accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, trafficked, groomed and abused women and girls in the UK.

Maxwell, a British socialite and Epstein's onetime girlfriend, goes to trial in November in New York on sex trafficking charges. She has pleaded not guilty.

In late 2019, Andrew told the BBC that he never had sex with Giuffre, saying, 'It didn't happen.'

The prince has not yet been charged with any crime, but the highly-publicized accusations have proved ruinous for his image.

Andrew has insisted he has 'no recollection' of meeting Miss Roberts and has repeatedly denied her account of events.
Talking candidly about his 'dedicated and loving' wife Rose's suicide on an episode of Women's Hour, Owen Paterson hinted at a possible link between her inner turmoil and his sometimes bruising role on the political front line.

'Of course, there are pressures in my life. She hated, hated, and became much more sensitive actually to Press criticism,' he told the BBC's Emma Barnett in April, ten months after her death.

'We knew she was anxious she was certainly anxious.'

Owen Paterson spoke candidly about his 'dedicated and loving' wife Rose's suicide on an episode of Women's Hour

He hinted at a possible link between her inner turmoil and his sometimes bruising role on the political front line

The Tory MP expanded on this theme in more detail last month, via a heartfelt written statement to Parliament's anti-sleaze committee.

The committee was considering whether he'd broken strict Commons rules by lobbying repeatedly for two Northern Irish companies that were, between them, paying him more than 100,000 per year.

One of the firms, Randox, had simultaneously been paying vast sums to sponsor the Grand National race at Aintree, where Rose, who he'd met at Cambridge and married 40 years earlier, happened to be chairman.

'No one will know for sure why my wife hanged herself. But my family and I are in no doubt that the way this investigation has been conducted played a massive role in creating the extreme anxiety which led to her suicide,' read Paterson's letter to the Commons Standards Committee.

'She thought it would carry on until it somehow found a punishment that forced me to resign as an MP.

'She would have to step down as Aintree chairman and from other senior racing positions.'

Yesterday, those words began to look eerily prescient after the Committee recommended suspending Paterson for 30 days.

Should MPs agree with the 173-page report's findings, the 65-year-old former Northern Ireland and Defra minister can expect to face a recall petition giving his constituents in North Shropshire the right to force him out via a by-election.

Just such a process has in recent years been used to eject from Parliament such rotters as Fiona Onasanya, the Labour backbencher who was sent to prison for perverting the course of justice to escape a speeding fine, and Chris Davies, a Tory convicted of fiddling his expenses back in 2019.

Whether Paterson deserves to be mentioned in the same breath is a matter of opinion.

The Tory MP has been suspended by the Common Standards Committee for 30 days

In a letter to the Commons Standards Committee he said: 'No one will know for sure why my wife hanged herself. But my family and I are in no doubt that the way this investigation has been conducted played a massive role in creating the extreme anxiety which led to her suicide'

To critics, this is an old-fashioned scandal: an MP on the make who repeatedly used his office, contacts book and even headed Commons notepaper to peddle influence for his commercial paymasters in a way that will massively undermine faith in Parliamentary democracy.

Supporters, along with Paterson himself, argue that he's committed only minor technical breaches of arcane rules, and is being stitched up 'without due process' by an investigation that 'did not comply with natural justice'  and that those who passed judgment on him did so without knowing about, or seeking to properly establish, the full facts.

A third point of view is that Paterson  who is affectionately nicknamed 'wooden top' in Westminster for being pleasant but not overburdened by intellect  blundered his way into a mess that has had tragic and utterly unforeseeable consequences thanks to a mixture of carelessness and naivety.

To decide which version of events is correct  and it's possible they may all be partly true  one must wind the clock back to 2015 when the MP was twiddling his thumbs after being sacked as Defra secretary on account of his allegedly poor handling of summer floods and the contentious issue of badger culling.

Late that year, he was hired as a 'consultant' by Randox, a medical firm that makes diagnostic equipment and tests, on a salary of 50,000 per year, for eight hours of work per month  or around 500 an hour.

The news attracted some controversy, since he'd dealt with the company in his ministerial role just a few years earlier when, as Northern Ireland Secretary, he'd pushed for corporation tax to be devolved to Belfast.

In 2017, Paterson also started being paid a further 4,000 every other month for 'consultancy services' by Lynn's Country Foods Ltd, an artisanal venison and processed meat company.

That also looked a bit odd, since the appointment came shortly after he spoke in support of a bid by the firm to sue the World Health Organisation for branding British sausages 'dangerous' to public health.

Paterson claimed that he was forced to hold business meetings in Parliament in order to be present for crucial votes, which in theory would have meant those meetings were within rules. Pictured: Mr Paterson and his wife Rose

Mr Paterson (left) with Randox MD Dr Peter Fitzgerald. The former Cabinet Minister was hired as a 'consultant' by the firm in 2015

'I am a huge fan of the great British banger and I am fully behind Lynn's call for a WHO public clarification,' read a quote from Paterson that had been added to the firm's press release.

'I urge everyone go out and buy some quality British sausages.'

By then, Randox had decided to double the amount it was paying for his help, meaning that Mr Paterson's remuneration from the two Ulster-based firms amounted to almost twice his Parliamentary salary.

The medical firm was also donating to his pro-Brexit think-tank UK2020, which in turn funded some of the MP's trips abroad.

Cynics began to wonder what exactly these companies thought they might get for all that money.

Or if Paterson might be tempted to prioritise their interests over those of his constituents.

Fast forward to 2019, and a potential answer emerged via the front page of the Guardian newspaper.

It was reported that Paterson had actively lobbied ministers and senior public officials on account of the two firms on multiple occasions, using several meetings and a series of emails to encourage them to take steps that would benefit both Randox and Lynn's.

Paterson had also repeatedly used his Commons office to conduct business for the companies and twice used House of Commons stationery to write to ministers on behalf of Randox.

Supporters, along with Paterson himself, argue that he's committed only minor technical breaches of arcane rules, and is being stitched up 'without due process'

All of which immediately caught the attention of Parliament's authorities. For while MPs are perfectly entitled to take outside jobs, they are not generally allowed to lobby Government on behalf of an employer.

The only exceptions to that rule come in circumstances where there is no financial benefit to the employer from the lobbying, or when the MP is seeking to right a 'serious wrong' or 'substantial injustice' as a sort of whistle-blower.

To establish what exactly had gone on, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Kathryn Stone, launched an investigation in October 2019.

But then came Covid, placing Randox, and its web of political influence, under significant public scrutiny.

The Irish firm had originally been founded in 1982 by one Dr Peter Fitzgerald, in a chicken shed behind his family farm in County Antrim, when he was working as an academic at Queen's University, Belfast.

It slowly but surely became a leading medical testing company, and by last year was involved one in eight of the world's cholesterol tests, was employing 1,300 people and sold its wares to 145 countries, with offices in India, Brazil and the US.

Fitzgerald had meanwhile become UK's 475th richest person with a 255million personal fortune, according to the Sunday Times rich list, and hobbies that included polo and horse racing.

The Pandemic would further turbo-charge Randox's fortunes. Last May, it emerged that the firm had won a 133m contract to produce Covid testing kits.

Controversially, the contract was awarded 'without prior publication of a call for competition, in light of the extreme urgency.

Questions perhaps inevitably began to be asked about the company's links to the Conservatives, to whom it had donated around 160,000 since 2010.

It was around this time that Rose Paterson was dragged into proceedings.

For it was noted that, back in 2016, her husband had persuaded the firm to sign a lucrative five-year sponsorship deal with the Grand National.

Crucially, one person who may have been affected by the sponsorship deal was businesswoman Dido Harding a friend of the Patersons who sat on the board of the Jockey Club, which in turn owned Aintree

The arrangement had first been mooted by Owen Paterson while out riding with Fitzgerald. 'He said, 'Have you ever thought of sponsoring the Grand National?' We talked a bit more,' the businessman later recalled.

'It all happened very fast. I suppose I felt it was time we came out. The Grand National is the greatest horse race in the world and it is a privilege to be associated with it.'

Crucially, one person who may have been affected by the sponsorship deal was businesswoman Dido Harding a friend of the Patersons who sat on the board of the Jockey Club, which in turn owned Aintree.

She, of course, went on to run the Government's Test and Trace programme, which was in turn responsible for buying hundreds of millions of pounds worth of testing services from Randox.

Although there is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Harding, to some, the whole thing looked a little too cosy.

And critical headlines appear to have added to the anxiety being felt by Rose.

According to friends, the mother of three grown-up children became horrified by the prospect of the story tarnishing her reputation or affecting her ability to continue working for Aintree or continuing as a steward at the Jockey Club. She took her life on June 24 last year.

'We knew Rose was anxious about things, anxious about stuff in my political life,' Paterson said in a later newspaper interview.

'There were lots of things to be anxious about, but to take this extraordinarily, violent, final step... if only we had an inkling, we could've talked.'

At the time of Rose's suicide, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards was asking a host of awkward questions about the work her husband had carried out for both Randox  which last November bagged another 374m Government contract  and Lynn's.

In 2016 and 2017, for example, he had made a series of approaches to the Food Standards Agency and its chairman Heather Hancock concerning the suggestion that antibiotic residues had been found in milk being sold in supermarkets.

In meetings and via emails, Paterson said that Randox had invented a test for such residues and urged the FSA to adopt it.

Elsewhere, he wrote to then International Development Secretary Priti Patel asking if she would meet with representatives of the medical firm so they could discuss using its technology to help with aid projects that involved blood testing.

In January 2017, he met with junior Dfid minister Rory Stewart to discuss 'potential commercial opportunities Randox may wish to explore'.

He also sent a series of emails to the Food Standards Agency on behalf of Lynn's Foods without declaring that he was a paid consultant, in an apparent breach of the rules.

And in one initiative he sought to have one of Lynn's competitors forced to re-label their product so as not to compete with Lynn's own 'nitrite-free' products.

Over this period, his Parliamentary office was used 25 times for meetings with representatives of the firms.

In his defence, Paterson argued that his lobbying work was allowed under the rules because it was seeking to right what he believed was a 'serious wrong' or a 'substantial injustice' or to improve public policy.

The Commissioner for Standards concluded, however, that in the vast majority of instances he over-stepped the mark.

Members of the Committee agreed. It didn't help that at no stage did he appear to have sought guidance from the Commons authorities to ensure that he stayed on the right side of the rules.

Adding to the gravity was the fact that, on most occasions, he initiated contact with the Government, rather than vice versa.

Paterson claimed that he was forced to hold business meetings in Parliament in order to be present for crucial votes, which in theory would have meant those meetings were within rules.

However the Commissioner found that on one occasion that he'd cited, the meetings had taken place at 9.30am and 3.15pm (when MPs were actually voting at 10pm), and on another they'd taken place at 9am when MPs didn't have to vote until 12.15.

Yet Paterson has in turn complained that the Commissioner failed to speak with the authors of 17 witness statements, which he believes would have confirmed his version of events regarding various aspects of the alleged lobbying campaign.

The Committee appears to have concluded their evidence would be irrelevant to its conclusions and his work was, instead, an egregious case of paid advocacy' which has 'brought the House into disrepute'.

Fellow MPs will get the chance to debate his fate in the coming days.
A mother has slammed supermarket giant Aldi online after a popular shampoo product left large red welts on the back of her five-year-old son.

Racheal purchased the 480mL 'Mamia 2 in 1 wash and shampoo' from the supermarket on October 16 as the label indicated the product was safe for young skin, including babies and those with sensitive skin.

However after opening the product on October 20 and rubbing the body wash onto her young son's back, she noticed an instant colour change to his skin.

Racheal purchased the 480mL 'Mamia 2 in 1 wash and shampoo' from Aldi on October 16 as the label indicated the product was safe for young skin

Racheal shared photos of his red and inflamed back to an 'Aldi Mums' Facebook page after the bath time incident.

'I used this product on my five-year-old this morning, squirting directly on his skin so he could lather and wash, and within a few seconds I noticed his skin turning red so I immediately washed it off using just water,' she captioned the photos.

Racheal told Daily Mail Australia that the welts, which remained on his skin for several hours, looked more like burns rather than an allergic reaction.

'My son has no known allergies, however something did not agree with him in this product,' she added.

However, after opening the product on October 20 and placing the body wash on her young son's back, she suddenly realised his skin turned red almost immediately

'We consume a lot of nuts in our home so I know certainly that this reaction wasn't caused by the almond oil as most assumed in my Facebook post.'

The product had not been tampered with and the packaging was intact.

Thankfully, the young boy didn't require further medical attention after a cool compress was used to ease the initial discomfort.

Racheal said the welts remained for several hours and looked more like burns rather than an allergic reaction

After contacting Aldi following the incident, the popular supermarket quickly apologised to Racheal and offered her a $20 voucher.

'Aldi responded almost immediately stating this was an isolated incident however they would monitor the product closely,' she added.

Racheal said many other mothers contacted her about their children's similar reactions to the product, and she directed them to the Aldi complaints process.

She has also urged other parents to check the labels before purchasing a body wash product for their children.

The shopper's warning to other mothers sparked a flurry of comments on the social media site from concerned Aldi customers.

One user wrote: 'I used this in my babies' bath the other night and my boy ended up with a rash all over from the waist down. I thought he may of just been allergic to the grass from being outside but I'm throwing this out'.

'Something similar happened to my son with an Aldi bath product. It was a tad scary,' wrote another.

While a third said: 'Oh goodness! We have had a similar (not as bad) reaction on my 18-month-old!'

The shopper's warning to other mother's over the product has sparked a flurry of comments on the social media site from concerned Aldi customers

However, some passionate Aldi shoppers believed that the product wouldn't need to be recalled just because her child reacted badly to the product.

'Just because one child has had an allergic reaction to this product it doesn't mean the product is flawed,' one user wrote.

Another wrote: 'I bought it for my 11-year-old, and he loves it! His skin hasn't been better in a long time (but he has no allergies...)'.

Other customers recommended that individuals should complete a 'patch test' before using a product.

One wrote: 'With every new product we must always test patch. Especially these natural stuff sometimes they can be worse.'

'Always do a patch test for a new product,' said another.

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, an Aldi spokesperson said: 'We have been in contact with the customer to investigate this claim, and have concluded it is an isolated incident.'

'We encourage customers to continue reach out to ALDI directly for any issues.'
Thousands of sea creatures are washing up on beaches in the North East of England in 'waist-deep' mountains with fears pollution could be to blame.

Dead and alive crabs, lobsters and other crustaceans are continuing to wash up on the sand along the Teeside coast, between Marske and Saltburn, and local residents are calling it the 'worst' they've ever seen.

They have also been seen along the coastline in Seaton Carew and further North at Seaham.

The Environment Agency confirmed on Monday that it has launched an investigation into the mysterious occurrence, and find out if high emissions are to blame.

Fears pollution could be to blame as mountains of sea creatures wash up on North East beaches (Pictured), between Marske and Saltburn, and Seaton Carew and further North at Seaham

Dead and alive crabs, lobsters and other crustaceans are continuing to wash up on the sand in 'waist-deep' mountains

The Environment Agency confirmed on Monday that it has launched an investigation into the mysterious occurrence, and find out if high emissions are to blame

Marske resident Sharon Bell, who walks the stretch of beach near her home every day, said the numbers of creatures have steadily increased over the past two weeks.

She was out early on Monday morning photographing the sunrise with her husband Christopher. When the pair arrived at the beach they were horrified to find huge piles of dead and alive crabs and lobsters littered across it.

'They spent the next four hours trying to return any live ones they could find back into the water.

'I have been along my usual walk from Marske to Saltburn and was utterly shocked and saddened to see in some parts, waist deep seaweed full of thousands of dead and alive crabs and lobsters, all kinds and species,' said Mrs Bell, 48.

'I have never seen anything like this.

'My husband and I have spent hours putting as many live ones as we could back in the sea, something is very, very wrong here. This has been building up for a couple of weeks, along our coast and no-one is doing anything about it.'

She has lived in the area for 21 years and, she says, has never seen anything like the scene there on Monday morning - even after a rough high tide or a storm.

'It was just awful to see. It has been building up over the last couple of weeks but I have never seen anything like that. It was so deep in some parts and piled that high.'

Just over two weeks ago, TeessideLive reported dead crustaceans had been spotted washed up at Seaton Carew, Redcar and further North in Seaham. The Environment Agency launched an investigation - which is on going.

A spokesman for the agency told TeessideLive on Monday they are considering whether a pollution incident might be to blame.

'We are working with partners at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture and North Eastern Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authority to investigate why hundreds of dead crabs have washed up along the shore in the Tees Estuary and neighbouring beaches,' said a spokesman for the Environment Agency.

'Samples of water, sediment, mussel and crab have been collected and are being sent to our labs for analysis, to consider whether a pollution incident could have contributed to the deaths of the animals. We have also shared samples with CEFAS labs for disease analysis.'

Redcar MP Jacob Young said: 'Deeply worrying that this seems to be continuing on our coastline.

'I have raised it with Ministers and will continue to, until the cause is identified.

'My thanks to the Environment Agency and CEFAS for their investigations so far.'

Redcar residents have also taken to social media to voice their concerns after images of the scene of the beach were posted on Monday morning.

'This awful wildlife getting killed. This needs investigating. What is going on along north coast?' said one resident.

'This is awful someone must be held responsible, if it is killing our wildlife then it could kill humans as well,' said another.

A phone number has been released for people to report any incidents of pollution they might see.

If you are aware of pollution affecting wildlife, please report it to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.
An autopsy has revealed that an Illinois State University student who was found in the Illinois River, died of drowning.

Jelani Day, 25, was reported missing on August 25 after missing several classes. The next day his abandoned car was discovered in a wooded area in Peru.

His body was eventually found in the Illinois River on September 4, and identified several weeks later.

While the autopsy indicated that Day drowned, LaSalle County Coroner Richard Ploch noted: 'The manner in which Mr. Day went into the Illinois River is currently unknown.'

He also stated: 'There was no evidence of any (pre-death) injury, such as manual strangulation, an assault or altercation, sharp, blunt, or gunshot injury, infection, tumor, natural disease, congenital abnormality, or significant drug intoxication.'

An autopsy determined that Jelani Day drowned but did not determine the manner of his death

Day's family is denying that he drowned alone but insist that the Master's student was murdered (Pictured: Carmen Bolden Day, center, and Rev. Jesse Jackson, right, lead a protest in LaSalle-Peru on Tuesday)

'MY BABY WAS KILLED...HE DID NOT DROWN HIMSELF,' Bolden Day wrote on Facebook the day after the autopsy was released (Pictured: Carmen Bolden Day, center left, and Rev. Jesse Jackson, center right, addressed the crowd and the media outside the Peru Police Department)

The family has stated that they ordered a second and third autopsy.

Questions continue to swirl around Day's death and his family, namely his mother Carmen Bolden Day, is leading the charge in demanding answers.

Online reports claim some of Day's organs were missing during a second independent autopsy, but Day's mother has denied rumors that her son's organs might have been harvested.

'I don't care what their press releases say, MY BABY WAS KILLED...HE DID NOT DROWN HIMSELF!!!' she wrote in a Tuesday Facebook post. She noted that her son was an 'avid' swimmer, was 'determined about his future,' and had no history of 'suicidal ideations.'

'These police departments want an EASY way out,' she posted claiming that the police 'DIDN'T do their job' and that the 'evidence DOESN'T add up.' She then listed questions she has for the department such as: 'what cameras did you check within a 48 hour timeframe?' and 'who did you question?'

Day's family lead a march through La Salle-Peru on Tuesday demanding a more in-depth investigation into the Master's student's death.

The grieving family was joined by local residents and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, a Civil Rights group led by the Reverend Jesse Jackson, as reported by WGLT.

Day was reported missing on August 25 after he missed several classes for his Master's degree in speech pathology at Illinois State University (Pictured: Jelani Day, left, with his mother Carmen Bolden Day, right, at a graduation ceremony)

Friends, family, and activists have criticized investigating authorities for the level of attention and urgency that they gave the case (Pictured: People hold 'Justice for Jelani Day' signs ahead of the march and rally on Tuesday)

Day's car was found in a wooded area the day after he was reported missing. A body was found in the Illinois River on September 4 and identified as Day's several weeks later (Pictured: Carmen Bolden Day, left, smiling with her son Jelani Day, right)

Bolden Day addressed the crowd of protestors noting what she claims are inconsistencies in her son's death: 'You will see the location of where the car was, and how they said where the body was found, where they said the clothes were found, where they said the wallet was found, where they said the lanyard was found, none of these are in the proper distance.'

'None of these are anything Jelani would have purposely drove his car, took off his license plates, not have his phone, throw away his key, take off his clothes and go into a river,' his mother said.

She insisted: 'Jelani wouldn't have done that. At all. He was drowned against his will.'

Jonathan Jackson, Rev. Jackson's son also spoke to the crowd on Tuesday. 'A multi-jurisdictional investigations tells me no one is in charge,' he said calling on the Illinois Attorney General's Office and the FBI to take over the investigation.

It is currently being handled by the Peru Police Department, La Salle Police Department, Bloomington Police Department, La Salle County Sheriff's Office and Illinois State Police.

'We do not believe he did this to himself,' Jackson declared echoing the family's claims.

In a statement last week Rev. Jackson claimed: 'it smells like another Emmett Till case all over again.'

Day's family has criticized the police's handling of the case from the beginning claiming that the young black man's case has been handled with as much attention and urgency as Gabby Petito's case was.

Day was a graduate student at Illinois State University studying to get his Master's degree in speech pathology to become a doctor.

He was last seen on August 24 when the 25-year-old was seen on surveillance footage in a dispensary in Bloomington. His white Chrysler 300 was found by police the next day about 60 miles north of Bloomington containing the clothes he was wearing in the dispensary.

After several days of searching, a body was found nearly a mile from the car off the south bank of the Illinois River. The body was later identified as Day's.

Day's brother, Seve, was quickly filled with more questions after he viewed the body. He isn't convinced that the body found along the Illinois River on September 4.

'My brother went missing on August 24 and they found the body on September 4. So that's not a long time,' Seve told Insider. 'The body they identified as my brother ... it looks like it's been in the water for years.'

'You couldn't identify whether it was male or female because there was no genitalia,' he added. 'You couldn't tell the skin color because it was so pale and worn down. The face itself is something you would see in a science lab.'

He insist officials 'are not being straightforward' with the family claiming that there are some things 'that they are trying to cover up.'
Cancer surgery will take a hit again this winter and the pandemic has sent survival rates into reverse, experts warned yesterday.

During the pandemic thousands of cancer patients had vital treatment cancelled or postponed as staff and hospital beds were diverted towards Covid-19.

Yesterday the health select committee heard how oncologists were made to clear bedpans on Covid wards or redeployed as mortuary assistants instead of treating cancer patients.

Experts warned the health select committee yesterday that cancer surgery will take a hit again this winter and the pandemic has sent survival rates into reverse (stock image)

Experts said the situation could repeat itself this winter, and improvements in cancer survival will go into reverse over the next decade as a result of the pandemic.

Professor Mike Griffin, from the Royal College of Surgeons, told MPs: Im worried that cancer surgery will once again take a hit in the coming weeks over winter.

We have to ring-fence cancer care  thats my view and the view of most surgeons now.

'We cant have what happened in the first wave ever happen again  where cancer surgery and treatment was paused.

Professor Pat Price, from Action Radiotherapy, told MPs that radiotherapy was on its knees in certain places, adding: By thinking its okay, people are going to die.
A Queensland mother has revealed the extraordinary reason her young son has survived being hit by a bolt of lightning.

Talyn Rose, 14, is lucky to be alive after the powerful electrical charge threw him to the ground outside the Robina State High School last Friday.

The teenager had been walking into school when a powerful lightning bolt bounced off a nearby metal pole, travelled up his body and shot back out his arm.

His mother, Michelle Nimmo has revealed it was the thick rubber soles of her son's school shoes that absorbed the majority of the current, saving his life.

Queensland teenager Talyn Rose, 14, (pictured) is lucky to be alive after a giant spark of electricity threw him off his feet outside his high school on Friday

The teenager had been walking into Robina State High School (pictured) when a powerful lightning bolt bounced off a nearby metal pole, travelled up his body and back out his arm

A thunderstorm had been brewing all morning when she dropped Talyn to school on a seemingly ordinary Friday, Ms Nimmo told 7NEWS.

She recalled receiving a call from the school just minutes after she had waved her son goodbye, informing her an ambulance was on its way to pick him up.

'It was absolutely bucketing down rain and I could barely hear them or believe what they were saying,' she recalled.

The power of the bolt threw Talyn to the ground and caused every one of his muscles to tense and then go completely numb.

He later told his mother he could barely hear or feel anything for a whole minute following the enormous electric shock.

Luckily, a father sitting inside his car witnessed the terrifying scene and ran to his aid, taking the 14-year-old inside the school to safety.

The power of the bolt threw Talyn to the ground and caused every one of his muscles to tense before he felt himself going completely numb

Doctors said Talyn was lucky to survive the lightning bolt and credited the thick rubber soles of his school shoes as what had saved him (pictured, temporary markings caused by the bolt)

Amazingly, Talyn was already beginning to recover from the giant zap when his mother arrived, but was still taken to hospital to get his vitals checked.

Doctors told Ms Nimmo her son was lucky to survive the lightning bolt and said the thick rubber soles of his school shoes likely saved his life.

'Paramedics said he is extremely lucky to be alive and that they have never seen anything like it in their whole careers,' she said.

Ms Nimmo said her son was affectionately called the 'lightning kid' around the hospital with doctors marveling at the close save.

Apart from temporary markings seen on the teenager's feet and shoulders, Talyn has remarkably made a full recovery from the bolt.

Ms Nimmo told Daily Mail Australia the marks - called Litchenberg figures - took three days to completely fade from Talyn's body.

'They would have been a pretty cool conversation starter,' she joked.

Apart from the Litchenberg markings seen on the teenager's feet and shoulders (pictured) Talyn has remarkably made a full recovery

The teenager's mother said it had been 'bucketing down rain' on the morning her son was struck by lightning (pictured, a storm brews over Brisbane)

A single stroke of lightning releases up to 500 million volts and a temperature of 27,000 degrees, three times hotter than the surface of the sun.

The odds of being struck by lightning are 1 in 1.6million, the Australian Geographic estimates.

Experts advise those caught in thunderstorms to seek shelter in cars - as the metal conducts the electric charge safely - or to crouch low in a ditch.

Small open structures like tents are to be avoided as well as standing near tall objects like trees or poles that attract lightning.

While around 100 people survive a lightning strike each year, 10 do not.
Protesters demanding action on climate change brought traffic and trams to a standstill in the Melbourne CBD this morning by gluing themselves to a major roadway.

A large police presence including up to a dozen riot squad vehicles met the protesters at St Kilda Road just before the 9am peak hour rush on Wednesday.

Some of the crowd - there demanding firm action on climate change ahead of the Glasgow climate summit - were handcuffed and led away while officers worked to unglue others from the asphalt.

Protesters demanding action on climate change swarmed Melbourne CBD on Wednesday morning (pictured)

White prams were hung over Princes Bridge on rope which protesters said were to represent 'life hanging by a thread'.

The relatively small crowd chanted slogans and held banners which read 'climate code red for humanity'.

Victoria Police confirmed they arrested seven people at the rally who are assisting with inquiries.

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference is being held in Glasgow from October 31 to November 12.

The conference is an annual event in which member countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meet.

Both major international treaties requiring action on climate change, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreements, stem from the conference.

A number of protesters glues themselves to the major roadway - blocking traffic and trams in both directions (pictured)

Victoria Police confirmed there were seven arrests at the protests and the road has since been cleared (pictured)

Ahead of the conference, the Morrison government announced a net zero emissions by 2050 policy this week.

The government claims the plan sets out a map towards zero emissions without damaging existing industries.

However, critics have said the plan is vague, relying on 'technology breakthroughs' and 'global trends' and using carbon offsets.

Scott Morrison has accused critics of his 2050 net-zero plan of not understanding Australia as pressure grows over climate change action.

Influential software billionaire and climate advocate Mike Cannon-Brookes slammed the presentation as 'just more bullsh*t'.

A chorus of international and domestic critics including David Attenborough blasted the plan for lacking detail and failing to increase 2030 emissions reduction targets.

The rally (pictured) was held ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow

a large number of police and about a dozen riot squad vehicle were seen at nearby Flinders Street station (pictured)

Mr Morrison rejected the barrage of disapproval, saying it came from people who wanted to tax, regulate and shut industries down.

'Everyone else who doesn't understand Australia, our economy and the challenges we have here are entitled to their opinions,' he told the Seven Network on Wednesday.

'But I will do what is right for Australia and we are getting results.'

The government argues it has reduced carbon emissions 20 per cent since 2005 and projects a cut of 30 to 35 per cent by the end of the decade.

But it is not budging on its 2030 target of 26 to 28 per cent ahead of the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, which the prime minister will attend next week.

The Morrison government released their net zero by 2050 climate policy this week (pictured)

'Australia's actions and results speak more than the words of others,' Mr Morrison said.

'We're getting it done, Australians want it done but they don't want to throw their livelihoods away.'

Mr Morrison defended pinning hopes on technologies which have not yet been developed.

'I'm sure people said that to Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, but we didn't need a tax or a law to develop the iPhone or develop a COVID vaccine,' he told 2GB radio.

Australian software billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes said the Morrison government's net zero by 2050 policy was 'just more bulls***'

Labor climate spokesman Chris Bowen said the next election would be a climate change contest, labelling the announcement a 'steaming pile of nothingness'.

The opposition is waiting to see what comes out of the Glasgow summit before finalising a climate policy it will take to voters.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor was grilled about why modelling underpinning key assumptions about the economic impact of a 2050 target was not released.

'The modelling will be released at an appropriate time,' he told the ABC.

The crowd chanted slogans and held signs before they were dispersed ahead of peak hour on Wednesday (pictured)

The government plan claims 100,000 jobs will be created in renewable energy alongside 62,000 roles in regional mining and heavy industry.

It also suggests people will be on average $2000 better off and electricity prices won't rise.

There are outstanding questions about what the Nationals were promised in exchange for the junior coalition partner's lukewarm support for a 2050 net-zero goal.

While Resources Minister Keith Pitt has returned to cabinet, it is unclear what other sweeteners were offered.
The 37billion NHS Test and Trace service has been an 'eye-wateringly expensive' failure, a damning report by MPs claims.

It has failed to break chains of Covid transmission, prevent lockdowns or enable people to return to a more normal way of life.

The organisation, previously led by former TalkTalk boss Baroness Harding, also had 'muddled' objectives, the Public Accounts Committee said.

Spending on Test and Trace is equal to nearly a fifth of the 2020/21 NHS England budget.

Just 45 per cent of testing capacity was used between November 2020 and April 2021, and at times as few as 11 per cent of contact centre staff were being utilised.

Only 96million of 691million lateral flow tests it distributed were registered. And it 'is not clear what benefit the remaining 595million tests have secured'.

The programme was championed by the then Health Secretary Matt Hancock, whilst Prime Minister Boris Johnson described it as 'world-beating'.

The 37billion NHS Test and Trace service has been an 'eye-wateringly expensive' failure, a damning report by MPs claims

It has failed to break chains of Covid transmission, prevent lockdowns or enable people to return to a more normal way of life. The organisation, previously led by former TalkTalk boss Baroness Harding (pictured), also had 'muddled' objectives, the Public Accounts Committee said

Despite committing to reduce consultants  paid an average of 1,100 a day  the service employed more in April 2021 (2,239) than in December 2020 (2,164).

Committee chairman Dame Meg Hillier said: 'It set out bold ambitions but has failed to achieve them despite the vast sums thrown at it.'

The damning report's main conclusions - NHS Test and Trace 'has not achieved its main objective to help break chains of Covid-19 transmission and enable people to return towards a more normal way of life'. - The programme's 'continued over-reliance on consultants is likely to cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds'. - Uptake of services provided by Test and Trace is 'variable' and 'only a minority of people experiencing Covid-19 symptoms get a test', with some groups less likely to take tests compared with others. - The programme's laboratories approach and contact centre usage is 'still not flexible enough to meet changing demand and risks wasting public money'. Advertisement

Meanwhile, the professor who helped create the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab has said it is unfair to 'bash the UK' over high numbers of Covid cases  around 40,000 a day in recent weeks.

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard said: 'If you look across western Europe, we have about ten times more tests done each day than some other countries.'

The damning report has been published just ahead of Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Budget, where he will lay out the details of the recently-announced 6billion funding boost for the NHS.

It details how the Test and Trace system failed to hit set targets and that spending on consultants was out of control.

Mr Hancock had promised that the system would allow the Government to avoid the use of national lockdowns and instead get the contacts of people who had contracted Covid-19 to isolate.

The report also details how less than half of contact tracers who had been hired were ever in use at any one time.

It said: '[NHS Test and Trace] has a 50 per cent target utilisation rate for its contact centre staff, but the highest reached was 49 per cent at the beginning of January 2021 and this had fallen to 11 per cent by the end of February 2021.

'Over Christmas 2020, when there appeared to be spare laboratory capacity and Covid-19 cases were rising, performance declined and it took longer to provide test results, with only 17 per cent of people receiving test results within 24 hours in December 2020.'

The programme was championed by the then Health Secretary Matt Hancock, whilst Prime Minister Boris Johnson described it as 'world-beating'

Of the near-700million lateral flow tests which were distributed by NHS Test and Trace, only 14 per cent were registered online  something which is essential for the spread of coronavirus to be tracked.

The committee also criticised handling of the cash, highlighting that the programme has still not managed to reduce the number of expensive contractors - who are paid an average of 1,100 per day - and has not developed a 'flexible' approach to using laboratories, which 'risks wasting public money'.

Test and Trace's 'continued over-reliance on consultants is likely to cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds', the report states.

It has been focused on getting programmes up and running and 'paid less attention to ensuring these programmes delivered the benefits they promised', it adds.

Dame Meg Hillier said NHS Test and Trace failed to live up to its 'bold' ambitions

And uptake of services provided by the programme is 'variable' as some vulnerable people are much less likely to take a test than others.

MPs on the cross-party committee said that as the programme is moved into the new UK Health Security Agency it needs a 'proper long-term strategy'.

Dame Hillier added: 'The continued reliance on the over-priced consultants who 'delivered' this state of affairs will by itself cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of pounds.

'For this huge amount of money we need to see a legacy system ready to deliver when needed but it's just not clear what there will be to show in the long term. This legacy has to be a focus for government if we are to see any value for the money spent.'

MPs have set out a series of recommendations and suggested improvements to the programme.

The Test and Trace programme was rapidly developed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, spearheaded by Baroness Harding, with the objective of testing the nation and tracing contacts of positive cases.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said in a statement: 'NHS Test and Trace (NHSTT) has played an essential role in combating this pandemic.

'As the Public Accounts Committee acknowledges, there have been improvements in testing capacity, turnaround times and speed and reach of contact tracing - and improved collaboration with local authorities.

'The fact is NHSTT is saving lives every single day and helping us fight Covid-19 by breaking chains of transmission and spotting outbreaks wherever they exist.

'More than 323 million tests have now been carried out across the UK. NHSTT has now contacted more than 19.9 million people, helping to slow the spread of the virus.

A government spokesman said: 'NHS Test & Trace has delivered on what it set out to do - break chains of transmission and save lives.

'To date, over 323 million tests have been delivered and almost 20 million people contacted who could otherwise have unknowingly transmitted the virus.

'We have rightly drawn on the extensive expertise of a number of public and private sector partners who have been invaluable in helping us tackle the virus.

'We've built a testing network from scratch that can process millions of tests a day - more than any European country - providing a free LFD or PCR test to anybody who needs one.

'The new UK Health Security Agency will consolidate the knowledge that now exists across our health system to help us tackle future pandemics and threats.'
Death shocked the local community and friends posted tributes on Facebook

Known as talented musicians who wanted to be 'happy and remembered'

Friends said they struggled with drugs and had an overdose on Sunday night

Two young musicians who dreamed of performing with Drake told a friend they were desperate to stop using drugs - before they were tragically found dead inside a family home.

The lifeless bodies of Sawandeep Singh Chhokar, 20, and Ethan Sfetcopoulos, 19, were uncovered at property on Kinchega Drive in Shepparton, northern Victoria, at 11am on Monday.

Police are not treating the deaths as suspicious and said an autopsy would confirm the exact cause, but heartbroken friends revealed the young men had a drug overdose.

'I only found out that they were struggling a bit with drugs after Ethan dropped his latest album and mentioned he's not about that life,' close friend Jonathan Safari told Daily Mail Australia.

Sawandeep Singh Chhokar (pictured with close friend Kaitlin Edwards at their school debutant ball) and Ethan Sfetcopoulos were found dead on Monday morning

Friends believe Sawandeep Singh Chhokar, 20, (left) and Ethan Sfetcopoulos, 19, (right) had a drug overdose

'They both definitely wanted to stop using - I know that for sure.'

The pair had big dreams of becoming international music stars - Mr Sfetcopoulos wanted to perform with renowned rapper Drake, and Mr Chhokar wanted to be 'the greatest Punjabi artist in Australia', and was inspired by Canadian rapper Nav.

'Ethan always said, 'Imma do this music thing until the world knows Sfet',' Mr Safari recalled.

'We had plans to make a song together and maybe in the future make an album together. Now they're both gone without even a warning.'

The aspiring musician said the young men went out of their way to support and encourage their friends - 'they basically wanted the best for everyone they came across,' he added.

Mr Chhokar wanted to be 'the greatest Punjabi artist in Australia', and was inspired by Canadian rapper Nav

Ethan Sfetcopoulos (pictured) was determined to become a famous musician, friends say

Kaitlin Edwards grew up with Mr Chhokar and partnered with him for their school debutant ball.

She confirmed they were found dead inside Mr Chhokar's family home, but said no one knows exactly what happened in the hours before they died.

'No one thought this is how they would past,' she said.

Ms Edwards wrote on Facebook: 'Drugs don't love you. The pain I'm going through is something I don't wish on anyone. Get clean and go be with the people that love you.'

'My heart is broken, can't believe it.'

Ethan Sfetcopoulos had big dreams of performing with renowned rapper Drake (pictured)

A friend remembered Mr Chhokar (pictured right) as a 'kind-hearted kid who meant no harm and was struggling with demons'

The young woman said the pair were a big support system for her when she was a teenager, revealing they wanted to be 'happy and remembered'.

'Ethan always had everyone's best interest at heart and always knew how to make someone smile,' she said.

'They had goals and big dreams and loved there music if you ever needed someone they were always there.'

Another friend said the men were 'widely loved' in the community.

Other friends and fellow musicians flooded social media with tributes to the young friends.

Tyson Cameron said they were 'two great kids who had a whole lot ahead of them, lost their lives to drugs.'

Friends said Mr Sfetcopoulos (pictured) always took the time to support and encourage others

He remembered Mr Chhokar as a 'kind-hearted kid who meant no harm and was struggling with demons'.

'I am glad I was able to talk you through what you were going through, I am thankful for the times we had hanging out making beats and just talking about life.

Mr Cameron said Mr Sfetcopoulos was 'a great person to be around, lots of great energy and so much talent.'

He also encouraged his friends to 'be safe with drugs' and 'check on your friends'.

A memorial will be held at Wanganui Oval in Shepparton at 6.30pm on Thursday.

Police said a report will be prepared for the coroner.
Canberra has become the first city in Australia to top the 90 per cent double vaccination rate, including 12 to 15-year-olds who have got the jab.

ACT Health announced the vaccination milestone had been hit on Twitter on Wednesday, tweeting: 'Jab well done Canberra'.

'It's not a race, but we're happy to take the crown and be the first jurisdiction in Australia to have more than 90 per cent (90.5%) of its residents aged 12+ who have received 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The territory is leading the charge for the highest full and partial vaccination rate among the eligible population aged 12 and over of all the states and territories.

Canberra has officially become the first city in Australia to top the 90 per cent double vaccination rate (pictured, a young woman, 14, receives her first dose of Moderna)

ACT Health announced the vaccination milestone had been hit on Twitter on Wednesday, tweeting: 'Jab well done Canberra' (pictured)

Canberrans can now boast they live in the most vaccinated jurisdiction in Australia, with the ACT hitting the 80 per cent double-dose rate back on October 18.

'On our way to 99% fully vaccinated later in November,' the ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr posted to Facebook on Wednesday.

The chief minister has consistently praised Canberrans for their willingness for the jab and has linked the high vaccination rates to a decision to axe restrictions early.

The ACT announced vaccination appointments would be available for residents aged between 12 and 15 on September 13, after the vaccine was approved by ATAGI.

'Canberrans should be really proud of how our community has worked together and given us the best opportunity to manage the expected increase in cases as the nation starts to reopen,' Mr Barr said.

The ACT reported ten new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday with 11 people currently hospitalised with the virus and six patients in intensive care.

It comes as the third consecutive day of low case numbers amid fears low testing rates post-lockdown could mean mystery infections are lurking in the community.

Health officials remain concerned over lagging vaccination rates in areas such as Canberra's inner-north and Oaks Estate southeast of the CBD, with pop-up Pfizer clinics deployed to those areas to boost jab rates.

ACT's chief minister (pictured) has consistently praised Canberrans for their willingness for the jab and has linked the high rates to a decision to axe restrictions early

Theatres, cinemas, performance venues, galleries, museums and outdoor attractions in the ACT will reopen on Friday with restrictions on capacity (pictured, a cafe in Canberra)

Canberrans remain poised for a second round of restrictions to be eased on Friday, after the territory was released from a nine-week lockdown.

From Friday, face masks will no longer be required outdoors with 10 people allowed in homes and outdoor gatherings increased to 30 people.

Theatres, cinemas, performance venues, galleries, museums and outdoor attractions will reopen with restrictions on capacity.

Students who have not yet made their debut on campus, will so from next Monday.

Fully vaccinated ACT residents can also consider a holiday in South Australia after the state announced travel restrictions would be axed from November 23.

Interstate and international travel is due to commence from November 1.

New South Wales remains close on Canberra's tail with 85.5 per cent of the eligible population aged over 16 double-dosed and 93.2 per cent single-dosed.

At current rates, NSW will be the next jurisdiction to hit the 90 per cent rate, followed by Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory and finally Western Australia.
The NSW Police Minister has unleashed on the magistrate who granted bail to 'Australia's Pablo Escobar' against the advice of enforcement - after he cut off his ankle monitoring bracelet and vanished.

Mostafa Baluch, 33, from Sydney's northern beaches was granted bail on Friday against the advice of police despite facing a life sentence if convicted for for allegedly masterminding the importation of a staggering 900kg of cocaine worth $270 million.

Police Minister David Elliott said police involved in the case were 'devastated' and he was furious Baluch had been granted bail.

'To say that I'm infuriated would be an understatement... Because quite frankly this guy was our Pablo Escobar,' he told Sydney radio 2GB on Wednesday.

'I'm starting to get sick of these magistrates and judges. They don't consider the danger which police present to them and I don't think they're reflecting the sentiment of the community they're there to serve.

'I'm sick of having to remind the legal fraternity that we're not dealing with parking tickets, we're dealing with international drug lords who are associated with terrorism, kidnapping and prostitution, but more importantly want our kids to take drugs that will kill them.'

Former restaurateur Mostafa Baluch, 33 (pictured), had been charged with financing a 900kg shipment of cocaine to Australia and was granted bail just days ago

Police allege Baluch (pictured) was the sole financier of a shipment of cocaine worth a total street value of $270 million

Police Minister David Elliott said police involved in the case were 'devastated' and he was furious Baluch had been granted bail

Baluch was arrested in June and charged with being part of a conspiracy to import more than 900kg of cocaine and was in custody until he was granted bail after putting up a $4 million property as surety.

It was a condition of his bail that he wear an electronic monitor but on Monday night he managed to cut off the ankle bracelet, which was found ditched by the side of a road on the northern beaches.

It's believed he left NSW on a private jet that night.

Mr Elliott said he had spoken to Police Commissioner Mick Fuller about the difficulties in capturing the escapee.

'This will be a tough job for the NSW police - make no mistake,' he said.

The Australian Federal Police and its international law enforcement partners are also involved.

'We've got the technology, we've got the manpower, we've got the international law enforcement credentials but of course we've also got to explain to some of those international law enforcement organisations how he was lost,' Mr Elliott said.

Police 'work their guts out to keep our community safe' and had been 'let down by the system', he said.

'We're dealing with international drug lords who are associated with things like terrorism or kidnapping or prostitution,' Mr Elliott said.

'This guy was (allegedly) part of an international racket with levels of drugs we have never seen before. The police expressly advised the court 'he is a bad guy'.

A $4million home in Sydney's exclusive Northern Beaches (pictured in June) will be seized by police after the owner of the property allegedly cut off his tracking device and fled

Mr Elliott said he had spoken to Police Commissioner Mick Fuller about the difficulties in capturing the escapee. 'This will be a tough job for the NSW police - make no mistake,' he said

Officers are pictured at the Bayview home when Baluch was arrested back in June

Police allege he is involved in the 'highest levels of organised crime' and cut off his ankle bracelet at about 10.30pm on Monday.

Organised crime squad commander Detective Superintendent Rob Critchlow said the alleged drug kingpin is 'very well connected' and may be receiving help from other alleged criminals.

'To cut a bracelet off your ankle which has been imposed by the court shows a very serious intent to flee,' he told reporters on Tuesday.

'We also know for a fact he has substantial financial assets, which we would expect he's utilising to flee at the least our jurisdiction, maybe the country.

'Anyone in his circle of friends and family should also keep us updated because you can be sure we will be visiting anyone we know is connected to.'

As part of Baluch's strict bail conditions, he was required to stay at his luxurious Bayview home and only leave to report to police at Mona Vale Station once a day.

He was also made to wear an ankle bracelet monitoring device at all times, banned from alcohol and drugs, and restricted from using encrypted apps.

Baluch's bail conditions also warned he was to go near any international departure point.

Baluch, who once owned Cervo restaurant in Northbridge, was swept up by police in June as part of the high profile ANoM raids in June (pictured)

NSW Police Minister David Elliott appeared to be seething that the millionaire restaurateur (pictured) was granted bail by the courts

Baluch (pictured after being arrested in June) now faces life imprisonment

With the alleged underworld figure now on the run after putting up his home for surety as part of his bail, police said they are now moving to seize the property.

Baluch, who once owned Cervo restaurant in Northbridge, was swept up by police in June as part of the high profile AN0M raids.

Law enforcement designed an encrypted app and marketed it to alleged underworld figures so investigators could monitor their communications.

He was charged with possessing anabolic steroids, drug supply, and dealing with the proceeds of crime and later hit with charge of conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of drugs.

He now faces life imprisonment.

NSW Police Minister David Elliott appeared to be seething that the millionaire restaurateur was granted bail by the courts.

'He doesn't deserve the confidence that the court has afforded him,' he said.

'But I'm pretty confident knowing the technology and surveillance techniques of the NSW Police he'll be found.

'My advice to him is to save yourself some time and anxiety and present yourself to the local police station today.'

Detectives started investigating Baluch last year after receiving a tip about a person gambling a huge amount of money at Star Casino.

The betting was flagged as potential money laundering and kicked off an investigation that eventually became focused on drug trafficking.

Police allege they discovered drugs were being imported across Australia and North and South America.

The US Navy seized 870kg of cocaine after intercepting a vessel travelling off the coast of Colombia in October 2020.

Another 900kg of the drug was seized from a boat sailing off the coast of Ecuador in April.

Both shipments allegedly formed part of the overarching conspiracy to import three tonnes of cocaine into Australia.

Detectives started investigating Baluch (pictured being arrested in June) last year after receiving a tip about a person gambling a huge amount of money at the Star Casino

Police allege Baluch was the sole financier of the second shipment of cocaine worth a total street value of $270 million.

A 'massive manhunt' is now underway

'This man is a very dangerous offender,' Superintendent Critchlow told reporters.

'The allegations he's been facing indicate that he was involved in the highest levels of organised crime and he presents a risk to the Australian community and probably now the world community.'

Baluch is about 180cm tall with a muscular build and is Mediterranean/Middle Eastern in appearance with black hair and brown eyes.

Police suspect is travelling in a dark grey luxury car and urged anyone who may have any information about his whereabouts to call Triple-0.
The Daily Mails Helpforce campaign has been praised by MPs as they propose a raft of measures to keep Britons volunteering.

Ministers should set up a volunteer passport and incentives to maintain the huge levels of community involvement seen during the pandemic, a report suggests.

It hailed this papers brilliant campaign, launched in 2018, which enrolled more than 30,000 readers to boost the number of NHS helpers.

Helpforce volunteers: The campaign saw 34,000 readers sign up to carry out support roles to free up NHS staff to do their vital work

MPs who compiled the study, published today, say a promotional pack should be sent to all school leavers, the recently retired and new UK citizens to encourage them to sign up for unpaid roles.

Peter Gibson, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Social Integration which compiled the study, said: Millions of people volunteered for the first time during the pandemic.

Many of us wanted to do something to help others and to support the amazing work of the NHS.

Initiatives like the Daily Mails brilliant Helpforce campaign introduced thousands of new people to volunteering and many of them said they will volunteer again.

We need to capture that new community spirit and keep it going. Volunteering has so many benefits, giving people a new sense of connection to their community and introducing them to people they wouldnt otherwise meet.

Other recommendations in the report include setting up a UK-wide online volunteering platform, linking potential volunteers with organisations that need them.

The volunteer passport would record each individuals unpaid work and offer incentives.

Measures could include offering tax incentives to small and medium-sized businesses so that workers get time off to continue their volunteering work, it suggests.

All children and young people should also be given the opportunity to volunteer during their years in formal education, it adds.

One survey has shown an estimated 12.4million people in the UK offered help to their neighbours and community during the pandemic  4.6million of whom were volunteering for the first time.

The committee heard that volunteering had created new connections between people of different ethnic, faith and social backgrounds.

Tory MP Peter Gibson, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Social Integration which compiled the study said there was a surge of volunteering during the pandemic

Tory MP Mr Gibson said: The surge in volunteering was one of the positives to come out of the pandemic.

'This new community spirit risks being lost as work and social patterns return to normal.

However, with support from the Government, businesses and civil society, we can seize this opportunity to transform volunteering  and in doing so help build more cohesive, connected communities.

Helpforce saw 34,000 readers sign up to carry out support roles  helping to run reception desks, distributing refreshments to patients or as hand holders in operating theatres, for example  freeing up NHS staff to do their vital work.

And in another major success, the Great British Spring Clean, organised by Keep Britain Tidy and supported by the Mail, has called on our army of loyal readers to make the country cleaner and greener.

During this years event a total of 217,000 volunteers pledged to clean more than 1,161,000 miles of the coast, countryside and streets.
Daniel Andrews' controversial new laws to manage pandemics that could see rule-breakers fined up to $454,350 or jailed for two years have provoked a heated shouting match in the Victorian Parliament.

The new laws, which the Premier hopes to pass soon despite fierce opposition, state a person can be fined up to $21,909 for breaching a pandemic order.

This could include not wearing a mask, breaking a movement limit, attending an illegal protest or a gathering, refusing to get tested or failing to show ID.

Daniel Andrews' controversial new laws to manage pandemics could see rule-breakers jailed for two years and fined up to $454,350

Businesses can be fined up to $109,044 for breaking rules which may include failing to make sure customers check-in or show proof of vaccine status.

In addition, there is a new aggravated offence for breaches that 'cause a serious risk to the health of another individual'.

These can be punished with a $90,870 fine and two years in jail. An example given in the bill is someone going to work when they are infectious and should be isolating.

What are the fines in Daniel Andrews' new law? $21,909: This fine is for breaching a pandemic order such as not wearing a mask, breaking a movement limit, attending an illegal protest or a gathering, refusing to get tested or failing to show ID. $90,870: This fine is for an aggravated offence for breaches that 'cause a serious risk to the health of another individual' such as going to work when infectious. $109,044: This fine is for businesses breaking rules which may include failing to make sure customers check-in or show proof of vaccine status. $454,350: This fine is for an 'aggravated' offence by a business such as encouraging customers to flout lockdown rules . Advertisement

Businesses can also be guilty of an aggravated offence, with a maximum fine of $454,350 if, for example, they refuse to obey a lockdown and encourage customers to also flout the rules.

In a heated debated in Parliament on Wednesday, which involved shouting across the chamber, shadow attorney-general Tim Smith said: 'This is nonsensical, it's an abuse of power.

'It's a disgraceful mistreatment of our democratic traditions giving the dictator dictatorial powers and you think that's great. You think it's absolutely fantastic giving the dictator the ability to rule by decree,' he said in reference to Daniel Andrews.

Opposition MP Louise Staley said the 113-page bill was 'the largest I've ever seen' and said politicians have not been given enough time to scrutinise it.

'To be brought into this place and then be told they will be debating it later this day is a complete and utter assault on democracy,' she said.

The Victorian Labor Government - which introduced the Public Health and Wellbeing (Pandemic Management) Bill 2021 in the state Parliament on Tuesday - accused the Opposition of being 'hysterical' and peddling 'misinformation'.

In its explanation of an 'aggravated' offence, the bill says: 'This aggravated offence is intended to cover non-compliance in egregious circumstances where there is an aggravating factor of the person knows, or having ought to have known, that the non-compliance is likely to cause a serious risk to at least one other individual.

'Similarly, the conduct of a business failing to comply with safety protocols and other directions given in order to limit the spread of a pandemic disease and actively encouraging non-compliance by customers may amount to an aggravated offence.

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'The offence is not intended to apply to minor or routine breaches that do not create a serious risk to the health of an individual, such as minor breaches of face mask requirements, and is not intended to be used as a tool to manage peaceful protests.'

The Victorian Opposition has described the laws as an 'attack on democracy' and vowed to oppose them at every turn.

'Under these laws Victorians face a $21,909 fine for failing to wear a face mask and business a $109,044 fine if a customer fails to check-in properly,' Opposition leader Matthew Guy said.

The bill has been drafted after consultation with three crossbench MPs to guarantee it will pass this week or next month despite the opposition from the Liberals and Nationals.

The new laws will replace the state of emergency powers which expire on December 15 when they will have been in place for 21 months.

The new laws, which the premier hopes to pass next month despite fierce opposition, state a person can be fined $21,909 for breaching a pandemic order such as not wearing a mask. Pictured: The Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne

The Opposition fears they could be used to re-impose lockdowns in the near future.

'These new laws aren't about streamlining State of Emergency powers but about making it easier for the State Government to control people's lives,' Mr Guy said.

'Daniel Andrews wouldn't be passing these laws unless he planned on using them.

'The thought of handing even more power to the person who got us into this mess is simply unacceptable.

'This extreme legislation is a threat to every Victorian family, small business and local community. It must be stopped.'

Victoria recorded 1,534 new Covid-19 cases and 13 deaths on Wednesday.

Associate Professor Maria O'Sullivan from Monash University said she was not aware of any precedent for an aggravated offence for breaching public health orders.

She also raised concerns the bill allows the premier to declare a pandemic for an unlimited time.

'So, ostensibly, the public health emergency could go on indefinitely that would be of concern to me,' she told the ABC.

Three-month lockdowns

Under the new laws the premier would be able to declare a pandemic for an unlimited time, with an extension required every three months.

The health minister will be able to sign off on public health orders instead of the Chief Health Officer, a role currently held by Brett Sutton.

This gives the health minister the power to enforce lockdowns, shut down businesses, restrict movement, require masks, ban public gatherings, and enforce quarantine and isolation - powers currently held by the unelected CHO.

These powers can be implemented regardless of the number of disease cases or severity.

The bill will also extend the mandatory payment for hotel quarantine beyond 31 December.

Vaccine mandates and lockdowns for anti-vaxxers

The bill states that a pandemic order such as a lockdown or a vaccine mandate 'may apply to, differentiate between or vary in its application to persons or classes of person'.

This allows the Government to select who it wants to apply the order to, including people who have been at a certain event, who live in a certain area or who have a certain type of job.

The Government can discriminate based on 'presence in a pandemic management area; participation at an event; an activity they have undertaken; their characteristics, attributes or circumstances,' the bill says.

It also allows the Government to lockdown unvaccinated people only.

Under the new laws the premier would be able to shut down businesses, restrict movement and ban public gatherings even if there were no disease cases in Victoria. Pictured: A protestor is arrested by police at a protest in St Kilda on Saturday

The bill says the Government can discriminate based on attributes defined in the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 which include race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status and employment status.

But Health Minister Martin Foley said those factors would not be taken into account.

'Any suggestion that those other considerations of the public health processes, that is just really mischief making. These are recommendations that come forward on clinical and epidemiological grounds. Not those kinds of characteristics,' he said.

Professor Brett Sutton said attributes and characteristics could refer to 'intimate partners having the opportunity to see other individuals... people normally resident in regional Victoria... children under 16 years of age because they haven't had a vaccination opportunity... vaccinated or unvaccinated individuals in a vaccinated economy.

'You need the agility to spread to those characteristics and attributes that might exclude someone from a public health order and that might be directed at someone,' he said.

Tiered fines system

In a small win for disadvantaged people, the bill will allow disadvantaged people to apply for a 'concessional' fine.

Greens leader Samantha Ratnam negotiated this in discussions with the Government.

She said: 'I'm pleased that the Greens have been able to make sure these new laws have more transparency and are fairer for all Victorians, especially those facing disadvantage.'

Barista Maelys is seen at work at Cafe Chez Mademoiselle in Prahran, Melbourne, last week

Make health advice public

The Victorian Government has faced constant criticism for not releasing the health advice that its lockdown decisions are based on.

The bill will require the publication of the reasons for the Chief Health Officer recommending a pandemic order.

It will also establish an Independent Pandemic Management Advisory Committee to scrutinise Government decisions and health advice.

Under the new laws the premier would be able to declare a pandemic for an unlimited time, with an extension required every three months. Pictured: Victoria Police earlier this month

QR safeguards

The new laws will ensure stronger safeguards to stop unlawful access to QR code check-in or contact tracing data, with a new offence in place.

It means police can only get hold of the data if there is an 'imminent threat' to someone's life.

Officers must acquire a Supreme Court order to access the data.

This comes after it was revealed in June that police failed three times to get access to QR code data.

Reaction to the law

Opposition leader Matthew Guy said he would throw out the laws if he won the November 2022 election.

'I've never seen such an attack on Australian democracy as rules like this' where 'one man can rule by decree,' he told 3AW radio.

Frontbencher Tim Smith has fears Mr Andrews is passing the law in preparation for more lockdowns.

The existing power of Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton (left) to make special public health orders would be passed over to health minister Martin Foley (right) under the new laws

'Daniel Andrews wouldn't be taking more powers for himself unless he plans to lock us all down again,' he said.

The Opposition will propose a 60 per cent majority in both houses of parliament be required before a pandemic or an extended state of emergency can be declared.

Under the proposed alternative, the state of emergency powers and the need for them would have to be re-examined and voted on every 30 days.

But Greens leader Samantha Ratnam backs the laws because she says they are better than the current state of emergency powers.

'I'm pleased that the Greens have been able to make sure these new laws have more transparency and are fairer for all Victorians, especially those facing disadvantage,' she said.
The couple at the center of the shocking Houston House of Horrors case were picked up by deputies earlier this week at a public library, where they were said to have been looking up news articles about the discovery of the decomposing remains of the woman's dead son in an apartment also housing his three starving and abandoned siblings.

Brian Coulter, 31, on Tuesday was arrested and charged with felony murder in connection with the death of the eight-year-old child, identified in court documents obtained by DailyMail.com as Kendrick Lee. His bond was set at $1million.

Coulter was not present in court on Wednesday because he was undergoing a mental health evaluation.

Gloria Williams, 35, Coulter's girlfriend and the victim's mother, is charged with injury to a child by omission and tampering with evidence - a human corpse. She is expected to appear before a judge later on Wednesday.

The two were previously questioned and released hours after investigators performed their welfare check on Sunday, during which they made the gruesome discovery.

Williams' 15-year-old son, who had been caring for his two younger brothers with the help of a neighbor who brought them food and charged their cell phone when the electricity to their home was cut, called 911, prompting the welfare check on Sunday.

Linda Smith, the grandmother of one of Williams' children, told DailyMail.com in an interview on Wednesday that had she known what was going on, she would have adopted her grandson, Ja'Veon Kirklin, 7, along with his brothers, Jordan Lee, 15, and Trevon Lee, 10. Williams' eldest child, 17-year-old Jasmine Whitaker, was not living with the family.

Booking photos released by the Harris County Sheriff's Office show Brian Coulter, 31, charged with beating to death his girlfriend's eight-year-old son. The mother, Gloria Williams, 35, is charged with starving and neglecting her children

Kendrick Lee, the 8-year-old boy whose body was found decomposing next to his siblings, is pictured for the first time. Kendrick is seen with his surviving siblings

A Houston woman, Gloria Y. Williams (left), 35, and her boyfriend, Brian W. Coulter (right), 31, were arrested and charged by authorities on Tuesday for abandoning and neglecting her three young children in a home for months at a time while the kids' eight-year-old brother's corpse decomposed in the house for more than a year.

The arrests were made two days after law enforcement officials found Williams' three children abandoned inside a Houston apartment. Investigators also found a rotting corpse of Williams' eight-year-old son who had been dead for more than a year

A criminal complaint filed against Coulter alleges that on November 20, 2020, he murdered his girlfriend's son Kendrick by punching and kicking him to death.

Separate complaints against Williams accuse the mom-of-five of concealing her son's death, starving one of her other children and failing to protect a third from injury.

According to additional court filings, Coulter and Williams left the eight-year-old's body to rot in a closet, and then abandoned the woman's other children.

Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com indicate that Williams was charged twice for failing to enroll her children in school.

Alief Independent School District told KTRK that in 2019 and 2020, the school district filed truancy papers against the siblings' mother because two of them, Ja'Veon Kirklin and his older sister, were not attending school. The children were last enrolled in May 2020.

Both charges were later dismissed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smith, Kirkin's paternal grandmother, told DailyMail.com that Williams and her children stayed with her for a time in 2014 while the boy's biological father was in jail.

The grandmother ultimately asked Williams to leave after learning that the woman had been bringing various men over to her house - a decision Smith now regrets.

'The Gloria I knew never would have done this to her kids, but it looks like she did, I guess you never know someone,' Smith said.

Williams and Coulter allegedly left the children alone for months at a time while they lived in a different home

Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com indicate that Williams was charged twice for failing to enroll her children in school. Both charges were later dismissed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Williams is seen left alongside Coulter in this undated file photo

The image above shows a notice of removal of children left by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. According to the notice, state officials took custody of the three children on Sunday evening after police conducted a welfare check

Recent social media posts show that Williams has been referring to Coulter as her husband, and the two even got matching 'warrior' tattoos.

Coulter's significant collection of body art also includes the words 'loyalty' and 'family over everything,' along with face tattoos depicting a cross and a dollar sign.

His Instagram page, which was last updated in August, shows the murder suspect posing up in his over-the-top jewelry, listening to hip hop and making unintelligible comments.

The Harris County Medical Examiners Office on Tuesday ruled that Kendrick Lee, eight, suffered multiple blunt force injuries, resulting in his death by homicide.

According to a report from the victim's 15-year-old brother, he and his two surviving siblings had been living with his decomposing body in their apartment for a year.

Shortly before the teen called 911 on Sunday, he texted his mother to tell her he could not take it anymore, it has emerged.

Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com indicate that Williams was charged twice for failing to enroll her children in school, including her daughter who was 15 in 2019

One of the negligence charges was related to the truancy of one of Williams' sons

The charges were ultimately dismissed in May 2020 because of COVID-19

The call led to a series of disturbing revelations, including that the three children, ages 15, 10 and 7, had been left to fend for themselves for several months, relying on food donations from unsuspecting neighbors to survive, while sharing an apartment with the decomposing remains of their sibling - even as their mother and her boyfriend lived just 15 minute away.

Detectives with the Harris County Sheriff's Office questioned the couple before releasing them on Monday pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

Child welfare services in Texas have also launched an investigation into the horror find at the apartment complex on Houston's west side.

Erica Chapman, who lives at CityParc II at West Oaks Apartments, said she was among the people who had been feeding the malnourished 15-year-old, not knowing he was living with his two younger brothers.

'The first time I saw him, he was sleeping on one of the slides,' Chapman told KTRK.

Williams has referred to Coulter as her husband, but there is no proof the two are married

Coulter's Instagram page includes videos showing him posing up in jewelry, listening to music and making garbled comments

The phrase 'family over everything' is seen etched into Coulter's body

Harris County Sheriff's Department officers are seen above at a Houston apartment complex on Sunday afternoon where three children were found in a neglected state along with the decomposing body of their slain eight-year-old brother

Williams, the mother of the three children, lived with her boyfriend, Coulter, just 15 minutes away from the apartment complex where her 8-year-old son was found dead

Investigators also found the decomposed body of a eight-year-old boy inside the apartment

Law enforcement officials said that the three children were given food by neighbors

Chapman said she noticed that the teen's mother was rarely home. She would occasionally show up bearing noodles, snacks and drinks. The abandoned teen would run downstairs to pick up the food and then return to the apartment.

About six months ago, Chapman said she started offering the 15-year-old food, but she said he refused to accept cooked meals, only agreeing to take packaged snacks, fruit and pizza.

Trevor Thompson, another neighbor who had been helping out the boy, told the station the child was paranoid and feared getting poisoned.

Thompson said the teen knocked on his door one day, asking to borrow a charger. After that, the neighbor said he forged a bond with the boy and started offering him food.

Both Thompson and Chapman said they had no idea there were two younger children living with the 15-year-old.

Thompson recalled that on one occasion he asked the teen if he liked the pizza he had given him.

'And he asked, "What? The first pizza we had?"' Thompson recounted. 'That made me wonder why would he say, "We."'

Erica Chapman said she had been feeding the 15-year-old boy because his mother only rarely showed up to giver him snacks

Chapman speculated that the teen may have concealed the existence of his brothers because he was afraid of being blamed, punished by his mother, or separated from his siblings.

The neighbors said they never called the authorities because they did not grasp the severity of the situation involving the teen, who was described as quiet and discreet.

'I didn't want to push him away by asking questions because I knew he was starving and needed food,' Chapman said.

All three surviving siblings were taken to a hospital for treatment. They were said to be malnourished and injured, and the 7-year-old had broken bones in his face.

According to investigators, the 15-year-old said that the parents hadnt been living at home for months, effectively abandoning the children to be on their own.

When police arrived to the home on Sunday afternoon, they found the brothers skeletal remains out in the open, KPRC-TV reported.

The two younger boys appeared to be malnourished and showed signs of physical injury, according to law enforcement officials.

It appears they were basically fending for each other, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez told reporters.

The older sibling was doing the best he could to take care of the others.

Trevor Thompson, who did not want to be shown on camera, also had been helping the teen. He was the boy was paranoid and feared of being poisoned

Authorities have not said whether or not they were looking for the children's biological father.

'Connecting all the dots, it seems they were in there while the body was deteriorating,' the sheriff said.

HCSO is now investigating to determine the circumstances that led to the death of the minor and how long the kids had been alone.

'To ensure the safety of the children, the Department of Family and Protective Services is seeking emergency custody of the three boys,' the agency said in a statement on Monday.

'Child Protective Services does have history with the family, but there was no active CPS investigation at the time the children were discovered alone in their apartment.'

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said a unit was sent to do a welfare check at the residence after receiving a call. The body was not concealed

Residents of the area said that management had been doing inspection rounds in the area for the last couple of weeks.

A neighbor living next door to the siblings told KTRK she had no idea there was anyone occupying that unit, let alone children.

The neighbor in the apartment complex told the station KTRK that she complained for months about a foul odor emanating from the unit where the shocking discovery was made over the weekend.

She said that 13 or 14 months ago, she first noticed a vile odor wafting from what she thought was an abandoned apartment.

The smell was so bad, the woman said, that she would be forced to turn off her air conditioning to prevent it from entering her apartment through the vents.

The neighbor said she complained several times to the building's management about the smell, but it is unclear if anyone had gone to the unit housing the siblings to inspect it.

The children had seemingly been left abandoned by adults for a long period of time and were 'fending for each other'

Homicide investigators along with CPS and Child Abuse investigators are also working on the case

Police said the investigation is still in the preliminary stages .

'Very horrific situation here, very tragic. I've been in this business for a long time and I've never heard of a scenario like this, it really caught me by surprise,' said Gonzalez when addressing the media on Sunday evening.

'We are trying to identify next of kin to determine exactly what happened and how we got to this point...We're going to make sure we conduct a thorough follow-up investigation,' he added.
A group of teenagers were treated by paramedics after ingesting a form of poison.

Paramedics were called to Redcliffe State High School, in Brisbane's north-east, just before 12pm on Tuesday.

A spokeswoman from Queensland Ambulance Services told Daily Mail Australia paramedics rushed to an address off Klingner Road in Redcliffe.

Paramedics then assessed five students in the school grounds, with another student transported to hospital for an unrelated medical condition.

According to the Courier Mail, parents on social media said the visit from paramedics was due to an alleged poisoning incident.

Paramedics were called to Redcliffe State High School, in Brisbane's north-east, just before 12pm on Tuesday after reports students had ingested a form of poison

'My kid came home and told me that a kid mixed lighter fluid with Gatorade and gave it to several others to drink at second break,' one parent stated.

Another said her child was offered the same drink, but said no.

It has since been confirmed the students in question ingested diluted windscreen wiper liquid.

The Department of Education said the school has launched an investigation into the matter.

'The department is aware of an incident involving a small number of students ingesting diluted windscreen wiper liquid at Redcliffe State High School on 26 October 2021,' a statement sent to Daily Mail Australia read.

'Staff immediately contacted the Queensland Ambulance Service to attend and assess the students. No students were taken to hospital.

Paramedics then assessed five students in the school grounds, with another student transported to hospital for an unrelated medical condition (stock image)

'Parents and the school community were notified of the incident that day and provided with support options, including access to the school Guidance Officer for those who required it.

'The school is investigating and will apply disciplinary consequences where appropriate. Due to student privacy no further information can be provided.'
A Sydney woman who was blocked from visiting her dying mother in Tasmania has been forced to say her heartbreaking final goodbyes on a Zoom video call.

Mercedes Maguire and her three sisters in NSW have spent the past week trying to obtain a travel exemption after learning their mother Teresa Florez, 90, may only have days to live.

Health officials said Ms Maguire would first have to spend two weeks in quarantine and as a 'best case scenario' could leave isolation to visit her mother at her Hobart home for two hours at a time.

Ms Florez died at 3.30am on Wednesday before authorities in NSW and Tasmania could agree on a better alternative.

Mercedes Maguire was told she must spend 14 days in quarantine before seeing her dying mother Teresa Florez. Ms Florez died on Wednesday morning before authorities could agree upon a better alternative

The case drew the attention of NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet as well as the charity Angel Flight - who offered to fly the fully-vaccinated family into the island state.

Ms Maguire though told Daily Mail Australia the 'torment' of being in a nearby hotel or an Airbnb as her mother took her final breaths would have been too much to bear.

The journalist from Dee Why on Sydney's northern beaches instead had to farewell her mother on a video call on Tuesday night, The Daily Telegraph reported.

'The doctor came and said she was showing signs of pain and discomfort and upped her morphine dose, which she said would hasten her end,' Ms Maguire said.

Tasmanian Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff reportedly discussed the family's case directly with his NSW equivalent Brad Hazzard.

Ms Maguire on Tuesday said it was heartbreaking to think she and her three siblings from NSW may not at be their mother's side as she takes her final breaths.

The NSW premier intervened in the case and called for Tasmanian authorities to show compassion. 'We don't want to be in a hotel room down the road getting a phone call at 3am in the morning saying she's died,' Ms Maguire said

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein (pictured) was urged to reconsider the decision on Ms Maguire's case after it drew the attention of his NSW counterpart Dominic Perrottet

'When we were told she was in palliative care last Thursday we started making plans to get down there - but that's when we hit a brick wall,' she said.

'We applied for an exemption on compassionate grounds but within two days we received a response that said 'unsuccessful' in capital letters.'

Ms Maguire said her family on the mainland made a second application to enter Tasmania on Monday, but that health officials now wanted to verify the extent of her mother's illness through their own doctor.

'The thing that's the biggest torment is we want to be by her side when she passes away,' she said.

'We don't want to be in a hotel room down the road getting a phone call at 3am in the morning saying she's died.'

The NSW premier intervened in her case and called for Tasmanian authorities to show compassion in her family's 'time of need'.

Ms Maguire pictured with her mother. Ms Florez was in the final stages of her battle with dementia and could no longer eat or drink in her final days

'While border restrictions are a matter for individual states this is surely a case where an exemption could be considered on compassionate grounds,' he said.

'I have contacted the Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein to see if the Tasmanian government could have a further look at this case.'

Ms Maguire said the prospect of short approved visits from hotel quarantine was not a good enough solution.

'It doesn't make sense - it's just illogical,' she said. 'Aren't we still creating a risk by visiting her?'

Ms Maguire's three siblings already in Tasmania were cleared to see their mother in her final days as they were all double vaccinated against Covid-19.

The Sydney woman said the decision didn't make sense given she is double-dosed too.

'We want to be there when she passes. She knows they [her siblings in Tasmania] are there and it breaks my heart to know that they're we're not there,' she told Sunrise.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Tasmania's Department of Health for comment.
A murder investigation has been launched into the death of a four-year-old boy whose body was found in a swimming pool at a Queensland home, after drowning was ruled out as his cause of death.

Queensland police announced it had started investigations into the death of Tarrin-Macen OSullivan at about 5pm on Sunday, August 29, at Munburra, south-west of Mackay in north Queensland.

It was originally reported to the police that the boy had drowned after he was pulled unresponsive from a residential pool. He died two hours later at Mackay Base Hospital.

But a post-mortem and scientific examination had now indicated the cause of death was inconsistent with drowning, police said, and so a homicide investigation had commenced.

Queensland police announced it had commenced investigations into the death of Tarrin-Macen OSullivan at about 5pm on Sunday, August 29, at Munburra, south-west of Mackay in north Queensland

A post-mortem and scientific examination indicated Tarrin-Macen's cause of death was inconsistent with drowning

'Mackay Detectives from the Child Protection Investigation Units (CPIU) State Child Trauma Unit are conducting the ongoing investigation,' police said in a statement.

'Police are appealing for anyone who may have further information which may assist with investigations, to contact them.'

Tarrin-Macen pictured with his father, Andrew O'Sullivan

The boy's father, Andrew O'Sullivan, had earlier told the Daily Mercury that Tarrin-Macen was level 1 autistic and lived with his mother in Munburra.

Mr O'Sullivan, who lives in Mackay, had not seen the boy for eight months.

'The life of my boy, as I think about it, it was short but big,' he said.

'He could do things with phones most kids couldnt dream of.

'But he had a temper  oh boy did he have a temper  and that was escalated a lot more because of his condition.

'But you couldnt stay angry at the child.'

Mr O'Sullivan said the family had moved from Leeton, in NSW, to the Mackay area to access better support for Tarrin-Macen's condition.

'Im just so sad that Im never going to be able to see him again,' he said.

At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon in Mackay, police said the child's death was reported by his mother.

It's believed the child was deceased was before entering the pool, police said.

Detectives from the local child protection unit as well as police from Brisbane were involved in the investigation.

'We're dealing with the death of a four-year-old boy and obviously a small child who relies heavily on the care of other people. His death is treated with the utmost seriousness of any other homicide investigation we would conduct,' Detective Inspector Tom Armitt told media.
A musclebound follower of neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell has posted coded Nazi messages to a courtroom in a bizarre virtual hearing.

Sewell, 28, and fellow hate monger Jacob Hersant, 22, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Wednesday on a swag charges, including armed robbery, assault and affray after they allegedly bashed hikers in May.

A bearded man wearing dark sunglasses streamed into the online hearing where he could be seen holding a sign to the camera bearing a Celtic cross logo and stating 'Free Thomas Sewell'.

Detectives from Victoria Police's Counter Terrorism Command arrested Thomas Sewell in March over an alleged attack on a security guard outside Channel 9. He is pictured giving a Channel 9 reporter the Nazi salute

Pictured: A group of white supremacists at the Grampians National Park, performing the Seig Heil, in January

Jacob Hersant, pictured on social media, allegedly attacked a group of hikers during a meeting in May

Sewell, of the European Australian Movement, and Hersant, of the National Socialist Network, are accused of attacking hikers with knives after one filmed them during a meeting in the wilds of Country Victoria.

The man, who identified himself online as 'Jimeone Roberts', repeatedly displayed the sign before taking to the public chat.

'Free Tom Sewell,' he wrote, before adding what at first glance appeared to be a simple equation: '7X2 + 44x2'.

It is code often used by Neo-Nazis.

'H' being the eighth letter of the alphabet, equates to 88 - meaning 'HH'.

Or in Nazi terms: 'Heil Hitler'.

The first equation, amounting to 14, is the number of words in a statement written by David Lane - a member of the Ku Klux Klan and co-founder of a white-power revolutionary group.

Online court hearings have become a free-for-all of disrespect and blatant contempt since Covid-19 forced shut real life hearings.

The disturbing incident came hot on the heels of increased sightings of neo-Nazi groups congregating en masse in country Victoria and in the heart of Melbourne

Respected magistrate Peter Riordan was oblivious to the disgraceful antics going on as he endeavoured to control the virtual hearing.

The court heard it was May 8 when Sewell, Hershant and a bunch of their mates decided to hold a meeting on the summit of the Cathedral Ranges.

Known for some of the best hiking in the state, the men had crossed paths with their alleged victims as they ascended to Sugarloaf Peak.

The six hikers had noticed something odd about the group due to their black t-shirts sporting white Celtic crosses.

In January, mountain climbing Neo-Nazis had caused a stir when they congregated in The Grampians.

A security guard was allegedly assaulted outside Channel 9 by Thomas Sewell. He is later alleged to have attacked some hikers

Pictured: Members of the neo-Nazi National Socialist Network pose next to racist graffiti in Melbourne

The court heard the hikers were about to depart the Sugarloaf carpark when one of them made the unwise decision to whip out his camera and film the fascists.

Prosecutor Danielle Guesdon said the mob ran directly at them, shouting 'Antifa' as they surrounded their vehicle.

Wearing balaclavas, the angry mob allegedly punched and kicked their way into the car, smashing their way in through the front and passenger side windows.

The blood left from those actions would later indicate a DNA match with Sewell and Hersant, police alleged.

The court heard the hikers' car crashed into a rock before demands were made of their mobile phones.

While two in the car handed them over, one victim hid his under the seat.

They were then allowed to go.

When police caught up with Hersant down the road, a search of his car found a camera that contained photos of balaclava-clad men on Sugarloaf Peak.

Sewell, whose fingerprints were also allegedly found on the victims' car, was arrested on May 14.

Thomas Sewell performs a Nazi salute

Sugarloaf Peak is known for it's awesome views, not it's neo-Nazi hikers

Sugarloaf Peak became the venue for a racist meet-up between fellow hate mongers

He had five stitches in his hand from what police allege was from punching in the car window.

Sewell was on bail at the time for allegedly punching a Channel 9 security guard six times in the head in March.

He remains behind bars while fighting the allegations.

Following his March arrest over the security guard assault, an unrepentant Sewell, who labelled his alleged victim a 'buffoon', later posted a video of himself dressing down Channel 9 reporter, whom he had been trying to visit when all hell broke loose.

'It's very obvious that you guys are bullies, it's very obvious you guys go to people's houses, harass them at work, you harass them wherever you go, you ask them a question,' Sewell said.

'But when somebody comes to your house and knocks on your door, you guys send security out and try to strong arm and push us away.'

He ended his rant by giving Costello the Nazi salute, declaring: 'Have that one for the camera, you cowards.'

The preliminary hearing, which will determine if the matter proceeds to trial, continues.
Parents and students alike are taking a stand against a Virginia superintendent and school board that was accused of lying to cover up two alleged sexual assaults in order to push their pro-transgender policies.

Hundreds of residents gathered Tuesday at a Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) board meeting. Approximately 120 people signed up to speak at the demonstration - including a group of proclaimed radical feminists and Democrats - and fight for gender specific spaces.

Others protested outside, with many toting placards proclaiming themselves Democrats, leftists and feminists outraged by the board's antics.

'We really want to see the school board rescind the policy, there is absolutely no justifiable reason to have a policy that allows boys into women's bathrooms,' Democrat Kara Dansky said, according to The Federalist.

'It's just not acceptable, it's anti-feminist, it's misogynistic, it's politically regressive. All of the women standing behind me and near me are radical feminists, most of us are Democrats. We are here because we are on the political left and we stand in support of female-only spaces.'

Enraged parents cited an email that surfaced last week where Superintendent Scott Ziegler reported an alleged sexual assault in the girls' bathroom. The email, which was sent on May 28, 2021, contradicted a statement Ziegler made the month before when he publicly said that he had no record of bathroom assaults.

'You are so concerned with pushing race and gender that you sacrificed our children,' Patti Hidalgo Menders, president of the Loudoun County GOP Women's Club, said, according to Fox News.

Students from three Loudoun County high schools also participated in protest by walking out of their classrooms Tuesday morning and chanting 'Loudoun County protects rapists.'

The walkouts come a day after a juvenile court judge charged the student accused in the May 28 attack at Stone Bridge High with sexual assault, NBC 4 Washington reported.

A court hearing for the second alleged attack, which is said to have occurred at Broad Run High, is scheduled for next month. Sentencing for both incidents will take place after the hearing.

At a Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) board meeting on Tuesday enraged parents cited an email that surfaced last week where Superintendent Scott Ziegler (pictured) reported an alleged sexual assault in the girls' bathroom. They were infuriated because just a month earlier he publicly said that he had no record of bathroom assaults

Parents stood outside the meeting holding placards that read: 'Protect girls not gender' and' 'women and girls are not collateral damage'

Parents referenced LCPS's pro-transgender policy 8040, which allows students 'to use the facility that corresponds to their consistently asserted gender identity'

Students walked out of Loudoun County's schools on Tuesday in protest against the county's handling of a rape allegation after a judge found the boy accused guilty

Erin Roselle Poe, who has a 10th grader and a fifth grader enrolled in the district, spoke out Tuesday night, saying the school board had failed the district.

'They've failed this county, they've failed students, they've lied to our faces, they've left our children very vulnerable and unsafe, and they continue to preach policies that are more coverups for their actions,' Poe told The Federalist.

'We've got to get the evil out of the schools.'

'I'm here because I'm concerned about the public safety of the public schools in Loudoun County,' Maddy, an eighth-grader who currently attends private school, shared.

Her mother, who was not named, echoed Maddy's claim: 'When the sexual assaults came out now every day I think  do I have to worry about her safety? This is definitely weighing on my mind.'

Outside the school board meeting, parents held placards that read: 'Protect girls not gender' and' 'women and girls are not collateral damage.'

A group of parents moves to speak as people gather to protest different issues including the board's handling of a sexual assault that happened in a school bathroom in May, vaccine mandates and critical race theory during a Loudoun County School Board

Amanda Shallant (pictured) spoke during the meeting as she held a sign that read: 'LCPS protects rapists'

A security guard moves Scott Mineo with Parents Against Critical Race Theory towards the exit after his time expires while he makes a public statement at the meeting

Another said: 'Scott Ziegler knew about transgender-related crime but he lied anyway...Resign now!'

The superintendent wrote in the five-month-old email: 'The purpose of this email is to provide you with information regarding an incident that occurred at Stone Bridge HS. This afternoon a female student alleged that a male student sexually assaulter her in the restroom.'

Yet at a meeting on June 22 Ziegler said that to his knowledge, 'we don't have any record of assaults occurring in our restrooms'.

Grandmother of LCPS students Carrie Michon claimed that the contradicting statements were a cover-up to bury the sexual assault investigation and 'protect your precious 8040 policy'.

The policy she referenced is the school's pro-transgender policy, which states that the school district 'shall allow gender-expansive or transgender students to use their chosen name and gender pronouns that reflect their consistently asserted gender identity without any substantiating evidence, regardless of the name and gender recorded in the student's permanent educational record'.

Approximately 120 people signed up to speak at the demonstration - including a group of proclaimed radical feminists and Democrats - and fight for gender specific spaces

Heather Fruzzetti (pictured) criticized Ziegler's email to the board about the alleged attacks

Scott Mineo with Parents Against Critical Race Theory puts signs in the ground as people gather to protest at the Loudoun County school board meeting

Parents demand change Tuesday as they protest outside the Loudoun County School Board meeting

The policy also allows students 'to use the facility that corresponds to their consistently asserted gender identity'.

'While some transgender students will want that access, others may want alternatives that afford more privacy. Taking into account existing school facilities, administrators should take steps to designate gender-inclusive or single-user restrooms commensurate with the size of the school,' it added.

On Monday a Loudoun County judge found the boy 'in a skirt' guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old female classmate in the girls' bathroom. Juvenile court judge Pamela Brooks agreed with the charges - forcible sodomy and forcible fellatio - which is the juvenile court equivalent of a conviction.

It remains unclear if the boy is transgender and if that is how he was allowed into the bathrooms that day.

The boy, who has not been named because he is a minor, will return to court on November 15 for sentencing. He has also been charged with sexually assaulting another girl at a different school in the same Virginia school district in October.

He was allowed to use the girls' restroom because of policy 8040, which the victim's parents had been shamed for protesting against after the incident.

Superintendent Ziegler claimed on June 22 that he'd received 'no report' of a sexual assault in the school bathrooms. But on May 28, the day it happened, he sent this email to colleagues confirming that it had been reported. 'This afternoon, a female student alleged that a male student sexually assaulted her in the restroom,' it read

Scott Smith, the victim's father, was pictured with a bloody mouth, being dragged out of a school board meeting on June 22 - a month after the attack - after listening to school officials say no one had been sexually assaulted in the bathrooms when that's what his daughter had reported the previous month

The victim's parents were ridiculed by the left after her father Scott Smith was pictured being dragged out of a school board meeting on June 22. They say they now feel vindicated

The teenage girl's father Scott Smith was dragged out of the June 22 meeting where Ziegler claimed they'd received no reports of sexual assaults.

At the school's most recent meeting parents seemed to have decided to no longer shun Smith and instead support his protests against the school board's pro-transgender bathroom rules.

Michon demanded: 'Every last one of you, resign!'

'A girl was sexually assaulted in May and you all knew about it. The predator was put back in schools to sexually assault another girl. You all should be fired,' Menders added.

Mother Erin Dunbar declared: 'Fire Scott Ziegler for his gross negligence, and if you haven't hired an attorney yet, I recommend you all find one.'

Another parent Erin Smith asked: 'Did any of you even respond to this email on May 28 from Dr Ziegler? Was that email alarming to anyone?'

'You just had hundreds of Loudoun County students walk out in protest because they feel unsafe in schools,' she added, citing Tuesday's protest where students walked out of their classrooms in a show of 'solidarity' for the victim.

A flyer for the walk out told students to wear white and leave their classrooms for 10 minutes. Some stood in front of their school, chanting: 'Loudoun County Protects Rapists!'

The school board's chair Brenda Sheridan (pictured) suggested that parent complaints are focused on the gubernatorial elections taking place on November 2

The girl's parents said they felt 'relieved' after but are demanding an apology from the National School Board Association (NSBA) for its characterization of parents who angrily protest woke school policies as domestic terrorists.

The NSBA has apologized for threatening to mobilize the FBI to prosecute parents after being asked to do so by the country's increasingly liberal public school system.

But Smith says they haven't gone far enough and is threatening to sue the NSBA for defamation unless it apologizes directly to him.

The angered mother Erin Smith also called out the school board's chair Brenda Sheridan, who suggested that parent complaints are focused on the gubernatorial elections taking place on November 2, according to Fox.

'We're not here to impact elections, Branda,' she said, adding: 'Get comfy because we are not going away.'

Here is the walk out of students at @LCPSOfficial Broad Run High School in Loudoun County. Students in support of recent sex assault victims in the District including this school & asking for safer schools. @7NewsDC #7NewsITeam #Loudoun pic.twitter.com/CdZjqTBIdK  Scott Taylor 7 News I-Team (@ScottTaylorTV) October 26, 2021

Students walked out of Loudoun County's schools on Tuesday in protest against the county's handling of a rape allegation after a judge found the boy accused guilty

Some stood in front of their school, chanting: 'Loudoun County Protects Rapists!'

students walked out of their classrooms in a show of 'solidarity' for the victim of the sexual assault that took place in the girls' bathroom back in May

A flyer for the coordinated protest asked that students and teachers wear white and walk out of their classrooms for 10 minutes

Even more parents chimed in as Alicia Brand said: 'We demand the resignation of Scott Ziegler.'

'LCPS protects rapists,' mother Amanda Shallot claimed. She also alleged that the school board 'covered up the assault (and) Ziegler lied about it'.

Shallot added: 'I call for immediate resignations of Dr. Ziegler and any of you that had knowledge of the rape this spring.'

According to Fox, a father of two girls in the district said his daughters told him they would rather 'hold it' than go to the bathroom alone at school.

Ziegler addressed his differing statements on October 15 and said that he 'wrongly interpreted' a question 'about discipline incidents in bathroom' during the June meeting because he was too focused on the controversy surrounding policy 8040.

Meanwhile, the school board has completely denied accusations that they've covered up the sexual assault and Ziegler - who has yet to resign - instead apologized for 'misleading' them.

'I regret that my comments were misleading and I apologize for the distress they caused families,' he said.

'To the families and students involved, my heart aches for you. I am sorry that we failed to provide the safe, welcoming and affirming environment that we aspire to provide.

'We acknowledge and share in your pain and we will continue to offer you support to help your families through this trauma,' he added.

Ziegler's apology came as board member Beth Barts resigned.
An attempted abduction of a child several years ago at the Blowholes campsite where Cleo was last seen has heightened fears a kidnapper could be operating in the region.

A newly resurfaced social media post reveals a girl was approached by 'a man in his late 40s with a beard driving a small red car' at the popular holiday spot in 2014.

The girl's distressed mother lodged a complaint with police at the time, warning the man asked her daughter to 'go for a drive in his car' but she refused and ran back to her family.

The emergence of the disturbing post comes as Western Australia 's top cop confirmed police had scoured the family home of missing four-year-old girl Cleo Smith for seven hours as part of a 'routine practice' to eliminate all possibilities.

The leading theory remains that Cleo was likely abducted from her tent at the Blowholes campsite, and her parents are not considered suspects in her disappearance.

Little Cleo Smith and her step father Jake Gliddon, who has 'raised her as his own' are pictured together

A distressed mother revealed her daughter was approached by 'a man in his late 40s with a beard driving a small red car' while they were camping at the popular holiday spot

A police officer loads up his car with bags of evidence on Tuesday evening

In the attempted abduction from 2014, the little girl wasn't able to provide a thorough description of the man's appearance, and it appears nothing ever came of the police report.

But she shared the post publicly hoping to warn other parents who might bring their children to the area, adding it would be a 'good time to remind our precious ones of stranger danger'.

There are now concerns within the local community that Cleo's disappearance could be linked to the incident.

Since the post was initially unearthed, several people have reported it to Crime Stoppers, hopeful any potential links will be thoroughly investigated.

Forensic officers and detectives spent much of the day at her home in Carnarvon, 900km north of Perth, on Tuesday and left with two bags of evidence although it's unclear what was inside.

Acting WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the search of the family home was 'standard practice' and did not indicate they were suspects in Cleo's disappearance.

'The parents have been nothing but helpful. We've worked very closely with them, they've let us into their home, they've let us into their cars, their phones, everything,' Mr Blanch told 6PR.

'That is a normal part of an investigation and we must follow it thoroughly.

Acting WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the parents were not suspects in their daughter's disappearance

'Our job is to eliminate everyone that was at that campsite, and that is a systematic and thorough approach in doing so in any investigation. And that really is the focus of the investigation at the moment.'

Mr Blanch said while they were keeping 'open minded' about Cleo's disappearance, the 'highest probability' was that she had been abducted.

The four-year-old hasn't been seen since the early hours of Saturday morning October 16 at the Blowholes campsite near Carnarvon.

Her heartbroken stepdad Jake Gliddon returned to the family home on Tuesday to allow police and detectives inside.

The four-year-old girl's teary-eyed mother Ellie Smith told a TV interview on Monday that the couple had hardly been back to the house, finding it too agonising to return without their daughter.

Although investigators had been to the home before, this was the first time they thoroughly searched inside with a forensics team.

The heartbroken step father of Cleo Smith (pictured in a green singlet and sunglasses) has returned to the family's home for the first time since his little girl vanished from Blowholes campsite in Western Australia 11 days ago

Detectives are now looking into footage taken from a home on the North West Coastal Highway, near the Blowholes campsite, which reportedly shows a sedan travelling down the road at about 3am

On the previous occasion forensic officers combed the outside looking for signs of a stalker along the fence line and windows but 'no evidence' was uncovered and the theory discounted.

The little girl in pink pyjamas was sleeping in a tent alongside her mother Ellie, stepfather and baby sister Isla on their first camping trip together.

She was last seen by her parents at 1.30am on Saturday when she woke up to ask for a drink of water.

But by 6.30am when her parents woke up, little Cleo along with her red and grey sleeping bag had vanished.

Police are now looking into CCTV of a car that was seen driving down a highway near the Blowholes campsite in the time window Cleo disappeared in.

With an extensive search of the area leaving no clues, detectives believe the four-year-old may have been taken.

The footage was taken from a home on the North West Coastal Highway, which reportedly shows a sedan travelling down the road at about 3am.

Two people on their way to work had earlier told police they saw a car turning south off Blowholes Road at about 3am on the day Cleo vanished.

Police are now working to identify the driver and registration plates to determine whether or not the car seen in the footage is the same as the one in the reports, 7 News reported.

A massive land, sea and air search has continued for almost two weeks but there is still no signs of the pre-schooler and detectives have no firm suspects.

To flush out information the WA government last week announced a $1million reward for any information that can lead to Cleo's whereabouts.

Immense scrutiny has followed Ms Smith and her partner Mr Gliddon since their nightmare ordeal began, with hoards of online sleuths and 'amateur detectives' pointing the finger at them.

The devastated couple vehemently on Monday night denied any involvement in Cleo's disappearance and made a heartfelt plea to bring her home.

Ms Smith urged anyone with information on the missing toddler to call police because 'we want our daughter back and she wants us'.

Wiping away tears, she also had a message for Cleo's abductor: 'Just give her back to us,' she said on Channel Seven's Flashpoint program.

Ms Smith on Tuesday said she was overwhelmed by the generosity of Australians who donated to a Gofundme page set up by a family friend.
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Heavy rain was pummeling the TriState area on Tuesday evening, with 65mph winds expected in Connecticut and Bridgeport airport breaking a rainfall record set in 1958.

On Long Island, the weather station in Ronkonkoma saw 3.33 inches of rain fall by Tuesday evening - smashing the previous daily record of 1.50 inches, set in 1981. In New York City, JFK airport also set a new record, with 2.05 inches of rain falling - the most since 2002.

Power company Con Edison, which supplies the region, said there were 'scattered outages' on Tuesday night, and urged people not to go near downed power lines.

As of Tuesday night, Massachusetts was beginning to feel the force, with Cape Cod and Boston being hit. The state was reporting about 11,000 power outages, as the storm brought down trees along the coast.

Times Square was crowded with people holding umbrellas on Tuesday as the storm rolled through

Some people, like the man seen here, sported a plastic poncho to protect themselves from the bad weather

The streets of Times Square were flooded early on Tuesday morning

A person is seen in New York City in a raincoat and facemask on Tuesday as the storm hit

A pedestrian and cyclist make their way over the Williamsburg bridge between Manhattan and Brooklyn in a heavy downpour on Tuesday

The easternmost part of Long Island, the southeastern corner of Connecticut and parts of coastal Massachusetts and coastal Rhode Island were under a high wind warning until Wednesday afternoon, with the National Weather Service cautioning that 'widespread power outages are expected.'

The storm system was expected to linger through Wednesday morning.

Roads were flooded in some areas, causing misery for drivers trying to get home on Tuesday evening.

Flooding was reported along the Saddle River in Lodi, and for the Ramapo River - both in New Jersey - and, in New York, in Orange and Rockland Counties.

The Weather Service extended a flood warning in Warren County and Sussex County through Wednesday morning

The New York Police Department reported flooding that in some cases blocked traffic during rush hour on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, a key traffic artery.

Residents and elected officials had feared a repeat of the flooding that plagued the Big Apple after Hurricane Ida, but fortunately the storm was far less severe.

City streets throughout the five boroughs were swamped on Tuesday morning, however - stopping cars in their tracks, and making for a messy morning commute.

Cars were left stuck in the flood water in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on Tuesday as heavy rain hit the city

One brave driver tried to brave the flood waters in Brooklyn on Tuesday morning

A tree fell on top of a car in Jackson Heights, Queens on Tuesday as heavy rain and winds hit the city

An NYPD officer spoke to a New Jersey motorist as his car was stuck in Brooklyn on Tuesday

A man was seen trying to bicycle through several inches of rain amid the flash flood warnings

A man sat outside his truck as he was unable to move through the Brooklyn streets

Parts of New York City could see up to two to three inches of rain in the storm

The flooding forced several high-water rescues as rivers quickly reached their banks after the state received more than three inches by 7am, according to NJ.com.

In Union Beach, New Jersey alone, CNN reports, there had been over a dozen water rescues throughout the night.

No injuries were reported in any of the rescues and no one has required any first aid or hospital care, Police Chief Michael J. Woodrow said.

'Fortunately, our highly trained officers are able to reach traditionally inaccessible areas with these vehicles, especially when time is of the essence,' he said.

'Our playbook was created from lessons learned from Hurricane Sandy as well as other meteorological events.'

He added that the town has also received 'countless' calls for service and multiple vehicles have been submerged in water, as state troopers reported they responded to 188 accidents and 81 motorist aid calls.

Rutgers University, citing the threat of the storm, also asked instructors to move all of their classes online on Tuesday.

In New York City, though, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Tuesday that custodial staff stayed overnight at 250 schools to prepare the buildings so that they could fully reopen.

He added that 450 sandbags were distributed in hard-hit areas of Queens to protect from flooding.

A man was seen walking through Bushwick, Brooklyn with an umbrella as the torrential rain poured down

Police had to close off a road where cars were stuck in the flood waters

A man trying to use a CitiBike got swept up in the flood waters in Brooklyn on Tuesday

City workers were seen trying to clear drains as vehicles were left stuck in the floods

Forecasters with AccuWeather said the storm had undergone a period of rapid intensification known as bombogenesis overnight on Monday, when the central pressure of the storm dropped by 0.71 of an inch of mercury or more over a 24-hour period to become a bomb cyclone.

Tuesday's storm was expected to produce the most rainfall in a day since Ida dropped more than seven inches of rain over the city last month, according to NBC News.

More than 40 people were killed in New York and New Jersey as a result of that storm.

Workers used brooms and mops to clear the drains of fall leaves

A man cycled through the flood water in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on Tuesday

A woman walked through the flood waters in Brooklyn, which extended to the sidewalks

One man protected his shoes and legs with a trash bag in the heavy rains

Women were seen getting onto an MTA bus on Tuesday morning, as service remained normal

Part of the Times Square subway station was roped off on Tuesday due to rain water leaking from the ceiling

Cars skidded through flooded waters on Union Turnpike in Queens on Tuesday morning

Traffic on Union Turnpike built up on Tuesday morning as people tried to get to work in the storm

MTA crews were working to clear drains and check pumps to ensure subways are not flooded.

Transit leaders have also deployed teams to 50 key locations, including in Uptown Manhattan and the Bronx, which saw some of the worst flooding when Hurricane Ida passed through the area over the summer.

The MTA did not report any widespread service delays or cancelations on Tuesday.

The New Jersey Transit, though, suspended service between three stops on one of its lines due to 'weather-related conditions,' and ridesharing services Uber and Lyft implemented surge pricing during the storm.

Those with scheduled flights were advised to check their airlines and flights to see if there are any delays or cancellations.

As of Tuesday morning, LaGuardia airport had reported 14 flight cancelations over the last 24 hours, Newark Airport reported 32 cancelations and John F. Kennedy International Airport reported nine cancelations.

People with umbrellas walked in the rain and steam in Manhattan on Tuesday morning

A woman was seen smoking a cigarette while holding an umbrella during the nor'easter

A person with an umbrella was seen trying to protect herself from the heavy rains

A woman used an umbrella to shield her face from the rain and the wind

One New Yorker took advantage of the situation, selling umbrellas to unlucky commuters

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared states of emergency on Monday ahead of the storm.

'I am proactively declaring a State of Emergency to ensure we can provide the necessary resources to respond to this storm and protect lives and property in regions where the forecast is calling for significant rainfall,' Hochul announced.

'I am encouraging New Yorkers to prepare now for inclement weather expected over the coming days and urging commuters to take precaution ahead of heavy rainfall expected tomorrow morning.'

Low clouds shrouded the skyline of Lower Manhattan in New York City on Tuesday, as a man in Hoboken, New Jersey walked in the torrential rain

A woman ran in the rain along the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey, surrounded by seagulls who were waiting out the storm on Tuesday

People walked, ran and cycled in the rain as a Nor'easter storm passes through the New York and New Jersey area

A van was seen driving through a heavily-flooded street in Hoboken, New Jersey on Tuesday

Flooding was widespread in Hoboken, New Jersey - across the river from New York City

A man stood in the middle of a flooded street as the storm made its way through the northeast

A couple gathered under a 'We Love NY' umbrella in Times Square during the storm

Connecticut did not issued a state of emergency but flash flood warnings were set for the entire state.

Governor Ned Lamont tweeted rainstorm and flash flood safety tips.

The state of Massachusetts issued a severe weather alert and informed their residents of an expected timeline of the storm and its effects.

Crews in the state were beginning to clear out catch basins on Tuesday to help get rid of all the leaves caked in the grates, Boston 25 News reports, and are urging people to bring in their Halloween decorations.

A person wearing a poncho struggled with their umbrella amid the high winds Tuesday morning

A woman walked under an umbrella as she is struck by a gust of wind in Brooklyn

Rain came down heavily as people tried to cross the street in Brooklyn on Tuesday

The city was lined with people using colorful umbrellas, like the ones seen here in Brooklyn

An NYPD officer wore rain gear while helping to direct traffic in Brooklyn during an autumn nor'easter on Tuesday

A multi-day severe storm currently in the Midwest, where it has impacted more than 50 million people, added to the storm, and will be joined by a second storm, a Nor'easter, forming off the Atlantic coast later this week.

'Whatever sun you get on Thursday, enjoy it,' David Roth, a senior branch forecaster at the U.S. Weather Prediction Center, told Bloomberg.

Both the West Coast (left) and the East Coast (right) are facing heavy rains and devastating winds throughout the week

Another storm could wreck Halloween plans for some, as a system currently ravaging the West Coast with torrential rains could combine with wild winds in the East Coast and hit the area on Friday.

A massive storm barreled toward Southern California on Monday after flooding highways, toppling trees, cutting power to about 380,000 utility customers and causing rock slides and mud flows in areas burned bare by wildfires across the northern half of the state.

Drenching rains and strong winds accompanied the weekend arrival of an atmospheric river  a long plume of Pacific moisture  into the drought-stricken state.

Rainfall records were shattered and heavy snow pounded high elevations of the Sierra Nevada. The National Weather Service issued numerous flash flood warnings.

There were widespread power outages in Northern California, with Pacific Gas & Electric reporting Sunday evening that about 130,000 customers did not have electricity, though the utility said power had been restored to about 250,000 customers.

A Category 5 atmospheric river brought heavy precipitation, high winds and power outages to the San Francisco Bay Area. The storm brought more than 3 inches of rain to many parts of the area. Pictured: A pedestrian walks on a flooded street on October 24, 2021, in Kentfield, California

Flooding was reported across the San Francisco Bay Area, closing streets in Berkeley, inundating Oakland's Bay Bridge toll plaza and overflowing rivers in Napa and Sonoma counties.

'It's been a memorable past 24 hours for the Bay Area as the long talked-about atmospheric river rolled through the region,' the local weather office said.

'We literally have gone from fire/drought conditions to flooding in one storm cycle.'

The weather service called preliminary rainfall totals 'staggering,' including 11 inches at the base of Marin County's Mount Tamalpais and and 4.02 inches in downtown San Francisco.

'It looks like [Sunday] was the 4th wettest day ever for downtown SF where records go back to the Gold Rush years,' the weather service said.

Flooding was reported across the San Francisco Bay Area, closing streets in Berkeley, inundating Oakland Bay Bridge toll plaza and overflowing rivers in Napa and Sonoma counties. Pictured: A couple pushes a vehicle away from a flooded area as a powerful storm drenched northern California in Fairfield, California, 45 miles in between Sacramento and San Francisco

Rainfall records were scattered throughout most areas between San Francisco and Sacramento throughout the weekend. Pictured: A minivan sits stranded on a flooded street on October 24, 2021, in San Rafael, California, 28 miles north of San Francisco

The same storm system also slammed Oregon and Washington state, causing power outages that affected tens of thousands of people. Two people were killed when a tree fell on a vehicle in the greater Seattle area.

In California's Colusa and Yolo counties, state highways 16 and 20 were shut for several miles because of mudslides, the state Department of Transportation said Monday.

Burn areas remain a concern because land devoid of vegetation can't soak up heavy rainfall as quickly, increasing the likelihood of flash flooding.
Two teenagers exchanged gunfire outside a Brooklyn public high school on Monday - the second time this month that a gang-related shootout took place near a New York City school.

This is the latest in a string of high-profile incidents of violent crime that have become more common throughout the five boroughs in the last 18 months, during which New York City has seen a rise in the number of shootings, felony assaults, and hate crimes.

Surveillance video obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com shows a teen in a dark-colored jacket and light sweat pants while wearing a hood over his head take out a weapon and fire it at another boy located across the street near Midwood High School in southern Brooklyn.

Footage taken from another surveillance camera nearby shows one of the teens apparently running away from a gunman.

Two teenagers exchanged gunfire outside a Brooklyn public high school on Monday - the second time this month that a gang-related shootout took place near a New York City school

Surveillance video obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com shows a teen in a dark-colored jacket and light sweat pants while wearing a hood over his head take out a weapon and fire it at another boy located across the street near Midwood High School in southern Brooklyn

Footage taken from another surveillance camera nearby shows one of the teens apparently running away from a gunman

The time stamp on the surveillance video footage indicated that the incident took place at around 10:30am on Monday

The NYPD also released an image showing a loaded 9mm Glock pistol that the arrested teen was allegedly carrying

The time stamp on the surveillance video footage indicated that the incident took place at around 10:30am on Monday.

New York Police Commissioner Dermot Shea tweeted that one of the teens was arrested.

The NYPD also released an image showing a loaded 9mm Glock pistol that the arrested teen was allegedly carrying.

The suspect is a member of the G-Stone Crips armed gang, according to the New York Daily News.

According to Shea, the suspect has been arrested twice in the past eight months for weapons-related offenses.

New York Police Commissioner Dermot Shea tweeted that one of the teens was arrested. According to Shea, the suspect has been arrested twice in the past eight months for weapons-related offenses

Midwood High School in southern Brooklyn has a student body of 4,500 kids

According to the Daily News, the two teens, both of whom attend Midwood High School, got into an argument.

They then went outside the school and began exchanging gunfire behind the building on East 26th Street and Glenwood Road.

After they exchanged three or four shots, Midwood High School was placed on lockdown.

School safety agents then alerted a nearby NYPD patrol car and identified both shooters.

Police arrested one of the shooters, who was apprehended in an apartment building across the street.

New York Citys Department of Education would not confirm if the two gunmen were indeed students at Midwood.

The high school has a student body of 4,500 kids. There are no metal detectors on the premises.

'This incident was not school-related and did not happen on school property. The NYPD responded to shots fired and recovered a gun at a private residence,' the Education Department said in a statement.

New York City has seen a spike in violent crime in recent months as more high-profile incidents have been caught on camera.

Surveillance footage released last week captured the terrifying moment a group of three teenagers fired shots at another group of teenagers outside an elementary school as they dismissed students who are seen walking down the street towards the violence

The group of three teenagers were gathered at the entrance of a parking lot on a residential street when the one wearing a gray hoodie fired his gun on Tuesday October 5

A group of two teenagers hid between cars as the one also in a gray hoodie fired back at the group of three who ran away down the street around 2:50 pm on October 5

The group of three were later caught on different surveillance footage as they casually walked down the street near the Bronx Terminal Market

Surveillance footage captured the terrifying moment a group of five teenagers unleashed a barrage of bullets during a shootout outside a Bronx elementary school as the young students were about to be dismissed for the day.

The brazen gun violence broke out near the Boys Prep Bronx Elementary School on October 5 at around 2:50 pm as the students at the K-8 school were being sent home.

No students were shot and the gunmen escaped seemingly unharmed in another incident of the city's out-of-control crime that has seen victims of gun violence nearly double in two years.

The NYPD shared the videos with the public asking for help in locating the unidentified individuals connected to the 'reckless endangerment incident.'

The video shows two groups of hooded teens shooting at each other at the corner of East 150 Street and Cedar Lane behind the elementary school on a residential street.

A group of three men - one in a gray hoodie and mask and two wearing black - are seen first in a triangle formation looking around as they stand in front of the entrance to a parking lot. The masked gunman then fires down the block at two other men.

The video then cuts to two men at the other side of Cedar Lane, one wearing a gray hoodie and the other in black, hiding between parked cars to avoid getting hit. A man in the gray hoodie standing behind a white SUV then fires back at the trio before shielding himself between a white van driving down the road as he crosses the street.

All three men duck and flee westbound on East 150 Street toward Exterior Street.

A wide shot of the scene shows a group of kids nearly 60 feet away walking from the elementary school towards the violence as it breaks out.

The NYPD video shows a clip of the group of three men casually walking on a sidewalk near the Bronx Terminal Market, a few blocks down from the shootout.

Video emerged on social media showing a wild brawl at a Staten Island high school on Friday

The melee took place on Friday at Wagner High School. A 14-year-old girl was taken into custody after she was found to have been in possession of a knife

A man getting out of a red minivan directly across the street from the group of two is seen getting into his backseat as the shooting begins and the gunmen run around the street.

The group of two is recorded running through the street between cars towards the other group before circling back to take off eastbound on East 150 Street.

As of Tuesday, no arrests have been made.

Last week, the NYPD confiscated five guns from area public schools over a 48-hour span.

Police said one weapon was confiscated after a 17-year-old student at Martin Van Buren High School in Queens showed it to another student.

Another gun was found in a 14-year-old student's backpack at Intermediate School 98 in The Bronx, according to the Daily News.

'The whole school was in lockdown,' an IS 98 student told the newspaper.

'They told us there was a gun in the school. It lasted two periods. We couldnt leave the class.

'They had us go to one side of the room.'

Last week, the NYPD also recovered three handguns from schools in Brooklyn and The Bronx.

The recent shootouts and gun seizures is already fueling calls for Mayor Bill de Blasio to staff more safety agents at city public schools.

NYPD Chief of Department Rodney Harrison said on Monday that the safety agent force has decreased citywide by 37 percent.

Harrison, who spoke at de Blasios City Hall news briefing on Monday, said that there are currently 3,200 safety agents at public schools across the five boroughs - a drop from a high of 5,000.

Crime has sky rocketed in New York City, while rates have stayed relatively consistent with last year, they have more than doubled since 2019 in some cases including shooting victims

But the Department of Education clarified Harrisons comments, saying that there were roughly 4,100 safety agents, according to the New York Post.

In the wake of the May 2020 police-involved death of George Floyd, de Blasio pledged to transfer the supervision of school safety agents from the NYPD to the Department of Education.

The transition is scheduled to be completed by next year.

Some have advocated removing school safety agents altogether and replacing them with counselors and social workers.

But others say that the presence of safety agents is necessary to prevent violence.

In all these violent incidents, School Safety Agents professionally responded to minimize the mayhem and save lives, said Greg Floyd, the president of Teamsters Local 237, which represents school safety agents.

What more will it take ... to acknowledge that to help ensure safety in public schools, School Safety Agents are needed there?

A group calling itself NYC School Safety Coalition held a rally in The Bronx on Friday demanding more metal detectors and police officers inside schools.

Video emerged on social media showing a wild brawl at a Staten Island high school.

The melee took place on Friday at Wagner High School. A 14-year-old girl was taken into custody after she was found to have been in possession of a knife.

Video of the incident was posted online by Staten Island City Councilman Joe Borelli, who blamed the citys vaccine mandate for a shortage in school safety agents that could have prevented the brawl.
Tourists will be able to enter Australia without quarantine by the end of the year - but they must be double vaccinated, Scott Morrison has announced.

Australia's international border has been closed since March 2020 to reduce the spread of coronavirus and the country has been alone among democratic nations in banning its own citizens from leaving.

The move has helped reduce the impact of Covid-19, which has only claimed 1,669 lives in Australia, compared with 140,000 in the UK and 739,000 in the US.

Pictured: Tourists visit the Twelve Apostles, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Victoria

But with 74.8 per cent of over 16s now fully vaccinated, the Prime Minister has revealed when the borders will finally come down.

He told Parliament on Wednesday: 'By the end of the year, Mr Speaker, I fully anticipate that we'll be able to achieve seeing international visitors, including backpackers, Mr Speaker, who are double-vaccinated, being able to come back to Australia.'

Farmers have been calling for backpackers to return because they are required to do paid farm work to earn a second year in Australia.

'And I know that'll be great news to the Minister for Agriculture, in particular, and the many others around the country who rely on them,' Mr Morrison said.

'The national plan, Mr Speaker, is working. Australia's taking off on Monday, Mr Speaker. Australia has passed the UK in single-dose vaccinations. We are moving forward strongly under the national plan.'

Double-vaccinated tourists will be able to enter Australia without quarantine by the end of the year, Scott Morrison (pictured) said

The national re-opening plan agreed by all states and territories in August states that once 80 per cent of over 16s are vaccinated then there will be a 'gradual opening of inward and outward travel with safe countries'.

Australia is expected to hit the 80 per cent rate on November 3.

NSW and Victoria will remove quarantine for international arrivals from November 1.

On that date the Federal Government will remove caps for Australians returning home and also remove the outbound travel ban.

The next move later in the year is to allow fully vaccinated foreigners to enter, including students, workers and tourists with dates yet to be determined.

Earlier this month NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres said his state would not discriminate based on nationality.

But he flagged the Federal Government will let people from some countries in before others because it will be quicker to set up systems to test the vaccination status of arrivals from certain countries.

'There is no doubt that the Commonwealth will be able to do that with some countries faster than others,' he said.

NSW will not enforce any quarantine at all on vaccinated arrivals from November 1. Pictured: Sydney Airport in December

'They will also be able to do that in conjunction with many airlines faster than others so there will be some incremental staging that has brought about by the ability for the Commonwealth to verify vaccination status but we are not delineating between countries.

'There is no delineation between Australian citizens and other citizens of countries around the world.

'The focal point here is a delineation between vaccination status so vaccinated and unvaccinated.

'We will require the Commonwealth to ensure that a person is fully vaccinated,' he said.
Rookie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who loaded the gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins while being handled by Alec Baldwin, was the subject of numerous complaints on her last movie.

Gutierrez-Reed, 24, upset crew members and star Nicolas Cage with her 'dangerous' gun handling on the set of The Old Way, just two months before Rust.

Stu Brumbaugh, the key grip on The Old Way, told TheWrap that the young armorer failed to abide by basic gun safety protocols.

He said that after Gutierrez-Reed discharged a weapon for the second time in three days without warning, Cage yelled: 'Make an announcement, you just blew my f**king eardrums out!' before reportedly storming off set.

Brumbaugh said he told the assistant director on the Montana set that Gutierrez-Reed needed to be fired: 'After the second round I was pissed off. We were moving too fast. She's a rookie.'

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was the subject of numerous complaints while working as the armorer on The Old Way, just months before the deadly incident on the set of Rust

A crew member from The Old Way claimed that he told superiors that Gutierrez-Reed should have been fired after failing to adhere by basic gun safety protocols (Pictured: Kerry Knuppe, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, and Nicolas cage in The Old Way)

Gutierrez-Reed is pictured (left) on The Old Way set

After raising his concerns to his superiors, he learned that The Old Way was the young woman's very first movie.

A producer for The Old Way denied Brumbaugh's claims: 'I have no such recollection of this event on our set. I asked my partners the same.' They said: 'The details on some of these accounts specifically when it pertains to The Old Way have been blown out of proportion.'

The Old Way producer said that Gutierrez-Reed worked under veteran property master, Jeffrey W. Crow.

But Brumbaugh and another source who was on the set claimed that Gutierrez-Reed: 'put the cast and crew in several unnecessary and dangerous situations.'

Brumbaugh insisted that she broke safety protocols when she walked onto the set with live rounds of blanks without making an announcement to the cast and crew.

He claimed that she carried pistols under her arms and rifles in both hands which were ready to be used were pointed at people at times as she moved around on set. And that she fired guns without warning twice.

Nicolas Cage reportedly yelled at her after she fired a gun without warning for the second time on set of The Old Way: 'You just blew my f**king eardrums out!'

The key grip points to low budgets as to why someone so inexperienced was put in such an important role. 'The tragedy is it boils down to the producers,' he said.

'Been happening more and more. As producers refuse to bring more experienced people because their rates are higher, they demand we take our time and (producers) don't want to pay it. So they hire a newbie who is energetic and wants the job and will do it with less people.'

He continued: 'The problem is she didn't have help. I would have had minimum two more people. She was doing everything by herself in that movie and on the other movie. If there was one more person in the other movie the tragedy wouldn't have happened. Second person would have inspected to make sure barrels were clear.'

Brumbaugh explained that he understood how mistakes could be made: 'You have an AD screaming at you...Youre 24 and energetic and dont want to be yelled at. So you rush in and start arming people.'

Gutierrez-Reed (left) admitted in a podcast interview she found loading blanks into a gun 'the scariest' thing because she did not know how to do it and had sought help from her father, legendary gunsmith Thell Reed, (right) to get over the fear

Halyna Hutchins' October 19, 2021 Instagram post shows cast members and staffers Alec Baldwin, Halyna Hutchins and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed (Circled left to right) on the set of Rust in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Sources also told The Daily Beast of Gutierrez-Reed's 'unsafe' mistakes on The Old Way set saying she had handed a gun to 11-year-old actress Ryan Kiera Armstrong.

The source said: 'She was a bit careless with the guns, waving it around every now and again. There were a couple times she was loading the blanks and doing it in a fashion that we thought was unsafe.'

The insider added that they had seen her loading a gun on pebble strewn ground, which has the potential to be dangerous, before handing off the gun to Armstrong.

'She was reloading the gun on the ground, where there were pebbles and stuff,' the source said. 'We didn't see her check it, we didn't know if something got in the barrel or not.'

Gutierrez-Reed herself admitted that she wasn't sure she was ready for the job in an interview after filming for The Old Way wrapped.

'It was also my first time being head armorer as well. You know, I was really nervous about it at first, and I almost didn't take the job because I wasn't sure if I was ready, but, doing it, like, it went really smoothly.'

She continued: 'The best part about my job is just showing people who are normally kind of freaked out by guns how safe they can be and how they're not really problematic unless put in the wrong hands.'

An aerial view of the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, where Rust was being filmed. Workers had been protesting over the fact production wouldn't pay for them to stay in hotels and motels in Santa Fe, instead forcing them to drive an hour to Albuquerque

Alec Baldwin (left) shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins (right) on Thursday when he was handed prop gun with live ammunition

She also admitted in the podcast interview that she found loading blanks into a gun to be 'the scariest' thing because she did not know how to do it and had sought help from her father, legendary gunsmith Thell Reed, to get over the fear.

According to her LinkedIn page, she worked as a videographer at Synth Fire, a California-based news and media company, and as a documentary filmmaker for the City of Flagstaff in Arizona.

She worked as an armorer for Yellowstone film ranch between March and June 2021, but according to the page stopped working there three months before filming for Rust started in October.

Gutierrez-Reed had only recently left Northern Arizona university, where she studied creative media and film between 2017 and 2020.

She was spotted for the first time since the deadly incident outside her home in Bullhead City, Arizona.

On October 21, a female cinematographer was killed and the director was injured when assistant director Dave Halls handed Baldwin a prop gun that Gutierrez-Reed loaded with live ammunition.

A Santa Fe County Sheriff Department spokesman said: 'The investigation remains active and open. Witnesses continue to be interviewed and evidence collected.'

In addition to the criminal probe, New Mexico's Occupational Health and Safety Bureau is investigating Hutchins' death, and could impose civil penalties even if no charges are brought in the case.

'Our state OSHA program is investigating this,' Rebecca Roose, deputy cabinet secretary of the New Mexico Environment Department,' told Deadline.

'The state takes all workplace safety issues very seriously and will work diligently through our investigation of this tragic fatality.'
'What about any other intimate personal relationships?' Callan asked Barilaro

Sophie Callan was one of 26 NSW barristers appointed senior counsel last year

If Sophie Callan's barbed questioning of witnesses over the last few days is anything to go by, she is champing at the bit to question Daryl Maguire today.

Ms Callan is a key part of Gladys Berejiklian's legal team - and its lead attack dog - at the the Independent Commission Against Corruption's inquiry into the former premier NSW premier.

On Monday she seemed to shock former deputy premier John Barilaro with an unexpected and very personal question at ICAC.

Mr Barilaro said in evidence that Ms Berejiklian should have disclosed her secret relationship with Mr Maguire, who at the time was the Liberal MP for Wagga Wagga.

Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian will appear before the ICAC inquiry into her on Friday

The ICAC is, in part, investigating if Ms Berejiklian engaged in conduct 'liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct' by Mr Maguire.

Ms Callan sought to turn the tables on Mr Barilaro, asking if he had disclosed relationships of his own.

Mr Barilaro said he 'would have' disclosed any relationships, including family links.

'What about any other intimate personal relationships?' Ms Callan asked.

'That's a hard question because my relationships are with my family,' Mr Barilaro said.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Mr Barilaro has done anything improper in his personal or professional lives.

Sophie Callan SC arrives at the Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing in Sydney on Wednesday, October 27

Ms Callan was one of 26 NSW barristers to be appointed senior counsel last year. She is best known known for prosecuting former Labor ministers Eddie Obeid and Ian Macdonald over matters arising from ICAC inquiries.

Obeid and Macdonald are both now in jail.

Today's ICAC proceedings are highly anticipated as it will be the first time Australia has heard from Mr Maguire in more than a year.

His last public appearance was when he was the subject of an ICAC inquiry into whether, between 2012 and 2018, he engaged in conduct that involved a breach of public trust by using his public office to improperly gain a benefit for himself and/or entities close to him.

On October 14 2020, Mr Maguire admitted he used his position as an MP and a parliamentary secretary to make money for himself and his associates.

Appearing as a witness at that inquiry, Ms Berejiklian agreed that she had been in a 'close personal relationship' with Mr Maguire from 2015 until 2018.

Mr Maguire has barely been seen since - except for when Daily Mail Australia took photos of him pacing around his yard holding a shotgun while smoking a cigarette.

Ms Berejiklian is set to front ICAC herself on Friday. The ICAC is, in part, investigating if she engaged in conduct 'liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct' by Mr Maguire.

Everything the commission has heard in the first eight days of testimony - some of which has shocked even the keenest observers of NSW politics - has been leading to the inquiry's last days and its star witnesses.

Mr Maguire is the last stop before the ICAC gets to Ms Berejiklian, and therefore the last chance for Ms Callan to cast doubt on the questions at the heart of the hearings about whether or not her client engaged in corrupt conduct.

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

On Tuesday Ms Callan made it plain she was not happy the start of Ms Berejiklian's evidence to ICAC had been delayed by 24 hours.

The former premier was due to front the probe into her on Thursday, but this was pushed back to Friday due to 'investigative reasons'.

Ms Callan said she is seeking procedural fairness regarding the inquiry into whether or not Ms Berejiklian complied with a legal duty to report suspected corruption to the watchdog.

Section 11 of the ICAC Act states that a NSW government minister and other public officials have a duty to report any matter the person suspects on reasonable grounds concerns or may concern corrupt conduct.

Ms Callan said Ms Berejiklian's lawyers wrote to the ICAC asking for further information about this but had received a 'wholly unsatisfactory' response.

She said Ms Berejiklian was 'entitled to know what it is that is alleged in respect of section 11'.

In reply, ICAC counsel Scott Robertson said 'these proceedings are not a trial' and the correspondence contained a 'fundamental misapprehension' about ICAC's role, which is that it was seeking to find the truth and was not a prosecutorial body.



Ms Callan added that the watchdog had received evidence from 'seven men' to date about whether Ms Berejiklian was in a position of conflict in light of her secret relationship with Mr Maguire.

She indicated Ms Berejiklian's team would argue this evidence could not 'rationally bear' on ICAC Assistant Commissioner Ruth McColl's assessment as to whether a conflict of interest in fact existed.

Ms McColl, who is presiding over the inquiry, did not accept that ICAC needed to change the course its inquiry was taking.

On Wednesday, Ms Callan questioned senior public servant Gary Barnes about when, as according to his earlier evidence, he had inferred Ms Berejiklian had an interest in the funding of a Wagga Wagga gun club project being investigated at ICAC.

'After there had been several requests for updates on the proposal,' Mr Barnes replied.

Ms Callan put it to him that he had never spoken directly to the premier about whether she had an interest in the project.

'No, I did not,' he replied.

Blunt, pointed questions such as how Ms Callan challenged Mr Barnes are what is in store for Mr Maguire today.
ABC TV political reporter Jane Norman is once again in the firing line of social media critics for 'gushing' coverage of Scott Morrison's net zero climate plan.

On Tuesday, Ms Norman said the plan was 'practically achievable' while covering the announcement of Mr Morrison's plan to net zero emissions by 2050.

'There are a few heroic assumptions or statements made in this new plan,' she told the audience.

'The fact that Scott Morrison got a deal on climate, the fact he's still the prime minister, is a significant achievement given Australia's long and tortuous history with climate policy.'

Social media critics were quick to jump on Ms Norman's characterisation of the plan, focusing on use of the word 'heroic'.

Social media critics were quick to jump on Ms Norman's characterisation of Scott Morrison's net zero 2050 plan, focusing on her use of the word 'heroic'

Mr Morrison's announcement of Australia's path to net zero emissions yesterday, which Ms Norman described as 'practically achievable', has met with heavy criticism from other quarters

'For the ABC to use the term "heroic" re the nonplan, it must have been in the [Prime Minister's Offce] media instructions,' one commenter on Twitter wrote.

'Jane Norman's relentless cheerleading for Scott Morrison is just embarrassing,' wrote another.

Twitter account @medianalystoz said Ms Norman had 'gushed' about the plan. 'LNP spin from the ABC,' it concluded.

Academic Ingrid Musing Tweeted that Ms Norman had repeated verbatim what the prime minister has said in announcing the plan, without attributing the words.

Others noted, however, that an 'heroic' assumption in the sense in which Ms Norman used it generally means there is doubt about the accuracy of that assumption.

Contacted by Daily Mail Australia, Ms Norman said she had no comment to make on the backlash but that trolling of her on social media was 'nothing new'.

Ms Norman notably deleted her entire Twitter history and announced she would no longer use the platform in May this year.

The move followed a tweet she sent on April 26 in which she said had received a first Pfizer vaccination in Canberra, despite not being eligible at the time, because 25 people had failed to show up for vaccination appointments.

'Ive had people on Twitter who have paid to promote a tweet saying that Im a queue jumper, and people on Instagram have even called me a killer,' Ms Norman told The Australia's Media Diary at the time.

She said she had been 'genuinely bruised' by the online backlash.

'From now on, Ill only use Twitter for news-gathering purposes or to promote a story,' she said.

Contacted by Daily Mail Australia, Ms Norman said she had no comment to make on the backlash but that trolling of her on social media was 'nothing new'

Academic Ingrid Musing Tweeted that Ms Norman had repeated verbatim what the prime minister has said in announcing the plan, without attributing the words

Mr Morrison's announcement of Australia's path to net zero emissions has met with heavy criticism.

Influential software billionaire and climate advocate Mike Cannon-Brookes slammed the presentation as 'just more bullsh*t', while the Opposition's climate spokesman Chris Bowen labelled the announcement a 'steaming pile of nothingness'.

World-renowned naturalist David Attenborough blasted the plan for lacking detail and failing to increase 2030 emissions reduction targets.

On Wednesday the prime minister defended the strategy, which relies 85 per cent on existing technology and 15 per cent on new breakthroughs to reduce carbon emissions.

'Everyone else who doesn't understand Australia, our economy and the challenges we have here are entitled to their opinions,' he told the Seven Network on Wednesday.

'But I will do what is right for Australia and we are getting results.'

Influential software billionaire and climate advocate Mike Cannon-Brookes slammed the prime minister's net zero announcement as 'just more bullsh*t'

The announced strategy relies 85 per cent on existing technology and 15 per cent on new breakthroughs to reduce carbon emissions

The government argues it has reduced carbon emissions 20 per cent since 2005 and projects a cut of 30 to 35 per cent by the end of the decade.

But it is not budging on its 2030 target of 26 to 28 per cent ahead of the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, which the prime minister will attend next week.

'Australia's actions and results speak more than the words of others,' Mr Morrison said.

'We're getting it done, Australians want it done but they don't want to throw their livelihoods away.'

The government plan claims 100,000 jobs will be created in renewable energy alongside 62,000 roles in regional mining and heavy industry.

It also suggests people will be on average $2000 better off and electricity prices won't rise.

There are outstanding questions about what the Nationals were promised in exchange for the junior coalition partner's lukewarm support for a 2050 net-zero goal.

While Resources Minister Keith Pitt has returned to cabinet, it is unclear what other sweeteners were offered.
A Maryland mother was 'shocked' after finding out that the company in charge of taking her daughter's school pictures was urging parents to pay an extra $12 fee for retouching.

Jennifer Greene, 43, a travel blogger and social media administrator, said she was concerned about the affect that the services could have on her 12-year-old daughter Madeline.

'I completely disagree with it,' she told The New York Post. 'It's teaching kids that they need to look perfect all the time and that they can change with the click of a mouse.'

The services, which are offered to the parents of pre-K children, range from $6.99 for basic retouching - the removal of blemishes - to $11.99 for premium retouching, which is teeth whitening, skin-tone evening, and blemish removal.

After reviewing the options on her seventh-grader daughter package, Greene shared her frustration on Twitter.

Jennifer Greene, 43, a travel blogger and social media administrator, said she was concerned about the affect that the services could have on her 12-year-old daughter Madeline

BEFORE RETOUCHING (left) and AFTER (right): Ten-year-old Kieran Loerns' freckles have been removed in his school photos

'I'm going to need someone to explain to me why @Lifetouch offers PHOTO RETOUCH for KIDS school pics?! What the hell?!',' she wrote.

Lifetouch did not answer Greene, but in a statement to The Post the company said that their goal 'is always to authentically capture each child we photograph.'

The company added that retouching services are offered on an opt-in basis and parents are under no obligation to pay for it.

Tampa mother and photographer Kristin Loerns went through a similar situation with Lifetouch in November 2020.

When she received her son Kieran's school pictures, his freckles were nowhere to be seen in the little boy's face.

'I gave permission for 'basic retouching,' which would be removing blemishes, and they removed all of his freckles instead,' she told The Post.

After complaining to the company, she received a new set of pictures with her son's freckles.

Meanwhile, another mother became viral on TikTok after sharing a video in which she claimed her three-year-old son's hearing aids had been edited out from her school pictures.

Tampa mother and photographer Kristin Loerns was outraged with the touchup

The retouching services offered to parents include teeth whitening, skin-tone evening, and blemish removal and are even offered to parents of pre-K children

Whitney Rose said that the editing was sending the message that her son's hearing loss was something he should be ashamed of.

'My son's hearing aids were photoshopped out of his school photos. Is he ok right now? Technically yes, he's 3 years old, he doesn't understand what it means,' Rose said in another TikTok.

'Does it really matter if it's edited or not? Absolutely. How would you like it if somebody edited your nose off your face? That's kind of part of you. It's crucial to you in your development.

'I completely disagree with, because it's teaching kids that they need to look and that they can change with the click of a mouse,' Greene said

After complaining to the company, Loerns received a new set of pictures with her son's freckles

'These are my son's hearing aids, they help him hear. They're part of who he is, he likes them. He likes the color of them, he asks for them.

'If they continue to take those photos and edit them like that, he's eventually going to catch on, and eventually, it is going to affect him,' she added.

In the comment section, parents agreed with Rose's concerns.

Rebecca Beams, a graphic designer, said: 'This is so wrong! As a graphic designer, we learned photo editing and were taught to never take away anything that made the person unique...'

Child psychologist Yamalis Diaz told The Post that children are yet to develop a deep understanding of themselves and seeing their faces and bodies severely retouched in pictures could be damaging for their self-image.

'Could that start to make them feel inadequate?  Can that lead to some anxiety and depressed mood, eating disorders, body dysmorphia? Absolutely,' she said.
Photos have emerged of 'Australia's Pablo Escobar' allegedly racing down a highway in the back seat of a luxury Range Rover at 2.30am after the accused drug kingpin cut off his ankle bracelet and 'went on the run'.

Mostafa Baluch, 33, from Sydney's Northern Beaches was granted bail on Friday against the advice of police despite facing a life sentence if convicted for allegedly masterminding the importation of a staggering 900kilograms of cocaine worth $270 million.

Police on Thursday have released pictures of Baluch in the hours before and after he vanished.

One image shows him smiling wearing a white t-shirt out the front of his property in Mona Vale on Monday.

Another is dramatically different - a CCTV screengrab of Baluch flying down the M4 Motorway near Croydon at about 2:30am on Tuesday, in a car with Queensland numberplates, alongside two associates.

The final images of 'Australia's Pablo Escobar' Mostafa Baluch before he disappeared on Monday after cutting his court-ordered ankle bracelet

The last sighting of Baluch shows CCTV footage of him flying down Pittwater Road near Bayview in his black Range Rover at around 10:30pm that evening

Former restaurateur Mostafa Baluch, 33 (pictured), had been charged with financing a 900kg shipment of cocaine to Australia and was granted bail just days ago

Baluch was arrested in June and charged with being part of a conspiracy to import more than 900kg of cocaine and was in custody until he was granted bail after putting up a $4 million property as surety.

It was a condition of his bail that he wear an electronic monitor but on Monday night he managed to cut off the ankle bracelet, which was found ditched by the side of a road on the northern beaches.

It has been claimed Baluch may have left NSW on a private jet that evening.

Police are appealing for any dashcam footage that could help identify the movements of the Range Rover with a Queensland registration plate reading 861CU3.

Anyone who has video and had been in the Mona Vale or Bayview areas near Pittwater Road from Monday until Wednesday or the M4 motorway near Croydon early on Tuesday morning are being urged to come forward.

Officers have been scouring airports and ports to ensure Baluch is not attempting to flee the country.

Baluch's Northern Beaches home in the quiet suburb of Bayview which is home to celebrities including Rebecca Gibney and Richard Bell

Police Minister David Elliott said police involved in the case were 'devastated' and he was furious Baluch had been granted bail.

'To say that I'm infuriated would be an understatement... Because quite frankly this guy was our Pablo Escobar,' he told Sydney radio 2GB on Wednesday.

'I'm starting to get sick of these magistrates and judges. They don't consider the danger which police present to them and I don't think they're reflecting the sentiment of the community they're there to serve.

'I'm sick of having to remind the legal fraternity that we're not dealing with parking tickets, we're dealing with international drug lords who are associated with terrorism, kidnapping and prostitution, but more importantly want our kids to take drugs that will kill them.'

Baluch pictured outside his home in Mona Vale on Monday hours before the international drug lord disappeared - with authorities fearing he's left NSW on a plane

His black Range Rover was left

Police allege Baluch (pictured) was the sole financier of a shipment of cocaine worth a total street value of $270 million

Police Minister David Elliott said police involved in the case were 'devastated' and he was furious Baluch had been granted bail

Mr Elliott said he had spoken to Police Commissioner Mick Fuller about the difficulties in capturing the escapee.

'This will be a tough job for the NSW police - make no mistake,' he said.

The Australian Federal Police and its international law enforcement partners are also involved.

'We've got the technology, we've got the manpower, we've got the international law enforcement credentials but of course we've also got to explain to some of those international law enforcement organisations how he was lost,' Mr Elliott said.

Police 'work their guts out to keep our community safe' and had been 'let down by the system', he said.

'We're dealing with international drug lords who are associated with things like terrorism or kidnapping or prostitution,' Mr Elliott said.

'This guy was (allegedly) part of an international racket with levels of drugs we have never seen before. The police expressly advised the court 'he is a bad guy'.

A $4million home in Sydney's exclusive Northern Beaches (pictured in June) will be seized by police after the owner of the property allegedly cut off his tracking device and fled

Mr Elliott said he had spoken to Police Commissioner Mick Fuller about the difficulties in capturing the escapee. 'This will be a tough job for the NSW police - make no mistake,' he said

Officers are pictured at the Bayview home when Baluch was arrested back in June

Police allege he is involved in the 'highest levels of organised crime' and cut off his ankle bracelet at about 10.30pm on Monday.

Organised crime squad commander Detective Superintendent Rob Critchlow said the alleged drug kingpin is 'very well connected' and may be receiving help from other alleged criminals.

'To cut a bracelet off your ankle which has been imposed by the court shows a very serious intent to flee,' he told reporters on Tuesday.

'We also know for a fact he has substantial financial assets, which we would expect he's utilising to flee at the least our jurisdiction, maybe the country.

'Anyone in his circle of friends and family should also keep us updated because you can be sure we will be visiting anyone we know is connected to.'

As part of Baluch's strict bail conditions, he was required to stay at his luxurious Bayview home and only leave to report to police at Mona Vale Station once a day.

He was also made to wear an ankle bracelet monitoring device at all times, banned from alcohol and drugs, and restricted from using encrypted apps.

Baluch's bail conditions also warned he was to go near any international departure point.

Baluch, who once owned Cervo restaurant in Northbridge, was swept up by police in June as part of the high profile ANoM raids in June (pictured)

NSW Police Minister David Elliott appeared to be seething that the millionaire restaurateur (pictured) was granted bail by the courts

Baluch (pictured after being arrested in June) now faces life imprisonment

With the alleged underworld figure now on the run after putting up his home for surety as part of his bail, police said they are now moving to seize the property.

Baluch, who once owned Cervo restaurant in Northbridge, was swept up by police in June as part of the high profile AN0M raids.

Law enforcement designed an encrypted app and marketed it to alleged underworld figures so investigators could monitor their communications.

He was charged with possessing anabolic steroids, drug supply, and dealing with the proceeds of crime and later hit with charge of conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of drugs.

He now faces life imprisonment.

NSW Police Minister David Elliott appeared to be seething that the millionaire restaurateur was granted bail by the courts.

'He doesn't deserve the confidence that the court has afforded him,' he said.

'But I'm pretty confident knowing the technology and surveillance techniques of the NSW Police he'll be found.

'My advice to him is to save yourself some time and anxiety and present yourself to the local police station today.'

Detectives started investigating Baluch last year after receiving a tip about a person gambling a huge amount of money at Star Casino.

The betting was flagged as potential money laundering and kicked off an investigation that eventually became focused on drug trafficking.

Police allege they discovered drugs were being imported across Australia and North and South America.

The US Navy seized 870kg of cocaine after intercepting a vessel travelling off the coast of Colombia in October 2020.

Another 900kg of the drug was seized from a boat sailing off the coast of Ecuador in April.

Both shipments allegedly formed part of the overarching conspiracy to import three tonnes of cocaine into Australia.

Detectives started investigating Baluch (pictured being arrested in June) last year after receiving a tip about a person gambling a huge amount of money at the Star Casino

Police allege Baluch was the sole financier of the second shipment of cocaine worth a total street value of $270 million.

A 'massive manhunt' is now underway

'This man is a very dangerous offender,' Superintendent Critchlow told reporters.

'The allegations he's been facing indicate that he was involved in the highest levels of organised crime and he presents a risk to the Australian community and probably now the world community.'

Baluch is about 180cm tall with a muscular build and is Mediterranean/Middle Eastern in appearance with black hair and brown eyes.

Police suspect is travelling in a dark grey luxury car and urged anyone who may have any information about his whereabouts to call Triple-0.
Brazilian senators have called for President Jair Bolsonaro to face charges for crimes against humanity over his handling of Covid after recording the second highest virus death toll of any country in the world.

The seven-to-four vote of the Senate committee was the culmination of a six-month committee investigation of the government's handling of the pandemic.

It formally approved a report calling for prosecutors to try Bolsonaro on charges ranging from charlatanism and inciting crime to misuse of public funds and crimes against humanity, and in doing so hold him responsible for many of Brazil's more than 600,000 Covid-19 deaths.

Brazilian senators have called for President Jair Bolsonaro to face criminal charges over his handling of Covid

Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing, and the decision on whether to file most of the charges will be up to Prosecutor-General Augusto Aras, a presidential appointee who is widely viewed as protecting him.

The allegation of crimes against humanity would need to be pursued by the International Criminal Court.

Senator Omar Aziz, the chairman of the inquiry, said he would deliver the recommendation to the prosecutor-general on Wednesday morning.

Mr Aras's office said the report would be carefully reviewed as soon as it is received.

Regardless of whether charges are filed, the report is expected to fuel criticism of the divisive president, whose approval ratings have slumped ahead of his 2022 re-election campaign  in large part because of Brazil's outsized Covid-19 death toll.

The investigation itself has for months provided a drumbeat of damaging allegations, with Brazil trailing only the US in deaths.

Since the start of the pandemic, Mr Bolsonaro has sabotaged local leaders' restrictions on activity aimed at stopping the virus's spread, saying the economy needed to keep humming so the poor did not suffer worse hardship.

He also has insistently touted an anti-malaria drug long after broad testing showed it is not effective against Covid-19, assembled crowds without wearing masks and fuelled doubts about vaccines.

Mr Bolsonaro has defended himself by saying he was among the few world leaders courageous enough to defy political correctness and global health recommendations, and that he has not erred in the slightest.

The report says that by insisting on treatment with the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as 'practically the only government policy to fight the pandemic, Jair Bolsonaro strongly collaborated for COVID-19's spread in Brazilian territory' and as a result is 'the main person responsible for the errors committed by the federal government during the pandemic'.

Committee members in the so-called G7 group of senators who are not from Mr Bolsonaro's base agreed on most of the points in the report.

They met on Monday to hammer out final adjustments to the text.

Changes include recommending charges for 13 additional people, many of them current or former health ministry employees, as well as the governor of hard-hit Amazonas state.

The final report recommends charges against two companies and 78 people in all, including Mr Bolsonaro, administration officials, dozens of allies and the president's three sons, who are politicians.

It also adds an additional violation for allegedly spreading false news following Mr Bolsonaro's live broadcast on social media last week claiming incorrectly that people in the UK who received two vaccine doses are developing AIDS faster than expected.

The report also contains recommendations for two counts of 'crime of responsibility', which are grounds for impeachment.

A Brazilian receives a dose of Pfizer today as Bolsonaro faced charges of crimes against humanity

But lower house speaker Arthur Lira, a staunch ally of Mr Bolsonaro, would have to bring a vote on whether to open impeachment proceedings  something seen as highly unlikely considering Mr Lira is currently sitting on more than 120 other impeachment requests, according to information from the legislative body.

Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, one of the president's sons, called the report legally weak and politically motivated.

'The intent of some senators on the investigative committee is to cause the maximum amount of wear and tear on the president,' he told journalists.

Minutes after the inquiry was finished, former US President Donald Trump said in a statement that he endorses the Brazilian leader.

He said: 'President Jair Bolsonaro and I have become great friends over the past few years. He fights hard for, and loves, the people of Brazil  just like I do for the people of the United States.

'Brazil is lucky to have a man such as Jair Bolsonaro working for them. He is a great President and will never let the people of his great country down!'

An earlier draft had recommended the president also be indicted for homicide and genocide, but that was scrapped even before its presentation last week.

Some committee members opposed such charges, while others expressed concern that bombastic claims could undermine the report's credibility.

The Senate committee's final hearing on the inquiry ended with a moment of silence for victims of the virus in Brazil.
West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin said he is asked 'every day' about switching to the GOP.

When asked on Tuesday if he thinks it would be easier if he just 'shifted to being a Republican' the senator replied: 'Oh, it would be much easier, my goodness.'

In an interview with billionaire David Rubenstein at a breakfast event for The Economic Club Manchin said: 'What I'm telling you now is who I am. Do you think by having a "D" or an "I" or an "R" is going to change who I am?'

'I don't think the Rs would be any happier with me than Ds are right now,' he added, referring to the clashes he's had recently with progressives over the Biden administration's social spending deal.

West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin said he is asked 'every day' about switching to the GOP while sounding optimistic that his current party's social spending and infrastructure bills would pass soon

I dont know where in the hell I belong.



 Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on people asking him every day to switch parties pic.twitter.com/L2CfhNVFHA  The Recount (@therecount) October 26, 2021

In an interview with David Rubenstein at a breakfast event for The Economic Club the billionaire asked Manchin if he thinks it would be easier if he just 'shifted to being a Republican'

On Sunday Manchin met with Biden and sounded optimistic that Democrats would come to an agreement on a final bill soon - which has been whittled down from $3.5trillion to his ideal figure of $1.5trillion just this week.

However, it remains unclear when exactly Manchin expects the spending and infrastructure bills to pass.

Over the weekend the moderate West Virginia senator met with the president and Sen Majority Leader Chuck Schumer at Biden's home in Wilmington, Delaware. Manchin said he was not satisfied when Democrats simply raised the reporting threshold from $600 to $10,000 in aggregate transactions per year.

'Even if it's $10,000 thats only $800, $900 a [month],' he said.

But at this morning's breakfast he noted there was a 'high probability of Democrats' social spending bill and the bipartisan infrastructure bill passing in the near future.

Manchin said Tuesday morning: 'I don't know where in the hell I belong.'

Manchin's comments followed a Mother Jones report that the senator has told associates he has a plan to leave his party if his liberal colleagues couldn't find a way to cut down the $3.5trillion budget reconciliation plan.

If he followed through with his plan he would switch from Democrat to Independent. But he originally called that report 'bulls***.'

'I have no control over rumors,' he said at the time.

Asked if he was staying in the Democratic Party and caucus, he said: 'I am where I am.'

But one day later Manchin admitted he had offered to switch his party affiliation if it would be less of an embarrassment to Democrats, as many are frustrated that they cannot push their priorities through even with a majority in the Senate and House.

On Monday night Manchin said that he was 'totally out of sync with 48 other Democrats' he said at a dinner with reporters.

'I love them all. And I love all the Republicans. So Im just trying to survive in a very, very, very divided Congress in a very divided country.'

Manchin's comments follow a Mother Jones report that the senator has told associates he has a plan to leave his party if his liberal colleagues cannot find a way to cut down the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation plan to $1.75 trillion.

On Sunday Manchin met with Biden and sounded optimistic that Democrats would come to an agreement on a final bill soon - which has been whittled down from $3.5trillion to his ideal figure of $1.5trillion just this week

Earlier in the day a group of 99 banks and industry groups wrote a letter to President Biden urging him to drop his proposal to hand over transaction data to the IRS, noting that they too were unsatisfied by raising the threshold.

The organizations that claimed to represent business and financial interests urged the White House to withdraw support for the measure and find 'more targeted measures' to reduce the tax gap.

Sen Manchin said he does not believe the proposal to allow the IRS to snoop on account transactions will make it into Democrats' social spending plan, adding that Biden agreed with him that it is 'screwed up'.

'This cannot happen,' he reportedly said at Sunday's meeting.

The banking groups lauded the administration's 'good-faith attempt' to make sure all Americans pay the taxes they owe but wrote: 'Our members, and the American people, believe that they have a reasonable right to privacy and this overly broad proposal to report gross annual inflows and outflows from nearly every account is disconnected from its purported narrow purpose of focusing government scrutiny on Americans with actual income above $400,000.'

'The privacy concerns for Americans who pay their taxes and would be swept into this account reporting program are real and should not be taken lightly,' the letter continued.

It was signed by a wide variety of groups, from the American Bankers Association, the American Farm Bureau Federation and the Chamber of Commerce to the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, the National RV Dealers Association, the National Grocers Association and the North American Die Casting Association.

Under the revised policy accounts with $10,000 or more in total deposits and withdrawals, excluding wage income, would be subject to greater scrutiny. Banks would have to send over their aggregate inflow and outflow to the IRS to help the agency target its audits.

The inflow would not take into account salary or wage income, which is already under the purview of the IRS under W-2 forms. It would also leave out income in the form of Social Security checks.

'At its core, this program that has not had a significant study or detailed examination to show consumer impact, will collect financial metadata on nearly every American in the hope that the IRS will be able to discern patterns in aggregate numbers that do not correspond to tax liabilities and target audits only to those who are breaking the law,' the letter read.

'This is a substantial expansion of the IRSs authority that, once established, is sure to expand rather than roll back.'

The narrowing in scope came after Republicans and banks put up fierce outcries over what they view to be an invasion of privacy. But such groups are not satisfied even with the revision.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has insisted audit rates would not go up for those making under $400,000.
Scott Morrison has invited the grandmother who accidentally made the 'up yours' gesture on live TV after her first Covid vaccine to get their booster shots together.

The Prime Minister phoned 84-year-old grandmother Jane Malysiak from his Parliament House office on Wednesday after booster jabs were approved for all adults.

'I'm ringing you to let you know we're going to have to go and get our boosters shots soon,' he said in a video of the conversation shared with Daily Mail Australia.

'Oh yeah, alright. I'll be waiting for you,' a smiling Ms Malysiak replied.

Jane Malysiak hit headlines for accidentally swearing while trying to make a peace sign after her jab at Castle Hill Medical Centre in Sydney in February (pictured above)

The grandmother, who migrated to Australia from Poland after World War II, became the first Aussie to get a Covid vaccination at the start of the rollout in February with Mr Morrison watching on.

She hit headlines for accidentally swearing at the cameras while trying to make a peace sign after her jab at Castle Hill Medical Centre in Sydney's north-west.

During the phone call, Ms Malysiak referenced her mishap but made the same mistake again.

'And you'll have to remember this,' she said, holding her fingers up the wrong way and accidentally swearing at the Prime Minister.

Mr Morrison laughed and said 'other way' as Ms Malysiak turned her fingers around.

'Look I cannot get it, I've been trying all the time but I still don't know which is the right way,' she joked.

Mr Morrison said 'it's good to see you in such high spirits Jane' and she joked that he was her 'boyfriend'.

'Well I try to be, and I always watch you on television. I remember the first time I met you, my lovely boyfriend,' she said.

The Prime Minister later told Ms Malysiak he would send her a Christmas card with a picture of his wife Jenny, his two daughters and their dog Buddy.

'Oh lovely, you are lovely,' she responded.

The PM signed off the call by saying: 'I'll see you at the doctors'.

Why are boosters being offered? Overseas data showed the effectiveness of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines at stopping infections decreases over time. A study in the UK in August showed two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine were 88 per cent effective at stopping infection after one month but that dropped to 74 per cent after five months. The effectiveness of AstraZeneca dropped from 77 to 67 per cent. Pfizer says its booster can restore effectiveness to 96 per cent. Advertisement

Mr Morrison will get his booster shot alongside Ms Malysiak in the coming weeks with a date yet to be decided.

Boosters in aged care will start being rolled out on Thursday and the general population will have access from November 8, Health Minister Greg Hunt announced on Wednesday after they were approved by the drug regulator, the TGA.

The boosters will be the Pfizer vaccine regardless of which jab the patient had before and will be administered at least six months after the second dose.

The move makes Australia only the second country in the world - after Israel - to offer booster shots to all ages.

The US offers them to those over 65 and high risk workers while the UK offers third jabs to residents over 55 and frontline workers.

Drug regulator boss Professor John Skerritt said two doses were effective at stopping severe illness but boosters could help stop mild infections.

'We do know that boosters may give additional protection against mild Covid and they may have an impact on transmission and we do know that in the elderly, and people of various shades that an additional dose is valuable,' he said.

He said mixing and matching the vaccines 'gives a really good immune response'.

AstraZeneca has not applied to give booster shots of its vaccine but the Government expects Moderna will shortly submit an application.

After her first vaccination Ms Malysiak was posing for photos when Mr Morrison encouraged her to give a peace sign for the cameras, telling her it means 'V for vaccine'.

But Ms Malysiak inadvertently threw up the universal sign for 'up yours' by turning her hand the other way around.

Photographers, health workers and reporters erupted into laughter, before Mr Morrison quickly pushed Ms Malysiak's hand down, jokingly telling her 'always front, always front'.

Australia has vaccinated 74.8 per cent of over 16s and 87.4 per cent have had at least one dose.
Anti-vaccine mandate protesters have swarmed the ABC's office in Darwin chanting 'tell the truth' before plastering the glass doors with flyers.

Footage taken by journalists standing inside the building shows the rowdy crowds surrounding the building around 2pm on Wednesday.

While some demonstrators belted out slogans, others stormed over to the windows and stuck on posters claiming the national broadcaster was not reporting accurate information about Covid vaccines.

Some stickers claimed 'The media is the virus', while others read: 'It's not research is they censor opposition'.

Angry anti-vaccine mandate protesters surrounded the ABC's Darwin office on Wednesday

Others claimed Indigenous Territorians were being 'bribed and blackmailed' to take the jab.

Reporter Isaac Nowroozi confirmed everyone inside the office was safe after concerned followers inquired into their welfare.

Other Australians were outraged by the bizarre attack.

'Anti science mob threatening staff at the ABC and damaging property. This nonsense has to stop,' one man said.

'I hope they enjoy their tax payer dollars being used to clean that up,' another added.

'The cognitive dissonance on display is jarring,' a third wrote.

The incident comes after NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner earlier this month introduced widespread vaccination mandates for workers across a number of industries.

Employees impacted include teachers people who work in customer service roles such as retail, finance, hospitality, vets, gyms, and beauty salons, and health care workers, child care workers, and those who care for the vulnerable.

Demonstrators chanted 'tell the truth' before plastering posters along the walls of the building

Mr Gunner said workers subject to the policy need to have received both doses by December 24 or would face a $5000 fine or be barred from their workplaces.

The announcement reportedly sparked a massive boost in vaccinations across the territory, with 2243 bookings made in the following 24 hours - compared to the 742 the day prior.

Despite the 303 per cent surge in bookings, the new rule has sparked fierce criticism from some members of the community.

Over the past two weeks, several protests have erupted in Darwin with hundreds of demonstrators flocking to the CBD on weekends to rally against vaccines, mandates, and other Covid-19 restrictions.
Americans who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may need to take a fourth injection of the COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after receiving a third dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDCs updated guidelines state that those who are moderately and severely immunocompromised should immediately receive their third shot if more than 28 days has elapsed since receiving the second dose of the mRNA vaccine.

Six months after receiving the third dose, people in that same category may receive another dose.

In such situations, people who are moderately and severely immunocompromised may receive a total of four COVID-19 vaccine doses, according to the CDC.

Those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised are those who are in active cancer treatment for cancers of the blood or for tumors, according to CNN.

They also include organ transplant patients and stem cell recipients, people with advanced HIV, and those who take high doses of corticosteroids or other immunosuppressants.

Americans who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may need to take a fourth injection of the COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after receiving a third dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The CDC believes that there are about 9 million people living in the United States who qualify as moderately to severely immunocompromised.

The agency does not refer to shots given to immunocompromised people as 'boosters' because it is believed they did not have a full immune response from the first two doses.

A study by Johns Hopkins University found that vaccinated immunocompromised people were 485 times more likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19 compared to most vaccinated people.

Those who are immunocompromised are also more likely to transmit the virus to people who had close contact with them.

A medical professional administers a COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccination clinic in New York City on Thursday

Last week, federal health officials gave final approval for Americans to receive booster shots.

Certain people who received Pfizer vaccinations months ago already are eligible for a booster and now the CDC says specific Moderna and Johnson & Johnson recipients qualify, too.

And in a bigger change, the agency is allowing the flexibility of 'mixing and matching' that extra dose regardless of which type people received first.

The Food and Drug Administration had already authorized such an expansion of the nations booster campaign last Wednesday, and it was also endorsed Thursday by a CDC advisory panel.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky had the final word on who gets the extra doses.

'These past 20 months have taught us many things, but mostly to have humility,' she told the panel.

'We are constantly learning about this virus, growing the evidence base and accumulating more data.'

There still are restrictions on who qualifies and when for a booster.

Starting six months past their last Pfizer or Moderna vaccination, people are urged to get a booster if theyre 65 or older, nursing home residents, or at least 50 and at increased risk of severe disease because of health problems.

Boosters also were allowed, but not urged, for adults of any age at increased risk of infection because of health problems or their jobs or living conditions.

That includes health care workers, teachers and people in jails or homeless shelters.

Modernas booster will come at half the dose of the original two shots.

As for recipients of the single-shot J&J vaccine, a COVID-19 booster is recommended for everyone at least two months after their vaccination.

Thats because the J&J vaccine hasnt proved as protective as the two-dose Moderna or Pfizer options.

The CDC panel didnt explicitly recommend anyone get a different brand than they started with but left open the option - saying only that a booster of some sort was recommended.

And some of the advisers said they would prefer that J&J recipients receive a competitor's booster, citing preliminary data from an ongoing government study that suggested a bigger boost in virus-fighting antibodies from that combination.

'Were at a different place in the pandemic than we were earlier' when supply constraints meant people had to take whatever shot they were offered, noted CDC adviser Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University.

She called it 'priceless' to be able to choose a different kind for the booster if, for example, someone might be at risk for a rare side effect from a specific vaccine.

About two-thirds of Americans eligible for COVID-19 shots are fully vaccinated, and the government says getting first shots to the unvaccinated remain the priority.

While health authorities hope boosters will shore up waning immunity against milder coronavirus infections, all the vaccines still offer strong protection against hospitalizations and death, even as the extra-contagious delta variant burned through the country.

And CDCs advisers wrestled with whether people who didnt really need boosters might be getting them, especially young, otherwise healthy adults whose only qualification was their job.

The vast majority of the nearly 190 million Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have received the Pfizer or Moderna options, while J&J recipients account for only about 15 million.

FDA advisory panel recommends use of Pfizer COVID vaccine in children aged 5 - 11 who could start receiving it by end of next week

A panel of independent vaccine experts has recommended the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include children aged five to 11.

The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted on Tuesday to recommend the jabs for children by a 17-0 vote with one person abstaining.

While the recommendation from the panel, made up of people outside of the regulatory agency, is not binding, it is a key first step towards expanding the vaccine's access in America.

The shot will now need approval from the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to gain emergency use authorization.

If it gets through the final hurdles, it would be the first jab available for children within that age group.

The authorization of the shots for children has become a controversial topic among many, with around half of parents saying they will not get their kids the shots, even if approved.

Children are also less likely to experience symptoms from the virus, studies have found.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was recommended for authorization in children aged 5 to 11 on Tuesday, clearing the first hurdle towards expanding the jabs eligibility. Pictured: A child in Pasadena, California, receives a shot of a COVID-19 vaccine

The jab for children aged five to 11 will be ten micrograms, a third of the size of the 30 microgram dose given to adults.

'10ug dose level was selected as optimal to elicit robust immune responses with an acceptable safety profile,' Pfizer said in one of the presentation slides.

Just like the doses for adults, it will be a two-shot vaccine with the doses at least three weeks apart.

The company presented data from clinical trials at the meeting as well, showing the vaccine to be effective in children of that age group.

Data showed the vaccine to be 90 percent effective at preventing Covid in children aged five to 11 for at least four months, without any notable serious side-effects other than the rare myocarditis case.

Myocarditis, or heart inflammation, cases have appeared in young males who have received mRNA vaccine like Pfizer's.

While the likelihood of developing the condition - which is often not very serious but could be potentially deadly in a small portion of cases - is much higher after catching the virus than it is getting vaccinated, the risk still exists.

The Pfizer vaccine is 91% effective in children aged five to 11 for the first four months after it is administered

Pfizer set up six projections to determine the risk-reward outcomes of vaccinating children to prevent COVID-19 cases, while also exposing them to the small likelihood of suffering heart inflammation.

The model found that the vaccine could potentially prevent thousands of COVID-19 cases, hundreds of hospitalizations and a very small amount of deaths.

On the other hand, the vaccine could cause dozens of serious myocarditis cases.

In scenario three, where the amount of Covid cases was slashed by 95 percent and hospitalizations by 90 percent, was the risk of myocarditis more severe than that of the vaccine.

Both the Pfizer officials and members of the FDA panel noted that the projections are using much higher rates of heart inflammation than the actual rates being found in other nations were young children are eligible for the vaccine.

They also determined that those rare cases of myocarditis often resolve quickly and do not pose significant danger to the children.

Still, these fears have given parents fear of jabbing their young children.

Around half of parents with a child under the age of 12 say it is unlikely that they will get their child vaccinated, according a poll from University of Michigan in July.

Scenario 1: Vaccine is 70% effective against infection and 80% effective against hospitalizations, only males between five to 11, who are most at risk for Covid, assuming the virus situation as of September 11 holds

Scenario 2: Same effectiveness as scenario one, though cases increase by 20%, and hospitalizations by 30%

Scenario 3: Covid cases decrease 95% and hospitalizations decrease 90%

Scenario 4: Vaccine is 90% effective against cases, and 100% effective against hospitalizations

Scenario 5: Using the current death rate listed on the CDC tracker

Scenario 6: Risk of myocarditis is halved by 50%

This is because some fear the potential side-effects - like myocarditis - while the children themselves are less likely to suffer severe symptoms - if any - from the virus itself.

A recent CDC study found that 50 percent of children who contract the virus will experience an asymptomatic case.

With the vaccine now having cleared the first hurdle to expanded authorization, it is likely to shots will be available to the younger age group in early November.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, believes the shots could roll out for the five to 11 age group as early as November 4.

Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the most commonly used jab in the United States, and the only one available to minors.

The jab has received emergency use authorization for children aged 12 to 17, and full FDA approval for adults 18 or older.

The vaccine has been adminsitered 243 million times and fully vaccinated 105 million people.

Moderna, who also produces a two-shot Covid vaccine similar to Pfizer's, is also hoping to expand authorization of its jab to minors in the coming weeks.
A 15-year-old girl has been viciously bashed after refusing to hand over her mobile phone to a group of teenage girls.

Violent footage of a brawl at an Eastern Beach playground in Geelong was uploaded to social media showing the teenage girl being seriously hurt by her attackers.

A girl is seen approaching the victim from behind before throwing her to the ground where she is punched up to 30 times and kicked in the face.

Other teens joined in, stomping on the girl's head as she lay on the ground helpless.

Victoria Police allege a number of girls approached the 15-year-old victim on Saturday evening demanding she hand over her mobile phone.

After the violent attack the girl gang allegedly took off with her mobile phone.

The victim was later taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Geelong police crime investigation unit detectives later charged a teenage girl for her alleged role in the brawl on Wednesday.

The 17-year-old girl was charged with affray, robbery, assault with intent to rob, assault in company, assault by kicking and committing a crime while on bail.

A teenage girl has been assaulted by a group of girls in Geelong, Melbourne, after refusing to hand over her mobile phone on Saturday

She was remanded to appear before a childrens court at a later date.

Two other teens, a 17-year-old and a 16-year-old were were arrested on Tuesday and charged with robbery and assault.

Both girls were bailed to appear before a childrens court at a later date.

Police are treating the investigation as ongoing and urged anyone with information to contact them.
Under-appreciated Australian workers could soon walk out on their jobs en masse in a phenomenon being referred to as The Great Resignation.

The pandemic trend which has taken economists by surprise, has already turned the labour market upside down in the US with 4.3 million Americans, or 2.9 per cent of the entire workforce, quitting their jobs in August.

While the job market Down Under is vastly different to the US, new data shows the same thing is likely to happen in Australia with up to 25 per cent of the workforce now actively considering a change of scenery.

The country is now bracing for thousands of workers to quit their jobs in coming months to travel the world with international borders finally opening next week.

While the job market Down Under is vastly different to the US, new data shows the same thing is likely to happen in Australia with up to 25 per cent of the workforce now actively considering a change of scenery. Pictured: A Sydney construction worker

Although a mass departure of employees could wreak havoc on businesses, it's likely to drive up wages as companies will be forced to pay more to attract and retain their best and brightest.

A Digital Finance Analytics survey of 52,000 Australian households in September found one quarter of workers are weighing up their options and it's not limited to one or two sectors.

Everyone from high-flying executives to frontline workers, hospitality staff and everyone in between, is looking for a shake things up in their career.

Principal of the firm, Martin North, said this was almost double the amount at the same time last year.

A year ago, about two-thirds of prospective job-leavers were being driven by the desire for a better work-life balance and seeking out companies with work-from-home options.

Only a third were motivated by a bigger pay packet.

But now that dynamic has flipped and two thirds say they are on the hunt for more money.

'I think it's a reflection of the rising cost of living and bigger mortgages, and some of the other uncertainties experienced in recent times,' Mr North told News Corp.

He said Australian workers haven't had a real pay rise since 2011 if you factored in cost of living increases.

'The salary growth in Australia has been disgusting  other than in industries like the high tech industries. The financial stress is very high at the moment, the cost of living is rising and mortgages are rising, but we've had very little income growth,' Mr North said.

The attitude shift began to take hold around June and July just as Sydney and Melbourne were being plunged into harsh lockdowns to control the spread of the Delta variant.

Financial experts suspect March next year could be the leaping off point for The Great Resignation in Australia after white collar workers secure their Christmas bonuses and take annual leave. Pictured: A beer delivery arrives in Sydney

But North can't say for sure if this is the main reason driving the change in mindset or whether other factors are also at play.

Behavioural scientist Aaron McEwan, from global research and advisory firm Gartner, told ABC RN's This Working Life, a fundamental reshaping of society is happening before our eyes as the balance of power starts to shift from bosses to their employees.

He said in the past a competitive salary and a comfy office was more than enough to lock in staff.

Workers at a Nebraska Burger King in the US announced their mass resignation on a sign earlier this year. Workers are quitting their jobs at record rates

'Today, employees don't want to be seen as workers. They want to be seen as complex human beings with rich, full lives,' Mr McEwan explained.

'They're not just interested in the experience they can have at work, they're interested in what an employer does to enrich their life experience.'

Financial experts suspect March next year could be the leaping off point for The Great Resignation in Australia after white collar workers secure their Christmas bonuses and take annual leave.

Another factor which may lead to a mass exodus of workers is the stampede of Australian looking to travel abroad when borders swing open.

Behavioural scientist Aaron McEwan, from global research and advisory firm Gartner said a fundamental reshaping of society is happening before our eyes as the balance of power starts to shift from bosses to their employees. Pictured: A mother is seen home-schooling her children

Young Australians starved of a gap year and with those who have been trapped inside their homes during lockdowns are champing at the bit to see the world.

Escape magazine summed up the feelings of thousands for whom the pandemic has prompted a reckoning about what they want from life after Covid.

'People everywhere are saying enough of office work, enough of 9 to 5, enough of blowdrying strangers hair in the city you grew up in,' it wrote.

Tell your boss that you want time off  paid, unpaid, sabbatical, whatever you can negotiate  to see the world. Put your happiness first.

'And if they dont come to the party? Quit. Dont look back. Its time to book a one-way ticket to wherever.'

With the impending walk-out nearing, Mr North said it may force employers to be proactive and offer pay rises or other incentives, if they want to keep their staff.

'Typically it costs a lot to replace staff, there is the cost to rehire but there is also the disruption as it's particularly hard now to get staff, so this puts pressure on a business,' he said.

Aussie workers haven't had a real pay rise since 2011 if you factor in cost of living increases. Pictured: Workers at a Sydney cafe

As part of that change, some workers are also thinking about 'downsizing' their careers for something more flexible and with less stress.

Cathy told the ABC she started to rethink her entire life when the pandemic and lockdowns began.

She was weighed down by endless Zoom meetings and constant micro-management and started to feel burnt out.

'I vocalised my concerns, not just to my manager, but also the management above. But they did not take things seriously. And ultimately, I just did not feel that I was heard, I didn't feel that I was listened to,' Cathy who went on to found her own start-up firm said

'It was incredibly hard to leave. However it was the best decision ever.

'What this has taught me is just to embrace ambiguity and just to trust in the process and have faith in myself. And it's actually paid off.'
Former Today Show and Sunrise host Kellie Sloane has announced her intention to scoop up Gladys Berejiklian's seat in the NSW Parliament.

Sloane, 48, announced her candidacy as the Independent Commission Against Corruption grills witnesses over the ousted premier's conduct while in office.

The seat of Willoughby, which Ms Berejiklian has held since 2003, in on Sydney's lower north shore centred around Chatswood and Artarmon.

She resigned as premier on October 1 when ICAC announced the investigation, and said she would leave parliament when a by-election could be called.

Former Today Show and Sunrise host Kellie Sloane (pictured) has announced her intention to scoop up Gladys Berejiklian's seat in Sydney's Willoughby

Since leaving her role as a TV presenter in 2015, Ms Sloane (pictured on Sunrise) has gone on to become a successful business leader becoming CEO of Life Education Australia

Since leaving TV in 2015, Sloane went into business and later became chief executive of Life Education Australia.

The organisation runs the Healthy Harold program to warn school children about the dangers of drugs.

The mother-of-three has long been touted as a potential politician with her popular public persona and marriage to adviser to former prime minister John Howard, Adam Connolly.

'After encouraging conversations with people in the electorate and with Adam and the kids - I am excited to confirm I will be seeking preselection for the seat of Willoughby,' she wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

'I will now be taking an unpaid leave from my role as CEO of Life Education Australia.

'For clarity - yes the Liberal Party. It's the only preselection process currently underway in Willoughby.'

The by-election to replace Ms Berejiklian is not yet scheduled but the Barossa Valley-born South Australian wants plenty of time to ingratiate herself with locals.

While a state election is not due until March 2023, it appears the Barossa Valley-born South Australian (pictured with SA Premier Steven Marshall) wants plenty of time to smooth things over with Lower North Shore residents who still hope there is a way back for the Ms Berejiklian

Ms Sloane was CEO of National Life Education, known best for the giraffe puppet Healthy Harold, who ventures to schools across the state warning children about the dangers of drugs

Despite the cloud of corruption hanging over the former premier after standing down last month over the alleged mishandling of public grants, she remains a popular figure for her leadership during the Covid pandemic and Bushfire crisis.

Sloane has been living in the suburb of Northbridge with her family for many years and forged her own reputation as a highly regarded community leader.

She was made the chief executive of National Life Education in 2015 and nominated for the Telstra Business Woman of the Year Awards in 2017.

The group aims to empower children and young people to make 'safe and healthy' choices.

Ms Sloane also hosted the Morning Show with Larry Emdur up until 2015 when she made her exit from TV

For most NSW residents, they will know National Life Education best by the giraffe puppet Healthy Harold, who ventures to schools warning children about drugs.

Before her inroads into the business world, Sloane was a popular TV presenter.

She worked as a reporter for the ABC in Adelaide and then for Ten News in Sydney before moving to Nine's A Current Affair in 2005 and eventually joining the Today show for a stint.

But Ms Sloane has been living in the suburb of Northbridge with her family for many years and spawned her own reputation as a highly regarded community leader

She took over from Jessica Rowe, who was on maternity leave in 2007, and hosted the morning program with Karl Stefanovic.

By 2012 she became the understudy for Samantha Armytage on Weekend Sunrise and featured regularly on the Sunrise segment 'Kochie's Angels'.

Sloane also hosted the Morning Show on Seven with Larry Emdur up until 2015 when she made her exit from TV.
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Royal experts suggested today that there could now be a 'reassessment and possibly a slight gear change in the kind of work the Queen does' after the monarch last night dramatically pulled out of attending Cop26.

Six days before the 95-year-old due to attend a reception and give a speech at the landmark conference, Buckingham Palace said she had 'regretfully' decided not to go  and would instead remain at Windsor Castle.

The Queen will continue to work behind the scenes while next week's climate change summit takes place in Glasgow and record a video message - but there could now be a chance in the distances she travels in future.

It comes amid fears for the health of Queen - who will film a video message which will be broadcast to delegates in Glasgow - after she was forced to cancel a visit to Northern Ireland at the 11th hour last Wednesday.

Palace sources insisted that her decision not to travel to Scotland was simply a 'sensible precaution' in light of her doctor's advice to rest and that she was determined the conference should be a success.

Another source said it would have been 'unwise' for the Queen to make the 800-mile round trip from Windsor to Glasgow for the major event which aims to agree crucial global action on climate change.

Royal expert Roya Nikkhah said today: 'We had some quite interesting background guidance yesterday from royal sources saying that although she's not going to be there in person, she is going to filming this video address this week and she is going to be working behind the scenes to make sure there are meaningful actions.

'And I thought what was really interesting was the guidance we had that she's very keen that other world leaders and heads of state don't use her absence as an excuse not to attend. So she's following it very, very closely.'

Ms Nikkah, royal editor of the Sunday Times, who was speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, added: 'It's quite a trip for a 95-year-old and she's had this incredibly packed both public and private diary for a few weeks, which has obviously left her pretty tired. And I think the feeling probably was  we don't know, because we're not doctors  but the feeling probably was from her doctors it was a little bit much for her to go up and do all that.

'And it's not just the travel  it's also being on. It's also entertaining and hosting world leaders, talking to them about climate change and all of that  I think the feeling probably is that's just a little bit too much at the moment until she's back to full strength.'

She continued: 'I think there will be a reassessment and possibly a slight gear change in the kind of work the Queen does, the distances she travels, but I don't think we will see  all being well, if the Queen is able to continue with public duties as we hope that she will be  I think we will still see her out and about as much as she and her doctors feel she can  but I think there will be a gear change, and her private secretaries and her diary secretaries looking at engagements that come in and thinking what does Her Majesty the Queen really need to be at, and what does she feel she really can do. So I think there will be a constant review going forwards now.'

Last night, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'Following advice to rest, The Queen has been undertaking light duties at Windsor Castle. Her Majesty has regretfully decided that she will no longer travel to Glasgow to attend the evening reception of Cop26 on Monday, November 1. Her Majesty is disappointed not to attend the reception but will deliver an address to the assembled delegates via a recorded video message.'

The palace has still not explained why the Queen was taken to hospital last week. After it was announced she had cancelled the Northern Ireland visit, the palace initially said the monarch was resting at Windsor. It was only 36 hours later, after news had leaked out, that a spokesman confirmed she had been admitted to King Edward VII's hospital in London for 'preliminary investigations'.

Aides had hoped that the head of state would be well enough to lead the Royal Family at the summit, either in person or via video-link. And earlier on Tuesday she returned to work at Windsor, where she is resting on doctors' orders, for the first time since last week.

The pictures show her face on a computer screen as she greeted the new ambassador from the Republic of Korea, Gunn Kim, who was at Buckingham Palace. She also spoke to the new Swiss ambassador, Markus Leitner.

The Queen's decision not to attend Cop26 will be a blow to organisers. There are few people on the world stage who command the same respect and authority as the British monarch. With the head of state missing from the event, it is hoped no world leaders will use her absence as a reason not to attend the summit. It previously emerged that Xi Jinping - president of China, now the planet's biggest polluter - is skipping the much-anticipated conference.

The Royal Family will still be represented by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge - both of whom have strong environmental campaigning credentials - as well as the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge.

Senior royal aides said the Queen will be working hard behind the scenes to make the summit a success. She will film her video message at Windsor Castle later this week and has let it be known that she 'very much wants Cop26 to be a success and see meaningful actions'.

Queen Elizabeth II hosted a reception for international business and investment leaders at Windsor Castle on October 19

A general view of the SSE Hydro located on the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow on September 1, 2021

The Queen was photographed at Windsor Castle today in a picture released on the royal family's social media accounts. The monarch was shown side on, smiling as she sat in a chair with her hands in her lap, in front of her large computer screen. On the table were the Queen's folded glasses and several pages of typed briefing notes for the audiences

Queen Elizabeth II appears on a screen via videolink from Windsor Castle this morning

Earlier this month she criticised world leaders' inaction on addressing the climate change crisis.

Queen hasn't walked dogs for nearly a week The Queen has not been able to enjoy her daily walk with her dogs for almost a week after being told to rest by doctors. Sources say the monarch has been taking their orders to rest seriously after she was kept in hospital overnight on Wednesday for 'preliminary investigations'. The Queen, 95, has two corgi puppies and dorgi Candy, a cross between a corgi and a dachshund. One of the highlights of her day is being driven to walk them near Frogmore on her Windsor estate, where Harry and Meghan once lived. Family and friends believe these daily excursions are a 'tonic' and have helped keep the Queen so healthy in her nineties. But instead the dogs have been walked by staff since her hospital stay. Buckingham Palace said yesterday that the Queen was still in good spirits and undertaking some 'light duties' while resting. It is still hoped she will be able to lead the Royal Family at the Cop26 UN climate change summit in Glasgow next week, either in person or via video link. A final decision will be made towards the end of this week. Advertisement

At a reception following the official opening of the Welsh parliament, the Queen referred to Cop26 and said: 'I've been hearing all about Cop... still don't know who is coming. No idea. We only know about people who are not coming... It's really irritating when they talk, but they don't do.'

A palace source told the Mail that the Queen was being 'cautious and sensible' by changing her plans.

'Her Majesty is following advice - rest and light duties,' they said. 'She remains in good spirits. Her Majesty had audiences today and is expecting a call with the Chancellor this evening, as is the norm before the Budget. There are other light engagements in the diary.'

The monarch is being carefully looked after by the Medical Household, her team of royal physicians, but the Mail revealed last week that she had carried out 19 engagements in October - a phenomenal workload for a woman of her age.

Two weeks ago she was forced to start using a walking stick in public for the first time - a stark reminder of her advancing years. And last Tuesday the monarch was on her feet for almost an hour when she held a lavish reception for guests including Microsoft founder Bill Gates and US climate envoy John Kerry, where she looked bright and cheerful.

Buckingham Palace said she 'remains in good spirits', though a royal source told The Sunday Times: 'She is knackered.' And an insider told the Mail: 'Her private office will constantly look at her diary and tweak it as and when is necessary.'

It also emerged that the Queen, who is deeply religious and rarely does not attend church, missed prayers at Windsor's All Saints Chapel in Windsor on Sunday.

She has been resting following medical advice to cancel her two-day trip to Northern Ireland.

The Queen had a busy schedule of engagements in the first weeks of October following her return from Balmoral.

Her hospital stay was kept a secret and only confirmed by the Palace when it was revealed by a newspaper.

It is understood the trip to the private King Edward VII's Hospital in London (pictured) last week was expected to be for a short stay for some 'preliminary investigations'

October 16 -- Queen Elizabeth II attends Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire

October 13 -- Dame Imogen Cooper is received by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, London, where she was presented with The Queen's Medal for Music for 2019

October 12 -- Queen Elizabeth II uses a walking stick as she arrives to attend a service at Westminster Abbey in London

October 10 -- Queen Elizabeth II is seen on her way to The Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor as she returns to church

October 6 -- Queen Elizabeth II gestures as she meets members of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery to mark the 150th Anniversary of the foundation of A and B Batteries, at Windsor Castle

October 4 -- The Queen is shown the baton that will carry her personal message at Buckingham Palace in London ahead of the launch of the Queen's Baton Relay for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

October 2 -- Queen Elizabeth II shakes hands with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall looks on at the opening of the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament

It is highly unusual that any major engagement would be cancelled at the last minute, suggesting that staff are taking no chances with the elderly head of state's health.

Prince Andrew lawsuit 'will cast cloud over Queen's Platinum Jubilee' The Queen's platinum jubilee is set to be dogged by her son Palace Andrew's court drama, in what a royal expert has described as 'grim news' for Buckingham Palace. Documents lodged in New York show the civil case of rape and sexual assault being brought against him by Jeffrey Esptein's victim is to go ahead as quickly as possible. Judge Lewis Kaplan has ruled, with the agreement of both parties, that all disclosures and depositions should be completed before July next year. This means that key moments in the case will be heard in the run-up to the official national celebrations to mark the Queen's 70 years on the throne. And royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said that there will now be a 'cloud' over the festivities, caused by Andrew's 'atrociously ill-advised friendship with Epstein'. The commemorations will last throughout the year and will see senior royals  except Andrew  travel around the country and overseas. The events will culminate in a four-day bank holiday over the first weekend of June. Advertisement

She has faced a tumultuous 18 months, including the death of the Duke of Edinburgh as well as the acrimonious departure of Prince Harry and wife Meghan.

The Queen still keeps a busy diary of events and audiences and deals with her daily red boxes of official papers.

Since she returned to Windsor from her summer break at Balmoral, the Queen has carried out 15 engagements, listed in the Court Circular, including her audiences, plus an additional trip to Ascot.

Senior aides at Buckingham Palace are scrambling to devise a strategy for managing the Queen's workload after being accused of misleading the public over her health.

Sir Edward Young, the Queen's private secretary, last night faced calls to 'be ruthless' and purge the Monarch's diary of functions not central to her role as head of state.

Officials are understood to be drawing up a 'core' list of key events that the Queen will prioritise in the next 12 months, including the Platinum Jubilee to celebrate her 70-year reign in June.

It comes amid reports the Queen will be accompanied by one of her children or grandchildren when she appears in public in the future to avoid having to cancel and let down the public in the event of future health scares.

Another member of the Royal Family will be on hand to step in should she need company or assistance, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Meanwhile, the Palace's communications team is under pressure to be more candid should the 95-year-old Monarch require further visits to hospital.

The Queen's courtiers faced extensive criticism last week for failing to inform the public that she had been admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital in London on Wednesday and stayed there overnight for tests.

The media was told that she was resting at Windsor Castle and aides revealed the hospital stay only on Thursday night after news leaked out. The controversy has shone a spotlight on the growing challenge faced by the Palace in balancing the Queen's desire to be an active head of state with needing to protect her health.

Royal sources say the easing of Covid restrictions has resulted in a logjam of public events, adding pressure on the Queen's diary. According to Buckingham Palace's Court Circular, she has held 13 separate audiences or meetings, attended seven major events and travelled almost 900 miles since leaving Balmoral on October 1. In addition, every day she still reads Government papers, delivered to her in red boxes, and has a long list of private meetings.

The Queen's busy schedule before a night in hospital The Queen attended a number of engagements before spending a night in hospital on Wednesday last week. She was ordered to rest by doctors and advised to miss a trip to Northern Ireland following her busy schedule. Here is what the 95-year-old monarch has been up to since her return to Windsor Castle at the start of October: - October 6: The Queen holds two virtual audiences at Windsor with the Greek ambassador and the ambassador for Belize. She meets Canadian troops from 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, and later has a telephone audience with Prime Minister Boris Johnson. - October 7: The Queen, with the Earl of Wessex, launches the Queen's Baton Relay for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games from the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. - October 12: The Queen, accompanied by the Princess Royal, attends a Westminster Abbey service of thanksgiving to mark the centenary of the Royal British Legion. She uses a walking stick at the abbey - the first time she has done so at a major event. - October 13: The monarch has a face-to-face audience with pianist Dame Imogen Cooper to present her with the Queen's Medal for Music. She also holds three other audiences. - October 14: On an away day to Cardiff, the Queen delivers a speech at the sixth session of the Welsh Senedd. - October 16: The Queen enjoys a day at the races at Ascot, and presents the trophy after the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes during the Qipco British Champions Day. - October 18: She holds a virtual audience with the new Governor-General of New Zealand, Dame Cindy Kiro. - October 19: The Queen has three engagements - two virtual audiences with the Japanese ambassador and the EU ambassador, and then hosts an evening reception at Windsor Castle to mark the Global Investment Summit. Advertisement

'They have to find some kind of balance,' said Sally Bedell Smith, who has written a bestselling biography of the Queen.

Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said the Queen's autumn schedule had been more crammed than expected, but last-minute cancellations were inevitable in the future.

'Every now and again there will be this reminder that she is 95 and she can't do what was expected of her 10, 20 years ago,' Mr Little said.

Last week the BBC's veteran Royal Correspondent Nicholas Witchell faced a backlash last night after questioning whether Buckingham Palace undermined public trust by failing to reveal the Queen had been admitted to hospital.

In forthright comments, Mr Witchell said that journalists and the public had not been 'given the complete picture'.

He added: 'The problem, it seems to me, is that rumour and misinformation always thrive in the absence of proper, accurate and trustworthy information.'

But his remarks provoked criticism online. 'Nicholas Witchell is honestly so infuriating,' one Royal watcher wrote on Twitter. 'The Queen is 95 and like most her age, she'll be in and out of hospital for various tests because that's what happens at that age no matter how fit you are. She doesn't need to disclose her every move, let her have some dignity.'

The Queen was seen using a walking stick for the first time at a major engagement during a Westminster Abbey service on October 12. On Thursday October 21, she was said to be in 'good spirits' after her hospital stay and back at her desk, undertaking light duties. But she missed a church service at Windsor on Sunday.

Royal sources had briefed the Sunday Times that the Queen was 'knackered' due to a busy social life and preference for late night television, as having a hectic run of engagements in October.

The Queen's husband of 73 years the Duke of Edinburgh died six months ago at the age of 99.

Buckingham Palace would not comment on whether the monarch has received her booster Covid-19 jab, but given her age it is likely she has already had it.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'Her Majesty The Queen today conducted two virtual audiences via video link from Windsor Castle.

'His Excellency Mr Gunn Kim was received in audience by The Queen today via video link and presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence as Ambassador from the Republic of Korea to the Court of St James's.

Mrs Hee Jung Lee was also received by Her Majesty.

'His Excellency Mr Markus Leitner was received in audience by The Queen and presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence as Ambassador from the Swiss Confederation to the Court of St. James's. Mrs Leitner was also received by Her Majesty.'
Jack Ma has been spotted for the first time in months as it emerged he has slipped to fifth on the list of China's wealthiest after $20billion was wiped off his fortune amid a government crackdown on his business empire.

The Alibaba founder, who was targeted after he dared criticise China's financial regulators, is now worth an estimated $39.6billion.

Zhong Shanshan, a journalist-turned-bottled water tycoon, is now top with a fortune estimated at $60.5 billion, according to the newly-published Hurun Rich List.

Ma has been keeping a low profile in recent months since he publicly criticised China's regulatory system in a speech last year, but last week made his first trip abroad since the scandal erupted - holidaying in Spain and the Netherlands.

After his comments, his empire promptly came under heavy scrutiny by regulators, that even led to the suspension of Ant Group's $37 billion blockbuster IPO.

The billionaire was pictured departing his superyacht off the coast of Mallorca and taking a low-key walk through the streets of Santa Ponsa last week, before being spotted again it the Netherlands on Wednesday (October 27).

Jack Ma now ranks fifth on a list of China's richest people after seeing his fortune drop by $20billion in the last 12 months (pictured on holiday last week in Mallorca)

The Diario de Mallorca newspaper said Ma was seen on October 20 in the port of Andratx buying home decor at a local store.

The superyacht Zen has been moving along Mallorca's northwestern coast for the past few days and was in Andratx on Tuesday last week.

It dropped anchor the following day near the beach town of Santa Ponsa, but a Reuters cameraman could only see smaller support boats returning to the superyacht from the shore empty, with Ma nowhere to be seen.

Without citing any sources, El Pais newspaper said Ma had been visiting Spain's Balearic Islands since October 16, accompanied by various Chinese business people and his security detail.

The sleek five-deck, vertical-bowed motor yacht, measuring 289 ft, can accommodate up to 16 guests and a crew of 25, according to the Superyacht Times edition. It was built in the Netherlands and delivered in April.

Ma, a globe-trotter not known to shy away from the limelight before falling out with regulators, retired as Alibaba's chairman in 2019.

Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, which is owned by Alibaba, reported on Tuesday that Ma was in Spain for a study tour on agriculture and technology related to environmental issues after spending 'private time' with his family in Hong Kong.

He was then seen touring greenhouses in the Netherlands, with the South China Morning Post - which he owns - saying he was there to research 'agriculture technology' as part of a 'personal visit'.

Ma was targeted after he gave a speech criticising regulators, but crackdown now appears to be easing as he takes first vacation since scandal broke (pictured, his yacht in Mallorca)

Alibaba shares rose 9 per cent off the back of Ma's public reappearance, along with reports that the company will produce a new kind of computer chip, though is still a far-cry away from where it was before the crisis began.

Marco van Herk, commercial director at Dutch flower company Anthura, said on Wednesday he had been expecting to give a tour to a group of Chinese business executives earlier this week.

'We were totally surprised when Jack Ma stepped out of the car,' Van Herk told Reuters. 'He was very interested on a personal level. We talked about how they (orchids) could smell great and were beautiful at the same time.'

Ma wanted to know all the details about the cultivation of the flowers. 'We also focus on robustness, which is right up his alley because you get into how to offer a plant online packaging, rather than out of a store.'

Ma visited several other business and research centres in the Netherlands, including the World Horti Center.

He was photographed in a baseball cap, wearing a white protective gown and holding flowerpots, while in another picture he is seen in jeans and a hoodie.

The billionaire, who retired as Alibaba's chairman in 2019, will continue touring European companies and research institutions involved in agricultural infrastructure and plant breeding, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) newspaper.

Ma believed combining the technology he researched with Alibabaas cloud computing, big data analysis and artificial intelligence could help modernise Chinese agriculture, people familiar with the trip told SCMP.

On Sept. 1, photographs of Ma visiting greenhouses in eastern Zhejiang province, home to both Alibaba and Ant, went viral on Chinese social media.

The next day, Alibaba said it would invest 100 billion yuan ($15.5 billion) by 2025 in support of 'common prosperity', becoming the latest corporate giant to pledge support for the wealth sharing initiative driven by President Xi Jinping.

Ma has been beset by legal and financial woes ever since he spoke out against China's financial regulators in a speech in October 2020.

It came ahead of the stock market launch of Ant Pay, Ma's financial technology firm that was set to shift power away from traditional banks.

Ant Pay was due to hit the market with a value of $37billion, the largest ever initial public offering which would have cemented Ma's position as China's richest man.

But, in the wake of the speech, the sale was suspended amid news that China's regulators were looking into the business, while Ma vanished for three months in an absence that has never been officially explained.

Ma did finally reappear, in January the following year, only to see his Alibaba web store hit with a $2.8billion fine for anti-competitive practices.

Zhong Shanshan, a former journalist turned bottled water tycoon, now tops the rich-list with a fortune estimated at some $60billion

Ant Pay was subsequently forced to restructure its business model to act more like a traditional bank, wiping out a huge portion of its value.

Bloomberg now estimates the value of Alibaba Group Holding - an umbrella company that includes all of Ma's businesses - has dropped $344billion in the last 12 months, in the biggest stock market plunge on record.

By contrast, China's new richest man Zhong keeps a very low profile with almost nothing known about his private life.

A school dropout who worked for a time as a construction worker, he went into journalism in 1983 where he covered agriculture for the Zhejiang Daily.

After a five-year stint at the paper, he began trying out various business ventures including founding his own newspaper, growing mushrooms and selling curtains.

He founded Yangshengtang, a health company, in 1993 and then beverage brand Nongfu Spring in 1996.

Yangshengtang later transformed into pharmaceutical firm Beijing Wantai, and Zhong's wealth is largely based on controlling stakes in Wantai and his water brand.

Wantai, which developed a Covid test that was granted emergency approval in the US and is developing a vaccine, went public in April last year.

That was followed by the $1billion stock market debut of Nongfu in September, which brought Zhong to the world's attention.

Both companies have increased substantially in value since, and Zhong's fortunes have swelled along with them.

Pony Ma, the owner of gaming firm Tencent, dropped from second on the list to fourth after his company was also hit by a state crackdown

Pony Ma, boss of gaming giant and WeChat owner Tencent, dropped two spots to fourth as Chinese restrictions on video gaming reduced his fortune by 19 per cent.

Second place was taken by TikTok founder Zhang Yiming.

The Hurun Research Institute, which compiles the list, said that for the first time the real estate sector had no names in the Top 10.

The sector's biggest loser was Xu Jiayin, founder of deeply troubled property giant Evergrande Group.

Xu had topped the list in 2017 and was fifth last year. But he has fallen to 70th with a nearly 70 percent reduction in his wealth to $11.3 billion, according to Hurun.

A liquidity crunch at Evergrande has hammered investor sentiment and rattled the country's crucial real estate market, while fanning fears of a possible contagion in the wider economy.

Chinese authorities have told Xu to use his dwindling personal wealth to alleviate the embattled company's debt crisis, according to media reports this week.

However, the overall number of individuals in China worth at least two billion yuan ($310 million) grew by 520 to a total of 2,918, Hurun said.

Growth in the electric vehicle market, in particular, fuelled the rising fortunes of several entrepreneurs, according to the list.
Chris O'Shea told a House of Lords select committee yesterday that every household will have to pay at least 100 to cover the shortfall created by the price cap on tariffs

Energy bills could shoot up by as much as 200 because of the failure of suppliers, the boss of British Gas owner Centrica yesterday warned.

Chris O'Shea told a House of Lords select committee yesterday that every household will have to pay at least 100 to cover the shortfall created by the price cap on tariffs.

A total of 16 energy suppliers, which supplied 2.5 million households, have gone bust so far this year because of soaring wholesale gas prices.

Experts have predicted that as many as 20 more could fall in the next few weeks in the face of soaring wholesale gas prices.

The price cap on tariffs means that energy companies are paying more for gas and electricity than what they are allowed to charge customers.

Energy suppliers taking on new customers when their existing providers collapse are buying gas at market prices far higher than what they are allowed to charge.

Millions of customers have had to be switched to new suppliers and Centrica chief executive Chris O'Shea said the shortfall is between 700 and 1,000 for each customer being taken on.

He said it has created a hole worth about 2.5bn in total which will have to be paid by customers through 2022 and 2023.

Energy suppliers taking on new customers when their existing providers collapse are buying gas at market prices far higher than what they are allowed to charge creating a shortfall

The price of natural gas on the UK market has rocketed in recent weeks and remains high

Mr O'Shea told the House of Lords yesterday it would cost 'every single home in the UK' 100.

He said: 'The current retail market failures will put 100 on the bill of every single home in the UK, whether it's a house in Belgravia or a studio flat in a deprived area of Glasgow.

'It's not unreasonable to expect that to double in the next few weeks; Ofgem have been quite clear that they expect many more suppliers to go out of business.'

He added that the 'highly regressive' system used to recoup costs through energy bills was the same system used to fund policies to drive the shift to net-zero carbon emissions, and called for this to be reformed.

He said: 'We believe that these costs should be met from general taxation, that it should be progressive.'

The rise will come on top of the huge cost increases households have already seen because of the energy price cap rising this month.

Scottish Power's Keith Anderson warned as many as 20 energy suppliers are likely to go bust

Families on a standard tariff with typical energy usage have seen their bill rise by 139 to 1,277 a year.

The cap, set by energy market regulator Ofgem, is set to be 'adjusted' again in April, Ofgem's boss has warned.

Analysts suggested the hike could be as much as 800, leaving households paying more than 2,000 a year for energy.

Scottish Power boss Keith Anderson said last week as many as 20 energy suppliers are likely to go bust in the next few weeks.

He called for the price cap to be abolished and replaced with a system where poorer households' bills are capped but others pay the market rate their suppliers are charged.

Wholesale gas prices have soared in recent months as economies reopen from COVID-19 lockdowns and high demand for liquefied natural gas in Asia pushed down supplies to Europe.

Some 16 British energy suppliers have already collapsed this year, affecting more than 2.5 million customers.

Struggling to cope with record gas prices, nine folded in September, including Enstroga, Igloo Energy and Symbio Energy.

Households attached to collapsed companies will be placed into a rescue regime which will involve Ofgem searching for a new supplier to take them on.

While there is no risk that their gas or electricity supplies will be cut off, they will be switched to tariffs which are likely to be around 400 a year higher.

Under the 'supplier of last resort' system, outstanding credit balances owed to existing and former customers will be paid and householders transferred will be protected by the energy price cap.

But customers who were on cheaper fixed price deals, signed before the gas price rise, were warned that bills could jump by hundreds of pounds.

And now, with the annual price cap set to rise to 1,277 from October for a typical household, British Gas and EDF Energy are among the suppliers set to charge customers the top rate.
China has carried out its first-ever demolition of a port using underwater explosives, a tactic that state media said could be used against the US in the event of a war.

Beijing's military carried out the test on Saturday, using underwater charges to destroy a dummy wharf at an undisclosed location somewhere in China.

The technology is designed to cut off enemy supply lines in the event of a conflict, state-owned Global Times newspaper said, adding that sneak attacks using underwater charges will make large vessels like US aircraft carriers vulnerable.

It is just the latest in a string of Chinese military tests - including the launch of a satellite last week that the US warns could attack other spacecraft, and two tests of an orbital weapon that analysts think is a hypersonic nuke.

China has successfully tested underwater explosives to destroy a port, which state media says will be used to destroy American logistics networks in the even of a real war

Reporting on the latest test, Global Times said underwater charges were used to 'fully demolish' a wharf with a 'powerful explosion'.

Sensors installed on the wharf were used to gather data that will be used to support attacks on 'hostile ports in a real war,' the Times said.

It added that underwater demolitions are a response to changing US tactics in the Pacific, claiming that Washington is dividing its forces between smaller locations instead of concentrating them in one place to mitigate the damage from attacks.

This tactic increases the strain on logistics operations required to keep large vessels such as aircraft carriers afloat, the Times said, making attacks on infrastructure such as ports and wharfs more important.

'With ports destroyed, enemy logistics support will fail and a dispersed fighting force... will also fail,' an unnamed military expert told the paper.

The test comes just a day after the Times reported on the launch of a new satellite - Shijian 21 - which the paper said is designed to test technology to clear space debris.

But Washington warns the same technology - thought to take the form of a robotic arm - can be used to 'grapple' other satellites and potentially disable them.

Beijing has launched one 'debris-clearing' satellite before - Shijian 17 - which went into space back in 2016.

Officially designated a communication satellite that is merely 'observing' space debris, the US says it is actually equipped with a robotic arm.

Washington argues that Shijian 17 is in fact a military satellite that is capable of bringing down other orbiting craft.

General James Dickinson, head of US Space Command, wrote to Congress earlier this year that the satellite 'could be used in future for grappling other satellites' and is aimed at achieving 'superiority through space-attack systems'

China launched the Shijian 21 satellite into orbit on Sunday (pictured), saying it will test technology to clear space debris - the same tech the US warns can destroy other satellites

China is thought to have carried out two tests of a hypersonic orbital nuke - the first on July 27 and the second on August 13 this year. Observers believe the 'weapon' is an updated version of a Soviet concept called a 'Fractional Orbital Bombardment System', or FOBS. It is designed to evade powerful US radar systems and anti-missile defences designed to shoot down traditional ICBMs by flying in low-Earth orbit, making it harder to spot, track and destroy

The satellite launch follows two tests over the summer of what intelligence analysts believe is a new kind of hypersonic orbital nuke.

Beijing is believed to have tested the weapon in July and again in August. The tests were only revealed last week after intelligence sources leaked the information.

Those charged with assessing the new 'weapon' are still struggling to work out exactly what it is capable of, buy say it appears to 'defy the laws of physics' and goes beyond anything the US has developed.

The craft that China launched orbited the Earth at high speed before coming down on a target which it missed by some 24 miles, analysts said.

Based on that information, it appears to be similar to a Cold War-era Soviet nuclear system called FOBS which is designed to evade defence systems.

Beijing has acknowledged one of the tests, but denies it launched a weapon and says the craft was actually for civilian use.

Earlier this week, Xi Jinping urged Chinese scientists to 'break new ground' in developing weapons to create a 'world class' army.

China's military budget has been growing year-on-year since the 1990s in line with its booming economy.

When Xi took over leadership of the country in 2012, it stood at roughly $130billion. Back in March, the 2021 budget was revealed to be almost $210billion.

That extra cash has been used to build the country's first aircraft carriers, with nuclear-powered ones now in the works.

China has also churned out new tanks, stealth fighter jets, long-range bombers, missiles and drones.

China, the US and Russia are engaged in a global arms race that now includes the development of hypersonic missile technology. Here, the MailOnline has compared (from left) each country's main nuclear weapon, the latest hypersonic technology they have tested, their most up-to-date aircraft carriers, main battle tanks, and cutting-edge jets

The country is now in the midst of a major upgrade of its nuclear forces, having shown off new long-range ICBMs at a 2019 military parade along with hypersonic nuclear warheads.

In order to house the new weaponry, China is thought to be building 230 new silos - each of which can hold a nuclear missile tipped with up to 12 warheads each.

Beijing is using its new military hardware to take a more-aggressive stances with its neighbours - imposing its rule on Hong Kong, menacing Taiwan, laying claim to vast swathes of ocean and fighting with Indian troops in the Himalayas.

It has built new military bases on top of uninhabited islands in the South China Sea which it claims as its own - causing friction with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and others in the region.

Similar disputes have been sparked in the East China Sea, angering Japan.

Beijing claims its intentions are entirely peaceful, but Washington has been pushing back - assembling new alliances with the likes of Australia, Japan and India aimed at counter-balancing China's growing power.

That has soured relations between Beijing and Washington, which are also locked in fierce economic competition with one-another.
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Prince William is 'frustrated' at The Crown's 'commercialisation' of Martin Bashir's notorious interview with his mother Princess Diana which he believes holds 'no legitimacy' and should never be aired again.

The Duke of Cambridge is understood to be deeply frustrated by broadcasters who have cashed in on the interview, in which Diana infamously said, 'There were three of us in this marriage'.

He slammed the BBC sit down in May, saying: 'It is my firm view that this Panorama programme holds no legitimacy and should never be aired again.

'It effectively established a false narrative which, for over a quarter of a century, has been commercialised by the BBC and others.'

Following news a recreation will now be aired on Netflix, a royal source told the Telegraph: 'His words still stand.'

Despite the wave of criticism, insiders said The Crown will include an episode on it after millions were said to have been spent on the pivotal part of the upcoming instalment.

Netflix drama The Crown will dramatise Princess Diana's controversial 1995 interview with Martin Bashir, despite Prince William's request for it to be taken off-air

An updated handout photo issued by Netflix of Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales appearing in the fifth season of the streaming website's show, The Crown

The Duke of Cambridge is understood to be deeply frustrated by broadcasters who have cashed in on the interview, in which Diana famously said, 'there were three of us in this marriage'

Scotland Yard's decision not to launch a criminal probe into the Martin Bashir scandal is 'mystifying', says top lawyer A leading lawyer has described Scotland Yard's decision not to launch a criminal probe into the Martin Bashir scandal as 'mystifying'. Quentin Hunt, a barrister who specialises in fraud and counterfeiting cases, believes there is enough evidence in the public domain about the disgraced reporter's activities for the Metropolitan Police to investigate. The Mail on Sunday revealed last week how Princess Diana 's brother Earl Spencer was so incensed by the decision that he is considering mounting private criminal prosecutions. Mr Hunt believes there are 'strong grounds' for an investigation into allegations of forgery and so-called 'fraud by false representation'. On the Met's decision, he said: 'It's mystifying, to be honest, because there's prima facie evidence of illegality in the public domain.' Advertisement

An entire episode in the upcoming fifth series will be dedicated to the shocking sit down despite the Prince Harry signing a 112million deal with the streaming service for him and his wife Meghan.

The royal has been scathing of the Panorama show, which was first shown in 1995 and saw his mother air her dirty laundry on Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.

He branded it 'unethical' and claimed the interview triggered the events that caused his mother to lose her life two years later.

Reacting to Lord Dyson's damning report into how the original interview was obtained, the Duke of Sussex said in May: 'Our mother was an incredible woman who dedicated her life to service.

'She was resilient, brave, and unquestionably honest. The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life. To those who have taken some form of accountability, thank you for owning it.

'That is the first step towards justice and truth. Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like these - and even worse- are still widespread today. Then, and now, it's bigger than one outlet, one network, or one publication.

'Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life. Let's remember who she was and what she stood for.'

Prince William was also scathing, saying at the time: 'It is welcome that the BBC accepts Lord Dyson's findings in full  which are extremely concerning  that BBC employees: lied and used fake documents to obtain the interview with my mother; made lurid and false claims about the Royal Family which played on her fears and fuelled paranoia; displayed woeful incompetence when investigating complaints and concerns about the programme; and were evasive in their reporting to the media and covered up what they knew from their internal investigation.'

He said: 'It is my view that the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said.'

He added: 'This Panorama programme holds no legitimacy and should never be aired again. It effectively established a false narrative which, for over a quarter of a century, has been commercialised by the BBC and others.'

Lord Dyson's inquiry found Bashir had lied to obtain the interview, using 'deceitful' methods later covered up by a 'woefully ineffective' internal investigation by Tony Hall, who later became BBC director-general.

The independent report plunged the BBC into one of the worst crises in its history, with the two royals accusing it of ruining their mother's life and helping to bring about the events that led to her death two years later.

Despite this, Prince Harry's bosses at Netflix insist the special episode will go ahead as planned, according to senior sources.

The insiders told the Sun newspaper last night: 'The Crown's creators see the interview as the keystone moment in series five.

'To the writers, the stormy marriage between Charles and Di led up to her outpouring on Panorama, and the aftermath of that decision defined her final months.

'They are making a huge investment in that. The Crown has a track record of delving into areas of the Royal Family's history they'd rather be left alone.'



An inquiry by Lord Dyson in May found Bashir (pictured) had lied to obtain the interview, using 'deceitful' methods later covered up by a 'woefully ineffective' internal investigation by Tony Hall, who later became BBC director-general

Senior sources insisted Netflix, which struck a 112million deal with Harry and Meghan (pictured) after they quit royal duties, is going ahead with the special episode

Bashir (left) faked bank statements to get to Diana while the BBC's former director-general, Lord Hall of Birkenhead (right), has been accused of protecting him following his famous 1995 interview

Controversy: Bashir has been accused of spinning a web of deceit to land his 1995 interview with Diana, including falsifying bank statements in order to gain access to the Royal (pictured during the interview)

Princess Diana's brother Earl Spencer warns Met Police of plan to launch a private prosecution over the Martin Bashir affair after detectives drop probe into deception that landed BBC reporter his Panorama interview Princess Diana's brother has told a senior police commander that he is considering mounting private criminal prosecutions over the Martin Bashir scandal  a move that will send shockwaves through the BBC . Earl Spencer was angered by Scotland Yard's decision last month to drop its probe into events surrounding disgraced Corporation reporter Martin Bashir's 1995 Panorama interview with Diana. Bashir showed Earl Spencer forged bank statements to gain access to the Princess and then tricked her by peddling a string of smears and lies, including that Prince William 's watch had been bugged to record her conversations. William said the BBC's failures contributed to his mother's 'fear, paranoia and isolation' and hastened his parents' divorce. Following a devastating report into the scandal by former Supreme Court Judge Lord Dyson, the Metropolitan Police considered whether to launch an investigation into a range of potential offences, including forgery, misconduct in public office and blackmail. Advertisement

Royal expert Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, said: 'This would be extremely upsetting and the only protection William has is not to watch it.'

Meanwhile royal commentator Margaret Holder added: 'William was dismayed at the time. It is also embarrassing for Harry.'

According to a friend, Diana's brother Earl Spencer claimed several crimes had been committed. He believed his vulnerable sister was spun a web of lies by Bashir who had established 'coercive control' over her.

By filling her mind with terrifying conspiracy theories and tricking her into the interview, he claims the rogue BBC reporter and his superiors had committed blackmail, fraud and obtaining property by deception.

He said that the corporation had cashed in when rights to the sensational interview were sold to other broadcasters around the world.

Bashir commissioned forged bank statements in flagrant breach of BBC rules to convince Earl Spencer to introduce him to Diana, Lord Dyson concluded in his excoriating inquiry.

The former religion editor admitted at the time to having the documents forged, but denied ever showing them to anybody.

Matt Wiessler, a graphic artist who said in 1996 Bashir had asked him to forge bank documents to help earn Diana's trust, said his career was ruined after he spoke out and was blacklisted by the broadcaster.

Around two months after the BBC interview aired, Mr Wiessler said his house was broken into and CDs containing the forged documents stolen.

He also said work had dried up after the BBC blacklisted him, with documents released under freedom of information request backing up his account.

Bosses had issued an edict never to work with him, in part because he had spoken to the media about the documents.

Despite the fallout, it took until November 2020 for an inquiry to be established based on the Mail on Sunday's reporting - culminating in the Dyson report.

The report slammed BBC bosses, including former director-general Tony Hall, for covering up information on how Bashir was able to secure the interview.

A 1996 internal inquiry into the interview was also slammed as 'woefully ineffective', forcing Tim Suter - another BBC boss who was part of the inquiry - to step down as chair of Ofcom.

The BBC has been plunged into one of the worst crises in its history by the explosive fallout from the scandal, with Princes William and Harry accusing the corporation of ruining their mother's life with its 'deceitful' exclusive. Pictured: Diana with her sons

Left: Elizabeth Debicki playing Princess Diana in series five of The Crown. Right: Emma Corrin Played a young Princess Diana in series four

Tony Hall left his job as head of the National Gallery, saying continuing in the role would be a 'distraction'. Bashir, who was still working as the BBC's religion editor, also quit the corporation in May, citing health issues.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said there were 'very strong searching questions' for the BBC.

The late Princess was portrayed by English actress Emma Corrin for the The Crown's fourth series. She will be replaced by Australian star Elizabeth Debicki for series five on the final years of her life.

Confirming her appointment in an official statement, Debicki said: 'Princess Diana's spirit, her words and her actions live in the hearts of so many.

'It is my true privilege and honour to be joining this masterful series, which has had me absolutely hooked from episode one.'

It's understood that Netflix is also looking for a teenage actor to portray Prince William, now 39, as a 13-year old boy.

The Crown is known for sparking controversy and it has often been reported Royals have been left riled by storylines and inclusions on the show.

Back In April, shortly after he passed away, it was alleged Prince Philip was upset by a 'shockingly malicious' episode of The Crown in which his father angrily blamed him for his sister's death in a plane crash.

Royal experts said Philip had been hurt by the manner in which the 1937 death of Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark had been depicted in the drama  and renewed calls for Netflix to apologise and add a disclaimer.

Slurs during the first four series include the suggestions the Prince was a serial philanderer who had an affair with a ballerina, was involved in the Profumo sex scandal and delivered a menacing threat to Princess Diana.

Producers of The Crown said they were 'deeply saddened' by his death, while actors Matt Smith and Tobias Menzies  who both played Philip over the four series  paid their own tributes.

Bashir commissioned forged bank statements (pictured) in flagrant breach of BBC rules to convince Earl Spencer to introduce him to Diana, Lord Dyson concluded in his excoriating inquiry

Netflix broke its silence on the controversy over The Crown last night, insisting there was no need to warn its millions of viewers that key scenes are invented. Pictured: Princess Diana shouts at Prince Charles in a scene from the latest series of The Crown

But the drama's creator, Peter Morgan, and Netflix fell silent when asked if they would apologise for the portrayal of Philip.

In November, Netflix spoke out on controversy over The Crown, insisting there was no need to warn its millions of viewers key scenes are invented.

The streaming giant claimed it was widely understood the hit series was a 'work of fiction' based on historical events.

And it wrote to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, rejecting his suggestion that a disclaimer at the start of each episode would be helpful.

Netflix told The Mail on Sunday at the time: 'We have always presented The Crown as a drama, and we have every confidence our members understand it's a work of fiction that's broadly based on historical events.

'As a result, we have no plans  and see no need  to add a disclaimer.' But the statement was described by one critic as 'arrogant'. Others said the company's intransigence was adding to the Family's disquiet over the affair.

Netflix has been accused of escalating the row by urging viewers to watch an explosive documentary about Princess Diana which it said would provide 'answers' to criticism of The Crown.

Its tweet promoting the documentary  Diana: In Her Own Words  led to vicious online attacks on Charles and Camilla. The Queen's ex-press secretary Dickie Arbiter accused Netflix of getting trolls 'to do their dirty work'.



'Queen eats for comfort, Edward has AIDS, Camilla is depressed, Charles is in love with the Nanny': How Earl Spencer's scribbled notes from first meeting between Princess Diana and Martin Bashir became key evidence in Panorama probe

A jaw-dropping list of smears and lies allegedly peddled by Martin Bashir to clinch his sensational Princess Diana scoop was recorded by her brother - including the Queen 'eating for comfort' and Charles being in love with the family nanny.

Earl Spencer kept meticulous notes of a meeting held on September 19, 1995, when he introduced the BBC man to his sister at her Knightsbridge flat.

Earl Spencer's records show that Bashir allegedly claimed that Diana's private letters were being opened, her car tracked and phoned tapped with her bodyguard plotting against her, and close friends were betraying her.

Earl Spencer's handwritten log of the meeting with Bashir at his sister's flat in Knightsbridge also includes a note saying: 'Camilla: depressed, but quiet for time being'.

In an execrable reference to Prince Edward, Spencer recorded Bashir as saying that the Queen's youngest son was receiving treatment for Aids at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. Even the Queen was mentioned. Spencer noted Bashir as saying she was 'very ill with heart problems' and that she was a 'comfort eater'.

Earl Spencer (left) kept detailed notes when he met Martin Bashir (seen right holding a Bafta award for his Diana interview) when he met the BBC journalist with Diana at his sister's flat

Bashir is accused of effectively grooming the vulnerable princess by playing to her worst fears with a series of false claims

From officials bugging Diana's car to warnings her reputation would be 'destroyed': Earl Spencer's handwritten scraps that could shred Bashir's career

1: Diana's 'scum' former bodyguard

Bashir's opening gambit that three MI6 agents had told him Prince Charles's private secretary Richard Aylard was 'orchestrating' things surrounding Diana. This involved Ken Wharfe, Diana's former bodyguard, described as 'scum'.

Diana was already paranoid her staff and friends were betraying her and, at the meeting, the broadcaster allegedly brandished bank statements purportedly showing her closest aides were selling her secrets.

2: Charles' secretary 'paid by Jonathan Dimbleby'

Aylard, it was claimed, had been paid by the broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby. A decision to reinvent the prince had been taken by aides two years earlier. A year later this allegedly included attacking both Diana and the Spencer family.

3: Charles 'discussing ''end game'''

The notes, handed to Lord Dyson, include allegations MI6 had recorded Prince Charles and his private secretary planning the 'end game' - an extraordinary and false hint the heir to the throne was plotting to 'destroy' the Spencers and force them to flee to the US.

Charles Spencer's detailed notes, from one to five. The manila file contains notes of every meeting he had with Bashir, the logs of phone calls the BBC man made along with the faxes, the letters and even the gushing thank you cards that the reporter sent him

4: Spencers' reputation 'would be destroyed'

Spencers' reputation to be destroyed. In another remark recorded by Earl Spencer, Bashir claimed Prince Charles wanted Spencer's then wife, Victoria, dead. Diana meanwhile would be forced to move to America  possibly with her brother.

5: Will Carling affair claim

This relates to the stories during 1995 of the close friendship between Diana and the married England rugby captain Will Carling. Spencer notes Bashir's assertion that the newspaper stories had been 'fed' by Carling's wife Julia.

9: Diana's car 'bugged'

This note describes Bashir's alleged claim that Diana had been bugged by officials

The claim that Diana's cars and phone lines being bugged and her post intercepted would have increased her worries she was being spied on.

Bashir told Lord Dyson he would not have made these claims at a first meeting, the Telegraph reported.

17: Camilla 'depressed'

Camilla was allegedly described by Bashir as 'depressed, but quiet for the time being'. The second line refers to William and Harry's nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke

In the interview, Diana made her feelings clear on Camilla, famously saying, 'There are three of us in this marriage.'

Mentioning her could have been an attempt by Bashir to prompt her to speak out.

'Tiggy' is a reference to Tiggy Legge-Bourke, William and Harry's nanny who Charles was accused of having an affair with in claims that were subsequently dismissed.

17b: Philip's 'v unpleasant correspondence'

Earl Spencer recorded Bashir as describing 'very unpleasant correspondence' allegedly sent by Prince Philip to Diana and Sarah Ferguson

This claims Diana had received 'v unpleasant correspondence' from Philip and suggests he was annoyed at her 'hero status'.

It also references Edwina Mountbatten, the wife of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, who was known to have had affairs.

19: Fergie's business deals in the US

Another reference to Sarah Ferguson, this time describing her trips to the US to try and forge a business career

Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew divorced in 1996. This note refers to her numerous trips to the US to forge a business career.

It adds that Andrew still 'look[ed] after her' following their divorce by supporting her financially.

20: 'Queen eats for comfort'

This note suggests the Queen was unwell, stating 'Queen ill: heart' and adds she 'eats for comfort'.
A sleepy street in Sydney's millionaire row of Mosman has been stunned by a shocking Halloween gravesite on the nature strip.

The family in Beauty Point constructed the fake graveyard outside their home on Sunday with six plastic skeletons poking through the soil.

But some passers-by were shocked by what appeared to be the body of a baby reaching out from its pretend grave.

A resident who walks past the house each morning while exercising said it was 'disturbing' seeing what looked like a child's skeleton on the footpath.

A sleepy backstreet in Sydney's millionaire row Mosman has been stunned by a Halloween 'baby' gravesite on the nature strip (pictured)

One family in Beauty Point constructed the fake graveyard outside their home on Sunday with six plastic skeletons poking through the soil (pictured)

'I'm all for Halloween, but do we really need dead kids in graves? It's just awful',' the resident said. 'Adult skeletons, sure, but this is just taking it a bit far.

'It really is a bit gory.'

Closer inspection, however, reveals the 'baby' is actually the fake skeleton of a dog, complete with a partially buried tail and a 'BEWARE' sign next to it, with another grave holding the skeleton of a cat.

One of the skeletons has laser-like red lights in its eyes sockets and the scene - sealed off by police crime scene tape - is lit up by spotlights at night.

'It's quite confronting,' admitted one of the neighbours on the street, which boasts spectacular views over Middle Harbour and Spit Bridge.

But some passers-by have been shocked by what appears to be the body of a baby reaching out from its pretend grave (pictured, in the second 'grave')

Closer inspection however reveals the 'baby' is actually the fake skeleton of a dog (pictured), complete with a partially buried tail and a 'BEWARE' sign next to it

'When we first saw it we really wondered what had happened. Has there been some police incident? It's an interesting one...it's unique.

'I've never seen anything like it before. It certainly raises the stakes for the rest of us in the whole halloween concept.

'It's all for fun and I think there's a few other houses looking at doing something now. It's going to be the new Christmas lights with neighbours trying to outdo each other.'

The family published a worksheet of how they constructed the nature strip cemetery and teased a video of the Halloween stunt to be released on Friday.

The display, seen here, is supposed to be a family of mum, dad, two kids and the two animals, she said. The family spent three hours creating it on Sunday

'It's just a bit of fun,' said the mum-of-two behind the display. 'We didn't do it last year because of the pandemic but we've been doing it for several years before.

'Normally we have a morgue set up in the garage as well, but we have a car in there this year and couldn't do it.

'The kids love it and it's hilarious seeing passing traffic suddenly slow down slower and slower as they take it all in.'

The dog lies alongside the fake skeleton of a cat, although daughter Honor, 10, who helped create the display with twin brother Stirling, insisted it was a possum.

The display is supposed to be of the family of mum, dad, the two twins and their pet dog, and the 'possum'.

The family spent three hours creating it on Sunday and mum explained everything could be bought very cheaply from Bunnings and Kmart.

'It's just some bags of soil, signage and tape, and toy skeletons from your local $2 store. You don't need to spend a fortune to make something memorable,' she said.

The dog lies next to the skeleton of a cat (pictured), although one of the family's children who created the display insists it was actually once a possum

'I saw a picture of someone doing one grave years ago and thought it would be fun so we started doing it for all of us.

'We've only had good feedback, but if there are any complaints, we might have to add an extra grave next year for neighbours who don't like it!'

Another local said she was thrilled by it as she walked past.

'It doesn't get better than this,' she said. 'It looks great - and then once Halloween is over, you can just rake it in and renew your topsoil.

'They do it every year, but this year it looks like there's been one more death and the cat has been added to the carnage.'
A man has been charged with the murder of two 16-year-old boys in Brentwood at the weekend.

Frankie Watson, 19, from Orsett, Essex, will appear at Southend Magistrates Court today to answer two counts of murder, attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon.

Two other men  a 20-year-old from Grays, Essex and a 21-year-old from South Ockendon, Essex  who were arrested on suspicion of murder have been released on bail until November.

A 40-year-old man from Brentwood has also been released under investigation.

Frankie Gater and Charlie Preston, both 16 and from Romford, were stabbed to death in the street after they were set upon by a gang of eight men in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene, in the centre of Brentwood, but both boys were declared dead.

Charlie, from Romford, (left) died alongside his friend Frankie Gater, also aged 16, (right) when they were attacked in the centre of Brentwood, Essex

Forensic officers in protecting clothing survey the scene of the stabbing in Brentwood on Sunday

Charlie Preston died on a street in Brentwood, Essex, in the early hours of Sunday morning after he was attacked. He is pictured on holiday with his devastated mother, Kirsti

Charlie's mother Kirsti Preston previously revealed her heartache at losing her beloved son.

The 37-year-old mother of three told a friend: 'I am broken. I don't know how I am going to be able to deal with this. I have lost my first-born child.'

The life-long friend, who asked not be identified, told MailOnline that Charlie's whole family have been rocked by his senseless murder.

She said: 'I have spoken to Kirsti, she is broken. I have spoken to Charlie's gran, she is in pieces.

'And I have spoken to Kirsti's sister, they are all in shock and disbelief. It is such so sad, tragic.'

Ms Preston broken down in tears when she visited the scene of son's murder yesterday.

The mother and son have been pictured together when they were enjoying a family holiday in Greece earlier this year.

Essex Police said officers were called to Regency Court at about 1.30am on Sunday and found three people had been injured, including two teenagers who later died from their injuries.

A life-long friend, who asked not be identified, told MailOnline that Charlies whole family (pictured) have been rocked by his death

Family and friends visited a makeshift memorial where two 16-year-old boys were stabbed to death in Essex on Sunday morning

The third person was treated for non-life threatening injuries, the force added.

Tributes are now flooding in for the 'much loved' pair of 16-year-olds, with Frankie's cousin Charlie Gater writing on Facebook: 'Words can't describe how sad I feel for your mum and dad Frankie. Rest in paradise.'

She added on Instagram: 'It's physically causing me pain I've lost my cousin. I can't believe you're gone it seems like I'm lost in a nightmare. Our whole family love you Frankie Gater.

'Rest in perfect paradise. You always made me laugh and I'd be so excited to see your face.

'Your smile lit a light in my soul whenever I heard your name. You was one of a kind Frankie Gater, there is no other like you. I'm sorry you didn't get to see the rest of life.'

Another friend of the boys added: 'Words can't explain how I feel about losing my brother and you to Frankie, forever be in my heart.'

One of Charlie's friends said: 'I promise you I'm gonna make you so proud and I will always be thinking of you Charlie. You was honestly so loved by everyone and you and Frankie of all people did not deserve this.

'We had our whole future planned together and I'm gonna go and do them just like you're with me still.'
People who are unvaccinated are set to be banned from Berlin's Christmas Markets this year after officials approved a strict entry policy to the festive event.

Those looking to attend the festivities will be asked to show proof that they are fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 under new plans, while those with a negative test could be turned away.

It is the latest example of a two-tier post-Covid society after Austria announced it was considering a lockdown that would only restrict unvaccinated people as cases continue to rise in the country.

People who are unvaccinated are set to be banned from Berlin's Christmas Markets this year after officials approved a strict entry policy to the festive event

The Berlin senate on Tuesday agreed to allow organisers of the German Christmas markets to introduce their own rules to restrict unvaccinated people from attending the events.

Under a strict '2G' model, those over the age of 12 must be double vaccinated or recovered from the virus and would be denied entry even if they have a negative Covid-19 test, reports German newspaper Tagesspiegel.

But organisers of the markets, which return on 22 November, would be able to opt for a less strict '3G' model which would allow unvaccinated people to attend - but only if they show proof of a negative test.

Yet with the more lenient rules, visitors to the Christmas markets in Berlin must wear face masks and social distancing will be enforced.

A number of the German capital's famous Christmas markets - including the WeihnachtsZauber market at Gendarmenmarkt - have confirmed that only vaccinated people over the age of 12, or those who have recovered from Covid, will be allowed entry, reports The Local.

The only exception to the rules is for children under the age of 12, who are currently unable to get vaccinated. But the youngsters will still have to show a negatives test - although children under the age of 6 will not have to provide proof.

The move is the latest example of countries in Europe banning unvaccinated people from public events.

Last week, Austria's Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced that the country is considering a Covid-19 lockdown which would only restrict those who are not fully jabbed.

It is the latest example of a two-tier post-Covid society after Austria announced it was considering a lockdown that would only restrict unvaccinated people as cases continue to rise in the country

Schallenberg announced that if the number of Covid patients in intensive-care units reaches 500, or 25 percent of the country's total ICU capacity, entrance into businesses such as restaurants and hotels will be limited to those who are vaccinated or recovered from the virus.

If the number reaches 600, or one-third of total ICU capacity, the government plans to impose restrictions on unvaccinated people. In this case, they would only be allowed to leave their homes for specific reasons. Currently, the number of COVID patients in ICUs stands at 220.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, the French government announced it would be extending the requirement for a 'health pass' for people to access restaurants, bars, cinemas, museums and tourist attractions such as the Eiffel Tower.

The pass means that only those who are fully vaccinated, recovered from the virus in the last six months, or a negative test result in the past 48 hours are allowed to visit the public venues or access long-distance transport.

The government also announced that for those who are unvaccinated, Covid-19 tests will no longer be free and those who have not been jabbed will have to pay for a test each time they want to travel to the venues.

The French government announced earlier this month it would be extending the requirement for a 'health pass' for people to access restaurants, bars, cinemas, museums and tourist attractions such as the Eiffel Tower

In Italy, the government earlier this month introduced the strictest vaccine mandate in Europe.

The move requires all workers to present a Covid-19 health pass before entering work, which is feared to create staff shortages.

The measure is an expansion of the country's 'green pass' which was introduced in August and requires Italians to have at least one dose of the vaccine, or to show proof of a negative test or that they have recovered from Covid-19, in order to visit public venues such as restaurants.

Germany has recorded 23,212 coronavirus cases on Wednesday as the country faces an 'escalating' number of infections, even with mask mandates and Covid passports in place.

'It is to be expected that the increase in case numbers will pick up speed in... autumn and winter,' the German health ministry spokesperson Oliver Ewald said on Friday, with German ministers not expected to increase current restrictions or reimpose lockdowns.
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Picture books, children's dolls and hundreds of gas masks are among the personal items left behind in a Chernobyl ghost town which paint an eerie picture of all that remains of a community that was once 50,000-strong.

The city of Pripyat, in northern Ukraine, was evacuated after the explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 and despite once being home to nearly 50,000 people, has never been inhabited since.

Urban explorer Adam Mark, from Denbighshire in Wales, visited the exclusion zone just a few days ago and recorded new footage of the city - which appears to have been frozen in time.

Haunting snaps include a nursery, with rows of cots, mattresses and dolls still eerily in place, whilst other photographs show thousands of gas masks lying abandoned on the floor and theme park rides which are now being swallowed up by nature.

Everyday objects such as toys, books and medicine bottles can still be seen, as residents were told they would be able to return home in three days, yet 35 years later the Soviet town still lies abandoned.

Thick greenery has been pictured reclaiming the former Soviet city of Pripyat in Ukraine, inside the Chernobyl exclusion zone, as nature continues to reclaim the are and overgrow the few buildings still standing

Urban explorer, Adam Mark, from Denbighshire in Wales, visited the exclusion zone just a few days ago and took photos of what remains of the city, which once played home to 50,000 people. This stained glass window is one of the few reminders that life once existed in this ghost town

Mark discovered vast numbers of gas masks left behind in the city by residents who were told they would be able to return home in three days, yet 35 years later the Soviet town still lies abandoned

One of the few apartment buildings that still remain standing in Pripyat can be seen surrounded on all sides by thick greenery and trees - with shrubbery even having started growing on the roof of the abandoned tower

A rusted Ferris wheel serves as one of the few reminders that humans once inhabited this area, which has been in the Chernobyl exclusion zone for 35 years

Scattered amongst the discarded gas masks, a treasure trove of personal items were also found, including a children's picture book (left) and a baby's cot (right) which has rusted away over the years

Adam, 32, said: 'You aren't supposed to go there at all because it's just so dangerous. The buildings are unstable and the floors are seriously dodgy.

'Ironically though inside is apparently safer than outside because when the explosion happened everyone was told to shut their windows so I'm told there would be more radiation outside than inside.

'It was all pretty eerie and quite sad really. But the most fascinating building for me was the morgue. There were untouched jars full of liquid in there, perfectly preserved.'

Adam arrived at Pripyat with his girlfriend on October 10 and spent six days exploring the forbidden ghost town with an unofficial guide.

During his trip he entered various buildings including the school, leisure centre, cafes, a hospital and the morgue.

Mark visited multiple sites in the abandoned city during his six-day visit with his girlfriend and an unofficial guide, during their stay they found evidence of lives left behind at short notice, including this comic book and metal cylinders

Debris litters the floor of this room in one of the forgotten buildings in Pripyat, with rust also covering most metal surfaces

All over the city, evidence of what was once a thriving community remains, with these boats sitting along a riverbank in the city, half-submerged in the water and covered in rust and plant matter

Before the explosion at the power plant, children were sent to school in the area and some of their toys (left) remain in the city, while an empty swimming pool stands as a chilling reminder of a leisure facility once enjoyed by thousands

A number of children's dolls were found to have been left on beds after residents of Pripyat made a hasty evacuation

Multiple boats can still be seen poking out of the water near the abandoned city, with rust and greenery having taken over what remains

Adam, who used to work in security but now explores full-time, added: 'It was well worth the visit. Incredible really, absolutely mind blowing.'

Previous expeditions inside the 1,600-mile exclusion zone have also shown nature recolonising the area, with wild horses taking up residence in abandoned houses while packs of wolves roam the surrounding areas.

Pripyat, which was built nearby for the plants workers, and the surrounding areas were not initially evacuated as local authorities waited for orders from Moscow before establishing whether the reactor had exploded.

The lost hours meant that weddings went forward, children played in the street and babies were pushed around in prams in the shadow of the smouldering reactor as it shot radioactive waste into the sky.

When the evacuation was eventually carried out, residents were told that they would be returning to the city in three days.

During his trip, Mark entered various buildings including the school, leisure centre, cafes, a hospital and the morgue and saw rusted rides at an abandoned theme park (left) and hundreds of abandoned gas masks (right)

Pictured: Adam mark is seen examing two rows of baby cribs in one of the few buildings still standing in Pripyat

During his visit to the ghost town, Mark also explored a hospital, discovering an old operating theatre, with medical diagrams still lying on tables, and even an operating chair (right)

Discarded papers and text books lying open on desks created an eerie atmosphere in the former school building, with clear signs of a rushed evacuation

One of the most common sights during Mark's trip to Pripyat was that of discarded gas masks, with hundreds having been found on the floor in just one spot

Personal belongings that were once owned by children were found left behind on beds in one of the remaining buildings

Firefighters who rushed to the reactor to extinguish the blaze, despite having no training in how to handle a nuclear fire, were exposed to a lethal dose of radiation. The worst affected were flown to hospital in Moscow, where many died later.

Those near the reactor complained of feeling sick, vomiting, exhaustion and swelling - all symptoms of radiation poisoning.

A new protective shield was installed over the nuclear reactor in 2016 at a cost of 2billion to the Russian authorities.

Workers at the time were only allowed into the zone for two hours a week, due to fears of them receiving a lethal dose of radiation.

The exclusion zone is expected to be in place for at least the next 20,000 years - as the uranium gradually degrades.
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Britain's Covid cases may already be falling because children have built-up immunity following the back-to-school wave, one of the Government's top scientific advisers claimed today.

Professor John Edmunds, an epidemiologist who sits on SAGE, said the spike in infections over the last few months was driven by 'huge numbers of cases' in youngsters. Health officials estimate as many as one in 12 children across England were carrying the virus last week.

The surge in infections 'will eventually lead to high levels of immunity in children' which will see cases plateau and then fall, Professor Edmunds said. He added that it 'may be that we're achieving that now'.

Professor Edmunds, who has been infamously pro-lockdown during the pandemic, was behind the unusually optimistic London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine model published last week. It found cases could start to fall rapidly from next month.

His comments come despite growing calls to boost vaccine uptake among pupils following a surge of outbreaks in classrooms. Teaching unions described their 'extreme frustration' with the slow pace of the programme, which has seen just 20 per cent of those aged 12 to 15 vaccinated so far.

Meanwhile, the US yesterday moved one step closer to jabbing children as young as five after independent expert advisers almost unanimously ruled that the benefits outweigh the risks.

Daily Covid infections in the UK reached a three-month high last week, breaching the 50,000 barrier. It prompted medical unions, some scientists and Labour to call for Plan B  mandatory face masks, work from home guidance and vaccine passports  to be implemented immediately in a bid to control infections.

But cases have now fallen for three days in a row. And optimistic modelling from SAGE has claimed infections may even slump to the 5,000 mark over the coming months, even without No10 caving into demands and resorting to virus-controlling interventions.

Scientists said a combination of booster vaccines, growing natural immunity in children and a drop in classroom mixing during the October half-term break would drag cases down.

Daily Covid infections in the UK reached a three-month high last week, breaching the 50,000 barrier. It prompted medical unions, some scientists and Labour to call for Plan B  mandatory face masks, work from home guidance and vaccine passports  to be implemented immediately in a bid to control infections

LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE: These charts show the impact of returning to normal level of social mixing in three months (bottom) versus remaining cautious for a year - and the impact this would have on infections (left), admissions (middle) and deaths (right). The models show cases plummeting by November in both scenarios thanks to natural immunity but rising in spring (bottom) when vaccine protection is expected to wane. Even without restrictions, the graph show daily cases falling to 5,000 over the festive period

Just over a tenth of 12 to 15-year-olds in England have been vaccinated, while around 55 per cent of 16 to 18-year-olds have received at least one jab, according to data from the UK Health Security Agency, which replaced Public Health England this month

High infection rates among children has led to 'high levels of immunity in children', which may cause cases to plateau and drop, SAGE scientist Professor John Edmunds said

Now 95% of 16- to 24-year-olds have Covid antibodies, official data reveals Graph shows: The proportion of people in different age groups who tested positive for Covid antibodies (green line), have had a first vaccine dose (light blue line) and second vaccine dose (dark blue line) from the weeks beginning December 7 to September 27 More than 95 per cent of 16- to 24-year-olds in England currently have Covid antibodies, according to official data. Office for National Statistics figures released today show 92.2 per cent of the adult population tested positive for the virus-fighting proteins in the week ending October 3. Despite less than half of those aged 16 to 24 having had both Covid vaccines, 95.6 per cent of people in the age group are estimated to have the antibodies  suggesting natural infection has helped build their immunity. The proportion was even higher in Northern Ireland (95.8 per cent) and around the same level in both Wales and Scotland (95.4 per cent). The ONS said: 'Our survey shows that in the week beginning September 27, the percentage of adults testing positive for coronavirus antibodies remained high. 'It has increased in younger adults and is showing signs of a slow decline in older adults. 'We estimate that the antibody positivity for those aged 16 to 24 years increased steadily across all four UK countries, with estimates ranging between 95.4 per cent and 95.8 per cent across the UK, for the week beginning September 27.' Antibody levels appear to be dipping in the over-60s, despite at least 98 per cent of the age group having had both jabs. They were lowest in 70- to 74-year-olds (86 per cent) and 75- to 79-year-olds (86.7 per cent). But people aged 80 and above had the highest antibody levels (89.3 per cent)  even though they were the first to receive their second vaccine dose. Britain began rolling out third booster doses on September 16, two weeks before the ONS's most recent tests, suggesting antibody levels may have started increasing because of the programme. The ONS  which analyses tens of thousands of blood samples every fortnight  doesn't break down whether antibodies came from jabs or infection. Their presence generally means a person has at least some protection against the disease and won't fall ill. Testing positive does not make someone completely immune, however, and people who have them can still get sick. Getting a positive test result means only that there were a certain amount of them in their body at the time of the test. Scientists say levels dip naturally over time and people may not have any detectable antibodies now  even if they did so last year. And likewise, people who test negative may still be protected from the virus because there are other parts of the immune system geared up to fight off invaders, such as T cells. Advertisement

It comes as:

The World Health Organization is now keeping tabs on Delta offshoot;

There is a 'less than 20 per cent chance' No10 will activate plan B now that Covid cases are dropping, insiders revealed, but youngsters may have to wear masks in communal areas at school after half-term;

Government scientists says booster jabs should be given to younger groups to beat waning immunity.

Professor Edmunds, a modeller at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the consensus among projections submitted to No10 was that 'cases either levelling off or falling in the coming weeks'.

He said: 'That's because the epidemic in the last few months has been really driven by huge numbers of cases in children. I mean really huge numbers of cases in children.

'And that will eventually lead to high levels of immunity in children and it may be that we're achieving that now.

'Or achieving I think is the wrong word, but it might be that we're getting to high levels of immunity in children through these really high rates of infection we've had and it may start to level off.'

But Professor Edmunds, whose estimates from September predicted there would be more than 7,000 hospitalisations by winter, warned the models are also aligned on infections increasing again in the spring due to waning immunity and a return to normality.

He said booster doses  currently being given to over-50s, healthcare workers and those with underlying conditions  should be dished out as fast as possible to address waning immunity and rising infections.

And they should be offered to younger people 'in time', Professor Edmunds said.

As it stands, only over-50s, health and social care workers, as well as people at-risk from Covid and those who live with them.

Infections amongst pupils have soared among pupils since schools returned, with 7.8 per cent of students aged 11 to 16 carrying the virus over the week ending October 16, according to latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics.

But while cases remain high, Department of Health data shows rates have been falling in recent days among 10 to 14-year-olds from 1,925 per 100,000 to 1,869.

Some local authorities and headteachers implemented restrictions in schools in a bid to control the latest wave of infections  such as cancelling assemblies and requiring students and staff to wear face masks in communal areas.

Vaccines have been available to 12 to 15-year-olds in England since September 20, but until last week, the jabs were only available in schools and the roll-out has been criticised as being too slow.

To speed up the drive, other vaccination sites began offering injections to pupils on Friday and more than 80,000 have now booked to get jabbed at the sites.

Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and deputy lead for the NHS vaccine programme, said the vaccines are essential for keeping students in classrooms this winter.

It comes as Covid cases fell for a third day in a row yesterday, dropping 6 per cent in a week, while hospitalisations plateaued and deaths increased by nearly a fifth.

Sir Andrew Pollard, who helped design the AstraZeneca vaccine, said it wasn't fair to 'bash' the UK on its high case rate in comparison to other countries because it also has a much highest testing rate, meaning more cases are picked up.

Hospitalisation and death data are impacted by higher infection rates in the population, because it means more people are being hospitalised or dying for other reasons and just so happen to test positive, he said.

Discussing his comments, Professor Edmunds also said 'there is a bit of a skew' but it doesn't take into account 'all the differences' between neighbouring countries.

France's Covid death rate is seven times smaller than the UK's, while Portugal has recorded a tenth of the fatalities seen in Britain, he said.

Professor Edmunds said: 'The difference is they've had higher rates of vaccine uptake. We started off well with our vaccination programme but we haven't finished well.

'Many of our neighbours have higher rates of vaccination coverage, particularly they vaccinated their children earlier than we have.

'If you look at say France, by the time they opened schools in September, about two-thirds of their children had received at least one dose and about half of them had received two doses.

'So this epidemic has been largely fuelled by huge rates of infection in younger people and it has been abated in many of our European neighbours by vaccinating more quickly in their teenage population.'

However, he noted that those most European countries have other measures in place, such as masks and vaccine passports.

He said cases in the UK are due to come down from 'this very high peak', but introducing similar measures would likely make rates fall faster.

There have been calls in the last week for the UK to implement its Plan B winter plan  which ministers said would only be brought if if the NHS faces unsustainable pressure.

Under current measures, the Government is focusing on the rollout of booster jabs and vaccines to 12 to 15-year-olds in a bid to curb rising cases.

The British Medical Association, the union for doctors, accused the Government of being 'wilfully negligent' for not bringing back Covid restrictions.

And Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on Monday revealed he was in favour of the Plan B measures because it was 'common sense' and they protect 'yourself and everybody else'.

But ministers have taken confidence from unusually optimistic SAGE modelling, which estimated the epidemic will shrink or stay well below pervious waves this winter even without the Government's Plan B of face masks, vaccine passports and WFH.

Other unpublished models have also shown similar drops, with experts indicating that cases could fall to around 5,000 cases a day during the festive period.

It comes as advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday said the vaccine rollout should be expanded to include all over-fives, finding that the benefits of the jabs outweigh the risks.

But the final decision on whether the plans go ahead  that would see youngsters receive a third of a standard Pfizer jab  will be made by the FDA and CDC in the coming days.

Data showed the vaccine to be 90 percent effective at preventing Covid in children aged five to 11 for at least four months, without any notable serious side-effects other than very rare cases of a heart inflammation side effect called myocarditis.

Myocarditis has been recorded in younger boys who have received mRNA vaccine like Pfizer's and is more likely after having a second dose.

The finding prompted No10's vaccine advisers to recommend only giving one jab to 12 to 15-year-olds.
Two thirds of French people think white, European, Christian populations are being 'threatened with extinction' by immigration from Muslim and African countries.

Sixty per cent of French people said such a scenario will 'definitely' or 'probably' play out in the country when asked by pollsters, who published the results last week.

The question was posed ahead of next year's election, where Emmanuel Macron is almost certain to face off against one of two right-wing candidates: Marine Le Pen or Eric Zemmour.

Two thirds of French people believe that 'European, white and Christian' populations are 'under threat of extinction' by Muslim immigration from Africa, a poll has found (file)

The poll was conducted to test belief in the idea of a 'Grand Replacement', a concept touted by Eric Zemmour - a right-wing pundit who could face off against Macron in next year's election

Central to Zemmour's ideology is the idea of 'The Great Replacement', a theory put forward by Renaud Camus that argues Christian civilisation is being intentionally replaced using Muslim immigration from Africa in a plot by global capitalists.

The poll, carried out by Harris Interactive, aimed to test whether or not voters believe in the concept - despite it being widely panned by experts.

The question voters were asked, based on Camus's definition, was: 'Some people speak of the "great replacement": That European, white and Christian populations are being threatened with extinction following Muslim immigration, coming from the Maghreb [northern Africa] and black Africa. Do you see such a phenomenon?'

It found that 61 per cent of French people believe the phenomenon could happen in France, with 27 per cent saying they are 'certain' it will take place.

Just 39 per cent of people said it 'probably' or 'definitely' won't happen.

Of those who said it 'definitely' or 'probably' will happen, support for the idea was roughly evenly split across all age groups and across genders.

However, it varied widely depending on political affiliation.

More than 90 per cent of supporters of Le Pen's RN party believed it was a likely scenario, while just 30 per cent of Green said the same.

Perhaps worryingly for Macron, 52 per cent of his own party's supporters believed it was a likely scenario.

A follow-up question asked whether French people were 'worried' or 'not worried' about the idea of a 'Great Replacement'.

This found even more people - 67 per cent - were worried about the idea, compared to just 33 per cent who were not.

Polls have suggested for years that Marine Le Pen (left) will be the one to take on Emmanuel Macron (right) for the French presidency, but Zemmour could now best her

The issue of migration and its impact on French identity is set to become a key theme of the upcoming election, as Zemmour - who has yet to declare his candidacy - threatens to usurp Le Pen for the chance to taken on Macron.

Zemmour - a notorious figure in France for his anti-Islam and anti-migration views that he espouses in essays and on his TV new show - is now polling higher than Le Pen in some opinion polls ahead of voting in April next year.

Le Pen appears to be leaking support to Zemmour as she tries to move herself towards the centre-ground in an attempt to paint herself as a serious candidate - having lost out to Macron during the second round of voting last time

By contrast, Zemmour sits openly on the far-right - declaring that suburbs of Paris are being 'colonised' by Muslim migrants with large families that he says will make up the majority of the population by the middle of the century.

Statisticians say this argument is deeply flawed, but polls show that his arguments are cutting through with voters.

He also has two convictions for hate speech, including stating during a broadcast that that France is being 'invaded' by Muslims and must give them an ultimatum: 'Choose between Islam and France.'

France's swing to the political right comes after a string of terror attacks that has seen voters demand politicians take a tougher stance on extremism.

Teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded at a school near Paris last year after showing students a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed to students, just weeks before a second attack in Nice cathedral killed three.

In the wake of Paty's murder, Macron took a noticeably harder line on Islamic extremism - declaring that France would 'neve give up' expressing free speech including drawing Mohammed pictures.

That prompted mass demonstrations in many Muslim-majority nations, led by Turkey's President Erdogan who denounced the comments.
Hundreds of workout fanatics have been plunged into isolation after 15 Covid infections were linked to a popular Sydney gym.

Patrons who trained at City Gym in Darlinghurst on October 18 to 25 were ordered to get tested and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.

NSW Health said the confirmed cases either trained at the gym while infectious or caught the virus while there. All gym patrons must be vaccinated.

Executive Director of City Gym in Darlinghurst, Billy Kokkinis, said the news of the new cases had come as a 'complete shock'.

Patrons who trained at City Gym in Darlinghurst, Sydney, on October 18 to 25 were ordered to get tested and self-isolate until they receive a negative result

Mr Kokkinis told The Daily Telegraph three health inspectors visited the premises on Tuesday claiming it was the 'cleanest gym' they had been to so far.

'Their health and safety are my priority, and it's disappointing that NSW Health could not afford me the same candid communication,' he said.

'You can't tell me one day that we're the cleanest gym and then the next day tell me we're a hotspot.

He said he was shocked to learn his gym had become the latest Covid-19 hotspot after his staff and members took precautionary measures to follow health guidelines.

'We have been in undeviating contact with the NSW Health department, meticulously following their instruction regarding our Covid safe practices, procedures and updates,' Mr Kokkinis said.

The gym owner also claimed NSW Health previously apologised for a technical error involving alerts of false Covid positive cases attending the venue.

Under current NSW Covid-19 restrictions only double-jabbed residents can train inside Sydney gyms

'Our case manager even apologised to us for a 'glitch' in their system when they repeatedly sent false messages to isolate and get tested,' Mr Kokkinis said.

He added the system error lead to unwarranted anxiety and uncertainty from gym members as he was left to rectify the mistake.

NSW recorded 304 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases and three deaths, including a patient in their 30s, on Wednesday.

Service NSW app does not automatically notify users if they have visited a Covid exposure site - meaning thousands of residents may have no idea they were at risk.

Over 700,000 case alerts raised by NSW Health in the past month may have gone unnoticed as they do not appear on a phone's home screen as a push notification.

Users can check the 'history' section of the Service NSW app to see whether any of the venues they have been to are confirmed exposure sites.

NSW Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello said the state government was not planning on incorporating push alerts into the app until December 1.

As of September, users can scroll through their history on the Covid Safe Check-In service to see if any of their locations are listed with a red 'Covid-19 case alert' icon.

From September 30 to October 25, NSW Health said it published more than 700,000 case alerts.

Mr Dominello said push notifications would become more necessary in the coming months when traditional contact tracing methods are scaled back and Australia begins to live with the virus.
Allied of lobbying shame ex-minister Owen Paterson have claimed he was the victim of an 'injustice' after he was found to haver breached lobbying rules to help companies paying him more than 100,000 a year.

The former Environment and Northern Ireland Secretary, 65, is facing a 30-day ban from the Commons for actions on behalf of two firms he was paid to advise.

The cross-party Standards Committee said that 'no previous case of paid advocacy has seen so many breaches or such a clear pattern of behaviour in failing to separate private and public interests'.

It followed a probe by Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone into his actions on behalf of Randox, a clinical diagnostics company, and Lynn's Country Foods, who between them supplemented his 80,000 MP's salary by more than 112,000.

The suspension has to be ratified by the Commons and No10 said last night a motion will be moved in the Commons following the usual process. But dozens of Tory MPs have threatened to vote against it.

It would pave the way for a recall petition to be opened that could force Mr Paterson to face a by-election for his seat.

Those supporting Mr Paterson include former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee, who told The Daily Telegraph the case raised 'clear questions about the absence of due process.'

Shropshire North MP Mr Paterson lashed out at officials over the investigation, accusing them of contributing to the death of his wife, Rose, who took her own life last year.

And former minister David David made similar allegations on his behalf.

Shropshire North MP Mr Paterson lashed out at officials over the investigation, accusing them of contributing to the death of his wife, Rose, who took her own life last year.

And former minister David David made similar allegations on his behalf

What did Owen Paterson do? Owen Paterson was censured by the Commons today for a series of breaches of lobbying rules on behalf of two companies he was paid to advise. He has been a consultant to clinical diagnostics firm Randox since August 2015, a year after he left Government. He has carried out a similar role for Lynn's Country Foods, a processor and distributor of meat products including 'nitrite-free' items, since December 2016. Both firms are based in Northern Ireland. The Commissioner found that he breached paragraph 11 of the 2015 MP's Code of Conduct that prohibits 'paid advocacy' - when he made three approaches to the Food Standards Agency relating to Randox and the testing of antibiotics in milk in November 2016 and November 2017

In emails to the FSA he mentioned 'Randox's superior technology' in helping identify the problems.

The hardline Brexiteer broke the same rules making seven approaches to the FSA for Lynn's Country Foods in November 2017, January 2018 and July 2018 regarding a rival 'global food producer (who) was acting in breach of EU law by mislabelling a product'.

And the same rules were breached in in October 2016 and January 2017 when he made four approaches to ministers at the Department for International Development relating to Randox and blood testing technology.

The Commissioner also found that Mr Paterson had breached paragraph 13 of the 2015 MP's Code of Conduct, on declarations of interest, by failing to declare his interest as a paid consultant to Lynn's Country Foods in four emails to officials at the Food Standards Agency on 16 November 2016, 15 November 2017, 8 January 2018 and 17 January 2018.

Lastly, the Commissioner found that Mr Paterson breached paragraph 15 of the 2015 MP's Code of Conduct, on use of parliamentary facilities, by using his parliamentary office on 16 occasions for business meetings with his paying clients between October 2016 and February 2020; and in sending two letters, on 13 October 2016 and 16 January 2017, relating to his business interests, on House of Commons headed notepaper. Advertisement

'I think he suffered an injustice, because the person who's carried out this inquiry, the Standards Commissioner, didn't talk to him for 17 months... it's like having a trial in which you're not allowed to appear as a witness,' Mr Davis told Times Radio.

'Second thing, she made a lot of allegations, or she repeated a lot of allegations that were made to her more accurately, and he got 17 witnesses. Now, these are not sort of, just people off the street.

'These are people like the chief scientist, and cabinet ministers who he'd been to see and so on, to tell her that he had obeyed the rules in each of their meetings. And she didn't interview one of them.

'Now, normally, in a court of law in the UK, if a witness statement is presented, it's either cross examined and challenged, or it's taken as fact. There's no other option, you can't just throw it out and ignore it. You will do one or the other. What she has done, is thrown all 17 out and ignored them, effectively, without cross examination.'

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards opened the investigation in October 2019 following allegations Owen Paterson had improperly lobbied for Randox and meat processor Lynn's Country Foods.

The commissioner found the North Shropshire MP had breached a rule prohibiting paid advocacy in the MPs' Code of Conduct in making three approaches to the Food Standards Agency relating to Randox and the testing of antibiotics in milk in November 2016 and 2017.

He was also found to have breached the rule over making seven approaches to the same agency for Lynn's Country Foods between November 2017 and July 2018, and four approaches to ministers in the Department for International Development relating to Randox and blood testing technology in October 2016 and January 2017.

He also breached the Code of Conduct over declarations of interest by failing to declare his role as a paid consultant to Lynn's in four emails to the Food Standards Agency between November 2016 and January 2018.

Mr Paterson also breached the code over use of parliamentary facilities by using his parliamentary office for business meetings with clients on 25 occasions between October 2016 and February 2020 and by sending two letters relating to business interests on House of Commons headed notepaper in October 2016 and January 2017.

After analysing the commissioner's findings, the Committee on Standards recommended he be suspended for 30 days.

Its report said: 'The committee found that Mr Paterson's actions were an egregious case of paid advocacy, that he repeatedly used his privileged position to benefit two companies for whom he was a paid consultant, and that this has brought the House into disrepute.'

In a statement Mr Paterson said the investigation against him was 'biased' and 'an absolute denial of justice'.

'On a personal level, the cost to me and my three grown-up children from the manner of this investigation has been catastrophic,' he said in a statement.

'Last summer, in the midst of the investigation, my wife of 40 years, Rose, took her own life.

'We will never know definitively what drove her to suicide, but the manner in which this investigation was conducted undoubtedly played a major role.'
Spanish railway company Renfe wants to begin a high-speed train service between Paris and London.

The company said it wants to take advantage of slots still available in the tunnel under the English Channel, it was reported on Tuesday.

Confirming the story first reported in Spanish paper El Pais, the company said: 'Renfe wants to operate on the Paris-London high-speed line through the Eurotunnel, and has already started initial contacts to compete with Eurostar.

'At the moment there are available paths and capacity to operate on the High Speed line,' Renfe added, specifying that it had already carried out a market study showing that it would be 'profitable'.

Spanish train operator Renfe has announced it plans to launch a high speed rail service between London and Paris that would directly rival the Eurostar service under the channel

The high-speed line between Paris and London, operated by Eurostar, connects the two capitals in two hours and 15 minutes through the tunnel opened in 1994.

Before the pandemic, it was used by nine million passengers annually.

Eurostar train traffic fell sharply from 2020 due to the outbreak of the health crisis, but 'it was growing until COVID-19, a trend expected to recover next year,' Renfe stressed.

The Spanish company expects to operate its service with its own trains, starting with a minimum of seven, and believes taking a share of the London-Paris line will help it enter the French market.

'In a second phase, the service could be extended to new French and international destinations,' the company said.

Operator Getlink said: 'The tunnel has always offered open access to rail operators and provides an attractive and low-carbon route for travel and trade.'

Experts say logistical issues such as border checks and bag scans have stopped other companies from attempting to launch rival services between London and the continent before

Sleeper trains could be making a comeback A French start-up company is hoping to launch a network of sleeper trains that would connect some of Europe's biggest cities. Earlier this year, Midnight Trains announced plans for trains styled as 'hotels on rails' which would offer a greener - and more private - alternative to short-haul flights. The company said it aims to connect the French capital to 12 other European destinations, including Edinburgh. The founders decided it was time for sleeper trains to make a comeback as concerns over carbon emissions have grown. Speaking to the Guardian earlier this year, co-founder Adrien Aumont said: 'At the moment there is no alternative for medium-distance travel [other] than flights or a bad night train. 'And the only way we can rival planes is to reinvent the train experience.' Aumont insisted prices would be 'competitive' with those of short-haul flights. The company website says the first line will be launched from their Paris hub in 2024. It adds: 'This will lay the foundation for our ambitious plan to create a network of more than 10 destinations, each between 800 and 1,500 km from Paris.' Advertisement

Both HS1 and Eurostar have welcomed the competition.

Eurostar told MailOnline: 'We have been ready to see a new operator arriving on one of our routes for a long time, according to the railway competition regulation.

'Our focus at Eurostar right now is on welcoming increasing numbers of passengers back to travel, providing them with the best possible service and - especially in the run up to COP26 - demonstrating that international rail offers a fast and sustainable alternative to air travel across the markets we serve.'

HS1 said competition would provide more choice for customers who choose not to fly to the continent, according to the Financial Times.

European rail commentator Jon Worth said competition would almost certainly benefit customers.

He told MailOnline: 'Eurostar is essentially a monopoly and, especially at peak times, its prices can be exorbitant.

'If you look at the example of Milan to Rome in Italy when a second company entered the high speed rail market, prices dropped and the number of daily services increased.

'And rails market share versus the plane on the route went up too. If Renfes plan works for Paris to London that ought to happen there too.'

Eurostar has not faced direct competition before due to logistical hurdles facing companies who endeavour to enter the market.

Mr Worth added: 'A decade ago German railways Deutsche Bahn investigated running Frankfurt - Cologne - Brussels - London trains, but that fell foul of the need to scan bags and check passports of passengers before boarding the trains.

'There was no way to do that in German stations. Also as Eurostar is 55 per cent owned by the French state rail company SNCF - one of the strongest and most important rail companies in Europe - no other rail firms have dared rival Eurostar until now.

Eurostar (pictured) says it has been waiting for competition on the route for a long time

Passengers numbers fell by 95 per cent amid the pandemic and Covid travel restrictions

'Renfe wants to only run Paris - London, so directly against Eurostar, on the same route. And no other firm has tried that.

'The stations for this - Paris Nord (and possibly Lille Europe and Calais Frethun as stops en route) have the security facilities and passport control staff already, so Renfes plan is easier to implement than Deutsche Bahns was.'

Mr Worth said that Renfe is probably about the only railway company in Europe right now that would be in a position to try to do this and, if it goes ahead, it will be at least three years before services begin.

Eurostar struggled during the pandemic and had to secure a 250million bailout in May this year.

The international line after it suffered a 95 per cent drop in passenger numbers as a result of Covid.

The cross-Channel rail operator reached a financing agreement with its shareholders and banks in May this year.

This included French state rail company SNCF, which is the company's majority shareholder.

The package consists of 150 million of loans guaranteed by shareholders, 50 million of additional equity from shareholders, and the restructuring of 50 million of existing loan facilities.

In November 2020, Eurostar claimed it 'has been left fighting for its survival against a 95 per cent drop in demand'.

The line, which connects London with Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, has been credited with reducing carbon emissions.

It launched in 1994 and since then the number of flights between London and Paris has more than halved.
An Emmy-award nominated cameraman on the likes of Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Ellen DeGeneres Show is set to appear in court over an alleged death threat he made to Republican congressman Matt Gaetz.

Eugene Huelsman was arrested last week for a call he made to Gaetz's office just three days after the Capitol riots in January, in which he allegedly threatened to shoot the congressman.

Gaetz, 39, was one of the foremost Republicans echoing former President Donald Trump's allegations of widespread voter fraud in the wake of the election.

'Tell [M.G.] to watch his back, tell him to watch his children,' Huelsman said according to the indictment.

'I'm coming for him. I'm gonna f---ing kill him. I'm gonna put a bullet in you and I'm gonna put a bullet in one of your f---ing kids too.'

The news comes just days after Gaetz claimed a hitman had traveled to Washington D.C. to kill him in a bizarre speech in the House of Representatives last week.

United States Representative Matt Gaetz (Republican of Florida) allegedly received a death threat from Eugene Huelsman on January 9, just days after the Capitol riots (Gaetz pictured September 2021)

Eugene Huelsman was arrested last week for a call he made to Gaetz's office just three days after the Capitol riots in January. Huelsman's role as a long-time camera operator for national television networks such as NBC, CNN and ABC was first revealed in a Fox News broadcast and subsequently shared via Gaetz' official Twitter account

Huelsman allegedly made the call to Gaetz threatening his life on January 9, just days after the Capitol riots (pictured) Gaetz, 39, was one of the foremost Republicans echoing former President Donald Trump's allegations of widespread voter fraud in the wake of the election

Huelsman's role as a long-time camera operator for national television networks such as NBC, CNN and ABC was first revealed in a Fox News broadcast and subsequently shared via Gaetz' official Twitter account.

Huelsman was indicted in May in Florida on one felony count of making a threat to injure the person of another, but his whereabouts at the time were not known to authorities.

A judge sealed the indictment until law enforcement managed to locate the cameraman in California and arrested him last week.

Huelsman was subsequently released by on a $20,000 bond according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office, but is scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge in Pensacola on Friday, according to court records.

It is the latest development in what has been a tumultuous few months for Rep. Gaetz, who only last week told the House of Representatives he had received another unrelated death threat from a 'hitman' via Twitter.

A copy of the indictment of Eugene Huelsman, outlining the charge against the cameraman who is accused to threatening to kill Florida congressman Matt Gaetz

Gaetz is facing a number of allegations that include sex trafficking, prostitution, obstruction of justice, campaign finance violations and a number of other corruption claims. He has denied any allegations of wrongdoing and has repeatedly pointed out that despite his alleged crimes, no charges have yet been brought against him

Gaetz claimed he received a direct message on October 8 via Twitter from a user which read: 'I lived in Portland. Portland has ordered a hit on you. I accepted the contract. Have a good day.'

He went on to say he was told by a source that the Capitol Police recommended the arrest of the individual, who had purportedly traveled to D.C., but it was later blocked by the Department of Justice.

'If my name weren't Gaetz, if it were Omar or Talib, you bet this person would have been arrested,' Gaetz declared.

'But the Department of Justice doesn't seem to care so much when it's Republicans.'

Gaetz is facing a number of allegations that include sex trafficking, prostitution, obstruction of justice, campaign finance violations and several other corruption claims.

The lawmaker, who is a close ally of former President Donald Trump, has denied any allegations of wrongdoing and has repeatedly pointed out that despite his alleged crimes, no charges have yet been brought against him.

Gaetz has been steadfast in his denial of the claims and has said repeatedly he will not resign from Congress as a result.

It emerged last week that a federal Florida judge delayed GOP Rep Joel Greenberg's sex trafficking sentence by five months so he can cooperate with a probe into Gaetz.

US District Judge Gregory Presnell agreed to postpone the sentencing until next March, in order for Greenberg to probe prosecutors with more information on sex trafficking crimes as per his plea deal.

Greenberg, the former Seminole County tax collector, is facing up to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty last May to six federal crimes, including sex trafficking of a child, identity theft, stalking, wire fraud and conspiracy to bribe a public official.

His cooperation in helping to investigate sex trafficking crimes is said to play a possible role in looking into allegations against his friend Gaetz.
Sir David Amess died of 'multiple stab wounds to the chest' after being attacked during a constituency surgery at a church 12 days ago, an inquest heard today.

Sir David, 69, was stabbed to death at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on October 15 during a constituency surgery.

The father-of-five was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.10pm and a preliminary postmortem examination report gave the cause of death as multiple stab wounds to the chest.

Today's inquest, which lasted less than five minutes, was told that Sir David died of 'multiple stab wounds to the chest', with the number of wounds not stated.

Coroner's officer Paul Donaghy said that on October 15 Sir David was stabbed 'during a meeting with one individual' and his death was declared at 1.13pm.

Lincoln Brookes, the senior coroner for Essex, suspended the inquest until the conclusion of criminal proceedings, with the inquest to be reviewed on April 27 next year.

He said that the body had been released into the care of the family's nominated funeral directors.

'I may be speaking on behalf of many in the country when I ask that my deepest condolences are passed on to Sir David's family,' Mr Brookes said.

Wednesday's hearing, in the Council Chamber at County Hall, was attended by James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East, who sat and listened to proceedings.

Three police officers were seen in the building before the hearing began, and no family members attended.

A 25-year-old man is charged with the terrorist murder of Sir David.

Ali Harbi Ali appeared before the Old Bailey last Friday, where he was not asked to enter pleas to charges of murder and preparing acts of terrorism between May 1 2019 and September this year. He faces a trial in March next year.

An inquest into the death of the Conservative MP for Southend West is due to be opened and adjourned at County Hall in Chelmsford today

Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Ali Harbi Ali appearing at the Old Bailey in London by video-link from HMP Belmarsh

Left to right: Katie, wife Julia, Flo, Sir David Amess, Sarah and Alex at Flo's wedding in August

An Anglo-Iranian community member leaves flowers at a memorial and wall of condolence for MP David Amess

The funeral of Sir David will be held at Westminster Cathedral next month, MPs have been told.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the leader of Roman Catholics in England and Wales, will preside over the service at 10.30am on Tuesday, November 23. The details were confirmed earlier today to MPs, peers and staff who attend Catholic services in Parliament.

Sir David, a 69-year-old father of five, was ambushed at his Friday meeting with the public and stabbed 17 times in a frenzied attack. After a week of questioning by Scotland Yard as well as searches of his home and electronic devices, Ali was charged with murder and another charge of preparation of terrorist acts.

The possible terror link has led Defence Secretary Ben Wallace to call for new regulations to make social media companies 'less attractive' to those who could potentially become radicalised via the platforms.

Mr Wallace told the Commons Defence Committee on Tuesday that the internet was 'dangerous' when in the 'wrong hands'.

He made the comments after committee chairman Tobias Ellwood brought up the stabbing of Sir David by a suspect who, he said, it was 'allegedly assumed could have been self-indoctrinated by what he read on the internet'.

The Defence Secretary replied: 'We are all grappling in our parliaments around the world about how to regulate, how to deal with this and it is not easy, but I have always pushed for more regulation on that because it is frightening how it gets into young people, or actually any aged people.

'It is powerful and, in the wrong hands, dangerous.

'I've always talked about the business models of these internet companies. I think I've said on the record that I want to talk about the YouTube internet model - the longer you're on it, the more you're hooked, the more they sell advertising.

'If we want to tackle it, we have to go right to the heart of their business model and make it less attractive.

'But the worry is that it is without trace, in a sense: you sit in your bedroom and you radicalise yourself. You are not travelling to Afghanistan to be given orders, you are not buying weapons on the internet, because you are taking a kitchen knife or whatever.'

Nick Price, Head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: 'The CPS has authorised charges against Ali Harbi Ali for the murder of MP Sir David Amess. We will submit to the court that this murder has a terrorist connection, namely that it had both religious and ideological motivations. He has also been charged with the preparation of terrorist acts. This follows a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation'.

Boris Johnson speaking in the chamber of the House of Commons as MPs gather to pay tribute to Sir David

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford attend a service to honour Sir David at the Church of St Margaret, in the grounds of Westminster Abbey, October 18, 2021

Candles are lit next to a portrait of David Amess during a vigil for him at St Michaels Church, in Leigh-on-Sea

People look at flowers left by the police cordon nearby the Belfairs Methodist Church

Matt Jukes, Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations, said: 'I want to send my deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Sir David Amess, who died so tragically last Friday. Sir David's dedication to his family, his constituents and his community, and his positive impact on the lives of so many has shone through'.

Speaking outside New Scotland Yard, Mr Jukes added: 'A large team of detectives have been working around the clock to find out as much as we can about what happened and why.

'That work has included searches at a number of London addresses. Our advanced forensics team analysed digital devices and carried out a painstaking review of CCTV footage.

'If there are members of the public who have further information that might help the investigation, I would urge them to come forward. Every piece of information in investigations like these is important and you will not be wasting our time.'

Sir David's death during his weekly constituency surgery has shocked Britain and is likely to change the way MPs are protected and meet voters forever.

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.'

Ali is the son of a former Sudanese diplomat who was born in Britain and raised in Croydon. After falling out with his parents 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

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 on October 16, 2021

His move to north London 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 were initially mystified about why the 69-year-old Tory politician was singled out for attack.

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 alleged targeting of Sir David. One government insider told the paper: 'He was unlucky. He was not targeted because of his political party. David Amess was not specifically targeted.'

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 the Wednesday before his death.

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.
North Korea has warned its citizens that they must expect to eat less food until the country re-opens its border with China in 2025.

Food shortages are already affecting North Koreans, but citizens were told to tighten their belts for at least another three years by officials, according to RFA.

However, people have already complained that shortages would make it difficult to see themselves through the winter, let alone multiple years.

North Korea closed its border with China in January 2020 as a precautionary measure against the spread of coronavirus.

North Korea has warned its citizens that they must expect to eat less food until the country re-opens its border with China in 2025. Food shortages are already affecting North Koreans, but citizens were told to tighten their belts for at least another three years by Kim Jong Un's (pictured) government

But the move had a serious impact on the nation's economy - with prices of everyday goods rising sharply as demand outstripped supply.

Speaking about the new government guidance, a resident of the city Sinuiju, who wished to remain anonymous, said that people have been warned that the chances of re-opening the border with China before 2025 were slim.

They added: 'The food situation right now is already clearly an emergency, and the people are struggling with shortages. When the authorities tell them that they need to conserve and consume less food until 2025 they can do nothing but feel great despair.'

Despite the current hardships the North Korean people are facing, their leader Kim Jong Un has been continuing to push the idea of self-reliance this year.

The North Korean government has blamed external factors for their food shortages though, citing sanctions imposed on them, natural disasters and the global coronavirus pandemic. Pictured: North Korean farmers harvesting rice on October 19, 2021

This message was further encouraged in July when then Central Committee instructed the public to begin growing their own crops in anticipation of shortages.

However, with the UNs Food and Agriculture Organization estimating that North Korea is short around 860,000 tons of food this year, the Sinuiju resident said that contempt is growing among the people.

'They say that telling us to endure hardship until 2025 is the same as telling us to starve to death,' the resident said.

A second source claimed that the North Korean government is attempting to spin the food shortages as a result of their effective Covid-19 strategy, which they say has worked well.

The government has blamed external factors for their food shortages though, citing sanctions imposed on them, natural disasters and the global coronavirus pandemic.

Last year, North Korea suffered severe flooding which damaged vital crops and left hundreds of families without homes. This year, crops were also damaged by droughts and subsequent flooding.

In August, heavy rains in northeastern North Korea destroyed or flooded 1,170 houses and forced 5,000 residents to evacuate to safety, North Korea's state TV reported.

The downpour in South Hamgyong Province washed away hundreds of hectares of farmlands and destroyed many bridges. Footage showed houses submerged up to their red-brick roofs, a severed bridge over muddy water and a swollen river.

Kim has acknowledged a 'tense' food situation that could worsen if all of the crops fail, exacerbating economic problems amid strict self-imposed border and movement restrictions that have slowed trade to a trickle. Pictured: File image of men plowing a field in North Korea in July 2017

Summer rains in North Korea often cause serious damage to its agricultural and other sectors due to poor drainage, deforestation and dilapidated infrastructure in the impoverished country.

Kim has acknowledged a 'tense' food situation that could worsen if all of the crops fail, exacerbating economic problems amid strict self-imposed border and movement restrictions that have slowed trade to a trickle.

North Korea is a mountainous nation, meaning suitable land for farming is in short supply and many of its farmers lack access to tools such as tractors, combine harvesters and threshers.

As a result, it is thought that North Korea relies on foreign imports and aid to feed around a third of its population.

Even with those imports, a 2017 UN report concluded that two fifths of the population are undernourished - meaning they don't have access to the number of calories needed per day to maintain a healthy weight.

A third of North Korea children are also thought to be stunted, meaning they did not get enough calories during the early years of their life.
A mother claims her toddler was left screaming that her face was 'burning' within seconds of applying Lidl baby lotion - leaving her face covered in red welts.

Lezah Thompson had run out of her usual baby lotion and decided to buy Lidl's own brand, Lupilu, instead while out doing her weekly shop.

The 34-year-old stay-at-home mum claims she applied the cream to her daughter Thea's face as usual but said within seconds the three-year-old was 'squealing' in pain.

Lezah Thompson's three year-old daughter Lezah suffered burns and red blotches to her face for 24 hours after using Lidl's own brand of baby lotion

Mrs Thompson, 34, pictured with husband Pat, 34, and daughter Thea (as a baby), has complained about the product to Environmental Health and Lidl

After quickly rinsing the lotion off under the sink, the three-year-old was left with sore, red blotches all over her face for the next 24 hours.

After sharing her child's ordeal on social media, Mrs Thompson says she was encouraged by someone to report it officially.

Derry City Council confirmed that its Environmental Health team had received a complaint and are currently investigating the matter.

Lidl said they have 'rigorous quality control processes' and this was an 'isolated incident' but confirmed they were investigating the incident.

Lidl's own brand of Lupilu baby lotion, which left marks on Thea's face

Mrs Thompson, from Derry, Northern Ireland, said: 'I normally use Johnson's but I'd run out of that so and I was out in Lidl doing my shopping so I thought I'll give that a try.

'I just dabbed it on her face, on her cheeks, forehead and chin and just before rubbing it in she said 'mummy that's burning me' and I looked down and saw the red.

'I knew straight away that something was wrong - I just thought that's not normal.

'I got her to the water quickly and rinsed it off. She had red blotches all over her face and she started really squealing and saying it was burning.

'It happened within seconds. For the rest of the day I had to keep putting a damp cloth on her face to cool it down.

'I gave her paracetamol and thought if it's still like that tomorrow then I'll take her to the doctor and get her seen to.

'It happened within seconds. For the rest of the day I had to keep putting a damp cloth on her face to cool it down.

'I gave her paracetamol and thought if it's still like that tomorrow then I'll take her to the doctor and get her seen to. I'll definitely never be using that lotion again.'

After a painful 24 hours with red-raw skin, thankfully little Thea's burns began to calm down the following day when the redness began to subside.

Mrs Thompson insists that her daughter has never had an allergic reaction to any cream or cosmetic product and so reported it to Lidl for them to investigate.

Mrs Thompson insists that her daughter Thea has never had an allergic reaction to any cream or cosmetic product

Thea, pictured here with her younger siblings Teddie and Calla, has made a good recovery since the incident

Mr and Mrs Thompson, pictured here with daughter Thea, now aged three, and son Teddie, now two, say they are relieved they did not use the lotion on their two younger children

A Lidl spokesperson said: 'Customer and product safety is of the utmost importance to Lidl. We have rigorous quality control processes in place to ensure that our products adhere to the highest standards.

'Our Customer Services team made our Quality Assurance team aware of a complaint from a customer. The Quality team opened an investigation and began the process of obtaining information from the customer.

'At this moment this is an ongoing case and have engaged with the customer at all stages. A request was made to return the product to Lidl so we could ensure it was tested - unfortunately the product has yet to be returned and therefore we cannot progress with the investigation.

'There have been no additional complaints relating to this product so at this point in time it is in an isolated incident.'

A spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council confirmed that its Environmental Health team had received a complaint and are currently investigating the matter.

The spokesperson added they were not in a position to provide any further information while the investigation is ongoing.

Lidl and Derry City and Strabane District Council have been contacted for further comment by Mail Online
Arguments to vaccinate children as young as five against Covid are 'scientifically weak', British experts claimed today after the US moved closer to jabbing infants.

An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday almost unanimously agreed the benefits of giving under-12s Pfizer's jab outweighed risks.

American health chiefs are expected to green light the plans within days, which will put pressure on the UK to follow suit.

But British scientists have warned against 'blindly' recommending the jabs to primary school-aged children without weighing up the risks 'extremely carefully'.

Professor David Livermore, a medical microbiologist at the University of East Anglia told MailOnline: 'Vaccinating children to protect adults via herd immunity is ethically dubious and is scientifically weak.'

There are also still fears about myocarditis, a form of heart inflammation detected in children, mostly boys, in around one in 10,000 cases after vaccination.

Critics say children are better off catching Covid and getting protection naturally because the risk of being admitted to ICU is about one in 500,000.

There are signs that natural immunity in British youngsters is already slowing the epidemic. But some studies have suggested myocarditis is even more common after Covid infection itself, which complicates the matter further.

Professor Russell Viner, a pediatrician and member of the UK Government's scientific advisory group SAGE, said it was crucial the UK does not 'rush to a decision' in the wake of the announcement in the US.

Professor Paul Hunter (left), an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia (UEA), told MailOnline the risk of serious illness from Covid in five- to 12-year-olds is even lower than in 12-t-15-year-olds, who are currently eligible for a Pfizer vaccine in the UK. And Professor David Livermore (right), a medical microbiologist at UEA, says arguments to extend the rollout further to achieve herd immunity are also 'scientifically weak'

The Pfizer vaccine is 91 per cent effective in children aged five to 11 for the first four months after it is administered, according to Pfizer's trial

Data used to justify the FDA panel's decision showed nearly 180 children would be expected to suffer from myocarditis for every death the vaccine would prevent if the rollout went ahead.

But the side effect would not be expected to cause any deaths.

The rollout would stop over 200 hospitalisations and a handful of deaths over a six-month period, by comparison.

And the data showed it could stop tens of thousands of infections in the same time.

Seventeen out of 18 advisers ruled the benefits outweighed the risk, while one member abstained.

UK's Covid cases may be shrinking because children have developed 'high levels' of immunity due to the back-to-school wave, SAGE adviser claims Britain's Covid cases may already be falling because children have built-up immunity following the back-to-school wave, one of the Government's top scientific advisers claimed today. Professor John Edmunds, an epidemiologist who sits on SAGE, said the spike in infections over the last few months was driven by 'huge numbers of cases' in youngsters. Health officials estimate as many as one in 12 children across England were carrying the virus last week. The surge in infections 'will eventually lead to high levels of immunity in children' which will see cases plateau and then fall, Professor Edmunds said. He added that it 'may be that we're achieving that now'. Professor Edmunds, who has been infamously pro-lockdown during the pandemic, was behind the unusually optimistic London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine model published last week. It found cases could start to fall rapidly from next month. His comments come despite growing calls to boost vaccine uptake among pupils following a surge of outbreaks in classrooms. Teaching unions described their 'extreme frustration' with the slow pace of the programme, which has seen just 20 per cent of those aged 12 to 15 vaccinated so far. Advertisement

The plans now now need approval from the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to gain emergency use authorization.

If the move gets through final hurdles, it would make Pfizer's jab the first Covid vaccine to be available for children within that age group.

The data used by the panel was based on Pfizer's Phase 3 clinical trial of 2,268 five-to 11-year-olds from March to September.

While most cases of myocarditis after the Covid jab are mild and treatable, the UK Government's scientific advisers say the long-term effects of the inflammation is not understood.

This was one of the main reasons the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) did not recommend the jabs for 12 to 15 year olds, despite the jab being approved as safe by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The UK only went ahead with those plans after other health officials said they could prevent school disruptions.

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia (UEA), said it was unlikely that the JCVI would recommend the jabs for children under 12 either.

Pfizer's vaccine is not currently approved by the MHRA for anyone under 12 yet.

Professor Hunter told MailOnline: 'The JCVI determined that the benefits of vaccinating 12- to 15-year-olds were marginal and I think they were correct.

'I certainly consider them the most informed group to make such a judgement.

'Given that the severity of infection in under-12s is even less than in 12- to 15-year-olds, the balance of evidence in vaccinating younger children than currently will be that the benefits are even less.

'We do not yet know the likelihood of rare side effects such as myocarditis in this age group, so the risks could also be greater.'

He added: 'In addition, a substantial proportion of children, maybe even a majority, in that age group will already have had the infection.

'So the additional benefits to the child of immunisation in this group are likely to be even less than in a similar aged group that had not had many infections.

'So, I suspect the JCVI would probably not recommend immunisation of younger children and I think they would be correct.'

And Professor David Livermore, a medical microbiologist at UEA, said there is little medical benefit in jabbing the age group because most will already have protection from natural infection.

He told MailOnline: 'There are even fewer medical arguments for vaccinating healthy five- to 11-year-olds than healthy 12-to 15-year-olds. They are at minimal risk of severe disease.

'Vaccinating children to protect adults via herd immunity is ethically dubious and is scientifically weak  firstly because the vaccines only confer transient protection, not the lifelong immunity needed to drive solid herd immunity.

Pfizer set up six projections to determine the risk-reward outcomes of vaccinating children to prevent Covid cases, while also exposing them to the small likelihood of suffering heart inflammation. Scenario 1: Vaccine is 70 per cent effective against infection and 80 per cent effective against hospitalizations, only males between five to 11, who are most at risk for Covid, assuming the virus situation as of September 11 holds

Scenario 2: Same effectiveness as scenario one, though cases increase by 20 per cent, and hospitalizations by 30 per cent

Scenario 3: Covid cases decrease 95 per cent and hospitalizations decrease 90 per cent

Scenario 4: Vaccine is 90 per cent effective against cases and 100 per cent effective against hospitalizations

Scenario 5: Using the current death rate listed on the CDC tracker

Scenario 6: Risk of myocarditis is halved by 50 per cent

'And, secondly, because very, very large numbers of children and adolescents have been infected already, progressively decreasing the groups contribution to viral circulation.'

Now 95% of 16- to 24-year-olds have Covid antibodies, official data reveals More than 95 per cent of 16- to 24-year-olds in England currently have Covid antibodies, according to official data. Office for National Statistics figures released today show 92.2 per cent of the adult population tested positive for the virus-fighting proteins in the week ending October 3. Despite less than half of those aged 16 to 24 having had both Covid vaccines, 95.6 per cent of people in the age group are estimated to have the antibodies  suggesting natural infection has helped build their immunity. The proportion was even higher in Northern Ireland (95.8 per cent) and around the same level in both Wales and Scotland (95.4 per cent). The ONS said: 'Our survey shows that in the week beginning September 27, the percentage of adults testing positive for coronavirus antibodies remained high. 'It has increased in younger adults and is showing signs of a slow decline in older adults. 'We estimate that the antibody positivity for those aged 16 to 24 years increased steadily across all four UK countries, with estimates ranging between 95.4 per cent and 95.8 per cent across the UK, for the week beginning September 27.' Antibody levels appear to be dipping in the over-60s, despite at least 98 per cent of the age group having had both jabs. They were lowest in 70- to 74-year-olds (86 per cent) and 75- to 79-year-olds (86.7 per cent). But people aged 80 and above had the highest antibody levels (89.3 per cent)  even though they were the first to receive their second vaccine dose. Britain began rolling out third booster doses on September 16, two weeks before the ONS's most recent tests, suggesting antibody levels may have started increasing because of the programme. The ONS  which analyses tens of thousands of blood samples every fortnight  doesn't break down whether antibodies came from jabs or infection. Their presence generally means a person has at least some protection against the disease and won't fall ill. Testing positive does not make someone completely immune, however, and people who have them can still get sick. Getting a positive test result means only that there were a certain amount of them in their body at the time of the test. Scientists say levels dip naturally over time and people may not have any detectable antibodies now  even if they did so last year. And likewise, people who test negative may still be protected from the virus because there are other parts of the immune system geared up to fight off invaders, such as T cells. Advertisement

Professor Viner said: 'It's essential not to confuse making a vaccine available for small groups of children aged five to 11 who are highly vulnerable to Covid and vaccinating all otherwise healthy children.

'Its also important to remember that licensing a vaccine merely makes it available for use in this age group  and that decisions about who and when to vaccinate are entirely separate.

'I believe that it is important that the small numbers of children aged five to 11 who are highly vulnerable to Covid have access to vaccination as teenagers and adults do, and this is a useful step in that direction.

'However very few children of this age are in fact highly vulnerable to Covid.

'The data from the UKs first pandemic year showed that Covid caused extremely few deaths and serious illnesses in this age group, with almost all of these in small groups of children who are at higher risk due to other medical conditions.'

In total, there were 259 Covid admissions to ICU among under-18s in England up to the end of February 2021, and 22 had no underlying health woes.

Six of the 25 children who died from the virus in the same time did not appear to have comorbidities.

Professor Viner added: 'While any death of a child is one too many, we will need to extremely carefully weigh the risks and benefits of vaccinating younger children and not rush to a decision or blindly follow other countries.

'As for younger teenagers, the balance of risks and benefits for vaccinating healthy children is likely to be complex and involve a range of social and ethical as well as medical issues.

'Risk balances for the UK will be different to that of the US, as we have better and comprehensive data and a health system that protects the most vulnerable.'

The decision to vaccinate all over-12s was met by furious backlash from Tory MPs and parents who feared their children could would be able to get a vaccine against their wishes.

Children are allowed to override their parent's wishes around the vaccine if they are deemed competent enough but it is an 'uncommon occurrence' according to former vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi.

Meanwhile, there are growing calls to boost vaccine uptake among teenagers after a surge of outbreaks in classrooms.

Teaching unions described their 'extreme frustration' with the slow pace of the programme, which has seen just 20 per cent of those in the age group vaccinated so far.

The US FDA advisory panel yesterday voted unanimously, with one abstention, that the vaccines benefits in preventing Covid in five- to 12-year-olds outweigh any potential risks.

That includes questions about a heart-related side effect that has been very rare in teens and young adults despite their use of a much higher vaccine dose.

While children are far less likely than older people to get severe Covid, the panelists argued it is important to give parents the choice to protect their youngsters  especially those at high risk of illness or who live in places where other precautions, like masks in schools, are not being used.

Panel member Dr Amanda Cohn of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said: 'This is an age group that deserves and should have the same opportunity to be vaccinated as every other age.'

The FDA is not bound by the panels recommendation and is expected to make its own decision within days.

If the FDA concurs, there is still another step. Next week, the CDC will have to decide whether to recommend the jabs and which youngsters should get them.

Graph shows: The proportion of people in different age groups who tested positive for Covid antibodies (green line), have had a first vaccine dose (light blue line) and second vaccine dose (dark blue line) from the weeks beginning December 7 to September 27

The jab for children aged five to 11 will be ten micrograms, a third of the size of the 30 microgram dose given to adults.

'10ug dose level was selected as optimal to elicit robust immune responses with an acceptable safety profile,' Pfizer said in one of the presentation slides.

Just like the doses for adults in the US, it will be a two-shot vaccine with the doses at least three weeks apart.

Full-strength vaccines made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech already are recommended for everyone 12 and older in the country.

The extra-contagious delta variant has caused an alarming rise in paediatric infections, and families are frustrated with school quarantines and having to say no to sleepovers and other rites of childhood to keep the virus at bay.

In the five-to-11 age group, there have been over 8,300 hospitalisations reported, about a third requiring intensive care, and nearly 100 deaths.

States are getting ready to roll out the jabs  just a third of the amount given to teens and adults  that will come in special orange-capped vials to avoid dosage mix-ups.

Pfizer set up six projections to determine the risk-reward outcomes of vaccinating children to prevent Covid cases, while also exposing them to the small likelihood of suffering heart inflammation.

The model found that the vaccine could potentially prevent thousands of Covid cases, hundreds of hospitalisations and a very small amount of deaths.

But the projects suggested the vaccine could also cause dozens of serious myocarditis cases.
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Covid infections were falling in children even before half-term began, official data suggests in a sign that high levels of immunity may have started to thwart the virus.

Department of Health statistics show cases among five to 19-year-olds in England peaked on the Tuesday before schools broke up for the week-long holiday and have dropped ever since.

Experts said the drop was likely genuine, but cautioned that testing rates in youngsters may have dipped slightly in the run-up to the break. They added: 'I don't know for certain, but I would think (the drop) will be sustained.'

It comes after one of the Government's scientific advisers claimed Britain's Covid cases may already be falling because children have built-up immunity following the back-to-school wave.

Professor John Edmunds, an epidemiologist who sits on SAGE, said the spike in infections over the last few months was driven by 'huge numbers of cases' in youngsters. Health officials estimate as many as one in 12 children across England were carrying the virus last week.

The surge in infections 'will eventually lead to high levels of immunity in children' which will see cases plateau and then fall, Professor Edmunds said. He added that it 'may be that we're achieving that now'.

Daily Covid infections in the UK reached a three-month high last week, breaching the 50,000 barrier. It prompted medical unions, some scientists and Labour to call for Plan B  mandatory face masks, work from home guidance and vaccine passports  to be implemented immediately in a bid to control infections.

But cases have now fallen for three days in a row. And optimistic modelling from SAGE has claimed infections may even slump to the 5,000 mark over the coming months, even without No10 caving into demands and resorting to virus-controlling interventions.

Scientists said a combination of booster vaccines, growing natural immunity in children and a drop in classroom mixing during the October half-term break would drag cases down.

The above graph shows Covid infection rates per 100,000 people in England divided by age group. It reveals that cases in 5 to 19-year-olds may have peaked and have now begun to fall. But in all other age groups they were still rising

The above graph shows the number of lateral flow tests carried out daily. It reveals that over the two weeks before half term the number completed remained similar, at around 550,000 a day

Officials do not collect data on antibody levels among under-16s. But for those aged 16 to 24-years-old they found 95.6 per cent had antibodies against the virus (top left, green line) despite only 81.4 per cent (top left, blue line) having been vaccinated. Vaccines are now available for 12 to 15-year-olds, but it is likely many already have immunity from past infection

Department of Health data suggests Covid cases have now peaked among school children, in a positive sign that they could soon fall in other age groups that they are passing the virus on to.

Its figures are published by when people actually took their test, rather than when they got their result, which experts say is more reliable because it accounts for reporting delays.

Cases among 10 to 14-year-olds  the age group with the highest infection rate  may have peaked on October 19 at 1,925.2 positive tests per 100,000 people.

Why might Covid infections in school children have peaked? Department of Health data suggests Covid infections among school children peaked before half term began. Scientists have suggested that this could have been caused by rising immunity in the age group, or a reduction in Covid testing. Antibody levels SAGE scientists have suggested rising antibody levels in children could be behind the fall in cases. No vaccine was offered to children before they returned to school, meaning only those who had previously caught the virus had protection against it. But following a huge back to school wave the number of children with Covid-fighting antibodies has been boosted, meaning more are protected against the virus. Those aged 12 to 15 were also offered one dose of a Covid vaccine from September 20 to ensure more of them had protection. But uptake has been slow and the vaccination drive has been sluggish. Some 12 per cent of 12 to 15-year-olds have been vaccinated so far, according to figures from the UK Health Security Agency. Covid testing Scientists have also suggested that a drop in Covid testing could be behind the suggested fall in infections in school children. Children are required to swab themselves twice a week for the virus using lateral flow tests, and report the results to Test and Trace. Some have suggested the number of tests carried out may have dropped ahead of the holidays as people became more relaxed about taking them. But Department of Health data suggests a similar number of lateral flow tests were completed over the two weeks before half term, averaging about 550,000 a day. The vast majority of England's schools broke up for the holidays this Monday. But there is a small group  such as schools in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire  which broke up the previous Monday for two weeks. This may have influenced the data. Advertisement

For 15 to 19-year-olds and five to nine year olds, the rate also hit a high on October 19 of 861.3 and 760.7, respectively.

But over the next two days that data is available official figures show the infection rate dipped in these age groups.

For 10 to 14-year-olds it had fallen to 1,868.9 by the end of October 21.

And among 15 to 19-year-olds it was 843.4, while for five to nine-year-olds it had dipped to 746.2.

The figures were still up on the same time the previous week but the amount they are rising week-on-week is falling in another sign that cases have already peaked in the age groups.

The vast majority of schools broke up for half-term this Monday.

But a small number  including those in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire among other areas  started the holiday the Monday before for a two-week break. This may have influenced the infection rate, experts cautioned.

Professor Hunter told MailOnline: 'There is a sign that cases may be going down. If you look at the running seven-day average, they are still going up but rather more slowly than they were a few days ago.

'This is around about a week before half term started, so there might be some element of reduced testing in children because they were coming to the school holiday period.

'So, you've got to be a bit cautious about that, but certainly the basic figures look as though case numbers have started to decline in all children under 20.'

There is no age breakdown on testing data, but the figures suggest there was not a significant drop off in the number of lateral flow tests carried out over the last two weeks with around 550,000 completed every day. Secondary school children in England are asked to test themselves for the virus twice a week.

Asked whether the drop was likely to be sustained, Professor Hunter added: 'I don't know for certain, but I would think it probably will be sustained.

[But] I would not bet the house on it in terms of if it is sustained how long will it be sustained for and how deeply it will drop.'

He suggested that the figures may offer yet more proof that the virus has started to become endemic, with Britain no longer in a fragile state where cases could explode at any point. Instead, he suggested cases will start to oscillate as immunity fades.

Covid antibody levels are not estimated in under-16s, but for 16 to 24-year-olds, the youngest age group available, some 95.6 per cent are predicted to have antibodies despite only 81.4 per cent getting at least one dose of the vaccine.

Professor Hunter said: 'So, of the 18.6 per cent of individuals who have not had the vaccine 76 per cent have also got antibodies presumably from an infection.

'Given what we know about the disappearance of antibodies with time this means the large majority of unvaccinated people in this age group have already had the infection and will have similar protection against infection than if they had been immunised.'

It is likely that immunity levels are high among under-16s even though the vaccine was only made available to 12 to 15-year-olds following September 20.

Many have already caught the virus, with infection rates in the age group breaking records after schools went back.

Professor Edmunds told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the consensus among modellers was that cases would either level off or start to drop in the coming weeks.

He said: 'That's because the epidemic in the last few months has been really driven by huge numbers of cases in children. I mean really huge numbers of cases in children. And that will eventually lead to high levels of immunity in children and it may be that we're achieving that now.

'Achieving I think is the wrong word, but it might be we're getting to high levels of immunity in children through these really high rates of infection we've had and it may start to level off.'

But Professor Edmunds warned models presented to ministers also suggest cases could rise again in the spring due to waning immunity and a return to normality.

He said booster doses  currently given to over-50s, healthcare workers and those with underlying conditions  should be dished out as fast as possible to address waning immunity and rising infections.

And they should be offered to younger people 'in time', Professor Edmunds said.

Infections among school children surged to their highest level since the pandemic began in the wake of schools returning from the summer holidays in September.

Some local authorities and head teachers have implemented restrictions in their schools in a bid to stop cases spiralling  such as requiring face masks in corridors and siblings of infected pupils to self-isolate.

But in July England officially dropped almost all Covid restrictions in schools, with only twice weekly testing and ten-day isolation for PCR-positive children kept in place.

There have been calls in the last week for the UK to implement its Plan B winter plan  which ministers said would only be brought if if the NHS faces unsustainable pressure.

Under current measures, the Government is focusing on the rollout of booster jabs and vaccines to 12 to 15-year-olds in a bid to curb rising cases. It will not switch to further curbs  face masks and work from home  unless the NHS comes under 'unsustainable' pressure.

The British Medical Association, the union for doctors, accused the Government of being 'wilfully negligent' for not bringing back Covid restrictions.

And Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on Monday revealed he was in favour of the Plan B measures because it was 'common sense' and they protect 'yourself and everybody else'.

But ministers have taken confidence from unusually optimistic SAGE modelling, which estimated the epidemic will shrink or stay well below pervious waves this winter even without the Government's Plan B of face masks, vaccine passports and work from home.
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The chance of ministers activating their winter Covid 'Plan B' is less than 20 per cent, Government sources claimed today  but face masks might make a partial comeback in schools.

Despite warning last week that daily cases may rise to 100,000 this winter, Downing Street is thought to have taken confidence from the fall in national infections in recent days and optimistic forecasts by SAGE.

Scientific advisers have told the Government that the epidemic could shrink naturally next month without curbs because of a combination of the booster vaccine rollout and growing natural immunity in children.

A Whitehall source told the Financial Times today that the situation was now heading 'in the right direction', adding: 'I reckon there's a less than 20 per cent chance we'll need to activate Plan B.'

Another senior Government official warned against being complacent because it is 'too early to read a lot into the data'. But they conceded that 'there is nothing to currently suggest we need to activate Plan B'.

UK Covid cases have fallen for three days in a row following nearly three weeks of consistent growth, with 40,954 new infections recorded yesterday. The outbreak was being driven by children who remain largely unvaccinated.

However, there were reports today that ministers will give regional public health officials the power to order secondary schools to bring back face masks in communal areas such as assemblies and corridors after half-term next month to curb the outbreak in youngsters.

It is not known whether children will have to wear face coverings while in the classroom again, a policy which campaign groups said hampered their learning and caused them physical harm.

Local councils in areas with high infection rates already have the power to bring back some Covid curbs but the change could broaden the powers to entire regions of England. The Department of Health has refused to comment.

Many within SAGE are still pushing for the suite of measures in Plan B  compulsory face masks, working from home and vaccine passports  to be enforced nationally to give added protection and bring cases down quicker.

LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE: These charts show the impact of returning to normal level of social mixing in three months (bottom) versus remaining cautious for a year - and the impact this would have on infections (left), admissions (middle) and deaths (right). The models show cases plummeting by November in both scenarios thanks to natural immunity but rising in spring (bottom) when vaccine protection is expected to wane

Ministers were warned on Tuesday that the cost of implementing the contingency plan could cost the economy up to 18billion in a leaked report.

The estimate for the damage from reverting to working from home and face masks was produced by the Treasury and Cabinet Office.

A separate paper from the Culture Department has raised concerns vaccine passports could be 'counter-productive' and drive people to poorly ventilated pubs.

Don't 'bash' UK for having bigger Covid outbreak than EU because we're testing more, top Oxford expert says It is unfair to 'bash' Britain for having higher Covid infections than the EU because it is testing up to ten times more people than other countries, an eminent Oxford University expert has claimed. Official figures show the UK currently has the highest infection rate on the continent, except for a few countries in eastern Europe. But it is carrying out the second highest number of swabs for the virus, according to surveillance data. Austria is the only nation undertaking more tests per head. Sir Andrew Pollard, who helped design the AstraZeneca vaccine, warned today it was not helpful to compare Britain's Covid infection rate to other countries. He told a Parliamentary committee: 'Im not trying to deny that theres not plenty of transmission because there is, but its the comparisons that are problematic. 'If you look across Western Europe, we have about 10 times more tests done each day than some other countries, this is per head of population. So we really have to always adjust by looking at the data.' When the UK is compared to other major EU nations in terms of test positivity  the number of cases per test carried out  it is on par with its neighbours. Britain had a positivity rate of 4.6 per cent in the week to October 17, the latest available. This was below Germany (8.3 per cent) and the Netherlands (6.6 per cent) among others, but above Spain (two per cent), France (1.2 per cent) and Italy (0.7 per cent). Britain is also a leader in terms of Covid hospitalisations and deaths but experts tell MailOnline these are also impacted by increased testing. They say when excess mortality is considered  the number of deaths compared to the number expected at a certain time  Britain consistently has one of the lowest rates. Advertisement

Downing Street repeated its assertion yesterday that Plan B would only be introduced if the NHS comes under 'unsustainable' pressure.

There were currently 8,693 patients in hospital with Covid on the most recent count on October 25, the highest level since early March.

But Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, said last week that he believe the current levels are 'sustainable', which angered health service bosses.

NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard has admitted that the national health service has never been completely overwhelmed by Covid, even at the peak last winter when there were 40,0000 Covid inpatients.

Hospital rates are far lower this year than last because of the vaccines but, unlike last winter, non-Covid services are back up and running and medics are trying to clear the pandemic backlog.

If Covid cases start to fall significantly, however, then experts expect hospital rates to follow two-to-three weeks later.

It comes as one of the Government's most senior Covid scientists said growing immunity in children was probably behind the recent dip in cases.

Professor John Edmunds, an epidemiologist who sits on SAGE, said the spike in infections over the last few months was driven by 'huge numbers of cases' in youngsters.

Health officials estimate as many as one in 12 children across England were carrying the virus last week.

The surge in infections 'will eventually lead to high levels of immunity in children' which will see cases plateau and then fall, Professor Edmunds said. He added that it 'may be that we're achieving that now'.

The epidemiologist, who has been infamously pro-lockdown during the pandemic, was behind unusually optimistic modelling published last week.

His team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine had cases falling from next month, possibly to as low as 5,000 without Plan B.

Meanwhile, the US yesterday moved one step closer to jabbing children as young as five after independent expert advisers almost unanimously ruled that the benefits outweigh the risks.

Professor Edmunds, a modeller at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the consensus among projections submitted to No10 was that 'cases either levelling off or falling in the coming weeks'.

He said: 'That's because the epidemic in the last few months has been really driven by huge numbers of cases in children. I mean really huge numbers of cases in children.

'And that will eventually lead to high levels of immunity in children and it may be that we're achieving that now.

'Or achieving I think is the wrong word, but it might be that we're getting to high levels of immunity in children through these really high rates of infection we've had and it may start to level off.'

High infection rates among children has led to 'high levels of immunity in children', which may cause cases to plateau and drop, SAGE scientist Professor John Edmunds said

But Professor Edmunds warned the models are also aligned on infections increasing again in the spring due to waning immunity and a return to normality.

He said booster doses  currently being given to over-50s, healthcare workers and those with underlying conditions  should be dished out as fast as possible to address waning immunity and rising infections.

And they should be offered to younger people 'in time', Professor Edmunds said.

Infections amongst pupils have soared among pupils since schools returned, with 7.8 per cent of students aged 11 to 16 carrying the virus over the week ending October 16, according to latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics.

But while cases remain high, Department of Health data shows rates have been falling in recent days among 10 to 14-year-olds from 1,925 per 100,000 to 1,869.

Some local authorities and headteachers implemented restrictions in schools in a bid to control the latest wave of infections  such as cancelling assemblies and requiring students and staff to wear face masks in communal areas.

Vaccines have been available to 12 to 15-year-olds in England since September 20, but until last week, the jabs were only available in schools and the roll-out has been criticised as being too slow.

UK's Covid cases may be shrinking because children have developed 'high levels' Britain's Covid cases may already be falling because children have built-up immunity following the back-to-school wave, one of the Government's scientific advisers claimed today. Professor John Edmunds, an epidemiologist who sits on SAGE, said the spike in infections over the last few months was driven by 'huge numbers of cases' in youngsters. Health officials estimate as many as one in 12 children across England were carrying the virus last week. The surge in infections 'will eventually lead to high levels of immunity in children' which will see cases plateau and then fall, Professor Edmunds said. He added that it 'may be that we're achieving that now'. His comments come despite growing calls to boost vaccine uptake among pupils following a surge of outbreaks in classrooms. Teaching unions described their 'extreme frustration' with the slow pace of the programme, which has seen just 20 per cent of those aged 12 to 15 vaccinated so far. Meanwhile, the US yesterday moved one step closer to jabbing children as young as five after independent expert advisers almost unanimously ruled that the benefits outweigh the risks. Daily Covid infections in the UK reached a three-month high last week, breaching the 50,000 barrier. It prompted medical unions, some scientists and Labour to call for Plan B  mandatory face masks, work from home guidance and vaccine passports  to be implemented immediately in a bid to control infections. But cases have now fallen for three days in a row. And optimistic modelling from SAGE has claimed infections may even slump to the 5,000 mark over the coming months, even without No10 caving into demands and resorting to virus-controlling interventions. Scientists said a combination of booster vaccines, growing natural immunity in children and a drop in classroom mixing during the October half-term break would drag cases down. Advertisement

To speed up the drive, other vaccination sites began offering injections to pupils on Friday and more than 80,000 have now booked to get jabbed at the sites.

Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and deputy lead for the NHS vaccine programme, said the vaccines are essential for keeping students in classrooms this winter.

It comes as Covid cases fell for a third day in a row yesterday, dropping 6 per cent in a week, while hospitalisations plateaued and deaths increased by nearly a fifth.

Sir Andrew Pollard, who helped design the AstraZeneca vaccine, said it wasn't fair to 'bash' the UK on its high case rate in comparison to other countries because it also has a much highest testing rate, meaning more cases are picked up.

Hospitalisation and death data are impacted by higher infection rates in the population, because it means more people are being hospitalised or dying for other reasons and just so happen to test positive, he said.

Discussing his comments, Professor Edmunds also said 'there is a bit of a skew' but it doesn't take into account 'all the differences' between neighbouring countries.

France's Covid death rate is seven times smaller than the UK's, while Portugal has recorded a tenth of the fatalities seen in Britain, he said.

Professor Edmunds said: 'The difference is they've had higher rates of vaccine uptake. We started off well with our vaccination programme but we haven't finished well.

'Many of our neighbours have higher rates of vaccination coverage, particularly they vaccinated their children earlier than we have.

'If you look at say France, by the time they opened schools in September, about two-thirds of their children had received at least one dose and about half of them had received two doses.

'So this epidemic has been largely fuelled by huge rates of infection in younger people and it has been abated in many of our European neighbours by vaccinating more quickly in their teenage population.'

However, he noted that those most European countries have other measures in place, such as masks and vaccine passports.

He said cases in the UK are due to come down from 'this very high peak', but introducing similar measures would likely make rates fall faster.

There have been calls in the last week for the UK to implement its Plan B winter plan  which ministers said would only be brought if if the NHS faces unsustainable pressure.

Under current measures, the Government is focusing on the rollout of booster jabs and vaccines to 12 to 15-year-olds in a bid to curb rising cases.

The British Medical Association, the union for doctors, accused the Government of being 'wilfully negligent' for not bringing back Covid restrictions.

And Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on Monday revealed he was in favour of the Plan B measures because it was 'common sense' and they protect 'yourself and everybody else'.

But ministers have taken confidence from unusually optimistic SAGE modelling, which estimated the epidemic will shrink or stay well below pervious waves this winter even without the Government's Plan B of face masks, vaccine passports and WFH.

Other unpublished models have also shown similar drops, with experts indicating that cases could fall to around 5,000 cases a day during the festive period.

It comes as advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday said the vaccine rollout should be expanded to include all over-fives, finding that the benefits of the jabs outweigh the risks.

But the final decision on whether the plans go ahead  that would see youngsters receive a third of a standard Pfizer jab  will be made by the FDA and CDC in the coming days.

Data showed the vaccine to be 90 percent effective at preventing Covid in children aged five to 11 for at least four months, without any notable serious side-effects other than very rare cases of a heart inflammation side effect called myocarditis.

Myocarditis has been recorded in younger boys who have received mRNA vaccine like Pfizer's and is more likely after having a second dose.

The finding prompted No10's vaccine advisers to recommend only giving one jab to 12 to 15-year-olds.
A young school girl is lucky to be alive after she was thrown into the air when she was struck by a car at a busy intersection.

The 15-year-old girl was crossing Victoria Road in Gladesville, Sydney, on Tuesday when she was hit by the car during peak-hour traffic.

CCTV Footage shows the teenager and her friend dodge oncoming traffic as they attempt to dash across the busy intersection.

A 15-year-old girl was thrown into the air after being hit by a car at a busy intersection at Victoria Rd, Gladesville (pictured)

Her friend stops at the median strip but the 15-year-old continues on before she is struck by an incoming vehicle.

The girl is flung into the air and lands in the middle of the road as horrified witnesses rush to her aid.

A nearby business owner, Tony Vecchia, told Seven News he felt 'sick' after witnessing the accident.

'I've got a 13-year-old daughter and I just feel sick about it,' he said.

'When I saw her legs were moving, I was so relieved.'

The school girl suffered serious injuries to her head, arms and legs on Tuesday before she was rushed to the Children's Hospital at Westmead

A doctor who happened to be working just 40m from the accident also offered assistance to the injured school girl.

'There was a really obvious head injury and she was unconscious,' Dr Eric Chan said.

The 15-year-old was stabilised at the scene where paramedics said the girl appeared frightened as she called out for help from staff and her mother.

She was taken to Westmead Children's Hospital with serious injuries to her head, arms and legs where she remains in a stable condition.
The three men on trial for the murder of black jogger Ahmaud Arbery are making their defense using a slavery-era Georgia law that was repealed last year.

The law, which was repealed in May because of Arbery's shooting, made it legal to arrest someone on suspicion of committing a felony, and dates back to the Civil War-era. It was originally enacted to try and capture slaves who had escaped their masters.

Travis McMichael, 35, his father, Gregory McMichael, 65, and their neighbor William 'Roddie' Bryan, 52, said they had suspected Arbery of being a burglar before he was killed in February of last year.

Legal observers say prosecutors will seek to convince the jury that there was no felony over which to arrest Arbery, and that the three men lacked the 'reasonable and probable suspicion' required under the old citizen's arrest law.

The trial is currently in the second week of jury selection with only nine of the 64 candidates needed so-far deemed impartial to serve.

Travis McMichael, one of the three men on trial for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, is seen attending the jury selection on Wednesday at the Glynn County Superior Court in Brunswick, Georgia

Travis's father Gregory McMichael also stands trial during the jury selection

The McMichael's neighbor William 'Roddie' Bryan has also been charged for his involvement in Arbery's death

Travis McMichael (left), his father Gregory McMichael (center) and their friend William 'Roddie' Bryan (right) are said to be using a slavery-era Georgia law in defense, that was repealed last year, which made it legal to arrest someone on suspicion of a felony

Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was shot and killed while he was out for a run in a Brunswick, Georgia neighborhood on February 23, 2020

Before Arbery's killing, the law had been largely unchanged since it was codified in 1863, when Georgia was part of the slaveholding Southern Confederacy during the U.S. Civil War.

Most U.S. states have codified some form of a law allowing citizen's arrests. The American Civil Liberties Union and others that successfully sought to repeal the law said the state's statute was originally passed to enable the capture of escaped slaves.

Chris Slobogin, a law professor at Tennessee's Vanderbilt University, said citizen's arrest laws put dangerous powers in untrained hands.

'Things can get out of control quickly,' he said.

The three men had chased Arbery in two pickup trucks after they suspected he was a burglar.

Defense attorney Jason Sheffield speaks at the jury selection on Wednesday

Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski is seen probing questions during the jury selection

Judge Timothy Walmsley speaks as he presides over the jury selection process on October 27

Arbery ran down a street in mostly white Satilla Shores, a suburb of the small coastal city of Brunswick.

Just before he was cornered and shot to death, Arbery had entered an unoccupied property where a house was under construction.

The owner of the property has said nothing was taken and that Arbery, who was on a Sunday afternoon jog, probably just stopped there for a drink of water.

'Citizen's arrest is a big part of our case, a big part,' Kevin Gough, a lawyer for Bryan, said in an interview earlier this month before the judge presiding over the murder trial in Glynn County Superior Court issued a partial gag order.

'They changed the law, but changing the law doesn't affect us. It doesn't change what was the law of the land at the time.'

Arbery's family believes, however, that the three men were suspicious of Arbery simply because he was Black.

In a statement made to investigators, Bryan said the younger McMichael cursed Arbery, using a racial slur while standing over the body.

Ira Robbins, a law professor at American University in Washington, wrote in an academic paper that many states' citizen's arrest laws are broad.

In California, for example, someone can make an arrest for a felony if the person has probable cause to believe it was committed.

'While recruiting citizens to aid in eradicating crime is a noble idea,' Robbins wrote, strict safeguards are needed to prevent the law being abused.

A demonstrator is seen holding a sign during the beginning of the jury selection on October 18

Wanda Cooper-Jones is seen speaking to media crews outside of the Glynn County Courthouse on October 18

New York state has the strictest law, holding residents liable for false arrest if no crime was committed, even if they had reasonable belief, 'leaving no room for mistakes,' Robbins wrote.

In Georgia, the elected county prosecutor who first looked at the Arbery case accepted the citizen's arrest rationale offered by the three white men and concluded they should not be arrested, according to Glynn County police.

That decision drew outrage after May 5, when a cellphone video recorded by Bryan showing the men chasing and killing Arbery was published by a local news outlet and quickly spread online.

After the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case from the police, the men were quickly arrested and charged with crimes including false imprisonment, aggravated assault and murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

In repealing the law, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said Arbery was 'the victim of vigilante-style violence that has no place in Georgia,' and that the statute was 'ripe for abuse.'

The ACLU's Georgia chapter said the old law was an example of systemic racism and empowered mobs that lynched Black people in more than 500 recorded cases in Georgia between 1882 and 1968.

A new, narrower law still allows for private citizens to detain people in a few limited circumstances, such as a shopkeeper who catches someone shoplifting.

The jury selection process also continues to be underway for the second week during the trial.

The nine potential jurors join 23 who were previously approved, bringing the total number of prospective panelists to just half of the 64 needed before a final jury of 12 and four alternates is chosen.

Glynn County Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley has said it is possible he may not seat a final jury until next week, with potential jurors being told they could be needed through the week of Thanksgiving, according to News 4 Jax.

A total of 71 jurors have now been questioned by Walmsley, prosecutors and defense attorneys since last Monday, but 39 have been disqualified either because they had personal hardships or were ruled to be biased in the case.

Arbery was chased by the armed McMichaels as he was jogging in February 2020

Arbery, in a white T-shirt, is confronted by Travis McMichael, who holds a shotgun

Most of the potential jurors said they have seen the now-viral video of McMichael, 34, shooting Arbery, who was unarmed on the day of his murder.

McMichael and his father, Gregory, had spotted Arbery running through their neighborhood outside Brunswick, Georgia that day and armed themselves before pursuing him in a pickup truck.

Bryan later joined the chase, and the three eventually tracked Arbery down, with a video showing Travis McMichael shooting him three times at close-range.

Nobody was charged in Arbery's death until two months later after Bryan's cellphone video of the chase and the shooting leaked online and sparked a nationwide call for justice.

A federal indictment alleges the McMichaels armed themselves with firearms, got into a truck and chased Arbery through the public streets of the neighborhood while yelling at Arbery, using their truck to cut off his route and threatening him with firearms.'

It also alleged that Bryan got into a truck and then chased Arbery before using the vehicle to block his path.

The indictment alleges that the men 'used force and threats of force to intimidate and interfere with Arbery's right to use a public street because of his race'.

In addition to the hate-crime charges, prosecutors allege the men tried 'to unlawfully seize and confine Arbery by chasing after him in their trucks in an attempt to restrain him, restrict his free movement, corral and detain him against his will, and prevent his escape'.

Bodycam footage shows Bryan talking about his involvement with the death of Arbery

The McMichaels and Bryan already face state criminal charges of murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit a felony but no trial date has been set.

But if convicted in this trial, the McMichaels and Bryan face life in prison.

Their lawyers have opted to try to find an impartial jury in Glynn County, a community of about 85,000 people, where the shooting dominated headlines, social media feeds and workplace chatter.

Brunswick, where the shooting took place, is a predominately black community, whereas Glynn County, where the jurors are being selected, is mostly white.

Each of the prospective jurors were asked questions individually, and as a group, with defense attorneys asking them if they support the Black Lives Matter movement or 'believe people of color are not treated fairly in the criminal justice system.'

The potential jurors have allegedly been asked questions like: 'Do you support the Black Lives Matter movement?' and 'Do you believe the Confederate flag is a racist symbol?,' according to USA Today. Travis McMichael, had a truck that had a confederate flag vanity plate.

Many of the 1,000 registered voters in Glynn County, Georgia, who received jury summons claim they knew Arbery, the defendants or potentially witnesses.
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At least two people have died after a cyclone battered the Italian island of Sicily and dropped a year's worth of rainwater in just 48 hours, leaving many streets flooded.

Footage shows roads submerged under raging flood water and roads and buildings being left overwhelmed after almost 20 inches of rain fell in just 48 hours.

A red alert warning had been issued for the northern tip of Sicily and Calabria in southern Italy.

So far, the extreme weather has claimed the lives of at least two people. One victim, a 53-year-old man, died after being swept away in Gravina, north of Catania, reports news agency Ansa.

Dramatic video footage shared on social media showed how the flooding, caused by intense rainfall, had started to wash away cars down streets on Sicily

A car is seen almost entirely submerged beneath the flooding in Catania, Sicily, yesterday. The front of the motor can be seen to have been elevated by the water and pushed up against a brick wall after being carried down the road

Multiple vehicles on a street in Catania are seen to have been submerged and moved by the flooding, which was caused by extreme rainfall

The man's body was found beneath a car on Tuesday by volunteers after torrential rains swept through the area.

Meanwhile, the body of a second victim, a 67-year-old man, was found by workers on Sunday near the Sicilian town of Scordia, and his 54-year-old wife is reportedly still missing.

One video, shared on social media, showed the fish market in Catania, on Sicily's eastern coast, submerged in floodwater, with more water streaming down from higher ground onto the market, flooding buildings and shops.

The citys central Via Etnea had also been submerged by the rainwater, which sent

Some roads on the Italian island were completely submerged by water following the intense rainfall, with some cars under threat of disappearing beneath the water

In some places, it was impossible to even see the roads, with the flood water having fallen so fast. Parts of buildings were also covered up by the water

People sought shelter inside shops and stores as they tried to keep off the streets and away from the flooding

Rescue workers from the the Vigili del Fuoco firefighter corps are seen carrying an inflatable boat towards a flooded road as they attempted to help people trapped by the water

Alessia Gaffuri, who filmed the clip, said: 'Today my city was submerged by bad weather and it was difficult for all of us to leave the house.

'There were some missing people, who unfortunately lost their lives.'

Salvo Pogliese, the mayor of port city Catania, has closed all schools and businesses and advised against going outside unless it is urgent.

He said: 'It's obvious to everyone how the city is faced with a tragedy and almost unprecedented atmospheric phenomena.

Business owners struggled to protect their properties from the rising water levels, with one (above) seen using a broom to push the water back outside

These two business workers used buckets to throw the water back onto the flooded street outside. One wore plastic bags over his feet as his shop floor was still covered in water

A rubbish collection vehicle is seen nudged up against a brick bridge in Catania after having been pushed down the flooded street by the water

A car park is seen completely submerged, with vehicles inaccessible, in the Monte Po district of Catania

'Nobody likes to close schools, but exceptional situations are responded with exceptional decisions.'

Overnight, Italy's national fire department reported that 620 rescue missions had been carried out by 186 firefighters - and yesterday, firefighters had carried out 300 rescues on cars stuck in the floods in Catania.

Other videos have shown a group of people rescuing a man trapped underneath his car on a highway in Catania.

Rows of abandoned cars can be seen and in the midst, a group of people desperately trying to tilt a submerged car over.

A moment later a man is dragged out underneath a car and taken away for a check-up.

Rescue workers are seen emerging from a flooded street carrying an inflatable boat as they attempted to save stranded motorists

A resident attempts to clean up some of the devastation left behind by the floodwater. He uses a broom to try and push the water and mud from his property

In the aftermath of the flooding, the damage and devastation left behind became clear in Catania

The storm has led to dozens of flights being diverted and ferry links between the southern islands cancelled.

The extreme weather is expected to peak between Thursday and Friday, with residents being warned to be cautious.

Alessia added: 'Now the situation seems to have calmed down, there is only strong wind.

'We fear more for Thursday and Friday, where our civil protection has informed us that a great hurricane is coming.'

Some have blamed climate change for the heavy rainfall and flooding, with rising temperatures causing the Mediterranean Sea to become warmer than oceans - which leads to greater atmospheric humidity, and more extreme weather as a result.

Cars along the Via Etnea are seen being carried down the street by the river of rainwater that fell so quickly in Catania

A residential street in Catania, Sicily, is seen completely covered in mud, left behind by the floodwaters that swept through the city

The fish market, situated in Catania, was also devastated by the flooding, with debris left scattered about in the aftermath of the extreme weather

Francessca Tachhi posted on Twitter: 'There's huge flooding in Catania due to extreme rainfalls. The pictures are terrifying, Italy - as most Mediterranean countries - is extremely vulnerable to climate change.'

According to The Times, the area of the Mediterranean affected by the storm is currently 8C warmer than it was this time last year.

Luca Mercalli, the head of the Italian meteorological society claims that the cyclone in Sicily could even be upgraded to a 'Medicane', but added that 'we are not sure yet'.

A term 'medicane' comes from the term Mediterranean hurricane - though it is not itself a hurricane, despite sharing similar characteristics.

The flooding comes on the eve of the Cop26 climate talks in Glasgow, which begin this Sunday.
Trans activists have accused the BBC of 'transphobia' after the broadcaster published an article about lesbians who felt pressured into having sex with trans women.

More than 8,000 people signed an open letter to the broadcaster after journalist Caroline Lowbridge wrote an article describing the pressures three lesbian women had allegedly faced from some trans women to have sex.

In the piece, Ms Lowbridge attempted to discover how 'widespread' the issue was across the country and said several people had contacted her about the pressures to 'accept the idea that a penis can be a female sex organ'.

The author acknowledged it was 'difficult to determine the true scale of the problem' and referred to a survey carried out by the campaigning group Get the L Out - which reported 56 per cent of respondents had felt pressured or been coerced into accepting a trans woman as a sexual partner.

But more than 8,000 people have now signed an open letter condemning the piece and accused the BBC of 'transphobia'.

The BBC is facing a backlash after it published an article which described the pressures three lesbian women had allegedly faced from their trans partners into having sex

In her article Ms Lowbridge spoke to three women, who used aliases, and said they had experienced a backlash after stating they would not want to have sex with a trans woman.

Jennie, a lesbian who is only attracted to women who are biologically female, said she had been described as transphobic, a genital fetishist, a pervert and a 'terf' - a trans exclusionary radical feminist.

She told the BBC: 'I've had someone saying they would rather kill me than Hitler.

'They said they would strangle me with a belt if they were in a room with me and Hitler. That was so bizarrely violent, just because I won't have sex with trans women.'

Another woman, who used the name Chloe, told the BBC she felt so pressured she ended up having sex with a trans woman at university after repeatedly explaining she was not interested.

She added: 'I felt very bad for hating every moment, because the idea is we are attracted to gender rather than sex, and I did not feel that, and I felt bad for feeling like that.'

Ms Lowbridge said those affected had told her 'the pressures came from a minority of trans women'.

However activists have now condemned the BBC for the article - which was published on October 26.

The open letter read: 'Dear BBC Upper Management and Editorial Staff,

'The day this open letter is being written, you published an article on the BBC News website by Caroline Lowbridge titled ''We're being pressured into sex by some trans women''.

More than 8,000 people have signed an open letter condemning the article

'The article headline may use the word ''some'', but the clear implication of the article and its headline is that transgender women as a minority group pose a threat to cisgender lesbians, and should therefor have their rights restricted in the UK.

'The implications proposed by this article suggest that transgender women generally pose a risk to cisgender lesbians in great enough numbers that it is newsworthy, and something the general public should consider as a common occurrence rather than a matter of incredibly rare, isolated experiences.'

The letter went on to say that the article 'dangerously frames this as a widespread issue' while acknowledging that there is' no actual evidence to that effect outside of isolated claims.'

It added: 'We do not dispute the claim that there are likely isolated cases of cisgender lesbians who have been pressured in the past into sex by transgender women who viewed their genital preference as transphobic, however to paint this as a widespread occurrence, or the norm, is incredibly dangerous.'

A BBC spokesperson said: 'The article looks at a complex subject from different perspectives and acknowledges it is difficult to assess the extent of the issue.

'It includes testimony from a range of different sources and provides appropriate context. It went through our rigorous editorial processes.

'It is important that journalism looks at issues - even where there are strongly held positions.

'The BBC is here to ensure debate and to make sure a wide a range of voices are heard.'
A Cambridge University college will hand over to Nigeria a sculpture that was looted by British troops in 1897, setting a precedent that will put pressure on other institutions to return stolen artefacts.

The sculpture of a cockerel was one of hundreds of Benin Bronzes that were pillaged from the once mighty Kingdom of Benin, located in what is now Nigeria. They are among Africa's most culturally significant artefacts and Nigerian authorities have been calling for years for their return.

'This is the right thing to do out of respect for the unique heritage and history of this artefact,' said Sonita Alleyne, Master of Jesus College, Cambridge, in a statement ahead of a ceremony to hand over the cockerel to a Nigerian delegation.

The college described the handover as 'the first institutional return of its kind'.

The Legacy of Slavery Working Party made a recommendation it should be returned. The body is made up largely by academics with a few student and staff representatives.

Germany has agreed to start returning Benin Bronzes held in its museums next year, but the British Museum in London, which holds the largest and most significant collection of them, has made no such commitment.

Master of Jesus College Sonita Alleyne, left, with Director General of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Professor Abba Isa Tijani met ahead of today's ceremony to return the cockerel

British soldiers with objects looted from the royal palace during the operation to sack Benin City in 1897 and overthrow its ruler

Jesus College, University of Cambridge has agreed to return a bronze statute of a cockerel, called The Okukor, which was looted by the British Army when they sacked Benin in 1897

The bronze, pictured, was given to Jesus College in 1905 by the father of a student

'We thank Jesus College for being a trailblazer and we look forward to a similar return of our artefacts by other institutions that are in possession of them,' said Lai Mohammed, Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture.

After being looted, the cockerel was given to Jesus College in 1905 by the father of a student. The college announced in 2019 it would return it to Nigeria.

In recent years, a range of British institutions have been grappling with the cultural legacies of colonialism, particularly the issue of what to do about disputed heritage.

The British Museum and other European museums, along with Nigerian authorities, are involved in a Benin Dialogue Group that aims to facilitate the construction in Benin City of a new museum to house returned bronzes.

The British Museum has spoken about 'opportunities for sharing and displaying' items from its collection in Nigeria, but has never said it would transfer ownership.

The master of a Cambridge University college has described the return of a looted bronze cockerel to representatives of Nigeria as a 'momentous occasion'.

Students campaigned for the artefact to be returned, and the college's Legacy of Slavery Working Party concluded in 2019 that it 'belongs with the current Oba at the Court of Benin'.

The Oba of Benin is head of the historic Eweka dynasty of the Benin Empire, centred on Benin City in modern-day Nigeria.

Handover documents will be signed at a ceremony at the college on Wednesday to transfer ownership of the Okukur to the delegation from Nigeria.

The ceremony, to include speeches and music, will be streamed online in Nigeria.

Sonita Alleyne, master of Jesus College, said: 'It's massively significant.

'It's a momentous occasion.'

She said it was the 'right thing to do' to return the artefact, which is of 'cultural and spiritual significance to the people of Nigeria'.

'It's part of their ancestral heritage,' Ms Alleyne added.

She said the Nigerian delegation will decide how and when to move the Okukur.

Unlike Jesus College, the British Museum, which has a large collection of looted artefacts from across the globe, has refused to commit to transferring ownership

Ms Alleyne said museums in France, Germany and the Netherlands are engaged in discussions about returning Benin bronzes.

'We hope they do get to the same position as we do,' she said.

'We think it's a morally grounded position.'

The statue was removed from display at the college in 2016 and will be given to Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments in a ceremony attended by delegates from the commission and Benin.

His royal majesty, Oba of Benin, Omo N'Oba N'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II said in a statement: 'We truly hope that others will expedite the return of our artworks, which in many cases are of religious importance to us.'

French museums are in the process of returning large amounts of looted artefacts from Africa following a commitment made by President Emmanuel Macron

A Paris museum is displaying 26 looted colonial-era artefacts for one last time before France returns them home to Benin.

The wooden anthropomorphic statues, royal thrones and sacred altars were pilfered by the French army in the 19th century from Western Africa.

President Emmokanuel Macron has suggested that France needs to right the wrongs of the past, making a landmark speech in 2017 in which he said he can no longer accept 'that a large part of many African countries' cultural heritage lies in France'.

This laid down a roadmap for the controversial return of the royal treasures taken during the era of empire and colony, a move that could have potential ramifications across European museums.

Several French museums are hosting exhibitions featuring the looted artefacts before their return to their home countries

The French will have a final glimpse of the objects in the Musee du quai BranlyJacques Chirac from October 26-31.

French culture minister Roselyne Bachelot tried to assuage jitters among European museums, emphasising that this initiative 'will not create a legal precedent'.

A French law was passed last year to allow the restitution of the statues to the Republic of Benin, as well as a storied sword to the Army Museum in Senegal.

But Ms Bachelot said that the French government's law was intentionally specific in applying solely to the 26 artefacts.

'(It) does not establish any general right to restitution' and 'in no way calls into question' the right of French museums to hold on to their heritage.

Yet critics of such moves  including the British Museum, which is in a decades-long tug-of-war with the Greek government over a restitution of the Elgin Marbles  argue that it will open the floodgates to emptying Western museums of their collections.

Among the items being returned are the doors of King Glele's Palace which were looted between 1880 and 1889

Many are made up of objects acquired, or stolen, during colonial times. French museums alone hold at least 90,000 artefacts from sub-Saharan Africa.

The story of the 'Abomey Treasures' is as dramatic as their sculpted forms.

In November 1892, Colonel Alfred Dodds led a pilfering French expeditionary force into the Kingdom of Danhome located in the south of present-day Benin. The colonising troops broke into the Abomey Palace, home of King Behanzin, and seized many royal objects including the 26 artefacts that Dodds donated to the Musee d'Ethnographie du Trocadero in Paris in the 1890s.

Since 2003, the objects have been housed at the Musee du quai BranlyJacques Chirac.

One hundred and twenty nine years later, their far-flung journey abroad will finally end.

Benin's culture minister Jean-Michel Abimbola called the return of the works a 'historic milestone', and the beginning of further cooperation between the two countries, during a news conference last week.

The country is founding a museum in Abomey to house the treasures that will be partly funded by the French government.

The French Development Agency will give some 35 million euro (30 million) toward the 'Museum of the Saga of the Amazonians and the Danhome Kings' under a pledge signed this year.

The official transfer of the 26 pieces is expected to be signed in Paris on November 9 in the presence of Mr Macron and the art is expected to be in Benin a few days later, Mr Abimbola said.

While locals say the decision is overdue, what is important is that the art will be returned.

'It was a vacuum created among Benin's historical treasures, which is gradually being reconstituted,' said Fortune Sossa, President of the African Cultural Journalists Network.
LBC host Steve Allen has attracted 840 Ofcom complaints after describing Strictly Come Dancing star Tilly Ramsay as a 'chubby little thing'.

Allen, 67, was slammed for criticising the CBBC presenter's weight after reading out a comment from a listener.

On his live radio show on October 18 he went on to say he was 'bored' with the 19-year-old's performances and added that her physical appearance was probably to do with 'her dad's cooking'.

Ramsay, the daughter of celebrity chef Gordon, hit back on social media. She wrote that she 'won't tolerate people that think it's OK to publicly comment and scrutinise anyone's weight and appearance'.

Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom said it had received 840 complaints relating to Allen's comments about Ramsay.

LBC host Steve Allen (pictured), 67, was slammed for criticising the CBBC presenter's weight after reading out a comment from a listener

On his live radio show on October 18 he went on to say he was 'bored' with 19-year-old Tilly Ramsay's performances on the BBC show and added that her physical appearance was probably to do with 'her dad's cooking'

A spokeswoman said: 'We are assessing the complaints against our broadcasting rules, but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate.'

On his radio show, Allen had read out a comment from a listener telling him the teenager is taking part in Celebrity MasterChef Australia.

Allen said: 'Is she? Well, she can't blimming well dance, I'm bored with her already.

Many controversies of LBC host Steve Allen The ongoing row between Steve Allen and Tilly Ramsay is the latest spat the LBC host has been involved in. A scan of his Twitter shows a bizarre feud with reality TV star Gemma Collins, whose weight he frequently criticised and who he described as 'a beach hut'. He made similar comments about TV personality Sally Jacks, who he said was 'fat like you can't believe'. Ms Jacks replied to the tweet to reveal she was struggling to shed baby weight. Back in 2018, he was rapped by Ofcom after he mocked a blind journalist who became the first person in the UK to use a miniature guide horse. Mohammed Salim Patel from Blackburn, Lancashire, was using two-year-old American miniature horse Digby because of his fear of dogs - until the horse grew too big. In a broadcast on October 1, Allen said he'd 'never heard of anything so stupid' while discussing a story on Digby. He also said on air: 'Well if he's blind, tell him it's a rabbit or something. I've never heard of anything so stupid. 'This is the blind man scared of dogs hoping that a horse will guide him on his commute. Where are you going to take that for goodness sake?' In December, communications regulator Ofcom upheld a complaint that the comments had been offensive. In 2015, LBC was given a warning from Ofcom after Allen made comments about 'beating up' London Tube workers. Allen said: 'I think we should go round and start beating up tube people, the people that bring them all out on strike.' In 2017, Ofcom also received complaints after Allen said: 'Why do we have to start being nice to travellers? Every time I read a story in the newspaper its either thieving, robbing or brawling what is the matter with them?' And in the same year, Ofcom found him in breach of the code for making discriminatory comments about people from Portugal. Advertisement

'She's a chubby little thing, isn't she? Have you noticed? Probably her dad's cooking, I should imagine.'

His comments attracted criticism from figures including former Love Island star Dr Alex George, who was appointed a youth mental health ambassador for the Government earlier this year.

He shared a screenshot of an email he sent to LBC about the incident on Instagram and said he was 'absolutely horrified' by the remarks.

Ramsay was also inundated with support from her Strictly co-stars, with It Takes Two presenter Janette Manrara writing: 'How fast we forget what hurtful comments can do for someone's mental health.'

Allen contacted Ramsay last week to issue a private apology.

News of the apology came just days after LBC bosses stood by their presenter despite Allen facing calls to quit and said there were no plans at this stage for an investigation into his comments.

Saturday's episode of Strictly saw Ramsay secure third place on the leader board with 36 points.

After her dance, she spoke of her joy after a 'difficult week of training'.

Taking to social media, Miss Ramsay said she would not tolerate those who criticise her weight.

'I try not to read and listen to comments and negativity, however recently being called out on a national radio station by a 67-year-old man is a step too far,' she wrote on Instagram.

'It's such a shame that someone is trying to make such a positive experience negative. This isn't the first and definitely won't be the last comment made about my appearance... but please remember that words can hurt.'

After his initial comments, there were calls from industry insiders for Allen to go.

One source told The Sun: 'Steve's outdated and archaic comments have been allowed to continue for far too long and plenty of people want him out.

'There's free speech and then there is calling a teenage girl fat live on the radio. Plenty of people think it's time he was given his marching orders because this isn't the first time he's made unacceptable comments on air and hasn't been reprimanded.

'He should issue an apology at the least - but people want him gone. He's bringing the reputation of the station down.'

An insider told MailOnline that while there are some within LBC who called for Allen to quit because they see him as a 'dinosaur', others wanted him to stay.

The insider added that Allen 'gets on well' with LBC hosts Eddie Mair and Nick Ferrari and was 'well thought of in the industry' by breakfast presenters on other stations.

Talking about who may want Allen out, the industry insider told MailOnline it would be those at LBC who are 'slightly more progressive, and they may regard Steve as a dinosaur'.

Ramsay secured third place on the leader board with her latest performance on Strictly

The insider continued: 'I think that there's always been this suggestion that because he's been there 20 years that he's a bit of a dinosaur and he's had his day and there's been a number of Ofcom complaints about him.

'But there was dissatisfaction with Nigel Farage when he was on LBC and that was from the James O'Brien stable. But I'm not sure if this falls into the same category.

'I'm not particularly a fan but I know he has a massive following and if he were to disappear from the airwaves I think there'd be quite an outcry.'

He added that there was a possibility Allen could retire soon, saying: 'That might probably be the outcome and I was thinking this morning maybe there's a conversation going on saying "Steve, you're in your 60s, perhaps it's time to go and hit the beach" - maybe that conversation is taking place.'

The insider continued: 'I think everyone's tolerated him, but I think the moment something like this happens people draw up battle lines.

'A lot of breakfast show presenters listen to Steve Allen on their way to work because they think he's a good presenter, he's well thought of in the industry.'

News of the apology comes days after LBC bosses stood by Allen despite calls for him to quit

On the issue of whether Allen's comments would fall foul of Ofcom, the insider said it was not clear whether it was 'offensive'.

He said: 'They have to balance freedom of expression with causing offensive, and I'm not sure that 'chubby' is one of the prohibited words. And even if it is, within a broadcasting code there is 2.1 which is called 'generally accepted standards'.

'It's their catch all, so if there's a lot of complaints they will judge it by that standard - so I'm not sure this would be upheld by Ofcom. People are allowed to offend other people, it's not against the broadcasting code.'
Leaked Facebook documents on Wednesday revealed how Donald Trump's posts last year triggered a wave of hate-filled messages and calls to violence yet the social media giant took no action.

And they suggest that Facebook's own automated controls, meant to catch dangerous posts, should have flagged a problem with a post in which Trump warned looters they might be shot.

The revelations - among the latest from a whistleblower - will heap more pressure on Mark Zuckerberg's company to take more responsibility for content posted on its platform.

Social media experts said it showed how the platform had exacerbated trouble, in contrast to Twitter which quickly posted warnings on the content.

But Facebook defended its stance, saying it often reflected what was happening in society and the only way to prevent spikes in complaints was to halt discussions of controversial moments.

Reports of hateful and violent posts on Facebook started pouring in on the night of May 28 last year, soon after Trump sent a warning on social media to looters.

It had been three days since Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on the neck of George Floyd for more than eight minutes until the 46-year-old black man lost consciousness, showing no signs of life.

A video taken by a bystander had been viewed millions of times online. Protests had taken over Minnesotas largest city and would soon spread throughout cities across America.

But it wasn't until after Trump posted about Floyd's death that the reports of violence and hate speech increased 'rapidly' on Facebook across the country, an internal company analysis of the ex-presidents social media post reveals.

'These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd and I won't let that happen,' Trump wrote at 9:53 a.m. on May 28 from his Twitter and Facebook accounts. 'Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts the shooting starts!'

Then President Trump triggered immediate condemnation when he told looters they faced being shot amid protests against the police killing of George Floyd. He posted his messages on Twitter and Facebook. Leaked documents from Facebook reveal how his words triggered a wave of hatred on social media

Shortly after complaining about Twitter putting a warning label over his tweet, the White House's official Twitter account reposted the message verbatim

The next day he railed against Twitter, saying it needed to be 'regulated' after the site put a warning label on one of his tweets about the Minneapolis riots

The leaked documents show how Trump's words were believed to have caused a five-fold increase in violence reports on Facebook, and a tripling of complaints of hate speech

Last year brought a long hot summer of protests and violence. Leaked Facebook documents reveal how hate messages on social media increased after Trump sent a post warning that looters who joined protests following Floyd's death last year would be shot

The former president has since been suspended from both Twitter and Facebook.

Leaked Facebook documents provide a first-hand look at how Trumps social media posts ignited more anger in an already deeply divided country that was eventually lit 'on fire' with reports of hate speech and violence across the platform.

Facebooks own internal, automated controls, meant to catch posts that violate rules, predicted with almost 90% certainty that Trump's message broke the tech company's rules against inciting violence.

Yet, the tech giant didnt take any action on Trump's message.

Offline, the next day, protests - some of which turned violent - engulfed nearly every U.S. city, big and small.

'When people look back at the role Facebook played, they won't say Facebook caused it, but Facebook was certainly the megaphone,' said Lainer Holt, a communications professor at Ohio State University.

'I dont think there's any way they can get out of saying that they exacerbated the situation.'

Social media rival Twitter, meanwhile, responded quickly at the time by covering Trumps tweet with a warning and prohibiting users from sharing it any further.

Facebook's internal discussions were revealed in disclosures made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form by former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugen's legal counsel. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including The Associated Press.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Trump was one of many high-profile users, including politicians and celebrities, exempted from some or all of the companys normal enforcement policies.

Hate speech and violence reports had been mostly limited to the Minneapolis region after Floyd's death, the documents reveal.

'However, after Trump's post on May 28, situations really escalated across the country,' according to the memo, published on June 5 of last year.

Details of Facebook's internal discussions come from whistleblower Frances Haugen, who has appeared before lawmakers in the U.S. and U.K. during recent weeks

The internal analysis shows a five-fold increase in violence reports on Facebook, while complaints of hate speech tripled in the days following Trump's post. Reports of false news on the platform doubled. Reshares of Trump's message generated a 'substantial amount of hateful and violent comments,' many of which Facebook worked to remove. Some of those comments included calls to 'start shooting these thugs' and 'f-- the white.'

By June 2, 'we can see clearly that the entire country was basically "on fire,"' a Facebook employee wrote of the increase in hate speech and violence reports in the June 5 memo.

Facebook says it's impossible to separate how many of the hate speech reports were driven by Trump's post itself or the controversy over Floyd's death.

'This spike in user reports resulted from a critical moment in history for the racial justice movement - not from a single Donald Trump post about it,' a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.

'Facebook often reflects what's happening in society and the only way to prevent spikes in user reports during these moments is to not allow them to be discussed on our platform at all, which is something we would never do.'

But the internal findings also raise questions about public statements Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made last year as he defended his decision to leave Trump's post untouched.

On May 29, for example, Zuckerberg said the company looked closely to see if Trump's words broke any of its policies and concluded that they did not. Zuckerberg also said he left the post up because it warned people of Trump's plan to deploy troops.

'I know many people are upset that weve left the Presidents posts up, but our position is that we should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies,' Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook account the night of May 29, as protests erupted around the country.

Yet, Facebook's own automated enforcement controls determined the post likely did break the rules.

'Our violence and incitement classifier was almost 90% certain that this (Trump) post violated Facebook's ... policy,' the June 5 analysis reads.

Trump was barred from Twitter and Facebook at the start of the year, after his supporters attacked the U.S. Congress. He now has plans for his own social media platform

Protesters gather in front of a burning fast-food restaurant in Minneapolis on May 29, last year. Reports of hateful and violent speech on Facebook poured in, according to internal documents, after Trump sent inflammatory messages a day earlier

That contradicts conversations Zuckerberg had with civil rights leaders last year to quell concerns that Trump's post was a specific threat to Black people protesting Floyd's death, said Rashad Robinson, the president of Color of Change, a civil rights advocacy group. The group also spearheaded a boycott of Facebook in the weeks following Trump's post.

'To be clear, I had a direct argument with Zuckerberg days after that post where he gaslit me and he specifically pushed back on any notion that this violated their rules,' Robinson said in an interview with the AP last week.

A Facebook spokesperson said that its internal controls do not always correctly predict when a post has violated rules and that human review, which was done in the case of Trump's post, is more accurate.

To curb the ex-president's ability to stoke hateful reactions on its platform, Facebook employees suggested last year that the company limit reshares on similar posts that may violate Facebook's rules in the future.

But Trump continued to use his Facebook account, which more than 32 million follow, to fire up his supporters throughout much of the remainder of his presidency. In the days leading up to a deadly siege in Washington on Jan. 6, Trump regularly promoted false claims that widespread voter fraud caused him to lose the White House, spurring hundreds of his fans to storm the U.S. Capitol and demand the results of a fair election be overturned.

It wasn't until after the Capitol riot, and as Trump was on his way out of the White House, that Facebook pulled him off the platform in January, announcing his account would be suspended until at least 2023.

There's a reason Facebook waited so long to take any action, said Jennifer Mercieca, a professor at Texas A&M University who closely studied the former president's rhetoric.

'Facebook really benefited from Trump and Trumps ability to draw attention and engagement through outrage,' Mercieca said. 'They wanted Trump to keep going on.'
The family of veteran Dennis Hutchings have appealed for there to be no political messaging as they lay him to rest during his funeral next month.

The 80-year-old, from Cawsand in Cornwall, died in Belfast after contracting Covid-19 while he was in the city to face trial over a fatal shooting incident in Co Tyrone in 1974.

His death prompted questions by unionist politicians over the decision to prosecute him almost 50 years later.

A funeral service will take place for Mr Hutchings at St Andrew's Church in Plymouth on November 11, which is also Remembrance Day.

Rolling Thunder UK, a group of veterans and civilian bikers who campaign against the prosecution of NI vets, have organised for a motorcycle cortege to accompany the veteran on his journey to the Devon city.

The family of Northern Ireland vet Dennis Hutchings have urged people to avoid politicising his funeral next month. Pictured right: Hutchings in dress uniform at Knightsbridge Barracks, 1978

The group will meet at Trerulefoot Roundabout on the A38 near Cornwall and accompany Dennis on his journey into Plymouth.

The family will later hold a private event in Cornwall.

They have said all are welcome to attend in Plymouth but they have urged there is no political messaging.

'The family are aware of the great deal of interest from those who supported Dennis in attending his funeral,' they said in a statement.

'The family are grateful for all the incredible support over many years and are looking forward to welcoming as many people as can make it to Plymouth on November 11. All are welcome.

'Flags are permitted, banners are not. The family have specifically requested no political slogans, speeches or banners on the day.'

Pictured: Supporters of Dennis Hutchings outside court in Belfast earlier this month

The statement was shared on behalf of the family by former veterans minister Johnny Mercer.

Mr Mercer, who is expected to read the eulogy at the service, told MailOnline: 'I know his family are content that the first available Thursday for Dennis funeral is Armistice Day.

'The day will be about remembering Dennis, and all that he packed in to a wonderful life.

'Of course it is not lost on me that this is an important day for the nation too. I am surprised by successive Governments' apparent shame at the Northern Ireland generation of Veterans; even more so given the current Secretary of State for Defence served there himself.

'The family have heard nothing from any Minister or serving Military Officer since Dennis passed, which is regrettable.

'I know that this is in stark contrast to the nation itself which is extremely proud of the heroic sacrifices of that generation in Northern Ireland, and I am sure you will see that displayed on the day.'

Hutchings greeted by a supporter as he arrives to the Belfast Crown court on October 4, 2021

It comes after it was reported the Ministry of Defence had turned down a request from the Hutchings family to allows soldiers to serve as pallbearers at his funeral.

Expressing its condolences to Mr Hutchings' family, the MoD said it did not provide pallbearers for retired personnel but that 'Dennis Hutchings is entitled to a Regimental trumpeter', according to the Telegraph.

In February, six Yorkshire Regiment members acted as pallbearers for Captain Sir Tom Moore.

Last night his son John Hutchings said: I have only asked the Life Guards one thing in the last six-and-a-half years [since Mr Hutchings arrest] and that is to have pallbearers in uniform.

'I was told you have to be a serving soldier but he was in court for his service as a soldier. Its bang out of order.

'He served 26 years in the Army, put his life on the line. Im really, really disappointed with the decision. Dad loved the Life Guards.

Dennis Hutchings (pictured on the far right in this photo) in Germany, 1960

Mr Hutchings had pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of John Pat Cunningham.

His case became the focus of attention in recent years as a number of prosecutions were announced against veterans over deaths which took place during Northern Ireland's troubled past.

His solicitor Philip Barden said he had wanted to clear his name.

He also called for the Government to enact a statute of limitations on Troubles prosecutions in Northern Ireland, and said this should be known as Dennis's Law.

Mr 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.

Last Monday, he was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after complaining that he was struggling to breathe. His condition deteriorated and he later died from coronavirus.

Mr Hutchings fell ill days into the trial. He then contracted coronavirus and died alone in hospital on October 18, despite pleas to return to his native Cornwall to continue treatment

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.

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.'

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

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.

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, 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.

Reform UK party leader Richard Tice said the government should 'hang its head in shame' for 'hounding' Mr Hutchings during his final years.

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.

Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie called for a 'full and thorough' review into the decision-making of the Public Prosecution Service.

Meanwhile, Democratic Unionist Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson argued the trial was not in the public interest: 'He was an 80-year-old veteran, in ill-health on dialysis and there was a lack of compelling new evidence.

'There now stands serious questions around those who made the decision that Dennis should stand trial once more. He was honourable. He wanted to clear his name again but was dragged to a court and hounded until his death.'

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.

Pictured: Dennis Hutchings, with supporters, arrives at court in Belfast earlier this month

John Pat Cunningham, a 27-year-old with learning difficulties, was shot dead during an Army operation on June 15, 1974. Mr Hutchings maintained he only fired warning shots into the air

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.'

The former member of the Life Guards regiment, from Cawsand in Cornwall, had already been cleared of any wrongdoing twice.

He was told he would not be prosecuted in the months after Mr Cunninghams 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.

Dennis was taken from his home in Cornwall to Northern Ireland for questioning.

His body was returned to home soil last week and transported to the picture postcard village on the Cornish coast where hed made his home.

His partner of 26 years Kim Devonshire, whom he loved dearly, is numb with grief. He really believed he was going to clear his name, she said. It breaks my heart that he never could.
A mechanic in Brazil who took his girlfriend out in a customer's Porsche was abducted after thieves believed him to be the owner of the car.

CCTV footage captured the moment two men armed with guns ran towards the luxury motor and forced the mechanic and his girlfriend out of the car.

Mechanic Francisco Rogerio Leandro Ramos had been turning right off of a main road on October 24 when he was forced to slow down as another vehicle in front was blocking the road.

CCTV footage captured the moment two men armed with guns ran towards the luxury motor and forced the mechanic and his girlfriend out of the car

The armed men approach the car from the front and force the mechanic Francisco Rogerio Leandro Ramos and his girlfriend out

The car in front moved off quickly, but Ramos was unable to continue his journey as the two armed men ran towards the Porsche and forced him and his girlfriend out.

Believing the mechanic to be the wealthy owner of the vehicle, one of the armed men then bundled him into one of the back seats and then drove off with his accomplice.

According to SBT News, an unnamed businessman from the city of Nova Iguacu in Rio de Janeiro had left his Porsche worth over BRL 65,000 at the garage to get its faulty stereo fixed.

While the car was in his workplace, Francisco cheekily decided to take the high-end vehicle out for a spin with his girlfriend in the neighbourhood of California.

The armed man wearing yellow then grabs the mechanic and pulls him from the driver's seat

The mechanic is then bundled into the back of the car, before the thieves drive off in the Porsche, leaving the mechanic's girlfriend stood on the side of the road

After the abduction, the mechanic was driven to a cashpoint, where he was forced to take money out.

However, with no money in his account, his captors soon realised he had been telling the truth when he said the car did not belong to him.

The men then drove to the neighbouring city of Nilopolis where they left the car without taking anything and released the mechanic.

It was not reported if the police are investigating the case or if the mechanic faces disciplinary action.
A federal judge has rejected a bid by pilots to block Southwest Airlines from imposing a COVID vaccine mandate, saying the airline is within its power to require vaccination as a safety measure.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn denied the request to issue a temporary restraining order against the airline's requirement

U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn denied the request by the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association union, which represents about 9,000 employees, to issue a temporary restraining order against the airline's requirement.

The Dallas-based airline airline said all its staff needed to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to comply with President Joe Biden's mandate for all federal contractors to have the jab.

The judge explained Tuesday that Southwest was within its authority to require vaccinations to improve safety and maintain its operations.

'Requiring Southwest employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 will likewise improve the safety of air transportation, efficiency of Southwest's operations, and further the [collective bargaining agreement's] goal of safe and reasonable working conditions for pilots,' Lynn wrote in her ruling

The union said it was disappointed in the ruling and currently considering next steps, Bloomberg reported.

'What Southwest Airlines is doing is outrageous,' Hal Gillespie, a lawyer for the union, told the judge at an October 22 hearing. 'It's in-your-face stuff.'

The union had claimed Southwest illegally changed its work rules during the pandemic instead of negotiating with its employees, which would have been a breach of the Railway Labor Act.

Southwest Airlines has given employees until November 24 to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or request an exemption. Pictured: a pilot talks with a ground employee

In recent days, the airline has weakened the requirement by saying workers who fail to comply won't be fired. Southwest has openly encouraged employees to ask for a medical or religious exemption from being vaccinated if they object to getting the shots.

Southwest is giving employees until November 24 to provide proof of vaccination or request an exemption.

Southwest is not the only airline to go to court on Tuesday.

United Airlines asked a judge to lift a temporary restraining order on their company's coronavirus vaccine mandate as they claimed keeping pilots home on paid sick leave was costing nearly $3million each month.

The air carrier claims it was 'forced' to put the pilots on paid leave because some employees refused 'to risk their safety' by flying with their unvaccinated coworkers.

The restraining order - which expired on Tuesday- was put in place after six employees filed a lawsuit against United in a Texas federal court last month.

United Airlines asked a judge to lift a temporary restraining order on their company's COVID vaccine mandate as they claim keeping pilots home on paid sick leave is costing nearly $3 million each month. Pictured: a United pilot gets the jab in March 2021

The lawsuit alleges that the Chicago-based airline 'failed to provide reasonable accommodations' when their requests for religious or medical exemptions to the company vaccine mandate were only granted with unpaid leave.

The lawsuit was filed after more than 200 United workers faced termination for not receiving the COVID shot.

On Monday, US District Judge Mark Pittman extended the temporary ban until November 8, prohibiting United from moving the employees to unpaid leave or denying any exemption requests because they were filed past the company deadline.

United was the first airline to require all employees to be vaccinated and has reported that 97 per cent of its 67,000 employees are now fully vaccinated, Politico reported.

Southwest and American Airlines, which is also based in Texas, quickly followed suit and have both claimed they will ignore Governor Greg Abbott's vaccine mandate ban.

Abbott's order means American and Southwest could face a $1,000 fine for forcing employees to receive a vaccine because employees could lose their livelihoods.
Consultancy bosses whose firm pocketed millions of pounds of taxpayers' cash from the 'eye-wateringly expensive' NHS Test and Trace system held a boozy cocktail party just weeks before MPs savaged the project's failure.

Management at Boston Consulting Group in London - paid 28million from the Government - devoured pricey drinks at the glamourous October 8 bash at posh Berners Tavern in Fitzrovia.

The glitzy occasion, attended by BCG partners and their significant others also took in a lavish sit-down dinner.

It was held before the 37billion Test and Trace service was branded an 'eye-wateringly expensive' failure by MPs, who savaged pricey consultancy staff.

The damning Public Accounts Committee report found some were paid an average of 1,100 a day  with some raking in up to 6,600.

BCG's party sparked further fury today, with one peer describing it as 'appalling'.

Were you at the party? E-mail: dan.sales@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement

One picture from the party showed at least 30 drinks lined up on the bar - where cocktails cost 15 a glass - ready to be quaffed by the guests.

Another featured a string quartet playing music dressed in glitter-covered dresses seated inside the cavernous venue, where food is masterminded by Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton.

Charles Heidsieck Blanc Des Millenaires 2006 Champagne is served at the upmarket restaurant at 49 a glass with one of its most expensive individual food choices, the 8oz grass-fed Scottish fillet steak, costs 40.

Unsurprisingly one guest at the BCG get-together described it as 'amazing' and praised the extraordinary food and drinks.

Company accounts released on the firm this month revealed 'profit for discretionary division among members' was some 164.6million. Last year it was nearly 95.8million.

Lord John Mann told MailOnline: 'It is appalling. Them throwing a party - they should be should be throwing a party for NHS workers.

'They should be hanging their heads in shame and giving money back.

'This should be treated with contempt. They should be throwing a Christmas party for every care home and hospital in the country from their profits.'

Management at Boston Consulting Group in London devoured pricey drinks at the bash

A string quartet playing music dressed in glitter-covered dresses seated inside the venue

The glitzy occasion in London was attended by BCG partners and their significant others

Company accounts from BCG UK show profit for division for year up to March 31 was 164.6m

The NHS Test and Trace system was run at the time by TalkTalk boss Baroness Harding

A source added: 'In the week the Government's Public Accounts Committee has blasted Test and Trace for wasting so much money on consultants, this is a look that is difficult to swallow.'

The PAC reported yesterday how as recently as August this year, 1,864 privately paid consultants from a number of different firms were still on the books.

BCG declined to comment when approached by MailOnline over the party,

It came after the company was handed 28million from the Government's Covid tracking service to populate missing workers for the project.

It is understood to be contracted to carry out at least another 2million worth of work.

Yesterday the influential PAC said the NHS-branded, but not affiliated, tracing project had been 'overly reliant on expensive contractors and temporary staff'.

It added it 'Had not achieved its main objective to help break chains of COVID-19 transmission and enable people to return towards a more normal way of life'

Incredibly despite committing to reduce consultants the service employed more in April 2021 (2,239) than in December 2020 (2,164).

Details sent to the committee also disclosed that as recently as August, 1,864 consultants were still on the on NHS Test and Trace system's books.

The organisation, previously led by former TalkTalk boss Baroness Harding, also had 'muddled' objectives, the Public Accounts Committee said.

Amounts spent on consultants were detailed in full in a National Audit Office published in June.

Brewers Tavern in Fitzrovia, London, was the location of the party early this month

The 37billion NHS Test and Trace service has been an 'eye-wateringly expensive' failure, a damning report by MPs claims

NHS Test and Trace consultancy contracts revealed and their pay so far Deloitte LLP 298million, 174million paid so far IBM United Kingdom Limited 46million, 21million paid so far Accenture (UK) Limited 30million, 18million paid so far The Boston Consulting Group UK LLP 30million,  28million paid so far PA Consulting Services Limited 30million, 10million paid so far Zuhlke Engineering Limited 25million, 12million paid so far Bramble Hub Limited 17million, 8million paid so far BAE Systems Applied Intelligence Limited 15million, 8million paid so far McKinsey & Company Inc. United Kingdom 14million 12million paid so far Ernst and Young LLP 12million, 9million paid so far Advertisement

The highest was to Deloitte LLP who were awarded a 300million contract, with IBM United Kingdom Limited second on the list with a 46million deal.

Next were Accenture (UK) Limited, BCG and PA Consulting Services Limited who each got 30million contracts.

Zuhlke Engineering Limited got a 25million deal, Bramble Hub Limited got a 17million agreement and BAE Systems Applied Intelligence Limited was contracted for 15million of work.

McKinsey & Company Inc. United Kingdom got 14million while Ernst and Young LLP closed the top ten of those contracted with 12million.

Back in August last year Wolfgang Emmerich, CEO & Partner at Zuhlke Group, Tweeted of his pride in the work they had done on the tracing app.

He said: 'The large team from Zuhlke Group that built this new app are very proud of having reached this important milestone for the Test and Trace programme.'

Spending on Test and Trace is equal to nearly a fifth of the 2020/21 NHS England budget.

Just 45 per cent of testing capacity was used between November 2020 and April 2021, and at times as few as 11 per cent of contact centre staff were being utilised.

Only 96million of 691million lateral flow tests it distributed were registered. And it 'is not clear what benefit the remaining 595million tests have secured'.

The programme was championed by the then Health Secretary Matt Hancock, whilst Prime Minister Boris Johnson described it as 'world-beating'.

Committee chairman Dame Meg Hillier said: 'It set out bold ambitions but has failed to achieve them despite the vast sums thrown at it.'

Meanwhile, the professor who helped create the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab has said it is unfair to 'bash the UK' over high numbers of Covid cases  around 40,000 a day in recent weeks.

The programme was championed by the then Health Secretary Matt Hancock, whilst Prime Minister Boris Johnson described it as 'world-beating'

The damning report's main conclusions - NHS Test and Trace 'has not achieved its main objective to help break chains of Covid-19 transmission and enable people to return towards a more normal way of life'. - The programme's 'continued over-reliance on consultants is likely to cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds'. - Uptake of services provided by Test and Trace is 'variable' and 'only a minority of people experiencing Covid-19 symptoms get a test', with some groups less likely to take tests compared with others. - The programme's laboratories approach and contact centre usage is 'still not flexible enough to meet changing demand and risks wasting public money'. Advertisement

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard said: 'If you look across western Europe, we have about ten times more tests done each day than some other countries.'

The damning report has been published just ahead of Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Budget, where he will lay out the details of the recently-announced 6billion funding boost for the NHS.

It details how the Test and Trace system failed to hit set targets and that spending on consultants was out of control.

Mr Hancock had promised that the system would allow the Government to avoid the use of national lockdowns and instead get the contacts of people who had contracted Covid-19 to isolate.

The report also details how less than half of contact tracers who had been hired were ever in use at any one time.

It said: '[NHS Test and Trace] has a 50 per cent target utilisation rate for its contact centre staff, but the highest reached was 49 per cent at the beginning of January 2021 and this had fallen to 11 per cent by the end of February 2021.

'Over Christmas 2020, when there appeared to be spare laboratory capacity and Covid-19 cases were rising, performance declined and it took longer to provide test results, with only 17 per cent of people receiving test results within 24 hours in December 2020.'

Of the near-700million lateral flow tests which were distributed by NHS Test and Trace, only 14 per cent were registered online  something which is essential for the spread of coronavirus to be tracked.

Dame Meg Hillier said NHS Test and Trace failed to live up to its 'bold' ambitions

From TalkTalk to Test and Trace: Dido Harding's journey to leading UK's 'most wasteful public spending programme of all time' Dido Harding first achieved notoriety in 2010 as chief executive of telecoms group TalkTalk. Dido Harding During her time in charge she was twice given MoneyMail's 'wooden spoon' award for having the most appalling customer service of any British company. It was handed record fines by the regulator Ofcom for over-billing and in 2015 fell victim to a cyber attack in which 157,000 clients had their data stolen, causing 100,000 of them to leave, company profits to halve and TalkTalk's shares to lose two-thirds of their value, Harding, 53, who had by then been elevated to the House of Lords as Baroness Harding of Winscombe by old university friend David Cameron  an ally of her Tory MP husband John Penrose  was eased out of her 2.7 million-a-year role in 2017, only to be immediately handed a new job chairing the powerful hospital regulator NHS Improvement. Then came another big promotion: last May, the Prime Minister put Harding in charge of Test and Trace, promising that this would help free Britain from the shackles of coronavirus. Despite its huge budget, with the 2,500 consultants on its payroll earning an average of 1,000 a day, Harding's organisation has 'failed to make a measurable difference to the progress of the pandemic', according to a February report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee. The grandee Lord Macpherson, former head of HM Treasury, has dubbed it 'the most wasteful and inept public spending programme of all time'. A damning National Audit Office report also found that Test and Trace was still struggling to get to grips with the basics of its job. Harding quit Test and Trace, defending the service from criticism by saying the exceptions were 'set too high'. She also said Covid testing in the UK was now 'the envy of the world'. Earlier this year it was revealed Harding had applied to become the new head of the NHS, after Sir Simon Stevens leaves his role. But reports suggested that after Matt Hancock's resignation amid revelations of an affair with an aide, that Harding she was 'unlikely' to get the role, Advertisement

The committee also criticised handling of the cash, highlighting that the programme has still not managed to reduce the number of expensive contractors - who are paid an average of 1,100 per day - and has not developed a 'flexible' approach to using laboratories, which 'risks wasting public money'.

Test and Trace's 'continued over-reliance on consultants is likely to cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds', the report states.

It has been focused on getting programmes up and running and 'paid less attention to ensuring these programmes delivered the benefits they promised', it adds.

And uptake of services provided by the programme is 'variable' as some vulnerable people are much less likely to take a test than others.

MPs on the cross-party committee said that as the programme is moved into the new UK Health Security Agency it needs a 'proper long-term strategy'.

Dame Hillier added: 'The continued reliance on the over-priced consultants who 'delivered' this state of affairs will by itself cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of pounds.

'For this huge amount of money we need to see a legacy system ready to deliver when needed but it's just not clear what there will be to show in the long term. This legacy has to be a focus for government if we are to see any value for the money spent.'

MPs have set out a series of recommendations and suggested improvements to the programme.

The Test and Trace programme was rapidly developed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, spearheaded by Baroness Harding, with the objective of testing the nation and tracing contacts of positive cases.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said in a statement: 'NHS Test and Trace (NHSTT) has played an essential role in combating this pandemic.

'As the Public Accounts Committee acknowledges, there have been improvements in testing capacity, turnaround times and speed and reach of contact tracing - and improved collaboration with local authorities.

'The fact is NHSTT is saving lives every single day and helping us fight Covid-19 by breaking chains of transmission and spotting outbreaks wherever they exist.

'More than 323 million tests have now been carried out across the UK. NHSTT has now contacted more than 19.9 million people, helping to slow the spread of the virus.

A government spokesman said: 'NHS Test & Trace has delivered on what it set out to do - break chains of transmission and save lives.

'To date, over 323 million tests have been delivered and almost 20 million people contacted who could otherwise have unknowingly transmitted the virus.

'We have rightly drawn on the extensive expertise of a number of public and private sector partners who have been invaluable in helping us tackle the virus.

'We've built a testing network from scratch that can process millions of tests a day - more than any European country - providing a free LFD or PCR test to anybody who needs one.

'The new UK Health Security Agency will consolidate the knowledge that now exists across our health system to help us tackle future pandemics and threats.'
David Duvall was fired by Novant Health in 2018 and was replaced by two women who now share his role - one is white and one is black

A white male marketing vice president from a North Carolina has been awarded a $10million 'reverse discrimination' payout from the hospital which fired him and replaced him with two women, one of whom is black.

David Duvall sued Novant Health in North Carolina, where he'd worked for five years as the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, and was lauded by colleagues and supervisors, in 2018.

He says he was inexplicably terminated just days before reaching his five year work anniversary, a milestone that would have awarded him a higher severance payout than what he was given.

He was replaced by two women - Kate Everett, a white woman who had worked with him and was promoted to take the role of Chief PR and Communications Officer and Vicky Free, a black woman who was given the role of Chief Marketing Officer.

Duvall, in his complaint, said that while both women were qualified for the job, they were no more qualified than he was.

His attorneys proposed that he was fired 'out of the clear blue sky' because he was a white man, and that the move was in keeping with the hospital's 'five year plan' to boost diversity by 2020.

He was replaced by two women - Kate Everett (left), who had worked with him and was promoted to Chief PR and Communications Officer and Vicky Free (right) was given the role of Chief Marketing Officer

They said he wasn't the only white executive fired; in his complaint, he says the Chief Legal Officer, Medical Group President, Chief Information Officer, Patient Experience Officer and President of Haymarket Medical Center were all replaced either by a black person or a woman in the 12-18 months after him.

The jury agreed with him and on Tuesday, awarded him $10million in a reverse discrimination payout.

Duvall had worked for Novant since 2013.

In his complaint, he told how he regularly received rave reviews from his superiors, and how his team was always rated highly for their performance too.

In 2018, he said he was unceremoniously fired.

'Without prior warning, and without any explanation as to why that promised normal circumstances did not apply, Novant terminated [him] on July 30, 2018 and ordered him off the premises immediately, five days before his fifth work anniversary.

'Jesse Cureton notified Plaintiff of this decision and offered no explanation for it, stating the decision had nothing to do with [his] performance, that [he] had done everything asked of him and more,' the lawsuit reads.

Novant denied the allegations and said he was fired for other reasons that were presented at the civil jury trial.

A jury in North Carolina on Wednesday ruled that Duvall should be given $10million in damages

In its original response to the lawsuit in 2019, Novant health said he was fired 'due to his deficient performance, including his inability to communicate effectively before a group and the delegation of the critical duties of his position to his subordinates.'

Novant says Everett was already doing much of Duvall's job because he pawned it off to her, and that it was natural for her to be promoted.

It also denied his allegation that other men were fired for being white males, but didn't go into detail about why they were replaced.

The jury sided with Duvall on Tuesday, awarding him the huge payout.

The hospital, in a statement, told DailyMail.com: 'We are extremely disappointed with the verdict as we believe it is not supported by the evidence presented at trial, which includes our reason for Mr. Duvalls termination. We will pursue all legal options, including appeal, over the next several weeks and months.

'Novant Health is one of thousands of organizations to put in place robust diversity and inclusion programs, which we believe can co-exist alongside strong non-discriminatory policies that extend to all races and genders, including white men.

'Its important for all current and future team members to know that this verdict will not change Novant Healths steadfast commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity for all.'

Luke Largess, Duvall's attorney, told DailyMail.com that he is not opposed to Diversity and Inclusion, and even sat on a committee at the hospital to promote it. He says the facts of the case speak for themselves.

' Mr. Duvall was committed to D&I, sat on a system committee to promote it and his team created marketing materials.

'The case is about the fact that you cannot fire people just to create opportunities to fill positions. It is not a case against Diversity and Inclusion.'
Poland has been ordered to pay a penalty of 1 million euros (845,000) per day until it complies with the European Union's top court's order to scrap disciplinary rules for judges.

The Court of Justice of the European Union delivered the decision on Wednesday to prevent what it called 'serious and irreparable harm' to the EU's legal order and values amid an increasingly bitter row over the rule of law.

Poland has been embroiled in a long-running dispute with Brussels over judicial reforms Warsaw says undermine the independence of its courts, with some fearing the feud could cause a 'Polexit' and a break-up of the EU.

The row heated up in July when the EU's top court ordered Poland to suspend the disciplinary chamber of its Supreme Court, which is seen by critics as a way to pressure judges to rule on favour of Poland's ruling populist party.

Poland has said it will abolish the chamber as part of broader reforms, but has not yet presented detailed plans.

'In the ruling issued today, the Vice-President of the Tribunal obliged Poland to pay...a penalty payment of EUR 1 million per day, counting from the date on which this ruling was delivered to Poland,' the Luxembourg-based court said in a statement.

Poland has been ordered to pay a penalty of 1 million euros (845,000) per day until it complies with the European Union's top court's order to scrap disciplinary rules for judges. Pictured: Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Angela Merkel on October 22 at the EU Summit

Which EU laws is Poland disputing? Article 1 What is it? This sets out the founding principle of the EU, which is to create a Union and develop 'an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe.' In dispute: Poland argues the way the law is being applied blocks the country from applying its own constitution and could force it to apply unconstitutional laws laid down by EU courts What Poland's court said: The EU is acting outside of its remit by preventing the country from acting as a sovereign state, and that Polish law should take precedence Article 4 What is it? This establishes the principle of 'sincere cooperation' between states which must 'work together to implement' EU laws. In dispute: Poland again argues that the way the law is being interpreted will stop it from applying its own laws or compel it to apply unconstitutional laws if they are laid down by EU courts Court ruling: Judges again found the EU is acting outside of its remit by preventing the country from acting as a sovereign state, and that Polish law must take precedence Article 19 What is it? This establishes the authority of the European Court of Justice which 'shall ensure that in the interpretation and application of... the law is observed.' In dispute: Poland says the article, as applied, grants the EU the power to oversee the appointment of judges made by the Polish President Court ruling: Judges found that, by interfering in the process of appointing judges, the EU is preventing Poland from acting as a sovereign nation and that the President's decision-making must take precedence Advertisement

The European Court of Justice imposed the penalty after a weeklong war of words in which Poland told the EU to stay out of its judicial affairs while other EU member states insisted that Warsaw could not continue to hog subsidies while disregarding the bloc's democratic and rule of law principles at will.

'You cannot pocket all the money but refuse the values,' Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said, warning Poland not to treat the EU like 'a cash machine.'

The Court of Justice decided to syphon off some of those subsidy funds, saying the daily fine was 'necessary in order to avoid serious and irreparable harm to the legal order of the European Union and to the values on which that Union is founded, in particular that of the rule of law.'

The EU's executive commission had requested the penalty until the Polish government acts to improve the functioning of the Polish Supreme Court and suspends new laws deemed to undermine judicial independence.

The point of contention is the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court, a body that the ruling party gave the power to discipline judges. Many Polish judges view the chamber as a tool to pressure judges to rule in favor of the governing authorities.

In July, the European Court of Justice ordered the suspension of the disciplinary chamber, but it is still functioning.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told the European Parliament last week that the chamber will be abolished, but he gave no precise timeframe.

Deputy Justice Minister Sebastian Kaleta said the demand for 1 million euros was 'usurpation and blackmail' in comments posted on Twitter.

The move towards fines comes after Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accused the EU of 'starving' and 'punishing' his country by withholding 48billion in Covid relief money after Warsaw ruled that its constitution took precedence over European law.

The ruling led to fears of a 'Polexit' and a break-up of the EU after the Warsaw ruling that national law takes precedence over diktats from Brussels.

Belgium's Prime Minister said on Wednesday his Polish counterpart was 'playing with fire when waging war with your European colleagues for internal political reasons.'

After the EU threatened sanctions against Poland, Morawiecki responded earlier on Monday with comments that the bloc is starting World War III and 'putting a gun to our head'.

When asked if Poland could use its veto power to block legislation in retaliation, Morawiecki told the Financial Times: 'If they start the third world war, we are going to defend our rights with any weapons which are at our disposal.'

The Court of Justice of the European Union delivered the decision on Wednesday to prevent what it called 'serious and irreparable harm' to the EU's legal order and values amid an increasingly bitter row over the rule of law

The row between Poland and the EU Relations between Poland and the EU have been rocky for years and reached a new low earlier this month after the tribunal ruled that Polish laws take precedence over those of the 27-nation bloc, which Poland joined in 2004. The ruling escalated lingering tensions over democratic standards between Poland's right-wing nationalist government and EU institutions in Brussels. The dispute is largely over changes to the Polish judicial system which give the ruling party more power over the courts. Polish authorities say they seek to reform a corrupt and inefficient justice system. The European Commission believes the changes erode the country's democratic system of checks and balances. Ultimately, at the heart of the row is the question of who should have the most power within the bloc - each individual nation over its citizens or the EU institutions over the member nations. It was the prime mover behind the exit of Britain from the EU, and it has stirred passions in several Eastern and Central European nations like Poland and Hungary. The whole idea behind the EU is that a united front will make the 27 nations a formidable power in the world, while they would be bystanders just as individual countries. But even if member states are happy to see that power used in international relations, some abhor it when it affects them. Morawiecki described Poland as a nation that is being intimidated and attacked by an EU whose top court issues rulings that aim to take more and more power away from its nations. He insisted that the EU must remain a union of sovereign states until all its members agree by treaty to give up more of their own national powers. 'We are now seeing a creeping revolution taking place by way of verdicts of the European Court of Justice,' he said. Morawiecki defended his country's stance that the highest law in Poland is the country's constitution. He insisted that Poland abides by EU treaties and brushed off comment from opponents of his government who fear that the court's ruling has put the country on a path to a possible exit from the EU. Morawiecki also said he sees double standards in the EU rulings on Poland's changes to its judiciary, noting that each country has its own judicial system, with politicians electing judges in some cases. The Polish tribunal majority ruling - in response to a case brought by Morawiecki - said Poland's EU membership did not give the European Court of Justice supreme legal authority and did not mean that Poland had shifted its legal sovereignty to the EU. Morawiecki asked for the review after the European Court of Justice ruled in March that Poland's new regulations for appointing judges to the Supreme Court could violate EU law. The ruling obliged Poland's government to discontinue the rules that gave politicians influence over judicial appointments. To date, Poland has not complied. Last month, the European Commission asked the European Court of Justice to impose daily fines on Poland until it improves the functioning of the Polish Supreme Court and suspends the laws that were deemed to undermine judicial independence. Morawiecki told EU lawmakers during the debate that a disputed disciplinary chamber of Poland's Supreme Court will be closed, because it did not meet expectations, without offering a clear timeline. Advertisement

EU Commission spokesman Eric Mamer took issue with the violent imagery, saying: 'The EU is a project that very successfully contributed to establishing a lasting peace among its member states.

'There is no place for rhetoric referring to war.'

'You are playing a dangerous game,' De Croo said.

'This is about the overwhelming majority of member states - from the Baltics to Portugal - who agree our Union is a union of values, not a cash machine,' De Croo said, alluding to the fact that Poland has long been a major net recipient of EU funds.

The comments follow years of disputes over changes Poland's government has made to the country's courts.

The EU believes the changes erode democratic checks and balances, and the European Commission is holding up billions of euros to Poland earmarked in a pandemic recovery plan.

Morawiecki faced less sanguine criticism from his Polish political opponents, many of whom are deeply worried about Poland's increasing isolation within the EU.

'I have the impression that Mr Morawiecki has recently had some problems with English or that he has lost his mind,' tweeted Marek Belka, a former left-wing Polish prime minister who is now a member of the European Parliament.

Donald Tusk, the head of the leading opposition party in Poland, reacted to the 'war' comment by saying: 'In politics, stupidity is the cause of most serious misfortunes.'

The government spokesman, Piotr Muller, told Polish media that the prime minister's comment amounted to hyperbole and should not be taken literally.

The nationalist ruling party in Poland, Law and Justice, has been in conflict with Brussels since winning power in 2015 over a number of matters, including migration and LGBT rights.

The longest running dispute, however, has centred on the Polish governments attempts to take political control of the judiciary.

The ruling by Poland's Constitutional court, which is filled with ruling party's loyalists, was made after Morawiecki asked it to rule on whether EU or national law has primacy.

Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said last week that it was the first time ever that a national court found 'that the EU treaties are incompatible with the national constitution.'

'This ruling calls into question the foundations of the European Union,' von der Leyen said. 'It is a direct challenge to the unity of the European legal order.'

Poland's decision has cast the Eastern European nation's future in the EU into doubt, six years after the UK voted to leave the bloc in 2016 and kickstarted a continent-wide debate about the role of the 27-nation bloc.

Warsaw has long been at odds with Brussels over democratic standards and the independence of its judiciary.

Opinion polls show Poles are overwhelmingly EU-enthusiastic, with over 80 percent backing membership of the bloc that has given their country billions of euros in subsidies, turbo-charging its development.

But relations have become increasingly strained since the populist Law and Justice (PiS) party came to power.

The fine imposed Wednesday comes on top of a 500,000-euro daily fine the Court of Justice ordered Poland last month to pay for having ignored its injunction to close the Turow brown coal mine. The ruling came in a dispute between Poland and the Czech Republic.

Poland argues it cannot do without some 7% of its energy that the Turow power plant is generating. Morawiecki has indicated Poland is prepared to pay, and can afford it.

These additional burdens on the state budget come as there is a possibility Poland will not be getting some 36 billion euros in EU funds earmarked for recovery from the pandemic because of the rule of law despite with Brussels.

Morawiecki earlier this year had asked the Constitutional Court to rule on the primacy of EU law following a series of rulings from the bloc's top court against Poland's disputed judicial reforms.

The Constitutional Court itself underwent controversial reforms in 2016 designed by the PiS government, leading critics both in Poland and abroad to argue it is stacked with PiS allies.

Poland and Hungary are bitterly opposed to agreements negotiated last year as the EU's 1.5trillion Covid recovery budget was agreed, which linked the funding to enforcing laws such as equality and human rights legislation.

Both countries are led by right-wing populist parties who have been involved in long-running spats with the EU over the independence of courts, freedom of the press, and LGBT rights.
The United States' top military officer called China's suspected testing of hypersonic weapons 'very concerning' and described it as 'very close' to a 'Sputnik moment' as tensions continue to escalate between the two nations.

'What we saw was a very significant event of a test of a hypersonic weapon system. And it is very concerning,' Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told The David Rubenstein Show on Bloomberg Television.

'I don't know if it's quite a Sputnik moment, but I think it's very close to that,' he added, referencing when the Soviet Union beat America to space in 1957 with the its Sputnik satellite. 'It has all of our attention.'

Milley also warned that the new missile systems are just one of many things the U.S. should be concerned about as the Chinese military expands.

'The Chinese military capabilities are much greater than that. They're expanding rapidly in space, in cyber, and in the traditional domains of land, sea and air,' he told Bloomberg. 'We're in one of the most significant changes in what I call the character of war.'

Milley said the U.S. needs to accelerate its own development of hypersonic, artificial intelligence and robotics weapons to compete with China as Beijing ramps up its weapons development in a Cold War-like arms race with the U.S. and Russia.

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff described China's alleged testing of hypersonic weapons as 'very concerning'

China, the US and Russia are engaged in a global arms race that now includes the development of hypersonic missile technology. Here, the MailOnline has compared (from left) each country's main nuclear weapon, the latest hypersonic technology they have tested, their most up-to-date aircraft carriers, main battle tanks, and cutting-edge jets

China is thought to have carried out two tests of a hypersonic orbital nuke - the first on July 27 and the second on August 13. Observers believe the 'weapon' is an updated version of a Soviet concept called a 'Fractional Orbital Bombardment System', or FOBS

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

Milley's remarks are the most significant acknowledgement of a US official regarding China's alleged testing of two nuclear-capable hypersonic weapons over the summer.

The next-generation weapons were said to be capable of carrying nuclear warheads over the South Pole and around America's anti-missile systems in the Northern Hemisphere.

Earlier this month, several intelligence sources told the Financial Times about Beijing's supposed launch of the weapons on July 27 and August.

What is the new 'weapon' that China has tested? Intelligence sources say Beijing has tested two nuclear-capable hypersonic vehicles 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 program, though the concept itself is nothing new. The idea behind China's 'new' weapon actually came from the Soviets, who developed it during the Cold War. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was designed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defense systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nuclear warheads - tracking them into space and 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 above the horizon - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defense crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS is designed to negate these defenses by firing warheads along a much-flatter trajectory that is assisted by Earth's gravity. This means the warheads 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. In addition, using orbit to carry the warheads makes their range potentially unlimited, meaning they can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which are generally pointed 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 program in response to changes in America's missile defense 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 maneuver 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

Observers say the weapon appears to be an update of Cold War-era Soviet technology called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS.

Soviets developed the technology to get around powerful U.S. radars designed to detect the launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) with nuclear warheads, as well as any defense systems designed to shoot them down.

FOBS works by putting the nuclear warheads into a low-Earth orbit, allowing them to circle the globe and maneuver in flight before coming down on their targets.

This makes the warheads harder to detect, track and destroy.

China has disputed the reports of the tests, saying they only launched a reusable space vehicle.

Milley's comments come as Beijing confirmed that it has carried out its first-ever demolition of a port using underwater explosives, a tactic that state media said could be used against the U.S. in the event of a war.

The Chinese military carried out the test on Saturday, using underwater charges to destroy a dummy wharf at an undisclosed location somewhere in China.

The technology is designed to cut off enemy supply lines in the event of a conflict, the state-owned Global Times newspaper reported, adding that sneak attacks using underwater charges will make large vessels like American aircraft carriers vulnerable.

Underwater demolitions are a response to changing U.S. tactics in the Pacific, it added, claiming that Washington is dividing its forces between smaller locations instead of concentrating them in one place to mitigate the damage from attacks.

This tactic increases the strain on logistics operations required to keep large vessels such as aircraft carriers afloat, the Times said, making attacks on infrastructure such as ports and wharfs more important.

'With ports destroyed, enemy logistics support will fail and a dispersed fighting force... will also fail,' an unnamed military expert told the paper.

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.

The United States, Russia and at least five other countries are also 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.

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.

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

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.
A 12 year-old boy has shared his horror at being pounced on by a huge crocodile which sunk its fangs into his leg as he played an organized game of hide-and-seek at a Mexican holiday resort.

Charlie Buhl, of Philadelphia, was hiding on a set of wooden steps leading to a lagoon from the pool deck at Club Med Cancun resort on June 18 when he was attacked by the 13 foot reptile.

His leg had been seized by the massive reptile on the staircase and dragged twice into the water.

Resort workers rushed to the scene where they forcibly kicked the crocodile off of the young boy's leg and brought him to safety. Charlie was warned by doctors that his leg wounds - which became infected - were so severe that he faced losing the limb.

But he is now recovering after surgery, and is now even planning to dress as a giant crocodile for Halloween.

'There was nothing I could do, it was so strong,' Buhl said in a Wednesday interview with Good Morning America.

'I could feel like it almost pricking the inside of my leg,' he said. 'Like someone was digging their nails into your arm.'

'The workers helped pull me out and they were kicking the crocodile's eyes and putting a blue (pool) pillow on its head and then it let go and they like put me on the ground,' Charlie said of the rescue.

Philadelphia boy Charlie Buhl, 12, has spoken out after he was attacked by a 13-foot crocodile in June at Club Med Cancun

Buhl was taken to a local hospital where he underwent four weeks of surgery which included stapling an open skin flap

The crocodile had pulled on Buhl's leg while he was hiding on a staircase that led to the lagoon from the pool deck (file photo)

Charlie Buhl, 12, is speaking out after a crocodile pulled him off a staircase near a dock while on vacation with his family at Club Med in Cancun this summer. @janai https://t.co/JkrLu1QMxG pic.twitter.com/NR2S5HAlEy  Good Morning America (@GMA) October 27, 2021

Buhl was taken to a local hospital where he underwent four weeks of medical procedures.

Despite initially being told he might lose his leg, he has been stapled up and is continuing his recovery from the terrifying incident.

His mother Jennifer Buhl, 50, told DailyMail.com that her son is still running and walking with a limp and has shooting pains down his leg every day.

She also said that her son is a star soccer player and has yet to return to the field due to his injuries.

Buhl had been staying at the resort with his mother and younger brother Johnny, seven, at the time.

His mother said her son's screams had alerted someone near the scene which prompted a group of male workers to rush to the boy's aid.

After being taken to the hospital, his mother was told that his injuries were found to be extremely serious and it was very likely that he was going to lose his leg, which was infected with bacteria.

Charlie had been staying at the resort with his mother and seven-year-old brother Johnny

Charlie's injuries were initially said to be extremely serious and the possibility of losing his leg was high due to the amount of bacteria from the bite

The young boy, however, managed to keep his leg after undergoing surgery which included stapling an open skin flap.

Club Med Cancun covered Buhl's medical bills and has since heightened the resort's security to avoid any further incidents.

'I think Club Med has acted really honorably and really responsibly,' Jennifer Buhl also said in the interview.

'They immediately closed off the area, put a guard there 24/7, put up signs and lights...'

The resort was said to have no locks or warning signs on the gate leading to the lagoon prior to Charlie's attack.

Club Med has since released a statement to PEOPLE in response to the accident at their resort.

Club Med has since released a statement on the incident and described their new enforced security measures

'The safety and security of our guests and staff is our highest priority,' a spokesperson for the resort said.

'Club Med Cancun has reinforced the area around the lagoon by increasing the number of signs, lighting and installing taller fencing to further protect the safety of our guests and staff from the surrounding lagoon.

'Existing warning signs in various locations at the resort have been expanded and increased to warn of the presence and potential danger of wildlife in the lagoon, including crocodiles.

'Club Med met with government officials and environmental ministries to voice concerns about the ongoing management of protected natural lagoons.

'Club Med reviews all of its safety protocols regularly and continues to assess if additional measures need to be taken.'

Charlie returned to his Philadelphia home in July and is now planning his Halloween costume which, of course, happens to be a 16 foot long crocodile.

'For Halloween, me and two of my friends are building this giant crocodile that all three of us are going to fit in and it's 16 feet long and they think it's cool,' he said.

In addition, Jennifer Buhl has continued to warn others about the dangers of crocodiles, especially in Cancun.

Buhl also said that she had learned of a nest of crocodiles that existed underneath the pool at the resort.

This is also not the first crocodile attack to occur in Mexico over the summer.

California teen Kianna Hummel, 18, had previously been attacked in July at a resort in Puerto Vallarta after a crocodile grabbed her by the leg during a late night swim in the ocean.

'I just started hitting it as hard as I could and then it kept just taking me under the water,' Hummel had said as she sat in her hospital bed.

Hummel had suffered severe muscle and tissue damage to her legs following the attack on the beach.
Ghosts and goblins can scratch the White House from their trick or treating routes this year.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will be in Europe on Halloween and won't be at the White House to help hand out candy and other treats.

Instead, the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the White House will be lit up in orange light to celebrate the spooky holiday, said the first lady's spokesperson, Michael LaRosa.

President Joe Biden (left) and First Lady Jill Biden (right) will be in Rome for Halloween this year and thus the White House won't be hosting a trick or treating event

The White House decorated for Halloween in 2020. The Trumps held a trick or treating event despite the COVID-19 pandemic

Former President Donald Trump places a candy bar on the top of a child's head during the 2019 trick or treating event

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trumps didn't hand out Halloween candy, having staff do so instead. The president and first lady had just recovered from the virus themselves

It's the Bidens' first Halloween at the White House.

'The president and first lady will be traveling internationally during the last days of October, and will not be hosting a specific event at the White House,' LaRosa said in a statement.

The Bidens will be in Rome, where the president will attend the annual Group of 20 summit of the world's leading rich and developing nations from Oct. 30-31.

The Bidens will meet with Pope Francis on Friday in advance of the leaders summit.

LaRosa did not mention the coronavirus pandemic in his statement, but he said Biden and his wife were encouraging families and children to celebrate Halloween by trick or treating outdoors.

Public health experts say outdoor activity is safest during the pandemic.

Last year during the pandemic, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump hosted trick or treaters at the White House for Halloween shortly after they both had recovered from COVID-19.

The celebration was tweaked to take the coronavirus into consideration.

The president and first lady did not personally hand out treats, but waved and gestured as the costumed kids walked by them.

Guests older than 2 and White House personnel working the event were required to wear face coverings and practice social distancing.

Staffers giving out candy also wore gloves.

During non-pandemic years, the Trumps spent a portion of the night handing out candy themselves.

Last week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki played coy when asked if the annual Halloween event on the South Lawn would be cancelled.

'I will leave it to the East Wing to make any announcements about that,' Psaki said.

'Obviously, there are steps and precautions we've taken, given we are still in a COVID environment,' she continued.

'I'm not going to rule out all of us dressing up. I don't know. We'll see. Stay tuned. But, yes, he will be traveling on Halloween,' the press secretary acknowledged about Biden's Rome trip.
Rishi Sunak revealed today that the UK will re-up its spending on the world's poor - but delayed the increase.

Boris Johnson's Government faced widespread criticism when it cut the foreign aid budget from 0.7 per cent of GDP to 0.5 per cent in the summer to divert cash into the UK.

But the Chancellor today confirmed that the 0.7 per cent rate would return, telling MPs that faster than expected economic growth allowed it.

However critics pointed out that it would be brought back in 2024/25, before the end of the Parliament but a year after it was expected to bounce back in 2023.

The Treasury also confirmed that the pledge would be reviewed annually, raising the prospect of it being scrapped if the economy deteriorates.

The Chancellor today confirmed that the 0.7 per cent rate would return, telling MPs that faster than expected economic growth allowed it.

However critics pointed out that it would be brought back in 2024/25, before the end of the Parliament but a year after it was expected to bounce back in 2023

Mr Sunak told MPs: 'I told the House that when we met our fiscal tests, we would return to spending 0.7 per cent of our national income on overseas aid.

'Some people said this was a trick or a device. I told this House - it was no such thing. And based on the tests I set out, today's forecasts show that we are, in fact scheduled to return to 0.7 in 2024/25 - before the end of the Parliament.'

But Stephanie Draper, chief executive of Bond, the UK network for organisations working in development, said: 'Despite the Chancellor's commitment to get back to 0.7 per cent of GNI spent on UK aid in 2024, what matters is what the Treasury is doing to ensure that the UK shows up in the world right now.

'It now looks certain that the Treasury will use accountancy trickery to make the aid budget pay for re-channelling Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), excess vaccine doses and debt relief, so the government is once again balancing the books on the backs of the poorest and jeopardising trust in the UK around the world. There will be even less funding for humanitarian and development programmes and potentially a third round of cuts to life saving work.

'With such strong messages about the strength of our economy, it's sad that the Chancellor can't be as generous as the British public towards those suffering the most from the pandemic and climate change. This makes the UK's standing in addressing global inequality even more questionable, whilst severely undermining crucial COP26 negotiations.'

The UK has long been one of the few countries that sticks to the international target of committing 0.7 per cent of national income to aid spending.

But the government cut that level 0.5 per cent in July, equating to a 4 billion decrease.

The Government won a vote on cutting the aid budget from 0.7 per cent of GDP to 0.5 per cent after a stormy debate in the Commons, 333 votes to 298, a majority of just 35.

In the end 24 Tory MPs rebelled, but their number included some big-hitter former ministers including Theresa May, Jeremy Hunt, David Davis and Tobias Ellwood.

Mr Johnson pledged that the rate would return but not until the public finances stabilise from pandemic damage.

The PM pointed out that the UK's liabilities are around 100 per cent of GDP and the next generation will have to foot the bill for the 'once in a century catastrophe' of Covid.

But Mrs May was among the Conservatives declaring they would vote against the government, something she has not done since leaving No10 in 2019.
A student at one of America's most famous historically-female colleges implored bosses to install tampon and sanitary pad dispensers in men's bathrooms to be more inclusive to 'those with uteruses'

Smith College student writer Jade Mosely made the suggestion in a piece entitled Smith Has A Period Problem for the college's paper The Sophian. While the college, based in Northampton, Massachusetts is famed for being women only, it has started admitting male students to its graduate programs in recent years, and has men's bathrooms on-campus.

Mosely wrote that Smith's current policy on period products is indicative of the $56,000-a-year educational institution 'adopting a clandestine attitude towards menstruation to cater to cisgender men.'

The student journalist went on to write that Smith 'is not exempt from the widespread effects of period poverty by virtue alone' and urged the institution to 'take the hygienic needs of its.. students of varying identities... seriously.'

Not providing free and accessible menstrual products to students, the writer proclaimed, is a 'deliberate choice' that 'sends a clear message to menstruating students about the lack of care for their wellbeing.'

The opinion piece, entitled 'Smith Has a Period Problem' and published today in the school's newspaper The Sophian, asserts that Smith College (pictured) 'is not exempt from the widespread effects of period poverty by virtue alone' and urged the institution to 'take the hygienic needs of its.. students of varying identities... seriously'

Not providing free and accessible menstrual products to students, the writer proclaimed, is a 'deliberate choice' that 'sends a clear message to menstruating students about the lack of care for their wellbeing'

Pictured is a men's bathroom at Smith College's Museum of Art, designed by alumni artists Ellen Driscoll and Sandy Skoglund amid the museum's renovation between 1999 and 2003. According to the writer of the op-ed in The Sophian, the $56,000 per-year institution does not have tampons and pad dispensers in all of its on-campus bathroom facilities

'However, I think we need to do more than simply remove the stigma around periods,' the writer said in the opinion piece. 'Smith College, which has posited itself as a progressive institution for gender and sexuality has to understand that accessibility remains a serious issue for menstrual hygiene.' Pictured is a tampon dispenser on the college's campus

'The horrifying middle school classroom paranoia that your period has started fades away mostly in high school, and nearly completely at an institution like Smith,' wrote Mosely.

'However, I think we need to do more than simply remove the stigma around periods. Smith College, which has posited itself as a progressive institution for gender and sexuality has to understand that accessibility remains a serious issue for menstrual hygiene.'

The writer, whose name does not appear anywhere in college directories, or the newspaper's staff list, claimed that house bathrooms and other public restrooms on campus are not installed with dispensers for students. Although 98 percent of the student body is female, according to the school, about two percent of its attendees are male.

Although those products, she said, are sold at the school's bookstore, students 'are not expected to trek halfway across campus for toilet paper, and... should not have to do so for pads or tampons.'

'Similar to toilet paper, these products should be made available in large enough quantities that there is no pervasive sorry that any bathroom might be completely out' of 'fair quality' hygiene products, consisting of 'pads with a sticky side and tampons with various size options.'

'Rather than adopting a clandestine attitude towards menstruation to cater to cisgender men, Smith should pioneer by taking the strangely radical position of understanding a period for what it is; a cycle common to those with uteruses which requires hygienic care.'

'Perpetually empty menstrual product dispensers' are not uncommon on the ritzy college's campus, according to the Instagram account @BathroomsofSmithCollege.

To combat the problem, the campus group With The Flow has installed donation boxes in house bathrooms where students can donate and take menstrual products as needed.

They are also petitioning to increase the Smith College budget for latex and menstrual products from 50 cents per student to $7 per student

The McConnell fourth floor bathroom has 'a feature that is not uncommon on Smith Campus: the perpetually empty menstrual product dispenser,' according to the Instagram Account @BathroomsofSmithCollege

In 2019, the American Civil Liberties Union called for tampons and other menstrual products to be placed in men's restrooms to help achieve menstrual equity for 'every person' who menstruates

Smith College could not be reached for comment at press time to detail the distribution of menstruation products on its campus or provide comment

Smith College could not be reached for comment at press time to detail the distribution of menstruation products on its campus or provide comment.

Its alumnae includes two first ladies - Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush - as well as other luminaries including feminist trailblazer Gloria Steinem, Gone With The Wind author Margaret Mitchell, TV chef Julia Child and poet Sylvia Plath.

The student noted in the screed that the University of Minnesota and the University of Washington both provide free tampons in campus bathrooms as of 2007.

In 2017, the University of Wisconsin-Madison became the third in the country to offer free tampons in men's rooms on campus, and a 2019 Illinois bill attempted to require school districts throughout the state to put free menstrual products in 'each bathroom of every school building.'

Mosely's op-ed comes amid ongoing wrangles over gender-inclusive language, with Democrat Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hitting the headlines last month after using the phrase 'people who menstruate.'

Advocates say their language is designed to include non-binary people and transgender men, who may still have female reproductive organs, and experience periods as a result.

Critics claim the language serves to erase women, and that it is a new and disturbing form of 'female erasure,' they liken to the historic misogyny women suffered.

Earlier this year, Smith College quietly conceded that there was no truth to allegations of racism in the school's cafeteria that led to one staff member's resignation, another's dismissal and one staff member who was named online to be hospitalized with stress.

Regardless, the college forced employees to attend seminars after unconscious bias after the incident.

Oumou Kanoute was in school's canteen on July 31, 2018 when she claimed she was profiled for 'eating while black' after a security guard asked her what she was doing.

Kanoute, a psychology undergraduate student, posted video of the incident on social media and claimed that she was the victim of racism.

In fact, an independent law firm investigating the incident found that same year that there was no evidence of wrongdoing and cleared all those involved - the cafeteria was closed to all students that day and reserved for a children's summer camp.

Oumou Kanoute said that she was 'racially profiled' in the July 2018 incident at the school

Kanoute deleted her social media, but her 2018 post was shared on Instagram by sympathizers

'Before even investigating the facts of the incident, the college immediately issued a public apology to the student, placed the employee on leave, and announced its intention to create new initiatives, committees, workshops, trainings, and policies aimed at combating 'systemic racism' on campus,' wrote Jodi Shaw, a former residential life department employee at the school, in her resignation letter, where she cited the school's 'racially hostile environment'

'Before even investigating the facts of the incident, the college immediately issued a public apology to the student, placed the employee on leave, and announced its intention to create new initiatives, committees, workshops, trainings, and policies aimed at combating 'systemic racism' on campus,' wrote Jodi Shaw, a former residential life department employee at the school, in her resignation letter, where she cited the school's 'racially hostile environment.'

In 2019, the American Civil Liberties Union called for all men's restrooms to include menstrual products to push back against discrimination for 'every person' who menstruates.

'While free menstrual products are not uniformly provided in womens restrooms, they are almost never available in mens restrooms, even for pay,' read a statement put out by the union.

'While access to menstrual products in womens prisons is often inadequate, it is far worse in mens prisons. Trans and non-binary people may be incarcerated in either,' they wrote. ''Menstrual stigma and period poverty can hit trans and non-binary people particularly hard.'
Los Angeles city workers who've refused to get vaccinated must now pay $130-a -week for COVID tests after the deadline for staff to have the shot was extended.

Under a new plan approved by LA city council on Tuesday, city workers have until December 18 to get their COVID-19 vaccine, and those who have not met the requirements by the deadline will face 'corrective action.' The original deadline was October 20.

They must take two COVID tests a week, at a cost of $65 per test, or $130-a-week. Tests can only be carried out by city-approved testing facilities which charge to administer them, with LA Council refusing to accept COVID results from other, third-party testing facilities, many of which offer tests for free.

It is unclear if that charge has been imposed to try and pressure workers into getting the shot to save themselves money.

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti, who called the mandate 'critical to protecting the health and safety of our workforce and the Angelinos we serve,' said that any city employee who refuses to get vaccinated by the deadline should be prepared for termination.

Los Angles mayor Eric Garcetti (pictured) said that any city employee who refuses to get vaccinated by the deadline should be prepared to be unemployed

According LAPD chief Michel Moore, 74 percent of the police department's workforce has received at least one shot, while 70 percent are fully vaccinated

'Employees must be vaccinated by Dec. 18, and we are putting a rigorous testing program into place in the meantime,' he said in a statement. 'Let me be clear: Any employee who refuses to be vaccinated by this date should be prepared to lose their job,'

Through then unvaccinated city employees will be forced to cough up to $130 a week for COVID testing.

The mandate will require workers to submit two COVID tests a week, during their free time and at $65 per test that will be taken out of their paycheck, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Those seeking a religious exemption will be required to submit two test a week at their own expense while the city processes the request. If the exemption is accepted the employees will be reimbursed and will then be required to take one COVID test a week, but they'll no longer have to pay for that test to be carried out.

LA city workers have until December 18 to get their COVID-19 vaccine and those who have not met the requirements by the deadline will face 'corrective action'

If the exemption is denied, the employee will have five business days to file an appeal and if the employee chooses to not file an appeal, they will be required to submit proof of vaccination or face being fired.

There are currently 5,000 city employees planning on perusing medical or religious exemptions, the Times reported.

With this new mandate, LA officials are putting the pressure on unvaccinated city employees to fall in line with the majority of city employees who have already gotten the jab.

The LA Times reported that according to city data, nearly 73 percent of city employees were at least partially vaccinated while 12 percent reported they were unvaccinated and 15 percent did not disclose their vaccination status.

The vaccine mandate has faced push back from some members of the Los Angeles Police Department who filed a suit challenging a the mandate, but according LAPD chief Michel Moore, 74 percent of the police department's workforce has received at least one shot, while 70 percent are fully vaccinated, spectrum1news.com reported.

Major cities across the U.S, including New York City are facing similar mandates that have been met with backlash.

In NYC a vaccine mandate for city workers that is set to go into effect on November 1.

Mayor Bill de Blasio issued the order for the mandate last week for the city's 160,000 unvaccinated workers who must receive at least one dose by October 29 at 5pm.

City workers who do not comply with the mandate will be put on unpaid leave from November 1, and also face losing their jobs.

The news sent thousands of anti-mandate protestors bearing signs, banners and American flags marching across the Brooklyn Bridge on Monday.

As of Monday, 20,683,007 vaccines have been administered in NYC with a 64.3 per cent vaccination rate for the city's population.

In addition, 70.9 per cent of NYC residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

In the US, more than 413 million doses have been administered with 57.4 per cent of the population being fully vaccinated.
A now-viral video shows the moment a Michigan man logged into his Zoom court hearing for a suspended license while he was seated behind the wheel of a car and then telling the judge he is just parking the vehicle for a friend.

Kevon Burns could be seen in the bottom right-hand corner of a Zoom hearing with five other participants while in the front seat of a car in the video, which was originally posted to TikTok on October 22 - and has amassed more than 483,400 shares as of Wednesday, with more than 6,000 comments.

Judge Erane C. Washington, of the 14B District Court in Ypsilanti, pictured in the middle of the Zoom call and presiding over the hearing, then asks him: 'Are you driving right now?'

'Yeah,' Burns replies, matter-of-factly.

Washington seems to be taken aback by his admission, saying: 'You're suspended and you're in court - first of all interrupting the court.'

At that point, Burns says he is 'not even driving,' he is just parking the car for a friend, claiming 'that's all I'm doing.'

'Alright,' Washington says, 'I'm going to need you to park the car and get out the car, OK?'

Burns says he is just parking the car for a friend, and asks the judge if she is having a bad day

But Burns does not seem to accept her order, and a blinker could be heard going off in the video.

'If you're having a bad day, just say that,' he tells the judge.

The judge responds: 'No I'm not having a bad day 'till you started talking while driving at the same time that you're suspended.'

It was not known what Burns did to get his license suspended or whether the judge punished the brazen defendant.

The person who posted the video, @savvibeauty, said the judge actually let him go after a commenter said the judge should drag him in on a bench warrant.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Michigan State Police for more information.

A man in a red sweater, identified in the video as Tyler Lewis, could be heard laughing during the exchange.

Some wrote that Burns seemed to be an expert liar as he tried to gaslight the judge.

'The blinker noise had me dead,' one TikTok user wrote, with Sagenergy writing: 'Not him trying to gas light the judge.'

In a now viral video, Kevon Burns (bottom right) logged into his Zoom court hearing in Ypsilanti, Michigan as he is driving with a suspended license

Judge Erane C. Washington ordered Burns to 'park the car and get out the car, OK?'

Icon also wrote: 'He was so smooth and quick, I know he been lying his whole life,' and impetty4real said, 'It's giving me very much "My license has been suspended, what that gonna do ... I got keys," vibes'.

Aguardado76 added that the police 'suspended his license, not his ability to drive,' and Chiquana said, 'I can't believe she didn't stop the call and issue a bench warrant for an arrest.'

Under Michigan law, people caught driving a vehicle with a suspended license can face a misdemeanor charge.

The Michigan vehicle code states that a person with a suspended or revoked license is not allowed to operate the vehicle on a highway or places open to the general public - including public parking lots.

In some cases, individuals who violate the code can face fines up to $500 and up to 93 days in jail.
The grandmother of one of the young children who were abandoned and neglected by their mother exclusively tells DailyMail.com, 'I wish I would have known how bad of a situation those kids were in; I would have adopted all of the kids.'

Linda Smith, 71, said she is sickened by what Gloria Williams and her boyfriend, Brian Coulter are accused of doing to her children.

Smith sat down with DailyMail.com and shared pictures of Gloria's children, Jordan Lee, 15, Trevon Lee, 10, Ja'Veon Kirklin, 7, and deceased Kendrick Lee, 8. Smith revealed Williams has another child, 17-year-old Jasmine Rene Whitaker, who was not in the house.

The Harris County Medical Examiners Office ruled that Kendrick suffered multiple blunt force injuries, resulting in his death by homicide. Police revealed the couple were picked up by deputies at a public library, where they were looking up news articles about the discovery of Kendrick's remains.

Williams, 35, is charged with starving and neglecting her children and Coulter, 31, is charged with beating Kendrick to death.

Kendrick Lee, the 8-year-old boy whose body was found decomposing next to his siblings, is pictured for the first time. Kendrick Lee is pictured with his siblings in an undated photo

Kendrick, pictured in a much younger photo, is pictured with his mother Gloria

Booking photos released by the Harris County Sheriff's Office show Brian Coulter, 31, charged with beating to death his girlfriend's eight-year-old son. The mother, Gloria Williams, 35, is charged with starving and neglecting her children

Smith's son, Jonathan Kirklin, is the father of 7-year old Ja'Veon Kirklin. He has been in and out of jail for the last several years and hasn't been a part of his son's life.

'All of Gloria's kids lived with me for a short time in 2014, my son went to jail for about 6 months,' she said.

'I soon found out when my son was in jail and I was at work, Gloria would have different men come over to my house. I don't know what she was doing with them. As soon as I found out I confronted Gloria with it, of course she denied it. But I told her she and her kids had to leave.'

Linda Smith, 71, is the grandmother of one of Gloria Williams' five children who were abandoned in Texas House of Horrors

Smith said Gloria and her kids left the house and it was years before she saw Ja'Veon again, 'Gloria just disappeared.'

A few years ago, Smith said Williams called her and asked her to meet at a McDonald's and she brought Ja'Veon along for Smith to see. 'Looking back on it now, I think if I would have asked her, she would have let me adopt Ja'Veon. It was just a feeling I got.'

Smith said she found out about what happened to her grandson and Gloria's other children from the media. 'I'll adopt all of them. I'm heartbroken to hear what happened to them and especially Kendrick.'

'I regret kicking her out, I should have never done that. I've asked myself, What else have this kids gone through with all of the guys that have been in and out of her life? Were the kids molested, abused?'

At one point, Smith had to sit down in a chair because she said she was light headed and overcome with emotion over the situation.

After several years of not communicating, Smith said out of the blue Williams texted her on August 31st. Asking Smith if she had seen her son, Jonathan.

Smith replied back on September 9, 'Not lately. What's wrong.' Williams replied back, 'Nothing I just want to see how he doing.'

Smith then asked Williams how her grandson, Ja'Veon doing, which Williams replied, 'he doing good.'

Smith said that even though she hasn't spoken with any law enforcement, she confirmed the 8-year old son who was murdered is Kendrick Lee. The children are pictured with Hazel Williams, Gloria's mother

The Harris County Medical Examiners Office on Tuesday ruled that Kendrick (left) suffered multiple blunt force injuries, resulting in his death by homicide.

Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com indicate that Williams was charged twice for failing to enroll her children in school. Both charges were later dismissed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Williams is seen left alongside Coulter in this undated file photo

According to additional court filings, Coulter and Williams left the eight-year-old's body to rot in a closet, and then abandoned her other children

Williams then told Smith that, her mother Hazel, was in the hospital, 'U know my mom in the hospital she had a stroke so she can't breath on ur own she been in the hospital for two weeks so I am going threw a hard time right now.

As Smith read the text aloud, she teared up, 'knowing what we all know now, she had the guts to say that? That she was going through a hard time, when her kids were being starved, one was dead and they were left to fend for themselves.'

'The Gloria I knew never would have done this to her kids, but it looks like she did, I guess you never know someone.'

Brian Coulter, 31, has been charged with murder in connection with the death of the child, identified in court documents obtained by DailyMail.com as Kendrick Lee.

Gloria Williams, 35, Coulter's girlfriend and the victim's mother, is charged with injury to a child by omission, failure to provide medical care and failure to provide adequate supervision.

The two were questioned and released hours after investigators performed their welfare check on Sunday, during which they made the gruesome discovery.

Williams' 15-year-old son, who had been caring for his two younger brothers with the help of a neighbor who brought them food and charged their cell phone when the electricity to their home was cut, called 911, prompting the welfare check on Sunday.

According to additional court filings, Coulter and Williams left the eight-year-old's body to rot in a closet, and then abandoned her other children.

Both Coulter and Williams are scheduled to make their first court appearances on Thursday morning.

Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com indicate that Williams was charged twice for failing to enroll her children in school.

Alief Independent School District told KTRK that in 2019 and 2020, the school district filed truancy papers against the siblings' mother because two of them were not attending school. The children were last enrolled in May 2020.

Both charges were later dismissed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Police have ruled the death of the eight-year-old boy a homicide.

A Houston woman, Gloria Y. Williams (left), 35, and her boyfriend, Brian W. Coulter (right), 31, were arrested and charged by authorities on Tuesday for abandoning and neglecting her three young children in a home for months at a time while the kids' eight-year-old brother's corpse decomposed in the house for more than a year

The arrests were made two days after law enforcement officials found Williams' three children abandoned inside a Houston apartment. Investigators also found a rotting corpse of Williams' eight-year-old son who had been dead for more than a year

The image above shows a notice of removal of children left by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. According to the notice, state officials took custody of the three children on Sunday evening after police conducted a welfare check

Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com indicate that Williams was charged twice for failing to enroll her children in school

The Harris County Medical Examiners Office on Tuesday ruled that Kendrick suffered multiple blunt force injuries, resulting in his death by homicide.

According to a report from the victim's 15-year-old brother, he and his two surviving siblings had been living with his decomposing body in their apartment for a year.

Shortly before the teen called 911 on Sunday, he texted his mother to tell her he could not take it anymore.

The call led to a series of disturbing revelations, including that the three children, ages 15, 10 and 7, had been left to fend for themselves for several months, relying on food donations from unsuspecting neighbors to survive, while sharing an apartment with the decomposing remains of their sibling - even as their mother and her boyfriend lived just 15 minute away.

Detectives with the Harris County Sheriff's Office questioned the couple before releasing them on Monday pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

Child welfare services in Texas have also launched an investigation into the horror find at the apartment complex on Houston's west side.

Erica Chapman, who lives at CityParc II at West Oaks Apartments, said she was among the people who had been feeding the malnourished 15-year-old, not knowing he was living with his two younger brothers.

'The first time I saw him, he was sleeping on one of the slides,' Chapman told KTRK.

Williams, the mother of the three children, lived with her boyfriend, Coulter, just 15 minutes away from the apartment complex where her 8-year-old son was found dead

Law enforcement officials said that the three children were given food by neighbors

Investigators also found the decomposed body of a eight-year-old boy inside the apartment

Chapman said she noticed that the teen's mother was rarely home. She would occasionally show up bearing noodles, snacks and drinks. The abandoned teen would run downstairs to pick up the food and then return to the apartment.

About six months ago, Chapman said she started offering the 15-year-old food, but she said he refused to accept cooked meals, only agreeing to take packaged snacks, fruit and pizza.

Trevor Thompson, another neighbor who had been helping out the boy, told the station the child was paranoid and feared getting poisoned.

Thompson said the teen knocked on his door one day, asking to borrow a charger. After that, the neighbor said he forged a bond with the boy and started offering him food.

Both Thompson and Chapman said they had no idea there were two younger children living with the 15-year-old.

Thompson recalled that on one occasion he asked the teen if he liked the pizza he had given him.

'And he asked, "What? The first pizza we had?"' Thompson recounted. 'That made me wonder why would he say, "We."'
The sister of a dental assistant who was horrifically burned after jumping into a 190-degree Yellowstone geyser to try and save her puppy has revealed her sibling has suffered a setback in her recovery after she went through four skin grafts.

Laiha Slayton, 20, has been in a medically-induced coma at an Idaho hospital since the October 5 incident in which the Washington woman suffered burns to 90 percent of her body - half of which are third-degree, with the remainder second-degree.

Laihas sister, Kamilla Slayton, gave a brief update on Tuesday, noting that her sisters recovery has suffered a setback at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

'So we sadly took a few steps back today. The uncovered part of her torso that they thought was looking really well from the recell was not as well as they'd like it to be,' Slayton posted on her Instagram.

'So they cleaned that and added some cadaver skin in a few places. The cadaver skin on her legs did not take well it was melting (so necrotizing) they had to remove that and scrape down to the fat again so we're starting all over and add some new cadaver skin.'

Laiha Slayton, 20, (left) and her father (right), Woodraw, 48 at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, where Laiha is still in a medically-induced coma after recently suffering from skin growth-related complications

The sister did report a bit of good news, saying doctors were able to put in a tracheotomy with no issues.

Doctors also took some sample skin from Laiha's neck and are working to grow 'more compatible' skin for her.

'I am sorry I haven't had more updates recently but this is going to be a long and harsh process. Please continue to pray, share and donate!!! #laihastrong,' the sister posted.

Previously, Kamilla revealed the palms of Laiha's hands had been burned off by the scalding geyser water after she jumped in after her Shih Tzu puppy, Rusty, who later died from his injuries.

Kamilla has not been able to see her sister since the incident because the hospital is only allowing their parents visitation privileges in an effort to prevent infection.

Two weeks ago, she told DailyMail.com that the process has been difficult for their family but 'we will make it past this.'

Kamilla also shared that her father  who pulled Laiha and her puppy out of the spring  has made a full recovery from his injuries and is back at work in Ohio, where the Slayton parents reside.

Laiha Slayton, pictured two week, remains in a coma after being scalded in a Yellowstone geyster, and has suffered second and third-degree burns to 90 percent of her body

'My dad is doing good,' she previously said. 'He only suffered from blisters on his left foot when his foot slipped in. He is treating them with antibiotics and some other medicine, but he will be completely fine.'

A GoFundMe page was created to help the family with medical expenses and cremation services for the puppy, and is seeking to raise $200,000. Kamilla told DailyMail.com that Laiha does have medical insurance, but it will not cover the cost of all her treatment.

Laiha will continue to most likely go through multiple debridement surgeries, which involves the removal of damaged tissue or foreign objects from a wound, over the next few weeks.

However, her doctors said she was likely spared more serious injuries after her father, Woodrow, 48, pulled her out of the scalding water after just eight seconds.

Woodrow  although injured  drove Laiha to West Yellowstone, Montana, to seek help, from where she was flown by helicopter to the burn unit at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls.

Laiha is pictured with Shih Tzu puppy Rusty, who she jumped in to try to save. The pup later succumbed to his burns, with Laiha still unaware of his death

Kamilla said her father had 'acted on instinct, adrenaline' and saved her sister's life.

'He heard the puppy screaming for its life with every bit of air it had in its lungs then watched his daughter nearly kill herself to save her dog, then injured himself while rescuing her,' the post read.

'He went to the vet before he could go to the hospital, he knows how close Laiha holds those damn dogs to her heart, and he wasnt able to see her because of all the work they were doing to her.'

Kamilla said her father was brokenhearted to learn Rusty's passing, 'knowing that Laiha made this sacrifice.'

Heroic father Woodrow Slayton (pictured with his wife) was suffering from a burnt foot while driving Laiha's puppy to the veterinarian in a bid to save its life

Rusty, the Shih Tzu puppy, was taken to a veterinarian but did not survive from its wounds

Laiha and Woodrow had stopped for a visit at Yellowstone National Park on October 5 and had parked 20-30 yards away from Maidens Grave Spring, next to the Firehole River, according Kamilla.

The family's two Shih Tzus, Rusty and Chevy, were wandering around nearby while Laiha was looking for their leashes in the car.

Rusty suddenly got his foot burned by a small leak from the geyser that flows into the river. The dog then panicked and fell in to the spring while Woodrow was trying to gain control of Chevy.

Laiha jumped in to the thermal spring - which can reach temperatures of 190-degree Fahrenheit - in a bid to rescue her one-year-old puppy, and then had to be rescued herself by her father.

Kamilla wrote that 'Chevy is definitely missing his mom but is happy to see my parents when he can' in an update posted on October 11.

She continued: 'We still need all the prayers and shares that we can possibly get! The Slayton family is going to have to go through a lot more then just medical bills and this is only the beginning to Laiha's story.

'God bless everyone who has supported and helped Laiha and my family and thank you to the hospital staff and the Idaho community for being so welcoming and kind to my family.'

Maiden's Grave Hot Spring flowing into the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park, where Laiha and her dog reportedly fell into and suffered burns on October 5th

The incident happened at Maiden's Grave Spring, north of the famous Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming

Donations have been pouring in to the GoFundMe page organized by the Slaytons. As of Tuesday morning, more than $73,100 out of a $200,000 target has been donated to Laiha's cause.

Yellowstone National Park officials have also posted about the incident on their Facebook page after the accident, and warned visitors to stay away from the hot springs.

Their post read: 'The ground in hydrothermal areas is fragile and thin, and there is scalding water just below the surface. Everyone must remain on boardwalks and trails and exercise extreme caution around thermal features.

'While in the park, protect your pets by physically controlling them at all times. Pets must be in a car, crate or on a leash no more than six feet long. They are not allowed on boardwalks, hiking trails, in the backcountry, or in thermal areas.'

Laiha (pictured) was taken to hospital in Idaho by helicopter after her father drove her to West Yellowstone, Montana, to seek help

Laiha seen with her two Shih Tzus that were involved in the incident: Chevy and Rusty

Woodrow (center), 48, saved daughter Laiha (left) from a thermal spring eight seconds after she went into to rescue her puppy last Tuesday. Kamilla is also pictured (right)

Laiha is the second woman who burned herself in a Yellowstone thermal feature in recent months.

On September 16, a 19-year-old womana concessions employee at the parkfrom Rhode Island suffered second and third-degree burns to 5 percent of her body after falling into thermal water near the world famous Old Faithful geyser.

Due to medical privacy laws, it is unknown exactly how many visitors have been injured from ignoring the cautionary signs.

In October 2020, a three-year-old suffered second-degree thermal burns to their lower body after running from a designated trail and slipping and falling into a small thermal feature.

In May of the same year, a visitor who entered the park illegally while it was closed due to the Covid pandemic also ended up falling into a thermal feature while backing up to take a photo at Old Faithful.

Since the park's establishment in 1872, there have been around 20 reported deaths due to some sort of interaction with park thermal areas.

Slayton is the second person who has suffered severe burns in a Yellowstone (pictured) thermal feature in recent months

Around 20 people have died due to some sort of interaction with park thermal areas since the park's establishment in 1872, according to the USG

That number is significantly higher than the eight deaths over the same period due to encounters with grizzly bears, the United States Geological Survey reports.

The most recent fatality at the park came in August 2000, when one person died and two others suffered severe burns after falling from a hot spring in the Lower Geyser Basin.

Yellowstone has more than 10,000 thermal features, which can be as hot as 280 degrees Fahrenheit (138 Celsius).

The national park was briefly closed in May 2020 due to COVID reasons, but National Park Services reported that it has hosted 483,159 recreation visits in May 2021.

It's an 11 percent increase compared to May 2019 (434,385 recreation visits) and the parks most visited May on record.
A man has appeared before court charged with spiking a woman's drink in a bar before raping her in the street.

Dale Garlick, 29, was charged by police with spiking and raping a woman at a Manchester bar.

Garlick was reportedly asked to leave after he had followed his female victim while she was drinking in a Stalybridge club.

He is accused of later attacking her in the street while she walked home.

Dale Garlick, 29, appeared before Tameside Magistrates' Court, Manchester on Wednesday charged with the spiking and rape of a female victim

Dale Garlick, 29, appeared before Tameside Magistrates' Court, Manchester on Wednesday charged with the spiking and rape of a female victim who alleges she was attacked after partying in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester in September

Garlick was refused bail and remanded in custody as he appeared before Tameside Magistrates' Court (pictured), Manchester on Wednesday

Garlick was reportedly asked to leave after he had followed his female victim while she was drinking in a Stalybridge (town centre pictured) club

Garlick was refused bail and remanded in custody as he appeared before Tameside Magistrates' Court, Manchester on Wednesday.

He is expected to face Minshull Street Crown Court in December.

Greater Manchester Police said the force received a report in September from a woman who said that at some time during a night out in Stalybridge days earlier her drink had been spiked and she had been raped.
A serving Metropolitan Police officer has been charged with rape, Scotland Yard said today.

PC Adam Zaman, 28, who is based on the East Area Command Unit, was charged by the City of London Police on Wednesday.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court this afternoon.

PC Zaman has denied allegedly raping a woman at a luxury five-star London hotel after meeting her at a pub, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard.

PC Adam Zaman, 28, who is based on the East Area Command Unit, was charged by the City of London Police on Wednesday

The charge relates to an incident alleged to have occurred in the City of London on the evening of Sunday, October 24, when PC Zaman was off duty, the Met said.

He 'strenuously denies' claims he led the alleged victim from a pub in Romford, east London, to a luxury hotel in Liverpool Street, where he is accused of carrying out the rape.

Prosecutors alleged that the woman was too drunk to give consent when the defendant approached her and persuaded her to go to the hotel with him.

The court heard today that he 'abused his position as a police officer' by pulling out his police warrant card on multiple occasions, including when booking the hotel room.

The force's Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed and Pc Zaman has been suspended.

A serving Metropolitan Police officer was remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court this afternoon. File photo of Met Police headquarters

Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Trevers, policing commander for the East Area Command Unit, said: 'I recognise that the public will be concerned to hear that a serving police officer has been charged with such a serious offence.

'We absolutely share that concern.

'We acted swiftly when this allegation was reported to us and have fully supported what continues to be a thorough investigation by detectives from the City of London Police.

'Specialist support is being provided to the complainant.

'Pc Zaman has now been charged and it is important that criminal proceedings are allowed to take their course. Nothing should be said or reported which could put the integrity of those proceedings at risk.'

The matter has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, the force added.

PC Zaman will appear in court at the Old Bailey next month to formally enter a plea to one charge of rape. Zaman was remanded in custody ahead of his next court date.
Spine-chilling CCTV footage has been released of a panicking man trapped on a railtrack and unable to escape as a train bears down on him.

The man has just eight seconds to try to hoist himself back to the safety of the station platform before the train reaches him - but he can't find the strength.

Luckily for him, the driver slams on his brakes and manages to grind the train to a halt with literally centimetres to spare, saving the man from a horrific death.

The clip was just one a series of videos released by Melbourne's Metro trains in a campaign to reduce the death toll on the tracks from trespassers and pranksters.

CCTV caught one apparently distracted commuter walking into the side of a moving train and almost plunging to near-certain death between it and the platform.

Breathtaking CCTV footage has been released of a panicking man trapped on a railtrack and unable to escape as a train bears down on him (pictured)

Another daredevil deliberately stepped to within millimetres of a speeding express train - only to be hit on the arm and badly injured by a train mirror.

Rail bosses say the service is plagued by more than 3,000 people risking their life by trespassing on the tracks and taking shortcuts across the rail lines.

'People are taking significant risks,' Metro Trains chief executive Raymond O'Flaherty told Seven News.

'It's not easy for a train to come to a sudden stop and there's significant braking distance involved.'

Transport minister Ben Carroll added: 'It's not worth it.

CCTV caught one apparently distracted commuter walking into the side of a moving train and almost plunging to near-certain death between it and the platform. (Pictured, commuters at Yarraville)

'Lifetime consequences for you, your family, the passengers, the train driver, the first responders... Please don't do it.'

The state is now rolling out anti-trespass mats at key points on the network to try to deter trespassers and make it harder for them to sneak onto the railway lines.

The pyramid-bumped mats make it almost impossible to walk on, and rail bosses hope just the site of them will be enough to stop people dicing with death.

The mats will initially be installed at Flinders Street Station and five others on the network.

'If they won't stop you just looking at them visually, they'll certainly stop you or make it so much more difficult when you attempt to trespass,' Mr Carroll said.
The grieving family of a young indigenous woman fatally shot in the stomach by a policeman have voiced their anger after he was acquitted of murder.

Yamatji woman Joyce Clarke, 29, better known as JC for cultural reasons, was shot from close range while surrounded by police cars in Geraldton in September 2019.

The mother-of-one experienced serious mental health and drug problems and was only recently released from prison at the time of her death.

The constable who fatally shot JC was the first WA police officer to face a murder charge for a death in custody in 93 years.

The officer, who can't be named, faced a three-week trial in the WA Supreme Court, where a jury found him not guilty on Friday.

JC's heartbroken family slammed the verdict on Wednesday and will lead calls for #JusticeForJC at a rally outside WA Parliament on Thursday.

Yamatji woman and mother-of-one JC (pictured) was fatally shot from close range by a police officer two years ago

'I feel disgusted, it disgraced me, it hurt me. It didn't just shatter me, it shattered the nation. That wasn't a verdict, that was a show,' JC's sister Bernie Clarke said.

JC's death sparked community outrage as large crowds of locals protested outside Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service and the local police station to express their anger.

Ms Clarke described JC as a much-loved mother, sister, daughter, aunty and cousin to many who will be greatly missed.

'I loved her smile, loved her attitude, the way she was. She left a little boy behind as well as her brothers and sisters,' her sister added.

'She was a good girl who just needed help, she needed help from mental health and from the government when she was taken away from her mother.'

JC left behind a nine-year-old son.

'The man shot her at point-blank. Left the family broken,' Bernie said outside court following the verdict.

'How long is this going to go on for?'

JC's sister Bernadette Clarke (right) has slammed the verdict after a jury found the police officer not guilty

The family will hold a national day of action on Thursday, with rallies across the country.

They are asking governments to establish independent investigations into all deaths in custody, to support, resource and fund Aboriginal healing centres.

JC's family also wants governments to address systemic and structural racism in the justice system, including jury bias and representation.

'Australia must stop this violence to Aboriginal women,' human rights lawyer and Noongar woman, Dr Hannah McGlade said.

'This is Indigenous femicide and the state is failing in its duty to prevent, respond and punish the perpetrators.'

'Racism in the legal system stands in the way of justice for our people and must be confronted.'

Dhadjowa Foundation founder Apryl Day added: 'This has been a devastating outcome for the family of JC.

'It's a difficult reminder that unless things are addressed and adequately changed our people will continue to die at the hands of the state.'

JC's family and supporters (pictured outside court during the recent trial) will hold a rally outside WA Parliament on Thursday

JC's death (crime scene pictured) sparked community outrage in Geraldton

The jury found the officer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, not guilty of JC's murder on Friday after three hours of deliberation.

The accused officer wept in the dock as the jury also returned a not guilty verdict to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

The accused testified he had acted in self-defence, claiming JC had turned towards him and raised the knife before he pulled the trigger.

The accused was one of eight police officers who swarmed on the street where JC was seen carrying a large knife and a pair of scissors.

Five of the officers stayed in their cars, a sixth left his vehicle unarmed and attempted to speak to JC, and another drew his Taser but did not activate it.

The court heard the accused had got out of his vehicle, drawn his loaded firearm and run towards JC before firing a single shot at her abdomen from close range.

Other officers gave evidence JC had ignored repeated requests to drop the knife.

Defence lawyer Linda Black, who was escorted from the WA District Court building by police, said justice had been done.

'Very sadly, a young lady lost her life and (the officer) has had no opportunity to be able to express his sorrow for that,' she told reporters.

'He would like to do that today, to say how sad he is that by doing what he needed to do to preserve peace, it meant someone lost their life.'

Bernie Clarke described her sister JC (pictured) as a 'good girl who just needed help'

Prosecutors had argued CCTV footage of the shooting, taken from a home about 65 metres away, showed JC did not move towards the officers.

Given the accused man's extensive training, the number of officers present and the other available weapons, the shooting was 'wholly unnecessary', Director of Public Prosecutions Amanda Forrester SC said during the trial.

Ms Black argued her client was a 'brave and careful officer' who had acted correctly by drawing his gun, rather than a Taser, when confronting a person armed with a knife.

She said the officer had never previously fired his gun while on duty and had less than a second to decide whether to pull the trigger given the close proximity.

The trial heard JC had battled serious substance abuse issues and did not have custody of her young son, which was a source of distress.

Ten days prior to her death, she had been hospitalised after calling triple zero and saying she was going to kill herself.

JC (pictured) had experienced significant mental health and drug problems and recently been released from prison at the time of her death

Family supporter and Noongar woman Megan Krakouer said there was still 'no equality' for Indigenous people, 30 years after the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

Around 471 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died between the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody in 1991 and 2020.

'This is what we have to deal with in the state of Western Australia. This happens far too many times and it hurts, and it's wrong,' Ms Krakouer said.

'No conviction ... and you wonder why Aboriginal people are so angry and disillusioned with the police and the system.'
An alleged double murderer who has been dubbed as the 'Catman' was removed from a court room in Argentina after he made a meowing sound 55 times during the hearing.

Israeli Nicolas Gil Pereg, who is charged with killing his mother and aunt, was taken down to the cells after answering questions from the judge by repeating 'Meow, meow' at the start of his trial in the Argentinian city of Mendoza.

Pereg, who once changed his name to Floda Reltih or Adolf Hitler backwards, also used the cat noise to answer when he was asked his name and ID number.

Armed police took the dishevelled looking suspect away after he refused repeated requests to remain silent during the proceedings on Tuesday.

Former soldier Pereg, 40, is accused of killing his mother Pyrhia Saroussy, 63, and aunt Lily Pereg, 54, in January 2019 and hiding their bodies on land at his run-down home in Guaymallen on the outskirts of Mendoza.

Israeli Nicolas Gil Pereg, who is charged with killing his mother and aunt, was taken down to the cells after answering questions from the judge by repeating 'Meow, meow' at the start of his trial in the Argentinian city of Mendoza

Armed police took Pereg away after he refused repeated requests to remain silent during the proceedings

Former soldier Pereg, 40, is accused of killing his mother Pyrhia Saroussy, 63, (right) and aunt Lily Pereg, 54, (left) in January 2019 and hiding their bodies on land at his run-down home in Guaymallen on the outskirts of Mendoza

The bodies of Saroussy and Pereg were found hidden under rocks and earth more than four feet below ground.

During the beginning of his trial Pereg, who is facing life in prison if convicted, pronounced the word 'Meow' 55 times from the moment he entered the courtroom to the time he was removed, local reports said.

In a video released by the Mendoza district attorney's office, Pereg begins to imitate the meow of a cat in court while refusing to answer questions from prosecutors.

'Mr. Gil Pereg, before the entry of the jury I warned you that if you wanted to remain in the courtroom, you should do so in silence, with respect and decorum,' Judge Laura Guajardo says before ejecting him.

Prosecutor Fernando Guzzo, rubbishing defence claims Pereg is mentally unfit to be tried, told the jury of six men in his opening address to the court on Tuesday: 'I ask jury members not to let themselves be fooled and bark more loudly.'

Pereg's defence lawyer Maximiliano Legrand begged them to 'behave like humans and not bark like dogs' as the prosecutor was suggesting.

Pereg once changed his name to Floda Reltih or Adolf Hitler backwards

Gilad Perez was arrested on suspicion of his mother and aunt's murder on January 26 2019

It is not the first time Pereg, said by his defence team to suffer from a medical disorder called lycanthropy which makes him believe he is an animal, has been removed from a court room in Argentina for making cat noises.

He displayed the same behaviour in February 2020 during a hearing organised by his defence team to try to spare him a remand in prison and get him admitted to hospital.

A senior prosecutor said at the time he saw no reason why he should be sent to a hospital psychiatric wing.

As well as meowing repeatedly like a cat, Pereg is also said to have stripped his clothes off and even urinated in front of magistrates during previous court hearings.

Police work in the lot next to the home of Gilad Pereg where the bodies of his mother and aunt were found in Mendoza, Argentina in 2019

Pereg's mother and aunt travelled from Israel to visit him and disappeared shortly after reaching Mendoza on January 11 2019 and going to Pereg's home which he shared with 37 cats and four dogs to spend the day.

The search for them, which began after the alleged killer himself reported them missing and claimed they could have crossed the border to Chile, lasted more than a fortnight.

Post-mortems concluded Pereg's aunt had been shot and his mum had been beaten to death.
The University of Pittsburgh's LGBTQIA+ society has issued a new guide warning students against the use of gendered language in an effort to avoid offending transgender and non-binary students.

Its guide cites several commonly used phrases such as 'mankind,' 'chairman,' 'freshman,' 'ladies and gentlemen,' 'secretary,' 'clerk,' and 'omsbudsman' as examples of sexist language that should not be used.

Instead students are encouraged to replace the alleged sexist verbiage with more inclusive language. For example, students should consider using 'first year student' instead of 'freshman' or saying 'administrator' in place of 'secretary' or 'clerk.'

The of Terms to Use to Avoid Sexist Language was included in the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion's new guide titled Gender-Inclusive/Non-Sexist Language Guidelines and Resources.

Many at the Uni's LGBTQIA+ society welcomed the guidelines - but at least one other student condemned it as pointless 'virtue-signaling.'

The University of Pittsburgh's LGBTQIA society issued a guide warning students against the use of gendered language in an effort to avoid offending transgender and non-binary students

One student, who issued favor for the guide, shared: 'When other people share their pronouns without me asking, sometimes it kind of gets me choked up. Like I feel, I feel very moved by it, especially when it's good cis allies. It's very moving for me, it's very meaningful'

The guide has been met with mixed response from students with some alleging the use of inclusive language is essential to create a 'sense of belonging,' while others say it is 'not necessary and overdramatic'.

One of those critics, Aidan Segal, said: 'It's not necessary, but the university prostrates and virtue signals any chance they get if the optics are good enough.

'I'll just continue rolling my eyes until I get my diploma.'

Others shared opposing views.

'When other people share their pronouns without me asking, sometimes it kind of gets me choked up. Like I feel, I feel very moved by it, especially when it's good cis allies,' a student - who was not identified - said in a promotional video on the college's website.

'It's very moving for me, it's very meaningful.'

'We do tons of things where we will be considerate of how others want to present themselves. So why can't we do this with something that cuts more to the core of an individual than just like nickname preference?' questioned another.

One member of the academic community also alleged that using gender-inclusive language is 'a really, really small effort that we can all do to make everyone feel included at Pitt.'

The group cites several commonly used phrases such as 'mankind,' 'chairman,' 'freshman,' 'ladies and gentlemen,' 'secretary,' 'clerk,' and 'omsbudsman' as examples of sexist language that should not be used. Instead students are encouraged to replace the alleged sexist verbiage with more inclusive language

The guide's author says that although people should use 'non-sexist language' out of 'politeness,' switching to the use of more gender-inclusive language is not required by the school.

'No one is ordering you to use this language. However, some people are asking you to be considerate of their wishes and sensibilities. In short, it's merely politeness -- politeness is about consideration for other people,' linguistics professor and guide author Scott Kiesling said.

'You are free to not use this language (it is merely a suggestion for those who would like to know how people would like to handle such things).'

The guide is among several steps the university has reportedly taken to make their campus more gender-inclusive.

Lily Nong, who was reportedly junior in the school's emergency medicine program at the time, took to Twitter in August 2020 questioning a new addition to her course syllabus.

The guide is among several steps the university has reportedly taken to make their campus more gender-inclusive. Lily Nong, who was reportedly junior in the school's emergency medicine program at the time, took to Twitter in August 2020 questioning a new addition to her course syllabus

'Pitt folks/any college folks: does anyone have a 'gender inclusive language' section on their syllabi this semester?' she wrote.

'Was curious to see if this was encouraged by everyone or just something my professor did, also curious what folks think about the statement.'

The university also gives students the option to live in gender-neutral housing, an offering that first unveiled in 2016.

Students in the neutral housing community will share a floor section and bathroom with students of all gender-identities and have a resident assistant who is focused on supporting an inclusive community.

These residents also have the opportunity to participate in both programming and a one-credit course on LGBTQIA+ communities.
France has threatened to disrupt trade with Britain and step up customs checks unless more licences are granted to French fishermen to operate in UK waters.

The latest spat in the bitter row between the neighbours was sparked by licensing procedures for EU fishing boats wanting to operate in waters around Britain and the Channel Islands after Brexit.

The new measures would include 'systematic customs and sanitary checks on products brought to France and a ban on landing seafood,' government spokesman Gabriel Attal told reporters.

France has also threatened to cut off electricity as it accused Britain of 'wiping its shoes on the Brexit deal'.

The EU nation has been incensed by the rejection of dozens of French boats by Britain, as well as by the self-governing Channels islands of Jersey and Guernsey, which depend on London for defence and foreign affairs.

French customs checks have the potential to seriously slow down imports and exports.

France has threatened to disrupt trade with Britain and step up customs checks unless more licences are granted to French fishermen to operate in UK waters (pictured: French fishermen in Boulogne-sur-Mer

British fishermen are also highly dependent on French ports where much of their catch is landed and processed.

Attal claimed France was missing 'almost 50 percent of the licenses that we have a right to' under the deal on fishing agreed between Britain and the European Union in December last year.

France 'will not let Britain wipe its shoes on the Brexit deal,' he added.

The flare-up over fishing is the latest in a series of disagreements between the two neighbours that have plunged diplomatic relations to their lowest in decades.

As well as tensions over migration, Paris was left outraged in September after Britain secretly negotiated a deal to supply nuclear submarines to Australia - at the expense of French ones which had been agreed in 2016.

French Europe Minister Clement Beaune said that the measures could be ratcheted up over time.

The new measures would include 'systematic customs and sanitary checks on products brought to France and a ban on landing seafood,' government spokesman Gabriel Attal (pictured) told reporters

'It's a first series of measures. Either this first series of measures leads to a dialogue about the licences, then that's good,' he told a hearing in the senate.

'Or these measures do not lead to the deal being implemented and we will take other measures, including on the supply of electricity for example,' he added, echoing previous French threats to reduce electricity supplies to Jersey.

Under the post-Brexit deal on fishing, EU fishermen wishing to access British seas had to apply for new licences which would be granted providing they could prove that they had worked in British waters in previous years.

Britain has granted nearly 1,700 licences to EU boats to fish in waters classed as being part of its exclusive economic zone, meaning those 12-200 nautical miles from the coast.

The tension is over licences to operate in Britain's fish-rich territorial waters, which lie 6-12 nautical miles from the coast, as well as the waters close to Jersey.

London has issued 100 licences to French boats for its territorial waters, while 75 have been rejected, according to figures from the beginning of October.

For Jersey, 111 permanent licences and 31 provisional licences have been issued, while 75 boats have been rejected.

MailOnline has contacted HMRC for comment.

Thierry Breton has branded Brexit a 'catastrophe' for Britain and blamed it for the UK's empty supermarket shelves, petrol crisis and truck driver shortage

It comes after Thierry Breton, the French politician who is also the European Commission's internal market commissioner, said that Brexit was a 'real drama' for the UK.

'Look at what is happening on the supermarket shelves, look at what is happening at the petrol pumps, look at what is happening with the shortage of nurses and doctors, look at what is happening with the shortage of truck drivers, look at what is happening in the construction sector,' Breton told BFM TV.

'What is currently happening is a real drama.'

Breton has frequently criticised the UK's decision to leave the EU - last month warning Brexit was 'supposed to boost Britain's global standing' but saying it has done 'pretty much the opposite'.

The EU Commissioner for the Internal Market has also waded into Brexit rows over fishing rights, vaccine production and blasted the UK for its role in a submarine deal with Australia.

People wait in a queue to fill up with petrol at Asda in Greenwich, South East London, as Britain experiences a fuel crisis

Supermarket shelves in the UK are left empty amid ongoing shortages as a result of a fuel crisis and truck driver shortage

'Consider that after they said they could regain prosperity, which meant to some extent that every EU national would be kicked out - at least a large part of them - well now they need to come back, because nurses are missing.

'There's 100,000 truck drivers missing ... It is what it is and we deplore it,' he added.

Breton also said the UK had shown 'bad faith' in dealing with fishing rights but said the EU was 'used to this game now'.

'200 permits have been granted, so it's moving forward,' he added.

France and ten other EU members have called for a common front against Britain over its handling of a row with Paris over post-Brexit fishing licences in its waters. Pictured: French fishermen empty a fishing net in the North Sea

In another of Breton's foray's in the Brexit rows in April, the EU's internal market commissioner said 'zero' AstraZeneca jabs made on the continent would be shipped across the Channel until the company fulfilled its commitments to Europe.

He said 'there is nothing to negotiate' between the EU and the UK.

It came after he boasted over blocking AstraZeneca doses from leaving Europe, claimed the continent had 'plenty of vaccines available' and said the EU would be able to offer one to every adult before the end of summer.

Mr Breton told the FT at the time that EU-made doses must be reserved for the bloc to make up for the shortfall, adding: 'If [AstraZeneca] does more, we don't have any issue, but as long as it doesn't deliver its commitment to us, the doses stay in Europe - except for Covax.'

UK Government sources at the time described his comments as 'disappointing' and accused him of 'not respecting lawful contracts'.

They claimed the only way to get through the pandemic was to find a 'win-win'.

Breton's comments forced the EU's former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier to try to calm cross-Channel tensions by urging his colleagues to end the vaccine war.

In another of Breton's foray's in the Brexit rows in April, the EU's internal market commissioner said 'zero' AstraZeneca jabs made on the continent would be shipped across the Channel until the company fulfilled its commitments to Europe

While in September, Breton also warned transatlantic ties were 'broken' after Australia scrapped a $40 billion submarine deal with France and negotiated a new agreement with Britain and the US.

Breton said many politicians and citizens in Europe shared a 'growing feeling ... that something is broken in our transatlantic relations' after a series of surprises from the Biden administration in recent months.

'This feeling is unfortunately increasing,' he told reporters in Washington at the time. 'It's not right to think it is just because of what happened last week. It's much broader than that.'
Northumbrian Water has admitted unauthorised discharges of sewage into a stream.

Effluent came out of a manhole and into Coundon Burn in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, between March 13 and 14 in 2017.

The pollution was caused by a blocked combined sewer, believed to have been sparked by a build-up of bricks and rubble, the Northern Echo reports.

The major water company's defence barrister appeared at Newcastle Crown Court by videolink to admit two breaches of environmental legislation, namely that it caused an unauthorised water discharge activity.

Effluent came out of a manhole and into Coundon Burn (file picture of a culvert) in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, between March 13 and 14 in 2017

Judge Sarah Mallett said the firm will be sentenced on January 6.

Coundon Burn flows into the River Gaunless - a tributary of the River Wear.

Northumbrian Water had in April denied two counts of causing a discharge activity. but the pleas were changed at a case management hearing today.

The hearing was listed to take three hours while the prosecution, brought by the Environment Agency, and the defence discussed culpability.

Both parties agreed the harm caused was 'category three', the court heard.

The pollution in Coundon Burn (pictured: culvert) was caused by a blocked combined sewer, believed to have been sparked by a build-up of bricks and rubble

The Environment Agency classifies a Category 3 incident as one causing 'minor or minimal impact or effect on the environment, people and/or property'.

No more details about the breaches were given in court.

Northumbrian Water serves 2.7 million people in the North East of England.

The company had previously been fined 540,000 with 142,000 costs after admitting a pollution case at Heads Hope Burn, near Castle Eden, in May 2017.

Blockages in a combined sewer, sparked by tree root damage, caused raw sewage to flow from a manhole cover into a stream.

The company had denied causing or knowingly permitting a water discharge, but later changed its please on October 5 at Durham Crown Court.
Rep. Ilhan Omar said her office had been sent a package containing a 'suspicious substance' on Tuesday but that law enforcement officers determined it was not dangerous.

She tweeted that it came with a threat, reading: 'The Patriarchy will rise again.

'Merry f***ing Christmas.'

As a leading member of the progressive grouping known as 'the squad' and a Muslim immigrant from Somalia, she is something of a hated figure for the right.

Senior Republicans have accused her of anti-Semitism for taking a hard line on Israel's human rights record and condemned her for making what they said were anti-American statements.

But her supporters warned such words could trigger hate attacks.

Later on Tuesday, Omar shrugged off the impact of the package.

Rep. Ilhan Omar said she had been sent a package with a suspicious substance and a threat saying: 'The Patriarchy will rise again. Merry f***ing Christmas'

Rep. Ilhan Omar revealed she had been sent a suspicious package on Tuesday. Later she said it had not stopped her completing a busy schedule of votes, committee hearings and meetings

'Three committee hearings, three votes, interviews, rallies, meetings and our day isnt even halfway done,' she tweeted.

'They can send the threatening emails, phone calls and packages to distract us but nothing will ever slow us down as we serve the people of #MN5,' she said referring to her Congressional district in Minnesota.

'I survived war, I got this.'

U.S. Capitol Police told USA Today that the area around Omar's Capitol Hill office was 'briefly restricted' as they checked the substance.

'An on-site test of the substance was negative for anything hazardous,' it said.

The scare' comes during a surge in threats to lawmakers in Congress.

'As the Department has previously reported, the number of threats made against Congress has increased significantly,' U.S. Capitol Police said in May.

'This year alone, there has been a 107% increase in threats against Members compared to 2020.

'Provided the unique threat environment we currently live in, the Department is confident the number of cases will continue to increase.'

A suspicious package containing white powder was sent to the Kentucky home of Sen. Rand Paul earlier this year.

'I take these threats immensely seriously. As a repeated target of violence, it is reprehensible that Twitter allows C-list celebrities to encourage violence against me and my family, Paul tweeted at the time.

It turned out to be a non-toxic substance.

And Rep. Adam Schiff, chair of the House Intelligence Committee and key figure in President Donald Trump's first impeachment, received multiple threats last year.

On one occasion, the hallway outside his office was reportedly closed as officers investigated a suspicious substance.
Britain's haulage bosses today welcomed a boost for HGV drivers in the Budget amid new funding for European-style lorry parks, as well as the continued suspension of the road user levy.

Rishi Sunak said the HGV levy - which had already been frozen from August 1, 2020 until July 31, 2022 - would now be extended it for a further year until 2023.

The Chancellor also announced 32.5million of funding to improve much-maligned lorry park facilities - specifically to improve showers, toilets and security at existing facilities - and said he would be freezing Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for HGVs.

While specific detail on lorry parks has not yet been revealed, Whitehall sources said last month that plans were being considering to lure more people into the industry.

Ministers have been looking at improving working conditions for HGV drivers who often have to sleep in motorway lay-bys with no hot food, toilets or showers.

Facilities for lorry drivers have traditionally been better on the Continent, with a UK shortfall of 3,700 parking spaces for lorries reported by the Department of Transport in 2018 - meaning many drivers were forced to stay overnight in industrial estates.

This issue has been cited in recent months as a major factor behind the shortage of lorry drivers since the pandemic began, and compared to a very different situation in France where drivers have had access to Relais Routiers for more than 80 years.

These are a network of 1,200 restaurants serving affordable three-course meals for about 11 plus 1.30 for wine, along with comfortable showers and big parking areas.

Today, HGV chiefs praised the 'welcome steps for a hard-pressed haulage industry battling driver shortages and a range of other cost issues in the supply chain.'

The Treasury said in a document that the freezing of VED will cost the Exchequer about 5million a year, while the continued suspension of the road user levy will cost 140million in the 2021/22 tax year and then 75million in the 2022/23 year.

This equates to a total of 225million over both this tax year and the next tax year - and, added to the lorry parks fund, it provides a total benefit of 257.5million.

Delta Park Truck Secure Parking in Dourges, France, has a restaurant as well as toilet facilities

Dunkerque Security Truckstop in Craywick, France, is a modern site with security barriers

Polley Secured Lorry Park in Marck, France, has a shop, restaurant and wifi for truck drivers

TWV Park in Labourse, France, has various facilities including toilets and wifi for lorry drivers

Total Truck Parking in Waregem, Belgium, has a restaurant and plenty of lorry parking space

Rod McKenzie, managing director of the Road Haulage Association, said: 'The RHA welcomes the suspension of the HGV road user levy for a further year along with the freezing of VED for HGVs.

'These are welcome steps for a hard-pressed haulage industry battling driver shortages and a range of other cost issues in the supply chain.'

On lorry parks, he added: 'This is a major victory for our demands that truckers need better facilities. Somewhere safe to park with good toilet and washing facilities.

Motoring groups welcome 'some relief' for 'hard-pressed' drivers as fuel duty is frozen for the 12th year in a row while petrol prices climb to ANOTHER all-time high of 143.48p Motoring groups today praised Rishi Sunak's announcement that the planned fuel duty rise will be cancelled, describing it as 'some relief for hard pressed drivers'. But the Chancellor's decision to keep it frozen at 57.95p a litre for petrol and diesel, as it has been for the last 11 years, comes as prices continue to hit record highs. Yesterday, petrol hit a new record high of 143.48p per litre, with diesel at 146.89p  far above pre-Covid levels of 122p for petrol and 125p for diesel, which were falling. The 21p difference on petrol includes 3.5p extra in VAT, which is more than the 2.84p scheduled increase in fuel duty  so Mr Sunak is still taking more tax from drivers. He put the levy on hold for the 12th year running in the Budget after intense lobbying by Conservative MPs, despite Boris Johnson scrambling to get world leaders to commit to climate change targets at the Cop26 summit in Glasgow next week. Advertisement

'It is crucial that Government continues to work with the industry to improve conditions as this will also act as an encouragement to potential truck drivers, particularly women.'

He also welcomed Mr Sunak's announcement that the planned fuel duty rise will be cancelled, but said Britain was still paying Europe's highest level of fuel duty rate.

Mr McKenzie said: 'Rishi Sunak freezes fuel duty for the 12th year in a row. Every pence per litre increase adds 411 per annum to the operating cost of a typical 44 tonne articulated truck doing 75,000 miles per annum. At 8.3 mpg that's a big saving. But we're still paying the highest level of fuel duty rate in Europe.'

The Chancellor's move to keep the duty frozen at 57.95p a litre for petrol and diesel, as it has been for the last 11 years, comes as prices continue to hit record highs.

Yesterday, petrol hit a new record high of 143.48p per litre, with diesel at 146.89p  far above pre-Covid levels of 122p for petrol and 125p for diesel, which were falling.

The 21p difference on petrol includes 3.5p extra in VAT, which is more than the 2.84p scheduled increase in fuel duty - so Mr Sunak is still taking more tax from drivers.

He put the levy on hold for the 12th year running in the Budget after intense lobbying by Conservative MPs, despite Boris Johnson scrambling to get world leaders to commit to climate change targets at the Cop26 summit in Glasgow next week.

Mr Sunak told the Commons today: 'We've already suspended the HGV levy until August and I can do more today - extending it for a further year until 2023, and freezing Vehicle Excise Duty for heavy goods vehicles.'

He added: 'With fuel prices at the highest level in eight years, I'm not prepared to add to the squeeze on families and small businesses.

'So I can confirm today the planned rise in fuel duty will be cancelled. That's a saving over the next five years of nearly 8billion.'

Britain: South Mimms truckstop in Gloucestershire, which includes showers and various catering options

The Old Watling St truck stop in Hertfordshire has a 24/7 fuel service and a cafe that opens seven days a week

Lorries queue on the M20 motorway for Eurotunnel in Folkestone, Kent, in September 2020

Thousands of shipping containers at the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk are seen a fortnight ago

Asked about the lorry parks, a Treasury spokesman told MailOnline: 'It's 32.5million over this spending review period, it will go towards improving existing facilities such as shower and toilet facilities and improve security, and this will be administered and allocated by the Department for Transport in a fund. It's all new money and DfT will announce more details in due course.'

On Monday, UK haulage industry bosses told the Prime Minister to 'act now to prevent a Christmas crisis' as a result of continuing lorry driver shortages.

In a letter to Boris Johnson, more than 1,600 haulage sector bosses, led by the RHA, warn that without decisive action there is a 'risk of further damage to not only our businesses and livelihoods, but the UK's integrated and finely balanced supply chains'.

The letter called for HGV drivers to be added to the shortage occupation list for at least 12 months, for reform to driver certification to help the return of retired drivers, and an HGV taskforce.

The HGV sector has warned that it faces a shortage of around 100,000 drivers, which has contributed to supply disruption across many sectors.

The Government has launched a series of initiatives such as a three-month temporary visa, with around 5,000 visas for non-UK drivers.

However, the RHA has described the proposal as 'lacklustre and ill-conceived', calling for a longer-term scheme to be introduced.

The Government has also made changes to cabotage rules to allow foreign drivers to make an unlimited number of pick-ups and drop-offs over a fixed period, in an effort to help Christmas preparations.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak holds the Budget Box as he leaves 11 Downing Street in London today

Earlier this month, industry groups claimed rising shop prices are being fuelled by 'cartel-like' behaviour in the shipping industry.

Make UK, which represents Britain's manufacturing sector, and the British Chambers of Commerce have called on the competition watchdog to investigate whether the soaring cost of international transport is justified.

Companies have reported paying ten times as much to ship containers from countries such as China and Bangladesh, pushing the price of a ton of freight to around 14,000.

The rising costs have led to dire warnings about the cost of Christmas this year as companies threaten to raise prices on items such as clothing and toys.
An alleged murderer who appeared in court today accused of stabbing two teenagers to death in in Essex has been pictured.

Two 16-year-old boys were killed and another was left with severe injuries following an attack in the street in Brentwood in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Frankie Watson, 19, has been charged with two counts of murder, one charge of attempted murder and one charge of possession of an offensive weapon.

He spoke only to confirm his name when he stood in the dock at Southend Magistrates Court for the brief hearing this afternoon.

Frankie Watson, 19, has been charged with two counts of murder, one charge of attempted murder and one charge of possession of an offensive weapon

Forensic officers survey the scene of the incident in Brentwood on Sunday

Watson, from Orsett, Essex, wore a navy blue sweater and blue jogging bottoms as he addressed the bench of magistrates.

The case was adjourned and Watson will appear at Basildon Crown Court tomorrow morning.

Essex Police had said officers were called to Regency Court at about 1.30am on Sunday and found three people had been injured, including two teenagers who later died from their injuries.

The third person was treated for non-life threatening injuries, the force added.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Truss, who is leading the investigation, previously said police believe it was an isolated incident and 'there isn't a risk to the wider public', saying the area is safe and such incidents are rare.

He said a police presence will remain in the area as the investigation continues and appealed for anyone with information about what happened to come forward.

Police said they would await post-mortem examination results before confirming the cause of death.
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More than 600,000 customers throughout New England were without power on Wednesday morning after a nor'easter pounded the region with hurricane-force winds.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reported the widespread power outages Wednesday morning as areas along the coast experienced wind gusts of 80-90 miles per hour, with more and more power outages reported each hour.

At 4am, NBC Boston reports, there were 135,229 power outages throughout the state, but by 6.30am, the number of outages more than tripled to 407,535.

A total of 493,730 customers in Massachusetts were without power by 9.30am, and another 133,000 customers were without power across the other five New England states as of 7.30am.

The National Weather Service in Boston, meanwhile, warned of a 'dangerous situation' near and southeast of I-95, tweeting Wednesday morning that winds were gusting over hurricane speeds across southeast Massachusetts, bringing down numerous trees.

It warned: 'Travel is not recommended early this morning in southeast Massachusetts' as a high wind warning remained in effect through late Wednesday afternoon for southeast Massachusetts and southern Rhode Island.

The alert came just one day after the nor'easter caused widespread flooding across New York and New Jersey, where emergency service crews carried out dozens of rescues.

The storm was just south of Nantucket Wednesday morning, National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Loconto told the New York Times, but was expected to move out to sea later in the day, with an additional one inch of rain possible before it moves ashore.

'That should bring about a decrease in wind gusts,' he said, but noted that Boston could still see gusts up to 55 miles per hour and Cape Cod could see winds near 65 miles per hour.

'It's still pretty dangerous across Cape Cod and also at times in the Boston area,' he said.

A powerful nor'easter swept through New England on Tuesday night, leaving many downed trees in its wake

The storm delivered hurricane-force winds to the coastal communities of Massachusetts, causing a large tree to fall onto a pickup truck in Fairhaven on Wednesday morning

Fallen trees also blocked roadways and caused traffic concerns

The National Weather Service warned residents not to travel on Wednesday morning, as trees blocked the roads and caused extensive damage to some cars

The Duxbury Fire Department tweeted that 94 percent of the town was without power on Wednesday morning

It said: 'It is reasonable to expect full restoration could take days' with the amount of damage the area received

Hurricane-force winds were reported throughout the night in Massachusetts, but slowed down on Wednesday

More than 600,000 power outages were reported throughout New England in the aftermath of the storm

Wind speeds exceeded 90 miles per hour in the Cape Cod town of Edgartown

The National Weather Service tweeted that winds were gusting over hurricane speeds across southeast Massachusetts

During the height of the storm, wind gusts exceeded 90 mph, with one gust in Edgartown, on Martha's Vineyard, measured at 94mph around 4.30am Wednesday.

Overnight winds also surpassed any records this year, according to ML Baron, who operates a weather station in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, telling the Times that had the storm occurred during the winter, it would have been a 'catastrophic blizzard,' setting the region back for weeks.

Still, he said, coastal areas in Massachusetts saw 'the damage and destruction hurricane force winds can deliver,' recounting how he heard two men on a boat docked near New Bedford calling the Coast Guard for a rescue shortly before 5am on Wednesday, because the dock had disintegrated and live power lines were in the water around them.

'They were trapped, they couldn't get off the boat,' Baron said, until rescuers carried them back safely to land.

Nearby, at the New Bedford Regional Airport, a small plane was picked up and thrown by the nor'easters strong winds.

Assistant airport manager Michael Crane told WPRI the Cessna's engine had been removed for maintenance, causing the frame to be lighter than usual during the storm.

Strong winds, between 47 and 60 miles per hour, then picked up the plane, breaking the straps that tied it down, and dropped it into the middle of a street some time between 5.30 and 6.30am, causing extensive damage to the small plane.

Fortunately, no one was injured, and airport personnel were able to pull the plane over a fence and strap it down again.

Elsewhere, a woman needed to be rescued from her car after a tree came down on top of it in West Barnstable, and the car wound up on top of a live power line, and in Cohasset, Massachusetts, boats capsized onto land.

At the Cohasset High School, a press box overlooking the athletic field was also blown backward onto a roadway, according to WCVB 5, as schools in the area remained closed due to the widespread power outages.

Numerous trees were also down throughout the Massachusetts coast, disrupting power, blocking roadways and causing extensive damage to cars and houses.

Several boats capsized onto the land in Cohasset Harbor during the storm

Some people were trapped in their boats during the storm as docks disintegrated

A boat is seen here atop of rocks in Cohasset on Wednesday morning

Strong winds knocked out a press box at the Cohasset High School

The strong winds also managed to pick up a small plane and throw it back to the ground

Most of the outages Wednesday morning, about 300,000, were reported in Barnstable and Plymouth counties, which cover Cape Cod and coastal areas south of Boston, according to NBC News.

All schools on the Cape have been closed, according to the Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee, and the town of Duxbury's Fire Department tweeted: 'We are seeing major damage across town.'

The department tweeted photos of downed trees wrecking cars, trucks and even some houses in the area.

It noted that 94 percent of the town in Plymouth county had no power as of Wednesday morning, and 'It is reasonable to expect full restoration could take days.'

'We are also assessing the need for a warming center,' the department tweeted, as temperatures are expected to remain in the low 50s on Thursday and Friday.

The department also warned that 'winds will continue to be very strong this afternoon' and 'coastal flooding is also a concern.'

In Boston, meanwhile, downed trees disrupted parts of the Red Line and Mattapan Trolley service, according to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, which deployed replacement shuttle buses throughout the area, and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency warned people to 'avoid downed power lines, check on neighbors and use generators outside, away from buildings.'

The Massachusetts Steamship Authority, which runs ferries from the mainland to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, also said it was canceling all services until further notice, and warned people not to attempt to get to its terminals and stay off the 'extremely dangerous' roads.

And the situation wasn't any better in the water - with a harbormaster in Plymouth saying some boats had broken free from their moorings overnight.

Fisherman Adam Lurch was seen fishing from the rocks of Eastern Point along the Long Island Sound in Groton, Connecticut as the worst of the storm approached on Tuesday

Gillie Rezendes, of Artistic Autobody, pulls the fence that was blown onto Middle Street in Fairhaven, Massachusetts

A wave crashed into the retaining wall of a home in Fairhaven, Massachusetts on Tuesday

Sandbags were laid out to protect businesses along Holmes Street in the seaside town of Mystic, Connecticut

In Connecticut, power lines came down on a school bus headed to Middletown High School on Wednesday morning. No injuries were reported. Six students were on the bus, which continued its route after emergency responders removed the power lines.

About 15,000 homes and businesses in the state were without power Wednesday morning.

The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority also closed the Newport Pell and Jamestown Verrazzano Bridges due to wind gusts of 70 mph early Wednesday morning, then reopened them shortly after to most vehicles, but school buses were still not permitted to cross.

The damages came just one day after the storm drenched New York and New Jersey, causing widespread flooding.

New York City saw almost four inches of rain in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn over the course of 24 hours, NBC News reported, and widespread flooding in New Jersey forced several high-water rescues as rivers quickly reached their banks after the state received more than three inches by 7am, according to NJ.com.

In Union Beach, New Jersey alone, CNN reported, there had been over a dozen water rescues throughout the night.

No injuries were reported in any of the rescues and no one has required any first aid or hospital care, Police Chief Michael J. Woodrow said.

'Fortunately, our highly trained officers are able to reach traditionally inaccessible areas with these vehicles, especially when time is of the essence,' he said, noting: 'Our playbook was created from lessons learned from Hurricane Sandy as well as other meteorological events.'

He added that the town has also received 'countless' calls for service and multiple vehicles have been submerged in water, as state troopers reported they responded to 188 accidents and 81 motorist aid calls.

But by Wednesday morning, only about 14,590 New York homes remained without power, the Times reports, and public transit was running smoothly, with few unplanned delays.
A Florida driver who was pulled over for expired license plates startled police officers after they found he had a live grenade tucked away in a rusty toolbox in the back of his pickup trunk.

'Oh shoot, is this for real?' the officer from the Flagler County Sheriff's Office can be heard saying to her partner on the bodycam footage after finding the explosive in what appeared to be an old tea container Monday.

'Oh god, I can't believe. Just back out,' the cop laughs nervously as she swings her leg over the back of the truck. 'Get out of the truck for a second. Get out of the truck, it looks like a possible grenade.'

Louis Branson, 65, was arrested after the officer found the grenade nestled inside the container, and a further search uncovered small amounts of cocaine and marijuana.

'This idiot is lucky he did not blow himself or his truck up,' Sheriff Rick Staly said.

The St. John's County explosives team removed the bomb from the vehicle and diverted traffic from the area before safely detonating it in a nearby county-owned facility.

Louis Branson, 65, was arrested and booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on Monday after police found a live grenade and drug paraphernalia in his truck

Branson was arrested for driving under a suspended license and later charged with possession of firearm, weapon, or ammo by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana and cocaine

Branson told police his wife was getting new tags for his car today and believed he had until November 10 to get new ones. He was told to exit the vehicle and was arrested. While searching his vehicle, police found a bomb and he told them it had been in the toolbox for 'three or four years'

When the officers questioned Branson about the grenade, he admitted it was a 'collectors' item and that he found it in an 'old home.'

Branson claimed he didn't know if the grenade was live or a replica, stating he just 'found it' and that he had it for 'three or four years.'

'It just stays in the toolbox,' Branson can be heard telling the police officers.

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office confirmed in a press release that Branson took the explosive from a veteran's home that he was cleaning.

'This guy was pulled over because his tag and license were expired, and then deputies found drugs and a grenade in his vehicle,' Sheriff Staly said.

'Carrying around an explosive device is very dangerous and illegal.'

Police found the bomb in what appears to be an old tea container

The can was located inside the back of the truck in the rusty toolbox

Branson admitted to cops his license expired in 2019 and told officers he learned 'about a week now' that his license had been suspended in Georgia.

He also told officers his wife was 'going to get the tags' today and that he was heading to Daytona to get parts for the truck on the 'back roads' to avoid traffic.

He said he thought he had until November 10 to get new tags, bodycam footage revealed.

During an inventory search of his vehicle, officers found the grenade inside a rusty can inside his truck's toolbox, as well as two glass pipes in the driver's side door and in a storage compartment with what was believed to be narcotics residue marks, and a bag of cocaine.

Flagler County Sheriff's Office called in the St. John's County Explosive Ordinance Disposal team, which x-rayed the bomb and found it to be authentic.

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office contacted the St. John's County Explosive Ordinance Disposal team after finding the bomb in Branson's vehicle. The team x-rayed the device and found the bomb to be authentic. They took it to a county-own facility and safely detonated the bomb

'It was believed to be a real grenade based on the x-ray revealing its internal mechanism,' the statement said.

Branson was arrested and booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility in Flagler County for driving with an expired license over six months and drug paraphernalia at the scene.

After the Sheriff's Office completed their investigation, Branson was later additionally charged with possession of firearm, weapon, or ammo by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana and possession of cocaine.

Branson, who now resides in Florida, has a criminal past in the state as well as in Georgia.

He's been previously charged with burglary, possession of Sea Oats - a type of protected grass - trespassing, rape, burglary of an occupied dwelling, armed robbery, possession of marijuana, forgery, possession of drug equipment, grand theft, battery, possession of cocaine, driving with a suspended license, and giving a false name to law enforcement.

He also has a felony for sexual battery from 1977.
A Pennsylvania woman sat down to enjoy a takeout order of chicken wings - and was shocked to discover a bird's deep-fried head among the battered treats.

Brittani Paulhamus, of South Williamsport, received about 11,000 shares on her Facebook post on Friday, which featured the head sitting on top of the pile of wings following a trip to Old School Pizza with a friend.

It shared a gory pic of the head - with its beak still visible, which Brittani captioned : 'Ordered wings from Old School Pizza with Hannah Wingrove and received a chicken head.. Was told to call back on Monday and speak to management.'

After her photos were shared more than 11,000 times, she edited the post to add: PSA: I did not expect this post to blow up the way it did. Yes I know where the wings come from.

'HOWEVER to me it is personally not appetizing to see the chicken head in the wings I ordered. At the end of the day Im sharing my personal experience and were all entitled to our own opinions.'

South Williamsport resident Brittani Paulhamus found a chicken head in her takeout order of wings on Friday

Paulhamus found the head after opening the container and noticing an odd shaped 'wing'

In an interview with PA Homepage, Paulhamus described what had happened after she left the restaurant with her order.

'I open the container I take a bite of one and so I'm like eating this one wing and I pick up the second one and it was shaped weird so I'm like "Hannah what is this?"', Paulhamus told the network.

Paulhamus was then shocked to discover the chicken head in the middle of the container.

'I turn it. I see the beak. I throw it. I yelled my fiances name and I was like "get down here please",' she added.

She also said she was surprised to discover that her post on the incident went viral.

'I just feel like, I should make a post about it because who finds a chicken head?,' she said.

'I wasnt trying to slander anyone, it was just funny to me.' Paulmahus added that once the initial shock had subsided, she was relieved to know the wings she was eating actually came from a real chicken.

Paulhamus shared the incident on Facebook which has received more than 11,000 shares

Commenters enjoyed sharing the grim discovery, with some branding it scary, and many others insisting it was comical.

'So you mean to tell me whoever put them wings in the carry out container didn't notice a chicken head?', one user commented.

'Already you know the wings are fresh,' another humorously said.

Others pointed out that the chicken head was at least part of the animal she was eating.

'It's not appetizing to see the head of the animal you're eating? Why are you eating it them. Don't feel about it now...', a user pointed out.

'Right?! So you'll eat the rest of his body but you'll draw the line when it's his head. Ya know when it resembles a real creature!', another added.

Old School Pizza, the place where the wings were ordered from, apologized for the incident and offered Paulhamus a refund

Paulmahus claimed she had called the restaurant who told her to call them back on Monday to speak to management.

The owner has since given Paulhamus a refund for the order.

In response to the incident, Old School Pizza released an apology statement.

'Old School Pizza deeply apologizes for the disturbing event on Friday,' the statement read.

'We are currently looking for the source and have been in contact with our wing provider. We are trying figure how this could have happened with the numerous checkpoints involved.

'We have cooked approximately 361,000 pounds of wings over the course of 12 years and this is the very first time an incident like this has happened.

'We are working with the parties involved the best we can to rectify the issue and move forward. We thank our patrons for their continued support.'
Rishi Sunak poured money into helping the least well-off today as he lined the Treasury up behind Boris Johnson's levelling-up agenda in a cash-splurging Budget.

The Chancellor risked Tory backbench unease with a slew of announcements to help some of the country's worse off workers and regions areas.

He confirmed that the minimum wage would be hiked to 9.50 next year, and the public sector pay freeze is being axed.

And in one of the most eye-catching moves, Mr Sunak said universal credit is being made far more generous to give families another 2billion.

The taper rate - how much claimants lose for every hour they work over the allowance - is being slashed by 8 per cent from 63p in the pound to just 55p.

The Treasury said that the new level was 'totemic', as it was that first recommended by former minister Iain Duncan Smith.

But Labour slammed the Chancellor for overseeing 'the highest sustained tax burden in peacetime, with shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves asking: 'Who is going to pay for it?'

The Chancellor risked Tory backbench unease with a slew of announcements to help some of the country's worse off workers and regions areas.

In one of the most eye-catching moves, Mr Sunak said universal credit is being made far more generous to give families another 2billion.

Setting out his plans today Mr Sunak said: 'We will always give people the support they need and the tools to build a better life for themselves. And levelling up.

'Because for too long, far too long, the location of your birth has determined too much of your future.

'Because the awesome power of opportunity shouldn't be available only to a wealthy few, but be the birth right of every child in an independent and prosperous United Kingdom.'

Rishi Sunak said he was allocating the first round of bids from the 'Levelling Up Fund', noting it would be 1.7 billion to 'invest in the infrastructure of everyday life in over 100 local areas'.

He added: 'With 170 million in Scotland, 120 million in Wales, and 50 million in Northern Ireland - more than their Barnett shares. This will benefit the whole United Kingdom.'

Mr Sunak said the Government is backing projects in Aberdeen, Bury, Burnley, Lewes, Clwyd South and Stoke-on-Trent - along with Labour areas of Ashton under Lyne, Doncaster, South Leicester, Sunderland and West Leeds.

Discussing the 8 per cent cut to the Universal Credit taper rate, he added: 'Let us be in no doubt: this is a tax on work - and a high rate of tax at that.

'To make sure work pays, and help some of the lowest income families in the country keep more of their hard-earned money, I have decided to cut this rate, not by 1 per cent, not by 2 per cent - but by 8 per cent.'

Mr Sunak said the tax cut would be worth more than 2 billion and would be introduced by no later than December 1.

Fuel duty is being frozen to avoid heaping pressure on drivers amid soaring prices, and alcohol taxes are being radically simplified. A special lower duty rate will apply to draught drinks.

But Ms Reeves highlighted last month's National Insurance Tax rise that will hit working people, plus a council tax rise that is on the cards and a refusal to cut VAT on energy bills.

'The arrogance, after taking 6billion out of the pockets of some of the poorest people in this country, expecting them to cheer today for 2billion given to compensate,' she said.

'In the long story of this Parliament, never has a Chancellor asked the British people to pay so much for so little.

'Time and again today, the Chancellor compared the investments that he is making to the last decade. But who was in charge in this lost decade? They were.

So, let's just reflect on the choices the Chancellor has made today - the highest sustained tax burden in peacetime. And who is going to pay for it?'

Katie Schmuecker, deputy director of policy and partnerships at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation said: 'This is a tale of two Budgets for families on low incomes.

'For those in work, the change to the taper rate and work allowance, alongside the National Living Wage increase, are very positive steps, allowing low-paid workers to keep more of what they earn.

'Together these measures improve our social security system for working families and demonstrate a serious intent to turn the tide on the pre-pandemic trend of rising in-work poverty.

'But the reality is that millions of people who are unable to work or looking for work will not benefit from these changes.

'The Chancellor's decision to ignore them today as the cost of living rises risks deepening poverty among this group, who now have the lowest main rate of out-of-work support in real terms since around 1990.'
A shocking videos shows the moment a brawl erupted in a Catholic church during mass after a maskless troublemaker was ordered to leave by the priest - with the ensuing fight almost toppling the altar.

In the October 24 footage, taken from one of the pews and viewed nearly 170,000 times, the man can be seen kneeling toward the front of the church when Father Paul Brunet stops reading a psalm, puts down his outstretched hands and points at the man, telling him 'you are in trespass.'

Then, he urges members of the St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Lakewood, Washington State to 'get the security guards.'

The man gets up onto the pulpit, approaching the now-seated priest, then turns around to the congregation and says 'keep your hands off me.'

He was previously ordered not to trespass at the church, and was also going bare-faced in contravention of state and county rules stipulating that people must wear masks when in an indoor public space.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO:

The man gets up onto the pulpit, approaching the now-seated priest, then turns around to the congregation and says 'keep your hands off me'

The first man to approach the intruder speaks with him unintelligibly, pointing toward the door, before he delivers the first push and the pair begin throwing punches at one another

As about 20 churchgoers stream to the front of the church to take part in the unseemly brawl, the priest asks 'can somebody please call 911?' The priest and other churchgoers hold the lurching altar in place as the scuffle unfolds

The congregation moves to do exactly the opposite as the man insists he's 'not trespassing,' pointing at the priest. The first man to approach the intruder speaks with him unintelligibly, pointing toward the door, before he delivers the first push and the pair begin throwing punches at one another

As about 20 churchgoers stream to the front of the church to take part in the unseemly brawl, the priest asks 'can somebody please call 911?' The priest and other churchgoers hold the lurching altar in place as the scuffle unfolds.

The group collectively drags the man off the stage and toward, presumably, the front door of the church. Children cry, and a woman repeatedly asks 'what happened to him?' Then, the video ends abruptly.

The group collectively drags the man off the stage and toward, presumably, the front door of the church. Children cry, and a woman repeatedly asks 'what happened to him?' Then, the video ends abruptly

The incident took place around noon, and the unidentified man had been served a notice on October 13 for trespassing on church grounds two days earlier, according to the Lakewood Police Department.

Both Pierce County and Washington State currently mandate mask usage indoors, and the man appears to be the only churchgoer in the video without PPE - however, it appears that ask usage was not the issue that spurred on the confrontation.

A Public Information Officer with the department said that the man had been 'making disturbances,' but did not provide additional context.

'The church began having problems with a parishioner whose son attended school there. He began acting irrationally and creating disturbances,' Lieutenant Chris Lawler told DailyMail.com.

'At the request of the church, we served the male a criminal trespass notice... the male returned to the church and created another disturbance.'

After the incident caught on video, police arrived at the scene, arrested the man and charged him with first-degree criminal trespass. He was booked into jail, then released on bail.

'The events leading up to this unfortunate incident began last month,' wrote Father Brunet in a letter to congregation members obtained by Kiro 7.

The Priest wrote that the man had abused and threatened him, members of the parish and staff at the church's school. Subsequently, he said, the parish and school sought out a No Trespass order from the Lakewood Police Department, delivered to the man on October 13.

'He chose to disregard this order when he appeared at Mass yesterday,' the Priest wrote.

'Please join me in praying for all who were involved in or witnessed this incident and be assured of my prayers for all of you.'

Father Brunet and the parish could not be reached for comment by DailyMail.com.

Yesterday, Parishioners were dissuaded from sharing the viral video, or from talking about the incident, on the church's Facebook page with a message including an excerpt from Ephesians 4:29-32: 'Never let evil pass your lips; say only the good things men need to hear, things that will really help them.'

'In light of this holy instruction please remove any videos and sharing of the disruption of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass last Sunday,' read the post. 'People outside of the parish like the man on the east coast dont need to be involved.'

Yesterday, Parish-goers were dissuaded from sharing the viral video, or from talking about the incident, on the church's Facebook page with a message including an excerpt from Ephesians 4:29-32: 'Never let evil pass your lips; say only the good things men need to hear, things that will really help them'

A number of congregation members responded 'Amen.' Other commenters on the post said it was 'too late,' and that further explanation for the incident had to be given.

'It's already gone viral and a lot of Catholics would like an answer as to the atrocious mob behavior of your congregation!' wrote Hannah Louise Carter.

'Your priest and congregation should repent. Evil was brought into the light,' sad another Facebook user.

'All he did was kneel down and start praying and your priest pointed at him and said he is trespassing. Pure evil in your church. Then your members instead of peacefully speaking with him violently removed him and swarmed him.'
A 96-year-old former Nazi concentration camp secretary was allegedly informed 'down to the last detail' of every murder method used at the Stutthof camp, a court has heard.

Irmgard Furchner, who has been dubbed the 'secretary of evil', was wheeled into the courtroom by guards with a facemask and large sunglasses covering her face and a pink beret over her white hair on Tuesday.

She is standing trial for complicity in the murder of more than 10,000 people at Stutthof camp in Nazi-occupied Poland between 1943 and 1945, a charge which she denies.

Furchner was just 18 when she started work at the camp on the Baltic coast, and is the first woman to stand trial in decades over crimes connected to the Third Reich.

She had knowledge of all of the horrific events at the camp due to her work for the commandment of the camp and was informed 'down to the last detail' about the murder methods practised there, prosecutor Maxi Wantzen told the court in the northern town of Itzehoe.

He added that through her work as the camp secretary, she ensured 'the smooth functioning of the camp', reports the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper.

On Tuesday, Furchner was seen holding a black and white cane as she sat in her wheelchair wearing a pink coat, scarf and beret.

Irmgard Furchner, who has been dubbed the 'secretary of evil', was wheeled into the courtroom by guards with a facemask and large sunglasses covering her face on Tuesday

Furchner (pictured on Tuesday) is standing trial for complicity in the murder of more than 10,000 people at Stutthof camp in Nazi-occupied Poland between 1943 and 1945, a charge which she denies

Irmgard Furchner (left and right, in 1944) was just 18 when she started work at the camp on the Baltic coast, and is the first woman to stand trial in decades over crimes connected to the Third Reich.

'Torture shows, gas chambers and mass hangings': Horrors of Nazi camp where Jews were sent to die The Stutthof camp was established in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland, and enlarged in 1943 with a new camp surrounded by electrified barbed-wire fences. The camp underwent several iterations, initially being used as the main collection point for Jews and non-Jewish Poles removed from the nearby city of Danzig on the Baltic Sea coast. From about 1940 onward, it was used as a so-called 'work education camp' where forced laborers, primarily Polish and Soviet citizens who had run afoul of their Nazi oppressors, were sent to serve sentences and often died. Others incarcerated there included criminals, political prisoners, homosexuals and Jehovah's Witnesses. From mid-1944, it was filled with tens of thousands of Jews from ghettos being cleared by the Nazis in the Baltics as well as from Auschwitz, which was overflowing, and thousands of Polish civilians swept up in the brutal suppression of the Warsaw uprising. As many as 100,000 people would eventually be deported there, some of them moved from other camps abandoned by the Nazis in the later stages of the war. In addition to gas chambers and lethal injections, many prisoners died of disease in the camp's horrific conditions under the supervision of the SS. Around 60,000 people are thought to have died in the camp, while another 25,000 perished while evacuating in the chaotic final weeks of the Third Reich. Finally liberated by Soviet forces in May 1945, the camp is now once again within Poland's borders, with the town going by the Polish name of Sztutowo. Historian Janina Grabowska-Chalka, long-time director of the Stutthof Museum, described everyday life in the camp as brutal. 'In the Stutthof concentration camp, all prisoners, men, women and children, were obliged to work. Hard work that exceeded human strength determined the rhythm of life and death in the camp. 'Stutthof belonged to the camps where very hard living conditions prevailed,' she said. Holocaust survivor Abraham Koryski gave evidence in 2019 in which he detailed the horrors he endured at the Stutthoff concentration camp in World War II. 'We were beaten constantly, the whole time, even while working,' Koryski told the Hamburg District Court, according to DW. He added that SS guards would put on sadistic 'torture shows' including one in which a son was forced to beat his father to death in front of other inmates. Koryski said: 'You didn't know if the officers were acting on orders or if they did it on their breaks.' Holocaust survivor Manfred Goldberg told the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2017: 'Jewish lives just did not count. We had to assemble in a square. They had erected an enormous gallows with eight nooses hanging down, then one by one we had to watch these innocent men being hanged.' Advertisement

An arrest warrant was issued after Furchner fled her retirement home on September 30 and headed to a metro station as her trial was set to begin in the northern town of Itzehoe.

The pensioner managed to evade police for several hours before being apprehended in the nearby city of Hamburg and temporarily held in custody by authorities.

Furchner was released five days later 'under the condition of precautionary measures', said court spokeswoman Frederike Milhoffer, adding that it was 'assured that she (Furchner) will appear at the next appointment'.

According to media reports, the accused has been fitted with an electronic tag to monitor her whereabouts.

Last week, the court heard how SS men in white medical uniforms would pretend to be doctors who were simply measuring prisoners' height.

But instead, the prisoner's height was used as the setting for a specially engineered 'neck shot' device.

Around 30 prisoners were then shot in the neck within a two-hour period.

In other cases, prisoners were forced into chambers which were filled with poisonous Zyklon B gas.

Here prisoners screamed in agony, scratched at their skin until it was red raw, and even pulled their own hair out.

Furchner, born Irmgard Dirksen on May 19, 1925, worked as secretary for the concentration camp commandant Paul Werner Hoppe.

As she was only 18 at the time, she is being tried in a juvenile court, even though she is almost a hundred years old.

The prosecution claimed that her work as a secretary assisted the wider 'killing apparatus' of the concentration camp.

The prosecutor described how on July 22, 1944, SS Obersturmbahnfuhrer Paul Maurer gave orders that a group of prisoners at Stutthof be transported to Auschwitz for extermination.

Four days later, a list of prisoners to be transferred was written at the commandant's office at Stutthof.

At 6.05pm, commandant Hoppe, then gave confirmation by radio that the transport was en route.

The prosecution then claimed that this message must have been written by Furchner.

Furchner's lawyer, Wolfgang Molkentin, told the court in a statement that his client denies that she is 'personally guilty of a crime'.

He said: 'Irmgard Furchner does not deny the crimes of the Shoah [Holocaust].

'Neither does she deny the terrible acts that took place as has once again been made clear to us all in the indictment. She simply rejects the charge around which this trial ultimately revolves, that she was personally guilty of a crime.'

Prosecutors say that throughout her time at the camp, Furchner took dictation of Hoppe's orders and handled his correspondence.

According to Christoph Rueckel, a lawyer representing Holocaust survivors, Furchner 'handled all the correspondence' for the commander.

'She typed out the deportation and execution commands' at his dictation and initialled each message herself, Rueckel told public broadcaster NDR.

Stutthof, which was located near the Polish city of Gdansk, was the first death camp to be built outside Germany and was constructed in 1939.

Over the six years it operated - until it was liberated by the Allies in May 1945, it is thought some 110,000 people were sent there, of which up to 65,000 died.

Originally built to house Polish intelligence officers and intellectuals, the camp later expanded to include significant numbers of Jews - many of whom were transferred there from Auschwitz or camps in the Baltics - and Soviet prisoners.

The camp had gas chambers where many of the inmates were put to death, but tens of thousands also died due to starvation, disease epidemics, overwork and forced 'death marches'. Of those who died, around 28,000 were Jews.

Furchner was first questioned by police over her involvement in the camp in February 2017, when officers also searched her apartment.

It took four years and eight months to bring the case to trial, which included a medical assessment to decide whether Furchner was fit to stand.

In February this year a doctor ruled the 96-year-old was fit enough, and her hearing was scheduled.



A teenager at the time the alleged crimes were committed, Furchner's trial is being held in juvenile court.

In a letter sent ahead of her first scheduled hearing, the defendant told the presiding judge of the court that she did not want to appear in person in the dock.

Irmgard Furchner was wheeled in by guards with a shawl, face mask and large sunglasses covering her face on October 19

Her ultimate failure to present herself showed 'contempt for the survivors and also for the rule of law', the vice president of the International Auschwitz Committee Christoph Heubner told AFP at the time.

'Healthy enough to flee, healthy enough to go to jail!,' tweeted Efraim Zuroff, an American-Israeli 'Nazi hunter' who has played a key role in bringing former Nazi war criminals to trial.

Prosecutors argue that she was part of the apparatus that helped the Nazi camp function more than 75 years ago.

In a previous interview with NDR, she claimed she had never actually set foot in the camp itself and insisted she had only learned about the atrocities after the war.

Lawyers say she was 'shielded' from the camp's true purpose by her superiors, while prosecutors say that is impossible given her role as the commander's secretary.

Furchner said she was aware that executions were taking place at the camp, but believed they were punishments for specific crimes - rather than genocidal mass-murder.

Her boss, SS officer Hoppe, was convicted for his role at the camp and sentenced to nine years in prison by a West German court in 1957. He died in 1974.

In evidence during that investigation, given nearly 70 years ago, Furchner acknowledged working for Hoppe but said she knew nothing of the gas chambers.

The state court in Itzehoe in northern Germany said in a statement that the suspect allegedly 'aided and abetted those in charge of the camp in the systematic killing of those imprisoned there between June 1943 and April 1945 in her function as a stenographer and typist in the camp commandant's office.'

The case against Furchner will rely on German legal precedent established in cases over the past decade that anyone who helped Nazi death camps and concentration camps function can be prosecuted as an accessory to the murders committed there, even without evidence of participation in a specific crime.

A lawyer for the defendant told Der Spiegel magazine that the trial would centre on whether the 96-year-old had knowledge of the atrocities that happened at the camp.

'My client worked in the midst of SS men who were experienced in violence - however, does that mean she shared their state of knowledge? That is not necessarily obvious,' Wolf Molkentin said.

According to other media reports, the defendant was questioned as a witness during past Nazi trials and said at the time that the former SS commandant of Stutthof, Paul Werner Hoppe, dictated daily letters and radio messages to her.

Irmgard Furchner, the 'Secretary of Evil', faces charges of assisting in the murder of 11,000 prisoners at Stutthof concentration camp (pictured), 33 miles east of Danzig in Poland

The secretary worked for Nazi commandant Paul Werner Hoppe (pictured left), who was convicted by a West German court in 1957 and died in 1974. The Nazis murdered around 65,000 people in Stutthof (pictured right) and its subcamps, which were operational from September 2, 1939 until May, 9, 1945

Still, Furchner testified she was not aware of the killings that occurred at the camp while she worked there, the German news agency dpa reported.

Today a group of around fifty anti-Nazi demonstrators gathered outside the court.

They were supposed to mount a counter demonstration to a neo-Nazi gathering which never appeared.

Rumours had circulated on social media that the neo-Nazis were coming to show solidarity with someone they have referred to as the 'Rebel from Itzehoe.'

Speaking to MailOnline, chief Nazi hunter Dr. Efrain Zuroff from the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Israel, said this trial is of great importance.

'The demonstration by neo-Nazis to support the 'Rebel from Itzehoe' is yet another reminder of how important these trials are.'

'This is in spite of the advanced age of the defendant, and the many years which have passed since she committed her crimes.'

'The authorities have to take steps to protect the witnesses and attorneys who represent the families of the victims, as well as the spectators. '

The far-right nationalist party, Die Rechte, were unavailable for comment.

When Mail Online contacted them in February this year about Irmgard Furchner, however, spokesperson Sven Skoda wrote:

'The indictment against Irmgard F. for aiding and abetting murder is part of contemporary hysteria. Charging a former secretary who is spending her remaining days in a nursing home, and this seventy five years after the end of World War 2, amounts to a witch hunt, which is unworthy of a constitutional state.'

'In a constitutional state, criminal law may never be misused to pursue a purely symbolic policy. But that is exactly the aim of such procedures. We demand the immediate termination of the proceedings against Irmgard F.'

Around the same time Furchner fled her trial, a 100-year-old former Nazi concentration camp guard appeared before judges at a court in Neuruppin, northwest of Berlin.

Josef Schuetz, who stands accused of assisting in the murder of 3,518 prisoners at the Sachsenhausen camp between 1942 and 1945, told the court he was 'innocent' and 'knows nothing' about what happened at the camp.

Along with Furchner, the two are among the oldest defendants to stand trial for their alleged roles in the Nazi system.

Seventy-six years after the end of World War II, time is running out to bring people to justice.

Prosecutors are investigating another eight cases, according to the Central Office for the Investigation of National Socialist Crimes.

In recent years, several cases have been abandoned as the accused died or were physically unable to stand trial.

The last guilty verdict was issued to former SS guard Bruno Dey, who was handed a two-year suspended sentence in July at the age of 93.
The German economy will grow just 2.6 per cent this year as the country's Covid recovery stumbles, forcing economists to slash their forecasts.

Economy Minister Peter Altmaier broke the bad news Wednesday, saying Germany will miss the 3.5 per cent forecast earlier this year due to supply chain issues that have slowed some industries to a crawl.

He spoke as UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed Brexit Britain is on track to grow 6.5 per cent this year and return to pre-pandemic levels before 2022, three months earlier than Germany.

The UK is among the fastest-growing economies in the G7 thanks to a rapid pandemic recovery driven by its world-beating vaccine roll out.

Without Brexit, it is likely the UK would have been locked into Brussels' vaccine programme which was slower to get going and meant the EU had to wait longer to lift virus restrictions holding its economy back.

Peter Altmaier, the German economic minister, has downgraded growth forecasts to just 2.6 per cent this year - down from the 3.5 per cent that had been predicted

Mr Altmaier said he does not expect another Covid lockdown in Germany this winter, but added that rising case rates could still have 'negative economic consequences'.

Economists from major think-tanks - including the OECD - have credited the UK's rapid recovery to its vaccine progamme and economic reopening.

Meanwhile Europe's slow-paced Covid recovery has hurt its economy, but Altmaier's downgrade on Wednesday was not directly due to the pandemic.

Instead, he blamed global supply chain issues caused as economies reopen following a year of low productivity.

Shortages of raw materials and components have combined with a gas shortage to slow down production lines and drive prices up, Mr Altmaier said.

As Europe's manufacturing powerhouse, Germany is particularly vulnerable to these problems. For example, global computer chip shortages have badly affected the country's car-makers which make up a large slice of its GDP.

Altmaier said the economic recovery will speed up next year - when the effect of lockdowns will have flushed out of the system - with growth of 4 per cent forecast.

That puts Germany on track to recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of March 2022, three months later than scheduled.

Meanwhile the UK economy is on track to grow 6.5 per cent in 2021, bringing it back to pre-pandemic levels by year-end before growing another 6 per cent next year

Economists have credited Britain's rapid growth to its quick recovery from Covid, driven in large part by its world-beating vaccine roll-out (file image)

By contrast, Britain will reach pre-pandemic levels by the year-end and will continue growing strongly next year - expanding by another 6 per cent.

The news a much-needed boost for the UK, which suffered one of the deepest Covid recessions of any major economy last year.

A whopping 9.8 per cent of GDP was erased in 2020, according to World Bank figures, while the German economy only slipped 4.9 per cent.

That is why, despite growing much faster than Germany's economy, the UK's is only set to get back into the black three months earlier.

Germany's gloomy forecast comes against a backdrop of tough news for the country.

The German Ifo institute's closely watched business climate indicator fell for the fourth consecutive month in October, according to figures published this week.

'Supply problems are giving businesses headaches,' Ifo president Clemens Fuest said in a statement, describing the bottlenecks as 'sand in the wheels of the German economy'.

As supplies have dried up, costs have risen, with the prices faced by industry rising by 14.2 per cent year on year in September, a rate not seen since the 1970s.

Meanwhile, other indicators are turning downwards: German exports fell in August for the first time since April 2020, near the start of the pandemic.

Industrial output slumped by four percent in August, too, while new orders fell 7.7 percent.

Under pressure from 'surprisingly long-lasting bottlenecks in components, raw materials and transport, more forecasts for the economy will be revised downwards', said Ulrich Kater, chief economist at Deka Bank.

Altmaier said global supply chain issues and the rising cost of gas are the main reasons the growth forecast was downgraded (file image)

The question of how to get the economy rolling again will be at the top of the agenda as the parties seeking to form the next German government pick up talks on Wednesday.

In their initial agreement, the Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats (FDP) pledged massive investments and less red tape to prepare Germany for a greener and more digital future.

But they vowed not to introduce any tax hikes and to maintain Germany's strict debt rule, which limits deficits to 0.35 percent of GDP in normal times, a red line for the FDP.

Finding a way to deliver on both will require 'creativity' by the parties' own admission, and could see the new coalition house their investment programme somewhere else, such as public lender KfW, as per one mooted solution.

Germany's 'stuttering economic engine' was a 'wake-up call' for the coalition negotiators, said Joachim Lang, head of the influential German industrial lobby the BDI.

'Investments are now essential,' Lang said, calling for faster planning and approval processes, as well as tax reforms.

To avoid 'choking off' the recovery, the challenge over the next months - and likely for the next government - was to 'reduce obstacles and burdens, speed processes up and put the emphasis on innovation', Altmaier said at the press conference.
Rishi Sunak today boasted that the Tories are boosting public spending at a faster rate than Tony Blair as it emerged he is raising the most tax since 1993.

The Chancellor claimed the Conservatives are the 'party of public services' as he hailed a 150billion splurge in this parliament.

He said the average increase was 3.8 per cent a year in real terms, the highest rate for more than two decades.

Mr Sunak admitted that he had taken the tax burden to the highest since the 1950s to foot the bill, but insisted he 'can't apologise' for doing so after the pandemic.

Underlining the scale of the increase, the OBR watchdog pointed out that in just two financial packages this year the Chancellor has brought in more revenue than the crisis of 1993.

'Taking his March and October Budgets together, the Chancellor has raised taxes by more this year than in any single year since Norman Lamont and Ken Clarke's two 1993 Budgets in the aftermath of Black Wednesday,' the independent body's report said.

Meanwhile, other experts said the PM had clearly won the battle over whether the government should splurge more.

The Resolution Foundation said Mr Sunak had received a 141billion boon in the OBR forecasts from reduced borrowing over the coming years, but spent half of that in a 'Boris Budget'.

Rishi Sunak (left with Boris Johnson) claimed the Conservatives are the 'party of public services' as he hailed a 150billion splurge in this parliament

Rishi Sunak today boasted that the Tories are boosting public spending at a faster rate than Tony Blair (left) as it emerged he is raising the most tax since 1993, when Norman Lamont (right) served as Chancellor

Public sector debt does not rise as high as previously under the latest OBR projections

The tax burden is going to its highest level since the Second World War, despite Rishi Sunak's promise that he wants to cut it

In his speech, Mr Sunak said the Budget would usher in a 'new economy' after the pandemic as he confirmed billions of pounds for the NHS and wage rises for millions of workers.

'Today's Budget increases total departmental spending over this Parliament by 150billion,' he said.

'That's the largest increase this century, with spending growing by 3.8 per cent a year in real terms.

'As a result of this Spending Review, and contrary to speculation there will be a real terms rise in overall spending for every single department.

'And public sector net investment as a share of GDP will be at the highest sustained level for nearly half a century. If anyone still doubts it, today's Budget confirms the Conservatives are the real party of public services.'

Local government will get 4.8 billion in grant funding over three years, the largest increase for more than a decade, he said.

He also promised that the devolved administrations will be given the 'largest block grants' since 1998, with an increase to Scottish Government funding in each year by an average of 4.6billion, 2.5billion for the Welsh Government, and 1.6billion for the Northern Ireland Executive.

Research and development spending will be be 20billion a year by the end of the parliament, a 50 per cent increase and a greater proportion of GDP than in Germany, France and the US.

Meanwhile, in a boon for pubs and high street retailers Mr Sunak said their business rates are being slashed by 50 per cent this year - worth 1.7billion. There are also reforms that in total will benefit them to the tune of 7billion.

Fuel duty is being frozen to avoid heaping pressure on drivers amid soaring prices, and alcohol taxes are being radically simplified. A special lower duty rate will apply to draught drinks.

And in one of the most eye-catching moves, Mr Sunak said universal credit is being made far more generous to give families another 2billion. The taper rate - how much claimants lose for every hour they work over the allowance - is being slashed from 63p in the pound to just 55p.

The minimum wage is also being hiked to 9.50 next year, and the public sector pay freeze is being axed.

The splurges are being partly offset by pre-announced tax rises, including the huge national insurance increase for social care and the NHS and using a 'double lock' rather than the 'triple lock' for state pensions this year.

It means that overall the Budget only leaves the government 7.7billion a year worse off, according to Budget documents.
A 36-year-old man has been accused of raping a British teenager in the Costa del Sol holiday resort of Fuengirola.

It is claimed he pushed the 15-year-old girl into an alleyway after she had been out with friends but at that time was alone.

The man, who is from Senegal, is about to go on trial in Malaga, with the prosecution demanding a 14-year prison sentence and deportation from Spain.

A 36-year-old man has been accused of raping a British teenager in the Costa del Sol holiday resort of Fuengirola (pictured)

The rape is alleged to have taken place on the morning of January 1, 2020.

According to the prosecution, the teenager did not have the strength to call for help after the alleged attack and has subsequently suffered from post-traumatic stress symptoms. He allegedly grabbed her by the arm and pushed her into the secluded alley.

'After the rape was reported, the girl told investigators of a previous episode involving the man in the summer of 2019 on the night she was celebrating her birthday,' reports Spanish newspaper, Sur.es.

'The man allegedly approached her offering cocaine and, after she refused to accept it, grabbed her arm with the intention of dragging her away. However, this was prevented by the girl's friends who were with her at the birthday celebration.'

The Public Prosecutor is demanding, if the man is found guilty, a 14-year prison sentence, in addition to another eight years of probation and 20 years during which he cannot approach or communicate with the victim.

Likewise, the prosecutor asks that, when the man is granted probation, the execution of the sentence should be replaced by his deportation from the country and be banned from entering Spain for ten years from that date.

In addition, the prosecutor is seeking compensation of 15,000 euros for the psychological damage caused by the accused to the victim.
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Britain's Covid cases have fallen for the fourth day in a row, official data today revealed as one of the Government's top scientific advisers claimed rising natural immunity in children is behind the fall.

Department of Health bosses posted another 43,941 new infections, down 10.6 per cent on last Wednesday's total of 49,139.

Daily cases have been shrinking since Sunday after reaching a three-month high last week and Government ministers today claimed the chance of ministers activating their winter 'Plan B' is less than 20 per cent.

But the number of people dying with Covid has continued to increase, with 207 new fatalities recorded today. It was up 15.6 per cent on last week's 179.

And there was a 2.9 per cent week-on-week increase in hospitalisations on Saturday, the latest date data is available for. They reached 894, up from the 869 recorded the week before.

Trends in deaths and hospitalisations tend to lag behind infections because of the time it takes for the virus to incubate and severe disease to take hold.

Separate data today revealed infections were falling in children even before half-term began, in a sign that high levels of immunity may have started to thwart the virus. The trend suggests the downfall in infections is not only down to the drop-off in testing  which has fallen from more than a million to just over 800,000 in a week while children are not in school.

Department of Health statistics show cases among five to 19-year-olds in England peaked on the Tuesday before schools broke up for the week-long holiday and have dropped ever since.

Experts said the drop was likely genuine, but cautioned that testing rates in youngsters may have dipped slightly in the run-up to the break. They added: 'I don't know for certain, but I would think [the drop] will be sustained.'

SAGE epidemiologist Professor John Edmunds, whose grim modelling in July predicted hospitalisations would have reached 3,500 a day by now, said the spike in infections over the last few months was driven by 'huge numbers of cases' in youngsters. Health officials estimate as many as one in 12 children across England were carrying the virus last week.

The surge in infections 'will eventually lead to high levels of immunity in children' which will see cases plateau and then fall, Professor Edmunds said. He added that it 'may be that we're achieving that now'.

The above graph shows Covid infection rates per 100,000 people in England divided by age group. It reveals that cases in 5 to 19-year-olds may have peaked and have now begun to fall. But in all other age groups they were still rising

Experts warn UK against 'blindly' following US in jabbing healthy five-year-olds against Covid because the reasons are 'scientifically weak' Arguments to vaccinate children as young as five against Covid are 'scientifically weak', British experts claimed today after the US moved closer to jabbing infants. An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday almost unanimously agreed the benefits of giving under-12s Pfizer's jab outweighed risks. American health chiefs are expected to green light the plans within days, which will put pressure on the UK to follow suit. But British scientists have warned against 'blindly' recommending the jabs to primary school-aged children without weighing up the risks 'extremely carefully'. Professor David Livermore, a medical microbiologist at the University of East Anglia told MailOnline: 'Vaccinating children to protect adults via herd immunity is ethically dubious and is scientifically weak.' There are also still fears about myocarditis, a form of heart inflammation detected in children, mostly boys, in around one in 10,000 cases after vaccination. Critics say children are better off catching Covid and getting protection naturally because the risk of being admitted to ICU is about one in 500,000. There are signs that natural immunity in British youngsters is already slowing the epidemic. But some studies have suggested myocarditis is even more common after Covid infection itself, which complicates the matter further. Professor Russell Viner, a pediatrician and member of the UK Government's scientific advisory group SAGE, said it was crucial the UK does not 'rush to a decision' in the wake of the announcement in the US. Advertisement

In other Covid developments:

Experts warned Britain against 'blindly' following the US in jabbing five-year-olds because the arguments behind the move are 'scientifically weak;

A subvariant of the Covid Delta strain which is on the rise in the UK is now on the World Health Organization 's radar;

A top Government adviser said the Covid booster vaccine programme should be expanded to middle-aged and young adults once vulnerable groups have been offered a third jab;

Novavax formally sought regulatory approval of its coronavirus vaccine in Britain.

A total of 49,8million first doses of Covid vaccine had been delivered in the UK as of yesterday, a rise of 41,083 on the previous day, Government figures show.

Some 45,605,922 second doses have now been delivered, an increase of 23,031.

A combined total of 6,706,468 booster and third doses have also been delivered, a day-on-day rise of 264,468.

Separate totals for booster and third doses are not available.

Daily Covid infections in the UK breached the 50,000 barrier last week. It prompted medical unions, some scientists and Labour to call for Plan B  mandatory face masks, work from home guidance and vaccine passports  to be implemented immediately in a bid to control infections.

But optimistic modelling from SAGE has claimed infections may even slump to the 5,000 mark over the coming months, even without No10 caving into demands and resorting to virus-controlling interventions.

Scientists said a combination of booster vaccines, growing natural immunity in children and a drop in classroom mixing during the October half-term break would drag cases down.

Department of Health data suggests Covid cases have now peaked among school children, in a positive sign that they could soon fall in other age groups that they are passing the virus on to.

Its figures are published by when people actually took their test, rather than when they got their result, which experts say is more reliable because it accounts for reporting delays.

Cases among 10 to 14-year-olds  the age group with the highest infection rate  may have peaked on October 19 at 1,925.2 positive tests per 100,000 people.

For 15 to 19-year-olds and five to nine year olds, the rate also hit a high on October 19 of 861.3 and 760.7, respectively.

But over the next two days that data is available official figures show the infection rate dipped in these age groups. For 10 to 14-year-olds it had fallen to 1,868.9 by the end of October 21.

'Less than 20% chance' No10 will activate Plan B now cases are going in the 'right direction', Whitehall sources say The chance of ministers activating their winter Covid 'Plan B' is less than 20 per cent, Government sources claimed today  but face masks might make a partial comeback in schools. Despite warning last week that daily cases may rise to 100,000 this winter, Downing Street is thought to have taken confidence from the fall in national infections in recent days and optimistic forecasts by SAGE. Scientific advisers have told the Government that the epidemic could shrink naturally next month without curbs because of a combination of the booster vaccine rollout and growing natural immunity in children. A Whitehall source told the Financial Times today that the situation was now heading 'in the right direction', adding: 'I reckon there's a less than 20 per cent chance we'll need to activate Plan B.' Another senior Government official warned against being complacent because it is 'too early to read a lot into the data'. But they conceded that 'there is nothing to currently suggest we need to activate Plan B'. Advertisement

And among 15- to 19-year-olds it was 843.4, while for five to nine-year-olds it had dipped to 746.2.

The figures were still up on the same time the previous week but the amount they are rising week-on-week is falling in another sign that cases have already peaked in the age groups.

The vast majority of schools broke up for half-term this Monday.

But a small number  including those in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire among other areas  started the holiday the Monday before for a two-week break. This may have influenced the infection rate, experts cautioned.

Professor Hunter told MailOnline: 'There is a sign that cases may be going down. If you look at the running seven-day average, they are still going up but rather more slowly than they were a few days ago.

'This is around about a week before half term started, so there might be some element of reduced testing in children because they were coming to the school holiday period.

'So, you've got to be a bit cautious about that, but certainly the basic figures look as though case numbers have started to decline in all children under 20.'

There is no age breakdown on testing data, but the figures suggest there was not a significant drop off in the number of lateral flow tests carried out over the last two weeks with around 550,000 completed every day. Secondary school children in England are asked to test themselves for the virus twice a week.

Asked whether the drop was likely to be sustained, Professor Hunter added: 'I don't know for certain, but I would think it probably will be sustained.

[But] I would not bet the house on it in terms of if it is sustained how long will it be sustained for and how deeply it will drop.'

He suggested that the figures may offer yet more proof that the virus has started to become endemic, with Britain no longer in a fragile state where cases could explode at any point. Instead, he suggested cases will start to oscillate as immunity fades.

Covid antibody levels are not estimated in under-16s, but for 16 to 24-year-olds, the youngest age group available, some 95.6 per cent are predicted to have antibodies despite only 81.4 per cent getting at least one dose of the vaccine.

The above graph shows the number of lateral flow tests carried out daily. It reveals that over the two weeks before half term the number completed remained similar, at around 550,000 a day

Officials do not collect data on antibody levels among under-16s. But for those aged 16 to 24-years-old they found 95.6 per cent had antibodies against the virus (top left, green line) despite only 81.4 per cent (top left, blue line) having been vaccinated. Vaccines are now available for 12 to 15-year-olds, but it is likely many already have immunity from past infection

Why might Covid infections in school children have peaked? Department of Health data suggests Covid infections among school children peaked before half term began. Scientists have suggested that this could have been caused by rising immunity in the age group, or a reduction in Covid testing. Antibody levels SAGE scientists have suggested rising antibody levels in children could be behind the fall in cases. No vaccine was offered to children before they returned to school, meaning only those who had previously caught the virus had protection against it. But following a huge back to school wave the number of children with Covid-fighting antibodies has been boosted, meaning more are protected against the virus. Those aged 12 to 15 were also offered one dose of a Covid vaccine from September 20 to ensure more of them had protection. But uptake has been slow and the vaccination drive has been sluggish. Some 12 per cent of 12 to 15-year-olds have been vaccinated so far, according to figures from the UK Health Security Agency. Covid testing Scientists have also suggested that a drop in Covid testing could be behind the suggested fall in infections in school children. Children are required to swab themselves twice a week for the virus using lateral flow tests, and report the results to Test and Trace. Some have suggested the number of tests carried out may have dropped ahead of the holidays as people became more relaxed about taking them. But Department of Health data suggests a similar number of lateral flow tests were completed over the two weeks before half term, averaging about 550,000 a day. The vast majority of England's schools broke up for the holidays this Monday. But there is a small group  such as schools in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire  which broke up the previous Monday for two weeks. This may have influenced the data. Advertisement

Professor Hunter said: 'So, of the 18.6 per cent of individuals who have not had the vaccine 76 per cent have also got antibodies presumably from an infection.

'Given what we know about the disappearance of antibodies with time this means the large majority of unvaccinated people in this age group have already had the infection and will have similar protection against infection than if they had been immunised.'

It is likely that immunity levels are high among under-16s even though the vaccine was only made available to 12 to 15-year-olds following September 20.

Many have already caught the virus, with infection rates in the age group breaking records after schools went back.

Professor Edmunds told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the consensus among modellers was that cases would either level off or start to drop in the coming weeks.

He said: 'That's because the epidemic in the last few months has been really driven by huge numbers of cases in children. I mean really huge numbers of cases in children. And that will eventually lead to high levels of immunity in children and it may be that we're achieving that now.

'Achieving I think is the wrong word, but it might be we're getting to high levels of immunity in children through these really high rates of infection we've had and it may start to level off.'

But Professor Edmunds warned models presented to ministers also suggest cases could rise again in the spring due to waning immunity and a return to normality.

He said booster doses  currently given to over-50s, healthcare workers and those with underlying conditions  should be dished out as fast as possible to address waning immunity and rising infections.

And they should be offered to younger people 'in time', Professor Edmunds said.

Infections among school children surged to their highest level since the pandemic began in the wake of schools returning from the summer holidays in September.

Some local authorities and head teachers have implemented restrictions in their schools in a bid to stop cases spiralling  such as requiring face masks in corridors and siblings of infected pupils to self-isolate.

But in July England officially dropped almost all Covid restrictions in schools, with only twice weekly testing and ten-day isolation for PCR-positive children kept in place.

There have been calls in the last week for the UK to implement its Plan B winter plan  which ministers said would only be brought if if the NHS faces unsustainable pressure.

Under current measures, the Government is focusing on the rollout of booster jabs and vaccines to 12 to 15-year-olds in a bid to curb rising cases. It will not switch to further curbs  face masks and work from home  unless the NHS comes under 'unsustainable' pressure.

The British Medical Association, the union for doctors, accused the Government of being 'wilfully negligent' for not bringing back Covid restrictions.

And Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on Monday revealed he was in favour of the Plan B measures because it was 'common sense' and they protect 'yourself and everybody else'.

But ministers have taken confidence from unusually optimistic SAGE modelling, which estimated the epidemic will shrink or stay well below pervious waves this winter even without the Government's Plan B of face masks, vaccine passports and work from home.
Former President Trump endorsed his Brazilian ally Jair Bolsonaro for reelection, even as Bolsonaro's own government has recommended him for criminal charges over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

'President Jair Bolsonaro and I have become great friends over the past few years. He fights hard for, and loves, the people of Brazil  just like I do for the people of the United States,' Trump wrote in a statement Tuesday.

'Brazil is lucky to have a man such as Jair Bolsonaro working for them. He is a great President and will never let the people of his great country down!'

On the same day, seven members of an 11-member senate committee recommended nine criminal charges against Bolsonaro, including crimes against humanity, after a 1,200 page report was made public detailing a six-month inquiry into the conservative leader's response to the pandemic.

The report accuses Bolsonaro of 'quackery' for dismissing the virus as a 'little flu' and for delays in ordering vaccines - a vaccine which he has refused to take himself because he says he has natural immunity after catching Covid last year.

'President Jair Bolsonaro and I have become great friends over the past few years. He fights hard for, and loves, the people of Brazil  just like I do for the people of the United States,' Trump wrote in a statement Tuesday

'Brazil is lucky to have a man such as Jair Bolsonaro working for them. He is a great President and will never let the people of his great country down!' he added

The report says Bolsonaro 'deliberately exposed' Brazil to Covid-19 in order to get the country to herd immunity. It also accused him of ignoring communications with vaccine manufacturers such as Pfizer.

Over 606,000 have died of Covid-19 in Brazil, and 55% are fully vaccinated.

Renan Calheiros, the centrist senator who is the lead author, announced a last-minute withdrawal of 'homicide' and 'genocide' charges, after some infighting within the panel.

Still, Bolsonaro enjoys enough congressional support to avoid the opening of impeachment proceedings.

Whether to bring forth any criminal charges would be up to Prosecutor-General Augusto Aras, a Bolsonaro appointee who is widely expected to protect him.

Bolsonaro called the lengthy report a 'joke,' according to Reuters.

Asked about the report by a Brazilian radio station, Bolsonaro said: 'I am not going to discuss these peoples fantasies. I am not going to discuss this load of stupidity.'

Bolsanaro has been called Brazil's Trump and the two conservative leaders have regularly exchanged praise for one another.

The Brazilian leader peddled Trump's claims of fraud in the 2020 US election and has already sought to undermine confidence in Brazil's voting systems in the election set for October of next year.

Bolsonaro's popularity hit its lowest point since he took office in 2019 last month, with 53% disapproving and 22% approving, according to a Datafolha poll reported by Reuters.

In a simulated runoff, Bolsonaro's opponent, leftis former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was ahead, 56-31%.
Generations of family members have held a poignant funeral service for a British soldier who died more than 100 years ago.

Lance Corporal Robert Cook has finally been laid to rest after being killed in action during the First World War.

He died two days after arriving to the front line near Ypres on the Western Front, in West Flanders, Belgium, on May 2, 1915.

Today, the soldier, who was just 38 when he died, was buried at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's (CWGC) New Irish Farm Cemetery near Ypres after being identified by the Ministry of Defence's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre.

His great-nephew Arthur Cook and great-niece Sally Cooper attended the emotional service - which saw the soldier receive full military honours and a gun salute.

Born in 1876, in Bishop Wilton, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, L/Cpl Cook was one of seven children and served with 2nd Battalion The Essex Regiment.

The soldiers great-nephew Arthur Cook, great-niece Sally Cooper and other family members (pictured) attended the service today

The soldier's great niece Sally Cooper and nephew Arthur Cook (pictured) attended the service - which saw the soldier receive full military honours and a gun salute

Lance Corporal Robert Cook on May 2, 1915, after arriving to the front line near Ypres on the Western Front, in West Flanders, Belgium. Pictured: Soldiers carrying L/Cpl Cook's coffin

He had served in the Boer War before arriving on the front line near Ypres on April 30 1915.

Two days later, at 5pm on May 2, L/Cpl Cook and his comrades were hit with gas, shelled and then attacked.

By the end of the day 23 people had been killed, 72 were wounded and 175 were missing.

Also in attendance at the ceremony today were members of C Essex Company of 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment - the modern equivalent of L/Cpl Cook's regiment.

Draped in a Union flag, L/Cpl Cook's coffin was carried to its final resting place by soldiers in full military dress.

Conducting the service, Reverend Paul Whitehead said: 'Today we accord Lance Corporal Cook the dignity and respect that he is due

'I was struck that Lance Corporal Cook died only two days after arriving on the front line. Life expectancy was very short for a soldier on the Western Front.

Draped in a Union flag, the soldier's coffin was carried to its final resting place at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's (CWGC) New Irish Farm Cemetery near Ypres by soldiers

Also in attendance at the ceremony today were members of C Essex Company of 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment

After the coffin was lowered into the ground, volleys of shots rang out as six soldiers honoured him with a gun salute

The soldier had served in the Boer War before arriving on the front line near Ypres on April 30 1915

'And like the 23 other soldiers whose remains were found with Lance Corporal Cook, many are known only to God.

'So in some ways, when a soldier is identified their name represents many others who fought and died with them.

First World War soldiers honoured 100 years later A series of battles around the strategic Belgian town of Ypres saw hundreds of thousands of soldiers lose their lives. And while cemeteries are filled with rows and rows of white headstones commemorating the fallen, many have never been found. More than a century later, remains of soldiers continue to be unearthed by farmers and construction workers, a reminder that the now peaceful fields of northern France and Belgium were once scarred by trenches and gunfire. The remains of war dead can be extremely difficult to identify, but through painstaking research and DNA evidence a dedicated team of war detectives is often able to confirm names and even trace surviving family members. On Wednesday, Lance Corporal Robert Cook received full military honours at a ceremony near the town of Ypres as he was finally laid to rest over 100 years after his death on May 2, 1915. The British soldier, born in Bishop Wilton in the East Riding of Yorkshire and one of seven children, died age 38. His identity was confirmed by experts from the Ministry of Defence's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), known as the war detectives. But with so much time passed since the events of the war, and with many battlefields fought over more than once between 1914 and 1918, it can be a huge challenge to identify any remains found. The process involves pouring over trench maps and historical research as well as studying any artefacts found that might point to the fallen soldier's rank or regiment. Getting a suitable DNA sample to compare can be difficult, with many young soldiers having lost their lives before having children. In the case of L/Cpl Cook, experts were able to trace his surviving great nephew who agreed to provide a sample, which turned out to be a match. Advertisement

'Those who we may never know, but who knew each other's names as they stood side by side in the trenches.

'So this is an important day for many reasons.

'Most importantly for the family of Lance Corporal Cook to finally be able to lay to rest his remains side by side with his colleagues. But also to celebrate his memory.'

Mr Whitehead, who serves as chaplain to 3rd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, spoke of the privilege to be at the ceremony and remember the sacrifice made by L/Cpl Cook and many others.

The British soldier's surviving great-nephew Arthur Cook was presented with the folded Union flag.

After the coffin was lowered into the ground, volleys of shots rang out as six soldiers honoured him with a gun salute.

As the service drew to a close, the famous line from Laurence Binyon's poem For The Fallen - 'We will remember them' - was read out and echoed by military and civilian guests.

After the service, Arthur Cook said he had been surprised to be contacted by a team from the Ministry of Defence requesting a DNA sample.

Asked about the service, he said: 'I can't put it into words, it's just amazing. I never anticipated anything of this nature.

'To think that 105 years further on and they still put this effort into a burial is unbelievable, it's amazing.'

He praised the 'forensic' work of the JCCC team and the Essex Regiment Museum in identifying L/Cpl Cook.

Mr Cook, 73, who lives in Orkney in Scotland, pledged to pass down the knowledge through his family.

The JCCC team known as the 'War Detectives' work to match names to remains of soldiers.

One of the team, Rosie Barron, said that L/Cpl Cook was one of 24 soldiers whose remains were discovered near the site in 2014 and 2015.

She added: 'He was found with a cap badge and shoulder titles of the Essex Regiment, and he also had a medal ribbon bar with three medal ribbons of South Africa medals, so we knew that this solider had served in the Boer War, and based on that we were able to work out roughly how old he might have been

'In this case it was very much a question of the artefacts supported the DNA evidence so the whole thing came together.'

Ms Barron praised the work of retired Major Peter Williamson from the Essex Regiment Museum, who provided crucial help narrowing the evidence down until they were sure it was L/Cpl Cook.

Tens of thousands of those who died in Flanders, including during the five battles of Ypres, have never been found.

The names of more than 54,000 men are inscribed on the Menin Gate in the town, a monument to those whose graves are not known.
US Army bosses are investigating after three service personnel went to get a flu shot on base - only to be given a dose of Pfizer's COVID vaccine instead.

Army officials confirmed the accidental doses were administered at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington earlier this month, to three unidentified people.

'Joint Base Lewis-McChord is aware three people were inadvertently administered the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine instead of another vaccine at the Lewis Main Exchange,' Col. Joey Sullinger with I Corps Public Affairs told the Military Times.

An online poster first reported the accidental vaccination on Twitter on October 26

Sullinger added that 'positive corrective action has been taken at this vaccination site to prevent such errors from happening again,' and that 'Army medical professionals are notifying and ensuring the health and welfare of those affected.'

The incident is currently under investigation and according to an online poster, those jabbed had been hoping to get their flu shot, only to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine instead.

It is not known if the three people accidentally vaccinated were already fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Public Affairs at Joint Base Lewis-McChord told the DailyMail.com that the three people's vaccination status was protected by HIPPA.

Service members are already required to get up to 17 different vaccines, depending on where in the world they are stationed, including jabs for measles, mumps, diphtheria, hepatitis, smallpox and the flu.

All military personnel must be fully vaccinated by November 28, under the Defense Department's August mandate

Army officials confirmed the accidental doses were administered at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington (pictured) to three unidentified people

According to an online poster, those jabbed had been hoping to get their flu vaccine, only to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine instead

The United States Department of Defense reported administrating 5,867,468 total COVID-19 vaccines

All military personnel must be fully vaccinated by November 28, under the Defense Department's August mandate.

Currently hundreds of thousands of United States servicemembers remain unvaccinated or are only partially vaccinated against the coronavirus, as the deadline to have the shot draws closer.

As of October 10 only 72 percent of the 181,000 active Marine Corps personnel have been vaccinated - meaning close to 51,000 have yet to have the jab.

On Saturday the Marine Corps made it clear that those who refuse the jab will be kicked out.

'Marines refusing the COVID-19 vaccination, absent an approved administrative or medical exemption, religious accommodation or pending appeal, shall be processed for administrative separation,' the corps warned in a message.

There has been some pushback to the military vaccine mandate.

In September, Army Lt Col Paul Douglas Hague resigned and gave up his pension after more than 19 years of service because he refused the 'unethical, immoral and tyrannical' vaccine mandate.

In Hague's resignation letter-which he wrote on August 23, the day after the Pentagon announced all active military were to get vaccinated immediately - Hague said he refused to 'sit still and allow a serum to be injected into my flesh against my will and better judgement'.

To date, the Department of Defense has administered 5,867,468 doses.

The DOD reported a total of 248,865 positive cases of COVID-19 across all services, with 1,283 new cases between the week of October 13 and October 20.
A plot of land where the Rhode Island Narragansett tribe survived near-annihilation in a battle English colonists in 1675 has been returned to the victims' ancestors.

The transfer of the land from the Rhode Island Historical Society was finalized Friday.

About 35 people, including members of the tribe in traditional Native American dress, gathered Saturday in the woods in South Kingstown at a monument commemorating what they believe to be the site of the Great Swamp Massacre.

They lit three fires representing the past, present and future, and recognized the return of five acres of land they consider sacred.

The tribes leaders in 1636 granted land to Roger Williams, an exile of the Puritan Massachusetts Bay colony who founded what became the city of Providence.

Good relations with English colonists ended in the 1670s when the tribe was nearly destroyed in King Philips War.

Hundreds of tribal members, including women and children, were killed when about 1,000 colonial soldiers and 150 Pequot and Mohegan soldiers descended upon the Narragansett stronghold on the snowy day of December 19, 1675, drawing the then-neutral tribe into the war.

It is believed that 97 Narragansett warriors, along with 300 to 1,000 non-combatants in the tribe, were killed.

A Narragansett tribe member is pictured in Rhode Island last Friday after land stolen from his ancestors by American settlers was handed back to he and his fellow Native Americans

Tribe members also said prayers and lit a fire at the scene of the massacre, which almost wiped their entire tribe out

A stone monument commemorates the site of the battle, with the local historical society saying it was glad to return the land to its rightful owner

Pictured is a ceremony featuring about 35 people, including members of the Narragansett tribe, gathered Saturday in the woods in South Kingstown at a monument commemorating what they believe to be the site of the Great Swamp Massacre to celebrate the historic transfer

Hundreds of tribal members, including women and children, were killed when about 1,000 colonial soldiers and 150 Pequot and Mohegan soldiers descended upon the Narragansett stronghold on the snowy day of December 19, 1675, drawing the then-neutral tribe into the war

The Narragansetts are thankful, the tribe's medicine man and historic preservation officer John Brown III told The Globe.

'For many years, the Narragansetts were visitors to a place that was theirs,' he said. 'Now that this has happened, we know we can go back to a place of our forefathers, where there was happiness and sorrow, and we can go there as rightful owners.'

The site, Brown said, marks the site of the 'greatest defeat' in tribal history - 'the loss there was immeasurable, not in the form of fighting people but in the form of the fact that non-combatants were attacked  old men, women, and children were attacked and destroyed.'

'For us, when you take the generations that come before us and the generations that come after us, there is no greater loss.'

In 1906, the family that owned the land gave it to the historical society to preserve it - at the time, an obelisk commemorating the battle (pictured) was erected on the site

Pictured is an illustration of King Phillip and colonists meeting Wampanoag Sachem and members of the Narragansett tribe

On the fourth Sunday of each September, Brown said, the site will be used for ceremonies, Brown said.

In 1906, the family that owned the land gave it to the historical society to preserve it - at the time, an obelisk commemorating the battle was erected on the site.

The society has been working on the transfer for four years so the tribe itself could protect the land. It required court approval because the land was held in a trust, which required the cooperation of the attorney general's office and Rhode Island Superior Court.

Conservations about returning the land to the tribe began in the 1990's, according to executive director of the Rhode Island Historical Society C. Morgan Grefe, and accelerated in the last four years.

'We take our responsibility seriously when we are given anything  a collection or a land deed  to make sure we are doing right by the donors,' Grefe told The Boston Globe.

'This was an opportunity to do the right thing and the ethical and moral thing for this community... This was an incredibly profound and humbling experience.'
A just-certified California sailing enthusiast rescued a woman who was about to drown after she was swept out to sea and stranded naked in 66-degree water for 12 hours when he spotted her hand while observing a pod of dolphins.

On September 26, Khosrow 'Koz' Khosravani, 60, and a group of friends planned to sail from Marina Del Rey to Paradise Cove in Malibu on his boat, the SV Defiant.

On their trip, Khosravani, a former lecturer at UCLA in information technology, spotted a pod of dolphins and decided to go off route to get closer to the mammals.

However, that's when he noticed something unusual.

'I saw a hand,' he said. 'If it wasn't for the dolphins, I would have never seen this lady, who only had a few minutes to live.'

After 12 hours stuck at sea off the coast of Marina Del Rey, an unidentified woman was saved last month by sailor Khosrow Khosravani (left and right) who happened to spot her hand while marveling at a pod of dolphins

At the start of the trip, Khosravani, who had become a certified sailor weeks earlier after taking courses through the American Sailing Association, taught everyone on board what to do in case of an emergency.

'I told them these things will never happen but it's good to know,' he told KTLA. 'Well, 30 minutes later, they needed all the training.'

After coming close to the unidentified woman, Khosravani threw out a floatation device but then realized she was too weak to use it. So he tossed her a buoy with a 70-foot cord.

Five minutes later, after a second attempt, he managed to get the young woman to come close to the side of the boat before pulling her aboard. Khosravani said she was naked, exhausted and could barely speak.

He wrapped the barely conscious and freezing woman in a blanket.

'I asked her if she is alone or if there are other people we should look for,' Khosravani recounts. 'She could barely say her first name and she said she's alone.'

The unidentified woman was wrapped up in blankets and towels on the boat while awaiting lifeguard rescue. It is told that she almost died from severe hypothermia after going for a late night swim on the night of September 25th

Khosravani contacted the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD), and within seven minutes, crews reached the sail boat and took the woman to safety.

Matthew Rhodes, who is a rescue boat captain for LACoFD Ocean Lifeguard Division, was part of the rescue mission after receiving a mayday transmission. The U.S. Coast Guard relayed that the SV Defiant 'picked up a person out of the water about three miles off Paradise Cove.'

'It was pretty gloomy conditions,' Rhodes later said of the situation, adding that the water in the Pacific Ocean was 66 degrees that day. 'We went out as quickly as we could. We transferred a 26-year-old female from their sailing vessel to our rescue boat.'

Officials said the woman had gone for a late night swim alone when she was pulled two and a half miles away from shore.

At the time of her rescue, she was suffering from severe hypothermia and was described as having a gray skin tone due to her condition.

She told her rescuers that she survived by floating on her back for 12 hours.

'Her vital signs were abnormal. She was weak and had a slow heart rate,' Rhodes said. 'She had poor circulation from being so cold. She looked very exhausted.'

LA County Fire Department lifeguards respond to Khosrow Khosravani mayday call to rescue the female swimmer, thought to have been in the water for 12 hours.

The woman also described how she became disoriented as the nighttime current swept her adrift.

Khosravani was just glad him and his crewmates found her before it was too late.

'There is something in this universe, it just wasn't her time,' Khosravani said.

'I consider myself maybe spiritual rather than religious. But the things that happened one after another, if all wouldn't have aligned together, this lady wouldn't be with us today.'

The woman was released from the hospital after three days of being treated for hypothermia at UCLA's Ronald Reagan Hospital, officials said.

Khosravani said he hasn't been in contact with the her but will reach out when she's ready.

Dailmaily.com has reached out to both the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Khosravani for comment.
A married North Carolina couple has been charged in the 1991 death of a baby that was discovered in a dumpster so badly decomposed that investigators were initially unable to identify the infant's gender.

Taylorsville residents Scott Gordon Poole, 54, and his wife, Robin Lynn Byrum, 51, were arrested last Thursday by the Alexander County Sheriff's Office and charged with concealing the birth of a child, according to the Nags Head Police Department Facebook page.

Additional charges may be filed pending further investigation, the department added.

Both Poole and Byrum are currently in custody at the Dare County Detention Center, with their bond set at $250,000 each.

'These arrests are a result of many years of diligent investigation by our highly-trained and dedicated law enforcement professionals,' said Nags Head Mayor Ben Cahoon.

Pictured: Robin Lynn Byrum, 51, was arrested on Thursday along with her husband by and charged with concealing the birth of a child

Taylorsville resident Scott Gordon Poole, 54, pictured, and his wife are currently in custody at the Dare County Detention Center, with their bond set at $250,000 each

Pictured: a map showing where the couple's home, where they were arrested, and where the infant's remains were found back in 1991

In April 1991, officers with the Nags Head Police Department discovered the infant's rotting corpse after responding to a call about human remains found in a trash can rack.

The child's remains were so badly decomposed that investigators were not able to immediately identify its gender, however, the medical examiner was able to determine that the infant had died due to asphyxiation and blunt force trauma.

In 2019, investigators re-opened the case before sending the child's rib bone to Othram, a private lab in The Woodlands, Texas, for a forensic analysis, where human DNA was recovered.

Nags Head Police officers found the child's remains in dumpster near 8600 block of East Tides Drive (pictured)

Poole had previously been arrested for 'assault on a female' back in 2018, with the arrest photo for that case pictured above, according to public records

That hereditary material was then used to conduct a genealogical profile, which ultimately led to the Taylorsville couple, who were known to have lived in the Outer Banks area at the same time when the child's remains were found.

'The tragedy of this child's death and the manner in which his body was disposed of is compounded by the fact that, until now, no one has been found responsible for this incredibly heartbreaking act,' said Nags Head Police Chief Phil Webster.

'But, through the hard work of Nags Head Police investigators and our law enforcement partners in the case, those who did this will be held accountable for a death that has remained unsolved for three decades.'

Not much is known about the couple as of Wednesday, however Poole had previously been arrested for 'assault on a female' back in 2018, according to public records.
A 'far-right extremist' accused of launching a terror attack by 'bursting into a UK law firm with a Nazi flag, knife and handcuffs in a bid to kill an immigration solicitor' will stand trial next year.

Cavan Medlock, 29, is charged with preparing an act of terrorism by researching Duncan Lewis Solicitors in Harrow, north-west London with the intention of killing an immigration solicitor.

He also faces charges of threatening another with a bladed article in a public place, causing racially aggravated alarm, battery, harassment or distress and making a threat to kill - all in relation to an incident at a law firm in Harrow, north-west London, on September 7 last year.

Cavan Medlock, 28, is alleged to have arrived at the Duncan Lewis offices in Harrow (file photo) armed with a knife and handcuffs, while carrying a Confederate flag and a Nazi flag

Medlock, himself of north-west London, allegedly visited the firm's offices while armed with a large knife, handcuffs and Nazi and Confederate flags.

During the attack, Medlock is alleged to have threatened a receptionist with the knife, before threatening to kill a solicitor and abusing staff because of their racial or religious backgrounds.

He was not in attendance at the Old Bailey on Wednesday as the Recorder of London, Judge Mark Lucraft, remanded him in custody in his absence ahead of a trial date set for March 7, 2022.

The judge said the trial will be heard at Kingston Crown Court.
Sen. Tom Cotton tore into Attorney General Merrick Garland during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, telling him to 'resign in disgrace.'

'Thank God you are not on the Supreme Court,' the Arkansas Republican said, bringing up the touchy subject of Garland's failed confirmation to the high court in 2016. President Obama appointed him and then-Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked his confirmation because it was an election year.

'You should resign in disgrace,' Cotton told Garland.

The senator was questioning Garland over a directive the Justice Department issued earlier this month promising more law enforcement resources for schools amid a rise in tensions and threats at school board meetings over matters like critical race theory, coronavirus precautions and transgender bathroom policies.

Cotton asked about a Loudoun County father who was dragged out of a school board meeting and arrested as he tried to tell the room his 15-year-old daughter had been raped by a boy dressed in a skirt at Stone Bridge High School in the girls' bathroom.

Sen. Tom Cotton questioned AG Merrick Garland over a DOJ memo promising to address a 'rise in crime' at school board meetings

Scott Smith says Loudoun County schools went out of their way to protect the child - who he called 'a sexual predator'.

Smith accused the school of covering up the incident to protect its new policy allowing students to use the bathroom they identify with.

The incident reportedly took place on May 28 and Scott was arrested on June 22.

Two months after the incident, the boy - who has not been named because he is a juvenile - was arrested for forced sodomy.

And in October, he was arrested again on different charges for allegedly assaulting a different girl, at a different school. He is now in a juvenile detention center.

The boy was charged with two counts of forcible sodomy for the May 28 attack and sexual battery for the October 6 attack, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said on Oct. 13. The Sheriff's Office released the statement to clear up 'misinformation' regarding the case.

On Tuesday the boy was found guilty of forcible sodomy and forcible fellatio, and will return to court on November 15 for sentencing.

Scott and his wife Jessica Smith are now suing the county over the alleged attempted coverup.

The lawsuit comes after the Smiths demanded Superintendent Scott Ziegler's resignation for what they say was a cover-up of the incident. They say they are not anti-gay, but do not approve of 'transgender kids' stuff.'

Scott Smith was arrested at a Loudoun County school board meeting on June 22 after his daughter, 15, was allegedly attacked by a boy in a dress

Smith was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after the June 22 meeting. He said he was trying to contain himself after listening to school board staff say they'd never had a report of a sexual assault in a bathroom, when that is what his daughter reported weeks earlier

Scoot (left) and Jess Smith (right) are suing Loudon County under the provisions of Title X after their 15-year-old daughter was allegedly raped by a 'skirt-wearing male student' in a 'gender fluid' restroom at Stone Bridge High School in Leesburg, Virginia on May 28

'Do you apologize to Scott Smith and his 15-year-old daughter, judge?' Cotton asked Garland. Cotton said that controversy had prompted the DOJ's stepping in.

Garland went on to say rape is 'the most horrific crime I can imagine' and that Scott is 'entitled and protected by the First Amendment.'

'This is shameful. Your testimony, your directive is shameful. Your performance is shameful,' Cotton shot back.

At the meeting on June 22, Loudoun County School Superintendent Scott Ziegler said the school had never had any form of incident inside a bathroom or locker room involving a transgender child.

'To my knowledge, we don't have any record of assaults occurring in our restrooms,' he said first.

But an unearthed email reveals that on May 28, the day of the alleged rape , he sent an email to colleagues confirming that it had been reported.

'This afternoon, a female student alleged that a male student sexually assaulted her in the restroom,' it read.

On October 15, Ziegler apologized for 'failing' to ensure the safety of students and prevent the alleged rape.

Parents have been requesting the superintendent resign from his position, but he has yet to do so.

He apologized for 'misleading' them on June 22 when he told a crowded meeting that there had been no sexual assaults on campus by transgender kids, and that predatory transgender people 'do not exist.'

'I regret that my comments were misleading and I apologize for the distress they caused families,' he said.

The Justice Department's memo promising to step up enforcement against violence in school board meetings came after the National School Boards Association sent a letter to President Biden asking for help. The letter claimed that clashes between the school board and parents could amount to domestic terrorism.

The attorney general then applauded the letter, while calling for the FBI to investigate such parents.

But weeks later, the NSBA apologized for comparing parents to domestic terrorists.

'As you all know, there has been extensive media and other attention recently around our letter to President Biden regarding threats and acts of violence against school board members,' the NSBA wrote in a memo.

'We wanted to write to you directly to address this matter.'

'On behalf of NSBA, we regret and apologize for the letter,' the NSBA said, noting that 'there was no justification for some of the language included in the letter.'

The NSBA had called for the use of measures like the PATRIOT Act, which is typically used to address terrorism.

The Louisiana School Board Association said it was now considering whether to remain a member of the NSBA.

'Our concern is that NSBAs request and description of events is not a universal occurrence at all school boards, it fails to align with the standards of good governance, and it discourages active participation in the governance process,' it said.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., asked Garland if he had any 'second thoughts' about his directive.

'I assume you're going to revoke your extremely divisive memo that you said was instigated because of that letter?' Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, also asked.

'The letter that was subsequently sent does not change the association's concern of violence or threats of violence. It alters some of the language in the letter  that we did not rely on and is not contained in my own memorandum,' Garland said.

Garland said that he was not only concerned about school boards, but a 'rising tide' in violence against judges, prosecutors, election administrators, and others.

At one point, Cotton walked out of the hearing in a huff as Garland said he was 'only trying to investigate violence.'

'I'm done,' Cotton said as he abruptly walked out of the room.

Garland's memo, which prompted backlash from Republicans, promised to address the 'rise in criminal conduct' from parents directed at schools.

'The Department takes these incidents seriously and is committed to using its authority and resources to discourage these threats, identify them when they occur and prosecute them when appropriate,' the memo read.

'In the coming days, the Department will announce a series of measures designed to address the rise in criminal conduct directed toward school personnel.'

Last week during a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Garland denied that the memo had anything to do with the Loudoun County controversy, and argued nothing in the department's memo infringed on free speech rights.

Garland was left aghast when GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn asked him if conservative parents protesting 'woke' school board meetings are comparable to domestic terrorists like the ones who blew up a federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995.

'I have to tell you that it is with much disappointment that I have watched the DOJ be so politicized,' the Tennessee Republican said. 'The way things have been carried out when you look at the memo to parents, you heard a lot about that today, and it's because we're hearing a lot about that, and I just have to ask you, knowing that you really helped bring to justice those that caused the Oklahoma City bombings, would you really, honestly put parents in the same category as a Terry Nichols or a Timothy McVeigh?'

The Oklahoma City bombing was the deadliest terrorist attack before 9/11, and killed 168 people. Nichols and McVeigh were indicted as co-conspirators in the attack.

'My god, absolutely not,' Garland said at the suggestion.
Three children and a young woman have been rushed to hospital after being struck by a car near a primary school in Scotland.

Several police units and ambulance crews rushed to the scene on Kirkton Street in Carluke, Clydesdale, at around 3.10pm on Wednesday.

Pictures from the scene show investigators picking up a blue and purple rucksack with its contents seen strewn across the street, while a light-coloured Fiat 500 was left in the middle of the road as police inspected its interior.

The woman is in her 20s while the age of the children is not yet known, although there are two schools - Kirkton Primary and St Athanasius' Primary - within a short distance of the crash site.

Their current conditions in hospital have not been reported.

The horror smash occurred on the main road running through Carluke and the scene was immediately closed off by a police cordon.

Several police units and ambulance crews rushed to the scene (pictured) on Kirkton Street in Carluke, Clydesdale, at around 3.10pm on Wednesday

Pictures from the scene show investigators picking up a rucksack with its contents seen strewn across the street

A light-coloured Fiat 500 was seen left in the middle of the road as police inspected its interior

The road was locked down from outside an Aldi while traffic was diverted along Glamis Avenue and James Street.

Mairi McAllan, MSP for Clydesale, said: 'I am deeply worried about reports from Carluke this afternoon.

'My team have been in touch with police offering all our support.

'I want to thank the emergency services on the scene and in the meantime am, like everyone, praying for good news that no one is seriously hurt.'

Inspector William Broatch, from Motherwell Road Policing Unit, said: 'Around 3.10pm, police were called to James Street in Carluke, at the junction with Kirkton Street, following a report of a road crash involving a car and four pedestrians - a woman and three children.

'The pedestrians are all being conveyed to hospital for treatment.

The road was locked down from outside an Aldi while traffic was diverted along Glamis Avenue and James Street (Pictured: Police collect evidence from scene)

The woman is in her 20s while the age of the children is not yet known, although there are two schools - Kirkton Primary and St Athanasius' Primary - within a short distance of the crash site

'Emergency services remain at the scene and local diversions are in place.

'Anyone with information on the incident can call police on 101, quoting incident 2110 of 27 October.'

A spokesperson for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: 'We received a call at 3.07pm to attend an incident on Kirkton Street, Carluke, and dispatched 10 resources to the scene.

'One female in her twenties and three children have been transported to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow.'

'We've dispatched 10 resources to the scene & the incident is still ongoing.'
Republicans forced a TV station in Nevada to drop an advert backing Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto's reelection, it emerged on Wednesday, after they complained it included 'flagrantly false' information about her GOP challenger.

Cortez Masto faces a tough fight to hang on to her seat against former state Attorney General Adam Naxalt.

In its first ad of the 2022 cycle, the Senate Majority PAC put up an advert suggesting Naxalt opposed the child tax credit, relief for Nevada's economy and reducing drug costs for seniors.

The National Republican Senate Committee wrote to complain about the content prompting Reno's CBS affiliate KTVN 2 News to say it was pulling the advert.

'I have consulted with our attorneys and while this is a difficult decision, we will be pulling the ad as of tomorrow unless new documentation or information comes in that changes the course of our decision,' wrote a station executive in a message to both sides, according to Politico Playbook.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto suffered a blow in her effort to hang on to her Nevada seat when Republicans successfully persuaded a local TV station to drop an advert bashing her likely challenger Adam Laxalt saying it included 'flagrantly false' information

The National Republican Senate Committee complained about some of the content of the advert put up by the Senate Majority PAC

The NRSC said: 'These claims are false and based entirely on faulty substantiation'

Complaints by one side or the other about TV spots are nothing new.

But the outcome is unusual and brought a jubilant response from the NSRC.

'Catherine Cortez Masto's reelection campaign is off to a rocky start,' it said.

'Chuck Schumer's Senate Majority PAC picked Nevada to place its first ad buy of the 2022 cycle.

'But that ad is coming off Nevada airwaves today because it was filled with egregious mistruths and 'flagrantly false' statements about a Republican Senate candidate.'

Cortez Masto's seat is high on the list of targets as Republicans look to win back the Senate.

A recent poll, from the left-leaning Mellman Group for the Nevada Independent, gave her a four-point lead over Naxalt, her likely challenger.

The advert used provisions in the pandemic relief and reconciliation bills to attack her opponent as anti-child tax credit and reducing drug costs for seniors.

But that was not true, according to the NSRC's letter of complaint.

'We have a demonstrated interest in ensuring that Republican candidates are not defamed and that the airwaves we will utilize are free from misleading and false claims,' it said.

'It has come to our attention that Senate Majority PAC is airing a flagrantly false advertisement on your station targeting Adam Laxalt. The Advertisement, entitled 'Standing in the Way,' makes three unfounded claims based on erroneous citations: that Laxalt is (1) 'opposing relief for Nevada's economy'; (2) 'says no to lower prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare'; and (3) that Laxalt 'even opposes the expanded child tax credit for working parents.'1

'These claims are false and based entirely on faulty substantiation.'

The Senate Majority PAC responded through Democratic-aligned Elias Law Group.

It told the TV station that the NSRC was not mentioned in the advert or harmed, and so its complaint should be treated in the same way as a complaint from any other viewer.

It also took issue with the substance of the complaint.

'However, each of these claims is accurate and supported by clear and conspicuous on-screen citations as well as the additional backup sent to your station,' it said.
A litany of shocking new details emerged during a Houston mother's court appearance on Wednesday in connection with the murder of her eight-year-old son, including stomach-turning statements from her surviving children who described witnessing their brother's savage beating and seeing his decomposing body.

Gloria Williams, 35, the victim's mother, has been charged with injury to a child by omission and tampering with evidence - a human corpse. A judge set her bond at $900,000.

Her boyfriend, Brian Coulter, 31, is charged with felony murder in connection with the death of the eight-year-old child, identified in court documents obtained by DailyMail.com as Kendrick Lee. His bond was set at $1million.

Coulter was not present in court on Wednesday because he was undergoing a mental health evaluation.

The pair were arrested on Tuesday at a public library, where they were said to have been looking up news stories online about their own case.

During Williams' court appearance, which was aired by KTRK, a prosecutor read aloud a statement of probable cause, which revealed that three of the mother's surviving children witnessed Coulter beating Kendrick around Thanksgiving Day 2020.

Gloria Williams, 35, a mom-of-six, appeared in Houston court on Wednesday and was ordered held on $900,000 bond

Booking photos released by the Harris County Sheriff's Office show Brian Coulter, 31, charged with beating to death his girlfriend's eight-year-old son. The mother, Gloria Williams, 35, is charged with starving and neglecting her children

Kendrick Lee, the 8-year-old boy whose body was found decomposing next to his siblings, is pictured for the first time. Kendrick is seen with his surviving siblings

The children claimed Coulter struck the eight-year-old with closed fists and kicked him in his face, feet, back, testicles and buttocks.

Williams' 7-year-old son told deputies Coulter continued kicking Kendrick, who was lying on the floor and not moving, while staring at the younger brother who was in the room.

After Kendrick's eyes turned black and he stopped blinking, Coulter covered him with a blue blanket, the prosecutor stated.

When Williams entered the bedroom to check on her son and saw that he was dead, she began crying and fighting with Coulter.

Her 15-year-old son told investigators he believed his mother would call the police on Coulter, but 'she never did.' She then moved out of the apartment, leaving her surviving children with their brother's rotting corpse and without any adult supervision.

William's 10-year-old son told investigators that when Williams came by the apartment at a later date and lifted the blanket off of Kendrick, she found that 'his body, feet and teeth had turned into a skeleton,' and that 'his hair was off.' His decomposing corpse was said to have been covered with cockroaches.

The 10-year-old also claimed that Coulter would beat him as well, hitting him on the face, stomach, buttocks and legs, and broke his jaw three weeks ago.

When police arrived at the apartment on Sunday, they found the child with a swollen jaw. At the hospital the following day, the boy said that his mother 'was aware of the injury but did not seek or obtain medical aid for him,' the prosecutor said.

Authorities said that the 10-year-old will require surgery to treat his facial fracture.

When questioned by detectives, Williams claimed that when she entered the bedroom around Thanksgiving 2020 and found Coulter beating her son Kendrick, she stopped the attack.

After discovering the next day that Kendrick had died, Williams claimed that she confronted her boyfriend, who 'stated he was sorry, that he lost it and punched him, and continued punching him until he went to sleep.'

Williams allegedly told investigators that she knew her son was dead a year ago, but she did not go to the police because Coulter had told her not to, and also because she was afraid that her children would be taken away and she would go to jail.'

During a press conference held by Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez on Wednesday morning, investigators said that Williams' the younger children had been subjected to 'consistent' beatings at Coulter's hands and were never allowed out of the apartment.

'This is a textbook case of a person that abuses children,' said Harris County Sgt Dennis Wolfford.

Wolfford, who heads the sheriff's homicide unit, also had some harsh words for Williams, calling her 'an abuser by omission.'

The sergeant said that there is no evidence that the mom-of-six was a victim of domestic violence herself, and that she had a year to report her son Kendrick's murder and her other children's abuse, but she chose not to do it.

Sheriff Gonzalez said that at least two of the three brothers, ages 15, 10 and 7, are on the autistic spectrum. All three children told responding officers that they were hungry and requested donuts.

'They were very sweet children, very nice, very well-spoken,' Wolfford said, noting, however, that they had 'blankness in the eyes.'

He added: 'it was very sad. They are good kids.'

Gonzalez and his investigators offered some further disturbing details on what they found inside the family's apartment, revealing that all that was left of Kendrick Lee's body was a 'dry' skeleton, which was out in the open, and that the unit had no furniture or bedding, featured a spoiled rug and was swarming with flies and cockroaches.

According to the sheriff, Kendrick and his three surviving brothers were fathered by two different men, one of whom has died.

The apartment they were sharing was being paid for using government assistance while Williams and Coulter lived about 6 miles away. The sheriff said the mother would routinely stop by to drop off 'junk food' for her children.

'They were distancing themselves from their child,' Wolfford said of the couple. 'They know the entire time there is a dead body inside that apartment.'

Williams and Coulter were initially picked up by deputies on Sunday. They were questioned and released, leaving many people to wonder why they had been let go.

On Wednesday, Sheriff Gonzalez and Sgt Wolfford explained that they did not have sufficient evidence to arrest them in the immediate aftermath of the gruesome discovery.

Williams' 15-year-old son, who had been caring for his two younger brothers with the help of a neighbor who brought them food and charged their cell phone when the electricity to their home was cut, called 911, prompting the welfare check on Sunday.

Sheriff Gonzalez commanded the teen for finally seeking help, despite being gripped by 'absolute fear' for many months.

Linda Smith, the grandmother of one of Williams' children, told DailyMail.com in an interview on Wednesday that had she known what was going on, she would have adopted her grandson, Ja'Veon Kirklin, 7, along with his brothers, Jordan Lee, 15, and Trevon Lee, 10. Williams' daughter, 17-year-old Jasmine Whitaker, and another child were not living with the family.

A Houston woman, Gloria Y. Williams (left), 35, and her boyfriend, Brian W. Coulter (right), 31, were arrested and charged by authorities on Tuesday for abandoning and neglecting her three young children in a home for months at a time while the kids' eight-year-old brother's corpse decomposed in the house for more than a year.

The arrests were made two days after law enforcement officials found Williams' three children abandoned inside a Houston apartment. Investigators also found a rotting corpse of Williams' eight-year-old son who had been dead for more than a year

A criminal complaint filed against Coulter alleges that on November 20, 2020, he murdered his girlfriend's son Kendrick by punching and kicking him to death.

Separate complaints against Williams accuse the mom-of-six of concealing her son's death, starving one of her other children and failing to protect a third from injury.

According to additional court filings, Coulter and Williams left the eight-year-old's body to rot in a closet, and then abandoned the woman's other children.

Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com indicate that Williams was charged twice for failing to enroll her children in school.

Alief Independent School District told KTRK that in 2019 and 2020, the school district filed truancy papers against the siblings' mother because two of them, Ja'Veon Kirklin and his older sister, were not attending school. The children were last enrolled in May 2020.

Both charges were later dismissed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smith, Kirklin's paternal grandmother, told DailyMail.com that Williams and her children stayed with her for a time in 2014 while the boy's biological father was in jail.

The grandmother ultimately asked Williams to leave after learning that the woman had been bringing various men over to her house - a decision Smith now regrets.

'The Gloria I knew never would have done this to her kids, but it looks like she did, I guess you never know someone,' Smith said.

Williams and Coulter allegedly left the children alone for months at a time while they lived in a different home

Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com indicate that Williams was charged twice for failing to enroll her children in school. Both charges were later dismissed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Williams is seen left alongside Coulter in this undated file photo

The image above shows a notice of removal of children left by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. According to the notice, state officials took custody of the three children on Sunday evening after police conducted a welfare check

Recent social media posts show that Williams has been referring to Coulter as her husband, and the two even got matching 'warrior' tattoos.

Coulter's significant collection of body art also includes the words 'loyalty' and 'family over everything,' along with face tattoos depicting a cross and a dollar sign.

His Instagram page, which was last updated in August, shows the murder suspect posing up in his over-the-top jewelry, listening to hip hop and making unintelligible comments.

The Harris County Medical Examiners Office on Tuesday ruled that Kendrick Lee, eight, suffered multiple blunt force injuries, resulting in his death by homicide.

According to a report from the victim's 15-year-old brother, he and his two surviving siblings had been living with his decomposing body in their apartment for a year.

Shortly before the teen called 911 on Sunday, he texted his mother to tell her he could not take it anymore, it has emerged.

Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com indicate that Williams was charged twice for failing to enroll her children in school, including her daughter who was 15 in 2019

One of the negligence charges was related to the truancy of one of Williams' sons

The charges were ultimately dismissed in May 2020 because of COVID-19

The call led to a series of disturbing revelations, including that the three children, ages 15, 10 and 7, had been left to fend for themselves for several months, relying on food donations from unsuspecting neighbors to survive, while sharing an apartment with the decomposing remains of their sibling - even as their mother and her boyfriend lived just 15 minute away.

Detectives with the Harris County Sheriff's Office questioned the couple before releasing them on Monday pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

Child welfare services in Texas have also launched an investigation into the horror find at the apartment complex on Houston's west side.

Erica Chapman, who lives at CityParc II at West Oaks Apartments, said she was among the people who had been feeding the malnourished 15-year-old, not knowing he was living with his two younger brothers.

'The first time I saw him, he was sleeping on one of the slides,' Chapman told KTRK.

Williams has referred to Coulter as her husband, but there is no proof the two are married

Coulter's Instagram page includes videos showing him posing up in jewelry, listening to music and making garbled comments

The phrase 'family over everything' is seen etched into Coulter's body

Harris County Sheriff's Department officers are seen above at a Houston apartment complex on Sunday afternoon where three children were found in a neglected state along with the decomposing body of their slain eight-year-old brother

Williams, the mother of the three children, lived with her boyfriend, Coulter, just 15 minutes away from the apartment complex where her 8-year-old son was found dead

Investigators also found the decomposed body of a eight-year-old boy inside the apartment

Law enforcement officials said that the three children were given food by neighbors

Chapman said she noticed that the teen's mother was rarely home. She would occasionally show up bearing noodles, snacks and drinks. The abandoned teen would run downstairs to pick up the food and then return to the apartment.

About six months ago, Chapman said she started offering the 15-year-old food, but she said he refused to accept cooked meals, only agreeing to take packaged snacks, fruit and pizza.

Trevor Thompson, another neighbor who had been helping out the boy, told the station the child was paranoid and feared getting poisoned.

Thompson said the teen knocked on his door one day, asking to borrow a charger. After that, the neighbor said he forged a bond with the boy and started offering him food.

Both Thompson and Chapman said they had no idea there were two younger children living with the 15-year-old.

Thompson recalled that on one occasion he asked the teen if he liked the pizza he had given him.

'And he asked, "What? The first pizza we had?"' Thompson recounted. 'That made me wonder why would he say, "We."'

Erica Chapman said she had been feeding the 15-year-old boy because his mother only rarely showed up to giver him snacks

Chapman speculated that the teen may have concealed the existence of his brothers because he was afraid of being blamed, punished by his mother, or separated from his siblings.

The neighbors said they never called the authorities because they did not grasp the severity of the situation involving the teen, who was described as quiet and discreet.

'I didn't want to push him away by asking questions because I knew he was starving and needed food,' Chapman said.

All three surviving siblings were taken to a hospital for treatment. They were said to be malnourished and injured, and the 10-year-old had broken bones in his face.

According to investigators, the 15-year-old said that the parents hadnt been living at home for months, effectively abandoning the children to be on their own.

When police arrived to the home on Sunday afternoon, they found the brothers skeletal remains out in the open, KPRC-TV reported.

The two younger boys appeared to be malnourished and showed signs of physical injury, according to law enforcement officials.

It appears they were basically fending for each other, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez told reporters.

The older sibling was doing the best he could to take care of the others.

Trevor Thompson, who did not want to be shown on camera, also had been helping the teen. He was the boy was paranoid and feared of being poisoned

Authorities have not said whether or not they were looking for the children's biological father.

'Connecting all the dots, it seems they were in there while the body was deteriorating,' the sheriff said.

HCSO is now investigating to determine the circumstances that led to the death of the minor and how long the kids had been alone.

'To ensure the safety of the children, the Department of Family and Protective Services is seeking emergency custody of the three boys,' the agency said in a statement on Monday.

'Child Protective Services does have history with the family, but there was no active CPS investigation at the time the children were discovered alone in their apartment.'

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said a unit was sent to do a welfare check at the residence after receiving a call. The body was not concealed

Residents of the area said that management had been doing inspection rounds in the area for the last couple of weeks.

A neighbor living next door to the siblings told KTRK she had no idea there was anyone occupying that unit, let alone children.

The neighbor in the apartment complex told the station KTRK that she complained for months about a foul odor emanating from the unit where the shocking discovery was made over the weekend.

She said that 13 or 14 months ago, she first noticed a vile odor wafting from what she thought was an abandoned apartment.

The smell was so bad, the woman said, that she would be forced to turn off her air conditioning to prevent it from entering her apartment through the vents.

The neighbor said she complained several times to the building's management about the smell, but it is unclear if anyone had gone to the unit housing the siblings to inspect it.

The children had seemingly been left abandoned by adults for a long period of time and were 'fending for each other'

Homicide investigators along with CPS and Child Abuse investigators are also working on the case

Police said the investigation is still in the preliminary stages .

'Very horrific situation here, very tragic. I've been in this business for a long time and I've never heard of a scenario like this, it really caught me by surprise,' said Gonzalez when addressing the media on Sunday evening.

'We are trying to identify next of kin to determine exactly what happened and how we got to this point...We're going to make sure we conduct a thorough follow-up investigation,' he added.
Dramatic videos showed tornadoes in Louisiana and Texas, with one twister seen striking a powerline moments after touching down on a freeway, while another lifted an ATV into the air.

One Twitter user driving on I-10 and Highway 62 near Lake Charles, Louisiana, shared the jaw-dropping clip around 11.30 am, CDT. Around 1.30 pm, the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch in the state for the areas of Pitkin, Elizabeth and Grant until 4 pm.

Another in Orange, Texas, captured an ATV flying through the air, after it was lifted off the ground by the force of the extreme weather event.

Also in Lake Charles, at least one person was injured when 64 mph winds blew out the windows of a home, as social media photos showed lawns littered with debris.

Throughout Louisiana, 18,710 homes and businesses are without power as of 2.15 pm, according to poweroutage.us. In Cameron County, more than 60 percent of residents have lost electricity.

This morning, more than 90,000 power outages were reported in Texas; now, as of 2.15 pm, 54,868 are still without power.

A line of thunderstorms, which will hit the strongest in Central Texas, will produce 40 mph winds with gusts up to 70 mph, pea-sized hail and frequent lightning. Then, the line will move to Paris, Athens, Mexia and Cameron

Around 1.30 pm, the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch in the state for the areas of Pitkin, Elizabeth and Grant until 4 pm

The Twitter user driving on I-10 and Highway 62 shared the jaw-dropping clip of a tornado hitting a power line around 11.30 am, CDT

Meanwhile, the service noted there were 'multiple reports' of damage in Mauriceville, Texas earlier today and at least three reports of tornadoes.

A Twitter user shared a video of an ATV that was picked up by the storm in Orange, Texas and sent flying

Another snapshot of the tornado in Orange, Texas - this morning, the weather system left more than 90,000 without power throughout the state

In Houston, KHOU-TV captured video of a downed tree that collapsed into a home this morning as a tornado was reported in the town of Spring to the north, about nine miles from George Bush Intercontinental Airport. In Orange, Texas, KHOU-11 posted extreme footage of a roving tornado ripping trees from the ground.

In Houston, KHOU-TV captured video of a downed tree that collapsed into a home this morning as a tornado was reported in the town Spring to the north, about 9 miles from George Bush Intercontinental Airport

A line of thunderstorms, which will hit the strongest in Central Texas, will produce 40 mph winds with gusts up to 70 mph, pea-sized hail and frequent lightning. Then, the line will move to Paris, Athens, Mexia and Cameron

This is airline & airway dr. where a possible confirmed tornado caused damaged to this home.



So thankful to report no one was seriously injured in this! @KHOU #KHOU11 pic.twitter.com/UOgknB1g9i  Brittany Ford (@BFordKHOU) October 27, 2021

A line of thunderstorms, which will hit the strongest in Central Texas, will produce 40 mph winds with gusts up to 70 mph, pea-sized hail and frequent lightning. Then, the line will move to Paris, Athens, Mexia and Cameron.

At least two tornadoes were produced by the supercell thunderstorm in Texas, according to the Weather Channel.

Up to 12 inches of rain could fall, the service predicted, with the potential for flash flooding and quarter-sized hail.

In Orange, Texas, KHOU-11 posted extreme footage of a roving tornado ripping trees from the ground

The storms are expected to move across Louisiana into Mississippi by this evening, then on to the Florida Panhandle, according to Weather.com senior meteorologist Chris Dolce.

'Were basically just going to see a line of storms that move eastward,' Dolce said. 'There could be some supercells popping out of it.'

By Thursday, the severe threats will shift to the Southeast, looming over Central Florida and the Carolinas.
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Huma Abedin and her estranged husband, former congressman and convicted sex offender Anthony Weiner, were spotted shopping in New York City on Wednesday, just one day after she claimed she was sexually assaulted by an unnamed U.S. senator.

The high-profile exes have occasionally been seen out together since they filed for divorce in 2017 following Weiner's sexting scandal with a 15-year-old girl.

Photographs taken Wednesday show the pair - who have reportedly separated but are not yet divorced - walking through Manhattan's East Village together as Abedin, who is on the phone, carries a reusable grocery tote.

She is also seen pushing a fully loaded shopping cart at Target. Weiner did not appear to be near her at that time.

Abedin and Weiner appear to have remained civil despite their pending divorce. They are said to be committed to co-parenting their only child, but have no interest in a romantic reunion.

Huma Abedin (left) and her estranged husband, former congressman and convicted sex offender Anthony Weiner (right), were spotted shopping at a New York City grocer in New York City on Wednesday

The high-profile exes are seldom seen out together since they filed for divorce in 2017 following Weiner's (left) sexting scandal with a 15-year-old girl. Abedin (right) and Weiner appear to have remained civil despite their pending divorce

Abedin is seen pushing a fully loaded shopping cart at Target in New York City on Wednesday

The outing comes ahead of the release of the longtime Hillary Clinton aide's memoir Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds - out next week - which addresses her bombshell allegation against an unnamed senator.

Abedin, who was able to put the incident out of her mind for years, shared that it was not until Christine Blasey Ford was testifying about her alleged assault by Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 that the memory resurfaced.

She did not name the senator or his political party. She wrote about a Washington dinner, sometime after Donald Trump's wedding to Melania in 2005, before she was with Weiner. She and Weiner married in July 2010.

Later, in 2011, Weiner confessed to accidentally posting a crotch picture in his grey boxers on Twitter after convincing her for a week that it was 'the work of a hacker,' and Abedin was 'filled with rage' and 'stunned to the core,' she also wrote in her book.

Abedin wrote that she attended the 2005 dinner without Clinton, then-senator from New York, with 'a few senators and their aides,' according to a copy of the book obtained by The Guardian.

Abedin is seen holding a package of SmartWater while on her Wednesday shopping trip

The exes are seen walking together as Abedin carries a reusable grocery tote

Abedin is spotted in New York City on Wednesday, just one day after it was revealed her upcoming memoir will address allegations of sexual assault against an unnamed US senator

Weiner and Abedin are said to be committed to co-parenting their only child, but not interested in a romantic reunion

'I ended up walking out with one of the senators, and soon we stopped in front of his building and he invited me in for coffee. Once inside, he told me to make myself comfortable on the couch.'

She said the senator took off his blazer, rolled up his sleeves and made coffee before sitting beside her on the couch.

'Then, in an instant, it all changed. He plopped down to my right, put his left arm around my shoulder, and kissed me, pushing his tongue into my mouth, pressing me back on the sofa.

'I was so utterly shocked, I pushed him away. All I wanted was for the last 10 seconds to be erased.'

She said that the senator seemed shocked but apologized and said he had 'misread' their relationship.

Huma Abedin is seen with Hillary Clinton in May 2005 - around the time that she was sexually assaulted by a senator

Abedin is pictured with Clinton in 2008, while she was still a senator for New York

Abedin, pictured in April 2016 with Clinton on the presidential campaign trail, has written a new book. In it, she reveals she was sexually assaulted by a senator

Abedin, born in Michigan to Indian and Pakistani parents, grew up in Saudi Arabia. Her book is titled Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds

Abedin said she then plotted how to leave 'without this ending badly,' as the senator asked her if she wanted to stay.

'Then I said something only the twentysomething version of me would have come up with  'I am so sorry'  and walked out, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible.'

Abedin, now 45, said that she kept her distance from the senator 'for a few days,' but eventually ran into him on Capitol Hill.

He asked her at the time if they were still friends, and she nodded. She wrote that Clinton then came up to join them.

The Clinton aide said that the memory of the couch incident was suppressed until she read about Ford 'being accused of 'conveniently' remembering' her alleged assault.

Ford claimed Kavanaugh assaulted her at a gathering in high school, Kavanaugh claimed such an incident never happened and was still confirmed to the bench.

Abedin's estranged husband has had his own repeated sex scandals that led to his arrest. Weiner resigned within a few weeks of the Twitter scandal in 2011, later unsuccessfully running for New York City mayor twice, in 2005 and 2013.

In 2016, DailyMail.com also revealed that he had been sending lewd text messages to a 15-year-old girl that included more explicit photographs. Weiner, now 56, 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.

Weiner and Abedin married back in 2010, in a star-studded ceremony at a Long Island mansion, officiated by President Bill Clinton, and during which Hillary Clinton called the bride the closest thing she had to a second daughter.

Huma Abedin attends the 2021 Met Gala on September 13

Abedin and Weiner are pictured in November 2015, at a fashion gala in New York City

Abedin and Weiner are seen in September 2017, in Manhattan Civil Court, for a hearing in their divorce case

Abedin and Weiner are seen together after doing the school run with their son Jordan in October 2019

But the couple's high-powered political union hit troubled waters the following year.

Weiner stepped down from his seat in New York's 9th congressional district in 2011, after he accidentally tweeted a crotch-shot of himself in his underwear to the public, on his official page.

Abedin writes in the book that she was 'filled with rage' and 'stunned to the core' when 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.'

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.

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 investigation into Weiner's devices began when DailyMail.com revealed that the disgraced congressman had an online sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl for months and sent her lewd messages and pictures

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.

Do you know the senator who assaulted Huma Abedin? Email us at: newsUS@dailymail.com.
A Minnesota surgeon believes he was fired from his job after telling school officials that parents should have the choice of whether or not their children wear masks to school.

Dr. Jeffrey Horak spoke before the school board at a public meeting in the town of Fergus Falls on October 11. He gave a speech against the school's temporary mask mandate, which had gone into effect the day prior.

'You mandate this across the road - that's a tough place to go,' Horak told the board.

He then suggested there was a higher power in charge of the students' behavior over the school board.

'Who does God put in charge of these kids? Their parents. God gave each one of these kids... to their parents and they speak for them. They may be wrong, they may be dumb, they may be perfect in their decisions. But it's still their responsibility. It's not yours. God gave it to them. Honor their wishes, either side of the fence.'

Just nine days later, on October 20, Horak claims he was fired by Lake Region Healthcare (LRH), being told his 'views were no longer congruent' with the provider.

Dr. Jeffrey Horak claims he was asked to resign or face termination at his job nine days after giving a speech against a mask mandate at a local school board meeting

'You mandate this across the road  that's a tough place to go,' Horak told the board

Dr. Jeffrey Horak, a surgeon in Minnesota, told the Fergus Falls school board on Oct. 11 that parents should make the decision about whether or not their children wear masks.



He says he was dismissed from his job nine days later.



(Video credit: Calvary Chapel Fergus Falls) pic.twitter.com/MUEh3OSdiZ  Paul Best (@KincaidBest) October 27, 2021

Horak was asked to either resign or be terminated.

'We live in America where freedoms are held close. I am a man who believes individuals have the right to do their research and decide what is best for them and their children when it comes to their health. I don't believe governments or institutions should dictate that,' Horak said in a statement during the rally on October 25.

A Lake Region Healthcare spokesperson said they were a subsidiary of Lake Region Medical Group and claims that their board of directors 'made the decision about discontinuing Dr. Horak's practice, not LRH.'

Dr. Greg Smith, president of the board, said they made the 'decision to discontinue Dr. Jeff Horak's employment contract after a thorough review process.'

He claims that this was merely a peer review decision.

'The reasons for Dr. Horak's separation are a confidential matter,' Dr. Smith said in a statement. 'To be clear, this was a decision that was made by Dr. Horak's peers who serve on the Medical Group Board, not by Lake Region Healthcare, the community-based hospital where Dr. Horak practiced General Surgery.'

Horak believes there could be several reasons for his firing, including not always wearing his mask after the state mandate was lifted, or a comment he made during a school board meeting about monkeys being able to tie knots being 'misconstrued' as racist.

On Monday, Horak's local community in Fergus Falls showed up in the hundreds to hear him speak in support of the doctor

Many of those in the crowd held signs that declared they were on the side of 'medical freedom' and supported Dr. Horak

Horak spoke to the crowd and identified the reasons that they came together. 'One, you're becoming aware that your freedoms are being taken away. Two, professionals such as myself are being silenced, and then so are you. If it happens to me, it can happen to all of us,' Horak told the crowd. 'And third, you're afraid. We're all afraid'

'Or perhaps my termination is because I was empowering the parents,' Horak said. 'I may never know.'

On October 25, his local community in Fergus Falls showed up in the hundreds to hear him speak in support of the doctor.

'This isn't a conservative vs. liberal, or vaxxed vs. unvaxxed, or mask vs. no mask issue,' Angie Brown, a local resident who organized the rally, said. 'This is an issue of right vs. wrong and I am so happy that so many in our community recognized this wrong and were willing to show up, both to support Dr. Horak, but to also, in a peaceful way, voice their disagreement with Lake Region Medical Group.'

Horak spoke to the crowd and identified the reasons that they came together.

'One, you're becoming aware that your freedoms are being taken away. Two, professionals such as myself are being silenced, and then so are you. If it happens to me, it can happen to all of us,' Horak told the crowd. 'And third, you're afraid. We're all afraid. Today I want to empower you to say, 'I stand up with Dr. Horak. Truly, I stand with you.'

The mask mandate in Fergus Falls was in place for two weeks, ending on October 24.

'The Fergus Falls School District welcomes public comment and has a process in place for community members who wish to address the board,' Jeff Drake, the superintendent of Fergus Falls Public Schools, said Tuesday.
More than a quarter of New York City's 55,000-member police force could get sent home without pay if they don't comply with the mayor's order to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by Friday's deadline.

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea is trying to sway officers - some of the most vaccine-hesitant workers in city government - to comply with last week's order by Mayor Bill de Blasio.

About 73 percent of NYPD workers have at least one shot, which means that as many as 27 percent of police employees could be placed on unpaid leave starting Monday, when the mandate takes effect, if they don't get vaccinated by 5pm Friday.

Mayor de Blasio says he feels 'ready' to handle a dramatic drop-off in the number of officers even as violent crime continues to plague the city, but it remains unclear how the department would keep enough officers on the street.

More than a quarter of the NYPD's employees could be put on unpaid leave starting Monday

All city employees have until Friday at 5pm to get at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Above, a student gets a shot at a vaccination event in a Staten Island high school in August

About 73 percent of NYPD workers are vaccinated, police say. The department has had some of the lowest vaccination rates of all city organs since vaccines became available

'Remember, our first responder agencies, our uniformed agencies went through so much last year where they had huge numbers of members out because of COVID and they had to keep making constant adjustments to provide the services we need to keep people safe - and they did it and they did it very well,' de Blasio said during his daily briefing Wednesday morning..

Shea told NY1 on Tuesday that the department is preparing for the deadline 'as if this is going to go into effect Friday evening.'

'We have vaccines available throughout the city for our members.'

Mayor de Blasio, who instituted the order last Wednesday, says he expects officers to hold out until the last minute.

'What I expect is a surge of activity, particularly on Friday,' de Blasio said.

'We had this pattern with the health care workers. We had this pattern with everyone who works for Department of Education, which is, by far, our biggest agency  a surge of vaccination right up on the deadline.

'And then, some people who didn't get vaccinated by the deadline, but recognize that they're about to be put on unpaid leave, who would then go out and get vaccinated immediately, and then even others who get vaccinated in the days after.'

New York City was averaging about 1,137 cases of COVID-19 on October 17, the last day of full data. More than 85 percent of city adults have at least one dose of a vaccine.

He also said the city is prepared to handle staffing changes arising from officers who decline to get the shot.

'These are agencies that have been preparing for months,' he said.

DeBlasio, above getting a Moderna booster shot on Monday, announced a vaccine mandate with no weekly test-out option for all city workers just last week

NYC was averaging about 1,137 cases of COVID-19 on October 17, the last day of full data

'Every one of the commissioners has been absolutely confident that they can make the adjustments and every one of the commissioners has adamantly wanted us to move forward with a vaccine mandate. So, I feel ready.'

Crime in New York City continues to go up as the city recovers from COVID-19 lockdowns.

On Monday morning, two teenagers exchange gunfire outside Midwood High School in southern Brooklyn - the second gang-related shootout near a school this month.

One of the teens, who was later arrested, was identified as a member of the G-Stone Crips armed gang.

The city has also seen a rise in subway-related crimes.

During Monday evening's rush hour, a man sitting on the N train was shot in the leg in a botched robbery attempt. The 42-year-old victim was taken to the hospital in stable condition and the police was still hunting for the suspect.

Two teenagers exchanged gunfire outside a Brooklyn public high school on Monday - the second time this month that a gang-related shootout took place near a New York City school

The mandate could lead to a shortage of NYPD workers as violent crime continues to soar

The city has also seen a rise in subway-related crimes, including a shooting on Monday

As of Sunday, felony assault is up eight percent in the city compared to the same time last year. Rape and grand larceny are each up about three percent.

Thousands of New Yorkers were seen marching across the Brooklyn Bridge on Monday in protest of the vaccine mandate for city workers that is set to go into effect on November 1.

The Manhattan bound lanes on the Brooklyn Bridge had been closed between 12.30 and 3pm on Monday due to the protest, according to an NYPD report.

About 160,000 city workers remained unvaccinated as of Monday.

Also on Monday, the NYPD officers' union, the Police Benevolent Association, sued the city over the vaccine mandate.

The union argued that the previous rules, which allowed for a weekly testing option, were enough.

The NYPD has has one of the lowest vaccination rates of all city agency's and has struggled to keep up since the vaccine became widely available in the spring.

The Department of Corrections and the city's Housing Authority have the city's lowest rates of vaccination at 51 and 59 percent, respectively, according to data released by the mayor's office on October 19.

A man who was shot in the leg while sitting on the N train sits in an ambulance on Monday afternoon near Union Square

NYPD is hunting for the suspect, above, who shot the man during a rush-hour robbery

The Landmark's Preservation Commission is the only city body in which 100 percent of workers have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. They're followed by the Mayor's Office at 96 percent.

'I don't know how we got here,' Shea said.

'We even have nurses refusing to get vaccinated. I think people made this such a political issue during the 2020 elections and now its come home to roost.

'Wouldn't it have ben a nicer situation if you had President Trump and President-elect Biden standing next to each other saying everyone has to get vaccinated right now? But we had it as a political issue and now its just festering in the time we're in.'

Mayor de Blasio noted on Wednesday that any officers who decide not to get vaccinated and get placed on unpaid leave would potentially create 'savings' for the department.

'We're not looking at this from the budgetary perspective, we're looking at this in terms of how we keep people safe,' he said.

'Now, obviously - look, I'd like everyone who's not yet vaccinated to get vaccinated by the end of Friday. If they don't, they're going off payroll. I don't want that savings, but that does create a savings.'
Elon Musk's most senior Tesla employees were left blindsided by the CEO's sudden decision to relocate the company from California to Texas earlier this month - only finding out about it when Musk first announced the planned move to shareholders three weeks ago, a top California politician has revealed.

'Elon didn't even tell his team,' California Gov. Gavin Newsom's principal economic advisor Dee Dee Williams revealed during a press call with several news outlets when asked if the state had received any advanced notice of Musk's plans, Bloomberg reported after taking part in the call Tuesday afternoon.

'We later talked to the leadership in his offices in California, who did not know until he made that announcement,' Myers then confirmed. She spoke days after a $4.2 billion deal with Hertz to buy 100,000 Teslas sent the firm's value soaring to $1 trillion.

Musk first announced the prospective move to attendees of company's annual shareholder meeting on October 7, which was held at a factory Tesla is building outside the city of Austin - the very location Musk says will become the company's new base of operations

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's principal economic advisor Dee Dee Williams revealed during a press call Tuesday that Elon Musk's most senior Tesla employees were left blindsided by the CEO's sudden decision to relocate the company from California to Texas earlier this month - only finding out about it when Musk first announced it to shareholders three weeks ago

Despite the lawmaker's claims, it remains unclear if any Tesla employees, senior or otherwise, were notified about the move beforehand.

The revelation comes mere weeks after Musk first announced the prospective move to attendees of company's annual shareholder meeting on October 7, which was held at a factory Tesla is building outside the city of Austin - the very location Musk says will become the company's new base of operations.

The move makes good on a threat Musk issued more than a year ago to the top brass of the Golden State, after the colorful CEO was left frustrated by local coronavirus lockdown orders that forced the company to pause production at its factory in Fremont.

The site of the new Tesla factory in Austin, Texas, that Musk is looking to move the company's operations to. As of October 25, when this photo was taken, the structure is still being built

Musk was an outspoken early critic of pandemic restrictions, calling them 'fascist' - and predicting in March 2020 that there would be almost no new COVID cases by the end of April of that year.

The Tesla Chief Executive also cited the high cost of housing and the long commutes for his employees as reasons behind the move, despite not notifying them about it, says Myers.

Moreover, the move to Texas has tax implications - both personal and business - for Musk and his company.

California boasts the nation's highest personal income tax and capital gains tax rates, of approximately 13.3 percent each. Texas has no state income tax or capital gains tax on company profits, although people living there must still pay federal levies.

What's more, those come in addition to similar charges collected at the federal level, which then increase the overall total for a given individual.

Musk recently became the world's richest person, with his fortune just short of $300 billion - however, a great deal of his wealth is explicably linked to stock options that hinge on Tesla reaching certain financial targets.

With that said, the billionaire is required to pay a slew of state capital gains taxes and personal income tax every time he exercises those options.

Musk, pictured here outside Tesla's current headquarters in Palo Alto, is looking to sever all ties with the state of California - where his company was founded

Before listing the Bay Area home Musk had gone on a spree the past 13 months, selling six of his properties, as well as one in 2019, for a total of $114million

Texas, on the other hand, does not have either of those taxes - meaning Musk could save billions of dollars in tax money with the move.

But during Musk's announcement at the annual shareholder meeting a few weeks ago, the exec was adamant that the company would keep the original Fremont factory and expand production there as well.

'There's a limit to how big you can scale in the Bay Area,' Musk said during the announcement.

But in Texas, Musk said, Our factorys like five minutes from the airport, 15 minutes from downtown.'

'Were gonna create ecological paradise right here.

While he did not give a timeline of when Teslas headquarters in Texas will be operational, with the plant still under construction, he noted that it takes less time to build a factory than it does to reach high-volume production.

He said that the plant in Texas will closely resemble Teslas Shanghai factory, which was built in 11 months and reached high-volume production after a year.

Musk personally moved to Texas last December just a stone's throw from the still-under-construction factory, after systematically selling most his assets, declaring in May of last year, 'I am selling almost all physical possessions. Will own no house.'

The 50-year-old revealed in a tweet that the rented home is worth about $50,000 - less than the cost of a base Tesla Model S (Pictured: A Boxabl Casita similar to the one Musk is said to be renting)

Musk, one of the world's richest men, is living in a tiny prefab house by the company Boxabl on the SpaceX site in Texas, according to reports (Pictured: A Boxabl Casita similar to the one Musk is said to be renting)

The exec looks to be making good on his word so far, selling a slew of his properties - all of which were situated in California - leaving only his Bay Area home, which is now up for sale as well.

In fact, Musk slashed the price of the California mansion by $5.5million earlier this month, as he looks to sever all ties with the Golden State for good.

Now, the Tesla founder is living in a 375-square-foot prefab-style trailer just outside of Austin - situated a stone's throw away from the company's bourgeoning new headquarters.

The home, referred to colloquially as a Tiny House, costs less than a base Tesla Model S and is made by the company Boxabl - a company that delivers premade houses.

With that said, Myers remained skeptical of the billionaire playboy's true intentions regarding the move - which she says is not even a certainty.

'I don't think anybody knows exactly what it means that he's moving his headquarters,' Myers said.

'From the perspective of California, they're not going anywhere.'

Myers also penned an op-ed piece earlier this week declaring that Tesla owed its success to the state that she currently serves - where Tesla was also founded.

It is still not yet clear if any Tesla employees, senior or otherwise, were notified about the move beforehand

She also criticized the CEO for moving to Texas, citing the Lone Star State's lax regulations concerning carbon emissions.

Moreover, the move, if successful, would come as a huge blow to Myers' state, with several California companies already announcing relocations to Texas in recent months.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise said in December that the company's headquarters would relocated to the Houston area, and since has, and Charles Schwab has moved its operations to a suburb of Dallas and Fort Worth.

Texas has become a bit of a haven for workers in recent years as well, boasting a much lower cost of living than the slew of cities across Southern California and Silicon Valley.

Austin, in particular, is a thriving liberal locale.

Tesla, however, has yet to relocate to Austin from its Palo Alto base, and the company has also yet to comment on the prospective move.
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Britain's most hated police officer Wayne Couzens has lodged an appeal against his whole-life sentence for kidnapping, raping and murdering Sarah Everard.

The depraved killer used Covid powers to conduct a fake arrest of the 33-year-old marketing executive as she walked home from a friend's house in March, before committing crimes so horrific they shocked the nation and undermined confidence in the police.

The 48-year-old, who used his warrant card and handcuffs to carry out the crime, had been planning for at least a month before abducting Ms Everard as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham, south London, on the evening of March 3.

A Court of Appeal official said on Wednesday: 'An application (for permission to mount an appeal against sentence) has been lodged.'

Couzens was sentenced in September, with his whole-life term being the first imposed for a single murder of an adult which was not committed in the course of a terror attack.

Passing sentence at the Old Bailey, Lord Justice Fulford said the case in which a serving officer abused his position was so exceptional that it warranted a whole life order, meaning Couzens will never be freed.

It was the first time the sentence had been imposed for a single murder of an adult not committed in the course of a terror attack.

Judge Lord Justice Fulford said at the time: 'The misuse of a police officer's role such as occurred in this case in order to kidnap, rape and murder a lone victim is of equal seriousness as a murder for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.'

After the sentencing, Ms Everard's devastated family said that, while nothing could bring her back, knowing Couzens 'will be imprisoned forever brings some relief'.

Couzens is one of over 60 criminals serving whole-life sentences. They are reserved for the most serious crimes such as serial killings and politically motivated murders.

Couzens joins infamous killers such as British soldier Lee Rigby's murderer Michael Adebolajo, police officer killer Dale Cregan and Mark Bridger, who murdered five-year-old April Jones.

Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley also got whole-life orders. Serial killer Levi Bellfield is unique in being given two.

Earlier this month, Reading terrorist Khairi Saadallah lost a Court of Appeal challenge against his whole-life sentence for the murders of three men, following a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Britain's most hated police officer Wayne Couzens has lodged an appeal against his whole-life sentence for kidnapping, raping and murdering Sarah Everard

A slew of claims have come to light about Couzens since he was jailed for his life with no chance of parole after he kidnapped, raped and murdered Miss Everard.

Couzens is known to have committed an indecent exposure, driving round naked from the waist down in his car, when he served with them in 2015.

He has also been identified as being responsible for carrying out the same offence at a McDonald's restaurant days before he targeted Miss Everard.

On March 3, he staged a fake Covid arrest, handcuffed Miss Everard and put her in his car before driving 80 miles to Kent where he raped and murdered her. Days later, he burned her body and left it in woods near land he owned.

A slew of claims have come to light about Couzens since he was jailed for his life with no chance of parole after he kidnapped, raped and murdered Miss Everard

The Met has faced a wave of criticism over missed opportunities to expose Couzens as a sexual predator before he went on to murder Miss Everard.

It emerged the 48-year-old was known as 'the rapist' by staff at the Civil Nuclear Constabulary because he made female colleagues feel so uncomfortable.

He had been accused of indecent exposure in Kent in 2015 and in London in the days before Ms Everard's murder, but was allowed to continue working.

Priti Patel has announced there will be an independent inquiry into the 'systematic failures' that allowed Wayne Couzens to serve as a Met police officer. The Home Secretary said that 'recent tragic events have exposed unimaginable failures in policing'.

She said that the public 'have a right to know' why Couzens was able to be employed by the Metropolitan Police.

Addressing the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Miss Patel said: 'I can confirm today, there will be an inquiry, to give the independent oversight needed, to ensure something like this can never happen again.'

The inquiry will look at Couzens' career in the Metropolitan Police and determine if red flags were missed to identify him as a threat.

The probe is likely to be viewed as a warning shot at Met chief Cressida Dick who has faced calls to quit following the murder of Miss Everard.

The inquiry will be split into two parts, with the first examining Couzens' previous behaviour.

It will seek to establish a 'definitive account' of his conduct leading up to his conviction, as well 'any opportunities missed'. The second part of the probe will look at 'specific issues raised by the first part of the inquiry'. That could include examining wider issues across policing, including vetting practices, discipline and workplace behaviour.

Miss Patel will also write to the independent police inspectorate HMICFRS to commission a 'thematic inspection of vetting and counter-corruption procedures in policing across England and Wales'. This will look at how forces detect and deal with misogynistic and predatory behaviour.

The Home Office said the inquiry will be established on a non-statutory footing but 'can be converted to a statutory inquiry if required'.

A chairman for the inquiry and its terms of reference will be announced by the Government in due course.

On March 3, Couzens staged a fake Covid arrest, handcuffed Sarah Everard (pictured), 33, and put her in his car before driving 80 miles to Kent where he raped and murdered her

In light of Miss Everard's murder, all sexual and domestic abuse allegations against Metropolitan Police officers over the last ten years will also be reviewed, Cressida Dick (pictured) confirmed

Met Police chief Cressida Dick FINALLY admits official advice telling women to 'wave down a bus' if arrested by a lone male officer in the wake of Sarah Everard's murder was nonsense Scotland Yard chief Cressida Dick finally admitted official advice telling terrified women to 'wave down a bus' if they were arrested by a lone male officer was nonsense. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner confirmed that the guidance, which sparked outrage when issued in the wake of Sarah Everard 's murder by serving PC Wayne Couzens, had been axed. Scotland Yard was accused of pouring scorn on frightened women earlier this month after the London force's strategy urged them to attract attention if they fear being abducted by police. It came as Couzens was ordered to spend the rest of his life behind bars for kidnapping, raping and killing Ms Everard in London in March. Lawyers warned the 'unrealistic and misconceived' guidance could cause chaos and in extreme cases see women Tasered for resisting arrest. They also suggested bus drivers could end up being arrested if they stopped to help. Dame Cressida initially defended the advice, saying it had been 'taken out of context'. But facing the London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee, she said: 'I completely understand why that ended up as the headline. 'It was not intended, and it is not how we see things. Yes we have reviewed it and I think we would address the question differently were it to come again in the future.' Advertisement

In light of Miss Everard's murder, all sexual and domestic abuse allegations against Metropolitan Police officers over the last ten years will also be reviewed.

Dame Cressida Dick, commissioner for the force, announced on Friday that an investigation is being launched into all current cases of sexual misconduct or domestic abuse allegations against London's police officers.

Dame Cressida, 60, also revealed similar allegations that have been made against both officers and workers at the force over the last ten years will be reviewed.

Officers from the force's Directorate of Professional Standards will analyse each of the cases internally and will undertake a check of the vetting history of the staff involved in the claims.

The under-fire commissioner, who is resisting calls to resign, said: 'We'll be reviewing them [the allegations] to make sure that the victim has been properly supported, and that the investigation is suitably thorough.

'We'll also be going back to look at some of those [historic] investigations just to make sure that the processes that should have taken place have taken place and that we are taking the right management action after the case is closed.'

The force said in a statement the examination, which has been launched in addition to an independent review into the Met's culture by Baroness Casey of Blackstock, was being held in the aftermath Ms Everard's murder.

Dame Cressida said she was 'delighted' to announce Baroness Blackstock will be in charge of an 'independent and far-reaching review' lasting an estimated six months.

She said: 'She will be looking at our vetting, our recruitment, our leadership, our training and all manner of processes to see how they reinforce the best possible standards.

'She'll make a public report, and public recommendations, so that we can improve and make sure that the public have more confidence in us.'

Dame Cressida said Baroness Casey - who has been leading an inquiry into how England yobs were able to break into Wembley during the Euros final - was a strong candidate for the job.

'I think she's got the right character, and the right expertise, and the right background, to do this review,' she said.

Baroness Casey said: 'Trust is given to the police by our, the public's, consent. So any acts that undermine that trust must be examined and fundamentally changed.

'This will no doubt be a difficult task but we owe it to the victims and families this has affected and the countless decent police officers this has brought into disrepute.'

The spotlight will also be shone on the force's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command - which killer Couzens worked for - with a 'root-and-branch review' looking at whether there are any 'specific issues' within the unit.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has welcomed the appointment of Baroness Casey to lead the independent review into the Met's culture and standards.

In a series of tweets, Mr Khan said: 'Baroness Casey's review must look into the wider culture of the Met Police, including issues of misogyny, sexism, racism and homophobia as well as thoroughly examining recruitment, vetting, training, leadership and standards of behaviour among officers and staff.

'I've been clear with the Met Commissioner about the scale of the challenge we face and the change that's needed, and I will continue to play my full part in holding the Met Police to account on behalf of Londoners.'

In the wake of Couzens' life sentence for murder, it was revealed more than half of Met officers found guilty of sexual misconduct over a four-year period to 2020 kept their jobs, a total of 43 officers out of 83 or 52 per cent.

Along with the handling of the Everard case, the Metropolitan Police are also facing heat over an independent panel's finding of 'institutional corruption' in the investigation into the unsolved murder of Daniel Morgan in 1987.

The private investigator was murdered in a south London car park and the panel found that the Met concealed or denied failures in their investigation.
Dominican Republic agents chasing after suspected drug smugglers on the high seas discovered a $9.9 million shipment of cocaine concealed underneath the panels of the speedboat after the vessel was abandoned on a beach.

The National Drug Control Directorate said in a statement Wednesday that security forces spotted the craft vessel approaching the Caribbean nation after it had crossed from South America via the Atlantic Ocean.

Narcotic agents and military servicemen chased after the smugglers on Tuesday and ordered them to stop, but the drug runners made it to the shores of a beach in Enriquillo, a town in the southwestern province of Barahona.

A National Drug Control Directorate agent in Barahona, Dominican Republic, inspects a speedboat Tuesday after it had been abandoned by smugglers that had crossed the Atlantic from South American with a shipment of 248 packages of cocaine, each holding at least one kilo. No arrests had been made as of Wednesday

The Dominican Republic's National Drug Control Directorate revealed Wednesday that agents were able to remove 248 packages of cocaine that has been left behind inside a speedboat on the shores of a beach in Enriquillo, a city in the southwestern province of Barahona

The drug traffickers abandoned the speedboat and fled without being caught but officials identified the suspects as Dominican and foreign nationals.

Agents searched the vessel and found approximately 248 packages containing at least one kilo of cocaine a piece that were under the single-engine motor watercraft.

'Normally after each operation when a vessel is intersected in the high seas or on the short, this type of inspection is carried out so that we can rule out (the presence of narcotics),' Navy spokesman Captain Jose Vasquez said during a press conference. 'These criminal networks believe that they are going to mock the authorities.'

Agents assigned to the Dominican Republic's National Drug Control Directorate remove a panel from a speedboat before removing a cocaine shipment that had been sailed over from South America

The cocaine shipment seized by the Dominican Republic's National Drug Control Directorate has a street value of $9.9 million

The operation was the latest among a string of busts made by Dominican authorities in an attempt to thwart local drug trafficking organizations that partner with major networks in Mexico and South American to flood the United States, Europe and Puerto Rico with cocaine.

A narco jet from South America crashed in Oviedo, a city in the southwest province of Perdenales, on September 29 after the Cessna pilot refused orders from the military to land.

Authorities on the ground recovered a total of 288.87 kilos of cocaine divided into 277 plastic-wrapped packages.

According to the DEA's 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment, 'Dominican TCOs (transnational criminal organizations) collaborate with foreign suppliers to have cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl shipped directly to the Northeast from Mexico, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic.'

The report also indicated that, 'Dominican traffickers take advantage of Puerto Ricos status as a U.S. territory to facilitate commercial air transport of cocaine into the United States, mainly into the Northeast and south Florida.'

'Dominican TCOs typically use small maritime vessels to transport cocaine and heroin from the Dominican Republic into Puerto Rico via the 80-mile stretch of sea known as the Mona Passage, and subsequently these traffickers utilize mail, commercial shipping services, and maritime vessels to transport illegal drugs to the United States,' the DEA found.
The Missouri landlord accused of killing a tenant by viciously stabbing the man more than 30 times during a dispute over heating arrived to the residence drunk, the victim's heartbroken fiancee told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.

Gordon McBeth, 44, who has been charged in the violent attack on Darryl Gilland, 28, was belligerent when he spoke with Gilland's fiancee, Samantha Pohlman's, when he brought insulation for their freezing Kansas City rental home, Pohlman said.

'[He was] definitely drunk,' she told DailyMail.com on Wednesday. 'He was known to be an alcoholic. He even told us: "You're making me drive drunk."'

At 3.30pm on October 22, witnesses told KCTV that they heard McBeth driving erratically into the couple's driveway.

Pohlman said McBeth got out of the car and threw insulation at the couple. She told KCTV that McBeth threatened to kill Gilland if the insulation wasn't good enough for them.

McBeth than 'flipped,' Pohlman said, and pounced on Gilland.

While waiting on first responders, Pohlman attended to her bleeding fiance, who asked her to use his phone to count his breathing to tell him if he was alive.

'He kept telling me to use his phone and count his breaths to see if he was alive. I just couldn't,' she told DailyMail.com on Wednesday.

'If I lost him, I lost my world,' she said. 'I didn't want to think about it. In my head, he had to [live]. In my head, he had too.'

Gilland died in her arms.

Landlord Gordon McBeth, 44, has been charged with second-degree murder after arriving to Darryl Gilland and Samantha Pohlman's home in Kansas City, Missouri and stabbing Gilland more than 30 times after the couple asked him to fix the heat in their home

Gilland, 28, and his fiancee Pohlman, 23, had messaged their landlord about fixing the heating problem in their new home

Pohlman told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that McBeth arrived at their residence 'definitely drunk' and was known for being an alcoholic

The couple had only moved into the home the week before and had negotiated a lower rent price in exchange for helping with the remodel.

The couple had messaged McBeth to fix the heating as it had been in the 40s at night and requested a space heater or insulation to heat their home.

'He [Gilland] just messaged him like: "Hey, can we please just do something about the heating situation,' Pohlman told KCTV 5.

'At first, the guy was perfectly nice about it. He was like: "Yeah, I'll come over and we'll do that," and then just out of nowhere, he completely flipped and acted like we were asking too much and being a complete burden.'

The couple had moved into their new home a week prior and had negotiated a lower rent for helping with the remodel

The stunned fiancee turned to her new neighbors to help keep McBeth from fleeing the scene.

'I ran to the neighbors to the right, because I knew them and I knew they had a gun,' she told DailyMail.com.

Unfortunately, the neighbors weren't home and Pohlman had to run across the street for help. Friends of the homeowner were drinking outside before a birthday party.

'I ran across the street and I didn't know them [the people sitting outside]. They were friends of the people who lived there. And they happen to have a gun,' she said.

They ran to help her after hearing 'horrific screaming.'

One neighbor pulled McBeth off Gilland and used Pohlman's phone to call an ambulance, while the other held him at gunpoint until police arrived.

The couple met five years ago and Pohlman said her favorite memory of Gilland was their first date, where he brought her home-baked chocolate chip cookies and a stuffed Pokemon

They met for the first time in-person at an IHop and Pohlman said they fell in love there

'I held his head and I told him "it was going to be okay" and that the ambulance was coming. And that I loved him,' she told Fox 4.

Pohlman told DailyMail.com that she would not be staying in the home, although she did the first night.

'It was horrible,' she told DailyMail.com. 'I thought if I'd go to sleep, I'd wake up to him coming home from work.'

She told DailyMail.com that Gilland had recently gotten a job at Broadridge, a mail processing company in Kansas City, where he worked nights and that she was 'really proud' of him.

However, Pohlman said she couldn't sleep because she 'worried someone was coming to finish the job.'

When DailyMail.com asked if she feared someone would harm her, she said: 'Even the detective told us: "Even though he was behind bars, but we don't know who he knows."'

As far as Pohlman is aware, this is McBeth's first offense, but she believed he'll strike again.

'As unhinged as he was, it won't be the last [time],' she told DailyMail.com.

Pohlman told Fox 4 she remembered Gilland as 'such a sweet, nervous gentleman from the beginning' when they met for the first time five years ago.

She told DailyMail.com that she wants to remember Gilland as he was: bringing her home-baked chocolate chip cookies and a stuffed Pokemon to IHop, where they had their first date and fell in love, and enjoying the meals he cooked.

On the couple's first date, Gilland - who was working at Papa Murphy's pizza place at the time - had taken home cookie dough from work and baked it for her before their first date.

She told DailyMail.com that her fiance wasn't much of a baker, but that he 'loved to cook for her a lot' and fried chicken was his best dish.

'He was a very homestyle cooking kind of guy,' she told DailyMail.com.

Darryl Senior (left) said the event was 'indescribable' and that he was 'proud' of his son. His mother Diane Groves (right) called him 'very gentle, loving, caring' person. Darryl Senior has been calling Prosecutor Robert Sanders to get the charges bumped up to first-degree murder, but hasn't been able to reach him, Pohlman said.

Gilland was also a talented musician and had been in several bands since the age of 14. Pohlman said he wanted to be a musician, but it was the 'wrong place, wrong time.'

Gilland's parents Darryl Gilland Senior and Donna Groves are also distraught over losing their son 'over nothing.'

'[It was] nothing, it was over nothing,' Groves told KCTV 5.

'My son was a very gentle, loving, caring, and would do anything for anybody. He did not deserve this.'

His father Darryl Senior called the event 'indescribable' to KSHB 41, as he barely held back tears.

'It's indescribable. Have you ever had this happen before? I don't know what to say about it,' he said.

'I hear people talking about losing their children...but over 30 times, my son bled to death.

'He was just so full of life, now, and I was just so proud of him, I always told him how proud I was of him.'

Samantha informed Darryl Senior that his son had 'posted about it on Facebook' and told her that his dad was proud of him, Fox 4 reported.

Darryl Senior responded that he felt 'lonely' and 'loved him [his son] very much.'

His mother said he 'wanted to be the man of the house and wanted to take care of her [Samantha].'

The family set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of transporting Darryl's body back to his hometown in Indiana to be buried next to his grandparents, who the family reported was very closed to him.

Pohlman said it would 'hurt' to have her fiance so far away, but that she knew it's 'what he would have wanted.'

Any additional funds will be transferred to Samantha to 'assist in getting her on her feet,' the GoFundMe said.

The GoFundMe page and it has surpassed its $10,000 goal with $11,432 as of October 27.

The family is now asking for the charges to be increased to first-degree murder.

Pohlman told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that Darryl Senior was the one calling prosecutor Robert Sanders demanding the charges be changed to a higher degree, but he can't get a hold of him.

When asked if the bumped up charge would help alleviate her grief, she told DailyMail.com: 'At the very least, it puts him where he belongs and stops him from hurting anyone else.'

Pohlman also hopes McBeth stays in jail.

'If he gets out, he won't live long,' Pohlman told DailyMail.com. 'He better hope he stays in there.'

McBeth is due back in court on November 2.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Sanders for comment.
A Chicago woman was charged for attempting to hire a hitman to take out the new girlfriend of her police officer ex who serves as mayor Lori Lightfoot's bodyguard.

Lissette Ortiz, 56, was sentenced to ten years in prison for trying to hire someone to abduct and kill the woman who was dating her ex-girlfriend Marni Washington, a 17-year Chicago PD veteran and officer assigned to Mayor Lori Lightfoots security detail, the Chicago Sun Times reported.

Ortiz was facing serious charges, including solicitation of murder for hire over the plot which saw her ask for her intended victim - who hasn't been named - to be burned alive in a car.

But after striking a deal with prosecutors the more serious charges were dropped and Ortiz pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of soliciting a kidnapping, the Sun Times reported.

Lissette Ortiz, 56, (pictured) was sentenced to ten years in jail for trying to hire someone to abduct and kill the woman who was dating her ex-girlfriend Marni Washington

Her ex, Marni Washington (pictured) is a 17-year Chicago PD veteran

Ortiz and Washington's relationship came to an end when Ortiz accused the former officer of abusing her.

She claimed that Washington had pinned her down by the arm as she tried to leave their shared home.

But in August 2019 Washington was acquitted of the domestic battery charges and a judge issued an order of protection that barred contact between the two, Chicago Tribune reported.

Months later in November 2019 Ortiz was arrested after she hired an undercover cop she believed was a hitman to kill a woman she thought was Washington's new girlfriend.

The 56-year-old initially sought out her apartment building's handyman to kill the woman, offering him $5,000 or $500 and a new TV or to find her a someone else to do the job.

Washington is a Chicago PD officer assigned to Mayor Lori Lightfoots (pictured) security detail

He immediately contacted police, who told him to go along with her request then give her the name of an undercover cop.

Ortiz met with the undercover police officer in a parking lot where they spoke for an hour.

She told the cop that she wanted him to abduct the woman then drive to a remote location and set the car on fire with the woman inside it.

She told the undercover cop she wanted the murder done before Thanksgiving so that Washington and her partner could not spend the holiday together at the home she once shared with Ortiz.

According to prosecutors in Chicago, Ortiz said she planned on fleeing to Puerto Rico once the other woman was dead.

Ortiz, who was sentenced to 10 years, was given credit for the 697 days she has been jailed and will be eligible for parole in November 2024, the Sun Times reported.
A Colorado man accused of murdering his wife has plans to sue federal, state and local prosecutors and investigators for 'extreme and outrageous conduct' after they allegedly withheld evidence about her disappearance and death.

Barry Morphew, 53, was arrested in May of this year and charged with the murder of his wife, Suzanne, 49, who disappeared on Mother's Day 2020. Her body has never been found.

Barry is represented by the Denver-based law firm Fisher & Byrialsen, P.L.L.C, which plans to file a civil case against 26 individuals associated with the Chaffee Police Department, 11th Judicial District Attorney's Office, the Colorado Bureau of Investigations and the FBI, according to documents ABC 7 acquired from the law firm.

The lawyers claim that investigators intentionally omitted evidence of DNA belonging to an alleged sex offender found in Suzanne Morphew's bike, helmet, car and bedsheets.

They also claim evidence was left out about the dart rifle Barry allegedly used to incapacitate his wife - it was actually inoperable at the time of the murder, lawyers say.

Barry and Suzanne Morphew are pictured together. Barry is accused of murdering Suzanne who vanished Mother's Day 2020

Barry's defense filed a lawsuit against 26 individuals in the investigation and prosecution of the case, alleging they intentionally with held evidence found at the crime scene

The lawsuit claims investigators and prosecutors withheld evidence of DNA from an alleged sex offender found in Suzanne's property. Pictured, FBI and CBI officials at the scene in 2020

In a 131-page letter about the upcoming suit, Barry's attorney's allege that DNA evidence found in Suzanne's car and house matches 'the same profile as a single or multiple individuals across the country involved in sexual assault cases.'

According to the law firm, the Chafee County Deputy District Attorney Jeff Lindsey tracked the evidence to a man in Phoenix, Arizona, but officials failed to follow up after the man refused to cooperate and lawyered up.

The DNA evidence was not brought up during a preliminary hearing on the case and omitted from the affidavit for Barry arrest, the lawyers claimed.

The lawyers also called into question certain details left out from the tranquilizer rifle found at the scene.

Barry has been staying at a luxury Airbnb in nearby Maysville three weeks after posting $500,000 cash bond ahead of his murder trial

The Morphew family home is seen above. Morphew sold the home to new owners in March

Suzanne Morphew went missing in May 2020, and Barry had pleaded for her to come back home through video messages. He thought she could have been attacked by a mountain lion

Investigators had said that while Suzanne was messaging Jeff Libler, a man whom she had an affair with for two years, Barry allegedly shot Suzanne with a tranquilizer gun to knock her out.

Prosecutors claimed that the animal tranquilizer killed Suzanne and that Barry had covered his tracks by disposing of her body - possibly in the remote Garfield Mine.

Barry's defense claims that when investigators found the dart rifle, it was inoperable and had not been used in a long time.

They ultimately allege that this key information was purposely omitted from the arrest affidavit.

Prosecutors and investigators have yet to respond to the lawsuit and its allegations.

Barry was arrested in May 2021 and later released in September on a $500,000 bond.

He has been staying at a $2,000 luxury Airbnb with the company of his girlfriend, Shoshona Darke, 51, as he awaits trial.

Prosecutors are demanding Morphew relocate to his girlfriend's home in Salida that he allegedly pays for. The two-bedroom property is also closer to the Chaffee County Courthouse, where Morphew is due to go on trial in May, and allows for easier GPS tracking according to the prosecution motion

Prosecutors have complained that the Airbnb is much too close to the location of the alleged murder and that of witness and neighbor Jean Ritter, who Barry is banned from contacting.

It was Ritter, 73, who reported Suzanne, 49, missing on May 10, 2020 after being contacted by her daughters Mallory, 21, and Macy, 18, when they were unable to get hold of her to wish her a happy Mother's Day.

Ritter also told cops she had shared a coffee with Suzanne on May 6  three days before she was last seen alive  and that the mom-of-two had seemed cheerful.

After Suzanne vanished, Barry initially claimed his wife could have been taken by a mountain lion and issued a tearful video pleading for her to come home.

But in May, he was arrested and charged with her first degree murder and was told he would face trial following a four-day preliminary hearing.

During the hearing, it emerged that Suzanne had been having a two-year affair with married dad-of-six Libler while Barry had been caught visiting porn site Celebrity Jihad and notorious dating website Ashley Madison.

Prosecutors said the landscaper had murdered his wife using animal tranquilizer.

They also pointed to Morphew's phone being placed in airplane mode repeatedly over the weekend of May 9 and 10 and cited data from his truck which showed he had repeatedly opened and closed the doors in the early hours of May 10.

The prosecution also noted that he had left a Holiday Inn hotel room in Broomfield, Colorado, reeking of chlorine  a development first reported by DailyMail.com in September 2020.
A Minnesota school board chairwoman has stirred outrage after she demanded that parents announce their home address if they want to speak at public meetings - the latest flashpoint in the ongoing battle over the right to question administrators about COVID restrictions, CRT curriculums or any other controversial topics.

Jodi Sapp, the chairwoman of the Mankato school board, opened the meeting on October 18 by telling parents they cannot ask any questions unless they revealed their home address, according to the now viral video.

'Each speaker is asked to state his or her name and home address for the record. Failure to do so will result in an individual not being allowed to speak,' Sapp read aloud.

'Each speaker is allowed three minutes to speak, and the board will alert the speaker when their time is up. Failure to stop speaking (in time) will result in the ability to participate in future open forums.'

John Wicklund, a dad who at first refused to give his personal information before finally having to cave in, asked Sapp: 'Do you consider us terrorists? Like a couple members have said online.'

'Seems like we are, especially with the opening statements.'

The father's question was in reference to a memo sent last week by the National School Boards Association that likened some parents of school children who have protested their child's curriculum to domestic terrorists

The group has since apologized for the letter but not before Attorney General applauded the missive and called for the FBI to investigate such parents.

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Pictured: chairwoman of the Mankato school board Jodi Sapp, who can be seen in the viral video telling a man that he cannot speak unless he announced his home address during an October 18 meeting

Mankato resident John Wicklund, pictured center with cap, was forced to publicly state his home address in order to speak during the school district's open forum on October 18

Wicklund, voiced his objections, but eventually provided his home address after attempting to negate doing so by citing concerns that his home could be targeted for vandalism.

'My name is John Wicklund and I live in Mankato,' he began.

'Could I get your address please, John,' Sapp responded.

'I'd rather not, since I get so much property damage and eggs and everything else from... fun people and their friends.'

'John you need to give your address,' she repeated.

'I live on 5th Street,' he reluctantly said, before being allowed to ask questions.

'How many acts of violence (have occurred on school grounds)? How many sexual assaults have happened in this school district?'

'You can say the (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) are making you do this, but the government knows better.'

Sapp did not answer the dad in the video, giving him a curt 'thank you, that's the end of the open forum'.

The open forum's policy change came after the school board's October 4 meeting, where a number of parents criticized the school district mask's mandate and vaccination policies, causing audience members to loudly applaud the community speakers.

School board meetings nationwide have become the battleground for parents and district officials in recent months, with many parents using the board meetings to protest the teaching of critical race theory and other controversial educational topics.

The Mankato meeting remained civil despite the testy moment between Sapp and Wicklund, however outrage did spill over onto social media after the video of their exchange went viral.

'John you need to give your address,' Sapp told the man. 'I live on 5th Street,' Wicklund reluctantly replied

The open forum's policy change came after the school board's October 4 meeting, where a number of parents criticized the school district mask's mandate and vaccination policies

'Time for the people of Mankato to remove all of the fascist school board members' one person tweeted.

'Payback is a b**** , right fascist Mankato MN school board dictator Jodi Sapp? You forced a parent to reveal their address so they could be doxxed & harassed. Hopefully people feel free to contact you now too,' another wrote.

'Looks like Mankato School Board needs a house cleaning. They forget that they work for the people of Mankato. I would suggest they start their house cleaning with that Jodi person,' a third person tweeted.

'In what universe is it okay to treat parents this way?! The school board works for the parents, not the other way around. Mankato parents need to start a recall petition for any school board member who support this kind of treatment of parents,' another critic of the school board wrote.

'None of the Board members list their home addresses on the Meet the Board site,' one person tweeted, while providing a link to the website.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, Garland defended his memo which responded to threats aimed at school officials, while pushing back on criticism from Senate Republicans at a Judiciary Committee hearing.

The memo, Garland said, 'responds to concerns about violence, threats of violence, other criminal conduct.'

'Looks like Mankato School Board needs a house cleaning. They forget that they work for the people of Mankato. I would suggest they start their house cleaning with that Jodi person'

'Payback is a b**** , right fascist Mankato MN school board dictator Jodi Sapp? You forced a parent to reveal their address so they could be doxxed & harassed' one person tweeted

'Time for the people of Mankata to remove all of the fascist school board members' another tweeted

'None of the Board members list their home addresses on the Meet the Board site,' a third wrote

'In what universe is it okay to treat parents this way?! The school board works for the parents, not the other way around,' another person tweeted

'That's all it's about, and all it asks, is for federal law enforcement to consult with, meet with local law enforcement to assess the circumstances, strategize about what may or may not be necessary to provide federal assistance, if it is necessary,' Garland said in response to a question from Republican Senator Chuck Grassley.

Grassley's fellow Republican Senator Tom Cotton tore into Garland during testimony, telling him to 'resign in disgrace.'

'Thank God you are not on the Supreme Court,' the Arkansas Republican said, bringing up the touchy subject of Garland's failed confirmation to the high court in 2016. President Obama appointed him and then-Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked his confirmation because it was an election year.

'You should resign in disgrace,' Cotton told Garland.

The senator was questioning Garland over a directive the Justice Department issued earlier this month promising more law enforcement resources for schools amid a rise in tensions and threats at school board meetings over matters like critical race theory, coronavirus precautions and transgender bathroom policies.

Cotton asked about a Loudoun County father who was dragged out of a school board meeting and arrested as he tried to tell the room his 15-year-old daughter had been raped by a boy dressed in a skirt at Stone Bridge High School in the girls' bathroom.

Scott Smith says Loudoun County schools went out of their way to protect the child - 'a sexual predator'. The school, which Smith accused of covering up the incident to protect its new policy allowing students to use the bathroom they identify with, still has not commented.

The incident reportedly took place on May 28 and Scott was arrested on June 22.

Two months after the incident, the boy - who has not been named because he is a juvenile - was arrested for forced sodomy.
Democrats' proposal for a new billionaire's tax to pay for Joe Biden's Build Back Better agenda has hit a stumbling block just hours after the proposal was rolled out Wednesday.

It was introduced by Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore) earlier today.

Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said on Capitol Hill the tax is 'out of the Biden plan', according to Bloomberg.

Wyden reportedly bristled at the statement.

'Last time I looked, the United States Senate has a say too. Were continuing to work with members,' Wyden said according to Business Insider.

It's the latest in a series of intra-party divides being played out on the public stage as Democrats desperately try to hammer out a deal on Biden's multi-trillion dollar spending initiatives this week.

The proposed tax would have hit the gains of those with more than $1 billion in assets or incomes of more than $100 million a year and will provide funding for the president's sweeping $2 trillion social reform and climate change spending bill.

Upon releasing the plan Wyden estimated it would affect 700 of America's most wealthy taxpayers and bring in as much as $250 billion.

Republicans criticized the billionaires' tax as a 'harebrained scheme,' and some have suggested it would face a legal challenge.

House Ways and Means Committee Chair Rep. Richard Neal (left) said Senator Ron Wyden's (right) billionaire tax was out of Biden's economic plans, but Neal disputed that moments later

Even some Democrats voiced concerns - Neal said earlier that he told Wyden the billionaires' tax may be more difficult to implement than the route his panel took in simply raising rates on corporations and the wealthy.

He told reported this afternoon, 'I think it's unlikely to come up [in the House] if it can't pass in the Senate.'

'There's a lot of angst in there over the billionaire's tax, and that wasn't prompted by anybody other than the issue.'

Senator Mark Warner of Virginia told Huffington Post that he feared the tax could 'disrupt markets.'

'The devil's in the details,' Warner said.

Billionaire's Tax: Quick Facts Affects people making more than $100M annually or own more than $1 billion in assets for 3 or more years

When selling tangible assets like real estate or a business, they would pay a 'deferral recapture amount' in interest on top of their usual tax

It's estimated the tax will raise $250 billion over 10 years

Architects of the billionaires tax say it will affect roughly 700 people

Marked to market: Billionaires would pay taxes on tradable assets like stocks if they increase in value year-over, rather than just a capital gains tax once sold Advertisement

The plan finally folded six hours after being announced when moderate Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), one of two members of the president's party in the upper house who have been roadblocks to Biden's ambitious social reform and climate change plans, voiced concerns.

Manchin said on Wednesday that he 'didn't like' the billionaire's tax.

'I dont like it. I don't like the connotation that we're targeting different people, as people that basically, they contributed to society and create a lot of jobs and a lot of money and give a lot to philanthropic pursuits,' Manchin told CNN.

He added, 'but it's time that we all pull together and grow together.'

Earlier reports stated Manchin was in favor of the new tax plan after meeting with Biden and fellow Senate holdout Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz) late on Tuesday.

Wyden disputed reports that members of the Senate were jumping ship.

'Not a single senator has come close to saying, "I think its OK that billionaires continue to pay little or nothing in taxes for years on end",' he said.

The Oregon lawmaker claimed senators were sending staff out on Wednesday night to attend his committee's briefing on how the tax would work.

Instead of Wyden's proposal, Neal said the House and Senate are discussing the possibility of a 3 percent surtax in addition to the existing income rate for Americans making more than $10 million annually.

Neal's public rejection of the plan comes despite White House support for the measure, signaling the breadth of Democrats' disagreements over Biden's Build Back Better agenda.

An infrastructure bill aimed at overhauling federal spending priorities and giving more money toward environmental initiatives, family care and education among other things had its price tag slashed from $3.5 trillion to just $2 trillion at most.

Manchin and Sinema have fueled much of the gridlock so far.

Manchin said the billionaire's tax was a 'convoluted' way to pay for Biden's plan on Wednesday.

A tax policy expert told DailyMail.com that the billionaire's tax is 'a horrendously bad idea for a lot of reasons.'

David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, believes that Democrats' plan can't exist in the current US tax system.

'First of all, we don't tax wealth in this country, we tax income, and we're going to have to change our tax system to accommodate this new billionaire's tax, and it's probably not going to raise the revenue that Congress thinks it's going to raise,' Williams said.

He also said the ultra-wealthy could take steps to avoid the tax the same way they exploit existing tax loopholes - adding that they could even leave the country to do so.

'Billionaires are good at two things: One, making money and two, avoiding taxes,' he said. 'They will find loopholes - they will find ways, whether it's to invest in trust funds or other assets that don't appreciate value to avoid paying this wealth tax.'

Democrats are hoping to pass their sweeping spending bills before Biden heads to Europe on Thursday

'Another potential is that the billionaires will leave the country and avoid the taxes completely. And that's the biggest concern, because if you're a billionaire and you're all of a sudden being hit with a wealth tax, you are going to go somewhere else, set up shop and add to their tax base, and take away money from the US's taxes.'

Further issues with the proposed tax involve its constitutionality.

Democrats' billionaires tax could face legal challenges The billionaire's tax plan involves paying penalties on wealth and unrealized gains - or assets that have gone up in value but haven't been sold for profit, as well as a tax on people whose wealth crosses $1 billion. Those could be considered 'direct taxes,' which the Supreme Court broadly defined in 1895 as fees on 'real property' like land and buildings as well as 'personal property' such as financial assets, stocks, bonds. Direct taxes are apportioned to each state according to its population. If a wealth tax raises taxes on a billionaire in California, the revenue must be apportioned across each state's direct taxes. That could leave poorer states with fewer rich residents in financial strain as the amount of money in their allotted share increases. The 16th Amendment to the Constitution carves out an exemption for income taxes. Billionaires fighting the tax in court could claim that taxes on unrealized gains and penalties on crossing the $1B wealth threshold do not count as income taxes. Advertisement

Neal, as well as lawmakers on Republicans' side of the aisle, have questioned whether the new tax could pass constitutional muster.

The US Constitution mandates that each state must pay 'direct taxes' - in other words, taxes imposed on a person or organization rather than on goods and services bought or sold - proportional to its population.

If the billionaire's tax is classified as a direct tax, redistributing how much money comes from each state and potentially raising that threshold on states that have no billionaires and couldn't afford it, it would be impossible for those states to meet the heightened tax requirement.

A Washington Post op-ed uses the example of Alabama. Because 1.5 percent of the US population is from Alabama, 1.5 percent of direct tax revenue would need to come from there as well. But if states where billionaire's live begin handing in larger shares, the proportional amount the relatively poorer state, with no billionaire residents, would pay rises as well.

A 1895 Supreme Court case ruled that 'direct taxes' include physical property like lands and buildings, financial assets like stocks and bonds, and that those would be subject to states' apportionment.

The 16th Amendment carved out an exception for income taxes, which do not factor into the states' tax amounts.

But since the billionaire's tax is at least partly based on wealth defined by physical property and financial assets, it could feasibly be considered a direct tax that raises the national apportionment and puts a strain on lower-income states with few or no billionaires.

And taxing gains in the stock market or other financial assets before they're sold for profit could fall outside the 16th Amendment's purview of 'income.'

Williams said the Constitution's direct tax clause will be what foils the billionaire's tax.

'That's why the income tax had to be an amendment to the Constitution, because of the way it's dolled out to the states,' he said.

'In addition to the constitutional problem, people are missing the bigger issue here. because wealth does not equal income, and what one person's wealth is today may not be tomorrow or next month.'

Andrew Moylan, executive vice president of the National Taxpayer's Union Foundation, said the plan was 'structurally problematic and constitutionally questionable.'

'As a result of political division within their own conference, Democrats have had to resort to crafting entirely new, novel structures -tax structures - very quickly, and there are hundreds and hundreds of detailed questions and concerns that tax policy experts have,' he said.

He added that the retroactive collection of taxes Democrats want would also likely see a court challenge.

'The way that the bill is written now, it would apply - your Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, however - it would apply to gains accrued up until now. And so somebody like Jeff Bezos is going to have to write a $40 billion check or something in the first year of this - so that leads to another element of legal questions to see whether Congress can retroactively impose a tax burden like this,' Moylan explained.
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The Duchess of Cornwall delivered a deeply impassioned speech on violence against women last night.

Highlighting the brutal deaths of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa among others, Camilla said a 'culture of silence' and feelings of shame led many women to conceal their abuse.

And she demanded: 'How many more women must be harassed, raped or murdered?'

The duchess also said it was crucial for women 'to get the men in our lives involved in this movement'.

She explained that without the whole of society taking the issue seriously, violence against women would continue to be 'just one of those things, part and parcel of being born female'.

The Prime Minister's wife, Carrie Johnson, 33, was in the audience at last night's event. She arrived at the Wellcome Trust in London ten minutes before the duchess and could be seen practising her curtsy before the royal arrived.

As Camilla walked in, elegant in a black dress and Women of the World (WOW) Foundation badge, she made a beeline for the Prime Minister's wife. She looked and gestured to pregnant Mrs Johnson's bump and said: 'How's this coming along?' Mrs Johnson then laughed.

Royal aides said the duchess had personally invited the mother-to-be to the reception.

During her speech, Camilla said: 'We do not, in any way, hold all men responsible for sexual violence. But we do need them all on board to tackle it. After all, rapists are not born, they are constructed.

'And it takes an entire community  male and female  to dismantle the lies, words and actions that foster a culture in which sexual assault is seen as normal, and in which it shames the victim.'

The duchess made her speech hours after Couzens lodged an official appeal against the whole-life tariff handed to him in September for Ms Everard's rape and murder in March.

The Duchess of Cornwall tonight asked how many women will be 'harassed, raped or murdered' as she highlighted in a major speech the brutal deaths of Sarah Everard, Sabina Nessa and others in recent months. The 74-year-old was speaking at a reception at the Welcome Trust in London to launch the Shameless! Festival, a collaboration between Women of the World (WOW) Foundation and Birbeck's SHaME project. Among the listeners was Carrie Johnson, the wife of the Prime Minister

Camilla highlighted the brutal murders of women including Ms Everard (left) and Ms Nessa in recent months as she spoke at a reception in London to launch the Shameless! Festival, a collaboration between Women of the World (WOW) Foundation and Birbeck's SHaME project

The 74-year-old royal was speaking at a reception to launch the Shameless! Festival.

The festival, which will take place next month, will bring together activism and art to confront and change attitudes towards sexual violence.

Camilla has made the issue of sexual and domestic abuse against women a cornerstone of her public work since her early days as a member of the Royal Family.

She even devised an initiative to provide rape victims with free wash bags containing essential toiletries to use after invasive forensic examinations.

During her speech, Camilla referenced several female victims of violent crime including Sarah Everard  murdered by serving police officer Wayne Couzens; Sabina Nessa  the primary school teacher killed minutes from home; Geetika Goyal  who was stabbed to death by her husband; Wenjing Lin  a schoolgirl found dead at home with a man due to stand trial for murder next month; and Bennylyn Burke  a mother who was stabbed and beaten to death.

The duchess said: 'This country has been appalled and saddened by the loss of women to violence this year...

'Each one of these women endured unimaginable torment  and their loved ones who are left behind continue to suffer in the wake of their deaths.

'On September 30, Sarah Everard's mother stood before her daughter's killer to give her searing victim impact statement.

'I know that all of you here today join me in paying tribute to all these precious lives that have been brutally ended, and in renewing our commitment to do everything we can to bring about the end of violence against women.'

Speaking of the recent deaths which have shocked Britons, she said: 'This country has been appalled and saddened by the loss of women to violence this year. 'On average, one women is killed by a man every three days. Sarah Everard, Sabina Nessa, Wenjing Lin, Geetika Goyal and Bennylyn Burke are names which, with all the others, must never be forgotten'

Ms Johnson arrived at the Wellcome Trust in London ten minutes before the duchess and could be seen practicing her curtesy before she arrived

Royal aides said the duchess had personally invited Carrie, who is expecting her second child later this year, to the reception

Shameless! Festival will be a collaboration between WOW and the Sexual Harms and Medical Encounters (SHaME) project at Birkbeck, University of London.

Last night Camilla referred to a visit to WOW's own festival shortly before the first lockdown last year, where its founder, Jude Kelly, asked her audience to put up their hands if they could imagine a world in which violence against women did not exist.

Camilla recalled: 'The reaction was mixed. Some hands flew up, some remained firmly planted in laps, most of us glanced at each other, rather taken aback.

'Dared we even dream of a world without rape and sexual abuse? Or were we too indoctrinated into believing that violence against women is normal, just 'one of those things', part and parcel of being born female?'

Turning to the 'immense' challenges facing the country over this issue, the duchess highlighted The Crime Survey for England and Wales which shows that 144,000 women were victims of rape or attempted rape in the last year, equating to roughly 16 of the most serious sexual offences every hour.

The duchess also said the problem extended to sexual harassment more generally.

She said: 'On the same day that Wayne Couzens was arrested, a survey was published stating that 86 per cent of young women in the UK have been sexually harassed in a public space,' she said.

'This included women who had been followed and coerced into sexual activity - all while in a public space. Even more shockingly, of these young women, 96 per cent did not report the incidents.

As Camilla walked in, elegant in a back dress and WOW badge, she made a beeline for the Prime Minister's wife. 'Hello Carrie, very nice to see you,' the duchess smiled

She then looked and gestured to pregnant Mrs Johnson's bump and said: 'How's this coming along?'

The pair also exchanged kisses as they greeted each other before Camilla gave her powerful speech

'It is, as almost all women know, a deeply disturbing experience to be sexually harassed. Yet somehow, a culture of silence has grown up, in which women conceal their experiences of such offences. Why?

'There are, of course, many explanations. But there is one significant reason on which we are focussing today. Shame.

'Shame is one of the most powerful emotions felt after a sexual violation.

'The victim feels invaded and dirty; weakened by having been put in a position of helplessness by someone stronger - possibly by someone whom she previously trusted.

'Often, this sense of shame causes the victim to blame herself, mistakenly take responsibility for the crime, and want to hide away from others.

'And yet she has done nothing wrong.' But in a hopeful note Camilla said there was still 'hope' that a world free from violence against women could be created.

'And she urged other women to support survivors to be 'shame-less' and not to take on 'misplaced feelings of stigma'.

'Through speaking up about our experiences, we break the wall of silence that allows perpetrators to go unpunished; and increases the feeling of isolation that so many survivors describe,' she said.

People gathering to lay flowers and pay their respects at the vigil held for Ms Everard on Clapham Common shortly after her murder in March

Ms Goyal (left) was stabbed to death in Leicester; schoolgirl Ms Lyn was stabbed at her family's takeaway restaurant in South Wales and Ms Burke was killed along with her daughter in Dundee

She concluded by calling women across the country to get their husbands, boyfriends, fathers and brothers to take up the cause.

'So let us all leave here today and try and get the men in our lives to participate in building a 'shame-less' society,' she said.

'Because how many more women must be harassed, raped or murdered before we truly unite to forge a violence-free world?'

Ms Burke was killed along with her daughter in Dundee

When Camilla arrived for the event in an elegant in a back dress and WOW badge, she made a beeline for the Prime Minister's wife.

'Hello Carrie, very nice to see you,' the duchess smiled.

She then looked and gestured to pregnant Mrs Johnson's bump and said: 'How's this coming along?'

Mrs Johnson giggled but her reply couldn't be heard.

Royal aides said the duchess had personally invited Carrie, who is expecting her second child later this year, to the reception.

At the start of the event, Camilla took to the stage alongside the CEO of WOW, Jude Kelly, and former Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, now chair of the Wellcome Trust.

She had the audience - and Carrie Johnstone in stitches - as she thanked Mrs Johnstone for attending and joked that she felt she should call her The First Lady.

When Mrs Johnston laughed - so hard that she knocked an empty wine glass over - Mrs Gillard jokingly apologised and said that in Australia they have a 'First Bloke'.

'Thank you very much for that,' Mrs Johnson smiled.
President Joe Biden supports a Senate Democratic plan to tax billionaires, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday  although she stopped short of saying whether the major revenue-raiser would even be in a final reconciliation bill.

Psaki made the decision shortly before a report that House Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Richard Neal said negotiators had dropped the idea. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden chimed in with his own view: 'Last time I looked, the United States Senate has a say, too. Were continuing to work with members,' he said, Business Insider reported.

She also vouched for the legality of the proposal for the government to get at the vast fortunes amassed by about 700 people  whose wealth resides in huge stock holdings they have sometimes held for decades.

President Joe Biden supports a Senate Democratic plan to tax billionaires, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday  although it was unclear if it is part of a Build Back Better package being negotiated

'We're not going to support anything we don't think is legal. But I will tell you the president supports the billionaire's tax. He looks forward to working with Congress and Wyden to make sure the highest income Americans pay their fair share,' she said.

Psaki talked up the proposal after a group senators announced agreement on it  with even cryptic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) announcing her approval.

Negotiators desperate for revenue to assemble Biden's 'Build Back Better' plan turned to the billionaire's tax after Sinema weighed in against other more traditional tax hikes: raising the top corporate rate, raising the top income tax rate, and other measures.

'The president remains open to going up to the Hill. We haven't made a decision to do that and we are making decisions hour-by-hour on what would be most constructive to move things forward,' she said.

Biden met with Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin in the Oval Office Tuesday, Psaki said.

Negotiators need to find revenue sources after Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) reportedly came out against corporate and individual rate hikes

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., left, and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., board an elevator as they leave a meeting, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington

President Joe Biden heads to Rome Thursday

She said negotiators 'continue to make progress on finalizing details'  with top administration aides in the Capitol Wednesday.

Her comments came as Sen. Majority Leader Charles Schumer of New York said a deal was 'within arm's length'  but Manchin spoke critically of the billionaire's tax and instead called for a 'patriotic' tax of 15 per cent.

Elon Musk

Psaki did not say for certain which revenue raisers would be in the bill. The billionaire's tax, meant to get at assets held by billionaire investors who don't take much ordinary income or sell many shares that get taxed, could bring in about $250 billion over a decade.

It has backing from Wyden, the Senate Finance Committee chair.

She said the package would be a 'historic investment'  although negotiators are reportedly looking at $1.5 to $1.75 trillion, down from a $3.5 trillion proposal in the budget resolution.

Psaki characterized negotiations as being about 'nitty gritty details.'

'But it's only 1:30, we've got some time,' she said Wednesday afternoon. The idea has been criticized by billionaire Elon Musk.

'I anticipate that any new unrealized capital gains taxes will slowly make their way down to middle class retirement investments over the next several years. It will start with billionaires, then eventually millionaires, then the modest investments will get hit possibly within a decade,' he wrote Monday.

Biden is set to fly to Rome on Thursday morning.
A New York state trooper has been charged in the death of an 11-year-old Brooklyn girl after he allegedly used his police cruiser to intentionally ram into her family's SUV.

Christopher Baldner was indicted on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and reckless endangerment in Ulster County Court Wednesday for the December 2020 crash that killed Monica Goods, 11.

According to the indictment, the Goods family was traveling in a Dodge Journey, driven by father Tristan Goods, on the New York State Thruway - near mile marker 92 - on December 22 when Baldner pulled the vehicle over for speeding.

Tristan claims an argument broke out, Baldner lost his temper, and released pepper spray into the vehicle.

The husband and father of two, who said he feared for his life, sped off, prompting a pursuit that ended when Baldner rammed his cruiser into the rear of the family's SUV twice. The second strike caused the car to hit a guard rail, flip over several times and eject Monica from her seat - killing her - before coming to a rest upside down.

A New York state trooper has been charged in the death of Monica Goods, an 11-year-old from Brooklyn, after he allegedly used his police cruiser to intentionally ram into her family's SUV

'Police officers are entrusted to protect and serve, but Trooper Baldner allegedly violated that trust when he used his car as a deadly weapon and killed a young girl,' New York Attorney General Letitia James said.

'While nothing will bring Monica back, we must hold law enforcement to the highest standards, which is why my office is committed to seeking justice in this case.'

Baldner was arraigned Wednesday and taken into custody. His bail hearing is set for Thursday, November 4.

If convicted, he could face a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

The indictment comes after New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order last week authorizing James to investigate and potentially prosecute Baldner.

He is accused in two other incidents in which he allegedly rammed his cruiser into other vehicles.

Trooper Christopher Baldner is accused of intentionally ramming into a vehicle driven by Monica's father, causing the car to strike a guard rail and flip over, killing her (Pictured: Monica's coffin from her January 2021 funeral)

The first reportedly occurred in January 2017 and involved one another individual. The second took place in September 2019, endangering the lives of the driver and their two passengers.

Both non-fatal crashes occurred on the New York State Thruway in Ulster County.

Meanwhile, Monica's mother, Michelle Surrency, has filed a lawsuit against the state alleging 'reckless negligence'.

'This is an important step in the march for justice for the wrongful death of a beautiful young girl and the psychological injuries sustained by her sister,' lawyer Sanford Rubenstein, who represents Surrency, told the Daily News in wake of Baldner's indictment.

The suit also claims Monica's sister, Tristina, 12, who was also in the vehicle at the time of the crash, was questioned by police without a parent present.

The family says Tristina endured physical pain from the accident, as well as emotional trauma after watching her sister die.

The Goods family (relatives pictured at her funeral) has also filed a lawsuit against the state, alleging 'reckless negligence'

The family lawyer said Baldner's indictment was 'an important step in the march for justice for the wrongful death of a beautiful young girl'

At her funeral in January, the community rallied behind the Goods family in their effort to get justice for Monica.

'The police, state trooper, decided to use excessive force by rear-ending the vehicle twice, causing her demise,' Rev. Kevin McCall told News 12 at the time.

'It is very sad that a mother has the bear pain of burying a child. She was a lovely 11-year-old, an average kid that loved play video games and dancing on TikTok.'

A GoFundMe account has been established to help the family during this difficult time. There is also a Justice for Monica Goods Facebook page where interested parties can follow the family's journey.
Police desperately searching for Cleo Smith have returned to the campsite the little girl went missing from to gather more evidence as Federal Police join the hunt.

Officers involved in search efforts are focusing their attention on the campsite amid police fears the four-year-old girl was abducted and taken elsewhere.

It's understood police from Taskforce Rodia took ash samples from several burnt-out campfires near shacks along the beachfront on Wednesday.

Detective Superintendent Rod Wilde arrived at the Blowholes Campsite near Carnarvon last night to join almost 100 officers on the ground.

The Australian Federal Police have also joined the suspected abduction case to boost search efforts with advanced technology, intelligence and forensics abilities.

Police desperately searching for Cleo Smith (pictured) have returned to the campsite the little girl went missing from to gather more evidence as the AFP joins the hunt

It's understood police from Taskforce Rodia took ash samples from several burnt-out campfires near shacks along the beachfront

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews confirmed the AFP's involvement in the hunt for little Cleo in Parliament on Wednesday.

'Australians can be certain that we will continue to equip our law enforcement and intelligence agencies with the tools and the resources that they need to combat this very serious crime - and especially crimes against children,' Ms Andrews said.

Her comments come as bounty hunters and private investigators have swarmed to the Gascoyne town to offer their services.

Civilian investigators have been sending locals messages over social media with one man chartering a helicopter to search an area hundreds of kilometres from the town, the West Australian reports.

However when approached by the publication, the man denied he was a bounty hunter and was instead surveying for 'oil' and 'gas' deposits.

Police scoured Cleo's family home for the third time on Wednesday as part of 'routine practices' to eliminate all possibilities.

Police scoured Cleo's family home for the third time on Wednesday as part of 'routine practices' to eliminate all possibilities (pictured, the family)

Little Cleo Smith and her step father Jake Gliddon, who has 'raised her as his own' are pictured together

The heartbroken step father of Cleo Smith (pictured in a green singlet and sunglasses) has returned to the family's home for the first time since his little girl vanished from Blowholes campsite in Western Australia 11 days ago

Forensics officers and detectives had spent most of Tuesday searching the home and left with two bags of evidence, although their contents remain unclear.

Acting WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the search of the family home was 'standard practice' and did not indicate they were suspects in Cleo's disappearance.

'The parents have been nothing but helpful. We've worked very closely with them, they've let us into their home, they've let us into their cars, their phones, everything,' Mr Blanch told 6PR.

'That is a normal part of an investigation and we must follow it thoroughly.

'Our job is to eliminate everyone that was at that campsite, and that is a systematic and thorough approach in doing so in any investigation. And that really is the focus of the investigation at the moment.'

Officers are also looking into CCTV of a car that was seen driving down a highway near the Blowholes campsite in the time window Cleo disappeared in.

The footage was taken from a home on the North West Coastal Highway, which reportedly shows a sedan travelling down the road at about 3am.

Ellie Smith and her partner Jake Gliddon have

A distressed mother revealed her daughter was approached by 'a man in his late 40s with a beard driving a small red car' while they were camping at the popular holiday spot

Two people on their way to work had earlier told police they saw a car turning south off Blowholes Road at about 3am on the day Cleo vanished.

Police are now working to identify the driver and registration plates to determine whether the car seen in the footage is the same one in the reports, 7News reports.

Meanwhile, the attempted abduction of a child several years ago at the Blowholes campsite heightened fears a kidnapper could be operating in the region.

A newly resurfaced social media post reveals a girl was approached by 'a man in his late 40s with a beard driving a small red car' at the popular holiday spot in 2014.

The girl's distressed mother lodged a complaint with police at the time, warning the man asked her daughter to 'go for a drive in his car' but she refused and ran back to her family.

In the attempted abduction from 2014, the little girl wasn't able to provide a thorough description of the man's appearance, and it appears nothing ever came of the police report.

Detectives are now looking into footage taken from a home on the North West Coastal Highway, near the Blowholes campsite, which reportedly shows a sedan travelling down the road at about 3am

But she shared the post publicly hoping to warn other parents who might bring their children to the area, adding it would be a 'good time to remind our precious ones of stranger danger'.

There are now concerns within the local community that Cleo's disappearance could be linked to the incident.

Since the post was initially unearthed, several people have reported it to Crime Stoppers, hopeful any potential links will be thoroughly investigated.

Mr Blanch said while they were keeping 'open minded' about Cleo's disappearance, the 'highest probability' was that she had been abducted.

The four-year-old hasn't been seen since the early hours of Saturday morning October 16 at the Blowholes campsite near Carnarvon.

Cleo was last seen at 1:30am by her parents alongside her mother Ellie, stepfather and baby sister Isla (right) on their first camping trip together when s

Ms Smith (pictured) urged anyone with information on the missing toddler to call police because 'we want our daughter back and she wants us'

The four-year-old girl's teary-eyed mother Ellie Smith told a TV interview on Monday that the couple had hardly been back to the house, finding it too agonising to return without their daughter.

The little girl in pink pyjamas was sleeping in a tent alongside her mother Ellie, stepfather and baby sister Isla on their first camping trip together.

She was last seen by her parents at 1.30am on October 16 when she woke up to ask for a drink of water.

But by 6.30am when her parents woke up, little Cleo along with her red and grey sleeping bag had vanished.

A massive land, sea and air search has continued for almost two weeks but there is still no signs of the pre-schooler and detectives have no firm suspects.

To flush out information the WA government last week announced a $1million reward for any information that can lead to Cleo's whereabouts.

Cleo's heartbroken mother asked the question on the entire nation's lips in a desperate plea for answers she posted to social media last week

Immense scrutiny has followed Ms Smith and her partner Mr Gliddon since their nightmare ordeal began, with hoards of online sleuths and 'amateur detectives' pointing the finger at them.

The devastated couple vehemently on Monday night denied any involvement in Cleo's disappearance and made a heartfelt plea to bring her home.

Ms Smith urged anyone with information on the missing toddler to call police because 'we want our daughter back and she wants us'.

Wiping away tears, she also had a message for Cleo's abductor: 'Just give her back to us,' she said on Channel Seven's Flashpoint program.

Ms Smith on Tuesday said she was overwhelmed by the generosity of Australians who donated to a Gofundme page set up by a family friend.
Nevada, home to legalized gambling and even prostitution, is cracking down on whips after the Reno City Council banned the possession and use of the Western staple because too many 911 callers have mistaken its distinctive sound for gunfire.

Whips are a part of daily life in many rural areas where ranchers and livestock operators use the sharp 'crack' produced when the whip's tip breaks the speed of sound to scare and direct or herd animals.

Police recommended banning their use downtown because the sound resembles that of shots being fired from a firearm, Reno Police Chief Jason Soto said. He said they're also being used in public areas for fights and intimidation.

'We just realized it was a growing complaint we were getting. We started to see calls that were being escalated and becoming more violent,' Soto said earlier. 'There's a time and a place for a lot of different types of activities. I think being in the middle of a group of people is probably not the best time.'

The council in Reno, famed as the Biggest Little City in the World, voted 6-1 to approve the new ordinance two weeks ago on October 13th.

Carrying a whip in the city's downtown without government permission is now a misdemeanor

Reno, Nevada, has outlawed the use of whips in the downtown area since beginning of October after an increasing number of 911 calls by people mistaking the periodic snaps and cracks of whips for gunshots

The black outline in map of Reno shows the downtown area where whips are now considered to be unlawful unless you have a permit

Councilwoman Jenny Brekhus cast the only 'no' vote. She said she wants the ordinance applied city-wide and expressed concern that the ban targets certain demographics, the Reno Gazette Journal reported.

Lily Baran spoke against the ordinance earlier on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union. She said that the homeless community is known for using whips for self-defense and that the ordinance will 'perpetuate the criminalization of the unhoused.'

She added that she wished city council members would spend more time discussing and evaluating community care rather than enforcing laws that displace homeless people.

City attorney Karl Hall explained on Wednesday that the ordinance is restricted to the downtown area because complaints to the police were concentrated in that area.

He added that there may be areas outside of downtown where whips may be useful. He said that those who have a legitimate use for a whip downtown can receive a permit.

Reno's new whip ban is certainly unusual, but it's not unique. Kaua'i County, Hawaii, passed a similar ban in 2018.

Complaints about whips have nearly doubled since the beginning of 2020, police said. They received 63 calls for service involving the use of whips from January 2019 to September 2019.

The number grew to 103 from January 2020 to September 2020 and the department has received 176 whip-related calls since then, the city's staff report said.

Anthony Muniz 19, was arrested and charged after hitting a victim with a whip and pulling a gun on the victim in June

The latest whip-related attack was in June, when a man was taken into custody after hitting a victim with a whip and pulling a gun on the victim, Reno Police Department said.

Officers said 19-year-old Anthony Muniz was in an argument with the victim when Muniz hit the victim with a whip near the Virginia Street Plaza around 9.00p.m.

The victim attempted to take the whip when officials say Muniz pulled a gun and threatened the victim. Investigators say the gun was a pellet gun. Muniz was then arrested for battery with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon and carrying and concealing a weapon.

The new ordinance will state that it is illegal for anyone to possess, carry or use a whip in the downtown corridor without a permit.

It also states that it is illegal for anyone to crack a whip to 'injure, annoy, interfere with, or endanger the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others' within city limits. It doesn't apply to private property.
Former President Donald Trump wrote a letter to the editor to The Wall Street Journal to complain that a newspaper editorial didn't say the 2020 presidential election was 'rigged.'

In a letter published by The Journal on Wednesday, Trump took offense that a WSJ editorial backing Pennsylvania Republican state Supreme Court nominee Judge Kevin Brobson said that now President Joe Biden 'won the state by 80,555.'

'Well actually, the election was rigged, which you, unfortunately, still haven't figured out,' Trump told The Journal.

Former President Donald Trump wrote a letter to the editor of The Wall Street Journal, which the newspaper published Wednesday, complaining that the outlet didn't agree with him that the presidential election was 'rigged'

On Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal revealed that former President Donald Trump had written the newspaper a letter to the editor

The letter was signed Donald J. Trump from Palm Beach, Fla., the community where the ex-president moved after leaving office in January

The ex-president laid out a number of conspiracy theories that are part of the so-called 'big lie' including that the Keystone State processed '10,515 mail-in votes from people who do not exist on the Pennsylvania voter rolls at all.'

Trump also accused his Attorney General BIll Barr of pressuring U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain not to investigate election irregularities.

'And so much more! This is why Democrats and the Fake News Media do not want a full forensic audit in Pennsylvania. In reality, 80,555 ballots are nothing when there is this much corruption or voter irregularities,' Trump concluded.

Overall, Trump listed 20 bullet points to make his argument.

The letter was signed by a 'Donald J. Trump' of Palm Beach, Florida - where the ex-president relocated after leaving Washington.

The WSJ's Editorial Board penned an op-ed Sunday endorsing Brobson, saying that while he wouldn't upset the balance of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which tilts Democratic, his election would send a message from voters that they disapprove of judges 'who rewrite black letter election law.'

The Journal lambasted the Pennsylvania Democratic-leaning state Supreme Court saying justices 'conjured a COVID-19 exception' to allow mail-in ballots come in three days after election day.

'State law clearly says mail ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day,' the op-ed noted.

The Editorial Board warned that the presidential election could have been thrown to the Supreme Court, yet again, had voting been tighter in Pennsylvania.

'This didn't matter because Mr. Biden won the state by 80,555, but the country is lucky the election wasn't closer,' the opinion piece read.

To Trump, however, the dig did matter, prompting him to write the letter.
The CEO of Delta Air Lines expects an 'onslaught of travel all at once' in less than two weeks, when the US government will lift COVID-19 restrictions on travelers from 33 countries who show proof of vaccination.

'There will be lines, unfortunately,' said Delta head Ed Bastian at a travel conference hosted by the US Travel Association on Tuesday, adding that things are going to be 'a bit sloppy at first.'

On November 8, non-US citizen travelers from 33 countries - including the UK, India, China, Brazil, Ireland, Iran and South Africa - will be allowed entry in to the US with proof of vaccination.

Previously, only US citizens were allowed to enter the US from those countries.

An airline executive says things may get 'sloppy' as the US gets ready to welcome vaccinated travelers from 33 countries in less than two weeks. Above, JFK airport in New York last month

'There will be lines, unfortunately,' said Delta head Ed Bastian at a travel conference Tuesday

Travel is up substantially compared to the beginning of the year, with 1,503,587 going through airport security on Tuesday

It's not clear how much travel volume will rise. The number of people passing through TSA has already been inching closer to pre-pandemic levels in recent months.

President Biden announced the travel reopening on Oct. 15, citing the rising availability of vaccines and US efforts to distribute them globally, but provided more official guidelines Monday.

Airline staff will be responsible for matching the name and date of birth to confirm the passenger is the same person reflected on the proof of vaccination, according to the White House.

They'll also have to determine that the record was issued by an official source and review that the vaccine received meets the CDC's standards.

Children under 18 will not need to show proof of vaccination, but children ages 2 to 17 will need a negative test to enter.

The test will have to be taken within three days of departure if traveling with a fully vaccinated adult or within one day if traveling with an unvaccinated adult.

Non-US citizens will have to show proof of vaccination and a negative test to enter the US

The vaccine mandate doesn't apply to children under 18, but they must still test negative

COVID-19 cases in the US continue to fall after a late summer spike from the Delta variant

A small amount of unvaccinated, non-US citizen adults will be allowed to enter the US, including those who are granted medical, humanitarian or emergency exceptions and those who are participating in COVID-19 clinical trials.

Unvaccinated US citizens will now have to provide a negative test taken within one day of departure.

The US will accept the three vaccines used in the US - Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, along with China's Sinovac and Oxford University's AstraZeneca.

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine will not be accepted because it hasn't been approved by the WHO, which cited concerns over its manufacturing practices at production plants in Russia and whether the vaccine can be produced at a consistent standard, according to the Washington Post.

Travel is up substantially compared to the beginning of the year, when it was down by more than 50 percent from pre-pandemic levels.

On Tuesday, 1,503,587 people passed through security checkpoints at US airports, according to the Transportation Security Administration, up from just 648,517 in 2020 and inching closer to the pre-pandemic number of 1,910,506 on October 26, 2019.

President Joe Biden announced the lifting of travel restrictions on Monday

Former President Donald Trump, seen above outside of Trump Tower on October 18, banned non-US citizen travel from China in January 2020, before the WHO declared a pandemic

COVID-19 cases in the US continue to fall after a late summer spike due to the highly contagious Delta variant.

The US had a seven-day average of 68, 151 cases on October 26, compared to a summer high of 161,864 on September 1.

Biden's proclamation will undo some of the earliest COVID-19 travel bans, including the ban from China, instituted by President Donald Trump on January 31, 2020, before the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic in March.

About 90 percent of Delta Air Lines workers are vaccinated, Bastian told CNBC earlier this month. In August, the airline imposed a $200-a-month insurance premium on unvaccinated staff.

'We havent done it with a mandate,' Bastian said on the network's Squawk Box show.

'We have done it working collaboratively with our people, trusting our people to make the right decisions for themselves, respecting their decisions, but at the same time avoiding the divisiveness of what the mandate is posing to society.'
An Instagram influencer has reportedly been arrested after beating up her boyfriend twice after going to several bars.

Brianna Soares, known to her 12,900 followers as 'Breezzzzy' was arrested on Saturday on an assault warrant and an outstanding felony warrant, both documenting attacks on her boyfriend Justin Bennett, court records show.

In both instances, she left him bleeding and injured, according to court records.

The first incident occurred on July 3 when Soares inflicted Bennett him with multiple cuts, bruises and injuries from strangling him, striking him and scratching, according to court records obtained Scoop Nashville.

Briana Soares, 27, known to her Instagram followers as Breezzzzy, was reportedly arrested on Saturday for assaulting her boyfriend

She was reportedly served a felony warrant at the time.

More recently, on October 23, she was once again accused of attempting to grab his neck and assault him.

Soares, 27, a family service worker at the Department of Children's Services, was then arrested.

Court records obtained by DailyMail.com show she was charged with both felony and misdemeanor assault, aggravated assault and domestic bodily injury.

Soares, sporting a black eye, was released on $1,500 bail, and is due to appear in court again on December 14 at 8.30am.

Soares was released on a $1,500 bond and is due back in court in December

Court records obtained by DailyMail.com show she was charged with both felony and misdemeanor assault, aggravated assault and domestic bodily injury

According to the complaints obtained by Scoop Nashville, Bennett told police on July 3 that Soares had been to multiple bars that night, and became extremely intoxicated.

On their way back to his car, the complaint says, he and Soares got into a verbal argument, and by the time they reached his vehicle, she began strangling him, scratching his neck and striking him in the chest.

He then drove them back to the house they shared in Nashville, where she allegedly began assaulting him once again before fleeing the scene.

Police officers in the affidavit said they observed redness and multiple cuts to his neck, as well as redness around his bottom lip, and he was bleeding from his injuries.

Then on Saturday, another complaint says, officers were flagged down by Bennett who said Soares and him were out drinking when they began to argue.

He said they left the bar separately and Bennett returned home first.

Soares then began sending him numerous text messages before she also arrived at home. Once there, Bennett told the officers, Soares went to the second floor bathroom and began throwing things.

He said he tried to approach her, at which point, Soares grabbed his neck.

Bennett said he was able to push her away, causing an earring in her nose to bleed.

He then left the home, he said, and flagged down the officers, who discovered him with visible injuries to his throat.

The officers also found Soares with injuries to her face, but wrote that it was unclear where they came from.

She claimed Bennett had punched her multiple times during the altercation, but there were no visible markings on Bennett's hand to suggest he had punched anyone.

Soares works as a family service worker at the Department of Children's Services in Nashville, where she lives with her boyfriend

Her Instagram is now listed as private

The allegations against Soares come one day before she posted in her blog about her move to Nashville.

'My name is Brianna Soares,' she introduces herself on the site. 'I'm 27 years old and I currently live in Nashville with my two cats, dog and boyfriend.

'I moved to Nashville last year in June (Yup -right in the middle of a pandemic) from Sacramento, California.

'I turned my Instagram into a "blogging" and influencer platform in April 2019 because I wanted to feel more connected to the community, and it was also an outlet for me because I had a stressful job working with the "most dangerous and unstable youth" in California.

She added that she moved down to Nashville after visiting it with a friend, and broke up with her boyfriend when he said he did not want to leave California.

'Connecting with others on the Nashville Housing Facebook page really helped me because I found my roommates and where I wanted to live,' Soares wrote.

'I also met my current boyfriend on there a couple months before I moved LOL, but that's a story for another time.'

Since the allegations against her have come out, Soares has made her Instagram private.
A Boston surgeon was fined just $5,000 and has been allowed to continue working after leaving a patient on an operating table waiting on emergency ankle surgery while he napped in his car.

Massachusetts state regulators fined 54-year-old Dr. Tony Tannoury, the head of spine surgery at Boston Medical Center, $5,000 for leaving a patient on the operating room table before the start of an ankle surgery to go to his parked car to eat before he passed out and missed the procedure, the Boston Globe reported.

Tannoury must also complete five further training sessions, but won't be suspended from his job, and can continue to operate.

The surgeon has worked as the head of spinal surgery at the prestigious Boston University School of Medicine, which works with the the medical center, since 2006, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Massachusetts regulators fined Dr. Tony Tannoury, (pictured) the head of spine surgery at Boston Medical Center, $5,000 for leaving a patient on the operating room table

Tannoury has worked as the head of spinal surgery at the Boston University School of Medicine since 2006, according to his LinkedIn profile

Tannoury woke up in his car hours after falling asleep and called the hospital. But he was told a chief resident performed the operation he was meant to oversee. It had been a success, despite his disappearance, and he did not return to the hospital until the following day, according to the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine.

Two months later the November 2016 incident was reported to the state board which resulted in an investigation.

Following it's investigation the board concluded that Tannoury 'engaged in conduct that undermines the public confidence in the integrity of the medical profession.' In addition to the fine, he was ordered to complete five continuing education credits in 'professionalism' and review regulations for supervising residents, the Globe reported.

Tannoury woke up and called the hospital but was told a chief resident performed the operation he was meant to oversee

The incident was not made public until almost five years after it took place.

According to hospital spokeswoman Jenny Eriksen Leary the outcome of the procedure was positive and the hospital was transparent with the patient about what occurred and who ended up performing the operation.

According to medical board records, all fees connected with the operation were waived, the Globe reported.

Dr. James Rickert, president of the Society for Patient Centered Orthopedics, told the Globe that Tannoury's actions were 'egregious' and that his small fine was inadequate.

'That's just the proverbial slap on the wrist,' he said. 'I can't believe that if that was a board composed mostly of patients that they wouldn't have had a much harsher penalty.'

But this was not the 54-year-old's surgeons first time being reprimanded for his job performance.

A consent order he signed last month revealed that Tannoury had previously received a written reprimand from the hospital for violating its policy requiring surgeons to be present for critical parts of operations, the Globe reported.

Additionally, in 2015 the Boston Globe's spotlight team published a report that revealed Tannoury would sometimes run simultaneous operating rooms at once, a policy that Boston Medical Center discontinued following the in-depth report.

The hospital insisted that the practice had not compromised patient safety.
Year 12 school leavers had sex on footy ovals and snorted drugs off each other's bottoms as part of daring muck-up day scavenger hunts that are now at the centre of a police investigation.

Checklists shared by Bunbury Senior High School and Manea Senior College students, south of Perth, awarded points for increasingly lewd and illegal acts - with participants told to post 'evidence' of the stunts on social media.

Footage shared on Snapchat of the Manea muck-up day appeared to show a young man using a bank card to snort a substance off a girl's bottom.

BSHS students were also awarded 200 points for 'stealing a mailbox' and 300 points for 'snorting a line' with a local sex worker, The South Western Times reported.

A male student is pictured appearing to use a bank card to snort a substance off a girl's bottom. Year 12 school leavers also had sex on footy ovals as part of daring muck-up day scavenger hunts at two Western Australian schools

Other illegal challenges included slashing a car tyre, having sex in the street, and stealing a stranger's drive-through delivery order as it was being passed to them.

Videos also showed students jumping naked from a bridge, urinating from a tower and drinking from a bong as they documented their stunts.

One participant in a tradie uniform was filmed holding a pipe alongside the caption '58' - which referred to the task 'drink bong water after doing a bong'.

Police are calling for witnesses to the scavenger hunt acts to come forward after WA education officials referred the footage to authorities.

Both schools were aware the hunts were being organised, and sent warnings to parents and police when teachers learned what the challenges would involve.

'I am shocked that any young person would let themselves, their school communities and their families down in this manner,' Department of Education deputy director-general Melesha Sands told Daily Mail Australia.

One participant in a tradie uniform was filmed holding a pipe alongside the caption '58' - which referred to the task 'drink bong water after doing a bong'

SCHOOL LEAVERS' OUTRAGEOUS MUCK-UP DAY CHECKLIST Manea Senior College 10 points: Hook up with someone youve f***ed Hook up with someone from a different team 20 points: Skinny dip at the beach Piss off Bunbury tower 40 points: Steal someones drive-through order as its getting passed to them Drink bong water after doing a bong 60 points: Slash someones tyre 85 points: Give or receive oral sex on a footy oval. Snort a line off someones a** Bunbury Senior High School 10 points: Eat live bug or worm Have a cone at school 50 points: Get a stranger to sign your boobs/a** Play porn on public transport super loud Smoke pubes in a bong 100 points: Whole group shave pubes and glue to someone elses face as a beard Show up to someones house nake3d and ask for clothes 200 points: Steal a mail box 300 points: Snort a line with a sex worker Advertisement

Ms Sands said the behaviour depicted was 'appalling'.

'The end of Year 12 is a symbolic life event which should be celebrated, however, inappropriate or illegal behaviour is not acceptable and never tolerated,' she said.

'As part of normal end-of-year processes, secondary schools communicate information and expectations to their students about appropriate and inappropriate behaviour, including consequences such as not being able to attend graduation ceremonies,' she said.

Bunbury Senior High School students were awarded 200 points for 'stealing a mailbox'

The education official added her department was now working with police to track down those involved.

One of the state's top police officers warned while the students' actions may only lead to embarrassment for some, others could face significant legal action.

'The checklist gives points for a photo with a cop  dont let it be a mugshot,' South West District Police Supt Geoff Stewart said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted both schools for comment.

The revelation comes after white students dressed as what appeared to be 'terrorists' in Islamic clothing with water guns during Year 12 muck-up day celebrations in Sydney this week.

An image has surfaced of six male students from Gilroy Catholic College in Castle Hill, Sydney, portraying 'terrorists' at Year 12 muck-up celebrations (pictured)

Six students from Gilroy Catholic College in Castle Hill in the city's north-west wore the outfits to an end of year picnic for soon-to-be high school graduates on Wednesday.

Photos from the last day showed the male students dressed in a kaffiyeh - a traditional Arabic headdress - white shirts and pants and sandals.

The student who supplied the image to Seven News described the young men as 'portraying terrorists'.
Downing Street on Wednesday vowed to retaliate against Paris if it goes ahead with the 'disappointing and disproportionate' threat to impose sanctions on Britain in an escalation of the row over fishing boat licenses.

Earlier, the French Government dramatically threatened to block British vessels from some ports next week if the post-Brexit dispute is not resolved.

Paris even went as far as suggesting President Emmanuel Macron's administration could restrict energy supplies to the Channel Islands if no deal is reached with the UK as relations since the EU departure further soured.

No 10 said the threats do not seem to be compatible with 'international law' and vowed an 'appropriate and calibrated response' if Paris does not back down.

The French Government has dramatically warned it will block British vessels from some ports next week if the post-Brexit dispute over fishing licences is not resolved. Pictured: French President Emmanuel Macron delivers his speech on Wednesday in Paris

This map shows the extent of the UK's Exclusive Economic Zone where French vessels now require a licence to fish. Boats also require a licence to fish the waters around Jersey and Guernsey (bottom) but this is administered by the islands and not from Westminster

Since the UK left the economic orbit of the European Union at the start of the year, relations between London and Paris have become increasingly frayed.

France has been angered by a decision from the UK and Jersey last month to reject dozens of licences for French boats to fish in their waters, arguing it breaches the Brexit deal.

Jersey, which is only 14 miles off the French coast, is a British Crown dependency outside of the UK. As such, it has its own powers with regards to who is allowed to fish in its territorial waters.

It has granted licenses based on its interpretation of the UK-EU trade deal, and has accused France of acting disproportionately.

After weeks of negotiations, British authorities have issued more fishing licenses but that still only accounts for 50 percent of what France believes it 'is entitled to,' French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said Wednesday.

If an agreement over the licenses is not struck by Tuesday, France said it will block British boats from some ports and tighten checks on vessels travelling between France and the UK.

The French ministers for Europe and for maritime affairs said in a joint statement Wednesday that if no agreement is reached by November 2, France will bar British fishing boats from designated ports and tighten customs, security and other controls on any British boats and trucks traveling between France and Britain.

And then in the coming weeks, France said that it 'doesn't exclude' measures targeting energy supplies to Britain, the statement said.

Attal specified that meant the Channel Islands, which are closer to French shores than British ones and rely heavily on electricity supplied by the French grid.

A UK Government spokeswoman responded: 'France's threats are disappointing and disproportionate, and not what we would expect from a close ally and partner.

'The measures beinge threatened do not appear to be compatible with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and wider international law, and, if carried through, will be met with an appropriate and calibrated response.'

She said that Britain will express its concerns both to the EU and the French Government, and argued that the UK has granted 98 percent of licence applications from European vessels.

Downing Street vowed to retaliate against Paris if it goes ahead with the 'disappointing and disproportionate' threat to impose sanctions in an escalation of the row over fishing boats. Pictured: Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaking during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, October 27

Pictured: French fishermen protest off the coast of Jersey in May this year (file photo)

But the dispute continues over 31 vessels which the UK did not approve licences for, arguing that they did not have supporting evidence for their applications.

Britain says the majority of the vessels were denied access because they failed to prove they had fished in the six-to-12-mile nautical zone in the years before the UK's referendum on leaving the EU.

Attal, spokesman for the Macron administration, said on Wednesday that Britain's conduct over fishing rights in British waters following Brexit had led to the French 'losing patience'.

And he said that from next Tuesday there would be 'systematic customs and sanitary inspections on imported products arriving in Channel ports' including 'a ban on disembarking seafood products as well as checks on lorries'.

France is one of Britain's biggest export market for fish. In 2019, the trade accounted for 561.1 million, or 27.7 per cent of total exports.

Britain's post-Brexit agreement with the EU states fishermen can continue to fish in British waters if they obtain a licence and prove that they previously were fishing there.

But the French are now complaining that around 50 per cent of licences have not been issues.

French fishermen who have just returned from sea protesting with a fleet of fishing boats in the territorial waters of Jersey show a banner that reads 'Jersey government kill us' on May 6, 2021 in Granville, France

France is set to implement a go-slow strategy for customs checks on shipments bound for Britain ahead of Christmas as the row over post-Brexit fishing rights continues. Above: Trucks queuing to enter the port of Calais last year

'Our wish is quite simply that the agreement that was reached is respected,' Mr Attal said at a press conference in Paris on Wednesday.

'When we sign an agreement, and that was the case in the context of Brexit, the agreement must be respected. Our patience is reaching its limits.'

He added: 'Matters are clear, and we have said that we will not let the British wipe their feet on the Brexit agreement.'

Under the Brexit agreement, 175 French fishing vessels have the right to fish between six and 12 nautical miles off the British coast, but the UK has only delivered 100 licences.

Paris also says that only 105 licences to fish off Jersey have been delivered when French trawlermen had the right to 216.

Mr Attal said the new retaliatory measures would start on November 2.

Gabriel Attal (pictured), spokesman for the Macron administration, said on Wednesday that Britain's conduct over fishing rights in British waters following Brexit had led to the French 'losing patience'

He also said that measures related to electricity supplies to the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey could be issued 'in the weeks after'.

Earlier this year, France's European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune warned that his country was ready to step up pressure on the UK using all means possible.

'For example, you could imagine the Channel Islands, where the United Kingdom depends on us for its energy supply,' said Mr Beane.

He did not expand further, but the warning echoed an earlier threat by French Fisheries Minister Annick Girardin who said in May that the fishing row could have an impact on 'the power supply by undersea cable' from France to Jersey.

Discussing the dispute last month, a spokesman for Britain's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs said tit had a 'reasonable' approach to the issuing of licences.

He said: 'The government has this year issued a large number of licences to EU vessels seeking to fish in our exclusive economic zone and our territorial sea.

'Our approach has been reasonable and fully in line with our commitments in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.'
Two semi-trailer trucks carrying chemicals have smashed into each other sparking a huge fire in Sydney's west.

Large plumes of smoke were seen soaring into the sky after the collision on Victoria Street in Wetherill Park at about 6.30am on Thursday.

Both drivers suffered minor facial and chest injuries and were treated on the scene by paramedics before being taken to Liverpool Hospital in stable conditions.

Huge plumes of smoke were seen soaring into the air after the collision on Victoria Street in Wetherill Park at about 6.30am on Thursday

Smoke from the collision in Sydney's west is seen soaring into the sky on Thursday morning

NSW Ambulance Inspector Joe Ibrahim said it was a 'miracle' those involved in the horror smash survived.

'It's truly a miracle that they weren't more seriously injured,' he told 2GB.

'One of them was trapped in the truck whilst it was alight.'

Fire and Rescue NSW deployed more than 60 firefighters to the crash while motorists have been urged to avoid the area.

Fire and Rescue NSW deployed more than 60 firefighters to the crash while motorists have been urged to avoid the area.

Nearby Cowpasture Road and Victoria Road have been closed and local traffic diversions have been established.

Officers from Fairfield City Police Area Command remain at the scene and are investigating the circumstances of the incident.

It's also understood crews in hazmat suits were at the scene due to the chemicals that had been inside the trucks.
Congressional Democrats signaled Wednesday they would ditch plans for paid family and medical leave in an effort to trim costs and secure an elusive deal to push through a massive spending bill.

It marked the latest attempt to bridge the divide between liberals and moderates but would come at the cost of one of President Biden's key campaign pledges.

During another day of frenetic activity, the two moderate holdouts, Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, met with Biden aides on Capitol Hill before saying they were confident of 'progress.'

Later three sources familiar with ongoing discussions told Politico that Senate Democrats were dropping paid family and medical leave from the reconciliation bill.

It followed a confusing back and forth between House and Senate members, who first floated and then withdrew the idea of using a tax on billionaires to help pay for the package.

Biden aides are pressing Democrats to come together around a set of plans with a $1.75 trillion price tag before the end of the week, a move that would also unlock the president's stalled $1 trillion infrastructure bill.

Discussions on Wednesday centered both on how to trim the cost of the bill and how to generate funding.

Biden is due to fly to Rome, Italy, on Thursday for a G20 summit followed by a climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, but is desperate to trumpet progress on his domestic agenda before a tight gubernatorial election in Virginia on Tuesday.

Last week he admitted that family leave was on the chopping block.

'It is down to four weeks,' he said during a CNN town hall.

'And the reason its down to four weeks is I cant get 12 weeks.'

Democrats are closing in on a deal to push through some $1.75 trillion in social spending but it will come at the cost of paid family and medical leave, key parts of the Biden agenda

White House aides met with Democratic holdouts Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin as they tried to negotiate a deal to keep Biden's social spending plan on track

The U.S. is one of the few industrialized countries that does not have a universal paid leave program for new parents or employees suffering health problems.

And Biden made changing that a central part of his election campaign last year before ensuring it was a key part of his social agenda.

Manchin made clear late in the morning that it was a potential dealbreaker.

'It doesnt make sense to me,' he told reporters. 'I just cant do it.'

Dropping it might help woo the West Virginia senator but it could cost the support of other Democrats, who voiced their anger in the evening.

Rep. Jamal Bowman, one of the party's most progressive members, said bluntly: 'I'm pissed off, man.

He singled out Manchin, saying he had a disproportionate amount of sway over the proposals.

'Its just unacceptable to me that one person from one state can have all this power and make these decisions that will crush my district and districts like mine across the country.'

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said she was not giving up on paid leave.

'Until the bill is printed, I will continue working to include paid leave in the Build Back Better plan,' she said.

High profile supporters of the measure include Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, who last week wrote to Democratic Party leaders urging them not to let the measure slip.

'This is about putting families above politics,' she wrote.

'And for a refreshing change, its something we all seem to agree on. At a point when everything feels so divisive, let this be a shared goal that unites us.'

Earlier, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki offered an optimistic picture and said the administration was monitoring progress 'hour by hour.'

She said the president could yet visit Capitol Hill before flying overseas.

'We are on track now to move forward once we get an agreement,' she said.

But there were other setbacks along the way, as Democrats haggled over how to pay for the plans and whether a tax on billionaires would be part of the mix.

The Senate's top tax writer, Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, floated the idea early on Wednesday but it was nixed in the afternoon by his House of Representatives counterpart, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, who said it was too complex to work.

House Ways and Means Committee Chair Rep. Richard Neal (left) said Senator Ron Wyden's (right) billionaire tax was out of Biden's economic plans, but Neal disputed that moments later

Billionaire's Tax: Quick Facts Affects people making more than $100M annually or own more than $1 billion in assets for 3 or more years

When selling tangible assets like real estate or a business, they would pay a 'deferral recapture amount' in interest on top of their usual tax

It's estimated the tax will raise $250 billion over 10 years

Architects of the billionaires tax say it will affect roughly 700 people

Marked to market: Billionaires would pay taxes on tradable assets like stocks if they increase in value year-over, rather than just a capital gains tax once sold Advertisement

That was not the end of the matter.

Wyden chimed back. 'Last time I looked, the United States Senate has a say, too. Were continuing to work with members,' he said, Business Insider reported.

It's the latest in a series of intra-party divides being played out on the public stage as Democrats desperately try to hammer out a deal on Biden's multi-trillion dollar spending initiatives this week.

The proposed tax would have hit the gains of those with more than $1 billion in assets or incomes of more than $100 million a year and will provide funding for the president's sweeping $2 trillion social reform and climate change spending bill.

Upon releasing the plan Wyden estimated it would affect 700 of America's most wealthy taxpayers and bring in as much as $250 billion.

Republicans criticized the billionaires' tax as a 'harebrained scheme,' and some have suggested it would face a legal challenge.

Even some Democrats voiced concerns - Neal said earlier that he told Wyden the billionaires' tax may be more difficult to implement than the route his panel took in simply raising rates on corporations and the wealthy.

He told reported this afternoon, 'I think it's unlikely to come up [in the House] if it can't pass in the Senate.'

'There's a lot of angst in there over the billionaire's tax, and that wasn't prompted by anybody other than the issue.'

Senator Mark Warner of Virginia told Huffington Post that he feared the tax could 'disrupt markets.'

'The devil's in the details,' Warner said.

During her briefing Psaki said Biden supported the Senate Democratic plan to tax billionaires but at least stopped short of saying whether the major revenue-raiser would even be in a final reconciliation bill.

She also vouched for the legality of the proposal for the government to get at the vast fortunes amassed by about 700 people  whose wealth resides in huge stock holdings they have sometimes held for decades.

President Joe Biden supports a Senate Democratic plan to tax billionaires, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday  although it was unclear if it is part of a Build Back Better package being negotiated

Democrats' billionaires tax could face legal challenges The billionaire's tax plan involves paying penalties on wealth and unrealized gains - or assets that have gone up in value but haven't been sold for profit, as well as a tax on people whose wealth crosses $1 billion. Those could be considered 'direct taxes,' which the Supreme Court broadly defined in 1895 as fees on 'real property' like land and buildings as well as 'personal property' such as financial assets, stocks, bonds. Direct taxes are apportioned to each state according to its population. If a wealth tax raises taxes on a billionaire in California, the revenue must be apportioned across each state's direct taxes. That could leave poorer states with fewer rich residents in financial strain as the amount of money in their allotted share increases. The 16th Amendment to the Constitution carves out an exemption for income taxes. Billionaires fighting the tax in court could claim that taxes on unrealized gains and penalties on crossing the $1B wealth threshold do not count as income taxes. Advertisement

'We're not going to support anything we don't think is legal. But I will tell you the president supports the billionaire's tax. He looks forward to working with Congress and Wyden to make sure the highest income Americans pay their fair share,' she said.

But tax experts warned that the wealthy were adept at giving up their money.

David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, said: 'Billionaires are good at two things: One, making money and two, avoiding taxes

'They will find loopholes - they will find ways, whether it's to invest in trust funds or other assets that don't appreciate value to avoid paying this wealth tax.'

And he said it would mark a radical break with existing tax theory.

'First of all, we don't tax wealth in this country, we tax income, and we're going to have to change our tax system to accommodate this new billionaire's tax, and it's probably not going to raise the revenue that Congress thinks it's going to raise,' Williams said.

Neal, as well as lawmakers on Republicans' side of the aisle, have questioned whether the new tax could pass constitutional muster.

The US Constitution mandates that each state must pay 'direct taxes' - in other words, taxes imposed on a person or organization rather than on goods and services bought or sold - proportional to its population.

If the billionaire's tax is classified as a direct tax, redistributing how much money comes from each state and potentially raising that threshold on states that have no billionaires and couldn't afford it, it would be impossible for those states to meet the heightened tax requirement.

A Washington Post op-ed uses the example of Alabama. Because 1.5 percent of the US population is from Alabama, 1.5 percent of direct tax revenue would need to come from there as well. But if states where billionaire's live begin handing in larger shares, the proportional amount the relatively poorer state, with no billionaire residents, would pay rises as well.

Negotiators need to find revenue sources after Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) reportedly came out against corporate and individual rate hikes

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., left, and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., board an elevator as they leave a meeting, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington

President Joe Biden heads to Rome Thursday

A 1895 Supreme Court case ruled that 'direct taxes' include physical property like lands and buildings, financial assets like stocks and bonds, and that those would be subject to states' apportionment.

The 16th Amendment carved out an exception for income taxes, which do not factor into the states' tax amounts.

But since the billionaire's tax is at least partly based on wealth defined by physical property and financial assets, it could feasibly be considered a direct tax that raises the national apportionment and puts a strain on lower-income states with few or no billionaires.

And taxing gains in the stock market or other financial assets before they're sold for profit could fall outside the 16th Amendment's purview of 'income.'

Williams said the Constitution's direct tax clause will be what foils the billionaire's tax.

'That's why the income tax had to be an amendment to the Constitution, because of the way it's dolled out to the states,' he said.

'In addition to the constitutional problem, people are missing the bigger issue here. because wealth does not equal income, and what one person's wealth is today may not be tomorrow or next month.'

Elon Musk, the Tesla founder and a billionaire, is another critic.

'I anticipate that any new unrealized capital gains taxes will slowly make their way down to middle class retirement investments over the next several years. It will start with billionaires, then eventually millionaires, then the modest investments will get hit possibly within a decade,' he wrote Monday.
Daniel Andrews was called a 'dictator' in a hysterical 'screaming match' in the Victorian Parliament over his new pandemic management laws - as two polls showed his popularity slipping.

The controversial new laws allow the premier to declare a pandemic for an unlimited time and could see rulebreakers jailed for two years and fined up to $454,350.

The Victorian Liberal Opposition has already raised fears Mr Andrews wants the laws in place so he can lockdown the population on a whim - without any democratic oversight - as the state recorded a grim record of 25 deaths with Covid in a single day.

The laws also allow the Government to apply lockdowns and vaccine mandates to a 'class of person' such as the unvaccinated or workers with a certain type of job.

In a heated debated in Parliament on Wednesday, which involved shouting across the chamber, shadow attorney-general Tim Smith said: 'This is nonsensical, it's an abuse of power.

'It's a disgraceful mistreatment of our democratic traditions giving the dictator dictatorial powers and you think that's great.

Daniel Andrews' controversial new laws to manage pandemics could see rule-breakers jailed for two years and fined up to $454,350. The premier is pictured in Parliament on Wednesday

'You think it's absolutely fantastic giving the dictator the ability to rule by decree,' he said in reference to Daniel Andrews.

Speaker Colin Brooks interrupted and said: 'I'm not going to let this descend into a screaming match across the table'.

Opposition MP Louise Staley said the 113-page bill was 'the largest I've ever seen' and said politicians have not been given enough time to scrutinise it.

'To be brought into this place and then be told they will be debating it later this day is a complete and utter assault on democracy,' she said.

The debate came as a Resolve Political Monitor poll for The Age showed Labor's primary vote has dropped from 43 to 38 per cent since the last election in 2018.

That result would see it lose seats but regain power at the next election in November 2022.

What are the fines in Daniel Andrews' new law? $21,909: This fine is for breaching a pandemic order such as not wearing a mask, breaking a movement limit, attending an illegal protest or a gathering, refusing to get tested or failing to show ID. $90,870: This fine is for an aggravated offence for breaches that 'cause a serious risk to the health of another individual' such as going to work when infectious. $109,044: This fine is for businesses breaking rules which may include failing to make sure customers check-in or show proof of vaccine status. $454,350: This fine is for an 'aggravated' offence by a business such as encouraging customers to flout lockdown rules . Advertisement

The Opposition's primary vote was only 34 per cent, one point less than in 2018.

Meanwhile, an Essential poll released on Monday put Daniel Andrews' approval rating at 52 per cent, down from 65 per cent last November.

The Victorian Labor Government - which introduced the Public Health and Wellbeing (Pandemic Management) Bill 2021 in the state Parliament on Tuesday in the hope of passing it into law next month - accused the Opposition of being 'hysterical' and peddling 'misinformation'.

The new laws, which the Premier hopes to pass soon despite fierce opposition, state a person can be fined up to $21,909 for breaching a pandemic order.

This could include not wearing a mask, breaking a movement limit, attending an illegal protest or a gathering, refusing to get tested or failing to show ID.

Businesses can be fined up to $109,044 for breaking rules which may include failing to make sure customers check-in or show proof of vaccine status.

In addition, there is a new aggravated offence for breaches that 'cause a serious risk to the health of another individual'.

These can be punished with a $90,870 fine and two years in jail. An example given in the bill is someone going to work when they are infectious and should be isolating.

Businesses can also be guilty of an aggravated offence, with a maximum fine of $454,350 if, for example, they refuse to obey a lockdown and encourage customers to also flout the rules.

In its explanation of an 'aggravated' offence, the bill says: 'This aggravated offence is intended to cover non-compliance in egregious circumstances where there is an aggravating factor of the person knows, or having ought to have known, that the non-compliance is likely to cause a serious risk to at least one other individual.

'Similarly, the conduct of a business failing to comply with safety protocols and other directions given in order to limit the spread of a pandemic disease and actively encouraging non-compliance by customers may amount to an aggravated offence.

'The offence is not intended to apply to minor or routine breaches that do not create a serious risk to the health of an individual, such as minor breaches of face mask requirements, and is not intended to be used as a tool to manage peaceful protests.'

The Victorian Opposition has described the laws as an 'attack on democracy' and vowed to oppose them at every turn.

'Under these laws Victorians face a $21,909 fine for failing to wear a face mask and business a $109,044 fine if a customer fails to check-in properly,' Opposition leader Matthew Guy said.

Poll Are Daniel Andrews' laws an 'assault on democracy'? Yes No Undecided Are Daniel Andrews' laws an 'assault on democracy'? Yes 2084 votes

No 100 votes

Undecided 44 votes Now share your opinion





The bill has been drafted after consultation with three crossbench MPs to guarantee it will pass this week or next month despite the opposition from the Liberals and Nationals.

The new laws will replace the state of emergency powers which expire on December 15 when they will have been in place for 21 months.

The Opposition fears they could be used to re-impose lockdowns in the near future.

'These new laws aren't about streamlining State of Emergency powers but about making it easier for the State Government to control people's lives,' Mr Guy said.

'Daniel Andrews wouldn't be passing these laws unless he planned on using them.

'The thought of handing even more power to the person who got us into this mess is simply unacceptable.

'This extreme legislation is a threat to every Victorian family, small business and local community. It must be stopped.'

Victoria recorded 1,534 new Covid-19 cases and 13 deaths on Wednesday.

The new laws, which the premier hopes to pass next month despite fierce opposition, state a person can be fined $21,909 for breaching a pandemic order such as not wearing a mask. Pictured: The Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne

Associate Professor Maria O'Sullivan from Monash University said she was not aware of any precedent for an aggravated offence for breaching public health orders.

She also raised concerns the bill allows the premier to declare a pandemic for an unlimited time.

'So, ostensibly, the public health emergency could go on indefinitely that would be of concern to me,' she told the ABC.

Three-month lockdowns

Under the new laws the premier would be able to declare a pandemic for an unlimited time, with an extension required every three months.

The health minister will be able to sign off on public health orders instead of the Chief Health Officer, a role currently held by Brett Sutton.

This gives the health minister the power to enforce lockdowns, shut down businesses, restrict movement, require masks, ban public gatherings, and enforce quarantine and isolation - powers currently held by the unelected CHO.

These powers can be implemented regardless of the number of disease cases or severity.

The bill will also extend the mandatory payment for hotel quarantine beyond 31 December.

Vaccine mandates and lockdowns for anti-vaxxers

The bill states that a pandemic order such as a lockdown or a vaccine mandate 'may apply to, differentiate between or vary in its application to persons or classes of person'.

This allows the Government to select who it wants to apply the order to, including people who have been at a certain event, who live in a certain area or who have a certain type of job.

The Government can discriminate based on 'presence in a pandemic management area; participation at an event; an activity they have undertaken; their characteristics, attributes or circumstances,' the bill says.

It also allows the Government to lockdown unvaccinated people only.

Under the new laws the premier would be able to shut down businesses, restrict movement and ban public gatherings even if there were no disease cases in Victoria. Pictured: A protestor is arrested by police at a protest in St Kilda on Saturday

The bill says the Government can discriminate based on attributes defined in the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 which include race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status and employment status.

But Health Minister Martin Foley said those factors would not be taken into account.

'Any suggestion that those other considerations of the public health processes, that is just really mischief making. These are recommendations that come forward on clinical and epidemiological grounds. Not those kinds of characteristics,' he said.

Professor Brett Sutton said attributes and characteristics could refer to 'intimate partners having the opportunity to see other individuals... people normally resident in regional Victoria... children under 16 years of age because they haven't had a vaccination opportunity... vaccinated or unvaccinated individuals in a vaccinated economy.

'You need the agility to spread to those characteristics and attributes that might exclude someone from a public health order and that might be directed at someone,' he said.

Tiered fines system

In a small win for disadvantaged people, the bill will allow disadvantaged people to apply for a 'concessional' fine.

Greens leader Samantha Ratnam negotiated this in discussions with the Government.

She said: 'I'm pleased that the Greens have been able to make sure these new laws have more transparency and are fairer for all Victorians, especially those facing disadvantage.'

Barista Maelys is seen at work at Cafe Chez Mademoiselle in Prahran, Melbourne, last week

Make health advice public

The Victorian Government has faced constant criticism for not releasing the health advice that its lockdown decisions are based on.

The bill will require the publication of the reasons for the Chief Health Officer recommending a pandemic order.

It will also establish an Independent Pandemic Management Advisory Committee to scrutinise Government decisions and health advice.

Under the new laws the premier would be able to declare a pandemic for an unlimited time, with an extension required every three months. Pictured: Victoria Police earlier this month

QR safeguards

The new laws will ensure stronger safeguards to stop unlawful access to QR code check-in or contact tracing data, with a new offence in place.

It means police can only get hold of the data if there is an 'imminent threat' to someone's life.

Officers must acquire a Supreme Court order to access the data.

This comes after it was revealed in June that police failed three times to get access to QR code data.

Reaction to the law

Opposition leader Matthew Guy said he would throw out the laws if he won the November 2022 election.

'I've never seen such an attack on Australian democracy as rules like this' where 'one man can rule by decree,' he told 3AW radio.

Frontbencher Tim Smith has fears Mr Andrews is passing the law in preparation for more lockdowns.

The existing power of Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton (left) to make special public health orders would be passed over to health minister Martin Foley (right) under the new laws

'Daniel Andrews wouldn't be taking more powers for himself unless he plans to lock us all down again,' he said.

The Opposition will propose a 60 per cent majority in both houses of parliament be required before a pandemic or an extended state of emergency can be declared.

Under the proposed alternative, the state of emergency powers and the need for them would have to be re-examined and voted on every 30 days.

But Greens leader Samantha Ratnam backs the laws because she says they are better than the current state of emergency powers.

'I'm pleased that the Greens have been able to make sure these new laws have more transparency and are fairer for all Victorians, especially those facing disadvantage,' she said.
Huma Abedin has spoken publicly for the first time, breaking her silence to discuss being kissed by a senator against her will, and the collapse of her marriage to disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner.

Abedin, who for 25 years has served as Hillary Clinton's most loyal aide, spoke to CBS's Norah O'Donnell for an interview that will air on Sunday.

She recounted an incident from the 2000s, described in her new memoir, in which a senator invited her back to his apartment in Washington DC and surprised her by kissing her.

'I did go back to a senator's apartment - a senator who I knew and was very comfortable with - and he kissed me, in a very shocking way,' she told O'Donnell.

'Because it was somebody I had known, and, frankly, trusted.'

Huma Abedin, who has for the last 25 years worked for Hillary Clinton, has give her first televised interview, to CBS. The full sit-down will air on Sunday

Abedin, 45, says that she has written a memoir, out next month, because she realized that, by staying silent, she was allowing other people to tell her story

In her first television interview for @CBSSunday, Huma Abedin details an encounter where a Senator kissed her while she was an aide to then-Senator Hillary Clinton.



I was in an uncomfortable situation with a Senator and I didn't know how to deal with it, Abedin tells us. pic.twitter.com/umB3bCXaPU  Norah O'Donnell  (@NorahODonnell) October 27, 2021

Abedin wrote in her memoir that she attended the dinner without Clinton, then-senator from New York, but with 'a few senators and their aides,' according to a copy of the book obtained by The Guardian.

'I ended up walking out with one of the senators, and soon we stopped in front of his building and he invited me in for coffee. Once inside, he told me to make myself comfortable on the couch.'

She said the senator took off his blazer, rolled up his sleeves and made coffee before sitting beside her on the couch.

'Then, in an instant, it all changed. He plopped down to my right, put his left arm around my shoulder, and kissed me, pushing his tongue into my mouth, pressing me back on the sofa.

'I was so utterly shocked, I pushed him away. All I wanted was for the last 10 seconds to be erased.'

She said that the senator seemed shocked but apologized and said he had 'misread' their relationship.

Huma Abedin is seen with Hillary Clinton in May 2005 - around the time that she was sexually assaulted by a senator

Abedin is pictured with Clinton in 2008, while she was still a senator for New York

Abedin, pictured in April 2016 with Clinton on the presidential campaign trail, has written a new book. In it, she reveals she was sexually assaulted by a senator

Abedin said she then plotted how to leave 'without this ending badly,' as the senator asked her if she wanted to stay.

'Then I said something only the twentysomething version of me would have come up with  'I am so sorry'  and walked out, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible.'

Abedin, now 45, said that she kept her distance from the senator 'for a few days,' but eventually ran into him on Capitol Hill.

He asked her at the time if they were still friends, and she nodded. She wrote that Clinton then came up to join them.

The Clinton aide said that the memory of the couch incident was suppressed until she read about Ford 'being accused of 'conveniently' remembering' her alleged assault.

Abedin, born in Michigan to Indian and Pakistani parents, grew up in Saudi Arabia. Her book is titled Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds

Ford claimed Kavanaugh assaulted her at a gathering in high school, Kavanaugh claimed such an incident never happened and was still confirmed to the bench.

O'Donnell asked whether Abedin felt that the senator assaulted her.

'I'm suggesting that I was in an uncomfortable situation, with a senator, and I didn't know how to deal with it,' she replied.

'And I buried the whole experience. But in my own personal opinion, no.

'Did I feel like he was assaulting me in that moment? It didn't feel that way.

'It felt like I needed to extricate myself from that situation. And he also spent a lot of time apologizing and making sure I was OK.

'And we were actually able to rebalance our relationship.'

Abedin was asked by O'Donnell why she was speaking out now.

'I think for most of my adult life, certainly in the last 25 years that I've been in public service or in the public eye, I have been the invisible person behind the primary people in my life,' she said.

'But what I realize is that if you don't tell your story, somebody else is writing your history.'

Abedin's life has been overshadowed both by the Clintons, to whom she remains a loyal and ever-present aide, and by her estranged husband, Anthony Weiner.

Weiner and Abedin married back in 2010, in a star-studded ceremony at a Long Island mansion, officiated by President Bill Clinton, and during which Hillary Clinton called the bride the closest thing she had to a second daughter.

Huma Abedin attends the 2021 Met Gala on September 13

Abedin and Weiner are pictured in November 2015, at a fashion gala in New York City

Abedin and Weiner are seen in September 2017, in Manhattan Civil Court, for a hearing in their divorce case

Abedin and Weiner are seen together after doing the school run with their son Jordan in October 2019

But the couple's high-powered political union hit troubled waters the following year.

Weiner was forced to step down from his seat in New York's 9th congressional district, after he accidentally tweeted a crotch-shot of himself in his underwear to the public, on his official page.

Abedin writes in the book that she was 'filled with rage' and 'stunned to the core' when 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.'

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.

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.

''What's wrong?' I asked,' she wrote.

'And then, just like that, life as I knew it was officially over. 'It's 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

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 investigation into Weiner's devices began when DailyMail.com revealed that the disgraced congressman had an online sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl for months and sent her lewd messages and pictures

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 don't know how long, when I caught my breath, HRC asked, 'Do you still want to go on this trip?'

''I think it's 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

He resigned within a few weeks of the Twitter photograph 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.

On Wednesday the pair was seen shopping together in New York's East Village.

Huma Abedin (left) and her estranged husband, former congressman and convicted sex offender Anthony Weiner (right), were spotted shopping at a New York City grocer in New York City on Wednesday

The high-profile exes are seldom seen out together since they filed for divorce in 2017 following Weiner's (left) sexting scandal with a 15-year-old girl. Abedin (right) and Weiner appear to have remained civil despite their pending divorce

Abedin is seen pushing a fully loaded shopping cart at Target in New York City on Wednesday

The high-profile exes have occasionally been seen out together since they filed for divorce in 2017, following Weiner's sexting scandal with a 15-year-old girl.

Photographs show the pair - who have reportedly separated but are not yet divorced - walking through Manhattan together as Abedin, who is on the phone, carries a reusable grocery tote.

She is also seen pushing a fully loaded shopping cart at Target. Weiner did not appear to be near her at that time.

Abedin and Weiner appear to have remained civil despite their pending divorce.

They are said to be committed to co-parenting their only child, Jordan, but have no interest in a romantic reunion.

Do you know the senator who assaulted Huma Abedin? Email us at: newsUS@dailymail.com.
For decades, the UK was the only allied nation without a national memorial in Normandy.

Thanks to a dogged campaign by surviving veterans  supported by the Daily Mail and its generous readers  that was eventually put right.

Then the coronavirus pandemic struck. So when the British Normandy Memorial was officially opened on June 6 this year  77 years to the day after D-Day  our old soldiers and sailors could not be there in person to see it because of travel restrictions.

But yesterday, finally, the first organised visit by veterans to the magnificent memorial to the 22,442 British troops who fell in the Battle of Normandy took place.

On a poignant day at the 50-acre site in Ver-sur-Mer overlooking Gold Beach, the eight who made the journey sought out the names of comrades they knew among the 160 pillars on which the names of the dead are cut in chronological order.

Yesterday, finally, the first organised visit by veterans to the magnificent memorial to the 22,442 British troops who fell in the Battle of Normandy took place and the eight veterans who made the journey sought out the names of comrades they knew

Among the veterans was 96-year-old Harry Billinge, from St Austell, Cornwall, who single-handedly raised more than 40,000 for the memorial, partly with his collection tin in Par market, and inspired many others to donate tens of thousands more.

As he saw the completed monument for the first time, he said: Words cannot explain it. Ive never been overwhelmed like I am today. I thank God Im able to be here to remember such great and wonderful men  may God bless them all.

Harry was an 18-year-old sapper with the Royal Engineers when he landed on Gold Beach at 6.30am on June 6, 1944, as part of the first wave of troops.

Yesterday he told how he had found on the monument the name of Joseph Neades, 22, a Lance Corporal in the Royal Engineers, who had died in my arms in Caen during the Battle of Normandy.

He died, with me, and I think I died a bit that day, said Harry, who recalled saying a prayer for Joseph as he held him in his final moments.

My greatest wish has been to see this memorial built in my lifetime.

Never forgotten: Harry Billinge, 96, from St Austell, Cornwall, yesterday, finds the name of his comrade Lance Corporal Joseph Neades who died in his arms in the battle of Normandy

Pictured: Joseph Neades, 22, a Lance Corporal in the Royal Engineers, with his wife and son, Alan, in 1944, a few months before D-day

Joe Cattini, 98, drove up Gold Beach on D-Day in a three-ton ammunition truck loaded with 25lb shells and dozens of cans of petrol.

The great-grandfather, from Southampton, spent five days in hospital with Covid in August. After learning why he was feeling ill, such is his indomitable spirit that he told his daughter Fran Bradshaw: Thank goodness Im not getting old  its only Covid.

Yesterday he said: Im very excited to see the memorial. I felt very sorry for the young infantry who landed on the beaches on D-Day.

I think of the ones that didnt come back  they are the heroes, the ones that gave their lives. I dont class myself as a hero  I was lucky, I had a good guardian angel who saw me through the war.

Frank Baugh, 97, is a former Royal Navy signalman whose landing craft took a direct hit at Sword Beach on the morning of D-Day, returned to Newhaven with wounded troops from the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry and then returned the next morning after being repaired overnight.

Yesterday at the monument Frank, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, said: Its terrific. The Americans had one, the Canadians had one... weve waited so long, for years and years, to have our own memorial and now weve got it.

The monument, in Ver-sur-Mer overlooking Gold Beach, took six years to complete and cost a total of 30million to build. The project was in part made possible thanks to 1million in donations from thousands of generous Mail readers

The monument took six years to complete and cost a total of 30million to build. The project was in part made possible thanks to 1million in donations from thousands of generous Mail readers.

The Treasurys Libor Fund, made up of penalty fines from errant banks, provided the lions share of the funding with a 20million grant. Philanthropist Michael Spencer also made an individual donation of 1million.

Yesterday Lord Dannatt, chairman of the Normandy Memorial Trust and former head of the Army, and Nicholas Witchell, the BBC reporter who was a founding member of the trust, welcomed the veterans, seven of whom travelled to the site on a trip organised by the Spirit of Normandy Trust. The Normandy Memorial Trust arranged Harry Billinges visit.

There followed a short but emotional service of remembrance at the memorial, also attended by Henry, Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, the grandson of the great wartime Allied commander Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery.

Grandfather wouldve been pleased that its been done and very impressed by the monument, he told the Mail earlier.

Another of the Normandy veterans, Mervyn Kersh, 96, from Cockfosters, London, who served with the Royal Ordnance Corps and was responsible for ensuring tank transporters were always serviceable, said: Its a relief that at last the memorials here after all these decades. Im pleased to be able to see it. Its taken a long time but its worth it.

Alan Harris, 97, from Horncastle, Lincolnshire, who was in the Royal Navy and part of a shore party that landed on Gold Beach and was later moved to Sword Beach, said: It makes me think of the friends who didnt make it.

Jack Quinn, 96, a former Royal Marine from Mapplethorpe, Lincolnshire, who was coxswain of a landing craft that crept in to the Normandy shore on the night of June 5, 1944, to take in frogmen who were to blow up obstacles ahead of D-Day, said: Its absolutely fantastic. Its been a very long time coming.

Len Hobbs, 97, from near Chelmsford, Essex, who was on HMS Fernie on D-Day escorting the first convoy, said: Im amazed by it. Im pleased to see that at last its here. It was a bit hard that the British never had their own memorial before.

Henry Rice, 95, from Guildford, Surrey, was a signalman on HMS Eastway, a landing ship that was used to supply men and equipment to the various beaches from five days after D-Day.

Its an emotional day, he said. Im very impressed by the monument.

The Normandy monument costs 400,000 a year to maintain. The British Government is not providing any funding for its long-term maintenance.

You can help to protect and maintain the memorial by becoming a Guardian. Further funds will also be needed for the next phase of the project, which is building an education centre.

Visit www.britishnormandymemorial.org/guardian or phone 0800 4701002 for more information.
Jailed lawyer Alex Murdaugh is being investigated by the FBI for alleged financial crimes.

Murdaugh, who resigned from the firm of Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick (PMPED) about two months ago after allegedly stealing from them, is said to have used the firm's stationary in a plan to steal $4.3 million that was owed to the family of housekeeper Gloria Satterfield, who died in his home in 2018.

The suggestion of a possible FBI investigation was made by Eric Bland, one of the attorneys representing the sons of housekeeper.

The former law firm of disgraced lawyer Alex Murdaugh (right) has reached a secret settlement with the family of housekeeper Gloria Satterfield (left), who died of a 'fall' in his home in 2018

Murdaugh is in jail for stealing more than $3 million in payouts from insurance companies that were intended for them. He is pictured above at his bond hearing at the Hampton County Jail in September, where he faced charges of insurance fraud and filing a false police report

Buster Murdaugh, 26, pictured, is said to have been spotted earlier this month at The Venetian casino in Las Vegas

The FBI's Columbia Field Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina have not confirmed or denied the existence of an investigation.

A lawyer for Murdaugh, Jim Griffin, also told The Post & Courier how he took part in a conference call involving federal prosecutors who were looking to see if he would cooperate with any investigation.

Meanwhile, in a civil suit, a South Carolina judge is to hear three separate motions on Friday that have been filed by the Sattersfield sons together with the mother of Mallory Beach who was killed in a boat crash and surviving passenger, Connor Cook.

The suits are asking for courts to freeze Alex and his son's 26-year-old Buster Murdaugh's financial accounts.

The court motions in the cases, all filed last week, said they fear Murdaugh is trying to hide millions of dollars they could possibly collect in their lawsuits by shifting money between unknown accounts and potentially selling off property and a boat after he turned all his affairs over to his surviving son, Buster.

Murdaugh is alleged to have used the firm's stationary in a plot to siphon $4.3 million from Satterfield's estate that was supposed to go to her two sons

Murdaugh has been charged with illegally pocketing nearly $3 million worth of insurance settlements that was supposed to go to Satterfields estate.

At his bond hearing, prosecutors detailed how Murdaugh stole the money by diverting it to his accounts. They said he then paid off a $100,000 credit card bill, transferred more than $300,000 to his father and $735,000 to himself.

The lawsuits noted well over half the settlement money remained unaccounted for in the prosecution's presentation.

Buster, who is now his father's power of attorney was allegedly spotted at a casino in Las Vegas last week just as his dad was being denied bond by a South Carolina judge over the charges related to insurance settlements that occurred after their housekeeper accidentally tripped and fell, killing her in 2018.

The lawsuits noted well over half the settlement money remained unaccounted for in the prosecution's presentation.

'Certainly, if Alex Murdaugh is capable of apparently diverting stolen assets in this manner, he is also capable of diverting legitimate assets,' the attorneys wrote in their lawsuits.

Murdaugh, 53, was first arrested September 16 and was accused of trying to arrange his own death so Buster Murdaugh could collect a $10 million life insurance policy. That same day, the father signed a power of attorney for all his affairs over to his son, according to court records.

Satterfield, 57, died after tripping over the Murdaugh family's dog at the family's hunting lodge (pictured) in South Carolina in February 2018. To this day, Satterfield's sons say they still don't know how the fall caused her such horrific injuries that she died

A South Carolina judge is to hear three separate motions on Friday that have been filed by the Sattersfield sons together with the mother of Mallory Beachm pictured, who was killed in a boat crash in 2019 when a 'highly drunk' Paul Murdaugh - Alex Murdaugh's son - plowed his father's boat into a piling on Archer's Creek resulting in her death

This is Alex Murdaugh's speed boat, seen badly damaged from the 2019 crash that killed Mallory Beach

'While the power of attorney may have some legitimate purposes for someone unable to manage their own finances, the power of attorney also provides a mechanism for Buster Murdaugh to transfer, sell or otherwise handle Alex Murdaugh's assets in a manner that diverts the assets,' the motion said.

On September 23, someone who owed a nearly $1 million mortgage to Alex Murdaugh from 2013 paid it off. Records don't indicate how much money changed hands.

State police first started investigating Alex Murdaugh and his family in June, when he found his wife and other son shot to death at their home. No one has been charged in that case.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigations concern millions of dollars which appear to be missing from the PMPED law firm.

The similar motions in the three lawsuits include several documents: a photo of Buster Murdaugh that lawyers said was taken in October at a Las Vegas casino, the Venetian; a nearly $1 million mortgage a property owner paid off to Alex Murdaugh; an online listing asking $114,000 for Murdaugh's boat; and a nearly two-year-old unpaid tax bill that could lead to the auction of Murdaugh's beach home on Edisto Island.

Paul and Maggie Murdaugh (together left) were shot dead on June 7

A judge in South Carolina denied bond for attorney Alex Murdaugh last week, pictured

General view of the Moselle Hunting Lodge where Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were gunned down June 7. Their bodies were discovered by Murdaugh by the dog kennels

Paul, 22, (left) and Maggie, 52, (right) were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds at the family's estate on June 7

'Alex Murdaugh has engaged in repeated dishonesty, deception and fraud. He has shown that he will go to extraordinary lengths to misappropriate, steal, transfer or otherwise dispose of money in a manner that benefits him or his family, with complete disregard for the interests of third persons,' the lawyers wrote in their motions.

The SLED are also looking into an alleged botched suicide plot that took place on Labor Day weekend which might have seen Buster collect on a $10 million life insurance policy had it been successful.

Two of the lawsuits involve a fatal February 2019 boat crash where Paul Murdaugh was charged after investigators said he was driving drunk and recklessly.

At the time of his death, Paul was still facing charges including boating under the influence charges.

The suits were filed by the family of a 19-year-old woman killed and a man on the boat who said the Murdaugh family tried to pin him as the boat's driver.

The South Carolina legal scion's life dramatically spiraled following the murders of his wife Maggie (second from left) and youngest son Paul (second from right) in June

Murdaugh resigned about two months ago at the request of his firm after millions of dollars were found to have gone missing from its coffers

Several other investigations into Alex Murdaugh by SLED were open following the unsolved murders of his wife, Maggie, 52, and their 22-year-old son, Paul.

The pair were shot to death on the grounds of the family's hunting estate in June.

Murdaugh insists he had nothing to do with the deaths. Murdaugh said he returned to their rural Colleton County home to find them shot to death. Tight-lipped state police have neither named any suspects nor ruled anyone out.

'As a result of the brutal murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh on June 7, SLED's initial priority was finding anyone responsible for their deaths. During the course of the double murder investigation, SLED agents have uncovered other potential crimes that warrant further investigation,' SLED spokesman Tommy Crosby said to Fox News.

'SLED agents continue to work diligently to bring justice to all victims in these cases. As I have previously stated, our agents remain committed to following the facts no matter where they lead us,' SLED Chief Mark Keel said in a statement. 'I have been in contact with the Federal Bureau of Investigation as well as the United States Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina. From very early on in this investigation SLED has utilized federal resources as needed. We will continue to call upon our federal partners as their assistance is needed to successfully investigate and prosecute specific aspects of these cases.'

Murdaugh remains in jail without bond on the charges he stole money from his late housekeeper's estate. A judge last week asked for a report on Murdaugh's mental state before considering whether to set bond.
Four men are being hunted by police after a journalist was attacked and had urine thrown at him during violent protests last month in central Melbourne.

While he was reporting from protests on Swanston Street about 11.15am on September 21, a man in high-visibility gear grabbed Seven News journalist Paul Dowsley by the neck in a headlock.

A second man, with a bald head and wearing a brown jacket, spat on Mr Dowsley before a third man in a bicycle helmet threw urine at the journalist.

Victoria Police said the behaviour was 'unacceptable' and have released photos of four men they want to speak to

At 12.30pm, a fourth man threw a drink can at Mr Dowsley, which hit him in the head, police said. He was wearing a beanie and blue clothing.

Victoria Police said the behaviour was 'unacceptable' and have released photos of four men they want to speak to.

Many of the incidents were filmed by camera crews and police are asking for witnesses to come forward.

Last month's protests started with construction workers storming their union building over mandatory vaccination rules, but turned into wider unrest across Melbourne over several days.

At 12.30pm, a man threw a drink can at Mr Dowsley, which hit him in the head, police said
Nearly half of American voters, according to a Wednesday poll, think that Dr. Anthony Fauci lied about the U.S. funding gain of function virus research in China, which some claim led to the development of COVID-19.

Forty-nine per cent of respondents to a new Rasmussen Reports survey believe the National Institute of Health infectious disease expert and top COVID adviser to President Joe Biden has not told the truth about the issue of funding gain of function research in China.

Another 33 per cent say they believe Fauci has told the truth while almost a fifth of respondents  19 per cent  say they arent sure.

The figure has declined 7 per cent from a June poll, where 40 per cent said they believed Fauci had told the truth.

Fauci has faced criticism over this issue and has gotten into several public spats with Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul, an Ophthalmologist, over the definition of gain of function and whether U.S. government funding was used for such research by the Chinese Communist Party.

Coupled with this criticism are increasing calls for Fauci, 80, to resign as NIH director of immunology and Chief Medical Advisor to Biden.

A new poll show 49% of American voters think Dr. Anthony Fauci lied about the U.S. funding gain of function research in China and 46% think he should be forced to resign

Calls of mounted for Fauci to resign amid new accusations that Fauci's department at NIH funded 'deadly and unnecessary' experiments on beagles

The Rasmussen poll taken October 25-26 shows 46 per cent of voters want Fauci to be forced to resign.

Another 40 per cent of respondents dont want Fauci to resign while 14 per cent arent sure what they believe.

Fauci has become a hate figure for conservatives after he promoted social distancing, mask wearing and vaccination mandates to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Senator Paul on Monday accused Fauci of funding 'deadly and unnecessary' experiments on beagles.

Paul demanded over the weekend that Fauci be fired for 'lack of judgment' over research funded by his institute at the Wuhan laboratory in China, which is at the center of claims that coronavirus leaked from a scientific facility.

On Monday, the senator seized on reports that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, headed by Fauci, funded hundreds of thousands of dollars in experiments on dogs.

'Dr. Faucis division at the National Institutes of Health wasted over $424,000 on deadly and unnecessary experiments on beagles. Thank you for the expose,' he wrote on Twitter using the #BeagleGate and #PaulsPups hashtags.

Republicans latest avenue of attack on Fauci was provided by White Coat Waste, a pressure group seeking a ban on federally funded research on animals.

Senator Rand Paul seized on an expose about animal experiments to accuse Fauci of funding the experiments on dogs

Paul resumed his attacks on Fauci over the weekend, demanding he be fired for 'lying' to Congress over whether U.S. taxpayers funded gain-of-function research in Wuhan

Fauci denied the claims, claiming: 'It's just not correct'

The White Coat Waste Project claims the NIAID provided a $375,800 grant to a lab in Tunisia to drug beagle puppies and locked their heads in mesh cages so sand flies could eat the dogs filled with hundreds of infected sand flies

It cited documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests as well as others that were publicly available, in reporting that National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have $375,000 to a Tunisian research lab.

There, puppies had their heads held in cages, before being left for sand flies to eat them alive for research purposes.

Distressing snaps showed the pups with their heads kept inside the muslin-type cages filled with the hungry insects.

Another procedure - which the NIH funded to the tune of $1.8m - saw 44 beagle puppies undergo a 'cordectomy,' which saw their vocal cords cut to stop them barking.

A day earlier Paul said Fauci should be fired for his 'lack of judgment' as he claimed on Sunday that President Biden's top medical adviser lied about National Institutes of Health-funded research in Wuhan, China.

'He should be fired,' he told 'Axios on HBO.'

'The thing is, is just for lack of judgment if nothing else, and I, you know, he's probably never going to admit that he lied, he's going to continue to dissemble and try to work around the truth and massage the truth.'

His outburst is just the most recent broadside in a months-long feud.

The latest twist came last week when the NIH admitted to funding research on bat coronaviruses, to test different spike proteins, in the Wuhan lab that is at the center of COVID-19 origin theories.

It comes after Fauci testified on multiple occasions before Congress than U.S. taxpayers never financed so called 'gain-of-function research.'

.@RandPaul says Biden should fire Fauci over U.S.-funded research in Wuhan "just for lack of judgment, if nothing else."



Fauci fired back at Paul's #AxiosOnHBO interview, telling @ThisWeekABC his criticism implies the research led to COVID-19, which is "molecularly impossible." pic.twitter.com/d4DHkYpOD9  Axios (@axios) October 24, 2021

The revelation came in a letter sent to Kentucky congressman James Comer, in which NIH's principal deputy director Lawrence A. Tabak refers to a 'limited experiment' conducted to test whether 'spike proteins from naturally occurring bat coronaviruses circulating in China were capable of binding to the human ACE2 receptor in a mouse model,' at the Wuhan lab.

According to Tabak, the mice infected with the modified bat virus 'became sicker' than those infected with the unmodified bat virus, according to unpublished data.

He wrote that the finding was an 'unexpected result of the research,' and that the viruses studied were 'genetically very distant' from the one that causes COVID-19.

The result is a tussle over how to define 'gain of function.'

'In the letter they acknowledge that yes, the viruses did gain in function, they became more dangerous,' said Paul.

'So they've created a virus that doesn't exist in nature to become more dangerous. That is gain of function.'

'Now they try to justify it by saying well it was an unexpected result.

'I'm not sure I buy that.

'Think about it you take an unknown virus, you combine it with another virus and you get a super virus.

'You have no idea whether it gains functions or loses function, that's what the experiment is, but I don't know how anybody could argue that that's not gain of function research.'

The lab in Wuhan, China, is at the center of theories that COVID-19 could have escaped from a laboratory rather than have emerged naturally in the wild from a host species

Mike Allen, the interviewer for Axios, told Paul that Biden was unlikely to fire Fauci.

Paul said he would accept an investigation into the gain-of-function research.

Fauci rejected his interpretation of the research during an interview on ABC's 'This Week' on Sunday.

'The funding at the Wuhan Institute was to be able to determine what is out there in the environment, in bat viruses in China,' he said.

'And the research was very strictly under what we call a framework of oversight of the type of research.

'And under those conditions which we have explained very, very clearly, does not constitute research of gain of function of concern.

'There are people who interpret it that way, but when you look at the framework under which the guidance is, that is not the case.

'So I have to respectfully disagree with Senator Paul. He is not correct that we lied or misled the Congress.

'It's just not correct.'

He also said it was 'molecularly impossible' for the viruses being studied to turn into COVID-19 because they were very distant genetically from each other.

On Monday, social media users called for the arrest of Fauci after his agency was found to have used taxpayer funds to finance experiments on dogs.

The hashtag #ArrestFauci was trending on Twitter over the weekend, amplifying the outrage over the experiments, including one which saw beagles trapped in cages so flies could eat them, and another where they were 'debarked' before being pumped with drugs and killed.

One of the most disturbing incidents funded by Fauci's National Institutes of Allergies and Infectious Diseases involved $375,000 given to a Tunisian research lab.

There, puppies had their heads held in cages, before being left for sand flies to eat them alive for research purposes.
A Southern California school safety officer has been charged with murder after allegedly fatally shooting an unarmed 18-year-old mother.

Eddie F Gonzalez, shot Mona Rodriguez in the back of the head by Millikan High School as she drove away from the scene of a fight with a 15-year-old girl.

Rodriguez, who had been declared brain dead after the September 27 shooting, died Tuesday after she was removed from life support, her family said.

Southern California school safety officer Eddie F Gonzalez (pictured0 has been charged with murder after fatally shooting an unarmed 18-year-old mother

Mona Rodriguez (pictured) was declared brain dead after the September 27 shooting and died Tuesday after she was removed from life support, her family said

Murder charges have been filed against the former school safety officer after he shot the teenage mother of a five-month-old son in the back in the head in a parking lot near Millikan High School in Long Beach.

Los Angeles Country District Attorney George Gascon announced the charges during a news conference on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Gascon has previously promised to aggressively pursue law enforcement officers who use excessive force.

Her family said that the hollow-point bullet exploded in her head as she was fleeing the scene following a fight with an unidentified 15-year-old girl one block away from the high school.

Rodriguez was in the car's passenger seat and her 20-year-old boyfriend Rafeul Chowdhury was driving.

His younger brother, Shahriear Chowdhury, 16, was also in the vehicle when Gonzalez opened fire but no one else was hit, according to the Times.

Rafuel told cops that no one in the car was armed at the time of the fatal shooting and told reporters last week that 'it was all for no reason'.

Rodriguez and Rafuel had a five-month-old son together named Isael.

After the mother's sudden death her heart, liver, lungs and two kidneys were harvested for donation to five people who needed transplants, according to a statement from Rodriguez's lawyers.

Rodriguez's (pictured with her son Isael) family said that the hollow-point bullet exploded in her head as she was fleeing the scene following a fight with an unidentified 15-year-old girl one block away from the high school

The moment a teenage mother was shot in the back of the head by a school safety officer was caught on a cell phone video and posted to social media earlier this month. Gonzalez was seen breaking up the fight between Rodriguez and an unidentified 15-year-old girl before firing two bullets at the car

The Long Beach Police Department announced that after Rodriguez's death detectives are investigating the incident as a homicide.

Gonzalez was dismissed by unanimous vote of the district board because he violated district policy, Long Beach Unified School District Superintendent Jill Baker said on Wednesday.

'After our internal review, you clearly saw areas where the employee violated district policy and did not meet our standards and expectations,' Baker said in a statement.

'We believe the decision to terminate this officer's employment is warranted, justified, and quite frankly, the right thing to do,' she added.

Mayor Robert Garcia said that the school district 'absolutely made the right call in firing the school safety officer', adding that there should 'absolutely' be charges against Gonzalez.

Gonzalez has yet to publicly comment and it wasn't immediately clear whether he has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.

A video of the shooting was posted online earlier this month and appeared to show the safety officer breaking up a fight between Rodriguez and another girl.

Rodriguez was reportedly not enrolled at the high school at the time of the argument.

As Rodriguez got in the car with her boyfriend and began to drive away Gonzalez fired at least two shots.

At least one bullet pierced a window of the car.

The 18-year-old was left brain dead after being shot in the back of the head by a school safety officer as she tried to flee a fight

Mona passed after doctors took the 18-year-old mother off of life support

Gonzalez's conduct is now being probed by the Long Beach Police Department. A use of force expert has said his multiple brief stints in other police departments should have raised red flags about his employability.

A look at his work history raises 'a bunch of red flags,' Timothy Williams, a police-use-of-force expert and retired detective supervisor with the LAPD, told Long Beach Post News.

Gonzalez has jumped from police department to police department after only a few short months over the last two years and made the unusual move to become a school safety officer after only a few years in the force.

Prior to being hired as a safety officer at the school on January 10 of this year, Gonzalez worked for the Los Alamitos Police Department for only four months in 2019, Long Beach Post News reported.

The city of Los Alamitos confirmed to the Long Beach Post that Gonzalez worked for the department from January 8, 2019, to April 8, 2019.

Video footage showed Gonzalez being sworn in on February 2019 as a new police officer by Los Alamitos Police Chief Eric Nunez.

In his introduction Nunez said Gonzalez was born in Los Angeles and served as a Marine Corps.

In September 2019 he took another job as a police officer with the city of Sierra Madre in Los Angeles County, which came to an end July 2020.

A spokesman for the department told the LA Times it 'chose to separate' from Gonzalez but did not comment further about the circumstances of his departure.

Long Beach Unified School District said they were aware of his brief stints as a police officer in two separate police departments, and said that the agencies were contacted during the hiring process.

'Nothing in those checks was disqualifying,' district spokesman Chris Eftychiou told the Long Beach Post.

But Williams says he has 'concerns' about Gonzalez jumping departments, saying he's seen that behavior from officers with 'checkered backgrounds'.

In September 2019 Gonzalez (right) took another job as a police officer with the city of Sierra Madre in Los Angeles County, which came to an end July 2020. A spokesman for the department said they 'chose to separate' from him but wouldn't comment further

Rafeul Chowdhury (left with civil rights activist Najee Ali), the father of Rodriguez's child, told reporters that the officer had not warned before firing his weapon

Speaking outside the school last week, Chowdhury told reporters that Gonzalez had threatened Rodriguez and the 15-year-old girl she had been fighting with pepper spray.

He claimed that the girls stopped fighting and that the officer did not warn them he would use his gun before firing.

'All we did is just got in the car and left,' Chowdhury said.

'He never told us to stop anytime soon, and the way he shot us, it wasn't right.'

Chowdhury added that he and Rodriguez had been trying to have a child for some time. 'Now we do, and she's gone,' he said.

'I just got to step up now and play the mother and the father role, and keep my son strong.'

Civil rights activist Najee Ali also spoke outside the school on Wednesday.

'There's no excuse, no justification for this officer shooting in the rear passenger-side window of a car with a woman who's unarmed. Everyone in the car was unarmed,' he said.

'The fact is, he shot at someone in the passenger seat with no regard for anyone's life in the car.'

'The only way we stop these safety officers from shooting unarmed people and killing them is by having them prosecuted and held accountable for what they've done wrong to members of the community.'
A numeracy programme will be launched to improve poor maths skills among up to half a million adults.

Rishi Sunak told MPs he would put 560million into the scheme, called Multiply, to change peoples lives across the whole United Kingdom. The cash is for a three-year period.

Ministers hope that by increasing adults confidence with numbers it will improve their employment chances and earnings.

It will include flexible courses and an online platform designed to allow the learning to fit around busy lives.

The Chancellor said: Millions of adults in England have numeracy skills lower than those expected of a nine-year-old.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak leaving 11 Downing Street, London before delivering his Budget to the House of Commons on Wednesday

The Chancellor has announced a new scheme named Multiply that will improve basic maths skills of up to half a million adults

According to the leading charity National Numeracy this costs individuals with poor numeracy up to 1,600 a year in lost earnings.

'People with poor numeracy skills are more than twice as likely to be unemployed as their peers.

'With 560million, Multiply will improve basic maths skills and help to change peoples lives across the whole United Kingdom.

The programme, which starts next April, will equip hundreds of thousands more adults with functional numeracy skills, the Budget Red Book said.

In England, the Treasury expects the scheme to particularly benefit the North East, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber, which have the highest rates of poor numeracy.

Mr Sunak poses alongside Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a visit to a brewery in Bermondsey after delivering his budget

Sam Sims, chief executive of National Numeracy, welcomed the scheme. It provides recognition of the role that basic numeracy plays in opening up opportunities for individuals, and the benefits numeracy can bring to the economy and society as a whole, he said.

Crucially, the focus on innovative and flexible approaches that help build confidence, as well as skills, could make this a game-changer for those adults typically not yet ready to access existing courses.

We look forward to working with Government to ensure Multiply has a big impact and a lasting legacy.

Over the past decade, weve learnt that for those with low numeracy, building confidence goes hand in hand with building skills, and that emphasising the real-world value of numeracy is key.
Living near to a Waitrose has long been considered desirable among homebuyers - and has even often been said to translate into higher house prices.

But times are changing and the so-called 'Waitrose effect' is no longer as prevalent as it once was, according to new research.

It found that property values are now rising at a greater rate further away from a Waitrose as people move away from towns and cities during the pandemic.

Homes close to a Waitrose have seen house prices typically rise by 16 per cent, according to new research

It is the first time that this has happened, claimed property and data insight specialist TwentyCi.

Living near the the upmarket supermarket is still considerably more expensive.

The average price of a property that was within walking distance of half-a-mile of a Waitrose was 599,000 during the first three months of this year.

By contrast, the average price for homes that were between 10 and 20 miles away from their nearest Waitrose store was 243,000.

However, the rate of growth tells a different story. Homes further away from a Waitrose have seen price growth of 23 per cent since the first three months of 2019, while those close to Waitrose have seen values rise by only 16 per cent since the same quarter.

Colin Bradshaw, of TwentyCi, said: 'The higher growth rate for houses situated further away from a Waitrose reflects the picture we have been seeing throughout the pandemic - that suggests that while proximity to a Waitrose store is attractive, the bigger move is away from busy town centres and cities, towards quieter green spaces.'

The pandemic has seen a race for space among buyers as people turn to rural and coastal areas following several lockdowns.

Phillip Stevens, of estate agents Antony Roberts, said: 'In reality, this trend is nothing to do with Waitrose specifically.

'Waitrose supermarkets are generally located close to town centres which is also where train stations tend to be. Such central locations have historically been in greater demand than outlying areas.

'However, this current trend probably reflects the fact that many more people are working from home and not commuting to offices to the same extent, so they are prioritising the greater internal and outside space offered by properties further from town centres.

'It is likely this trend will evolve again as businesses encourage their employees to spend more time back at city-based offices, albeit this shifting lifestyle will have a long-lasting effect. It is likely that the town centre premium will not again be as significant as it used to be 'pre-pandemic'.'

Property values are rising at a greater rate further away from a Waitrose, said property and data insight specialist TwentyCi

It follows separate research last month that suggested buyers prefer being near a Tesco supermarket.

The research by Rightmove asked 2,023 people viewing property online in August what kind of property their dream home would be, where it would be, and what they would want on their doorstep.

It resulted in identifying the nation's dream home, which also included being by the sea and a pub, as well as having four bedrooms.

It now also includes an office, something that has become a priority for many workers during the pandemic.

The property website said that while Tesco pipped the usual desirable location indicator Waitrose to the post, preferences vary around the country.

While it found that the supermarket that most people would like to live close to is a Tesco, regional preferences revealed the South favouring Waitrose and Sainsbury's winning in Yorkshire & the Humber. Rightmove pointed out that the results could be skewed as Tesco has more stores around the country.

A spokesman for Waitrose was approached for comment, but declined to respond.
Leaseholders caught up in the cladding scandal have criticised an announcement in the Budget for a 4 per cent levy on large construction firms.

The money will help to create a 5billion fund to help cover the cost of repairs to dangerous cladding and fire safety defeats.

But those homeowners affected by the crisis said the money was not a new announcement and would fail to cover the true cost of the crisis.

Since the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, concerns about cladding have become a national issue

The Chancellor said in the Budget that developers would be hit with the 4 per cent levy, which was at the higher end of the 3 to 4 per cent expected.

However, Rishi Sunak explained that only developers making profits of at least 25million would pay it.

Speaking to MPs, the Chancellor said: 'We're confirming 5billion to remove unsafe cladding from the highest-risk buildings partly funded by the Residential Property Developer Tax, which I can confirm will be levied on developers with profits over 25million at a rate of 4 per cent.'

Many homeowners have been left facing potentially ruinous bills after discovering dangerous cladding and fire defects on their properties.

Such defects have been found on high-rise buildings across Britain following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.

Lenders are now refusing to provide finance on some types of cladding, leaving some flat owners trapped in unsafe homes that they are unable to sell until the repair works are completed.

The Building Safety Fund was set up to help those affected, applying to those in buildings above 18 metres high.

Mary-Anne Bowring, of the property management consultancy Ringley Group, said: 'A blanket tax on developers is fairer than leaving leaseholders to shoulder the burden but it is still a blunt instrument to use to fix the cladding crisis.

'Fundamentally, accountability should fall squarely on those who overlooked the potential hazards of unsafe cladding in the first place.'

Meanwhile, Lawrence Bowles, of estate agents Savills, said: 'At a time of rising materials and labour costs, and given likely falling transaction volumes next year, it is hard to know what this new levy will raise.'

It does nothing to help. It's not new money, only going back into the promised 5bn, and doesn't beginning to come to close to what these developers have made from government hand outs in the last few years. They're just looking for a headline without any substance. Again.  Reece Lipman (@Reecelipman) October 27, 2021

Leaseholders have reacted to the levy, saying it does not go far enough in helping those who are victims of a cladding scandal through no fault of their own.

Twitter user Reece Lipman said: 'It does nothing to help. It's not new money, only going back into the promised 5billion.'

And Steve Voller said the Chancellor is saving the Government money with the levy as its going towards the 5billion already announced. 'It does nothing to help leaseholders and doesn't plug the gap to the 15billion actually needed.'

He's saving the gov money as its going towards the 5bn already announced. It does nothing to help leaseholders and doesn't plug the gap to the 15bn actually needed.  Steve Voller (@SteveVoller1) October 27, 2021

Meanwhile, another social media user with the name 'LeaseholdSlave' said: 'It is nowhere near enough to solve this crisis.'

And Paul123 wrote: 'Feel totally let down by this Government. Its like asking a mugger in the street to say sorry and hand back a fraction of what they just stole from you.'

feel totally let down by this govt. Its like asking a mugger in the street to say sorry and hand back a fraction of what they just stole from you and then they charge you for the service of mugging you. Disgraceful. #buildingsafetycrisis  Paul123 (@Paul12381746671) October 27, 2021

A Twitter user who goes by the name 'Chewie' said the levy 'makes zero difference', adding: 'It's a slap on the wrist for developers and a slap in the face for leaseholders'.

Levy, rebadged, repackaged, makes zero difference.

It's a slap on the wrist for developers, and a slap in the face for leaseholders.  Chewie (@MrChewie) October 27, 2021

It follows the case of flat owner Emily Boswell who lives in a two-bedroom flat in Leeds Dock.

The 26-year-old received an email from her management company about her service charges.

It included an earth-shattering amount of 101,267.63, said to be for 'external wall remediation 2021-22'.

Miss Boswell explained: 'We've been told we don't have to pay this money right this second - as if we're in a position to pay it anyway - because our Building Safety Fund application is still underway.

'But it had to be included in our service charge bill for the coming year in case we do not get any funding. We already know that two of the materials - brickwork and tiling with no fire breaks beneath - and our balconies are not eligible for funding.'
Great whites are often portrayed as ruthless human killers, but a new study suggests shark attack victims are simply the subject of mistaken identity.

The vicious marine beasts can confuse humans for their natural prey  seals  because they look the same when viewed from below, the research reveals.

Experts in Australia used 'shark vision' to see how seals and humans on surfboards appear when looking up at a silhouette on the water's surface.

They did this by cleverly manipulating footage of swimming humans and seals as a shark would see it.

Sharks likely confuse an oval-shaped surfboard for the body of a seal, as well as a human's arms and legs for the limbs of the seal, the researchers concluded.

They are completely colour blind or at best have only limited colour perception  and this makes it hard for them to make the distinction.

Sharks don't attack humans on purpose but mix them up with seals because they're colour-blind and can't quite make the distinction, researchers in Sydney report

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias). White shark attacks on humans are rare, but when they happen, they can result in the use of lethal shark mitigation measures, damaging population numbers

WHITE SHARKS White shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is the largest of all predatory sharks in the ocean today. Adult great white sharks grow to a maximum size of approximately 20 feet in length, weigh up to 6,600 pounds, and are estimated to live for 30 years. Great white sharks have serrated bladelike teeth with the upper jaw containing a row of 23-28 teeth and their lower jaw 20-26 teeth. These triangular teeth can reach up to 6.6 inches in height. They are very curious and will often poke their heads out of the water or follow boats. White shark attacks on humans are rare, however. Advertisement

The research looked specifically at juvenile white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias), which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans.

'We looked specifically at juvenile sharks and that's because they are responsible for the majority of fatal bites on humans,' study author Laura Ryan at Macquarie University, Sydney told AAP.

'Until now, the potential similarity between humans and seals has been assessed based on human vision.

'However, white sharks have much lower visual acuity than us, meaning they cannot see fine details, and lack colour vision.'

Juveniles have poorer eyesight than adults, simply because their eyes are yet to grow to their full size, just like the rest of their body.

For the study, the researchers used footage of two sea lions and one fur seal swimming in a pool at Taronga Zoo in Sydney from underwater, as well as humans 'doggy-paddling' using a surfboard.

They used mounted cameras and sea scooters to observe how sharks perceive stimulus atop the water.

This data was then pumped into a virtual visual system that analysed the short clips and viewed as sharks retina would see it  in black and white and without much clarity.

Dead ringer? A surfer is pictured from below at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia. The feet look stumpy, much like the lower limbs of a seal

Video recordings were made of two Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea) and one New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri, pictured)

The team drew on extensive shark neuroscience data to apply filters to the video footage, and then created modelling programs to simulate the way a juvenile white shark would process the movements and shapes of different objects.

Motion cues of humans swimming, humans paddling on surfboards and seals swimming did not differ significantly, they found.

The poor acuity of juvenile white sharks means that they cannot discriminate between humans and seals, when viewed from below, according to the researchers.

As a neuroscientist, Dr Ryan's interest in this field stems from her own passion for surfing and finding ways to mitigate shark attacks.

'The fear of being bitten by a shark crosses your mind,' she said. 'And so for me, having greater understanding helps me to push those thoughts to the side when they occur, because I can rationalise they are quite rare events.'

Researchers are now exploring other ways to change how sharks perceive different silhouettes, including the use of LED lights.

Direction and strength of motion cues from the researchers' model of (ac) a seal swimming and (df ) a human paddling a surfboard

Scientists at the university's neurobiology lab are also working on non-invasive devices, based on vision, which may help protect surfers and swimmers from shark bites.

Fatal shark attacks are rare. According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science, there are about 10 deaths attributable to shark attacks worldwide each year.

This compares with around 150 deaths worldwide per year that are caused by falling coconuts, it claims.

But when they do happen, it can result in the use of lethal shark mitigation measures, damaging population numbers, the team warn.

'Shark bites on humans are rare but are sufficiently frequent to generate substantial public concern, which typically leads to measures to reduce their frequency,' the authors say in their paper, published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

'Bites also have negative consequences for sharks as they often result in the implementation or continued use of lethal shark mitigation measures, including the deployment of gill nets and drum lines to reduce shark populations.'
Smokey Bear might have some competition: the United Nations has enlisted a talking dinosaur to testify to the dangers of global warming caused by burning fossil fuels.

In a video released Wednesday, a computer-generated reptile voiced by Jack Black bursts into the General Assembly to warn terrified diplomats that 'going extinct is a bad thing.'

Created by the U.N. Development Program, the comedic clip carries a serious message about how nations are driving themselves extinct by pouring billions more into oil, gas and coal production than renewable energy.

'At least we had an asteroid,' the realistic dino says. 'What's your excuse?'

'You're headed for a climate disaster,' he adds. 'And yet every year, governments spend hundreds of billions of public funds on fossil fuel subsidies. Imagine if we had spent hundreds of billions per year subsidizing giant meteors.'

Part of the agency's Don't Choose Extinction campaign, the PSA comes a few days before the start of the U.N. Climate Change summit, or Conference of the Parties (COP26), on October 31 in Glasgow.

An accompanying report indicated more than $423 billion is spent subsidizing fossil fuels  four times what's allotted to help developing countries tackle climate change.

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In a PSA released Wednesday by the UN Development Program, a dinosaur storms the General Assembly to warn diplomats of the dangers of 'driving yourself extinct' by relying on fossil fuels

That figure doesn't include the indirect costs of burning oil, coal and gas, such as the harm fossil fuel emissions do to the environment and human health.

Achim Steiner, head of the U.N. Development Program, said Wednesday it was imperative to move away from energy sources 'that are contributing to our planet's decline.'

In a statement, Steiner acknowledged that weaning off fossil-fuel subsidies will not be easy and may look different in every country.

'Ending financial support for them in a way that is fair and equitable is a critical element of that transition.'

'At least we had an asteroid,' the realistic dino says in the spot. 'What's your excuse?' His arrival comes days before the start of the United Nations Climate Change summit, or Conference of the Parties (COP), on October 31 in Glasgow.

Comic actor Jack Black (pictured) voices the CGI dinosaur

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly called for an end to subsidies on fossil fuels, something many governments have been wary to endorse.

PARIS AGREEMENT: ACCORD TO LIMIT TEMPERATURE RISES The Paris Agreement, which was first signed in 2015, is an international agreement to control and limit climate change. It hopes to hold the increase in the global average temperature to below 2C (3.6F) 'and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C (2.7F)'. It seems the more ambitious goal of restricting global warming to 1.5C (2.7F) may be more important than ever, according to previous research which claims 25 per cent of the world could see a significant increase in drier conditions. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change has four main goals with regards to reducing emissions: 1) A long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels 2) To aim to limit the increase to 1.5C, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change 3) Governments agreed on the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising that this will take longer for developing countries 4) To undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best available science Source: European Commission Advertisement

'The emissions gap is the result of a leadership gap,' he said at the launch of the study.

'But leaders can still make this a turning point to a greener future instead of a tipping point to climate catastrophe.'

The UN Environment Program's report indicates carbon-cutting plans submitted by countries are nowhere near enough to keep the 1.5C temperature threshold within sight.

Added together, they slash greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 by an additional 7.5 percent, far from the 55 percent needed ensure the 1.5C increase remains a realistic target, experts said.

The current pledges would instead see the world warm by 2.7C this century, a revelation that is 'another thundering wake-up call', according to Guterres

'The viability of our societies depends on leaders from government, business and civil society uniting behind policies, actions and investments that will limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius,' Guterres said in a statement in August.

'We owe this to the entire human family, especially the poorest and most vulnerable communities and nations that are the hardest hit despite being least responsible for today's climate emergency.'

It's a message that hasn't been heeded so far: According to a report from the U.N. Environment Program released last week, 110 percent more fossil fuels will be extracted by 2030 than is allowed by the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Based on government projections, 240 percent more coal, nearly 60 percent more oil and over 70 percent more natural gas will be processed by the end of the decade than would keep global warming at 1.5 Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-Industrial Age levels.

Even at a more modest goal of 2C (3.6F) increase, industrialized nations are slated to go over the limit by 45 percent, the study found.

Researchers found most major oil and gas producers  and even some major coal producers  were planning on increasing production until 2030 or even beyond

'Governments continue to plan for and support levels of fossil fuel production that are vastly in excess of what we can safely burn,' Ploy Achakulwisut, a climate scientist at the Stockholm Environment Institute, which produced the report, told New Scientist.
Barclays' mobile banking app is back up and running after a three-hour outage that saw thousands of customers unable to access their accounts.

According to Down Detector, which monitors website outages, some 2,000 users began experiencing issues at around 06:00 BST.

Barclays confirmed the issue had been fixed shortly after 09:00 BST but did not elaborate on the cause of it. Neither did HSBC and NatWest when they both suffered online banking problems on Monday.

A Barclays spokesman told MailOnline: 'We apologise to customers who have been unable to access the Barclays app, and can confirm the service has been restored.

'Our online banking and automated telephone service were not impacted and customers were able to transfer funds, make payments and check balances.'

Barclays' mobile banking app is back up and running after a three-hour outage that saw thousands of customers unable to access their accounts

According to Down Detector, which monitors website outages, some 2,000 users began experiencing issues at around 06:00 BST

A number of people had taken to social media to express their frustration over the outage.

One Barclays customer wrote on Twitter: 'Barclays is there a problem with online banking can't see my account??'

Another added: 'Is anyone else's Barclays app down?? Can't see any of my accounts when I open the app?'

The majority of issues reported  68 per cent  related to mobile banking, while a further 25 per cent were about online banking and 7 per cent mobile log ins, according to Down Detector.

On Twitter, the bank acknowledged it was having problems, writing: 'We're looking into the problem now, and we'll update you here as soon as possible.'

Replying to one customer, Barclays UK Help tweeted: 'Thanks for your message and please don't worry! We're aware of the issues with the app, the team are working hard to fix this ASAP.'

A number of people took to social media to express their frustration about the outage

Down Detector's 'heat map' of user-submitted problem reports showed that affected customers were mostly in London and Plymouth

Down Detector gets network status updates from various sources including social media and reports submitted to its website.

The website's 'heat map' of user-submitted problem reports showed that affected customers were mostly in London and Plymouth, with other cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Nottingham hit too.

The outage came just 48 hours after both HSBC and NatWest also suffered problems with their online banking systems.

On Monday morning, HSBC customers were unable to access their accounts for around two hours before the problem affecting HSBCnet was resolved.

A few hours later NatWest also experienced issues, with its customers struggling to log into their accounts via online and mobile banking.

Both banks apologised for the disruption when the problems were fixed but neither revealed the cause of their respective outage.
NASA has shared an incredible image of a colourful nebula that may just remind you of a certain fictional monster from Japan.

The image, captured by the now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope, features bright spots 'like the piercing eyes and elongated snout' of Godzilla.

Often referred to as the 'king of the monsters', Godzilla has been the subject of the world's longest-running film franchise since its big screen debut in 1954.

This particular nebula, in the constellation Sagittarius in the Southern celestial hemisphere, is dotted with amazing kaleidoscopic colours that represent different wavelengths of infrared light.

 Slide me  When viewed in visible light, the kind human eyes can detect, this nebula is almost entirely obscured by dust clouds. But infrared light - wavelengths longer than what our eyes can perceive - can penetrate the clouds, revealing its astonishing beauty

A nebula is an enormous cloud of dust and gas occupying the space between stars and acting as a nursery for new stars.

Nebulae are formed when a star larger than our sun starts to die and gives off a solar-wind of gas.

In case you missed it, a stencil drawn around the nebula brings the fictional monster to life.

But if you think you can draw a better version, NASA is letting the public draw their own stencil with the Spitzer Artistronomy web app.

Godzilla has been the subject of the world's longest-running film franchise since its big screen debut in 1954. Pictured is a still from the 1954 film, 'Godzilla'

HOW IS A NEBULA FORMED? Planetary nebulae are formed when a star larger than our sun starts to die and gives off a solar-wind of gas. As it grows older the wind becomes more violent and clashes with fragments of old star, forming strange shapes. Later, the outer layers of the star are blown off and expose the star's hot core, which lights up the surrounding gas and causes the eerie glow. Only once the glowing begins is the nebula visible to Earth. Factors such as how the star spins, what angle it is viewed at and the chemical composition of the gas affect the shape of the nebula. Advertisement

The new image was shared by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by the nearby California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

'I wasn't looking for monsters,' said Caltech astronomer Robert Hurt, who processed the image and was the first to spot Godzilla.

'I just happened to glance at a region of sky that I've browsed many times before, but I'd never zoomed in on.

'Sometimes if you just crop an area differently, it brings out something that you didn't see before. It was the eyes and mouth that roared "Godzilla" to me.'

The Godzilla-like nebula is located in the constellation Sagittarius along the plane of the Milky Way, which was part of Spitzers GLIMPSE Survey (Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire).

NASA says: 'Stars in the upper right  where this cosmic Godzilla's eyes and snout are seen  are an unknown distance from Earth but within our galaxy.

'Located about 7,800 light-years from Earth, the bright region in the lower left, appearing as Godzillas right hand, is known as W33.'

When viewed in visible light, the kind human eyes can detect, this nebula is almost entirely obscured by dust clouds.

But infrared light  wavelengths longer than what our eyes can perceive  can penetrate the clouds, revealing its astonishing beauty.

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope retired last year after more than 16 years of exploring the universe in infrared light

SPITZER BY NUMBERS 1 of NASA's four Great Observatories 3 scientific instruments on board 85cm telescope mirror 16.4 years in space More than 36.5 million raw images taken Furthest objects seen as they appeared 13.4 billion years ago 90.1 per cent observing efficiency As of January 30, 2020 Source: NASA Advertisement

Four colours  blue, cyan, green and red  are used to represent different wavelengths of infrared light; yellow and white are combinations of those wavelengths.

Blue and cyan represent wavelengths primarily emitted by stars, while dust and organic molecules called hydrocarbons appear green, and warm dust that's been heated by stars or supernovae appears red.

Nebulas are often named based on what scientists perceive as similarities with Earth-based objects or characters, including a cat's paw, a tarantula and a veil.

Astronomers have also perceived a black widow spider, a Hallowe'en lantern, a snake, an exposed human brain, and the Starship Enterprise, among other things, in Spitzer images.

Spitzer was retired in January 2020, but scientists continue to mine its massive dataset for new information about the universe, as well as impressive new images.

'Its one of the ways that we want people to connect with the incredible work that Spitzer did,' Hurt said.

'I look for compelling areas that can really tell a story. Sometimes its a story about how stars and planets form, and sometimes its about a giant monster rampaging through Tokyo.'

This image from Spitzer shows the Cat's Paw nebula, so named for the large, round features that create the impression of a feline footprint. The nebula is a star-forming region in the Milky Way galaxy, located in the constellation Scorpius

The Tarantula Nebula shows of the full breadth of Spitzer's capabilities, according to project scientist Michael Werner from the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab in California. Spitzer was retired in January 2020

Spitzer was one of NASA's four Great Observatories  large, powerful space-based astronomical telescopes that were launched between 1990 and 2003.

The fab four  Spitzer, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, the Chandra x-ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope  were each built to specifically observe regions of the light spectrum.

Satellite light readings can allow scientists to discern the mass and size of stars in other galaxies and their planets that pass in front of them.

The Great Observatories program demonstrated the power of using different wavelengths of light to create a fuller picture of the universe, NASA said.

Of the four, only the Hubble and the Chandra now remain active, as the Compton was decommissioned in 2000.

All of Spitzer's data is free and available to the public in the Spitzer data archive.
It's not just the cholesterol, calories and carbohydrates in fast food that people have to worry about: burgers, pizza and burritos are crawling with toxic 'forever chemicals,' according to a new study.

Researchers at George Washington University ordered dozens of items from McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Domino's, Taco Bell and Chipotle.

According to their analysis, they found phthalates, which are used to make plastic pliable, in over 80 percent of the samples.

Phthalates are also known as plasticizers, and are used in hundreds of products, from vinyl flooring and plastic packaging to soaps and shampoos.

In addition, they have been linked to numerous health problems, including cancer, liver damage, infertility, thyroid disease, asthma and even smaller testicles, as well as learning disabilities, behavioral issues and attention-deficit disorders in children.

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Researchers at George Washington University tested menu items from McDonald's, Burger King, Domino's and other fast-food chains for phtalates, so-called 'forever chemicals' used in hundreds of household products

People are exposed to phthalates by ingesting foods and beverages that have contacted products containing phthalates or by breathing phthalate particles in the air directly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Exposure is a particular risk for kids, the health agency said, because children crawl around touching things and put them in their mouths.

The researchers chose the restaurants and menu items  hamburgers, fries, chicken nuggets, chicken burritos and cheese pizza  based on market share and best-selling items.

Items made with meat had higher levels of phthalates, while French fries and cheese pizza had the lowest, according to their findings, published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology.

They found 81 percent of the items tested contained a phthalate called DnBP, which has been linked to a heightened risk for asthma, and 70 percent contained DEHP, which has been tied to reduced fertility and other reproductive issues

Of the food they ordered, 81 percent contained a phthalate called DnBP, which has been linked to a heightened risk for asthma, and 70 percent contained DEHP, which has been tied to reduced fertility and other reproductive issues.

As concern over phthalates grows, alternative plasticizers have been developed, and the scientists found one such substitute, called DEHT, in 86 percent of the junk food.

The full health impact of these alternative plasticizers are not yet known, the researchers said.

The burgers, McNuggets and milkshakes could have come into contact with phthalates and replacement plasticizers anywhere along the food-supply chain, the researchers said, from processing and packaging equipment to the plastic gloves worn by employees.

Items made with meat had higher levels of phthalates, while french fries and cheese pizza had the lowest, according to the study

Pictured: Chemical formula and molecular model for a phthalate. Certain phthalates have been linked to cancer, liver damage, infertility, thyroid disease, and asthma

Co-author Ami Zota, a professor of environmental health at GWU, said the study raises concerns that low-income Americans and people of color are being disproportionately exposed to phthalates.

'Disadvantaged neighborhoods often have plenty of fast-food outlets but limited access to healthier foods like fruits and vegetables,' Zota told The Washington Post. 'Additional research needs to be done to find out whether people living in such food deserts are at higher risk of exposure to these harmful chemicals.'

A 2019 CDC report found non-Latino blacks have higher levels of exposure to several phthalates and phthalate alternatives than whites.

It also indicated adult women across the board registered higher levels of plasticizers used in soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, and other personal care products than men did.

The FDA doesn't set limits for phthalates in food, according to the Post, but the levels detected in the 64 fast-food items purchased from franchises around San Antonio, Texas, were all below the EPA's current acceptable thresholds.

Still, the FDA told the Post that it would review the George Washington study and consider its findings.

'Although the FDA has high safety standards, as new scientific information becomes available, we reevaluate our safety assessments,' an agency spokesperson said.

'Where new information raises safety questions, the FDA may revoke food additive approvals, if the FDA is no longer able to conclude that there is a reasonable certainty of no harm from the authorized use.'

The EPA said it was moving to regulate certain forever chemicals  known as Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS  in US drinking water after they have repeatedly appeared in water reservoirs across the country

Last week, the EPA said it was moving to regulate certain forever chemicals  known as Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS  in U.S. drinking water after they have repeatedly appeared in water supplies across the country.

The agency said it would also designate some as hazardous chemicals.

PFAs are used to make cookware, rainwear, carpet and other items water- and stain-resistant, but have also been tied to health issues, including higher cholesterol, an increased risk of kidney and testicular cancer, and damage to the immune system, as well as birth defects, smaller birth weights, and decreased vaccine response in children.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan (pictured) said the agency was moving to regulate forever chemicals called PFAS, which are used to make items water- and stain-resistant, but have also been tied higher cholesterol, an increased risk of kidney and testicular cancer, and damage to the immune system

'For far too long, families across America  especially those in underserved communities  have suffered from PFAS in their water, their air, or in the land their children play on,' EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement.

'This comprehensive, national PFAS strategy will deliver protections to people who are hurting, by advancing bold and concrete actions that address the full lifecycle 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.'
Scientists have confirmed that a man who previously claimed to be the great-grandson of Sitting Bull is indeed his living descendant after analyzing DNA fragments from the legendary Native American chief's hair.

University of Cambridge-led experts have demonstrated the technique known as 'autosomal DNA' were able to provide that Ernie Lapointe is indeed the great-grandson of the Native American leader.

Also known as Thathaka Iyotake, Sitting Bull led 1,500 Lakota warriors at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, wiping out the opposing U.S. forces led by General Custer.

The researchers were able to extract so-called autosomal DNA from a lock of Sitting Bull's hair and match it to that from his modern-day relative, Ernie Lapointe.

Previously, the relationship between the pair had been contested  despite genealogical evidence in the form of birth and death certificates and family trees.

It is the first time the technique has offered the ability to test relationships between living and dead individuals.

A method for analysing family lineages using fragments of ancient DNA has offered the ability to test relationships between living and dead individuals for the first time. University of Cambridge-led experts have demonstrated the technique by proving the claim of Ernie Lapointe (right) as the great-grandson of the Native American leader Sitting Bull (left)

AUTOSOMAL DNA Autosomal DNA is the name given to DNA inherited from any of the numbered, non-sex chromosomes. It is recombined in each generation  meaning that children will receive one set of autosomal chromosomes from each parent. Given the way they are passed down, they can be used to establish more complex family relationships than just following the male or female line, as with traditional genetic analyses. Advertisement

The research was conducted by evolutionary geneticist Eske Willerslev of the University of Cambridge and his colleagues.

'Autosomal DNA is our non-gender-specific DNA,' Professor Willerslev explained.

'We managed to locate sufficient amounts of autosomal DNA in Sitting Bulls hair sample, and compare it to the DNA sample from Ernie Lapointe and other Lakota Sioux  and were delighted to find that it matched.'

Traditional approaches to genetic analysis would not have worked here, as they either look for DNA matches within the Y chromosome, which is only passed down the male line, or in the mitochondrial DNA passed down the female line.

Given this, they would never have been able to establish a link between Mr Lapointe and his famous ancestor, as he was relating to Sitting Bull via his mother's side of the family. On top of that, these approaches are also often unreliable.

In contrast, autosomal DNA analysis can be employed when only very limited genetic data is available, as was the case with Sitting Bull's hair.

The lock had been stored for more than a century at room temperature in Washingtons Smithsonian Museum before it was returned to Lapointe and his family in 2007  leaving the hair extremely degraded.

As a result, it took the researchers 14 years to find a way of extracting useable DNA from the 2-inch-long sample. However, now the process has been established, it should be easy to apply it to other historical figured, the team explained.

'In principle, you could investigate whoever you want  from outlaws like Jesse James to the Russian tsars family, the Romanovs,' explained Professor Willerslev.

'If there is access to old DNA  typically extracted from bones, hair or teeth, they can be examined in the same way.'

Alongside analyzing the relationships of historic figures, the researchers explained, their technique could also be used to to analyze modern DNA that might previously have been considered to degraded to analyze  such as in forensic investigations.

Autosomal DNA analysis can be employed when only very limited genetic data is available, as was the case with Sitting Bull's hair (pictured). The lock had been stored for more than a century at room temperature in Washingtons Smithsonian Museum before it was returned to Lapointe and his family in 2007  leaving the hair extremely degraded

'Over the years, many people have tried to question the relationship that I and my sisters have to Sitting Bull,' said Mr Lapointe.

For Mr Lapointe, the extra proof matters, as it will support his move to relocate his great-grandfather's remains to a more appropriate resting site.

At present, there are two official burial sites for Sitting Bull  one in Mobridge, South Dakota and the other in Fort Yates, North Dakota.

Mr Lapointe believes that his relative is buried at the former site, which he explains has no significant connection to Sitting Bull and the culture he represented. He has also expressed concerns about how the gravesite is being cared for.

Before the remains at the Mobridge site can be relocated, however, they will need to be similarly analyzed to confirm that  like the lock of hair  they are definitely the remains of the great Lakota leader.

In accordance with U.S. law, Mr Lapointe owns the right to Sitting Bull's genetic data, making it up to him who performs the analysis of the remains.

For Mr Lapointe, the further proof of his relationship to Sitting Bull is important, as it will support his move to relocate his great-grandfather's remains to a more appropriate resting site. At present, there are two official burial sites for Sitting Bull  one in Mobridge, South Dakota (pictured) and the other in Fort Yates, North Dakota. Mr Lapointe believes that his relative is buried at the former site, which he explains has no significant connection to Sitting Bull and the culture he represented

'Sitting Bull has always been my hero, ever since I was a boy. I admire his courage and his drive,' Professor Willerslev continued.

'That's why I almost choked on my coffee when I read in 2007 that the Smithsonian had decided to return Sitting Bulls hair to Ernie Lapointe and his three sisters, in accordance with new US legislation on the repatriation of museum objects.'

'I wrote to Lapointe and explained that I specialized in the analysis of ancient DNA, and that I was an admirer of Sitting Bull, and I would consider it a great honor if I could be allowed to compare the DNA of Ernie and his sisters with the DNA of the Native American leaders hair when it was returned to them.'

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Science Advances.
Scientists have discovered evidence of prehistoric humans on the Falkland Islands, upending the idea that European explorers were the first people to set foot on archipelago.

A group of researchers, led by those at the University of Maine, have discovered animal bones, charcoal records dating back 8,000 years and other evidence of human activity that predates 17th century Europeans.

The researchers found evidence that Indigenous South Americans likely traveled to the islands between 1275 and 1420 A.D.

However, anything further back can't be ruled out, because there is some evidence (such as a tooth from an extinct Falkland Islands fox known as a warrah from 3450 B.C.) that dates back thousands of years.

Scientists have found evidence of prehistoric humans on the Falkland Islands. One 'notable' sign of pre-European human activity stems from an 8,000-year-old charcoal record collected from a column of peat (b) on New Island that showed an increase in fire activity around 150 A.D., with spikes in 1410 and 1770 AD

Other evidence of pre-European human activity includes piles of bones (a) near where a landowner discovered a stone projectile point (b) that is similar to the technology Indigenous South Americans have used for a millennium

One 'notable' sign of pre-European human activity stems from an 8,000-year-old charcoal record collected from a column of peat on New Island that showed an increase in fire activity around 150 A.D., with spikes in 1410 and 1770 A.D., the latter corresponding to the timeframe when Europeans settled the archipelago.

Other evidence of pre-European human activity includes piles of sea lion and penguin bones (also taken from New Island) which date between 1275 and 1420 A.D.

They were found near where a landowner discovered a stone projectile point that is similar to the technology Indigenous South Americans have used for a millennium.

Sea lion bones (pictured: a male sea lion skull) were found at New Island, the study added

The study's lead author, Kit Hamley, said the location, amount and type of bones are indicative that humans likely assembled them.

It's highly probably that Indigenous South Americans visited the islands between 1275 and 1420 A.D.

They may have come to the archipelago for 'multiple short-term stays' and not a longer term occupation, the researchers added.

As such, they did not leave a lot of materials behind, but there was enough for Hamley and the other researchers to find a footprint and date the evidence centuries before European settlers first appeared on the islands.

'These findings broaden our understanding of Indigenous movement and activity in the remote and harsh South Atlantic Ocean,' said Hamley in a statement.

'This is really exciting because it opens up new doors for collaborating with descendant Indigenous communities to increase our understanding of past ecological changes throughout the region.

People have long speculated that it was likely that Indigenous South Americans had reached the Falkland Islands, so it is really rewarding to get to play a role in helping bring that part of the past to life of the islands.'

British navigator John Strong is believed to be the first European to set foot on the chain of islands in 1690.

Researchers have also found evidence of a tooth from an extinct Falkland Islands fox known as a warrah from 3450 BC that dates back thousands of years

It's unclear how the warrah was introduced to the islands: some believe it was introduced by European settlers, while others believe it was there before them, with Hamley suggesting it was the Indigenous South Americans who domesticated it and brought them to the islands.

'This study has the potential to change the trajectory of future ecological research in The Falklands,' Hamley added.

'The introduction of a top predator, like the warrah, could have had profound implications for the biodiversity of the islands, which are home to ground nesting seabirds such as penguins, albatross and cormorants.

'It also changes the ever-captivating story of past human-canine relationships.

'We know that Indigenous South Americans domesticated foxes, but this study helps show how potentially important these animals were to those communities extending back thousands of years.'

The warrah was wiped out in 1856 from hunting and is widely believed to be the first extinct canid in record history, Hamley added.

The study has been published in the journal Science Advances.
Paul Pogba has denied claims he snubbed under-fire Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after being left out of the the starting line-up in their humiliating 5-0 loss to Liverpool.

The French midfielder did not start the derby clash after being dropped by United's Norwegian boss on Sunday and while he did come on at half-time, he was sent off 15 minutes into the second half for a high lunge on Liverpool's Naby Keita.

The Red Devils are still feeling the impact of the devastating defeat by their fiercest rivals, with Solskjaer's position as manager under threat - though United will keep the Norwegian in the role for now.

Paul Pogba has denied snubbing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after his red card against Liverpool

Solskjaer's (pictured) job is under threat after United were beaten 5-0 by their rivals last week

According to The Sun, Pogba apologised to his team-mates for his red card at Old Trafford, though did not say anything to Solskjaer after the loss.

Pogba hit back at those claims on Wednesday, taking to Twitter to post a screenshot of the report with a 'fake news' stamp over the top of it. He captioned the image: 'Big lies to make headlines'.

The reported snub had raised questions over Pogba's future at Old Trafford, with the 28-year-old's contract at Manchester United expiring at the end of this season.

Pogba's agent Mino Raiola has insisted that there is 'no update' in regards to the midfielder's ongoing contract situation.

United midfielder Pogba took to Twitter to describe the claims as 'big lies to make headlines'

If Pogba fails to agree to an extension before January, he will be allowed to discuss terms and sign a pre-contract with a foreign club ahead of a move next summer.

Pogba has been linked with moves to Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, while United are keen to keep the midfielder.

When asked about talks over a new deal, Raiola told The Times: 'You would have to ask Manchester United about it.

'At this moment everything is calm. There is no update.'

Meanwhile, club legend Paul Scholes said he wouldn't be upset if the Liverpool disappointment was Pogba's last outing for the club.

Pogba's reckless tackle on Naby Keita (right) saw him sent off 15 minutes after coming on

Agent Mino Raiola (right) insists Pogba's (left) contract situation at Man United hasn't changed

He told Premier League Productions: 'To say a disappointing day would be a complete understatement.

'I think we all realise it's been difficult, I just think the manager got caught up in the emotion of the comeback [against Atalanta in the Champions League] on Wednesday night.

'We keep going back to that game but you were never going to do that against Liverpool, they have too much quality.

'I don't think it was a lack of effort, I think tactically they were set up in a way where this could happen and unfortunately it did happen.

Club legend Paul Scholes says 'disrespectful' Pogba shouldn't play another game for the club

'Paul Pogba coming on to the pitch at half-time to try and help the team and maybe get a little respectability about it, tries to stand on the ball, tries to show how strong he is in the middle of the pitch gives the goal away.

'Then later on gets sent off with a ridiculous tackle. Now you're 5-0 down with 10 men. You'd have to think, if Ole's still a manager there, will we see Pogba again in a United shirt?

'He's caused mayhem over the last couple of years.

'Everyone knows what a talent he is, everybody trusts him, every manager trusts him, tried to give him his head and let him be the player he's been.

According to club legend Scholes, Pogba has caused problems 'everywhere he has been'

'But with all the commotion, not signing his contract, almost holding the club to ransom, and then he comes on and does something like that.

'It's not Ole's fault, don't get me wrong, but that's part of it which almost summed the United performance up today.

'Look, he probably will play [again] won't he? But I don't think they will be missing anything if he doesn't.

'He's had numerous chances, he keeps saying he lacks consistency, but that is just [a lack of] discipline and disrespect for your manager and your team-mates, what he's done.'
Joy Mangano is one of the most prolific modern inventors in America and she is putting decades of experience to use finding the country's next generation of innovators.

Mangano exclusively sat down with DailyMailTV to talk about her first-of-its-kind live, shoppable competition show, America's Big Deal, which gives small businesses a chance to pitch their products to the biggest retailers and a whole new world of consumers.

The series, airing on USA Network, provides a unique format where entrepreneurs sell direct to buyers in real time during the episode. The most popular items then get to win a six-figure business deal with one of three major retailers.

Shop 'til you drop: Joy Mangano exclusively sat down with DailyMailTV to talk about her first-of-its-kind live, shoppable competition show, America's Big Deal, which gives small businesses a chance to pitch their products to the biggest retailers and a whole new world of consumers

Joy Mangano is uniquely qualified to help jumpstart entrepreneurs towards success with her new show following a tough two years for business due to the pandemic.

As the inventor of the Miracle Mop and Huggable Hangers, among dozens of other innovations, Joy has sold more than $3 billion worth of products to American consumers.

Joy tells DailyMailTV that as a 'brainiac' teenager who graduated high school early, she started learning lessons in business at a very young age.

'I wanted to be a veterinarian,' Joy recalled. 'I loved animals and I invented a fluorescent flea collar before they existed.'

Big deal! The series, airing on USA Network, provides a unique format where entrepreneurs sell direct to buyers in real time during the episode. The most popular items then get to win a six-figure business deal with one of three major retailers

Expert! As the inventor of the Miracle Mop and Huggable Hangers, among dozens of other innovations, Joy has sold more than $3 billion worth of products to American consumers

At the time, Mangano was just 16-years-old and went in search of investors, boldly pitching her design to a group of local veterinarians. The television product mogul explained that she ended up getting distracted by being a teen and within a year a major pet retailer had a similar fluorescent flea collar on the shelves.

'Boy, did I make a commitment to myself that the next thing I was going to do, I was going to follow through with, which was a little twist to a mop,' she quipped in reference to her ultra-popular Miracle Mop.

The Long Island native is hoping to spark that same kind of tenacity for burgeoning entrepreneurs on America's Big Deal, where she serves as an executive producer and retail panelist for QVC and HSN.

'It is the first live shoppable competition show,' Joy gushed. 'And if you're thinking, "well, what the heck is that right?" It's never been done before. We're so excited.'

'I watched entrepreneurs and small businesses really get hurt [during the pandemic].' Joy said, explaining that in-person shopping and product pitching was waylaid by stay-at-home orders. As a way to drum up business for entrepreneurs - and get new products on the market - the idea for America's Big Deal was born

'These are amazing products with amazing stories and it's so fun to watch,' she said. 'You're going to sit there and go: How does that product not exist already?'

Joy approached the show the same way she approaches the rest of her business - she saw a need and concocted a creative solution.

'I watched entrepreneurs and small businesses really get hurt [during the pandemic].' Joy said, explaining that in-person shopping and product pitching was waylaid by stay-at-home orders. As a way to drum up business for entrepreneurs - and get new products on the market - the idea for America's Big Deal was born.

'These are amazing products with amazing stories and it's so fun to watch,' she said. 'You're going to sit there and go: How does that product not exist already?'

'Not only are you getting a great product, but your buy is helping that entrepreneur get one step closer to an overnight transformation of their business when [they] get a nationwide retail deal,' Mangano added.

'Not only are you getting a great product, but your buy is helping that entrepreneur get one step closer to an overnight transformation of their business when [they] get a nationwide retail deal,' Mangano told DailyMailTV

Opportunity of a lifetime: Contestants pitch and sell their product live on-air via ShoppableTV and NBCUniversal Checkout and the inventor who earns the highest dollar sales will strike a deal with QVC & HSN, Loews, or Macys

Each episode, contestants pitch their product which is then sold live on-air via ShoppableTV and NBCUniversal Checkout. The inventor who earns the highest dollar sales during each episode will win a chance to strike a deal with one of three major retailers: QVC & HSN, Loews, or Macys.

'You will find great product at big deal prices,' Joy said. 'Who doesn't love a bargain with a great new, innovative product?' She noted that all products from the first episode sold out.

'I hope it sparks that interest for somebody who shelved something in the past year and a half,' she said of the show. 'Take it off the shelf and follow through with it.'

For those watching at home who think they have the next Miracle Mop waiting in the wings, Joy has a few expert tips.

'I hope it sparks that interest for somebody who shelved something in the past year and a half,' she said of the show. 'Take it off the shelf and follow through with it.'

'So, the first thing is you really have to, you know, have a reality check. Is it a product that people want, right? And if you believe in your product, I 100% say, keep being persistent.

Now you will hear a lot of 'nos'. You have to turn the nos into yeses and you just keep going forward because once you stop, then you have a 100%t chance of going nowhere, right?'

'I've always said product is king, but the pitch can bring a product to life in a way that is amazing,' she added.

America's Next Big Deal airs live, Thursdays at 9/8c on USA Network.
Former Made In Chelsea stars Lucy Watson and Nicola Hughes made a stylish appearance at 4th & Reckless x Elsa Hosk campaign launch on Tuesday.

The pair turned heads at the star studded London event and oozed confidence as they posed for a slew of snaps.

Lucy, 30, looked typically stunning in faux leather trousers which she paired with a faux leather blazer and a chic black and white patterned top during her appearance at at Hide Restaurant in London.

Looking good: Made In Chelsea stars Lucy Watson, 30, and Nicola Hughes, 31, made a stylish appearance on Tuesday at 4th & Reckless x Elsa Hosk campaign launch at Hide Restaurant

She completed her look with black open toe strappy heels and accessorised with a plunging gold necklace.

Her brunette locks fell in loose curls and her glam makeup enhanced her naturally flawless features.

Irish beauty Nicola, 31, wowed in knee high leopard print boots which she paired with black shorts.

The star completed her look with a stylish oversized black blazer with just a bralette underneath.

Stunning: Lucy looked typically stunning in faux leather trousers which she paired with a faux leather blazer and a chic black and white patterned top

Style: Lucy completed her look with black open toe strappy sandals and accessorised with a plunging gold necklace

Wow: The pair turned heads at the star studded London event and oozed confidence as they posed for a slew of snaps

Also at the event was actress and director Phoebe Torrance who sported a longline burgundy leather coat.

Fashion bloggers and triplets Elnaz, Tanaz and Golnaz Hakkak looked chic in matching pinstripe longline blazers and matching trousers.

They added a pop of colour with quirky bright green open toe heels.

Model Josie Lane looked incredible in an oversized green shirt which she paired with black and white leopard print boots.

Pose: Also at the event was actress and director Phoebe Torrance who sported a longline burgundy leather coat

Triplets: Fashion bloggers and triplets Elnaz, Tanaz and Golnaz Hakkak looked chic in matching pinstripe longline blazers and matching trousers

Gorgeous: Model Josie Lane looked incredible in an oversized green shirt which she paired with black and white leopard print boots

Vikings actor Georgia Hirst exuded sophistication in a pinstripe suit which she paired with a longline jacket and black and white leather boots.

Lucy's outing comes after she tied the knot in a stunning location wedding in Kefalonia last month.

And she revealed that she and James Dunmore made things official before jetting off to Greece and took part in a civil ceremony in the UK to legalise their marriage.

Work it! (L to R) Pia Cattapan, Betsy-Blue English and Phoebe Torrance posed up a storm

Beautiful: Vikings actor Georgia Hirst exuded sophistication in a pinstripe suit which she paired with a longline jacket and black and white leather boots

Romantic: Lucy's outing comes after she tied the knot in a stunning location wedding in Kefalonia last month

The star shared as series of stunning snaps from their ceremony, as she donned a chic white suit for the occasion.

The TV personality also included a cute snap of her beautiful diamond encrusted wedding shoes in the wedding album, which she shared to Instagram.

Lucy posted pictures of her and husband on the steps of London's Chelsea Old Town Hall to her 1.2m Instagram followers.

She captioned the shot, 'Our civil ceremony was cute' before explaining in a later snap: 'We had to get legally married before our ceremony in Greece. We didn't expect much but it was actually so special and intimate with only our immediate family.'

The star looked gorgeous in a loose fitting white trouser suit by Own Studio.

Happy couple: The star shared as series of stunning snaps from their ceremony, as she donned a chic white suit for the occassion

The white flared trousers and blazer combo oozed class, while she wore her shoulder length hair down in glamorous waves.

Rocking a pair of oversized sunglasses and clutching a small white bouquet, the star looked effortlessly chic at the ceremony.

She also posted a snap of her and James sharing a kiss on the venue's steps alongside an image of her detailed footwear, a pair of stunning cream pointy shoes which showcased her diamond encrusted design on a net finish.

Her partner and former Made in Chelsea co star James, 31, looked handsome in pale grey lightly checked suit, white shirt and striking wine coloured tie.

Just married: Lucy and James could be seen sharing a kiss on the venue's steps in a beautiful black-and-white image posted on the star's social media page

Explanation: Taking to Instagram, Lucy explained: 'We had to get legally married before our ceremony in Greece'

Cute shoes: She also posted a snap of her detailed footwear. a pair of stunning cream pointy shoes which showcased a diamond encrusted petal design on a net finish

The loved up couple then had a stunning wedding ceremony on the beautiful Island of Kefalonia in Greece.

The reality star-come-author announced her engagement to her partner James in September 2020, after meeting on the E4 set of Made In Chelsea in 2015.

She spent four years alongside her fellow Sloane Rangers on the hit show before deciding to start her own vegan restaurant, Tell Your Friends.

Beautiful bride: The Influencer looked stunning on her big day in a timeless off the shoulder wedding dress

Divulging the details of how her beau proposed, the influencer told her Instagram followers last December that a lot of planning had gone into the gesture.

Lucy explained: 'He got the hotel we were staying in to send me a letter saying we were going on a free yacht trip (awkwardly I wasn't that surprised).

'He had booked the boat and planned everything.

So in Love: Lucy and James share a kiss to celebrate their recent nuptials

'The boat was stunning and I was trying to get content for the hotel.

'There was a full vegan meal and champagne and we went on a crazy beautiful tour of some private islands. Some of the prettiest scenes I've ever witnessed.

'We went to take a photo together and there he was on one knee. I was literally in shock, my heart didn't beat for like 3 seconds.

'We then spent the day on the boat and had the best time with another couple we're friends with, watched the sun go down. It was perfect.'
There's no shortage of drama on the latest season of The Real Housewives of Melbourne.

But now the drama has spilled over onto social media, with series OG Janet Roach clashing with newcomers Anjali Rao and Kyla Kirkpatrick.

Things kicked off when Janet, 62, left a snarky comment on Kyla's Instagram page about how few comments she had on one of her posts.

Drama! Real Housewives of Melbourne's Janet Roach (left) is clashing with newcomers Anjali Rao (center) and Kyla Kirkpatrick (right)

'All those followers and only 17 comments. Stinks to me,' the former property developer wrote.

'Janet keep your nasty s**t on your own wall. We are only positive vibes over here,' Kyla, 41, responded.

Anjali, 47, then chimed in to back up her bestie Kyla, writing: 'Not everyone derives their worth from likes and follows. Dont give Janma the attention she so desperately craves. Xx.'

Shady: Things kicked off when Janet, 62, left a snarky comment on Kyla's Instagram page about how few comments she had on one of her posts

The group have been taking jabs at each other through the press and on social media for weeks now.

While Janet has previously heaped praise on newbie Simone Elliott, she seems to have clashed with both Kyla and Anjali.

Speaking to New Idea, Janet shared that Kyla, who she has known for 10 years, 'came straight at me from day one'.

Meow! Anjali, 47, chimed in to back up her bestie Kyla, writing: 'Not everyone derives their worth from likes and follows. Dont give Janma the attention she so desperately craves'

She also previously revealed that one of the new Housewives didn't make it all the way through filming and quit before the finale.

Speaking to the Unpopular podcast, Janet said the newbie 'couldn't keep up' with the glitz and glamour of the show.

'She's not a bad girl, but the real truth, let's really get down to it,' she said.

'I think she was who she said she was, but she was never gonna be a Housewife. I'm just being honest.'
They're two of the most well-known international stars set to be appear on the upcoming season of Big Brother VIP in Australia.

But according to Omarosa Manigault Newman, she didn't see eye-to-eye with Caitlyn Jenner, 71, while filming the Channel Seven series together.

Speaking on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Wednesday, the 47-year-old former advisor to Donald Trump claimed Caitlyn was 'nasty' to her in the house, and even branded her as a 'Karen' to hosts Jackie 'O' Henderson and Kyle Sandilands.

Not happy: According to Omarosa Manigault Newman, (pictured) herself and Caitlyn Jenner, 71, didn't exactly see eye-to-eye when starring together on the Channel Seven series

'Honestly, she didn't talk to me very much. She was very, very nasty to me,' Omarosa scathed.

'I thought I was going to get to know Caitlyn, but instead I got to know a "Karen".'

A 'Karen' is a colloquial term used to describe a self-righteous woman, usually middle-aged, who tells people how to do their jobs, asserts their rights and complains to the manager.

Daily Mail Australia have contacted a representative for Caitlyn for further comment.

When asked if she connected with anyone else on the show, Omarosa cited AFL star Dayne Beams and NRL superstar Matt Cooper - who she described as her 'bestie'.

'Honestly, she didn't talk to me very much. She was very, very nasty to me,' Omarosa scathed about Caitlyn Jenner (pictured)

Indeed, emotions are always heightened in the Big Brother house as celebrities are forced to spend every day together in close proximity.

However, earlier this year Caitlyn confirmed she was actually on the show for around a week in total, after revealing on Twitter she was 'glad to be back' in California for her campaign trail days after filming began in Sydney.

'Great time abroad for fun and glad to be back in #California on the campaign trail!' she wrote.

'Good time': Earlier this year, Caitlyn confirmed she was actually on the show for around week in total, after revealing on Twitter she was 'glad to be back' in California - days after filming began in Sydney

Missed: The former Olympian, who is rumoured to have been paid $500,000 to appear on Big Brother VIP, then shared a picture of her dog and captioned it: 'Happy to be back in California!'

The former Olympian, who is rumoured to have been paid $500,000 to appear on Big Brother VIP, then shared a picture of her dog Bertha and captioned it: 'So happy to be back in California!'

Filming for the new season began in Sydney on July 30, after Caitlyn had completed her mandatory two weeks of hotel quarantine.

Her swift return to America all but confirmed she would be one of the first contestants to leave Big Brother VIP when it airs on Channel Seven next month.

Big Brother VIP premieres Monday, November 1, on Channel Seven and 7plus
Miranda Cosgrove said that she was left with a hole in her leg after undergoing a surgery 10 years ago following a tour bush crash.

The Los Angeles native, 28, appeared Wednesday on the podcast Hypochondriactor with Sean Hayes and Dr. Priyanka Wali, where she opened up about her condition, which she said doctors could not explain.

The iCarly actress said the injury looks as if 'somebody punctured through completely and cut a hole' in her leg.

The latest: Miranda Cosgrove, 28, said that she was left with a hole in her leg after undergoing a surgery 10 years ago following a tour bush crash. She was snapped in March in Santa Monica, California

Cosgrove was initially injured in 2011 when her tour bus she was riding on crashed, and she broke her ankle. She said on the podcast that she discovered the presence of the hole in her leg, which is about five inches above her ankle, following the removal of a cast.

'It was so strange, because when I woke up, I had a cast on, like a soft cast, and then later I went back and they removed it,' she said. 'And then that's when I noticed the hole.

'And I was asking questions like, "What's this? What's that?" And then I was like, 'Wait, why is there a hole in my leg?" So they were like, "Oh, we didn't do that."'

She said that a scab eventually grew on the spot of the hole, 'but you could tell it was like somebody punctured through completely and cut a hole.'

Details: Cosgrove was initially injured in 2011 when her tour bus she was riding on crashed, and she broke her ankle

Cosgrove noted that the 'weird thing' was that she was not in any pain from the hole, which she described as 'just more of a mystery'

Wali said that while she had theories as to how the hole got there, 'the thing is, your surgeon would know that they did that.'

Hayes added, 'I just picture these surgeons, while you're under, standing next to each other, like a room full of like eight people surrounding your body, while they're working on your ankle, while you're under anesthesia going, "Hey, did you? Did you make that?" "No, I didn't. I didn't make that. Did you?" "No, I didn't."'

Cosgrove noted that the 'weird thing' was that she was not in any pain from the hole, which she described as 'just more of a mystery.'

She added, 'The one answer that I did get, and you can tell me if this makes any sense, was the physical therapist told me sometimes they have to drain blood from your foot during the surgery, and that they have to put a hole to fix that. Does that make sense?'

Wali told Cosgrove she 'wouldn't rule it out,' and that she 'deserved an answer' about the hole.

'If they're going to put you under and do things to your body, you deserve to know what holes are being put in,' Wali said.
Jerry O'Connell recently revealed he has a new neighbor... John Stamos, the ex-husband of his wife Rebecca Romijn.

Stamos, 58, started dating Romijn in 1994 before they tied the knot in 1998, before they went their separate ways in April 2004.

O'Connell, 47, and Romijn, 48, started dating later in 2004 before becoming engaged in September 2005 and tying the knot in July 2007.

Neighbors: Jerry O'Connell recently revealed he has a new neighbor... John Stamos, the ex-husband of his wife Rebecca Romijn

Exes: Stamos, 58, started dating Romijn in 1994 before they tied the knot in 1998, before they went their separate ways in April 2004

O'Connell, who recently joined The Talk as a new co-host, was a guest on Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live on Monday when he was asked about Stamos moving into the neighborhood.

When asked if he has 'run into him at all,' O'Connell joked, 'I have not, but I make sure that my hair is perfect every day just in case I do see him.'

He added that he is 'on the lookout' for Stamos, but made it clear that, 'it would be very friendly if we did.'

Moving in: O'Connell, who recently joined The Talk as a new co-host, was a guest on Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live on Monday when he was asked about Stamos moving into the neighborhood

Perfect hair: When asked if he has 'run into him at all,' O'Connell joked, 'I have not, but I make sure that my hair is perfect every day just in case I do see him'

O'Connell admitted, though, that he 'probably won't run into him,' though, because they shop at different stores in their Calabasas, California neighborhood.

'I do have to tell you. I probably wont run into him because I shop at sort of discount supermarkets in our area,' he added.

'And there are some higher-end supermarkets that Im sure (he goes to),' O'Connell added.

No run-in: O'Connell admitted, though, that he 'probably won't run into him,' though, because they shop at different stores in their Calabasas, California neighborhood

Supermarkets: 'And there are some higher-end supermarkets that Im sure (he goes to),' O'Connell added

Cohen mentioned that Calabasas is becoming quite the celebrity hotbed in recent years, and when asked what celebrities he runs into often, he shared a recent story.

'There is a strip mall down the street from our house where my kids go to a math tutor because theyre failing math,' Cohen began.

'There [were] also other places like a Karate Dojo and a dry cleaner. And there was a very expensive Bentley  I dont even know if it was a Bentley [or a] Phantom  some expensive car and it was taking up about three spaces,' he added.

Celebrity hotbed: Cohen mentioned that Calabasas is becoming quite the celebrity hotbed in recent years, and when asked what celebrities he runs into often, he shared a recent story

He was with his kids, 12-year-old twin daughters Dolly and Charlie, when he told them, 'This is disgusting. Look at how rich people just take up all these spaces. They have no regard for us regular people,' when the owner came out.

'And then recently engaged  congratulations  Kourtney Kardashian came out and was like, "Hi Jerry."

'And I was like, "Oh, my gosh, Kourtney, how are you? Congratulations." And I kissed her, the actor continued. 'Then I got the car with my kids and they were like, "Why didnt you say anything about our parking?" And I was like, "You two shut up."'

Kardashian accepted fiance Travis Barker's proposal at a beachfront hotel in Montecio last Sunday.

Rich people: He was with his kids, 12-year-old twin daughters Dolly and Charlie, when he told them, 'This is disgusting. Look at how rich people just take up all these spaces. They have no regard for us regular people,' when the owner came out

Kourt: 'And then recently engaged  congratulations  Kourtney Kardashian came out and was like, "Hi Jerry'
Strictly Come Dancing's Graziano Di Prima went partying with his pals just hours after his dance partner Judi Love told fans about her Covid ordeal.

The professional dancer, 27, reportedly enjoyed a night out in Soho on Monday as he partied in Freedom Bar with former Strictly pro dancer Robin Windsor, 42.

A source told The Sun: 'He has done nothing wrong as he is double jabbed and had tested negative.

Out on the town: Strictly Come Dancing's Graziano Di Prima went partying with Robin Windsor just hours after his dance partner Judi Love told fans about her Covid ordeal

'But it's a terrible look for the show, which has strict social distancing measures in place for filming.

'And this isn't the first time that pros have been seen breaking social distancing, which makes it very uncomfortable for producers.'

Hours earlier, Judi posted a video to Instagram where she said: 'I don't even know what day it is. Some kind of motivation day.

'I just want to say to you guys, 'Rona is real. I give thanks that I was doing little exercise and dancing thing. I feel like I'm handling it much better than I would have had if I hadn't been doing little exercise and a little sweat.'

Struggling: Judi took to social media on Monday to tell fans she had a 'couple of rough days' battling the virus, which prevented her from performing on Saturday

'You can hear from my voice, I have done all the West Indian recipes and remedies, for those who are West Indian, especially Jamaicans, you know what I'm talking about. I eat the garlic, onion, the turmeric, the honey - the expensive one, the Manuka one - the ginger, the lime, the lemon, the rum.

'I've had all kind of soup - chicken foot soup, lamb neck soup, red peas, and my voice is still like this and then 'Rona will then turn round to you and say to you, "You know what, on top of that bredrin, I'm not going to make you able to smell or taste."

'I mean, I can't even smell myself and I know some of you need to smell yourself. I just want to say to you, I'm here.

'It's been a rough couple of days and it's really about for you to get your health in order. Health is wealth, and I'm not just talking about catching that cheque. I just mean having that health so you can live at your optimum.

'You can continue creating memories, having life experience, spending time with loved ones as long as possible because Rona... Rona has me locked up in here like I'm the woman from Orange Is The New Black,' the star quipped.

A source said: 'He has done nothing wrong as he is double jabbed and had tested negative'

''Rona has got me sleeping out here like someone with no ambition! 'Rona has got me here standing at the window, waving like a Black kid that wants to play on a Sunday and her mum says, "You're mad!" That's what 'Rona is doing to me!

She continued to joke: 'I mean, Rona has got you coughing so hard you're begging for a sponsorship from Tena Ladies!

''Rona will take you away from your family and you miss then even though you're in the yard with them. And I mean, some of you are living that life anyway, some of you are locked down in your room, in your laptop, in your phone to the point where you forget you've got family next door. Spend time with them because 'Rona won't miss that opportunity.

'I mean, 'Rona is acting like a player. 'Rona is going from that body to this body, making you think that it's not going to everybody but really it's spreading about in everybody and you're not the only one!

The source added: 'It's a terrible look for the show, which has strict social distancing measures in place for filming'

''Rona is out here like a Tyrone. Like I said, look after yourself. Not just because of 'Rona but just in general. Your health is your wealth.

'I just want to say thank you for all your well wishes. Love you'.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Graziano Di Prima and Strictly Come Dancing for comment.

Judi appears set to return to the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom this weekend.

The TV personality's name features in this week's routine reveal, as the list confirmed she is set to take on the Cha Cha with Graziano.

She's back! Judi appears set to return to the Strictly ballroom this weekend after being struck down with coronavirus ahead of last week's show

Judi is set to strut her stuff to Olivia Newton-John's Physical during the Halloween special.

The dances which will honour All Hallows Eve will all embrace the spooky theme, including AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington, who will dance to Ariana Grande's Dangerous Woman.

Meanwhile, Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice will take to the floor with a sexy Tango to Ed Sheeran's new track, Shivers.

Elsewere, Sara Davies will be taking part in her first Couple's Choice dance with her partner Aljaz Skorjanec, to Whitney Houston's Queen Of The Night.

Continuing the Halloween them, Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin will show off their Cha Cha skills to Gary Paxton's Spooky Moves.

During the show, Adam Peaty and Katya will dance the Viennese Waltz to Ludwig Van Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and Dan Walk and Nadiya Bychkova will be Jiving to The B-52s Rock Lobster.

Back on track: The 41-year-old TV personality's name features in this week's routine reveal, as the list confirmed she is set to take on the Cha Cha with Graziano

NEXT WEEK'S ROUTINE REVEAL AJ & Kai - Viennese Waltz - Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande Judi & Graziano - Cha Cha - Physical by Olivia Newton-John Rose & Giovanni - Tango - Shivers by Ed Sheeran Sara & Aljaz - Couples Choice - Queen Of The Night by Whitney Houston Tilly & Nikita - Cha Cha - Spooky Movies by Gary Paxton Adam & Katya - Viennese Waltz - Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig Van Beethoven Dan & Nadiya - Jive - Rock Lobster b y The B-52s John & Johannes - Quickstep - Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival Rhys & Nancy - Paso Doble - The Eve Of The War by Jeff Wayne Tom & Amy - Tango - Highway To Hell by AC/DC Advertisement

After topping the leaderboard last week, John Waite and Johannes Radebe will be hoping for more success with their Quickstep to Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Rhys Stephenson and Nancy Xu will be hoping to avoid this week's dance off after landing in the bottom two on Sunday, with a Paso Doble to Jeff Wayne's The Eve Of The War.

Last but not least, Tom Fletcher and Amy Dowden will be taking to the floor with a Tango to the tune of AC/DC's Highway to Hell.

Dancing: Meanwhile, Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice will take to the floor with a sexy Tango to Ed Sheeran's new track, Shivers

Exciting: Elsewere, Sara Davies will be taking part in her first Couple's Choice dance with her partner Aljaz Skorjanec, to Whitney Houston's Queen Of The Night

Another chance: Judi was given a free pass to compete in the show the following week - providing she has a negative Covid test

Judi, who was due to perform the Cha-cha with Graziano last week, was given a free pass to compete in the show the following week- providing she has a negative Covid test.

Judi is the second star to miss a live show due to catching Covid, with McFly's Tom, 36, and his dance partner Amy, 31, missing out on week two of the series.

A Strictly spokesperson previously said: 'Judi Love has tested positive for Covid-19 and is now self-isolating following the latest government guidelines.

'While Judi and Graziano will not be taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this weekend, Strictly Come Dancing protocols mean that all being well, they will return the following week.'

Not alone: Judi is the second star to miss a live show due to catching Covid, with McFly's Tom Fletcher, 36, and his dance partner Amy Dowden, 31, missing out on week two of the series

A source told MailOnline that Graziano has not tested positive for Covid-19.

Her absence comes just weeks after fellow contestant Tom and his professional partner Amy were forced to pull out of the competition in week two after they too tested positive for the virus.

This year's Strictly stars are subject to regular Covid tests, and are required to maintain social distancing at all times during filming.

The couples have formed Covid-safe bubbles for training and performances, but are prohibited from mixing.

This year the government's Covid guidelines changed, meaning anyone who tests positive is only required to isolate for 10 days, and if contestants are double vaccinated they can end their isolating in eight days if they test negative for Covid.

Strictly's run of bad luck continued when rugby star Ugo Monye was forced to pull out of the show due to injury before his elimination last week.

The rugby union player, 38, - who was partnered with Oti Mabuse - took to Twitter to reveal to fans that he was suffering from 'back problems' but would be back the week after.

Ugo's announcement came just a day after Robert Webb bowed out of the show, admitting he had 'bitten off more than he could chew', having an ongoing heart condition two years after undergoing open-heart surgery.
The latest season of The Bachelorette has tanked in the ratings, even though it is the most diverse and inclusive season in the franchise's history.

But despite the poor viewing figures, executives at Channel 10's parent company are standing by their editorial decision to prioritise inclusivity at all costs.

Jarrod Villani, the Executive Vice President of ViacomCBS ANZ, told TV Tonight that ViacomCBS has a strict policy of 'no diversity, no commission'.

'No diversity, no commission': Despite poor ratings for The Bachelorette, starring Brooke Blurton (pictured), Channel 10's parent company is standing by its decision to prioritise inclusivity at all costs

This year's season of The Bachelorette stars Brooke Blurton, who is Indigenous and bisexual, and includes both male and female contestants - a world-first for the Bachelor franchise.

'I think thats a reflection of the decision taken around Brooke and The Bachelorette,' Mr Villani explained.

'Its led from the very top of our organisation across the globe,' he continued.

'You wont have a conversation with anyone from ViacomCBS - irrespective of where were at in the world - that doesnt include a focus on diversity and inclusion.'

Flop: This year's season of The Bachelorette includes both male and female contestants - a world-first for the Bachelor franchise. Unfortunately, it has tanked in the ratings

Mr Villani also said 2021 was the 'right time' for a bisexual Bachelorette.

'It might have been harder earlier, I think, but given the environment we're in now, and given Australians' expectations, I think it's the right time,' he said.

'More importantly, [Brooke] is the right person, because that is really who she is. I think people know that and they believe her.'

Programming rules: Jarrod Villani, the Executive Vice President of ViacomCBS ANZ, said ViacomCBS has a strict policy of 'no diversity, no commission'

Ratings for this season of The Bachelorette have gone from bad to worse.

But Channel 10 is still insisting it is the 'most critically acclaimed' season ever despite becoming the lowest rated in the history of the franchise.

In a promo released on Sunday, a voiceover says: 'It's the most critically acclaimed series of The Bachelorette ever.'

Disaster: Ratings for this season of The Bachelorette have gone from bad to worse

It comes after the second episode of The Bachelorette on Thursday night marked a depressing new low for the dating series.

The show drew just 345,000 metro viewers - 52,000 less than its premiere.

The Bachelorette was beaten in the ratings by Seven's Home and Away and The Chase Australia and Nine programs RBT, Millionaire Hot Seat and Paramedics.
The Long Call

Rating:

Stath Lets Flats

Rating:

On BBC1 tonight, widowed detective Jimmy Perez will be wrestling with his grief as he gazes out to the foaming Atlantic ocean, in Shetland.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the country and on the other channel, tormented police inspector Matthew Venn will be swimming furiously in the Devon seas.

Venn has been doing this nightly since Monday, in the four-part drama The Long Call (ITV), to cleanse his mind before resuming his murder investigations. For Perez, it's the first appearance of the week.

Both men are the creation of crime writer Ann Cleeves, who loves to set her dark stories against a backdrop of stormy currents and turbulent waves. She has invented a new genre: coastline noir.

Pearl Mackie as DS Jen Rafferty and Ben Aldridge as DI Matthew Venn in The Long Call

An erudite and nuanced reviewer could probe this metaphor, revealing how the seascape imagery reflects the deadly deeps of the human soul.

Because I'm as shallow as a rock pool at low tide, my interest is chiefly in the panoramic views on display in The Long Call  especially from the millionaire's clifftop pad that is home to creepy Chris (Neil Morrissey). His living room, the size of Wimbledon's Centre Court, is entirely surrounded by windows. It's got more glass than the Eden Project. I worry about how long it must take him to pull the curtains of an evening.

DI Matthew and his husband Jonathan (Ben Aldridge and Declan Bennett) don't have that problem, because they leave the curtains wide open at night and wake to rooms flooded in light. They spend so much time wandering about without their shirts on and snogging that I'm starting to wonder if they are simply exhibitionists.

Matthew's mother called round one morning with some evidence that could be useful in a kidnapping case and got quite an eyeful of Jonathan when her son opened the door. She'll be round every day before breakfast after that.

Handover of the week: Chris Packham's stepdaughter Megan McCubbin cements her place on the Autumnwatch (BBC2) team. But she's no longer coping with her dad's teasing on her own, so relief all round Michaela Strachan is now back, after being stranded in South Africa by lockdown. Advertisement

Juliet Stevenson, as explosively repressed mum Dorothy, is one of the stars who are making The Long Call addictive and unmissable. The murder storyline is humdrum, but the characters are engrossing.

She seemed touchingly vulnerable as she showed Matthew the scrapbook she kept charting his police career. Then she told him that when he rejected her Evangelical church and came out as gay he 'took any joy I had left and dried it up'.

'Your poor dad,' she added in a murmur, as her son reeled.

'Poor dad' was the running joke as the Bafta-winning sitcom Stath Lets Flats (C4) returned, with Jamie Demetriou as the inept father-to-be. Stath was trying to be thrilled but overwhelmed by terror, as his current girlfriend Katia (Ellie White) helped deliver the baby for his ex Carole (Katy Wix). 'How should I feel? I don't know!' he bleated.

This is one-note comedy  hilarious if you enjoy the sight of implausibly stupid people embarrassing themselves endlessly.

I just find it wearing. The gag is funny at first, as Stath splutters over a stranger's toddler: 'They're so young at that age!' But the humour wears off quickly, not least because everyone in the show is equally hapless.

Stath's dad sat all his employees down to explain that a few bad business decisions meant no one was getting paid.

For a few minutes, it seemed Stath and his sister Sophie (real-life sister Natasia Demetriou) would have to take over, though neither wanted to  like an inverted version of the magnificent comedy drama Succession.

That idea went nowhere and soon Stath was back to worrying about his newborn baby: 'What is it? Is it a woman? Is it health and safety?'
Liam Hemsworth and his girlfriend Gabriella Brooks have quietly moved to America.

The couple bid farewell to their home in Byron Bay, on Australia's east coast, and flew to California this week, reports The Daily Telegraph.

A source said the actor, 31, and bikini model, 25, plan to spend the 'foreseeable future' in Los Angeles.

Bon voyage! Liam Hemsworth and girlfriend Gabriella Brooks have quietly moved to America

The news comes a day after photos surfaced of Liam and Gabriella flying into Sydney Airport after travelling from Byron Bay via private jet.

They were front and centre for the paparazzi after breaking away from their entourage, which included Liam's famous brother Chris.

The were also joined by Liam's parents, Craig and Leonie Hemsworth.

See ya later, Australia! The couple bid farewell to their home in Byron Bay and flew to California this week, reports The Daily Telegraph. Pictured at Sydney Airport on October 25

Liam and Gabriella may well have been en route to Los Angeles.

The Hunger Games star is no stranger to the Californian lifestyle, having previously lived in a $4.9million mansion in Malibu with his ex-wife Miley Cyrus.

Their home was destroyed during California's wildfires in 2018, and the couple divorced one year later.

Living the high life! The news comes a day after photos surfaced of Liam and Gabriella flying into Sydney Airport after travelling from Byron Bay via private jet

Greener pastures? Liam and Gabriella may well have been en route to Los Angeles

Ex files: The Hunger Games star is no stranger to the Californian lifestyle, having previously lived in a $4.9million mansion in Malibu with his ex-wife Miley Cyrus (right)

Following his split from Miley, Liam moved back to Australia and bought a property in the trendy coastal town of Byron Bay, NSW.

He sparked romance rumours with Gabrielle in 2019, after they were pictured having brunch with his parents.

Liam, who rarely uses social media, went Instagram official with Gabriella earlier this year, posting a photo of the pair attending a charity gala in Sydney.
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Supermodel Brooke Shields, Diane Kruger, and Olivia Palermo stunned in lace and sparkles to the American Ballet Theatre's Fall Gala, the first since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in New York City on Monday evening.

While the German actress, 45, and 35-year-old fashion influencer wore black minidresses, Shields, 56, stood out in a skintight, red midi dress, which showed off her incredibly toned figure, and matching heels.

She styled her gown with a matching clutch, rings and her light brown hair in voluminous curls that cascaded past past her shoulders at the David H. Koch Theater.

Night out: Supermodel Brooke Shields, Diane Kruger, and Olivia Palermo stunned in lace and sparkles to the American Ballet Theatre's Fall Gala, the first since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in New York City on Monday evening

The actress, who has been married to husband Chris Henchy since 2001, opted for a glam makeup look, including blush, bronzer and a nude lipstick, which highlighted her natural beauty.

On the red carpet, she looked thrilled to run into Ali Wentworth, 56, who wore a nearly identical red lace dress, which was a tad long and less sheer.

The women shared a big hug and later, once inside, mingled and posed for photos with actress Karen Pittman.

Radiant: The actress, who has been married to husband Chris Henchy since 2001, opted for a glam makeup look, including blush, bronzer and a nude lipstick, which highlighted her natural beauty

Matching: On the red carpet, she looked thrilled to run into Ali Wentworth, 56, who wore a nearly identical red lace dress, which was a tad long and less sheer

Friendly: The women shared a big hug and later, once inside, mingled and posed for photos with actress Karen Pittman

Red hot: Shields and Wentworth embraced inside

Pittman, 35, looked absolutely incredible in a bright yellow turtleneck dress, which hugged her every curve.

Shields and Shields also stopped to pose for pictures with 13 Reasons Why star Tommy Dorfman, who wore a long black gown with cutout shoulders, a very sexy back and high slit to display her legs.

Kruger commanded attention in sequined black dress with puffed sleeves.

Stand outs: Shields and Pittman made memorable entrances in their bright outfits

Pals: Wentworth gave Shields a sweet kiss on the cheek

Smiling: Shields and Shields also stopped to pose for pictures with 13 Reasons Why star Tommy Dorfman, who wore a long black gown with cutout shoulders, a very sexy back and high slit to display her legs

Both in red lace: Wentworth and Shields nearly were twinning

Glam: Kruger commanded attention in sequined black dress with puffed sleeves

Dazzling: Kruger completed her chic ensemble with black tuxedo inspired heels and cool bedazzled clutch

Pretty as ever: Kruger wore her golden tresses in loose curls

Shining: Her makeup included black eyeliner and golden eyeshadow

Looking good! Kruger, who welcomed a baby girl in November 2018 with fiance Norman Reedus, showed off her incredibly toned legs

Palermo, who has more than 6.7 million Instagram followers, wore a black minidress with an asymmetrical top and glitzy heels.

Liev Schreiber looked handsome in a navy and black suit, glasses and white dress shirt, while Cassandra Trenary went braless in a beige jumpsuit and black heels.

Dancer Misty Copeland wore a poofy white dress, sparkly pumps, drop earrings and her long hair in a sleek ponytail.

Wow! Dorfman, who came out as a transgender woman in July, looked beautiful in her black gown

Looking back: Dorfman's dress had a daring thigh-high slit on the side

Inked: She also showed off her tiny tattoo above her left elbow

Gorgeous from every angle: As she posed from the front and side, Dorfman oozed confidence

Influencer: Palermo, who has more than 6.7 million Instagram followers, wore a black minidress with an asymmetrical top and glitzy heels

Classic: Liev Schreiber looked handsome in a navy and black suit, glasses and white dress shirt

All in the details: Schreiber wore a diamond pin on his suit

Copeland , a soloist with American Ballet Theatre, became the first Black at the the dance company, which has been around for over 80 years.

Copeland, 32, joined American Ballet Theatre in 2001 and has been a soloist with the prestigious dance company since 2007.

Copeland is the author of a best-selling memoir, 'Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina' and the subject of a documentary film, 'A Ballerina's Tale,' that was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2014.

So talented: Dancer Misty Copeland wore a poofy white dress, sparkly pumps, drop earrings and her long hair in a sleek ponytail

Accomplished: Copeland, a soloist with American Ballet Theatre, became the first Black at the the dance company, which has been around for over 80 years

Beautiful: Ariana Rockefeller showed fans a glimpse of her toned stomach

Both women are dancers in the American Ballet Theater

Ballerinas: Dancers Lauren Bonfiglio and Hannah Marshall posed for pictures together

She has been a supporter of diversity in ballet and has been open about her goal to be made a principal dancer.

In her best-selling memoir, Copeland recounted her difficult early life and her struggle to become a leading ballerina in a world dominated by white dancers.

'It's weird for minorities,' she wrote, 'even just to buy tickets to the ballet. We feel like it's not a part of our lives and we're not a part of that world.'

Copeland has also appeared on the cover of Time magazine this year. Earlier this month she took on the lead role in the American Ballet Theatre production of Swan Lake.

Beautiful: Rockefeller rocked a two-piece purple dress and mauve heels

Glittery: Dancer Misty Copeland wore a poofy white dress and sparkly pumps

Eye-catching: Di Mondo wore a red feather outfit to the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala

Chic: Robyn Lawley wore a green minidress and matching dress

Bombshell: Lawley, 32, is an Australian model with more than 227,000 Instagram followers

The American Ballet Theatre's is returning for its first New York Fall Season since 2019.

ABTs Fall 2021 Season 'will feature the full-length Giselle, the World Premiere of ZigZag by Jessica Lang, the stage premieres of Bernstein in a Bubble by Alexei Ratmansky and Touche by Christopher Rudd, ABT masterworks Pillar of Fire and Some Assembly Required, plus La Follia Variations and Indestructible Light,' according to their site.

After having to cancel in-person performances, the dance company shifted to digital programming.

In July, they 'wrapped up a cross-country tour that brought 20 of its 84 dancers, along with 28 support crew, to eight different states' at at outdoor, socially distanced venues according to CNBC.

Saying goodbye: After the event, Kruger radiated beauty as she crossed the street while preparing to head home
She has been busy filming her new movie The Plane in Puerto Rico.

But Kelly Gale took a break from her busy schedule and headed to the beach on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old flaunted her ripped abs and toned thighs in a lilac-coloured velvet bikini.

Lovely in lilac! Victoria's Secret model Kelly Gale showed off her incredible abs in a velvet bikini as she headed to the beach on Tuesday

The exotic beauty showed off her natural beauty by going makeup free and wore her brunette locks in natural curls.

It comes after Kelly posed topless for a photoshoot in New York last week.

In three images, the stunning brunette was seen cupping her cleavage while modelling a pair of tight black jeans.

Her eyes are up here! It comes after Kelly posed topless for a photoshoot in New York last week

For the photoshoot, Kelly had her dark locks pinned back in a high, flowing pony tail.

Meanwhile, the tanned goddess' makeup looked minimal - but for her brows which were penciled in to perfection.

Racy! In three images, the stunning brunette was seen cupping her cleavage while modelling a pair of tight black jeans

Last month, the Australian-Swedish stunner made headlines after sharing an image of herself sans bikini, which risked her breaching an Instagram ban as her nipples were almost on display.

In the picture, she left little to the imagination as she posed in nothing but a black G-string while lying in front of a tropical beach.

Kelly looked thoroughly relaxed as she arched her back and shielded her face from the sun with one arm.

Oops! Last month, the Australian-Swedish stunner made headlines after sharing an image of herself sans bikini, which risked her breaching an Instagram ban as her nipples were almost on display

'Happy to spend my day like this,' Kelly captioned the photo on Instagram, making sure to censor her nipples to avoid the image being flagged as inappropriate.

The catwalk star has been cast in her first film, starring alongside Gerald Butler in the Lionsgate thriller The Plane.

'Am I dreaming? I still can't believe this is real! Started acting via Zoom at the beginning of the pandemic and immediately fell in love with the craft,' she wrote on Instagram in August.
Fans of Australian comic Hannah Gadsby have taken to Twitter to slam Dave Chappelle after he said that the Nanette star isn't funny.

'Why the f**k is Dave Chappelle bringing Hannah Gadsby, a cisgender lesbian woman, into his weird transphobia?' raged one.

'Dave Chappelle saying that Hannah Gadsby is not funny just proves that Dave Chappelle doesn't know what's funny,' snapped another.

Outraged: Fans of Australian comic Hannah Gadsby (pictured) have taken to Twitter to slam Dave Chappelle after he said that the Nanette star isn't funny

'I hope Hannah Gadsby calls her next special "David" and it's just a one hour lecture destroying Dave Chappelle,' added another.

The social media backlash is in response to a defiant video Chapelle shared to Instagram on Monday, after his comments about transgender people in his Netflix special The Closer outraged select members of the LGBTQ community.

Chappelle, 48, and Netflix have been criticised by external activists, viewers and organisations in light of the controversial stand-up show - including a response from Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby, who has two comedy specials on the platform that cover homophobia and sexism.

In a video shared with his 2.3million followers, Chappelle reserved a scathing mention for Gadsby - listing one of his three conditions to meet with members of the trans community be that they must 'admit Hannah Gadsby is not funny'.

His two other conditions were that they must view The Closer from start to finish, and that he will choose the time and place of said meeting.

Chappelle courted controversy with his jokes in which he asserts 'gender is a fact', and criticises what he says is the thin skin of the trans community.

'Why the f**k is Dave Chapelle bringing Hannah Gadsby, a cisgender lesbian woman, into his weird transphobia?' raged one

'Dave Chapelle saying that Hannah Gadsby is not funny just proves that Dave Chapelle doesn't know what's funny,' snapped another

'I hope Hannah Gadsby calls her next special "David" and it's just a one hour lecture destroying Dave Chapelle,' added another

Shots fired! Another Gadsby fan called Chapelle 'extremely unfunny'

The jokes were based upon earlier observations made by Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who in 2019 stated that transgender women were not actually women and were a threat to her identity.

On Monday, Chappelle spoke out for the first time about the controversy in a five minute video which was posted to Instagram.

'To the transgender community, I am more than willing to give you an audience, but you will not summon me,' Chappelle stated.

'I am not bending to anyone's demands, and if you want to meet with me, I am more than willing to, but I have some conditions.

'First of all, you cannot come if you have not watched my special from beginning to end. You must come to a place of my choosing at a time of my choosing, and thirdly, you must admit that Hannah Gadsby is not funny.'

'Am I cancelled or not? Then let's go!' Chappelle yells at the end of the video.

Daily Mail Australia have contacted a representative for Hannah Gadsby for comment.

Backlash: The social media backlash is in response to a defiant video Chapelle shared to Instagram on Monday, after his comments about transgender people in his Netflix special The Closer outraged select members of the LGBTQ community

Gadsby recently lashed out at Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos for 'dragging her' into 'his mess' after he referenced her in a statement defending the special earlier this month.

Referencing a memo sent to employees that suggested Chappelle and Gadsby's programs offer diverse content to ensure 'marginalised communities aren't defined by a single story', the 43-year-old said she's been 'subjected' to hate online.

'Hey Ted Sarandos! Just a quick note to let you know that I would prefer if you didn't drag my name into your mess,' Gadsby wrote on Instagram.

'Now I have to deal with even more of the hate and anger that Dave Chappelle's fans like to unleash on me every time Dave gets 20 million dollars to process his emotionally stunted partial world view.

Hitting back: Gadsby (pictured) recently called out Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos for 'dragging her' into 'his mess', after the CEO used her name to defend against claims of transphobia in Chappelle's stand-up special

'You didn't pay me nearly enough to deal with the real world consequences of the hate speech dog whistling you refuse to acknowledge, Ted.

'F*** you and your amoral algorithm cult  I do sh*ts with more back bone than you.

'That's just a joke! I definitely didn't cross a line because you just told the world there isn't one,' she concluded.

Daily Mail Australia reached out to Sarandos for comment in relation to Gadsby's Instagram post at the time.

Speaking out: Referencing a memo sent to employees that suggested Chappelle and Gadsby's programs offer diverse content to ensure 'marginalised communities aren't defined by a single story', the 43-year-old said she's been 'subjected' to hate online

Gadsby, who hails from Tasmania, issued the scathing response after Sarandos name-dropped her in his statement to staff while defending the anti-LGBTQI views Chappelle is known for in his comedy specials.

'We are working hard to ensure marginalised communities aren't defined by a single story. So we have Sex Education, Orange Is The New Black, Control Z, Hannah Gadsby and Dave Chappelle all on Netflix. Key to this is increasing diversity on the content team itself,' Sarandos wrote in his statement.

Activists have been clamouring for removal of Chappelle's title from Netflix, with a number of the company's employees scheduled to stage a walkout in protest.

But others have vigorously defended the comic's special, with the family of Daphne Dorman - a transgender woman and friend of Chappelle's who committed suicide in 2019 - saying that she would have likely found his material funny.
Nicole Kidman shared a sweet birthday tribute to her husband Keith Urban on Instagram, which included a cute shot of them snuggled up on a boat.

As the longtime couple rang in the musician's 54th year of life, the Oscar-winning actress shared a glimpse of how they were celebrating.

'Happiest of birthdays my love ,' the Nine Perfect Strangers star, 54, captioned a slideshow of snaps, showing off their latest adventures.

Love of her life: Nicole Kidman shared a sweet birthday tribute to her husband Keith Urban on Instagram, which included a cute shot of them snuggled up on a boat

The first picture showed the five-time Golden Globe winner planting a kiss on her man's cheek as she rocked a black and red dress.

Urban had his eyes closed as his wife wrapped his arms lovingly around him on the sunny afternoon.

Her blonde tresses were pulled back in a low ponytail as she doted on the birthday boy.

Game day: In addition to a fun-filled excursion on the water, the duo watched the Nashville Predators from a luxury suite, which Kidman decorated with gold balloons

In addition to a fun-filled excursion on the water, the duo watched the Nashville Predators from a luxury suite, which Kidman decorated with gold balloons.

Last month during a remote appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Kidman recalled how Urban proposed to her in New York City.

'Did Keith Urban just sweep you off your feet? When did you know?,' Fallon asked Kidman.

15 years of marriage: Last month during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Kidman recalled how Urban proposed to her in New York City

'He sat on the stoop of my New York apartment,' she said. 'I came out at 5am in the morning, and it was my birthday, and he had flowers. And that was it. I was a goner. I'm like, ''Yes I'll marry you''.'

Jimmy then congratulated them on celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary in June.

'For a second there, I thought you said 50 years,' said Nicole. 'Hopefully one day, but 15 years, which is pretty amazing, right?'

Time to celebrate! Last year, Kidman shared a photo of balloons from Urban

Keith and Nicole were first introduced to one another in January 2005 at G'Day LA, following her 2001 split with fellow actor Tom Cruise.

The couple tied the knot at the Cardinal Cerretti Chapel in the grounds of St Patrick's College in Manly, Sydney, on June 25, 2006.

They later welcomed daughters Sunday Rose, 11, and Faith Margaret, nine, in 2008 and 2010.

Nicole and her ex Tom adopted two children during their 11-year marriage - Isabella Jane, 28, and Connor, 26.
Former Channel Nine boss David Gyngell and his journalist wife Leila McKinnon have put their North Bondi investment apartment on the market.

The three bedroom unit has an asking price of $2.25million and will be up for auction on November 18, according to realestate.com.au.

Located in a beautiful art deco building, the property - which the couple renovated - is just minutes away from the iconic Bondi Beach.

On the market! Former Channel Nine boss David Gyngell and journalist wife Leila McKinnon have listed their three bedroom North Bondi investment apartment for $2.25million

The unit features polished timber floorboards throughout and bright white walls to give the home a light and airy ambiance.

The kitchen has top-of-the-range appliances, sleek joinery, a white subway tile splashback and stone countertop.

Adjacent to the kitchen is the spacious combined living and dining room.

Bright: The kitchen features top-of-the-range appliances, sleek joinery, a white subway tile splashback and stone countertop

Ready for buyers: Adjacent to the kitchen is the spacious combined living and dining room. The unit features polished timber floorboards throughout and bright white walls to give the home a light and airy ambiance

Further down the hallway is the elegantly revamped bathroom, alongside the separate toilet.

Each of the three bedrooms come with a built-in-robe, while the master room has extra space for more decor piece.

The couple first bought the property in 2017 for $1,675,000 and rented it out for $1300 a week.

Spacious: Each of the three bedrooms come with a built-in-robe, while the master room has extra space for more decor piece

The couple's plan to offload the North Bondi property comes after they purchased another apartment.

They splashed out $4.5million last year for another stunning three bedroom unit in ritzy Bellevue Hill.

Channel Nine reporter Leila, 49, married businessman David, 55, - the son of Australian television pioneer Bruce Gyngell - in 2004. The couple then moved to Los Angeles in 2006.

Loved up: Channel Nine reporter Leila married businessman David Gyngell - son of Australian television pioneer Bruce Gyngell - in 2004. Pictured is the couple in 2004

They returned to Australia a year later, when David was appointed CEO of the Nine Network. He resigned from the role in 2015.

She then resumed her role at Nine, working across a variety of programs at the network.

The couple share two children - son Ted, nine, and daughter Gwendolen, seven.
It's the race that stops the nation.

And while the Melbourne Cup is famously run at the city's Flemington racecourse - it was Sydney which got all the glory on Wednesday.

A media call for the world famous race was held by Lexus in the Harbour City, following the official launch in Melbourne on Monday.

Sydney or Melbourne? Francesca Hung (pictured) and Montana Cox posed next to the sails of the Opera House as they celebrated a Lexus event for this year's Melbourne Cup launch

Melbourne's event was headed by Australian racing icon Gai Waterhouse AM, Michelle Payne OAM, the Hon. Martin Pakula and Neil Wilson.

Sydney's event featured models Francesca Hung and Montana Cox looking dazzling as they posed next to the Emerald City's iconic Opera House sails.

Star: The Lexus event was held in Sydney on Wednesday with Francesca looking high-glam in a sleeveless canary yellow frock which she paired with a matching hair bow

Francesca looked incredible as she posed in a sleeveless, frill-necked canary yellow frock which she paired with a matching hair bow.

The beauty opted to set off her look with a pair of eye-catching baby blue strappy heels as she posed on Circular Quay.

The star finished her look with antique style turquoise earrings while she carried a canary yellow clutch at the event.

Simple and chic: The E! star wore a glossy make-up style for the shoot while wearing her raven hair in an ultra-glam half-up, half-down style style which looked simple and chic

The E! star wore a glossy make-up style for the shoot while wearing her raven hair in an elegant half-up, half-down style.

Elsewhere, the style queen posed by the media wall for the event which was emblazoned with 'Lexus' and 'Melbourne Cup Carnival 2021' icons.

At the media call she was joined by Neighbours star and fellow model, Montana Cox.

Pretty in pink: Statuesque Montana opted for a high-glam off-the-shoulder pink frock. She small screen starlet proved unbothered by flaunting her trim pins in the thigh-grazing frock

Statuesque Montana opted for a quirky, off-the-shoulder pink frock.

The small screen starlet proved unbothered as she flaunted her trim pins in the thigh-grazing dress.

The brunette bombshell turned actress used a number of clips to hold her tresses back out of her face.

Harbour city: The brunette bombshell used a number of clips to hold her tresses back out of her face as she posed in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Wednesday

The model opted for minimal accessories keeping her look sleek and simple.

Montana beamed as she posed in front of signage along with the city's harbour bridge in the background.

The Next Top Model star opted for a subtle make-up look for the event wearing eyeliner and a matte lipstick.

Statuesque: Montana beamed as she posed in front of signage along with the city's harbour bridge. The Next Top Model star opted for a subtle make-up look for the event wearing eyeliner and a matte lipstick

Despite Victoria's hard lockdowns earlier this year, Melbourne Cup celebrations are due to go ahead as scheduled.

Victorian Racing Carnival chairman Neil Wilson said the club was ready to welcome crowds back to Flemington and play its role in reigniting major events in Victoria.

'The VRC is incredibly proud that this year's Melbourne Cup Carnival is playing a role to revive major events in Victoria,' Mr Wilson said.

'We're delighted to be able to host patrons on all four days of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and in turn create more than 4,000 jobs in the process.'
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Kristen Stewart led the stars in attendance as she hit the red carpet in Los Angeles on Tuesday for the premiere of her Princess Diana biopic Spencer.

The 31-year-old showcased her svelte physique as she posed for the cameras during the evening's festivities, which were thrown by NEON and Topic Studios.

She showed off her washboard abs in a black bralet, complementing a mesh skirt that went sheer just above her waistline to emphasize her enviably taut midriff.

Gorgeous: Kristen Stewart led the stars in attendance as she hit the red carpet in Los Angeles on Tuesday for the premiere of her Princess Diana biopic Spencer

Radiant: Kristen has taken on the role of the late Princess Of Wales in the much-anticipated film, and has already earned critical praise for her performance

Kristen's new film Spencer is about a Christmas at Sandringham where Diana realized that her marriage to Prince Charles was beyond repair.

A similar Christmas was just dramatized on the latest season of The Crown, for which Emma Corrin earned widespread critical acclaim.

In a throwback chic touch her skirt at the premiere featured rings of black frills running down to the hem, and in a flourish reminiscent of Tim Burton there was also a black bow with a sash at one side.

Accentuating her unmistakable features with makeup she wore her blonde locks in a fashionably asymmetrical do and added a splash of dazzle with a jeweled necklace.

Premise: Kristen's new film Spencer is about a Christmas at Sandringham where Diana realized that her marriage to Prince Charles was beyond repair

In the rearview: A similar Christmas was just dramatized on the latest season of The Crown, for which Emma Corrin earned widespread critical acclaim

The look: In a throwback chic touch her skirt at the premiere featured rings of black frills running down to the hem, and in a flourish reminiscent of Tim Burton there was also a black bow with a sash at one side

Incendiary: Kristen is pictured in a trailer for the film that shows Diana asking: 'Will they kill me, do you think?'. The film will focus on a pivotal weekend in 1991 when the royal decided to leave her husband Prince Charles

While making her way around the red carpet she posed alongside her director Pablo Larrain, who previously helmed the Jackie Kennedy biopic starring Natalie Portman.

The dynamic duo also stood together for the shutterbugs alongside Blandings alumnus Jack Farthing who plays the Charles to Kristen's Diana in the film.

In sharp contrast to the clean-cut Prince Of Wales his actor was wearing his hair in a luxuriously long do that fell nearly to his shoulders for the big event.

He threw a black suit on over a matching t-shirt and a pair of matching shoes, apparently aiming for a mix of classic premiere chic and California casual.

Dab hand: While making her way around the red carpet she posed alongside her director Pablo Larrain, who previously helmed the Jackie Kennedy biopic starring Natalie Portman

Leading man: The dynamic duo also stood together for the shutterbugs alongside Blandings alumnus Jack Farthing who plays the Charles to Kristen's Diana in the film

Life does not always imitate art: In sharp contrast to the clean-cut Prince Of Wales his actor was wearing his hair in a luxuriously long do that fell nearly to his shoulders for the big event

Combo: He threw a black suit on over a matching t-shirt and a pair of matching shoes, apparently aiming for a mix of classic premiere chic and California casual

Kristen made time for group shots that evening as well, including one with Jack and Pablo as well as production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas and Juan De Dios Larrain - the last of whom is Pablo's brother.

Former Victoria's Secret Angel Adriana Lima turned up the heat in autumn in a strapless dress that featured a feathery miniskirt to contribute a bit of showgirl flair.

She amped up the glitz factor in a set of black leather opera gloves and a pair of sky-high ankle-strap stilettos, sweeping her dark hair back behind her head.

The Brazilian bombshell posed up a storm alongside her dreamboat movie producer Andre Lemmers who went for classic glamour in a suit and tie.

Who's who: Kristen made time for group shots that evening as well, including one with Jack and Pablo as well as production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas (far right) and Juan De Dios Larrain (far left) - the last of whom is Pablo's brother

Still angelic: Former Victoria's Secret Angel Adriana Lima turned up the heat in autumn in a strapless dress that featured a feathery miniskirt to contribute a bit of showgirl flair

Dynamic duo: The Brazilian bombshell posed up a storm alongside her dreamboat movie producer Andre Lemmers who went for classic glamour in a suit and tie

Ashley Benson of Pretty Little Liars fame put her ample endowments on display in a plunging black bodysuit attached to a saucy fishnet skirt.

The ex-girlfriend of G-Eazy and Cara Delevingne lent the ensemble a dash of old-fashioned corporate chic with a blazer and a pair of simple black pumps.

Maria Bakalova, the Bulgarian actress who shot to international fame last year playing the title character's daughter in the Borat sequel, cut a stylish figure in a little black dress during the event.

Emma Roberts made a splash on the red carpet, slipping into a black square-neck cocktail dress with sleeves past the elbow and a pair of matching ankle-strap heels.

When you got it: Ashley Benson of Pretty Little Liars fame put her ample endowments on display in a plunging black bodysuit attached to a saucy fishnet skirt

Bombshell in black: The ex-girlfriend of G-Eazy and Cara Delevingne lent the ensemble a dash of old-fashioned corporate chic with a blazer and a pair of simple black pumps

Breakout celeb: Maria Bakalova, the Bulgarian actress who shot to international fame last year playing the title character's daughter in the Borat sequel, cut a stylish figure in a little black dress during the event

Letting her signature blonde locks tumble freely over her shoulders she sharpened her attributes with makeup including a slick of dark lipstick.

The daughter of Eric Roberts, who is also the niece of Pretty Woman icon Julia Roberts, added an attractive pop of color to the getup with a pink print handbag.

Once the premiere got going Kristen took the stage to address the crowd in honor of her new film, which will bow in movie theaters in the United States next Friday.

Kristen's castmates include Stella Ganet as the Queen and Richard Sammel as Prince Philip, plus Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins and Sean Harris as members of royal staff.

Showbiz legacy: Emma Roberts made a splash on the red carpet, slipping into a black square-neck cocktail dress with sleeves past the elbow and a pair of matching ankle-strap heels

Looking back: During a recent interview Kristen shared that becoming an international superstar at 18 through the Twilight films helped her understand the stratospheric fame Diana also faced from that age

'Its feeling constantly watched, no matter what you do': 'If youre in public, someone in the room is looking at you at all times,' said Kristen to the Sunday Times

Rollout: The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival at the beginning of last month and has been doing the festival circuit ever since ahead of its American theatrical release next week

Helping hand: A gentleman assisted her out of her car as she arrived at her big night in celebration of her latest star turn

During a recent interview Kristen shared that becoming an international superstar at 18 through the Twilight films helped her understand the stratospheric fame Diana also faced from that age.

'Its feeling constantly watched, no matter what you do. If youre in public, someone in the room is looking at you at all times,' said Kristen to the Sunday Times.

'Even if theyre not, its at the back of your mind. That is a feeling you only have if youre extremely famous. Its a completely different approach to being a human,' she revealed.

Casual: Later Kristen cut a laid-back figure in a cropped white t-shirt and loose-fit jeans, which she teamed with brown suede desert boots as she attended the premiere's after party
She recently wrapped production on the thriller abandoned, her first film role since welcoming her first child 10 months ago.

And on Tuesday night, Emma Roberts was back on the red carpet circuit as she attended the Los Angeles premiere for the movie Spencer.

Roberts, 30, kept her look simple yet stylish with a classic little black dress and black platform-soled peep-toe shoes.

Flawless: Emma Roberts put on a stylish show on the red carpet as she attended Tuesday night's Hollywood premiere for the film Spencer

The blonde actress showcased her svelte figure in the frock that had a square neckline and three-quarter sleeves.

Her shoes revealed her dark red pedicure and she had a matching manicure.

Roberts wore her slightly tousled long hair loose with a center parting and was made up with kohl-rimmed eyes and matte pink lip color.

She completed her look with a diamond necklace from The Last Line and a pink and gold purse.

Simple: The actress, 30, opted for a classic little black dress which she paired with black platform-soled peep-toe shoes

Coordinated look: Roberts showcased her svelte figure in the frock with a square neckline and three-quarter sleeves. Her shoes revealed a dark red pedicure and she had matching manicure

Pretty: She wore her tousled hair loose with a center parting and was made up with kohl-rimmed eyes and pink lips, and accessorized with a diamond necklace from The Last Line

Spencer stars Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana in what director Pablo Larrain calls 'a fable' set during a Christmas weekend at Sandringham when she makes the fateful decision to end her marriage to Prince Charles.

Both Stewart and Larrain headlined the screening held at the Directors Guild of America in West Hollywood.

The film will be released on November 5.

Their big night: Spencer star Kristen Stewart and director Pablo Larrain headlined the screening held at the Directors Guild of America

Roberts gave birth to her son last December 27 and she shares her child with partner Garrett Hedlund.

In her new movie Abandoned, the American Horror story alum stars with Michael Shannon and John Gallagher Jr. in a tale about a mother, father, and infant son who move into a remote farmhouse with a dark, tragic history.

According to Deadline.com, 'as their homes past is revealed, the mothers fragility escalates to a state of psychosis that jeopardizes her own safety and that of her newborn son.'
He's championed the latest season of The Bachelorette for its focus on diversity with the inclusion of the program's first Indigenous and bisexual lead, Brooke Blurton.

But the host of the series, Osher Gunsberg, has admitted he is still surprised over how many 'white people' there are featured on Australian ads and television.

In an interview with Mediaweek, the 47-year-old spoke about the newest season of The Bachelorette before recalling a time when he returned from the US and was shocked by the number of Caucasian people there were in the media.

Culture shock: Osher Gunsberg has revealed he was shocked to see so many white people on Australian TV after he returned from living in the US

'When I first moved back to Australia from America in 2015, I couldnt believe it  every ad was white people,' he said.

'Id go down to Westfield and it wouldnt look like the ads on my TV. Id go back home, watch ads and see white people, white people, fat dumb dad doing something stupid  I hate fat dumb dad, I hate him. Get him off my ads.'

The reality TV star explained that when he was in the US there was a much heavier emphasis on diversity in American television and commercials.

'I couldnt believe it  every ad was white people': The Bachelorette presenter recalled a moment in 2015 when he was surprised by the number of Caucasian people in Australian advertisements. Pictured here with The Bachelorette Brooke Blurton

Osher went so far as to describe the importance of diversity and inclusion in America as a 'humongous thing'.

'There are commercials on TV with a Hispanic family enjoying something, an African American family enjoying something, an Asian American family enjoying something.'

'I came back here (Australia) and it was just all white people,' he said. 'Now Im watching ads, and theres a beautiful African Australian family selling a house, and away you go. Thats amazing, thats what Australia looks like when I go outside.'

Differences: Osher explained that when he was in the US there was a much heavier emphasis on diversity in American television and commercials, labelling it a 'humongous thing'

The reality TV star is currently hosting The Bachelorette.

He talked about the inclusive nature of The Bachelorette this season, which features the first Indigenous and first bisexual lead, Brooke Blurton, along with a number of bisexual and gay women.

Osher says he was very happy about how the crew and showrunners from The Bachelorette engaged with 'diversity specialists' from both a First Nations perspective and from a non-heteronormative perspective.

The Bachelorette Australia airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7.30pm on 10
They recently rekindled their romance after a brief split.

And on Wednesday, Pip Edwards helped her boyfriend Michael Clarke move into his new $13million property in Sydney's Vaucluse.

The 41-year-old embraced a wild isolation hairdo with different shades of blonde as she helped her beau carry belongings into his new home.

New look: Pip Edwards embraced a wild isolation hairdo as she helped boyfriend Michael Clarke move into his new $13million home in Sydney's Vaucluse on Wednesday

Helping hand: The 41-year-old embraced a wild isolation hairdo with different shades of blonde as she helped her beau carry belongings into his new home

Pip dressed casually in black track pants and a matching coloured crop top.

The P.E Nation designer teamed her outfit with a pair of flat shoes and sunglasses as she watched a moving company carry Michael's belongings into his home.

Meanwhile, Michael, 40, wore black shorts, a T-shirt and grey sneakers.

Casual: Pip dressed casually in black track pants and a matching coloured crop top

Moving day: The P.E Nation designer teamed her outfit with a pair of flat shoes and sunglasses as she watched a moving company carry Michael's belongings into his home

He donned an unkempt hairstyle and wore sunglasses as he emptied boxes from his car.

After unloading the truck, Pip and Michael walked over to a local supermarket and purchased groceries.

Pip is happy back in the arms of Michael after the PDA-loving couple rekindled their romance a couple of months ago following a split in February.

They are said to be 'very happy'.

Casual: Meanwhile, Michael, 40, wore black shorts, a T-shirt and grey sneakers

New home: He donned an unkempt hairstyle and wore sunglasses as he emptied boxes from his car

While the duo had unfollowed each other on Instagram in light of their break-up, they have since reconnected on the social media site.

They initially sparked reunion rumours after being spotted together on numerous occasions.

At the start of September, they were pictured buying acai bowls in Bondi Beach with Michael's daughter, Kelsey Lee.

They had also been spotted spending time on Michael's boat.

Break time: After unloading the truck, Pip and Michael walked over to a local supermarket and purchased groceries

Together again: Pip is happy back in the arms of Michael after the PDA-loving couple rekindled their romance a couple of months ago following a split in February

The reunion claims come after Pip called time on her relationship with Cameron Northway, the Bondi restaurateur she dated for four months after splitting with Michael.

Pip and Cameron, the co-owner of Rocker restaurant, were first linked in April when he was spotted leaving the activewear designer's eastern suburbs home on two occasions.

She said via a spokeswoman at the time they were just 'friends'.

Rumours: They sparked reunion rumours last month after being spotted together on numerous occasions

Over: The reunion claims come after Pip called time on her relationship with Cameron Northway, the Bondi restaurateur she dated for four months after splitting with Michael

But she and Cameron eventually confirmed their romance in June after being spotted holding hands at the closing show of Australian Fashion Week in Sydney.

Pip and Michael's relationship began in June 2020, following his split from wife Kyly Clark (nee Boldy), which they had announced four months earlier.

He and Pip had been friends for more than a decade before that, but grew close while working on a fashion project together.

History: Pip and Michael's relationship began in June 2020, following his split from wife Kyly Clark (nee Boldy), which they had announced four months earlier
Lucy Hale showcased her incredible figure in lingerie for a new campaign.

The Pretty Little Liars star, 32, looked nothing short of sensational as she posed in underwear from Dutch fashion brand Hunkemoller.

She was sure to show off her stunning frame as she sizzled in a lace lingerie set with a suspender belt and stockings and later a black bralet with high-waisted shorts alongside a delicate body chain which drew attention to her lithe frame.

Stunner: Lucy Hale showcased her incredible figure in lingerie for a new campaign

Lucy's jaw-dropping figure took centre stage in one of the campaign's steamiest shots as she posed in the racy lace two-piece.

She reclined on a bed while show off the balcony bra and bottoms, while nipping in her waist with a suspender belt and showing her lithe suspender-clad legs.

She then smouldered while gazing in a mirror in a sheer bralet with the gold body chain looped around the middle of her taut and tanned stomach.

The actress posed up a storm in a plunging lace bodysuit as she reclined in a swish living room for the shoot.

Sizzling: The Pretty Little Liars star, 32, looked nothing short of sensational as she posed in underwear from Dutch fashion brand Hunkemoller

Sweet: She also posed with her beloved dog, who she recently called 'her soulmate'

Revealing: Lucy's jaw-dropping figure took centre stage in some of the campaign's steamiest shots, including one image clad in a lace one-piece and suspenders

Sizzling: The actress posed up a storm in a plunging lace bodysuit as she reclined in a swish living room for the shoot

Stellar: She slipped into an elegant pale pink two piece with a matching satin kimono in more snaps from the shoow

Flawless: Lucy was a vision in the gorgeous black lace lingerie as she posed for the racy shoot

Aside from her fashion collaborations, Lucy will next be seen in AMC's upcoming crime series Ragdoll which will premiere on November 11 and on Alibi in the UK.

In August, she appeared in the network's TCA panel and discussed her new role. She explained that she was already a big fan of the genre, saying: 'I'm the first girl to listen any true crime podcast or to watch any of the crime shows'.

The show, executive produced by Sid Gentle Films, follows an investigative team in London as they pursue a serial killer who has gruesomely murdered six people and sewn them into one body nicknamed the 'Ragdoll.'

The team is led by the recently-reinstated DS Nathan Rose (Henry Lloyd-Hughes), who along with his best friend and boss DI Emily Baxter (Thalissa Teixeira) and DC Lake Edmunds (Hale) must find the murderer before he kills his next six victims.

Revealing: Lucy later slipped into a plunging balconette bra and thigh-high stockings as she reclined on a sofa for a saucy snap

Flaunting it: Lucy slipped into a plunging black leotard with sheer sleeves as she showcased some of the latest pieces from the Dutch lingerie brand

Gorgeous: The former teen drama star donned a plunging green lace bra which highlighted her toned abs in more promotional images from the campaign

Sex bomb: Lucy also slipped into a revealing green lace bra and matching bottoms as she seductively posed on a bed

The six-part series was written by Freddy Syborn, who adapted Daniel Coles novel of the same name. During the interview Lucy spoke about playing against type.

She said: 'When you're a part of something like Pretty Little Liars or Katy Keane, people want to keep you in that box and I'm very grateful for those opportunities...

'But, I made the conscious decision that after Katy Keane got cancelled I knew that the next job I did really had to creatively excite me.'

Lucy, who shot to fame when she starred as Aria Montgomery on the ABC Family teen drama Pretty Little Liars, went on to say that her fans 'have grown up with me' and she believes they will tune in for her new project.

Jaw-dropping: She struck a sultry pose in her revealing black lace lingerie as she posed for the lingerie shoot

New venture: Lucy looked nothing short of incredible in her sexy black lingerie looks

Idyllic: Promotional images from the new campaign showed Lucy clad in a floral satin robe, over her pale pink underwear

Hale explained that working on the show was not just a new chapter in her career but a new book.

Lucy said, 'Going to London and working with Sid Gentile, working with Freddy, I was so excited to work with Henry and Thalissa  it just feels elevated. I feel like I grew working with everyone.'

'Not even a new chapter, but a new book for sure. A darker, new book.'

Fan: Aside from her fashion collaborations, Lucy will next be seen in AMC's upcoming crime series Ragdoll which will premiere on November 11
Jordan Tilli became the first contestant to be dumped from Love Island Australia.

And it appears, the Melbourne business development manager is enjoying life as a single man.

The 28-year-old was spotted going on two dates with two different women over two consecutive nights in Melbourne.

Enjoying the single life! Jordan Tilli went on a date with TWO different brunettes over two consecutive nights after becoming the first contestant to be dumped from Love Island Australia

On Monday, Jordan looked stylish in black jeans and a pink buttoned shirt as he arrived to a restaurant with a mystery brunette.

The pair were seen chatting as they enjoyed a meal.

The following day, Jordan was seen arriving to another establishment with a different woman.

The mystery brunette showed off her tattooed legs in a black mini dress.

Date night: On Monday, Jordan looked stylish in black jeans and a pink buttoned shirt as he arrived to a restaurant with a mystery brunette

Going well? The pair were seen chatting as they enjoyed a meal

It comes after Jordan became the first contestant to be dumped from Love Island Australia last week.

The Melbourne business development manager was sent packing 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.

Round two: The following day, Jordan was seen arriving to another establishment with a different woman

Dinner: The mystery brunette showed off her tattooed legs in a black mini dress

'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.

Out:It comes after Jordan became the first contestant to be dumped from Love Island Australia last week
A friend and co-worker of Ioan Gruffudd has denied his estranged wife Alice Evans' claims that he had a three-year affair with his now-girlfriend Bianca Wallace.

In a series of tweets, wardrobe assistant Amy Douglas, who worked with Ioan, 48, and Bianca, 29, on the Australian series Harrow, accused Alice, 50, herself of being 'abusive,' and insisted they didn't begin speaking until filming for series three began in 2020.

Amy, who said Ioan and Bianca gave her permission to speak out, defended her pals after Alice accused her estranged husband of cheating on her for three years with the Australian actress, who is 21 years her junior, telling fans she was 'lost, sad and confused.'

Hitting back: A friend and co-worker of Ioan Gruffudd has denied his estranged wife Alice Evans' claims that he had a three-year affair with his now-girlfriend Bianca Wallace (pictured)

Sweet: Along with his gushing caption, Ioan accompanied his post with two love heart emojis

In her first tweet, Amy responded to a fans' claim that Ioan and Bianca's romance began while they were filming Harrow, clarifying that the actress was simply an extra and the pair didn't begin speaking until season three, which was recorded in 2020.

She wrote: '[Bianca was] an extra and didn't have contact with him in season two, I know because I was there as crew. Season three yes, but they only started talking towards the end.'

She added: 'I am also her friend and I KNOW they didn't, as I said they didn't even speak to each other until the end of season three. Don't buy into the lies you are being fed.'

Controversy: In a series of tweets, wardrobe assistant Amy Douglas, who worked with Ioan and Bianca on the Australian series Harrow, accused Alice (pictured) of being 'abusive'

Hitting out: Amy (pictured) said in a series of tweets she had been given permission by Ioan and Bianca to speak out

Jaw-dropping: Defending Bianca (pictured), Amy claimed that her friend 'wasn't a home-wrecker' and Ioan was a 'professional person' during filming

Comments: In her first tweets, Amy clarified that Ioan and Bianca didn't begin dating on the set of Harrow, and they didn't speak for the first time until the end of season three in 2020

Bombshell: The fashion designer then claimed that Alice threatened to divorce Ioan during the final week of filming, and she was aware how 'upset' he became

Who is the fashion guru defending her pals? Amy Douglas, who worked as a wardrobe assistant on the Australian TV series Harrow, has furiously defended her friends Ioan Gruffudd and Bianca Wallace after they went Instagram official with their romance. The budding designer grew up in Brisbane, Queensland, before studying to become a makeup artist at the Academy of Design. She eventually relocated to the Gold Coast in 2014, before graduating from the New York Film Academy in 2016. Amy then studied Fashion and Design at the Australian Institute of Creative Design until 2018. As well as working on Harrow, Amy was also employed as a wardrobe assistant at Warner Bros. Movie World. She took to Twitter on Wednesday to defend Ioan and Bianca's romance, claiming she 'wasn't a homewrecker' and his estranged wife Alice Evans was 'abusive.' Amy also claimed that Alice threatened Ioan with a divorce during the final week of filming for Harrow unless he returned to the UK. The actor filed for divorce from Alice in March after 20 years together. Advertisement

Amy continued: 'Being her friend I KNOW it didn't happen. I know her as a person and her principals. You do not. So don't believe everything you're fed by manipulating people who try to make themselves the victim and ruin other people's reputations.'

The fashion designer then claimed that Alice threatened to divorce Ioan during the final week of filming for Harrow in 2020, and said she was aware how 'upset' he became.

Responding to another user she said: 'Your point? I saw what Alice was doing to Ioan in the last week of filming, threatening a divorce if he didn't go home. I saw how upset he was on set. And Bianca was barely even on set for season three. I know, you do not.

'She is not a home-wrecker! Who do you actually personally know here in this situation. Obviously no one. And I'm very perceptive, it didn't show on set, he is a very professional person. I saw how upset he was on the phone being abused by her.'

Amy added that both Ioan and Bianca had given their permission for her to speak out, and clarified that their early relationship on the Harrow set was strictly professional.

She continued: 'I have permission from both to comment. They started talking on set about acting, nothing personal, he spoke to me too about my writing, I guess by you I was also having an affair with him. I do not call talking about careers an affair.'

Amy added that Ioan opted to go public with his relationship with Bianca before telling Alice because 'she was unkind.'

She also denied The Vampire Diaries star's claims he shared one of his now-girlfriend's images with his daughter Elsie, eight, claiming he took the photo.

She added: 'I have complete faith in my friends and take them for their word. The truth will come out eventually, either way it goes. But believe me, you lot will be eating your words not me.'

Not true! Amy defended her pal Bianca as she hit back at a Twitter user who slammed her for dating Ioan, insisting he was 'upset' over being 'abused' by Alice

Supportive: She added that both Ioan and Bianca have given their permission for her to speak out, and their relationship on-set was strictly professional

Noted: In later tweets, Amy claimed that Ioan chose to reveal his romance with Bianca before telling Alice because she was so 'unkind'

Denial: She also denied The Vampire Diaries star's claims he shared one of his now-girlfriend's images with his daughter Elsie, eight, claiming he took the photo

Slew of posts: Noting Ioan and Alice's split, after the Liar star filed for divorce in March, Amy said he had 'a right' to date someone new because they'd been separated for several months

Who is Bianca Wallace? Bianca Wallace was born in Australia in 1992 to Kerryn Hayes, a marketing executive, and Shawn Wallace, a deep-sea game fishing captain. After discovering her passion for acting, she moved to Brisbane in 2011 to pursue a career on-screen. She has since starred in the 2020 short film Bloodline. The film focuses on a witch named Alice, who flees her coven after falling pregnant, with her son struggling to fit in with his family when he realises he doesn't have the same powers. She has also had roles in the TV mini-series Relations**t and Loveland, which is in post-production. Bianca also starred in the Australian drama Harrow as an extra. Ioan had a leading role in the show, which began airing in 2018. In May, Bianca also celebrated her mother Kerryn's marriage to her longtime partner John, writing on Instagram he was now 'officially her dad.' Advertisement

Noting Ioan and Alice's split, after the Liar star filed for divorce in March, Amy added: 'They're in the midst of a divorce and have been separated for almost a year. He has every right to see someone else. As does she.'

Amy Douglas, who worked as a wardrobe assistant on the Australian TV series Harrow, has furiously defended the pair after they went Instagram official with their romance.

The budding designer grew up in Brisbane, Queensland, before studying to become a makeup artist at the Academy of Design.

She eventually relocated to the Gold Coast in 2014, before graduating from the New York Film Academy in 2016.

DC fan Amy then studied Fashion and Design at the Australian Institute of Creative Design until 2018.

As well as working on Harrow, Amy was also employed as a wardrobe assistant at Warner Bros. Movie World.

Harrow first began in 2018, with series three broadcast in February 2021 after filming was delayed in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.

The drama saw Ioan play the role of a ruthless pathologist with no concept of rules or ethics in his work.

It came after Alice took to Twitter to pen a scathing rant telling fans that she was 'lost, sad and confused' after accusing Ioan of cheating on her for three years with her friend Bianca.

The tweets came just minutes after Ioan made his romance with Bianca, 29, 'Instagram official' by sharing a beaming image with her on-set alongside the caption: 'Thank you for making me smile again.'

Screen star: Harrow first began in 2018, with series three broadcast in February 2021, and saw Ioan, (pictured) playing the leading role of a doctor with no concept of rules or ethics in his work

Bianca's sister Chanel, 26, gave the relationship a seal of approval, as she shared the post on her Instagram stories and added the caption: 'Seeing the smile Yo brings to my sister and showing her the true love she deserves makes my heart so full of happiness. Welcome to the family Reed Richards' [sic].

The nickname Reed Richards was a reference to Ioan's role as Mr. Fantastic - AKA Reed Richards - in 2005's Fantastic Four and 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

In her tweets, which she posted on Wednesday, Alice first shared an Instagram photo that Bianca had uploaded weeks earlier, which showed a group seated in chairs that were lined up on the beach.

'WTH?' Following Ioan's post, Alice accused Tamzin Outhwaite of 'knowing about it' in a now-deleted comment, but the EastEnders actress denied any knowledge to MailOnline

All over: Alice confirmed she and Ioan were splitting after 20 years in a shock statement she shared on Twitter in January 2021 (pictured together in 2018)

She claimed that Ioan showed their daughter Elsie, eight, the image and said he had taken the photograph.

She wrote: 'I have no words. My husband sent this to Elsie, our 8 yo last week and asked her if she thought he was a good photographer. I am lost. Totally lost and sad and confused...'

Onne fan asked 'Who's Bianca?' leading Alice to respond: 'Bianca Wallace seems to be the person he has been in a relationship with for three years whilst blaming our difficulties on me.

'I've just found this out tonight. I feel like killing myself. (I won't).'

Bombshell: On Wednesday Alice shared a series of tweets accusing Ioan of cheating on her for three years, with her first sharing an Instagram photo that Bianca had uploaded weeks earlier

Shocked: Among the responses to her bombshell, one fan asked 'Who's Bianca?' leading Alice to respond: 'Bianca Wallace seems to be the person he has been in a relationship with'

'Good luck!' In another tweet Alice claimed that Ioan had been in a relationship with Bianca for three years, and ended her post: 'Good luck'

Bombshell: Bianca is an actress and producer who previously starred in the 2020 short film Bloodline, and also had roles in the TV mini-series Relations**t and Loveland

In her final tweet, Alice added: 'So it turns out that my husband, after two years of telling me I'm a bad person and I'm not exciting and he no longer want so to have sex with me and he just wants to be on set abroad... Has been in a relationship for THREE years behind all our backs. Good luck, Bianca.'

Bianca Wallace was born in Australia in 1992 to Kerryn Hayes, a marketing executive, and Shawn Wallace, a deep-sea game fishing captain.

She moved to Queensland in 2011 to pursue a career in acting.

She has since starred in the 2020 short film Bloodline.

The film focuses on a witch name Alice, who flees her coven after falling pregnant, with her son struggling to fit in with his family when he realises he doesn't have the same powers.

Bianca also had roles in the TV mini-series Relations**t and Loveland, which is in post-production.

Over the summer Bianca shared multiple Instagram snaps in Australia, where Ioan had been filming his TV series Harrow.

It's unclear how Alice and Bianca came to know each other.

In May, Bianca also celebrated her mother Kerryn's marriage to her longtime partner John, writing on Instagram he was now 'officially her dad.'

Alice later posted: 'Still nothing. We were together for 20 yrs. We spoke every day, at least three or four times.

'He was my best friend, my twin soul. I don't know how to move on. I will, but at the moment I have no idea.'

Minutes before Alice's tweets, Bianca took to Instagram to share an image of herself beaming with Ioan, which she captioned: 'I know real smiles when I see them @ioangruffudd.'

Ioan, who shares daughters, Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, with Alice, proceeded to share the same snap with the caption: 'Thank you for making me smile again @iambiancawallace.'

New romance? Minutes before Alice's tweets, both Ioan and Bianca (her caption is pictured) shared the same on-set image confirming their romance

Sister act: Bianca's sister Chanel, 26, gave the relationship a firm seal of approval, as she shared the post on her Instagram stories

Bombshell: After growing up in Queensland, she moved to Brisbane to pursue an acting career

Stunner: Bianca shows off both her incredible figure and lavish lifestyle on Instagram, where she boasts over 4,000 followers

Following the post, Alice accused Tamzin Outhwaite of 'knowing about it' under Ioan and Bianca's romantic post.

In a now-deleted comment, the former EastEnders actress wrote: 'You look amazing. And younger somehow.'

Alice then furiously responded? '@glamzin Tamzin? WTH? You knew about this???'

But Tamzin has since denied she had any knowledge of Ioan's relationship with Bianca, telling MailOnline: 'I didn't know about it. But I have nothing to say.'

Accusations: She later tweeted Ioan's Harrow co-star Ella Newton, claiming she 'knew the whole time'

Distraught: In her later tweets Alice said she 'couldn't stop crying' after learning of Ioan's affair, and she 'didn't know how to move on'

Alice later tweeted Ioan's Harrow co-star Ella Newton, writing: '@EllaKNewton So you KNEW they whole time and you CONGRATULATED them? Do you know they have broken up. family? How can you possibly ? This will stay with you forever.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Alice Evans, Bianca Wallace, and Ioan Gruffudd for comment.

Hours before sharing her claims, Alice shared an Instagram post alluding to the fact that Bianca was her friend before he and Ioan began dating, writing: 'Tonight, after learning that a person I thought was a friend might not be. But MORE IMPORTANTLY, is my wig on straight?'

Alice hasn't been shy of airing the breakdown of her marriage to Ioan on social media, and previously slammed him for being 'devoid of any empathy' and 'disingenuous'.

Rant! Alice hasn't been shy of airing the breakdown of her marriage to Ioan on social media, and previously slammed him for being 'devoid of any empathy' and 'disingenuous'

She claimed that the Liar actor has been 'ghosting' her for nearly a year.

'I haven't spoken to my husband in nine months (his choice),' she penned. 'I did my fair share of crying, screaming, accusing. I begged and begged for at least some sort of running discussion. That's my way of reacting to such a life-changing event.

'So he ghosted me. I have been ghosted for almost 10 months now!'

She went on: 'If you read this and feel anger or upset towards ME for sharing, that's OK. For me, as some of you will know, this was a case of the drop that overflowed the glass.

'For others it must have come as a bit of a shock, or a strange thing to do. I totally understand.

'This is the real Ioan Gruffudd. I'm not bending over for this guy. This man is devoid of any empathy whatsoever!'

She also claimed: 'He also wanted me to sign a legal document saying that it was MY FAULT that he couldn't get any work. (Hey - this is Hollywood). I don't care any more. I'm done!'

Claims: She claimed that the Liar actor - whom she shares daughters, Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, with - has been 'ghosting' her for nearly a year

Alice completed her rant with: 'I don't care any more. I'm done'

Prior to her most recent outburst, Alice playfully poked fun at her estranged husband's nose in a tongue-in-cheek post she shared to Instagram in September.

She shared a black and white photo of Ioan cuddling one of the couple's daughters on the sofa and couldn't help but make a jibe at her ex.

The sweet snap captures the adorable moment between the father and daughter, with Ioan appearing in the photo shirtless and with a side profile.

Alice captioned the post: 'A thing of beauty. I know. The only thing we all worry about secretly is: will she get his nose? Shhhh!'

Alice took to Instagram once again to insist her comment was all in good humour and she had only been joking around.

'I was joking about the husband, honest,' she said alongside a close-up shot of herself as she teased once more: 'I mean look [at] this - she would TERRIFY you!!!!'

Alice was also seen light-heartedly asking for applications for her 'second husband'.

She said alongside another selfie: 'Mood? Black snd white and i'm doin alright. If you want to apply for the part if 'second husband' please let me know below. (sic)'

Alice continued: 'I just want a nice chap who is a raging democrat abs likes to talk and talk and talk about anything. ( interest in fashion, foreign languages and civil aviation would obviously help! )'

She added: '(I'm only half kidding..)'

Only kidding: Alice then insisted she was joking in another post she shared online where she was then seen poking fun at a black and white snap of herself

Ioan filed for divorce from Alice in March, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason behind their split.

The document, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on March 1, revealed the former couple separated on New Year's Day - a month before they went public with their relationship status.

At the time, they had shared a joint statement that read: 'As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for our family and we remain committed to our children. Thank you for respecting our privacy.'

It was also reported the divorce papers state the exes are in a 'collaborative process and intend to resolve all issues including spousal support by written agreement'.

Poking fun: The mum-of-two told fans she was 'joking about the husband, honest'

Ioan's mum Margaret Griffiths, 73, later spoke out to make it clear that no one else was involved in the break up.

'But the children will come first whatever happens, that's for sure,' she said.

When asked if there was 'anyone else', she replied: 'No, no, no.'

Alice, meanwhile, had addressed the pair's split in a shock statement shared to Twitter in January in which she claimed Ioan had 'mentally tortured' her.

The mum-of-two also accused her estranged husband of 'winding the s**t up me' as she posted a vitriolic video about their 'collaborative divorce' talks.

She said: 'I have been served with a petition for divorce and it's came out of the blue and I won't cry. But we've been 20 years together, we have two amazing kids. I don't know why.

'At the moment we're doing something called collaborative divorce which is somewhere between a really kind way of doing divorce and a phenomenal scam.

'Because in one way it's 'okay, let's hear what you would want and take it to the court afterwards' and in another way it's like, people in the acting business will know when an agent says to you 'we just can't find you the roles.'

'It's a bit like, I'd like my daughter to stay with me on Saturday nights, 'it's just not within our possibilities.''

TV and film star Alice then insisted Ioan had misled her with collaborative divorce, adding: 'And then I read nothing is binding in collaborative, absolutely nothing.

'So if I want my daughter to stay one more night in my house, the court hasn't said anything so I can do it. So my husband is winding the s**t up me, saying what he says is the law, well we haven't got to the law yet.

'Lawyers aren't the law. Lawyers are there to f*** the law. That's what I always said. Anyway I may have some more thoughts later.'

Alice was also seen hitting back at criticism over speaking about details of her divorce with Ioan so publicly and the impact it may have on their children.

Alice hit back stating that the girls had no idea about the couple's public profile and 'probably never will'.

Alice and Ioan met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, when Alice was in a relationship with Pablo Picasso's grandson Olivier.

She and Ioan became engaged six years later after she gave him an ultimatum about their relationship, and they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Mexico in September 2007.

Ioan hasn't publicly addressed the couple's divorce.

Ouch: Prior to her most recent outburst, Alice playfully poked fun at her estranged husband's nose in a tongue-in-cheek post she shared to Instagram in September

Who is Ioan Gruffudd's girlfriend Bianca Wallace? A look at bikini-loving, selfie-snapping, Law Of Attraction-devoted actress, 29, who's made the star, 48, 'smile again' after split from Alice Evans, 50... (and her family have welcomed him with open arms!)

By Ciara Farmer for MailOnline

On Wednesday, Alice took to Twitter to accuse her ex of cheating for three years with her actress friend Bianca - leading to her penning a scathing rant telling fans that she was 'lost, sad and confused'

It came after Ioan shared his first image of him and Bianca - showing the two giggling on-set alongside an emotional caption reading: 'Thank you for making me smile again'

Bianca and her sister Chanel went on to also post the image, with the former penning: 'I know real smiles when I see them' and the latter lavishing praise on Ioan and welcoming him to their family

A look at Bianca's social media channels sheds light on her super-glamorous life, complete with a slew of bikini-clad snaps in glam locations on Instagram and a number of profound messages on Twitter

Liar actor Ioan Gruffudd has hit headlines once again, after going public on social media with his girlfriend Bianca Wallace in the midst of his messy split from heartbroken wife Alice Evans.

On Wednesday, the actress, 50, took to Twitter to accuse her ex, 48, of cheating on her for three years with her actress friend Bianca, 29 - leading to her penning a scathing rant telling fans that she was 'lost, sad and confused'.

Alice's tweets came just minutes after Ioan made his romance with Bianca, 29, 'Instagram official' by sharing a beaming image showing him on-set alongside the caption: 'Thank you for making me smile again' - which her sister Chanel then shared herself and thanked Ioan for bringing Bianca happiness.

A look at Bianca's social media channels sheds insight into the life of the Australian actress, whose Instagram is a hotbed of steamy bikini-clad snaps, while her Twitter is reserved for profound quotes and multiple retweets from accounts centred around the Law Of Attraction - a spiritual movement focused on bringing positivity to one's life.

Who is Ioan Gruffudd's girlfriend Bianca Wallace? A look at the bikini-loving, Law Of Attraction-believing actress, 29, who's made the actor, 48, 'smile again' after split from Alice Evans, 50

Bianca hurtled straight into the spotlight on Wednesday, when Ioan went Instagram official' by sharing the beaming image showing them both on-set alongside the caption: 'Thank you for making me smile again.'

She went on to share the image herself, alongside the words: 'I know real smiles when I see them'.

Bianca's sister Chanel, 26, gave the relationship a firm seal of approval, as she shared the post on her Instagram stories and added the caption: 'Seeing the smile Yo brings to my sister and showing her the true love she deserves makes my heart so full of happiness. Welcome to the family Reed Richards' [sic].

The nickname Reed Richards was a reference to Ioan's role as Mr. Fantastic - AKA Reed Richards - in 2005's Fantastic Four and 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

A vision: She often shares stunning snaps on social media, including a number of bikini-clad shots

Happy days: Bianca is often seen living it up in glamorous locations

Bianca is a firm believer in the Law Of Attraction - a New Thought spiritual movement and pseudoscience based on the belief that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences into a person's life.

She often shares messages from the official Twitter account for the 2006 Rhonda Byrne self-help book The Secret, which claims that thoughts can change a person's life directly.

Just some of the inspiring Tweets she shares from The Secret read: 'Everything is possible... Trust your instincts - its the Universe inspiring you...

'You are responsible for your life, and when you take responsibility for all your past mistakes, without blame, you change your life... In every moment of your day, there are two paths before you. Take the path of goodness, for goodness sake.... Something magnificent is coming to you today!'

Stunning: She often shares stunning selfies with positive affirmations included as captions

Open and honest: Bianca often shares messages from the official Twitter account for the 2006 Rhonda Byrne self-help book The Secret, which claims that thoughts can change a person's life directly

Reading up: She is also a fan of the Law Of Attraction Twitter account, where shared messages read: 'No one is coming to save you. This life is 100% your responsibility... Act as if what you do makes a difference. IT DOES. - William James... If it matters to you, you'll find a way. - Charlie Gilkey'.

She is also a fan of the Law Of Attraction Twitter account, where shared messages read: 'No one is coming to save you. This life is 100% your responsibility... Act as if what you do makes a difference. IT DOES. - William James... If it matters to you, you'll find a way. - Charlie Gilkey'.

As well as her profound tweets, alongside a sexy bikini snap from last week, she penned: 'Trust it all in life, lovers. The best thing to ever happen to you is usually disguised as the worst at first'.

Bianca was born in Australia in 1992 to Kerryn Hayes, a marketing executive, and Shawn Wallace, a deep-sea game fishing captain. After discovering her passion for acting, she moved to Brisbane in 2011 to pursue a career on-screen. She has since starred in the 2020 short film Bloodline.

Here she is! Bianca (right) is pictured in her webseries Relations**t

Mummy dearest: Bianca was born in Australia in 1992 to Kerryn Hayes, a marketing executive, and Shawn Wallace, a deep-sea game fishing captain. In May, Bianca also celebrated her mother Kerryn's marriage (pictured) to her longtime partner John, writing on Instagram he was now 'officially her dad'

Stunner: Her recent snaps have been paired with emotional and happy captions

The film focuses on a witch name Alice, who flees her coven after falling pregnant, with her son struggling to fit in with his family when he realises he doesn't have the same powers.

She has also had roles in the TV mini-series Relations**t and Loveland, which is in post-production. Over the summer Bianca spent several weeks in Australia, where Ioan had been filming his TV series Harrow.

She has shared a slew of bikini snaps during her stay in the area, while also gushing about her happiness, although she did not make any direct references to Ioan in the messages to her friends.

In May, Bianca also celebrated her mother Kerryn's marriage to her longtime partner John, writing on Instagram he was now 'officially her dad.'

Glam: In 2019, she posed for a selfie alongside a Wallaby

Sizzling: Bianca shared a jaw-dropping snap in December last year
Molly Mae Hague has hired full-time security services ahead of her return to the spotlight after the 800k burglary at her Manchester home.

The Love Island star, 22, has been left living in fear after 'an experienced gang' broke into the home she shared with her boyfriend Tommy Fury, also 22, in Hale, Manchester and 'took everything' including jewellery and designer goods.

Speaking to MailOnline, a source said: 'Molly's taking no chances - she's hired 24/7. Confidentiality Protection as well as her other security. She has completely moved out of her apartment now and will never return...

'She's upping the security before returning to the spotlight at her Halloween Pretty Little Thing meal in Manchester on Thursday night'.

Emotional: Molly Mae Hague has hired full-time security services ahead of her return to the spotlight after the 800k burglary at her Manchester home

At around 10pm on Thursday 21 October, while the influencer and boxer were in London at her Beauty Works Christmas launch, an 'experienced gang' targeted their flat in Hale, Manchester and stole the vast quantity of goods.

Sources revealed to MailOnline that the couple will 'never return' to the property after being left 'extremely shaken up' and terrified by the crime.

The insider said: 'They will never return back to their apartment again unfortunately they feel they have been targeted and don't feel safe there any more. They really loved living there its a shame they have been forced out of their home.'

While Molly Mae and Tommy partied in London, the gang descended on their block of flats, in which there are five other properties.

Shock: The Love Island star, 22, has been left living in fear after 'an experienced gang' broke into the home she shared with her boyfriend Tommy Fury, also 22, in Hale, Manchester and 'took everything' including jewellery and designer goods

At the event: At around 10pm on Thursday 21 October, while the influencer, 22, and boxer, 21, were in London at her Beauty Works Christmas launch, an 'experienced gang' targeted their flat in Hale, Manchester and stole the vast quantity of goods (the couple pictured at the event)

An insider detailed: 'It seems to be an experienced gang who know what theyre doing as they have had machinery and waited for Molly and Tommy to be away...

'They have approached the property from the rear and smashed through their balcony windows and doors to gain access to their apartment. There is five apartments in the block but other neighbours were out too...

'They have stolen approx 800k worth of belongings leaving them with nothing left other than what they had on them in their suitcases in London on the night of event..

Heartache: An insider detailed: 'It seems to be an experienced gang who know what theyre doing as they have had machinery and waited for Molly and Tommy to be away.. (the couple are pictured in their flat earlier this year)

'Molly was pictured that night when the robbery happened at her Beauty Works x Molly Mae event in London. They seemed to have got scared off and departed quickly possible across the park at the back. Its called Halecroft Park.'

In the wake of the incident, a representative for Molly told MailOnline: 'Molly is doing well considering the circumstances. It has been a very distressing time but she is trying to be as positive as possible'.

A representative for Greater Manchester Police told MailOnline: 'On Friday 22 October 2021 police received a report of a burglary at a property in the Hale Barns area...

During the burglary a number of items were taken, including jewellery. Enquiries are ongoing and no arrests have been made.'

Heartache: A representative for Greater Manchester Police told MailOnline: 'On Friday 22 October 2021 police received a report of a burglary at a property in the Hale Barns area'

While the burglary took place in Manchester, Molly and Tommy partied in London, where the blonde beauty was wearing a staggering collection of jewellery.

She wore a whopping 58,000 in jewellery on one single wrist, including a 40,000 white gold, 1.99 carat diamond Cartier band.

On the other wrist, she wore a 37,400 Cartier 18k gold 1.99 carat bangle with a rose gold Patek Phillipe watch bedazzled with an impressive 56 diamonds.

Her hands were decorated with 30,000 in sparking rings for the the Beauty Works x Molly-Mae event.
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Lily James and Sharon Stone led the glamour at Giorgio Armani's One Night Only Dubai fashion show at the Armani Hotel in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday evening.

The Pursuit Of Love star, 32, looked nothing short of sensational in a bust-boosting silver gown while the Basic Instinct actress, 63, went for an edgy look comprising a top adorned with an image of a young Giorgio Armani.

They were joined at the event by the man himself, 87, who posed up a storm on the red carpet with Sharon, while his niece Roberta Armani, 51, posed with Clive Owen, 57, and his daughter Eve, 22.

Wow! Lily James and Sharon Stone led the glamour at Giorgio Armani's One Night Only Dubai fashion show at the Armani Hotel in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday evening

Lily looked breathtaking in her chic gown as she sashayed down the red carpet giving a nod to the cardinal legs-or-cleavage rule in the deeply plunging, floor-sweeping gown.

She paired the ensemble with simple yet stunning strappy gold heels alongside the Knife Edge Diamond drop earrings by British jeweller, Jessie Thomas, which market for 5,350 and feature 14 diamonds totalling 1.36cts in a rub over setting, and a solitary gold ring - allowing her chic dress to do all the talking.

Sharon meanwhile was pledging her allegiance to the designer by wearing the dazzling top complete with an image of the Giorgio in his formative years and pairing the look with a full-length skirt.

She opted for dramatic make-up with a slick of red lipstick and heavily lined eyes while her hair was styled into her trademark spunky bleached crop with product worked through her locks.

Breathtaking: Lily looked breathtaking in her chic gown as she sashayed down the red carpet giving a nod to the cardinal legs-or-cleavage rule in the deeply plunging, floor-sweeping gown

Amazing: Giorgio's niece Roberta ensured she lived up to her fashion roots as she dazzled in a strapless blue gown with a black insert extending down the middle of her torso while upping the glam with a delicate necklace

A vision: Roberta posed with Sharon on the red carpet among a legion of other stars

Clive meanwhile cut a suave figure in a blue suit with an unbuttoned white shirt underneath while Eve oozed elegance in a grey two piece paired with a silver handbag and kitten heels.

Roberta ensured she lived up to her fashion roots as she dazzled in a strapless blue gown with a black insert extending down the middle of her torso while upping the glam with a delicate necklace.

Giorgio proudly strutted down the runway while surrounded by the legion of stunning models, as he donned a sleek ensemble comprising a black double breasted suit and crisp white shirt.

Chic: Clive Owen meanwhile cut a suave figure in a blue suit with an unbuttoned white shirt underneath while Eve oozed elegance in a grey two piece paired with a silver handbag and kitten heels

My world! Giorgio proudly strutted down the runway while surrounded by the legion of stunning models, as he donned a sleek ensemble comprising a black double breasted suit and crisp white shirt

Happy days: Marcell Jacobs and Taylor Zakhar Perez posed up a storm alongside Roberta

Elegant: The show comes shortly after Giorgio was criticised for saying women are being 'raped' by designers who push them to wear provocative clothing

Radiant: Stranger Things star Madelyn Cline, 23, looked sensational in a keyhole patterned jumpsuit while Taylor Hill put on a dramatic display

Chic: Like most of the guests, Madelyn stole a moment to pose with Roberta

Stranger Things star Madelyn Cline, 23, looked sensational in a keyhole patterned jumpsuit paired with heavy eye make-up and a sleek hairdo pulled off her face and falling from a centre parting.

Victoria's Secret Angel Taylor Hill, 25, looked stunning in a silver two-piece with striped embellishments.

Giorgio founded his fashion label in 1975 and is known as the godfather of Italian fashion. He contrasted his own designs with the more revealing creations of his rival designers.

The show comes shortly after Giorgio was criticised for saying women are being 'raped' by designers who push them to wear provocative clothing. The Italian fashion designer's comments sparked fury and he was accused of diminishing sexual assault during a rant against sexualisation in the industry.

Woo! Models celebrated the show by dancing at the end while sporting the couture looks

Here Come The Girls! Deema Al Asadi and Rym Saidi Breidy opted for contrasting black and white ensembles

Amazing: Giorgio founded his fashion label in 1975 and is known as the godfather of Italian fashion. He contrasted his own designs with the more revealing creations of his rival designers

Radiant: Jurnee Smollett looked amazing in a structured look

Giorgio, who is famed for his modest designs, said it was 'time for me to say what I think' before asserting that 'you can rape a woman in many ways'.

He said that 'throwing [a woman] in the basement' and 'suggesting she dresses in a certain way' were both forms of sexual assault. 'If a lady walks on the street and sees an ad with a woman with her boobs and a*** in plain sight and she wants to be like that too, that's a way of raping her,' he said.

His comments, made on the sidelines of a show for his Emporio Armani line at Milan fashion week last year, were condemned by fashion insiders online. Tyler McCall, editor of the fashionista.com website in New York, said: 'I would love to chalk this one up to an age/language/culture barrier but... uh...'

An executive editor at fashion trade journal Women's Wear Daily, Booth Moore, tweeted: 'The exploitation of women in fashion imagery is not a new phenomenon, far from it.
She is currently expecting her first daughter - due to be born in November - with her husband Michael O'Neill.

And ahead of the birth, Danielle Lloyd looked stunning as she posed for a pregnancy shoot in a series of pretty lace lingerie looks on Wednesday.

The pregnant star, 37, wowed in various two-piece underwear ensembles, including a delicate white lace bra which she wore with a pair of matching briefs.

Wow! Danielle Lloyd looked stunning as she posed for a pregnancy shoot in a series of pretty lace lingerie looks on Wednesday

The media personality showcased a glowing tan in the white two-piece, while she cradled her blossoming bump with a manicured hand.

Danielle, who is already mother to four sons, wore her highlighted blonde locks in bouncy voluminous curls and sported a glamorous coat of make-up.

During the shoot, which appeared to have taken place in a plush bedroom, Danielle also sported a pale pink set and and similar blue two-piece.

Pretty in pink: The media personality showcased a glowing tan in the two-piece, while she cradled her blossoming bump with a manicured hand

Glam: The pregnant star, 37, wowed in various two-piece underwear ensembles, including a delicate white lace bra which she wore with a pair of matching briefs

Danielle looked every inch the doting mother as she gazed down at her growing stomach ahead of the impending birth.

Danielle shares Archie, Harry and George with her first husband Jamie O'Hara, while Ronnie is from her current marriage with Michael.

The couple delightedly revealed they are set to welcome a girl into their brood earlier this year.

The star had previously said if her fifth child had been another boy then she would have gone through controversial gender selection treatment.

The practice has been condemned by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is illegal in Britain.

Pose: During the shoot, which appeared to have taken place in a plush bedroom, Danielle also sported a pale pink set and and similar blue two-piece

Brood: Danielle shares Archie, Harry and George with her first husband Jamie O'Hara, while Ronnie is from her current marriage with Michael

First girl: The couple delightedly revealed they are set to welcome a girl into their brood earlier this year

Asked by New! magazine if she would have had the treatment had she found out she was expecting another boy this time around, she said: 'Yes we would.'

She added that she would have still 'been pleased' if it had been a boy.

The mother-of-four told the publication: 'As long as the baby's healthy, it's still a child and still my baby at the end of the day.

Baby mama: The star had previously said if her fifth child had been another boy then she would have gone through controversial gender selection treatment

Banned: The practice has been condemned by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is illegal in Britain

'We'd planned to go to Dubai in August for gender selection, so that was all booked to go ahead, but it looked like Covid was going to change that. It must have been fate that I got pregnant and it's a little girl, otherwise we'd be in Dubai paying for it.'

Danielle added that she and her husband booked a private gender scan and that she 'had such bad anxiety' in the run up due to her desire for a girl, but that she 'burst into tears' when she got the results.

She also said that she had felt different during this pregnancy and had been trying to 'manifest' and 'meditate' so it would be a girl.

Joy: Asked by New! magazine if she would have had the treatment had she found out she was expecting another boy this time around, she said: 'Yes we would'
Only Fools and Horses star Sue Holderness has revealed she thinks late co-star John Challis is watching over her following his death aged 79 last month.

The actress, 72, who played Marlene alongside John's Boycie in the iconic comedy series, paid an emotional tribute to John during Wednesday's episode of Lorraine.

Discussing their 36-year friendship, she said: 'How lucky was I that John Challis came to be the other husband in my life?

Grieving: Only Fools and Horses star Sue Holderness has revealed she thinks late co-star John Challis is watching over her following his death aged 79 last month

'We were friends from the word go. Just five weeks ago, we were having lunch together and in fact, less than four weeks before he died, John and I were filming together all day and he was fine.

'He was as much fun as usual, got a bit tired towards the end of the day. So the end came very quickly.

'I can honestly say that I don't believe he's gone. I think he's watching us now and I think we must talk about our loved ones who are no longer with us.

'John will be remembered forever and loved by so many people, and I don't think he's gone. I don't really believe he's gone. I don't believe John Sullivan [who wrote Only Fools and Horses] has gone and he died in 2011.'

Icons: The actress, 72, who played Marlene alongside John's Boycie in the iconic comedy series, paid an emotional tribute to John during Wednesday's episode of Lorraine (above in OFAH)

The star also discussed her new series, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, in which 'John gave his permission for me to be married to [co-star] Robin Askwith'.

She continued: 'I'm only on loan, so I will always be Marlene Boyce but I'm enjoying being Judith Lloyd James as well.'

'The last time John Challis and I were on holiday together we were in a chateau in the south of France, so I'm in another chateau in the south of France with yet another husband - is this bigamy? I don't know. It's good fun!'

It was announced last month that John had died 'peacefully in his sleep' after a long battle with cancer.

When the news was announced, Sue paid tribute to her 'beloved friend', writing: 'Marlene without Boycie - it's unthinkable...

She said: 'I can honestly say that I don't believe he's gone. I think he's watching us now and I think we must talk about our loved ones who are no longer with us'

'John Challis was my partner on screen and stage for 36 years and my beloved friend. R.I.P. darling John. I will miss you every day.'

Before Sue's tribute, Sir David Jason described John as 'a gentleman in the true sense of the word' as he led tributes to the actor following his death.

Sir David, who played Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter on the show, called him a 'dear friend' and 'wonderful actor' and said he was pleased the star had witnessed the admiration recently shown for the 40th anniversary of the first episode of the sitcom.

In a statement Sir David said: 'It is with much sadness to hear that John Challis, a dear friend, has passed away. He was a wonderful actor, a gentleman in the true sense of the word and I know he will be missed by so many.'

Sad times: John was best-known for his portrayal of second-hand car dealer Boycie - a cigar-smoking businessman with a mocking laugh who butted heads with Del Boy (pictured in 2002)

He added: 'A character so well loved by the many fans of that show so I am pleased that he witnessed the outpouring of admiration recently shown for the 40th Anniversary of the first episode in 1981. I send my love to his wife, Carol.'

John had cancelled a 30-date speaking tour after only one appearance due to ill health.

The TV star recently became an honorary citizen of Serbia, where the BBC sitcom remains hugely popular. Challis made the documentary Boycie In Belgrade, exploring why the show was so beloved in the Balkan country.

He was also known for playing Monty Staines in ITV's Benidorm.

Challis was born in Bristol but when he was one, the family moved to London. He attended the state boarding Ottershaw School near Woking, Surrey - and upon leaving school he worked as a trainee estate agent before becoming an actor.

In a statement, Challis' family said: 'It is with heavy hearts that we bring you such sad news. Our dear friend and yours, John Challis, has died peacefully in his sleep, after a long battle with cancer.

'He will always be loved for being 'Boycie' and leaves a great legacy of work that will continue to bring pleasure and smiles for many years to come...

'Please respect the privacy of John's family and friends at this difficult time, and be assured that in the future there will be an occasion to celebrate John's life - when everyone will be welcome to come along.'
Emma Watson took to Instagram on Tuesday to hint at a career behind the lens and admitted that she finds the camera skills she learnt during lockdown 'empowering.'

The Harry Potter star, 31, like many, took up a new hobby during the pandemic but now teases a new job role as a filmmaker in the social media post.

While the actress, best known for playing Hermione in the wizarding franchise, finds being in front of the camera 'glamorous' she admitted that it is 'something else' to be able to tell her own story.

New job role? Emma Watson, 31, took to Instagram on Tuesday to hint at a career behind the lens and admitted that she finds the skill she learnt during lockdown 'empowering'

She wrote in the caption of the post: 'Getting behind the camera and learning how it works is about the most empowering thing Ive learned in lockdown.

'As a young woman, I always thought the most glamorous and exciting thing would be to be someones muse; and of course as women we are inspiring... but wow its something else to be able to tell your own story and other peoples.'

Emma glowed in the snaps, which saw her wearing a khaki wax jacket and blue jeans while a camera was attached to her body with a harness and hook.

She wore brown Chelsea boots while her dark blonde bob was styled in a side parting.

New skill: The Harry Potter star, like many, took up a new hobby during the pandemic but now teases a new job role as a filmmaker in the social media post

Different: While the actress finds being in front of the camera 'glamorous' she admitted that it is 'something else' to be able to tell her own story

Emma has starred in various roles since the character of Hermione including Sam in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and more recently as Meg in Little Women.

She has also used her platform to promote sustainable and environmental living.

In 2011, she created Pure Threads- a green capsule collection in collaboration with Italian designer Alberta Ferretti.

In 2017, she also created an Instagram account called the Press Tour, to document her sustainable outfits and encourage her fans to go green as well.

Empowering: She has also used her platform to promote sustainable and environmental living (pictured last week)

She told Vogue in 2010: 'I will work for anyone for free if they're prepared to make their clothing fair trade and organic.'

Emma lent her name to a line of clothing for ethical brand People Tree and last year, she joined the board of directors of Kering, a luxury brand group, in her capacity as an advocate for sustainable fashion.

Her Instagram is currently being taken over by a Feminist Collective for the COP 26 summit which is being held in Glasgow.

The collective have been posting on behalf of Emma in the past week, and have been raising awareness of the event and various environmental issues.
Paris Hilton burst into tears after being asked if she was 'getting cold feet' about marrying Carter Reum in the trailer for her new reality show, Paris In Love.

The 13 part docuseries will feature the couple's upcoming nuptials and the build-up to the big day.

The 40-year-old heiress announced her engagement to the entrepreneur, 40, in February this year after dating for 14 months.

Paris Hilton burst into tears after being asked if she was 'getting cold feet' about marrying Carter Reum

Cold feet: Sister Nicky Hilton Rothschild asked: 'Are you, like, getting cold feet?'

In the clip, Carter can be seen giving her an ultimatum as tensions began to show. He said: 'This is your last chance to pull the plug on me'.

Her sister Nicky Hilton Rothschild then asked: 'Are you, like, getting cold feet?'

Speaking to her younger sibling and her mum Kathy Hilton, Paris admitted: 'I want to grow up, but I want to make sure I make the right choice.'

'Pull the plug': The 40-year-old heiress announced her engagement to the entrepreneur, 40, in February this year as he told her it was her last chance to 'pull the plug'

Engaged: The series gives an insight in to the couples relationship as Carter's romantic proposal is broadcast as well as the big day

She then broke down in tears and said: 'I just don't want to be alone forever.'

The reality star put off setting a wedding date as she admitted that she 'still has healing' to do with regard to her relationship with her parents.

She confessed: 'I feel like I've lived my whole life for other people.'

The series gives an insight in to the couple's relationship as Carter's romantic proposal is broadcast.

Whirlwind: The coupe got engaged on February 13 after dating for 14 months

Romantic: Despite their whirlwind romance Carter confesses that marrying Paris is 'quite different'

Reflecting on his romance with the heiress Carter admitted: 'As you can imagine, marrying Paris Hilton is quite different than what I expected.'

Paris recently teased there will be 'a lot happening' during the couple's marriage celebrations, which is why it will be spread across a few days.

She spilled: 'It's gonna be like a three-day affairwe'll have a lot happening'.

'Ready to grow up': Despite putting off a wedding date the star believes that she is now ready to settle down

Bride-to-be: Paris can be seen trying on wedding dresses in the trailer as she confirms that the big day will be televised

Diamond Baby: Hiltons dog will be involved in the wedding ceremony as claims to not be your 'traditional bride'

Paris confirmed that their big day will be televised and that she is excited to share the day with fans.

She revealed: 'We just started shooting our new show, 'Paris in Love', on Peacock and we're shooting in New York just now, actually, and getting ready for the dress fitting and just planning the bachelorette party. There's a lot'.

The 'Stars are Blind' hitmaker teased that her wedding will be 'something magical and fun' and her beloved pet dog will be involved in the ceremony.

She said: 'You know, I'm not your traditional bride. There has to be my little Chihuahua, Diamond Baby.'
Ashley Roberts looked typically stylish as she left work at Heart radio on Wednesday.

The Pussycat Doll, 40, opted for a blue frilled shirt and beige wide leg trousers, both from River Island, as she made her way down the London street.

She looked very elegant in the ensemble which she completed with beige slip on high heels and a white Yves Saint Laurent bag.

Looking good: Ashley Roberts, 40, looked typically stylish in blue frilled shirt and beige wide leg trousers as she left work at Heart radio on Wednesday

Framing her face, she wore white oval shaped sunglasses while her blonde tresses were swept back into a chic messy bun.

Accessorising the look, she wore a pearl Vivienne Westwood choker which stood out on her neck.

Highlighting her natural beauty, she opted for a wash of foundation and a nude lip colour.

She later made sure to post to Instagram a filtered mirror selfie of her look, tagging both the British designer and fashion retailer.

Stunning: She looked very elegant in the ensemble which she completed with beige slip on high heels and a white Yves Saint Laurent bag

Ashley also posted a video of herself on a pink television screen.

She said in the video: 'Here at Heart Breakfast bringing you all the showbiz tea honeys.'

Ashley then posted a sassy video of herself dancing in the mirror to the Missy Elliott song Get Ur Freak On.

Chic: Framing her face, she wore white oval shaped sunglasses while her blonde tresses were swept back into a chic messy bun

She captioned this video: 'Humpday boogay' [sic].

Earlier this year, Ashley addressed her single status where she revealed she is still looking for love.

The star split from Strictly Come Dancing dancer Giovanni Pernice back in 2020.

Details: Accessorising the look, she wore a pearl Vivienne Westwood choker which stood out on her neck

Stunning: She later made sure to post to Instagram a filtered mirror selfie of her look, tagging both the British designer and fashion retailer

At the time the couple, who met on the show when Ashley was a contestant, kept their romance a secret and only revealed they were an item when the show ended.

The couple dated for over a year and Giovanni went on to date former Love Islander Maura Higgins - who he split from earlier this month.

Now that lockdown restrictions have been lifted, Ashley has admitted that she was eager to get out and about.

Ashley spoke to Fabulous Magazine, where she outlined the kind of partner she is hoping to meet.

Having a blast: Ashley also posted a video of herself on a pink television screen. She said in the video: 'Here at Heart Breakfast bringing you all the showbiz tea honeys'

She said: 'I've been really good at being driven and taking care of myself, and I would like for someone to come in and support me.'

'Not financially, and not that I need a man to take care of me, but I would like to share my life with someone whose company I enjoy and who supports me.

'But, then again, I'm really good on my own. So this is the thing, it's finding someone to go on adventures with. I want to experience the world with someone that makes me laugh, but who also has the emotional intelligence to have an interesting conversation.'
She never fails to hit the style mark when she steps out for work each morning.

And Amanda Holden looked typically stylish as she headed to present her Heart FM show at Global studios in an all-pink ensemble.

The presenter, 50, put on a chic display in a skintight skirt and matching pink stilettos as she strode into work in large glamorous shades.

Coordination: Amanda Holden looked typically stylish as she headed to present her Heart FM show at Global studios in an all-pink ensemble

Amanda kept off the chill in a baby pink long line coat which she shrugged over an elegant cutout blouse.

She accessorised the look with an enviable Louis Vuitton crossbody bag and a pair of large silver hoop earrings

The TV personality wore her caramel tresses in a sleek side swept style and accentuated her features with natural makeup.

Once inside the office, Amanda used the studio as her runway as she strutted her stuff for her followers in the stylish ensemble.

Elegant: The presenter put on a chic display in a skintight skirt and matching pink stilettos as she strode into work in large glamorous shades

The outing comes after Amanda recently landed a role on Neighbours playing the aunt of Jason Donovan's daughter, Jemma, 21.

Channel 5 released the first look images from set this month after the pair filmed in Waterloo, London, together ahead of the episodes airing in the spring.

On the show, Jemma's character Harlow will jet to the UK in the hope of figuring out a mystery about her late mother, Prue, who was played by Denise Van Outen.

Stylish: Amanda kept off the chill in a baby pink long line coat which she shrugged over an elegant cutout blouse

Between filming scenes, Amanda and Jemma posed for a snap together as they held up the Ramsay St street sign, where the soap is set.

Amanda also revealed that many passers-by thought the pair were related in real life.

She said: 'My first day on set was such a fun and surreal experience. If I'd told my 12/13 year-old self I would one-day appear in Neighbours I'd have never believed it!

Finishing touches: She accessorised the look with an enviable Louis Vuitton crossbody bag and a pair of large silver hoop earrings

Stunning: The TV personality wore her caramel tresses in a sleek side swept style and accentuated her features with natural makeup

'So many people were beeping in their cars and passersby assumed that Jemma was my real daughter because we look quite similar! I can't wait to continue the journey of my character Harriet.'

She previously said in a statement: 'Like most people in the UK who were around in the late Eighties and early Nineties, I grew up watching Neighbours every single day.

'I was glued to our TV for the wedding of Kylie [Minogue] and Jason [Donovan], while cursing Mrs Mangel [Vivean Gray] and praying that Mike and Jane [Guy Pearce and Jane Harris] would eventually get together!

Ready for action: Once inside the office Amanda used the studio as her runway as she strutted her stuff for her followers in the stylish ensemble.

'Not to mention all the other greats over the years,' she added.

'To now have the opportunity to be a part of such an iconic Australian show is simply fabulous.

'I can't wait to work with Jemma in London. This feels like a joyous occasion for everyone.'
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Liar actor Ioan Gruffudd has hit headlines once again, after going public on social media with his girlfriend Bianca Wallace in the midst of his messy split from heartbroken wife Alice Evans.

On Wednesday, the actress, 50, took to Twitter to accuse her ex, 48, of cheating on her for three years with her actress friend Bianca, 29 - leading to her penning a scathing rant telling fans that she was 'lost, sad and confused'.

Alice's tweets came just minutes after Ioan made his romance with Bianca, 29, 'Instagram official' by sharing a beaming image showing him on-set alongside the caption: 'Thank you for making me smile again' - which her sister Chanel then shared herself and thanked Ioan for bringing Bianca happiness.

A look at Bianca's social media channels sheds insight into the life of the Australian actress, whose Instagram is a hotbed of steamy bikini-clad snaps, while her Twitter is reserved for profound quotes and multiple retweets from accounts centred around the Law Of Attraction - a spiritual movement focused on bringing positivity to one's life.

Who is Ioan Gruffudd's girlfriend Bianca Wallace? A look at the bikini-loving, Law Of Attraction-believing actress, 29, who's made the actor, 48, 'smile again' after split from Alice Evans, 50

Love: Ioan made his romance with Bianca, 29, 'Instagram official' by sharing a beaming image showing him on-set alongside the caption: 'Thank you for making me smile again'

Sweet: Along with his gushing caption, Ioan accompanied his post with two love heart emojis

Bianca. who is 21 years Alice's junior, hurtled straight into the spotlight on Wednesday, when Ioan went Instagram official' by sharing the beaming image showing them both on-set alongside the caption: 'Thank you for making me smile again.'

She went on to share the image herself, alongside the words: 'I know real smiles when I see them'.

Bianca's sister Chanel, 26, gave the relationship a firm seal of approval, as she shared the post on her Instagram stories and added the caption: 'Seeing the smile Yo brings to my sister and showing her the true love she deserves makes my heart so full of happiness. Welcome to the family Reed Richards' [sic].

The nickname Reed Richards was a reference to Ioan's role as Mr. Fantastic - AKA Reed Richards - in 2005's Fantastic Four and 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

A vision: She often shares stunning snaps on social media, including a number of bikini-clad shots

Sister act: Bianca's sister Chanel, 26, gave the relationship a firm seal of approval, as she shared the post on her Instagram stories and added the caption: 'Seeing the smile Yo brings to my sister and showing her the true love she deserves makes my heart so full of happiness. Welcome to the family Reed Richards' [sic]

Happy days: Bianca is often seen living it up in glamorous locations

All over: Alice confirmed she and Ioan were splitting after 20 years in a shock statement she shared on Twitter in January, earlier this year (pictured together in 2018)

Bianca is a firm believer in the Law Of Attraction - a New Thought spiritual movement and pseudoscience based on the belief that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences into a person's life.

She often shares messages from the official Twitter account for the 2006 Rhonda Byrne self-help book The Secret, which claims that thoughts can change a person's life directly.

Just some of the inspiring Tweets she shares from The Secret read: 'Everything is possible... Trust your instincts - its the Universe inspiring you...

'You are responsible for your life, and when you take responsibility for all your past mistakes, without blame, you change your life... In every moment of your day, there are two paths before you. Take the path of goodness, for goodness sake.... Something magnificent is coming to you today!'

Stunning: She often shares stunning selfies with positive affirmations included as captions

Open and honest: Bianca often shares messages from the official Twitter account for the 2006 Rhonda Byrne self-help book The Secret, which claims that thoughts can change a person's life directly

Reading up: She is also a fan of the Law Of Attraction Twitter account, where shared messages read: 'No one is coming to save you. This life is 100% your responsibility... Act as if what you do makes a difference. IT DOES. - William James... If it matters to you, you'll find a way. - Charlie Gilkey'.

She is also a fan of the Law Of Attraction Twitter account, where shared messages read: 'No one is coming to save you. This life is 100% your responsibility... Act as if what you do makes a difference. IT DOES. - William James... If it matters to you, you'll find a way. - Charlie Gilkey'.

As well as her profound tweets, alongside a sexy bikini snap from last week, she penned: 'Trust it all in life, lovers. The best thing to ever happen to you is usually disguised as the worst at first'.

Bianca was born in Australia in 1992 to Kerryn Hayes, a marketing executive, and Shawn Wallace, a deep-sea game fishing captain. After discovering her passion for acting, she moved to Brisbane in 2011 to pursue a career on-screen. She has since starred in the 2020 short film Bloodline.

Here she is! Bianca (right) is pictured in her webseries Relations**t

Mummy dearest: Bianca was born in Australia in 1992 to Kerryn Hayes, a marketing executive, and Shawn Wallace, a deep-sea game fishing captain. In May, Bianca also celebrated her mother Kerryn's marriage (pictured) to her longtime partner John, writing on Instagram he was now 'officially her dad'

Stunner: Her recent snaps have been paired with emotional and happy captions

Glam: In 2019, she posed for a selfie alongside a Wallaby

The film focuses on a witch name Alice, who flees her coven after falling pregnant, with her son struggling to fit in with his family when he realises he doesn't have the same powers.

She has also had roles in the TV mini-series Relations**t and Loveland, which is in post-production. Over the summer Bianca spent several weeks in Australia, where Ioan had been filming his TV series Harrow.

She has shared a slew of bikini snaps during her stay in the area, while also gushing about her happiness, although she did not make any direct references to Ioan in the messages to her friends.

In May, Bianca also celebrated her mother Kerryn's marriage to her longtime partner John, writing on Instagram he was now 'officially her dad.'

Sizzling: Bianca shared a jaw-dropping snap in December last year

Out and a pout: Bianca often poses for stunning snaps on the photosharing site

'Alice Evans is manipulative and trying to be a victim': Ioan Gruffudd's friend and co-worker DENIES claims he had three year affair with now-girlfriend, 29, and accuses actress, 50, of being 'abusive'

In a series of tweets, wardrobe assistant Amy Douglas accused Alice herself of being 'abusive'

Amy worked with Ioan, 48, and Bianca on the Australian TV series Harrow, and claimed the pair didn't begin speaking until filming for the third season in 2020

She also claimed that Alice, 50, threatened to divorce Ioan if he didn't return to the UK, on the final day of filming for Harrow, leaving him 'upset'

Amy, who grew up in Brisband, Queensland before moving to the Gold Coast said both Ioan and Bianca gave their permission for her to speak out

Earlier in the day Alice claimed Ioan cheated on her for three years with her friend Bianca, 29, and said she was 'lost, sad and confused'

Alice's tweets came just minutes after Ioan made his romance with Bianca Instagram official by sharing a beaming image with her on-set

Ioan captioned his post: 'Thank you for making me smile again @iambiancawallace'

Bianca is an actress and producer who previously starred in the short film Bloodline, and she boasts 4,000 Instagram followers

It's unclear how Alice and Bianca came to know each other

Following Ioan's post, Alice accused Tamzin Outhwaite of 'knowing about it' in a now-deleted comment, but she has denied any knowledge

Alice and Liar star Ioan split in March after 20 years together

A friend and co-worker of Ioan Gruffudd has denied his estranged wife Alice Evans' claims that he had a three-year affair with his now-girlfriend Bianca Wallace.

In a series of tweets, wardrobe assistant Amy Douglas, who worked with Ioan and Bianca on the Australian series Harrow, accused Alice herself of being 'abusive,' and insisted they didn't begin speaking until filming for series three began in 2020.

Amy, who said Ioan and Bianca gave her permission to speak out, defended her pals after Alice accused her estranged husband of cheating on her for three years with the Australian actress, telling fans she was 'lost, sad and confused.'

Hitting back: A friend and co-worker of Ioan Gruffudd has denied his estranged wife Alice Evans' claims that he had a three-year affair with his now-girlfriend Bianca Wallace (pictured)

Sweet: Along with his gushing caption, Ioan accompanied his post with two love heart emojis

In her first tweet, Amy responded to a fans' claim that Ioan and Bianca's romance began while they were filming Harrow, clarifying that the actress was simply an extra and the pair didn't begin speaking until season three, which was recorded in 2020.

She wrote: '[Bianca was] an extra and didn't have contact with him in season two, I know because I was there as crew. Season three yes, but they only started talking towards the end.'

She added: 'I am also her friend and I KNOW they didn't, as I said they didn't even speak to each other until the end of season three. Don't buy into the lies you are being fed.'

Controversy: In a series of tweets, wardrobe assistant Amy Douglas, who worked with Ioan and Bianca on the Australian series Harrow, accused Alice (pictured) of being 'abusive'

Hitting out: Amy (pictured) said in a series of tweets she had been given permission by Ioan and Bianca to speak out

Jaw-dropping: Defending Bianca (pictured), Amy claimed that her friend 'wasn't a home-wrecker' and Ioan was a 'professional person' during filming

Comments: In her first tweets, Amy clarified that Ioan and Bianca didn't begin dating on the set of Harrow, and they didn't speak for the first time until the end of season three in 2020

Bombshell: The fashion designer then claimed that Alice threatened to divorce Ioan during the final week of filming, and she was aware how 'upset' he became

Who is the fashion guru defending her pals Ioan and Bianca? Amy Douglas, who worked as a wardrobe assistant on the Australian TV series Harrow, has furiously defended the pair after they went Instagram official with their romance. The budding designer grew up in Brisbane, Queensland, before studying to become a makeup artist at the Academy of Design. She eventually relocated to the Gold Coast in 2014, before graduating from the New York Film Academy in 2016. Amy then studied Fashion and Design at the Australian Institute of Creative Design until 2018. As well as working on Harrow, Amy was also employed as a wardrobe assistant at Warner Bros. Movie World in Australia's Gold Coast. She took to Twitter on Wednesday to defend Ioan and Bianca's romance, claiming she 'wasn't a homewrecker' and his estranged wife Alice Evans was 'abusive.' Amy also claimed that Alice threatened Ioan with a divorce during the final week of filming for Harrow unless he returned to the UK. The actor filed for divorce in March after 20 years with Alice. Advertisement

Amy continued: 'Being her friend I KNOW it didn't happen. I know her as a person and her principals. You do not. So don't believe everything you're fed by manipulating people who try to make themselves the victim and ruin other people's reputations.'

The fashion designer then claimed that Alice threatened to divorce Ioan during the final week of filming for Harrow in 2020, and said she was aware how 'upset' he became.

Responding to another fan she said: 'Your point? I saw what Alice was doing to Ioan in the last week of filming, threatening a divorce if he didn't go home. I saw how upset he was on set. And Bianca was barely even on set for season three. I know, you do not.

'She is not a home-wrecker! Who do you actually personally know here in this situation. Obviously no one. And I'm very perceptive, it didn't show on set, he is a very professional person. I saw how upset he was on the phone being abused by her.'

Amy added that both Ioan and Bianca had given their permission for her to speak out, and clarified that their early relationship on the Harrow set was strictly professional.

She continued: 'I have permission from both to comment. They started talking on set about acting, nothing personal, he spoke to me too about my writing, I guess by you I was also having an affair with him. I do not call talking about careers an affair.'

Amy added that Ioan opted to go public with his relationship with Bianca before telling Alice because 'she was unkind.'

She also denied The Vampire Diaries star's claims he shared one of his now-girlfriend's images with his daughter Elsie, eight, claiming he took the photo.

She added: 'I have complete faith in my friends and take them for their word. The truth will come out eventually, either way it goes. But believe me, you lot will be eating your words not me.'

Not true! Amy defended her pal Bianca as she hit back at a Twitter user who slammed her for dating Ioan, insisting he was 'upset' over being 'abused' by Alice

Supportive: She added that both Ioan and Bianca have given their permission for her to speak out, and their relationship on-set was strictly professional

Noted: In later tweets, Amy claimed that Ioan chose to reveal his romance with Bianca before telling Alice because she was so 'unkind'

Denial: She also denied The Vampire Diaries star's claims he shared one of his now-girlfriend's images with his daughter Elsie, eight, claiming he took the photo

Noting Ioan and Alice's split, after the Liar star filed for divorce in March, Amy added: 'They're in the midst of a divorce and have been separated for almost a year. He has every right to see someone else. As does she.'

Amy Douglas, who worked as a wardrobe assistant on the Australian TV series Harrow, has furiously defended the pair after they went Instagram official with their romance.

The budding designer grew up in Brisbane, Queensland, before studying to become a makeup artist at the Academy of Design.

Slew of posts: Noting Ioan and Alice's split, after the Liar star filed for divorce in March, Amy said he had 'a right' to date someone new because they'd been separated for several months

She eventually relocated to the Gold Coast in 2014, before graduating from the New York Film Academy in 2016.

DC fan Amy then studied Fashion and Design at the Australian Institute of Creative Design until 2018.

As well as working on Harrow, Amy was also employed as a wardrobe assistant at Warner Bros. Movie World in Australia's Gold Coast.

Harrow first began in 2018, with series three broadcast in February 2021 after filming was delayed in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.

Here she is! Bianca (right) is pictured in her webseries Relations**t

It came after Alice took to Twitter to pen a scathing rant telling fans that she was 'lost, sad and confused' after accusing Ioan of cheating on her for three years with her friend Bianca.

The tweets came just minutes after Ioan made his romance with Bianca, 29, 'Instagram official' by sharing a beaming image with her on-set alongside the caption: 'Thank you for making me smile again.'

Bianca's sister Chanel, 26, gave the relationship a seal of approval, as she shared the post on her Instagram stories and added the caption: 'Seeing the smile Yo brings to my sister and showing her the true love she deserves makes my heart so full of happiness. Welcome to the family Reed Richards' [sic].

'WTH?' Following Ioan's post, Alice accused Tamzin Outhwaite of 'knowing about it' in a now-deleted comment, but the EastEnders actress denied any knowledge to MailOnline

The nickname Reed Richards was a reference to Ioan's role as Mr. Fantastic - AKA Reed Richards - in 2005's Fantastic Four and 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

In her tweets, which she posted on Wednesday, Alice first shared an Instagram photo that Bianca had uploaded weeks earlier, which showed a group seated in chairs that were lined up on the beach.

She wrote: 'I have no words. My husband sent this to Elsie, our 8 yo last week and asked her if she thought he was a good photographer. I am lost. Totally lost and sad and confused...'

Among the responses to her bombshell, one fan asked 'Who's Bianca?' leading Alice to respond: 'Bianca Wallace seems to be the person he has been in a relationship with for three years whilst blaming our difficulties on me.

'I've just found this out tonight. I feel like killing myself. (I won't).'

Bombshell: On Wednesday Alice shared a series of tweets accusing Ioan of cheating on her for three years, with her first sharing an Instagram photo that Bianca had uploaded weeks earlier

Shocked: Among the responses to her bombshell, one fan asked 'Who's Bianca?' leading Alice to respond: 'Bianca Wallace seems to be the person he has been in a relationship with'

'Good luck!' In her final tweet Alice claimed that Ioan had been in a relationship with Bianca for three years, and ended her post: 'Good luck'

All over: Alice confirmed she and Ioan were splitting after 20 years in a shock statement she shared on Twitter in January, earlier this year (pictured together in 2018)

Screen star: Bombshell: Bianca is an actress and producer who previously starred in the 2020 short film Bloodline, and also had roles in the TV mini-series Relations**t and Loveland

Who is Bianca Wallace? Bianca Wallace was born in Australia in 1992 to Kerryn Hayes, a marketing executive, and Shawn Wallace, a deep-sea game fishing captain. After discovering her passion for acting, she moved to Brisbane in 2011 to pursue a career on-screen. She has since starred in the 2020 short film Bloodline. The film focuses on a witch named Alice, who flees her coven after falling pregnant, with her son struggling to fit in with his family when he realises he doesn't have the same powers. She has also had roles in the TV mini-series Relations**t and Loveland, which is in post-production. Bianca also starred in the Australian drama Harrow as an extra. Ioan had a leading role in the show, which began airing in 2018. In May, Bianca also celebrated her mother Kerryn's marriage to her longtime partner John, writing on Instagram he was now 'officially her dad.' Advertisement

In her final tweet, Alice added: 'So it turns out that my husband, after two years of telling me I'm a bad person and I'm not exciting and he no longer want so to have sex with me and he just wants to be on set abroad... Has been in a relationship for THREE years behind all our backs. Good luck, Bianca.'

Bianca Wallace was born in Australia in 1992 to Kerryn Hayes, a marketing executive, and Shawn Wallace, a deep-sea game fishing captain.

She moved to Queensland in 2011 to pursue a career in acting.

She has since starred in the 2020 short film Bloodline.

The film focuses on a witch name Alice, who flees her coven after falling pregnant, with her son struggling to fit in with his family when he realises he doesn't have the same powers.

Bianca also had roles in the TV mini-series Relations**t and Loveland, which is in post-production.

Over the summer Bianca shared multiple Instagram snaps in Australia, where Ioan had been filming his TV series Harrow.

It's unclear how Alice and Bianca came to know each other.

In May, Bianca also celebrated her mother Kerryn's marriage to her longtime partner John, writing on Instagram he was now 'officially her dad.'

Alice later posted: 'Still nothing. We were together for 20 yrs. We spoke every day, at least three or four times.

'He was my best friend, my twin soul. I don't know how to move on. I will, but at the moment I have no idea.'

Minutes before Alice's tweets, Bianca took to Instagram to share an image of herself beaming with Ioan, which she captioned: 'I know real smiles when I see them @ioangruffudd.'

Ioan, who shares daughters, Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, with Alice, proceeded to share the same snap with the caption: 'Thank you for making me smile again @iambiancawallace.'

New romance? Minutes before Alice's tweets, both Ioan and Bianca shared the same on-set image, together with the actress penning the caption: 'I know real smiles when I see them'

Sister act: Bianca's sister Chanel, 26, gave the relationship a firm seal of approval, as she shared the post on her Instagram stories

Bombshell: After growing up in Queensland, she moved to Brisbane to pursue an acting career

Stunner: Bianca shows off both her incredible figure and lavish lifestyle on Instagram, where she boasts over 4,000 followers

Following the post, Alice accused Tamzin Outhwaite of 'knowing about it' under Ioan and Bianca's romantic post.

In a now-deleted comment, the former EastEnders actress wrote: 'You look amazing. And younger somehow.'

Alice then furiously responded? '@glamzin Tamzin? WTH? You knew about this???'

But Tamzin has since denied she had any knowledge of Ioan's relationship with Bianca, telling MailOnline: 'I didn't know about it. But I have nothing to say.'

Accusations: She later tweeted Ioan's Harrow co-star Ella Newton, claiming she 'knew the whole time'

Distraught: In her later tweets Alice said she 'couldn't stop crying' after learning of Ioan's affair, and said she 'didn't know how to move on'

Alice later tweeted Ioan's Harrow co-star Ella Newton, writing: '@EllaKNewton So you KNEW they whole time and you CONGRATULATED them? Do you know they have broken up. family? How can you possibly ? This will stay with you forever.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Alice Evans, Bianca Wallace, and Ioan Gruffudd for comment.

Hours before sharing her claims, Alice shared an Instagram post alluding to the fact that Bianca was her friend before he and Ioan began dating, writing: 'Tonight, after learning that a person I thought was a friend might not be. But MORE IMPORTANTLY, is my wig on straight?'

Alice hasn't been shy of airing the breakdown of her marriage to Ioan on social media, and previously slammed him for being 'devoid of any empathy' and 'disingenuous'.

Rant! Alice hasn't been shy of airing the breakdown of her marriage to Ioan on social media, and previously slammed him for being 'devoid of any empathy' and 'disingenuous'

She claimed that the Liar actor has been 'ghosting' her for nearly a year.

'I haven't spoken to my husband in 9 months (his choice),' she penned. 'I did my fair share of crying, screaming, accusing. I begged and begged for at least some sort of running discussion. That's my way of reacting to such a life-changing event.

'So he ghosted me. I have been ghosted for almost 10 months now!'

She went on: 'If you read this and feel anger or upset towards ME for sharing, that's OK. For me, as some of you will know, this was a case of the drop that overflowed the glass.

'For others it must have come as a bit of a shock, or a strange thing to do. I totally understand.

'This is the real Ioan Gruffudd. I'm not bending over for this guy. This man is devoid of any empathy whatsoever!'

She also claimed: 'He also wanted me to sign a legal document saying that it was MY FAULT that he couldn't get any work. (Hey - this is Hollywood). I don't care any more. I'm done!'

MailOnline has approached reps for Ioan for comment.

This comes after Ioan was in attendance earlier this week at the La jeune fille et la nuit red carpet as part of the Cannes International Series Festival in France.

Alice completed her rant with: 'I don't care any more. I'm done'

The actor looked cheerful as he posed in a tuxedo en route into the event.

Prior to her most recent outburst, Alice playfully poked fun at her estranged husband's nose in a tongue-in-cheek post she shared to Instagram in September.

She shared a black and white photo of Ioan cuddling one of the couple's daughters on the sofa and couldn't help but make a jibe at her ex.

The sweet snap captures the adorable moment between the father and daughter, with Ioan appearing in the photo shirtless and with a side profile.

Alice captioned the post: 'A thing of beauty. I know. The only thing we all worry about secretly is: will she get his nose? Shhhh!'

Alice took to Instagram once again to insist her comment was all in good humour and she had only been joking around.

Claims: She claimed that the Liar actor - whom she shares daughters, Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, with - has been 'ghosting' her for nearly a year

'I was joking about the husband, honest,' she said alongside a close-up shot of herself as she teased once more: 'I mean look [at] this - she would TERRIFY you!!!!'

Alice was also seen light-heartedly asking for applications for her 'second husband'.

She said alongside another selfie: 'Mood? Black snd white and i'm doin alright. If you want to apply for the part if 'second husband' please let me know below. (sic)'

Alice continued: 'I just want a nice chap who is a raging democrat abs likes to talk and talk and talk about anything. ( interest in fashion, foreign languages and civil aviation would obviously help! )'

She added: '(I'm only half kidding..)'

'Will she get his nose?' Alice was seen jokingly sharing her worries over her daughter inheriting estranged husband Ioan's nose

Ioan filed for divorce from Alice in March, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason behind their split.

The document, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on March 1, revealed the former couple separated on New Year's Day - a month before they went public with their relationship status.

At the time, they had shared a joint statement that read: 'As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for our family and we remain committed to our children. Thank you for respecting our privacy.'

It was also reported the divorce papers state the exes are in a 'collaborative process and intend to resolve all issues including spousal support by written agreement'.

Only kidding: Alice then insisted she was joking in another post she shared online where she was then seen poking fun at a black and white snap of herself

Ioan's mum Margaret Griffiths, 73, later spoke out to make it clear that no one else was involved in the break up.

'But the children will come first whatever happens, that's for sure,' she said.

When asked if there was 'anyone else', she replied: 'No, no, no.'

Alice, meanwhile, had addressed the pair's split in a shock statement shared to Twitter in January in which she claimed Ioan had 'mentally tortured' her.

The mum-of-two also accused her estranged husband of 'winding the s**t up me' as she posted a vitriolic video about their 'collaborative divorce' talks.

Poking fun: The mum-of-two told fans she was 'joking about the husband, honest'

She said: 'I have been served with a petition for divorce and it's came out of the blue and I won't cry. But we've been 20 years together, we have two amazing kids. I don't know why.

'At the moment we're doing something called collaborative divorce which is somewhere between a really kind way of doing divorce and a phenomenal scam.

'Because in one way it's 'okay, let's hear what you would want and take it to the court afterwards' and in another way it's like, people in the acting business will know when an agent says to you 'we just can't find you the roles.'

'It's a bit like, I'd like my daughter to stay with me on Saturday nights, 'it's just not within our possibilities.''

TV and film star Alice then insisted Ioan had misled her with collaborative divorce, adding: 'And then I read nothing is binding in collaborative, absolutely nothing.

'So if I want my daughter to stay one more night in my house, the court hasn't said anything so I can do it. So my husband is winding the s**t up me, saying what he says is the law, well we haven't got to the law yet.

'Lawyers aren't the law. Lawyers are there to f*** the law. That's what I always said. Anyway I may have some more thoughts later.'

Alice was also seen hitting back at criticism over speaking about details of her divorce with Ioan so publicly and the impact it may have on their children.

Alice hit back stating that the girls had no idea about the couple's public profile and 'probably never will'.

Alice and Ioan met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, when Alice was in a relationship with Pablo Picasso's grandson Olivier.

She and Ioan became engaged six years later after she gave him an ultimatum about their relationship, and they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Mexico in September 2007.

Ioan hasn't publicly addressed the couple's divorce.

Ouch: Prior to her most recent outburst, Alice playfully poked fun at her estranged husband's nose in a tongue-in-cheek post she shared to Instagram in September

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Olivia Palermo showcased her impeccable sense of style as she arrived at the American Ballet Theatre's Fall Gala in New York on Tuesday night.

The socialite, 35, sported an effortlessly chic little black dress with a bow detail bust and glitzy heels.

Adding an embellished headband to the monochrome ensemble, Olivia looked every inch the fashionista as she worked her angles for the cameras at the event.

Wow: Olivia Palermo showcased her impeccable sense of style at the American Ballet Theatre's Fall Gala in New York in a bow detail mini dress and glitzy heels on Tuesday night

Olivia looked flawless as she swept her chestnut tresses up into a sleek style beneath the glittering accessory.

She let the timeless outfit otherwise speak for itself as she forewent jewellery on her ears and decolletage.

The social media star sported a statement smokey eye makeup look with gold and blue hues decorating her lids.

Olivia was the picture of timeless beauty as she showed off her lithe legs and completed her all-black ensemble with a simple clutch bag.

Stunning: Adding an embellished headband to the monochrome ensemble, Olivia looked every inch the fashionista as she worked her angles for the cameras at the event

The American Ballet Theatre's is returning for its first New York Fall Season since 2019.

ABTs Fall 2021 Season 'will feature the full-length Giselle, the World Premiere of ZigZag by Jessica Lang, the stage premieres of Bernstein in a Bubble by Alexei Ratmansky and Touche by Christopher Rudd, ABT masterworks Pillar of Fire and Some Assembly Required, plus La Follia Variations and Indestructible Light,' according to their site.

After having to cancel in-person performances, the dance company shifted to digital programming but completed an impressive cross-country tour that travelled 20 dancers to eight states at outdoor socially distanced venues this July.

Elegant: Olivia was the picture of timeless beauty as she showed off her lithe legs and completed her all-black ensemble with a simple clutch bag

Olivia, who attended the Fall Gala without a date, is married to German model Johannes Huebl, 43, and the couple have remained in the Big Apple throughout the pandemic.

The Dress for Success impact ambassador celebrated her 35th birthday earlier this year with balloons from her husband of six years.

Olivia originally met the German model through friends at a Manhattan film screening while she was still attending The New School back in 2008.

Grateful: The Dress for Success impact ambassador celebrated her 35th birthday earlier this year with balloons from her husband of six years

'Thank you everyone near and far for all of the birthday wishes!' Palermo - who boasts 8.1M social media followers - wrote.

'This birthday may look a bit different but still feeling the love regardless.'

In December, Palermo spoke to Page Six about trying to keep up her fashionable ensembles during the coronavirus crisis by employing 'a lot of cashmere and diamonds'.

'I have not let coronavirus stop me from getting dressed; I feel that it's important,' she said. 'I'm convinced it's going to be the roaring '20s with that extra sparkle when we get out [of quarantine].'
She's one of the world's most iconic models who has dominated the catwalks and leading fashion campaigns for decades.

And Kate Moss looked sensational as she posed topless in a stunning black and white snap for Paris-based fashion and culture biannual, Self Service Magazine.

The model, 47, smouldered as she recline seductively on an ornate chair while puffing on a cigarette in the sizzling image.

Wow: Kate Moss looked sensational as she posed topless in a stunning black and white snap for Paris-based fashion and culture biannual, Self Service Magazine

Kate donned nothing but a pair of black knickers and stockings, while her modesty was protected by a perfectly placed hand across her chest.

The beauty, whose hand was adorned with chunky rings, looked fresh-faced with minimal make-up for the shoot, while her blonde locks cascaded over her shoulders in loose waves.

Kate is simply captivating as she glares down the lens, while sitting in the stylishly decorated, dimly-lit room.

The striking photo, captured by her close friends Mert and Marcus, sees a glass ashtray and a glass of martini placed on a table.

Supermodel: She's one of the world's most iconic models who has dominated the catwalks and leading fashion campaigns for decades

While the shot also features a bottle of Seventy One gin, recently launched by Mert, by her elbow.

Though Kate was posing by a bottle of gin, there is no temptation to take a sip as she has now been sober for nearly four years.

The supermodel was once known for her wild ways, but her longtime friend, DJ Fat Tony, revealed last year that she is now clean.

Her producer pal - who himself has been sober for 13 years - said in an interview: 'Kate's been clean for over two years. Me and my sober mates now have a better time than we ever did when we used to drink and take drugs.'

Kate was a member of The Primrose Hill Set - a name given to the all-star group of edgy residents of the leafy neighbourhood, who were known in their heyday for their raucous behaviour with stories of their antics becoming the stuff of legend.

Clean living: Though Kate was posing by a bottle of gin, there is no temptation to take a sip as she has now been sober for nearly four years

After attending a week-long detox in Turkey back in June 2015, the runway sensation wound up being escorted off an easyJet flight home after her airport drinking session took a heavy turn.

The turnaround may come as a shock given that Kate's love of boozing, which reportedly extended to flutes of prosecco at 8am and glasses of wine and vodka at lunch, saw friends coin her the nickname 'The Tank'.

The catwalk queen admitted she's tried to cut down on caffeine and nicotine, and enjoys having more quiet nights in.
Baby Phat founder Kimora Lee Simmons stopped by Starbucks in Beverly Hills on Tuesday to buy an iced beverage and snack to go.

The St. Louis-born 46-year-old - a former Chanel muse - showcased her slim 6ft figure in an olive-green long-sleeve top, black leggings, and Ugg slippers.

Kimora wore her long raven locks down and made sure to protect herself and others from the coronavirus by wearing a disposable black face mask during her errand.

Pick me up: Baby Phat founder Kimora Lee Simmons stopped by Starbucks in Beverly Hills on Tuesday to buy an iced beverage and snack to go

Back in May, Simmons (born Perkins) and her second husband Tim Leissner were sued by her ex-husband #1 Russell Simmons over allegedly stealing 4M shares of his stocks in 2018.

The 64-year-old Def Jam co-founder accused them of making a 'fraudulent transfer' of his 50% shares in the energy drink company Celsius to pay Leissner's legal/bail fees totaling $44M.

'This is an ill-advised attempt by Russell to use the legal system to access funds he is in no way entitled to, and which his own legal team confirms Russell did not pay for,' her legal team told People on May 21.

'Russell's continued aggressive behavior not only blatantly distorts the facts, but is simply a desperate PR ploy ignoring the years of mental and emotional anguish, gaslighting, and ongoing harassment he has inflicted on Kimora.'

Former Chanel muse: The St. Louis-born 46-year-old showcased her slim 6ft figure in an olive-green long-sleeve top, black leggings, and Ugg slippers.

Safety first! Kimora wore her long raven locks down and made sure to protect herself and others from the coronavirus by wearing a disposable black face mask during her errand

The 49-year-old ex-Goldman Sachs banker avoided jail time by pleading guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit money laundering for stealing $2.7B from Malaysian wealth fund 1MDB.

Meanwhile, Russell has lived in exile in Bali (due to extradition laws) since 2018 after being accused of over 20 women of sexual assault and misconduct.

Simmons' #MeToo scandal was detailed last year in Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering's HBO Max documentary On the Record.

Kimora has two sons - Wolfe, 6; and Gary, 12 - with Tim (whom she hasn't been pictured with since 2019), and she also mothered 12-year-old son Kenzo with two-time Oscar nominee Djimon Hounsou.

Living in exile in Bali: Back in May, Simmons and her second husband Tim Leissner were sued by her ex-husband #1 Russell Simmons (pictured Sunday) over allegedly stealing 4M shares of his stocks in 2018

Legal war: The 64-year-old Def Jam co-founder accused them of making a 'fraudulent transfer' of his 50% shares in the energy drink company Celsius to pay Leissner's legal/bail fees totaling $44M

Haven't been pictured together since 2019: The 49-year-old ex-Goldman Sachs banker (L) avoided jail time by pleading guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit money laundering for stealing $2.7B from Malaysian wealth fund 1MDB

Simmons has two daughters - Ming, 21; and Aoki, 19 - from her eight-year marriage to Russell, which ended in 2009.

Last year, the Tony-winning producer expanded her streetwear clothing company into cosmetics with Baby Phat Beauty starting with the 'Shimmer Dreams' three-piece set.

'I've had amazing design teams, but I put my blood, sweat, tears, it was authentic and a real vibe,' Kimora told Coveteur last month.

'They were my peers, I grew up amongst them. I curated a lifestyle that was the American dream, and what that meant for a girl like me. And I made it.'

'The leading men in my life': Kimora has two sons - Wolfe (L, pictured September 28), 6; and Gary (M), 12 - with Tim, and she also mothered 12-year-old son Kenzo (R) with Djimon Hounsou

'My best friends': Simmons has two daughters - Ming (L, pictured September 25), 21; and Aoki (R), 19 - from her eight-year marriage to Russell, which ended in 2009
They're known for being just a few of the world's top supermodels.

And Camila Coelho showed off her incredible abs as she arrived in style at the Michael Kors X 007 event in Miami Beach on Wednesday morning.

The 33-year-old social media influencer sported a gorgeous white bra top with high-waisted slacks where she was joined by Elsa Hosk and Shanina Shaik for the James Bond-themed soiree.

Bold and beautiful: Camila Coelho showed off her incredible abs as she arrived in style at the Michael Kors X 007 event in Miami Beach on Wednesday morning

Camila showed off peeks of her toned tummy as she made her way into the event wearing an all-white ensemble.

Her sun-kissed shoulders were covered up with a long black leather coat which draped down to her thighs.

She wore thick gold hoop earrings to match a pair of aviator lenses and carried a massive Kors leather tote in one hand.

Bringing the heat: The 33-year-old social media influencer sported a gorgeous white bra top with high-waisted slacks

Fashion forward: Camila showed off peeks of her toned tummy as she made her way into the event wearing an all-white ensemble

Fashionista: She wore thick gold hoop earrings to match a pair of aviator lenses and carried a massive Kors leather tote in one hand

Elsa Hosk, 32, was fresh from a flight as she shared her excitement about being back in South Beach once again on Instagram.

She rocked a pair of orange leather slacks with a black tank top while wheeling luggage from the new line.

The new mother, who gave birth to daughter Tuulikki Joan Daly in February, tied back her bright blonde hair into a loose bun and wore dark sunglasses.

Working mom: Elsa Hosk was fresh from a flight as she shared her excitement about being back in South Beach once again on Instagram

Hard at work: The new mother, who gave birth to daughter Tuulikki Joan Daly in February, tied back her bright blonde hair into a loose bun and wore dark sunglasses

Bold and beautiful: Shanina Shaik, 30, exuded chic comfort rocking a cozy black ensemble with her own set of luggage

Shanina Shaik, 30, exuded chic comfort rocking a cozy black ensemble with her own set of luggage.

She covered up wearing a black T-shirt with white detailing around the neck and collar, and a logo positioned atop her chest, in addition to a comfortable pair of ribbed shorts.

Praya Lundberg exuded retro vibes wearing a vibrant, high-neck halter floral dress with a colorful orange and purple print.

Model behavior: She covered up wearing a black T-shirt with white detailing around the neck and collar, and a logo positioned atop her chest, in addition to a pair of ribbed shorts
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Angelia Jolie cut a glamorous figure as she lead the stars attending the Eternals premiere at the BFI IMAX Waterloo in London on Wednesday.

The actress, 46, was joined by her children, Shiloh, 15, Zahara, 16, Vivienne, 13, Maddox, 20, and Knox, 13, with her son Pax, 17, being her only child not in attendance.

The film star, who plays Thena in the Marvel film, looked incredible in a black blazer which she paired with a flowing skirt and white shirt.

Family: Angelina Jolie was joined by her children, Shiloh, Zahara, Vivienne, Maddox, and Knox at the London premiere of Eternals at the BFI IMAX Waterloo on Wednesday

The Oscar-winning actresses' garment featured a pleated detail while she completed her outfit with a wristwatch.

Angelina looked nothing short of sensational as she let her brunette locks fall loose down her shoulders while posing for the camera.

Angelina was in high demand at the screening as she stopped to pose for pictured with fans who lined the carpet.

The actress was clearly in good spirits as she was seen laughing and joking with her children as they posed for photographers.

Wow: The actress looked incredible in a black blazer which she paired with a flowing skirt and white shirt

Brood: Angelina's son Pax, 17, was the only one of her children not in attendance at the screening

Beauty: Angelina looked nothing short of sensational as she let her brunette locks fall loose down her shoulders

Also in attendance was Angelina's co-star Gemma Chan who looked incredible in a black long-sleeved crop top with a silver bejewelled embellishmet.

The actress, 38, who plays Sersi in the film, also donned a matching black skirt with aa sheer detail while she cinched her waist with a black belt.

The Crazy Rich Asians star added to her look with a dark hood while she let her raven locks fall loose down her shoulders.

Fellow co-star Salma Hayek, 55, ensured all eyes were on her as she arrived to the event in a red off the shoulder long-sleeved gown.

Glamour: Salma Hayek looked incredible in a red off the shoulder gown while Gemma Chan (centre) donned an all black outfit

Incredible: Gemma donned a matching black skirt with aa sheer detail while she cinched her waist with a black belt

Stars: Salma, Angelina and Gemma were joined by Eternals director Chloe Zhao on the purple carpet

Movie: Salma stars as Ajak, the spirtual leader of the Eternals who has the ability to heal

The stunning garment featured a striped pattern and a shimmering detail while Salma styled her tresses into loose waves.

Meanwhile, Kit Harington cut a dapper figure in a black pinstripe blazer and matching trousers along with a black shirt.

The actor, who stars as Gemma's love interest Dane Whitman in the film, was all smiles as he reunited with his co-stars.

Kumail Nanjiani, who plays Kingo, attended the premiere alongside his wife Emily V. Gordon, with the couple looking sensational on the red carpet.

Couple: Fellow Eternals star Kumail Nanjiani attended the premiere alongside his wife Emily V Gordon

Suave: Richard Madden cut a dapper figure as he walked the purple carpet at the event

Couple: Barry Keoghan made his first public appearance alongside new girlfriend Alyson Sandro at the screening

The comedian sported a teal blazer which he wore with a matching shirt and trousers and dark brown boots.

Meanwhile, Richard Madden cut a dapper figure as he made his way to the gala screening.

The actor, 35, who plays Ikaris in the Marvel film, looked suave for the star-studded event in a black blazer and matching trousers and a crisp white shirt.

The film star was spotted leaving his hotel in the capital alongside co-star Kumail and Eternals director Chloe Zhao.

Role: Angelin's character Thena is an elite Eternal who can form any weapon out of cosmic energy

Trio: Angelina looked in good spirits alongside daughters Zahara (left) and Vivienne (right)

Filmmaker: Angelina posed with Chloe Zhao who donned a black coat with a floral printed dress

United: Angelina shares all of her children with ex-husband Brad Pitt who she split from in 2019

Co-star Barry Keoghan made his first public appearance alongside new girlfriend Alyson Sandro at the screening.

The pair, who are thought to have been dating since at least February, put on a loved-up display as they held hands on the purple carpet.

The actor sported a dark brown suit and matching shoes while his partner wore a multi-coloured mini dress with a tassel detail.

Alyson looked incredible in a multi-coloured mini dress with a tassel detail which she paired with red heels.

Pals: Close friends Gemma and Richard looked delighted to be reunited at the event

Close: Gemma and Richard have been friends for more than a decade

Costume: Angelina chatted with a fan who was dressed as her character Thena

Plot: Eternals is a 2021 Marvel film based on the fictional race of humanoids of the same name which appears in the American comic books

Pose: Angelina took snaps with several fans who were dressed as characters from the film

Eternals is a 2021 Marvel film based on the fictional race of humanoids of the same name which appears in the American comic books.

The film sees the Eternals, an immortal alien race, come out of hiding for thousands of years to protect Earth from their evil counterparts, the Deviants.

The movie, which premiered in Los Angeles earlier this month, stars Angelina as elite warrior Thena and Gemma as the character Sersi.

The cast includes MCU's first deaf superhero (Lauren Ridloff as Makkari) and its first openly gay superhero (Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos) who shares the franchise's first onscreen same-sex kiss with Haaz Sleiman, who plays his husband.

Premiere: The movie, which premiered in Los Angeles earlier this month, stars Angelina as elite warrior Thena and Gemma as the character Sersi

Cast: The cast includes MCU's first deaf superhero (Lauren Ridloff as Makkari) and its first openly gay superhero (Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos)

Classic: Kit Harington cut a dapper figure in a black pinstripe blazer and matching trousers along with a black shirt

In ELLE's 2021 Women In Hollywood issue, Angelina - who is an advocate for refugees - discusses her upcoming movie and praises The Eternals' director, Oscar-winner Chloe Zhao for her choice of casting.

'A lot of times as an actress, you're that individual strong woman, or you have one sister; you don't often have this family where you really get to know women and see all the different strengths,' Angelina explained.

Praising her co-stars, she continued: 'Gemma's grace and elegance and the way she walks through the world. Salma's motherhood and power, and Lauren's connection and intelligence. Everybody came as themselves.

'Maybe there's something to that, that the characters weren't as far off [from ourselves]. I think there's a secret that we don't know that our director knows, because if you look at her films, she casts a lot of real people as their roles and it shapes her films.'

She reveals in the issue that when she was first contacted about the movie, she thought it was going to play a 'grandmother' type role.

Interview: Angelina previously praised Eternals' director, Oscar-winner Chloe Zhao for her choice of casting

Glamorous: Lauren Ridloff (left) donned a black sheer dress with a high collar and long sleeves as she joined Kit at the screening

Character arc: Richard said he and Gemma's characters have 'a deep level of romance'

'I never thought I was going to be one of the Eternals. It doesn't happen. It's never happened to me like that before without a fight and like, 'I can do this, please hire me!' When she told me I was one of them, I was like, ''Me, Mexican, Middle Eastern? Me, in my fifties? I'm going to be a superhero in a Marvel movie?'' Sometimes as a woman, as a woman of colour and with the age, you feel so overlooked,' she said.

Commending Zao for 'having balls', she championed the director for 'acknowledging' her within the industry.

Ridloff, whose character Makkari is deaf like her and the first deaf superhero within the Marvel universe, reveals she jumped at the chance to 'show representation' on screen in a 'refreshing' way, while Chan praises Marvel for showing diversity on a global scale with its movies.

Ahead of its release, Eternals has already been branded 'disappointing' and 'ultimately unmemorable' by critics in its first reviews.

Praise: Angelina said of her co-stars: 'Gemma's grace and elegance and the way she walks through the world. Salma's motherhood and power, and Lauren's connection and intelligence. Everybody came as themselves'

The superhero flick was lambasted by critics over its 'miserably undernourished' script, deluge of underdeveloped characters and 'overloaded' storyline.

Critics were torn as the 'refreshingly diverse' cast of characters resulted in a group of 'navel-gazing superheroes' that signalled 'two steps forwards for representation but three steps backwards for dramatic ingenuity.'

The Times critic Kevin Maher gave the film two stars and took aim at the 157-minute flick's script and its 'strange self-sabotaging energy.'

He wrote: 'It is the characters, however, who represent the biggest shift away from the swaggering, mostly white, mostly male, mostly straight, mostly neurotypical and mostly hearing ensembles (think Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, etc) that have defined the Marvel brand thus far.'

Production: Eternals was filmed from July 2019 to February 2020 at Pinewood Studios

Reception: Ahead of its release, Eternals has already been branded 'disappointing' and 'ultimately unmemorable' by critics in its first reviews

Blockbuster: The Marvel film had a reported budget of $200million

Adding the 'reinvented heroes work' he continued: 'But they are also, to paraphrase Pirandello, ten characters in search of a script. Because the one they have now, co-written by Chloe Zhao, the director (Nomadland), is derivative, messy and miserably undernourished.

'Eternals is two steps forwards for representation but three steps backwards for dramatic ingenuity.

Variety critic Owen Gleiberman branded the film a 'disappointment' over lacking the 'raw and real' signature quality Zhao has brought to her other films.

He wrote: 'Yet as I approached Eternals, the question I was most curious about was whether Zhao, who in Nomadland and The Rider defined her filmmaking style in a unique poetic way, would carry any remnants of that mode over to the blockbuster universe... Eternals has none of that. It's clear that that's something of a disappointment.

Romance: Barry's girlfriend Alyson added to her outfit with a silver necklace as she held hands with her beau

Storyline: Kumail's character in the film blends in on Earth by becoming a Bollywood film star

Role: Barry's character Druig has the ability to manipulate the mind's of others

He added the film feels 'very standard' in comparison to 'top-tier' team superhero films (the first Guardians of the Galaxy, Zack Snyder's Justice League, and 'Avengers: Infinity War) and that the film 'never transcends its conventionality'.

He did however laud the diversity of the cast, writing: 'Four of the Eternals are white, three are Asian, two are Black, and one is Latina. One is gay, one is deaf, and one is an androgynous tween who never grows up.

'Any troll who surveys this lively medley of backgrounds and temperaments only to gripe that the movie is too 'woke' might have lodged the same complaint about Star Trek 55 years ago.'

The Guardian critic Steve Rose scored the film two stars once again and likened it to a 'sophisticated PowerPoint presentation' due to its comprehensive mythological storyline.

He wrote: 'There is also an epic mythology to get our heads around: even before a line of dialogue is spoken, three dense paragraphs of text explain how our 10 Eternals came to earth to protect it from the predatory Deviants (sort of skinless, sinewy beasts with prehensile tentacles) at the behest of Arishem, 'the Prime Celestial'.

Family affair: Salma was joined at the screening by her daughter Valentina Pinault

Fashion: Salma's daughter donned a black mini dress with a polka dot print

'If you're lost already, bad luck: there's plenty more to come, which demands some planet-sized chunks of exposition. At times if feels like you are watching a very sophisticated PowerPoint presentation.'

Adding the film was a 'gigantic exercise in un-realism', he praised Kumail Nanjiani's turn as Eternal-turned-Bollywood movie star Kingo, but said Angelina Jolie's Thena was 'unconvincing' portraying a personality disorder.

He wrote: That's the problem: there's just too much going on: it's all headed towards yet another 'race against time to stop the really bad thing happening' climax. It's not exactly boring  there's always something new to behold  but nor it is particularly exciting, and it lacks the breezy wit of Marvel's best movies.'

The Telegraph critic Robbie Collin again gave Eternals two stars, writing: 'The answer is the problem with Eternals in miniature: it's constantly engaged in a kind of grit-toothed authenticity theatre, going out of its way to show you it's doing all the things proper cinema does, even though none of them bring any discernible benefit whatsoever to the film at hand.

Reception: The Times critic Kevin Maher gave the film two stars and took aim at the 157-minute flick's script and its 'strange self-sabotaging energy'

He wrote: 'It is the characters, however, who represent the biggest shift away from the swaggering, mostly white, mostly male, mostly straight, mostly neurotypical and mostly hearing ensembles (think Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, etc) that have defined the Marvel brand thus far'

He continued: 'But they are also, to paraphrase Pirandello, ten characters in search of a script' (Maddox Jolie-Pitt pictured)

He added: 'Because the one they have now, co-written by Chloe Zhao, the director (Nomadland), is derivative, messy and miserably undernourished'

Review: 'Eternals is two steps forwards for representation but three steps backwards for dramatic ingenuity'

Cast: Richard was seen helping Angelina fix her dress as the cast posed together

'The more muted tone rules out Marvel's fast and flippant house style: instead, Eternals opts for solemnity peppered with wackiness, which occasionally gives it the feel of a Japanese anime series.'

He added that Jolie's character was 'like a parody', and wrote: 'Perhaps the hope was that Marvel's 26th film might rattle the franchise out of its comfort zone. But the franchise is nothing but comfort zone, which renders its latest entry an instant white elephant.'

Empire critic John Nugent gave Eternals three stars, as it was 'unable to escape the cliches of superhero storytelling' but praised Zhao's 'assured and ambitious' MCU debut.

He wrote: 'There's a fascinating tension in Eternals between the unstoppable force of the Marvel project and the immovable object of Zhao's artistic sensibilities. In many ways, this looks and feels nothing like any Chloe Zhao film we've seen before

Film: Variety critic Owen Gleiberman branded the film a 'disappointment' over lacking the 'raw and real' signature quality Zhao has brought to her other films

He wrote: He wrote: 'Yet as I approached Eternals, the question I was most curious about was whether Zhao, who in Nomadland and The Rider defined her filmmaking style in a unique poetic way, would carry any remnants of that mode over to the blockbuster universe... Eternals has none of that'

Superheroes: He added the film feels 'very standard' in comparison to 'top-tier' team superhero films (the first Guardians of the Galaxy, Zack Snyder's Justice League, and 'Avengers: Infinity War)

Conventions: He said the film 'never transcends its conventionality'. He did however laud the diversity of the cast

'And yet in many ways, this film looks and feels nothing like any previous Marvel film. There are, for example, at least a couple of firsts: a genuine sex scene, and an onscreen gay kiss  unheard of in the normally rather chaste MCU.

'More frequently, though, it seems to fall into familiar traps about saving the world and learning to work together as a team; when a giant, CGI-heavy battle begins to thwart another potential apocalypse, you start to feel a formula being leaned on.'

BBC Culture critic Nicholas Barber also gave 'ultimately unmemorable' Eternals three stars, and said 'it could be the most disappointing MCU film yet.'

He wrote: 'Suffice it to say that the Eternals score highly in terms of gender, ethnic and sexual diversity, but lowly in terms of being memorable. They're a sketchily drawn and fundamentally drab bunch, so it can be tricky to remember which one is friendly with which.

'By rights, their super-soap opera should have had its own 20-part series on Disney+. In a film, the plot is so over-populated that one Eternal even announces, shortly before the climactic battle, that he doesn't want to be involved, and walks out, leaving us to wonder why exactly we've spent the last hour hanging out with him.

Eternals is adapted from a series of far-out 1970s comics by the great Jack Kirby, and traces remain of his visionary design, but Zhao and her three co-writers have weighed it down with lots of rudimentary dialogue.'

He wrote: 'Four of the Eternals are white, three are Asian, two are Black, and one is Latina. One is gay, one is deaf, and one is an androgynous tween who never grows up'

Positive: Evening Standard critic Charlotte O'Sullivan praised the film and gave it an impressive four stars

She wrote: 'We're used to top-notch bickering from Marvel but the self-aware, sibling-like rivalry here seems extra divine because it allows ideas explored in Nomadland to be revisited'

She added: 'The fights, especially in the film's last third, are astounding, beautifully paced and crammed with detail'

Evening Standard critic Charlotte O'Sullivan praised the film and gave it an impressive four stars, heaping praise on the cast, bar Gemma Chan's 'wooden' turn as Sersi.

She wrote: 'We're used to top-notch bickering from Marvel but the self-aware, sibling-like rivalry here seems extra divine because it allows ideas explored in Nomadland to be revisited. Maybe we don't need a 'true home' in our lives. Or a 'boss'.

'The whole cast are fabulous, with one exception. Chan's a bit wooden. As far as the script's concerned, she's the chosen one. But I wish Zhao hadn't chosen her.

'Anyway, the fights, especially in the film's last third, are astounding, beautifully paced and crammed with detail.'
He threw himself a Narcos-themed costume party for his birthday over the weekend.

But Drake looked as if he was still in a celebratory mood when he stepped out of his SUV in a black fur coat on Tuesday evening.

The 35-year-old rapper was seen enjoying a post-birthday dinner at the swanky Italian restaurant The Nice Guy in Los Angeles.

Bundled in luxury: Drake looked stylish in a black fur coat as he arrived for dinner at the Italian restaurant The Nice Guy in Los Angeles on Tuesday night

Drake's lustrous black fur coat shimmered in the night light, but he kept the rest of his outfit relaxed and casual.

He had on a simple black hoodie underneath, which he paired with black jeans and matching trainers.

The actor-turned-rapper sported the same heart shaved into his hair that he's sported in the months leading up to the release of his latest album Certified Lover Boy, which was released in early September.

His muted dinner look was a far cry from his Narcos costume at his party on Saturday, which was held at Goya Studios in Hollywood.

The rapper was otherwise dressed casually with a black hoodie, matching jeans and dark trainers

Birthday boy: On Saturday, he dressed up in a brown suede jacket with fringe on the sleeves for his Narcos-themed birthday party, dubbed 'Chico Amante,' a reference to his album Certified Lover Boy

On Monday, he shared a photo of himself to Instagram showing off his Western-style costume, which featured a brown suede jacket with fringe on the sleeves, along with a blue denim shirt and a bolo tie.

He was dressed for his Narcos-themed birthday party, which was dubbed 'Chico Amante,' meaning 'Lover Boy.'

He posed next to a silver Rolls-Royce and explained in the caption how he had to fake it until he made it in his early years.

'Back in 2007 we used to finesse this Rolls Royce Phantom rental to convince people in the city we were destined to make it,' he revealed.

The car cost the rapper $5,000 per month to rent, and although he drove around in it to look rich and important before his early shows, it was also his everyday ride when he was meeting up with friends.

Drake (born Aubrey Graham) described the pricy ride as his version of 'extreme manifesting.'

Sentimental gift: He revealed on Instagram on Monday that his manager found the silver Rolls-Royce that he used to rent for $5,000 in his early career to keep up appearances

'Even though I dont recommend putting yourself in financial trouble for material things I realize now that this was just my way of extreme manifesting,' he continued.

'I needed to see it and feel it and have it to believe that I could see and feel and have anything I wanted.'

The car became a sentimental birthday present when his manager Future the Prince found the original car and bought it for him.

Manifesting: 'Even though I dont recommend putting yourself in financial trouble for material things I realize now that this was just my way of extreme manifesting,' he said

'Today in 2021 my brother @futuretheprince tracked down the exact car I use to stress over and gifted it to meits mine now. Manifestation complete,' he wrote.

The In My Feelings rapper concluded by thanking his fans and friends for their adoring birthday messages.

'More than just loved I feel truly appreciated and that is the only gift I ever needed,' he added.

A short video included with the post shoed a clean-shaven Drake behind the wheel when he was still renting the Rolls-Royce.
They went their separate ways in July following a string of arguments.

And TOWIE star Frankie Sims, 26, revealed on Wednesday that she stayed over with ex Jack Fincham, 30, and he declared his love for her before the 'huge row' on TOWIE.

The beauty said they bumped into each other at an event a few weeks ago and they had 'made up' saying they 'left together hand in hand'.

Drama: TOWIE star Frankie Sims, 26, revealed on Wednesday that she stayed over with ex Jack Fincham, 30, and he declared his love for her before the 'huge row' on TOWIE

Speaking to New Magazine the star said: 'I stayed over at his place. We were kissing all night and he did say to me, 'will you get back with me?'

Frankie said she told the former Love Island star 'no' as she didn't think he was in the right 'mental space.'

She continued: 'When I was leaving the next morning, he said 'I love you.'

She went on to say they left it at that and remained friends however she will keep him blocked on social media as she needs to 'move on' with her life.

Confused: The beauty said they bumped into each other at an event a few weeks ago and they had 'made up' saying they 'left together hand in hand'

Frankie also revealed she was shocked to find out afterwards that he would be filming for TOWIE.

She said: 'I was confused, I didn't know how to react. I hope I handled it the right way.'

Jack is set to confront Frankie in upcoming scenes on The Only Way Is Essex.

The star has already filmed scenes for the ITVBe reality show and faced up to his ex.

A source told MailOnline that filming 'ended in a huge row between the two of them' after they reunited in front of television cameras last week.

Besotted: Speaking to New Magazine the star said: ' I stayed over at his place. We were kissing all night and he did say to me, 'will you get back with me?' (pictured in May)

Heated: Jack is set to confront Frankie in upcoming scenes on The Only Way Is Essex following the couple's split

MailOnline has contacted ITV for comment.

The couple, who started dating in April, parted ways in July after fighting, with insiders telling OK! at the time: 'Jack and Frankie have split. They've had a couple of rows and have unfollowed each other on Instagram.'

The pair sparked speculation of a reunion when they were spotted linking arms at the National Television Awards in London last month.

However, there was a decidedly frosty air to things when they met up on the set of TOWIE.

In May, Jack and Frankie confirmed their romance, sharing loved-up social media snaps after being spotted passionately embracing after a night out.

When they went public with their union, there were concerns Frankie's feud with her love rival Chloe Brockett, 20, would reignite as it was rumoured at the time that Chloe had been dating Jack in recent months.

However, fellow TOWIE star Chloe insisted she's completely fine with her nemesis Frankie and ex beau Jack's relationship when she took to Instagram to reassure fans there are 'no bad feelings' and to wish the new couple 'all the best'.

Chloe and Jack were rumoured to have been dating earlier in the year, while the brunette beauty had previously fallen out with her co-star Frankie over Harry Lee.

Past: Jack and Dani won Love Island in 2018, walking away and splitting the 50k prize however their relationship ended in 2019 after nine months together (pictured on the show)

Jack, who has one daughter with ex Casey Ranger, was previously in a relationship with Love Island co-star Dani Dyer.

Meanwhile, Frankie has recently been linked to another Love Island star, Joe Garratt.

The pair hit it off during a romantic first date - and agreed to go on a second - during last Sunday night's episode of TOWIE.
Martin Freeman looked dapper as he stepped out to the Raindance Film Festival opening night gala screening of Best Sellers at The Dorchester hotel in London on Wednesday evening.

The actor, 50, opted for a navy blue suit and a black tie which he teamed with a crisp white shirt.

He could be seen smiling as he posed on the red carpet alongside his girlfriend Rachel Mariam, 29, who wore a bright red trouser suit with black buttons.

Coupled-up: Martin Freeman, 50, looked dapper in a blue suit at the Raindance Film Festival screening of Best Sellers with girlfriend Rachel Mariam, 29, in London on Wednesday

The French actress wore a black top which matched her pointed shoes and handbag which featured a large silved buckle.

The couple looked cosy as they stood arm-in-arm before heading in to watch the film.

Martin and Rachel do not feature in the film which stars Michael Caine as a cranky author who is forced to take part in a book tour to save his publishing business.

Date night: Martin could be seen smiling as he posed on the red carpet alongside his girlfriend Rachel who wore a bright red trouser suit with black buttons

Happy couple: The couple looked cosy as they stood arm-in-arm before heading in to watch the film

The outing comes after American's Got Talent star Jonathan Goodwin confirmed his engagement to Martin's ex Amanda Abbington, 47, last week.

Daredevil Jonathan hit headlines, when he fell 40ft after being struck by two exploding cars simultaneously during a rehearsal for America's Got Talent: Extreme and while updating fans on his health he broke his happy news.

The 41-year-old Welsh escapologist shared a selfie he snapped in hospital alongside a lengthy caption, in which he thanked loved ones for their support while also lauding his fiancee Amanda after weeks of engagement rumours.

Moving on: The outing comes after American's Got Talent star Jonathan Goodwin confirmed his engagement to Martin's ex Amanda Abbington, 47, last week

Pals: Martin was joined at the event by Sir Michael Caine who donned a black suit

Event: Michael was seen speaking with Raindance Film Festival Founder Elliot Grove

Festival: The legendary actor appeared to give a speech during the event

Injury: The star has been using a walking stick since he suffered from an unfortunate ankle injury when he slipped on some ice in February 2018.

Career: The veteran actor recently spoke out to confirm he is not stepping away from the Hollywood mainstream after prompting retirement rumours during a recent interview

Clarification: Taking to Twitter, he wrote: 'I'm not retiring, and not a lot of people know that!'

History: Michael began acting in 1953 when he took a job at a repertory company in West Sussex

Age: In a recent interview, Michael spoke about the lack of opportunities for older actors, saying: 'There's not exactly scripts pouring in for a leading man that's 88, you know?'

Amanda, who shares two children with Sherlock co-star and ex Martin from whom she split in 2016, took to the comments section of the post to emotionally pen: 'I love you so much Fusband. Weve totally got this.'

He wrote: 'Then most importantly my fiance and the best thing to ever happen to me, Amanda.

'I have been to the very brink and dodged the worst that a human being can, without fearbecause I was protected by love. Love is all you need, so make sure you get some, cos its good s***. '

Loved up: In a social media post Welsh escapologist Jonathan confirmed his engagement to Sherlock actress Amanda after weeks of engagement rumors

Confirmed: Death-defying American's Got Talent star Jonathan broke his silence over his near-death 40ft fall while rehearsing for the show

There have been rumors that the two had been engaged for weeks after Jonathan added an engagement ring to his bio earlier this month, suggesting he had popped the question.

Amanda shared her first picture with Jonathan last week, posting a throwback from a recent romantic getaway that she captioned: 'When in Vienna, you hang out at the graveyards. What of it.'

Her post came after Jonathan shared his first picture of the pair earlier in the month, penning: 'That was possibly the longest game of hide and seek ever.'

Amanda then commented: 'I love you. '

The Safe actress also 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.'
Cynthia Erivo showcased her chic style as she arrived at the Eternals premiere at the BFI IMAX Waterloo in London on Wednesday evening.

The actress, 34, wore a black smock minidress with Burberry check detailing to the front, covering her decolletage.

The screen star wore a pair of brown suede over-knee boots and a hat in a similar shade on her head.

In style: Cynthia Erivo, 34, showcased her chic style in a smock minidress as she arrived at the Eternals premiere at the BFI IMAX Waterloo in London on Wednesday evening

Cynthia accessorised with a pair of gold hoop earrings and a gold chain which could be seen hanging around her neck.

While Cynthia does not appear in the film, Eternals is a 2021 Marvel movie based on the fictional race of humanoids of the same name which appears in the American comic books.

The flick sees the Eternals, an immortal alien race, come out of hiding for thousands of years to protect Earth from their evil counterparts, the Deviants.

Dressed to impress: The actress's dress featured a brown checked panel to the front to cover her decolletage

The movie, which premiered in Los Angeles earlier this month, stars Angelina Jolie, 46, as elite warrior Thena and Gemma Chan, 38, as the character Sersi.

The cast includes MCU's first deaf superhero (Lauren Ridloff as Makkari) and its first openly gay superhero (Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos) who shares the franchise's first onscreen same-sex kiss with Haaz Sleiman, who plays his husband.

In ELLE's 2021 Women In Hollywood issue, Angelina - who is an advocate for refugees - discusses her upcoming movie and praises The Eternals' director, Oscar-winner Chloe Zhao for her choice of casting.

Fashion forward: The screen star wore a pair of brown suede over-knee boots and a hat in a similar shade on her head

'A lot of times as an actress, you're that individual strong woman, or you have one sister; you don't often have this family where you really get to know women and see all the different strengths,' she explained.

Praising her co-stars, she continued: 'Gemma's grace and elegance and the way she walks through the world. Salma's motherhood and power, and Lauren's connection and intelligence. Everybody came as themselves.

'Maybe there's something to that, that the characters weren't as far off [from ourselves]. I think there's a secret that we don't know that our director knows, because if you look at her films, she casts a lot of real people as their roles and it shapes her films.'

Oh dear: Ahead of its release Eternals was branded 'disappointing' and 'ultimately unmemorable' by critics in first reviews of the hotly anticipated MCU blockbuster (above Angelina Jolie as Thena in the film)

She reveals in the issue that when she was first contacted about the movie, she thought it was going to play a 'grandmother' type role.

'I never thought I was going to be one of the Eternals. It doesn't happen. It's never happened to me like that before without a fight and like, 'I can do this, please hire me!' When she told me I was one of them, I was like, ''Me, Mexican, Middle Eastern? Me, in my fifties? I'm going to be a superhero in a Marvel movie?'' Sometimes as a woman, as a woman of colour and with the age, you feel so overlooked,' she said.

Commending Zao for 'having balls', she championed the director for 'acknowledging' her within the industry.

Ridloff, whose character Makkari is deaf like her and the first deaf superhero within the Marvel universe, reveals she jumped at the chance to 'show representation' on screen in a 'refreshing' way, while Chan praises Marvel for showing diversity on a global scale with its movies.

Ahead of its release, Eternals has already been branded 'disappointing' and 'ultimately unmemorable' by critics in its first reviews.

Not good: The film was lambasted by critics over its 'miserably undernourished' script, deluge of underdeveloped characters and 'overloaded' storyline (pictured left, Don Lee as Gilgamesh, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo - and right Lauren Midloff as Makkari)

The superhero flick was lambasted by critics over its 'miserably undernourished' script, deluge of underdeveloped characters and 'overloaded' storyline.

Critics were torn as the 'refreshingly diverse' cast of characters resulted in a group of 'navel-gazing superheroes' that signalled 'two steps forwards for representation but three steps backwards for dramatic ingenuity.'

The Times critic Kevin Maher gave the film two stars and took aim at the 157-minute flick's script and its 'strange self-sabotaging energy.'

He wrote: 'It is the characters, however, who represent the biggest shift away from the swaggering, mostly white, mostly male, mostly straight, mostly neurotypical and mostly hearing ensembles (think Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, etc) that have defined the Marvel brand thus far.'

Adding the 'reinvented heroes work' he continued: 'But they are also, to paraphrase Pirandello, ten characters in search of a script. Because the one they have now, co-written by Chloe Zhao, the director (Nomadland), is derivative, messy and miserably undernourished.

'Eternals is two steps forwards for representation but three steps backwards for dramatic ingenuity.

Variety critic Owen Gleiberman branded the film a 'disappointment' over lacking the 'raw and real' signature quality Zhao has brought to her other films.

He wrote: 'Yet as I approached Eternals, the question I was most curious about was whether Zhao, who in Nomadland and The Rider defined her filmmaking style in a unique poetic way, would carry any remnants of that mode over to the blockbuster universe... Eternals has none of that. It's clear that that's something of a disappointment.

He added the film feels 'very standard' in comparison to 'top-tier' team superhero films (the first Guardians of the Galaxy, Zack Snyder's Justice League, and 'Avengers: Infinity War) and that the film 'never transcends its conventionality'

He did however laud the diversity of the cast, writing: 'Four of the Eternals are white, three are Asian, two are Black, and one is Latina. One is gay, one is deaf, and one is an androgynous tween who never grows up.

'Any troll who surveys this lively medley of backgrounds and temperaments only to gripe that the movie is too 'woke' might have lodged the same complaint about Star Trek 55 years ago.'

The Telegraph critic Robbie Collin again gave Eternals two stars, writing: 'The answer is the problem with Eternals in miniature: it's constantly engaged in a kind of grit-toothed authenticity theatre, going out of its way to show you it's doing all the things proper cinema does, even though none of them bring any discernible benefit whatsoever to the film at hand.

'The more muted tone rules out Marvel's fast and flippant house style: instead, Eternals opts for solemnity peppered with wackiness, which occasionally gives it the feel of a Japanese anime series.'

Criticism: The Guardian critic Steve Rose scored the film two stars once again and likened it to a 'sophisticated PowerPoint presentation' due to its comprehensive mythological storyline

Empire critic John Nugent gave Eternals three stars, as it was 'unable to escape the cliches of superhero storytelling' but praised Zhao's 'assured and ambitious' MCU debut.

He wrote: 'There's a fascinating tension in Eternals between the unstoppable force of the Marvel project and the immovable object of Zhao's artistic sensibilities. In many ways, this looks and feels nothing like any Chloe Zhao film we've seen before

'And yet in many ways, this film looks and feels nothing like any previous Marvel film. There are, for example, at least a couple of firsts: a genuine sex scene, and an onscreen gay kiss  unheard of in the normally rather chaste MCU.

'More frequently, though, it seems to fall into familiar traps about saving the world and learning to work together as a team; when a giant, CGI-heavy battle begins to thwart another potential apocalypse, you start to feel a formula being leaned on.'

Actors: Evening Standard critic Charlotte O'Sullivan praised the film and gave it an impressive four stars, heaping praise on the cast, bar Gemma Chan's 'wooden' turn as Sersi (above with Kit Harington as Dane Whitman)
A perfect fit: The production team behind Jeopardy! are loving the pairing of Mayim Bialik as host and Michael Davies as interim executive producer and want Sony to make things permanent, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal

The production team behind Jeopardy! are loving the pairing of Mayim Bialik as host and Michael Davies as interim executive producer and want Sony to make things permanent, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.

Mayim, who is described as 'gracious, warm and smart', is a natural fit for the quiz show both on and off camera and is creating a calm environment befitting the legacy of Alex Trebek, according to multiple production insiders.

Following the 'traumatic' catastrophe of Mike Richards' short-lived stint as Alex's replacement, the crew is pulling for Sony to stop 'dragging its feet' and officially lock in the 45-year-old actress for the coveted gig.

Bialik, who has a doctorate in neuroscience from UCLA, not only has the intellectual chops to host the long running series, but she's endeared herself to the production staff as well, even bringing in cupcakes this week as a thank you.

'Mayim is gracious, warm and smart and Michael is a diligent leader who is focused on producing a show for the viewers,' a source says.

Just yesterday a crew member told DailyMail.com that 'Mayim surprised all of us with vanilla and Oreo cupcakes from a local bakery.'

Last month it was announced that Bialik and Jeopardy! GOAT Ken Jennings would be sharing hosting duties for the remainder of season 38 after Mike Richards' spectacular flame out amid scandal.

Behind the scenes, Embassy Row's Michael Davies agreed to step in on an interim basis as executive producer.

'Mayim is gracious, warm and smart and Michael [Davies] is a diligent leader who is focused on producing a show for the viewers,' a source says. Just yesterday a crew member told DailyMail.com that 'Mayim surprised all of us with vanilla and Oreo cupcakes from a local bakery.'

'Michael is just a natural leader, he makes it about the show and what the viewers want, it's not about him,' says a source. 'It would be wonderful if he could balance both Embassy Row, his production company, and Jeopardy!, we'd all be here for that.'

Mike Richards, who was pulling double-duty as executive producer and host on Jeopardy! and executive producer of Wheel of Fortune, was ousted from all three gigs in September after distasteful remarks he made in 2014 mocking women, Jews, and Haiti came to light - as well as resurfaced sexual harassment lawsuits.

He first lost the hosting gig - which Sony had previously announced would be shared with Bialik - due to the backlash. In a memo to staff, Sony's Executive Vice President of business and strategy, Suzanne Prete, said a week later they'd hoped that would have been enough to quiet the controversy. Viewers, however, were not satisfied and executives fired him as executive producer - a move that was welcomed by the crew.

A source tells DailyMail.com: 'It is such a refreshing change to what life was like on set with Mike Richards who made it all about Mike Richards.'

A source tells DailyMail.com: 'It is such a refreshing change to what life was like on set with Mike Richards who made it all about Mike Richards.' (Richards pictured earlier this year prior to being ousted as host and executive producer of the quiz show amid controversy)

Even prior to the resurfaced harassment lawsuits and offensive comments, fans were disappointed over the choice to name Richards as host as many felt he had an unfair advantage since he was already executive producer of the show.

Additionally, things on set had already been challening between the passing of Alex Trebek from pancreatic cancer in November 2020 and the ongoing pandemic.

'After decades of calm, we've had so much upheaval and change over the past year since Alex passed,' reveals an insider. 'It's been traumatic. It would be so wonderful if Sony celebrates Alex's life on November 8, the anniversary of his tragic passing, by formalizing the future of the show that Alex cared so much about.'

Following Alex's passing, Jeopardy! began airing months of shows with rotating guest hosts - Mayim and Mike Richards among them.

'There is no doubt that Mayim is totally cut out for the job. She has the goods to back it up and is very pleasant and professional to all of us,' says a member of the production team. 'So many of us wanted her from her first tape day several months ago. She is perfect for it.'

'After decades of calm, we've had so much upheaval and change over the past year since Alex passed,' reveals an insider. 'It's been traumatic. It would be so wonderful if Sony celebrates Alex's life on November 8, the anniversary of his tragic passing, by formalizing the future of the show that Alex cared so much about.'

After the Richards kerfuffle, Sony went back to the drawing board in their search for a host but the Jeopardy! team is hoping the powers that be will hurry up and name Mayim permanent host.

'We just wish Sony would put us out of this endless period of flux and appoint Mayim as host and Michael as the permanent executive producer,' says a source.

'The combination of the two of them is magic. We think Alex would be proud, and that matters so much to all of us who work for Jeopardy! and our loyal viewers at home.'

Insiders added that the crew desires some stability now and wants executives at Sony to 'stop dragging your feet and let the viewers know that this is how Jeopardy! will be produced going forward.'

'It's such a nice change,' says one source of Mayim and Michael. 'We all loved Alex so much that we thought it would be impossible to get that sense of family again, but with Michael and Mayim here, we're really beginning to feel like this is the future of Jeopardy!.'
Salma Hayek cut a glamorous figure in a sequined ruby red dress as she arrived at the Eternals premiere with her daughter Valentina Pinault at the BFI IMAX Waterloo in London on Wednesday evening.

The actress, 55, looked every inch the Hollywood siren as the striped garment glittered under the bright red carpet lights at the event.

The dress featured cut-out detail to one side, leaving her skin exposed to the cool night air as she stood with her arm around Valentina, 14, who wore a stylish monochrome dress with heels.

Glitterati: Salma Hayek, 55, wore a ruby red gown alongside daughter Valentina, 14, who wore a stylish monochrome dress at the London Eternals premiere on Wednesday

Salma's flowing outfit reached right down to the ground, with a belt cinching in the waist to accentuate her hourglass figure.

Her brown hair was styled into subtle waves with strands hanging down either side of her face while she wore lashings of make-up to highlight her pretty features.

Valentina - who Salma shares with husband Francois-Henri Pinault, 59 - looked stylish in her attire and wore platform heels.

Sparkling: The actress looked every inch the Hollywood siren as the striped garment glittered under the bright red carpet lights at the event

Family affair: Valentina - who Salma shares with husband Francois-Henri Pinault, 59 - looked stylish in her attire as she teetered on a pair of tall platform heels

The actress, plays the character of Ajak in the film, also posed alongside co-star Gemma Chan, 38, who takes on the role of Sersi.

Gemma ensured she caught the eye of onlookers in a bejeweled sheer black two piece which left her midriff on show.

She wore a hood up over her bob hairstyle, with silver sequins and rhinestones dazzling as she moved.

Famous friends: The actress, plays the character of Ajak in the film, posed alongside co-star Gemma Chan, 38, who takes on the role of Sersi at the premiere

In style: Salma's dress featured cut-out detail to one side, leaving her right arm and shoulder exposed to the cool night air

Her see-through skirt left her black underwear on display while she wore a pair of over-knee boots beneath the garment.

Before arriving at the premiere, Salma was seen leaving her hotel where she was led to her her chauffeur-driven car by a security guard while members of her entourage followed on behind.

Eternals is a 2021 Marvel movie based on the fictional race of humanoids of the same name which appears in the American comic books.

Glitterati: Before arriving at the premiere, Salma was seen leaving her hotel where she was led to her her chauffeur-driven car by a security guard

The flick sees the Eternals, an immortal alien race, come out of hiding for thousands of years to protect Earth from their evil counterparts, the Deviants.

The cast also includes MCU's first deaf superhero (Lauren Ridloff as Makkari) and its first openly gay superhero (Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos) who shares the franchise's first onscreen same-sex kiss with Haaz Sleiman, who plays his husband.

In ELLE's 2021 Women In Hollywood issue, Angelina - who is an advocate for refugees - discusses her upcoming movie and praises The Eternals' director, Oscar-winner Chloe Zhao for her choice of casting.

Screen superstar: Members of her entourage followed on behind as she prepared to travel to the bash

'A lot of times as an actress, you're that individual strong woman, or you have one sister; you don't often have this family where you really get to know women and see all the different strengths,' she explained.

Praising her co-stars, she continued: 'Gemma's grace and elegance and the way she walks through the world. Salma's motherhood and power, and Lauren's connection and intelligence. Everybody came as themselves.

'Maybe there's something to that, that the characters weren't as far off [from ourselves]. I think there's a secret that we don't know that our director knows, because if you look at her films, she casts a lot of real people as their roles and it shapes her films.'

Gracious: Salma smiled as she left her hotel to greet awaiting fans and photographers in the UK capital

She reveals in the issue that when she was first contacted about the movie, she thought it was going to play a 'grandmother' type role.

'I never thought I was going to be one of the Eternals. It doesn't happen. It's never happened to me like that before without a fight and like, 'I can do this, please hire me!' When she told me I was one of them, I was like, ''Me, Mexican, Middle Eastern? Me, in my fifties? I'm going to be a superhero in a Marvel movie?'' Sometimes as a woman, as a woman of colour and with the age, you feel so overlooked,' she said.

Commending Zao for 'having balls', she championed the director for 'acknowledging' her within the industry.

Oh dear: Ahead of its release Eternals was branded 'disappointing' and 'ultimately unmemorable' by critics in first reviews of the hotly anticipated MCU blockbuster (above Angelina Jolie as Thena in the film)

Ridloff, whose character Makkari is deaf like her and the first deaf superhero within the Marvel universe, reveals she jumped at the chance to 'show representation' on screen in a 'refreshing' way, while Chan praises Marvel for showing diversity on a global scale with its movies.

Ahead of its release, Eternals has already been branded 'disappointing' and 'ultimately unmemorable' by critics in its first reviews.

The superhero flick was lambasted by critics over its 'miserably undernourished' script, deluge of underdeveloped characters and 'overloaded' storyline.

Critics were torn as the 'refreshingly diverse' cast of characters resulted in a group of 'navel-gazing superheroes' that signalled 'two steps forwards for representation but three steps backwards for dramatic ingenuity.'

The Times critic Kevin Maher gave the film two stars and took aim at the 157-minute flick's script and its 'strange self-sabotaging energy.'

Not good: The film was lambasted by critics over its 'miserably undernourished' script, deluge of underdeveloped characters and 'overloaded' storyline (pictured left, Don Lee as Gilgamesh, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo - and right Lauren Midloff as Makkari)

He wrote: 'It is the characters, however, who represent the biggest shift away from the swaggering, mostly white, mostly male, mostly straight, mostly neurotypical and mostly hearing ensembles (think Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, etc) that have defined the Marvel brand thus far.'

Adding the 'reinvented heroes work' he continued: 'But they are also, to paraphrase Pirandello, ten characters in search of a script. Because the one they have now, co-written by Chloe Zhao, the director (Nomadland), is derivative, messy and miserably undernourished.

'Eternals is two steps forwards for representation but three steps backwards for dramatic ingenuity.

Variety critic Owen Gleiberman branded the film a 'disappointment' over lacking the 'raw and real' signature quality Zhao has brought to her other films.

He wrote: 'Yet as I approached Eternals, the question I was most curious about was whether Zhao, who in Nomadland and The Rider defined her filmmaking style in a unique poetic way, would carry any remnants of that mode over to the blockbuster universe... Eternals has none of that. It's clear that that's something of a disappointment.

He added the film feels 'very standard' in comparison to 'top-tier' team superhero films (the first Guardians of the Galaxy, Zack Snyder's Justice League, and 'Avengers: Infinity War) and that the film 'never transcends its conventionality'

He did however laud the diversity of the cast, writing: 'Four of the Eternals are white, three are Asian, two are Black, and one is Latina. One is gay, one is deaf, and one is an androgynous tween who never grows up.

'Any troll who surveys this lively medley of backgrounds and temperaments only to gripe that the movie is too 'woke' might have lodged the same complaint about Star Trek 55 years ago.'

The Telegraph critic Robbie Collin again gave Eternals two stars, writing: 'The answer is the problem with Eternals in miniature: it's constantly engaged in a kind of grit-toothed authenticity theatre, going out of its way to show you it's doing all the things proper cinema does, even though none of them bring any discernible benefit whatsoever to the film at hand.

'The more muted tone rules out Marvel's fast and flippant house style: instead, Eternals opts for solemnity peppered with wackiness, which occasionally gives it the feel of a Japanese anime series.'

Criticism: The Guardian critic Steve Rose scored the film two stars once again and likened it to a 'sophisticated PowerPoint presentation' due to its comprehensive mythological storyline

Empire critic John Nugent gave Eternals three stars, as it was 'unable to escape the cliches of superhero storytelling' but praised Zhao's 'assured and ambitious' MCU debut.

He wrote: 'There's a fascinating tension in Eternals between the unstoppable force of the Marvel project and the immovable object of Zhao's artistic sensibilities. In many ways, this looks and feels nothing like any Chloe Zhao film we've seen before

'And yet in many ways, this film looks and feels nothing like any previous Marvel film. There are, for example, at least a couple of firsts: a genuine sex scene, and an onscreen gay kiss  unheard of in the normally rather chaste MCU.

'More frequently, though, it seems to fall into familiar traps about saving the world and learning to work together as a team; when a giant, CGI-heavy battle begins to thwart another potential apocalypse, you start to feel a formula being leaned on.'

Actors: Evening Standard critic Charlotte O'Sullivan praised the film and gave it an impressive four stars, heaping praise on the cast, bar Gemma Chan's 'wooden' turn as Sersi (above with Kit Harington as Dane Whitman)
Kylie Jenner is famous for her walk-in closet that is filled with designer items that are worth over $1million.

And on Wednesday the 24-year-old cosmetics mogul shared a photo of her shoe and purse closet that has been updated for fall.

The pregnant beauty, who already has daughter Stormi with beau Travis Scott, added a $50,000 crocodile Hermes Birkin bag and a pair of Givenchy pumps worth $2,000.

That fall feeling: Kylie Jenner is famous for her walk-in closet that is filled with designer items that are worth over $1million. And on Wednesday the 24-year-old cosmetics mogul shared a photo of her shoe and purse closet that has been updated for fall

Wild! The pregnant beauty, who already has daughter Stormi with beau Travis Scott, added a $50,000 crocodile Hermes Birkin bag and a pair of Givenchy pumps worth $2,000

Also on the shelf was a Chanel purse in black and beige and smaller Hermes purses.

The shoes all had a beige, brown or black tone with kicks from Tom Ford too.

'Hello fall,' was all the brunette bombshell said in her caption.

Also on Wednesday, the youngest Jenner showed off her decadent pancake breakfast. The star is eating for two as she is expecting her second child next year.

Fall-ing in love: Also on the shelf was a Chanel purse in black and beige and smaller Hermes purses. The shoes all had a beige, brown or black tone with kicks from Tom Ford too. 'Hello fall,' was all the brunette bombshell said in her caption

Kylie's jam-packed closet has been drooled over by fans for years.

In the spring of 2021 as she gave Instagram fans a glimpse of her pastel colored Hermes purses as well as items from Chanel.

Jenner has never held back when it comes to revealing the spoils of her hard work from Kylie Cosmetics which has made her worth around $1billion.

Spring hues: Jenner showed an update of the room for spring 2021. And on the shelves were dainty crystal-encrusted purse from Judith Leiber, which Kim and Khloe also collect

The beauty gave several angles of the closet which had no black items, only colorful pieces such as open toe shoes, high heels that are strappy and eye-popping purses with fancy hardware.

There was a heart-shaped beige Chanel purse with a large black double C logo.

And on the shelves were dainty crystal-encrusted purse from Judith Leiber, which Kim and Khloe also collect.

And a small dusty blue Hermes Birkin bag also stood out. Behind that was a large Louise Vuitton bag with the LV logo in hot pink.

Light and easy: The cover girl gave Instagram fans a glimpse of her pastel colored Hermes purses as well as new items from Chanel

Upscale: The beauty gave several angles of the closet which had no black items, only colorful pieces such as open toe shoes, high heels that are strappy and eye-popping purses with fancy hardware

The shoes looked perfect for Miami nights with a stunning light metallic pink pair by Alexandre Vauthier.

And there were several shoes from the designer Louboutin.

In one of the clips, the mother to Stormi Webster said she was reorganizing the closet.

Jenner then shared images of her nails; they are now long and a beige color with several rhinestones. One nail even looked like a bandanna print.

And the TV star was thrilled that her pink ring matched her purse.

In 2019 Kylie shocked fans with a look at her very upscale walk in closet at her Hidden Hills, California mansion.

Her closet specifically dedicated to designer bags has reached legendary status.

The special room was reported to have over $1 million worth in product.

The mogul's interior designer Martyn Lawrence-Bullard revealed that the reality star had over 400 designer handbags in the closet of her Hidden Hills mansion.

The way her closet looked before: Designer Martyn Bullard shared a look at her closet in 2019

The London-native told People magazine that Kylie's massive 'purse closet that is dedicated to her collection of incredible bags.'

Before that Kylie gave her fans a special inside look at her impressive collection for a video on her YouTube channel as Bullard shed even more light on it.

He said: 'There are at least 400 bags, mostly Hermes, lots of Birkin bags and then Louis Vuitton, lots of Chanel and some Dior and Fendi.

'Lots of them are collectors items. Shes bought some as investments and theyre treated like works of art.'

Bullard added that she has a individual closets for everyday clothes, workout clothes, a VIP storage room, the handbag closet, and even a custom-designed fitting room.

In the video posted on her YouTube channel she revealed that she even has a few handbags set aside for her one-year-old daughter Stormi including a $7,700 pink Hermes bag that will likely be her little girl's first purse.

Kylie has at least four leather Hermes Birkin bags, which cost $11,000 or more a piece, while her orange suede Birkin retails for about $20,000.

Collector: Kylie has at least four leather Hermes Birkin bags, which cost $11,000 or more a piece, while her orange suede Birkin retails for about $20,000

'The one that I think is the most unique and cool is definitely the Dalmatian. I think it is really beautiful,' she says of the limited-edition Birkin, which costs about $20,000.

The looker also thinks her Hermes So Black Birkin is 'pretty cool' because it has all black hardware. The limited-edition style, which was estimated to be worth $10,000 to $15,000, went for $24,000 at a Christie's auction.

The diva launched her makeup empire because as a teen she loved to play with makeup: 'The reason I got into makeup is its all about making yourself feel better.'

Kylie's home has been featured very prominently recently as she is featured in Architectural Digest's annual Star Power issue.

Stunning: Kylie's home has been featured very prominently recently as she is featured in Architectural Digest's annual Star Power issue.

The mogul looked striking in a retro-inspired yellow dress as she twirled around her very chic, modernly styled living room.

Kylie's gorgeous gown featured a halter neckline with bunches of billowing fabric hiding her stellar figure.

The throwback mustard-hued frock had a dusting of pink with heavy feathers to match the hemlines.
Sarah Jessica Parker looked like she was in great spirits as she arrived to the set of Sex and the City spinoff series And Just Like That... on Wednesday.

The 56-year-old actress was all smiles when she was spotted walking down the sidewalk on her way to shoot scenes in New York City.

The star looked effortlessly chic in a white and black sheath dress as she reprises her role as fashionista Carrie Bradshaw.

All smiles: Sarah Jessica Parker looked like she was in great spirits as she arrived to the set of Sex and the City spinoff series And Just Like That...on Wednesday

Parker bundled up in a long black puffer coat and carried a black canvas bag.

Sarah's long blonde locks were parted in the center and pulled back from her face.

She accessorized with a pair of pearl earrings and wore a light palette of makeup that included a rosy blush and a nude lipstick.

Good mood: The 56-year-old actress was all smiles when she was spotted walking down the sidewalk on her way to shoot scenes in New York City

Parker completed her look with a hot pink pointed toe heels that were embellished with black rhinestone-studded tulle bows.

Sarah's co-star Kristin Davis, 56, beamed as she was escorted to the set by production staff members.

Davis covered up in a long navy blue hooded coat though her bright green ruffled skirt peeked out from under the hemline.



Stylish: The star looked effortlessly chic in a white and black sheath dress as she reprises her role as fashionista Carrie Bradshaw

Kristen accessorized with a pair of small diamond hoop earrings and shielded her eyes from the sun with sunglasses that had a light pink and yellow frame.

The actress sported brown suede Mary Jane heel that had rhinestone-encrusted buckles.

Kristen's long brunette tresses in loose waves and she wore a mauve lipstick with a light pink blush.

Staying warm: Kristin Davis covered up in a long navy blue hooded coat though her bright green ruffled skirt peeked out from under the hemline

Cynthia Nixon, 55, chatted with staff members as she was dropped off on the set.

Nixon donned a long black blazer over a bold swirl-print dress that hung to her mid-calves and carried a black clutch bag.

The star's gray hair was styled into chic bob and she rocked bright blue eyeshadow.

On-set: Davis, 56, beamed as she was escorted to the set by production staff members

Cynthia sported silver-studded black platform heels and accessorized with a gold chain bracelet.

Meanwhile, fans were quite upset when photos surfaced from the set of Sarah kissing new cast member Jon Tenney.

Fans were outraged at the photo, particularly since Parker and Chris Noth, 66, who plays Carrie's husband Mr. Big, were seen filming in Paris just days earlier.

Tenney, 59, was also spotted alongside Sarah in New York shortly after the Paris shoot, though the kissing photos have angered fans who don't want to see Carrie and Mr. Big broken up.

Ready to work: Cynthia Nixon, 55, chatted with staff members as she was dropped off on the set

The show will follow Carrie, Charlotte (Davis) and Miranda (Nixon) as they try to navigate their friendship into their 50s.

Also returning from the original Sex and the City series is Mario Cantone (Anthony Marentino), David Eigenberg (Steve Brady), Evan Handler (Harry Goldenblatt) and the late Willie Garson (Stanford Blatch).

Garson passed away in September, and he was shooting And Just Like That... at the time of his passing.
Richard Madden looked dapper as he arrived at the Eternals premiere at the BFI IMAX Waterloo in London on Wednesday evening.

The actor, 35, wore a smart black suit with matching tie as he walked the red carpet at the event.

He could be seen wearing a crisp white shirt, sporting a similar look to his co-star in the movie, Kit Harington, 34, who looked suave in a FENDI Winter21 capsule suit.

The actors first worked together on hit HBO show Game Of Thrones as on-screen half brothers Jon Snow and Robb Stark.

But while Kit's Snow featured in all six seasons, Madden's Stark was famously killed off during its bloodiest episode, dubbed The Red Wedding by fans because of its graphic brutality.

All-stars: Richard Madden, 35, looked dapper in a black suit at the Eternals premiere in London on Wednesday as he arrived alongside similarly attired co-star Kit Harington, 34

Richard stars in the film as character Ikaris, a member of the Eternals, while Kit plays human Dane Whitman.

The film sees the Eternals, an immortal alien race, come out of hiding for thousands of years to protect Earth from their evil counterparts, the Deviants.

Eternals, which premiered in Los Angeles earlier this month, stars Angelina Jolie, 46, as elite warrior Thena and Gemma Chan, 38, as the character Sersi.

Strike a pose: Richard wore a smart black suit with matching tie as he walked the red carpet at the event

Top cast: Richard stars in the film as character Ikaris, a member of the Eternals, which first premiered in Los Angeles earlier this month

Telling the tale: The flick sees the Eternals, an immortal alien race, come out of hiding for thousands of years to protect Earth from their evil counterparts, the Deviants

The cast includes MCU's first deaf superhero (Lauren Ridloff as Makkari) and its first openly gay superhero (Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos) who shares the franchise's first onscreen same-sex kiss with Haaz Sleiman, who plays his husband.

In ELLE's 2021 Women In Hollywood issue, Angelina - who is an advocate for refugees - discusses her upcoming movie and praises The Eternals' director, Oscar-winner Chloe Zhao for her choice of casting.

Looking good: Kit looked dashing in his attired, wearing a black shirt which he left open at the collar for the night

Dashing: The star smiled as he arrived on the red carpet in his smartly pressed pin-striped suit and matching black shirt

Critiqued: The superhero flick was lambasted by critics over its 'miserably undernourished' script, deluge of underdeveloped characters and 'overloaded' storyline

'A lot of times as an actress, you're that individual strong woman, or you have one sister; you don't often have this family where you really get to know women and see all the different strengths,' she explained.

Praising her co-stars, she continued: 'Gemma's grace and elegance and the way she walks through the world. Salma's motherhood and power, and Lauren's connection and intelligence. Everybody came as themselves.

'Maybe there's something to that, that the characters weren't as far off [from ourselves]. I think there's a secret that we don't know that our director knows, because if you look at her films, she casts a lot of real people as their roles and it shapes her films.'

Oh dear: Ahead of its release Eternals was branded 'disappointing' and 'ultimately unmemorable' by critics in first reviews of the hotly anticipated MCU blockbuster (above Angelina Jolie as Thena in the film)

She reveals in the issue that when she was first contacted about the movie, she thought it was going to play a 'grandmother' type role.

'I never thought I was going to be one of the Eternals. It doesn't happen. It's never happened to me like that before without a fight and like, 'I can do this, please hire me!' When she told me I was one of them, I was like, ''Me, Mexican, Middle Eastern? Me, in my fifties? I'm going to be a superhero in a Marvel movie?'' Sometimes as a woman, as a woman of colour and with the age, you feel so overlooked,' she said.

Commending Zao for 'having balls', she championed the director for 'acknowledging' her within the industry.

Ridloff, whose character Makkari is deaf like her and the first deaf superhero within the Marvel universe, reveals she jumped at the chance to 'show representation' on screen in a 'refreshing' way, while Chan praises Marvel for showing diversity on a global scale with its movies.

Ahead of its release, Eternals has already been branded 'disappointing' and 'ultimately unmemorable' by critics in its first reviews.

Not good: The film was lambasted by critics over its 'miserably undernourished' script, deluge of underdeveloped characters and 'overloaded' storyline (pictured left, Don Lee as Gilgamesh, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo - and right Lauren Midloff as Makkari)

The superhero flick was lambasted by critics over its 'miserably undernourished' script, deluge of underdeveloped characters and 'overloaded' storyline.

Critics were torn as the 'refreshingly diverse' cast of characters resulted in a group of 'navel-gazing superheroes' that signalled 'two steps forwards for representation but three steps backwards for dramatic ingenuity.'

The Times critic Kevin Maher gave the film two stars and took aim at the 157-minute flick's script and its 'strange self-sabotaging energy.'

He wrote: 'It is the characters, however, who represent the biggest shift away from the swaggering, mostly white, mostly male, mostly straight, mostly neurotypical and mostly hearing ensembles (think Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, etc) that have defined the Marvel brand thus far.'

Adding the 'reinvented heroes work' he continued: 'But they are also, to paraphrase Pirandello, ten characters in search of a script. Because the one they have now, co-written by Chloe Zhao, the director (Nomadland), is derivative, messy and miserably undernourished.

'Eternals is two steps forwards for representation but three steps backwards for dramatic ingenuity.

Variety critic Owen Gleiberman branded the film a 'disappointment' over lacking the 'raw and real' signature quality Zhao has brought to her other films.

He wrote: 'Yet as I approached Eternals, the question I was most curious about was whether Zhao, who in Nomadland and The Rider defined her filmmaking style in a unique poetic way, would carry any remnants of that mode over to the blockbuster universe... Eternals has none of that. It's clear that that's something of a disappointment.

He added the film feels 'very standard' in comparison to 'top-tier' team superhero films (the first Guardians of the Galaxy, Zack Snyder's Justice League, and 'Avengers: Infinity War) and that the film 'never transcends its conventionality'

He did however laud the diversity of the cast, writing: 'Four of the Eternals are white, three are Asian, two are Black, and one is Latina. One is gay, one is deaf, and one is an androgynous tween who never grows up.

'Any troll who surveys this lively medley of backgrounds and temperaments only to gripe that the movie is too 'woke' might have lodged the same complaint about Star Trek 55 years ago.'

The Telegraph critic Robbie Collin again gave Eternals two stars, writing: 'The answer is the problem with Eternals in miniature: it's constantly engaged in a kind of grit-toothed authenticity theatre, going out of its way to show you it's doing all the things proper cinema does, even though none of them bring any discernible benefit whatsoever to the film at hand.

'The more muted tone rules out Marvel's fast and flippant house style: instead, Eternals opts for solemnity peppered with wackiness, which occasionally gives it the feel of a Japanese anime series.'

Criticism: The Guardian critic Steve Rose scored the film two stars once again and likened it to a 'sophisticated PowerPoint presentation' due to its comprehensive mythological storyline

Empire critic John Nugent gave Eternals three stars, as it was 'unable to escape the cliches of superhero storytelling' but praised Zhao's 'assured and ambitious' MCU debut.

He wrote: 'There's a fascinating tension in Eternals between the unstoppable force of the Marvel project and the immovable object of Zhao's artistic sensibilities. In many ways, this looks and feels nothing like any Chloe Zhao film we've seen before

'And yet in many ways, this film looks and feels nothing like any previous Marvel film. There are, for example, at least a couple of firsts: a genuine sex scene, and an onscreen gay kiss  unheard of in the normally rather chaste MCU.

'More frequently, though, it seems to fall into familiar traps about saving the world and learning to work together as a team; when a giant, CGI-heavy battle begins to thwart another potential apocalypse, you start to feel a formula being leaned on.'

Actors: Evening Standard critic Charlotte O'Sullivan praised the film and gave it an impressive four stars, heaping praise on the cast, bar Gemma Chan's 'wooden' turn as Sersi (above with Kit Harington as Dane Whitman)
Barry Keoghan was joined by new girlfriend Alyson Sandro on Wednesday evening as the couple made their red carpet debut at the UK gala screening of Eternals.

The actor, 29, looked sharp in a brown tailored suit as they posed for photos on the red carpet outside the BFI IMAX Waterloo in London.

Meanwhile Alyson looked incredible in a multi coloured fringe dress and red strappy heels during their first public appearance.

Looking good: Barry Keoghan looked sharp in a brown tailored suit at the Eternals premiere at the BFI IMAX Waterloo in London on Wednesday

The pair packed on the PDA on the red carpet as they kissed and wrapped their arms around each other.

Dublin native Barry separated from long-term girlfriend Shona Guerin during the summer.

The former couple met on a night out in Shonas hometown of Killarney back in 2017, and in recent years they were living together in Los Angeles.

Stunning: The actor, 29, was joined by his new girlfriend Alyson Sandro who looked incredible in a multi coloured fringe dress

Happy couple: The Irish film star, who plays Druig in the Marvel film, looked dapper as he cosied up to his new beau on the red carpet

Quirky: He paired his ensemble with quirky brown and black faux snake skin boots

Gorgeous: Alyson perfected her look with red open toe heels and accessorised with a silver choker necklace

It came to light after fans snooped through the couples social media accounts and found they had unfollowed each other.

Since his days on Love/Hate, Barry has gone on to be nominated for a BAFTA Rising Star award.

Talented: Since his days on Love/Hate, Barry has gone on to be nominated for a BAFTA Rising Star award

Sweet: The pair packed on the PDA on the red carpet as they kissed and wrapped their arms around each other

Eternals is a 2021 Marvel film based on the fictional race of humanoids of the same name which appears in the American comic books.

The film sees the Eternals, an immortal alien race, come out of hiding for thousands of years to protect Earth from their evil counterparts, the Deviants.

The movie, which premiered in Los Angeles earlier this month, stars Angelina as elite warrior Thena and Gemma as the character Sersi.

Style: He completed his look with a white shirt which donned a stylish ruffled collar

Ex: The Dublin native separated from long-term girlfriend Shona Guerin during the summer

The cast includes MCU's first deaf superhero (Lauren Ridloff as Makkari) and its first openly gay superhero (Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos) who shares the franchise's first onscreen same-sex kiss with Haaz Sleiman, who plays his husband.

In ELLE's 2021 Women In Hollywood issue, Angelina - who is an advocate for refugees - discusses her upcoming movie and praises The Eternals' director, Oscar-winner Chloe Zhao for her choice of casting.

'A lot of times as an actress, you're that individual strong woman, or you have one sister; you don't often have this family where you really get to know women and see all the different strengths,' Jolie explained.

Commanding the screen: Angelina stars opposite the likes of Chan, Madden, and Hayek in the upcoming superhero flick

Oh dear: Ahead of its release Eternals was branded 'disappointing' and 'ultimately unmemorable' by critics in first reviews of the hotly anticipated MCU blockbuster (above Angelina Jolie as Thena in the film)

Praising her co-stars, she continued: 'Gemma's grace and elegance and the way she walks through the world. Salma's motherhood and power, and Lauren's connection and intelligence. Everybody came as themselves.

'Maybe there's something to that, that the characters weren't as far off [from ourselves]. I think there's a secret that we don't know that our director knows, because if you look at her films, she casts a lot of real people as their roles and it shapes her films.'

She reveals in the issue that when she was first contacted about the movie, she thought it was going to play a 'grandmother' type role.

'I never thought I was going to be one of the Eternals. It doesn't happen. It's never happened to me like that before without a fight and like, 'I can do this, please hire me!' When she told me I was one of them, I was like, ''Me, Mexican, Middle Eastern? Me, in my fifties? I'm going to be a superhero in a Marvel movie?'' Sometimes as a woman, as a woman of colour and with the age, you feel so overlooked,' she said.

Commending Zao for 'having balls', she championed the director for 'acknowledging' her within the industry.

Ridloff, whose character Makkari is deaf like her and the first deaf superhero within the Marvel universe, reveals she jumped at the chance to 'show representation' on screen in a 'refreshing' way, while Chan praises Marvel for showing diversity on a global scale with its movies.

Ahead of its release, Eternals has already been branded 'disappointing' and 'ultimately unmemorable' by critics in its first reviews.

The superhero flick was lambasted by critics over its 'miserably undernourished' script, deluge of underdeveloped characters and 'overloaded' storyline.

Critics were torn as the 'refreshingly diverse' cast of characters resulted in a group of 'navel-gazing superheroes' that signalled 'two steps forwards for representation but three steps backwards for dramatic ingenuity.'

The Times critic Kevin Maher gave the film two stars and took aim at the 157-minute flick's script and its 'strange self-sabotaging energy.'

He wrote: 'It is the characters, however, who represent the biggest shift away from the swaggering, mostly white, mostly male, mostly straight, mostly neurotypical and mostly hearing ensembles (think Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, etc) that have defined the Marvel brand thus far.'

Not good: The film was lambasted by critics over its 'miserably undernourished' script, deluge of underdeveloped characters and 'overloaded' storyline (pictured left, Don Lee as Gilgamesh, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo - and right Lauren Midloff as Makkari)

Adding the 'reinvented heroes work' he continued: 'But they are also, to paraphrase Pirandello, ten characters in search of a script. Because the one they have now, co-written by Chloe Zhao, the director (Nomadland), is derivative, messy and miserably undernourished.

'Eternals is two steps forwards for representation but three steps backwards for dramatic ingenuity.

Variety critic Owen Gleiberman branded the film a 'disappointment' over lacking the 'raw and real' signature quality Zhao has brought to her other films.

He wrote: 'Yet as I approached Eternals, the question I was most curious about was whether Zhao, who in Nomadland and The Rider defined her filmmaking style in a unique poetic way, would carry any remnants of that mode over to the blockbuster universe... Eternals has none of that. It's clear that that's something of a disappointment.

He added the film feels 'very standard' in comparison to 'top-tier' team superhero films (the first Guardians of the Galaxy, Zack Snyder's Justice League, and 'Avengers: Infinity War) and that the film 'never transcends its conventionality'

He did however laud the diversity of the cast, writing: 'Four of the Eternals are white, three are Asian, two are Black, and one is Latina. One is gay, one is deaf, and one is an androgynous tween who never grows up.

'Any troll who surveys this lively medley of backgrounds and temperaments only to gripe that the movie is too 'woke' might have lodged the same complaint about Star Trek 55 years ago.'

The Guardian critic Steve Rose scored the film two stars once again and likened it to a 'sophisticated PowerPoint presentation' due to its comprehensive mythological storyline.

He wrote: 'There is also an epic mythology to get our heads around: even before a line of dialogue is spoken, three dense paragraphs of text explain how our 10 Eternals came to earth to protect it from the predatory Deviants (sort of skinless, sinewy beasts with prehensile tentacles) at the behest of Arishem, 'the Prime Celestial'.

'If you're lost already, bad luck: there's plenty more to come, which demands some planet-sized chunks of exposition. At times if feels like you are watching a very sophisticated PowerPoint presentation.'

Adding the film was a 'gigantic exercise in un-realism', he praised Kumail Nanjiani's turn as Eternal-turned-Bollywood movie star Kingo, but said Angelina Jolie's Thena was 'unconvincing' portraying a personality disorder.

He wrote: That's the problem: there's just too much going on: it's all headed towards yet another 'race against time to stop the really bad thing happening' climax. It's not exactly boring  there's always something new to behold  but nor it is particularly exciting, and it lacks the breezy wit of Marvel's best movies.'

The Telegraph critic Robbie Collin again gave Eternals two stars, writing: 'The answer is the problem with Eternals in miniature: it's constantly engaged in a kind of grit-toothed authenticity theatre, going out of its way to show you it's doing all the things proper cinema does, even though none of them bring any discernible benefit whatsoever to the film at hand.

'The more muted tone rules out Marvel's fast and flippant house style: instead, Eternals opts for solemnity peppered with wackiness, which occasionally gives it the feel of a Japanese anime series.'

Criticism: The Guardian critic Steve Rose scored the film two stars once again and likened it to a 'sophisticated PowerPoint presentation' due to its comprehensive mythological storyline

He added that Jolie's character was 'like a parody', and wrote: 'Perhaps the hope was that Marvel's 26th film might rattle the franchise out of its comfort zone. But the franchise is nothing but comfort zone, which renders its latest entry an instant white elephant.'

Empire critic John Nugent gave Eternals three stars, as it was 'unable to escape the cliches of superhero storytelling' but praised Zhao's 'assured and ambitious' MCU debut.

He wrote: 'There's a fascinating tension in Eternals between the unstoppable force of the Marvel project and the immovable object of Zhao's artistic sensibilities. In many ways, this looks and feels nothing like any Chloe Zhao film we've seen before

'And yet in many ways, this film looks and feels nothing like any previous Marvel film. There are, for example, at least a couple of firsts: a genuine sex scene, and an onscreen gay kiss  unheard of in the normally rather chaste MCU.

'More frequently, though, it seems to fall into familiar traps about saving the world and learning to work together as a team; when a giant, CGI-heavy battle begins to thwart another potential apocalypse, you start to feel a formula being leaned on.'

Actors: Evening Standard critic Charlotte O'Sullivan praised the film and gave it an impressive four stars, heaping praise on the cast, bar Gemma Chan's 'wooden' turn as Sersi (above with Kit Harington as Dane Whitman)

BBC Culture critic Nicholas Barber also gave 'ultimately unmemorable' Eternals three stars, and said 'it could be the most disappointing MCU film yet.'

He wrote: 'Suffice it to say that the Eternals score highly in terms of gender, ethnic and sexual diversity, but lowly in terms of being memorable. They're a sketchily drawn and fundamentally drab bunch, so it can be tricky to remember which one is friendly with which.

'By rights, their super-soap opera should have had its own 20-part series on Disney+. In a film, the plot is so over-populated that one Eternal even announces, shortly before the climactic battle, that he doesn't want to be involved, and walks out, leaving us to wonder why exactly we've spent the last hour hanging out with him.

Eternals is adapted from a series of far-out 1970s comics by the great Jack Kirby, and traces remain of his visionary design, but Zhao and her three co-writers have weighed it down with lots of rudimentary dialogue.'

Evening Standard critic Charlotte O'Sullivan praised the film and gave it an impressive four stars, heaping praise on the cast, bar Gemma Chan's 'wooden' turn as Sersi.

She wrote: 'We're used to top-notch bickering from Marvel but the self-aware, sibling-like rivalry here seems extra divine because it allows ideas explored in Nomadland to be revisited. Maybe we don't need a 'true home' in our lives. Or a 'boss'.

'The whole cast are fabulous, with one exception. Chan's a bit wooden. As far as the script's concerned, she's the chosen one. But I wish Zhao hadn't chosen her.

'Anyway, the fights, especially in the film's last third, are astounding, beautifully paced and crammed with detail. '
Kendall Jenner offered fans a glimpse at her racy Halloween costume on Wednesday as she prepares to celebrate the annual holiday this weekend.

The Vogue cover girl, 25, showcased her incredible physique in a skimpy corpse bride ensemble, complete with an ivory satin gown and a matching veil.

Eventually Kendall removed the dress to showcased the sizzling lingerie that was hidden underneath, as she posed for sultry snaps ahead of the big day on Sunday.

Wow! Kendall Jenner offered fans a glimpse at her racy Halloween costume on Wednesday as she prepares to celebrate the annual holiday this weekend

The star added gloves over her green nails and platform heels in an off white color.

'4 days till halloween, yer corpse bride,' the sister of Kylie Jenner wrote in her caption for her nearly 200million Instagram followers.

She was also seen in sketches that looked to be professionally made.

In previous years she has dressed up as Jenner as Pamela Anderson in Barb Wire for Halloween 2020.

Wanna marry me? The Vogue cover girl, 25, showcased her incredible physique in a skimpy corpse bride ensemble, complete with an ivory satin gown and a matching veil

Bride babe: Eventually Kendall removed the dress to showcased the sizzling lingerie that was hidden underneath, as she posed for sultry snaps ahead of the big day on Sunday

In 2019 she was a gold forest fairy with a mini skirt, wings and head piece. She looked the part of a Fem Bot from Austin Powers in 2018.

In 2015 she was Karl Lagerfeld, the late creative director of Chanel, while a year earlier she chose to dress up as Mario from the Super Mario Bros franchise.

Last weekend she was seen in a skimpy pea green string bikini from Juillet, which made the most of her 24in waistline.

And the girlfriend of Devin Booker added a pink cowgirl hat that had silver fringe on the edge and was emblazoned with her initials, KJ.

Marriage material: The star added gloves over her green nails and platform heels in an off white color

The Vogue favorite was with her pals Hailey Bieber, Bella Hadid, and Jesse Jo Stark as Hadid tagged them in a photo of her dessert on a table with a white tablecloth.

The group was together at Kris Jenner's Palm Springs, California mansion to celebrate pal Lauren Perez's upcoming wedding to David Waltzer.

Lauren wrote on Instagram: 'Next step is the altar!! I'm one lucky girl with the greatest friends and soon to be hubby. Feeling so blessed in this world.'

She shared a look at the room where there were silver Mylar balloons that spelled out Mrs Waltzer.

Fun day: '4 days till halloween, yer corpse bride,' the sister of Kylie Jenner wrote in her caption for her nearly 200million Instagram followers

And she said she felt like a 'princess' during the special weekend.

Kendall also shared an image of her 818 tequila that was crystal encrusted as did Lauren.

Bella was also seen in a bikini top during the get together. Hers was brown with thin straps.

Meanwhile, Kendall has been working hard to promote her tequila brand. In September she said she wants her tequila brand to support the Jalisco community.

The Versace model was accused of culturally appropriating Mexican culture earlier this year, when she starred in a controversial advertising campaign for 818 Tequila.

But Kendall has now revealed how she and her brand are supporting the community where the drink is made.

Sketch me: She was also seen in sketches that looked to be professionally made

Another take: In this drawing she had on an orange bikini with a long lace veil

The brunette beauty - who was previously accused of spreading misconceptions about Mexican culture - said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: 'At our distillery, which I was just at the other day, we found a way to take the agave fibres and water waste and build sustainable brick that were are actually dominating back to the community of Jalisco.

'Along with saving the planet it's important for us to be friendly to the community as well. We're donating them and building homes for people that need homes.'

Andy Coronado, who co-owns La Gritona Tequila with businesswoman Melly Barajas Cardenas, previously bemoaned celebrities like Kendall entering the drinks industry.

He warned that celebrity tequila companies 'pull away resources from smaller brands'.

Yee-haw! Jenner was showing off her supermodel figure on social media on Monday afternoon. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star, 25, was seen in a skimpy pea green string bikini from Juillet, which made the most of her 24in waistline

Andy said: 'It is a commodity, and it boosts the prices. It leaves the rest of the tequila world to trying to  survive.'

Meanwhile, Melly thinks the drinks industry is becoming more globalized.

She said: 'If you say tequila, you immediately think about Mexico. 'I would love for it to be known all over the world by whoever because although an American creates their own brand and whether you like it or not, Mexico also sees that money because there's no other country.'
A press release announcing Nadia Bartel as last year's Melbourne Cup Carnival ambassador has been quietly deleted from the official Victoria Racing Club website.

The VRC had confirmed its partnership with the 'businesswoman and fashion identity' on October 3, 2020, with a gushing statement posted online.

But the page has since been taken down and any attempt to access it redirects users to a 404 Not Found error message.

Wiped from the history books: A press release announcing Nadia Bartel as last year's Melbourne Cup Carnival ambassador has been quietly deleted from the official Victoria Racing Club website. Pictured: Nadia at at Flemington Racecourse on October 27, 2020

Interestingly, traces of the web page can still be found on Google Search.

It can sometimes take months for inactive web pages to fall off search engine results, so this isn't unusual.

A cached version of the press release can also still be accessed.

Nadia's disappearing act on the VRC website coincides with fellow Melbourne WAG Jessie Murphy landing a plum gig with the Spring Racing Carnival.

Gone: The VRC had confirmed its partnership with the 'businesswoman and fashion identity' on October 3, 2020, with a gushing statement posted online. But the page has since been taken down and any attempt to access it redirects users to a 404 Not Found error message

Remnant: Traces of the web page can still be found on Google Search. It can sometimes take months for inactive web pages to fall off search engine results, so this isn't unusual

That way it used to look: A cached version of the press release can also still be accessed

Jessie, the wife of former Carlton captain Marc Murphy, has partnered with the organisation to promote the welfare of racehorses.

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, she announced she will be highlighting the 'initiatives and programs designed to keep the horses safe during and after racing'.

Nadia has had a spectacular fall from grace since she was busted snorting white powder at an illegal party during Melbourne's lockdown on September 2.

Role: Nadia's disappearing act on the VRC website coincides with fellow WAG Jessie Murphy landing a plum gig with the Spring Racing Carnival. Pictured with her husband, former Carlton captain Marc Murphy, at Flemington Racecourse on November 5, 2019

She and three other women were each fined $5,452 after footage from the party was accidentally posted on Instagram by her friend and business partner Ellie Pearson.

But the most humiliating part of the scandal was seeing Nadia, once known for her impeccably clean-cut image, snorting the white substance off a $1.50 Kmart plate.

She wasn't charged with drug offences, however, because Victoria Police couldn't prove what she was snorting.

Animal welfare: Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, she announced she will be highlighting the 'initiatives and programs designed to keep the horses safe during and after racing'

As the Melbourne Cup Carnival prepares to kick off in a matter of days, speculation is growing that Nadia - who was once a regular attendee at the races - could use the event at Flemington Racecourse to mount her comeback to the social scene.

The Henne founder, who last year described the Cup as 'the highlight of my year', has been a fixture of the Birdcage enclosure for the past decade.

Year after year, Nadia and fellow WAGs Bec Judd and Kylie Brown have partied in the premium marquee where only celebrities and VIPs are allowed access.

Damning footage: Nadia (left) has had a spectacular fall from grace since she was busted snorting white powder at an illegal party during Melbourne 's lockdown on September 2

Comeback? As the Melbourne Cup Carnival prepares to kick off in a matter of days, speculation is growing that Nadia - who was once a regular attendee at the races - could use the event at Flemington Racecourse to mount her comeback to the social scene

Socialite: The Henne founder, who last year described the Cup as 'the highlight of my year', has been a fixture of the Birdcage enclosure for the past decade

Social elite: Year after year, Nadia and her glamorous pals (pictured with Lauren Phillips) have partied in the premium marquee where only celebrities and VIPs are allowed access

The mother of two also had a high-profile role at the races last year, with the VRC announcing her as Melbourne Cup Carnival Ambassador in 2020.

'The Melbourne Cup Carnival is always the highlight of my year, and although it may look a little different this year, I have no doubt the excitement levels will be as high as ever,' Nadia said in a press release at the time.

However, this announcement has since been wiped from the VRC history books.

Nadia is the ex-wife of retired AFL star Jimmy Bartel, who spent his career with the Geelong Cats. They split in 2019 after five years of marriage.
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Shanina Shaik, Olivia Culpo and Lori Harvey were among a parade of models enjoying a day at sea on a luxury yacht for the Michael Kors x 007 event held off Miami Beach on Wednesday.

The models donned James Bond-style swimsuits - inspired by Bond Girls of the past - as they posed up a storm on board the lavish vessel in aid of the brand's collaboration with the spy franchise.

Australian model Shanina Shaik, 30, showcased her incredible frame in a plunging navy swimsuit, which teased her ample assets and was cinched around her slim waist with a gold belt.

What a line-up! Shanina Shaik, Olivia Culpo and Lori Harvey (L-R) were among a parade of models enjoying a day at sea on a luxury yacht for the Michael Kors x 007 event held off Miami Beach on Wednesday

The highrise suit highlighted her endless pins as she posed with her hand in her tousselled locks, which had been styled in beachy waves.

The Victoria's Secret Angel opted to enhance her natural beauty with soft touches of make-up.

Meanwhile, former pageant queen Olivia Culpo, 29, showed off some skin and her sunning curves in the same swimsuit as Shanina while posing for snaps on board the sundeck on the boat.

Model material: Elsa Hosk was flaunting her model credentials on the day out, as she slipped on the James Bond swimsuit and looked every inch the leading lady as she posed on deck

Bond girl! Mary Leest showed off her Bond girl style as she rode a jet ski over the waves

Sizzling: The models were all sporting the Michael Kors x 007 swimsuti

Beauties: She appeared a total natural as she posed up a storm beside fellow model Camila Coelh

Olivia wore her long brunette locks in a loose style and swept some strands off her pretty face, which had been highlighted with a dewy pallet of make-up in bronze hues.

Joining them on the trip was Steve Harvey's daughter Lori, 24, who was sporting a swimsuit, but layered up with a cropped T-shirt which had the words 'agent 007' splashed across the chest.

The model and former Equestrian wore her hair slicked back into a neat bun and opted for a glamorous coat of make-up, while also rocking a pair of oversized hoop earrings.

Blustery day: Olivia wore her long brunette locks in a loose style and swept some strands off her pretty face, which had been highlighted with a dewy pallet of make-up in bronze hues

Not her first rodeo! Camila wore her brunette tresses tied back in a loose ponytail

She's got skills! One model hopped off the boat to showcase her wakeboarding skills

Encore! The models were aboard a boat named Encore during the day out

Elsa Hosk was flaunting her model credentials on the day out, as she slipped on the James Bond swimsuit and looked every inch the leading lady as she posed on deck.

Also on the boat was Norwegian model Frida Aasen, who showcased her enviable frame in a strappy black swimsuit, which also featured the same gold belt as the other models.

Frida, 26, wore her luscious blonde locks in a loose flowing style and was sporting a pair of large black sunglasses, as she shielded her eyes from the glaring rays of the sun.

She appeared a total natural as she posed up a storm beside fellow model Camila Coelh.

Hold on tight! The blonde beauty appeared a total natural on the wakeboard

Flawless: The model and former Equestrian wore her hair slicked back into a neat bun and opted for a glamorous coat of make-up, while also rocking a pair of oversized hoop earrings

If in doubt, pout: The swimsuit was paired with a semi-sheer black sarong which was tied around her waist

Looking good: Frida and Camila both looked super stylish in their swimwear

Ride it! After shooting for the campaign they hopped onto a jet ski

Squad: The models all jumped in together for a group snap

As well as topping up their tans while on the boat's sun deck, the women also made the most of the yacht's water sports facilities as they hopped on jet skis and wakeboards.

Mary Leest donned a lifejacket as she took to the high seas on a jet ski, wearing her hair swept back into a ponytail and donning a pair of aviator shades as she rode over the waves.

Back on board, Cindy Mello looked effortlessly stylish in a white bikini top and wide-legged trousers as she posed for cameras.

Blonde and brunette: The models new their angles as they shot some snaps together

Wow! The jet ski lept out of the water as it rode alongside the yacht

Chic: Back on board, Cindy Mello looked effortlessly stylish in a white bikini top and wide-legged trousers as she posed for cameras

Taking direction: A photographer was on hand to help the models with their direction

Wahey! They appeared to be having a whale of a time on the jet ski

Zoom: Mary looked every inch the Bond girl on the jet ski

Picture perfect: Olivia flaunted her flawless features

Adrenaline junkie: Mary splashed through the waves

Smile! A photographer could be seen taking snaps of Frida and Camila

Gym-honed: The look flaunted Mary's incredible toned legs

Prior to the start of the photoshoot, the models gathered around the stern to relax and sip from champagne flutes.

Earlier, Lori was seen chatting with friends on the deck and celebrating with a champagne flute.

She put on a busty display in the black MMK x 007 swimsuit, which she wore with a pair of high-waisted baggy jeans.

Bond girls: Lori put on a busty display in the black MMK x 007 swimsuit, which she wore with a pair of high-waisted baggy jeans

Taking it easy: Prior to the start of the photoshoot, the models gathered around the stern to relax and sip from champagne flutes

Back in black: Lori appeared to take a break from the festivities to film a solo video and changed her outfit, adding a black crop top with the capsule name on the back

Lori appeared to take a break from the festivities to film a solo video and changed her outfit, adding a black crop top with the capsule name on the back.

The raven-haired beauty, who kept her long locks tied back in a tight bun, stripped out of her jeans to highlighted her pert derriere and toned legs in the high-cut suit.

While the rest of the group relaxed at the stern of the boat, Lori stood in the narrow passage on the port side with a cameraman, who filmed her in various poses in the suit.

She covered up her suit partially with a black crop top featuring the capsule name on the back and 'Agent 007' on the front in white block letters.

Posing: While the rest of the group relaxed at the stern of the boat, Lori stood in the narrow passage on the port side with a cameraman, who filmed her in various poses in the suit

Modest: She covered up her suit partially with a black crop top featuring the capsule name on the back and 'Agent 007' on the front in white block letters

Snapped! The models ensured to document the day on their iPhones

Luggage: They were all gifted special Michael Kord x 007 luggage

Olivia favored a more modest wetsuit-like look that featured long black sleeves.

She broke off from the group to take some solo shots while standing atop the yacht and gazing dramatically off into the distance.

The Miss Universe winner let her voluminous brunette locks cascade down her back in thick waves.

Covered up: Olivia favored a more modest wetsuit-like look that featured long black sleeves

All of the models aboard were wearing black MMK x 007 suits in various cuts, though they all seemed to have zippers running up the front.

Michael Kors released the limited edition capsule collection to tie in with the recent Bond film No Time To Die, which marks Daniel Craig's final outing as the iconic British spy.

Although most of the models appeared to be staying dry, one of the models seemed to have wet hair as she climbed up the yacht's steps while wearing a black skirt with her swimsuit.

Taking the plunge: Although most of the models appeared to be staying dry, one of the models seemed to have wet hair as she climbed up the yacht's steps while wearing a black skirt with her swimsuit

On point: All of the models aboard were wearing black MMK x 007 suits in various cuts, though they all seemed to have zippers running up the front

Big fan: Michael Kors released the limited edition capsule collection to tie in with the recent Bond film No Time To Die, which marks Daniel Craig's final outing as the iconic British spy

In a row: In addition to branching off for individual photoshoots, the models lined up on the boat's port side to show off their varying looks together

In addition to branching off for individual photoshoots, the models lined up on the boat's port side to show off their varying looks together.

Michael Kors introduced its spy-themed capsule collection earlier this month in a stylish video featuring Bella Hadid that was filmed at The Ocean Club, a resort located in The Bahamas that served as the location for early scenes in Daniel Craig's first Bond film, Casino Royale.

As the models on board demonstrated, the collection favors monochrome black looks with metallic accents.

Star power: Michael Kors introduced its spy-themed capsule collection earlier this month in a stylish video featuring Bella Hadid

Location shoot: The clip was filmed at The Ocean Club, a resort located in The Bahamas that served as the location for early scenes in Daniel Craig's first Bond film, Casino Royale

Consistent: As the models on board demonstrated, the collection favors monochrome black looks with metallic accents

Getting ready: Some of the models were spotted earlier in the day as they arrived at their hotel in Miami

Working it: Shanina was one of the models on board the yacht and she shared a series of stunning images to Instagram

Model figure: The 30-year-old stunner flashed plenty of skin in the skimpy outfit

Filming: The girls videoed the day on their phones
The Today show took an unexpected turn on Thursday after co-host Ally Langdon joked she'd contracted Covid-19.

Ally was left red-faced after she began uncontrollably coughing after interviewing a medical expert about the recent coronavirus cluster at City Gym, in Darlinghurst.

'Excuse me,' Ally apologised in a croaky voice, before turning to her co-host Karl Stefanovic saying: 'It sounds a bit Covid, doesn't it?'

'Do you need a booster shot?' Karl joked.

'I might need a booster shot,' Ally giggled, adding; 'I will go and get one today. Sorry about that doctor. We will talk to you soon.'

Ally continued to cough after the interview was over, prompting Karl to slowly lean away in mock repulsion.

'It sounds a bit Covid, doesn't it?' Today's Ally Landgon, 42, (centre) was left red-faced on Thursday after she began coughing during a segment about Sydney's recent Covid cluster. Her co-host Karl Stefanovic, 47, (left) jokingly suggested she get a 'booster shot'. Pictured right is Dr Danielle McMullen

'I'm not finished [coughing] either,' Ally lamented, before asking Karl whether he'd like to read out the next portion of the show.

'Are you OK? he asked, to which Ally responded, 'I am', before exploding in another coughing fit.

Karl eventually tried to help Ally relieve herself by patting her roughly on the back.

Unfortunate: 'Are you OK? he asked warily, to which Ally responded, 'I am', before exploding in another coughing fit

'Thanks,' we're good now,' Ally assured him.

'We can do that, we're double vaxxed!' Karl added, giving Ally one last almighty whack on the back.

'Ow!' Ally exclaimed, before finally launching into the next segment.
She's known for showing off every inch of her figure in NSFW outfits.

And Tammy Hembrow was up to her usual tricks on Wednesday as she flaunted her curves in a lacy black lingerie set from Lounge Underwear.

The mother of two, 27, drew attention to her ample cleavage and hourglass frame for a series of sultry selfies, which she captioned with a black love heart emoji.

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Stripping down again: Tammy Hembrow was up to her usual tricks on Wednesday as she flaunted her curves in a lacy black lingerie set from Lounge Underwear

The Gold Coast businesswoman has previously said she 'hates' it when people falsely accuse her of having undergone a Brazilian butt lift.

She told Studio 10 in December 2019: 'I hate when people accuse me of doing that. I take such offence to it because I worked so hard and it makes me annoyed.'

When asked how she maintains such a curvy backside, Tammy said it was all down to weight training.

Daring display: The mother of two, 27, drew attention to her ample cleavage and hourglass frame for a series of sultry selfies

Keeping it simple: She captioned them with a black love heart emoji

'I do a lot of heavy weights. You're not going to build any muscle if you are not doing leg weights,' she explained.

'I see a lot of girls doing cardio and this and that, [but] it's not going to build any muscle really.'

She uses the hashtags #gymbuilt and #builtnotbought on Instagram to highlight the fact her figure is not the result of surgery.

Tammy runs a multimillion-dollar fitness empire, including activewear label Saski Collection and workout app Tammy Fit.

'100 percent real': Tammy has previously said she 'hates' it when people falsely accuse her of having undergone a Brazilian butt lift. Pictured before and after her gym transformation

Insulting: She told Studio 10 in December 2019, 'I hate when people accuse me of doing that [having surgery]. I take such offence to it because I worked so hard and it makes me annoyed'

Disclaimer: She uses the hashtags #gymbuilt and #builtnotbought on Instagram to highlight the fact her figure is not the result of surgery

She revealed in June how she went from being a young mother with a few thousand Instagram followers to owning her own portfolio of businesses.

The model shared her advice for budding entrepreneurs in an interview, saying consistency was the key to her success.

'There are always going to be mistakes, but you have to be consistent and committed to working through those mistakes or figuring out creative ways around them,' she said.

Success story: Tammy runs a multimillion-dollar fitness empire, including activewear label Saski Collection and workout app Tammy Fit

She also realised early on the power of social media platforms such as Instagram, where she now boasts more than 12.6 million followers.

'Women related to my content and I thought, "There are so many businesses I can create out of this,"' she explained.

In addition to running her various business, Tammy is mother to two children, son Wolf and daughter Saskia, whom she shares with her ex-partner Reece Hawkins.
Radio host Kyle Sandilands' love and appreciation for former U.S. president Donald Trump is no secret.

And when he was given the opportunity to speak to his 'hero' on air on Wednesday, the 50-year-old did not pass up the chance.

He had just interviewed former White House aide and Big Brother VIP star Omarosa Manigault Newman when he was told she had passed on Trump's personal phone number.

Excited: Kyle Sandilands spoke to his 'hero' Donald Trump on Wednesday after interviewing former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman - but not all was as it seemed

The shock jock eagerly dialled the number as co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson told him not to get his hopes up in case it wasn't him or the number wasn't in service.

But the call rang through and a Trump-esque voice asked: 'Hello, who is this?'

A stunned Kyle kept composed as he heaped praise on Trump and said he'd been 'flying the Trump flag' in Australia for years.

He even said it would be 'the greatest day' of his life if the former president were to visit Sydney.

Just as Trump was about to discuss his upcoming social media platform, Jackie interrupted: 'I can't. I can't do this. Sorry, Kyle. Only lying!'

Star-struck: A stunned Kyle kept composed as he lavished praise on Trump (pictured in July) and said he'd been 'flying the Trump flag' in Australia for years

A prank! Just as Trump was about to discuss his upcoming social media platform, his co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson interrupted: 'I can't. I can't do this. Sorry, Kyle. Only lying!'

All the producers burst into laughter as Jackie explained it was simply a prank and that 'we thought you would never fall for it'.

The person on the phone was a Donald Trump impersonator, she said.

Kyle has previously fallen for similar pranks, including when he was tricked into thinking he was speaking to Barack Obama when it was just an impersonator.

An embarrassed Kyle said: 'You know why I fell for it? Because I want it to be true so bad.'

Not impressed: All the producers burst into laughter as Jackie explained it was simply a prank and that 'we thought you would never fall for it'

'I'm so sorry. I really was a bit opposed to it this time,' said Jackie, feeling guilty.

'Now there's going to a whole year of stories again where I look foolish again,' Kyle groaned, referring to the inevitable media coverage of the prank.

'I just can't believe I fell for it again, because I wanted it to be real,' he added.
She's reportedly dating again after splitting with Tom Girardi amid bankruptcy woes and embezzlement scandal.

And on Wednesday, Erika Jayne was spotted working out with fellow Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Garcelle Beauvais at Slay Gym in Hollywood as they filmed for the show.

The 50-year-old reality star smiled during her sweat session as well as during a water break with her pal.

Good times: She's reportedly dating again after splitting with Tom Girardi amid bankruptcy woes and embezzlement scandal. And on Wednesday, Erika Jayne was spotted working out with fellow Real Housewives of Beverly HIlls star Garcelle Beauvais at Slay Gym in Hollywood

Erika donned black leggings with a bright blue jacket with the word 'Italia' behind it, opting to pull her blonde tresses back.

She opted to do weights on a bench before appearing to take a water break to chat with Garcelle.

Garcelle meanwhile donned yellow leggings with a white top, adding a black jacket with sneakers.

They were seen leaving the gym together post workout session.

In conversation: The 50-year-old reality star smiled during her sweat session as well as during a water break with her pal

Busy: They left the gym together as they headed to their respective cars

Style: Erika donned black leggings with a bright blue jacket with the word 'Italia' behind it, opting to pull her blonde tresses back

Garcelle, 54, donned lime green leggings with a coordinating Adidas jacket for her workout session.

Erika's workout comes almost a year after she split from estranged husband Tom Girardi in November 2020.

She's reportedly been putting herself back on the dating scene, enjoying a 'handful' of dates with 'different men' within the last month, according to TMZ.

Gym: Erika's workout comes almost a year after she split from estranged husband Tom Girardi in November 2020

On the go: They were seen leaving the gym together post workout session

Pals: Garcelle meanwhile donned yellow leggings with a white top, adding a black jacket with sneakers

Giddy: She appeared giddy during her workout

Chic: Garcelle, 54,donned lime green leggings with a coordinating Adidas jacket for her workout session

Chat: The duo chatted away on their way out

Erika and Tom, who split in November 2020, are facing claims of allegedly embezzling settlement funds that were meant to help the families of the Lion Air plane crash victims.

In December, Tom and his Girardi Keese law firm were sued for allegedly embezzling funds from families who lost loved ones during the 2018 Boeing plane crash.

That same month, Tom was sued by his business partners, which led to his chapter 7 bankruptcy petition; clients of the law firm are also suing him, alleging that their money was also misappropriated.

In March, the LA Times reported that there had been more than 100 lawsuits filed and multiple complaints made to the California State Bar against Girardi by disgruntled clients who alleged financial wrongdoing and theft between the 1980s and up until last year.

In June, Jayne, 50, has been 'ordered to turn over financial records' from her accountant, lawyer and landlord as part of the embezzlement investigation and a bankruptcy trustee is documenting the couple's assets.

Focused: She opted to do weights on a bench before appearing to take a water break to chat with Garcelle

Motivation: She used weights for her workout

BusyL Sge was seen chatting with someone as she arrived

It's been alleged that the split provided a way for the couple to embezzle funds and that Jayne had received 'tens of millions of dollars' from her husband's firm to fund her projects, Us Weekly reported in June.

An investigator in the bankruptcy trial of Tom and Erika says he wants to take into account 'inconsistent statements' the reality star has made on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Investigator Ronald Richards told Us Weekly in August: 'There's a lot of inconsistent statements and admissions made by the non-scripted actors that we're putting together to use in court.'

Asked whether the attorney has seen 'a lot of inconsistencies with the story' being told on RHOBH in regards to Erika and Tom's lawsuit and financial woes, Richards said: 'That's correct.'

Richards added that his team is 'going to take discovery from people that used to work for her.'

All focus: She kept her head down as she focused on her workout

Looking good: Garcelle carried a large handbag

All laughs: The duo shared a giggle in between sets

Chat: Erike carried a red snakeskin patterned purse

He added that Jayne, her former employees, and her costars could be called in for questioning, though it is unclear when.

'There's a lot of things were still trying to uncover,' he told the outlet. 'We are going to be deposing her (Erika) at some point, but I want to get all the documents first. What's important right now is following the money.'

This could make things tense for Erika, who has been very open on RHOBH about the case, recently telling her housewives co-stars: 'I'd like to know where the money is.'

In a separate interview with the outlet Richards says he has found records that indicate Girardi Keese funds were used to buy jewelry, although has yet to find proof that it is connected to Erika.

'We saw jewelry payments that the firm has bought from a jeweler,' he told the outlet, adding this in his estimation the purchases were in the 'hundreds of thousands of dollars' range.
Brendan O'Carroll has paid tribute to a Mrs Brown's Boys crew member who recently died from Covid-19.

Dennis Knotts was a props master who worked on BBC Scotland where the sitcom is filmed, with his death devastating the cast and crew.

Speaking to the Irish Independent, Brendan, 66, said the show's upcoming Christmas episode will be dedicated in his memory.

Heartbreaking: Brendan O'Carroll has paid tribute to a Mrs Brown's Boys crew member who recently died from Covid-19

Brendan said: 'He was the most adorable man and actually, we dedicated the Christmas episode to him, we loved him very much.'

'He's been on every show that we have done with the BBC and that's ten years now. He was the props master on every one of them; he was lovely.

'We lost one of the family. There were people who had worked with Dennis for 40 years and they are just devastated; they can't believe it.'

Brendan's wife Jennifer Gibney, who plays Mrs Brown's daughter on the series, said the cast were in the middle of filming the Christmas special when they heard of Dennis' passing.

Passing: Dennis Knotts was a props master who worked on BBC Scotland where the sitcom is filmed, with his death devastating the cast and crew

The actress added that Dennis' death serves as a reminder that Covid-19 is still a serious threat.

Along with his work on Mrs Brown's Boys, Dennis also worked on shows including The Lakes and Sea of Souls and Jonathan Creek.

The Irish-British sitcom was first broadcast on BBC One in 2011 and aired live for the first time in 2016.

The show has received a number of awards including the 2012 BAFTA Television Award for Best Situation Comedy and Best Comedy at the TV Choice Awards the same year.

Brendan said: 'He was the most adorable man and actually, we dedicated the Christmas episode to him, we loved him very much'

Brendan was nominated for the BAFTA for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme in 2012 but lost out to Darren Boyd for his role in the Sky comedy series Spy.

It was announced last year that Brendan had signed a deal to make a Christmas special of the show annually until 2026.

The star told The Irish Sun at the time: 'It's incredible that the BBC have nailed down such a special slot for Mrs Brown.

Award winner: The show has received a number of awards including the 2012 BAFTA Television Award for Best Situation Comedy and Best Comedy at the TV Choice Awards the same year

'We've been doing it for nine years already  which is six more than the Royle Family had and more than Morecambe and Wise.

'This new deal we signed last week goes all the way to 2026, which means I will be able to grow into the part, and we've a clause in which guarantees Mrs Brown is aired at 10pm on Christmas night, or else we don't have to make it.

'I wanted that because if it's not good enough for Christmas Day, then we shouldn't be making it.'
Dorinda Medley has hilariously weighed in on rumors Erika Jayne is dating again following her split from disgraced former attorney Tom Girardi.

An incredulous Dorinda joked about her own love life as she reacted to the rumors during an appearance on DailyMailTV's What The...? segment with host Alicia Quarles and guest Kiki Monique.

'The real question Alicia is why isn't Dorinda Medley dating!?' the Real Housewives Of New York City vet, 56, exclaimed. 'How is this possible!? And you know what, all her friends are setting her up. I can't get anyone to set me up for a dentist appointment, never mind a date.'

'The real question Alicia is why isn't Dorinda Medley dating!?' Dorinda Medley has hilariously weighed in on rumors Erika Jayne is dating again following her split from disgraced former attorney Tom Girardi (pictured October 2021)

Kiki was in agreement, but felt Jayne was doing the right thing in moving on with her life.

'I totally agree,' Kiki said. 'Based on what we heard this season, it sounds like Tom was fooling around with other women and so they probably weren't getting it on themselves, so she's doing the right thing.'

'You know Erika said she's 50, she has her whole life ahead of her, so she's going to keep it moving!' Alicia added.

TMZ reported earlier this week that Erika has enjoyed a 'handful' of dates with 'different men' within the last month.

'How is this possible!?' An incredulous Dorinda joked about her own love life as she reacted to the rumors during an appearance on DailyMailTV's What The...? segment with host Alicia Quarles and guest Kiki Monique

What a crack up: 'I can't get anyone to set me up for a dentist appointment', Medley teased on the show

Moving forward! 'You know Erika though, she's 50, she has her whole life ahead of her, so she's going to keep it moving!' Alicia added

Sources told the publication that Erika has 'jumped back into the LA dating pool' and was seen heading out on dates for the first time since filing for divorce 11-months ago.

MailOnline has reached out to a representative for Erika for comment.

According to another report, the reality star went 'on a recent date with someone', however isn't completely 'focused on dating.'

Moving on: TMZ reported earlier this week that Erika has enjoyed a 'handful' of dates with 'different men' within the last month

All over: Erika, who is currently embroiled in an embezzlement scandal with her estranged husband, was married to her husband for 21 years before she filed for divorce from him last year (pictured above together in 2017)

'She's trying the dating pool because she's really ready to move on with her life. She's excited to fall in love again,' a source told HollywoodLife.

'She wants to keep that very private, but she's feeling excited about this and happy in her life right now.'

Erika, who is currently embroiled in an embezzlement scandal with her estranged husband, was married to her Tom for 21 years before she filed for divorce from him last year.
Sophie Monk and her fiance Joshua Gross are currently based in Byron Bay while she hosts the new season of Love Island Australia.

And over the weekend, the happy couple were spotted grabbing a drink and some takeout together during a break from filming.

Sophie, 41, put her ample cleavage on display in a flirty floral dress as the pair stopped by a local pub.

Say cheese! Love Island Australia host Sophie Monk and her fiance Joshua Gross took selfies as they stopped by a pub in Byron Bay over the weekend

The boozy blonde, who kept things casual in a pair of thongs, quenched her thirst with a large glass of champagne as she waited for her food.

Josh, who looked relaxed in a pair of white pants and a blue shirt, had a glass of beer.

At one point, Sophie posed with her beverage as Josh snapped some photos on his iPhone for Instagram.

Time to go? The happy couple grabbed a drink and some takeout during a break from filming

Blue steel: They tried a few different facial expressions for the selfies

Got everything? Sophie scrolled through her iPhone to check the photos they'd just taken

Sophie announced her engagement to the neurosurgical robotics consultant earlier this year.

She opened up about their wedding plans in a recent interview with Daily Mail Australia.

Sophie said that she and Josh plan to have a low-key and intimate wedding with just the two of them, before celebrating later on with family and friends.

'We are going to do it low key,' Sophie began.

'At this stage [it's] just him and I, and then we will invite everyone over for a big party when we can.'

Bottoms up! The 41-year-old songstress threw back a glass of champagne

Mask on, mask off! For one photo, Sophie placed her medical mask across her mouth

Casual: Sophie wore a flirty floral frock while Josh was dressed in white pants and a blue shirt

The couple announced their engagement in January, with Joshua presenting Sophie with a stunning diamond ring.

At the time, she wrote on Instagram: 'Joshua and I are so happy.

'Joshua designed a very personal ring with my favourite Aussie designer Luke Rose Jewellery and I LOVE IT.'

Joshua actually proposed on Christmas Day last year, a spokesperson later confirmed, but they waited until January to announce the happy news.

Thirsty? Sophie held up a large glass of champagne, which was filled almost to the brim

Cheers! Sophie's champagne flute connected with Josh's big glass of beer

Lean back! Josh leaned back to try to get the perfect shot of Sophie smiling

The pair first met on a business class flight in 2018.

Sophie also spoke to Daily Mail Australia about the latest season of Love Island Australia, saying it's the best yet.

'They are another level,' she said of the contestants.

'I think also because the cast were quarantined before they came in and because of the pandemic they haven't socialised the past year and a half, they are ready to have fun and fall in love.

'The chemistry seems to be heating up quicker than I've seen before.'

Don't forget anything! Josh reached for his phone and other items before they left

Sophie also reflected on her successful career, which began when she joined the girl group Bardot in the late '90s.

She later moved to Hollywood, where she landed several film roles, and now hosts various reality shows for Channel Nine.

Despite her success, Sophie was ever so humble as she quipped: 'Because I've been doing it for 21 years I forget about half the things I've done. I dabble in everything, acting, modelling and music because I'm kind of average with all of them.

'But I'm lucky to be in a very fun industry.'
Kyle Sandilands has come out to bat for TV host Grant Denyer after he was falsely accused last week of having an affair with his Dancing with the Stars partner Lily Cornish.

The radio presenter, 50, rubbished New Idea's report implying Grant was cheating on his wife Chezzi, saying it's common practice for tabloid magazines to use photos 'out of context'.

'It's New Idea. Everyone knows everything inside it is invented rubbish,' he said on Wednesday, echoing the Denyers' recent rebuttal of the front-page story.

Support: Kyle Sandilands has come out to bat for TV host Grant Denyer after he was falsely accused last week of having an affair with his Dancing with the Stars partner Lily Cornish

Kyle added that he believed Grant when he said he was just comforting his dance partner by giving her a pat on the leg after she'd received some sad personal news.

'[Grant] is like that - he's a sweetie,' he told listeners of The Kyle and Jackie O Show. 'He's almost like a woman himself. I totally believe what he said.'

He continued: 'The guy's had multiple broken backs; he's barely able to even move.

Response: The radio star, 50, rubbished New Idea's report implying Grant was cheating on his wife Chezzi, saying it's common practice for tabloid magazines to use photos 'out of context'

'He is a nice guy. I give him a bit of a hard time [but he's] super nice. Denyer and his wife Chezzi, that's a real relationship. That's a real love story.

'[The affair rumours are] bulls**t. Not true. I didn't even read the story, I knew it was that much bulls**t.'

Co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson added that the rumours must be 'awful' for Chezzi.

Happy family: Grant and Chezzi Denyer, who married in 2010, are parents to daughters Sailor, Scout and Sunday. Pictured when Chezzi was pregnant with Sunday

New Idea published a front-page story on October 18 falsely implying Grant was having an affair with dancer Lily Cornish.

The magazine included photos of Grant with his hand on Lily's thigh in between rehearsals for Dancing with the Stars: All Stars in Sydney.

While the photos were accompanied by the headline 'Grant Denyer Caught Out', the full set of images has since been released, offering a more complete picture of what happened.

Denial: The original article falsely suggested Grant and Lily (left) were cheating on their respective partners - a claim the Denyers have strongly denied - but the photos themselves actually suggest a platonic relationship

The original article insinuated Grant and Lily were cheating on their respective partners - a claim the Denyers have strongly denied - but the photos themselves actually suggest a platonic relationship.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting any infidelity took place.

For example, while Grant did place his hand on Lily's thigh at one stage, it wasn't necessarily an intimate gesture.

One photo appears to show him patting the young woman's leg in a fatherly manner, which is what he maintains happened.

There were other moments when they acted like ordinary friends and colleagues.

'It's such a horrible, made-up story': Grant admitted last Thursday he'd 'embarrassed' his family, telling 2Day FM's The Morning Crew with Hughesy, Ed & Erin the pictures actually showed him consoling his friend after she had received some sad personal news

Shots of them looking chummy at the boat party and linking arms outside were seemingly cropped to make it appear as if they were alone.

In reality, they were surrounded by their co-stars, including the likes of former Bachelorette Angie Kent and The Morning Show host Kylie Gillies.

Grant admitted last Thursday he'd 'embarrassed' his family, telling 2Day FM's The Morning Crew with Hughesy, Ed & Erin the pictures actually showed him consoling his friend after she had received some sad personal news.

The images, he said, were taken by a paparazzo just moments after he and Lily had finished speaking to his wife Chezzi over FaceTime.

'It's such a horrible, made-up story that's embarrassing for everyone,' he said.

Speaking up: Lily addressed the New Idea story last Thursday, sharing this post to Instagram thanking her fans for their 'kind words and messages'

'We'd just been on the phone to Chezzi, we had been FaceTiming It had been a bit of a tough day and Lil had a bit going on in her personal life.'

'It's not up to me to divulge what it [the personal issue] is but I was just giving her a bit of a pep talk and fatherly advice,' he added.

'I just gave her a tap on the leg and she sort of leaned in for a bit of a hug after a chat and that's the photo on the [New Idea] front page.'

Lily also addressed the New Idea story last Thursday, sharing a post to Instagram thanking her fans for being so understanding.

'Thanks everyone for the kind words and messages. I really appreciate the amount of love that has come out of this yucky / disrespectful situation. Killing it with kindness,' she wrote.

Grant and his wife had categorically denied the New Idea report in a series of social media posts last Wednesday.

Backlash: Chezzi posted screenshots of the article on Instagram and blasted the magazine for fabricating such a 'gross and mean' story

Chezzi posted screenshots of the article - which falsely suggested her husband was having an affair with a woman half his age - on Instagram and blasted the magazine for fabricating such a 'gross and mean' story.

She went on to claim the photographer who took the photos had apologised to her for the images being 'taken out of context'.

She also pointed out that Lily's long-term boyfriend Jock White had been pictured visiting her during rehearsals for DWTS.

Grant later issued his own blistering statement, calling the article a 'brutal' attack on a '22-year-old kid' and a 'dad of three girls'.
Education

School threat one of dozens of hoaxes across nation

A threat made Monday against Nacogdoches High School on the social media app Snapchat was a hoax and posed no credible threat, school district officials said.

The threat was one of dozens made against school districts around the nation Monday including schools in Texas, Mississippi, New York, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and North Dakota. All those threats came though Snapchat.

There were no weapons found on campus. It was a hoax that was not intended as a real threat, NISD Police Chief Sandra Murray said in a statement. Fortunately, no one was harmed by the threat, nor were there any action taken by the individual who posted it.

NISD did not release the text of the threat, but other schools have reported messages similar to I needed a new account to make this, me and my friends have gotten bullied for too long and we cant take it no more. October 26th, Tuesday at [times vary], we will be shooting up [schools vary]. We plan on shooting 10 administrators and 50-70 kids.

The student responsible for making the post threatening Nacogdoches High School will face disciplinary action, district officials said.

Theres certainly discipline standards that the district has that apply here that explicitly lay out what takes place, district spokesman Les Linebarger said. A student also opens themselves up to the potential for law enforcement to get involved as well depending on precisely what took place.

It was unclear Tuesday if the student at Nacogdoches High School would face criminal charges.

If law enforcement gets involved, thats outside our hands, Linebarger said.

Reports of the threat led to a mass exodus of students from the high school. Several students reported having only two to three peers in afternoon classes. Most extracurricular activities were canceled Monday.

Its a tremendous disruption to the day, Linebarger said. I know the entire day at the high school dealt with this one thing. It really upsets the normal day of activity.

In at least one instance among the dozens of threats, the Snapchat post caused panic at the wrong school. A post threatening a high school in Warren County, Missouri, led to a flurry of reports about Warren Central High School in Vicksburg, Mississippi, the local sheriff, Martin Pace said.

It never had anything to do with Warren County, Mississippi. Period, Pace said by phone. It only took a matter of minutes before one of my investigators was able to vet this out and find out where actually originated and be able to give us accurate information.

It was unclear Tuesday if the threat against Nacogdoches High School specifically targeted the school or similarly had been misinterpreted.

The hoax offers an opportunity for parents to remind their children that the district will take seriously all threats and reports of inappropriate comments, Murray said.

Safety is our highest priority. With parents help, we will continue our commitment to maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for all students, Murray said. We encourage you to help your child to understand the serious implications that can result from inappropriate social media posts.
Rapper Young M.A could not go unnoticed when she shared a video of herself dancing to the sounds of Mr. Vegas Heads High.

The quadruple-platinum selling Ooouuu rapper, who was decked in all black  jacket, skinny jeans, combat boots (and strapped as many fans pointed out), was spotted in a mall parking lot, evidently taken over by the classic baseline of the Danny Browne-produced single.

She was seen laying down some slick Dancehall moves  headfirst into a stealthy sequence of heel and toe before unleashing the robotic shoulder-popping bruk-up dance that only a few dare to do. Even trained dancer Lil Mama chimed in the comments with Nah chill, your Bruk Up Suspect!

Bruk Up is a style derived from Jamaican Dancehall and prominent in todays dance cultures, especially on the US East Coast dancing scene. Lil Mama was once a judge on Americas Best Dance Crew, so if anyone has room to judge it would be her.

Stop playin with my body!!!, Hello!! we need them chunes back!! brukup! Hilltoe! Young MA wrote on her video-share to Instagram yesterday.

Young M.A, 29, who hails from Brooklyn, New York is of Jamaican and Puerto Rican descent, so its no surprise to see her waving the Jamaican flag and bussin out a likkle move here and there.

In the comments, a few famous friends showed up to tout her slick moves including Bobby Konders and Mr. Vegas.

The Heads High deejay commended Young M.As smooth dance delivery on his hit track. How yuh mean!!!! Wheel and come again!!!!!!! Vegas wrote and even re-shared her video on his IG page with the caption, BUSS A DANCE @youngma#classic #headshigh.

Fellow Brooklyn-native Bobby Shmurda threw up a series of fire emojis while rapper Safaree simply couldnt contain himself, dropping laughing face and fire emojis in her comments.

The New York rapper doesnt just know how to buss a dance to Dancehall music, she has also collaborated with some artists in the genre, namely Skillibeng on the track Money Counter in April this year. She also teamed up with Kojo Funds and Red Cafe for the Dancehall-inspired single, Tunn Up prior in February.

Young M.A even turned heads when she repped Vybz Kartels Gaza Empire in her Whoopty Freestyle track, Ooouuuvie in March  and to the Worl Boss grand approval. Kartel also sampled her highly popular Ooouuu single in his 2017 song Dont Come Back.

Heads High, the 1998 anti-oral sex anthem by Mr. Vegas, was certified silver in 2020 by the British Phonographic Industry for sales of more than 200,000 copies. Produced by Danny Browne, and first released by Main Street Records before licensed to British label Greensleeves Records, it spent several weeks at No. 1 on the Jamaican music charts. The track also scored on the British pop chart, peaking at No.16 in November 1999. It reached No. 69 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Chart and No. 59 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.

According to Mr. Vegas, whose given name is Clifford Smith, Heads High, which remains his biggest hit, has sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide. I am humbled and grateful for this milestone. The accomplishment is surreal for someone who has never dreamed of this kind of success, Vegas told the Jamaica Observer last year.

As for the concept behind the song, The idea for Heads High was birthed from an event my nieces witnessed at their school with a female and a male student. After seizing my attention with their anecdote, I informed them on the importance of keeping their heads high. Somehow, the words heads high rang and I started singing, Heads high, kill dem wid di no, Vegas recalled.
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For Release: Wednesday, October 27, 2021

DEC Releases Proposed Changes to Improve New York State's Sunfish and Crappie Fishing Regulations

Proposals Include More Conservative Statewide Regulations and Experimental Regulations to Improve Fishing Opportunities for Larger Sunfish

Public Comments Accepted Until Dec. 26, 2021

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced a proposal to improve sunfish and crappie fishing in New York. The proposal includes changes to the daily catch limit of sunfish, minimum size limit for crappie, and special regulations on select waters across the state as part of an experimental program to create fishing opportunities for larger sunfish.

"To ensure quality sunfish and crappie fishing, DEC is proposing regulatory changes to benefit anglers in search of a good catch while continuing the restoration of the state's natural resources," Commissioner Seggos said. "New York is home to a wide variety of fishing opportunities and our goal is to increase these opportunities for anglers while bolstering local economies."

The proposed statewide regulations are modest adjustments that reflect DEC and anglers' recognition that more conservative harvest regulations are needed to ensure conservation safeguards for these resources. The use of social media to quickly draw attention to high quality fishing opportunities and the widespread use of electronic fish finders and other devices to improve fishing efficiency have amplified concerns about overharvest. These proposals were included in the Draft Sunfish and Crappie Management Plan DEC released for public comment earlier this year. The decision to advance these proposals was based on the largely positive feedback DEC received on the plan. Visit the Sunfish and Crappie Management webpage for the assessment of public comments on the draft plan, the Big Panfish Initiative Study Plan, and the rationale for the statewide regulatory proposals.

The proposed sunfish regulations associated with the five-year experimental program are intended to take advantage of the capacity of select lakes that may afford greater growth rates. Using minimum length restrictions and reduced daily limits, fishery managers can better develop populations with a greater proportion of older, larger fish. The experiment is proposed to run from 2022 - 2025 and will be applied to only 11 lakes. A decision on whether to continue this management strategy will depend on an evaluation of the results and feedback from the angling public.

The proposals include:

Reducing the sunfish statewide daily harvest limit from 50 to 25;

Increasing the crappie statewide minimum size limit from nine to 10 inches; and

Implementing an eight-inch minimum size limit and a daily harvest limit of 15 for sunfish in the following waters chosen for their potential to grow larger sunfish: Blydenburgh Lake (Suffolk County, DEC Region 1); Lake Welch (Rockland County, Region 3); Canadarago and Goodyear lakes (Otsego County, Region 4); Saratoga Lake (Saratoga County, Region 5); Sixtown Pond and Red Lake (Jefferson County, Region 6); Cazenovia Lake (Madison County, Region 7); Otisco Lake (Onondaga County, Region 7); Honeoye Lake (Ontario County, Region 8); and Silver Lake (Wyoming County, Region 9).

The regulatory proposals are available on DEC's website for review and public comment. Comments on the proposals should be submitted via e-mail to regulations.fish@dec.ny.gov or via mail to the Inland Fisheries Section, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753, with the subject line "Sunfish and Crappie Regulations." Comments will be accepted through Dec. 26, 2021.
The Phase 3 study conducted in India by Ocugen's business partner, Bharat Biotech, involved 25,798 participants receiving two doses of Covaxin or placebo, 28 days apart. (AFP Photo)

Hyderabad: Ocugen, Bharat Biotech's US partner for COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, on Wednesday said it has submitted Investigational New Drug Application (IND) to the US Food and Drug Administration to conduct clinical trials.

The development comes a day after the World Health Organisation sought more details from Bharat Biotech to consider its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin for Emergency Use Listing.

The US firm in a press release said the Phase 3 trial, proposed in the IND, is designed to establish whether the immune response experienced by participants in a completed Phase 3 efficacy trial in India is similar to that observed in a demographically representative, healthy adult population in the USA.

The US drug regulator earlier in June "recommended" Ocugen Inc, to go for Biologics Licence Application (BLA) route with additional data, instead of Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA).

The proposed trial can be to people who either have not been vaccinated for COVID-19 or who already received two doses of an mRNA vaccine at least six months earlier in the USA.

"We are very excited to take this next step in the development of Covaxin, which we hope will bring us, closer to introducing a different type of COVID-19 vaccine to the American public. We are hopeful that the study conducted under the IND, if allowed to proceed, will help demonstrate that the data from India will be applicable to the U.S. population, " Dr Shankar Musunuri, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-Founder of Ocugen said.

If the study is allowed to proceed, Ocugen's Phase 3 immuno-bridging study, OCU-002, will seek to enroll several hundred healthy adults in the U.S. Subjects will be randomized to receive either two doses of Covaxin or placebo, 28 days apart.

The Phase 3 study conducted in India by Ocugen's business partner, Bharat Biotech, involved 25,798 participants receiving two doses of Covaxin or placebo, 28 days apart.

Ocugen has already sought regulatory approval from Health Canada for Covaxin to be used in that country.

Covaxin is a whole-virion inactivated COVID-19 investigational vaccine candidate that uses the same vero cell manufacturing platform that has been used in the production of polio vaccines for decades.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said a total of 12.67 lakh expats from the state, who returned following the outbreak of COVID pandemic, have lost their jobs abroad and the state would soon submit a Rs 2,000 crore proposal to the Centre for implementing expatriate rehabilitation package.

The state government already set apart an amount of Rs 50 crore in its latest budget for their rehabilitation and formulating employment and entrepreneurship schemes for them, he told the state Assembly during a calling attention motion by Manjalamkuzhi Ali.

"In addition to the various schemes implemented by the state government, a detailed Rs 2000 crore-worth proposal will be submitted to the Centre soon for the implementation of a comprehensive rehabilitation package for the expatriates," Vijayan said.

According to the state's COVID-19 Jagratha portal, 17,51,852 Non-Resident Keralites have returned home till Tuesday in the wake of the COVID spread.

However, as per the information received from the Airport Authority of India, a total of 39,55,230 passengers travelled abroad through the state airports between May, 2020 and October 2021, he said.

Among the returnees, a total of 1.33 lakh people have accepted the government's emergency financial aid of Rs 5,000 each while 181 have received Rs 10,000 assistance given to the COVID patients, he added.
His alleged remarks came against the backdrop of the State government reportedly seeking to promote cultivation of crops other than paddy. (PTI Photo)

Hyderabad: The Collector of Siddipet district in Telangana has come under attack from the opposition Congress, BJP, CPI and others following his alleged remarks that action would be taken against officials and seed-sellers even if one kg of paddy seed is sold in the district.

The parties on Wednesday criticised the Collector P Venkatrama Reddy by alleging that he was encroaching upon the freedom of farmers to cultivate paddy.

"There are about 350 shops. From this moment, if a kilo paddy is sold from (any of) these 350 shops, that shop is closed, seized," Reddy is seen saying in a video that has gone viral.

He allegedly stated that he would not care even if there are court orders.

His alleged remarks came against the backdrop of the State government reportedly seeking to promote cultivation of crops other than paddy.

Some senior State officials opined last month that it is not advisable to cultivate paddy in the State in view of the Centre deciding against purchasing boiled rice due to excess stocks.

Criticising the Collector's alleged remarks, State Congress president and MP A Revanth Reddy demanded that the State government take action against him.

"Siddipet Collector threatens to seize seed shops that sell paddy seeds & will not let them open even if they get orders from Supreme Court. He threatens to suspend officers too. Is the collector 'SUPREME' than the Supreme Court? I demand @TelanganaCMO to take immediate action," he tweeted.

Alleging that the TRS government was trying to move away from the responsibility of procuring paddy from the farmers, he asked why should lakhs of crores of rupees be spent on irrigation projects when there is no opportunity to cultivate paddy.

CPI State secretary Chada Venkat Reddy and BSP leader R S Praveen Kumar have also disapproved of the Collector's alleged remarks.

Meanwhile, Venkatrama Reddy clarified in a statement that-seed sellers have been urged in a meeting on Monday to sell quality seeds to farmers during the 'Yasangi' (summer) season crop.

The seed dealers have been told that tough action would be taken if spurious seeds are sold to the farmers, he said.

He stated in the meeting that it would be profitable to the farmers if they cultivate alternative crops as paddy was cultivated on a large-scale during the rainy season, Venkatrama Reddy said.

It would not be useful if all farmers cultivate paddy again in the 'yasangi' (summer) crop, he recalled having said in the meeting.

He was driving home the point that cultivation of alternative crops would be beneficial, he said.

He stressed that it is not correct to twist what he spoke and spread it falsely on the social media.
Villages across the state are passing resolutions declaring and emphasising that they would indeed opt for sowing paddy because the government had not intimated them in advance on crop change. (PTI file photo)

Hyderabad: Anger is simmering among farmers who are coming out to show their discontentment to state ministers and ruling party MLAs across districts because of the ban on the sale of paddy seeds by the state government days before the onset of sowing for the rabi season.

Villages across the state are passing resolutions declaring and emphasising that they would indeed opt for sowing paddy because the government had not intimated them in advance on crop change.

It is not possible to go for alternative crops at this stage, when the rabi sowing is likely to begin in a week or so from November, for which they have made all the arrangements say farmers. They said that the government should have alerted them in advance and put them on a notice at least six months or a year prior, if it wants to impose a ban on paddy in rabi.

Farmers are asking public representatives as to who would buy their produce at the minimum support price (MSP) if they opt for alternate crops, since the state government has been procuring only paddy at an MSP directly from farmers.

Farmers demand that the government should come out with a clear policy that it will procure agricultural produce for an MSP if they opt for crops other than paddy. They cannot stop paddy production all of a sudden without the government giving clarity on all these issues.

Farmers are citing geographic and climatic conditions in Telangana for opting for paddy, especially during rabi. They say that soaring temperatures here during rabi were suitable only for paddy cultivation, and if they opt for other crops, they would not survive and would incur heavy losses.

Facing backlash from farmers, the ministers and ruling party MLAs are assuring farmers that they would take the issue to the notice of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao to ensure that the ban on paddy comes into force from November next year.

The Telangana government, which promoted paddy cultivation all these years after Chief Minister KCR unveiled his plans to make Telangana the rice bowl of India, took a U-turn on paddy all of a sudden, when the CM made a statement on September 12 that cultivating paddy would be suicidal for farmers as the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had refused to purchase boiled rice stocks produced in Telangana during rabi.

This was in complete contrast to his statement made on the floor of the Legislative Assembly on March 7, 2020, when he declared, Telangana people are alone consuming 65 lakh tonnes of rice every year. Even if farmers produce one crore tonnes, there is no problem. Our government will purchase it. Farmers can continue paddy cultivation without any doubt.

Enthused by the CMs statement, paddy was sown in record extent of land, leading to Telangana breaking all records of produce  over three crore tonnes of paddy in a year in 2020-21 in Kharif and Rabi combined, making it the top state after Punjab in paddy production.

Citing FCIs refusal to procure boiled rice stocks from Telangana, the state government, earlier this month, asked farmers to sow crops other than paddy. However, with a fear that farmers may not cooperate, the government started dealing with seed dealers directly, threatening them their licences would be cancelled and traders would be jailed if they sold paddy seeds to farmers in the upcoming rabi.

Last week, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar held a meeting with all district collectors and directed them to stop paddy seed sales at any cost. After the meet, district collectors sprung into action and issued diktats to seed dealers to stop sales or face severe consequences. Fearing action, seed dealers stopped sales, which created a furore among the farmers.
BJP leaders and its frontal organisations are also working hard for the victory of Rajender. Most of the senior leaders are camped in Huzurabad and nearby Warangal city to carry out election campaign.  Representational image/DC

HYDERABAD: A host of right-wing forces are said to be working hard clandestinely to ensure victory of BJP candidate Etala Rajendar in the upcoming Huzurabad byelection, scheduled to be held on October 30.

Leaders and activists of different right-wing organisations are burning their midnight on the sly in the high voltage byelection, where the ruling TRS, the BJP and the Congress fielded their candidates.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, Hindu Vahini and other spiritual organisations have been working in favour of the saffron party candidate, it is learnt. During the last one month, many leaders and activists rushed to villages in Huzurabad Assembly constituency and carried out election campaigns.

Local residents say that it is an open secret that a team of right-wing organisations arrive and carry out intensified campaign in many villages. The RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal and Hindu Vahini activists are said to be explaining to the voters, why they should support the BJP candidate and why reject others.

Surprisingly, these leaders are not getting any logistic support from the BJP, but are voluntarily working in favour of the BJP candidate.

Speaking to this newspaper, BJP leader J. Sangappa admitted that RSS, VHP, Bhajaran Dal and other organisations were working for BJP victory in Huzurabad byelection. 

They (the right-wing organisation leaders) are not in contact with the BJP leadership, they work on their own, he explained. We dont have any communication with them, but they strongly influence voters with their sincerity and simplicity, he said.

On the other hand, BJP leaders and its frontal organisations are also working hard for the victory of Rajender. Most of the senior leaders are camped in Huzurabad and nearby Warangal city to carry out election campaign.

Different morchas of the BJP are working seriously for the victory in byelection, which has turned to be a prestigious issue for the BJP.
Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay addressing an election campaign meeting on last day at Huzurabad in Karimnagar district on Wednesday. BJP candidate Etala Rajender is also seen. (DC)

Hyderabad: A lengthy electrified campaign of high stakes came to a close on Wednesday as per new rules of the Election Commission, three days before the crucial by-elections in Huzurabad. After the five-month-long high-decibel campaigning in Huzurabad ended Wednesday evening at 5 pm, all non-local leaders from all parties left the constituency as per EC directions.

The BJP, frontrunner in the polls, end the campaign on a high note, with former minister Etala Rajender accusing Chief Minister and TRS supremo K. Chandrashekar Rao for thrusting the polls on people, by first unfairly removing him from the cabinet on false charges and then daring him to resign.

He put false charges, threw me out of the cabinet, sent officials to investigate false case without reason, all because I would not compromise on my dignity or self-respect, said Mr Rajender on the same emotional note on which he started his campaign months ago, when he was not even sure which party he would be fighting this election as a candidate of.

Bandi Sanjay, BJP state president, who led the efforts to bring in Mr Rajender to the party and then the campaign in the constituency, said, the fight here is between the forces of morality and corruption. Throughout The day, there have been reports of TRS distributing Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 to each voter. Let all citizens note this declaration of TRS party and its supremo KCR that he will buy everyone out. How much corruption must they have indulged in to spend up to Rs 10,000 per vote for an Assembly bypoll?

Finance minister T. Harish Rao, who led the TRS campaign, countered strongly, saying, people of Huzurabad have an over 20 years love with the leadership of KCR. They have always stood by the car symbol and will continue to do so. The BJP does not answer our questions on the rise in prices of petrol or cooking gas. They dont explain how in BJP ruled states farmers cant get remunerative prices. Under TRS, farmers get Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, water, power and their produce is procured.

Expressing confidence that people will vote for the pink party, TRS MLC-nominee Padi Kaushik Reddy said, under leadership of CM KCR and election captainship of Harish Rao, our party will deliver a huge defeat on BJP candidate Etala Rajender, who has always failed the people here.

Despite not being a strong party anymore in the area, Congress party kept its chin up, with PCC president A. Revanth Reddy launching a final tirade on both the major parties in the fray.

Did Rajender quit fighting for Dalits, for farmers, for unemployed youth? Did he resign because KCR broke promises on Dalit CM, three acres land, 2BHK houses, or job notifications? No, it was a difference of opinion between two sides to a corrupt land-grabbing deal, who could not agree on their mutual shares. Why waste your vote? he exhorted the people.

The Congress too stepped-up campaign towards the end but most people opine it got timed out with its delayed response to matter in this essentially two-party fight.

Even as reports of large-scale distribution of money and liquor has started, all parties maintained that they will win the elections because of the larger failure of their rivals.

Both parties, as a strategy, besides booth management and distribution of cash, are aiming tactically for the highest possible polling percentage ever, with a belief that a higher poll percentage would prove beneficial to them.

In the 2018 December Assembly polls, Huzurabad recorded 84 per cent polling and this time parties are making efforts to take it up by over 10 per cent to clock 95 per cent.

Conventional psephology wisdom points to anti-incumbency being a trigger to higher voting, but since we cannot decide who is the incumbent  candidate Rajender or TRS party, besides the huge cash distribution  might explain the high voting, said a pollster working for a party. We will have clear trends with the exit polls.

In 2018, out of 279 polling booths, only 21 witnessed over 90 per cent polling. This time, the polling booths were increased to 305 due to Covid norms. The constituency also saw an increase in voters by over 17,000 compared to the last polls.

Since the Election Commission of India has increased polling duration to 12 hours, from 7 am to 7 pm, again as part of Covid norms, parties are making arrangements to ensure all voters reach polling booths and cast their votes.

The TRS and BJP have appointed in-charges for every ward, whose principal duty would be to ensure all voters in their ward cast their vote. These in-charges are reaching out to every voter and requesting them to vote.

TRS MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, one of the partys in-charge for Huzurabad bypoll, said, Our focus is on urban areas as they had witnessed lower polling in 2018  often less than 70 per cent.

Nevertheless, all parties are expecting a higher turnout in this bypoll in the backdrop of more than five-month long high-decibel campaigning in Huzurabad with TRS and BJP engaging in a tug of war since June.
Avowals of democracy within parties dont add up to much; in fact, these declarations of consultations and compromises are empty of content. Thats true of probably every party that asserts its commitment to defending Indias democracy and finds fault with other parties for failing to do so.

The Congress is not alone in being a party that invariably refers its problems with dissent and differences to the so-called high command. The BJP too has set up its own high command, which even as it mimics the Congress is also a backhanded compliment to the institutionalisation of a single centre of authority that is autocratic in essence but sidesteps the characterisation by claiming that the controllers consult every other point of view.

If holding regular elections to fill party positions was all that internal democracy meant, then certainly the BJP is a democratic party. Just like the parliamentary Communist parties. If democracy within parties equals open entry at the bottom and a rise based on merit-performance-leadership through the ranks to the very top, the BJP and certainly the Communist parties are robust democratic organisations. Democratic centralism, a fundamental organising principle of Communist parties, is probably the most transparent and consequently accountable mechanism adopted by major political parties in India, regardless of the conventions of criticism heaped on the Marxists for being rigidly hierarchical and centralising authority in a politburo and functioning through a collective leadership routine that can appear excessively controlling but is nevertheless a consultative process.

The choreographed performance of consultation and consensus in the Congress is not a democratic process of decision-making because one outcome is always known; continuity of the Gandhi family at the helm. The partys endless wait for a final acceptance of the leadership position by Rahul Gandhi is a parody of the democratic process. The abrupt declaration that Sonia Gandhi is the president of the Congress, ending the farce of her interim presidency, isnt democratic either. The routinely repeated calls for organisational elections and the long drawn out process of holding such elections confirms that whatever else the process may be, it is not democracy within the party. The fact that organisational changes dont follow a schedule that is as fixed as elections in India, with a final end by date, is the best measure of how very little democracy matters within the Congress.

But the Congress isnt the only party that violates the basic rules of democratic functioning. The BJP, despite its more or less on time selection of a party president, doesnt work in democratic ways. The partys umbilical connection to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the constant transfusion of leaders and workers effectively empties its claim to function democratically. And then there are punitive decisions handed out that corroborate that decision-making in the BJP is not democratic. The removal of both Maneka Gandhi, Sultanpurs MP, and her son Varun, MP from Pilibhit, from the national executive committee was not democratic at all. Obviously, there was no public statement on the reason for their removal, but it wasnt difficult to connect the cause to the effect. Varun Gandhi had publicly lashed out after eight people died at Lakhimpur Kheri, including four farmers and a journalist, who were run over by a convoy of speeding vehicles with local BJP bigshots, one of whom was picked up by the Uttar Pradesh police after being ticked off by the Supreme Court. He was unequivocal in condemning what happened; protesters cannot be silenced through murder and said that justice must be delivered before a message of arrogance and cruelty enters the minds of every farmer. The fact that Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister of state for home Ajay Teni Mishra, was named in an FIR should have been reason enough for the BJP to take action against both father and son.

Respecting the right of party functionaries to speak out, criticise, dissent, oppose, hold different opinions, without incurring punishment ought to be the norm rather than the exception. Fixing dissenters by removing them from party posts or even power as has happened in Karnataka or in Punjab, of abruptly changing chief ministers in Uttarakhand  Tirath Singh Rawat lasted 116 days before he was replaced by Pushkar Singh Dhami  are confirmation that political parties despite their commitment to democracy in India have very little commitment to democratic functioning as a fundamental internal requirement for running their outfits. The hire and fire style has everything to do with power being centralised and decisions being taken by an inner circle or the high command.

The Congress and the BJP have no democratic process for mid-course corrections within the organisations. The parliamentary Left or the communist parties, including the CPI(M), CPI as well as the CPI-ML (Liberation), have a more structured and therefore transparent system, where changes between party congresses or state-wise party conferences can be made through a consultative process. But even that is not a fully democratic process of open contest and publicly announced outcomes.

The regional parties or state parties established by a single leader are genetically different. The association of a leader and his/her family with the party is such that the conventional rules of democratic functioning do not apply. That is not to argue that there is no mechanism of consultation, compromise and consensus in these parties. There is, but there are limitations to the mechanism.

The supremo or the netaji takes the final call. In every election, be it for the three-tier panchayats, municipalities or municipal corporations, cooperatives or even school boards, the state Assembly or the Lok Sabha, the risk and the responsibility for the success or the failure of the party is shouldered by the supremo or netaji. The person of the leader is what makes these parties what they are.

The absence of competition and the concentration of power in the person of a leader has converted political parties into autocratic institutions. It is thus unsurprising that these leaders use every means, foul and fair, to control the political space. The use of coercive machinery, including draconian laws to enforce a particular order on all political actors, be it within ruling parties or parties in the Opposition, has been normalised ever since Indira Gandhi weaponised raids by government agencies to squash her critics and the Opposition. The BJPs use of the punishment and coercion template erases the difference between it and the worst years of the Congress government, when dissent equalled disloyalty to the leader and was considered a sin.
The Karnataka health department sounded a note of caution on Tuesday after its genomic surveillance machinery discovered that two people had been infected with the AY.4.2 sub-lineage of the novel coronavirus weeks before.

The discovery prompted Dr K Sudhakar, Health Minister, to speak to members of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on Tuesday about potential contingency measures, a source said. He has sought their opinion on the matter and will be briefing the chief minister on the matter tonight, the source said.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

This sub-lineage of the Delta variant, which is rising in prevalence in the United Kingdom (UK), was described by technical experts in that country as having a growth rate of 17% compared to the baseline Delta variant and a secondary household contacts attack rate of 12.4%, as opposed to 11.1% for Delta. Out of 23,407 sequences identified in the world, 21,848 are from the UK.

Both the cases found in Karnataka are from Bengaluru. One is a 43-year-old man who had been infected with the virus as early as on July 7 and the second is a 23-year-old man whose swab samples had been collected on July 17. Both cases were found as the state retroactively tests old samples for this new version of the virus.

Also read: Bengaluru lab finds two patients with AY.4.2 Delta sub-lineage

Nevertheless, Dr C N Manjunath, a member of the State Covid-19 Task Force, said that the discovery of this new sub-lineage did not change anything. It continues to be a Delta variant. As we already know, about 80% of all cases on the second wave were due to Delta and therefore, this is a variant that largely cannot do greater damage to us, although it is causing some damage in Europe, but only because those countries are enduring Delta for the first time, he said.

According to the top health official in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the samples have been sent to the National Centre for Biological Sciences (TIFR-NCBS) for verification. But there is no need to push the panic button on these two cases, said Dr Thrilok Chandra, Special Commissioner (Health). For one, we have followed up on the two cases. Both were asymptomatic and the primary contacts are also asymptomatic.

Re-verification is important because at least one genomic scientist disputed the discovery of the AY.4.2 in India. A check suggests none of the sequences meets Public Health Englands (PHE) criteria for AY.4.2. The 17 sequences found in India have only one or none of the three mutations they are supposed to have, the expert said.

The scientist added that misclassifications happen because of problems in the Pango software, which is used worldwide to classify Covid-19 lineages.

Third wave concern

Even if this discovery of AY.4.2 turns out to be premature, Dr Manjunath noted that the population should not be complacent. As per the pattern of prevalence, a third wave will happen but we do not know when it will happen, he said, adding that the task force was concerned about large public gatherings taking place in the state, especially political rallies and conventions.

Meanwhile, the Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, T K Anil Kumar, said that the matter would be further discussed at a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting scheduled for Thursday.

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The Transport Department has proposed a 20 per cent hike in fares of auto-rickshaws in Bengaluru following demand from auto drivers who cited snowballing fuel and operation costs.

The department finalised the proposal to revise the fares after meeting various auto-rickshaw drivers unions recently.

Once approved, the base fare will increase from Rs 25 to Rs 30, while fares for every kilometre will increase from Rs 13 to Rs 16.

The previous fare hike in Bengaluru was approved in December 2013 when the minimum fare went up from Rs 20 to Rs 25 and the fare for every kilometre thereafter was hiked from Rs 11 to Rs 13.

The department had also changed the distance for calculating the minimum fare from 1.8 km to 1.9 km.

Auto-rickshaw drivers have been demanding a hike for the past three years in the face of spiralling fuel prices. Despite holding several meetings, officials could not reach a consensus due to differences within the unions.

"A consensus on the fare was reached during the recent meeting. The file was sent to the secretariat, which recently forwarded it to the transport minister. Several auto-rickshaw unions demanded the hike due to the rise in operational costs. However, some unions are concerned that hiking prices during the pandemic may turn away people from auto-rickshaws," an official in the regional transport office said.

Sampath C, general secretary, Adarsh Autorickshaw Drivers Union, said unions largely agreed with the hike, but some wanted it delayed.

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Global powers and aid groups that have loudly demanded an inclusive Afghanistan under the Taliban are now facing criticism for sending all-male delegations to Kabul to meet the hardline Islamists.

Since seizing power in August, the Taliban have excluded women from their new caretaker government and put restrictions on work and education, drawing condemnation from the outside world.

But female representation has been little better among some governments and aid groups in their meetings in the capital with Afghanistan's new rulers, who are seeking international recognition.

"Senior women in your teams should be leading your interactions with the Taliban... Don't exclude women," said Shaharzad Akbar, the exiled head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.

Also Read | Women protest world's 'silence' over crisis in Afghanistan

In a tweet addressing "governments and aid agencies", she called on them to "NOT NORMALISE Taliban's erasure of women".

Heather Barr from Human Rights Watch created a list, under the hashtag "sausageparty", of pictures posted by the Taliban of their meetings with delegations in Kabul.

"Foreign countries and especially aid organisations should be leading by example," Barr told AFP.

"No one should let the Taliban think that this kind of men-only world that they are creating... is normal."

The Taliban have posted dozens of photos on social media of closed-door meetings with groups of foreign representatives, showing not a single woman.

Among the many meetings highlighted was one earlier this month between British envoy Simon Gass and the Taliban's interim deputy prime ministers Abdul Ghani Baradar and Abdul Salam Hanafi, seated on a sofa in a lavish room.

An official told AFP it was a coincidence that the special envoy and head of mission were both men.

Pakistan, which has advised the Taliban on how to win international backing, also posted pictures and video of an all-male group accompanying the foreign minister and intelligence chief to Kabul.

Also Read | How ethnic and religious divides in Afghanistan are contributing to violence against minorities

Fawzia Koofi, one of the negotiators in failed peace talks between the then Afghan government and the Taliban last year in Doha, voiced her anger.

"As world leaders, when they talk about women's rights, they also need to act. They need to show that they believe in it, that it is not just a political statement," she told AFP.

Even more concerning, Barr said, were the numerous pictures of meetings between the Taliban and humanitarian organisations that seemed to follow the same pattern.

When contacted by AFP, the organisations on her list highlighted their dedication to women's rights and said they strived to include women in meetings with the Taliban.

But several acknowledged holding at least one meeting with the hardline Islamists that included no women.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, the UN children's agency, and Doctors Without Borders explained that on the photographed occasion, they had only sent small delegations of top leaders, who happened to be men.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies meanwhile said a last-minute scheduling change had meant a woman staff member due to take part had been unable to attend, turning one meeting into an all-male event.

The lack of women in such high-level positions shows that while Afghanistan might be an extreme example, it is not the only place where women are being denied an equal seat at the table.

"Raising those concerns about women's rights in a room full of all men just seems very strange," Barr added.

Also Read | What is the future of ethnic groups in Afghanistan now that Taliban is back in power?

The United Nations has since announced its first-ever all-woman mission to Afghanistan, to discuss girls' education with the Taliban.

While never including women in their teams, the group's leaders have met with a number of women, including during the Doha negotiations with the then Afghan government.

Koofi, who has survived two assassination attempts, had first hesitated to join the talks with the militants, who jailed her husband and threatened to stone her for wearing nail polish during their 1990s rule.

But sitting face to face with them had made her feel "powerful".

"For me, it was important that I make myself visible and my message clear to them," she told AFP in 2019.

Now those with the power to ensure women have a seat at the table are often failing to do so, she said.

"Everyone is playing politics."

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Hiroshima A-bomb survivor Sunao Tsuboi, who became a prominent campaigner for nuclear disarmament and met Barack Obama on his historic visit to the city, has died aged 96, his advocacy group said Wednesday.

Tsuboi was on his way to engineering school in 1945 when the first nuclear bomb attack was launched by the United States, turning the bustling metropolis into an inferno.

"I suffered burns all over my body," he told AFP in 2016. "Naked, I tried to run away for about three hours on August 6 but finally could no longer walk."

Also read: Nagasaki marks 76th anniversary of atomic bombing

Then aged 20, he picked up a small rock and wrote on the ground "Tsuboi dies here", before losing consciousness and waking up several weeks later.

He later developed cancer and other diseases but became a prominent advocate for atomic bomb survivors and a lifelong campaigner for a nuclear-free world.

"I can tolerate hardships for the sake of human happiness. I may die tomorrow but I'm optimistic. I will never give up. We want zero nuclear weapons," he said.

Tsuboi was among a handful of Hiroshima survivors who met then US president Obama when he visited the city in 2016.

He smiled broadly as he shook Obama's hand, with the two men conversing for upwards of a minute. "I was able to convey my thoughts," a satisfied Tsuboi said afterwards.

Tsuboi "passed away on Saturday due to anaemia", an official from Nihon Hidankyo -- a group that represents survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, of which Tsuboi was a key leader -- told AFP.

There are 127,755 survivors of both attacks still alive and their average age is 84, according to the health ministry.

Around 140,000 people died in the bombing of Hiroshima, a toll that includes those who survived the explosion but died soon after from radiation exposure.

Three days later the US dropped a plutonium bomb on the port city of Nagasaki, killing about 74,000 people and leading to the end of World War II.

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The United States and China are stepping up their war of words over Taiwan in a long-simmering dispute that has significant implications for the power dynamic in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

Amid a surge in Chinese military activity near the island that China regards as a renegade province and has vowed to reclaim by force if necessary, Washington and Beijing have launched new campaigns for global support for their respective positions, each using the stern and lofty language of sovereignty and international precedent. And neither is backing down.

While the disagreement over Taiwan isn't new and has long vexed relations between the countries, recent developments suggest the two are coming closer to confrontation. Last week, President Joe Biden set off alarm bells in Beijing by saying the US has a firm commitment to help Taiwan defend itself in the event of a Chinese attack.

China protested and the Biden administration sought to play down the comments. White House, State Department and Pentagon officials all said the president did not mean to imply any changes in the US one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei.

Also Read | N Korea slams US for supporting Taiwan in nod to ally China

The officials took pains to say that America's commitment to Taiwan remains steadfast but continues to be guided by a policy of strategic ambiguity over military-related specifics that falls short of a treaty-enshrined mutual defense pact. Since then, however, the administration has upped the ante on the diplomatic front.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday publicly urged other members of the United Nations to reject China's assertion of absolute sovereignty over Taiwan and join the US in supporting Taipei's independent participation in international organizations related to transportation, health, climate change, culture and education.

As the international community faces an unprecedented number of complex and global issues, it is critical for all stakeholders to help address these problems, Blinken said in a statement. This includes the 24 million people who live in Taiwan. Taiwan's meaningful participation in the UN system is not a political issue, but a pragmatic one.

He noted that Taiwan has been prevented from participating in meetings of the International Civil Aviation Organization despite being a major transit hub and the World Health Organization despite having fielded an effective response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Also Read | US's plan to protect Taiwan is not exactly clear-cut

Taiwan's exclusion undermines the important work of the UN and its related bodies, all of which stand to benefit greatly from its contributions, Blinken said. That is why we encourage all UN Member States to join us in supporting Taiwan's robust, meaningful participation throughout the UN system and in the international community.

State Department spokesman Ned Price declined to elaborate on what the administration would define as meaningful participation."

Blinken's statement came just five days after Biden's remarks about Taiwan's defense and only two days after the State Department announced that senior US and Taiwanese officials met virtually to discuss expanding Taiwan's participation in UN and other international groupings.

In that Oct. 22 meeting, administration officials "reiterated the US commitment to Taiwan's meaningful participation at the World Health Organization and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and discussed ways to highlight Taiwan's ability to contribute to efforts on a wide range of issues, the State Department said.

Apart from complaining about Biden's initial comments, China reacted angrily to that discussion, slamming the administration for making irresponsible statements that encourage Taiwanese independence and demanding a halt to US official contacts with the island's government.

Taiwan's participation in activities of the international organizations must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said. Taiwan's attempts to expand its so-called international space' with foreign support are in nature seeking to expand the space for Taiwan independence' and secession. It will surely end in failure.

The back-and-forth is playing out against a backdrop of increasing belligerence by both sides toward the other, even as they profess to have common interests on issues ranging from trade to climate to North Korea. Relations have plunged to new lows since nosediving under the Trump administration, which adopted a confrontational approach on trade, visas, diplomatic representation and educational exchanges.

While both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have been firm in their opposition to Chinese activities in Tibet, Hong Kong, China's western Xinjiang region and the South China Sea, the Taiwan issue pre-dates most of those irritants.

China has recently upped its threat to bring Taiwan under its control by force if necessary by flying warplanes near the island and rehearsing beach landings.

China and Taiwan split during a civil war in 1949. The US cut formal diplomatic relations with Taipei in 1979 in order to recognize Beijing. The US does not openly contest China's claim to Taiwan, but is committed by law to ensure the island can defend itself and to treat all threats toward it as matters of grave concern.

Under President Xi Jinping, who is also Communist Party leader and head of the armed forces, China has been stepping up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan. Over its National Day weekend at the beginning of the month, China sent a record 149 military aircraft southwest of Taiwan in strike group formations, prompting Taiwan to scramble aircraft and activate its air defense missile systems.

China has also recently held beach landing exercises on its side of the roughly 160-kilometer-wide (100-mile-wide) Taiwan Strait, which, like the aircraft incursions, it described as a warning to Tsai Ing-wen's administration.

The US has reinforced its support for Taiwan with military sales.

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It is one of the last places in Kabul where women can meet outside their households, a bubble of freedom and even frivolity away from the gaze of men.

Mohadessa has kept her beauty salon open despite threats from Afghanistan's new rulers.

Also read: Women protest world's 'silence' over crisis in Afghanistan

Since the Taliban seized Kabul in mid-August, many women have disappeared from public spaces, driven into private areas out of fear and sometimes very real threats.

But Mohadessa's beauty salon has, for now, remained a place where women can relax among themselves outside the household and share their woes -- or forget them in favour of fun and fashion.

The oasis of feminine industry provides income for the staff and moments of indulgence for the clients, but its days may be numbered.

"We don't want to give up and stop working," the 32-year-old entrepreneur told AFP over the hubbub of women getting ready for a wedding celebration.

"We love that we have a job, and it is necessary for women to work in Afghan society -- many of them are the breadwinners for their family."

Customers are dropped off outside and whisked past posters advertising fashion and beauty brands that are now blotted out with white paint.

They quickly disappear into the shop through a heavy curtain.

Once inside, the women shed their headscarves and outer garments and their excited voices compete with the hum of hair-dryers as they choose their new looks.

The last time the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, between 1996 and the US-led intervention of 2001, women were obliged to wear the all-covering burqa.

Under the Islamist movement's interpretation of Islamic law, beauty salons were banned outright.

Just having painted nails meant a woman could risk having her fingers cut off.

But since the Taliban returned to the capital and declared their Islamic Emirate, the movement has been at pains to present a more liberal face to the world.

Keen to secure international finance to head off economic disaster that could undermine their war gains, they have not rushed to reimpose restrictions on daily life.

That is not to say Mohadessa has not received threats.

A Taliban mob has shouted abuse outside her shop, but she has made use of the legal limbo to continue.

"I can say that the women at this salon are courageous because they come to work with fear," she said.

"Every day they open the salon, they come in, and they continue to work, despite this fear."

On the day AFP visited, around 30 women had braved the climate of fear to come to the shop and prepare for a wedding, where the sexes are traditionally segregated during celebrations.

The women were clearly enjoying the rare chance to dress up and pamper themselves, with elaborate hair and eyelash decorations complementing a colourful make-up palette.

The bride's sister, English teacher Farkhunda, gazes at the results of an hour-long makeover.

"Yes, it's nice. It's beautiful. It's my first real day out since the end of August," she said cheerfully.

But under the splash of glittery eye-shadow, one of her pupils is immobile, taken during a gun and bomb attack when she was a teenager.

"You see my eye? I lost it on my way to school when the Taliban attacked us. But I am not scared of them. I don't want to talk about them. Today is for celebration," she said.

The light-hearted mood is as fragile as the delicate bejewelled hair bands. At every movement of the curtain hiding the door to the outside world, the women stiffen and briefly fall silent.

But none of the clients want to tone down their look, a stylised, ultra-feminine rebuke to the Taliban's looming curbs on free expression: dense foundation, long false lashes, dazzling colours and a China doll finish.

Also read: Afghan midwives vow to help mothers and babies under Taliban rule

And 22-year-old Marwa, not her real name, with her asymmetric haircut exposing an ear dotted with piercings and decorative chains, sees a message of "resistance" in the stylings.

"We are not people with blue burkas. We are not people with black burkas. That's not who we are," she said.

Some of the women dream of leaving, others of change.

Farkhunda hopes she can get back to work while Mohadessa, determined to stay open, fears for her life.

She showed AFP a letter she believes comes from the Taliban's new Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, warning her to close down.

Her response: "Until they come and put a knife to my throat, I'm staying here."

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The Congress on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court order of setting up an expert committee on the Pegasus spyware issue, and said it has negated alleged attempts of the government to evade and divert attention in the name of national security.

"Pseudo-Nationalism is the last refuge of cowardly fascists everywhere," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter.

Pseudo-Nationalism is the last refuge of cowardly fascists everywhere. Welcome SC order setting up Spl Committee to examine misuse of spyware #Pegasus despite Modi Govts embarrassing attempts to evade, avoid & divert attention in the name of National Security. Satyamev Jayate!  Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) October 27, 2021

"Welcome SC order setting up Special Committee to examine misuse of spyware Pegasus despite Modi Government's embarrassing attempts to evade, avoid and divert attention in the name of National Security. Satyamev Jayate," he said.

Also Read | 'No specific denial by Centre': Supreme Court sets up panel to probe Pegasus snooping matter

The Supreme Court has appointed a three-member panel of experts to probe into the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for surveillance of some persons, saying every citizen needs protection against violation of privacy.

The court was hearing pleas seeking an independent probe into reports of alleged snooping by government agencies on eminent citizens, politicians and scribes by using Pegasus.

An international media consortium had reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.

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Former West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay has allegedly received a death threat through a letter sent to his wife, police said on Wednesday.

Bandyopadhyay's wife Sonali Chakrabarty, Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University, received the typed letter, undersigned by Gourhari Mishra, who claimed to be from the Department of Chemical Technology of Rajabazar Science College in the city, they said.

"Madam, your husband will be killed. No body can save the life of your husband," read the letter, dated October 22, a police officer said.

A complaint has been registered and investigation is underway, he said.

Bandyopadhyay, who retired in May, is at present the chief advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

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In a bid to enhance the financial viability of ration shops, the government on Wednesday proposed retail sale of small LPG cylinders through these outlets across the country.

The government was also exploring collaboration between Common Service Centres (CSC) and fair price shops to provide e-governance services to the people.

Plan for retail selling of LPG cylinders through FPS on anvil. States/UTs to sensitise the FPS dealers on the same, Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal said on Twitter.

There are around 5.26 lakh fair price shops in the country through which subsidised foodgrains under the National Food Security Act are being distributed to the poor beneficiaries.

The issue came up for discussion during a meeting that Food and Public Distribution Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey had with representatives of various state governments.

Representatives from the ministries of electronics and IT; finance; and petroleum and natural gas also attended the meeting.

Officials from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) as well as CSC e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC) were also present.

The oil marketing companies said they would extend necessary support for the same in coordination with interested state/UT governments, an official statement said.

In the meeting, the food secretary stressed on the need for taking proactive measures for enhancing the financial viability of FPSs.

The state governments said the collaboration with common service centres (CSC) will increase the viability of FPS.

They also mentioned that they would coordinate with CSC to review feasibility according to local requirements.

On the proposal to offer financial services via FPS, representatives from the Department of Financial Services (DFS) informed that the necessary support would be provided for the same in coordination with interested states.

The government is planning to extend MUDRA loans to FPS dealers for capital augmentation, the statement added.

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India on Wednesday asserted that the new Land Boundary Law unilaterally adopted by China would not have any bearing on bilateral arrangements put in place to resolve the territorial row between the two neighbours as well as to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

A spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi expressed concern over the new law, which Chinas top legislature passed on October 23 last amid the 18-month-long military stand-off along its disputed boundary with India. New Delhi also underlined that Beijings unilateral move to introduce the new law would not confer any legitimacy to Pakistans 1963 deal with China for illegal transfer of 5180 sq km of India's territory to the communist country.

China brought about the new law at a time when its negotiation with India to resolve the 18-month-long stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh had hit an impasse. The Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys continued build-up and its recent incursion bids in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh of India also fuelled speculation about the tension along the disputed boundary between the two nations spreading from the western to middle and eastern sectors, too.

Also Read | China continues to bully its neighbours: Pentagon

Chinas unilateral decision to bring about a legislation, which can have an implication on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question, is of concern to us, said the MEA spokesperson in New Delhi. Such unilateral move will have no bearing on the arrangements that both sides have already reached earlier, whether it is on the Boundary Question or for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China Border areas.

China's Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress on Saturday voted to adopt the new law on protection and exploitation of the countrys land border areas, which would take effect on January 1 next year.

Xinhua, the state-run news agency of the communist country, reported that the new law stipulated that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation were sacred and inviolable and the state should take measures to safeguard its territorial integrity and land boundaries and guard against and combat any act that could undermine territorial sovereignty and land boundaries.

New Delhi took note of Chinas new law, particularly its provisions that empowered President Xi Jinpings government to reorganise the districts in the border areas, including the ones along the countrys disputed boundary with India.

It may be noted that India and China have still not resolved the boundary question. Both sides have agreed to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution to the Boundary Question through consultations on an equal footing, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. We have also concluded several bilateral agreements, protocols and arrangements to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China border areas in the interim.

Bagchi said that India would also expect that China would avoid undertaking action under the pretext of this law which could unilaterally alter the situation in the India-China border areas.

Furthermore, he added, the passage of this new law does not in our view confer any legitimacy to the so-called China Pakistan boundary agreement of 1963, which the Government of India has consistently maintained is an illegal and invalid agreement.

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The Bombay High Court heard a bail plea filed by Aryan Khan and adjourned the case to Thursday. Meanwhile, Nawab Malik released documents and photographs that confirm Wankhede was married earlier and to a Muslim woman The marriage was purportedly conducted as a Muslim ceremony. The minister also said that he would resign if the 'forged' documents he shared turn out to be false.
Five months after she announced her return to politics, V K Sasikala seems to have finally stirred the hornets nest in the AIADMK, Tamil Nadus principal Opposition party.

The AIADMK, which has been speaking in one voice on keeping Sasikala at bay, is now sending mixed signals. As the all-powerful friend of late J Jayalalithaa, Sasikala had controlled the AIADMK from the sidelines for decades but is now locked in an intense battle with her one-time lieutenants for political survival.

Though the opposition to taking her back into the party is real and strong given the anti-Sasikala faction is headed by Edappadi K Palaniswami, who has the backing of the majority of the AIADMK MLAs, the new voices (read O Panneerselvam) that appear to be supporting Sasikalas re-entry cannot be brushed aside either.

Sasikala begins her tour

On her part, Sasikala is also not taking things lightly anymore. After being confined to her palatial bungalow in upscale T. Nagar for over six months, the ousted AIADMK general secretary has finally begun her political sojourn.

Read | Sasikala to be re-inducted to AIADMK?

She will tour a few districts in southern Tamil Nadu this week during which she will pay respects to Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar, a revered political figure from the Mukulathor community to which she too belongs, at his mausoleum on Friday.

Sasikala has vowed to reclaim the AIADMK from the current leadership Panneerselvam and Palaniswami  following the partys defeat in the April 6 assembly elections. However, the close friend of late Jayalalithaa is yet to make any headway in her efforts to take over the AIADMK leadership with no visible swell in her support base.

Newfound support from OPS

What could hold out some hope to Sasikala in her quest to take control of the party yet again  she was interim general secretary for ten months after Jayalalithaas death in 2016 -- is the latest statement by her one-time foe Panneerselvam who has taken a completely different line from that of the AIADMK vis-a-vis her return to the party fold.

During an interaction with media on Monday, Panneerselvam, flanked by Mukulathor leaders, said a decision on reinduction of Sasikala into the AIADMK will be taken by the partys High Command, a statement that is in direct contradiction with Palaniswamis stand that Sasikala has no place in the outfit.

Panneerselvams statement is not just a retort to Palaniswami, political analysts say, but also a signal to Sasikala that he may not be averse to doing business with her. The fact that no former minister who was present when OPS made the statement took objection to it might indicate more than what meets the eye, they said.

Sasikala is OPS umbrella in the storm of solitude. OPS will be willing to put his weight behind Sasikala as he feels isolated within the party. And for the AIADMK, she could become a rallying point as far as the Mukulathors are concerned. Even if the Mukulathors back Sasikala, she will face tough resistance from the EPS camp, senior journalist R Bhagwan Singh told DH.

OPS statement and the fallout

Sidelined completely within the party after he was forced by the BJP to play the second fiddle to EPS who was the Chief Minister then, OPS is slowly starting to reassert his authority within the AIADMK and might be willing to join the Sasikala bandwagon to send a message to his former boss, Palaniswami.

The statement by OPS, who rebelled against Sasikala in 2017 only after which Palaniswami was elected as leader of AIADMK Legislature Party, has cheered the Sasikala camp, with T T V Dhinakaran welcoming the move and terming Panneerselvam as a calm and composed person.

With her repeated assertions on taking over, the party not finding enough supporters within the AIADMK, OPS support may provide much-needed momentum to Sasikalas campaign. Even if Sasikala gets an opening in the AIADMK courtesy OPS, the camp led by EPS will oppose her re-entry tooth and nail for it would dilute its powers within the party, to say the least.

Prof. Ramu Manivannan, Head of the Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Madras, told DH that at best Sasikala can control the party as she does not have enough time to become a mass leader.

The AIADMK has to come into a revival mode. They are harming the party. I think EPS is strategically indifferent because he is content with what he has. He knows he will not be accepted by everyone as the leader. So, he is just content with what he has by ignoring the leadership issue. I dont see Sasikala also attaining a dominant position immediately. The first thing AIADMK should do is to unite all factions and then choose a leader, he said.

For anyone to take full control of the party will be a long haul given the simmering differences between the warring factions.
Kranti Redkar, the wife of Narcotics Control Bureau's Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede, on Wednesday said her husband was born as Hindu and he never changed his religion.

Redkar also contested the claim made by the Qazi, who had performed the first marriage of Wankhede in 2006, that he was Muslim at the time of the 'nikah'.

Wankhede is in the eye of a political storm following allegations of extortion in the high-profile cruise drugs case in which actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan was arrested. The officer is facing the departmental vigilance probe.

Addressing a press conference, Redkar, who married Wankhede in 2017, slammed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik for playing "low level" politics by making a string of allegations against her husband. Malik had alleged Wankhede was born as a Muslim, but forged documents, including a caste certificate, to show that he belonged to the Hindu SC category to get a job under quota after clearing the UPSC examination.

Read | Cruise drugs case: Sameer Wankhede faces two probes

"Is that Qazi above the Constitution? He should produce papers to show Sameer Wankhede had converted (to Islam) to marry his first wife," Redkar said, adding Wankhede had performed the 'nikah' in 2006 only to fulfil the wish of his late mother, who was Muslim. "It was just a formality. Sameer (Wankhede) is born as a Hindu. He never converted. Malik is levelling allegations out of his grudge owing to the (drugs) case involving his son-in-law," she claimed. Redkar admitted that the signature on the 2006 nikahnama was of Sameer Wankhede's.

"He doesn't know much about nikahnama (a written document that two Muslim partners entering into a civil union must put their signature on to legalise their marriage)," she claimed. Meanwhile, Wankhede's father Dnyandev Wankhede said he would approach the court against Malik. "What do my religion or caste have to do with the drug case? I am Hindu and Mahar (Scheduled Caste). The 2006 Nikahnama is correct and my signature is also genuine. But I didn't understand the content of the document since it was in Urdu," he told reporters.

Wankhede senior claimed there were only four members in their family. "The Qazi should show evidence to back his claim that the entire Wankhede family had attended the marriage in 2006," he said.

Earlier in the day, Maulana Muzammil Ahmed, a resident of Mumbai, had told a news channel that he had performed the 'nikah' of Sameer Wankhede and Shabana Qureshi in 2006 in the Lokhandwala complex area. "Her father had approached me to perform the marriage in the Lokhandwala complex area. The groom's name was Sameer Dawood Wankhede who married Shabana Qureshi, he said. When asked about Wankhede's claim that he was Hindu, the Qazi said that the 'nikah' would not have been performed in the first place if Sameer Wankhede was a Hindu.

The Maulana also claimed that all the witnesses had signed the Nikahnama as per Islamic customs. "If Sameer Wankhede and his family members are claiming that he is Hindu by birth and that his father is also Hindu, then I would say it is wrong," he added.

Refuting Malik's allegations, Wankhede had earlier said that his father was a Hindu and his late mother Zaheeda was a Muslim. Wankhede had also said that he belonged to a "composite, multi-religious and secular family in true Indian tradition" and that he was proud of his heritage.

The NCB officer had stated that he married Dr Shabana Qureshi in 2006 under the Special Marriage Act. Both of them divorced mutually through a civil court in 2016. Later, in 2017, he married Marathi actress Kranti Redkar. On Wednesday, he told PTI that he had married (in 2006) as per Muslim customs as per the wish of his late mother. Wankhede also asserted that he had never converted to Islam and he belonged to a Hindu caste.

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Jammu & Kashmir Bank on Wednesday said the Reserve Bank has approved the appointment of Baldev Prakash as its next Managing Director and CEO from the next year.

The Reserve Bank of India has vide letter dated October 26, 2021 accorded approval to the candidature of Prakash as MD & CEO of the Bank for a period of three years from the date of taking charge or April 10, 2022, whichever is earlier, J&K Bank said in a regulatory filing.

The state-owned lender will separately inform about the appointment of Baldev Prakash as MD & CEO by its board and the actual date of assuming charge by him.

Prakash has over 30 years of experience in banking in various roles at small and large size branches at SBI. He had joined SBI as a probationary officer in 1991 and he is currently the Chief General Manager (Digital and Transaction Banking Marketing Department) at SBI, Mumbai. Presently, R K Chhibber is the Chairman and Managing Director of J&K Bank, who assumed charge of the bank in June 2019.

Jammu & Kashmir Bank stock traded at Rs 43.20 apiece on BSE, up 5.62 per cent from the previous close.

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The Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Tuesday demanded the reinstatement of statehood before assembly elections and claimed the people of the Union Territory were not happy with Home Minister Amit Shah's "roadmap" of holding the polls followed by statehood restoration.

During his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after the repeal of Article 370 provisions, Shah said on Saturday the youth of Kashmir will get opportunities, so a right delimitation will be done, which will be followed by elections and then the status of the statehood will be restored.

"I have said this in the country's Parliament, and this is the roadmap," he had said.

In a meeting on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Congress' Jammu and Kashmir affairs in-charge Rajni Patil, the party leaders discussed the Union home minister's statement and reiterated the demand for early restoration of statehood.

Also read: No talks with Pakistan, but will talk to people of Jammu and Kashmir: Amit Shah

"The party leaders apprised the leadership about the resentment amongst the people over the statement of the Shah.

"These vague statements of the Union government are not acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir who feel they have been deprived of their status and identity and the same should be restored in the shape of full statehood," the Congress said in a statement.

It said Patil discussed various issues, including the huge damage to crops and orchards and loss of lives due to heavy rains and unseasonal snowfall, and impressed upon the government to announce adequate ex gratia to the affected people.

Patil and the Congress' Jammu and Kashmir unit chief G A Mir briefed the meeting about the nationwide programmes scheduled by the AICC in the coming days and asked them to reach out to the people through 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan'.

They also briefed them about the pan-India membership drive to be launched next month as decided in the recent Congress Working Committee meeting chaired by Sonia Gandhi.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday formed an independent expert committee, to be supervised by Justice R V Raveendran, a retired top court judge, to go into the "truth or falsity" of allegations of snooping on citizens by use of Israel's Pegasus spyware.

A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice of India N V Ramana said the court had no option but to accept prima facie allegations by a batch of petitioners, including journalist N Ram, for a probe, as the union government made an "omnibus and vague" denial in its limited and short affidavit in the matter.

The court passed its order taking into account the public importance and the alleged scope and nature of the large-scale violation of the fundamental rights of the citizens of the country. It noted a broad consensus that unauthorised surveillance or accessing of stored data from the phones and other devices of citizens for reasons other than the nations security would be "illegal, objectionable and a matter of concern."

"Our effort is to uphold the constitutional aspirations and rule of law, without allowing ourselves to be consumed in the political rhetoric. This court has always been conscious of not entering the political thicket. However, at the same time, it has never cowered from protecting all from the abuses of fundamental rights," the bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said.

As petitioners raised grave concern on violation of the right to privacy by use of spyware sold only to government agencies, the bench said, "Every invasion of privacy must pass the test of reasonableness and constitutional necessity."

The Centre, for its part, had refused to divulge details whether Pegasus was used or not, citing the national security concerns.

The bench said it is a settled position of law that in matters pertaining to national security, the scope of judicial review is limited. However, this does not mean that the state gets a free pass every time the spectre of national security is raised. National security cannot be the bugbear that the judiciary shies away from, by virtue of its mere mentioning," the bench said in its 46-page judgement.

#SupremeCourt orders setting up a panel to probe allegations of snooping by #PegasusSpyware.@DeccanHerald  AshishTripathi (@Ashtripathi13) October 27, 2021

The court also pointed out some foreign governments have seriously taken the purported spyware attack, and some have initiated proceedings internally to determine the truth. It also rejected the Centre's proposal to form its panel, saying it would violate the settled judicial principle against bias, i.e., that justice must not only be done but also be seen to be done'.

The court constituted the technical committee comprising of three members, including those who are experts in cyber security, digital forensics, networks and hardware. The members are Dr Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, Professor (Cyber Security and Digital Forensics) National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, Dr Prabaharan P, Professor (School of Engineering), Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, Kerala and Dr Ashwin Anil Gumaste, Associate Professor (Computer Science and Engineering), IIT Bombay.

Their functioning will be overseen by Justice R V Raveendran, former judge, Supreme Court. He will be assisted by Alok Joshi, former IPS officer (1976 batch) and Dr Sundeep Oberoi, Chairman, Sub Committee in (International Organisation of Standardisation/ International Electro-Technical Commission/Joint Technical Committee).

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CPI MP Binoy Viswam on Wednesday said the Supreme Court's decision to form a committee of experts to enquire into the Pegasus snooping issue had "shattered the castle of government propaganda".

The apex court appointed a committee of experts to inquire into the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for surveillance of Indian citizens.

"Supreme Court in pegasus upheld nation's honour.Verdict shattered the castle of Govt.propaganda with a mask of national security. Now, they may try to put hurdles before expert committee by denying necessary materials.Modi is afraid of truth. They live for pegasus! (sic)" Viswam said in a series of tweets on his Twitter handle.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said the three-member committee will be headed by former apex court judge R V Raveendran.

Citing national security, the Centre had refused to file a detailed affidavit in the matter.

The pleas are related to reports of alleged snooping by government agencies on eminent citizens, politicians and scribes by using Israeli firm NSO's spyware Pegasus.

"NSO,the mother of spyware Pegasus will now try to protect Modi Govt.Israeli zionism and RSS Hindutva are ideological twins.Greed of NSO coupled with Israeli politics led them to the snooping in India.Modi Govt.spread red carpet for pegasus to spy on its own citizens. Shame to Modi (sic)," he said.

"As they want to hide the truth, they suppressed my Question in Parliament after Temporarily approving it. Our fight to raise Pegasus in Paliament is vindicated by the supreme court decision," the MP added.

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The back-to-back calamities in Kerala are fueling the protests and resentment against major infrastructure projects in the state, such as the high-speed rail line and the Sabarimala airport.

Apart from the ecological issues posed by the proposed constructions, concerns are also being raised over the requirement of construction materials like rocks in large quantities.

The viability of the projects and huge financial burden on the cash-strapped exchequer are the other concerns raised by those opposing the much-hyped projects of the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front.

On Wednesday, hundreds of people participated in a protest march in front of the government Secretariat against the high-speed rail project. Apart from those who fear of losing land, activists, religious heads and leaders of the Congress and BJP joined the protest.

Read | Blame game in Kerala Assembly over recent calamities

The 530-kilometre long semi high-speed rail line project from Thiruvananthapuram in the South to Kasargod in the North, named as Silver Line, is being projected not just as a high-speed travel option, but also as an eco-friendly alternative to the congested rail and road networks. The travel time from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod, which is around ten hours by rail and road now, could be reduced to around four hours with the proposed line.

The major resistance against the project is with regard to exploitation of nature. The railway line, with protective wall on either sides, would literally separate the state into two and would affect natural water flow, says environmentalists.

Rights activist C R Neelakantan said that as per data available from the detailed project report around 75 lakh loads of rocks and almost same quantity of sand would be required for the project. Hence, it would only lead to massive quarrying activities, he pointed out.

While the project's estimated cost is Rs 64,000 crore and foreign funding was also being explored, Opposition leader V D Satheesan said that the actual cost would be manifold higher and the state would fall into a debt trap.

Even as the Central nod for the project was still pending, the state government was going ahead with preliminary measures of land acquisition, said S Rajeevan, general convener of the action council against the project.

Resistance against the Sabarimala airport project is also gaining further momentum in view of the recent floods and landslides as the proposed project site Cheruvally estate is close to the recent flood and landslide-hit Mundakkayam and Koottickkal areas of Kottayam district.

Neelakantan said that the state government should seriously rethink whether such major projects that were not even viable should be taken forward at the cost of the ecosystem. He also said that there was no requirement for an airport at Sabarimala as Sabarimala Ayyappa temple pilgrimage was only a two-month-long affair. Moreover, the proposed land is also caught up in a legal tangle.

Political parties, rights forums, religious heads and people fearing displacement over the projects allege that vested commercial interests were the key driving forces of these 'unviable' projects.

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Controversial and high-profile NCBs Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede now faces two separate probes - by an internal investigation by the federal agency, and another by the Mumbai Police.

The Mumbai Police has appointed an assistant commissioner of police-level officers to look into the allegations of extortion against the officer.

Meanwhile, an NCB team from New Delhi has landed in Mumbai and visited the NCB office at the Ballard Estate and collected some documents related to the case.

The team is headed by deputy director general Dhyaneshwar Singh, who has been asked to head the vigilance probe by NCB chief SN Pradhan.

We have started the probe This is a very sensitive investigation, too early to share anything. We will not be able to share information in real-time. It's a sensitive case. We shall enquire into all aspects and later inform the media of the developments, Singh said.

Read | With Wankhede's 'nikah nama', Malik intensifies attack

It may be mentioned that deputy director general Mutha Ashok Jain, who heads the South-West Region, has sent the affidavit of witness no. 1 in the drugs-on-cruise case, Prabhakar Sail, to the NCB director general.

Accordingly, on Tuesday, Wankhede, an officer of the 2008 IRS-batch, was summoned to New Delhi, during which he presented his side of the story.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police probe is expected to be headed by ACP Milind Khetle.

Sail, who is the personal bodyguard of Kiran Gosavi, another witness in the cruise ship raid, had alleged that Wankhede, Gosavi and some other NCB officers had sought Rs 25 lakh from Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan to release his son Aryan Khan in the drugs bust case.

He had also alleged a meeting that Gosavi had with Pooja Dadlani, the secretary of SRK, in the latters car.

However, the Mumbai Police did not elaborate what complaints that they have received against Wankhede.

Sails statement has been recorded by the Mumbai Police.

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A city resident has filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court, seeking directions to Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik to refrain from making any comments against the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in light of the drugs case in which actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan is an accused.

The public interest litigation (PIL) was filed on Tuesday by one Kausar Ali, who claims to be a priest and a person working for the rehabilitation of drug addicts. Ali has urged the HC to direct Malik not to make any comments against the NCB or any other investigating agency associated with the Aryan Khan case and officers of such agencies, saying it will demoralise the probe agencies and encourage drug abuse among citizens.

Citing some of Malik's recent tweets, the PIL says the minister has been tweeting and making claims against the NCB and its officer Sameer Wankhede to "demoralise" them. The plea claims that the NCB, under the supervision of Wankhede, has proven to be the "most effective" agency in the recent past.

Also Read | Nawab Malik vs Sameer Wankhede: Allegations mount in a charged drugs case

The high court is yet to assign a date for hearing the PIL. Aryan Khan (23) was arrested on October 3 along with his friend Arbaaz Merchant, fashion model Dhamecha and some others by the NCB, after it raided a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast and claimed to have seized drugs onboard.

While Aryan Khan and Merchant are now lodged at the Arthur Road prison, Dhamecha is at the Byculla women's prison. A special court for NDPS cases had refused to grant them bail following which they moved the high court.

Malik has repeatedly termed the cruise drugs case as "fake" and levelled various allegations against Wankhede, including illegal phone tapping. Wankhede has refuted the allegations and denied any wrong-doing.

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The Goa government told the Bombay High Court's bench here on Wednesday that the victim in a 2013 rape case, in which journalist Tarun Tejpal was acquitted, was named and shamed and the trial court's judgement was "retrograde" and "fit for fifth century".

The Goa bench of the HC, comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and M S Jawalkar, later adjourned the hearing into the matter till November 16, when it will hear Tejpal's application challenging the maintainability of the state government's appeal against his acquittal in the case.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, representing the Goa government, stated before the bench that the prosecutrix (woman) was "named and shamed". He also termed the judgment of the trial court as "retrograde" and "fit for fifth century".

Justice Dere said in not just this case, but in all the cases of rape, we will not allow lawyers to read the evidence, we will read it ourselves". She said a lawyer can point out the page number while submitting about the evidence.

Also Read | Tejpal case: Stereotypes trumped law

On May 21 this year, a sessions court acquitted Tejpal, the former editor-in-chief of the Tehelka magazine, in the case where he was accused of sexually assaulting his then colleague in a lift of a five-star hotel in Goa in November 2013 when they were attending an event.

Later, the Goa government filed an appeal against it in the HC. The matter came up before the HC's division bench on Wednesday when Tejpal's lawyer Amit Desai submitted to the court to consider two applications filed by him.

Tejpal has challenged the maintainability of the Goa government's appeal against his acquittal in the case. Desai said the permission to file application (challenging the session court's order) was not granted by the state government to the public prosecutor on the day when it was filed.

He also said that they have filed an application for 'in-camera' hearing into the matter, which Mehta opposed. The bench will hear later Tejpal's application seeking in-camera hearing into the matter. The hearing on Wednesday was held in virtual mode.

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One wonders whether Union Home Minister Amit Shah meant a headwind or tailwind when he spoke about the winds of change sweeping Kashmir on his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir. Several recent instances of deterioration in the ground situation are making the government's Kashmir story less and less believable.

An ongoing encounter to hunt down eight terrorists in Poonch, targeted killing of members of the minority community, a pervasive sense of fear in the Valley and questions about administrative corruption raised by the former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Satyapal Malik make gaping holes in the government's narrative.

Nine casualties is an embarrassingly large number for the Indian Army to swallow in what has turned into the longest encounter in J&K - 16 days and counting, in the last 18 years. It is hard to believe the allegations of the security forces that they were directed by a Pakistani under-trial prisoner, Zia Mustafa, who has been in a high-security prison for the last 17 years. Mustafa allegedly died in the crossfire when taken to the encounter site last week to identify the terrorists' hideout.

The Pakistan establishment will draw their own conclusions from the Poonch events about the state of India's intelligence network in the area and the preparedness of its armed forces. They will calibrate future militant operations across the Line of Control accordingly. One can also be reasonably sure that there will be a retaliatory tit-for-tat killing of an under-trial Indian prisoner in a Pakistan jail in lieu of Mustafa's death.

Also Read | Amit Shah visits J&K: 5 key messages to Kashmiris

It is disturbing that the security establishment has been unable to identify the leaders of the shadowy groups calling themselves "The Resistance Front", which claimed responsibility for killing minorities in the Valley or of the "Peoples' Anti-Fascist Front", which has claimed to have killed nine Indian soldiers in Poonch. Without this information, no one can ascertain whether these groups are indigenous or foreigners. Unless clearly identified, Pakistan will be able to make successful propaganda that the violence is the work of local militants.

Targeted murder of the Hindu community has led to renewed out-migration, and those who remain, mostly migrant workers, are living inside secure camps. But fear also pervades the majority community, afraid they may be held accountable for the acts of unidentified terrorists. Even politicians are scared, especially those perceived to be close to the Centre, such as members of Sajad Lone's Peoples' Conference or Altaf Bukhari's Apni Party.

What has happened for sure is that the Centre's claims that demonetisation and later improved security linked to making the state a Union Territory would end terrorism in J&K no longer hold water. Terrorist activity has persisted, and ordinary citizens have become even more suspicious of the Centre's moves.

Further pitting the majority against the minority is the provision made by the Lieutenant Governor's administration to re-open property deals made by Kashmiri Pandits forced to migrate in the 1990s. They can now be classified as "distress sales", and the previous owners can ask for either return of the property or full reimbursement at current prices. Land ownership is already a sensitive issue in J&K, and after the abrogation of Article 35A, it is seen as a mechanism of affecting demographic change in the Valley.

Fear of outside settlers has been exacerbated by land allotments to industrialists and entrepreneurs from the rest of India. The government is deploying a 6000-acre existing land bank (15,000 acres have been identified in the Valley alone for the land bank) to woo investors to set up food parks, multiplexes, film production centres, Information Technology Parks, medi-cities, and schools. During Shah's visit to Srinagar, Sajjan Jindal's JSW Steel announced a Rs 150 crore project to manufacture colour-coated steel at Lassipora in Pulwama. Yet another agreement was signed with Dubai on October 18 for investment in infrastructure, including industrial parks, IT Towers, logistics centres, a medical college and a speciality hospital.

Many are apprehensive that investors might be crony capitalists of the government who could take the Dubai route to invest in J&K. They are also afraid that such huge investments could deepen institutionalised corruption in the administration where it is said that money changes hands for every posting in the police service above the rank of Deputy Superintendent. Now, Satyapal Malik, a former Governor, has alleged that Kashmir is the most corrupt place in the country.

Malik has gone public with two instances where he was offered a bribe of Rs 150 crore each to clear the files. According to him, one involved a project by 'Ambani' (unspecified ) and another was linked to a "senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionary." Malik is known to have scrapped a plan to allot compulsory insurance of government employees in J&K to Anil Ambani's Reliance General Insurance, criticising the scheme as being "full of frauds". In the other project, without naming names, he said everyone knew "who the RSS in-charge was in J&K." Governor Malik's expose refers to a period when none of the "three dynasties" accused by the Modi government as the fount of all corruption in J&K, was in power.

Against a worsening situation on the ground, it is doubtful that the issue of Kashmir can be resolved by Home Minister Amit Shah's offer of talks with the youth and his "Kashmiri brothers and sisters". He has suggested setting up "Youth Clubs" at the panchayat level. He forgot to consult them before bifurcating their state and taking away their special constitutional status. If indeed he now wants to engage more frankly with Kashmiris, then why choose the one-way format of "Mann ki Baat" to meet with elected members of panchayats and district development councils at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre? Why could no one ask him questions? The political process initiated by Delhi has failed to let down roots. While the public sentiment may not be with the traditional political parties, it is far from aligning with the sponsored politics of Delhi either.

(The writer is a journalist based in Delhi)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.
On the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi alluded to the glory of khadi in the 81st edition of Mann ki Baat. He urged citizens to adopt and promote khadi as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi who relentlessly promoted khadi as a symbol of an Atma Nirbhar Bharat. The Modi government has championed khadi by initiating several schemes to improve artisans welfare and add value to the khadi segment. But is all well in the khadi sector as indicated by the rise in sales?

Not really. Khadi rose to popularity as the freedom fabric during Indias struggle for Independence. Gandhiji pegged the values of self-reliance and rural empowerment with this humble cloth. To uphold this legacy, the government institutionalised the khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and charged it with the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programmes for the development of khadi and other village industries in the rural areas.

Cut to 75 years after Independence, the khadi of today has deviated from both the philosophy and the fabric that Gandhi wove in his era. The KVIC has trademarked the word khadi. The proprietorship of khadi has put KVIC in a disproportionately powerful position. Over the years, the body has served legal notices to more than 1,000 firms alleging them of producing and affixing the word khadi to their fabric.

Khadi, by definition, is a handspun and handwoven cloth. The hand spinning and weaving, which is integral to the identity of khadi, is very limited in practice today. With the semi-mechanised Amber charkhas, New Model Charkhas (NMC) and solar charkhas that involve little to no human intervention, the hand rendered characteristic of khadi has eroded.

The market is presently dominated by KVIC-certified Khadi Institutions(KIs)[3] that use mechanised charkhas in spinning khadi. This has come at the expense of khadis authenticity and uniqueness lent to it by the spinners skill. Consequently, the market is monopolised by this fast khadi as opposed to the traditional handspun khadi which requires intricate skilled work. This also acts as a deterrent for other firms to pursue traditional means of khadi production. This abstruse understanding of khadi based on laws and KVICs direction hamper consumer and seller aspirations. There is a need to categorise khadi based on the production technique involved to create more transparency for consumers. At the same time, it will encourage producers to manufacture traditional khadi and get the correct value for their products.

Incentive mechanisms

Government funds are directed to KIs for various schemes such as interest subsidy eligibility certificate (ISEC), Modified Market Development Assistance (MMDA), Aam Admi Bima Yojana for Khadi artisans, publicity and marketing support etc. The combined effect of incentive mechanisms rendered to KIs distort the market and put other businesses at a disadvantage, effectively killing healthy competition. As such, private businesses do not have incentive to go through an intensive process to obtain the khadi mark label without which no textile can be sold or traded in the country.

Despite the financial support to KIs, artisans interests are not safeguarded. In the current milieu, artisans earn paltry wages for their work. With an average daily wage between Rs 150 and 200, khadi spinners, who make up almost 80% of all khadi artisans, are severely underpaid. This is less than the minimum wages prescribed by the government for other jobs involving unskilled work. In many states, minimum wages for unskilled workers under the National Rural Guarantee Employment Scheme goes as high as Rs 300. Due to this, the youth are not zealous about learning the art of khadi spinning.

The institutional set-up in the khadi sector is also rigid where the entire process from procurement, production, sales and distribution are dictated by KVIC. Today, an artisan producing a handspun and handwoven cloth may not be able to transact as he may not own the khadi mark label nor be able to navigate the cumbersome process.

Such an artisan may not possess the financial means to secure the khadi mark in the first place. This framework that restricts the economic freedom of weavers/producers conflicts with the ethos of Gandhi. So the question stands, can one say khadi is for all in todays India as was envisioned when KVIC was instituted?

The time is ripe for the rise of khadi. The governments call for an Atma Nirbhar Bharat is resonating with consumer sentiments, as more citizens seek indigenous products. There is tremendous scope of employment generation by initiating favourable policies that allow more participants in producing and selling khadi. To be true to the spirit of Gandhis movement, khadi needs to be revived as a symbol of Indias liberal values that empowers artisans, accommodates aspiring businesses, and encourages sustainable lifestyle on a wider scale.

(Borawake is Associate and Solomon is Senior Associate, Research, Centre for Public Policy Research)
As US benchmark oil crossed $80 per barrel on October 8, a level last reached in November of 2014 and is likely to climb to $100/b, the Union government has to develop both short and medium-term plans to face the potential energy crisis. Already, the world - including the energy affluent US - is dealing with a global energy crisis. Intensity depends on countries and regions. But in India, if the government shows any urgency, public is not aware of it.

One day we read that we have more than adequate quantity of coal to meet any likely power demand. Then we read the next day how coal inventories are much below the minimum level in many power plants. While this is one facet of the energy crisis, the other facet is the unexpected huge price rise of imported LNG and crude oil prices. Managing this huge import bill as we recover from the pandemic will not be easy.

There is no simple explanation for the factors behind the world energy crisis. Unlike the earlier crisis, there is no geopolitical event this time. There was considerable uncertainty about how pandemic will affect the overall energy demand. While some were preparing for the economy to revive and thus increase in energy demand, most were expecting the third or fourth wave and oil demand to be lower. In the event, optimists seem to have been right so far.

Some blame it on less than predicted power supply from renewables like wind and solar. Though International Energy Agency strongly refutes the argument that it was the energy transition to be blamed, the facts argue against such a thesis. Developed countries rightfully showed urgency to bring about the energy transition. This was also helped by the dramatic fall in solar energy prices in recent years. However, as we can see now, every country seems to have failed to do much needed prior planning to manage with known-unknowns of variable power supply to the grid.

For example, in the UK, a closed-down coal power plant was started to supplement the power. In some countries because of the shortage of coal and higher natural gas prices, oil power plants have been started. In February this year, a monthly poll of 50 experts by Reuters predicted Brent price to average $54.47/b in 2021. In all likelihood, it may turn out to be around $75/b. Currently, Goldman Sachs is predicting oil prices to reach $90/b before year-end.

It is useful to take a look at why oil pundits missed with a huge margin. Most of us had assumed that as oil prices go above $50/b, US shale producers will have the economic incentive to increase production. However, it did not materialise. This is because of several factors as we know now.

Having lost money, banks were not willing to lend money to shale producers. Second, not knowing how long higher prices will last oil producers and investors were also not keen on investing. Finally, those mega oil companies with deep pockets were interested to increase free cash flow to reward their shareholders by increasing dividends.

Spare capacity

The even bigger unknown factor was the real spare capacity' of the OPEC-plus. Based on IEAs assumption spare capacity of 9 million barrels per day (mmbd) at the beginning of 2021, some have estimated to be just 6 mmbd. In the event, it appears to be even less. OPEC+ is not known for maintaining quota discipline. Despite demand exceeding supply and excess oil inventory declining, OPEC was not in a hurry to open the tap. They stuck to their original decision to increase production. Not only did most members maintain quota discipline, some could not even meet their allowable limit.

Despite the pressure/request by the US president to OPEC and especially to Saudi Arabia to increase supply, oil futures which always overreact to such political pressure, prices have been increasing. This is also another indicator that there are supply constraints. It is a well-known fact that oil production in old wells declines every year by 3-5% and much more for shale oil. IEA has been warning of this natural phenomenon as an investment in oil and gas has been declining in recent years and especially since the pandemic. This might be another factor for production capacity decline both in OPEC+ and also in other countries since investment in the oil industry has declined substantially during the last six years.

It was IEA that had urged the oil industry not to invest any more in new oil and gas exploration just a few months back. Now IEA is suggesting that OPEC+ needs to produce more. Such mixed signals create even more uncertainty and problems as energy transition gets momentum. Currently, we are just in the beginning stage of the energy transition with renewables meeting a small percentage of the power requirement. As renewables start dominating as is predicted in the latest IEA world energy report, the problem will get even worse unless we prepare better to balance the electrical grid.

For India, where energy transition is only in its infancy, there is even greater urgency to have the best experts to prepare to manage future energy crises. In fact, in the current situation of a considerably smaller role for solar and wind (less than 4%), India should not have faced an energy crisis of low coal stock. The current crisis is the result of mismanagement by the government at the Centre and states. To avoid a more complex future energy crisis, the government should seriously consider merging all energy-related ministries like petroleum, coal, renewables, and power to have just one energy ministry.

(The writer is a former governing council member of Manipal Institute of Technology, and an international oil expert)
Relatives of a patient from Karkala staged a protest at District Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru on Tuesday alleging carelessness on part of doctors and staff, adding that negligence also led to the death of another patient from Kasargod on Monday.

Susheela, 55, a patient from Kasaragod, was brought to the hospital with breathing difficulties and later died, which her husband Krishna alleged, was due to a delay in her admission. Meanwhile, Karkala's Ramesh Kumar was brought to the hospital with a head injury and allegedly wasn't given treatment on time. In both cases, the hospital responded only after the intervention of MLA D Vedavyas Kamath, relatives alleged.

On Tuesday, the MLA visited the hospital and sought information from patients relatives, doctors and staff. He later told reporters that an inquiry will be conducted on the allegations. I have sought a report from the hospital authorities and the issue will also be discussed with deputy commissioner Dr Rajendra K V."

Hospital medical superintendent Dr Sadashiva Shanbagh denied the allegations. There was no negligence on the part of the hospital in both the case. Ramesh is being given all treatment. Doctors have attended him on time. Susheela, had arrived at a time when three more patients were waiting in the casualty. Inspite of it, she was admitted immediately and was provided with ventilator without much delay.

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Adding fuel to speculation that some influential politicians from Karnataka could be involved in a drugs and cryptocurrency scam, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah on Wednesday went public with his concerns on this issue.

"There is information about the involvement of influential politicians of Karnataka in the drugs & Bitcoin scam. It is concerning that the investigating officers are trying to close the case to help those politicians..." he said in a tweet.

"The BJP government should not use their power to divert the investigation and they must ensure that the guilty are punished," he added.

Siddaramaiah's tweets come even as speculation is rife with various theories, one of which is that two politicians from the state are involved in the drugs and Bitcoin scam.

Earlier this year, CCB sleuths had seized Bitcoins worth Rs 9 crore from a Bengaluru-based hacker, Srikrishna alias Sriki. He was also accused of breaking into government portals and of sourcing drugs through the dark net, while paying for it through cryptocurrency. It is believed that some "high-profile" leaders and their kin were involved.

In the wake of these speculations, Bengaluru-based Citizen Rights Foundation has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding an investigation.

Foundation chairperson KA Paul, in his letter, said he researched and found three FIRs pending against Srikrishna. "Due to the intervention of people in power, he went scot-free. In the interest of the country, I sincerely feel a proper investigation is must (sic)," he stated.

Meanwhile, another letter addressed to Modi written by a pro-Hindutva activist Girish Bharadwaj drew a lot of attention.

In his October 19 letter, Bharadwaj calls for a ban on cryptocurrency, pointing to China, Indonesia and Turkey having declared it as illegal. He stated that cryptocurrencies are used by money launderers, cybercriminals and terror financiers as they offer anonymity and non-traceability, while quoting the examples of a few terror outfits such as the banned Bangladeshi group Ansar Al Islam, which has allegedly used cyptocurrency to route money to "terror groups".

While his letter received much attention, Bharadwaj clarified to DH that his letter was generic in nature. "I wrote it from a nationalist perspective. My letter was apolitical and had got nothing to do with any case in Karnataka," he said.

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Karnataka currently has seven cases of Delta Plus variant of the coronavirus, including two AY.4.2 in Bengaluru, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Three such cases are reported in Bengaluru and the remaining four in different parts of the state, State Health and Family Welfare Commissioner D Randeep told PTI.

There are no reports of deaths due to the new variant but, one or two people have been hospitalised, he said.

Meanwhile, in its latest guidelines for international arrivals, the Karnataka government has said all travelers should have negative Covid-19 RT-PCR report.

This test should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey. "The test report has to be uploaded on a portal called Air Suvidha. Other than that there are no restrictions like quarantining people," Randeep said.

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Members of Derry University Group, Conal McFeely and Garbhan Downey, have slammed Ulster University claims that UU will no longer be able to fulfil the agreement of 10,000 students in Derry by 2030.



People Before Profits Shaun Harkin had already criticised Ulster University Vice-Chancellor, Paul Bartholomew, after the Derry and Strabane Council's Strategic Growth Partnership meeting last Friday.



Professor Bartholomew addressed Derry City & Strabane Council regarding developments at the University's Magee campus.



Councillor Harkin said the comments regarding the plans for Magee Campus were insulting to Derry and the North West.



Prof Bartholomew addressed the importance of growing student numbers in Derry, with a target increase of 6000.



Councillor Harkin said that the revised target number of students backtracks the original promise of 10,000 more students as outlined in the 'New Decade New Approach.'



McFeely and Downey have also criticised this target as breaking the terms of the contract made with Derry.



They said: UUs announcement was always coming. If all the winds blow in the right direction, and if Belfast doesnt need any more students, cash or time, it is just possible that Magee will have a notional 6000 students by 2030 - no doubt the majority part-time  instead of the 10000 fulltime students promised.



The covenant that the UU has repeatedly struck with the North West has again been broken  by UU  and our job now is to make sure that never happens again.



"The only way to do that is for this region to establish its own independent university, by securing the support of Dublin and London, and by lobbying Europe and the US  to establish an independent university in the North West under the auspices of the National University of Ireland.



Much of this work is already being done, or has been done. Both governments have accepted the need for a North West university and have made public statements on the issue.

A cross-border university, they both believe, will stand as a symbol of North-South cooperation. And both administrations are also keen to honour the late John Hume  and there could be no more appropriate way to do so, than to build a permanent to his memory.

Both London and Dublin are also keen to honour the commitments they made in New Decade, New Approach, which stated categorically that there would be 10000 students in Magee by 2030.



McFeeley and Downey claim that the Derry University Group research shows that an independent university  as in the case of Lincoln  can add 25% to a regions economy within the space of a decade.



The optimists among us choose to believe theyve been told good news is on the horizon. The pessimists, and realists, who are unfortunately in the majority, know we have been deceived again.

"The repercussions for this region  unless we develop an immediate alternative  will be generational.



"The Council needs to stop all City Deal pay-outs to UU, which has broken the terms of its contract with the city, disconnect the Zoom lines to Belfast PLC, and pick up the phone to the NUI.



Councillor Harkin said that the comments of Ulster University Vice Chancellor Paul Bartholomew at Friday's meeting fly in the face of government commitments to Derry and the North West.



Bartholomew made clear an increase to 6000 students is the top-end of his plans for Magee expansion. New Decade New Approach states 10,000 students as the strategic goal for Magee expansion.



Bartholomew described this as an unachievable 'aspiration'. This is an insult.



If 'rules' are an obstacle to a crucial government objective they need to be changed. It should be remembered 10,000 sliced in half the original ambition of a 20,000-student university for Derry.



Bartholomew's dismissal of NDNA agreements is all the more jarring because Ulster University is set to be the beneficiary of nearly 100m of City Deal funding.



That the Stormont Executive has not already made a priority of seeing a major commitment to Derry and the North West delivered on is a disgrace.



In response to Councillor Harkin's comments, a spokesperson for Ulster University said: "We wouldnt look to add anything beyond what the Vice Chancellor said in his presentation about the Universitys position, ambitions and the wider context."
Mayor Graham Warke has led the tributes paid to Derry jazz legend Gay McIntyre who died in the early hours of Wednesday morning aged 88.

The alto-sax and clarinet player was a huge favourite with jazz fans across the world in a career that spanned 70 years.

Nat King Cole, Acker Bilk and Louis Stewart were some of the big names of jazz that Gay rubbed shoulders with and his music and style of playing won him many fans within the jazz scene.

Mayor Warke, who two weeks ago met with Gay to announce that next year's City of Derry Big Band & Jazz festival would be a recognition of his contribution to music, said that Gay's music was a gift to the people of Derry and an inspiration to a younger generation of musicians.

He said: Gay was an immense talent who played with some of the greatest names in jazz including Nat King Cole and Acker Bilk.

He loved to share his stories and his talent, and I think it was that sheer passion for the music itself, not the fame associated with it, which made him such a likeable and relatable person.

He was a legend in his own right, and we are so lucky to have such a long association with him through the City of Derry Jazz Festival over the decades.

Gay McIntyre and Mike Nielsen perform "Danny Boy" which opened Derry's "Virtual Jazz Festival" last year

He shared his talents all over the world, but he loved his home here in Derry and sharing his music with local people.

"At a time when jazz wasn't widely accessible Gay brought the music to new audiences and he will no doubt continue to inspire new generations.

I am delighted that plans are already in place to honour Gay at next year's festival, which he has been an integral part of for so many years.

I had the real pleasure of meeting Gay at his home with his family recently, and I want to extend my deepest condolences today to all who knew and loved him. His memory will live on in the music  it was his gift to the people of Derry."

The SDLP MP for Foyle, Colum Eastwood also paid tribute to Gay saying: Im deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Gay McIntyre and know that sentiment will be shared across Derry and on both sides of the border.

His musical talents were synonymous with our city and the thousands of performances he gave over the years will live long in the memory of local people.

Gay was also a fantastic ambassador for this area, he toured the world and played with some of the biggest names in Jazz music, but never forgot his roots or his home in Derry.

Our citys Jazz Festival, at which Gay was a regular performer, will continue on as a testament to his memory and the musical influence he had on Derry.

Sinn Fein MLA for Foyle, Ciara Ferguson added: I was saddened to hear of the death of local musician, Gay McIntyre.

It's quite staggering to know that his music career spanned over seven decades, working with many of the greats in the jazz scene.

He last left a lasting legacy in Derry and will rightly be remembered as one of Irelands greatest jazz musicians.

Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family, friends and loved ones at this sad time.

DUP MLA for Foyle, Gary Middleton expressed his condolences saying: The passing of Gay McIntyre is a very sad day for our music scene. He was known right across the community and was an inspiration to many. He entertained countless people over many decades and he will be long remembered by many people.

There were tributes on social media as well. Gay's fellow Derry music legend, Phil Coulter tweeted: So sad to hear of the passing of the great Gay McIntyre.

He was a virtuoso musician, a jazz icon and my friend for 60 years. May his gentle soul rest in peace.

Derry-born leader of the Sinn Fein group in Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Ryan Carlin posted on Twitter: Sad to hear of the death of Gay McIntyre. He was a good friend of my grandfather, Patsy McShane, also a musician.

When my granda died, Gay played amazing grace at his funeral & my mother passed his old Clarinet on to Gay. I like to think he played it every once in a while.

The management of the Hidden City Cafe in Derry also paid tribute on Twitter to Gay who had played at the venue.

They tweeted: RIP to the legend that is Gay McIntyre Sympathies his wife, Paul, all his family, friends & Jazz community. We will cherish forever the time he played with Paul & guests in the cafe. Thank you sir, sleep in peace.

Gay McIntyre and his son Paul play a jazz session together at the Hidden City Cafe in Derry

Gay McIntyre was born in Ballbofey in Co. Donegal on April 24, 1933. His family moved to Derry not long after.

His love of jazz stemmed from when, as a child, he heard a record from American clarinetist, Artie Shaw, that his father had brought home.

In an interview in 2014 with Culture Northern Ireland, Gay said: When I heard that record I got very emotional. It was the improvisation. By the time I started to get a bit of technique and started to be able to play tunes, I was improvising immediately.

In the same interview, he recalled how, when he was 18, he and his band not only supported the legendary Nat King Cole at Belfast's Grand Opera House, but, at the interval of that show, he also turned down the trip of a lifetime.

Gay said: At the interval two guys came and said to me, 'Mr Cole would like to see you'. And as soon as I walked into his dressing room he said, 'What age are you?' and I said, '18'.

He says, 'Perfect. I want to take you to America. Youve got a beautiful tone and it would be a sensation to have an Irishman in my group'.

But six weeks earlier I had planned to go on holiday with two friends. We only got sent two tickets from the airline so I said, 'Well, well toss up and the odd man out stays'. I was the odd man out  and the other two boys were killed when the plane hit the Isle Of Wight.

So I had no love of planes and I said, 'How do you travel, Mr Cole?' And he said, 'We fly at least once a day'. And I said, 'Forget it'.

Gay was a mainstay on television with regular appearances on both UTV and RTE as well as a performer playing at jazz festivals at Derry and Cork across Europe.

Gay McIntyre and Johnny Quigley team up in a performance on RTE's "The Late, Late Show" in March 1985

Bizarrely, his first album only came out when he was in his late 70s with 2011's, The Music Within Me, which featured Linley Hamilton on trumpet.

Hamilton in an interview with the BBC said of Gay: Whenever he plays, you're getting, you're getting everything that he feels, as a person, everything that he's seen, that's made him angry, that's made him calm or that's made him love.

Gay continued to play festivals and a regular slot at Bennigan's Jazz Club in Derry.

Over the years he had a long affiliation with the City of Derry Jazz Festival, always making time to play to his beloved Derry audiences.

During the 2022 Jazz Festival, the outdoor stage in Guildhall Square will be named the Gay McIntyre Stage and the opening event of the 2022 festival on Thursday, April 28, 2022, will be known as the Gay McIntyre and Local Legends of Jazz.

The Cross Community School Woodwind and Brass Master Classes hosted by the Heavy Beat Brass Band in previous years will now be known as 'The Gay McIntyre Woodwind and Brass Master Class Series' focusing on saxophone skills and skills on other woodwind and brass instruments.

His funeral will be held at 11am on Friday October 29 at St. Eugene's Cathedral, Derry.
Foyle MP Colum Eastwood MP has said the British government must live up to its obligations and table Irish language legislation.

The SDLP leader was speaking after challenging Secretary of State Brandon Lewis on the matter in the House of Commons.

He said he wanted to see all of the provisions of the New Decade, New Approach agreement realised, nearly two years on from the return of power-sharing.

Mr Eastwood said: When I challenged the Secretary of State today all I received was vague assurances and that just isnt good enough anymore.

Brandon Lewis and his government have committed themselves to legislating for the Irish language at Westminster and the time has now come to follow through on that promise.

While we have been outspoken about our desire to see the Irish language measures agreed as part of New Decade, New Approach come to fruition that is not the only issue here.

 We want to see all parts of the agreement that the five main parties  including the DUP  signed up to realised.

Our health and education system are falling apart, we are no closer to seeing 10,000 student places for Derry, we have yet to come up with a proper plan to tackle climate change and our politicians are still fighting the same old battles instead of focusing on delivering for people.

The protocol and the Irish language are two separate issues and neither should be used as pawns by parties for their own selfish interests. By playing politics with our institutions our peoples futures are being put at risk.

We need to resolve these issues and get back to focusing on cleaning up the mess that Sinn Fein and the DUP have made of this place over the past 14 years.
Aryan Khan drug case: Bail plea hearing at High Court to continue on 28th October, NCB begins probe on extortion allegations on Wankhede

Aryan Khan's lawyer told the Bombay High Court on Wednesday his arrest in the drugs-on-cruise case was a direct infringement of constitutional guarantees and the counsel of a co-accused claimed conspiracy charge was invoked as an afterthought, while an NCB team began a probe into allegations of extortion linked to the case against agency officials, including its zonal director in Mumbai Sameer Wankhede.

The jail stay of Aryan Khan (23), son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, got longer as the hearing on his bail application remained inconclusive for the second day and proceedings in the HC will resume on Thursday. Aryan Khan, arrested in the drugs case earlier this month, is in judicial custody for nearly three weeks now.

Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) Deputy Director General-northern region Gyaneshwar Singh said his team recorded the statement of Wankhede for more than four hours as part of a vigilance probe into allegations of extortion in the drugs case, while the controversy surrounding the IRS officer took a new turn when the qazi who performed his first marriage in 2006 said he was a Muslim at that time, a claim denied by his family.

A five-member vigilance probe team, which landed in Mumbai in the morning, has started its probe and collected some documents and recordings NCB office at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai, DDG Gyaneshwar Singh, who is heading the departmental probe into the allegations of extortion, told media persons.

"The team today collected crucial documents of the case from NCB zonal office and as part of the investigation, we recorded the statement of Wankhede, " Singh said.

"During the four-and-a-half-hour-long recording of the statement, Wankhede has put many things before the team and we will collect a few more documents from him in coming days and if required we will get more information from him," he said.

Asked whether Wankhede will continue to supervise the investigation into the cruise drugs case, Singh said, "Let the investigation go ahead, if I have something concrete then only I will be able to give report to my DG." "I am appealing to K P Gosavi and Prabhakar Sail (NCB witnesses in the drugs case) through the media to join the enquiry," he said, adding, "If they have any complaint... any allegations, they should approach us and record their statements." Meanwhile, the qazi who had performed the first marriage of Wankhede claimed the officer belonged to a Muslim family otherwise the 'nikah' would not have been solemnised as per Islam.

The qazi's claim came against the backdrop of Nawab Malik's allegations that Wankhede was born as a Muslim, but forged documents, including a caste certificate, to show he belonged to the Hindu SC category to get a job under quota after clearing the UPSC examination.

I had performed the 'nikah' of Sameer Wankhede and Shabana Qureshi (his first wife). Her father had approached me to perform the marriage in the Lokhandwala complex area of Mumbai. The groom's name was Sameer Dawood Wankhede who married Shabana Qureshi, Maulana Mujammil Ahmed told a news channel.

When asked about Wankhede's claim that he is a Hindu, the qazi said had Wankhede been a Hindu the 'nikah' would not have been performed.

The Maulana claimed all the witnesses had signed the 'nikahnama' as per Islamic customs.

As the controversy over his marriage and religion refused to die down, Wankhede, who is in the eye of a political storm following allegations of extortion in the high-profile cruise drugs case said he had married (in 2006) as per Muslim customs as per the wish of his late mother.

"Fulfilling the wish of one's mother in a secular country is not a crime. I am proud of secularism in our country. My mother was a Muslim and my father is a Hindu. I love both of them very much, " Wankhede told PTI.

Wankhede asserted that he never converted to Islam and he belonged to a Hindu caste.

He said his first marriage was registered under the Special Marriage Act within a month. "The process of divorce was also completed as per the Special Marriage Act. I was never converted to Islam and I belong to a Hindu caste of my family," Wankhede claimed.

Meanwhile, Wankhede's father once again refuted allegations of Nawab Malik about his religion. Malik had said Wankhede senior's real name is Dawood Wankhede and not Dnyandev Wankhede.

Kranti Redkar, whom Wankhede married after divorce from his first wife, also came out in support of her husband, saying he never changed his religion.

Redkar, who is an actress, contested the claim made by the qazi.

Addressing a press conference, Redkar, who married Wankhede in 2017, slammed Malik for playing "low level" politics by making a string of allegations against her husband.

"Is that qazi above the Constitution? He should produce papers to show Sameer Wankhede had converted (to Islam) to marry his first wife," Redkar said, adding Wankhede had performed the 'nikah' in 2006 only to fulfil the wish of his late mother, who was Muslim.

"It was just a formality. Sameer (Wankhede) is born as a Hindu. He never converted. Malik is levelling allegations out of his grudge owing to the (drugs) case involving his son-in-law," she claimed.

Redkar admitted that the signature on the 2006 nikahnama was of Sameer Wankhede's. "He doesn't know much about nikahnama (a written document that two Muslim partners entering into a civil union must put their signature on to legalise their marriage)," she claimed.

Meanwhile, Wankhede's father Dnyandev Wankhede said he would approach the court against Malik.

"What do my religion or castes have to do with the drug cases? I am Hindu and Mahar (Scheduled Caste). The 2006 Nikahnama is correct and my signature is also genuine. But I didn't understand the content of the document since it was in Urdu," he told reporters.

Speaking separately, Malik, who has repeatedly termed the cruise drug bust case as "fake" and levelled a string of allegations against Wankhede, hit out at the BJP.

"I wonder why BJP leaders are getting uncomfortable when I am trying to expose Sameer Wankhede," he said.

On Wednesday, the minister said, The Cordelia cruise drugs party organisers Fashion TV had not taken any permission from the Maharashtra Police or the state home department. They obtained the permission directly from the directorate of shipping, which comes under the Union Ministry for Ports, Shipping and Waterways. "I believe that a top committee of NCB officials from Delhi has arrived here. They should check the call detail records of personal phones of NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede, (witnesses) K P Gosavi, Prabhakar Sail and Wankhede's driver Mane. You will need no recording of statements. The phone calls will be self-explanatory," he said.

The minister claimed a member of an international drugs mafia was present on the same cruise.

"There are some of videos of the party in which the person, sporting a beard, can been seen. I am told he was in the Tihar Jail (Delhi) and in a Rajasthan jail in the past. The NCB's Delhi team should check the CCTV cameras of the cruise. How come a few people were arrested and the international level drugs mafia (member) is moving scot-free? he asked.
Aryan Khan drug case: Shah Rukh Khan's son's bail hearing adjourned till today, no immediate relief for the starlet

The legal team of Aryan Khan told the Bombay High Court on Tuesday there was no evidence against him in the drugs-on-cruise case and was wrongly arrested as he distanced himself from the raging allegations of an extortion attempt against NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede, who came under a fresh round of attack from Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik.

There was no immediate relief for Aryan Khan (23), the jailed son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, as the HC adjourned to Wednesday the hearing on his bail plea after several hours of argument by the defence team headed by former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aryan Khan (@___aryan___)

Outside the court, Malik continued his tirade against Wankhede and levelled a new set of allegations, including illegal phone tapping, against him, while the under-fire IRS officer's wife came out in support for her husband, who landed in New Delhi and visited the NCB headquarters, where he spent over two hours.

In another development related to the cruise drugs case, a special NDPS Act court granted bail to two accused arrested in the case - Manish Rajgaria and Avin Sahu. They are the only accused who have been granted bail so far in the much-publicized case, in which 20 people, including Aryan Khan, were arrested since the alleged seizure of drugs on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast early this month.

In the HC, Aryan Khan's lawyers Rohatgi and Satish Maneshinde argued before Justice N W Sambre that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had no evidence against him. Aryan Khan also distanced himself from allegations of extortion attempts against Wankhede, who had supervised the raid on the ship on October 2.

"Aryan has no complaints whatsoever against any officer of the NCB, including its zonal director Sameer Wankhede. Aryan is not concerned with these unsavoury controversies. He completely denies any relation to this," senior counsel Rohatgi told the court.

The NCB and Wankhede on Monday had said the extortion allegations were part of vendetta by a political leader whose son-in-law had been arrested by the NCB in the past, the lawyer said.

"But today, the NCB is putting this on Aryan Khan and saying he is tampering with witnesses. This is affecting my client's case," Rohatgi argued.

He contended that the "legislative intent" behind the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, under which Aryan Khan and others, were arrested was reformation in cases involving small quantities of drugs. The Act intends that young persons be treated as victims and not as accused, he added.

Aryan Khan is a "young boy with no prior antecedents," Rohatgi added.

"Section 64A of the Act provides immunity to those persons who have been accused of possessing small quantities. If these persons are agreeable to be sent to rehab then that should be allowed. Aryan's case is not even of possession or consumption," Rohatgi said, adding he cannot be held responsible for some other person's alleged possession of drugs.

The 23-year-old has been wrongly arrested and kept in jail for over 20 days, he said. "The case was being blown out of proportions by some people who have vested interests and the media was paying attention to it because of some unsavoury controversies, otherwise it was a simple case," he added. "There is no evidence of consumption, no recovery of drugs and absolutely no evidence to show his participation in this so-called conspiracy and abetment as alleged by the NCB," Rohatgi said.

After Rohatgi completed his arguments, the high court said it would continue hearing on the bail pleas of co-accused Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha on Wednesday. He will also hear the arguments of Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, the NCB's lawyer, on Wednesday, the judge said.

During his argument, Rohatgi pointed out that Aryan was not subjected to any medical examination to show that he had indeed consumed drugs. The senior counsel assailed the order of the special NDPS Act court refusing Aryan Khan bail on the ground he was aware that his friend Arbaaz Merchant had drugs and hence Aryan was guilty, prima facie, of "conscious possession".

"The NCB wrongly relied on WhatsApp chats of Aryan Khan as they had no connection with the present case," Rohatgi said. "The chats are of 2018, 2019 and 2020 and it has absolutely no connection with this cruise party. The chats are with some random persons, including some foreigners about drugs. This would relate to alleged consumption in the past," he said.

Rohatgi said Aryan Khan himself had not boarded the ship at the time of arrest. Aryan Khan was arrested on October 3 along with his friend Arbaaz Merchant and fashion model Dhamecha by the NCB, along with others. While Aryan and Merchant are now lodged at the Arthur Road prison, Dhamecha is at the Byculla Women's Prison. A special court for NDPS cases had refused to grant them bail.

Earlier in the day, the NCB opposed Aryan Khan's bail plea in an affidavit filed before the HC, alleging he was not just a consumer of drugs, but also involved in illicit drug trafficking. The agency said prima facie investigation revealed that Aryan Khan used to procure drugs from Arbaaz Merchant and was in touch with "some persons abroad who appear to be part of an international drug network". The affidavit further said though drugs were not recovered from Aryan Khan, he "participated in the conspiracy".

Malik on Tuesday accused Wankhede of illegal phone tapping and said he will hand over a letter on the IRS officer's misdeeds' to the NCB head.

Sameer Wankhede, through two persons in Mumbai and Thane, is illegally intercepting the mobile phones of some people, said Malik, who has been targeting Wankhede after his son-in-law's arrest in a separate drugs case.

Malik claimed Wankhede had sought the call detail record (CDR) of a member of his family from the police. The state minister said he is forwarding a letter written by someone in NCB about the various illegal activities of Wankhede' to the agency's DG, S N Pradhan. The minister said the NCB should investigate the 26 allegations in the letter claiming an extortion racket' was being run within the anti-drugs agency.

Malik said he has also submitted a copy of the letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the state Home department and to the sitting and former heads of the Congress, which is an ally of the NCP and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.

The veteran politician alleged Wankhede has sought the CDR of his daughter.

"On what grounds Wankhede is seeking the CDR report of my daughter? I think Wankhede is crossing the limits. I will expose those people involved in phone tapping with proof," he said.

Malik on Monday claimed Wankhede is a Muslim by birth. The minister had released what he claimed was the birth certificate of Wankhede and alleged that the latter had forged documents. However, the NCB official's father later said his name is Dnyandev and not Dawood, as claimed by Malik.

On Tuesday, Malik said, "I have all the authentic documents to prove that Sameer Wankhede was born into a Muslim family, but he forged his identity and sought a job under the Scheduled Caste category. As per the law, Dalits who are converted to Islam do not get the quota privilege, thus Sameer Wankhede has denied the job opportunity to a genuine person from the Schedule Caste. The minister alleged Wankhede and some of his colleagues were involved into some "extortion racket".

Reacting to Malik's letter, NCB Deputy Director General Mutha Ashok Jain said they will take necessary action into the matter. Addressing the media in suburban Andheri, Kranti Redkar, the wife of Wankhede, came out in strong support of her husband and said they were getting threat calls, facing vicious trolling online and living in fear as she rejected allegations levelled against him by Malik. Redkar, who is an actress, described her husband as an honest government officer and also refuted the extortion attempt claims made by an NCB witness in the Mumbai cruise drugs case which is being supervised by Wankhede.

"My husband is an honest officer and doing his duty with sincerity for the last 15 years. Sameer is not attached to any political party, he is a central government employee and doing his work, some people are having a problem from his work due to which everything (row related to allegations against Wankhede) is happening," she said. "People who are against Sameer have been threatening us, saying they will burn us and kill our family, but the police have given us security, and they are taking very good care of us," Redkar said.

Asked about the series of allegations made against Wankhede by Malik, she said the state minister has made his claims on social media and not in front of a court of law.

"Minister Nawab Malik has put allegations against us on Twitter, and Twitter is not a court. If Malik submits allegations against Sameer in a court and if all allegations are proved, then only the person becomes a criminal. Media trials can not help him," Redkar said. "Sameer and me are born Hindus. We have never converted to any other religion. We respect all religions. Sameer's father, too, is a Hindu who married a Muslim woman...my mom-in-law is no more," she said.

Asked about NCB witness Prabhakar Sail's claim that there was an extortion bid of Rs 25 crore by some agency officials, including Wankhede, and others for letting off Aryan Khan in the drugs case, Redkar said if he has evidence, he should produce it in a court.

In the midst of legal proceedings in the drugs case in Mumbai and allegations against him, Wankhede visited the NCB headquarters in New Delhi and spent over two hours.

The officer entered the NCB office in the R K Puram area through a back entry gate and is understood to have met his senior officers.

Some people holding banners in support of Wankhede and certain posters hailing him were seen outside the NCB headquarters.

It was not confirmed if Wankhede met NCB director general (DG) S N Pradhan.

However, sources indicated the top brass of the federal anti-narcotics agency met on Tuesday for a review meeting of various zonal offices of the agency in the country.

NCB deputy director general (DDG) northern region Gyaneshwar Singh, heading the departmental vigilance probe on the allegations of extortion in the drugs-on-cruise case, told reporters outside the NCB office that he "did not call anyone for my probe".

Wankhede's visit to the national capital comes in the backdrop of the NCB ordering a vigilance inquiry into the allegations made by a witness in the cruise drugs case of an extortion bid of Rs 25 crore by some agency officials, including the Mumbai zonal director, and others for letting off Aryan Khan.

On Monday, he failed to get any relief related to an affidavit on the sensational extortion claims made by independent witness Prabhakar Sail, with a special court saying it cannot pass a blanket order barring courts from taking cognisance of the document.

The NCB and Wankhede had filed two separate affidavits before the special court against the allegations of extortion attempt levelled against them. On Tuesday, Sail said he stood by his allegation of extortion demand against Wankhede and others, and nobody had tutored him. Wankhede has already denied the allegation. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Sail showed some chats on mobile phone where K P Gosavi, another witness in the case, purportedly asked him to collect the extortion money from Haji Ali.

"I have narrated everything chronologically and nothing is made-up. Nobody is asking me to speak about this issue," Sail said.
Minister Thomas Byrne to Visit Lithuania

Press release

Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne T.D. will visit Lithuania from 27-28 October. The visit is taking place on the occasion of the 30th anniversary year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Lithuania.

Speaking in advance of the visit, Minister Byrne noted Solidarity and unity of purpose remain of vital importance, especially for smaller EU Member States such as our own. For our part, we are most grateful to Lithuania for the solidarity and friendship shown to Ireland in recent years, including in relation to the Brexit negotiations.

The Minister will meet with the European Affairs Committee and other parliamentarians at the Seimas (Parliament) and will also meet with Vice Minister of European Affairs, Arnoldas Pranckevicius. Topics for discussion throughout the visit include Rule of Law, the current situation with Covid-19, migration and EU-UK relations. The Minister and Vice Minister Pranckevicius will also speak to Lithuanian students on the Future of Europe.

Minister Byrne will visit to Lithuanian-Belarusian border, accompanied by Vice-minister Pranckevicius, to assess the situation on the border and to hear about the on-going humanitarian work by the Lithuanian Red Cross. Ireland has provided 100,000 to the Lithuanian Red Cross to help the migrants moved by Belarus into Lithuanias border region.

During the visit, Minister Byrne will meet with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarussian opposition leader and candidate during the August 2020 Presidential elections currently exiled in Vilnius. In the aftermath of the election, Ms Tsikhanouskaya established the opposition Coordination Council, which received the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought from the European Parliament and was one of the Chernobyl Children receiving respite in Ireland during the 1990s.

ENDS

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Ireland Statement at UNGA 6th Committee on UN Programme of Assistance

Statement

Madam Chair,

Ireland aligns with the statement made by the European Union and makes some additional comments in its national capacity.

Ireland extends its thanks to the Secretary General for his informative report on the operation of the Programme of Assistance.

Ireland acknowledges the importance of the aim of the Programme, to contribute to a better knowledge of international law. This plays a crucial role in achieving the principles and purposes of the United Nations in accordance with the Charter, most notably the maintenance of international peace and security and the development of friendly relations among nations. A better knowledge of international law helps to promote the rule of law at the international level in accordance with Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Ireland recognises the essential function which the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations has in implementing the Programme and also thanks the Advisory Committee for its work in this regard. In particular, Ireland acknowledges the steps which all those involved in the operation of the Programme took to continue to deliver its aims, notwithstanding the Covid-19 pandemic, which clearly had a significant impact on the organisation of activities over the period in question.

While the pandemic presented various, unprecedented challenges, Ireland welcomes the initiatives by the Codification Division to avail of opportunities to organise online educational activities and online lectures. Ireland appreciates the value of the Regional Training Courses, which help to ensure training in international law for participants from developing countries. We also recognise the importance of the International Law Fellowship Programme. Ireland welcomes the information in the report on the numbers of persons applying to and participating in these programmes, broken down into regions and genders. We are pleased to make annual contributions to support these important initiatives.

Ireland especially commends the Codification Division for establishing the alumni network of participants of the training programmes, organised under the Programme of Assistance. As has been referred to by other delegations, the aspect of the Programme with the widest potential reach is the UNs Audiovisual Library of International Law. This is an important resource for both students and practitioners. The broad range of high quality lectures, in audio and video format, on the Librarys website provides a comprehensive resource of international law topics.

Ireland praises recent efforts to facilitate access and promote awareness of the lectures through social media and the Library podcast. Ireland would also encourage further reflection on how to make the presentations more accessible and user friendly, in a search-friendly format. Such a development would facilitate quicker and easier access to this important resource. Ireland is glad to support the work of the Audiovisual Library through annual contributions to its work.

We welcome the news of the most recent award of the Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe Memorial Fellowship on the Law of the Sea. Given the relatively high cost of each fellowship, we encourage all member states in a position to do so to consider contributing to the relevant voluntary trust fund so that it can continue to be awarded regularly to deserving candidates.

Madam Chair,

Ireland is proud to continue to support the Programme of Assistance across its different areas of activities in the teaching, study and promotion of international law. The work carried out by the UN Programme of Assistance is very important to broaden awareness and promote a greater understanding of international law and in this regard, Ireland encourages other States to also consider supporting its worthy initiatives.

I thank you, Madam Chair.

 Previous Item | Next Item 
Reliance JioPhone Next is confirmed to launch by Diwali in India, Google CEO Sundar Pichai has revealed in the Q3 earnings call. Reliance has also confirmed the launch date to be November 4 and has also revealed the key features of the JioPhone Next.

The JioPhone Next is an affordable 4G smartphone that is expected to help existing 2G feature phone users migrate to 4G LTE connectivity. As per an estimate, there are over 350 million feature phone users in India and Reliance along with Google want to help them transition to faster internet connectivity.

In a Q3 earnings call, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said, The JioPhone Next device features premium localized capabilities and is on track to launch in-market by Diwali.

The JioPhone Next was announced during the 44th Reliance Annual General Meeting 2021 and recently, Reliance Jio revealed its key features. The JioPhone Next runs on Pragati OS which is based on Android and is developed in collaboration with Google and Jio.

It is expected to be powered by a Qualcomm chip and has a 13MP primary camera with features like portrait mode, night mode, filters and more. While the exact details on specifications, pricing and availability remain under wraps, previous leaks indicate that the phone could be powered by the Snapdragon 215 chip and could be priced at Rs 3,499.
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By LISA MASCARO, ALAN FRAM and DARLENE SUPERVILLE

Associated Press

WASHINGTON  The Democrats' idea for a new billionaires' tax to help pay for President Joe Biden's social services and climate change plan has quickly run into criticism as too cumbersome, with some lawmakers preferring the original plan of simply raising the top tax rates on corporations and the wealthy.

With the revenue side of the package deeply in flux, Democrats are at a standstill trying to wrap up negotiations on Biden's overall package. But party leaders insisted Tuesday a broad deal remains within reach as they rush to show progress before the president departs later this week to global overseas summits.





. . .
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Photo by Colliers [enlarge] The little brick building last traded 35 years ago, long before the internet, apps or the IPO for DoorDash.





A small old Belltown building at 87 Wall St. has sold for $4.8 million, according to King County records. The buyer was 87 Wall Street SEA LLC, which is associated with KBD Holdings of Los Angeles, which with 3RK Architecture and Design is planning a ghost kitchen.





. . .
Funding to construct an extension of the school building at St Oliver Plunkett National School has been announced by a local senator.

The funding is set to allow for the construction of an extension, which will include three classrooms for St Oliver Plunkett National School.

Fianna Fail Senator for Louth, Erin McGreehan said that she was delighted to announce the project, and that the school greatly deserves the funding.

I am delighted to hear that they have now received funding to improve the quality of their school, said Senator McGreehan.

An extension will be added, which includes three new classrooms. This will help facilitate the growing popularity of the school.

The amount of money received by the school has not yet been announced.

Earlier this year, students and staff at the primary school raised 2,580 for the Beaumont Hospital Foundation.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is stepping up its support for the digital transition of trade finance by facilitating test transactions between National Bank of Greece, TBC Bank in Georgia and Nordea on the we.trade digital trade platform. The tests will take place through we.trades Preview Offering Program, with a special focus on access to trade finance for small businesses.

The Preview Offering Program enables banks and clients around the world to participate in test transactions with we.trade member banks. Banks also receive extensive operational, information technology (IT), sales and marketing, and legal and compliance consultancy services, tailored to their level of digitalisation.

we.trade is owned by 12 European banks, technology company IBM, and CRIF, a global commercial credit and business information provider. The platform is based on the Linux Foundations Hyperledger Fabric and runs on the IBM Blockchain Platform.

The EBRD has designated digitalisation one of three priorities under its current five-year strategy. As part of this approach, the Bank is partnering with digital solutions providers and banks to support digitalisation efforts in trade finance within and beyond the regions in which it invests. The introduction of inclusive digital solutions is critical to ensuring that local banks and their small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) clients across the EBRD regions are not left behind in the digital transition.

The EBRD is also working with the International Chamber of Commerce Banking Commission and the International Trade and Forfaiting Association to advance the adoption of legal frameworks to enable digital trade and trade finance.

Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director, Financial Institutions said: We are pleased to support the Preview Offering Program on we.trade for National Bank of Greece and TBC Bank and to facilitate their test transactions with Nordea. The EBRD is committed to supporting the digital transition in the regions where it invests. As the first multilateral development bank to set up support for trade finance in 1999, we are pleased to be at the forefront of innovation once again.

Aris Divaris, National Bank of Greeces Assistant General Manager, Operations said: National Bank of Greece is delighted to collaborate with the EBRD, Nordea and TBC Bank in the execution of test transactions on we.trade. We actively support Greek businesses efforts to enter foreign markets, assisting them in maintaining an effective flow across their physical and financial supply chains. National Bank of Greece has prioritised digitalisation in trade finance as one of the most critical targets within the banks transformation programme, aiming at offering innovative value-added solutions to the Greek market.

Tamara Khizanishvili, Director, Trade and Structured Finance Department at TBC Bank, said: We at TBC Bank are dedicated to technological advancement and are proud to be part of the Preview Offering Program. We are thankful to the EBRD for this opportunity. TBC Bank works with the biggest players in the market and we are committed to progressing technologically  this once again affirms our position as a leader in the Georgian market.

Lena Hedengran, Acting Head, Trade Solutions at Nordea, said: The preview possibility of the we.trade platform is an important enabler for banks and other parties to test, study and analyse we.trades value proposition, as well as how to apply the new networks possibilities to their unique market needs and requirements. We are very happy with the collaboration with National Bank of Greece and TBC Bank, facilitated by the EBRD, to leverage the possibilities with these important trade corridors in a new dimension.

National Bank of Greece, TBC Bank and Nordea are participants in the EBRDs Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP), launched in 1999 to promote foreign trade to, from and among the economies in which the EBRD invests. Through the programme, the EBRD provides guarantees to international confirming banks and short-term loans to selected banks and factoring companies for on-lending to local exporters, importers and distributors. The TFP currently includes more than 100 partner banks in 30 economies where the EBRD invests and more than 800 confirming banks worldwide.
The UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) kicks off on Sunday, and ahead of it some of tech's biggest companies are announcing new initiatives. Amazon is investing in three companies working on creating sustainable technology as part of its $2 billion Climate Pledge Fund.

The first of these companies is Resilient Power, a company working to make delivering electricity from the power grid and delivering it to electric vehicle charging stations more efficient. The company appears primarily focused on fleets  think businesses that need to deploy vehicles en masse, like shipping services  rather than individual vehicles. The company claims it can build out EV fast-charging stations at one-tenth the standard size and installation time as current stations. Naturally, an efficient, fast-charging solution for fleets of delivery vehicles is something that could be directly relevant to Amazon. It also could relate to the company's existing investment in EV maker Rivian, which could plausibly make EVs for Amazon delivery services down the line.

The second company, CMC Machinery, can design and manufacture custom-fit boxes for whatever items need to go inside, without waste like extra space and single-use padding materials. Again, the benefit to Amazon is obvious here  if the company is going to continue to ship things at the rate it currently does, reducing the amount of packaging waste the company produces would be significant.

Finally, a company called Infinium is working on renewable fuel technology as an alternative to traditional diesel and jet fuels. The company claims its Infinium Electrofuels are "ultra-low carbon fuels that can be used in air transport, marine freight, and heavy truck fleets." This marks Amazon's second investment round in Infinium, and it'll be used to help develop facilities for producing the company's fuel. Amazon also says that this investment will help the company actually deliver its fuel for the first time, which would be a pretty major milestone.

With these three new companies, Amazon is now supporting 11 total companies with its Climate Pledge Fund, a key component in its plan to eliminate net carbon emissions by 2040. Given that goal, it makes sense that these investments are in companies that can directly help Amazon reduce its carbon footprint. With COP26 about to start, both Apple and Microsoft have also made announcements around moves they're making to become more eco-friendly. Apple, which plans to be carbon-neutral by 2030, announced it has "more than doubled" the number of suppliers committed to using clean energy. Microsoft, meanwhile, is hoping to reduce data center water consumption by 95 percent by 2024, just a few short years from now.
Google has activated a safety feature that lets minors under 18 request that images of themselves be removed from search results, The Verge has reported. Google first announced the option back in August as part of a slate of new safety measures for kids, but it's now rolling out widely to users.

Google said it will remove any images of minors "with the exception of case of compelling public interest or newsworthiness." The requests can be made by minors, their parents, guardians or other legal representatives.

To do so, you'll need to supply the URLs you want removed, the name and age of the minor and the name of the person acting on their behalf. Google notes that "web URLs (pages with both text and images) are not eligible for removal under this policy, which seeks to limit the presence of images in Google search results."

To that end, it also can't remove images from websites hosting them, so "you might wish to contact the sites webmaster and ask them to remove the content," Google said. To aid in that, it linked a guide on how to contact a site's webmaster.

Until Google starts to actively remove images, we won't see what criteria it applies for "public interest or newsworthiness." In general, though, it seems like most images will likely get pulled if a minor or their guardian asks. However, it doesn't appear that you'll be able to demand the removal of images of yourself below 18 unless you're currently under that age, as The Verge has noted.
MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) is ready to deploy the autonomous passenger boat it's been developing over the past six years. The vehicle, called the Roboat, has been through multiple iterations  just last year, the lab tested a version that can carry two passengers. This year, Roboat's creators are launching its full-scale version, which can carry up to five passengers, collect waste and deliver goods, in Amsterdam.

The current Roboat has futuristic looks with its black and grey design and two seats facing each other. It's fully electric with 10 hours of battery life on a single charge and has wireless charging capabilities. MIT CSAIL Director Daniela Rus says it's more precise and has more robust perception, navigation and control systems that its predecessors. It also comes with new features, including close proximity approach mode that makes docking to a port or connecting to another boat easier, as well as better dynamic positioning that will help it better navigate real-world waters.

The vehicle's autonomous driving technology is similar to ones used by self-driving cars, according to CSAIL, and operates by using GPS to decide on a safe route from point A to point B. Roboat also uses LIDAR and several cameras to enable a 360-degree view that gives it a way to determine its path and avoid crashing into obstacles. The vehicle can operate on its own round-the-clock, but an onshore operator will monitor it remotely from a control center: A single operator will be able to monitor up to 50 Roboat units.

The new Roboats will debut on October 28th in the waters of Amsterdam. Stephan van Dijk, Director of Innovation at Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions, said: "The historic centre of Amsterdam is the perfect place to start, with its capillary network of canals suffering from contemporary challenges, such as mobility and logistics."
For the first time ever, people recently spent more time on Facebook Gaming than YouTube Gaming watching their favorite streamers. Thats according to Streamlabs, which published its Q3 2021 Live Streaming Industry Report on Wednesday.

The company says viewers watched 1.29 billion hours of content on Facebook Gaming between August and September, representing a 9.2 percent increase from the previous quarter. By contrast, the amount of content people watched on YouTube Gaming went from 1.294 billion hours in Q2 2021 to 1.13 billion hours in the most recent three-month period. In terms of viewership, Googles platform has seen a steady decline since it hit a peak at the end of last year.

YouTubes struggles are surprising considering the company recently spent big to secure talent like DrLupo and TimTheTatman . Steamlabs attributes the milestone to Facebook Gamings international popularity, in addition to the recent rollout of features like co-streaming . Whether Facebook can continue to top YouTube is hard to say. Over the same timeframe, the platform saw a decline in both total hours streamed and unique channels. Those stand at 17.1 million and 440,000 currently, representing declines of 17.8 percent and 48 percent from the previous quarter. For what its worth, Steamlabs predicts the company is on the right path.

As for Twitch, it ran into its own set of problems. People watched 5.79 billion hours of content last quarter. Obviously, thats more than Facebook and YouTube combined, but its also a 11 percent decrease from the viewership numbers it saw in Q2 2021. Whats more, the above number represents a year-over-year decline of 22 percent. At the same time, Twitch saw, for the first time ever, a year-over-year decline in unique channels, with that number decreasing from 10.6 million in Q3 2020 to 10.4 million in Q3 2021. Still, with a 70 percent share of the market in terms of hours watched, Twitch is the dominant platform in the space, and thats unlikely to change anytime soon.
Two US-China stories seemed to occur independently of each other yesterday. First up, Best Buy and Home Depot pulled security cameras made by some Chinese companies linked to Uyghur surveillance. Both US retail giants have stopped selling products from Lorex and Ezviz, while Lowe's no longer carries products by the former.

The US government added parent companies Dahua and Hikvision to its economic blacklist in 2019 for their role in the mass surveillance of Uyghur Muslims in the province of Xinjiang. Human rights groups believe over a million Uyghurs are being detained in internment camps, but China continues to deny the allegations. Home Depot told TechCrunch that it's "committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical sourcing and [it] immediately stopped selling products from Lorex when this was brought to [the company's] attention."

Within the same 24 hours, the FCC then revoked China Telecom's ability to operate in the US. Following proceedings that involved the Justice Department, the FCC found that China Telecom was likely to comply with requests from the Chinese government, and the commission believes there is the chance of the country affecting and disrupting US communications.

Promoting national security is an integral part of the Commissions responsibility to advance the public interest, the FCC said in a statement. This follows the commissions actions regarding networking infrastructure from Huawei and ZTE, two companies that bore the brunt of accusations of being threats to national security. The one-time Huawei subsidiary, phone maker Honor , is still waiting to see if its going to be labeled similarly. Officials at four federal agencies voted last month whether to place the company on the Commerce Departments entity list . It was a tie.

China Telecom has 60 days to comply with the order.

-Mat Smith

You'll be able to do basic edits and collaborate with others.

Adobe has announced "a major step forward for collaboration" by bringing its Photoshop and Illustrator apps to the web, though its pretty limited to start with. The idea is not to let you do complex work from a web page, but to allow collaborators to open and view your work from a browser to provide comments and feedback. Think of it as Google Docs, but for graphics.

You should be able to review and add comments to files without needing to have a Creative Cloud account.

Continue reading.

This is the best e-reader.

Engadget

The 2021 Kindle Paperwhite improves on its predecessor in a number of key ways, most significantly its larger and more responsive display. The Signature Edition also adds a few nice to have features like wireless charging and more storage space, but the standard Kindle Paperwhite remains the e-reader for most people  this edition is expensive.

Continue reading.

Unlikely to be a streaming debut, however.

Dune

Legendary Pictures has confirmed plans to release Dune: Part Two, saying it was "excited to continue the journey." The studio expects the movie to premiere October 20th, 2023. The first movie only covered half of Frank Herberts sci-fi classic.

Continue reading.

Ready for a new obsession?

Niantic

The creators of Pokemon Go have begun to roll out Pikmin Bloom worldwide, starting with Singapore and Australia. Similar to Pokemon Go, you'll have to go out and interact with the real world to enjoy the game. However, its likely to be a little more chill. Niantic CEO John Hanke said in the game's video announcement that the flowers the Pikmin make can be viewed by other players, so you can create shared gardens with your neighbors. Oh and there are no battles.

Pikmin is another iconic gaming franchise from Nintendo, but the appeal is likely to be a little limited in comparison to Pokemon.

Continue reading.

Buyers will know digital art is authentic.

In further proof that NFTs are going nowhere, Adobe is updating Photoshop with a beta Content Credentials feature that helps to establish the authenticity of NFTs. Once artists link their crypto wallets and social media accounts to Content Credentials, buyers can check that the wallet used to produce artwork is the same wallet that minted it.

Beyond NFTs, an opt-in Photoshop feature attaches edits and identity info to images, adding transparency and should allay some concerns about deception.

Continue reading.

The biggest news stories you might have missed



Oura's updated smart ring has continuous heart-rate tracking

Volvos 2022 C40 Recharge adds fastback style to the XC40

Master & Dynamic put its headphone expertise into a $450 gaming headset

FCC revokes China Telecom's ability to offer services in the US

Palm pivots to audio (for some reason) with $129 ANC true wireless earbuds
The value of this banknote is based on the cost of silver, and may change!!!

On October, 26, 2021 the value was of silver was $24.24. And it takes 28.34. grams to be an ounce.Therefore, the US Dollar value on that date was: $1.19.

This seroes (A0) banknote will expire on December 31, 2022, and after that will be non-remedial souvenir of your visit to Georgetown.

Once you have 29 of these notes, the needed ounce, and would like to redeem, we will provide silver bar of .999 quality. For redemption, please call the Exchequer, Mitchell P. Davis at (202) 333-5000 To order more banknotes, call with your credit card. Free shiping via FedEX ground. For internatnal delivery, please inquire.

Follow: https://twitter.com/Georgetowncash for updates on the merchants who accept the certificates.




Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Getting US Citizenship Requires Just Two Things

By Peggy Sands Orchowski

I wonder if the some 50 immigration activists who gathered in front of the U.S. Vice President's mansion last Sunday Oct 24 on a beautiful warm fall day in Washington DC waving signs and chanting: "We demand citizenship for all", know that VP Kamala Harris has absolutely no power to grant anyone citizenship. Neither does President Biden for that matter. Only Congress has that power. It's stated in one sentence in Article One, Section 8 of the U.S. constitution: Congress is "to establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization".

That ultimately meant legislation. But from 1786 and through the next century or so, the U.S. Congress punted the ball to the States. They let each state decide which non-citizens living in their jurisdictions would be allowed to take the oath of naturalization (btw, the oath is the same one used today where the immigrant-who-is-soon-to-become-a-citizen must swear loyalty to the United States and to "abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen"). After the 1880s and the civil war that saw many state activities revert to the federal government, citizenship requirements became embedded in evolving national immigration laws.

Today simply put, a non-citizen who wants to become a U.S. citizen  an American - must do two things: First they must reside in the United States for at least five years (with some exceptions) under a Permanent Legal Resident permit  aka a green card. Then if they are eligible, they can start the application process if they want to.

The green card is key. It is the "path to citizenship". No one can apply for citizenship from a temporary legal permit  work, study, visitor, etc -- nor especially if they are living in the country illegally. Congress would have to change the laws or offer a special one-time amnesty (as they did in 1986) for those. That's why most advocate s reject "legalization" for illegals -- a parole or temporary protected status (asylee), or other temporary permit. They want a way that millions of unauthorized immigrants in the country can get a permanent green or immigration card immediately and not have to go through the lengthy legal procedure everyone else has to.

But here's the other requirement that may be harder to overcome by activists. The green card holder must CHOOSE TO APPLY for citizenship once eligible. It is never automatic nor required. Permanent resident permit holders need never apply for citizenship in order to stay in the country their whole lives, with almost all the rights of citizens except the right to vote. In fact, the majority of green card holders wait ten years or more to apply and many never do.

Becoming a citizen in the US is a relatively easy process compared to other countries. Indeed, the US is unique in that we welcome, even expect immigrants to have dreamed all their lives of becoming a loyal American. But even former Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), an avid voice for permanent permits for all immigrants, said "Most of the undocumented immigrants who get green cards will never become citizens".

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Country music legend George Strait has cut the asking price for his 7,295-square-foot, Santa Fe-style adobe mansion to $6.9 million  well below what he originally sought for the exclusive Dominion property.

Strait put his home up for sale for $10 million in 2018. After taking it off the market in 2019, he re-listed it in January, slashing the price by $2.5 million.

He recently trimmed the price by another $600,000.

Tamara Strait, a real estate agent at Phyllis Browning Co., said Wednesday the famed musician  who is her father-in-law  is taking a methodical approach to selling his home. The price drop, she said, doesnt mean hes desperate to sell the property.

He wants to thoughtfully market and sell his home to the right person who truly appreciates it  someone who will value the home, she said. Thats how anyone feels, even if its a $100,000 home. It doesnt matter what the price point is. Everyone is emotionally attached to their home.

More than two decades ago, the Straits  George and his wife, Norma  hired Arizona artist and architect Bill Tull to build the mansion on 12 hilltop acres in the affluent Dominion on the far North Side. Its construction took two years.

On ExpressNews.com: Why millionaires are flocking to Wimberley in Hays County

The couple and their then-teenage son, Bubba, moved in in 1997.

The property features four bedrooms, six bathrooms and two half-bathrooms, an office, 14 fireplaces and an exercise room with a sauna.

With views of downtown San Antonio and the Hill Country  Tamara described them as the most exclusive, private views in the Dominion  the mansion served as a remote location for family gatherings and a place for the King of Country to write his songs.

The property was valued at $4.2 million in 2020, according to the Bexar Appraisal District.

The Straits decided to sell the home nearly three years ago.

They just wanted to be further out from the city, said Tamara, who is married to Bubba. She said her father-in-law is just super private and wanted to have more space.

He loves San Antonio, she said. He just wanted to be more remote.

Two years ago, the Straits took the mansion off the market. They replaced the roof and windows, replastered and repainted the exterior, and spruced up the landscaping. They put the property up for sale again in late January.

On ExpressNews.com: Report: San Antonio 21st hottest real estate market for 2022

The Straits no longer live in the mansion, though they remain in the musicians home state of Texas, Tamara said.

George Strait was born in Poteet in Atascosa County, about 30 miles south of downtown San Antonio. Norma Strait grew up in Pearsall in Frio County, roughly 55 miles southwest of San Antonio.

Tamara Strait said the selling-price reductions are a bow to the reality that selling a multi-million-dollar home is not easy, especially when its a taste-specific home.

Still, the real estate agent  who just closed on a $2.4 million home in the city last week  said, Theres a market here for luxury homes. Potential home buyers, she added, can get more for their money in San Antonio than in Austin, for example.

The future owner of the Strait home might be someone working from home amid the pandemic, she said.

It can very well be someone who doesnt want to go into the office every day and wants one of the unique houses in San Antonio, she said.

eric.killelea@express-news.net
Howard Energy Partners estranged founders are nearing a settlement in their public battle over dissolving the San Antonio pipeline and storage company, just days before they were set to spar in a Delaware court.

On Tuesday, the parties informed the court they had reached an agreement in principle to resolve pending legal claims.

They agreed to put on hold a two-day trial that was scheduled to begin Monday so they would have time to finalize settlement papers.

If a final agreement cant be reached by Nov. 24, the parties indicated they would submit a proposed trial schedule by Dec. 6.

The filing included no other details on the pending settlement. Lawyers for the two sides did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. A Howard Energy spokeswoman said the company does not comment on pending litigation.

A settlement would mark an end to end the five-month long dispute that erupted in June when now-former Howard Energy President Brad Bynum and two other executives sued over their terminations from the company.

Named as defendants were CEO Mike Howard and three other directors.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio pipeline company Howard Energy Partners founders in bitter business divorce

In their complaint, Bynum  who founded the company with Howard 10 years ago  and former CFO Scott Archer and General Counsel Brett Braden asked a Delaware Chancery Court to take the unusual step of essentially closing the business and liquidating its assets.

Howard and the directors countered the lawsuit was a ploy by the fired execs to pry larger severance packages from the company.

Their demand is simple: Pay us a ransom, or well burn the company down, Howard and three company directors said in a court document filed in reply to the lawsuit.

Existential threat

The dispute threatened to upend Howard Energy, a private company that employs 350 people and has $3 billion in assets.

It operates multiple pipelines carrying natural gas, crude oil, hydrogen and refined products. In addition to pipelines, Howard Energy owns and operates natural gas processing plants, liquid storage terminals, deep-water dock and terminal facilities, rail, terminal and transloading facilities and related assets. It has operations in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Mexico.

Howard Midstream Energy Partners, which does business as Howard Energy Partners, is incorporated in Delaware, which is why the dispute has been unfolding there.

Had the case gone to trial, Howard Energys fate would have been in the hands of Vice Chancellor Lori W. Will, who was sworn in as a judge May 26  the day before Howard and the three directors canned Bynum, Archer and Braden.

At a June court hearing, Will granted a request to re-install Bynum and Archer on Howard Energys board given that the agreement governing the company empowers a six-member board to manage the companys business. But she did not agree to reinstate Bynum, Archer and Braden to their executive posts.

On ExpressNews.com: Judge rules San Antonios Howard Energy Partners CEO violated court order in founders dispute

Differing takes on split

Bynum and Mike Howard differ on what led to their split.

The lawsuit said the pair started having philosophical differences about Howard Energys direction in 2018.

Morale began to fall, and operational performance suffered, the complaint said. Mike Howard began stepping back from day-to-day involvement.

Then, in April, Howard returned from a safari and had an epiphany  he and Bynum needed a business divorce, the suit said. Bynum, though, refused to resign.

In their answer to the complaint, Mike Howard and the three directors criticized Bynum for what they said was his abrasive style, poor management skills and frequent absences. Projects Bynums direct reports managed ran severely over budget and were plagued with inefficiencies, they added in their answer.

Earlier this year, Bynum approached Mike Howard about leaving to form his own company that would purchase two of Howard Energys assets, the document continued. Bynum recruited Archer and Braden to join him. Howard agreed to explore the idea.

Bynum couldnt secure sufficient financing so his efforts to start a new venture fell apart, Howard and the three directors alleged. So, they added, Bynum moved to oust Howard as CEO so he could take over Howard Energy.

Bynum met with the principals of Howard Energys two largest owners  Alinda Capital Partners of Greenwich, Conn., and Alberta Investment Management Corp. of Canada  and told them they should appoint him to replace Howard, the answer to the lawsuit said.

Alinda, AIMCo and Howard own about 95 percent of Howard Energy while Bynum, Archer and Braden own about 2 percent. Alinda and AIMCo have contributed about $1.5 billion in debt and equity financings to Howard Energy.

SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox

Howard Energys board formed a special committee composed of the Alinda and AIMCo representatives to look into the employment of Howard and Bynum to try to come up with a solution that would be satisfactory to the two founders, the lawsuit said.

Hatching a coup

The committee and Howard, though, hatched a coup by asking for Bynums, Archers and Bradens resignation, the lawsuit added. The trio expressed an interest to negotiate their departures so the parties could move on.

On April 28, the suit added, Mike Howard falsely announced the trios resignations during a town hall meeting attended by the companys employees via a webcast.

Bynum, Archer and Braden said negotiations didnt go smoothly, in part because they were threatened with termination without cause. Mike Howard and the three directors say the trio demanded separation packages about 10 times greater than those included in their employment agreements, along with significant equity in Howard Energy.

When Howard Energy rejected the executives demands, Mike Howard and the three directors said Bynum and Archer vowed to block the company from operating and seek its judicial dissolution.

At a May 27 special board meeting, Bynum and Archer were removed from the board. They, along with Braden, also were terminated from their executive posts.

The trio filed their lawsuit June 3 but the document is not publicly available. A public version of the lawsuit became available five days later, though many documents in the case received confidential treatment.

Besides seeking Howard Energys dissolution, Bynum, Archer and Braden wanted the court to declare that their terminations were void and that Bynum and Archer would continue as board members.

pdanner@express-news.net
This article is part of our 2021 Top Workplaces program. See a full list of winners here.

Since early 2020, employees have navigated a challenging environment and they are tired. Weve gone from a pandemic-induced recession, to a growth period and now to what looks like pandemic with growth at the same time. Its no wonder employees are burned out.

Lower employee engagement can have a negative impact on all stakeholders, including customers and prospective new hires.

The good news is that communicators can play an important role in partnering with colleagues in HR to help reverse some of these trends, while leveraging communications skills to strengthen their organizations brand reputation and spur employee referrals and new hire interest.

Energage research underscores a meaningful shift in the employee experience in contrast to the early pandemic time period. Survey data collected from employees at more than 4,000 companies show that employee engagement sharply increased in April 2020 as companies scrambled to ensure employees that they were prioritizing employees health and well-being during the pandemic.

However, after this initial spike, engagement has plummeted. In more recent surveys, employees reported feeling increasingly uninformed about whats going on in the company, and that leaders are less visible. At the same time, employees feel that the all-hands-on-deck mission that defined the early pandemic and created such strong engagement has dissipated, replaced perhaps by growth and hiring concerns.

As a result, signs are pointing toward a Great Resignation, as employee dissatisfaction causes them to leave for other opportunities. This couldnt come at a worse time, as many industries are struggling to find employees to fill current openings, and customer service has been hit hard.

What can help? Teaming up with HR counterparts, comms pros can apply their creativity to assist in the effort to get employee engagement back on track.

The intelligence learned through employee survey programs can be tapped to fuel strategic communications efforts targeted to employees, customers, prospective hires and others, working with HR and employee relations counterparts to identify storylines focusing on the culture that makes a company unique.

As company culture becomes a differentiator, think about how organizations can include it in every communication, on all channels, and with every influencer. Culture can add richness and purpose to advertising, social media, recruiting, analyst and shareholder relations, community outreach, philanthropy, and media relations.

In the early days of the pandemic, employees saw a different version of communication and information sharing. During a time of great unknowns, confusion and fear, companies answered the call by increasing the quality and quantity of their communication.

The message from employees is clear: Companies must get back to this approach.

Greg Barnett is chief people scientist at Energage, a Philadelphia-based employee survey firm. Energage is the survey partner for Top Workplaces.
San Antonio-area government and public health officials were encouraged Tuesday by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panels endorsement of using the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old  a long-awaited decision they believe can turn the tide on the pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to meet next week on whether to approve the vaccine for more than 28 million young children. The CDC has already approved the use of booster doses for Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients among vulnerable populations and front-line workers.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg called the availability of vaccines for young children a game-changer Tuesday night during a weekly televised COVID-19 briefing with Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and Dr. Anita Kurian, assistant director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District.

On ExpressNews.com: Texas pre-orders 1.3 million doses of COVID vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds

Wolff said vaccines for this age group will be a big help in protecting the community. He noted that more than 200,000 Texas school children have gotten the coronavirus since the beginning of the school year.

Do whatever you can to convince your friends and loved ones to get vaccinated, Wolff said.

Metro Health announced that starting Wednesday, all three U.S.-approved vaccine makers COVID-19 booster shots will be administered at its vaccine pop-up clinics, while the Pfizer vaccine only will continue being offered at the drive-thru clinic at the Alamodome.

Meanwhile, federal officials have said its OK to get a booster from a different vaccine maker than the one first received..

My recommendation is to get the booster that is available to you, Kurian said.

Kurian will answer questions about vaccination boosters during a Facebook Live town hall at noon Friday. The event, hosted by AARP, will be streamed live on Metro Healths and AARP Texas pages.

Those who still need their first or second COVID-19 shots are eligible for a $100 H-E-B gift card at Metro Health-run sites. Go to covid19.sanantonio.gov or call 311 and select option 8 for vaccine clinic locations.

On ExpressNews.com: Metro Health releases Halloween guidelines as COVID-19 hospitalizations dip under 300

No appointments are needed at the Alamodome or Metro Health pop-up sites.

For people who received a Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, certain groups are eligible for a booster shot six months or more after their initial series: those 65 years and older, those age 18 and older who live in long-term care settings, and those who have underlying medical conditions or who work or live in high-risk settings.

The CDC recommends booster shots for people 18 and older who got the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and who were vaccinated two or more months ago.

Nirenberg reported that infections and hospitalizations are down, but he warned the public to heed safety protocols this Halloween weekend by wearing a face mask, using hand sanitizer and only accepting prepackaged treats.

Currently, there are 279 COVID-19 patients being treated in area hospitals, including 16 children. Of those hospitalized, 84 percent are unvaccinated, 109 are in intensive care units and 53 are on ventilators.

Officials reported two new deaths on Tuesday, plus a backlog of 62 deaths that occurred from Aug. 25 to Oct. 7.

Bexar Countys coronavirus death toll is now 4,807.

laura.garcia@express-news.net
Tucked above the sensory overload that is the Fiesta at North Star store is a much more reverent space devoted to Dia de los Muertos.

Luis Pineda guesses that there are tens of thousands of individual objects in the second floor space that houses the Dia de los Muertos Museum. Those include colorful paper flowers, papel picado, hand-crafted wooden toys and arboles de la vida, elaborate depictions of the tree of life.

There also are dozens of calacas and calaveras, the distinctive Mexican skulls and skeletons identified with Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Its a big, big, big project that were still working on year by year and month by month, said Pineda, operations officer for Soul Heart Hands LLC, which owns the megastore.

Dia de los Muertos is observed on Nov. 2. It is rooted in indigenous Mexican beliefs, though it is celebrated across Latin America. On that day, spirits are believed to return to visit with those they left behind and to partake of things they enjoyed during their time on Earth.

Altars to the departed are a key part of the celebration, and so the biggest gallery in the museum is devoted to them. More than a dozen fill the space, including displays devoted to the Virgin of Guadalupe and Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

On ExpressNews.com: A Guide to Dia de los Muertos events in San Antonio

The museum opened last year shortly after the shop was reopened to the public after being shuttered for about a month at the start of the pandemic. The museum is open year-round.

The shop sells all sorts of goods, including clothing and hand-crafted art pieces. Most of the objects are made in Mexico. The museum takes up about half of the second floor. It is across from a space that will eventually be available for events.

Most of the objects in the museum were acquired on shopping trips for the store and had been in the companys private gallery, Pineda said. The idea for the museum was to spotlight the work of Mexican artisans as well as some of the history and culture of the country, Pineda said.

We wanted to show a little bit more about the art, but we wanted to present it in a way that would have a story, he said. We picked Dia de los Muertos as the best way to explain the art through the history of Mexico because Dia de los Muertos goes back thousands of years. Its a conglomeration of different cultures merging into one. Even today, its changing and evolving non-stop.

Billy Calzada /Staff photographer

Im sure 10, 20, 30, 100 years from now, its going change even more.

A 10-minute video exploring the holidays origins greets visitors in the first gallery. It touches on the indigenous roots of the celebration as well as some of the ways it has evolved over time. That includes the introduction of Catholic elements after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in the 1500s.

From there, folks make their way through a series small alcoves devoted to different themes. One depicts Jesus on the cross. Another is arrayed as a kitchen in a Mexican household with a simple altar devoted to a loved one who has passed, outfitted with a photo, flowers and pan de muerto, sweet bread made for the holiday. And one is devoted to play, with dozens of hand-crafted toys lining the walls.

On ExpressNews.com: Food Networks Dia de los Muertos series spotlights SA chefs

The biggest space in the museum is devoted to altars. Thats also where a performer in a white dress sometimes walks beside them, singing mournfully of La Llorona, the spirit of a mother doomed to forever walk the Earth, seeking the children she drowned herself. Performances take place every day but Mondays and Wednesdays.

A short video about Mexico plays in the space, as well. We wanted to show a little bit more because a lot of people say, Oh, Mexico, we dont know much about it, so you want to visually present what there is there, Pineda said.

The museum has been in the works for a long time. The company had attempted to do something similar at Fiesta On Main, the much smaller shop it owns on Main Avenue north of downtown, said Pineda.

All this has been 20 years in the making, really, he said. We didnt have enough space at Fiesta On Main. We tried to do something like it there, but it was too small, not enough parking. So the search went on to try to find a better and bigger building. And finally about five years ago, we found this building. Its perfect.

Billy Calzada /Staff photographer

Fiesta On Main closed in March of 2020 because of the pandemic and has not reopened. The location across from North Star Mall closed for about a month or so. Employees used that time to install the museums exhibits.

The exhibition space still is evolving. QR codes are being added so that visitors can scan them and find more information about the artwork. Because the pandemic remains an issue, the shop is relying on word of mouth rather than advertising to alert potential patrons to the museum.

Right now, because of COVID, we want to keep it so we wont have 30 or 40 people up here, said Pineda. We want to keep it to 10 or 20, so they can spread out.

That approach seems to be working.

Without any advertising, thousands of people have come, he said.

The Dia de los Muertos Museum inside Fiesta at North Star, 102 W. Rector, is open from 9:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and from 12:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Admission costs $5. Info, diadelosmuertosmuseum.org .

dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
Hill Country charms you with its idyllic scenery, but make no mistake: These hills are haunted.

Tricksters and killers from beyond the grave loom, waiting for the daylight to fade  or so the stories go.

So as you embrace the Halloween spirit, consider visiting the ghosts of Comal County with a stay at an otherworldly hotel and a hike along a devilish ridge.

Faust Hotel

If you need a place to rest your head in New Braunfels, the Faust Hotel will suit you well.

After all, none of our ghosts are violent or aggressive, said McKenna Lewis, a front desk employee and events coordinator at the hotel.

Rising from South Seguin Avenue, the Faust Hotel was built in 1929 by a man named Walter Faust. He moved his family in during the Great Depression, and he passed away there in the mid-1930s.

Legend has it that his spirit remains.

Hes known as a trickster, Lewis said. He likes to play pranks on people; and once hes had his fun, hell leave you alone.

This would explain the experience of a guest who reviewed the hotel on Yelp after a stay in May.

The room key and other small goods would go missing in our room and turn up in bizarre places, Stephanie L. wrote.

The front desk staff told her that housekeepers werent going into occupied rooms due to COVID protocol, but our bed was somehow freshly made on Saturday and our things were still on it.

On ExpressNews.com: Oscar the Grouch blesses tiny dinosaurs, superheroes

Less playful were the nightmares that woke her and her husband up almost every hour in their room.

Her husband is not a huge believer in ghosts but quickly realized it was haunted, she wrote.

Reviews with paranormal encounters fill the hotels Yelp reviews.

Dustin T. wrote that he stayed on the second  and most haunted  floor of the hotel in January.

The hallways were creepy  think The Shining  and about 4 a.m., he heard what I thought was someone trying to get into our room.

Completely lost my (expletive), he wrote. Managed to convince myself that it was someone in a room adjacent to or above us. For about 30-45 minutes it sounded like furniture was being moved.

He eventually fell back asleep only to have weird dreams about someone coming in our room.

The hotel has a haunted elevator as well as apparitions that sometimes like to have their photographs taken, local author and historian Michael O. Varhola said.

Its pretty creepy. I spent a couple of nights there once, riding the elevator and just hanging out, said Varhola, who wrote the book, Ghost Hunting: San Antonio, Austin and Texas Hill Country. I wandered the halls and took pictures, and some strange things would turn up in my pictures.

Devils Backbone

If Fausts trickery doesnt suffice this Halloween, venture about 13 miles north of New Braunfels into the most haunted hills in Texas.

The Devils Backbone, a 23-mile-long ridge in northeastern Comal County that runs along the Hays County line, earned that description from local ghost hunter Don Ford, who runs the blog, Voyage into the Paranormal Society.

To be sure, the area is known for its panoramic views of Hill Country valleys and canyons, as well as pristine hiking territory and scenic real estate.

In 1964, San Antonio Express and News columnist Clarence LaRoche wrote that a drive through this spectacular, high country certainly reflects no evil, as the name might imply.

It offers the motorist a moving box seat right next to heaven as its wooded hills roll away, tier behind tier, fading off into the distance, LaRoche wrote.

The rows of high, green mounds gradually change and deepen in color until theyre deep blue and purple standing misty against a smoky sky far away.

On ExpressNews.com: Dia de los Muertos Fest: As long as you remember them, they live

But throughout that stunning landscape are plenty of places for things that go bump in the night to hide until the time is right.

Some say the ghosts of Native Americans, seeking vengeance for the taking of their land, will follow you if you walk down the road adjacent to the ridge late at night.

Thats when hikers and ghost hunters have reported hearing hoofbeats and footsteps close on their heels. They turn around to find only darkness. Others have glimpsed apparitions of cattle ranchers and Spanish monks peeking from behind the ridge.

Whatever the case, the Devils Backbone has become the center of local paranormal lore.

Ford, the ghost hunter and blogger, has described apparitions of an entire Confederate army rolling through on horseback.

The horses hooves sounded like thunder and shook the walls of a bunk house, he wrote on his blog.

Campers report smelling camp fires in places where fires are not allowed and being followed by unseen people while hiking, he wrote. Hunters talk about hearing footsteps at the bottom of their deer stands.

And the strangest reports come from a few that say they (were) possessed by the spirit of a wolf.

Other visitors have documented unexplained shadows, the sounds of voices and the beating of war drums.

On ExpressNews.com: Secret home of Dia de los Muertos museum

Varhola, the author and historian, said the place is charming in the light of the day.

Its a very American gothic type place, with old farmsteads and rusting trucks in front yards, he said.

Farm Road 32, the scenic road that winds through the ridges and along the cliffs of Devils Backbone, has inspired lore of its own.

Dozens of memorial crosses line the road where car crashes have claimed lives, giving rise to the legend of the White Lady.

In one telling, she was a pioneer killed by Native Americans, Varhola said.

And now, she steps into the middle of the road while people are speeding in the middle of the night. Drivers see her and swerve.

Shell be standing in a spot that ensures theyll speed off into a rock or tree, or off a cliff, and die, Varhola said.

The road was one of the first routes that the Spanish would take when they were moving into the interior of Texas up into Hill Country, he said. Its the oldest history in our area of anything, and history is what ends up leading to ghost stories and people reporting paranormal incidents.

Annie Blanks writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. annie.blanks@express-news.net.
Pecans are plentiful across San Antonio but that doesn't mean you can walk up to any tree in the city and pick as many as you want.

In fact, there are ordinances that were put in place to keep the pecan season orderly.

Unless you have a pecan tree on your property, it's against the law to pick pecans off of trees in San Antonio. It is, however, legal to gather them from the ground.

On ExpressNews.com: 10 parks near Boerne that are perfect to explore this fall

Denise Hernandez tweeted a photo of a purse filled with pecans with a caption that reads "Puro San Anto is eating pecans you find on the ground." The San Antonian said she gathered the pecans from an area outside of Hello Paradise, a restaurant on the Northeast Side.

Connie Swann, a marketing manager with the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, said residents can legally gather pecans from the ground in public spaces.

"The public is welcome to gather pecans that have fallen on the ground in areas that are open and accessible in city parks," Swann added.

On ExpressNews.com: 10 highest paid city of San Antonio employees

If you don't want pecans you find on the ground, be aware that it is "unlawful for any person to climb pecan trees in any public park or street within the city or to throw sticks, stones or other missiles for the purpose of gathering pecans," according to the city's ordinance.

Swann said the city discourages picking any pecans from the tree for "public safety, to ensure nuts are fully ripe and to prevent potential damage to the tree."

On the r/sanantonio Reddit community, one user posted a photo of pecans with the caption that there are a lot of free pecans available "everywhere."

While that may be true, it's probably best to avoid residential areas unless a property owner grants you permission to pick pecans.

Pecans are usually harvested from October to late December.

Below are San Antonio parks with a large number of pecan trees:

Brackenridge Park

Fairchild Park

Riverside Park

Roosevelt Park

San Pedro Springs Park

Malak.Silmi@express-news.net

Malak.Silmi@express-news.net
Local leaders have denounced antisemitic actions after multiple anti-Jewish protests and propaganda material were seen across San Antonio and Austin this weekend.

In a tweet, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said San Antonio needs to reject the hatred and ignorance that "endangers the spirit of our entire city."

"San Antonio will not tolerate these heinous acts, and we will never give a platform to white nationalists," Nirenberg said.

On ExpressNews.com: City, county leaders eager for COVID-19 vaccine for small children

The Jewish Federation of San Antonio said men were outside an event at the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio Monday night "spewing hateful rhetoric and waving signs denying the Holocaust.

"This group is not representative of the warmth and outstretched arms that the non-Jewish community has shown us in over 100 years of settling in San Antonio. This is the awful rhetoric of outsiders who have come to create division and sow seeds of hate. Let us make sure that their ideas do not grow roots in our backyards," the organization said in a letter to the community.

San Antonio police responded immediately to maintain safety, the letter said.

Police were also called to a protest Sunday outside Cornerstone Church's annual "Night to Honor Israel," where about a dozen men clad in Nazi T-shirts displayed signs branded with the antisemitic video platform GoyimTV.

An unrelated protest was also happening at the church calling for the end of U.S. funding for Israels military.

The antisemitic group approached the churchs front doors with a bullhorn yelling profane things, and when told to leave, they "got in the faces of the security guards and called them all kinds of names and racial slurs," a police report said.

When San Antonio police contacted the men near Stone Oak Parkway and Tuscany Stone, they refused to give their identification and continued to scream at the officers.

On ExpressNews.com: 'Hagee preaches hate': Annual Cornerstone Church event again met with protesters

District 9 City Councilman John Courage, who represents the area around the church, said the group was not welcome here.

"San Antonio is a compassionate multicultural community that is welcoming of all faiths and peoples.  These professional out-of-town agitators are hiding behind the First Amendment to bring fear to our Jewish community," Courage tweeted.

Social media posts have shown a similar anti-Semitic group outside the Alon Market H-E-B with large banners claiming that the Holocaust was fake. District 8 City Councilman Manny Palaez, who posted the photos on Twitter, condemned the hateful message, saying, "Protests like these are nothing but sleazy attempts to dehumanize those whom I call my friends my neighbors."

In a video of the H-E-B protest posted to Instagram, two of the men were seen asking the poster whether he "hated humanity" for agreeing with "racial mixing" and said that he should "put down his school books and do some actual research."

San Antonio police are aware of numerous reported incidents involving similar allegations and are investigating, police department spokeswoman Alisia Pruneda said.

On Saturday, Austin police were called to Loop 1 after a similar group, clad in swastika T-shirts and giving the Nazi hand salute, hung an anti-Semitic sign from a MoPac overpass that is the main route to the Dell Jewish Community Center during Sabbot, according to the Austin Police Association.

"Acts of antisemitic, bigotry, and racism are not welcome in our city. Every person in our community deserves to feel like they belong," Austin Mayor Steve Adler tweeted Monday

Several other incidents were reported over the weekend, including anti-Jewish flyers being found in a San Antonio neighborhood and racist, homophobic and antisemitic graffiti found at Anderson High School, just blocks from Austin Jewish Community Center.

Authorities have not said whether the incidents in Austin and San Antonio are related.

No reports of physical violence have been reported with the incidents.

The FBI said it is aware of the incidents and is in contact with local law enforcement.

"If, in the course of the local investigation, information comes to light of a potential federal violation, the FBI is prepared to investigate," the FBI said in a statement to the Express-News.

Protests like the ones seen in South and Central Texas are considered protected speech under the First Amendment. A hate crime is classified as a traditional offense like murder, arson or vandalism with the added element of bias against race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or gender identity.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  King Abdullah II of Jordan visited Poland on Tuesday for talks with President Andrzej Duda on security issues and further defense cooperation.

The two leaders met at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw.
The state of Texas reached a settlement agreement with drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson for its role in the nationwide opioid epidemic, with the company agreeing to pay $290 million, partially to fund addiction recovery efforts in cities and counties, Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday.

Bexar County commissioners approved more than $12 million from the settlement  $4.1 million to go into the countys general fund, and another $8.5 million is expected as part of a regional settlement plan that divides Texas into health care jurisdictions. The countys attorney fees and legal expenses in the case are capped at about 12.3 percent.

Attorney Mikal Watts, with the Watts Guerra law firm representing the county in its opioid litigation, said the settlement is one of many to come that involve opioid manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Unlike other settlements that must be paid out over multiple years, the settlement will be paid by Dec. 31, he said.

This is all going to be paid (at) the end of 2021, which I think is an extraordinary difference. It also protects the county from future bankruptcy filings by these companies, which can happen. Its the money in your hands to allocate for opioid remediation immediately, Watts told commissioners.

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said they will have to decide what specific programs to fund to keep a promise officials made in 2018 to direct any settlement windfall toward treatment programs.

Finally, after three years, we see some real things happen here and some money coming our way to help, Wolff said. We need to follow through on that pledge.

The agreement comes four months after the state joined a $26 billion national opioid settlement against J&J and three of the nations largest pharmaceutical distributors  Cardinal, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen. The four companies were expected to pay $1.5 billion to the state, depending on how many political subdivisions signed onto the deal by Jan. 2.

J&J fulfilled its portion of the agreement with Texas in the settlement announced Tuesday, officials said. Texas is now expected to receive up to $1.2 billion from the remaining three distributors.

This is just the beginning of payback for some of the things these companies have done, Paxton said during a news conference outside the Houston Recovery Center.

On ExpressNews.com: How much Texas gets from multistate, $26 billion opioid settlement hinges on how many local governments sign on

The distributors had been accused in hundreds of lawsuits of ignoring the amount of addictive painkillers being sold on the black market and their role in the nationwide epidemic of addiction and overdose deaths. Johnson & Johnson was accused of minimizing the dangers of opioids in its marketing. The companies have denied wrongdoing.

In a statement, J&J said the settlement is not an admission of any liability or wrongdoing and the company will continue to defend against any litigation that the final agreement does not resolve.

As part of the agreement, Johnson & Johnson will be protected from future opioid lawsuits in Texas. The company cannot sell opioids, which it said it already stopped doing in the U.S. last year, lobby on any related matters, or fund grants to third parties for promoting opioids. It also would have to share clinical trial data with the Yale University open data access project.

Nearly 500,000 people died from overdoses involving opioids  including both prescription drugs and illicit ones, such as the synthetic fentanyl  from 1999 to 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of deaths reached a record high in 2020 at more than 93,000.

Paxtons office will receive 15 percent of the settlement. Another 15 percent will be sent directly to cities and counties, while the remaining 70 percent will go to the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund.

The funds will be administered by 14 members of a state-appointed opioid council, which includes academics and medical professionals with experience in opioid intervention.

Taylor Goldenstein contributed to this report.

julian.gill@chron.com
A collection of old documents donated to the Bexar County Clerk Spanish Archives Department by a descendant of a San Antonio alcalde is helping uncover the areas storied history.

Last year, Edward Yturri, 95, turned over the private and business papers of his great-great-great-grandfather Manuel Yturri y Castillo. Castillo, a former alcalde or mayor, lived from 1790 to 1842. Spanish Archivist David C. Carlson said the gift will be preserved as the Edward Yturri Collection.

Its really extraordinary, he said. The papers span the Spanish, Mexican, Texas Republic, early statehood and Confederate States of America periods.

On ExpressNews.com: Ghost Town Survivors see their West Side San Antonio neighborhoods history preserved

The repository, housed at 126 E. Nueva St., consists of more than a quarter-million pages that date back to the Spanish colonial era. The office is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Carlson pointed to one of the letters in a glass case that Castillos father, Pelayo de Yturri y Castillo, wrote to the Spanish viceroy in 1803, asking permission for his son Manuel to leave the Basque country of northern Spain and travel to Mexico. According to the Handbook of Tejano History, by 1817, Castillo had made San Antonio de Bexar his home, where he owned several properties. His residences included a home near Main Plaza and a property on South Presa Street in La Villita.

Castillo married Maria Josefa Rodriguez, whose ancestry could be traced to one of 16 Canary Island families who established the first municipal government in Texas in 1731.

In 1823, the merchant served one term as alcalde. Fifteen years later, he was elected as alderman. His son, Manuel, was a Confederate officer in the Civil War and later became a businessman, public servant and rancher.

Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News

Carlson said Edward Yturri and his daughter wanted to safeguard their ancestors papers. They spoke to the Conservation Society of San Antonio about taking the collection because the society operates the Yturri-Edmunds historic house and mill. Castillos granddaughter Ernestine Edmunds willed the adobe-block house and land to the society, but the conservation group suggested Yturri talk to the Spanish Archives.

The archivist said after Yturri heard about their care and preservation of historical manuscripts, he turned the collection over to the office.

I think they were relieved that the documents would be public, Carlson said, and researchers from all walks of life could make use of the documents.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio residents seek roots at Spanish Archives, glimpse of early Hispanic history

The collection includes close to 200 documents from 1803 to the 1870s. There are letters from Castillos father in Spain, correspondence related to his wife and letters to his prominent father-in-law, Mariano Rodriguez. Rodriguez was made paymaster of the Mexican Army by Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna during the Texas Revolution.

A large portion of the collection contains records, receipts and notebooks; some of the parchments are written in French and Latin.

Carlson is in the process of arranging the contents and sequencing the papers in chronological order.

Castillos story is also part of Los Alcaldes de Bexar project that promotes educating the public about San Antonio alcaldes from 1731 to 1836. According to the group, more than 100 alcaldes served during those 105 years. The nonprofit, made up of scholars, presents uncovered details of how the men fit into the citys narrative.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio archivist helps residents discover community, family history

A major aspect of the project has been displaying forensic portraits of the alcaldes by artist Lois Gibson. The artwork of the mayors includes: Clemente Delgado, Jose Miguel Arciniega, Francisco Antonio Ruiz and Juan N. Seguin.

Yturri-Castillo is one of four encyclopedic entries the group has made to the Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texan History. The other three entries include Juan Curbelo; Ignacio Francisco Xavier Calvillo and Clemente Delgado.

Bexar County Clerk Lucy Adame-Clark said the Yturri collection is an important and imperative addition to the Spanish Archives. Securing the Yturri collection is one more step toward chronicling the origins of Bexar County, the county clerk said. Another goal is to reclaim the half of the archives that were split in 1899 and placed at the University of Texas at Austin.

It fills in gaps of our story, Adame-Clark said. Its important that we make it available (for the public) to see the first written scripts of our history.

vtdavis@express-news.net
A San Antonio man accused of murder cried, paced and adamantly denied to detectives that he killed a baby left in his care in 2017.

A video interview of Miguel Angel Gutierrez was played Tuesday afternoon for jurors in the 379th District Court during the third day of his murder trial. Now 27, he is accused of killing 11-month-old Xzavier Cortez after the childs mother, Selena Moya, left him and her three other children in Gutierrezs care.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner said Xzavier died from blunt force trauma to the abdomen.

On ExpressNews.com: ER doctor describes massive effort to revive San Antonio baby

Investigators and medical personnel said Xzavier was found unresponsive, with words and symbols scrawled on his body, along with bruises in different stages of healing. An emergency room team of nearly a dozen people worked on the child for about 30 minutes at Childrens Hospital San Antonio but pronounced him dead at 4:32 a.m. Nov. 3, 2017.

Prosecutors played an interview that San Antonio police Detective Tom McNelly and two of his colleagues conducted with Gutierrez hours later, one day before his arrest. He told them the child and his siblings were asleep and the baby only woke up crying for a bottle. Gutierrez said one of the boys sisters told him Xzavier fell off the bed, but that when he checked, the boy was fine.

As the detectives questions turned into accusations, Gutierrez began to cry.

On ExpressNews.com: S.A. jury hears frantic 911 call for dying 11-month-old boy

I dont believe this, Gutierrez said. I did not hurt that little boy. I am not going to take this and lose my kids! I have a 6-year-old boy and a nine-month-old girl ... I would never hurt a child.

It was unclear who among the adults at the house, including Gutierrezs mother, discovered the child was not breathing, but Gutierrez said he began CPR while his mother called 911. Then, he and another man drove to the strip club where Moya worked to tell her the baby was not responding.

At that point, McNelly told Gutierrez that Moya was in the next room and that she is very tore up about it. I had to tell her her baby died.

Moya faces a child abandonment charge related to this case.

When McNelly left the room, Gutierrez cried silently by himself and squatted on the floor with his head in his hands.

As they re-entered the room, detectives continued asking Gutierrez to just admit that he hit the child.

Why do you think I would hurt another child? he asked. All I did was try to help her. She strips, shes trying to get her own place.

The case is being heard before state District Judge Ron Rangel. If convicted, Gutierrez faces up to life in prison.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
The Bexar County District Attorneys office can continue to prosecute indicted ex-constable Michelle Barrientes Vela, a judge has ruled.

Barrientes Vela is charged with three counts of official oppression, accused of extracting money from a family for security fees at a picnic area during the 2018 Easter weekend at a West Side park. A charge of aggravated perjury against her was dropped in May, according to court records.

Senior Judge Sid Harle rejected a defense motion to remove DA Joe D. Gonzales from the case, which is set for trial in December before state District Judge Velia Meza.

Nicholas Nico LaHood, a lawyer for the former Bexar County Precinct 2 constable, had argued Gonzales had a conflict of interest and should be replaced by an attorney pro tem to represent the state.

LaHood cited an alleged threat to Meza, the judge who is handling the case. He said Gonzales former campaign manager Robert Vargas III, during a radio talk show, had said Meza better do the right thing in Barrientes Velas case or he would recruit a candidate to oppose her reelection in 2022, court documents state.

Word of Vargas comments reached Meza, who called witnesses in the summer to find out more about it. She invited attorneys to file motions if they wanted her to recuse herself from the case. Barrientes Velas attorneys instead suggested that the district attorneys office be removed from the case.

Vargas has denied threatening Meza.

Attorneys for Barrientes Vela also argued that Gonzales has a history of backing judicial candidates who have not ruled in his favor, and cited the candidacy of Gabe Quintanilla, a former prosecutor in the DAs Office, who ran against state District Judge Frank Castro in 2020.

Gonzales endorsed Quintanilla that year, saying he had known him for 30 years and was like a brother to him, but has since then decided to refrain from endorsing any candidates, according to court records.

LaHood is a former Bexar County district attorney. Gonzales ousted him in the Democratic primary election in 2018.

In a response to LaHoods motion, Gonzales argued there is no evidence of any conflict of interest, nor one that rises to the level of a due process violation, and disputed the assertion of political machinations, according to court records.

Harle rejected Barrientes Velas attorneys arguments on Friday, making no comment in his ruling and placing a check mark next to the word DENIED.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
Ken Branca /Contributor

A man was killed and a woman was hospitalized early Wednesday morning after both suffered gunshot wounds in what police are investigating as a possible attempted murder-suicide.

Officers were called to Interstate 10, near Foster Road, at about 1:30 a.m., where a pickup truck had crashed into a light pole on the highway. Inside the vehicle, officers found 26-year-old Ronnie Alvarez dead from a gunshot wound, police said.
Two weeks ago, Assistant City Manager Rod Sanchez made a presentation to City Council about San Antonios forthcoming 2022 bond program.

Sanchez explained city staffs recommendation that $126 million in bond funds go to the Howard W. Peak Greenway Trail System. He suggested that the funding would keep a promise the city made last year when it asked voters to shift sales-tax dollars from greenway trails and Edwards Aquifer protection to workforce development and public transit.

Youll recall when we passed the sales tax, Sanchez said, we committed that we would spend bond dollars to complete these greenway trails.

Sanchezs statement was misleading.

The notion of shifting the 1/8-cent sales tax shared by the greenway and aquifer programs was first presented to the council on February 19, 2020.

Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez told councilmembers that the city was working with the county on a partnership in which the county would spend more than $83 million over five years to fill in 26 miles of the unfinished trails system.

When the 26 miles are done, there would be 45 miles left, Villagomez said. And the city will continue to work with the county to look for options to fund them or recommend them in future city bond programs, beginning in 2027.

Those words are important. Villagomez said if future county help didnt materialize, the city would consider funding the trails through a bond program. But not until 2027, at the earliest.

The reason those words are important is that some advocates for the trails program are currently telling us that any council member who questions city staffs $126-million price tag for greenway trails in the 2022 bond is reneging on a promise the city made to its voters. Its not true.

An Express-News piece by Liz Hardaway in September 2020  more than a month after the council voted to put workforce development and mass transit on last years ballot  pointed out that the city had not arrived at a new funding source to complete the greenway trails program.

Something else Villagomez discussed with the council at that February 2020 session is worth revisiting.

She noted that only 37 percent of San Antonios streets achieved the desired rating of excellent, while 25 percent were rated either poor or failed.

Villagomez said it would take $836 million to repair those failed streets.

San Antonio currently has $6.6 billion in basic infrastructure needs, with a whopping $3.1 billion of that for drainage and flood control, according to city staff.

Its easy to castigate the three councilmembers  John Courage, Clayton Perry and Teri Castillo  who publicly challenged the $126-million greenway-trails recommendation; to caricature them as two North Siders (Courage and Perry) who dont care about the future of the program because their districts have already reaped major benefits from it and a rogue West Sider (Castillo) indifferent to the wishes of her constituents.

In fact, council concerns on this issue extend beyond those three members.

Ana Sandoval, a consistent voice of reason on the dais over the past four years, also has questions about the $126-million figure.

Like some of my colleagues, I was surprised to see this line item at that dollar amount in the proposal that came forward, she said. My understanding last year was that the staff and mayor were collaborating with the county to take on what I thought was the balance.

Sandoval said she welcomed further scrutiny of the staffs recommendation.

East Side Councilman Jalen-McKee Rodriguez remains undecided on the issue, but he made a telling point about it during a Monday interview.

When were knocking on doors campaigning, nobody is really saying, We need to allot money for the trails, he said. People want their neighborhoods to be fixed.

Its true that nearly 75 percent of voters cast their ballots in favor of the trails program in 2015. But that was a simple up or down vote on renewing an existing sales tax.

It doesnt mean that voters, given a complex set of choices, would prioritize additional miles of trails right now over fixing their streets or protecting their homes from flooding.

To be sure, the greenway trails system has been a model for how government programs should work.

It has brought beauty, recreation, habitat preservation and an enhanced sense of connectivity to this community. It deserves to be completed.

Between existing sales-tax funds and the countys $83.5-million, 10-year commitment, there is every reason to believe the trails system will continue to move forward, regardless of what happens with the 2022 bond.

Bond programs provide the city with one chance every five years to swing for the fences, to address massive needs that perpetually outpace our resources.

Its responsible, not short-sighted, to challenge assumptions about where that money should go.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Have you seen a shark cry? Its unsettling. But when the tears are caused by dyslexia, it can also be revealing.

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. So its time to explore the peculiar world of a learning difficulty that experts say could afflict as many as 1 in 5 Americans.

The shark is Kevin OLeary. The boastful Canadian-born Shark Tank host and multimillionaire investor  aka Mr. Wonderful  who chokes up when discussing his struggle with dyslexia as a child in the 1960s.

It was very difficult for my mother, OLeary told Yahoo! Finance. She was very worried about me. Parents dont know  what the future holds. Theyre not sure whats going to happen. And that puts a lot of pressure on relationships and families.

I hear this often from dyslexics, that their parents wanted so badly to help them but didnt know how. As a parent, it breaks my heart.

On ExpressNews.com: Commentary: In 'school choice,' families should choose

Ive also seen many parents of dyslexic children shell out money for specialized language therapy and shuttle their kids to after-school sessions.

Im impressed by dyslexic children who battle a public school system that was not built for them. But Im in awe of parents who heroically fight for their kids against an invisible enemy.

The reason much of that battle occurs in public schools is because, unlike private schools or charter schools, public schools are often too rigid and regimented to accommodate children with dyslexia. Also, many of the schools of education that credential teachers are hostile to the very concept of dyslexia; some even teach it doesnt exist.

This frustrates Kelli Sandman-Hurley. With her longtime friend and fellow literacy specialist Tracy Block-Zaretsky, Sandman-Hurley co-founded the San Diego-based Dyslexia Training Institute more than a decade ago.

The center offers training and certification for teachers, one-on-one tutoring and reading therapy for students, and simulations that help people who dont have dyslexia see the world through the eyes of those who do.

The goal is to help untangle what is, for many families, the baffling riddle of dyslexia.

I was curious how Sandman-Hurley defined the concept.

Dyslexia is a phonological processing problem that someone is born with, she said. Someone has difficulty accessing written language. They might have trouble spelling or decoding words. Reading fluency is slower. It occurs in degrees, from mild to severe with everything in between.

On ExpressNews.com: Dyslexia helped Putsche relate to students

What is it not?

It is not seeing things backwards, she said. Thats a myth.

For 20 years, Ive been fascinated by what has been called the gift of dyslexia, owing to the fact that my wife is a dyslexia specialist. Lately, Ive become interested in how it affects adults. Dyslexia cant be cured. Children with dyslexia become adults with dyslexia.

Sandman-Hurley tells some of those stories in her important new book, The Adult Side of Dyslexia. She interviewed 50 adults who have dyslexia and asked them the same questions.

Many of these folks still have vivid  and horrid  memories of their school days. Describing the experience of reading aloud to the class, many used words like trauma or torture. Teachers need to handle with care those who struggle with reading and writing.

What you say to them, they will remember when they are 50, Sandman-Hurley said. And they remember it like it was yesterday.

Dyslexics arent dumb or lazy. In fact, they are often incredibly hard workers given all they must overcome. High-functioning dyslexics include not just OLeary but actress Keira Knightly, British billionaire Richard Branson, film producer Brian Grazer and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Sadly, other dyslexics wind up unemployed, homeless or in prison.

How that final chapter gets written depends largely on whether the dyslexic has enough love and support at home to survive the buzz saw of the educational system.

I asked Sandman-Hurley about being an advocate for kids and confronting school administrators who either know what they need to do and refuse  or, worse, dont believe that dyslexia is really a thing.

The advocacy is really stressful, she acknowledged. But its not even close to how stressful it is for a parent. The parent sees their child starting to struggle. They dont really know whats happening. They go to the school, and the school says: Its OK, theyll outgrow it. But the parents gut is telling them that something is wrong.

Parents, trust your gut. And stand by your child. As adults with dyslexia will tell you, it means everything.
It is no secret the proposed reconciliation bill has many elements that have become points of great contention as President Joe Bidens first year in office comes to a close.

Budget reconciliation is a tool both parties use  and often abuse. In 2007, the U.S. Senate under Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., changed the rules so no amendments can be offered to a budget reconciliation bill that increases the deficit. Republicans did that in 2002 to pass their tax cut package, which increased the deficit. Then Republicans took back the majority in the Senate and immediate changed the rules to pass the Trump tax cuts, which increased the deficit.

Now this year, Democrats have used the same rule change to increase the deficit $1.9 trillion to alleviate COVIDs economic effect. Most of that spending was needed, but it should have been paid for, not passed on to future generations.

One main area of discussion is the proposed punitive tax measures that would affect the oil and gas sector.

As a Texas native, I have seen firsthand how oil and gas touches just about everything and how important the industrys successes are to the state and to our country. People need to understand exactly what is in the reconciliation bill and what it will do to the U.S. economy and our position globally.

On ExpressNews.com: Podcast: CPS Energy tries to regain its footing

People often overlook the tax revenue the oil and gas sector generates, which supports everything from education to building roads. Between 2013 and 2017, revenue on federal lands and water generated $11.6 billion. In 2019, the oil and gas industry contributed almost $1.7 trillion to the total U.S. gross domestic product, or GDP.

If the reconciliation bills proposed ban on federal land leasing were adopted, it would create a $1 billion budget gap. Taxes paid from the oil and gas industry gave $1.1 billion to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, $807 million to the Texas Education Agency, and $445 million to the Health and Human Services Commission in 2019.

Support of this proposed federal leasing ban is allegedly to protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions. A recent analysis by OnLocation shows the exact opposite will happen. A federal ban on leasing would not decrease demand. It would only create a supply problem, which means either importing more oil and gas, or resorting to counterproductive and environmentally harmful options such as coal. Increasing foreign oil imports due to a federal leasing moratorium could decrease oil production by 44 percent and natural gas by 68 percent. And the less we are able to produce, the less tax revenue that will be generated.

This directly undercuts American energy security. Already we have seen how restrictions on pipelines have increased our foreign dependence, with the call by President Joe Biden asking OPEC members to increase oil production to make up for our shortage.

Blue Dog Democrats like myself have historically prioritized ensuring Americas energy security by reducing our dependence on our foreign rivals energy supply. This ironclad principle was underscored in a recent letter seven congressional Democrats from Texas wrote to House Democratic leadership expressing their concerns about the targeting of U.S. oil and gas in the reconciliation bill.

They noted: Global demand for oil and natural gas will continue to increase for the foreseeable future.  These inequitable policies will cost American jobs, move America farther away from energy independence, and will slow the countrys move toward a lower carbon future. Members of Congress should be sensitive to these concerns, otherwise we run the risk of losing our House majority in 2022.

America cannot become dependent on other countries for our energy needs without jeopardizing national security. This needs to be avoided at all costs. We can maintain our energy producing capabilities without hurting American citizens; we just need to come together and figure them out.

Charles Charlie Stenholm represented Texas in Congress as a Democrat from 1979-2005.
The civil-military divide in America is wider than you may think.

Most Americans are isolated from the military and have little understanding of its ways and even less understanding of its wars. While Americans generally express confidence in the military, we are often uninformed about it. And collectively we are less angered by lost wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere than indifferent to them. Ignorance and indifference serve division.

Second, civilians often do not exercise leadership of the military. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin retired as a four-star Army general, cashed in with military contractors, then was picked by President Joe Biden to exercise civilian control over the military. Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis, a retired four-star Marine general, followed a similar trajectory in the Trump administration. Austin and Mattis were, are and will remain career military men. In selecting retired generals to exercise civilian control, Americas politicians weaken civilian authority while placing too much faith in military elites.

Third, military recruitment fails to draw equitably from all sectors of society. Todays all-volunteer force is more rural than urban, more Southern and Midwestern than coastal, and generally more conservative and evangelical than America at large. Few from the most affluent sectors of society serve in the ranks. A strange form of selective service exists in America  recruiters select those who are most keen to serve in the military for whatever reason as other Americans elect not to serve for any reason. A military drawn equally from all sectors of society would improve civil-military relations and mutual understanding.

Views & Voices: Editorials, columns and commentary, delivered to your inbox

Fourth, the very words Americas military uses to define itself exacerbate the civil-military divide. Rather than citizen-soldiers, todays military speaks of warriors and warfighters, words seized upon and promoted by weapons manufacturers. Warrior codes exist for the troops to recite. Yet Americas troops are supposed to be ours, a part of us. They exist to defend the Constitution, not to wage war and war alone.

In the last war America clearly won, World War II, our troops were ours. They identified as citizen-soldiers, with citizen coming first. Citizen and citizen-soldier suggested a continuity, a bond between those out of uniform and those in one. Its a usage and sentiment that kept the civil-military divide at a minimum for the so-called greatest generation. Todays terminology of civilians and warriors implies a discontinuity indicative of weaker bonds of understanding.

Ultimately, this warrior conceit encourages military members to think of themselves as a breed apart, and a superior one at that. Under the stresses of endless war, such a mindset may prove corrosive to the highest duty of our troops as represented by their oath to the Constitution.

When Americas wars are finally over (will they ever be?) and the countrys warriors return to society, will they readily reassimilate to a civilian culture that knows so little about them or war in general? Will they despair and find tragic release in addiction or suicide? Or will estrangement lead to radicalization and manifestations of violence against the government? Events such as the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 are discouraging.

Looking solely to the military for answers is as one-sided as it is dangerous. America must recommit to the ideal of citizenship, including the ideal of the citizen-soldier as a special kind of citizen; to the ideal of civilian control of the military, most especially an unwavering commitment to formal congressional declarations of war; to the ideal of national service that pulls equally from all societal sectors; and finally, to the idea of war as a last resort, an aberration forced upon a formidable, united but otherwise peace-loving people.

On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: Powell set bar for character and service

So, let us stop referring to our troops as warriors even as we start affirming our rights and performing our duties as citizens. Let us stop waging wars that have so little to do with true national defense and let us start waging a united effort to avoid war while preserving what is left of our democracy.

To heal our civil-military divide, Americas military forces must be no larger than what is needed to provide for a robust national defense. Since 9/11 our country has been in a state of permanent war; no less a leader than James Madison warned us that such a state, if allowed to persist, would destroy the American democratic experiment. We must heed Madisons warning. Peace, not war, must become Americas default state of being.

William J. Astore, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel and professor of history, is a senior fellow at the Eisenhower Media Network.
Back in 2019, Jamil Sayfi struck what seemed like a great deal with 7-Eleven to lease a convenience store and gas station his San Antonio company owns along Interstate 10 in Schertz.

Dallas-based 7-Eleven agreed to lease the property for at least $23,000 a month for 15 years, Bexar County land records show.

In addition, the company planned to spend $800,000 to renovate the property before occupying it.

But the retailer never followed through with its plans and in August informed Sayfi it was terminating the lease.

Now, in a lawsuit filed this month, Sayfis NAJDS Property Investments Inc. says 7-Eleven conspired with two Dallas firms to commit fraud by purposefully delaying the renovation project so one of the firms could buy the property at a discount to its market value.

NAJDS is seeking more than $1 million in damages from 7-Eleven Inc., architectural and engineering firm Dimension Group and real estate development firm Prudent Development. Dimension, which was hired as the design firm for the project, and Prudent share common ownership.

7-Eleven, Dimension and Prudent didnt respond to multiple requests for comment. They have yet to answer the complaint, filed in state District Court in San Antonio.

7-Eleven promised to improve my property and pay me a fair market rent, Sayfi said in a statement provided by his lawyers. Instead, they attempted to force me to a place where I would have to give away my property in order to support my family.

Squeezing the company

County land records show he purchased the roughly 35-acre property at 13183 Interstate 10 East in 1994 and deeded it to NAJDS in 2007. It operated the convenience store and gas station under the name Alamo Travel Center, but Sayfi wanted a tenant to take over day-to-day operations.

Dimension was supposed to apply for the permits required for 7-Elevens renovation project. Indeed, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations website shows work was scheduled to start Nov. 2 of last year and be wrapped up by March 2.

But according to the suit, 7-Eleven and Dimension delayed work for over a year and a half before the retailer terminated the lease in August.

NAJDS alleges the delays were so Dimension, through Prudent, could attempt to purchase the property. In April and May of this year, the lawsuit says, Prudent made several offers to buy despite the obvious conflict of interest between Dimension and Prudent.

So they were squeezing the company by not paying it rent and then offering to take the property off its hands for a nominal price, said James Rosenblatt, a San Antonio attorney representing NAJDS. 7-Eleven wasnt required to pay rent until the renovation was completed, and he acknowledged it had the right to terminate the lease.

Rosenblatt declined to say how much Prudent offered for the property, only that it was substantially less than its value. Bexar Appraisal District records show the property has an assessed value of about $3.8 million.

Elena Serna, another attorney for NAJDS, says a Prudent official had worked in 7-Elevens real estate department at the time the lease was negotiated.

Fuel supplier pullout

Matters worsened for NAJDS in April 2020 when SEI Fuels, a 7-Eleven subsidiary, sent notice that it was terminating the San Antonio companys right to sell SEI-branded fuel, according to the lawsuit.

SEI also declined to sell unbranded unleaded gas and diesel fuel to NAJDS, the complaint adds.

SEI Fuels, which also is named as a defendant, attributed the termination to NAJDSs performance in some Mystery Motorist Program evaluations. SEI also began withholding credit card payments to NAJDS, the suit says.

Ultimately, NAJDS closed the convenience store and gas station to allow the renovations to go forward, Rosenblatt said.

Its created an incredible hardship, he said. It was the most significant income-producing property that they had to where the property is no longer producing income. And so the company is struggling to pay its bills.

Sayfi is now trying to find another party to lease the property, Rosenblatt said.

NAJDSs claims include breach of contract against 7-Eleven, tortuous interference against Dimension and Prudent and conspiracy against all of the defendants.

pdanner@express-news.net
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  A Tennessee senator who was recently indicted on charges that he violated federal campaign finance laws announced Wednesday that he will step aside as chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

Earlier this month, a federal grand jury in Nashville handed down a five-count indictment against Republican Sen. Brian Kelsey and a Nashville social club owner. They are accused of illegally concealing the transfer of $91,000 during the Republican lawmakers 2016 failed congressional campaign.

Under Tennessee's Senate code of ethics, an indicted senator who serves as a committee chairman has 10 days to request a hearing before the Ethics Committee on whether the chairmanship should be suspended.

Kelsey declined to make this request. Instead, he stood up on the Senate floor Wednesday  while members were gathered for a special legislative session  to say he will temporarily step aside from his chairmanship while the indictment is being pursued.

Colleagues, let me be clear: Im totally innocent. And I look forward to clearing my name through the judicial process, Kelsey said.

I trust in time the truth will prevail and I will resume my leadership role to the education committee, he added.

Kelsey and Nashville social club owner Joshua Smith unlawfully and secretly funneled funds from Kelseys state Senate campaign committee to his federal congressional campaign committee, according to the indictment.

In his statement Monday, Kelsey accused President Joe Biden's administration of trying to take me out because I'm conservative. By Wednesday, he told his fellow senators that he hoped that they would not use political attacks on one another.

Senate Speaker Randy McNally, a Republican from Oak Ridge, remarked that Kelsey was going through a difficult time" and said he was praying for Kelsey's family.

Kelsey's removal from the key education chairmanship comes as the General Assembly is gathering for its third special legislative session. The session will be dedicated to addressing COVID-19 measures.

Bidens administration will likely be the main target, though his workplace vaccine order trumps state authority. School board members could be required to declare a party affiliation and mask mandates in schools could be banned.

Furthermore, GOP legislative leaders have indicated they could even try to circumvent elected district attorneys if they publicly decline to enforce certain policies, including the governors school mask opt-out order.

Gov. Bill Lee has repeatedly resisted requests to hold a special session focused solely on COVID-19 even as GOP lawmakers have become steadily disgruntled at local mandates that have been implemented sporadically around the state.
Food industry giants including Nestle, Nandos and Greggs have endorsed a bill seeking to end cages for egg-laying hens in the UK.

Their intervention comes in the form of a letter and marks the first time UK corporations have spoken out about the use of cages in egg production.

The companies call on the government to endorse Beatrices Bill, which seeks to ban cages for egg-laying hens.

The bill, which passed its first reading in the Commons in September, is at the heart of a campaign headed by the Humane League and the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation.

A petition in support of the legislation has reached over 85,000 signatures.

Switzerland, Luxembourg and Austria have already banned caging hens, while bans are on the way in Germany, Belgium, Czechia and Slovakia.

Seven US states have phased out cage-egg production, and the EU has resolved to end the use of cages in farming by 2027.

Cordelia Britton, head of campaigns at the Humane League UK, said: The governments welcome words about supporting animal welfare will remain unserious until the use of cages in egg production is banned.

We call upon the government and Parliament to listen to the food industry and the general public and support this legislation.

A spokesperson for Nestle, the largest food and drink company in the world, added: Farm animals deserve decent welfare standards.

Nestle supports a phasing out of caged systems for all egg laying hens, building on industry efforts to date.

According to Humane League UK, as many as 16 million chickens are in cages across the UK, despite 76% of consumers considering the banning of cages to be a priority issue.

All major UK food companies have committed to making their supply chains cage-free by 2025.
The vast majority of the UKs major retailers have committed to backing British pork in response to an open letter calling for more support as the sector experiences the worst crisis in recent times.

All the big retailers have now responded to the letter, sent by the National Pig Association (NPA) earlier this month, urging them to prioritise British pork over EU product.

The supermarkets have generally sought to reassure that they are backing the industry, with continued commitments to British pork and efforts to address the labour shortage across the supply chain and to ease the pig backlog.

The letter called on retailers to help resolve the pig backlog by not turning to cheaper EU pork, particularly where it diverts essential butchery staff away from UK product.

We are also aware that some previously supportive retailers are now considering moving over to EU pork because it is much cheaper, NPA Chairman Richard Mutimer said.

Falling EU prices have made imported pork more attractive to retailers, and official government trade data suggests UK pork import volumes have been increasing since the summer, after being well below 2020 levels in the first part of the year.

Describing the impact of the backlog of pigs on farms and warning of more welfare culling, Mr Mutimer said: I am therefore asking for you to help us by prioritising British pork through the plants and diverting butchery staff back to British pigs so we can get the throughputs back to where they need to be."

The vast majority of the UKs major retailers have committed to backing British pork in response to the open letter.

A response from Asda said: "Asda is committed to assisting our pork supplier, Cranswick, and their British farming suppliers in this difficult period for the sector.

"We have highlighted British pork product to help drive awareness and consumption with our customers."

Sainsburys said it was committed to supporting British pork, with 100% of its fresh pork being British which it has upheld since 2013.

A spokesperson said: "Sainsburys and our processors are working together to ensure we sell as much pork as possible, having frequent conversations to ensure we have the highest throughput of pigs achievable.

"These include but are not limited to: turning off slow labour-intensive small volume processing lines to maximise output, removal of netting of some of our joints and running promotions where relevant.

"Sainsburys will continue to work collaboratively with industry to support the British pig sector."

Tesco, the biggest seller of British pig meat in the UK, said that over the last 18 months it had worked closely with suppliers to respond to higher demand for British pork - and its sales had 'never been higher'.

"We are working closely with our suppliers to ensure that British product is being processed to the maximum capacity in the abattoirs," the retailer said.

"Currently, the lack of skilled butchery in the UK means that we cannot get any more material through the abattoirs.

"Tesco removing EU pigmeat from shelves will not result in more British pigs being processed to help clear the backlog on farms. Only the processors finding more butchers will achieve this."
A Trading Standards service has been hailed for a ground-breaking project which focused on farmers mental health during the pandemic.

The Heart of the Southwest Trading Standards Service (HotSW TS) offers support to farmers in Devon, Plymouth, Somerset, and Torbay.

The service has been awarded the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) Hero Award for best project.

Due to the rural nature of the South West, advice, guidance and enforcement on animal health, welfare and disease control is a high priority for Trading Standards.

Over the past two years farmers have been under more pressure and there was evidence that this was affecting the mental health of many.

It was recognised that more work was needed to raise awareness about mental health and wellbeing and the support available.

The project brought together several rural organisations and support services to raise the profile of mental health in rural communities and to raise awareness of the help available.

The project has so far included four webinars, bringing together speakers from the Gay Farmer Helpline, the Farming Community Network, Young Farmers, and an accredited cognitive behavioural therapist.

It has been supported by more than a dozen organisations including Devon & Cornwall Police, Avon & Somerset Police, Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue, The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, Mind and CALM.

The scope of the project also enabled animal health specialists to receive mental health first aid training.

This training means that officers can identify the early signs of mental illness when they visit farmers.

In addition, the project helped trigger the setting up of a Listening Ear Support Service for Devon, offering the wider business community a space to discuss the stresses they faced running a business during the pandemic.

The number of partners of the TSFP is expanding, and its profile is being raised through social media.

There are plans for a regular physical presence at events such as the Devon and Somerset County Shows.

Paul Thomas, head of HotSW TS said: Farming is a major part of the Southwests economy but for many the pandemic made what was already a challenging way of life a lot more difficult.

According to the Farming Community Network nearly half of all calls made to their helpline between July and October last year were related to mental health.

It was apparent that many in the farming industry were struggling but didnt know how or where to get support.

Our aims were to bring together rural groups and organisations to highlight the stigma surrounding mental health so those who were struggling knew that they werent on their own.

Councillor Rufus Gilbert, Devon County Councils Cabinet Member for Trading Standards, said farmers had an enormously difficult job.

Im delighted that the service has been recognised for a project that is giving such needed support to many.

I think that the region is served by one of the best trading standards services in the country and this award is evidence of that.
The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike.

We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve.
2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning --

4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS.

We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover.

We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come.
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Arbaaz Merchant's father, Aslam Merchant has said that he was 'touched' when he heard his son speaking up for his friend, Aryan Khan. Aryan Khan, the son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, is in Arthur Road jail along with Arbaaz Merchant and others. They were arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) earlier this month after a raid on a cruise ship. In an interview with a leading daily, Aslam Merchant said that Arbaaz was concerned about Aryan Khan.

Innocent kids should not be punished even before trial. As I was leaving, Arbaaz told me, Dad, I will not leave Aryan alone in jail and no harm should be caused to Aryan. We all have come in together here and will leave together from here. I was so touched by those words; for him friendship is supreme, he said. Aslam Merchant also revealed that Arbaaz Merchant and Aryan Khan were 'taken aback' by the fact that they still hadn't received bail. Their bail hearing is currently underway at the Bombay High Court.


The terrific and talented Manoj Bajpayee recently received his third National Award this week for Bhosle. The actor attended the ceremony to receive the recognition and posted some pictures with South superstar Rajinikanth, who was also present at the event to receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award.



Today for an interview with a news portal, Manoj Bajpayee was all praise for Rajinikanth and Dhanush. The Bhosle actor said how he met the two actors at the event and has huge respect for Thalaiva. Manoj Bajpayee said that he looks up to Rajinikanth for his journey to sweet success. He further added how Rajinikanth treats everyone with humility and he loves the fact about the superstar. Manoj Bajpayee even said that he connected with Thalaiva spiritually.

Talking about Dhanush, he said that he had a long conversation with him. They spoke about the films they like and shared their thoughts on the same. Manoj Bajpayee says that Dhanush is a remarkable young mind doing some remarkable work. He even called the Raanjhanaa actor very inspiring.

Manoj Bajpayee rocked the OTT platform this year with the super success of Family Man Season 2. His third win for the National Award further makes this year perfect for him. Manoj Bajpayee has earlier won National Award for Satya and Pinjar. The actor has even won Filmfare Awards at several occasions for his roles in Satya, Aligarh and Family Man Season 1.


OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI.TO, RCI) announced that the Supreme Court of British Columbia will hold a hearing on November 1, 2021 to hear submissions by the company and the Rogers Control Trust regarding the legality of Edward Rogers' attempt last week to replace five of the company's independent directors with nominees of the Rogers Control Trust through a written resolution, without convening a meeting of shareholders.



The company said it welcomes the opportunity for the Court to consider the importance to shareholders and all stakeholders of conducting a shareholders meeting to change the Board of Directors.



Edward Rogers was appointed as chairman of Rogers Communications at a meeting on Sunday night, according to a statement by a group that said it represents the 'reconstituted board' of the company.



Edward Rogers then said that he intends to initiate proceedings in the British Columbia Supreme Court to confirm and implement the Shareholder Resolution.



However, Rogers Communications said that the meeting was not valid, the board's membership hasn't changed at all and John MacDonald remains the chairman.



Rogers Communications's board last Thursday voted out its chairman Edward Rogers, after he tried to replace Chief Executive Officer Joe Natale with another executive. The company appointed John MacDonald as chairman. MacDonald had been a member of the Rogers Board of Directors since 2012 and held the role of Lead Director and Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee.



Edward Rogers' mother and sisters, who are fellow board directors of the company, said Sunday they support Joe Natale as CEO and support his management team. They remain as duly elected members of the Rogers Communications Board and represent the majority of the Board members of the company. No other group of individuals has any authority to purport to act as the Board of Directors of Rogers Communications Inc.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
QUEBEC, QC / ACCESSWIRE / October 26, 2021 / NuRAN Wireless Inc. ("NuRAN" or the "Company") (CSE:NUR)(OTC PINK:NRRWF)(FSE:1RN) announces that it has granted stock options today pursuant to the Company's incentive stock option plan to certain directors of the Company, to purchase an aggregate of 100,000 common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $1.67 per share. Pursuant to the terms of the grant, 100,000 options will vest immediately, and all of the options expire 5 years from the date of grant. The options are subject to applicable policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange and applicable securities laws and will be subject to a hold period of four months commencing on the date of grant of the options.

About NuRAN Wireless

NuRAN Wireless is a leading supplier of mobile and broadband wireless infrastructure solutions. Its innovative radio access network (RAN), core network, and backhaul products dramatically drop the total cost of ownership, thereby creating new opportunities for established, as well as emerging mobile network operators. Indoor coverage, isolated rural communities, offshore platforms and ships, NuRAN Wireless helps its customers reach everyone, everywhere.

Additional Information

For further information about NuRAN Wireless: www.nuranwireless.com

Francis Letourneau, Director and CEO

info@nuranwireless.com

Tel: (418) 264-1337

Frank Candido

Investor relations

Frank.candido@nuranwireless.com

Tel: (514) 969-5530

Cautionary Statement: Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: NuRAN Wireless Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669848/NuRan-Announces-Grant-of-Stock-Options
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 26, 2021) - Tower Resources Ltd. (TSXV: TWR) ("Tower" or the "Company") announces that it has granted stock options to acquire up to 2,150,000 common shares to certain directors, officers and consultants. Each of the stock options is exercisable for a five-year term expiring on October 26, 2026, and exercisable until that time at a price of $0.06 per common share. The options are subject to vesting provisions, with one-third vesting and becoming exercisable on the date of grant, and one-third vesting and becoming exercisable every anniversary thereafter. The stock options are non-transferable and any common shares issued upon exercise of the stock options, are subject to a four month resale restriction expiring February 27, 2022.

About Tower Resources

Tower is a Canadian based mineral exploration company focused on the discovery and advancement of economic mineral projects in the Americas. The Company's key exploration assets, both in B.C., are the Nechako gold-silver project near Artemis' Blackwater project and the Rabbit North copper-gold porphyry project located between the New Afton and Highland Valley Copper mines.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Tower Resources Ltd.

Joe Dhami, President and CEO

(778) 996-4730

www.towerresources.ca

Reader Advisory

This news release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.

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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100994
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Emerson Electric Co. (EMR) is considering a sale of thermostat maker Therm-O-Disc that could value the unit at about $1 billion, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter. The report said that the company is working with an adviser to run a sale process for the unit. Therm-O-Disc is expected to attract interest from private equity firms. Earlier this month, Emerson and AspenTech said that they entered into a definitive agreement to contribute Emerson's industrial software businesses - OSI Inc. and the Geological Simulation Software business - to AspenTech to create a diversified, high-performance industrial software leader with greater scale, capabilities and technologies. Emerson would also contribute $6.0 billion in cash to new AspenTech, which would be received by AspenTech shareholders, in exchange for a 55% stake in new AspenTech. The new company, which will retain the name AspenTech. 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.
Regulatory News:

NOXXON Pharma N.V. (Euronext Growth Paris: ALNOX), a biotechnology company focused on improving cancer treatments by targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME), announces that Bryan Jennings will join NOXXON as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective as of November 1, 2021. Mr. Jennings has over 30 years of experience in investment banking, capital raising and corporate finance advisory work, a significant amount of which has been in the healthcare, pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

Aram Mangasarian, CEO of NOXXON commented: "We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Bryan Jennings to the post of Chief Financial Officer. Bryan brings with him extensive financial experience in the biotech industry with significant skills in capital raising and corporate finance. He will be a real asset for NOXXON as we look to increasingly target investors in the US and progress the company financially, while continuing to focus on improving cancer treatments through our unique approach of targeting the tumor microenvironment."

Bryan Jennings has been CFO at a number of biotech and healthcare companies, including Peptilogics, KAHR Bio, Beren Therapeutics, Rational Vaccines and ChemomAb, where he was responsible for strategy and oversaw all financial, accounting, HR and IR functions. Additionally, he was CFO and CEO at Vista Capital Advisors, a broker dealer based in New York, NY. Prior to this, Mr. Jennings spent 20 years at Morgan Stanley where he was Managing Director, Head of Capital Markets and Risk Management. He has a Masters of Management Degree from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois and a Bachelor's Degree from Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts.

Bryan Jennings, CFO of NOXXON commented: "I am very excited to join the outstanding team at NOXXON and contribute to the company's development and success. I believe NOXXON has huge long-term potential given its differentiated technology and strong oncology-focused pipeline. I look forward to contributing to NOXXON's strategic and financials goals in the very near term."

It is the intention of the Supervisory Board to nominate Mr. Jennings as statutory director of NOXXON Pharma N.V. and to convene an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders in due course.

About NOXXON

NOXXON's oncology-focused pipeline acts on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the cancer immunity cycle by breaking the tumor protection barrier and blocking tumor repair. By neutralizing chemokines in the TME, NOXXON's approach works in combination with other forms of treatment to weaken tumor defenses against the immune system and enable greater therapeutic impact. NOXXON's lead program NOX-A12 has delivered final top-line data from a Keytruda combination trial in metastatic colorectal and pancreatic cancer patients published at the ESMO conference in September 2020 and in July 2021 the company announced its Phase 2 study, OPTIMUS, to further evaluate safety and efficacy of NOX-A12 in combination with Merck's Keytruda and two different chemotherapy regimens as second-line therapy in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. NOXXON is also studying NOX-A12 in brain cancer in combination with radiotherapy which has been granted orphan drug status in the US and EU for the treatment of certain brain cancers. GLORIA, a trial of NOX-A12 in combination with radiotherapy in newly diagnosed brain cancer patients who will not benefit clinically from standard chemotherapy has delivered interim data from the first two cohorts showing consistent tumor reductions and objective tumor responses. The company's second clinical-stage asset NOX-E36 is a Phase 2 TME asset targeting the innate immune system. NOXXON plans to test NOX-E36 in patients with solid tumors. Further information can be found at: www.noxxon.com.

Keytruda is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp Dohme Corp.

Visit NOXXON on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About the GLORIA Study

GLORIA (NCT04121455) is NOXXON's dose-escalation, phase 1/2 study of NOX-A12 in combination with irradiation in first-line glioblastoma (brain cancer) patients with unmethylated MGMT promoter (resistant to standard chemotherapy).

About the OPTIMUS Study

OPTIMUS (NCT04901741) is NOXXON's open-label two-arm phase 2 study of NOX-A12 combined with pembrolizumab and nanoliposomal irinotecan/5-FU/leucovorin or gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in microsatellite-stable metastatic pancreatic cancer patients.

Disclaimer

Certain statements in this communication contain formulations or terms referring to the future or future developments, as well as negations of such formulations or terms, or similar terminology. These are described as forward-looking statements. In addition, all information in this communication regarding planned or future results of business segments, financial indicators, developments of the financial situation or other financial or statistical data contains such forward-looking statements. The company cautions prospective investors not to rely on such forward-looking statements as certain prognoses of actual future events and developments. The company is neither responsible nor liable for updating such information, which only represents the state of affairs on the day of publication.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211026006147/en/

Contacts:

NOXXON Pharma N.V.

Aram Mangasarian, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

+49 (0) 30 726247 0

amangasarian@noxxon.com

Investor and Media Relations:

LifeSci Advisors

Guillaume van Renterghem

+41 (0) 76 735 01 31

gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com

NewCap

Arthur Rouille

+33 (0) 1 44 71 00 15

arouille@newcap.fr
Amsterdam, 27 October 2021 - Heineken N.V. (EURONEXT: HEIA; OTCQX: HEINY) today publishes its trading update for the third quarter of 2021.





KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Beer volume -5.1% organically for the quarter; +4.0% for the first nine months

Heineken volume +8.0% in the quarter; +15.1% for the first nine months

Full year expectations unchanged





Dolf van den Brink, Chairman of the Executive Board / CEO, commented:

"As anticipated, our Asia Pacific region was deeply impacted by the pandemic in the third-quarter. We see first signs of recovery and I admire the resilience and solidarity of our people as we navigate these challenges.

Our new EverGreen strategy is gathering momentum across the organisation. We continue to revitalise our portfolio with emphasis on premium, low- and no-alcohol and beyond beer. The Heineken brand sustained its strong growth, +15.1% for the first nine months. Our B2B digital platforms more than doubled in digital sales value.

We began the integration of United Breweries in India and continue to be enthusiastic about the long-term opportunities ahead.

Yet the macro environment remains volatile and we are responding accordingly. We are taking an assertive approach to pricing and cost across all of our markets to meet this challenge. Therefore, our expectations stay unchanged, with full year results remaining below 2019."

THIRD QUARTER VOLUME BREAKDOWN

Beer volume1 3Q21

Organic growth Total growth YTD 3Q21 Organic growth Total growth (in mhl or %) Heineken N.V. 60.2 -5.1 % -4.3 % 170.1 4.0 % 2.8 % Africa, Middle East & Eastern Europe 9.6 5.5 % -6.6 % 28.8 12.7 % 1.1 % Americas 21.2 -3.4 % -3.7 % 61.5 8.9 % 8.6 % Asia Pacific 5.9 -37.4 % -10.2 % 19.5 -12.7 % -4.7 % Europe 23.5 -2.3 % -2.1 % 60.3 1.0 % 0.7 % Heineken volume1 3Q21

Organic growth YTD 3Q21 Organic growth (in mhl or %) Heineken N.V. 12.8 8.0 % 35.5 15.1 % Africa, Middle East & Eastern Europe 1.7 22.6 % 4.7 26.7 % Americas 4.9 10.2 % 13.6 18.5 % Asia Pacific 1.8 5.3 % 5.2 18.8 % Europe 4.5 1.8 % 12.0 6.0 %

1 Refer to the Definitions section for an explanation of organic growth and volume metrics.

Heineken brand



Heineken continued its strong momentum and grew volume by 8.0% in the quarter and 15.1% for the first nine months of the year. Volume grew double-digits year to date in more than 50 markets, including Brazil, China, South Africa, Nigeria, Italy, Spain, Vietnam, and Mexico. Relative to 2019, volume grew by 15.6% in the third quarter and by 16.3% in the first nine months.

continued its strong momentum and grew volume by 8.0% in the quarter and 15.1% for the first nine months of the year. Volume grew double-digits year to date in more than 50 markets, including Brazil, China, South Africa, Nigeria, Italy, Spain, Vietnam, and Mexico. Relative to 2019, volume grew by 15.6% in the third quarter and by 16.3% in the first nine months. Heineken 0.0 grew in the low-twenties, with a particularly strong performance in Brazil, Mexico, the USA and the UK.

grew in the low-twenties, with a particularly strong performance in Brazil, Mexico, the USA and the UK. Heineken Silver continued its strong growth momentum in China.

E-Commerce

Our business-to-business (B2B) digital platforms accelerated further and captured 1.9 billion in digital sales value in the first nine months, adding 1 billion compared to last year. Close to 300k customers from traditional channels are now connected to our B2B digital platforms.

accelerated further and captured 1.9 billion in digital sales value in the first nine months, adding 1 billion compared to last year. Close to 300k customers from traditional channels are now connected to our B2B digital platforms. Our direct-to-consumer (D2C) platforms continue to grow strongly. Beerwulf, in Europe, grew its net revenue by more than half in the first nine months of the year.

Africa, Middle East & Eastern Europe

Total consolidated volume grew organically by 8.6% in the quarter, driven by South Africa, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The premium portfolio grew in the high-teens, led by South Africa, Russia and Nigeria. Total consolidated volume year to date came ahead of 2019 in many markets across the region, including Nigeria, the DRC, Russia, Ivory Coast, Burundi and Rwanda.

grew organically by 8.6% in the quarter, driven by South Africa, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The premium portfolio grew in the high-teens, led by South Africa, Russia and Nigeria. Total consolidated volume year to date came ahead of 2019 in many markets across the region, including Nigeria, the DRC, Russia, Ivory Coast, Burundi and Rwanda. In Nigeria , total volume grew by a mid-single-digit. The premium portfolio grew in the low-teens, led by Tiger. The low-and non-alcoholic portfolio grew in the high-twenties, led by Maltina. Tensions in Eastern Nigeria are causing some disruptions and impacting our volume.

, total volume grew by a mid-single-digit. The premium portfolio grew in the low-teens, led by Tiger. The low-and non-alcoholic portfolio grew in the high-twenties, led by Maltina. Tensions in Eastern Nigeria are causing some disruptions and impacting our volume. In Russia , beer volume was up, behind the market, due to a decline in the economy portfolio. The premium portfolio grew in the mid-twenties and outperformed the market, led by Heineken, Miller and Staropramen. Cider volume grew in the high-twenties, driven by Mister Lis.

, beer volume was up, behind the market, due to a decline in the economy portfolio. The premium portfolio grew in the mid-twenties and outperformed the market, led by Heineken, Miller and Staropramen. Cider volume grew in the high-twenties, driven by Mister Lis. In South Africa , total volume grew by close to a half, ahead of the market, following a strong recovery from the alcohol sales ban in July. Growth was led by Heineken, Amstel and Windhoek.

, total volume grew by close to a half, ahead of the market, following a strong recovery from the alcohol sales ban in July. Growth was led by Heineken, Amstel and Windhoek. In Ethiopia , beer volume grew by a mid-single-digit, ahead of the market, led by the growth of Harar and Bedele. The country continues to face ongoing tension and conflict affecting our volume.

, beer volume grew by a mid-single-digit, ahead of the market, led by the growth of Harar and Bedele. The country continues to face ongoing tension and conflict affecting our volume. In Egypt, total volume grew in the low-teens, driven by the gradual recovery of the domestic and tourism markets.

Americas

Beer volume declined organically by 3.4% in the quarter. The premium beer portfolio grew in the low-teens, led by Heineken growing 10.2%. The de-prioritisation of our economy portfolio to focus on premium and mainstream brands in Brazil continues to impact overall volume. New entry markets Ecuador and Peru observed strong growth. Beer volume year to date is ahead of 2019 in several markets of the region, including Mexico, the USA, Panama, Ecuador and Jamaica. Non-beer volume declined 50.9% following the de-listing of low-margin soft drink pack types in Brazil.

declined organically by 3.4% in the quarter. The premium beer portfolio grew in the low-teens, led by Heineken growing 10.2%. The de-prioritisation of our economy portfolio to focus on premium and mainstream brands in Brazil continues to impact overall volume. New entry markets Ecuador and Peru observed strong growth. Beer volume year to date is ahead of 2019 in several markets of the region, including Mexico, the USA, Panama, Ecuador and Jamaica. declined 50.9% following the de-listing of low-margin soft drink pack types in Brazil. In Mexico , beer volume increased by a mid-single-digit, ahead of the market. The premium portfolio grew in the low-teens, led by Amstel Ultra and Bohemia. SIX continues to grow strongly, expanding into new stores and growing same-store sales.

, beer volume increased by a mid-single-digit, ahead of the market. The premium portfolio grew in the low-teens, led by Amstel Ultra and Bohemia. SIX continues to grow strongly, expanding into new stores and growing same-store sales. In Brazil , beer volume declined in the mid-teens in the quarter. The premium and mainstream portfolios grew strongly, outperforming the market, driven by the continued momentum of Heineken, Eisenbahn, Devassa and Amstel and the launch of Tiger. The economy portfolio declined in the forties, as we continue to rebalance the portfolio. During the quarter we executed the transition of our dual route to market structure without major disruptions, in close cooperation with the Coca-Cola System. The first phase of the Ponta Grossa brewery capacity expansion, dedicated to premium volume, has been successfully completed.

, beer volume declined in the mid-teens in the quarter. The premium and mainstream portfolios grew strongly, outperforming the market, driven by the continued momentum of Heineken, Eisenbahn, Devassa and Amstel and the launch of Tiger. The economy portfolio declined in the forties, as we continue to rebalance the portfolio. During the quarter we executed the transition of our dual route to market structure without major disruptions, in close cooperation with the Coca-Cola System. The first phase of the Ponta Grossa brewery capacity expansion, dedicated to premium volume, has been successfully completed. In the USA, total volume decreased by a mid-single-digit, as last year's third quarter benefited from the replenishment of inventories at distributors; however, sales from distributors to retailers were up in the quarter. Heineken and Dos Equis continue to outperform the market, boosted by innovations like Dos Equis Ranch Water and Lime & Salt.

Asia Pacific

Beer volume declined organically by 37.4%, reflecting the impact from lockdowns and restrictions to contain COVID-19 in Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia. We see the first signs of recovery, with differences across markets. Beer volume has recovered ahead of 2019 in some markets of the region, like Singapore, South Korea and Laos.

declined organically by 37.4%, reflecting the impact from lockdowns and restrictions to contain COVID-19 in Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia. We see the first signs of recovery, with differences across markets. Beer volume has recovered ahead of 2019 in some markets of the region, like Singapore, South Korea and Laos. In Vietnam , beer volume declined by more than a half, following a strict lockdown during the quarter, with the most stringent measures in our strongholds in major cities and in the South. We see a gradual lifting of restrictions since mid-September. In Ho Chi Minh City, off-trade outlets are permitted to operate from 1 October, but on-trade outlets remain closed.

, beer volume declined by more than a half, following a strict lockdown during the quarter, with the most stringent measures in our strongholds in major cities and in the South. We see a gradual lifting of restrictions since mid-September. In Ho Chi Minh City, off-trade outlets are permitted to operate from 1 October, but on-trade outlets remain closed. In Cambodia , beer volume was down in the high-teens due to lockdown restrictions, including alcohol sales bans.

, beer volume was down in the high-teens due to lockdown restrictions, including alcohol sales bans. In Malaysia , beer volume declined close to 20%, as our brewery was suspended from 1 June to 16 August to comply with the Movement Control Order issued by the government. In September, beer volume grew strongly, ahead of 2019, following the reopening of the economic and social sectors.

, beer volume declined close to 20%, as our brewery was suspended from 1 June to 16 August to comply with the Movement Control Order issued by the government. In September, beer volume grew strongly, ahead of 2019, following the reopening of the economic and social sectors. In Indonesia , total volume grew by a high-single-digit, with some restaurants opening up but international tourism still absent. On 14 October, Bali began a gradual but restricted re-opening to international tourism from a few countries in the region.

, total volume grew by a high-single-digit, with some restaurants opening up but international tourism still absent. On 14 October, Bali began a gradual but restricted re-opening to international tourism from a few countries in the region. In China , Heineken grew by more than one third, led by the strong momentum of Heineken Silver.

, Heineken grew by more than one third, led by the strong momentum of Heineken Silver. In India, beer volume grew by close to 50% in this quarter, following a progressive recovery and gradual lifting of restrictions. HEINEKEN consolidates United Breweries (UBL) as of 29 July 2021 and reports it as a consolidation change.

Europe

Beer volume declined organically by 2.3%, impacted by poor weather across most of the region. The off-trade declined by a high-single-digit in the quarter versus last year, normalising to the 2019 level. In the on-trade, beer volume grew by a high-single-digit versus last year. Compared to 2019, on-trade performance was still well behind for the quarter, with September showing a mid-single-digit decline. The premium portfolio grew solidly, led by Heineken, Desperados and Birra Moretti.

declined organically by 2.3%, impacted by poor weather across most of the region. The off-trade declined by a high-single-digit in the quarter versus last year, normalising to the 2019 level. In the on-trade, beer volume grew by a high-single-digit versus last year. Compared to 2019, on-trade performance was still well behind for the quarter, with September showing a mid-single-digit decline. The premium portfolio grew solidly, led by Heineken, Desperados and Birra Moretti. In the UK , total volume was down by a low-single-digit, in line with the market, impacted by logistics disruptions. The on-trade grew double digit, while the off-trade declined in the low-teens. The premium portfolio continued its growth momentum, driven by Birra Moretti and Desperados.

, total volume was down by a low-single-digit, in line with the market, impacted by logistics disruptions. The on-trade grew double digit, while the off-trade declined in the low-teens. The premium portfolio continued its growth momentum, driven by Birra Moretti and Desperados. In France , beer volume declined by a high-single-digit, outperforming the market impacted by continued restrictions in the on-trade. The premium portfolio was flat, outperforming the broader portfolio.

, beer volume declined by a high-single-digit, outperforming the market impacted by continued restrictions in the on-trade. The premium portfolio was flat, outperforming the broader portfolio. In Spain , beer volume grew in line with the market. The on-trade grew in the low-teens, more than offsetting a mid-single-digit decline in the off-trade. The premium portfolio grew strongly, led by El Aguila, Cruzcampo Especial and Heineken.

, beer volume grew in line with the market. The on-trade grew in the low-teens, more than offsetting a mid-single-digit decline in the off-trade. The premium portfolio grew strongly, led by El Aguila, Cruzcampo Especial and Heineken. In Italy , beer volume increased ahead of the market. The on-trade grew by a mid-single-digit versus last year and a low-single-digit relative to 2019. The off-trade volume was broadly stable, outperforming the category. The premium portfolio performed strongly driven by Messina and Birra Moretti Filtrata a Freddo.

, beer volume increased ahead of the market. The on-trade grew by a mid-single-digit versus last year and a low-single-digit relative to 2019. The off-trade volume was broadly stable, outperforming the category. The premium portfolio performed strongly driven by Messina and Birra Moretti Filtrata a Freddo. In Poland , beer volume declined in the low-teens, underperforming the market, in particular, in the economy lager segment.

, beer volume declined in the low-teens, underperforming the market, in particular, in the economy lager segment. In the Netherlands, beer volume was down by a high-single-digit, driven by a decline in the low twenties in the off-trade, in a market adjusting to newly introduced legal promotional standards. The on-trade grew in the low-twenties, benefitting from the channel reopening. The premium portfolio grew by a high-single-digit, led by Affligem, Birra Moretti and Texels.

REPORTED NET PROFIT

The reported net profit for the first nine months was 3,082 million (2020: 396 million; 2019: 1,667 million). This includes an exceptional gain of 1.3 billion from the remeasurement to fair value of the previously held equity interest in United Breweries in India, which was recognised on 29 July 2021 when HEINEKEN obtained control.

TRANSLATIONAL CURRENCY CALCULATED IMPACT

Based on the impact to date, and applying spot rates of 25 October 2021 to the 2020 financial results as a baseline for the remainder of the year, the calculated negative translational impact for the full year would be approximately 450 million in net revenue (beia), 90 million at consolidated operating profit (beia), and 40 million at net profit (beia).

ENQUIRIES

Media Investors Sarah Backhouse Jose Federico Castillo Martinez Director of Global Communication Director of Investor Relations Michael Fuchs Janine Ackermann / Robin Achten Corporate & Financial Communication Manager Investor Relations Manager / Senior Analyst E-mail: pressoffice@heineken.com (mailto:pressoffice@heineken.com) E-mail: investors@heineken.com (mailto:investors@heineken.com) Tel: +31-20-5239355 Tel: +31-20-5239590

Editorial information:

HEINEKEN is the world's most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through "Brewing a Better World", sustainability is embedded in the business. HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We employ over 80,000 employees and operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receiptand follow us on Twitter via @HEINEKENCorp.

Market Abuse Regulation

This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

Disclaimer:

This press release contains forward-looking statements with regard to the financial position and results of HEINEKEN's activities. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond HEINEKEN's ability to control or estimate precisely, such as future market and economic conditions, developments in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and related government measures, the behaviour of other market participants, changes in consumer preferences, the ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses and achieve anticipated synergies, costs of raw materials, interest-rate and exchange-rate fluctuations, changes in tax rates, changes in law, change in pension costs, the actions of government regulators and weather conditions. These and other risk factors are detailed in HEINEKEN's publicly filed annual reports. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only of the date of this press release. HEINEKEN does not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Market share estimates contained in this press release are based on outside sources, such as specialised research institutes, in combination with management estimates.

Attachment
Approval of inaugural dividend and future dividend policy

NICOSIA, CYPRUS / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / Atalaya Mining Plc (AIM:ATYM)(TSX:AYM) is pleased to announce that the Company's Board of Directors has approved its inaugural dividend (the "Inaugural Dividend") as well as the adoption of a future dividend policy ("Dividend Policy") that will take effect from 2022.

Background

Following the expansion of Proyecto Riotinto's processing capacity to 15 Mtpa, Atalaya has been generating robust cash flow as a result of the plant consistently operating above nameplate capacity, coupled with the strong copper price environment.

Accordingly, Atalaya is now in a position to reward its shareholders by initiating a sustainable dividend policy while still investing in its portfolio of low capital intensity growth projects, such as the San Dionisio deposit, Proyecto Masa Valverde and Proyecto Touro.

Dividend Policy

Consistent with its strategy to create and deliver shareholder value, the Company has approved a Dividend Policy that will make an annual payout of between 30% and 50% of free cash flow generated during the applicable financial year ("Ordinary Dividend").

The Dividend Policy will take effect in financial year 2022. The annual Ordinary Dividend will be paid in two half-yearly instalments and announced in conjunction with future interim and full year results.

The declaration and payment of all future dividends under the new policy will remain subject to approval by the Board of Directors.

Inaugural Dividend

The Board of Directors has elected to declare an Inaugural Dividend of US$0.395 per ordinary share (approximately US$54.6 million), which is equivalent to approximately 29 pence per share. The Inaugural Dividend is for the nine months ended 30 September 2021 and represents a yield of approximately 7.3% based on the current share price.

The record date for the Inaugural Dividend will be 5 November 2021 and the shares will become ex-dividend on 4 November 2021.

The Inaugural Dividend will be paid on 1 December 2021 in US Dollars, with an option for shareholders to elect to receive the dividend in Sterling or Euros (the "Foreign Designated Currencies"). Shareholders are requested to communicate their currency election to the Company by no later than 11 November 2021. The exchange rates for payments in Sterling and Euros will be fixed by Atalaya on 15 November 2021 and subsequently announced.

Shareholders are also requested to complete the requisite tax forms by no later than 11 November 2021, which are available on the Company's website.

Inaugural Dividend Timetable:

Event Date Ex-Dividend date 4 November 2021 Record date 5 November 2021 Last day for currency election 11 November 2021 Last date for tax form 11 November 2021 Date of exchange rate used for Foreign Designated Currencies 15 November 2021 Announcement of exchange rate in Foreign Designated Currencies 16 November 2021 Payment date 1 December 2021

Alberto Lavandeira, CEO, commented:

"I am proud that Atalaya is announcing its inaugural dividend for 2021 along with a future dividend policy. This represents a major milestone for the Company and validates the strength and sustainability of our business. Atalaya's shareholders will be rewarded for having consistently supported the Company as it restarted Proyecto Riotinto and expanded it into a world class operation. Today, we are in a strong net cash position and continue to grow our cash balance, allowing the Company to begin returning capital to shareholders whilst continuing to advance our exciting growth pipeline."

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) no 596/2014.

Contacts:

Newgate Communications Elisabeth Cowell / Adam Lloyd / Tom Carnegie + 44 20 3757 6880 4C Communications Carina Corbett +44 20 3170 7973 Canaccord Genuity

(NOMAD and Joint Broker) Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor / James Asensio +44 20 7523 8000 BMO Capital Markets

(Joint Broker) Tom Rider / Andrew Cameron +44 20 7236 1010 Peel Hunt LLP

(Joint Broker) Ross Allister / David McKeown +44 20 7418 8900

About Atalaya Mining Plc

Atalaya is an AIM and TSX-listed mining and development group which produces copper concentrates and silver by-product at its wholly owned Proyecto Riotinto site in southwest Spain. Atalaya's current operations include the Cerro Colorado open pit mine and a modern 15 Mtpa processing plant, which has the potential to become a centralised processing hub for ore sourced from its wholly owned regional projects around Riotinto that include Proyecto Masa Valverde and Proyecto Riotinto East. In addition, the Group has a phased, earn-in agreement for up to 80% ownership of Proyecto Touro, a brownfield copper project in the northwest of Spain. For further information, visit www.atalayamining.com

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: Atalaya Mining Plc

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669839/Atalaya-Mining-PLC-Announces-Approval-of-Inaugural-Dividend
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Los Andes Copper Ltd. (TSXV: LA) ("Los Andes" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. R. Michael Jones, as the Company's Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") and President, with immediate effect. Mr. Antony Amberg will step down from his role as CEO and President whilst retaining his position as the Company's Chief Geologist.

Mr. Jones is an experienced CEO and Director, with a history of developing, permitting, and adding significant value to mining companies. He has taken multiple large mines, with values of up to $1 billion, from the discovery stages, through to feasibility studies and construction decisions. He is a well known promoter of exciting mining projects, and a finance specialist with a successful background in undertaking fundraises, take overs and mergers and acquisitions.

A qualified mining engineer, by trade, with a whole host of experience, Mr. Jones received his Bachelor's Degree in Applied Science, Geological Engineering from the University of Toronto. A few years later he went on to be granted an engineering licence as a Professional Engineer in Ontario Canada. Mr. Jones is a Fellow of the Geological Society of South Africa, as well as the winner of multiple discovery awards.

Additionally, Mr. Jones was appointed to the BC Securities Policy Advisory Committee for the British Columbia Securities Commission, which regulates more than 65 per cent of the reporting mining issuers in Canada.

From 1997 to 2000, Mr. Jones was the Vice President Corporate Development for Aber Diamonds, joint venture partner in the $1.3 billion Diavik Diamond Mine. Here he worked as the technical and public company spokesperson for a $540 million capital raise and took the project from early feasibility study stages, all the way to a construction decision. From 2005 to 2016, Mr. Jones co founded the Toronto and Vancouver listed, West Timmins Mining ("WTM") and the Toronto and New York listed, MAG Silver ("MAG"), where he was Director. Here, he completed discovery, joint venture ("JV"), and takeover work for both companies. WTM went on to successfully finalise a $440 million takeover, and MAG is now valued at over $2 billion.

Throughout the majority of this time, Mr. Jones worked at Platinum Group Metals Ltd, where he recently resigned, as CEO and Director of the company. During his time there, Mr. Jones created several JVs with major mining houses, raised over $750 million institutionally and built a mine. In addition, he and a team he assembled discovered 19 million ounces of platinum group metals, drilled a 250 million tonne discovery, advanced two mines to definitive feasibility study level, secured mining right permits and was involved in several potential takeover scenarios.

Fernando Porcile, Executive Chairman, commented:

"We are extremely excited to bring someone of Michael's calibre onboard. His successful experience, spanning over decades, in developing projects from feasibility studies, to production, as well as his ability to finance projects time and time again, speaks for itself. We look forward to working alongside him, as we seek to deliver the next significant milestone at our Vizcachitas Copper Project.

"On behalf of the Board, I would also like to thank Antony Amberg for serving in the role of CEO and President over the past six years. His dedication and significant contributions over this period have greatly helped to grow the Company and to advance the Vizcachitas Project through multiple milestones to its current stage with Pre-Feasibility Study underway. His geological expertise and experience will serve the Company well as he continues as the Chief Geologist at Los Andes."

R. Michael Jones, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

"I am immensely proud to continue my journey with such an exciting Company and believe that the Vizcachitas Project is a globally significant copper asset. I believe the skills and experience I have gathered during my career, alongside the expertise already at the Company, will put us in good stead going forward as we continue to realise the true value of this Project.

"I look forward to working closely with the Board and all of our employees, as well as providing future updates to all of our shareholders. We will look to responsibly maximize the value of the project for all of the stakeholders including the communities and governments."

About Los Andes Copper Ltd.

Los Andes Copper Ltd. is a development company with a 100% interest in the Vizcachitas project in Chile ("Vizcachitas" or the "Project"). The Company is focused on progressing the Project, which is located along Chile's most prolific copper belt, into production.

Vizcachitas is a copper-molybdenum porphyry deposit, located 120 km north of Santiago, in an area of good infrastructure. The Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA"), delivered in June 2019, highlights that the Project has a post-tax NPV of USD$1.8 billion and an IRR of 20.77%, based on a USD$3 per pound copper price. The Project has a Measured Resource of 254.4 million tonnes at a grade of 0.439% copper and an Indicated Resource of approximately 1.03 billion tonnes at a grade of 0.385% copper. Please refer to the technical report dated June 13, 2019, titled "Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Vizcachitas Project", prepared by Tetra Tech.

The PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized.

The Company is currently advancing the Pre-Feasibility Study of the Project. With the incorporation of a highly experienced management team, the Project is incorporating changes to position itself on the forefront of global environmental trends for mining. The conversion to dry-stacked filtered tailings will result in a substantial reduction in water consumption and will discard the use of tailings dams, thus reducing the Project's footprint, environmental impact and seismic risks.

Additionally, there is significant exploration upside at Vizcachitas with the potential to increase the resource base beyond the initial 45-year mine life modelled in the PEA. Part of this upside has been further delineated in the geological mapping and geophysics work program completed during the 2020 Chilean winter season.

An updated Corporate Presentation is available on the Company's website: https://www.losandescopper.com/

Los Andes Copper Ltd. is listed on the TSX-V under the ticker: LA.

Qualified Persons

Antony Amberg CGeol FGS, the Company's Chief Geologist, is the qualified person who has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

For more information please contact:

Fernando Porcile, Executive Chairman

Tel: +56 2 2954-0450

Antony J. Amberg, Chief Geologist

Tel: +56 2 2954-0450

Blytheweigh, Financial PR

Megan Ray

Rachael Brooks

Tel: +44 207 138 3203

E-Mail: info@losandescopper.com or visit our website at: www.losandescopper.com

Follow us on twitter @LosAndesCopper

Follow us on LinkedIn Los Andes Copper Ltd

Certain of the information and statements contained herein that are not historical facts, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the Securities Act (British Columbia), Securities Act (Ontario) and the Securities Act (Alberta) ("Forward-Looking Information"). Forward-Looking Information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend"; statements that an event or result is "due" on or "may", "will", "should", "could", or might" occur or be achieved; and, other similar expressions. More specifically, Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such Forward-Looking Information; including, without limitation, Spinnaker's ability to raise capital, target and attract institutional and retail investors and focus on developing and expanding the network of investors, analysts and financial intermediaries who are interested in Los Andes. Such Forward-Looking Information is based upon the Company's assumptions regarding global and Chilean economic, political and market conditions and the price of metals and energy, and the Company's production. Among the factors that have a direct bearing on the Company's future results of operations and financial conditions are changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, a change in government policies, competition, currency fluctuations and restrictions and technological changes, among other things. Should one or more of any of the aforementioned risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from any conclusions, forecasts or projections described in the Forward-Looking Information. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise Forward-Looking Information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100887
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.
40% of global respondents reveal they dealt with a cloud breach in the last year

Only 17% of businesses are encrypting at least half of the sensitive data they store in the cloud

Only 34% of organisations retain total control of encryption keys

The 2021 Thales Global Cloud Security Study, commissioned by Thales and conducted by 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence, reports that 40% of organisations have experienced a cloud-based data breach in the past 12 months. Despite increasing cyber-attacks targeting data in the cloud, the vast majority (83%) of businesses are still failing to encrypt half of the sensitive data they store in the cloud, raising even greater concerns as to the impact cyber criminals can have.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005044/en/

Pandemic has accelerated cloud transformation

Cloud adoption is on the rise and businesses are continuing to diversify the way they use cloud solutions. Globally, 57% of respondents reported they make use of two or more cloud infrastructure providers, whilst almost a quarter (24%) of organisations flagged that the majority of their workloads and data now reside in the cloud. In fact, according to a recent study by McKinsey Company, companies globally have accelerated their cloud adoption by three years compared to pre-pandemic adoption rates. This marks a significant shift in the use of cloud-based solutions, from being purely data storage solutions, to environments in which data is used transactionally and supports day-to-day business operations.

Security in the cloud is mixed

According to the study, one fifth (21%) of businesses host the majority of their sensitive data in the cloud, while 40% reported a breach in the last year. There are some common trends as to where companies turn when considering how to secure their cloud infrastructure, with 33% reporting multi-factor authentication (MFA) as being a central part of their cybersecurity strategy. However, only 17% of those surveyed have encrypted more than half of the data they store in the cloud. This figure drops to 15% where organisations have adopted a multicloud approach.

Even where businesses protect their data with encryption, 34% of organisations leave the control of keys to service providers rather than retaining control themselves. Where large numbers of organisations fail to protect their data sufficiently with encryption, limiting potential access points becomes even more critical. However, nearly half (48%) of business leaders globally admitted their organisation does not have a Zero Trust strategy, and a quarter (25%) aren't even considering one.

Complexity as a concern

Businesses share common concerns about the increasing complexity of cloud services. Almost half (46%) of global respondents claimed managing privacy and data protection in the cloud is more complex than on-premises solutions.

Hybrid models are common with many organisations not moving entirely to the cloud. 55% of businesses have indicated a preference for a 'lift shift' approach to cloud adoption over re-architecting, as cloud becomes a more integrated part of the business infrastructure.

Sebastien Cano, Senior Vice President for Cloud Protection and Licensing activities at Thales comments: "Organisations across the world are struggling to navigate the increased complexity that comes with greater adoption of cloud-based solutions. A robust security strategy is essential to ensuring data and business operations remain secure. With nearly every business reliant on the cloud to some extent, it is vital that security teams have the ability to discover, protect, and maintain control of their data."

Fernando Montenegro Principal Research Analyst, Information Security at 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence added from the 2021 Thales Global Cloud Security Study: "Protecting customer data is always the priority, and organisations should strongly consider reviewing their strategies and approaches to proactively protect data in cloud. This includes understanding the role of specific technologies including encryption and key management, as well as the shared responsibilities between providers and their customers. As data privacy and sovereignty regulations grow, it will be paramount that organisations have a clear understanding of how they remain responsible for data security and make clear decisions about who is in control and who can access their sensitive data."

Thales and 451 Research will discuss the global findings in more detail during its upcoming Cloud Security Summit on 17 November 2021. To join, please visit the registration page.

About the 2021 Thales Global Cloud Security Study

The 2021 Thales Cloud Security Study was commissioned by Thales and conducted by 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence and includes the viewpoints from more than 2,600 executives with responsibility for or influence over IT and data security. Respondents were from 16 countries/regions: Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Organisations represented a range of industries, with a primary emphasis on healthcare, financial services, retail, technology, and federal government. Job titles ranged from C-level executives including CEO, CFO, Chief Data Officer, CISO, Chief Data Scientist, and Chief Risk Officer, to SVP/VP, IT Administrator, Security Analyst, Security Engineer, and Systems Administrator. Respondents represented a broad range of organizational sizes, with the majority ranging from 500 to 10,000 employees. The survey was conducted in January February 2021.

About Thales

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies, investing in digital and "deep tech" innovations connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum computing to build a confident future crucial for the development of our societies. The Group provides its customers businesses, organisations and governments in the defense, aeronautics, space, transport, and digital identity and security domains with solutions, services and products that help them fulfil their critical role, consideration for the individual being the driving force behind all decisions.

Thales has 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2020 the Group generated sales of 17 billion.

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Thales Group

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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005044/en/

Contacts:

PRESS CONTACT

Thales, Media Relations

Security

Constance Arnoux

+33 (0)6 44 12 16 35

constance.arnoux@thalesgroup.com
Reply, a company that specialises in new communications channels and digital media, announces today that Reply and the European Banking Federation (EBF) have entered into a partnership to share knowledge, best practices and lessons learned on the use of cloud computing in the banking sector in Europe.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005054/en/

The EBF is the voice of the European banking sector, uniting 32 national banking associations in Europe that together represent some 3,500 banks large and small, wholesale and retail, local and international employing about two million people.

The partnership aims to share knowledge within the banking community about the latest developments and insights in the adoption of new cloud-based business enablers. The EBF and Reply will share their combined expertise and create opportunities for exchange, dialogue and learning in the field of cloud computing and related digital innovation opportunities.

"In recent years, cloud computing has grown from a concept to a genuine core component of business said Frederic Gielen, Executive Partner Reply The services and virtual environments associated with the cloud have effectively transformed the traditional uses of technology. Indeed, transformation is part of Reply's business DNA. We view our work in cloud computing and our partnership with the EBF as a representation of our broader support to digitalise and transform businesses and create continuous product innovation for our financial services clients".

"In the world of digital financial services, customer experience, technology, cybersecurity and the regulations that govern all of them are more interlinked than ever. Reply has built expertise on digital topics across different industries and regions that can deepen our understanding of where innovation is taking the banking sector and what's needed to be successful in a secure and sustainable manner said Niels-Peter van Doorn, Chief Operating Officer EBF We look forward to working with Reply on a joint mission to share best practices and lessons learned on the digital transformation with the financial services community".

This partnership will be launched with a presentation at the "Cyber resilience in banking: Regulation, synergies and trust" event, which will kick off the second edition of EBF's Digital Thursdays series on 28 October, 2021. In their presentation, Reply will share the results and lessons learned from their Cloud in Financial Services survey, which draws upon the feedback from more than 100 financial institutions in the European Union and the United Kingdom and the experience from Reply from more than 1,000 cloud computing projects in financial institutions.

Reply

Reply [MTA, STAR: REY, ISIN: IT0005282865] specialises in the design and implementation of solutions based on new communication channels and digital media. As a network of highly specialised companies, Reply defines and develops business models enabled by the new models of AI, big data, cloud computing, digital media and the internet of things. Reply delivers consulting, system integration and digital services to organisations across the telecom and media; industry and services; banking and insurance; and public sectors. www.reply.com

European Banking Federation

The European Banking Federation is the voice of the European banking sector, bringing together national banking associations from across Europe. The EBF is committed to a thriving European economy that is underpinned by a stable, secure and inclusive financial ecosystem, and to a flourishing society where financing is available to fund the dreams of citizens, businesses and innovators everywhere. www.ebf.eu

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005054/en/

Contacts:

Media Contacts:

Reply

Fabio Zappelli

f.zappelli@reply.com

Tel. +39 02 535761

Aaron Miani

a.miani@reply.com

Tel. +44 (0)20 7730 6000

EBF

Ruta Barthet

r.barthet@ebf.eu

+32 492 46 73 04
TOKYO & ANKARA, Oct 27, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - A formal partnership has been signed between JCB International Co., Ltd, the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd, and Ziraat Bank, one of the largest banks in Turkey. This collaboration means that JCB Cards will be accepted by over 500,000 merchants in Turkey using Ziraat Bank POS devices and cash registers. Further, approximately 7,300 Ziraat Bank ATMs in Turkey will also accept JCB Cards.Ziraat's member merchants that will benefit most from this new cooperation are those that will also help Turkey to recover and grow its share in international tourism when restrictions are lifted. These businesses largely operate in the face-to-face (F2F) travel, retail, and accommodation sectors.Card payments are increasing in Turkey in line with 2023[1] cashless society goals. This cooperation will create a great opportunity for Turkish companies to connect with Asian consumers, while at the same time expanding the payment network of JCB in Europe.Cuneyt SAGLIK, Executive Vice President for Payment Systems and Loan Processes of Ziraat Bank, comments; "Our Bank, which operates with its subsidiary banks and branches in 112 locations in 17 countries around the world, and JCB, one of the world's largest payment networks, initiated an important cooperation by signing this agreement. As a result of Ziraat Bank's widespread payment network, JCB cardmembers will be able to safely shop at 500,000 merchants using the card of their choice and meet their cash needs more conveniently by using approximately 7,300 Ziraat Bank ATMs."Tsuyoshi Notani, Managing Director, JCB International (Europe) Ltd., says; "Turkey is a very important market for JCB cardmembers. In 2020, Ziraat Bank was selected as Turkey's most popular bank for the 5th time and this is proof of its strength in the market and a testament to its customer service quality. Therefore, this collaboration we established with the aim of expanding our payment points for our cardmembers is a very exciting step for JCB. We look forward to working closely with Ziraat Bank to support the growth of merchants that now have the chance to welcome JCB cardmembers to their customer network."[1] '2019 Global Payment Trends Report - Turkey - Country Information', 2019 [Online], https://www.jpmorgan.com/merchant-services/insights/reports/turkey, [Accessed on: 30/09/2020]About JCBJCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its card acceptance network includes about 36 million merchants around the world. JCB issues cards across various countries and regions internationally with more than 140 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, it has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, it commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information please visit: www.global.jcb/enAbout ZIRAAT BANKFounded in 1863, Ziraat Bank is a Bank that carries out its operations at 112 points in 17 countries across the world. Ziraat Bank, one of the largest financial institutions in Turkey, is an important brand that broke many firsts in the banking field in Turkey with its deep-rooted history. It stands out with its extensive branch network, its products and services designed in line with the financial needs of its customers, and with the promise of being an "accessible" brand that is "more than just a bank". With its rich product and service diversity, synergistic structuring created along with its domestic and foreign affiliates, unrivaled market knowledge and experience, human resources and strong financial structure, it provides the energy and motivation it will need in the growth process without interruption. Ziraat Bank continues and will continue to shape Turkey's banking sector, as it was the case in the past.ContactsJCB International / EuropeIndia StonePhone Number: +44 020 7087 4754E-mail: istone@jcbeurope.euJCB (Head Office in Japan)Ayaka NakajimaPhone Number: +81-3-5778-8353E-mail: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jpSource: JCBCopyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXV:CCE)(FSE:D7H0)(OTCQX:CMRZF) (the "Company" or "Commerce") is pleased to provide an update on the progress of the Prefeasibility Study (PFS) for the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit.

A gap analysis of the entire Ashram Project, from deposit to marketable product, has recently been completed by BBA Inc. The purpose of this analysis is to identify any remaining elements of the Project that require further data collection, review, and study, to ensure they are captured as needed to satisfy the Project's Qualified Persons and Prefeasibility Study requirements.

A site trade-off on the tailings management facility at the mine-site has also been completed. Several potential locations have been identified within 10 km of the process plant and include both dry-stack and conventional tailings options. Filtration test work on the tailing will be completed as part of the metallurgical program currently underway at Hazen Research, CO, USA, where the final design criteria of the mineral processing flowsheet is being captured (see news release dated September 28, 2021). This filtration data will allow for a final determination of the optimal location and design of the tailing management facility at the mine-site. The Company further notes that past test work on the mine-site process tailings have concluded that they are not acid generating and are not considered hazardous or radioactive (see news release dated May 14, 2020).

Additional studies underway include concentrate transport and mine-site power generation trade-offs. The power generation trade-off study will evaluate various co-generation scenarios including wind as an offset to baseload diesel power, as well as utilization of the heat generated during operation to heat local buildings. The study will also include a comparative analysis of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. At Glencore's Raglan Mine, located in Nunavik approximately 600 km north-northwest of the Ashram Deposit, energy production includes two operating 3MW wind turbines and associated energy storage technologies. The success of wind power at Raglan, as an offset to baseload diesel power, demonstrates the viability of operating wind turbines in a northern climate and significantly de-risks such power options to other mines in the region.

The power generation trade-off will be followed by a mine-fleet trade-off of electric vs diesel. This trade-off will evaluate capital and operating costs as well as fleet productivity, manpower, and GHG emissions.

A review of the potential sites for the hydromet plant, to be located along the St. Lawrence Seaway, is currently being completed by BBA Inc. and is building upon prior trade-off studies completed by Norda Stelo (formerly Roche). A strong focus is being placed on process residue management, including transport, handling, and storage, to position the Project's operation for the long-term.

To date, the Prefeasibility work completed for the Ashram Project has led to significant advancements compared to the Preliminary Economic Assessment - shorter haul road, higher mineral concentrate grades (>40% rare earth oxide), fluorspar concentrate recovery, reduced tailings footprint, etc. As the Project continues to be de-risked and optimized, the Company is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth producers globally, with a specific focus on being a long-term supplier of mixed rare earth carbonate and/or NdPr oxide to the global market.

NI 43-101 Disclosure

Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P.Geo., Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., a Permit holder with the Ordre des Geologues du Quebec and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release.

About Commerce Resources Corp.

Commerce Resources Corp. is a junior mineral resource company focused on the development of the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit located in Quebec, Canada. The Company is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth producers globally, with a specific focus on being a long-term supplier of mixed rare earth carbonate and/or NdPr oxide to the global market. The Ashram Deposit is characterized by simple rare earth (monazite, bastnaesite, xenotime) and gangue (carbonates) mineralogy, a large tonnage resource at favourable grade, and has demonstrated the production of high-grade (>45% REO) mineral concentrates at high recovery (>70%) in line with active global producers. In addition to being one of the largest rare earth deposits globally, Ashram is also one of the largest fluorspar deposits globally and has the potential to be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets.

For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.commerceresources.com or email info@commerceresources.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP.

" Chris Grove "

Chris Grove

President and Director

Tel: 604.484.2700

Email: cgrove@commerceresources.com

Web: https://www.commerceresources.com

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.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements in this press release include that filtration testing will be done and that filtration data will allow for a final determination of the optimal location and design of the tailing management facility at the mine-site; that a power generation trade-off study and mine fleet study will be completed and achieve their stated goals; and that the Company is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth producers globally, with a specific focus on being a long-term supplier of mixed rare earth carbonate and/or NdPr oxide. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include that our contracted engineering firms may not be able to provide engineering solutions which are effective or can be implemented economically; changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be comparable; testing of our process may not prove successful and even it tests are successful, the economic and other outcomes may not be as expected; the availability of labour, equipment and markets for the products produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, conditions changing such that the minerals on our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged mine can be obtained. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

SOURCE: Commerce Resources Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669837/Commerce-Resources-Corp-Provides-Status-Update-on-the-Prefeasibility-Study-for-the-Ashram-Rare-Earth-and-Fluorspar-Deposit
COPENHAGEN (dpa-AFX) - Denmark's retail sales declined for the third straight month in September, figures from Statistics Denmark showed on Wednesday. Retail sales fell a seasonally adjusted 1.1 percent month-on-month in September, following a 0.9 percent declined in August. Sales of clothing and other goods decreased 3.4 percent monthly in September and those of other consumables fell 1.5 percent. Meanwhile, sales of food and grocery remained unchanged. On an annual basis, retail sales increased 3.1 percent in September, following a 3.8 percent growth in the previous month. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BEIJING, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Glodon Company Limited (Glodon) today releases key research outcomes from its digital building white paper that will be published later this year.

As a compact edition of the Digital Building Platform White Paper, the released document summarizes key concepts and findings of the full version, introducing digital building platform as a new Infrastructure for digital transformation.

Digital technologies have transformed the way humans design, build, and operate the places we live and work. Hence, there is a need to transform and upgrade building sector in a more socio, holistic and integrated format.

On this basis the document introduces digital infrastructure, digital building, and digital building platform in a way to change drastically the thinking and operation of the building sector. The value of the digital infrastructure is to promote the transformation of the building industry where digital building helps industrial strategy, use state of the art digital technologies, to lead industrial transformation and its upgrade.

Digital building platform creates collaboration among stakeholders, connect and integrate projects' data to support decision making and develop data-driven intelligent services to optimize, simulate, prevent, and control projects' process. Furthermore, these three elements contribute towards the upgrade of the building sector by creating a new range of services in design, construction and operations of our buildings and thus impact the industrial goals of making every project a success.

On a more pragmatic level, the document also answers key questions such as what is the digital transformation of enterprises, why do enterprises need digital transformation, and how do enterprises realize the digital transformation.

Focusing on the transformation and upgrading of the construction industry, Glodon has been publishing the white papers on digital building for four consecutive years. The whole version of the latest white paper will be available online at the end of this year.

As a digital building platform service provider, Glodon has various services around the entire building lifecycle such as software, solutions, big data, cloud computing, and intelligent hardware devices. With over 8,000 employees and 80 branches and subsidiaries worldwide, it has served clients from more than 100 countries.
LONDON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- While global leaders and media focus on UN COP26 , the climate summit starting this Sunday, 182 government delegations are preparing for another COP meeting. Yet the ninth session of the COP (COP9) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) from 8 - 13 November has received little attention and will be conducted in secretive closed sessions.

Fighting The Last War: The WHO and International Tobacco Control , the latest report from UK health agency K A C 's Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) reveals that current implementation of the FCTC, which aims to reduce smoking-related death and disease, is a global public health failure. Enacted in 2005 when there were 1.1 billion smokers worldwide, today there remain 1.1 billion smokers, and eight million smoking-related deaths each year.

Harm reduction offers new hope. Vaping devices, snus, nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products are significantly safer than cigarettes, delivering nicotine without burning tobacco. This helps people who cannot or do not want to stop using nicotine to quit deadly smoking and switch.

Parties to the FCTC including the UK and New Zealand have seen marked decreases in smoking after introducing harm reduction policies alongside domestic tobacco control regimes. GSTHR estimates suggest 98 million people worldwide already use safer nicotine products . Yet report author Harry Shapiro argues that the fight against smoking is "now being actively undermined by the WHO."

The WHO remains opposed to harm reduction for tobacco and international tobacco control is increasingly focused on banning safer products. Ideological opposition to tobacco harm reduction from influential philanthropic funders has distorted global policymaking - when harm reduction is actually named as a core element of tobacco control in the FCTC, and is key to the WHO's drugs and HIV/AIDS programmes.

"At COP9, government delegations must prevent the slide into outright nicotine prohibition," said Professor Gerry Stimson of KAC. "This would see a return to smoking for many people and many millions more never able to quit successfully. The age of combustion - for tobacco and for fossil fuels - has to end."

Launched at a free online event today with international tobacco and drug policy experts and consumer advocates, the report argues that Parties to the FCTC must seize back control of FCTC COP meetings and demand evidence-based discussions on safer nicotine products and tobacco harm reduction. Funding for the GSTHR project was provided by a grant from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World.

Infographic - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1668005/KAC_Infographic.jpg
Pan African Resources PLC

("Pan African" or "the Company" or "the Group")

(Incorporated and registered in England and Wales under Companies Act 1985 with registered number 3937466 on 25 February 2000)

Share code on AIM: PAF

Share code on JSE: PAN

ADR ticker code: PAFRY

ISIN: GB0004300496





Notice of annual general meeting and no change statement

Notice of annual general meeting

Notice is hereby given that the 2021 annual general meeting (AGM) of Pan African will be held at the offices of Fladgate LLP, 16 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5DG on Thursday, 25 November 2021 at 11:00 am (all references to time in this notice is United Kingdom time (GMT+00.00), unless otherwise stated).

Whilst shareholders will be permitted to attend in person, no directors will be present at the venue and therefore the Company will also offer shareholders the option to participate in the meeting remotely via an electronic audio webcast.

The board of directors is strongly encouraging shareholders to vote electronically again this year and to appoint the chairman of the AGM as their proxy with their voting instructions. All valid proxy votes, whether submitted electronically or in hard copy form, will be included in the polls to be taken at the meeting and should be submitted by no later than 11:00 am on 23 November 2021. Please note, however, that shareholders will not be able to vote online at the meeting when attending via the webcast.

Shareholders are advised that the notice of AGM, including the abridged audited annual financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2021, will be distributed to shareholders on Wednesday, 27 October 2021.

Shareholders are advised that the Company's Integrated Annual Report, audited annual financial statements and notice of AGM for the year ended 30 June 2021 are available at: https://www.panafricanresources.com/investors/financial-reports/

Attendance and representation at the AGM for shareholders on the South African register

Ordinarily, in accordance with the mandate governing the relationship between you and your broker or CSDP, you may advise your broker or CSDP that you wished to attend the meeting and if so, your broker or CSDP would issue the necessary letter of representation to you to attend and vote at the meeting. However, in the current circumstances, as outlined above, you are encouraged to appoint the chairman of the AGM as your proxy as any person appointed other than the chairman of the AGM as your proxy may not be allowed to attend the AGM.

If you wish to attend the audio webcast, then you will need to contact your broker or CSDP who will request log in and pin number details via a letter of representation from Computershare Investor Services Proprietary Limited, The Towers, 15 Biermann Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa (Private Bag X9000, Saxonwold, 2132, South Africa) or email proxy@computershare.co.za to allow you to enter the audio webcast and listen and ask questions at the AGM. Please note that you will need to request this at least 72 hours before the AGM, that being by 11:00am on Monday, 22 November 2021.

Attendance and representation at the AGM for shareholders on the United Kingdom register

Although completion of a proxy would not preclude you from attending the AGM and voting in person if you so wish any appointed proxy other than the chairman of the meeting may not be able to attend the meeting on your behalf should circumstances change that require the Company to restrict the number of attendees in person. You are therefore encouraged to appoint the chairman of the AGM as your proxy. If you appoint any person other than the chairman of the AGM as your proxy, that person may not be allowed to attend the AGM. For shareholders on the UK share register, unlike previous years, and in order to reduce the Company's environmental impact, you will not receive a hard copy form of proxy for the 2021 AGM in the post automatically. Instead, you will be able to appoint a proxy electronically using the link www.signalshares.com. Further details on how to join the AGM and submitting your proxy electronically can be found in the Notice of AGM.

No change statement

The audited annual financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2021 and the auditor's report thereon contain no modifications to the information contained in the provisional summarised audited results for the year ended 30 June 2021, which were published on SENS on Wednesday, 15 September 2021.

Salient dates relevant to the AGM

2021 The record date for the purpose of determining which shareholders are entitled to receive the convening notice of the AGM Friday, 15 October Last day to trade in the Company's shares in order to be recorded as a shareholder on the Company's South African register by the voting record date Tuesday, 16 November The record date to determine which shareholders on the Company's South African register are entitled to participate in and vote at the AGM (by close of business) Friday, 19 November Proxy instructions to be received by the Company's South African Transfer Secretaries or United Kingdom Registrars by no later than 11:00 am Tuesday, 23 November AGM Thursday, 25 November Results of AGM released on SENS/RNS on or about Thursday, 25 November

Johannesburg

27 October 2021
Together with Imperial College London ('Imperial'), DNAe has been awarded a UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) by Innovate UK to support development of its next generation sequencing (NGS)-based diagnostic platform for use in cancer monitoring.

The KTP program connects innovative businesses with academic experts who can help them deliver their ideas. This award formalizes a collaboration between DNAe and Professor Charles Coombes, Professor of Medical Oncology at Imperial. The work of the KTP will build on the existing research partnership between Professor Coombes and Professor Jacqui Shaw, Head of the Department of Genetics and Genome Biology and Professor of Translational Cancer Genetics at the University of Leicester.

The aim of the program is to develop a 'liquid biopsy' test based on DNAe's proprietary "sample to answer" NGS technology, to directly detect and identify biomarkers and mutation hotspots that have been identified in Professors Coombes' and Shaw's research. This will enable these markers to be used to monitor treatment and detect early recurrence of breast cancer. Under the terms of the partnership, a post graduate researcher (the KTP Associate) will be based at DNAe to integrate expertise from the academic partners into the development of the test.

Samuel Reed, CEO of DNAe, said: "Recognizing that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we're delighted to formally announce our collaboration with world experts Professors Coombes and Shaw who bring their extensive knowledge of using circulating tumor DNA to manage the treatment of breast cancers. Through this KTP award, we will be able to harness that deep expertise and combine it with our proven diagnostic technology. Together, we aim to develop a liquid biopsy platform that can deliver accurate and timely results for clinicians and their patients, providing the opportunity for early intervention and much-needed peace of mind."

DNAe's integrated, sequencing-based technology will bring genomic analysis to the point-of-need, enabling testing to move out of specialist laboratories and closer to the patient. By detecting and sequencing tumor DNA directly from raw blood samples in a matter of hours, DNAe's platform has the potential to expose unresponsive or recurrent cancer earlier. This approach will enable clinicians to make timely treatment decisions rather than waiting days or weeks for sequencing results.

Professor Charles Coombes, Professor of Medical Oncology, Imperial, and Honorary Consultant Medical Oncologist, Imperial College Healthcare Trust, said: "Cancer monitoring is a vital component of successful treatment. Firstly, we need to ensure a patient's tumor is responding to the therapy, and secondly, patients in remission must be monitored for signs of recurrence. The current monitoring options are slow, and any delays to appropriate cancer care can lower the chance of survival and increase treatment-associated problems and costs. Although we are at the early stages, I believe that DNAe's integrated, sequencing-based platform could ultimately provide rapid, actionable information that saves patients' lives."

Professor Jacqui Shaw, Head of the Department of genetics and genome Biology, University of Leicester, added: "This is an exciting collaboration with DNAe and Imperial, where we will combine our expertise to develop a rapid integrated liquid biopsy platform for management of patients with breast cancer

ENDS

About DNAe

For more information, visit: www.dnae.com

About Imperial College London

For more information, visit: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/

About University of Leicester

For more information, visit: https://le.ac.uk/about

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005063/en/

Contacts:

DNAe

Samuel Reed, President, DNAe Group

Please contact me via Instinctif (see below)

Instinctif Partners (media relations)

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7457 2040

Tim Watson Katie Duffell Grace Rutter

Email: DNAe@instinctif.com
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global vitrectomy devices market size is expected to reach USD 1.7 billion by 2028. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2021 to 2028. The growing prevalence of diabetes is expected to drive the probability of diabetic retinopathy, thus, contributing to market growth. Additionally, the growing demand for vitrectomy due to its associated advantages for providing support to other ophthalmic surgeries is also expected to boost the market growth.

Key Insights & Findings:

The vitrectomy machines held the largest revenue share in 2020 owing to the development of advanced machines with features such as small gauge size, and intraocular pressure control

The vitrectomy packs segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period owing to its growing adoption for various indications

The retinal detachment application segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate over the forecast period owing to the growing prevalence of high myopia. Patients with high myopia have a larger probability of developing retinal detachment

The ambulatory surgical centers segment is expected to exhibit the highest growth rate during the forecast period due to its reduced costs and shorter wait time

In Asia Pacific , the market is expected to grow at the highest rate due to the maximum cases of diabetic retinopathy in the region and the presence of a large patient pool

Read 120 page market research report, "Vitrectomy Devices Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product, By Application (Diabetic Retinopathy, Retinal Detachment), By End-use (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028", by Grand View Research

Ophthalmic diseases are seen prevalent in the elderly population. The growing geriatric population is expected to drive the market and the need for vitrectomy devices. As per the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the elderly population is expected to reach 72.0 million people by 2030, which may drive the prevalence of ophthalmic disorders. In addition to this, an increasing number of hospital admissions for retinal surgeries such as vitrectomy is expected to drive market growth. Moreover, hospitals have also installed vitrectomy devices to enhance vitreoretinal surgery procedures.

COVID-19 is expected to negatively impact the market in 2020. This is due to the reduction in medical setting visits for ophthalmic care to avoid the spread of infection. Additionally, people with COVID have to experience ophthalmic problems like conjunctivitis, which in turn, is causing hindrance among the medical professionals to perform general ophthalmic surgeries. However, the development of government guidelines to provide constant and effective medical care including ophthalmology may boost market growth during the forecast period.

The risks associated with vitrectomy are also expected to hinder the market growth. Patient undergone vitrectomy has a high probability of generating cataract after few years, thus, negatively impacting its adoption. Additionally, the lack of professional ophthalmologists to understand the operations of advanced vitrectomy devices with multiple functionalities may also pose a threat to the market.

Grand View Research has segmented the global vitrectomy devices market on the basis of product, application,end-use,and region:

Vitrectomy Devices Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Vitrectomy machines



Vitrectomy packs



Photocoagulation lasers



Illumination devices

Vitrectomy Devices Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Diabetic retinopathy



Retinal detachment



Macular hole



Vitreous hemorrhage



Others

Vitrectomy Devices End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Hospitals



Ophthalmic Clinics



Ambulatory Surgery Centers

Vitrectomy Devices Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

North America



U.S.





Canada



Europe



U.K.





Germany





France





Italy





Spain



Asia Pacific



Japan





China





India





Thailand





South Korea



Latin America



Brazil





Mexico





Argentina





Colombia



Middle East & Africa

&

South Africa





Saudi Arabia





UAE

List of Key Players of Vitrectomy Devices Market

Alcon Inc.

Bausch & Lomb Incorporated

BVI

NIDEK CO., LTD.

Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

Blink Medical

Topcon Corporation

Carl Zeiss Meditec AG

Hoya Surgical Optics

Browse through Grand View Research's coverage of the Global Medical Devices Industry:

Ophthalmic Viscosurgical Devices Market - The global ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (OVD) market was valued at USD 285.2 million in 2018 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.9% over the forecast period.

The global ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (OVD) market was valued at in 2018 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.9% over the forecast period. Ophthalmic Photocoagulator Market - The global ophthalmic photocoagulator market size was valued at USD 150.6 million in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7% from 2021 to 2028.

The global ophthalmic photocoagulator market size was valued at in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7% from 2021 to 2028. Retinal Surgery Devices Market- The global retinal surgery devices market size was estimated at USD 1.56 billion in 2016 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period.

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.

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LONDON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Climate Solutions Exchange Ltd. (CSX) is delighted to announce that it has received an initial 500,000 investment from Maughan Capital, a strategic investment fund which manages the investment portfolio of the British businessman, ESG investor and philanthropist, Nick Maughan. Maughan Capital is focused on emerging technologies and market-based solutions for ecosystem service payments through habitat restoration.

CSX uses a combination of drones, satellites, ground truthing and detailed carbon analysis and modelling to measure carbon. Combined with extensive knowledge of land management, effective sequestration methods and reforestation, the company applies machine learning to deliver an accurate measurement of sequestration which can learn and improve further with time. CSX is the first company in the UK to make this technology accessible, and helps its partners to make important ecological decisions with certainty and confidence by providing a verifiable audit trail.

The investment will particularly help CSX with the development of its LIDAR software, an industry-first platform which utilises pioneering drone technology to improve the accuracy when calculating the amount of carbon sequestered by above ground biomass. By detecting the size and surface area of individual trees, the platform is able to develop a more accurate understanding than existing technologies of how much carbon is sequestered. At present, current satellite technology provides inaccurate carbon calculations given it is both weather dependent and limited to resolutions of generally 10m and at best 25cm for the most expensive satellite derived data.

The CSX drone system utilises a resolution of 1.5cm.

Commenting on the investment, Sir Edward Milbank, Director of CSX, stated: "CSX's purpose is to help develop a trusted carbon market, offering land managers a fair return for environmental management and giving businesses a transparent, verified carbon offset. We started CSX because we saw glaring inefficiencies in the current carbon market and identified an opportunity to provide the technical infrastructure that businesses and landowners need to measure carbon in a more accurate and transparent way. We will help our partners to make important ecological decisions with certainty and confidence by providing a verifiable audit trail. This audit trail is essential for a global and fair carbon market."

With regards to the timing of the investment, Nick Maughan added: "Now could not be a better moment to be investing in CSX. With increasing demand for, and commitment from, the business community to prove their ESG credentials, CSX is best placed to provide that verifiable data. The current approach to offsetting which came out of the Kyoto Protocol was a good first step in encouraging businesses to address their emissions but was not designed for the level of demand or accuracy the world now needs in its fight against the climate emergency. Coupled with the UK's departure from the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and recent introduction of the Environmental Land Management Scheme to incentivise sustainable farming practices, we are very optimistic about the positive long-term growth of CSX and its technology."

Andy Howard, CEO of CSX Carbon, who will be speaking at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow next month, also welcomed the investment. "Ahead of the world's most important summit on climate change, this investment not only signals a great vote of confidence in our business but also the support of technology which has the potential to make our businesses and our planet more sustainable in ways we have never seen before."

www.csxcarbon.com
TATU CITY, Kenya, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tatu City, the first operational Special Economic Zone in Kenya, has been recognised by fDi Intelligence's Free Zones Awards 2021. The 5,000-acre, rapidly growing new city on Nairobi's doorstep won in the category of Large Tenants and received an honourable mention for its workforce training for the local community.

fDi Intelligence, a Financial Times service, assembled six independent judges to assess "the best free zones in the world," according to Alex Irwin-Hunt, Global Markets Editor, fDi Intelligence.

Currently at Tatu City Special Economic Zone (SEZ), more than 60 local, regional and multi-national businesses have opened or started development. These include industry leaders such as Dormans, Cooper K-Brands, KWAL (Distell), Cold Solutions, Friendship Group, Chandaria Industries, Kim-Fay, Davis & Shirtliff, Copia, FFS, Twiga Foods and Stecol, among others.

Residential developments at Tatu City include Unity Homes, Lifestyle Heights and Kijani Ridge. More than 5,000 homes are completed or under construction and Crawford International and Nova Pioneer schools educate more than 3,000 students daily.

Current development at Tatu City SEZ is valued at more than USD 1.2 billion. Tatu City is owned and developed by Rendeavour, the largest new city builder in Africa, whose shareholders are from the United States, New Zealand, Norway and United Kingdom. Rendeavour is building seven cities in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In Nigeria, more than 40 companies have established at Alaro City since Rendeavour and the Lagos State Government launched the project just over two years ago. In Lubumbashi, DRC, Rendeavour's Kiswishi development is the country's first private SEZ.

In Kenya, Tatu City SEZ was also recognised for its pioneering work with the local community at the new city development. Rendeavour and Tatu City have provided free skills training to over 1,000 members of the local community and serve 1,400 meals to local primary schools each day.

"This is really an example of how free zones are much more than just investment destinations," said Irwin-Hunt of fDi. "Free zones are not only centres of production and economic activity. They also play an important role in local communities."

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London, October 27, 2021

New Holland Agriculture, a global agriculture brand of CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI), has been awarded the prestigious title of 'Sustainable Tractor of the Year 2022' for its T6 Methane Power, the world's first production methane tractor, at the EIMA Agricultural Trade Show in Bologna, Italy. The award is determined by a jury of leading farm equipment journalists from Europe's top agricultural publications.

New Holland Agriculture is now manufacturing series production units at the brand's Basildon, UK tractor plant, with a growing number of units currently in operation. The T6 Methane Power tractor originated from New Holland Agriculture's pioneering work on the use of alternative fuels through its Clean Energy Leader strategy. It marks a significant milestone on the journey to decarbonizing agriculture.

Using methane as a fuel creates a circular energy system wherein farmers produce fuel from waste products. New Holland Agriculture's T6 Methane Power tractor is a key enabler for this circular process and demonstrates CNH Industrial's longstanding commitment to sustainable farming.

The T6 Methane Power tractor provides valuable economic and practical advantages to biogas plant operators, farmers with access to the gas network, and governments looking to reduce their emissions footprint by expanding their fleets of Compressed Natural Gas vehicles. Watch an example of how it can fit within an existing biogas reality HERE.

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Attachments


Li Jun, Deputy District Mayor of Huangpi District, Wuhan, announcing the results



2021 Wuhan (Hankoubei) Commodities Fair Closing Ceremony



2021 Global Digital Trade Conference successfully concludes

SINGAPORE & WUHAN, CH., Oct 27, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - The 2021 Global Digital Trade Conference and Wuhan (Hankoubei) Commodities Fair concluded after 15 days of global trade dialogues, procurement fairs, and live streaming activities. Diplomatic representatives and business delegations from 103 countries and close to 8,500 foreign and Chinese companies participated in the event, achieving a total purchase order of RMB 402.8 billion (S$ 85.0 billion) and attracting 520,000 trade visitors to the event.As China's first large-scale digital trade themed event, the 2021 Global Digital Trade Conference and Wuhan (Hankoubei) Commodities Fair aims to promote the development of China's digital economy, showcasing Wuhan's strengths in the global digital trade and driving China's "dual circulation" strategy, marking a new milestone for the trading system of the future.Various forums and thematic events on digital technology empowerment were organised to support Wuhan's vibrant commercial and logistics center development, including the opening ceremony, China's wholesale market annual meeting, cross-border cooperation promotion events, and the digital trade and technology thematic conference. The conference focused on current digital trade issues, providing a platform that facilitated discussions and exchanges around the development of the digital economy and trade to build a bridgehead for "dual circulation" between China and the rest of the world.A new white paper on Global Digital Trade was also launched at the event, shedding insights into the current development of digital trade from the existing digital infrastructure, policies, technologies, and capital. The paper analyses how digital technologies and supply chain services can bring about profound changes to global trade and the development prospects of digital trade. Experts and scholars also highlighted the importance of the digital economy as a key driver for China's "dual circulation" development strategy, with Wuhan among China's most promising cities for the digital economy.Fifteen leading national enterprises and institutions, including Digital China, Alibaba, Ant Group, and JD Group have signed a cooperation proposal to increase investments and support Wuhan's construction of a national trade and logistics center in Central China. ZALL Smart Commerce Group also signed a digital service agreement with 15 wholesale markets across China, including Shandong Linyi Trade City, Chengdu Hehuachi Market and Shenyang Wuai Market Clothing City to promote digital upgrading of China's national wholesale markets.The diverse formats and trade activities of the Wuhan (Hankoubei) Commodities Fair exemplify how "goods sell well when they reach Hankou" during the new era. The event attracted China's well-known brand manufacturers and popular products, featuring 39 commodity-themed exhibition areas across the country, including Guangdong Pavilion, Hunan Pavilion, Chu Chamber of Commerce, Jiangxi Pavilion, and Hubei's 17 cities and prefectures. A total of 30 themed commodity trade activities were held during the event to promote Hubei's local brands and culture, and 113 procurement events were organized to support domestic consumption, including the Hankoubei Hotel Supplies Expo, the first Wuhan-style Children's Clothing Trade Fair; and China's National Footwear Brands Exhibition.The integration of domestic and foreign trade, and building a bridgehead for "dual circulation" between China and the rest of the world is a key objective of this year's flagship event that aims to promote the development of a high-level open world economy. Accolades were received from hundreds of diplomatic representatives and foreign business delegates regarding Wuhan's efforts to promote commodities trade and support economic, trade, and technological exchanges. 80% of the international trade platforms that participated were first-timers. They include cross-border e-commerce expo, Hubei's export-to-domestic trade fair, eight cross-border e-commerce platforms, such as Amazon, eBay, Wish, Newegg, and 50 cross-border service organisations, including PingPong Payments. The European Pavilion, Shanghai Cooperation Pavilion, and ASEAN Pavilion were also launched and featured products from more than 50 countries.About ZALL Smart Commerce GroupZALL Smart Commerce Group is a leading Chinese B2B e-commerce group (ranked 155th in Fortune China 500) with a global footprint across the world and its companies listed on four exchanges: HKSE.2098, NYSE, SSE and SZSE. ZALL Group develops and operates Asia's largest B2B offline-to-online trade ecosystem in China and Southeast Asia, including Singapore, with more than 30 B2B platforms in China, US and Singapore, and a GFA of more than 10 million sqm of wholesale trade centres in China. In 2018, ZALL Group achieved a GMV of more than RMB 600 billion (US$85.2 BN), serving over 1 million SME customers worldwide. ZALL has also obtained a virtual banking licence and currently operates Z-Bank in China since 2017, one of China's Top 5 digital banks that has supported more than 5.5 million SME and individual customers.Since 2018, ZALL has invested in five projects in Singapore, including the Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC), Singapore's first physical commodity eTrading platform (B2B) powered by blockchain technology; ezbuy.sg, Singapore's leading global online shopping platform; ZMA Smart Capital, an online trade finance company; ZALL Chain Technology, a blockchain solutions company.Source: ZALL Smart Commerce Group LtdCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
The University of St. Gallen in Switzerland recognizes SUSS MicroOptics with the "Swiss Manufacturing Award" for its outstanding contribution to Switzerland's manufacturing ecosystem.

NEUCHATEL, SWITZERLAND / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / SUSS MicroOptics SA, located in Neuchatel and part of technology company SUSS MicroTec SE, has received the 2021 "Swiss Manufacturing Award", in recognition of its outstanding contribution to the microtechnology industry in this region. The company develops pioneering technologies and manufacturing processes for a variety of industrial applications that are finding broad consumer use. The company currently employs 142 people, producing exclusively in Neuchatel, Switzerland.

The Institute of Technology Management at the University of St. Gallen honors companies that choose Switzerland as a manufacturing location with this prestigious award. The selection of winners is based on financial, production, and market figures as well as the company's positioning in terms of investment in production capacity and technology in Switzerland within the past year.

"I am extremely excited about having won this award. It is an outstanding recognition of the whole team at SUSS MicroOptics which has worked very hard over many years. With the new production capacity we will bring automotive lighting to a new level", says Reinhard Voelkel, CEO of SUSS MicroOptics.

SUSS MicroTec has made significant investments to develop new and upgraded production capacity and set up a new manufacturing site in Neuchatel, including cleanroom space which quadruples overall production capacity. In addition, the existing high-volume manufacturing of innovative optics for automotive lighting will be significantly increased with the ramp-up of a new product line by the end of this year.

"I am very happy that our team in Switzerland has been recognized for their performance with this award, and our best wishes go to our colleagues here", says Dr. Goetz M. Bendele, CEO of SUSS MicroTec. "As a key growth driver for our company, SUSS MicroOptics represents the future of how we let technology deliver solutions to our customers which in turn deliver significant value to them. I look forward to when lighting solutions using SUSS micro-lens arrays are used and appreciated by consumers worldwide".

SUSS MicroOptics has in-depth expertise when it comes to high-quality refractive and diffractive micro-optics and is a key supplier for innovative photonic solutions in telecom, datacom, life science, laser, semiconductor equipment and automotive lighting applications. The company mass-produces microstructure components and highly specialized optics such as micro-lens arrays in its state-of-the-art cleanroom facilities. With its end-to-end know-how along the value chain, from basic optical design to in-depth manufacturing process insights, as well as the use of state-of-the-art technology, the company enables its customers to achieve rapid time-to-market from pre-development to stable, high-yield high-volume series production.

About SUSS MicroOptics

SUSS MicroOptics produces high-quality refractive and diffractive micro-optics and is a key supplier for innovative photonic solutions in telecom, datacom, life science, laser, semiconductor equipment and automotive lighting. The company, located in Neuchatel in Switzerland, currently employs 142 people. SUSS MicroOptics is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SUSS MicroTec SE. For more information, please visit www.suss-microoptics.com .

About SUSS MicroTec

SUSS MicroTec is a leading supplier of equipment and process solutions for microstructuring in the semiconductor industry and related markets. In close cooperation with research institutes and industry partners SUSS MicroTec contributes to the advancement of next-generation technologies such as 3D Integration and nanoimprint lithography as well as key processes for MEMS and LED manufacturing. With a global infrastructure for applications and service SUSS MicroTec supports more than 8,000 installed systems worldwide. SUSS MicroTec is headquartered in Garching near Munich, Germany. For more information, please visit www.suss.com .

Contact:

SUSS MicroTec SE

Hosgoer Sarioglu-Zoberbier

Director Corporate Marketing

Schleissheimer Strasse 90

85748 Garching, Deutschland

Tel.: +49 89 32007-397

Email: hosgoer.sarioglu@suss.com

SOURCE: SUSS MicroTec AG

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Out-of-pocket segment in the long term care market will account for USD 491 billion by 2027 owing to the growing influx of private health insurers and increasing preference private LTC insurance services

SELBYVILLE, Del, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The long term care market size is anticipated to record a valuation of USD 1.61 Trillion by 2027, according to the most recent study by Global Market Insights Inc. Technological developments with incorporation of advanced healthcare IT modalities in the long term care (LTC) services will propel the adoption of these services in the coming years. The current and emerging modalities are increasingly being used in the community or acute care settings. These include the use of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems, medicine trackers, fall & motion sensors, and resident Wi-Fi among others.

The emergence of Personal Emergency Response Systems that are widely recommended for an elderly adult with a medical condition or disability. This device is intended to be used in an emergency situation and alerts the health responder during an emergency. Similarly, the advent of wireless home monitoring has revolutionized the elderly care services, especially in home care settings. This system can be used in patient homes, apartments, or other healthcare facilities, thereby providing greater degree of freedom to the patients. Such technological advancements are extensively being used by the care providers as well as patients. These technologies facilitate daily tasks & activities, provide better control, and improve the quality of life in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

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The ongoing technological advancements and research activities have led to advent of person-centered LTC technology that improves their functionality and quality of life. This technology integrates biosensors, activity trackers, information fusion systems, and actuator networks among other technologies. Furthermore, the current developmental activities and supportive government policies are further driving the incorporation of technology in these services.

The home healthcare services segment in the long term care market is projected to reach more than USD 490 billion by 2027 owing to the rising preference for affordable home healthcare services and favourable government initiatives. Home healthcare refers to the assisted living services provided at home by nurses, therapists, and others. Another type of long term care in homecare settings is the hospice care for terminally ill people. These services are usually covered by Medicare reimbursement coverage. Due to coverage offered by Medicaid for these services, they are high in demand. Moreover, supportive programs including the EPD Waiver Program offers extensive range of services to aid the older adults and individuals with physical disabilities in homecare settings.

The long term care market for 65 to 74 segment was valued at USD 328 billion in 2020 and is estimated to expand at 7.3% growth rate through 2027. This substantial segment growth is attributed to the rapidly aging population and surging prevalence of chronic & disabling conditions among the people aged 65 to 74. The prevalence of multiple chronic conditions further proliferates with age and accounts for a significant share in healthcare expenditure. A similar trend is observed in India with notable proportion of elder adults suffering from multiple chronic conditions. The Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) study was conducted by the Union Ministry of Family and Health Welfare.

The female segment in the long term care market will cross USD 966 billion by 2027 due to significant female population affected with chronic and disabling conditions. According to the Journal of Gerontology, in 2020, a cross country study in countries including the U.S., Korea, Mexico, China and other countries indicated high prevalence of disability among women.

The long term care market for out-of-pocket segment is slated to exceed USD 491 billion by 2027 on account of the rising influx of private health insurers and increasing preference private LTC insurance services. Majority of the care seekers that initiate their adult care from nursing homes and pay their expenses through their own pockets. With spending their own personal resources, these people seeking care at nursing homes eventually become eligible for Medicaid reimbursement.

Japan long term care market size will reach USD 134 billion by 2027 owing to significant geriatric population, the surging prevalence of chronic conditions, and presence of supportive long-term care insurance (LTCI) system in the country. Japan's population is termed as 'super-aged' society, with over 28% of the population aged 65 and above as of 2019. The projections suggest by 2036, people aged 65 and above will account for one third of the population.

With rising geriatric population, chronic conditions are poised to surge. Furthermore, the presence of long-term care insurance (LTCI) system in Japan to address the needs of aging population and individuals with disabilities is set to benefit the market. Individuals with LTCI service certification are allowed to use facility services, homecare services, and community-based services based on their physical & cognitive impairments.

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Some of the major players operating in the long term care market are Extendicare, Brookdale Senior Living Solutions, Capital Senior Living, Sunrise Senior Living, Diversicare (DAC Acquisition), Home Instead (Honor), Amedisys, Lincare Holdings, and Atria Senior Living. These prominent companies are involved in acceptance of various strategic formulations such as collaborations, mergers, product launches, and research activities to bolster their product portfolio and market presence.

Table of Contents (ToC) of the report:

Chapter 3 Long Term Care Market Insights

3.1 Industry segmentation

3.2 Industry landscape, 2016 - 2027 (USD Billion)

3.3 Industry impact factors

3.3.1 Growth drivers

3.3.2 Industry pitfalls & challenges

3.4 Growth potential analysis

3.4.1 By service type

3.4.2 By age group

3.4.3 By gender

3.4.4 By payer

3.5 COVID-19 impact analysis

3.6 Porter's analysis

3.7 Competitive landscape, 2020

3.7.1 Company matrix analysis, 2020

3.8 PESTEL analysis

Browse Complete Table of Contents (ToC) @

https://www.gminsights.com/toc/detail/long-term-care-market

About Global Market Insights Inc.

Global Market Insights Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider, offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy, and biotechnology.

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The "Europe ISOBUS Component Market A Regional Analysis: Focus on Product, Application, and Country Analysis Analysis and Forecast, 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Europe ISOBUS component market is expected to reach $209.29 million by 2026, with a CAGR of 7.36% during the forecast period 2021-2026.

High growth in the market is expected to be driven by the need to resolve the inter-implement incompatibility issues existing between equipment manufactured by different companies. ISOBUS also allows for the inclusion of a virtual terminal (VT), which further allows the operator to control multiple implements simultaneously, manufactured by different companies.

Europe ISOBUS Component Market

The first ISOBUS compliant equipment (tractor) was launched in the early 1990s, and since then, there have been significant improvements in the ISOBUS and other agricultural technologies. This standard is still in its growth phase and has a long runway ahead of it. The inter-implement connectivity achieved with ISOBUS equipment has been crucial in deploying digital solutions that will increase field productivity and efficiency.

Market Segmentation

Europe ISOBUS Component Market by Product

The component electronic control unit (ECU) witnessed high demand as compared to other components as all key applications of ISOBUS in the agricultural industry (such as harvesters and tractors) use ISOBUS-enabled ECUs for their functioning.

Europe ISOBUS Component Market by Application

The Europe ISOBUS component market by application category is dominated by tractor segment. This dominance is due to the huge market of tractors in the France and Germany.

Europe ISOBUS Component Market by Country

France generated the highest revenue of $44.90 million in 2020, attributed to the presence of leading ISOBUS-enabled agricultural implement manufacturers along with continuous government initiatives in the country to promote the deployment of ISOBUS equipment in the field. The country is expected to witness moderate growth of CAGR 7.98% during the forecast period.

Key Questions Answered in the Report

What is the estimated Europe ISOBUS component market size in terms of revenue for the forecast period 2021-2026, and what is the expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during the forecast period 2021-2026?

What are the key trends, market drivers, and opportunities in the market pertaining to the Europe ISOBUS component market?

What are the major restraints inhibiting the growth of the Europe ISOBUS component market?

What kinds of new strategies are being adopted by the existing market players to expand their market position in the industry?

What is the competitive strength of the key players in the Europe ISOBUS component market on the basis of analysis of their recent developments, product offerings, and regional presence?

How is the competitive benchmarking of the key ISOBUS component companies in the agriculture market based on the analysis of their market coverage and market potential?

Business Dynamics

Business Drivers

Need for Standardized Communication between Agricultural Equipment

Increase in Synergistic Partnerships between Agricultural Equipment Manufacturers

Need for Increased Production to Cater to the Growing Population

Business Challenges

Incompatibility Issues between Different Devices

High Initial Investment for Complete ISOBUS System

Business Strategies

Product Development

Market Development

Corporate Strategies

Mergers and Acquisitions

Partnerships, Collaborations, and Joint Ventures

Others

Patent Analysis

Patent Analysis (by Status)

Patent Analysis (by Company)

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / Mawson Gold Limited ("Mawson" or the "Company") (TSX:MAW)(FSE:MXR)(OTC PINK:MWSNF) is pleased to announce assay results from seven diamond drill holes (MDDSC016A-22) drilled at the 100%-owned Sunday Creek project in the Victorian Goldfields of Australia. The Sunday Creek epizonal-style gold project is located 56 kilometres north of Melbourne and within 19,365 hectares of granted exploration tenements.

Highlights:

21.7 metres @ 4.7 g/t Au and 1.0% Sb (5.6 g/t AuEq) from 274.7 metres in hole MDDSC021, including : 0.4 metres @ 145.5 g/t Au and 20.0% Sb (165.4 g/t AuEq) from 277.0 metres; 1.1 metres @ 19.2 g/t Au and 7.5% Sb (26.7 g/t AuEq) from 280.4 metres; 0.4 metres @ 14.7 g/t Au and 3.3% Sb (17.9 g/t AuEq) from 287.4 metres; The deepest drill hole drilled at Sunday Creek (225 metres vertical depth), and highest-grade gold-stibnite mineralization to date on the project (Tables 1-3, Figures 1-3):

from 274.7 metres in hole MDDSC021, including 77.6 metres @ 0.8 g/t Au and 0.2% Sb (1.0 g/t AuEq) from 109.4 meters in hole MDDSC016A, including: 23.5 metres @ 1.6 g/t Au and 0.3% Sb (1.9 g/t AuEq) from 109.4 metres

from 109.4 meters in hole MDDSC016A, including: Drilling continues with twenty-five diamond drill holes (MDDSC001-025) for 6,005 metres have been now completed at the Sunday Creek gold project.

Michael Hudson, Executive Chairman, states: "As we start to take bolder and larger step-outs, our deepest hole at Sunday Creek intersected the highest grades we have seen to date and is the seventh intersection exceeding 100 g/t * width on the project. Sunday Creek continues to deliver with continuity of mineralization over larger strike distances in multiple drill holes and grades improving at depth. Notwithstanding, all mineralization remains open at depth and the system continues 10 kilometres to the east covering historic mines, without a single drill hole test ."

MDDSC016A intersected 77.6 metres @ 0.8 g/t Au and 0.2% Sb 1.0 g/t AuEq (no lower cut) from 109.4 metres at the Apollo Mine area, drilled 80 metres below VCRC007 (28 metres @ 3.0 g/t Au 0.3% Sb 3.2 g/t AuEq). Higher grade zones included:

23.5 metres @ 1.6 g/t Au and 0.3% Sb (1.9 g/t AuEq) from 109.4 metres including: 0.4 metres @ 53.3 g/t Au and 3.5% Sb (56.8 g/t AuEq) from 124.7 metres

11.9 metres @ 0.7 g/t Au and 0.5% Sb (1.2 g/t AuEq) from 157.5 metres including: 0.4 metres @ 0.9 g/t Au and 12.1% Sb (12.9 g/t AuEq) from 167.8 metres

7.6 metres @ 2.2 g/t Au and 0.2% Sb (2.4 g/t AuEq) from 174.6 metres

MDDSC017, also at Apollo intersected:

0.7 metres @ 14.1 g/t Au and 0.0% Sb (14.1 g/t AuEq) from 242.7 metres

Interpreted to have clipped the southern edge of the broader north-dipping mineralized zone 50 metres below MDDSC0015A (15.3 metres @ 2.2 g/t Au and 2.1% Sb (4.3 g/t AuEq) from 231.4 metres)

MDDSC018 Mawson's first drill hole to test immediately below the Golden Dyke workings, intersected:

12.2 metres @ 1.6 g/t Au and 0.2% Sb (1.8 g/t AuEq) from 199.8 metres; Including 1.0 metre @ 12.5 g/t Au and 1.1% Sb (13.5 g/t AuEq) from 202.3 metres

Golden Dyke is located 600 metres west of the Apollo Mine. The Golden Dyke workings consisted of 20 individual stopes over 200 metres strike, down to 180 metres vertical depth (Figure 2). It is estimated a total of 15,000 ounces @ 12.6 g/t Au were extracted during the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Free gold recoveries were reported to be around 50% due to metallurgical complications (at the time) with stibnite.

MDDSC019 also at Golden Dyke, drilled 95 metres ENE of MDDSC018 intersected:

1.0 metre @ 3.5 g/t Au and 0.1% Sb (3.5 g/t AuEq) from 52.0 metres;

4.0 metres @ 0.9 g/t Au and 0.0% Sb (1.0 g/t AuEq) from 159.0 metres

MDDSC020 testing below the Rising Sun Mine, located 240 metres ENE from the Golden Dyke area intersected:

15.0 metres @ 1.3 g/t Au and 0.4% Sb (1.8 g/t AuEq) from 207.0 metres including: 1.0 metre @ 8.4 g/t Au and 0.2% Sb (8.7 g/t AuEq) from 207.0 metres; 0.7 metres @ 2.8 g/t Au and 3.5% Sb (6.2 g/t AuEq) from 216.7 metres

Drilled 120 metres below MDDSC003 (6 metres @ 1.6 g/t Au and 1.4% Sb (3.0 g/t AUEQ) and historic drill hole VCRC022 (19 metres @ 6.5 g/t Au and 0.3% Sb (6.8 g/t AuEq)

MDDSC021 drilled 90 metres below MDDSC020 and the deepest intersection drilled to date at on the project intersected:

21.7 metres @ 4.7 g/t Au and 1.0% Sb (5.6 g/t AuEq) from 274.7 metres including: 0.4 metres @ 145.5 g/t Au and 20.0% Sb (165.4 g/t AuEq) from 277.0 metres; 1.1 metres @ 19.2 g/t Au and 7.5% Sb (26.7 g/t AuEq) from 280.4 metres; 0.4 metres @ 14.7 g/t Au and 3.3% Sb (17.9 g/t AuEq) from 287.4 metres

Located 600 metres west from the channel samples recently announced (14.0 metres at 11.5 g/t gold and 0.3% antimony including 8.0 metres @ 19.6 g/t gold and 0.4% antimony).

MDDSC022 drilled 115 metres east of MDDSC0020 below the Root Hog Mine area did not intersect significant mineralization within a zone of structural complexity.

Mawson has now completed twenty-five drill holes (MDDSC001-025) for 6,005 metres at the Sunday Creek gold-antimony project (Figures 1 and 2). Drilling continues and assays from 22 out of the 25 finalized holes have been released. Geophysical surveys (3D induced polarization and ground magnetics) and detailed LiDAR surveys have been completed. A 1,600-point soil sampling program at Sunday Creek extending east-northeast from drilling areas to test the 11-kilometre trend of historically mined epizonal dyke-hosted mineralization within Mawson's tenured areas has also been completed. The integration of the LiDAR, soil sampling data, rock chips and geophysics is key to the expansion of the project along strike.

At Sunday Creek, historic gold mining occurred between 1880 and 1920 over a greater than 11-kilometre strike length. Drilling during 1990-2000s focused on shallow, previously mined surface workings, covering an area of 100 metres in width and 800 metres in length but only to 80 metres average depth. As such, the entire field remains open along strike and to depth. Apollo was the first deep shaft to 100 metres in the late 1800s in a series of sheeted stibnite-rich veins, predominately hosted within a zone of felsic dykes and related alteration that broadly controls gold distribution.

Mineralization at Sunday Creek is hosted in late-Silurian to early-Devonian-aged shales and siltstones containing a series of dykes of felsic-intermediate composition. Gold is concentrated mainly in and around the north dipping and EW to NE-SW striking felsic dykes and the halo of associated pre-mineralization dyke-related sericite-pyrite alteration. The mineralization generally lies within brittle multiple sheeted veins and cataclastic zones. Individual NW striking high-grade quartz-stibnite veins at Apollo and Golden Dyke, and cataclastic zones at Gladys were the focus of historical mining at Sunday Creek. These zones have been proven to continue to depth by Mawson. Broader vein-hosted and cataclastic mineralization grading less than 15 g/t gold appears untouched by the historic miners.

Technical and Environmental Background

Tables 1-3 provide collar and assay data. The true thickness of the mineralized interval is interpreted to be approximately 70% of the sampled thickness. All drill results quoted have a lower cut of 0.3 g/t Au cut over a 2.0 metre width, with higher grades reported with a 5 g/t Au cut over 1.0 metre applied unless otherwise stated.

A diamond drill rig from contractor Starwest Pty Ltd was used in the program. Core diameter is HQ (63.5 mm) and oriented with excellent core recoveries averaging close to 100% in both oxidized and fresh rock. After photographing and logging in Mawson's core logging facilities in Nagambie, intervals were diamond sawn in half by Mawson personnel. Half core is retained for verification and reference purposes. Analytical samples are transported to On Site Laboratory Services' Bendigo facility which operates under both an ISO 9001 and NATA quality systems. Samples were prepared and analyzed for gold using the fire assay technique (PE01S method; 25 gram charge), followed by measuring the gold in solution with flame AAS equipment. Samples for multi-element analysis (BM011 and over-range methods as required) use aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS analysis. The QA/QC program of Mawson consists of the systematic insertion of certified standards of known gold content and blanks within interpreted mineralized rock. In addition, On Site inserts blanks and standards into the analytical process.

Gold Equivalent Calculation

It is the opinion of Mawson that all the elements included in the metal equivalent calculation have a reasonable potential to be recovered. The gold equivalent (AuEq) was calculated based on commodity prices as 21 March 2021. The AuEq formula is as follows: AuEq(g/t) = (Aug/t) + (XX * Sb%), where XX = (US$5,600/100) / (US$1,750/31.1035) and the gold price = US$1,750/oz and antimony price = US$5,600/tonne.

Qualified Person

Dr Nick Cook (FAusMM), Chief Geologist for the Company, is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure or Mineral Projects and has prepared or reviewed the preparation of the scientific and technical information in this press release.

About Mawson Gold Limited (TSX:MAW, FRANKFURT:MXR, OTC PINK:MWSNF)

Mawson Gold Limited is an exploration and development company. Mawson has distinguished itself as a leading Nordic Arctic exploration company with a focus on the flagship Rajapalot gold-cobalt project in Finland. Mawson also owns or is joint venturing into three high-grade, historic epizonal goldfields covering 470 square kilometres in Victoria, Australia and is well placed to add to its already significant gold-cobalt resource in Finland.

On behalf of the Board,





"Michael Hudson"

Michael Hudson, Executive Chairman Further Information

www.mawsongold.com

1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7

Mariana Bermudez (Canada), Corporate Secretary,

+1 (604) 685 9316,info@mawsongold.com

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Although Mawson believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate, and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Mawson cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, timing and successful completion of drill programs planned at Sunday Creek, capital and other costs varying significantly from estimates, changes in world metal markets, changes in equity markets, the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, including the current pandemic known as COVID-19 on the Company's business, planned drill programs and results varying from expectations, delays in obtaining results, equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions, local community relations, dealings with non-governmental organizations, delays in operations due to permit grants, environmental and safety risks, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Mawson's most recent Annual Information Form filed on www.sedar.com . Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Mawson disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

Figure 1: Plan location of the Sunday Creek Project historic mines and location Mawson drilling.

Figure 2: Longitudinal ("Long") Section of the Golden Dyke to Apollo Mine Area highlighting Mawson drillholes MDDSC0016 and MDDSC0022 reported here.

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Figure 3: Cross Section of the Rising Sun Mine showing Mawson drillholes MDDSC020 and MDDSC021 reported here

Table 1: Collar information from Mawson's drilling at the Sunday Creek Project

Coordinate Reference System GDA94, Zone 55 (EPSG:28355)

Area Hole_ID Easting Northing Dip Azimuth RL (m) Depth (m) Date Reported Central MDDSC001 331080 5867769 -55.5 283.3 318 67 October 07, 2020 Central MDDSC002 331085 5867771 -65.6 241.9 318 150.3 October 27, 2020 Rising Sun MDDSC003 330776 5867892 -65.2 240.2 295 127.7 October 27, 2020 Golden Dyke MDDSC004 330637 5867822 -44 240.5 321 280 January 05, 2021 Apollo MDDSC005 331029 5867798 -45.5 89.6 311 160.1 January 05, 2021 Gladys MDDSC006 331023 5867799 -39.4 237.1 311 99.6 February 11, 2021 Gladys MDDSC007 330985 5867712 -42 70 321.5 150.8 February 11, 2021 Gladys MDDSC008 331044 5867763 -52 253.2 320 99.2 February 11, 2021 Gladys MDDSC009 331013 5867799 -50 260 311 105.9 February 11, 2021 Gladys MDDSC010 331033 5867798 -60 214 310.5 151.3 February 11, 2021 Gladys MDDSC011 331042 5867798 -55 270 310 215.8 March 22, 2021 Apollo MDDSC012 331172 5867842 -60 252.4 309 262.9 March 22, 2021 Apollo MDDSC013 331170 5867842 -68 223 309 43.4 Abandoned Apollo MDDSC013A 331170 5867842 -68 223 309 270 July 06, 2021 Apollo MDDSC014 330985 5867712 -75 41.4 303.7 300 July 06, 2021 Apollo MDDSC015 331191.6 5867860 -65 253 306.7 29.8 Abandoned Apollo MDDSC015A 331191.6 5867860 -65 253 306.7 423.2 July 06, 2021 Apollo MDDSC016 331104.4 5867822 -66 236 308.3 15.74 Abandoned Apollo MDDSC016A 331104.4 5867822 -66 236 308.3 252.5 Here Apollo MDDSC017 331196.4 5867856 -72 260 307.6 450 Here Golden Dyke MDDSC018 330548 5867891 -55 195 307.6 300 Here Golden Dyke MDDSC019 330615.8 5867886 -57 195 300.39 196.4 Here Rising Sun MDDSC020 330755 5868012 -55 195 298.43 200 Here Rising Sun MDDSC021 330755 5868012 -65 200 298.43 321.4 Here Root Hog MDDSC022 330875 5868005 -55 200 307.19 282.5 Here Gladys MDDSC023 330981 5867845 -66 175 297.35 222.6 TBA Gladys MDDSC024 330981 5867845 -77 175 297.35 306.3 TBA Apollo MDDSC025 331154 5867964 -72 210 297.35 444.2 TBA

Note: (1) The true thickness of the mineralized interval is interpreted to be approximately 70% of the sampled thickness.

Table 2: Intersections from Mawson's drilling from the Sunday Creek Project. Intersections are reported with a lower cut of 0.3 g/t Au cut over 2.0 metre width, with higher grades reported with a 5 g/t Au cut over 1.0 metre.

Hole_ID From (m) To (m) Width (1) (m) Au g/t Sb% AuEq g/t MDDSC001 0.0 15.2 15.2 3.7 0.2 3.9 including 2.0 2.8 0.8 9.4 0.4 9.7 including 6.0 6.2 0.1 15.8 0.1 15.9 including 8.0 8.7 0.7 5.7 0.1 5.8 including 10.0 11.6 1.6 11.3 0.3 11.5 MDDSC001 56.0 56.9 0.9 2.2 0.0 2.2 MDDSC001 64.0 65.4 1.4 0.6 0.1 0.7 MDDSC002 16.0 17.5 1.5 1.2 0.3 1.4 MDDSC002 26.0 26.3 0.3 6.3 0.2 6.4 MDDSC002 39.0 41.0 2.0 1.4 0.0 1.4 MDDSC002 50.0 59.0 9.0 3.2 0.5 3.7 including 54.0 54.3 0.3 82.8 13.8 96.5 MDDSC002 76.0 76.5 0.5 1.0 0.0 1.1 MDDSC002 96.0 96.6 0.6 2.2 0.3 2.5 MDDSC002 109.0 110.1 1.1 21.4 3.3 24.7 MDDSC002 113.0 113.3 0.3 10.6 1.1 11.7 MDDSC002 116.0 130.3 14.3 2.9 0.5 3.3 including 116.0 116.3 0.3 25.6 0.0 25.6 including 117.0 117.4 0.4 18.0 2.8 20.8 including 119.0 119.6 0.5 7.0 7.3 14.3 including 123.0 124.1 1.1 5.2 0.8 6.0 including 128.0 128.2 0.2 7.1 0.0 7.1 MDDSC002 135.0 136.0 1.0 0.6 0.0 0.6 MDDSC002 143.0 144.0 1.0 1.8 0.0 1.8 MDDSC003 72.0 73.5 1.5 3.6 0.3 3.9 including 72.0 72.9 0.9 5.3 0.5 5.7 MDDSC003 76.0 81.5 5.5 1.6 1.4 3.0 including 79.0 79.6 0.6 5.9 10.0 15.8 MDDSC003 84.0 84.9 0.9 1.0 0.0 1.0 MDDSC003 91.0 92.4 1.3 0.4 0.6 1.0 MDDSC003 116.0 119.1 3.1 0.6 0.0 0.6 MDDSC005 15.0 15.3 0.3 0.7 0.0 0.7 MDDSC005 88.0 92.2 4.2 3.4 0.1 3.5 including 89.0 89.2 0.1 7.1 0.7 7.9 MDDSC005 99.0 99.2 0.2 1.3 0.4 1.6 MDDSC005 107.0 112.7 5.7 0.6 0.6 1.2 including 109.0 109.2 0.2 3.0 11.2 14.1 MDDSC005 120.0 135.7 15.7 2.6 1.0 3.6 including 124.0 124.1 0.1 52.6 7.5 60.0 including 128.0 128.6 0.6 13.0 2.0 15.0 including 131.0 131.4 0.4 8.3 5.1 13.4 including 133.0 134.7 1.7 8.6 4.9 13.5 MDDSC006 29.0 30.0 1.0 2.3 0.0 2.3 MDDSC006 33.0 33.8 0.8 0.9 0.0 0.9 MDDSC006 57.0 57.6 0.6 0.0 4.4 4.4 MDDSC007 76.0 81.8 5.8 2.2 0.4 2.6 MDDSC007 76.0 76.3 0.3 7.8 2.4 10.2 MDDSC007 79.0 79.4 0.4 22.8 3.2 26.0 MDDSC007 85.0 90.4 5.4 0.6 0.0 0.6 MDDSC007 96.0 96.8 0.8 0.6 0.0 0.6 MDDSC008 13.0 14.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 MDDSC008 26.0 26.9 0.9 1.3 0.0 1.3 MDDSC008 32.0 33.8 1.8 1.2 0.0 1.2 MDDSC008 68.0 68.7 0.7 20.6 5.0 25.6 MDDSC008 95.0 95.2 0.2 8.4 3.9 12.3 MDDSC009 26.0 26.4 0.4 0.8 0.0 0.8 MDDSC009 29.0 30.7 1.7 0.6 0.4 1.0 MDDSC009 51.0 53.0 2.0 0.6 0.0 0.6 MDDSC009 67.0 68.7 1.7 2.5 0.0 2.5 MDDSC009 84.0 85.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 MDDSC010 41.0 41.6 0.6 20.6 0.0 20.6 MDDSC010 47.0 48.9 1.9 1.0 0.0 1.0 MDDSC010 59.0 59.5 0.5 0.6 0.0 0.6 MDDSC010 70.0 79.0 9.0 4.7 0.1 4.8 including 74.0 76.0 2.0 18.6 0.5 19.1 MDDSC010 82.0 84.3 2.3 0.9 0.0 0.9 MDDSC010 93.0 95.5 2.5 0.9 0.1 1.0 MDDSC010 98.0 101.1 3.1 10.8 1.6 12.4 including 100.0 101.2 1.2 25.7 4.1 29.8 MDDSC010 120.0 121.4 1.4 1.0 0.0 1.0 MDDSC011 55.0 56.0 1.0 0.9 0.0 0.9 MDDSC011 79.0 82.0 3.0 0.4 0.0 0.4 MDDSC011 99.0 101.0 2.0 2.0 0.0 2.0 MDDSC011 184.0 187.8 3.8 0.6 0.0 0.6 MDDSC012 74.0 74.7 0.7 0.9 0.2 1.1 MDDSC012 76.0 78.2 2.2 0.4 0.3 0.7 MDDSC012 141.0 141.6 0.6 0.7 0.1 0.8 MDDSC012 155.0 155.3 0.3 0.2 0.8 1.0 MDDSC012 178.0 180.8 2.8 4.0 0.3 4.3 including 178.0 178.8 0.8 11.4 0.9 12.3 MDDSC012 184.0 189.9 5.9 1.7 0.1 1.8 including 185.0 186.0 1.0 4.3 0.8 5.1 MDDSC012 196.0 200.3 4.3 2.2 0.2 2.4 including 196.0 197.0 1.0 5.9 0.3 6.2 MDDSC012 203.0 213.4 10.4 5.4 1.0 6.4 including 207.0 207.2 0.2 37.3 12.0 49.2 including 209.0 211.2 2.2 15.8 3.3 19.2 MDDSC012 226.0 227.1 1.1 1.4 0.0 1.4 MDDSC013A 111.1 116.3 5.3 3.08 1.13 4.21 including 111.1 111.7 0.6 14.40 9.64 24.00 including 113.5 114.1 0.6 8.39 0.01 8.40 MDDSC013A 125.4 126.4 1.0 0.39 0.00 0.39 MDDSC013A 182.7 183.7 1.0 0.43 0.00 0.43 MDDSC014 8.2 9.2 1.0 0.58 0.00 0.58 MDDSC015A 202.0 204.7 2.7 0.49 0.01 0.50 MDDSC015A 222.0 226.5 4.6 1.62 0.07 1.69 including 222.7 223.3 0.6 5.50 0.34 5.84 MDDSC015A 231.4 246.7 15.3 2.16 2.10 4.25 including 232.3 233.2 0.8 1.11 6.76 7.84 including 238.1 238.6 0.5 6.63 15.30 21.86 including 241.3 244.1 2.8 5.70 5.46 11.14 including 245.6 246.1 0.5 10.10 0.65 10.75 MDDSC015A 259.8 260.6 0.8 0.53 0.01 0.54 MDDSC016A 109.4 132.9 23.5 1.6 0.30 1.9 including 124.7 125.1 0.4 53.3 3.48 56.8 MDDSC016A 157.5 169.4 11.9 0.7 0.50 1.2 including 167.8 168.2 0.4 0.9 12.10 12.9 MDDSC016A 174.6 182.2 7.6 2.2 0.23 2.4 including 177.2 177.8 0.6 4.6 0.75 5.4 MDDSC017 242.7 243.4 0.7 14.1 0.01 14.1 MDDSC018 199.8 212.0 12.2 1.6 0.18 1.8 including 202.3 203.3 1.0 12.5 1.07 13.5 MDDSC019 52.0 53.0 1.0 3.5 0.06 3.5 MDDSC019 151.6 156.0 4.4 0.8 0.02 0.8 MDDSC019 159.0 163.0 4.0 0.9 0.03 1.0 MDDSC020 207.0 222.0 15.0 1.3 0.43 1.8 including 207.0 208.0 1.0 8.4 0.23 8.7 including 216.7 217.4 0.7 2.8 3.46 6.2 MDDSC021 274.7 296.4 21.7 4.7 0.95 5.6 including 277.0 277.4 0.4 145.5 20.00 165.4 including 280.4 281.5 1.1 19.2 7.50 26.7 including 287.4 287.8 0.4 14.7 3.29 17.9 MDDSC021 298.4 299.2 0.8 0.3 0.02 0.3 MDDSC022 194.4 194.7 0.3 0.5 0.00 0.5

Note: (1) The true thickness of the mineralized interval is interpreted to be approximately 70% of the sampled thickness.

Table 3: Individual assay data (Au>0.3 g/t) from drill holes reported in this press release.

hole_ID from (m) to (m) width (m) Au g/t Sb% AuEq g/t MDDSC022 194.4 194.7 0.3 0.5 0.00 0.5 MDDSC021 274.7 275.9 1.2 1.1 0.01 1.1 MDDSC021 276.3 277.0 0.7 1.0 0.17 1.1 MDDSC021 277.0 277.4 0.4 145.5 20.00 165.4 MDDSC021 277.4 278.4 1.0 1.9 0.06 1.9 MDDSC021 280.4 280.9 0.5 15.9 6.72 22.6 MDDSC021 280.9 281.2 0.3 29.3 3.90 33.2 MDDSC021 281.2 281.5 0.3 14.8 11.90 26.6 MDDSC021 281.5 282.1 0.6 1.3 0.30 1.6 MDDSC021 283.7 284.4 0.7 1.0 0.17 1.2 MDDSC021 285.8 286.4 0.6 1.3 0.59 1.9 MDDSC021 287.4 287.8 0.4 14.7 3.29 17.9 MDDSC021 287.8 288.4 0.7 0.5 0.18 0.7 MDDSC021 288.4 289.3 0.9 0.4 0.03 0.5 MDDSC021 292.9 293.7 0.8 1.0 0.40 1.4 MDDSC021 293.7 294.3 0.6 2.4 0.75 3.1 MDDSC021 294.3 294.8 0.5 1.0 0.25 1.2 MDDSC021 295.2 296.0 0.8 1.0 0.02 1.0 MDDSC021 296.0 296.4 0.5 0.4 0.17 0.5 MDDSC021 298.4 299.2 0.8 0.3 0.02 0.3 MDDSC020 207.0 208.0 1.0 8.4 0.23 8.7 MDDSC020 208.0 209.0 1.0 1.0 0.29 1.3 MDDSC020 209.0 210.0 1.0 0.4 0.02 0.4 MDDSC020 210.0 210.5 0.5 0.7 0.02 0.7 MDDSC020 212.0 213.0 1.0 0.4 0.02 0.4 MDDSC020 213.0 214.0 1.0 0.7 0.05 0.7 MDDSC020 214.0 215.0 1.0 1.1 0.96 2.1 MDDSC020 215.0 216.0 1.0 1.3 0.23 1.5 MDDSC020 216.0 216.7 0.7 0.5 1.01 1.5 MDDSC020 216.7 217.4 0.7 2.8 3.46 6.2 MDDSC020 218.0 219.0 1.0 2.2 0.14 2.4 MDDSC020 219.0 220.0 1.0 0.8 0.12 0.9 MDDSC020 220.0 221.0 1.0 0.3 0.54 0.8 MDDSC020 221.0 222.0 1.0 0.5 0.72 1.2 MDDSC019 52.0 53.0 1.0 3.5 0.06 3.5 MDDSC019 112.7 113.7 1.0 0.4 0.02 0.4 MDDSC019 113.7 114.3 0.6 0.3 1.31 1.6 MDDSC019 151.6 152.2 0.6 0.8 0.00 0.8 MDDSC019 152.2 152.9 0.7 2.1 0.01 2.1 MDDSC019 152.9 153.9 1.0 0.6 0.01 0.6 MDDSC019 153.9 154.6 0.7 0.3 0.01 0.3 MDDSC019 154.6 155.4 0.8 0.6 0.01 0.6 MDDSC019 155.4 156.0 0.6 0.6 0.05 0.7 MDDSC019 159.0 160.0 1.0 0.6 0.02 0.6 MDDSC019 160.0 161.0 1.0 1.4 0.01 1.4 MDDSC019 161.0 162.0 1.0 0.6 0.06 0.7 MDDSC019 162.0 163.0 1.0 1.2 0.05 1.2 MDDSC018 202.3 203.3 1.0 12.5 1.07 13.5 MDDSC018 203.3 204.1 0.8 2.7 0.62 3.3 MDDSC018 205.0 206.0 1.0 0.6 0.21 0.8 MDDSC018 206.0 207.0 1.0 0.7 0.06 0.8 MDDSC018 207.0 208.0 1.0 0.4 0.16 0.6 MDDSC018 208.0 209.0 1.0 2.4 0.03 2.5 MDDSC018 211.0 212.0 1.0 0.4 0.01 0.4 MDDSC018 284.0 285.0 1.0 0.4 0.00 0.4 MDDSC017 242.7 243.4 0.7 14.1 0.01 14.1 MDDSC017 250.0 251.0 1.0 0.7 0.01 0.7 MDDSC017 251.0 252.0 1.0 0.3 0.01 0.3 MDDSC017 262.0 263.0 1.0 0.4 0.03 0.5 MDDSC017 263.0 264.0 1.0 1.1 2.57 3.7 MDDSC017 264.0 265.0 1.0 0.4 0.03 0.4 MDDSC017 267.0 268.0 1.0 0.4 0.01 0.4 MDDSC017 336.0 337.0 1.0 0.5 0.00 0.5 MDDSC016A 36.4 37.4 1.0 0.4 0.00 0.4 MDDSC016A 41.6 42.0 0.4 0.3 0.00 0.3 MDDSC016A 80.0 80.5 0.5 0.6 0.00 0.6 MDDSC016A 109.4 110.4 1.0 1.3 0.00 1.3 MDDSC016A 111.3 112.0 0.7 0.3 0.02 0.3 MDDSC016A 112.0 112.6 0.6 2.6 0.77 3.3 MDDSC016A 112.6 113.4 0.8 0.7 0.02 0.7 MDDSC016A 114.8 115.6 0.8 0.6 0.01 0.6 MDDSC016A 115.6 116.1 0.5 1.1 3.38 4.4 MDDSC016A 116.1 116.6 0.5 0.5 0.06 0.5 MDDSC016A 116.6 116.9 0.3 0.5 0.02 0.5 MDDSC016A 116.9 117.4 0.5 2.1 0.12 2.2 MDDSC016A 117.4 118.4 1.0 0.3 0.02 0.3 MDDSC016A 119.1 120.1 1.0 0.4 0.23 0.6 MDDSC016A 122.0 122.8 0.8 0.5 0.02 0.6 MDDSC016A 122.8 123.3 0.6 3.2 0.91 4.1 MDDSC016A 124.7 125.1 0.4 53.3 3.48 56.8 MDDSC016A 125.1 125.6 0.5 2.6 0.19 2.8 MDDSC016A 125.6 126.0 0.4 1.8 0.02 1.8 MDDSC016A 126.0 126.8 0.8 1.3 0.02 1.3 MDDSC016A 126.8 127.7 1.0 0.7 0.13 0.9 MDDSC016A 127.7 128.7 1.0 0.4 0.07 0.4 MDDSC016A 129.2 129.6 0.4 0.3 0.01 0.3 MDDSC016A 131.5 132.7 1.2 0.5 0.05 0.5 MDDSC016A 132.7 132.9 0.2 0.7 0.52 1.2 MDDSC016A 150.7 151.4 0.7 0.4 0.01 0.4 MDDSC016A 151.4 152.4 1.0 0.3 0.00 0.3 MDDSC016A 154.2 155.2 1.0 0.4 0.01 0.4 MDDSC016A 157.5 158.2 0.7 0.6 0.00 0.6 MDDSC016A 159.9 160.6 0.7 1.1 0.00 1.1 MDDSC016A 160.6 161.6 1.0 1.0 0.01 1.0 MDDSC016A 161.6 162.6 1.0 1.1 0.00 1.1 MDDSC016A 162.6 163.6 1.0 0.5 0.00 0.5 MDDSC016A 163.6 164.6 1.0 0.6 0.00 0.6 MDDSC016A 164.6 165.6 1.0 0.5 0.00 0.5 MDDSC016A 165.6 166.5 0.8 1.1 0.01 1.1 MDDSC016A 166.5 167.0 0.5 0.6 0.01 0.6 MDDSC016A 167.0 167.8 0.8 0.7 1.29 2.0 MDDSC016A 167.8 168.2 0.4 0.9 12.10 12.9 MDDSC016A 168.7 169.4 0.6 0.4 0.01 0.4 MDDSC016A 174.6 175.5 0.9 0.5 0.24 0.7 MDDSC016A 175.5 176.2 0.7 3.0 0.12 3.1 MDDSC016A 176.2 176.7 0.4 0.7 0.07 0.7 MDDSC016A 176.7 177.2 0.5 1.8 0.25 2.1 MDDSC016A 177.2 177.8 0.6 4.6 0.75 5.4 MDDSC016A 177.8 178.5 0.7 3.8 1.01 4.8 MDDSC016A 178.5 179.3 0.8 3.7 0.10 3.8 MDDSC016A 179.3 179.7 0.4 4.3 0.03 4.4 MDDSC016A 180.4 181.0 0.6 1.7 0.01 1.7 MDDSC016A 181.0 181.4 0.4 1.3 0.00 1.3 MDDSC016A 181.4 182.2 0.9 0.8 0.00 0.8 MDDSC016A 185.0 185.5 0.5 0.9 0.01 0.9 MDDSC016A 185.5 186.0 0.5 0.6 0.00 0.6 MDDSC016A 186.0 187.0 1.0 0.5 0.00 0.5 MDDSC016A 189.7 190.0 0.3 0.5 0.00 0.5 MDDSC016A 194.0 195.0 1.0 0.4 0.00 0.4 MDDSC016A 195.0 196.0 1.0 0.3 0.00 0.3 MDDSC016A 197.0 197.7 0.7 0.5 0.00 0.5 MDDSC016A 232.1 232.8 0.7 0.3 0.00 0.3

SOURCE: Mawson Gold Limited

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SHREVEPORT, LA / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / The nations all around the world still have certain issues to face, regardless of the social progress and economic prosperity they achieved in recent decades. One of the issues is the use of illegal drugs. This strained budgets, affected productivity, and put the public in danger. Medical and technological advances enabled government agencies, healthcare professionals, employers, and individuals to make progress in the fight against substance abuse and its broader consequences. As American Screening LLC can attest, rapid drug tests have become one of the most useful diagnostic tools in modern society, providing fast and accurate results that often save lives or enhance business results by improving the decision-making process. American Screening LLC, a leading ISO13485 contract manufacturer and distributor of diagnostic products and essential medical supplies, maintains a robust inventory of rapid drug testing kits to help public organizations, corporate entities, and regular citizens act quickly and minimize the risk of any substance abuse-related problems escalating.

From its inception, the company has been committed to offering products of the highest quality at affordable prices along with supporting efforts to combat drug addiction. American Screening LLC says that even though they grew into a major organization with operations across the globe, their core mission has remained the same. An important part of it is providing cost-effective and efficient solutions for addressing this serious problem. They say that their inventory grows constantly, but they made it a priority to always have in stock an array of rapid tests for drugs due to their realization of the importance of these products. ASC adds that whether in the workplace, at home, or in a law enforcement setting, these kits become crucial as illicit substance use increases. Their extensive range features tests that can detect from one to as many as 12 drugs of abuse with accuracy of up to 99%. These kits make it easy to check for the presence of the most commonly used drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, fentanyl, oxycodone, opiates, methamphetamine, amphetamines, K2, ETG, phencyclidine (PCP), benzodiazepine, barbiturates, methadone, and ecstasy (MDMA).

The importance of rapid drug tests is underscored by the fact that this segment of the drug abuse testing market is expected to register the strongest growth in the years ahead, American Screening LLC notes. According to Allied Market Research, total industry revenues will rise by 8.2% annually from 2017 to 2025, increasing from $6.24 billion to $11.83 billion over the specified period. Notably, the report projects a compound annual growth rate of 14.2% for the rapid testing products segment due to its advantages such as accuracy in results and in less time and advent of technologically advanced devices. For American Screening LLC, providing a rich choice of rapid drug tests is a way to ensure optimal outcomes for all parties concerned, be it in emergency medical settings, corporate environments, or public places. Its products empower healthcare professionals, law enforcement officers, employers, and family members to make the right decisions and act quickly, thus preventing or rectifying situations with potentially fatal consequences.

American Screening LLC started in a small room in Shreveport, Louisiana as a family business on a mission to provide quality drug and alcohol testing products. Since its launch in 2004, the company has expanded steadily to become a top vendor of diagnostic tests and essential medical supplies to the United States, South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia. Much of its success is attributable to the founder, Ron Kilgarlin, who drew on his extensive expertise in business management, medical devices, product development, distribution, and marketing. Among the many things American Screening LLC takes pride in are its multiple certifications, including the highly coveted one issued under MDSAP (Medical Device Single Audit Program), which designates the company as compliant with the requirements for quality management systems in multiple jurisdictions.

American Screening, LLC - Leading Provider of Diagnostic Tests & Medical Supplies: http://americanscreeningcorporationnews.com

American Screening, LLC Now Offers COVID-19 Antibody Rapid Serology Tests: https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/american-screening-llc-now-offers-covid-19-antibody-rapid-serology-tests/

American Screening LLC Founder, Ron Kilgarlin, on Improved Efficiency in Decision-Making with Rapid Drug Tests: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-technology-health-4984166f0d2a716baa5137741175445b

Contact Information:

Ron Kilgarlin

American Screening, LLC

9742 St Vincent Ave, Ste 100

Shreveport, LA 71106

1-866-526-2873

sales@americansreeningcorp.com

https://www.americanscreeningcorp.com

SOURCE: American Screening LLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669862/American-Screening-LLC-CEO-Ron-Kilgarlin-Attributes-Faster-Decision-Making-to-the-Vast-Selection-of-Rapid-Drug-Tests-Offered
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / Komo Plant Based Foods Inc. (CSE:YUM) (OTCQB:KOMOF) (FRA:9HB) ("Komo"), a premium plant-based food company, is pleased to announce that it is near completion of its Komo Eats menu for Komo's ghost kitchen concept, which will offer a selection of freshly made, hot and ready, plant-based comfort meals through on-demand delivery apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats.

Komo is planning to launch Komo Eats next month in Vancouver, British Columbia, where it can make and deliver meals out of its commercial kitchen, which is located close to downtown. The meals have been created using the same principles that were used to create Komo's signature plant based comfort foods - always easy, wholesome and hearty.

"At Komo, we're on a mission to make plant-based meals a staple and the launch of Komo Eats will be another avenue for us to share more hearty and wholesome plant-based favourites," says Komo operating subsidiary Komo Comfort Foods CEO Jeffrey Ma. "Our team who designed our frozen plant-based products is now finalizing the menu for Komo Eats. We are especially excited to build out this platform as an opportunity to innovate quickly and test out ideas that can potentially become retail products. We have many ideas but the challenge with commercializing products is the time and resources it requires and the uncertainty about whether consumers will embrace a new product in the marketplace. Komo Eats will allow us to get feedback early on to help mitigate this risk and learn about what our customers want. The bonus is that at the same time, we are sharing our mission and building our brand."

In addition to providing an additional revenue stream, Komo Eats will provide useful consumer and other data for product development for Komo's plant-based comfort foods. Other companies, like Upton's Natural and Amy's Kitchen have its Upton Breakroom and Amy's Drive Thru branches to complement their retail brand and products

Ghost kitchens are commercial kitchens that do not have a physical storefront that are used for food preparation and delivery. Komo's ghost kitchen will allow it to launch the Komo Eats brand across multiple delivery apps, generate revenues from food sales and increase its customer base without the costs associated with a restaurant or store front. The potential market for ghost kitchens is significant as, according to Statista, revenue in the restaurant-to-consumer delivery market is projected to reach US$4 Billion in 2021 in Canada alone, with a projected market volume of US$6 Billion by 2025.

https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/eservices/online-food-delivery/restaurant-to-consumer-delivery/canada

Komo expects many customers to engage with its Komo Eats digital storefront as their initial contact with the Komo brand. According to Skip the Dishes, the most popular food delivery Canada service, 81% of customers have ordered from a restaurant they have never visited in person. https://reviewlution.ca/resources/food-delivery-statistics

About Komo

Komo Plant Based Foods Inc. is a premium plant-based food company that develops, manufactures and sells a variety of plant-based frozen meals that are always hearty, satisfying, and made with wholesome ingredients. At Komo, our mission is to help make plant-based meals a staple on every dinner table by sharing our love for feel-good food that connects the people to the planet. We believe plant-based eating is the future and - Change can start with a single biteTM. Our experienced plant-based innovation and development team recreates vegan versions of traditionally cheesy and meaty classics, with 100% plants. Komo's products are sold direct-to-consumer through our eCommerce website and a distribution network of online and brick and mortar grocery, convenience and natural retailer channels. Our operating subsidiary Komo Comfort Foods launched in 2021 with our flagship products: plant-based Lasagna, Shepherd's Pie and Chickenless Pot Pie and has recently launched a new line - Komo Plant-Based Meal HelpersTM - versatile meal starters to allow the creation of many dishes at home. All of our products are 100% plant-based, made with wholesome ingredients, free from preservatives, and frozen for freshness. Freezing products is a natural and effective way of keeping food products for longer without having to use any preservatives. Komo's meals have a 1-year frozen shelf life.

Learn more at: www.komocomfortfoods.com and follow on Instagram: @komocomfortfoods

For further information, please contact:

William White, President & CEO, Komo Plant Based Foods Inc.

will@komoeats.com

1-866-969-0882

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or Komo's future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "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 Komo's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, Komo's product development plans, its ability to launch its products on food delivery apps, its ability to retain key personnel, its revenues, and its expectation as to the acceptance of its products by retailer stores and consumers constitute forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The statements made in this press release are made as of the date hereof. Komo disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be expressly required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: KOMO Plant Based Foods Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669805/Komo-Plant-Based-Foods-Plans-to-Launch-Ghost-Kitchen-Concept-through-Komo-Eats
The world's first 1P single-axis tracker equipped with pentagonal torque tube design and synchronous multi-point drive mechanism is taking the tracker industry by storm

HANGZHOU, China, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arctech, the world's leading tracking, racking, and BIPV solutions provider, announced the global launch of its latest horizontal single-axis solar tracking system SkyLine II, the first 1P (one-in-portrait) tracker designed with pentagonal torque tube and synchronous multi-point drive mechanism.

PV modules have been designed in a larger format for increased power. That enlarged both tracker chord and length, posing a stability challenge to traditional single axis trackers. As the new modules are no longer fully compatible with traditional flexible trackers, Arctech launched SkyLine II as a new solution.

Arctech's New Horizontal Single-Axis Solar Tracking System SkyLine II

" Featuring a pentagonal torque tube and a synchronous multi-point drive mechanism. Skyline II is one of the few truly rigid 1P trackers in the industry. The design does not only stiffen SkyLine II by equipping it with larger bending and torsional capabilities, but also allows for the highest stability at all tracking tilts." Bruce Wang, Chief Technology Officer of Arctech, remarked at the product launch ceremony. "Due to the design, SkyLine II utilizes the fewest posts per MW in the industry (180 posts/MW), which consequently decreases Engineering Procurement Construction 's cost by about 2%."

SkyLine II's top five innovations:

Pentagonal torque tube design: This cross-section provides SkyLine II with larger bending and torsional capabilities with minimum steel utilization.

Synchronous multi-point drive mechanism: This mechanism rigidifies the tracker to the point of enabling 0deg wind stow mode. This is critical to keep allowable pressure levels on the new large format modules and prevent cracking and delamination. Moreover, while the whole tracker industry tends to reduce wind stow speeds, Skyline II only triggers wind stows at 22m /s, which leads to up to 2% more energy yield per year, hence lower levelized cost of energy.

/s, which leads to up to 2% more energy yield per year, hence lower levelized cost of energy. Standardized design: It is the industry norm that trackers along the perimeter are very different from edge and far interior tracker within a plant layout, Exterior trackers are commonly equipped with thicker components increasing steel utilization. SkyLine II, enabled by a stiff design and more design variables to optimize outcome, challenges this norm by incorporating a new standardized design, which lowers complexity and types of trackers in the field. This increases the flexibility of solar plant design and reduces the general cost.

Modular design: Like "Playing Lego', SkyLine II can be adapted to mounting the optimum number of strings per tracker for each PV module. That is done by adding or removing posts and drives. Thus, the modularized SkyLine II adapts more efficiently to difficult terrains without large cost oscillations. Meanwhile, due to good compatibility with string inverters, SkyLine II can release the potential of string inverters by reducing mismatch.

New-generation AI tracking algorithms: SkyLine II uses machine learning based upon environment and operational data acquisition. Smart backtracking algorithms are also used to determine the optimum tracker tilt in each topography and environment, allowing for real time shading avoidance for up to 7% more energy generation.

"For years, Arctech has been committed to contributing to a more innovative and efficient PV industry. The latest examples included the new SkyLine II tracker, our own tracker specific wind tunnel test facility and so on. Arctech is also an active player in formulating international and domestic standards for tracker-related products, working with partners to make this God-given energy affordable to the world." Remarked Guy Rong, President of Global Business at Arctech.

please visit www.arctechsolar.com for more information.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1671290/image_1.jpg
Hyundai's IONIQ 5 awarded 2022 German Car of the Year award in "New Energy" category

Success secures IONIQ 5 a place in the grand final of the German Car of the Year

Hyundai IONIQ 5 prevails over competitors

SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh on the market and already a true winner: Hyundai Motor's IONIQ 5 has won a 2022 German Car of the Year (GCOTY) award in the "New Energy" category. As a class winner, the automaker's full-electric midsize CUV will automatically take part in the final round of the GCOTY. IONIQ 5 will compete against the winners of the "Compact", "Premium", "Luxury" and "Performance" categories. The overall winner will be announced on November 25, 2021.

At the GCOTY awards, an internationally networked jury of 20 motoring journalists tested and evaluated the most important new automotive releases of the year in terms of product features, relevance and future viability.

"IONIQ 5 is the start of the new Hyundai era, as it rediscovers our roots by reinterpreting the DNA of the first Hyundai - the Pony - to project our brand into the future," says Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer at Hyundai Motor Group. "It is the first car designed from inside-out, made possible by the innovative flat floor offered by our new dedicated Electric Global Modular Platform. IONIQ 5's 'New Energy' award proves that Hyundai is producing models that care for customers through all the phases of their electric journey."

IONIQ 5's overall package did not only convince the German Car of the Year jury, where it prevailed against competitors, in addition, it is also very popular with customers.

"IONIQ 5 advancing to the final round of the German Car of the Year after securing a win in the 'New Energy' category proves that our fully-electric midsize CUV is a leader in the European car market," says Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, Vice President Marketing and Product at Hyundai Motor Europe. "IONIQ 5 is an essential part of our electrification strategy. This further success underlines our company's strength in zero-emission mobility."

For more information about Hyundai IONIQ 5, please visit: globalpr.hyundai.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1671362/hyundai_ioniq_5_0621_exterior_11_wid_1024.jpg
Menlo Park, California, Vancouver, British Columbia, and Boulder, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Intellabridge Technology Corporation (CSE: KASH) (OTCQB: CRBTF) (FSE: 98AA) ("Intellabridge") is pleased to announce that it will change its ticker symbol on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) from "INTL" to "KASH". The Company expects that the common shares will begin trading on the CSE under the new symbol "KASH" at the market open October 28, 2021. The change in the ticker symbol is being made to provide greater connectivity between the "Intellabridge" corporate brand and the "Kash" product of the Company.

"We are looking forward to trading under the new 'KASH' symbol on the Canadian Securities Exchange," said John Eagleton, CEO of Intellabridge. "The new symbol is designed to align with the Company's 'Kash' product and add value for our shareholders by realizing our mission to become one of the leading neo-banking platforms based on decentralized cash."

No action is required by existing shareholders with regards to the ticker symbol change.

The Company's common shares also continue to be traded on the OTC exchange under the symbol CRBTF and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 98AA.

About Intellabridge Technology

Intellabridge Technology Corporation (CSE: INTL) (OTCQB: CRBTF) (FSE: 98AA) is a digital bank based on blockchain technologies that provides retail and institutional investors with access to decentralized financial applications with additional layers of cybersecurity and customer service. Intellabridge offers depositors self-custody services to empower them with complete transparency and control over their accounts through its institutional-grade platform. The Kash product features DeFi interest-bearing savings accounts, stablecoin checking, fiat-crypto on-ramps, synthetic stock, ETF and commodity investing, NFT powered rewards platform, and other DeFi banking services, with plans to offer debit cards, virtual cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay in a growing number of markets globally.

The Kash platform is available on web and mobile at www.kash.io. For more information on Intellabridge, visit www.intellabridge.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD of DIRECTORS

INTELLABRIDGE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

"Maria Eagleton"

Maria Eagleton, COO

To contact Intellabridge:

Website: intellabridge.com

Phone: +1-303-800-5333

Email: maria@intellabridge.com

The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). The use of any of the word "will" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward looking statements. Such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors. The Company believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/101015
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Satellos Bioscience Inc. (TSXV: MSCL) ("Satellos" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an investor relations agreement (the "Investor Relations Agreement") with BND Projects Inc. ("BND") whereby BND will provide strategic investor relations services. BND will aid the Corporation in building awareness in the financial community by introducing, maintaining and protecting relationships between the management of the Corporation and professional investors.

Subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"), the terms of the Investor Relations Agreement provide that the Corporation will pay BND a monthly fee of $10,000 (plus HST) and will be granted stock options to acquire 60,000 common shares of the Corporation at an exercise price of $1.48 per share (the "Options"). The Investor Relations Agreement commences on October 26, 2021 for an initial term of six months and will be renewed automatically on a month-to-month basis thereafter, unless otherwise terminated by the parties in accordance with the terms thereof.

The Options have been granted pursuant to the Corporation's existing 10% rolling stock option plan and Policies 3.4 and 4.4 of the TSXV. The Options will expire ten years from the date hereof and will vest at the rate of 16.67% every three months following today's date for a period of 18 months.

Pursuant to the policies of the TSXV, certain services that BND will be providing may be considered to be investor relations and promotional activities on behalf of Satellos which require disclosure in this press release.

For further information regarding Satellos Bioscience Inc., visit www.satellos.com.

About BND Projects Inc.

BND is a Canadian consulting firm based in the Greater Toronto Area and was founded by Christina Cameron. Ms. Cameron, a capital markets expert with over 20 years of experience in life science investor relations and investment banking, will be providing the services under the Investor Relations Agreement.

The Corporation and BND act at arm's length and BND has no present interest, directly or indirectly, in the Corporation or its securities, other than the Options. The fees paid by the Corporation to BND are for its services only.

About Satellos Bioscience Inc.

Satellos is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing lifechanging medicines that have the potential to correct a root cause of degenerative muscle disorders. Satellos was established in 2018 to translate the groundbreaking discoveries of its scientific founder, Dr. Michael Rudnicki, a thought leader who discovered and has shown how muscle stem cells regulate muscle repair and growth throughout life. Satellos' lead program is focused on developing an oral therapeutic drug (i.e., a pill) to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy where we have shown that the body's muscle stem cells don't produce enough muscle cell progenitors to keep up with the continuous damage caused by the disorder. Our drug development work offers hope for people living with Duchenne that a drug may have the potential to reset the body's innate ability to repair and grow muscle. To expand our programs, Satellos has created a proprietary discovery platform, MyoReGenXTM, to identify other muscle disorders where deficits in muscle stem cell regeneration can be addressed with drug treatment. For more information about Satellos' regenerative therapeutic discovery platform, development programs, or licensing opportunities please contact Ryan Mitchell, PhD, Director - Business Development at rmitchell@satellos.com or visit Satellos.com.

Cautionary Statement

This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Specifically, this press release includes, but is not limited to, forward-looking statements with respect anticipated approvals of the Investor Relations Agreement and the term thereunder. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "projects", "intends", "anticipates", or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "can", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Such statements are based on the current expectations and views of future events of the management of the Corporation, and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Although management believes that the assumptions underlying these statements are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release, may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the Corporation, including risks regarding the pharmaceutical industry, market conditions, economic factors, management's ability to manage and to operate the business of the Corporation and the equity markets generally. Although Satellos has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Satellos does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Neither the TSXV or 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.

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES

For further information:

Satellos Bioscience Inc.

Frank Gleeson

President and Chief Executive Officer

info@satellos.com

647.660.1780

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100938
COEUR D'ALENE, ID / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / Timberline Resources Corporation (OTCQB: TLRS; TSX-V: TBR) ("Timberline" or the "Company") announced today initial results from the 2021 drilling program at its 100%-controlled Eureka Project in Nevada. The Company commenced the program in July 2021, and recently resumed drilling after a ten-week hiatus due to lack of drill availability. These results are from the first five reverse circulation (RC) holes, comprising approximately 1,410 meters (4,626 feet). Timberline expects to complete at least an additional 5,200 meters (17,060 feet) of drilling before the end of December.

The first three (3) of these RC holes (BHSE-193 - 195) were step-outs that tested the extent of the Water Well Zone (WWZ), which is immediately east of the Company's Lookout Mountain gold resource (Figure 1). Each of the three new drill holes in the WWZ intersected a significant thickness of gold mineralization at the base of the Dunderberg Shale, where it was expected to occur. These results have grown the WWZ appreciably, more than doubling the surface projection "footprint" of the gold mineralization.

The most significant new intercepts in these holes include:

10.67 meters (m) at 2.36 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 301.8m depth in BHSE-194; including 6.01m at 2.98 g/t gold;

16.76m at 1.74 g/t gold from 257.6m depth in BHSE-195; including 3.05m at 4.56 g/t gold;

19.81m at 1.38 g/t gold from 248.4m depth in BHSE-193.

At present, one reverse circulation drill continues work at the WWZ and Oswego Targets. The new core drilling contractor has begun mobilizing onto the Eureka Project.

Patrick Highsmith, Timberline's President and CEO commented, "These new results are significant because they confirm an expanded footprint for this new zone of mineralization that remains open in three directions. Our 3D modeling of the Lookout Resource and the nearby targets has demonstrated that we can predict the stratigraphy much better now. The WWZ was right where we expected to encounter it. Now we are focused on developing our understanding of the controls on the +3 g/t gold mineralization that is present in every hole in the Water Well Zone so far. This is just the beginning of the 2021 drill program, so we expect to add several more holes into this new and growing zone of mineralization."

Two additional holes tested other targets farther southwest. BHSE-197 was collared near the southwest corner of the historic Lookout Pit, and it intersected numerous intervals of low-grade gold mineralization and one significant interval of 7.62m at 0.82 g/t gold from 141.7m depth.

BHSE-196 was an exploration hole testing a new target well away from known mineralization. Other than narrow intervals of anomalous gold, it did not intercept significant mineralization.

Geology and Potential of the Water Well Zone

The WWZ is a downdip extension of the Lookout Mountain mineralization that was discovered by Timberline in 2015 (see Company news release dated February 14, 2015). Prior to this program, Timberline drilling has intercepted the zone six times, but two of the holes were at the margins or in a fault-attenuated interval (Table 1). The new drill holes in the zone are consistent with previously reported mineralization in thickness and in grade, and they extend the zone approximately 220m to the north-northeast and 150m to the northwest.

The WWZ has been a focus of considerable work in 2020 and 2021 because the gold grades are higher than the Lookout Mountain Resource, including a high-grade intercept from drill hole BHSE-187 reported in January 7, 2021. Seven holes passed through the entire thickness of the WWZ host horizon. In those holes, it averaged 18.9m thick with an average gold grade of 2.22 g/t. There were several intervals within those holes ranging from 3 to 7.7m thick in which the gold grade was higher than 4.5 g/t. The expanded footprint of the zone, if demonstrated to have continuity, has the potential to significantly grow the Lookout Mountain Resource.

Table 1 - Summary of Drillhole Intercepts in the Water Well Zone (2015 - 2021)

Significant intercepts based on a cutoff grade of 0.5 g/t Au

Drill Hole Azimuth () Inclination () From (m) To (m) Interval* (m) Gold (g/t) Oxide/Sulfide BH06-04** 0 -90 271.9 275.8 4.0 2.19 sulfide BHSE-152** 0 -90 312.4 317.0 4.6 4.72 sulfide BHSE-171 0 -90 301.8 323.1 21.3 2.98 sulfide including 6.1 5.55 sulfide BHSE-172 276 -81 272.8 286.4 13.6 3.59 sulfide including 7.7 5.01 sulfide BHSE-173 239 -80 286.5 306.3 19.8 2.29 sulfide BHSE-187 0 -90 265.2 297.2 32.0 1.71 sulfide including 7.6 4.49 sulfide BHSE-193 0 -90 248.4 268.2 19.8 1.38 sulfide including 4.6 2.10 sulfide BHSE-194 0 -90 301.8 312.4 10.7 2.36 sulfide including 4.6 3.20 sulfide BHSE-195 0 -90 257.6 272.8 15.2 1.87 sulfide including 3.0 4.56 sulfide Avg Drilled Thickness at Weighted Average Grade*** 18.9 2.22 italics - diamond core hole (BH06-04 and BHSE-172) underlined - new results reported in this news release. * - drillhole thickness, believed to be close to true thickness, but true thickness is not yet known. ** - incomplete drill testing of WWZ target horizon *** - calculated average drill intercept of holes passing through the entire WWZ (bold intercepts)

The WWZ occupies a favorable horizon at the basal contact of the Dunderberg Shale with the Hamburg Dolomite (Figure 2). At this horizon, Timberline geologists have noted significant multi-staged collapse brecciation that likely accounts for the development of porosity and permeability. The mineralizing fluids exploited this horizon, evidenced by associated intense silicification, sulfidation, and carbonaceous replacement. The resulting jasperoid contains abundant fine sooty pyrite and oftentimes, the arsenic sulfide minerals orpiment and realgar. The shale and limestone above the gold mineralization often demonstrate calcite veining that passes into zones of argillic alteration. The dolomite below the contact is usually pervasively oxidized, weakly mineralized and decalcified and, in many areas, completely "sanded" by removal of all interstitial calcite. Jasperoid is present as irregular pods and masses of silicification along the contact with the Dunderberg Shale, replacing beds and forming locally cross-cutting veins and veinlets.

The heart of the Lookout Mountain resource occurs in the Dunderberg Shale near an easterly dipping fault termed the Highwall Fault. As the rock units also dip to the east, the mineralization in the WWZ is downdip of the main resource. From the cross-sectional view, the WWZ is open downdip to the east and it will likely tie into the main resource area updip to the west, but more drilling is needed. The Dunderberg host horizon is well understood and the 2021 drilling has successfully intercepted mineralization approximately where expected. However, the controls on the higher-grade gold in the WWZ are not yet understood. There are numerous faults crossing the area, forming a graben to the east that also hosts a large IP chargeability anomaly (Figure 1 and Figure 2). More drilling is needed to infill the WWZ and test various targets that may host the higher-grade part of the system.

A north-south long section view of the WWZ is shown in Figure 3. In this perspective, the drilled intercepts of the WWZ now span approximately 220 meters from south to north, more than double the long axis of the mineralization defined by the 2020 drilling. And the WWZ mineralization remains open to the north and south. The remainder of the 2021 drill program includes several holes testing the zone to the north, south, and west. At least two of the remaining holes in the area are planned to be drilled with core.

The gold mineralization in the WWZ is consistent with the geochemistry of Carlin-type gold deposits. It is generally highly enriched in arsenic, antimony, and thallium, but it is low in silver and only weakly enriched in zinc and lead. Mineralization is also very consistent once passing into the WWZ, rarely including gold grades of individual samples below 1.0 g/t.

Drilling Details

The current drill program will make use of both reverse circulation and diamond core drilling, but approximately 60% of the meterage will be RC drilling. Timberline has engaged a specialist drilling consultant to assist with contract negotiation, consumables, drilling muds, support equipment, and sampling procedures. The details of the first five holes are included in Table 2.

Table 2 - Details for Initial Five RC Holes of 2021 Eureka Project Drill Program

Drillhole Inclination (degrees) Easting (meters) Northing (meters) Total Depth* (meters) Estimated Step-out** (meters) BHSE - 193 -90 586,378 4,363,118 342.9 70 BHSE - 194 -90 586,444 4,363,054 341.4 150 BHSE - 195 -90 586,467 4,363,148 281.9 120 BHSE - 196 -90 585,825 4,362,536 227.1 n/a BHSE - 197 -90 586,013 4,362,867 216.4 n/a * Drilling and sampling conducted in feet. Intervals are converted from feet to meters for reporting. ** Approximate distance from collar location to northernmost WWZ drill intercept

The sample recovery during the RC drilling program to date has been very good, and the gold grades have compared well between field duplicates, with few exceptions. Most of the drilling at the Water Well Zone is below the water table, so there is the possibility for loss of fine-grained material during RC drilling, which has been shown to under-report gold grade in other studies of RC drilling in Nevada. For this reason, Timberline will be targeting more diamond core holes into the heart of the WWZ during November and December.

Sampling Methodology, Chain of Custody, Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Collection of reverse circulation samples was completed under the supervision of a Company representative. Personnel from Timberline or the drilling contractors transported the samples to Timberline's secure Eureka facility, from which the samples were picked up by personnel from ALS USA Inc. (ALS) for sample preparation in Elko, Nevada. Quality control was monitored by the insertion of numerous blind certified standard reference materials, field duplicates, and blanks into each sample shipment. Drill samples were assayed by ALS for gold by fire assay of a 30-gram charge with an AA or ICP-ES finish (ALS code Au-AA23). The overlimits for gold samples assaying above 10 g/t were determined by a 30-gram fire assay with gravimetric finish. In addition, gold mineralized samples were submitted for multi-element analysis (33 elements) by four-acid digestion and ICP-ES determination (code ME-ICP61).

Steven Osterberg, Ph.D., P.G., Timberline's Vice President Exploration, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this release. Dr. Osterberg is not independent of the Company as he is an officer.

About Timberline Resources

Timberline Resources Corporation is focused on delivering high-grade Carlin-Type gold discoveries at its district-scale Eureka Project in Nevada. The Eureka Property includes the historic Lookout Mountain and Windfall mines in a total property position of approximately 24 square miles (62 square kilometers). The Lookout Mountain Resource was reported in compliance with Canadian NI 43-101 in an Updated Technical Report on the Lookout Mountain Project by Mine Development Associates, Effective March 1, 2013, filed on SEDAR April 12, 2013 (see Cautionary Note to US Investors below).

Resource Category Tonnage (million short tons) Grade (oz/ton) Grade (grams/tonne) Contained Au (troy oz) Measured 3.04 0.035 1.2 106,000 Indicated 25.90 0.016 0.6 402,000 Inferred 11.71 0.012 0.41 141,000

The Company is also operator of the Paiute Joint Venture Project with Nevada Gold Mines in the Battle Mountain District. These properties lie on the prolific Battle Mountain-Eureka gold trend. Timberline also controls the Seven Troughs Project in northern Nevada, which is one of the state's highest-grade former gold producers. Timberline controls over 43 square miles (111 square kilometers) of mineral rights in Nevada. Detailed maps and mineral resources estimates for the Eureka Project and NI 43-101 technical reports for its projects may be viewed at http://timberlineresources.co/.

Timberline is listed on the OTCQB where it trades under the symbol "TLRS" and on the TSX Venture Exchange where it trades under the symbol "TBR".

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Patrick Highsmith"

President and CEO

Tel: 208-664-4859

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors: The terms "mineral resource," "measured mineral resource," "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource," as used on Timberline's website and in its news releases are Canadian mining terms that are defined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). These Canadian terms are not defined terms under United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Industry Guide 7 and are normally not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC by U.S. registered companies. The SEC permits U.S. companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. Accordingly, note that information describing the Company's "mineral resources" is not directly comparable to information made public by U.S. companies subject to reporting requirements under U.S. securities laws. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in the Company's Form 10-K which may be secured from the Company, or online at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.

Forward-looking Statements: Statements contained herein that are not based upon current or historical fact are forward-looking in nature and constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements reflect the Company's expectations about its future operating results, performance and opportunities that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the advancement of projects, the footprint and continuity of mineralization, the growth of resources, and exploration potential. When used herein, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "upcoming," "plan," "target", "intend", "growth opportunity" and "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to Timberline Resources Corporation, its subsidiaries, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to risks involving forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in the Company's business and other factors, including risk factors discussed in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2020. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Timberline Resources Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669865/Timberlines-New-Drilling-at-the-Eureka-Gold-Project-Significantly-Expands-the-Water-Well-Zone


Boeing Reports Third-Quarter Results

CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Continued progress on global safe return to service of 737 MAX and focus on operational stability

Revenue of $15.3 billion , GAAP loss per share of ($0.19) and core (non-GAAP)* loss per share of ($0.60)

Operating cash flow of ($0.3) billion ; cash and marketable securities of $20.0 billion

Commercial Airplanes backlog of $290 billion and added 93 net orders

Table 1. Summary Financial Results Third Quarter Nine Months (Dollars in Millions, except per share data) 2021 2020 Change 2021 2020 Change Revenues $15,278 $14,139 8% $47,493 $42,854 11% GAAP Earnings/(Loss) From Operations $329 ($401) NM $1,269 ($4,718) NM Operating Margin 2.2% (2.8)% NM 2.7% (11.0)% NM Net Loss ($132) ($466) NM ($126) ($3,502) NM Loss Per Share ($0.19) ($0.79) NM ($0.10) ($6.10) NM Operating Cash Flow ($262) ($4,819) NM ($4,132) ($14,401) NM Non-GAAP* Core Operating Earnings/(Loss) $59 ($754) NM $461 ($5,773) NM Core Operating Margin 0.4% (5.3)% NM 1.0% (13.5)% NM Core Loss Per Share ($0.60) ($1.39) NM ($1.72) ($7.88) NM *Non-GAAP measure; complete definitions of Boeing's non-GAAP measures are on page 6, "Non-GAAP Measures Disclosures."

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] reported third-quarter revenue of $15.3 billion, driven by higher commercial airplanes and services volume. GAAP loss per share of ($0.19) and core loss per share (non-GAAP)* of ($0.60) primarily reflects higher commercial volume (Table 1). Boeing recorded operating cash flow of ($0.3) billion.

"We are driving stability across our operations, investing in our future and positioning our teams to deliver for our customers as the market recovers," said Boeing President and Chief Executive Officer David Calhoun. "Commercial market demand continues to gain traction with broad-based vaccine distribution and border protocols beginning to open. Going forward, supply chain capacity and global trade will be key drivers of our industry and the broader economy's recovery. Our portfolio across commercial, defense, space and services is well positioned, and we're focused on improving performance, while advancing technologies and digital manufacturing capabilities to drive our next generation of products and a sustainable future."

Table 2. Cash Flow Third Quarter Nine Months (Millions) 2021 2020 2021 2020 Operating Cash Flow ($262) ($4,819) ($4,132) ($14,401) Less Additions to Property, Plant & Equipment ($245) ($262) ($758) ($1,038) Free Cash Flow* ($507) ($5,081) ($4,890) ($15,439) *Non-GAAP measure; complete definitions of Boeing's non-GAAP measures are on page 6, "Non-GAAP Measures Disclosures."

Operating cash flow improved to ($0.3) billion in the quarter, reflecting higher commercial deliveries, higher order receipts, and lower expenditures (Table 2). Operating cash flow was also favorably impacted by a $1.3 billion income tax refund in the quarter.

Table 3. Cash, Marketable Securities and Debt Balances Quarter-End (Billions) Q3 21 Q2 21 Cash $9.8 $8.2 Marketable Securities1 $10.2 $13.1 Total $20.0 $21.3 Debt Balances: The Boeing Company, net of intercompany loans to BCC $60.9 $62.1 Boeing Capital, including intercompany loans $1.5 $1.5 Total Consolidated Debt $62.4 $63.6 1 Marketable securities consists primarily of time deposits due within one year classified as "short-term investments."

Cash and investments in marketable securities decreased to $20.0 billion, compared to $21.3 billion at the beginning of the quarter, primarily driven by debt repayment and operating cash outflows (Table 3). Debt was $62.4 billion, down from $63.6 billion at the beginning of the quarter due to the repayment of maturing debt.

Total company backlog at quarter-end was $367 billion.

Segment Results

Commercial Airplanes

Table 4. Commercial Airplanes Third Quarter Nine Months (Dollars in Millions) 2021 2020 Change 2021 2020 Change Commercial Airplanes Deliveries 85 28 204% 241 98 146% Revenues $4,459 $3,596 24% $14,743 $11,434 29% Loss from Operations ($693) ($1,369) NM ($2,021) ($6,199) NM Operating Margin (15.5)% (38.1)% NM (13.7)% (54.2)% NM

Commercial Airplanes third-quarter revenue increased to $4.5 billion primarily driven by higher 737 deliveries, partially offset by lower 787 deliveries. Third-quarter operating margin improved to (15.5) percent primarily due to higher deliveries (Table 4).

Boeing is continuing to make progress on the global safe return to service of the 737 MAX. Since the FAA's approval to return the 737 MAX to operations in November 2020, Boeing has delivered more than 195 737 MAX aircraft and airlines have returned more than 200 previously grounded airplanes to service. 31 airlines are now operating the 737 MAX, safely flying over 206,000 revenue flights totaling more than 500,000 flight hours (as of October 24, 2021). The 737 program is currently producing at a rate of 19 per month and continues to progress towards a production rate of 31 per month in early 2022, and the company is evaluating the timing of further rate increases.

The company continues to focus 787 production resources on conducting inspections and rework and continues to engage in detailed discussions with the FAA regarding required actions for resuming delivery. The current 787 production rate is approximately two airplanes per month. The company expects to continue at this rate until deliveries resume and then return to five per month over time. The low production rates and rework are expected to result in approximately $1 billion of abnormal costs, of which $183 million was recorded in the quarter.

Commercial Airplanes secured orders for 70 737 MAX, 24 freighter, and 12 787 airplanes. Commercial Airplanes delivered 85 airplanes during the quarter and backlog included over 4,100 airplanes valued at $290 billion.

Defense, Space & Security

Table 5. Defense, Space & Security Third Quarter Nine Months (Dollars in Millions) 2021 2020 Change 2021 2020 Change Revenues $6,617 $6,848 (3)% $20,678 $19,478 6% Earnings from Operations $436 $628 (31)% $1,799 $1,037 73% Operating Margin 6.6% 9.2% (28)% 8.7% 5.3% 64%

Defense, Space & Security third-quarter revenue decreased to $6.6 billion and third-quarter operating margin decreased to 6.6 percent, primarily due to a $185 million earnings charge on the Commercial Crew program driven by the second uncrewed Orbital Flight Test now anticipated in 2022 and the latest assessment of remaining work.

During the quarter, Defense, Space & Security secured awards for five P-8A Poseidon aircraft for the German Navy and four CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters for the U.S Army, as well as a Joint Direct Attack Munition contract for the U.S. Air Force. Defense, Space & Security also conducted the MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueling of a U.S. Navy E-2D and F-35C, and delivered a total of 37 aircraft during the quarter, including the first CH-47F Chinook to the Royal Australian Army.

Backlog at Defense, Space & Security was $58 billion, of which 33 percent represents orders from customers outside the U.S.

Global Services

Table 6. Global Services Third Quarter Nine Months (Dollars in Millions) 2021 2020 Change 2021 2020 Change Revenues $4,221 $3,694 14% $12,037 $11,810 2% Earnings from Operations $644 $271 138% $1,616 $307 426% Operating Margin 15.3% 7.3% 110% 13.4% 2.6% 415%

Global Services third-quarter revenue increased to $4.2 billion and third-quarter operating margin increased to 15.3 percent primarily driven by higher commercial services volume. Operating margin was also favorably impacted by lower severance costs and mix of products and services.

During the quarter, Global Services captured orders for 12 additional 737-800 converted freighters for BBAM, an award for performance-based logistics support of the global C-17 fleet, and a modification award for Chinook infra-red suppression systems for the U.K. Armed Forces. Global Services also announced a partnership to expand capacity for 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighters and was selected to provide training to the United Aviate Academy.

Additional Financial Information

Table 7. Additional Financial Information Third Quarter Nine Months (Dollars in Millions) 2021 2020 2021 2020 Revenues Boeing Capital $71 $71 $209 $205 Unallocated items, eliminations and other ($90) ($70) ($174) ($73) Earnings/(Loss) from Operations Boeing Capital $42 $30 $99 $47 FAS/CAS service cost adjustment $270 $353 $808 $1,055 Other unallocated items and eliminations ($370) ($314) ($1,032) ($965) Other income, net $30 $119 $419 $325 Interest and debt expense ($669) ($643) ($2,021) ($1,458) Effective tax rate 57.4% 49.6% 62.2% 40.1%

At quarter-end, Boeing Capital's net portfolio balance was $1.8 billion. The earnings from FAS/CAS service cost adjustment primarily reflects an increase in the CAS discount rate driven by pension relief provisions in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Interest and debt expense increased due to higher debt balances. The change in other income was driven by a pension settlement charge recorded during the quarter. The third quarter 2021 effective tax rate primarily reflects a lower pre-tax loss compared to the prior period, as well as benefits from R&D tax credits.

Non-GAAP Measures Disclosures

We supplement the reporting of our financial information determined under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States of America (GAAP) with certain non-GAAP financial information. The non-GAAP financial information presented excludes certain significant items that may not be indicative of, or are unrelated to, results from our ongoing business operations. We believe that these non-GAAP measures provide investors with additional insight into the company's ongoing business performance. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related GAAP measures, and other companies may define such measures differently. We encourage investors to review our financial statements and publicly-filed reports in their entirety and not to rely on any single financial measure. The following definitions are provided:

Core Operating Earnings, Core Operating Margin and Core Earnings Per Share

Core operating earnings is defined as GAAP earnings from operations excluding the FAS/CAS service cost adjustment. The FAS/CAS service cost adjustment represents the difference between the Financial Accounting Standards (FAS) pension and postretirement service costs calculated under GAAP and costs allocated to the business segments. Core operating margin is defined as core operating earnings expressed as a percentage of revenue. Core earnings per share is defined as GAAP diluted earnings per share excluding the net earnings per share impact of the FAS/CAS service cost adjustment and Non-operating pension and postretirement expenses. Non-operating pension and postretirement expenses represent the components of net periodic benefit costs other than service cost. Pension costs, comprising service and prior service costs computed in accordance with GAAP are allocated to Commercial Airplanes and BGS businesses supporting commercial customers. Pension costs allocated to BDS and BGS businesses supporting government customers are computed in accordance with U.S. Government Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), which employ different actuarial assumptions and accounting conventions than GAAP. CAS costs are allocable to government contracts. Other postretirement benefit costs are allocated to all business segments based on CAS, which is generally based on benefits paid. Management uses core operating earnings, core operating margin and core earnings per share for purposes of evaluating and forecasting underlying business performance. Management believes these core earnings measures provide investors additional insights into operational performance as they exclude non-service pension and post-retirement costs, which primarily represent costs driven by market factors and costs not allocable to government contracts. A reconciliation between the GAAP and non-GAAP measures is provided on pages 13-14.

Free Cash Flow

Free cash flow is GAAP operating cash flow reduced by capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment. Management believes free cash flow provides investors with an important perspective on the cash available for shareholders, debt repayment, and acquisitions after making the capital investments required to support ongoing business operations and long term value creation. Free cash flow does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures as it excludes certain mandatory expenditures such as repayment of maturing debt. Management uses free cash flow as a measure to assess both business performance and overall liquidity. Table 2 provides a reconciliation of free cash flow to GAAP operating cash flow.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "should," "expects," "intends," "projects," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "targets," "anticipates," and similar expressions generally identify these forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include statements relating to our future financial condition and operating results, as well as any other statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations and assumptions that we believe to be reasonable when made, but that may not prove to be accurate. These statements are not guarantees and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from these forward-looking statements. Among these factors are risks related to: (1) the COVID-19 pandemic and related industry impacts, including with respect to our operations, our liquidity, the health of our customers and suppliers, and future demand for our products and services; (2) the 737 MAX, including the timing and conditions of remaining 737 MAX regulatory approvals, lower than planned production rates and/or delivery rates, and increased considerations to customers and suppliers; (3) general conditions in the economy and our industry, including those due to regulatory changes; (4) our reliance on our commercial airline customers; (5) the overall health of our aircraft production system, planned commercial aircraft production rate changes, our commercial development and derivative aircraft programs, and our aircraft being subject to stringent performance and reliability standards; (6) changing budget and appropriation levels and acquisition priorities of the U.S. government; (7) our dependence on U.S. government contracts; (8) our reliance on fixed-price contracts; (9) our reliance on cost-type contracts; (10) uncertainties concerning contracts that include in-orbit incentive payments; (11) our dependence on our subcontractors and suppliers, as well as the availability of raw materials; (12) changes in accounting estimates; (13) changes in the competitive landscape in our markets; (14) our non-U.S. operations, including sales to non-U.S. customers; (15) threats to the security of our or our customers' information; (16) potential adverse developments in new or pending litigation and/or government investigations; (17) customer and aircraft concentration in our customer financing portfolio; (18) changes in our ability to obtain debt financing on commercially reasonable terms and at competitive rates; (19) realizing the anticipated benefits of mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures/strategic alliances or divestitures; (20) the adequacy of our insurance coverage to cover significant risk exposures; (21) potential business disruptions, including those related to physical security threats, information technology or cyber-attacks, epidemics, sanctions or natural disasters; (22) work stoppages or other labor disruptions; (23) substantial pension and other postretirement benefit obligations; and (24) potential environmental liabilities.

Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

Contact: Investor Relations: Matt Welch or Keely Moos (312) 544-2140 Communications: Michael Friedman media@boeing.com

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) Nine months ended

September 30 Three months ended

September 30 (Dollars in millions, except per share data) 2021 2020 2021 2020 Sales of products $39,224 $34,656 $12,552 $11,402 Sales of services 8,269 8,198 2,726 2,737 Total revenues 47,493 42,854 15,278 14,139 Cost of products (35,166) (36,001) (11,271) (10,910) Cost of services (6,771) (6,817) (2,288) (2,185) Boeing Capital interest expense (25) (33) (7) (10) Total costs and expenses (41,962) (42,851) (13,566) (13,105) 5,531 3 1,712 1,034 Income/(loss) from operating investments, net 195 (61) 120 (14) General and administrative expense (3,169) (2,989) (1,097) (955) Research and development expense, net (1,571) (1,871) (575) (574) Gain on dispositions, net 283 200 169 108 Earnings/(loss) from operations 1,269 (4,718) 329 (401) Other income, net 419 325 30 119 Interest and debt expense (2,021) (1,458) (669) (643) Loss before income taxes (333) (5,851) (310) (925) Income tax benefit 207 2,349 178 459 Net loss (126) (3,502) (132) (466) Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest (67) (49) (23) (17) Net loss attributable to Boeing Shareholders ($59) ($3,453) ($109) ($449) Basic loss per share ($0.10) ($6.10) ($0.19) ($0.79) Diluted loss per share ($0.10) ($6.10) ($0.19) ($0.79) Weighted average diluted shares (millions) 587.3 566.3 589.0 566.6

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Unaudited) (Dollars in millions, except per share data) September 30

2021 December 31

2020 Assets Cash and cash equivalents $9,764 $7,752 Short-term and other investments 10,231 17,838 Accounts receivable, net 2,247 1,955 Unbilled receivables, net 10,009 7,995 Current portion of customer financing, net 76 101 Inventories 81,897 81,715 Other current assets, net 2,664 4,286 Total current assets 116,888 121,642 Customer financing, net 1,795 1,936 Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $20,442 and $20,507 11,113 11,820 Goodwill 8,070 8,081 Acquired intangible assets, net 2,631 2,843 Deferred income taxes 74 86 Investments 963 1,016 Other assets, net of accumulated amortization of of $916 and $729 5,312 4,712 Total assets $146,846 $152,136 Liabilities and equity Accounts payable $10,151 $12,928 Accrued liabilities 18,974 22,171 Advances and progress billings 51,269 50,488 Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt 5,377 1,693 Total current liabilities 85,771 87,280 Deferred income taxes 1,185 1,010 Accrued retiree health care 3,957 4,137 Accrued pension plan liability, net 11,435 14,408 Other long-term liabilities 1,722 1,486 Long-term debt 57,042 61,890 Total liabilities 161,112 170,211 Shareholders' equity: Common stock, par value $5.00 - 1,200,000,000 shares authorized; 1,012,261,159 shares issued 5,061 5,061 Additional paid-in capital 8,796 7,787 Treasury stock, at cost - 424,789,354 and 429,941,021 shares (52,030) (52,641) Retained earnings 38,551 38,610 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (14,818) (17,133) Total shareholders' deficit (14,440) (18,316) Noncontrolling interests 174 241 Total equity (14,266) (18,075) Total liabilities and equity $146,846 $152,136

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Nine months ended

September 30 (Dollars in millions) 2021 2020 Cash flows - operating activities: Net loss ($126) ($3,502) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used by operating activities: Non-cash items - Share-based plans expense 677 165 Treasury shares issued for 401(k) contribution 951 Depreciation and amortization 1,610 1,668 Investment/asset impairment charges, net 72 317 Customer financing valuation adjustments (3) 12 Gain on dispositions, net (283) (200) Other charges and credits, net (82) 912 Changes in assets and liabilities - Accounts receivable (280) 125 Unbilled receivables (2,010) 56 Advances and progress billings 781 428 Inventories 508 (9,653) Other current assets 279 319 Accounts payable (3,565) (3,303) Accrued liabilities (3,168) 967 Income taxes receivable, payable and deferred 1,011 (2,404) Other long-term liabilities (168) (149) Pension and other postretirement plans (731) (556) Customer financing, net 170 108 Other 225 289 Net cash used by operating activities (4,132) (14,401) Cash flows - investing activities: Property, plant and equipment additions (758) (1,038) Property, plant and equipment reductions 385 275 Acquisitions, net of cash acquired (6) Contributions to investments (27,902) (25,846) Proceeds from investments 35,664 9,772 Other 6 14 Net cash provided/(used) by investing activities 7,389 (16,823) Cash flows - financing activities: New borrowings 9,822 42,362 Debt repayments (11,049) (8,792) Stock options exercised 36 31 Employee taxes on certain share-based payment arrangements (47) (169) Dividends paid (1,158) Net cash (used)/provided by financing activities (1,238) 32,274 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents, including restricted (34) 26 Net increase in cash & cash equivalents, including restricted 1,985 1,076 Cash & cash equivalents, including restricted, at beginning of year 7,835 9,571 Cash & cash equivalents, including restricted, at end of period 9,820 10,647 Less restricted cash & cash equivalents, included in Investments 56 83 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $9,764 $10,564

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Summary of Business Segment Data (Unaudited) Nine months ended

September 30 Three months ended

September 30 (Dollars in millions) 2021 2020 2021 2020 Revenues: Commercial Airplanes $14,743 $11,434 $4,459 $3,596 Defense, Space & Security 20,678 19,478 6,617 6,848 Global Services 12,037 11,810 4,221 3,694 Boeing Capital 209 205 71 71 Unallocated items, eliminations and other (174) (73) (90) (70) Total revenues $47,493 $42,854 $15,278 $14,139 Earnings/(loss) from operations: Commercial Airplanes ($2,021) ($6,199) ($693) ($1,369) Defense, Space & Security 1,799 1,037 436 628 Global Services 1,616 307 644 271 Boeing Capital 99 47 42 30 Segment operating earnings/(loss) 1,493 (4,808) 429 (440) Unallocated items, eliminations and other (1,032) (965) (370) (314) FAS/CAS service cost adjustment 808 1,055 270 353 Earnings/(loss) from operations 1,269 (4,718) 329 (401) Other income, net 419 325 30 119 Interest and debt expense (2,021) (1,458) (669) (643) Loss before income taxes (333) (5,851) (310) (925) Income tax benefit 207 2,349 178 459 Net loss (126) (3,502) (132) (466) Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest (67) (49) (23) (17) Net loss attributable to Boeing Shareholders ($59) ($3,453) ($109) ($449) Research and development expense, net: Commercial Airplanes $817 $1,107 $293 $321 Defense, Space & Security 530 494 193 164 Global Services 80 110 30 45 Other 144 160 59 44 Total research and development expense, net $1,571 $1,871 $575 $574 Unallocated items, eliminations and other: Share-based plans ($171) ($80) ($29) ($37) Deferred compensation (86) 34 8 (39) Amortization of previously capitalized interest (66) (69) (22) (19) Research and development expense, net (144) (160) (59) (44) Eliminations and other unallocated items (565) (690) (268) (175) Sub-total (included in core operating loss) (1,032) (965) (370) (314) Pension FAS/CAS service cost adjustment 576 773 192 260 Postretirement FAS/CAS service cost adjustment 232 282 78 93 FAS/CAS service cost adjustment 808 1,055 $270 $353 Total ($224) $90 ($100) $39

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Operating and Financial Data (Unaudited) Deliveries Nine months ended

September 30 Three months ended

September 30 Commercial Airplanes 2021 2020 2021 2020 737 179 12 66 3 747 4 2 2 1 767 24 20 11 6 777 20 15 6 5 787 14 49 - 13 Total 241 98 85 28 Defense, Space & Security AH-64 Apache (New) 19 18 4 7 AH-64 Apache (Remanufactured) 42 44 11 12 CH-47 Chinook (New) 12 19 6 4 CH-47 Chinook (Renewed) 5 3 1 2 F-15 Models 11 3 3 - F/A-18 Models 15 14 4 5 KC-46A Tanker 7 10 3 4 P-8 Models 11 9 5 3 Total backlog (Dollars in millions) September 30

2021 December 31

2020 Commercial Airplanes $289,644 $281,588 Defense, Space & Security 58,435 60,847 Global Services 18,781 20,632 Unallocated items, eliminations and other 248 337 Total backlog $367,108 $363,404 Contractual backlog $348,193 $339,309 Unobligated backlog 18,915 24,095 Total backlog $367,108 $363,404

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures

(Unaudited)

The tables provided below reconcile the non-GAAP financial measures core operating earnings/(loss), core operating margin, and core loss per share with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, earnings/(loss) from operations, operating margin, and diluted loss per share. See page 6 of this release for additional information on the use of these non-GAAP financial measures.

(Dollars in millions, except per share data) Third Quarter 2021 Third Quarter 2020 $ millions Per Share $ millions Per Share Revenues 15,278 14,139 Earnings/(loss) from operations (GAAP) 329 (401) Operating margin (GAAP) 2.2% (2.8)% FAS/CAS service cost adjustment: Pension FAS/CAS service cost adjustment (192) (260) Postretirement FAS/CAS service cost adjustment (78) (93) FAS/CAS service cost adjustment (270) (353) Core operating earnings/(loss) (non-GAAP) $59 ($754) Core operating margin (non-GAAP) 0.4% (5.3)% Diluted loss per share (GAAP) ($0.19) ($0.79) Pension FAS/CAS service cost adjustment ($192) (0.33) ($260) (0.46) Postretirement FAS/CAS service cost adjustment (78) (0.13) (93) (0.16) Non-operating pension expense (29) (0.05) (84) (0.16) Non-operating postretirement expense (6) (0.01) 10 0.02 Provision for deferred income taxes on adjustments 1 64 0.11 90 0.16 Subtotal of adjustments ($241) ($0.41) ($337) ($0.60) Core loss per share (non-GAAP) ($0.60) ($1.39) Weighted average diluted shares (in millions) 589.0 566.6 1 The income tax impact is calculated using the U.S. corporate statutory tax rate.

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures

(Unaudited)

The tables provided below reconcile the non-GAAP financial measures core operating earnings/(loss), core operating margin, and core loss per share with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, earnings/(loss) from operations, operating margin, and diluted loss per share. See page 6 of this release for additional information on the use of these non-GAAP financial measures.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / Skeena Resources Limited (TSX:SKE)(OTCQX:SKREF) ("Skeena" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has received listing authorization from the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") and has filed a Form 40-F ("40-F") with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Company expects to begin trading on the NYSE on November 1, 2021 under ticker symbol "SKE". The Company's common shares will continue trading on the TSX under ticker symbol "SKE".

Concurrent with the start of trading on the NYSE, Skeena's common shares will cease trading on the OTC Markets. Shareholders are not required to take any action.

About Skeena

Skeena Resources Limited is a Canadian mining exploration and development company focused on revitalizing the past-producing Eskay Creek gold-silver mine located in Tahltan Territory in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company released a Prefeasibility Study for Eskay Creek in July 2021 which highlights an open-pit average grade of 4.57 g/t AuEq, an after-tax NPV5% of C$1.4B, 56% IRR, and a 1.4-year payback at US$1,550/oz Au. Skeena is currently completing both infill and exploration drilling to advance Eskay Creek to full Feasibility by Q1 2022.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Skeena Resources Limited,

Walter Coles Jr.

President & CEO

Contact Information

Investor Inquiries: info@skeenaresources.com

Office Phone: +1 604 684 8725

Company Website: www.skeenaresources.com

The scientific and technical information in this press release was approved by Paul Geddes, P.Geo., a Qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 and Vice President, Exploration and Resource Development for the Company.

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

Certain statements made and information contained herein may constitute "forward looking information" and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to the Company and there is no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by such terms as "anticipates", "believes", "targets", "estimates", "plans", "expects", "may", "will", "could" or "would". Forward-looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and other matters. While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Skeena Resources Limited.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669842/Skeena-to-Commence-Trading-on-the-NYSE
Dieppe, New Brunswick--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Colibri Resource Corporation (TSXV: CBI) ("Colibri" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on preparations being completed for Phase 1 of its previously announced two-Phase, up to 10,000 metres ("m"), Reverse Circulation ("RC") drill program at the Evelyn Gold project. Current work includes geological mapping and sampling and the construction of drill access roads and drill pads. A highlight of the mapping and sampling includes an assay result from a grab sample of 24 g/t Au and 9.9 g/t Ag.

Field Work Update

Geological mapping and sampling continues on the Evelyn property with the objectives of refining drill targets, following-up on Induced Polarization ("IP") results and interpretations, and to generally fill-in gaps in the property wide geological mapping coverage. Recent mapping has been focused on establishing the distribution of a Proterozoic metamorphic unit at El Sahuaro target area and sampling of a narrow vein has returned a value of 24 g/t Au with 9.9 g/t Ag. Other, samples of veins from the metamorphic unit at and near the contact with the Jurassic volcanic rocks include 9.84 g/t Au, 5.58 g/t Au, and 3.0 g/t Au. Previous sampling from the immediate area includes multiple high-grade samples (e.g. 44.9 g/t Au and 39.6 g/t Au) from narrow veins hosted by the metamorphic unit. Samples characterized by disseminated pyrite from the area are consistently anomalous and the Company will be evaluating this target for bulk mineable mineralization characterized by higher grade veins and veinlets within pyrite bearing lower grade host rocks.

Illustration 1: Samples Map at El Sahuaro on Topography

To view an enhanced version of Illustration 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4269/101016_a80c4e6d44e8aa4a_001full.jpg

Road Construction Update

The Company has nearly completed remediation of access roads to and within the Evelyn property. These repairs are required to support trucks carrying RC drill equipment after what has been a heavy rainy season in northern Sonora. The road work is expected to be completed within the next few days and subsequently the preparation of drill access roads and drill pads will start. The Company anticipates drilling to begin upon the completion of prioritized drill pads. The fully funded drill program of up to 10,000 metres is expected to be conducted in two phases.

Illustration 2 - Road Repairs at Evelyn Gold Project

To view an enhanced version of Illustration 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4269/101016_a80c4e6d44e8aa4a_002full.jpg

Evelyn Geology

The Evelyn Gold Project is an Orogenic-type gold target located in the Caborca Gold Belt of northwestern Sonora. The property is located approximately 25 kilometres ("km") east of La Herradura, Mexico's largest open pit gold mine, which produced 425,288 ounces of gold in 2020 at an average grade of 0.77 grams per tonnes ("g/t") Au and is also approximately 9 km northeast of the Noche Buena mine which produced 87,988 ounces Au at an average grade of 0.52 g/t Au in 2020. The setting and style of mineralization at Evelyn is similar to that reported from La Herradura and Noche Buena. Higher grade mineralization on the Evelyn property consists of quartz veins and veinlets, ranging from 2 - 3 centimeters up to 1.5 m hosted by fault and fracture zones with minor oxidized pyrite, iron oxide, copper bearing oxide and carbonate minerals, and locally minor to trace amounts of galena, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite. Alteration of the host rocks includes iron bearing carbonate minerals, quartz, sericite, and chlorite. Lower grade mineralization is associated with altered volcanic rocks containing minor amounts of oxidized sulfide. Mineralization is hosted dominantly by Jurassic volcanic rocks consisting of andesite and rhyolite.

Drill Plan and Exploration Model

Based largely on the distribution of anomalous and higher-grade assay results from surface and trench exposures coincident with magnetic gradients and lineaments and with structures identified through geological mapping, the Company interprets the El Sahuaro and Cerro Rojo as the priority target areas on the property and, as previously reported both are characterized by anomalous to high grade surface sampling coincident with chargeability and resistivity anomalies. The first phase of the drill program (up to 5,000 m of drilling) will be based largely on surface mapping and sampling with down-dip projection being supported by inversion modelling of both the magnetic and IP datasets.

The exploration model being developed by the Company relates the mineralization consisting of higher-grade veins and veinlets hosted by altered and sulphide bearing lower grade volcanic rocks, to north-northeast trending stratigraphy and layer-parallel fault zones and southeast striking, moderately southwest dipping fault zones.

Qualified Person

Jamie Lavigne, P. Geo and a Director for Colibri is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release.

ABOUT COLIBRI RESOURCE CORPORATION:

Colibri is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company listed on the TSX-V (CBI) and is focused on acquiring and exploring prospective gold & silver properties in Mexico. The Company has six exploration projects of which five currently have exploration programs being executed 2021 and 2022. The flagship Evelyn Gold Project is 100% owned and explored by Colibri. The Company has four additional projects, Pilar Gold & Silver Project (optioned to Tocvan Ventures - (CSE: TOC)), El Mezquite Gold & Silver Project, Jackie Gold & Silver Project, and the Diamante Gold & Silver Project (subject to earn-in agreements by Silver Spruce Resources - (TSXV: SSE)) are also currently being actively advanced.

For more information about all Company projects please visit: www.colibriresource.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains "forward-looking statements". Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be accurate.

For information contact: Ronald J. Goguen, President, Chairperson and Director, Tel: (506) 383-4274, rongoguen@colibriresource.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/101016
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (CSE: API) (OTCQB: APAAF) (FSE: A0I.F) (FSE: A0I.MU) (FSE: A0I.BE) (the "Company" or "Appia") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a letter agreement (the "Agreement") with Red Cloud Securities Inc. ("Red Cloud") to act as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively, the "Underwriters") pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase for resale any combination of the following securities for aggregate gross proceeds of C$6,000,000 (the "Offering"):

Flow-through units of the Company (each, a " FT Unit ") at a price of C$0.90 per FT Unit; and

") at a price of C$0.90 per FT Unit; and FT Units to be sold to charitable purchasers (the "Charity FT Units") at a price of C$1.00 per Charity FT Unit, subject to the minimum purchase for resale of 5,000,000 Charity FT Units for minimum gross proceeds of C$5,000,000.

The FT Units and Charity FT Units shall collectively be referred to as the "Offered Securities".

Each FT Unit and Charity FT Unit will consist of one common share of the Company to be issued as a "flow-through share" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (each, a "FT Share") and one half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each whole Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one Warrant Share at a price of C$1.10 at any time on or before that date which is 24 months after the Closing Date (as herein defined).

The Company has granted to the Underwriters an option (the "Over-Allotment Option"), exercisable up to 48 hours prior to the closing of the Offering, to purchase for resale any combination of FT Units and Charity FT Units at their respective offering prices for additional gross proceeds of up to C$1,000,000.

Proceeds from the sale of FT Shares will be used to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" as defined in subsection 66.1(6) of the Income Tax Act and "flow through mining expenditures" as defined in subsection 127(9) of the Income Tax Act ("Qualifying Expenditures"). Such proceeds will be renounced to the subscribers with an effective date not later than December 31, 2021, in the aggregate amount of not less than the total amount of gross proceeds raised from the issue of FT Shares.

The Offering is scheduled to close on or around November 17, 2021 (the "Closing Date" or "Closing") and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange. The FT Shares and Warrant Shares will have a hold period of four months and one day from the closing date of the Offering.

The Underwriters will receive an aggregate cash fee equal to 7% of the gross proceeds from the Offering, including in respect of any exercise of the Over-Allotment Option. In addition, the Company will grant the Underwriters, on the date of Closing, broker warrants (the "Broker Warrants") equal to 7% of the total number of FT Units and Charity FT Units sold under the Offering, including in respect of any exercise of the Over-Allotment Option. Each Broker Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one broker unit comprising one common share and one half of a Warrant at an exercise price equal to $0.90 for a period of 24 months following the Closing Date.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Offered Securities, nor shall there be any sale of the Offered Securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The Offered Securities being offered will not be, and have not been, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, a U.S. person.

About Appia

Appia is a Canadian publicly-listed company in the uranium and rare earth element sectors. The Company is currently focussing on delineating high-grade critical rare earth elements, gallium and uranium on the Alces Lake property, as well as exploring for high-grade uranium in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Loranger, North Wollaston, and Eastside properties. The Company holds the surface rights to exploration for 83,706 hectares (206,842 acres) in Saskatchewan. The Company also has a 100% interest in 12,545 hectares (31,000 acres), with rare earth element and uranium deposits over five mineralized zones in the Elliot Lake Camp, Ontario.

Appia has 108.1 million common shares outstanding, 128.4 million shares fully diluted.

For more information, visit Appia's website at www.appiaenergy.ca.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: this News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or including the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward- looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact:

Tom Drivas, CEO and Director: (cell) 416-876-3957, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) appia@appiaenergy.ca

Frederick Kozak, President: (cell) 403-606-3165 or (email) fkozak@appiaenergy.ca

Frank van de Water, Chief Financial Officer and Director: (tel) 416-546-2707, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) fvandewater@rogers.com

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/101017
Nomination highlights Scientist.com's innovative legal framework

Scientist.com, the pharmaceutical industry's leading R&D marketplace, announced today that it's been shortlisted in the Outstanding Innovation Collaboration category for the British Legal Awards. Designed to enable medical researchers to spend more time on science and less on paperwork, the company's legal framework is now used by most major pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations (CROs).

"We have created a pharmaceutical industry legal standard that helps thousands of medical researchers do faster science," stated Kevin Lustig, PhD, CEO and Founder of Scientist.com. "By eliminating legal, finance and operational bottlenecks, the Scientist.com marketplace empowers medical researchers in their search for new life-changing cures."

Scientist.com has completed over $900M in sales over the past 7 years under its unique legal framework, which involves a pre-established direct contractual relationship between buyer and seller. The legal framework proved particularly useful during the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was an urgent need for scientific researchers to collaborate across the globe quickly and efficiently.

Winners of the British Legal Awards will be announced at an in-person event on November 17, 2021. For a full list of nominees visit https://www.event.law.com/legalweek-british-legal-awards/2021-shortlist

About Scientist.com

Scientist.com is the pharmaceutical industry's leading AI-powered marketplace for outsourced R&D. The marketplace simplifies R&D sourcing, saves time and money, reduces risk and provides access to the latest innovative tools and technologies. Scientist.com operates private enterprise marketplaces for most of the world's major pharmaceutical companies, over 80 biotechnology companies and the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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TORONTO, ON and NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / GlobeX Data Ltd. (OTCQB:SWISF)(CSE:SWIS)(FRA:GDT) ("GlobeX" or the "Company"), the leader in Swiss hosted secure communications and secure data management, is pleased announce that it has secured firm commitments of CA$1.5 million in equity financing in the form of Units.

Each Unit consists of one common share (a "Share") priced at CA$0.40 per share, and one-half of one share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Full Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase a Common share at a price of $0.80 per share for a two-year term (the "Warrant Term"). The offering has been is fully subscribed and is now closed.

The proceeds of the financing will be allocated to continue to accelerate the marketing of the Company's Sekur encrypted email and messaging solution to the US market and for general purposes, and to spread awareness of the Company and its goals as a publicly listed company, to the general public and the investment community.

The Company will issue another press release once all the regulatory filings have been submitted and will disclose all details in relations to the final amount raised, and any fees paid to third parties, if any.

Alain Ghiai, CEO of GlobeX Data said: "As we have started to embark on a big marketing push for our privacy and security solutions, we also are planning to get the message of the Company and what it stands for to the investment community globally, and specifically in North America. We have received strong interest from qualified investors to participate in a private placement round before year end. As markets are favorable at this time for such a placement, which is already over-subscribed, we have decided to top up our treasury and proceed with this small private placement. We are grateful to all our shareholders and our customers who are supporting us by subscribing daily to SEKUR , and purchasing our security on the Canadian, American and German stock exchanges. We will continue to increase our media exposure in the USA as we build our brand as a publicly listed company engaged in providing privacy and security to all our supporters and shareholders out there."

Sekur , which includes SekurMessenger as part of a bundle of email, messaging and file transfer into one app solutions, includes the Company's latest SekurMail technology, which includes proprietary anti-phishing and privacy feature called SekurSend . SekurSend  lets a user send an email to any other recipient, whether they have Sekur or not, in full privacy and security as the email never leaves Sekur 's encrypted email servers based in Switzerland. The recipient can then click on the notification and reply in the same manner using SekurReply  , without the recipient having to register for a Sekur account. The sender can also decide to protect any email sent by adding a password to open it, a read-limit and a self-destruct timer as well. Sending an email with the SekurSend  feature allows the senders and recipients to add limitless size attachments to the emails without crowding the recipients' email box. This also eliminates BEC attacks for businesses and email phishing attacks. Additionally, SekurMail includes full control of email delivery, automatic data export for large Enterprises and an automatic Data Loss Prevention technology ("DLP") with real time continuous archiving.

Recent data breaches in messaging applications and in particular in the WhatsApp application have created a certain urgency for businesses and data privacy advocates to protect their communications form cyber-attacks and identity theft via mobile and desktop devices.

SekurMessenger eliminates many of the privacy and security risks by not only not requiring a phone number, which would divulge a user's phone device ID, but also by not social engineering a user's phone or computer contact list and infecting the contacts by default as well, eliminating a huge loophole in security and privacy. SekurMessenger issues each user a username and a SM number. The SM number is the contact ID a user would disclose in order for other SM users to be added. The service comes with a self-destruct timer and other features as well, including GlobeX's proprietary VirtualVaults and HeliX technologies with all data stored in Swiss hosted encrypted servers.

Additionally, SekurMessenger now comes with a proprietary feature and technology called Chat by Invites. This feature allows a SekurMessenger user ("SM user") invite a non-SM user, or a group of non-SM users, to chat in a fully private and secure way, without the recipient ever having to register to SekurMessenger or download the app. At the end of the chat, the initiator of the conversation can remotely terminate the conversation and all traces of the conversation are deleted from all users, including the recipient. This unique feature is now fully deployed and functional on all iOS and Android devices and web platforms. The target sectors are numerous, including but not limited to real estate, legal, financial, government, energy, mining, manufacturing, trade and medical sectors.

GlobeX's Data privacy solutions are all hosted in Switzerland, protecting users' data from any outside data intrusion requests. In Switzerland, the right to privacy is guaranteed in article 13 of the Swiss Federal Constitution. The Federal Act on Data Protection ("FADP") of 19 June 1992 (in force since 1993) has set up a strict protection of privacy by prohibiting virtually any processing of personal data which is not expressly authorized by the data subjects. The protection is subject to the authority of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner.

Under Swiss federal law, it is a crime to publish information based on leaked "secret official discussions." In 2010 the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland found that IP addresses are personal information and that under Swiss privacy laws they may not be used to track Internet usage without the knowledge of the individuals involved.

About GlobeX Data Ltd.

GlobeX Data Ltd. is a Cybersecurity and Internet privacy provider of Swiss hosted solutions for secure communications and secure data management. The Company distributes a suite of encrypted e-mails, and secure communication tools, secure cloud-based storage, disaster recovery and document management. GlobeX Data Ltd. sells its products directly through its websites, through its approved wholesalers and distributors, and telecommunications companies worldwide. GlobeX Data Ltd. serves consumers, businesses and governments worldwide.

On behalf of Management

GLOBEX DATA LTD.

Alain Ghiai

President and Chief Executive Officer

+1.416.644.8690

corporate@globexdata.com

For more information, please contact GlobeX Data at corporate@globexdatagroup.com or visit us at https://globexdata.com .

For more information on Sekur visit us at: https://www.sekur.com .

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "achieve", "could", "believe", "plan", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "outlook", "expect", "project" and similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guaranteeing future performance. GlobeX cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond GlobeX's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the future of the Company's business; the success of marketing and sales efforts of the Company; the projections prepared in house and projections delivered by channel partners; the Company's ability to complete the necessary software updates; increases in sales as a result of investments software development technology; consumer interest in the Products; future sales plans and strategies; reliance on large channel partners and expectations of renewals to ongoing agreements with these partners; anticipated events and trends; the economy and other future conditions; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in GlobeX's prospectus dated May 8, 2019 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available on www.sedar.com. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, GlobeX undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

SOURCE: GlobeX Data Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669851/GlobeX-Data-Secures-15-million-Canadian-Dollars-in-Financing-Commitments
The collaboration will produce a comprehensive clinical research program in major depressive disorder and schizophrenia, building upon Boehringer Ingelheim's circuitry-based approach to precision psychiatry and further solidifies commitment to provide better treatments for people living with serious mental health conditions.

Together, Boehringer Ingelheim and King's College London aim to identify more patient-specific biomarkers, improving the development of therapies for cognitive impairment.

Boehringer Ingelheim and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London today announced a new collaboration focused on understanding the malfunctions in brain circuits that drive impaired cognition in people with major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia (SZ). The study will aim to connect individual symptoms to specific brain-circuit dysfunctions, and will inform the development of novel therapies that target the underlying neurobiological processes of individual behavioral traits.

"We are delighted to collaborate with King's IoPPN, a leading institute for research in psychiatry", said Dr Vikas Mohan Sharma, Head of Medicine CNS, Retinopathies Emerging Areas at Boehringer Ingelheim. "This collaboration will advance our understanding to better assess cognition and those biomarkers linked to cognitive deterioration in people with major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. We look forward to jointly creating opportunities to accelerate future clinical trials and the development of treatments for the many people impacted by psychiatric disorders."

The partners plan to conduct four clinical studies to assess the behaviors of people with MDD and SZ in their home environments as well as during their study center visits where the activation of brain circuits triggered by cognitive tasks will be mapped. The unique study design includes, beyond standard clinical assessments, a battery of cognitive tasks, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), polysomnography, patient functioning assessment through virtual reality tools and digital biomarkers to monitor speech and sleep habits.

"King's College London has a long-standing focus on advancing the understanding of brain circuits responsible for cognition deficits in both psychiatric and neurological disorders," said Professor Steven Williams, project lead and Head of Department of Neuroimaging at King's IoPPN. "Working with Boehringer Ingelheim, a research-driven company with vast experience in central nervous system drug discovery and clinical development, will allow us to enlist their expertise in clinical study design, enable new therapeutic concepts and better clinical trials of individual patient populations."

Neuropsychiatric disorders affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide and can impact people's health and their ability to learn and work. Cognition is a fundamental aspect of everyday life, including problem-solving, memory and attention. When affected, people living with poor cognition can have a reduced mental ability to process information, remember straightforward things or perceive other people's emotions and expressions. These malfunctions are common across many forms of mental disorders. Although antipsychotic medications have evolved in the 1990s since their introduction, treatment options have otherwise remained mostly unchanged. This is at least partly due to the lack of breakthrough therapies to treat severe mental health issues. Finding solutions for cognitive impairment is a key area of Boehringer Ingelheim's innovative mental health research. The company has built a comprehensive development program in this area including two ongoing phase II trials and a recent first-of-its-kind phase III start for its novel glycine transporter-1 (GlyT1) inhibitor. The clinical study of GlyT1 is an example for the potential development of new therapeutic concepts based on better understanding of which brain circuits are relevant for cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia.

Boehringer Ingelheim's Intended Audiences Notice

This press release is issued from our Corporate Headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany and is intended to provide information about our global business. Please be aware that information relating to the approval status and labels of approved products may vary from country to country, and a country-specific press release on this topic may have been issued in the countries where we do business.

Please click on the following link for 'Notes to Editors' and 'References':

http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/collaboration-kings-college-london

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005533/en/

Contacts:

Media Contacts

Sarah Soetbeer

Boehringer Ingelheim Corporate Center GmbH

Communications Public Affairs

P: +49 (6132) 77-183874

press@boehringer-ingelheim.com

Linda Ruckel

Associate Director, Media and Corporate Reputation

Boehringer Ingelheim U.S.

Media PR

P: +1 203-791-6672

press@boehringer-ingelheim.com

Patrick O'Brien

Senor Media Officer

Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology Neuroscience, King's College London

Media PR

P: +44 (0)20-7848-5377

Patrick.1.obrien@kcl.ac.uk
95 global innovation leaders take part in new report presented at an event co-organized by IESE Business School, Acciona and Cardumen Capital

The new study, including 100+ examples, sheds light on how corporations can better innovate with startups via enablers such as VC investors, research centers, private accelerators, and more

The 9th Open Innovation Conference, hosted at IESE in Madrid, brings together chief innovation officers, corporate investors, and innovation leaders from Airbus, Santander Bank, BBVA, Acciona, Cardumen Capital, Telefonica, Decathlon, Mutua Madrilena, among others

Authored by IESE Business School, in collaboration with Acciona and Cardumen Capital, a new report is released today about corporate venturing the collaboration between established companies and startups, a phenomenon globally growing at speed.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005555/en/

Speakers and authors at the 9th Open Innovation Conference with the new study. (Photo: IESE Business School)

As it opens the doors on innovation, it's bringing more players in. In corporate venturing, "enabler" institutions, such as universities and venture capital firms, are increasingly key: they help established companies join forces with startups and benefit in return, offering distinct advantages from independent knowledge to opportunity deal-flow, cost de-risking, and network effects.

Authored by IESE's Josemaria Siota and Ma Julia Prats, in collaboration with Vittoria Emanuela Bria, Acciona's Telmo Perez and Cardumen Capital's Gonzalo Martinez de Azagra, the study aims to shed light on how to unlock hidden opportunities for corporations by knowing their roles, which types could be most valuable to different firms, and how to craft a compelling value proposition for the two institutions.

Download the report: https://ieseinsight.com/doc.aspx?id=2454&idioma=2

As corporate venturing turns to institutional enablers, six categories have become apparent:

Knowledge institutions, including research centers, university departments and think tanks. Boosting institutions. Namely, private incubators and accelerators that support entrepreneurs by providing space, technology infrastructure and other types of assistance. Investment institutions that fund startups, including business angels, venture capitalists (VC) and private equity firms. Public institutions, including government branches and embassies. Business institutions, including other large corporations, even competitors, as well as chambers of commerce. Service institutions -- i.e., consultancy firms offering specialized innovation support.

Based on 95 interviews with innovation leaders in companies across four continents, the report identifies the most salient benefits of enablers in their view. Topping the list is "independent knowledge"(in 32% of the cases) because of the rapid evolution of trends such as venture clients as a service, fund-of-funds and excubators, combined with the complexity involved in understanding deep tech startups. Next in line is "opportunity deal flow"(in 26% of the cases), an area which is increasingly critical as scouting suppliers have proliferated and identifying opportunities before competitors do is becoming more challenging.

The report also finds that enabling institutions benefit in return from their interactions with corporations. Interviewees highlighted companies' "domain expertise" (in 29% of cases) and their "business applicability" knowledge (in 17% of cases) as some of the main benefits. Lastly, it showcases the relevant of corporations working together to innovate with startups, also called corporate venturing squads.

The report is being released as part of IESE's 9th Open Innovation Conference, held on October 27 at the new building of IESE's Madrid campus. The conference brings together chief innovation officers, corporate investors, and innovation leaders from companies such as Airbus, Santander Bank, BBVA, Acciona, Cardumen Capital, Telefonica, Decathlon, Mutua Madrilena and Business Insider.

The gathering counted on the support of the dissemination partners Amazon Web Services for Startups, Endeavor, Madrid Innovation Driven Ecosystem, Embassy of Spain in Tel Aviv, Impact Hub, Madrid City Council, ICEX, Chamber of Commerce of Madrid, The Collider, Global Shapers, and ASCRI.

Access the agenda of the conference: https://bit.ly/3BS7P1j

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005555/en/

Contacts:

Media Inquiries:

Mallory Dees

IESE Business School

mdees@iese.edu
300MW Renewable hydrogen production Sites to Start operation in 2025 and an initiative Seeks to start the development of a 1GW production site

LATHAM, N.Y. and NANTES, France, Oct. 27, 2021, a pioneer producer and supplier of renewable and ecological hydrogen, today announced an partnership to jointly pursue and develop green hydrogen generation plants throughout Europe. The initiative seeks to generate a total hydrogen capacity of 300MW by 2025, and to start the development of a 1GW production site.

The agreement builds upon the working relationship already established between the two companies earlier this year. In that project, Plug Power's hydrogen electrolyzer technology will provide 1MW of capacity to the world's first offshore hydrogen production facility, developed by Lhyfe and powered by electricity from a floating wind turbine off the coast of Le Croisic, at SEM-REV, Centrale Nantes' offshore test site, which will be operational by 2022.

Executives from Plug Power and Lhyfe gathered today in Paris, France, at Hyvolution 2021, where they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining their respective roles and responsibilities, and their goals for the years ahead.

"We're thrilled to expand our work with Lhyfe, bringing the green hydrogen revolution throughout Europe," said Andy Marsh, CEO for Plug Power. "The team at Lhyfe have bold ambitions and capabilities that align with our own vision for a decarbonized future, and ability to scale hydrogen infrastructure quickly. In North America, we've already built a robust 'hydrogen highway,' which includes 165 hydrogen fueling stations and stationary power for businesses and institutions, a success we plan to replicate in Europe."

Plug Power is the largest buyer of liquid hydrogen globally and has been present in Europe for more than 10 years. The company has made significant progress in deploying hydrogen applications with key European industrials, logistics customers and vehicle manufacturers, including its joint venture with Renault called HYVIA. Plug Power has installed several PEM technology solutions in Germany, France, The Netherlands, Italy and Portugal, and recently announced the launch of its European headquarters in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

"We are very proud of the confidence that a player such as Plug Power has in our determination and ability to produce totally clean hydrogen," said Matthieu Guesne, CEO and founder of Lhyfe. "Thanks to this partnership, we will be able to rely on Plug Power's cutting-edge technology to deploy numerous hydrogen production sites onshore and offshore, in Europe but also in North America, which has particularly important decarbonization needs, in particular to replace the fossil fuel products that are still extracted and consumed on a massive scale."

Lhyfe is a world leader in the industrial production of renewable green hydrogen. In September, the company inaugurated the world's first industrial production site for renewable hydrogen in direct connection with a wind farm. It will inaugurate the world's first offshore renewable hydrogen production site on the SEM-REV offshore test site in 2022. Lhyfe is deploying some 60 projects in Europe for mobility and industry.

As part of today's announcement, Plug Power and Lhyfe will pursue opportunities to jointly develop green hydrogen generation plants throughout Europe, generated with state-of-the-art PEM electrolysis technology and supplied with electrical power from renewable energy sources. The new initiative will primarily serve on-road and off-road mobility applications. Finally, the two parties will also consider working together to co-develop a US-based offshore wind electrolyzer plant.

About Plug Power

Plug Power is building the hydrogen economy as the leading provider of comprehensive hydrogen fuel cell turnkey solutions. The Company's innovative technology powers electric motors with hydrogen fuel cells amid an ongoing paradigm shift in the power, energy, and transportation industries to address climate change and energy security, while meeting sustainability goals. Plug Power created the first commercially viable market for hydrogen fuel cell technology. As a result, the Company has deployed over 50,000 fuel cell systems for e-mobility, more than anyone else in the world, and has become the largest buyer of liquid hydrogen, having built and operated a hydrogen highway across North America. Plug Power delivers a significant value proposition to end-customers, including meaningful environmental benefits, efficiency gains, fast fueling, and lower operational costs. Plug Power's vertically-integrated GenKey solution ties together all critical elements to power, fuel, and provide service to customers such as Amazon, BMW, Ikea, Carrefour, and Walmart. The Company is now leveraging its know-how, modular product architecture and foundational customers to rapidly expand into other key markets including zero-emission on-road vehicles, robotics, and data centers.

www.plugpower.com.

Plug Power Safe Harbor Statement

This communication contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve significant risks and uncertainties about Plug Power Inc.("PLUG"), including but not limited to statements about the expected commercial release in 2022 and expected additional vehicle prototypes. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in these statements. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of PLUG in general, see PLUG's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the "Risk Factors" section of PLUG's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2021 and June 30, 2021. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and PLUG undertakes no obligation to update such statements as a result of new information.

About Lhyfe

Founded in 2017 in Nantes

Plug Power Media Contact

Caitlin Coffee

Allison + Partners

plugPR@allisonpr.com

Lhyfe Media Contact

Clemence Rebours - +33
Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed Danavation Technologies Corp. (OTCQB: DVNCF) ("the Company"), a Canadian-based, Internet of Things (IoT) technology company, providing micro e-paper displays to organizations across North America. CEO of the Company, John Ricci, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly.

Jolly began the interview by asking about the Company's background and current projects. "We are a software company that designs and engineers our own hardware and software in the electronic shelf label space," said Ricci. "We digitize pricing, promotion, and advertising information at the shelf," he continued.

"What have you been doing on the marketplace since the last time you were on the show?" asked Jolly. "We signed some major deals with retailers both in Canada and the US in various markets," said Ricci. "We're doing first store activation, many in Canada and in the US. We have noticed there's an appetite for these same retailers or customer base to start talking roll outs in 2022," he shared. "We're well on our way to having a real business in 2022 with a lot of multi-store activations with specific retailers."

"What are Digital Smart Labels?" asked Jolly. "They retrieve product information, pricing, and promotions through Basestations that are directed from servers off-site," explained Ricci. "So, a grocery store could have a head office and control one hundred or two hundred locations and at the click of a keystroke, change pricing or promos in real time."

"We design and engineer our own hardware and software in-house," said Ricci. "We feel that we have a really good advantage and have a legacy business that has been around for thirty years," he added. "Being able to pivot our software for specific applications makes us more than a one-dimensional company."

"We have some exciting software coming out in the next few months that is really going to wow the marketplace and give retailers something to keep customers in their stores longer and help stimulate their buys and increase sales where it matters most," shared Ricci.

"How big is the market and how do you make money?" asked Jolly. "The market is massive," said Ricci, before elaborating on numerous applicable industries for their technology. "It is a subscription," explained Ricci. "You'll pay X dollars per month for the contract and that includes hardware and software, as we add software features there will be additional costs."

Jolly then asked about the transition from paper labels to Digital Smart Labels. "We are talking about a 5% adoption rate in North America, which is really low," said Ricci. "You are getting some real educated customers and retailers, and we are doing a really good job of marketing our product," he continued. "The price point has come down," added Ricci, noting that the Company is also showing a positive ROI. "It is just not something that is going to happen overnight," he said. "We're ready for the big wave and we know it's coming."

"What excites you the most about your company's future?" asked Jolly. "We engineer and design our own software, so that is exciting," said Ricci. "The second thing is that it is a massive market," he added. "We're not just in grocery stores," said Ricci. "We're opening up other vertical markets," he explained. "We recently signed a big software deal with a big retailer and we're very proud of that."

To close the interview, Ricci encouraged listeners and shareholders to learn more about the Company's technology through their live showroom and website. He also elaborated on the Company's potential as their team continues to work diligently on their expansion and growth.

To hear John Ricci's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7968099-danavation-technologies-corp-discusses-multi-store-activations-in-2022-and-upcoming-software-dea

Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/

About Danavation

Danavation Technologies Corp. is a Canadian-based, Internet of Things (IoT) technology company, providing micro e-paper displays to organizations across North America. The Company's Digital Smart Labels, powered by IoT automation technology and software Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), enables companies across various sectors to automate labelling, price, product, and promotions in real-time, enhancing data accuracy and improving performance by removing high labour costs and low productivity associated with traditional labour-intensive workflows. By empowering the adoption of smart retail, smart cities and industry 4.0, our goal is to create a sustainable and profitable business for shareholders while advancing sound environmental, social and governance practices, including by significantly reducing paper usage. Danavation has introduced its solution to retailers across North America, including big box and boutique grocers, while also targeting new markets including healthcare providers, manufacturing, and logistics companies. Learn more about the background of Danavation and our vision for the future on our website. As well, follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube for more updates on how we are transforming the retail landscape.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information relating, the future business of the Company, potential roll outs of the Company's products and services, further business from the Company's clients, industry outlook and potential and other matters. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information since no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct.

Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

About The "Stock Day" Podcast

Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America.

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/101018
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Romios Gold Resources Inc. (TSXV: RG) (OTCQB: RMIOF) (FSE: D4R) ("Romios Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to report on the latest discovery of gold and base metal mineralization on two of the Company's ten 100%-owned claim blocks in the Golden Triangle of northwestern British Columbia that all together cover a total of 360 sq km (excluding the Newmont Lake claims currently under option to Enduro Metals Corp. - See Dec. 4, 2018 Press Release).

During a month-long field program this past summer, the exploration team discovered the most significant gold and copper mineralization to date on the North-East and North-West claim blocks. Assays are currently pending from several other claim blocks including the recently discovered Trek South porphyry Cu-Au prospect.

Highlights:

Both claim blocks are very close to the partially cleared road route to the enormous Galore Creek Cu-Au porphyry deposit(s) and are completely surrounded by Galore Creek Mining Corp. claims.

North-East Claim Block

The rapid melting of the glacier overlying the edge of the Hazelton Group rocks on the North-East claim block has now exposed a broad area of pyritic argillites/shales. This same group hosts numerous major ore deposits in the Golden Triangle, including the very high-grade Eskay Creek Au-Ag deposit.

A number of large boulders of semi-massive pyrite and minor chalcopyrite were discovered in 2021, five of which assayed 0.2% to 0.7% Cu with two also being anomalous in gold - 0.3 and 1.35 g/t Au .

with two also being anomalous in gold - . One talus boulder of quartz vein material assayed 9.4 g/t gold.

North-West Claim Block

Exploration in 2021 was focussed on areas underlain by a large pluton of the Texas Creek suite, an early Jurassic series of intrusions that host numerous gold deposits in this region including the Sulphurets, Scottie, Snip, Silbak Premier and Red Mountain deposits.

Numerous large quartz veins were found on the North-West claims, many of them 0.5 m to 1.0 m wide.

Two boulders of quartz vein material with minor pyrite assayed 5.3 and 8.9 g/t Au and a sample of a pyritic vein in outcrop assayed 5.8 g/t Au.

"The source outcrops still need to be tracked down next summer and the extent of the mineralization assessed, however, these results are the most significant mineralization discovered to date on these properties and provide ongoing encouragement in an area of favourable host rocks exposed more and more every year by the melting glaciers and snowfields," stated John Biczok, VP of Exploration.

"Romios' claims in this area cover a number of porphyry copper-gold, shear zone gold, and VMS base metal prospects concentrated near the giant Galore Creek Cu-Au porphyry deposits, owned by a Teck-Newmont Joint-Venture (Galore Creek Mining Corporation) and currently in the pre-feasibility study stage," stated Stephen Burega, President. "A number of our claim blocks are situated along the partially constructed roadway to those deposits and we continue to develop our understanding of the significant potential of these 100%-owned blocks."

Map above delineates Romios Gold's 10 claim blocks in the Golden Triangle, British Columbia

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5376/101021_09537e10a4807a47_002full.jpg

Background

Romios' North East claim block is located immediately north of the planned road route to Galore Creek and <2 km from the proposed Galore Creek mill site. The central claims are underlain by the highly prospective Lower to Middle Jurassic Hazelton Group metasediments and volcanics, the same rocks that host many important ore deposits in the Golden Triangle including the high-grade, argillite-hosted Eskay Creek-Au-Ag deposit, Brucejack Au mine and Red Chris Cu-Au mine. The rapid melting of the glacier overlying the edge of the Hazelton Group rocks has now exposed a broad area of pyritic argillites/shales where Romios' crew discovered a number of large boulders of semi-massive pyrite and minor chalcopyrite, five of which assayed 0.2% to 0.7% Cu with two also being anomalous in gold - 0.3 and 1.35 g/t Au. Two boulders also contained significantly elevated values of antimony (216 and 2700 ppm Sb) and silver (8.3 and 14.8 g/t Ag) and one contained 430 ppm Co. One talus boulder of quartz vein material assayed 9.4 g/t gold.

Romios' North West claim block is located 10 km SW of Galore Creek and the claims are traversed by the cleared route for the proposed mine access road. Exploration in 2021 was focused on areas underlain by a large pluton of the Texas Creek suite, an early Jurassic series of intrusions that host numerous gold deposits in this region including the Sulphurets, Scottie, Snip, Silbak Premier and Red Mountain deposits. Numerous large quartz veins were found on the North West claims during this brief program, many of them 0.5 m to 1.0 m wide. Two boulders of quartz vein material with minor pyrite assayed 5.3 and 8.9 g/t Au and a sample of a pyritic vein in outcrop assayed 5.8 g/t Au. Veins without any sulphides proved to be barren. Large areas of the pluton upslope from the mineralized veins remains unexplored and will be targeted in 2022.

QA/QC

The samples discussed in this document were grab samples considered representative of the veins and boulders being sampled. They were submitted to the ISO/IEC 17025 accredited ALS Canada Ltd. laboratories in Terrace and Vancouver, BC for assay and multi-element analyses. As a matter of procedure, a rigorous quality assurance and quality control program was implemented to ensure reliable assay results by inserting alternating blanks and commercial assay standards at approximately every 10th position in the sample series.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by John Biczok, P. Geo., VP-Exploration for Romios Gold and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. In addition to his extensive experience with several major mining companies exploring for a wide variety of ore deposit types across Canada and India, Mr. Biczok spent 12 years conducting exploration and research at the Musselwhite gold mine in NW Ontario.

About Romios Gold Resources Inc.

Romios Gold Resources Inc. is a progressive Canadian mineral exploration company engaged in precious- and base-metal exploration, focused primarily on gold, copper and silver. It has a 100% interest in the Lundmark-Akow Lake gold-copper property in northwestern Ontario and extensive claim holdings covering several significant porphyry copper-gold prospects in the "Golden Triangle" of British Columbia. Additional interests include two former producers, the La Corne molybdenum mine property (Quebec) and a former high-grade gold producer, the Scossa mine property (Nevada). The Company also retains an ongoing interest in several properties including a 20% carried interest in five claim blocks in the Thunder Bay silver district of northwestern Ontario and a 2% NSR on the Hislop gold property in Ontario.

This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or include the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements. TSX Venture Exchange or its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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.

For further information, please visit romios.com or contact:

Stephen Burega, President - 647-515-3734 or sburega@romios.com

John Biczok, P. Geo., VP of Exploration - 613-410-7877 or john.biczok@gmail.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/101021
Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed Seafarer Exploration (OTC Pink: SFRX) ("the Company"), a publicly traded underwater salvage and exploration company traded under the symbol SFRX. CEO of the Company, Kyle Kennedy, joined Stock Day host, Everett Jolly.

Jolly began the interview by asking about the Company's progress on its current projects. Kennedy shared that the Company is currently working on hull repairs on one of its ships, however expects a speedy repair within the next two weeks. "We have multiple sites that we are looking at that could all theoretically produce treasure," said Kennedy before elaborating on these sites.

Kennedy then discussed the Company's progress on their Juno Beach site where they recently discovered a significant ballast pile. "The ballast pile are rocks that are stored in the bottom of the old sailing vessels like Spanish galleons, as well as French and English ships, to stay upright," explained Kennedy. "We're just now getting into the analysis and we're also wanting to get the SeaSearcher down on top of the Juno site," he added. "We will continue to focus there and eventually DEP and CORP permits will allow us to move forward."

Jolly then asked Kennedy to elaborate on the Company's SeaSearcher technology. "There has never been equipment that could locate gold or silver; there's only been equipment that could locate iron," said Kennedy. "Our scientists built a machine that is capable of seeing gold and silver, and distinguishing metals underneath the sand, while also seeing those metals in 3D imagery," he shared. "That has never existed before."

"Where do you think your stock is going to go in a year or so without a reverse split and why?" asked Jolly. Kennedy discussed the significant value of potential treasure on the ocean floor and how only a small percentage of that amount could create a large asset valuation. With enough time and equipment, the Company could theoretically get out of the penny stock arena without a reverse split.

To close the interview, Kennedy elaborated on the Company's potential as they continue to move forward with multiple sites and using their revolutionary SeaSearcher technology.

To hear Kyle Kennedy's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7968104-seafarer-exploration-discusses-significant-ballast-pile-discovery-with-the-stock-day-podcast

Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day" and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the Company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/.

About Seafarer Exploration:

Seafarer Exploration Corp. is a publicly traded underwater salvage and exploration company traded under the symbol SFRX. The principal business of the Company is to develop the infrastructure necessary to engage in the archaeologically-sensitive research, documentation, exploration, recovery, and conservation of historic shipwrecks. The company has secured multiple sites it believes contain historic and valuable shipwrecks. The Company will use accepted archaeological methods to properly document, research and recover portions of the wrecks. Seafarer employs scientists and historians and is committed to preserving the cultural and historical significance of every wreck it finds.

Disclaimer:

The press release may include certain statements that are not descriptions of historical facts but are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements may include the description of our plans and objectives for future operations, assumptions underlying such plans and objectives, and other forward-looking terminology such as "may," "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "projects," or similar terms, variations of such terms or the negative of such terms. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made herein. Such information is based upon various assumptions made by, and expectations of, our management that was reasonable when made but may prove to be incorrect. All of such assumptions are inherently subject to significant economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies beyond our control and upon assumptions with respect to the future business decisions which are subject to change. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that actual results will meet expectation and actual results may vary (perhaps materially) from certain of the results anticipated herein.

Media Contact:

Kyle Kennedy

(813) 448-3577

About The "Stock Day" Podcast

Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America.

SOURCE:

Stock Day Media

(602) 821-1102

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/101019
Nobu Hotel, Restaurant & Residences Al Khobar

NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nobu, the global lifestyle brand founded by Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper, today revealed plans to launch a Nobu Hotel, Nobu Restaurant and Nobu Residences in the Eastern Province city of Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia by 2024.

The future mixed-use development will be developed by Al Khobar Sands Realestate Co. Ltd, jointly owned by Retal Urban Development Company, a subsidiary of the Al Fozan Group and Assayel Arabia, a subsidiary of Ali Zaid Al Quraishi and Brothers Company (AZAQ). Both Al Fozan Group and AZAQ have a solid footprint across Saudi Arabia in a multitude of industries with commitment to social welfare projects and are contributing greatly towards the Saudi Vision 2030, a transformative economic and social reform blueprint that is opening Saudi Arabia up to the world.

Nobu Hotel, Restaurant and Residences Al Khobar will be located in the waterfront area of the city, facing the Arabian Gulf. The luxury complex will offer 120 thoughtfully designed guest rooms and suites, a Nobu Restaurant on the lobby level, swimming pools, a wellness centre, and meeting and event space.

The Nobu Al Khobar Residences will offer a fully integrated and highly personalized experience combining Nobu nuances with local aesthetics to create a truly unique lifestyle, offering concierge services, in-residence Nobu dining, and priority access to Nobu events.

Yousef Al Quraishi, Chief Executive Officer AZAQ and Vice Chairman Al Khobar Sands Realestate Co. Ltd: "We are elated on our exciting partnership with Nobu, leading the vision in bringing the best of Hotels, Residences and Restaurants to Al Khobar. With this attracting people, international development and interest to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as growing our economy and improving community lifestyle in line with the Saudi Vision 2030. We are optimistic the Nobu brand will stand strong as the place to be."

Eng. Abdullah Bin Faisal Al-Braikan, CEO of Retal Urban Development Company: "We are proud to partner with key international players like Nobu to contribute to Saudi Arabia's thriving real estate scene. Partnering with leading industry names enables us to live up to our promise of offering a premium portfolio of diversified real estate assets that meet the aspirations of the next generation of Saudis. We are pleased to see international investors increasingly realising the exceptional growth opportunities that Vision 2030 continue to create in the local market."

Ahmed Al Faddagh, Managing Director Assayel Arabia: "We strive towards leading vision through value and are grateful to be part of this collaboration in bringing Nobu to Al Khobar providing the highest standards in living, hospitality and fine dining for the community while contributing to the continued development of the local economy."

H.R.H. Princess Dr Nouf bint Mohammed bin Fahad Aal Saud: "The Nobu Hotel, Restaurant and Residences Al Khobar project aligns perfectly with our development plan that Saudi Nobu is enacting for Saudi Arabia in alignment with the Saudi Vision 2030. Nobu is renowned throughout Saudi Arabia, and we are planning further developments within the region."

Trevor Horwell, Chief Executive Nobu Hospitality: "We are delighted to be partnering with Retal Urban Development Company and Assayel Arabia to deliver an exciting vision with the creation of a truly unique and transformative mixed-use destination in Saudi Arabia. As part of this, the Nobu Residences Al Khobar will deliver to the community the opportunity to live the Nobu lifestyle."

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx_wOA7JGu0
With Cyient Consulting, the company will codesign bespoke, practical, performance-based business transformation solutions for enterprises across industries to enable sustainable growth

HYDERABAD, India, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyient, a global engineering, manufacturing, and digital technology solutions company, today announced the launch of its management consulting practice under the umbrella of Cyient Consulting. This marks Cyient's first foray into this space. The global management consulting services market is expected to cross $1.2 Trillion by 2025.

Commenting on the launch, Krishna Bodanapu, Managing Director and CEO, Cyient, said, "Our move towards consulting as an offering is an important step towards executing our S3 strategy roadmap. We have been engaged with clients across industries in solving their engineering problems. The Cyient Consulting practice will allow us to leverage our engineering domain expertise to solve business critical problems for our clients. I am confident that we can add immense value with the consulting practice that will engage clients transcending functions and businesses."

Nicola Kleynhans, Global Head of Cyient Consulting, says, "We are excited to help our customers create sustainable value for their stakeholders. We will leverage industry best practices and our proven methodology to deliver business transformation across areas of organization effectiveness, board and governance, asset optimization, and digital transformation."

Cyient's consulting practice will offer the following services:

Organization Effectiveness - Support transformation for optimal effectiveness to deliver strategy and results for all stakeholders

- Support transformation for optimal effectiveness to deliver strategy and results for all stakeholders Board and Governance - Engage, develop, and adopt value-oriented governance models and frameworks to optimize their processes for an organization

- Engage, develop, and adopt value-oriented governance models and frameworks to optimize their processes for an organization Asset Optimization - Accelerate operational and asset productivity and performance by improving strategies, capabilities, processes, and systems

- Accelerate operational and asset productivity and performance by improving strategies, capabilities, processes, and systems Digital Transformation - Design and implement digital solutions to optimize technology applications

For more details about Cyient Consulting, please head to https://www.cyient.com/consulting

About Cyient

Cyient (Estd: 1991, NSE: CYIENT) is a leading global engineering, manufacturing, and digital technology solutions company. We are a Design, Build, and Maintain partner for leading organizations worldwide. We enable our customers across industries to apply technologies imaginatively to solve problems that matter and stay ahead of the curve. We are committed to designing tomorrow together with our stakeholders and being a culturally inclusive, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable organization.

For more information, please visit www.cyient.com

Follow news about the company at @Cyient

Rudra Bose Cyient Press Office - Genesis BCW +91 98116 26585 rudra.bose@genesis-bcw.com Kiran Rajani Cyient PR Team +91 98841 39184 kiran.rajani@cyient.com

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. is opening a virtual location on online game platform Roblox to celebrate the 21st year of Boorito, a fan favorite Halloween event.



With the Chipotle Boorito Maze experience, $1 million in free burritos will be available, along with access to new virtual Halloween costumes and exclusive Roblox items.



On October 31, fans can score free Chipotle through the brand's interactive Halloween experience in the metaverse and get a $5 entree with a digital-only promo code from 5 pm to close local time.



Starting October 28 at 3:30 pm PT/6:30 pm ET, customers will be able to access Chipotle's virtual restaurant location on Roblox. Each day, the first 30,000 Roblox users who visit the cashier in the virtual Chipotle restaurant in costume will receive a free burrito code for use on orders placed via Chipotle.com or the Chipotle app at participating Chipotle restaurants in the U.S. Limit one free burrito per player.



Chipotle's costumes on Roblox, which include a Chip Bag Ghost, Burrito Mummy, Spicy Devil and Guacenstein, and more, are inspired by Chipotle menu items.



The promotion will be live from October 28 to October 31, but the experience will remain open on November 1 and beyond.



For users who are not among the first 30,000 visitors to the virtual Chipotle each day, promo code 'BOORITO' can be used through the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com on Halloween to get a $5 burrito, bowl, salad, or taco entree.



The free entree codes distributed on Roblox can be redeemed on Chipotle.com and the Chipotle app through November 14.



Chris Brandt, Chief Marketing Officer at Chipotle said, 'As a digital innovator, we are always experimenting on new platforms to meet our guests where they are. Roblox's popularity has boomed over the past year, and we know our fans will be excited to celebrate the next evolution of Boorito in the metaverse.'



Chipotle said its share of the proceeds from the sales of in-game items will be donated to a cause that supports young farmers.



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ROBLOX-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
Steven Lehrer's 40 years of Biotech experience enhances the board of advisors with expertise in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and biosimilar R&D.

His appointment continues to demonstrate the Company's resolve to leverage its biotech technology platform in life science-based businesses.

Vancouver, British Columbia, and Rehovot, Israel--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (CSE: BHSC) ("BioHarvest" or the "Company") announces that effective immediately, Steven Lehrer will be serving on its board of advisors. Complementing an already competent list of advisors that includes a significant array of expertise, Steven brings 40 years of experience in life science-based businesses to the Company.





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"I am excited to join the board of advisors of BioHarvest," said Steven Lehrer. "I strongly believe in the potential of the proprietary BioFarming technology to make a significant impact on multiple verticals of the life science-based businesses. I look forward to working with my fellow advisors as well as with the Company's Board and management to realize this potential."

Ilan Sobel, CEO of BioHarvest, said: "Steven's extensive experience in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and biosimilar R&D, regulatory, operations and commercialization will be a great addition to the board of advisors. At this critical phase of the Company's growth, Steven's experience and involvement will play an important role in the Company's quest to become a Biotech leader."

DETAILED BIOGRAPHY

Steven currently sits on the Board of Directors of two life science companies, one not for profit, and is a member of the University of Maryland's Bioengineering Department Advisory Board. He provides strategy and implementation advice to several organizations on various topics from commercial efforts through operations, business development, product development, portfolio planning to the establishment of international operations. Previously Steve was Head of Biologicals at Cipla Ltd., CEO of Cipla BioTec, President of Glycominds Ltd, EVP of Adamas Pharmaceuticals Inc., CEO of GeneOs Ltd, CEO at DNA Sciences, and was a division President of Monsanto. Steven also worked with McKinsey & Co., and Proctor & Gamble Corporation.

Steven has led the development and commercialization of several biopharmaceuticals, biosimilar drugs and novel drug formulations, several genetic dagnostic tests and developed outcomes databases for bioinformatics and healthcare econometric modeling. Steven has built and run businesses in the USA, EU, Brazil, India, Japan, and SEA.

Steven has a Master's Degree from The Graduate School of Business at Harvard University, a Bachelor of Sciences in Chemical Engineering, and a Bachelor of Art in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park.

About BioHarvest Sciences Inc.

BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (CSE: BHSC) is a fast-growing Biotech firm listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. BioHarvest has developed a patented bio-cell growth platform technology capable of growing the active and beneficial ingredients in fruit and plants, at industrial scale, without the need to grow the plant itself. This technology is economical, ensures consistency, and avoids the negative environmental impacts associated with traditional agriculture. BioHarvest is currently focused on nutraceuticals and the medicinal cannabis markets. Visit: www.bioharvest.com.

BioHarvest Sciences Inc.

Ilan Sobel, Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:

Dave Ryan, VP Investor Relations & Director

Phone: 1 (604) 622-1186

Email: dave@bioharvest.com

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

YouTube

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release might include forward-looking statements that are based on management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. There is no assurance that we will achieve our objective of making our products available in multiple markets and exposing our technology to different verticals. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in expanding its technology to broader medical applications or conduct clinical trials to validate the efficacy of the Company's products for new forms of medical treatments. Clinical trials are subject to risks of significant cost overruns and lengthy delays with no assurance they will confirm desired results. Even where desired results are obtained government approvals for treatments take considerable time and cannot be guaranteed. There is no assurance the BioFarming technology will make a significant impact on multiple verticals of life -science based businesses. There is no assurance that we will achieve our objective of being a leading supplier of Cannabis. Delays and cost overruns may result in delays achieving our objectives obtaining market acceptance and regulatory approvals for geographic expansion is subject to risk and cannot be guaranteed. Projected sales of Cannabis will require the company to obtain production and / or export licensing which cannot be assured.

All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and actual results may be affected by a number of material factors beyond our control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. BHSC does not intend to update forward-looking statement disclosures other than through our regular management discussion and analysis disclosures.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100988
ISTANBUL, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Russia-Ukraine tensions, US support for Ukraine and the impact of Turkey's policy towards Ukraine policies in the region were discussed on October 24 at the Turkish National Channel's News Center program following numerous expert talks evaluating the outcomes and possible consequences of the late September meeting between Putin and Erdogan.

Emra Sen hosted the talkshow attended by the Vice President of the Vatan Party Prof. Dr. Semih Koray, Retired Air Staff Colonel Ihsan Sefa, Ufuk University Professor Prof. Dr. Sencer Imer, Journalist Deniz Berktay and the President of the Eurasian Municipalities Association Hasan Cengiz.

"The Ukraine issue clearly embroils Turkey and Russia", Dr. Sencer Imer said, adding that Turkey's hostility to Russia is 180 degrees contrary to Turkey's interests, as being involved into that operation could cause problems with the South stream pipeline, cut off the nuclear power plant in Akkuyu, and S-400s supply, weaken economic relations there and trade. "From the economic perspective we see a difficult situation in Turkey, because it has structural problems" - he highlighted.

Ihsan Sefa stated: "The United States and NATO are supporting Ukraine against Russia, so we need to move to one-way politics", reminding that Turkey has a number of agreements with Ukraine including defense cooperation ones. "We need Ukrainian technologies that were developed back in the Soviet period, for instance for our national combat aircraft. So it's not going to be very nice for us to turn against Ukraine, but we're not going to try to get Ukraine into NATO. Other countries won't want to take it anyway. At the same time, we must not lose Russia's trust by bringing this forward. We go and cooperate with Russia in Syria, then we go back to the Black Sea with Russia's enemy. These are the wrong policies".

Prof. Dr. Semih Koray, deputy leader of the Homeland Party, stated that the Black Sea would become a NATO lake if Ukraine and Georgia joined NATO: "It is not an issue between the United States and Russia, but rather an issue between the United States and the whole world. If Ukraine and Georgia are included in NATO, this will not only mean the encirclement of Russia from the south, but also the encirclement of Turkey from the north. This would affect stability, peace, development opportunities of all countries in the region".

Deniz Berktay expressed concerns about increasing NATO presence in the region. "When we look at Turkey's foreign policy, when we look at the threats to Turkey, the real threat comes from the West. NATO's weight here has increased too much, which of course is undesirable for Turkey's interests".

Concluding the discussion, Hasan Cengiz noted the importance of the Black Sea, underlining that since Ataturk it has been "the sea of peace". Talking about Crimea and related political tensions, he said: "Crimea needs some time. In 50-100 years, these issues will not be on the agenda. The world is shifting to Eurasia. You have to be careful at a time like this".

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The "Europe Pharmaceutical Logistics Market Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 2026)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The European Pharmaceutical Logistics Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 4% during the forecast period. The market growth can be seen as a result of Covid-19, with an increase in pharmaceutical product imports (USD 361 billion) and exports (USD 524 billion) in the year 2020.

Logistics is an essential segment of supply chain management. It allows the pharmaceutical sector to establish consistency as well as efficiency through the international supply chain market. The pharmaceutical sector opts for logistics for complete management of acquiring, storing, and moving the resources to the end-users as per their needs. European Association for Logistics and Transportation in Healthcare (EALTH) is one association that aims to achieve the same in Europe.

The demand for pharmaceutical logistics in Europe is mainly driven by the increase in demand for drugs and vaccines, fueled by the pandemic and increasing investments by leading pharmaceutical firms. The rising importance of fast-track assistance in the healthcare sector is a key driver for pharmaceutical logistics.

Companies in the industry are focusing on decreasing the distribution cost by creating a single source distribution channel, thus driving the growth of pharmaceutical logistics. Several companies are entering M&As to expand their geographical presence and proprietary knowledge. They are also focusing on reducing the overall packaging costs of their products.

Key Market Trends

Growing European Pharmaceutical Industry

Europe is the second-largest biopharmaceuticals market in the world. Increasing population and chronic diseases are propelling market growth. The adoption and accessibility, availability of biopharmaceuticals for the treatment and diagnosis of diseases, and awareness related to medicine raised the European market. Western Europe contains more than 33% of manufacturing facilities worldwide. Biopharma products have high efficiency with safety than other products.

The development of complex biological-based medicines and shipment of hormone treatments, vaccines, and complex proteins that require cold chain refinements result in the need for temperature-controlled transportation and warehousing. In addition, an increase in the need for effective cold chain logistics services to maintain the quality of goods fuels the growth of the market.

In June 2020, the European Commission (EC) launched the public input its proposed pharmaceutical strategy for Europe to ensure Europe's supply of safe and affordable medicines to meet patients' needs and support the European pharmaceutical industry to remain an innovator and world leader.

The strategy aims to create what the EC terms a "future-proof" system and is centered on several key themes, strategic autonomy and manufacturing of medicines, access to affordable medicines, innovation, and environmental sustainability, and health challenges.

Germany Leads the Export of Pharmaceutical Products in Europe

Germany is the largest pharmaceutical market in Europe and the fourth-largest in the world, according to Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI). The country is regarded as one of the world's leading places for pharmaceutical manufacture, and its highly skilled workforce enables pharmaceutical companies to work on more complicated and demanding goods like biosimilars while maintaining high production quality.

Germany's population of over 84 million people makes it an ideal location for clinical trials, especially those with difficult participant recruitment. With 68 commercial Phase I clinical studies started in 2018, Germany ranked fourth after the United Kingdom, China, and the United States.

Germany is the ideal location for the development and manufacture of high-quality, research-intensive products. In 2019, Germany ranked sixth in the world with 499 clinical trials funded by research-based pharmaceutical corporations. The country leads Europe in pharmaceutical innovation based on the number of patent applications. The pharmaceutical business in Germany registered 584 patents with the European Patent Office in 2018.

The total German pharmaceutical market clinic and pharmacy section had grown by over 7% to EUR 49.5 billion in 2020. Vaccines and diagnostics are also included in this section. According to an industry report, the amount by counting units, such as tablets, sachets, and injections, decreased slightly (-0.6 %) to 97.5 billion counting units. Each of the clinic and pharmacy segments saw a 6 to 7% gain in value.

The amount consumed in clinics, on the other hand, decreased by 10%, while sales in the pharmacy industry remained unchanged, according to the report. These developments are linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, as hospital operations have been postponed to make room for COVID-19 patients. Certain medications were also less needed as a result of this. All of the drug classes with the most volume in the clinic market saw reductions.

Key Topics Covered:

1 INTRODUCTION

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4 MARKET INSIGHTS

4.1 Current Market Scenario

4.2 Pharmaceutical Value Chain Supply Chain Analysis

4.3 Technological Trends

4.4 Investment Scenarios

4.5 Government Regulations and Initiatives

4.6 Insights on 3PL market in Europe (Market Size and Forecast)

4.7 Impact of Covid-19 on Pharmaceutical Logistics Market

5 MARKET DYNAMICS

5.1 Drivers

5.2 Restraints

5.3 Opportunities

5.4 Industry Attractiveness Porter's Five Forces Analysis

6 MARKET SEGMENTATION

6.1 By Product

6.1.1 Generic Drugs

6.1.2 Branded Drugs

6.2 By Mode of Operation

6.2.1 Cold Chain Transport

6.2.2 Non-Cold Chain Transport

6.3 By Application

6.3.1 Bio Pharma

6.3.2 Chemical Pharma

6.4 By Mode of Transport

6.4.1 Air Shipping

6.4.2 Rail Shipping

6.4.3 Road Shipping

6.4.4 Sea Shipping

6.5 By Country

7 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

7.1 Market Concentration Overview

7.2 Company Profiles

7.2.1 DHL Supply Chain

7.2.2 FedEx

7.2.3 Kuehne Nagel International AG

7.2.4 United Parcel Service Inc.

7.2.5 C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc.

7.2.6 CEVA Logistics

7.2.7 DB Schenker

7.2.8 Agility Logistics

7.2.9 Eurotranspharma

7.2.10 CSP

7.2.11 Trans-o-flex GmbH

7.2.12 PostNL Pharma Care

7.2.13 Astra Logistic Ltd

8 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/gmehuv

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005664/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

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Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, published today the detail of third-quarter progress on its 2021-2025 sustainability impact targets. Named as the world's most sustainable corporation 2021 by the Corporate Knights Global 100 Index, Schneider Electric had announced the acceleration of its sustainability strategy in January 2021, aligned to ongoing commitments to climate, resources, trust, equal opportunities, generations, and local communities.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005665/en/

(Photo: Business Wire)

Schneider Electric continues to engage in positive climate action with the broader business ecosystem by expanding its global sustainability consulting business, and helping organizations make meaningful decarbonization progress. Most recently, Schneider extended its climate strategy partnerships with Velux, Alfa Laval and DuPont. In addition, the ambitious Zero Carbon Project proceeds to sustainably transform Schneider's top 1,000 suppliers by halving their CO2 emissions by 2025.

"We know that addressing climate change is the defining issue of our generation, and that businesses play a key role but we also know that we must go faster if we are to avoid the worst impacts of warming this century," said Olivier Blum, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer for Schneider Electric. "By combining our own experience in sustainability with our market-leading services in decarbonization and energy strategy and action, we can escalate the transition to a cleaner, greener future."

This progress comes against the backdrop of the recent publication of the Sixth Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projecting 1.5C of global warming above pre-industrial levels by 2028-35 roughly a decade earlier than it had previously warned. This has intensified global attention in the run-up to the United Nations conferences on biodiversity (COP15) and climate (COP26) in Kunming (China) from October 12 to 15 and in Glasgow (United Kingdom) from October 31 to November 12, respectively.

The 2030 imperative: A race against timeresearch report produced by the Schneider Electric Research Institute also reiterates the urgent need to reduce emissions by rapidly decarbonizing buildings, transport, and industry with smart, green electricity and next-generation automation. Schneider Electric's proven digital technologies to help address climate change and biodiversity loss have been showcased on the World Economic Forum's Net Zero Carbon Cities Toolbox and the Global Footprint Network's 100 Days of Possibility online platforms. Example solutions and case studies include Schneider Electric's 26,000 square meter smart office park Intencity in Grenoble (France), which is home to 5,000 employees, yet only consumes 37-kilowatt hours per square meter each year nearly 10 times less energy than the average European building, thanks to rooftop solar panels, onsite wind turbines and technology to share and coordinate energy with a neighboring community microgrid.

Schneider has continued to deliver on its 2021-2025 Schneider Sustainability Impact (SSI) program including its long-term commitment to harness the power of all generations, by fostering learning, upskilling, and the development of each generation while paving the way for the next. Schneider has now trained over 300,000 young people in energy management, including recent engagement the Underprivileged Children's Educational Programs in Bangladesh.

The SSI results rounded off the third-quarter with a total score of 3.65/10, still on track to reach the full-year target set at 3.75/10.

Detailed results and highlights of the SSI program are presented in the Q3 report, which includes the overview in the image provided.

Find out more on Schneider Sustainability Impact, results and highlights:

Q3 2021 Schneider Sustainability Impact report

Q3 2021 Financial and Extra-financial document

Schneider Electric's Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG):

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Sustainability Disclosure Dashboard 2020

Latest Schneider Electric's Sustainability awards and rankings:

Schneider Electric reaches number 1 spot for sustainability in its sector by ESG rating agency Vigeo Eiris

Schneider Electric ranked #1 in Gartner's Europe Top 15 Supply Chains for 2021

Schneider Electric awarded the prestigious "Best Financial Operation of the Year in Financing Category" from Le Club des Trente

Schneider Electric retains top rankings at the Institutional Investor 2021 Awards

Schneider Electric included on Fortune's annual Change the World List

Schneider Electric receives the 2021 Transparency Award in the Extra-financial transparency category

About Schneider Electric

Schneider's purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On

Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency

We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries.

We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.

www.se.com

Discover Life Is On Follow us on: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Blog

Hashtags: LifeIsOn Sustainability SRI OurImpact

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005665/en/

Contacts:

Schneider Electric Media Relations

Global.pr@se.com



Thomas Eck, 917-797-4974

thomas.eck@se.com
Over 100 Property & Casualty insurers have chosen the combination of Smart Communications and Guidewire to deliver cloud-based customer conversations

LONDON and NEW YORK and SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 27, 2021, a leading technology company focused on helping businesses engage in more meaningful customer conversations, and Guidewire Software, Inc, today announced they have surpassed the 100 mutual customer milestone. More Guidewire customers now rely on Smart Communications to handle their customer communications than any other single Customer Communications Management (CCM) platform.



Guidewire is a global reseller partner of Smart Communications. The Smart Communications products can be more quickly implemented by taking advantage of pre-built Ready for Guidewire-validated accelerators for Guidewire InsuranceSuite - made available for download from the Guidewire Marketplace. Smart Communications has been a Guidewire PartnerConnect Solution Premier Partner since 2009, and Guidewire has been a Smart Communications reseller since 2016.

"The Smart Communications and Guidewire partnership has consistently delivered value to our mutual customers who are looking for innovative cloud solutions that enable smarter policyholder conversations across multiple channels," said James Brown, CEO of Smart Communications. "Together, our digital-first strategies have transformed the insurance industry by improving efficiency and allowing for more meaningful interactions than could ever have been possible via legacy solutions and outdated processes."

Guidewire Vice President of Solution Alliances, Becky Mattick, notes, "The Guidewire and Smart Communications alliance provides mutual customers with a seamless digital communications experience that simultaneously drives business efficiencies and allows insurers to engage, innovate and scale their customer conversations. We celebrate this tremendous milestone in our partnership and look forward to building on our success."

Some of the mutual customers who are reaping the benefits of integrating the Smart Communications platform with Guidewire InsuranceSuite include Germania Insurance, Mountain West Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company, Pekin Insurance, Safe Auto Insurance Company, Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company, Westfield Insurance, and Zurich Insurance. These insurers are improving internal efficiency and affording business users ultimate control over the creation, management, and delivery of customer correspondence. They are also leading the way in providing the digital-first, omni-channel interactions that today's tech-savvy policyholders demand as customer experience becomes the new differentiator for carriers.

Guidewire Connectionsconference attendees can visit Smart Communications at Booth P2 to learn more about how they can benefit from the out-of-the-box Ready for Guidewire accelerators connecting Smart Communications to Guidewire InsuranceSuite.

As part of its presence at Connections, Smart Communications and Mountain West Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Companywill deliver a joint session: Mountain West Delivers Value with Smart Communications on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, from 3:45pm - 4:30pm PST in the Ironwood conference room at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. They will share how leveraging Smart Communications and Guidewire Cloud, Mountain West has scaled and automated personalized policy communications that also meet compliance requirements without heavy administrative burden. For more information about Guidewire Connections 2021, visit https://connections.guidewire.com/.

About Guidewire

Guidewire is the platform P&C insurers trust to engage, innovate, and grow efficiently. ?We combine digital, core, analytics, and AI to deliver our platform as a cloud service. More than 450 insurers, from new ventures to the largest and most complex in the world, run on Guidewire. As a partner to our customers, we continually evolve to enable their success. We are proud of our unparalleled implementation track record, with 1,000+ successful projects, supported by the largest R&D team and partner ecosystem in the industry. Our marketplace provides hundreds of applications that accelerate integration, localization, and innovation. For more information, please visit www.guidewire.comand follow us on Twitter: @Guidewire_PandC

About Smart Communications

Smart Communications is a leading technology company focused on helping businesses engage in more meaningful customer conversations. Its Conversation Cloudplatform uniquely delivers personalized, omnichannel conversations across the entire customer experience, empowering companies to succeed in today's digital-focused, customer-driven world while also simplifying processes and operating more efficiently. Smart Communications is headquartered in the UK and serves more than 650 customers from offices located across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Smart Communications' Conversation Cloud platform includes the enterprise-scale customer communications management, forms transformation capabilities made possible by SmartIQand the trade documentation expertise of SmartDX. In 2021, the company acquired Assentis, a leading European software solutions provider specializing in customer communications management

Smart Communications public relations manager: Roberta Patterson, rpatterson@smartcommunications.com

Contact Info:

Adam Brett

516.320.0164

adam@crenshawcomm.com
Survey reveals frustration at the fees commanded by web designers

NOTTINGHAM, England, Oct. 27, 2021has revealed frustration among web designers over their clients' attitudes towards pricing.

The survey of 500 web designersfound 87% believe clients often underestimate the cost of web design, and only 12% think they charge enough for their work. The survey indicates that the average annual income for a full-time web designer is approximately 23,000/$32,350.

These findings place web design behind many other professional services in terms of annual earnings. The sector falls below the 29,600-31,400 UK average annual salary for full-time workers and the income commanded by other creative and tech spheres, such as graphic design at 28,900 and web development at 34,000. A career in web design is a popular choice, so there's fierce competition, driving down fees.

This high competition does foster creativity, with 43% of web designers producing web design-focused content like blogs, videos and podcasts to help stand out. Their need to keep appraised of rapidly changing technologies and design trends is clear: nine out of 10 make a conscious effort to keep up with industry developments.

On a more positive note, the survey also reveals a growing optimism amongst web designers towards the future of their industry, with 65% finding work as easy to come by as they did a year ago. This suggests that they have been relatively isolated from the rollercoaster economic effects of the lockdowns.

In fact, their outlook is very optimistic, with only 13% believing work will be more difficult to secure in the next 12 months, and 70% of those surveyed are as excited about being a web designer now as they were a year ago.

Jonathan Brealey, 20i Director, says, "I understand web designers' frustrations when it comes to their clients not appreciating the amount of work that goes into a modern website. While the 'look' of a website is important, non-technical clients may not fully grasp the complexities of performance optimisation, security and other functional elements.

"Even so, I'm happy to hear that despite this, most web designers are positive about their future in the industry and are still enjoying their work."

About 20i

20i is one of the UK's leading web hosts and domain registrars. Currently rated the #1 web host on Trustpilot and the only UK host to be rated 'Top Tier' WordPress host by Review Signal, our Reseller Hosting, WordPress Hostingand VPSare the perfect choice for agencies, businesses, freelancers and side-hustlers.

Our mission is to provide world-class hosting experiences that surpass our customers' expectations, by developing easy-to-use, intuitive and high-performance products backed by an expert support team.

To learn more about the company, visit www.20i.com. Press contact: marketing@20i.com

Related Images











Image 1: Web Designer Survey





The 20i Web Designer Survey asked web designers about wages, fees, the tech they use, how they promote themselves and much more.









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Quaterra Resources Inc. (the "Company") (TSXV: QTA) (OTCQB: QTRRF) is pleased to announce that it has awarded McClelland Laboratories, Inc. ("McClelland") a key contract to support the advancement of the MacArthur oxide copper project.

McClelland has been appointed to complete the metallurgical testing program of the 12 ton (11 tonne) representative sample collected in the 2021 drilling campaign (see news release dated October 6, 2021, "Quaterra Resources Announces Positive Assay Results at MacArthur Copper Project, Nevada and Potential for Resource Expansion"). McClelland will perform variability testing on fifteen leach columns through Q2 2022 in order to further validate the metallurgical parameters to be utilized in the MacArthur Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS").

McClelland, based in Sparks, Nevada, maintains a 44,000 square-foot facility and has been a leader in servicing the mining industry for over 33 years.

Quaterra CEO Travis Naugle states, "We are very pleased to have engaged with a leading Nevada-based contractor to advance a key aspect of the MacArthur PFS so soon after the recently announced oversubscribed private placement. We look forward to continuing with further important steps on the MacArthur oxide copper project."

About Quaterra Resources Inc.

Quaterra Resources Inc. is a copper-gold development and exploration company focused on projects with the potential to host large-scale mineral deposits attractive to major mining companies. It is advancing its MacArthur oxide copper project in the historic Yerington Copper District, Nevada. It continues to investigate opportunities to acquire prospects in North America on reasonable terms and the partnerships with which to advance them.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Stephen Goodman

President

For more information please contact:

Karen Robertson

Corporate Communications

778-898-0057

Email: info@quaterra.com

Website: www.quaterra.com

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

Technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Travis Naugle, MMSA QP, the Company's CEO and a director, and a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101.

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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100981
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Peekaboo Beans Inc. (CSE: BEAN) (OTC Pink: PBBSF) ("PK Beans" or the "Company") is pleased to share the following corporate update as it enters into Fiscal 2022.

PK Beans has a target to profitability this year and will continue to design, produce, and sell, via an omni-channel approach, their high-quality children's apparel. The Company aims to surpass a calculated break-even point of $4 million following unprecedented disruptions in the retail marketplace due to COVID-19.

PK Beans is pleased to have closed two tranches of financing as they entered Q1 of the 2022 fiscal year.

The Company would like to highlight the resiliency of the team, through the prolonged COVID-19 disruptions on all aspects of business, including operations, design, production, and inventory acquisition. With children schooling largely from home over most of 2020 and into 2021 the company took the time needed to prepare for the post pandemic boom.

The Company's sustainability initiative will continue to be a first mover in the second-hand circular economy space in Canada, participating in the second-hand marketspace expected to reach $77B by 20251 and has shown a 60% year over year growth in the initial launch of the new business model.

The Company's subscription box, Peekabeans Club, launched in Canada last year, has a $1 million objective revenue goal for its first year of launching the into the United States. Furthermore, the upcoming holiday season will see a new product expansion of Peekabeans Club, featuring soft goods, digital technology, and storytelling, as well as interactive clothing. PK Beans is a frontrunner in creating interactive clothing with an APP designed to improve bedtime routines for families.

The upcoming year will see PK Beans launch their healthy high-protein, low sugar snacks through their powerful brand expansion as a leader in total children's wellness after acquiring Les Petites Terribles in April of 2021.

By sector, the children's apparel market is estimated at $4,250M2 for 2020 in Canada. A global subscription box market is estimated to be $18.8B and is expected to grow 20% by 20263, the second-hand market size is $36B1, the Kids' food and beverage global market has a trajectory $141.7B by 20274 and an estimated Global Toys and Games Market of $98.4B5. With these market size and trends in consideration, with additional research and development, PK Beans is excited to execute on their company goals to surpass a break-even point of $4M and average margins of 37% and grow into a larger integrated and innovative whole children's wellness brand.

"PK Beans is set to become a leading innovative children's wellness brand, that engages, inspires and brings play back into the lives of children. We are a mission-based company that is focused on Happy Kids, Happy Families, and a Happy Planet and we are ready and excited to execute on our goals this year!" says Traci Costa, PK Beans Founder and CEO.

Sources

1. https://www.thredup.com/resale/size-and-impact

2. https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/apparel/childrens-apparel/canada

3. https://www.imarcgroup.com/subscription-box-market

4. "Kids' Food and Beverages - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics"

5. https://www.imarcgroup.com/toys-games-market

About Peekaboo Beans Inc.

PK Beans is an integrated and innovative children's wellness brand. From sustainable clothing options that kids love to wear, to healthy foods that fuel children's play, our mission is to provide the ingredients for a playful life. Together with our monthly adventure subscription box, consisting of interactive and engaging activities that educate and entertain, developed by an Emmy award-winning child psychologist and devoted kid-experts, our goal is to enrich, empower and nourish children through quality nutrition, clothing and play - every day. The company maximizes revenue by reaching sellers and online retailers through an omnichannel approach.

To learn more about PK Beans, visit: www.pkbeans.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Peekaboo Beans Inc.

Ms. Traci Costa, President and CEO

(604) 279-2326

For more information, please contact the Company at:

IR@pkbeans.com

1-604-279-2326

Reader Advisory

This news release may include forward-looking information that is subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward-looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking information are based on reasonable assumptions, such information is not a guarantee of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/101000
Lillywhite Award symbolizes outstanding contributions to Americans' employee benefits and economic security

NASHVILLE, TN / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / Smart , a leading global retirement technology provider, today congratulates Anne Lester, a member of Smart's U.S. Board of Directors, for being named the Lillywhite Award recipient, bestowed by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI).

The award was presented to Anne at the Pensions & Investments Defined Contribution Conference in San Diego. The award acknowledges outstanding service in enhancing Americans' employee benefits and economic security and was named after Ray Lillywhite, a pioneer in the pension field who guided state employee pension plans for decades.

The recognition was well-deserved as Anne has spent 30+ years helping Americans achieve a safe and secure retirement. Most recently, Anne served as portfolio manager and Head of Retirement Solutions for Global Asset Management Solutions at J.P. Morgan. Anne developed J.P. Morgan's SmartRetirement target-date funds and their post retirement SmartSpending funds. Before joining J.P. Morgan in 1992, Anne spent over a decade managing Public, Private, and Multi-Employer Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution plan assets before focusing exclusively on Defined Contribution research, product development and management.

Hailed as a "pioneer and innovator" by Morningstar, Anne has accomplished remarkable feats in the retirement industry including founding the Aspen Leadership Forum on Retirement Savings in partnership with AARP. The forum's goal is to find breakthrough solutions to Americans' far-reaching problem of inadequate savings.

"We could not think of anyone more deserving than Anne," said Jodan Ledford, CEO of Smart USA. "For the same reasons we found her to be instrumental in guiding Smart's vision and direction, the EBRI could not deny she last left a mark on the American employee benefits landscape and has improved financial security for many Americans."

"We congratulate Anne on this accomplishment and thank her for her dedication to reforming the future of retirement so that every individual has a more equitable chance at achieving a secure retirement," said Mark Zinkula, Chair of Smart USA Board and Independent Director on the Smart Board.

About Smart

Smart is a global savings and investments technology platform provider. Its mission is to transform retirement, savings, and financial well-being around the world.

Smart partners with governments and financial institutions (including insurers, asset managers, banks, financial advisers) to deliver retirement savings and income solutions that are digital, bespoke and cost-efficient.

In addition to the UK, Smart is operating in the USA, Europe, Australia and the Middle East with close to a million savers entrusting over $2.4 billion in assets on the platform.

Smart supports its clients with a 550 strong global team and saw 160% growth in assets on its technology platform in 2020.

Legal & General, J.P. Morgan, the Link Group, Barclays, Natixis Investment Managers and Chrysalis Investments are all investors to date in Smart.

For more information, please visit Smart.co .

Media Contact:

Jacqueline Silva

Caliber Corporate Advisers for Smart

Jacqueline@calibercorporate.com

SOURCE: Smart

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669765/Smart-US-Board-Member-Anne-Lester-Named-Lillywhite-Award-Recipient-at-Pensions-Investments-Defined-Contribution-Conference


KENILWORTH (NJ) (dpa-AFX) - Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) said Wednesday that it has signed a voluntary licensing deal with the UN-backed Medicines Patent Pool to facilitate affordable global access for molnupiravir, an investigational oral COVID-19 antiviral medicine for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults who are at risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization.



Merck noted that the agreement will help create broad access for molnupiravir use in 105 low- and middle-income countries following appropriate regulatory approvals.



Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics are jointly developing molnupiravir.



As per the terms of the deal, Medicines Patent Pool, through the license granted by Merck, will be permitted to further license non-exclusive sublicenses to manufacturers and diversify the manufacturing base for the supply of quality-assured or WHO-prequalified molnupiravir to countries covered by the MPP License, subject to local regulatory authorization.



Merck, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Emory University will not receive royalties for sales of molnupiravir under the agreement for as long as COVID-19 remains classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization.



Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics recently announced the submission of an Emergency Use Authorization application for molnupiravir to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are actively working with additional regulatory agencies worldwide.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

MERCK & CO-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
To: Indicated 137Mozs AgEq or 2.3Blbs ZnEq: 42.1Mozs Ag, 358Mlbs Pb, and 895Mlbs Zn;

and

Inferred 198Mozs AgEq or 3.3Blbs ZnEq: 73.6Mozs Ag, 500Mlbs Pb, and 1,009Mlbs Zn

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Southern Silver Exploration Corp. (TSXV: SSV) ("Southern") reports that Kirkham Geosystems Ltd. ("KGL") has completed an update of its independent Mineral Resource Estimate on the Cerro Las Minitas ("CLM") project in Durango State, Mexico. The updated Mineral Resource estimate features increased sulphide resources from two new mineral deposits, a small oxide resource in one of the new deposit areas and an update of the previously reported deposits utilizing new metal pricing and metallurgical recoveries. Resource reporting now utilizes a Net Smelter Return ("NSR") cut-off, as detailed in Table 1, and reports average grades on a AgEq, ZnEq and $US/t NSR basis.

President Lawrence Page Q.C. stated, "This is a most welcome milestone in the progress of our company's development of the Cerro Las Minitas silver-lead-zinc property. In Mexican folklore, the property has been known as the hill of mines - discrete claims exploited by several artisanal miners over the years utilizing basic exploration and mining methods. Since the purchase of the claims in late 2010 we have spent some $30 million in acquisition, exploration and development culminating in the identification of one of the largest undeveloped silver-based resources in the world."

"It is important to note that our company owns a 100% interest in all claims comprising CLM with no NSR or other burdens."

"Exploration continues at CLM while a third party authored Preliminary Economic Assessment is prepared for release in Q2 2022. This report will inform on potential mining scenarios, design, metal processing flowsheet, capital requirements, costs and cashflow for the project. It is the next milestone in the evolution of a prospect into a mine."

"Drilling will soon commence at our Oro copper-gold project in New Mexico with the permitting process nearing completion and we expect to explore and develop a number of promising targets identified through a previous geophysics program."

Cerro Las Minitas Resource Model Highlights:

Compared to the 2019 Mineral Resource estimate, the 2021 update, at a US$60/t NSR cut-off, features:

A 1.2Mt increase in Indicated Mineral Resources to 12.3Mt averaging 106g/t Silver, 0.1g/t Gold, 0.2% Copper, 1.3% Lead and 3.3% Zinc (347g/t AgEq; 8.4% ZnEq) equalling a US$130/t NSR value, containing:

42.1 million ounces of silver; 28 thousand ounces of gold; 44 million pounds of copper, 358 million pounds of lead; and 895 million pounds of zinc.

This equates to 137 million ounces silver equivalent or 2.3 billion pounds zinc equivalent; and

A 6.8Mt increase in Inferred Mineral resources to 19.6Mt averaging 117g/t Silver, 0.1g/t Gold, 0.2% Copper, 1.2% Lead and 2.3% Zinc (314g/t AgEq; 7.6% ZnEq) equalling a US$123/t NSR value containing:

73.6 million ounces of silver; 78 thousand ounces of gold; 98 million pounds of copper, 500 million pounds of lead; and 1,009 million pounds of zinc (1Blbs Zn).

This equates to 198 million ounces silver equivalent or 3.3 billion pounds zinc equivalent.

The new Resource Estimate incorporates an additional 20,991 metres of core drilling completed in 2020-21, updated metal recoveries and pricing and the incorporation of over 1,127 metres of specific gravity ("SG") measurements.

Cerro Las Minitas Project Highlights:

The updated NI43-101 Mineral Resource estimate significantly increases the size of the resource on a tonnage basis by approximately 33%, with most of the increase resulting from the addition and delineation of the La Bocona and the South Skarn deposits;





Newly added resources in the La Bocona deposit total 1.6Mt Indicated averaging 302g/t AgEq or US$136/t NSR and 1.1Mt Inferred averaging 293g/t AgEq or US$117/t NSR ;





total or and or ; Newly added resources in the South Skarn deposit total 3.8Mt Inferred averaging 309g/t AgEq or US$130/t NSR ;





total ; The Mineral Resource update features a significant increase in contained silver in both the indicated and inferred categories which now total Indicated: 42.1Mozs Silver and Inferred: 73.6 Mozs Silver representing an approximate 38% increase from the 2019 resource estimate;





and representing an approximate 38% increase from the 2019 resource estimate; The new deposits have a much stronger Silver-Lead bias resulting in generally higher overall NSR values for the South Skarn and the Indicated component of the La Bocona resource estimates compared to previous resource estimates. Similarly, silver maintains a higher proportion of the overall metal content of the deposits than in earlier estimates;





Higher grade portions of the new resources are relatively shallow and occur within 300 metres of surface which could potentially benefit future mining scenarios;





Gold recovery is currently not considered in the sulphide NSR calculation. Further metallurgical work is planned to assess gold recoveries in both the sulphide and oxidized mineralization;





Mineralization in both the South Skarn and Mina La Bocona deposits remains open at depths below 500 metres, leaving additional exploration potential. Several other targets remain un-tested or poorly-tested in the area of the Cerro and will form the basis for further exploration on the project through 2022;





This new Mineral Resource estimate will now form the basis for a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA"), which is expected to be completed by Q2 2022; and





Exploration continues on the CLM project. Eight additional holes totalling 2,822 metres have been completed in the Area of the Cerro and five holes totalling 1,936 metres on the adjacent El Sol Claim. Assays from these holes are pending.

NSR Calculation Parameters

The NSR values were calculated using average long-term prices of $20/oz. silver, $1,650/oz. gold, $3.25/lb. copper, $1.00/lb. lead and $1.20/lb. zinc. Metallurgical test work identified three saleable concentrates for the Skarn zones and two from the Blind, El Sol and Las Victorias zones (BESS). NSR values for each concentrate were calculated utilizing the parameters summarized in Table 1 and summed to determine a total NSR value for each block.

Only silver and gold recoveries in dore were considered for the oxide NSR calculations. Gold was not recovered in the sulphide concentrates and is estimated at 70% in the oxide circuit for the purposes of this reporting.

All prices are stated in $USD.

Table 1: Variables considered in the NSR calculations for each concentrate.

Sulfides Oxides Item Pb Concentrate Zn Concentrate Cu Conc. Ag-Au leach Skarn BESS Skarn BESS Skarn Pb Recovery 84% 90% Zn Recovery 95% 78% Cu Recovery 60% Ag Recovery 77% 79% 8% 12% 7% 74% Au Recovery 70% Payable Metals Pb, Ag Pb, Ag Zn, Ag Zn, Ag Cu, Ag Au, Ag Concentrate grade,

(primary base metal) 65% 70% 54% 52% 27% Transport, Treatment,

Penalty charges, $ dmt 230 267 358 364 183 Base metal Concentrate

Grade Deduction 3% 3% 8% 8% 1% Ag Concentrate

Grade Deduction, g/t 50 50 93 93 Ag Refining charge, $/oz 0.6 0.6 0.4 Base metal

Refining, $/lb 0.107 Ag payable 90%

Table 2: Base-case Sulphide Mineral Resource Estimate for CLM Project Utilizing a US$60/t NSR cut-off value:

Indicated Resources Average Grade Zone Tonnes Ag Au Pb Zn Cu AgEq ZnEq NSR (Kt) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) (%) (g/t) (%) (US$/t) Blind Zone 2,347 97 0.04 1.9 2.1 0.11 295 7.2 108 El Sol Zone 1,154 80 0.04 2.2 2.0 0.09 279 6.8 100 Skarn Front Zone 7,254 108 0.06 0.8 4.2 0.19 383 9.3 140 La Bocona Zone 1,571 132 0.19 2.2 1.6 0.17 302 7.3 136 Total 12,325 106 0.07 1.3 3.3 0.16 347 8.4 130 Inferred Resources Average Grade Zone Tonnes Ag Au Pb Zn Cu AgEq ZnEq NSR (Kt) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) (%) (g/t) (%) (US$/t) Blind Zone 1,347 83 0.14 1.4 1.8 0.06 248 6.0 88 El Sol Zone 863 65 0.03 1.8 2.3 0.05 263 6.4 90 Las Victorias Zone 1,083 148 0.66 2.1 2.6 0.14 431 10.5 145 Skarn Front Zone 11,466 115 0.05 0.7 2.7 0.32 318 7.7 126 South Skarn Zone 3,789 140 0.18 2.0 1.3 0.09 309 7.5 130 La Bocona Zone 1,057 106 0.20 1.3 2.2 0.18 293 7.1 117 Total 19,605 117 0.12 1.2 2.3 0.23 314 7.6 123 Indicated Resources Contained Metal Zone Tonnes Ag TrOz Au TrOz Pb Zn Cu AgEq TrOz ZnEq Lbs (Kt) (000's) (000's) (Mlbs) (Mlbs) (Mlbs) (000's) (Mlbs) Blind Zone 2,347 7,350 3 99 109 5.5 22,291 371 El Sol Zone 1,154 2,956 2 55 51 2.2 10,337 172 Skarn Front Zone 7,254 25,106 14 126 678 30.7 89,421 1,490 La Bocona Zone 1,571 6,688 10 77 56 6.0 15,275 255 Total 12,325 42,100 28 358 895 44 137,323 2,288 Inferred Resources Contained Metal Zone Tonnes Ag TrOz Au TrOz Pb Zn Cu AgEq TrOz ZnEq Lbs (Kt) (000's) (000's) (Mlbs) (Mlbs) (Mlbs) (000's) (Mlbs) Blind Zone 1,347 3,582 6 40 55 2 10,749 179 El Sol Zone 863 1,816 1 35 43 1 7,283 121 Las Victorias Zone 1,083 5,152 23 51 62 3 15,006 250 Skarn Front Zone 11,466 42,462 18 177 687 80 117,065 1,951 South Skarn Zone 3,789 17,007 22 167 112 7 37,660 628 La Bocona Zone 1,057 3,589 7 30 51 4 9,950 166 Total 19,605 73,610 78 500 1,009 98 197,712 3,295



1) The current Resource Estimate was prepared by Garth Kirkham, P.Geo., of Kirkham Geosystems Ltd.

2)All mineral resources have been estimated in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") definitions, as required under National Instrument 43-101 ("NI43-101").

3) Mineral resources were constrained using continuous mining units demonstrating reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction.

4) Silver Equivalents were calculated from the interpolated block values using relative recoveries and prices between the component metals and silver to determine a final AgEq value. The same methodology was used to calculate the ZnEq value.

5) Silver Equivalents and NSR$/t values were calculated using average long-term prices of $20/oz. silver, $1,650/oz. gold, $3.25/lb. copper, $1.0/lb. lead and $1.20/lb. zinc. Metal recoveries, payables and deductions are reported in Table 1. All prices are stated in $USD.

6)Mineral resources are not mineral reserves until they have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral resource estimates do not account for a resource's mineability, selectivity, mining loss, or dilution.

7)An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.

8) All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate and therefore numbers may not appear to add precisely.

Oxide Resources

A small oxide resource was identified within the upper 100 metres of surface in the La Bocona zone. The 2021 oxide resources at a US$60/t cut-off are:

An Indicated Mineral resource totalling 65,000 tonnes averaging 28g/t Ag and 2.2 g/t Au equalling a US$93/t NSR value, containing:

58,000 ounces of silver and 4,500 ounces of gold.

An Inferred Mineral resource totalling 219,000 tonnes averaging 120g/t Ag and 0.8g/t Au equalling a US$88/t NSR value, containing:

844,000 ounces of silver and 5,600 ounces of gold

A 74% silver recovery was utilized in the resource model and was based on acid-leach test work conducted on samples from the Blind - El Sol zone. Gold recovery has been estimated at 70% for the purposes of this report. Further metallurgical test work is required to confirm the gold recovery from the La Bocona oxides.

Table 3: Base-case Oxide Mineral Resource Estimate for CLM Project Utilizing a US$60/t NSR cut-off value:

Average Grade Contained Metal La Bocona Tonnes Ag Au NSR Ag TrOz Au TrOz (kt) (g/t) (g/t) (US$/t) (koz) (koz) Indicated 65 28 2.2 93 58 4.5 Inferred 219 120 0.8 88 844 5.6



Notes: The $60/t NSR cut-off value was calculated using average long-term prices of $20/oz. silver, $1,650/oz. gold. Base metals were not recovered in the leach circuit. Metallurgical work from batch test work recovered 74% silver from oxidized composites from the Blind - El Sol zones. Gold recovery was not assessed and is estimated at 70% for the purposes of this report. This work, along with marketing studies, were used to decide the NSR cut-off value. All prices are stated in $USD.

Model Parameters

Six separate mineral deposits were modelled in the resource estimate, four deposits in 2019 and two in 2021. The Blind, El Sol and Las Victorias deposits form sets of sub-parallel, northwest-trending and steeply dipping mineralized zones which are traced for over 1300 metres strike and up to 600 metres depth. The Skarn Front forms beneath the Blind, El Sol and Las Victorias deposits and is localized on the outer edge of the skarn alteration zone surrounding the Central Monzonite Intrusion and has been drilled along an approximate 1100 metre strike length and to depths of up to 1000 metres.

Similarly, the South Skarn Zone is localized on the outer edge of the skarn alteration zone surrounding the Central Monzonite Intrusion, but on the eastern side. The deposit forms a tabular, steeply east-dipping body that has a strike length of approximately 350m and has been drilled to a depth of 500m. The Bocona Zone consists of two separate sub-zones - the Bocona Skarn Zone and the Muralla Zone. The Bocona Skarn Zone is also localized on the outer edge of the skarn alteration zone surrounding the Central Monzonite Intrusion, but on the North side, wrapping around the Northeastern Margin. The upper part of the Muralla zone is strongly oxidized and is the basis of the quoted oxide resource.

A NI 43-101 Technical Report will be posted on SEDAR within 45 days.

Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Inferred Resources are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be classified as Mineral Reserves. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.

Mineral Resource Estimate Parameters for the South Skarn and Bocona Zones

The estimate was carried out using separate block models for the Bocona and South Skarn Zones constrained by 3D wireframes of the individual mineralized zones. The block model is comprised of an array of blocks measuring 10m x 3m x 10m which are sub-blocked to 0.5m x 0.3m x 0.5m, with grades for Ag, Au, Cu, Pb and Zn interpolated using Inverse Distance to the Second Power (ID2) weighting. NSR/t, silver equivalent and zinc equivalent values were subsequently calculated from the interpolated block grades.





The interpolation was carried out in two passes using progressively larger search radii of 60m x 60m x 30m to a maximum of 100m x 100m x 50m for all zones with the exception of the La Bocona Skarn zone where the second pass was limited to 60m x 15m x 25m at an orientation of 60 degrees perpendicular to strike and -80 degrees down dip. The first pass was restricted to a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 12 composites, with a maximum of 4 composites from any one drill hole (i.e. a minimum of two drill holes required for >4 composites) while the second pass was more restrictive using a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 9 composites, with a maximum of 3 composites from any one drill hole.





Bulk densities at La Bocona were based on a total of 418 sample interval measurements taken by Southern field personnel. For each sample interval, sub-samples were taken from each individual length of core and the weighted average for the sample used. Density values ranged from 1.9 t/m 3 to 4.73 t/m 3 . Bulk densities at Skarn South were based on a total of 387 sample interval measurements where density values ranged from 1.51 t/m 3 to 4.35 t/m 3 . Density values were interpolated on a block-by-block basis using an inverse distance to the second power. An average value of 2.97 t/m3 was assigned to blocks that were not interpolated.





to 4.73 t/m . Bulk densities at Skarn South were based on a total of 387 sample interval measurements where density values ranged from 1.51 t/m to 4.35 t/m . Density values were interpolated on a block-by-block basis using an inverse distance to the second power. An average value of 2.97 t/m3 was assigned to blocks that were not interpolated. Silver composite values have been capped in order to remove the effects of potential overestimation due to statistical outliers. The threshold chosen was 700 g/t silver for both La Bocona and South Skarn. In addition, outlier values for the co-product metals were capped at the threshold levels of 5 g/t gold, 1.4% copper, 15% lead and 10% zinc at La Bocona and 2.5 g/t gold, 0.5% copper, 15% lead and 8% zinc at South Skarn, respectively.





The mineralized zones were initially defined by Southern personnel and subsequently validated and refined by KGL. The mineralized wire frames were defined using a combination of geological constraints and grade boundaries with no minimum mining thickness applied. Intervals that were not sampled were assigned a zero grade.





For all zones, blocks are classified as Inferred if they are included within 75m of at least one drill hole intercept. Blocks within 40m of the nearest intercept, and estimated by at least two drill holes were classified as Indicated. However, an interpreted boundary is the final determination of indicated and inferred resources in order to remove outlier blocks and the "spotted dog" effect. In addition, continuous potentially underground mining panels were created to demonstrate "reasonable prospect of eventual economic extraction."

Qualified Persons

The independent Qualified Person for the mineral resource disclosure for the project is Garth Kirkham, P.Geo., Principal, Kirkham Geosystems Ltd., who has reviewed and approved the contents of this release. In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, Robert Macdonald, P.Geo, Vice President Exploration, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has validated and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release.

Risk Factors

Southern Silver is aware this project is subject to the same types of risks that large precious and base metal projects experience at an early stage of development in Mexico. The Company has engaged experienced management and specialized consultants to identify, manage and mitigate those risks. However, the types of risks will change as the project evolves and more information becomes available.

Further details regarding the foregoing estimate, including the estimation methods and procedures, will be detailed in the pending NI 43-101 Technical Report, which will be filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) under the Company's profile within 45 days from the date of this news release.

About Southern Silver Exploration Corp.

Southern Silver Exploration Corp. is an exploration and development company with a focus on the discovery of world-class mineral deposits. Our specific emphasis is the 100% owned Cerro Las Minitas silver-lead-zinc project located in the heart of Mexico's Faja de Plata, which hosts multiple world-class mineral deposits such as Penasquito, San Martin, Naica and Pitarrilla. We have assembled a team of highly experienced technical, operational and transactional professionals to support our exploration efforts in developing the Cerro Las Minitas project into a premier, high-grade, silver-lead-zinc mine.

The Company's property portfolio also includes the Oro porphyry copper-gold project located in southern New Mexico, USA, which includes patented land, State leases and BLM mineral claims totalling 22.3 sq. km. Targeting has been finalized and bonding pending for a 4,000m drill program, designed to test several copper-molybdenum porphyry and copper-gold skarn targets within a broad quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration zone, interpreted to overlie an unexposed porphyry centre. Permitting is in the final stages with drilling expected to commence in Q1, 2022.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Lawrence Page"

Lawrence Page, Q.C.

President & Director, Southern Silver Exploration Corp.

For further information, please visit Southern Silver's website at southernsilverexploration.com or contact us at 604.641.2759 or by email at ir@mnxltd.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Southern Silver Exploration Corp. does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100961
- The Royal Commission for AlUla signs landmark agreements with AECOM and an international French consortium comprising Egis, Assystem and Setec during the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh

- World-class program management expertise combined with design and delivery experience on complex, large-scale projects accelerate RCU's rapid progress in responsible, sustainable and community-inclusive development

- Initially the program management team will implement Phase 1 of the RCU masterplan worth USD 15Bn including the 20km length of AlUla's core historical area and encompassing key development projects for infrastructure, hospitality, arts & culture, and social and community development.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has signed two landmark strategic partnerships that will further accelerate the regeneration of AlUla as it moves from the planning stage to implementation following the launch of its masterplan in April, 2021.

The agreements with AECOM and an international French consortium comprising Egis, Assystem and Setec set out a comprehensive development timeline based around three phases that lead up to 2035.

Phase 1 development amounts to SAR 57+ Bn / USD 15+ Bn invested in AlUla's core 20km historical area. This incorporates social, economic and sustainability projects in five unique hubs with a focus on infrastructure, hospitality, arts & culture, and social and community development.

Signing the agreements at the fifth edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, RCU CEO Amr AlMadani said: "These new long-term strategic partnerships are critical to realising our ambition of creating a global benchmark for sustainable tourism. Our new partners will be instrumental in helping us deliver a detailed and certified plan. While our focus is set on Phase 1, we will ramp up our integrated approach towards the development of Phases 2 and 3 to drive traffic and sustain a regular flow of tourists in the long run.

"As we develop infrastructure and other assets that will help to establish AlUla as an exciting business hub servicing the northwest Arabia region, we require world-class partners such as these who will be with us for the long haul and who share our desire to benefit the people of AlUla while creating unforgettable experiences for visitors."

These partnerships will accelerate business and investment opportunities from 2022 onwards and demonstrate the pace of progress to revitalise AlUla as a responsible, sustainable and community-inclusive destination.

AECOM President Lara Poloni said: "AlUla is one of the world's largest and most complex development projects, home to more than 30,000 sites of historical significance, and we are proud to help realize the city's vision for the future. In partnership with RCU, we look forward to leveraging our global program management and technical expertise to deliver a sustainable legacy that transforms AlUla for generations to come."

AECOM will provide a range of integrated services across the entire AlUla program. These include executive-level program management to integrate all workstreams and major initiatives across RCU to implement the AlUla vision and outcomes, as well as a project delivery office that will work with RCU to implement best practices and delivery from design to construction and operation.

AECOM will also lead all design activities from setting standards, delivering the digital ecosystem, leading innovation, managing designers and delivering scopes. Further, asset and facilities management will be provided for the project lifecycle along with the benchmarking and development of smart city plans and projects.

Creating opportunities for the local community is a core aspect of AlUla's development plan and AECOM's approach. AECOM has already invested in training 400 residents to achieve professional vocational qualifications and will provide additional professional skills development and knowledge transfer opportunities both for residents and those relocating to AlUla for work.

Speaking on behalf of the French consortium, Egis Group CEO Laurent Germain said: "Our three highly regarded firms - Egis, Assystem and Setec - are unified, committed and eager to showcase our capabilities. As longstanding members of the Saudi business community, we are excited to be part of the development of AlUla."

The French Agency for the Development of AlUla (Afalula) was instrumental in bringing together the French consortium. Afalula Executive Chairman Gerard Mestrallet said: "Today's agreement deepens the Saudi-Franco partnership at AlUla and across other projects in Saudi Arabia. It also attests to the depth and strength of French engineering and infrastructure expertise to confront the most challenging aspects of responsible and sustainable development."

The Egis-led consortium brings infrastructure programme management and construction management capabilities to support on-time delivery of AlUla's most urgent projects and long-term development. As such, it offers a new perspective on infrastructure delivery defined by a coordinated approach. A core team will be based in AlUla including high-level specialists for engineering, construction and operations management and a range of international experts to bridge any knowledge gaps.

AECOM and the French consortium share the values of AlUla's Sustainability Charter which, through its 12 principles of sustainability, will empower the realisation of a carbon-neutral strategy and circular economy. It will also establish robust and resilient policies for the development of AlUla's heritage and environmental targets fuelled by renewable energy with 500-plus megawatts of clean power capacity. By 2035 renewable energy will supply 50 percent of demand.

Since unveiling its Journey through time masterplan in April 2021, the RCU has made significant progress on its journey to developing AlUla as a living museum while diversifying the economy and creating a vibrant community.

USD 2 Bn has been invested in key development projects including expanding AlUla International Airport, completing the stunning and architecturally awarded Maraya multi-se venue, completing water and power-plant infrastructure in the Ashar Valley, and bolstering AlUla County's security infrastructure.

Upon completion of the development strategy in 2035, RCU envisions the emerging city of AlUla defined by a thriving community and its ability to support residents' ambitions, where service excellence is the norm and creativity drives a culture of adaptability and flexibility.

By 2035 RCU forecasts that the population will more than triple to 130,000 with 38,000 new jobs created and AlUla contributing SAR 120 Bn (USD 32 Bn) to Saudi Arabia's GDP. Additionally, 80 percent of AlUla County will be home to nature reserves, with key flora and fauna reintroduced.

To learn more about investing in AlUla, visit https://www.rcu.gov.sa/en/investment

For media enquiries please contact the RCU Public Relations team at publicrelations@rcu.gov.sa

Note to editors:

It is always AlUla / not Al-Ula

About the Royal Commission for AlUla

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established by royal decree in July 2017 to preserve and develop AlUla, a region of outstanding natural and cultural significance in north-west Saudi Arabia. RCU's long-term plan outlines a responsible, sustainable, and sensitive approach to urban and economic development, that preserves the area's natural and historic heritage, while establishing AlUla as a desirable location to live, work, and visit. This encompasses a broad range of initiatives across archaeology, tourism, culture, education, and the arts, reflecting a commitment to meeting the economic diversification, local community empowerment, and heritage preservation priorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world's most trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle - from planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivalled technical expertise and innovation, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $13.2 billion in fiscal year 2020. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

About EGIS

A major international group in the construction engineering and mobility services sectors, Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings capable of responding to the climate emergency and addressing the major challenges of our time by helping to achieve more balanced, sustainable and resilient territorial development.

A 75%-owned subsidiary of Causse des Depots, with the remaining 25% held by partner executives and employees, Egis places its multiple fields of expertise at the disposal of the community and makes cutting-edge innovation accessible to all projects throughout their lifecycle: consulting, engineering, operation.

Through its wide-ranging fields of activity, Egis is a central player in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of its inhabitants all over the world.

About SETEC

Setec is ranked as a global engineering leader thanks to its technical excellence, which has driven its ambitions for more than 60 years.

With 3,300 employees around the world working in numerous sectors, ranging from transportation, water and buildings to energy efficiency, digital infrastructure and industrial facilities, setec serves a growing base of customers.

Setec is also an independent group owned by its engineers, with an energy and excellence fuelled by the passion of its employees. setec people continually enhance their expertise to design, model and implement sustainable solutions for a changing world. Their curiosity and appetite for challenge allows setec to invent new businesses and innovative approaches entirely focused on meeting the needs of its customers.

About Assystem

Assystem is an international engineering group. As a key participant in the industry for over 50 years, the Group supports its clients in managing their capital expenditure throughout their asset life cycles. Assystem S.A. is listed on Euronext Paris.

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Cypress Porcoolpine, Simply NUC's first fanless Mini PC powered by AMD, features Ryzen Embedded V2000-series processors, AMD RadeonGraphics, and a 7-year commitment to supply.

AUSTIN, Texas and BELFAST, United Kingdom and DUNLEER, Ireland, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Simply NUC, Inc, a leading mini computer integration company, recently announced Cypress Porcoolpine, a new Simply NUC branded Rugged Long-Life Mini PC. As the fanless version of the newly released Cypress family, Cypress Porcoolpine delivers performance and innovation for embedded solutions without the use of a cooling fan.

Cypress Porcoolpine is the first rugged Mini PC featuring V2000 Embedded AMD processors and is guaranteed to be sold in the same form, fit, and function for seven years from launch. Simply NUC is currently taking orders on Cypress Porcoolpine with units now shipping.

"Whether its industrial computing, digital signage, or gathering edge data analytics, we saw an opportunity to create a fanless mini PC using the latest AMD Ryzen Embedded V2000 processors," said Charles Abdouch, Simply NUC CTO, "With the addition of Cypress Porcoolpine, we can now offer customers a long life mini PC to meet any of their embedded application needs."

One Cypress Porcoolpine SKU is already shipping with pricing starting at $789 USD. The Cypress Porcoolpine LLM2V5CYF based on the AMD Ryzen V2516 Processor, is intended for mainstream performance usages such creating digital kiosks, deploying intelligent vending machines, or refreshing enterprise PCs. A higher performing Cypress Porcoolpine SKU is expected to launch in early 2022. More information on the Cypress Porcoolpine family can be found at: https://simplynuc.com/cypress-porcoolpine/.

Cypress Porcoolpine features Ethernet with speeds up to 2.5Gbps and can control up to four vibrant 4K displays independently via dual HDMI 2.1 ports and dual USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports with DisplayPort 1.4 capability. New AMD Radeon Graphics with up to 1.6GHz processing also enables 1.3x faster rendering for enhanced visual immersion. The fanless Porcoolpine chassis provides flexible configuration of the IO ports to expand USB 3.0, LAN, and audio connections, optimizing the unit for application specific needs.

With AMD Secure Processor technology, Cypress Porcoolpine stays ahead of security threats with built-in hardware-enhanced security that enables trusted networks for remote management of unattended digital kiosks and intelligent vending machines by securely storing credentials and other confidential data. Validated for 24/7 operation and supporting an operating temperature range of 0-40C, Cypress Porcoolpine ensures solutions that are built to last.

With numerous configuration options, Cypress Porcoolpine can be customized to power a wide range of embedded applications and will be shipped within 48 hours of receiving your order.

Formed in 2015 and headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, Simply NUC, Inc. is a global systems integrator and OEM specializing in mini computers. Simply NUC provides fully configured, warrantied, and supported mini PC systems to businesses and consumers, as well as end-to-end NUC project development, custom operating system installations, and NUC accessories. For more information about Simply NUC visit www.simplynuc.com .

Contact:John Deatherage, CMO, johnd@simplynuc.com

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RAIPUR, India, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new research report on Pharmaceutical Seals Market by Product Type (O-rings, Gaskets, Lip Seals, Profile Seals, and Others), by Material Type (Elastomeric Seals, Thermoplastic Seals, and Metallic Seals), by Motion Type (Static Seals, Linear Seals, and Rotary Seals), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2021-2026.

This strategic assessment report, from Stratview Research, provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects today's pharmaceutical seals market realities and future market possibilities for the forecast period of 2021 to 2026. The report segments and analyzes the market in the most detailed manner to provide a panoramic view of the market. The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for the market participants as well as investors in the identification of low-hanging fruits available in the market as well as formulate growth strategies.

Pharmaceutical Seals Market: Highlights

Seals are used in the pharmaceutical processing industry under strict hygiene regulations to prevent any contamination by germs. Seals used in the pharmaceutical processing and packaging equipment for their proper and smooth operations have been considered under our scope of the study. The selection of sealing solutions for this industry is based on several parameters including but not limited to STAMPS (size, temperature, application, media, and pressure) process conditions. Other noticeable factors are hygienic processing, such as compliant materials, hygienic designs, and cleaning regimes.

The pharmaceutical seals market has been growing with the development of new technological equipment to produce pharmaceutical products in bulk quantity with better quality. The global spread of the pandemic has given an impetus to certain sections of the pharmaceutical industry, giving a push for the establishment of new production plants and advancements of old ones to fulfill increased demand for pharmaceuticals worldwide. Many vaccine producers have established new production plants to boost the prompt supply of vaccines worldwide. This also creates positive waves in the entire ecosystem including seals for pharmaceutical processing equipment. Overall, the pharmaceutical seals market is estimated to reach US$ 0.84 billion in the year 2026, growing at a CAGR of 4.4% during 2021-2026.

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Based on the product type, profile seals are expected to remain the largest segment of the market during the forecast period. Profile seals are used in several areas of pharmaceutical processing plants. Other product types, such as o-rings, gaskets, and lip seals, are also likely to generate sizeable opportunities in the years to come.

Based on the material type, elastomers hold the gigantic lead in the market and are likely to remain the most preferred material type in the years to come, owing to their various benefits, such as high temperature and pressure resistance coupled with unique elasticity and strength.

In terms of regions, Europe is expected to remain the largest market for pharmaceutical seals during the forecast period. The presence of several pharmaceutical processing plants in the region, especially in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Belgium, primarily drives the region's dominance. Moreover, Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing market during the forecast period in the wake of the growing presence of companies in the region, particularly in China and India.

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Key players in the pharmaceutical seals market are:

Freudenberg Group

Trelleborg AB

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A

EnPro Industries

Greene Tweed

Parker-Hannifin Corporation

Flowserve Corporation

Hutchinson SA

James Walker

Smith Group PLC

Report Features

This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report:

Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis.

Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis.

Market trend and forecast analysis.

Market segment trend and forecast.

Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc.

Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities.

Emerging trends.

Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players.

Key success factors.

This report studies global pharmaceutical seals market and has segmented the market in four ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. Following are the four ways in which the market is segmented:

Pharmaceutical Seals Market, by Product Type

O-Rings (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Gaskets (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Lip Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Profile Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Pharmaceutical Seals Market, by Material Type

Elastomeric Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Thermoplastic Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Metallic Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Pharmaceutical Seals Market, by Motion Type

Static Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Linear Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Rotary Seals (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Pharmaceutical Seals Market, by Region

North America (Country Analysis: USA , Canada , and Mexico )

Europe (Country Analysis: Germany , France , Italy , and Rest of Europe )

Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: India , China , Japan , and Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Rest of the World (Country Analysis: Brazil , Saudi Arabia , and Others)

Stratview Research has several high value market reports in the healthcare and life sciences industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports:

https://www.stratviewresearch.com/market-reports/Healthcare-and-Life-Sciences.html

About Stratview Research

Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research, and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas.

We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies.

Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making.

Stratview Research has launched 'Composights', an online portal which offers free thought leadership reports, whitepapers, market report synopsis and much more for Composites and allied industries, worth US$ 20,000 every year.

Click here to sign up (No costs involved): https://www.stratviewresearch.com/composights/sign-in

For enquiries, please contact:

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Becker aims to make readily available its extensive catalog of tax and IRS-approved courses

CHICAGO, IL / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / Becker, a global leader in accounting exam prep and professional education and a part of Adtalem Global Education, today announced the launch of its online Tax Resource Center, its catalog of more than 200 continuing professional education (CPE) webcasts and on-demand courses, featuring new content to help tax practitioners, enrolled agents and accountants stay at the forefront of regulatory and legislative changes.

With webcasts updated annually, quarterly and monthly to reflect ongoing changes in federal and state tax laws, covering corporate, individual and pass-through entity taxation, Becker's courses are highly sought after in the run-up to and during the "busy season" for tax preparers, typically October through April. With the various changes occurring over the course of this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic - and the possibility of major tax changes enacted by Congress - the 2022 "busy season" will likely see ongoing demand for the most up-to-date information, delivered by expert, student-favorite tax instructors. These experienced and accomplished practitioners, including Tim Gearty, Stan Pollock, John Stevko and others, are known for their deep expertise across the public and private accounting, consulting and education sectors.

"There's no better partner than Becker when it comes to tax," said Josh Braunstein, Becker's President and Managing Director. "We are committed to helping tax professionals strengthen their skills and knowledge, ensuring they are up-to-date on the latest in tax so they can better serve clients and their needs. With Becker, they'll learn what's new in the tax industry, become armed with solutions for your clients and gain a solid understanding of various and often complex concepts."

Becker provides access to quality, timely course content as well as valuable deskside resources, including ClientWhys' "Big Book of Taxes 365 Online Version," a continuously updated online tax reference and research tool. Becker's IRS-approved tax preparation courses offer guidance on everything from reporting, completing forms, to communicating issues to clients. To learn more about Becker's CPE webcasts and courses, visit the Tax Resource Center here.

About Becker Professional Education

Accountants around the world count on Becker for the industry-leading tools and support they need to excel. And it all comes down to one thing: results. Results rooted in a tireless commitment to the success of our students. Crafting personalized learning experiences. Unleashing cutting-edge technologies. Relentlessly advocating for the industry as a whole. And simply doing whatever it takes. For all these reasons and more, more than 1 million CPA candidates have chosen Becker.

Becker provides CPA Exam Review, CMA Exam Review and CPE with expert instructors, high-quality content, flexible learning formats including on-demand resources and webcasts. Learn more about Becker Professional Education, part of Adtalem Global Education, at www.becker.com.

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 6,500 employees, a network of more than 116,000 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 (@adtalemglobal), LinkedIn or visit adtalem.com for more information.

CONTACT:

Stern Strategy Group

Becker@sternstrategy.com

SOURCE: Becker Professional Education

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669764/Becker-Launches-Tax-Resource-Center-to-Help-Customers-Prepare-For-Upcoming-Tax-Season
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - After years of virtual events, Zeifmans, together with the medical psychedelics industry, is ready to ditch the screens for Wonderland: Miami - the largest in-person conference yet.

Excitement is mounting for the event, which is happening November 8-9, 2021 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. In fact, early bird tickets have already sold out.

Leveraging his extensive experience in the psychedelics space, Zeifmans senior partner Larry Zeifman will be on a panel at Wonderland where he will be discussing how to determine value for psychedelics companies in an ongoing evolving industry. "This is a dynamic market that we expect will continue to grow in leaps and bounds thanks to increased acceptance and legalization," he said. "Zeifmans has a unique perspective to offer conference attendees because we have an active audit, tax and consulting practice in emerging industries and specifically psychedelics, and with the recent flourishing of psychedelics companies within Canada, have been servicing more and more clients in this space."

Operating in an emerging market is complex, in part due to a lack of history and changing regulations and business practices. Drawing on recent and related experiences, Larry Zeifman will share what lessons can be drawn to date in Canada from the psychedelics market in Canada. He'll also discuss accounting best practices that psychedelic companies can employ for optimal results.

Zeifmans is also the proud official audit partner of the first annual Microdose Awards, to be held the evening of November 8. The awards will honour individuals and organizations who have fostered positive impacts on medical treatments, education, innovative products and advocacy work.

"These innovators and trailblazers have managed to thrive in these challenging times, spurred by busy capital markets, technological change and an evolving pandemic," said Zeifmans partner Robert Grunwald. "We're encouraging everyone to vote before Monday, November 1, 2021 and support all of the deserving Microdose Award nominees."

Voting can be completed online here and is limited to one submission per person, per day.

About Zeifmans LLP

Zeifmans is a full-service tax, accounting and consulting firm based in Toronto, Canada, ranked as one of Canada's top 20 accounting firms by revenue. Beyond the traditional offering, our services include business advisory, valuation, corporate finance, transaction services, corporate turnaround and insolvency, and estate and succession planning. Zeifmans supports over 11,000 clients through every step of the business life cycle. Learn more at https://www.zeifmans.ca/

Contact:

Kelly Bird, Senior Marketing Manager, Zeifmans

Phone: 416.256.4000 ext. 217

Email: communications@zeifmans.ca

Website: https://www.zeifmans.ca/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100983
GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The 130th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) wrapped up on October 19. Xu Bing, Spokesperson of the Canton Fair and Deputy Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre, said that this session of Canton Fair, with a philosophy of "Canton Fair, Global Share", has opened the door wider to global buyers and attracted the world's attention, contributing to win-win development.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8973351-130th-canton-fair-china/

The 130th Canton Fair held a grand opening ceremony. The first Pearl River International Trade Forum was successfully held. The opening ceremony on the afternoon of October 14 was also the main forum of the Pearl River International Trade Forum. The theme of the main forum was "China's New Development Provides New Opportunities for the World", highlighting China's commitment to opening up and promoting free trade, which is a signal of China sharing development opportunities with the world in order to have a brighter future.

Remarkable results were achieved in the online-offline integration. About 26,000 companies at home and abroad participated online, uploading over 2.87 million products, an increase of 113,600 compared with the last session. The online platform was visited by 32.73 million times accumulatively. Exhibitors livestreamed 43,000 times accumulatively, with over 350,000 people watching online. The offline exhibition area totaled about 400,000 square meters with 7,795 exhibitors participating. The Canton Fair Complex received 600,000 visits accumulatively.

Despite the pandemic and other factors, overseas buyers and purchasing agents still participated actively. A total of 18 industrial and commercial organizations, including American Chamber of Commerce in South China and Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, organized over 500 member companies to attend the offline Fair. And 18 internationally renowned enterprises such as Walmart, Staples, and Auchan organized buyers to source at the Fair as well. Buyers from 228 countries and regions registered online to attend, further expanding the level of diversity and globalization of the Canton Fair.

"The 130th Canton Fair has operated smoothly with more business models and functions. It successfully completed of the tasks to achieve the goal of presenting an innovative Fair with highlights in a safe, orderly, and highly efficient way, and has contributed to promote high-quality development of international trade and global economic recovery," Xu Bing added.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - U.S. President Joe Biden will embark on a five-day tour of Europe on Thursday to attend two crucial global summits. He will first head to Italy for the G20, an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union, and then to Scotland for the COP26 international climate conference.



Before that, Biden is scheduled to meet Pope Francis in Rome on Friday. It will be followed by meetings with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Mario Draghi. He will also meet with French President Emmanuel Macron later in the day.



On Saturday and Sunday, Biden will attend the key G20 events in Rome. There will be several sessions covering the main elements of the international economy and international affairs. 'On the margins of the Summit he will engage with key leaders on a range of issues of importance to the American people, including supply chain resilience, energy prices, the Iranian nuclear program, and more,' the White House said.



The COP26, or the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties, will begin with the World Leaders Summit on November 1 and 2 in Glasgow. The COP26 will bring leaders together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.



In Glasgow, the U.S. President will deliver a major speech on climate. He will also have the opportunity to engage on the margins there on a range of important issues, including the Build Back Better World initiative - B3W - that the G7 announced at the summit in June.



In the past few weeks, the U.S. and the EU came together for joint action on Covid-19, launched a global methane pledge and other key climate initiatives, and launched a Trade and Technology Council to set the rules and standards for economics and technology in the future.



'President Biden and key European partners will sit down at these two summits to coordinate policies on Iran, on supply chains, on global infrastructure efforts, and so much else,' National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters.



He pointed out that neither China nor Russia will be represented at the summit at the leader level, reportedly due to COVID-19. 'The U.S. and Europe will be there, and they'll be there energized and united at both the G20 and COP26, driving the agenda, shaping the agenda as it relates to these significant international issues,' said Sullivan.



The top White House official said the trip is going to give the President an opportunity to advance some of his highest priorities on behalf of the American people, such as global minimum tax, supply chains and energy prices.



Biden approaches COP26 with a commitment that the United States will reduce carbon emissions 50 to 52 percent by 2030.



He also intends to address the short-term imbalance in supply and demand in the global energy picture so that the economic recovery in the United States and elsewhere around the world is reinforced, according to Sullivan.



COP26 requires countries to come forward with ambitious 2030 emissions reductions targets that align with reaching net zero by the middle of the century.



First Lady Jill Biden will accompany Joe Biden in his second international trip since becoming President in January.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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WAYNE, PA / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / With an election upcoming and a nation divided, understanding democracy and the process of government matters. In collaboration with the Association of Former Members of Congress, Valley Forge Military Academy and College is conducting a two-day educational series about the US democratic system and its impact around the world.

The program, known as "Congress to Campus", brings former members of the US Senate and House of Representatives to engage with students from universities and high schools across the country with lectures, discussions, and debates.

"Democracy is a challenge and needs the people's engagement," said Robert F. Smith, Ph.D., MEd, provost, Valley Forge Military College, The Military College of Pennsylvania. "By bringing experienced and elected members of Congress to campus, we are enabling students to learn first-hand how the democratic system works, how the procedures of lawmaking are designed, and what their roles are in being the nation's future leaders."

Former members of Congress, the Honorable Glenn English, US Congressman (D) Oklahoma,1975-1995 and the Honorable Charles Djou, US Congressman (R) Hawaii, 2010-2011 presided over the sessions leading lectures and roundtable discussions with both Valley Forge Military Academy and College (VFMAC) cadets.

The Honorable Glenn English (right), US Congressman (D) Oklahoma,1975-1995 and the Honorable Charles Djou (center), US Congressman (R) Hawaii, 2010-2011 are interviewed by a Cadet (far left) of Valley Forge Military Academy and College as part of the Congress to Campus program.

The Honorable Glenn English (left), US Congressman (D) Oklahoma,1975-1995 and the Honorable Charles Djou (right), US Congressman (R) Hawaii, 2010-2011 address Cadets at Valley Forge Military Academy and College as part of the Congress to Campus program.

The Honorable Glenn English (left), US Congressman (D) Oklahoma,1975-1995 meeting Cadet William Anozie of Houston, Texas, a senior at Valley Forge Military Academy.

To view the video click the following link: https://vimeo.com/639277630?utm_source=email&utm_medium=vimeo-cliptranscode-201504&utm_campaign=28749

VFMAC was selected to host the program because of its commitment to educating the whole student to become both citizen and military leaders of the future. Numerous VFMAC graduates have gone on to highly visible roles in government including General H.R. McMaster, General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, General Gustave Perna, among others.

"We are educating future leaders here," said Paul M. Lea IV, M.S., Ph.D., dean of Valley Forge Military Academy. "Participating in open discussions with congressional leadership about the realities of government and governing, the election process, and ideals and realities in the halls of Congress can't be replicated from a textbook."

The Congress to Campus program is offered by the Association of Former Members of Congress, a bipartisan, nonprofit, voluntary alliance of former United States Senators and Representatives which seeks to deepen the understanding of the democratic system, domestically and internationally, and to engage the citizenry through civic education about Congress and public service.

Valley Forge Military Academy is a private, independent college preparatory school for boys in grades 7-12, offering middle school and high school. Valley Forge Military College is a private two-year college committed to equipping young men and women to boldly face the challenges of life. It is the Military College of Pennsylvania.

CONTACT

Lisa Packer

215-460-8333

lisa@root-strat.com

SOURCE: Valley Forge Military Academy and College

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669793/Congress-to-Campus-at-Valley-Forge-Military-Academy-and-College-Two-Day-Event-About-the-Democratic-System
The new central-London based centre along with a geographically distributed team will expand collaboration with customers and users across the UK and Europe.

LONDON and FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ProcessMAP Corporation, the leading Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) software platform provider, announced today that the company has established a new innovation centre in the United Kingdom (UK). The new centre will play a key role in facilitating collaboration and accelerating co-innovation with UK-based customers and user community and enabling even stronger customer success engagement at more than 15,000 locations across the UK and Europe.

Strategic Drivers for Growth and Expansion in the UK and Europe

Work-related accidents and illnesses lead to an estimated annual loss of around 3.3% of GDP in the European Union (EU) and 1% in the UK. Over the past decade, the European occupational safety and health (OSH) policy framework and the UK's HSE Executive rules have contributed to considerably improving the working conditions. The incidence rate of fatal accidents at work has fallen by nearly 30%1.

With the emergence of several high-priority EHS areas in the EU and the UK, particularly concerning Occupational Health (workplace, mental well-being and stress), Process- and Construction-Safety, and COVID-19 management, customers - new and old - will be able to leverage ProcessMAP's robust EHS solutions, global experience, and advanced analytics tools for regional and local needs. The ProcessMAP system is fully attuned to the specific industry legislations and reporting guidelines for various EU countries and the UK.

Furthermore, with close to 50 of the Fortune 2000 companies headquartered in the UK, ProcessMAP's UK centre will enable the company to closely collaborate with and co-innovate breakthrough EHS solutions for the local companies.

ProcessMAP's Strong Foundation in the UK and Europe

ProcessMAP already has a strong presence in the UK and Europe with more than 60 Fortune 1000 companies with more than 15,000 locations in most countries across Europe. ProcessMAP's UK customers include some of the largest aerospace, automotive manufacturers, leading multinational diversified engineering and industrial manufacturing companies, and many chemicals, pharma and consumer products companies, among others.

The company's customer base and platform adoption have experienced phenomenal growth over the past five years with more than 400% increase in driving digital transformation in numerous key EHS processes.

The ProcessMAP UK Team

ProcessMAP's UK team is led by Carl Sanders, who brings in more than 15 years of executive-level EHS software leadership and customer engagement experience. The UK and European team will be expanded with professionals having experience in HSE, ESG, Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Health and wellness, and regulatory compliance to support ProcessMAP's growing customer base in the UK and Europe.

Comments on the News

"ProcessMAP's launch of the UK Centre demonstrates our commitment to our growing UK customers and user community who rely on our platform and analytics to proactively mitigate workers health and safety risks," said Dave Rath, CEO of ProcessMAP Corporation.

"We are excited about the launch of the UK Centre to accelerate our innovation and collaboration with customers," said Carl Sanders, General Manager of ProcessMAP's UK Innovation and Customer Success Centre. "I'm thrilled to join ProcessMAP and help in launching as well as expanding our services in the UK and the European markets," he added.

1 - European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan (2021)

About ProcessMAP Corporation

ProcessMAP Corporation is the most trusted name for a digitization and process transformation platform that empowers customers to ensure workers' health & safety, minimize risk, and assure compliance. The ProcessMAP Platform includes solutions for Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS), Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), and Operational Risk Management (ORM), Industrial IoT, and actionable data analytics to connect people, systems, assets, and facilities to drive a Sustainable Enterprise. We are headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, with locations across the globe, serving customers in over 140 countries. Visit https://www.processmap.com/ to learn more.

Media and Analyst Relations Contact
SURREY, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / Gungnir Resources Inc. (TSXV:GUG)(OTC PINK:ASWRF) ("Gungnir" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that subsequent to the September 10, 2021 news release announcing the closing of a $298,200 private placement, the Company has received approximately $665,000 from the exercise of stock options and warrants.

Gungnir directors and officers exercised 1,700,000 stock options at six cents per share for proceeds of $102,000. Proceeds of approximately $563,000 were received from the exercise of warrants and agent warrants at five and nine cents per share. The Company issued a total of 12,817,665 common shares for these transactions.

The proceeds will be used for the Company's exploration activities in Sweden and for general corporate purposes.

About Gungnir Resources

Gungnir Resources Inc. is a Canadian-based TSX-V listed mineral exploration company (GUG: TSX-V, ASWRF: OTCPK) with gold and base metal projects in northern Sweden. Gungnir's assets include two nickel-copper-cobalt deposits, Lappvattnet and Rormyrberget, both with updated nickel resources, and the Knaften project which hosts a developing intrusion-hosted gold system, and VMS (zinc-copper) and copper-nickel targets, all of which are open for expansion and further discovery. Further information about the Company and its properties may be found at www.gungnirresources.com or at www.sedar.com.

On behalf of the Board,

Chris Robbins, CFO and Director

For further information contact:

Head Office/Investor Relations

Phone: +1-604-683-0484

Jari Paakki, CEO

Email: jpaakki@eastlink.ca

Chris Robbins, CFO

Email: robbinscr@shaw.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws (also known as forward-looking statements). Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and may cause actual results, performance or achievements or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or industry results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by the use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "feel", "intend", "may", "plan", "predict", "project", "subject to", "will", "would", and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. Some of the specific forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: Gungnir's plans for exploration of its properties; and the use of proceeds from warrant and option exercises.

Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions made by Gungnir, including, without limitation: the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the Canadian and global economy and Gungnir's business, and the extent and duration of such impact; no change to laws or regulations that negatively affect Gungnir's business; there will be a demand for Gungnir's services and products in the future; and Gungnir will be able to operate its business as planned. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what Gungnir believes to be reasonable assumptions, it cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with such information.

Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking information involves significant risks and uncertainties and should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results as actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risks related to: no certainty that any economically viable mineral deposit will be located on Gungnir's properties; that Gungnir will be able to complete its exploration programs as anticipated; the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Canadian and global economy, Gungnir's industry and its business, which may negatively impact, and may continue to negatively impact, Gungnir and may materially adversely affect its investments, results of operations, financial condition and Gungnir's ability to obtain additional equity or debt financing, and satisfy its financial obligations; circumstances may change resulting in the use of proceeds set out in this news release; general economic conditions; future growth potential; common share prices; liquidity; tax risk; tax laws currently in effect remaining unchanged; ability to access capital markets; environmental matters; and changes in legislation or regulations. Management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information contained herein are based upon reasonable assumptions and information currently available; however, management can give no assurance that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information.

The forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Gungnir. The forward-looking information is stated as of the date of this news release and Gungnir assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.

SOURCE: Gungnir Resources Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669859/Gungnir-Receives-665000-from-Warrant-and-Option-Exercises
NANJING, China, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- XCMG Machinery, a subsidiary of XCMG (000425.SZ) has signed an MoU with Vale S.A. Brazil, a world-leading mining company, for the potential supply of mining and infrastructure equipment, including zero-emission and autonomous equipment, to accelerate green mining practices. Based on the MoU, Vale will receive the first two 72-ton battery truck units which will be tested in their operations in the first half of 2022. A 240-ton electric mining truck with zero emissions will also be delivered ahead of the agreed date.

"Environmental protection is vital for human happiness and the driving force for enterprises to realize sustainable development. As a world-renowned enterprise that develops and manufactures complete sets of large-scale machinery for open-pit mining, XCMG takes green and new energy machinery as the key direction of advancement. We are also glad to see that Vale considers green development featuring low-carbon mining and net zero emissions as a critical strategic goal for its own development," says Mr. Hanson Liu, VP of XCMG Machinery.

"This is in line with Vale's goal of reducing its Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 33% by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and reinforces our ambition to lead the way in low carbon mining," Mr. Alexandre Pereira, Vale's Executive Vice President for Global Business Solutions said while congratulating this initiative. "Vale also sees this partnership with XCMG Machinery as one more important step in the deepening of its long-term and win-win partnership with China, which dates back to 1973, when Vale sent its first iron ore shipment to China."

The MoU was signed by Mr. Sam Shang, Deputy General Manager of XCMG Import and Export Co., Ltd and Mr. Antonio Cardoso, Head of Procurement China at Vale during the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the sister state-province relationship between the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais and the Chinese province of Jiangsu.

After signing this MoU, XCMG will set up a special team for deeper cooperation and communication with Vale, to collaborate in pushing forward global environmental protection, and to boost green and sustainable economic development.

About XCMG

XCMG is a multinational heavy machinery manufacturing company with a history of 78 years. It currently ranks third in the world's construction machinery industry.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1671477/1.jpg
The Group Adds in Excess of $4MM in Topline Revenue and 12% EBITDA Plus Additional Clinics Augments The Medi-Collective Medical Team by Adding 35 Physicians

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / EMPOWER CLINICS INC. (CSE:CBDT)(Frankfurt:8EC)(OTCQB:EPWCF) ("Empower" or the "Company") an integrated healthcare company - serving patients through medical centers, telemedicine platforms, a medical device company and a high complexity medical diagnostics laboratory - is pleased to announce the Company has entered into a non-binding term sheet to acquire 100% of 1814764 Ontario Limited ("Sudbury Clinics"). The proposed deal accounts for its existing locations, employees and patient files.

Sudbury Clinics is a leading healthcare group with four locations in Sudbury, Ontario and its surrounding area. The practice recorded in excess of $4 million in annual revenue for 2020. Its 35 physicians offer full-service family medicine consultations and services, including, but not limited to, general assessment, referrals, acute illness or injury treatment, and much more. Its existing 400,000 patient files is projected to significantly amplify The Medi-Collective ("TMC") patient database. The current clinic locations complement TMC's integrative model as two of the four locations are co-located with Rexall pharmacies.

Empower CEO & Chairman Steven McAuley stated, "Sudbury Clinics is an amazing asset for Empower Clinics in terms of existing employee capacity, infrastructure and patient reach. I'm proud of the work TMC is doing to offer comprehensive healthcare services under one roof. Our national expansion strategy continues to gain momentum as we operationalize more clinics and aim towards new jurisdictions. The addition of so many patient files has us on a path to comfortably exceed 1,000,000 patient files in 2022."

"Sudbury Clinics is a significant catalyst for TMC," added Dr. Jordan Rabinowitz and Dr. Aviv Tsimerman. "By blending their three dozen GPs and 400,000 patient files with our existing telemedicine and specialty services, we are maximizing TMC's integrated healthcare offerings, reach and revenue."

Following a definitive agreement, the Company will incorporate the existing family medicine operations into the TMC brand of clinics. TMC will offer its hallmark family telemedicine operation and other specialist services, including dermatology, internal medicine, cardiology and nephrology. By expanding to these services, TMC is broadening the scope of available services in Sudbury. Across all TMC clinics, the Company plans to market other Empower Clinics services and products such as Kai Care testing solutions and MediSure diabetic management solutions to existing and incoming clinic patients.

The Medi-Collective's Clinic Expansion Pipeline Increases to 41

The status of our clinic pipeline in Canada can be summarized as follows:

Operational - 4

In Development & Construction - 8

In Due Diligence - 21

Acquisition - 8

Total - 41

Advanced discussions continue for additional locations across various provinces, including but not limited to Alberta, British Columbia and New Brunswick. The next TMC Clinic opening is scheduled for November 1, 2021, in Mississauga, Ontario.

Terms of Proposed $4,800,000.00 CAD Acquisition

Under the proposed terms, the Company will pay $2,500,000.00 at Closing and a $250,000.00 Post-Closing Payment for an aggregate cash payment of $3,000,000.00. The Post-Closing Payment will be held back by the Company pending satisfaction of the performance milestones set out in the definitive agreement and, if earned, will be released six months following the Closing. At Closing, the Company will issue common shares in the capital of Empower having an aggregate value of $1,550,000.00 at a deemed price per Share equal to the 10-day volume weighted average closing price per Share on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") for the period ending on the last business day prior to the Closing. Such Shares will not be subject to escrow or lock-up but shall be subject to applicable hold periods and all other rules and policies of the CSE and applicable securities laws. Further, the issuance at the Closing of Shares having an aggregate value of $500,000.00 at a deemed price per Share equal to the 10-day volume weighted average closing price per Share on the CSE for the period ending on the last business day prior to the Closing, which, at the Closing, will be issued into escrow with an escrow agent appointed by Empower, and will vest in quarterly instalments over 24 months from the Closing.

Closing will be conditional upon successful due diligence by both parties participating in good faith on or before early December.

The Company announces that it has granted, effective September 22, 2021, an aggregate of 100,000 stock options and effective September 23, 2021 an aggregate of 200,00 stock options (each, an "Option") to certain employees and contractors of the Company in accordance with the Company's stock option plan. Each Option is exercisable into one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Share") at a price of $0.43 and $0.47 respectively per Share, being the closing price of the Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange on the date of grant and the trading date before the date of grant for a period of three years from the date of grant. The Shares will be subject to a hold period of four months commencing on the date of grant of the Options.

This press release is available on the Empower Clinics Verified Forum on AGORACOM for shareholder discussion, questions and engagement with management https://agoracom.com/ir/EmpowerClinics

ABOUT THE MEDI-COLLECTIVE:

The Medi-Collective (TMC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Empower Clinics, is a multi-disciplinary group of medical practitioners dedicated to applying a collaborative working model with the goal of delivering effective community healthcare and positive wellness. Our practice starts and ends with the people who make up our community. From our top-quality practitioners striving for excellence every day, to each and every client we care for. Together, we're all healthy. We believe that effective healthcare is as much a mental approach as a physical one. By bringing together the power of positive attitudes with the most advanced medical methodologies we create the best possible opportunity to produce the best possible outcomes for everyone involved, physically and mentally.

ABOUT EMPOWER:

Empower is an integrated healthcare company that provides body and mind wellness for patients through its clinics, with digital and telemedicine care, a medical device company and world-class medical diagnostics laboratories. Supported by an experienced leadership team, Empower is aggressively growing its clinical and digital presence across North America. Our Health & Wellness and Diagnostics & Technology business units are positioned to positively impact the integrated health of our patients, while simultaneously providing long term value for our shareholders.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Steven McAuley

Chief Executive Officer

CONTACTS:

Media:

Steven McAuley CEO s.mcauley@empowerclinics.com 604-789-2146

Investors:

Tamara Mason

Business Development & Communications t.mason@empowerclinics.com

416-671-5617

DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements can frequently be identified by words such as "plans", "continues", "expects", "projects", "intends", "believes", "anticipates", "estimates", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or information that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the expected benefits to the Company and its shareholders as a result of the acquisition of 1814764 Ontario Limited; the transaction terms; the expected number of clinics and patients following the closing; the future potential success of 1814764 Ontario Limited; launch of new healthcare centers and the occurrence thereof; that the Company can bring healthcare to millions of Canadians; that new healthcare services can be added and that the Company will be positioned to be a market- leading service provider for complex patient requirements in 2020 and beyond. Such statements are only projections, are based on assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including: that the Company's products may not work as expected; that the Company may not be able to expand COVID-19 testing; that legislative changes may have an adverse effect on the Company's business and product development; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate financing to pursue its business plan; that general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; and other factors beyond the Company's control. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable laws.

SOURCE: Empower Clinics Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669925/Empower-Clinics-to-Acquire-Four-Operational-Ontario-Clinics-with-400000-Patient-Files
The Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization, urging world leaders to take action to align shipping with the Paris Agreement temperature goal, was today delivered to the UK Presidency of COP26 at the Global Maritime Forum Annual Summit in London

LONDON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization has been developed by a multi-stakeholder taskforce convened by the Getting to Zero Coalition - a partnership between the Global Maritime Forum, the World Economic Forum and Friends of Ocean Action. The Call to Action is backed by more than 200 industry leaders and organizations representing the entire maritime value chain and sends the clear message that a full decarbonization of international shipping is both urgent and achievable. It calls on governments to work together with the shipping industry to deliver the policies and investments needed to reach critical tipping points in decarbonizing global supply chains and the global economy.

"With the Call to Action, leaders from across the maritime value chain send a strong signal to governments meeting in Glasgow next week that it's time to raise ambitions and commit to fully decarbonize international shipping by 2050. If governments want to be climate heroes at COP26, they must also be climate heroes at the International Maritime Organization, where urgent action is needed to put international shipping on a just and equitable Paris-aligned pathway", says Johannah Christensen, Chief Executive Officer, Global Maritime Forum.

The Call to Action demonstrates that there is broad industry support for the decarbonization of shipping and shows the many actions and commitments that are already being made by companies, while specifying what is needed from Governments to fully decarbonize the sector by 2050.

Specifically, signatories call on government to:

Commit to decarbonizing international shipping by 2050

Support industrial scale zero emission shipping projects through national action

Deliver policy measures that will make zero emission shipping the default choice by 2030

The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow taking place from 31 October to 12 November 2021 is hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy and will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

"COP26 is a unique opportunity to accelerate global efforts to address climate change. All industries must be part of the journey towards reaching net-zero emissions and keeping the Paris temperature goals within reach. As COP President, I welcome the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization and its clear message that leaders from across the maritime industry are ready to work with governments to fully decarbonize international shipping by 2050," says Alok Sharma, COP26 President.

About the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization

More than 200 industry leaders and organizations from across the maritime value chain are signatories to the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization including shipping, cargo, energy, finance, ports, and infrastructure. Signatories are among some of the world's largest actors in global trade: Anglo American, A.P. Moller- Maersk, BHP, Bollore Logistics, BP, BW LPG, Cargill Ocean Transportation, Carnival Corporation, Citi, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, ENGIE, Euronav, Fortescue Metals Group, GasLog, Hapag-Lloyd, Iberdrola, Lloyd's Register, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Ocean Network Express, Olympic Shipping and Management, rsted, Panama Canal Authority, Port of Rotterdam, PSA International, Rio Tinto, Shell, Swire Shipping, Trafigura, Ultranav, Unilever, V.Group, Volvo, and Yara.

The Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization was initially launched on the 22 September 2021 in conjunction with the UN General Assembly.

Learn more about the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization and see the full list of Signatories here....

Learn more about what concrete actions Signatories of the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization are taking in support of shipping decarbonization here...

Learn more about the Global Maritime Forum Summit in London on 27-28 October 2021, here

About the Getting to Zero Coalition

The Getting to Zero Coalition is an industry-led platform for collaboration that brings together leading stakeholders from across the maritime and fuels value chains with the financial sector and other committed to making commercially viable zero emission vessels a scalable reality by 2030. The Getting to Zero Coalition is a partnership between the Global Maritime Forum, the Friends of Ocean Action, and the World Economic Forum.

About Friends of Ocean Action

Friends of Ocean Action is a unique group of over 55 global leaders from business, international organizations, civil society, science and academia who are fast-tracking scalable solutions to the most pressing challenges facing the ocean. It is hosted by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the World Resources Institute.

About World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is independent, impartial and not tied to any special interests.

About Global Maritime Forum

The Global Maritime Forum is an international not-for-profit organization committed to shaping the future of global seaborne trade to increase sustainable long-term economic development and human wellbeing.
Organization of the Combined Annual General Meeting

Online voting through VOTACCESSS maintained

Availability of preparatory documents

Regulatory News:

Claranova Group (Paris:CLA) informs its shareholders that they are invited to attend the Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. at the Centre de Conferences Capital 8, 32 Rue de Monceau, 75008 Paris.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company could however be subsequently required to modify the procedures for participating in the General Meeting of December 1, 2021, in the event of changes in legal provisions concerning the health crisis and hold the meeting in closed session. The Company will accordingly inform its shareholders in advance of the General Meeting should such a measure be adopted.

For that reason, the Company's shareholders are thus invited to regularly consult the section dedicated to the Annual General Meeting on the Company's website (www.claranova.com) to inform themselves on the final procedures adopted for participating in this General Meeting.

Shareholders must comply with any health measures applicable at the time the meeting is held. While the Company will do its utmost to ensure that social distancing measures are respected at the Meeting, it will not incur any liability resulting from the possible contamination of persons who decide, under their sole responsibility, to physically participate in the Meeting.

The original French language version of the preliminary meeting notice (avis prealable de reunion) which includes the agenda and the text of the resolutions to be submitted to the General Meeting was published in the French publication for legal announcements (Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires or BALO) on October 25, 2021, and is available on the Company's website along with a translation in English for information purposes. The procedures for participating and voting in the Meeting are described in this notice.

The other documents and information relating to this Meeting will be made available to shareholders and may be consulted on the company's website www.claranova.com under "Shareholders' Meeting" in the Investors section, as required by the law and regulations, as from Wednesday, November 10, 2021.

Shareholders are encouraged to vote either by mail or online through the secure voting platform, VOTACESS. With procedures for remote voting having thus been simplified, it is now possible to vote directly online as of November 10, 2021:

For registered shareholders: connect to the https://www.actionnaire.cic-marketsolutions.eu website with your login and password that has been sent by the post.

For bearer shareholders: go to the website of your bank and navigate to the line for Claranova shares, and if your bank is a member of the VOTACCESS system, you will be asked to vote.

Shareholders may submit written questions to the Company which must be sent to the Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Company's registered office at Immeuble Vision Defense 89-91 Boulevard National, 92250 La Garenne-Colombes, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or by e-mail to contact@claranova.com, no later than the fourth business day preceding the date of the Shareholders' Meeting, i.e., Thursday, November 25, 2021, at midnight, Paris time, accompanied by a share ownership certificate (attestation d'inscription en compte

About Claranova:

As a diversified global technology company, Claranova manages and coordinates a portfolio of majority interests in digital companies with strong growth potential. Supported by a team combining several decades of experience in the world of technology, Claranova has acquired a unique know-how in successfully turning around, creating and developing innovative companies.

With average annual growth of more than 40% over the last three years and revenue of 472 million in FY 2020-2021, Claranova has proven its capacity to turn a simple idea into a worldwide success in just a few short years. Present in 15 countries and leveraging the technology expertise of nearly 800 employees across North America and Europe, Claranova is a truly international company, with 95% of its revenue derived from international markets.

Claranova's portfolio of companies is organized into three unique technology platforms operating in all major digital sectors. As a leader in personalized e-commerce, Claranova also stands out for its technological expertise in software publishing and the Internet of Things, through its businesses PlanetArt, Avanquest and myDevices. These three technology platforms share a common vision: empowering people through innovation by providing simple and intuitive digital solutions that facilitate everyday access to the very best of technology.

For more information on Claranova Group:

www.claranova.com or twitter.com/claranova_group

CODES

Ticker:? CLA

ISIN: FR0013426004

www.claranova.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005834/en/

Contacts:

ANALYSTS INVESTORS

+33 1 41 27 19 74

contact@claranova.com

FINANCIAL COMMUNICATIONS

AELIUM

+33 1 75 77 54 65

skennis@aelium.fr
Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

For immediate release

27 October 2021

FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC

(the "Company")

MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES

The Company announces that it has today purchased 24,519 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 879.25p per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company.

The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 17 February 2021.

Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 408,519; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 224,582,784.

The figure of 224,582,784 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

For and on behalf of

Frostrow Capital LLP

Company Secretary

For further information, please contact:

Victoria Hale

Frostrow Capital LLP

Tel: 020 3 170 8732
Neuwied-based family business was founded in 1851.

NEUWIED, Germany, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 170-year history, Lohmann has developed into a global manufacturer in the field of bonding technology. Today, the "Bonding Engineers" are also represented in the USA, China and India, among other countries. One focus is on functional adhesive tapes. Here, adhesive strength is combined with additional functions, enabling Lohmann customers to drive their innovations forward. Adhesive solutions "Made in Neuwied" are now used worldwide in vehicles, cell phones, household appliances, windows and doors, in the printing sector as well as in portable blood glucose meters or in COVID-19 tests. Adhesive solutions that you don't see at first glance, but which are found in products used by millions of people every day.

The company Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG will be 170 years old this year. Lohmann, a family-owned company with tradition that also calls itself the "Bonding Engineers," has constantly evolved over this long period of time and has successfully managed to lead its bonding technology into the future. The Neuwied-based company's portfolio primarily includes innovative high-tech adhesive tapes. "Our adhesive tapes not only bond, they are also electrically conductive or take on sealing functions," says Dr. Jorg Pohlman, Managing Partner of Lohmann, who, as a direct descendant of founder August Lohmann, runs the company in the fifth generation, together with Dr. Carsten Herzhoff. In 1998, the Adhesive Bonding Technology and Medical divisions were separated. The medical products sector was transferred to today's Lohmann & Rauscher, in which Lohmann continues to hold a 50% stake. Since then, Lohmann Adhesive Bonding Technology has been focusing on technical adhesive tapes. The subsidiary Lohmann-koester can celebrate a 50th anniversary this year: it has been running the hygiene business unit (diaper closure systems) since 1991.

International expansion

"Today, we are represented worldwide with 25 international locations," says Dr. Jorg Pohlman. Lohmann opened its first U.S. location in Hebron, Kentucky, back in 1991. Another one in Orange, Virginia, was added later. Specialties of the branches include coating with hotmelts, acrylates and rubber adhesives, as well as high-speed rotary die-cutting with high precision.

In Asia, too, the demand for innovative and sustainable adhesive solutions is steadily increasing. Lohmann's Chinese subsidiary in Tianjin was founded back in 2002.

TEC Center and TwinMelt technology are milestones

Another milestone in 2016 was the inauguration of the TEC Center, an innovative technology center at the Neuwied site. A unique feature is the TwinMelt technology, which allows one hundred percent solvent-free coating of adhesive tapes. "And this is also where we see our focus and success for the future, namely offering our customers ever more innovative and at the same time more sustainable products," says Managing Director Dr. Jorg Pohlman.

Actively shaping innovative change

Lohmann Adhesive Bonding Technology - this is a unique success story that began at the company's headquarters in Neuwied and, Dr. Jorg Pohlman is convinced, will continue. The combination of different business areas such as the high-tech adhesive tapes, hygiene closure systems for diapers and the joint venture with the successful medical products specialist Lohmann & Rauscher offer crisis security and provide a broad basis for the future.

About the company

Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1851. The family-owned company, which specializes in adhesive technology, employs around 1,800 people worldwide. Its technical adhesive tapes are used in the automotive, electronics and printing sectors, among others. Since 2019, Lohmann has been managed by Dr. Jorg Pohlman and Dr. Carsten Herzhoff. This year, Lohmann celebrates its 170th anniversary.

Erik Martin Communication

Universitatsstrae 3

D-56070 Koblenz

0179 904 7687

em@pr-agentur-koblenz.de

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7Qh2ZMgLJ0

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1671784/Lohmann_Logo.jpg
CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In-depth analysis and data-driven insights on the impact of COVID-19 included in this Indonesia mobile crane market report.

The Indonesia mobile crane market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 14.06% during the period 2021-2027.

Key Highlights Offered in the Report:

1. The Indonesia mobile cranes market by value is projected to reach USD 315.1 million by 2027.

2. In 2020, Indonesia's GDP contracted by 2% due to decrease in economic activities in major industries such as construction, mining, and manufacturing. The construction and mining industries declined by 2.8% and 2.06% in Q1 2020 respectively. The impact was witnessed by mobile crane market which showed a dip of 22.5% in the year 2020.

3. FDI inflow also reduced by 22% in 2020 due to economic slowdown caused by lockdown measures taken by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus. However, the FDI inflow is expected to rise in 2021, due to government-sponsored tax incentives for foreign investors in manufacturing and mining sectors.

4. In 2021, Indonesian government has proposed a package worth USD 47.8 billion to offset the economic effect of the pandemic. A National Medium-Term Development plan is introduced to invest USD 412 billion in the development of transport, industrial, energy, and housing infrastructure by 2024.

5. The investment projects are divided into three sectors-road, railways, and port development accounting for 29%, 22%, and 23% respectively. Various infrastructure projects such as Yogyakarta-Bawen Toll Road, Riau Non- Toll Road Preservation, Development of metropolitan regions for Palembang, Banjarmasin, Makassar, and Denpasar. So, the spike in construction infrastructure projects and growth in steel industry is expected to drive the demand for mobile crane in Indonesia.

6. The increase in infrastructure projects is bound to influence steel industry which is expected to grow in 2021 due to upsurge in domestic demand in the country, thereby prompting Chinese investment in steel production due to strict Chinese government guidelines against the export of steel in China.

7. Tadano, Manitex, PT SANY Indonesia, PT Daya Kobelco Construction Equipment, PT Liebherr Indonesia Perkasa, Konecranes Indonesia, Terex Corporation, XCMG, PT Zoomlion Indonesia Heavy Industry and others are some major vendors of mobile crane in Indonesian market.

Key Offerings:

Market Size & Forecast by Volume | 2021-2026

Market Size & Forecast by Revenue | 2021-2026

Market Dynamics - Leading trends, growth drivers, restraints, and investment opportunities

Market Segmentation - A detailed analysis by crane type, application, and lifting capacity

Competitive Landscape - 10 key vendors and 5 other vendors

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/indonesia-mobile-crane-market-opportunities-assessment-forecast

Indonesia Mobile Crane Market - Segmentation

The demand for mobile cranes is largely driven to address high-end works for urban and infrastructure development. The Indonesian government has planned several infrastructure projects worth USD 430 billion . The Asian Development Bank also provide USD 100 billion of instant loan to support these projects. Hence, the rise in construction activities will increase the demand for mobile cranes.

. The Asian Development Bank also provide of instant loan to support these projects. Hence, the rise in construction activities will increase the demand for mobile cranes. Indonesia is the leading exporter of nickel and tin metals. The global demand for these metals expects to grow on account of their application in electric vehicles. The mining industry in Indonesia contribute 5% to the country's GDP and expects to grow due to the high global demand for industrial metals such as nickel, tin, and coal.

is the leading exporter of nickel and tin metals. The global demand for these metals expects to grow on account of their application in electric vehicles. The mining industry in contribute 5% to the country's GDP and expects to grow due to the high global demand for industrial metals such as nickel, tin, and coal. The less than 20-tons mobile cranes market in Indonesia expects to reach 563 units by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 14.30%. These cranes are largely used inside tunnels for subway, underground road, underground electric line development. Therefore, the redevelopment and maintenance projects will increase the demand for these cranes.

Indonesia Mobile Crane Market by Crane Type

Rough Terrain Crane

All Rough Terrain Cranes

Crawler Crane

Truck Mounted Cranes

Others

Indonesia Mobile Crane Market by Application

Transport/Port

Manufacturing

Mining

Construction

Others

Indonesia Mobile Crane Market by Lifting Capacity

Less than 20 Tons

20-100 Tons

101-200 Tons

Greater than 200 Tons

Indonesia Mobile Crane Market - Dynamics

The Indonesian government aims to invest USD 430 billion in infrastructure development projects from 2021 to 2024. There is a 20% rise in infrastructure investment from the last investment plan in 2015-2020. The country's infrastructure development projects are mostly in the transport sector. The investment projects are divided into three sectors - road, rail, and port development, accounting for 29%, 22%, and 23% respectively. The Trans-Sumatra toll road project is one of the largest projects worth USD 33.7 billion is in the progress. China supports a key project - Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railways. There are 83 PPP project plans for infrastructure developments, which include 50 projects in the transportation sector, including 13 ports and 15 railways projects. The Asian Development Bank provided a loan of USD 100 million to the Indonesian government to support these projects. Therefore, the rise in infrastructure development activities in Indonesia expects to increase the demand for mobile cranes in the market as cranes are majorly used at construction sites for material handling purposes.

Key Drivers and Trends fueling Market Growth:

Government Investments for Power Generation via Renewable Energy Projects

Increase in Stainless Steel Production

Upgrade of Mobile Crane Attachments

Introduction of Innovative Technology

Why Should You Buy This Report?

This report is among the few in the market that offers outlook and opportunity analysis forecast in terms of:

Volume (Unit sales)

Crane Type



Application



Gross Power

Value (USD)

Crane Type



Application



Gross Power

Gain competitive intelligence about the economic scenario, advantages in Indonesia major projects and investments, dynamics, and market share

major projects and investments, dynamics, and market share Examples of latest technologies

Get presentation-ready format and easy-to-interpret data

Enable decision-makers to make informed and profitable choices

Gain expert quantitative and qualitative analysis on value/volume growth projections of the Indonesia crane market share

crane market share Complete supply chain analysis

Get COVID-19 impact analysis of the market

Major Vendors

Tadano Ltd

Manitex International, Inc

Manitowoc Cranes

Sani Group

Kobelco Cranes

Liebherr group

Konecranes

Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd

Terex corporation

Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co., Ltd. (XCMG)

Other Prominent Vendors

Mammoet

Sumitomo Heavy Industries

Link-Belt Cranes

LiuGong

Kato Works

Distributors

TAT Hong Holdings Ltd

United Tractors

Multicrane Perkasa.PT

Explore our industrial machinery profile to know more about the industry.

Read some of the top-selling reports:

China Crane Market - Strategic Assessment & Forecast 2021-2027

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- Strategic Assessment & Forecast 2021-2027 Germany Mobile Crane Excavator Market - Strategic Assessment & Forecast 2021-2027

United Kingdom Crane Market - Strategic Assessment & Forecast 2021-2027

About Arizton

Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.

We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.

Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.

Mail: enquiry@arizton.com

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The experts at Austin Roofing and Construction weigh in on the most important information for roofing repairs.

AUSTIN, TX / ACCESSWIRE / October 27, 2021 / The roof is one of the most important components of your home, but they do break down over time. Though regular maintenance and good weather can help a residential roof last several decades. Eventually the time for repairs or replacement will arrive, particularly after exposure to storm weather, like hail. Homeowners looking to navigate these repairs can find themselves feeling confused and overwhelmed. Which is why the talented experts at Austin Roofing and Construction want to share a quick guide to roofing repairs.

All About Roofing Repairs

The team at Austin Roofing and Construction knows that the average person is likely not an expert in roofing, but that doesn't mean that homeowners need to walk into negotiations over roofing without any information in advance. "Homeowners can be at a disadvantage if they don't know what to expect, and we wanted to help with that," says Christine Bowen, CVO for Austin Roofing and Construction.

Roofing repairs can vary depending on the current roof and its needs. In some instances, re-roofing, which focuses on simply applying new shingles, can be the perfect fix for minor damage or instances where the roof has begun to fade.

However, in other instances, a completely new roof might be in order to ensure that the home is restored to its original glory. This can also occur when there are already multiple layers of shingles in place from previous repairs. With this process, older shingles will be removed and completely replaced. Additional repairs might occur during this process to ensure that everything is in good order for the new roof.

How Much Does a Roof Repair Cost?

Every roofing repair comes with a cost, but there is not a guaranteed way to receive a specific price without working with a roofing company directly. Depending on the needs of the roof, repairs can start as low as $750 and reach up to thousands of dollars.

The cost of a roofing repair is not only influenced by the repairs, but cost can also vary based on the steepness of the roof, the materials being used to repair the roof, and the going rate for labor in the area. Though most roofing experts try to remain competitive, prices can also vary from one roofing company to the next.

Estimating Roofing Repair Costs with the Roof Replacement Calculator

Understanding that homeowners can sometimes feel hesitant to directly request a quote, the team at Austin Roofing and Construction devised a powerful tool to clear things up. With their online re-roof estimator, which is free to use and offers bids for 3 types of roofing materials with a low monthly payment for each, all in under three minutes. This tool provides homeowners with general estimates of their roofing costs. Homeowners will receive three estimates almost immediately. Though the numbers will not be exact, they can help homeowners to receive a ballpark estimate regarding what to expect for pricing. This valuable tool empowers homeowners to make informed decisions before committing to working with a local roofer in their area.

About Austin Roofing and Construction:

Austin Roofing and Construction is continuously rated the best roofer in Austin Texas, providing their customers with a full scope of services for all their roofing and construction needs. Offering Tesla Solar Roofs, Shingles, Metal, TPO, PVC, and Coatings they offer all types of residential and commercial roofing services.

The team at Austin Roofing and Construction is composed of generations of Texas natives who seek to change the construction industry for the better. By relying on input from the entire team, they are able to bring together traditional and modern methods to provide exceptional service for residents in the area. They have a reputation for always completing their roofing projects on time and on budget while providing a World Class Customer Service Experience, superior client interaction, and unparalleled workmanship.

Business name: Austin Roofing and Construction

Contact: Daisy Martinez

Phone: (512) 629-4949

URL: https://www.AustinRoofingAndConstruction.com

Email: Info@AustinRoofingAndConstruction.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustinRoofingAndConstruction/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AustinRoofingAndConstruction/

Address: 1301 W Ben White Blvd #200A, Austin, TX 78704

SOURCE: Austin Roofing and Construction

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/669943/Austin-Roof-Repair-A-Guide-to-Roofing-Repairs-by-the-Experts-at-Austin-Roofing-and-Construction
Endava Sees Companies Evolving their Digital Payment Strategies to Address Open Banking, Buy Now Pay Later, and New Consumer Payment Technologies

Endava (NYSE: DAVA), a leading next-generation technology services provider, released today at Money 20/20 USA their 2021 U.S. Spotlight Report: Three Key Trends in Payments. The report provides a detailed perspective on major trends in the U.S. digital payments industry today and how these trends will impact the payment ecosystem over the coming years.

Based on extensive discussions with digital payment experts, customers, and partners, Endava's 2021 U.S. Spotlight Report identifies three trends that are driving U.S. companies to re-examine, update, and improve their digital payment strategies:

The Maturation of Open Banking: Banks and other financial institutions are increasingly using open banking APIs and real-time payment rail platforms. This is expected to lead to the emergence of new trusted open banking networks, an increase in the number of third-party open banking technology providers, greater integration of banking data and functions into business accounting and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and the growth of "super apps" from today's powerhouse financial market players.

Banks and other financial institutions are increasingly using open banking APIs and real-time payment rail platforms. This is expected to lead to the emergence of new trusted open banking networks, an increase in the number of third-party open banking technology providers, greater integration of banking data and functions into business accounting and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and the growth of "super apps" from today's powerhouse financial market players. The Explosive Growth of "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL): Demographic changes have increased consumer demand for short period fixed-term credit and new BNPL providers like Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay, and Openpay have arisen to meet this demand. We expect a period of fierce competition, acquisitions and partnerships in the BNPL space as fintech start-ups, large retailers, and incumbent credit providers jockey to find the BNPL sweet spot that puts them at the front of consumers' digital wallets.

Demographic changes have increased consumer demand for short period fixed-term credit and new BNPL providers like Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay, and Openpay have arisen to meet this demand. We expect a period of fierce competition, acquisitions and partnerships in the BNPL space as fintech start-ups, large retailers, and incumbent credit providers jockey to find the BNPL sweet spot that puts them at the front of consumers' digital wallets. The Evolution of Payments Acceptance: As consumers increasingly use connected devices and apps to pay for goods and services, biometrics will replace authentication PINs and passwords, more payment credentials will be embedded in connected devices and apps, and businesses will use more smartphones and tablets to accept payments in the physical world.

"We expect that these three trends will accelerate future business investment and interest in the payments ecosystem, as payments continue to evolve from being considered 'just' a critical business to also being viewed as an extraordinary source of data and insight into the behavior and needs of customers," said Scott Harkey, EVP Financial Services and Payments, at Endava. "As we have seen at Money2020, there has been notable interest in the joining together of Endava and Levvel as two strong and complementary leaders in the payments market, highlighting the real opportunity for Endava's expansion not only in the US market but from a global perspective as well. At Endava, we envision a future in which almost all payments are experienced through sophisticated digital channels and data-driven decision-making provides businesses and consumers alike with frictionless transactions, new sources of credit, and smart financial ecosystems through connected systems able to generate valuable insights and reveal new opportunities."

Accelerating Clients' Digital Payment Businesses

Since Endava was founded more than 20 years ago, the company has helped build and enhance banking and payment platforms for its clients. Leveraging advanced technologies, Endava's agile, multi-disciplinary global team has collaborated with clients to align their payment platforms with their current business challenges and opportunities, enabling these clients to offer their customers mobile banking, real-time account transfers, touch-free payments, and affordable cross-border payments.

To learn more about Endava, and its work within the payments industry, visit https://www.endava.com/en/Industries/Payments.

About Endava

Endava is reimagining the relationship between people and technology.

We have helped some of the world's leading Payments, Financial Services, Telecommunications, Media, Technology, Consumer Products, Retail, Mobility, and Healthcare companies accelerate their ability to take advantage of new business models and market opportunities.

By leveraging next-generation technologies, our agile, multi-disciplinary teams provide a combination of Product Technology Strategies, Intelligent Experiences, and World Class Engineering to help our clients become more engaging, responsive, and efficient.

Endava has 8,883 employees, as of June 30, 2021, located in close to client locations in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States and nearshore delivery centres in the European Union: Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovenia; Central European Countries: Bosnia Herzegovinia, Moldova, North Macedonia and Serbia; Latina America: Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela.

For more information, see endava.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of terms and phrases such as "believe," "expect," "outlook," "may," "will", and other similar terms and phrases. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the statements regarding Endava's ability to remain a sustainable and resilient business and an employer of choice in the locations in which it operates. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by these forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the risk that Endava may not anticipate the technology developments and key trends in order to continue to innovate and remain at the forefront of emerging technologies and related market trends, as well as other risks and uncertainties discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of Endava's Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on September 28, 2021 and in future filings Endava makes with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent Endava's views and expectations as of the date hereof and are based on information currently available to Endava. Endava anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its views to change. Endava specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements in this press release except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Endava's views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005980/en/

Contacts:

Press:

Laurence Madsen, Investor Relations

investors@endava.com

EndavaUS@hotwireglobal.com
The Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA) is excited to support Bermuda's delegation at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, Scotland next week.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005993/en/

David Hart, BDA CEO (Photo: Business Wire)

The BDA's Chair, Stephen Weinstein, BDA Deputy Chair, Susan Pateras, and BDA CEO, David Hart will represent the BDA at COP26.

Mr. Weinstein said, "Bermuda is uniquely well equipped to help address the pressing global challenge of developing solutions and financing mechanisms to mitigate the impacts of climate risk. The BDA's purpose at COP 26 is to tell the Bermuda story and strategy, to invite investors, entrepreneurs and policymakers to collaborate with Bermuda, and to foster global partnerships to help bring this vision into reality."

Mr. Hart said, "The BDA is proud to support the Government's efforts to showcase Bermuda's work in the environmental protection policy space. Bermuda's legacy of conservation leadership can be traced back over four centuries particularly in the area of ocean conservation, and Bermuda's business community is poised to assist with current and future efforts to reduce risk and promote transition solutions."

Directly following a panel led by Bermuda's Deputy Premier, Minister of Home Affairs, The Hon. Walter Roban, JP, MP, entitled "Our Vision for Healthy Oceans" in the COP26 UK pavilion the purpose of which is to raise awareness about how the British Overseas Territories are taking action against climate change the BDA will host an invite-only luncheon for leaders in the climate space at ICE Hub Glasgow COP26 on November 6. The delegation also has additional meetings scheduled in London on November 8, some of which were organised in partnership with the Government of Bermuda's London Office.

Delegates to COP 26 interested in booking a meeting with the Bermuda delegation, can visit our COP 26 landing page.

CONNECTING BUSINESS

The BDA encourages direct investment and helps companies start up, relocate or expand their operations in our premier jurisdiction. An independent, public-private partnership, we connect you to industry professionals, regulatory officials, and key contacts in the Bermuda government to assist domicile decisions.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005993/en/

Contacts:

Stuart Roberts, Director of Communications PR

stuart@bda.bm, +1 441 292 7774


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Social media giant Facebook Inc (FB) continues to make it to the news after another fiasco regarding the company's handling of user data was unearthed. After reviewing documents provided by whistleblower Frances Haugen, the Federal Trade Commission is now probing to see if the company has breached the $5 billion settlement agreement that it had struck with the company back in 2019.



Earlier this month, a former product manager of Facebook's civic misinformation team came out all guns blazing against her former employer to go on record and state that the social media platform often ignored its duty to stop misinformation and chose monetary gain over negative effects. Haugen also went to congress with the documents triggering a series of discoveries.



Senator Richard Blumenthal said, 'I think the FTC should be really angry if Facebook concealed this material from them as it did from us in the Congress and the public.'



Former FTC Chair, William Kovacic, said to The Journal that the company was legally bound to let the users know about what the company was doing with the data and since they have not that, the FTC will likely investigate if they have applied deceptive trade practices. Back in 2019, the FTC found Facebook's mishandling of the user data in relation to its involvement with political experiment firm Cambridge Analytica and fined the company with a hefty price.



But Haugen's documents show that the company lacked any action on its part fearing that taking action will hurt its profit. Haugen said on a talk show called 60 Minutes, 'As soon as the election was over, they turned them back off or they changed the settings back to what they were before, to prioritize growth over safety' she added. 'And that really feels like a betrayal of democracy to me.'



The $5 billion settlement itself had its own share of shads involved in it as investors had filed lawsuits claiming that the company has overpaid significantly to keep the CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg out of the mud. According to Forbes, Facebook paid $5 billion to the FTC to clear Zuckerberg while the estimated fine would've been only around $100 million.



A representative of the company said that Facebook is 'always ready to answer regulators' questions and will continue to cooperate with government inquiries.



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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Tesla Inc. (TSLA) and also the wealthiest person in the world, could feed 42 million people with just a fraction of his massive fortune, hinted a United Nations executive to CNN on Tuesday.



UN Executive Director for the World Food Program, David Beasley said that there are more than 42 million people who will literally die if they are not given food, whereas the rich are earning in billions in a matter of hours.



During the interview with Becky Anderson, Beasly said, 'The governments are tapped out. This is when the billionaires need to step up now on a one-time basis-$6 billion to help 42 million people that are literally going to die if we don't reach them. It's not complicated.'



'I've got 43 nations with 42 million people in IPC level four,' pleaded Beasley.



'Just help me with them one time, that's a $6 billion price tag.' IPC refers to the Integrated food security Phase Classification, a hunger indicator that has five levels. Level four is emergency, which is only worsened by level five, which indicates famine. Due to a series of global warming-related natural catastrophes, and the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of people around the globe have been left homeless, starving and just a one-time donation by the richest will be able to solve the crisis.



'I'm not asking them to do this every day, every week, every year. We have a one-time crisis. We have a perfect storm of conflict, climate change, and covid.'



According to reports, the top 500 richest people in the US alone have earned more than $1.8 trillion since 2020 and the likes of Elon Musk have had it even better. Tuesday. Tesla reached a market capitalization of $1 trillion, making Musk, one of the lead shareholders in the company, reach a net worth of close to $300 billion. Musk apparently made $36 billion on just Monday.



Raising the alarm, Bealey tweeted, 'ALARMING: 1 billionaire was created every 17 hours during Covid. 17,000 people also died of hunger at the same time. Is this acceptable?? I am not opposed to anyone making money, but I AM opposed to people dying of hunger when there's $400 trillion of wealth in the world today.'



Beasley, in a tone of sheer urgency, said that if the 400 top billionaires could give 0.36% of their wealth, it was well enough to save the world. 'The world's in trouble and you're telling me you can't give me .36% of your net worth increase to help the world in trouble, in times like this? What if it was your daughter starving to death? What if it was your family starving to death? Wake up, smell the coffee, and help.'



The richest individuals around the world have been accused of 'donating' their money to their own charitable foundations which go out to foundations of their own choice, helping the billionaires evade taxes. Musk has his own charity where he has donated money, which saved his taxes. Back in 2015 and 2017, Musk paid a measly $70,000 in taxes and since then he has not paid any taxes at all.



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Fort Lauderdale, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Iter Investments, a venture capital firm that deploys capital primarily in businesses operating in and around the burgeoning psychedelic industry, will exhibit at Wonderland: Miami by Microdose from Nov. 8-9, 2021 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami. The event is known as, "The Largest Psychedelic Medicine Business Event, Ever."

With the recent observance of World Mental Health Day, and as conversations shift into high gear surrounding mental health, the conference serves as a timely platform for those leading in the space. Dustin Robinson, Esq., CPA, managing principal of Iter Investments; and co-founder of Mr. Psychedelic Law, a nonprofit organization focused on psychedelic legal reform, has become a thought leader in the industry and capitalizes on its great potential through his strategic business ventures.

Events in which Iter Investments is participating at the conference include:

Florida Research and Policy Panel - Tuesday, Nov. 9, 11:30 a.m.

Where: Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132

Details: Dustin Robinson, who has also co-authored recent psychedelic bills and resolutions, will serve as the moderator of and a speaker at this panel. Experts at the interface of policy, research, and business will discuss the implications of the work being done in Florida and how people can get involved.

Psychedelic Invest Presents "Wonderland After Dark" Party - Tuesday, Nov. 9, 7 p.m.-12 a.m.

Where: Melinda's, 1306 North Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33136

Details: Iter Investments' portfolio company, Psychedelic Invest - home of the first psychedelic market index and unparalleled psychedelic investing data and analysis - will host the official closing event for the conference called, "Wonderland After Dark." At this mixer, guests will enjoy cocktails and have the opportunity to meet with psychedelic venture capital funds, investors, executives, and more. Melinda's is a casual neighborhood eatery and cocktail lounge located in the heart of Miami's Omni District, just a short walk from the conference. This free event is open to the public, but will require an RSVP with confirmation, and attendance will be limited by capacity.

"Meet the CEOs" Psychedelic Series Panel - Wednesday, Nov. 10, 7 p.m.

Where: Soho Beach House Miami, 4385 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33140

Details: Iter Investments will host "Meet the CEOs" featuring some of the psychedelic industry's leading CEOs including Awakn Life Sciences CEO Anthony Tennyson, Clairvoyant Therapeutics CEO Damian Kettlewell, Mind Cure CEO Kelsey Ramsden, and Braxia Scientific CEO Roger McIntyre. This event, part of Robinson's monthly Psychedelic Series with Soho Beach House, is free, but attendees must be on the guest list, or a member of Soho Beach House, a place for creative thinkers in Miami to socialize, stay and relax.

"We at Iter Investments are pleased to showcase at and participate in Wonderland: Miami by Microdose," said Robinson. "This event puts us at the center of the revolution in the treatment of mental health, addiction and pain challenges."

Iter Investments will have a booth at Wonderland: Miami by Microdose. To register for the event, visit https://microdose.buzz/wonderland/miami/. Use code, ITERWM, for 25% off any ticket options.

Robinson is also founding partner of Mr. Cannabis Law, a full service law firm focused on the cannabis and psychedelic industries.

This press release (i) is not an offer, or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security or investment, and (ii) does not constitute tax, legal or investment advice.



About Iter Investments

Iter Investments is an investment firm that deploys capital in and around the burgeoning psychedelic industry. Iter Investments invests with the mission of re-imagining how the mental health and wellness industry delivers care. For more information, visit www.iterinvestments.com or email contact@iterinvestments.com.

###

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100969
Zurich, Switzerland--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Idowall is a cardano pre-sale and IDO aggregator that finds all pre-sales and initial dex offerings (IDOs) from multiple launchpads on the cardano blockchain, and aggregates them into a simple, yet easy to understand interface for a participant to make better research, displaying metrics that matter. And is proud to announce its latest tool for tracking and analytics for IDOs on the Cardano Blockchain.

The concept behind IDOWALL

Idowall aims to bring complete, easy to use tracking and analytics tools for IDOs on the cardano blockchain with several customizable features, Idowall aims to provide the cardano community a streamlined way to read and analyze data and information about on-Going and upcoming initial dex offerings for more likelihood of participation on profitable IDOs.

IDOWALL Features

When launched, IDOwall will bring all relevant data and crucial tools you need to DYOR for the next Cardano Gem under a single comprehensive solution. IDOwall aims at removing the hurdles to take good investment decisions, with removing the time that takes digging into projects or seeking for opinion from influencers who might have been bankrolled to support a project.

Therefore, the new breed of IDO tracking and monitoring software is built to streamline the IDO participating and keep things under control.

The hard yards for an investor

Participating in an IDO can be lucrative at times for an investor, but certain times it can be quite cumbersome searching for the new X100 Crypto Gem. Pre-sale & IDO investors are sometimes left holding worthless tokens after a pre-sale or IDO because a project developer failed to provide liquidity or initially providing the liquidity to later remove in what we call rug pulling.

A decent amount of money has been lost in the blink of an eye due to this scheme by cryptocurrency criminals. With IDOwall platform, you can view Token pre-sales from multiple cardano launchpads, having a graphical representation of crucial information about each cardano pre-sale.

The proprietary AI bots detect new presales on different IDO platforms every hour from supported launchpads automatically and displays them on a single page thereby enabling an investor focus on the metrics that matter.

$WALL Token

The platform will be powered by Wall Token which will give holders access to the Analytical tiers on IDOWALL. Some features of IDOwall like advanced pre-sale filtering options, multiple added-value metrics, dark mode, pre-sale saving are restricted to only VIP members who have a certain balance of the utility token $WALL in their wallet.

Users on the free tier will have Instant Access to IDOWAll presale discussion group on Telegram and also have to free IDO and seed sale alerts on any Cardano Native Token.

IDOWALL Vision

IDOWALL is on a mission to provide cardano enthusiasts an all-in-one suite of holistic pre-sale analysis tools for investors at all levels of experience, to help them to reduce crypto investment risk and increase the likelihood of profitable IDOs.

IDOWALL platform will be powered by its utility token $WALL that will serve as the fuel that will power the platform. $WALL is a utility token with an actual purpose, hold $WALL Tokens to get access to the advanced IDO metrics & comparison tools which is a distinguishing feature amidst a sea of shitcoins in existence now.

IDOWALL Team

With 10+ years of combined experience in innovative social impact strategies, the IDOWALL team prides itself on delivering on its core values by creating a safer investment ecosystem for all people, regardless of their race, market position or investment size. You can have a look at the team behind IDOWall Platform.

How To Buy Wall Token

IDOWALL Team intends to open up a seed sale for initial investors to get hold of some Wall Tokens before it lists on an exchange at a much higher price.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Idowallproject

Telegram Group: https://t.me/idowall

Telegram Channel: https://idowall.medium.com/

Media Details

Company Name: IDOWall

Contact Name: Eddy Wagner

Email: eddywagner@idowall.com

Website: https://idowall.com/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/101066
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Castle Peak Mining Ltd. (TSXV: CAP) ("Castle Peak" or the "Company") is pleased to report that, through its wholly owned Ghanian subsidiary Castle Sika Mining Ltd. ("Castle Sika"), it has entered into a 1.5% Net Smelter Returns Agreement ("NSR") with Wononuo Investment Limited ("Wononuo") on minerals mined, removed and sold by Castle Sika. The NSR is granted to Wononuo as a part of Castle Peak's purchase of the prospecting license for a mineral deposit located in Ghana. Title to the prospecting license will be held by Castle Sika. The purchase of the prospecting license from Wononuo was originally disclosed by news release on February 20, 2019 and the creation of Castle Sika was originally disclosed by news release on September 23, 2021. The purchase of the prospecting license is expected to close on October 31, 2021.

Completion of the abovementioned transaction is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange.

For further information, please contact:

"Iyad Jarbou"

Chief Financial Officer

Tel: 604.362.7685

Email: iyadj@castlepeakmining.com

Website: https://castlepeakmining.com/

FORWARD-LOOKING AND OTHER CAUTIONARY INFORMATION

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain 'forward-looking information' and 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This release may contain statements that are forward-looking statements and are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Such information contained herein represents management's best judgment as of the date hereof based on information currently available. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this release. The Company does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Any offering made will be pursuant to available prospectus and registration exemptions and restricted persons to whom the securities may be sold in accordance with the laws of such jurisdictions and by persons permitted to sell the securities in accordance with the laws of such jurisdictions.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/101083
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Currie Rose Resources Inc. (TSXV: CUI) ("Currie" or the "Company") is pleased to advise the company will acquire 100% of two Vanadium (Battery Metal) Projects (the "Project") located in Central North Queensland, Australia (Figure 1).

Highlights:

Currie to acquire 100% of two advanced Vanadium (Battery Metal) assets in North Queensland.



On completion of all approvals, Currie will have two ASX listed companies as equal major shareholders:

Chalice Mining Limited (Market cap ~C$2.3B) and Liontown Resources Limited (Market Cap ~C$3.23B)





The Project includes:

the historic Cambridge Vanadium deposit that:

- hosts a JORC 12 compliant Inferred Resource of 84Mt@0.30 V 2 O 5 % 1

- is the easterly continuation of the Lilyvale Vanadium deposit that contains a JORC compliant, Indicated & Inferred resource of 560Mt @ 0.48 V2O5% (currently in Feasibility - ASX: Horizon Minerals LTD) 2 Promising initial independent metallurgical test work on the historical Cambridge deposit 3

Significant Vanadium intercepts at several drilled locations including:

- Flinders River,

- Runnymede and

- Silver Hills Large areas of underexplored, prospective, outcropping, vanadium rich host strata (Toolebuc Formation) Significant historic exploration data from previous explorers



The Project is:

A District scale package, covering approximately 1,240km 2 (124,000Ha) Close to infrastructure (rail, power & road) and enroute to Townsville Port





Vanadium has been listed by the Canadian, Australian and United States of America Governments as a critical mineral for both steel alloys and low carbon battery technologies, notably the Vanadium Redox Flow Thru Battery which is building momentum for commercial battery storage applications



Governments are providing substantial incentives to Company's working in the Vanadium Redox Flow Battery technology sector



The deposits are located in the North West Queensland Mt Isa Townsville Economic Zone (MITEZ) corridor which has been flagged as an area which will receive substantial funding for infrastructure to encourage development of critical minerals, other commodities and industry in the region.





Figure 1 - North Queensland Vanadium Project Location

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2005/101060_3c07f5db24b8090b_002full.jpg

Michael Griffiths, Currie's President and CEO, commented. "Today's 100% acquisition of two highly rated brown field Queensland Vanadium Projects within the World class Vanadium Hub in North Queensland is a watershed day for the Company. It marks the first steps into a Battery Metal strategy which is expected to expand as the world decarbonises."

"The Liontown acquisition comes with an expansive, underexplored package and a significant historical resource at Cambridge that occupies the immediate easterly extension of the neighbouring2 Lilyvale Vanadium deposit that is currently in feasibility."

"The CGM package (see details below) also hosts encouraging vanadium drill intercepts and high calibre exploration data that will potentially deliver further resources with additional infill drilling."

"The combination of the two projects into one entity, provides tremendous opportunity to create a large-scale focused project and we look forward to commencing the next phase of test work as soon as possible. We also welcome two very successful ASX listed Companies to our register as a result of the transaction and look forward to working with both companies as major shareholders."





Figure 2 - Regional Vanadium Resources (including the Historic Cambridge Deposit)

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2005/101060_3c07f5db24b8090b_003full.jpg

Project Details

The North Queensland Vanadium Project ("NQVP") is the merger of the Toolebuc and Flinders River Vanadium Projects and is situated approximately 400km west of the port of Townsville (Figure1).

NQVP covers an area of approximately 124,000Ha and is close to rail, road and power infrastructure.

Third party developments in the area have identified the region as a potential Vanadium Hub (Figure 2).

Work by previous explorers and both Vendors, has culminated in the delineation of an historic vanadium resource (Cambridge Resource) and, has identified several drill ready areas (Runnymede, Silver Hills and Forrest Creek) with potential to define additional large scale vanadium resources.

The historic maiden Inferred Mineral Resource at Cambridge was released to the ASX in July 20181. A historic resource of 84Mt@0.30 V 2 O 5 % was identified and remains open to the north. Cambridge is located immediately east of the Lillyvale vanadium deposit2, within a flat-lying geological horizon, close to the surface (<30m) and hosted by marine sediments of the Early Cretaceous Toolebuc Formation.

Currie Rose will seek to verify the historic Cambridge resource as soon as practicable and as required under National Instrument 43-101 (Table 1).

Table 1 - Historic Cambridge Inferred Resource Estimate 1

Resource Category Million tonnes V 2 O 5 % MoO 3 ppm Inferred 83.7 0.30 188 Total 83.7 0.30 188



Notes - See Footnote 1

Reported above a V 2 O 5 cut-off grade of 0.25%

Tonnages and grade have been rounded to reflect the relative uncertainty of the estimate

Preliminary independent metallurgical studies by Liontown, have confirmed that the historic Cambridge Resource is shallow, oxidised, soft, friable and free digging. The ore is considered suitable for pre-concentration with potential pathways to economic processing.

Wide spaced geological and geophysical data is also at hand and priority targets for first pass exploration have also been identified.

Further details on the overall package will be released once verification processes have been completed.

Transaction Details

Liontown Resources Limited Acquisition

On October 27, 2021 Currie Rose entered into an arm's length agreement to acquire 100% of the Toolebuc Vanadium Project from Liontown Resources. Subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, Currie Rose will:

issue 12,500,000 ordinary shares at a deemed value of A$475,000.

issue 4,000,000 share purchase warrants at C$0.10 with a 2-year expiry.

Grant a 2% Net Gross Revenue Royalty with the Company holding the right to purchase 50% of the Royalty by making a payment to the Royalty Holder of $1,000,000, in cash.

CGM Lithium Pty Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of Chalice Mining Limited) Acquisition

On October 27, 2021 Currie Rose entered into an arm's length agreement to acquire 100% of the Flinders River Vanadium Project from CGM Lithium. Subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, Currie Rose will:

issue 12,500,000 ordinary shares at a deem value of A$475,000.

issue 4,000,000 share purchase warrants at C$0.10 with a 2-year expiry.

Grant a 2% Net Gross Revenue Royalty with the Company holding the right to purchase 50% of the Royalty by making a payment to the Royalty Holder of $1,000,000, in cash.

Private Placement Financing

The private placement offering is for a maximum 22,000,000 units (the "Units") of the Company at a price of $0.05 per Unit (the "Offering"), with each Unit comprised of one share and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will be exercisable to purchase an additional share of the Company for a period of 24 months from the closing date at a price of CAD$0.10.

The Company anticipates a closing date of November 30, 2021. Proceeds from this offering will be used for work programs on the Company's exploration properties in Queensland (Australia), the Rossland Project in British Columbia and for general working capital purposes.

The private placement offering is integral to the proposed acquisitions of Liontown Resources Limited and CGM Lithium Pty Ltd and therefore the Company expects to rely on the "part and parcel pricing" exemption outlined in Section 1.7 of TSXV Policy 4.1

The Company may pay finders' fees comprised of cash and non-transferable warrants in connection with the Offering, subject to compliance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued and sold under the Offering will be subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day from their date of issuance. Completion of the Offering and the payment of any finders' fees remain subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Why Vanadium

Vanadium has been identified by the Canadian, United States and Australian Governments as a critical mineral for both alloy steel production and large low carbon power applications - Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRB) for large scale modular energy storage.

Currie Management is of the view that demand for Vanadium will increase over the next few years driven by battery production and steel industry demand resulting from significant global infrastructure developments planned because of the global pandemic. Some commodity groups are forecasting significant Vanadium shortages due to steel demand and further exacerbated with the expected commercialisation and supply of VRB.

The North Queensland Vanadium Project ("NQVP") has large scale potential in a mining friendly, 1st world jurisdiction and is well poised to be a strong contributor to the world market. The Project is well advanced in terms of drilling and preliminary metallurgical testing.

VRB development is advancing at pace. Compared to other commercial scale renewable battery solutions the VRB offers:

Low carbon footprint in the making and life of the battery

Fast charging, batteries charge significantly faster than peers

Significantly higher charging

Large scalable energy storage for grid and microgrids

Rapid release of large quantities of energy

Increased safety - non-flammable

Reduced Cost v's Lithium Energy Storage and Batteries

Vanadium electrolyte re-usable, recyclable longer life span compared to other batteries

For Additional Information please contact:

Mike Griffiths, CEO

Office: 905-688-9115

Email: info@currierose.com

Catherine Beckett, Manager Corporate Affairs

Office: 905-688-9115

Email: info@currierose.com

About Currie Rose Resources Inc.

Currie Rose is a precious and battery metal explorer focused on identifying high value assets in Canada and Australia. Our immediate focus is the advanced North Queensland Vanadium Project in Queensland Australia.

Please visit our website located at www.currierose.com

Qualified Persons

The Currie Rose scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) and reviewed and approved on behalf Currie Rose Resources by Michael Griffiths, FAusIMM, President & CEO for Currie Rose Resources, a Qualified Person.

Forward-Looking Statements

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on the Company's expectations, estimates and projections regarding its business and the economic environment in which it operates. Statements about the closing of the transaction, expected terms of the transaction, the number of securities of Currie Rose that may be issued in connection with the transaction, and the parties' ability to satisfy closing conditions and receive necessary approvals are all forward-looking information. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements and readers should not place undue reliance on such statements. Statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update them publicly to reflect new information or the occurrence of future events or circumstances, unless otherwise required to do so by law.

1 ASX:LTR - Liontown Announces Maiden 84Mt Vanadium Resource for Toolebuc Project, NW Queensland - 30th July 2018)

2 ASX:HRZ - Richmond-Julia Creek Vanadium Project Update -16 June 2020

3 Inception Consulting Engineers Pty Ltd (Met Review on the Historical Data on Toolebuc Vanadium Project, 30-8-2019

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/101060
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - California-based healthcare company, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN), provided an improved full-year outlook on Wednesday. The company has narrowed its net loss outlook to a range of $85 million to $45 million, from prior estimate of $110 million to $60 million. On an adjusted basis, the outlook for net income is $215 million to $255 million, up from prior guidance of $190 million to $240 million. Revenue outlook was improved to $1.82 billion to $1.88 billion, from prevoius forecast of $1.79 billion to $1.88 billion. On average, 17 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters are expecting revenue to come at $1.85 billion. BioMarin expects Vimizim, Palynziq, and Kuvan to perform better than previously expected. Jean-Jacques Bienaime, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BioMarin said, 'The essential nature of our medicines to the people who rely on them, gives us confidence in the growth prospects ahead. We plan to finish 2021 strong and expect meaningful growth in revenues in 2022 leading to anticipated GAAP profitability next year. We look forward to providing full guidance for 2022 early next year, especially given early demand signals for Voxzogo, for the treatment of achondroplasia, in Europe, and the potential for Voxzogo to be approved in the U.S. next 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.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. (CSE: HODL) (OTC Pink: KHRIF) ("Cypherpunk" or, the "Company"), a sector leader for cryptocurrency, privacy and cryptography focused investments, is pleased to announce that Jeffrey Gao has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Tony Guoga, currently the Chief Executive Officer, has been appointed Executive Chairman. These changes are effective on November 7, 2021.

Tony Guoga commented: "Jeffrey is the right person to lead Cypherpunk into the future, given his strong command of our business and already bringing lots of value as a member of the Investment Committee. We are on a positive growth trajectory and are well-positioned to build on our strong momentum. I am pleased and proud that Jeffrey will lead our company and I am excited to work with him along with our entire leadership team to ensure a seamless transition toward Cypherpunk's next phase of growth."

Moe Adham, Director and Chief Investment Officer: "Jeffrey has the leadership track record and breadth of business experience we believe are critical to lead Cypherpunk. He has a strong focus on leading with innovation, is committed to our core values and focused on delivering value to our shareholders. Speaking on behalf of the board, we look forward to working closely with Jeffrey as Chief Executive Officer."

At the same time we are delighted that we will continue to benefit from Tony's experience in his active role as Executive Chairman. Tony has been an exemplary leader as Chief Executive Officer during his time with a steadfast commitment to building Cypherpunk's business.

As Executive Chairman, Tony will continue to play a key role and be actively involved in the business. He will chair the Board of Directors, act as an advisor to the Company and be involved in the shaping of its long-term strategy. He will also continue to represent Cypherpunk around the world with key players in the cryptocurrency sector and continue as our brand ambassador.

Our incoming CEO, Jeffrey Gao, stated: "I was brought on by Tony earlier this year to serve as a member of Cypherpunk's Investment Committee. That feels almost a lifetime ago. I cannot ask for a better group of like-minded friends and colleagues to work with and serve alongside. I am truly humbled by the appointment and honored to lead our growing company as its Chief Executive Officer," said Jeffrey. "There is much we can do for our loyal shareholders - Cypherpunk has a diverse mix of some of the most exceptional and talented individuals in our industry and I look forward to working closely with our entire team to create value for our shareholders."

Cypherpunk confirmed there is no change to the business outlook.

Jeffrey Gao

Jeff joined the company in April 2021 as an advisor to the Investment Committee. A quant and data scientist by way of training, Jeff holds a degree in Commerce (Actuarial Science) from The University of Melbourne and is a BSc / MEng (Electrical) graduate from Monash University. Prior to joining HODL, Jeff worked across a range of start-ups in his hometown of Melbourne Australia and currently holds a lecturing post at Kaplan Business School. Jeff is also a sophisticated investor and runs a small family office, managing private wealth.

Tony Guoga

Tony is a well-known investor, businessperson, high stakes poker player, and former member of the European Parliament. His diverse accomplishments include being named as one of Politico Magazine's 28 people who are shaping, shaking and stirring Europe in 2016. Tony also founded the Blockchain Centre in Vilnius, Lithuania in 2018. On the other side of the coin, Tony is a cable tv star in the USA by winning millions of dollars locking horns at poker with the best players in the world. He resides in Vilnius, Lithuania.

About Cypherpunk Holdings Inc.

Cypherpunk is a company set-up to invest in companies, technologies and protocols, which enhance or protect privacy. Its strategy is to make targeted investments in businesses and assets with strong privacy, often within the blockchain ecosystem, including select cryptocurrencies. Current equity investments include Samourai Wallet, Wasabi Wallet, Chia, NGRAVE, and Animoca.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Generally, any statements that are not historical facts may contain forward-looking information, and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or indicates that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to the Company's future performance or business. There is no assurance that the Company's plans or objectives will be implemented as set out herein, or at all. Forward- looking information is based on certain factors and assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

Officer/Director Contact:

Jeffrey Gao

Chief Executive Officer

jeff@cypherpunkholdings.com

Office: 1-647-946-1300

Investor Relations Contact:

Veronika Oswald

Investor Relations

veronika@cypherpunkholdings.com

Office: 1-647-946-1300

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/101027
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 27, 2021) - Allied Copper Corp. (TSXV: CPR) (OTCQB: CPRRF) ("Allied Copper" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of its previously announced non-arm's length transaction (the "Transaction") pursuant to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). In connection with the completion of the Transaction, the Company filed a filing statement dated October 18, 2021 (the "Filing Statement"). The Filing Statement has been filed on SEDAR under the Company's issuer profile at www.sedar.com. Readers are encouraged to review the Filing Statement for full details on the Transaction.

The Transaction

The Transaction was completed in pursuant to a definitive agreement dated May 5, 2021 (the "Definitive Agreement") with 1269280 B.C. Ltd. ("BCCo"), a corporation incorporated in the Province of British Columbia, and 1303288 B.C. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company ("Subco") incorporated in the Province of British Columbia. The Company has acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares of BCCo pursuant to a three-cornered amalgamation in accordance with Section 269 of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). BCCo is a private company formed under the laws of British Columbia on October 8, 2020, whose sole asset is an option agreement with Goodsprings Exploration LLC ("Goodsprings"), Robert Cole ("R. Cole") and Lori Cole ("L. Cole" together with R. Cole and Goodsprings, the "Optionors') (the "Goodsprings Option Agreement"), whereby BCCo has the option (the "Option") to earn a 100% interest in the Silver King project in the State of Nevada (the "Silver King Property"). Disinterested shareholders of the Company approved the Transaction by way of written consent on October 19, 2021.

Under the Definitive Agreement the Company issued an aggregate of 6,691,000 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Consideration Shares") at a deemed price of $0.30 per Consideration Share to the shareholders of BCCo. The Consideration Shares are subject to contractual resale restrictions providing that the Consideration Shares may not be sold, transferred, optioned, encumbered, pledged or hypothecated in any way, except as follows: (i) as to 25% on the date which is six months from the date of issuance; (ii) as to 25% on the date which is twelve months from the date of issuance; and (iii) as to 50% on the date which is eighteen months from the date of issuance.

In accordance with the Filing Statement and the Transaction, an aggregate of 8,667,132 common shares in the capital of the Company and 1,559,011 common share purchase warrants (collectively, the "Escrowed Securities") will be deposited into escrow with TSX Trust Company pursuant to an escrow agreement dated October 27, 2021 among the Company, TSX Trust Company and the security holders subject to escrow. The Escrowed Securities will be subject to a Tier 2 Value Security escrow release timeline pursuant to Policy 5.4 of TSX Venture Exchange policies.

Concurrent Financing

In connection with the Transaction, BCCo completed a non-brokered private placement of subscription receipts (each, a "Subscription Receipt") pursuant to which BCCo issued an aggregate of 13,076,004 Subscription Receipts for gross proceeds of $3,757,086.90 (the "Offering").

The gross proceeds of the Offering (the "Escrowed Proceeds") were held in escrow on behalf of the subscribers of the Subscription Receipts by TSX Trust Company (the "Escrow Agent"), pursuant to the terms of a subscription receipt agreement (the "Subscription Receipt Agreement") dated July 16, 2021 (the "Offering Closing Date") among the Company and the Escrow Agent. Each Subscription Receipt will be automatically converted, without payment of any additional consideration and without further action on the part of the holder thereof, for one unit of the BCCo, which would then be converted into one unit (a "Unit") of the Company upon satisfaction or waiver of the escrow release conditions ("Escrow Release Conditions") set out below and in the Subscription Receipt Agreement and prior to a Termination Event (as defined below), subject to adjustment in certain events. BCCo delivered a notice to the Escrow Agent on October 22, 2021 confirming satisfaction of the applicable escrow release conditions, and on October 26, 2021 each Subscription Receipt was converted into Unit, and the Escrowed Proceeds were released to the Company.

Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company (each, a "Unit Share") and one-half of one whole common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will be exercisable by the holder thereof for one common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $0.45 per Warrant Share for a period of twenty-four (24) months following the date of issuance (the "Warrant Term") provided, however, that should the closing price at which the Common Shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange (or any such other stock exchange in Canada as the Common Shares may trade at the applicable time) exceed CDN$0.90 for 20 consecutive trading days at any time following the date that is four months and one day after the date of issuance, the Company may accelerate the Warrant Term (the "Reduced Warrant Term") such that the Warrants shall expire on the date which is 30 business days following the date a press release is issued by the Company announcing the Reduced Warrant Term, subject to adjustments in certain events.

The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund the consideration payable under the terms of the Goodsprings Option Agreement in respect of the acquisition of the Silver King Property and for general corporate purposes. The Company issued 552,381 Subscription Receipts to certain arm's length eligible finders in lieu of cash commissions.

In connection with the Offering and upon conversion of the Subscription Receipts, the Company paid certain eligible persons (the "Finders") a cash commission of $201,070.50 and issued 700,235 broker warrants ("Broker Warrants"), equal to 5% of the number of Subscription Receipts delivered by the Finders pursuant to the Offering. Each Broker Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.45 per Common Share for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance.

The securities that will be issued in connection with the Offering will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined under the U.S. Securities Act) absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

TSXV Approval and Resumption of Trading

Trading in the common shares of the Company was previously halted on May 5, 2021, at the request of the Company in connection with the announcement of the Transaction. The Transaction remains subject to final approval by the TSXV and fulfillment of all of the requirements of the TSXV in order to obtain such approval including, among other things, submission and acceptance of all documents requested by the TSXV in its conditional acceptance letter and payment of all outstanding fees to the TSXV. Until final approval of the TSXV is obtained and a Final Exchange Bulletin is issued, trading in the common shares of the Company will remain halted. Upon resumption of trading, the common shares of the Company will trade under the symbol "CPR" and the Company will be listed as a Tier 2 Mining Issuer.

Management of the Resulting Issuer

In connection with the completion of the Transaction, the current Board of Directors of the Company resigned and as a result, the following persons were appointed, in the capacities listed below. Brief biographies of the current management team are as follows:

Richard Tremblay, Chief Executive Officer and Director - Mr. Tremblay has over 15 years of experience in the resource business sector. In 2006 he entered the venture capital and junior resource markets industry and founded Golden Ears Consulting Ltd. Later, he worked for both public and private companies in sales of geophysical surveys, investor relations/corporate communications and corporate development. Richard has assisted in raising capital for several public and private companies across different sectors and was named CEO of Pacific Potash Corporation in February 2012. His long and varied experience throughout his career has provided him with a strong work ethic which he brings to Allied Copper, as well as the tools to evaluate and navigate the complex workings of an emerging public company.

Morgan Tiernan, Chief Financial Officer, age 32 - Mr. Tiernan has 8 years of financial reporting and tax advisory experience. He worked in public practice in tax advisory at Findex for a number of years before moving to Lifeworks where he managed a team of financial analysts and gained exposure to the financial reporting for Canadian pension and benefit plans. He is currently the part of the Cronin Group, a natural resource focused merchant bank based in Vancouver, BC.

Warner Uhl, Chairman - Mr. Uhl has more than 30 years' experience as a senior mining professional. He has worked in executive management with mining, construction, and engineering companies to help bring resource projects from exploration, feasibility studies to operating facilities. He has extensive executive management experience working in the Americas and Australia. He has guided resource companies in Western United States in improving return on investment and meeting business targets. Mr. Uhl has provided in depth review of acquisition targets and capital development.

David Eaton, Director - Mr. Eaton started in the capital markets in 1981 as a floor trader at the Vancouver Stock Exchange. Throughout his career he has been active in all aspects of the corporate finance industry, consulting to both public and private companies in the areas of investor relations, financing and corporate transactions. David's experience and involvement in businesses spans many industries including real estate, mining, tourism, retail, manufacturing and marketing and distribution. David served as CEO of Jayden Resources Inc. and as a Director or consultant to many Canadian public companies including Novo Resources Corp., Confederation Minerals Ltd. and Kariana Resource Inc. Currently, David serves as the Chairman of Baron Global Financial Canada Ltd.

Kyle Hookey, Director - Mr. Hookey has over 10 years of experience in the capital markets where his efforts are focused on advising clients on equity and debt structures, both in the private and public market. He is currently Non-Executive Director of London Stock Exchange listed Cloudbreak Discovery PLC. and VP Corporate Finance of TSX Venture Exchange listed Imperial Helium Corp. His previous work experience includes Goldman Sachs JBWere and Euroz Securities, and he is a Member of the CFA Institute.

Campbell Smyth, Director - Mr. Smyth has fifteen years of experience in managed portfolio investing (in both mutual and hedge funds) and over twenty-five years of experience in corporate financing and capital raising. He currently serves as Chairman and Director of Norseman Silver and as a Director of Nubian Resources Ltd., both listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. Campbell has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Western Australia in 1990, he holds the designation of an authorized securities representative granted by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission as of 2001, and he is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Stock Option Grant

In addition, the Company has granted an aggregate of 1,325,000 options to purchase common shares of the Company exercisable at a price of $0.405 per common share for a period of four (4) years to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company. The common shares issuable upon exercise of the options are subject to a four month hold period from the original date of grant. The Company issued 775,000 stock options on August 17, 2021 to purchase common shares of the Company exercisable at a price of $0.405 per common share for a period of four (4) years to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company.

About Allied Copper

Allied Copper Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on acquiring and developing potential long-life, scalable, copper-gold assets in the Western United States. The Company's strategy is to focus on low cost and potential high growth operations over a multi-year growth pipeline in low-risk jurisdictions, and is committed to operating efficiently and with transparency in all areas of the business. Allied Copper headquarters are in Vancouver, BC, Canada and lists under the symbol CPR on the TSX Venture Exchange. Readers may sign up for updates on the Company's website www.alliedcoppercorp.com.

For further information, please contact:

Richard Tremblay

President and Chief Executive Officer

Email: rtremblay@alliedcoppercorp.com

Forward Looking Statements

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to the TSXV listing, risk related to the failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE U.S.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/101071
- As the world learns to live with COVID-19, we must ask questions of our collective response - and learn how we can do better

- Health: A Political Choice - Science, Solidarity, Solutions is the latest in a series of titles produced in collaboration with the World Health Organization

- The publication launches ahead of the G20 Rome Summit, which takes place 30-31st October

LONDON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- More than a year since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the world is drawing on lessons learnt to aid a global recovery and prevent the same mistakes from being made again in inevitable future health emergencies.

Health: A Political Choice - Science, Solidarity, Solutions, the latest in a series of titles produced in collaboration with the World Health Organization, considers how to best protect the global community against the failings seen during the pandemic and seeks solutions grounded in science that work for all. The first publication in the series called for universal health coverage, while the second called on world leaders to unite in their response to COVID-19.

As in previous editions, the publication features bespoke articles from a prestigious line-up of authors. They include Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, Amina J Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the United Nations, and the Right Honourable Gordon Brown, WHO ambassador for global health financing and former prime minister of the United Kingdom.

The 'Solidarity' section explores investment in future health security and new approaches that may pave the road to Health for All. In the 'Science' section, authors including Carlos Alvarado Quesada, president of the Republic of Costa Rica, consider how the world can move forward with lessons from the past and why healthcare must transcend borders. The 'Solutions' section looks at how we can advance health by caring for nature and why we must take the threat of anti-microbial resistance seriously.

Health: A Political Choice - Science, Solidarity, Solutions is an official publication of the Global Governance Project produced in collaboration with the World Health Organization. The Global Governance Project is a joint initiative between GT Media Group, a London-based publishing company, the Global Governance Program based at the University of Toronto, and the Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.

View Health: A Political Choice - Science, Solidarity, Solutions online at https://bit.ly/HAPC21

Twitter: @GloGovProj

Contact:

Khaled Algaay

Email: connect@globalgovernanceproject.org

Global Governance Project - GT Media Group

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1671767/WHO.jpg
CompanyCam, a Lincoln, Nebraska-based photo documentation and communication app for contractors, closed a $30m Series B funding round.

The round was led by Insight Partners with participation from JMI Equity and WndrCo.

The company will use the funds to accelerate growth, expand product functionality releasing new features, refining the core product, and growing its user base, and build up the in-house and remote teams.

Led by Founder and CEO Luke Hansen, CompanyCam provides a photo software platform that enables contractors in every industry to manage, monitor, and share project progress from anywhere.

The company has a base of over 100,000 users.

FinSMEs

27/10/2021
Immunai, a New York-based biotech company, raised $215M in Series B funding, increasing the companys total funding to date to $295M.

The Series B was led by Koch Disruptive Technologies, with participation from Talos VC, 8VC, Alexandria Venture Investments, Piedmont, ICON, and more, including previous investors.

The company intends to use the funds to expand its drug actuary platform for target validation and evaluation.

Led by Noam Solomon, PhD, CEO and co-founder, and Luis Voloch, CTO and co-founder, Immunai uses single-cell genomics and machine learning to discover and develop novel therapeutics that reprogram the immune system. The team of 120 employees, 70 of whom are PhDs or MDs, is composed of experts in genomics, machine learning, bioinformatics, immunology, and software engineering. The company has more than 30 partnerships with Fortune 100 pharmaceutical companies and leading academic institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Baylor College of Medicine.

Headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Zurich, Prague, and San Francisco, the company has leveraged its proprietary technologies and more than 25 academic partnerships to build AMICATM, the Annotated Multiomic Immune Cell Atlas, a large data atlas of clinically-annotated single-cell immune data. This atlas, combined with its team of immunologists and computational biologists, provides insights into underlying biology that drives disease etiology, allowing the company and its partners to discover novel targets as well as analyze and develop existing pipeline compounds.

In conjunction with the funding, Eli Groner, Managing Director at Koch Disruptive Technologies, will be joining Immunais board of directors. The funding follows Immunais acquisition of Nebion and the addition of scientists and engineers, including Robert Langer, ScD, to the Board of Directors, Jacques Banchereau, PhD, as Chief Science Officer, and Mark Jacobstein as Chief Business Officer.

FinSMEs

27/10/2021
OurCrowd, a Jerusalem, Israel-based venture platform, received a $25m convertible equity investment from SoftBank Vision Fund 2.

The firm intends to use the funds for expansion of its platform, building its investor base and accelerating the identification of high-potential, tech-enabled private companies.

Under the agreement, OurCrowd will also enter into a strategic partnership with SoftBank Investment Advisers (SBIA  Sub-Adviser to SoftBank Vision Fund 2), to consider investment opportunities via OurCrowds online venture capital investment platform. The parties will also work with each other to evaluate market trends in a broad variety of sectors including Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Mobility, Agtech, Cybersecurity, Healthtech and more. The collaboration will also see OurCrowd and SBIA support geographic expansion across their respective ecosystems.

Founded by CEO Jon Medved in 2013, OurCrowd is an online global venture investing platform that empowers institutions and individual accredited investors to invest and engage in emerging technology companies before they go public. The firm vets and selects companies across all sectors and stages, invests its own capital, and provides its global platform of over 140,000 registered members from 195 countries with access to co-invest from as little as $10,000 in the companies and funds of their choice.

The firm has invested in over 280 companies and 30 funds. 50 portfolio companies have achieved exits including Lemonade, Beyond Meat, Uber (Jump), Kenna, Argus, Wave, and many more.

FinSMEs

27/10/2021
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With one of the best networks in the franchising business, Mary Jo forms deep relationships with clients who have become friends, and gains the trust of fascinating people ready to share their stories.
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editor's pick centerpiece featured

Group wants to keep Galveston's USS Texas hopes afloat

jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Paulie Gaido talks about the USS Texas and the Bring Her Home campaign Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Yards along 43rd Street in Galveston have Bring Her Home signs Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2021, to show support for berthing the USS Texas in Galveston. jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Paulie Gaido: Tell me what we can do in the community to start a conversation. BRETT COOMER/Houston Chronicle file photo The USS Texas is shown moored in the Battleship Texas State Historic Site on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

GALVESTON

Its election season in Galveston, but the most common campaign signs in island yards this month have nothing to do with whats on the ballot.

Instead, the signs are emblazoned with a picture of the historic battleship USS Texas and implore islanders to Bring Her Home.

Dozens of them have appeared in yards. Trucks have the slogan on bumper stickers. Writers have fired salvos of letters and columns at The Daily News advocating Galveston as the best new home for the fabled warship.

Its a full-fledged campaign  led by Galveston businessman Paulie Gaido and former Galveston Police Chief Charles Wiley  meant to revive interest among city leaders in finding a way to bring the WWI-era battleship to Galveston.

There needs to be respect shown, Gaido said. There should have been respect shown from the very moment that Galveston was being considered as a permanent relocation.

The men have created a group called The Friends of the Texas and distributed about 200 yard signs supporting a call for Galveston to be that permanent location.

The idea of moving the Battleship Texas to Galveston emerged in 2019, when the Texas Legislature allocated $35 million for repairs of the aging battleship turned museum, on the condition the Battleship Texas Foundation find a way to make it financially self-sustaining.

Making it so would require finding the ship a new home where large crowds would buy lots of tickets, generating ample money for upkeep.

Early on, the foundation said Galveston would be among the best places to achieve that and suggested berthing the vessel, which is almost 600 feet long, at Pier 21. Both the city and the Port of Galveston were cool to that idea and suggested Seawolf Park on Pelican Island, which the foundation rejected.

SEEKING A NEW ATTITUDE

Gaido and Wiley argue the battleship could be featured as part of an expanded naval museum at Seawolf Park. The park is home to the Galveston Naval Museum, which is highlighted by the USS Cavalla submarine and the USS Stewart.

The Friends of the Texas group was working to gain the support of the Cavalla Foundation, which manages the naval museum, Gaido said. Any plans to fund a museum expansion, as some advocates have called for, or deal with other logistical questions about the ship are better left to the foundation and city leaders, he said.

What the Friends of the Texas is trying to do is create a positive attitude about the ship.

This is something that we think could be a benefit to the island, Gaido said. Tell me what we can do in the community to start a conversation.

TWO KEY VOTES

The public interest campaign comes after two key Galveston boards had lukewarm responses to the idea of berthing the battleship in Galveston.

The Galveston Wharves Board of Trustees, which governs the port, voted against moving forward with talks about berthing the ship at Pier 21. The battleship foundation wanted that spot, on the south side of the Galveston Ship Channel, because its more easily accessible and already is a relatively popular tourism destination.

Port officials worried placing the ship at the public pier could disrupt traffic on the ship channel.

The Galveston Park Board of Trustees, which oversees tourism efforts on the island, in July declined to appoint one of its members to act as a delegate between the foundation and the board for further discussions about the ship.

NO MOVEMENT YET

Wiley and Gaido are holding out hope discussions could resume. Despite initial plans to move the battleship to dry dock by the end of 2020, its still berthed at the San Jacinto State Park, near La Porte, just north up the Houston Ship Channel from Galveston.

Tony Gregory, the CEO of the Battleship Texas Foundation, said no decision had been made about the battleships final destination. In addition to Galveston, the foundation has received interest from people in Beaumont and Baytown.

The foundation had not budged from its opposition to putting the Texas at Pelican Island, however, Gregory said.

We would welcome public support, Gregory said. Were having discussions about where in Galveston would be the best place, and thats just not settled.

What does appear closer to being settled is where the ship will be repaired.

Officials with the foundation and Gulf Copper Dry Dock & Rig Repair, which operates on Pelican Island, confirmed Tuesday the battleship eventually would head to Galveston for restoration.

The foundation said in August it planned to move the battleship to a dry dock in Galveston between January and April 2022. The move depended on when a Galveston shipyard could acquire a dry dock to do the work, the foundation said.

That would be fortuitous for the local campaign, Wiley said.

If it goes somewhere else, we would consider that a great loss, he said.
About Me Gerald D. Boyd On Wine Anacortes, Washington, United States I have been actively writing about wine and spirits since the late 1960s and have traveled extensively to all of the major wine regions in the world. My byline has appeared in various newspapers including the Rocky Mountain News, San Francisco Chronicle and Santa Rosa Press Democrat. I was editor of the Wine Spectator in the early years, editor of Wine & Spirits Buying Guide (later renamed Wine & Spirits Magazine) and have contributed to various other national and international magazines. I have been a professional wine judge since 1968, serving on panels at major wine competitions in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Italy, South Africa and China. And I was an adjunct wine instructor in the Wine Studies program, Santa Rosa Junior College, California for 12 years. View my complete profile Popular Posts The Red Wines of Oregon It could be said that Oregon's reputation for world-beating Pinot Noir owes its success to the dissatisfaction of a small group of Calif...

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Portland, OR, Oct. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the France luxury travel market was estimated at $4.21 billion in 2020 and is expected to hit $53.63 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 20.4% from 2021 to 2030. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the top investment pockets, top winning strategies, drivers & opportunities, market size & estimations, competitive scenario, and wavering market trends.

Growing inclination of people toward unique & exotic holiday experiences, rising expenditure of middle and upper middle-class, increasing trend of online bookings, and rising social media & its impact on the travel industry drive the growth of the France luxury travel market. On the other hand, varying socio-economic conditions and impact of natural parameters restrain the growth to some extent. However, emerging new destinations and demand for enhanced service standards are expected to create lucrative opportunities in the industry.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the France Luxury Travel market @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/13798?reqfor=covid

COVID-19 Scenario-

The tourism industry was hit the hardest during the pandemic, and the France luxury travel market was also not an exception in this regard.

However, as the global situation is getting better, the market is anticipated to revive soon.

The France luxury travel market is analyzed across type of tour, age group, and type of traveler.

Based on type of tour, the adventure & safari segment accounted for the major share in 2020, holding more than two-fifths of the total market. The customized & private vacation segment, however, would grow at the fastest CAGR of 22.4% throughout the forecast period.

Based on age group, the 41-60 years segment generated the highest share in 2020, accounting for around one-third of the total market. The 21-30 years segment, on the other hand, is projected to manifest the fastest CAGR of 22.1% from 2021 to 2030. .

Based on type of traveler, the absolute luxury segment held the lions share in 2020, garnering more than two-fifths of the total market. The same segment is also expected to cite the fastest CAGR of 20.8% by the end of 2030. The other segments studied in the report include aspiring luxury and accessible luxury.

Download Sample Copy Of Report@ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/13798

The key market players analyzed in the France luxury market report include Cox and Kings Ltd, TUI group, Voyageurs Du Monde, Prestige Voyages, Abercrombie & Kent Ltd, Kuoni, Voyages Confidential, Ponant, Asia.Fr, and Beachcomber.These market players have incorporated several strategies including partnership, expansion, collaboration, joint ventures, and others to brace their stand in the industry.

Schedule a FREE Consultation Call with Our Analysts/Industry Experts to Find Solution for Your Business @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/13798

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Los Angeles, USA, Oct. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Encouraging Clinical Trials of Wilson Disease Make the Pipeline Robust With Several Pipeline Drugs, States DelveInsight

Several novel therapies are being developed for the Wilson disease treatment. Among them, ALXN1840 and UX701 are in their most advanced stage (Phase III).

DelveInsights Wilson Disease Pipeline Insight report provides comprehensive insights about 6+ companies and 6+ pipeline drugs in the Wilson Disease pipeline landscapes. It comprises Wilson Disease pipeline drug profiles, including clinical and non-clinical stage products. It also includes the Wilson Disease therapeutics assessment by product type, stage, route of administration, and molecule type and further highlights the inactive Wilson Disease pipeline products.

Some of the key takeaways from the Wilson Disease Pipeline Report

Major companies such as Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Vivet Therapeutics, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Deep Genomics, Generation Bio, DepYmed, IncNobelpharma, Orphalan, and others are developing potential drug candidates to improve the Wilson Disease treatment scenario.

and others are developing potential drug candidates to improve the Wilson Disease treatment scenario. In September 2021, the US FDA accepted for review the Orphalans New Drug Application (NDA) for trientine tetrahydrochloride (TETA 4HCl) for the first-line treatment of Wilsons Disease. TETA 4-HCl has also been granted Orphan Drug Designation for first-line treatment of Wilsons Disease.

ALXN1840 is a potential new once-daily oral medicine in development for the treatment of Wilson disease. It has been granted Orphan Drug Designation in the US and EU for Wilson disease.

In August 2021, Vivet Therapeutics and Pfizer announced the US FDA had granted Fast Track designation to VTX-801 to treat Wilson disease.

UX701 is an investigational AAV type 9 gene therapy designed to deliver a stable ATP7B copper transporter expression following a single intravenous infusion. In December 2020, the US FDA granted Orphan Drug Designation to UX701 for the treatment of Wilson disease

In January 2021, US FDA cleared the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for UX701, an investigational AAV9 gene therapy being evaluated for the Wilson Disease treatment. It is currently being evaluated in the Phase III stage of development.

In April 2018, Alexion struck a deal to buy Stockholm-based Wilson Therapeutics for $855 million in cash. This deal added a Phase III drug WTX101 for a rare disease to its pipeline  marking the new executive crews first step in reorganizing the pipeline.

In September 2021, Vivet Therapeutics entered into a manufacturing agreement. Pfizer will offer clinical supply for a Phase I/II clinical trial assessing Vivets proprietary, investigational gene therapy, VTX-801, for the Wilson disease treatment.

Get an overview of pipeline landscape @ Wilson Disease Clinical Trials Analysis

Wilson Disease is a rare genetic disorder characterized by excess copper stored in various body tissues, particularly the liver, brain, and eyes corneas.

Wilson Disease Emerging Drugs

ALXN1840: Alexion Pharmaceuticals

ALXN1840 (bis-choline tetrathiomolybdate) is a novel oral copper-protein binding agent with a unique mechanism of action, under investigation for Wilson disease, a rare, chronic, genetic, and potentially life-threatening liver disorder of impaired copper transport. Enrollment of participants has been completed in a Phase III study of ALXN1840 in Wilson disease.

UX701: Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical

UX701 is an investigational adeno-associated virus type 9 gene therapy that works by stabilizing the expression of the ATP7B copper transporter after a single intravenous infusion. In preclinical studies, UX701 has been shown to normalize copper trafficking and excretion from the body. UX701 was granted Orphan Drug Designation in the United States and European Union and Fast Track Designation in the United States. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III study has been initiated to treat patients with Wilson disease.

For further information, refer to the detailed report @ Wilson Disease Pipeline Therapeutics

Scope of Wilson Disease Pipeline Drug Insight

Coverage: Global

Global Major Players: 6+ Key Players

Prominent Players: Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Vivet Therapeutics, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Deep Genomics, Generation Bio, DepYmed, IncNobelpharma, Orphalan, and many others.

and many others. Key Drugs Profiles: 6+ Products

Phases:

 Wilson Disease Therapies Late-stage (Phase III)

 Wilson Disease Therapies Mid-stage (Phase II)

 Wilson Disease Therapies Early-stage (Phase I)

 Wilson Disease Preclinical stage and Discovery candidates

 Discontinued and Inactive candidates

Mechanism of Action:

 Copper-transporting ATPase replacements

 Chelating agents

 Gene transference

 Protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 1 antagonists

Molecule Types:

 Peptides

 Bispecific Antibody

 Small molecules

 Gene therapy

Route of Administration:

 Subcutaneous

 Intravenous

 Intramuscular

 Oral

Product Types:

 Monotherapy

 Combination

 Mono/Combination

Key Questions regarding Current Wilson Disease Treatment Landscape and Emerging Therapies Answered in the Pipeline Report

What are the current options for Wilson Disease treatment?

How many companies are developing therapies for the treatment of Wilson Disease?

How many are Wilson Disease emerging therapies in the early-stage, mid-stage, and late development stages to treat Wilson Disease?

What are the key collaborations (Industry-Industry, Industry-Academia), Mergers and acquisitions, and significant licensing activities that will impact the Wilson Disease market?

Which are the dormant and discontinued products and the reasons for the same?

What is the unmet need for current therapies for the treatment of Wilson Disease?

What are the current novel therapies, targets, mechanisms of action, and technologies developed to overcome the limitation of existing Wilson Disease therapies?

What are the critical designations that have been granted for the emerging therapies for Wilson Disease?

How many patents are granted and pending for the emerging therapies to treat Wilson Disease?

Table of Contents

1 Wilson Disease Report Introduction 2 Wilson Disease Executive Summary 3 Wilson Disease Overview 4 Wilson Disease Pipeline Therapeutics 5 Wilson Disease Therapeutic Assessment 6 Wilson Disease  DelveInsights Analytical Perspective In-depth Commercial Assessment 7 Wilson Disease Late Stage Products (Phase III) 7.1 UX701: Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical 8 Wilson Disease Mid Stage Products (Phase II) 8.1 Drug Name: Company Name 9 Wilson Disease Early Stage Products (Phase I/II) 9.1 VTX-801: Vivet therapeutics 10 Wilson Disease Preclinical and Discovery Stage Products 11 Wilson Disease Inactive Products 12 Wilson Disease Key Companies 13 Wilson Disease Key Products 14 Wilson Disease Unmet Needs 15 Wilson Disease Market Drivers and Barriers 16 Wilson Disease Future Perspectives and Conclusion 17 Wilson Disease Analyst Views 18 Appendix 19 About DelveInsight

Get a customized pipeline report @ Wilson Disease Drugs Pipeline Report

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About DelveInsight

DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant, and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports Pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. It also provides Healthcare Consulting services comprising credible market analysis that will help accelerate the business growth and overcome challenges with a practical approach.
TORONTO, Oct. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rogers Communications Inc. (Rogers or the Company) announced today that the Supreme Court of British Columbia will hold a hearing on November 1, 2021 to hear submissions by the Company and the Rogers Control Trust regarding the legality of Edward Rogers attempt last week to replace five of the Companys independent directors with nominees of the Rogers Control Trust through a written resolution, without convening a meeting of shareholders. As previously announced, the Company has determined the resolution is invalid. The Company welcomes the opportunity for the Court to consider the importance to shareholders and all stakeholders of conducting a shareholders meeting to change the Board of Directors.



Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release includes forwardlooking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the expected timing and outcome of the Supreme Court of British Columbias hearing and any appeals therefrom. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by such forwardlooking statements. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forwardlooking statements. All forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbour provisions of the applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. Except as required by law, Rogers disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forwardlooking statements.

About Rogers

Rogers is a proud Canadian company dedicated to making more possible for Canadians each and every day. Our founder, Ted Rogers, purchased his first radio station, CHFI, in 1960. We have grown to become a leading technology and media company that strives to provide the very best in wireless, residential, sports, and media to Canadians and Canadian businesses. Our shares are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI). If you want to find out more about us, visit about.rogers.com.

For more information:

media@rci.rogers.com

1-844-226-1338
The Woodlands, TX, Oct. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The forthcoming OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard will impose Covid-related obligations on all employers with over 100 employees. Axiom Medical will host a free Fast Track to OSHA COVID Compliance Virtual Summit featuring Keynote address by Dr. David Michaels PhD, MPH on Thursday, October 28th between 10am-2pm CT.

Through a series of eight (8) 30-minute fast track sessions, industry experts will explore:

o Human Resources and Legal Implications

o Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG)

o Preparing for Unannounced OSHA Inspections

o Data Cycle Security and Management

o Total Worker Health in the New Modern World

o Mental Health Complexities of Difficult Employment Decisions

o Best Practices for Launching Your OSHA COVID Compliance Program

Dara Wheeler, Chief Marketing Officer at Axiom Medical explains, "In an age of uncertainty, Axiom Medical provides comprehensive educational tools as a thought partner and employer resource. Hosting a Virtual Summit featuring Dr. David Michaels PhD, MPH was the next step in empowering employers with rock solid strategies and best practices.

Dr. David Michaels PhD, MPH is an epidemiologist and professor at the George Washington University School of Public Health. Michaels served as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health from 2009 through January 2017 and was the longest serving administrator in OSHA's history.

Dr. David Michaels states, "With the new OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard on the horizon, employers across the country will need to make additional efforts to ensure the safety of their workers and compliance with OSHAs rules. Axiom Medicals Virtual Summit will prepare employers for the mandates with broad reaching expert insight and scalable solutions.

For more detailed information about Axiom Medicals Fast Track to OSHA COVID Compliance Virtual Summit.

About Axiom Medical

Axiom Medical Consulting, LLC was founded in 1999 in The Woodlands, TX and has established itself as an industry leader in providing comprehensive occupational health services for the total life cycle of the employee health journey. Axiom Medical empowers organizations large and small to strategically address workplace health challenges across the spectrum, from mental and behavioral health and infectious disease control to OSHA mandated medical programs and workplace injury case management. Axiom Medical has positively impacted employees in the workplace by extending medical expertise during the COVID-19 pandemic in the management of over 178,000 COVID cases and 13 million CheckIn2Work health attestations.
Portland, Oregon, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Synaptiq Chief Data Scientist and Co-Founder Dr. Tim Oates will participate in the Nextpoint On Point User Conference roundtable moderated by Robert Ambrogi: The Future of Electronic Evidence and Litigation Technology, on Thursday, October 28, 2021.

Dr. Oates will join fellow panelists Tom OConnor of Gulf Coast Legal Technology Center, Daliah Saper of Saper Law, and Rob Feigenbaum of Prevail Legal, for a discussion on the future of litigation and legal technology innovation in a post-pandemic world.

From new electronic evidence and litigation technology to changing workflows, remote work, and online dispute resolution, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about many changes to the legal profession, many of which are here to stay.

The emergence of these new technologies has resulted in an abundance of data, and with this new data brings the opportunity to leverage it with artificial intelligence.

In Thursdays panel, the speakers will delve into how AI has impacted e-discovery and litigation, and what the future looks like for AI in legal services, discussing its dangers as well as many opportunities.

People are starting to apply AI in lots of ways, such as in making decisions  or providing decision support tools  that have historically been solely the responsibility of people, says Dr. Oates. There is a very real danger that as you hand over more functionality to machines that they make decisions using information we would not want them to use, and that can lead to bias. It is critical to discuss what is an appropriate role for AI in the legal system, given that the consequences are often quite high, and, given that AI in legal is going to be pervasive, how do you keep that system of AI systems from doing things that we would find unpalatable?

One important way to make sure AI continues to grow in service of legal professionals is to listen carefully to what they need  and design systems that carefully track those needs.

Companies like Nextpoint are crucial to the development of AI legal systems because they work with attorneys every day and craft software to address their real world concerns.

On Point 2021 is the 20th Anniversary Virtual User Conference for Nextpoint, bringing together users, in-house expertise, and the best thought leaders from across the legal industry to discuss key technologies that lawyers and legal professionals are using today as well as emerging technologies they should be planning to invest in over the next couple of years. The COVID-19 pandemic has hastened the digitization of the legal profession, bringing exponential growth in data, as well as an explosion in newly accepted practices like virtual depositions and trials. Against this backdrop, advances in all areas of AI will be essential.

"As relentless waves of technological change cascade over the legal technology landscape, our justice system will increasingly need to rely on AI in order to keep pace," says Nextpoint CEO Rakesh Madhava. "We are thrilled to have an expert of Tim's standing join us to discuss this critical issue. On Point 2021 is the highlight of our year, and we are grateful for Synaptiqs participation.

For more information about technology in this space, please contact Synaptiq or Nextpoint and register for the 2021 On Point Conference to attend this roundtable discussion.

###

About Synaptiq

With over 50 clients in 20 sectors worldwide, Synaptiq is a full-scale AI consultancy bringing impactful solutions to the enterprise using machine learning, machine vision, natural language processing, and other data-driven techniques. The firm creates customized platforms for image and document-intensive industries that are more powerful than existing off-the-shelf tools. Its team of management consultants, AI researchers and data scientists, and product development experts works directly with clients to leverage the unbeatable advantages of artificial intelligence, navigate potential obstacles, and become a smart enterprise of tomorrow. For more information about Synaptiq please visit www.synaptiq.ai.

About Nextpoint

Nextpoint delivers powerful cloud-based technology that automates litigation workflows for all matters from ediscovery to trial. Founded in 2001, Nextpoint continues to see rapid adoption of the companys industry-leading technology by law firms, corporations and government agencies of all sizes. Nextpoint maintains its pioneering history of relentlessly simplifying litigation technology.

Attachment
English French

Press Release

October 27, 2021 - N 26

First Nine Months 202 1 results

SCOR records a net income of EUR 339 million,

demonstrating its shock-absorbing capacity,

and launches a EUR 200 million share buy-back program

Gross written premiums of EUR 13,047 million in the first nine months of 2021, up 10.1% 1 compared with Q3 2020 YTD

of EUR 13,047 million in the first nine months of 2021, up 10.1% compared with Q3 2020 YTD Net income of EUR 339 million in the first nine months of 2021, up 151.1% compared with the first nine months of 2020

of EUR 339 million in the first nine months of 2021, up 151.1% compared with the first nine months of 2020 Annualized return on equity of 7.3% in the first nine months of 2021, 683 bps above the risk-free rate 2

of 7.3% in the first nine months of 2021, 683 bps above the risk-free rate Estimated solvency ratio of 225% 3 at end of September 2021, above the optimal solvency range of 185% - 220% as defined in the Quantum Leap strategic plan

of 225% at end of September 2021, above the optimal solvency range of 185% - 220% as defined in the Quantum Leap strategic plan EUR 200 million share buy-back starting October 28 , 2021, and finalized at the latest by March 2022 : accretive deployment of capital that takes the solvency ratio to 225%

: accretive deployment of capital that takes the solvency ratio to 225% Well-defined and attractive dividend policy pursued

Cost ratio of 4.3% of gross written premiums, more favorable than the Quantum Leap assumption of ~5.0%

of 4.3% of gross written premiums, more favorable than the Quantum Leap assumption of ~5.0% Committed to Quantum Leap plan delivery while preparing actively for the upcoming strategic plan

SCOR SEs Board of Directors met on October 26, 2021, under the chairmanship of Denis Kessler, to approve the Groups Q3 2021 financial statements.

The key highlights are:

Strong earnings capacity in a volatile environment

Overall, SCOR records a net income of EUR 339 million in the first nine months of 2021 and delivers an estimated solvency of 225%4.

In the first nine months of 2021, SCORs results were heavily impacted by a series of large

natural catastrophes. The total cost of natural catastrophes stands at EUR 708 million (net of retrocession and before tax), in particular driven by European floods and Hurricane Ida in the third quarter of 2021. Those two events had a total impact of EUR 343 million (net of retrocession and before tax). In the first nine months of 2021, Covid-19 claims continued to be manageable, standing on the Life side at EUR 299 million5 6 (net of retrocession and before tax), of which EUR 241 million (net of retrocession and before tax) comes from the U.S. mortality portfolio, and increasing by EUR 75 million (net of retrocession and before tax) in the third quarter of 2021. On the P&C side, Covid-19 claims have been stable since June 30, 2021 standing at a total of EUR 109 million in the first nine months of 2021 (net of retrocession and before tax). In addition, SCOR benefited from a positive one-off revaluation impact of EUR 64 million related to the IPO of Doma Holdings7, demonstrating the Groups successful investment strategy in new ventures focusing on Insurtech-driven underwriting companies.

Gross written premiums of EUR 13,047 million in the first nine months of 2021 are up 10.1% at constant exchange rates compared with the first nine months of 2020 (up 6.2% at current exchange rates).

of EUR 13,047 million in the first nine months of 2021 are up 10.1% at constant exchange rates compared with the first nine months of 2020 (up 6.2% at current exchange rates). SCOR Global P&C gross written premiums are up 16.7% at constant exchange rates compared with the first nine months of 2020 (up 12.1% at current exchange rates), benefiting from a strong market environment both in reinsurance and insurance markets. The net combined ratio for the first nine months stands at 102.7%, including 14.8% of natural catastrophes and 2.3% of Covid-19 related claims.

gross written premiums are up 16.7% at constant exchange rates compared with the first nine months of 2020 (up 12.1% at current exchange rates), benefiting from a strong market environment both in reinsurance and insurance markets. The net combined ratio for the first nine months stands at 102.7%, including 14.8% of natural catastrophes and 2.3% of Covid-19 related claims. SCOR Global Life gross written premiums are up 5.0% at constant exchange rates compared with the first nine months of 2020 (up 1.7% at current exchange rates). Over the period, SCOR Global Life delivers a technical margin of 11.3%, driven by the recent Life in-force transaction.

gross written premiums are up 5.0% at constant exchange rates compared with the first nine months of 2020 (up 1.7% at current exchange rates). Over the period, SCOR Global Life delivers a technical margin of 11.3%, driven by the recent Life in-force transaction. SCOR Global Investments delivers a return on invested assets of 2.3% 8 in the first nine months of 2021.

delivers a return on invested assets of 2.3% in the first nine months of 2021. The Group cost ratio , which stands at 4.3% of gross written premiums in the first nine months of 2021, is more favorable than the Quantum Leap assumption of ~5.0%.

, which stands at 4.3% of gross written premiums in the first nine months of 2021, is more favorable than the Quantum Leap assumption of ~5.0%. The Group net income stands at EUR 339 million in the first nine months of 2021. The annualized return on equity (ROE) stands at 7.3%, 683 bps above the risk-free rate 9 .

stands at EUR 339 million in the first nine months of 2021. The annualized (ROE) stands at 7.3%, 683 bps above the risk-free rate . The Group generates high operating cash flows of EUR 2,018 million in the first nine months of 2021 of which EUR 860 million relate to the recent Life in-force transaction. The Groups total liquidity is very strong, standing at EUR 3.3 billion as of September 30, 2021.

The Group s hareholders equity stands at EUR 6,315 million 10 as of September 30, 2021. This results in a book value per share of EUR 34.13, compared to EUR 33.01 as of December 31, 2020.

stands at EUR 6,315 million as of September 30, 2021. This results in a book value per share of EUR 34.13, compared to EUR 33.01 as of December 31, 2020. The Group f inancial leverage stands at 28.0% as of September 30, 2021, down 0.5% points compared to December 31, 2020.

stands at 28.0% as of September 30, 2021, down 0.5% points compared to December 31, 2020. The Group solvency ratio is estimated at 225%11 on September 30, 2021, above the optimal solvency range of 185% - 220% as defined in the Quantum Leap strategic plan.

A EUR 200 million share buy-back program starting October 28, 2021, and finalized at the latest by March 2022

A share buyback is an accretive way to deploy capital and deliver further value to SCORs shareholders.

The recent Life retrocession in-force transaction, which closed on the last day of the second quarter, unlocked significant value, generating USD 1 billion in cashflows while increasing the Groups degrees of freedom for value-accretive capital management. As at the end of Q2 2021, SCORs estimated solvency position was extremely strong, as demonstrated by a solvency ratio of 245%, significantly above the upper end of its optimal solvency range of 185%-220%.

SCOR has assessed the various options to optimally deploy capital, to create long-term value for SCORs shareholders and revert to the upper end of the 185-220% optimal solvency range. As presented at the September 8th Investor Day, SCOR will continue to proactively deploy capital, to:

Seize profitable growth opportunities in the continuously hardening P&C market, and re-balance its exposure towards P&C business, while shifting its portfolio mix away from Natural Catastrophes business volatility, and leveraging retrocession to protect earnings; Actively pursue diversification of its investment portfolio into value-creation assets to target 10% exposure by the end of 2022, as well as by deploying its excess liquidity into corporate bond (the reinvestment of excess liquidity program is on track, and will be finalized by Q4 2021), and maintaining a largely matched duration as it has over the last few years.



Considering these capital allocation decisions for 2022 to pursue its profitable growth, the Groups solvency ratio is estimated to be at 225%12 on September 30, 2021. The proposed revision of the Solvency II Framework presented by the European Commission on September 22, 2021 would further support the solvency of the Group in the mid-term.

In view of this capital position, noting that the U.S. hurricane season is coming to an end and that the regulatory constraints against capital distribution (dividends and share buy-backs) were lifted on October 1, 2021 by the ACPR (Autorite de Controle Prudentiel et de Resolution)13, SCOR launches a share buy-back program of EUR 200 million that will start on October 28, 2021, and will be fully executed in the market at the latest by the end of March 2022. Execution of the share buy-back will be subject to market conditions. This share buy-back program is expected to impact the Groups solvency ratio by c. -4 ppts14, to 225%. SCOR intends to allocate the repurchased shares to cancellation.

SCORs dividend policy remains unchanged: SCOR continues to favor dividends as a way to remunerate its shareholders and pursues the attractive dividend policy that it has implemented over the past years.

The share buy-back will be conducted within the framework approved by the annual general meeting held on June 30, 2021. To carry out the program, SCOR may grant mandates to independent investment services providers.

SCOR takes proactive actions to improve its operational performance

SCOR is implementing actions to improve its operational performance:

At January renewal, the Group will seize profitable growth opportunities in the continuously hardening P&C market and re-balance its exposure towards P&C business.

The Group will reduce its exposure to Nat Cat by shifting its portfolio mix and leveraging retrocession to limit earnings volatility.

SCOR is focusing on technical profitability on each market, each line of business, each client, each contract, in order to remunerate allocated capital under Quantum Leap assumptions.

SCOR increases its risk appetite on the asset side through investment in value creation assets. Liquidity will be reduced from 16% at June 30, 2021, to 9% by year-end 2021.

SCOR is pursuing capital management actions to optimize its balance sheet.





SCOR is actively preparing the upcoming strategic plan

SCOR delivers on the Quantum Leap strategic plan, which runs until the end of 2022, and will present in Spring 2022 the orientations for the new strategic plan to start on January 1, 2023.

The Group has actively embarked on the preparation of its upcoming strategic plan, which builds on:

An exploration to deepen the franchise and create value for shareholders;

A detailed analysis of the performance of SCORs portfolios to optimize the value of its core business;

A review of SCORs operating model to take full advantage of a nimble and lean organization;

An analysis of the options available to enhance its financial and capital management.

The Group is nurturing its strong and disciplined underwriting ethos and will focus on Culture & People, Business Leadership, and Financial Performance to build a differentiated value proposition and deliver on its two targets: profitability and solvency.

Denis Kessler, Chairman of SCOR, comments: Given the recent lift of the regulatory constraints against capital distribution, the Board of Directors has decided to launch a EUR 200 million share buy-back program, considering on the one hand the very strong solvency position of the Group after taking account of the level of capital required by the company to pursue its profitable growth in 2022, and on the other the high net asset value per share, which makes such an operation highly beneficial to SCOR shareholders. Furthermore, the Board has reaffirmed the attractive dividend policy actively pursued by the Group over the past few years.

Laurent Rousseau, Chief Executive Officer of SCOR, comments: This is SCORs core mission as a Tier 1 reinsurer: to help its clients and partners be more resilient in a highly volatile environment. Thanks to the strict application of our strategic cornerstones, SCOR absorbs shocks and continues to manage growth, improve profitability and reduce earnings volatility. In this context, SCOR deploys its capital proactively to create long term value to its shareholders. The share buy-back program that we are announcing today is a demonstration of the confidence we have in our solvency position and our ability to continue to grow profitably. In the wake of its capital management actions, SCOR retains its robust capital shield in a market environment that remains volatile, and where financial strength is a key differentiator. SCOR is poised to reap the benefits of its strong franchise, and to seize the attractive long-term growth opportunities emerging from the rapidly changing risk environment.

*

* *

SCOR group nine months and Q3 2021 key financial details

YTD QTD In EUR millions

(at current exchange rates) Nine months 2021 Nine months 2020 Variation Q3 2021 Q3 2020 Variation Gross written premiums 13,047 12,283 +6.2% 4,606 4,088 +12.7% Group cost ratio 4.3% 4.4% -0.1 pts 4.0% 3.7% +0.3 pts Annualized ROE 7.3% 2.9% +4.4 pts -2.6% 7.1% -9.7 pts Net income* 339 135 +151.1% -41 109 -137.6% Shareholders equity** 6,315 6,249 +1.1% 6,315 6,249 +1.1%

* Consolidated net income, Group share.

** As of September 30.

SCOR Global P&C delivers strong growth, with profitability impacted by Nat Cat

In the first nine months of 2021, SCOR Global P&C delivers strong growth of 16.7% at constant exchange rates (12.1% at current exchange rates), with gross written premiums reaching EUR 6,012 million. The significant increase in gross written premiums follows successful 2021 renewals on Reinsurance and Specialty Insurance. The impact of the exchange rate reflects the weakening of the USD vs. the EUR15.

SCOR Global P&C key figures:

YTD QTD In EUR millions

(at current exchange rates) Nine months 2021 Nine months 2020 Variation Q3 2021 Q3 2020 Variation Gross written premiums 6,012 5,365 +12.1% 2,244 1,847 +21.5% Net combined ratio 102.7% 100.7% +2.0 pts 112.0% 97.5% +14.5 pts

SCOR Global P&C records a net combined ratio of 102.7% in the first nine months of 2021, including:

Nat cat ratio at 14.8%, mainly driven by a heavy cat load in Q1 2021 (12.6%) and Q3 2021 (24.3%). The main events in Q3 2021 are the European Floods (EUR 206 million net of retro) and Hurricane Ida in the U.S. (EUR 137 million net of retro);

A net attritional loss and commission ratio of 79.3%, excluding Covid-19 related claims, 3.5 points below the first nine months of 2020, benefiting from both underlying profitability improvements and lower man-made loss activity;

Covid-19 related claims of EUR 109 million 16 booked in H1 2021 with no change in Q3 2021 QTD;

booked in H1 2021 with no change in Q3 2021 QTD; Management expenses of 6.3%, with 2020 reflecting exceptional one-off benefits.

SCOR Global Life delivers a strong performance, driven by the recent Life in-force transaction

In the first nine months of 2021, SCOR Global Lifes gross written premiums stand at EUR 7,035 million, up 5.0% at constant exchange rates (up 1.7% at current exchange rates) compared to the first nine months of 2020. Gross written premium growth is driven by continued franchise development, as strong growth is recorded in all regions, particularly in Asia. The impact of the recent Life in-force retrocession transaction improves regional diversification, with share of net written premiums (NWP) attributable to the US business now standing at 41% for Q3 2021 YTD (compared to 47% for Q3 2020 YTD).

SCOR Global Life key figures:

YTD QTD In EUR millions

(at current exchange rates) Nine months 2021 Nine months 2020 Variation Q3 2021 Q3 2020 Variation Gross written premiums 7,035 6,918 +1.7% 2,362 2,241 +5.4% Life technical margin 11.3% 5.8% +5.5 pts 7.9% 6.7% +1.2 pts

In the first nine months of 2021, the net technical margin was increased by one-off impacts following the execution of the in-force transaction, more than offsetting the cost of Covid-19 claims.

The technical result stands at EUR 622 million including a day-1 impact of in-force retrocession transaction contracts of EUR 313 million17.

The total Covid-19 claims booked in the first nine months of 2021 stand at EUR 299 million18)19), of which:

EUR 241 million (net of retrocession, before tax) comes from the U.S. portfolio. This represents an increase of EUR 75 million (net of retrocession, before tax) compared to H1 2021, including EUR 21 million (net of retrocession, before tax) relating to reported deaths in prior quarters;

EUR 58 million20 (net of retrocession, before tax) from all other markets. This represents an increase of EUR 17 million (net of retrocession, before tax) compared to H1 2021.

The underlying business performance remains strong and, excluding Covid-19 claims and a one-off impact relating to the recent Life in-force transaction, the business is achieving the revised Quantum Leap assumption range for the technical margin of ~8.2% to 8.4%.

Based on the current Covid-19 outlook, the full year 2021 net technical margin (excluding the day-1 earnings impact of the recent in-force transaction) is expected to remain in the range of 5.5% to 6.0%.

SCOR Global Investments delivers a return on invested assets of 2.3%21 in the first nine months of 2021 and confirms the reinvestment of excess liquidity into corporate bonds by Q4 2021

Total investments reach EUR 30.3 billion, with total invested assets of EUR 22.0 billion and funds withheld22 of EUR 8.3 billion.

The reinvestment of excess liquidity into corporate bonds, including the EUR 860 million received from the recent Life in-force transaction started in July 2021:

Liquidity at 14% of invested assets (vs. 16% in Q2 2021);

Corporate bonds at 40% of invested assets (vs. 36% in Q2 2021);

Fixed income portfolio of very high quality, with an average rating of A+, and a duration at 3.0 years 23 ;

; Reinvestment of excess liquidity to be finalized by Q4 2021.

Additional investments into accretive value-creation assets are on track.

The investment portfolio remains highly liquid, with financial cash flows24 of EUR 10.4 billion expected over the next 24 months.

SCOR Global Investments key figures:

YTD QTD In EUR millions (at current exchange rates) Nine months 2021 Nine months 2020 Variation Q3 2021 Q3 2020 Variation Total investments 30,330 28,440 +6.6% 30,330 28,440 +6.6% of which total invested assets 22,000 20,414 +7.8% 22,000 20,414 +7.8% of which total funds withheld by cedants and other deposits 8,330 8,026 +3.8% 8,330 8,026 +3.8% Return on investments* 1.9% 2.2% -0.3 pts 1.6% 2.3% -0.7 pts Return on invested assets** 2.3%14) 2.6% -0.3 pts 1.9% 2.6% -0.7 pts

(*) Annualized, including interest on deposits (i.e. interest on funds withheld).

(**) Annualized, excluding interest on deposits (i.e. interest on funds withheld).

The investment income on invested assets stands at EUR 357 million in the first nine months of 2021, with realized gains of EUR 107 million, mainly coming from the fixed income portfolio in H1 2021, generating a return on invested assets of 2.3%25 in the first nine months of 2021. The income yield stands at 1.7% in the first nine months of 2021 and is driven by the low yield environment, with no material impairments, demonstrating the resilience and the quality of the invested assets portfolio.

The reinvestment yield stands at 1.7% at the end of the first nine months of 202126.

Under current market conditions, the return on invested assets expectation for FY 2021 is 2.0% - 2.3% and for FY 2022 from 1.8% to 2.3%.

*

* *

APPENDIX

1 - P&L key figures Q3 2021 YTD and Q3 2021 standalone

YTD QTD In EUR millions (rounded, at current exchange rates) Nine months 2021 Nine months 2020 Variation Q3 2021 Q3 2020 Variation Gross written premiums 13,047 12,283 +6.2% 4,606 4,088 +12.7% P&C gross written premiums 6,012 5,365 +12.1% 2,244 1,847 +21.5% Life gross written premiums 7,035 6,918 +1.7% 2,362 2,241 +5.4% Investment income 411 462 -11.0% 116 160 -27.5% Operating results 588 308 +90.9% -18 180 -110.0% Net income1 339 135 +151.1% -41 109 -137.6% Earnings per share (EUR) 1.82 0.73 +150.7% -0.22 0.59 -137.7% Operating cash flow 2,018 661 +205.3% 1,487 317 +369.0%

1: Consolidated net income, Group share.



2 - P&L key ratios 2021 YTD and Q3 2021 standalone

YTD QTD Nine months 2021 Nine months 2020 Variation Q3 2021 Q3 2020 Variation Return on investments 1 1.9% 2.2% -0.3 pts 1.6% 2.3% -0.7 pts Return on invested assets 1,2 2.3%27 2.6% -0.3 pts 1.9%16 2.6% -0.7 pts P&C net combined ratio 3 102.7% 100.7% +2.0 pts 112.0% 97.5% +14.5 pts Life technical margin 4 11.3% 5.8% +5.5 pts 7.9% 6.7% +1.2 pts Group cost ratio 5 4.3% 4.4% -0.1 pts 4.0% 3.7% +0.3 pts Return on equity (ROE) 7.3% 2.9% +4.4 pts -2.6% 7.1% -9.7 pts

1: Annualized; 2: Excluding funds withheld by cedants; 3: The net combined ratio is the sum of the total claims, the total commissions and the total P&C management expenses, divided by the net earned premiums of SCOR Global P&C; 4: The technical margin for SCOR Global Life is the technical result divided by the net earned premiums of SCOR Global Life; 5: The cost ratio is the total management expenses divided by the gross written premiums.





3 - Balance sheet key figures as on September 30, 2021 (in EUR millions, at current exchange rates)

As on

September 30, 2021 As on

December 31, 2020 Variation Total investments 1,2 30,330 28,611 +6.0% Technical reserves (gross) 33,795 30,501 +10.8% Shareholders equity 6,315 6,177 +2.2% Book value per share (EUR) 34.13 33.01 +3.4% Financial leverage ratio 28.0% 28.5% -0.5 pts Total liquidity3 3,292 1,989 +65.6%

1Total investment portfolio includes both invested assets and funds withheld by cedants and other deposits, accrued interest, cat bonds, mortality bonds and FX derivatives; 2 Excluding 3rd party net insurance business investments; 3 Includes cash and cash equivalents.

4 - Quantum Leap targets

Targets Profitability ROE > 800 bps above 5-year risk-free rate1 across the cycle Solvency Solvency ratio in the optimal 185% - 220% range

1 Based on a 5-year rolling average of 5-year risk-free rates.

5 - Quantum Leap assumptions

Assumptions P&C







Gross written premium growth ~4% to 8% annual growth Net combined ratio ~95% to 96% Value of New Business1 ~6% to 9% annual growth Life







Gross written premium growth ~3% to 6% annual growth Net technical margin ~7.2% to 7.4% Value of New Business1 ~6% to 9% annual growth Investments Annualized return on invested assets ~2.4% to 2.9%2 Group















Gross written premium growth ~4% to 7% annual growth Leverage ~25% Value of New Business1 ~6% to 9% annual growth Cost ratio ~5.0% Tax rate ~20% to 24%

Value of New Business after risk margin and tax Annualized ROIA on average over Quantum Leap under Summer 2019 economic and financial environment

*

* *

Contact details

Media Relations

Lauren Burns Carraud

+33 (0)1 58 44 76 62

lburns@scor.com



Investor Relations

Olivier Armengaud

+33 (0)1 58 44 86 12

oarmengaud@scor.com

www.scor.com

LinkedIn: SCOR | Twitter: @SCOR_SE

General

Numbers presented throughout this document may not add up precisely to the totals in the tables and text. Percentages and percent changes are calculated on complete figures (including decimals); therefore the document might contain immaterial differences in sums and percentages due to rounding. Unless otherwise specified, the sources for the business ranking and market positions are internal.

Forward-looking statements

This document includes forward-looking statements and information about the objectives of SCOR, in particular, relating to SCORs current or future projects.

These statements are sometimes identified by the use of the future tense or conditional mode, as well as terms such as estimate, believe, have the objective of, intend to, expect, result in, should and other similar expressions.

It should be noted that the achievement of these objectives and forward-looking statements and information is dependent on the circumstances and facts that arise in the future.

No guarantee can be given regarding the achievement of these forward-looking statements and information. Forward-looking statements and information and information about objectives may be impacted by known or unknown risks, identified or unidentified uncertainties and other factors that may significantly alter the future results, performance and accomplishments planned or expected by SCOR.

In particular, it should be noted that the full impact of the Covid-19 crisis on SCORs business and results cannot be accurately assessed at this stage, in particular given the uncertainty related to the magnitude, evolution and duration of the Covid-19 pandemic, to the short, medium and long-term effects on health and on the economy, and to the possible effects of future governmental actions or legal developments in this context.

Therefore, any assessments and any figures presented in this document will necessarily be estimates based on evolving analyses, and encompass a wide range of theoretical hypotheses, which are highly evolutive.

Information regarding risks and uncertainties that may affect SCORs business is set forth in the 2020 Universal Registration Document filed on March 2, 2021, under number D.21-0084 with the French Autorite des marches financiers (AMF) and in the SCOR SE interim financial report for the six months ended June 30, 2021 posted on SCORs website www.scor.com.

Financial information

The Groups financial information contained in this document is prepared on the basis of IFRS and interpretations issued and approved by the European Union.

Unless otherwise specified, prior-year balance sheet, income statement items and ratios have not been reclassified.

The calculation of financial ratios (such as book value per share, return on investments, return on invested assets, Group cost ratio, return on equity, net combined ratio and life technical margin) is detailed in the Appendices of the Q3 2021 presentation (see page 15).

The third quarter 2021 financial information included in this presentation is unaudited. Unless otherwise specified, all figures are presented in Euros. Any figures for a period subsequent to September 30, 2021 should not be taken as a forecast of the expected financials for these periods.

The solvency ratio is not an audited value.

This publication is an ad hoc disclosure pursuant to Article 17 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of 16 April 2014.

Share buy-back

The description of the share buy-back program is included in the 2020 Universal Registration Document filed on March 2, 2021.

The share buy-back will be carried out in accordance with the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (MAR), as amended, and the resulting delegated legislation.

1 At constant exchange rates

2 Based on a 5-year rolling average of 5-year risk-free rates (43 bps in the third quarter of 2021)

3 Solvency ratio estimated at 229% before share buy-back and at 225% after share buy-back

4 Solvency ratio estimated at 229% before share buy-back and at 225% after share buy-back

5 Net of reduced flu claims in the U.S., net of retrocession and before tax, including IBNR

6 Covid-19 claims of EUR 268 million (net of retrocession, before tax) reported for H1 2021 were presented before the impact of the Life in-force transaction. The equivalent figure for Covid-19 claims for H1 2021 net of the Life in-force transaction was EUR 207 million (net of retrocession and before tax), of which EUR 166 million (net of retrocession and before tax) comes from the US in-force portfolio and EUR 41 million (net of retrocession and before tax) from all other markets

7 Doma Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as States Title Holding, Inc.) (Doma) completed its business combination with Capitol Investment Corp. V (NYSE: CAP) (Capitol) on July 28, 2021. As a result of the IPO, Doma shares (initially classified as AFS equities in SCORs Balance Sheet) have been converted into common shares (from preferred shares) leading to their derecognition as the rights to cash flows were substantially modified. The derecognition resulted in a Q3 P&L impact of USD 105 million (EUR 89 million) before tax

8 Return on invested assets excludes the EUR 89 million capital gain realized on the Doma transaction, which is a venture investment not held for investment purposes

9 Based on a 5-year rolling average of 5-year risk-free rates (43 bps in the third quarter of 2021)

10 Excluding the impact of the share buy-back

11 Solvency ratio estimated at 229% before share buy-back and at 225% after share buy-back

12 Solvency ratio estimated at 229% before share buy-back and at 225% after share buy-back

13 Press release from the ACPR: https://acpr.banque-france.fr/communique-de-presse/lacpr-confirme-la-levee-de-sa-recommandation-sur-les-distributions-dividendes-rachats-daction

14 The volume of monthly acquisitions of SCOR shares will depend on market conditions, within the limits set by the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (MAR), as amended, and the resulting delegated legislation. Based on the share price of SCOR as at October 26, 2021, the share buy-back corresponds to a maximum of 8.0 million shares or 4.3% of the capital

15 See page 30 of the Q3 2021 Earnings Presentation for details

16 Net of retrocession and reinstatement premiums, and before tax

17 Impact of EUR 346 million from the Life in-force transaction on H1 2021 Net Technical Result included a Day-1 impact of EUR 313 million

18 Net of reduced flu claims in the U.S., net of retrocession and before tax, including IBNR

19 Covid-19 claims of EUR 268 million (net of retrocession, before tax) reported for H1 2021 were presented before the impact of the Life in-force transaction. The equivalent figure for Covid-19 claims for H1 2021 net of the Life in-force transaction was EUR 207 million (net of retrocession and before tax), of which EUR 166 million (net of retrocession and before tax) comes from the US in-force portfolio and EUR 41 million (net of retrocession and before tax) from all other markets

20 Represents an increase of EUR 17 million (net of retrocession, before tax) compared to H1 2021

21 Return on invested assets excludes the EUR 89 million capital gain realized on the Doma transaction, which is a venture investment not held for investment purposes

22 Funds withheld & other deposits

23 Compared to a duration on the fixed income portfolio of 2.8 years in Q2 2021 (duration on total invested assets of 3.0 years vs. 2.9 years in Q2 2021)

24 As of September 30, 2021. Investable cash includes current cash balances, and future coupons and redemptions.

25 Return on invested assets excludes the EUR 89 million capital gain realized on the Doma transaction, which is a venture investment not held for investment purposes

26 Corresponds to theoretical reinvestment yields based on Q3 2021 asset allocation of asset yielding classes (i.e. fixed income, loans and real estate), according to current reinvestment duration assumptions and spreads, currencies, yield curves as of September 30, 2021

27 Return on invested assets excludes the EUR 89 million capital gain realized on the Doma transaction, which is a venture investment not held for investment purposes

Attachment
New York, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Electric Vehicle Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06155630/?utm_source=GNW





The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the electric vehicle market is inevitable, as it affected almost every other industry in the market. However, the electric vehicle (EV) market is witnessing substantial growth owing to the swiftly escalating year-on-year adoption rate of electric vehicles across the world. For instance, there was a rise in electric vehicle sales dramatically in China and Europe, despite the pandemic showing signs of active market growth during the forecast period.



Factors, such as the increasing cost of fuel and the government initiatives across different geographies to increase awareness about EVs, are expected to promote the usage of electric vehicles over the forecast period. Infrastructure for charging stations continue to expand, and countries like China continue to lead the passenger vehicles and urban buses market owing to a well-established supply chain for batteries and Traction Motors.



The Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest growth, followed by Europe and North America. The automotive industry in countries such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea is inclined toward innovation, technology, and advanced electric vehicle development. The increasing demand for reducing carbon emissions and developing more advanced and fast-charging stations is expected to propel the growth of electric vehicles during the forecast period.



Key Market Trends



Heavy Investments from Automakers in Electric Vehicles



Heavy investments from automakers are expected to cater to the growing demand for EVs and play a major role in the evolution of the electric vehicle market. OEMs offer electric vehicles in different segments ranging from hatchbacks such as Nissan Leaf to high-end sedans like Tesla Model 3. For instance,



Ford company had previously committed to spending USD 11.5 billion on electrifying its vehicle lineup through 2022, and in its recent announcement, it increased its investment in autonomous and electric vehicles amid continuous lockdowns to boost vehicle sales.

Mercedes Benz had confirmed that it would roll out 25 new plugin hybrid electric vehicles in addition to fully electric vehicles by 2025. The wide product offering by companies attracted many consumers and resulted in a growing market for electric vehicles.



In addition, the growing sensitivity of various governments toward a cleaner environment increases the demand for zero-emission vehicles during the forecast period. Developed nations such as the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom are actively promoting the use of electric vehicles to reduce emissions, which resulted in the growth of electric vehicle sales.



China to Witness Significant Growth



China to solidify its leadership position in the electric vehicle market during the forecast period. With a sales share of around 94%, domestic OEMs currently dominate the Chinese EV market. China imposed a quota on manufacturers for 100% electric or hybrid vehicles, which must represent at least 10% of total new sales. Additionally, some major cities and provinces are imposing increasingly stringent restrictions.



For instance, the city of Beijing only issues 10,000 permits for the registration of combustion-engine vehicles per month to encourage its inhabitants to switch to electric vehicles. These kinds of measures are leading China to formulate resolute and optimistic prospects for the development of electric vehicles in the country, which is expected to drive the market.



Generous subsidies and tight regulation continue to drive much of the growth. Electric vehicles are exempt from license-plate lotteries and auctions in some Chinese cities, and this still plays an instrumental role in promoting EVs. After a successful pilot program in selected cities, the Chinese government decided last year to introduce green license plates for new energy vehicles (NEVs) across the country.



BYD, BAIC, Chery, and SAIC are some of the key regional players in the Asia-Pacific electric vehicle market.



Competitive Landscape



The electric vehicle (EV) market is dominated by globally established players such as Tesla Inc., BYD, Daimler AG, Volkswagen, Nissan, and Toyota. For instance,



Taiwanese electric vehicle company Ahmani EV Tech formed a joint venture with Renon to produce battery packs for the Indian automobile market.

Ford Motor Company announced its plans to invest USD 11.0 billion to manufacture new hybrid and fully electric vehicles by 2022 in Canada.

In order to fulfill the charging station gap in North America, Tesla will construct numerous charging stations across the United States and Canada, including solar-powered charging stations, to improve infrastructure for EVs.



Additional Benefits:



The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format

3 months of analyst support

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06155630/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FMC GlobalSat ("FMC"), a global provider of best-in-class satellite and wireless connectivity solutions, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with the ERZIA Group to acquire 100% of Santander Teleport "ST".

Originally established as a joint venture of ERZIA and MTN Satellite Communications (now Anuvu maritime division), ST has been ranked by the World Teleport Association (WTA) as one of the top 10 Teleport Operators in the world for more than 10 years, and in 2019 it was awarded the internationally prestigious "Independent Teleport of the Year" title.

Domiciled in Spain, ST boasts nearly 30 antennas ranging from 3 to 15 meters enabling Ku, Ka, X and C band reception and transmission within its expansive 100,000 square feet premises. Its location features temperate weather and ideal topography which maximizes look angles to fixed satellites providing seamless connectivity and eliminating many of the disruptive variables that can encumber efficiency. FMC, with ST's best-in-class infrastructure and facilities, is well equipped to actively service the significant growth in global data consumption and expand its reach with 5G wireless, terrestrial fiber and GEO, MEO, LEO (Low Earth Orbit) broadband satellite networks traffic.

ST boasts both ISO9001 and ISO27001 certifications, which are the international standards established to ensure the integrity of its quality management and information security management system (ISMS). Santander's customer-centric professionalism and innovative engineering design has been supporting satellite communications for a diverse population of industries including hundreds of cruise ships, yachts, commercial shipping and other maritime applications as well as numerous satellite operators, government businesses and strategic operation in Europe, Africa and Middle East.

The acquisition will solidify FMC's industry leading position providing customers connectivity solutions and its engineering support while increasing its presence in Europe, Africa and Middle East.

Emmanuel Cotrel, Chief Executive Officer of FMC, commented: "We are delighted to welcome Santander Teleport, a company with an unparalleled heritage, talented employees and unique position in the global satellite world, to the FMC family. We intend to develop this infrastructure and will invest in Santander Teleport's unique assets and strong human capital to keep continuing to deliver compelling and cost effective connectivity solutions for our customers. We are optimistic about Santander Teleport's ability to accelerate its growth, innovate and remain at the forefront of our discerning customers satisfaction and excellence, particularly in light of the LEO revolution".

Luis Garcia, Chief Executive Officer of ERZIA, commented, "This transaction, which occurs at a time of internal transformation for Santander Teleport and ERZIA Group, will provide further support, resources and momentum to reach our strategic goals. ERZIA founded Santander Teleport 10 years ago along with MTN Satellite Communications, its founder Richard Hadsall and the unconditional support of Carolina Hadsall, with the goal of becoming a world class facility to serve mostly the Maritime and Government markets. I can say proudly that goal was successfully achieved, and Santander Teleport will continue reaching new heights, capitalizing on its remarkable internal expertise, unparalleled network engineering, and strong customer-oriented culture. ERZIA will continue leveraging Santander Teleport's infrastructure for VIDA, its highly specialized maritime VSAT service based in Europe."

Approvals and Timing

FMC's acquisition of Santander Teleport has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

The transaction is expected to close by year-end of 2021 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals.

Advisors

FMC: Investment Bank - Capital Insight LLC & Legal - Clifford Chance SLP Madrid

ERZIA: Legal - Garrigues

About FMC GlobalSat

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale Florida - USA, FMC GlobalSat is a global provider of best-in-class satellite and wireless solutions to businesses that require reliable, secure, and cost-effective broadband and M2M connectivity solutions.

FMC GlobalSat has pioneered the delivery of converged connectivity solutions on a global scale, by partnering with major wireless carriers and satellite communications providers that incorporates 5G wireless solutions across CDMA, GSM, and LTE networks and high- throughput satellite (HTS) communications. Our networks incorporate Tier 1 carriers, and satellite infrastructure that includes dozens of satellites, teleports and a 24/7 enterprise-grade global technical support organization which enable us to provide SD-Wan, direct VPN, MPLS, SCPC and other network tunnels while optimizing data traffic routes. For more information about FMC GlobalSat, please visit www.FMCGlobalSat.com

About ERZIA Group

ERZIA was founded nearly 20 years ago engineering and building an array of unique RF and microwave amplifiers, as well as sub-system integrated assemblies. Focused on high reliability and state-of-the-art performance, ERZIA expanded over the years to become one of the world's leading suppliers in the space, electronic warfare, and telecommunications segments. ERZIA founded the Santander Teleport in 2010 and started providing satellite communications to vessels sailing around the world through ERZIA Maritime in 2012. Today, the ERZIA Group serves renowned customers around the world through its different divisions, and more recently ERZIA Maritime has been rebranded as VIDA by ERZIA.

For more information about ERZIA, please visit www.erzia.com

Contact

Doug Cameron - dcameron@fmcglobalsat.com - +1-954-678-0697

Related Images











Image 1: Santander Teleport





www.fmcglobalsat.com

















Image 2: FMC Logo





www.fmcglobalsat.com









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
BROOMFIELD, Colo. and WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vita Inclinata (Vita), developer and producer of helicopter and crane load stabilization and precision hardware, today announced the addition of Steve Alesio to the companys board of directors. Alesio will utilize decades of executive experience at several of the nations largest financial institutions to help guide all facets of Vitas growth.



Im attracted to Vita because they're focused on something that's fundamentally importantsaving lives and dramatically improving safety in the workplace, Alesio said. The elements for their successful expansion reside in scaling financial, human resources, and manufacturing capabilities. I look forward to helping the team meet these goals while continuing to find new product applications to fit additional market needs.

Alesio has vast experience helping businesses scale their operations as well as the financial acumen obtained from his private equity work and many years of leading businesses. He is currently serving as a board member of the Agile Growth Corporation, a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC), and a former board member of Alfresco Software, Artius Acquisition, Inc. another SPAC-related organization, and CDW. In addition to his board memberships, Alesio served as an operating partner at Providence Equity Partners, chairman, and CEO at Dun & Bradstreet, and president of the Small Business Services Group at American Express.

Steve Alesio is an ideal addition to our board, said Caleb Carr, CEO, Vita. We are excited for him to bring financial guidance and operational know-how to scale Vita and ultimately drive the companys financial acceleration into the global marketplace.

Witness the Rescue System Litter Attachments real-world capabilities in the Black Hawk helicopter rescue ops training race, legacy hoist vs. the Vita Rescue System video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLi1y0b447M .

About Vita Inclinata

A friends death during a rescue operationwith a helicopter close but unable to stabilize due to weather and terrainwas the genesis of Vita Inclinata. Founded in 2015 as a way to solve a real problem, Vita today controls chaotic swinging and spin and adds safety and precision for rotor-wing and fixed-wing aircraft and cranes. With the mission of Bring them home, every time, Vitas technology changes the narrative while saving lives, time, and money across industries, including search and rescue, military, firefighting, public safety, construction, wind energy, and oil and gas. The company is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, with offices in Washington, DC, and Huntsville, Alabama. For more information, please visit www.vitatech.co .

For more information, contact:

Betsey Rogers

BridgeView Marketing

603-821-0809

betsey@bridgeviewmarketing.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b7d031fc-5c49-49d9-8a54-74e9a37e97d2




English French

MONTREAL, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Midland Exploration Inc. (Midland) (TSX-V: MD) is pleased to issue an update on its latest exploration activities across Quebec. Over the last few months, Midland and its partners have been very active in the field with a variety of drilling, stripping, geochemical sampling and prospecting campaigns. Several new mineral occurrences were discovered, and a number of new exploration targets were identified on various projects.



Two drilling campaigns were completed on the Casault and Gaudet-Fenelon JV projects during the summer, for a total of nearly 10,000 metres of drilling. On Casault, a new gold-bearing zone was recently identified in hole CAS-21-123 (see Midland press release dated October 21, 2021).

Overall, more than 7,000 samples were sent to the laboratory for assaying and assay results are currently pending.

Highlights:

New Au-bearing zone on Casault returned 6.85 g/t Au over 2.0 metres in hole CAS-21-123

13 drill holes (5,295 metres) completed on the Casault project under option by Wallbridge

14 drill holes (4,483 metres) completed on the Gaudet-Fenelon JV project with Probe

Two (2) new high-grade boulders discovered east of Mythril; 10.25 g/t Au, 8.0 g/t Ag and 7.99 g/t Au, 166 g/t Ag, 0.4% Cu, 0.07% Mo

Prospecting programs completed in Nunavik under our Alliances with BHP and SOQUEM

Stripping and channel sampling completed on the Golden Nest showing on Lewis

More than 7,000 assay results pending

Abitibi region

Casault p roject ( 100% Midland  Under o ption by Wallbridge Mining)

A drilling program consisting of thirteen (13) drill holes totalling 5,295 metres was recently completed to test a series of NW-SE-trending structures interpreted from the magnetic survey. These targets are located a few kilometres north of the Sunday Lake Fault and west of the Martiniere and Bug Lake deposits.

Hole CAS-21-123, the first drill hole of the program, was testing a prominent NW-SE oriented structure interpreted from airborne magnetics and intersected 6.85 g/t Au over 2.00 metres from 254.50 to 256.50 metres. This new intersection is associated with a mineralized zone consisting of chalcopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and electrum, a gold-silver mineral phase, within deformed and heavily carbonate-altered host rocks. This NW-SE structural orientation remains untested over more than 3 kilometres on the Casault property and is known to control gold mineralization at Fenelon and Martiniere. A series of large structures of this trend also transects the Casault property. Complete assay results are pending.

Gaudet-Fenelon JV project (50% Midland  50% Probe Metals)

Over the course of August and September, fourteen (14) drill holes totalling 4,483 metres were completed to test induced polarization anomalies coinciding with biogeochemical anomalies and structures interpreted from the magnetic survey. Assay results are pending.

La Peltrie project (100% Midland  Under option by Probe Metals)

On the La Peltrie project, three (3) induced polarization grids were surveyed this summer to cover biogeochemical anomalies identified along the perimeter of a syntectonic intrusion. The final results and interpretation of the three surveys are pending. A follow-up campaign is in preparation for 2022.

Samson project (100% Midland)

A black spruce bark biogeochemistry survey was conducted in the winter of 2021 in the vicinity of the new high-grade gold discovery at Golden Delilah, which graded up to 99.1 g/t Au over 0.40 metre (DDH SAM-20-10; 106.45-106.85 m) and 23.0 g/t Au over 1.05 metres (DDH SAM-20-15; 317.10-318.15 m). This biogeochemistry survey identified a new gold anomaly located approximately 2 kilometres southeast of the Golden Delilah showing. This new area has never been drill-tested and is located near the western contact of a felsic pluton, where identified gold anomalies are aligned along structures mainly trending NW-SE and N-S.

Adam project (100% Midland)

In the spring of 2021, a black spruce bark biogeochemistry survey covering the entire Adam property was completed. The results highlighted several areas with anomalous Au, As, Cu and Zn values, some of which are located along the same stratigraphic level as the B26 deposit, i.e., just north of the regional fault marking the contact between the Enjalran and Brouillan groups. In addition, several of these anomalies coincide with new untested helicopter-borne VTEM-type electromagnetic anomalies.

Mistaouac project (100% Midland)

A black spruce bark biogeochemistry survey was completed to cover the entire property. Several anomalies were identified, one of which is of particular interest along the contact of the Orvilliers pluton. This kilometre-scale anomaly is characterized by elevated values in Au, Ag, Cu, Mo, Sb and Te.

Lewis project (100% Midland)

Following the discovery made this past summer by prospecting at the Golden Nest showing, where grab samples yielded grades of 10.2 g/t Au and 2.1 g/t Au, mechanical stripping and channel sampling were completed in September. Approximately 50 samples are currently in the laboratory and assay results are pending.

Patris project (100% Midland)

New exploration targets were identified following a new lithogeochemical interpretation of the entire property. These new targets include the depth extension of drill holes PAT-15-05 and PAT-16-08, which identified an extensive hydrothermal alteration zone (Au-Ag-Pb-Mo-Te) more than 80 metres wide. In addition, two new target areas associated with Camflo-type alkaline intrusions were identified near the La Pause Fault, where turbidites of the Kewagama Group are in contact with volcanic rocks of the Malartic Group.

James Bay region

Mythril and Mythril Regional projects (100% Midland)

Over the course of August, a prospecting campaign led to the discovery of two new high-grade boulders on the Chisaayuu claim block of the Mythril Regional project. These gold-bearing boulders are located approximately 75 kilometres east of the Cu-Au-Ag-Mo Mythril zone, where the 3D model is currently being updated to include the results of the 2021 drilling program. These results include hole MYT-21-38 where 0.59% Cu, 0.05 g/t Au, 1.87 g/t Ag and 0.025% Mo over 28.50 metres from 56.50 to 85.00 metres, including 1.02% Cu, 0.09 g/t Au, 2.62 g/t Ag and 0.048% Mo over 10.50 metres from 56.50 to 67.00 metres, was obtained.

The two mineralized boulders discovered this summer on Chisaayuu yielded values of 10.25 g/t Au, 8.02 g/t Ag (in Boulder 1), and 7.99 g/t Au, 166 g/t Ag, 0.4% Cu and 0.07% Mo (in Boulder 2). A till sampling program is in preparation for the summer of 2022, as a follow-up and to locate the source of the boulders.

Galinee project (100% Midland)

Prospecting work carried out in August on the Galinee gold project identified several new gold-bearing boulders that yielded values in grab samples up to 1.43 g/t Au, 1.40 g/t Au and 1.08 g/t Au south of the Elsa showing. Other boulders were also discovered approximately 2 kilometres further west, grading up to 0.96 g/t Au and 0.50 g/t Au (grab samples). Several induced polarization anomalies remain unexplained to the north of these gold-bearing boulders.

Elrond project (100% Midland)

The final results of the 80 till samples collected over the summer, southwest of Harfang Exploration Inc.s Serpent gold project, are pending.

Nunavik region

Ni-Cu Alliance with BHP in Nunavik

A three (3)-week prospecting program was completed in September and October under the Ni-Cu Alliance with BHP. This program was mainly designed as a ground follow-up of VTEM-type electromagnetic anomalies identified during the summer 2021 survey. More than 100 samples were collected, and assay results are pending.

Alliance with SOQUEM in the Labrador Trough

During the summer of 2021, two phases of prospecting totalling three weeks each were conducted in partnership with SOQUEM under the Labrador Trough Alliance. More than 900 samples were collected, and assay results are pending.

Cautionary statements

Grab samples are selective by nature and reported values are not necessarily indicative of mineralized zones.

The true thickness of reported intervals cannot be determined with the information currently available; intervals are thus reported in core length.

Mineralization occurring on the Fenelon Gold and Martiniere/Bug Lake projects held by Wallbridge are not necessarily indicative of mineralization that may be found on the Casault property held by Midland.

Quality Control

Drill core samples from the 2021 drill program at Casault were cut and bagged on site and transported to AGAT Laboratories Ltd. for analysis. Samples are crushed to 75% less than 2mm. A 250g riffle split is pulverized to 85% passing 75 microns. 50g samples are analyzed by fire assay and AAS. Samples >10g/t Au are automatically analyzed by fire assay with gravimetric finish or screen metallic analysis. To test for coarse free gold and for additional quality assurance and quality control, Wallbridge requests screen metallic analysis for samples containing visible gold. These and future assay results may vary from time to time due to reanalysis for quality assurance and quality control.

Exploration program design and interpretation of results on Galinee and Chisaayuu projects is performed by qualified persons employing a Quality Assurance/Quality Control program consistent with industry best practices, including the use of standards and blanks with every 20 samples. Rock samples on the project are assayed for gold by standard 30-gram fire-assaying with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES; Au-ICP21) or gravimetric finish (Au-GRA21) at ALS Minerals laboratories in Vancouver, British Columbia. All samples are also analysed for multi-elements, using four-acid ICPAES method (ME-ICP61), also at ALS Minerals laboratories in Vancouver, British Columbia. Samples that exceed 1% copper, zinc, molybdenum or nickel are reanalyzed by four-acid ICP-AES optimized for high grades.

About Midland

Midland targets the excellent mineral potential of Quebec to make the discovery of new world-class deposits of gold, platinum group elements and base metals. Midland is proud to count on reputable partners such as BHP Canada Inc., Probe Metals Inc., Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Osisko Development Corp., SOQUEM Inc., Nunavik Mineral Exploration Fund, and Abcourt Mines Inc. Midland prefers to work in partnership and intends to quickly conclude additional agreements in regard to newly acquired properties. Management is currently reviewing other opportunities and projects to build up the Corporation portfolio and generate shareholder value.

This press release was prepared by Mario Masson. P.Geo., VP Exploration for Midland and Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

For further information, please consult Midlands website or contact:

Gino Roger, President and Chief Executive Officer

Tel.: 450 420-5977

Fax: 450 420-5978

Email : info@midlandexploration.com

Website: https://www.midlan d exploration.com/

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from targeted results. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Midlands periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by Midland from time to time with securities regulatory authorities.

16 photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0a574b3f-3a75-4e84-92fa-da4b9d8abccd

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fd47ce44-b5ec-41d1-a4a3-342a2b6458ce

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https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eae2b1ba-0b0f-4efb-968a-fb6c506aec81

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6cc77af4-9cea-4e71-97ef-051c19de2088

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eldorado Gold Corporation (Eldorado or the Company) announces that it has closed the previously announced sale of the Tocantinzinho Project (TZ) to G Mining Ventures Corp. (GMIN).

As part of closing, Eldorado and GMIN have entered into an investor rights agreement (Investor Rights Agreement), which grants Eldorado certain rights for so long as it maintains 10% ownership of GMIN common shares on an undiluted basis. The Investor Rights Agreement includes:

A customary lockup period until the earlier of (i) two years, and (ii) GMIN making a positive construction decision on TZ.



The right for Eldorado to participate in future equity offerings by GMIN in order to maintain the greater of 19.9% of GMINs share capital and Eldorados pro rata ownership interest prior to the offering.



Additional customary rights and restrictions for a transaction of this nature.



The sale of TZ provides immediate value for Eldorado and also allows us to retain meaningful exposure to future value creation through our equity stake in GMIN, said George Burns, Eldorados President and Chief Executive Officer. We believe the combination of GMIN and the existing local Brazilian leadership group is the right team to advance the asset responsibly. We look forward to following and supporting their success.

Early Warning Disclosure

Prior to the completion of the sale of TZ to GMIN, Eldorado did not own any common shares of GMIN. Following such sale, Eldorado owns 46,926,372 common shares of GMIN, representing 19.9% of the issued and outstanding common shares of GMIN, which were issued to Eldorado as partial consideration for the sale of TZ. Eldorado was also paid upfront consideration of US$20 million in cash and deferred consideration of US$60 million in cash to be paid subject to TZ commencing commercial production, payable on the first anniversary of commercial production (Deferred Consideration). GMIN has the option to defer 50% of the Deferred Consideration at a cost of US$5 million, in which case US$30 million is payable upon the first anniversary of the commencement of commercial production and US$35 million is payable upon the second anniversary of the commencement of commercial production. The GMIN common shares issued to Eldorado were issued at the deemed offer price of C$0.924 for an aggregate deemed value of US$34.7 million.

Eldorado advises that the securities have been acquired for investments purposes. Eldorado may, depending on the market and other conditions, increase or decrease its beneficial ownership of GMINs securities, whether in the open market, by privately negotiated agreements or otherwise, subject to a number of factors, including general market conditions and other available investment and business opportunities.

This disclosure is provided pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 62-104, which also requires an early warning report to be filed containing additional information with respect to the foregoing matters. A copy of the early warning report will be available on SEDAR under GMINs issuer profile at www.sedar.com and may be obtained upon request from Eldorado by contacting Eldorado at the contact information below. GMINs head office is located at 7900 W, Taschereau Blvd., Building D, Suite 210, Brossard, QC, J4X 1C2. Eldorados head office is located at 1188 - 550 Burrard Street, Bentall 5, Vancouver, BC, V6C 2B5.

About Eldorado Gold

Eldorado is a gold and base metals producer with mining, development and exploration operations in Turkey, Canada, Greece, and Romania. The Company has a highly skilled and dedicated workforce, safe and responsible operations, a portfolio of high-quality assets, and long-term partnerships with local communities. Eldorado's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: ELD) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: EGO).

Contact

Investor Relations

Lisa Wilkinson, VP, Investor Relations

604.757 2237 or 1.888.353.8166

lisa.wilkinson@eldoradogold.com

Media

Louise McMahon, Director Communications & Public Affairs

604.616 2296 or 1.888.363.8166

louise.mcmahon@eldoradogold.com

Cautionary Note about Forward-looking Statements and Information

Certain of the statements made and information provided in this press release are forward-looking statements or information within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. Often, these forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", continue, projected, "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

Forward-looking statements or information contained in this release include, but are not limited to, statements or information with respect to: TZ achieving commercial production and receipt of any Deferred Consideration, the ability to GMIN to advance TZ and to build a mine, including cost and timing thereof, and future value creation for Eldorado through the equity stake in GMIN. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, market uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information.

We have made certain assumptions about the forward-looking statements and information, including assumptions about: the ability of GMIN to advance TZ, including to achieve commercial production, and the timing thereof; and the price of the GMIN shares; how the world-wide economic and social impact of COVID-19 is managed and the duration and extent of the COVID-19 pandemic; timing and cost of construction and exploration; the future price of gold and other commodities; the global concentrate market; exchange rates; anticipated costs, expenses and working capital requirements; the impact of acquisitions, dispositions, suspensions or delays on our business; and the ability to achieve our goals. In particular, except where otherwise stated, we have assumed a continuation of existing business operations on substantially the same basis as exists at the time of this release.

Even though our management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statement or information will prove to be accurate. Many assumptions may be difficult to predict and are beyond our control.

Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others: inability of GMIN to advance TZ to commercial production; inability of GMIN to pay the Deferred Consideration; the inability of GMIN to create future value for Eldorado; global outbreaks of infectious diseases, including COVID-19; timing and cost of construction, and the associated benefits; recoveries of gold and other metals; geopolitical and economic climate (global and local), risks related to mineral tenure and permits; gold and other commodity price volatility; information technology systems risks; continued softening of the global concentrate market; risks regarding potential and pending litigation and arbitration proceedings relating to our business, properties and operations; expected impact on reserves and the carrying value; the updating of the reserve and resource models and life of mine plans; mining operational and development risk; financing risks; foreign country operational risks; risks of sovereign investment; regulatory risks and liabilities including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability; discrepancies between actual and estimated production; mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical testing and recoveries; additional funding requirements; currency fluctuations; community and non-governmental organization actions; speculative nature of gold exploration; dilution; share price volatility and the price of our common shares; competition; loss of key employees; and defective title to mineral claims or properties, as well as those risk factors discussed in the sections titled Forward-Looking Statements and "Risk factors in our business" in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form & Form 40-F. The reader is directed to carefully review the detailed risk discussion in our most recent Annual Information Form filed on SEDAR and EDGAR under our Company name, which discussion is incorporated by reference in this release, for a fuller understanding of the risks and uncertainties that affect the Companys business and operations.

The inclusion of forward-looking statements and information is designed to help you understand managements current views of our near- and longer-term prospects, and it may not be appropriate for other purposes.

There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements or information contained herein. Except as required by law, we do not expect to update forward-looking statements and information continually as conditions change.
All amounts are in USD unless stated otherwise i



GMIN has acquired the construction ready Tocantinzinho Gold Project in Brazil for $115 million ii

Tocantinzinho is a permitted, high-grade gold project with a 10-year reserve life with an estimated annual production of 187,000 ounces for the first 8 years iii

Leadership team to leverage four successful mine builds in South America, including recently for Newmont Corporation (Merian) and Lundin Gold Inc. (Fruta del Norte)

GMIN completed a C$71 million ($56 million) equity financing

Post closing, GMIN estimates its cash balance to be approximately $66 million

GMIN is building a new intermediate gold producer; Tocantinzinho is Step 1

BROSSARD, Quebec, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- G Mining Ventures Corp. (GMIN or the Corporation) is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of the Tocantinzinho Gold Project (Tocantinzinho or the Project) for $115 million (the Acquisition) from Eldorado Gold Corporation (Eldorado). GMIN acquired all of Eldorados property, assets, and rights related to the Project through the acquisition of all the issued and outstanding shares of Brazauro Recursos Minerais S.A. (the Closing).

Louis-Pierre Gignac, President & CEO of GMIN, commented: Today marks a strong beginning for GMIN, with Tocantinzinho becoming our platform for growth, and the first step towards advancing our strategy of becoming a leading intermediate gold producer. Tocantinzinho has all the key attributes GMIN was looking for in an initial acquisition, with clear visibility towards near-term construction and commercial production. With over $66 million of cash on the balance sheet, GMIN is well positioned to update the Projects feasibility study and meet its target of advancing the Project to a construction decision for H2-22.

The aggregate consideration of $115 million is comprised of 46,926,372 common shares of GMIN and $20 million in cash paid at Closing, as well as a deferred $60 million cash payment (Deferred Consideration) payable, at GMINs option, anytime from Closing until the first anniversary of the Project achieving commercial production. GMIN, at its option, may defer 50% of the Deferred Consideration for 12 months subject to a $5 million premium payable on the second anniversary of the Project achieving commercial production (such deferred payment totaling $35 million). Following the completion of the Acquisition, Eldorado owns a 19.9% direct equity interest in GMIN. At the time of this news release, the Corporation has a total of 235,810,914 common shares issued and outstanding, and a cash balance of approximately $66 million. For further details on the Transaction, please refer to the Corporations press release dated August 9, 2021.

Timetable and Next Steps

Over the next 12 months, GMIN will be focused on the following activities:

Completion of project optimization studies and detailed engineering (Q4-21 through Q4-22);

Completion of two drilling campaigns totaling 10,000 meters (Q4-21 through Q1-22); Grade control drilling program to de-risk early years of production by optimizing grade selectivity and mine schedule; Exploration drilling program to test for potential extensions of the known mineralization at depth below the current pit;

Completion of an updated 43-101 feasibility study (Q1-22);

Commencement of onsite early works activities to support infrastructure and allow for rapid start of construction activities (Q2-22 through Q3-22);

Finalization of a comprehensive project finance facility to fund construction (H1-22); and

Positive construction decision (H2-22).

Investor Relations Services

GMIN is also pleased to announce that it has , subject to regulatory approval, retained PI Financial Corp. ("PI") to provide Market Making services in accordance with TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") policies. PI will trade securities of the Corporation on the TSXV for the purpose of maintaining an orderly market of GMIN's securities. In consideration of the services provided, GMIN will pay PI a monthly cash fee of C$3,500. PI will not receive shares or options as compensation. However, PI and its clients may have or may acquire a direct interest in the securities of GMIN. GMIN and PI are unrelated and unaffiliated entities. PI is a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and can access all Canadian stock exchanges and alternative trading systems. The capital and securities required for any trade undertaken by PI as principal will be provided by PI. The agreement will have a minimum term of 3 months, upon which GMIN may terminate the agreement on 30 days' notice.

About G Mining Ventures Corp.

G Mining Ventures Corp. (TSXV:GMIN) is a mineral exploration company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of precious metal projects. Its flagship asset, the permitted Tocantinzinho Project, is located in Para State, Brazil. Tocantinzinho is an open-pit gold deposit containing 1.8 million ounces of reserves at 1.4 g/t. The deposit is open at depth, and the underexplored 688km2 land package presents additional exploration potential.

Additional Information

Full details of the Acquisition are set out in the Share Purchase Agreement of Brazauro Recursos Minerais S.A. dated August 8, 2021, which is filed by GMIN under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

For further information on GMIN, please visit the website at www.gminingventures.com or contact:

Dusan Petkovic

Vice President, Corporate Development & Investor Relations

647.728.4176

info@gminingventures.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 press release.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws and are based on expectations and projections as of the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, those related to:

The Projects stage of advancement, de-risking level, and permitting status (notably, its construction ready status as well as the clear visibility towards construction and production); the Projects estimated production profile and mine life; the growth potential from expanded mineral resources and exploration upside;

The Project being the first step towards GMINs vision of becoming a leading intermediate gold producer;

GMINs eventual acquisition of additional advanced-stage development projects and operating mines;

The eventual role of G Mining Services Inc. (GMS) assisting GMIN to bring the Project into commercial production (notably, the leveraging of mine building track record);

The filing of an updated 43-101 technical report;

The eventual positive construction decision for early H2-22; and

More generally, the above section entitled Timetable and Next Steps.



Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Corporation as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Such assumptions include, without limitation, the items listed on the above section entitled Timetable and Next Steps.

Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that the Corporation will bring the Project into commercial production and that it will acquire any other significant precious metal asset, as future events could differ materially what is currently anticipated by the Corporation; there can neither be any assurance that the Corporation will be able to maintain an orderly trading market for its common shares, with PIs assistance or otherwise.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important risk factors and future events could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those made in the Corporations other filings with the securities regulators of Canada including, but not limited to, the cautionary statements made in the relevant section of the Corporations Management Discussion & Analysis. The Corporation cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive, and new, unforeseeable risks may arise from time to time. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.

i Figures assume USD:CAD FX of 1.25.

ii Includes the issuance on Closing of 46,926,372 common shares of GMIN to Eldorado valued at $34.7 million using net issue price of C$0.924, cash payment of $20 million paid on Closing, and the Deferred Consideration of $60 million.

iii Source: Technical Report Tocantinzinho Project Brazil dated June 21, 2019, filed on SEDAR by Eldorado on August 9, 2019. Louis- Pierre Gignac, President & Chief Executive Officer of GMIN, a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the report on behalf of the Corporation and has approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release. The Corporation will file an updated technical report with respect to the Project, in accordance with NI 43-101, by February 4, 2022.




NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KoreConX's Infrastructure of Trust launched in 2016 is a cornerstone of the private market's capital-raising ecosystem, designed to reduce friction in every aspect of raising capital and managing large numbers of investors. Today marks a major milestone in the private markets, with KoreConX as the only company to see its technology, which is based on a permissioned blockchain, to be used by companies that have been "qualified by the SEC," which is a first for the blockchain.

Companies that use the Infrastructure of Trust can have the assurance of working with a technology that other companies have used and received qualification by the SEC. The technology also includes regulated connected services such as a registered SEC-Transfer Agent, FINRA broker-dealer, and FINRA & SEC registered Secondary Market ATS.

The KoreChain infrastructure provides an end-to-end solution for the private markets to ensure that a company offering its digital securities, security tokens, non-fungible tokens (NFT) or stablecoins is fully compliant.

KoreConX's End-To-End RegA+ solution allows companies raising capital to manage the full life cycle of their offering. The All-In-One platform provides complete overview from pre-during-post raise including shareholder management, monetization of investments and other features to meet compliance requirements.

These solutions are provided on a decentralized permissioned-based blockchain infrastructure technology. This permissioned-based blockchain, KoreChain, is being used by companies that have had offerings qualified with the SEC and also provides a roadmap for companies that want to issue digital securities, non-fungible tokens, and stablecoins.

To complement all the solutions that KoreConX offers, the ecosystem includes KorePartners with expertise in fields related to RegA+ like securities lawyers, FINRA broker-dealers, auditors, escrow, SEC transfers agents and investor acquisition firms.

About KoreConX

Founded in 2016, KoreConX is the first secure, All-In-One platform that manages private companies' capital market activity and stakeholder communications. With an innovative approach and to ensure compliance with securities regulations and corporate law, KoreConX offers a single environment to connect companies to the capital markets, and now secondary markets. Additionally, investors, broker-dealers, law firms, accountants and investor acquisition firms all leverage our eco-system solution. For investor relations and fundraising, the platform enables private companies to share and manage corporate records and investments: it assists with portfolio management, capitalization table and shareholder management, virtual minute book, security registration, transfer agent services, and virtual deal rooms for raising capital. The All-In-One platform manages the full life cycle of digital securities, including their issuance, trading, clearing, settlement, management, reporting, corporate actions, and custodianship.

Media Contact:

KoreConX

Carolina Casimiro

carolina@koreconx.com

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Portland, OR, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per the report published by Allied Market Research, the global hospital information system market generated $15.48 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $44.32 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 11.0% from 2021 to 2030.

Rise in government initiatives support the use of e-health solutions and services, large population base and increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases, and growth of digital healthcare infrastructure drive the growth of the global hospital information system market. However, lack of skilled professionals hinders the market growth. On the contrary, untapped potential in developing countries would open lucrative opportunities for the market players in the future.

Download Sample Report- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/5628

Impact of Covid-19 on Hospital Information System Market-

The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the workflows in the healthcare sector and forces several industries to shut down their operations, including sub-domains of healthcare. Moreover, the global supply chain was disrupted and raw material prices were increased.

However, the healthcare facilities have shown interest in clinical decision support systems, and electronic health records to minimize human errors and the Covid-19 pandemic acted as a key factor for uptake of teleconsultations.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Hospital Information System Market- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/5628?reqfor=covid

The report segments the global hospital information system market on the basis of application, component, delivery mode, and region.

Based on application, the laboratory information system segment held the largest share in 2020, contributing to around one-fifth of the market. However, the electronic medical record segment is estimated to portray the highest CAGR of 12.2% from 2021 to 2030.

On the basis of component, the software segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 11.3% during the forecast period. Moreover, the segment held the lions share in 2020, accounting for around two-thirds of the market. The report includes an analysis of service segment.

The global hospital information system market is analyzed across several regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. The market across North America dominated in 2020, around one-third of the market. However, the market across Asia-Pacific is projected to showcase the highest CAGR of 11.9% during the forecast period.

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The global hospital information system market report includes an in-depth analysis of the prime market players such as Allscripts Healthcare, LLC (Practice Fusion), Dedalus S.p.A. (DXC Technology), Cerner Corporation, Integrated Medical Systems, Inc., GE Healthcare, McKesson Corporation, NXGN Management, LLC (NextGen Healthcare, Inc.), Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Carestream Health), Siemens Healthineers AG and Wipro Limited.

Official Press Release- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/hospital-information-system-market.html

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Brooklyn, NY, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A New York City College of Technology (City Tech), professor and his then-undergraduate research partner have been granted a patent that may revolutionize quantum technology and cybersecurity. Their work has the potential to provide the missing part of the ultimate quantum technology: coupling of existing internet/data transfer telecom lines with quantum encryption/computing hardware.

The utility patent was awarded to the City Tech team of Dr. German Kolmakov, chair of the colleges Physics Department, and then City Tech undergraduate student Shaina Raklyar. With the support of the US Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation (NSF), The City University of New York (CUNY) and prospective New York State funding, a quantum interconnect enabling the coupling of existing internet/data transfer telecom lines with quantum encryption/computing hardware has been designed by the City Tech team and is now being prototyped for testing by US quantum computing companies. Until now, the absence of this quantum interconnect has been a significant obstacle to the deploying of quantum computing.

Quantum computing (QC) is the long-expected next step in dramatically increasing the speed with which computers can perform, tackling problems previously regarded as unsolvable because of the daunting number of variables involved. QC is the processing of information thats represented by special quantum states. By relying on quantum phenomena like superposition and entanglement, these machines handle information in a fundamentally different way to classical computers like smartphones, laptops, or even todays powerful supercomputers. It can be seen as a revolution in the way computers function.

Linkage to quantum technology can revolutionize surveillance and homeland security, effectively transforming cybersecurity, the secure transmission of information, artificial intelligence, the creation of new materials and even the advancement of science through the development of new drugs. The main directions of quantum technology development include quantum computing, quantum secure internet and unbreakable quantum encryption of information.

The potential for this breakthrough work is profound. With quantum encryption enabled by the teams patent, Twitter and other social media would never be hacked again, personal data would never be leaked and private conversations would be immune to eavesdropping. With quantum acceleration of computations, new vaccines could be developed in weeks. This technology also has the potential to reduce energy costs for data centers by 50%, and dramatically reduce their carbon footprint  a reduction equal to half of the carbon footprint of global aviation.

To facilitate the commercialization of this technology and attract private funding, Raklyar established a Brooklyn-based, woman-owned, woman-operated startup company  Next Generation Quantum Corp (NGQ). With the support of the NSF, the team led a customer discovery session, interviewing 130+ decision makers, top officers and technology experts from the nation's leading high-tech companies, including IBM, AWS, D-Wave, Intel, and Google, as well as potential adopters of the technology, including Lyft, Uber, Bank of America and Morgan Stanley. The interviews underscored the importance of the prototyping now being done and an angel investor has come forward to fund its development.

Shainas work forms the basis of this technological breakthrough, not only within the world of high-performance computing, but in the digital ecosystem as a whole, which has become an essential part of our daily lives. Im sure it will bring new experiences to homes, workplaces and free up time for almost all of us, said Prof. Kolmakov. Im really lucky that Shaina joined in on this research and brought her passions and, also, her scientific and entrepreneurial energy to this project.

It is not by accident that this technological breakthrough is the result of joint research by a City Tech faculty member and his student. City Tech prides itself on the value add of its programs in student-faculty collaborative research.

City Tech President Russell K. Hotzler states, City Tech is proud to be an incubator for the development of innovative technologies such as Ms. Raklyar and Dr. Kolmakovs quantum computing device. Their achievement will leave a lasting imprint in the field of quantum computing and the world of technology in general. We are excited to be the home of such groundbreaking research and congratulate this team on their newly acquired patent.

####

Shaina Raklyar was born in Kiev, Ukraine at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union. She moved to the US in 2012 and has lived in New York ever since. When she learned about the opportunities that City Tech provides, her first thought was Wow! this is a cool place with unique majors. This sounded like the future to her, she says, so she immediately applied. Ms. Raklyar completed her bachelors degree in Biomedical Informatics in June 2020 and is now enrolled in a doctoral program at the City College of New York.

When asked about her hopes for the outcome of her work with Professor Kolmakov, she replied, I have three big hopes for the startup. The first is to revolutionize technology and to have our piece integrated in every computer in the future. The second hope is for Next Generation Quantum to go to an IPO. The third hope is for NGQ to get a Nobel prize in physics, or an equivalent in engineering (or both).

Professor German Kolmakov Is a professor of physics, and chairman of the Physics Department at City Tech. He received his Ph.D. from the L.D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics in Moscow, Russia. Professor Kolmakov is the author or co-author of a long list of articles on theoretical physics. Of Kolmakov, Shaina says, German is the smartest person that I know. I truly hope that this is not the last technology that we build together.

City Tech, of The City University of New York (CUNY), located in downtown Brooklyn, is the largest four-year public college of technology in the Northeast and a national model for technological education. In fall 2019, City Tech had an enrollment of more than 17,000 students in 31 baccalaureate and 30 associate degree programs, and was ranked ninth among more than 2,000 U.S. institutions in overall economic mobility for its students (www.equality-of-opportunity.org). For more information, visit www.citytech.cuny.edu.

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London, England, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Net Savings Link, Inc. (OTC Pink: NSAV), a cryptocurrency, blockchain and digital asset technology company, today announced the launch its Decentralized Cryptocurrency Exchange (DEX) https://nsavdex.org/#/home , further expanding the Companys presence in the $2 trillion global cryptocurrency market. The NSAVDEX marks a major milestone for the NSAV ECOsystem and will provide our users with a colony range of DEX services. The NSAVDEX will have among the highest technical specifications and standards in the DEX industry and provide users with an unparalleled experience.

NSAVDEX is a permissionless fully decentralized exchange (DEX) platform . With NSAVDEX you can Swap, Mining Pool, Liquidity, and trading. NSAVDEX has 1 second finality and can support up to 10,000 transactions per second (TPS) through Tendermint. The NSAVDEX decentralized exchange will be governed by the community (governance details to be announced) and users are able to trade digital market assets with a 100% gas fee refund with the NSBC token (zero gas fees), subject to our terms and conditions (please inquire via our DEX Telegram). NSAVDEX is scalable and individuals can access unlimited markets with the NSAVDEX exchange. The NSAVDEX has Inter-Blockchain Technology (IBC) in its protocol.

The combined total of all DEXes is surging at the moment, as the demand for DeFi has remained resilient. Septembers volume alone exceeded $78 billion. The management of NSAV and its partners are pioneers in the Digital Asset and Blockchain industry and believe the Company can compete in the global DeFi arena.

Dato Sri Desmond Lim, Interim CEO and Senior Vice President of Cryptocurrency Operations for NSAV and Silverbear Capital partner stated, Today marks another important milestone for NSAV. The new management has been extremely busy with the task of building the NSAV ECOsystem and today we celebrate the completion of our NSAVDEX Exchange and demonstrating, once again, our dynamic strategy. The Company would like to thank everyone who assisted in completing this project in a timely manner and, of course, our loyal shareholders for their continued patience and support. Finally, we would like to thank the digital asset team at Silverbear Capital for their strategic perspective and advice.

NSAV's vision is the establishment of a fully integrated technology company, which provides turnkey technological solutions to the cryptocurrency, blockchain and digital asset industries. Over time, the Company plans to provide a wide range of services such as software solutions, e-commerce, financial services, advisory services and information technology.

For further information, please contact NSAV at info@nsavholdinginc.com

The NSAV Twitter account can be accessed at https://twitter.com/nsavtech

The NSAV corporate website can be accessed at http://nsavholdinginc.com

The NSAVDEX Exchange website can be accessed at https://nsavdex.org/#/home

The NSAV Premium OTC Crypto Trading Desk website can be accessed at https://nsavholdinginc.com/otc-desk/

The NSAV Hong Kong OTC Crypto Trading Desk website can be accessed at https://hkotc.co/

The NSAVDEX Exchange Telegram account can be accessed at https://t.me/NSAVDEXorg

Silverbear Capital Inc. https://www.sbcfinancialgroup.com.hk/ , a leading, global investment banking firm, will be advising NSAV on strategic matters relating to the Companys cryptocurrency exchanges and OTC Crypto Trading Desks. Silverbear will also help guide NSAV in ensuring that its exchanges and OTC Desks are continually in compliance, given the rapidly increasing regulatory environment in the cryptocurrency industry.

Silverbear Capital Inc. (SBC) has a dynamic of disciplines on a broad commercial level and practice. SBC has a strong group of Partners in a wide range of disciplines with seasoned experience in finance, management, and professional practice. https://www.sbcfinancialgroup.com.hk/meet-our-team/ .

Disclaimer: Silverbear Capital Inc. does not constitute investment advice, or an offer or solicitation to sell, or a solicitation to buy, or any other investment product (nor shall any such shares or product be offered or sold to any person) in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation, purchase or sale would be unlawful under the securities law of that jurisdiction.

This press release contains certain 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, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the ability of Net Savings Link, Inc. to accomplish its stated plan of business. Net Savings Link, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by Net Savings Link, Inc. or any other person.

Contact

Net Savings Link, Inc.

info@nsavholdinginc.com

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TRUMBULL, Conn., Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ZetrOZ's sustained acoustic medicine ( sam ) therapy for home use is benefiting veterans in both postoperative recovery and longer-term pain management. Veterans themselves are providing testimonials . ZetrOZ Systems offers a portfolio of wearable, drug-free, non-invasive devices that deliver long-duration low-intensity ultrasound.

Military veterans have a greater rate of injury and chronic pain than the general population, contending not only with damage from acute injury but also with repetitive stress damage caused by the physical demands of service. ZetrOZ Wearable Pain Relief ultrasound devices offer both post-operative healing and pain management, as evidenced by people like veteran Norman Dann.

Dann recently wrote to ZetrOZ CEO George Lewis to express his gratitude for the relief the sam Sport kit provided him for two separate medical issues. Introduced to the market in 2013, sam Sport is the first and only FDA-cleared wearable device for multi-hour continuous ultrasound therapy. Upon his surgeon's orders, Dann used the device following surgery on his right shoulder, reporting it reduced his postoperative pain by as much as 50 percent. After experiencing pain in his left shoulder several months later, Dann's surgeon reviewed his MRI and recommended he try the samSport device to treat the left shoulder pain. The results were good enough this time to inspire Dann to write to the ZetrOZ CEO in gratitude, "I'm pleased to say that, yes, it is helping to reduce the problem as it did before." Dann said he now also uses the device for aches in both shoulders after physically demanding days which allows him a better night's sleep.

"Providing relief to people like Mr. Dann is what drove us to create the sam technology," said Lewis. "Injury and pain in a complex and nerve-rich joint like the shoulder, for example, can cause neck problems, trigger headaches, lead to back pain, and, in Mr. Dann's case, prevent restorative sleep. These are serious problems that can affect people's ability to work, and their overall quality of life. We're so glad Mr. Dann, his fellow veterans, and thousands of other people, are benefiting from the sam medical product family."

The ZetrOZ Systems has shown that daily, sustained acoustic medicine accelerates soft tissue healing, and provides symptomatic relief of knee pain related to osteoarthritis (OA) and back pain related to herniated disks. The ZetrOZ technology proved to provide pain reduction in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, published in 2020 in a Journal of Pain Research . A 2020 study in the Global Journal of Orthopedics Research found 87 percent of users demonstrated improved function after use of the ZetrOZ sam device.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports that chronic pain is "more prevalent and of greater intensity in veterans than in the general population, with joint and back pain and other musculo-skeletal ailments the most common diagnoses among Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans." According to the VA, persistent chronic pain can contribute to depression, anxiety, poor sleep patterns, decreased quality of life, substance use disorders, and risk for suicide.

"Veterans contend with both injuries and repetitive stress damage to joints," said Lewis. "This group in particular is facing postoperative recovery and pain control, as well as long-term pain management. These are issues that can really benefit from ultrasound therapy for home use.

Helping veterans heal, get back to work, reduce their pain, and limit or eliminate use of pain medication is something we're proud to be part of. We know we can play a role in supporting that effort."

About ZetrOZ Systems

ZetrOZ Systems is an FDA cGMP and ISO 13585 medical technology company headquartered in the southern coastal region of Connecticut. The organization also has manufacturing facilities across the United States. ZetrOZ Systems produced UltrOZ, samSport and samPro 2.0 to provide safe and effective treatment options for prevalent conditions such as arthritis. Learn more at zetroz.com and samrecover.com .



Media Contact:

Bianca D'Angelo

(203)577-7588 (Direct)

bianca@newswire.com

www.Newswire.com

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AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Uptime.com , a leading website performance monitoring tool, announced its rebrand and official name change from Uptime to Uptime.com. The rebrand comes as the company prepares to enter a new phase of product innovation and market growth, complete with a new company logo, an entirely revamped color scheme, and a new design system.

While this is a period of significant change and evolution for Uptime.com, the company will maintain the same high-quality website monitoring product, support and customer experience it has been known for since its founding in 2013. Uptime.com's company vision is to provide web monitoring peace of mind to businesses of all sizes, and it believes its new look and brand better represent this goal. The company plans to use its new brand everywhere Uptime.com can be found, including its new website , web monitoring product, review and partner listings, thought leadership content and more.

Uptime.com had a breakthrough first half of 2021 after achieving various revenue, new customer, and organizational growth milestones . Currently, the website-down checker is targeting 50% to 100% year-over-year revenue growth and was named the fastest-growing IT alerting software on G2's Momentum Grid .

"There's never been a more exciting time to be at Uptime.com," said Yoni Solomon, Chief Marketing Officer of Uptime.com. "With our goal of doubling revenue, customers, and headcount, the time has come to introduce a new and differentiated brand to boldly lead us into our next phase of growth."

The rebrand was done in partnership with Portland-based branding agency Dead Happy Co . Dead Happy was selected due to their unique, fun, and differentiated brand and design projects for many leading B2B and B2C companies.

For more information on Uptime.com, uptime monitoring, and the company's official rebrand, please visit https://uptime.com .

About

Uptime.com provides peace of mind to thousands of customers like Apple, Microsoft, IBM, Palo Alto Networks, Kraft and BNP Paribas, who trust the company to monitor the performance, health and downtime of their websites, applications and infrastructure.

The company has been recognized as one of the world's best web monitoring solutions by G2 and TechRadar Pro for several consecutive years, including this one. Start monitoring in minutes with a 21-day free trial at www.uptime.com.

Contact Information

Mike Albanese

Mike.albanese@newswire.com

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STONEWALL, Manitoba, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), the countrys leading wetland conservation organization, has appointed four influential leaders to its board of directors. Each will support DUCs work to conserve wetlands and deliver large, landscape-level impact that advances sustainability, biodiversity and climate resiliency.



Dwight Ball, Paul Boehne, Leslie Bogdan and Christine Elliott were elected to their volunteer roles during DUCs board of directors meeting earlier this month.

Were pleased to have these outstanding individuals join our board and we look forward to the many ways they will help advance our conservation mission, says David Blom, chairman of DUC. Each brings unique experiences, knowledge and perspectives that will strengthen our ability to develop partnerships and deliver programs to create a healthier world for waterfowl, other wildlife and people.

Dwight Ball is a former premier of Newfoundland and Labrador who has keen interests in conservation. Throughout his political career, he represented the province at many international and national meetings, including serving as co-chair of the Pan Canadian Framework on Climate Change.

Paul Boehne has a strong understanding of the cross-border nature of conservation, gained through his previous role as a board member with Ducks Unlimited in the United States. Boehne hails from Cove, Oregon and worked as a fish biologist with the United States Department of Agricultures Forest Service. His long career saw him implement many important conservation programs including the Endangered Species Act.

Leslie Bogdan has a deep understanding of DUCs mission and operations, having spent more than 30 years working for the organization in senior leadership positions responsible for delivering conservation across British Columbia and the boreal region. Now retired, Bogdan lives in North Saanich, B.C.

Christine Elliott is a respected lawyer from Vancouver, B.C. Elliott is passionate about wetland conservation and brings valuable legal knowledge related to land acquisitions, conservation covenants and other contracts related to land and water rights to DUCs board.

DUC is one of the largest and longest-standing conservation organizations in the country. Established in 1938, DUC has conserved 6.6 million acres of wetlands and other natural areas across Canada. These habitats provide valuable environmental benefits to society by mitigating floods, filtering pollutants from water, storing carbon and supporting wildlife.

About Ducks Unlimited Canada: Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is the leader in wetland conservation. A registered charity, DUC partners with government, industry, non-profit organizations and landowners to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife and the environment. Learn more at ducks.ca

Contact Information:

Ashley Lewis

Senior Communications Specialist

Ducks Unlimited Canada

media@ducks.ca

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NEW YORK, NY, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: TAUG) (Tauriga or the Company), a New York based diversified Life Sciences Company, today announced that it has received more than 7,525 individual E-Commerce Orders. The average E-Commerce order size, since August 1, 2021, has been greater than $80.00.



The Companys E-Commerce business is by far, its highest margin business segment. The Company is working with great diligence to increase its E-Commerce revenue.

In other news, the Company will be operating a Corporate Exhibitor Booth (# 5070) at the USA CBD EXPO (the Event). This Event takes place in Chicago, Illinois, at the McCormick Place Convention Center  October 28-30, 2021. This is a prestigious industry event, with a large number of Buyers  from Convenience Store Chains, Large National Retailers, and Dispensaries.

Link: https://usacbdexpo.com/chicago/exhibitor-list/

ABOUT TAURIGA SCIENCES INC.

Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (TAUG) is a revenue generating, diversified life sciences company, engaged in several major business activities and initiatives. The company manufactures and distributes several proprietary retail products and product lines, mainly focused on the Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG) Edibles market segment. The main product line, branded as Tauri-Gum, consists of a proprietary supplement chewing gum that is Kosher certified, Halal certified, and Vegan Formulated (CBD Infused Tauri-Gum Flavors: Mint, Blood Orange, Pomegranate), (CBG Infused Tauri-Gum Flavors: Peach-Lemon, Black Currant), (DELTA 8 THC Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Evergreen Mint), (Vitamin C + Zinc Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Pear Bellini), (Caffeine Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Cherry Lime Rickey), & (Vitamin D3 Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Golden Raspberry). The Companys commercialization strategy consists of a broad array of retail customers, distributors, and a fast-growing E-Commerce business segment (E-Commerce website: www.taurigum.com). Please visit our corporate website, for additional information, as well as inquiries, at http://www.tauriga.com

Complementary to the Companys retail business, is its ongoing Pharmaceutical Development initiative. This relates to the development of a proposed Pharmaceutical grade version of Tauri-Gum, for nausea regulation (specifically designed for the following indication: Patients Subjected to Ongoing Chemotherapy Treatment). On March 22, 2021, the Company announced that it had Converted its U.S. Provisional Patent Application (filed on March 17, 2020) into a U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application. The Patent, filed with the U.S.P.T.O. is Titled MEDICATED CBD COMPOSITIONS, METHODS OF MANUFACTURING, AND METHODS OF TREATMENT. On December 18, 2020 the Company disclosed that it had entered into a Master Services Agreement with CSTI to lead the Company's clinical development efforts.

The Company is headquartered in Wappingers Falls, New York. In addition, the Company operates two full time E-Commerce fulfillment centers: one located in Montgomery, Texas and the other in Brooklyn, New York.

DISCLAIMER -- Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which represent managements beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. These forward-looking statements are often indicated by using words such as may, will, expects, anticipates, believes, hopes, believes, or plans, and may include statements regarding corporate objectives as well as the attainment of certain corporate goals and milestones. Forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on managements present beliefs with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences or timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in forward looking statements due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, such as are not guarantees of general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to consummate successful acquisition and licensing transactions, fluctuations in exchange rates, and other factors over which Tauriga has little or no control. Many of these risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in the Risk Factors section of Taurigas Form 10-K and other periodic filings made from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Tauriga assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Contact:

Tauriga Sciences, Inc.

4 Nancy Court, Suite 4

Wappingers Falls, NY 12590

Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Seth M. Shaw

Email: sshaw@tauriga.com

cell # (917) 796 9926

Company Instagram: @taurigum

Personal Instagram: @sethsms47

Twitter: @SethMShaw

Corp. Website: www.tauriga.com

E-Commerce Website: www.taurigum.com

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Dallas, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dickeys Barbecue Pit is now offering full bar service and bar menu. The brand launched a completely revised Bar Program. The enhanced Bar Program now offers an extensive line of standard drinks, beers, and wines along with 7 new, exciting signature drinks that have special ties to the Dickeys Brand and story.

The Worlds Largest Barbecue concept is going back to its roots which were established in 1941 when a small barbecue stand sold barbecue sandwiches and ice-cold beer. The newly designed beverage ingredients give a nod to the Dickey family with Tres Generations Margarita  featuring Tres Generations Reposado with a nod to the third generation of Dickeys family leadership that is celebrating its 80th anniversary!

We started by looking at what people drink while making barbecue in their back yard. We discovered top of the list were cold beer, lemonade, sweet tea, moonshine, and whiskey. We used these staples to curate our bar menu says Dan Timm, the Beverage Director for Dickeys Barbecue Pit.

Some of the new beverages include:

Hickory Old Fashioned  bringing the smoke without fire to our bar guests.

Bourbon Cheery Fizz  featuring Balcones bourbon from Waco, TX.

Double Lemon Drop  crafted with homemade vodka lemonade.

Peach Tea  featuring Dickeys famous Sweet Tea with peach whiskey.

Blackberry Lemonade  crowd favorite with a strong kick from blackberry moonshine.

Moving forward, all new Dickeys Barbecue Pit owners and operators will have a full-service bar or beverage tub or cooler. Existing restaurants have the option to add bar service. David and Ashley Boisture are one of the longest standing Owner/Operators who are also the 5th grossing restaurant out of the nearly 600 Dickeys locations located in Arlington, Texas. They just completed construction on a brand-new bar and outdoor patio. We are celebrating our 20th Anniversary with Dickeys Barbecue Pit and are happy to have this offering for our guests says Boisture who added the bar to his existing location. We are fortunate that we have a large space and we had an area that wasnt being utilized so we built a bar that extends out to our new patio adds Boisture who is now ready for prime patio season in Texas.

Boisture is just getting started with promoting his bar but says the incentive to be able to up his profit margins while encouraging guests to stay a while is what he and Ashley envision. Dan Timm worked on his beverage menu and Chef Phil created a bar menu that pairs well with the beverage flavor profiles.

Timm estimates that Owner Operators will see an increase of 10-15% in sales by selling alcohol. People like to go in and sit and have a beverage then order their food, and order another drink while they wait says Timm.

We are happy for the Boistures who are longtime Owner/Operators who see the potential to increase profits while offering guests a chance to stay a while, watch a game, have fun on the patio while enjoying barbecue with new beverages says Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickeys Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. The company is helping all Owner/Operators with personalized bar menus, training and tech support for beverage service.

*Each beverage menu will vary by location, and many states will offer local beers and wines to give it a personalized experience while keeping it local.

To learn more, follow Dickeys Barbecue Pit on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Download the Dickeys Barbecue Pit app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

About Dickeys Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.

Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the worlds largest barbecue concept, was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey. For the past 80 years, Dickeys Barbecue Pit has served millions of guests Legit. Texas. Barbecue. At Dickeys, all our barbecued meats are smoked onsite in a hickory wood burning pit. Dickeys proudly believes theres no shortcut to true barbecue and its why they never say bbq. The Dallas-based, family-run barbecue franchise offers several slow-smoked meats and wholesome sides with 'No B.S. (Bad Stuff)' included. The fast-casual concept has expanded worldwide with international locations in the UAE and Japan. Dickeys Restaurant brands have over 550 locations nationwide. In 2016, Dickeys won first place on Fast Casuals Top 100 Movers and Shakers list, was named a Top 500 Franchise by Entrepreneur in 2018 and was named to Hospitality Technology Industry Heroes in 2021. Led by CEO Laura Rea Dickey, who was named among the countrys 50 most influential women in foodservice in 2020 by Nations Restaurant News and was recognized as one of the top 25 industry leaders on Fast Casuals 2020 Top 100 Movers and Shakers list, Dickey's Barbecue Pit has also been recognized by Fox News, Forbes Magazine, Franchise Times, The Wall Street Journal and QSR Magazine. For more information, visit www.dickeys.com

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Carrollton, Georgia, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Roy Richards Sr.  founder of Southwire and 1931 alumnus of Fourth District A&M School, the institution that became the University of West Georgia  believed strongly in Thomas Edisons words, If theres a way to do it better, find it.

UWG continues to find the better way, particularly after cutting the ribbon last Friday on Roy Richards Sr. Hall, the new home for the Richards College of Business. More than 700 days after ground was broken on the 68,696-square-feet facility, the university hosted members of the Richards family, dignitaries and influential donors for the halls grand opening as part of Homecoming.

My father, an iconoclast who upended cherished beliefs and turned industries on their heads, said he owed everything to his education, said Jim Richards, son of the late Roy Richards Sr., who represented the family along with his brother, Roy Richards Jr., at the ceremony. He did things faster and better, pushing the envelope on what was generally deemed impossible. He attributed all of that to his education, frequently saying, My education made me who I am.

In 1950, Richards founded Southwire, which has become North Americas leading manufacturer of wire and cable. The Carrollton-based company employs more than 7,000 people and generated more than $5.5 billion in revenue last year.

Dr. Brendan Kelly, UWGs president, said Richards Hall, built amidst the global pandemic, is emblematic of its namesakes persistence and progress.

While we are in a time of great fluidity and change, the building kept rising from the ground until it was finally finished, a symbol that there is always a future to come despite the fact that it will be driven by a time of change, Kelly said. We are launching a new era in the Richards College of Business today: one that will embrace the 21st century, the same way this building symbolizes our embracing the future for the past two years.

Following remarks, UWG Student Government Association President Sydney Severin cut the ribbon surrounded by speakers and other leaders. Attendees took tours of the building, starting in the David A. Johnson Commons, which serves as the main entrance to the facility.

Teresa MacCartney, acting chancellor of the University System of Georgia, said Richards Hall represents a continuing commitment to the states investment in communities and business.

The Richards College of Business has a significant impact on the economic development of our state, connecting its more than 2,000 students to careers in the economy, she said. The next small business owner, marketing executive, or entrepreneur will gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need right here.

Sen. Mike Dugan '86 '89, who represents west Georgia communities as the majority leader in the Georgia Senate, invited attendees to look 20 years into the future at the Richards College of Business.

I know the next generation of faculty and administrators here will teach those students  even in 2041  to find the better way and to lead them into what they want their lives to be, Dugan said. The commitment Roy Richards Sr. made to education will help generations of people not only all over our state but around the world. Because of that commitment, they will learn in a facility that will ensure they have success for years to come.

Marty Smith '87  Georgias state property officer, UWG alumnus and Carrollton resident  spoke on the power of community in bringing a project like Richards Hall to fruition.

As we continue to lead Georgia as the No. 1 state in the nation to do business in, we know that everyone coming together is how projects like this get done, Smith said. When my father worked for Southwire, he heard Mr. Richards say that its always better to have a friend than a dollar. It takes a partnership like this  between the University of West Georgia, the Richards family, Southwire and many others  to make something tremendous like this happen.

Kelly said the work on Richards Hall  a $24.5 million investment with more than $6 million in private, philanthropic gifts  was driven by gratitude.

"Any time we endeavor into a project like this, building a beacon of learning, optimism and promise, it is a team sport, Kelly said. UWG would not be what it is today without the support of the Richards family and Southwire. Every student in the Richards College of Business deserves a world-class learning experience, and Richards Hall will deliver upon that expectation.

Rep. Randy Nix, who represents west Georgia communities in Georgias House of Representatives, reiterated Kellys comments on Richards Hall being the product of a great team effort.

This didnt happen overnight, in one meeting or all at once. It was a process that took a real team effort to put it all together, Nix said. Institutional leadership, community support, the generosity and vision of the Richards family, and state support: when you bring all of these things together, you can have a great day like today.

Dr. Christopher Johnson, who began as dean of the Richards College of Business in July, said it has been an honor to start his time at UWG in Richards Hall.

There is a debt of gratitude owed to many who have paved the way for the space we are now fortunate to occupy, Johnson said. I thank each person who has dedicated their energy, support and effort to bring us to this space today, and I look forward to educating future generations of Richards College of Business students here.

For more information, visit the following links:

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WABASH, Ind., Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FFW Corporation (the Corporation) (OTC PINK: FFWC ) (10/26/2021 Close: $47.50), parent corporation of Crossroads Bank (the Bank), announced earnings for the quarter ended September 30, 2021.



For the three months ended September 30, 2021, the Corporation reported net income of $1,471,000 or $1.28 per common share compared to $1,748,000 or $1.53 per common share for the three months ended September 30, 2020. Net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $3,813,000 compared to $3,706,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2020. The provision for loan losses was $50,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and $165,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2020. Total noninterest income was $1,213,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2021 compared to $1,982,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2020. Noninterest expense was $3,209,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and $3,426,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2020.

The three months ended September 30, 2021 represented a return on average common equity of 10.72% compared to 13.71% for the three months ended September 30, 2020. The three months ended September 30, 2021 represented a return on average assets of 1.17% compared to 1.48% for the three months ended September 30, 2020.

The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of gross loans receivable was 1.37% at September 30, 2021 compared to 1.43% at June 30, 2021. Nonperforming assets were $3,229,000 at September 30, 2021 compared to $3,242,000 at June 30, 2021.

As of September 30, 2021, FFWCs equity-to-assets ratio was 10.75% compared to 10.89% at June 30, 2021. Total assets at September 30, 2021 were $500,042,000 compared to $486,442,000 at June 30, 2021. Shareholders equity was $53,760,000 at September 30, 2021 compared to $52,954,000 at June 30, 2021. Crossroads Bank exceeds all applicable regulatory requirements to be considered well capitalized.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include expressions such as expects, intends, believes, and should, which are necessarily statements of belief as to the expected outcomes of future events. Actual results could materially differ from those presented. The Corporation's ability to predict future results involves a number of risks and uncertainties. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to release revisions to these forward-looking statements or reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

Crossroads Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of FFW Corporation providing an extensive array of banking services and a wide range of investments and securities products through its main office in Wabash and twelve Indiana banking centers located in Columbia City, North Manchester, Peru, South Whitley, Syracuse and Warsaw. The Bank also provides leasing services at each of its banking centers. Insurance products are offered through an affiliated company, Insurance 1 Services, Inc. The Corporations stock is traded on the OTC Markets under the symbol FFWC. Our website address is www.crossroadsbanking.com . Crossroads Bank, Member FDIC.





FFW Corporation

Selected Financial Information

Consolidated Balance Sheet

September 30 June 30 2021 2021 Unaudited Assets Cash and due from financial institutions $ 6,567,703 $ 4,779,188 Interest-bearing deposits in other financial institutions 48,015,361 51,646,720 Cash and cash equivalents 54,583,064 56,425,908 Securities available for sale 116,500,686 116,335,455 Loans receivable, net of allowance for loan losses of $4,204,048 at September 30, 2021 and $4,168,689 at June 30, 2021 302,895,512 285,643,064 Loans held for sale 562,044 2,613,987 Federal Home Loan Bank stock, at cost 1,462,500 1,462,500 Accrued interest receivable 2,082,763 2,131,744 Premises and equipment, net 8,793,695 8,949,842 Mortgage servicing rights 1,035,531 1,011,046 Cash surrender value of life insurance 9,536,111 9,459,746 Goodwill 1,213,898 1,213,898 Repossessed Assets 178,839 148,621 Other assets 1,197,152 1,045,876 Total assets $ 500,041,795 $ 486,441,687 Liabilities and shareholders' equity Deposits Noninterest-bearing $ 58,004,539 $ 49,510,375 Interest-bearing 384,368,074 380,084,790 Total deposits 442,372,613 429,595,165 Accrued expenses and other liabilities 3,908,786 3,892,719 Total liabilities 446,281,399 433,487,884 Shareholders' equity Common stock, $.01 par; 2,000,000 shares authorized; Issued: 1,836,328; outstanding: 1,143,377 - September 30, 2021 and 1,141,190 - June 30, 2021 18,363 18,363 Additional paid-in capital 9,780,934 9,809,754 Retained earnings 53,025,460 51,852,194 Accumulated other comprehensive income 2,762,749 3,058,832 Treasury stock, at cost: 692,951 shares at September 30, 2021 and 695,138 shares at June 30, 2021 (11,827,110 ) (11,785,340 ) Total shareholders' equity 53,760,396 52,953,803 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 500,041,795 $ 486,441,687





FFW Corporation

Selected Financial Information

Consolidated Statement of Income

Three Months Ended September 30 2021 2020 Unaudited Unaudited Interest and dividend income: Loans, including fees $ 3,392,516 $ 3,604,316 Taxable securities 354,571 333,193 Tax exempt securities 414,258 372,271 Other 18,753 7,781 Total interest and dividend income 4,180,098 4,317,561 Interest expense: Deposits 366,671 611,385 Total interest expense 366,671 611,385 Net interest income 3,813,427 3,706,176 Provision for loan losses 50,000 165,000 Net interest income after provision for loan losses 3,763,427 3,541,176 Noninterest income: Net gains on sales of securities - 98,467 Net gains on sales of loans 282,663 1,195,486 Net gains (losses) on sales of REO (7,016 ) (6,535 ) Commission income 322,604 290,078 Service charges and fees 263,230 95,419 Earnings on life insurance 76,365 74,441 Other 275,308 234,343 Total noninterest income 1,213,154 1,981,699 Noninterest expense: Salaries and benefits 1,712,210 1,761,064 Occupancy and equipment 326,016 343,094 Professional 118,919 60,586 Marketing 112,368 113,941 Deposit insurance premium 33,000 33,000 Regulatory assessment 9,360 9,301 Correspondent bank charges 19,524 17,517 Data processing 419,272 420,582 Printing, postage and supplies 72,284 95,412 Expense on life insurance 21,432 15,849 Contribution expense 21,014 15,388 Expense on REO (3,936 ) 4,781 Other 347,038 535,313 Total noninterest expense 3,208,501 3,425,828 Income before income taxes 1,768,080 2,097,047 Income tax expense 297,536 349,517 Net income $ 1,470,544 $ 1,747,530





FFW Corporation

Selected Financial Information

Key Balances and Ratios

Three Months Ended September 30 2021 2020 Unaudited Unaudited Per common share data: Earnings $ 1.28 $ 1.53 Diluted earnings $ 1.28 $ 1.53 Dividends paid $ 0.26 $ 0.25 Average shares issued and outstanding 1,145,204 1,142,690 Shares outstanding end of period 1,143,377 1,142,690 Supplemental data: Net interest margin ** 3.23 % 3.38 % Return on average assets *** 1.17 % 1.48 % Return on average common equity *** 10.72 % 13.71 % September 30 June 30 2021 2021 Nonperforming assets * $ 3,229,370 $ 3,241,581 Repossessed assets $ 178,839 $ 148,621 * Includes non-accruing loans, accruing loans delinquent more than 90 days and repossessed assets ** Yields reflected have not been computed on a tax equivalent basis *** Annualized





FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Kirsten Pendarvis, Treasurer, at (260) 563-3185
New York, NY, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DIG, the vegetable-centric, multi-format restaurant group announces its series F raise of $65 million, returning to growth with an industry-leading vision that puts people first. The round, supported by existing investors including EHI (the fund affiliated with Danny Meyers Union Square Hospitality Group), Monogram Capital Partners, and Avalt, as well as new investors Kitchen Fund, Eminence Capital, LP, and Inherent Group, enables the re-opening of key locations temporarily closed due to COVID-19 and shifts growth to new markets that will bring its total restaurant count from 30 to 60 over the next three years.

At the center of DIGs growth plans is a people-centric strategy that will provide both industry-leading compensation and benefits, as well as a dedicated learning environment to support career development. Led by CEO Adam Eskin, the company has been building and implementing several programs to this end over the last 18 months, including:

DIG Academy: With the goal of providing career development in hospitality, the company launched DIG Academya burgeoning training and culinary schoolduring the pandemic. Anchored by their teaching kitchen on Park Avenue South, DIG Academy offers a 6-week program that all chefs currently go through. Over the next three years, this program will evolve into an immersive education program with both analog and digital experiences including culinary and business classes. The curriculum will range from cooking basics and technical cooking (French basics/bread and pastry making), to business strategy, finance, leadership, and marketing.

With the goal of providing career development in hospitality, the company launched DIG Academya burgeoning training and culinary schoolduring the pandemic. Anchored by their teaching kitchen on Park Avenue South, DIG Academy offers a 6-week program that all chefs currently go through. Over the next three years, this program will evolve into an immersive education program with both analog and digital experiences including culinary and business classes. The curriculum will range from cooking basics and technical cooking (French basics/bread and pastry making), to business strategy, finance, leadership, and marketing. Industry-leading Wages & Compensation : The company instituted a $2/hr bonus for all CITs (Chefs-In-Training, DIGs term for its hourly teams) throughout the pandemic, which has now been converted to a permanent wage increase. Average hourly wages in New York and Boston are in excess of $18.50 and $17.75, respectively. All employees that stayed with the company through the pandemic are also being granted a gratitude bonus in recognition of the teams hard work and dedication over the last 18 months.

: The company instituted a $2/hr bonus for all CITs (Chefs-In-Training, DIGs term for its hourly teams) throughout the pandemic, which has now been converted to a permanent wage increase. Average hourly wages in New York and Boston are in excess of $18.50 and $17.75, respectively. All employees that stayed with the company through the pandemic are also being granted a gratitude bonus in recognition of the teams hard work and dedication over the last 18 months. Parental Leave & Support: As of May 2021, all team members (of any gender) from the support team to chefs and CITs who have been at the company for 6 months are eligible for 4 months of fully-paid parental leave, a necessary employee benefit that was further highlighted by the challenges working parents faced during the pandemic. DIG is also in development with the city of New York to run a pilot program for a company-supported daycare for the hospitality industry.

As of May 2021, all team members (of any gender) from the support team to chefs and CITs who have been at the company for 6 months are eligible for 4 months of fully-paid parental leave, a necessary employee benefit that was further highlighted by the challenges working parents faced during the pandemic. DIG is also in development with the city of New York to run a pilot program for a company-supported daycare for the hospitality industry. 4 Day Workweek: The 4-day workweek model has been tested over the past 12 months in their Boston and Philadelphia restaurants whereby all full-time employees (salaried and hourly) have the option of working a 4-day schedule with longer shifts (no hourly wages are sacrificed) and 3 days off. Beta insights show overwhelmingly positive impacts on team members ability to create balance and fulfill personal needs. DIG will continue to study the implications of this model with the goal of rolling out the program to other markets in 2022.





DIG continues its commitment to building a diverse food system, including operating its farm DIG Acres, a 20-acre mixed vegetable farm in Chester, NY that supplements DIGs robust local supply chain. DIG Acres, led by Head Farmer Larry Tse, operates a Farmer Apprenticeship program that provides land, equipment, and mentorship to farmers that are interested in a career in agriculture but have limited opportunities to learn the craft and gain experience.

Part of DIGs mission to rebuild the food system is to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive food system by prioritizing sourcing from historically underrepresented groups including BIPOC farmers, Queer farmers, Women farmers, and Beginning farmers. Over 17% of their food purchasing has been directed to suppliers from these groups (up ~12.5% from last year). In June 2021, DIG ran a 2x donation matching program to support Rocksteady Farms new Queer Farmers Apprenticeship program.

At the start of the pandemic, the company also launched DIG Feeds to support healthcare and other frontline workers with a healthful, nourishing meal. To date, DIG Feeds has donated over 225k meals to hospitals, homeless shelters, and various community organizations. This platform will outlive the pandemic, with a current focus on supporting vulnerable, food insecure communities. DIG Feeds is currently running a weekly produce box program for Project Rousseau, an organization focused on supporting underprivileged youth and enabling them to pursue higher education, as well as weekly food donations to Covenant House, an organization focused on the issues of youth homelessness.

As DIG returns to growth, the company will restart its expansion plans beyond the northeast, building new restaurants in both urban and suburban markets across several formats. In the near future, we can expect kitchen technology, innovations and new format releases from DIG that aim to enable and empower people vs. replace them. One such program is already taking shape with a pilot launching at their 127 4th Avenue location later this fall that combines the best of their quick-service, full-service, and delivery capabilities to provide an entirely new dining experience.







-----

DIG is a multi-city, multi-format restaurant group with a core focus on vegetable-forward cooking served from their portfolio of fast-casual restaurants, annex programs, strategic partners, and their dining & innovation space, 232 Bleecker in New York City. Behind their food is responsible and thoughtful sourcing,including vegetables grown at DIG Acres, their farm in upstate NY, or sourced from their close network of regional farmers and partners. Founded in 2011 in New York City, DIG is on a mission to rebuild the food system not only through creating supply chain, operational, and environmental efficiencies but by changing overall consumer perception of vegetables from a daily necessity to a craveable meal. While the menu remains primarily vegetable focused, DIG does offer wild caught salmon and humanely raised, sustainably sourced beef with conscious preparations like their meatballs that are made of 50% meat and 50% vegetables.

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Prattville, AL, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kathy and Troy Dooley, Regional Owners of EXIT Realty of Alabama and Mississippi, were named Region of the Year for the second time by EXIT Realty Corp. International during the companys annual awards event recently broadcast throughout the US and Canada. They also achieved the ranking of #2 in franchise sales for the organization for the second consecutive year.

We are honored beyond words to accept this award on behalf of everyone in the region, said Mrs. Dooley. Each day we focus on being a vessel to change the lives of those with whom we come in contact. We look for leaders who have a heart for people and want to make a difference in the lives of others. When we find the right leaders, they grow a team of phenomenal real estate professionals who change the lives of those they serve. Its never about a number; its about the potential in people, and we help them be the best version of themselves.



The pair was awarded the subfranchisor rights to Mississippi in 2012 and were named Region of the Year in 2016. They acquired the rights to Alabama in 2017 and were recognized by EXIT Realty Corp. International for Superior Growth and Development in 2020.



Kathy and I are humbled and honored to represent the Alabama and Mississippi region and stand in awe at receiving this coveted award, said Mr. Dooley. We are proud of the leaders and agents we have assembled in the offices we represent. Their passion to make a difference has made it possible for us to receive this amazing honor. We wake up daily being intentional about adding value to the people we lead and those placed in our path. Our central belief in our motto of Changing Lives & Creating Opportunities is the key ingredient in achieving more than we ever dreamed possible. We are proud to accept this prestigious award on behalf of our EXIT Realty family.



A key member of the regional team is Franke Joehl, Director of Operations. He is a very important part of our region, and he deserves recognition also, said Mrs. Dooley.



Identifying the right people to add to their region as franchise owners takes great skill and dedication. Troy and Kathys servant heart for leadership is evident in everything they do to help ensure everyone in their region grows on their personal leadership journey and they have put great people in place to assist them, like Franke Joehl, said Tami Bonnell, Co-Chair, EXIT Realty Corp. International. We are so proud of their efforts in expanding EXITs footprint in so many markets and were proud to have them on our leadership team.



About EXIT Realty: EXIT Realty is a company founded and built on human potential. A full service, forward-thinking, real estate franchisor with offices across North America, EXIT has to-date paid out more than a half a billion dollars in single-level residual income to its associates. The Expert Marketing Suite including geolocation Smart Sign technology gives sellers an edge in a competitive marketplace. The Focus on Good Health blog promotes wellness at work and home. A portion of every transaction fee received by EXIT Realty Corp. International is applied to its charitable fund. To-date, more than $6 million has been allocated to charity. For more information, please visit www.exitrealty.com and www.joinexitrealty.com.



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DALLAS, TX, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- William Collins, a multi-modal marketing executive who employs a data-driven approach in delivering go-to-market strategies, has joined the team at Chief Outsiders, the nations pre-eminent collective of Chief Marketing Officers.

Collins joins the company at a time when demand for fractional executive insights and leadership is at an all-time high. He has immediate availability for right-sized engagements with the SMB and mid-market companies that comprise the Chief Outsiders client base.

Collins has been a leading CMO for enterprises engaged in E-commerce, Professional Services, Healthcare and SaaS technologies. He has honed an analytical process that has paid off in profitable revenue growth, improved client acquisition and retention efforts, and successful new product launches for a variety of companies.

Collins has served as a marketing executive for Verizon Communications, Alliance Data, Heartland Payment Systems, Teknion Data Solutions, and The Freeman Company. As VP of Digital Strategy at Freeman, Collins identified and drove more than $200 million in new digital revenue during his five-year tenure. As CMO at Teknion, Collins oversaw the launch of a SaaS data quality management solution, defining and creating the product positioning, messaging and go to market plan, driving $250K in ARR in first 3 months.

Williams helps organizations build sales aligned marketing capabilities, drive revenue growth, and focus on initiatives that deliver quick time to value, said Clay Spitz, Managing Partner, Chief Outsiders. His customer centric approach to marketing leads to better targeting, clearer messaging and impactful results."

Collins received his Executive MBA from Baylor University, and earned a B.S. in Marketing from Montana State University.

About Chief Outsiders

Chief Outsiders, LLC is a nationwide "Executives-as-a-Service" firm, with more than 90 part-time, or fractional, Chief Marketing Officers/Chief Marketing Outsiders (CMOs) engaged from coast-to-coast. Unlike other strategic marketing and management consulting firms, each CMO has held the position of VP Marketing or higher at one or more operating companies. Chief Outsiders have served on the executive team of over 1,300 client companies to drive growth strategy and execution plans by offering instant access to talent with highly customized and flexible engagements.

Because of its market-based growth plans, quality of leadership, and experienced team, Chief Outsiders has been recognized for the past eight years by Inc. Magazine as one of the 5,000 fastest growing privately held companies in the US, and was recognized in 2019 as a Forbes Small Giant. Chief Outsiders CEO Art Saxby and Principal Pete Hayes are the co-authors of The Growth Gears: Using a Market-Based Framework to Drive Business Success, an Amazon #1 best-seller for business owners and CEOs. For additional information about the companies who trust Chief Outsiders as their premier source for business growth acceleration, click here.

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Toronto, ON, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The joint venture signing ceremony between Canada's Noah Digital Group and China-EU Trade Platform was held simultaneously in Toronto, Canada and Qingdao, China, on Oct. 21, 2021.

With a registered capital of C$10 million and a total investment of C$30 million, the project further promotes friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and Canada in economic, technological, trade, cultural and other fields, attracts outstanding Canadian enterprises to invest in Qingdao, and introduces China's quality products and services to Canada.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr. Bin Tang, Chairman of Noah Digital Group, expressed the hope that through close cooperation with China-EU Trading Platform, Noah Digital Group will be able to leverage its digital marketing, big data analysis, cross-border eCommerce platform, and artificial intelligence advertising to provide cross-border eCommerce businesses in China and Canadian companies with multiple competitive advantages.

In cooperation with the City of Niagara Falls, Ms. Lena Xu, CEO of Noah Digital Group, said her company is preparing to establish a cross-border eCommerce industrial park in the Niagara Foreign Trade Zone that will serve as a one-stop platform for promoting trade between Canada and China.

Speaking at the ceremony, Noah Digital Group Director John Kuhn said, Our superior eCommerce platform, combined with extraordinary digital marketing and fulfillment capabilities, will address the challenges presented to SMEs by the pandemic and meet all the requirements of businesses and consumers.

He emphasized that Noahs vision is to enable businesses to successfully operate globally by empowering them with the digital tools to create a customer-centric procurement and shopping experience.

Kuhn added, "In essence, we're creating democratization of the e-commerce platform. No matter the size, you will have the ability to compete in the world of the Internet of Things.

The Noah Prime eCommerce Platform will allow Canada and China to introduce quality products to millions of consumers worldwide.

In the wave of eCommerce globalization, the signing of Noah Digital Group and the China-EU Trade Platform joint venture will promote closer ties between Canada, China, and other countries in economy, trade, science, technology, education, and more. It will build an economic and trade ecosystem with a cooperative exchange, sharing of resources, and win-win cooperation.

Noah Digital Group Chairman Bin Tang, CEO Lena Xu, Directors John Kuhn, William Zhai, and Gary Zhou, Chairman of the China-EU Trade Platform Ping Hou, General Manager Xia Yang, Chairman of the Qingdao Overseas Chinese Federation Zuo Cui, Chairman of Canada-China eCommerce Alliance Tony Wang, President of Hamilton Chinese Business Association Lilian Guo, and other distinguished guests attended the meeting in Toronto and Qingdao in-person and virtually.

About Noah Digital Group:

Noah Digital Group is a Canadian-based company located in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario. Noah Digital Group owns Noah Prime eCommerce platform, Noah Digital Marketing, and Noah Trading Corp. Leveraging the advantages of state-of-the-art digital marketing technology, big data analysis, cross-border eCommerce platform, blockchain technology, and artificial intelligence advertising platform, Noah Digital Group provides a customized one-stop digital marketing eCommerce solution for Canadian and Chinese cross-border eCommerce companies. Noah Digital Group's team of Chinese and Western digital marketing and e-commerce experts helps cross-border eCommerce enterprises expand to the overseas market and build international brands. To learn more about Noah Digital Group's eCommerce platform and digital marketing services, visit NoahPrime.ca and NoahDigital.ca.

About China-EU Trade Platform:

China-EU Trade Platform is an "Internet + Innovative Foreign Trade" service platform founded under the guidance of China's "One Belt and One Road" Policy. It is a multinational trading company focusing on the European market. Headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, and Qingdao, China, it provides one-stop services for cross-border eCommerce enterprises, from landing orders, customs clearance, overseas warehousing logistics to overseas exhibition halls, and European exhibition visits, and more. It helps enterprises streamline their exports, lower costs, increase efficiency and profits.

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MAYFIELD VILLAGE, OHIO, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As previously announced, The Progressive Corporation (NYSE: PGR) will host an Investor Relations conference call on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, beginning at 9:30 a.m. eastern time. Consistent with past Investor Relations calls, this quarterly call, which will consist of both a conference call and an audio only webcast, is scheduled to last 60 minutes and will include a question-and-answer session with Tricia Griffith, our CEO, and John Sauerland, our CFO. Call-in participants will be able to ask questions via the phone. The webcast will be in a listen-only format and, therefore, participants will not be able to submit questions.



On November 2, 2021, Progressive expects to file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission and post its Shareholders Report, including the Letter to Shareholders from Tricia Griffith, to its website at www.progressive.com/annualreport.

To receive the necessary call-in details or link to the webcast, visit Progressives website at https://investors.progressive.com/events/default.aspx.

Replays of the conference call, both through the webcast and by phone, will be available approximately two hours after the call concludes. The archived webcast will be able to be accessed from Progressives website at https://investors.progressive.com/events/default.aspx and will remain available until November 4, 2022. The phone replay will be available until November 19, 2021; call-in details for the replay will be available on our events page.

About Progressive

Progressive InsuranceSM makes it easy to understand, buy and use car insurance. Progressive offers choices so consumers can reach us whenever, wherever and however it's most convenient - online at progressive.com, by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, on a mobile device or in-person with a local agent.

Progressive provides insurance for personal and commercial autos and trucks, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, and homes; it is the third largest car insurer in the country, a leading seller of motorcycle and commercial auto insurance, and one of the top 15 homeowners insurance carriers.

Founded in 1937, Progressive continues its long history of offering shopping tools and services that save customers time and money, like Name Your Price, Snapshot, and HomeQuote Explorer.

The Common Shares of The Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, trade publicly at NYSE:PGR.

Company Contact:

Douglas S. Constantine

(440) 910-3563



The Progressive Corporation

6300 Wilson Mills Road

Mayfield Village, Ohio 44143

http://www.progressive.com


Sydney, Australia, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- One of Australias most awarded property developers, Crown Group, celebrates its 25-year anniversary this October with an impressive portfolio of luxury mixed-use developments successfully delivered, and many more in the pipeline.

The company has grown from being a single residential project developer, with its first apartment development in Bondi Junction, to a vertically integrated, privately owned group developing residential, retail and hotels in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Los Angeles.

Founded by architect, Iwan Sunito and engineer, Paul Sathio in 1994, much of the companys success can be attributed to having its own construction division which has allowed the close control of the development process. It also owns and manages many of its large-scale retail and hotel offerings together with several industrial sites combining to provide multiple, strong, ongoing income streams.

Development pipeline circa $5 billion, developing around 8000 apartments

Today, the company has a development pipeline valued at circa $5 billion involving the development of almost 8000 apartments and serviced apartments, plus approximately 30,000 sqm of retail space.

Crown Group has become synonymous with developments that make bold architectural statements, pushing the envelope on design and working with critically acclaimed local and international architects - a calculated risk that has paid off in spades.

Not only has the Group earned a reputation as one of Sydneys most dynamic developers, it has been applauded by industry for its courage, but also its ability to deliver, by winning more than 50 international, national and local awards  some of them the most coveted around the world.

Chairman and Group CEO Iwan Sunito says the past 25 years has been a journey and a lesson in testing our mantle and seeing what might be possible when you challenge the status quo which is what the market wants.

The company has experienced three evolutions in our 25-year history. Firstly, we started as a small-scale developer of single building apartment projects. Our second evolution was to develop mixed-use projects incorporating retail and hotels together with residential apartments now synonymous with resort style amenity. We are now embarking on our third evolution, the development of larger precincts with more facilities, specialised services, a vast array of amenity and the incorporation of build to rent.

The secret to Crown Groups success

Our focus has always been acquiring sites in prime locations with the opportunity for the greatest value uplift and never compromising on quality and design, even in the toughest times, Mr Sunito reflected.

This has earned us the trust and loyalty of our community of buyers, hotel guests, retail and industrial tenants and dare I say, the respect of our peers.

I truly believe that was made possible by the professional and committed staff, divisional leaders and consultants weve assembled over the years. One thing we have in common is we dont like to settle for anything less than extraordinary and we are very pleased that our collective creativity, market knowledge, strategic foresight and pioneering methods have proven the test of time.

Steve Mann, UDIA NSW CEO, says Crown Group embodies tenacity and quality and he congratulates the team on 25 years of success.

Crown Group is a valued member of UDIA NSW and has demonstrated a relentless focus to deliver excellence in all its projects over the past 25 years. Crown Group is the Gold Sponsor of our annual industry Awards for Excellence program, demonstrating the best of urban development and design across NSW and the ACT. Iwan generously volunteers his time mentoring our aspiring industry leaders as part of the UDIA NSW & nbn Legends & Legacy Program.

Looking ahead

Mr Sunito says the pandemic has created a huge shortage of supply of apartments in metro CBDs; and as international borders start to open, the major capital cities will struggle to meet the demand of the influx of returning Australian expats and students.

Were looking to rapidly acquire larger sites to accommodate our evolving business model which incorporates Build to Rent, hotels, residential apartments, commercial and retail, he added.

The pandemic has also uncovered new trends in the way people want to live and work  spacious living and working areas in the home with an abundance of natural light, close connection to greenery, access to private and communal outside space and resort style amenity. This has always been the mainstay of our design.

The defining projects for Crown Group are as follows:

Gallery in Parramatta completed in 2009 - the developers first residential project with resort-style amenity and was sold out before completion.

in Parramatta completed in 2009 - the developers first residential project with resort-style amenity and was sold out before completion. Top Ryde City Living completed in 2014 - significant in that it was the first major residential development built above a major suburban shopping centre.

completed in 2014 - significant in that it was the first major residential development built above a major suburban shopping centre. Infinity by Crown Group completed in November 2019 - showcased innovative, ground-breaking design and was Crown Groups first major mixed-use development with residential apartments, serviced apartments, retail and convention centre.

completed in November 2019 - showcased innovative, ground-breaking design and was Crown Groups first major mixed-use development with residential apartments, serviced apartments, retail and convention centre. Waterfall by Crown Group recently completed in November 2020 - embraced biophilic design creating a rainforest effect including the tallest man-made waterfall in the southern hemisphere.

Crown Group continues to push the envelope when it comes to innovative design in mixed-use environments with its upcoming Mastery by Crown Group in Waterloo; The Grand Eastlakes in Sydneys eastern suburbs; a sculptural town in Melbournes Southbank art district; a luxury riverfront project in Brisbane and a mixed use project in downtown Los Angeles.

For more information visit www.crowngroup.com.au.

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Vancouver, British Columbia, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Vancouver ecommerce community is getting a new addition as JIBE readies to open ECOMsquare, Canadas first purpose-built coworking space for ecommerce brands.

Located at 1758 W. 8th Ave in Vancouver, ECOMsquare is a two-story, 7,000 square feet facility that houses a dynamic coworking space uniquely tailored for ecommerce brands. The building is owned and operated by JIBE, an agency for brands looking to elevate their ecommerce experience.

Business memberships are available via an ala carte menu and provide all the necessary elements for running a successful small-scale ecommerce business:

Communal workstations featuring access to high-speed WIFI

A fully operational photo studio with lighting, cameras, and backdrops

A small-scale popup retail spot for product launches or events

A podcasting sound booth

Small-scale storage facility for inventory and fulfillment

A community clubhouse for networking (accessible for all members)

Meeting space, bike storage, parking, and showers

ECOMsquare is hosting tours and accepting applications now and expects to be fully operational in Q1 of 2022. Community memberships are $59, which provide access to reserve amenities, while space membership pricing starts at $459 a month for full workspace access. For more information or to schedule a tour, visit ecomsquare.co.

Steve Krueger, founder and CEO of JIBE and ECOMsquare, says This coworking idea has been years in the making. We want to create a network of ecommerce business owners, operators, and practitioners who are all experiencing similar challenges. Our space is ideal for DTC ecommerce small business owners, either solo or with a small team, who are taking the leap to make their business their full-time gig, need to get out of their house, and are looking for a focused community to contribute and learn from.

SEE BUILDING IMAGES HERE.

About JIBE:

JIBE is a Vancouver-based, all-service eCommerce agency with specialization in technical integrations such as ERPs, OMSs, IMSs, and eCommerce platform builds from strategy and design to implementation, delivery, and growth. In addition, JIBE operates a sister growth performance eCommerce marketing agency, RISE, whose compensation model is based on shared revenue growth. Both JIBE and RISE focus on long-term customer relationships with eCommerce focused, better-life brands in the outdoor adventure, environmental sustainability, organics, health and wellness verticals. For project or general contact inquiries, visit thejibe.com/contact . For career opportunities at JIBE, visit thejibe.com/careers.

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WESTPORT, Conn., Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HMG Strategy, the Worlds #1 digital platform for enabling technology executives to reimagine the enterprise and reshape the business world, is excited to be hosting its 2021 HMG Live! Boston CIO Executive Leadership Summit on November 9. HMG Strategys highly interactive events bring together the worlds most distinguished and innovative business technology leaders to discuss the most pressing leadership, strategic, cultural, technology and career challenges and opportunities that they face today  and into the future.



World-class business technology and industry executives at the virtual 2021 HMG Live! Boston CIO Executive Leadership Summit will discuss the different ways that theyve sharpened their leadership capabilities and have worked to strengthen their personal brands to attract, retain, and grow the talent thats needed to reimagine the business and enable the enterprise to succeed.

We are truly in a global war for talent and the landscape is only going to become more difficult, said Hunter Muller, President and CEO of HMG Strategy. Savvy CIOs and business technology executives who are authentic and inclusive leaders and know how to promote their personal brands on a global stage position themselves and their organizations to win.

World-class business technology and innovation executives speaking at the 2021 HMG Live! Boston CIO Executive Leadership Summit will include:

Wolfgang Bauriedel , Practice Lead, Technology Sector, Russell Reynolds Associates

, Practice Lead, Technology Sector, Russell Reynolds Associates Jim Chilton , CIO, Cengage Learning

, CIO, Cengage Learning Shannon Gath , CIO, Teradyne

, CIO, Teradyne Fred Harris , Head of Cybersecurity Risk, Data Risk and IT Risk, Societe Generale Corporate and Investment Banking

, Head of Cybersecurity Risk, Data Risk and IT Risk, Societe Generale Corporate and Investment Banking Anjana Harve , SVP & CIO, Fresenius Medical Care North America

, SVP & CIO, Fresenius Medical Care North America Jamie Head , Chief Digital & Technology Officer, Ocean Spray

, Chief Digital & Technology Officer, Ocean Spray Frederic Lancaster , Deputy CISO, Alexion Pharmaceuticals

, Deputy CISO, Alexion Pharmaceuticals Eric Lindgren , SVP & CIO, Bright Horizons

, SVP & CIO, Bright Horizons Nicholas Parrotta , Chief Digital & Information Officer, Harman International

, Chief Digital & Information Officer, Harman International Ramesh Razdan , Global CIO, Bain & Company

, Global CIO, Bain & Company Brian Shield, VP IT, Boston Red Sox



Valued Partners for the 2021 HMG Live! Boston CIO Executive Leadership Summit include Akamai, Auth0, BetterCloud, Darktrace, Forescout Technologies, Globant, ManageEngine, Nutanix, Palo Alto Networks, RingCentral, SafeGuard Cyber, Skybox Security, Zoom and Zscaler.

To learn more about the 2021 HMG Live! Boston CIO Executive Leadership Summit and to register for this event, click here.

HMG Strategy is also excited to be hosting the in-person 2021 HMG Live! Silicon Valley Global Innovation Summit at the Hotel Nia in Menlo Park on October 29. Timely topics to be discussed at this event include how a command-and-control leadership style no longer resonates with empowered employees, along with how a Trust and Inspire leadership model is better suited to foster employee engagement and to spark collaboration and innovation in the changing workplace.

Top-tier CIOs, CDOs, CISOs and industry executives speaking at the 2021 HMG Live! Silicon Valley Global Innovation Summit include:

Abhishek Agarwal , CISO, Fresenius Medical Care North America

, CISO, Fresenius Medical Care North America Brad Arkin , SVP, Chief Security & Trust Officer, Cisco

, SVP, Chief Security & Trust Officer, Cisco Renee Arrington , President, COO & Director, Pearson Partners International, Inc.

, President, COO & Director, Pearson Partners International, Inc. Nishant Bhajaria , Global Head of Privacy, Engineering and Analytics, Uber

, Global Head of Privacy, Engineering and Analytics, Uber Stuart Evans , Director of the Emirates, Carnegie Mellon University i-Lab

, Director of the Emirates, Carnegie Mellon University i-Lab Amir Hameed , VP, Worldwide Solutions Sales and Engineering, RingCentral

, VP, Worldwide Solutions Sales and Engineering, RingCentral Chris Jacquet , VP and CISO, Enterprise Security, Hitachi Vantara

, VP and CISO, Enterprise Security, Hitachi Vantara Alicia Johnson , Principal, Technology Transformation, Ernst & Young

, Principal, Technology Transformation, Ernst & Young Shadaab Kanwal , Executive Leader of Digital, Data, and Analytics Services, Charles Schwab

, Executive Leader of Digital, Data, and Analytics Services, Charles Schwab Prakash Kota , SVP, CIO, Autodesk

, SVP, CIO, Autodesk Arnie Lopez , VP, Global Systems Engineering, McAfee Enterprise, McAfee

, VP, Global Systems Engineering, McAfee Enterprise, McAfee Gautham Pallapa , Global CTO, VMware, Inc.

, Global CTO, VMware, Inc. Sherry Ryan , Former VP CISO, Juniper Networks; Partner, Fortium Partners

, Former VP CISO, Juniper Networks; Partner, Fortium Partners Muddu Sudhakar , CEO, Aisera

, CEO, Aisera Josh Tamayo-Sarver, VP Innovation, Vituity & Inflect Health



Valued Partners for the 2021 HMG Live! Silicon Valley Global Innovation Summit include Aisera, Akamai, Auth0, Azul, BetterCloud, Darktrace, Forescout Technologies, Globant, Nutanix, Palo Alto Networks, RingCentral, SafeGuard Cyber, Singtel, Skybox Security, Zoom and Zscaler.

To learn more about the 2021 HMG Live! Silicon Valley Global Innovation Summit and to register for this in-person event, click here.

HMG Strategy will also be hosting its virtual 2021 HMG Live! Greenwich CIO Executive Leadership Summit on November 10. The agenda for this custom event, developed in partnership with the SIM Fairfield-Westchester chapter, will be focused on The Carbon-Neutral CIO: The Role of Technology in Environmental Sustainability.

World-class sustainability leaders and industry executives speaking at the 2021 HMG Live! Greenwich CIO Executive Leadership Summit will include:

Adrian Cockcroft , VP, Sustainability Architecture, Amazon

, VP, Sustainability Architecture, Amazon Dustin Demetriou , Senior Technical Staff Member, Advanced Thermal Energy Efficiency Lab, IBM

, Senior Technical Staff Member, Advanced Thermal Energy Efficiency Lab, IBM Jim Himes , U.S. Congressman, Chair of the National Security, International Development and Monetary Policy Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee

, U.S. Congressman, Chair of the National Security, International Development and Monetary Policy Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee Dawn James , U.S. Director, Sustainability and Environmental Sciences, Microsoft

, U.S. Director, Sustainability and Environmental Sciences, Microsoft Jim Panos , CIO, Central National Gottesman Inc.

, CIO, Central National Gottesman Inc. Jon Winkel, CEO, The Stamford Partnership

Valued Partners for the 2021 HMG Live! Greenwich CIO Executive Leadership Summit include Akamai, Auth0, BetterCloud, Darktrace, Forescout Technologies, Globant, NPower, Nutanix, Palo Alto Networks, RingCentral, SafeGuard Cyber, SIM Fairfield-Westchester, Skybox Security, Zoom and Zscaler.

To learn more about the 2021 HMG Live! Greenwich CIO Executive Leadership Summit and to register for this event, click here.

To learn about all of HMG Strategys Upcoming CIO & CISO Summits, click here.

HMG STRATEGYS CUSTOM WEBINARS AND ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

HMG Strategy will be hosting its latest Innovation Accelerator Panel Discussion on October 28 at 11 a.m. ET. These 60-minute, highly interactive panel discussions enable CIOs, CISOs and other business technology executives to pose questions and share perspectives with the founders and CEOs of emerging enterprise technology companies whose organizations are delivering on business and cybersecurity innovation by tackling gaps and opportunities theyve identified in the market. Featured speakers for the Innovation Accelerator Panel on October 28 include Eric Olden, Co-Founder & CEO of Strata Identity and Muddu Sudhakar, CEO of Aisera.

To learn more about the HMG Innovation Accelerator on October 28 and to register for the event, click here.

About HMG Strategy

HMG Strategy is the world's leading digital platform for connecting technology executives to reimagine the enterprise and reshape the business world. The HMG Strategy global network consists of more than 400,000 CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, CDOs, senior business technology executives, search industry executives, venture capitalists, industry experts and world-class thought leaders. HMG Strategys global media model generates more than 1 million impressions per week, providing vast opportunities for business technology leaders and sponsor partners to promote themselves and their brands.

HMG Strategy was founded in 2008 by Hunter Muller, a leadership expert who has worked side-by-side with Fortune 2000 executives with strategic planning and career ascent for the past 30+ years. HMG Strategys regional and virtual CIO and CISO Executive Leadership Series, authored books and Digital Resource Center deliver unique, peer-driven guidance from CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, CDOs and technology executives on leadership, innovation, transformation and career ascent. HMG Strategy offers a range of peer-led research services such as its CIO & CISO Executive Leadership Alliance (CELA) program which bring together the worlds top CIOs, CISOs and technology executives to brainstorm on the top opportunities and challenges facing them in their roles.

HMG Strategys Research Stack is a unique set of research services that are designed to keep business technology executives up to speed on the latest and global geo-economic trends that are impacting businesses and industries.

HMG Ventures is a venture capital unit thats designed to connect CIOs, CTOs, CISOs and other technology executives with innovative early-stage technology companies from Silicon Valley to Tel Aviv. HMG Ventures provides technology executives with a window into hot emerging technology companies that can help move the needle for their businesses while also offering these executives unparalleled personal investment opportunities. One early-stage investment in an enterprise-level AI-powered service management provider has generated a 100X return.

HMG Strategy also produces the HMG Security Innovation Accelerator Panel, a new webinar series thats designed to connect enterprise technology and security leaders with the most innovative technology and cybersecurity companies from across the world.

To learn more about the 7 Pillars of Trust for HMG Strategy's unique business model, click here.





A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cb0ac1c0-0e22-4482-942e-62a8e0d8c10b
NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC (GREC or Greenbacker), a leading owner and operator of sustainable infrastructure and energy efficiency projects, announced today that, through a wholly owned subsidiary, it has purchased two operating wind assets in Murray County, Minnesota, from PRC Wind. With these projectsRidgewind (25.3 MWdc) and WindShare (5.4 MWdc)Greenbacker continues to expand its presence in the North Star State and diversify its wind portfolio in the Midwest.

Greenbacker now owns three wind farms in Minnesota, including CWS (30.8 MWdc) in neighboring Nobles County, all of which are operational. Greenbacker also has three operating wind assets nearby in Iowa. These include Hawkeye, Elk, and Rippey, which have clean powergenerating capacities of 37.5 MWdc, 42.5 MWdc, and 50.0 MWdc, respectively.

As Greenbacker continues to build out its operating wind portfolio in the area, the company benefits from greater economies of scale, helping it to generate cheaper clean energy for consumers. By deepening its relationships with regional service providers, Greenbacker can continue to optimize operations and maintenance expenses, both for these new assets and for its others in the region. The Ridgewind and WindShare projects also allow Greenbacker to build a relationship with PRC Wind, a company that has developed approximately 3.0 GW of wind energy projects since its founding in 1997.

Were excited to expand the renewable energy options available to Minnesotans, said Charles Wheeler, CEO of GREC. Our successful collaboration with PRC Windwhose wind industry expertise was a substantial asset to this projecthas enabled us to continue scaling up our wind operations and delivering clean, cheaper power to consumers in the Midwest.

At PRC, our mission is to develop renewable energy projects at scale, said Paul White, Founder and CEO of PRC Wind. We are thrilled that the wind farms we built will now benefit from Greenbackers strong ownership and asset management program.

Ridgewind is an 11-turbine system that entered commercial operation in January 2011. It has a power purchase agreement in place with Xcel Energy  Minnesota. The company has a target to reduce carbon emissions 80% by 2030 (from 2005 levels) corporate-wide and a vision to deliver 100% carbon-free electricity to its customers by 2050. (Greenbacker has also collaborated with Xcel Energy on renewable energy projects in the past). WindShare, a three-turbine system that currently operates on a fully merchant basis, reached commercial operation in April 2006.

Including the acquisition of these projects, Greenbackers fleet of sustainable infrastructure projects comprises approximately 2.2 GW of generating capacity (including assets that are to be constructed). Since 2016, Greenbackers real assets have generated 3.0 million megawatt-hours1 of clean energy, abating 2.1 million metric tons of carbon.2 Today these projects support 2,700 green jobs.3

1 Data is as of June 30, 2021.

2 Carbon abatement is calculated using the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator which uses the AVoided Emissions and geneRation Tool (AVERT) US national weighted average CO2 marginal emission rate to convert reductions of kilowatt-hours into avoided units of carbon dioxide emissions. Data is as of June 30, 2021.

3 Green jobs are calculated from the International Renewable Energy Agency's measurement that one megawatt of renewable power supports 3.8 jobs. Data is as of June 30, 2021.

About Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company

Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC is a publicly reporting, non-traded limited liability energy company that acquires and manages income-generating renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, and other energy-related businesses. The projects in which we investincluding solar and wind facilitiessell power under long-term contract to high credit worthy counterparties such as utilities, municipalities, and corporations. For more information, please visit www.greenbackercapital.com.

About PRC Wind

Founded in 1997, PRC Wind develops renewable energy projects across the Midwest. The company has delivered nearly 3 GW of utility-scale projects, with an additional 1.5 GW in the pipeline. Based in Minnesota, the company has substantial depth of experience in greenfield development as well as providing consulting services to clients throughout the phases of renewable energy development. For more information, please visit www.prcwind.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. Although Greenbacker believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that the expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. Greenbacker undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained herein to conform to actual results or changes in its expectations.

Media Contacts:

Greenbacker:

Chris Larson

Senior Writer & Media Communications

847.313.9035

c.larson@greenbackercapital.com

PRC Wind:

Lee Glover

Director of Operations

612.284.4776

Lee.Glover@prcwind.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/82d870b3-8501-42a0-bb57-fc2ae481d3ce
Baltimore, Md., Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merritt Properties announced today that it has completed its renovation of Loudoun Tech 10. The project includes the addition of extensive building amenities in alignment with current workplace trends where employers are seeking office environments that will help them attract and retain top-tier talent in a highly competitive hiring market. Local start-up Sassy Woof has signed on as the buildings first tenant.

Located along Route 7 in Dulles, Virginia, Loudoun Tech 10 is a two-story, 60,178-square-foot office building located within Merritts Loudoun Tech corporate campus. The building had long been occupied by a full-building user who consolidated operations in 2019 and vacated. Merritt then began strategic redevelopment plans to renovate and reposition the building to better serve emerging tenant requirements.

An empty building afforded us the opportunity to research current trends in office development across the country, as well as the specific needs of the local business community, said Michael Larkin, director of Merritts Virginia office. Attracting and retaining top-notch talent is clearly a significant challenge among employers, so building amenities that enhance the daily work experience are additional incentives that our tenants can offer to candidates.

Pre-COVID, millennials were surging into the workforce, drawn to corporate environments that supported wellness, community and social connection. According to a report published earlier this year by Gensler, Many agree that collaborative environments, fluid locations, access to outdoors, proximity to food & beverage, and healthy enjoyable experiences will drive talent attraction, retention, and well-being.

COVID, however, has placed new pressures on employers to find ways to entice workers to return to the office after months of being able to work from home. Hospitality- and wellness-oriented amenities will be key differentiators as companies compare office space options. While many employees are anxious to reconnect socially, they are also hesitant to forego the work-life balance they found while working from home. As reported by NAIOP in its most recent issue of Development Magazine, Personalized service and convenience offerings will also increase because people got used to the ability to work and take care of personal business at the same time.

In response to these trends, Merritt chose to renovate the common areas at Loudoun Tech 10 and amenitize the building with a new community lounge with kitchenette and seating areas, a fitness center, on-site events and services, professional development programming, and food trucks. Building employees will also have access to Merge by Merritt, the developers custom mobile app that allows tenants to reserve rooms, register for events, access virtual classes, enter contests and connect to concierge services.

With renovations completed earlier this month, leasing activity has been steady with interest from a wide variety of industries, including marketing firms, medical providers and government contractors. Local start-up company Sassy Woof signed on as the buildings first tenant, opening their new company headquarters in 5,400 SF of the first floor.

Founded in 2018 by Christine Chang, Sassy Woof focuses on delivering classic, modern, and affordable products to pet lovers everywhere. Chang started out of her basement with just six collections and the brand experienced rapid growth soon after launch. Over the past three years, driven partially by the explosion of ecommerce and pet ownership during the pandemic, Sassy Woof is now an international brand that can be found in over 500 small boutiques throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Their products can also be found in over 1,300 PetSmart stores in the U.S. and Canada and on PetSmart.com.

Chang, a former healthcare executive, transitioned into the pet retail world as a result of her petfluencer and Sassy Woof Boss Maya who has over 240,000 followers under her Instagram tag @mayathedox. Maya needed to be continually camera-ready, and Chang struggled to find quality, stylish accessories for her pet, which led her to create the Sassy Woof line of products.

The new headquarters at Loudoun Tech 10 have allowed Sassy Woof the flexibility to fulfill orders, as well as create the social media content that has driven the companys success, all in-house. With colorful paint schemes, lots of daylight and a variety of spaces indoors and out, Sassy Woof is able to stage a wide array of photo shoot sets within the space.

Our team is really enjoying being part of the Merritt family, says Chang. And, efficiency has increased by 2 or 3 times since our move.

Chang has also focused on engaging her company in social enterprise efforts, supporting women across the globe in establishing affiliate companies in their countries, often staking these women with their initial order. All of the women in the affiliate program have successfully established their businesses and continue to grow in countries such as Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Italy, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

It has been really rewarding to support the growth of a local company that has, in turn, seeded women-owned businesses here in the United States and internationally, explains Merritts Shaelyn Mullaney, who is leading the leasing efforts for Loudoun Tech 10. We are looking forward to her continuing story with Merritt.

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The Hague, October 27, 2021  Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell or the Company) notes the Third Quarter 2021 Investor letter published today, 27 October 2021, by Third Point LLC (Third Point).

Shell regularly reviews and evaluates the Companys strategy with a focus on generating shareholder value. As part of this ongoing process, Shell welcomes open dialogue with all shareholders, including Third Point. Shells Investor Relations team has had preliminary conversations with Third Point and we will engage with them, as we do with all of our shareholders.

Shell set out its Powering Progress strategy earlier this year and its Energy Transition strategy received 89% support of its shareholders at its Annual General Meeting in May.

Shell will release its third quarter results on Thursday October 28th and host a results analyst webcast on Thursday October 28th, at 14:00 BST (15:00 CEST and 09:00 EDT).

Enquiries

Media International: +44 207 934 5550

Media Americas: +1 832 337 4355

Cautionary note

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this report Shell, Shell Group and Group are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words we, us and our are also used to refer to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. Subsidiaries, Shell subsidiaries and Shell companies as used in this report refer to entities over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as joint ventures and joint operations, respectively. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as associates. The term Shell interest is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

This report contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on managements current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing managements expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as aim, ambition, anticipate, believe, could, estimate, expect, goals, intend, may, milestones, objectives, outlook, plan, probably, project, risks, schedule, seek, should, target, will and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this report, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shells products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak; and (n) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this report are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell plcs Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this report and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this report, October 27, 2021. Neither Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this report.

The content of websites referred to in this report do not form part of this report.

We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this report that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

LEI number of Royal Dutch Shell plc: 21380068P1DRHMJ8KU70
ELKHART, Ind., Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ITR Concession Company (ITRCC) has formally established a pathway to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, with an additional commitment of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. These efforts will be supported through the Science Based Targets initiative, aligning internal sustainability efforts with the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement

"We have the profound opportunity to build a more sustainable future," said Nic Barr, ITRCC's CEO. "Our science-based initiatives will have a positive impact on the environment while also improving the efficiency of the Toll Road. Electric charging, high-efficiency equipment, and solar technology developments will bring a more sustainable travel solution to Northern Indiana."

The ambitious carbon reduction goals set forth by ITRCC focus on "Scope 1" and "Scope 2" emissions. These categories encompass emissions directly related to ITRCC, such as vehicles and equipment, and indirect emissions from ownership and operations, such as electricity usage. These reductions align with the sustainability priorities of experts around the globe and the climate change targets established within the Paris Agreement.

In support of these goals, ITRCC has been admitted to the Science Based Targets initiative, a global effort designed to define and promote best practices in emission reductions and net-zero targets. This partnership allows for collaboration with global sustainability experts who will independently assess and validate ITRCC's targets, ensuring the goals are achieved.

Environmental initiatives on the Toll Road will also include the deployment of electric charging infrastructure for all motorists who stop at any of the Toll Road's travel plazas. This will provide one of the largest networks of charging station locations in the Midwest.

About the Indiana Toll Road

In operation since 1956, the Indiana Toll Road stretches 157 miles across the northernmost part of Indiana from Ohio to the Illinois state line, linking Chicago with the largest cities on the eastern seaboard. The Indiana Toll Road  managed by ITR Concession Company LLC (ITRCC)  and its nearly 300 employees are proud to operate a safe and efficient roadway while providing high-quality customer service to serve thousands of patrons every day. ITRCC is indirectly owned by IFM Investors, which is a uniquely structured global fund manager with a strong track record as a responsible steward of some of the world's biggest transportation infrastructure assets.

About the Science Based Targets initiative

The Science Based Targets initiative mobilizes companies to set science-based targets and boost their competitive advantage in the transition to a zero-carbon economy. It is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments. The initiative defines and promotes best practice in science-based target-setting and offers resources and guidance to reduce barriers to adoption.

Contact:

Bill McCall

574-651-2415

bmccall@indianatollroad.org

Related Files

ITRCC Carbon Goals Press Release.pdf

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Image 1: ITR Concession Company Administration Building





ITR Concession Company Administration Building in Elkhart, Indiana









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Santa Clara, CA and Kyoto, Japan, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zhenghai Group Co., Ltd. (Zhenghai Group) and ROHM Co., Ltd. (ROHM) have signed a joint venture agreement to establish a new company in the power module business. The new company, HAIMOSIC (SHANGHAI) CO.,LTD. is scheduled to be established in China in December 2021 and will be owned 80% by Shanghai Zhenghai Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. (Zhenghai Semiconductor) of Zhenghai Group and 20% by ROHM.

The new company will engage in the joint venture business of development, design, manufacturing and sales of power modules using silicon carbide (SiC) power devices, with the aim of developing a power module business that is ideal for traction inverters and other applications in new energy vehicles. The agreement enables to develop highly efficient power modules by combining the inverter technology of the Zhenghai Group companies, the module technology of both companies, and ROHM's cutting-edge SiC chips.

The module products to be developed through the new company are already scheduled to be used in electric vehicles, and mass production will begin from 2022. The Zhenghai Group and ROHM will work closely with this new company to contribute to further technological innovation through the development and widespread use of SiC power modules.

Bi Bohai, Chairman of Zhenghai Group Co., Ltd.

ROHM is a respected global leader in SiC devices. The establishment of a joint venture between ROHM and the Zhenghai Group to develop the SiC power module business will surely bring new changes to the power module market. Through more than 30 years of development, Zhenghai Group has accumulated rich industrialization experience in many industries such as rare earth permanent magnet, regenerative medicine, automobile interior, and electronic information. The Zhenghai Group is determined to make the power module business a strategic business for the Group, giving it the greatest support in terms of capital and human resources. Combining ROHM's advanced power device technology with Zhenghai's industrialization capabilities, we believe that the joint venture will contribute to the development of China's power module industry.

Isao Matsumoto, President and CEO of ROHM Co., Ltd.

We are very pleased to establish a joint venture with the Zhenghai Group, which has a wide range of businesses in China. As a leading company in SiC power devices, ROHM has been developing the world's most advanced devices and providing power solutions, together with peripheral components. The development of power modules in the new company will encourage the use of SiC power devices in new energy vehicles, which are gaining momentum in China, as well as play an important role in other application research. Through the business of the new company with Zhenghai Group, we will aim for the further development and evolution of both companies.

Outline of the New Company

Name: HAIMOSIC (SHANGHAI) CO.,LTD.

Established: December 2021 (planned)

Head Office: Minhang District, Shanghai

Description: Development, design, production, sales of power modules

Ownership: Zhenghai Semiconductor (100% subsidiary of Zhenghai Group) 80%, ROHM 20%

Employees: 120

About Zhenghai Group

Founded in 1990, Zhenghai Group is a key enterprise group in Shandong Province. Starting with shadow mask manufacturing in the early days of the company's founding, Zhenghai Group has diversified their business centered on manufacturing, stepping into many industries such as rare earth permanent magnets, regenerative medicine, automobile interiors, and electronic information. The group has more than a dozen subsidiaries, eight of which are approved as high-tech enterprises and two listed on GEM. It has set three innovation platforms that are National-recognized Enterprise Technology Center, National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center or Post-doctoral Research Center, as well as 13 innovation platforms, which are Provincial-level Enterprise Technology Center, Provincial-level Engineering Technology Research Center or Provincial-level Engineering Laboratory. It undertook ten major projects of National High-tech R&D Program (863 Program), four projects of National Key R&D Plans and seven projects under National Torch Plan. For more information, please visit the official website of the Zhenghai Group at www.zhenghai.com.

About ROHM

ROHM, a leading semiconductor and electronic component manufacturer, was established in 1958. From the automotive and industrial equipment markets to the consumer and communication sectors, ROHM supplies ICs, discretes, and electronic components featuring superior quality and reliability through a global sales and development network. ROHMs strengths in the power and analog markets allows them to propose optimized solutions for entire systems that combine peripheral components (i.e., transistors, diodes, resistors) with the latest SiC power devices, as well as driver ICs that maximize their performance. For more information, please visit the official website of ROHM at www.rohm.com.

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Washington, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Small Business Administration will celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit and resilience of our veteran small business owners during National Veterans Small Business Week , Nov. 1-5, 2021.

National Veterans Small Business Week is a time to honor the service and celebrate the impact of our nearly 1.8 million veteran entrepreneurs who are a driving force in our economy, generating approximately $1 trillion annually and employing nearly 4 million people, said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. The SBA team is committed to providing the capital, marketplace opportunities and supportive network of Veterans Business Outreach Centers so that our veterans and military spouses can continue to do what they do best  face hardships head-on to build, innovate, and adapt their businesses to survive and thrive.

Guaranteeing paid leave is a critical part of the effort to improve the economic security of families, support small businesses and increase economic growth. The pandemic has exposed the chronic caregiving crisis faced by working people and employers alike. We cannot emerge from this crisis and remain one of the only countries in the world without some form of national paid leave. As we honor Veteran Small Business Week and continue our efforts to support small business owners, including the more than 330,000 Veteran business owners, now is the time make a bold investment in our nations working families, Senator and Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth stated.

Representative and former Army Ranger Jason Crow (CO-6) added, Our service members have our backs; its our responsibility to have their backs, too. That means ensuring veterans have the tools and resources they need to build and run a small business. Im proud to join in recognizing our veteran small business community this National Veterans Small Business Week as we continue investing in the strength and resiliency of American veterans.

Throughout the week, the SBA will focus on highlighting various aspects of the veteran small business ownership journey. Hosted by the Office of Veterans Business Development, the week-long event will cover several topics such as transition assistance, entrepreneurial training, government contracting, disaster assistance, and access to capital resources.

SBA district offices, resource partners, and local organizations across the country will host National Veterans Small Business Week activities in hybrid in-person and virtual formats based on the needs of their community. For more information about National Veterans Small Business Week and to find events in your area, visit sba.gov/nvsbw . Sign up for an event and join the online conversation using the hashtag #VetBiz.

The Office of Veterans Business Development works through SBAs extensive resource partner network, which includes Small Business Development Centers, SCORE, Womens Business Centers, and 22 Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC) located throughout the nation. VBOCs are also the leading partner in hosting the Boots to Business and Boots to Business Reboot programs, which offer courses on entrepreneurship on military installations and in local communities. Since the programs inception in 2013, Boots to Business has trained and graduated more than 143,955 service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses. For more information on the resources available for veteran entrepreneurs, visit www.sba.gov/veterans.

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About National Veterans Small Business Week

The U.S. Small Business Administration celebrates, connects, and empowers service members (including National Guard and Reserve), veteran, and military spouse entrepreneurs and business owners  past, present, and future  during National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW). Now in its eighth year, NVSBW raises awareness of veteran small business ownership and encourages communities to support their veteran- and military-owned businesses. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov/nvsbw .

About the U.S. Small Business Administration
San Antonio, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This Friday, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration will visit San Antonio as part of a national tour highlighting the nation's economic recovery.

Administrator Guzman will meet with small business owners, community organizations, and economic development advocates to discuss the impact of the American Rescue Plan, vaccination efforts to help small businesses fully recover, and lay out the Biden-Harris Administration's path forward for the small businesses. This marks the Administrator's first official visit to Texas. Since June, Administrator Guzman has visited 17 states and U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico. Media is invited to join the visit and must RSVP to the SBA outreach specialist at ashley.morales@sba.gov by 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, October 28, 2021, for credentialing and trip locations.

WHEN:

Friday, October 29, 2021

WHERE:

San Antonio, Texas (Media: RSVP for locations

WHO:

Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, U.S. Small Business Administration

Henry Cuellar, U.S. Representative (TX  28)

San Antonio small business owners



WHY:



The SBA has administered more than $1 trillion in economic aid to small businesses via several COVID relief programs , including the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Paycheck Protection Program, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, which were all funded in President Biden's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan . The agency continues to provide small business relief via COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Advances in its efforts to help those affected by the pandemic get back on track. SBA Administrator Guzman's national listening tour focuses on hearing directly from small business owners most affected by the pandemic who needed and/or still need economic aid to recover.

MEDIA RSVP: Ashley Morales, Ashley.morales@sba.gov or (210) 378-1461.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its ongoing effort to empower compliance professionals throughout Canada, ACAMS will host a one-of-a-kind, fully virtual training and networking event for its 9th Annual AML & Anti-Financial Crime Conference. Beginning on November 3, attendees of this fully virtual gathering will have the opportunity to engage with their counterparts in Canadas public and private sectors to discuss the latest regulatory developments for anti-financial crime (AFC) practitioners and learn compliance best practices for identifying and reporting money flows tied to organized transnational crime groups, ransomware syndicates, violent domestic extremists, and other illicit actors.

As reflected by the theme of this years event  "managing financial crime risks from to sea to sea  the ACAMS Canada Virtual Conference offers a holistic look at pending regulatory requirements and emerging criminal typologies facing Canadian compliance professionals, with insight from high-level expert speakers from Finance Canada, FINTRAC, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Transparency International Canada, and many of the nations largest banks, FinTech firms and consultancy firms.

Advances in technology and global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic are changing the illicit-finance threat landscape in Canada and the ability of Canadian compliance practitioners to mitigate their related regulatory risks, said ACAMS President and Managing Director, Scott Liles. By drawing upon the expertise of the countrys most seasoned financial-crime experts, ACAMS Canada offers a good opportunity for compliance practitioners to get ahead of the regulatory curve.

Whether youre looking for insight on how recent amendments to the PCMLTFA will impact compliance for virtual currency and prepaid card providers, seeking guidance on risk mitigation in the rapidly growing digital banking market, or taking steps to meet money-laundering risks linked to Canadas real estate and gaming sectors, this event is designed to give attendees practical compliance knowledge that can be implemented to protect their institutions from regulatory penalties and reputational damage, said Liles.

The full program for ACAMS Canada can be found here.

About ACAMS

ACAMS is a member of Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a leading workforce solutions provider headquartered in the United States. ACAMS is the largest international membership organization dedicated to enhancing the knowledge and skills of anti-money laundering (AML) and financial crime prevention professionals from a wide range of industries. Its CAMS certification is the most widely recognized AML certification among compliance professionals worldwide. Its new Certified Global Sanctions Specialist (CGSS) certification commenced in January 2020. Visit acams.org for more information.

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 nearly 275,000 alumni and serves over 82,000 members across 200 countries and territories. Adtalem was named one of Americas Most Responsible Companies 2021 by Newsweek and one of Americas Best Employers for Diversity 2021 by Forbes. Follow Adtalem on Twitter (@adtalemglobal), LinkedIn or visit adtalem.com for more information.
The United States Grand Prix was a great success with some 140,000 fans at the race on Sunday. In 2022 the Formula 1 will also go to Miami and according to Sportsmail Las Vegas has now also had talks with F1.

F1 in America

America is an important piece of the puzzle for Liberty Media. Ever since their entry in F1 they have been hammering away at the opportunities for the sport in the United States. In the land of IndyCar and Nascar, F1 wasn't embraced for years, but now that seems to change. The race in Austin was a great success.

Read more Did Verstappen win GP United States with gastritis?

Besides the race in Austin, there will also be a Grand Prix of Miami in 2022, but it seems that it will not stop there. The British newspaper reports that representatives from the state of Nevada have had talks with Stefano Domenicali during the American GP. The race will be added to the calendar in 2023 at the earliest.

Race in Las Vegas

''I've had the chance to speak to F1 leaders and I appreciate their time. Despite the momentum there are several hurdles to be cleared before any deal is done,'' Steve Sisolak, governor of the state of Nevada, revealed when asked for his reaction.

Liberty Media has made it no secret that it wants to have three races in America on the calendar. The last time this happened was in 1982 when a race in Las Vegas was scheduled as well. The Caesars Palace Grand Prix however was not a success and had only two editions with 1981 and 1982. Alan Jones and Michele Alboreto were the winners.
ZeroAvia announced a development collaboration with Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines, for a hydrogen-electric powertrain capable of flying 76-seat regional aircraft in excess of 500 NM. Alaska is also joining the list of top investors for the company, alongside a fellow Seattle-based Amazon Climate Pledge Fund and Bill Gatess Breakthrough Energy Ventures.

Alaska and ZeroAvia engineers will work together to scale the companys existing powertrain platform to produce the ZA2000, an engine family capable of producing between 2,000 and 5,000 kilowatts of power with a 500-mile range. The partnership will initially deploy a 3MW+ hydrogen-electric powertrain system into a full-size De Havilland Q400 aircraft, previously operated by Alaska Air Group subsidiary Horizon Air Industries, Inc., capable of transporting 76 passengers.





ZeroAvia will also work closely with aircraft regulators during this project to ensure the aircraft meets both safety and operational requirements. ZeroAvia will set up a location in the Seattle area to support this initiative.

Alaska has also secured options for up to 50 kits to begin converting its regional aircraft to hydrogen-electric power through ZeroAvias zero-emission powertrain, starting with the Q400 aircraft. This pioneering zero-emission aviation rollout will be supported by the ground fuel production and dispensing infrastructure from ZeroAvia and its infrastructure partners, such as Shell. Working to advance novel propulsion is one of the five parts of Alaskas strategy to achieve net zero.

Recently, ZeroAvia also successfully ground-tested its 600 kW powertrain capable of flying airframes 10-20 seats in size 500 miles, is well advanced in preparing a 19-seat aircraft for flight testing at Cotswold Airport in the UK and is moving to full-size prototype manufacturing of its 2,000 kW engine for demonstrations in 2022.

Based in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for two prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024 for its 600 kW engines, and 2026 for its 2,000-5,000 kW engine platform. The companys expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UKs Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Prime Ministers Jet Zero Council.

Earlier this week, MHI RJ Aviation Group (MHIRJ), a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the worlds largest CRJ Series Aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul company, and ZeroAvia signed an agreement to cooperate in developing hydrogen-electric propulsion for regional jet applications. (Earlier post.)
WASHINGTON (AP)  Top Democrats signaled a deal is within reach on President Joe Biden's big domestic bill but momentum fizzled and tempers flared late Wednesday as a paid family leave proposal fell out and a billionaires' tax appeared scrapped, mostly to satisfy a pivotal member of the 50-50 Senate.

With his signature domestic initiative at stake, Biden will head to Capitol Hill on Thursday morning to urge Democratic lawmakers to bring talks on the social services and climate change bill over the finish line before he departs for global summits overseas.

Still in the mix: expanded health care programs, free pre-kindergarten and some $500 billion to tackle climate change remain in what's now at least a $1.75 trillion package.

And Democrats are eyeing a new surcharge on the wealthy  5% on incomes above $10 million and an additional 3% on those beyond $25 million  to help pay for it, according to a person who requested anonymity to discuss the private talks.

Theyre all within our reach. Lets bring these bills over the finish line. Biden tweeted late Wednesday.

To help push lawmakers toward that goal, Biden will speak Thursday morning to the House Democratic Caucus, a person familiar with the plan told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Besides pressing for important party priorities, the president was hoping to show foreign leaders the U.S. was getting things done under his administration.

The administration was assessing the situation hour by hour, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

It was a fast-moving day on Capitol Hill that started upbeat as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared that Democrats were in pretty good shape. But hopes quickly faded as Biden's big proposal ran into stubborn new setbacks, chief among them how to pay for it all.

A just-proposed tax on billionaires could be scrapped after Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia objected, according to a senior party aide, who requested anonymity to discuss the private talks.

The billionaires' tax proposal had been designed to win over another Democratic holdout, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, but Manchin panned it as unfairly targeting the wealthy, leaving Democrats at odds.

People in the stratosphere, rather than trying to penalize, we ought to be pleased that this country is able to produce the wealth, Manchin told reporters.

Manchin said he prefers a minimum 15% flat patriotic tax to ensure the wealthiest Americans dont skip out on paying any taxes. Nevertheless, he said: We need to move forward."

Next to fall was a proposed paid family leave program that was already being chiseled back from 12 to four weeks to satisfy Manchin. But with his objections, it was unlikely to be included in the bill, the person said.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., had devised several new options for Manchin's review and told reporters late in the evening, Its not over until its over.

Together, Manchin's and Sinemas objections packed a one-two punch, throwing Bidens overall plan into flux, halving what had been a $3.5 trillion package, and infuriating colleagues along the way.

In the evenly divided Senate, Biden needs all Democrats support with no votes to spare.

White House officials met at the Capitol with Manchin and Sinema, two senators who now hold enormous power, essentially deciding whether or not Biden will be able to deliver on the Democrats' major campaign promises.

Making progress, Sinema said as she dashed into an elevator.

A Sunday deadline loomed for approving a smaller, bipartisan roads-and-bridges infrastructure bill or risk allowing funds for routine transportation programs to expire. But that $1 trillion bill has been held up by progressive lawmakers who are refusing to give their support without the bigger Biden deal.

Despite a series of deadlines, Democrats have been unable to close the deal among themselves, and Republicans overwhelmingly oppose the package. At best, Democrats could potentially reach a framework Thursday that could send Biden overseas with a deal in hand and unlock the process while the final details were sewn up.

Applying pressure, Pelosi announced a Thursday committee hearing to spur the Biden package along toward a full House vote, though timing remained uncertain.

Democrats had hoped the unveiling of the billionaires tax Wednesday could help resolve the revenue side of the equation after Sinema rejected the partys earlier idea of reversing Trump-era tax breaks on corporations and the wealthy, those earning more than $400,000.

The new billionaires' proposal would tax the gains of those with more than $1 billion in assets or incomes of more than $100 million over three consecutive years  fewer than 800 people  requiring them pay taxes on the gains of stocks and other tradeable assets, rather than waiting until holdings are sold.

The billionaires tax rate would align with the capital gains rate, now 23.8%. Democrats have said it could raise $200 billion in revenue that could help fund Bidens package over 10 years.

Republicans have derided the billionaires tax as harebrained, and some have suggested it would face a legal challenge.

But Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, insisted the billionaires tax remains on the table.

I've not heard a single United States senator  not one  get up and say, Gee, I think its just fun that billionaires pay little or nothing for years on end, Wyden said.

More likely in the mix was the companion proposal, a new 15% corporate minimum tax, as well as the new surtax being proposed on higher incomes above $10 million.

Together they are designed to fulfill Bidens desire for the wealthy and big business to pay their fair share. They also fit his promise that no new taxes hit those earning less than $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for couples. Biden wants his package fully paid for without piling on debt.

Resolving the revenue side has been crucial, as lawmakers figure out how much money will be available to spend on the new health, child care and climate change programs in Biden's big plan.

Among Democrats, Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, said he told Wyden the billionaires' tax may be difficult to implement. Despite Sinema's opposition, he expects Democrats to stick with the approach his panel took in simply raising rates on corporations and the wealthy, undoing the 2017 tax cuts.

Theres a lot of theres a lot of angst in there over the billionaires' tax, Neal said.

Under the House bill approved by Neals panel, the top individual income tax rate would rise from 37% to 39.6%, on those earning more than $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for couples. The corporate rate would increase from 21% to 26.5%.

The House bill also proposes a 3% surtax on the wealthiest Americans with adjusted income beyond $5 million a year, and Neal suggested that could be raised to $10 million to win over the holdouts.

Opposition from the two senators is forcing difficult reductions, if not the outright elimination, of policy priorities  from child care assistance to dental, vision and hearing aid benefits for seniors.

The once hefty climate change strategies are less punitive on polluters, as coal-state Manchin objected, focusing instead on rewarding clean energy incentives.

Said Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent: You got 48 out of 50 people supporting an agenda that works for the American people.

___

Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.
GREENWICH  The towns youngest readers enjoyed Storytime in the Courtyard as the Greenwich Library.

The youngsters and their caregivers gathered outside on the autumnal day, enjoying Halloween-themed stories and activities outdoors in the Baxter Courtyard on Monday morning.

Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media

Children's programming librarian Lauren Mendoza read the stories to the delight of an audience of kids, parents, grandparents, nannies and more.

To attend future story times at the Greenwich Library and its branch locations, visit www.greenwichlibrary.org for a calendar of events.
GREENWICH  With the federal government poised to allow children between the ages of 5 and 11 to receive COVID-19 vaccines, an official said Greenwich Hospital will be ready as soon as they say, Go.

Dana Marnane, the vice president of public relations, said the hospital would work with pediatricians to get the vaccines to children.

The lower number of COVID-19 cases and higher vaccine rates are again a source of optimism in Greenwich. On Wednesday, the town reported that 26 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the past week. Only six of those cases are considered active by the town Department of Health, which is down 17 cases from last week.

At Greenwich Hospital, the number of COVID-positive patients is down to two, according to hospital President Diane Kelly. Those two patients, who are not in the intensive are unit, have not been vaccinated, Kelly said.

In total, the Yale New Haven Health System has 57 COVID patients in its five hospitals, which includes Greenwich Hospital, she said.

We are pleased and optimistic that those are manageable numbers, Kelly said in a COVID update. We are always wanting it to be zero, but thats probably not realistically in the cards for us.

For vaccination rates, 79.8 percent of the towns 52,482 residents who are eligible are fully vaccinated and 86.69 percent are partially vaccinated.

The town reported that:

*86.57 percent of the 12-17 age group are fully vaccinated;

*80.73 percent of the 18-24 age group is fully vaccinated;

*66.61 percent of the 25-44 age group is fully vaccinated;

*81.27 percent of the 45-64 age group is fully vaccinated; and

*90.39 percent of residents 65 and older are fully vaccinated.

I am encouraged by those numbers, Kelly said. I think those are solid numbers. There are still areas in the country striving for 50 percent  so being close to pushing for 80 percent is very good. Of course, I want it at 100 percent or 90 percent. But I think every week people are making the decision to be vaccinated.

With approval from the federal Food and Drug Administration for vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11 believed to be imminent, Yale New Haven Health System will soon release a plan for providing the vaccines.

We are working on a very detailed plan, and it will be released soon. Greenwich Hospital will be participating in it, Kelly said.

It is exciting to be at the point when children will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine, she said.

This has been a population that has really been, to me, the reason that its been so important for us to maintain social distancing and wearing masks, she said.

Understandably we needed to be cautious and have the right information for the vaccine, but its going to really make a difference to be able to safely vaccinate the children, Kelly said.

Once more children are vaccinated, they can have a little bit more confidence as they assimilate themselves back into schools and other functions, she said. Having them have the same kind of protection that we all have, I think, is really something to celebrate. And Im very pleased both as a registered nurse and health care executive and as a mother.

Greenwich Hospital will be working with pediatrician offices and the YNHHS vaccine sites around the state to vaccinate children, Marnane said.

We are not going into the schools, Kelly said. Well be doing it at our sites.

The Greenwich Public Schools has previously provided vaccine sites for eligible students ages 12 to 17 with signed parental permission.

In the months of September and October, we had 10 total vaccine clinics at GHS and the three middle schools that were done in conjunction with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, district Director of Communications Jonathan Supranowitz said Wednesday. We are still looking into plans for future vaccination clinics.

Greenwich Hospital is providing Moderna booster shots for eligible residents. To make an appointment for a booster shot, visit www.greenwichhospital.org.
Today Samsung has released two official promo videos for its upcoming Android skin, One UI 4. Beta versions of this have been available publicly for a while in a few countries, and we're already at beta 3 so far. The final build is expected to be out sometime in the next few weeks, so it doesn't surprise us that Samsung would make such videos to hype up its skin.

The first video starts by focusing on the evolution of the skin since One UI 2, going through some user feedback - which brings us to the main claim, that is One UI 4 being made according to users' wishes. Customizability plays a part too, as do widgets (now with rounded corners), and dark mode for app icons.

There are also a lot of other things being covered, but perhaps the most surprising development comes towards the end of the video, when Samsung proudly announces that it's going to make laptops get some of the action via One UI Book 4. As the name implies, that's basically a special version of One UI for laptops.

Can't say we saw this one coming, but the main question here is - could this actually bring some user experience improvements for buyers of Samsung laptops? Or is it just a desperate ploy to copy Apple's ecosystem play? It could be either, it could be neither, it could be both, we'll have to wait and see.

In the second video, the company goes into a bit more detail regarding customizations baked into One UI 4, as well as various photo-related tools, and quickly sharing stuff to your Samsung laptop. Oh, and the word "ecosystem" makes an appearance, so don't say we haven't warned you.

To end things, we get a glimpse at the Galaxy Watch 4 - which is really stretching the logic of this being a promo video for One UI 4. But then again, the watch is part of that all-important ecosystem, so that's probably the reason for its inclusion.




Haiti - FLASH : Barbecue demands the resignation of the PM against the resupply of fuel in the country





Tuesday, October 26, 2021, the former police officer Jimmy Cherizier, aka "Barbecue" who prentend to be the revolutionary leader of the Group of Gangs "G9" https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34053-haiti-flash-barbecue-affirms-that-the-g9-is-now-a-revolutionary-force-video.html under a mandate to bring, actively sought but still free (!), demanded at a press conference the resignation of Prime Minister ai Ariel Henry as a condition to allow the normal resumption of the distribution of fuel on the national territory "Our request is clear, pure and simple. We demand the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry."



Remember that access to the oil terminals of Varreux and Thor are under the control of armed bands making it impossible to distribute fuel and causing a shortage with serious consequences which has reached a critical threshold https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35086-haiti-flash-deprived-of-fuel-by-gangs-the-country-at-the-gates-of-hell.html



The lack of fuel affects the operation of companies, factories, shops, public institutions, communication systems, hospitals, which use electric generators to compensate for the increasingly frequent interruptions of electricity distribution, most of which EDH plants also depend on fuel, with the exception of the Peligre hydroelectric dam and a few mini solar power plants.



Barbecue explained that Haiti does not need 5% of the population to control 85% of the country's wealth or a "small group of vagrants" for 25-30 years to engage in politics saying "I think the moment came for us, the young people, to take in hand the destiny of the country."



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35086-haiti-flash-deprived-of-fuel-by-gangs-the-country-at-the-gates-of-hell.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34356-icihaiti-politic-gang-leader-barbecue-promises-to-avenge-the-death-of-president-moise.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34053-haiti-flash-barbecue-affirms-that-the-g9-is-now-a-revolutionary-force-video.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Switzerland : Transfer of skills in integrated management of natural risks





The State University of Haiti (UEH), through the Geosciences Research Unit (URGeo) of the Faculty of Sciences and the Swiss Embassy in Haiti are engaged in a process of transfer of skills in matters of integrated management of natural risks. 22 students and professionals, including 5 women, from different universities and institutions received training in Risk and Disaster Management (DRM). The training ended with the ceremony of handing over the certificates issued by URGeo in the presence of the Charge d'affaires a.i. of the Swiss Embassy Fabrizio Poretti and the Rector of the UEH, Fritz Deshommes.



This GRD training articulated around 6 modules took place over four weeks including a theoretical part which took place at the National Building and Public Works Laboratory and a practical part at the Massif de la Selle level in the Kenscoff-Furcy area and in the Riviere Grise valley.



Recall that in November 2020, a five-week training of trainers had already been carried out. URGeo took over the elements of the first training course by adapting it to develop, organize and carry out this new version focused on integrated risk management, analysis of hazards and challenges, the establishment of action plans for risk reduction, sizing of protection works and social engineering. The courses were given in full by the trainers trained in the first edition last year. The Swiss Embassy in Haiti provided technical support at the steering committee level and financial support.



Through this initiative, the Swiss Embassy not only actively participates in the transfer of skills in the field of DRM, but also supports the UEH in carrying out and institutionalizing a continuing training course necessary for national managers and actors in GRD. Fabrizio Poretti said "The Embassy of Switzerland in Haiti has made local governance a priority through its cooperation strategy. Success is not possible without developing the expertise of national and local executives on the one hand, and ensuring the delivery of training to the country's institutions on the other hand. This is an evolutionary process.



Fritz Deshommes said "given the importance of the risk issue in our country, a mobilization of all higher education institutions is essential. The UEH intends to contribute fully to the national effort in this area. In this sense, it is open to partnerships at national and international level. The creation within the UEH of an International Joint Laboratory led by URGeo will provide an appropriate institutional framework and a scientific environment up to these challenges.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - FLASH : Problem of drinking water supply in the capital





In a note, the Technical Exploitation Center of the Metropolitan Region of Port-au-Prince (CTE/RMPP) informs its customers, in particular those of Delmas (Delmas 31, 71, 75, Catalpa and its surroundings), Tabarre, Cite Soleil, Mariani and its surroundings that given the troubled socio-political context and especially the fuel shortage in the country, the institution has difficulty in ensuring the supply of drinking water to customers of the mentioned municipalities.



In addition, the CTE/RMPP would like to point out to Delmas customers that the Delmas 34 pump motor has broken down, which further complicates the supply of water to subscribers in the Delmas 34 neighborhoods up to 75. A team was mobilized to repair the pump motor and be able to service our customers again.



The CTE/RMPP apologizes for these inconveniences due to the difficult situation that the country is going through at the moment, while promising to work for the continuous improvement of the service.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





FLASH: 1/3 of Digicel out of service

"I have never seen anything like it in 10 years [...] Today, [Tuesday] we have 430 antennas affected [shut down for lack of fuel] out of 1,500 across the country, which harms several hundred of thousands of customers," declared to AFP Maarten Boute, the CEO of the telephone company Digicel in Haiti. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35057-haiti-technology-15-of-digicel-antennas-non-operational.html



Release of Pastor Jean Ferrer Michel

On Monday evening Pastor Jean Ferrer Michel and businessman Norman Wiener were released against ransom after 23 days of kidnapping. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34902-haiti-flash-a-pastor-kidnapped-by-fake-police-officers.html



Protest : 2nd day of paralysis in Haiti

Tuesday, Port-au-Prince and the main provincial towns were paralyzed for the 2nd of 3 days of work stoppage and protest against general insecurity and fuel scarcity https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-35087-icihaiti-social-the-capital-paralyzed-by-the-strike-and-the-demonstrations.html . As the day before, stores, banks, schools and universities among others remained closed. Only a few street vendors and rare vehicles and motorcycles were noticed...



Oil terminals still inaccessible

It is still impossible for tankers to get supplies at the Thor and Varreux terminal despite the security commitments announced by the Government. Marc Andre Derifons, President of the National Association of Service Station Owners (ANAPROSS) indicates that the companies' truck drivers are ready to go to Varreux, unfortunately the area is still under the control of heavily armed gangs.



Increased border surveillance

The Haitian and Dominican authorities have increased surveillance in the border area of Ouanaminthe / Dajabon due to the fuel shortage, which pushes many Haitians to cross the border in vehicles and motorcycles to go to the various gas stations in Dajabon, fill up with fuel that they sell at a high price on the black market in Haiti.



Nearly 900,000 students have benefited from the school canteen

The National School Canteen Program (PNCS) informs that during the 2020-202 fiscal year, its intervention in concert with all the partners, enabled 857,350 students in 3,367 schools nationwide to benefit from the school canteen.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2021/10/26 | Source

Actor Kim Seon-ho's side claimed they have nothing to say about the reports that refutes the claims of his ex-girlfriend.

Advertisement

Dispatch recently reported that Kim Seon-ho and his friends had things to say about A, Kim Seon-ho's ex-girlfriend, regarding the controversy over Kim Seon-ho's private life caused by A's disclosure.

According to them, Kim Seon-ho continued seeing A despite the fact that he later found out she was a divorced woman and they nearly broke up because of A's lies but continued seeing each other.

Kim Seon-ho who heard that A was pregnant in July last year, cried over the phone and consoled her but in the end the two decided to get an abortion.

According to Dispatch, Kim Seon-ho took care of A to his best even after the procedure and even took her to see his parents.

These are all facts contrasting A's statement in her online disclosure on the 17th.

Regarding this, Kim Seon-ho's agency had said, "We have nothing to tell you, we're sorry", on the 26th.
Published on 2021/10/27 | Source

Korean movie opening today 2021/10/27 in Korea: "Shadow Flowers" (2019)

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Directed by Yi Seung-Jun

Synopsis

Kim Ryun-hee, a North Korean housewife, was forced to come to South Korea and became its citizen against her will. She tried to smuggle herself out and even sought political asylum at the Vietnamese Embassy but all in vain. As her seven years of struggle to go back to her family in North Korea continues, the political absurdity hinders her journey back to her loved ones. The life of her family in the North goes on in emptiness, and she fears that she might become someone, like a shadow, who exists only in the fading memory of her family.
Deaths reported in Blaine, Liberty counties

This region of Montana has seen two more COVID-19-related deaths.

Blaine County Health Department reported Monday another COVID-19-related death in the area, bringing that county's total to 26 deaths, and the state COVID data tracking map listed a total of two deaths in Liberty County with its first new COVID-19-related death since 2020.

The COVID-19-related death reported by the health department is Blaine County's second in October.

That department also reported 22 new cases being confirmed Friday through Monday, bringing the total of active cases in the county to 76 with three active hospitalizations. It has had 210 new cases confirmed since the start of the month and 485 confirmed since Aug. 6, the day Havre Daily again began tracking daily counts as the delta variant-driven surge hit the area.

Hill County has had 60 deaths total, seven in October and 14 since Aug. 6.

The Hill County Health Department reported Monday that the county had 16 new cases confirmed Saturday through Monday with 349 new cases so far in October and 1,141 new cases since Aug. 6.

It reported 13 active hospitalizations of county residents Monday.

Chouteau County has had one death since Aug. 6 for a total of eight COVID-19-related deaths in that county, with 64 new cases since Oct. 4 - Chouteau and Liberty counties' data was not available Oct. 1 - and 166 new cases in Chouteau County since Aug. 6.

Liberty County has seen 26 new cases since Oct. 4 and 134 new cases since Aug. 6.

And cases continue to hit schools.

Health officials have reported a higher percentage of new cases being among younger ages, likely due to relaxation of school precautions in some areas and because more and more people in the older age groups being vaccinated.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, fully authorized for people 16 and older, has received an emergency use authorization for children 12-15 and Pfizer has applied for authorization to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11, with the FDA expected to act on that request soon. An agency panel was meeting today to consider the request.

Pfizer also is conducting a study on using its vaccine on children from six months to four years, and the companies with the other vaccines with emergency use authorizations in the U.S., Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, also have been conducting studies on using their vaccines on children.

Those vaccines, the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine, have emergency use authorization for people 18 and older.

Whatever the cause of more young people contracting the disease, it continues in this area.

In reports issued by Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services from last Tuesday through Monday, it listed in Hill County seven cases in children from birth through 9 and nine cases in people 10-19.

The reports listed in Blaine County nine cases birth through 9 and five 10 to 19; in Chouteau County three cases birth through 9 and one 10-19. The reports did not list any cases in Liberty County in the past week younger than 20.

Havre Public Schools reported that it saw six cases in people associated with the school district last week from Monday through Thursday, with cases having contacts with people in Highland Park Early Primary School, Lincoln-McKinley Primary School, Havre Middle School and Havre High School.

During the surge, health officials have continued the message they have given basically from the start of the pandemic.

People should stay home if they don't feel well, the officials say, should regularly wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap or with a hand sanitizer including at least 60 percent alcohol, should regularly wash and sanitize surfaces, should wear a mask when in indoor public spaces, and anyone who can should get vaccinated.

In Hill County, vaccinations are available through Bullhook Community Health Center, 406-395-4305; the Hill County Health Department, 406-400-2415; Northern Montana Health Care's Specialty Medical Center at 406-265-7831 or its Family Medical Center at 406-265-5408; Western Drug Pharmacy, 406-265-9601; Gary & Leo's Pharmacy, which takes walk-ins; Walmart; and the Rocky Boy Health Center, 406-395-1655.

Vaccinations are available in Blaine County through Blaine County Health Department, 406-357-2345, and Fort Belknap Health Center, 406-353-3219.

Vaccine is available in Chouteau County at the Chouteau County Health Department, 406-622-3771, and Big Sandy Pharmacy at 406-378-5588.

People can call Liberty County Health Department at 406-759-5517 to schedule a vaccination.

The Food and Drug Administration also has expanded its allowance of booster vaccinations.

FDA authorized Sept. 22 giving a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to eligible populations which originally had been vaccinated with that vaccine.

Those eligible groups are FDA has authorized using boosters are people 65 and older, people 18 to 64 at high risk of severe COVID-19 and people 18 to 64 years old who live or work in areas giving them frequent exposure to COVID-19.

People in those groups could get a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months after the completion of the original vaccination series - the Pfizer vaccinations required two shots to be complete.

The authorization last Wednesday allows a single booster shot of the Moderna vaccine at half the dosage of an original vaccination at least six months after completion of a vaccination series - the Moderna vaccine also used a two-shot series for full vaccination - and allows a single booster dose of the Janssen Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which only gave one shot for its vaccination, at least two months after completion of vaccination with that vaccine for anyone 18 and older.

And the authorization allows people to "mix-and-match" their booster, getting a booster with any of the authorized vaccines even if it is different than the vaccine used in the original vaccination.

The release gives an example that Janssen COVID-19 vaccine recipients 18 years of age and older may receive a single booster dose of Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine, Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (half dose) or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine at least two months after receiving their Janssen COVID-19 vaccine primary vaccination.

In another example, Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine recipients falling into one of the authorized categories for boosters may receive a booster dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine - half dose - Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine at least six months after completing their primary vaccination.
Editor,

Sen. Steve Daines is holding the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act  BSCA  hostage.

The BCSA, a bill introduced by Sen. Jon Tester, intends to strengthen public land protection while ensuring public access to outdoor recreation and the economic advantages to the Montana economy that follow from it. The BCSA is an outstanding example of what can happen when Montanans work together, because the act stems from collaborative conversations between recreationists, timber companies and conservation advocates that began in 2005.

According to the Missoula Current, Daines refuses to support the BCSA without his corresponding legislation that seeks to remove wilderness study status from approximately 300,000 acres of land being considered in tandem. Wilderness study status protects our lands from rampant development activities, such as logging and motorized vehicle use, that will disrupt our natural ecosystems.

Daines upcoming legislation serves as a tactic to undermine the BCSA, considering only 8% of Montanans support Daines proposed legislation according to a 2020 UM survey. Self-serving actions have no place at the table with BCSA legislation that focuses on the greater good of Montana, which keeps current and future generations in mind and shies away from placing political gain over the wellbeing of our ecosystems and our people.

Though the BCSA is gaining momentum through committee hearings, Daines stall tactics pose a threat to the success of the BCSA and highlight his dangerous philosophy of serving the self over serving those who need strong and public-facing leadership more now than ever before. I hope that Sen. Daines can put his failed legislation aside and do what is right for Montana by passing the BCSA.

Alexandra Berna

Missoula
The Al-Nahar Newspapers published the second part of its meeting with the co-chair of the Commanding Committee of the Kurdistan Communities Union, KCK, Jamil Bayik, in which he spoke about the withdrawal of foreign forces from Syria, as well as their vision for a solution in Syria, Turkey's goals to occupy more Syrian territory, and other important issues.

Turkey has the opportunity to occupy more Syrian territory and annex it to Turkey

Jamil Bayik said that the withdrawal of foreign troops from Syria, which Moscow and Damascus are demanding, is a just fair demand, and I think that will happen over time, the largest occupying state in Syria was Turkey, which occupied many areas of Syria. Turkey was given the opportunity to occupy new areas and annex them to Turkey, as it had done with the Sanjak of Alexandretta previously.

Jamil Bayik pointed out when ISIS/ Daesh attacked Kobani city in Sep 2014, the Kurdistan Workers Party, PKK, sent some troops there to defend the city, adding Hundreds and even thousands of young men crossed the fence from Bakur Kurdistan and Turkey to Rojava, they played major role in defeating ISIS/ Daesh, large number of our fighters had been martyred after defeating ISIS, we withdrew our military force except for those who wanted to remain there voluntarily. if you're asking me if we're going to forcibly withdraw them, let me tell you that we are not in a position to issue orders and instructions to them, they have their will, which is their personal decision. "

He went on to say the establishment of the PKK, as a Marxist Party, leader Abdullah Ocalan's criticism of the socialism constructed even before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Bayik said: Leader Abdullah Ocalan addresses the State and socialism as contrasts. I've found the state in history as a tool for rulers. Democratic governments must now be created against sex discrimination, Ocalan stresses that women's freedom will produce more important historical outcomes than national and class freedom. What he says in ecology is also important. "

He added: "Leader Abdullah Ocalan believes that the best way to achieve freedom of Kurds is to democratize Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. He addresses this with an understanding of the thesis of the democratic nation and the brotherhood of peoples. In this regard, he took an approach that does not call for the Kurds to retreat from their right cause, but does not consider that the way in which the Kurds can obtain their rights is not within the framework of the nation-State. "

The best apology to the United States is to contribute to the resolution of the Kurdish affair.'

In response to the newspaper's questions about their willingness to accept the United States as a third party and a mediator between them and Turkey, Bayik said: " United States has good relations with Turkey. It's having an impact. If it wants, it can play a positive role in finding a solution. In this regard, our mediation proposal to the United States remains valid. When the United States takes on a mediation role, it has changed its ideas on the PKK to date. If it becomes a mediator, its decision on us becomes meaningless, because it will act as an intermediary between our departments, including our three friends, and Turkey. It can also mediate directly between leader Abdullah Ocalan and Turkey. "

On their vision for a solution in Syria, Jamil Bayik, said: "The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), with the unity of Syria, gave the Kurds autonomy and democracy in their areas of existence. Local democracy and autonomy - government enable them to solve the problem by accepting education in Kurd's mother tongue and freedom of thought and organization, while defense, diplomacy and the general economy remain the responsibility of the Syrian public administration. If autonomy government adopts language, culture, education, health, municipal services and internal security, it will not weaken Syria. On the contrary, it will strengthen it. A democratic Syria, where Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians, Armenians, Alawites, Sunnis and Druz, and all peoples and beliefs express themselves, will set an example throughout the Middle East. Syrian history and social reality enjoy the advantages and potential to play such a role. "

Bayik explained that they were aiming to achieve the Arab-Kurdish alliance. He said: "We confirmed it at every opportunity. We have moved this view to our diplomatic work and relevant units. There have been some developments, but they have not reached an opportunity level. There is also a strong historical foundation for the Kurdish-Arab alliance. During his stay in Lebanon, Syria and Rojava, Leader Abdullah Ocalan created a strong ground for this, but this ground has remained theoretical and we have not benefited well from it. The Arab States have not shown sufficient importance to the Kurdish-Arab relations and alliance. The resolution of the Kurdish issue in Iraq has largely been achieved. We think that's going to happen in Syria, too. These are the foundations that will strengthen the Kurdish-Arab alliance. We have no hidden agenda other than a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue. The search for a State, which is the basis for the creation of conflicts and problems between peoples, is not true. In our view, a free and democratic life should not be pursued within the framework of statehood and demarcation. "

He stressed that they wanted Kurdish political forces to work more effectively in developing Kurdish - Arab unity in both Iraq and Syria. He said: "The Kurds must transcend the narrow nationalist approaches in Baghdad and Damascus. Because the foundation of the Kurdish - Arab alliance exists primarily in Iraq and Syria, this changes the face of the Middle East.

AKP focuses on the liquidation of the Kurdish movement and does not want a solution.

In response to a question about their position if Turkey announced a return to the path of the peace process in the near future, Jamil Bayik responded: "So far, Turkey has not entered into a process of genuine dialogue. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has benefited from the climate of non-conflict and has pursued a policy of distraction in order to maintain and strengthen its power, we have also made an effort to prepare public opinion and to bring the Government of the AKP and the State into the process of resolution. However, our efforts have not been sufficient to get the AKP Government and the State to take a step towards a solution. When they saw that the Kurdish people were getting stronger in many ways, they prepared a plan to thwart the solution and turned to attack. Now they're fully focused on libertarian movement eradicating, they think they can't keep their power without war. So, for this reason, the AKP does not stop this war, nor does it enter into any process of dialogue. Of course, if they say we stop the war, we will release the political detainees and we want to solve the problem through dialogue. We will bring the matter to Parliament and resolve it, our response will be positive. "

We don't seek a state or establishing an independent state, they have to recognize democracy and AANES.

Bayik said: "We are not seeking a solution to the Kurdish issue in the form of a State or establishing an independent state. Leader Abdullah Ocalan has repeatedly put forward a road map for Democratic Autonomous Administration, DAA, he proposed the formula for the dissolution of the state as well as democracy. The state may also exist in Kurdistan, but it must recognize democracy, AANES, and the democratic independence of the Kurdish people, the existence of the Kurds must be constitutionally guaranteed and AANES must be recognized on the basis of freedom of language, culture and identity. We agree on a solution that would eliminate concerns about Turkey's territorial integrity and political unity. It won't be hard for us to come to terms with Turkey on the way to democracy. "

'The divergence of views within AANES does not mean that there are problems'

Bayik pointed out that having different views on some practical issues within the Department in Rojava did not mean that there was a problem among them. He said: "We do not believe that an ideological and political view will be defended other than the political ideological line of leader Abdullah Ocalan in Rojava, the people of Rojava are faithful to leader Abo with his men and women. This dedication and power correct any misdirection. Although there are wrong trends in some Rojava cadres, this cannot affect the general public and transform a public political view. We don't consider some different ideas to be harmful. If everyone had one opinion, there would be no evolution of thought or politics. Having different opinions on different cases in Rojava is a domestic case. However, we have not found differences of opinion at a level that could lead to serious problems. "

Responding to the newspaper's question about rumors of differences between the PKK leadership, Bayik said: "If there really was a difference of opinion about the ideological-political line, that had to be reflected in our movement, which never happened. Each companion adheres to the ideological political line of leader Abdullah Ocalan. In documents prepared by leader Abdullah Ocalan in 23 years, the political ideological line was clear. Foreign powers would like to see a difference within the PKK, the Turkish state also wants to. However, the PKK has almost 50 years of administrative experience. It has the power and will to manage and solve all kinds of problems. "

T/S

ANHA
Ashley Hornsby Welch comes home for Breast Cancer Awareness

Ashley Hornsby Welch poses with Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin in front of Breast Cancer Awareness car..

District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch traveled to Henderson County this week to add her signature to those of other cancer survivors on a pink-wrapped squad car.

The pink car is part of Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffins and his departments efforts to bring attention to breast cancer. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

A Hendersonville native and graduate of East Henderson High School, Welch is the top prosecutor for the 43rd Prosecutorial District, made up of Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Clay, Cherokee, Graham and Swain counties.

I applaud the Henderson County Sheriffs Office for their efforts to raise awareness," Welch said. "I hope the pink patrol car helps to remind and encourage women to get mammograms. And, not just in Henderson County, but in every county.

Welch announced last November that she was being treated for stage II breast cancer, and that doctors expected her to make a full recovery. Going public with private information is tough, she said then. But, I believe that it is the right thing to do.

Nearly 270,000 women and more than 2,000 men in the United States are diagnosed each year with the potentially deadly disease. Through a routine mammogram, Welch learned in 2020 that she, too, faced battling the disease.

Welch received treatment in Hendersonville through Pardee Cancer Center.

I cant speak highly enough about staff members kindness or the exceptional level of care I received, she said.
Pipeline

27 October 2021

Nobu, the global lifestyle brand founded by Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper, today revealed plans to launch a Nobu Hotel, Nobu Restaurant and Nobu Residences in the Eastern Province city of Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia by 2024.

The future mixed-use development will be developed by Al Khobar Sands Realestate Co. Ltd, jointly owned by Retal Urban Development Company, a subsidiary of the Al Fozan Group and Assayel Arabia, a subsidiary of Ali Zaid Al Quraishi and Brothers Company (AZAQ). Both Al Fozan Group and AZAQ have a solid footprint across Saudi Arabia in a multitude of industries with commitment to social welfare projects and are contributing greatly towards the Saudi Vision 2030, a transformative economic and social reform blueprint that is opening Saudi Arabia up to the world.

Nobu Hotels have become synonymous with passionate service, distinctive design, the finest ingredients, and a powerful energy. Reflecting these core values within the local culture, Nobu Hotel, Restaurant and Residences Al Khobar will be located in the waterfront area of the city, facing the Arabian Gulf. The luxury complex will offer 120 thoughtfully designed guest rooms and suites, a Nobu Restaurant on the lobby level, swimming pools, a wellness centre, and meeting and event space.

The Nobu Al Khobar Residences will offer a fully integrated and highly personalized experience combining Nobu nuances with local aesthetics to create a truly unique lifestyle, offering concierge services, in-residence Nobu dining, and priority access to Nobu events.

From the very beginning, Nobu has been about creating unforgettable experiences around exceptional food. With 13 hotels open and many more in development around the world, the brand has never moved from what it set out to do - create a platform for memories. The philosophy of Kokoro - which comes from the Japanese word for heart - ties the destinations together and is the heartbeat of Nobu Restaurants, Hotels and Residences.
Appointment

27 October 2021

Susie Quitevis Fujikawa is responsible for the development and implementation of internal and external sales and marketing strategy and related plans to maximize Embassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach Walk's revenue market share and optimize profitability for all source markets.

Fujikawa was most recently dual property director of sales and marketing, luxury, at Aston Waikiki Beach Tower & ESPACIO the Jewel of Waikiki and held a similar role at The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort prior. In the sales arena, Fujikawa was director of sales - leisure & corporate Trump International Hotel Waikiki and was director of sales at Hawaii Island Air. Early in her career, she launched the LivingSocial Escapes platform in Hawai'i and worked for Travelocity.com as senior market manager.

Fujikawa currently contributes to the executive boards of Hawai'i Health & Harm Reduction Center, Pacific Asia Travel Association, Hawai'i Chapter, and Autism Society of Hawaii.
Appointment

27 October 2021

Salamander Hotels & Resorts has appointed Robert McGrattan as the new executive chef of Hotel Bennett in Charleson, SC. The North Carolina native returns to the Carolinas with a focus on continuing to elevate the dining experience at Gabrielle, the hotel's signature restaurant.

Hotel Bennett was recently ranked as the top luxury hotel in the country by readers of USA TODAY, while Gabrielle is Charleston's only restaurant to open onto Marion Square and features the city's largest outdoor fine-dining plaza. It can be accessed through the park or via Hotel Bennett.

McGrattan's extensive culinary experience spans a 16-year career at some of the most celebrated kitchens and hotels in the country, including his most recent role as Executive Chef at The Sagamore Pendry Baltimore. During his time at Pendry, he elevated the culinary experience at the hotel's multiple dining venues, including the Rec Pier Chophouse and The Cannon Room. McGrattan previously served as Executive Sous Chef at the legendary Peabody Memphis where the fine dining restaurant Chez Philippe achieved a coveted Forbes Four-Star rating. He also redesigned the kitchen and menu at Capriccio Grill, the hotel's renowned steakhouse.

"I am a firm believer that food transcends everything in life," said McGrattan. "I put my soul into my cooking to enrich the lives of others, and am looking forward to sharing my cuisine and philosophy with Charlestonians, while also recognizing the city's celebrated culinary heritage."

An Asheville, NC, native, McGrattan developed an appreciation for diverse techniques through his culinary arts education at Johnson & Wales in Charlotte. He honed his craft at Hutton Hotel in Nashville, holding sous chef and chef de cuisine positions, and has also received several honors including a James Beard Foundation invitation for menu development. He also had the opportunity to oversee the annual James Beard Foundation dinner.
Press Release

27 October 2021

WASHINGTON - U.S. Travel Association convened top leaders in travel, transportation and technology with policymakers and administration officials for the associations first-ever Future of Travel Mobility summit today.

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Discussions focused on issues central to the coming decade and beyond of transportation and technology innovation that will reshape how people travel, and which will ultimately enhance the traveler experience. Key topics included sustainability, seamless and secure travel, and innovative and emerging technology.

New research by Ipsos released today by U.S. Travel underscored the necessity of accelerating the advancement of new technologies and innovations, as highlighted at the summit. Over the next two to five years, one-in-four (24%) Americans plan to take fewer leisure trips than they did prior to the pandemic, according to Ipsos. Two-in-five (40%) business travelers plan to travel less for business than they did before COVID-19.

The same survey showed that the demand for travel would only increase if Americans had access to more sustainable, seamless, secure, and modern travel options, such as electric vehicles; airlines and fuels that produced fewer carbon emissions; improved Transportation Security Administration screening; and more efficient transportation technologies such as hyperloops or supersonic aircraft.

If travel were to increase by just 5% as a result of more sustainable travel options, it would result in an additional $50 billion in travel spending and $130 billion in economic output annuallysupporting roughly 850,000 additional American jobs.

These conversations are so important because we see that new, innovative transportation solutions are more than a customer preferencethey are a necessity as we look ahead to the future of our industry, said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. This is an opportunity to build a travel industry that is stronger, more modern and more globally competitive than ever before.

Remarks were delivered by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI), U.S. Representative John Katko (R-NY) and Austin Brown, Senior Director for Transportation Emissions, White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy.

They were joined by private-sector leaders including Ed Bastian, CEO, Delta Air Lines; Mark Reuss, President, General Motors Company; Josh Giegel, CEO and Co-founder, Virgin Hyperloop; JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO, Joby Aviation; Todd Davidson, CEO, Travel Oregon; Vik Krishnan, Partner, McKinsey & Company; Kevin McAleenan, former Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; CEO, Pangiam; Denise Naguib, Vice President, Sustainability and Supplier Diversity, Marriott International; Lauren Riley, Managing Director, Global Environmental Affairs and Sustainability, United Airlines; Blake Scholl, Founder and CEO, Boom Supersonic; and Anne Smart, Vice President, Public Policy, ChargePoint.

U.S. Travel is proud to bring so many incredibly relevant industry and government leaders together for this critical discussion across the travel, transportation and technology sectors. It is imperative that we continue to collaborate to drive the necessary policy outcomes and bring new ideas to the forefront to benefit the U.S. economy and travelers alike, said U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes.

The Future of Travel Mobility took place in-person at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC, and via webcast. The event begins a series of conversations that are projected over the next decade to shape the future of travel mobility.

Please click here to see the events full agenda and click here to see a fact sheet on the Ipsos study.
Supplier News

27 October 2021

Markham, Ontario - For hotel and restaurant operator Makeready Experience, creating unique local concepts for travelers and satisfying work environments for employees across their multi-property portfolio is key to brand success. Recently, the company began standardizing the point-of-sale systems at its hotels restaurants with Silverware. Today the Alida Hotel in Savannah, Ga., (Rhett restaurant, Trade Room bar, and Lost Square rooftop), Emeline Hotel in Charleston, S.C., (Clerks Coffee Shop and Frannie and the Fox restaurant), and The Adolphus Hotel in Dallas (Ottos Coffee Shop, The French Room, and Rodeo Bar) are all running on Silverware POS, and soon the Noelle hotel in Nashville and Halcyon hotel in Denver will follow suit.

The Alida  Photo: SilverWare POS Inc.

Rhetts at The Alida  Photo: SilverWare POS Inc.

Silverware has the most flexible technology on the market, said Arthur Sertorio, Makeready Experience Corporate Service Director, Food and Beverage. Our staff was so comfortable with Silverware from the moment it was first introduced at Alida that we decided to deploy it to all hotel restaurants. It provides us with consistent training and troubleshooting, and we can update menus and pricing on the fly without needing to refresh the entire system. If there is anything we need or dont understand, the Silverware support team is standing by to provide a solution."

Not only are guests delighted by their dining experiences at our restaurants, but our employees are happier than ever before, Sertorio said. Theres a lot of excitement each time we introduce Silverware to the next property. Its gives us great peace of mind to know that we have user-friendly tools in place to keep our employees wanting to come to work every day while giving us complete control over menu pricing and more. We are delighted with the relationships we are building with Silverware and the ease with which our associates can do their jobs at a time when they are expected to do more with less.

Silverware is trusted by the most notable brands and large venue operations around the globe. The companys point-of-sale solutions  including fixed and mobile point of sale, contactless guest ordering and payment solutions, CRM loyalty, inventory management, kitchen display systems, and reservations systems  are designed and delivered specifically for organizations that are fanatical about providing exceptional experiences. Silverware solutions drive efficiency and improve the profitability of restaurants by delivering the most innovative solutions on the market.

Makeready Adds In-Seat Ordering at Emeline

All Makeready properties running on Silverware have the capability to support server mobile ordering solutions via iOS, Android, or Windows based tablets, along with guest-facing digital ordering solutions throughout each property to facilitate orders and payments at poolside, the hotel lobby, restaurant, lounge, or in room though a fully integrated ecosystem. The Emeline is actively leveraging Silverwares Avrio 4 server mobile ordering platform, and recently added the companys new Contactless Digital Platform to facilitate room service orders. Hotel guests simply scan a QR code displayed in the room to upload a menu, place orders, and post charged directly to their folios using personal mobile devices. This not only streamlines ordering and delivery, but it enables guests to engage with the hotels though contactless technology. It also lowers labor costs as orders are placed directly into the Silverware POS with no staff interaction.

Silverware POS Improving the Guest and Employee Experience for Dallas-based Makeready Hotel and Restaurant Brands  Photo: SilverWare POS Inc.

Silverware POS Improving the Guest and Employee Experience for Dallas-based Makeready Hotel and Restaurant Brands  Photo: SilverWare POS Inc.

Oftentimes when guests are in the privacy of their rooms, they dont want to have to call room service to place an order, especially if there is a language barrier or there are distractions or noise either in the guestroom or kitchen, Sertorio said. Silverware leverages QR code technology enabling guests to simply scan a QR code at the bedside to provide menu access and enable them to place room service orders instantly without having to speak to anyone. Its a modern approach to making the guest experience more pleasant and streamlined."

The beauty of QR code technology is that it can conveniently be placed anywhere  on table tents, on signage in public spaces, and even in the Welcome Letter from the General Manager, he said. Its this type of simplicity from Silverware with heightened functionality that makes it the perfect POS solution for our hotels and restaurants. Ive worked with a fair number of point-of-sale systems throughout my hospitality career and the quality of service, flexibility of the solution, and accommodating support from Silverware is higher than the norm. We are extremely pleased with Silverware and its ability to follow market trends.

Makeready, a Rockridge investment partner, has an outstanding reputation for operating world-class hotels and restaurants. It is a different kind of hotel operator, one that provides an opportunity for travelers to connect to the world around them, city by city and person by person. Makeready is committed to developing independent experiences that are an essential part of each community, cultivating deep, emotional connections across guests, teams, and local brands to create sustainable value for investors.

Exceptional Technology Partnership

Experience is at the forefront of the Makeready culture, said Lucky Thalas, Silverware Executive Vice President. If you want to deliver frictionless experiences today, you need to think about the guest experience specific to each outlet and simultaneously consider the needs of those using the point-of-sale system  the restaurant service team. A cohesive point-of-sale and guest facing digital strategy is critical to succeed in an industry that has faced (and continues to face) significant challenges."

The Adolphus  Photo: SilverWare POS Inc.

The French Room at The Adolphus  Photo: SilverWare POS Inc.

For Makeready, Experience is more than just part of the brand name, its the foundation of its culture, Thalas said. When we first met with company leaders, they told us they wanted a technology partner that cares as much about the experience as they do. By listening to their needs and addressing their concerns, we have been able to deliver a solution for each location that is second to none  and we are very proud of that. Soon each of their hotels will be redefining hospitality through all-new culinary experiences running on Silverware. By greatly improving the employee and guest experience, Makereadys associates are more eager than ever to focus on upselling and increasing guest spend, improving speed of service, and curating an exceptional dining experience. We are honored to have them as a Silverware customer.
Press Release

27 October 2021

Sandals Resorts International (SRI) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with The University of the West Indies (The UWI) and Florida International University's (FIU) Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management to create the Gordon 'Butch' Stewart International School of Hospitality & Tourism. It will become the first institute of higher learning aimed exclusively at the study of hospitality and tourism in the Caribbean, where the industry is a main economic driver.

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From left to right: Dr. Michael Cheng, Dean, Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, FIU; Dr. Mark B. Rosenberg, President, Florida International University; Mr. Adam Stewart, CD, Executive Chairman, Sandals Resorts International; Prof. Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor, The UWI; and Prof. Dale Webber, Pro Vice-Chancellor & Principal, The UWI (Mona).  Photo: Sandals Resorts International

A cutting-edge, research-led facility, the fully accredited Gordon 'Butch' Stewart International School of Hospitality & Tourism will provide undergraduate and post-grad students from all over the world with an immersive learning and real-life training experience, connecting the academic excellence of The UWI and FIU with meaningful opportunities to apply their studies outside the classroom.

According to Adam Stewart, executive chairman of SRI and son of Sandals Resorts founder, the late Gordon "Butch" Stewart, the new school fulfills a lifelong dream of his father to create opportunity through education and demonstrate the ability of the region to lead the international tourism and hospitality conversation.

"Creating opportunity through education is fundamental to our organization and to the successful future of the Caribbean, as it is to all people seeking a better life for themselves and their families. This conviction, so deeply held by my father, was fostered by experience and in long conversations begun so many years ago with the great Professor, Sir Hilary Beckles [The UWI Vice Chancellor]. This partnership is so deeply meaningful and the work ahead extremely vital. Sandals has proven that what is born of this region can successfully compete against any brand on an international stage. Now, together with powerhouses The UWI and my alma mater FIU - two world-leading academic institutions, we embark upon building the world's premier institute for the study of hospitality and tourism, the Caribbean's economic engine. This is truly, a dream come true."

Set to debut online for the Fall 2022 semester, The Gordon "Butch" Stewart International School of Hospitality of Tourism will be located at the Western Jamaica Campus of The University of the West Indies in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where plans to break ground are underway and completion set for 2023.

"We are proud to partner with Sandals Resorts International and the University of West Indies, two highly respected institutions in the Caribbean and both leaders in the hospitality industry," said Dr. Mark B. Rosenberg, President of the Florida International University. "At FIU, we already welcome international students from the Caribbean from 20 different countries. Offering even more students, the opportunity to study, learn and live in two hospitality destinations learning and working from iconic leading institutions and brands like Sandals, UWI and FIU, is historic. We also need to acknowledge SRI Executive Chairman Adam Stewart BS '03, who has followed in his father's footsteps in business, leadership and generosity. This partnership will create a perfect avenue for students looking to advance their hospitality education in two of the top tourist destinations in the world, resulting in a new generation of hospitality leaders."

Commenting on the landmark collaboration, Vice-Chancellor, The University of the West Indies, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles said, "Tourism is our number one business in the Caribbean and The UWI is its number one university. FIU has been a respected partner to Caribbean people and institutions for decades and, counts many distinguished Jamaicans among its graduates and professors. It follows therefore that the three of us should collaborate to ensure our individual and collective oneness. The Sandals brand and its product are excellent and exquisite. The UWI is honored to work with Adam Stewart, its leader, to celebrate the respected legacy of his father, the brilliant Gordon 'Butch' Stewart. The idea of building up a first-class tourism and hospitality school within The UWI to honor this legend is at once exciting and energizing. The UWI-Sandals-FIU engagement is therefore a powerful and progressive partnership that will serve our region very well in the years ahead."

Stewart shared, "My father believed in learning by experience  'on-the-job training,' as he often put it. As a consummate entrepreneur and a lifelong dreamer, he knew success was born beyond the boardroom, found instead in moments of exploration and discovery. It is this understanding that will inspire the world-class curriculum we're creating that puts students in real-world experiences as part of their development. It's an education my dad would've appreciated very much."
Opinion Article

27 October 2021

Generating interest in a new product or customer offer can be notoriously challenging for us in the hospitality space.

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We operate in an ultra-competitive landscape where multi-million-dollar PR and marketing campaigns scoop headlines for industry giants in one fell-swoop for. Its also famously challenging to drum up genuine interest in commercial product announcements.

Mix in the fallout from the winter UK lockdown, and you get a sense for what I was up against in my new role as Marketing Director at the family-run, independently owned UK hotel brand, Point A Hotels.

The Best Job in the World - Staycation Edition

Wed been waiting for the right moment to launch our A-List Explorer membership scheme for a long time: an exclusive long-stay programme which allows guests up to 21 room-nights a month at any of our UK and Ireland hotels, for 900 a month.

With this membership, guests are given the freedom to really explore the very best that our home-cities have to offer but how could we spread the news in a way that carried genuine media interest, and didnt shy away from the 900 price-tag?

Enter our brand new CEO Chief Exploring Officer.

A tag-line usually reserved for the highest-ranking executive within an organisation, we turned this on its head by bringing in an outsider to represent one of the biggest budget-boutique hotel chains in the UK.

Riffing off Visit Queenslands world-famous Best Job In the World Campaign, our chosen CEO would be paid (a handsome 2,000 fee, plus full expenses) to travel the length and breadth of the UK, curating the ultimate to-do list across the cities that Point A has a presence in.

The CEO was to document every highlight of their trip - from Graffiti Workshops on the streets of West London, to late-night warehouse parties in Glasgows docklands - via our Point A channels to showcase how guests can get the most out of each city with Point A.

But were the board on-board?

First things first, one hurdle I had to overcome was convincing the board and our long-standing real CEO, to embrace the playful nature of the story.

We all know that any CEO is the real embodiment of a companys identity and values. This made finding our summer-time CEO a real challenge. Given the campaign was designed to generate media and public interest, wed absolutely have to find a candidate who reflects Point As ethos and image.

After putting word out on our social channels, and vetting hundreds of applicants, we decided that former-Buzzfeed content specialist, Muinat Abdul, would join us as Chief Exploring Officer. The board, happy with how she radiated Point As brand style - playful, thoughtful, and explorative - gave us the green light to kickstart Muinats trip. She was allowed to bring a guest and opted for her ride or die - Jess - as her Assistant Enjoyment Officer.

One CEO, Three Newspaper Headlines

22 partnership activities, 10 gastronomic feasts, and 1 extra-terrestrial VR extravaganza later, our CEO had completed a three-week romp around London, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

To our delight, the campaign really delivered when it came to earned-media interest.

Three national newspapers in the UK ran in-depth articles on the campaign. The Sun, Metro and The Daily Express all shouted about how you could become a Chief Exploring Officer of your own with our Explorer membership. Site visits shot up off the back of the media coverage, leading to a clearly identifiable spike in bookings.



The quest for content



We had a ball planning the itinerary! Once we got researching about all that was going on, we got really excited and there were too many ideas of what the CEO could get up to. Friends and colleagues all got in on the act, pulling favours, sending us suggestions. It was mind melting coordinating all the travel, tickets and timings and that reminded us to be cautious not to over plan and burn the girls out.

It worked out perfectly. Muinat and Jess had a blast, and we ended up with a deluge of content and feedback. We decided to celebrate the destinations that blew the girls minds in the Point A Loves Local Awards. Content and awards all to be released in November on our social media channels.

Sharing Muinatis adventures will not only help us raise awareness of the Explorer membership, it will also create community links and strengthen partnerships. We are grateful to have a vast range of brilliant destinations in our cities, and to see them all come back to life. They brought the whole campaign to life.

If you can win peoples trust and their energy youre on to a winner

Coming into my new role as Marketing Director, I was eager to shake things up and embrace new challenges. Taking on the risk of the Chief Exploring Officer activity was something truly exciting in the sense that it completely spun the CEO moniker on its head in a really innovative way. It also allowed us to really invest in celebrating the best activities that each Point A city has to offer. Having our CEO capture masterfully curated content allows each and everyone of our guests to have real insight into the activities available in each location.

We all want to start out in new job roles with a bang, and both the initial trust, and subsequent energy, that the entire Point A team sunk into the CEO campaign allowed me to do this

Make sure youre keeping an eye out for more fun and surprises from us in the future.


AI in Hospitality is not some futuristic, Spielberg-esque technology or a nice PR opportunity to make your hotel company look cool, but a real-life, much needed technology that can help your hotel a) solve concrete issues plaguing the hospitality industry such as labor shortages and out-of-control labor costs, b) improve efficiencies and productivity, c) automate pricing and business decision making, and d) respond to the exceedingly high expectations of your exceedingly tech-savvy guests

Some of the temporary measures to tackle the current pressing issues employed by hoteliers include changes in the business model, outsourcing or hiring more gig workers to do the job and streamlining operations. But the only long-term solution is investing in technology that can solve the current labor shortages through AI innovations, automation, mobility, robotization and other next gen technology applications. The goal here is to do more with fewer employees by using technology and reduce the property staffing needs over the next few years by at least half compared to 2019 levels.

Here are the five AI applications that are must-have today:

Chatbots: An AI-powered chatbot on the hotel website like Asksuite or Umni.bg allows the property to cut significantly call volume and engage users in the Planning Phase of their Digital Customer Journey, answer all of their questions and steer them toward making a direct booking. Chatbots provide users with information through text, images, video, audio, etc. and serve as your property's 24/7 virtual customer service department. Edward, the chatbot of Edwardian hotels in London responds in real-time and round-the-clock to inform on hotel services and amenities, make recommendations, handle customer complaints, etc., thus relieving the work load of the front desk.

Guest Communications and Issue Resolution Technology: Guests want to communicate with hotel staff on devices and platforms of their choice. Adopting guest messaging and issue resolution applications like Runtriz, Zingle, Guestware, Beekeeper, etc. via guests' own smartphones or voice assistants in the room like Volara and Intelity not only improve customer satisfaction and staff efficiency, but reduce the need for human customer service.

RMS Technology: An AI-powered Revenue Management System (RMS) with real-time market, travel demand and comp set analytics, website and digital marketing analytics, and online reputation/consumer sentiment data feeds to optimize performance can achieve a near-perfect real-time pricing in response to market dynamics, and significantly enhance GOPAR (Gross Profit per available room). Now is the time to convince management and ownership that only a cloud AI-powered revenue management system (RMS) can help the property maximize revenues and successfully compete in the super complex post-crisis marketplace.

CRM Technology: A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is now needed more than ever to engage, acquire and retain guests and build customer loyalty and boost repeat business, which is 10-15 times cheaper than acquiring new guests or acquiring OTA customers. Using CRM technology like Cendyn CRM Suite, SHR Maverick or Revinate you can boost your property's repeat business and maintain an automated conversation with your guests throughout their customer journey: from useful information like weather during the stay, events and happenings at the property and in the destination, customized upsells and upgrades based on the RFM Value or membership status of the guest, etc. The CRM technology automates the pre-arrival conversations with the guest, provides information and answers to important questions arriving guests might have and relieves staff from having to answer phone calls and emails.

Attribute Based Shopping (ABS): Having an AI-powered ABS application/ personalization engine like PROS can enable your website, CRM and Guest Communications applications to automatically personalize pricing and product offering to the individual customer level and take into consideration dynamic factors such as customer's preferences, user browsing behavior, influencer status, intent to purchase intensity, and of course the more mundane factors like RFM value, loyalty member status, past booking history, feeder market origin and demographics. I believe One-to-One Pricing, powered by AI will be the absolute winner for both travel consumers and hoteliers. Airlines like Lufthansa are already experimenting with personalization engine that delivers highly personalized airfares, add-ones and upsells. ABS is already a departure from the current revenue management one-to-many pricing approach, but one-to-one pricing will take property pricing to an entirely different level.

Food for thought: The recent privacy moves implemented with Apple's iOS 15 update plus the upcoming elimination of the 3rd-party cookies by Google underscores the importance of first-party data, hence the urgent need for any hotel company to utilize an AI-powered Customer Data Platform (CDP). A First-party data is the customer data (past customers & guests, website users, opt-in email subscribers, lists of corporate travel managers, meeting planners, wedding and event planners, SMERF group leaders the property has been doing business with or at least in communications with, etc.) that comes from the PMS, CRS, WBE, CRM program, from the property's website, opt-in email sign-ups, even customer lists sitting on laptops of sales and marketing personnel.

The CDP provides a single source of truth for your guest data and not only creates 360-degree guest profiles, but more importantly augments guest profiles with preferences, social media ambassadorship data, customer engagement data, etc. which allows for highly personalized customer service delivery pre-, during and post-stay, and highly effective one-to-one marketing and guest retention strategies. A CDP can significantly increase customer engagements and boost revenues via look-alike audiences/cohorts marketing while sharply reducing marketing spend, agency fees and payroll.
Kale Me Crazy, a health-focused restaurant in the Heights, might not exist if owner Latosha Rutherford hadnt gotten a loan from JPMorgan Chase.

Rutherford said she faced a huge gap in funding for her dream business, which opened during the summer with help from Chases $30 billion racial-equity initiative.

It just gives you the flexibility to make your dreams come true, Rutherford said of the capital infusion. We didnt have to cut any corners.

Chase, Americas largest bank, aims to help more businesses like Rutherfords by launching a community center at its branch in Fifth Ward, where the bank hopes to help more Black and Hispanic Houstonians open accounts, manage their money, start businesses and buy homes.

Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, visited the center Wednesday and also stopped at Texas Southern University, where he announced a $1 million investment aimed at bolstering the recruitment pipeline Chase is building with historically Black colleges and universities. The funding supports TSUs Future Bankers Leadership Program, which started this fall. Dimon said Chase has partnerships with about 20 HBCUs.

On HoustonChronicle.com: 'Nowhere else to go': Whether Fifth Ward residents want it or not, East River is coming

Kameron Pree, a sophomore studying accounting at TSU and vice president of the program, said during Dimons visit to the campus that he spent the summer working as an intern at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and hopes to work in commercial banking after graduation. The program, he said, is helping him explore his interest in finance.

At Texas Southern University, we're committed to transforming lives, university President Lesia Crumpton-Young said. And what encourages me the most about today is that we have a partner that's also committed to transforming lives and making a difference, and that's JP Morgan Chase.

Dimon told the Chronicle that he and other business leaders  including those involved in the nonprofit Business Roundtable, an association of CEOs from companies such as Walmart, Apple and PayPal  started talking after George Floyd was killed in May 2020 and they agreed: We all gotta do more, acknowledging that public policy continues to fail low-income residents who dont get the education they deserve.

Chase isnt the only bank working on racial equity. Big banks including Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Citizens also have announced wealth equity initiatives since Floyds death.

This country is the greatest country on the planet  Im unabashed about it, Dimon said. That doesn't mean we can't acknowledge  the people we left behind, the things we didn't do exactly right.

Now, Chase is on a mission to address the racial wealth gap in America and the structural racism underpinning it.

The net worth of a typical white family, $171,000 in 2016, according to the Brookings Institution, was almost 10 times greater than that of a Black family, estimated at $17,150. And since the financial crisis of 2007-09, the racial wealth gap has only continued to grow.

Chase launched its racial equity project last year and plans to spend at least $30 billion over five years through loans to low-income residents, educating people about money management, supporting affordable housing and backing minority-owned businesses.

Nationally, Chase says, it has provided more than $6 billion in loans to help preserve more than 60,000 affordable housing and rental housing units. Chase also plans to spend $2 billion on philanthropic targets including grants, low-cost loans and direct equity for those who need it.

The community center in Fifth Ward is one of 10 in the nation so far, the company said.

In Houston, the center will focus on expanding homeownership, said Lawrence Bailey, the banks head of community and business development.

In the majority-minority city, the homeownership rate for African-American households is 29.4 percent; 38.4 percent for Hispanics; 44.4 percent for Asians and 56.3 percent for whites, according to the Kinder Institute.

If you think about what homeownership does in terms of building wealth and stabilizing community, Bailey said, that's an opportunity and that's why we're here.

The Lyons Lockwood bank branch, built in 1993, was renovated to host the new community center. The centers community manager, Kim Evans, called the branch the house that Barbara Jordan built, referring to the first African-American woman to serve in the Texas Senate and who later served six years in the U.S. House. Jordan lobbied to have the branch built.

Still, she said, large swaths of Houston dont have banks.

You go over by Hobby Airport, you can drive for blocks and blocks and blocks and miles and miles and not encounter one bank, not one, she said. And in 2021, you have to ask yourself, how is that still possible that there are disparities like that in communities.

Laura Murillo, president and CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber Commerce, said Chase will have work to do to build trust within the community, recalling how her own family would cut holes in walls to store money because banking intimidated them.

Evans role at the community center is to engage the community at a granular level. She said she spends at least half her time offsite meeting people and getting the word out about free services Chase is offering  its not the bank of the rich as many Black and Hispanic Houstonians believe, she said.

We weren't out there talking about consumer products, checking accounts and you know, business products. We were out there talking about stuff like hey, let us help you with your credit. If you have a problem with it, let us help you build your credit and show you how to do it yourself.

amanda.drane@chron.com

Twitter.com/amandadrane
NASA wants to build a permanent base on the moon, but it doesnt want to spend precious taxpayer dollars hauling cement, steel and two-by-fours 240,000 miles through space.

The Department of Defense, meanwhile, would like to use intercontinental ballistic missiles to deliver emergency supplies anywhere in the world, not just nuclear warheads.

Two San Antonio companies  Astroport Space Technologies Inc. and Knight Aersospace  are showing promise in solving those problems. The U.S. Space Force and Air Force Research Lab recently named them finalists in the Hyperspace Challenge, a business accelerator that funds innovation in the space industry.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Attracting business to relocate to your community is not that hard

The awards help establish Texas as a hub for the new space economy, building on the work by the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Space-X and Blue Origin launch sites in South and West Texas, and the aerospace industry at Port San Antonio, the former Kelly Air Force Base.

Astroport has developed a process that turns moondust into bricks and feedstock for three-dimensional printers capable of building structures. The company has designed an induction furnace and a robot to lay down a landing pad and a rudimentary shelter before astronauts arrive.

The first thing you have to build when you start talking about a permanent location is a landing port because you need to be able to land safely and you need to be able to not destroy other things that are already in place, said Sam Ximenes, founder and CEO of Astroport and its parent company, Exploration Architecture Corp., or XArc, a space architecture and engineering firm.

The furnace heats the moons topsoil, which is like Earths basaltic rock, and uses the carbon to make bricks. But the process also extracts titanium, magnesium, iron and even oxygen for other uses. The metals can go into the 3D printer to create beams, walls and other items.

Ximenes started XArc in 2007 and spun out Astroport in March 2020. Before that, he spent 20 years as a space architect with some of the nations largest government contractors designing, engineering and building systems for human space exploration, including the International Space Station.

He started his design and engineering company to serve the private sectors expansion into space.

Were probably at the equivalent stage to where the Wright brothers were applying in 1928 to figure out airmail, Ximenes said. Were testing out concepts, testing out theories, testing out some of the challenges.  This is going to happen. The technology is there, the price points are there, and there are business models that show that this can work.

Much of the technology has terrestrial applications as well. Reusable, re-launchable rockets provide an opportunity to move cargo anywhere in the world in an hour rather than days.

Astroport is working with Port San Antonio neighbor Knight Aerospace to develop specialized containers so rockets can carry medical supplies or portable hospitals anywhere in the world. Last year, I wrote about Knight Aerospaces mobile surgical centers that fit inside military cargo planes.

Ximenes and Knight Aerospace CEO Bianca Rhodes are exploring whether to adapt existing pallet systems or whether new ones are needed, considering the extreme gravitational forces experienced during launch.

More challenging is how to unload the rocket when it lands, whether at an established spaceport, a small airport or a grassy field near a devastated community.

Our job is to help them understand the ground requirements, the logistics and the support infrastructure that has to go into rocket point-to-point cargo delivery. Its not just about the rocket itself and how you get there in under an hour. You have to be able to understand the support structure that goes into that, Ximenes said.

Astroport and Knight Aerospace are two examples of the cutting-edge, early-stage businesses that Port San Antonio recruits to the former Kelly Air Force Base. But Ximenes and port officials also hope to create new, high-paying, high-technology jobs for San Antonio, which has the lowest per capita income among the nations ten largest cities.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Pentagon's decision to pass over San Antonio for Space Command HQ smells fishy

To help create the workforce his companies will need, Ximenes established the nonprofit WEX Foundation in 2009. It encourages middle-school kids to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics through project-based mentoring at XArc and Astroport.

Im based in San Antonio where traditionally on the south and west and east sides, we have disenfranchised students that are talented but dont have opportunities to get into careers in aerospace, he explained. His foundation intends to give them insight into the future.

While television cameras have focused on Space-Xs and Blue Origins orbital joyrides, other private businesses have recognized the potential for a new and lucrative industry. The more companies in Texas we can foster like Astroport and Knight Aerospace, the brighter the states future.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
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Houston refiner Phillips 66 will acquire all of the publicly held common units it does not already own in Phillips 66 Partners for about $3.4 billion, the companies said Wednesday.

Phillips 66 Partners is a master limited partnership formed by Phillips 66 to own, operate, develop and acquire primarily fee-based crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas liquids pipelines and terminals, and other transportation and midstream assets.
LONDON (AP)  European Union regulators opened an investigation Wednesday into graphics chipmaker Nvidias $40 billion purchase of chip designer Arm over concerns it would limit competition, adding to global scrutiny of the deal.

The European Commission said it's concerned the combined company would have the ability and incentive to restrict access to technology from United Kingdom-based Arm Ltd., whose chip designs power the vast majority of the worlds smartphones.

The commission, which is the EU's top antitrust authority, said it worried the deal would result in higher prices, less choice and reduced innovation in the semiconductor industry.

Nvidia Corp., based in Santa Clara, California, said last year that it was buying Arm from Japanese technology giant Softbank. The deal raised concerns that Arm would abandon its neutral business model of licensing its chip designs to hundreds of tech companies, including many of Nvidias rivals.

Our investigation aims to ensure that companies active in Europe continue having effective access to the technology that is necessary to produce state-of-the-art semiconductor products at competitive prices, said EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who's in charge of competition and digital issues for the bloc.

The commission said Nvidia had offered concessions to address preliminary concerns but that they weren't enough to ease serious doubts" about the deal.

Arm referred requests for comment to Nvidia, which said it's working closely with the commission.

We look forward to the opportunity to address their initial concerns and continue demonstrating that the transaction will help to accelerate Arm and boost competition and innovation, including in the EU," Nvidia said in a statement.

The commission has until March 15 to decide whether to clear the deal. The EU concerns echo those cited by the U.K's competition watchdog, which opened its own investigation earlier this year.

Nvidia has pledged to maintain Arms open licensing model and customer neutrality, keep Arms headquarters in Cambridge, England, and expand its British staff. Nvidia previously said the purchase would not be completed until early 2022 because of expected scrutiny, including from regulators in the U.S. and China.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday defended a memo aimed at combating threats against school officials nationwide while Republicans insisted he rescind the directive. He signaled he had no plans to do so despite their criticism.

The memo took center stage as Garland appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee  his second congressional appearance in a week  and said it was meant to respond to violence and threats of violence directed against local school board officials.

The memo came out Oct. 4, less than a week after the National School Board Association wrote the Biden administration about the threats to school officials and asked for help. Some school board meetings have devolved into shouting contests over issues such as how racial issues are taught, masks in schools, and COVID-19 vaccines and testing requirements.

Republicans say Garland went too far in instructing Justice Department divisions to coordinate with local law enforcement. In his memo Garland said there had 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.

An accompanying news release mentioned the FBI, the departments criminal division, national security division, civil rights division and other parts.

The obligation of the Justice Department is to protect the American people against violence and threats of violence and that particularly includes public officials, Garland said.

Republicans on the Senate committee also seized on a memo from Leif Johnson, the acting U.S. attorney in Montana, to the state attorney general, county attorneys, sheriffs and school officials in the state. The memo spells out federal crimes that could be used in prosecutions for violence, harassment or intimidation of school board officials.

The Montana memo, obtained by The Associated Press, cites about a dozen federal statues from conspiracy to deprive someone of civil rights to stalking and anonymous telephone harassment. It instructs the recipients to contact the FBI if you believe that a person has violated one of these statutes.

Garland told senators he was never sent the U.S. attorney's memo and did not know specifics about it. A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office in Montana did not immediately respond to questions about whether Johnson had consulted senior Justice Department officials before issuing the memo.

Ive never seen that memo, Garland said. No one has sent me that memo, so I havent seen it.

The National School Board Association has since said we regret and apologize for its letter, which asked for federal assistance to combat harassment and violence against school officials and said some of the acts could be domestic terrorism.

The original letter asked for the federal government to investigate cases where threats or violence could be handled as violations of federal laws protecting civil rights. The association asked for the Justice Department, FBI, Homeland Security and Secret Service to help monitor threat levels and assess risks to students, educators, board members and school buildings.

The letter documented more than 20 instances of threats, harassment, disruption, and acts of intimidation in California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Ohio and other states. It cited the September arrest of an Illinois man for aggravated battery and disorderly conduct for allegedly striking a school official at a meeting. In Michigan, a meeting was disrupted when a man performed a Nazi salute to protest masking.

Garland has said parents have the right to express their concerns to school boards but his primary concern is if that devolves into violence or when threats emerge. During questioning Wednesday, Garland said that making a Nazi salute would be protected under the First Amendment. He also acknowledged that he did not have an accounting of the number of incidents.

At least two Republican senators  Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Josh Hawley of Missouri  called for Garland to resign over his handling of the memo.

This is shameful, Cotton exclaimed. You should resign in disgrace.
LEXINGTON, N.C. (AP)  Two parents have been arrested in a child abuse case in which a 6-week-old was diagnosed with life-threatening injuries, a North Carolina sheriff's office said Tuesday.

The Davidson County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that deputies received a report on Saturday that an infant was brought to a local hospital. Detectives determined that the child sustained the injuries during the past week while in the care of its parents, the news release said.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  Former U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, a Utah Republican, abruptly quit the state's independent redistricting commission after criticizing it for favoring urban areas.

Bishop said Monday that the commission's congressional map proposals favored Democrats. The commission will present its map proposals to the Legislature's redistricting committee on Nov. 1.

This is a metro-centric group, Bishop said during the meeting. When five of the seven are from the Wasatch Front... the majority are from Salt Lake County, we see things in a different way.

House Speaker Brad Wilson, who appointed Bishop to the panel, said he shared Bishop's frustrations with the commission and that he does not plan to appoint a replacement.

His decision to step down at this point in the process is further evidence that the duly elected representatives of the people are best suited to redraw district boundaries, as the courts have repeatedly affirmed, Wilson said in a statement.

Better Boundaries, the group behind the 2018 ballot initiative that created the independent commission, said they were disappointed by Bishop's resignation.

Moving forward, we are encouraged by the work of the remaining six commissioners to suggest objective and qualified maps to the state legislative redistricting committee through this fair and transparent process," said Better Boundaries Executive Director Katie Wright.
CAIRO (AP)  The general leading Sudans coup has vowed to usher the country to an elected government. But Abdel-Fattah Burhan has powerful allies, including Gulf nations and a feared Sudanese paramilitary commander, and he appears intent on keeping the military firmly in control.

Burhan first gained prominence in 2019, when he and other top generals toppled Omar al-Bashir, under pressure from mass demonstrations against the autocrats 30-year rule.

He remained in charge for several months, until international pressure forced the military to reach a power-sharing deal with the protesters. That established a joint civilian-military Sovereign Council headed by Burhan that was supposed to rule Sudan until elections, set for 2023.

Burhan's record was relatively clean and he was not indicted by The International Criminal Court like al-Bashir and others for crimes against humanity during the Darfur conflict of the early 2000s. He was a rare non-Islamist among the top generals during al-Bashirs military-Islamist regime. That helped Sudan emerge from the international pariah status it had under al-Bashir.

On Monday, Burhan swept away the vestiges of civilian government. He dissolved the Sovereign Council and the transitional government, detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and other officials, and declared a state of emergency. Hamdok was released Tuesday, but others remain in custody.

The takeover came just weeks before Burhan, 61, was scheduled to be replaced by a civilian as head of the council. He has promised that the military will hand over power once a government is elected in July 2023.

Civilian control would not only undermine the military's political power, but also threaten its extensive financial resources and could lead to prosecutions for rights violations in the past 30 years.

Burhan has been backed in recent years by Egypt, led by a general-turned-president, and Gulf countries, particularly the United Arab Emirates. He trained in Egypts military college and has made multiple visits since 2019 to the Emirates de-facto ruler, Abu Dhabi crown prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In a sign of the decisive behind-the-scenes role of Gulf countries, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with the foreign minister of regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia about Sudan on Tuesday. A State Department statement said both men condemned the military takeover.

On Monday, Egypt and some of the Gulf countries had avoided criticizing the coup, calling instead for calm and dialogue.

Theres a general preference for a strong military leader who is very transactional. That fits Gulf interests more than a democratic government, said Cameron Hudson, a former U.S. State Department official and Sudan expert at the Atlantic Councils Africa Center.

Theyre fearful of what an Arab Spring success story looks like, he said, referring to the uprisings in 2011 that helped inspire the Sudanese protests.

Also standing behind Burhan is another general, one who is more feared: Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, commander of the Rapid Support Forces  a paramilitary unit that grew out of the al-Bashir-backed Janjaweed militias notorious for atrocities and rapes during the Darfur conflict.

RSF fighters were prominent in Mondays coup, taking part in arresting Hamdok and other senior officials and clamping down in the streets. The force is virtually a de facto parallel army of tens of thousands of battle-tested fighters, said Suliman Baldo, senior adviser at The Sentry, an investigative and policy group focusing on war crimes in Africa.

Burhan has a long connection with Dagalo, who is also known as Hemedti. Burhan was a commander in Darfur, where the military and RSF waged a brutal campaign to crush an insurgency, Baldo said. As many as 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were displaced in a campaign of mass rape and abuse.

He distanced himself from the atrocities, once telling the BBC, I am not responsible for any bad actions in Darfur... As far as Im concerned, I was fighting an enemy just as all regular forces do.

In 2015, Burhan and Dagalo coordinated the deployment of Sudanese troops and RSF fighters to Yemen to fight with the Saudi-led coalition against Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels. Their forces received hefty payments from the Saudis and Emiratis, building those countries connections to the two commanders.

In the uprising against al-Bashir, Burhan and Dagalo refused orders to violently disperse the protesters and even met with them at their sit-in camp. Behind the scenes, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates encouraged them to push out al-Bashir.

But protests continued after al-Bashirs fall, with demands for the military to give up. On June 2, 2019, security forces and RSF fighters attacked the protesters. More than 100 people were killed, and soldiers raped dozens of women. Prosecutors blamed paramilitary forces, but the bloodshed stained Burhan and Dagalo in the eyes of protesters.

Burhan was responsible because he was the leader, its that simple, said Osman Mirgany, a Khartoum-based columnist and editor of the daily al-Tayar. He promised not to touch the sit-in and then a massacre occurred. From that point on, people realized he would never keep his promises.

For the militarys opponents, that skepticism hangs over Burhans promises of civilian rule. Baldo, of the Sentry group, said the general and Dagalo are both intent on remaining free from civilian oversight.

Moreover, he said, they are concerned about being held accountable for atrocity crimes committed under their command  in Darfur and in the 2019 sit-in killings and rapes.

-

Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai contributed.
Charges have been filed against the mother of three children rescued from a west Harris County apartment, where authorities also found the long-dead body of a fourth child inside a bedroom closet.

Gloria Williams, 35 was arrested Tuesday afternoon on charges of injury to a child by omission and tampering with evidence, in this case a human corpse. Her boyfriend, Brian Coulter, has been charged with murder in the death of the child found in the apartment.

UPDATE: Abandoned kids witnessed brother's death, watched body decompose for over a year

Police identified the child as Kendrick Lee. He was 8 at the time of his death -- now ruled homicidal violence with multiple blunt force injuries -- in 2020, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.

Police believe Coulter hit and kicked Kendrick last November. Additional details surrounding the death were not available.

The discovery on Sunday dominated local and national headlines in the days to follow and prompted authorities to wonder how long the children were left alone and why neighbors at the CityParc II at West Oaks Apartments complex never called law enforcement.

The Harris County Sheriffs Office never received a report of foul odors or other suspicious activity from the unit at 3530 Green Crest Drive, spokesman Senior Deputy Thomas Gilliland said.

Investigators who went inside the third-floor apartment described a disturbing scene. The unit had no power and the childs remains were in a bedroom. The eldest child also told authorities his parents hadn't lived with them for several months.

A woman, Linda Smith, learned, along with the rest of Houston, that authorities rescued the three children. She had no idea until Tuesday that her 7-year-old grandson was among them.

Her voice hushed with worry as she asked about another child named Kendrick. His name was not among the three now in Child Protective Services custody.

Smith last saw the children in 2016 when she forced Williams out of her south Houston home after a dispute. The mother took the boys with her.

I feel like I failed them, Smith said.

She saw the occasional photo of them on Facebook. Williams messaged her in September about a sick relative and appeared then to be overwhelmed, Smith continued. She assumes the kids were a handful.

She could have brought them to my house  she knows I would have taken them in, she said.

The children, ages 7, 10 and 15, relied on the kindness of neighbors for food. The three boys were malnourished when the eldest called 911 to report his siblings death, which he said happened about a year earlier.

Authorities attributed the manner of death to homicide.

Three of the children were enrolled in Alief ISD until May 2020, as the pandemic continued spreading.

District officials in 2019 started a truancy investigation into the mother for the youngest childs lack of attendance at Holmquist Elementary School. The case was dismissed as school came to an end, with prosecutors citing COVID-19 as the reason. At one point, the mother started cooperating with the truancy case, officials said.

Prosecutors dismissed thousands of truancy cases early in the pandemic at the request of Houston-area school districts, officials said. Holding over the cases for the following year was not an option, according to records obtained by the Chronicle.

Craig Eichhorn, spokesman for Alief ISD, said the children did not return for the following school year. School personnel attempted an unsuccessful home visit in September 2020 in an effort to return the kids to classes.

The family did have a history with CPS, but no active investigation was underway when the children were discovered Sunday, said Melissa Lanford, media specialist with Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Child safety advocates warn that abuse during the pandemic likely increased and became more difficult to spot. Prior recessions have contributed to increases, studies show.

Sophie Phillips, chief executive officer of TexProtects, a nonprofit that aims to help children who suffer from abuse and neglect, said the fact that CPS had been involved with the children previously indicates that the agency was aware that the family needed access to resources.

Even if the claims were not substantiated, that still means that the level of risk is there and needs to be addressed, she said.

Its the ultimate tragedy, Phillips said. The number one predictive measure for risk of a fatality are prior reports of abuse and neglect on a family.

Reports of child abuse and neglect dropped during the start of the pandemic, CPS data shows. During April 2020, there were 8,000 fewer calls to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services than there were in April 2019. Online reporting, a tool primarily used by teachers, was down 56 percent compared with the same month the previous year.

Teachers and other social service professionals usually account for 20 to 25 percent of child abuse reports to the state.

With in-person classes canceled for most districts in the state during the early days of COVID, many cases likely went unreported, Phillips said.

School personnel are often the number one reporter of child abuse, said Phillips. Without eyes on those kids, we miss catching potentially harmful situations.

Behavioral health issues, substance abuse and domestic violence, which have all increased during the pandemic, are known to have a correlation with increased rates of child neglect and maltreatment, she added.

Alejandro Serrano contributed to this report.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
For nearly a year, the three siblings watched their brothers body decompose.

Police on Sunday found the skeletal remains of 8-year-old Kendrick Lee under a blanket in a bedroom. His mother, Gloria Williams, 35, found him under the blanket in November 2020 after her boyfriend beat the child to death, according to court records.

The boyfriend, Brian Coulter, 31, said he lost his temper and punched the child. Punches turned to kicks, court records continued.

Harris County Sheriff's Office

Two of the boys witnessed the brutal assault. Kendrick eventually stopped moving. The man continued to kick him, according to police.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Abandoned kids lived for weeks with no power, relied on neighbor for food

The three surviving children, ages 7, 10 and 15, were rescued Sunday from a third-floor apartment unit in west Harris County after the eldest child called police to report the death. Deputies found the children malnourished and living in deplorable conditions with their brother's skeleton after their mother and her boyfriend abandoned them alone in the apartment to fend for themselves, authorities said.

More details of the case emerged on Wednesday at a news conference during which Sheriff Ed Gonzalez described the situation as the most disturbing scene veteran homicide investigators had responded to in their careers.

It seemed too horrible to be real, Gonzalez said.

The kids were living in unspeakable conditions and were forbidden from leaving the apartment by their abusers, he said. They were possibly locked in different parts of the apartment. The carpet was soiled and there was no furniture, bedding or blankets. Roaches and flies crawled around the empty space.

Two of the children may be on the autism spectrum, officials said. When deputies arrived, the kids were hungry and asked for doughnuts.

The eldest brother was afraid to reach out for help because he had been abused and traumatized, officials said. The boy was relying on his mother to contact authorities after discovering his brothers body in a bedroom last Thanksgiving, but she never did.

Williams said she did not report the abuse or death because Coulter told her not to, authorities said. She also feared that Child Protective Services would take her children away and she would go to jail  which ultimately happened. The state agency this week took custody of her children.

Williams and her boyfriend moved out of the apartment in March, leaving the children to fend for themselves  all while Kendricks body continued to decompose. Williams had food like noodles, chips and soft drinks delivered to the apartment on a fairly routine basis, officials said on Wednesday.

One of the investigators, Dennis Wolfford, presumes the couple left the apartment in an attempt to distance themselves from the child's body.

"They knew the entire time there was a dead body in the apartment," Wolfford said.

In the couple's absence, neighbors at the CityParc II at West Oaks Apartments complex started providing the children food and a chance to charge a phone. The apartment at 3530 Green Crest Drive did not have power when deputies went inside.

The boyfriend returned to the apartment in the weeks before their rescue and punched one of the children, records continued.

Police found injuries to the boys jaw which required surgery. The boy had not received medical treatment or pain medication.

One child said his brothers remains eventually turned into a skeleton. And the youngest child later checked on the body and saw him covered in cockroaches.

The gruesome details were outlined in court records as authorities handled cases for both defendants in probable cause court. A magistrate ordered that Coulter be held on a $1 million bail, while Williams was held on a combined $900,000 bail on the charges.

The mother and boyfriend were arrested Tuesday afternoon with Williams facing charges of injury to a child by omission, injury to a child causing serious bodily injury and tampering with evidence, in this case a human corpse.

Coulter has been charged with murder in Kendricks death.

One boy told police that Coulter often drank alcohol. The eldest brother revealed that Coulter would often hit the brothers and lock them in a bedroom. He told his mother of the abuse and she said she would speak with Coulter.

The boy expressed doubt that anything would change.

Linda Smith, the youngest boys grandmother, said Williams and the children stayed with her in south Houston until 2016. She helped care for Kendrick.

She learned Tuesday that Kendrick was not among those rescued from the apartment.

He was a sweet boy, Smith said. He did his best  like any other child.

Her attention turned to another child  a teenage girl who is also Williams child. Where is she, Smith wondered.

The sheriff said Williams had six children. The other two children are in another location, said Gonzalez.

Of the four children found in the west Harris County apartment, there are two biological fathers, said Gonzalez. One is presumed to be dead and the other is not involved in the family, the sheriff said.

Coulter and Williams appeared to have active social media accounts.

An Instagram account appearing to belong to Coulter includes posts which show the man bragging about owning a lot of jewelry and having money. The man purports to be a music producer with a company called F.O.E. productions, which he says stands for Family Over Everything.

Social media appearing to belong to Williams shows jewelry she says she received as a Valentines Day gift from Coulter in February. The mother also shared pictures of two of her sons on Facebook as recently as June.

As authorities continue their investigation, they have also wondered why neighbors at the complex never called law enforcement. The Harris County Sheriffs Office never received a report of foul odors or other suspicious activity from the unit, the agency has said.

City Parc II at West Oaks Apartments is a Highmark Residential community, according to the companys website. The property management company owns more than 200 properties in a dozen states, including more than a dozen in the Houston area.

Were not interested at this time in any statement, an employee said Wednesday when she answered the phone at the companys Dallas corporate office, declining to answer any further questions.

An employee who answered the phone at the apartment complex hung up on a reporter.

The children found in the apartment are now in CPS care, making them wards of the state. But there are other obstacles on the horizon. If placed in foster care, they would remain the states responsibility unless someone adopts them.

Texas has a grim record of caring for the thousands of children in its custody, as evidenced by a civil rights challenge brought on behalf all long term foster children. The suit alleged that the governor, the commissioner of Family and Protective Services and the head of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission had been deliberately indifferent to the safety of children in their care.

In 2015, Janis Graham Jack, a federal judge in Corpus Christi, ruled these 12,000 young wards had a constitutional right to be free from the unreasonable risk of harm caused by the state. Jack placed the foster care system under an indefinite federal conservatorship. Texas appealed this ruling seven times, but it finally stuck in 2020 and federal monitors now oversee compliance and make reports to the judge.

The rights of Williams children, however, would not fall under federal review, because they havent been in CPS custody, said Paul Yetter, one of a team of private and public interest lawyers who represented the foster children during 10 years of civil litigation.

This tragedy falls outside of the court monitors scope of investigation because it does not involve foster children who were in the states conservatorship, Yetter said.

Hannah Dellinger, Alejandro Serrano and Gabrielle Banks contributed to this report.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
City Council on Wednesday temporarily shelved the city attorneys plan to hire outside lawyers to look into allegations the mayor tried to steer affordable housing dollars to a certain developer.

The council voted 10-5 Wednesday to refer the proposed contract with Austin-based Butler Snow LLP item back to the administration, a procedural move that delays a vote.

The original plan was to delay the vote indefinitely. Mayor Sylvester Turner said during the beginning of the debate: As far as the city is concerned, this will be the end of this matter.

The mayor and some council members later agreed to table it for 30 days instead.

Last month, Turner asked City Attorney Arturo Michel to look into former housing director Tom McCaslands allegations that the mayor tried to steer $15 million in Hurricane Harvey affordable housing funds to a developer for a senior development in Clear Lake, called Huntington at Bay Area, over four higher-scoring proposals.

The mayor promised he would not interfere with Michels inquiry. Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin made the motion to delay the vote, and Turner voted to support it. Martin later voted against his own proposal after it was amended to a 30-day delay instead of an indefinite delay that typically kills an agenda item.

Vote tally on delaying contract for 30 days For: Mayor Sylvester Turner, Abbie Kamin, Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, Tiffany Thomas, Karla Cisneros, Robert Gallegos, Martha Castex-Tatum, David Robinson, Letitia Plummer, Sallie Alcorn Against: Amy Peck, Dave Martin, Greg Travis, Edward Pollard, Michael Kubosh Absent: Mike Knox, Tarsha Jackson See More Collapse

Martin said he is confident there is no illegality in the matter, rendering an investigation unnecessary. The internal investigation was not limited to illegalities, though. Turner had asked Michel to review the allegations for any illegalities, fraud, conflicts of interests, violations of procedures, practices, and policies.

Turner suggested Wednesday the internal investigation no longer was necessary because he withdrew the deal before it reached council or the state General Land Office, which administers the funds, for approval.

I brought (the investigation) forth as a way to clear the air, but what is very, very clear, that has gotten lost by certain members of the media: I havent given you anything to vote on. I havent given anything to you all to consider, Turner said.

After the meeting, Michel told the Chronicle he agrees with that rationale.

The need for public confidence is kind of dissipated if the project is not going forward, Michel said. If theres no project, theres nothing for the public to have a lack of confidence in.

Only one council member, Tiffany Thomas, argued in favor hiring the attorneys for the investigation. She said doing so would put to bed accusations of malfeasance, although ultimately she supported the delay.

If you refer this back, were going to constantly have this conversation about what we didnt do, were hiding something, were not being open and truthful, Thomas said. Lets put this to bed.

At-Large Councilmember Michael Kubosh asked why the mayor did not pull the item from the agenda if he did not want it to go through.

If I pull it, then people saying Im the one whos pulling it, Turner said. Its a no-win.

District G Councilmember Greg Travis argued the city needs to uncover the truth in the situation, but he has expressed concern that an internal investigation  even with outside attorneys  would not be independent. He proposed an amendment adopting a resolution to request the Texas Rangers investigate the allegations; council ultimately did not vote on that proposal, adopting the 30-day delay instead.

The allegations that were made at the committee were incredible, Travis said of McCaslands assertions. If theyre true, we need to get to the bottom of it.

Travis said he met Monday with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton about the matter earlier this week, and Paxton asked to receive documents about the allegations. He said he hopes Paxton launches an investigation. Kubosh has said he spoke to Paxton, as well, and the attorney general said he cannot intervene unless the Harris County district attorney, who has an investigation related to the allegations, requests his assistance.

Turner emphasized he has never presented anything for the council to vote on for the Huntington deal. The city put out a press release announcing Huntington would get the funds, but a request for the money did not go before council for approval before Turner withdrew his recommendation to help fund the development.

You can try your best to pull something out of the air, but nothing is going to come out of the air, Turner told Travis. All of the allegations, theyre good for media consumption but you havent been given any document from this administration to vote on.

The mayor added later: Enough of this foolishness. I think Ive been very patient. He clarified later he was talking about the allegations, not the council discussion.

In proposing to fund Huntington, Turner rebuffed staff recommendations to use $16.2 million to fund four other developments with 362 affordable units. The Huntington proposal included 88 affordable units.

A co-developer on the Huntington deal was Barry Barnes, the mayors former longtime law partner. Both McCasland and Turner said they did not know about Barnes participation.

Turner has denied wrongdoing and later dropped his proposal to fund the Huntington deal, calling it a distraction.

The result leaves the inquiry into allegations to two outside organizations already investigating aspects of it. Several council members argued it was not worth spending money on the citys own investigation until those inquiries wrapped up.

The Texas General Land Office is reviewing past allocations to ensure the city followed the proper competitive process to award funds. That review does not include the Huntington deal because the development did not receive any funding.

The district attorneys office also is investigating, but the precise scope of that inquiry is not known publicly.

Thomas encouraged her colleagues to reconsider a delay. She pointed out the GLOs probe was limited to two earlier rounds of funding. The Huntington deal was in the third and most recent round. She supported hiring the attorneys.

This firm is focusing on three, it fills the gap. And it really puts to bed any other conversation, Thomas said.

Vice Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex-Tatum responded, asking what the outside attorneys would investigate if there was no funding for the Huntington deal. She said McCaslands allegations, and the dense packet of materials he provided to council members, did not give her cause for alarm.

If we already have the GLO looking at (funding rounds) one and two, and we have the DA doing an independent investigation, Im not in favor of spending additional dollars to have an attorney look at no paperwork, she said.

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
A year and a half into the COVID-19 pandemic, local low-wage frontline workers are asking Harris County Commissioners Court to create an essential workers' board.

The board would communicate the unique needs and experiences of essential workers in an official capacity to Harris County Commissioners and help craft policy recommendations.

Essential workers have been disproportionately at risk of disease during the pandemic and are in industries that rely heavily on the labor of immigrants and people of color, according to UT Health and the Center for Migration Studies.

Workers dont have a voice in the process of making decisions to keep workers and their families safe, said Mirna Blanco, a longtime janitor, in Spanish.

Seven workers rights groups are advocating for the creation of the board. They represent custodians, airport staff, construction and domestic workers and others on the frontlines of the pandemic.

Laura Perez-Boston, organizing director for advocacy group Workers Defense Project, said during the pandemic, she heard terrible stories from her members, who mostly work in the construction industry. During one incident workers had to use porta potties that were not regularly cleaned.

Forget hand sanitizer, they don't even have soap and water or sanitary conditions, she said.

Perez-Boston said while local officials may be hearing regularly from CEOs and industry leaders, they may not have as much direct contact with workers experiences and struggles.

She said in the construction industry, for example, the common practice of hiring subcontractors to build homes and commercial properties means executives in these fields may be blind to the specific conditions on the job site.

I think the point is that the expertise and daily experience of workers is what should inform policy decisions rather than someone at the top of an employment chain that might know the industry but not know the day-to-day details of what it looks like, said Perez-Boston.

The board would also raise the voices of immigrant workers, who have specific needs that can be overshadowed or under reported, according to Elsa Caballero, Texas director of the Service Employees International Union.

Workers at risk: COVID-19 plagues Houston's Hispanic communities

Within the immigrant community, a lot of times (they) don't even know how to ask for the support or are fearful of asking for the support or to go to the doctor or to go get tested, because many of them are still living in the shadows, worried about their immigration status, she said.

Caballero also said if created, Harris County would be the first county in the state to create a board specifically for essential workers.

In a written statement, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo supported the idea.

Exploring the establishment of an Essential Workers Board is an important priority and the least we can do for workers after what theyve endured for the past two years, said Hidalgo.

Commissioner Rodney Ellis also expressed interest.

The creation of a workers' board has yet to be added to the courts agenda.

elizabeth.trovall@chron.com
For three years, Harris County Commissioners Court members have bickered, haggled and negotiated over the $2.5 billion flood bond program voters passed after Hurricane Harvey.

Throughout all the discord over how projects should be prioritized and the order in which they should start, the group has stuck to one promise: All projects on the original list presented to voters would be completed, one way or another.

That guarantee may no longer be true, court members conceded Tuesday after Democratic Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia proposed taking funding for seven planned projects in the Cedar Bayou watershed and reallocating it elsewhere.

While Garcia postponed seeking approval of the idea after County Judge Lina Hidalgo warned it effectively would kill the Cedar Bayou projects, the Democratic majority on the court said the county should consider re-vetting planned projects to see if better alternatives are available.

Court members are in a conundrum. The list contains about $5 billion worth of flood protection projects. The bond, however, provides only half that sum. The county planned for the rest to be covered through matching federal dollars that have failed to materialize, largely due to a distribution formula used by the state General Land Office that discriminated against populous areas.

We only have $2.5 billion, so decisions have to be made, Garcia said.

Through June, however, the county had received $1.2 billion in matching federal funds and diverted an additional $230 million in toll road revenue for the program, bringing the total available to $4 billion. The county budget office estimates the roughly decade-long program, currently 16 percent complete, is fully funded for the next five years.

Nonetheless, while no projects have been delayed or canceled to date, that day could soon arrive. Garcias proposal would shift $191 million planned for detention basins and channel improvements along Cedar Bayou, in northeast Harris County, to 17 projects in the Carpenters, Vince, Jackson, Greens, Armand, San Jacinto and Galveston Bay watersheds.

His proposal would shift $191 million planned for detention basins and channel improvements along Cedar Bayou, in northeast Harris County, to 17 projects in the Carpenters, Vince, Jackson, Greens, Armand, and San Jacinto and Galveston Bay watersheds.

Garcia argued the new projects would be a wiser investment because they would protect 3,600 homes instead of just 400 in the Cedar Bayou watershed. He said they score higher on the Harris County Flood Control Districts prioritization framework for projects  which consider flood risk as well as socioeconomic factors of residents who would benefit  and would be completed more quickly.

I cannot rationalize that well spend a significant amount of money largely where people dont live, Garcia said. I want to help people where they live.

Garcia noted that the prioritization framework, which he voted for, does not consider neighborhoods street drainage capacities or whether they contain homes that have flooded outside mapped flood plains.

A Houston Chronicle investigation found almost 3-in-4 homes swamped by Harvey were outside the 100-year floodplain.

Alan Black, the flood control districts interim leader, said other projects on the original bond program list could be good candidates for reallocation.

The language of the bond order voters approved does not require Commissioners Court to complete any specific project, but Republican Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle warned his colleagues that reneging on the promise to complete all planned projects would set a dangerous precedent.

Not only would residents feel they had been lied to, he said, they would be less likely to support future bond proposals that all five court members agree are necessary to fund adequate flood protection.

The public is counting on us to fulfill our promises and our commitments, Cagle said. If the public feels we cracked this bond and we go out to them and say, Trust us, we wont crack the next one, I think were going to be lacking the credibility we need.

The county held public meetings in each of the 23 watersheds throughout the summer of 2018, soliciting input from residents that informed which projects made the list.

Cynthia Neely, a board member with Residents Against Flooding, predicted residents would be upset to learn Commissioners Court was mulling changes to the bond program.

Promises dont mean anything, do they? she said. We went to the polls, we went to the town halls, everybody spent a lot of time and energy to be part of this plan now theyre saying, Oops, maybe were going to change our mind?

Democratic Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said he supported Garcias plan to shift the Cedar Bayou funds. He said refusing to consider revising other projects in other watersheds, given the current funding deficit, is merely delaying the inevitable.

At some point all of us are going to figure out how to roll up our sleeves and get some guts, some backbone, and either tell people were not going to do it, as respectfully and politely as we can, or were going to have to come up with more money, Ellis said.

zach.despart@chron.com
Nearly seven in 10 Texans believe that the states new abortion law is overly restrictive, though a majority of residents still support it, according to a survey by University of Houston and Texas Southern University researchers.

The poll, conducted Oct. 4 to Oct. 21 and released Tuesday, found that 55 percent of Texans support Senate Bill 8, the state law that bans almost all abortion procedures after roughly six weeks of pregnancy  including for victims of rape and incest.

Most opposition to the law came from the 46 percent of Texans who said abortion should be legal in all or most cases after six weeks. Another 23 percent said the procedure should be allowed only in cases of rape, incest or when a pregnancy poses a risk to the mothers life  three-quarters of that group, however, said they support the law, even though it allows exceptions only when the mothers life is in danger.

The results provide one of the first detailed glimpses of Texans attitudes toward the new abortion law, which has captured national headlines and bitterly divided supporters and opponents since it took effect Sept. 1. Under legal challenges from the Biden administration and abortion providers, the law has moved swiftly through the courts and is set to go before the U.S. Supreme Court next week.

Among the states three largest racial and ethnic groups, Latino Texans expressed the strongest approval for the abortion law, with 58 percent supporting it, compared to 55 and 47 percent of white and Black residents, respectively.

Otherwise, the law was supported by 59 percent of men, 52 percent of women, 74 percent of Republicans and 38 percent of Democrats. Mirroring the statewide total, 55 percent of independents said they approve of the law.

While Democrats have said the anti-abortion law is unpopular and predicted that it will help fuel gains for their party during the 2022 midterm elections, the survey results signal a different reality, said Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University and one of the researchers for the poll.

What were seeing is that its probably not as damaging an issue for Republicans as its sometimes portrayed, Jones said. Theres a group of Texans that wants to see an exception for rape and incest, but if they cant get that, they still are going to support the legislation.

The results also showed that voters attitudes toward the abortion law are not as monolithic as those of their political partys lawmakers, Jones said. While Senate Bill 8 passed during the spring without any Republican opposition  and support from just two Democratic legislators  the poll found that about one-quarter of Republicans in Texas oppose the bill and nearly two-fifths of Democrats around the state support it.

The law is slated to go before the Supreme Court two months after the justices decided not to block it. At the time, the high court also declined to weigh in on whether Senate Bill 8 complies with the Constitution  or court precedents that bar states from banning abortion before the point a fetus can survive outside the womb, about 22 to 24 weeks.

Since then, the law has virtually eliminated abortion in Texas after six weeks of pregnancy, the Biden administration said in a recent court filing. Abortion patients have inundated clinics in neighboring states, driving hundreds of miles to access the procedure, while others are being forced to carry their pregnancies to term, providers have said.

Next week, the court will consider the laws novel enforcement mechanism, which empowers private citizens rather than state officials to sue those who help a pregnant patient access an abortion after fetal cardiac activity is detected.

The law was crafted to insulate state officials, who are typically tasked with enforcing similar types of laws and named as defendants in legal challenges. The UH/TSU poll  conducted by UHs Hobby School of Public Affairs and TSUs Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs  did not ask questions about how the law is enforced.

On Oct. 22, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, setting oral arguments for Nov. 1.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
A young woman who aborted twins in July arrived at the Houston Pregnancy Help Center in September, pregnant again with twins.

Senate Bill 8 became law that month, but the 22-year-old wasnt six weeks along, the marker when physicians can usually expect to detect a heartbeat. The window for getting an abortion would close for her soon - and the new law made her think about her options and act in quick succession, said Sylvia Matthews, executive director of the center.

In the end, the woman chose to continue her pregnancy. It was the outcome that staff members at the Midtown location always hope for, with or without the laws influence - yet it was one that Matthews knows is difficult for a woman to arrive at confidently over the course of a few days or weeks.

Several directors at pregnancy resource centers who spoke to the Chronicle said they are witnessing that dynamic daily, with the law placing heightened pressure on women in the first few weeks of unplanned pregnancies. Immediately after the so-called heartbeat bill was implemented, more people began coming in for help earlier than usual, rushing to make decisions before abortion was no longer an option for them inside the state, the groups leaders said.

It was a good day for pro-life. And then we began to see the fallout from that, said Bobbie Zamminer, executive director of the Community Pregnancy Center of Pasadena. My greatest fear is we, women, are making decisions based on fear and so we dont have the time, truthfully, to make the wisest decision we could make.

Pregnancy resource centers are largely against abortion. Many do not refer women to abortion services, although some of the directors contacted said they provide information on abortion so women know about all of their options.

The new clients cause conflicting emotions among people in Zamminers line of work, she said. Her staff members are joyous that more people are coming to the center because of the bill, possibly looking for alternatives to abortion, but they grieve when they see those women leave still feeling uncertain.

Its just hard to have these talks over and over and over again and see women walk away and say, I dont know what to do, I dont know what I can do, she said. A lot of us are going home in tears at night.

Senate Bill 8 passed comfortably in the Texas Legislature this year but was implemented against loud opposition from womens rights advocates across the country. The law bans abortions at the detection of a heartbeat  a time frame falling around six weeks of pregnancy, when some women dont know theyre pregnant.

Also at issue is a provision in the law that allows citizens to enforce the restrictions through private lawsuits against anyone who administers an unlawful abortion or abets someone in one. And other opponents, including some who are anti-abortion rights, were dismayed that the bill did not include funding for prenatal or after-care, even though proponents said some of that need is addressed in a separate state fund. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday is scheduled to hear arguments in two cases challenging the law.

Pregnancy help centers overwhelmingly support the law, although not all of the more than 200 estimated centers across the state vocally champion it and hedge carefully when asked about their views. Their support is often implicit  centers direct women to alternatives aside from abortion and often do not refer to abortion services, although they usually provide information on them, including about the specific procedures and any apparent health risks.

While laws will bring controversy and debate, pregnancy will continue, said Kelli McAnally, of the Pregnancy Help Center of West Houston, in Katy. We want every woman to know that she has viable options to choose life. These options are greater than her circumstances and we will journey with her in ways that she will feel both resourced and supported in a gracious, nonjudgmental environment.

What about women who do not know about us?

Pregnancy crisis centers are generally nonprofits  often faith-based  that encourage women to carry their pregnancies to term, helping them find resources that make completing pregnancy or raising a child possible. Workers and volunteers provide counseling, case management, financial aid, referrals to community resources such as housing, and sometimes medical services to clients.

The centers are not always looked upon fondly by abortion rights advocates, who fear the organizations pressure women into making life-altering decisions and spread misinformation about the risks of abortion.

Dr. Bhavik Kumar, staff physician at the Planned Parenthood Center for Choice in Houston, said he hears firsthand from patients who went to pregnancy resource centers first and received inaccurate information  or were deceitfully told to wait longer to get an abortion.

Not all of the centers have licensed professionals on staff and are not a substitute for health care, Kumar said.

They have nothing to offer these pregnant people other than words, he said.

Workers at pregnancy resource centers launch the same accusations at abortion providers and abortion rights advocates. Anti-abortion rights leaders meanwhile raise the resource centers as a solution that mitigates the societal issues linked to abortions, such as poverty.

Regardless of its workers individual stances on abortion, the Houston Pregnancy Help Center offers aid so a woman will make an informed decision, even if that ends in abortion, said Sandra Ontiveros, senior director of operations.

Were different, she said. We really are about helping women rather than wasting our opinions.

The heartbeat bills passage came with an awareness that pregnancy resource centers would need to fill in the gaps for women in unplanned pregnancies, Matthews said. She is grateful for that opportunity, she said, adding that she still wishes the state would have made more services available to single and poor mothers - including early prenatal care, scholarships, educational support and childcare.

Funding for the centers is missing in the heartbeat bill, despite Republican legislators support of the organizations. Texas did increase money for expecting mothers in the last session, however, with $100 million set aside over the next two years to the Alternatives to Abortion fund, a state program which funnels money to nonprofits that help with expecting mothers financial and counseling needs.

I think that they kind of thought it through, but I want it to go further, Matthews said. Were very lucky that we have a day care in Houston that will provide free child care to our clients. But what about women who do not know about us, who cant come to us in this city?

Pregnancy resource centers such as Care Net Pregnancy Center of Central Texas in Waco partially fund some of their services through the Alternatives to Abortion program, CEO and president Deborah McGregor said.

This years increase in money allocated to the fund helps her organization, she said, and her center is equipped to handle the increase in clients, even if that might not be true for every pregnancy resource center.

Back to the pressures

The Community Pregnancy Center of Pasadena has been crazy busy, Zamminer said, and more people than usual are adamant about abortion. About half of her new clients are looking into the option and are serious about the procedure, she said.

That experience might differ by location, said Lisa Pearson, executive director of the Pregnancy Resource Medical Center in Rosenberg. Women of color and women of lower socioeconomic status tend to have have higher rates of abortion, and the same applies for people seeking services at pregnancy help centers, several centers directors contacted said.

In Waco, the pregnancy center sits across the street from a Planned Parenthood and sees between 250 and 275 people a month, McGregor said. The center hasnt noted a big difference in the outcomes people are seeking  reasons for having abortions havent changed  but more people are coming in earlier, she said. That also means Care Net is searching for heartbeats sooner than they would have before the law took place.

While abortion rights advocates fear the law is harmful partly because many women dont know theyre pregnant before six weeks, that isnt what McGregor said she has seen. The majority of clients coming to the pregnancy center are aware theyre pregnant but are seeming more anxious to make a decision, she said.

Most of the women that come in, theyre not coming in mad about the law, she said. Theyre just focused on, is there a heartbeat, or is abortion off the table for me?

Some women who seek help at the centers do ultimately choose abortion. And for clients who leave the centers uncertain about what to do, the timeclock to make a decision doesnt stop.

You go back home to your mom who is telling you you have to make this decision, to her boyfriend, to her husband, Ontiveros said. She goes back to the pressures. She goes back to her reality of I cant do this. Thats where its hard.

samantha.ketterer@chron.com
Country music legend George Strait has relisted his San Antonio mansion at $6.9 million, cutting $600,000 from an adjustment in January and $3.1 million from the original price set in 2018.

Despite the price drop, Tamara Strait, a real estate agent at Phyllis Browning Company, said Wednesday that the famed musician  who is her father-in-law  is not slashing the price because hes desperate.

He wants to thoughtfully market and sell his home to the right person who truly appreciates it  someone who will value the home, she said. Thats how anyone feels, even if its a $100,000 home. It doesnt matter what the price point is. Everyone is emotionally attached to their home.

More than a decade ago, the Straits  George and his wife, Norma  hired Arizona artist and architect Bill Tull to build the 7,295-square-foot, Santa Fe-style adobe home on 12 acres of land on a hilltop in the affluent San Antonio neighborhood of Dominion.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Why millionaires are flocking to Wimberley in Hays County

After two years of construction, the Straits in 1997 moved themselves and their then-teenage son, Bubba, into the home. It features four bedrooms, six bathrooms and two half-bathrooms, a dedicated office, 14 fireplaces, and one exercise room with a sauna. Offering views of downtown San Antonio and the Hill Country, the home served as a remote location for family gatherings and a place for the King of Country to write his songs.

Nearly three years ago, the Straits decided to sell the home. They just wanted to be further out from the city, said Tamara, who is married to Bubba. She explained that her father-in-law is just super private and wanted to have more space.

He loves San Antonio, she said. He just wanted to be more remote.

In the fall of 2019, the Straits took the home off the market. They replaced the roof and windows, replastered and repainted the exterior, and spruced up the landscaping. They put the home back up for sale in late January.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Here's what we know so far about the next Houston rodeo in 2022

The Straits no longer live in the home, but they remain in the musicians home state of Texas  of course, absolutely, Tamara said. Meanwhile, the family continues to strategize on how to sell the home now offering the most exclusive, private view of Dominion and nearby access to Interstate 10.

She reasoned that the drops in selling price over the years resulted from the reality that selling a multimillion-dollar home is not easy, especially when its a taste-specific home. She described how she has had much cheaper houses that sit for a long time, too, in San Antonio.

Still, the real estate agent, who just closed on a $2.4 million home in the city last week, said theres a market here and described a silver lining: Potential homebuyers can get more for their money in San Antonio, compared to Austin, for example.

The future owner of the Strait home might be someone working from home amid the pandemic, she said.

It can very well be someone who doesnt want to go into the office every day and wants one of the unique houses in San Antonio, she said.

George Strait was born in Poteet, in Atascosa County, about 30 miles south of downtown San Antonio. Norma Strait grew up in Pearsall, in Frio County, roughly 55 miles southwest of San Antonio.

eric.killelea@express-news.net
At a time when the United States and Soviet Union were amassing stockpiles of nuclear weapons that could decimate each other thousands of times over, Albert Sabin, an American scientist, traveled to Russia in 1956 to share his groundbreaking research on an oral polio vaccine with his Soviet colleagues.

Sabins collaboration with virologist Mikhail Chumakov was a critical milestone in the quest to eradicate polio. Unlike Jonas Salks vaccine, which saw wide use in the United States beginning in 1955, Sabins version used live but weakened virus, was taken orally rather than through a shot, and provided lifetime immunity after one dose. Thanks to the partnership with Chumakov, the Sabin vaccine was tested on millions of people throughout Russia and Eastern Europe in 1958 and 1959, before being fully licensed in the United States in 1962.

More than half-a-century later, Sabin and Chumakovs work stands out as perhaps the foremost example of vaccine diplomacy. An effort to build bridges and foster international relations, without strings attached, the campaign to introduce the Sabin virus had one overriding purpose: To help make the world safe from polio. Today, the disease has been eradicated from most of the world.

This incident should remind us that when it comes to life-saving vaccines, nations that work in the global interest are by definition working in their own interest, too. The example they set brings good will and that pays dividends, of course. China and Russia have been garnering such benefits for months as theyve been much quicker to share vaccines with the developing world.

But the benefits of vaccine diplomacy go far beyond warm feelings. So long as large portions of the globe remain essentially defenseless in the face of the virus, it will continue to be a threat for all nations. The delta variant, which inflicted so much disruption and death to the United States this summer, originated in India, where just 22 percent of residents are fully vaccinated. And global health officials are tracking other variants in nations across the globe with low vaccination rates.

Despite all the progress in the developed world in making vaccines available to their citizens, the global vaccination rate remains stubbornly low. Roughly 38 percent of the world population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 50 percent have received at least one dose. Vaccination rates for developing countries in Africa and the Middle East are still in the single digits. Business as usual, which includes the largely successful Operation Warp Speed program begun under President Donald Trump, has largely left the rest of the world, particularly developing countries, behind.

The Biden administrations has tried to change that. Last month, the administration committed to buying up 500 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to send across the globe. On Tuesday, Moderna pledged to sell at discounted rates 110 million doses of its vaccine to the African Union by mid-2022. But these steps arent enough, not to truly reduce the hold the novel coronavirus has on the planet. After all, there are still roughly 4 billion people in the world who are not fully vaccinated.

If what were trying isnt working, at least not quickly enough to pull us out of danger, then its time to try new things. Or, in the case of a vaccine developed right here in Houston, to try old things that experts say could work again.

With the help of private donations, Dr. Peter Hotez and Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, two Baylor College of Medicine scientists and co-directors of the Texas Childrens Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, have developed a COVID vaccine called Corbevax. Unlike the mRNA vaccines already in use  which teach our cells how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response  the Corbevax vaccine uses an old-school process similar to the way the Hepatitis B vaccine is made, meaning its both cheaper and easier for countries across the globe to mimic and manufacture. Corbevax is poised to be approved soon for global use. In India, where it is being manufactured, the government has pledged to buy 500 million doses once it clears phase three clinical trials.

But so far, the vaccine has no American manufacturer or distributor, nor  despite the billions spent on Operation Warp Speed  the kind of government funding necessary to speed up testing for approval by the FDA.

The Biden administration should fix that. Once the vaccine developed by Hotez and Bottazzi is proven safe, its usefulness around the world could be enormous. The government should help it find and pay for an American manufacturer, so the vaccine  which is being given away royalty-free  can be scaled up quickly and shipped around the world where it is needed.

The world needs another Sabin-Chumakov moment  a vaccine diplomacy effort that fosters international scientific collaboration and lifts the world out of this pandemic. The Hotez-Bottazzi vaccine may be just that kind of solution. The Biden administration should find out  and quickly.
Regarding In fatal shooting, some political foes take aim at Baldwin, (Oct. 25): I find it outlandishly hypocritical that these anti-gun, anti-Second Amendment, pro-gun control Hollywood elites are making a film glorifying the use of guns and promoting gun violence, then use guns, play with them like toys and are shocked when they kill one person and wound another. Yet they will preach to the rest of us about the need for gun control, gun bans and abolishing the Second Amendment. For the record, I am pro-gun and have been around guns most of my life and never killed or wounded anyone. Baldwin however, who is very anti-gun, is 2-0 in that regard. As John Wayne is often attributed as saying, Life is hard; it's even harder if you're stupid.

Jeff Kesler, Sugar Land

We have a problem in society with guns and violence. Much of it learned from or emulated from movies. Now having killed one of their own, why not prohibit gun violence in movies? Surely there are creative people in Hollywood that can entertain us without guns.

James Langley, Sugar Land

Moral questions

Regarding Texas's bizarre, draconian abortion law will get its day at the Supreme Court, (Oct. 23): Erica Grieders commentary says it all about the Houston Chronicle. The definition of the word draconian includes the words severe and harsh. What is more severe and harsh than killing an unborn human being? Animals get more PR for sympathy than human life does. Something is terribly amiss. The Houston Chronicle does nothing to challenge that notion. Shame on you and the liberal media.

Therese Thomas, Houston

I suspect I am not alone in being exhausted by the legal fights over the timing of abortion. I have had it with the waste of resources and unending, raw tension. This article reminded me of the shortcomings of the law at both ends of the fight. Suppose we ask in another dimension  what is the moral way to understand the timing of allowable abortions? Many ethicists will declare that sentience is the boundary for deciding moral status. After around 22 weeks of gestation the fetus is thought to be able to sense pain. By a moral standard, abortions before this time should not be prohibited. This allows plenty of time for the putative mother to make up her mind about motherhood. On the other end, no abortion should be allowed after around 22-25 weeks, which is the Roe vs. Wade limit based on viability of the fetus outside the womb. The basic standard is that actions that cause pain or suffering to another human, even one that has not been born, must not be allowed. It is immoral to do so.

John T. James, PhD, founder of Patient Safety America, Houston
World leaders are heading to Glasgow to come up with yet another plan to tackle climate change. Joe Biden had hoped to have a stack of climate-related legislative accomplishments to brag about. But theyre being held up and threatened in the fight over the price tag of the Build Back Better reconciliation bill.

The stakes, were constantly told, couldnt be higher. If Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin and the Republicans succeed in stripping just the proposed Clean Energy Performance Program alone it will destroy the world, according to Gizmodo. Joe Biden doesnt go that far. But recently, at a CNN townhall, he repeated his oft-cited claim that climate change poses an existential threat to humanity.

Such rhetoric isnt merely wrong  humanity can survive climate change  its also counterproductive. The fight against climate change will be long and messy, and implying otherwise will make it longer and messier. For 30 years, activists and politicians have said before these periodic climate confabs that this is our last chance to act or to save the planet.

Normally, if you miss your last chance to do something  catch a flight, see a movie, etc.  you stop trying. If you think climate change should be the moral equivalent of war, then you should manage expectations like a wartime leader does. You dont say, Well lose the war if we lose this one battle  unless its true.

You also dont refuse to use your most effective weapons, at least not in a fight for the survival of humanity, without a good reason. And in this case, the best weapon in our arsenal is nuclear power. As former NASA climatologist James Hansen and his colleagues have argued, theres no credible path to climate stabilization that does not include a substantial role for nuclear power.

But to quote Greta Thunberg, the Joan of Arc of climate activism, the arguments against nuclear power boil down to it being extremely dangerous, expensive and time-consuming.

Lets start with dangerous. For reasons of human psychology, deep-seated fear of nuclear power is socially acceptable among those who claim to follow the science. But just as the COVID-19 vaccines  despite what anti-vaxxers claim  havent killed any Americans, neither has nuclear power.

The Three Mile Island nuclear accident, the worst in American history, caused no deaths or detectable incidents of cancer. The 2011 earthquake and tsunami that destroyed the Fukushima nuclear power plant was very deadly, killing up to 18,000 people. But the number of radiation-related deaths or illnesses connected to the power plant meltdown have been in the low double digits. The first confirmed radiation-related death occurred in 2018. The UN reports that so far, the most important health effect hasnt been a spike in cancer but the damage to mental and social well-being caused by the earthquake and tsunami.

Indeed, if you include all factors, including industrial accidents, air pollution, etc., nuclear power is arguably the worlds safest form of energy production.

Then theres the cost. Its true: Building nuclear plants, whether with existing or new technology, is expensive. But once nuclear plants are built, the energy they produce is cheap.

Theres also something weird about politicians who scoff at cost concerns to fight climate change (on their terms) and then raise the cost of building nuclear plants as prohibitive, when they can provide carbon free electricity on a massive and reliable scale.

Indeed, one reason it takes so long for nuclear plants to get built is that many of these politicians stand in the way of getting them built, by pandering to NIMBYism and supporting red tape. Theyre all in for decarbonizing transportation while opposing technology that will keep electricity affordable.

None of this is to say that nuclear power alone is a silver bullet, nor is it to deny that the question of how to deal with nuclear waste isnt a thorny one (especially after President Obama rejected science in favor of politics to shut down the perfectly safe Yucca Mountain waste repository). Some old plants do need to be shut down, but they should be replaced with new, safer and less expensive ones.

But if Biden is serious about fighting climate change  and wants to show it  he should take nuclear power seriously.

Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and the host of The Remnant podcast.
A long-awaited animal cruelty bill aimed at protecting restrained outdoor dogs was finally signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday, effectively banning the use of chain tethers and empowering law enforcement officers to act quickly when they find an animal in dire conditions.

Senate Bill 5, otherwise known as the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act, narrowly made it into Texas law after Abbott vetoed a nearly identical version called SB 474 that passed both chambers with wide bipartisan support in a previous session. In a veto statement, Abbott claimed that version micro-managed and over-penalized pet owners.

STILL NOT DONE?: Republicans pressure Abbott to call another special session

Advocates were perplexed by the veto since the bill actually expands the exceptions under the current law and keeps criminal penalties the same. Following widespread public backlash, including a social media windstorm claiming #Abbotthatesdogs, the governor put the bill back on the third special session agenda, giving it a rare second chance.

The bill strikes the use of chain tethers, weights or improperly fitted collars; requires animals housed outside have adequate shelter that keeps them safe from inclement weather and allows them to sit, stand and move around comfortably; and eliminates a 24-hour waiting period for law enforcement to intervene if they come across an animal in inhumane conditions.

The only changes made to the new bill are minor adjustments to language, including what is defined as inclement weather and material for a dogs collar. A provision defining adequate shelter was added, clarifying that a dog must be able to avoid standing water and exposure to excessive animal waste. The time a dog may be left in a truck bed was also amended to time reasonably necessary for the owner to complete a temporary task.

SB 5 keeps the same exceptions for dog owners that were included in the previous bill, such as those who use their animals for farming and agricultural purposes. It also keeps the criminal penalties the same, but just makes them enforceable.

The Texas Humane Legislative Network, a nonprofit that works to pass anti-cruelty legislation, has been one of bills largest proponents for years. Stacy Sutton Kerby, director of government relations for the organization, said the network saw the changes as a compromise on language that still preserves the integrity of the bill.

MORE ON SB 5: After Abbott veto, Texas Legislature passes 2nd bill regulating chained dogs and outdoor shelter

Now that SB 5 has been signed into law, advocates such as Kerby are finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

This will effectuate change for thousands and thousands of dogs across the state, Kerby said. Every season, whether its super-hot Texas summers or whether its hurricane season or in the northern part of the state where it can regularly get to freezing temperatures, we get reports of dogs that have died outside at the ends of their chains. So we know that this is going to affect animals in a positive way going forward.

Saving an animals life

Proponents said the part of the law that will have a critical effect is the elimination of the 24-hour waiting period, which some officials said creates unnecessary delays that are potentially life-threatening.

Randy Farmer, chief animal cruelty investigator for the Houston Humane Society, thinks of certain cases hes seen of dogs that are cruelly confined. Some are found wrapped around a tree or a pole and end up accidentally hanging themselves trying to get free. Others are chained up in a backyard and drown during a hurricane, or die from exposure after being tied to a concrete slab in triple-digital heat.

It's important to the fact that we can actually take care of the problem right away, Farmer said of the new law. We actually will be able to go out and save the animals life.

Another critical component is the banning of chain tethers, which according to Kerby and other animal experts, are unsafe restraints for dogs that can sometimes become embedded into their necks. Studies show chains can damage a dogs physical and psychological well-being and make them more aggressive.

Embedded collars dont happen overnight ... thats weeks and weeks of the animal being neglected, Farmer said. Its a terrible smell  embedded collars  its a smell youll never forget. Its a great thing the law has been able to move forward and change to prevent this type of neglect.

In a statement, the bills author, state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, thanked supporters of the bill and the governor for signing it.

There is now a basic standard of care that must be provided to dogs tethered outdoors across the state, the statement read. Dogs are more than man's best friend, they are family. Mistreating dogs is horrible and passing legislation like this isn't just good policy, it's humane policy.

The bill will be effective Jan. 18, 2022. In the meantime, Kerby said Texas Humane Legislative Network will be working to help pet owners understand the differences between current code and the new law, and to help them come into compliance.

rebecca.hennes@chron.com
Mayor's Office Press Release

Houston's First Sculpture Honoring Barbara Jordan Comes to Civic Art Collection

October 27, 2021 -- The City of Houston Mayors Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) is pleased to announce a forthcoming Civic Art commission for the Houston Public Librarys African American Library at the Gregory School celebrating the life of Texas congresswoman Barbara Jordan. Artists Jamal Cyrus and Charisse Weston make up the collaborative team which have developed the concept and will execute the commemorative artwork.

Barbara Jordan is a Houston legend and the artwork created by these artists brings present the impact she had in defending the United States Constitution and representing the people of this City, said Mayor Sylvester Turner. The City of Houston is proud to honor Congresswoman Barbara Jordan in such a creative way. Jordan was a pioneer  a woman of many firsts and seeing her image and her writing will keep her legacy alive to new generations.

MOCAs Civic Art Program, in collaboration with the Houston Public Library (HPL), requested the submission of qualifications from a nation-wide search for artists or artist-teams to design, fabricate, and install an outdoor artwork and tribute to the educator and civic leader. A selection panel of City department, community, and art world representatives was assembled by Houston Arts Alliance to review artist qualifications and to recommended concepts for this project. Panelists included artist Leamon Green, curators Rebecca Matalon, Kanitra Fletcher, and Danielle Burns Wilson, and Director of Freedmens Town Conservancy Zion Escobar.

Born in 1936 in Houston, and raised in Houstons Fifth Ward, Barbara Jordan attended Texas Southern University, where she graduated magna cum laude, and received a law degree from Boston University. After teaching at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, she opened a law practice in Houston and became active in politics. In 1966 she won election to the Texas Senate, becoming the states first African-American senator since 1883. In 1972 Jordan was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Texass Eighteenth Congressional District, serving as the districts first representative. She was also the first African American woman from the South to serve in Congress.

In 1976, Barbara Jordan became the first woman and first African-American to give the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. In 1978 she announced her transition back to the role of educator, becoming a full-time professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, eventually becoming an advisor to Texas Governor Ann Richards. Among her many honors and achievements is her receipt of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Barbra Jordan died Jan. 17, 1996.

This commission marks a pivotal moment in the timeline of our Civic Art Program. This is but the second public artwork honoring a woman to be featured in our Civic Art Collection  and the first honoring an African American woman  a leader of people whose influence crossed racial barriers and whose voice is very much relevant today, said Necole Irvin, Director of the Mayors Office of Cultural Affairs. Commissioned at the special request of our Mayor, this artwork firmly demonstrates the Citys commitment to broadening those perspectives represented by the artworks in our collection and our commitment to recognizing the diversity of heroes Houston enjoys.

The Houston Public Library is pleased through our partnership with MOCA to elevate civic art in the city in such a powerful way through this commission of the iconic Barbara Jordan. This project underscores The African American Library at the Gregory Schools founding charge to preserve, promote and celebrate the rich history and culture of African Americans in Houston and we are honored to host this dynamic work of art for the community to enjoy and experience. stated Dr. Rhea Brown Lawson, Director of the Houston Public Library.

The commissioned artwork underway, Meditative Space in Reflection of the Life and Work of the late Barbara Jordan, is a dynamic, commemorative space wherein free-standing glass panels situated within a tranquil structure function as vehicles to represent, through an intricate photographic and text-based collage of materials, the life and work of Barbara C. Jordan. Transforming the lawn to the right of the Gregory School Librarys entrance, the Meditative Space invites visitors to enter a place of reflection to consider Jordans dedication to public service, racial justice, and the fulfillment of American ideals. The footprint of the commission is informed by the Adinkra symbol sepow, which represents justice and authority.

The commission presents an image of Jordan which highlights not only the prowess and commanding voice of Jordan - politician, lawyer, professor, and public figure - but it also celebrates the lesser-known image of Jordan as a woman of deep compassion and conviction rooted in her lasting ties to her family and community.

The commission is planned for debut at The African American Library at the Gregory School in the Summer of 2022.

About MOCA

The City of Houston Mayors Office of Cultural Affairs guides the Citys cultural investments with policies and initiatives that expand access to arts and cultural programs in the community, attract visitors and leverage private investment.

To learn more about the Citys cultural programs visit www.houstontx.gov/culturalaffairs and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @HoustonMOCA.
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How Abel Capella upped his monthly listeners from 540 to 16k in three months

In this case study, we explore how up-and-coming pop/rock artist Abel Capella was able to dramatically grow his cadre of monthly listeners from a measly 540 to an impressive 16k.

By Erika Parr of CD Babys DIY Musician Blog

Abel Capella used CD Babys Release Plan Generator to map a strategy for his single So Vem. This strategy allowed Capella to:

get placed on a Spotify editorial playlist

gain more followers

and multiply his monthly listeners by 30 times over three months

This is his story.

While Capella is an experienced indie musician, he was still a newcomer in the world of digital distribution. He decided to jump in headfirst with CD Baby.

The digital music environment is constantly changing, and theres certainly a learning curve entering the world of digital distribution from a strictly physical approach.

But lets be clear: the success of any plan depends mostly on the quality, the concept and the identity of your music. It requires you to educate yourself and follow a plan that brings concrete results.

And thats exactly what Capella did.

Music always

Coming from a family that has always been connected to music, Abel Capella is not a stranger to this world. He was part of three bands, the last one called Cao de rua, which ended in 2014. This band saw radio airplay and toured seven Brazilian states.

Ive always been in the music world, says Capella. My great grandpa Manuel was a great luthier and accordion player for the Triangulo Mineiro region in Brazil. And my dad is a gifted acoustic guitar player.

But life happens. Capella got married and had two kids. And for a period of time, he was focused on taking care of his family and his rural property. But he never stopped composing and playing his guitar.

Back to the music scene

Finally in 2020 Capella decided to venture into the digital world, and in the beginning of 2021, he released the EP Dias de Solidao.

On this first release, Capella worked with the tools he had in hand to promote his music: his social media channels, friends and family.

It was during this period that Capella discovered CD Baby, at the suggestion of a friend (ME!).

Yes, I have known Capella for over 20 years now. It was clear that I had to introduce him to CD Baby.

My colleagues and I in CD Babys marketing team recently launched a tool called the Release Plan Generator. Developed to help artists like Capella who need a push, and, as Capella himself said, to be a personal trainer.

For this reason, the idea arose to create a video diary about Capellas journey. He was excited to do the work, and I had a brand-new tool for him to try it.

The deal was that Capella would go through the entire process following the release schedule, and using the resources that the Release Plan Generator offered to him. And you can see the results below.

Note: this video is in Portuguese from the Somos Musica blog. Weve embedded it here for reference.

The first pitch you never forget

For his first digital release, Capella did not get to do the pitching for playlists. For that to be possible, it would be necessary to have a verified Spotify artist page and access to Spotify for Artists. Thats why we suggest that you release a single first, before your main album.

For the single So Vem, by following the schedule, Capella got to do his first official pitch. This gave him the opportunity to eventually secure placement on an editorial playlist on Spotify and to be able to appear automatically on the Release Radar playlists of his followers.

It wasnt this time that Capella got his music to be placed in an editorial playlist. But his song appeared in all the Release Radar playlists of his followers, including mine!

Capella was about to find out the power of his own community

Organic marketing and why pre-saves are important

On his first digital release, Capella also couldnt create a pre-save campaign. For the same reason he could not pitch his song to a playlist: he didnt have his Spotify artist profile verified yet.

But for So Vem Capella was very focused on raising anticipation and redirecting his followers from Instagram (which at that time was the strongest of his networks) to his Spotify profile. That requires work and investment of time, to create a true relationship with your public and transform them into real fans.

It was a real relationship; I opened up to people, says Capella. I like to know who appears on this journey to follow along with me. Joining forces and exchanging good energies.

One amazing thing that happened was the NEW AGE OF ROCK movement! Capella continues. Bands from all regions of Brazil, of different styles, making friends, drawing on each others sounds, joining forces and efforts.

Abel Capellas marketing consisted of making Instagram Live videos, publishing stories using a certain filter from Instagram itself (the alien filter, which aligns with So Vems theme). He also replied to all comments left in his feed. This tactic worked. People got involved and showed interest and curiosity about the song.

The single

So Vem, is an indie-pop rock song, with a very feel good vibe. In Capellas own words:

So Vem is an invitation for us to live a lighter, more natural, true and satisfying life. What do you enjoy doing? How do you like to live? This song talks about that. My intention was, and is, to be a source of good feelings and thoughts.

The release

So Vem was released on July 16, 2021. And the music community around Capella, which was already anticipating the release, showed up!

Many people shared the music on their social accounts, sent videos to Capella showing his music in their Release Radar playlist and included the single in their own playlist. And the cycle was repeating itself, feeding the Spotify algorithm and amplifying the release range even more.

Capella thanked each fan individually. This act may seem simple, but it demonstrates a real affection and relationship with the followers, who transform themselves and fans.

All this movement created a completely organic cycle. Many shares by friends, caused even more shares

Capellas monthly listeners started to grow, reaching more than 18,000 monthly, and hasnt stopped since.

It was all magic on the release day, lots of hands outstretched! says Capella. Like a loving kiss from the cosmos, lots of love and virtual hugs, in a moment of deep isolation.

Playing good music while being real and vulnerable

At no point when releasing the single was Capellas primary goal and intention to get followers or monthly listeners. Rather, he wanted to convey a true message and try to create a real relationship with those who follow him.

Of course, increasing his list is important; if it wasnt we wouldnt be writing this article right now. But its very important to ask yourself: how will my music serve my audience? How can I, as an artist, create something that will touch those people?

Ask yourself these questions, follow a schedule with the help of the release generator, dont be afraid to take chances, speak directly to your base and be real.

Simplify things, do the most things yourself, use tools that can help you, just like the CD Baby Release Plan Generator, says Capella. And always remember to put the heart in command of the mind. 

Create your release plan with CD Babys Release Plan Generator for free!

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Nicholas Wild Joins SVMC Northshire Campus and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Physicians

BENNINGTON, Vt.  Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) welcomed Nicholas Wild, MD, to SVMC Northshire Campus and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Physicians.

Wild completed his medical degree at Albany Medical College in New York. In addition, he holds a bachelor's in natural sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master's in biomedical sciences from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. Wild went on to complete a family medicine residency at Jefferson Health Northeast in Philadelphia, where he served as chief resident.

SVMC's Northshire Campus services include pediatrics, health promotion and wellness programs, and on-site physical therapy, laboratory, and x-ray services for those with a provider's order.

The office is located at 5957 Main Street in Manchester Center. Appointments are available 8 a.m.  5 p.m. Monday  Friday. Wild is accepting new patients. Call 802-362-4440 for an appointment.
Letter: Bernard Endorses Bond for Mayor

To the Editor:



As I prepare to conclude my service to the city of North Adams, and as I explore my options for the next chapter of my career, I've had the opportunity to talk about my work and my experience during job interviews as well as the chance to engage in a lot of personal self-reflection. Right now, Lynette Bond also is going through her own job interview, along with the public vetting that those of us in public service know well. As a North Adams voter, and therefore as one of nearly 9,000 members of the "hiring committee" for our next mayor, I recommend Lynette Bond wholeheartedly for the top job in the city of North Adams.



I've known Lynette for years. The content, message, and tone of her campaign are consistent with the character and integrity Lynette has demonstrated in her work with MCLA and the town of Adams, her service on the North Adams Planning Board, and her advocacy and leadership on behalf of our North Adams students and educators. In speaking with her over the course of her candidacy it's clear she has a deep knowledge and understanding of municipal and fiscal management, education, public safety, and economic development. What's more, Lynette has the grit and resilience to tackle the constellation of issues that cross the mayor's desk on any given day.



Great leaders ask focused, insightful, and pointed questions. They dig deep in order to understand, get to the heart of the matter (including the human concerns that inform decisions), identify options, alternatives, and outcomes, bring stakeholders together, and come away with a deeper awareness and a decisive plan of action. Lynette has demonstrated that she personifies these core competencies. I know this is how she will operate as our next mayor, and how she will lead and collaborate with city staff.



Lynette also possesses the compassion and empathy that are essential for any leader, and the awareness that true empathy is demanding. Leadership takes more than just telling people what they want to hear or reducing persistent challenges to soundbite solutions or tough-talking slogans. As she has demonstrated during her campaign, and during the Colegrove Elementary Park School project, Lynette takes the time to listen, learn, understand, and engage. She puts in the work to explain issues and options, to help people understand there are very few easy answers, and to be candid about the hard work, trade-offs, and sacrifices required to move our community forward, even when that candor is unpopular and challenges us to move beyond our comfort zones.

Lynette Bond is the candidate better suited to provide that degree of empathetic, informed, decisive leadership with and for the residents, educators and students, businesses, employees and colleagues, visitors, and the voters of North Adams.



I ask you to consider and recognize Lynette Bond's capability, potential, and vision with your vote on Tuesday, Nov. 2. Thank you.

Thomas Bernard

North Adams, Mass.

Thomas Bernard is the outgoing mayor of the city of North Adams.
The city has been losing dispatchers because of low pay. The council on Tuesday approved a bump of nearly $3 an hour.

North Adams Council Votes $3 Pay Raise for Dispatchers



Police Chief Jason Wood explains the need for a wage increase for dispatchers at Tuesday's City Council meeting. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The City Council on Tuesday rectified longstanding complaints about the low pay of city dispatchers  at least for the moment.

At the request of the administration, the council immediately passed to a second reading a new starting wage that will jump most of the dispatcher's hourly wages by about $3 retroactive to July 1.

The Police Department has had difficulty hiring and keeping dispatchers because other communities and institutions are paying much more.

"It's hard to retain help or to attract new help ... Going back to 2002, our dispatchers average over 16,000 calls a year," Police Chief Jason Wood told the council. "Their training requirements are much higher than your typical job that you would have in this area, the responsibilities and certain much certainly much higher."

The starting pay had been $14.73; the new amount starts at the 21-25 year step of $17.45 and leaves in place the next two steps of $18.31 and $19.31.

The initial order had a single rate but was changed so as not to affect two dispatchers who were at the high end of the compensation plan.

Councilors asked if even that was enough. Wood said he lost one dispatcher recently for a position in Pittsfield that pays $7 more than the new rate but he thought this action might staunch the flow.

"Shockingly enough, it's still the lowest in the area at $17.45 an hour. ... I think at some point, we're going to have to revisit this, but this is kind of an emergency," he said. "It's critical right now. My numbers in dispatch are really low."

Mayor Thomas Bernard said he anticipated the salary steps being considered as part of a future review of all pay scales. The city has applied for a Community Compact grant from the state for that work, which was discussed by the council earlier this year. But this classification change simply couldn't wait, he said.

"This is a critical issue for both recruitment and retention. And I think we know that the dispatchers in many cases are the frontline and, for many people, the first point of contact with the department, so making sure that we have people who are trained, who are professionals who are dedicated to the work and are able to feel well compensated in their service to the city is critically important," he said. "I think what we're seeing is this is an area with a lot of loss."

Councilors Keith Bona and Wayne Wilkinson, who had a son and daughter, respectively, who worked as dispatchers heartily endorsed the pay raise.

"I don't thing $17.45 is enough," said Wilkinson. "If you want to say $24, I'm all for it."

Bona said it was a start "but I'm sure it's not going to be the answer."

He pointed out that the council had been told during budget season that police officers and firefighters were being used to fill in on dispatch and being paid overtime to do so.

"So what we're paying them for overtime is considerably more than what we're paying someone to sit at dispatch that is their specific job," he said. "So in one sense, we're wearing down the other departments."

Bona asked that the council be provided with the cost breakdown for using overtime compared to the new wage rate.

Wilkinson said the low wages for dispatchers was only the tip of the iceberg, noting how the city has had difficulty in attracting employees such as an assessor.

Councilor comments echoed what retired Sgt. James Burdick had said during hearing of visitors about critical role dispatchers play in communicating between public safety and emergency personnel, in aiding people in dire circumstances, and sending people into dangerous situations.

Burdick, who served more than 36 years on the force, has been working as a dispatcher at the low rate.

"To me, that's the biggest insult ever," he said. "I stay there because I'm loyal to the city of North Adams as a police officer and now as a dispatcher. I think it's high time the city addressed that issue."

Burdick said dispatch has lost three or four "very competent, highly trained dispatchers" because they could make more elsewhere. And, he noted, he could make more working at Walmart "and I'm not putting anybody's life in jeopardy."

In other business, the council approved the appropriation of $64,905.65 from the Parking Meter Reserve Account to purchase a 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe through the Greater Boston Police Council, a collective purchasing service.

The four-wheel drive truck from Liberty Chevrolet of Wakefield will replace the fire chief's 2012 vehicle, which will now be used by the deputy chief. Bernard said they had investigated a hybrid option but it was deemed unsuitable because of the conditions the truck is expected to operate under. However, the Police Department is looking into hybrid cruisers that might be offset with a Green Communities grant.

The council also approved a minor change in ward lines made because of Census data and heard from the new director of Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Kristy Edmunds. Several other issues that are still in committee were postponed and a tax classification hearing was set for Nov. 9.
MCLA Professor Receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board announced that Dr. Kebra Ward of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to South Africa.

Dr. Ward will lecture at Nelson Mandela University as part of a project to examine the use of interactive engagement activities in the first-year physics series to address under-prepared student learning.

As a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Ward will share knowledge and foster connections across communities in the United States and South Africa. Fulbrighters engage in research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions.

Upon returning to their institutions, labs, and classrooms, in the United States, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad. As Fulbright Scholar alumni, their careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of scholars, many of whom are leaders in their fields.

Fulbright alumni include 60 Nobel Prize laureates, 88 Pulitzer Prize recipients, and 39 who have served as a head of state or government.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced that 2021 marks the 75th Anniversary of the Fulbright Program.

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright program is an annual appropriation by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support.
SVHC Welcomes New Foundation Board Member

BENNINGTON, Vt.  Tommy Harmon of Manchester, Vt., has joined the Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) Foundation Board of Directors.

He is the immediate past chair of the SVHC Board of Trustees.

"Tommy's service to SVHC over the past several years has been exemplary," said Bob Van Degna, the chair of the SVHC Foundation Board of Directors. "We are pleased that organization will continue to benefit from his dedication and expertise through his new role on the Foundation Board."

Harmon served on the SVHC Board of Trustees for 13 years, including 5 years as chair. He retired as president and CEO of Sonnax Industries in Bellows Falls, a firm that provides components for rebuilding automatic transmissions to the worldwide market. He acquired the company in 2005 and sold it to its employees in 2011. With more than 40 years' experience in the financial management of manufacturing firms and their operations, Harmon served as chief financial officer and controller for international manufacturers, including CFO for North America AGIE AG, a Swiss-based machine tool manufacturer.

He is an active volunteer in the community and has served on the Vermont Business Roundtable Board of Trustees, the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center Advisory Board, and the Manchester Vermont School Board. Harmon holds a bachelor's degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"As the chair of the SVHC Board of Trustees, I have seen the difference the SVHC Foundation has made for the health system's innovative and important projects," Harmon said. "I am eager to contribute to the continued success of this remarkable organization and all they do for the health of our communities."

The SVHC Foundation Board of Directors consists of 20 members. Directors are nominated by members of the board. The SVHC Foundation's mission is to engage in development and fundraising activities exclusively for the support of the Southwestern Vermont Health Care Corporation.
Piano Bought By Morgans Returns Home ti Ventfort Hall

LENOX, Mass.  Ventfort Hall will celebrate the return of the piano purchased by the Morgans in 1895 for Ventfort Hall.

The concert will be played on the rosewood, six foot Steinway. Attendees can enjoy some songs from the Bowery, a bit of Ragtime, and of course a bit of audience participation for a musical step back to the Gilded Age, with Amy Renak. A tea shall follow the program.

A few months ago, an offer came from George and Sarah Morgan's great, great, great grandson to donate the piano that had been purchased by the couple 126 years ago for their new home, Ventfort Hall! He received the piano from his grandmother in 2011 who requested that if he could no longer keep the piano, it be returned to Ventfort Hall.

The piano had left Ventfort Hall when the Morgan children took over the mansion after their parents' passing and almost all of the original furnishings were auctioned off and thus lost to us. Since 1895 it has travelled from the Steinway factory in Astoria New York to Lenox, Ma to New York City to Portland Oregon and finally back to Lenox, coming full circle.

Although Steinway keeps confidential information about their customers, Ventfort Hall was able to confirm, using the serial number etched into the piano, that the instrument was completed on March 28, 1895, and shipped to a customer at 104 Walker St. in Lenox, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1895.

That a piano purchased in 1895 is still owned by the same family is indeed rare. The piano arrived at Ventfort Hall last month. It is indeed a fitting addition to the museum. It makes the return of the piano even more special. This event is a fundraiser to establish a fund for the maintenance of the piano

Amy Renak has been a piano teacher and choir director in Pittsfield and Great Barrington for many years. She happily teaches piano at the Berkshire Music School and Miss Hall's School, is the director of music at Zion Lutheran Church in Pittsfield and is the choir director at Hevreh of Southern Berkshire in Great Barrington. Amy enjoys entertaining the occasional gathering, in a ball room, living room, or beautifully appointed drawing room such as the one at Ventfort Hall. Amy is married to Mark Mitchell and lives in Pittsfield.

This event is co-chaired by Board Members Helen Charbonneau and Natalie Johnsonius Neubert.

Tickets to attend the concert and tea are $35 per person. Reservations are required by calling 413-637-3206. Please note that all tickets are nonrefundable and non-exchangeable. Payment is required to make a reservation for an event. The historical mansion is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.
State Extends School Mask Mandate Into January 2022

MALDEN, Mass.  The mask mandate in schools has been extended through Jan. 15, 2022. This is the second time the mandate has been extended since it was put in place in August in response to a surge in COVID-19 cases. The latest date for it to be lifted was Monday, Nov. 1.

State officials believe this extension will give time for students age 11 and younger to be vaccinated.

On Tuesday, a panel of advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended emergency authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be administered to children ages 5 to 11. Pfizer provided data that it says shows the vaccine was safe for those ages and 90.7 percent effective in preventing infections, including for the Delta variant. The FDA has not yet made the authorization but is expected to.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education had authorized Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley to institute the mandate based on consultations with medical experts and state health officials. Riley notified school district on Tuesday of the extension.

"Massachusetts is a national leader in vaccination rates for adults and eligible children, and in anticipation of the vaccine becoming available in the coming weeks for children ages 5 to 11 years old, this extension of the mask requirement will allow time for the elementary school population to receive the COVID-19 vaccine," said Education Secretary James Peyser. "This will be another big step forward in our efforts to keep school safe for our kids."

Riley said masks are still the "simple and effective measure" to prevent transmission of the novel coronavirus along with the state's Test and Stay program and social distancing. Rates of transmission in Massachusetts schools have been low throughout the pandemic.

School officials can lift the mask requirement if they can demonstrate that at least 80 percent of all students and staff in a school building are vaccinated after submitting documentation to DESE. Lifting the mask mandate through the vaccination threshold is a local decision made by school and district leaders if they choose to take advantage it. This would only apply to middle and high schools because those students are eligible for the vaccine.

Nearly a dozen schools have reportedly reached the 80 percent benchmark, with Hopkinton High the first to lift the mandate, albeit for only a three-week trial. Even without the mandate, unvaccinated individuals must still wear a mask.

The following mask requirements will remain in effect:

Public school students ages 5 and older in all grades and staff are required to wear masks indoors in schools, except when eating, drinking or during mask breaks.

All visitors are also expected to wear a mask in school buildings, regardless of vaccination status.

Masks are not required outdoors.

It is strongly recommended that students younger than 5 also wear a mask in school.

Students and staff who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons, and students who cannot wear a mask for behavioral reasons are exempted from this requirement.

All districts are required this school year to provide in-person learning to all students.

More than 2,200 public and private schools have opted into either one or multiple forms of testing that the state is providing free to all schools. DESE and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services launched the Test and Stay program for students identified as close contacts in school, allowing students to be tested daily and remain in class if they test negative. This innovative approach has saved students across the commonwealth more than 48,000 days of in-person learning this school year.
Through the 2010s, Nutanix quietly staged one of the most impressive coups of recent IT history, disintermediating datacentre storage, compute and networking giants with its revolutionary converged approach to those elements. Today, Nutanix has a market cap of nigh on $8bn but CEO and co-founder Dheeraj Pandey surprised everyone when in 2020 he announced he was leaving the company. Now hes back together with another ex-Nutanix star Manoj Agarwal at a new company, DevRev.

I spoke to Agarwal by Zoom as he was visiting Bangalore, India to open DevRevs R&D centre there. He tells me he is not from the area but from a small village lacking electricity, never mind colleges. But it was there that his entrepreneurial spirit was kindled. As a boy he started a building materials company with his father where he learned, avant la lettre, about the value of ecosystems, churn, customer satisfaction and net promoter scores.

At that stage you dont know the words but youre thinking about suppliers, customers and how you can make them happy, he says.

Coming to America

Like Pandey (the pair have been friends for almost 30 years) Agarwal became a star student and hotshot programmer and, like so many brilliant Indians, made the trip to study and work in the US. He joined Nutanix in 2013, four years after it was founded and when it had fewer than 200 people. He soon became a key figure in product engineering and in the various transitions Nutanix made to become a software and cloud subscription-based company.
Between 1998 and 2005, in the aftermath of the Balkan war, there were 20 killings, kidnappings and disappearances of Serbian and Albanian journalists and media workers. In 19 of these cases, no one was held accountable. They include:

Serbian journalists Ranko Perenic and uro Slavuj who disappeared in 1998 when they were working for Radio Pristina;

Journalist Ismail Berbatovci who disappeared in July 1998;

Journalist Nebojsa Radosevic and photographer Vladimir Dobricic who were kidnapped in October 1998;

Journalist Afrim Maliqi who was murdered in December 1998;

Journalist and head of the Kosovo Information Center Enver Maloku who was murdered in January 1999;

RTP Journalist Haki Braha who was killed in March 1999;

Correspondent for the Serbian national daily Ljubomir Knezevic who disappeared in May 1999;

Stern journalists, Gabriel Gruner, Volker Kramer and translator Senol Alit were murdered in June 1999;

Journalist Aleksandar Simovic Sima of Media Action International was murdered in August 1999;

RTV Pristina Editor Krist Gegaj who was murdered in September 1999;

Photojournalist Momir Stokuca who was murdered in September 1999;

Rilindja journalist Shefki Popova who was murdered in September 2000;

Journalist Marjan Melonasi who disappeared in September 2000;

Bota Sot journalist Xhemail Mustafa who was murdered in November 2000;

Bota Sot photojournalist Bekim Kastrati who was murdered in October 2001;

Bota Sot journalist and columnist Bardhyl Ajeti who was murdered in June 2005.

Violence against journalists continued after 2005

In 2020, various cases of media workers being attacked, threatened or harassed were reported. For instance, in October 2020, investigative journalist Shkumbin Kajtazis car was shot at just four months after his other car had been set on fire.

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK) has listed a number of attacks against journalists and media from January to the end of September 2021. The crimes range from attacks on media houses, physical violence and online harassment against journalists and threats coming from officials and politicians .

The IFJ noted an escalation of violence against journalists with targeted attacks and intimidation occuring on several occasions. In February 2021, Visar Duriqi, a journalist at the online news portal Insajderi, was assaulted outside his home at night . He suffered severe injuries and was taken to the hospital. In March 2021, the Reporteri platform was targeted by cyber attacks. In April 2021, Dasko Milinovic, a journalist and radio host, was physically assaulted on his way to work. In October 2021, Gazeta Sinjali workers were targeted by death threats .

Many of these violations took place when journalists were reporting on the field. On 13 October, 2021, Several journalists covering riots for different media organisations were attacked by protesters and media workers had to move away.

A call for truth

In October 2021, the European Federation of Journalists General Assembly joined a union solidarity call for an international commission of experts to investigate the killings and disappearances of journalists and media workers between 1998 and 2005 in Kosovo, i.e. during and after the war in Kosovo.

The increased number of attacks, threats and harassment toward journalists through the years are a good indicator on how easily the rights of journalists are violated. The lack of proper investigations carried out by the relevant institutions, as well as the prolonging of the cases by the courts lead more attacks, threats and lynching toward our members, said the AGK.
On October 24, Taliban militia attacked freelance journalist, Sadaqat Ghorzan, while reporting on the recently reopened Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemn the Talibans repeated attacks against journalists and call on the Taliban to uphold their commitments to a free, democratic press.

Sadaqat Ghorzan, a freelance journalist on assignment with TOLOnews, was beaten with rifles on his head and arms by Taliban border forces near Torkham gate, a major crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ghorzan was covering Afghans attempts to flee to Pakistan.

Although Ghorzan reached the border with official permission to report from the Taliban, upon arrival Taliban forces seized and destroyed his camera and mobile phone. I reached the Torkham crossing after having talk with the commissioner along with his body guard, but I was attacked all of sudden even without giving any reasons, Ghorzan said.

The Thorkam border was reopened on October 21 for travelers with visas following a visit by Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimate over half a million Afghans will flee across border by the end of year as economic and humanitarian crises unfold under the Taliban's rule.

Ghorzans attack was widely criticized by the journalists fraternity. TOLOnews head Khpolwak Sapai opined that if cases like Ghorzans are ignored, working journalists across Afghanistan will suffer and urged that the incident be investigated.

Journalists have been increasingly targeted following the Talibans take-over in mid-August, with over 70% of Afghan journalists having received threats according to a study by Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU). On October 21, Taliban militants attacked at least three journalists covering a womens protest rally in Kabul. In a separate incident on September 7 and 8, Taliban militants arrested more than 14 media workers covering anti-Pakistan and womens protests in Kabul.

The IFJ said: The recent attacks against media persons and journalists are against the Talibans commitment to preserve independent media and freedom of expression. The IFJ call on the Taliban to uphold press freedom and to cease their persecution of members of the press.
India Exim Bank listed its USD 1 billion 10-year bond on AFRINEX at a virtual listing, during the Launching Ceremony of AFRINEX on October 25, 2021. Honble Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius, Her Excellency Mrs. K. Nandini Singla, High Commissioner of India to Mauritius, and Ms. Harsha Bangari, Managing Director, Export-Import Bank of India, rang the digital bell on AFRINEX, thus, celebrating the launch of AFRINEX with its inaugural listing of India Exim Banks USD 1 billion 10-year Bond.



India Exim Banks USD 1 billion 10-year Bond, issued in January 2021, was the fourth transaction of the Bank in the 144A/Reg S format. The transaction at a coupon of 2.25% p.a. marked a record low for any Indian issuer for a 10-year USD issuance.



This issue was 3.5 times oversubscribed by several high-quality investors. The Bank, which has a substantially dollarized balance sheet, is one of the largest Indian issuers of long-term debt in the international debt capital markets and its paper is treated as quasi-sovereign.



The funds thus raised have been used by the Bank to support Indian project exports, overseas investments by way of long-term credit and its export lines of credit portfolio. This listing is India Exim Banks maiden foreign currency bond bell ringing on AFRINEX. India Exim Banks bonds are also listed on Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (SGX-ST), London Stock Exchanges International Securities Market (LSE-ISM), and India International Exchange (IFSC) Limited (India INX).



Congratulating AFRINEX the Honble Prime Minister mentioned, It is with a deep sense of satisfaction and pride that I join you all this morning for the launch of AFRINEX. We are having another Securities Exchange after almost 30 years, this testifies that our capital market is expanding and deepening while assuming a larger role in the development and integration of the regional capital market. AFRINEX will certainly contribute to further establish Mauritius among the newly developed emerging capital markets of the region.



Commenting on the successful launch and the listing, Her Excellency Mrs. K. Nandini Singla, High Commissioner of India to Mauritius, said As a Pan-African Exchange based out of Mauritius, AFRINEX can be a game changer not only for Mauritius but also Africa and beyond. An International Financial Centre of tomorrow will no longer be about physical infrastructure, but more about offering a transaction platform that seamlessly capture global financial transactions in investment and trade. The launch of AFRINEX opens the door to the possibility of deeper financial and economic engagement between Mauritius and India.



Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Krishna Gangopadhyay, CEO & MD AFRINEX mentioned We welcome Exim Bank of India as our first issuer on Securities Official List. It offers testimony to the flexibility and agility of our listing platform Securities Official List, and also comfort that sovereign issuers draw from the transparency and robustness of our rules.



Ms. Harsha Bangari, Managing Director, India Exim Bank, said Today is a momentous occasion marking the launch of AFRINEX. It is also a proud moment for us at India Exim Bank to list our USD 1 billion Exim 2031 bond as the inaugural listing on AFRINEX. The AFRINEX will serve as a gateway for broadening the investor base of issuers in the African continent, along with that of the world



AFRINEX is an initiative by the Government of Mauritius to set up a pan-Africa Exchange and become an International Financial Centre. The initiative is supported by the Government of India, and BSE Technologies Ltd. is the technology and skill partner of the exchange. The objective of AFRINEX is to offer a primary market platform and efficient price discovery at an optimal cost.



India Exim Bank, set up in 1982, aims to promote Indias international trade and investment. The Bank offers Indian companies a comprehensive range of products and services, supported by analysis and research, with a view to enhancing their international competitiveness. The Bank actively supports Indian exporting companies, especially medium-sized enterprises, in their globalisation efforts through a variety of lending programmes.
The foreign Ministers of India, Israel, and UAE along with the US secretary of State on 18 October met virtually leading to huge speculations of the formation of a new Quadrilateral or Quad group.

Israel in the last couple of years has built some serious engagements with many Middle Eastern countries and India already has good relations with most of them. Such coordination between an important gulf country, Israel, and the US can prove to be a game-changer in the political and economic relations within and outside the region.

Twitter

The new engagements

Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishanker, who was in Israel, together with his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid held a video conference with the US state secretary Antony Blinken and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan.

Meeting followed discussions on the future engagement in the fields of transportation, technology, maritime security, economics, and trade. By the end of the meeting, a decision was taken to launch an international forum for economic cooperation to harness the unique array of capabilities, knowledge, and experience of four nations.

It is particularly this decision that is leading to speculation regarding the formation of a new quadrilateral group among these members. If this happens, this could lead to greater cooperation among these influential countries in the region.

India and the US along with Australia and Japan are already part of another Quad group.

PTI

Jaishanker in his tweet while terming the conference a fruitful first meeting said, Discussed working together more closely on economic growth and global issues. Agreed on expeditious follow up."

The spokesperson of the US state department regarding the meeting said that the countries discussed, Expanding economic and political cooperation in the Middle East and Asia, including through trade, combating climate change, energy cooperation, and including maritime security."

India has good relations with the UAE

India already has pretty good relations with Israel and UAE. Israel is one of the largest suppliers of military hardware to India, while UAE has been Indias important trading and energy partner. Politically both countries have been supportive of India globally. Israel and India have time and again expressed their support for each other in some crucial issues.

And sam has been the case with UAE, which stood by India especially post August 5, 2019, when Pakistan viciously campaigned against India especially in the Muslim world. UAE even facilitated the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire agreement. The US on the other hand has good relations with all three nations.

Twitter

A special arrangement

Israel and UAE last year normalised their relationship with Israel after almost six decades of the constant polity of declining to recognise Israel. Since then both countries have quickly developed relations, from opening their embassies to developing bilateral relations and even trade.

While such an arrangement can surely prove beneficial for all three countries in terms of economics, many are looking at this potential second Quad with a world political prism. The already existing quad is already being seen as a counter to the rising power and influence of China.

Many are speculating some China factor being behind this new Quad. The US and India are considered at the vanguard against rising Chinese influence. With Chinese influence increasing in Asia and some parts of Middle Eastern Asia, such a new group with India and US will raise the speculations of it being pitched against China.

The other important aspect that will be debated with regards to this group will be Iran. Iran does not have even normal relations with Israel, the US, and UAE. On the other hand, India does not fall on the same line with regards to China, with it having nice relations with the Persian Country.

While speculations of the group being anti-Iran might come up, it would be crucial to see how India balances its relations with group partners and Iran.
With just days to go for Diwali, the West Bengal government has permitted the sales and bursting of green firecrackers in the state.

According to the West Bengal Pollution Control Board, the restriction on time for bursting of the crackers is applicable across Diwali, Chhath Puja, Christmas and New Years Eve.

BCCL

As per an order from the pollution control body, the sale/bursting of firecrackers during Diwali from 8-10 pm and Chhat Puja from 6-8 pm.

For Christmas and New Year's Eve, the time frame to sell and burst firecrackers is 35 minutes each (From 11:55 PM to 12:30 AM for New Year).

"Other than the above-specified festivals, the prior permission of District Magistrates/Commissioners of Police/Superintendents of Police shall be required for the use of only green crackers for a limited period (not more than two hours) in the state of West Bengal," the order added.

BCCL

Ahead of the big festival, several states across India have restricted the bursting of firecrackers.

What are green firecrackers?

Green fire crackers have been defined as:

1, Fireworks/firecrackers made with reduction in size of shell, elimination of ash usage etc., reduced usage of raw materials in the compositions, of uniform acceptable quality, and/or use of additives as dust suppressants to reduce emissions with specific reference to particulate matter(PM*) [ SO2 and NO2 leading to: - a minimum of PM reduction of 30 % - a minimum of PM reduction of 20% and rest 10% of gaseous emission (mass of gases emitted based on composition) or more reduction of gaseous emission (mass of gases emitted based on composition)

BCCL

2, Fireworks/fire crackers having new and improved formulations (substitution and reduction of raw materials in composition) to reduce emissions with specific reference to particulate matter(PM*), SO2 and NO2 as: - a minimum of PM reduction of 30 % - a minimum of PM reduction of 20% and rest 10% of gaseous emission (mass of gases emitted based on composition).

For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News.
Ruling that the state does not get a free pass every time the spectre of national security is raised, the Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed a committee comprising three technical members and supervised by its retired judge Justice R V Raveendran to conduct a thorough inquiry into allegations of use of Pegasus software for unauthorised surveillance.

Violation of rights "could have a chilling effect"

The allegations that Israeli-made Pegasus software was used to snoop on journalists, activists and politicians in India are about the violation of fundamental rights and "could have a chilling effect", the Supreme Court said today, setting up an inquiry headed by a retired judge.

AFP

A "vague denial from the government is not sufficient", the Supreme Court said sharply, asserting that the government could not give any clarity despite being given "ample opportunity" to do so. There had been no specific denial by the Centre, it said.

The court also commented on the government's statements on lawful interception for national security purposes. The Supreme Court added that "in the task of upholding of fundamental rights, the state cannot be an adversary".



About independent probe

Retired Supreme Court Justice RV Raveendran will head the inquiry and an IPS officer will assist him, along with officials from the National Forensic University. The committee has to "expeditiously probe" the charge and report to the court by the next hearing two months later.



The court declined the government's request to set up an expert panel, saying it would "violate the settled judicial principle against bias".

PTI

The judgment

Chief Justice NV Ramana began the judgment with a quote from George Orwell's 1984 -"If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself."

"This court gave ample time to the Centre to disclose all information regarding the Pegasus attack since 2019. However only a limited affidavit was filed throwing no light. If the Centre made its stand clear the burden on us would have been less," said the Chief Justice.

"In today's world, restrictions on privacy is to prevent terrorism activity and can only be imposed when needed to protect national security. But the state cannot get a free pass every time by raising national security concerns. National security cannot be the bugbear that the judiciary shies away from, by virtue of its mere mentioning. Although this court should be circumspect in encroaching the domain of national security, no omnibus prohibition can be called against judicial review. Centre should have justified its stand here and not rendered the court a mute spectator. The court will not encroach upon national security but that does not make the court a mute spectator."

Representational Image: Getty Images

Multiple petitions have called for an investigation into allegations that Israeli Pegasus spyware- sold only to governments - was used to target opposition leaders, journalists and others.

Right to privacy raked up

"Without allowing ourselves to be consumed into political rhetoric, we have never refrained from protecting people from their fundamental rights being abused," said the judges.

"Privacy is not just for journalists and politicians but also about the rights of individuals. There are restrictions on the right to privacy but those restrictions have to stand constitutional scrutiny," said the judgment.

The judges said it was an "uphill task" to choose independent members, and it was done based on data gathered "personally".

For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News.


In a major cabinet reshuffle, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed Indian-origin politician Anita Anand as the country's new defence minister.

The development comes over a month after Trudeau's Liberal Party returned power in the snap polls and amid calls for major military reforms.

The Canadian Press

Anand, 54, will replace long-time defence minister Indian-origin Harjit Sajjan, whose handling of the military sexual misconduct crisis has been under criticism, The Times of India reported. Sajjan will now serve as the minister of the international development agency.



Anita Anand was born in Kentville, Nova Scotia. Her parents were both physicians; her mother Saroj D. Ram was an anesthesiologist, and her father S.V. Anand was a general surgeon.



Her father was from Tamil Nadu and her mother was from Punjab.



It is my sincere honour to be sworn in today as Minister of National Defence. Thank you @JustinTrudeau for entrusting me with this portfolio, Anand tweeted.



It is my sincere honour to be sworn in today as Minister of National Defence. Thank you @JustinTrudeau for entrusting me with this portfolio. pic.twitter.com/4QpXA5hcL6  Anita Anand (@AnitaOakville) October 26, 2021

Anand has been touted as a strong contender for weeks among defence industry experts, Global News reported. They say that moving her into the role would send a powerful signal to survivors and victims of military sexual misconduct that the government is serious about implementing major reforms.



Anand was first elected as a rookie MP in 2019 representing Oakville and served as procurement minister throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, handling the countrys contracting and negotiations for COVID-19 vaccines and is widely viewed as a rising star in cabinet.

The Oakville MP has a deep background as a corporate lawyer and has worked extensively on corporate governance, which refers specifically to the laws and rules in place to manage the operations of businesses.



The members of the Canadian Armed Forces dedicate their lives to safeguarding our country and we owe it to them to make sure that they operate in a safe and healthy environment. I look forward to this work!  Anita Anand (@AnitaOakville) October 26, 2021

The Canadian military has been in the eye of a storm due to its handling of sexual misconduct allegations and have been facing intense public and political pressure to change its culture and create better systems for both preventing and handling sexual misconduct allegations.



Among those changes are calls for an independent reporting system to ensure allegations of sexual misconduct are handled outside of the chain of command.

Anand will have her task cut out, as she steps in to bring the necessary changes needed to get the Canadian Armed Forces out of the crisis.

She told journalists she plans to get up to speed with her new department and be able to provide very forthright responses to questions in the coming days.



My top priority is to make sure that everyone in the armed forces feels safe and protected, and that they have the supports that they need when they need them, and the structures in place to ensure that justice is serviced.


The Biden Administration is increasingly prioritizing growing ransomware threats as a risk management problem, according to guests on the latest episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast.

This comes as four insurance firms  Travelers, Coalition, Resilience Cyber Solutions and Vantage Group were among the participants in the White House summit on cybersecurity in August along with technology firms and Biden Administration officials. The aim was to discuss how these groups can work more closely together to improve the nations cybersecurity, particularly as U.S. public and private sector entities increasingly face cyber attacks.

Wasnt it interesting that the very first question by the President to that group of executives  was to a cyber insurance executive about this? said Chris Finan, chief operating officer at ActZero, an artificial intelligence-driven cybersecurity start-up. So if that doesnt demonstrate, I think, the importance of this and getting it right  I dont know what will. I was very pleased with that focus by the President. It does seem to be priority. I felt they had the right people around the table.

Finan has more than a decade of experience working in cybersecurity and previously served in the Obama Administration as the director for cybersecurity legislation and policy on the National Security Council staff in the White House. He said he hopes to see momentum building toward a more standardized framework to measure risk as ransomware threats continue to grow, with AM Best recently reporting that ransomware now accounts for 75% of all cyber insurance claims.

I think we can expect further actions from the administration, NIST (The National Institute of Standards and Technology) and DHS (The U.S. Department of Homeland Security) to now promulgate more sophisticated security standards, particularly ones that are more focused on ransomware controls, he said.

Joshua Motta, CEO and co-founder of cyber insurance and security provider Coalition, agreed.

I think that the government is acutely aware of how large of a threat [ransomware] is to the U.S. economy, and theyre taking actions, he said.

Coalition was one of the four insurance companies invited to meet with President Biden at the summit.

I think they were really looking at the insurance industry to be a driving force for setting those standards, for making sure that businesses have the appropriate minimum controls and hygiene in place and using the industry as a force to really try and incentivize the adoption and awareness of this problem, he said. That insurers were even invited is important to take stock of, and I think its indicative of the fact that [the federal government] views this as a risk management problem.

He said that since insurance companies work to quickly respond to market forces and have a financial incentive to protect customers, the industry can be used as a mechanism to enforce cybersecurity hygiene.

Theres very much asymmetry between the people who are attacking businesses, who only have to get it right once, and those who are trying to defend themselves who have to be right all the time, he said. And I think that the administration, the government, realizes that insurance companies can act like private regulators in a sense.

Finan said he hopes to see a convergence between the public and private sectors on a set of ransomware controls and a framework to measure whether those controls are effective. In turn, he said this can create efficiencies in data collection and measurement that will help the insurance industry transfer risks smartly and efficiently.

It starts at the c-suite. Is this a priority? Are you measuring it? Are you holding people accountable? he said.

Motta added that although security took the backseat in software development for quite some time, businesses are now realizing they need to find better ways to protect themselves, particularly during the pandemic shift to digital for many working environments.

I think most businesses are coming to the realization that theyre digital businesses, irrespective of what industry theyre in, when they were founded, whether they are technology companies or not, he said. If theyre dependent on a working computer and internet connection, they have cyber risk. They have technological risk.

This is where the public and private sectors can come together to help organizations navigate their own cyber risks, Motta said.

Unfortunately, many are not in the best position to figure out how to do that, he said. Theyre busy enough trying to navigate a pandemic and keep their business going and focus on their core operations. Becoming an expert in cybersecurity and how to defend themselves is a daunting challenge, right?

Finan agreed, adding that there is a lot of value in implementing best practices and a framework to measure and understand the effectiveness of risk management programs and reduce risk overtime.

I think the thing that really stands out to me is that there are no magic bullets, he said. A lot of this is just really hard.

To find out what else Joshua and Chris had to say, check out the most recent episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast. Be sure to check back for new episodes publishing every other Wednesday along with the Insuring Cyber newsletter. Thanks for listening.

Topics Cyber Risk Management
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has submitted a request for a major disaster declaration to the Biden administration, seeking federal funds to help Connecticut recover from damage caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida.

The September 1 storm dumped as much as 8 inches of rain on parts of the state, resulting heavy flooding and an estimated $7.2 million in damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure, Lamont said.

It also resulted in the death of State Police Sgt. Brian Mohl, whose vehicle was swept away in floodwaters.

The effects from the remnants of Hurricane Ida were of such severity that effective recovery is beyond the capabilities of state and local governments, and as a result, supplemental federal assistance is necessary, Lamont wrote Friday in a letter to the president.

Lamonts request would allow homeowners in Fairfield and New London counties, as well residents of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribal Nation, to receive federal reimbursements for the costs of uninsured damage to their housing and personal property.

According to Lamonts request, just 8% of damaged homes in New London County and 23% in Fairfield County had flood insurance.

The proposed declaration also would allow municipalities in Fairfield and Middlesex counties to receive up to 75% federal reimbursement of the costs of uninsured damage to roads and other infrastructure, as well as costs for emergency response.

The governors office said public assistance damage assessments in Litchfield, New Haven and New London counties have not been completed and his request could be updated.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Flood Connecticut
Given the accounting differences for global insurance companies in different jurisdictions, a new global minimum tax on certain multinational companies creates the potential for double taxation for some insurance companies, according to an AM Best commentary.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced on Oct. 8, 2021, that 136 out of 140 countries and jurisdictions agreed that certain multinational enterprises (MNEs) will be subject to a minimum tax rate of 15%, beginning in 2023.

Bermudas Tax Advantage for Re/Insurers to Be Cut With 15% Global Minimum Tax: Fitch

The OECD proposal would apply to companies, including insurers, with revenue above 750 million (US$870.1 million).

The application of this new stipulation could be challenging for insurers with longer-duration coverages, as profits may not be realized at the point of sale, unlike other industries, said the AM Best commentary titled OECD Announces Agreement Toward Global Minimum Tax.

The use of deferred tax balances by insurers allows for timing differences between accounting regimes, AM Best said.

The impact will depend on the final nature of the laws passed by respective governments, exemptions that some protective governments may seek to sustain their competitive advantage and accounting interpretations.

AM Best explained that the focal point of such action is to base taxes on where the profits emerge, even if companies have no physical presence in a particular country or jurisdiction and is a response to the digitization of the global economy.

The agreement consists of a two-pillar solution, which was presented to G20 foreign ministers in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 13 and will be discussed by G20 leaders in Rome at the end of October.

AM Best then explained the two pillars.

Under Pillar 1 of the proposal, MNEs with global sales of more than 20 billion ($23.2 billion) and profitability above 10% would be covered. Pillar 1 is not applicable to regulated financial services companies. Profits of up to 25% above the 10% threshold would be reallocated to market jurisdictions. OECD estimates that up to $125 billion of profits will be reallocated to jurisdictions each year.

Under Pillar 2, which will have insurers under its scope, there will be a global minimum tax rate of 15%. The minimum tax rate will apply to companies with revenue above 750 million. OECD estimates that Pillar 2 will generate $150 billion of additional global tax revenue annually.

Double Taxation a Possibility

AM Best said insurers globally are subject to numerous accounting regimes, which makes it difficult to apply the Pillar 2 requirements to the industry.

Profits may not be realized at the point of sale, as with other industries. While short-term insurance coverages may fit into Pillar 2, longer duration coverages will be very difficult when applying Pillar 2 revenue and profit measures, said the commentary.

Life insurance, for example, has very long periods during which revenue and profits are realized, AM Best said, noting that the use of deferred tax balances allows for some of the timing differences between accounting regimes.

The insurance industry has sent comments to the OECD recommending that such deferred taxes be taken into account when determining an MNEs effective tax rate, said the commentary. Without this, insurers could see double taxation and will not treated on a par with other industries.

The ultimate impact of the rules will depend on the final version of the laws passed by the various governments, exemptions that some protective governments may seek to sustain their competitive advantage, and accounting interpretations.

We think the low-tax regimes have been resilient thus far in the face of the BEAT implementation in 2017, and places like Bermuda and Ireland are also seen as centers of excellence with respect to underwriting, capital management, and mature regulatory environments, concluded the AM Best commentary. (Editors note: The reference to BEAT is the base erosion and anti-abuse tax, adopted as part of U.S. tax reform in 2017, which reduced Bermudas tax advantage.).

Related:

Topics Carriers AM Best
London-based Aston Lark reported it has acquired Bainbridge Collins Ltd., a Midlands independent insurance brokerage focused on the mid corporate sector.

Led by Cyril Gallagher, Bainbridge Collins was established more than 30 years ago in Birmingham. In addition to offering insurance broking services, the firm also offers a risk management service with guidance on health, safety and loss prevention.

Peter Blanc, Aston Lark Group CEO, said the acquisition enhances his firms mid-corporate capability in the West Midlands region.

The acquisition is the 25th for Aston Lark this year. Last week it announced the acquisition of Absolute Products Ltd., based in Leighton Buzzard, England. That was also its 40th deal since its formation in 2018.

Aston Lark, which is backed by Goldman Sachs, has 1,600 employees across more than 55 offices in the UK and Ireland.

MGAs Can Build Broker Relationships  Even in a Hard Market: Aston Larks CEO

Earlier this month, Howden, the London-based insurance broking group, announced an agreement to acquire Aston Lark from Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Bowmark Capital. Financial terms of the deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, were not disclosed. However, according to a Reuters report, the purchase price is 1.1 billion pounds ($1.5 billion).

Topics Mergers Agencies
There is little surprise when a conversation about cannabis and insurance turns to the subject of capacity.

Really when it comes to cultivation, processing, there is a bit of a hiccup, it seems in the overall market space, I think in terms of capacity from a property perspective for a total package solution, said Keith Distel, casualty team leader in Admirals Chicago office and vice president of cannabis underwriting. I know obviously the two of us are in kind of the same playing field when it comes to capacity. But capacity, its difficult. Its limited.

Distel was speaking during Insurance Journals annual Insuring Cannabis Summit on Oct. 14 on a panel titled Cannabis Insurance Intelligence: The Essentials and Beyond.

Distels comment on capacity was in answer to a question from moderator Charles Pyfrom, chief marketing officer at CannGen Insurance Services. The other panelists were Erich Schutz, a broker at Jencap Specialty Insurance Services focusing on the hemp and marijuana industry nationwide, and Alan Devey, a cannabis-focused producer out of Lockton Chicago who works with several publicly traded cannabis companies.

Distel blamed the lack of capacity on the continued status of cannabis as a controlled substance, making it illegal in the eyes of the government.

Editors Note: This is part of a series of articles from Insurance Journals annual Insuring Cannabis Summit on Oct. 14.

Its really putting a limit on capacity overall, Distel said. And so on the general liability side, what I see, especially a huge pain point, as operators grow by leaps and bounds every single year. The majority of our accounts that we work with are growing. They might be estimating sales at $2 million one year, and all of a sudden, next year rolls around, they have a handful more licenses, better capitalization behind them.

Devey tied the capacity conversation in with his experience insuring special purpose acquisition corporations.

When you look at these deals, obviously, youve got a private company doing a reverse merger into a SPAC and a lot of times its either ancillary businesses in and around the cannabis space, which if you follow some stocks, those are the SPAC deals that have done better historically than the traditional vertically integrated operators who have gone public via a SPAC vehicle, Devey said. So interesting to track but capacity is limited already in the cannabis industry. And when you tie a SPAC to it, its very difficult to place coverage, especially because a lot of the times these are being transitioned from a privately held company to being traded on multiple exchanges. And the risks are very difficult to quantify.

Any IPO is a huge magnifier on the risk because the lawsuits will eventually come, he explained.

Its just a matter of when, Devey said. And so the carriers are almost signing their death wish to say, Okay, is this what I want to sign on to? And these deals are just theyre very tricky, and it has caused a lot of trouble in the insurance market with the influx of SPACs both cannabis and non-cannabis.

Schutz joined the conversation on capacity.

We got a lot more capacity this year. And its still insufficient, Schutz said. And were having issues with certain placements when it comes to equipment breakdown. And its just getting a little bit more hairy. Crop coverage, were seeing some rate changes there. Again, crop coverage is limited peril. So still not the most robust product out there. And something that wed like to see kind of strengthen over time as more entrants come in.

Pyfrom described the difficulty of explaining to insurance buyers about the lack of capacity or certain lines of insurance.

Honestly weve found with a lot of our buyers and brokers we talked to where theyll say, What do you mean its not available?' Pyfrom said. That shock factor is real, even though cannabis has been more than a decade strong, continue to be a force in the industry of an up and coming boom, where its attracting great operators and great executives from other industries to come over and say, I want to be part of this entrepreneurial venture that is cannabis, thats doing a gazillion dollars in sales every year now. I mean, its real numbers.

Equipment breakdown, cyber, directors and officers and claims were other topics covered in the panel.

Schutz said the most common claim hes seeing in cannabis is from theft, but other claims are making themselves known.

But what Im seeing in some of the markets where I am in Massachusetts, where risks are built very well, because of the regulations, Schutz said. So were not seeing as many theft claims as we are in other parts of the country. But uninsured EPLI claims, wage and hour, or other related issues, Ive seen a number of those coming through, and thus far, unfortunately, all of them have been uninsured, as the take up on EPLI is still incredibly low. But I think our retailers really need to take a hard look at cyber and EPLI and consider putting that spend there.

Topics Cannabis
For three years, undercover investigators watched as construction company owners in South Carolina met with a check-cashing company in parking lots, then walk away with bags of cash and fake insurance certificates, showing laborers were covered by workers compensation insurance.

Tuesday, federal prosecutors announced that 12 of those construction firm owners and managers have pleaded guilty to tax fraud and to hiring illegal immigrants in the Myrtle Beach area.

By evading millions of dollars in taxes and falsely claiming their workers had insurance, these defendants made it harder for honest business owners to compete in the construction industry along South Carolinas coast and they left their workers exposed to injury without insurance, Acting U.S. Attorney Rhett DeHart said in a news release. Investigators with the Internal Revenue Service and with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security also worked the investigation.

Prosecutors said that the contractor firms cashed more than $15 million in checks with the illicit check-cashing services over the last few years. The scheme often worked like this, authorities said: A construction company would give the check casher a business check made out to a company the check casher had created, and the check casher would give the construction company representative a bag of cash that would be used to pay the employees. In exchange for their services, the check casher held back a fee of about 3%.

To make it appear like the employees had valid insurance on job sites, the check casher would also provide a certificate of workers compensation insurance that was not actually valid for any of the construction companys employees. The parties agreed that the check casher would, on paper, claim to be a subcontractor who provided the employees and provided insurance, prosecutors said.

The charges carry a potential prison sentence of five years, a fine of up to $250,000 and an additional $3,000 fine for each employee who entered the country illegally, the U.S. Attorneys office said. As part of their plea agreements, the defendants must pay back the money they owe to the IRS, amounting to almost $3 million in restitution.

Topics South Carolina Contractors
IFA President Tim Cullinan has said the proposed trade deal between the UK and New Zealand is very concerning for Irish sheep farmers.

But it is expected to also open up the UK to significant tariff-free quotas of butter and cheese from New Zealand and will expand tariff-free quotas for beef from Down Under.

The agreement in principle for a future trade deal with New Zealand is understood to remove import tariffs on New Zealands agricultural goods coming into the UK.

For sheep meat, New Zealand already has access to a 114,000-tonne, tariff-free quota into the UK. But this quota hasnt been filled in recent years, as sheep meat production in New Zealand has been slowly declining, and the Chinese market has grown in importance.

The new trade deal could provide an extra 35,000 tonnes of tariff-free access for the first four years, after which it will rise to 50,000 tonnes, and trade will be fully liberalised after 15 years.

New Zealand is in the top five beef exporters globally, shipping primarily to the US, but more and more to China also.

With access currently to only 454 tonnes at a zero tariff rate into the UK, New Zealand is expected to benefit from this rising to 12,000 tonnes, and to 60,000 tonnes by year 15 of the deal, after which unlimited volumes will be able to access the UK tariff-free.

Read More Sheep Trade: Processors remain very anxious to get the lambs

China is also a key New Zealand dairy trading partner, taking more than 30% (by value) of exports. For butter and cheese, New Zealand doesnt have UK tariff-free quotas, but in the new deal, these would start at 7,000 tonnes for butter, and become fully liberalised after six years. For cheese, it is similar, with the year-one quota set at 24,000 tonnes.

Minette Batters, President of the National Farmers Union in the UK, said the deal, like one signed early this year with Australia, could have a "huge downside" for the UKs dairy, livestock and horticulture sectors.

She said it opens the door to significant extra volumes of imported dairy, red meat and horticulture foods, while securing almost nothing in return for UK farmers.

UK farm businesses face significantly higher costs of production than farmers in New Zealand and Australia.

The government is now asking British farmers to go toe-to-toe with some of the most export-orientated farmers in the world."

And with the UK remaining the largest single destination for Irish food and drink exports, the threat to Irelands food and agriculture industry is obvious.

In 2020, 33% by value of Irelands food and drink exports went to the UK (worth 4.3bn).

Trade experts believe the UK is striking a deal primarily as a pre-requisite to joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership bloc of 11 countries around the Pacific Rim, thus opening the way for increased exports. New Zealand is projected to gain a 600 million boost to GDP, but the UK Governments own analysis suggests the NZ deal will have little effect on the UKs GDP.

Currently, wine is New Zealands largest export to the UK, worth nearly 300m per year. Winemakers and honey producers will be the initial NZ beneficiaries of the UK trade deal.
Students Unions at different campuses are urging students to be vigilant following growing reports of drink spiking and spiking via injection in bars and nightclubs across parts of Ireland and Britain.

Munster Technological University Kerrys Students Union President, Chris Clifford said they are aware of six students who had their drinks spiked during their Freshers Week.

It happened in a venue that wasnt associated with the Students Union. They came to us separately with the report, he said.

On the back of the reports, the Union ran a campaign to raise awareness on the issue by placing lollipops in students drinks to show them how easily a drink can be spiked.

Our first and second years have probably never stepped foot in a nightclub in a normal environment so just to give them the awareness because the last the last thing we want to do is victim blame, said Mr Clifford.

To date, there have been 198 confirmed reports of drink spiking in September and October across various parts of the UK, plus 24 reports of some form of injection.

Mary Crilly from the Cork Sexual Violence Centre said that while they have seen cases of drinks being spiked with drugs or additional alcohol, they have not seen cases of people being spiked via injection

Its just a new way of doing it, she said.

Ms Crilly urged people to call out peers on unacceptable behaviours such as this if they see it happening.

University College Dublin's union said it has also heard reports from students about potential instances of spiking during the first semester.

As students across the country return to nightlife following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, the union issued a number of posts on social media over the bank holiday weekend to highlight the signs of a spiking.

UCD Students Union (UCDSU) has warned students and young people to be vigilant following reports of a growth in the number of people experiencing drink spiking or spiking via injection in bars and nightclubs.

Molly Greenough, UCDSU welfare officer said it is incredibly disheartening to see the rise in reported cases of spiking both here and in Britain.

It is vital to emphasise that the onus never lies on the victim to not be spiked, but rather on the perpetrator to not commit such a heinous crime," she said.

Still, its important that students are equipped with the knowledge to better help them protect themselves and look out for their friends.

The union added that while it can be a tough conversation to have, its important for those in a position of privilege to safely call out peers on unacceptable behaviours when they see them happening.

We can all play a part in developing a culture of consent, compassion, and community, added Ms Greenough.

We have all heard the reports of a surge in spiking in Ireland and the UK.



Above all else, we want you to be safe, take a look at our graphic for info on some potential signs of spiking.



See also, HSE guidance if you have been spiked - https://t.co/1swHWW6zME pic.twitter.com/2dIWIIuvjP  UCD Students' Union (@UCDSU) October 26, 2021

Now more than ever, students have to be aware of the dangers of going out and how they can best look out for each other and have the best experience possible, said Niamh Scully, UCDSUs Gender Equality Campaign Co-ordinator.

There are signs we can look out for if someone has been spiked and knowing these helps us look out for each other and protect victims of these assaults.

The Union also said that students should consult the HSE guidance if they think that they or a friend have been spiked.

It comes following numerous reports of drink spiking or of injection spiking across Britain over the past two months.

The HSE has said it is keeping a close eye on the reopened night-time economy here on the back of those reports.

A number of police forces in Britain say they are conducting investigations into a multitude of injection spiking reports and at least three young men have been arrested so far.

In Brighton, it was yesterday confirmed that detectives are investigating six reports of women being injected while on nights out during the past week.

Victims of spiking in Ireland have been advised to come forward and report all incidents to local Gardai.

An Garda Siochana said it is not in a position to verify the contents of the highlighted social media activity and has not recorded any incidents of this nature at this time.

Gardai said advice on drink spiking and related public health issues are a matter for the HSE and advice can be found on hse.ie.

Any incident of this type of crime including those with evidence to suggest a link with spiking will be investigated by either local Gardai supported by or attached to Divisional Proactive Services Units.

Details of how to report can be found on garda.ie.
A judge has told a 48-year-old man Stop your nonsense after he refused to wear a mask in court after commenting these things are poisonous.

After a garda at Ennis District Court handed a disposable mask to Jonathan OGorman following a request to do so by Judge Mary Larkin, Mr OGorman instead covered part of his face with a red hoodie he was wearing.

He commented these things are poisonous, and declined the offer of the mask.

Mr OGorman was in court contesting a charge over the non-wearing of a mask at a Centra outlet in Corofin, Co Clare, on February 17 this year in contravention of the Covid-19 health regulations.

Judge Larkin convicted Mr OGorman of the offence and fined him 300.

After hearing prosecution and defence evidence in the case, Judge Larkin stated: I am satisfied that you have broken the law. It is as simple as that.

After Judge Larkin imposed the fine and conviction, Mr OGorman commented: I am not paying a fine for this  I havent broken the law.

In evidence, Garda Andrew Monaghan told the court he received a complaint concerning Mr OGorman of New Street, Ennistymon, refusing to wear a mask at the Centra in Corofin on February 17.

Garda Monaghan said Mr OGorman told him he didnt believe in mask wearing as Covid-19 was a lie and that he wouldnt be wearing a mask.

However, Mr OGorman disputed he said this in court and said what he did say to Garda Monaghan over not wearing a mask is that the mask gives you Covid-19.

Mr OGorman contested the charge and told Judge Larkin: I have a lot to say in my defence. Absolutely, 100 per cent.

In the witness box and supported by documentation he brought to court, Mr OGorman told Judge Larkin that having to wear "a face mask violates personal rights of a citizen to breathe fresh air, to shop, to travel to and from the State and not be questioned regarding private health matters.

Mr OGorman said the face mask law provides a platform for an unjustified attack on those who will not wear a face mask.

He said: I have had personal experience of being assaulted many times, chased around a shop, screamed at and shouted at.

Mr OGorman said he had an exemption for not wearing a mask that he wrote himself.

Mr OGorman said the wearing of masks created the conditions for onset of respiratory issues, most notably runny nose, stuffy headache, shortness of breath, inability to exhale toxic gases and inability inhale oxygen.

He said: Such symptoms are recognised symptoms of Covid 19 and I declare that the wearing of a face mask in any setting gives me Covid-19.

Mr OGorman said he was unable to get a mask exemption from his GP, who refused to provide him with an exemption as he was a fit and healthy young man.
A 29-year-old Cork man confessed to offences prosecuted under new anti-computer crime legislation arising out of an investigation into the hacking of a computer parking system.

David Young was arraigned at Cork Circuit Criminal Court where he pleaded guilty to three of the charges against him related to the Park Magic system.

Defence barrister Emmet Boyle said the amount of money involved in the fraud was actually quite small.

However, Mr Boyle said that the defrauded company had since implemented preventative measures to safeguard their system against such offences and that this investment had run into thousands of euro. The exact figure was not provided in court.

So far, the details of how the crime came to be committed have not been outlined in court. Judge Helen Boyle adjourned sentencing until February 21, 2022.

Mr Boyle BL said the accused was on bail and had no previous convictions of any kind. He was remanded on continuing bail until February.

Detective Garda Paul Fitzpatrick of the Garda National Cyber Crime Unit brought the charges against David Young from Cois na hAbhann, Cloyne, County Cork.

The charges

David Young was arraigned at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and pleaded guilty to intentionally accessing an information system without lawful authority or reasonable excuse by infringing a security measure between May and August 2018.

The young man was prosecuted under the Criminal Justice (Offences Relating to Information Systems) Act 2017. He also admitted operating a computer with the intention of making a gain for himself and others and causing a loss to others.

Finally, he admitted dishonestly obtaining parking credit totalling 270 between May 28, 2018, and August 17, 2018.

It is anticipated that the full details of the fraud will be outlined at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in February when the case comes up for sentencing.
The beautifully manicured hands get me every time. The whorled patterns on his fingertips, a man who stood 6ft 6in in life, are so perfectly preserved that you feel a human instinct to touch one. Index finger to index finger, bridging over 2,000 years in the process.

Thats how it affects me anyway. Every time I see Croghan Man at the National Museum in Dublin, Im struck by the almost sacred fact that you can come so close to a person who lived in the Irish Iron Age (between 400BC and 200BC).

His remains were taken from the bog near Croghan Hill in Co Offaly in May 2003, giving us an unrivalled insight into life  or, more pertinently, his sacrificial death  some 2,000 years ago.

Croghan Man: His remains were taken from the bog near Croghan Hill in Co Meath in May 2003, giving us an unrivalled insight into life  or, more pertinently, his sacrificial death  some 2,000 years ago. Picture: National Museum of Ireland.

It is testimony to the rich archaeological heritage of Irish peatlands that, just three months before, another body was retrieved from a peat bog on the boundaries of Meath and Westmeath.

They may well have known each other, Eamonn Kelly, the then keeper of antiquities at the National Museum, speculated.

This man, however, was just 5ft 2in, but his hair was gelled up with a kind of resin made from pine trees found only in Spain and France, giving him extra height. That single fact blew me away.

In recent months, we have talked so much about turning peatlands from sources of fuel into carbon sinks to mitigate climate change that the exceptional archaeology found in these special places has been overlooked.

The bog bodies, so sensitively displayed in the Kingship and Sacrifice exhibition in the National Museum on Kildare St in Dublin, rightly attract a lot of attention, but they represent but a fraction of the wealth of archaeological artefacts rescued from Irish wetlands.

Remarkable archaeological complex

How wonderful, then, to hear that peatland archaeologist Caitriona Moore will deliver a keynote address at COP26 in Glasgow next week on Edercloon bog in Longford, where she and a team of more than 100 archaeologists revealed one of the most remarkable archaeological complexes ever excavated in Irelands wetlands.

The 48 sites, excavated over six months in 2006, revealed a vast network of wooden trackways at Edercloon  complete with an ancient spaghetti junction, as Moore describes it  ahead of the work on the N4 Dromod-Roosky Bypass.

She will tell a session at the UN Climate Change Conference that she and her team found evidence of activity from the Neolithic to the early medieval period, and discovered artefacts without parallel not only in Ireland but in Europe.

They found beautifully carved alder bowls. Scorch lines on one offer an unrivalled glimpse into life in the Iron Age. They uncovered troughs, magnificent yew spears, mallets and clubs and wheels, which show that wheels were present in Ireland some 600 years earlier than was previously thought.

The discovery of a network of wooden trackways, or toghers, is on a scale not seen in Co Longford since the excavation by Barry Raftery of the Iron-Age Corlea trackway, built across the bog in 148BC. At Edercloon, however, the trackways didnt simply cross the bog, but often formed routeways within it, suggesting that people wished to access and travel within the bog itself.

Archaeologists also found objects buried along the tracks in very structured ways. Offerings to the gods, perhaps, or territorial markers?

As Caitriona Moore says, they may have been deposited in the same way that a person might put a coin into the foundation of a house.

Insight into an ancient rural society Earlier this month, the Peatlands Gathering Conference heard Irelands unique peatland archaeology has been subject to more development intervention and destruction than any other kind of heritage. Picture: Hulton Archive/Getty Images We will never know, she says, but what is beyond question is that this site  and in particular its busiest phase in the late Bronze Age, early Iron Age, nearly 3,000 years ago  gives us a singular insight into an ancient rural society that came together to build it. These people were experts in woodland management and master wood workers, skilled in sophisticated carpentry and high-quality carving, Moore explains. Next week, she will tell a global audience about these people and the exceptional remains they left behind. Isnt it time we reminded ourselves of the wonder of Irish wetland archaeology at home too? Edercloon translates as Between the Meadows and that is the name of Moores new book detailing the discoveries that make Ireland a world leader in peatland archaeology. It is published just as details are emerging about finds made during work on the N5 Road Project in Roscommon, among them an 8ft wooden idol made from oak, which is estimated to be 1,600 years old. Both of those sites represent once-in-a-decade discoveries, adding to an incredibly rich record that has given us the Dowris Hoard, with its Bronze Age spearheads, axes and trumpets; the Derrinboy Hoard with its beautifully crafted gold bracelets, hair rings and necklet; and the Faddan More Psalter, an early-medieval Christian prayer book, to mention but a few.

Peat extraction has destroyed incalculable archaeological wonders

For many years, the great threat to wetland archaeology was the industrialisation of peat extraction, which has destroyed incalculable archaeological wonders. Earlier this month, the Peatlands Gathering Conference heard Irelands unique peatland archaeology has been subject to more development intervention and destruction than any other kind of heritage.

Its estimated that thousands of archaeological sites have been lost to the machines and the power stations. The restoration and rewetting of bogs have already begun, but it has done so without fully considering how to manage our exceptional peatland heritage.

Malcolm Noonan, the Minister of State for Heritage, has acknowledged the challenges and said he hoped to attend Cop26 to hear how best to cultivate a new beginning for peatlands.

During Heritage Week, he also announced 2.2m in funding for the Instar+ archaeological research programme, which will go some way towards helping to, as he put it, place wetland archaeology, so long at the margins of archaeological discourse in Ireland, centre stage.

Its not too late. Just as Cop26 will hear about the code-red threat to humanity posed by the climate change emergency, it will also hear there is still time to act.

Last chance to save peatland heritage

But, as Benjamin Gearey, lecturer in environmental archaeology at UCC, will tell the Climate Conference in Glasgow next week (and, he hopes, Mr Noonan), this is our last chance to save our peatland heritage.

Archaeology is a non-renewable resource and so much has been lost to peat cutting; this is the last chance to ensure we preserve the surviving peatland archaeology for future generations, Dr Gearey will tell the Cop26 session Peatlands: climate change and cultural heritage, global perspectives, solutions and problems.

He says the session will provide an opportunity for the remarkable archaeological record of Irish peatlands to be showcased on a global stage. Surely its time we did more to showcase it at home too. Many decades ago, a campaign aimed at preserving peatland heritage ran under the catchy pun: Dont turf it out. Its time to revive that slogan.
Burma ASEAN Leaders Voice Disappointment at Myanmar Junta as Summit Proceeds Without It

US President Joe Biden appears with ASEAN leaders during the blocs virtual summit on Oct. 26, 2021.

Southeast Asian leaders voiced disappointment at the Myanmar junta during the first day of their annual meeting on Tuesday while also expressing concerns over the situation in the member state, which has been in chaos since a February coup.

The three-day annual ASEAN summit began on Tuesday without a representative from Myanmar after the regional blocs decision to bar coup-maker and junta leader Min Aung Hlaing from attending.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who will be the groups chairman next year, said in his opening remarks during the ASEAN minus one summit that, Today, ASEAN did not expel Myanmar from [the] ASEAN framework. Myanmar abandoned its right.

Now we are in the situation of ASEAN minus one. It is not because of ASEAN, but because of Myanmar, Hun Sen said.

In a rare bold step for ASEAN, which doesnt normally make any decision that could be seen as interference in one of its member states affairs, on Oct. 15 it decided not to invite Min Aung Hlaing to its annual summit for ignoring a five-point plan he agreed with the regional bloc in April to end the political crisis triggered by the coup.

The bloc instead invited the participation of a non-political representative but the junta rejected the invitation, saying it would only agree to its leader or a minister attending.

As the virtual gathering started on Tuesday, the place that was supposed to be occupied by Myanmars representative in the now-customary grid of video feeds was replaced with a blank blue background.

In his remarks to leaders, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said, ASEANs decision to invite Myanmars representatives on a non-political level to the summit was a tough decision, but one that had to be done.

According to Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Jokowi, as the president is known, regretted Myanmars unwelcome attitude toward ASEANs offer as a family to help Myanmar out of its political crisis.

However, Jokowi reminded fellow regional leaders, It is important for us to honor the principle of non-interference. But on the other hand, we are also obliged to uphold other principles in the ASEAN Charter such as democracy, good governance, respect for human rights and a constitutional government, Retno told reporters at a press briefing.

Other leaders also backed current ASEAN chair Bruneis decision on the Myanmar representative.

After Tuesdays meeting, Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Twitter that he fully supported Bruneis decision on Myanmars representation.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday said, We are disappointed by the lack of tangible progress in the implementation of ASEANs five-point consensus.

He urged Myanmars military authorities to cooperate fully with the ASEAN envoy, while noting that Singapore was gravely concerned about the situation in Myanmar, including the ongoing violence.

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha, a retired general considered the ASEAN leader closest to Myanmars coup-makers, urged Myanmar to implement a five-point roadmap it agreed with ASEAN. Prayut said the issue was crucial for ASEANs reputation and a test of its resolve.

ASEANs constructive role in addressing this situation is of paramount importance and our action on this matter shall have a bearing on ASEANs credibility in the eyes of the international community, Prayut said, according to his office.

A statement issued by the ASEAN chair late on Tuesday called on the junta to fulfill its commitment to the five-point consensus, which includes giving a special envoy to Myanmar access to all political parties. But the junta has ruled out allowing the envoy to meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the detained leader of the ousted civilian government.

We reiterated that Myanmar remains a member of the ASEAN family and recognized that Myanmar needs both time and political space to deal with its many and complex challenges, read the ASEAN chairmans statement.

We remain committed to supporting Myanmar in its efforts to return to normalcy in accordance with the will of the people of Myanmar, Bruneis Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah said in the statement.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte urged regional leaders during Tuesdays meeting to stand with the country to resolve the conflict peacefully while prioritizing the welfare of its people.

The President urged all parties in Myanmar to engage in constructive dialog, stressing that the ASEAN Special Envoy must be allowed to visit Myanmar soon to meet all relevant parties, his office said in a statement.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Myanmar joined in 1997 under a previous military government.

US President Joe Biden joined Southeast Asian leaders in rebuking the junta on Tuesday, saying he supported ASEANs efforts to hold the Myanmar military regime accountable to the consensus to end the violence in Myanmar.

As he participated virtually in the joint summit, Biden expressed grave concerns about the military coup and horrific violence in Myanmar, and called on the regime to immediately end the violence, release those unjustly detained and restore the countrys path to democracy.

In it latest statement, the regime said Myanmars absence at the ASEAN summit was not intended as a protest or boycott of the regional bloc, but was due to ASEANs refusal to allow the head of state or head of government or Myanmar, or his ministerial-level representative, to attend.

The junta has responded bitterly to its leaders exclusion, issuing a series of announcements. In its previous statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was very disappointed with ASEANs decision to exclude Min Aung Hlaing from the summit and condemned the move.



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Burma ASEAN Parliamentarians Call For Recognition of Myanmars Civilian Government

People in Mandalay show their support for the National Unity Government (NUG), during a protest against military rule on October 17. / Simulation

Members of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) are urging the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and governments around the world to engage with Myanmars parallel National Unity Government (NUG) and impose sanctions on military regime officials and their economic interests.

APHR is made up of elected lawmakers from ASEAN countries. The pressure group is calling on ASEAN to use this weeks summit to take concrete action in an effort to resolve the crisis in Myanmar.

Myanmar has been in political and economic turmoil since the military seized power from the democratically-elected government in a February 1 coup. Since then, the junta has killed over 1,200 civilians and arrested more than 9,200 in its lethal crackdowns against anti-regime protesters.

The ASEAN summit runs October 26-28 and was convened without a representative from Myanmar, following the blocs decision to exclude coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, citing a lack of progress on ASEANs Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar, agreed in late April.

We urge governments around the world and ASEANs dialogue partners in particular to contribute sanctions against military officials and their economic interests. They include oil and gas, which is the juntas main source of revenue. [And] to officially meet with the NUG to extend solidarity to the people of Myanmar who are supporting democracy since the coup, said the APHR Chair Charles Santiago, who is a member of Malaysias Parliament.

He added that the Myanmar people every day since February 1 have so bravely displayed to the world that they do not accept this murderous junta, referring to the ongoing anti-regime movement, which ranges from armed resistance and advocacy to flash mob protests.

Despite welcoming ASEANs decision to exclude the junta from the summit, the APHR, NUG and civil society groups called for the bloc to do much more during a virtual panel organized on Wednesday.

The dialogue partners of the ASEAN summit have a key role in supporting and pushing ASEAN to act on behalf of the people of Myanmar and the ASEAN region, as the Myanmar crisis is creating regional problems, especially refugee issues, arms and drug trafficking and the spread of COVID-19, Charles Santiago told the panel.

Before it turns into ASEANs nightmare, ASEAN governments really have to make an important decision in this meeting, acknowledging that the NUG exists and ensuring ASEAN starts the process of negotiating with the NUG, said the Malaysian MP.

Members of the panel pointed out that ASEAN must decide to follow the right path. Some ASEAN countries  Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia  have shown their willingness to support the NUG.

U Bo Hla Tint, the NUGs newly-appointed ambassador to ASEAN, reiterated that ASEAN should be dealing with the NUG to find solutions to Myanmars current political and humanitarian crisis, and to ensure stability and peace in the country as well as in the region.

The NUG and non-governmental organizations have urged ASEAN to consider whether they are going to work with the failed military regime, who lack the support of the Myanmar people, or work with the NUG, which is backed by the vast majority of people in Myanmar.

One point of ASEANs Five-Point Consensus calls for dialogue between the junta and the representatives of the Myanmar people. That is also backed by the United States, United Nations (UN) and other key countries.

However, the Myanmar people do not see that as practical in the current circumstances.

No dialogue can be genuine or achievable unless all sides have equal leverage. No democratic transition can be genuine and successful when it happens at the point of a gun, said Khin Ohmar, chairperson of the Advisory Board of Progressive Voice, a Myanmar human rights group.

Citing Myanmars long history of civil wars and the unsuccessful talks in the past between previous military regimes and the opposition and international mediators, Khin Ohmar told The Irrawaddy that the past nine months should be a wake-up call for all of us, that the junta is not interested in dialogue.

She urged ASEAN, the UN and the rest of the world to demand that the military stops all its violence against the Myanmar people and releases State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint and all other people detained since the coup.

Only then, will the regime have met the first minimum benchmark for dialogue in the future, she said.



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Burma Civilians Arrested by Myanmar Regime After Bomb Attack

Junta supporters prepare for a pro-regime rally in Meiktila on October 25.

Myanmar junta forces have arrested around 25 residents of Meiktila in Mandalay Region, following a bomb attack on a military truck on Monday that killed one policeman and left another four seriously injured.

The bomb blast in downtown Meiktila took place after a march by regime supporters. Two men on a motorbike threw a bomb into the military truck. A local civilian resistance force, the Zero Army, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Immediately after the incident, junta forces opened fire randomly, blocked all roads and arrested five people.

On Monday night, regime troops raided homes in Chan Aye, Wunzin and Myoma wards of Meiktila, arresting around 20 people, most of them young, according to local residents.

They searched house by house and grabbed them, said sources close to those arrested, adding that they had no idea where the detainees were taken.

Since the militarys February coup, the regime has arrested 9,223 people for their involvement in anti-regime protests or resistance activities, according to monitoring groups.

At the same time, junta forces have been targeted nationwide by civilian resistance groups, known as Peoples Defense Forces, formed after the regimes lethal crackdowns on peaceful anti-coup protesters. The civilian fighters have vowed to topple the military regime.

Resistance to the junta has gained momentum since the parallel National Unity Governments (NUG) call in September for a nationwide defensive war against the regime.

The NUGs Defence Ministry said that 768 junta soldiers have been killed over the last month, although The Irrawaddy was unable to verify that number independently.



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Burma Local Official Shot Dead in Myanmar Capital

Naypyitaw on the second day of the coup in February./ / The Irrawaddy

A regime-appointed administrator in Myanmars capital Naypyitaw was shot dead on

Tuesday morning, the first deadly assault on a local official in the headquarters of the military regime.

U Htay Aung, a 100-household administrator in a village in Pobbathiri Township, was attacked while returning home on a motorbike from a nearby village. He was shot three times at close range.

A young man was arrested last month and died in detention. Locals think that it was because of him [U Htay Aung], as he gave information to the junta forces. So someone took revenge on him, a resident said.

Regime targets in Naypyitaw such as a military-owned bank, a military procurement office and security gates have been hit by bomb attacks in recent weeks. Few casualties were reported.

Another junta-appointed administrator was also shot dead on Tuesday morning in Yangons Mingaladon Township.

Since the February coup, ward and village administrators who were previously elected by local residents have been replaced with regime-appointed officials as the junta seeks to shore up its control of local government and revive neighborhood surveillance networks.

Many junta-appointed administrators are suspected to be military informants, providing the regime with information on its opponents to help with arrests and raids which, in several cases, have left accused civilians dead at the hands of junta forces.

The administrators also force residents to register any guests staying overnight in their homes, a move designed to make it harder for opponents of the regime to evade arrest.

Civilian resistance groups, known as Peoples Defense Forces (PDF), have warned ward and village administrators to stop working for the regime, while stepping up their attacks against junta forces

So far in October, over 100 local administrators have resigned from their posts after receiving warnings from PDFs.



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Burma Myanmars Civilian Government Asks Thailand for Cross-Border Humanitarian Aid

Mae La refugee camp. / Kyaw Kha / The Irrawaddy

Myanmars parallel National Unity Government (NUG) has asked Thailand to cooperate over cross-border humanitarian aid and COVID-19 jabs for refugees.

The NUGs COVID-19 Task Force (CTF) is a joint effort between the civilian health ministry and ethnic armed organizations health agencies to fight COVID-19 in Myanmar. It was formed in July during a deadly wave of COVID-19 in Myanmar.

Padoh Mahn Mahn, a spokesman for the CTF and the Karen National Unions Brigade 5, said: We have asked the Thai authorities for cross-border [vaccinations]. But we have to overcome many challenges.

The Thai government has already been providing COVID-19 jabs to migrant workers and refugees from Myanmar in Thailand. Migrants were receiving COVID-19 jabs this week in Mae Sot, which borders Myanmars Karen State.

Thailand also supplied 4,000 free COVID-19 doses to the Mae La camp at the border, the largest Karen refugee settlement in Thailand. Refugees have been vaccinated since September.

Thailands Ministry of Foreign Affairs said US State Department Counselor Derek Chollet recently met Thai foreign minister Don Pramudwina and Myanmars crisis was discussed.

They explored ways to enhance cooperation between Thailand and the US in providing humanitarian assistance  including on public health and development of water supply and sanitation  along Myanmars border, said the ministry.

Don chaired a meeting on humanitarian assistance for Myanmar on Oct. 20 where a variety of participants expressed readiness to coordinate humanitarian assistance for Myanmar.

Dr. Cynthia Maung, the founder of the Mae Tao Clinic, said cooperation among regional agencies is urgent and vital to providing humanitarian aid while grave human rights violations continue and the majority of Myanmars population faces difficulties.

The Mae Sot clinic has been providing basic health care for refugees and migrant workers for three decades.

A number of countries are interested while aid being provided by international agencies through Myanmars military is unlikely to reach people in trouble, said Dr. Maing.



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Burma Thousands More Villagers Flee Myanmar Junta Raids

Displaced villagers shelter at a forest in Pekon, Shan State, on Wednesday. / KNDF

Around 8,000 residents from Mingin Township in Sagaing Region and Pekon Township in Shan State have fled their homes due to junta raids and artillery strikes on civilian areas.

On Wednesday morning, more than 500 residents from Shwe Pyi Aye village in Pekon fled their homes after being bombarded by more than 10 artillery shells, according to Karenni rebel forces.

The attack followed an intense firefight between regime forces deployed on a hill and the combined Pekon Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) and other Karenni armed forces on Tuesday afternoon.

In the shootout, a civilian resistance fighter received minor injuries while the military casualties are unknown.

After the firefight, three civilians were injured by random junta attacks on residential areas, said Pekon PDF.

The Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) urged people in Pekon and Mobye in Shan State to leave their homes due to indiscriminate junta bombardments.

Currently, an estimated 2,500 residents from about seven villages between Pekon and Mobye have fled, according to the Free Burma Ranger, an armed group which is assisting the fleeing villagers.

On Sunday, around 1,000 residents fled Mobye town amid artillery strikes which killed one civilian and injured five, including a three-year-old girl and nine-year-old boy.

On Tuesday afternoon, at least 10 junta soldiers were killed when the combined KNDF and Karenni Army, the armed wing of the Karenni Nationalities Progressive Party, ambushed a military convoy near a village in Demoso Township, Kayah State.

During the attack, two military vehicles were destroyed. The KNDF said it suffered no casualties. The regime forces then used artillery on residential areas of Demoso.

The KNDF claimed three military jet fighters flew above the battle.

On Tuesday evening, around 4,000 to 5,000 residents from five villages in Mingin Township, Sagaing Region, fled their homes after a junta raid, according to residents.

Around 150 junta troops raided five villages in the east of Mingin and all residents fled to the forest during heavy rainfall, according to a villager.

We had to stand in the forest for hours due to the heavy rain. The ground was too wet for us to sleep, a mother of three told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

Junta forces raided the villages at least twice in October, looting houses, burning motorbikes and arresting villagers. They fired artillery at civilians hiding in the forests, according to residents.

Many female villagers are joining the revolution against the junta. I want to fight but the PDF will not take anyone with children under six, the mother said.

She said the PDFs could not resist the junta raid on Tuesday as their homemade hunting guns do not work in the rain.

On Wednesday, some villagers returned to their homes after the regimes forces left the villages, according to residents.

After deploying around 3,000 reinforcements, the junta continues to commit atrocities, including raiding and burning down villages, bombarding residential areas and arbitrarily killing civilians, especially in Sagaing and Magwe regions and Chin and Kayah states.

Except for Rakhine State, junta forces nationwide are facing an increasing number of attacks from PDFs and ethnic armed groups, including the Kachin Independence Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the armed wing of the Karen National Union and the Karenni National Progressive Party.

Attacks by PDFs

On Wednesday morning, two military convoys were ambushed with mines by civilian resistance forces in Myinmu and Kanbalu in Sagaing Region.

During the attacks, around 10 junta soldiers were reportedly killed and at least two military vehicles were destroyed.

The 44st Urban Guerrillas, a civilian resistance group, claimed to have attacked Dawbon police station in Yangon using three heavy explosives on Wednesday. The police casualties are unknown.



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Burma Veteran Arms Dealer Continues to Supply Myanmar Junta

Myanmar's Armed Forces Day parade in Naypyitaw in March 2021. / Cincds

Dr. Naing Htut Aung, a major arms supplier for Myanmars military, was also a key weapons dealer for the previous regime led by dictator Senior General Than Shwe.

Registered as a director of the Yangon-based International Gateways Group of Companies Limited, Dr. Naing Htut Aung has had strong ties with successive military leaders, including the current Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, sources told The Irrawaddy.

He is a dominant procurer of weapons, spare parts and upgrades for the navy and air force and is an agent for major state-owned Chinese arms producers, said Justice for Myanmar (JFM), an activist group that monitors the militarys businesses, citing a private-sector source with military connections.

He was a middleman in the air forces procurement of 16 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets from Pakistan in 2015. He was also a key figure in a joint venture between the Directorate of Myanmar Defence Industries and China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation to produce the K-8 jet trainer and light attack aircraft in Myanmar.

Myanmars military bought 16 JF-17 Thunder multi-role combat aircraft from Pakistan, according to Janes Defence Weekly, a specialist military magazine.

A JF-17 aircraft costs around US$28 million and the overall deal was worth around $560 million. The aircraft is co-developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and the China-based Chengdu Aerospace Corporation.

Dr. Naing Htut Aung, according to the JFM, is a former director and shareholder of Myanmar Consultancy, which is involved in the procurement of military equipment from Ukraine and India.

His businesses, Gateways International Holding Company and International Gateways Group of Companies, were registered at the same address as Myanmar Consultancy until late 2020.

Ukrainian export records show Myanmar Consultancy received regular Ukrspecexport shipments from 2016 to 2020, largely of MiG-29 fighter jet parts, 36D6 air surveillance radar components and an IGLA-1M surface-to-air missile simulator.

Ukrspecexport is a state-owned Ukrainian arms trader. Myanmar Consultancy has also received shipments of land-based radar from Indias state-owned Bharat Electronics Ltd.

Myanmar Consultancy was an online exhibitor at the MAKS 2021 air show in Russia, which Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended in person.



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Guest Column Summit Snub a Setback for Myanmar Junta but Its Eyes Are on China, Not ASEAN

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (second from right) and Myanmar military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing (third from right) in Naypyitaw in January 2021. / The Irrawaddy

The decision of ASEAN to block coup-maker and junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing from attending its ongoing summit, which started Tuesday and ends on Thursday, has taken the world by surprise. ASEAN does not normally make any decision that could be seen as interference in one of its 10 member states internal affairs. The military-appointed Foreign Ministry in Naypyitaw issued a statement saying that the decision was done without consensus and was against the objectives of ASEAN. Junta spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, not surprisingly, blamed foreign powers for the snub, claiming that the United States and the European Union had pressured ASEAN to exclude Min Aung Hlaing from the online meeting.

But it may be much ado about nothing because the leaders of Myanmars military, known as the Tatmadaw, are in the long run unlikely to pay much attention to what ASEAN does or doesnt do. The generals decision to join the grouping in 1997 had more to do with finding allies in their altercations with critical Western powers than a desire to change their ways. There is, in fact, only one foreign power that has the power and the means to influence and manipulate the internal situation in Myanmar: the Peoples Republic of China.

China is also the only neighboring country that has fundamental strategic and economic interests in Myanmarand it is prepared to do whatever it takes to protect those interests. We all know about the multi-trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which President Xi Jinping launched in 2013. Described as a global infrastructure development strategy, it includes investments in nearly 70 countries worldwide as well as some international organizations, such as those engaged in protecting the environment and even wildlife.

The aim is evidently to connect China with the outside world in a way that has never been done before and, ultimately, make China the worlds foremost superpower. But it is often forgotten that this policy of finding new outlets for trade with the outside world predates the BRIand that it was first conceived in the 1980s in relation to Beijings plans to exert a new kind of influence in Myanmar. I have written a lot about this in the regional and international media, but its worth reminding readers of an article outlining those plans which I have quoted numerous times in the past.

The article appeared, at the time almost unnoticed, in the Beijing Review as early as Sept. 2, 1985. Titled Opening to the Southwest: An Expert Opinion, it was written by the former Vice Minister of Communications Pan Qi and outlined, in detail, the possibilities of finding an outlet for trade from China, through Myanmar, to ports at the coast of the Indian Ocean. Pan mentioned the Myanmar railheads of Myitkyina in Kachin State and Lashio in northeastern Shan State as possible conduits for the export of Chinese goods. But he refrained from mentioning that all relevant border areas were then not under central Myanmar government control.

At that time, nearly the entire, 2,192-km Sino-Myanmar frontier was actually controlled by the Communist Party of Burma (CPB) and other non-state armed groups who had tiespolitical, ethnic or bothto China. But by early 1987, the Tatmadaw had managed to recapture a few CPB strongholds along the frontier, including the booming border town of Panghsai, where the fabled Burma Road crosses into China at Wanding, east of the city of Ruili. At the same time, the Chinese, whose policies had changed dramatically since the Cultural Revolution, had already begun to penetrate local markets through an extensive economic intelligence reporting system within Myanmar. This network monitored the availability of domestically manufactured Myanmar products, as well as the nature and volume of illegal trade from other neighboring countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and India. China could then respond to the market conditions by producing goods in its state sector factories. Before long, more than 2,000 carefully selected items were reported to be flooding the Myanmar market. Chinese-made consumer goods were not only made deliberately cheaper than those from other neighboring countries, but were also less expensive than local Myanmar products.

Then, in March-April 1989, to the surprise of many, the hill tribe rank and file of the CPBs army mutinied and drove the partys Maoist leadership into exile in China. The mutiny came after years of simmering discontent between the hill tribe cannon fodder, who had been forcibly recruited into the CPBs army, and the ageing Burman intellectuals who were still clinging to their orthodox Maoist ideals. The government in Yangon quickly and shrewdly exploited the mutiny: the leaders of the new forces that emerged from the ashes of the old CPB, primarily the United Wa State Army (UWSA), were promised that they could engage in any kind of business, if they agreed to a ceasefire with the government.

The most potent military threat to the regime was neutralized, and, as a result, the cross-border trade flourishedand so did the newly won friendship between the leaders of two of Asias most repressive regimes. At the same time, China could, through its peculiar two-tier foreign policy, maintain government-to-government relations not only with the ruling military, but also party-to-party relations with Myanmars many ethnic armed groups, including the UWSA. In more recent years, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has established relations with both the Union Solidarity and Development Party and the National League for Democracy. It is important for the leaders in Beijing not to put all their eggs in one basket because no one knows who will rule, or be influential, in Myanmar in the future.

In the early 1990s, I was at Jiegao, a small enclave of Chinese territory on the south side of the Shweli River opposite Muse and saw a giant monument showing four figures wheeling a circular object between them, their determined faces pointing south. The Chinese characters on the base say Unite, Blaze Paths, Forge Ahead! Or, in more mundane terms: Southeast Asia, here we come! There was no doubt that the monument and the message on its base appeared provocative to people in Myanmar. In the early 1990s, there was little more than bamboo huts and rice fields in the Jiegao enclave. But today, 25 years later, Jiegao is full of high-rise buildings, luxury hotels, and stores selling all kinds of wares. There is also a huge jade market where buyers from all over China come to shop for the precious stone, which is found in its imperial green form only in northern Myanmar.

Every morninguntil the COVID-19 pandemic forced a closure of the bordercaravans of trucks laden with Chinese consumer goods left Jiegao through a border gate for points beyond Muse: the towns of Lashio, Mandalay and Yangon, and even as far as Moreh on the Indian border. Not only Myanmar but also northeastern India was being flooded with cheap Chinese merchandise. And not far from Ruili are pipelines through which oil and gas are being transported from the Myanmar coast to Yunnan.

It is not clear when the border will be open for trade again, but given the strategic importance of whats now known as the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), Beijing is not likely to abandon its long-term plans for Myanmar and the region. Myanmar is the only neighboring country that provides China with direct access to Indian Ocean ports, bypassing the contested South China Sea as well as the congested Malacca Strait. The CMEC is one of the most important pillars of Xis BRI; without it, China would not be able to fulfill its plans for global dominance. For that very reason, whatever government is in power in Naypyitaw, China would court it in order to safeguard those strategic interests. Beijing may prefer a like-minded authoritarian regime, but we also have to remember that it was State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who signed up to the BRI when she attended the Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in May 2017.

But howand wheredo the ethnic armed groups, with which China also maintains close relations through its security services, fit into the picture? If we venture further back in history, and then before Pan Qi wrote his article for the Beijing Review, Myanmar was also of utmost strategic importance to Beijing, but then at a time when China wanted to export revolution, not consumer goods. The CPBs 20,000-sq.-km base area along the Sino-Myanmar border was there not only to support the intended revolution in Myanmar, but also to serve as a springboard from where Maoist communism, the CPC hoped, would spread to other parts of Southeast Asia. The mastermind behind that plan was Kang Sheng, a dreaded hardliner who, during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and early 1970s, worked for Chinas internal security and intelligence apparatusand was in charge of the CPCs contacts with fraternal Maoist parties in Asia and beyond.

The planand CPB Chairman Thakin Ba Thein Tin told me this when I interviewed him at the partys Panghsang headquarters in 1987was to link up with the Communist Party of Thailands (CPT) guerrillas; the Communist Party of Malaya, which was led by Chin Peng, a hero of the struggle against the Japanese during World War II; the Communist Party of North Kalimantan (the Malayan communists did not recognize the Malaysian Federation, so there was a separate communist party in Sarawak and Sabah); the once powerful Partai Komunis Indonesia (PKI); and, eventually the Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist), actually a tiny Maoist party led by Edward Fowler Hill, a fairly prominent lawyer and barrister.

Thakin Ba Thein Tin and Hill met in Beijing, relations with Chin Peng were maintained through intermediaries in Kunming, and CPT activist stayed in Panghsang until they returned to Thailand in 1983. When I was at Panghsang in 1986-87, I saw a concrete well with Thai writing on it, built by CPT cadre. When I was out in the field with the CPBs troops, I heard numerous stories about the Indonesian comrades and their exploits. Among them were two daughters of PKI chairman D.N. Aidit, who was killed in Indonesia in 1965. The CPC had sent a dozen or so PKI militants, who happened to be in China in the 1960s, down to the CPBs base area where they were going to learn guerrilla warfare. CPB leaders told me they were used as radio operators during battles with the Tatmadaw when messages could not be encrypted. The Tatmadaw interceptors did now know what they were sayingbecause they spoke in Bahasa Indonesia. The PKI militants had left when I was there, and I was told they had gone into exile in the Netherlands and Canada.

Following the death of Mao Zedong in 1976 and Deng Xiaopings return to the political fold, China changed its policy towards the region. However, whether China wants to export revolution or expand and protect commercial interests, to safeguard and even control the Myanmar corridor has always been of vital importance to Beijings security planners. In the past, the epicenter for that policy was Panghsang. Today it is Jiegao.

But the ethnic armed organizations are also important. A strong UWSA provides China with a strategic advantage and is also a bargaining chip in negotiations with Naypyitaw. Significantly, when Presidents Office Minister Aung Min visited Monywa in November 2012 to meet local people protesting a controversial Chinese-backed copper mining project at Letpadaung northwest of Mandalay, he openly admitted: We are afraid of China we dont dare to have a row with [them]. If they feel annoyed with the shutdown of their projects and resume their support to the communists, the economy in border areas would backslide.

Aung Min was right, but by the communists he clearly meant the UWSA and its allies, the Kokang-based Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Palaung Taang National Liberation Army, the Shan State Army of the Shan State Progress Party, whose weaponry and vast quantities of ammunition had been supplied by the UWSA. The Kachin Independence Army has also benefited from some support from the UWSA, but not to the same extent as the other groups in what is usually referred to as the Northern Alliance. While the UWSA is not engaged in any fighting itself, it has become a major source of the weaponry that is being used in the war in northern Myanmar.

The Chinese may be denying giving any material support to the UWSA and indirectly supporting its allies, but what the Wa have received from China is not the kind of equipment that falls off the back of a truck, or could be sent to them by some local officials in Yunnan. The deliveries were almost certainly directed from the highest level of Chinas intelligence and military authorities in Beijing. And it is no secret that Chinese security officials have had several meetings with representatives of the Northern Allianceand told them not to fight too close to the border or to damage the oil-and-gas pipelines.

The CPCs position above the government as well as the military, the Peoples Liberation Army, in the Chinese hierarchy explains why China could publicly praise Myanmars now collapsed peace process while quietly providing the UWSA with heavy weaponry. Support for the UWSA and its allies serves as a stick in Beijings relationship with Myanmar, while diplomacy and promises of aid and investment are the carrot.

In the official rhetoric in Beijing as well as Naypyitaw, relations between China and Myanmar have always been characterized by pauk-phaw, a Burmese word for siblings, but nothing could be falser than that cliche. Sino-Myanmar relations have always been anything but brotherly, and decades of history show us how China plays games with Myanmar to achieve whatever strategic goals the leaders in Beijing might have. Forget about ASEANs actions, statements and awkward attempts at exercising influence. It is China and its plans and strategic maneuvers that count.

Bertil Lintner is a Swedish journalist, author and strategic consultant who has been writing about Asia for nearly four decades.



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Technicalities, a lack of communication or even proper record-keeping can sometimes hinder a building recertification process, landing property owners or its management teams on delinquent lists.

Take, for example, the case regarding the Key Biscayne Ambassador Condominiums.

Property manager Jackie Gonzalez, who came on board in 2020 working for the national company FirstService Residential, believed she had fully complied with all the details necessary for her 91-unit structures 40-year Miami-Dade County-mandated recertification.

Village of Key Biscayne Building Official Rene Velazco had received all the necessary paperwork from an engineers report in January of 2019, and Gonzalez said she made sure an additional letter was sent Aug. 24 of this year from the engineer certifying that our building is safe for occupancy for electrical and structural compliance, she said.

Thinking her building cleared those major hurdles, she and many worried residents were stunned Tuesday when they saw their structure on a list of 13 provided by the Village to the Islander News as not yet being in compliance for three or more years.

I have a receipt (they received that letter) but never heard anything, so Im thinking Im good, Gonzalez said. Then I received this certified letter Friday (the Village warned property owners or management teams they would be fined $500 on Nov. 15 if there was no update on their situations, a starting point for building closures).

The problem, Velazco said, traces back to 2016. He went into the Village files and noticed that there was no permit pulled by the Ambassadors then-property management team or the electrical work done that year. That raised a red flag, for legal reasons, if nothing else.

I have the letter from the engineer saying everything is safe electrically and structurally, but in 2016 some electrical items were supposed to be fixed, but there is no record of permits being pulled (within the Village), Velazco said.

Fortunately, he said Tuesday afternoon, There is nothing really complex here. Ill talk to an electrical engineer, and my hope is to issue her the letter (Wednesday) that it would be certified.

Velazco will meet with the management company and the homeowners association at the Ambassador to discuss the permit situation. Our inspector has the right to go in and inspect what they claim to have done, Velazco said. The legal thing, the right thing ... would have been to pull permits.

In the meantime, Commodore Club South Property Manager Todd Patterson was caught in a similar dilemma Tuesday over a technicality dating back three years. He issued a letter To whom it may concern, saying:

Im writing to let you know that Commodore Club South received a letter from our Structural Engineer in 2018 that the building was structurally safe. We were recently made aware that the letter for electrical was not turned in to the city."

Im currently working with the City of KB, Electrical Engineer and Electrical Contractor to make sure the garage and parking lot lighting meets code in order to receive (the) letter for Electrical Safety. Once that is completed in the next few weeks our building will be 100% compliant, Patterson's letter concluded.
October 20, 2021



Idaho State University is celebrating an increase in student enrollment for the Fall 2021 semester. The University is reporting an overall fall enrollment of 12,157 students, an increase of 3.15 percent over 2020.For the first time in almost a decade, total undergraduate enrollment at the University increased from the prior year. New, first-time undergraduate students are up 10.7 percent from Fall 2020, or 144 students.

Graduate student enrollment increased at the University for the fourth year in a row. Graduate enrollment grew by 123 students, a 5.6 percent increase to 2,326.

This enrollment report gives our campus community many reasons to celebrate, President Kevin Satterlee said. We are turning the corner on years of enrollment declines. This shows the impact of, and the importance of, the retention and recruitment efforts we have been making across the campus. The actions of our faculty and staff are taking hold, which means our University is able to provide a quality education to even more students.

Dual-enrolled high school students at the University also increased by 393, or a 15.6 percent increase to 2,911.

The fall enrollment report shows that 88 percent of the Universitys student body are Idaho residents, a number which also increased by 266, or 2.55 percent. Non-resident students are also up 7.72% or 105 students.

In comparison, Fall 2020 total enrollment at Idaho State was 11,786.
The UK's signals intelligence organisation, GCHQ, and MI5 and MI6 will use Amazon Web Services for hosting classified material in a deal estimated to be worth up to 1 billion (A$1.83 billion) over a decade.

The Financial Times, which cited four people familiar with the discussions that led to the deal, said concerns were likely to be raised about a single American company hosting such a huge percentage of the UK's secret data.

The FT story comes about a fortnight after AWS was certified as one of four cloud firms which could host Australian Government data, despite having connections to a Chinese-owned data centre.

AWS did not disclose its level of compliance or any undertakings it has given in order to be among the first to obtain the certification  despite being the only one of four companies to send out a media statement about the certification.

No mention was made of its hosting data at, a data centre whose parent company is Aldersgate Investments, now controlled by a Chinese company.

The FT said the British data would be held within the country and Amazon, the owner of AWS and a giant online retailer in its own right, would have no access to the data.

Volumes are now so large to speed of search and retrieval is probably best handled by someone like AWS. pic.twitter.com/uEiUTafdo8  Alan Woodward (@ProfWoodward) October 25, 2021

AWS already has a US$600 million deal in place with the CIA, which was upgraded in 2020 to include Google, Microsoft, Oracle and IBM.

The report said GCHQ wanted to source a local cloud provider but could not find one which provided the scale or capabilities that were needed.
Global ICT giant Fujitsu and Camp Quality launches the new Camp Quality Kids Guide to Cancer app, which provides health information in age-appropriate, interactive way to educate and support children and families who are impacted by cancer diagnosis.

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, or has to face the diagnosis of someone they love, like a sibling or parent, they enter an unfamiliar and frightening world of hospital, treatment and uncertainty, explains Camp Quality CEO Deborah Thomas.

Understanding what is happening in an age-appropriate way is crucial for childrens wellbeing during this time, but explaining cancer to young children can be hard for parents dealing with the impact of a cancer diagnosis themselves. Thats where Camp Qualitys Kids Guide to Cancer app steps in.

The Kids Guide to Cancer app is a free interactive educational program that answers the most common questions children have regarding cancer. This re-designed app features augmented reality, voiceover storytelling, selectable avatars and animated stories for children to interact with. It also connects users with other Camp Quality support services, including phone counselling and digital puppet playdates.

Pandemic restrictions of the past 18 months have accelerated Camp Qualitys digital transformation as the organisation looks to continue providing vital support via different channels. Fujitsu has been a proud Camp Quality partner for more than six years, so it made sense to work together to develop a digital concept to meet the ongoing needs of children and families in a way that would provide real value, comments Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand head of office of purpose Nicole Forrester.

Fujitsu and Camp Quality participated in a collaborative workshop in Fujitsus Digital Transformation Centre (DTC). The design workshop explored how they could make cancer education more engaging for kids and their families. The user experience designer and project lead from Fujitsu Australia then worked with Fujitsus global delivery centre of excellence in Poland to develop the app.

Fujitsus Digital Transformation framework has helped guide a lot of our customers through their transformation journey. It is great to see it in action with an organisation like Camp Quality and the extended impact it has in addressing wider societal challenges. Starting from an idea formed in our DTC, weve brought that idea to life in our incubator program. Now, it will be a valuable resource for families during a difficult time, explains Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand head of digital transformation services Ramy Ibrahim.

In close collaboration with the team at Camp Quality, Fujitsu transformed the Kids Guide to Cancer app into an engaging and intuitive experience that feels familiar to children who are accustomed to learning through technology. For children who are isolated due to cancer, COVID-19, or a stressful combination of the two, the Kids Guide to Cancer app is an accessible source of cancer education anytime and anywhere, Thomas says.

Camp Quality mum Pamela Moore echoes this sentiment as she knows how difficult it can be to find age-appropriate cancer education for young children. Pamelas four-year-old daughter Isla is currently finishing an intense round of chemotherapy and her brother Connor, 5, struggles to understand what is going on.

Kids learn better through apps due to the interactive nature of the platform. The Kids Guide to Cancer app is a great resource for the whole family, says Moore. My kids loved how they could choose their own avatar and take themselves through the journey. It is so much more engaging than a picture book and is an incredible resource for all kids to build empathy. I hope it can be widely adopted because cancer is something that all kids should know about as it touches so many.

At Fujitsu, our purpose is to solve social and environmental challenges through innovation, and this app is a great example of those values. Weve brought together the best capabilities of our global organisation so that Camp Qualitys trusted health information can reach families right across Australia, regardless of where they are or the current pandemic situation. We are thrilled to have developed this unique app that changes the cancer story for kids and their families, concludes Forrester.
Managed file transfer software Progress MOVEit release 2021.1 delivers improved Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 compliance, as well as improved resilience, scalability and usability.

WCAG 2.1 defines how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities.

Some 15% of the world's population are thought to live with some form of disability.

Ways in which MOVEit 2021.1 addresses the issue include the provision of text alternatives to non-text images, as well as captions for audio content.

"While the internet and mobile apps are integral parts of everyday life for most people in the US, accessibility remains a challenge for many  a challenge that has only grown during the pandemic, with our increased reliance on digital technologies," said Progress senior vice president of core products John Ainsworth.

"MOVEit's support for WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards underscores our commitment to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities and offering solutions that further enable ease of access and advance digital inclusion."

Other improvements in MOVEit 2021.1 include a new and more robust MySQL database engine for MOVEit Transfer and MOVEit Automation, more flexibility for the number of simultaneously running tasks, and support for embedded JPEG and PNG images in HTML emails in MOVEit Automation.

Progress MOVEit 2021.1 is available immediately.
The Federal Government plans to introduce laws that will make it compulsory for Australians to produce identification in order to vote at the forthcoming federal election and thereafter.

The laws are planned to be introduced into Parliament today (28 October). Special minister for state, Ben Morton, is listed in the Hansard for Wednesday as being scheduled to "present a Bill for an Act to amend the law relating to Senate elections in respect of scrutiny. (Electoral Legislation Amendment (Assurance of Senate Counting) Bill 2021)".

The laws would require the presentation of documents ranging from a driver's licence or Medicare card, to letters from government agencies, utility bills or statements from the individual's bank, The Age reported.

Integrity in politics is a far more pressing issue than voter identification integrity and yet @ScottMorrisonMP deliberately puts the latter ahead of the former. Even his Governments priorities are corrupted. #FederalICACNow #auspol https://t.co/yZRDXtmBT8  Rex Patrick (@Senator_Patrick) October 27, 2021

One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts presented a voter ID bill during the current sitting period, but it was unanimously rejected by both the Coalition and Labor.

In December, Senator James McGrath, the Liberal head of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, listed the introduction of voter ID asfrom a study into the conduct of the 2019 federal poll.

The recommendation read: "Voter ID should be introduced for all voters with savings measures similar to provisional votes. Likewise, all electoral enrolments, whether new or changes should require proof of ID."

It should be noted on the Voter ID issue that international comparisons are with countries that have voluntary voting. There is much more scope to rorting elections by voting in someone else's name when turnout is 60% rather than 90%  Antony Green (@AntonyGreenABC) October 26, 2021

On Tuesday, the Australian Electoral Commission informed Senate estimates it had found 2100 instances of multiple voting at the last federal election, which works out to roughly 0.01 per cent of votes cast.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese told The New Daily that the government was trying to weaken democracy.

This will drive people apart, pitting Australians against each other, just like weve seen [Donald] Trump do in America, he said.

There is no evidence this is needed. It is a disgraceful proposal from the Morrison-Joyce government which is out of touch and out of sync with Australias democratic electoral traditions.

Crazy how the government found time to come up with a voter ID bill despite a lack of evidence there's any issue with election fraud in Australia rather than something like a federal ICAC lol  cammyboo (@cameronwilson) October 26, 2021

Labor MP for Oxley, Milton Dick, said there had been reports a joint party room of the Liberal and National parties had agreed on the voter suppression laws to be brought in before the next election.

"I sit as a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters and this issue has been litigated and prosecuted there. Not one bit of evidence has been presented before the joint standing committee regarding bringing in voter ID laws," he said on Tuesday.

"We saw this in my home state in Queensland when Campbell Newman was in charge and he tried this US-style voter suppression trick. We just saw the crocodile tears from members of the opposition regarding an important piece of Indigenous legislation: well, who do voter suppression laws have an impact on? Indigenous and First Nations members of our community; the poor, the vulnerable and the people who don't have identification."

The House will sit today, after which there are another eight days of sittings for both houses of parliament before the end of the year. The calendar for 2022 has not yet been published.
The American Federal Communications Corporation has banned China Telecom (Americas) from operating in the US, claiming it may be a threat to national security.

In a statement, commissioner Brendan Car said the decision was informed by "the views submitted by the Executive Branch agencies with responsibility for national security reviews".

In May 2019, the FCC blocked China Mobile USA from entering the American market, claiming a similar threat. The decision was taken eight years after the company applied for permission to operate mobile services.

China Telecom is one of the top three mobile operators in China, the others being China Mobile and China Unicom.

Carr said Executive Branch agencies had advised there were "substantial and unacceptable national security and law enforcement risks associated with China Telecom Americas' continued access to US telecommunications infrastructure".

"They also stated that China Telecom Americas' operations provide opportunities for Chinese state-sponsored actors to engage in espionage and to steal trade secrets and other confidential business information."

Today, the FCC voted to revoke China Telecom Americas Section 214 authority to operate in the U.S. based on national security risks.



Another important step towards addressing the threats posed by Communist China and those that would do its bidding. pic.twitter.com/qDIoIitL0t  Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) October 26, 2021

On Monday, in a decision apparently driven by fear that a Chinese mobile company would take over Digicel Pacific, Australia's biggest telco, Telstra announced that, along with the Australian Government, it had acquired Digicel's business in the South Pacific region for US$1.6 billion (A$2.14 billion), plus an additional US$250 million depending on how the business fared over the next three years.

Telstra said the government would pay US$1.33 billion of the price, while the company would contribute US$270 million, own and operate the company and own 100% of the ordinary equity.

Carr's statement said: "Indeed, the FCC's own review found that China Telecom Americas poses significant national security concerns due to its control and ownership by the Chinese Government, including its susceptibility to complying with communist China.s intelligence and cyber security laws that are contrary to the interests of the US.

"Our review also found that China Telecom Americas conduct towards the commission and other agencies lacked candour and trustworthiness."

China's biggest telecommunications equipment vendor, Huawei Technologies, was placed on a US blacklist, the so-called Entity List, in May 2019, preventing the company from importing components from American companies without government approval.

Huawei got around this by buying what it needed from branches of American firms in other countries. The only thing it could not source were the proprietary apps that come with Google's Android mobile operating system. It developed its own operating system, HarmonyOS, using the open-source port of Android as a base.

In May 2020, the US put in place further restrictions to cut off Huawei's supply of semiconductors which it gets made mostly by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.

This was done through the Foreign Direct Product Rule that makes it necessary for any company  American or foreign  that sells American products or those made using American technology to require a permit before selling to Huawei.

On top of that, new export control rules were imposed by the US Government in August 2020 and these made it well-nigh impossible for Huawei to obtain the SoCs it needs to build its flagship smartphones.

Carr said the FCC should move quickly to close what he called a loophole in the equipment authorisation process to ensure "that equipment from Huawei and other entities that pose a national security risk will no longer be eligible for FCC approval".

Three Republican senators recently issued a call for blacklisting Honor Device, a low-budget smartphone firm formerly owned by Huawei.

Huawei sold Honor 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.
ANALYSIS An American demand that semiconductor manufacturers provide internal information about chip inventories, orders and sales data appears to be aimed at helping Intel which has fallen well behind.

The demand was made last month by US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, during a semiconductor summit hosted by the White House.

The rationale for seeking this information was to identify the bottlenecks causing the current semiconductor shortage and help ease kinks, if any, in the supply chain.

Chipmakers were given 45 days from 23 September to respond. Raimondo hinted at strong-arming the companies if they did not obey, telling Reuters the US had "other tools in our tool box that require them to give us data. I hope we dont get there. But if we have to we will".

George Koo, a long-time adviser on China strategies and business operations for a global advisory services firm, said inin Asia Times, that such data was a corporate secret.

He pointed out that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Samsung, the leaders when it came to chip fabrication, were very likely to yield to US pressure.

TSMC has kept pace with development, investing the huge sums needed to bring in the latest manufacturing equipment and has served as a designer of proprietary chips for companies like Apple, Nvidia and Huawei.

"TSMCs strategy was to serve as everybodys foundry and offer semiconductor fabrication as a service for a fee," said Koo. "To be credible, it promised strict confidentiality, to protect the clients trade secrets and never to make its own devices to compete with its customers."

He said this was an arrangement that suited everyone until the US imposed restrictions on Huawei, preventing it from getting its chips fabricated by TSMC.

"[Donald] Trumps successor Joe Biden has gone a step further by becoming the Godfather of the worldwide semiconductor industry and made an offer the foundries cannot refuse: Turn over your confidential files to the US Department of Commerce or else we will stop you from operating," Koo wrote.

Complying with what he described as "strong-armed unethical outrage" would diminish TSMC's position in the industry, he claimed.

"If TSMC relocates some of its facilities to the US to please Washington, it will face the same set of comparative disadvantages of having to operate in America that caused Intel to fall generations behind," Koo explained.

He said cutting off China would force it to accelerate the development of indigenous semiconductor technology. "It will be stymied for an interim period but in the end, China will have its own semiconductor production and market," Koo added.

As TSMC's standing was diminished, staff would leave and go elsewhere: some to the US, but most would end up in China "where they will not be penalised for language or cultural disconnect".

Koo said there was no certainty that Intel could catch up with TSMC even with Washingtons assistance. "Besides policy and financial subsidy, doing so will also require people with motivation and skillsets. In that respect, China far outnumbers the US," he pointed out.

Morris Chang, the man behind TSMC, has said it may be impossible to replicate what has been done in Taiwan in other parts of the world, including the US.

"Washington seems to think it is playing a win-lose game. It doesnt seem to appreciate that by cutting China off, American companies will be deprived of access to the largest market in the world," said Koo.

"When the worlds semiconductor market is split into two, the halves will be less than the whole. Thus a virtuous circle will become dysfunctional, and everybody will lose."
GUEST OPINION: Although a lot of people associate cryptocurrencies with investments and price fluctuations, digital assets such as bitcoin were originally intended for borderless payments. Cryptocurrencies helped make international transactions more convenient and cheaper, and are quite popular among unbanked people.

Accepting cryptocurrencies is not a hype chase as some may think. According to BitPay and Forrester Consulting research, crypto adoption can attract new audiences and boost sales. For example, up to 40% of customers who pay with cryptocurrency are new to the merchant; crypto is less expensive than cards to support; the average check of cryptocurrency users twice larger than card users; also cryptocurrencies have no chargeback which means less fraud.

Therefore, it is not surprising that more and more companies are trying to accept cryptocurrencies, making digital assets ubiquitous. Here are a few companies that already accept cryptocurrencies or offer them to users.

E-commerce

The e-commerce sector is one of the most active in crypto adoption as it allows getting returns relatively fast. For example, when American online retailer Overstock started accepting Bitcoin in 2014, it was a success  over 1000 orders, over $100,000 sales, almost all from new customers, and thats on the first day. Overstock still supports Bitcoin for payments.

Newegg also started accepting Bitcoin in 2014. But unlike many other companies that convert cryptocurrency through third-party services, Newegg accepts bitcoin directly.

Shopify accepts cryptocurrencies as alternative payment methods using the services of four different crypto payment providers. Shopify accepts not only Bitcoin but also Ethereum and Litecoin.

Payments and finance

PayPal joined the crypto market in March 2021 when it started to offer buying and selling cryptocurrency on the platform but only for US customers. PayPal users can hold crypto in their accounts or use it to pay online merchants. PayPal supports Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ethereum, they can be converted into fiat currencies as well.

Square gives access to cryptocurrencies with CashApp service that also allows users to buy and sell digital assets. Crypto withdrawals to external wallets are available but users need to be verified for that. This platform is quite popular among crypto investors from the US but crypto operations are only a small part of Square income at the moment.

Visa supports different crypto initiatives and even was a part of Facebook's Libra Association. In March 2021, the company started accepting stablecoin USD Coin (USDC) for transaction settlement within its payment network.

Travel and airlines

In July 2021, Pavilion Hotels & Resorts became the first international hotel group that started accepting cryptocurrencies for payments. The company also noted that cryptocurrencies offer enhanced payment security solutions. The hotel group allows customers to book rooms using 40 different tokens, including Bitcoin.

Back in 2014, Latvian AirBaltic became the first airline company to accept bitcoin as payment for tickets. According to the company, there were more than 1,000 BTC transactions since the payment method launch. Some European airline companies followed AirBaltic and began accepting bitcoin, for example, LOT Polish Airlines.

Expedia is one of the largest and most well-known travel agencies to accept cryptocurrencies as payment. Expedia clients can use more than 30 cryptocurrencies to book over 700,000 hotels on the company's website.

Non-profit organizations

Quite often, donating money to charity comes with high fees. Besides, some people prefer to stay anonymous when making such transactions. This made Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies quite popular among non-profit organizations. For example, Wikipedia has been accepting bitcoin for donations since 2014. The Giving Block company has even created a platform that provides non-profit organizations and donors to accept cryptocurrency transactions.

As for Wikileaks, cryptocurrencies, in a sense, have saved the organization. Wikileaks started accepting bitcoin back in 2011. When the organization was under mounting pressure from payment providers, Bitcoin became the only way to collect and store donations. Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, said the organization made close to 50,000% return with Bitcoin as a result of the blockade.

Restaurants and supermarkets

When startup Flexa joined forces with crypto platform Gemini, it became easier for big retailers to accept cryptocurrencies. They created a payment solution that can be embedded in digital scanners used to pay with Apple Pay and other online wallets. One of the first companies to use this technology was the supermarket chain Whole Foods.

Starbucks allows visitors to pay for orders through the Bakkt app that converts bitcoin to fiat money. Burger King and Pizza Hut also accept "converted cryptocurrencies" as a payment method but so far only in Venezuela. For this, both companies used the CryptoBuyer service.

Gaming

Microsoft started accepting Bitcoin as a payment option in 2014. Users can use cryptocurrency to buy video games and subscriptions from the Xbox online store. Then this option began to be supported for the Windows store as well.

The Humble Bundle is a popular online store for gamers, but non-video game bundles can also be found there. Bitcoin is supported as a payment option for some bundles, but not all. Also, Bitcoin is supported only for those who use conversions through USD.

These are just a few companies that support bitcoin and altcoins for payments. But you shouldnt think that accepting cryptocurrency is only the prerogative of large and well-known companies. According to HSB research, 36% of small-medium businesses in the US accept Bitcoin. The crypto adoption level by business varies from country to country but accepting crypto has already become a trend. As cryptocurrencies gain more and more popularity and rules to work with crypto become more clear, more businesses will consider accepting cryptocurrencies.
The office and work setup is now an indispensable part of the home as expedited by COVID-19, but that doesnt mean employees want to be monitored when they work from home, according to Unisys Security Index.

The Unisys Security Index indicates there is a need for new, outcome-based approaches to performance management and open conversations about privacy, acceptable purpose, trust and permission.

When asked if they would be comfortable if their employer allowed them to work from home but required a certain level of monitoring, the vast majority of Australians do not support monitoring measures regardless of whether they are for productivity, security or support purposes. (See table below):

Overall, female Australians and self-employed, small-to-medium business owners are the least comfortable with monitoring measures.

The 2021 Unisys Security Index for Australia, the overall measure of security concerns of the Australian public, scored 159 out of 300, recording a 16% growth, up two points from 2020 and the highest in the 15-year history of the study for Australia.

The top four security concerns are data/privacy related: ID theft (59% of Australians concerned about this issue), hacking and viruses (57%), bankcard fraud (55%) and online shopping (49%). Whereas natural disasters, including pandemics, had been the top concern in 2020.

Time for new approach to Employee Performance Management

Privacy is a top concern and people are protective of their home space. While for many people, working from home offers benefits of less commuting time and more work-life balance, for others it is an imposition necessitated by the COVID response. Being mandated to work from home is not the same as volunteering for it. Employers must gain trust and permission to introduce monitoring technologies into that space, explains Unisys director of advisory in Asia Pacific Leon Sayers.

A two-way discussion is critical to successful organizational change management. And just because the technology allows you to do something doesnt mean it is always appropriate, Sayers says.

Sayers stresses it is time to re-think how managers monitor performance and productivity. First you need to look at the type of role. What is more critical: the input (time spent on a task) or the output (the deliverable), Sayers says.

For example, using technology to monitor how quickly call centre staff working from home answer a call and resolve a customers problem is a key metric of the role and service delivered to the customer. Whereas for other knowledge jobs it would be more relevant to measure if they delivered something of the agreed quality by the required deadline, you dont need to know when they logged in or how long it took them, he says.

Not all monitoring is Big Brother

Some monitoring measures offer positive benefits to employees, such as monitoring software response time so that the IT team can proactively fix impending issues before it makes an impact. This refers to intelligent IT support, or using facial recognition technology to quickly confirm that it is you sitting at your laptop, without the need to re-enter password.

But adding a new function and purpose to an existing tool requires a fresh conversation: We accepted webcams at home to aid collaboration  not security. Employers need to lead open discussions about the intended purpose and benefit of such measures if they are to be accepted in the home workplace. The willingness to use a technology is critical to the successful roll out of any digital transformation, Sayers explains.

People aged 18-24 years are the least comfortable with having their log in/out times monitored (27% comfortable compared to 35% and higher for older age groups).

However, younger people are more comfortable with proactive monitoring of software response times than older people, perhaps signalling the way the future digital workforce expects to be able to access the IT tools they need to do their job, the study concludes.
Republican members of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation have accused storage vendor Seagate Technology of violating American rules on the supply of products to Chinese telecommunications equipment vendor Huawei Technologies.

The restrictions were put in place in August last year and took effect on 14 September.

A seven-page report issued by the Republican group claimed: "Any shipment of prohibited products without a licence after 14 September 2020, likely including hard disk drives incorporating semiconductors as component parts, violated this rule."

The group said Roger Wicker, a ranking member on the committee, had sent a letter to Seagate, Western Digital and Toshiba in a bid to find out whether the hard-disk manufacturers were complying with the rule.

"The letter probed each companys interpretation of the rule, including whether they believe selling hard disk drives to Huawei requires a licence from BIS [the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security].

"Seagate declined to provide its interpretation of the rule, detail its transactional relationship with Huawei, or disclose whether the company had obtained a license to continue shipment of hard disk drives to Huawei."

The group said Seagate controlled about 43% of the hard disk market as of mid-2021.

"Evidence suggests that Seagate Technology, a California-based company, continued shipping hard disk drives to Huawei after the rule went into effect," they said. "Seagate officials told Minority Staff [Republican members of the panel] that the company does not hold a valid licence to continue shipping hard disk drives to Huawei, likely making transactions for this product unlawful after the effective date.

"By shipping these prohibited products to Huawei, it appears Seagate benefitted from an uneven playing field to the detriment of national security and at the expense of its competitors who abide by the rule designed to combat threats posed by companies with known connections to the Chinese Government."

During a public conference call on the day the rule took effect, Seagate's chief financial officer Gianluca Romano was asked about the new rule, the Republicans said.

He responded by saying: I dont see any particular restriction for us in terms of being able to continue to ship to Huawei or any other customer in China. So, we dont think we need to have a specific licence...

In September this year, the group said, Seagate had disclosed that it had not applied for any licences to export hard disk drives to Huawei or its affiliates that are on the Entity List.

"Seagate representatives also disclosed that the company has stopped shipping hard disk drives to Huawei, but declined to provide the date that shipments ended," the group said.

iTWire has contacted Seagate for comment.
The US is considering the use of a national security law harking back to the Cold War-era to force companies that are part of the semiconductor supply chain to provide confidential data about their operations if they do not respond with answers in 45 days.

The American demand has spooked TMSC's local investors who have filed a provisional injunction in the Taiwan Hsinchu District Court seeking to bar the company from sending critical trade secrets to the US.

The demand was made on 23 September by US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, during a semiconductor summit hosted by the White House.

The data is being sought ostensibly to identify the bottlenecks causing the current semiconductor shortage and help ease kinks, if any, in the supply chain.

The information sought from companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the globe's biggest fabless operation, is listed below, as published in the US Federal Register.

a. Identify your companys role in the semiconductor product supply chain.

b. Indicate the technology nodes (in nanometers), semiconductor material types, and device types that this organisation is capable of providing (design and/or manufacture).

c. For any integrated circuits you produce  whether fabricated at your own facilities or elsewhere  identify the primary integrated circuit type, product type, relevant technology nodes (in nanometers), and actuals or estimates of annual sales for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021 based on anticipated end use.

d. For the semiconductor products that your organisation sells, identify those with the largest order backlog. Then for the total and for each product, identify the product attributes, sales in the past month, and location of fabrication and package/assembly.

i. List each products top three current customers and the estimated percentage of that products sales accounted for by each customer.

e. For each phase of the production process, identify whether your organisation carries out the step internally or externally. For your organisations top semiconductor products, estimate each products (a) 2019 lead time and (b) current lead time (in days), both overall and for each phase of the production process. Provide an explanation of any current delays or bottlenecks.

f. For your organisations top semiconductor products, list each products typical and current inventory (in days), for finished product, in-progress product, and inbound product. Provide an explanation for any changes in inventory practices.

g. What are the primary disruptions or bottlenecks that have affected your ability to provide products to customers in the last year?

h. What is your organisations book-to-bill ratio for the past three years? Explain any changes.

i. If the demand for your products exceeds your capacity, what is the primary method by which your organisation allocates the available supply?

j. Does your organisation have available capacity? If yes, what is preventing the filling of that capacity?

k. Is your organisation considering increasing its capacity? If yes, in what ways, over what timeframe, and what impediments exist to such an increase? What factors does your organisation consider when evaluating whether to increase capacity?

l. Has your organisation changed its material and/or equipment purchasing levels or practices in the past three years?

m. What single change (and to which portion of the supply chain) would most significantly increase your ability to supply semiconductor products in the next six months?

TSMC's general counsel Sylvia Fang said last week that the company was trying to work out how it could respond to the American demands without compromising its clients' sensitive trade secrets.

Asia Times quoted Fang as saying: "We will definitely not leak our company's sensitive information, especially that related to our customers.

"We are still at the stage of doing some preliminary research and evaluating the contents of the questionnaire."

She added that the US had come to the realisation that many companies have questions so it was preparing a FAQ and TSMC was waiting for that as well.
Today

Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. High near 80F. Winds light and variable.

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow

Partly cloudy skies. High 82F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.










ANANTARA SPA LAUNCHES FIRST CANNABIS INFUSED TREATMENT MENU IN THAILAND The powerful properties of cannabis plants have been harnessed for millennia by healers seeking its medicinal benefits. ANANTARA SPA LAUNCHES FIRST CANNABIS INFUSED TREATMENT MENU IN THAILAND The powerful properties of cannabis plants have been harnessed for millennia by healers seeking its medicinal benefits. Thailand - Events - Communication/Marketing

This is a press release Category: Asia Pacific This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2021-10-27







medicinal purposes of cannabis have been brought back to the forefront of alternative therapies as part of the recent decriminalisation of certain parts of the plant in Thailand.



Utilised across central Asia for centuries, Anantara Spa in Thailand is now bringing this traditional compound to the twenty first century with a series of brand new luxurious spa treatments showcasing the plants myriad benefits from calming the mind to pain relief and more. Restful Slumber Journey Perfect for jet-lagged travellers, this 90-minute wind down treatment begins with a stress releasing soak in a cannabis salt laden bath.



Tired limbs are kneaded in a full body massage using either cannabis-lavender oil to calm redness and puffiness or cannabis-rice milk to improve skin elasticity and moisture retention.



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Combining the pain releasing properties of cannabis with the art form of traditional Thai herbal compress ball, Luk Pra kob, creates a dynamic duo capable of tackling even the deepest of muscle knots.



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Beginning with a calming cannabis foot soak ritual to release swelling and water retention, next a blissful scalp massage using cannabis infused coconut oil releases tension and transcends guests to the tropics.



The benefits of foot reflexology have long been recognised to restore the bodys natural balance and combining the physical manipulation with cannabis balm, traditionally used by Thais to reduce congestion and muscle tension, is the perfect answer to relieve deeper pains and repair damaged skin.



The new menu of cannabis spa treatments will be available at several Anantara Spas across Thailand including Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel, Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort, Anantara Chiang Mai Hotel and Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort. Journey with Anantara Spa and explore a whole new world of healing. About Anantara Anantara is a luxury hospitality brand for modern travellers, connecting them to genuine places, people and stories through personal experiences, and providing heartfelt hospitality in the worlds most exciting destinations.



The collection of distinct, thoughtfully designed luxury hotels and resorts provides a window through which to journey into invigorating new territory, curating personal travel experiences.



From cosmopolitan cities to desert sands to lush islands, Anantara connects travellers to the indigenous, grounds them in authentic luxury, and hosts them with passionate expertise.



The portfolio currently boasts over 40 stunning properties located in Thailand, the Maldives, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Zambia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Mauritius, Tunisia, Portugal and Spain, with a pipeline of future properties in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.



The brands premier vacation ownership programme, Anantara Vacation Club, extends the opportunity to own a share in the Anantara experience with a portfolio of 8 luxurious Club Resorts as well as travel privileges at partner resorts and hotels worldwide.


















Hongkong, China, 10/26/2021 / BNBeer /

BNBeer, the FIRST-ever reflection token and beer on Binance Smart Chain, is pleased to announce the launch of its token presale come November. A next-gen DeFi token, BNBeer is one of the pioneer crypto projects that has been developed in collaboration with a real manufacturer, a real-life brewery.

FIRST reflection token and beer on Binance Smart Chain BNBeer to host token presale in November

The BNBeer token pre-sale will start on November 7, 2021. The token comes with a total token supply of 1,000,000,000,000,000 BNBeer tokens of which 40% will be released for the presale.

We are excited to share with you all that we are soon to host our BNBeer token presale in the coming month. At BNBeer, we are geared to fully revolutionize the DeFi world and dawn in a new era for the future of both DeFi and real beer business. We assure you that we will complete the Whitelisted Presale where we will release 40% of our token. You can enter our whitelisted competition and share your referral link to other crypto and beer enthusiast friends to win more points, stated the leading spokesperson from BNBeer.

As of now, 250 Whitelist spots are available. The last date of entering the Whitelist competition is November 6, 2021.

BNBeer is also launching an Airdrop Contest just before the Presale that offers the opportunity to win a whopping $2500 total worth prize. A total number of 250 spots are available for the Airdrop Contest  the last date of entry is November 13, 2021.

One of the major USPs of BNBeer token is its unique Auto-Buyback function. Auto-Buyback can be defined as an in-built smart contract function that is designed to buy back random amounts of $BNBeer anytime automatically whenever someone sells the tokens. This cutting-edge feature goes a long way to stabilize the token price and offers a better edge than the standard manual buyback structure.

At BNBeer, we are driven by the goal to make investments profitable for our token holders by developing a proliferating beer business. The income of the beer sale and NFT collection will result in regular auto buybacks of BNBeer tokens that will eventually surge the price and ensure a more attractive investment option for each holder, explained the spokesperson.

Top features of BNBeer token:

Contract Audited token

No Private Sale Token

Unmintable

Anti-whale dump design

Unique Auto buy back program that also helps to stabilize the token price

Fair and justified Locking period

Regular buyback of business income

Speaking on, the spokesperson stressed on the multiple advantages of investing in BNBeer token for the token holders 

Ability to vote on diverse options for future beer (Types of beers, labels, ingredients, etc.)

Ability to purchase limited edition beers before the general public

Opportunity to enter into competitions to win beer-related goodies

Enjoy discount codes for beer & merchandise purchases

Auto-reflection for holding BNBeer in your wallet

Our token is backed by a real business plan and the holders can be assured of high profits in near future. We have locked and reserved 10% of the BNBeer tokens for Binance CEO for 6 months  we will transfer or burn the token after a specific period of time which will also help to boost the price of BNBeer token.

After the pre-sale, BNBeer token will be listed on PancakeSwap and eventually on many other top exchanges listed on CoinMarketCap, CoinGecko, and so on.

For more information, please join the community https://t.me/bnbeer

Telegram: https://t.me/bnbeer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bnbeer_io

Web: http://www.bnbeer.io

Email: [email protected]





The information provided in this release is not investment advice, financial advice or trading advice. It is recommended that you practice due diligence (including consultation with a professional financial advisor before investing or trading securities and cryptocurrency).

Source: Submit123News

There is no offer to sell, no solicitation of an offer to buy, and no recommendation of any security or any other product or service in this article. Moreover, nothing contained in this PR should be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any investment or security, or to engage in any investment strategy or transaction. It is your responsibility to determine whether any investment, investment strategy, security, or related transaction is appropriate for you based on your investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. Consult your business advisor, attorney, or tax advisor regarding your specific business, legal, or tax situation.

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Song Joong Ki surprised his fans after his company, History D&C, released his first-ever vlog that shows his spontaneous day at the recent Busan International Film Festival.

As he's been vocal about being a private person, Ki Ailes (Song Joong Ki's fandom) are used to see Song Joong Ki only in dramas and films. He limits sharing about his personal and day to day activities in public, until his first vlog has been uploaded.

Unlike his character as Vincenzo Cassano, a dashing mafia consigliere turned mafia boss, Song Joong Ki's vlog shows that he's actually outgoing and exudes warmth while at work.

Keep on reading for more details.

Song Joong Ki First Vlog: Actor Enjoys Working With Friendly Staff

In his first vlog, Song Joong Ki had a wonderful time working on and off the spotlight. The "Descendants of the Sun" star displayed his authentic self, showing that behind the lens, he is a normal guy who travels, eats, meets new people, and gets tired after hectic schedules.

In the first clip, Song Joong Ki, together with his team, rode a train going to Busan. The male star mentioned that he was confident before, saying he could make a vlog on his own. But doing it on the spot made him nervous.

He made an intro, confessing that one of the staff members missed the train to Busan. With that being revealed, Song Joong Ki tried to hold his laugh and started to share more about his participation as a host in BIFF.

While waiting for their arrival time, the actor decided to concentrate and made a run through of his script for the event.

Song Joong Ki's manager showed a piece of document that the actor needed to sign - a file about the "Vincenzo Blu-ray" currently under production.

When he arrived in Busan, Song Joong Ki immediately went to the event venue for rehearsal.

After a quick meal with staff members, Song Joong Ki prepared for the actual event.

The actor is seen reading the script alongside Park So Dam.

The following day, he attended a press conference, together with his "Space Sweepers" co-stars.

Through his first vlog, fans saw Song Joong Ki spends most of his time working.

The video has over 395,000 views as of writing.

Watch Song Joong Ki's vlog here!



2PM's Junho Receives Coffee Truck from Song Joong Ki

Recently, 2PM's Junho received warm support from Song Joong Ki. It was when the "Vincenzo" actor sent a coffee truck on the set of Lee Junho's forthcoming drama, "The Red Sleeve Cuff."

[PHOTO] 211022 Song Joong Ki sent a coffee and snacks truck to the filming set of MBC Drama 'The Red Sleeve Cuff' for 2PM's Lee Junho



Top Banner Trans: I'm rooting for Actor Lee Junho.

#SongJoongKi #JoongKi # # # # # # pic.twitter.com/Y1ZIV2chPi  Song Joong Ki Philippines (@JoongKiPH) October 22, 2021

The idol-actor thanked his real-life friend through an Instagram story.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Jeon Yeo Bin Reunites with Song Joong Ki at the BIFF 2021 + Shares Team 'Vincenzo' Has Strong Friendship Until Now

Have you seen Song Joong Ki's first vlog? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

For more K-Drama and celebrity news, keep your tabs open at Kdramastars.

Kdramastars owns this article.

Shai Collins wrote this.
Renowned writer Kim Eun Hee details her thoughts regarding her top-rating Korean dramas and her screenwriting journey.

The South Korean playwright and screenwriter is the genius behind the hit series "Signal" with Lee Je Hoon, Kim Hye Soo and Jo Jin Woong and the blockbuster K-zombie "Kingdom" starring Ju Ji Hoon, Bae Doona and Ryu Seung Ryong.

Her latest is the highly anticipated team-up of the "Kingdom" stars Ju Ji Hoon and Jun Ji Hyun for the action-thriller "Jirisan."

The 16 episode Kdrama follows the story of Mount Jirisan's park ranger and their journey uncovering the mystery surrounding the mountain.

Kim Eun Hee on Writing Series with Political and Dark Social Issues

For the past years since she started working in the industry back in 2006 for the movie "Once in a Summer," most of her dramas and films depict social issues like class conflict and crimes as well as political issues.

With this, she spoke about what prompted her to veer away from the usual plot that the audience sees on Kdramas.

"I don't want viewers to fantasize about reality because of the drama," she said during her interview with CNN Film School.

To recall, her 2016 tvN series "Signal" is based on true stories of unsolved cases in South Korea, one of which is the murder between 1986 to 1991 that occurred in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.

Ten victims were reported dead, ranging from a 13-year-old student to a 71-year-old grandmother.

Moreover, she also detailed what made her create such compelling and interesting stories.

Kim Eun Hee revealed that she likes creating "very challenging" plots.

In addition, she also shared how she feels receiving overwhelming and positive responses like being rewarded for writing the story.

"The feeling is very addictive," she said.

Moreover, she left good advice for aspiring writers and future screenwriters.

"Anyone can become a good drama writer as long as they have an interest in people."

'Jirisan' Receives Complaints Regarding Questionable Directing and CGI Effects

Kim Eun Hee's interview comes after Jun Ji Hyun and Ju Ji Hoon's Kdrama "Jirisan" was criticized for poorly done CGI (computer-generated imagery) effects despite having a big production budget.

Several outlets cited a remark by the "Beauty Inside" director Baek Jong Yeol, expressing his observation regarding the questionable animation.

In a now-deleted Instagram post, the PD pointed out that "Jirisan" lacks direction, making the cast struggle in acting.

"I think there's something wrong with the direction. I guess there must have been a reason behind 'Jirisan.' It's magical the way it can even make all those actors look like they can't act well. I'm sorry if this was done purposely," he said.

Apart from the top-notch actors, "Jirisan" cast members also include veteran actor Sung Dong Il, "It's Okay to Not be Okay" star and Baeksang Arts winner Oh Jung Se, Jo Han Chul and Go Min Si.

Amid the criticisms, the Saturday and Sunday night drama managed to score a record-breaking viewership rating of 9.1 percent, as cited by Nielsen Korea.

"Jirisan" viewership rating for its pilot episode is said to be tvN's second-highest premiere rating, following "Hospital Playlist 2."

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
Interior Health has the highest percentage of employees who failed to comply with a Monday deadline to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Health Minister Adrian Dix announced Tuesday. Seven percent of IH staff are now on unpaid leave.
This chart shows the reduction in risk for COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations among people who are fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine, the Astra-Zeneca vaccine, or a combination of the Astra-Zeneca and an mRNA vaccine.
Pope Francis leaves at the end of a mass in which he ordained as bishops Andres Gabriel Ferrada Moreira and Guido Marini, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. The Vatican says Pope Francis is willing to visit Canada, as Indigenous leaders call on him apologize for the Catholic Church's role in residential schools. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Alessandra Tarantino
Rod Phillips, then-Ontario Finance Minister, delivers the Provincial Budget in the Ontario Legislature in Toronto on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020. Ontario's long-term care minister says the province is putting $100 million toward adding 2,000 more nurses to the sector in the next few years. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Michael Pickup listens to a question as he addresses a news conference regarding his report as Nova Scotia's auditor on June 8, 2016. Pickup, who is now B.C.'s auditor general, says he has a $6-billion difference of opinion with the government on calculating the province's financial bottom line. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
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The day that my 82-year-old mother was scheduled to receive her first COVID vaccine, she was admitted to the intensive care unit, critically ill with COVID pneumonia.

It was late January. My siblings and I hadnt heard from our mother in a few days, and we were worried because she lived alone. Joanie was a democrat and a CNN junkie, who was sure to be watching as the Trumps helicoptered from the White House for the last time. I called her several times from Vermont, expecting her to pick up to chat about Bidens inauguration. When she didnt, I called my brother Tom back home in Ohio. Tom went to check on her, and found her weak, dehydrated, and confused. In the emergency room, she tested positive for the SARS CoV-2 virus.

Twenty-three days later, the virus had ravaged my mothers body. She was unconscious but still clinging to life. Death was an inevitable formality.

Ironically, she no longer tested positive for the virus. My siblings and I could gather in her room in the medical intensive care unit at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Youngstown. We were lucky. Legions of other families never had the chance to be with their loved ones when they died of COVID-19. Hard as it was, we were grateful.

My mother lay strapped to a bed, alone in a single room falsely bright with cold, stark fluorescent light. It seemed like the opposite of what she neededwarmth and a softly lit room, not one that reeked of urine and antiseptic. Ties threaded her wrists, securing her hands to the bed. A nurse told us that Joanie had been agitated and kept pulling the ventilation prongs out of her nose. The restraints stopped her from removing her only oxygen source. A ventilator forced her breath. Its loud, precise rhythm hissed the only clue that my mother was still alive. Her body told a different story: cheeks wasted to skin over bone, eyes sunken, dirty hair matted against her bruised temples, a catheter bag muddied with blood. And then her mouth, horrific and gaping, its inside blackened like gangrene.

Dr. Muneer Al Zobythe kind, exhausted pulmonologist who treated our mothertold us that she had COVID pneumonia. Its effect, he said, was akin to taking a blowtorch to the tissue of the lungs. After enduring the isolation and anxiety of pandemic lockdown, I was not prepared to witness the ravages of my mothers death from COVID pneumonia.

Even my sister Laurie, a take-charge pediatrician who rarely shows her feelings, was visibly shaken as we stood at the bedside of our dying mother. Seeking to restore a measure of dignity, Laurie gently tried to close our mothers gaping mouth, but her jaw was locked and immobile, vulgarly exposing her black, shriveled tongue. I leaned over her too, pulling a comb fitfully through the sticky gels in her hair. Joanie would have been mortified, I thought, to be seen in this condition. Gray roots nearly an inch long? She never left the house without lipstick or a fresh manicure.

A gold chain strung with my mothers favorite cross lay trapped in the fold of her neck. I wondered if it was choking her. I untangled it, knowing that my mother would be glad to have it on when Monsignor Shiffrin arrived to give her last rites.

Later that day, my mothers doctors removed her ventilation. Laurie and I sat vigil on opposite sides of her bed, sleepless as we considered the mournful reality before us. My mother breathed with irregular, jagged breaths. They were the only sound in the room now. Time felt frozen  unable to move back or forward, like labor before delivery. Chelsea, the nurse who cared for my mother on the overnight shift, floated in and out like an apparition. As sunrise came and went, I stood at my mothers bedside and rested my palm on her forehead. Chelsea stood opposite me. We were nearly mirror images of one another, touching my mother, crying as I said goodbye. Seventeen hours after her ventilation was removed, my mother finally stopped breathing.

Laura Joan Joanie Sewickley, died on February 12, 2021. Hers was one of 3,013 lives claimed by COVID-19 in the United States that day.

As I write this nearly nine months later, I remain deeply in the moment of my mothers passing. I wonder now if the experience of intense trauma, such as being with a loved one when they die, heightens ones perceptions. Because even though I was heartbroken to say goodbye to my mother, at that moment, my attention was divided. Despite my grief, I was keenly aware that my mothers passing from COVID had grown routine for Chelsea. During the pandemic, she and other frontline hospital providers had been through this ritual of needless death countless times over many months. My tears were partly for them.

Many of the nurses from the unit, some of whom Id never met, descended upon the room after my mothers death. I wasnt sure how I was supposed to receive them. I was grateful that they were there, but it was strangely surreal that this private moment had become a community gathering. I imagined that they honored the moment of her death feeling helpless. Perhaps there was a moment of gratitude toward my mother, who had also spent her working life as a nurse at this very hospital. But in reality, the nurses were just marking one more life lost to the plague that has ravaged so many lives. As quickly as they descended, they left. They had to get back to work.

Judith Markey is a psychologist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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Gen. Colin Powell , the first Black U.S. secretary of state, passed away this week due to COVID complications. Yes, Powell was fully vaccinated but immunocompromised. However, he had scheduled the booster but was too ill to receive it.

After President Joe Biden received his COVID-19 booster, many wondered if they needed a booster too.

I have been a registered nurse for over 38 years, and the message we are receiving is confusing, even to me. If it is confusing to me, it might be confusing to you. After the death of Gen. Powell, the rush is on. Some people were posting links, via social media, to where they could receive the COVID-19 booster. A family member was trolling the pharmacy websites for the vaccine as her life depended on it.

Three of the vaccinations (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson) used in the U.S. have been given the green light by the Food and Drug Association and Center. Still, many people in my world, friends, family, co-workers, and students ask: Who should get the booster shot?

Booster shots present a moral dilemma. Why should some populations get the third shoot when others have gotten just one or none?

In a report from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, only one-third of adults in the E.U. and European Economic Area have not received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. It feels like the haves and have nots. Wealthy countries like the U.S., United Arab Emirates, China, Japan, France, and the United Kingdom have 65% to 95% vaccination rates. However, developing countries like the Philippines, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Nigeria have 25 to 2.4% vaccination rates. The goal for recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic is herd immunity. Per the Mayo clinic, it would take 70% of the population to reach herd immunity.

Additionally, the FDA has authorized the minimum age for the vaccine to 12 years old for the Pfizer shoot. The Biden administration is planning to have pediatric-friendly facilities to administer immunizations after getting approval from the FDA. For children from 12-17, only 42% received one dose, and 32% completed the series. We need to protect children, one of the most vulnerable populations, to reduce COVID-19associated morbidity and mortality rates. As adults, we need to do whatever we can to facilitate the safer reopening of schools for in-person learning.

In the U.S., we have not reached herd immunity. According to the CDC, there has been a significantly increased risk of COVID-19 illness and death for people who remain unvaccinated, especially the 12- to 64-year-olds. Only 66% of the population has received one dose, 57% of the people in the U.S. are fully vaccinated.

Of adults aged 65 and older, 84% are fully vaccinated. Unfortunately, there were more COVID-19 deaths among older adults during the Delta surge in states with the lowest vaccination rates. If the vaccination rate in the least vaccinated states had been the same as the vaccination rate in the most immunized states, it was predicted there would be a 61.7% reduction from the actual number of deaths.

The Black and Hispanic/Latinx population are less likely than their white counterparts to have received COVID vaccines. The gap is narrowing, but the population remains vulnerable to increased risk, mainly as the variant spreads.

Family and friends asked me: Does the death of Powell make it more urgent that I need the booster shoot?

Before you run to the pharmacy or public health websites to sign up for the COVID booster, there are a few things to consider.

Powell was a prime candidate because he was at high risk due to his age and underlying Parkinsons and cancer conditions. He was battling multiple myeloma, a cancer of the white blood cells found in the bone marrow that suppress the bodys immune response. This disease weakens the bodys immune system by causing severe anemia and lower platelets cells which interferes with the bodys ability to fight the COVID-19 infection. Additionally, it has been reported that only 45% of people with multiple myeloma have an adequate antibody response from the COVID-19 vaccine.

Those over 65 with health issues and at risk due to work are encouraged to get the boosters first. This includes 18-64 with an autoimmune condition or underlying medical condition or employment considered that put you at risk.

Fully vaccinated individuals in the general population are not in urgent need of a booster shot. If you do not fit the criteria for age, underlying condition, or do not work in a high-risk environment, consider waiting at least eight months.

Putting off your booster could ease the burden for the supply of vaccines and related supplies. Most importantly, consult your healthcare provider or public health office. Whatever choice you make, consider the facts and what is safe for you, your family, and your community.

Denise Dawkins is a nurse.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Why now is the time to get patients back to in-person routine care [PODCAST]

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As the next wave of the pandemic unfolds, the rise in cases is once again straining health care systems. But thats not the only reason hospitals and health systems could experience an influx of emergency or critical care visits. Findings from the National Poll on Healthy Aging based at the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation revealed that nearly one in three Americans between the ages of 50 and 80 put off an in-person appointment for medical care in 2020 because they were worried about potential COVID-19 exposure, and with the emergence of new variants, that trend could continue.

There is a growing concern that patients will either see a relapse in their illness or will experience new complications as a result of waiting too long to visit the doctor. Put simply, there could essentially be two health crises crowding the system: those who have tested positive for the coronavirus, and those who delayed routine preventative and ongoing care for ailments such as chronic disease or mental health.

Matt Dickson is a health care executive.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, Why now is the time to get patients back to in-person routine care.

Did you enjoy todays episode?

Please click here to leave a review for The Podcast by KevinMD. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out!

Do you know someone who might enjoy this episode? Share this episode to anyone who wants to hear health care stories filled with information, insight, and inspiration.

Hosted by Kevin Pho, MD, The Podcast by KevinMD shares the stories of the many who intersect with our health care system but are rarely heard from.
Former President Donald Trump's effort to deny the 2020 election results has ricocheted in Washington and around the country.

CNN's Dana Bash reported an hourlong special looking at how Trump's lies about the election led to new voting laws in key states. I talked to her about what she learned from the project, which airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.

Our conversation, conducted by email, is below.

Pay attention to these laws now

WHAT MATTERS: It is October of an off-year. There are a smattering of elections coming, but most Americans won't vote for a year. Why make this special now?

BASH: Because what is happening right now in key states across the country will have a huge effect on whether and how voters have access to the ballot, and who oversees the process that counts and certifies the votes that are cast.

There was record turnout in 2020, even though the election came in the middle of a pandemic, before vaccines were available. The reason for the unprecedented participation in a lot of states was because Covid-safe voting measures made it easier for people to vote in general. It turns out that when you make it easier for people to vote -- they do so in bigger numbers. And there was no evidence of widespread fraud. Again, there was no evidence of widespread fraud.

But that's not what conservative voters are being told by President Trump, his allies and like-minded media that amplify the lies. GOP-led legislatures are rolling back access to the ballot for the next elections and this will have an effect on voting in these states, and in turn the balance of power in Congress in 2022 and even the presidency in 2024.

Fighting fraud many admit did not occur

WHAT MATTERS: What's your bottom-line takeaway from making this special? What's happened to American democracy since November 2020?

BASH: The short answer from election expert after election expert -- including Republicans like veteran GOP lawyer Ben Ginsberg -- is that American democracy is in danger. Most of the Republicans we talked to said they believed the 2020 election was free and fair -- but said their constituents do not. Some of them basically admitted, in the most careful of terms, that they changed the laws in their states because of pressure from their own base who are being fed lies about 2020.

But the threat is bigger than Donald Trump and the big lie. What we heard repeatedly was GOP-led legislators using it to justify voting changes because of demographic changes that increase minority votes, which tend to support Democrats, and are making the Trump base smaller. They are passing laws that will increase GOP chances of staying in power by restricting access to the ballot and taking more control of the process of counting the votes.

Changes that target communities of color

WHAT MATTERS: The stated reason for these laws is election security, but you talked to Republicans who said there's a more directly political reason behind them, to drive down the minority vote. Is there enough evidence to make that conclusion?

BASH: Republicans told me that this is what you do after elections -- you look at what went right, you look at what went wrong, and you fix it for the next time. But an election law expert I talked to told me point blank: They're looking at what went right and banning what went right.

Take Harris County, Texas, which includes Houston. It has a huge minority voting population and they came out in record numbers thanks in part to 24-hour voting for shift workers and drive-thru voting -- coronavirus-prompted innovations.

Although Donald Trump won Texas, Joe Biden won Harris County thanks in part to easier access to voting. There was no evidence of fraud in Harris County, but the GOP legislature banned drive-thru and 24-hour voting. That will disproportionately affect communities of color and they are the ones who used those methods of voting.

Seeking uniformity in states, obstructing it in the country

WHAT MATTERS: Republicans in states told you they want new, more restrictive voting laws to create uniformity. But at the national level they oppose another kind of uniformity -- a national standard -- to protect voting rights. Do they acknowledge those conflicting ideas?

BASH: They don't -- and it's a really interesting question. Because they believe election law and procedure to be a state issue, not a federal one.

One expert I talked to used Texas as an example, where they limit one drop box per county. Harris County -- which has about the population of Louisiana -- will have one drop box. And a rural county with a few thousand people will get the same treatment. So there's a bit of an irony in arguing that a state as demographically diverse as Texas should have uniform laws, but the country as a whole should not.

Attacking the underpinnings of democracy

WHAT MATTERS: The great irony of undermining faith in the election system, as Trump has done, is that politicians need people to vote to win elections. How did you see that dichotomy playing out?

BASH: It's a great observation -- and it's true that by casting doubt on the system, Trump's big lie is potentially discouraging his supporters from participating. He even said that if we don't "solve" the problem of election fraud, "Republicans will not be voting in '22 or '24." That's his not-so-subtle way of pushing Republicans in states that haven't already succumbed to election law changes to do so.

But he is even pushing states he won -- like Texas -- to conduct sham audits in Texas' big cities that he lost. That is the kind of thing that election experts across the ideological spectrum say sows doubt in the voting process -- which is the fundamental underpinning of America's democratic process.

Meanwhile, back in Washington

The other obvious consequence of Trump's anti-democracy effort is the search for accountability by the January 6 committee on Capitol Hill.

Not all Trump allies are refusing to cooperate. CNN's Kaitlin Collins reported Tuesday that multiple former White House officials -- at least five -- have voluntarily given information to the committee.

This is in contrast to those who have ignored subpoenas, like Steve Bannon, the former Trump aide turned election provocateur, and close Trump adviser Dan Scavino.

CNN separately reported the committee is reaching out to former Trump aides including Chad Wolf, who was acting secretary of Homeland Security, and Ken Cuccinelli, an acting deputy secretary. Read more.

New feud over executive privilege. Trump wants to exempt his aides from testifying and protect documents from committee investigators by claiming executive privilege.

There was a new development on that front Monday, when Biden rejected Trump's claim to privilege on a second batch of documents the committee is seeking from the National Archives.

Republican appointed by Biden to lead DHS election office. Kim Wyman, Washington state's Republican secretary of state, will lead Department of Homeland Security efforts to protect elections from foreign and domestic interference. She's refuted Trump's false claims of election fraud.

Officials who rejected Trump's election fantasy live in fear, face threats. CNN's Isaac Dovere and Jeremy Herb report on how secretaries of state -- Republicans and Democrats who stood up for the valid election results in their states -- have been targeted by election deniers and often fear for their safety.

Arizona's Katie Hobbs shared vulgar and threatening voice mails with CNN. "I think you should be hunted," a woman says in one recording. "Die you bitch, die!" says a man, repeatedly, in another.

The reporters also talked to Colorado's Jena Griswold, who has contracted private security.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
OAKRIDGE, Ore. -- Oakridge residents against a proposed quarry on TV Butte were handed a victory this week.

On Tuesday, the Lane County Board of Commissioners voted 3 to 2 to deny an application by Old Hazeldell LLC to build the quarry on the butte overlooking Oakridge.

Plans for the quarry have been in development for many years, but the project has been met with resistance from community members concerned about the various impacts it might have on the area.

The main reason for the denial was because Old Hazeldell LLC hadnt come up with a strong answer for how they could protect deer and elk in the area, an issue brought to light by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Two commissioners, Jay Bozievich and Pat Farr, argued during a board meeting Tuesday that the public record be reopened so the company could have more time to develop a plan to minimize impact to wildlife, paving the way for the projects approval.

However, the remaining three commissioners disagreed and voted down a motion to reopen the record before voting to deny the application altogether. The commissioners, backed by county staff, said the company had been provided appropriate time to engage with the board on the issue.

RELATED: PLAN FOR QUARRY NEAR OAKRIDGE FACES ANOTHER DELAY

I believe we've provided ample time. Clearly this has been going on for several years, and we did ask the applicant in our very last public hearing if there was anything more - and there was not, said commissioner Heather Buch said.

Still, Farr said time is kind of a subjective thing and that perhaps the company should be allowed more time to make its case.

Those that support this denial are throwing away years of work, and are going against what would support affordable housing, lower carbon footprints, and provide jobs and revenue for this county, Bozievich said.

However, Buch said she could not approve the application given the expected impact of the project.

There are clearly other positives, but the environmental impact is clearly outweighing those positive impacts, and we should be  really considering those things, Buch said.

On Facebook, Oakridge Mayor Kathy Nichols Holston thanked commissioners for taking a stand and denying the application.

The applicants are likely to appeal the decision to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals. An attorney representing the applicants did not immediately return a request for comment.
EUGENE, Ore.  Six residents in Eugene locked themselves away after waking up to a burglar yelling and destroying their home.

It happened on Monday before 5 a.m. in the 2400 block of Agate Street.

Police said the residents secured themselves in a separate part of the house and could hear things being broken.

Officers arriving to the scene reportedly spotted the suspect  Benjamin Webber, 31, of Eugene  inside the family room, still yelling and throwing things. Webber broke a window of a bedroom and a piece of furniture came flying out, followed by other items, police said.

Once Webber opened the bedroom door, he was taken into custody, police said. Officers found he had a small cut from the broken glass. Medics took a look at his injuries before he was taken to the Lane County Jail on a charge of first-degree burglary.
Have you ever heard these stories? Here are some tales from Kilkenny city schoolchildren told in the 1930s:

Written by Frances Davin, Waterford Road, Kilkenny:

"I heard this story being told at home by my father...

One Halloween night a man named Brennan from Callan went in to Grangemockler chapel to pray. He remained praying a long time, with the result that he got tired and fell asleep. While he was asleep the chapel door was locked. The man woke up at about twelve o'clock. On the stroke of twelve a priest came out of the Sacristy and said three times: "Is there anyone there to serve Mass?" The man was too frightened to answer. When the man was let out the next morning he went and told the Parish Priest. The next night the priest and the man went in to the chapel together. At twelve o'clock the priest came out of the Sacristy and said the same words as the night before. The Parish Priest said that there was someone to serve Mass and he then went up and served it. The priest that had appeared then told them that it was a Mass he forgot to say and had to come back to say it. The priest never appeared after that."

Written by Sean Walsh, Birchfield, Kilkenny:

"I heard this story at home from my mother...

There was a man named Mr. Byrne of Castlecomer going from Kilkenny to Carlow with a load of flour. When he came to this cross-roads a woman met him and asked him for a lift; he carried her. She was not long up on the car, when the horse stopped and was not able to stir. Then the woman got down off the car and told the man to meet her at the same cross-roads on the following night. The man went to the Bishop of Carlow and told his story. The Bishop went to the cross-roads with all the people of Carlow, and they met the man there. The Bishop prayed and asked the man to know was the woman coming and he answered no. The Bishop asked the man again to know was she coming and the man answered yes. The woman came in a ball of fire around the man and the Bishop bade her stop. The he asked the woman what claim had she upon this man, and she answered that she had no claim on the man. Then the Bishop banished her to the Red Sea."

Written by William O'Neill, Walkin Street, Kilkenny:

"I got the following story from my grandfather, who lives with us at home...

Halloween night four years ago there was a man by the name of William Talbot passing by Saint James' graveyard in Callan when he heard a queer noise. He stopped and listened for a while. Then he heard the noise coming nearer. Mister Talbot was getting afraid and was going to run when he heard a voice telling him not to be afraid that it was a holy soul. Talbot did not wait to hear any more. He took to his heels and ran and did not stop until he got home."

Written by Edward Lawless, James' Green, Kilkenny:

"I heard the following story about Halloween night being told at home...

One Halloween night a man named Dunne of James' Green was coming home from his brother's house. It was about twelve o'clock. On his way home he had to pass by the Black Abbey Church. Suddenly he heard some noise inside and he stopped and listened. An old woman with a shawl came out of the Church and asked him who he was and where was he going at that hour of the night. With the fright that Mr. Dunne got he turned on his heel and he ran home as quickly as his feet could carry him. When he reached his own house he opened the door and who was behind the door but the same old woman. When he saw the woman he fainted. When he came all right again the old woman was gone so he went in and went to bed. When he got up in the morning he told his wife what had happened the night before. His wife reminded him that the souls in Purgatory are out that night. So he said he would not be out late another Halloween night."

Written by James Hickey, Patrick Street, Kilkenny:

"I heard the following story from my uncle at home...

One night about twelve o'clock my uncle was going home by the Patrick Street graveyard. It was pitch dark. As he was going along he was stopped but he could not see what was stopping him. He tried to force his way but he could not pass. Then he went over to the other side of the road to try and pass but he could not pass. At last he began to get frightened and he began to feel himself getting stiff. He could not move for a few minutes. Then the sweat began to come on him in big blobs. Then he got better again and he turned back the way he was after coming and had to go home another way. When he got home he fainted."

All these tales were selected from Saint Patrick's School, Kilkenny via The Schools' Collection on Duchas.ie, available in original form here.
A man and a woman have been arrested after Gardai seized 77,000 worth of Cannabis, Cocaine, and Ketamine in Dunleer, Co. Louth.

The search operation occurred on October 23, 2021, by the Divisional Drugs Unit based at Drogheda.

Gardai siezed Cannabis with an estimated value of 22,000, Cocaine to the value of 5,000, and Ketamine to the value of 50,000.

The drugs will now be sent for further analysis by Gardai.

A BMW X5 and a designer handbag were also seized from the property.

Following a search operation in Dunleer, Co. Louth Gardai seized a combined 77,000 in Cannabis, Cocaine and Ketamine as well as a car and a designer handbag. pic.twitter.com/HBmNV0uj6r  Garda Info (@gardainfo) October 26, 2021

A 23-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were both arrested at the scene and were detained at Drogheda Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

The woman has been released without charge.

The man was charged in relation to the seizure and appeared before a special sitting of Dundalk District Court on October 25, 2021.

He is due to appear again before Drogheda District Court on November 8, 2021.
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Iowa - Authorities said Friday a missing Franklin County man has been found safe.

Dennis Daniels was listed as a missing person after he last seen Sunday and could have been driving a blue 2006 Ford F-150 with the license plate 258ZJH.

Authorities said Friday that he was been located and is safe. Additional details were not released.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - As we inch one step closer to administering COVID-19 vaccines to children, the organization Education Minnesota is responding to the impending final FDA approval.

President Denise Specht says its important school districts work with community partners to host vaccination clinics in school buildings for children and families.

This October 2021 photo provided by Pfizer shows boxes of kid-size doses of its COVID-19 vaccine. The U.S. moved a step closer to expanding vaccinations for millions more children as a panel of government advisers on Tuesday, Oct. 26, endorsed kid-size do This October 2021 photo provided by Pfizer shows boxes of kid-size doses of its COVID-19 vaccine. The U.S. moved a step closer to expanding vaccinations for millions more children as a panel of government advisers on Tuesday, Oct. 26, endorsed kid-size do

Specht explained, Schools are a great place to offer accessibility for these vaccines. Everybody knows how to find the school and it's where all the children are and it could be very efficient and effective to have these vaccination clinics right at the school.

She does believe the choice to vaccinate is ultimately up to the parents but she hopes theyll seriously consider vaccination as an option.

We finally have that eligibility, vaccines are open to them, let's take the time now to get all our kiddos vaccinated so we can kick COVID to the curb and keep teaching and learning and get it back to normal and keep it going, said Specht.

The Walz Administration has announced its mobilizing a diverse network of more than 1,100 providers to administer COVID-19 vaccine shots to children.

The Rochester Public School District also says its working with community partners like Mayo Clinic and Olmsted Medical Center to set up vaccination clinic at school sites.
WAUKON, Iowa (AP)  Hundreds of people and law enforcement officers filled the Waukon High School gymnasium on Wednesday for the funeral of an Iowa State Patrol trooper who died from injuries he received in a car crash in the line of duty.

Trooper Ted Benda was hurt Oct. 14 in a single-vehicle crash while en route to help the Clayton County Sheriffs Office with a wanted suspect.

He died in a La Crosse, Wisconsin, hospital from those injuries on Oct. 20.

The 37-year-old Benda joined the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation in 2005 and transferred to the state patrol in 2016 when he was stationed out of Mason City.

He is survived by his wife, Holly, and their four children. A private burial will be held following the funeral.
MASON CITY, Iowa - A Mason City man who was sentenced to prison two years ago for robbery is back in jail after allegedly stealing a vehicle and burglarizing another one.

Camden Nicholson, 20, was booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail on Tuesday on charges of felony theft along with charges of burglary and unauthorized use of a credit card.

Police said Nicholson stole a Pontiac G6 belonging to B&J Auto on Oct. 6. Nicholson was caught by Waterloo police driving the vehicle.

He's also accused of stealing a wallet out of another vehicle and using a credit card at various businesses in Mason City.

Nicholson was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2019 in connection to a violent home invasion in Mason City in December of 2018.
Center City Housing Corps. held their ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday at 1 p.m., celebrating the completion of Mayowood Apartments.

The complex is taking a unique approach to solving homelessness in Rochester, with a mix of 30 homeless and housing insecure community members expected to fill its rooms.

Two years ago, the Minnesota Legislature approved an allocation of $30 million to the Housing Supports Program, which has helped establish Rochester's Mayowood Apartments, according to Center City Housing Corps. Executive Director Nancy Cashman.

Center City Housing Corps. has four other supportive housing locations in Minnesota, which include: Inver Grove Heights, Bemidji, Duluth and St. Cloud.

Cashman said homeless housing sites like Mayowood Apartments have proven results.

"In the past, we have done quality of life surveys and we find that the longer they live in our buildings, the more they score at having the same quality of life that you and I have. A very different life but they feel good about it and that is what we are after," Cashman said.

Mayor Kim Norton said she hopes to see more Center City Housing Corps. establishments across the Med-City.

"I think this was the first of probably more than one that we need to actually put into place. We have had, like all across the country, a growing number of homeless individuals, many of whom have mental health issues and a project like this provides that support on an ongoing basis so that individuals can be successful when they are placed in housing and hopefully be able to be moved out on their own at some point but this is the first step," Norton said.

Cashman said Center City Housing Corps. is interested in creating more homeless supportive housing facilities in Olmsted County and across Minnesota.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - An immense demand for workers has state leaders highlighting a key industry this month.

Governor Tim Walz has proclaimed October Manufacturing Month in Minnesota, underscoring the importance of this critical industry, which has thousands of job openings to fill right now.

Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development projects there will be more than 86,000 manufacturing jobs available across the North Star State by 2028. The agency says manufacturing workers earn nearly $71,000 per year on average, "10% higher than across all industries in Minnesota."

Many manufacturing opportunities require just a high school diploma with on-the-job training, DEED says, presenting a low barrier, well-paying career track for anyone looking. DEED Commissioner Steve Grove tells KIMT today's manufacturing jobs aren't like those from decades past.

"They're actually careers, they're not just jobs. I think there's this impression, this misconception that manufacturing jobs are really dirty, or they're super hard, or they're not attractive. That is not true in today's modern manufacturing environment. Jobs manufacturing involve a whole host of really technical skills, of leadership skills, and they have career paths that can help someone grow over time," Grove said.

While at one point many thought manufacturing jobs were on their way out, Commissioner Grove says the opposite has proven to be the case.

"It's a really unique time for manufacturing." Grove continued, "for one thing, you have a global supply chain challenge that has made many companies try to look more domestically for resourcing materials, that's one thing. On the other hand, you have a huge trend towards increased productivity in manufacturing, a lot of automation happening right now in manufacturing professions. But that is not eliminating jobs. We see, in fact, just the opposite - that as more and more firms are starting to automate, it is just up-leveling the jobs they have available right now. That means higher salaries for workers who have to operate machines that are new and complex, it means a higher level of skills needed for workers in this workforce, and means a better environment, a safer environment for manufacturers in Minnesota."

This Thursday there will be a statewide online manufacturing career fair, which Commissioner Grove calls a great opportunity to meet employers hiring now in communities across Minnesota. You can register for the event by following this link, and learn more about careers in manufacturing by clicking here.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Gov. Tim Walz says the state has a strong network of health care providers and others who are ready to administer the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine to children ages 5 to 11 once final federal recommendations are issued next week.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Tuesday voted to back Pfizers low dose vaccine for children.

A recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected next week.

Walz says Minnesota has more than 1,100 providers, including pediatricians, pharmacies, community clinics, schools and health agencies that are ready to administer the vaccine.
ROSEMOUNT, Minn. (AP)  A Twin Cities area priest has been struck and killed while riding his bike in Rosemount.

Risen Savior Church in Burnsville announced Tuesday that the Rev. Dennis Dempsey was the bicyclist who died Monday afternoon after he was hit by a car on County Road 42.

The 26-year-old Minneapolis driver who struck Dempsey was arrested at the scene on suspicion of criminal vehicular homicide in connection with driving in a negligent manner.

Authorities say the man was driving with a revoked license. The 73-year-old priest came to Risen Savior in July after doing missionary work in Venezuela for two years.
MASON CITY, Iowa - After a year away due to the pandemic, the twice-yearly Seniors and Law Enforcement Together, or S.A.L.T. Forum, is back.

The Mason City and Clear Lake Police Departments, as well as the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office, came together to meet with seniors for the fall forum Tuesday at Grace Church. The forum featured Mason City's own Deadra Stanton hosting a presentation on aging, as well as Morgan Lawson from Prairie Ridge to discuss being safe with prescription drugs and the drug take back program. Expired or unused medication can be returned to your local law enforcement agency or Hy-Vee.

Organizer Kathie Vix believes seniors can be confused when their doctors change up the medications they take.

"I think the problem is, for seniors, they change your prescriptions often. Now you're not taking this anymore, but you have to take that. For some people, 'OK, now is this the one I'm supposed to take? Or is this the one I'm supposed to take?'"

She adds that building a relationship between seniors and law enforcement is vital.

"I think that the more people can meet them on a social basis, it makes it easier to call them if there's an emergency. If you go out in the public and see 6-8 of them here, and talk to them and ask them different questions, I think you'll be more comfortable when the need arises that you really do need them for an emergency."

Planning for the spring forum, slated to be held in April, will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday morning at Hardee's in Mason City. The S.A.L.T. Committee meets every first Tuesday of the month at Hardee's.
ST. PAUL, Minn.  Governor Tim Walz, former governor Tim Pawlenty, and Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm all received COVID-19 booster shots Tuesday.

Walz says Minnesota is now third in the country for percentage of fully vaccinated adults with COVID-19 booster doses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Minnesota has administered booster doses to 10.8% of fully vaccinated adults, behind only Alaska and Vermont.

Minnesotans understand that following the science and ensuring theyre best protected against COVID-19 is how we will curb the spread of this deadly virus, says Governor Walz. Today I got my booster shot to maximize my level of protection and I encourage all eligible Minnesotans to do the same. You can get your Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson booster dose from a pharmacy, clinic, or provider near you.

Walz received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine in March alongside former Republican Governor Pawlenty in a bipartisan effort to encourage Minnesotans to roll up their sleeves and get their shot.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Minnesotans who got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine can now get a booster at least six months after their initial series if they are:

65 years and older;

Age 18 and older and live in long-term care settings;

Age 18 and older and have underlying medical conditions;

Age 18 and older and work or live in high-risk settings;

All Minnesotans age 18 and older who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are recommended to get a booster shot at least 2 months after their initial vaccine.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 56F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 34F. Winds light and variable.
Minister of Government Legislation Lee Kang-seop, sixth from left, poses with other participants during the Asian Legislative Experts Symposium hosted by the ministry at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Government Legislation



By Jun Ji-hye



Legal officials and scholars from six Asian countries, including Korea and Vietnam, discussed measures, Wednesday, to enhance exchanges and cooperation between Asian nations for the development of their legislative administration systems.



The discussions were carried out at the 9th Asian Legislative Experts Symposium (ALES), hosted by the Ministry of Government Legislation, in Seoul.



This year's event, which took place under the theme of "Legislative Administration of Each Asian Country and Cooperation Measures," was held both online and offline with a limited number of in-person participants, considering the difficulties facing overseas speakers and participants to attend the event in person amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.



The event was livestreamed through YouTube.



"Legislation is the process of making a bowl to hold national policies and of making a fence around the society at large. Economic growth and social development of each country have been ensured based on legislation that is an institutional framework," Minister of Government Legislation Lee Kang-seop said in his opening speech. "If Asian countries share information and opinions together, we can establish better laws and systems."





Minister of Government Legislation Lee Kang-seop delivers his opening speech during the Asian Legislative Experts Symposium hosted by the ministry at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Government Legislation




Renowned South Korean soprano Sumi Jo has said that an international classical singing competition named after her will be launched in France in 2023.







An organizing committee in France has been working on details to inaugurate the "Sumi Jo International Singing Competition in Castle" in France in the summer of 2023, Jo said in a telephone interview with Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday (Italian time).







Jo, one of the brightest stars in Korea's classical music scene, said she hopes the new competition will pave the way for up-and-coming vocalists from Asia and Korea to have promising opportunities in the world classical scene.







"This is one of the most important lifetime projects that has been shelved for a long time," said Jo, who will also participate in the competition as a jury member.







The 58-year-old, who has experienced a variety of operas, concerts and recitals since her European operatic debut in 1986, will have recitals in Croatia, Austria and Belgium beginning this weekend to mark the 35th anniversary of her debut. They will be her first overseas performances in nearly two years.







She also will have a collaboration with I Musici, an Italian chamber orchestra, in November in Seoul. (Yonhap)


In this April 23 file photo, police officers stand at the outer entrance of the Urumqi No. 3 Detention Center in Dabancheng, western China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. AP-Yonhap




Alan Cumming thinks Hollywood has saved his life.

The 56-year-old actor was feeling suicidal before he landed the role of Boris Grishenko, a geeky computer programmer, in the James Bond film 'GoldenEye', and he looks back on his casting as a life-defining moment.

Reflecting on the day he auditioned for the role, he explained: "It was one of the worst days of my life actually. I felt really, really, really low. I just now think, 'Oh you poor little thing, you could've said I am feeling suicidal today.'"

Alan now admits his life was transformed by his starring role in the 1995 film.

The actor told 'CBS Mornings': "Hollywood saved me.

"I have this sort of mantra, which is 'Cancel, continue.' When something bad happens I think, okay that happened, we can't change that, let's move on."

Alan previously admitted that he thought his career options were limited as a young performer on the Scottish theatre scene in the 1980s.

He recalled: "I was told that things were not available to me because of my Scottishness.

"America was never a thing. London was maybe a possibility. The idea that I would be doing what Im doing now or have the opportunities that I have now, there was no one I knew whod had that trajectory  those things didnt happen to Scottish people."

Alan also doubts that his sexuality harms his career prospects.

He explained: "The constant question I used to get was: Do you think that coming out is bad for your career in Hollywood? Its such a ridiculous question.

"I dont think people in Basingstoke or Idaho are not going to go and see a movie because someone in it is gay. I really dont think they care."
Permanent Mission and Consulate General of Sri Lanka

56 Rue de Moillebeau

(5th Floor) 1209 Geneva

Switzerland

Postal Address

Permanent Mission and Consulate General of Sri Lanka

56, rue de Moillebeau

P.O. Box 436

1211 Geneva 19

Switzerland

Office Hours: 9.00 a.m. to 5.15 a.m.



Consular Section Opening Hours: Mon  Fri from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], October 27 (ANI/PNN): 121 Finance, an RBI registered NBFC, focused on Short Term Working Capital Finance, has become one of the first lenders on GeM SAHAY and hence one of the earliest adopters of OCEN (Open Credit Enablement Network). This Government e-Marketplace SAHAY initiative brings a complete financing solution for sole proprietors to avail instant, frictionless financing to help fulfil government orders. With this, 121 Finance joins ICICI Bank and UGRO capital on this platform.

121 Finance has built a proprietary technology stack that can provide end-to-end digital loans as low as Re.1. Passionate about Working Capital Management, Dr Ravi Modani founded 121 Finance, now present in 86 cities across the country. 121 Finance offers various innovative products ranging from Invoice Discounting to Factoring; Purchase Finance to Credit Coverage solutions like 121 Smart Credit as Channel Finance from Distributors to Dealers.

Also Read | Cryptocurrency in India: Top 5 Crypto Exchange Apps in India for Online Trading.

GeM Sahay opens up a multibillion-dollar opportunity with almost 50 lakh products, a transaction value of Rs.147,000 crores, and 29 lakh registered suppliers. "Going live on GeM Sahay also opens a huge opportunity to act as co-lending partners and tech-enabled lending partners to various banks. Being able to disburse a loan in less than 10 minutes of the application being made is a showcase of the technical competence, agility, maturity, and disruption in Trade Finance with innovative, customised solutions. 121 Finance uses its own proprietary algorithm named RACE(), which is based on machine learning to enhance the deliverables and also underwrite risk, without the involvement of human emotion.", says Dr Ravi Modani, Founder & CEO, 121 Finance.

Prashant Kumar Singh, CEO Government eMarketplace, says, "It is great to have 121 Finance onboard to provide cash flow based loans. Purchase order financing will help MSMEs accept larger purchase orders and hence provide a boost to economic activity."

Also Read | England vs Bangladesh Live Streaming Online, T20 World Cup 2021: Get Free TV Telecast of ENG vs BAN, Group 1 Super 12 Match of ICC Men's Twenty20 WC With Time in IST.

This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)

(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 27: Amid trouble in the grand alliance of the opposition in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said he had a telephonic conversation with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday. However, the details of the discussion are still unknown.

The telephonic conversation comes after Congress and RJD broke off the alliance ahead of the by-polls in Kusheshwar Asthan (SC) and Tarapur constituencies in Bihar scheduled on October 30. Also Read | Nykaa IPO Set to Open on October 28; Know All About The IPO Before Subscription Opens.

Earlier, breaking the alliance with Congress in Bihar, Lalu Yadav had said that RJD's candidates would lose their deposit in the elections if they remain in alliance with the Congress in the state ahead of the by-polls in two assembly constituencies. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: Executive's Wife Held for Abetment to Suicide, Manhunt Launched for Three Other Accused.

However, on Tuesday, the RJD chief called upon Congress to become a 'strong alternative' to the BJP at the national level politics and said that his party has always supported Congress in every situation.

The RJD and the Congress had contested the 2020 Bihar polls as coalition partners. The alliance fell short of 10 seats from the majority mark in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, with RJD emerging as the single-largest party with 75 seats. Congress could only manage to win 19 of the 70 seats it had contested on.

The ruling coalition, NDA secured a majority with 125-seats in the 243-seat strong Bihar Legislative Assembly of which BJP won 74 seats, Janata Dal (United) on 43 while eight seats were won by two other NDA constituents.

(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 27: India reported 13,451 new COVID-19 cases and 585 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative tally to 3,42,15,653, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday.

Of the new infections reported in India in the last 24 hours, Kerala reported 7,163 new cases. Also Read | Zika Virus in India: Family Members, Close Contacts of Patient in Kanpur Test Negative.

With this, the country's active caseload stands at 1,62,661, which is the lowest in 242 days. The active cases account for 0.48 per cent of total cases, which is the lowest since March 2020, the release said. Also Read | Chhattisgarh Shocker: Four Members Of Family Found Dead in Rajnandgoan District; Probe Launched.

The country also reported 14,021 recoveries in the last 24 hours, taking the country's recovery rate to 98.19 per cent, which is the highest since the beginning of the pandemic.

The weekly positivity rate stands at 1.22 per cent currently, while the daily positivity rate remained at 1.03 per cent. India has also ramped up testing capacity and has, so far, tested 60.32 crore samples for COVID-19.

The country has also administered 103.53 crore vaccine doses under Nationwide Vaccination Drive, till now.

(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 27 (PTI) Members of the Sikhs' Nihang order, who are camping at Singhu on the Delhi-Haryana border in support of farmers protesting the three Central agri laws, are unlikely to leave the site, sources said on Wednesday.

A leader of the Nihangs said a Mahapanchayat of the religious order was held on Wednesday at Singhu and the decision of the mass meeting will be announced at a press conference on Thursday.

Also Read | Shirur Vidhan Sabha Constituency in Maharashtra: Sitting MLA, Candidates For Assembly Elections 2019, Results And Winners.

"We are unlikely to leave the Singhu border. We are here to support farmers," a source, who attended the meeting, said.

The development comes after the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farmer unions spearheading the anti-farm laws protests, reportedly asked the Nihangs to leave the agitation site following the lynching of a Dalit labourer for allegedly desecrating a Sikh holy book.

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The body of the labourer, Lakhbir Singh, 35, from Punjab's Taran Taran district, with a hand chopped off was found tied to an overturned police barricade at the farmers' protest site at the Singhu border on October 15.

Two members of the Nihang order was arrested and two more "surrendered" before Sonipat Police in connection with the lynching incident even as the victim's family questioned the attackers' claim that he committed sacrilege and demanded a high-level probe.

(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 27: With the administration of 55,89,124 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 103.53 crore, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday.

As per provisional reports till 7 am today, 1,03,53,25,577 vaccine doses were administered through 1,02,95,714 sessions. Also Read | Zika Virus in India: Family Members, Close Contacts of Patient in Kanpur Test Negative.

Meanwhile, India reported 13,451 new COVID-19 cases and 585 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative tally to 3,42,15,653. With this, the country's active caseload stands at 1,62,661, which is the lowest in 242 days. Also Read | Chhattisgarh Shocker: Four Members Of Family Found Dead in Rajnandgoan District; Probe Launched.

The active cases account for less than 1 per cent of total cases and is currently at 0.48 per cent, which is the lowest since March 2020.

The country also reported 14,021 recoveries in the last 24 hours, taking the country's recovery rate to 98.19 per cent, which is the highest since the beginning of the pandemic. India has also ramped up testing capacity and has so far tested 60.32 crore samples for COVID-19.

(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 27 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singh Deo on Wednesday raised concerns about the number of people who have dropped out of taking the second dose of the COVID vaccine.

"A cause of worry is that the number of people who have dropped out of taking the second dose of COVID vaccine. Wherever there is vaccine hesitancy, we should reach out to people through social, religious, and other organisations," Deo told ANI.

Also Read | Shirur Vidhan Sabha Constituency in Maharashtra: Sitting MLA, Candidates For Assembly Elections 2019, Results And Winners.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday said that 77 per cent of the eligible population in India has been vaccinated against COVID-19 with the first dose, while as many as 32 per cent people have received both doses.

"More than 10 crores people haven't taken the second dose of vaccine," the Union Health Minister said while urging all eligible people to take the second dose of the vaccine.

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Mandaviya also informed that the Centre is going to launch a mega vaccination campaign '

Har Ghar Dastak'. "We've decided that for the next one month, healthcare workers will go door-to-door to vaccinate people eligible for the second dose and also those who have not taken the first dose," he said.

The Union Health Minister held a meeting with health ministers of states and union territories to discuss the scaling up of the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the country.

Meanwhile, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage exceeded 103.53 crores as per a provisional report issued by the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday.

"With the administration of 55,89,124 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 103.53 Cr (1,03,53,25,577) as per provisional reports till 7 am today," the health ministry 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, Oct 27 (PTI) Mahindra Lifespace Developers on Wednesday said it has entered into a joint development agreement (JDA) for a nearly 5 acre residential project in Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

In a regulatory filing, the company informed that it has "finalised terms for a joint development on a 4.8-acre land parcel in Dahisar East."

Also Read | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Support Page Reportedly Goes Live Again, Launch Still Possible.

Strategically located on the Western Express Highway, this is Mahindra Lifespace's first project in Dahisar and will offer approximately 5 lakh square feet of carpet area.

Arvind Subramanian, MD and CEO, Mahindra Lifespace Developers, said, The Mumbai Metropolitan Region is a priority market for growth in our residential business and Dahisar is one of the most attractive residential destinations in the city, owing to good road-rail connectivity and well-developed social and civic infrastructure."

Also Read | Paytm To Hike IPO Size to Rs 18,300 Crore As Alibaba's Ant Financial, Other Investors Dilute More Stake.

Three upcoming metro lines will further enhance its accessibility and attractiveness for families, he added.

"Our foray into Dahisar is in line with our focus on high-performing micro-markets with strong demand for projects by trusted brands. We have seen success with this strategy and will continue to expand our residential business in well-established suburbs with a track record of quick absorption," Subramanian said.

Established in 1994, Mahindra Lifespace Developers' development footprint spans 27.4 million square feet of completed, ongoing and forthcoming residential projects across seven Indian cities.

It also has over 5,000 acres of ongoing and forthcoming projects under development/management at its integrated developments/industrial clusters across four locations.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New York [US], October 27 (ANI): India will continue to support Sudan and South Sudan in their journey towards peace and development, A Amarnath, Counsellor in India's Permanent Mission to the UN said on Wednesday.

He was speaking at UNSC briefing on UNISFA and Sudan/SouthSudan

Also Read | 1.5 Million Children in Central Africa Need Emergency Aid: UN.

Highlighting India's role, the Counsellor said "India, as a long-standing partner, will continue to support Juba and Khartoum in their journey towards peace and development."

India has contributed to the development of both Sudan and South Sudan countries by means of bilateral assistance and projects.

Also Read | 1.5 Million Penguins Supercolony Earlier Detected From Space, Discovered on Antarcticas Danger Islands.

"India has longstanding and mutually beneficial friendly relations with both Sudan and South Sudan. We have contributed to the development of both the countries by means of Bilateral assistance and projects," he said.

He said that India also underscored the importance of adhering to the SOF (Status of Forces Agreement) by the South Sudan authorities.

India also called on both Sudanese and South Sudanese authorities to facilitate early resolution of long pending issues such as visas for police personnel, reaching an agreement on the civilian deputy head of the mission and operationalisation of the Athony airstrip.

The Counsellor also highlighted humanitarian situation in the Abyei area remains challenging, particularly in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.

Indian also conveyed its sincere condolences to the family of the peacemaker from Ethiopia who lost his life on September 14 while serving in The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) in the Gok Manchar area.

It expressed concern over recent developments in Hok Machar area, including actions that threaten the safety and security of peacemakers.

Indian welcomed the continued rapprochement towards peace and trust-building between Sudan and South Sudan in recent months.

"The ongoing development of concern in Sudan can impact the mandate implementation of UNISFA," the Counsellor 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)
Ottawa [Canada], October 27 (ANI): Indian-origin Canadian politician Anita Anand, who was appointed as the new Defence Minister of Canada on Tuesday, thanked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for "entrusting" her with the portfolio.

Taking to Twitter, Anand said, "It is my sincere honour to be sworn in today as Minister of National Defence. Thank you @JustinTrudeau for entrusting me with this portfolio."

Also Read | US to Put Sputnik V and Other COVID-19 Vaccines on Green Travel List After WHO Authorisation, Says CDC.

She further stated that she will work to ensure that the Armed Forces operate in a safe and healthy environment.

"The members of the Canadian Armed Forces dedicate their lives to safeguarding our country and we owe it to them to make sure that they operate in a safe and healthy environment. I look forward to this work," she said in a tweet.

Also Read | WHO Says Decision on Covaxins Emergency Use Listing Recommendation Expected Within 24 Hours.

Anand was appointed as the new Defence Minister of Canada in the latest cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday, just a month after his Liberal party returned to power in September 2021.

According to CTV News, a 39-member Cabinet was sworn in at the Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

The new defence minister had led the procurement effort of the vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic and was the procurement minister of 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)
Ankara [Turkey], October 27 (ANI/Xinhua): Turkish parliament on Tuesday ratified a motion extending authorisation for the government to launch cross-border operations in northern Iraq and Syria for two more years.

The motion will authorize cross-border operations to be carried out in Iraq and Syria from Oct. 30, 2021 to Oct. 30, 2023.

Also Read | US to Put Sputnik V and Other COVID-19 Vaccines on Green Travel List After WHO Authorisation, Says CDC.

The previous cross-border motions were only for one-year duty.

The motion also allowed the deployment of foreign armed forces in Turkey with the principles to be determined by the president.

Also Read | WHO Says Decision on Covaxins Emergency Use Listing Recommendation Expected Within 24 Hours.

The Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019, and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in northern Syria in order to create a zone free of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) along its border within the neighboring country.

Turkey sees the YPG group as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Turkish forces frequently carry out ground operations, airstrikes and artillery bombardments against the PKK positions in northern Iraq, especially the Qandil Mountains, the main base of the group, and have been keeping troops in the region.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the EU, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for over 30 years. (ANI/Xinhua)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Lucknow, October 27: Thousands of letters are being posted to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, urging him to immediately fill up vacancies for 1,37,500 assistant teachers in schools across the state. Some of the aspirants who are waiting for jobs, have written letters in blood.

Since July of this year, these candidates have been protesting at the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) office in Lucknow, alleging partiality in recruitment against them by the state government. Yogi Adityanath Govt in Uttar Pradesh Govt To Withdraw 3 Lakh Cases of COVID-19 Violations.

They claim that the government supports upper caste candidates while ignoring candidates from marginalised communities. On October 21, the agitating candidates were brutally lathi-charged and dispersed by the police. The police have arrested 61 candidates so far and sent them to jail.

The protesters have also written letters to the President and Governor saying that ending their lives by suicide would be the only option left for them if they did not get the jobs.

The BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017 with a thumping majority, promising jobs, and better socio-economic development in the state. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav have supported the demands of the youths by tweeting in their favour.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 27, 2021 09:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Drugs-on-cruise case: Accused Arbaz's lawyer Amit Desai tells Bombay HC, "As far as WhatsApp chat is concerned, it is very clear that there is not a single chat which supports the conspiracy theory in this case. We're struggling with the problem of media trial." ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Karnataka | People on both banks off the river & low lying area of Cauvery cautioned to move to safer place & take all precautionary measures. There's heavy rain in catchment area of KRS reservoir, likelihood of releasing surplus water: Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Ltd, KRS Division pic.twitter.com/HPjF0tM4Ga ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Doom and gloom. White and uptight. Self-righteous. Litigious. Shrill.

You have heard the cliches about environmentalists.



For the record: For the record, Sept 13: An earlier version of this article misstated the first name of filmmaker Sterlin Harjo as Sterling.Oct. 13: An earlier version of this story stated that DearTomorrow won money from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The nonprofit actually received an award from MIT,

But have you heard of Dallas Goldtooth?

He helped stop the Keystone XL pipeline, and now he is trying to stop another  the 1,170-mile Dakota Access pipeline that would carry crude from the Bakken region of western North Dakota through South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois.

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In the process, he has made a lot of people laugh.

Like in his skit about Native American hunters running through the woods in loincloths, only to wind up in a fast-food joint ordering hamburgers. Or in his interview with MSNBC, talking about how tribes had pitched tepees on the National Mall to protest a pipeline. He was charging tourists $10 to take his picture, Goldtooth deadpanned. After all, he is a real, live Native American.

As a member of the Dakota and Dine tribes, Goldtooth is both sketch comic and committed conservation campaigner. He is the son of Tom B.K. Goldtooth, the director of the Indigenous Environmental Network, one of the nations leading Native American environmental organizations. And while the younger Goldtooth is out on the protest lines too, he may be better known for his comedy bits on YouTube.

Weve been told this narrative that we have a certain amount of issues that are bad and we have to respond to these certain amount of issues with this certain kind of approach, and Im just tired of it, Goldtooth said in a recent interview. The angry Indian activist character, I think, is hilarious. I actively choose to go about my organizing in a different manner.

The angry Indian activist character, I think, is hilarious. I actively choose to go about my organizing in a different manner. Dallas Goldtooth

Most recently, he was here in North Dakota, serving as an improvisational emcee at a meeting of several hundred people camped along the Cannonball and Missouri rivers to fight the Dakota Access pipeline, which would travel just north of the Standing Rock Sioux Indian reservation.

The protest has become a rallying point for Native Americans across the country, and the meeting this month was part planning and part pep rally. Goldtooths job was to keep it moving. He also kept people giggling.

As Dave Archambault, the imposing chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux, stood a few feet away, Goldtooth informed the crowd that organizers of the protest had run out of towels for people who wanted to use the sweat lodge. Not to worry, he reassured them, the chairman himself had volunteered to take his steam bath wearing only a dish cloth.

For the people, Goldtooth said, feigning tribal solemnity. For the people.

It was another joke  and it was good enough that even the chairman laughed.

Environmental protests are not inherently funny, nor is the frustration felt by Native Americans over having their land and way of life repeatedly threatened. Yet Goldtooth has become a mainstay at recent indigenous protests.

Whenever we need an emcee for an event, Dallas is definitely high on the list, said Jane Kleeb, the executive director of Bold Alliance, a nonprofit that fights oil pipelines.

Sometimes you see large environmental groups thinking they need another cultural values memo written to their staff in order for them to resonate and connect with people, Kleeb added. Dallas never does focus groups or writes a values memo before he goes out and speaks with people. He can be very serious but also in that same serious moment be very funny. He just has this way of connecting.

It is a surprisingly elusive skill in this realm. Environmental groups often excel at organizing, pressuring and creating spectacle  boarding oil rigs at sea, blocking railroad tracks and occupying trees. But intimate, persuasive engagement with human beings has not always come naturally  and some of them know it.

Organizations as mammoth as the United Nations and the World Bank have tried to increase awareness of climate change by sponsoring storytelling contests. The tiny nonprofit DearTomorrow recently won money from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a project it says will shift behavior and broaden the climate culture by asking people to send open letters about climate change to loved ones in the future. Earthjustice, known for years for filing lawsuits, has asked staff to post personal stories about what inspires their work.

Goldtooth does much of his work as part of the 1491s, a sketch comedy group that confronts stereotypes that surround the kind of Americans who were here before the arrival of Columbus.

His motto on Instagram: Laugh. Love. And live.

Learning from his father, he grew up blending humor, people skills and protest. He and his stepbrother, Migizi Pensoneau, spent their youths traveling to events with Tom Goldtooth, watching him navigate between native and largely white audiences. They had a chance to see how differently Native Americans lived and were perceived in various parts of the country.

Then they would come back home to Bemidji, Minn., and watch Monty Python movies.

Years later, after both boys attended the Native American Preparatory School in New Mexico, they began making short, satirical videos about native themes with a friend, Bobby Wilson. They soon connected with Sterlin Harjo and Ryan Red Corn, who were also making comic videos.

The five were just getting to know one another when they made their first video, New Moon Wolf Pack Auditions, in 2010. It portrays them trying out for roles in the Twilight film series, doing their best to out-Indian one another.

At one point, Goldtooths character tells the producer conducting the audition that he cannot be filmed because the camera may take my soul. When the producer explains that he would not get a role without trying out on camera, Goldtooth quickly changes his mind. Film away, he says.

The video has been viewed nearly 300,000 times. The 1491s have become a steady act, making dozens of videos, some crass, some cryptic, some laugh-out-loud hilarious.

Their work often mocks stereotypes that have been perpetuated in mainstream culture, high and low, whether the 19th century photographs of Edward Curtis or the 1970s Billy Jack movies. Their send-up of Irving Berlins show tune Im an Indian, Too, filmed at the Santa Fe Indian Market, demands repeated viewings.

The world is so lazy, society is so lazy, that it continuously tries to minimize the complexities of entire cultures and people in the simplest of terms, said Goldtooth, who is also a poet. Our job is to push back, to make it complex. Dont be afraid to dirty that narrative.

His comedy career developed along with his activism. The long fight against the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have delivered oil from Canadas tar sands into the United States but was rejected by President Obama late last year, brought him fully into the environmental work his father had helped lead for two decades.

For too long, its been upper-class, Ivy League-educated white folks who have been on the front lines of press releases and press conferences, Kleeb said. Dallas represents this whole new generation of people fighting for climate justice, which is very different than saying youre fighting against climate change. For Dallas, that means making sure that sovereignty is protected for tribal nations.

Goldtooth said saving the planet is serious business but does not require taking himself too seriously.

At times, I do get angry and I do speak out with passion on certain issues, he said. But I love to not lose sight of the lightheartedness of the world, to not lose sight of the power of laughter in the work that we do.

william.yardley@latimes.com

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Only six years ago, President Vladimir Putin visited the Polish port of Gdansk, birthplace of the Solidarity movement that threw off Soviet domination, and reassured his Eastern European neighbors that Russia had only friendly intentions.

Putin spoke harshly that day of the notorious World War II-era pact that former Soviet leader Josef Stalin had signed with Adolf Hitler  an agreement that cleared the way for the Nazi occupation of Poland and Soviet domination of the Baltics  calling it a collusion to solve ones problems at others expense.

But Putins view of history appears to have undergone a startling transformation. Last month, the Russian leader praised the 1939 nonaggression accord with Hitler as a clever maneuver that forestalled war with Germany. Stalins 29-year reign, generally seen by Russians in recent years as a dark and bloody chapter in the nations history, has lately been applauded by Putin and his supporters as the foundation on which the great Soviet superpower was built.

Across a resurgent Russia, Stalin lives again, at least in the minds and hearts of Russian nationalists who see Putin as heir to the former dictators model of iron-fisted rule. Recent tributes celebrate Stalins military command acumen and geopolitical prowess. His ruthless repression of enemies, real and imagined, has been brushed aside by todays Kremlin leader as the cost to be paid for defeating the Nazis.

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As Putin has sought to recover territory lost in the 1991 Soviet breakup, his Stalinesque claim to a right to a sphere of influence has allowed him to legitimize the seizure of Crimea from Ukraine and declare an obligation to defend Russians and Russian speakers beyond his nations borders.

On May 9, the 70th anniversary of the Allied war victory was marked and Stalins image was put on display with glorifying war films, T-shirts, billboards and posters. Framed portraits of the mustachioed generalissimo were carried by marchers in Red Squares Victory Day parade and in the million-strong civic procession that followed to honor all who fell in what Russians call the Great Patriotic War.

Putins embrace of Stalins power-play tactics is applauded by many Russians and other former Soviet citizens as the sort of decisive leadership they longed for while watching communism collapse around them. To the proponents of a reinvigorated Russia, reformist Mikhail Gorbachev and his successor, Boris Yeltsin, are seen as having submitted Russia to Western domination.

Stalin kept us all together, there was a friendship of nations, and without him everything fell apart, said Suliko Megrelidze, a 79-year-old native of Stalins Georgian birthplace who sells dried fruit and spices at a farmers market. We need someone like him if we want peace and freedom from those fascists in Europe and America.

Such sentiments are no longer confined to those with actual memories of the Stalin era. A poll this spring by the independent Levada Center found 39% of respondents had a positive opinion of Stalin. As to the millions killed, 45% of those surveyed agreed that the deaths could be justified for the greater accomplishments of winning the war, building modern industries and growing to eventually give their U.S. nemesis a battle for supremacy in the arms race and conquering outer space.

The share of Russians who look back approvingly has been increasing steadily in recent years, and the segment of those who tell pollsters they have no opinion on his place in their history has shot up even more sharply, said Denis Volkov, a sociologist with the Levada Center. He points to this years massive Victory Day events as the Kremlins message to ungrateful neighbors that they owe their peace and prosperity to the wartime deaths of more than 20 million Soviet citizens.

The figure of Stalin is being justified through the war, Volkov said. There is an attitude now that, yes, there were repressions and, yes, there were huge losses, but we won the war after all.

Victory exonerated Stalins excesses, just as it does Putins strongman posture toward neighbors and former Soviet subjects now outside the Russian Federations borders, Volkov said.

Stalins standing among his countrymen has waxed and waned with the political upheavals that have wracked the Soviet Union and Russia. He was so dominant a figure in Soviet citizens lives by the time of his death on March 5, 1953, that hundreds of thousands poured into the streets of Moscow in a chaotic outbreak of mourning when word of his passing reached a public taught to believe that life was impossible without Stalin  the Bolshevik nom de guerre he adopted, signifying man of steel.

Nikita Khrushchev, who finally prevailed in attaining the leadership after five years of Kremlin infighting, began a campaign of de-Stalinization in 1961, moving Stalins embalmed remains from public display next to Vladimir Lenins to a less prominent grave near the Kremlin wall. Stalingrad, the hero city that symbolized the Soviets watershed battle to turn back the Nazis, was renamed Volgograd, and statues and busts were removed, and streets, institutes and schools were renamed.

But the erasure of Stalins name and likeness served also to stifle discussion of his vast crimes: Siberian exile or death sentences for political opponents, collectivization of agriculture during which millions starved, deportation of minorities and property seizures that impoverished generations. It wasnt until Gorbachev came to power in 1985 that a candid recounting of his era was attempted.

Even Putin, earlier in his presidency, fell in line with the collective spirit of criticism of Stalins errors. During the visit to Poland in 2009, a year after he had sent troops to seize territory in sovereign Georgia, Putin appeared to reassure Russias nervous neighbors that the nonaggression pact that paved the way for war and division 70 years earlier was to be remembered as immoral.

The Aug. 23, 1939, Molotov-Ribbentrop pacts secret protocols doomed Poland to Nazi occupation a week later and gave the Baltic states and parts of Finland and Romania to the Soviet Union. Millions of citizens of those betrayed territories died at Stalins hand, in political purges, summary executions and slave labor camps.

The scope of Stalins brutality remains a topic of heated debate. Late Nobel laureate Alexander Solzhenitsyn once claimed in an interview that as many as 110 million died from the dictators vast array of repressions between 1921 and 1959, including prisoners who succumbed long after Stalins reign. Historian Viktor Zemkov, at the other extreme, puts the number of deaths attributable to Stalin at 1.4 million.

The estimates of 110 million to 1.4 million speak for themselves  a hundredfold disagreement, said Dmitry Lyskov, a state television talk-show host who mounted a failed campaign four years ago to put Stalins visage on city buses to commemorate Victory Day.

The Russian Military-Historical Society, established by Putin in 2012, announced this year that a new Stalin museum was to open in May in the village of Khoroshevo, 140 miles northeast of Moscow. Stalin spent the night of Aug. 4, 1943, in a small wooden home there, the closest he came to visiting frontline Soviet troops during the four-year fight to defeat Germany.

The sanitized exhibits recounting Stalins contributions to the war effort and postwar recovery were ready by the planned May 9 holiday. But the opening was postponed amid local opposition led by the Tver regional leader of Memorial, a group dedicated to shedding light on Russias totalitarian era.

Yan Rachinsky, a leader of Memorials Moscow chapter, calls the museum ridiculous, and Stalins single night there irrelevant to the war victory two years later.

The stillborn museum was one of several official efforts to honor Stalin this year: A statue was erected in the southern city of Lipetsk, and splashed with red paint the night it was unveiled. A bronze likeness of the dictator was put up to mark the February anniversary of his 1945 meeting with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt at Yalta, a Black Sea resort now inaccessible to most of the world as only Russian aviation serves the contested Crimean peninsula.

Stalin has weathered more than six decades of historical revisions to maintain his standing as a rival to the West, which is the context in which he interests Putin, said Nikolai Svanidze, a writer and historian whose grandfathers died in Stalins political purges.

Just as Stalin defeated the West 70 years ago by capturing half of Europe, Svanidze said, we are defeating the West again today. Crimea is our Berlin, our Reichstag, and there is no way it will be restored to Ukraine in the foreseeable future.

Svanidze also predicts there will be no more credible elections as long as Putin chooses to stay in power. That, he said, is another parallel with Stalins lifetime sinecure as Soviet leader.
The Police said on Tuesday that criminal charges were not taken off the charts in the accidental shooting that occurred in Alec Baldwin's "Rust" movie set in the previous week.

Santa Fe Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Juan Rios confirmed the news to New York Post, although no one in the crew was arrested in connection to the fatal accident.

Aside from Rios, Santa Fe County District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies also said that her office has not "ruled out anything" after the fatal shooting on Baldwin's set.

"Everything at this point, including criminal charges, is on the table," Carmack-Altwies underscored.

It was still unclear who will face criminal charges in the accidental shooting.

READ NEXT: California Senator Aims to Ban Live Guns on Movie Set Following Alec Baldwin Accidental Shooting

The public information officer and the district attorney also mentioned the investigation on the shooting on Baldwin's set.

Carmack-Altwies pointed out that the investigation on the case could take weeks, if not months. They are focusing on the one who placed the ammunition in the gun. The district attorney furthered that they are also looking at the ballistics to find out the type of round that was in the gun that killed the film's director of photography, Halyna Hutchins.

Meanwhile, Rios urged the crewmembers on the set who has information on the incident to speak with the authorities.

"There are a lot of things flying around the internet and honestly, if people have information, they need to bring it to us instead of going to whomever," Rios pointed out.

Alec Baldwin 'Rust' Movie Scriptwriter Represented by Famed Lawyer

On Tuesday, famed lawyer Gloria Allred and her firm Allred, Maroko, and Goldberg confirmed to Fox News that they are representing the scriptwriter for Baldwin's movie "Rust."

"My law firm, Allred, Maroko, & Goldberg, and I represent Mamie Mitchell. Mamie was the Script Supervisor for the "Rust" production," Allred wrote in an email, adding that Mitchell was standing "very close" to Halyna Hutchins and Director Joel Souza when they were both shot.

Allred also mentioned that Mitchell was interviewed by the Sheriff's Department and that she has information and evidence, which she believes will be helpful in the investigation. The attorney added that the scriptwriter will not provide any information outside the law enforcement.

Allred also highlighted that her firm is conducting an "independent investigation" on the fatal shooting.

"We [Allred's firm] are conducting our own investigation of what happened because there are many unanswered questions," Allred underscored.

Alec Baldwin's Movie Insurance Policy Limits to $6M Coverage

The insurance policy of Alec Baldwin's movie "Rust" only covers up to $6 million for its production, TMZ reported.

According to the policy written by Front Row Insurance Brokers, the general liability coverage is only limited to $1 million per occurrence. The production was also able to avail the commercial umbrella policy which amounts to an additional $5 million, making the total coverage of their insurance policy $6 million.

It can be recalled that aside from being Baldwin's director of photography, Halyna Hutchins was also a wife and a mother. This means that her son and husband will be allowed to collect for loss of affection.

Meanwhile, Director Joel Souza was also shot and wounded, and he can ask for a personal injury claim.

READ NEXT: Alec Baldwin Canceling Other Projects After Deadly 'Rust' Movie Set Shooting

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: New Details Emerge From Alec Baldwin Movie Investigation - From TODAY
A Food and Drug Administration advisory has approved the use of low-dose Pfizer's COVID vaccine for children 5- to 11-year-olds.

The FDA panel, together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team, decided that the vaccine for children outweighs any possible risks with its benefits, according to a BBC News report.

The full team of the FDA and CDC have yet to approve the recommendation. Both agencies are seen to follow the panel's decision.

Once approved pediatric doctors could find themselves administering shots to some 28 million school-aged children.

In addition, 15 million doses will go out to pediatric offices, children's hospitals, and pharmacies around the country.

READ NEXT: CDC Director Says 'Fully Vaccinated' Status Could Change in Future as COVID Vaccine Booster Shots Roll Out

Pfizer's COVID Vaccine for Children

Many panelists decided that it's important to give parents the choice to protect their children, especially those at high risk of illness or who live in places where COVID restrictions were not imposed, such as schools without mask mandates.

Panel member of the CDC, Dr. Amanda Cohn, said that the age group deserves and should have the same opportunity to be vaccinated as every other age, according to an Associated Press News report.

There have been over 8,300 hospitalizations in the 5- to 11-year-old age group, with about a third requiring intensive care and around 100 deaths. Over 25,000 primary care providers and pediatricians have signed up for the rollout of the vaccines.

Meanwhile, there is also a strong opposition regarding the vaccination of younger children.

Dr. Jay Portnoy of Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, said that he was persuaded by the data showing that the vaccine works despite over 4,000 emails urging him to vote against the vaccine.

The FDA vaccine chief, Dr. Peter Marks, also said that the vaccine was approved solely for emergency use, making it unusual to recommend it for other groups.

The Biden administration officials see the pediatric dose as crucial to keeping schools open and restoring a sense of normalcy, according to The New York Times report.

Data from Pfizer showed that the vaccine had a 90.7 percent efficacy rate in preventing symptomatic COVID in a clinical trial of 5- to 11-year-olds.

Many advisory committee members expressed concern about limited safety data, noting the risk of myocarditis, a rare condition involving inflammation of the heart muscle in young vaccine recipients. The condition has been reportedly tied to the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, especially in younger men.

Dr. James E.K. Hildreth, the president and chief executive of Meharry Medical College, also said that many children between 5 and 11 may have already some immunity after contracting the virus. Hildreth said that the need to vaccinate broadly in the age group might be less urgent with that case in mind.

Hildreth added that children at the highest risk need to be vaccinated. However, he said that vaccinating all of the children to achieve that seems too much for him.

The CDC would likely recommend the rollout of the shots for children.

READ MORE: Moderna Scientists Warn Against New COVID Variants That Could Drive a New Wave of Transmission

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: FDA Advisory Panel OKs Pfizer Covid Vaccine For Kids 5 To 11 - from NBC News






Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan faced lawsuits from 2 different former household employees, alleging that the tech tycoons allowed "sexism and racial discrimination" in their workplace.

The lawsuits were filed by Mia King, a Black LGBT woman who served as the household's security operations assistant, The Daily Mail reported. The outlet furthered that a man named John Doe, a physically challenged gay man, who worked as the household operation manager, also filed for a different lawsuit against Zuckerberg and his wife.

Both lawsuits, which were filed separately on September 20, were filed by the former employees who mentioned Zuckerberg and Chan in their capacity as employers who allegedly allowed the discrimination to occur, New York Post reported.

READ NEXT: Senator Elizabeth Warren Lauds Facebook Whistleblower Saying "She's Trying to Save Our Democracy"

Ex-Employees Detail 'Sexism and Racial Discrimination' Experience

In the lawsuit filed by Mia King, she claimed that she began experiencing the abuse in 2018, right after she started working at the firm Limitless, which Zuckerberg and Chan hired for their house's security.

King said that her manager at the firm, Liam Booth, deliberately said that she was not qualified for the position, and she was only hired by the due to her race, which is Black.

King also mentioned that on other occasions, Booth would call her and other black people "ghetto," and call her hairstyle "unprofessional."

The lawsuit also mentioned a comment from Booth, saying that Meghan Markle "polluted the royal bloodline" after marrying into the current Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry.

King, who has Asian descent, also highlighted in her lawsuit that Booth blamed her for a car accident, while he pulled back her eyelids and said that "Asian women are notoriously bad drivers."

Meanwhile, John Doe mentioned in his lawsuit that Booth allegedly made constant comments about his homosexuality. Doe also alleged that Booth slapped his groin at a sushi restaurant in 2018. The said incident reportedly happened during a visit to Zuckerberg's Montana property.

According to The Daily Mail, other employees had previously witnessed Booth groping Doe's butt in Zuckerberg's property that same year, adding that Booth imitated 'lewd sex acts" in front of Doe.

Booth was reportedly a former Secret Service agent who served as ex-President Barack Obama's personal protection detail. He resigned from Zuckerberg's family in 2019.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Wife Priscilla Chan on the Lawsuits

Zuckerberg and Chan refuted the claims of their former employees, as their personal spokesperson pointed out that their company's internal investigation did not find any evidence of wrongdoing.

"Our family office follows a strict code of conduct that requires appropriate behavior from all members of our teams," the spokesperson, Ben LaBolt, underscored.

However, LaBolt also said in a statement that their HR Department and outside counsel underwent investigations into the allegations, including interviews of King and Doe's colleague.

"Following these thorough investigations, these allegations simply could not be substantiated. We firmly believe that these employees were treated fairly and respectfully," LaBolt underscored.

The lawsuit from Zuckerberg's former employees is the latest blow for the Facebook CEO.

It can be recalled that Mark Zuckerberg faced allegations about Facebook prioritizing profits over the safety of their users, as whistleblower Frances Haugen came to light.

Zuckerberg disputed the claims of Haugen, saying that her allegations "don't make any sense."

READ NEXT: Facebook Will Allow Employees to Apply for Full-Time Remote Work

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: CEO Mark Zuckerberg Responds to the Massive Facebook Document Dump - From CNN
Capitol riot defendant, Thomas Sibick, wrote a letter to a judge expressing his criticisms of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Sibick's letter noted that Trump "is not a leader" and should be shunned away from any political future, according to a Business Insider report.

He added that what Trump "honestly needs to do" is to go away. Sibick is accused of assaulting Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone.

The Capitol riot suspect also said that the January 6 insurrection was a "disgrace to our nation" that had left a scar that Trump is responsible for.

He added that he disagrees with what occurred on January 6, particularly the trauma that Fanone suffered. He described it as "unconscionable."

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Says Capitol Riot a 'Violent Attempt' by 'Extremists' and 'Terrorists' to Hold Power at All Costs

Thomas Sibick in Capitol Riot

Sibick was indicted in April in federal court related to the events that took place at the U.S. Capitol building. He is facing charges from an assault of Fanone, including obstruction of an official proceeding and abetting civil disorder, according to a WGRZ report.

Sibick was also charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct on restricted building or grounds; as well as acts of physical violence in the Capitol. He also faces charges of robbery.

Court documents noted Sibick can be seen through the lens of a body camera, reaching for the officer. He can also be seen posing with an officer's shield.

Prosecutors had also presented a picture of the bulletproof vest, where a hole where the badge was placed as shown.

Meanwhile, U.S. District Judge Amy B. Jackson released Sibick to his parents' home in Buffalo, New York, under 24-hour incarceration after hearing arguments from his lawyer and plea from Sibick's father.

Sibick's father, Dr. Eugene Sibick, is a former officer with the U.S. Navy. He publicly criticized his son's detention in September and has called him a political prisoner, according to a WUSA 9 report.

Eugene told Jackson that he would do anything to get his son home. Jackson's order was that Sibick should not watch any political television programming that could "inflame his thoughts."

Jackson said that she's trying to make sure it's a calm environment, adding that she looks forward to the compliance.

Sibick's lawyer, Stephen Brennwald, submitted reports detailing Sibick's "excellent" marks at the D.C. Jail.

A supervisor noted that Sibick was "very respectful and helpful" and was a model inmate, according to one report dated August 11.

Federal Judges Receiving Threats

A federal judge noted that colleagues have received threats presiding over the January 6 cases.

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said that during a hearing on October 22, excoriated defendants continue to falsely believe that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, according to an Independent report.

Walton said that it bothers her that she would try to associate herself with that type of violence, pertaining to Capitol riot defendant Lori Vinson.

The judge added that Vinson went on television on two occasions and is proud of what she did, saying she would do it again.

Walton said that they're getting all kinds of threats and hostile phone calls when they have the said cases before them.

U.S. Department of Justice noted that about 700 people have been arrested from about every state in connection to the Capitol riot.

READ MORE: Pres. Joe Biden Says He Does Not Care if People Think He's 'Satan Reincarnate' After Expressing Support On Bipartisan Probe of Capitol Riot

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Capitol riot video appears to show Thomas Sibick taking badge, radio from Officer Michael Fanone - from WUSA 9






Huma Abedin revealed in her new memoir that she was once sexually assaulted by a United States senator while still serving as an aide to then-Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Huma Abedin Hides the Name of Senator Who Sexually Assaulted Her

According to New York Post, the now 45-year-old political staffer Huma Abedin did not identify the offending politician in her upcoming book "Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds."

Based on an obtained advance copy of the book by The Guardian, Abedin shared that she was working as an aide to Sen. Hillary Clinton when the incident occurred more than a decade ago. She also said she was so shaken afterward that she ended up apologizing to him.

READ MORE: California Senator Aims to Ban Live Guns on Movie Set Following Alec Baldwin Accidental Shooting

The Sexual Assault on Huma Abedin

Abedin said that the assault occurred after a dinner that a few senators and their aides attended. She said that Clinton, whom she served as a longtime right-hand, was not there during the dinner.

She wrote that due to the absence of Clinton, she ended up walking out with one of the senators who attended the dinner. The political aide said that they soon stopped in front of his building, where the senator invited her in to have coffee.

Moreover, once inside, the senator told her to make herself comfortable on the couch. Abedin said that the senator then took off his blazer and rolled up his sleeves as he made coffee and chatted with her.

However, the supposed conversation over coffee shocked Abedin when the senator allegedly plopped down to her right, put her left arm on her shoulder, and kissed her. She added that the senator pushed his tongue into her mouth and pressed her back on the sofa.

In her book, Abedin wrote that she was so utterly shocked, that's why she pushed him away. Abedin emphasized that all she wanted was for the last 10 seconds to be erased.

After the sexual assault, the senator apologized and told Abedin that he had "misread" the aide, but he still asked if she wanted to stay. Since she was still trembling, Abedin shared that she said something that only the twenty-something version of her would have come up with; she ended saying sorry to the senator and walked out, trying to appear as calm as possible.

The former Clinton aide said she kept away from the senator "for a few days," but remained friendly with him and showed professionalism.

Furthermore, Abedin said that she buried the incident in her memory until allegations of attempted sexual assault emerged against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in the fall of 2018.

Meanwhile, aside from serving as Clinton's aide in the Senate, Abedin went on to become her deputy chief of staff when the former First Lady spent four years as secretary of state under President Obama. Abedin was also the vice chairwoman during Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.

On the other hand, Abedin was the estranged wife of ex-convict and former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner. Abedin married then-Congressman Weiner in 2010.

A year later, Weiner resigned from the House of Representatives after he was caught sending explicit photos of himself to women.

The political staffer later filed for divorce from Weiner in 2017.

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Told Sen. Tommy Tuberville to "Protect Yourself" Before the January 6 Capitol Riot; Senator Hid in a Closet During the Riot

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Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Huma Abedin claims sex assault by US senator in new book - Yours News


A gang leader from Haiti on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry in exchange for allowing the fuel to be accessible amid the fuel shortage the country continues to experience.

The gang leader who demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Henry was identified as Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier, Al Jazeera News reported. Cehrizier was reportedly the leader of a Haitian coalition of gangs called "G9." The said coalition of gangs was known to be present in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince.

READ NEXT: Haitian Gang Demands $1M Ransom for Each Abducted American Missionaries

Haiti Gang Leader Demands Resignation of Haitian PM

In a radio interview on Monday night, Cherizier underscored that he would ensure the safety of the fuel truck's passage if the current Prime Minister steps down from his post, Reuters reported.

"The areas under the control of G9 are blocked for one reason only - we demand the resignation of Ariel Henry," the gang leader said in an interview with Haiti's Radio Mega.

Cherizier also provided a specific time that they wish Henry would resign.

"If Ariel Henry Resigns at 8:00 a.m., at 8:05 a.m., we will unblock the road and all the trucks will be able to go through to get fuel," the gang leader pointed out.

The office of Haiti's prime minister has not yet issued an official statement regarding the request of the gang leader.

As of Tuesday, the transport system of the country, as well as businesses, were affected by the fuel shortages. Gas stations remain empty, and gangs were known to block the entry of ports that hold the fuel stores.

It was not the first time that Prime Minister Henry received threats from gang leaders.

Last week, 400 Mawazo Gang Leader Wilson Joseph also threatened Henry and Haiti's Chief of National Police, Leon Charles. They demanded the $1 million ransom for each of the American missionaries they held captive, or they will kill every one of them.

"You guys make me cry. I cry water. But I'm going to make you guys cry blood," Wilson said, speaking at the funeral of whom they alleged were members of their gang that was killed by the Haitian police.

Haiti Fuel Shortage

Unicef, a children's agency of the United Nations, warned that the fuel shortage placed the lives of patients at risk, as the issue affected the major hospitals of Haiti, BBC reported.

The organization pointed out that most hospitals in the country rely on fuel-powered generators to keep their patients alive. The agency also noted that at least 300 children, 45 women, and 150 COVID-19 patients will be at risk due to the shortage.

"No child should ever die because of a power cut," Unicef's Deputy Haiti Representative Raoul de Torcy said.

According to reports, fuel supplies in Haiti were disrupted for a week as drivers were too scared to traverse the roads controlled by gangs. Furthermore, roadblocks established by protesters fighting for the country's security also hampered the delivery of fuels.

Meanwhile, Haiti's foreign aid bureau, BMPAD, confirmed that the country is expecting 150.000 barrels of diesel and 100,000 barrels of gasoline to arrive by Wednesday.

READ NEXT: Haiti PM to Hold Elections, Modify Constitution by Next Year

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Critical Fuel Shortages Spark More Haiti Protests - From Al Jazeera English
A Senate committee in Brazil on Tuesday voted to recommend to charge President Jair Bolsonaro over his response to COVID-19.

Seven of the Senate panel's 11 members called for nine charges to be filed against the Brazilian president. Included in the possible charges against Bolsonaro are crimes against humanity, BBC News reported.

Senate committee chair Senator Omar Aziz will send the findings to the Brazilian prosecutor-general on Wednesday. However, Bolsonaro reiterated that he's "guilty of absolutely nothing."

Prosecutor-General Augusto Aras will be deciding whether to file most of the charges against the president of Brazil. According to a CNBC report, Aras is known to be a Bolsonaro appointee who is widely perceived as someone protecting the Brazilian president. The office of Aras said the report would be reviewed as soon as it's received.

On the other hand, the International Criminal Court would need to pursue the allegation of crimes against humanity. More than 600,000 people in Brazil have reportedly died from COVID, second only to the death toll in the U.S.

READ NEXT: Brazil's Senate Panel Votes Pres. Jair Bolsonaro Guilty of Mass Murder for His COVID Response

Report Against Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro

A draft report released last week has called for Jair Bolsonaro to be indicted for genocide and murder. However, the senators later decided to drop those charges due to what they described as technical reasons, Al Jazeera reported.

The Senate also decided to add 10 people to the list of individuals who should be charged along with Bolsonaro. Some current or former Health Ministry employees and Wilson Lima, the governor of interior Amazonas state, were included in the list.

Lima's government is currently under federal probe for reported corruption on the purchase of medical equipment. Amazonas state experienced a shortage of oxygen supplies, resulting in deaths by asphyxia earlier this year.

Senator Renan Calheiros noted that the president was on the side of dictators, such as Adolf Hitler and Augusto Pinochet. Calheiros said the chaos of Bolsonaro's government would enter history as the lowest level of "human destitution."

CNBC reported that Jair Bolsonaro has defended himself by saying he was among the few world leaders who were courageous enough to defy political correctness and global health recommendations.

The final report also added an additional violation for allegedly spreading false news after Bolsonaro's live broadcast on social media last week.

The Brazilian president incorrectly claimed that people in the U.K., who received two vaccine doses, are developing AIDS faster than expected.

Facebook and YouTube Taking Down Bolsonaro's Video

Social media platform Facebook and online video-sharing YouTube have removed a video by Jair Bolsonaro, wherein he made false claims about COVID vaccines and linked it to developing AIDS.

Both Facebook and YouTube said the video violated their policies, Reuters reported. A Facebook spokesperson said that their policies do not allow claims that COVID vaccines kill or seriously harm people.

YouTube said in a statement that they removed a video from the Brazilian president's channel for violating their medical disinformation policy.

COVID vaccines approved by health regulators are safe for most people, including those living with HIV, according to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS. This was not the first time that videos were removed from the Brazilian president's official YouTube channel.

Last July, the platform also removed videos from Bolsonaro's channel recommending the use of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin against COVID.

Since the start of the pandemic, Bolsonaro has sowed doubt about the vaccines and assembled crowds without wearing face masks. He also sabotaged local leaders' restrictions on activity aimed at stopping the spread of COVID.

He has also touted an anti-malaria drug long after comprehensive testing showed it isn't effective against COVID.

READ MORE: Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro Says Only God Can Remove Him From Power Amid Rallies, Supreme Court Fight

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Brazil's Bolsonaro Should Face Charges for COVID Pandemic: Senate Inquiry - From Al Jazeera English






Two reputed Sinaloa Cartel members were convicted by a federal judge in Texas on Friday for their roles in the group's narcotics distribution operations.

According to El Paso Times, Mario Iglesias-Villegas, 36, alias "Grim Reaper," and Arturo Shows Urquidi, 50, also known as "Chous," were convicted on several drug trafficking, weapon, and money laundering charges.

KFOX14 reported that Urquidi is a former police officer of Chihuahua state in Mexico. In a statement, the U.S. Attorney's Office Western District of Texas said both Sinaloa Cartel members were found guilty of conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and racketeering conspiracy.

They were also found guilty of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, conspiracy to import a controlled substance, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.

"Grim Reaper" was also convicted of five counts of violent crimes, including one count each of conspiracy to kill in a foreign country as well as kidnapping and aiding and abetting kidnapping.

Iglesias-Villegas reportedly joined the Sinaloa Cartel in 2008, when the group was led by the notorious drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera. Grim Reaper was the head of a group of Sinaloa Cartel sicarios or assassins until his arrest in 2012.

The Attorney's Office Western District of Texas said Iglesias-Villegas' presence has allowed the Sinaloa Cartel to control the drug corridor in Juarez that led to the successful import of cocaine and marijuana into the U.S.

Chous is reportedly a long-time member of the Sinaloa Cartel under its leader Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada-Garcia. He allegedly assisted in the security of stash houses where thousands of kilos of cocaine were unloaded from tanker trucks and then reloaded with weapons and money returning to Culiacan in Sinaloa, Mexico.

With the former policeman's involvement, the Sinaloa Cartel successfully imported thousands of kilos of cocaine, worth over $1 billion, into the U.S.

Grim Reaper and Chous were among 24 alleged Sinaloa Cartel members indicted in 2012 over their roles in the group. The other defendants included El Chapo and El Mayo, who allegedly took over the Mexican drug cartel after El Chapo was arrested in Mexico in 2016.

"This investigation resulted in the seizure of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, thousands of pounds of marijuana in cities throughout the United States... Law Enforcement also took possession of millions of dollars in drug proceeds which were destined to be returned to the Cartel in Mexico," officials said in the statement.

"Agents and officers likewise seized hundreds of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition intended to be smuggled into Mexico to assist the (Sinaloa) Cartel's battle to take control of Juarez and the local drug trafficking corridors," the officials added.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, Chous is scheduled to be sentenced on February 10, 2022, while sentencing for Grim Reaper is set for February 11, 2022.

READ NEXT: Sentencing of El Chapo'sChapo's Wife Emma Coronel Aispuro Delayed; Could Avoid Life Sentence for Drug Dealing

Sinaloa Cartel Official 'El Jaguar' Arrested by Mexico's Army

On Friday, the Mexican military has captured a top Sinaloa Cartel operative known as "El Jaguar" in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Reports said an army unit based in Madera, Chihuahua encountered a firefight with members of a cell of the Sinaloa cartel in La Nortena town that led to the capture of Francisco Arvizu Marquez, alias "El Jaguar," or "The Jaguar."

El Jaguar, who sustained gunshot wounds, was taken into custody with three other alleged drug traffickers. In a statement, the Defense Ministry said the Sinaloa Cartel official was wanted on charges of organized crime and murder.

It further noted that El Jaguar was also considered one of the main "generators of violence" in western Chihuahua. State authorities and U.S. security experts noted that El Jaguar led the Sinaloa cartel's Gente Nueva del Jaguar cell.

The group was allegedly involved in a two-year war with Roberto Gonzalez Montes, alias "El Mudo," or "The Mute," of the La Linea cartel to control drug trafficking, illegal logging, and gasoline theft, among others, in western Chihuahua.

Local news reports said El Jaguar remained in a Juarez hospital under army custody as of Monday. He was being treated for gunshot wounds to the right shoulder and forearm. El Jaguar was reported to be flown to a maximum-security prison.

Sinaloa Cartel Boss 'El Chapo' Appeals 2019 Conviction

A lawyer representing El Chapo on Monday urged a U.S. appeals court to overturn the former Sinaloa cartel leader's conviction, citing jury bias and the conditions at a "Supermax" facility.

El Chapo's defense attorney Marc Fernich argued that the conviction of the El Chapo should be sent back to lower courts for further evaluation or overturned completely because his client deserved a new trial.

Fernich cited two reasons for the appeal. First was the conditions and treatment that El Chapo experienced inside the now-closed Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, New York.

In Fernich's words, the Sinaloa cartel leader's "indefinite pre-conviction solitary confinement in a modern dungeon." The second reason, Fernich said, was a news report that during deliberations, jurors were exposed to salacious claims barred from the trial.

It included a claim that El Chapo had drugged and sexually abused teenage girls he referred to as "vitamins" that gave him energy, which the Sinaloa cartel leader's lawyer has denied.

El Chapo, 64, is serving a life sentence in prison after being found guilty of all 10 federal charges he faced in 2019. The Sinaloa cartel boss is currently being held in Colorado's Supermax, the most secure federal prison in the U.S.

READ MORE: Ecuador Officials to Pardon Thousands of Inmates Following Deadly Prison Riot That Killed 118

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Inside the Sinaloa Cartel'sCartel's Fentanyl Pipeline - From ABC News
Three Florida teens were arrested last week on charges of murder, conspiracy, and evidence tampering in connection with the brutal killing of an 18-year-old high school student, police said.

According to NBC News, Dwight "DJ" Grant, a senior at Miramar High School who disappeared on October 17, was found dead in Miramar, about 20 miles north of downtown Miami, on October 19.

Police told NBC South Florida that Grant's body was found in bushes behind the apartment complex where he lived.

3 Florida Teens Kill Classmate After Discovery of Sexual Relationship

In an arrest affidavit, police alleged that the three teens, 16- and 17-year-old girls and a 17-year-old boy, plotted and conspired together to kill Dwight Grant.

The suspects allegedly lured Grant into a trap and worked together in killing their classmate. Police said the three teens arrested Friday and Saturday were not being named since they are minors.

Based on the police investigation, one girl allegedly held Grant down while the boy beat and stabbed him using a knife and a sword while the other girl watched.

The three Florida teens then allegedly worked together in disposing of the weapons and cleaning up the evidence of the killing.

Based on an affidavit for the Florida teens' arrests filed October 22, the teenagers were filmed on surveillance cameras leaving a location together and coming to Dwight Grant's home.

They were also seen luring the victim into an outdoor stairwell. The teenagers then allegedly ambushed Grant before they beat and stabbed him to death.

READ NEXT: 3 Starving Children Living Next to Skeletal Remains of Their Brother for a Year Found in Texas House of Horrors

Florida Student Killed for Having Sex With a Girl

A text message from the 17-year-old boy told the victim that "murder was coming soon." Police said the 17-year-old girl, who is the male's girlfriend, "jokingly" offered to help.

Based on the investigation of the Florida teens' text messages, police said the motive for killing Grant was because he allegedly had sex with an unnamed girl that infuriated the 17-year-old male.

The text messages revealed that the 17-year-old boy had an "emotional connection" with the girl as she was the teen's ex-girlfriend.

The Miramar Police Department said the three teens would likely be arraigned shortly before a grand jury on charges of first-degree murder, criminal conspiracy, and evidence tampering.

In a tweet, Miramar High School Principal Loli Formoso asked the public to pray for Dwight Grant's family, friends, and the community.

The principal noted that she was able to speak with Grant's mom and offered "condolences on behalf of the Patriot family." Formoso added that they would have grief counselors available on Thursday and Friday and promised to be there for Grant's family.

"May our forever Patriot Rest In Peace," Formoso said.

READ MORE: Police Reveal Major Mistake in Brian Laundrie Case, Mistakenly Mixed Up Brian and His Mother During Investigation

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Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: 3 Florida Teens Plotted to Kill High School Classmate Found Dead Police - From Great News
Expecting attending maternity services in the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise are being encouraged to attend special walk-in Covid-19 vaccination clinics at the Laois vaccination centre, according to the HSE.

Health authorities say women will be able to get the Covid-19 dose 1 and dose 2 vaccines at the clinics. There will also be special Clinics at the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar which also has a maternity unit.

Prof Chris Fitzpatrick is the Clinical Lead for the vaccination programme for the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group which included Portlaoise hospital. He is also a consultant obstetrician.

He appealed to women and their partners to avail of the opportunity to protect themselves against the virus because of the significant risk Covid-19 presents during pregnancy.

The walk-in vaccination clinics have proved to be a very popular option for people who have not been able to make a scheduled appointment. Although we are well advanced in the vaccination programme, we know there are still people requiring vaccination.

"Covid-19 poses significant risks in pregnancy to both mothers and their unborn babies - including admission to intensive care and stillbirth. There is now considerable evidence to show COVID-19 vaccines are very safe throughout all of pregnancy, and offer the very best protection to women who are pregnant. Both NIAC and the HSE recommend women who are pregnant or trying for a baby to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

"We therefore appeal to women and their partners as well as other family members to get the vaccine. We will continue to work with obstetricians, midwives and GPs to ensure we can provide clinics with the necessary flexibility to meet the additional needs of women who are pregnant - and greatly appreciate the feedback that we have received from women attending our vaccination centres," he said.

In a statement, the HSE said it also encourages women to talk to their obstetrician, midwife or GP about getting their COVID-19 vaccine if they are pregnant. Following this consultation, the HSE said women can attend for a vaccine at a walk-in vaccination centre at various locations across the country.

The HSE added that factual and updated information on the COVID-19 vaccine is available on the HSE website. The HSE said encourages all women to read the information, and to discuss vaccination with their obstetric caregiver.

You can also attend any of the participating vaccination centres around the country. Please see a link to the timings and locations of the walk-in vaccination centres here. Please note timings in the designated vaccination centres will vary across locations.

The HSE says all Covid-19 vaccines are free of charge and will give you protection against the virus.

The dates, times and locations for the clinics for Portlaoise and Mullingar are detailed below and women and their partners are welcome for vaccination.

Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, Laois Vaccination Centre, St Fintans Campus

Thursday 10.30am to 4pm

Saturday 10.30 am to 4pm.

Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar, Outpatients Department

Wednesday27th October 1 pm to 5 pm

Thursday 28th October 1 pm to 5 pm

Friday 29th October 9am -1 pm

Monday 1st November 10am -3.30pm

Wednesday 3rd November 1pm-5 pm

Friday 9am -1 pm

What to bring:

If you have already registered online, please bring a photo Id with you. ID can include one of the following: passport, drivers licence, Garda age card, student/school ID etc, but if your ID doesn't include your date of birth, please bring proof of your DOB (e.g. your Birth Cert).

If you are not registered online, we will have to register you at the vaccination centre. Please bring the following with you:

Personal Public Service (PPS) number (if you have one)

Eircode

Mobile phone number

Email address

Photo Identification (passport, drivers licence, Garda age card, student/ school ID etc) If your ID does not have your date of birth, please bring a copy of your birth cert or some other documentation that has your DOB on it.

The Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is the vaccine being offered at the dose 1 walk-in vaccination centres.

If you attend the walk in-clinic for dose 1, the HSE will send you an appointment for your second dose by text message to your phone.

Further information on vaccines in pregnancy can be read here: https://bit.ly/3CpIyMo and the Royal College of Physicians Ireland (RCPI) have developed a suite of information resources which can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/316pchE
A Laois man who was at death's door from Covid-19 has finally recovered enough to come home.

Gerard 'Jack' McHugh from Portarlington was in hospital for the past seven months, after being rushed to Portlaoise by ambulance last April.

Nurse Gerard Hosey who works in Portlaoise Intensive Care Unit, recently completed a mammoth walking fundraiser on Jack's behalf.

He is delighted that the patient who became his friend has made it home at last, after a difficult recovery, learning how to walk again and suffering setbacks including pneumonia.

"It is with overwhelming happiness that I heard the joyous news over the weekend on the recent discharge from Portlaoise Hospital of Jack. Jack spent 32 weeks in 2 hospitals after suffering from Covid.

"He is now back home with his loving wife Patricia and family. I know I am so proud to be part of his road to recovery, along with the rest of the excellent team I work with in Portlaoise Hospital, Intensive Care Unit and the staff in the Intensive care and ECMO unit in the Mater," nurse Gerard said.

On the same week, the Nurse got to present his cheque for the 4,000 he raised, to the offices of the Mater Foundation in Dublin. Photo below.

"At this moment we think of those patients who have not been so lucky to return home and who have lost their lives to this terrible disease. May they all rest in peace and God bless their families," he said.

Read our original interview with Jack's wife about his ordeal, below.
A Laois man who almost died from Covid-19 has described his emotional homecoming after seven months in hospital.

Gerard McHugh, known as Jack is a Dublin native now living in Portarlington with his wife Patricia.

He came home from the Mater hospital on October 20, a different man from the one who stepped into an ambulance last April with breathing difficulties.

Just days after he was admitted to Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise, Jack was placed in a coma to try and save his life, but he deteriorated in days to the point where the life support machine was set to be turned off.

His life was saved by a special blood oxygenating machine and its team who came down from the Mater hospital to Portlaoise, connected Jack up and kept him alive to fight the virus.

He came out of his coma last June and a slow painful recovery began.

It was strange to return home, he said.

When I was told I could go home, it was surreal. I was shocked and anxious. On the evening I came home I was totally confused. I thought everything would be the same. I had so many expectations but the reality was different. It took me a few days to come to terms with it. Im not the same person.

The night I was taken away I walked to the ambulance. But that person is not the same person who came in that door. Things I had taken for granted, getting up to change the channels, or making a cup of tea for my wife, he said.

Jack is now using a wheelchair and walking aid and he is on pain medication most days because walking can be painful.

His worst moment in the past seven months he said was the video call to Patricia before he was put into a coma.

That was really hard. We didnt know what way it was going to go. Then I lay down, the doctors gave me an injection and I was out.

When I did eventually come around, for the first two or three weeks it was very confusing. Everything was upside down. I knew I was in hospital, I knew I was sick but it was a mishmash. From then on it was just a road to recovery and it still is.

I had to relearn everything, first how to talk and to swallow and then to move. Literally everything. My muscles had wasted. When I woke up originally I couldnt even move, he said.

He is attending hospital now several times a week as he continues his recovery, with medical staff coming to his home as well.

Its been a long road to get here but there is still a long road to go with my mobility. Physically I lost a lot of strength. My granddaughter visited and asked me to lift her onto my lap. I couldnt. It was heartbreaking but she understood, he said.

Jack has beautiful words to say about Patricia and his family.

My wife has just been amazing through this. I was the sick person but she kept things going so well, even now Im home. I have no words to describe what she has done for me. I love her so much. We were so lucky to find each other, shes my soulmate.

With Pat I feel like Im the luckiest man in the world. She is a fantastic wife. There is still a lot I cant do for myself, and hopefully in time that will change and turn around and then I can give her a rest. What she did for me I would do for her.

My daughters Amy and Jessie have been amazing too. Amy is here to help when Pat is out, and Jessie has two kids and works but she would do anything for me at the drop of a hat. She was there 100% for us at the hospital.

I am very lucky. To have had the doctors I had, the staff in the hospital were fantastic. All of them, not just the doctors and nurses, but the assistants, the catering staff, the cleaners, down to the guys taking the rubbish out. They are all part of the hospital and doing a major job. Ill be eternally grateful to them for what they did for me, he said.

He thanks Portlaoise Intensive Care Nurse Gerard Hosey too, who walked 100 miles this summer to raise 4,000 for the ECMO unit in the Mater hospital.

Fair play to him, Im glad I inspired him to do it. I thank everybody who donated to it. Its a drop in the ocean for what they deserve, Jack said.

He urges people to continue to be careful about spreading Covid-19.

I cant tell people what to do, everybody has their own mind. Just be careful, if you dont feel safe going into somewhere full of people, use your common sense. Before this happened Id have been very optimistic about Covid. You dont realise until it happens to you, he said.

Read about Nurse Gerard McHugh's donation to the Mater hospital below.
The explanations given by a couple for the life changing head injuries found on the child did not explain the injuries, a doctor has told a child cruelty trial.

A Dublin based 39-year-old man and his 36-year-old wife have pleaded not guilty to two charges of assault causing serious harm and three charges of child cruelty at the family home in Dublin on dates between June 28 and July 2, 2019.

The child was hospitalised with life changing injuries on July 2, 2019. The parents, who are originally from north Africa, cannot be named to protect the identity of the child.

On day twelve of the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Kieron Sweeney, a consultant neurosurgeon, told Anne Rowland SC, prosecuting, that he examined all the medical notes, photographs and medical reports in relation to the child.

He said he was asked to investigate the possible cause of the injury and whether an alleged delay in seeking medical attention would have any impact on the final clinical outcome.

The court has heard that the parents suggested various explanations to medical staff and gardai for the child's head injuries, including a fall from a bike two days earlier to a fall in the shower the day of hospitalisation.

Mr Sweeney said that in his opinion the various explanations provided were not consistent with the injuries. He also said the medical reports were suggestive of non-accidental injuries.

He said that a high velocity injury, such as a crash or falling down stairs, was unlikely to be the cause, but there was evidence of low velocity blunt force trauma to the head.

With reference to the various lacerations, bruisings and burns, he said that the distribution around the body and the symmetrical pattern made self-harm an unlikely cause. He said that hand dominance means that self-harm is unlikely to be inflicted symmetrically.

He said that he identified a secondary injury caused by the reduction of oxygen supply to the brain which resulted from damage to blood vessels in the brain as a result of the initial trauma. He said this could indicate excessive shaking of the head.

Asked about the impact of allegedly failing to seeking medical attention from the possible first evidence of unconsciousness at 3.30pm until 9.59pm, the medical expert said it was hard to quantify exactly but that there would be a lot poorer outcome than somebody who receives prompt medical attention.

He said that there is a golden hour in which it has been shown there is a chance to improve the patient's situation and that outside of this the majority of people do not benefit from treatment.

He agreed with James Dwyer SC, defending the father, that the secondary injury could have occurred at the same time as the initial trauma and that delay was possibly not a cause.

Jennifer Ryan, a forensic scientist, told the court that she examined hairs found in blood on the floor of the family home bathroom. She said they were characteristic of human hair and that the roots were visibly distorted.

She said it was her view that the hairs had been pulled from somebodys head. She said it was not possible to test the hairs for DNA because they were contaminated by the blood.

The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
Student Unions in Ireland have warned students to be vigilant following rising reports of drink spiking and spiking via injection in bars and nightclubs across Ireland.

It comes following numerous reports of drink spiking or of injection spiking across Britain over the past two months and unions have said they have heard reports from students about potential instances of spiking during the first semester.

The HSE has said it is keeping a close eye on the reopened night-time economy here on the back of those reports.

A number of police forces in Britain say they are conducting investigations into a multitude of injection spiking reports and at least three young men have been arrested so far.

Victims of spiking in Ireland have been advised to come forward and report all incidents to local Gardai.

Gardai said advice on drink spiking and related public health issues are a matter for the HSE and advice can be found on hse.ie.

Unions across Ireland have shared warnings on their social media pages to highlight the growing problem.

We have all heard the reports of a surge in spiking in Ireland and the UK.



Above all else, we want you to be safe, take a look at our graphic for info on some potential signs of spiking.



See also, HSE guidance if you have been spiked - https://t.co/1swHWW6zME pic.twitter.com/2dIWIIuvjP  UCD Students' Union (@UCDSU) October 26, 2021

Its incredibly disheartening to see the rise in reported cases of spiking across Ireland and the UK," UCDSU Welfare Officer Molly Greenough said.

"It is vital to emphasise that the onus never lies on the victim to not be spiked, but rather on the perpetrator to not commit such a heinous crime."

She added: "Still, its important that students are equipped with the knowledge to better help them protect themselves and look out for their friends."

The PSNI are looking into several reports of spiking across the north as well, with two allegations of drink-spiking happening in Derry last week.
A man who stabbed his neighbour in a dispute over an alleged stolen mobile phone has been jailed for 18 months.

Scott Byrne (31) stabbed Jamie Shortt (28) after Byrne's friend had alleged that somebody in Shortt's flat had taken his mobile phone. The missing mobile phone was later found in Byrne's flat and had never been stolen, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.

Garda Sean Tyrell told the court that on the evening of July 11, 2020, Byrne and others were having a party to mark the birthday of a six year old relative. Byrne and two others then joined a party in another flat, occupied by Mr Shortt.

Gda Tyrell said that some people were drinking and taking cocaine at the party, which carried on into the next morning. Byrne and his friends then left and went back to their flat, but Byrne's friend then couldn't find his mobile phone and decided he had left it in Mr Shortt's flat.

Byrne and two others went to Mr Shortt's flat and forced their way in. Byrne was armed with a knife and Mr Shortt locked himself in a bathroom.

When Byrne and the others left, Mr Shortt armed himself with a claw hammer and went up to Byrne's flat. CCTV footage showed him walking in the corridor of the flat complex stripped to his waist and holding the hammer.

The court heard that he knocked twice on the other flat. Byrne was holding a knife when he opened the door and stabbed the victim six to eights time around the shoulder and neck.

Mr Shortt suffered superficial injuries and has made a full recovery, the court heard.

Gardai were called to the scene and entered Byrne's first floor flat, but Byrne tried to get away by jumping out a back window. He was caught by gardai who were standing at ground level and was still dressed in blood soaked clothes.

The court heard he was not fit for interview for another six hours. He then told gardai he had taken drink and drugs on the night and couldn't remember much.

Byrne of Lindisfarne Green, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, subsequently pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault causing harm at Main Street., Rathcoole in west Dublin. His 16 previous convictions include burglary, thefts and violent disorder.

Paul Greene SC, defending, said his client acknowledged to gardai that he was caught red-handed and he was shocked at his actions and remorseful. He said Byrne was grieving a relative and had turned to alcohol and drugs at the time.

Judge Martin Nolan said using a knife to assault somebody was a serious matter and required a custodial sentence. He imposed the sentence to run from today.
Tesco stores across Kildare are calling on customers to Trick or Treat for Temple Street this Halloween.

Until this Sunday October 31, Tesco is asking shoppers to donate 1 or more at the till or at the checkout online, with 100 per cent of the funds raised going to support children in CHI at Temple Street.

Cake sales, face-painting and balloons in-store will not be present due to the safety guidelines around Covid-19, but Tesco colleagues will dress up this weekend and call on customers to help support CHI at Temple Street.

The target for this years Trick or Treat for Temple Street is to raise funds which will go towards a new Pentero Neurosurgical Microscope costing 550,000 for the childrens hospital.

In May, Tesco set a target to reach 150,000 during the Great Irish Bake fundraiser, Tesco colleagues and customers smashed this target, and a total of 215,000 was raised for Childrens Health Foundation Temple Street.

Rosemary Garth, Communications Director, Tesco Ireland said about the fundraiser: "Trick or Treat for Temple Street is back for another year, and were delighted to support it across our 151 stores and online."

"This year, we have a goal to raise 550,000 which is the cost of the new Neurosurgical Microscope for the hospital."

"With the level of dedication our colleagues have for raising funds for the little heroes in CHI at Temple Street since we started in 2014, Ive no doubt that well have some great fun in-stores and raise these important funds for CHI at Temple Street, while doing so," she added.

Tesco says it has raised 6.5 million since the partnership began in 2014, making it one of the largest fundraising achievements in the private sector in Ireland.

Since the partnership with CHI began, the Temple Street hospital is fast approaching one million patient visits.

Tesco Ireland initially started its Charity Partner Programme in 2001.

To date, the supermarket has raised over 20 million for good causes and charities in Ireland.
A workshop detailing the benefits of Peatlands is set to kick off in Kildare next month.

The project, titled Connecting Communities with Peatlands, will held by two groups known as the Irish Rural Link and the Community Wetlands Forum.

It aims to to provide capacity-building training to community groups engaging with peatlands in the Midlands.

A spokesperson said in a statement: "In order for communities to get the most benefit from trainings, we are hosting self-assessment workshops in each of the Just Transition Midlands counties."

"This day-long workshop aims to support your group to assess its own training needs to begin, or continue, to engage with peatlands."

They also encourage any groups that are interested to register at least two representatives from their group in order to participate in this workshop.

After debuting in Kildare, the workshop will subsequently pop up in a number of other counties, including Offaly, Laois, Tipperary and Galway.

Connecting Communities with Peatlands is supported by the Just Transition Fund.

The project will take place in Kildare on Saturday 6 November 2021, from 9:30am until 4pm.

Booking via Eventbrite.
A Senator from Kildare has publicly lambasted the price rates of student accommodation in Ireland.

Labour Senator Mark Wall joined fellow party member, Senator Rebecca Moynihan, in voicing his criticism to the Seanad while proposing the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage.

He said: "It is very important to give the support that has been given throughout the House given its importance to our student population and how we treat those who are the future of our country."

"As my Labour Party colleagues said, we have a crisis in student accommodation but it is one that did not need to happen... I am glad the Government is not opposing this Bill, which would stop developers using the loopholes they are using at the moment to convert purpose-built student accommodation to accommodation for tourists thereby creating a crisis for so many of our student population."

Senator Wall continued: "What is happening here is having a knock-on effect throughout the country as students are left with no option but to continue to live at home and commute to college.

"In many cases, students are paying the equivalent of Dublin rents to commute but they are losing out on college life due to the lack of accommodation near their colleges."

He further claimed that, over the past number of weeks, his office has been "inundated" with stories from students who are paying a large amount of fees in order to commute to college: "This should be good news for them from one perspective in that staying at home gives them the opportunity to save."

"However, the problem is that train stations such Portarlington, Monasterevin, Athy, Kildare town and Newbridge are outside the short hop zone and students cannot use their Leap cards.

"One student from Monasterevin contacted me to say he is paying 20 in train fares and 7 in bus fares per day to get to college so instead of saving, he is paying more than 100 per week: he might as well be staying in Dublin, if only he could get the accommodation to do so."

Senator Wall also claimed that the delay in the first instalment of the SUSI grant is also have "a significant impact" on students who are commuting.

He explained: "Before the pandemic, SUSI grants were not enough to cover the basic costs of living and the delayed payment is adding to the financial worries of families at this stressful time."

"The budget included the welcome introduction of the youth travel card, but it seems as if this will take some time to get up and running and will not help these students at this particular time who find themselves paying so much for staying at home while losing out in such an important year in their college life."

Senator Wall further claimed that developers have applied for more than 1,000 students beds "to become tourist accommodation."

"This is simply not good enough; students from all over the State are struggling to find accommodation."

"It is easy to see where the problem is when one hears that purpose-built beds are being taken out of the market for students."

He then concluded his statement by cementing his support for his party's proposal: "his Bill will ensure that students and their families have the choice, and, as important for so many given the current constraints in SUSI grants, affordable accommodation."

"Our students deserve more and it is about time we recognise their long-term value to this country... it is time to stop rewarding others with short-term gains at the expense of our students, who are our future," he concluded.

Last week, Senator Mark Wall sided with Maynooth Professor Dr Rory Hearne in calling on the in Irish government to conduct a review on how the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) can assist the housing crisis.

Senator Wall's full statement can be viewed here.
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The father of Stephen Penrose, who is accused of murdering a man whose decapitated body was found in a Kildare woods, has told a jury that the deceased was a "very nice fella" and "very friendly".



Paul Penrose also told his son's murder trial that Stephen and his friend Phillip Finnegan had been chatting away in his car "as if they knew each other all their lives", just two days before Mr Finnegan was killed.



Stephen Penrose (38), of Newtown Court, Malahide Road, Coolock, Dublin 17, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Finnegan (24) at Rahin Woods, Rahin, Edenderry, Co Kildare on August 10, 2016.

The trial has heard that Mr Finnegan went missing before his decapitated body was found buried in a shallow grave in a Kildare woods. The accused man, who was representing himself in the trial, has hired new lawyers but has declined to continue attending his trial.



Mr Penrose told Brendan Grehan SC, prosecuting, that he dropped his son Stephen to Liffey Valley Shopping Centre at 1pm on August 8 as he [Stephen] wanted to find a phone shop. When Stephen returned to the car, he had two phones with him, which were charged up and not in their packets.



Mr Penrose then drove his son to meet a friend in Portarlington but Stephen did not know exactly where "the chap" lived. The friend drove by in a 2002 blue Alfa Romeo car, Mr Penrose said, and Stephen and him chatted on the side of the road.



"Stephen asked me would I have 500 to buy a car. I didn't have that but I had 300," he said.



Stephen bought the car and Mr Penrose and his son then drove back in convoy to the Kylemore Road in Dublin.



Stephen's father also told the jury that he was aware that his son had a friend called Phillip Finnegan. Stephen left the Alfa Romeo car at McDonald's on the Kylemore Road that evening and Mr Penrose drove his son to meet Mr Finnegan at James Street in the south inner city.



Mr Penrose described seeing his son and Mr Finnegan embrace one another "in a big hug" at the front door. Stephen went into Phillip's house for around 30 minutes before they both came out and got into Mr Penrose's car at 7pm. The accused got into the front of the car and Philip was in the back, the court heard.



"Philip was a very nice fella, very friendly, they were chatting away as if they knew each other all their lives," said Mr Penrose.



The witness said he then drove the pair to McDonald's on the Kylemore Road and they jumped out of the car.



The following day, Mr Penrose said he got a call from his son Stephen and he sounded a little bit distressed. "He said lads were taking alcohol and drugs so I said I'd drive over to him to be a bit of comfort," he recalled. Mr Penrose said he waited an hour for his son near a flat in Tallaght but eventually Stephen rang him to tell him to go home.



On August 10, Mr Penrose said he got a call from a paramedic to say that Stephen had been stabbed, that he had lost a lot of blood and needed clothing. Mr Penrose went to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and bought Stephen clothing and shoes. The witness went into Connolly Hospital that night and his son, whose arm was in a sling, told him that he was attacked. "He said a couple of fellas jumped on him and he was stabbed," he added.



The next day, the accused rang his father and told him he wanted to move his car from Kilcock, where he had abandoned it the previous day, as he was afraid it was going to be towed away. The witness agreed with Mr Grehan that his son should not have left the hospital but said Stephen would have jumped into a taxi otherwise. "I would have had a taxi bill so I said I'd do it," he added.



Mr Penrose said there were blood marks "all over" the car door and his son began wiping the blood with a tissue and some water. "I took it that it was his own blood. He was only wiping the blood from outside and not inside," he said.



Stephen parked his car in another location before Mr Penrose drove his son back to Connolly Hospital.



Mr Penrose said Stephen rang him on August 12 to tell him that gardai had been to see him in hospital. Mr Penrose drove his son to Athy to see a friend and on the way they checked on his car in Kilcock. "He didn't want to draw suspicion or attention to the car, that's why he wanted to clean it as there was blood on the outside," said the witness.



Mr Penrose brought his son to a hardware store to buy materials to clean the blood from the outside of the car but said Stephen did not go near the car when he saw gardai beside it. "I got some impression he didn't want to go near the car, he told me to keep on driving and head for Athy," he said.



Stephen was "on the phone constantly" on the journey, he said, but they didn't go to Athy in the end as "the fella" was not available to meet.



Mr Penrose said gardai later called to his house as they had concerns about a missing person but did not disclose who that was. "I then saw a press release on the news and saw it was Phillip Finnegan. I was shocked, the fella in the back seat," he said.



When Stephen rang him, Mr Penrose said he told his son about seeing the press release about Mr Finnegan. Reading from the statement he made to gardai, Mr Penrose said: "This morning Stephen rang me on a different number. He could tell I wasn't in good form, he asked me was I ok. I told him I saw the press release about Phillip on the news. He said what was that about. I told him he was missing since Wednesday. Stephen told me that Phillip was with him on Wednesday and that he was texting/ringing a fella to meet him on Wednesday. They met some fella he didn't say where. He said that Phillip was sort of arguing with this guy on the phone when they met him. Phillip got out of the car and that one of them came over to him and stabbed him in the arm. Stephen said he just drove off and left Phillip there."



Earlier, Seamus Sheeran told Mr Grehan that he was working as a sales assistant at Topline Cleary's hardware store in Kilcock on August 13, 2016, when he was approached by a customer with his arm in a sling and wearing a hospital gown tucked into his trousers. "He asked me to recommend a product to remove blood-staining from the inside of his car as he had been in an accident," he said. The witness said the customer also told him that he had tried to clean the car with wipes but that did not work.



Mr Sheeran recommended 'Jeyes Fluid' to the man but warned him that it would leave a strong and pungent smell. The man bought a litre of 'Jeyes Fluid' and a packet of duster cloths.



The trial continues on Wednesday before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and the 12 jurors.

In his opening address, prosecuting barrister Mr Grehan said Mr Finnegan's decapitated body was found buried in a shallow grave in a Kildare woods. Counsel said Mr Finnegan had "certain troubles in the past" and had taken to wearing a protective vest.

The lawyer also told the jury in his opening address that attempts had been made to cut up and burn the body of Mr Finnegan, who had been missing for almost a month and who had met a "gruesome death".

Significantly, the barrister said, the jury will hear evidence that a bloodied glove was found in the woods which was a DNA match to the accused man Mr Penrose.
A video has been shared on social media which shows a member of an environmental group lobbying outside the office of a Kildare TD.

In a statement explaining its actions, the Social, Economic, Environmental Forestry Association of Ireland (SEEFA) has said that it will stage a series of social media protests targeting local Government TDs, in an effort to highlight what they describe as "the ongoing crisis in the forestry sector."

SEEFA, which was first set up last month, explains that it is "an alliance of private industry professionals who are lobbying for the Government to fulfil its obligations to maintain employment for more than 12,000 people in the sector which has been devastated by a backlog in the granting of afforestation & felling licenses."

"SEEFA is seeking direct intervention from the Department of the Taoiseach, as all other options have failed," it added.

The news follows just after the group posted the aforementioned video on its official Twitter page.

One member of the group, Ivan Fennell, can be seen protesting outside of Fianna Fail TD James Lawless' office in Naas.

Mr Fennell said in the video: "I am here protesting as I have been left with no choice but to protest in the matter of Minister Charlie McConalogue, and Green Party Senator Pippa Hackett, with responsibility for (the) forestry sector and the civil service, who are destroying our industry."

He then directly addressed An Taoiseach Micheal Martin, saying: "It is time for change."

Ivan Fennell representing @SEEFAssociation stands outside James Lawless @lawlessj office in Naas pic.twitter.com/Vr18XPGrK6  SEEFA (@SEEFAssociation) October 26, 2021

In a follow up tweet, SEEFA claimed that house prices are inflated, and as such, it has to "import timber because we cant get licences to cut our own."

SEEFA has also pointed to a statement by Fianna Fail politician Jackie Cahill TD and Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Mr Cahill said: "We have seriously missed our targets in the programme for Government on afforestation... we are 15,000 behind target on afforestation in the last five years and if those trees had to be planted in their lifetime they would have sequestered 5.4 million tonnes of carbon."

"We have really missed an opportunity to benefit the rural economy and in our fight against climate change."

He further claimed that Ireland's failure to issue licenses and its failure to plant trees for afforestation "is haunting us, and will continue to haunt us in the years ahead because we cant reclaim that lost time."

In terms of social impact, SEEFA claims that it is highlighting that forest owners cannot plant their land, manage their forests or sell their timber.

"For many owners, this is their pension or the manner to pay for education for their children; the implications of this crisis will be felt for many years to come," the group added.

SEEFA also maintain that home construction is being affected, with Marina Conway, a member of Western Forestry Co-Op, explaining: "Previous governments have invested over 3 billion in this industry over thirty 35 years and over 20,000 farmers have committed their land to forest, these forests are now maturing, and private timber is ready to harvest; but instead, sawmills are having to import timber to meet demands of other sectors  particularly construction."

"Local timber needs to get to the market to maintain the forest supply chain, maintain rural jobs, keep local sawmills functioning and protect the economic benefits to rural communities."

Paddy Bruton, Forestry Services Limited and Euroforest Ireland, also commented on the matter of forestry in Ireland: "Afforestation is clearly the largest opportunity in the land use sector to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Government afforestation targets are not being reached and in 2020 only 2,300 hectares were planted of an 8,000 hectare target."

"In the last 5 years, afforestation targets have been missed by over 15,000 hectares in total or the equivalent of 40 million trees."

"Had this area been afforested, it had the potential to remove 5.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over the lifetime of those forests," he added.

SEEFA counts a wide range of environmental groups in its ranks, including Not so Hardy Forestry, Arbor Forest Management, The Forestry Company and Axe Forestry Ltd.
Labour Dublin Bay South TD Ivana Bacik has called on government to fast track her legislation to provide paid leave to women who suffer early miscarriage.

Speaking in advance of The Good Summit at Trinity College Dublin, Deputy Bacik said there is a need to transform issues around female health care and equality in the workplace, including in political life.

Deputy Bacik said:

Womens healthcare has always taken a back seat in Ireland.

"The repeal of the 8th Amendment enabled Ireland to take a significant step forward towards providing a compassionate approach to healthcare in this country, but more remains to be done.

In Ireland, as in other countries, people, and women in particular, suffer in silence about their fertility struggles.

"On International Women's Day this year, Labour introduced legislation that would ensure women could have up to 20 days paid leave in the case of early miscarriage and up to 10 days leave for employees accessing other reproductive health treatments, such as IVF.

"It is crucially important to provide leave when it matters most and change how we think about reproductive healthcare in this country. For too long, women who have suffered the pain of an early miscarriage are forced to return to work or take unpaid leave whilst trying to recover physically and emotionally.

"This is not a niche issue; as many as 14,000 women in Ireland suffer a miscarriage each year."

The participation of women in decision and policy making is crucial in order to highlight the issues that secure women's general position within society", the TD continued.

"I was elected the 37th woman to Dail Eireann out of 160 TDs in July which is far too few, and must be addressed through the Five Cs - the obstacles we identified in a 2009 report on womens participation in politics that I wrote for the Oireachtas Justice Committee. Those five are: Cash, Confidence, Culture, Childcare and Candidate Selection Procedures.

"We need to see urgent action from this government to address these barriers to womens participation.

As well as a need for government to adopt a 50:50 principle in Cabinet appointments, government needs to move swiftly to ensure that Cabinet Ministers are entitled to maternity leave, rather than the adhoc arrangements made for Minister McEntee ahead of her maternity leave earlier this year.

"There is no need for any constitutional referendum to provide for such leave, or indeed for parental or paternity leave for Ministers. Article 28.12 of the Constitution provides that: "The following matters shall be regulated in accordance with law, namely, ... the discharge of the functions of the office of a member of the Government during his temporary absence or incapacity".

"Since maternity or parental leave is a temporary absence, legislation would be sufficient to address this.

This is a critical time for the country. During the pandemic, many of us reflected on what is important, what we really care about, and how we want to shape the future. Now is the time to put those ideas into action.
Primary schools are continuing to face a short supply of substitute teachers across the country.

Speaking on Newstalk, Matt Melvin, Principal of St Etchens National School spoke to Pat Kenny about the shortage of substitute teachers.

Mr. Melvin said it became more acute as the year went on and it will only get worse when schools come back from Midterm.

"The week before midterm I had two teachers out for two days, so that was four days I could not get cover," he added.

He said the Department of Education needs to be more upfront about this issue.

Mr. Melvin believes that students in teacher training colleges need to be allowed to work in schools to help alleviate pressure.

"We have a large cohort of 3rd/4th-year students in teacher training colleges that are restricted to work less than 5 days in schools, and if there was flexibility brought in urgently on a conditional and provisional basis, it would get us over a considerable challenge until March." added Mr. Melvin.

John Weir, principal of St. Mary's primary school in Drogheda spoke on Today with Claire Byrne about his experience at sourcing substitutes.

He said it is almost impossible to find a sub at the moment.

"We have a local network of schools here, in the month of September alone out of 35 schools, we had 300 days where we could not source a sub." added the primary school principal.

St. Mary's school is on a supply panel of teachers which only works for expected absences. The next day he can get a sub is November 17, and for their rural Drogheda panel, the next available date is in January.

Mr. Weir said the only thing keeping the system afloat is using special-education teachers to substitute classes which 'no principal wants to do'.

Mr. Weir has not been in a position where he has had to let a class go home, and said that it is not something any principal wants to do and there would have to be absolutely no other option.

President of the Irish Primary Principals' Network, Brian O'Doherty said that while the challenge is not new, it is more pronounced with the circumstances they are operating in.

The IPPN said one measure that was introduced to help schools with absence levels was the supply panel, a scheme to allow big schools to recruit 2 or 3 teachers to provide substitute cover for a stipulated amount of schools.

Those teachers have the benefit of being on a fixed-term contract with security around income, and the school has the security of contacting those teachers to provide cover for short-term absences.

Not every school has access to those panels and there is insufficient capacity within those panels to meet the demands presented at the moment, according to Brian O'Doherty.

Mr. O'Doherty said 55% of primary school principals are teaching principals and therefore, cannot step into substitute positions if required to do so and supervision is not a workable solution

The question being asked by the IPPN and primary school teachers is what's a school to do if there are multiple absences, no sub cover available and the school does not have the facility to re-deploy.

Progress has been made after meeting with the Department of Education with the view of increasing substituting capacity within the system, according to the IPPN.

The Teaching Council has emailed teachers on the register requesting that anyone in a position to provide substitute cover would make themselves available to do so.

Mr. O'Doherty understands that there are plans to increase the supply panels but 'if there aren't sufficient teachers available to fill those posts then that's going to be an ongoing difficulty'.
Moving West, a six part TV programme about people who have decided to up and leave the city and move west to live, work and rear their family, part of which was filmed in Leitrim, airs tomorrow night, Thursday at 9pm on TG4.

The programme is produced by an independent company called Dundara Television and Media and features stories from six western counties, including Co Leitrim.

Filming took place in both Carrick-on-Shannon and Drumshanbo.

Host of the programme, Mary Kennedy, well known to viewers for her previous role as presenter of Nationwide, said the programme is not just about people who have moved but also about those who have decided to stay in this region and the lifestyle they now enjoy.

Derry Lynch pictured being interviewed at Cora Systems in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Pre-production started last November and I was contacted in January and I didnt think twice about it, said Mary.

Mary said the pandemic has meant people are now aware that it is possible to work remotely and to enjoy the benefits of a work - life balance.

Nearly a year in the making, the six episodes feature stories from six different counties, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Sligo, Mayo and Leitrim.

Moira McGuire of Jinnys Tearooms, Drumshanbo being interviewed by Mary Kennedy.

The people interviewed are from all walks of life and vary from people working in tech, working in the bank, to a teacher and somebody who runs a coffee shop.

Mary is no stranger to Co Leitrim and she said it was lovely to see lots of staycationers around Carrick and Drumshanbo.

She said people who have holidayed in Ireland this year have been so impressed by what they have seen.

The programme itself is a mix of Irish and English with on-screen subtitles for Irish.

Enda Grace, series producer, said filming in the various locations went really well and that was mainly due to the cooperation they got from everyone.

The production team with producer & director Enda Grace and presenter Mary Kennedy in Drumshanbo.

Leitrim was the last of the six counties to be filmed and Enda was impressed by his time here.

Hidden gem is a bit overused, but it certainly is. Its not a county Id spent a huge amount of time in to be honest. I went out for a walk on the boardwalk in Carrick-on-Shannon before filming and it was absolutely gorgeous. Drumshanbo, Id never been before, again the Blueway was fantastic and we met the guys from Jinnys Bakery, he said.

The show will feature interviews with, among others, Sinead and Pascal Gillard of Jinnys Bakery in Drumshanbo and will also talk to Carrick-on-Shannon native Derry Lynch who works with the software company Cora Systems in the town.

Enda said it was a good move for them to bring in Mary Kennedy as host for the series. For her professionalism alone it made sense to bring her in, shes so good at putting people at ease and they could tell their story in a very natural way due to the Mary factor, he said.
New Delhi: India's Future Retail has asked a Delhi court to quash a decision by a Singapore arbitration panel that has kept the $3.4 billion sale of Future's retail assets in limbo while the panel hears objections from Amazon.com Inc.

Amazon has mounted legal challenges against Future's planned asset sale to market leader Reliance Industries since last year, accusing the company of violating certain contracts by doing so. Future denies any wrongdoing.

A Singapore arbitrator last year put the Future-Reliance deal on hold, and the panel last week declined Future's request to revoke that decision. On Wednesday, Future asked the Delhi High Court to intervene and quash the arbitrator's decision according to Indian law, its legal filing seen by Reuters shows.

"The Arbitral Tribunal erroneously rejected FRL's (Future Retail) contention," its filing stated. "FRL submits that the standards applied by the Arbitral Tribunal ... are incorrect."

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Future is India's second-largest retailer with over 1,700 stores and has warned that failure to strike the deal with Reliance could push it into liquidation.

The dispute started when Future, hamstrung by an economic hit from the COVID-19 pandemic, entered into a deal last year to sell its retail, wholesale, logistics and certain other businesses to Reliance.

Amazon had its sights on ultimately owning some of Future's retail assets itself. It has argued a 2019 deal it had with a Future unit contained clauses prohibiting the Indian group from selling its retail assets to anyone on a "restricted persons" list that included Reliance.

The outcome of the tussle involving two of the world's richest men, Amazon's Jeff Bezos and Reliance's Mukesh Ambani, is seen as reshaping India's pandemic-hit shopping sector and deciding whether Amazon can blunt Reliance's dominance of the country's nearly trillion-dollar retail market.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Australia will lift a ban on citizens travelling overseas without permission, the government announced Wednesday, with the country's border set to open to skilled workers and international students by year's end.

More than 18 months after Australia closed its international borders, fully vaccinated citizens will no longer have to seek an exemption to leave the country, a joint statement from the health and home affairs ministries said.

It comes as the country's adult double-dose vaccination rate edged closer to an 80 percent target.

Home Affairs minister Karen Andrews said that while Australian citizens were currently being prioritised, more travel restrictions -- including for some non-citizens -- would be eased as vaccination rates increased.

"Before the end of the year, we anticipate welcoming fully vaccinated skilled workers and international students," she said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who foreshadowed the changes earlier this month, said Australia was now "very close" to announcing a reciprocal travel bubble with Singapore, which announced late Tuesday that Australians no longer had to quarantine on arrival.

Qantas flights to the city-state are scheduled to resume on November 22.

"We're working to a timetable around about then which will see other visa-holders -- in addition to Australians returning or going to Singapore and returning who are double vaccinated -- being able to come to Australia," Morrison told Channel 7 television.

On March 20 last year Australia introduced some of the world's toughest border restrictions in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

For almost 600 days, countless international flights have been grounded, and overseas travel has slowed to a trickle.

Families have been split across continents, tens of thousands of nationals were stranded overseas and foreign residents were stuck in the country unable to see friends or relatives.

Quarantine arrangements for returning vaccinated residents will depend on where they arrive in Australia.

While Sydney has scrapped quarantine for returning travellers, other Australian states with lower vaccination rates still have mandatory and costly 14-day hotel quarantine requirements.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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In December 2019, the Indian government introduced the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which sought to make illegal migrants" from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who are Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian eligible for citizenship. Subsequently, in May 2021, the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) began inviting applications for Indian citizenship from non-Muslims from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan residing in 13 districts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Punjab.

These developments, extending protection to selective communities, highlight the inconsistency in the treatment and protection of refugees and asylum seekers in India.

As of June 2021, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has documented 208,065 persons of concern" in India. However, India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention under which the UNHCR operates. Nor does it have a domestic legislation regulating the entry and stay of refugees. There is no distinction made between foreigners and refugees under Indian law. The Foreigners Act of 1946, Passport Act of 1967, Extradition Act of 1962, Citizenship Act of 1955 (amended in 2019) and the Illegal Migrant (Determination by Tribunals) Act of 1983 are some of the laws applicable to both. Under these laws, foreigners can be detained and forcibly deported, even if they are refugees escaping their countries of origin in fear of death.

Moreover, the regulation of refugees and asylum seekers in India is conducted on an ad-hoc basis through administrative decision-making. Since there is no official legislative or administrative framework for refugee-status determination, the government has taken to determining the status of different groups of refugees in different ways.

Protection under international law: Under international law, refugees have two broad rights: the right to seek asylum in another country, and the right not to be returned to a country where they face a threat to their life. These are also principles enshrined under the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, which puts an obligation on state parties to grant them entry and protection. In order to stay neutral in the Cold War politics of that era and partially on account of the Eurocentric bias of the Convention, India has been reluctant to sign it. Another sore point for New Delhi had been that it does not account for national security interests.

However, other specialized international laws and human-rights principles are also applicable for the protection of refugees. Instruments like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Convention Against Torture (CAT), Declaration on Protection from enforced disappearances, the UN Principles on Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-Legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) are also often invoked to provide additional protection.

The administration of refugees in India: The bulk of the refugee population in India originates from Sri Lanka, Tibet, Myanmar and Afghanistan. However, only Tibetan and Sri Lankan refugees are recognized as such by the government. They are provided protection and assistance directly through specific policies and rules formulated by the government. Presently, there are around 94,069 Sri Lankan refugees living in the country, whereas the number of Tibetan refugees has gone down to 85,000 from 1,50,000 since 2011.

On the other hand, around 43,157 refugees from Myanmar, Afghanistan and elsewhere are registered and protected by the UNHCR, as per its mandate under the 1951 Refugee Convention. For these refugees, the UNHCR issues its own documents of registration, which are recognized by Indian authorities to only a limited extent.

While refugees directly recognized by the Indian government are housed in camps and have access to local schools, hospitals and the domestic job market, those registered with the UNHCR dont get the same treatment. They do not have access to the countrys healthcare facilities, for example, and face difficulties in finding accommodation and jobs. Conversely, complications can also arise for refugees belonging to countries that are classified under the governments mandate. For example, these refugees, if detained, cannot approach the UNHCR, as it does not have the designated authority to process their asylum claims.

The judicial response: Remarkably, the Indian judiciary has been stepping up from time to time to safeguard refugees from deportation, expulsion and forced repatriation. The Constitution of India safeguards the rights of all persons within its territorial jurisdiction, citizen or non-citizen. Thus, in the light of Indias international human rights obligations, Indian courts have extended the scope of constitutional rights. These rights include protection from discrimination and arbitrary action under Article 14 and the right to life and liberty under Article 21.

In the case of U. Myat Kayew, the Supreme Court waived the requirement of surety so the refugees who could not acquire documentation could be freed to approach the UNHCR for protection. In another case, the expulsion of two UNHCR-certified Iraqi refugees was stopped after the court found their presence was not prejudicial to national security and sending them back could be harmful.

Nevertheless, the Supreme Courts 2021 decision to allow the deportation from India of about 170 detained Rohingya refugees has been a step in the opposite direction. It was based on the governments claim that they posed a threat to internal security of the country.

The countrys need for specific legislation: There are gaps in refugee protection in India that can be traced to the countrys differential treatment of refugees. Since the 1951 Convention is not suitable in the South Asian context, where countries like India frequently experience a large influx of refugees, adopting a national law emerges as a better choice.

Till now, Indian administrative policies and judicial interventions have served as alternatives in the absence of sound domestic legislation. However, a long-term practical solution requires that India make a shift from its charitable approach to a rights-based approach by enacting a national refugee law.

A national refugee law will streamline refugee- status determination procedures for all kinds of refugees and will guarantee them the rights they have under international law. Additionally, it could sufficiently address Indias security concerns, while at the same time ensuring that there is no unlawful detention or deportation carried out in the garb of national-security concerns.

A larger version of this article appeared on the website of Delhi-based Social & Political Research Foundation.

Radhika Nair is a lawyer and socio-legal researcher.

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Pardon observers for being more than just a little confused about the application of Indias company law by courts in the country. Consider the sorry spectacle that has become of a legal battle between the management of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd and the Invesco combine that owns almost 18% of Zees stock and recently pushed for a shareholder vote to recast its board and oust its chief, Punit Goenka, amid a takeover tussle. After the National Company Law Tribunal ruled in Invescos favour, Zee appealed against such a poll at its appellate body as well as the Bombay high court. As Invesco had more than a tenth of Zee shares needed to call for a vote, the high court nudged the broadcaster last week to hold one. This was a democratic right" of owners, it had observed, saying it would be a dangerous precedent" for courts to judge the merits of a proposed resolutiona reference to the ouster move that Zee argued would result in multiple legal violations. On Tuesday, however, the same court upheld Zees contention and ordered an interim injunction against putting Invescos proposal to shareholders. It is unclear what this means for appellate court proceedings, but the muddled signals sent out should worry us.

Both adversaries appear to be in a race against time. Invesco probably wants a vote held before year-end, after which a voting-rule change for directorships might complicate its endeavour, while Zees top brass seems in a rush to seal a merger with Sony. If Zees board were to be reconstituted and its chief executive voted out without a replacement (or a whole-time director in place), the company would be left headless and hence fall afoul of Indian law, the high court held, pointing to other prospective offences. Shareholder primacy or dominion does not extend to permitting shareholder-driven illegality," said its order. That a ruling like this was passed even before any legal perplexity got a chance to arise, though, was rather strange. That an analogy was drawn with a hypothetical gambling proposal by imagined shareholders was even stranger. The strangest part of all was a general observation by the court: Sometimes, it happens that a company must be saved from its own shareholders, however well-intentioned." This jarred with a basic precept of business governance. After all, just as democracy cannot be cleaved apart from its electorate, a company cant be placed beyond the reach of its owners.

While it may be true that an ownership nod for Invescos plan could push Zee into a legally untenable position, it is not clear how this likelihood could justify pre-emptive judicial intervention. Moreover, broad rescue-mission statements that lay claim to a rationale without any discernible basis should be avoided in a country that needs to empower common shareholders, whose capacity for judgement must never be dismissed. Another pressing need is for our economy to attract capital from around the world, but the convoluted processes of justice on display could put off global investors who track whether everyone is actually accorded equal rights, regardless of an investors place of origin. We need clarity and consistency on these matters. To that end, at least partly, our judiciary would be well advised to entertain a plea for courts to exercise some verbal restraint in their rulings. More often than not, they are much too expansive. If judges issue crisp judgements that are concise and confined to relevant points of law, it would aid our larger cause.

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These lidar images show San Lorenzo (left), an Olmec site that peaked between 1400 B.C. and 1150 B.C.), and Aguada Fenix (right), a Maya site primarily occupied between 1000 B.C. and 800 B.C. Both show a similar pattern of 20 rectangular platforms lining the plaza. In later Maya calendars, 20 was the base unit for counting days, suggesting that this timekeeping system was already in development before 1000 B.C.

Ancient Central American people may have designed their cities around an early iteration of the Maya calendar.

A new study of ancient population centers in western Guatemala and southern Mexico reveals 478 separate complexes, many of which seem based on a prototype city built around 1400 B.C. Many of these complexes have never been discovered, surveyed or excavated until now. But their shapes, detectable from above with a technology called lidar  which stands for "light detection and ranging"  suggest many were oriented with the sunrise on certain important days and seemed to use the number 20,  the basis of later written calendars,  as their fundamental unit.

"We don't have the written calendar at this time yet," said Takeshi Inomata, an archaeologist at the University of Arizona and the lead researcher of the new study. "[That] comes much later, several centuries later than these sites. But this is a very tantalizing sign that actually people already had a calendar system that's based on the number 20."

Related: See photos of the hidden Maya complexes

Maya calendars and Mesoamerican architecture

The calendar that seemed important in constructing these sites is not the famous Maya calendar that some claimed predicted the end of the world in 2012. That's the Maya Long Count calendar , which was designed for keeping track of very long spans of time. For shorter periods, the Maya also worked with the 260-day Tzolk'in calendar, which they used for scheduling religious rituals, and the Haab', a 365-day calendar based on Earth 's rotation around the sun. The Tzolk'in and the Long Count calendars both used repeating cycles of 20 for counting the days. Written versions of the Long Count calendar are found from from A.D. 800 and later, Live Science previously reported .

Related: Photos reveal hidden Maya civilization

The sites discovered by Inomata and his colleagues are mostly much older than that. Though exact dates aren't yet known, the oldest of the sites predate 1000 B.C., and the most recent were probably built before A.D. 250, which was the beginning of the Maya Classic period, the peak of the Maya civilization.

Many of the sites share a similar layout, with a large plaza bound by a large rectangular platform at one end and lined on the east and west with 20 smaller platforms. Twenty seems to be a significant number, Inomata said, perhaps indicating that the builders of these structures were already using the base-20 counting system.

The population centers are also often laid out to line up with the sunrise on a day related to the zenith passage, the day the sun passes directly overhead. In this region of Central America, Inomata said, that day is May 9 or May 10. The sites don't catch the sunrise on that day, but they do line up with sunrise 40 days or 60 days before the passage  multiples of 20. This suggests the architects were counting down to the zenith passage and may have been building their notions of calendar time into their city centers. Archaeologists believe the large plazas in the middle of these population centers were used for religious rituals, so an early version of the Tzolk'in may have been in use already.

A lidar survey revealed hundreds of new ancient Olmec and Maya sites in southern Mexico and western Guatemala. (Image credit: Takeshi Inomata)

Regional relations

The new research also paints a fuller picture of how civilization developed in Central America. The study region covers both Maya areas and areas that were home to the earlier Olmec people, who built colossal stone heads and pyramids over 100 feet (30 meters) high. But dense vegetation means that archaeology can be difficult, and many mounds hiding structures and artifacts blend into the landscape. In part due to this spotty archaeological record, not much is known about how the Olmec and Maya civilizations interacted. One question, Inomata said, is whether the Olmec influenced the Maya, or whether the Maya developed largely independently.

Related: Why did the Maya civilization collapse?

Another question is how social hierarchy played a role in the organized building of the city centers. It was once thought that societies became more organized and hierarchical and then settled in one place to build complex towns and cities. But, Inomata said, new research suggests that the early builders of many of these population centers were hunters, gatherers and farmers who may have moved seasonally or every few years. They did not seem to have a strict social hierarchy.

"It's not a society governed by kings, but the people get together and then do this big project," Inomata said.

Aguada Fenix was likely a ceremonial gathering site from the Maya, who are thought to have lived in non-hierarchical, mobile societies at the time they built Aguada Fenix. (Image credit: Takeshi Inomata)

Large-scale layouts

Lidar is a particularly valuable tool in Central America, Inomata said, as it involves pulsing beams of lasers toward the ground from a drone or airplane. These pulses of targeted light allow researchers to measure topography precisely, virtually stripping away vegetation in order to see the shape of the ground.

That's particularly useful in Inomata's research since many of the population centers the researchers are searching for are visible now as low mounds, perhaps a couple feet high. They're large, but their size is mostly horizontal: The larger plazas range from 0.6 miles to almost a mile long (1 to 1.6 kilometers), which is difficult to visualize from ground level.

The researchers previously conducted their own survey of eastern Tabasco in Mexico and discovered an enormous site called Aguada Fenix, Live Science reported at the time of that discovery. Aguada Fenix was a Maya site consisting of an artificial plateau 33 to 50 feet (10 to 15 m) high and 0.9 miles (1.4 km) long. It was used between 1000 B.C. and 800 B.C., an earlier start to major building projects than researchers had expected.

After the discovery, Inomata said, the team wanted to expand their search. They combed through publicly available lidar data throughout southern Mexico and western Guatemala to uncover the hundreds of new sites. The sites' layouts suggest that the people of this region were building on old ideas and influencing one another.

The influence may have grown from the earliest large site, San Lorenzo, built by the Olmec people in what is now the Mexican state of Veracruz. San Lorenzo peaked between 1400 B.C. and 1150 B.C., and here society was stratified: Elite homes sat on top of a large plateau, with humble dwellings on the plateau's terraced sides. Later sites seemed based on this basic template, with variations on the theme developing between 1000 B.C. and 350 B.C. The Maya, thought to be a less-stratified society at this time than the Olmec, used a similar blueprint of a central raised plaza bound by a pyramid or square building on one side and a long platform on the other.

But there are a lot of questions remaining about the chronology of the development, Inomata said, and excavations will be needed to answer many of them. This should keep archaeologists busy, as the study area covers 32,632 square miles (84, 516 square kilometers).

"Now, we have a much better idea about those sites and their distribution, so we really will rethink what was happening during this period," Inomata said.

The research is detailed Oct. 25 in the journal Nature Human Behavior .

Originally published on Live Science.
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The tragic death of Ukrainian cinematographer Halyna Hutchins who was accidentally shot and killed by Alec Baldwin on the U.S. set of western Rust couldnt have happened in Europe due to more restrictive regulations around gun safety on movie sets than in parts of the U.S., say several top European weapons masters.

Speaking from the Romanian set of the Sky spaghetti Western TV series Django, Ricci  a veteran weapons master who also worked on hit Neapolitan mob show Gomorrah (pictured)  underlined that when it comes to using guns on set, the fundamental difference between safety rules in the U.S. and Italy, alongside several other European countries, is that weapons are required to be plugged.

In Italy, there is legislation that says a plug has to be inserted in the guns barrel, Ricci said, adding that the same rule is applied on sets in Spain and Romania. The law saysthis has to be checked and certified by a national authority.

With a plug in the barrel, the worst that can happen is that the weapon explodes, Ricci added. Nobody gets killed.

As Italian special effects supervisor Maurizio Corridori  who handled weapons for the Rome segment of shootout-packed actioner John Wick: Chapter 2  puts it: if you use a real bullet on set in Italy, the gun would explode in your hand.

Stateside, barrels in blank-firing prop guns and real guns are sometimes plugged or blocked to prevent projectiles being fired, but the practice isnt uniformly mandated by law across the U.S. as it is in most European countries.

France also has rules requiring mandatory plugs in gun barrels, but unlike Italy and other European countries, the plug doesnt have to obstruct a guns entire barrel.

But theres another, perhaps even more crucial, difference between the U.S. and Europe when it comes to handling firearms on set: Its absolutely forbidden to bring live ammunition to a European set.

Not only is live ammunition prohibited, but the process is to check that the gun is empty and safe and show the empty barrel to everyone on set and then hand it to the actor, explained Cristophe Maratier, a French armorer whos currently working on the Paris set of John Wick: Chapter 4. Maratier, a leading weapons master in France, has worked on a wide range of movies, including Jacques Audiards western The Sisters Brothers.

The Rust tragedy has stunned the international armorers community, added Maratier, who noted that what happened on Rust doesnt reflect the way things work anywhere; even on low-budget productions and short films. The reason why the shooting accident was the first of its kind since 1993, he says, is because no one works like this, neither in Europe nor in the U.S.

However, while Hollywood certainly has stringent safety standards developed by film studios and labor unions, many U.S. states take a largely hands-off approach, unlike Europe.

As reported by the Associated Press, New York prohibits guns from being fired overnight on movie sets, but doesnt otherwise regulate their use. Georgia and Louisiana regulate pyrotechnics on movie sets, but have no specific rules around gun use. And New Mexico, where Hutchins died on the Bonanza Creek Ranch set, has no specific safety laws for the film and TV industries pertaining to on-set weapons use.

U.K. safety has gotten better and better in last 20 years

In the U.K., the guidelines set out by the governments Health and Safety at Work Act state that the use of live ammunition is normally prohibited [on set] unless used under Home Office or Ministry of Defense regulations or under the privileges of the license or approval and permission from the police, eg. on a firing range.

Christopher Deacon is a partner and international injury lawyer at U.K. law firm Stewarts, the firm that successfully acted on behalf of British stuntwoman Olivia Jackson after she sustained injuries while filming Resident Evil: The Final Chapter in South Africa.

Said Deacon: If live firearms are being used, then its a requirement to have a registered firearms dealer or license holder present, and that reflects the regulatory requirements in the U.K. for possessing and using a firearm, regardless of the setting in which thats being used.

The U.K. has clear guidelines governing the use of firearms, whether real or replica, on set, with several publications available to film and TV crews. In and around London, where a lot of U.K. filming is concentrated, a police presence is usually required for scenes involving live or blank ammunition. The police and the local borough film service have to be provided with a full and comprehensive risk assessment.

Top armorer Richard Howell, from prop providers Foxtrot Production, says the safety situation in the U.K. has been getting better and better over the last 20-25 years driven largely by health and safety requirements implemented by broadcasters BBC and ITV across departments, including armory.

Its worked really well, because it made us prepare a lot better before we actually went on set, Howell told Variety. We had copies of the scripts to go through, we did a breakdown with the firearms, and youd have an understanding of what the director was requesting. And then you actually write up your story, what the risks were  high, medium, low  and then you send them off. Its gotten better and better over the years.

Howell said restrictors or plugs in gun barrels are important to prevent accidents, as well as managing the camera angles so weapons arent pointing directly at the camera.

Nobody ever, ever is in front of a firearm being fired; the cameras are set up to cheat the scene, said Howell. You set the whole thing up, and the cameras just slightly off. It can certainly be remoted [activated by remote control] if theres any perceived danger, and thats certainly the decision of the armorer on set.

So, why are rules in Europe and parts of the U.S. different when it comes to using guns on movie sets?

Ricci chalks it up to cultural differences. The rapport Americans have with weapons is different. We all know that in the U.S., everyone is free to buy a gun.

He noted that until a few years ago, when U.S. productions came to Italy, they found it absurd that the weapons they brought [overseas] had to be deactivated, because then they could no longer function as such.

A deactivated gun is only usable on set, Ricci said. You cant turn around and resell it as a proper weapon.

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The Czech Republics premier nonfiction fest, the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, launched its 25th edition Tuesday in the historic towns renovated cultural center, previewing an impressive program that accompanies its first fully live version in two years.

Fest director Marek Hovorka greeted the audience with fond memories of the improvements the event  and the communist-era hall  have seen since the Ji.hlava fest was launched as colleagues recalled it was considered a crazy idea at the time. Noting that not just film festivals but education and culture were largely sidetracked over the past year due to COVID risks, Hovorka said the lesson is that losing these can have bad consequences for society.

Following tradition, the prize for the Short Joy competition winner, chosen by a global audience watching the films online on the fest platform DAFilms.cz, was awarded this year to Colombian-Portuguese film Open Mountain by Colombian filmmaker Maria Rojas Arias.

The short focuses on a long-forgotten revolution when, in July 1929, a group of cobblers organized a one-day revolution in a village in an attempt to improve living and working conditions in the country.

The director appeared remotely, offering thanks and pledging that film must carry on. She has described the films message of struggle and vigilance, saying, The characters in this story live believing that their struggle does not end.

Diana Tabakov, executive director of DAFilms, said, This year, Short Joy offered a remarkable representation of the contemporary world. However, the weight of the current problems must not eliminate the lessons of the past.

Rojas Arias work made of found footage pieces that come together to create an exquisite audiovisual experience, exemplifies that approach, said Tabakov, who also announced the platforms launch of DAFilms Junior, which will provides innovative content for children ages 3 to 12.

The Respekt Award for the best TV, video and online investigative reporting, given out by the Czech news magazine Respekt, went to a reportage collage that followed the Czech prime ministers unsuccessful campaign to be re-elected this year, A Look at Babis and his Rallies, or What his PR Will Never Reveal by Vaclav Dolejsi.

His footage shows a phalanx of burly bodyguards blocking critics of Babis, a controversial billionaire who controls a media empire, from getting close to him and records a promotional event devolving into fights as authorities tangle with an angry crowd.

The award for outstanding producer, recognized by the Czech Audiovisual Producers Association with its World Excellence Award, was also given out, as Czech documentarian and producer Radim Prochazka honored French colleague Jacques Bidou.

Following its online-only version last year, the Ji.hlava fests current edition will offer streaming of live events in Czech and English, including interviews with filmmakers, film recommendations and other tips as well as audience polls. There will also be a regular time slot devoted to Ji.hlava for Kids, the Inspiration Forum of figures who are docu-worthy subjects, and the Industry program, which recognizes the work of upcoming producers and offers looks at new docs in the pipeline from the U.S. and Europe.

Highlights will be two discussions in the Inspiration Forum, one the online appearance of American feminist, philosopher and gender studies authority Judith Butler. Canadian philosopher and writer Nick Srnicek will also appear, talking about developments in digital technologies.

Following the opening gala, the Belarussian doc When Flowers Are Not Silent by Andrei Kutsila screened, capturing in detail the brutal suppression of demonstrations against last years rigged presidential election in Belarus.

Kutsila introduced the film, saying he hopes it will help all people to support us in our fight.

The re-election of Alexander Lukashenko, which saw opposition candidates terrorized, was called fraudulent by the European Union, and has been rejected by a large part of the population. Kutsilas film shows demonstrators rounded up and recounting imprisonment, abuse and beatings on a scale not seen since the days of the Soviet Union.

The documentary is a brave testimony of the states violent repression against peaceful protests, Hovorka says. It shows how brutally this last European dictatorship resists the transformation of Belarus into a freer society. With this special screening, we want to support the Belarusian opposition and all of the countrys citizens who want to live in a free world.

The films director added, Both in the Czech Republic and in Poland demonstrations and regular manifestations of freedom of speech are organized, but Belarus has nothing like that, except perhaps for some online forums.

When Flowers Are Not Silent is included in the main international competition section, Opus Bonum.

The fest has also announced a new look for its awards, the work of Federico Diaz, a prominent Czech artist with Argentinean roots, who has created digital visualizations of Twitter comments for the event.

The fest, running in live and streaming versions, runs through Oct. 31, after which its films will continue to stream for two weeks.

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The possibility of criminal charges resulting from the tragic death on the set of Rust is coming into focus as the industry grapples with the fallout from the Oct. 21 gun accident that left 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins dead.

The investigations by authorities in Santa Fe, N.M., are looking deeper into what went wrong on the Bonanza Creek Ranch set outside the city where the Alec Baldwin indie Western was in the midst of a 21-day shoot.

Santa Fe County authorities, including Sheriff Adan Mendoza and District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, are expected to fill in some details about the incident in a news conference on the case set for today at 9 a.m. PT. But Carmack-Altwies has also warned the probe will still take weeks.

Authorities have issued two search warrants to retrieve items from the ranch, including spent casings from the blanks used in guns on the set and swabs of blood. The accident happened in the afternoon during a rehearsal that also left Rust director Joel Souza with a shoulder wound. According to court documents, Baldwin was handling the gun at the time it went off. Moments before, he had been told it was a cold gun, meaning it was not loaded, by first assistant director Dave Halls.

In the days since, damning reports about Halls safety track record on past film and TV productions have surfaced. The first AD was fired in 2019 from the movie Freedoms Path after a gun accidentally went off, injuring a crew member, the producers confirmed to Variety. A prop maker who worked with Halls two years ago on the Hulu series Into the Dark also went public with her concerns and the fact that she filed a complaint about him to Blumhouse Television.

Halls has not returned multiple requests from Variety for comment. A representative for Rust Movie Prods. LLC, the holding company registered in New Mexico for the production, which began Oct. 6, declined comment beyond its initial statement to Variety. But representatives for the producers emphasize that they have been cooperating with all investigations.

None of the producers of Rust have been contacted by the New Mexico District Attorneys office, producers said in a statement issued Tuesday. We will continue to fully cooperate with any and all law-enforcement investigations as they work through the details of this heartbreaking tragedy.

Hutchins death has incensed the close-knit community of line producers, crew and technical artisans over the alleged lapses of safety protocols on the $7 million movie. It has raised big questions about the responsibilities that producers bear and sounded the alarm about the dangers of having inexperienced producers trying to pull off elaborate productions.

The Rust accident is under investigation by police in New Mexico as well as the states Occupational Health and Safety Bureau. Insurers for the film will also launch probes. As authorities dig in, a shocking picture is coming into focus of an allegedly chaotic set with inexperienced crew members in key roles such as the handling of firearms.

In addition to questions about Halls role, a podcast interview with Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the 24-year-old armorer in charge of firearms for Rust, has also surfaced in which she admitted to feeling unprepared before taking on the same job in a previous film. In a now ominous admission, Reed said in last months Voices of the West podcast that loading blanks into a prop gun is the scariest thing to me. The outrage over the apparent lack of preparation for the dangerous work of handling guns on set has spurred a call for Hollywood to adopt a blanket ban on the use of real firearms on sets. Visual effects and green-screen technology make it easier and cheaper than ever to use technical wizardry to avoid dangerous situations on sets with blanks and firearm mishaps.

The death of Hutchins, a rising-star DP who was the mother of a 9-year-old son, has also stirred major questions about the actions and responsibilities of the seven production entities that were involved in Rust, led by Baldwins El Dorado Pictures.

According to a New Mexico state database, Rust Movie Prods. LLC was created on Aug. 27, 2021. The companys mailing address and principal place of business was listed as the same address as Thomasville Pictures, which is one of the companies attached to Rust. Thomasville Pictures is a production services company based in Thomasville, Ga., which is led by Allen Cheney and Ryan Donnell Smith. Both are credited as producers on Rust. Cheney, Smith and others connected to Rust, including Baldwin, did not respond to requests for comment.

The question of liability in a situation like a movie that draws multiple investors can be tricky, but legal experts say that they expect the producers will be entangled in myriad legal cases as well as insurance and wrongful death claims. Its also possible that Halls or Gutierrez Reed could face criminal charges, though negligent manslaughter cases are hard to prosecute.

Theyre difficult to prove, says criminal defense attorney Richard D. Kaplan. You have to prove someone did something so outside the norm and egregious that youre taking an accident and making it criminal. You have to show recklessness.

The anger unleashed by Hutchins death has prompted an outpouring of anecdotes about dangerous conditions on set that have been exacerbated by time constraints and budget pressures.

The exponential spike in the making of TV content has put an enormous strain on below-the-line crews. As a low-budget indie film production, Rust appears to reflect the difficulty of attracting seasoned pros at a time when there is so much demand for skilled workers.

Production professionals also expressed frustration with producers who lean on crews to get the day done at any cost as if its a macho thing, says one veteran grip. That mindset is one of the first things that needs to change, industry leaders say.

The concept that schedule is more important than safety, or the budget is more important than people, is one that simply cannot be allowed to persist, says Michael Miller, IATSE 4th international VP. If youre on a set and your crews are telling you that its not safe, listen to them. Halynas death reminds us that our fight to protect the safety of ourselves and our co-workers is never over. It must continue each day in every workplace, and on every set.

Joyce Gilliard couldnt believe her ears when she first heard about Hutchins death. An IATSE member hairstylist and filmmaker, Gilliard was one of seven production workers injured in 2014 while working on the indie film Midnight Rider in the train accident that killed Sarah Jones, a 27-year-old camera operator. That tragedy reverberated around the industry and led to tighter rules concerning dangerous location work. On some sets, the mandatory daily safety meeting that is required to be held before the start of every production day has become known as the Jonesy.

Gilliards life changed in an instant when she was hit by the train, leaving her left arm broken in two. She still has plates and screws in her arm from the reconstructive surgery. She has resumed working in TV and film as a hairstylist, and she has been on a one-woman crusade to advocate for better safety training and professional licensing in connection with film production. She launched the ISafe! TV & Film production nonprofit venture that promotes the mantra Work. Be Safe. Go Home. I didnt know the rules for walking around railroad trestles on the day that I was hit, Gilliard tells Variety. There wasnt a safety meeting called that day. There are rules and regulations, but people dont follow them.

In the case of Midnight Rider, director Randall Miller wound up serving a little more than a year in jail for involuntary manslaughter.

Gilliard emphasizes that she doesnt know the specifics of what happened on Rust. But she and many others in production point to the general problem of inexperienced producers and crews trying to push the envelope on elaborate productions.

Gilliard says the tone is set across any production by the top leaders. Producers, in her view, need to take more responsibility for mandating that attention  not just lip service  be paid to safety at all levels. For one thing, Gilliard adds, OSHA-style state and federal fines need to be jacked up considerably beyond five figures if they are to deter people working with multimillion-dollar budgets.

Gilliard also cited the stronger enforcement role for IATSE as the union for production workers.

Now theyre doing more because theyre hearing us, she says. Weve been complaining for years and years and years. I think they need to step up and do more now, but its changing because theyre hearing us.

Michael Schneider contributed to this report.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  In March, as claims about the dangers and ineffectiveness of coronavirus vaccines spun across social media and undermined attempts to stop the spread of the virus, some Facebook employees thought they had found a way to help.

By subtly altering how posts about vaccines are ranked in peoples newsfeeds, researchers at the company realized they could curtail the misleading information individuals saw about COVID-19 vaccines and offer users posts from legitimate sources like the World Health Organization.

Given these results, Im assuming were hoping to launch ASAP, one Facebook employee wrote in March, responding to the internal memo about the study.

Instead, Facebook shelved some suggestions from the study. Other changes werent made until April.

When another Facebook researcher suggested disabling comments on vaccine posts in March until the platform could do a better job of tackling anti-vaccine messages lurking in them, that proposal was ignored at the time.

Critics say Facebook was slow to act because it worried it might impact the companys profits.

Why would you not remove comments? Because engagement is the only thing that matters, said Imran Ahmed, the CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, an internet watchdog group. It drives attention and attention equal eyeballs and eyeballs equal ad revenue.

In an emailed statement, Facebook said it has made considerable progress this year with downgrading vaccine misinformation in users feeds.

Facebooks internal discussions were revealed in disclosures made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form by former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugens legal counsel. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including The Associated Press.

The trove of documents shows that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook carefully investigated how its platforms spread misinformation about life-saving vaccines. They also reveal rank-and-file employees regularly suggested solutions for countering anti-vaccine misinformation on the site, to no avail. The Wall Street Journal reported on some of Facebooks efforts to deal with antivaccine comments last month.

The inaction raises questions about whether Facebook prioritized controversy and division over the health of its users.

These people are selling fear and outrage, said Roger McNamee, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist and early investor in Facebook who is now a vocal critic. It is not a fluke. It is a business model.

Typically, Facebook ranks posts by engagement  the total number of likes, dislikes, comments and reshares. That ranking scheme may work well for innocuous subjects like recipes, dog photos or the latest viral singalong. But Facebooks own documents show that when it comes to divisive, contentious issues like vaccines, engagement-based ranking only emphasizes polarization, disagreement and doubt.

To study ways to reduce vaccine misinformation, Facebook researchers changed how posts are ranked for more than 6,000 users in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil and the Philippines. Instead of seeing posts about vaccines that were chosen based on their engagement, these users saw posts selected for their trustworthiness.

The results were striking: a nearly 12% decrease in content that made claims debunked by fact-checkers and an 8% increase in content from authoritative public health organizations such as the WHO or U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Employees at the company reacted with exuberance, according to internal exchanges.

Is there any reason we wouldnt do this? one Facebook employee wrote in response.

Facebook said it did implement many of the study's findings  but not for another month, a delay that came at a pivotal stage of the global vaccine rollout.

In a statement, company spokeswoman Dani Lever said the internal documents dont represent the considerable progress we have made since that time in promoting reliable information about COVID-19 and expanding our policies to remove more harmful COVID and vaccine misinformation.

The company also said it took time to consider and implement the changes.

Yet the need to act urgently couldnt have been clearer: At that time, states across the U.S. were rolling out vaccines to their most vulnerable  the elderly and sick. And public health officials were worried. Only 10% of the population had received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. And a third of Americans were thinking about skipping the shot entirely, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Despite this, Facebook employees acknowledged they had no idea just how bad anti-vaccine sentiment was in the comments sections on Facebook posts. But company research in February found that as much as 60% of the comments on vaccine posts were anti-vaccine or vaccine reluctant.

Even worse, company employees admitted they didnt have a handle on catching those comments, or a policy in place to take them down.

Our ability to detect (vaccine hesitancy) in comments is bad in English  and basically non-existent elsewhere, another internal memo posted on March 2 said.

Los Angeles resident Derek Beres, an author and fitness instructor, sees anti-vaccine content thrive in the comments every time he promotes immunizations on his account on Instagram, which is owned by Facebook. Last year, Beres began hosting a podcast after noticing conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and vaccines were swirling on the social media feeds of health and wellness influencers.

Earlier this year, when Beres posted a picture of himself receiving the COVID-19 shot, some on social media told him he would likely drop dead in six months time.

The comments section is a dumpster fire for so many people, Beres said.

Some Facebook employees suggesting disabling all commenting on vaccine posts while the company worked on a solution.

Very interested in your proposal to remove ALL in-line comments for vaccine posts as a stopgap solution until we can sufficiently detect vaccine hesitancy in comments to refine our removal, one Facebook employee wrote on March 2.

The suggestion went nowhere until mid-April, when Lever said the company stopped showing previews of popular comments on vaccine posts.

Instead, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on March 15 that the company would start labeling posts about vaccines that described them as safe.

The move allowed Facebook to continue to get high engagement  and ultimately profit  off anti-vaccine comments, said Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

Facebook has taken decisions which have led to people receiving misinformation which caused them to die, Ahmed said. At this point, there should be a murder investigation.

___

Seitz reported from Columbus, Ohio.
3 1 of 3 Courtesy /Laredo Fire Department Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy photo /Laredo Fire Department Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Laredo police are releasing more information on a crash that left a 12-year-old girl critically wounded and a 53-year-old woman in serious condition.

At about 4:44 p.m. Monday, a white 2012 Nissan Rogue and a white 2019 Ford F-750 work truck crashed in the 5300 block of Interstate 35 in front of Mall del Norte. Preliminary investigation showed that the Nissan had stalled out due to mechanical issues and left inoperable in the middle lane. The Ford then rear-ended the Nissan and sent it into the middle divider of the highway, according to police.
The Laredo Center for the Arts will host its annual Dia de los Muertos celebration Nov. 2 in honor of loved ones who have passed amid the pandemic and beyond. The event will be free and open to the public, where they are invited to participate at the center after an All-Souls Day Mass.

According to Rosie Santos, Director of the LCA, the event will begin at 5 p.m. at the St. Augustin Cathedral with a Mass service before participants are led in a procession by the Mariachi Agave to the center. There, families can enjoy the different food vendors, art activities, a DJ and more between 6-9 p.m.

As the 2020 celebration was held virtually, Santos has proudly pulled out all the stops this year, and families will be able to see five Ballet Folklorico dance groups, art workshops and an Altar Contest with a cash prize. This year will also see the return of the Catrin and Catrina contest, and Santos encourages people to visit the celebration dressed up to participate.

The contest itself is sponsored by the Uni-Trade center and will be split between two contests: one for Laredo and the other for Nuevo Laredo residents. Mexican Consul General Juan Carlos Mendoza Sanchez said the altar submissions will require both a mid-assembly photo of the altar and a complete photo that will then be posted on Facebook for a community vote.

The altar competition will provide first-, second- and third-place winners a cash prize of $750, $500 and $250 for their respective placing between both competitions. There is still time for families to build their altar to honor their loved ones and have a chance to share their creativity, as submissions will be taken until Nov. 1 at noon.

The Facebook contest will begin the day of the celebration and run until Nov. 5, which will then be tallied and reviewed for the winners to be announced Nov. 8. However, Facebook is not the only place to see lavish and creative altars, as the center will also host a number of them on its second floor, made by the community members.

Santos said creating an altar at home can be as easy and creative as the family wants it to be.

There are several elements to an altar, Santos said. You can make a seven-level altar: thats the seven different levels leading to heaven. Its essential to include papel picado that represents air, salt to represent earth, (then) water, food, photos of your loved one and anything that belongs to them. If it was a child, maybe some toys. And then you need to place a marigold that leads them to their altar.

Santos continued to say that due to so many experiencing the pain and loss as a result of the pandemic, the celebration is a commemoration of that loved ones life.

As of Oct. 25, the City of Laredo has reported 969 deaths as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of casualties in Nuevo Laredo is still undetermined, but families throughout the communities will have this November to celebrate their loved ones lives.

In light of this, the LCA set up a community altar inviting the public to bring flowers, offerings and photos of their loved ones.

As for children, the movie Coco will be shown by the Laredo Film Society which shows many of the items Santos said makes a proper altar.

The 2017 film made waves in the Hispanic community for its depiction of the Dia de los Muertos celebration, its historic roots within the culture and the familial bonds shared throughout the U.S. and Mexico. Its colorful depiction of the land of the dead, gripping story and music captured the heart of children and adults alike, thus making it a mainstay in the LCA celebration.

Mendoza-Sanchez highlighted the importance of Dias de los Muertos as one of the unique aspects of Mexican culture and how it describes the stages of life and death, honoring of ones ancestors and the continuation of the tradition that originated in Mexico.

According to National Geographic, Dia de los Muertos honors the dead with festivals and lively celebrations combining indigenous Aztec ritual with Catholicism, brought to the region by Spanish conquistadores. The celebration and upbeat outlook on the death of loved ones is done in an effort to not insult the dead but instead to celebrate life the way the dead would have enjoyed.

Dia de los Muertos recognizes death as a natural part of the human experience, a continuum with birth, childhood and growing up to become a contributing member of the community, National Geographic writes. On Dia de los Muertos, the dead are also a part of the community, awakened from their eternal sleep to share celebrations with their loved ones.

cocampo@lmtonline.com
LISBON, Portugal (AP)  Portugals parliament on Wednesday rejected the minority Socialist governments proposed state budget for 2022, a move expected to trigger an early election and put a brake on the countrys post-pandemic recovery plans.

After weeks of negotiations, the moderate Socialists were deserted by their hard-left allies from the Communist Party and the Left Bloc. Those two parties have helped shore up the governments power over the past six years by voting for its policies or abstaining.

The budget proposal was defeated by 117 votes to 108, with five abstentions.

My conscience is clear," Prime Minister Antonio Costa told lawmakers. "Because I did all I could to make this budget work without adding anything to it that would be to the countrys detriment.

Referring to economic recovery efforts, he said the last thing Portugal needs, and the Portuguese deserve, is a political crisis at this moment.

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who has no executive powers but oversees the running of the country, had warned that he would call an early election if parliament did not approve next years government spending plan. He could make an official announcement next week, after consultations with political parties and others.

The governments current four-year term is due to end in 2023.

Due to constitutional requirements that must be met before an election can be held, and taking into account the Christmas vacation period, the early election would probably take place in January.

That means a new 2022 spending program probably wouldnt go before parliament before April.

The timetable consigns Portugal to months of political limbo just when the government was poised to fire up the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic by deploying 45 billion euros ($52 billion) in aid from the European Union.

On top of that, the emergence of smaller parties that have won seats in parliament in recent years, including a surging right-wing populist party, have muddied the political outlook, according to Francisco Pereira Coutinho, a politics professor at Lisbons Universidade Nova.

This crisis is less worrying than what might be coming afterward ... with a more unstable and volatile political situation than we have now, he said.

A popular mass vaccination campaign has helped Portugal, for the moment, largely contain COVID-19. The way things stand, with fewer than 1,000 new cases a day since mid-September and daily deaths in single figures, the pandemic shouldnt hold up an election in the country of 10.3 million.

Recent opinion polls suggest the Socialist Party would easily win an election but would again fall short of a parliamentary majority.

Costa, the prime minister for the past six years whose political profile in the EU rose considerably during Portugals presidency of the bloc last year, is widely considered a candidate for an international job. A poor election result could be his cue to depart national office.

Both the Communist Party and Left Bloc lost votes in Portugal's 2019 election, with their decline in popularity blamed in part on their support for the more moderate Socialists.

The center-right Social Democratic Party, the main opposition, is caught up in a leadership battle and has largely failed to capitalize on the governments predicament.

The Socialists differences with their hard-left allies piled up this year. Key disagreements included the size of a minimum salary increase, new rules on workers rights in the gig economy and working from home, income tax increases, public health spending and pension entitlements.
The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks!

Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics.

The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc.

The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics.

The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates.

Access to college recruiters and advisors  its harder to line up higher education.

Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family.

Vote

View Results
Longford's haulage sector is falling apart at the seams as carbon tax hikes on diesel and chronic truck driver shortages threaten the industry's very existence.

Budgetary increases announced last month which saw an extra 1.51 added to the price of a tank of diesel has seen fuel bills rise fourfold in some parts of the county.

To add to those anxieties, the deep-seated scarcity of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers in the UK has led to similar headaches this side of the Irish Sea due to ever-increasing red tape barriers.

Orla Barry, of Longford-based transport company Barry Express, said the crisis facing the sector was the worst she had experienced in over thirty years.

This time last year the cost of bulk buying diesel to our company was  0.86 plus VAT per litre, compared to today where we are now paying 1.23 plus VAT per litre, she said.

Put simply, the rise in diesel charges has inflicted a 44 per cent increase on the Longford firm's outgoings or around 180,000 a year in additional fuel costs alone.

Orla conceded the added financial burden is one she unavoidably will have to pass onto consumers or run the risk of potentially going to the wall.

To put that into perspective it (diesel hike) costs our company an extra 14,800 per month to run our fleet of vehicles, she confided.

This is not to mention the increased costs of labour, vehicles, tyres, and maintenance of our fleet.

Orla bemoaned recent comments made by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe which intimated fuel price increases are here to stay as Ireland looks to become a carbon-neutral country by 2050.

She said increased obstacles placed in front of would-be drivers have scared many aspiring, young HGV operators into other fields of employment, leaving companies like Orla with an ageing workforce and an almost daily battle to procure new personnel.

Is it any wonder that when you open Facebook, Instagram, trucker sites, newspapers and job sites that there are hundreds of vacancies for drivers when they have to jump through all these hoops in order to even consider becoming one? Orla questioned.

Those uncertainties are ones that have likewise been aired to government bosses by a raft of key stakeholder groups.

Back in July, the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) warned Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State at the Department of Transport of how the shortage of lorry drivers nationwide has now become so serious that it represented a significant challenge to the effective distribution of goods both domestically and internationally.

Think about this, a medical intern can be your doctor in a hospital before being fully qualified, albeit they are part of a team as are all drivers, yet the qualified truck driver can't drive a truck without two years experience, but how can he or she get that experience?

Orla called on government leaders to wake up and smell the coffee or face the prospect of asking an already hard-pressed taxpayer to underpin a sector that's already trying to withstand the fallout from Brexit.

The Government must act before we start experiencing the same problems as with the UK, like bringing drivers out of retirement in order to make deliveries and training the army to deliver goods, she contended.

The result of this is the transport cost of goods and services are going to escalate to the consumer.

The cost of HGV vehicles and trailers are now escalating at an alarming rate due to the shortage of semiconductors, steel, and other commodities.

If that wasn't enough, new vehicles are not being produced and lead-in times (to purchase new lorries) are up to and over 18 months.

Where is it all going to end? The mind boggles.
A High Court judge has allowed An Bord Pleanala permission to appeal his decision to quash a planning permission granted to a subsidiary of Bord na Mona to build a windfarm to the Court of Appeal.

The application relates to a 24-turbine windfarm, which if constructed to its maximum dimensions, would be the joint tallest structures in Ireland, with a tip height of 185m.

In his judgement earlier this year Mr Justice Richard Humphreys upheld a challenge brought by environmentalist Peter Sweetman against the proposal to build a windfarm - Derryadd Wind Farm - at Mountdillon Peat Production Bog, near Lanesboro, in Co Longford.

The judge quashed the permission on grounds including that the application to build the windfarm did not contain the level of detail required to allow the planning authority grant permission.

EU laws proved key in overturning Derryadd Windfarm planning approval The law firm who successfully managed to lead a High Court challenge against a controversial wind farm in south Longford has said discrepancies with EU planning regulations proved crucial in winning the case.

Mr Sweetman's action is against An Bord Pleanala, Ireland and the Attorney General. The developer of the proposed windfarm, Bord na Mona Powergen Limited, is a notice party to the proceedings.

Arising out of the judgement the board and the developer sought permission from the judge to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeal.



In a ruling on Tuesday the judge said he was prepared to allow an appeal of his decision on the basis that "the practical operation of the planning system would be enhanced by the clarification of certain questions, albeit not those formulated by the board."

The judge said that the board, in seeking leave to appeal the decision had stated that the judgement has extremely wide-ranging implications. That concern, he said, was "overblown."

"I do not think that the implications of the judgement are as theatrical as suggested."

Likewise claims by the developer in its application to have the matter referred to the COA "slightly overcooks" the implications of the decision, he added.

The judge added that the developer had also suggested that the court could consider referring questions arising out of the judgement it would deem appropriate to the COA.

This was the approach that the court intended to take, the judge said, adding that perhaps the issues raised in the case might benefit from "a leapfrog" appeal direct to the Supreme Court.

The points of exceptional public importance to be referred to the COA relate to Irish domestic law, he said.

The judge added that before the order granting leave to appeal is perfected, he was also giving Mr Sweetman an opportunity to consider if he wishes to cross appeal any aspect of his decision.

Permission to construct the windfarm was granted in June 2020. As the proposed windfarm was deemed to be strategic infrastructure the developer made the application directly to An Bord Pleanala.

In his action Mr Sweetman claimed the board had erred in law in accepting an application without an appropriate level of detail in respect of design contrary to EU law and domestic Planning & Development Regulations 2001.

The plans and particulars lodged by the developer in respect of the turbines which is one of if not the largest series of structures ever to be constructed in Ireland had no detail in terms of their design relative to their particular siting and were completely inadequate, it was also argued.

The documents lodged showed virtually no detail and no specific detail and given the scale and extent of the development, and the likely consequences and impacts, it was impossible to formulate any definitive findings in respect of the windfarm's impact, it was further claimed.

The board and the notice party both opposed Mr Sweetman's application.
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has received Government approval to draft a law that will give new rights to employees, which prohibits the use of tips and gratuities to make up contractual rates of pay.

This will include new requirements for employers to clearly display their policy on how both card and cash tips, gratuities, and service charges are distributed. All electronic tips must be distributed fairly and in a transparent way.

Leo Varadker said this new law will give workers legal protections over tips and it will mean that any tips received cannot be counted towards an employees basic pay.

This means tips must be counted as additional and separate, according to the draft law.

"I know many people are sometimes unsure how or if tips and service charges are distributed when paying for a meal and once this law is enacted, all employers will be required to show clearly how tips and service charges are dealt with in a business." added the Tanaiste.

It is hoped this new law will provide clarity for both customers and staff.

The aim of the Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Bill is to:

Provide clarity on the meaning of tips, gratuities, and service charges; Place tips and gratuities, but not service charges, outside the scope of a persons contractual wages;

Oblige employers to display prominently their policy on the distribution of both cash and card tips;

Oblige employers to distribute fairly, equitably and in a transparent manner, tips that are received in electronic form i.e. through debit or credit cards or smartphones.

Employees will have a legal entitlement to receive tips paid in electronic form and will be paid out in a fair manner.
Local News, Health & Wellness

By Chris Boyle Published: October 27 2021

County-wide effort in partnership with Safe Center LI comes on Purple Thursday, a national day of action each October during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran has announced the Safe Dates initiative, a push to implement a free abusive dating prevention program in middle schools and high schools across the County. The program Safe Dates, strives to help teens recognize signs of an unhealthy relationship and arm them with skills to develop healthy ones to ultimately avoid patterns that could lead to mental health issues, substance abuse and domestic violence. The program comes at no cost to the schools and is presented by Safe Center LI, the Countys nonprofit partner, with support from Currans Family & Domestic Violence Task Force.

The initiative was announced on Purple Thursday, a national day of action each October during Domestic Violence Awareness Month and as the tragic death of Long Islands Gabby Petito continues to shed light on the importance of educating young people on the issue. To further promote the program, the County and Safe Center will host a virtual education session and Q&A for the public  including students, parents, and educators  through Facebook live on Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 6:00pm.

Nassau County continues to expand services and provide unwavering support for victims of abusive relationships, while working on the grass roots level to break the cycle with education and early intervention like the Safe Dates program, said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. The recent tragic death of 22-year-old Gabby Petito has underscored the importance of ensuring our young people recognize the red flags of an unhealthy relationship and arming them with the tools to develop healthy ones. With the Safe Dates initiative, we urge our schools to sign up and join our commitment to stop the cycle of domestic and dating violence in its tracks.

Senator Anna M. Kaplan said The Gabby Petito tragedy underscores the dire need to teach our kids about the dangerous reality of controlling and abusive relationships, and early education is the key to ensuring they learn how to make healthy decisions, and learn the signs of potential danger ahead. Nassau Countys new Safe Dates Initiative is a critical resource to help our kids learn about healthy relationships, and I urge every school district in our community to sign up to offer these free educational workshops to their students. I applaud Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and the Safe Center for this innovative partnership that will undoubtedly help countless children in our community.

The Nassau County Police Department strongly suggests and recommends that all victims of domestic violence report all incidents to the police department immediately, said Commissioner of Police Patrick Ryder. Once a report is made, our police officers can assist our victims with referrals and services as they move forward to eliminate the cycle of violence and abuse. Our police liaisons located in each precinct and headquarters are also trained to monitor and identify a variety of issues and concerns that may negatively affect our victims and their families. We continue to work with the Safe Center to offer numerous resources that will lead to a positive outcome.

Conversations about healthy relationships and boundaries should start as soon as possible to help protect children. The Safe Centers free program, Safe Dates, provides comprehensive, age appropriate, tools for children to use in recognizing warning signs of unhealthy relationship while fostering skills that build upon positive relationships, said Keith Scott, Director of Education at The Safe Center LI.

The Safe Dates initiative highlights the difference between healthy and safe behavior in relationships and unhealthy or abusive behavior by teaching students healthy communication, boundaries, trust and support, and mutual respect within relationships. The program equips young people with the tools needed to recognize red flags in a relationship and provides information on what steps they can take if they see signs of unhealthy or abusive behavior in a relationship. The Safe Date initiative brings awareness and information about dating violence to young people and works towards reducing behaviors that lead to dating violence in the first place, said Jeanine Diehl, Esq. Executive Director Nassau County Office of Crime Victim Advocate.

Safe Dates is an important initiative in stemming the cycle of violence and promoting the health, mental health and well-being of our young people in Nassau County, said Nancy Nunziata, Commissioner of Social Services and Chair of Nassaus Family & Domestic Violence Task Force.

The County Executive made the announcement alongside school officials at Elmont Memorial High School, highlighting the Countys commitment to implement this program in schools located in minority communities, in an effort to address the disproportionate impact domestic and dating violence has on black and brown teens.

The Safe Center has been providing the Safe Dates program to schools in Nassau for the past five years but only six or seven schools typically participate. With a renewed effort, the County will be working to expand the program throughout Nassaus 56 school districts.

The Safe Dates curriculum constantly evolves to include culturally relevant issues, relevant current events and updates on laws like those related to sexting and revenge porn. The County Executive cited signing a bill in March 2019 that outlaws distributing intimate photographs without consent. The offense, often referred to as revenge porn, is now punishable by up to a year in jail.

Safe Dates is just the latest County initiative to combat domestic violence. Nassau County PD raised the alarm early about a disturbing uptick in domestic violence calls during the pandemic, citing a 10% increase in early 2020  before leveling off with the reopening of businesses.

The County worked with the Safe Center to offer more help for victims including a 24-hour hotline, shelter and child advocacy services. To promote resources available, the County created and utilized a multi-agency Public Safety Announcement, imploring community engagement in assisting victims of familial violence during COVID-19. Additionally, the County expanded language access to ensure that all victims have access to victims services.

More than 5,000 victims of domestic violence are receiving services through the Countys domestic violence agencies: The Safe Center LI, Circulo de la Hispanidad and Domestic Harmony, the Countys newest partner in combating family and domestic violence in the South Asian and Muslim communities.

Those in need of assistance or who may know someone who may be a victim, please call:
Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: October 27 2021

An arrest warrant has been issued for Colin Jerrick, who is wanted for shooting Ajala Carpenter-Toney, 23, of Amityville.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are seeking the publics help to locate a man who is wanted in connection with two homicides.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Colin Jerrick, who is wanted for shooting Ajala Carpenter-Toney, 23, of Amityville, to death during a party on Grand Boulevard in Wyandanch on June 13, 2020. In addition to Carpenter-Toney, seven other people were shot during the party. One man has been in a coma since the shooting and six others recovered.

Jerrick, 42, whose last known address is in North Amityville, is also wanted in connection with the murder of Elbert Wright, 28, of Massapequa, that occurred in North Amityville on July 31, 2020.

Jerrick also has ties to Huntington Station, Bay Shore, Florida and Guyana.
(Alliance News) - BP PLC and Daimler Truck AG are to partner on the development of hydrogen infrastructure and the introduction of hydrogen-powered trucks in the UK, the two companies announced Wednesday.

The agreement will see the two firms aim to introduce a hydrogen network, supporting the roll-out of technology for the decarbonisation of UK freight transport.

Under the partnership, BP will assess the feasibility of designing, constructing, operating and supplying a network of up to 25 hydrogen refuelling stations across the UK by 2030. The stations would be supplied by BP with "green hydrogen" a generated from water using renewable power, the company claimed.

Daimler Truck would then deliver hydrogen-powered fuel-cell trucks to its UK customers from 2025, the German auto giant said.

"Hydrogen is critical to decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors a and for heavy and long-distance freight it is sometimes the only answer," commented Emma Delaney, BP executive vice president for customer and products.

"Working with a leading manufacturer like Daimler Truck we can accelerate the deployment of both vehicles and infrastructure and pioneer the use of hydrogen to fuel the next generation of [UK] freight."

Shares in BP were 1.1% lower in London on Wednesday at 355.15 pence each. Daimler shares were down 0.7% at EUR82.65 in Frankfurt.

By Will Paige; willpaige@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Pacific Assets Trust PLC - Asia Pacific-focused investor - Says net asset value per share rises 4.5% to 359.6 pence in six months to July 31, from 344.1p at end of January. Total return amounts to 5.6%, topping 5.1% return from company's performance objective. The performance benchmark is UK consumer price index added 6%. Meanwhile, MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index returns negative 6.6% in period.

Current stock price: 347.00 pence

Year-to-date change: up 8.3%

By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The NHS Test & Trace programme in the UK "has not achieved its main objective" to enable people to return to a more normal way of life despite being handed "eye-watering" sums of money, according to a report by MPs.

The Public Accounts Committee said that the programme's outcomes have been "muddled" and a number of its aims have been "overstated or not achieved".

Meanwhile it has been handed the equivalent of 20% of the NHS's entire annual budget a GBP37 billion over two years.

The committee also criticised handling of the cash, highlighting that the programme has still not managed to reduce the number of expensive contractors a who are paid an average of GBP1,100 per day a and has not developed a "flexible" approach to using laboratories, which "risks wasting public money".

Test & Trace's "continued over-reliance on consultants is likely to cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds", the report states.

It has been focused on getting programmes up and running and "paid less attention to ensuring these programmes delivered the benefits they promised", it adds.

And uptake of services provided by the programme is "variable" as some vulnerable people are much less likely to take a test than others.

MPs on the cross-party committee said that as the programme is moved into the new UK Health Security Agency it needs a "proper long-term strategy".

Meg Hillier, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said: "The national Test & Trace programme was allocated eye-watering sums of taxpayers' money in the midst of a global health and economic crisis.

"It set out bold ambitions but has failed to achieve them despite the vast sums thrown at it.

"Only 14% of 691 million lateral flow tests sent out had results reported, and who knows how many took the necessary action based on the results they got, or how many were never used.

"The continued reliance on the over-priced consultants who 'delivered' this state of affairs will by itself cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of pounds.

"For this huge amount of money we need to see a legacy system ready to deliver when needed but it's just not clear what there will be to show in the long term. This legacy has to be a focus for government if we are to see any value for the money spent."

The conclusions in the report include:

a NHS Test & Trace "has not achieved its main objective to help break chains of Covid-19 transmission and enable people to return towards a more normal way of life".

a The programme's "continued over-reliance on consultants is likely to cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds".

a Uptake of services provided by Test & Trace is "variable" and "only a minority of people experiencing Covid-19 symptoms get a test", with some groups less likely to take tests compared with others.

a The programme's laboratories approach and contact centre usage is "still not flexible enough to meet changing demand and risks wasting public money".

MPs have set out a series of recommendations and suggested improvements to the programme.

The Test & Trace programme was rapidly developed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, spearheaded by Baroness Harding, with the objective of testing the nation and tracing contacts of positive cases.

Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said in a statement: "NHS Test & Trace has played an essential role in combating this pandemic.

"As the Public Accounts Committee acknowledges, there have been improvements in testing capacity, turnaround times and speed and reach of contact tracing a and improved collaboration with local authorities.

"The fact is NHSTT is saving lives every single day and helping us fight Covid-19 by breaking chains of transmission and spotting outbreaks wherever they exist.

"More than 323 million tests have now been carried out across the UK. NHSTT has now contacted more than 19.9 million people, helping to slow the spread of the virus.

"Testing, contact tracing and the wall of defence built by our vaccination programme are all fundamental to our ongoing efforts to keep people safe as we return to a more normal way of life."

A Government spokesperson said: "We have rightly drawn on the extensive expertise of a number of public and private sector partners who have been invaluable in helping us tackle the virus.

"We have built a testing network from scratch that can process millions of tests a day a more than any European country a providing a free LFD or PCR test to anybody who needs one.

"The new UK Health Security Agency will consolidate the knowledge that now exists across our health system to help us tackle future pandemics and threats."

By Ella Pickover, PA Health Correspondent

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Royal Dutch Shell PLC on Wednesday said it has held early talks with Third Point, after the activist shareholder went as far as suggesting the oil major should split.

Reuters, citing a source close to the matter, on Wednesday reported activist investor Daniel Loeb's Third Point has built a stake worth nearly USD750 million in Shell.

In a third quarter investor letter, Third Point said it "initiated a position" in Shell.

Third Point argued that Shell has "too many competing stakeholders pushing it in too many different directions", resulting in "incoherent, conflicting" strategies.

Third Point said: "Some shareholders want Shell to invest aggressively in renewable energy. Other shareholders want it to prioritize return of capital and enjoy the exposure to legacy oil and gas. Some investors think Shell should shrink to grow, while we suspect some within Shell seem sentimentally attached to its 'super major' legacy.

"Some governments want Shell to decarbonize as rapidly as possible. Other governments want it to continue to invest in oil and gas to keep energy prices affordable for consumers."

Third Point said all Shell stakeholders would benefit from an optimised corporate structure. The activist investor group also said Shell could "match its business units with unique shareholder constituencies who may be interested in different things", using the example of some investors preferring a return of capital and others growth.

Finally, Third Point is pushing for Shell's split into multiple standalone businesses, including a legacy business focused on oil and gas and another arm which could deploy "aggressive" investment in renewables and other carbon reduction technologies.

In response, Shell said it regularly reviews its strategy "with a focus on generating shareholder value".

"Shell welcomes open dialogue with all shareholders, including Third Point. Shell's Investor Relations team has had preliminary conversations with Third Point and we will engage with them, as we do with all of our shareholders," the company said.

"Shell's investor relations team has had preliminary conversations with Third Point and we will engage with them, as we do with all of our shareholders."

Reuters noted that the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the matter, had put the size of the stake at more than USD500 million.

Shell on Wednesday also noted its Powering Progress strategy received the backing of 89% of shareholders at May's annual general meeting. The strategy aims to accelerate the transition to net-zero emissions.

Shell reports third quarter results on Thursday.

By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Britain's government said Wednesday that French warnings of reprisals over restrictions on access for its fishing boats to UK waters were "disappointing and disproportionate".

Responding to a list of planned measures posted by France's Europe Minister Clement Beaune, Brexit minister David Frost tweeted a government statement that "France's threats are disappointing and disproportionate, and not what we would expect from a close ally and partner".

source: AFP

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
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Lycoming Colleges Scholars Program and Institute for Management Studies (IMS) will host a lecture on the cannabis industry and whether cannabis should be legalized. President of Schwazze Biosciences Jim Parco will speak on the topic Tuesday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. in room D001 in the Academic Center. The event is free and open to the public.

The Lycoming College Scholars Program is designed to meet the needs of high-performing students through semester-long interdisciplinary themes, with the current semester focusing on cannabis. The Scholars seminars address topics from a variety of perspectives, from biological and chemical to political and social to cultural and economic perspectives, said Cullen Chandler, professor of history and director of the Scholars Program. Parcos perspective will be enlightening as the seminar discusses the issues of regulations and business practices.

In 2014, Parco and his wife founded Mesa Organics in Pueblo County, bringing the cannabis industry to southern Colorado. The Parcos grew their small retail store to four dispensaries and created Purplebees, a leading Colorado pure CO2 and ethanol extractor and manufacturer. Parco is credited in creating one of the nations largest cannabis supply chains as well as becoming the first to legalize cannabis in the United States. Purplebees partnered with Los Suenos Farms, one of the largest outdoor cultivations. In 2020, Purplebees and Mesa Organics merged with Schwazze, the largest cannabis operator in Colorado.

Prior to his position as a professor at Colorado College, Parco served 24 years in the United States Air Force. While on active duty, he was selected to serve tours on the National Security Council at the White House and at the American Embassy in Israel in a diplomatic capacity. He also taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy and Air Command & Staff College, where he won the top teaching and research awards. He retired as a lieutenant colonel and joined the faculty of Colorado College in 2011.

Parco has published over two dozen peer-reviewed publications as well as authored six books, with his latest currently in the press. Earlier this year, he joined the executive team of Schwazze and ran manufacturing until the company announced the creation of their bioscience division with Parco as its president.

Liberal arts colleges emphasize the ability to teach critical thinking, said Georg Grassmueck, associate professor of business administration and department chair. Jim Parco, as you have seen from his biography, exemplifies the idea of a liberal arts education. He lives and breathes liberal arts and what it represents.
Wrexham owners and Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are in Maidenhead tonight to watch their team play the Magpies at York Road.

Reynolds, star of Deadpool and Free Guy, and his friend McElhenney - the creator and star of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - took 100 per cent control of the Welsh club in February after a bid was approved by fans.

The stars stunned fans as they took their place in the stand to watch the away side line-up against Maidenhead United in the National League clash this evening.

It is the first time the pair have visited the UK to watch Wrexham in action.

The Magpies set about ruining the party, taking a 2-0 lead and prompting fans to chant 'Reynolds, give us a song' and 'Ryan Reynolds, you bought the wrong club'.

Wrexham went down to 10 men but drew level in the second half before a Josh Kelly strike sealed a 3-2 victory for the Magpies.
Spain will give a booster injection of coronavirus vaccines manufactured by Pfizer or Moderna to people who received Johnson&Johnson's single-shot vaccine, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

From Nov. 15, around 2 million people in the country who had the J&J vaccine will get a booster shot, three months after their first vaccine, the ministry said in a statement.

With some 88.5% of its population fully vaccinated, Spain has one of the highest rates of inoculation against COVID-19 in Europe.

Earlier this month, the government began giving out third doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to people aged 70 or over.

The incidence of the virus as measured over the preceding 14 days edged up on Monday to 46.4 cases per 100,000 people but remains below the 50 case threshold deemed to be low-risk by the government.
The pair of Real Madrid losses to Sheriff and Espanyol before the international break left Carlo Ancelotti looking for answers. Nineteen subsequent days without a game allowed him to take a step back and reflect on his mistakes, and he came back with a clear plan.

He decided that the best system for this team was a 4-3-3 and he made that clear in a press conference, not hiding anything. Los Blancos used it against Shakhtar and Barcelona and the results show that it was the right call.

Ancelotti knew he had to win both aforementioned games and he returned to the system that worked so well for him when he had the BBC trident in attack. Without Gareth Bale or Cristiano Ronaldo, Vinicius and Rodrygo have stepped up and have been performing to a very high level. In between them, Karim Benzema has been so good that he's a contender for the Ballon d'Or.

In El Clasico, the plan worked a treat. It allowed Real Madrid to give up the ball and to counterattack the Catalans, with Vinicius causing all sorts of problems for Oscar Mingueza in particular.

The plan against Shakhtar was much the same and it worked as they thumped the Ukrainian side.

A plan with Vinicius in mind

Ancelotti knows that Vinicius is a decisive player, and one who is now living up to the potential he showed when he first arrived at the club. The Italian knows that the youngster can make a real difference for his side and that he has to play when he is available.

Ferland Mendy's presence at left-back also helps, as he gives defensive security so that Vinicius doesn't have to track back as much as he would with another player playing behind him. Plus, when David Alaba is at left-back, Vinicius has to drift into the middle to let the Austrian overlap.

It remains to be seen how Los Blancos will fare against sides who want to sit back and keep them out, but the 4-3-3 and counterattacking approach looks like it will serve them well against bigger sides this season.
Almost a month old, the Aryan Khan drug scandal is slowly and steadily becoming one of the longest ongoing sagas, with a new twist in the tale almost every day. Things took a surprising new turn just recently when NCB's leading official Sameer Wankhede was accused of trying to extort money from SRK for the release of his son, who has been locked up in Arthur Road Jail since October 7.

 Twitter

So far, there has been no confirmation with court proceedings underway in the case after Aryan's bail application was denied yet again. This means that Shah Rukh's eldest stays in jail until the time his bail is accepted and he is reunited with his family. Now, his best friend Arbaaz Merchant, who too was arrested alongside Aryan in the October 2 NCB bust on the Goa-bound cruise ship off Mumbai's coast, has expressed his worries over Aryan's safety.



 Instagram/Aryan Khan

Arbaaz, who along with Munmun Dhamecha and others were arrested for possessing drugs on the ship, recently met his father Aslam Merchant. Now, Aslam while speaking to ETimes, spoke on how Arbaaz, despite being locked up himself has been wary of best friend Aryan's health and treatment.



Innocent kids should not be punished even before trial. As I was leaving, Arbaaz told me, Dad, I will not leave Aryan alone in jail and no harm should be caused to Aryan. We all have come in together here and will leave together from here.' I was so touched by those words; for him friendship is supreme, said Aslam.

 BCCL

Arbaaz's father also expressed concern over his son's deteriorating health, as the teen has lost a lot of weight during his time in jail.



I met him today morning to get details for the bail hearing that is going to take place in the afternoon. I am worried about my sons health and well-being. He has lost 7 kg in one month. The food he is getting in jail is not good and he already is suffering from anxiety. he said.

He also mentioned how he has been helpless in the whole ordeal as despite wanting to hug his son, he just couldn't.

Arbaaz (Merchant) wanted to hug me but couldnt, and it made me very emotional and helpless. I am a father who is unable to even embrace his son who needs a tight reassuring hug, said Aslam.
Though the FDA does set limits on toxic metals in other consumable products - like bottled water, juice, and candy - the agency has failed to adequately regulate baby food, and has, so far, only established just one action level for one type of heavy metal (inorganic arsenic) in one type of baby food product (infant rice cereal). This lack of oversight comes despite the fact that the FDA has concluded that babies' and young children's smaller body sizes and metabolisms make them more vulnerable to the harmful neurotoxic effects of these metals.

The petition sent by the attorneys general seeks to strengthen protections for young children by urging the FDA to issue interim action levels for limiting heavy metal contamination in baby food more swiftly than the timelines announced by the FDA in their "Closer to Zero plan," announced this past April. Under that plan, the FDA would propose guidance on limiting lead in baby food by the middle of 2022, guidance for limiting inorganic arsenic by April 2024, and guidance for limiting cadmium and mercury sometime after April 2024. The members of the "Baby Food Council" - a group created in 2019 by four of the largest baby food brands - have not publicly committed to meeting any particular voluntary targets for reducing the levels of heavy metals in their products, pending FDA action.
Gov. Whitmer Signs Directive Limiting State Purchases of Products Containing PFAS

Gov. Whitmer Signs Directive Limiting State Purchases of Products Containing PFAS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

October 27, 2021

Contact: press@michigan.gov

Gov. Whitmer Signs Directive Limiting State Purchases of Products Containing PFAS

Governor hosts roundtable with residents and community leaders in Oscoda, seeks input on reducing toxic contaminants to keep families safe

LANSING, Mich. - Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an Executive Directive (ED) to minimize the purchase of products containing PFAS by state government. She also hosted a roundtable with Oscoda residents impacted by toxic contaminants from the decommissioned Wurtsmith Air Force Base.

"PFAS are dangerous, man-made chemicals that pose a threat to our health," said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. "I'm proud to sign an Executive Directive today that will require the State of Michigan to procure PFAS-free products whenever possible. While this is a good step, we still have so much more to do to address these forever chemicals. We need to lead with science and work together to keep families safe and ensure Michigan continues leading the nation when it comes to protecting people from toxic contaminants."

"Protecting Michiganders from unnecessary exposure to PFAS chemicals and their risks is the foundation of our state response to find and addresses sources of PFAS contamination," said Liesl Clark, Director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. "Governor Whitmer's directive is a critical step towards accomplishing that mission by using the state's purchasing power to move away from harmful products and toward smarter, safer alternatives. EGLE will continue finding ways to protect public health and our natural resources from PFAS and other toxic contaminants." "It is critical that the products purchased by state government are safe for our residents and employees," said Jared Ambrosier, Chief Procurement Officer for the Department of Technology Management and Budget. "Putting a priority on products that are free of PFAS when making purchasing decisions will reduce the amount of the dangerous chemical present in Michigan. DTMB is proud to be a national leader in this effort."

"This is a ground-breaking and important action by Governor Whitmer on behalf of the people of Michigan," said Tony Spaniola, Co-Chair of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network. "The Governor's Executive Directive makes clear that forever chemicals have no place in our bodies or our environment. We urge businesses across Michigan to follow Governor Whitmer's lead and remove PFAS from the products they sell, not just to state agencies, but to all Michiganders. And we call on the legislature to take immediate action to more broadly limit the sale of products containing PFAS."

"We are capable of limiting our exposure to these toxic chemicals, and this directive sets important groundwork for substantial change," said Sen. Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids), whose district has personally been affected by PFAS contamination. "I'm grateful the governor is making this move, and I am committed to continuing the long and hard work necessary in the legislature to hold corporate polluters accountable and bring justice, safety and security to our residents."

Executive Directive (ED) Actions

The ED will serve to limit the purchase of nonessential products that contain PFAS. The State of Michigan has $2.5 billion worth of purchasing power annually, and the ED directs the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget (DTMB) to purchase PFAS-free products whenever possible. At the state-level, PFAS are primarily found in seating and office furniture, carpets, and sanitary supplies.

To view the full executive directive, click the link below:

Executive Directive 2021-08.pdf

PFAS

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of over 4,000 man-made chemicals that have been used in several industry and consumer products worldwide since the 1940s. PFAS have been used in non-stick cookware, fast food packaging, water-repellent jackets, stain-resistant carpets or furniture, cosmetics, and firefighting foams. PFAS are stable chemicals, breaking down slowly in the environment, such that they accumulate over time, and they also are highly soluble, easily transferring through soil to groundwater. As a result, they are persistent in the environment and in the human body. According to the CDC, over 95% of the U.S. population has PFAS in their bodies. While research is ongoing, there is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects. People can be exposed to PFAS in a variety of ways, including working at locations where PFAS are produced or used in manufacturing, through the water they drink or the foods they eat, or when PFAS are released during normal use, biodegradation, or disposal of consumer products containing PFAS.

Whitmer-Gilchrist Administration Actions

Michigan's proactive and transparent approach to PFAS contamination is widely recognized as a national model for action on PFAS. In 2019, Governor Whitmer issued Executive Order (EO) 2019-3. This EO made the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) an established, enduring body and directed MPART to increase citizen engagement, transparency and accountability in the ongoing state efforts to identify PFAS contamination and protect public health.

Since MPART was established the team has sampled all public water supplies throughout Michigan, established some of the nation's most comprehensive health based regulations limiting 7 PFAS chemicals in drinking water supplies, developed groundwater cleanup criteria for the same 7 PFAS, identified 189 sites to date where one or more of the 7 PFAS compounds exceed standards, removed 51,400 gallons of firefighting foam from Michigan's fire stations and airport as part of a pickup and disposal program, and so much more.

In addition to MPART's work, the state has made critical investments to protect our waters. The State of Michigan has invested more in its water infrastructure than the previous five years-from 2014 to 2018-combined. The governor launched the MI Clean Water plan to invest $700 million to build up drinking and wastewater infrastructure while supporting 10,000 good-paying jobs. The plan addresses tackles toxic contaminants like PFAS, high water rates, builds up sewer and septic systems that can't meet demand, and replaces lead service lines. In addition to MI Clean Water plan, Michigan has invested millions to address PFAS contamination and improve water infrastructure across the state.

The governor also created the Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate to elevate the concerns of residents and investigate complaints related to drinking water and has partnered with Attorney General Nessel to hold PFAS polluters accountable for their contamination. While the State of Michigan has made significant progress on PFAS, additional action remains necessary to protect from the wide-ranging effects of PFAS contamination.

###
NEW YORK (AP)  New York Attorney General Letitia James plans to run for governor, according to three people directly familiar with her plans who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday.

James will enter the race as a formidable candidate for the Democratic nomination just months after issuing a damning report that drove Andrew Cuomo from office in a sexual harassment scandal.

The three people familiar with her plans were not authorized to speak publicly. James is expected to make an announcement later this week, according to one of the people.

Kimberly Peeler-Allen, a James campaign adviser said in a statement: Attorney General Letitia James has made a decision regarding the governors race. She will be announcing it in the coming days.

James, 63, is the first woman elected as New Yorks attorney general and the first Black person to serve in the role. With a power base in New York City, she is poised to be a top threat to Gov. Kathy Hochul, who had been Cuomos lieutenant governor.

Hochul, who is from the Buffalo area, entered office with a reputation as a political centrist but has been striving to win over New York City progressives, making numerous appearances in the city during her first months in office.

James, who was born and raised in Brooklyn and made her first run for City Council as a candidate of the liberal Working Families Party, would have the reverse task of winning over upstate Democrats who might be more conservative.

Before this year, James was best known nationally for her frequent legal tussles with former President Donald Trump.

Since she became attorney general in 2019, her office has investigated Trumps business affairs and sued the Republicans administration dozens of times over federal policies on immigration, the environment and other matters.

James also filed a lawsuit accusing the National Rifle Associations leaders of financial mismanagement, the latest in a string of regulatory actions that have delighted liberals but drawn complaints from Republicans that she has unfairly used her office to target political opponents.

Under public pressure, Cuomo last year authorized James to investigate allegations he had sexually harassed several women. The independent investigators she hired to conduct the inquiry released a report in August concluding that there were credible allegations from 11 women, including one aide who said the governor had groped her breast.

Cuomo and his political advisers assailed the report as an unfair and inaccurate hit job, designed to drive him out of a job James coveted. But he resigned from office in August, saying the state couldnt afford the distraction of an impeachment fight.

James dismissed the charge that her investigation was politically motivated, saying Cuomo should take responsibility for his own conduct.

James announcement will set the stage for a competitive race featuring Hochul fighting to retain the job she got when Cuomo quit, and a host of other potential candidates who could sap some of the attorney generals potential downstate strength.

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio have both said they are considering a run. Two other potential Democratic candidates come from Long Island: Suffolk County executive Steve Bellone and U.S. Rep. Thomas Suozzi, who lives in Nassau County.

Cuomo might also be a factor in the race. After leaving office, he has dug into his campaign funds to pay the salaries of spokespeople and lawyers who have spent months blasting James integrity on television and on social media.

Republican candidates include U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Trump-aligned congressman from Long Island; Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani; and former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, who lost to Cuomo in 2014.

The primary election is in June and the general election is in November 2022.

Before becoming attorney general, James was New York Citys public advocate, an elected job where she acted as a sort of city ombudsman. Previously, she was a member of the City Council. She worked as a public defender and an assistant state attorney general. She graduated from Lehman College in the Bronx and earned her law degree from Howard University in Washington.

___

Balsamo reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Marina Villeneuve in Albany, New York, contributed to this report.
PONTOON BEACH  A Pontoon Beach police officer is dead following a gas station shooting Tuesday morning.

According to Illinois State Police, at 7:52 a.m. Tuesday Pontoon Beach Police Officer Tyler Timmins was at the Speedway gas station on Illinois 111 at Chain of Rocks Road in Pontoon Beach.

When Timmins approached a suspected stolen vehicle a male suspect began firing at the officer, according to state police. Timmins was shot and airlifted to a St. Louis hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased.

The suspect, who has not been named, was taken into custody at the scene, state police said.

Timmins, 36, joined the Pontoon Beach Police Department in April 2020. During his 14-year career he also served with police departments in Roxana, Hartford and Worden.

The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation - Zone 6 was requested by the Pontoon Beach Police Department to investigate the shooting. They released a statement Tuesday saying their investigation into Timmins death was in its infancy and more details would be released at a later time.

About 35 law enforcement vehicles and at least 40 officers were seen Tuesday morning at the gas station, which often is busy because of nearby truck traffic and related businesses. In addition to federal, state and county law enforcement, police from Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, St. Jacob, Roxana, South Roxana, Hartford and Wood River were at the site.

Crime tape surrounded the Speedway at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday. Employees and customers inside the store were detained for interviews, and arriving employees were denied access to the store.
The next chapter in Huron Countys wind turbine taxation troubles has started.

Bloomfield and Sigel Townships have filed a new extensive appeal brief in the Michigan Court of Appeals against its ruling that it owed back taxes to DTE over wind turbines.

The Michigan Tax Tribunal issued an opinion and judgement in June in favor of DTE, which had sued to lower its tax commitments to the townships, county, and school districts. It was the first such commercial wind turbine tax appeal to proceed to hearing in Michigan.

Carl Osentoski, the executive director of the Huron County Economic Development Corporation and for the Michigan Renewable Energy Collaborative, said the Court of Appeals will review the filings made by the two townships and DTE and either decide to go to oral hearings or send it back to the tax tribunal. The Court of Appeals is normally the final arbitrator in matters like this.

What the Court of Appeals will decide is whether our claims are justified, if DTEs claims are justified, or if its a mixture of both, Osentoski said.

The tax refund exposure for the years 2016-2021 potentially resulting from this opinion is over $1 million. The taxing units at risk for being impacted include fire departments, the Huron County Road Commission, the Huron Intermediate School District, other county school districts, the senior citizens millage, and the veterans millage.

No taxes have been paid back yet as the case is still under appeal.

There are also 18 other wind parks under appeal in Huron, Tuscola, Gratiot, and Isabella counties. Eight are owned by DTE, three by Consumers Energy, six by Exelon, and one by AEP Renewables. Tax refund exposure with respect to all wind parks under appeal exceeds $20 million, with the major concern being tax appeals coming.

Were hopeful that the Court of Appeals will say this is our finding on this case and it can be applied to all other DTE cases, Osentoski said. We have to see what the determination is. It does not include Consumers Energy and the other. Those may have to go through the same process.

Over 1,000 tax appeals have been filed on the turbines as the county and operators have used different taxation tables for years. Those appeals may be settled depending on the outcome of this case.

New turbine taxation rules had been introduced in September in the state Legislature, which would set a taxation table of decreasing value over a 15-year period, then have the turbines taxed at 30% their original value after 15 years have passed until they are decommissioned. The proposed legislation has the support of local state lawmakers Rep. Phil Green and Sen. Dan Lauwers.

By resolving the protracted and costly tax litigation, our local governments will be able to use the promised funds for key services and not spend those funds on attorneys and appraisers defending claims by major utilities and other renewable developers that their wind parks are obsolete, Ostentoski said.

DTE must file its response and its cross-appeal brief in November, with a final decision by the Court of Appeals not expected for another year. Osentoski said a verdict could come sooner depending on the Court of Appeals workload and how quickly the filings are made.
An executive with Sikorskys parent company predicts explosive growth if the Connecticut plant is selected to produce the Pentagons next generation of helicopters.

That could have a boomerang effect for the economy of Connecticut, where Sikorsky has its headquarters plant in Stratford and satellite facilities in Bridgeport, Shelton and Trumbull, while supporting hundreds more system subcontractors and vendors in the region.

On a Tuesday conference call, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet said the company continues to accelerate payments to suppliers as a financial backstop as it deals with the ongoing disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department of Defense is planning an initial fly-off demonstration next year between Sikorsky and the Bell subsidiary of Textron to determine the prime contractors for the first of two programs under its Future Vertical Lift initiative.

Sikorskys Raider-X is one of two finalists as an armed scout for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft program, which is slated to kick off its showcase in the sky for Pentagon experts in November 2022.

The helicopter features a stacked set of rotor blades that whirl in opposite directions, providing stability in flight for Sikorsky to swap out the rear rotor that acts to maintain the heading of a traditional helicopter. Instead, the Raider-X has a pusher prop mounted like that on the wing of an airplane to achieve greater speed.

The SB>1 Defiant has a similar design that Sikorsky and partner Boeing have put forward for the Future Long-Range Attack and Assault program. Sikorsky and Boeing filed their final SB>1 Defiant proposal last month for the Pentagon to consider.

That growth rate could be explosive, if we prevail on FLRAA and FARA, John Mollard, interim chief financial officer for Lockheed Martin, said during Tuesdays conference call. You will see an inflection point.

The Bell V-280, a tilt-rotor aircraft that is the entry for FLRAA, is a finalist for the National Aeronautic Associations top prize for innovation. Sikorskys original X2 prototype won the award a decade ago.

The Black Hawk first flew its prototype in 1974, so its been a long time, its been a great air-assault platform, Ryan Ehinger, program director for Bells Future Vertical Lift work, said in August on a video forum posted to YouTube by Bell. The Armys talked a lot about the need for transformation and having a new capability for 2030.

Lockheed Martin expects Black Hawk production to decline by half in the coming years, on the heels of the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, but the new CH-53K King Stallion for the Marines will be ramping up to help fill that void. Mollard said CH-53K revenue increased about $300 million from its 2020 totals, which he did not specify.

The King Stallion is the largest helicopter ever fielded by the U.S. military, with a bay large enough for the newest generation of Humvee vehicles and the lifting power to transport via sling the Light Armored Vehicle used by the Marines.

In late September at its headquarters plant in Stratford, Sikorsky marked the first King Stallion helicopter delivered to the U.S. Marine Corps. As of late September, six King Stallions were under final assembly with three dozen more at earlier stages in the manufacturing process. Sikorsky is not scheduled to complete the next helicopter until early next year, with the Marines eyeing as many as 200 aircraft should Congress and the White House allocate the required funding over time.

At a flyaway cost of $92.6 million, those aircraft and spare parts would cost the government nearly $26 billion,according to the most recent projections published in March by the Government Accountability Office. That does not include another $8 billion that was awarded for development of the helicopter.

The King Stallion is one of three major new helicopter programs Sikorsky has won from the Department of Defense, alongside the new VH-92A to replace the current White House fleet; and the HH-60W Jolly Green II for the U.S. Air Force, which will position it to rescue pilots downed in hostile territory and other missions.

On Tuesday, Taiclet said the company expects about $100 million in additional revenue next year it had not forecast previously from HH-60W production, offset by a similar sized decline in revenue on the White House helicopter.

New administration, changes in priorities, Taiclet said. I think they all settle out to the good, but its going to take a couple years to get through all that.

Includes prior reporting by Donald Eng.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
WASHINGTON (AP)  In March, as claims about the dangers and ineffectiveness of coronavirus vaccines spun across social media and undermined attempts to stop the spread of the virus, some Facebook employees thought they had found a way to help.

By altering how posts about vaccines are ranked in peoples newsfeeds, researchers at the company realized they could curtail the misleading information individuals saw about COVID-19 vaccines and offer users posts from legitimate sources like the World Health Organization.

Given these results, Im assuming were hoping to launch ASAP, one Facebook employee wrote, responding to the internal memo about the study.

Instead, Facebook shelved some suggestions from the study. Other changes weren't made until April.

When another Facebook researcher suggested disabling some comments on vaccine posts in March until the platform could do a better job of tackling anti-vaccine messages lurking in them, that proposal was ignored at the time.

Critics say the reason Facebook was slow to take action on the ideas is simple: The tech giant worried it might impact the companys profits.

Why would you not remove comments? Because engagement is the only thing that matters, said Imran Ahmed, the CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, an internet watchdog group. It drives attention and attention equals eyeballs and eyeballs equal ad revenue.

In an emailed statement, Facebook said it has made considerable progress this year with downgrading vaccine misinformation in users' feeds.

Facebooks internal discussions were revealed in disclosures made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form by former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugens legal counsel. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including The Associated Press.

The trove of documents shows that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook carefully investigated how its platforms spread misinformation about life-saving vaccines. They also reveal rank-and-file employees regularly suggested solutions for countering anti-vaccine content on the site, to no avail. The Wall Street Journal reported on some of Facebook's efforts to deal with anti-vaccine comments last month.

Facebook's response raises questions about whether the company prioritized controversy and division over the health of its users.

These people are selling fear and outrage, said Roger McNamee, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist and early investor in Facebook who is now a vocal critic. It is not a fluke. It is a business model.

Typically, Facebook ranks posts by engagement  the total number of likes, dislikes, comments, and reshares. That ranking scheme may work well for innocuous subjects like recipes, dog photos, or the latest viral singalong. But Facebooks own documents show that when it comes to divisive public health issues like vaccines, engagement-based ranking only emphasizes polarization, disagreement, and doubt.

To study ways to reduce vaccine misinformation, Facebook researchers changed how posts are ranked for more than 6,000 users in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, and the Philippines. Instead of seeing posts about vaccines that were chosen based on their popularity, these users saw posts selected for their trustworthiness.

The results were striking: a nearly 12% decrease in content that made claims debunked by fact-checkers and an 8% increase in content from authoritative public health organizations such as the WHO or U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Those users also had a 7% decrease in negative interactions on the site.

Employees at the company reacted to the study with exuberance, according to internal exchanges included in the whistleblowers documents.

Is there any reason we wouldnt do this? one Facebook employee wrote in response to an internal memo outlining how the platform could rein in anti-vaccine content.

Facebook said it did implement many of the studys findings  but not for another month, a delay that came at a pivotal stage of the global vaccine rollout.

In a statement, company spokeswoman Dani Lever said the internal documents dont represent the considerable progress we have made since that time in promoting reliable information about COVID-19 and expanding our policies to remove more harmful COVID and vaccine misinformation.

The company also said it took time to consider and implement the changes.

Yet the need to act urgently couldn't have been clearer: At that time, states across the U.S. were rolling out vaccines to their most vulnerable  the elderly and sick. And public health officials were worried. Only 10% of the population had received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. And a third of Americans were thinking about skipping the shot entirely, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Despite this, Facebook employees acknowledged they had no idea just how bad anti-vaccine sentiment was in the comments sections on Facebook posts. But company research in February found that as much as 60% of the comments on vaccine posts were anti-vaccine or vaccine reluctant.

Thats a huge problem and we need to fix it, the presentation on March 9 read.

Even worse, company employees admitted they didnt have a handle on catching those comments. And if they did, Facebook didnt have a policy in place to take the comments down. The free-for-all was allowing users to swarm vaccine posts from news outlets or humanitarian organizations with negative comments about vaccines.

Our ability to detect (vaccine hesitancy) in comments is bad in English  and basically non-existent elsewhere, another internal memo posted on March 2 said.

Los Angeles resident Derek Beres, an author and fitness instructor, sees anti-vaccine content thrive in the comments every time he promotes immunizations on his accounts on Instagram, which is owned by Facebook. Last year, Beres began hosting a podcast with friends after they noticed conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and vaccines were swirling on the social media feeds of popular health and wellness influencers.

Earlier this year, when Beres posted a picture of himself receiving the COVID-19 shot, some on social media told him he would likely drop dead in six months time.

"The comments section is a dumpster fire for so many people, Beres said.

Anti-vaccine comments on Facebook grew so bad that even as prominent public health agencies like UNICEF and the World Health Organization were urging people to take the vaccine, the organizations refused to use free advertising that Facebook had given them to promote inoculation, according to the documents.

Some Facebook employees had an idea. While the company worked to hammer out a plan to curb all the anti-vaccine sentiment in the comments, why not disable commenting on posts altogether?

Very interested in your proposal to remove ALL in-line comments for vaccine posts as a stopgap solution until we can sufficiently detect vaccine hesitancy in comments to refine our removal, one Facebook employee wrote on March 2.

The suggestion went nowhere until mid-April, when Lever said the company stopped showing previews of popular comments on vaccine posts.

Instead, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on March 15 that the company would start labeling posts about vaccines that described them as safe.

The move allowed Facebook to continue to get high engagement  and ultimately profit  off anti-vaccine comments, said Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

They were trying to find ways to not reduce engagement but at the same time make it look like they were trying to make some moves toward cleaning up the problems that they caused, he said.

Its unrealistic to expect a multi-billion-dollar company like Facebook to voluntarily change a system that has proven to be so lucrative, said Dan Brahmy, CEO of Cyabra, an Israeli tech firm that analyzes social media networks and disinformation. Brahmy said government regulations may be the only thing that could force Facebook to act.

The reason they didnt do it is because they didnt have to, Brahmy said. If it hurts the bottom line, its undoable.

Bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Senate would require social media platforms to give users the option of turning off algorithms tech companies use to organize individuals' newsfeeds.

Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, a sponsor of the bill, asked Facebook whistleblower Haugen to describe the dangers of engagement-based ranking during her testimony before Congress earlier this month.

She said there are other ways of ranking content  for instance, by the quality of the source, or chronologically  that would serve users better. The reason Facebook wont consider them, she said, is that they would reduce engagement.

Facebook knows that when they pick out the content ... we spend more time on their platform, they make more money, Haugen said.

Haugens leaked documents also reveal that a relatively small number of Facebooks anti-vaccine users are rewarded with big pageviews under the tech platforms current ranking system.

Internal Facebook research presented on March 24 warned that most of the problematic vaccine content was coming from a handful of areas on the platform. In Facebook communities where vaccine distrust was highest, the report pegged 50% of anti-vaccine pageviews on just 111  or .016%  of Facebook accounts.

Top producers are mostly users serially posting (vaccine hesitancy) content to feed, the research found.

On that same day, the Center for Countering Digital Hate published an analysis of social media posts that estimated just a dozen Facebook users were responsible for 73% of anti-vaccine posts on the site between February and March. It was a study that Facebooks leaders in August told the public was faulty, despite the internal research published months before that confirmed a small number of accounts drive anti-vaccine sentiment.

Earlier this month, an AP-NORC poll found that most Americans blame social media companies, like Facebook, and their users for misinformation.

But Ahmed said Facebook shouldn't just shoulder blame for that problem.

Facebook has taken decisions which have led to people receiving misinformation which caused them to die, Ahmed said. At this point, there should be a murder investigation.

___

Seitz reported from Columbus, Ohio.

___

See full coverage of the The Facebook Papers here: https://apnews.com/hub/the-facebook-papers
EAST HAVEN  One of Connecticuts best known food brands is saying arrivederci to local family ownership.

Calabro Cheese is being sold to an Italian company, Granarolo S.p.A., for $25 million, officials with both companies announced Tuesday in a press release. Granarolo, which is based in the Italian city of Bologna, is acquiring full control of Calabro, which is headquartered on Coe Avenue in East Haven and also has a production facility in town.

The company employs about 75 people, and according to Frank Angeloni, Calabros chairman and chief executive officer, the business will remain in East Haven. Angeloni said there will be no layoffs as a result of the deal and his family will remain involved in the business even though they no longer will own it.

It was the right partner at the right time, he said in an email to Hearst Connecticut Media when asked why he and his family decided to sell the company.

Gianpiero Calzolari, chairman of Granarolo, said foreign sales of the companys dairy products account for about one-third of its overall business. Calzolari said his companys goal is to replicate the positive performance achieved in other markets, such as the French market, where we have grown significantly.

The United States will be the target country of 2022, he said of his companys strategic plans of growing foreign market share. We have found a fantastic company, with operations focused on quality, high-standard levels and excellent management skills. We will aim to strengthen our productions, by adding the hard cheeses to a well-established distribution platform and to boost the knowledge of our superior products on the U.S. market.

None of Granarolos dairy production facilities is in the United States, so acquiring Calabro will provide the Italian company with a beachhead for possible future acquisitions in this part of the world. Calabro has a production facility of more than 50,000 square feet, according to Granarolo.

Calabros cheeses are distributed in New York, New England and New Jersey, as well as the southern and western parts of the U.S. The company was started in 1953 by Joseph Calabro and his father, Salvatore.

Angeloni, who is Joseph Calabros nephew, runs the business as its chairman and chief executive officer. Angeloni said in a statement that Granarolo is a great and well reputed Italian company with long tradition on dairy, with a well-established international presence both in and outside Europe.

We are convinced that working together we can increase the business in the United States by counting on wide portfolio of high quality ... products produced in Italy that could be added to the successful fresh dairy products produced in the U.S.

Granarolo describes itself as one of the leading exporters of Italian dairy products worldwide. It is part of a larger business called the Granarolo Group.

The Granarolo Group is comprised of two business units: An agricultural consortium of milk producers, Granlatte, which collects the milk, and Granarolo S.p.A.  which processes and sells the finished product and has 11 production facilities across Italy, two in France, three in Brazil, one in New Zealand, one in the United Kingdom and one in Germany.

The Granarolo Group employed 2,454 workers at the end of last year. More than 600 milk producers in Italy are part of the consortium. The Granlatte Consortium is the majority shareholder in the Granarolo Group, with a 77.48 ownership stake in the company.

Holly Raider, dean of the School of Business and professor of management at Quinnipiac University, said for any family-owned company, having a succession plan is critical to keep a business going into the next generation.

For the first generation of a family business, there is what we call the founders mentality, Raider said. As a founder, you know what sweat equity was involved in building the business. The second generation doesnt always have the same mentality.

When a family-owned business reaches the third generation, she said that generation is experiencing the wealth of the business, the disposable income and ability that comes with it to take different kinds of pathways.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
LOS ANGELES (AP)  As questions linger about safety protocols on the movie set where Alec Baldwin killed a cinematographer with a prop gun hed been told was safe, Hollywood professionals say theyre baffled by the circumstances and production crews have quickly stepped up safety measures.

Jeffrey Wright, who has worked on projects including the James Bond franchise and the upcoming movie The Batman, was acting with a weapon on the set of Westworld when news broke of the shooting Thursday at a New Mexico ranch. We were all pretty shocked. And it informed what we did from that moment on, he said in an interview Sunday at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

I dont recall ever being handed a weapon that was not cleared in front of me  meaning chamber open, barrel shown to me, light flashed inside the barrel to make sure that its cleared," Wright said. Clearly, that was a mismanaged set.

The shooting on the set of the film Rust killed 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza, who was standing behind her.

The gun Baldwin used was one of three that a firearms specialist, or armorer, had set on a cart outside the building where a scene was being rehearsed, according to court records. Assistant director Dave Halls grabbed a gun off a cart and handed it to Baldwin, indicating that the weapon was safe by yelling cold gun, court papers say. But it was loaded with live rounds, according to the records.

Baldwin, 63, who is known for his roles in 30 Rock and The Hunt for Red October and his impression of former President Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, has described the killing as a tragic accident.

The Umbrella Academy actor Justin Min, also at the Newport festival, said its been a very somber time" in recent days on set as hes been filming the indie thriller Detained.

After that  I mean we have obviously already been careful, but its just another level of precaution, Min said.

A prop maker and licensed pyrotechnician who worked with Halls, the assistant director, on another production said she had raised safety concerns about him in the past.

Maggie Goll said in a statement that she filed an internal complaint with the executive producers of Hulus Into the Dark series in 2019 over concerns about Halls' behavior on set. Goll said in a phone interview Sunday that Halls disregarded safety protocols for weapons and pyrotechnics and tried to continue filming after the supervising pyrotechnician lost consciousness on set.

Halls has not returned phone calls and email messages seeking comment. Rust Movie Productions has not answered repeated emails seeking comment.

The fatal shooting and previous experiences point to larger safety issues that need to be addressed, Goll said, adding that crew member safety and wellbeing are top issues in ongoing contract negotiations between a union that represents film and TV workers and a major producers' group.

This situation is not about Dave Halls. ... Its in no way one persons fault, she said. "Its a bigger conversation about safety on set and what we are trying to achieve with that culture.

A vigil for Hutchins was held Sunday in Southern California, where attendees exchanged tearful hugs and speakers echoed calls for heightened safety standards.

Actor Rosanna Arquette joined many in Hollywood in calling for a move away from using real weapons, whether armed with blanks or bullets.

I hope this wakes people up. Because there should be no live round anything ever on a movie. We have enough CGI, we have enough  its absurd, she said. All of us are shaken to the core in the industry about this.

Actor Ray Liotta agreed with Wright that the checks on firearms are usually extensive.

They always  that I know of  they check it so you can see, Liotta said. They give it to the person youre pointing the gun at, they do it to the producer, they show whoever is there that it doesnt work.

Baldwin, who is a producer on Rust, met with Hutchins' husband and 9-year-old son Saturday at a hotel in Santa Fe where the actor had been staying during filming. Baldwin and Hutchins' husband can be seen embracing in a photo published by the New York Post.

___

Flaccus reported from Portland, Oregon. Michelle Eaton in Newport Beach, California, contributed to this report.
MIDDLETOWN  There are seven candidates running for the Planning and Zoning Commission in Middletown, with two vying for the alternate position.

Running for the open seats are incumbents, Democrat Shanay Fulton, Republican Nick Fazzino, and petitioning candidate Stephen H. Devoto. The challengers are Democrats Brian Gartner Jr. and Kelly Sweeney, and Republicans Joan Liska and former mayor Sebastian Giuliano.

Commission alternate hopefuls are Democrat Michael Fallon and Republican Hillary Thompkins.

Leading up to the Nov. 2 election, Hearst Connecticut Media requested the Democratic and Republican town committees to ask their candidates to complete a brief survey about their background and why they are running for office.

Here are the responses to the survey received by the deadline of Oct. 14.

Stephen H. Devoto

Age: 61

Party: Row C  independent, unaffiliated

Current job: Scientist and teacher

Top issue you will address if elected: Riverfront development: I will ensure that it is vibrant, sustainable and connected. We need economic opportunities, environmental sustainability, open space, and connections to downtown and to residential neighborhoods around Silver Street.

Other issues that are important to you: Economic development requires that we regulate businesses, because the property values of a neighborhood  whether its business or residential  depends on what goes in next door. Business success depends on clear regulations addressing design, stormwater management, electric vehicle charging stations, sidewalks  regulations help our city remain vibrant, thriving, connected, sustainable.

Tell us about your family: My wife and I moved to the city in 1997. Our two children grew up in the outdoors on our diversified farm, raising livestock, vegetables and fruit. They continue to enjoy the outdoors. One is a cattle rancher and the other is in college.

Elected offices held or community groups involved with: I have served as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner for eight years. Prior to that, I was president of the Westfield Residents Association. I am currently on the Sustainability Task Force and Riverfront Revitalization Steering Committee.

Why are you seeking public office?: I am running for re-election as an independent because P&Z is central to Middletowns economic vitality, environmental sustainability, and housing opportunities. I will continue the work to make our city thriving, vibrant, connected and sustainable. My experience and my independence means I will do what is best for city residents.

Campaign website: Facebook.com/StephenDevoto

Sebastian Giuliano

Age: 69

Current job/employer: Retired attorney

The top issue you will address if elected: While not a top issue in the sense that it is not urgent, the Plan of Conservation and Development is the guiding document for the commission. It must be updated every 10 years; to do so effectively requires that the document be reviewed on an ongoing basis. That would also maintain the commissions familiarity with the document.

Other issues you feel are important: Make more use of master plans and less use of special exceptions.

Tell us about your family: Married to Paula for 41 years; three children (two sons, one daughter), and four grandsons

Elected offices held or community groups involved with: Mayor of Middletown, 2005-11, Common Council, 2013-19, current fire commissioner for the South Fire District

Why are you seeking public office?: The P&Z Commission is responsible for adopting (a legislative function) and administering the zoning code, which is essential to the orderly and prosperous development of the city and for adding real value to the grand list. My experience as the chief administrative officer and a municipal legislator will enable me to perform the duties of a P&Z commissioner.

Joan Liska

Age: 74

Current job/employer: Retired insurance professional

The top issue you will address if elected: Eco-friendly/energy efficient, attractive city

Other issues you feel are important: Diverse occupancy of downtown; affordable housing

Tell us about your family: Married to Ronald Liska, with two married sons and four grandchildren (ages 12 to 26)

Elected offices held or community groups involved with: Past chairwoman of the Conservation Commission; former member of the Inland-Wetlands and Urban Forestry commissions

Why are you seeking public office?: Continue serving Middletown; apply my professional commercial insurance underwriting experience to the P&Z review and decision process

Kelly Sweeney

Age: 40

Current job/employer: Marketing technology manager at Robinson & Cole

The top issue you will address if elected: Balanced development: environment, economic, human

Other issues you feel are important: Communication on projects, sidewalks and parking

Tell us about your family: I share my life with my partner Melissa (cytogeneticist) and her son Konnor, 10, with two cats and a Yorkie mix for pets.

Elected offices held or community groups involved with: Charter Revision commissioner, Democratic Town Committee member, Board of Ethics (2017-20), First Church technology deacon

Why are you seeking public office?: Ive served in various civic roles since I was a child. Its in my blood (my parents volunteer for many things as well), and it really is a pleasure to make change and be the voice people need. My focus is on balanced development, and making sure we regard environmental factors and residents lives as important as new growth, and that we communicate those projects early enough in the process to engage feedback.

Campaign website: facebook.com/kellysweeney4middletown

Shanay Fulton

Age: 39

Current job/employer: Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act job consultant at the American Job Center

The top issue you will address if elected: Affordable housing and transportation

Other issues you feel are important: Workforce development, sustainability

Tell us about your family: A single mother of two boys, Christian and Joshua.

Elected offices held or community groups involved with: P&Z Commission, Citizens Advisory Council, Open Communities Alliance, Middlesex Immigration Rights

Why are you seeking public office?: I want to continue to advocate for families to have affordable housing, access to quality food options, have reasonable access to transportation, have better job opportunities. All of these issues are synonymous when it relates to family welfare and community growth.

Campaign website: facebook.com/commissionershanayfultonct

Brian Gartner

Age: 35

Current job/employer: Project and construction management

The top issue you will address if elected: Riverfront development and resident access.

Other issues you feel are important: The environment, housing and transportation.

Tell us about your family: I am the father of three boys. Brian is 16, Dante is 14 and Julian is 13.

Elected offices held or community groups involved with: Vice chairman of the Commission on Conservation and Agriculture, Water Pollution Control Authority and Inland / Wetlands & Watercourses Agency commissioner, member of both the Mattabassett Regionalization Building Committee and Mayors Task Force on Anti-Racism.

Why are you seeking public office?: I am seeking office to give something back to the community that has provided a home to generations of my family over the 110 years. I was born here, raised here, attended school here, had my children here, and continue to live here to this day. The reason is because I love Middletown.

Campaign website: facebook.com/BrianForMiddletown

Mike Fallon

Age: 30

Current job/employer: Legislative aide/Connecticut General Assembly

Tell us about your family: I am a new homeowner in the North End with my girlfriend Rebecca Yungk, a 28-year communications professional.

The top issue you will address if elected: Redeveloping Middletowns riverfront

Other issues you feel are important: Affordable housing and economic development

Elected offices held or community groups involved with: Commission member of Middletowns Citizens Advisory Committee and chairman of the Middletown Democrats, former director of marketing and relations at the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce

Why are you seeking public office?: I know Middletown is a special, diverse place with artists, professionals, families, and long-time community residents that all add value. Its why I chose Middletown as my home, and why I will continue to work toward keeping Middletown affordable and accessible to all. I believe Middletown is the best city in Connecticut, and want to continue our progress to make the city a source of pride for everyone who lives and works in our community.

Editors note: The original version of this article failed to include unaffiliated candidate Stephen H. Devotos bio.
MIDDLETOWN  In response to a call from leaders of four employee unions for the school board to listen to them about alleged actions that contribute to workplace hostility, the chairwoman said Tuesday members are in the final stages of selecting an investigator.

The Middletown Unions Coalition represents more than 1,000 public school workers who are members of UPSEU Local 6457, AFSCME Local 466, Middletown Federation of Teachers AFT Local 1381, and Middletown Federation of Paraeducators AFT Local 3161.

Union officers released a statement outlining their position. The coalition said it is urging the BOE to hear their concerns about alleged repeated workplace harassment issues, they said.

In response to the unions request, Middletown Board of Education members have solicited and received several proposals from outside investigators, Chairwoman Deborah Cain said in an email to The Press Tuesday.

The board expects to hire a firm over the next few days, and will communicate its decision once it is final, she said.

Members are in the final stages of selecting the investigator, Cain wrote.

The union coalition said it sent multiple requests to Chief Academic Officer Alberto Vazquez-Matos and Cain Oct. 21, asking for acknowledgment of their complaint.

A leadership change was announced immediately after a special school board meeting Oct. 18. Superintendent of Schools Michael Conner was granted a leave of absence under the FMLA on the basis of a doctors order, his representative said last week.

Vazquez-Matos is now acting superintendent.

Communication with the community is very important to the board, Cain said.

We regret that there appears to be inaccurate speculation about the status of the boards investigation, she said. We assure you that the safety of our employees and students is of paramount importance.

Coalition leaders said they have alleged detailed complaints in writing describing hostile working conditions at the public schools from current and former district employees.

The chairwoman said the board is dispelling rumors that have been most distressing to our community, and is responding expeditiously to the serious allegations brought against the members of the administration.

Board of Education spokeswoman Jessie Lavorgna said Tuesday the district does not discuss confidential personnel matters or pending investigations.

Several union members commented in support of the unions actions in Mondays statement.

Mark Fong, a Beman Middle School physical education teacher and MFT member, said, The BOE needs to take this seriously and listen to the concerns from the unions.

Rather than seeing us as partners in creating a healthy school climate, the BOE is ignoring those on the ground. We have facts and important stories to share and no one is listening, Lawrence Elementary School building superintendent Randy McKiver said.

He is a member of AFSCME Local 466 and a public school parent.

As a para-educator, my job is to ensure a healthy and safe environment for our students, Cindy Culp, a Middletown High school special education paraprofessional said in the union statement. I would expect the BOE to have our backs when it comes to our working environments.

Cain authorized the BOE attorney Tuesday to communicate with the coalition about its anticipated next steps. We are acting as quickly as we can, she said.
HONOLULU (AP)  Some Native Hawaiians are objecting to President Joe Bidens choice for U.S. attorney in the 50th state, saying Clare Connors treated dozens of elders like criminals when her office prosecuted them for blocking a road while protesting the construction of a telescope in Hawaii.

She has acted aggressively towards the Hawaiian people during all of our stand for Mauna Kea, said Kealoha Pisciotta, one of the protest leaders.

Pisciotta and other Native Hawaiians who oppose the telescope believe the summit of Mauna Kea is sacred. They say building the Thirty Meter Telescope on the states tallest mountain would further desecrate a place already defiled by a dozen other observatories.

The 38 Native Hawaiian elders prosecuted for obstruction were in their 60s through 80s and many of them are community leaders. Four were found not guilty in August. One was found guilty last month after a separate trial, fined $500 and sentenced to one day in jail, which he won't have to serve if he avoids further violations for the next six months. The other cases are pending.

Pisciotta said she's concerned about Connors being named U.S. attorney because Native Hawaiians have been deprived of their land and their right to self-determination since the U.S.-backed overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893.

I think of her as a danger to many situations in Hawaii because she doesnt have to seem to have the compassion or the aloha that is needed considering our political situation, Pisciotta said.

Connors, Hawaiis state attorney general since 2019, said she is honored by the nomination but declined to comment further on the pending confirmation process.

However, Gary Yamashiroya, a spokesperson for Connors, said prosecutions of the protesters arose from a deliberate effort to block access to Mauna Kea for the purpose of preventing lawful construction of a project permitted by the Hawaii Supreme Court.

"Blocking a public road is a crime, and the Department of the Attorney General will prosecute such conduct consistent with its duty to uphold the rule of law, Yamashiroya said.

U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz of Hawaii, both Democrats, recommended Connors to Biden. Spokespeople for both senators declined comment on the Native Hawaiian opposition to Connors' nomination, referring to a joint statement that they issued when the appointment was announced on Sept. 28.

That statement said she was exceptionally well-qualified and that they were confident she would serve the people of Hawaii well.

Gov. David Ige, a Democrat, and multiple prior U.S. attorneys for Hawaii have also praised her nomination, as have attorneys Connors worked with in private practice.

U.S. attorneys are the chief federal law enforcement officers in their districts.

The Thirty Meter Telescope would be one of the worlds largest optical telescopes. The $2.4 billion observatory is being planned by universities in California and Canada with participation from the governments of China, India and Japan.

The Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory planned to begin construction in 2019, a year after the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled the project had a valid permit.

But protesters, who identify themselves as kia'i, or protectors of the mountain, began camping out on and near the lone road to the Mauna Kea's summit in July 2019.

Demonstrators remained even after the arrests of the elders, with their numbers at times reaching into the thousands.

By December 2019, the Thirty Meter Telescope consortium said it wasn't prepared to go ahead with construction because the state and Hawaii County hadn't shown they could provide safe, sustained access to Mauna Kea. TMT said it didn't want to put its workers, the people of Hawaii and protesters at risk. A small group of protesters remained until March 2020, when they left amid coronavirus concerns and confidence TMT wasn't going to build immediately.

The observatory has selected a site in Spain's Canary Islands as a backup site if it's not able to build in Hawaii. But the nonprofit organization has said it still prefers Mauna Kea, where the weather is among the world's best for viewing the skies.

___

Associated Press writer Jennifer Sinco Kelleher contributed to this report.
Natalee Peis kids are far too young to be vaccinated. Her oldest is just 2, but the Stamford resident said she would not hesitate to get her children vaccinated against COVID-19, if they were eligible.

If the CDC and our pediatrician decide the cost benefit swings in favor of vaccines for children, then we will get our young kids vaccinated as soon as possible, Pei said. Even though COVID risk to children is small, risks associated with vaccines are even smaller.

A Food and Drug Administration panel on Tuesday approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine in children ages 5 to 11. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will need to give the final authorization, which could come as soon as next week, before the vaccine is administered to young children.

For Pei, getting children vaccinated is important not only for their direct benefit, but also for the benefit of all.

The vaccine, she believes, can lower the risk that they contract COVID and serve as a reservoir for viral mutations that make this disease more severe, transmissible or vaccine-resistant.

But Pei may be in the minority. Public health experts say some parents may not opt to get their younger children vaccinated.

"Its going to be divided into two camps  people who absolutely want the vaccine as quickly as possible and those who are going to absolutely refuse the vaccine," said Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist for Hartford HealthCare.

Wu said children often dont have as severe symptoms when they catch COVID, but they present a risk to others.

Kids do OK by and large, but they are giving it to people who are not doing OK, he said. We have seen patients who got it from their kids or their grandkids and they are dying.

The state on Tuesday reported an additional 254 COVID cases had been confirmed in the previous 24 hours, with 2.13 percent of all tests returning positive results.

There were 10 fewer COVID hospitalizations, dropping the statewide total to 202 patients, the state data showed.

Younger children in Connecticut have not contracted COVID-19 at the same rate as adolescents and adults. Of the 401,000 confirmed and probable coronavirus cases in the state, nearly 26,000 of them have been among children 9 years old and younger.

As of last week, 69.9 percent of children ages 12 to 15 in Connecticut had been vaccinated against COVID-19, but it initially got off to a slow start.

When vaccinations among that age group began, 16.5 percent of eligible adolescents were vaccinated the first week in May  it didnt hit 50 percent until two months later in the middle of July.

Rick Martinello, medical director for infection prevention at Yale New Haven Health, said he expects about the same amount of children ages 5 to 11 to get vaccinated if they become eligible.

"My suspicion is we are going to see a third, maybe upwards of 50 percent to get vaccinated" quickly after eligibility expands, he said.

A state Department of Public Health presentation showed that officials anticipate about 278,000 Connecticut children between the ages of 5 and 11 will have started the vaccination process by next March.

Wu said he expects a majority of parents will elect to get their kids vaccinated, particularly if any mandates are put in place.

The real question is going to be when mandates will start to happen, what is going to happen? What is going to happen when a vaccine is needed to go to school or play this sport? What effect will this have on the percentage of people getting vaccinated? Wu said.

Martinello highlighted that federal regulators have an "incredible system" to track adverse effects of the vaccine, which flagged past issues including a rare blood clotting condition seen in a small number of people who received the Johnson & Johnson shot.

We are very familiar with its safety profile, we are not anticipating any surprises in that population but, of course, until we start vaccinating large groups of these children, theres a fair amount of uncertainty, Martinello said.

Martinello said he expects the vaccines to be approved for younger children.

"So far, I think with hundreds of millions of doses given to people ... tens of millions given to adolescents, I think we feel very comfortable moving forward and bringing this vaccine to children, he said.
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP)  A Brazilian Senate committee recommended on Tuesday that President Jair Bolsonaro face a series of criminal indictments for actions and omissions related to the worlds second highest COVID-19 death toll.

The 7-to-4 vote was the culmination of a six-month committee investigation of the governments handling of the pandemic. It formally approved a report calling for prosecutors to try Bolsonaro on charges ranging from charlatanism and inciting crime to misuse of public funds and crimes against humanity, and in doing so hold him responsible for many of Brazils more than 600,000 COVID-19 deaths.

The president has denied wrongdoing, and the decision on whether to file most of the charges will be up to Prosecutor-General Augusto Aras, a Bolsonaro appointee who is widely viewed as protecting him. The allegation of crimes against humanity would need to be pursued by the International Criminal Court.

Sen. Omar Aziz, the chairman of the inquiry, said he would deliver the recommendation to the prosecutor-general Wednesday morning. Aras' office said the report would be carefully reviewed as soon as it is received.

Regardless of whether charges are filed, the report is expected to fuel criticism of the divisive president, whose approval ratings have slumped ahead of his 2022 reelection campaign  in large part because of Brazils outsize COVID-19 death toll. The investigation itself has for months provided a drumbeat of damaging allegations.

Since the start of the pandemic, Bolsonaro has sabotaged local leaders' restrictions on activity aimed at stopping the virus' spread, saying the economy needed to keep humming so the poor did not suffer worse hardship. He also has insistently touted an anti-malaria drug long after broad testing showed it isn't effective against COVID-19, assembled crowds without wearing masks and sowed doubt about vaccines.

Bolsonaro has defended himself by saying he was among the few world leaders courageous enough to defy political correctness and global health recommendations, and that he hasn't erred in the slightest.

The report's author, Sen. Renan Calheiros, first presented the nearly 1,200-page document last week. It says that by insisting on treatment with the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as practically the only government policy to fight the pandemic, Jair Bolsonaro strongly collaborated for COVID-19's spread in Brazilian territory" and as a result is "the main person responsible for the errors committed by the federal government during the pandemic.

Committee members in the so-called G7 group of senators who arent from Bolsonaros base agreed on most of the points in Calheiros' report. They met Monday to hammer out final adjustments to the text.

Changes include recommending charges for 13 additional people, many of them current or former Health Ministry employees, as well as the governor of hard-hit Amazonas state. The final report recommends charges against two companies and 78 people in all, including Bolsonaro, administration officials, dozens of allies and the presidents three sons, who are politicians.

It also adds an additional violation for allegedly spreading false news following Bolsonaro's live broadcast on social media last week claiming incorrectly that people in the U.K. who received two vaccine doses are developing AIDS faster than expected.

The report also contains recommendations for two counts of "crime of responsibility, which are grounds for impeachment. But Lower House Speaker Arthur Lira, a staunch Bolsonaro ally, would have to bring a vote on whether to open impeachment proceedings  something seen as highly unlikely considering Lira is currently sitting on more than 120 other impeachment requests, according to information from the legislative body.

Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, one of the president's sons, called the report legally weak and politically motivated.

The intent of some senators on the investigative committee is to cause the maximum amount of wear and tear on the president, he told journalists.

Minutes after the inquiry was finished, former U.S. President Donald Trump said in a statement that he endorses the Brazilian leader.

President Jair Bolsonaro and I have become great friends over the past few years. He fights hard for, and loves, the people of Brazil  just like I do for the people of the United States, Trump said. Brazil is lucky to have a man such as Jair Bolsonaro working for them. He is a great President and will never let the people of his great country down!

An earlier draft had recommended the president also be indicted for homicide and genocide, but that was scrapped even before its presentation last week. Some committee members opposed such charges, while others expressed concern that bombastic claims could undermine the reports credibility.

The Senate committees final hearing on the inquiry Tuesday ended with a moment of silence for victims of the virus in Brazil.
PORTLAND  A lifelong resident has teamed up with a local pizza expert to open up a new restaurant on Main Street called Primavera Pizzeria.

Melissa Crouch-Arroyo was born and raised in Portland. Her first job was washing dishes at Mannings, a now-closed restaurant that operated just a few doors down from the business she now owns at 222 Main St.

This was the start of her career. Ever since then, Ive grown my career in the restaurant industry, Crouch-Arroyo said.

She has built up her resume working in various food service positions, including owning her own catering business. At one of these establishments, she met her now business partner Roberto Mekuli.

Weve always worked so well together, Crouch-Arroyo said of Mekuli.

Mekuli, who is originally from Kosovo, also has over 20 years of restaurant experience, including several years making pizza and other products for Giuseppes Pizza in Middletown. His time at the establishment has helped him gain strong support from members of the community.

People know me for that pizza, Mekuli said.

Hes already enjoyed former Giuseppes customers stopping by to see him at the new restaurant.

As someone who has always lived in town, Crouch-Arroyo said, this is a common occurrence for as well. I love seeing people I know come in, she said. These arent just customers, theyre the people I grew up with.

Because she has such a firm understanding of Portland and its many food options throughout the years, she is confident that there is plenty of room for a new pizza place.

Portlands always had at least four pizza places, Crouch-Arroyo said. It always sells, because its what people, especially families, go for.

The menu at Primavera Pizzeria includes plenty of options other than pizza, including sandwiches, scacciata, soups, salads and pasta dishes.

Mekuli said that eventually there will be seasonal specials as well, and delivery will soon be an option. The business is still in the early stages, with a website, finalized menu, and grand opening all still in the works.

An opening celebration has not yet been set, but Crouch-Arroyo said it will be planned soon with the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce. Even further down the road, she hopes the business can be heavily involved in the community.

Right now, were still finding our feet, but, eventually, we want to give back, Crouch-Arroyo said.

With one son serving with the towns fire department, and other children in the schools, Crouch-Arroyo said she wouldnt have wanted to open up anywhere else.

Of course, we care about the community, Crouch-Arroyo said. What better place to be than the town we live in.

So far, Primavera Pizzeria is already working in cooperation with other businesses in the community. With a BYOB option, they are complimenting the next door liquor stores business, she said. Craft products from local vendors are also available for purchase.

Both Mekuli and Crouch-Arroyo admitted that opening a business in the midst of a pandemic had its challenges.

It was so hard, Crouch-Arroyo said. There were so many obstacles.

Being open for business is a relief, but there is still more work to be done, she added.

The restaurant is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. For information, call 860-342-5222.
TOKYO (AP)  Sunao Tsuboi, a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing who made opposing nuclear weapons the message of his life, including in a meeting with President Barack Obama in 2016, has died. He was 96.

Tsuboi died Oct. 24 in a hospital in Hiroshima in southwestern Japan. The cause of death was given as an irregular heartbeat caused by anemia, Nihon Hidankyo, the nationwide group of atomic bomb survivors he headed until his death, said Wednesday.

When Obama made his historic visit to Hiroshima, Obama and Tsuboi held each others hand in a long handshake and shared a laugh. An interpreter stood by. Tsuboi, a gentle yet passionate man, recalled he tried to talk fast, to tell Obama he will be remembered for having listened to atomic bomb survivors, known in Japanese as hibakusha.

I think he is such an earnest person or has the heart to feel for others, Tsuboi said of the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima.

Tsuboi was 20 years old when he miraculously survived the U.S. atomic bombing of his hometown on Aug. 6, 1945, in the closing days of World War II.

He suffered such serious burns a part of his ear was gone. When he emerged from unconsciousness 40 days after the bombing, the war was over. He was so weak and scarred he had to start by practicing crawling on the floor.

They wanted to kill us. No mistake about that, Tsuboi said in an interview with The Associated Press in 2013.

The worlds first atomic bomb destroyed Hiroshima, killing 140,000 people instantly and within months. Three days later, the U.S. forces dropped a second nuclear bomb, on Nagasaki, killing another 70,000 people. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15.

Tsuboi made a point to stress what happened in Hiroshima was horrible.

Here it was about annihilation, he told the AP.

Tsuboi worked as a junior high school teacher. He was so intent on educating youngsters about anti-nuclear proliferation his nickname became pikadon sensei, combining the flash-boom onomatopoeia Japanese use to describe the bomb and the word for teacher.

Never give up was his trademark phrase, especially for his fight for a world without nuclear weapons.

Akira Kawasaki of ICAN, or the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, a coalition of non-government organizations, said the death of a man who had been the poster boy for anti-nuclear proliferation left him with a big hole in his heart.

We must not only mourn the death of a great leader for our cause, but we must also continue in his path, undeterred, and always remember his words, he told Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV.

Tsuboi is survived by two daughters and a son. A wake and funeral services were held with immediate family Monday and Tuesday, in respect to Tsubois wishes to keep ceremonies low key. His group is still undecided on a memorial service.

___

Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
CHICAGO (AP)  A man who spent three months living in a secured terminal at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport instead of flying home to India as he had planned has been acquitted on a felony trespassing charge.

Cook County Judge Adrienne Davis acquitted Aditya Singh on the charge this week without his attorney having to mount a defense, the Chicago Tribune reported. Singh, 37, is expected back in court Friday on an escape charge for allegedly violating the terms of his electronic monitoring while out on bond for the trespassing charge.

Davis' rationale for acquitting Singh weren't immediately clear. But after his Jan. 16 arrest, the Transportation Security Administration, which regulates security at the airport for the Chicago Department of Aviation, determined that Singh hadn't violated airport regulations.

Mr. Singh did not breach or improperly enter secured areas  he arrived there like tens of thousands of arriving passengers do every day, by stepping off a plane, Christine Carrino, an aviation department spokeswoman, said in a statement to the newspaper earlier this year. While we wont speculate on Mr. Singhs motivations, he decided to remain in the secure area and made every effort to blend in as a passenger and airline employee until his arrest.

Singh, who came to the U.S. nearly six years ago to get a master's degree, was living in Orange, California, when he boarded a flight from Los Angeles to Chicago last October for what was supposed to be the first leg of his return home to India. But he was arrested in January after two United Airlines employees noticed he was wearing a badge that an airport operations manager had reported missing.

Singh told police that he stayed at the airport because the coronavirus pandemic had left him afraid to fly, and that he had been able to get by with the help of strangers who bought him food. A friend of Singh's told the Tribune that he told her in text messages that he enjoyed talking to people at the airport about his Buddhist and Hindu beliefs on healing.

I'm actually growing spiritually due to this experience and I know I will come out stronger, he wrote to the friend in a text she shared with the newspaper.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch downplayed threats against school board members, saying recently that she would "love for those targeted with anger during the pandemic to have experienced what she and former Gov. Scott Walker did during the Act 10 union protests a decade ago.

Kleefisch, a Republican running for governor in 2022, has spoken out against violence targeting people in office. But she walked a fine line when speaking at an Oct. 11 Pints and Politics event organized by the Kenosha County Republican Party.

Kleefisch referenced a letter from the National Association of School Boards asking President Joe Biden for federal assistance to investigate and stop threats made over policies including mask mandates. The association, which represents school board members, likened the vitriol to a form of domestic terrorism. The letter cited a meeting in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, that was postponed after anti-mask protesters stormed it.

She also referenced the large protests that targeted Walker when she was his lieutenant governor in 2011 after he proposed effectively ending collective bargaining rights for most public workers. Both she and Walker received death threats and were targeted for recall elections in 2012, which they won.

"I would love for these folks to have gone through what Gov. Scott Walker and I went through during the recalls: The vuvuzelas and the drums, and the death threats, and the people who were showering inside the public restrooms, sleeping two-by-two in sleeping bags, banging on cars, threatening my children, spreading lies and intimidating us, Kleefisch said in audio obtained by the liberal advocacy group American Bridge 21st Century and provided to The Associated Press on Wednesday. Imagine if school board members felt something like that. Instead, all they feel is the pressure of their actual constituents asking them to do their job.

In a column Kleefisch wrote four days before those comments, she spoke out more clearly against violence targeting school board members.

Lets be clear: violence to achieve political ends in America is wrong, she wrote. I myself have faced the screams of protestors threatening violence when the Walker-Kleefisch Administration and the Republican Legislature passed our Act 10 reforms in 2011. I didnt notice outrage from the Left then.

She also faulted liberals for not speaking up when members of the Waukesha School Board were threatened and harassed this summer after voting to opt out of the federal free meals for all program. The board later reversed itself in the face of heavy criticism.

School board members are largely unpaid volunteers, parents and former educators who step forward to shape school policy, choose a superintendent and review the budget. But they have been frightened by how their jobs have suddenly become a culture war battleground. The climate has led a growing number to resign or decide not to seek reelection.

Kleefisch and her supporters have been involved with an attempted recall of four school board members in Mequon-Thiensville School District that is on the ballot Tuesday. Leaders of the recall drive have said they are targeting the board members because of COVID-19 restrictions, declining test scores and their desire prevent critical race theory from being taught.

One of the candidates running to replace a current board member, Scarlett Johnson, is a member of Kleefischs grassroots leadership board. Kleefisch has taken to Facebook to boast about volunteers from her gubernatorial campaign assisting with the recall effort.

Kleefisch is seeking to replace Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, a former state school superintendent who spent his career in education prior to running for office. Former Marine Kevin Nicholson and state Rep. John Macco are also considering runs for governor as Republicans, and former President Donald Trump has encouraged retired U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy to run even though he lives in New Jersey.

Evers' campaign spokesman, Sam Roecker, called Kleefisch's comments absolutely abhorrent.

No one in Wisconsin should be encouraging violence of any kind, much less a candidate for governor, he said.

Kleefisch's spokesman, Alec Zimmerman, emailed a statement in reaction that suggesting Kleefisch is encouraging violence against school board members "is as big of a lie as when the Left labeled concerned parents domestic terrorists.

___

This story was updated to correct that the school board in Oshkosh, not Onalaska, postponed a meeting due to anti-mask protesters.
HELENA, Mont. (AP)  Two Democratic members of Congress introduced legislation Wednesday to end an arbitration clause that Amtrak implemented in January 2019 and give customers the right to sue the passenger rail service to resolve disputes.

This bill will restore vital legal rights to the travelers who are injured on Amtrak trains and seek just redress, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said in a statement about his legislation.

The bills were introduced just over a month after a westbound Amtrak train derailed in north-central Montana, killing three people and injuring dozens of others.

Amtraks current forced arbitration and class action ban policies are unjust and unfair, said Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

Riders are often unaware theyve signed away their legal rights with the purchase of a ticket until the worst happens, like so many passengers impacted by the Montana crash discovered first hand. Legal accountability will be a powerful incentive to safer Amtrak practices," he said.

U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania, a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, introduced a companion bill in the House.

Amtrak had no immediate comment.

More than two dozen lawsuits filed after the Montana derailment are also challenging the arbitration clause, which limits Amtrak's damages to $295 million per incident.

Amtrak receives nearly $2 billion annually in taxpayer dollars, yet shields itself from public scrutiny that an open and neutral court system provides, said Remington A. Gregg, counsel for the consumer group Public Citizen, which supports the legislation. Forced arbitration clauses are anti-transparency clauses."

The National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the cause of the Sept. 25 derailment in Montana.

Blumenthal and Lamb introduced similar legislation in March 2020.
Eugene Hoshiko/AP

TOKYO (AP)  Tens of millions of unpopular cloth masks produced as an anti-coronavirus measure under former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe remain unused and are being kept in a private storage facility at a cost of hundreds of millions of yen (millions of dollars), an official acknowledged Wednesday.

About 83 million of the cloth masks, called Abenomasks, are in storage, or nearly one-third of the 280 million procured by the government during a severe shortage of surgical masks last year. The government had planned to distribute two to every household.
South Norwalk was the set of a Stephen King adaptation by Netflix on the afternoon of Oct. 27. A film production crew re-directed traffic on Washington Street as they shot scenes of the film Mr. Harrigans Phone, based on a novella released as part of a collection of short stories in Kings 2020 book If It Bleeds.

As South Norwalk residents walked to grab coffee or visit restaurants on Washington Street, the production team notified them about the filming and when they could walk as to not obstruct the background of the shot.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  At least 59,000 meatpacking workers caught COVID-19 and 269 workers died when the virus tore through the industry last year, which is significantly more than previously thought, according to a new U.S. House report released Wednesday.

The meatpacking industry was one of the early epicenters of the coronavirus pandemic, with workers standing shoulder-to-shoulder along production lines. The U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, which examined internal documents from five of the biggest meatpacking companies, said companies could have done more to protect their workers.

The new estimate of infections in the industry is nearly three times higher than the 22,400 that the United Food and Commercial Workers Union has said were infected or exposed. And the true number could be even higher because the companies' data didn't generally include coronavirus cases confirmed by outside testing or self reported by employees.

At the height of the outbreaks in the spring of 2020, U.S. meatpacking production fell to about 60% of normal as several major plants were forced to temporarily close for deep cleaning and safety upgrades or operated at slower speeds because of worker shortages. The report said companies were slow to take protective steps such as distributing protective equipment and installing barriers between work stations.

Instead of addressing the clear indications that workers were contracting the coronavirus at alarming rates due to conditions in meatpacking facilities, meatpacking companies prioritized profits and production over worker safety, continuing to employ practices that led to crowded facilities in which the virus spread easily, the report said.

Martin Rosas, who represents a UFCW chapter based in Kansas with over 17,000 members in three states, said the union pressed companies for better protections.

The harsh reality is that many of the companies were slow to act in the early days of the outbreak, and whatever progress that was achieved was due to the union demanding action," Rosas said.

The report is based on documents from JBS, Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods, Cargill and National Beef. Together they control over 80% of the beef market and over 60% of the pork market nationwide.

The North American Meat Institute trade group defended the industrys response to the pandemic. And Cargill, Tyson, Smithfield and JBS released statements Wednesday saying they worked aggressively to meet federal health and safety standards and took additional measures to protect their employees, such as conducting widespread testing and urging employees to get vaccinated.

The health and safety of our team members always comes first and our response since the onset of the pandemic has demonstrated that commitment, with an investment of more than $760 million to date. We have taken aggressive action to keep the virus out of our facilities and adopted hundreds of safety measures that often outpaced federal guidance and industry standards, JBS spokeswoman Nikki Richardson said.

The companies expressed regret at the toll the virus has taken.

Even one illness or loss of life to COVID-19 is one too many, which is why weve taken progressive action from the start of the pandemic to protect the health and safety of our workers, Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson said.

The report said infection rates were especially high at some meatpacking plants between the spring of 2020 and early 2021. At a JBS plant in Hyrum, Utah, 54% of the workforce contracted the virus. Nearly 50% of workers at a Tyson plant in Amarillo, Texas, were infected. And 44% of employees at National Beefs plant in Tama, Iowa, caught COVID-19.

The report said internal documents show Smithfield aggressively pushed back against government safety recommendations after experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention inspected its pork plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after a major outbreak. A few days earlier, Smithfield's CEO told the CEO of National Beef in an email that Employees are afraid to come to work.

Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration needs to do more to protect meatpacking workers.

Some of these companies are treating the workers in the plants not much better than the animals that go through them," Raskin said.

Debbie Berkowitz, with Georgetown University's Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor, said the industry was slow to respond and federal regulators didn't force companies to act.

When the pandemic hit, of course it was going to hit meatpacking plants really hard and really fast, said Berkowitz, a former OSHA official who testified Wednesday. What was the industrys response  not to protect workers and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, not to separate workers 6 feet apart, which was the earlier guidance that came out in late February  but to just keep on going.
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WASHINGTON (AP)  The Senate confirmed two prominent anti-Trump Republicans to serve in the Biden administration on Tuesday with former Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona approved to serve as the ambassador to Turkey and Cindy McCain, the wife of the late Sen. John McCain, approved to serve as the ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture.

The Senate also voted to confirm former Democratic Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico to serve as ambassador to New Zealand and Victoria Reggie Kennedy of Massachusetts, the widow of former Sen. Ted Kennedy, to serve as ambassador to Austria.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The United States and China are stepping up their war of words over Taiwan in a long-simmering dispute that has significant implications for the power dynamic in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

Amid a surge in Chinese military activity near the island that China regards as a renegade province and has vowed to reclaim by force if necessary, Washington and Beijing have launched new campaigns for global support for their respective positions, each using the stern and lofty language of sovereignty and international precedent. And neither is backing down.

While the disagreement over Taiwan isnt new and has long vexed relations between the countries, recent developments suggest the two are coming closer to confrontation. Last week, President Joe Biden set off alarm bells in Beijing by saying the U.S. has a firm commitment to help Taiwan defend itself in the event of a Chinese attack.

China protested and the Biden administration sought to play down the comments. White House, State Department and Pentagon officials all said the president did not mean to imply any changes in the U.S. one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei.

The officials took pains to say that America's commitment to Taiwan remains steadfast but continues to be guided by a policy of strategic ambiguity over military-related specifics that falls short of a treaty-enshrined mutual defense pact. Since then, however, the administration has upped the ante on the diplomatic front.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday publicly urged other members of the United Nations to reject China's assertion of absolute sovereignty over Taiwan and join the U.S. in supporting Taipei's independent participation in international organizations related to transportation, health, climate change, culture and education.

As the international community faces an unprecedented number of complex and global issues, it is critical for all stakeholders to help address these problems, Blinken said in a statement. This includes the 24 million people who live in Taiwan. Taiwans meaningful participation in the UN system is not a political issue, but a pragmatic one.

He noted that Taiwan has been prevented from participating in meetings of the International Civil Aviation Organization despite being a major transit hub and the World Health Organization despite having fielded an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taiwans exclusion undermines the important work of the UN and its related bodies, all of which stand to benefit greatly from its contributions, Blinken said. That is why we encourage all UN Member States to join us in supporting Taiwans robust, meaningful participation throughout the UN system and in the international community.

State Department spokesman Ned Price declined to elaborate on what the administration would define as meaningful participation."

Blinken's statement came just five days after Biden's remarks about Taiwan's defense and only two days after the State Department announced that senior U.S. and Taiwanese officials met virtually to discuss expanding Taiwan's participation in UN and other international groupings.

In that Oct. 22 meeting, administration officials "reiterated the U.S. commitment to Taiwans meaningful participation at the World Health Organization and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and discussed ways to highlight Taiwans ability to contribute to efforts on a wide range of issues, the State Department said.

Apart from complaining about Biden's initial comments, China reacted angrily to that discussion, slamming the administration for making irresponsible statements that encourage Taiwanese independence and demanding a halt to U.S. official contacts with the island's government.

Taiwans participation in activities of the international organizations must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said. Taiwans attempts to expand its so-called international space with foreign support are in nature seeking to expand the space for Taiwan independence and secession. It will surely end in failure.

The back-and-forth is playing out against a backdrop of increasing belligerence by both sides toward the other, even as they profess to have common interests on issues ranging from trade to climate to North Korea. Relations have plunged to new lows since nosediving under the Trump administration, which adopted a confrontational approach on trade, visas, diplomatic representation and educational exchanges.

While both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have been firm in their opposition to Chinese activities in Tibet, Hong Kong, China's western Xinjiang region and the South China Sea, the Taiwan issue pre-dates most of those irritants.

China has recently upped its threat to bring Taiwan under its control by force if necessary by flying warplanes near the island and rehearsing beach landings.

China and Taiwan split during a civil war in 1949. The U.S. cut formal diplomatic relations with Taipei in 1979 in order to recognize Beijing. The U.S. does not openly contest Chinas claim to Taiwan, but is committed by law to ensure the island can defend itself and to treat all threats toward it as matters of grave concern.

Under President Xi Jinping, who is also Communist Party leader and head of the armed forces, China has been stepping up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan. Over its National Day weekend at the beginning of the month, China sent a record 149 military aircraft southwest of Taiwan in strike group formations, prompting Taiwan to scramble aircraft and activate its air defense missile systems.

China has also recently held beach landing exercises on its side of the roughly 160-kilometer-wide (100-mile-wide) Taiwan Strait, which, like the aircraft incursions, it described as a warning to Tsai Ing-wens administration.

The U.S. has reinforced its support for Taiwan with military sales.
Last summer, a veteran in Las Vegas died by suicide two hours after he was discharged from a Department of Veterans Affairs inpatient mental health facility, despite having told a family member while he was hospitalized that maybe he "should just die."

An investigation found that the facility failed to address the patient's complaints and didn't flag him as high risk.

Furthermore, the facility didn't fully examine the circumstances that led to the death and never listed it as a "sentinel event" -- in effect, hiding the death from scrutiny up the leadership chain, according to the VA's Office of Inspector General.

In the past five years, the Veterans Health Administration has grappled with several high-profile patient safety issues, including the murder of seven veterans at a Clarksburg, West Virginia, VA hospital; an alcoholic pathologist who went unchallenged on his job, resulting in 3,000 diagnostic errors; and a VA gynecologist who made graphic and lewd comments to patients while conducting pelvic examinations.

While these cases center on errors or malfeasance by individuals, they demonstrate a systemic failure of leadership and indicate a need to accelerate the VA's efforts to overhaul its health care culture, according to the top watchdogs for the VA and the federal government.

Read Next: Senators Say They Won't Wait 9 Years for Pentagon to Make Planned Sexual Assault Reforms

Dr. Julie Kroviak, deputy assistant inspector general for health care inspections in the VA's Office of the Inspector General, told members of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health on Wednesday that while the department has undertaken initiatives to improve its reliability, the effort is still in its infancy and mistakes continue.

"OIG oversight work has shown that these missed opportunities were nearly always due in large part to the actions and, even more often, inactions, of leaders," Kroviak said. "Changes to [Veterans Health Affairs'] patient safety approaches are necessary and overdue, but impossible without the dedication of strong leaders who recognize that a cultural transformation is required to support meaningful and sustainable change."

Sharon Silas, director of the health care team at the Government Accountability Office, noted that VA health care, which has been on the GAO's "high-risk list" since 2015 -- a designation that means the department requires transformation or is vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse or mismanagement -- has failed on several accounts to improve its standing.

Silas noted that the VA lacks the capacity, including personnel and resources, to effectively institute changes to reduce risk to patients; has not developed a comprehensive plan to improve performance; and has failed to demonstrate progress.

She added that the VA also lacks leadership commitment across the board -- a lapse most notable in its failure to name a permanent head of the Veterans Health Administration, a position that has not had a Senate-confirmed leader for nearly five years.

"The number and repetition of recommendations we have made to address deficiencies in oversight and accountability are symptomatic of deeper issues underlying these efforts to oversee [VA's] delivery at health care," Silas said.

VA officials noted that the department has undertaken steps to improve the entire health system.

They say the department has introduced and will expand its "high reliability" patient training initiative to improve treatment and care. It has reorganized the Veterans Health Administration's headquarters to better support medical centers. And it has revised its action plan to address shortcomings identified by the GAO this year.

"In our ongoing efforts to identify which processes work and which do not, VA continues to examine how our [medical centers] are designed and functioning and how processes can be configured to function in a manner that ensures the highest-quality and safest care possible," said Renee Oshinski, assistant health under secretary for operations.

Lawmakers expressed skepticism over the VA officials' pledges that a culture change is underway.

Subcommittee Chairwoman Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., began the hearing noting that the Veterans Health Administration "needed to change."

"The tone of the testimony seems to be one of defensiveness, not an organization that has taken a hard look at itself and embraced the kind of humility and individual accountability it is seeking from its frontline employees," Brownley said.

"The testimony is quite frankly damning," said Michigan Rep. Jack Bergman, the top Republican on the subcommittee. "I have said before that many of VA's problems are the result of lapses of leadership. This is as true today as it ever was."

Subcommittee members urged VA Secretary Denis McDonough to fix what Kroviak called a "broken culture" at the VA and promised additional oversight in the coming months on patient safety and the under secretary search.

VA officials pledged that the work is underway.

"One bad outcome is too many," Oshinskii said.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: VA Begins Disciplinary Process for Employees Refusing Coronavirus Vaccines
WASHINGTON  Nearly 200 Americans who want to leave Afghanistan remain in the country nearly two months after the U.S. militarys evacuation mission ended at the Kabul airport, Pentagon officials told senators Tuesday.

The State Department is now making arrangements to move the roughly 196 Americans from Afghanistan either via air or over ground, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on security in Afghanistan. Since Sept. 1, about 240 American citizens and 57 U.S. green card holders have left the country.

On Aug. 30, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said between 100-200  but likely closer to 100  Americans who wanted to leave Afghanistan remained there when the last U.S. troops withdrew from the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. However, Blinken noted his agency was still trying to determine exactly how many Americans remained there.

The State Department also has contacted another 244 U.S. citizens in Afghanistan who are not ready to depart either because they want to stay or arent ready to leave yet, Kahl said.

Republican senators such as Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma have questioned the administration of President Joe Biden over its tallies of Americans in Afghanistan, claiming we really don't know how many Americans were left in Afghanistan.

The administration by its own account left 600 Americans behind  over 400 of whom want to leave  not the 100 to 200 that has been referred to several times, Inhofe, the ranking Republican on the committee, said at the hearing. At the very least, it's confusing.

Inhofe also criticized the militarys decision to leave Afghanistan before all Americans were evacuated.

During the Aug. 18 interview with ABC, George Stephanopoulos asked President Biden whether US troops would stay beyond Aug. 31 if there were still Americans to evacuate. President Biden responded  and this is a quote  if there are American citizens left, we are going to stay to get them out,  Inhofe said. Of course, this didn't happen.

However, defense leaders have said staying any longer would have put more lives at risk as the Taliban pledged to restart its attacks on Americans if troops remained in the country past the promised Aug. 31 withdrawal date.

It was the consensus of civilian and military leadership at the Department of Defense that we should stick to the Aug. 31 deadline that extended risk to mission enforcement would make it harder to get American citizens out beyond that date, Kahl said.

In addition to the hundreds of Americans, thousands of vulnerable Afghans also remain in Afghanistan while they await special immigrant visas, which are given to allies who helped U.S. forces during their time in that country, Kahl said.

The total number of SIV's in the pipeline is 28,000, according to our records, of which 8,555 have come out with their family members, he said. So that would suggest there's a significant number of SIVs still in Afghanistan.

Kahl said the Biden administration is trying to get them out and hold the Taliban to their pledge for safe passage with people with documents which should include SIVs.

The problem, however, is the SIV process was not designed for an emergency  it's very slow, he said. Typically it took a year or two [and] nothing was done in the previous administration to speed that up. At the beginning of the Biden administration, the State Department took some steps that shrunk the time to about eight months  still way too long.

The Pentagon has also taken steps to help the State Department process SIV applications faster, creating an enormous database  to try to speed up the confirmation of employment necessary for special immigrant visas, Kahl said.

Meanwhile, about 53,000 Afghans are awaiting visa processing at eight military installations in the United States and about another 3,500 at bases in the Middle East and Europe, chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Monday.

More than 6,000 have completed the process and have resettled in the U.S. since evacuation efforts began in late July, Kirby said.
When Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro returned from his trip to Japan, he fired off a tweet that touted his tour of that country's "Aircraft Carrier Izumo." It was a short comment that recognized an important new naval reality for the longtime ally.

Japan's pacifist constitution meant its naval forces have relied on ships carrying helicopters for self-defense, not fighter jets -- and it avoided using the term aircraft carrier -- since the end of World War II.

Del Toro, whether intentionally or not, gave a public U.S. acknowledgment of a historic shift by Tokyo toward its past as a carrier power. Late in 2018, the Japanese announced plans to refit two helicopter carriers including the Izumo for U.S.-built F-35B Lightning II fighters, part of an increasingly urgent effort to counter growing Chinese sea power.

A Navy spokesman said, "The tweet does not signal a change in how the U.S. officially recognizes the ship."

Japan has a self-defense force, what most outsiders would recognize as a military, but its constitution proclaims that "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained," meaning that it has historically avoided any military action or buildup considered offensive.

"Governments have argued that Japan has the right to maintain capabilities and use the 'minimum necessary level of self-defense,'" explained Jeffrey Hornung, a scholar on Japan at Rand Corp. "Historically, anything that exceeds that is considered war potential, and therefore it violates the Constitution."

Traditionally, there were four things that undisputedly fell into that category, Hornung explained: intercontinental and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, long-range bombers, and aircraft carriers.

However, in recent years, Tokyo has increasingly debated more robust military capabilities, such as the fixed-wing aircraft carriers, as fears over the rise of China grow.

The Izumo is a helicopter destroyer that at 27,000 tons fully-loaded is larger than Italy's aircraft carrier, the Garibaldi.

The ship is small compared to the U.S. Navy's 90,000-ton Nimitz-class carriers or even China's 58,000-ton Liaoning carrier. But it is the largest Japan has put to sea since World War II.

Hornung said China's growing power in the region and its recent moves around the disputed Senkaku Islands are a major factor in the drive to refit the Izumo and her sister ship, the Kaga, to effectively function as small aircraft carriers.

"They want to be able to have that capability [to launch planes] at sea, because there's an expectation that the runways will be destroyed within the first launch," Hornung said.

The move gives another platform for a U.S. ally to fly the most advanced fighter jet in the world.

On Oct. 3, a pair of Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighter jets successfully did a takeoff and landing off the Izumo's deck. The Marine Corps released a statement announcing the accomplishment, and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force publicly released a video.

This exercise was the first time fighters had flown from a Japanese carrier since World War II.

The decision to refit the Izumo prompted Chinese state-run media to attack Japan's wartime past.

"Japan must not forget its infamous history of invading countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific region during the WWII, as making an aggressive move like this may drive the country to repeat its militaristic history," a 2018 Global Times article said.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: Marine Corps Conducts First-Ever F-35B Operations Aboard Japanese Vessel
Youre getting ready to transition out of the military, and you want to set yourself up for the next stage of your career. Or maybe youve been out of the service for a while and youre looking for something more. A college education can help you further your career. Here are five reasons to use the education benefits youve earned with your service.

1.Youll Have More Job Opportunities

Statistics show that people with a bachelors degree earn 57 percent of wages in the U.S. A college education that lets you explore a range of interests will let you take advantage of exciting opportunities that come your way as your career moves along.

2. Youll Have More Financial Security

The median salary for people with a bachelors degree was about $68,000 in 2020. That increases up to $125,000 per year for employees with graduate degrees. The extra wiggle room in your bank account will make it easier to pay your bills and save money to buy a home or achieve other goals.

3. Youre More Likely to Be Promoted

As of August 2021, the unemployment rate for college grads was only 2.8%. Your military experience has already taught you to think on your feet in critical situations. College adds to your toolbox by providing analytical and communications skills that you can take the time to learn in a nurturing environment. Your hard work will pay off when you find a job that matches your interests and abilities, and you start moving up the ladder.

4. Youll be Happier

People with higher education are often happier with their jobs. They feel that they have more control over their work, and they feel their work is more meaningful. They also often volunteer more, have a higher marriage rate, and live longer. The ability to earn more and attain higher positions in the workplace contributes to greater levels of personal satisfaction.

5. Youll Get Other Monetary Perks

People with a college degree are more likely to have jobs with health insurance, retirement plans, and reimbursed tuition and commuter expenses. Possibly because they have better access to preventative care, college grads are often healthier. They also tend to stay in the workforce longer, so they have more time to build up retirement savings.

Educational Options

A degree from an accredited university can start you on the path to greater career and financial stability. When choosing a school or program, applicants are advised to consider many factors in their decision, including a schools location (online and in person), alumni network, job prospects after graduation, affordability, as well as standing in annual rankings.

Webster University, a highly-ranked, private, non-profit university with a global network headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri, has offered veterans, active-duty service members and their families high-quality undergraduate and graduate degree programs since 1945. Whether you want to study in person or online, Webster University offers plenty of options tailored to your personal needs.

Today, Webster University continues to demonstrate its support of military students achieving their educational goals. Active-duty Military, Reservists, and National Guard enrolled at Webster are eligible for reduced tuition fees, including online courses. Additionally, tuition assistance may be provided by the military to eligible students. Federal and contract employees and dependents of active-duty military, reserve, and guard also qualify for a reduced tuition rate at on-base, in-classroom courses.

Ready for the Next Step?

Webster has many high-quality undergraduate and graduate degree programs that are flexible, portable and affordable. To learn more, visit webster.edu/military.
We had mentioned in Tuesdays closing report that Nifty and Sensex may head higher. On Wednesday, the indices opened higher and ended flat. On the National Stock Exchange (NSE), 1,038 stocks advanced, 926 declined, and 68 remained unchanged.

The trend of the major indices on Wednesdays trading are given in the table below:

The volatility in the market continues with Sensex falling 206 points at the close, while Nifty 50 was down 57 points. Nifty PSU banks were top gainers today followed by Healthcare & IT.

Today the banking index also fell 364 points with SBI being the top-performing bank. We saw profit booking in Axis Bank despite the bank declaring superb results. The nifty Midcap index was up 23.60 points. Among the Nifty50 pack, Asian Paints was the top gainer followed by UPL & Divis Labs, while Axis Bank was the top loser followed by Bajaj Finance & ONGC.

As per media reports, Tata Motors is looking to develop an electric vehicle (EV) exclusive platform called SIGMA. The platform will start rolling out vehicles by 2024-25.

Policy Bazaars initial public offer (IPO) is set to open on Nov 1 and close on Nov 3 to raise Rs 6,017 crore. The price band for the issue is set at Rs 940-980 per share.

FSN E-commerce Ventures Ltd which owns Nykaa has fixed a price band of Rs 1,085 to Rs 1,125 per share for its initial public offer (IPO) that will open on Oct 28 and close on Nov 1.

RBI has approved the appointment of Baldev Prakash as MD & CEO of J&K bank for 3 years.

Major earnings declared today:

Maruti Suzukis Q2FY22 revenue increased by 9.6% at Rs 20,538.9 crore as compared to Rs 18,744.5 crore in Q2FY21. The profit dropped by 65.3% to Rs 475.3 crore and the margin contracted by 610 basis points (bps) to 4.2%.

SBI Lifes Q2FY22net premium was at Rs 14,660 crore as compared to Rs 12,857 crore in Q2FY21. Profit was down to Rs 247 crore as compared to Rs 300 crore on y-o-y (year-on-year) basis.

Titans Q2FY22 revenue increased by 66% to Rs 7,170 crore as compared to Rs 4,318 crore in Q2FY21. The profit was at Rs 641 crore as compared to Rs 199 crore on y-o-y (year-on-year) basis.

Adani Ports Q2FY22 revenue increased by 21.7% to Rs 3,532.4 crore as compared to Rs 2,903 crore on y-o-y (year-on-year) basis. The profit declined by 31.4% to Rs 951.7 crore.

United Spiritss Q2FY22 revenue increased by 14.2% to Rs 2,507.6 crore on y-o-y (year-on-year) basis. The profit stood at Rs 286.4 crore and the margin expanded 550 basis points (bps) to 18.7%.

Philips Carbons Q2FY22 revenue increased by 60.8% to Rs 1,067.8 crore and profit stood at Rs 122 crore as compared to Rs 58 crore on y-o-y (year-on-year) basis.

KPR Mills Q2FY22 revenue increased by 28.5% to Rs 1,210 crore. The net profit was at Rs 242.2 crore as compared to Rs 942 crore in the same quarter of the previous year.

Indian Overseas Banks Q2FY22 net interest income (NII) was up by 4.6% at Rs 1,632.9 crore as compared to Rs 1,561.3 crore in Q2FY21. The net profit stood at Rs 376.4 crore.

Greenpanel Industries reported Q2FY22 earnings. The revenue was up by 87.7% at Rs 422.2 crore as compared to Rs 224.9 crore in the same quarter the previous year. The net profit increased to Rs 67.1 crore from Rs 18.4 crore.

Arvind reported Q2FY22 earnings. Its revenue was up by 62.1% at Rs 2,115.1 crore as compared to Rs 1,305.2 crore in Q2FY21. The net profit was at Rs 69.6 crore as compared to Rs 0.7 crore in the same quarter last year.

The top gainers and top losers of the major indices are given in the table below:

The closing values of the major Asian indices are given in the table below:
While rejecting the Union governments offer to appoint its own panel to probe allegations in the Pegasus-related snooping, the Supreme Court (SC) has decided to appoint an independent expert committee under the supervision of the court for the purpose. The committee will be headed by justice RV Raveendran, former judge of the apex court.

In its order, the bench headed by chief justice NV Ramana says that allowing the Union government-appointed panel to be set up would violate principles of justice dispensation. We decline the respondent-Union of Indias plea to allow them to appoint an expert committee for the purposes of investigating the allegations, as such a course of action would violate the settled judicial principle against bias, the bench says in its order.

The bench noted that solicitor general Tushar Mehta had submitted that many petitions were self-service, but it cannot accept such omnibus contention. The Union government had argued that disclosing the details on the use of Pegasus spyware involves national security issues, as it refused to divulge any details.

State cannot get a free pass every time by raising national security concerns, says the bench, also comprising justice Surya Kant and justice Hima Kohli, adding, No omnibus prohibition can be called against judicial review. The Union government should have justified its stand here and not render the court a mute spectator.

The apex court, in its judgement, says mere raising national security by the State would not stop it from taking up the issue. Emphasising that national security cannot be a bugbear, the SC refused to accept the omnibus denial by the Union government.



The bench noted that the Union government filed a limited affidavit, which did not make anything clear, despite it repeatedly saying that the Court is not concerned with issues of national security.

Chief justice Ramana also mentioned, We live in the era of informationwe must recognise that while technology is important ..it is important to safeguard the right to privacy. Not only for journalists, but privacy is important for all citizens.

Initially, this court was not satisfied with the writ petitions based on newspaper reports. This court usually discourages public interest litigations (PILs) which are based on newspaper reports. However, various other petitions have been filed by those who have been direct victims, the bench observed.

In the absence of the Indian government's clear stand on snooping allegations, the bench said repeated suggestions made it to file a detailed affidavit in response to the allegations produced no effect on the government, which ended up filing a two-page affidavit.

It says, This court gave ample time to the Union government to disclose all information regarding the Pegasus attack since 2019. However, only a limited affidavit was filed, throwing no light. If the Union government had made its stand clear, the burden on us would have been less.

According to the SC, there has been no specific denial by the Indian government. Thus, it says the apex court has no option but to accept the submissions of the petitioner prima facie and appoint an expert committee whose function will be overseen by the Supreme Court.

The apex court pointed out that documents filed by petitioners, which record certain material, cannot be brushed aside, such as the reports of reputed organisations like Citizen Lab and affidavits of experts. Mr Mehta, the SG, had suggested that many of these reports are motivated and self-serving. However, the SC says such an omnibus oral allegation is not sufficient to desist from interference.

Supreme Court has chosen renowned experts to be a part of the three-member committee, which will comprise justice Raveendran, Alok Joshi, a former officer from the Indian police service (IPS) and Dr Sandeep Oberoi.

The three-member technical committee appointed by the SC comprises Dr Naveen Kumar Chaudhary (Professor of Cyber Security and Digital Forensics and dean, National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat), Dr Prabaharan P (Professor at School of Engineering in Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, Kerala) and Dr Ashwin Anil Gumaste (Institute Chair Associate Professor at Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, Maharashtra).

The apex court was hearing a bunch of petitions filed on surveillance and hacking of phones of several journalists by the government, using the Pegasus software, created and developed by the Israeli company NSO.

In its PIL (public interest litigation), the Editors Guild of India (EGI) had requested the SC to issue guidelines for safeguarding journalists from surveillance and to declare as unconstitutional the provisions of the Indian Telegraph Rules, 1951, as well as those of the IT Act, 2000 that allows such surveillance.

In collaboration with The Wire, Amnesty International was able to forensically examine the phones of 10 Indians, all of which showed signs of either an attempted hack or a successful compromise.

Pegasus is malware that infects iPhones and Android devices. It allows its users to pull out messages, photos and emails, record calls and activate microphones. The Washington Post reports that 189 journalists, more than 600 politicians and government officials and more than 60 business executives were targeted by clients of the NSO Group, a hacker-for-hire headquartered in Israel.

This is nasty software like eloquently nasty, Timothy Summers, a former cybersecurity engineer at a US intelligence agency and now director of IT at Arizona State University, told The Washington Post. With it , one could spy on almost the entire worlds population... Theres not anything wrong with building technologies that allow you to collect data; its necessary sometimes. But humanity is not in a place where we can have that much power just accessible to anybody, Mr Summers told The Washington Post.
The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday was told that the State Bank of India (SBI) and the UCO Bank have agreed to invest Rs450 crore in Amrapali projects, but other banks, who were part of a consortium, are delaying the process.

Senior advocate and Court-appointed receiver R Venkataramani submitted before a bench headed by Justice UU Lalit that six banks have agreed in principle, but things have not moved in the desired direction for nearly two months. He added that, in order to accelerate the process, a little nudge from the top court was needed.

On 3rd September, the receiver had told the Supreme Court that he had held meetings with the officials of a consortium of six banksthe SBI, UCO Bank, Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, and Punjab & Sindh Bank.

The receiver informed the top court that except SBI and UCO Bank, none of the remaining four banks had come out with any concrete proposal on funding the Amrapali projects. He emphasised that the proposal has not been finalised.

The top court then asked the banks to decide within two weeks and file the proposal before it.

During the hearing, the top court noted that if banks were to further deliberate on the issue, then an officer of MD (managing director) level should convene a meeting with the receiver to develop a concrete proposal.

The receiver informed the bench, also comprising justice Ajay Rastogi, that 300 flats would be handed over to flat purchasers by the year-end in Greater Noida, and flat purchasers will get possession letters on the eve of Diwali. He further added these are over and above 2,300 flats, which would be handed over to flat purchasers in Noida as committed by NBCC.

Kumar Mihir, advocate representing some home-buyers, said it is a welcome step that SBI and UCO Bank have agreed in principle to invest Rs450 crore in the construction of Amrapali projects and, hopefully, other banks will also follow their steps.

The Supreme Court also issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government seeking clarification on stamp duty being charged from Amrapali flat purchasers at the time of registry.

The receiver, last month, had informed the top court that the consortium had agreed to fund the stalled Amrapali projects and bank officials had said that documentation in connection with the process will begin during the month, and disbursal of loans should be expected.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
Market regulator Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued guiding principles for bringing uniformity in benchmarks of mutual fund (MF) schemes. Accordingly, there would be a two-tiered structure for benchmarking schemes for specific categories from 1 December 2021.

In a release, SEBI says, "The first tier benchmark shall be reflective of the category of the scheme, and the second tier benchmark should be demonstrative of the investment style or strategy of the fund manager within the category. All the benchmarks followed should necessarily be total return indices."

Here are the guiding principles for first-tier benchmarks:

i. For Income or Debt-oriented Schemes

First Tier: One Broad Market Index per Index Provider for each category. For example,NIFTY Ultra Short Duration Debt Index or CRISIL Ultra Short Term Debt Index for Ultra Short Duration Fund Category

Second Tier: Bespoke according to Investment Style or Strategy of the Index. For example, AAA Bond Index

ii. For Growth or Equity-oriented Schemes

First Tier: One Broad Market Index per Index Provider for each category. For example, S&P BSE 100 Index or NSE 100 Index for Large Cap Fund Category

Second Tier: Bespoke according to Investment Style/Strategy of the Index. For example, Nifty 50 Index

iii. For Hybrid and Solution-oriented Schemes

There would be a single benchmark, i.e., broad market benchmark wherever available or bespoke, to be created for schemes, which would then be applicable across the industry.

iv. For Thematic or Sectoral Schemes

There would be a single benchmark as characteristics of the schemes are already tapered according to the theme or sector.

v. For Index Funds and Exchange-traded Funds (ETFs)

There would be a single benchmark as these schemes replicate an underlying index.

vi. For Fund of Funds Schemes (FoFs)

Similar to index fund and ETFs, if an FoF scheme is investing in a single fund, then a benchmark of the underlying scheme should be used for the corresponding FoF.

However, in case an FoF scheme invests in multiple schemes, then broad market index should be applied.

vii. For Other Schemes

Depending on underlying asset allocation, the broad market benchmark may be arrived at.

SEBI says it has asked the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) to publish benchmarks intended to be used by AMCs as first-tier benchmarks within one month from the date of issuance of its circular. Benchmarks are designed to be used as first-tier benchmarks by AMCs for open-ended debt schemes as per the potential risk class matrix on or before 1 December 2021.

The second-tier Benchmark is optional and should be decided by the AMCs according to the investment style or strategy of the index, SEBI says.
October 27, 2021

Pentagon Generals, News Writers Abuse Chinese Test Flight To Argue For More Weapons

The generals in the Pentagon want to get rich. Most strive to take this or that board position at one of the large weapon manufacturers after they retire. But to get there requires that the generals, while still in the military, promote more weapons sales.

Big newspapers are another party with interests in promoting weapon manufacturers and wars. They pay for quite a lot of advertisement. News of weapons and wars also nice clickbait which brings more paying subscribers and again additional advertisement.

These two forces collaborate in their weapon and war promoting efforts which in the best case result in the plundering of the common people. In the worst case the end result is the slaughter of many innocent humans for no sensible cause or reason.

Here is a recent example by the well known warmongers David E. Sanger and William J. Broad of the New York Times:

Chinas Weapon Test Close to a Sputnik Moment, U.S. General Says

A Chinese test of a hypersonic missile designed to evade American nuclear defenses was very close to a Sputnik moment for the United States, Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Wednesday, the first official confirmation of how Beijings demonstration of its capabilities took American officials by surprise.

The authors, as well as Milley, are of course wrong.

U.S. ground based missile defenses (GBMD) designed to defend against intercontinental missiles currently exists of 44 missiles housed in silos in Alaska and California. These missiles have tested badly and most often missed their targets. China has more than 44 intercontinental missiles. These have multiple warheads. As long as the number of China launchable warheads is bigger than the number of missiles designed to defend against them some will always evade U.S. nuclear defenses. China thereby does not need any new weapons to evade U.S. nuclear defenses. GBMD is just a boondoggle - useless but for the profits of the weapon industry.

There is also this curious contradiction:

Dr. Jeffrey Lewis @ArmsControlWonk - 14:00 UTC  Oct 27, 2021 US: The missile defense system is designed to deal with threats from North Korea and Iran.

China: But you just said you were very concerned with our ability to defeat those defenses.

US: ...

The 'Sputnik moment' in 1957 was the first launch of a Soviet satellite into an orbit around our planet. The capability to launch something into an orbit was new. Its relevance was that things that one can launch into an orbit can also come back down at any place of this planet the launching crew desires to hit. The Sputnik launch thus demonstrated the Soviet capability to launch intercontinental nuclear missiles. A capability the U.S. lacked at that time and had not expected the Soviets to have.

The recent test China did not show anything new. It demonstrated a glider vehicle that - coming down from space at high speed - can maneuver to land in a defined place. That is something the U.S. Space Shuttle demonstrated decades ago. China has already publicly shown weapons which use these elements.

The relatively low trajectory China has used for its recent test was likewise nothing new. The Soviets had used such trajectories for their Fractional Orbital Bombardment System back in the 1960s. We do not know if China has something similar in mind but experts find that unlikely. The recent test was carried out in the way it was because it was the most practical one.

So while the Sputnik launch in 1957 was indeed a surprise the recent Chinese test was nothing like that at all. China did not show any previously unknown capabilities. Moreover - the U.S. already knew that China was working on these system. They are no surprise at all.

The NYT even confirms that:

Two separate tests took place this summer, conducted in a fashion that Chinese officials knew would be highly visible to American satellites. But the United States said nothing about it.

If the Pentagon already knew of the Chinese tests why did it start now to warmonger about these by leaking 'scary' information about the most recent one?

As usual with NYT pieces on has to go to the last paragraph, which the least people will read, to find the real reasoning behind a story.

The Sputnik moment, the authors write:

.. spurred the nuclear arms race of the 20th century, which was only tamped down in the past 30 years, after the Soviet Unions collapse. Now, the arms race is threatening to revive. The United States has an active hypersonic program of its own, as do Russia and, among others, North Korea. But the U.S. program has run into its own technical difficulties, and the Chinese test  which appears to have not been completely successful, either  may well form the basis of a new arms race, at the very moment that President Biden has been looking for ways to avoid a proposed trillion-dollar modernization of the American nuclear forces and delivery systems.

Okay. Now we get it. Biden may wans to cut into the Pentagon plans to spend a trillion dollar on a completely unnecessary program to 'modernize' useless weapons that are already able to fulfill their pretended purpose.

Gen. Milley, as well as Sanger and Broad, are on a mission to prevent that. They do want an arms race. But unfortunately for them that race will be a lonely endeavor. China will not engage in it.

Hu Xijin  @HuXijin_GT - 16:10 UTC  Oct 27, 2021



China wont engage in a nuclear arms race with the US. We think its stupid. I know that the US can destroy China 10 times, but we will MAKE SURE we have full capability to destroy the US once.

Some countries behave responsibly by not wasting their people's resources on unnecessary weapons. Others allow their generals, scribes and weapon makers to fleece the public. Which countries will in the end be the richer ones?

Posted by b on October 27, 2021 at 18:04 UTC | Permalink

Comments
The interview - in which Diana famously declared there "were three of us in the marriage", in reference to Charles' then-mistress and now-wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall - was the subject of a damning report from Lord Dyson earlier this year, which exposed the deceptive methods Bashir had employed to persuade the princess to agree to the broadcast, including using faked bank statements purported to show payments into the accounts of members of the royal household.



Following the publication of the report - which also accused the BBC of being "woefully ineffective" at getting to the bottom of the presenter's wrongdoing at the time - Diana's son, Prince William, issued a damning statement and called for the interview to "never be aired again".



The Duke of Cambridge said: This 'Panorama' programme holds no legitimacy and should never be aired again.



It effectively established a false narrative which, for over a quarter of a century, has been commercialised by the BBC and others.



He also insisted the interview was a major contribution to the breakdown of his mothers marriage to his father and accused the BBC of contributing significantly to Dianas fear and paranoia that accompanied her until her death in a car crash in 1997.



He continued: "The interview was a major contribution to making my parents relationship worse and has since hurt countless others.



"It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBCs failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her.



"But what saddens me most, is that if the BBC had properly investigated the complaints and concerns first raised in 1995, my mother would have known that she had been deceived.



"She was failed not just by a rogue reporter, but by leaders at the BBC who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions.

Credit: Bang Showbiz
ROANOKE, Va. (AP)  As Terry McAuliffe made his case for the Democratic nomination for governor of Virginia this summer, he argued the state wanted seasoned leadership. The former governor, like the new President Joe Biden, had broad appeal that would keep up Virginians' enthusiasm for voting against Republicans, his campaign argued.

Less than a week before Election Day, even McAuliffe's allies are wondering if he was wrong.

Publicly, McAuliffe is confident in his campaign against Republican businessman Glenn Youngkin, but the finger-pointing and handwringing has begun among Democrats who are openly contemplating the possibility of a worst-case scenario on Nov. 2. Internally, there is fear that they may have overestimated voters' desire for an experienced politician. And some allies worry that McAuliffes hyper-focus on former President Donald Trump may not energize voters in the same way it did when he was in office.

The Democrat is locked in a dead heat against a political neophyte who is threatening to become the first Republican to win statewide office here in more than a decade. This, in a state Biden won by 10 percentage points last year.

Everybody is nervous," said Abbi Easter, who lives in the Richmond suburbs and sits on the state Democratic Partys steering committee.

A McAuliffe loss on Tuesday would reverberate across the national political landscape, likely triggering all-out panic among Democrats. For Republicans, it would be a burst of confidence and a roadmap for finding their way through post-Trump divisions ahead of 2022 midterm elections, which will decide control of Congress and dozens of state capitals.

McAuliffe's team privately points to the drag of Biden's weakened standing among Virginia voters, a shift that began in August after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. That exacerbated traditional headwinds for candidates whose party occupies the White House. In 2013, McAuliffe himself became the first Virginia candidate in 40 years to win the governor's office while his party was in power.

And within the campaign, there is concern that McAuliffe's experience, thought to be an asset when he got into the race, may actually work against him in a political environment that continues to favor outsiders. Even before becoming governor, McAuliffe had been active in national politics for decades. He served as a former Democratic National Committee chairman and a chief fundraiser for Bill and Hillary Clinton.

In the 2021 election's closing days, one McAuliffe aide conceded Republicans are more excited about scoring a dramatic upset that would send a message to the country than Democrats are about preserving the status quo  especially as many polls suggest that voters believe the country is on the wrong track.

McAuliffe's first event on Wednesday in the southern edge of the state drew fewer than 40 people.

State delegate Chris Hurst, a McAuliffe supporter, acknowledged the so-called enthusiasm gap at a get-out-the-vote rally this week in the state's rural southwest corner.

You don't have to be enthusiastic to go to the doctor or the dentist to still do it every single year," Hurst said. It's time for us to go out and do our jobs."

Trump may be about to give Democrats an unexpected burst of energy, however.

The former president issued a cryptic statement Wednesday afternoon indicating he may visit Virginia soon. Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich followed up with a statement reminding voters that Trump has endorsed Youngkin, adding, President Trump looks forward to being back in Virginia! Details will be released when appropriate.

Privately, however, the Youngkin campaign indicated that Trump would not be campaigning in Virginia before Election Day.

Meanwhile, some of McAuliffes challenges are of his own making.

In the final debate against Youngkin late last month, McAuliffe's answered a question about parents' efforts to ban some books from school libraries.

I dont think parents should be telling schools what they should teach, McAuliffe quipped.

The comment played into Youngkin's push to win over a crucial bloc of suburban voters, who shifted sharply away from the GOP during Donald Trump's presidency. Youngkin's team immediately began running attack ads highlighting the comment as part of a Parents Matter" campaign.

The education debate turned to an overt play to energize Youngkin's far-right base, however, when he released a new television ad featuring a mother who sought to have the book Beloved banned from classrooms in suburban Washington. The acclaimed 1987 novel by Nobel laureate Toni Morrison is about an escaped slave who kills her infant daughter rather than allowing the girl to be returned to the plantation.

McAuliffes campaign and fellow Democrats accused Youngkin of trying to silence Black authors.

The intensifying messages have been amplified by the massive sums of money each of the candidates has raised and spent  most of it on television ads.

Each candidate has raised more than $58 million in the election so far, according to the most recent campaign finance reports. The combined $117 million raised nearly doubled the previous record for a Virginia governor's election. Youngkin, a wealthy former private equity executive, has lent his campaign $20 million from his personal fortune, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

McAuliffe's team decided long ago to devote the bulk of his fundraising haul to a message focused on national issues  specifically, Trump  instead of his accomplishments while governor, which included a strong state economy and a surge in funding for education. McAuliffe often mentions such governing accomplishments at his events on the campaign trail, but his television commercials, which is how most voters interact with the campaign, have most recently been aimed at tying Youngkin to Trump and the GOP's push to curtail abortion rights.

Easter said it remains to be seen whether Democrats can still win by embracing an anti-Trump message now that he is no longer in office.

I'll know Nov. 3, she said.

Some issues in the race have been out of McAuliffe's control.

The surge of the delta variant over the summer boosted support for McAuliffe's strict approach on vaccines and other public health measures, including mask mandates. The Democrat used the issue to link Youngkin to Trump and other GOP leaders who have resisted the federal Center for Disease Control's recommendations.

Youngkin's team privately acknowledged in the early fall that the pandemic focus was hurting his campaign. But as COVID cases declined in the weeks leading up to the election, voters' focus shifted elsewhere  including toward Washington.

Few Democrats on the ground here believe that the Democratic-controlled Congress inability so far to enact Bidens sweeping agenda is a defining issue in the Virginia contest, but it is certainly not helping as McAuliffe struggles to give Democratic voters something to get excited about.

State Democratic Party Chair Susan Swecker acknowledged her personal anxiety while on a bus tour this week designed to energize Democratic voters.

You know how we get. I do this, too, she said. "We wring our hands a little bit. Look, we always knew this was going to be a tough race, right? We got a lot on the line here.

___

Associated Press writer Sarah Rankin in Richmond contributed to this report.
HOUSTON (AP)  A woman and her boyfriend were arrested Tuesday in the death of the woman's 8-year-old son, whose skeletal remains were found inside a Houston-area apartment with three surviving but apparently abandoned siblings, officials said.

Brian W. Coulter, the 31-year-old boyfriend of the dead childs mother, was charged Tuesday with murder. The mother, Gloria Y. Williams, 35, was charged with felony injury to a child by omission, and tampering with evidence (human corpse), Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted Tuesday night.

Both were booked into the Harris County Jail without bond pending appearances before a magistrate. It was not immediately clear if the two had attorneys. Gonzalez said more charges are possible.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston, which conducts all autopsies in the county, listed the primary cause of death as homicidal violence with multiple blunt force injuries.

Michele Arnold, a spokeswoman for the institute, said her agency could not provide additional details.

Deputy Thomas Gilliland, a spokesman for the Harris County Sheriffs Office, also said he could not immediately provide any more information because his agency was still investigating the death.

One of the surviving siblings, a 15-year-old, called the sheriffs department Sunday and told authorities his brother had been dead for a year and the body was inside the apartment, according to the law enforcement agency.

Deputies found the teen and two other siblings, ages 10 and 7, living alone in the apartment, Gonzalez said. The 15-year-old told authorities his parents had not lived in the apartment for several months.

Gonzalez said it appeared that the surviving children were fending for each other, with the oldest sibling caring for the younger two.

Their apartment didnt have any power, and a neighbor had helped the children by charging a cellphone for them and buying them food, Gilliland said.

The younger children appeared to be malnourished and had physical injuries, according to the sheriffs office. All three siblings were taken to a hospital and assessed and treated.

The children last attended school in May 2020, said Craig Eichhorn, a spokesman for the Alief school district. They didn't return for the 2020-2021 school year, and school officials attempted an unsuccessful home visit in September 2020, Eichhorn said.

A judge on Monday granted the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services temporary custody of the three children.

Investigators were still trying to determine why no one with the apartment complex had noticed anything unusual, Gilliland said.

Highmark Residential, the property management company which runs the apartment complex, did not immediately return a call seeking comment on Tuesday.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Brian W. Coulter is 31 years old and Gloria Y. Williams is 35 years old.

___

Associated Press writer Terry Wallace in Dallas contributed to this report.

___

Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
NEW YORK (AP)  The candidates running to become New York City's mayor lobbed accusations at each other about palling around with gangsters and acting like children or clowns, but their second debate ended on a surprisingly tender note involving cats and veganism.

A week before the city of 8.8 million people votes to pick a new mayor, Democrat Eric Adams and Republican Curtis Sliwa laid out their plans Tuesday for addressing rising violent crime in the city and how to chart a path out of the pandemic's deadly wake.

It was the second meeting between Adams, the Brooklyn Borough president and former New York City police captain who is widely expected to win the election in the heavily Democratic city, and Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels anti-crime patrol. Sliwa is known for his signature red beret, his streetwise proclamations and his penchant for stunts.

The hourlong debate between two men who have made crime and trustworthiness a focus of their campaigns was at times chippy, unfriendly and even absurd enough to make one stone-faced journalist giggle while posing a question.

On the pandemic, Adams supports a mandate from outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio that city workers such as police officers and firefighters get vaccinated against COVID-19 or be placed on unpaid leave. But Adams said he would have had more discussions with the workers' unions before announcing the policy. Sliwa decried the rule and repeatedly tried to yoke Adams to the unpopular de Blasio.

You're acting like my son when he was 4 years old, Adams retorted.

Eric, show compassion, show care," Sliwa retorted. Don't just be a robot. People are going to lose their jobs, their income!

Adams repeated his dismissal of Sliwa as a clown who admitted to fabricating his own kidnapping and some of the exploits of the Guardian Angels decades ago.

Sliwa responded by making a sarcastic joke about being Pagliacci at Lincoln Center, a reference to the Italian opera about a sad clown.

He then accused Adams of secretly living in New Jersey, seizing on news reports that questioned whether Adams lives at his Brooklyn brownstone or with his partner at an apartment they co-own in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

I'd like to know where you actually live because you keep faking that, Sliwa said.

After Sliwa's fusillade of critiques, WABC-TV political reporter Dave Evans let out a small laugh as he asked Adams if he wanted to respond and if he stood by his comments calling Sliwa a clown.

Adams, who would be the city's second Black mayor, defended his nuanced support for the controversial stop-and-frisk policing practice as a useful tool that had been misused by police to disproportionately target people of color.

Sliwa accused Adams of being missing-in-action during street scuffles with protesters last year over racial injustice and criticized Adams for an interview he gave Tuesday morning in which he described meeting with gang members to try to address violent crime and "collaborate with them.

Did you stop, question and frisk them? Sliwa asked. I think the public has the right to know, for someone who declares himself to be the law-and-order candidate.

After a string of testy exchanges, the two men were asked to pay each other compliments as they wrapped up the debate.

Adams complimented Sliwa for adopting and rescuing cats, 16 of which he and his wife keep in their small Manhattan apartment.

I commend him for what he's doing around cats, Adams said.

Sliwa, in turn, praised Adams for promoting his vegan lifestyle, saying it has already probably helped dozens, maybe hundreds, maybe thousands of people."
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  President Joe Biden told leaders at the East Asia Summit on Wednesday that China's recent actions in the Taiwan Straits are coercive" and undermined peace and stability in the region.

The comments by Biden, who participated by video in the annual meeting of 18 Asia-Pacific nations, come during a surge in Chinese military activity near the island that China regards as a renegade province and has vowed to reclaim by force if necessary.

The president also reiterated the U.S. commitment to the international rules-based order and expressed concern over threats to that order, the White House said in a statement. He made clear that the United States will continue to stand with allies and partners in support of democracy, human rights, rule of law, and freedom of the seas.

Last week, Biden set off alarm bells in Beijing by saying the U.S. has a firm commitment to help Taiwan defend itself in the event of a Chinese attack.

The White House later downplayed the presidents comments, which came during a CNN town hall, and said he did not mean to imply any changes in the U.S. one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have plunged to new lows since nosediving under former President Donald Trump's administration, which adopted a confrontational approach on trade, visas, diplomatic representation and educational exchanges.

A U.S. nuclear submarine deal with Australia and the U.K. has also angered China, which claims most of the disputed South China Sea and warned the pact would threaten regional stability.

Some nations such as Indonesia and Malaysia also fear the pact could escalate tensions and spark an arms race.

Indonesia does not want this region to become an arms race and a power projection that can threaten stability, Indonesian President Joko Widodo told his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison, according to Indonesia's foreign minister.

Australia announced a $93 million package to support security, climate and health efforts in Southeast Asia, while Morrison defended the new pact with the U.S. and UK., saying it does not change Australias commitment to the Association of Southeast Asia Nations or the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific  "indeed it reinforces it.

He said Australia had no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons and remained deeply committed to nuclear non-proliferation.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said his country shared serious concern with ASEAN about challenges to the free and open maritime order in the East and South China seas, according to Japan's Foreign ministry.

He did not mention China by name, but Tokyo has more become vocal in defending the freedom of navigation and resolution of disputes based on international law, at a time China expands its military power beyond its shores, rattling neighbors with the construction of man-made islands and sending ships near their coasts.

The meetings have been clouded by a diplomatic standoff after military-ruled Myanmar skipped the summit in protest of ASEAN's move to bar Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, whose forces seized power in February, from attending.

In Biden's private conversations with ASEAN leaders, he denounced the horrific violence by the military junta in Myanmar as he looks to press U.S. leadership in the Pacific.

In Myanmar, we must address the tragedy caused by the military coup which is increasingly undermining regional stability, Biden told the leaders, according to the White House. The president added, The United States stands for the people of Myanmar and calls for military regime to end the violence, release all political prisoners and return to the path of democracy.

ASEAN's censure of Myanmar was its boldest after the bloc's envoy was prevented from meeting ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political detainees as part of a proposed dialogue to ease the crisis that has left more than 1,100 mostly anti-military protesters dead.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed concern over the detention in Myanmar of Australian academician Sean Turnell, who served as an economic adviser to Suu Kyis government. Morrison thanked Lee for the concern, a Southeast Asian diplomat, who took part in the meeting, told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the discussions publicly.

Myanmar has refused to send a junior representative to the summit, and slammed ASEANs move as going against the blocs principles of non-interference in each others affairs and decision-making by consensus. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Myanmars decision to snub the summit was regrettable and hinted he may also consider not inviting the military-led nations top general to a video summit of more than 50 Asian and European countries Cambodia will host next month, the diplomat said.

There have been concerns that European leaders may skip the summit and just send lower-ranking representatives if the Myanmar general will be allowed to join, according to the diplomat.

In a chairmans statement released after the summit Tuesday, the blocs leaders urged Myanmar to give its envoy, Brunei Second Foreign Minister Eryan Yusof, full access to all parties and release political detainees.

While respecting ASEAN's principle of non-interference, the bloc said it must also strike a balance in terms of rule of law, good governance, democracy and constitutional government in Myanmar's situation.

We reiterated that Myanmar remains a member of the ASEAN family and recognized that Myanmar needs both time and political space to deal with its many and complex challenges," the group said.

____

Karmini reported from Jakarta, Indonesia. Associated Press journalists Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, Kiko Rosario and Grant Peck in Bangkok, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.
When it comes to accommodations in the Lone Star State, Texas has a little something for everyone, from rustic barns and re-purposed wagons to solar homes and grain silos. Below, we highlight some of the most unique and oddball vacation rentals around the state.

Want to sleep under the Texas sky and enjoy the stars? Check out a repurposed wagon that allows visitors a truly special night they surely won't forget when visiting Texas. The Barons Wagon describes itself as the The Ultimate Texas Hill Country Glamping Adventure. It sleeps up to four people, but this glamping experience isnt without amenities: it comes with wifi!

This clothing optional vacation rental is the newest addition to Tin Valley Retro Rentals and is located near Big Bend National & State Park and the Rio Grande. No need to worry about tan lines. But dont worry because its docked on its own island and far away from other properties in the area so you get lots of privacy. It has one bedroom and a kitchen. Theres a composting toilet and a shower house/flushing toilet nearby. You also get a large fire pit as well as an upper deck perfect for stargazing.

The Silo House in Laughing Llama Farm is a secluded farmhouse minutes away from Waco, Texas. The actual house is a renovated grain bin that was moved from a family farm 50 miles away to its current location. The interior of the 672-square-foot silo has a modern artistic vibe. The upstairs loft has a queen-sized bed and a queen-sized sofa sleeper while downstairs there is a full bathroom and a modern kitchen.

Its best to be a fan of four-legged creatures as this property is a working farm with llamas, sheep, goats and cows occasionally.

Located in the Chihuahuan desert near Big Bend National Park, the adobe dome house makes for a truly off-grid experience. The earthen structure runs off solar power enough for lights and charging your phone so dont expect to have air conditioning or a TV. The dome sleeps two and has a small but functional kitchen with a working fridge. For a true vacation away from it all, try out this unique rental!

A modern solar home near world-famous Marfa is a perfect retreat for artists and arts lovers alike! Featuring two bedrooms and three baths, its a perfect spot for a gathering or laid-back weekend.

Feeling royal or want to pretend to be? Enjoy a stay at this mini fortress surrounded by a wooded forest with a castle guesthouse located outside the castle walls. Inside the castle is a loft bedroom fit for royalty. Exposed wooden beams compliment the medieval-esque plaster walls. The entire property can accommodate five guests in two bedrooms and one bath. Enjoy access to the neighborhood private boat dock on Lake Livingston.

Texas is known for wide-open spaces so why not consider that for your vacation rental as well? This property known as Barndominium is nestled 16 miles from downtown Amarillo. Featuring a hot tub, game room and more, this 2,000-square-foot property promises to keep you entertained.

Country living at its finest is what youll get at this barn converted into a vacation guesthouse. This rustic rental is ideal for a romantic getaway and close by Fredericksburg, Bandera and San Antonio.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The reports of hateful and violent posts on Facebook started pouring in on the night of May 28 last year, soon after then-President Donald Trump sent a warning on social media that looters in Minneapolis would be shot.

It had been three days since Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on the neck of George Floyd for more than eight minutes until the 46-year-old Black man lost consciousness, showing no signs of life. A video taken by a bystander had been viewed millions of times online. Protests had taken over Minnesotas largest city and would soon spread throughout cities across America.

But it wasn't until after Trump posted about Floyds death that the reports of violence and hate speech increased rapidly on Facebook across the country, an internal company analysis of the ex-presidents social media post reveals.

These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd and I wont let that happen, Trump tweeted at 9:53 p.m. on May 28, in comments he repeated on his Facebook account a few hours later. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts the shooting starts!

The former president has since been suspended from both Twitter and Facebook.

Leaked Facebook documents provide a first-hand look at how Trumps social media posts ignited more anger in an already deeply divided country that was eventually lit on fire with reports of hate speech and violence across the platform. Facebooks own internal, automated controls, meant to catch posts that violate rules, predicted with almost 90% certainty that Trump's message broke the tech company's rules against inciting violence.

Yet, the tech giant didnt take any action on Trump's message.

Offline, the next day, protests  some of which turned violent  engulfed nearly every U.S. city, big and small.

When people look back at the role Facebook played, they wont say Facebook caused it, but Facebook was certainly the megaphone," said Lanier Holt, a communications professor at Ohio State University. I dont think theres any way they can get out of saying that they exacerbated the situation."

Social media rival Twitter, meanwhile, responded quickly at the time by covering Trumps tweet with a warning and prohibiting users from sharing it any further.

Facebooks internal discussions were revealed in disclosures made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form by former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugens legal counsel. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including The Associated Press.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Trump was one of many high-profile users, including politicians and celebrities, exempted from some or all of the companys normal enforcement policies.

Hate speech and violence reports had been mostly limited to the Minneapolis region after Floyd's death, the documents reveal.

However, after Trumps post on May 28, situations really escalated across the country, according to the memo, published on June 5 of last year.

The internal analysis shows a five-fold increase in violence reports on Facebook, while complaints of hate speech tripled in the days following Trump's post. Reports of false news on the platform doubled. Reshares of Trump's message generated a substantial amount of hateful and violent comments," many of which Facebook worked to remove. Some of those comments included calls to start shooting these thugs and f- the white."

By June 2, we can see clearly that the entire country was basically on fire, a Facebook employee wrote of the increase in hate speech and violence reports in the June 5 memo.

Facebook says it's impossible to separate how many of the hate speech reports were driven by Trump's post itself or the controversy over Floyd's death.

This spike in user reports resulted from a critical moment in history for the racial justice movement  not from a single Donald Trump post about it," a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. Facebook often reflects whats happening in society and the only way to prevent spikes in user reports during these moments is to not allow them to be discussed on our platform at all, which is something we would never do.

But the internal findings also raise questions about public statements Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made last year as he defended his decision to leave Trump's post untouched.

On May 29, for example, Zuckerberg said the company looked closely to see if Trump's words broke any of its policies and concluded that they did not. Zuckerberg also said he left the post up because it warned people of Trump's plan to deploy troops.

I know many people are upset that weve left the Presidents posts up, but our position is that we should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies, Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook account the night of May 29, as protests erupted around the country.

Yet, Facebook's own automated enforcement controls determined the post likely did break the rules.

Our violence and incitement classifier was almost 90% certain that this (Trump) post violated Facebook's ... policy, the June 5 analysis reads.

That contradicts conversations Zuckerberg had with civil rights leaders last year to quell concerns that Trump's post was a specific threat to Black people protesting Floyd's death, said Rashad Robinson, the president of Color of Change, a civil rights advocacy group. The group also spearheaded a boycott of Facebook in the weeks following Trump's post.

To be clear, I had a direct argument with Zuckerberg days after that post where he gaslit me and he specifically pushed back on any notion that this violated their rules, Robinson said in an interview with the AP last week.

A Facebook spokesperson said that its internal controls do not always correctly predict when a post has violated rules and that human review, which was done in the case of Trump's post, is more accurate.

To curb the ex-president's ability to stoke hateful reactions on its platform, Facebook employees suggested last year that the company limit reshares on similar posts that may violate Facebook's rules in the future.

But Trump continued to use his Facebook account, which more than 32 million follow, to fire up his supporters throughout much of the remainder of his presidency. In the days leading up to a deadly siege in Washington on Jan. 6, Trump regularly promoted false claims that widespread voter fraud caused him to lose the White House, spurring hundreds of his fans to storm the U.S. Capitol and demand the results of a fair election be overturned.

It wasn't until after the Capitol riot, and as Trump was on his way out of the White House, that Facebook pulled him off the platform in January, announcing his account would be suspended until at least 2023.

There's a reason Facebook waited so long to take any action, said Jennifer Mercieca, a professor at Texas A&M University who closely studied the former president's rhetoric.

"Facebook really benefited from Trump and Trumps ability to draw attention and engagement through outrage," Mercieca said. "They wanted Trump to keep going on."

___

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the first name of the Ohio State University professor to Lanier; and to correct the times Trump sent posts about George Floyd to Twitter and Facebook.

___

See full coverage of the The Facebook Papers here: https://apnews.com/hub/the-facebook-papers
SALEM, Ore. (AP)  Former New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof announced his candidacy Wednesday for Oregon governor, saying the state needs a political newbie to solve problems like homelessness and rural despair.

I've never run for political office in my life, Kristof said in a campaign video, expressing it as an asset. He said he felt compelled to run for governor because, after covering crises around the world, he was heartbroken to see ones afflicting his home state.

Kristof pointed out that many of the kids he grew up with in Yamhill, 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of Portland, are dead, their deaths drug- or alcohol-related. Kristof calls them victims of inequality.

Kristof joins a crowded field of Democrats seeking their party's nomination to be the candidate in the 2022 election, including Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek and state Treasurer Tobias Read. Democrats have held the governors office since 1987.

In his video, Kristof said political leaders have been unable to resolve issues such as drug addiction, homelessness, unaffordable housing, a spiraling homicide rate in Portland and weak mental health support.

Nothing will change until we stop moving politicians up the career ladder year after year, even though they refuse to step up to the problems Oregon faces, said Kristof, wearing a jacket with the logo of Portland-based Columbia Sportswear.

Kristof has faced questions of whether he's even eligible to run for governor. According to the law, a candidate must have been a resident of the state for at least three years before an election. Kristof voted in New York state in November 2020.

I probably should have changed my registration. I wasnt focused on paperwork. I was focused on voting to remove President Trump and vote for Joe Biden, Kristof told reporters in Portland on Wednesday.

A legal opinion by lawyers working for Kristof, first reported by Willamette Week newspaper, said Kristof has always considered Oregon his home, even though his job required him to live around the world.

Nothing in the Oregon Constitution or the historical sources used to interpret its meaning suggest that registration to vote in another jurisdiction alone disqualifies a person from residential eligibility for governor, said the opinion, co-written by Misha Isaak, Oregon Gov. Kate Browns former general counsel.

Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn  who also was a New York Times reporter  bought a 150-acre property in Yamhill in 1993 and have worked the land and paid Oregon property taxes on it.

Also trying to illustrate Kristof's ties to this Pacific Northwest state, the lawyers added that Kristof has hiked its entire length on the Pacific Crest Trail, backpacked around Mount Hood (the state's tallest peak) and eaten at Mos Seafood and Chowder in Lincoln City, a restaurant chain that's an institution on the Oregon Coast.

Richard Clucas, a political science professor at Portland State University  where Kristof's parents used to teach  said Kristof won't be able to coast to election victory on name recognition. Many Oregonians don't know who Kristof, who won two Pulitzer Prizes as a foreign correspondent and columnist, is.

He is not a prominent actor, or a professional wrestler, or a reality TV star. Hes a columnist for a publication that has a specific kind of a readership, Clucas said.

On Monday, he asked his class of around 30 students on state politics who had heard of Kristof. Only two did.

Media coverage of Kristof's announcement will help him gain name recognition, but he faces an uphill battle ahead of the May 17 primary elections in which the Democratic and GOP gubernatorial candidates will be elected.

Kristof's background in rural Oregon could resonate with voters, Clucas said.

Clearly the issues he has raised are ones that people are concerned about in the state. Some parts of rural Oregon have remained in economic recession since the 1980s," Clucas said.

Kristof, who left The New York Times earlier this month, has written frequently about the economic and social problems of the people he grew up with in Oregon as the region's manufacturing and timber economy collapsed.

I think we do need to try to build some bridges and try to knit this state together, Kristof said. "I would hope that, perhaps as a liberal from a rural area, I may have some advantage in trying to do that.

Democratic Gov. Kate Brown is term-limited and cant run for the state's top office again. About a dozen Republican candidates have also said they will run for their party's nomination.

___

Associated Press/Report for America journalist Sara Cline contributed to this report from Portland.

___

Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky
JERUSALEM (AP)  Israel approved about 3,000 new settler homes in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, a day after the United States issued its strongest rebuke yet of such construction. It was the biggest announcement of settlement plans during the Biden administration.

The plans were approved by a Defense Ministry committee, according to a security official who was not authorized to speak publicly and did not provide further details. The anti-settlement group Peace Now also confirmed the approvals.

The decision marked the latest boost for Israel's half-century-old settlement enterprise on occupied lands the Palestinians seek for a state. Successive Israeli governments have expanded settlements, making an internationally backed two-state solution  a state of Palestine arising alongside Israel  increasingly impossible.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the international community to take a decisive stance on the Israeli decision, which he said amounted to a "message of disdain for the efforts of the U.S. administration.

The Trump administration had tolerated settlement growth and abandoned the decades-long U.S. position that the settlements were illegitimate. Israel embarked on an aggressive settlement spree during the Trump years, advancing plans for more than 12,000 settler homes in 2020 alone, according to Peace Now, the highest number since it started collecting data in 2012.

Wednesday's decision was bound to raise friction with Europe and the United States.

Only a day earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had protested the plan during a phone call with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, according to a senior U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Also on Tuesday, the U.S. State Department said it was deeply concerned about Israels plans to advance new settlement homes, including many deep inside the West Bank.

State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters in Washington: We strongly oppose the expansion of settlements, which is completely inconsistent with efforts to lower tensions and to ensure calm and damages the prospects for a two-state solution.

Sabri Saidam, a former Palestinian official, criticized the Biden administration, saying it was almost absent as Israel pushes ahead with settlement construction.

The settlement approval also seemed poised to test Israel's fragile governing coalition of ultra-nationalists, centrists and dovish parties that oppose settlements after the 12-year rule of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Now, everybody knows that this is not a government of change, but this is a government with the same policy as Netanyahu to build more settlements, to deepen the occupation and to take us away from the chances for peace, said Hagit Ofran of Peace Now.

The Palestinians seek the West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem  areas Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war  for their future state. The Palestinians view the settlements, which house some 700,000 Israelis, as the main obstacle to peace, and most of the international community considers them illegal.

Israel views the West Bank, home to more than 2.5 million Palestinians, as the biblical and historical heartland of the Jewish people.

Wednesday's approvals were given by the Defense Ministry's higher planning council, which authorizes West Bank construction. Roughly half of those units were given final approval before the start of construction.

The committee was also supposed to approve 1,300 housing units for Palestinians who live in areas of the West Bank that are under full Israeli control, outside the enclaves administered by a Palestinian autonomy government. The discussion was moved to next week.

The Palestinians and rights groups say the 1,300 homes under discussion meet a tiny fraction of the need. Palestinians require military permits to build in the 60% of the occupied West Bank that is under full Israeli control. Rights groups say permits are almost never granted, forcing many residents to build without authorization and risk demolition.

On Sunday, Israel announced construction tenders for 1,355 housing units in the West Bank, the first move of its kind since President Joe Biden assumed office pledging to take a harder line on the settlements. It also appeared to run contrary to the new Israeli coalition governments own vows to reduce tensions with the Palestinians.

___

Kellman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Joseph Krauss and Areej Hazboun contributed from Jerusalem. Matthew Lee contributed from Washington.
October has been a busy month regarding weather related incidents across west-central Illinois with an EF2 tornado touching down in Greene County Oct. 11 and straight-winds causing damage in South Jacksonville Monday.

In addition to the storms, meteorologists with the National Weather Service are predicting rain within the coming days and with an already high water level along the Illinois River, levels are being monitored.

We have areas of low pressure moving south that will bring precipitation, Ben Deubelbeiff, a meteorologist for the weather service, said about expected rain.

It will be on and off both Thursday and Friday, he said, adding that rain is expected to start later today.

Parts of the Illinois River in Beardstown are already showing signs of levels reaching high points, and with expected rains, it may go up before receding.

Beardstown and Meredosia are projected to have flooding over the next several days, National Weather Service meteorologist Kirk Huettl said. Its at 14 feet now and could go up to 19, he said of Beardstown.

Water levels for various locations differ, but for Beardstown, levels that reach 13 feet fall into the the action state. Flood stage is 14 feet to 18 feet and, moderate flood stage is 18 feet to 28 feet and anything above 28 falls under the category of major flood stage.

As of Tuesday, the Illinois River in Beardstown is currently at 14.31 feet, and now through Tuesday, it is expected to raise up to 18.8 feet, putting it in the moderate flood stage.

Water levels further south along the Illinois River for both LaGrange Lock  19.16 feet  and Meredosia  13.19 feet  and both are currently in the a no flood state, but levels are expected to rise to the minor flooding stage by next week.

With Beardstown showing the most vulnerability to the rising river, historically, the river has never crest over 30 feet. However, since 1943, the river has almost toppled at 30 feet with 2013 reaching its highest at 29.81 feet.

Second to that was in 2015, 29.75, then 29.60 in 1943, and 29.41 feet in 1995.

During a flooding in 2019, Gov. J. B. Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation for 34 counties, including Brown, Cass, Greene, Jersey, Morgan, Pike, Schuyler and Scott counties.

As the rains pass through over the coming days, cooler temperatures are expected but, west-central Illinois is predicted to not experience its first frost until early November, which is later than normal.

On average, the first freeze usually happens on Oct. 22, Deubelbeiff said, but we dont have anything for the next 10 days.

The last time Morgan County had its first freeze in November was Nov. 12, 2016.
MILAN, Ill. (AP)  A vehicle struck and killed a United Auto Workers member Wednesday as he was walking to a picket line to join striking workers outside a John Deere distribution plant in northwest Illinois, the union and police said.

The man, identified as 56-year-old Richard Rich, was struck at about 6 a.m. CDT at an intersection near a road that leads to the John Deere Parts Distribution Center in Milan, Illinois, Police Chief Shawn Johnson said.

Rich was crossing the Rock Island-Milan Parkway at Deere Drive when he was hit by the motorist, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

We don't believe it to be intentional, but it's still an ongoing investigation and it did happen out near the middle of the intersection where the pedestrian was crossing the roadway," Johnson told The Associated Press.

UAW leaders said Rich was a 15-year employee of the Deere plant. He was a member of UAW Local 79 in Milan, UAW said in a statement.

On behalf of the UAW and all working families, we mourn the passing of our UAW brother, said UAW President Ray Curry. It is a somber time to lose a member who made the ultimate sacrifice in reporting to picket for a better life for his family and co-workers.

John Deere spokeswoman Jennifer Hartmann said in a statement the company was saddened by the tragic accident" that killed one of its employees and offered our deepest condolences" to Rich's family and friends.

More than 10,000 Deere & Co. workers went on strike this month at 14 Deere factories in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado and Georgia after the UAW rejected a contract offer. It was the first major walkout at the agricultural machinery giant in more than three decades.

Union members rejected a contract offer that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others at the Illinois company known for its green tractors.
Today

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers and can be picked up at side door.

Pike County and Morgan County CASA Training: Noon, Zoom virtual event. | Informational meetings for those interested in volunteer training for court-appointed special advocates. For more information in Pike County, call 217-617-6058 or email kanton@advonet.org; in Morgan County, call 217-971-0531 or email lgaige@advonet.org.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Commodity Food Distribution: 1:15 p.m., Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. Free | For income-eligible residents of Morgan County. Bring proof of residence and a box for food.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Live Author Event with Chris Bohjalian: 6:30 p.m., Zoom virtual event. Free | New York Times bestselling author Chris Bohjalian will speak about his newest release, The Hour of the Witch. To register, or to ask a question of the author, email Sarah at ssnyder@jaxpl.org.

County Line Dance Club Class: 6:30 p.m., The Hangout Bar & Grill, 901 W. Superior Ave. $5.



Thursday

Walking for Wellness: 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jacksonville High School Bowl, 215 S. Church St. Free | Indoor walking program open each day Jacksonville schools are in session.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers and can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

County Line Dance Club Class: 6:30 p.m., VFW Post 1379, 903 E. Morton Ave., $3.

Stop Kiss  UIS Theatre: 7:30 p.m., UIS Performing Arts Center, 1 University Plaza, Springfield. | Play by Diana Son.



To submit items to the calendar, go to myjournalcourier.com and select calendar, or email jjcsocial@myjournalcourier.com. Items must be submitted at least 48 hours in advance.
Despite the many blessings of living in America, why arent more Americans happy?

According to World Population Review, the 2021 World Happiness Report ranks America as the 19th happiest out of 146 countries.

The report bases happiness on six categories, including gross domestic product, social support, life expectancy, generosity, perceptions of each countrys corruption levels, and the freedom for citizens to make their own life choices.

GDP is a general estimate of the total value of finished goods and services that a country has produced within a specific period of time, usually measured in a year.

America has the highest GDP in the world, yet that isnt producing the highest happiness ranking in the world.

To be sure, money isnt everything where happiness is concerned, according to Time.

Several studies show that once your basic financial needs are met and you have enough money to enjoy a few niceties, more money does not necessarily equate to more happiness.

Though, as my Uncle Bert has wisely noted, if youre going to be miserable anyway, you might as well be rich!

Americas life expectancy ranking is awfully disappointing. Out of 227 countries, we rank 46th. Other advanced economies are doing much better than we are. Our neighbor Canada is ranked sixth.

Understanding why we arent living longer requires deep examination, but a report by the National Institute of Health explains why it would negatively impact our happiness ranking.

That brings us to generosity.

According to the 2019 World Giving Index, Americans had been the most generous people on Earth for the prior decade, reports Marketwatch.

However, the 2021 World Giving Index says the USA has seen a significant decline across all three scores since 2016  a trend which accelerated in 2020.

Why are Americans giving less? When the downtrend began in 2016, The Atlantic tried to identify the underlying causes.

Cynicism could be one of them.

Fewer Americans feel that their volunteer work and donations actually make a difference in their communities, reports The Atlantic.

Since helping others brings you a lot of joy, is our reduction in giving another source of our unhappiness?

Then there is our perception of corruption.

If you live in a country where government corruption is high, you likely feel powerless in your ability to influence your governments policies with your voice and your vote.

When President Trump won in 2016, half the country thought he stole the election. Today, the other half of the country thinks President Biden stole the 2020 election.

With perception of government corruption running high, I suppose it could contribute to the unhappiness of many Americans.

The last measure of happiness in the World Population Review involves the freedom of citizens to make their own life choices  a basic freedom that has been significantly limited by some state governments during the COVID-19 pandemic.

States like Florida and South Dakota generally kept their economies and schools open and preserved their citizens freedom to make their own decisions, but states like California enforced strict lockdowns and mask mandates  making many people very unhappy.

Now that I think about it, given what weve gone through the last year and a half, maybe we should be happy we didnt rank considerably lower than 19th on the 2021 World Happiness Report.

Tom Purcell is an author and humor columnist. He can be reached at Tom@TomPurcell.com.
LONDON (AP)  Young women across the U.K. are boycotting nightclubs and pubs Wednesday as university towns and cities join in a national girls night in protest after increasing reports of drink spiking and students being drugged by needle injections.

The online campaign, which has gained momentum in university cities including Bristol, Brighton and Nottingham, wants to raise awareness about womens safety and demand more urgent action by the government and nightclubs to prevent date rape drugs from being brought into clubs. Girls Night In accounts organizing boycotts in British cities this week have gathered thousands of followers on social media.

The protests came after a sharp rise in recent months of reports of drink spiking and needle spiking  where women report being injected with drugs in the back or in the leg at nightclubs  as students return to campuses after a long spell away due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Police Chiefs Council said there have been 198 confirmed reports of drink spiking in September and October across the U.K., and 24 reports of people being injected while on nights out.

Police in Nottingham, central England, said last week that extra officers were being put on patrol on the weekends to ensure people could enjoy a safe night out. The force said that since Oct. 2, 14 women and a man have alleged being spiked by something sharp, as opposed to a traditional method of contaminated alcoholic drinks.

Student Zara Owen, 19, told the BBC that she blacked out soon after arriving with friends at a nightclub in the city earlier this month. She said she had no recollection of what happened that night, but woke up with a pain in her leg before she discovered a pin prick.

In Brighton, the southern England seaside city, detectives said they were investigating six reports of women being injected during the past week.

Police were carrying out unannounced checks through the night, and all reports were being taken incredibly seriously, said Chief Superintendent Justin Burtenshaw, commander for Brighton and Hove. Anyone who believed they may have been a victim of spiking should let police or bar staff know immediately so they could be tested for potential drugs before their effects wane, he added.

Organizers of the boycott said on Instagram that spiking has become an epidemic.

Never before have we heard of so many students waking up with no memory of what had happened the night before, read the message. This is not getting black-out drunk, this is getting drugged and is something that can be changed.

On Wednesday, a 29-year-old man appeared in court in the city of Manchester charged with rape after a woman reported that her drink had been spiked during a night out in September.

An online petition calling for nightclubs to be required to thoroughly search people on entry has garnered almost 170,000 signatures.

By SYLVIA HUI

Associated Press
In The Souvenir Part II, a human-scaled epic concludes View Photo

NEW YORK (AP)  Joanna Hogg first had the instinct to make a film about her then-unfolding relationship to her heroin-addicted first love  a traumatic and formative time that coincided with her coming-of-age as a filmmaker  in 1979.

Back then, she didnt feel capable of tackling something so ambitious and personal. Her career detoured, instead, into television. It wasnt until Hogg was 47 that she determinedly returned to movies. After making three well-received features, Hogg felt she was finally ready.

The result  The Souvenir, which Hogg made in two parts, filmed two years apart  is a stunner. A sublime work of memory and autobiography, The Souvenir ( the second part of which a24 opens in theaters Friday) captures a masterful filmmaker using all her accrued skill to revisit her early, half-formed life as a young filmmaker in the midst of finding herself.

I was surprised with the making of both these films how I remembered more than I thought I did, Hogg said in a recent interview from London. (Her Zoom window read fellini.) Sometimes, its just about focusing on that particular point in time and then things come up. I wouldnt have said that before the process because I didnt believe that was possible. I thought you remember what you remember, that theres no way to retrieve a memory.

But I think, actually, you can channel something. Thoughts, ideas, memories, images, sounds. I think one can retrieve them.

As a filmmaker, Hogg is a seemingly incongruous blend of free-flowing and formalistic. Her camera movements are precise, her cuts rigorous. She dresses her sets meticulously  recreating her London apartment in Knightsbridge, using her old clothes to dress her fictional stand-in, played by Honor Swinton Byrne, with whom Hogg shared her old journals. Yet she doesnt script out dialogue. Hogg, 61, uses a 30-page document as a starting point, and shapes scenes through rehearsals and wide-ranging takes.

In the first part of The Souvenir, we see Julie chafing at the structures imposed by her film professors, and later, in part two, dealing with crew members who want a more concrete process. But those challenges are just part of Julies struggle to summon her voice and lift life into art. That the two films exist as they do is a kind of living proof that Hoggs way, now firmly grasped, yields something genuine and alive. We watch Julie finding her courage as a filmmaker; Hoggs is self-evident.

Tilda Swinton, who co-stars in both films as the mother of Julie (Swinton Byrne is Swintons real-life daughter), is a longtime friend of Hoggs. She even starred in Hoggs film school final project. She recalls Hogg four decades ago taking detailed notes and photographing the views out her windows  preparation for a future, theoretical film. Swinton describes The Souvenir as a beacon in a new kind of poetic cinema.

When I think of these films, I am reminded of that sense in which the project of cinema is that of a defiance of time, Swinton writes in an email.

It takes enormous heart and nerve to be as honest as she is about people  and to give her colleagues the support to be as open as her films require us all to be, Swinton continues. Its a high road and, as all the muddiest are, both unassailable pure and also solidly earthed.

The two parts of The Souvenir have won widespread acclaim, from the Sundance Film Festival to this years Cannes and New York festivals. Some of its most ardent fans are filmmakers. Martin Scorsese is an executive producer.

I think that The Souvenir Parts I & II is an epic, on a completely human scale, Scorsese says by email.

While Scorsese recalls racing to make his first movie before he was 25 (how old Orson Welles was when he made Citizen Kane), he recognizes a different trajectory in Hogg.

Joanna started at a different moment and took her own path, and she began in a very different frame of mind, says Scorsese. Its reflected in the work, I think. Theres a kind of clarity there, an intensity of focus, that you dont find with someone younger  intensity yes, but of a different kind. But also, of course, its Joanna herself.

In conjuring her own entry into moviemaking, Hogg has also led Swinton Byrne in her first steps into film. Despite growing up on movie sets, The Souvenir marks the 24-year-olds debut. Hogg, unsatisfied with everyone she auditioned, cast her just two weeks before starting the first part, when Swinton Byrne was 19. Julies evolution is also Swinton Byrnes.

So much happened in those two years between part one and part two. I went away to Namibia for 10 months. I like to think I did a lot of growing up in that time, Swinton Byrne says by Zoom from Edinburgh, Scotland, where shes studying psychology. So I think I went into the second one with much more of a backbone.

I changed, myself, she adds before laughing. There wasnt a lot of acting going on.

To Swinton Byrne, the second part of The Souvenir is particularly empowering. After finishing her studies, she expects to keep acting.

Hollywood depicts this ideal expectation of what to experience in your 20s and 30s, so this is why Im really moved by both films, Swinton Byrne says. These two films, as a whole, shed light on making mistakes, and how thats completely normal and completely healthy, and the more mistakes you make, the more you learn.

With fiction and life merging so much, Hogg has sometimes, herself, been uncertain about whats real and whats not.

The whole thing becomes very confused, not in an uninteresting way, and very hard to unpack, Hogg says, smiling. Sometimes now if I see an image from the film, theres a momentary confusion in my mind as to whether thats a still from the film or a still from my own life.

Having spent so much of her career pushing against the normal methods of filmmaking, Hogg  her voice as a director crystal clear  feels drawn to trying her hand in more prescribed genres. Film noir, where the past is never through with anyone, is especially appealing right now.

Im interested now in playing with known shapes within my parameters, she says.

Last year, Hogg shot The Eternal Daughter, a Wales-set mystery about long-buried secrets, with Swinton. I have been her playmate for 50 years and now we are feeling as if we are finally beginning our work together, says Swinton.

As much as The Souvenir was obsessed with recapturing a long ago, Hogg already feels the films moving away from her. The movies, too, are now a memory, and difficult to readily retrieve.

Part II gets harder and harder to talk about because its receded, Hogg says. They float away into the ether.

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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

By JAKE COYLE

AP Film Writer
Spain presses Algeria to guarantee natural gas supply View Photo

BARCELONA, Spain (AP)  For the second time in a month, a Spanish minister met with Algerian officials on Wednesday to guarantee the European countrys supply of natural gas after Algeria closes a pipeline that runs through Morocco this weekend.

While a leader in wind and solar power, Spain still relies heavily on energy imports and Algeria provides over a third of its natural gas. Spanish officials worry that a shortage in supplies will fuel already skyrocketing energy prices that have made electricity bills a major problem for its left-wing coalition government.

The trip by Spains deputy prime minister for ecological transition, Teresa Ribera, to Algiers came only a month after the countrys foreign minister travelled to the Algerian capital to discuss the gas supply that Spain fears could be a collateral victim of Algerias diplomatic spat with Morocco.

After meeting with Algerias minister for energy and mining, Mohamed Arkab, Ribera thanked him for his pledge to ensure the viability of the transport of natural gas and to honor the commitments for its purchase between different Algerian and Spanish companies.

Algeria has said it wont renew an agreement, set to expire on Sunday, that has kept its natural gas flowing through Morocco and on to Spain for the past 25 years. The development follows a deterioration of Algerian relations with Morocco centered around the disputed region of Western Sahara, highlighted by the recall of the Algerian ambassador.

The pipeline that travels across northwest Africa before crossing the Mediterranean Sea at Zahara de los Atunes on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar supplied Spain with just over 10% of all its natural gas in 2020, according to CORES, Spains public corporation that watches over its strategic energy reserves.

The pipeline also supplied Morocco with enough gas to produce 10% of its total electricity on top of the annual $60 million it received for crossing its territory.

A second, longer pipeline from Algeria to Almeria in Spains southeastern shore currently provides 16% of its total natural gas imports.

There are plans to boost that pipelines capacity from eight to 10 million square meters in the coming months. Even so, that wont fully make up the shortfall, unless boats can bring in enough liquefied natural gas to Spain directly from Algeria.

Ribera said her counterpart also agreed to be prepared in case Spain asked Algeria to increase the supply of natural gas.

Algeria, through the company Sonatrach, will honor its commitments with Spain, relating to natural gas supply and is ready to discuss the terms of additional gas deliveries, Arkab said, according to the Algerian official news agency APS.

Spains diplomatic mission comes amid a spike in energy prices across Europe that are hitting the Iberian peninsula hard and driving up electricity bills for homes and businesses. Ribera, a respected environmental policy maker, has been tasked by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to find a solution.

___

Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.

By JOSEPH WILSON

Associated Press
Ovations will return this winter and the Calaveras County Arts Council is going to make the first concert a party!

Kathy Mazzaferro, the Executive Director for the Calaveras County Arts Council, was Wednesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day.

The Calaveras Arts Council has been advised that the Bret Harte High School Theater will more than likely not be available for Ovations this school year.

According to Mazzaferro, Covid has taught us that we need to be flexible and ready to pivot at a moments notice. With that in mind, this years concert series will not feature season tickets. Each show will be single ticket purchase only, with seating limited to 150 and take place in the Alhambra Music Room at Ironstone Vineyards.

We invite you to join us for a champagne reception at 2:00 p.m. and the concert at 3:00 p.m., said Mazzaferro. This is a fundraiser to support our music programs. We look forward to celebrating with you! Tickets will go on sale soon.

On Sunday December 5, the Arts Council will present Christmas in a Celtic Land, a concert by the Celtic trio Golden Bough. There will be a champagne reception (with snacks) at 2 PM, followed by the concert at 3 PM.

The concert celebrates all things British Isles, with rare holiday music from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall, as well as traditional music from other Celtic nations like French Brittany and Spanish Galicia, and compositions by members of Golden Bough.

Golden Bough, venerable and respected musicians in Celtic music circles and beyond, has been providing an opportunity for loved ones to join together in song and celebration with their concert program for over 40 years. Margie Butler, Paul Espinoza and Kathy Sierra capture the essence and joy of traditional music on a wide variety acoustic instruments, including; Celtic harp, penny whistle, guitar, accordion, violin, viola, mandolin, and bodhran (a hand held drum, particular to the Celtic culture). The whole family will enjoy lively instrumental pieces, haunting ballads and humorous sing-alongs as the band creates an atmosphere in which the listener is transported to another place and time.

The intimacy of the Alhambra Music Room amid the glow and shine of holiday decorations make Ironstone Vineyards the perfect setting for Golden Boughs rare carols and songs of celebration for the Winter Solstice and the New Year.

The concert is also a fundraiser to support the Arts Councils music programs Music in the Parks and Ovations. In a pre-concert gathering, you can increase your merriment with champagne and hors doeuvres served by Ironstone. We hope that you will join us for this fundraising event in support of our music programs, Mazzaferro said.

After such a long hiatus, Mazzaferro is overjoyed to once again be bringing music to Calaveras County. I want joy and sparkle to return to Calaveras County, she said. A chance for us to be together.

It reminds me of the song, When the Lights Go On Again (All over the World). Theres no better time for the lights to go on in Calaveras County.

Tickets: $50 adults. Available online at www.calaverasarts.org, or call 209-754-1774 Monday through Thursday. Proof of Covid vaccination required for entry.

We take the health and safety of the citizens of Calaveras County seriously, affirmed Mazzaferro. We stand with other performing arts centers across the country in our joint efforts to crush this scourge. We will be following all current health department rules to keep everyone at the concert safe. Please respect the health of others.

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.
Covey Lane Fire in Valley Springs View Photos

Valley Springs, CA  Firefighters had to fight not only the flames during a fire in Valley Springs but also the blustery winds and heavy rain this weekend.

On Sunday (Oct. 24), fire crews responded to a report of a barn on fire with animals trapped inside on Covey Lane. Once on scene, they discovered the flames were burning along the outside wall of the barn. Calaveras Consolidated Fire Department (CCFD) officials detailed that firefighters were able to get hose lines inside the barn and a line on the outside fire bringing it under control and preventing it from destroying the structure.

A survey of the scene determined that the flames started in a camper parked next to the barn. It had been totally engulfed in flames and was completely destroyed. Luckily, all of the animals had been evacuated by the property owners before crews arrived.

CCFD officials report that a resident living in the RV was displaced, and the Red Cross was called in to assist them. The cause of the RV fire remains under investigation. Other resources on scene included CAL Fire and San Andreas Fire.
California department of Public Health logo View Photo

Sacramento, CA  Governor Gavin Newsom and state public health officials are reacting to an FDA committees recommendation that the Pfizer COVID vaccine be available for youth ages 5-11.

The committee had 17 votes in favor and one person abstained. It could gain emergency FDA approval in the coming days. The children who sign up would receive two shots, similar to adults, 21 days apart. It would, however, be a reduced dosage equating to about 1/3 of what adults receive. The FDA committee accepted Pfizers data, indicating that the vaccine is 90.7-percent effective for the age group.

State officials are preparing to roll out the vaccine for youth as soon as it receives FDA emergency authorization.

Governor Newsom, California Public Health Officer Tomas Aragon, and Health and Human Services Secretary Tomas Aragon have put out a joint statement.

The recommendation to authorize the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 brings us one step closer to keeping more of our loved ones safe, achieving full family protection, and ending the wrath of this deadly virus. Research from rigorous clinical trials indicates the pediatric formulation of the vaccine is safe and highly effective in this age group.

Newsom has stated that vaccines will be required for school children to attend classes in the semester after it receives full FDA approval. It is not immediately known when that will be. At this point, it would only be emergency approval. We reported earlier that the school mandate has spurred statewide protests in opposition with some parents voicing strong disapproval.
Governor Newsom Receives COVID Booster View Photo

Oakland, CA  Governor Gavin Newsom, who earlier received the single dose Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, got a booster shot on camera today.

He said that it was being done in public to highlight the safety of the vaccines. It was administered by Californias Health and Human Services Secretary, Dr. Mark Ghaly. There are different rules and recommendations for boosters, depending on which brand the person received earlier.

Everyone who received the J&J vaccine is eligible for the booster after two months, regardless of age. Mixing and matching is allowed for the booster dose. Newsom received Moderna booster because it is what the clinic he attended this morning in Oakland was administering. It was noted that the Moderna booster amount is only half of what the original two doses were, while the Pfizer and J&J booster are the same amount as the earlier doses. That decision was a result of clinical studies.

Dr. Ghaly confirmed it doesnt matter which booster someone receives, and they all work as desired.

Meanwhile, unlike J&J, the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are only recommended after six months, and you must either be over 65, have high-risk medical conditions, or work in high-risk settings.

Newsom stated that 88-percent of eligible Californians have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine.

He argued, the ticket out of the pandemic is getting everyone vaccinated, and booster shots for those eligible.

On a related note, later, during a question and answer session with the media, Governor Newsom somewhat dodged a question about In N Out Burger closing some of its Bay Area locations because of COVID vaccine requirements for indoor dining. The Governor referred to them as a great California company in which there is some disagreement about current health requirements in certain jurisdictions.
Lebanese man severely injured in Beirut port blast dies View Photo

BEIRUT (AP)  A Lebanese man who was critically injured in the massive explosion at Beiruts port last year died Wednesday nearly 15 months after the blast, his cousin said.

Abbas Mazloum was at work at a restaurant near the port when the blast occurred in August last year, throwing him into a wall. He suffered severe injuries to his spine and a head wound that required 45 stitches.

The 45-year-old father of five had been paralyzed and mostly bed-ridden since the blast. Last month, he underwent a back operation and more recently he got sick and developed a fever. That led to his death on Wednesday morning in his hometown of Brital in eastern Lebanon, his cousin Noura Mazloum told The Associated Press.

His immunity had become so weak since the explosion, Mazloum said, adding that her cousin was laid to rest in Britals cemetery Wednesday afternoon.

Mazloums death brings to at least 216 the number of people killed by the blast, according to official records. The explosion also injured some 6,000 people, many of them from broken glass, flying objects and debris.

On Aug. 4, 2020, hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material used in fertilizers, ignited after a massive fire at the port. It later emerged that the nitrate had been improperly stored in a port warehouse for years, and that senior political and security officials knew of its existence and did nothing about it.

More than a year later, no one has been held to account for the explosion. The lead judge investigating the blast had to suspend his work in the case at least three times so far, amid legal challenges from politicians and a growing campaign by Lebanons political class against him.

Judge Tarek Bitar is the second judge to lead the complicated probe. His predecessor was removed following similar legal challenges by senior officials he had accused of negligence that led to the blast.

Lebanons former Prime Minister Hassan Diab filed a lawsuit on Wednesday saying that Bitar does not have the jurisdiction to prosecute him. The move by Diab, who was charged by Bitar earlier, came a day before the former prime minister was supposed to be questioned by the judge although he was not likely to show up.

Politicians opposed to Bitar, say that officials holding the top posts in the country as well as ministers and legislators should be questioned and tried by a special tribunal for them.

A protest organized by the militant Hezbollah group and its allies against Bitar earlier this month led to the worst clashes in the capital in years leaving seven people dead and dozens wounded.

In an interview with the daily An-Nahar on the first anniversary of the blast, Abbas Mazloum said he expected there will be no justice in the case. He referred to many other explosions in Lebanons over the past decades that went unpunished.

When asked if he has faith in Lebanon, Mazloum said: Not at all.

I lost everything in my life. I am still breathing, Mazloum said in the video recorded with An-Nahar. If we get justice, I will get my rights. They are my childrens rights.

In September, a 35-year-old man died at his familys home in Beirut after suffering severe injuries in the blast.

By BASSEM MROUE

Associated Press
ATHENS, Greece (AP)  The fatal sinking of a migrant boat in the Aegean Sea that cost the lives of four people shows up the flaws of a deal between the European Union and Turkey to stem unchecked westward migratory flows, Greeces migration minister said Wednesday.

Notis Mitarachi said the victims of the accident off the eastern Greek island of Chios  two children and two adults from Somalia  should never have been allowed to leave the Turkish coast in an overcrowded smuggling dinghy.

Greece is a major entry point to the EU for Asians or Africans fleeing conflict or poverty, who mostly leave Turkey in unseaworthy boats. Stronger patrols by Greek authorities, assisted by the EU border agency, have restricted flows in recent years after nearly a million people made the journey in 2015.

Mitarachi told a press conference that up to four people are still reported missing from Mondays sinking, while 22 Somalis, Eritreans and Sudanese were rescued  three of whom are being treated in hospital.

He said the sinking highlights the cruel reality of the exploitation of migrants who dont face persecution in Turkey, by criminal gangs.

Mitarachi said Somalis in particular fly to Turkey with visas, are well received in Turkey  and have all the characteristics of somebody that has been provided with a safe place to be. Therefore we see absolutely no reason for them to go to Greece  or to other EU countries.

Greece has designated Turkey a safe country for Somalis, Afghans, Syrians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis  nationalities that figure prominently among people crossing illegally from Turkey to Greece.

The minister said those facing danger in their own country should obviously be entitled to seek asylum, but that doesnt give them the right to to travel through many countries to fine out that fits (them) best.

A 2016 deal between the EU and Turkey  which has a huge population of migrants and refugees itself  sought to limit illegal migration. But Mitarachi said its not working, as the deal was meant to stop unnecessary journeys such as Mondays.

The Turkish authorities can and must do more to prevent the exploitation (of migrants) by criminal gangs  for which  the European Union needs to offer tangible support to Turkey, he said.

Turkey says the EU hasnt fulfilled its side of the deal on funds transfers.

Mitarachi conceded that not everyone in the European parliament or the executive Commission agrees on how to handle migratory flows.

But in the case of people crossing illegally from safe countries, not attempting to save their lives from conflict or persecution, and crossing in a very dangerous way with dinghies, we should be able to agree that such acts put lives at risk, he said.

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Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
PRAGUE (AP)  Coronavirus infections in the Czech Republic have soared to the highest levels in more than half a year as authorities call on people to get vaccinated.

The Health Ministry said the daily tally of new cases jumped to 4,262 on Monday, 1,733 more than a week ago. It was the highest daily increase since April 13.

The trend was not expected to be reversed any time soon.

The ministry predicted that in the next few days the country will have more than 300 people infected per 100,000 in a seven-day period, a significant increase from 217 on Monday.

Health Minister Adam Vojtech blamed a low vaccination rate.

It has become an epidemic of the non-vaccinated, its a fact, Vojtech said on Tuesday. A majority of new cases are not vaccinated, and a majority of those who have to be hospitalized and are in serious condition have not been vaccinated.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, some 67% of Czechs over 18 have been fully vaccinated, which is below an average of over 74.5% among the European Union nations.

I dare say that if we manage to increase the number of the vaccinated wed be able to cancel all restrictive measures the very next day, Vojtech said.

Thats not in sight yet. In fact, more restrictions have been reimposed, with face coverings mandatory at workplaces, starting this week. And as of next week, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and other places will need to check whether the patrons have the required COVID-19 certificate confirming they have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from the virus.

The government also decided to limit the time for which negative tests are valid. National health insurance also will not cover the costs of coronavirus tests now for non-medical purposes such as traveling or visiting restaurants, in an effort to prod more people to get vaccinated.

In recent days, people seem to have been listening to health authorities as an average of 30,000 a day received a shot, about three times more than several weeks ago.

In a worrying trend, though, the number of hospitalized surpassed 1,000 on Monday for the first time since May, while 17 people died of COVID-19 on Sunday, the biggest number since May 20.

The Czech Republic has been one of the hardest hit of the European Unions 27 countries in the pandemic. The nation of 10.7 million has seen 1.7 million confirmed infections and 30,648 deaths.

___

Follow all AP stories on the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
PONTOON BEACH, Ill. (AP)  A southern Illinois man was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a police officer at a gas station.

Scott Hyden, 31, of Highland was arrested at the gas station following the shooting Tuesday of 36-year-old Pontoon Beach Officer Tyler Timmins. Hyden was being held in the Madison County Jail without bond, Madison County States Attorney Tom Haine said.
MERIDEN  Efforts to renovate the Meriden Public Librarys nearly 50-year-old building on Miller Street received a boost this week.

That boost began on Monday night, when the Meriden American Rescue Plan Steering Committee voted unanimously to recommend the librarys application for use of between $1.665 million to $1.9 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to replace the librarys aging heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.

The final funding amount, which still needs to be voted on by the City Council, will be based on which library improvement project the council ultimately backs.

On Tuesday night, the councils finance committee, by a 3 to 2 margin, voted to recommend the council as a whole support funding the expansion project.

Finance committee Chairwoman Yvette Cortez, Deputy Mayor Michael Cardona and Councilor Nicole Tomassetti, voted in favor of expansion. Councilors Dan Brunet and Michael Carabetta voted against expansion, saying they instead supported a base renovation.

Two years ago, the council had approved the librarys plan to renovate the 45,000-square-foot building without expanding. The library building committee on Tuesday night presented plans for expanding and renovating the library to finance committee members during a remote videoconferenced meeting. The librarys architect during that presentation also showed finance committee members plans for a base renovation without expansion.

According to funding figures shared Tuesday night, the total project cost for renovating the library would be just under $10.25 million. The net cost of the project to the city would be lowered to around $7.43 million, after a $1 million state library grant, $150,000 in funds raised by the Friends of the Meriden Public Library, and the potential $1.665 million in ARP funds are factored in. The cost of that project has increased since the council last voted to authorize funding for it. The council in 2019 authorized $6.8 million in bond funding for the renovation and would need to authorize at least $634,076 more, based on figures shared with the finance committee.

Meanwhile, the Library Building Committee and the architect who drafted the renovation and expansion plans, have put forth the expansion proposal, which would increase the buildings existing space: adding more than 3,200 square feet in public space throughout the building and nearly doubling the buildings meeting room space. Currently the building has 2,570 square feet in meeting area space.

The plans would increase that space to 4,994 square feet.

The total cost of renovation and expansion would be just over $13 million. After grants, private fund raising, and the $1.9 million in ARP funds, the citys expense would be close to $9.97 million. After deducting the $6.8 million the council previously committed toward the project, the council would need to authorize committing another $3.167 million to fully fund that project.

Once in a generation

Prior to the finance committee and the ARP committees votes, Thomas Welsh, who chairs the Library Building Committee, described a tight timeline: the committee must have a construction contract in place by January 2022 or risk losing the $1 million State Library Grant.

Welsh also noted the cost of the project had increased over original estimates because of the pandemics impact on the supply chain, including construction. The costs also include $200,000 in code compliance to cover the installation of a new sprinkler system, which wasnt required when the library was originally constructed, Welsh explained.

Welsh said the library not only serves the entire community of Meriden, but is located downtown, an area with a large concentration of low income residents.

Those would be the folks most impacted if we are not able to do this renovation process, Welsh said, describing the proposal as a once in a generation project.

Carabetta said he does see the need for a renovation. However, he was against expanding the library.

Brunet agreed, saying its not true that there is no additional library and meeting space available. He said expanding the library would come with additional overhead, including maintenance, heating and electrical costs.

Tomassetti and Cardona disagreed.

I think it would be a mistake to not develop the building to its fullest extent, Tomassetti said.

I think the space could really benefit the public, Cardona said, adding he believes the city needs more meeting space.

Mayor Kevin Scarpati, who voted in favor of allocating ARP funding during the steering committees deliberations, reiterated the sentiment that the proposal is a once in a generation project. He urged council members to consider the librarys future use.

... I urge the council to consider what this means to not just library users today, but students, schools, businesses, nonprofits and hopefully us who will take advantage of the library in the future, Scarpati said.

mgagne@record-journal.com203-317-2231Twitter:@MikeGagneRJ
Bubby's Jewish Soul Food

A Jewish soul food spot on the Northside is opening its doors the San Antonio community with all your Bubbe's favorite recipes.

Bubby's Jewish Soul Food, a new deli owned by Jason Fiske and Charlie Nuttall, is celebrating its grand opening on November 14 at 12730 NW Military Highway, according to a post on the restaurant's Facebook page.
The mayor of Del Rio brought a dreamy Selena duet to life on the recent episode of We're Here.

The October 25 episode followed famous drag queens Shangela, Eureka O'Hara, and Bob the Drag Queen as they put on drag show in the conservative, majority Latino border town.

Courtesy of HBO

The episode was capped off by a Selena performance by Del Rio's youngest and first openly gay mayor, Bruno Lozano. He started with the fan favorite "Como La Flor" and then transitioned into Selena's cover of "Last Dance."

But the audience lost it when Bruno's drag mother Shangela joined him on stage as Donna Summer, combining the two performances. Shangela calls it the "duet you never thought you needed, but now you do."

It will put the biggest smile on your face.

"Never give up on your dream," Lozano says at the end of the performance. "This is our historic moment and we're going to live it freely."

The emotional roller coaster of an episode followed "Esael" and "Joey." Esael works and lives in Del Rio, but hasn't come out to his parents in Acuna, Mexico, while Joey struggles with getting their family to fully accept their gender identity. The story culminates into one big finish with emotional moments of validation and acceptance that had me a mess by the end.

New episodes of We're Here premiere on Mondays at 9 p.m. and can be streamed on HBO Max.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP

BEIJING (AP)  U.S. regulators are expelling a unit of China Telecom Ltd., one of the country's three major state-owned carriers, from the American market as a national security threat amid rising tension with Beijing.

China Telecom (Americas) Corp. is required to stop providing domestic interstate and international service in the United States within 60 days, under an order approved Tuesday by the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC cited the danger that Beijing might use the company to eavesdrop or disrupt U.S. communications and "engage in espionage and other harmful activities against the United States.
KENS 5 viewers will recognize a familiar face on their screens soon.

Alanna Sarabia is the CBS station's new evening traffic anchor. Sarabia will be part of the noon, 4, 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts. Current evening traffic anchor Holly Stouffer will move to the morning team, an announcement says.

Sarabia is a Texas State graduate. After earning her degree in 2011, she was a host on WOAI's San Antonio Living show. During her years in San Antonio, she served the community as Miss San Antonio 2009 and La Reina De La Feria De La Flores. Her platform for Miss San Antonio centered on advocating for sheltered animals. Her role as Fiesta royalty helped her raise scholarship money for single parents and their children through LULAC Council #2.

Sarabia also performed with the now disbanded San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers.

She left San Antonio for a hosting gig on WFAA's Good Morning Texas in 2016.

October marks a big month for Sarabia, who will be tying the knot with her best friend in a few weeks, the announcement says.

"I'm looking forward to planting my roots  and my future family's roots  in this city that has been so gracious to me over the last decade, Sarabia says in a statement provided by the station. I'm thrilled to be a part of the community again, especially doing so with the highly respected KENS 5 team. I'm ready and eager to start this new chapter in the Alamo City."

Stouffer says in the release that she's excited to start her days earlier.

"Im really looking forward to joining our morning team," her statement says. "This is a fun group that takes pride in helping people start their days off on the right foot. I tend to wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and Im ready to bring that energy with me daily!

Tucked in the traffic anchor shakeup news, is a goodbye to Stacia Willson, a 15-year veteran of the station. Willson, who worked as a traffic anchor and meteorologist, will leave KENS late next month to be closer to family in North Texas.

KENS 5 president and general manager Tom Cury says the team will "fully support" Willson's decision to be closer to family.

Sarabia's official start date is November 15, though she will start on-air a few days later.
Improvements are on the way for those looking to hop on a train out of San Antonio ... if Amtrak can get the funding.

Amtrak has big upgrade plans in store for its Texas Eagle Route, including additional trains from San Antonio to Dallas and a new route from Houston to Dallas. In a September 14 interview with International Railway Journal, an industry pub, Amtrak president and CEO William Flynn outlined additional priorities for the railway, including expanding service to San Antonio and throughout the "Texas Triangle."

The upgrades are part of Amtrak's vision for overall inner city corridor improvements, calling on the the federal government to invest $75 billion over 15 years.

These upgrades would be a major "augmentation" of Amtrak's lines improving the efficiency and reliability of its corridor services, says Railway Age editor-in-chief William Vantuono in a recent interview with the Texas Standard.

The plan is a windfall for Amtrak, whose delays have cost millions of dollars.

That is, of course, if Amtrak receives funding from President Joe Biden's trillion-dollar infrastructure bill, which is currently held up in Congress by Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.

Sinema and Manchin opposed the initial $3.5 trillion "Build Back Better" plan, forcing Democrats to drastically trim the bill.

Sinema has opposed the proposed increase to corporate tax rates, which is one of the ways Democrats planned on paying for the domestic policy bill. The clock is ticking for Congress to pass the bill by the end of the week, or face another extension if not a government shutdown.

Along with intra-party fighting, the Dems are also contending with Republican party opposition to the plan, Vantuono tells the Texas Standard.

But there are other potential delays if funding is approved. Vantuono says an additional route from Houston to Dallas means using a Union Pacific right-of-way. That means negotiating an agreement with Union Pacific to increase train frequency and speed.

"And that would most likely involve building some new dedicated passenger tracks on the existing Union Pacific right-of-way," Vantuono tells the Texas Standard. "Thats possible with the funding."
Yves here. This article illustrates the dangers, even if by virtue of geography, to hitching your economic star to a declining power, as Mexico has with its auto industry dependence on Americas producers. The US has been a laggard in the two biggest developments in the past half-century: the shift to smaller, more fuel efficient cars and more recently to electric vehicles. With smaller cars, Detroit could not accept that the rest of the world (and Americans when quality improved) really wanted a lighter, more compact, more fuel-efficient ride; they were convinced that as these countries got richer, of course theyd want extravagant cars. Im not as clear on what has led to American automaker sluggishness in embracing EVs, save inertia.

But this article describes how Mexico had prospered from its auto connection, and what might come next.

By Jorge Carreto Sangines, Facultad de Economia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico; Margherita Russo; and Annamaria Simonazzi, Professor of Economics, Sapienza University of Rome. Originally published at the Institute for New Economic Thinking website

In less than three decades the Mexican automotive industry has gone from a minor role to the seventh leading world producer of automotive vehicles. This spectacular growth occurred in symbiosis with the evolution of the US economy and public policy. After an initial period of import substitution, the Mexican automotive industry developed first as a cheap producer of parts and components for the three big US automakers, to grow then as an integral part of the North American productive system, as well as the necessary entry point to the American market for non-American automotive companies.

In our new INET Working Paper we trace the evolution of the Mexican automotive industry from the demise of the import substitution policy through the two treaties with its North American partners (NAFTA in 1994, replaced by the USMCA in 2020). By emphasising its weaknesses and strengths, the analysis attempts to identify obstacles to its further development.

NAFTA (the North America Free Trade Agreement) represents the culmination of an integration process that has profoundly transformed the structure of the Mexican automotive industry, deepening its dependence on the US market. Indeed, despite the many free trade agreements signed by Mexico with other countries and regional organisations, after 25 years of NAFTA, more than 80% of Mexican exports are still concentrated in the US. While there is no doubt that NAFTA has contributed to the spectacular growth of the Mexican auto industry, whether it also increased its resilience or, rather, its dependence is still an open question.

The lens of the centre-periphery relationship can help to understand the present integration of North America and its future direction. The Mexican experience is part of the more general case of the integrated peripheries, that is, of those economies incorporated in the new hierarchical division of labour which was ushered in by technological, competitive, and geopolitical changes. As in other such cases, Mexicos development cannot be accounted for separately from the developments occurring in the core country. Unlike the core-periphery literature, however, our analysis emphasises that the various clusters of cores and integrated peripheries are not alike. In the case under study, the core (the US) has been systematically lagging behind the main transformations pioneered by its competitors. In the 1970s-80s, US legacy automotive companies had to respond to the increasing foreign (mainly Japanese) competition in their own, hitherto protected, market. It is in this context that, among the various strategies adopted, the offshoring of labour-intensive operations and delocalisation of assembly plants to Mexico took on increasing importance.

The automotive industry is now facing truly seismic change: electric vehicles and autonomous driving; automation, robotics and digitalisation; new forms of car ownership and mobility. All these changes have the potential to reshape existing industrial geographies, affecting the relative advantage of integrated peripheries versus semi-peripheries and of different regions within and between cores, as leading companies adopt new digital technologies and alter their component supply chains and sourcing practices.

This transformation is taking place at different speeds, and its effects on the core, semi-peripheries and peripheries in the various regional clusters are unknown at the moment. A large segment of the supply chain, connected with the internal combustion engine, is expected to disappear. The transformations required in Mexicos supply chain may be very costly. The challenge for Mexican companies is to be integrated into the new supply chains and participate in the co-engineering of the manufacturing process, in the adaptation of models to different markets, and in the design and development of new, more efficient parts and components. Yet, success is only partly in the hands of Mexico.

Nationally, Mexicos longstanding problems  poor infrastructure, legal system and corruption  could reduce Mexicos attractiveness to foreign investment. However, one should note that the Mexican governments have invested considerable resources in the development of domestic production and competence networks. The automotive suppliers in Mexico are now organised around a national network of clusters (Red Nacional de Clusters de la Industria Automotriz). There are nine regional organisations  Clusters  whose mission is to facilitate the collaboration between industry, government, and research institutions to boost the competitiveness of the regional automotive sector. Governments and companies have put considerable effort and money into forming and training qualified engineers, technicians, and workers to fill the shortage of technical talent  in engineering, advanced software, materials and manufacturing  still plaguing the industry.

Could the numerous signs of regional vitality, the recent wave of FDI in Mexico, besides the degree of integration reached by the Mexican and US industries, justify some optimism for the future of the Mexican automotive industry in the electric vehicles era? The horizon is clouded by the uncertainties related to the transformations taking place in the automotive sector and the geopolitical scenario: the end of NAFTA and the advent of USMCA, the entry of powerful competitors into the global market, the trade war between the USA and China, and the effects of an emerging automotive pole in South-East Asia.

Indeed, there are many obstacles along the way. First of all, US policy itself. Once again the US has fallen behind in the profound transformation the industry is experiencing; only recently has it made a sudden and accelerated effort to catch up with China and the EU. US legislation designed to encourage re-shoring and US regulations interpreting the USMCAs car and truck content requirements could limit Mexicos future access to the US market, mitigating the potential benefits that derive from the nearshoring of productive investments from Asia. Furthermore, its success in securing free trade agreements could be substantially curtailed by the relocation of production from China to neighbouring countries and the new intra-Asian trade treaties, especially if the United States decides to join them.

Our analysis emphasises the importance of policies targeting the industrial, macro-economic and social context; the need for combining economic and social programmes that include sustained investment, collaboration between public and private sectors, training models and policies to boost skills acquisition and to stimulate productivity growth, and income support and policies to foster cohesion and convergence. But the Mexican case illustrates also the difficulties a late-comer country faces in developing an independent industry and the risks involved in betting everything on the cost of labour.
Yves here. Some of my friends who claim to be on the enlightened side of the global warming issue are dogmatic that they wont give up certain activities they know arent good for the planet, like cooking with gas. It turns out that gas stoves and gas heaters, really anything that uses a gas line, emits much more methane than previously recognized.

By Daniel Grossman, Ph.D., an award-winning freelance print journalist and radio and web producer with more than 20 years of experience. He earned his B.S. in physics and his Ph.D. in political science, both from MIT. Originally published at Yale Climate Connections

Methane, the major component of natural gas, punches way above its weight when it comes to damaging the climate. Humans send less than half a billion tons of methane into the air every year, only one percent of the amount of carbon dioxide we spew from our cars, homes and factories. Yet methane is responsible for about 20 percent of global warming. This fact should motivate humanity to reduce our reliance on natural gas as a fuel as quickly as possible and, in the meantime, plug even small leaks in the existing natural gas system from wells to gas-burning appliances, says Marc Fischer, a scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Researchers in Boston have been studying methane leakage in urban areas for eight years and the pandemic gave them a unique natural experiment to compare methane levels during the lockdown with those from normal activity. Publication of their findings this month give ammunition to scientists who have long contended that much more gas is leaking from city sources than has been widely believed. The findings suggest also that far more natural gas is seeping out from pipes and appliances in buildings than previously thought, and that slowing global warming requires fixing these leaks as soon as possible or, possibly, phasing the fuel out faster than policy makers are planning.

One strategy, said Maryann Sargent, a climate scientist at Harvard University and lead author of the new paper, might be to stop connecting new buildings to gas lines. If you stop consuming, you stop emitting, she said. You could have more of an impact than you might think in reducing methane emissions now.

Indoor Stoves, Heaters, Ovens and Gas-Powered Appliances

For thousands of years methane generated by human endeavors has wafted into the air. Rice paddies and cattle produce it. Farming obviously still emits methane today. But the largest source now is production and distribution of natural gas (which is 90% methane) and, to a lesser extent, coal mining and oil. Natural gas usage is growing fast both in the U.S. and abroad, adding urgency to efforts to prevent leakage. Climate researchers have warned about methane leaks from gas wells, pipelines, and other fossil fuel production and transportation infrastructure. But methane emissions from urban sources in buildings  for instance, stoves, ovens, heaters, and other gas-fired appliances inside homes and business  have not been on most experts radar.

Sargents latest research could change that. In 2020, soon after the first reported Covid-19 deaths in the United States, Boston University sent home its 34,000 students and the vast majority of its 10,000 staff members. Along with BUs several hundred buildings, BUs Tsai Performance Center, near the center of the urban campus, locked its doors, but an electric pump kept drawing exterior air into the Tsai Center through a thin hose that snaked from the roof to a device called a gas concentration analyzer measuring the amount of methane in Bostons air. The setup was part of Sargents study of how much natural gas escapes into the air around the city from appliances and the fuels labyrinthine supply network of indoor plumbing and underground pipelines.

Sargents research team included colleagues from BU, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Environmental Defense Fund, and other Harvard scientists. They analyzed methane measurements taken at BU and three other Boston-area sites. Sargent said the research record, much longer than that of any similar study, gave the team a unique view of emissions trends. It kind of tells a story, she says, offering researchers new insights into the location of leaks in Boston.

COVID Pandemic Opened Way for New Analysis, Understanding

Before the pandemic year, the long-term experiment was already on course to support a dawning realization that cities are an important source of natural gas releases, and to give some clues about where leaks occur. But the unprecedented global health crisis supplied an additional vein of data they hadnt expected. The Covid quarantines enabled a clever natural experiment that probed how much gas escapes inside buildings such as those around the BU campus. When the pandemic closed the university, less natural gas leaked into the air. That result would not be expected if emissions leakage of methane inside buildings were negligible, as regulators have generally assumed.

The study could suggest new ideas for reducing leakage and avenues for further investigation, and it shows that many familiar objects around us are more threatening to the planet than has been imagined.

Thats a marvelous result, said Fischer, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientist, when he heard about the Covid findings. Fisher has spent more than a decade researching natural gas leakage.

He gave three cheers for the additional evidence that a large share of the unwanted, or fugitive emissions in Boston  and, by extension, in other cities  arise not only from leaky pipelines under streets, the usual suspect, but also from a combination of utility distribution equipment previously considered blameless and sources inside buildings.

Science at Work: How the Study Was Conducted

One day back in 2012, Fischer explains, he propped open the oak Arts and Crafts front door of his house, a couple of miles from downtown Berkeley. With help from Toby Haass Walpert, an undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, Fischer fitted a heavy-duty nylon panel known as a blower door into the frame, completely blocking the passage.

The scientist and student switched on a fan secured to the cloth barrier like a window-mounted air conditioner. It blew air out of the house, creating negative pressure and preventing gasses inside the house from seeping out from anywhere other than through the blower door. For the next hour the scientist and student measured methane in the fans slipstream. They turned the kitchen stove on and off and, for calibration purposes, released a standardized puff of methane from a tank.

Fischer and Walperts investigations were the first serious attempt to determine how much natural gas leaks out of residential homes. The results surprised them.

Most of the effort to stanch natural gas leakage in the United States focuses on wells, processing facilities, and the 300,000 miles of high-capacity pipeline. According to one well-regarded assessment of methane emissions from the U.S. oil and gas supply chain, 12 million tons of natural gas, or about 2.5 percent of production, escape each year from this infrastructure before arriving in urban areas.

Utility interests and regulators long have insisted that, compared to releases in the production and long-distance transport of natural gas, urban leakage is small. Their argument relies on the inventory method for estimating leaks, a procedure only an accountant could love. Leakage from each component in a citys gas distribution network, including every mile of pipeline and every valve and gas meter, is estimated and tallied up. Regulators usually dont even bother to include emissions occurring inside residences and commercial buildings, which they have considered very low.

A calculation of leaks using the inventory method with data published by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection determines that 0.4 percent of the natural gas supplied to the states urban distribution network escapes: Its a small figure compared to losses in long-distance production and transport of natural gas. But Sargent says that her research shows that the inventory method low-balls fugitive urban emissions. It also suggests that a large share of the uncounted urban emissions might emerge from inside buildings. To come to that conclusion, she and her colleagues used a distinctly different technique.

For more than a decade, some researchers have studied urban leaks by making direct measurements of the amount of methane in urban air. Their results have raised doubts about inventory studies and have caused concern that large leaks in urban areas have been overlooked. For instance, one paper that made direct air measurements found that 1 percent to 2 percent of the natural gas entering the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region escapes into the air: Thats about 10 times as much as the inventory method suggests.

Sargent says calculating emissions by measuring methane in ambient air is complicated. She and her colleagues set up a network of ambient detectors, built a computer model of the air flow around Boston, and collected a huge database of known methane sources, including the natural (such as marshes) and human-made (such as landfills).

The investigators established background levels of methane  levels unaffected by local gas leaks  with tower-mounted detectors set up at two rural sites just outside the metropolis. Using fine-grained meteorological records, the scientists modeled step-by-step paths of hypothetical air parcels transiting from the regions outskirts to the detector at BU, and another on top of a downtown skyscraper. At increments in the simulated trips, the researchers boosted the methane in the made-up parcels by the amount that would be gained from the actual gas sources at those geographic locations. When simulated portions of air hypothetically arrived at a detector, they should have contained as much methane as actual gas measured there, assuming all methane sources had been properly inventoried.

Efforts to Reduce Leaks Under Streets Didnt Make Difference in Atmosphere  Why?

But the simulated methane figures didnt match up with actual measurements. There must be unknown sources somewhere. To make the numbers work, the scientists determined that 2.5% of natural gas delivered to Boston must escape into the air, six times the amount suggested by figures used by Massachusetts regulators.

We know this is coming from the natural gas system, Sargent says. Yet we dont know what part of the system is leaking. However, in addition to the results from the Covid shutdown, the researchers paper does provide some clues.

Over the eight years examined, Bostons annual average emissions remained level, despite substantial efforts by utilities to plug distribution leaks under streets. Between 2012 and 2019, utilities replaced 1,000 miles of antiquated cast and wrought iron mains with modern plastic pipe. And guess what, says Sargent, it didnt make any difference in the atmosphere. We cant even see the impact of it. This conclusion suggests that leaky pipes and valves buried underground might be only a part, perhaps a small part, of the problem, she says.

Seasonal trends tell the same story. The authors of the new research found that leakage increases in winter, when natural gas usage, for heating buildings, is highest, and declines in summer. Thats kind of a sign that maybe we shouldnt actually be looking at the pipeline system in terms of the biggest sources of natural gas losses, says Sargent. Distribution mains are pressurized year-round, she explains. If distribution pipes were the only big source of fugitive emissions, leakage would not change much between seasons.

The Boston research points to the probability of considerable leakage from residential and commercial buildings, though the researchers say there are probably also uncharted leaks in the urban distribution network.

Evidence Leads to Greater Investigation

Fischer says he has been expecting results like this for years. When he studied his house in 2012, he noted that nearly 1 percent of the natural gas supplied to it escaped. Whoa, we should look at some other houses, he recalls thinking. A few years later, he surveyed natural gas escaping from a sampling of 75 California houses.

He and colleagues at Lawrence Berkeley reported in a 2018 paper that on average, California homes lose 0.5 percent of their natural gas, a figure far higher than generally assumed at that time. Thats one-sixth of Californias leaked natural gas, or 35,000 tons of methane.

Natalie Pekney, an environmental engineer at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, was intrigued when she read these findings. Maybe this does merit further investigation, she thought. Maybe it could be something thats significant. She and a coauthor later published their own paper highlighting evidence that sizable amounts of natural gas escapes from houses.

Fischers own house leaked more natural gas than almost any he ever found: Not enough to be a health or safety risk, but not so good for the planet. He blames the high losses in his house on an outdated stove with inefficient pilot lights and a tankless water heater that expelled a lot of gas before the flame takes when turned on. He has since shut off his pilot lights.

Not as much attention has been given yet to commercial establishments, such as restaurants, but Sargent says she thinks theyre also part of the problem. The pandemic decline in methane leaks around BU, a neighborhood crammed with offices, restaurants, and laboratories, suggests that leakages come from operation of appliances. If the worst offenders could be identified, perhaps they could be repaired or redesigned.

Or, maybe we have to just move away from natural gas altogether, Sargent says. Thats what Fischer is planning. Hes installing solar panels that, along with electricity sourced from non-fossil fuel generation, will halt reliance on natural gas.
The title above comes from a post by the consultant and writer Umair Haque, on post-Brexit Britain as a failing state. And as an aside, I miss the days of the old econoblogopshere, where a piece substantially about another writers post would often elicit friendly back-and-forth with the author and other interested bloggers, as well upon occasion, acrimonious jousts. But everyone wound up better informed from these exchanges.

Now before those of you on the other side of the pond get all riled up, this website has pointed often to the many indicators of Americas decline, such as decline across the board on social welfare indicators, such as lifespan, childhood poverty, percentage imprisoned, births out of wedlock, and our appalling brought-to-you-by-Big-Pharma opioid crisis. Were slipped well down in global rankings of average height, a result of declining nutritions. And even our average educational attainment is illusory. We have very high levels among older age groups. Its collapsed among the youngthanks to higher education price gouging.

But what is happening in the UK is instructive, and may be predictive for the US. The UK is further down the neoliberal path than we are in terms of the decay of its once-vaunted civil service, the privatization of government functions, and the hollowing out of industry.

We predicted that Brexit would result in a 10% reduction in UK standards of living, measured as real GDP per capita, in ten years. Brexit is eating slowly through already weak British institutions, like termites boring into an already-rotting foundation. And the damage is accelerating.

Brits are much tougher than Americans, but the underplaying of how bad things are getting is more likely due to many businesses having been cowed by the Government into quiet acquiescence. We wondered why more companies werent either complaining to the press and to their MPs about the destructive way Brexit was being implemented, such as Boris Johnson opting for the hardest of hard Brexit, and rejecting a one-year extension of the transition period, which would have allowed exporters and importers more time to prepare. We were told that word had gone out that anyone who nay-sayed the Government would be punished. Sounds awfully Mafia-like for Oxbridge twats, but still

First to Haque, then some additional sightings. His entire piece is very much worth reading, but this is the guts of his argument:

Tesco have the fake asparagus out this morning pic.twitter.com/QokEJGs81W  Patrick-or-Treat Dalton  (@shitlondon) October 22, 2021 Get this: Britain now has Potemkin supermarkets. Brits cant get food. so supermarkets have resorted to putting cardboard pictures of food on the shelves. Why on earth cant Britain getfood? Im sure youve already guessed the answer: Brexit. Lets keep going with what a breathtaking disaster Brexit has made of Britain. If you think that pics bad, click this one. Thats a giantseaof raw sewage, aka sh*t. Why is it floating in the waterway? Because recently Britains conservative MPs decided to make it perfectly OK to dump raw sewage in rivers and creeks and lakes and the ocean. Why did they do that? Probably because they cant get the chemicals needed to purify water anymorebecause they come from (wait for it) Europe. Shall we keep going. Doctors in Britain still cant run blood tests properly. Why not? Because they cant enough vials  the countrys run short. But what exactly can a doctor do without running blood tests? Not much. Why did Britain run out of blood vials? Because of Brexit, of course. Which has made importing things somewhere from incredibly difficult to practically impossible. Lets stop and take stock. Brits cant get food. Raw sewage floats down rivers because the chemicals needed to treat water are in short supply. Doctors cant run blood tests. Ive chosen those three examples for a reason. Those are three of the most basic goods and services in society: food, water, healthcare. Let me put that in more formal terms: Brits are living through a catastrophic plunge in living standards. Its the kind of catastrophic plunge which has little modern parallel. Cardboard cutouts of food? Not being able to treat water? Youd have to go back to the Weimar Republic to encounter such levels of ruin. In modernity, the only remotely close parallel is the debt crises that Latin American and Asian countries used to suffer  which caused massive shutdowns in basic public services, and led to failed systems for basics, just like Britains experiencing now.

Admittedly, the raw sewage fiasco has produced a lot of public outrage, as well as a pretext for dark humor. Extracted from the Daily Mash:

FANCY a dip? Avoid Britains sewage-infested waters and fatal poisoning by swimming in these places instead: Your bath .why not stay at home and do some lengths in your bath? Youll do 50 in no time. A volcano Their lakes of boiling magma are nice and toasty so you wont need to bring a wet suit, and because youre technically swimming through molten rocks instead of water theres no risk of getting Weils disease Sea of Japan Here youll get up close and personal with the rockets that North Korea repeatedly fires into the Sea of Japan, which is way better than swimming with dolphins Dangerous shark enclosures Man-eating sharks are kept in captivity by aquariums, which means the water in these enclosures will be crystal clear and safe for humans to swim in. The sewer

The Government is now trying to pretend it is Doing Something without actually doing much. From the Guardian:

The government has announced a partial U-turn over the sewage amendment after Tory rebels threatened to scupper an upcoming vote in the Commons. Under new rules, there will be a duty on water companies to reduce the impact of sewage discharges from storm overflows. This means the organisations will be required by law to show a reduction in sewage overspills over the next five years. Last week, 22 Conservative MPs rebelled against the government to vote in favour of an amendment to the environment bill that would have placed a legal duty on water companies not to pump waste into rivers. The amendment was rejected in the Commons, and the negative reaction of constituents took some Tory MPs by surprise.. There were 403,171 spills of sewage into Englands rivers and seas in 2020, according to the Environment Agency, adding up to more than 3.1m hours of spillages. The government has blamed a variety of factors for the increasing sewage spills, including Victorian infrastructure and climate breakdown. An environment minister said there had been a tussle against the government, as No 10 and the Treasury believe that putting this duty on water companies, which would have to massively upgrade infrastructure, would be too expensive.

Victorian infrastructure? Come on. Victoria died over 120 years ago. This is the worst dog ate my homework excuse Ive ever seen. Tories have been in charge long enough since then to fully own this problem.

The UK is also not getting the marvelous benefits it claimed it would reap by being freed of those pesky EU trade restrictions and being able to cut deals on its own. Some tidbits from a Wall Street Journal story last week, Is Brexit Hurting the U.K. Economy? Trade Data Flash a Warning:

Leaving the EU has put the U.K. outside the EUs vast internal market of 445 million consumers and a customs territory that is bigger still, stretching from the Atlantic to Turkey. It is hobbling trade just as its economy needs all its engines firing to power out of its worst downturn in a century. For British businesses, the shift means reams of paperwork and ballooning costs. Trade with the EU accounts for about half of all British exports. As a result, the U.K. is trailing the trading performance of its peers as the pandemic recedes and global commerce picks up. The U.K.s split with the EU is also intensifying the disruption felt in Britain from the supply-chain bottlenecks bedeviling the global economy, including a shortage of truck drivers and gasoline. U.K. PLC has become harder, slower, more expensive, more difficult to deal with as a result of Brexit, said Dale Harris, chief executive of ATL Turbine Services Ltd., which repairs turbine components for customers world-wide in Dundee, Scotland. The U.K. stands out for the weakness of its recovery in trade. CPBs gauge of U.K. export volumes at the end of July was 16% lower than it was at the end of 2019, while imports were flat. Over the same time frame, U.S. exports were only 4% lower and imports were 7% higher. Euro-area exports were flat compared with the end of 2019 and the currency zones imports had by July exceeded their pre-pandemic level by 2%.

And those trade deals? We warned that the UK would have less leverage on its own than it did through the EU. That is panning out as predicted. We also featured this tweetstorm in Links, so forgive the duplication, but it is worth reading in full:

Remember that ground-breaking  UK-Japan  trade deal? The one that was so much better than the  EU-Japan  deal because the names of 70 British products would now be protected?  Stornoway Black Pudding, Wensleydale, English sparkling wine, Scotch beef and more? 1/14 pic.twitter.com/NjizTqsyOw  Peter Ungphakorn (@CoppetainPU) October 23, 2021

On top of that, the Financial Times warned that trade frictions with the EU will get worse as a waiver on rules of origin expires at the end of this year, subjecting more goods to tariffs and additional documentation:

Under the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement that took effect in January, British exporters can send goods to the EU tariff-free, but only if they can prove their products are sufficiently made in the UK to qualify for preferential access to the blocs single market. These certification requirements on local content also apply to EU exporters wanting to send goods to the UK without incurring tariffs. The certification process, known as the rules of origin, is so complex that exporters on both sides were given a one-year grace period that reduced the required documentation, but this will expire in January 2022, leaving many companies facing a major new paperwork challenge. EU importers found to have brought in goods tariff-free that are later found not to have complied with the rules of origin must pay full duties, and vice versa. British trade groups have expressed fears UK companies will become less attractive as suppliers to EU businesses if they repeatedly fall foul of investigations by the blocs customs authorities, making it more reliable for European groups to source goods from inside the single market The precise rules of origin and the way originating content is calculated vary from one product to another, but typically an item must be about 50 per cent British or EU made in order to qualify for zero-tariff access under the trade deal.

The pink paper goes on to explain that many traders dont begin to understand the rules, and whether by accident or design, many are also flagrantly violating the standards, like taking an import from China, slapping a Union Jack label on it, and thinking that magically makes it UK originating content.

How bad things get for the UK depends on how strict the EU is in enforcing the rules. The Netherlands is already gearing up to be stringent.

And need we point out that the UK has decided to engage in EU eyepoking over Northern Ireland as the EU can quite legitimately start tightening this noose, and politely claim its just enforcing agreed-upon rules?

Haque is far from alone in decrying the sorry state of what passes for British government:

A government which cant ensure basic security of supply  food, fuel, energy. A government which cant maintain basic international trade which cant do basic public health which cant even do basic drainage is no government at all. Lets #takebackBritain  Dominic Minghella (@DMinghella) October 26, 2021

But theres no reason to think that Boris Johnsons freakish luck wont continue. Labour is in such a shambles that it is unable to take advantage of this spectacular political opportunity.

Moreover, it may well be that Johnson and his allies among the Ultras are not discomfited by this visible breakdown of provision of services. Some believed that the Brexit extremists understood full well the implications of a sudden and radical rupture with the EU, that the disruption would deliver opportunities for a plutocratic land grab, just as in the post-Soviet phase in Russia. That period also featured a dramatic shortening of adult male life expectancy, on the order of four years.

The acceleration of deaths may not even be unwelcome. Lambert found a 2007 article by Johnson that made clear he was a long-standing fan of population reduction.

So sewage in the water? Just another route to the British elites distaste for unproductive eaters, like Scrooges exhortation that the poor should die so as to decrease the surplus population, a proto-formulation of Lamberts principle of neoliberalism, Die faster.
(Natural News) Dr. Ryan Cole from Americas Frontline Doctors (AFLDS) says that he is seeing clotting in the lungs, vessels, and brain of people who get vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19).

A board-certified pathologist who runs his own diagnostics lab, Dr. Cole has been investigating the effects of Chinese Virus injections to see how they impact peoples bodies over time. What he has discovered so far is nothing short of disturbing.

Under the microscope, we see clotting in the lungs, we see clotting in the vessels, we see clotting in the brain, not from the virus, but from the spike [protein] from the vaccine itself, Dr. Cole says.

In our data around the world, from the United States, from the U.K., from the EudraVigilance in Europe, we have seen more death and damage from this one medical product than all other vaccines combined in the last several decades, in just a short 8-month window of time.

The governments Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is co-managed by both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), would seem to support what Dr. Cole is observing.

The latest figures, which are said to represent less than one percent of all actual cases, show that more than 16,000 people have died from a Chinese Flu shot. This represents 5,000 more deaths than all other deaths officially caused by vaccines combined since the year 1990.

Getting vaccinated for covid is just asking for chronic illness or death

Attorney Thomas Renz, who analyzed the VAERS database with the help of a government whistleblower, reported that it underreports adverse effects by a conservative factor of at least five. The true death toll from Fauci Flu shots in the U.S. alone, in other words, is at least 45,000.

According to Dr. Cole, the shots that came out of Donald father of the vaccine Trumps Operation Warp Speed scheme have done more damage than any other medical product, therapy, shot, modality, of anything weve ever allowed to stay on the market to this point.

Do I mean to sound alarmist? No, Im being factual. And when I look at it under the microscope, and I see the parts of people, or people that are no longer with us, the damage and the disease is caused by that spike protein, he added.

Back in March, the Idaho state government put out a video featuring Dr. Cole explaining that since the rollout of the Fauci Flu shots, there has also been a staggering increase in rates of cancer among those who, to quote LifeSiteNews, received the abortion-tainted jabs.

Since January 1, in the laboratory, Im seeing a 20-times increase of endometrial cancers over what I see on an annual basis, Dr. Cole stated in the video.

Im not exaggerating at all because I look at my numbers year over year, Im like Gosh, Ive never seen this many endometrial cancers before.'

Dr. Cole describes the effects of these jabs on peoples immune systems in terms of a reverse HIV response. Disturbingly, there is growing evidence to suggest that these shots are giving people AIDS, or something similar.

By suppressing a persons killer T-cells, Chinese Virus shots induce an effect eerily similar to HIV, leaving the damaged persons body unable to fight off even the simplest diseases like the common cold.

Further, Dr. Cole has observed a sharp uptick in melanomas, herpes, shingles and mono, as well as a huge uptick in HPV (human papillomavirus), thanks to the Wuhan Flu jabs.

The latest news coverage about Chinese Virus vaccine deception can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

LifeSiteNews.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Don Helms, the owner of North Idaho RV Rentals, went viral on social media when he blamed the changes to labor laws and Californias strict environmental laws for causing supply chain woes.

In his Facebook post, Helms said the liberal media is blaming the supply chain crisis on the trucking industry, but the real culprit is Californias liberal trucking laws.

Reports say that the California port situation is caused by a driver shortage. But they dont mention the California truck ban which allows only 2011 truck models or newer to operate in ports. Another law, called Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), prohibits owner operators from servicing ports in the state.

Truckers in California are not investing in new trucks at present because California also passed a law that will make them illegal in 2035. The requirement is to purchase electric trucks which do not exist, Helms wrote.

Helms is essentially saying that California has created its own problems with those laws.

California governor suspends weight limits on trucks

Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed an executive order that suspended weight limits on trucks servicing Californias ports. In a press release, the executive formalized the state agencies partnership with the Biden administration and their efforts to address the supply chain challenges. Newsom also directed state agencies to develop longer-term proposals that support port operations and goods movement. (Related: Shipping costs to the US surge as supply chain crisis continues to accelerate.)

The order builds on the efforts of the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) to ease supply chain issues by engaging in the diverse network of stakeholders along the supply chain to discuss challenges and solutions.

Californias ports are critical to our local, state and national economies and the state is taking action to support goods movement in the face of global disruptions. My administration will continue to work with federal, state, labor and industry partners on innovative solutions to tackle immediate challenges while also bringing our distribution processes into the 21st century, Newsom said.

The order comes after hundreds of cargo ships got stuck off the coast of California. As many as 200,000 containers are still sitting at sea.

Newsoms executive order directs the state to identify state-owned and non-state sites that could be available to address short-term storage needs. It can also temporarily lift limitations on how much cargo trucks can carry, which could have a similar effect to allowing more trucks to service ports in the state. Further, it can identify priority freight routes to be considered for a temporary exemption to current gross vehicle weight limits.

If Newsom permanently cancels all California-specific restrictions and workplace rules, it might affect trucks servicing major ports. Even though some of the rules have not been applied yet, the prospect of more red tape and higher costs would be enough to drive large numbers of truck drivers out of California.

Experts say that its tough to nail down any one specific reason for nationwide supply chain issues. However, they believe that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreaks at manufacturing plants, rising labor and logistics costs and supply and staffing shortages are all contributing to the problem.

Overall, American supply chains are very stressed right now. In my experience, inquiring about the root causes of pandemic-era supply chain failures is kind of like a Rorschach test, said David Correll, co-director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys FreightLab.

Read more about the ongoing supply chain crisis at Collapse.news.

Sources include:

WattsUpWithThat.com

Facebook.com

USAToday.com
(Natural News) All police officers who refuse to get jabbed with the recommended doses of Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine will all soon be hauled off to camps for education and counseling, according to Rochelle Walensky from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Precisely who will be doing the hauling (perhaps foreign troops?) remains to be seen since cops are the ones usually tasked with enforcing government orders, but Walensky has promised that it is somehow going to happen to every non-compliant law enforcement official.

There is a plan, should these people not want to be vaccinated, Walensky told Fox News Chris Wallace.

Not just police officers but all government workers will be placed in these reeducation camps, Walensky says, just as soon as she and her cronies are ready to execute.

We have seen that these mandates are getting more and more people vaccinated, Walensky added.

What we know from the police workforce is there have been more deaths from the coronavirus over the last year and a half than all other causes of death for that workforce combined. So we believe it is very important to get these people vaccinated.

Walensky went on to explain that American taxpayer dollars will be used to get people the information they need so that they are feeling comfortable in getting vaccinated.

Covid jab mandates have woken up the sleeping giant

All across the United States, police officers, firefighters and other public servants are being told they have to take the Operation Warp Speed injections or else be fired from their positions.

Walensky and her husband have a lot of money to extract out of this whole thing, after all, so they need everyones compliance in order to pad their bank accounts.

Many are not complying, though, at much expense to themselves. It turns out that thousands of Americans, and possibly more, still have principles and a conscience. Many also now realize that this whole thing is a sham and are not going to be pushed around by the likes of Walensky.

Extreme numbers of police are reportedly walking off the job due to mandates coming both locally and federally with regard to Fauci Flu shots, which were rushed into existence at warp speed thanks to Donald father of the vaccine Trump.

Washington State trooper Robert LaMay, for instance, signed off from his post after 22 years on the job, telling Democrat Gov. Jay Inslee to kiss [his] a**. LaMay went on to warn the Biden regime that it awoke the sleeping giant with these mandates.

Former Cincinnati and Detroit police chief James Craig said much the same to Tucker Carlson the other night, warning that this is all by design and is not by accident.

Democrats, he says, are working to force out all the good cops as part of their utterly ridiculous defund the police agenda. Eventually, only bad cops who are fully vaccinated will remain.

Didnt Hitler and dont the Chinese have reeducation camps? asked one commenter at Infowars.

The government is planning to inform the hesitant after they didnt inform properly in advance anybody who, through propaganda and vile coercion, fell in the trap, wrote another.

Yet another pointed out that Walensky has black eyes just like all of the other evil women in the squad.'

Black as snakes, this person wrote.

Others reiterated the fact that medical coercion without informed consent is always tyranny, representing the type of fascism that Antifa, were it truly and anti-fascist group, would be out there protesting against.

More of the latest news about Walensky, Fauci, Biden and the other criminal terrorists ruling from Washington, D.C., can be found at Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

Infowars.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Safeway grocery store #1892 in Cortez, Colo., just lost its pharmacy manager because she no longer wants to administer this poison, referring to Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines, to customers.

According to reports, Nichole Belland took to the stores intercom to announce that she is leaving her position for good because she can no longer in good conscience continue jabbing people with these Operation Warp Speed abominations they are calling vaccines.

This is Nichole Belland, pharmacy manager for Safeway store at 1892 of Cortez, Belland was heard saying over the intercom to a store full of surprised shoppers.

I quit, effective immediately, because I will not give this poison to people. Wake up, everybody. This is poison. This is hurting people. Ive seen it. Ive seen customers die. Wake up, do not take it.

If it came down to it, would you quit your job rather than harm others with covid jabs?

Steve Kirsh, the executive director of the COVID-19 Early Treatment Fund (CETF), got the chance to talk with Belland about what prompted her to leave her job in the dramatic way that she did.

It turns out that Belland had not worked at Safeway for several months prior to coming on the loudspeaker to make her announcement. Almost immediately after she was told by her supervisor that she would need to jab people with the Operation Warp Speed drugs, she decided to quit.

Belland was told at the time that she would have no choice but to administer the shots on demand, or else be fired from her position. She instead decided to go on temporary personal leave, but that was set to expire on October 15.

I had tremendous concerns about these shots early on, Belland says.

Not seeing any other way to get her message across before being forced out of her job, Belland went in on October 14, took her certificates and degrees off the wall, and proceeded to use the intercom to reveal publicly why she was essentially being forced to quit.

Belland says that around 8-10 customers were in front of her at the time when she picked up the intercom microphone and began speaking the truth into it. She had no idea that this brave act would end up going viral, possibly inspiring others who feel similarly to do the same.

Like many, Belland says that she is not necessarily anti-vaccine. She is anti-experimental gene therapy, which is technically what covid shots are since they were not developed using the same technologies as existing vaccines.

Prior to quitting, Belland had administered thousands of other shots to patients at her pharmacy, where she worked for 12 years after graduating from the University of Minnesota. However, when covid injections came along, it was a different story.

You can watch the full video interview between Kirsh and Belland at Red Voice Media.

Bravo! Good for her, I would do the same thing if I was in her shoes! wrote a commenter at Red Voice Media. No job is more important than your overall health!

No job or any action is more important than the realization that you may be directly responsible for the injury or even death of another, responded another, clarifying the reason why Belland quit.

Every time a nurse who sticks a needle in someones arm who becomes ill or deceased later, and when on learning of their loss, she intentionally continues  is committing a premeditated harmful act to another.

As the vaccine mandates pile on, we can expect more incidents like this to occur. More of the latest can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

AmericasFrontlineDoctors.org

NaturalNews.com

RedVoiceMedia.com
(Natural News) Former President Donald Trump recently announced his long-awaited new social media platform, Truth Social, as well as the company he formed to launch it.

Known as Trump Media & Technology Group, that company has formed a partnership with Digital World Acquisition Corp. to create the platform, which is expected to be hosted by RightForge, a firm known for providing conservative publishers with cancel culture-free tech support and infrastructure.

Only, according to a new report, the latter firm  DWAC  has ties to the Chinese government, which, of course, is run by the Chinese Communist Party.

Whats more, its extremely likely that Trump was unaware of all of this as he worked feverishly to set up the new platform ahead of the 2022 midterms, as reported by GNews.org:

According to Mr. Miles Guo, DWAC is actually owned and operated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Among its shareholders are some CCP agents, including a registered CCP agent under FARA named Bruno Wu, a CPPCC member named Mr. Li, and a CCP intelligence entity named Yunhong International (CN: ZGYH).

TMTGs CEO Patrick Orlando has years of business relationship with Communist China, and currently works as CEO of Yunhong International.

Bruno Wu has been investigated by FBI since 2019. DWACs American partner is Samuel Nunberg, who is involved in numerous charges.

The site, which is run by Guo, a China expert, noted that SPAC DWACs stock price rose to a high of $174/share Oct. 21, as trading reached an extremely high volume in a very short period of time.

This allegedly constituted insider trading and market manipulation, almost certainly subject to SEC investigations and criminal investigations, the site continued, noting there were 11 funds involved in those transactions.

Initially, those funds bought up 28 million DWAC shares from Wu, while putting some $296 million of purchasing money into a trust that is to be used to acquire the IP locations of Trumps new platform. It is said that $300 million was agreed on the purchase, GNews.org said.

As the massive, rapid fund transactions hyped the price of DWAC stock, Trump supporters began to put money in, including MAGA blue-collar buyers and a few speculators.

Besides the $300 million agreement, President Trump would also receive a share dividend based on his holdings. However, behind this money, the Funds and the shareholders of DWAC are all associated with the CCP. The CCP has plundered about 5 to 8 billion dollars in America so far, the site reported, adding that because Trump still holds about 90 percent of the shares and the SEC is likely already investigating the transactions, the former president is about to get tangled up in a legal mess that will derail his 2024 presidential bid and what would be a landslide reelection.

It means his money will be frozen and he will be disqualified from future government elections. This is the CCPs unrestricted economic warfare with its purpose to ruin President Trump and plunder American money, GNews.org reported.

But there is another aspect to this plan as well, Guo believes  namely, to keep Trump off of GETTR, another new platform that was launched by one of Trumps former close campaign advisers, Jason Miller.

That platform has been a platform hugely feared and targeted by the CCP since the beginning. President Trump joining Gettr would have guaranteed his 2022 Midterm Election, and a greater chance of returning to the White House in 2024, GNews.org notes.

Because Trump was the most effective president in decades in dealing with China and halting the regimes global rise, the CCP does not like him at all and is going all-out to prevent him from winning the next presidential election.

As such, this stock scheme may be one of many plots to derail his candidacy by keeping him off the ballot completely.

In short, the DWAC deal is a frame-up by the CCP agent Bruno Wu and his collaborators, to set President Trump up for numerous potential proceedings involving insider trading, market manipulation, forgery, securities frauds, etc. President Trump is faced with enormous risks of loss of wealth, criminal charges, disqualification for elections, and implicating his family and his team, the outlet reported.

Sources include:

GNews.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The White Coat Waste Project, a nonprofit instrumental in breaking the story that US taxpayer dollars were used to fund research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, once again has Dr. Anthony Fauci in its sights, this time over a disturbing animal testing experiment, which saw dozens of beagle puppies in a Tunisian lab deliberately infected with disease-causing parasites.

(Article by Adam Dobrer republished from ThePostMillenial.com)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require drugs undergoing clinical trials to be tested on dogs, leaving questions as to why such funding was allocated, or why this kind of experimental testing was necessary at all. White Coat Waste Project further alleges that some of the puppies had their vocal cords removed so researchers could work without incessant barking.

In response, Rep, Nancy Mace (R-SC) penned the bi-partisan letter to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) condemning the cordectomies as cruel and calling them a reprehensible misuse of taxpayer funds.

White Coat Waste Project told Changing America, according to The Hills reporting: Our investigators show that Faucis NIH division part of a $375,800 grant to a lab in Tunisia to drug beagles and lock their heads in mesh cages filled with hungry sand flies so that the insects could eat them alive. They also locked beagles alone in cages in the desert overnight for nine consecutive nights to use them as bait to attract infectious sand flies.

Your tax dollars at work here  de-barking, drugging, and killing beagle puppies. Absolutely gruesome, said Rep. Mace in a comment to The Post Millennial. Nearly $1.7 million used to force-feed and/or injecting dozens of beagle puppies with experimental drugs. Dr. Fauci and the rest of the NIH leadership need to come forward and explain these hellish actions.

At the time of publication, neither the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which Fauci chairs, nor the NIH responded to requests for comment.

Read more at: ThePostMillenial.com
(Natural News) Ronald Reagan once said, Dont be afraid to see what you see.

(Article by Leo Hohmann republished from LeoHohmann.com)

He made the statement in his farewell address on Jan. 11, 1989. He was giving advice on how U.S. foreign policy should view the former Soviet Union as it tried to shed its image as a brutal totalitarian society.

What Reagan was trying to say is that if it still looks like communism, then it probably is. Dont pay attention to what they call it. Pay attention to how it looks, how it feels to those living under the regime.

Freedom-loving citizens of America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Canada would do well to heed Reagans advice and apply it today.

The label on the political party in power may say Democrat or Republican but whats happening all around you? If you see friends and relatives in whats supposed to be a free society being fired from their jobs  critical jobs like nurses, doctors, firefighters, cops, soldiers and truck drivers  because they wont concede to having an unknown experimental substance injected into their bodies, then you should not hesitate to take this at face value.

Dont brush it aside as some temporary anomaly.

Youve heard it all by now from your friends and family.

Dont get so carried away.

Why are you always so negative?

Calm down. Things will change when the [fill in the party of your choice] take over in the next election.

But things never do seem to change.

Call it what it is: Authoritarianism. Totalitarianism. Fascism. Communism. Dictatorship. You might not have the perfect adjective, but you know when something isnt right. It doesnt look right. It doesnt feel right.

We are living in a critical juncture in history. A relatively small cadre of very wealthy, very powerful elites are pushing us hard to accept a new system of corporate communism, actually more like fascism, in which an insanely bloated government has teamed up with big business to force the people to accept an agenda that many feel uncomfortable with.

These elites, with their buddies in the corporate media, use fear-based propaganda to stir up hatred for the non-compliant, while pressuring everyone  man, woman and child  to submit to the new normal.

Get this injection or face an unthinkable future on the fringes of society. You will be relegated to a permanent underclass, unfit for work, travel or even being able to buy or sell where the respectable people gather.

They are losing patience, as Biden announced in his Sept. 9 order for national injection mandates, with we, the non-compliant ones.

Thats not what free societies look like. Not even close. If you dont have the right to choose what goes into your body under threat of being deemed an untouchable social and economic outcast, then you dont have the right to choose anything. Once you accept the premise that your employer or the government has that level of control over your life, things can only go downhill from there.

But the message coming from Big Tech, Big Pharma, Big Religion and Big Government is simple and direct  conform or get left behind.

Pope Francis and powerful evangelical leaders such as Franklin Graham are also on board with this new global order, rebranded by the World Economic Forum as the Great Reset. So are the most important political leaders of both parties. In fact, any leader of people who pushes the idea of mandated universal injections is on board with the reset of humanity and transhumanism, whether they realize it or not.

I mean what I said: ANY LEADER who pushes the injections as safe and effective is not going to be on your side when it matters most. Ditch them now.

Why do I say that? Because these injections hold the key to transforming humanity, genetically re-engineering the human species into something the transhumanists call Humanity 2.0.

Does that mean the initial shots for the three gene-based injections from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson will turn you into something irreversibly anti-human or anti-God?

I am not qualified to answer that question, but at the very least the pressure to receive regular Covid shots under threat of losing your job and your freedom of movement opens up a massive socio-economic thoroughfare for those who would misuse the new gene-based technology for nefarious purposes.

And if we look at the track record of those pushing the hardest for these shots, its clear we are talking about people who have not earned our trust. They do not operate under the same ethical standards as we normies.

So lets look at the goals of the biomedical industry in their own words.

The Human Genome Project was launched by the U.S. government in 1990 and completed 13 years later on April 14, 2003  at this point scientists had mapped out the sequence of all 3.2 billion nucleotide bases (the equivalent of 3.2 billion letters of information).

Since the Human Genome Projects completion in 2003, the focus turned from discovering the DNA sequences to analyzing them and formulating ways to edit and improve the genetic makeup of all living things.

But the arrogance of modern science does not stop there.

Scientists have for the last decade or so been conducting experiments to not only genetically re-engineer what it means to be human but to digitize and store the DNA information they are capturing from animals and human beings.

Note the official logo of the Human Genome Project. It is very instructive as to its all-inclusive goals for the future of humanity.

The widespread PCR testing kicked off during the Covid scare serves nicely the purposes of DNA data collection.

Patrick Wood, one of the most respected researchers on the modern technocracy and transhumanism movements, has authored an article, Global Blueprint Exposed: The Takeover of all Genetic Material on Earth, tying together the strands of a monstrous global power grab being carried out under the cover of a health emergency.

Wood traces the origins of todays globalist push for a Great Reset of human civilization to the beginning stages of the international biodiversity movement, which started in 1987 with the publication of Our Common Future, also known as The Brundtland Report, a U.N.-commissioned study named after its chairman, Gro Harlem Brundtland. The ideas contained in this study were reflected in the 1992 United Nations Convention on Biodiversity held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, around the same time that the U.N. was working on its massive undertaking, Agenda 21.

Once he learned what to look for, Wood said it started popping up everywhere he looked, starting with Our Common Future, which states:

The diversity of species is necessary for the normal functioning of ecosystems and the biosphere as a whole. The genetic material in wild species contributes billions of dollars yearly to the world economy in the form of improved crop species, new drugs and medicines, and draw materials for industry. (emphasis added)

The specific development of biodiversity is seen in Chapter 6, Species and Ecosystems: Resources for Development:

Species and their genetic materials promise to play an expanding role in development, and a powerful economic rationale is emerging to bolster the ethical, aesthetic, and scientific case for preserving them. The genetic variability and germplasm material of species make contributions to agriculture, medicine, and industry worth many billions of dollars per year If nations can ensure the survival of species, the world can look forward to new and improved foods, new drugs and medicines, and new raw materials for industry.

Further on, Brundtland states:

Vast stocks of biological diversity are in danger of disappearing just as science is leaning how to exploit genetic variability through the advances of genetic engineering It would be grim irony indeed if just as new genetic engineering techniques begin to let us peer into lifes diversity and use genes more efficiently to better human conditions, we looked and found this treasure sadly depleted.

Wood has cracked the biomedical word code. When they use the word biodiversity they mean genetic resources.

Genes are something to be exploited and used more efficiently than they are used in their natural state, he explains.

The keys to understanding where these global predators are taking us were hiding all these years in plain sight and in plain English, Wood told me. Its inconceivable to me that this has not been uncovered before, that this connection to the Convention on Biodiversity has not been reported. This certainly explains why biotech and Big Pharma are holding the entire world hostage over this pandemic considering that both the virus and the injection are genetically engineered.

This connection went undiscovered until now because we the people did not dig deep enough into those globalist documents and take them seriously. And those who did inspect the documents found that the public did not want to believe what was in them. They were afraid to see what they might see, as Reagan warned. It was easier to write us off as wingnuts and wearers of tinfoil hats.

There were hints, though, even in the 1990s, to what was truly being planned for the future.

Wood cites one such nugget he mined from the 1994 book, The Earth Brokers, which called out the real agenda of the burgeoning biodiversity movement coming out of the U.N. and Agenda 21. The authors write on page 171:

Neither Brundtland, nor the secretariat, nor the governments drafted a plan to examine the pitfalls of free trade and industrial development. Instead, they wrote up a convention on how to develop the use of biodiversity through patents and biotechnology.

Meanwhile, advances in the development of gene editing and the digitization of human DNA has taken off at rocket speed since these ideas about exploiting bio-genetic material were first put forth in dry academic papers during 1980s.

I believe these scientific advances have now crossed an important line in the spiritual realm, the God realm, where no man has the right to tread.

It should be obvious by now that the virus led to the need for a vaccine and the vaccine led to the idea of digital health passports, which contain a scannable QR Code on a cellphone app.

Getting people to accept the digital passports is the key to the globalists plan to digitize all of human life by gradually adding more personally identifiable information to the app along with your banking and financial-transaction data.

They have to get this ready for people to accept the new digital money system based on blockchain technology. More than 65 central banks worldwide are in various stages of preparing to launch new digital currencies as a replacement for cash.

The injections have been sold as just an ordinary vaccine which just happen to require continuous booster shots to remain effective. Thats a deception. In fact, the shots represent mankinds initial foray into universal gene editing that will offer endless opportunities for later edits through the continuous boosters.

Thats why the corporate media and its billionaire-backed fact checkers went bonkers right from the start, in 2020, as soon as anyone pointed out the obvious, that these injections are not like any previous vaccines, that they actually do change your genetic coding, instructing your body to artificially create a toxic spike protein and then deliver that toxin to cells throughout your body.

Dr. Tal Zaks, the chief medical officer of Moderna, admitted this in a 2017 TED Talk, before Covid and before it became forbidden to point out the truth about the mRNA technology, which was fully developed already in 2017 as a potential treatment for cancer but still lacked FDA approval. We have hacked the software of life, Zaks said.

Moderna explained basic structure of the mRNA technology on its website, likening it to a computer operating system. Your body is the hardware and the mRNA injection is the software. Once installed, the biopharma industry can plug and play any future update it deems you to be in need of. See screenshot from Moderna website below.

What does this all mean and where is it heading?

These injections represent the final frontier of man playing God and will lead to something so evil that God will have no choice but to destroy those responsible. How or when that destruction takes place, no one knows, but you can count on a great reckoning at some point.

These power hungry elites in the government, the corporations and many of the churches have no respect for the individual to make choices for himself or herself. They now claim ownership over your body, meaning they can dictate what goes into it. Theres no more hiding behind obscure U.N. documents. They have outted themselves as cruel, anti-human taskmasters.

Did Bill Gates care that his polio vaccines were killing and paralyzing thousands of Indian children before the Indian government finally put an end to the experiment? Not in the least.

These elites see humanity as their personal playground for experimentation.

Dr. Anthony Faucis division of the NIH funded a barbaric experiment at the University of Pittsburgh that involved grafting the scalps of 5-month aborted babies onto humanized mice and rats. He funded another study at a North African lab in Tunisia in which 44 Beagle puppies were infected with disease-causing parasites, after which some had their vocal chords removed so scientists could work on them without having to endure their incessant barking as they died slow, painful deaths.

This is the same Dr. Fauci who parents are being asked to trust for advice regarding the vaccination of their children. He appears daily in the big corporate media outlets making it his top priority to deceive parents into offering up their children to the Covid-vaccine experiment. He says he wants every child injected by the end of the year with his gene-altering vaccine, despite the data showing children under 18 have a 99.998 percent statistical chance of surviving Covid. Hes making the rounds on all the major media spreading lies about the dangers of Covid to children and how safe and effective the experimental mRNA serum will be for kids ages 5 to 11.

Is this the type of man you want to trust with decisions about your childs health?

He is not the only one up to his neck in the drive to force-feed the new gene-editing experimentations under the cover of vaccines.

Dr. Richard Besser, a pediatrician and former acting director of the CDC, told CNN on Oct. 22 that U.S. pediatricians will push much harder for the Covid vaccines in children than in most other countries. The injections for kids ages 5 to 11 will be rolled out as soon as Nov. 1 and the pressure for parents to comply will be intense.

If they say you must get injected then you must do it. Or lose your job. Lose your career, lose your college education, lose your ability to pay your bills and put food on the table. If they say you must inject your child, you must do it, or pull them out of school.

Looking like communism yet?

To know their agenda, all we need to do is listen to what these elitist global predators say in their own words.

But heres the key: Dont listen to what they say when theyre being interviewed by NBC, ABC, CNN or the Washington Post. These are their propaganda hirelings. No, you must listen to what they say when theyre speaking to each other, when they dont think anyone on the outside is paying attention.

So if you want to know the real reason for Covid and the insane response to Covid from governments across the formerly Free World, just listen to Fauci and his colleagues speaking at a Future of Health Summit at the Milken Institute in 2019.

Fauci and his biomedical buddies openly discussed the need for a disruptive event  a flu-like virus out of China  to justify bypassing decades of approval for a new vaccine technology (mRNA) they wanted to introduce. They knew such an experiment would never fly unless people were scared to death of a new killer virus.

Shockingly, the video of these mad scientists discussing their evil plans is still up on Twitter. Watch and try not to lose the contents of your stomach.

SHOCK VIDEO: from 2017 Dr. Fauci & some NIH scientists discuss needing a disruptive event like a flu like virus out of China in order to justify bypassing decades of approval for a new vaccine technology they want approved pic.twitter.com/fDfADj27p5  Melissa Tate (@TheRightMelissa) October 7, 2021

But wait. It gets worse.

Bill Gates, Klaus Schwab, Anthony Fauci and company want to use the fear conjured by the virus to prod people to accept a new digital ID system.

They want to take your physical identity and merge it with your digital identity so you will be easier to track, monitor and evaluate in terms of your worth to society. Klaus Schwab, the founding director of the World Economic Forum, told us this in his book The Fourth Industrial Revolution. We should have listened when that book came out in January 2017, almost five years ago.

Also in 2017, Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Bill Gates Gavi Global Vaccine Alliance, wrote a piece for Nature magazine that emphasized the need to move the masses into digital ID systems.

In 2018, GAVI announced that digital identity was the focus for its INFUSE program, in line with goal 16.9 of U.N. Agenda 2030, which in September 2015 was approved by more than 100 nations as an update to Agenda 21.

The below graphic, since removed from GAVIs website, lays out the final stage of the digital-identity health passport system, dubbed Access to Other Services.

the digital child health card can be used to access secondary services, such as primary school, or financial services, serving as the foundation for a broadly recognized digital identity.

So you see where they are going with this whole health-passport scam. It has nothing to do with your health. Your physical, digital and financial life will all be tied together into one nifty little digital identification card, scannable with a QR code on your cellphone. Is it a coincidence that starting in 2022, all of the older cellphones, flip-phones and burner phones will be phased out, no longer serviceable by your cell-service provider?

Conform or get left behind. The decision is yours. As for me and mine, leaving it all behind is starting to look better and better.

But, in the process of making that decision, dont be afraid to see what you see.

Read more at: LeoHohmann.com
(Natural News) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said that Americans can only go on holiday vacations with their loved ones during the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic if they are vaccinated.

Fauci told Martha Raddatz of ABC that vaccinated Americans can spend Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas with their families.

I believe strongly that  particularly in the vaccinated people  if youre vaccinated and your family members are vaccinated, those who are eligible that is, obviously very young children are not yet eligible, that you can enjoy the holidays, said Fauci.

The White House chief medical advisor also said that people who received Johnson & Johnsons single-dose coronavirus vaccine shouldnt worry about its lower efficacy after boosters have been recommended. Fauci also said that they should be happy after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) realized that it should be a two-dose vaccine based on data, albeit belatedly.

Data released from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study showed that boosting with a different shot than the vaccine someone originally received is safe and effective. According to the data, which has yet to be peer reviewed, antibody levels were higher in J&J recipients if they received a Moderna or Pfizer booster instead of a J&J booster.

On Oct. 15, the FDAs vaccine advisory panel unanimously endorsed booster shots for the J&J recipients. The panel recommended all J&J recipients to get an additional vaccine as early as two months after the first dose.

The FDA also recommended the Moderna and Pfizer boosters for Americans 65 and older or for people in higher-risk groups. Fauci noted that the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will give people the flexibility to mix and match vaccine boosters based on their individual health situations.

Now that the FDA has recommended J&J boosters for a wider group of Americans, the question turns to when Moderna and Pfizer boosters will be endorsed to the general public.

Fauci said that will depend on the data being collected by the CDC and the findings coming in from Israel, which is about a month ahead of the U.S. in its vaccine rollout. (Related: Medical police state: Fauci wants a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for air travel.)

CDC advises unvaccinated people to cancel travel plans

Like Fauci, updated holiday coronavirus guidance from the CDC urged people to get vaccinated against coronavirus and wear masks when gathering.

According to the guidance issued on Oct. 15, you should get vaccinated since you will be celebrating the holidays with loved ones of different ages. However, children in the country who are 11 years old and younger arent eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The CDC said that outdoor gatherings are much safer compared to indoor holiday gatherings. If you plan on hosting or attending gatherings at indoor public spaces, all attendees aged two or older, whether unvaccinated or fully vaccinated, should wear well-fitting masks over their nose and mouth.

The CDC also advised that those with a weakened immune system should wear a mask when gathering. If you plan to travel for the holidays, you should cancel your plans if you arent fully vaccinated, adding that if youre not fully vaccinated, you need to follow CDCs domestic travel or international travel recommendations for unvaccinated people.

Visit Vaccines.news for updates on the oppressive coronavirus vaccine mandates enforced by the government.

Sources include:

SHTFPlan.com

CBSNews.com
(Natural News) The parents of a Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine-injured child have come forward to warn that nobody in the federal government seems to care one iota about the damage being caused by these shots.

Stephanie and Patrick de Garays 12-year-old daughter Maddie, along with her two brothers, were enrolled in a Pfizer injection trial that left poor Maddie severely damaged. Prior to getting injected, Maddie was healthy, energetic and full of life, but then everything changed.

Within 24 hours of getting her second dose, young Maddie was reduced to crippling, scream-inducing pain that landed here in the emergency room where she described feeling like someone was ripping [her] heart out through [her] neck.'

Maddies health problems continued for months, causing her to have to be hospitalized several times with numerous systemic injuries which left her having to eat and take medicine through a tube. Maddie is also now bound to a wheelchair.

Stephanie took careful notes of everything her daughter suffered as a result of the Pfizer shots and reported it to the principal investigator at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital (CCH) where the trial took place. Their response? Maddie is a mental patient who is making it all up in her head. (RELATED: WATCH as Maddies mother testifies about how the Pfizer jab ruined her daughter.)

After CCH denied that the Pfizer injections caused Maddies health problems, her parents went to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Their response? Well, neither agency actually gave one.

Ms. de Garay reported what occurred to the CDC and FDA through VAERS in June 2021 but nobody from these agencies sought additional information or followed-up with the de Garays, reported Aaron Siri on his Substack blog.

Ms. de Garay also reached out to Dr. Nath, a Chief in the NIHs National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, who responded by stating he was Sorry to hear of your daughters illness and that We have certainly heard of a lot of cases of neurological complications form [sic] the vaccine and will be glad to share our experience with them.'

Why is the federal government ignoring the covid injection genocide?

Other than a call arranged by Maddies neurologist, the de Garays never heard a work back from the National Institutes of Health or any other government agency tasked with overseeing vaccine-caused injuries and deaths.

The FDAs job is to keep track of this type of thing, and the same goes for the CDC. These two agencies are responsible for maintaining and responding to the reports compiled in the governments Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

Neither of these agencies is doing its job, though. The FDA, the CDC, the NIH and Pfizer are all refusing to even acknowledge that Pfizers injections for the Wuhan Flu are causing health problems in children, which are Big Pharmas next mass vaccination target.

Putting aside that one serious injury in a small trial should alone raise blaring alarm bells, one must ask: What other serious adverse events have been hidden and ignored by regulators? asks Siri.

If what Maddie suffered will occur in 1/1,000 children, that would result in 75,000 children in this country suffering this serious injury. If it happens in 1/10,000 children, that is 7,500 suffering this serious injury. It could be that the cure is worse than the disease. But that will only be known if there is a properly powered (a.k.a., sized) clinical trial with children. 

More of the latest news stories about the many injuries and deaths that are being caused by Chinese Virus injections can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

AaronSiri.substack.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) There is trouble in South Florida where emergency workers say that Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine mandates are creating a serious public safety crisis.

Hundreds of firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers and EMT workers in Orange County, Floridas fifth most populous county, say that morale is down due not only to employees within this sector being told that they must get jabbed, but also because area residents who got injected are falling ill in record numbers.

Calls continue to pour in about fully vaccinated residents getting sick and dying, which is spreading already troubled emergency crews thin. This is on top of the worker shortages resulting from mandates that are driving the unvaccinated out of their careers.

Jason Wheat, a firefighter and spokesman for about 500 men and women who fight fires and respond to 911 calls, says that constant infighting between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated is leaving many emergency workers distracted, stressed out and unable to work as a team.

Teamwork is critical for emergency crews to save lives, but thanks to Joe Bidens Chinese Virus injection push, along with local Branch Covidian jab mandates, emergency teams are no longer teams.

Exhaustion, depression, family troubles, harassment and what The Epoch Times describes as a frightening lack of cooperation and teamwork are how many emergency workers describes their lives under the new normal.

Two expressed dismay about three recent suicides among department workers, the Times reported. They blamed the stress that has plagued the department since the pandemic began.

Dozens of emergency workers sue Orange County over covid vaccine mandate

Wheat and 42 of his colleagues have filed a lawsuit against Orange County requesting an emergency injunction to block the county from requiring employees to take unwanted Fauci Flu shots.

Employees say they were threatened with termination for refusing the jabs, only to have the county change the penalty to written reprimands for non-compliance. It turns out that the department did not want to lose upwards of 500 employees, or 38 percent of the department, who would have quit rather than take the injections. (RELATED: The Biden regime knows full well that covid injections are dangerous.)

The order required employees, including those in the Fire and Rescue Department, to receive at least one shot by the end of last month, the Times reported.

The situation did escalate on October 19, though, when a fire battalion chief, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, was fired for refusing to discipline his unvaccinated department employees.

This individual, Stephen Davis, was terminated on the grounds of failure to follow a direct order, said Orange County Fire Rescue spokeswoman Lisa McDonald.

The insubordination was the result of his refusal to issue disciplinary action on October 5.

In his own defense, Davis says he did not issue written reprimands to unvaccinated employees because the vaccine requirement is inherently unlawful. Some of the employees in question had also already submitted religious exemptions that were approved.

After Davis was fired, department morale sunk even further, according to Wheat, who described it as the lowest Ive ever seen it.

Wheat also says that fully vaccinated employees are becoming nasty towards the unvaccinated, calling them the dirty unvaccinated. This hate speech has made working conditions miserable and even unsafe for the unvaccinated, who are being discriminated against by the Branch Covidians.

The people of Orange County are being hurt, Wheat warns, adding that rescue workers are fighting with each other, not concentrating on their jobs.

We love this job so much because we want to help people, he further stated. But when youre distracted, its not good for the public.

The latest news about Chinese Virus injection tyranny can be found at Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, US Representative Devin Nunes (R-CA), is calling for the prosecution of Dr. Anthony Fauci. Devin Nunes joins a growing list of Congressmen and women who are calling for the arrest of Tony Fauci. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has finally admitted to funding controversial gain-of-function virus research in Wuhan, China. This research was formerly banned in the United States, but was later off-shored by Dr. Fauci through Dr. Peter Daszak of EcoHealth Alliance and expounded upon by Dr. Ralph Baric.

Faucis arrest and prosecution nears

Fauci has repeatedly denied his involvement in gain-of-function virology research, lying to Congress multiple times during sworn testimony. When Fauci went before the U.S. Senate, Senator Rand Paul provided detailed evidence about Faucis dangerous gamut of gain-of-function virology research. Dr. Paul questioned Dr. Fauci on the controversial research, holding him to account. Fauci repeatedly denied the allegations, as he tried to cover up his leading role in the bioweapons research. Fauci committed perjury, while denying the very essence of the research he authored.

For this reason, he should be prosecuted here [in the Senate], Rep. Devin Nunes told Fox News. If he was notified, our committee did a year-long investigation. We talked about it on your show back in May, we put out an official report. So he was clearly on notice then. Rep. Nunes said Fauci was questioned twice by Senator Rand Paul. He [Fauci] said it [gain-of-function research] didnt happen, and thats simply not true, Nunes stated.

And I dont think his e-mails, when you go back and look at the time, show that he wouldnt know something about this either. So hes long been on notice, he knows this, and now the question is, will The Department of Justice do anything about it, he said.

Look, we heard Dr. Fauci say simply I dont know how many times I can say it, said Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence. I think we should take him up on this and we should count how many times he said it, because this isnt just once or twice or three times. He has been unequivocal in denying this. This is a real problem. He not only doubled down, tripled down, but he promised that unequivocally this wasnt even close, it wasnt a spin.

And I think that his total deception is what takes place in Washington D.C., Grenell said. Look, those of us on the outside of Washington, we look at this clown show and we say how is this possible? How is DOJ not immediately going after them? Grenell continued, This is really scary for the United States to not have a DOJ and an attorney general to jump on this immediately, prosecute the guy.

Faucis crimes against humanity are plainly visible

Senator Rand Paul has been calling for Faucis resignation for months. He is now joined by Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty and California Rep Doug LaMalfa, who are now calling out Faucis unlawful actions. LaMalfa said, We have incontrovertible proof that he [Fauci] has been intentionally lying to Congress. Dr. Fauci must resign and should face prosecution for perjury, he said.

As a longstanding director at the NIH, Fauci oversaw multiple gain-of-function studies, and even approved research that attached baby scalps to rodents to study immune responses. Fauci is culpable for inhumane human experimentation and is responsible for the development of bioweapons and chimeric viruses that are designed to exploit human immune systems. Under the watch of the Chinese Communist Party, this research can be used for even more nefarious ends.

One of the stated goals of this research is to develop new vaccine technology that transcribes properties of the bioweapon into human cells, interfering with how the cells read their own genetic instructions. This forceful genetic experimentation is currently being carried out on populations that have been locked down and restricted, civil liberties threatened, and freedoms stolen. Fauci has been at the forefront of this global terror experiment, issuing decrees of medical tyranny that are delegated by governments for the complete subjugation of peoples minds and bodies.

Sources include:

ConservativeBrief.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Data from US Customs and Border Protection shows federal law enforcement stopped 1,956,519 noncitizens attempting to enter the US via illegal crossings through the Canadian and Mexican borders, the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines, or through visa overstays after arrival via a recognized air, land or sea port

(Article by Adam Dobrer republished from ThePostMillenial.com)

The same report indicates that the 1.66 million noncitizens were apprehended by Border Patrol officers: a near-century high. This is a marked increase from fiscal year 2020 where data shows officials logged 646,822 encounters.

The Biden administrations messaging on illegal immigration has been confusing and muddled at best, warning migrants not to go to the border, while also ending the practice of turning away children. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, told ABC News in an interview in March that now is not the time to come, while stressing that the US was committed to building safe, orderly and humane ways to address the needs of vulnerable children. In total, 146,925 unaccompanied children were encountered at the southern border, between the ports, and at the ports of entry more than doubling the previous record set in 2019.

Border Patrol noted 169,000 encounters in March and 173,000 in April as Biden eased border policies, including the so-called Remain in Mexico policy while it was challenged in the courts. That bid failed and the Biden Administration was ordered by the Supreme Court to reinstate the policy until further notice. Numbers continued to increase over the sweltering summer months: 170,000 encounters in May and June, 200,000 in July, and 195,000 in August before declining slightly to 192,000 at the end of the fiscal year in September.

The startling data prompted quick criticism from Republicans, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) blasting the Biden administrations handling of the southern border: Despite the flashing red warning signs, President Biden and his appointed border czar, Vice President Harris, continue to think they can wish the situation away and pretend that they are powerless in the very crisis they created.

Read more at: ThePostMillenial.com
(Natural News) New data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) revealed that 16,310 individuals have died after receiving Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines in the past 10 months. In contrast, data up to December 2020 showed that there had only been 6,214 deaths from all vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the past 30 years.

VAERS also recorded 2,102 fetal deaths following COVID-19 vaccinations in pregnant women.

Moreover, there had been more permanent disabilities, life-threatening reactions and hospitalizations linked to the COVID-19 vaccines in the past 10 months than from all other vaccines in the last 30 years.

Despite the rising number of adverse events and deaths linked to the COVID-19 vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the FDA insist that they are safe and effective.

The CDC has admitted that there are some risks to the COVID-19 vaccines, including blood clots and hearth inflammation. However, the agency said that these known side effects are rare.

The most recent data shared by VAERS showed that there had been 12,553 cases of blood clots following vaccination, resulting in 589 deaths, 869 permanent disabilities and 2,543 life-threatening events.

There had also been 7,791 cases of heart inflammation that resulted in 119 deaths, 250 permanent disabilities and 867 life-threatening events.

Senior citizens are the most in danger, with 76 percent of the recorded deaths from the vaccine shots occurring in people older than 65. This translates to 12,396 deaths so far. For the past 10 months, there had been 11.6 times more deaths among vaccinated seniors than there had been for the past 30 years following all other vaccines.

The CDC and FDA still approved booster shots for this age group.

VAERS under-reports adverse events and deaths

Ever since the beginning of the VAERS database, it has been known that the system is passive, and that cases have been vastly under-reported. Some estimates over the years theorized that as little as only 1 percent of all cases have ever been reported.

Testimonies of frontline workers working with patients in hospitals said that there is a tremendous effort put on nurses and doctors not to report the side effects of COVID-19 shots to the database.

Dr. Jessica Rose conducted a comprehensive analysis about the under-reporting of adverse events, and it showed that at least 150,000 people have died following COVID-19 shots in the United States. (Related: Study reveals FEWER than 1% of vaccine injuries are reported to VAERS.)

The report took an independent analysis of a single VAERS event that the FDA and CDC admitted was an adverse event of the vaccine based on trials before the shots were authorized. The adverse event was anaphylaxis.

In looking at independent studies that reported the rate of anaphylaxis to determine the true percentage of adverse events, she found that it is being under-reported in the database.

VAERS unreliable, subject to biases

Interest in VAERS has grown since the approval of COVID-19 vaccines. However, data coming from it can be misleading.

Dr. Russell Bush, director and chief medical examiner at the Michigan Institute of Forensic Science & Medicine, said that conclusions should not be drawn from the raw data because it does not necessarily include the result of reviews from researchers.

Health officials warned that the database is prone to bias and does not provide an accurate picture of the side effects of vaccines. Anyone can submit a report to the system and it accepts them without determining whether or not these adverse effects were caused by vaccines.

The website itself includes a lengthy disclaimer about how the data shouldnt be used to conclude the safety of vaccines as well, noting that the reports account for a fraction of all adverse events. However, serious events are more likely to be reported.

The disclaimer further stated: While very important in monitoring vaccine safety, VAERS reports alone cannot be used to determine if a vaccine caused or contributed to an adverse event or illness. The reports may contain information that is incomplete, inaccurate, coincidental or unverifiable.

Get more COVID-19 updates at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

GlobalResearch.ca

HealthImpactNews.com

MLive.com
(Natural News) There can be no doubt that elements of American society are so weak and pathetic in the 21st century that our enemies are licking their chops at the thought of taking on what used to be the worlds predominant superpower and the country that won two world wars.

In recent days, a student attending Oberlin College in Ohio, an institute of higher learning that costs around $80,000 per year to attend, claims he was left angry and scared after cisgender (that would be straight) males were allowed in to install radiators in a dorm that was dedicated to transgender students and women. Apparently, the school didnt look hard enough for technicians who were born men but now claim to be women.

Writing in the Oberlin Review, the schools newspaper, Peter Fray-Wentzer blasted school administrators for giving students just one days notice Oct. 7 regarding the upgrades to the radiators at the Baldwin Cottage dorm.

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? Fray-Witzer complained.

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, the student continued.

The New York Post noted further:

When the work crew showed up on Oct. 8 to install the new radiators, Fray-Witzer said he asked if he could be exempt from having one installed in his room  but was denied the request.

Fray-Witzer said he was mildly violated and angry when the workers returned the following day to check the radiators were actually working.

The student said only women and trans students are permitted to live on the second and third floors of the Baldwin Cottage dormitory.

The student claimed that it was clear Oberlin College administrators had not made any special request that male workers not be allowed onto the upper floors of the dorm in order to carry out their work  which, if that idiocy was carried to its logical conclusion would have meant those students, including Fray-Witzer, would be awfully cold this winter.

In addition, the student claimed that others werent entirely comfortable with those alpha-male types coming into their dorm, either.

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? After all, I get a brand-spanking-new radiator, right in time for the cold weather, Fray-Witzer noted, accurately.

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? Why didnt the College make a schedule detailing when the workers would be likely to arrive at each dorm and in each room? he continued.

Intrusion?

They should have taken measures to keep students comfortable and safe  especially those who have elected to live in a specifically designated safe space. Fray-Witzer concluded.

Its hard to fathom how someone like this made it to adulthood, much less how they will function as an adult in grown-up society. But unfortunately, people like him are becoming far more numerous thanks to our overly pampered, entitled Millennial population.

Young people like this waif have no idea what it is like to suffer, to be deprived, to have to fight hard or work hard to get ahead. And worse, they are the future of our country.

Which means, we may not really have a future if we have to rely on triggered little snowflakes like him to defend our country.

Sources include:

NYPost.com

Gender.news
(Natural News) Oil prices rose on Monday, Oct. 25, to a multi-year high before slightly stabilizing as the supply chain crisis continues and the demand for fuel surges in the United States.

The price of Brent crude futures in the U.S. settled at $85.99 a barrel, representing a 0.54 percent increase following a 1.1 percent surge on Oct. 22. This is just several cents lower than the high it hit on Oct. 21 at $86.10 per barrel.

West Texas Intermediate futures, another world benchmark for the price of crude oil, ended Monday at $83.76 a barrel after reaching a seven-year high of $85.41 a barrel.

Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate are some of the most traded oil futures and serve as the worlds benchmarks for the price of oil. The former refers to crude oil mostly drilled at the oilfields in the North Sea in Europe, while the latter refers to crude oil coming from western Texas.

Both benchmarks are now around 20 percent more expensive than in early September, when the prices started to climb. The price of Brent crude has been rising for seven weeks straight. West Texas Intermediate has risen for nine weeks. (Related: Cost of shipping liquefied natural gas has more than doubled in a month.)

The global energy supply crunch continues to show its teeth, as oil prices extend their upward march this week, a result of traders pricing in the ongoing rise in fuel demand  which amid limited supply response is depleting global stockpiles, said Louise Dickson, senior oil markets analyst for energy research company Rystad Energy.

Financial analysts expect oil prices to keep rising

Financial experts estimate the price of oil to continue rising until the end of the year. According to Goldman Sachs, a strong rebound in global oil demand could send the price of Brent crude well above the companys year-end forecast of $90 per barrel.

While there is no doubt among analysts that the price of oil will decrease from that forecasted high of $90 per barrel, many investment banks believe that costs will remain high at around $85 a barrel for the next several years.

There is little that can tilt oil prices away from their upward momentum on the short term, as the only real supply source of significance is OPEC+, and there doesnt seem to be much mood for policy change on that front for the moment, said Dickson.

OPEC+, or the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, are expected to meet early next month to discuss potential changes to production levels. Such a change could help increase global stocks of oil and potentially stabilize its volatile prices.

There are only two offramps to the current bout of oil price volatility and one is OPEC+ taking supply action, but the group has repeatedly said it does not plan on altering its strategy, said Dickson.

Theres also the chance that another round of [Wuhan coronavirus] COVID-19 breakouts and lockdowns could again dim the demand outlook. But it seems to be a last resort strategy for many economies that are tired of repeating the unpopular economy-damaging process.

Its hard to see OPEC increase supply until they feel the threat of a non-OPEC nation coming in and taking market share, said Craig Turner, senior commodities broker with StoneX Group.

But Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Monday that he expects OPEC+ to agree to raise oil output by 400,000 barrels a day in November. This could help stabilize prices. Traders are also watching the potential resumption of nuclear talks with Iran. Such a move could lead to more crude oil entering the market.

Learn more about the current volatility of oil prices by reading the latest articles at MarketCrash.news.

Sources include:

Reuters.com

IG.com

Nasdaq.com

MarketWatch.com
(Natural News) Pastor Artur Pawlowski of Canada said that bringing back God is a must if Americans desire liberty. He made this claim during the Oct. 22 episode of Lets Talk America on Brighteon.TV. He also warned guest host Renee for the Republic of the tyranny that has taken over Canada and is set to take over the U.S. if left unchecked.

Renee lauded the pastor, who is originally from Poland, for standing up against the totalitarian tyranny in Canada. As we might imagine the tyranny that is increasing across the country, he is at the forefront. He is a lion going after those hyenas, she said. The guest host added that Pawlowski has been warning the entire U.S. about what is coming here if we dont stand up and do something about it.

Pawlowski is someone that were all looking up to. The persecution that hes been under  the arrest, being jailed [and] being separated from his family  the whole nine yards is just ridiculous. Youre going to want to hear what he has to say because he has strong words for America, she said.

CBN News reported last month that Pawlowski had been arrested by officers of the Calgary Police Service. The police took the pastor into custody on Sept. 27 as soon as he arrived at the Calgary International Airport. Pawlowskis attorney Sarah Miller said that he had been in the U.S. prior to his arrest.

Renee said: Pastor Artur has been sounding the alarm loud and clear from the mountaintops to all of America, trying to wake this country up, because of what he has experienced in his home country. What he says could be coming here.

Pawlowski confirmed his experience under Canadas tyrannical regime. The last time we were arrested, me and my brother Dawid, they threw us behind the police car like a piece of meat. Later on, we were kept in solitary confinement, stripped naked, chained in the legs like you would do to al-Qaida terrorists.

He also called his Oct. 13 sentencing a show trial. The pastor told Renee: I grew up behind the Iron Curtain under the boots of the Soviets, so we watched on television  those show trials, where the fate of the accused was already sealed. It was only to scare the public. It was to show the public: Hey, you know what we can do to anyone that dares to oppose our totalitarian regime.' (Related: Pastor Artur Pawlowski shares his experience with the Canadian brand of tyranny  Brighteon.TV.)

Pawlowski: Canada has kicked God out of the country

Pawlowski continued: Im telling you now we are living behind the Iron Curtain. Canada is no longer Canada, its China-da. We have been taken over by the Chines and theyre coming after you Americans.

The pastor added that Chinese military personnel are being trained in the province of British Columbia, located to the left of his home province Alberta. Theyre flying jets [and] preparing for something and Im telling you  if I was an American, I would pay very close attention to whats happening to us in the northern border.

Residents of British Columbia backed up Pawlowskis statement about Chinese intrusion, saying that Peoples Liberation Army troops are being stationed in Vancouvers Stanley Park. They added that Canadians are prohibited from entering by officers from the Vancouver Police Department.

The Chinese troops are assigned to Vancouver under a 2019 bilateral treaty stating that Chinese security forces can be stationed on Canadian soil to protect vital Chinese investments, without the knowledge or consent of local authorities. (Related: Western Canada has already fallen to Communist China  America may have a chance, but only if it stands united.)

The pastor also noted that the sentence, handed down by Court of Queens Bench Justice Adam Germain, compelled him to read lies about the pandemic. Before I speak, I have to read a disclaimer telling you that masks do work, social distancing is a scientific fact and that vaccination saves lives. All this garbage straight from Wuhan, China  I have to give it to the people, he said.

In order for me to continue to be a pastor, first I have to lie to you, then I am able to tell you the truth. I refuse to obey  [and] Ill never obey such order. Its totalitarian compelled speech like you would see in Soviet Russia, China or North Korea.

The Poland-born pastor also lamented that the totalitarianism he escaped from is happening to the country he immigrated to. I escaped Russia, from behind the Iron Curtain to come to Canada, [which is a] country that was supposed to be strong and free, he remarks.

In the preamble to [the Canadian] Constitution, the Charter of Rights of Freedoms, it says Canada acknowledges the supremacy of God and the rule of law. But Canadians have kicked God out of the country. Yes, Canadians have fallen, because they kicked God out from their nation  and now [these] are the consequences.

Pawlowski warned: Americans, do not make the same mistake. You want your liberty, bring God back to your nation.

Watch the full Oct. 22 episode of Lets Talk America below. Lets Talk America airs from Monday to Friday at 1-3 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

Tyranny.news has more articles about the totalitarianism in Canada.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

CBN.com

ExoNews.org

BibleGateway.com
(Natural News) For former intelligence officer Jeffrey Prather, culture change is a part of fifth-generation warfare. He elaborated on this during the Oct. 22 episode of Prather Point on Brighteon.TV.

Prather cited a number of examples where large-scale actions by empires worldwide failed to eradicate small groups completely. While the actions initially impacted the small groups, they eventually took over in the long run and dominated the larger entity.

Rome had streets with burning Christians by the hundreds. Now it is a Catholic capital. The Aztecs sliced out still-beating hearts by the thousands, but the free tribes are still here. The Nazis skinned Jews to make lampshades, but synagogues still stand. Tribal Africans were sold in slave ships, but now their descendants captain the American fleet, Prather says.

We didnt lose our republic in front of the scene, and were not going to gain it back in front of the scene. That is how we will defeat this deep state tyranny  because they cant stop all of us. This is how the pioneers, the states and the tribes survived: They were decentralized. Everybody decentralizing their effort, but working together is very important to understand.

According to Prather, the U.S. only has much experience in fourth-generation warfare, i.e. guerrilla war or insurgency war. We actually started out that way with Native Americans fighting against the British. The tribes survived that way. And now, we are beginning another war in the continental U.S.  but its primarily non-kinetic, he said.

I know its difficult to understand that we have been involved in a fifth-generation war. Fifth-generation warfare is very hard to even identify as warfare. It doesnt look like that.

Prather talks about the push and pull of cultural changes

The Prather Point host noted that fifth-generation warfare involves changing the enemys culture by means of infiltration and switching. He mentioned the Biden administrations opening of the southern border to illegal immigrants and those engaged in drug and human trafficking as an example of this change. Prather also pointed out how terrorists posing as Afghan refugees are being flown in to different U.S. cities.

He also mentioned the promotion of Dr. Rachel Levine, the assistant secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, to a four-star admiral under the U.S. Public Health Service. According to CBS News, the former Pennsylvania health secretary is the first openly transgender four-star officer in the countrys uniformed services.

Prather said: When you see Rachel Levine, a man who has transitioned to be a woman, now promoted, whos castrated and probably taking hormone drugs, wearing a wig and trying to say that boys are girls [and] girls are boys  thats trying to change the culture. (Related: Biden picks transgender who encouraged Covid-safe orgies as assistant health secretary.)

The Prather Point host also mentioned different officials pushing back against this cultural change. According to Prather, this pushback constitutes a kind of insurgent warfare that does not involve active, offensive maneuvers against enemies.

The Brighteon.TV host quoted Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who said that any Border Patrol agents terminated by the Biden administration will be taken in by the state. If they are at risk of losing their job because of a president who is abandoning his duty to secure the border, they have a job in the state of Texas. I will hire you to help Texas secure our border, Abbott said.

Those are federal government jobs, but they are taking them on. So thats what insurgent warfare really is. But its a different kind of warfare, Prather said. (Related: Whistleblower: Biden has given official notice demanding border patrol agents get vaccinated (or be fired).)

He also mentioned the efforts of conservative organizations Judicial Watch and Project Veritas against this cultural change. Prather comments however: Judicial Watch is great, but they just do Freedom of Information [Act] requests and then it kinds of stops there. Project Veritas  [exposes] the corruption, hypocrisy, lies and betrayals of the left, but then it kind of stops there.

Prather: Jesus Christs teaching a form of non-violent insurgent warfare

The Prather Point host said: Historically, there were non-violent insurgent movements. This is exactly how the Christians overtook Rome on about 313 A.D.  it took that long. It was still fourth-generation insurgent warfare, it was non-kinetic [and] non violent, but it could not be stopped. The Romans had no way to counteract that.

He cited the crucifixion of Christ and the crucifixion of Spartacus, the gladiator who led slaves against Rome. Spartacus used kinetic means against the Roman Empire. [But] they understood counter-insurgency  [and] they were able to crush Spartacus movement. Jesus Christ used insurgent tactics that they could not crush, and that is love your neighbor and pray for your enemies.'

Watch the full Oct. 22 episode of Prather Point below. Prather Point with Jeffrey Prather airs every Friday at 1011 a.m. on Brighteon.TV.

Revolt.news has more articles about how America can be reclaimed through non-violent means.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

CBSNews.com

Townhall.com
(Natural News) Over the past several years, weve published numerous stories on ANP about the full descent of Americas big cities being transformed into homeless hellholes and crime ridden wastelands and believe it or not, as bad as things have been, things are about to take a huge turn for the worse.

(Article by Stefan Stanford republished from AllNewsPipeLine.com)

As ABC News had reported in this October 16th story, theres great concern in Portland, Oregon that the city is turning into a gigantic dumpster fire after a crowd of 100 people wreaked havoc in downtown Portland, smashing storefront windows, lighting dumpsters on fire and causing at least $500,000 in damage, with no attempts being made to stop the carnage by the police.

With Portland Police officials claiming thats because of legislation passed by Oregon lawmakers this year, which restricts the tools police can use to confront people vandalizing buildings and causing mayhem, whats happening now in Portland, and other US cities nationwide, is likely to explode in the coming weeks with law enforcement now leading the charge against the insane mandates, many being fired, setting us up for those cities being ripe for a crimewave reminding us of Escape from New York.

Even in Baltimore, Maryland, where Police Union Head Sgt Mike Mancuso has told officers not to disclose their vaccination status to anyone ahead of the citys mandate kicking in due to poor communication by the city of Baltimore about the policy among other reasons, just looking at the story titles weve linked to below shows were now witnessing a pattern all across the US of nothing less than the complete dismantling of our first responders and essential employees work force, a collapse of America in our faces.

From the Daily Mail: Lightfoot slams Chicago police union for trying to induce an insurrection by telling cops to disobey COVID vaccine mandate while chief warns officers could LOSE retirement benefits if they quit rather than get jab

From NBC News: EMS services warn of crippling labor shortage undermining 911 system: Were not bleeding any longer  were hemorrhaging, one ambulance service operator said of a decade long worker shortage exacerbated by the pandemic

From DNYUZ: Across the U.S., clashes intensify between city officials and the police over vaccination issues

From the Western Journal: Rapidly Deteriorating Conditions: Portland Police Reveal Why No Arrests Were Made Despite $500,000 Riot

From the Daily Mail: Seattle police display Dont tread on me Gadsden flags in protest over todays vaccine mandate deadline: Officials fear 300 officers could exit and make defund exodus look like childs play'

(ANP EMERGENCY FUNDRAISER: Due to renewed censorship by big tech upon ANP articles, were now running an emergency fundraising drive to catch up on expenses. We also want to thank everybody who has donated to ANP over the years. With donations and ad revenue all that keep ANP online, if youre able, please consider donating to ANP to help keep us in this fight for Americas future at this absolutely critical time in US history. During a time of systematic, big tech censorship and widespread institutional corruption, truth-seeking media and alternative views are crucial, and EVERY little bit helps more than you could know!)

While USA Today recently did a fact check story to report that many of the recent flight cancellations were NOT due to an, the facts of the matter are, many pilots in 2021 America are former military members. And as we see in the thread posted above that weve re-published below, apparently many suchsee exactly what is going on now in America and across the world.

From my dad who is a pilot about the current situation with Southwest airlines:

Im in the airline industry. Yesterday 668 Southwest Airlines flights had canceled by the time I went to bed. They are estimating 1,000-1,400 will be cancelled today. Want to know why? They told their pilots and flight attendants they had until November to get jabbed. So now they have to use all their banked vacation and personal time, or lose it. And off duty crew are not picking up trips to cover. Jacksonville ATC walked out too and Milwaukee ATC is expected to follow today. There is no weather. Southwest asked one of the pilots about it.

The answer I got was (paraphrasing): 80% of our pilots are ex- military. We see the tyranny thats happening. Theyre coming for essential workers first (nurses, doctors, firefighters, police, military, teachers and transportation workers) and theyre coming the rest of America next. Were not doing it for us, were doing it for America. We swore to defend the constitution against all enemies.

With American cities now imploding before our very eyes as law enforcement members get out of dodge before taking a shot that is leading to the deaths and injuries of many more people than were being told by the mainstream media, while all across the country, those whove long been in critical positions in critical industries are resigning or being fired, we see exactly in whats happening in our world today what that pilot/ex-military member warned of.

And with all of these upstanding law enforcement officers, pilots, doctors, nurses and others who refuse to bow to tyranny and surrender their own bodies to a big pharma concoction theyre pushing way to hard sure to be labeled as domestic terrorists by the regime in due time, we shouldnt be surprised that whats long called conspiracy theory is a reality we have to confront now unfolding before our eyes before it become an eternal nightmare. From this NBC News story that gives us a glimpse of the vicious cycle unfolding.

Read more at: AllNewsPipeLine.com
(Natural News) If anyone in Congress has done more than Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci accountable for his potential role in the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, we cant think of anyone.

For months after information surfaced earlier this year that Faucis National Institute of Allergies And Infectious Diseases doled out grant money to a research company, who then used it to fund risky gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China  the site of the suspected COVID leak  Paul has frequently pressed Fauci for answers.

Fauci, like a typical Washington bureaucrat who has been in government far too long (nearly 40 years at his current position), routinely denied that he gave any taxpayer money for the risky research, despite documents that suggested otherwise.

In September, for instance, Paul called Fauci out on Twitter after a report, based on then-newly released documents, found that his agency and the National Institutes of Health gave millions to support such research, as Fox News reported at the time:

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., says newly public documents revealing the extent of U.S. funding of coronavirus research in Wuhan, China, show that National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) head Dr. Anthony Fauci lied during his previous testimony to Congress.

Fauci has adamantly denied that the National Institutes of Health funded gain-of-function research in Wuhan. Paul blasted Fauci in a Tuesday tweet, saying that the NIAID director had lied again.

And I was right about his agency funding novel Coronavirus research at Wuhan, Paul said.

Surprise surprise  Fauci lied again And I was right about his agency funding novel Coronavirus research at Wuhan. Read this thread and the papers released. https://t.co/zQizKXLdbd  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 7, 2021

The Intercept that revealed the U.S. government pumped $3.1 million into American health organization EcoHealth Alliance to back bat coronavirus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the network reported.

The documents make it clear that assertions by the NIH Director, Francis Collins, and the NIAID Director, Anthony Fauci, that the NIH did not support gain-of-function research or potential pandemic pathogen enhancement at WIV are untruthful, Rutgers University chemical biology professor Richard Ebright added in a Twitter thread.

During a previous exchange when Fauci was providing congressional testimony about the virus, he denied directly that his agency funded coronavirus research.

I have never lied before the Congress, and I do not retract that statement, he said at one point during summer testimony. You do not know what you are talking about quite frankly and I want to say that officially.

Paul fired back: Youre dancing around this because youre trying to obscure responsibility.

Now, new documents appear to prove Paul was right all along and Fauci did indeed lie to Congress, as Fox News noted in a separate report last week:

Despite repeated denials by NIAID Director Anthony Fauci that his agency used American taxpayer money to fund Chinese gain-of-function research on bats infected with coronaviruses, the National Institutes of Health  which oversees NIAID  admitted in a letter to House Oversight Committee ranking member James Comer, R-Ky., that a limited experiment was indeed conducted.

Five million people died from a virus that came out of a lab  wouldnt we want to know, wouldnt we want to prevent this from happening again? This virus is very deadly, what if we had a virus that had a 15% mortality rate? Paul said in a later interview with Fox News anchor Will Cain.

He added that China is already experimenting on a variation of the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus which struck in the early 2000s, adding that the predecessor strain had a mortality rate of 1 in 2.

They still to this day are trying to get around the truth, Paul said. They say well it was unexpected that it gained function.'

Paul also noted that in 2012, Fauci remarked that a pandemic could be worth the experimentation.

In an unlikely but conceivable turn of events, what if that scientist becomes infected with the virus, which leads to an outbreak and ultimately triggers a pandemic? Many ask reasonable questions: given the possibility of such a scenario  however remote  should the initial experiments have been performed and/or published in the first place, and what were the processes involved in this decision? he said.

Fauci needs to be held accountable, as do his NIH colleagues, but since hes Bidens chief medical adviser, were not holding our breath.

Sources include:

TheIntercept.com

FoxNews.com

NewsTarget.com
(Natural News) Jennifer Ravain plans to sue East Jefferson High School in Louisiana for administering a Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine to his son without parental consent.

G. Shelley Maturin, the lawyer representing Ravain, said in a statement that her clients son was given the vaccine without parental notification. The egregious and reckless actions of Ochsner and East Jefferson High School went well beyond any legal or moral bounds and at a minimum, constitute a battery upon the minor child, he said.

He added that the actions of the school should shock the conscience of all citizens of Louisiana, and that every legal avenue should be pursued to ensure that justice will be served.

Ochsner Health, the firm that administered the vaccine at the high school, released a statement, apologizing for the lack of parental consent and saying that they will take measures to ensure that similar incidents will not happen again.

We have procedures in place to ensure that all policies are followed; however, in this instance, this did not occur. We have taken immediate action to review our on-site vaccination policies and to ensure that these policies will be strictly enforced moving forward, Dr. Robert Hart, chief medical officer for Ochsner Health said.

He also stated that the healthcare provider will be revising their school vaccination program to ensure that no similar incidents will happen.

Jefferson Parish School Board spokesperson Paris Vinnett said that the Ochsner Health officials have been informed that they are conducting a thorough investigation to ensure that it was an isolated incident and that it wont happen again.

Our standard operating procedures include obtaining written consent from a parent or legal guardian prior to a student receiving the vaccine during an event conducted at one of our schools. We will continue to work with Ochsner Health and our other healthcare partners to ensure vaccination events conducted on our campuses follow this process, he said.

It remains unclear what safeguards the school district, school administration or Ochsner personnel had in place to ensure that the parental permission signatures for vaccination were valid.

Unethical vaccinations occurring elsewhere

This is not the first time that children have been vaccinated with no parental consent.

A family also spoke out after Walgreens injected their 4-year-old and 5-year-old children with the COVID-19 vaccine against their will. The children were reportedly jabbed with the vaccine in Evansville, Indiana, against the will of the parents.

Alexandra Price, the mother of the children, said: Walgreens called me to say there was a mix-up. We did not receive the flu shot. 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?'

While Alexandra and her husband Joshua Price also received the COVID-19 vaccine against their will, the fact that it was administered to their children is what is especially immoral and illegal in the situation. The children suffered heart problems and fevers due to the accidental vaccination. (Related: Study: 397 Children diagnosed with heart inflammation after receiving Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine.)

The cardiologist said our daughter was having higher blood pressure than she would like. And Lucas, our son, was having tachycardia, the mother of the children said.

The familys attorney shared copies of what he said were vaccination cards for the family. The cards showed that children born in 2016 and 2017 were given the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, which is not yet authorized to be used in children younger than 12. While the company is currently seeking approval for children as young as five, the dosage would be about a third of the adult dose.

Walgreens released a statement that said the company couldnt share specifics due to privacy laws.

In general, such instances are rare and Walgreens takes these matters very seriously. In the event of any error, our first concern is always our patients well-being. 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 said.

Get more news and updates about the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine in children at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

BigLeaguePolitics.com

KCBD.com

ValleyNewsLive.com
(Natural News) White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was forced to admit Tuesday that the Biden administration is shipping planeloads of illegal immigrant children to New York City in the middle of the night after photos and footage was captured by The New York Post.

(Article by Steve Watson republished from NewsWars.com)

Midnight runs: Biden secretly flying underage migrants into NY in dead of night https://t.co/Fk9ZulbVJk pic.twitter.com/Xm6R9y5I82  New York Post (@nypost) October 19, 2021

So why the "secret," Joe? pic.twitter.com/2vbvHtAWiR  Hold My Beer (@RealLibSmacker) October 19, 2021

The practice has been ongoing, with destinations not limited to New York, prompting Fox News reporter Peter Doocy to confront Psaki on it.

Why is the administration flying thousands of migrants from the border to Florida and New York in the middle of the night? Doocy asked.

Well, Im not sure thats in the middle of the night. But let me tell you whats happening here, replied Psaki, prompting Doocy to point out that 2am is the middle of the night.

Psaki continued, It is our legal responsibility to safely care for unaccompanied children until they can be swiftly unified with a parent or a vetted sponsor. And thats something we take seriously.

As a part of the unification process, our Office of Refugee Resettlement facilitates travel for children in its custody to their families or sponsors across the country, she added.

Psaki then admitted that in recent weeks, unaccompanied children pass through the Westchester airport, which I think is what youre referring to, in route to their final destination to be unified with their parents or vetted sponsor.

Its no surprise that kids can be seen traveling through states, not just New York. Its something that were also working to unite children with their family members or vetted sponsors in other parts of the country as well, Psaki further admitted.

Watch:

Meanwhile, First Lady Jill Biden recently spoke at an event promoting the school of a donor whose non-profit instructs illegal immigrants on how to avoid arrest.

El Centros nonprofit arm has published a series of videos on how illegal immigrants can avoid arrests, with tips such as ignoring ICE agents during any interactions and contacting a member of the community who does have status, Fox News reported.

Strength. Community. Passion. Those were the words I wrote down during an inspiring charla today with @SBAIsabel, @RepDavids, and members of the Latino community in Kansas City, KS. Thank you El Centro Academy for Children for all you do and for being our gracious hosts today. pic.twitter.com/a0IPmqRfhu  Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) October 12, 2021

Texas Senator Ted Cruz has introduced legislation dubbed the Stop the Surge Act, which seeks to ensure that Democrats face the disaster of their policies and the humanitarian misery they are causing through normalising illegal immigration.

Democrats need to face the disaster of their policies and the humanitarian misery they are causing. Thats why Ive introduced a bill to create new ports of entry in places like Greenwich, Marthas Vineyard, Rehoboth Beach, and Palo Alto. #BidenBorderCrisis pic.twitter.com/VaqYlbqXuT  Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) October 19, 2021

In a statement, Cruz urged that For the past ten months, President Biden and his administration have willingly surrendered the United States southern border to dangerous criminal cartels, with no thought given to the South Texas border communities like McAllen and Del Rio, which are running low on resources from dealing with this massive influx of illegal immigrants.

The statement continues, Thats why today I am introducing this crucial legislation to alleviate the massive overload at the southern border by establishing new ports of entry in Democrat-led communities such as North Hero, Vermont, where Bernie Sanders spends his summers, and Marthas Vineyard, where Democrat elites host their cocktail parties.

Labelling the surge at the border a horrific humanitarian crisis, Cruz further urged If Washington Democrats had to endure even a fraction of the suffering South Texas families, farmers, ranchers, and small businesses have had to face, our nations immigration laws would be enforced, the wall would be built, and the Remain in Mexico policy would be re-implemented.

Read more at: NewsWars.com
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 26: Jars containing Blackspot Grenadiers (l) a deep sea red crab (c) and sea urchins (r) are displayed at the Natural History museums new exhibition, 'The Deep' on May 26, 2010 in London, England. The crab is one of the exhibits of 'The Deep' a new exhibition combining real specimens and life-size interactive installations that opens at the Museum on Friday 28 May, 2010. (Photo : Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Scientists found a prehistoric crab trapped in amber 100 million years ago, dating back to age of dinosaurs. The crustacean was believed to be the ancestor of today's red crabs that migrate for breeding.

The oldest ever crab was described as the 'missing link' in evolution. Like fishes, crabs use their respiratory organ to breathe in water, and can also live on land. The latest fossil record was believed to be mostly intact.

"The specimen is spectacular, it is one of a kind," said lead author Dr Javier Luque, of Harvard University, Boston. "It's absolutely complete and is not missing a single hair on the body, which is remarkable."

It has been named Cretapsara athanata - which translates as 'immortal spirit of the clouds and waters'. "The more we studied it, the more we realized this animal was very special in many ways," Dr Luque added.

Evolution of crabs

The remarkably modern-looking resembles today's descendants, but study suggests that Cretapsara was not completely land dwelling.

"Now we were dealing with an animal that is likely not marine, but also not fully terrestrial," Dr Luque stated. These crabs are rare, especially when trapped in amber. Their well-developed gills indicate an aquatic or semi-aquatic lifestyle.

To conquer land in the era of dinosaurs, Cretapsara had evolved its gills to develop a lung-like tissue, allowing them to breathe both in and out of the water. They had thrived on land and sea at least 12 times since then.

"In the fossil record, non-marine crabs evolved 50 million years ago, but this animal is twice that age." This reveals an early colonization of nonmarine environments during the Cretaceous, "bridging the gap between the predicted molecular divergence of nonmarine crabs," the study wrote.

Also read: Majestic Horses' Powerful Ancestors Revealed Through Genetic Tracing

A semi-terrestrial juvenile crab

Researchers have hypothesized that Cretapsara, measuring at five millimeters in leg span, was a juvenile crab of a freshwater to amphibious species, migrating onto land from water - a phenomenon similar to iconic modern red crabs where land dwelling mother crabs release their babies into the ocean.

"These Miocene crabs are truly modern looking crabs and, as their extant relatives, they live in trees in little ponds of water," said Luque, "these arboreal crabs can get trapped in tree resin today, but would it explain why Cretapsara is preserved in amber?"

"This study is pushing the timing of origin of many of these groups back in time. Every fossil we discover challenges our preconceptions about the time and place of origin of several organisms, often making us look further back in time," he added.

The fossilised crab revealed a new branch in the crab 'tree of life', embodied in a mysterious 95 million year old gemstone.

Cretapsara joins a list of specimens that unravels lifelike preservation as if 'frozen in time', shedding light to what life on Earth was like 100 million years ago.

Also read: Pablo Escobar's 'Cocaine Hippos' Sterilized as Population Grows Out of Control


Norfolk homeless charity celebrates 10 years Norfolk homeless charity celebrates 10 years

Emmaus Norfolk and Waveney is celebrating a decade of supporting people out of homelessness with a day of celebrations on Saturday October 30 at its Ditchingham Community and everyone is invited.
Latest job opportunities

Use this website to help find the best person to fill your role. This is a paid-for service aiming at advertising jobs which are of interest to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community and its many churches, groups and organisations.

To advertise a vacancy, simply e-mail the details such as job and person specifications, approx salary, contact details and a closing date to us here .

For full details of the service, and our cost-effective fee, please click here.

Word of thanks

Stewart Barber, Eckling Grange Care

We had a great advert on Network Norwich for many weeks with great layout, unlimited words, colour logo and a direct link from the weekly newsletter! We also found our new manager through the website.

Tom Howell, Halls of Residence

Thank you for all your help with our recruiting process during 2019. We have some great new staff at the Matthew Project as a result. God bless."We had a good response to our advert on Network Norwich for a Project Worker. We were able to short-list some very possible applicants and have now made an appointment of a lady whom we expect to fit well into our existing team and who brings to us some useful past experience.Thank you for your help, what a useful medium this is.""We see the Network Norfolk website as a good place to advertise the organisation and Im very pleased to say that the recent advert for an account assistant led to an appointment."
NEW HAVEN  A 14-year-old Hamden youth has died after being shot near Waterbury Monday, according to school officials.

Waterbury police Monday night said a 14-year-old was in critical and life-threatening condition after being dropped off with a gunshot wound to the head.

Justin Harmon, director of marketing and communications for New Haven Public Schools, said the teen attended High School in the Community. His family, Harmon said, reported to the district that he had died as of Tuesday afternoon.

Harmon said students at the school had been offered counseling as they deal with the loss. The school will be holding a memorial so students can share memories and grieve together, he said.

He declined to comment further on the matter, citing the familys desire for privacy.

In a statement Monday, Waterbury police said they were notified the boy had been dropped off at St. Marys Hospital shortly before 4 a.m. for medical treatment of a sustained gunshot wound to the back of his head.

The boy was transported to the Connecticut Childrens Medical Center in Hartford, according to police.

At this time it is believed that that this incident occurred outside of the city limits, said Waterbury police spokesman Lt. Ryan Bessette. He said the departments detective bureau was actively investigating the incident, but said no further information was available.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
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.
ATLANTA (AP)  The political organization led by prominent Democrat Stacey Abrams is branching out into paying off medical debts.

The Fair Fight Political Action Committee on Wednesday told The Associated Press it has donated $1.34 million from its political action committee to the nonprofit organization RIP Medical Debt to wipe out debt with a face value of $212 million that is owed by 108,000 people in Georgia, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Lauren Groh-Wargo CEO of allied group Fair Fight Action and senior adviser to the PAC said paying off medical debt is another facet of the group's advocacy seeking expansion of Medicaid coverage in the 12 states that have refused to expand the health insurance to all poorer adults.

What is so important about this is the tie between Medicaid expansion and just crushing medical debt, Groh-Wargo said.

Of the states targeted, Arizona and Louisiana have expanded Medicaid.

Fair Fight said letters will be sent to those whose debts have been absolved to notify them. The purchase will forgive the debt of nearly 69,000 people in Georgia, more than 27,000 people in Arizona, more than 8,000 people in Louisiana, and about 2,000 people apiece in Mississippi and Alabama.

The group has raised more than $100 million since Abrams founded it after her 2018 loss in the Georgia governor's race. Fair Fight has been most noted for its advocacy of voting rights, but has also been pushing for broader health care. The group launched ads last week demanding that Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp add Medicaid expansion to the list of topics that Georgia lawmakers will consider in a special session starting next week to redraw electoral districts. Democrats are hoping Abrams will run against Kemp again in 2022. A narrow loss to Kemp in 2018 launched Abrams into political stardom.

I know firsthand how medical costs and a broken healthcare system put families further and further in debt," Abrams said in a statement. Across the sunbelt and in the South, this problem is exacerbated in states like Georgia where failed leaders have callously refused to expand Medicaid, even during a pandemic.

RIP Medical Debt said Fair Fight is giving the third-largest donation in its history. Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott gave the group $50 million last year. The group has aided more than 3 million people since it was founded in 2014, typically buying bundles of medical debt at steep discounts from the face value. The bills often are purchased from collection agencies that have been trying to get debtors to pay for years. The group has wiped out debt with a face value of more than $5.3 billion.

Allison Sesso, executive director of RIP Medical Debt, said such liabilities often drive people into bankruptcy, can deter people from seeking needed medical care, and can lead to wages being garnished or liens filed on property.

I wouldnt underestimate the mental anguish that people have from medical debt, Sesso said.

Sesso said her group is not just pursuing debt abolishment but thinking about how we can improve the system nationwide, trying to advocate that hospitals should do more to make charity care available. She also said research shows states that expanded Medicaid have lower rates of medical debt.

We are not the permanent solution," Sesso said. "There does need to be a larger solution around what we do about medical debt.

Groh-Wargo said the money was given by donors for political action, but said the money represents only a small percentage of what Fair Fight has raised.

I think of this as politically tithing to help the community we are advocating for and with, Groh-Wargo said, saying the group has done smaller scale charitable efforts.

___

A previous version of this report incorrectly stated the donation was coming from Fair Fight Action. The donation is coming from Fair Fight Political Action Committee.
/ Jo Ann Jaacks

I began my morning in the usual way: got my newspaper, got my mail at the post office, and headed out to the running track where I do fast walking on the outer track, which is intended for use by owners walking their dogs or parents pushing a stroller. Its uplifting that I can beat the pace of any pooch so far, mostly because they stop to sniff or pee multiple times.

Halfway to the track, I heard loud noises from the car, and the ride seemed bumpier than usual even from all the road work going on. Another mile, and the loud noises were accelerating and the bumpy ride was quite pronounced. I decided to turn around and go home to get help with this. Another half-mile, the car was shaking, I smelled smoke, and saw in the rearview mirror that there was a black trail behind me. I pulled over in the first driveway which was on a dirt road.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Rain early. A mix of sun and clouds by afternoon. High 53F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 38F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Within some communities, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine uptake has been affected due to fears of its impact on fertility. This claim has been widespread despite the lack of evidence to support it, low biological plausibility, and data which supports the safety of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines during pregnancy.

Notably, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during pregnancy is a risk factor for severe maternal illness and complications. Therefore, vaccine hesitancy among pregnant or women of childbearing age could have significant public health consequences.

Study: Fertility and birth rate outcomes after ChAdOx1 n-CoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccination. Image Credit: Studio Romantic / Shutterstock.com

About the study

Researchers from the University of Oxford have recently analyzed pregnancies that have occurred during four ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 clinical trials from three different countries including the United Kingdom, Brazil, and South Africa. All participants were of childbearing age, which is defined as 49 years or younger, and were randomly selected to receive a control vaccine or the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine.

Within these trials, the main exclusion criterion was pregnancy; therefore, all of the volunteers provided a negative -human chorionic gonadotropin (-hCG) test before vaccination. The pregnancies that occurred following vaccination were recorded and monitored until three months following the birth. The independent data and safety monitoring board reviewed all pregnancy outcomes.

Study findings

Pregnancies were reported in 121 (1%) of the 9,755 participants during these trials. The fertility outcome analysis set included 93 pregnant women, of which 50 had received the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine and 43 received the control vaccine.

The pregnancy outcome analysis set included 107 women, of which 72 received the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine and 35 received the control vaccine. A pregnancy loss before 23 weeks of gestation was classified as a miscarriage. The baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups, with age and current alcohol use being the biggest variations.

The authors found no evidence of an association between vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and reduced fertility. Women in the control vaccine groups who had received the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 or another mRNA vaccine as part of a national vaccination program were excluded from the analysis of pregnancy outcomes, which included 11 women vaccinated after unmasking and during pregnancy, and three who had received an mRNA vaccine prior to becoming pregnant.

Notably, there was no increase in the rate of miscarriages in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group when compared to the control group, with a risk ratio of 0.67. Adjusting the analysis for the effect of possible confounders kept the risk ratio below but closer to unity at 0.84. By the time of analysis, 15 live births and three preterm births had occurred in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group. There were no neonatal or stillbirths reported in either group.

The data from Brazil showed that no pregnancy terminations had taken place. However, in Brazil, pregnancy termination is illegal, and uncertainty remains about whether the reports of early pregnancy losses were all actually due to miscarriage. To factor this into the analysis, the authors combined analysis of either termination or miscarriage for all sites, with separate subgroup analyses for miscarriage alone and termination alone, which excludes the data obtained from Brazil.

Implications

There was no evidence to suggest that the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine has any negative effect on fertility. Furthermore, women who received the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine before pregnancy displayed no increase in the risk of miscarriage and no instances of stillbirth when compared to women who received the control vaccine.

With the ever-increasing amount of misinformation regarding SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations, vaccine uptake continues to be affected. However, results such as these and other similar publications can provide evidence to support women in making decisions regarding vaccination.
The U.S. Department of Defense is funding the first human trial of a device to speed up and enhance the natural system of brain cleansing that occurs when we sleep.

The trial will be conducted among 90 people at three trial sites  University of North Carolina, University of Washington School of Medicine, and a collaboration between Oregon Health & Science University and the Brain Electrophysiology Laboratory (BEL). Results are expected in the fall of 2022.

Recent discoveries point to the importance of quality sleep for clearance of brain metabolic waste through the newly-discovered brain glymphatic system. If sleep is disrupted, so are these crucial processes, leading to cognitive impairment  things like faulty motor coordination, attention deficits, slower processing speed, decreased decision-making capabilities, and hampered short-term memory, in addition to increasing risk of neurodegenerative disease later in life.

These issues can have life-or-death consequences for service members in the U.S. military, which is why the Department of Defense is funding innovative research initiatives, including this three-year, $4.3-million, project with the ultimate goal of helping service members overcome acute sleep deprivation and chronic sleep restriction.

The scientists leading this effort are from UNC-Chapel Hill, the University of Washington School of Medicine, the Brain Electrophysiology Lab Oregon Health & Science University, and Montana State University.

Our approach is to continue to validate novel imaging approaches of the human glymphatic system while assessing novel technology to improve glymphatic clearance and cognitive function. If this works, it would have major implications for service members and potentially anyone with diagnosed sleep dysfunction. It could also have implications for people with other neurological conditions, such as traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, and other dementias." Dawn Kernagis, PhD, co-principal investigator, assistant professor of neurosurgery at UNC School of Medicine

This project, titled "Augmented Neurophysiology of Sleep and Performance Readiness," is part of the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium, a collaboration between industry and academia to facilitate research and development activities, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command and other Department of Defense agencies in the biomedical sciences to protect, treat, and optimize the health and performance of military personnel.

This effort was years in the making, starting with the discovery of the glymphatic system by co-principal investigator Jeffrey Iliff, PhD and Maiken Nedergaard, MD. In 2013, Science Magazine called it one of the Top 10 discoveries of the year.

Iliff, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and neurology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, said the biology is straightforward. Cerebral spinal fluid surrounds the brain, and as we sleep, fluid washes through brain cells and supports clearance of difference wastes. Iliff's TED Talk on this process has been viewed more than 5 million times.

Scientists think this glymphatic function is at the heart of the restorative power of sleep. And so, scientists think disrupting sleep disrupts the glymphatic system, impairing cognition and potentially impacting long-term brain health.

"Improving glymphatic function, whether pharmacologically or by means of a device, could improve the cognitive effects of acute sleep deprivation and chronic sleep restriction," said Iliff.. "Our lab's research over the past eight years on brain-waste clearance in animals has helped define glymphatic biology. Now we hope to see if we can use what we've learned to help people overcome poor or interrupted sleep and the brain dysfunction that follows."

The proposed technology for improving glymphatic function is called Augmented Neural Oscillation Driver or 'AugNOD', an easily-to-use, wireless, combined electroencephalography (EEG)/transcranial electrical stimulation headband that can be applied before sleep to monitor and improve slow wave sleep and glymphatic clearance. Project co-principal investigator Don Tucker, PhD, professor emeritus at the University of Oregon and BEL CEO, created the technology.

The research team has also developed and validated an imaging and analysis system, including the use of magnetic resonance imaging to measure glymphatic exchange of fluids when individuals are given an IV containing contrasting agents. The new study will validate novel imaging approaches developed at the University of Washington School of Medicine that do not require contrast agents. Through complete modeling conducted at the University of Montana, the team will also be able to capture long-range fluid transport and diffusion in the brain, as well as changes in brain blood vessel pressure; both are closely linked to glymphatic pathway function.

"Beyond evaluating potential technology for improving glymphatic function, the resulting imaging and modeling approaches that will be validated in this study could be incredibly impactful for the neuroscience and neurological research fields given the limited options for studying a potentially critical system for short and long-term brain health," Kernagis said.
North Carolina's $25 Summer Card Pilot program successfully encouraged more adults to get a COVID-19 vaccine at a time when the pace of vaccination in North Carolina was slowing.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services authored a research letter in JAMA Internal Medicine along with researchers at North Carolina Central University and the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, about the program. The report is one of the first to provide data on guaranteed financial incentives for COVID-19 vaccination.

Within a week, this well-designed incentive program halved the drop in COVID-19 vaccination that North Carolina was experiencing. Using guaranteed cash incentives is a best practice, recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. It builds on 70 years of psychological research showing that rewards are most effective when delivered immediately after the behavior." Noel T. Brewer, co-author, professor of health behavior, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

During the one-week review period, COVID-19 vaccinations declined by just 26% at clinics in Mecklenburg, Guilford, Rowan and Rockingham counties offering the $25 cards, but declined by 51% at other clinics in the four counties. During the same period, the rate of vaccinations decreased statewide by 49%.

The incentive study guaranteed a $25 card to adults who either received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine or drove someone to providers participating in the pilot program.

The program distributed 2,890 cards to vaccine recipients and 1,374 to drivers. The $25 Summer Card program switched to providing $100 cards after this evaluation was conducted, and data on the $100 Summer Card program are not included in the authors' review.

"Providing guaranteed small financial incentives is a promising strategy to increase COVID-19 vaccination uptake," said Charlene Wong, the chief health policy officer for COVID-19 at the NCDHHS. "The design of our $25 incentive pilot program in North Carolina helped alleviate transportation and other cost barriers to vaccination, particularly for low-income, Latinx and Black individuals."

"North Carolina Central University was pleased to be a key partner in North Carolina's effort to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates through incentive vaccination clinics," said William Pilkington, H.O.P.E co-program director at Julius L. Chambers Biomedical Biotechnology Research Institute at NCCU. "The university's staff developed and administered surveys at the clinics that produced results clearly demonstrating the value of incentives to promote more equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccinations."

Of 401 vaccine recipients surveyed, 41% reported the $25 card was an important reason why they decided to get vaccinated. The cards were more important to respondents who were not white as well as respondents with lower incomes.

Additionally, "someone driving me here today" was an important reason for 49% of respondents, more commonly among Black, Hispanic and lower-income respondents. Lower-income and older individuals, especially, were more likely to have been brought by a driver who received a cash card.
For the first time, researchers at the University of Gothenburg have shown that metastases in patients with malignant melanoma gain access to the circulatory system not only through the outgrowth of new blood vessel branches, but also an alternative process in which one blood vessel divide into two parallel vessels bylongitudinal splitting. The finding revisits an old research idea about how the growth of tumors can be inhibited by blocking formation of new blood vessels.

Like all other organs, tumors need access to the circulatory system to grow. Fifty years ago, a physician and researcher in the U.S., Judah Folkman, suggested that cancer cells trick the body into giving tumors access to the circulatory system by secreting molecules that stimulate the growth of new blood vessels.

Folkman then also suggested that tumors without access to blood vessels could never become larger than approximately one millimeter in diameter. This began many years of intensive work among cancer researchers, which in the 1990s resulted in identifying VEGF as the growth factor that signals adjacent blood vessels that they should create a new branch.

It was hypothesized that blocking VEGF would stop growth of all solid cancer tumors. But those hoping that this would become the great cure for all cancer with solid tumors were disappointed, because medications to block the growth factorhad no or limited effect in most cancers.

New way for blood vessels to spread

In the mid-1980s, in the shadow of intensive research on how new branches grow out of a blood vessel (known as sprouting angiogenesis), researchers in Switzerland showed that blood vessels can also divide longitudinally (intussusceptive angiogenesis). For nearly 200 years, researchers have known that blood vessels can grow with new branches, but intussusceptive angiogenesis is still relatively unknown.

In an extensive study, researchers at the University of Gothenburg have examined images of nearly 10,000 vessels in metastatic samples from patients with malignant melanoma. In a publication in American Journal of Pathology, they show that this form of angiogenesis occurs in metastases in malignant melanoma.

Time-consuming work

"This has taken a long time, where we carefully went through images from patients' metastases to find the small structures that indicate the blood vessels are dividing," says the work's first author, Ankur Pandita. She is a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg and a resident physician in oncology at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. "We have been looking for small intravascular pillars in the vessels, which occur just before the vessel divides. The pillars are extremely small, only one-twentieth the thickness of a hair."

The fact that tumors have an alternative way of accessing blood vessels may explain why VEGF inhibitors are inefficient in most tumors. Intussusceptive angiogenesis is an powerful way for blood vessels to spread in a tissue. In less than an hour, the blood vessel has formed the pillar that prepares it to divide." Max Levin, associate professor, University of Gothenburg and senior consultant in oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Possible medication

By combining epifluorescence and confocal microscopy, the team could visualize the pillars inside the vessels in the tumor samples. With RNA sequencing, researchers have begun to identify factors required for the division of blood vessels. A member of a group of enzymes known as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) seems to play an important role in dissolving blood vessel walls to permit the vessels to divide lengthwise.

"Our results suggests that intussusceptive angiogenesis contribute to the growth of daughter tumors in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma," says Max Levin. "There are already pharmaceuticals today that inhibit MMP proteins, MMP inhibitors MMP inhibitors prevent the formation of pillars in experimental models, and the pharmaceuticals have the potential to be part of a treatment arsenal that can stop growth of metastases in patients with malignant melanoma."

In the next step, the team will use a new techniques, spatial transciptomics and single cell RNA sequencing, to analyze gene expression in intravascular pillars. The goal is to identify which proteins and signaling pathways provide the starting signal for intussusceptive angiogenesis. The team concurrently is working on identifying mouse models for malignant melanoma, where intussusceptive angiogenesis contributes to tumor growth.
Public temperature checks have become a common practice across the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, and researchers at Texas A&M University are working to make it possible to conduct the test across a large group of people quicker and less expensive than current methods.

Dr. Choongho Yu, professor and Sallie and Don Davis '61 Faculty Fellow II in the J. Mike Walker '66 Department of Mechanical Engineering, is working alongside his students to harness the thermal energy generated by body heat to power a small, self-sustaining electronic device capable of detecting fever in its wearer.

The team's research was recently published in Nature Communications.

If successful, Yu said such a device could benefit a large number of people -; especially when implemented in a public setting -; by quickly and efficiently identifying fever.

The fever detector can be distributed to many unspecified people at public places at a low price, and this technique could be helpful in the early and fast detection of fever commonly observed from a viral infection such as COVID, SARS, MERS and swine flu." Dr. Choongho Yu, Texas A&M University

Graduate student Yufan Zhang, who works with Yu on the project, said that while fever detection can serve as an effective way to minimize viral transmission during a pandemic, a cheap, visible and self-sustainable technique is needed to accomplish this goal.

"Thermal energy scavenging shows great potential since an output voltage can be obtained by a temperature difference supplied by the fever," said Zhang. "To visualize the temperature changes, an electrochromic fever detector has been fabricated and connected to the thermal energy harvester."

Using new principles of thermo-hydro-electrochemical energy conversion, Yu and his team are working to develop an effective method of providing charge to their fever detection device by harnessing the thermal energy typically wasted by its user via the corrosion properties of carbon steel electrodes.

"Our device is based on carbon steel corrosion to generate voltage and current," Yu said. "The lifetime of our device depends on the speed of the corrosion process."

Given the typical rate of corrosion for carbon steel, Yu said the amount utilized by their device could last for more than a decade.

While the team is still working to improve the power and current of their device, the results so far have been promising, with the observed thermal-to-energy conversion generating an unprecedented 87 millivolts per degree Celsius. This has provided a few volts -; large enough to operate typical wearable electronics -; by connecting between four to eight devices in a series, unlike conventional thermoelectric devices that require at least 1000 devices to get an equivalent voltage.
Broccoli, olives and chamomile could help in the fight against Covid, University of the West of Scotland (UWS) research has revealed.

Studies led by UWS academics, in collaboration with a range of international partners, looked at molecules from various plants; discovering that materials found in olive leaves, broccoli and chamomile contain strong antiviral properties that are effective against Covid. The research uncovered great potential to develop these substances for use in cost-effective treatments against Covid.

This is an exciting discovery, and using readily available, low-cost natural sources to develop effective treatments for Covid will provide a variety of societal benefits. UWS has a broad range of internationally-renowned research expertise, and I am incredibly proud of the tireless commitment from our academics to find solutions to some of the world's most urgent issues." Professor Milan Radosavljevic, Vice-Principal of Research, Innovation and Engagement at UWS

Despite the advancement of vaccines as a protective measure, the emergence of newly evolved strains of Covid means that its threat to public health continues and finding other suitable and cost-effective treatments remain a worldwide priority.

Dr Mostafa Rateb, Lecturer in UWS's School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences, said: "Our natural resources provide a treasure trove of opportunity for the development of new drug treatments. Not only do they have effective results, but they also offer low-cost options for the development of new therapies.

"This research is the result of close collaboration with a range of international partners and we are looking forward to the next stages, as we seek to move towards pre-clinical trials."

Around 70% of the world's antibiotics and antivirals are derived from various natural sources, including plants, marine organisms and microorganisms. Between January 1981 and September 2019, 1881 drugs have been approved for use against various diseases - 46% of the molecules used in these drugs are either natural, or derived from natural sources.

Although initial research findings are extremely positive, further experimental studies are required, and plans are now in place to continue the screening on a larger scale.

This research was recently published in MDPI journals.
Governments often cooperate with private partners when it comes to international health policy. This approach makes sense, says Professor Markus Kaltenborn. The head of the Chair of Public Law, Financial Constitutional Law and Health Law at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum explores the question of why public-private partnerships (PPPs) are important for both international health policy and other areas of global society. He also advocates for a Global Fund for Social Protection. Rubin, the RUB's science magazine, talks about his research.

Influencing political decisions

Such collaborations are important for a number of reasons. For one thing, the government learns more about the interests of its private partners through cooperation, and for another, it can present its own ideas and plans in a more transparent way. "Private institutions or foundations often have a lot of influence due to their financial resources, which they want to use for certain goals," points out Markus Kaltenborn. "This is why governments shouldn't miss the opportunity to cooperate with them."

At the same time, public-private partnerships are often criticized. Through their involvement within a PPP, some private institutions, first and foremost corporations, try to improve their own image. Private actors have the financial means to influence political decisions and the prioritization of tasks. As a result, they set priorities so that, for example, certain diseases come to the fore while others are forgotten. Building or strengthening health systems in lower-income countries, on the other hand, is often neglected.

Much quicker successes can be seen when money is invested in the fight against AIDS or malaria. Building up health care systems seems incomparably more difficult and is harder for private partners to market." Professor Markus Kaltenborn, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum

Global fund to support low-income countries

Specifically, the coronavirus pandemic, which has been ongoing since 2020, has shown that there is a great need for financing and improvement in general health care in the Global South. This is why experts are proposing alternative financing options in order to better support countries with low economic power. One key suggestion, advocated by Markus Kaltenborn, is the idea of a Global Fund for Social Protection. The aim of such a Global Fund is to cover the financial deficits in low-income countries, both in health care systems as well as in other areas of social protection, for example in social assistance or pension systems. This would help to prevent the further spread of poverty. However, he is worried that there might be conflicts of competence: "At the moment, two organization in particular are involved in the field of social security at the UN level, which raises the question of where exactly the new fund should be institutionalized."

There is no guarantee yet whether and to what extent a Global Fund could be realized. This depends primarily on whether international society is prepared to make a greater financial commitment to poverty reduction in the Global South. Markus Kaltenborn is adamant that such a fund mustn't result in smaller countries being disempowered. They should still have the right to determine their own social and health policies.
More than a year-and-a-half after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific community is still feeling the effects of the vastly disruptive event -; and may for many years to come.

A new Northwestern University-led study found that although researchers' productivity levels have mostly returned to pre-pandemic highs, scientists who did not pursue COVID-19-related research initiated 36% fewer new projects in 2020 compared to 2019. This dramatic decline in new projects suggests the pandemic's impact on science may be longer lasting than commonly imagined.

On the surface, it appears that researchers are as productive as they used to be. But, instead of generating new directions, they are busy working on established topics, writing up existing research, reviving legacy projects or revisiting old data. We found this to be true across many scientific disciplines -; no fields were immune to the reduced number of projects." Dashun Wang, Study Leader, Northwestern University

The researchers also found the decline in pursuing new projects is particularly pronounced for women and caregivers of young children, potentially further exacerbating the pandemic's already unequal effects on these groups.

The study will be published Tuesday (Oct. 26) in the journal Nature Communications.

Wang is a professor of management and organizations at the Kellogg School of Managementand of industrial engineering and management sciences in the McCormick School of Engineering.He also is director of the Center for Science of Science Innovation and a core member of the Northwestern Institute for Complex Systems.

'Impact may not manifest for years'

The current study builds on Wang's work from April 2020, in which he surveyed about 4,500 scientists in the United States and Europe about their productivity levels. Published in Nature Human Behavior in July 2020, the study found that scientists, such as biologists and chemists, who relied on laboratories to conduct their research suffered a more drastic decline in research hours worked compared to scientists in fields that are less equipment-intensive, such as mathematics, statistics and economics. Moreover, researchers with children aged five years or younger experienced a 17% larger decline in research hours, compared to researchers in the similar fields but without young children.

With vaccine development well underway and the pandemic's end potentially in sight, Wang and his team revisited the work in Jan. 2021. They surveyed nearly 7,000 principal investigators based across the United States and Europe and analyzed the Dimensions database, the world's largest research information dataset.

In the new survey, Wang and his team asked the same questions about productivity as well as new questions about overall research activity and output, including the number of new research publications, new submissions, new collaborations and new research projects started before and during the pandemic.

Although researchers pursuing COVID-19-related work initiated about the same number of new projects in 2019 as in 2020, researchers conducting non-COVID-19-related work experienced a significant decline. These researchers indicated that they typically initiate approximately three new projects per year, which dropped to two new projects during 2020. The rate of new co-authorships for non-COVID-19 papers also declined by 5%.

"During the early phase of the pandemic, scientists reported a sharp decline in time spent on research," Wang said. "These productivity levels have recovered, which suggests some optimism. However, given the long gestation time for new research ideas to mature and be published, the decline in new projects suggests that the impact of the pandemic may not manifest in the publication record for years."

In-person interactions spark new ideas

Wang believes this work emphasizes the importance of face-to-face interactions and collaborations, which are often important channels for new ideas. He said the results could contribute to ongoing policy discussions aimed at encouraging social interactions, facilitating new collaborations and resuming in-person activities.

"As a researcher myself, I often meet new collaborators at conferences and dinners," Wang said. "I generate new ideas during coffee chats, bouncing around ideas with colleagues. Those interactions did not happen nearly as much during the pandemic."

But even as campuses and laboratories reopen, Wang cautions that life will continue to remain difficult for researchers with young children. While many institutions implemented policies, such as tenure clock extensions, to help parents and caregivers at the beginning of the pandemic, parents with young children continue to need support. Until children can be vaccinated, parents are generally remaining cautious -; often foregoing travel and in-person events -; in order to protect their children.

"Many institutions are evaluating short-term data to inform their reopening policies," Wang said. "Yet these short-term metrics may mask the long-lasting effects of the pandemic. Children under 12 remain ineligible for vaccines, which has further implications for scientists with young children. At the same time, our findings also suggest that short-term investments, such as childcare support, may yield long-term benefits."
Quality healthcare transcends the medical profession, as evidenced by a new project led by West Virginia University that includes not only health experts but engineers, a physicist, a lawyer and a business data analyst.

"Bridges in Digital Health," which recently received $3 million from the National Science Foundation, hopes to address the combination of rising healthcare costs, the expansion of the nation's elderly population and health disparities, particularly in rural communities, through advances in digital health and artificial intelligence, and training the next generation of professionals to develop and deploy such advances.

Digital health is a rapidly growing field that involves clinical and biomedical data including prescriptions, medical images, ultrasound videos, electronic health records and data from mobile devices and wearables, such as Fitbit, said Donald Adjeroh, lead investigator of the project and professor and associate chair in the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.

Two of our pathway themes in the project are focused on the use of data science and A.I. on two key areas in healthcare: namely, cardiovascular health (analysis of cardiac images, especially, echocardiograms), and genomics (analysis and functional annotation of long non-coding ribonucleic acids  a type of RNA - and their role in disease prediction and prognosis)." Donald Adjeroh, lead investigator of the project

"Apart from traditional electronic health records, our health data will come from different sources and devices, including wearable devices such as hand-held mobile cardiac ultrasound devices, or pocket EKG monitors, low-cost mobile activity monitors, Fitbits, smart watches, social media, etc. Such low-cost wearable devices and data sources are important in collecting health-related data from individuals in rural areas, and outside the hospital setting, important for preventive care."

Adjeroh noted that various recent reports, including results from WVU labs, document the success stories of A.I. techniques on health problems including breast cancer detection, diagnosing eye diseases, reading cardiac ultrasound images, early prediction of acute kidney failure, predicting adverse drug events and visualization of neuronal structures in the brain.

"These methods have shown performance that are close to human performance, and at times outperform human professionals on some of these tasks," he said.

The NSF funding will help establish a new graduate education and traineeship model to prepare students to work in collaborative teams to develop and apply data science and A.I. techniques in addressing digital health issues. The project anticipates training 24 funded and 40 unfunded master's and doctoral students from different disciplines including engineering, computer science, medicine, health sciences, physical sciences and economics.

Gay Stewart, a physicist who directs the WVU Center for Excellence in STEM Education, is one of the project's co-investigators.

"My focus is on improving access to STEM careers for West Virginians," Stewart said. "Much of my focus has been on building the pipeline earlier, but traditional graduate programs do not provide the ability to work across disciplinary silos deeply enough to make the advances we need. 'Bridges' will address these challenges, by preparing trainees to work effectively in transdisciplinary teams that develop leading technology-driven solutions to challenging problems in DH, especially in rural communities."

Stewart said the team will recruit participants from underserved groups  such as rural and first-generation students - in STEM.

"First-generation students tend to graduate college in STEM at lower rates than their peers and are less likely to pursue graduate studies," she said. "Yet, we need their voices in this important work. I envision a much stronger motivation to pursue advanced studies when students can see the potential for significant impact on their families and communities."

Dr. Michael Ruppert, another co-investigator on the project, explained the role of the research from a biomedical standpoint.

"One of the stumbling blocks for biomedical researchers is that very diverse skill sets are required to develop new knowledge by analyzing large datasets such as clinical data," said Ruppert, Jo and Ben Statler chair of Breast Cancer Research at the WVU Cancer Institute and professor of biochemistry in the School of Medicine. "For example, you have to be good at biomedicine, which often involves moving molecules around the lab, and you also have to be able to move very large digital datasets around as well. The goal is to cross train so as to generate students with all the necessary skill sets."
In late 2019, a novel coronavirus was detected in Wuhan, China, later called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to mutate and evolve, causing millions of cases of mortality and morbidity worldwide.

Study: How different pre-existing mental disorders and their co-occurrence affects clinical outcomes of COVID-19? A study based on real-world data in the Southern United States. Image Credit: DOERS/ Shutterstock

Individuals with pre-existing mental disorders, including internalizing disorders (such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder), externalizing disorders (such as conduct disorder and drug or alcohol dependence), and thought disorders (such as schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and mania) might be particularly vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 and display deterioration in their mental health.

A team of researchers from the USA conducted a study to assess how pre-existing mental disorders are associated with a SARS-CoV-2 infection and how different clusters of mental disorders affect COVID-19 clinical outcomes. The authors used population-based electronic health record data from a state-wide cohort of all confirmed and probable COVID-19 adult cases in South Carolina, USA, from March 6, 2020, to April 14, 2021, to provide database evidence to inform healthcare delivery for people with pre-existing mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A preprint version of this study, which is yet to undergo peer review, is available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

The study

This study was conducted on 55,300 patients with pre-existing mental disorders, of which 23,410 had internalizing disorders only, 21,200 had externalizing disorders only, and 618 had only thought disorders. Eight thousand seventy-six patients had both externalizing and internalizing disorders, 732 had both thought and internalizing disorders, and 388 had thought and externalizing disorders. Eight hundred seventy-six patients had all three clusters of externalizing, internalizing, and thought disorders.

The data showed that people with pre-existing mental disorders represented a higher proportion of COVID-19 associated hospitalizations and deaths when compared to those without a respective cluster of mental disorders.

Individuals with pre-existing mental disorders had a higher proportion of asymptomatic COVID-19 (Internalizing disorders: 54.2% vs. 53.9%; Externalizing disorders: 57.6% vs. 53.7%; Thought disorders: 65.1% vs. 53.9%; Any cluster of mental disorders: 55.5% vs. 53.8%) and severe cases of disease (Internalizing disorders: 18.9% vs. 12.2%; Externalizing disorders: 15.1% vs. 12.5%; Thought disorders: 13.3% vs. 12.7%; Any cluster of mental disorders: 16.8% vs. 12.2%). However, participants with pre-existing mental disorders displayed a lower proportion of mild symptomatic COVID-19 (Internalizing disorders: 26.9% vs. 33.8%; Externalizing disorders: 27.3% vs. 33.8%; Thought disorders: 21.6% vs. 33.4%; Any cluster of mental disorders: 27.7% vs. 34.1%).

Venn Diagram for comorbidity of mental disorders among the S3C population: Sample in each subgroup Note: Not any mental disorders=421,475; internalizing disorders only =23,410; externalizing disorders only =21,200; thought disorders only=618; internalizing and externalizing disorders=8,076; internalizing and thought disorders=732; externalizing and thought disorders=388; internalizing, externalizing, and thought disorders=876.

This study displays multivariate results that suggest that individuals with pre-existing mental disorders are at an elevated risk of COVID-19 associated hospitalization and death. Regarding COVID-19 hospitalization, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of having externalizing, internalizing, and thought disorders was 1.49, 2.27, and 4.41. With deaths associated with COVID-19, the adjusted OR of having externalizing, internalizing, and thought disorders was 1.33, 2.25, and 4.48.

However, there was a decrease in the risk of mild cases associated with pre-existing mental disorders, externalizing disorders, internalizing disorders, and thought disorders were all negatively associated with mild cases. When an individual presented with any two clusters of disorders, this was positively associated with COVID-19 related hospitalization and death.

Specifically, when compared to individuals with no pre-existing mental disorders, the odds of being hospitalized was 1.5 times greater in individuals with externalizing and internalizing disorders, 2.29 times greater among individuals with thought and externalizing disorders, 2.34 times greater among Individuals with thought and internalizing disorders, and 2.35 times greater among individuals with three clusters of mental disorders.

Similar results were also displayed with COVID-19 related deaths, with the odds being 1.02 times greater in individuals with externalizing and internalizing disorders, 2.17 times greater in individuals with thought and internalizing disorders, 2.67 times greater in individuals with thought and externalizing disorders, and 67% greater in those with three clusters of mental disorders.

Implications

The results from this study suggest that individuals who suffer from pre-existing mental disorders, especially thought disorders and multiple clusters of disorders, should be included with the other high-risk groups within the population, such as the elderly, due to the requirement of enhanced preventative triage, and treatment strategies.

Regarding further research into this issue, there needs to be extended differentiation of the impacts of mental disorders on COVID-19 clinical outcomes by severity/stage of illness, the inclusion of a comprehensive set of social determinates of health in the analysis, and exploration of the interaction between different clusters of mental disorders and pre-existing somatic conditions.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Severe adverse reactions were reported after the AstraZeneca ChAdOx1-S-nCoV-19 vaccine (ChAd). This prompted the European health authorities to recommend the preferred second dose to be Pfizer BNT162b2 vaccine (BNT) as a booster for patients under 55 who received the first dose of ChAd.

Study: Immunogenicity and efficacy of heterologous ChadOx1/BNT162b2 vaccination. Image Credit: AlessandroBiascioli/ Shutterstock

A new study published in Nature revealed that the heterologous ChAd/BNT combination (as the first and second doses) confers better protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection than the homologous BNT/BNT combination in a real-world observational study of healthcare workers (HCWs).

The study

This study entailed a longitudinal survey including 13,121 HCWs; the anti-spike immunity conferred by each vaccine combination was assessed. Here, data was extracted from the occupational medicine database of the University hospital of Lyon (Hospices Civils de Lyon, HCL), France.

It was noted that ten infections occurred among 2,512 individuals in the heterologous vaccination group, compared to 81 infections among 10,609 in the homologous vaccination group. The results depicted that both vaccine combinations induced strong anti-spike antibody (Ab) responses. However, sera from heterologous vaccinated individuals displayed a stronger neutralizing activity, regardless of the causative SARS-CoV-2 variant.

It was noted that this enhanced neutralizing potential was in line with increased frequencies of switched and activated memory B cells recognizing the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain (RBD). Meanwhile, ChAd induced a weaker IgG response but a stronger T cell response than the BNT after the first dose. Thus, the heterologous vaccination regimen may be suitable for immunocompromised individuals.

Multiple logistic regression model analyses revealed that age was not associated with the likelihood of acquiring infection. While the probability of being infected after vaccination significantly depended upon the vaccination regimen. It was found that individuals who received BNT/BNT were twice as likely to be infected as those who were given ChAd/BNT.

Additionally, the ability of serum samples to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 spike-pseudotyped viral particles was measured. The findings indicated neither of the sera displayed neutralizing activity before vaccination or after the first dose. Meanwhile, most elicited a neutralizing activity after the second dose; sera from the ChAd/BNT vaccinated patients displayed a higher neutralizing efficacy than those from the BNT/BNT vaccinated individuals.

The ability of the sera to prevent VeroE6 cell infection by SARS-CoV-2 isolates belonging to various Clades was tested. The ChAd/BNT vaccinated individuals exhibited 2.3-fold-to-3.6 higher serum neutralizing Ab titers against the different variants than individuals from the BNT/BNT group. These findings suggested that the neutralizing potential of Abs generated by heterologous vaccination is less affected by spike mutations appearing in Variants of Concern (VOCs) than that of Abs induced by homologous vaccination.

In addition, the T-cell response of vaccinees against RBD peptides was longitudinally monitored, using a whole blood interferon (IFN)  release assay. The results showed that the T cell response was higher after ChAd immunization than after BNT priming and was similarly increased by BNT boost. Both vaccination regimens could trigger a progressive increase in the frequency of S-reactive CD4 and CD8 T cells from the pre-vaccine to the post-booster phase. Moreover, the heterologous combination resulted in a stronger CD4 T cell response, both after the primary dose and the booster, and an increasing trend of the CD8 T cell response after the booster dose.

Furthermore, the neutralizing Ab activity was associated with the S1 or RBD-specific IgG titers, irrespective of the variant analyzed and was not associated with IgA levels. These results indicated that better neutralizing Abs are produced from sustained B cell activation. Hence, the Abs quality underlies the superior neutralization potential of the Abs response induced by heterologous vaccination.

In addition, one study compared vaccination schedules with the same prime-boost interval. The findings showed that for short intervals, the humoral responses induced by both regimens were comparable. At the same time, a longer interval between the two doses could facilitate the synergy between heterologous vaccines.

Conclusion

The results of this study presented a real-world observational delineation of the heterologous ChAd/BNT regimen in HCWs. The results confirmed that such modification confers stronger protective immunity than the homologous BNT/BNT prime-boost schedule. Yet confirmatory studies and a longer follow-up are recommended to establish the above findings and refute confounding factors, for instance  different levels of exposure to the virus among subjects.

The findings herein suggested that the heterologous ChAd/BNT combination could be particularly suitable for immune-compromised patients.
Kawasaki disease (KD) is rare, with fewer than 6,000 diagnosed cases per year in the United States. It is most common in infants and young children and causes inflammation in the walls of some blood vessels in the body. KD is a common cause of acquired heart disease in children around the world, causing coronary artery aneurysms in a quarter of untreated children.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is also rare, a life-threatening illness that follows exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). MIS-C is characterized by the acute onset of fever and variable symptoms, including rash, cardiovascular complications, shock and gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting.

KD and MIS-C share several clinical features and immune responses. Both conditions are treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), a therapeutic containing antibodies purified from blood products. Antibodies in the blood protect us from a number of viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens, but when administered as IVIG, can also suppress excessive inflammation. How it does this is an ongoing area of research worldwide.

In a pair of new studies, published online October 26 and August 31, 2021, two collaborating teams of researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine examined the use of IVIG in two groups; one group used a second dose of IVIG in children with KD who do not respond to the first dose of the drug, and the other group used IVIG as an effective treatment for MIS-C.

"Our research teams looked further into KD to improve treatment, and then used what we know about that disease to advance science in another illness," said senior author Jane C. Burns, MD, professor and director of the Kawasaki Disease Research Center at UC San Diego School of Medicine and Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego.

In a paper published in the October 26, 2021 online edition of The Lancet: Child and Adolescent Health, researchers found treating IVIG-resistant KD patients with infliximab, a targeted anti-inflammatory drug, was more effective than a second dose of IVIG.

In an earlier paper, published in the August 31, 2021 online edition of The Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers found why IVIG is a successful treatment for MIS-C.

Is a second dose of IVIG effective in kids who don't respond to the first?

IVIG is the standard of care for KD and can alleviate symptoms and stabilize patients within hours of administration. However, 10 to 20 percent of children have recurrence of fever after initial therapy and are at an increased risk of coronary artery aneurysms. Historically, a second dose of IVIG has been advocated for treatment of IVIG-resistant KD.

In a national, randomized clinical trial, known as KIDCARE, involving 30 clinical sites and 103 children, researchers looked at a second dose of IVIG versus infliximab in children with KD who did not respond to the first dose of IVIG. They found those treated with infliximab had shorter duration of fever, reduced need for additional therapy, less severe anemia and shorter hospitalizations.

Researchers in this field have been trying to answer the question of what we should use when the first dose of IVIG does not work since the 1980s. This clinical trial was designed to find out the safest and most effective way to stop the fever and get these children out of the hospital. Our results show that infliximab is the best treatment that does the job safely and quickly." Jane C. Burns, MD, Senior Author

Additionally, IVIG administration can take up to 12 hours while infliximab requires two.

Trials of infliximab for KD treatment began in the early 2000's in San Diego. Researchers found that the target of infliximab, a pro-inflammatory molecule called TNF, was markedly elevated in the bloodstream of KD patients. This suggested that infliximab, a monoclonal antibody that neutralizes TNF, might be an effective treatment.

"We are on the forefront of advances in treatment for KD patients and this finding is another example of how our team moves innovative research from the lab to the patient bedside," said Burns.

Next steps include clinical trials to determine the best treatment for children with KD who come to the hospital already showing damage to the coronary arteries.

IVIG found to be successful in treating MIS-C after SARS-CoV-2 infection

MIS-C was first identified in children in April 2020 and is a rare complication of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. The inflammation caused by the condition affects several organs and progresses over time. Symptoms are usually seen between two and six weeks after initial infection, which may in fact not cause any symptoms at all.

Both KD and MIS-C share a robust activation of the innate immune system, termed the "first responder" arm of the immune system. In contrast to KD, however, additional anti-inflammatory therapies, such as steroids or biologic therapies are often needed to further reduce inflammation with MIS-C.

In a recent study, researchers examined what IVIG does to white blood cells (WBC) in MIS-C and KD. Neutrophils are a type of WBC that prevent serious infections by killing invading bacteria and fungi.

Using cell samples from children with MIS-C or KD, researchers found that neutrophils laden with IL-1b, a key mediator of the inflammatory response, are generated in large numbers and play an active role in inflammation in patients. Exposing these patient cells to IVIG in the laboratory, researchers showed that IVIG targets and kills those neutrophils, thus, reducing inflammation.

"This finding is important because it shows how and why IVIG is successful in rapidly reducing inflammation in kids. It targets a different part of the immune response to steroids, which can also suppress inflammation," said Ben Croker, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

"Initially, we borrowed from the KD playbook to treat MIS-C because of the similarities between the two diseases. We were challenged to treat a severe reaction (MIS-C) to a novel virus no one on the planet had seen two years ago. Our studies now support an important role for IVIG as a therapy for these patients," said Burns.

Croker noted that these findings pave the way for the next discovery, which will be understanding the mechanism by which IVIG accomplishes its killing mission so that it could be replaced with a less expensive, more readily available treatment.

Study in Lancet: Child and Adolescent Health Looking at the Treatment of IVIG-resistant KD

Co-authors include: Samantha Roberts, Adriana Tremoulet, Feng He, Beth Printz and Sonia Jain, all with UC San Diego; Negar Ashouri with CHOC Children's Hopsital; Supriya Jain, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital; David Michalik, Miller Children's Hospital Long Beach; Kavita Sharma, Children's Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Dongngan Truong, University of Utah/Primary Children's Hospital; James Wood, Indiana University School of Medicine; Katherine Kim, University of California Davis; and the KIDCARE Multicenter Study Group.

Funding for the KIDCARE study came from Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)

Study in The Journal of Clinical Investigation Looking at IVIG as an MIS-C Treatment

Co-authors include: Yanfang Peipei Zhu, Isaac Shamie, Jamie Casey Lee, Weiqi Peng, Shiela Angulo, Linh Le, Yushan Liu, Huilai Miao, Hainan Xiong, Cathleen Pena, Elizabeth Moreno, Eric Griffis, Stephanie Labou, Alessandra Franco, Lori Broderick, Hal Hoffman, Chisato Shimizu, Nathan Lewis, John Kanegaye, Adriana Tremoulet, and the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Kawasaki Disease Research Group, all with UC San Diego; and Cameron Nowell with Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Australia.

Funding for this research came, in part, from the National Institutes of Health (grants R61HD105590, RO1HL124209, RO1HL140898-03S1), Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (CER1602-3447), the American Asthma Foundation, the American Heart Association, the Novo Nordisk Foundation provided to the Technical University of Denmark (NNF20SA0066621), NIGMS (R35 GM119850) and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Foundation.
This commitment follows the donation by the UK government to Viet Nam of 415,050 doses of the University of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in August 2021.

The UK is also one of the largest donors to COVAX, providing over 548 million to supply vaccines globally, including to Viet Nam.

Commenting on the equipment donation, Minister for Asia Amanda Milling said:

As a strategic partner, the UK stands with Viet Nam in our common effort to combat COVID-19. This is part of the UK's wider commitment to support Viet Nam and our partners in ASEAN as we work together to build back better from the pandemic."

British Ambassador to Viet Nam, Gareth Ward, added:
(Newser)  Update: One of the three men arrested in connection with rapper Mac Miller's 2018 death has struck a plea deal. Stephen Walter, 48, pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills, and the more serious charges will be dropped, Rolling Stone reports. He'll spend 17 years behind bars. People reports Walter is the person who supplied the drugs to Miller's dealer via an intermediary, after which Miller overdosed. The dealer and intermediary have both pleaded not guilty and are expected to go on trial next year. Our original story from Sept. 26, 2019, follows:

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A third man has been arrested and charged with drug offenses in connection with the overdose death of rapper Mac Miller, the AP reports. Court documents show Stephen Walter is suspected of selling counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl that Miller possessed before he died of an accidental overdose last year of cocaine, alcohol, and the powerful opioid. Walter is accused of being the source of the pills that another man, Cameron Pettit, sold to Miller. Ryan Reavis, arrested in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, this week, is accused of serving as Walter's "runner," who delivered the pills to Pettit. Walter, who is on supervised release in a 2005 drug case, remains in custody. (Read more fentanyl stories.)
(Newser)  Justine Tuckett was 5 years old when her father was sent to prison for murdering his stepfather in 1999. Over the next 22 years, Bill Lorance would miss her many dance recitals and her wedding. "When I was younger every time I blew out my birthday candles, I would wish that he would get out of prison  until I was old enough to realize that he wasn't going to be wished back to me," Tuckett, now a 28-year-old dance fitness instructor with a family of her own, writes on Instagram. But they're making up for lost time. Released from prison in California on Oct. 5, Lorance asked his daughter to film a TikTok dance. The result: a 13-second video viewed 45 million views on TikTok and Instagram, per BuzzFeed.

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"My Dad has been in prison for 22 years," reads a text caption as Tuckett of Utah dances alone to Patrice Rushen's "Forget Me Nots." Lorance hops into the frame with the caption, "I got to pick him up this week." "I wanted to upstage her," Lorance tells BuzzFeed. But "I suck. I'm not even dancing, I looked like a robot that needs grease." Viewers didnt mind. Indeed, Tuckettwho described how her father was reformed and "unrecognizable from the person he used to be before prison"was flooded with messages from people looking for advice on how to maintain a relationship with an incarcerated person. About 7% of all children in the US have had a parent in jail or prison, per BuzzFeed.

The pair then began hosting conversations on Instagram Live. Struggling with alcoholism and drug addiction, "I was filled with rage, and I acted out in violence," Lorance said of his crime, per the Daily Mail. "I'm interested in speaking about how guys can be rehabilitated while doing time," he tells BuzzFeed. Lorancewho was permitted three days of family time before entering a six-month transitional programalso wants to work on his dancing and get a handle on social media. "How much phones can do was shocking and mesmerizing and wild [to him]," says Tuckett. "I know people are going to be like, 'Look at this dum-dum taking pictures of his breakfast,'" adds Lorance. "But it just proves it's all new to me." (Read more viral video stories.)
(Newser)  Update: The mother of a Texas child found dead in his home after a sibling called 911 was arrested Tuesday in his death, as was the woman's boyfriend. The boyfriend was charged with murder, while the woman was charged with felony injury to a child by omission, failure to provide medical care and failure to provide adequate supervision, the AP reports. It's not clear who the child's father is. Our original story from Tuesday follows:

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The already grim case of three abandoned Texas siblings took a horrific turn Tuesday when authorities disclosed that a fourth sibling, whose body was found in their Houston-area apartment, died violently. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston said an autopsy determined the child's cause of death was "homicidal violence with multiple blunt force injuries," the AP reports. A 15-year-old boy and two younger siblings, ages 10 and 7, were treated at a hospital and placed in the custody of Texas Department of Family and Protective Services after the teen called 911 Sunday.

Police say the 15-year-old told them that the body of his 9-year-old brother had been in the apartment for around a year. Charges have not yet been filed in the death, the Houston Chronicle reports. Police say the mother and her boyfriend were located Sunday night and were released without charge after questioning. Authorities say the siblings stopped attending school in May 2020, early in the pandemic, and did not return for the next school year. An Alief Independent School District spokesman says school personnel unsuccessfully attempted a home visit in September last year.

Police say the malnourished boys were apparently fending for themselves, with the teen looking after his younger siblings. Neighbors say they didn't know the boys were on their own. "Honestly Im disgusted," neighbor Erica Chapman tells KHOU 11. "If I knew something was wrong with any of those kids, I would have took all of them." She says she brought the teen food after she saw him sleeping on a playground slide. Chapman says she asked him a few questions, but he didn't want to talk about his parents. (Read more Harris County stories.)
(Newser)  The human rights group Amnesty International says it will close its two offices in Hong Kong this year, becoming the latest non-governmental organization to cease operations amid a crackdown on political dissent in the city. The group said its local office in Hong Kong will close this month and its regional office will close by the end of the year, with operations moved to other offices in the Asia-Pacific region, the AP reports. "This decision, made with a heavy heart, has been driven by Hong Kongs national security law, which has made it effectively impossible for human rights organizations in Hong Kong to work freely and without fear of serious reprisals from the government," Anjhula Mya Singh Bais, chair of Amnesty Internationals board, said in a statement.

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Mainland China imposed a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong in 2020 following months of massive anti-government protests. The majority of the city's prominent pro-democracy activists have been arrested for taking part in unauthorized assemblies, and dozens of political organizations and trade unions have ceased operation out of concern for their members' safety under the security law. In a June report, Georgetown Universitys Center for Asian Law said the National Security Law mirrored legislation in mainland China that tightly restricts contacts between local and international non-governmental organizations and threatens activists with imprisonment for allegedly colluding with foreign forces.

Critics in Hong Kong say the law erodes freedoms, such as those of expression and assembly, that were promised to the city for 50 years when the former British colony was handed over to China in 1997. Bais said the recent targeting of local human rights and trade union groups signaled that authorities are intensifying their campaign to rid the city of dissenting voices. "It is increasingly difficult for us to keep operating in such an unstable environment," she said. (Read more Hong Kong stories.)
(Newser)  Donald Trump's failures during the pandemic cost more than 100,000 American lives, former White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx told lawmakers earlier this month, according to newly released testimony. Birx told the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis in hearings Oct. 12 and 13 that the former president and other officials were distracted by the election he ended up losing, the Hill reports. "I felt like the White House had gotten somewhat complacent through the campaign season," Birx said. She said many administration officials were "actively campaigning and not as present in the White House as previously."

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Birx said many of the the approximately 450,000 COVID deaths during the Trump administration could have been avoided if her recommendations had been followed. "I believe if we had fully implemented the mask mandates, the reduction in indoor dining, the getting friends and family to understand the risk of gathering in private homes, and we had increased testing," fatalities could have been cut by 30% to 40%, she said, per the Washington Post. Earlier this year, Birx said everything after the first 100,000 deaths "could have been mitigated."

Asked if Trump did all he could to "try to mitigate the spread of the virus and save lives during the pandemic," Birx said "No." In her testimony to the committee, Birx slammed Trump adviser Dr. Scott Atlas, a neuroradiologist who called for letting the virus spread to build immunity and even urged people in Michigan to "rise up" against lockdowns, the New York Times reports.

Birx said she "was constantly raising the alert" about the positions of Atlas, who had no prior infectious-disease experience. In a statement to the Times, Atlas denied pushing for herd immunity and said it was no surprise that Birx, as the task force's coordinator "from late February 2020 through Jan. 19, 2021, might want to blame others for the failure of her policies." (Read more Deborah Birx stories.)
(Newser)  Two former household employees of Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan are now suing the Facebook founder and his wife. Both their former security operations assistant (Mia King, who is Black) and their former household operations manager (an unnamed John Doe who is gay and has a disability) filed lawsuits, alleging the family's former head of security hurled racist and sexist harassment at them, Complex reports. Liam Booth is accused of repeatedly referring to King as "ghetto," calling her hairstyle unprofessional, making other racist comments, and saying she was only hired because of her race, and of making homophobic comments toward Doe and slapping his groin on two different occasions.

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"When their lawyers shared these concerns, both our HR Department and outside counsel conducted separate multi-week investigations into the allegations, including by conducting numerous interviews of their colleagues and reviewing other relevant documents and information," a rep for the Zuckerberg-Chan "family office" tells the New York Post. "Following these thorough investigations, these allegations simply could not be substantiated. We firmly believe that these employees were treated fairly and respectfully and the family office is confident that it will defeat these claims." Booth has not commented.

King actually worked for Limitless, the company Zuckerberg and Chan had hired for security, and she says the firm fired her in 2019 after she complained about Booth multiple times and was brushed aside. She also says the company compelled her to work overtime but didn't pay her for it, and Doe makes similar allegations in his lawsuit. Some of the specific comments and actions that Booth is accused of include: blaming Chan for a car accident, pulling his eyes back and saying Asian women are bad drivers; claiming Meghan Markle "polluted the royal bloodline"; using homophobic epithets; and speaking with a fake lisp when talking about gay people. He also allegedly called King a "c---" and a "b----," NBC News reports. (Read more Mark Zuckerberg stories.)
(Newser)  Kyle Rittenhouse's trial starts Monday, and you won't hear the two men he fatally shot during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, referred to as "victims." The judge in the case has a standard policy barring people from being called "victims" until an actual conviction, USA Today reports, and he said that using the term in this case would be "loaded," per the Washington Post. However, when prosecutors asked that defense attorneys be prohibited from referring to the two men as "looters, rioters, arsonists or any other pejorative term," the judge declined to make such an order.

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"Let the evidence show what it shows," was all he said. Prosecutors argued the terms should not be used unless there's specific evidence Joseph Rosenbaum or Anthony Huber engaged in those activities. Rittenhouse, who was 17 when the shootings took place last year, has pleaded not guilty to homicide in both of their deaths as well as not guilty to attempted homicide of Gaige Grosskreutz, who was shot and wounded. His lawyers are expected to argue he acted in self-defense amid protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Columnist Will Bunch runs down the judge's controversial history in a Twitter thread (that ultimately calls for his removal) here. (Read more Kyle Rittenhouse stories.)
(Newser)  Criminal charges could be filed in the fatal shooting on the New Mexico set of an Alec Baldwin western last week, though the investigation into what went wrong could take "weeks, if not months," the Santa Fe County district attorney said Tuesday. "We havent ruled out anything," Mary Carmack-Altwies said in an interview with the New York Times. "Everything at this point, including criminal charges, is on the table." She says the number of bullets on the set of Rust was "enormous," so ballistics will determine what type of round was actually in the gun when it went off as Baldwin rehearsed with it, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

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As far as the gun, it was "legit," the DA says, noting that the term "prop gun" can confuse people. This was a real gun, though "antique-era," a detail that Brandon Lee's fiancee also previously pointed out. Authorities say the film's armorer had placed the gun on a cart outside the church where Baldwin was rehearsing, and an assistant director took the gun off the cart and handed it to Baldwin, telling him it was a "cold gun," and therefore safe with no live rounds. Both the armorer and that particular AD have since come under scrutiny. As for reports that crew members may have been using guns from the film, with live ammunition, for target practice, the DA says that's not been confirmed. Authorities are set to discuss initial findings at a Wednesday press conference, KSAT reports.

A Los Angeles trial attorney not involved in the case tells Yahoo News he doubts Baldwin would be charged for the accidental discharge: "He was handed a gun and he was told it was a cold gun, meaning that someone has looked at it and [found] there's no ammunition in it. And I think he has the right to rely upon that, to assume that it also is cold." But, as NPR notes, Baldwin was also a producer on the film, and he could possibly face some sort of liability, possibly due to civil lawsuits, in that role. That's the tune a defense attorney (also not involved in the case) who spoke to Fox News is singing as well: "Alec Baldwin is presumably in charge because hes the producer and has a great voice on the budget here," and authorities will probably look at whether producers took shortcuts on safety in order to cut costs. (Read more Alec Baldwin stories.)
(Newser)  Liberty University ignored reports of rape and threatened to punish victims who reported such crimes for violating the school's moral code, according to reporting by Hannah Dreyfus of ProPublica. The evangelical Christian school in Lynchburg, Va., has a strict code of conduct known as "the Liberty Way," which bans drinking and "being in any state of undress with a member of the opposite sex." "The pervasiveness of purity culture on campus is part of what makes sexual assault so impossible to handle because the assumption of guilt is immediately placed on the victim  for having put herself in a position where she could have been assaulted," Dreyfus tells NPR in an interview.

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Ten former students told Dreyfus that they didn't report rapes for fear of punishment. Three students who did report rapes said they were required to sign a document acknowledging possible violations of the code of conduct and potential disciplinary actions, including hundreds of dollars in fines or expulsion. Others said the school misrepresented their claims and ignored evidence. One student said she provided the school with a text in which her alleged attacker admitted to his actions, but it wasn't cited in a summary decision concluding the man wasn't responsible. Another student said the school removed photos of her bruised body from its investigation file, saying they were too "explicit."

Cases that were reported were not always forwarded to the school's federally mandated office for investigating sexual harassment and violence, nor were students informed of the option to notify law enforcement, as is legally required, ProPublica reports. Scott Lamb, who served as the university's senior vice president of communications until Oct. 6, when he says he was fired for speaking out against repeated failures to respond to sexual assault, told Dreyfus that "concerns about sexual assault would go up the chain and then die." It was "a conspiracy of silence." A lawsuit filed against Liberty in July includes many of these same claims. Liberty has declined to comment. (Read more Liberty University stories.)
(Newser)  Long lines outside gas stations and an eyebrow-raising message were apparently the handiwork of hackers in Iran, where a cyberattack caused chaos Tuesday into Wednesday. "Cyberattack 64411" was what greeted some motorists at pumps instead of access to gas, according to the semiofficial ISNA news agency, which notes those numbers correspond to a hotline for the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reports NBC News. Those affected were trying to use government-issued cards to buy cheaper subsidized fuel, which is available for about 20 cents per gallon41 cents per gallon after consumers reach a monthly quota, per the AP. Gas at higher, unsubsidized prices was reportedly still available.

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The New York Times notes that most Iranians rely on the subsidized price, thanks to an economy roiled by "mismanagement, corruption, and American sanctions." Digital billboards in Tehran and other locations were also seemingly hacked, shown on social media flashing messages of "Khamenei, where is our fuel?" Even the ISNA report on the "64411" message is murky, with the AP noting that the news agency later claimed it had been hacked as well. That number had popped up in July, when Iran's railroad system was breached, supposedly by an independent hacker group called Indra (the name of the Hindu god of war).

An obscure group did claim responsibility for this latest attack on Tuesday on the Telegram app, but there's so far no proof it actually did so. Abolhassan Firoozabadi, the secretary of Iran's Supreme Council of Cyberspace, told state TV he believed it to be at the hands of a foreign country, though he can't say for sure at this point which one. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi similarly declined to assign blame, but he did say the attack was meant to get "people angry by creating disorder and disruption."

"Technical experts are fixing the problem and soon the refueling process ... will return to normal," state broadcaster IRIB noted, per Reuters. Iran has blamed the US and Israel for online attacks in the past, while the US and other Western nations have pointed the finger at Iran and accused it of trying to breach its own networks, per NBC. The cyberattack comes almost two years after protests against spiking gas prices in Iran turned deadly in 2019, when security forces pushed back against protesters and left hundreds dead, according to Amnesty International. (Read more Iran stories.)
(Newser)  Three teenagers in Florida will be charged as adults in the murder of a classmate, who was ambushed at his apartment building. Dwight "DJ" Grant, an 18-year-old senior at Miramar High School, was found dead in bushes outside the building in Miramar on Oct. 19. A little more than a week earlier, a 17-year-old boy had texted his girlfriend, also 17, saying "murder" was coming soon to Grant, who'd had consensual sex with the boy's ex-girlfriend, police say, per the Washington Post. The boy's girlfriend allegedly offered to help. The boy then recruited a 16-year-old girl, falsely telling her that Grant had raped his ex, according to an affidavit.

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On Oct. 17, the 17-year-old girl arranged to meet up with Grant at his apartment building. Police say it was a trap, and all three accomplices were waiting in an outdoor stairwell with a knife and sword. "You know I have to kill you now," the boy allegedly told Grant before beating him while the 16-year-old girl held him down and the 17-year-old girl kept watch, per police. Grant pleaded for his life during the attack, which lasted 31 minutes, police say, per Law & Crime. After stabbing Grant in the neck with the knife, the boy urged the 16-year-old "to get the sword and end it," the affidavit reads, per the Post. When she refused, he allegedly stabbed Grant in the chest.

The boy and the 16-year-old were then seen on surveillance footage tossing Grant's body "over a railing and into bushes," police say. They say the 17-year-old girl was tasked with cleaning up the blood. "It's horrifying, and he was such a good child. His mother loved him," a neighbor tells WSVN. All three minors were arrested last week. They will be charged as adults with first-degree murder, criminal conspiracy, and tampering with evidence, according to the Broward County State Attorney's Office, which notes the group would face no more than three years in residential confinement if convicted as juveniles, per Law & Crime. (Read more murder stories.)
(Newser)  A resident of a high-rise condominium in Thailand cut the support rope for two painters, apparently angry she wasn't told they would be doing work, and left them hanging above the 26th floor until a couple rescued them, police said Wednesday. (See a photo here.) The woman is facing attempted murder and property destruction charges, Pol. Col. Pongjak Preechakarunpong, chief of the Pak Kret police station north of the Thai capital, told the AP. The police chief didn't say what prompted her to cut the rope, but Thai media reported that she was apparently frustrated when the workers appeared outside her room, as she hadn't seen an announcement by the condo that they'd be doing work on Oct. 12.

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A video clip on social media showed two painters asking the residents on the 26th floor to open the window and let them in. One of the painters, a Myanmar national named Song, told Thai media that he and his two friends had lowered themselves from the 32nd floor to repair a crack on the building. When he reached the 30th floor, he felt that the rope was heavier and when he looked down, he saw someone on the 21st floor open a window and cut his rope. He tried asking for help from other units, but nobody was in. The third colleague continued to support them from the top floor, said Praphaiwan Setsing, the resident who saved them.

The management of the condo accompanied the painters to report the incident to the police. The 34-year-old woman at first denied she was responsible, but police sent the severed rope for a fingerprint and DNA analysis, media reported. On Wednesday, the woman and her lawyer appeared at the police station. After the police showed her the CCTV footage and the forensic evidence, she confessed but denied any intention to kill the workers. The police chief said the suspect was temporarily released. Police will file an indictment at the provincial court within 15 days, he noted. She could face a prison term of up to 20 years if found guilty on a charge of attempted murder. (Read more weird crimes stories.)
(Newser)  Former President Trump is on Jair Bolsonaro's side, but the Brazilian president can't say the same about his Senate. A panel of senators on Tuesday voted 7-4 to recommend charges over Bolsonaro's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, following a six-month investigation that culminated in a 1,288-page report, per CNN. The AP reports they want him tried on charges ranging from charlatanism and inciting crime to misuse of public funds and crimes against humanity in connection with Brazil's more than 600,000 COVID deaths. Senators were seen joyfully hugging after the results of the vote were shared; Bolsonaro has waved off the charges as "fantasies," reports the Hill.

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Things now move to the chief prosecutor, but the BBC reports that Bolsonaro appointee Prosecutor-General Augusto Aras is expected to back the president. Should he decide instead to open an investigation, he would first have to get the OK from the country's Supreme Court. Put Trump in the camp of people backing Bolsonaro. On Tuesday he offered an "endorsement" of a man he calls a "great friend," saying, "He fights hard for, and loves, the people of BrazilJust like I do for the people of the United States. Brazil is lucky to have a man such as Jair Bolsonaro working for them. He is a great President and will never let the people of his great country down!

The Senate panel also recommended charges against 77 other people, among them Bolsonaros three eldest sons, who are accused of spreading COVID misinformation online. As far as the charges against Bolsonaro go, the AP says inciting an epidemic that leads to deaths is the most serious one and carries a sentence of up to 30 years. But experts say the charge with the most potential is delaying or refraining from action required as part of a public officials duty for reasons of personal interest; were he convicted of that charge, it would carry a sentence of three to 12 months. (Read more Jair Bolsonaro stories.)
(Newser)  Ellen Greenberg died more than a decade ago, but her parents still aren't content with the determination of howso much so that they sued the Philadelphia medical examiners office. The Washington Post recaps the case thus far, starting with the 27-year-old's Jan. 26, 2011, death. The first-grade teacher had been dismissed early due to snow; fiance Sam Goldberg says he went to the apartment gym and returned to find the door's interior swing bar locked. He reportedly sent her nine frustrated texts, then said he enlisted the building security guard to break in. Greenberg was dead from stab wounds. It was ultimately ruled a suicide; her parents say that's nonsensical.

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In landing on that conclusion, police noted there were no signs of a break-in or robbery, or any defensive wounds. Other than the locked front door, the only way in was through a sixth-floor balcony, but the fresh snow showed no tracks. And she was on Klonopin and Ambien, which both list suicidal ideations as a possible side effect. But the family sees holes: She filled her car with gas after school and had left a half-eaten fruit salad on the counter, which didn't suggest she was about to end her life. And the manner in which it was donemore than 20 stab wounds through her clothes, with 10 to the back of her necksounded off to them. A lawyer for the family also says the security guard stated he wasn't with Greenberg's fiance when he broke down the door.

The family believes that's enough to change the manner of death to homicide or undetermined, and the Philadelphia Inquirer reports they sued in October 2019. CBS Philly reports a judge ruled last week that the case can advance to a non-jury trial. In an August court filing, a lawyer for the city argues the family has no legal claim for changing the manner of death, noting, "They essentially ask this Court to sit as a sur-medical examiner, to overrule the determination of the medical professional vested by state law and the Philadelphia Code with the sole responsibility and discretion to determine the cause and manner of death." The lawyer added that the stated cause of death doesn't prevent an investigation into Greenberg's death should police later decide she was murdered. (Read more strange stuff stories.)
(Newser)  Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and her billionaire family were among the many people misled by Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, a rep testified Tuesday. Lisa Peterson, who works on investments for the DeVos family, said she was asked to look into Theranos in 2014 after one of her bosses spoke to Holmes and said it was "one of the most interesting meetings" he could recall, NBC reports. Peterson said family members were led to believe the start-up's blood testing "was going to be a game changer for health care" and the family doubled an initial investment of $50 million to $100 million after meeting Holmes.

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Peterson testified that Holmes claimed the company could run 200 to 300 tests from a single finger prickbut didn't disclose that it was using third-party systems for its testing, the Washington Post reports. She said Holmes shared financial projections predicting huge rises in revenue in 2014 and 2015, but the family was unaware Theranos had no revenue at all in 2012 or 2013. Holmes, who faces a dozen counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, is accused of misleading investors about the capabilities of the testing technology. Other major investors included Rupert Murdoch, Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, and Walmart owners the Walton family.

The Verge notes that Holmes attorney Lance Wade "hammered" the theme of poor due diligence during cross-examination, noting that the DeVos family and Peterson failed to vet the investment by talking to Walgreens (which Theranos had a deal with), outside scientists, or regulatory experts. He showed Peterson charts from a report Theranos had provided and asked if she knew what kinds of tests were involved. "Im not a scientist," she said. "I cant figure out if those things were lending credibility to what theyre saying." Peterson said one of the reasons the family didn't ask scientists or regulatory experts about Holmes' claims was because they didn't want "to circumvent things and upset Elizabeth" and risk getting "uninvited" from investing.

The trial, expected to run until mid-December, is now at its halfway point, and it's not clear whether Holmes will testify, or even whether the defense will present a case instead of relying on tough cross-examination of prosecution witnesses, reports the Wall Street Journal. Holmes could face up to 20 years in prison if found guilty, and attorney Richard Greenfield, a specialist in shareholder litigation, says the prosecution has already made a strong case. "What the government has shown is this wasnt just conning some investors," he tells the Journal. "It was so totally comprehensive." (Last month, a former defense secretary testified that Holmes misled him about a breakthrough that could supposedly save soldiers' lives.)
(Newser)  Pennsylvania prosecutors have dropped a felony theft charge against a man who underpaid for a bottle of Mountain Dew by 43 cents. In August, Joseph Sobolewski went into an Exxon in Duncannon and saw a sign advertising two 20-ounce Mountain Dew bottles for $3, he said. PennLive reports the 38-year-old homeless man took one bottle, slapped $2 on the counter for what he thought was a $1.50 soda and walked out, not realizing the discount did not apply to a single bottle. The bottle really cost $2.29, so including tax, he owed an additional 43 cents, reports the AP. The store called the police.

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State police found Sobolewski and arrested him on a felony charge. Sobolewski had twice in the past 10 years been charged with theft, once for not paying for a tank of gas and another time for stealing a pair of shoes from a store. Under Pennsylvania's three-strikes law, a third theft charge must be a felony, regardless of the amount or value involved. He faced up to seven years in prison. A judge ordered him held on $50,000 cash-only bond. He was in jail for seven days before his public defender successfully argued for his release. In addition to the felony theft charge being dropped, a charge of driving while suspended was reduced from a misdemeanor to a lower offense akin to a traffic ticket.

(Read more three strikes law stories.)
(Newser)  A Texas woman was killed early Tuesday when a stolen, driverless big rig slammed into her home. Police in Harris County say they tried to pull over the stolen tractor-trailer after locating it via GPS around 12:30am, but the driver refused to stop. After a brief chase, he jumped out of the moving vehicle, which crashed through a metal gate and then into the home, KHOU 11 reports. Jeff Conyers and Aylene Heaney, who had been asleep in a bedroom, were trapped under the 18-wheeler, police say. Heaney, 50, was pronounced dead at the scene. Conyers, her husband, was hospitalized with severe injuries. The suspect, identified as Eric Black, landed in a ditch after jumping out of the vehicle and was caught by deputies as he tried to run away.

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Authorities say Conyers, 54, was trapped under the truck's gas tank for more than an hour before he was freed, Click2Houston reports. Two other adults in the home were not injured. Authorities say Black has an extensive criminal record and was on parole for evading in a motor vehicle. "When you talk about getting behind the wheel, for someone who has already been convicted of running from the police, and then deciding to do it in an 18-wheeler, and literally leave that vehicle, and direct it as a missile into that house, this is one of those that it going to stay with you awhile," said Assistant Harris County DA Sean Teare, per KHOU 11.

"This as brazen and callous as any of these crashes that we deal with," Teare said. Black now faces charges including felony murder and reckless aggravated assault. Chris Conyers, Jeff Conyers' brother, said the house collapsed and his brother didn't have insurance. "He has lost his love, his home, and basically everything he owned," he wrote on a GoFundMe page, adding that Conyers "has a lengthy recovery ahead of him" and "will not be able to work anytime soon." (Read more Texas stories.)
(Newser)  "Um. Exactly what is going on here, y'all?" a tweet by the co-founder of a local education advocacy group asked. What appeared to be going on in the photos posted by Nema Brewer was high school students in Kentucky giving lap dances to faculty and staff members. One of the recipients was Donald "Happy" Mobelini, the school principal and mayor of Hazard, USA Today reports. He didn't comment immediately, but the superintendent of the school district said that an investigation has begun and that "appropriate action will be taken."

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The occasion was a "Man Pageant" and "Costume Day" held Tuesday as part of homecoming events. Photos on a school Facebook page, which have been removed, showed students and staff apparently paddling one another. Female students wore Hooters outfits, and male students were dressed in women's lingerie, per WKYT. There was criticism online, but Brewer said she thought there was much acceptance of the event, per the Lexington Herald-Leader. "Public education is under so much fire right now. This kind of stuff is not helpful," she said, adding, "It appears they are sexualizing young adults." (Read more high school stories.)
(Newser)  A New York judge on Wednesday refused to pause a vaccine mandate set to take effect Friday for the city's municipal workforce, denying a police union's request for a temporary restraining order. Judge Lizette Colon ruled that the city's COVID-19 vaccine mandate can take effect as scheduled while also ordering city officials to appear in court Nov. 12 to defend the requirement against a union lawsuit seeking to have it declared illegal, the AP reports. Colon, whose court is on Staten Island, ruled hours after hearing arguments from lawyers for the Police Benevolent Association, the city's largest police union, and the city, which prevailed in arguing the mandate should be implemented without delay.

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Police officers, firefighters, garbage collectors, and most other city workers must show proof that they've gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by 5pm Friday. Workers who don't comply will be put on unpaid leave starting Nov. 1. Previously, city workers were able to show proof of a negative test to stay on the job. PBA President Pat Lynch said in a statement that the ruling "sets the city up for a real crisis" and will "inevitably result in fewer cops available to protect our city."

As of Tuesday, 73% of police department personnel had gotten at least one vaccine dose, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea told WPIX-TV on Wednesday. The fire department reported a vaccination rate of 68%. A firefighters union said it was holding a rally Thursday outside Mayor Bill de Blasio's official residence to protest the mandate. (Last week, the Supreme Court declined to block a statewide vaccine mandate in Maine.)
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, yesterday underscored the Kingdom of Saudi Arabias strategic role in furthering regional development and strengthening the global economy.

His Royal Highness said that the ambitious environmental goals and new avenues of cooperation that have resulted from the 5th edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) and the Middle East Green Initiative Summit are testament to the success of both events.

This came as HRH Prince Salman met with His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence of Saudi Arabia.

During the meeting, HRH Prince Salman highlighted the depth of long-standing relations between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which continue to receive the committed support of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The importance of creating a unified and coordinated response to preserve the natural environment and address the challenges of the climate emergency while ensuring a sustainable economic recovery was also discussed.

The topics of both the FII and the Middle East Green Initiative Summit were also reviewed.

HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister commended the initiatives launched by HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Middle East Green Initiative and noted that they will contribute towards achieving climate security and a sustainable future.

His Royal Highness noted that FII will expand investment cooperation and stressed Bahrains commitment to developing the fruitful partnership that exists between the Kingdoms.

HRH Prince Salman commended Saudi Arabias role as a leader of the Arab world and its contribution to upholding regional and global stability.

HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman praised HRH Prince Salmans continued support of longstanding Bahraini-Saudi relations, wishing Bahrain further progress and prosperity.

The meeting was also attended by Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and the Private Secretary to HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Shaikh Abdullah bin Isa Al Khalifa.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Speaker of the Council of Representatives, Fawziya bint Abdulla Zainal, has asserted that Bahrain has set the example in the field of higher education thanks to the constant support of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to education, enabling the kingdom to attain distinguished achievements in the fields of higher education, gender balance and womens access to higher posts.

The speaker expressed deep pride in the efforts being exerted by the government, led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to achieve comprehensive development in the field of education, making the kingdom an advanced model for education and a developed civilisational and scientific centre.

Zainal made the statements while receiving here today the University of Bahrain (UoB) President, Dr. Jawaher Shaheen Al-Mudhahki, and praised HM the Kings precious trust in her through appointing her to her post, wishing her every success.

The speaker affirmed the Bahraini womens distinguished status and ability to contribute to the comprehensive development march, under the leadership of HM King Hamad, the first supporter of Bahraini women's advancement.

Speaker Zainal commended the success of the National Gender Balance Model, launched by the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), led by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of HM the King, in paving the way for achieving gender balance across various fields.

UoB President expressed thanks and appreciation to the Speaker for the meeting, stressing UoBs continuous cooperation and coordination with the Council of Representatives in order to achieve the kingdoms development goals and aspirations for a brighter future.
DANBURY  Republican Dean Esposito says he plans to sell his Brookfield home and stay in the Hat City, regardless of whether he wins the mayoral race next week.

I love Danbury, he said. Danbury has been my home. Its always been in my heart.

Esposito is running against Democrat Roberto Alves in the first open mayoral race in Danbury in 20 years.

Esposito is registered to vote in Danbury and says he is living in a family friends home off Candlewood Lake in the city. He was born in Danbury, lived here most of his life and has worked for the city for about 15 years, most recently as the mayors chief of staff.

However, Democrats have criticized Esposito for owning a home in Brookfield and living there from 2008 until he announced his candidacy in May.

Theres only one thing Brookfield Dean wants from us in November: Another paycheck, states a campaign flyer mailed to voters this month and paid for by the Democratic Town Committee.

The Brookfield Dean comment is a jab at his nickname and campaign website, Danbury Dean.

The mailer noted Esposito has earned hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last five years through his salary as the mayors chief of staff.

But instead of living in Danbury and paying his dues like the rest of us, Dean goes home to Brookfield, where he puts our hard-earned tax dollars in someone elses pocket, the mailer states. If Dean Esposito cant be bothered to live in Danbury, we shouldnt be bothered to vote for him.

The mailer shows a graphic of Esposito in a car over a map with an arrow pointing from his car, to around Danbury, to Brookfield. The other side of the mailer shows Esposito reading a copy of The News-Times with a front page story about his residency.

Esposito does not have any public tax records in Danbury for the last five years. Any car taxes would not be due yet based on when he moved to the city.

Public tax records show Alves home is under his wifes name and that there are no overdue taxes on the property. Alves does not have any car tax records under his name, but taxes for two cars under his wifes name are paid.

When Esposito considered running for mayor, he and his wife decided to downsize and move to Danbury, he said.

I've been living in Danbury ever since the announcement, and I'm still living in Danbury, Esposito stated.

He has received mailers at the Danbury house from State Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, addressed to the Esposito household or current resident and from State Rep. David Arconti, D-Danbury, addressed to Esposito and his wife.

Congratulations on becoming a new voter in the 109th District, states the mail, dated May 28, from Arconti.

Esposito and his wife are staying at the Danbury house of a family friend who owns another home in Washington state and travels a lot.

It works out well for all of us because we keep an oversight over her property, he said.

Esposito has said previously that he pays utilities, but not rent.

We do help out at the house, and we do as much as possible to help her out, he said.

In Brookfield, Esposito had been elected in January 2020 as an alternate member of the Republican Town Committee for a term that would have lasted until 2022. He said he resigned from the position in September 2020.

Rose DeMarco, vice chairman of the Brookfield RTC, confirmed Esposito left the committee at that time. He is not included on a member list from November 2020 that she provided. He is on a January 2020 list of Brookfield RTC members on file with the town clerks office, but the clerk said she did not have an updated list.

Espositos wife has gone back and forth from Danbury to the Brookfield home to oversee workers as they spruce up the property before the couple sells it, he said. He expects they will put it on the market after the election. He has a close friend who is a realtor who will handle the sale.

Its a sellers market, so he anticipates selling the house will go well.

Our goals are simple, Esposito said. Were going to downsize to a nice place and get as much as we can for the sale of the home.

He and his wife will likely stay at the Candlewood Lake house at least through the winter months and then may look for another spot in Danbury, he said.

Were welcome to stay where we are for as long as we want, Esposito said.
DANBURY  United Way of Western Connecticut is launching its second annual campaign to provide complete, fully-cooked Thanksgiving dinners to families in need.

The Thanksgiving Pay-It-Forward Campaign is organized in partnership with the Amber Room Colonnade, a Danbury event venue, and started last year as a way to support families facing food insecurity during COVID-19.

The Amber Room will cook turkey, side dishes and dessert for families to pick up the day before Thanksgiving. Customers may buy a meal for their own family and donate one to others in need.

Once again, The Amber Room is truly thankful and humbled for the incredible generosity of our community, Doug Polistena, general manager of the Amber Room Colonnade, said in a statement. The past 20 months have taught us quite a lot, but perhaps the most important lesson learned is that we can truly move mountains when we all come together. It is more than just one person, one company, one organization, but rather a collaboration of many. We are proud to be a part of this campaign and look forward to providing meals to those in need.

Isabel Almeida, president of United Way of Western Connecticut, thanked the Amber Room for its involvement.

This is the time of year when we reflect on our blessings and think about paying it forward, she said in a statement. We are hoping to support at least 40 families this year and appeal to the greater Danbury community to help us make that happen. Together we can make Thanksgiving warmer for our neighbors in need.

Danbury Public Schools are identifying families for the program.

The coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout increased the need for food in the Danbury area.

In response, United Way enrolled more than 500 families in its Healthy Savings program, which has provided $130,000 in free, fresh produce and deep grocery discounts each week to participants.

The organization has helped to distribute more than 130,000 pounds of food to more than 3,000 people at Danbury High School on Saturdays during August, September, and October, in partnership with Connecticut Foodshare, Walnut Hill Community Pantry and the city of Danbury. It increased funding to local food pantries and has conducted large-scale community food drives. United Way also serves as the backbone support to the Danbury Food Collaborative, a group of pantries and food providers in the region.

Please keep in mind during this holiday season that although it may seem that things are turning a corner, there are still many who need our help, Polistena said. We thank you for your generosity and kindness and wish everyone a wonderful holiday season.

Community members are encouraged to donate from now until Friday, Nov. 19. A contribution of $175 will sponsor a meal for six to 10 people.

Donations can be made by going to https://www.uwwesternct.org/thanksgivingpayitforward or by texting AMBERROOM to 71777 (message and data rates may apply).
DANBURY  It has been a common question. One that has been asked at bars, restaurants, concerts, and hospitals, at international airline gates and increasingly, at places of employment and schools: Are you vaccinated?

When News-Times reporters asked 148 candidates running for local office this question in a survey running up to the November election, 70 candidates said they were vaccinated. Nine candidates responded saying they did not wish to answer, and the other 68 candidates did not respond at all.

Only one candidate said he was not vaccinated.

The reactions and responses to the question being asked in the first place, however, varied greatly.

One called it a witch hunt. Several said they felt uncomfortable sending vaccination cards over email  asking for the photos to be deleted immediately. A reporter was asked to share their own vaccination status. Others said it was inappropriate for reporters to ask about personal medical information.

Victor Rodriguez, chair of the legal studies and political science department at the University of New Haven, said the vaccination survey made perfect sense.

Across the country, the vaccination status of every governor has been reported on (theyre all vaccinated for COVID-19). We also know the COVID vaccination status of all living former presidents and first ladies. As of Sept. 2, 80 percent of Congress had reported on their vaccination status, according to a USA Today fact check.

Its inevitable that public officials need to have a position, Rodriguez said. It is an issue that is so important for public health and for the community in general that you need to talk about it.

This particular survey question - sent to candidates in nine Danbury area communities running for mayor/first selectman, council/board of selectman, and school boards - was screenshotted, making its way into local Facebook groups. It was picked up on by local watchdog organizations. Local political committees sent out guidance to their candidates.

One candidate, worried about sending in her vaccination card over email, sent a receipt from New York Comic Con as proof of vaccination instead.

It is highly unprecedented that a candidate for a volunteer position such as Selectman would be expected to disclose any private medical information to a news outlet and I am concerned about the precedent that sets, wrote Southbury Board of Selectman candidate, Republican Holly Sullivan, in an email to a reporter.

Brookfield petitioning candidate Austin Monteiro also said he was against requesting personal medical history and instead challenged other first selectman candidates to a physical to see who is fit to serve the town best physically and mentally at 100% capacity.

Monteiro was the only candidate of the 146 contacted who said he was not vaccinated.

Other candidates supported the survey.

Thank you for asking a great question, wrote Sue Slater, incumbent Democratic selectman candidate in Brookfield.

Danbury Republican John Esposito III encouraged vaccinations and shared his vaccine card, but said he understood why others wouldnt want to.

While Im happy to share my own vaccination status with the public, I also respect everyones right to privacy including the candidates on both sides of the aisle that do not wish to disclose their vaccination status, said Esposito, a candidate for City Council.

Answering the survey

In responses to the surveys vaccination question, some people cited HEPA and HIPA concerns (referring to, it can be assumed, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, a law that prevents the release of protected medical information by others without your consent).

The primary intent of HIPAA, however, is to help people maintain health insurance coverage when someone loses or changes their job, and the CDC says that public health activities are considered a national priority and as such, can be disclosed without authorization or permission.

An article from Harvard Health Publishing asserts outright that HIPAA rules have nothing to do with whether you can or should answer questions about your vaccination status, or any other health issue. Thats simply not what HIPAA does.

Many candidates shared freely.

I am happy to share that I have been vaccinated, responded Laura Gibbons, a Democratic candidate for the Redding Board of Education.

Other candidates said they were personally offended by the survey and questioned Hearst Connecticuts political motives.

This seems to be a gross overstep and expectation of your newspaper, wrote Republican Southbury First Selectman Jeff Manville in response to the survey. Asking an individual to send their card to a reporter is way out of line and inappropriate.

Another Southbury candidate for Board of Selectmen, Republican Greg Kuehn, called the question disappointing and offensive and said that asking for information related to his medical status was crossing a line.

A broad view of disclosure

Hearst Connecticuts survey yielded a response rate of roughly one in two candidates.

The vaccination status of the candidate, in my view, is something that voters should be entitled to know in the sense that why would someone who wants to become a public official not be OK with disclosing that kind of information? Rodriguez said. If you want to run for office, theres this need to have transparency in so many ways.

Still, some Danbury area politicians hesitancy to share their vaccination status is echoed in similar surveys across the country.

When the LA Times wrote a similar article in July, 12 legislators refused to respond. Twenty percent of Illinois lawmakers did not disclose their vaccination status in an August survey from reporters.

In Brookfield, the entire slate of Republican Town Committee-endorsed candidates said they would not respond because it was an overreach of any persons information and was not up to the Hearst Publications to collect anyones information, according to an email from a committee member.

The Danbury RTC sent out an email on Oct. 21 telling its candidates: If you want to answer the question please do and email [the reporter]. If you do NOT want to answer, just dont answer it. PLEASE: Do not engage in a back and forth. Just let it go. We gain nothing by pushing back on [the reporter], only bad press.

Hitting home

At least two candidates questioned the questions relevancy in a discussion of local affairs.

Kuehn, a Southbury selectman candidate, said instead of asking questions about vaccination status of elected officials, reporters should focus on relevant concerns.

I believe the people of Southbury would rather that the press focus on what is happening with our local finances, services, schools and other relevant concerns and would ask that you refrain from politicizing the pandemic, Kuehn wrote.

Rodriguez, the UNH professor, disagreed with this assessment of the relevancy of vaccines in local governance, but agrees that vaccines shouldnt be viewed as a political or ideological issue, even though conversations have trended in that direction.

He added that if people are trying to get elected to a public office, having a position on vaccines and a plan on how to handle the pandemic would be inevitable.

Indeed, local school boards in the Danbury area have been unable to execute their meetings, at times, due to vaccine and anti-mask-related interruptions. Staff has been placed on leaves of absence in Danbury schools for not following vaccination or testing rules, and similar issues with state employees mandated to get a vaccine or submit to weekly testing have led Gov. Ned Lamont to fire workers for noncompliance.

In early August, two breakthrough virus cases discovered inside Brookfields Town Hall led first Selectman Steve Dunn to mandate masks in the building.

Rodriguez pointed out that the term public health crisis means that the issue extends beyond the health outcome of a single person to affect things like jobs, the economy, and local infrastructure.

It impacts every aspect of everyday life. And local government at the municipal level, at the town level, is the government that has to deal with the everyday life of the residents of a community, he said. It cannot be looked at as simply a health issue.
KENAI, Alaska (AP)  An impromptu fundraiser to allow an Alaska library to purchase books amid cries of censorship has twice surpassed its goal.

The fund was established after the Kenai City Council delayed accepting a grant until the library director provide a list of the books that would be purchased with the money.

The council voted Oct. 20 to postpone action that would have accepted a grant to buy library materials related to health and wellness, including mental health, suicide prevention, self-care and reference books about Medicare and Medicaid, the Peninsula Clarion reported.

The council asked Kenai Community Library Director Katja Wolfe to provide an inventory of proposed purchases to be funded by the Collection Equity Award grant, from Region 5 of the Network of the National Library of Medicine. Some council members voiced concerns about the request, with one saying it could be viewed as censorship and another calling it a slippery slope.

Two Kenai Peninsula residents, Sovala Kisena and Todd Smith, organized the crowdsourcing page to both raise funds for the library and act as a positive response to the councils action.

Its the definition of censorship  and it bothered me, Smith said.

The goal was $1,500, which would match the amount of the grant. They hit that in three hours. They upped the goal to $5,000, which was also surpassed. The account stood at $6,752 as of Wednesday morning.

Its good to see the community come together on a topic thats important, Kisena said.

Before the council voted to postpone action at the Oct. 20 meeting, one resident questioned whether any of the books that would be purchased would be about the coronavirus, the Clarion reported at the time.

Are there any COVID titles? asked Sharon Efta, of Kenai.

Wolfe replied she didnt have a complete list of titles yet, but what she did have didnt include any COVID-19 titles.

I think its irresponsible to just blanket rubber stamp something that you dont know anything about, Efta then told council members.

Dave Peck of Kenai said he took particular issue with the term equity, used in the name of the award and asked if the grant would be enhancing some sort of a federal agenda  which would not necessarily represent the views of the people of Kenai.

I think equity can create division, Peck said.

Council member Teea Winger said she was concerned about the funding of the grant, and member Jim Glendenning asked whether they could postpone accepting the grant until the council could see an inventory of the proposed purchases.

Wolfe said the final grant report was due by May, but she had hoped to purchase books by the end of November.

Multiple people voiced concerns about the council waiting for a list of books before voting on the grant.

Council member Henry Knackstedt called the move a slippery slope, adding what titles would be purchased was not pertinent to him.

Council member Glenese Pettey said its important that resources available in the library are not censored.

Making sure that we have books that represent different points of view in our library and not censoring information and protecting our freedom of speech and freedom of access is highly important, Pettey said.

Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander said the library received $59,000 last year to buy books at its discretion, and Wolfe consistently looks for ways to make more books available to residents.

I wanted you to know that theres already every year over $60,000 worth of books that she purchases, Ostrander said. And I do think that looking at each one of those title by title and determining which are not appropriate is a very slippery slope that we need to be careful of.

New council members elected in October will be seated at the Nov. 3 meeting, meaning the measure would have to be reintroduced, Kenai Deputy Clerk Meghan Thibodeau said.

Any funds raised through the crowdsourcing site will be given to the Friends of the Kenai Community Library, which can then donate the money to the library. Ostrander said the council will still need to approve the transfer of funds to the library.

Among those who donated were Ostrander, Pettey, Knackstedt, Kenai City Clerk Jamie Heinz and former Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Mike Navarre.
CHICAGO (AP) 

When the discovery of more than two dozen bodies stashed under John Wayne Gacy's house near Chicago was making headlines all over the world in the late 1970s, Francis Wayne Alexander's family in New York didn't think much of it. The way they saw it, Alexander had cut off communication with them because he wanted to be left alone.

Then came news this month that for more than 40 years, the man they knew as Wayne was known as Victim #5 in the city where he had gone to start a new life. They were told that DNA tests on the remains of one of the half-dozen unidentified victims of the notorious serial killer were Alexander's.

They just loved him, but they thought that he wanted nothing more to do with them, so thats why there was never a missing persons report, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said at a news conference Monday announcing the latest victim identification.

Though Dart said Alexander's mother and other relatives didn't want to speak publicly about his identification as a Gacy victim, Alexander's sister, Carolyn Sanders, made clear that the family never stopped thinking of what might have become of him.

It is hard, even 45 years later, to know the fate of our beloved Wayne, Sanders wrote in a statement released by Dart's office. He was killed at the hands of a vile and evil man. Our hearts are heavy, and our sympathies go out to the other victims families. ... We can now lay to rest what happened and move forward by honoring Wayne.

Alexander's remains were among 26 sets that police found in the crawl space under Gacy's home just outside the city. Three other victims were found buried on Gacy's property and another four people whom Gacy admitted killing were found in waterways south of Chicago.

Eight victims, including Alexander, were buried before police could determine who they were. But Dart's office exhumed the eight sets of remains in 2011 and called on anyone who had a male relative disappear in the Chicago area in the 1970s, when Gacy was trolling for victims, to submit DNA.

Within weeks, the sheriff's office announced that it had identified one set of remains as those of William Bundy, a 19-year-old construction worker. In 2017, it identified a second set as those of 16-year-old Jimmy Haakenson, who disappeared after he phoned his mother in Minnesota and told her that he was in Chicago.

Dart and Lt. Jason Moran shared what they knew about Alexander. Born in North Carolina, he and his family moved to New York, where he eventually got married before moving to Chicago in 1975, where he soon divorced.

The last known records of Alexander's life were traffic tickets he received, the last of which came in January 1976. Unlike many victims who were lured to Gacy's home with the promise that he'd get them construction work, Alexander worked in bars and clubs and there was no record of him working in construction or having made contact with Gacy.

But Alexander did live in an area that Gacy frequented and that was where some Gacy's other victims had lived, including Bundy.

Unlike with Bundy and Haakenson, who were identified because family members heeded Dart's 2011 call for the public to submit DNA, Alexander was identified through a partnership between the sheriff's office and the DNA Doe Project. The nonprofit compared Victim #5's DNA profile to profiles on a genealogy website to find potential relatives. That led it to Alexander's family, and Alexander's mother and half-brother provided their DNA for comparison.

Between the genetic testing, financial records, post-mortem reports and other information, investigators were able to confirm that the remains were Alexander's. They were able to get a general sense of when he was killed because they knew when the victim who was buried on top of him went missing.

Dart and Moran said the department might be able to use the method used to identify Alexander to identify scores of other people in the county who died and were buried anonymously.

This is one of the newest investigative tools for investigations of missing and unidentified persons, Moran said.

Dart declined to give Alexander's hometown, saying the family hasn't said if it wants to have his remains returned to it or to keep them where they've been buried for all these years.

In its news release, the sheriff's office thanked the police department in Erwin, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Raleigh, for its help.

The submission of DNA from people who suspected Gacy might have killed their loved ones has helped police solve at least 11 cold cases of homicides that had nothing to do with Gacy, who was executed in 1994. It has also helped families find loved ones who while missing, were alive, including a man in Oregon who had no idea his family was looking for him.

___

This story was first published on Oct. 25. It was updated on Oct. 26 to correct that Alexander's family was living in New York by the time Gacy was arrested in 1978, not in North Carolina.
BOSTON (AP)  A 48-foot white spruce has been chosen to serve a Bostons next Christmas tree and will soon begin its trek from Nova Scotia as part of a decades-old tradition.

This years tree is being donated by LArche Cape Breton, a nonprofit that provides homes and work for people with disabilities. The 60-year-old tree sits on the nonprofits property on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, and will be cut down during a Nov. 10 ceremony.
ROME (AP)  The leaders of Russia and China arent coming. Turkey nearly set off a diplomatic incident on the eve of the meeting. And the United States, Australia and France will be at the same table for the first time since Washington pulled the rug out from under Paris $66 billion submarine deal Down Under.

A Group of 20 summit scheduled for this weekend in Rome - the first in-person gathering of leaders of the worlds biggest economies since the COVID-19 pandemic started - is not business as usual. Thats especially true since as soon as the event ends, a bigger United Nations summit devoted to climate change begins in Glasgow, Scotland.

In many ways, the two-day G-20 meeting is serving as a Roman holiday preamble to the 12-day Glasgow summit, with the climate dossier taking center stage at the new Nuvola (Cloud) convention center in the Italian capital's Fascist-era EUR neighborhood.

Some of the participating presidents and prime ministers met at a COVID-focused Group of Seven summit in July, and some passed one another in the U.N. hallways during the General Assembly in New York last month. But this is the first time the leaders of countries that account for 75% of global trade and 60% of the world's population will be meeting as a group after nearly two years of virus-induced lockdowns.

While economic recovery is a top agenda item, host Italy hopes the leaders will set a shared, mid-century deadline to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and explore a commitment to reduce methane emissions as well.

The United Nations and climate activists also want the G-20 countries to fulfill their longtime pledges of providing $100 billion a year in climate aid to help poor nations cope with the impacts of global warming.

G-20 members are responsible for over 80% of global emissions. So there is a responsibility when they come together as a group to think about the promise of $100 billion in annual climate financing that is not being met, said Renata Dwan, deputy director of the international affairs think tank Chatham House.

But what can be achieved if the leader of China, the worlds No. 1 carbon polluter and No. 2 economy, doesnt show up in Rome?

President Xi Jinping, who hasnt left China since early 2020, is expected to participate remotely, as is Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador also isn't coming and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hasnt confirmed his presence due to a weekend national election.

The absence of Xi and Putin sends a signal that Europe should note in particular, said Massimo Franco, international affairs columnist for Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera.

If China doesnt come to Rome, if Russia -- which has a lot of energy to sell to Europe -- doesnt join the G-20, I think that this G-20 will be a confirmation of European fragility from the energetic point of view, Franco said.

Last months announcement of a U.S.-British deal to sell nuclear-power submarines to Australia illustrated Europes geopolitical vulnerability. The deal scuttled France's $66 billion deal to sell French-made diesel-powered submarines to Australia, and led an French government to take the unprecedented action of recalling its ambassadors to the U.S. and Australia.

U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron have spoken twice by telephone since the tiff and are expected to meet privately in Rome. Macron is aiming to secure U.S. backing for the establishment of a stronger European defense, complementary to NATO and contributing to global security, the presidential Elysee Palace said.

Macron has not spoken with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison since France's submarine sale went south, however, and it's not clear if the two will meet in Rome.

Carlo Altomonte, a professor of European economics at Milans Bocconi University, said the U.S.-British-Australian deal was clear evidence of shifting strategic priorities and attention to the Indo-Pacific region to counter Chinas increased assertiveness, in this case at the expense of Washingtons traditional European allies.

This in a way obliges the European Union to decide, autonomously, a series of local geopolitical questions at the G-20 level and beyond that until now had long included Washington as the heavyweight partner, Altomonte said.

Turkey, one of the G-20 members, was in a position to cast a pall over the upcoming meeting when it threatened last week to expel the ambassadors of 10 Western nations over their support for a jailed activist. Four of the threatened envoys hailed from G-20 nations Germany, France, Canada and the U.S.

The G-20 also include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the European Union. Spain holds a permanent guest seat.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi, who helped save the euro with his now-famous promise to do whatever it takes, will have his hands full trying to steer the meeting to nudge some solid climate commitments ahead of Glasgow while negotiating a new era for European multilateralism.

Not whatever it takes, but I think hell try to point to the strategic points for Europe, and how Europe can play a role in this mess, newspaper columnist Franco said.

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Sylvie Corbet in Paris, and AP correspondents around the world contributed.

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Follow AP's climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  A man who police say is a person of interest in a Hartford homicide opened fire into the driver's side window of a city police cruiser early Tuesday and narrowly missed the officer inside, authorities said.

The officer, who has not been named, was patrolling the citys North End at about 1:30 a.m. when the man approached her cruiser, authorities said. As they were talking, the man pulled a gun and shot at her, police said.
HOUSTON (AP)  The three abandoned brothers were thin, malnourished and hungry, living alone for months with no blankets to keep them warm inside an unfurnished Houston area apartment with soiled carpet, flies and roaches. The trio were barely surviving, abandoned and set adrift alongside the decomposing body of their 8-year-old brother.

Authorities on Wednesday alleged these were the deplorable conditions the children lived in for months as they waited for their mother to call authorities to report that their brother had been beaten to death by her boyfriend. Investigators say the mother never made that call and the oldest surviving sibling, a 15-year-old, finally overcame his fear and called authorities on Sunday.

For many agency veterans it was the most disturbing scene they worked in their entire law enforcement career. It seemed too horrific to be real, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said at a news conference on Wednesday, a day after charges were filed in the case.

The childrens mother, Gloria Y. Williams, 35, was charged on Tuesday with felony injury to a child by omission and tampering with evidence (human corpse). Her boyfriend, Brian W. Coulter, 31, was charged with murder. Both remained jailed. Court records did not list attorneys for them who could speak on their behalf. Authorities say they could face additional charges.

Deputies found the 15-year-old and two other siblings, ages 10 and 7, living alone in the apartment, Gonzalez said. Authorities also found the skeletal remains of 8-year-old Kendrick Lee underneath a blanket in a bedroom.

The 15-year-old told authorities his parents had moved out of the apartment in March, according to court records.

Williams and Coulter had been together for a couple of years and Coulter at some point allegedly began to consistently beat the younger children, said Harris County Sheriffs Office Sgt. Dennis Wolfford.

Authorities allege that sometime around Thanksgiving last year, Coulter fatally beat Kendrick, later covering his body with a blanket.

The 7-and 10-year-old siblings told investigators they witnessed Coulter use his fists and feet to hit Kendrick on his face, feet, buttocks, back, legs and testicles, according to court records.

Brian Coulter continued to stare at (Kendrick) as he kicked him. (The 7-year-old) said (Kendricks) eyes were black and he stopped blinking during the assault. (The 7-year-old) said they pulled back the covers and saw (Kendrick) was really dead and saw roaches everywhere on him, according to court records.

Wolfford said a few months after the fatal beating, Williams and Coulter moved out and went to live at another apartment about 25 minutes away, leaving the three surviving siblings to fend for themselves. The children last attended school in May 2020, according to the Alief school district.

Gonzalez said that Williams provided the children with some food, either by a delivery service or by dropping it off. But it was mostly junk food like noodles, chips and soft drinks, he said. Authorities say it was not enough food for the children and some neighbors also fed them and charged a cellphone for them. But neighbors were unaware of the conditions the children were living in.

One of the first things I asked them, are they hungry. They said they were ... They wanted doughnuts, Wolfford said of his conversation with the children after authorities found them.

Wolfford said investigators believe the younger children were not allowed to leave the apartment and they continued to live in constant fear of beatings from Coulter. Authorities allege Coulter punched the 10-year-old child in the jaw a few weeks before the body was discovered and that neither he nor Williams got the child any sort of medical care. The childs injured jaw will require surgery, Wolfford said.

Throughout this, the children continued to live by themselves in an apartment where they saw their brothers decomposing remains, which were in plain view, Gonzalez said.

Before her arrest, Williams told investigators she didnt tell authorities what had happened to Kendrick because Coulter told her not to and she was afraid she would go to jail and her children would be taken away by Child Protective Services, according to court records.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services has been given temporary custody of the three children.

Two of the children might be on the autism spectrum, Gonzalez said.

Wolfford described the surviving siblings as sweet children, but that they have been traumatized and have a blankness in the eyes.

My prayer is that the remaining children find the love, support and protection that they so desperately need and deserve and that they have been missing for so long. And I hope that their future is better than their past, Gonzalez said.

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Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
Funding from the Ontario government will accelerate the development, testing and adoption of an innovative training approach for nurses and personal support workers

TORONTO, Oct. 26, 2021 /CNW/ - An investment of $1.2 million by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) in the LIPHA program will enable long-term care homes and postsecondary education institutions in Ontario to provide personalized, on-demand training for existing health care professionals and students considering a career in the field.

The Learning Inter-Professionally Healthcare Accelerator is a simulation, coaching and community platform that provides a virtual space with simulated cases and a serious educational game for PSWs and nurses in the long-term care sector and students enrolled in healthcare programs to practice caring for virtual residents. (CNW Group/Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation) Minister Jill Dunlop, Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities, visiting CABHIs Innovation Showcase and members of the LIPHA team. (L  R): Stacey Guy, Faith Boutcher, Jenna Pirmohamed, Matthew Goulbourne, Minister Jill Dunlop, David Conn, Shusmita Rashid, Daniel Galessiere. (CNW Group/Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation)

The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest, in collaboration with the Ontario Centres for Learning, Research, and Innovation (CLRI) in Long-Term Care at Baycrest and the Kunin-Lunenfeld Centre for Applied Research and Evaluation within Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute, has rapidly mobilized LIPHA, an innovative and effective virtual simulation-based learning platform to enhance the onboarding and training of a skilled workforce in the seniors' care sector. LIPHA was initially developed by Ontario CLRI at Baycrest, George Brown College, and Launch 57.

LIPHA's game-based design and immersive learning approaches, including the use of virtual simulations, help learners to not only develop foundational knowledge on long-term care (LTC) best practices, safety, and teamwork but also to apply their learning by practicing providing care to realistic, simulated LTC residents. Learners also receive instant feedback to help foster skills, attitudes and behaviours that support person-centered and relational care.

CABHI's Leap platform, which connects diverse communities of older adults, innovators, and system partners, was instrumental in ensuring that LIPHA meets the needs and preferences of its ultimate beneficiaries - LTC clients and those who care for them. LIPHA learning scenarios have been refined based on the direct input of Leap members and ongoing engagement with Leap helps ensure that LIPHA is designed, delivered, and scaled up in a way that is informed by the lived experiences of diverse communities of older adults. Future iterations will expand the use of the Leap platform to host simulation activities to further optimize the learning experiences of nurses and PSWs.

"As a result of COVID-19, long term care is facing staff shortages unlike any we've seen before. We urgently need more frontline staff working to directly care for these most vulnerable members of society," said Dr. Allison Sekuler, Managing Director, CABHI and the Rotman Research Institute (RRI), and Sandra A. Rotman Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Vice-President of Research, Baycrest. "Moving forward in and beyond this pandemic requires new approaches to skill building, re-skilling, and up-skilling within the profession, including novel ways of attracting more students to consider frontline health care work. We are thrilled that CABHI and the RRI are helping play such a critical role in the development, validation, and mobilization of LIPHA  supporting training for LTC staff to help all older Ontarians live their best possible lives."

"The Ontario Centres for Learning, Research and Innovation at Baycrest and our partners are excited to offer long-term care team members and students an easy to access, high quality virtual training solution to ensure residents receive excellence in care," said Dr. David Conn MB, FRCPC Vice President, Education, Baycrest. "Closing the skills gap in long-term care requires an innovative approach to make progress quickly. LIPHA's applicability with existing and prospective frontline healthcare workers, and its gamified and self-directed approach allows learners to become more engaged with their training yielding benefits like better retention, which leads to better care."

"I'd like to congratulate CABHI and its partners on developing the LIPHA program," said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. "This innovative app is a flexible and valuable training tool to increase the skills of both current and future health care professionals. As Ontario takes action to increase training, recruitment and retention of health care workers in the long-term care sector, I encourage all long-term care homes and postsecondary education institutions in Ontario to consider adopting LIPHA and making it a part of their existing training and orientation processes."

The MCU's funding has enabled CABHI to support Ontario-based LTC homes and education institutions with adopting LIPHA and integrating the platform with their existing orientation processes to accelerate training for PSWs and nurses. LIPHA has the potential to reach up to 80,000 long-term care staff members and up to 70,000 students enrolled in health care programs in Ontario universities and colleges.

CABHI gratefully acknowledges the support of its funders, the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, the Government of Canada through the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Baycrest Foundation.

Learn more about LIPHA here.

About the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI)



A solution accelerator for the aging and brain health sector, CABHI provides funding and support to innovators for the development, testing, and dissemination of new ideas and technologies that address unmet brain health and seniors' care needs. Established in 2015, it is the result of the largest investment in brain health and aging in Canadian history. CABHI is a unique collaboration of health care, science, industry, not-for-profit and government partners whose aim is to help improve quality of life for the world's aging population, allowing older adults to age safely in the setting of their choice while maintaining their cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being.

About Baycrest

Baycrest is a global leader in research, innovation, education and care for older adults, with a special focus on brain health and aging. Baycrest is home to a robust research and innovation network,including one of the world's top research institutes in cognitive neuroscience, the Rotman Research Institute; the scientific headquarters of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging, Canada's largest national dementia research initiative; and the Baycrest-powered Centre for Aging + BrainHealth Innovation, a solution accelerator focused on driving innovation in the aging and brainhealth sector. Baycrest helps aging adults assess, monitor, maintain and enhance cognition through an innovative portfolio of evidence-based products and services offered through its brain health company, Cogniciti. Fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, Baycrest provides excellent care for older adults combined with an extensive clinical training program for the next generation of healthcare professionals. Through these initiatives, Baycrest has remained at the forefront of the fight to defeat dementia as the organization works to help individuals fear no age and create a world where every older adult enjoys a life of purpose, inspiration and fulfilment. Founded in 1918 as the Toronto Jewish Old Folks Home, Baycrest continues to embrace the long-standing tradition of all great Jewish healthcare institutions to improve the well-being of people in their local communities and around the globe. For more information about Baycrest, visit baycrest.org or visit FearNoAge.com for more information about our brand.

About Ontario CLRI

The Ontario Centres for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care (CLRI) strengthen quality of life and care for residents across the province. The Ontario CLRI is mandated by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Long-Term Care to be a resource for the sector by providing education and sharing research and innovations to enhance the health and well-being of people who live and work in long-term care. Find out more at clri-ltc.ca.

Connect with CABHI:

Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Newsletter | Website

SOURCE Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation

For further information: Media Contacts: Jacqueline Baptist, Senior Marketing Specialist, CABHI, 416.881.1224, [email protected]; Andy Levy-Ajzenkopf, Writer and Content Specialist, Marketing & Communications, Baycrest, 416-785-2500 ext. 5527, [email protected]
According to her, Hinduism is her religion of choice because it has intimacy with the Balinese people, CNN Indonesia reported.

Daughter of the first Indonesian president Sukarno, Sukmawati Sukarnoputri, on Tuesday converted to Hinduism or Sudhi Wadani on her 70th birthday, Indonesian news portal Detiknews reported. Expressing her view over conversion, Sukmawati said the thought of converting to Hinduism began after her husband died. According to her, Hinduism is her religion of choice because it has intimacy with the Balinese people, according to CNN Indonesia.

Sukmawati is the third daughter of Sukarno and the younger sister of former President Megawati Sukarnoputri. Earlier, CNN Indonesia had reported that she would convert from Islam to Hinduism in a ceremony on 26 October. In 2018, hardline Islamic groups filed a blasphemy complaint against Sukmawati Sukarnoputri, accusing her of reciting a poem insulting Islam.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the daughter of Indonesias former President had apologised. Islam is the largest religion in Indonesia. The Southeast Asian nation has probably the largest Muslim population in the world.
The Senators said that while they shared the administration's concern regarding the purchase and the continued Indian integration of Russian equipment, such transactions between New Delhi and Moscow were declining.

Two US Senators have urged President Joe Biden to waive Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions against India for buying military arms from Russia. US Senators and India Caucus Co-Chairs Mark Warner and John Cornyn sent a letter to President Biden encouraging him to waive CAATSA sanctions against India. India signed a USD 5.43-billion deal with Russia for the purchase of five S-400 surface to air missile systems during the 19th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit in New Delhi on October 5, 2019, for long-term security needs.



Washington had indicated that the Russian S-400 systems may trigger CAATSA sanctions. While India has taken significant steps to reduce its purchases of Russian military equipment, it has a long history of purchasing arms from the Soviet Union, and later Russia. In 2018, India formally agreed to purchase Russian S-400 Triumf air-defence systems after having signed an initial agreement with Russia two years prior. We are concerned that the upcoming transfer of these systems will trigger sanctions under the CAATSA, which was enacted to hold Russia accountable for its malign behaviour, the letter read.

The Senators said that while they shared the administrations concern regarding the purchase and the continued Indian integration of Russian equipment, such transactions between New Delhi and Moscow were declining. As such, we strongly encourage you to grant a CAATSA waiver to India for its planned purchase of the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system. In cases where granting a waiver would advance the national security interests of the U.S., this waiver authority, as written into the law by Congress, allows the President additional discretion in applying sanctions, they wrote. We share your concerns regarding the purchase and the continued Indian integration of Russian equipment, even with these declining sales. We would encourage your administration to continue reinforcing this concern to Indian officials, and engaging with them constructively to continue supporting alternatives to their purchasing Russian equipment, the senators added.
BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP)  A Kansas sheriffs deputy caught on dashcam video running over a Black man who was fleeing shirtless across a field is now working at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility while under criminal investigation, according to the attorney for the injured man.

Lionel Womack, a former police detective from Kansas City, Kansas, alleges in an excessive force lawsuit filed last year that Kiowa County Sheriffs Deputy Jeremy Rodriguez intentionally drove over him during the Aug. 15, 2020, incident that was captured on dashcam video. Womack says he sustained serious injuries to his back, pelvis, and right thigh, knee and foot.

In a court filing responding to the lawsuit, Rodriguez denied he intentionally swerved his truck to run over Womack. The deputy said he learned later that Womack did not possess a weapon.

Attorney Michael Kuckelman, who represents Womack, wrote in a letter Tuesday to Kansas Secretary of Corrections Jefferey Zmuda and Warden Dan Schnurr that he was shocked to learn in a deposition that they would employ Rodriguez, who works as a master sergeant at the facility.

Kuckelman encouraged them to discuss the ongoing criminal investigations with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

William Townsley, who represents the deputy, told The Associated Press in an email Wednesday that Kuckelman's letter, which was copied to the press, was perhaps an effort to sway opinion and said it's intended to harangue" Rodriguez. He added that it also seems to be an effort to influence state officials, saying they "anticipate that the Secretary and Warden will not be intimidated by his bluster.

A spokesman for the state Department of Corrections said in an email that they are trying to determine the departments position on this and will follow up at a more appropriate time.

Rodriguez testified in his deposition that he was asked by the Department of Corrections to work at the Hutchinson prison, despite the fact that he remains under criminal investigation and is on administrative suspension from the Kiowa County Sheriff's Office, according to Kuckelman's letter. He testified that the decision to allow him to work at the prison was made by Zmuda and Schnurr.

Kuckelman in his letter urged them to review the videos of Rodriguez running down Womack, and to consider whether it's appropriate to have him responsible for supervising prisoners and other prison guards.

"Master Sergeant Rodriguez has been employed by at least 15 different law enforcement agencies and multiple jails/prisons," Kuckelman wrote. It is time to weed Master Sergeant out of all forms of law enforcement and cease covering or overlooking his misconduct as a law enforcement officer.

But Townsley countered that Rodriguez has worked for the Department of Corrections for nearly 13 years, while also working part-time for other law enforcement entities. He said there is nothing new nor nefarious about this practice in law enforcement, particularly given the current shortage of corrections officers across the state.

Rodriguez has not been disciplined or terminated by any previous employer, he said.
TOKYO (AP)  The defense for former Nissan executive Greg Kelly said Wednesday there was no evidence or motives linking him to alleged under-reporting of his ex-boss Carlos Ghosns compensation.

Kellys chief defense lawyer, Yoichi Kitamura, said in wrapping up the defenses arguments that Kelly is innocent and he had no knowledge of the complex calculations over Ghosns unpaid remuneration, tabulated and updated by Nissan Motor Co. secretariat official Toshiaki Ohnuma.

Kitamura told the Tokyo District Court prosecutors had presented no evidence of exchanges about Ghosns compensation between Kelly and Ohnuma.

Kelly was not involved at all, Kitamura said.

Kelly, who sat quietly with the defense lawyers wearing his usual red tie and dark suit, pleaded innocent at the opening of the trial a year ago. In closing remarks, he reiterated he had been just trying to find legal ways to pay Ghosn after retirement.

I was not involved in a criminal conspiracy, and I am not guilty of any crime, Kelly said, standing before the panel of three judges at the end of the session.

Reading from a statement, he said he always consulted Nissan lawyers to make sure all efforts to retain Ghosn were legal and acted in the company's best interests.

I believe that the court will reach the same conclusion as the defense after a fair review of the relevant evidence in this case, he said.

Earlier in the daylong session, Kitamura, known for winning acquittals in a nation with a conviction rate higher than 99%, argued there was "no motive at all for Kelly to carry out such an illegal act.

Greg Kelly is a lawyer. Even if he had wanted to prevent Carlos Ghosn from leaving, would he have committed a crime? said Kitamura.

Kelly, an American, was in semi-retirement in the U.S. when Nissan lured him back to Japan, on the pretext of attending a meeting. He was arrested in November 2018, at the same time as Ghosn. But Ghosn jumped bail and fled to Lebanon in late 2019. Lebanon does not have an extradition treaty with Japan.

At the center of the case is a 1 billion yen ($9 million) a year pay cut Ghosn voluntarily took, starting in 2009, when disclosure of big executive salaries became legally required in Japan. Ghosn was worried about a public backlash as hefty executive pay packages are not common in Japan.

Prosecutors say that money, totaling about 9 billion yen ($80 million) should have been reported as compensation even though it was never paid or stipulated in a formal contract.

In wrapping up their arguments last month, prosecutors demanded two years in prison for Kelly. A verdict is not expected until March.

Critics of Japan's judicial system have blasted the cases against Ghosn and Kelly as hostage justice."

Ghosn told The Associated Press in a recent interview he believes there was a conspiracy, concocted by officials at Nissan who feared greater control by French alliance partner Renault.

Greg is paying the price of his honesty and his being straightforward, Ghosn said of Kelly. He is the only person who isnt lying in the process.

After Wednesday's session, Kelly told reporters he had not spoken with Ghosn, but he loved Nissan and he wasn't going to worry about the verdict.

I know what happened. Others know what happened. Weve got documents that show what happened. And there was no crime. So ultimately, you know, my family or my friends, they know me. They know who I am. So what do I care about the rest? I mean, they know I didnt commit a crime," he said.

In a sign that Kelly is gaining support back home, Rahm Emanuel, former Chicago mayor, President Joe Biden's nominee for ambassador to Japan, told a Senate committee confirmation hearing last week that looking into Kellys case was a top priority.

The No. 1 responsibility of an embassy and an ambassador is to make sure the safety, and ensure the safety, of a U.S. citizen on foreign soil, he said in response to a question from Republic Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, the state where Kelly lived before his arrest.

You have my word, Emanuel said.

Hagerty, ambassador to Japan until mid-2019, said Kellys human rights were violated, and his name should be cleared.

Nissan, the automaker behind the Leaf electric car and Infiniti luxury models, did not fight charges in the same trial as a corporate entity.

Separately, two Americans extradited from the U.S. on charges of helping Ghosn escape Japan were convicted in July. Michael Taylor was sentenced to two years in prison. His son Peter Taylor was sentenced to a year and eight months.

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Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
SEATTLE (AP)  After Bryan Kangs son was born in July, the occupational therapist and his wife, a teacher, started looking for child care in the Los Angeles area. The couple called eight day care centers: Some didn't have spots for months; others stopped taking their calls and some never answered at all.

So with no viable options, Kang scrambled to find a new job that would allow him to work remotely.

I told my manager, Hey, by the end of the month, I have to transition out," Kang said. "They were very supportive and very understanding because theyre all mothers. But now theres one less body to see patients.

Kang said he's fortunate he found a job teaching online classes, but the unexpected career pivot forced him to take an 11% pay cut.

The truth is, even if he could find a day care spot for his now 3-month-old son, the $2,500 monthly cost of infant care is so high that taking a lower-paying job so he can work from home and care for the baby is the most financially sensible thing to do.

The child care business has for years operated in a broken, paradoxical market: low wages for workers and high costs for consumers. Yet the critical service somehow managed to limp along.

Now, the pandemic has made clear what many experts had long warned: The absence of reliable and affordable child care limits which jobs people can accept, makes it harder to climb the corporate ladder and ultimately restricts the ability of the broader economy to grow.

Early learning is no longer seen as just a womens issue or a childrens issue. Its really seen as an economic issue. Its about workforce participation, said Mario Cardona, policy chief for Child Care Aware of America. Its about employers who dont have to worry about whether theyll be able to rely upon employees.

Child Care Aware estimates 9% of licensed child care programs have permanently closed since the pandemic began, based on its tally of nearly 16,000 shuttered centers and in-home day cares in 37 states between December 2019 and March 2021.

Now, each teacher resignation, coronavirus exposure and day care closure reveals an industry on the brink, with wide-reaching implications for an entire economys workforce.

The national crisis has forced many people  mostly women  to leave their jobs, reshaping the child care crisis as not just a problem for parents of young children, but also anyone who depends on them. It has contributed to a labor shortage, which in turn has hurt businesses and made it more difficult for customers to access goods and services.

The decisions we make about the availability of child care today will shape the U.S. macroeconomy for decades to come by influencing who returns to work, what types of jobs parents take and the career path they are able to follow, said Betsey Stevenson, an economist at the University of Michigan.

President Joe Biden has pledged an unprecedented burst of federal spending in hopes of fixing the child care market. At a recent town hall in Baltimore, he assured parents they would not have to pay more than 7% of your income for child care. Federal money would go directly to care centers to cover costs in excess of the 7% cap. This means the median U.S. family earning $86,372 would pay $6,046 annually for child care.

Bidens plan also includes universal pre-kindergarten, which could further reduce child care expenses for families. The expanded monthly payments from the child tax credit approved in Bidens $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package would be extended for another year. The president also proposed increasing the size of a tax credit for the cost of child care, all of which should help improve access for families.

The Congressional Budget Office has yet to score the costs as the measures are still being negotiated ahead of Bidens departure Thursday for the G-20 conference in Rome. But Donald Schneider, a former chief economist for the House Ways and Means Committee who now works for the consultancy Cornerstone Macro, estimates the child care and pre-kindergarten support would cost $465 billion over 10 years. The one-year price-tag of the expanded child tax credit would be around $120 billion. The credit would cost an additional $940 billion if renewed for nine more years.

It remains to be seen what survives in the brutal negotiations in Congress for Biden's broad family services agenda, but the pandemic is proving to be a make-or-break catalyst for the future of the child care industry.

At Forever Young Daycare in the Seattle suburb of Mountlake Terrace, Amy McCoy is burning out fast.

She's spent half of this year trying to hire a new assistant for her in-home child care, but until then, the former public school teacher works 50 hours a week caring for children herself, and more doing the cooking, cleaning and administrative work needed to run her business.

At what point is my day care more important than my own family?" McCoy asked.

One of McCoy's assistants, who worked there for five years, quit the $19-an-hour job in April for a $35-an-hour job nannying. McCoy has posted the opening for an entry-level assistant on Indeed and Facebook, offering $16 per hour  nearly 20% more than the state minimum wage. She's gotten few responses and all turned her down over pay, making hiring impossible without a tuition increase.

Nobody wants to work for what I can afford to pay right now, McCoy said. I absolutely believe these are $20-an-hour employees, but I hate that, most likely, I will have to raise tuition."

The U.S. Treasury Department noted in a September report that child care workers earn on average $24,230. More than 15% of the industrys workers live below the poverty line in 41 states and half need public assistance. The sector has high levels of turnover, with 26% to 40% leaving their job each year. Nor is there much room to give among child care centers that tend to operate on profits of 1% or less.

In nearby Edmonds, Briana McFadden shuttered her business, Cocoon Child Care Center, last month due to the stress of the pandemic, though McFadden thinks she would have stayed open if there were government subsidies to stabilize the industry.

In 12 years in business, McFadden said she never raised tuition and was the rare day care in the affluent northern Seattle suburbs to accept low-income families on a state subsidy. In pre-pandemic times, Cocoon employed seven people to care for 37 children. Now McFadden plans to open a convenience store.

It really wasnt worth it to continue, McFadden said, her voice quivering with emotion. Day care is a hard business.

Tatum Russells livelihood depended as much on McFaddens day care as the restaurant that employs her to hand-bread seafood.

During a COVID-19-related day care closure in August, the single mom could only stitch together help from relatives for some of the time. Russell ultimately had to miss four days of work.

Its been a nightmare, and its not over, Russell said.

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Boak reported from Washington, D.C.
WEST HAVEN  Former state Rep. Michael DiMassa  arrested last week on federal wire fraud charges related to use of federal COVID funds  allegedly claimed on invoices he submitted to the city that a company he formed that received $636,000 in federal money was involved in lobbying activities.

The documents do not specify who would have done the lobbying for DiMassas Compass Investment Group LLC and federal authorities allege none of the work for which invoices were submitted was done, and state law also prohibits any member of the General Assembly from acting as a lobbyist.

According to city documents obtained by the New Haven Register, the company DiMassa, 30, and a second person, formed in January, Compass Investment Group LLC, submitted tens of thousands of dollars of invoices for what was claimed to be lobbying activities on a multiple occasions, among other claimed work. The total submitted for lobbying was more than $100.000, records show.

Finance Director Frank Cieplinski did not respond to requests for comment on why the city would be willing to pay for purported lobbying services during the pandemic. City Corporation Counsel Lee Tiernan, for whom DiMassa also worked, declined to comment.

But Mayor Nancy Rossi, asked about the charges Tuesday, said, We wouldnt need them to lobby for anything.

Unbelievable, she said. Unbelievable  it just gets worse and worse and worse. Thats why I cant wait for them to complete the audits. ... To the best of my knowledge, I have no idea what we would need a lobbyist for.

It is amazing that he (allegedly) did this, Rossi said. Hopefully the investigation will be swift. ... Itll be better for West Haven once its over. People keep asking me, do we have to pay the money back? And I dont know the answer to that.

According to the state, federal CARES Act funding could be used for: medical expenses, public health expenses, payroll for public safety, public health, health care, human services, and similar employees substantially devoted to mitigating or responding to COVID-19, compliance with public health measures, economic support, recovery planning, assisting individuals with enrolling in government benefit programs, and any other COVID-19-related expenses reasonably necessary to the function of government that satisfy the CRFs eligibility criteria.

Among other alleged expenditures spelled-out in meticulously-detailed purchasing documents the Register received through a request under the state Freedom of Information Act, Compass was paid:

 $48,400 for what it claimed was Lobbying Service - COVID-19 Federal  billed at $200 an hour for 242 hours  as part of an overall $84,650 payment on May 17, 2021.

 $20,400 for what it claimed as Consulting Service - Lobbying Service - COVID-19  billed at $200 an hour for 102 hours  as part of an overall $85,595 payment on June 6, 2021.

 $36,000 for what it again claimed as Lobbying Service - COVID-19 Federal  billed at $200 an hour for 180 hours  as part of an overall $85,225 payment it received on June 16, 2021.

The three dates represent just a portion of the overall services Compass billed the city for, which totaled $638,781 over the past several months.

DiMassa, D-West Haven, was arrested Wednesday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with one count of wire fraud in connection with what authorities say was a scheme to steal federal funds intended for COVID-related expenses. The affidavit filed in support of DiMassas arrest alleges that charges he submitted for payment were phony.

According to investigators, DiMassa allegedly abused his position as an administrative assistant in West Haven City Hall to transfer more than $636,000 of federal pandemic relief funding to a business bank account, which he then used to purchase chips at Mohegan Sun for gambling purposes.

DiMassa resigned his city job as executive assistant to the City Council on Thursday. He resigned his state legislative seat on Monday.

Among the other charges included in Compass invoices for the same dates were:

 $26,250 for Consulting Service - Legislative Review Opening guidelines, $1,500 for Consulting Service - Support Staff Service and $8,500 for Economic Consulting  Economic Site Plan Assessment/Review on May 17, 2021.

 $53,375 for Consulting Service - Legislative Review Executive Orders - COVID-19, $7,245 for Consulting Service - Support Staff Services and $4,575 for Monitors/Security Site - Clinic site (April/21-May/21) on June 6, 2021.

 $35,875 for Consulting Service - Legislative Review Opening Guidelines, $1,875 for Support Staff Services and $11,475 for Economic Consulting - Economic Site Plan Assessment/Review on June 16, 2021.

Republican mayoral candidate and City Council member Barry Lee Cohen Tuesday called on the City Council to form an independent committee to investigate the scandal. Now is the time for immediate action. All eyes are on us, and history will judge us on how we respond to this scandal. At this moment in time, more than ever before, our city needs its City Council to come together, put party labels aside, and fulfill our oath of office.

Peter Lewandowski, executive director of the Connecticut Office of State Ethics, said the states threshold for whats considered lobbying is if someone is paid more than $3,000 over the course of a year for lobbying activities.

It doesnt matter whether the person actually did lobbying work if it involved state government, Lewandowski said.

So the question is, was this for the purpose of lobbying state government? he said. If this was intended for the purpose of lobbying state government, even on behalf of the city of West Haven, then that would be a problem.

If, however, this was all designed or devised to lobby even the federal government or municipal government, it might not be a problem, Lewadowski said. Thats the critical question.

If we determine that this indeed was a state lobbying venture, then clearly this would be a violation, based on state statute, Lewandowski said. Obviously, theres no criminal penalty. Everything we deal with are civil violations, although state Ethics Commission has the ability to refer matters for criminal prosecution, he said.

A civil violation could still result in a fine, Lewandowski said.

He said that much of the offices work is confidential and I cant comment whether were looking from the enforcement angle in this matter.

Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, declined to comment on the invoices in DeMassas case.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
NEW HAVEN  A charitable organization made up of Italian-American women has sued the city, seeking to bring back the Christopher Columbus statue to Wooster Square Park.

The American Italian Women for Greater New Haven claim in the suit that the city, through Mayor Justin Elicker and the Board of Parks Commissioners, among others, violated their rights to due process and equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment, as well as their First Amendment rights and Civil Rights Act protections, when the statue was removed June 24, 2020.

The group, represented by Patty Cofrancesco of East Haven, claims in the suit the removal constituted a denial of enjoyment of a public accommodation and the city unlawfully discriminated against them on the basis of their national origin by denying them full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of Wooster Square Park.

The lawsuit claims the citys policies, practices, and decisions  all arising from a pro-African American/anti-Italian American policy it established and perpetuated  had a disparate impact upon and resulted in the disparate treatment of the plaintiffs members based on their national origin, Italian.

The city removed the Columbus statue, which the lawsuit states was given to the city in 1892 by a group of Italian Americans. Wooster Square then was a predominantly Italian-American neighborhood and an arch on nearby Wooster Street proclaims it as Little Italy.

The murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, by a Minneapolis police officer, was followed by protests by the Black Lives Matter movement and extended to other groups. Columbus has been targeted for his treatment of indigenous people in the Americas.

According to the complaint, Friction between the New Haven African American and ltalian American communities has been ongoing for at least twenty years. The case of Ricci v. DeStefano  was something of a flash-point between the two communities.

In that case, brought by Firefighter Frank Ricci against then-Mayor John DeStefano Jr., the U.S. Supreme Court ruled white firefighters were unfairly denied promotions because of their race.

The new lawsuit refers to Justice Antonin Scalias concurring opinion in the Ricci case, in which he wrote, even the District Court  admitted that a jury could rationally infer that city officials worked behind the scenes to sabotage the promotional examinations because they knew that, were the exams certified, the Mayor would incur the wrath of [Rev. Boise] Kimber and other influential leaders of New Havens African-American community.

It is a frivolous lawsuit because that statue will never return, Kimber said Tuesday.

Cofrancesco said the Ricci case and Kimbers role showed a history of favoritism toward Black residents of New Haven and emails she obtained through the Freedom of Information Act reveal a bias against Italian Americans.

There was a huge amount of Italian Americans who were emailing the mayor, asking him, please reconsider, please dont do this, please return my call, but got no answer, Cofrancesco said.

American ltalian Women of Greater New Haven has 60 members living in Greater New Haven and was previously known as the American Committee on ltalian Migration, created by the Scalabrini Missionary Order of Catholic Priests, the lawsuit states. It gives scholarships to area high school students and makes a charitable donation each year. This year a donation was given to support the blind, according to its president, Fran Calzetta of Branford.

Calzetta said while no great man is a saint, we know Columbus is good and he belongs back on the [Wooster Square] Green.

In a statement, Mayor Justin Elicker said, This suit is without cause or merit. We will vigorously defend this case. The plaintiff, in bringing it, is draining city resources away from more pressing issues before the city. I have, and always will, stand up for the city of New Haven as a place that celebrates our diversity and is welcoming to all.

edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Louisiana is ending its statewide indoor mask mandate after emerging from its latest and worst coronavirus spike of the pandemic and seeing a sharp decline in new COVID-19 infections, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Tuesday.

The decision marks one of the first mask mandates enacted for the delta variant-fueled outbreak to be scrapped.

I stand here today optimistic, relieved that the worst of the fourth surge is very clearly behind us now, Edwards said.

But while the Democratic governor is lifting the mask requirement for grocery stores, restaurants, bars and other sites, hes keeping some face-covering rules in place for Louisianas K-12 schools. Edwards said children have greater exposure risks, with students under 12 unable to yet get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

School districts that maintain tight quarantine regulations for students who come into close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 wont be required to have a mask mandate. Those districts that dont require all exposed students to be sent home will have to keep students masked up.

The new regulations take effect Wednesday.

Despite the governor's decision, Louisiana State University said it will keep its indoor mask mandate through the end of the semester. New Orleans also indicated it wont necessarily follow Edwards' lead.

Edwards reinstated the mask mandate in August, when Louisiana had the nation's highest per capita COVID-19 infection growth and hospitals were inundated.

Since then, new cases and hospitalizations have fallen dramatically, and Louisiana now has one of the nations lowest rates of new infections.

Still, Louisiana continues to have one of the lowest coronavirus immunization rates in the country  with only 47% of the states population fully vaccinated.

We will remain vulnerable in Louisiana to another surge until we can get more of our friends, family and neighbors vaccinated, said Dr. Joe Kanter, the governors chief public health adviser.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  The state of New Hampshire has preordered about 15,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 as approval for that age group makes its way through the federal channels.

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decides to recommend the shots next week, state officials said Wednesday that shots could be administered as early as the end of that week. The state says it has 125,000 children in the 5-11 age group.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  Legislative action on a final North Carolina state government budget  a plan with or without formal support from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper  could happen as soon as next week, a top Republican lawmaker said Tuesday.

House Speaker Tim Moore told reporters that he, Senate leader Phil Berger, and House and Senate Democratic leaders met in person Friday morning with Cooper to work on negotiations over a two-year spending plan. Berger and Moore had sent Cooper a counteroffer a few days earlier.

We had a very candid conversation, Moore said after a floor session. Berger's office confirmed that the Executive Mansion meeting with Cooper occurred.

Moore said Republicans expect to receive another offer from Cooper later this week, after which we hope to be able to proceed either with something the governor would sign next week or something the GOP-controlled legislature prefers.

Going forward without Coopers support could lead to a veto and attempts by Republicans to gain enough Democratic votes to complete an override.

The speaker said action could be delayed, however, as lawmakers attempt to approve new boundaries for U.S. House and General Assembly by the end of next week.

Cooper spokesperson Jordan Monaghan wrote late Tuesday by email that "discussions between the governor and the legislature did occur in person on Friday and are continuing this week.

GOP legislators largely have been reticent to discuss details on their points of contention with Cooper. But competing plans unveiled earlier this year show stark differences over tax cuts, education spending and teacher pay raises.

Moore reiterated Tuesday that broad Medicaid expansion to hundreds of thousands of low-income adults like Cooper has been pitching isn't something Republicans in his chamber will support. The legislature's budget offer to Cooper last week didn't contain an expansion component like what the governor seeks.

The state's fiscal year began July 1. State government still operates largely at the previous years spending levels even without a new budget law in place.
RABAT, Morocco (AP)  Demonstrators took to the streets in cities around Morocco on Wednesday, some clashing with police as they denounced the countrys decision to require coronavirus vaccination passes to be allowed to work and enter public venues.

The decision came into effect Oct. 21 and stipulates that Moroccans must provide proof of vaccination in order to enter their workplaces. In a statement, the government has said employers have direct legal responsibility to enforce the decision.

The pass is also required to access indoor services such as restaurants and banks as well as domestic and international travel.

The North African kingdom of 36 million people has Africas highest vaccination rate, with more than 50% of the population fully inoculated. Earlier this month, the government also started administering booster shots.

But the abrupt and unusually widespread vaccine requirements have also prompted opposition, and led to big crowds at vaccination centers as people rushed to get shots.

In the capital, Rabat, protesters gathered outside the parliament building and chanted slogans against the rule, arguing that it goes against fundamental human rights and civil liberties. Police formed a line to prevent the angry demonstrators from getting inside the legislature.

A few protesters clashed with police as they were pushed away down Mohammed V Avenue that leads to the parliament building.

Among protesters was Nabila Mounib, a member of parliament and the secretary general of the opposition Unified Socialist Party. She joined the protest after being barred from entering the parliament building for showing up without a vaccination pass.

Similar scenes unfolded in other Moroccan cities, with dozens of protesters taking to the streets in the countrys most populous city, Casablanca, as well as tourist hotspots of Marrakech and Agadir. They shouted United against the pass! as police pushed and swung batons at some of the demonstrators in an attempt to disperse them.
Google Streetview / Contributed

ENFIELD  A man was charged with attempted murder following a stabbing at the Motel 6 early Tuesday, according to police.

Officers responded to a 911 call about a stabbing at the motel at 11 Hazard Ave. shortly before 1 a.m. Units arrived to find a male victim in distress with apparent stab wounds to the throat, police said. The victim was able to identify his attacker before being taken to the hospital, police said.
WEST HAVEN  Shawn Brown says the factions are getting tiring.

Brown, chairman of the West Haven Independent Party, said his party is interested in running candidates who are responsible only to their communities, not to a political party.

The Independent Party is running seven candidates in West Havens Nov. 2 municipal election, but not for the mayors office.

We dont have to go with the top of the ticket, were here for the people, he said.

Brown said candidates running with either the Democratic or Republican parties often are too beholden to party leadership, such as the mayor.

We dont have to run behind the mayor, because maybe the mayor is not doing the right thing, he said.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo

The Independent ticket does include someone who ran for mayor once before.

George Monahan, who challenged then-Mayor John Picard in the 2007 election, said he has avoided politics since his loss in that race. He said he has declined to run for mayor again several times, but after being approached by Brown, his mind changed.

When you turn on the national news, the political system is clearly broken. West Haven lately isnt much different, he said.

Monahan said he initially was approached to lead the Independent Party as a mayoral candidate, but he opted instead to run for an at-large City Council seat.

Going out there as a true Independent is to go out there on behalf of the people and not the party, he said.

Portia Bias, running as an Independent in District 7 against incumbent Trenee McGee and Republican Peter Sotere, is seeking the office she once held as a Democrat from 2017 to 2019.

The mother of four and West Haven Public Schools paraprofessional said she believes having two parties that dominate the vote is harmful to the city.

I will no longer be subjected to a two-party rule of thinking, she said. A true leader doesnt separate parties, a true leader brings parties together.

Bias said some of her biggest concerns are that vacant former schools owned by the city still are vacant years later without a buyer, and that the West Haven Black Coalition, which once had a meeting space in the Allingtown branch of the West Haven Public Library, currently does not have a permanent home. The coalition was founded by party Chairman Browns mother, Carroll E. Brown.

Kerry-Ann Murphy, the Independent Partys candidate for the Board of Education  one of eight candidates competing for three seats  is a special education teacher in Hamden and a 25-year city resident.

Ive decided to enter politics at the educational level because I am at the forefront and I see a lot of what is going on within the system from the teachers perspective, from the students perspective and a lot of things that the administration needs to deal with, she said.

It feels like change is slow to happen. We have a finite amount of time to shape these children to be fellow citizens and community members. This starts with a proper education. Murphy said.

Brian Zahn / Hearst Connecticut Media

West Haven recently completed construction on the majority of the new high school, which it used state bonding to do. Murphy said she believes educational funding is not being prioritized in an optimal way.

Theres a lot of money going into what the school looks like and not on students and the quality of education, she said.

Murphy said there are a lot of promises that have been unfulfilled in West Haven, but the Independent Party offers something different: Another voice, another choice.

Michael Last, the citys treasurer and chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, said the West Haven Democratic Party brings in multiple perspectives in the city.

I think the Democratic Party has become an all-inclusive body who welcomes and respects everyone, he said. We have great conversations and respect each others stances and opinions, which helps us stay in touch with the communities we serve. The Democratic Party, I believe, has put forward a very talented and diverse ticket with people who are engaged and work hard for the city, not only politically but are actively involved in the community. This may be the strongest ticket our party has put forward.

Last said he does not believe any candidates running as Independents would be unwelcome in the citys Democratic Party.

Barry Lee Cohen, a 10th District councilman and the Republican Partys nominee for mayor, said he believes voters should prioritize voting for good people who will bring about good results.

That does not mean its all from one party, nor should it be from one party, he said.

Brown said the city deserves more checks and balances on the mayor from the council, not rubber stamps.

We are building a coalition of all people, of all parties, independently, he said. The name speaks for itself.

The Independent Partys platform, Brown said, would support adding at least one charter school to the city to depopulate some of the citys schools, and oppose adding more housing density to the city.

The Independent Party also is running a candidate for treasurer, Qaiyima McMillan, who is challenging Democratic incumbent Last and Republican Paul Grigas, as well as City Council candidates in Districts 5, 6 and 8, where all seats are currently held by Democrats.

In District 5, Independent candidate Deborah Bell is challenging incumbent Robbin Watt Hamilton and Republican Robert Wittkofske; in District 6, Independent candidate Shane Brown is challenging incumbent Peter Massaro and Republican Michelle Konareski; and in District 8, Independent candidate Effie Prokopis is challenging Democratic nominee Victor Borras and Republican Silvana Apicella.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Assembly gave final approval Wednesday to a package of anti-abortion bills, many of which Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoed two years ago and is all but certain to reject again.

Republicans do not have enough votes in the Legislature to override an Evers veto. Republicans said they were trying again because the measures are a priority and there's a chance Evers will change his mind. Democrats, who all voted against the bills, accused Republicans of only taking up the bills to energize conservatives ahead of the 2022 midterm election.

This is a political game being played by Republicans to gin up their base," Democratic Rep. Lisa Subeck, of Madison, said prior to debate. This is nothing but theater. They know that these bills will not become law.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos defended bringing the bills up for a vote, saying our caucus is proud to be pro life. These bills should be bipartisan.

Evers is up for reelection next year, as is everyone in the Assembly and half of the state Senate. Evers did not immediately return a message asking if he would veto the measures.

One bill, which Evers vetoed in 2019, would impose criminal penalties on doctors who fail to give medical care in the extremely rare circumstance in which a baby is born alive following an abortion attempt. Violators would be guilty of a felony punishable by up to six years in prison.

The bill also would make intentionally causing the death of a child born alive as a result of an abortion a felony punishable by life in prison.

Doctors insist the bill is a solution in search of a problem. They and other opponents say babies are almost never born alive during failed abortion attempts and in the rare instances in which they are, doctors are already ethically and legally bound to try and keep them alive.

The bills supporters say the measure would remove any gray areas in the law.

This is not an anti-abortion bill, said bill sponsor Republican Majority Leader Jim Steineke. This is simply a bill that's simply about protecting the lives of children that survive an abortion attempt.

That one and the other abortion bills show that Republicans care more about the 2022 elections than they do women's health, said Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz.

Republicans know these extreme bills wont become law and they know the majority of Wisconsinites support access to safe and legal abortion, Hintz said.

A second bill would require doctors to provide the parents of fetuses and embryos that test positive for a congenital condition information about the condition. A third proposal would prohibit abortions based on a fetus' sex, race or national origin. Evers vetoed that measure in 2019.

Another measure would reduce funding for abortion providers by prohibiting the state from certifying them as a provider under Medicaid. There would be exceptions in cases of sexual assault or incest or if the womans life is in danger.

A fifth bill would require doctors to tell any woman seeking a medication-induced abortion that she could still change her mind after ingesting the first dose and could still continue the pregnancy.

The claim that a medicine-induced abortion can be reversed has been criticized by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and American Medical Association as not based in science and potentially threatening to the patient's life. Evers vetoed such a bill two years ago.

The bills come as abortion rights supporters are concerned that the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that essentially legalized abortion nationwide before a fetus can survive outside the womb, which is generally around the 24th week of a pregnancy. A Wisconsin law enacted in 1849 made abortion illegal, but it has been unenforceable since the Roe v. Wade decision. That ban would take effect again if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
NEW HAVEN  Dean Sten Vermund of the Yale School of Public Health decided to step down and return to full-time teaching after he was offered a three-year renewal contract, he said Tuesday.

While it is typical for deans to be offered five-year renewals or not to be renewed, Vermund said the three-year offer gave him the chance to reassess. He said he plans to concentrate on my research in prevention and control of infectious diseases, teaching in our onsite and online graduate courses, and contributing to the community service mission of YSPH.

He said he did not attend an online faculty meeting with Provost Scott Strobel and Dr. Nancy Brown, dean of the Yale School of Medicine, in which members of the faculty said they thought Vermund had been pushed out of his position, as reported by the Yale Daily News.

The way I look at it is periodic leadership change can be renewing and refreshing, Vermund said, adding that the school has never had a woman or a person of color as dean.

The School of Public Health is administratively part of the medical school and is one of the schools that is one of seven self-supporting schools at Yale, according to the Yale Daily News. Vermund said 2019 was the only year of the last 15 the school has not operated at a loss and its endowment supports only 13 percent of the schools budget.

Vermund said Strobel had authorized financial assistance to the school, which is out of the ordinary. He said in two weeks in August and September 2020, we had dozens of people notify the school that they could not afford to attend, many because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, this year, weve had a historic yield with far more students than weve had before, Vermund said.

Vermund, dean since 2017, is an expert on HIV/AIDS and cervical cancer and established an adolescent health clinic caring for HIV-infected youth in New York in the 1980s.

In his message to the university, Yale President Peter Salovey said, Understanding that the world needs leaders who can meet the demands of rapidly changing and evolving epidemics and other public health challenges, Sten has focused on amplifying the success of Yale School of Public Healths faculty.

Over the past five years, he has helped the school add around two dozen faculty positions, increase funding from government agencies, and enhance research productivity, Salovey wrote.

Brown issued a statement Tuesday, saying, Over the last 18 months, YSPH faculty have educated all of us as they developed novel approaches to diagnose and prevent COVID-19 and informed local, national, and international policy.

YSM and YSPH enjoy remarkable partnerships addressing data science, social and health disparities, infectious diseases, and chronic diseases such as cancer. YSM is committed to nurturing these collaborations and to supporting actively YSPH and Stens successor, the statement said.

edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has stated the condition under which the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, can win the next months gov...

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has stated the condition under which the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, can win the next months governorship election in Anambra State.

Saraki said the PDP can only win the election if the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, ensures a free, fair, and credible election.

Featuring on Arise News Tuesday, the former Governor of Kwara State urged INEC to ensure the transmission of electoral results during the Anambra State governorship election.

According to Saraki: I think what is most important is to ensure that the election holds, its free and fair, INEC ensures that the results are transmitted, the government must ensure it provides security for people to exercise their civic duties.

We must also encourage the people to cooperate because we are practising democracy. The only time we have the opportunity for people to choose their leaders is during elections.

It would be unfair if citizens of Anambra couldnt exercise their rights.

PDP is a party with a very good candidate who has a very good chance of winning in Anambra State; we have always done well in Anambra. We have a vibrant and popular candidate. The people of Anambra, I believe, would look at who will provide good opportunities for them, unite, and bring development to the state.

And I believe that the PDP candidate would do that. But to do that, INEC must ensure we have free, fair, and credible elections.
Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti, says state governments will not accept arbitrary deductions of funds from the federation account. ...

Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti, says state governments will not accept arbitrary deductions of funds from the federation account.

Fayemi, who is also the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), said this on Tuesday while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the 27th Nigerian Economic Summit (NES 27) in Abuja.

He said state governments are currently dealing with the issue and will find a solution soon.

As far as states are concerned. They do not accept that funds belonging to the federation account are deducted arbitrarily without their input, Fayemi said.

We are dealing with the issue. You will find the resolution to it.

Thats why they (governors) have insisted until this is clarified, we will rather leave the money in the pool until we all agree.

According to reports, last weeks Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting ended in a deadlock over opposition by the governors on the commencement of deduction of $418 million from the local governments accounts to pay private consultants for the Paris Club refund.

Consultants had claimed the amount as a percentage for the payment of services rendered to the states and local government councils.

But the amount did not go down well with the governors who requested a forensic audit over the claim made by consultants.
Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has described the controversial Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi as a dangerous snake, saying h...

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has described the controversial Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi as a dangerous snake, saying he is worst than the former Boko Haram leader, Abubakr Shekau.

The former minister made the accusation in a post on his verified Facebook page on Wednesday while reacting to Gumis stance on calls for the Federal Government to declare bandits terrorists.

Recall that stakeholders across the country had recently asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare the armed bandits who are wreaking havoc in most parts of the North as terrorists to enable the Nigerian Army tackle them properly.

But Gumi in his recent comment, had kicked against the call, insisting that such move would lead to the break down of the corporate existence of the country.

Reacting to Gumis claim, FFK alleged that the clerics father had once declared that Christians should not be allowed to rule the country.

Fani-Kayode who believes that Gumi is currently following the steps of his father, described him as venomous snake and a wolf in sheeps clothing.

The Facebook post reads, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, the Rasputin of Arewa, whose father once said a Christian must not rule Nigeria and who himself said the FG must not declare the killer bandits as terrorists is worse than Abubakar Shekau & Al Barnawi. He is a venomous snake and a wolf in sheeps clothing.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Overcast. High 44F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy. A shower of rain or wet snow possible. Low 37F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
Buildings damaged by the storm are seen in the Germantown neighborhood of Nashville, Tenn., following devastating tornadoes on March 3. Jason Kempin/Getty Images/TNS
Looking for somewhere to take your kids trick-or-treating a little early?

While New Orleans' sidewalks will be packed with ghosts and goblins for Halloween Sunday evening, the city's recreation department New Orleans is hosting several free Halloween events Friday evening for kids that want to try out their costumes and candy-collecting abilities.

Three of the events hosted by the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission will include drive-thru options, officials said. Costumes are encouraged and the parties are open to all ages.

+17 Halloween hacks! Get your costume on with these easy tricks from New Orleans pros This spooky season marks the first time in 20 months that many New Orleanians will have the chance to dress up and party down. Crafting skills

Treats will be passed out from 6 to 8 p.m. at the drive-thrus and the NORD rec centers.

The drive-thru events are:

Cut-Off Rec Center - 6600 Belgrade St.

Joe W. Brown Rec Center - 5601 Read Blvd.

Lafitte Greenway - 1971 St. Louis St.

All NORD Rec Centers will host Halloween parties with trick-or-treating, according to officials. The locations are:

Annunciation Rec Center - 800 Race St.

Cut-Off Rec Center - 6600 Belgrade St.

Gernon Brown Rec Center - 1001 Harrison Ave.

Joe W. Brown Rec Center - 5601 Read Blvd.

Lyons Rec Center - 624 Louisiana Ave.

Milne Rec Center - 5420 Franklin Ave.

Rosenwald Rec Center - 1120 S. Broad St.

Rosenwald Rec Center Annex - 1140 S. Broad St.

Sanchez Multi-Service Center - 1616 Caffin Ave.

Stallings St. Claude Rec Center - 4300 St. Claude Ave.

Behrman Rec Center - 2529 General Meyer Ave.

St. Bernard Rec Center - 1500 Lafreniere St.

Treme Recreation Community Center - 900 N. Villere St.
A Lafayette womens Republican group is coming under fire on social media after a copy of its scholarship essay flyer circulated online Tuesday.

On its Facebook page, Fleur De Lis Republican Women has also repeatedly shared memes that are racist, anti-transgender and insult poor people.

According to the flyer, the group is calling on high school senior girls in Lafayette Parish to write 800-1,000-word essays titled How Critical Race Theory Undermines Our Republic.

The club will award the two winners $1,000 college scholarships each on May 11, 2022.

The essay must include the definition of CRT and a discussion of its detriment, and applicants are encouraged to be original. The flyer instructs students to turn in their essays to the senior counselor at their school.

The group did not respond to a request for comment from Gambit.

Critical race theory is an approach legal scholars came up with in the late 70s and early 80s of looking at American systems and laws through the lens of race and racism. The approach is used in some post-graduate studies courses  not in Louisiana K-12 public schools.

Nevertheless, the term has recently been used by right wing pundits and politicians to mean any way of talking or teaching about race and racism, and its even being used in policy making.

In August, the Alabama Board of Education passed a resolution banning "concepts that impute fault, blame, a tendency to oppress others, or the need to feel guilt or anguish to persons solely because of their race or sex.

Just last week, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, tweeted, We have BANNED Critical Race Theory in Alabama. Were focused on teaching our children how to read and write, not HATE.

Louisiana state Rep. Blake Miguez, an Erath Republican, quote tweeted Ivey, adding Republicans in the Louisiana House plan to address this issue in the next regular session.

Fleur De Lis Republican Women meets monthly at the Petroleum Club of Lafayette, and have hosted speakers such as Rep. Clay Higgins, Attorney General Jeff Landry and Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory. The groups Facebook page shows members volunteering at Landrys alligator hunt fundraiser.

The group is also behind the Lafayette Parish Rush Revere Project, which has a goal of donating a set of Rush Limbaughs childrens books to each library in every middle and elementary school in Lafayette Parish, according to its website.

+2 Local Republican club president removed from post, rails against 'cancel culture' infiltrating right wing The National Federation of Republican Women appears to be putting some distance between itself and their longtime controversial local leader M
Dueling portraits of former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain were presented to the jury in his sex crimes trial Wednesday: Hes either a powerful figure whose secret life unraveled because of greed or the target of a government trophy hunt and accusers who themselves were trying to get out of trouble with the feds.

The two sides -- Assistant District Attorney Collin Sims and Strain lawyer Billy Gibbens -- made opening statements to an attentive jury in the St. Tammany Justice Center in Covington that took up the morning, the highlight of a day in court cut short by the threat of severe weather.

A single witness took the stand Wednesday afternoon, IRS agent Timothy Moore, before Ad Hoc Judge A. Bruce Simpson ended court early.

While much of the case against Strain has already been in the news  he faces four counts of aggravated rape, two counts of aggravated incest and one count each of sexual battery and indecent behavior with a juvenile  Wednesday morning was the first time the public got a glimpse of the sides' legal strategies.

Sims laid out how the state intends to prove that Strain raped and molested boys, two of them relatives, and warned the jury that the defense would try to attack their testimony. He told jurors the state would prove a 25-year pattern of abusive behavior in which Strain, of Abita Springs, focused on younger, smaller males without strong father figures and to whom he had access.

Prosecutors will also present a fifth victim, also a relative of the former sheriff, who Sims said came forward on his own and will testify that Strain raped him when he was a young boy.

Strain was "a rapist and a child molester -- period, period," Sims told jurors, and used his role as a caring relative and a big brother figure -- and eventually as one of St. Tammany's most powerful political figures -- to protect his secrets.

Strain made some of the accusers employees of the Sheriffs Office, Sims said, ensuring that they would be financially dependent on him.

Sims said witnesses will testify that Strain began touching them in barns, in the woods and at a fishing camp. Accuser Skip Keen, whom Sims described as "dirt-poor," would work at the Strain family's fireworks stand, spending the night in a camper to keep watch over the inventory.

Three of the alleged aggravated rape charges against Strain occurred during those times, Sims said. A fourth aggravated rape charge involves a different victim, Mark Finn, who was also a young boy at the time.

The aggravated rape charges carry a possible life prison sentence.

Then Gibbens went to work, painting a different picture of Strain, who was elected sheriff in 1995 and won four re-election bids before losing his first election in 2015.

Gibbens told the jury that they had just heard a lot of accusations. Let me tell you, he said, they are false.

The witnesses the prosecution will call fall into two categories, Gibbens said: manipulators and the manipulated.

Gibbens said that Keen, who later became a high-ranking sheriff's official and one of Strains inner circle, was trying to get himself and his son out of trouble as federal investigators probed a work release program that Strain had privatized during his last term as sheriff. Keen has pleaded guilty in connection with a kickback scheme centered on the work release program.

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Strain also faces charges in federal court in connection with the work release program. He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial in U.S. District Court in New Orleans in December.

Federal agents approached Keen with questions in a post office parking lot, Gibbens said, and Keen accused Strain of raping him as a child in hopes of staying out of jail.

Finn, meanwhile, who has spent a lot of time in jail, was trying to get special treatment, Gibbens argued. Finn also asked for help getting an attorney so he could sue Strain -- something he later did, Gibbens noted.

Finn has identified himself in media interviews as a Strain victim. Keen was identified as a victim in public court documents.

As for the two family members whom Strain is accused of molesting, Gibbens said that both were subject to manipulation by the government. One of them was also a work release employee who Gibbens said will testify that he feared criminal charges and was blackmailed by the FBI into making accusations against Strain.

The other, Gibbens said, will testify that he was not molested and was forced to say so and then not allowed to recant. "It was too late, they needed more victims."

"It sounds like a Hollywood script, but look carefully and it starts to fall apart," Gibbens said.

Gibbens efforts to unravel the script -- and the prosecutions determination to prevent that -- were on display as they questioned IRS agent Moore about his initial encounters with Keen, on May 9, 2017 when federal agents swooped down on seven individuals they had identified as key players in the federal probe of the work release program.

Moore testified that neither he nor the FBI agents who were with him had any idea that Keen was going to accuse Strain of raping him. They were there to ask about the work release program, Moore said.

But they looked into the allegations, before eventually handing that portion of the case off to state law enforcement, including interviewing three other people whose names Keen had given them, in an effort to gauge Keens truthfulness, he said.

One of them was Finn, whom Moore and the FBI interviewed at the Livingston Parish Correctional Facility, where he was incarcerated.

Moore testified that Finn initially showed a brash, tough-guy persona, asking federal agents why they were there.

They told him they were there to talk about Strain, Moore said. As soon as he heard that name, his countenance changed. That man broke down like a baby, just raw emotion. Id never seen anything like that.

Did he identify himself as a victim? Sims asked.

He did, absolutely, Moore replied. We left there saying, something is going on.
After two long days of intense questioning by attorneys, a jury of six men and six women was seated to determine the fate of Jack Strain, the former St. Tammany Parish sheriff and now a defendant in the most salacious criminal case to hit the parish in memory.

Strain, who left office in 2016 after losing a bid for a sixth term, is accused of eight counts of sex crimes with underage boys, four of which are aggravated rape, which carries a mandatory life sentence.

The jury, along with two alternates, was sworn in at about 4 p.m. Tuesday after a selection process that had begun Monday morning.

The case is being heard in what is normally the misdemeanor courtroom -- the largest courtroom available in the St. Tammany Justice Center. Even with the larger courtroom, COVID-19 restrictions made the selection process take longer, with prospective jurors spread across the room and frequent requests from Ad Hoc Judge A. Bruce Simpson for them to remove their masks when answering questions.

Extra security was also posted outside the courtroom doors.

Simpson strictly warned the newly empaneled jury not to talk about the case or watch news reports and told them to report back Wednesday morning, when opening statements will begin, starting with the prosecution and followed by Strain's attorneys.

The trial is expected to last until at least Nov. 5.

The questions attorneys posed in two days of jury selection offered some hints at what's likely to unfold during testimony.

Prosecutors Collin Sims and Elizabeth Authement, with North Shore District Attorney Warren Montgomery's office, showed prospective jurors a list of 35 names of people who might be called as witnesses. Billy Gibbens, Strain's attorney, asked jurors if they would be influenced if one side called significantly more witnesses than the other -- an indication that the defense might not call as many people to the stand.

Gibbens also asked jurors whether it would matter to them if one side called an expert witness and the other didn't. The prosecution's witness list includes Scott Benton, a forensic pediatrician who has testified as an expert witness about delayed reporting by child sex abuse victims.

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Gibbens' line of inquiry also touched on one of the most interesting unknowns: whether Strain, 58, will take the stand in his own defense, something he is not required to do. Gibbens asked the prospective jurors if they would hold that against a defendant.

Several prospective jurors said that they would want to hear from Strain himself, and Gibbens sought to have one man excused after he expressed that view. But Simpson disagreed, saying that he thought the juror had overtly stated he understood Strain is not required to testify. He made it onto the jury.

The prosecution's questions also provided some insight into their case. Sims asked prospective jurors if they believed anyone could be a sex crime victim, including a criminal, perhaps a reference to Mark Finn, an alleged victim who has spent much of his life in prison.

He also asked jurors if they would find it difficult to convict someone for crimes that occurred when the perpetrator was 15 or 16 years old. Some of crimes for which Strain is charged go back decades to when he would have been a teenager.

Prospective jurors were quizzed by both sides on whether they or a member of their family had ever been the victim of a sex crime, and several of them said yes, including a woman who said she had been molested as a child.

Gibbens sought to have that prospective juror removed for cause, but the judge refused, saying that she had made it clear in her responses that she would not put personal feelings above her duties as a juror. But Gibbens was able to strike her from the jury using one of the peremptory challenges afforded to each side.

Both sides also used that option to remove jurors who had been tentatively selected at the close of business Monday. Prosecutors took three names off the list, including one woman who had said she knew member of Strain's family.

"There are a lot of Strains," she said during questioning.

The defense removed two names, including one prospective juror who said he knew two of the witnesses on the prosecution's list.
Seven people were shot in New Orleans within a 24-hour period, police said. The latest shooting was reported around 3 a.m. Wednesday.

As 7 a.m., two of the injured people have died.

Authorities did not say if they believe any of the shootings were connected, including two in Algiers that were a block apart.

The shootings were among the major offenses reported to New Orleans police in a 24-hour period from 7 a.m. Tuesday to 7 a.m. Tuesday. Here's what we know from preliminary information from police.

Man injured in Algiers shooting - 2:56 a.m. Wednesday

A 52-year-old man was shot multiple times near Nunez Street and Lamarque Street (map) in Algiers, police said.

He went in a private vehicle to a hospital and his condition was not immediately available.

No more details were available, including a description of a shooter or a possible motive.

Man killed in Algiers shooting - 10:11 p.m. Tuesday

A 33-year-old man was killed in a shooting in Algiers Tuesday night, police said. His name has not been released.

The shooting was reported to police in the 700 block of Lamarque Street (map) in Algiers.

The man was shot multiple times, police said, and went in a private vehicle to a hospital, where he later died.

No other details were immediately available, including a description of a shooter or a possible motive.

Boy shot at edge of St. Roch, St. Claude - 9:19 p.m. Tuesday

A 10-year-old boy was shot while walking home Tuesday night at the edge of the St. Roch and St. Claude neighborhoods, New Orleans police said.

A woman is in custody related to the shooting.

The crime was reported to police at 9:19 p.m. in the 2600 block of North Claiborne Avenue (map).

The boy was on North Claiborne and was talking toward his home, when police say Helena McQueen, 37, and an unidentified person fired shots in the child's direction.

He was hit and taken via ambulance to a hospital, police said. His condition was not immediately available.

McQueen was later arrested and booked Wednesday into the Orleans Parish Justice Center on two charges, including aggravated assault with a firearm, according to online jail records.

Teen injured in 7th Ward shooting - 9 p.m. Tuesday

A 15-year-old girl was shot in the leg Tuesday night in the 7th Ward, police said.

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The shooting was reported to police at 9:01 p.m. in the 2400 block of New Orleans Street (map).

An unidentified man got out of a vehicle, shot her and then fled, police said. The girl was taken via ambulance to a hospital, and her condition was not immediately available.

No other details were available, including a possible motive or a description of a shooter.

Man injured in Lakeshore Drive shooting - 7:29 p.m. Tuesday

A man was injured in a shooting in the West End area by Lake Pontchartrain, New Orleans police said.

The shooting was reported to police at 7:29 p.m. in the 5000 block of Lakeshore Drive (map).

The man, whose age was not released, went in a private vehicle to a hospital and his condition was not immediately available.

Man shot in Michoud area - 6:50 p.m. Tuesday

A 24-year-old man was shot multiple times Tuesday night in the Michoud area of New Orleans East, police said.

The shooting was reported to police at 6:50 p.m. in the 14700 block of Chef Menteur Highway (map).

The man arrived in a personal vehicle at a hospital and sought treatment for his injuries, police said. His condition was not immediately available.

No other details were available, including a possible motive or a description of a shooter.

Man killed in Gentilly shooting - 10:40 a.m.

A man was killed in a shooting at a gas station Tuesday morning in Gentilly, police said.

The shooting was reported at 10:40 a.m. in the 3200 block of Gentilly Boulevard (map).

Police said a motorist fatally shot a man who "aggressively" approached him near the pumps, and they were investigating whether the driver was acting in self-defense, multiple law enforcement sources said.

Anyone with information about any of these shootings is asked to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new information from authorities.

Staff writer Ramon Antonio Vargas contributed to this story.
A Louisiana man with 20 prior arrests was found dropping down from the attic of a woman's apartment where he had been secretly living, authorities say.

Gregory Bonnette, 33, was living in the attic of an apartment complex in Lacassine when he assumed no one was home, according to a report from the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's Office.

But the tenant was in her apartment when Bonnette decided to sneak in from above; when he realized the woman was home Monday, he left the apartment and ran away, according to the report.

The apartment complex owner called the police on Bonnette, who was later arrested and booked on two counts of unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, the sheriff's office said.

Deputies said Bonnette had been arrested 20 times before but did not specify what crimes he was accused of in those cases.
A 10-year-old boy was shot while walking home Tuesday night at the edge of the St. Roch and St. Claude neighborhoods, New Orleans police said.

A woman is in custody related to the crime.

The shooting is one of seven reported to police in a 24-hour period. Two people were killed.

The boy was shot around 9:15 p.m. in the 2600 block of North Claiborne Avenue (map), police said.

He was on North Claiborne and was talking toward his home, when police say Helena McQueen, 37, and an unidentified person fired shots in the child's direction.

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He was hit and taken via ambulance to a hospital, police said. His condition was not immediately available Wednesday morning.

McQueen was later arrested and booked Wednesday into the Orleans Parish Justice Center on two charges, including aggravated assault with a firearm, according to online jail records.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.
A man whose DNA was found in the City Park stables after two horses were sexually molested last year has been arrested in California for allegedly breaking into stables there and sexually assaulting at least one horse.

In January, New Orleans police said they were looking for Koshaun Dion Baker after they found his DNA in the park stables where someone had engaged in sex acts with two horses. Since then, there had been no sign of Baker, until last month, when he turned up behind bars in Marin County.

The 23-year-old is scheduled to appear in a California court on Monday, Marin County jail records show. He remains in law-enforcement custody in lieu of $150,000 bond.

Police in New Orleans first began looking into Baker after a man let himself into the stables in the 1000 block of Filmore Avenue about 2:15 a.m. on Dec. 15 and committed sex acts with two horses, including one owned by Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusmans office.

Authorities have never specified what the sex acts were. But police found DNA evidence at the scene that they said matched a sample from Baker that was previously stored in an FBI database.

+2 In case of horses sexually abused at City Park stables, NOPD seeks man whose DNA was found at scene New Orleans police are looking for a man whose DNA was found in the stables where two horses were sexually abused last month, officials said T

Details about any potential past criminal record for Baker havent been made publicly available, so it is unclear why his DNA was in the FBI database.

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Nonetheless, police secured a warrant to swab Bakers cheek and compare that sample to the DNA recovered from the stables. They stopped short of saying Baker was wanted for a crime, but asked for the public to call police if they saw him out and about.

Baker had yet to be picked up on that warrant when the Presidio Riding Club  part of Californias Golden Gate National Recreation Area  reported that someone had broken in, vandalized the facility and let about 10 horses stabled there go.

Federal rangers searched the area for a suspect and detained Baker, according to a media report from the Marin Independent Journal. The rangers booked Baker into a local lockup on counts of sexual assault on an animal, cruelty to animals, burglary, vandalism, disorderly conduct, resisting police, and being under the influence of drugs, jail records show.

Authorities in California did not detail the alleged sexual assault. A spokesperson for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area told the Marin Independent Journal that none of the horses required veterinary treatment, and all of the animals were returned to the stables.

Burglary, vandalism and animal cruelty are felonies. The rest of the counts, including sexual assault on an animal, are listed as misdemeanors.

'Unnatural sex acts' with horses suspected in City Park stables; lone man wanted New Orleans police were searching for a man suspected of committing "unnatural sex acts" on two horses early Tuesday morning inside a cluster 

In Louisiana, sexual abuse of an animal is a felony carrying up to five years in prison upon a first conviction. A second conviction would double the maximum punishment to 10 years behind bars.

California jail records describe Baker as a resident of San Francisco. Other public records available online list an address for him in Baton Rouge.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards lifted the state's indoor mask mandate on Tuesday, but face coverings will still be required in some locations.

Various institutions like businesses, schools and local governments still have the authority to enforce their own policies.

Gov. John Bel Edwards lifts Louisiana mask mandate, except for certain K-12 schools Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday he's lifting Louisiana's indoor mask mandate but keeping in place face covering requirements for certain K-

The new statewide mask policy specifically addresses schools. K-12 schools that have allowed students exposed to COVID to remain in the classroom will have to mask up, Edwards said in his Tuesday announcement.

Other schools that have been keeping to the quarantine guidelines may go maskless.

While the K-12 mask mandate will be in place," Edwards said. "School districts can opt out if they follow the existing, evidence-based CDC quarantine guidance."

New Orleans local mask mandate to remain for now, regardless of governor's announcement The New Orleans indoor mask mandate is still in effect, despite the decision by Gov. John Bel Edwards to lift the mandate in the rest of the s

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Here are the places where people are still required to wear masks, as of Tuesday evening:

Very shortly after Edwards' announcement about schools, advisers to the FDA endorsed the use of the Pfizer vaccine in children 5 to 11 years old, which may change the landscape of transmissibility in schools.

Here are the people who are CDC-recommendedbut no longer state-requiredto wear masks indoors:

Any non-vaccinated person above the age of 2-years-old

Anyone in an area of high transmission

People with weakened immune systems

Teachers, staff, students, and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status

This is a developing list. Please check back in for updates.
Tornadoes, damaging winds and heavy rainfall are possible Wednesday in metro New Orleans as thunderstorms associated with a cold front move through the region, forecasters said. Some of the storms could be severe.

LIVE RADAR: Track storms as they move through Louisiana.

Parking restrictions have been lifted in New Orleans in advance of the rain threat. Residents can park on the neutral ground from 11 a.m. Wednesday until 10 a.m. Thursday, officials said. Don't block intersections, streetcar tracks or sidewalks.

The storms will be moving east across Louisiana and then into Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

The squall line is expected to reach metro New Orleans around sunset, but the timing could change, according to forecasters at the National Weather Service in Slidell. The greatest threat for severe weather in metro New Orleans is from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., according to meteorologist Megan Williams.

Storms cells are likely to form ahead of the main squall line, she said.

The main threats are:

Damaging wind in excess of 60 mph

Isolated tornadoes

1 to 3 inches of rain, with higher amounts possible

Rainfall rates in excess of 2 inches/hour

Secure your tarps

Damaging winds will be the primary threat with this system, forecasters said.

"A lot of our southern and western areas still have loose debris, damage, tarps and tents from Ida and recovery," Williams said. "This is something that we are increasingly concerned with and will be paying attention to as well this afternoon and evening."

Forecasters urged residents to secure their roof tarps ahead of the storm system. Also, dead trees left from Ida could break or be blown over during a strong thunderstorm.

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Available drainage pumps in New Orleans

The Sewerage and Water Board in New Orleans has 93 of its 99 drainage pumps available as of noon, officials said. All pumps are in service at the underpasses, they said.

Turbine 4, 5 and 6 are available, along with 4 EMDs for power sources.

See the full update.

Windy and cooler after the storms

After the storms move out, the rest of the week is expected to be sunny and colder, forecasters said. Thursday and Friday will be very windy.

Highs in the 60s and 70s are expected on both sides of the lake through the weekend, with overnight lows in the 50s and 60s.

See the 7-day forecast for New Orleans.

See the 7-day forecast for Slidell.

Live radar

Staff writer Mark Schleifstein contributed to this story.
Recognize the costs.

I spoke with Dr. Beck about martyrdom in mothers and she said mothers today have every right to feel angry and victimized by our culture, but holding on to that suffering is a recipe for despair. She invoked the Buddhist concept of a riddle that defies logic when she explained how the modern womens dilemma is a koan. Its an unsolvable problem. The more you give to your job, the more guilt you feel at home. The more you excel at home, the more behind you feel at work. Moms can be squeezed into a smaller and smaller corner, until there is no room to feel much of anything aside from anger or helplessness. The solution here is not for women to do more or to be more. And, while the problem does not lie within us, we can take steps to reclaim agency.

Even if youre not succumbing to the pressure of intensive mothering and youre just trying to stay afloat, you are still caught between conflicting demands. To be fair, this is not a problem created by mothers; the mental load is propped up by a lack of good child care options and limited parental leave policies. The mental stress of living in this paradox prevents many mothers from being fully present with their families. Many of my patients tell me theyre inside their heads, juggling the logistical nightmare that is modern parenting and managing their families instead of being part of them. This leads to feelings of disconnection and meaninglessness and also encourages a sense of learned helplessness in children and partners.

To fully understand how maternal martyrdom is impacting your life, keep a running martyr log of specific situations in which youve gone to unreasonable lengths to make life easy for your kids or partner. If your efforts were acknowledged, make note of how long any feelings of appreciation lasted. Then, keep track of how you felt about yourself after the event and any changes in behavior toward your family. Make a separate list for instances in which you make a point not to self-sacrifice, and keep track of your thoughts and feelings, and your familys response as well.

Make peace with guilt.

I teach my patients to think of guilt as ambient noise. When you identify as a martyr, consciously or unconsciously, youre sacrificing your capacity to feel a full range of emotions. Guilt is not about the choice in front of you. Its simply a familiar place for your brain to go. Guilt does not need to be your compass. It can just be a feeling thats there.

Take tiny steps back into your body.

Dr. Beck said to heal from giving too much, to heal from thinking too much. The answer is presence  stillness and physical presence in the room. She suggested making micro-decisions that lead you to a sense of relief in your body. For example, when faced with whether to bake cookies for a class trip or spend the evening watching your favorite Netflix show, take a minute and pay attention to your body. Which option leads to a release of tension in your shoulders? Or is associated with a sigh of relief in your throat? Choose the option that makes your body feel more relaxed. These small steps each build on each other. The more connected you feel to your body, the easier it is to make larger decisions from a place of clarity.

Say no to find agency.

Unfortunately, whats sold as self-care doesnt solve the problem of maternal martyrdom. Performative self-care turns into another guilt-inducing task on a to-do list. The solution is to set boundaries and take back your agency. Dont expect someone else to give you permission. Practice looking at your weekly schedule and finding one situation, however small, where you can exert control and communicate your boundaries.

For moms, letting go of the martyr mentality is less about a huge life overhaul, and more about building a new muscle. This muscle represents your own thoughts, feelings and preferences. Its not a luxury; its a necessity. And it is a gift only you can give yourself.

Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, M.D. is a perinatal psychiatrist specializing in womens mental health and a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at George Washington University School of Medicine. She is working on a book about the tyranny of self-care.
To search for variants, Dr. Faria and his colleagues started a new genome sequencing effort in the city. While B.1.1.7 had arrived in other parts of Brazil, they didnt find it in Manaus. Instead, they found a variant no one had seen before.

Many variants in their samples shared a set of 21 mutations not seen in other viruses circulating in Brazil. Dr. Faria sent a text message to a colleague: I think Im looking at something really strange, and Im quite worried about this.

A few mutations in particular worried him, because scientists had already found them in either B.1.1.7 or B.1.351. Experiments suggested that some of the mutations might make the variants better able to infect cells. Other mutations let them evade antibodies from previous infections or produced by vaccines.

As Dr. Faria and his colleagues analyzed their results, researchers in Japan were making a similar discovery. Four tourists returning home from a trip to the Amazon on Jan. 4 tested positive for the coronavirus. Genome sequencing revealed the same set of mutations Dr. Faria and his colleagues were seeing in Brazil.

Dr. Faria and his colleagues posted a description of P.1 on an online virology forum on Jan. 12. They then investigated why P.1 was so common. Its mutations may have made it more contagious, or it might have been lucky. By sheer chance, the variant might have shown up in Manaus just as the city was getting more relaxed about public health measures.

It was also possible that P.1 became common because it could reinfect people. Normally, coronavirus reinfections are rare, because the antibodies produced by the body after infection are potent for months. But it was possible that P.1 carried mutations that made it harder for those antibodies to latch onto it, allowing it to slip into cells and cause new infections.
NAIROBI, Kenya  Gunfire erupted across the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on Sunday as security forces loyal to the president clashed with units that appeared to have sided with his rivals, stoking fears that Somalias simmering political crisis is spilling over into violence.

The fighting, some of the worst in the Somali capital for years, followed months of tense talks between President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed and opponents who accuse him of making an unconstitutional power grab.

The talks collapsed after Mr. Mohamed failed to hold presidential and parliamentary elections by February, as scheduled, and then two months later signed a law extending his term in office by two years. His actions have drawn criticism from the United States and other Western allies.

The moves effectively ended United Nations-mediated negotiations backed by the United States and added fuel to an already combustible political situation.
Haiti has been thwarted by outside interests from its very foundation as a country.

For decades, European powers, and later the United States, refused to recognize it as an independent republic.

The Caribbean nation became the worlds first Black-led republic when it declared its independence from France on New Years Day 1804. That day, Saint-Domingue, once Frances richest colony, known as the Pearl of the Antilles, became Haiti.

It was a land long coveted for its riches of sugar, coffee and cotton, brought to market by enslaved people. Its declaration of independence meant that, for the first time, a brutally enslaved people had wrenched their freedom from colonial masters. But it came only after decades of bloody war.

In 1825, more than two decades after independence, the king of France, Charles X, sent warships to the capital, Port-au-Prince, and forced Haiti to compensate former French colonists for their lost property.
The lone suspect in a shooting at a mall in Boise, Idaho, on Monday that killed two people died on Tuesday of injuries he received in an exchange of gunfire with the police, according to the police.

The authorities were still investigating the motive for the shooting, in which they say the suspect, Jacob Bergquist, 27, of Boise, fatally shot a mall security guard, Jo Acker, 26, of Caldwell, and Roberto Padilla Arguelles, 49, of Rupert, at Boise Towne Square.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Chief Ryan Lee of the Boise Police Department said that Mr. Bergquist had frequented the mall and was known to mall security for calls categorized as disorderly conduct, trespassing and disruptive behavior.

Chief Ryan said that investigators were still interviewing people who knew Mr. Bergquist and examining social media to try to understand what had led to the attack.
If F.D.A. regulators follow the committees advice, as they typically do, an authorization could come within days. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions own panel of outside experts is scheduled to meet Tuesday and Wednesday, and is also expected to endorse a pediatric dose. The C.D.C., which sets vaccine policy, would likely then quickly recommend the rollout of shots.

During a long debate before the vote, some committee members questioned whether every child in the age group really needed the vaccine or whether it should be limited to those at high risk of severe Covid-19  an easily identifiable group, with underlying conditions such as obesity or other risk factors.

Dr. James E.K. Hildreth, the president and chief executive of Meharry Medical College, said that since many children between 5 and 11 may already have some immunity after contracting the virus, the need to vaccinate broadly in the age group might be less urgent.

It just seems to me that in some ways were vaccinating children to protect the adults, and it should be the other way around, he said. I do believe that children at highest risk do need to be vaccinated. But vaccinating all of the children to achieve that just seems a bit much for me.

Dr. Hildreth also bemoaned the fact that Pfizers pediatric trial included few children from minority groups, who are at greater risk of bad outcomes from Covid-19.

While some committee members said they wished to recommend the vaccine for a more narrow group of children, they were asked to decide simply whether the benefits of a pediatric shot outweigh the risks. We decided to go for it with a lot of heavy conscience, said Dr. Eric Rubin, an infectious diseases expert at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Dr. Paul Offit, a panel member who heads the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, said it was nerve-racking to make public health decisions affecting millions of children based on studies involving just a few thousand participants.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat of New York, was trying to line up support, including from Mr. Manchin, to beef up a federally paid family and medical leave provision that had been whittled down to just four weeks from 12.

Senator Raphael Warnock, Democrat of Georgia, threatened to withdraw his support for the bill if, as expected, it dropped a provision that would expand health coverage for the working poor in a dozen states like his that have refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont, was still furious over the refusal of a handful of Democrats to give Medicare broad powers to negotiate prescription drug prices.

But overall, liberal Democrats were trying to make their peace with a stripped-down bill that would turn a once-expansive vision for social transformation into a series of short-term measures  many of which would expire under a Republican Congress if history holds and the presidents party loses seats in next years midterms.

Id rather we put programs out there, and if people like them, then we should continue them as a government, and if for some reason theyre not popular, well, then that also helps make some determinations, said Representative Mark Pocan, Democrat of Wisconsin and a leader of the progressive House Democrats.

Representative Pramila Jayapal, Democrat of Washington and the head of the Progressive Caucus, struck a pragmatic note: Look, the thing is, we would have been done with a very different bill a month ago if we only needed 90 percent of us, but thats not the case. We need 100 percent of us.

Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, acknowledged that the package would not contain everything that Mr. Biden wanted, but, she said, The alternative to what is being negotiated is not the original package; it is nothing.
Mr. Manchin, whose demand that the overall package not exceed $1.5 trillion has driven a frenzied effort to cut the cost of the bill, has maintained that he is keeping an open mind out of fairness to Mr. Biden and Democratic leaders.

But he has proved unyielding on many of progressives most cherished priorities, such as Mr. Sanderss drive to add vision, hearing and dental benefits to Medicare.

Bernie and I have met the last three days for at least an hour a day, getting to know each other differently than we ever did before, Mr. Manchin said he had told Mr. Biden on Sunday. He has my respect. I know who he is, and where hes coming from. I just respectfully disagree.

That resistance has not stopped Democrats from trying to sway him. These days, Mr. Manchin can usually be found huddled with colleagues who are seeking his support  or to change his mind  on a component of the social policy bill. On Monday evening, it was Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, along with Senators Thomas R. Carper of Delaware, Maria Cantwell of Washington, Ron Wyden of Oregon and other climate hawks seeking to salvage a fee on methane emissions and other spending to which Mr. Manchin had objected.

Representative Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, said he had sought a meeting with Mr. Manchin to discuss how to increase taxes to pay for the plan. He reminded reporters that the two had worked together on pension legislation.

After his breakfast with Mr. Biden and Mr. Schumer, Mr. Manchin fielded a call from Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the No. 3 House Democrat, who urged him to support a proposal to cover the cost of expanding Medicaid in states that had not done so under the Affordable Care Act. Mr. Manchin has said it would be unfair for the federal government to cover those costs for some states, when others like West Virginia have expanded their Medicaid programs and received only a 90 percent subsidy.

Democrats have good reason to court Mr. Manchins support. They remember how difficult it was to win his vote on the $1.9 trillion pandemic aid plan enacted this year, including his last-minute effort to slash the size of the unemployment benefits included in the measure. (While Mr. Manchin ultimately voted yes after winning the concessions he sought, the grueling negotiations led to the longest open Senate vote in modern history.)
Its really anybodys race, said Jon Taylor, a political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio who has followed the special election closely.

At the three early voting sites across the district, traffic over the past few days has been steady but slow.

Martin Flores, 57, a longtime Republican who voted for Mr. Lujan, said it was time for a Republican to represent a growing conservative swath of Texas. The issues driving him, he said, are rising taxes and a spike in deadly crime that has plagued major cities. (Homicides were up in San Antonio last year, but overall crime was not.)

Im confident that every decision he makes, Mr. Flores said of Mr. Lujan, hes going to listen to the people.

Diana Espinoza, who is in her 40s and works in human resources, said she recently had a short and pleasant conversation with Mr. Lujan but was not convinced to vote for him. As the mother of a sixth grader, she said she was most concerned in this contest with increasing access to technology at local schools. She worries that a Republican will have different priorities. She also recognizes that Democrats have largely been stymied at the State Capitol by a Republican majority.

A victory by Mr. Ramirez, she said, could help usher in an era of a long-promised blue wave in an increasingly ethnically diverse state.

I want the Democrat to win, Ms. Espinoza said. But if Lujan wins, then I want him to do a good job for us. It shouldnt matter what party you are from.
Thousands of employees in New Zealand who have close contact with customers at restaurants, gyms, bars and hair salons will be included in a new vaccine mandate, the government said on Tuesday.

As a result, about 40 percent of all New Zealand workers will be required to be fully vaccinated or risk losing their jobs.

Vaccinations will be mandated for everyone who works in any workplace where a vaccine certificate is required for entry, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a news conference, noting that the decision had been made at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The mandate will play a big part in helping to minimize the spread of the virus in the highest-risk venues by reducing the potential for Covid-19 to enter the business in the first place, Ms. Ardern added.
Erzen Shkololli, a former head of the National Gallery of Kosovo, who showed Halilajs work there during his tenure, said the artist always used the countrys history as a starting point in his work, but his art is about so much more, and anyone can connect with it.

In some works, Halilajs messages are clear. In 2011, he dug 66 tons of soil from his familys land in Kosovo, then piled it into a booth at Art Basel, the art fair, offering it for sale. Jennifer Chert, one of his gallerists, said that work was obviously about attachment to soil, the idea of homeland, and exile, but there was also the more cynical side of, What is the value of land?

Other pieces are more elusive. For another work, Poisoned by Men in Need of Some Love, Halilaj recreated displays of moths and butterflies that had once been on display at Kosovos Museum of Natural History, but were left to decay during the war. Holland Cotter, a New York Times art critic, said in a 2014 review of that piece that Halilajs art makes much current New York art look like fluff.

Halilaj said he was prompted to make the Tate exhibition by a series of events that made him feel as if politics in Kosovo and Serbia were still stuck in the 1990s. Last October, he was scheduled to present work at an art biennial in Belgrade, Serbia  a country that does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state. Halilaj said he was excited by the opportunity, but disappointed when the events organizers omitted his nationality from the official list of participants published online.
Mark LaFramboise, a book buyer at Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C., said the store often struggles to get stock of a new Nobel laureate, but this year its been unusually difficult. In a typical year, it would take about two weeks. This year, I hesitate to even guess, he said.

In Britain, Bloomsbury has ordered tens of thousands of reprints, which are shipping all over the world, Pringle said. Our printers are doing really well, theyre pulling all the stops out.

In the United States, restocking has been more challenging. The bulk of Gurnahs catalog is published by Bloomsbury USA, which has six of his books. Bloomsbury expects to have copies of Gravel Heart and The Last Gift in stock by mid-November. Bloomsbury said it had seen a significant bump in e-book sales but declined to share print or sales figures.

The New Press, an independent American publisher, which released three of Gurnahs books in the 1990s and 2000s, had 126 copies of his novel Paradise in the warehouse before the Nobel was announced, and it quickly sold out. It has received orders for more than 19,000 copies of Paradise  which had sold just 5,763 copies since its release in 1994.

As luck would have it, the New Press had enrolled the novel in a print-to-order program through the book distributor Ingram, which allows publishers to fulfill customer orders quickly and ship them from Ingrams warehouse. The publisher will also be releasing a digital edition of Paradise soon.

Ellen Adler, the publisher of the New Press, said she was relieved and delighted that the company could fill the rush of orders, and noted that she was struck by a comment Gurnah made after learning that he had won the prize, when he confessed that he hoped to gain a larger audience.

Mr. Gurnah is right that he could do with more readers, she said.

Similar laments were made by fans in the literary community. In the magazine Brittle Paper, which published comments from 103 African writers about the significance of Gurnahs work, several writers said they hoped the prize would raise his global profile. Our well-kept secret is out in the open! wrote Leila Aboulela.
5. A revolt is brewing inside the worlds most influential consulting firm over its work with the planets biggest polluters.

As world leaders prepare to meet in Glasgow next week to address global warming, more than 1,100 McKinsey employees have signed an open letter to the firms top partners, urging them to disclose how much carbon their clients emit.

Of the 100 biggest corporate polluters over the past half-century, McKinsey has advised at least 43 in recent years, including BP, Exxon Mobil, Gazprom and Saudi Aramco. In 2018, those clients alone were responsible for more than a third of global carbon emissions, by one estimate.

Tomorrow, the heads of Exxon Mobil, Shell, Chevron and BP will testify in the first congressional hearing into industry efforts to hinder action on climate change. In an Opinion video essay, the climate activist Greta Thunberg says she has given up on politicians.
A path to dangerous warming

Ahead of a major U.N. climate summit in Glasgow next week, several governments have updated their pledges under the Paris climate agreement to do more to curb their planet-warming emissions by 2030. The plans fall far short of whats needed to avert a dangerous rise in global temperatures, a new U.N. report said.

Even were those promises met, the world would be on track to warm roughly 2.7 degrees Celsius by 2100 compared with preindustrial levels, the report found. That broadly aligns with what outside analyses have found. That much warming would drastically increase the risk of heat waves, droughts, flooding and wildfires across the globe in years to come, scientists have warned.

It is also unclear whether every country will live up to its pledges  the report found that many governments still havent put in place policies or laws to achieve their goals. The E.U. for instance, has proposed sweeping new climate legislation, some of which has yet to be approved by all 27 member states.

Quotable: The world has to wake up to the imminent peril we face as a species, said Inger Andersen, the executive director of the U.N. Environment Program.
Merck agrees to share its Covid pill

The American pharmaceutical giant granted a royalty-free license for its promising Covid-19 pill to a U.N.-backed nonprofit.

The deal with Medicines Patent Pool would allow companies in 105 countries, mostly in Africa and Asia, to sublicense the formulation for the antiviral pill, called molnupiravir, and begin making it. It can be manufactured and sold cheaply in poorer nations where vaccines have not been readily available.

Advocates for treatment access welcomed the deal, which was announced Wednesday. More than 50 companies, from all regions of the developing world, have already approached the organization about obtaining a sublicense.

Details: Merck reported this month that the drug halved the rate of hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk Covid patients in a large clinical trial.
Boeing said Wednesday that delays in making and delivering its troubled 787 Dreamliner jet will cost the company about $1 billion, weighing the company down even as it benefits from a broad travel resurgence.

The company provided the estimate as part of its third-quarter earnings report, which showed that Boeing lost $132 million in the three months ending in September, a loss of 19 cents per share. Boeing earned $15.3 billion in revenue in the quarter, up about 8 percent from the same period last year and just below analyst expectations.

Our commercial market is showing improved signs of recovery with vaccine distribution and border protocols beginning to open, David Calhoun, Boeings chief executive, said in a letter to employees.

Quality concerns have dogged the Dreamliner for more than a year. Boeing had paused deliveries of the plane briefly last year and again in May. In July, it said that it was slowing production of the plane and, this month, Boeing suffered another setback when a supplier told the company that certain parts it provided were made with the wrong titanium alloy.
Two big Detroit automakers said Wednesday that the worldwide shortage of computer chips had weighed on their third-quarter earnings, but there were signs that the worst of the disruption was behind them.

Of the two, Ford Motor fared better. Its revenue fell about 5 percent from a year earlier, to $35.7 billion, while General Motors revenue declined 25 percent, to $26.8 billion.

The quarter was challenging due to continuing semiconductor pressures, G.M.s chief executive, Mary T. Barra, said in a letter to shareholders.

A statement from Ford emphasized a brightening outlook. Semiconductor availability remains a challenge, but markedly improved from the second quarter, it said.
In 2018, those clients alone  not including scores of other polluters advised by McKinsey  were responsible for more than a third of global carbon emissions, based on figures from the Climate Accountability Institute, a nonprofit that tracks corporate emissions and fossil fuels burned by customers of these companies.

D.J. Carella, a spokesman for McKinsey, said in a statement that reducing emissions worldwide requires engaging with high-emitting sectors to help them transition.

Walking away from these sectors might appease absolutist critics, he said, but it would do nothing to solve the climate challenge.

McKinsey isnt alone among consulting firms in working with major polluters. Boston Consulting Group has also advised big carbon emitters, including Angolas state-owned oil giant, Sonangol. B.C.G. notes that it is the consultancy partner for the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow.

Yet it is McKinsey, with its 95-year history and its position at the apex of the consulting world, that stands out. Its corps of consultants, peppered with Rhodes scholars and Harvard Business School standouts, could focus their talents on helping the firms oil, gas and coal clients cut their emissions. But these well-funded clients, such as Chevron, Shell and Canadas Teck Resources, hire McKinsey to further business goals that often have little connection with the global push to limit greenhouse gases.

McKinseys ties to the fossil fuel sector run deep. More than a half-century ago, Mobil, Shell and Texaco helped propel McKinsey into the top ranks of consulting firms.

Within weeks of stepping down from his role as McKinseys managing partner in 2018, Dominic Barton was named chairman of Teck, a Vancouver-based company that blasts mountains in the Rockies to find coal for steel mills. Teck is one of the worlds biggest exporters of steel-making coal, and in 2019 its reported carbon footprint  when accounting for the coal burned by its customers  was equivalent to one-tenth of Canadas greenhouse gas emissions.
The hearing comes a few days before the United Nations global warming conference begins in Glasgow, considered a crucial moment in efforts to address the threat of climate change. President Biden is expected to arrive at the talks having re-engaged the United States with global climate negotiations and also having moved to reinstate some of the climate regulations removed by the Trump administration. But in the face of dissenters within his own party, as well as continued industry lobbying, he has seen significant parts of his climate agenda disappear.

The congressional scrutiny also comes as environmentalists, cities, states and even some shareholders in energy companies themselves are ramping up pressure on the fossil fuel industry to address its central role in the climate crisis. The worlds leading energy organization, the International Energy Agency, said this year that nations need to immediately stop approving new oil and gas fields and move rapidly toward renewable forms of energy like wind and solar power if they want to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change.

The hearings come more than four decades after the oil industry first started to collect scientific evidence on global warming.

In 1978, Exxon Mobil embarked on a major project to study climate change, fitting one of its giant tankers with instruments to monitor rising levels of carbon dioxide in the sea and the atmosphere. But as oil prices collapsed in the 1980s, hurting profits, Exxon ended the research.

The evidence that had been gathered in the late 70s and early 80s was already unequivocal, said Edward A. Garvey, a geochemist who worked on Exxons early climate research in the those years. We had a significant window, but we squandered the opportunity, he said.

Oil executives themselves have said publicly that there was inconclusive evidence that human activities were having a significant effect on the global climate, even as scientists warned that such evidence was unequivocal. In one prominent example, Lee Raymond, Exxons chief executive at the time, said in 1997 that Currently, the scientific evidence is inconclusive as to whether human activities are having a significant effect on the global climate.
The films cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, 42, was killed and its director, Joel Souza, 48, was wounded.

It was Mr. Halls who handed Mr. Baldwin the firearm during rehearsals inside the set of a church and said that it was a cold gun, according to court documents, indicating that the firearm contained no live rounds and was safe for Mr. Baldwin to handle. Mr. Baldwin then began rehearsing a scene that involved cross drawing the revolver and pointing it toward the camera lens, according to the affidavit, when the gun went off.

After the shooting, Mr. Halls said he picked up the gun from a pew inside the church and took it to Ms. Reed. When she opened it, he said, according to the affidavit, he could see at least four dummy casings with the holes on the side, and one without the hole. He advised this did not have the cap on it and was just the casing. Dummy rounds are sometimes identified by a pierced hole on the side.

What Happened on the Set of Rust What We Know: The actor Alec Baldwin discharged a gun that was being used as a prop on the set of the movie Rust, killing the films director of photography and wounding the director. Remembering the Victim: Halyna Hutchins was the cinematographer for the movie. Safety Measures: Real firearms are routinely used while cameras are rolling. Here is how crews minimize the risks and ensure safety. Other Accidents on Set: Deaths and injuries on movie and television sets have occurred with some regularity, this partial list of set accidents shows.



Describing the safety protocols on the set, Mr. Halls said Ms. Gutierrez typically opened guns for him to inspect. I check the barrel for obstructions, most of the time there is no live fire, she (Hannah) opens the hatch and spins the drum, and I say cold gun on set, he said in an interview with the investigator, according to the affidavit. It was not clear what he meant by the term live fire.

Mr. Halls is an industry veteran who has worked on films including Fargo and The Matrix Reloaded. As assistant director, he was one of the people responsible for safety on the set of Rust. Mr. Halls didnt respond to several attempts to reach him.
David DePatie and Friz Freleng, the celebrated former Warner Bros. cartoon director, had just opened their animation studio in 1963 when the filmmaker Blake Edwards hired them to design an animated character for a comedy starring Peter Sellers in his first foray as the bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau.

The character Mr. Edwards wanted was a pink panther.

We took all these drawings over to Blakes house and laid them all on the floor, and he walked around and said, Thats the one I want, and the character was born right there, Mr. DePatie told the Kitsap Sun, a newspaper in Bremerton, Wash., in 2010.

Mr. Edwards did not know exactly how he wanted to deploy the pink panther until after he had finished the film, when he cast it as the star of the opening credits. The nearly four-minute title sequence for The Pink Panther (1964) created by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, in which that cool feline interacts comically with the names in the credits over music by Henry Mancini, became a hit with audiences.

Mr. DePatie quickly saw the potential to extend the characters life and negotiated a deal to create dozens of Pink Panther cartoon shorts. They were shown in theaters into the late 1970s  more were later made for television  and helped define the companys work, which included cartoons, opening sequences for television shows, titles for other feature films, and commercials.
SANTA FE, N.M.  Before he handed a revolver that he had declared cold to the actor Alec Baldwin on the set of the film Rust last week, Dave Halls, an assistant director on the film, told a detective he should have inspected each round in each chamber, according to an affidavit that was released Wednesday. But he did not.

He advised he should have checked all of them, but didnt, according to an affidavit, which was signed by Detective Alexandria Hancock of the Santa Fe County Sheriffs office.

It turned out that the gun was not cold. The revolver, a .45 Long Colt, contained a live round, Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County said at a news conference Wednesday. The gun went off as Mr. Baldwin rehearsed a scene on Thursday, killing the films cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, 42, and wounding its director, Joel Souza, 48.

The sheriff said that the lead projectile that Mr. Baldwin had fired from the gun had been recovered from the directors shoulder, and said that it was apparently the same round that had killed Ms. Hutchins. Asked if it was an actual bullet that had been fired  and not a blank  he said, We would consider it a live round, a bullet, live, because it did fire from the weapon and obviously caused the death of Ms. Hutchins and injured Mr. Souza.
Instead Mr. LaBanca, 46, has publicized his termination to bring attention to the churchs use of the legal loophole to target L.G.B.T. people while other employees whose lives do not align with church teachings go unpunished.

There are many people whose lives dont conform to church teachings, he said. People who dont go to church on Sunday. People who are on birth control. People who are divorced and get remarried.

He married his longtime partner, Rowan Meyer, an actor, on Aug. 1 at a ceremony officiated by his father, who got ordained online through the Universal Life Church. Mr. LaBanca said it was the most beautiful day of my life.

He described himself as a lifelong Catholic whose faith had been deeply shaken by the events of the last several weeks. He said he kept thinking about the pastoral approach toward L.G.B.T. people adopted by Pope Francis.

The idea that we should uphold the Catholic faith  well, there is a lot of ambiguity right now about what that means based on what the pope himself has said about acceptance, he said.

The justification for the firing of Mr. LaBanca and other Catholic schoolteachers like him is still subject to legal debate, experts said.

There are absolutely no government rules around who can be deemed a minister, so its a really, really broad exemption, said Sharita Gruberg, the vice president of L.G.B.T.Q. research at the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank. The courts are going to have to continue to answer, is this individual a minister or not?
The issue is personal for Ms. Hochul, who has publicly shared stories of her childhood in Buffalo swimming in polluted Lake Erie, which glowed at night from the chemicals being dumped there by a nearby steel plant.

NRG Energy owns the plant in Astoria and wanted to upgrade, while Danskammer LLC sought to expand its generating capacity at the facility in Newburgh, in Orange County about 75 miles north of New York City, with a new gas-fired plant. Both plants have been operating as stopgaps  running only when the system is nearing peak capacity to back up the power grid.

Though they are not operated regularly, the peaker plants are older facilities that emit 30 times more nitrogen oxide than newer gas-burning power plants, earning them the title of New Yorks dirtiest.

Both Newburgh and Astoria are considered environmental justice communities: areas with low-income or Black and Latino populations disproportionately affected by historical environmental damage, which the climate law requires the state to address.

The Astoria plant upgrade had been in the works for more than a decade, when the state first approved plans to replace the facility. At the time, the promise of a new upgraded plant with a smaller carbon footprint seemed like an unrivaled good. Over the past decade, NRG Energy suggested the plant could run even cleaner  promising it might one day be converted to run off green hydrogen, a new technology that has become a buzzword in climate circles but is not yet commercially available.

The current plant is set to close in 2023 under new emissions rules.

NRG Energy lamented the regulators decision. Denying projects like Astoria is simply shortsighted and bad public policy, said Tom Atkins, vice president of development.

Danskammer, jointly owned by Agate Power and Tiger Infrastructure, did not respond to a request for comment.
Instead, the violence that unfolded shook the nation, leading to the arrests of more than 600 people and a congressional investigation into what the F.B.I. has called domestic terrorism.

Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, a Democrat who represents Mr. Durfees district, said she saw his candidacy mainly as an indicator of Mr. Trumps grip on the Republican Party, even in liberal bastions like Bergen County.

Republican strongholds still exist in New Jersey, especially in the rural northwest and along the Jersey Shore; Mr. Trump lost to President Biden statewide by 16 percentage points, yet beat him in Ocean County by 29 points.

Still, Ms. Huttle said she was surprised to see such a far-right candidate vying for a seat she has held for 15 years.

I would understand it in South Jersey, said Ms. Huttle, who lost a primary race for State Senate and will be leaving the Legislature in January. I dont understand it here.

Mr. Zisa, the Republican chairman, said it would be inaccurate to read too much into Mr. Durfees candidacy.

Were the Republican Party, he said. Were not the Oath Keeper party.

Nonetheless, he is hoping to capitalize on the media interest in Mr. Durfees affiliation with the extremist group. If it boosts turnout, he said, it could result in spinoff value for Republican candidates in more competitive races.

This might drive the Republican voter out, Mr. Zisa said.
Tragic accidents have been in the news recently. The actor Alec Baldwin unintentionally shot and killed someone on a movie set after firing a gun that he was told was unloaded. A port explosion in Beirut killed more than 200 people last year. And a new documentary by Frontline, in partnership with The New York Times, examines the two crashes of Boeing 737 Max jets that killed 346 people over the course of four months in 2018 and 2019.

What can be done? Nancy Leveson has an answer. Leveson, an engineering professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has developed a distinctive approach to accident prevention. She doesnt focus on identifying individual faulty components or singling out blundering people. Instead she looks at how accidents can be caused by unforeseen interactions between various components of a complex system.

Levesons approach, which is often described as systems thinking, is drawing a lot of interest. In June, about 2,300 people from 85 countries attended a virtual workshop she conducted. A handbook she created for people interested in using her method has been downloaded more than 100,000 times and translated into several languages, including Chinese, Japanese and Korean. In 2019 she was quoted in congressional testimony on aviation safety by Chesley Sullenberger III, the pilot who heroically landed a disabled passenger jet on the Hudson River in 2009.

Leveson, whom I interviewed this week, is pleased by the recent surge in interest in her work. Its very exciting, she says. I just assumed this was not going to happen until after I was gone. She has been at this for a while: She helped write official accident reports for the space shuttle Columbia explosion in 2003, the Texas City refinery explosion in 2005 and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.
With migration increasing throughout the Americas, border policy is no longer a sufficient means to control immigration. The United States must enlist other countries in the hemisphere to become partners in measures to prevent recurrent political and humanitarian crises that force people to flee their homelands.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Colombias foreign minister, Marta Lucia Ramirez, convened a hemispheric conversation last week to begin this process. In his opening remarks, Secretary Blinken acknowledged that the migration challenge that were facing in our hemisphere is not one countrys problem  its our shared problem, and it cannot be solved by any one country.

The temptation will be to create a new regional arrangement to make borders harder to cross by increasing enforcement and deportations. However, since Haitians and other migrants are already risking their lives to cross the Darien Gap, a jungle on the Colombia-Panama border so forbidding that no one has tried to build a road through it, deterrence is likely to be futile.

And cooperation around deterrence is particularly hard to sustain among countries with varying capacity to welcome migrants and distinct concerns about migration. Europe tried such an arrangement with the Dublin Regulation in 2013, which largely required migrants to apply for asylum in the first country they reached. But that agreement fell apart two years later, when the Syrian refugee crisis overwhelmed the countries of first entry. It is hard to imagine how the Americas, which do not have a history of cooperation on migration or other issues, could achieve what Europe could not.

But that does not mean the countries in the region should not aspire to reach a common understanding of what cooperation around migration means. However, these almost certainly have to be broad principles rather than specific agreements, which will have to be negotiated around much more specific issues with countries that share similar concerns and approaches.
The nicest thing you can say about the Health Misinformation Act, proposed in July by the Democratic senators Amy Klobuchar and Ben Ray Lujan, is that it means well. The internet has been a key accelerant of widespread myths, misunderstandings and lies related to Covid-19; Klobuchar and Lujans bill would force online companies like Facebook to crack down on false information during public health emergencies, or lose immunity from lawsuits if they dont.

Theres only one problem: What is health misinformation? I know of no oracular source of truth about Covid-19. Scientific consensus has shifted dramatically during the pandemic, and even now experts are divided over important issues, such as whether everyone should get a vaccine booster shot. Klobuchar and Lujans bill elides these complications. Instead they designate an all-knowing authority: Health misinformation, the bill says, is whatever the secretary of health and human services decides is health misinformation.

Im sorry  what? Have the senators forgotten that just last year we had a president who ridiculed face masks and peddled ultraviolet light as a miracle cure for the virus? Why would we choose to empower such a presidents cabinet appointee as the arbiter of whats true and false during a pandemic? And not just a pandemic  since the law defines a public health emergency so broadly, I wouldnt put it past a science-averse future secretary from attempting to declare discussions about abortion, birth control, transgender health or whatever else as misinformation.

Klobuchar and Lujans bill is one of many plans that attempt to curb the power of tech companies by altering Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the much-hated and much-misunderstood 1996 rule that affords websites broad immunity from liability for damage caused by their users. Proposals from Democratic lawmakers tend to call on tech companies to delete or demote false content in order to retain Section 230 immunity; proposals from Republicans generally do the opposite, threatening to undo immunity if tech companies censor content unfairly or in bad faith.
There has been a remarkable erosion in public tolerance of offensive expression about race, gender and religion, according to a paper Dennis Chong and Morris Levy, political scientists at the University of Southern California, and Jack Citrin, a political scientist at Berkeley, presented in September at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association.

Tolerance has declined overall, they add, particularly for a category of speech that is considered unworthy of First Amendment protection because it violates the goal of equality.

The three authors cite the 2018 promulgation of new guidelines by the American Civil Liberties Union  which was formerly unequivocal in its defense of free speech  as a reflection of the changing views within a large segment of the liberal community. Under the 2018 guidelines, the A.C.L.U. would now consider several factors that might warrant a refusal to take on certain cases:

Our defense of speech may have a greater or lesser harmful impact on the equality and justice work to which we are also committed depending on

the potential effect on marginalized communities; the extent to which the speech may assist in advancing the goals of white supremacists or others whose views are contrary to our values; and the structural and power inequalities in the community in which the speech will occur.

Chong, Citrin and Levy write:

Arguments for censoring hate speech have gained ground alongside the strengthening of the principle of equality in American society. The expansion of equal rights for racial and ethnic minorities, women, L.G.B.T.Q., and other groups that have suffered discrimination has caused a re-evaluation of the harms of slurs and other derogatory expressions in professional and social life. The transformation of social attitudes regarding race, gender, and sexuality has fundamentally changed the tenor of debate over speech controversies.

Traditionally, they point out,

the main counterargument against free speech has been a concern for maintaining social order in the face of threatening movements and ideas, a classic divide between liberal and conservative values. Now, arguments against allowing hate speech in order to promote equality have changed the considerations underlying political tolerance and divided liberals amongst themselves. The repercussions of this value conflict between the respective norms of equality and free expression have rippled far beyond its epicenter in the universities to the forefront of American politics.

In an email, Chong wrote that the tolerance of white liberals has declined significantly since 1980, and tolerance levels are lowest among the youngest age cohorts. If, he continued, we add education to the mix, we find that the most pronounced declines over time have occurred among white, college educated liberals, with the youngest age cohorts again having the lowest tolerance levels.

The Chong-Citrin-Levy paper focuses on the concept of harm in shaping public policy and in the growing determination of large swaths of progressives that a paramount goal of public discourse is to avoid inflicting injury, including verbal injury, on marginalized groups. In this context, harm can be understood as injury to physical and mental health occurring when stress levels are perpetually elevated by living in a constant state of hyper-vigilance.
Compounding concerns are findings from a series of focus groups conducted this year by the Democratic firm Lake Research Partners, targeting Democrats considered less likely to turn out at the polls. It found a couple of reasons that some Virginia women are uninspired by the political scene. Among Black women, there is frustration that Democrats wont deliver for them, and so it doesnt much matter which partys candidates win, explains Joshua Ulibarri, who heads the firms Virginia research. Among younger women, especially Latinas and white women, there is a sense that the Trump danger has passed and that they can let their guard down. They think we have slayed the giant, says Mr. Ulibarri. They think Republicans are more sane and centered now.

Oof. Whos going to break it to them?

The challenge extends beyond Virginia. Almost half of women in four crucial swing states  Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin  are paying less attention to politics since Mr. Trump left office, according to a May survey by American Bridge 21st Century, a Democratic super PAC. This includes 46 percent of Biden voters  particularly those who are younger, are college educated or are urban dwellers. Focus groups that the firm conducted in August yielded similar findings.

When it comes to 2022, younger voters are feeling particularly uninspired, according to a September survey by Lake Research and Emerson College Polling on behalf of All In Together, an advocacy group that encourages womens involvement in politics. Only 35 percent of voters 18 to 29 years old said they were very motivated to vote next year, and just 28 percent said they were certain to vote. This engagement gap could be a major concern for Democrats, the group noted, pointing to research from Tufts University showing the importance of young voters to Joe Bidens candidacy in multiple swing states last year.

This kind of deflation was perhaps inevitable. The Trump years were the political equivalent of being tweaked out on meth 24/7. All those scandals. All those protests. So many constitutional crises. Two impeachments. It was enough to exhaust any normal person.
A Traditional Farmhouse With Updates in Quebec

$1.21 MILLION (1.495 MILLION CANADIAN DOLLARS)

Built in 1835 in a traditional Quebec architectural style, this historic home sits on 1.76 wooded acres in the northwestern Quebec City borough of Haute-St.-Charles. The three-level house was restored and expanded by its current owners, who bought it in 2006.

Its rare to find a house this age outside of Old Quebec, said Alexandre Boutet of Engel & Volkers Quebec, the listing agent. In the suburbs, people treated these as tear-downs, so there arent many left.

The property abuts the Wendake First Nations reservation, where the current owner, Gabriel Savard, was born. The land, he said, belonged to the tribe until the 18th century. The homes backyard includes the Martel Rock, a huge stone formation with many stories and legends, Mr. Savard said.
For some, Alexander Palace has become a symbol of Russias reconciliation with it. I have a complicated attitude toward the aristocrats of pre-Soviet Russia, said Max Trudolyubov, 51, a popular blogger and commentator on current affairs. But these palaces became monuments.

Nicholas II has long been portrayed to the Russian people either as a bloody and committed despot  a relentless oppressor of the working class  or a clueless and lighthearted fool who carelessly let his country fall of the cliff into the abyss of Bolshevism.

The reopened palace will allow visitors to immerse themselves in part of the countrys history and make their own judgments, said Lev Lurie, a specialist in the history of St. Petersburg and the Romanov family.

Museum is a theater, with a play rolling out without any actors, she said.

In 2011, the Russian state decided to recreate the czars private suite  which had been furnished in the Art Nouveau style and was mostly destroyed during World War II and subsequent Soviet reconstructions  and create a museum around it. In the end, the government has committed more than $28 million to the project, with $12 million coming from the museum and private benefactors. (One of those private benefactors, Bob Atchison of Austin, Texas, is an enthusiast who has assembled a collection of items that were looted from the palace by the Germans and others  and sold at international auctions  and who has been collecting money to repair the palace for decades.)

To recreate the czars private rooms, Ms. Ryadovas team had to remake almost everything: pickled oak parquet floors, wool rugs and silk draperies, and even spittoons that were used by the imperial family and courtiers.
Facebook has told employees to preserve internal documents and communications since 2016 that pertain to its businesses because governments and legislative bodies have started inquiries into its operations, according to a company email sent on Tuesday night.

The move, known as a legal hold, follows intense media, legal and regulatory scrutiny over the social networks harms. Lawmakers and the public are up in arms after Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee turned whistle-blower, provided thousands of internal documents to lawmakers and the media showing how much the company knew about some of its ill effects, such as spreading misinformation and exacerbating body image issues in some teenagers.

Those files, known as the Facebook Papers, were initially published by The Wall Street Journal.

As you are probably aware, were currently the focus of extensive media coverage based on a swath of internal documents, Facebook said in the email to employees, which was obtained by The New York Times. As is often the case following this kind of reporting, a number of inquiries from governments and legislative bodies have been launched into the companys operations.
SAN JOSE, Calif.  The eighth week of testimony in the fraud trial against Elizabeth Holmes raised questions of what risks and responsibilities investors have when they put money into high-growth start-ups like Theranos, Ms. Holmess failed blood testing company.

In past weeks of the trial, the jury heard from former Theranos employees who were alarmed by its practices, as well as executives and board members who said they were taken in by Ms. Holmess pitch for blood testing machines that could conduct hundreds of blood tests accurately and quickly from a drop of blood.

That built up to testimony from investors, who prosecutors said are the victims in the 12 counts of wire fraud at the heart of the trial. Before Theranos collapsed in 2018, it raised $945 million from investors, valuing it as high as $9 billion and making Ms. Holmes a billionaire.

Ms. Holmes has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, she faces 20 years in prison.

Here are the key takeaways from this weeks proceedings, which took place only on Tuesday after a water main break near the courthouse on Wednesday forced the cancellation of the days events.
In the intervening years, the types of prescription drugs available  and their prices  have changed. Revlimid is just one of several very expensive cancer drugs. About 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries qualified for the catastrophic benefit in 2019, often running up thousands of dollars in bills. Many piece together financing by applying for foundation grants, running GoFundMe campaigns or refinancing their homes. Researchers have developed an entire field of study about financial toxicity, which worsens the health outcomes of cancer patients.

Patients forgo vacations, they forgo retirements, they forgo what they can buy at the grocery store  its just tragic, said Craig Cole, a hematologist who treats myeloma patients and is an assistant professor at Michigan State University. When he diagnoses the disease in a patient, he always has the patient meet with a social worker, too, to discuss how to pay for the medicine. You have a cancer, and, yes, you can put the cancer in remission. But you have to live with the specter of financial toxicity.

The drug companies argue that their high profits enable them to invest in research into new treatments and cures that can be financially risky to develop. Most scholars of the industry agree that a less profitable pharmaceutical sector would be one with fewer new drugs in the future, though they disagree about how few. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that a drug price system like one passed by the Democratic House in 2019 would mean about eight fewer new drugs over the next decade (a 3 percent decline), and 30 fewer drugs in the decade after that (a 10 percent drop).

The real fear is you would see venture capital drying up in the small biotech industry, because the risk has gone up significantly, said Lori Reilly, the chief operating officer at the industry group PhRMA. The biggest impact is on the patients, quite honestly, who are waiting for someone to develop a therapy for them or someone they love.

Patients and clinicians dealing with multiple myeloma feel this tension, too. Revlimid can extend life expectancy, but for most patients, myeloma is still a fatal illness. The hope is that a future drug will be an actual cure.

Even as he supports the push for price controls, Dr. Cole also said, A fear that I have is, what if we do too much?

Bristol Myers Squibb defends Revlimids high price by pointing to its big health effects, and the companys continuing research into myeloma treatments. Revlimids value is demonstrated by its significant contributions to improved multiple myeloma patient survival rates, said Caitlin Craparo, a spokeswoman for the company. Her statement noted the company supports efforts to lower costs for patients.
When Kim Janey failed in September to qualify for the mayoral runoff election in Boston, effectively ending her time as the citys top leader, her political rivals rejoiced and her supporters were dismayed. But her loss affected one group in particular: the collective of seven other Black women who are mayors of large cities. Its currently a record number.

Black women mayors lead eight of the 100 cities with the largest populations in the United States, according to data from the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University. Their disparate communities stretch across both coasts, the Midwest and the South, from Boston, San Francisco and Chicago to New Orleans, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. Some of their cities have large Black populations but others do not. And the women have forged a quiet fellowship because of their relative scarcity and similar experiences of managing the myriad facets of a big city as mayors in a shifting political landscape.

That these eight Black women have achieved this milestone is both remarkable and a long time in the making, say analysts of Black politics. The number of female mayors of any race in major U.S. cities has more than tripled in the last decade, from just nine in 2011 to 31 today, according to CAWP, which began tracking this data in 1997. But within that number, the rise of Black women has been particularly dramatic.

This is the age of Black women in politics, said David Bositis, a scholar of Black politics and a voting rights expert witness in federal and state courts. This has been culminating for a long time.
I grew up in Thousand Oaks, a suburban community about 45 miles northwest of Los Angeles, where the boundary between nature and civilization has always been blurred. My high school once went on lockdown because a black bear was too close to campus.

The first time I saw a snake in the wild was when my family found two on our property  one trying to squeeze under our garage door and the other already curled up inside. Firefighters who removed the snakes informed us (to my everlasting horror) that the pair had been preparing to mate.

In my hometown and the rest of Ventura County, where much of the population lives close to open space, so many residents find snakes on their land that local firefighters train to handle such incidents. (Firefighters also deal with snakes in Los Angeles County, though in few other parts of the state or nation.)

Each Ventura County fire truck comes equipped with a snake catcher  essentially a long pole with tongs at one end  and new hires learn how to differentiate gopher snakes from rattlesnakes. The department receives about 1,000 snake calls a year, Capt. Robert Welsbie, a spokesman, told me.

Image A group of venomous Northern Pacific rattlesnakes that were extracted from under a home in Santa Rosa this month. Credit... Sonoma County Reptile Rescue/Associated Press

But within Ventura County, theres one place considered the snake capital: the hillside community of Oak Park, which is served by Station 36.
BOSTON  Hurricane-force winds from an early-season noreaster swept through coastal New England on Wednesday, a day after battering the New York City area, sending trees crashing onto power lines and cutting electricity to hundreds of thousands of households.

The winds, which gusted to 94 miles per hour on Marthas Vineyard in the pre-dawn hours, picked up a small aircraft at the New Bedford Regional Airport, lifting it over a fence and onto a roadway, and peeled the roof off an apartment building in Quincy, Mass., snapping the eight-inch bolts that held it down.

Something extreme happened in order to cause this much damage, James Marathas, the executive director of the Quincy Housing Authority, told Channel 7 News in Boston.

Scores of Massachusetts communities canceled school for the day, and subway and commuter rail service was delayed while employees removed debris and fallen trees from the tracks. At 7 p.m., more than 400,000 customers in Massachusetts, nearly 50,000 in Rhode Island and about 3,000 in Connecticut were without power, according to PowerOutage.us, which aggregates data from utilities across the country.
It took pharmaceutical companies a long time to do what I would say is the right thing back then, Stephanie said. But they learned from that. Now, its core to the culture of some pharmaceutical companies to understand that you have to do access right from the beginning with a new drug.

Merck is partnering with the Medicines Patent Pool, a United Nations-backed organization that helps to make medical treatment globally accessible, which will then sublicense the formulation of the pill to companies in the developing world. Merck will supply wealthy nations, like the U.S., which purchased courses of the drug for $712 each. And companies in the developing world will supply the market there. Some experts said a generic version of molnupiravir could profitably be produced for as little as $8 per course.

More than 50 companies, from all regions of the developing world, have already approached the organization about obtaining a sublicense, said the director of the Medicines Patent Pool.

The move to license the drug also stands in contrast to the fight over vaccine technology.

Mercks pill is a straightforward small-molecule drug, Stephanie said. Whereas the thing that Moderna and Pfizer are holding on to is something that no one else has managed to successfully make yet  an effective vaccine using an mRNA platform. A lot of companies are looking at mRNA technology for tuberculosis, malaria, H.I.V. and cancer vaccines. Its a golden ticket. So the stakes in sharing that are totally different.

Although Mercks announcement today is positive news, Stephanie said there were some outstanding issues. The drug has not been approved for use by any regulatory agency, and Merck has not shared any clinical trial data. (The company has applied for emergency authorization from the F.D.A. and a decision could come by December.)
A number of prominent Hastings alumni, including senior retired judges, disagree and have called for a renaming. They say that like the fortune of the Sackler family, derived from the opioids that ultimately killed multitudes of Americans, the gold Mr. Hastings donated to found the school is tainted.

Ultimately, Mr. Faigman said in an interview, the question of whether Hastings keeps its name rests with the Legislature and the governor. His critics say Hastings should proactively demand the change. A spokeswoman for Mr. Newsom, Erin Mellon, said the governor hoped Californians would think critically about the harmful legacies of our forebears. The governor will review any legislative proposals that land on his desk, Ms. Mellon said.

The site of the massacres, Round Valley, is a four-hour drive from Silicon Valley. But the halo of wealth of the Bay Area has never reached the tumbledown homes, trailer park and ranches of Round Valley. The main sustaining business in Covelo, the valleys unincorporated town, is backyard marijuana plots.

James Russ, the president of the Round Valley Indian Tribal Council, which governs the Round Valley Reservation, emphasizes that the leadership is happy to accept the colleges offer of legal assistance for the tribes activities.

We have a window of opportunity and we dont want to screw it up, Mr. Russ said.

Still, the controversy over the name is further complicated by the question of which tribal members should receive reparations.

The Yuki people were decimated and, after decades of intermarriage among members and white settlers, were subsumed into the Round Valley Indian Tribes, which was created after a coerced 19th-century relocation by the U.S. government of seven distinct tribes.

Mona Oandasan, one of the leaders of a group of Yuki tribespeople in Round Valley, said the law school was negotiating with the wrong people. The Yuki were the ones targeted in the Hastings massacres, not the other tribes on the reservation, she said.
Since she tested positive for the coronavirus in April 2020, Josie Cabrera Taveras has found herself sleeping for up to 15 hours a day, stopping in grocery store aisles to catch her breath, lapsing in and out of consciousness and unable to return to her job as a nanny.

She believes that she is one of thousands, possibly millions, of Americans who may have a condition known as long Covid. The Biden administration has said people with the condition could qualify for federal disability protections and benefits, which can include health care, housing and unemployment benefits.

But like many others who may have long Covid, Ms. Taveras, 31, has had a hard time proving it.

Two brain M.R.I.s, several heart ultrasounds, dozens of lung X-rays, two stomach endoscopies, one colonoscopy and multiple CT scans have all provided the same results: Everything looks normal. Its something doctors cant explain yet, whats happening to me, Ms. Taveras said.

With no direct medical evidence of her condition, she has been turned down for disability coverage twice. Even a note from a prestigious post-Covid clinic in the Mount Sinai hospital system, attesting that Ms. Taveras continues to experience daily symptoms and is currently unable to work, was not enough.
A Los Angeles man has agreed to plead guilty to distributing the fentanyl pills that the rapper Mac Miller consumed before he died of an accidental overdose in 2018, according to court documents.

Under the agreement with federal prosecutors, the man, Stephen Andrew Walter, 48, would serve 17 years in prison.

Mr. Walter was one of three people indicted in 2019 connection with the death of Mr. Miller, 26, a versatile artist who had rapped about drug use and spoken openly about his struggles with addiction and depression.

The two other defendants, Cameron James Pettit and Ryan Michael Reavis, are scheduled to go to trial in March, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California.
It is not an unprecedented situation. As recently as 2017, Republicans went it alone on their Trump-era tax cuts using the budget reconciliation process, which shields legislation from a filibuster, knowing that Democrats would not support the corporate tax breaks the G.O.P. was eagerly handing out. In 2009 and 2010, Democrats had substantial enough majorities in the Senate and the House that they could enact the Affordable Care Act on their own over universal Republican resistance.

Aware that Republicans would never support the kinds of social and climate programs they are trying to enact in the safety net legislation, Democrats are the ones using reconciliation this time. With the shoe on the other foot and with razor-thin Democratic majorities, the one-sided legislating has rendered Republicans  who make up exactly half of the Senate and almost half of the House  virtually irrelevant as Congress debates potentially momentous legislation expected to cost at least $1.5 trillion.

It is really odd, said Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who is among the few Republicans who occasionally join with Democrats on important legislation and who helped craft the bipartisan infrastructure bill awaiting a final vote in the House. As somebody who is open to ideas from both sides and works on a lot of different initiatives with Democrats, to really not be involved or engaged in any aspect of it is just really odd.

But there seems to be no fear of missing out among Republicans, given their hostility to the emerging domestic policy package, which  even in its scaled-back form as Democrats whittle it down to appease crucial centrists  would lead to a level of social spending that is anathema to G.O.P. lawmakers.

They just have to satisfy their political base to the point where it gets pulled so far left, Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, said of the Democrats. Obviously we dont like being shut out of the policymaking, but that is the choice they made.
Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, acknowledged on Wednesday that the rapid pace of the legislative process posed risks and said it would be preferable to allow some of this very, very complicated tax policy to get an appropriate airing back and forth.

The need to roll out new tax proposals stems largely from the concerns of business groups  and moderate Democrats  who effectively killed Mr. Bidens initial plan to raise the corporate tax rate to 28 percent from 21 percent to pay for his clean energy and social policy initiatives. Other ideas proposed by the White House, including raising the top marginal rate for the wealthiest taxpayers and doubling the capital gains tax, have also been jettisoned.

The new policy proposals include elements of the kind of wealth tax that Mr. Biden shied away from during his campaign in favor of other tax increases. Under the new plan, billionaires, who often pay little to nothing in federal income taxes, would have to pay taxes on the increased value of certain liquid assets, like stocks and bonds, even if those assets were not sold and the gains were not realized. A second proposal, which Mr. Biden has supported in the past, would impose a 15 percent tax on companies that report at least $1 billion in profits to shareholders but have little or no federal tax liability as a result of tax deductions and other loopholes.

If enacted, the taxes would likely apply to fewer than 1,000 companies and individuals. But the breakneck speed at which changes are being considered and crafted is rattling business groups and some powerful Democrats, who have expressed concern about the consequences of moving so quickly.

Were quite concerned that Congress is contemplating really fundamental shifts in tax policy with very little time for any vetting for unintended impact and consequences, said Neil Bradley, chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a top business lobbying group. I dont think anyone fully understands the implications of whats being proposed.
WASHINGTON  It was known at the State Department as the Benghazi hangover: strict security protocols to protect U.S. officials abroad from terrorism that, in practice, limited their interactions with people in the countries where they served.

Nine years after a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans were killed during a riot in Benghazi, Libya, the State Department is easing some of the restrictions, which had made routine diplomacy more difficult during the coronavirus pandemic and as crime surged.

The shift was announced on Wednesday as part of a retooling of the department  an exercise afforded to each secretary of state  that will also solicit more input on policy from employees, expand promotion and retention efforts and upgrade aging technology systems.

But the plan is not without risk. As recently as a year ago, the Trump administration was preparing to shutter the U.S. Embassy in Iraq over concerns that it would be targeted by Iranian-backed militias that almost overran the diplomatic compounds walls in December 2019 to retaliate for a deadly drone strike against their fighters. The Trump administration also closed the U.S. consulate in Basra, in southern Iraq, in 2018 over fears that it was under similar threat. It withdrew diplomats from the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, as tensions with President Nicolas Maduro spiked in 2019.
Senate Democrats plan to extract hundreds of billions of dollars from the wealth of billionaires hit a major snag on Wednesday when Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia, denounced it as divisive.

The billionaires tax, officially unveiled early Wednesday morning, may have died before the ink was dry on its 107-page text. Mr. Manchin, speaking with reporters, said, I dont like the connotation that were targeting different people. People, he added, that contributed to society and create a lot of jobs and invest a lot of money and give a lot to philanthropic pursuits.

Its time that we all pull together and row together, he said.

The proposed tax would almost certainly face court challenges, but given the blockade on more conventional tax rate increases imposed by Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, Democrats have few other options for financing their domestic agenda. Finance Committee aides expressed surprise at Mr. Manchins position, insisting that he had expressed at least mild support to the committees chairman, Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon.

If the proposal can be enacted over Mr. Manchins concerns, billionaires would be taxed on the unrealized gains in the value of their liquid assets, such as stocks, bonds and cash, which can grow for years as vast capital stores that can be borrowed off to live virtually income tax free.
Most of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States have lived here for a decade or longer, often with U.S.-born children and deep ties to their communities. About two-thirds of undocumented adults participate in the work force, according to the Pew Research Center.

A memo detailing the policy, which applies to field agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, said that agents must to the fullest extent possible refrain from enforcement action in the types of locations on the list at all times.

Any exceptions must be approved by agency headquarters, the memo said.

The guidelines come as Democrats continue to struggle to add immigration provisions to a sprawling social safety net and climate bill. Possibilities include offering protected status without citizenship to some undocumented people, and allowing immigrants who have been in the country more than a decade to apply for permanent legal residence.

Since taking office, President Biden has moved away from his predecessors tough approach to illegal immigration; the new guidelines are the most recent in a series intended to soften interior enforcement, away from the nations border regions.

This week, two House Republicans sent a letter to Mr. Mayorkas demanding answers about the changes in enforcement priorities.

Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona deemed the new approach an affront to the rule of law.

Instead of preventing ICE from enforcing the law, the Biden administration should be empowering them to keep our country safe, he said in a statement.

Mr. Biden has kept in place some of the border policies introduced by Mr. Trump to staunch the influx of unauthorized migrants at the border. Still, border officials encountered a record 1.7 million migrants in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.
One of the people close to the talks confirmed that Mr. Manchins opposition was the reason the provision would most likely be dropped, despite intense lobbying from his colleagues and outside advocacy groups.

Im looking at everything, Mr. Manchin said on Wednesday evening. But to put this into a reconciliation bill  its a major policy  is not the place to do it.

Facing unanimous Republican opposition to the sprawling social policy, climate and tax-increase plan, Democrats must keep all 50 senators and all but a few of their members in the House united behind the plan for it to pass. That has complicated their efforts to reach a deal, even as they use a special budget process known as reconciliation, which shields fiscal legislation from a filibuster, to push it through with no Republican support.

As Democrats have scaled back their initial $3.5 trillion blueprint for the plan to around $1.5 trillion to accommodate Mr. Manchin and other centrists, the proposal to provide paid family and medical leave has been in jeopardy.

Ms. Gillibrand said she had sought to address Mr. Manchins belief that a large federal leave program would harm the solvency of Social Security, making the case to her colleague that women with access to paid family leave are 40 percent more likely to rejoin the work force after having a baby.
Mr. Grinberg, a tax law professor at Georgetown University who worked in the Treasury Department during the Bush and Obama administrations, was initially viewed with skepticism by some progressives, who noted that in 2016 and 2017, he lamented Americas singularly high corporate tax rate during congressional hearings and called for the rate to be slashed in favor of a consumption tax.

But in early 2020, Mr. Grinberg wrote in a Foreign Affairs essay that European digital services taxes could open a dangerous front in the Trump administrations tariff wars and warned that the decay of the century-long international tax order is likely to accelerate without a deal. Later that year, Mr. Grinberg alerted Mr. Bidens campaign advisers on how their international tax proposals meshed with the stalled discussions of a global minimum tax. After the election, he joined Mr. Bidens transition team.

Ms. Kysar, a professor at the Fordham School of Law and a tax treaty expert, has been a vocal critic of the 2017 Republican tax overhaul. In 2018, she told the Senate Finance Committee that the laws international tax provisions fundamentally botched general business taxation. Ms. Kysar had collaborated on research with David Kamin, deputy director of the White Houses National Economic Council, who helped recruit her to join the transition team and administration.

With the Treasury Department working remotely, Mr. Grinberg and Ms. Kysar spent months juggling Zoom meetings with officials from finance ministries around the world and fielding calls with tax directors from Americas largest companies, which have been anxious about what the agreement will mean for their tax bills.

Working from their basements in Washington and Connecticut, they regularly exchanged emails in real time during negotiations, but they had never met until they traveled to a gathering of finance ministers in Venice in July. At such summits, they would often employ a divide and conquer approach, with Ms. Kysar joining Ms. Yellen in meetings with her counterparts and Mr. Grinberg negotiating separately with Irish tax officials.

The final months of negotiations centered on the United States and Ireland, but with moving parts falling in and out of place from Peru to India, which threatened to back out of the deal shortly ahead the announcement.

Ms. Yellens approach with Ireland was to cajole more than to pressure.

Where once upon a time this tax advantage may have been important to Ireland, Ireland has built a really strong economy with a very well educated labor force, Ms. Yellen said. It is an extremely attractive base for American multinationals to choose as their E.U. headquarters.
In the tight race for governor of Virginia, Election Day has morphed into Election Month.

By the time voters cast their ballots on Election Day next Tuesday, hundreds of thousands of other voters will have already done so in person and by mail during a month and a half of early voting. The states six-week early voting period, one of the longest in the country, began on Sept. 17 and ends on Saturday.

More than 788,000 ballots had been cast in person and by mail as of Tuesday, more than four times the early turnout four years ago, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan group that tracks voting data.

The surge in early voting signals that the sea change in voting habits in 2020 may forever alter elections around the country.

The coronavirus pandemic has helped convert more and more voters into early voters  in the 2020 presidential election, the early vote made up 63 percent of the electorate, up from 36 percent in 2016. Even as conservatives have attacked the legitimacy of voting by mail with false claims of widespread fraud, the popularity of early voting in Virginia by both Democrats and Republicans has been shaping the dynamics of the race and may play a role in delaying the final results if the election is extraordinarily close.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti  Gangs blocking Haitis ports, choking off fuel shipments. Hospitals on the verge of shutting down as generators run dry, risking the lives of hundreds of children. Cellphone towers going without power, leaving swaths of the country isolated. And an acute hunger crisis growing more severe each day.

After a presidential assassination, an earthquake and a tropical storm, a new crisis is gripping Haiti: A severe fuel shortage is pushing the nation to the brink of collapse because gangs, not the government, rule about half of the nations capital.

With gangs holding up fuel trucks at will, truck drivers have refused to go to work, setting off a nationwide strike by transportation workers and paralyzing a nation dependent on generators for much of its power.

It is just the latest reflection of the security vacuum that has enveloped Haiti, where 16 Americans and one Canadian with an American missionary group were kidnapped this month by a gang demanding a $17 million ransom. The authorities know where the hostages are being held  but cant enter the gang-controlled neighborhood because the police are so outmatched.
TOKYO  The Japan Communist Party is the oldest political party in the country. Its the largest nonruling Communist party in the world. Its harshly critical of China. And the Japanese authorities list it, along with ISIS and North Korea, as a threat to national security.

To many in Japan, that comparison seems exaggerated. The party, which long ago abandoned Marx and Lenin and never really had time for Stalin or Mao, is about as radical as a beige cardigan: antiwar, pro-democracy, pro-economic equality.

But that hasnt stopped it from becoming a primary target of Japans dominant political force, the Liberal Democratic Party, ahead of parliamentary elections on Sunday that will help set the countrys path out of the pandemic.

Though clocking in at only 3 percent support in the polls, the Communists have become a handy boogeyman after teaming up with Japans leading opposition parties for the first time in an effort to dethrone the L.D.P. The Communists agreed to withdraw their candidates from several districts to avoid splitting the liberal vote.
Ms. Archibald said that she would also call on Francis to renounce and formally revoke the papal Doctrine of Discovery from 1493, which proclaims that any land not inhabited by Christians could be discovered, claimed and exploited by nations ruled by Christians.

Not all Indigenous leaders were confident that the Vaticans statement necessarily meant that an apology will follow.

Im not assuming that the trip to Canada is in relation to an apology, said Natan Obed, the president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. Until they make it quite clear that is happening, I will assume that it will not be happening.

Marc Miller, Canadas new minister for Indigenous relations, said that an apology from the pope would be an important element in any reconciliation.

I think for Indigenous peoples, that full recognition of harm caused is something that is long waited for from the Holy Father himself, Mr. Miller said.

Mr. Obed said that he and other Indigenous leaders also want the pope to ensure that the Catholic Church in Canada finally fulfills its obligations under a settlement reached in 2006 in a class-action lawsuit filed by former residential school students.

While the Protestant churches that operated some of the schools met their obligations, Catholic groups fulfilled only a small fraction of what they had agreed to under the settlement: The church said it would raise 25 million Canadian dollars for the settlement, but the effort yielded only about 4 million dollars. A separate 29 million dollar cash payment was supposed to be paid from church reserves, but little was dispensed.
Two workers died immediately, and 28 more fatalities, from radiation poisoning, were recorded within a few weeks. Even though some 350,000 people living in the area were evacuated, scientists estimated that an additional 5,000 thyroid cancers could be attributed to radiation exposure from the accident.

My father came home after 24 hours, and it looked like he had aged 15 years, Mr. Bryukhanovs son, Oleg, said in an interview for a 2020 Flemish TV series, Under the Spell of Chernobyl.

Wind spread radioactivity as far west as Italy and France, contaminating millions of acres of European farmland and forest and producing deformities in newly-born livestock. After the accident, the reactor core was enclosed in a concrete and steel sarcophagus, but even that proved to be structurally insufficient, and officials declared a 1,600-square-mile zone surrounding the plant to be uninhabitable indefinitely.

You need to understand the real causes of the disaster in order to know in what direction you should develop alternative sources of energy, Mr. Bryukhanov told the Russian magazine Profil in 2006. In this sense, Chernobyl has not taught anything to anyone.

He contended that he and several other plant officials had been scapegoated as a result of a tissue of lies that distracted us from the search for the real causes of the accident.

Viktor Petrovich Bryukhanov was born on Dec. 1, 1935, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, which at the time was a Soviet republic. His father was a glazier, his mother a housekeeper.
The coalition is an unwieldy alliance of left-wingers, centrists and Arab Islamists who support the two-state solution; right-wingers like Mr. Bennett, a former settler leader who opposes Palestinian sovereignty; and center-right politicians like Benny Gantz, who has previously expressed qualified support for a truncated Palestinian state, but who, as defense minister, oversaw Wednesdays decision to expand settlements.

Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan during the Arab-Israeli war in 1967. It has since permitted the construction of more than 130 Jewish settlements there, a process that most of the international community considers a breach of international law, which prohibits an occupying power from moving its people into occupied territory.

Critics say Israel has effectively stolen land for settlements from Palestinians whose families had long held it but could not prove ownership to Israels satisfaction. The Israeli government says much of the land was never privately owned, while religious settlers believe the land is the ancestral birthright of the Jewish people.

Across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the settlements house about 700,000 people, or roughly 10 percent of all Israeli Jews; the higher the settler population, particularly in settlements deep inside the West Bank, the harder it would be to disband the settlements under a possible peace deal.
THE former Tullamore DEW restaurant and bar could be set to reopen next year if plans for its acquisition come to fruition.

Whiskey company William Grant & Sons are believed to have had discussions with a number of different parties interested in trading at the landmark premises on the Grand Canal in Tullamore.

Local sources indicated the Scottish based spirits giant had narrowed the number of potential licensees down to about four and a significant investor now appears to be the frontrunner.

A number of big corporates in the Irish hospitality sector have been on an expansion drive in the past few years, carefully selecting premises which they believe have long-term potential.

One of those companies, which already has interests in a string of pubs in Dublin and around the country, is believed to be targetting the Tullamore DEW building on Bury Quay.

Cllr Tony McCormack, chair of Tullamore Municipal District, said the reopening of the premises is crucial for the town.

We need something like that in Tullamore. It's very important that that building gets used because it will generate footfall and it was a place where you could bring visitors to the town and show them around. I've done that myself with an awful lot of people, he said.

It's a huge loss that it's closed because it was operating to a very high standard.

Cllr McCormack said he was aware of William Grant's ongoing efforts to find an operator for the premises.

What they said was that they would like the right business to go in there and it's wasn't necessarily to do with money. It was about getting the right fit for Tullamore and the right fit for Tullamore DEW.

It can become a beacon for the town and will bring people in and people will be able to go to a good restaurant and bar there again. It'd be very positive for the town and in fairness Tullamore DEW have been very good all along in doing what they've said they're going to do.

William Grant & Sons ran the Bury Quay building as a whiskey heritage centre and restaurant from 2012 which at peak was attracting about 40,000 visitors each year.

In a shock move in September last year, William Grant & Sons confirmed they were closing the visitor centre centre on Bury Quay and said they planned to develop a new one at the Tullamore DEW distillery on the outskirts of the town.

The company said its ambition to showcase the distillery as the centre-piece of tours, as well as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the tourism industry, were the reasons for the closure.

The company opened the new distillery on the Tullamore bypass in 2014 and say they have invested over 100 million in the business.

Last month planning permission was granted for the new visitor centre and shop at an administration building in the distillery.

The company said it will develop a premium and immersive brand experience... by bringing the brand story to life with a behind the scenes tour.

Before Tullamore DEW located there, the Bury Quay building housed a heritage centre focussing on the canal, the history of Tullamore and the local Irish Mist and Tullamore DEW story. A number of operators developed a healthy restaurant and bar trade there.

The building was formerly a bonded warehouse and through a joint initiative involving Billy Jaffray of Irish Mist, spirits group Cantrell & Cochrane, the council and Offaly History, the visitor centre, restaurant and bar opened in 2000.

Asked on Tuesday to comment on their plans for the building, a spokesperson from William Grant & Sons told the Tullamore Tribune: Were looking at the future of the Old Bonded Warehouse. We are not in a position to communicate exact details at this time but will share more information in due course.
There is no prospect of returning to restrictions ahead of Christmas, according to Minister for Transport, Eamonn Ryan.

Deputy Ryan said it was discussed at the Cabinet sub-committee meeting last night and nobody in the room believed it to be the appropriate response, including Chief Medical Officer, Tony Holohan.

"As well as personal responsibility, I think sectors have a responsibility so every organisation who are organising events, just do it in a way that keeps people at distance." added the Green Party leader.

Ryan said the virus is still out there at scale and for all our interests it is best to keep simple measures in place.

He said: 'I don't think it will be a return to restrictions'

He emphasized the importance of basic public health measures like washing your hands and keeping distance.

It comes as Ireland had 2,193 confirmed Covid-19 cases yesterday.

At present, there are 97 confirmed Covid-19 cases in ICU, and 503 confirmed cases in hospitals across Ireland.
An Irish nurses group has called for more protection at work after over 4000 nurses and midwives reported assault last year.

The call comes after a recent trade unions conference, where members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) spoke out against violence in the workplace.

Executive Council Member, Lynda Moore, called assaults on workers trying to do their job "unacceptable".

She said, "We need to know what measures are being put in place to protect a largely female work force? The employers remit is to provide a safe workplace. [The] level of reported incidence is completely unacceptable."

According to Ms Moore, figures obtained through the HSE's National Incident Management Scheme shows 4,166 nurses and midwives reported some type of assault in 2020.

It's part of a larger figure of 8,667 staff reporting physical, verbal and sexual assault in the workplace, with nurses and midwives making up 48% of this cohort.

Ms Moore continued: "Our hardworking staff are firefighting on so many fronts at the moment. We need assurances that our employer is taking measures to protect nurses and midwives seriously because the rise in incidents of assault is a serious cause of concern."

INMO General Secretary, Phil Ni Sheaghdha, believes proper staffing would lead to faster and better care, which would in turn ensure tensions in hospitals don't build up.

She added, "Our hospitals are not just full, they are overcrowded and this creates a pressure cooker type environment. With that frustration can run high and a tiny minority unacceptably attack staff. This means that frontline staff are being put at risk for conditions they are not responsible for."
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Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

White Star Capital, a multi-stage global technology investment platform, announced it has secured $360 million for its third flagship fund, to invest in exceptional entrepreneurs building ambitious, global businesses. Its original target was $300 million.

The VC firm has successfully raised more than $500 million over the last 18 months, and now manages $750 million of assets, including $50 million from its recently announced Digital Asset Fund and more than $90 million raised from co-investment vehicles, said a press release.

Eric Martineau-Fortin and Jean-Francois Marcoux founded firm also announced it will open an office in Singapore.

Following two funds of $70 million and $180 million, announced in 2015 and 2018 respectively, White Star Capital plans to deploy initial investments between $5 million and $15 million in 15 to 20 startups across North America, Europe, and Asia seeking financing at Series A and beyond.

The firm has already made several investments from Fund III, including finn.auto (Germany), Percent (U.S.A.), Flash Coffee (Singapore), Novisto (Canada), 900.care (France) and Numan (U.K.), and seeks to invest in emerging technology companies in the A.I., Digital Health, Fintech, Foodtech, Future of Work, Industrial Technologies, Mobility and Wellbeing sectors.

"Now with more than 30 team members in nine locations around the globe, White Star Capital supports investors by taking a platform approach to invest. This ......................

To view our full article Click here
On September 23, Remote Staff CEO Chris Jankulovski talked about the future of work during a webinar hosted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The webinar is part of an ongoing campaign to commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Australia. In the webinar, Chris discussed making remote work a permanent part of any business, diving deep into the reasons for going permanently remote, factors business 
There are several steps to evaluate before selecting a leak testing instrument. When a Quality Engineer is tasked with determining a new components specifications, production process, and testing procedures, he or she should first consider the costs and benefits of leak testing to determine if it is necessary for the test part. If the part is a disposable plastic straw, it may not be worth taking the time and money to 
Gabriel Beims Brascher is the new VP of Apache CloudStack since March 2021. He started his journey with CloudStack when he was still a student in the university, became fast a contributor, PMC member and now he is VP of the project. Gabriel is a quite interesting person  born and living in Brazil, but working for a Dutch company, he seems to be an international person. On the technology 
The oldest privately held freight brokerage in North America, Tucker Company Worldwide celebrates 60 years of business. Tucker Company Worldwide recently celebrated its 60th anniversary with employees, friends, and family at Tavistock Country Club. Specializing in temperature-controlled, oversized, high-value and high-security shipments, Tucker also has a history of professionalism and leadership. Founded in 1961, Tucker Company Worldwide has been family-owned and operated for 60 years. Currently owned by Jeff Tucker 
Laval, QC  Companies looking to become highly visual in the intensely competitive world of the Internet are utilizing Boumgrafik branding agency to give them explosive and memorable content. Boumgrafik, has quickly become the preferred choice of SMEs throughout Laval and the greater Montreal area in delivering focused and creative brand solutions to reach their target audiences more easily and boost their revenues. As a premier web and branding agency, 
Delhi, 27th October, 2021: Ecole Intuit Lab, a top French design institution, is partnering with Delhi-based JS Institute of Design to set up its third school in India. The new school will offer four undergraduate level programs (Visual Communication & Design, Game Art & Design, Fine Arts, and Digital Product Design), and one postgraduate program (Advertising, Design & Digital Communication). Dr Pramath Raj Sinha, Founder, Ashoka University, ISB, and JS Institute 
LAKE COUNTY  A 5-year-old male was transported to the hospital after an accidental shooting in Elk Township in Lake County this week.

Around 4:25 p.m. on Monday deputies from the Lake County Sheriffs Office and from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources responded to an incident of a child being shot with a hand gun on Oakwood Lane in Elk Township, according to a press release from the sheriff's office.
BIG RAPIDS - The Ferris State University women's volleyball squad notched one of its biggest wins of the season on Tuesday night as the Bulldogs swept nationally 18th-ranked Hillsdale 3-0 score at Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena in Hillsdale.

The Bulldogs claimed the regional road showdown with a 25-21, 27-25, 25-23 triumph to improve to 18-4 overall this year.

The victory was FSU's 13th in a row this campaign and it also marked the Bulldogs' 10th sweep in their last 12 contests.

The Bulldogs had three players reach double-digits in kills in the win with senior hitter Katie O'Connell leading the way with 17 kills. She also added 17 digs in the victory.

Along with O'Connell, the Bulldogs received 13 kills from freshman outside hitter Keona Salesman to go with 12 by Olivia Henneman-Dallape. Middle hitter Kira Merkle chipped in with six kills.

The Bulldogs were led defensively by libero Nina Gorgijevska with 19 digs. In addition to Gorgijevska and O'Connell, FSU's Brooke Norder tallied 13 digs and Kaylee Maat had 12 to go with her 47 assists in leading the Bulldog attack.

Ferris State finished with a .264 attack percentage and totaled 81 digs on the night. FSU also had four service aces and finished with 10 block assists and two solo stops at the net.

Hillsdale was led by Maggie DePorre with 13 kills. Marilyn Popplewell added 10 kills for the Chargers.

Ferris State will return to GLIAC play with another West Michigan matchup at longtime rival Grand Valley State on Friday with match time set for 3 p.m.\ at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena in Allendale.

Houghton Lake 3, Pine River 2

On Tuesday, Pine River travel to Houghton Lake and lost five in five set 25-14, 20-25, 25-20, 13-25, 15-14.

Our serving let us down early in the match but we started serving more aggressively and that really helped, Pine River coach Jana Dennis said. We kept building throughout the night but just weren't able to get the win. The team never gave up and fought until the very end.
MANISTEE  Two Manistee men will be hosting a barbecue for people who are homeless in the area every Sunday until spring.

Andy Grant and Andy Beach held their first barbecue on Sunday, according to a Facebook post from Grant.

"Please spread the word or anyone's just invited. We'll be having hot dogs, chicken, among other things. This will happen every Sunday till next spring," the post from Grant reads.

The barbecue will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 384 Second St. in Manistee.

Grant said in an email to the News Advocate that no one showed up on Sunday, but that "(they're) still going to keep doing it."

Despite, the fact that no one showed up, they were able to secure some item donations including soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, canned and boxed food, among other essentials that people experiencing homelessness might need.

Beach said they're doing this "to give back to the community." Beach also said he knows families with jobs who have problems finding housing in Manistee. He said the shelters "kick people out" in the morning, that people need a place to go, and having the barbecue would help them out for a couple of hours.

Safe Harbor, which is the only shelter in Manistee, offers overnight shelter at its main facility at ECHO His Love, located on 525 Michael St. However, the shelter is only open at night from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. during the winter. It provides shelter to around 25 to 30 people every night and is open to men, women and families.

Currently, there are 27 people who are homeless at any time in Manistee, according to Mihomeless.org; 17 are children. However, the overall rate of homelessness has gone down over the past years. It was down 19% from 2019 to 2020, according to mihomeless.org.

As of January 2020, Michigan as a whole had an estimated 8,638 experiencing homelessness on any given day, as reported by Continuums of Care to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Of that total, 1,026 were family households, 639 were veterans, 484 were unaccompanied young adults, aged 18-24, and 1,109 were individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.

RELATED:

Adults, children struggle with homelessness in Manistee

Temporary homeless shelter approved at council meeting

Safe Harbor volunteers numbers decline by half last year
LUDINGTON  Sandcastles Childrens Museum announced Tuesday it has been awarded a grant of $5,000 from the Community Foundation for Mason County.

The purpose of the grant is two-fold: to fund Design and Build 3D STEAM workshops on 3D printing with a 3D printer and 3D pens, and to cover the cost of a plastic glass surround for a new 3D printing exhibit in the museum.
Chippewa Nature Center will host the Mid-Michigan Rock Clubs (MMRC) 27th annual Rock Show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day on Saturday, Nov. 6 and Sunday, Nov. 7 at 400 S Badour Road in Midland.

Admission is free to the show, which will include table top presentations, educational displays and activities for all ages related to identification and collection of rocks and fossils. There will be $1 kids grab bags with items such as agates, fossils and beach rocks. Dealers will have rocks, minerals, fossils, gemstones and jewelry for sale. Face masks are required inside the Chippewa Nature Center Visitor Center.
Midland County had 102 new COVID-19 cases and four deaths reported from Oct. 26-27.

COVID-19 numbers reported from Oct. 26-27

Midland County: 102 cases and four deaths were added; pandemic total is 9,499 cases, 880 probable cases, 127 deaths and seven probable deaths.

Bay County: 125 cases and two deaths were added; pandemic total stands at 13,821 cases, 1,089 probable cases, 374 deaths and 15 probable deaths.

Gladwin County: 36 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 2,744 cases, 546 probable cases, 67 deaths and four probable deaths.

Isabella County: 107 cases and three deaths were added; pandemic total stands at 7,645 cases, 1,417 probable cases, 114 deaths and six probable deaths.

Saginaw County: 222 cases and two deaths were added; pandemic total stands at 25,368 cases, 12,004 probable cases, 644 deaths and 23 probable deaths.

The state added 7,867 cases and 142 deaths from Tuesday through Wednesday. Overall, Michigan is at 1,120,357 cases and 22,060 deaths.

Recovered

According to the Midland County Health Department website, which was updated Oct. 18, 8,695 Midland County individuals have recovered from COVID. The state reported that as of Oct. 22, a total of 982,288 persons have recovered.

Testing

Midland Countys seven-day rolling positivity rate on Oct. 25 was listed at 12.5% and Gladwin Countys was listed at 16.1%. Our 12-county region was listed at 17.1% and Michigan was at 11.2%.

MidMichigan Health statistics

As of Oct. 25, MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland was listed as having an 77% bed occupancy, with 37 COVID patients and seven in the ICU. MidMichigan Medical Center in Gladwin was listed as having a 67% bed occupancy with four 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 Tuesday, Midland Public Schools reported 135 staff/students were in close contact to an individual who was confirmed COVID-19 positive, and 45 staff/students currently tested positive for the virus.

Schools with one or more staff/students confirmed positive for COVID-19 as of Friday include Dow High (12), Midland High (7), Jefferson Middle (5), Northeast Middle (5), Plymouth Elementary (3), Siebert Elementary (10) and Woodcrest Elementary (3).

Bullock Creek School District reported on Wednesday that one staff member and seven students are current positive cases. There are also 10 students (but no staff members) currently in quarantine.

Schools with one or more confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday include Pine River Elementary (2), Bullock Creek Middle School (2) and Bullock Creek High School (3).

Midland County vaccinations

The Michigan COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard lists Midlands completed vaccine rate is 67.1%. 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.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  New Zealand's government said Tuesday it will expand a vaccine mandate to include thousands of workers who have close contact with their customers  including employees at restaurants, bars, gyms and hair salons.

The changes will mean that about 40% of all New Zealand workers will need to get fully vaccinated against the coronavirus or risk losing their jobs, up from about 15% previously.

Speaking with reporters, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she didnt believe the new rules were an overreach of government power.

This requirement means staff and customers are treated equally and it will play a big part in helping to minimize the spread of the virus in the highest-risk venues by reducing the potential for COVID to enter the business in the first place, Ardern said.

Workers who had previously been told they needed to get their shots included teachers and health care professionals.

Tuesday's announcement came just a few days after the government set a target of getting 90% of people aged 12 and over fully vaccinated in order to end the cycle of lockdowns.

Auckland, the largest city, has been in lockdown for more than two months after an outbreak of the delta variant.

As part of its plan to end lockdowns, New Zealand will also require people visiting high-traffic businesses to show vaccine passports to prove they've had their shots.

The conservative opposition National Party said there was no need for restrictions such as vaccine passports once vaccination targets were met.

Some businesses will choose to require proof of vaccination. Others will not, said opposition leader Judith Collins in a statement.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The International Cooperation Department of the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Expertise France Foundation of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which deals with economic activities and support to private sector projects and small and medium enterprises, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Elected mayors from different Libyan cities have warned against holding the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for 24 December due to "violations of the law"
Photo: (Photo : Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Chrissy Teigen has revealed that she has no qualms about bringing along her late son's ashes on family vacations, and her two other kids, Luna, 5, and Miles, 3, are quite comfortable with it as well.

Speaking with Scary Mommy, the model and businesswoman, said that it's her children who sometimes remind her not to forget packing up Jack's ashes. She shared that Luna and Miles love being a part of their "crazy" rituals while traveling with Jack's little box. As a mom, she also treasures how much her kids still talk about the brother they have never met.

"[When] we get to where we're going, they're like, 'Oh my gosh, he must be thirsty,'" Teigen detailed. "This might sound crazy to people, but they'll put a little glass of water next to his little box of ashes."

Read Also: Bluey: Parent Lays Down Theory That Popular Cartoon Might Be a Rainbow Baby Parentherald

How Chrissy Teigen Lost Jack

Jack didn't survive his mother's pregnancy as Teigen, the wife of pop superstar John Legend, suffered from a complication and miscarried the baby in September 2020. According to reports, Teigen was 20 weeks pregnant with Jack when she experienced partial placenta abruption.

According to WebMD, this happens when the placenta breaks away from the uterus before the baby's birth, thus cutting the supply of nutrients and oxygen. The complication also leads to the mother's heavy bleeding, which Teigen experienced for days. A trip to the hospital confirmed her worst fears as the doctor told her and Legend that their baby would not survive and Teigen could die if they didn't do a procedure to terminate the pregnancy.

Teigen, who has been diagnosed with endometriosis, was on bed rest before the miscarriage. Her doctors had her undergo multiple blood transfusions after she lost the baby.

A few weeks later, Teigen and Legend received Jack's ashes alongside a stack of letters of condolences from family, friends, and fans. The cookbook author shared that Luna included a therapy bear and her favorite snack next to her brother's box, which was tied with a blessed Thai string. Teigen also shared a video of Luna introducing Jack to the therapy bear.

Trying for Another Baby

In April, Teigen told People that she has come to terms with not having any kids anymore. She and Legend conceived Jack through IVF pregnancy, but after the miscarriage, the model said that she would never get pregnant again.

Instead, Teigen acknowledges her luck for still birthing Luna and Miles. She also hinted that there are still other options, such as adoption or surrogacy, if she and her husband still want another child.

Meanwhile, the mom also said that losing Jack made her assess how she took care of her body and mind's health. Teigen revealed that she has given up on alcohol and then decided to let go of her anger after going through "so much therapy" to be a better mother, wife, and person.

Related Article: Mom Gives Birth to a Healthy 14-Pound Baby Boy After 19 Miscarriages
Photo: (Photo : Stephen Chernin/Getty Images)

A Catholic school teacher was fired from his job on October 13 because the Brooklyn Diocese found out that he got married to a man in August.

Music teacher Matthew LaBanca revealed the details surrounding his firing from the St. Joseph's Catholic Academy and removal as the Corpus Christi Church music director in a YouTube video, where he's also asking for support for his "discriminatory termination."

LaBanca said that high-ranking members of the Brooklyn Diocese met for more than a month to discuss his employment, where they ultimately decided that the Catholic school teacher could not stay on his job. LaBanca said he has also been stripped of his health insurance and connection to the community that has meant a lot to him following his job loss.

The teacher told ABC News New York that he was not closeted and everyone in the school and church knew his sexual orientation. He believed that his personal life would not be an issue, except that it bothered someone in the community who was acting in "an apparent act of righteousness."

Read Also: New York City Scraps Gifted Children Program Following Segregation Criticisms

Refusing the Gag Order

LaBanca specifically named Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, who oversaw the parishes in the Brooklyn Diocese, as the man responsible for his firing because the school principal was the teacher's "fiercest advocate." He detailed that his severance pay was worth three months' salary, and he was asked to sign a 10-page gag order. The Catholic school teacher refused to sign the document.

Mary Ann Daly, a member of the parish and LaBanca's friend, said that the firing is hypocritical because the community is aware of what's going on, but the church leaders have chosen to make one person the victim.

For now, LaBanca is still thinking about whether or not he'll sue the diocese. Per New York State laws, same-sex marriage has been legal since 2011. However, a spokesperson for Brooklyn Diocese said that the law of the Church is clear, and his conduct did not exemplify the teachings in the Catholic doctrine.

According to New York Daily News, DiMarzio has been strongly against gay marriage and banned lawmakers who supported the 2011 legislation from stepping foot in the Brooklyn Diocese.

In September, the Vatican exonerated the bishop for the sexual abuse allegations lodged by two men who claimed DiMarzio; then, a New Jersey priest victimized them more than 50 years ago. Per Newsweek, DiMarzio said he fully cooperated with the Vatican's investigation because he knew that the accusations were false. He said that he was looking forward to clearing his name in court.

LaBanca's Petition

Meanwhile, more than 3,000 have signed the petition against LaBanca's discrimination and reinstatement as teacher and music director. One of the supporters said that the students miss LaBanca, while another said that he was the kind of teacher who made the lives of the children better.

Some of those who knew LaBanca from years ago also said that they could not believe discrimination still existed. Those who met the teacher briefly in their children's class described him as a welcoming and gracious person who was valued and adored by the students.

Related Article: Same-Sex Parents Sue Nebraska for Rejecting to List Both Moms in Birth Certificates
In April of this year, Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service fined Apple $12 Million for abusing its dominant position in the mobile applications market. Today we're learning that Russia has opened an antitrust case against Apple for failing to allow app developers to tell customers about alternative payment options when using its App Store platform, Russias anti-monopoly regulator said on Wednesday.

Apple was earlier issued a warning over the issue and given a Sept. 30 deadline to "stop the abuse on the market," the Roskomnadzor regulator said in a statement. Roskomnadzor is the Russian federal executive agency responsible for monitoring, controlling and censoring Russian mass media.

Apple has yet to comment on the matter. For more read the full Reuters report.
The decline of Covid cases to double digits, in both Delhi and Bihar, signaled for me the opportunity to head for home. I booked my and my wife's tickets for Patna; a planned visit to Delhi for 18 days became a near permanent residency. I was under the absolute maternal care of my daughter and son in law, and my two grandchildren but thoughts of how things might be at home never left me.

I arrived home to an uncertain welcome. The torrential rains thwarted the many attempts of the pilot to land at Patna, ILS notwithstanding. We got diverted to Varanasi and could land only after the weather at Patna had cleared.

The Covid figures have again started going up, from a low of 25 thousand sometime back to 43 thousand yesterday. Kerala accounted for more than 22 thousand of those 43 thousand, a state with less than 3 percent of the population toted up 50% of the total number of new cases. Kerala, we are told is the most literate and progressive state. Its monitoring system was publicised as worthy of emulation. Maharashtra another standard bearer of modernity and prosperity has been consistently adding disproportionately large number of new cases. It is not in good taste to question these states. Only when poorer, laggard states fumble, it becomes a matter of national concern. Meanwhile the two states keep the hope of an early third wave alive. Or has it already, as one report on twitter says?

Covid 19 has proved to be the greatest disruptor known to mankind in recent times. We, in India, looked for redemption in the heat of the scorching Indian summer; it was a virus of the colder climes, we told ourselves. But summer came, the way it always did, spent its fury in vain and made way for an uneventful rainy season. Covid 19, contrary to our hopes, stood taller and firmer, if anything, notching up new heights every day. The fabled Indian immunity, acquired by our long association with filth, dirt, lack of civic amenities, its familiarity with tuberculosis and measles did not seem to be giving us a free pass either. It was another one of those chimeras which we had been pursuing!

Days passed by; seasons changed but we still had no idea how long would this ordeal continue. There seemed to be no end, no event, no hope in sight, only a paralysing sense of fear and foreboding: it could last a life time or go away in a year. Living and partly living, we pinned our hopes on 2021, in the upcoming Vaccine. Vaccine was the new redeemer! But come 2021 and Covid 19 numbers petered off. And up surged the self-esteem of our leaders, like ink to the nib. Some needless frontier bravado and avoidable chest thumping at having defeated the disease percolated down to the grass root levels. A wave of mass delusion swept the country and people let down their guard.

In The Plague in the city of Oran had similar delusions, Our townsfolk were not more to blame than others; they forgot to be modest, that was all, and thought that everything still was possible for them; which presupposed those pestilences were impossible. They went on doing business, arranged for journeys, and formed views. How should they have given a thought to anything like plague, which rules out any future, cancels journeys, silences the exchange of views. They fancied themselves free, and no one will ever be free so long as there are pestilences.

The virus bounced back with vigour and redoubled ferocity, as if to mock the vanity of human agents. While we are getting the logistic right, we had overtaken as world leaders, notching up a figure of more than 4 lacs per day and rising. The surreality of dead bodies being cremated on pavements foregrounded our fears of an apocalypse. Those who tried to wish it away realised that, A pestilence isnt a thing made to mans measure; therefore, we tell ourselves that pestilence is a mere bogey of the mind, a bad dream that will pass away. But it doesnt always pass away and, from one bad dream to another, it is men who pass away, and the humanists first of all, because they havent taken their precautions. Not even to a super mans measure, one may add. The redeemer vaccine was way off in the future and has now started trickling down. The redemption had been postponed. We are still bobbing up and down the second wave, but at our backs we already hear the winged chariot of the third wave hurrying near. If we are able to vaccinate a large number of people soon enough, we may open a window for some fresh air to get into our lives. We are clinging to that hope, desperately. We hope to live a little between the second and the third wave because Covid like the

plague bacillus never dies or disappears for good; that it can lie dormant for years and years in furniture and linen-chests; that it bides its time in bedrooms, cellars, trunks, and bookshelves; and that perhaps the day would come when, for the bane and the enlightening of men, it would rouse up its rats again and send them forth to die in a happy city.

I guess, That is how life will have to be: with happiness and moments of delight when all goes well, but with the threat hanging there - life set between parentheses. as Simone de Beauvoir says in Adieu.

Like the proverbial mice, we will play a while, till a fresh Covid wave sends us scurrying behind masks and for cover in our homes.

India Today magazine once referred to Manoje Nath, a 1973-batch IPS officer, as being fiercely independent, honest, and upright. Besides his numerous official reports on various issues exposing corruption in the bureaucracy in Bihar, Nath is also a writer extraordinaire expressing his thoughts on subjects ranging from science fiction to the effects of globalization. His sense of humor was evident through his extremely popular series named "Gulliver in Pataliputra" and "Modest Proposals" that were published in the local newspapers.
The Management of the National Lottery Authority held a crunch meeting Monday, October 25, following the raiding of its premises by operatives of National Security.



Starr News gathered that the security personnel were following up on intel about issues with procurement, supply, and handling of NLAs security thermal paper rolls.



The spokesperson for NLA, Goodfellow Dei-Ofei, told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr a certain truck which made its way through the Aflao border indicated that they were going to get some suppliers done for the NLA, and so they basically have to follow up, because that they didnt pay the needed duties and all the statutory payment they needed to do, to find out what the situation was.



He added that in fact, the Director-General if you look at the period that the said contract was signed, Mr Samuel Awuku wasnt in office. Mr Samuel Awuku assumed office in the first week of August. This morning, he requested that a team who were there before he assumed office should give him a full brief of the matter.



So, currently, they are in a meeting briefing with the Director-General, so I am sure with some time given, we will be able to get the full fact of the matter. Who signed it, where it was signed and the papers circulating, what the contractors duties are, and who and who authorised the payment to the company?



On Friday, when this whole matter broke up, the circumstances that brought up the matter was that the said supplier through the courier didnt pay the needed fees because they were coming from Nigeria. Apparently, with some of the bits and pieces of the information that I have gotten, the printing was done in Nigeria, so they came through the Aflao border, and they didnt pay the duty component of it.













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Ghana is set to implement the Country Structural Vulnerability and Resilience Assessment (CSVRA) and Country Structural Vulnerability Mitigation Strategy (CSVMS) after going through a successful assessment phase that proposed concrete recommendations to address the countrys vulnerabilities in order to strengthen its resilience in socio-economic development, governance, human rights, peace, and security.



The CSVRA and CSVMS frameworks which are under the auspices of the African Union and ECOWAS assess a country's vulnerability to conflict by identifying structural defects or resilience indicators to anticipate and prevent conflicts as well as provide timely policy options for the mitigation of same.



Being the first country on the continent to undergo this structural vulnerability assessment in 2018, Ghana has committed to implementing these frameworks as part of strategic and medium to long-term measures designed to address the countrys structural vulnerabilities.



Giving the Keynote address to reiterate Ghanas commitment at the Inter-Ministerial, AU-ECOWAS Consultative Workshop on the Implementation of Ghanas CSVRA-CSVMS in Accra on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, Senior Presidential Advisor, Yaw Osafo-Maafo said the government will do all it takes to ensure successful implementation of the identified strategies in the framework.







Our achievement as the first country in Africa to have completed the CSVRA process is commendable since it has become a trailblazing event that has so far attracted other countries on the continent to follow our footsteps. But what is more creditable for Ghana and the continent, is to demonstrate effective and efficient implementation of the CSVRA and the CSVMS for them to attain their purpose.



Having gone through the process successfully, our task at this stage is to ensure that we put in place an effective mechanism that will ensure the implementation of the recommendations in the CSVRA and the CSVMS report of 2018. Evaluation and the monitoring of our implementation of the CSVRA and the CSVMS should be critical components of the mechanism for implementation, he added.



He expressed the readiness of government in implementing the framework and encouraged all partners and stakeholders to contribute towards this direction.



Present at the event was Minister for National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Kwaku Sarpong-Ampratwum, Representatives of AU, ECOWAS, and Development Partners.



On his part, Mr. Dapaah reiterated Ghanas commitment to advance the cause of peace, security, and democratization on the continent. He said Ghana is noted to be a peaceful country and the report would help to further enhance peace and security in the country.



The AU and ECOWAS representatives also expressed their appreciation and gratitude to government and people of Ghana for championing the cause of structural conflict prevention in Africa, and for its role in the maintenance of peace in the region as well as on the continent.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









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Dr. Frank Awuah Adjei, a businessman and philanthropist, has donated a Maternity Block Extension he built to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Hospital in Kumasi in the Ashanti region.



The Maternity Block Extension was commissioned on Wednesday, 27th October 2021 by His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, and the Chancellor of KNUST, assisted by Ambassador Nana Effah-Apenteng, Chairman of KNUST Council, and Prof. (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson, the Vice-Chancellor of KNUST.



Dr. Frank Adjei has been at the forefront of creating jobs for a lot of youth in Ghana. So far thousands of people are employed by his companies which include Lotto and Lotteries Company Limited, Lovers Band, Rema-Jason Company Limited, etc. Dr. Awuah Adjei has business interest in transportation, real estate, lottery, and commerce.



Through his philanthropic responsibilities, Dr Frank Adjei has assisted so many communities and Vulnerable people in Society. He strongly believes in giving back to society as a way of assisting government to address the pressing needs and development challenges of Ghanaians.



The leadership of KNUST encourages the business community to continue supporting and partnering with the university community so that collectively it will be able to reach out to the urgent needs of society.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









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The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has presented 40 Jeep J8 vehicles, 6 Toyota Hi-ace mini buses, and 14 Toyota Hilux pick-ups to the Ghana Armed Forces.



According to President Akufo-Addo, the vehicles will help the Army contain the security threats posed by extremist groups operating along Ghanas northern borders, and also help them deal better with internal security challenges.



Speaking at the presentation ceremony on Wednesday, 27th October 2021, the President noted that these 50 vehicles are to complement the 73 armoured personnel carriers, 41 Toyota vehicles, 3 water tankers, 1 self-loading recovery truck, 1 refrigeration van, and 5 utility vehicles for waste disposal and management, he presented on 5th December 2019 and 31st March 2021.



He told the gathering that Government is constantly kept apprised of the needs of the Armed Forces, and, Commander-in-Chief, he is taking steps to ensure that they are met.



We recognize that our vision of ensuring equitable distribution of development, progress and prosperity to all parts of the country can only be achieved in an atmosphere of peace and security. We are determined to continue in this vein, and satisfy the legitimate demands of the Armed Forces, he said.



He continued, There is no doubt that your success in providing the needed all-round security in the country has been made possible through your vigilance and sacrifices, notwithstanding the modest resources with which you have to work. Ghana is forever indebted to you.



Prior to the presentation of the vehicles, President Akufo-Addo drove through the Ghana Military Academy Infrastructure Upgrade project site, and expressed delight that the project had progressed significantly, since he cut the sod for its commencement on 4th July 2019.



The Cadet Mess, the Square and lecture rooms are completed. The Administration Block is some ninety-five (95%) complete, and the contractor is in the final stages of completing the external works. The two hundred and forty-six (246) capacity Cadet Hostel and Platoon Commanders Block are some sixty-five percent (65%) complete.



The President was also informed that the housing project, which is an integral part of the facility funding the Military Academy Upgrade Project, would see the Ghana Armed Forces adding eight hundred and thirty-two (832) units of 2-bedroom self-contained flats to its stock when completed, with the ones at Five (5) and Six (6) Garrisons also at various stages of completion.



Again, the President also inspected on-going construction of the seven-storey Army Headquarters Office Complex, which is also progressing steadily.



This project is costing the taxpayer some thirty-three million cedis (GH33 million). Undoubtedly, it will boost the image and morale of the Army, since the Air Force and the Navy already have very beautiful headquarters, and we cannot allow the Army to be left out, he added.



The President also cut the sod for the commencement of work on the US$24.8 million housing project for troops.



He stated that 40 half compound houses will be built here at Burma Camp, ten (10) each at the Naval Base in Sekondi, the Airforce Base in Tamale, the 4th Infantry Battalion in Kumasi, and the 3rd Infantry Battalion in Sunyani. When completed, a total of three hundred and twenty (320) units would be added to the housing stock of the Armed Forces.



As President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I am fully aware that our economic development can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and security. It will come at a cost, and against other competing demands. These notwithstanding, we continue to make systematic efforts to address the logistical and housing needs of the Armed Forces, President Akufo-Addo said.



With the threat from the northern border not abating, he stressed that Government released funds last year to start re-tooling, reconstructing and upgrading fifteen (15) Forward Operating Bases and new units, including the ten (10) and eleven (11) Mechanised Battalions, one hundred and fifty-four (154) Armoured Regiment and one hundred and fifty-five (155) Armoured Regiment, and supporting logistics units.



All these efforts of re-tooling and providing the necessary housing units, will enhance the state of preparedness of the Armed Forces, he added.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Newmont Ghana swept six awards at the prestigious 2021 HR Focus Awards, celebrating excellence in human resource management. The gold mining industry leader was adjudged the Overall Best Organization in HR Practice.



The company won across multiple categories including the Best HR Practice in Energy and Natural Resources, Best Organization in Learning and Development Practice, Best Organization in Localization, Best Organization in HR Information Systems and Best Organization in Diversity and Inclusion.



Hosted at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra on the theme: Global Changes: Preparing People and Culture for the Next Decade, the biennial HR Focus Awards identifies, recognises and honours organizations that have harnessed a tradition of best practices in Human Resource Management. The event also provides a platform for HR practitioners to network and celebrate their achievements.



Regional Senior Vice President (RSVP) for Newmont Africa, Francois Hardy, said the recognitions are a testament of Newmonts commitment to putting people first and at the heart of its operations. These awards reinforce our commitment to fostering an enabling and inclusive work environment for our talented and eng aged workforce to help sustain our superior business performance, he said. The awards also acknowledge the innovative strategiesandinitiativesdeployedamidtheCOVID-19pandemictokeepouremployeessafe, engaged and productive.



Regional Vice President - Human Resources, Awo Quaison-Sackey, said the multiple awards will motivate her team to continue pursuing talent management excellence and enhancing workplace experience. We are pleased our efforts at improving the value of our workforce have been externally validated by these awards. We will continue striving to provide our workforce with career and personal growth opportunities to thrive and contribute meaningfully to our business and industry at large.



Over the years, Newmont Ghana has demonstrated industry leadership in attracting and developing the next generation of mining professionals with the multiple talent acquisition programmes including its Graduate Development Programme and New Futures for Girls Leadership initiative for young promising and diverse talents to train, mentor and expose them to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The company also runs the Apprenticeship and Learnership Programmes to provide opportunities in mine maintenance,mineprocessandheavytruckoperationsforsemi-skilledyouthfromitsAhafo and Akyem mine host communities.



According to the company, these initiatives align with its strategy of contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 - promoting decent work and economic growth for all by 2030.



We are proud of these laurels and will continue to consolidate our reputation as a leading employer of choice by further enhancing our workplace experience, maintaining a diverse, motivated and productive workforce even through these challenging times in a global pandemic, Mr. Hardy concluded.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









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Officials from AskNano, a new business listing app have paid a courtesy call on the LEKMA Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra Region.



The visit to the Assembly was important as LEKMA was being used as the initial catchment area for its pilot.



Led by Nour Nader, Director of AskNano, the team on Thursday, October 21 met with executives of the Assembly to formally introduce the App and its impact on the municipality to the team.



Speaking at the meeting, Nour Nader said the App is a onestop solutions platform which allows users all over Ghana to promote their businesses and services.



AskNano provides you with a platform through which users can find all the above and many more within seconds. Asknano embraces all types of businesses from Small scale enterprises to bigger companies within their app, one would no longer have to go around asking throughout their neighbourhood for inaccurate and biased advice. You can market your business and can handle your multiple Businesses under one account.



She added that The goal of AskNano is to provide Ghanaians with a worry-free life by handing them all the knowledge they need to be able to live the best comfortable life. AskNano is here to help you interact with your friends and your customers via chat to give the best service. All users need to do is search the service they are looking for, and they will be provided with a list of all the companies and businesses that can opt for the service requested.



The visit was also a follow up to BRAVEs initial commitment to the Assembly some months back to help find solutions to the unemployment situation in the area.



Tracy Owusu-Addo, Founder of BRAVE added that, to reduce unemployment in the country and to motivate entrepreneurs, signing up on to the AskNano app will provide opportunities to business owners to get access to their target market.



AskNano provides benefits around discoverability, Search EngineOptimization improvement, stronger reputation, and improving local visibility.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ghana









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The driver of a taxi died on the spot when the taxi rammed into a moving trailer, on the Dominase to Mankessim road in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region.



Three other occupants of the taxi, who were injured were rushed to the Accident and Trauma Hospital at Winneba.



The driver of the trailer was detained by the Mankessim Divisional Police Command and was assisting in investigations.



A source at the Mankessim Divisional Police told the Ghanaian Times that the accident happened on Saturday dawn.



He said the injured were in stable condition as of Saturday, but he was not sure if they had been transferred to another hospital.



The source said the police was yet to establish the cause of the accident adding that the police would take statements from the injured passengers as part of its investigations into the accident.





Source: The Ghanaian Times









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About 5,700kilograms of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis with a street value of about GH6,840,000 had been seized by the Narcotics Control Commission (NCC), at Atimpoku, in Eastern Region, on Wednesday.



Seven persons, names withheld for security reasons, have been arrested when they attempted to transport the suspected wee to Greater Accra Region.



The seizure followed an investigation into a drug syndicate, operating between Juapong in the Volta region, Kpongin the Eastern Region, and Dodowa in Greater Accra.



The head of Communication of the NCC, Francis Amoah, who confirmed the story to the Ghanaian Times, in Accra, yesterday, said the seizure formed part of efforts to clamp down on the use and trade in narcotic drugs.



He said the wrapped cannabis was packed in 124 sacks each containing an average of 81 pieces per sack, adding that in all 10,000 pieces of wrapped cannabis with a gross weight of 5,700kg, were seized.



Mr. Amoah said the suspects have been remanded into prison custody by the Criminal High Court 5, till October 29.



He urged the public to desist from engaging in the cultivation, trade, and use of cannabis in the country.



The Commission wishes to reiterate that any person who engages in the cultivation of cannabis, as well as promotes any business relating to cannabis without lawful authority commits an offense, he said.



Mr. Amoah appealed to the public to support the NCC to combat the drug menace in the country.





Source: The Ghanaian Times









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The Lead Pastor of Dunamis Prayer Army , Prophet Suglo Prosper, has advised the new Inspector-General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, against arresting prophets.



Prophet Suglo in an open letter said arresting prophets will only make the IGP an enemy of God.



The prophet admitted that he likes what the new IGP is doing by trying to fix the country from his angle but he believes going after prophets for speaking Gods revelations is not right.



According to Prophet Suglo, Christianity and men of God are not the problems facing the country.



He wrote: "Sir, I'm not against what you are doing but it is very risky to attack the PROPHETIC Ministry sir. This is a wrong tool. Sir, the Problem of this nation is not the men of God or Christianity sir sit upright sir are you now telling God to bring You proof? Aaaaaaaaa Mr IGP Dampaare what proofs does God owe you, sir? I'm not Supporting some acts and behaviour of some of the Prophets but Sir you can't judge them through that it might be how God called them. Who am I to judge another manservant?"



He added that the IGP cannot ask pastors to provide proof of their prophecies because God does not owe him any of that.



He admonished the IGP to put a stop to the act before its too late.



Prophet Suglos statements come at the back of the arrest of Prophet Stephen Kwesi Appiah popularly known as Jesus Ahoufe for prophesying that Shatta Wale was going to be shot on October 18, 2021.



Jesus Ahoufe has been granted bail following his arrest.



Below is his post:





Source: zionfelix.net









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The founder and leader of Rivers of Life International Ministry, Bishop George Nii Aryeh, has urged the government of Ghana to build sex rooms in all the prisons in the country.



The man of God believes that it would prevent the activities of lesbians and gays in our prisons.



According to him, to prevent LGBTQI+ in the country, the government should build rooms in the prisons so that if a prisoner feels for sex, they could invite the partner and have sex with them.



He added that it is difficult for someone to be in prison for about ten years without having sex with a partner.



He told Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that humans are humans, and once in a while, they experience the need for sex and when they dont get their partners, they tend to engage in gayism and lesbianism in our prisons.



The man of God said this was not a prophecy but an opinion he was expressing to help curb LGBTQI+ activities in our prisons.



He insisted that the reason why some people are practising same-sex relationships in prisons is the lack of sex they do not get from their partners in the prisons.



Meanwhile, he wants the government to convert all single-sex schools to mixed schools since, in his view, same-sex schools serve as breeding grounds for the activities of LGBTQI+.













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The Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) Caucus in Parliament, has complained about the questionable approval process of the presidents nominees for the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).



It called for immediate interventions to prevent further acts of violence, brutalisation, harassment and intimidation that characterised the approval of some MMDCEs after their nomination and confirmation.



The Minority accused government officialsof abusing processes and procedures of approval with reference to incidents at Assin South, Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai, Sekyere/ Kumawu, Suaman, Awutu Senya West, Shama, Cape Coast, and Lawra.



At a press conference at Parliament House, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Odododiodoo in the Greater Accra Region and Ranking Member on the Committee, pledged to protect the sanctity of local governance system and democracy and condemned chaotic scenes.



He called on the president and the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development to order a re-run of processes at Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai, Assin South, Sekyere Kumawu, and Cape Coast where assembly members were prevented from exercising their constitutional mandate and asked the police to investigate reported cases of abuse, harassment and intimidation.



The Minority played video footages showing confusion and prevention of Philip Basoah, MP for Kumawu in the Ashanti Region and some assembly members from entering voting hall to vote to approve or reject nominee.



There were other video footages that showed some re-appointed chief executives struggling their way through to be approved while other assembly members were either given wrong dates, venues and times that deprived them of casting their votes for approval or rejection of nominees.



Nii Vanderpuye further complained about last minute replacement of nominees in Suaman and Awutu Senya West districts, in addition to use of security personnel to intimidate voters at Sekyere/Kumawu.



For Shama, what made its case disturbing, was an impending court injunction on processes but the government disrespected the court and organiseda botched approval and we wonder why there should be brouhaha over approvals, following eight months wait for release of names by the president to afford wider consultation with chiefs and other stakeholders before names was released.



We promise to haul District Police Commander of Kumawu to Privileges Committee of Parliament, when the House resumes sitting, to explain why Mr Basoah was prevented from exercising his franchise, Nii Vanderpuye said.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema East Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Isaac Odamtten, has assured the citizenry of the governments commitment and determination not to renege on responsibility of the citizenry.



He said the 1992 Constitution mandated the government to release a minimum of five per cent of the gross domestic revenue for administration of the Common Fund.



Mr Odamtten called for support to Yohannes Ashitey, the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Tema Metropolitan Assembly to enable him to fulfil his responsibility and bring about development in the area.



Speaking at the Tema Ghana News Agency Industrial News Hub Board Room Dialogue, he commended the government on the appointment of a new Metropolitan Chief Executiveto accelerate the transformation of the metropolis and raised concerns over the delays in nomination of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and the three quarters in arrears of Assembly Common Fund.



If the 1992 Constitution states every quarter, revenue must be sent to the Common Fund and it delays those in need of scholarship to support education will be deprived and development stalled in communities so we must balance national class system, state support and assistance system to help the vulnerable.



If the little that must go to assemblies for development and social intervention purposes are not going, then we are impoverishing the communities and people of livelihoods, Mr Odamtten lamented.



Francis Ameyibor, Tema Regional Manager, Ghana News Agency, noted that modern journalism practices demanded comprehensive dynamic approach to issues affecting society, through which the media provided platform for proactive engagement and exchange of ideas towards shaping national progress, growth and development.



In view of the development and conscious of not leaving anyone behind, the office has created three major flagship news platforms to serve the public through unbiased dissemination of truthful, factual, accurate and balanced news which are monthly stakeholder engagement, workers appreciation day seminar, weekly GNA-Tema, Tema Motor Transport and Traffic Department Road Safety Campaign and weekly Tema GNA Industrial Boardroom Dialogue platforms.



Our operations now hinge towards advocacy journalism which focuses on providing platform for Ghanaians to share key information needed to make the best possible decisions about national issues, community development, protection of society and enhance governance, Mr Ameyibor disclosed.

Source: GNA









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The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), has challenged the citizenry to be bold to report cases of corruption and suspected acts of corruption within their localities without any fear of victimisation.



It said corruption had become adaptive,it had grown, changed alongside the world systems and needed to be tackled head-on by reporting cases instead thinking of victimisation.



This can only be done if citizens are willing to report cases also while encouraging Ghanaians to develop an interest in reporting people who are involved in corrupt practices,corruption does not occur only amongst politicians and people in authority but everywhere in society, GII noted.



Awelana Addah,the programmes Manager at GII,was worried over how corruption as was known did no longer happen in the dark but was now practiced in the open and happened everywhere involving everyone.



She was speaking at a stakeholder engagement in Tamale organised by GII in collaboration with Ghana Developing Communities Association and SEND-Ghana to empower the citizenry to be able to demand probity, transparency and accountability from leadership.



Mrs Addah explained that it was not only in the political offices or public institutions that corruption happens, it happens even in homes, churches and schools and lamented that corruption no longer happened in the dark but inbroad daylight.



She indicated that the most worrying of it was corruption was now adaptive, as the world changes, its acts also change and alleged that people took bribes through MoMo since technology and corruption could be termed as bedfellows.



Citizens should at all-time demand probity, accountability and transparency from authority both from the local assemblies and central government and report same to the appropriate institutions if they have any suspicions and the whistleblowers act protects every citizen who reports corrupt cases so we should not be scared to blow the whistle, Mrs Addah stressed.



Alhaji Osman Abdel-Rahaman, the Executive Director of Ghana Developing Communities Association, whose outfit conducted research on the level of corruption in five District Assemblies in the Northern Region, cautioned that corruption at the local level was on the rise in recent times and all Ghanaians were needed on board to be able to tackle the menace.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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The Bolgatanga High Court on Wednesday adjourned to November 2, 2021, the election petition involving the 2020 parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), for Pusiga, and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Pusiga.



Abdul-Karim Zaani Dubiure, the NPP parliamentary candidate for Pusiga, petitioner, accused the Electoral Commission (EC), and Hajia Laadi Ayii Ayamba, NDC MP for Pusiga, who was parliamentary candidate, first and second defendants, respectively, of widespread electoral malpractices and irregularities.



The court presided over by Justice Charles Adjei Wilson adjourned the case after lawyers for the petitioner and second defendants completed their cross-examination.



Both parties are expected to reopen their defense or file their addresses in November.



It was the case of Dubiure that he won the election, alleging that there was overvoting at Pusiga Dispensary, Terago Clinic, Teshie Nating, and Laatega polling stations.



The petitioner, who is seeking relief, indicated that the first defendant erred by declaring Hajia Ayamba as the validly elected MP for Pusiga.



The counsels for the defendant were Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe and Dominic Ayine, and counsel for the petitioner were Sule Sabian and Anthony Namoo.



Mr. Tamakloe argued that results from the four polling stations, where the petitioner alleged electoral malpractices took place, could not make him win the election, considering the quantum of votes declared in favour of Hajia Ayamba.



The counsel for the petitioner, however, argued that once there were electoral malpractices at the polling stations, the EC should not have declared the NDC parliamentary candidate as a winner.

Related Articles:S

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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Deputy Communications Director of the ruling NPP, Mame Yaa Aboagye has slammed the opposition NDC for telling President Akufo-Addo to apologize to the Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Area, Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti over his reply on some statements by the Chief on an abandoned E-block Community Day SHS in his area.



According to Mame Yaa Aboagye, President Akufo-Addo is the first gentleman of our land, hence we should accord him that respect.



Mame Yaa further argued; Truth hurts but why should a king give President, the Commander- in-Chief an ultimatum?Respect is reciprocalNDC and minority should do the honourable thing and ask the Chief to rather apologize to the President because the Chief was first to show arrogance and gross disrespect by giving the President a threat. Mind you all, the President is not a walk-over.



The Minority in Parliament is demanding an apology and retraction from President Akufo-Addo over his response to the Paramount Chief of Aflao, Torgbui Adzonu-Gaga Amenya Fiti V, regarding the abandoned E-block during an interview on Peace FMs morning show Kokrokoo.



The Chief has issued an ultimatum to the Ministry of Education to operationalize the abandoned the school which has stalled since 2016.



The President, in a quick riposte, asked the Chief to complete the project himself if he is tired about the delay.



Amidst laughter, President Akufo-Addo quizzed; Is he [the chief] the one going to give the Minister of Education an ultimatum?

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has directed that committee sittings, debates and voting on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 (anti-LGBTQ+ bill) will be made public to ensure transparency and inclusiveness.



Welcoming MPs from recess to commence the third meeting of the first session of the eight Parliament on Tuesday (26 October), Bagbin gave the assurance that all stakeholders and interested parties will be given the opportunity to share their opinions on the bill.



The Parliament of Ghana is capable of handling the situation. Ill assure citizens of this country that well create the enabling environment for all to put across their views. At the end of the day the processes of the House will determine the outcome, Bagbin said.



And when that is done, Im convinced that the law that will come out of this, will protect the culture and values of our people and the Ghanaian identity.



The law agrees that we also take into consideration the human rights and freedoms that have been guaranteed under our constitution and its a law that takes into consideration the richness of the common sense, human decency and morality, fact and logic. And at the end of the day its a law that will bring and transform this country into something else. Lets allow all stakeholders to participate in the deliberations of this House, he said.



He added: I know Ghanaians are expectant and I know weve over 100 petitions before the committee of constitutional, legal and parliamentary affairs. Its not only Africa but the whole world is looking for the outcome of this bill, so well not just allow people to come and delay the process. Well make the process public and the decision of this House will be public. Well want to know where each Member of Parliament stands.



Violation of human rights



A group of 18 prominent Ghanaian citizens has rejected the anti-gay bill in Parliament, saying it constitutes an impermissible invasion of the inviolability and human dignity of the LGBTQI community.



The first reading of the anti-LGBTQI Bill took place on 2 August 2021 in Parliament, and its consideration is expected to resume in November 2021.



It was initiated by some six MPs, led by the opposition MP Sam George. The new law seeks to criminalise lesbianism and sex between men in Ghana.



The group of prominent citizens, led by the renowned legal practitioner Akoto Ampaw, said the anti-LGBTQI Bill violates all the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the 1992 constitution. The group said that, if passed into law, the proposed legislation would send Ghana to a dark age of lawlessness.



The bill violates virtually all the key fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the constitution, namely the right to freedom of speech and expression, the right to assemble, freedom of association and the right to organise, the right to freedom from discrimination and the right to human dignity, Ampaw said at a press conference on Monday (4 October).

Source: asaaseradio.com









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Former Liberia President, Charles Taylor, has filed a lawsuit against his countrys government over its refusal to pay his pension and retirement benefits, according to a court statement.



Taylor sparked a 13-year civil war in Liberia when he led a rebellion in 1989 to oust President Samuel Doe, which deteriorated into one of Africas bloodiest conflicts. He is currently serving a 50-year sentence in a UK prison after being convicted in 2012 by a court in The Hague of fuelling civil conflict in Sierra Leone.



The court of the West Africa bloc ECOWAS said Taylor had filed a lawsuit alleging his right to property had been violated by Liberias refusal to pay his pension and retirement benefits since 2003. The former President said the action of the government constitutes a violation of his human rights, particularly the right to freedom from discrimination, equal protection of the law, right to dignity, fair hearing and property, it said.



The court said no date has been fixed for the hearing for Taylor, who was Liberias president from 1997 to 2003. Taylor was the first ex-head of state to be jailed by an international court since the Nazi trials at Nuremberg in Germany after World War II.



He was convicted on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity over acts committed by Sierra Leone rebels he aided during the war.









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Bernard Allotey Jacobs has lambasted former President John Dramani Mahama for accusing the Electoral Commission of ballot stuffing in the 2020 Presidential elections.



The former President is quoted as saying "2020 was Ghanas worst election. If I was marking her, I would have given her an F. She is marking her own paper after the examination so she can give herself any mark she likes.



Tell me which election in Ghana was ballot papers printed yet one million ballot papers were found elsewhere...We didnt witness this under Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan. She [Jean Mensa] knew there was ballot stuffing'', he added.



The EC, in reply, has called on the Police to investigate the allegations.



''The Former President has said the EC thumb printed 1million ballots in favour of the president. This is untrue. This is a grave matter that undermines the credibility of our electoral process and should not be ignored. We call on him to provide evidence to support his claim. This is not a matter to be ignored and we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate this," the Commission said during its 'Let the Citizen Know' series in Accra.



It further argued; ''The Transparency of our process makes it totally impossible for this to happen. At the polling stations, prior to the start of the elections, the empty ballot boxes are opened and displayed in the presence of everyone, and thereafter they are sealed. There are serial numbers on the ballot papers for each region and constituency. This is made known to the Agents before the elections. Our ballot papers also have security features, so any trace of new material will be clearly visible...Ballot Stuffing cannot be done-it is impossible. We call on the Former President in the interest of our democracy to provide evidence of the stuffing of the ballot boxes by the EC."



Speaking on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Allotey Jacobs wondered why the former President would make such allegations knowing very well the 2020 elections could not have been rigged.



"As a matter of fact, the 2020 elections is the best among the best . . . We have reached a stage in Ghana that our politics should be clean, not vile propaganda. It won't work!", he exclaimed.



To him, Mr. Mahama is entrapping himself, hence cautioning him and the NDC to desist from making unsubstantiated claims.



"It's an entrapment. It's like the former President is entrapping himself and when the Electoral Commission saw his weakness, they have also called on the Police to investigate," he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, has taken a swipe at Ex-President John Mahama who has accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of thumbprinting 1 million ballots for President Nana Akufo-Addo during the 2020 elections.



The former President, who was the 2020 Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is reported as saying the EC used soldiers to cow his party's polling agents at the collation centres and also stuffed ballots in favour of the President.



"2020 was Ghanas worst election. If I was marking her, I would have given her an F. She is marking her own paper after the examination so she can give herself any mark she likes...Tell me which election in Ghana was ballot papers printed yet one million ballot papers were found elsewhere . . . We didnt witness this under Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan. She [Jean Mensa] knew there was ballot stuffing," the former President said in an interview quoted on 3news.com.



Kwamena Duncan, in response, finds Mr Mahama's claims ridiculous as he wondered why he (Mahama) never forwarded such claims to the Supreme Court during his election petition case.



He read a constitutional provision that gives a 21-day period for any person who has an issue with the elections to file a case in the court to challenge the legitimacy of the winner, which President Mahama and his NDC did; however asking ''are you saying that, within 21 days after the declaration, you did not have this evidence? You did not have it?''



"You're worth your sort; you're worth a political party, a former President that you had as many as 1 million stuffed in favour of your opponent and that did not come to your attention the 21-day period. It didn't come to your attention to enable put all of that together to go to the Supreme Court and challenge it," he was alarmed.



To him, what Ex-President Mahama seeks to do is to have power at all cost, hence resorting to making wild allegations against the EC.



"For their cause, it is either our power or nothing. For President Mahama's cause, for the NDC cause, it is either we have the power whichever means even if this country will come crushing.''



Kwamena Duncan made these submissions on Peace FM's flagship programme ''Kokrokoo''.







Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission has called for Police investigations into the former President's allegations."The Former President has said the EC thumb printed 1million ballots in favour of the president. This is untrue. This is a grave matter that undermines the credibility of our electoral process and should not be ignored. We call on him to provide evidence to support his claim. This is not a matter to be ignored and we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate this."The Transparency of our process makes it totally impossible for this to happen . . . Our ballot papers also have security features, so any trace of new material will be clearly visible . . . Stuffing cannot be done-it is impossible. We call on the Former President in the interest of our democracy to provide evidence of the stuffing of the ballot boxes by the EC," the Commission further argued.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Princess Mako of Japan has given up her royal title to marry her commoner boyfriend in a move that has sharply divided public opinion.



Mako, 30, the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and niece of reigning Emperor Naruhito, tied the knot with university sweetheart Kei Komuro, a commoner, in Tokyo on Tuesday after an eight-year engagement.



Japan's strict laws of succession forbid women from ascending to the Chrysanthemum Throne and force them to give up their titles if they marry commoners.



The low-key union, which was met with protests, was bereft of traditional rituals, with the couple voicing sadness over the controversy that haunted their engagement.



The private service behind closed doors was a far cry from the pomp and ceremony of other Japanese royal weddings, which traditionally include a reception, banquet and formal family photos.



Mako was pictured leaving her family's residence at Akasaka Estate early Tuesday, bowing to father Crown Prince Akishino and mother Crown Princess Kiko before sharing a hug with sister Princess Kako. She then went alone by car to marry Kei at a registry office, away from cameras and a public who are divided over the relationship.



Read Full Story .... dailymail.co.uk >>> :

















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Mikki Osei Berko, popular radio and television personality, has grabbed a nomination at this years edition of the annual National Communications Awards (NCA) 2021.



Also an actor and comedian, Mikki Osei Berko who was nominated in the Brand Ambassador of the Year category, keenly contested by Kumawood actress Nana Ama McBrown and television personality Anita Akuffo.



The awards, being organised by RAD Communications, is on the theme: Transforming Ghanas Economy Through Digitalisation.



It is being organised to celebrate and reward excellent communications and media companies, teams, and individuals across Ghana.



Mikki Osei Berko for decades has served as a brand ambassador and commercial voiceover artist for many brands in the country such as MTN Ghana, Kab-Fam Ghana Limited, Piccadilly Biscuit, Agatex Paints, Momo milk, Wofa Chef, and Kente radio among others.



In an Instagram post sighted by BEATWAVES, the veteran actor applauded the awards organisers, urging his fan base to support him win the award category.



He wrote, Good morning fam#we are grateful to JAH for his mercies and favour, your support and these amazing brands #MTN#KAB-FAM Gh, #AGATEX Paints #MOMO milk#WOFA CHEF#KENTE RADIO Ltd#Piccadilly Biscuits.



Known in the showbiz scene as Master Richard or Dada Boat, Mikki Osei Berko was recently appointed as the brand ambassador of Piccadilly Biscuits Limited.



As an actor and comedian, he played Master Richard in the TV series Taxi Driver and Dada Boat in the series Dada Boat.



Mikki Osei Berko, who is the Executive Director of Mediagold Productions in Ghana, served as the assemblyman for the Ayidiki Electoral Area, Accra New Town for one term.



He worked extensively with Radio Gold, a private radio station based in Accra, which he left in July 2003 to join Happy FM.



He later worked with Kessben FM. He is the brain behind Kente Radio, a Pan-African online radio station.



This years categories include Media Man and Woman of the Year, Africa Communications Personality of the Year, Media CEO/MD/GM of the Year, Media Group of the Year, Radio Personality of the Year, Radio Station of the Year, TV Personality of the Year, Newspaper of the Year, and Blogger of the Year among others.



Personalities who earned nominations to various categories of the prestigious awards include Bernard Koku Avle, Stacy Amoateng, Adisa Amanor-Wilks, Hannah-Lisa Tetteh, Raj Mirpuri, Joyce Sackitey, Fadda Dickson, Nana Aba Anamoah, Giovanni Caleb, Ohemaa Kente Ameyaw, and Komla Adom.



Since 2019, the NCA awards have brought together players in the media and communications industry and recognised achievements from local and international companies involved in the media and communications sector in Ghana.









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Fraser Health registered nurse Kai Kayibadi draws a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine into a syringe at a walk-up vaccination clinic at Bear Creek Park, in Surrey, B.C., on Monday, May 17, 2021. The deadline for British Columbia health care workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A man walks outside the shiite Karti Sakhi Shrine in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. A top United Nations official says Canada and its international partners need to do more to strengthen Afghanistan's neighbours if they want to help vulnerable people flee the Taliban-controlled country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Bram Janssen
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, congratulates David Lametti, minister of justice and attorney general of Canada, during a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on October 26, 2021. Canada's attorney general says that with only days to go until the court deadline, the Liberal cabinet still has not decided whether or not to appeal a decision that would see the government pay out billions of dollars in compensation to Indigenous families. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
RCMP Chief Superintendent Scott Sheppard addresses the media as Yukon Premier Sandy Silver looks on following a shooting in the small Yukon community of Faro during a news conference in Whitehorse on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Kelly
A wanted man was arrested Monday in connection to a July fatal shooting .

Toby Terrell Fuewell, 20, of Aiken, is charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter and sale or delivery of pistol to, and possession by, certain persons unlawfully.

Fuewell was wanted in connection to the July 7 shooting death of 22-year-old Jamar Bush.

According to Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables, the shooting occurred shortly after 6 p.m. at a residence in the 800 block of Dillon Avenue.

Police found the victim laying on the side of the roadway with a gunshot wound to the left side of the face, according to an incident report from the Aiken Department of Public Safety.

The victim was transported to Aiken Regional Medical Centers where he was pronounced dead from at least one gunshot wound, Ables said.

In 2017, Fuewell was arrested and charged in an armed robbery outside the Lucky 7 store on Hampton Avenue. He is still currently on probation for that crime.

He was charged with two counts of armed robbery, pointing and presenting a firearm at a person and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to jail records.

Fuewell pleaded guilty to strong-arm robbery, a misdemeanor in South Carolina, and the weapons charges were dropped, according to the Aiken County Solicitor's Office.

On Aug. 10, 2018, Fuewell was sentenced to six years of suspended probation under the South Carolina's Youthful Offender Act, according to the detention center.

The Youthful Offender Act provides an option for young people convicted of non-violent crimes in South Carolina to receive probation as opposed to a jail sentence.
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Problems with Boeing Co.'s North Charleston-based 787 program that forced the company to halt deliveries, spend months reworking jets and slash production will cost $1 billion in what the planemaker described as "abnormal" expenses.

Boeing booked $183 million of the projected loss in the third quarter when it issued its latest earnings report Oct. 27.

The company also said its production rate for the widebody program, which since February has been based solely in South Carolina, has been cut to two aircraft a month from five.

The planemaker said over the summer that it was slashing output to "focus 787 production resources on conducting inspections and rework," but it did not give a specific figure until Wednesday.

Production will continue at the current pace until 787 deliveries resume, according to Boeing.

Deliveries of the jet have been on hold for about 10 of the last 12 months. No estimate has been given on when Boeing will start handing over 787s again. When it does, the rate will eventually return to five per month, the company said.

I can't give you certainty until I'm certain, CEO Dave Calhoun told analysts during a conference call.

The planemaker needs approval from the Federal Aviation Administration before it can resume deliveries. It said Wednesday that it "continues to engage in detailed discussions" with the safety agency.

Overall, Boeing reported $15.3 billion in revenue for the third quarter, an 8 percent gain from the same period of 2020. It also posted a $132 million net loss, including the 787 expense, compared to a $466 million loss a year ago.

Revenue for the commercial airplanes division was $4.5 billion, a 24 percent increase from last year. The gain was largely driven by higher 737 Max deliveries and offset by the 787 hiatus.

In an interview with CNBC, Calhoun described the estimated $1 billion in abnormal costs associated with rework and slowed production of the 787 as an "investment."

"It keeps all of our people warm," Calhoun said Wednesday. "Everybodys there, while were only producing two (787s) a month."

When Boeing announced in July that is was slowing down the Dreamliner assembly line, it reassigned employees who would typically be working on production tasks to focus on inspections and fixes for the jets. Calhoun called it "important work" in a message to staffers posted on the company's website.

"While we never want to disappoint or cause delays for our customers, quality and safety always come first  and I am proud of our team for the detailed and rigorous work theyre completing to ensure we meet the highest standards, while communicating transparently with our regulators, customers and suppliers," Calhoun wrote.

The Chicago-based aerospace giant has been grappling with 787 production issues for more than a year.

Most recently, Boeing disclosed that titanium parts used on 787s had been improperly made by a supplier. The issue wasn't an immediate safety concern for the in-service fleet, Boeing and the FAA have said, but affected 787s that have not been delivered need to be reworked.

Previously, gaps were discovered where sections of the aircraft's fuselage are joined together.

As a result, Boeing has delivered only 14 Dreamliners this year. By the end of the third quarter, about 105 completed jets were still in the company's possession, finance chief Brian West said.

Calhoun said that once deliveries resume, the outlook for getting them out the door will largely depend on what customers want and need.

"They're going to take them when they want to take them," he said.

Calhoun said Boeing must make sure it is compliant with the specifications for the 787's design before deliveries can resume. That "takes some time," he said.

"We're well past halfway," he said.

The most recent snarl involving the titanium parts is the "long pole in the tent" right now, he said.

Pressure to deliver Dreamliners has been eased somewhat by the drop-off in demand for widebody planes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 787 is favored for long-haul international routes, which Calhoun has said he expects to be the last to recover.

Boeing has continued to express confidence in the program for the long-term.

It was a year ago that the company disclosed its decision to consolidate all 787 manufacturing in South Carolina and shutter the original assembly line near Seattle in a cost-cutting move. The production problems plaguing the program have been found on aircraft made both at both sites.

At the 787 program's peak, Boeing built 14 Dreamliners a month between the two plants  seven times the current rate.
MONCKS CORNER  Several Santee Cooper executives could receive significant raises to bring their pay up to competitive levels.

The board of the state-owned power and water utility unanimously approved a resolution Oct. 27 to increase the salaries of five senior managers whose pay was found to be below the range of those in similar roles at equally sized organizations.

The extra compensation would cost the Moncks Corner-based utility about $300,000 a year.

CEO Mark Bonsall, who is not among the five executives, requested the raises after an annual review showed the salaries are below the midpoint of the market.

Bonsall cut his management staff about two years ago to save money. Eliminating those positions shifted more responsibilities to the remaining executives.

"Their pay does not match that," Bonsall said.

None of the positions have incentive compensations attached to them.

Santee Cooper director David Singleton of Horry County, who chairs the human resource committee, said at a meeting Monday that the board had a fiduciary duty to set compensation levels so that the utility can retain and attract "top-quality folks."

He said the study demonstrated the current pay levels aren't competitive and the adjustments were justified.

"I heartily support those," Singleton said.

Ken Lott, Santee Cooper's chief financial and administration officer, is in line for the biggest raise. His pay could climb up to 26 percent to $530,000 from $420,000.

Monique Washington, chief audit and risk officer, could get a maximum 25 percent boost to $270,000 from $216,000.

Thomas Curtis, chief generation officer, was approved for a 20.6 percent increase to $315,000 from $261,000.

Pamela Williams, chief public affairs officer and general counsel, and J. Michael Poston, chief customer officer, could each receive raises of 11 percent. Their salaries would climb to $455,000 from $408,800 and to $370,000 from $333,000, respectively.

"These are 20-plus-year employees of Santee Cooper. These people have earned their keep," Bonsall said.

How much the five executives will receive will be up to Bonsall. He reserved the right to conduct performance reviews before determining the final compensation amounts.

At the same time, Santee Cooper is searching for a successor to Bonsall, whose work contract was extended without any pay changes though Jan. 9 as the utility looks to maintain management continuity after one of the most turbulent periods in its 87-year history. Deputy CEO Charles Duckworth also is staying on. Their contracts were set to expire in July.

Bonsall and Duckworth were recruited from Arizona about two years ago to stabilize and overhaul Santee Cooper as it reeled from losses from the failed expansion of the V.C. Summer nuclear plant in Fairfield County. The doomed project ran up more than $9 billion in bills before construction on two new reactors was halted in July 2017. Santee Cooper was responsible for 45 percent of the debt.

The meltdown ignited a political firestorm that resulted in a new law that gives the state more say over the utility's business operations.

Santee Cooper's power plants provide electricity either directly or indirectly for 2 million residents across South Carolina.
LEXINGTON  Lexington County renters have received more than $4.6 million in federal rent relief this year to avoid evictions or having their utilities shut off.

More than $236 million remains unclaimed five months after South Carolina's housing authority started accepting applications for its pandemic rent relief program. Lexington County was one of state's 39 counties too small in population to directly receive federal rental assistance funding.

After relaxing application rules, SC Housing has approved requests for $35.1 million  about 13%  of the $271.8 million it received in federal aid as of late October. The state housing authority has helped 6,700 renters statewide through the program, including 872 in Lexington County.

To qualify for the SC Housing program, renters must have incomes no higher than 80 percent of the median income for the area where they live, depending on household size. In Lexington County, a single person could earn up to $40,700 and qualify.

Richland County, with 100,000 more residents than Lexington County, was one of the seven S.C. counties to get funding directly from the federal government. The county received more than $22 million through two separate rent relief programs and is no longer accepting applications after dispersing about $17 million of those funds so far.

Lexington County renters and homeowners can also apply for assistance through a separate program, LexCo CARES, run by the county itself. The county received about $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for rental, mortgage and utility assistance.

The county has dispersed about $23,000 of that funding, as of Oct. 26, mostly split between rental and mortgage assistance, according to county spokeswoman Jessica Imbimbo.

County staff has run into issues with applications being incomplete or applicants not meeting eligibility rules, she said. To receive help through the LexCo CARES program, the renter or homeowner must be past due on rent, mortgage and/or utilities payments for reasons directly related to the pandemic.

More than 10,000 people statewide have applied for rental assistance through SC Housing in the last two months, and the agency is working to hire more staff to process those requests, SC Housing spokesman Chris Winston said. Earlier this year, SC Housing relaxed rules for applicants in almost half of the states ZIP codes, requiring less documentation to prove eligibility for rental assistance.

Nine of the countys 14 ZIP codes are areas where SC Housing relaxed its application rules, including West Columbia and rural areas in the southern and western portions of the county. More than 3,700 renters in Lexington County have applied to the SC Stay Plus program.

Rather than set aside specific amounts for each of the 39 counties based on population, SC Housing has focused on getting aid to people as quickly as possible, Winston said.

That means first-come, first-served, but prioritizing families at the lowest income levels and at the greatest risk for eviction, Winston said.
COLUMBIA  Robert Lominack, the head of a Columbia-based education nonprofit, won a seat on the Richland School District One governing board Oct. 26, coasting past two challengers in a race created following the summer resignation of commissioner Yolanda Anderson.

According to unofficial results, Lominack took 5,485 votes  or 64 percent with 94 of 96 precincts reporting as of 10 p.m., more than doubling up Realtor Hamilton Jacobs, who received 2,151 votes, or 25 percent. Former Richland County Council member Jim Manning came in third, garnering 634 votes. Officials will certify the election Oct. 29.

A one-time public school teacher and lawyer, the 48-year-old Lominack will now help guide policy for South Carolinas ninth-largest school system, where two of his sons are among its 22,000 students.

He will help decide how district leaders should spend nearly $80 million worth of federal relief through 2023 and tackle ways Richland One can close an achievement gap worsened by the pandemic.

Lominack will finish Anderson's term that ends in 2022. Andersons at-large seat on the seven-person board opened Aug. 2 when she said family obligations required her to move out of the district immediately.

"I could not be prouder of our campaign. We built a wonderful coalition of folks who care about their public schools and communities and know we can do better," Lominack said in a text message to The Post and Courier. "Now, it's time to get to work."

His path narrowed days before the election, when candidate Leslie Harvel dropped out Oct. 19 and threw her support behind Lominack. Due to the late timing of her announcement, Harvels name remained on the ballot. She got 266 votes.

On the campaign trail, Lominack pushed for transparency in all the boards dealings, saying it was necessary to build and maintain the publics trust.

He also wants to see more investments into filtration systems and other equipment to improve air quality as full-time learning returns.

A Greenville native and University of Tennessee alum, Lominack spent 15 years practicing law and also taught at Dreher High School in Richland One. Since 2018, hes been executive director of Richland County Public Education Partners, which works with community leaders to develop and support initiatives in area schools to promote academic and emotional support systems.

Lominack, in his first run for office, emerged early as the preferred candidate of some of the citys most influential names, campaign finance filings show. Between Aug. 31 and Oct. 6, he raised nearly $30,000 and snagged contributions from state Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a Columbia Democrat, and City Council members Howard Duvall and Daniel Rickenmann, who is running for mayor.

Manning brought in $6,400, while Jacobs raised $555, according to S.C. Ethics Commission reports.
JAMES ISLAND  This small town is suing Dominion Energy of South Carolina over a tree-cutting dispute, saying the utility hasn't followed trimming standards agreed to by the two parties.

The suit, filed Oct. 22 in Charleston County's circuit court, said the town and Dominion inked a tree protection agreement in 2019. It claims that last year the town warned Dominion it was not properly cutting trees under those terms, and the utility did not rectify the damage.

The exact nature of the damage and the number of trees in question is not described in the suit, nor is the amount of money the town is seeking. James Island said in its filing it wants a judgment for the cost of monitoring Dominion's tree trimmers, as well as the cost to rehabilitate any damaged trees.

Town Administrator Ashley Kellahan wrote in an email "Id be surprised if it did not exceed $100,000."

Dominion has not filed an answer to the complaint. Spokesman Paul Fischer said in an email the company does not comment on pending litigation.

"Weve been very patient with Dominion, and we hope that they will be willing still to rectify the errors," James Island Mayor Bill Woolsey said. "Stubs were left that were harmful to the trees, and our goal is to make sure that the trees come through this healthy, and of course that the power lines are also protected."

According to a copy of the 2019 tree protection agreement, limbs that are 10 inches in diameter or greater should be preserved when possible, and any other limbs should be cut as close as possible to the parent limb "in order to preserve the long-term health of the tree."

This is not the first time a community in the Charleston area has sparred with Dominion, but it is the first of several recent disputes to end up in court.

Residents and elected officials on James Island, in the city of Charleston and in Mount Pleasant have previously protested deep cuts to roadside trees.

Perhaps the most dramatic examples are the situations in which Dominion has cut palmettos  South Carolina's state tree and a common sight on public corridors along the coast. While a branching hardwood might only loose limbs, palmettos are generally killed by the cuts because the tops of the palms are lopped off entirely.

The power company has taken heat before for killing palmettos with cuts in Charleston, Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms, including along the island's iconic Palm Boulevard. Dominion also plans to remove about 550 palmettos near power lines on Folly Beach this month.

The utility has said before that tree trimming is a crucial part of making sure power lines stay up, and electricity keeps running to homes and businesses.
Chrys Rynearson thought the days of rescheduling Charleston Beer Week were behind him.

I guess were kind of used to it with a couple of hurricanes that screwed us up in the past, Rynearson said.

The South's fall hurricane season was the impetus behind Rynearsons decision to shift the annual 10-day festival celebrating Charlestons craft breweries to May 2020, but the pandemic had other plans, pushing the eighth running back to 2021.

But Beer Week is back and arguably better than ever, Rynearson said, with craft brewers throughout the tri-county area ready to host a variety of local events. In fact, theres more than 60 registered events (as of publication), with 31 of the areas 37 breweries participating in the action that combines suds and hops with interactive activities, including a silent disco, chef and artist competitions and a haunted brewery tour.

This has probably been the easiest year for planning because I think everybody was just ready to get back at it, Rynearson said. Weve got a lot of outdoor events and 15 events raising money for charities.

On the third day of Beer Week, Revelry Brewing is hosting its downtown brewerys annual fundraiser for The Green Heart Project, a block party that shuts down Conroy Street one Sunday afternoon each October. As in its previous six years, food vendors such as Lewis Barbecue and Mex 1 Coastal Cantina will line the street, where attendees can order Revelry beer, wine and bites using tokens purchased at the door.

Charleston Beer Week Oct. 29-Nov. 7 60-plus events 31 Charleston area participating breweries 45 total participating breweries

With Beer Weeks backing, co-owner Sean Fleming hopes to beat the brewerys record $31,674 it raised in fall 2019, just before the pandemic.

The big thing for us is raising as much as possible for The Green Heart Project, Fleming said. All ticket proceeds go to them.

Charleston Beer Week has historically brought new collaborative brews to local taprooms, and one of this year's beer launches is calling attention to a pressing problem in the craft beer space: a lack of diversity in the industry.

Charleston native Jamaal Lemon discusses this topic at length during a three-part series called Tek Cyear uh de Root. In honor of the groundbreaking work covering a German festival pre-dating the Civil War that pushed Black Charlestonians out of the beer industry, Lemon brewed a beer with Edmund's Oast Brewing Co. called "8 And All."

At the Nov. 3 launch party, Lemon will be in attendance to discuss the beer and more importantly, the can, which shows two enslaved African Americans wearing iron punishment collars. On the top of the can, artist Damian Johnson designed a West African Adinkra symbol that invites people to "know their past before they can understand their future."

"The easiest thing to do is to drink that beer," Lemon said. "It's not so easy to have that conversation with that image on that beer."

Each local brewery can only host one Charleston Beer Week sanctioned event on-premise, meaning several will take place at other locations in Charleston.

Home Team BBQ, Bowens Island Restaurant, Daps Breakfast & Imbibe, Blind Tiger Pub and Guilded Horn will play host during Beer Week, among many other restaurants, bars and outdoor venues.

Throughout the 10 days, brewers and employees will be able to make their rounds to check out their counterparts. But thats the thing about Charlestons craft beer industry  its more about collaboration than competition.

Were happy to be a part of [Beer Week] and support the whole area, Fleming said. The coolest thing is we have 35-plus breweries now and they can bring their own unique offerings to the table. For our employees, it's great networking and a way to get in touch.

This comradery was the reason Rynearson chose to add a grand finale to the docket in 2021. Adam Goodwin, founder and head brewer at West Ashleys Charles Towne Fermentory, was eager to host Beer Weeks final event on Nov. 7, saying that it gives brewery employees the chance to unwind and enjoy the scene.

Were obviously trying to make something thats not only fun for the attendees but breweries too, Goodwin said. We had realized that there hadnt been one culmination of the whole celebration (in years past), so we were happy to take the reins on that.

Fermentorys finale will bring representatives from 25 local breweries, live music, food trucks, artisans, ax throwing and a silent auction benefiting Pay It Forward Charleston to 1331 Ashley River Road, a compound that provides more space than Goodwins 5,000-square-foot brewery can hold.

But underneath all the fun and games, Goodwin knows theres bigger issues at hand.

Theres a lot of issues right now that were facing, and I think the only way that we continue to evolve the industry is by getting customer bases together and giving our customers something to rally around, he said.

Legislative breakthroughs for brewers starting in 2007 led to the explosion of craft breweries in Charleston, and future changes could help small-statured breweries like Charles Towne Fermentory keep their businesses afloat. And as the industry grows, there's a pressing need for more diversity; the tri-county area currently has no Black-owned breweries.

Goodwin, Lemon and other Beer Week participants know the 10 days is about collaboration and fun, but they also hope the events will shine a light on areas of improvement for the industry.
GEORGETOWN  Eleven current and former deputies with the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office filed a lawsuit saying they were not properly paid for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The deputies are asking for a one-time bonus they say was "wrongfully withheld" from them, as well as triple the damages they may be awarded and any attorney's costs related to the suit.

The American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law in March, and it stated that essential workers, including the sheriff's deputies. could receive premium pay for their work during the pandemic.

Georgetown County council approved a one-time bonus of $4,563 for public safety employees on June 22. Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver sent an email to his staff the next day and said the one-time bonus was for "those who worked during the Covid 19 period of time at the GCSO."

The bonus would be available in August 2021, though, he added.

Most of the deputies suing the office were no longer employees at that time, attorney representing the deputies Clay Hopkins said, and were told they did not qualify to receive the one-time payment despite working for the Sheriff's office during the pandemic.

"These are wages that were earned ... and South Carolina law says that you are supposed to be paid wages when they're due," Hopkins said.

The county is slated to receive $12 million from the act but has only received about half so far, according to county Finance Director Karis Langston. The council has earmarked about $2 million so far, including $175,000 for weapons' scanners at the court house and jail for the Sheriff's office.

There are no plans to use additional American Rescue Plan Act funding for additional rounds of premium pay, Langston said.

These wages were kept from the deputies without any stated reason, the lawsuit states.

"(Deputies) were induced by the promise of premium pay to put their lives at risk while working during the pandemic and continue working," the lawsuit says.

Sheriff's spokesman Jason Lesley said the office has not been served with the lawsuit yet but would not comment even after after the complaint arrives.
Walmart's largest distribution center yet will be built in Lyman by 2024, bringing 400 jobs to the region and an investment of $450 million. The retail giant announced its expansion into the Upstate on Oct. 19.

The project was codenamed "Project Replay" while the deal was being finalized. Walmart purchased approximately 200 acres of the 750-acre Fort Prince Industrial Park, according to a Colliers release. The industrial park is located at 200 Fort Prince Rd. in Spartanburg County.

The new facility will continue Walmart's mission of using more automation and technology in its distribution centers. Its first automated grocery distribution center was announced in 2018 in Shafter, Calif. The technology used in the Shafter location is "closest to the technology that will be incorporated at the Spartanburg County facility," a media representative for Walmart told The Post and Courier.

The Shafter distribution center uses WITRON technology, which aids Walmart associates in stacking boxes and building pallets to maximize space.

More details about the jobs available at the distribution center will be released once construction begins, the media representative said. Walmart has four distribution centers in South Carolina, as well as 122 retail stores and more than 34,000 associates.

Temporary space for United Community Bank

United Community Bank plans to sublease an additional 10,000 square feet of office space downtown to accommodate new employees while it builds its headquarters in downtown Greenville.

CEO Lynn Harton told The Post and Courier in a wide-ranging interview that the bank is currently negotiating a lease and did not disclose the location. Harton expects the bank may have to lease a few more small spaces over the next few years to accommodate the growing number of employees. The company officially relocated its headquarters to Greenville from Blairsville, Ga., in the summer.

Construction on the bank's headquarters at 200 E. Camperdown Way, overlooking the Reedy River, will begin in January 2022 and should be completed in 2024. It is expected to have space for around 300 employees.

The bank will move 130 employees from its branch and office on East North Street and its other office on West Washington Street once the planned 7-story building is completed.

A building on the property that most recently housed Wyche Law Firm will have to be demolished before construction begins. United Community Bank has executed several acquisitions and mergers in recent years, growing its total assets to $19.6 billion.

Quick hits

The 2021 Rose Ball, an annual charity event in Greenville, raised $410,000. Half of the proceeds are always gifted to Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, which has committed the $200,000 to its Project SEARCH program, which provides internships to high school students with disabilities. The other half of the proceeds will be divided between 11 organizations that were selected from an applicant pool of 80. The organizations are: Carolina Dance Collaborative, Foothills Family Resources, Fostering Great Ideas, Greenville Center for Creative Arts, Greenville Free Medical Clinic, Jasmine Road, OnTrack Greenville, Phillis Wheatley Community Center, Safe Harbor, Soteria Community Development Corporation and United Ministries.

Prisma Health broke ground on its first location in Fountain Inn on Oct. 19. The $9 million, 15,000-square-foot primary care facility is expected to be open in mid-2022. Located at 200 N. Nelson Dr., it will employ 10 and have 24 exam rooms, along with radiology services and a laboratory. Prisma Health Primary Care-Fountain Inn is serving patients at a temporary location until the permanent facility is completed.

On the move

Personnel announcements from around the Upstate.

The Greenville Chamber of Commerce announced Chief Banking Officer at Southern First Cal Hurst as chair-elect for its 2022 board of directors. Hurst, who has spent 13 years in the banking industry in South Carolina, will ascend to the chair in 2023. Hurst currently is the board's treasurer and has served on the board for two years. CEO of Trehel Corporation Will Huss will chair the board in 2022. Manager of Government and Community Relations at BMW Manufacturing Company Max Metcalf will be the immediate past chair. Eight other members were also elected to the board. All new members take their seats in January.

announced as chair-elect for its 2022 board of directors. Hurst, who has spent 13 years in the banking industry in South Carolina, will ascend to the chair in 2023. Hurst currently is the board's treasurer and has served on the board for two years. CEO of Trehel Corporation Will Huss will chair the board in 2022. Manager of Government and Community Relations at BMW Manufacturing Company Max Metcalf will be the immediate past chair. Eight other members were also elected to the board. All new members take their seats in January. Mauldin-based primary health care provide Proactive MD named Dr. Saria Saccocio its new president. Saccocio was ambulatory chief medical officer for four years with Prisma Health, and before that at Bon Secours St. Francis. She has spent 15 years in the medical field.

Mark your calendar

Business-related events around the Upstate you won't want to miss.

Inaugural Hog and Barrel Festival, Nov. 5-7: A bourbon and barbeque festival featuring 40 restaurants and distilleries will be held at The Old Cigar Warehouse in Greenville the first weekend in November. The three-day Hog and Barrel Festival opens Nov. 5 with a "Meet the Makers" event exclusively for sponsors and VIP ticket holders to meet distillers and taste bourbons. On Nov. 6, the "Bourbonpalooza" event will include barbecue prepared by local chefs and specialty bourbon cocktails made by mixologists. "Makin' Bacon Bourbon Brunch" on Nov. 7 will include live music and traditional brunch cocktails fused with bourbon. Ticket prices range from $55 to $110. Participating restaurants and distilleries can be found on the festival's website.

Real Estate Spotlight

Highlighting seven-figure homes in the Upstate.

Sold for $1.48 million on Oct. 22: 1307 Bethany Church Rd, Belton, SC 29627. 3 bedrooms, 2.5+ bathrooms, 52 acres. Buyer representative: Kevin Sexton of Community First Real Estate. Seller representative: Todd Ford of Keller Williams Drive.

For sale for $1.79 million: 104 Wood Stream Way, Williamston, 29697. 5 bedrooms, 6 full bathrooms, 2.81 acres. Presented by: Cindy Fox Miller of Cindy Fox Miller and Associates/Keller Williams Upstate Legacy.

Thats all for this week. Email your thoughts, tips, releases and newsy bits to smirah@postandcourier.com.
A Greenville County development near the Pebble Creek communities that has twice been rejected by the county will return for a third time to the county's Planning Commission on Oct. 27.

Some residents have protested that more housing in the area will further congest an intersection the state Department of Transportation said needs a traffic light. But no traffic light is planned for the intersection of West Mountain Creek Church Road and state Highway 253, north of Greenville and southeast of Paris Mountain. SCDOT has said it would cost $750,000 to add one at the three-way intersection.

After the planning commission rejected a developers plan to build a mix of 147 houses and townhomes on 42 acres along West Mountain Creek Church Road, one of the property's owners appealed that decision to the 13th Circuit Court, where Judge Letitia Verdin ordered the commission to take it up again.

Verdin said in her ruling that Article 3.1 of the countys land development regulations should not have been considered. She ruled county ordinances state the commission should have considered the developers final development plan rather than its preliminary development plan because the development was zoned for a flexible review district.

That left the commission in an unusual position. It doesnt normally consider final development plans. County staff  experts on the relevant codes and regulations  typically review final plans and issue permits.

The commission previously rejected the plan, citing Article 3.1. But that rule no longer exists in county codes, having been replaced by the county after numerous lawsuits and appeals of prior subdivision applications.

The applicant, James D. Martin, III of Arbor Land Design, LLC has requested to build a subdivision with 83 houses and 64 townhouses at Roberts Farm.

Martin said he is not the developer of the project, just the applicant. Martin is an engineer with Arbor Engineering, which worked on the past proposal rejected by the planning commission.

As the applicant, Martin said if the project is approved Oct. 27, it would still require subdivision approval, which would come back before the planning commission Jan. 26.

Red Clay Development, a previous developer of the project, is no longer involved in the application, he said.

The property Roberts Farm would be built upon is split into nine separate parcels jointly owned by members of the same family. The project is further complicated because after family members had earlier agreed to sell all of the properties to a developer, one family member now doesnt want to sell, according to a lawsuit filed by five family members against a sixth member that seeks to force him to sell.

That lawsuit was filed Oct. 14 and has not yet been resolved.

Residents who live in surrounding Pebble Creek communities were vocal in opposition to the rezoning and preliminary development plan for Roberts Farm due to heavy traffic on nearby Highway 253 and Stallings Road as well as concerns about density and flooding.

Kristen Worden, president of The Oaks Homeowners Association at Pebble Creek, sent an email to residents last week urging them to express their concerns to county planners and council members.

The state Department of Transportation would not allow an entrance to the subdivision on either of the state roads due to traffic volume and proximity to other intersections so the project was designed with an entrance and exit on West Mountain Creek Church Road, a two-lane county road that residents said already backs up during peak traffic hours.

A traffic study performed as part of the developers application rated the intersection of West Mountain Creek Church Road and Highway 253 as level of service F. SCDOT has already said a traffic light is needed at that intersection but the project isnt on its short list and would cost $750,000. The developer is not required to pay for a traffic light as part of the approval process.

The planning commission had rejected the preliminary development plan for Roberts Farm by a 5-4 vote earlier this year. Since then, commissioner Mark Jones, who voted against the plan, has resigned to become a Canebrake Fire Department commissioner. His seat on the Planning Commission has not been filled.
COLUMBIA  Federal authorities are digging into allegations that Alex Murdaugh used a fraudulent bank account to embezzle money, according to two attorneys who have spoken with investigators.

Jim Griffin, one of Murdaughs defense attorneys, told The Post and Courier he participated in an Oct. 14 conference call with federal prosecutors to discuss their investigation into his clients alleged financial crimes. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys Office for South Carolina wanted to know whether Murdaugh would cooperate with their probe, Griffin said.

Meanwhile, Charleston attorney Ronnie Richter told the newspaper he has direct knowledge that the FBI is investigating whether Murdaugh stole some $3.4 million from a legal settlement meant for the sons of Murdaughs late housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield.

There is an active FBI investigation into the financial crimes, said Richter, who is representing Satterfields family in a lawsuit against Murdaugh. Because its an active investigation, I dont think I can say more than that.

The news confirms speculation that federal investigators would soon become more involved in the monthslong Murdaugh saga. That talk has heated up in recent weeks, especially since the disgraced Hampton County attorney has been accused of white-collar crimes that federal authorities are more experienced at investigating and prosecuting.

South Carolinas top police agency, the State Law Enforcement Division, has led the Murdaugh investigations since early June, when Murdaughs wife, Maggie, and son Paul were found shot to death outside their Colleton County hunting lodge.

A half-dozen other investigations have sprouted out of those still-unsolved slayings, including ongoing SLED inquiries into Satterfields death, Murdaughs alleged embezzlement from his law firm and the alleged assisted suicide scheme that got Murdaugh arrested in September.

SLED Chief Mark Keel confirmed on Sept. 23 that he had been in contact with the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office for South Carolina regarding the Murdaugh cases. He said SLED was using their help "as needed."

But Keel and federal prosecutors have been tight-lipped about how that partnership has evolved in the weeks since, as details of Murdaugh's alleged financial schemes have emerged.

Asked Oct. 25 how the federal agencies were helping, Keel declined to comment. So did Acting U.S. Attorney for South Carolina Rhett DeHart, who cited a Department of Justice policy against speaking about active investigations.

"We can't confirm or deny that we're in an investigation," DeHart told The Post and Courier on Oct. 26.

Still, two former top federal prosecutors for South Carolina told the newspaper it makes sense for the FBI and U.S. Attorneys Office to be brought in at this stage, as Murdaugh has become a magnet for allegations of fraud and other complex financial crimes.

Notably, Murdaugh's law office of Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth, Detrick accused him of theft and forced him to resign in early September. The firm that Murdaugh's great-grandfather founded in 1910 then filed a lawsuit accusing him of using a fraudulent bank account to siphon off money that was owed to his clients and the law firm.

Another lawsuit, filed in September by Satterfields family, made similar allegations. Satterfields sons accused Murdaugh of using a fake bank account to misdirect millions of dollars from a legal settlement that was negotiated on their behalf after their mother died from a slip and fall at one of Murdaugh's homes in 2018.

SLED agents arrested Murdaugh earlier this month in connection with the Satterfield case, accusing him of pocketing the Satterfields' money.

A pair of former U.S. attorneys told The Post and Courier the federal investigation of Murdaugh's alleged financial crimes could free up SLED to focus on other inquiries, such as who killed Murdaugh's wife and son.

Federal investigators are better staffed and more equipped than SLED to follow the money in complex white-collar cases and bring charges against Murdaugh and any co-conspirators, said former U.S. Attorney for South Carolina Pete Strom.

The FBI has CPA analysts, very complicated financial analytical software and the benefit of a federal grand jury to obtain records that would be much more difficult for the state to get, Strom said.

SLED has experience investigating violent crimes, but the agency has no dedicated white-collar crime unit and recently had to rehire a retired agent with financial crimes experience to work the Murdaugh case. Earlier this year, the agency received funding from lawmakers to hire its first forensic auditor to help investigate financial crimes. Previously, Keel has said, the agency often had to depend on local communities to hire auditors to conduct such reviews.

In previous joint state-and-federal probes, such as the ongoing investigation of the failed $9 billion V.C. Summer nuclear project, the two sides would sit down and determine how to split up the work, said Bill Nettles, another former U.S. Attorney for South Carolina.

Typically, you would have a division of labor," he said.

But the level of cooperation between state and federal investigators on this case is unclear, in part because neither agency will talk about it.

Griffin, Murdaughs attorney, said the two sides dont appear in sync.

Griffin said he broke the news to federal prosecutors on their Oct. 14 conference call that SLED was arresting his client that day in connection with Murdaughs alleged theft of the Satterfield settlement. Griffin said he had previously thought federal investigators were taking the lead on that case.

The folks at the U.S. Attorneys Office were as surprised as I was to learn he was being arrested that day, Griffin said.  The lack of coordination is not normal.

News of the federal investigation comes as attorneys suing Murdaugh in three separate lawsuits have asked a judge to seize control of his finances.

Without that protection, the lawyers said, Murdaugh and his remaining son, Buster, might take steps to hide millions of dollars in cash and assets so they cant be recovered in the lawsuits.

Judge Daniel Hall has scheduled a hearing in Chesterfield County on Friday to consider the requests.

The news also comes as the walls close in on Murdaugh in the Satterfield lawsuit.

One of Murdaughs alleged co-conspirators in the settlement scheme, Beaufort lawyer Cory Fleming, already settled with the Satterfield family, apologizing for mistakes he made during the case and saying he, too, was duped by Murdaugh.

Another alleged co-conspirator, banker Chad Westendorf, has been dismissed from the lawsuit.

And this week, the Satterfields attorneys said they had reached an agreement that dismisses Murdaughs former law firm, PMPED, from any legal liability in the case. Richter would not disclose whether PMPED paid the family any money, saying only, "We can confirm that the Satterfield family has reconciled its differences with the Murdaugh law firm."

Murdaugh, one of just two defendants remaining in the case, was served with the lawsuit last week, records show.

Andy Shain contributed reporting from Columbia.
WADMALAW ISLAND  Joan Brown often tossed bath towels onto her kitchen floor to soak up the rain that seeped through her leaky roof.

"I've used a bucket before, too," she said outside her single-story, two-bedroom home with its rusting tin roof.

Now, the 76-year-old widow no longer has to worry about water spilling through holes in the roof of the house she has lived in for the past 12 years off Maybank Highway.

Sea Island Habitat for Humanity, through the help of a contractor and a new fundraising campaign the nonprofit recently initiated, has put a new roof on Brown's house.

"It's more than I could have ever asked for," Brown said with tears welling up as a roofing crew nailed down new plywood and shingles on top of the tin on her Dunwell Road house. "I am ever so grateful."

The journey to get the new roof started more than three years ago when her late husband, William, applied for funding through the nonprofit.

He suddenly died shortly afterward, and Brown, who works part-time as a nurse, was left to see the effort through.

With a wave of applications and an 85 percent drop in volunteer workers brought on by the COVID-19 outbreak, the nonprofit's work fell behind.

"We still have applications from 2019 that we haven't been able to get to," said Sheilagh Carlisle, director of development at Sea Island Habitat.

Ninety percent of the volunteers used to travel from schools and churches from outside the Charleston area to help, but those went away with the pandemic and have not returned.

"It's now 100 percent local (volunteers)," Carlisle said.

To address the mounting need, the nonprofit launched a Roof Repair Rally during the summer to raise at least $100,000 and repair 30 leaky roofs by the end of the year.

Through mid-October the agency had raised about $80,000 and mended 21 roofs throughout its service territory of Johns, James and Wadmalaw islands as well as Hollywood and Ravenel.

"We want to exceed our goal," Carlisle said of both fundraising and the number of houses before year's end. "We believe that everyone deserves a safe place to call home and the opportunity for a better life."

The agency decided to bring in contractors instead of relying solely on volunteers during the pandemic to finish jobs faster and shorten the waiting list. About five of the 30 targeted homes will be reroofed by volunteers only, Carlisle said.

Contractor Rigo Ortega, of Maria Ortega Construction Co. of North Charleston, said the price of materials prevented the small firm from contributing materials for Brown's $13,000 new roof, but the company donated part of its labor for the three-day job.

"We want to give back when we can, especially for homes like this," Ortega said. "The price of materials is so high now it's hard to absorb the cost."

The actual date of construction on the original house is unknown, but a date of 1957 is etched into the concrete steps leading into the wood-frame structure.

Ortega said the main reason the house leaks is because of the way it was originally constructed. The tin roof was placed atop staggered boards and nothing else.

"If we took the tin off, you could see straight through to the attic," he said.

He also noted that people don't have to move out while the work is done as long as they aren't bothered by the noise.

Brown looked at the large pecan tree lapping over the house and reflected on the constant ping of the tree's fruit hitting the tin roof in the fall.

"Sometimes it sounds like a boom," she said. "I don't think I'm going to miss it."

Because of the unfilled roofing jobs waiting at Sea Island, Carlisle said the agency is no longer accepting applications but hopes to restart the program by the spring.

About 80 applicants are on a waiting list, and 85 percent of those in need are at least 65 years old and 80 percent are women.

Carlisle said one reason so many homes are in need is because they are on heirs' property. While the person living in the house may own the home, they often can't get a loan without a deed to make necessary repairs.

A lack of means also plays into the mix.

"There's no way someone can take $10,000 out of a budget for a roof if they are living in poverty," Carlisle said.

She estimates the cost to repair roofs throughout the agency's coverage area runs from $3,000 to more than $12,000.

For Brown, who relies on a window air-conditioning unit to stay cool and electric space heaters or her oven to keep warm, the new roof is a godsend.

"I'm just so blessed from the Lord," she said.

To help Contact Sheilagh Carlisle at Sea Island Habitat for Humanity at sheilagh@seaislandhabitat.org, call 843-768-0998 or go to seaislandhabitat.org for more information.

Kearisha Toomer is another recipient of a new roof. The James Island resident had the work done late last year before the current campaign started, but she's just as thankful as Brown.

"I dont have to worry about the rain and thinking about the roof collapsing on me and my family," Toomer said. "Its been a peace of mind and really been a true blessing."

She urged those who are able to help the less fortunate.

"There are people out there who really need the help, and youre going to change someones life," Toomer said. "Youre going to help someone like myself be able to maintain their home."
COLUMBIA  S.C. Education Superintendent Molly Spearman has decided not to seek a third term in 2022, saying she wants to focus on her family after eight years at the helm of the state's public school system.

Her decision follows 19 tumultuous months amid the COVID-19 pandemic that forced educators to figure out in quick order how to teach students remotely and then how  and whether  to bring them back.

Through heated debates in the Legislature, at school board meetings and during parent protests, Spearman tried to advocate for doing what needed to be done to educate children safely, knowing many were backsliding during online learning.

The 67-year-old Republican said the tension and controversies aren't why she's leaving. Her decision comes down to family, as her husband, three children and two grandchildren "now deserve my full attention," she said.

She will leave office in January 2023. In the meantime, "I will continue to work diligently to help us rise out of the pandemic stronger than before while advocating for the needs of our students, educators and families," she said Oct. 27 in a statement first provided to The Post and Courier.

Her departure is sure to set off a scramble to succeed her as Republicans control all of the state's constitutional offices. Filing for the post opens in March ahead of the state's June party primaries.

If the superintendent's race of 2014 is an indication  that's the last time there was no incumbent on the ballot  the field could be huge. Spearman won her first term following a four-way Democratic primary and after beating seven other Republicans in the GOP contest. No one challenged her bid for a second term.

The last statewide office held by a Democrat in South Carolina was also for education. Past-Superintendent Jim Rex, a former college education dean, squeaked by in 2006 with a winning margin of less then 1 percent. He ran unsuccessfully for governor four years later.

The spokesman of the state's largest teacher advocacy groups said he hopes the upcoming field will include candidates with classroom experience, saying South Carolina has been blessed with Spearman and her perspective as a former teacher.

"She's had to navigate our state's education system through times that were really challenging even before we got a global pandemic that turned things upside down," said Patrick Kelly with the Palmetto State Teachers Association.

While Spearman hasn't worked as a teacher in decades, it's evident when she visits schools that "she really comes to life when she gets to put back on her elementary school music teacher hat," Kelly said. "At her heart, she remained an educator."

Sherry East, president of the South Carolina Education Association, echoed his sentiments, saying it's critical that Spearman's replacement also be a public education advocate "with experience from the front lines, who has walked in the shoes of our educators."

Spearman's education career began with 18 years as a music teacher and two years as an assistant principal at an elementary school in Saluda County, where she grew up and still lives. She first worked at the state Department of Education during the tenure of Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum, a Democrat, as a deputy superintendent for six years and chief of staff for one.

She then spent a decade leading the state Association of School Administrators before running to lead the state agency.

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She also represented Saluda County in the South Carolina House for four terms, beginning in 1993.

"I am humbled that a little girl from a dairy farm in Saluda County has had the chance to serve her community and state for over 40 years," with the important task of trying to improve children's lives, Spearman said.

"A strong public education system that offers every student, no matter where they live, the opportunity to be prepared for a successful and productive life is key to the future of our state, nation and world," she said.

Problems tackled outside the pandemic include modernizing the state's school bus fleet from what had long been the nation's oldest and successfully pushing most of the state's tiniest districts to merge following decades of resistance.

Unfinished business includes returning to local control three failing rural school districts Spearman took over to try to turn them around  something no superintendent had even wanted to attempt since Tenenbaum, her former boss.

Responsibilities added by the pandemic, and Congress' attempt to help, include trying to guide how local districts spend $3 billion in federal aid the state agency has virtually no control over, beyond checking to verify the spending follows federal law.

The pandemic has sometimes put Spearman at odds with her fellow Republicans, notably Gov. Henry McMaster, beginning in the summer of 2020 when he called on every school district to offer a full return to the classroom and asked Spearman to back him up in enforcing it. Locally elected and autonomous school boards statewide ignored him, citing a summer spike in COVID-19 cases. Spearman approved reopening plans without the option.

Months later, however, she asked for legislators' help in convincing resistant school boards to offer full-week schedules.

And while she told local superintendents in July that a clause GOP legislators inserted in the state budget barred districts from requiring masks in schools  and they risked school funding if they defied it  she strongly encouraged parents and students to wear them.

She also publicly urged legislators to return to Columbia to undo the ban and give school boards the option. They didn't, but a federal judge has blocked the ban's enforcement.

In wishing Spearman well "in her next chapter," state GOP Chairman Drew McKissick indicated vouchers and other plans to help parents afford private K-12 tuition could dominate the debates for her replacement.

"Probably now more than ever, we've seen the government's increased involvement in the classroom and the massive need for school choice," he said. "COVID-19 has highlighted why one-size-fits-all learning doesn't work."

Trav Robertson, chairman of the state Democratic Party, said he understands why Spearman would not want to seek reelection "after almost two years of being ignored, overlooked and scorned by the extreme elements."

"We learned through this pandemic and the discussions that ensured about student health and safety that Molly Spearman had the best interest of teachers and students in mind while Henry McMaster and other South Carolina Republicans did not," he said. "While we did not always agree, we never doubted Molly Spearman's dedication to the children of South Carolina. Her service to our state is appreciated."
The outcome of Spartanburg's mayoral race in the Nov. 2 general election will help shape the city's future as it continues to experience growth and development at an unprecedented pace.

After Mayor Junie White announced on June 17 he would not seek re-election, City Councilman Jerome Rice, 53, announced his bid for mayor. Shortly thereafter, former City Attorney Cathy McCabe, 65, announced her decision to run for the seat. Both candidates are pushing through the final week ahead of the election, sharing their campaign messages with residents across the city.

"We feel good and are still knocking on doors," Rice said. "We are sending out mailers to citizens here in Spartanburg and making appearances at different events."

While on the campaign trail, Rice said the city's homelessness issue has been raised. If elected, Rice said he is ready to help reduce the homeless population through a variety of programs. The city's homeless taskforce has already working on the issue. Rice said there is also a need for the city to hire additional police officers to continue providing the necessary public safety for residents.

"We need to continue the conversation with Chief (Alonzo) Thompson on how to better serve the community."

McCabe said it has been an exciting opportunity to meet with residents during her campaign. She served as city attorney from 2006 to 2017. She supports growth and development but wants to prevent the gentrification other communities have experienced during rapid growth.

"There is a great deal of change going on in our city at this time," McCabe said. "For some it's exciting but for others it's frightening and they are unsure how the change will benefit them. There needs to be someone in our city that explains the changes going on in our community, because communication builds trust."

The mayoral race is non-partisan. Rice and McCabe participated in virtual candidate forums in October and attended other community events ahead of the election. The topics discussed at the forums have included economic development, housing, homelessness, gun violence and transportation.

McCabe serves as a commissioner on the Spartanburg County Commission of Higher Education and as a trustee with the Spartanburg County Foundation. If elected, she wants to work to incentivize more capital investment in the city and provide more educational opportunities for city residents.

Rice was first elected to City Council representing District 5 in November 2009, then re-elected in 2013 and 2017. Rice serves on several local boards including Piedmont Community Action, which was founded in 1966 to help curb poverty in Spartanburg. If elected, he would continue working to help fix and repair city roads and improve pay for public safety employees.
The cultural transformation of the United States proceeds at an astonishing pace. It is assisted by the titans of Big Tech, of course, against whom a president and lowly congressman are powerless. In what should be another installment of my Shapes of things series, Rep. Jim Banks has been suspended by Twitter for allegedly misgendering [Biden administration] trans health official Rachel Levine (per the CBS News tweet below). The AP puts it this way:

Twitters action Saturday came after Republican Rep. Jim Banks posted tweets last week regarding Dr. Rachel Levine becoming the first openly transgender four-star officer in the U.S. uniformed services. Levine is also the nations assistant secretary of health. Banks had responded to the U.S. surgeon general congratulating Levine on her promotion in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps by writing: The title of first female four-star officer gets taken by a man. The post was removed with a reference to Twitter rules that include a ban on targeted misgendering of transgender people. Banks official Twitter account remained online Sunday but he wasnt allowed to add new posts. His personal account with fewer followers remained active. Banks, whose district covers Fort Wayne and surrounding northeastern Indiana, has frequently drawn attention with right-wing social media comments. He stood by his post about Levine.

The AP story story assumes everyone should understand that Levine was born male and underwent sex reassignment surgery. As I understand the facts set forth in the 2015 Reuters story, Levine remained a biological male until he was 58.

The AP does not explain why Banks stood by his post. In an Instagram statement Banks explained: My tweet was a statement of fact. Big Tech doesnt have to agree with me, but they shouldnt cancel me.

CBS News explained that Banks used the wrong pronoun. Assuming we accept the premise of Bankss alleged offense, he actually used the wrong noun  i.e., he called Levine a man. In any event, they make it sound like Banks committed an offense against good grammar.

U.S. Representative Jim Banks has been suspended from Twitter after using the wrong pronoun in a tweet about Assistant Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine https://t.co/XnHnldUymG  Free Speech HQ (@FreeSpeechHQ) October 26, 2021

The tweet below includes a screenshot of Bankss offending tweet.

NEW: Twitter has censored @RepJimBanks for calling HHS' Rachel Levine a man. He will be locked out of his account until he deletes the tweet, "The title of first female four-star officer gets taken by a man." pic.twitter.com/6wdDqJ36kH  Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) October 23, 2021

Other mainstream media outlets characterize Bankss offense as intentional misgendering. Although this radiates the air of a criminal offense more serious than targeted misgendering, Banks remains at large.
Thomas Sibick was one of the protesters who stormed the Capitol on January 6. Unlike many of the protesters, Sibick seems to have done more than mill around. He is accused of assaulting a police office and stealing his badge and radio.

Sibick has been held in jail pending trial. The basis for his detention, I take it, is that hes considered a potential participant in future lawless protest activity.

Now, however, Sibick has been released thanks to federal judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama appointee and anti-Trump partisan. Sibicks lawyer made two related arguments perfectly tailored to persuade Judge Jackson to release his client.

The first argument was that holding Sibick in jail together with other January 6 participants subjected him to a cult-like atmosphere. As evidence of cult-like behavior, the attorney noted that the prisoners sing the National Anthem every night. The horror!

Perhaps Judge Jackson viewed having to hear the National Anthem as cruel and unusual punishment.

The second argument in favor of Sibicks release was that, somehow overcoming the cult-like atmosphere, Sibick now hates Donald Trump. This argument goes to the question of whether Sibick poses a risk of future violent pro-Trump protesting. In addition, it undoubtedly was intended to gain the sympathy of the anti-Trump judge hearing his case.

The attorney went so far as to produce a handwritten statement from Sibick denouncing Trump. Sibick wrote, in part:

January 6 was a disgrace to our nation that left a scar Trump is ultimately responsible for, but we are strong [and] will heal from it. While many praise Trump, I loathe him.. His words and actions are nefarious, causing pain and harm to the world. He is not a leader and should be ostracized from any political future. What he honestly needs to do is go away!

Based on these two arguments, Judge Jackson released Sibick. She declared that he deserves a chance. The prisoners who still support Trump apparently dont.

Releasing a protester who has renounced the political views that landed him in prison while continuing to hold protesters who adhere to their political views is a bad look, to say the least. It reminds one of what happens to political prisoners in authoritarian regimes (if they are lucky).

In this case, though, there is no indication that the state (i.e. Judge Jackson) demanded that Sibick renounce Trump as a condition of his release. The rather abject renunciation note appears to have been the lawyers idea. And Sibicks change of heart, if sincere, is relevant to the likelihood of him engaging in future violent protests (assuming he doesnt join Antifa).

The release following the renunciation is still a bad look, but standing alone it doesnt quite rise to the level of authoritarianism, in my view.

But theres more. As a condition of his release, Jackson said to Sibick, You must not watch any political television programs. She also told him to stay away from political rallies.

When a judge tells a defendant what television programs he must not watch, she crosses the line. At that point, I think we really are veering into authoritarianism.
In the last days of the Virginia gubernatorial campaign, Terry McAuliffe is not backing off his anti-parent, pro-left wing indoctrination stance. One of the issues is Critical Race Theory. I have often said that the liberal position on CRT is: It doesnt existand its awesome! In other words, we dont teach CRT, but dont you dare criticize it. That was the line McAuliffe took when asked about the subject by a television interviewer, who comes across as unusually rational. McAuliffe cant (more properly, wont) define CRT, and it doesnt exist in Virginia, but if you dont like it, you are a racist:

Virginia Democrat Terry McAuliffe suggests parents concerned about Critical Race Theory are racist, then refuses to define CRT. pic.twitter.com/MKnnb5BC4S  RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 8, 2021



Likewise with the question of parental involvement in education generally. This is the key fault line in the election. If you want your children to be turned over to a cabal of left-wing zealots while you are locked out of their education, you are a McAuliffe voter. If you care about your childrens education and think you should have a say in it, you are a Youngkin voter. In that light, it shouldnt really be a surprise that Youngkin is doing well.

Youngkin released this ad yesterday, featuring a mother who, some years ago, was appalled at the explicit nature of one of her childrens assignments. She doesnt identify the book; the ad emphasizes McAuliffes veto of legislation that would have given parents the right to choose alternative materials to the sexually explicit readings that her son was assigned (a right, by the way, that exists in many states). The ad is effective:

How did McAuliffe respond to this ad earlier today? He called it a racist dog whistle, even though race is completely absent from the ad. Apparently the book in question was Toni Morrisons Beloved, which I havent read and which the ad doesnt mention, but which sounds awful.

Shortly after the ad was released, McAuliffe struck back, saying Youngkins campaign was looking to gather support from the most extreme elements of his party. In the final week of this race, Glenn Youngkin has doubled down on the same divisive culture wars that have fueled his campaign from the very beginning, he said in a written statement. Youngkins closing message of book banning and silencing esteemed Black authors is a racist dog whistle designed to gin up support from the most extreme elements of his party  mainly his top endorser and surrogate, Donald Trump.

Call me an optimist, but that sounds like the desperate flailing of a candidate who is in deep trouble.

Finally, at risk of making a long post longer, we should note what is going on in Loudon County, where Virginias education crisis largely began. Today students in a number of Loudon County schools walked out to protest the sexual assault of a girl, in a girls bathroom, by a boy who pretended to be a girl with the endorsement of the schools administration. The district then lied about the rape and the girls father, understandably upset, was labeled a domestic terrorist.

Loudoun County Students Walk Out In Protest Of Sexual Assault Cover Up https://t.co/FHXwmYYWAz  Mollie (@MZHemingway) October 26, 2021



Whose side is Terry McAuliffe on in this incident? The raped girl and her father? Or the trans ideologues whose insane dogma facilitated the assault, and who then lied about it and smeared the girls father? It would be nice if some reporter would ask that question.
Unfortunately we werent able to fix up the usual online recording session for this weeks Three Whisky Happy Hour, and attempted to assemble in person ahead of the Claremont Institutes annual dinner at Huntington Beach, this year with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (who was terrific, by the way). But we were outside, with not enough time to get organizedand without any whisky!and the result was a bit of a train wreck. But at least its short! (As I used to say when I still showed up for road races in my dotage, I may be old and fat, but Im slow! My strategy is to start off slow, and tail off from there. Well we kind of live up to that here.)

Our irregular sidekick Richard Samuelson joined us, and then halfway through, Jeremy Carl wandered by, so we made him sit down and join us with no preparation. We tried to cover Last Week in Wokeness and a few other things, but Im not sure we really got anywhere. But we got so many emails from disappointed listeners than we decided to throw up this episode (literally) and let you decide.

Yeah, some whisky would have made a difference.

You know what to do now: listen here, or wax up your surfboard and wander over to our surfshop at Ricochet.
Democratic orthodoxy is inconsistent with the preservation of the United States or even of civilized society. As for destruction of the United States, consider the erasure of our southern border that the Biden administration has promoted. As for the destruction of civilized society, consider the news broken by Joe Simonson in his Free Beacon story White House Gender Equity Plan Calls for Elimination of Cash Bail.

Simonson quotes the 42-page report issued by the White House Gender Policy Council titled National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality. The White House fact sheet on the report is posted here. The Biden-Harris administration, or the Harris-Biden administration  its proud of that report.

According to the report: We will work to end cash bail and reform our pretrial system, recognizing the harm these processes cause, particularly for Black women and families. Simonsons quote is at page 25 of the report, in the section Promote Gender Equity and Fairness in Justice and Immigration Systems.

Minnesota, by the way, has no system other than cash bail to protect the public from criminals before trial. Without cash bail, Alexis Saborit  the illegal immigrant who beheaded America Mafalda Thayer  would likely be out pounding the pavement in the leafy Twin Cities suburb of Shakopee or thereabouts. I summarized the case as I understand it in From the Saborit file: Restatement.

The White House report merits a close reading. The administrations support of illegal immigration is reflected in the section of the report from which Simonson quotes. They believe in it. They promote it. They think it a good thing for us to pay for government-funded services to illegal immigrants. They want to facilitate such funding.

The 42-page report is prefaced by a two-page Letter from the President and Vice President, so the report comes under the auspices of the White House. This they believe, unfortunately.
The allocation to education in the 2022 budget proposal shows President Muhammadu Buhari has taken small steps towards fulfilling his pledge to increase expenditure on education by 50 per cent between 2022 and 2023.

But despite the increase over last years figures, the proposal, when measured as a percentage of the total spending plan, falls short of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) benchmark of 15 to 20 per cent of the annual budget which the president recently committed to achieving.

Three months ago, at the 2021 edition of the global summit on education co-hosted in London by the United Kingdoms Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Mr Buhari committed to ensuring Nigeria meets the UNESCO international benchmark after years of failure.

At the summit late July, the Nigerian leader was among 19 heads of state and government who pledged to increase their education spending.

The global event saw Mr Buhari committing to increase Nigerias annual domestic education expenditure by 50 per cent over the next two years and by 100 per cent by 2025, beyond the 20 per cent global benchmark.

Mr Buhari, who made the pledge in a document titled; Heads of State Call to Action on Education Financing, said the effort would ensure that Nigerias investment in the sector meets the globally accepted standard of 20 per cent of budgetary allocations.

The Commitment

In Mr Buharis words: I join my brother, His Excellency, Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya, to affirm our commitment to improving learning outcomes in our respective countries by ensuring equitable access to quality and inclusive education for all our citizens, with particular emphasis on the girl child.

We fully endorse the call for more efficient use of resources and to significantly increase investment in education by strengthening institutions, promoting greater adoption of technology, building the capacities of our teachers, and mobilising additional financial resources through legal frameworks and deliberate intervention on a sustainable basis.

In this regard, we commit to progressively increase our annual domestic education expenditure by 50 per cent over the next two years and up to 100 per cent by 2025 beyond the 20 per cent global benchmark. Let us, therefore, raise our hands in solidarity to build a more secure and prosperous future for our children.

Proposed 2022 budget

A review of the 2022 budget proposal presented to the National Assembly by the president revealed that out of N16.39 trillion proposed for next year, N1.29 trillion, amounting to 7.9 per cent, was allocated to education.

The budget proposal has passed the second reading in the Senate.

Meanwhile, out of N13.08 trillion budget for 2021, only N742.5 billion or 5.68 per cent of the total, was allocated to education.

Based on Mr Buharis promise three months ago in the UK, a 50 per cent increase from this years N742.5 billion would take the allocation to N1.11 trillion; an indication that next years allocation to education (N1.29 trillion) increased by more than 50 per cent compared to last years.

Falling short

Though the president pushed this years allocation a notch higher than he promised by giving N1.29 trillion to the education sector, the allocation is still less than 10 per cent of the annual budget, signalling failure in meeting the UNESCO recommendation.

Experts commended the president for the increase and keeping to his promise but insisted that anything short of the UNESCO benchmark remains insignificant in addressing the challenges of the education sector.

For Nigerians to truly enjoy robust and quality education that will lead to national development, anything short of the UNESCO recommendation, as amplified in the Abidjan Principles, would not work, said Philip Jakpor, Director of Programmes, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).

UNESCO: History of failed commitment

Apart from his pledge in London, Mr Buhari, as a presidential candidate during the electioneering campaigns as far back as 2010, had committed to the UNESCO recommendation.

Though UNESCO clarified that the recommendation is for developing nations, Mr Buhari 11 years ago said he would commit 26 per cent of Nigerias budget to education if elected.

As the presidential candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Mr Buhari in October 2010 presented a paper tagged Education Stakeholders in Free, Fair and Credible Elections: My Programme for the Rescue of Education, to the Joint Education Stakeholders Action Coalition (JESAC) in Abuja.

Mr Buhari had at the time quoted the purported 26 per cent UNESCO recommendation, promising to uphold it if elected.

I can assure you that I will suggest a minimum of 26 per cent of the national budget in consonance with UNESCOs well-grounded recommendation, in consultation and co-operation with the National Assembly. This percentage I intend to graduate upwards with time and with results, Punch Newspaper quoted him as saying.

I do not remember reading about any policy in Nigeria that enunciates strategies to meet up this United Nations benchmark. Do you? Nigeria is grouped in the category of under-achievers regarding this index. Mark you, it has nothing to do with wealth, since some much poorer nations rank higher than Nigeria, Mr Buhari added.

However, since becoming president, his highest allocation to the education sector is 7.9 per cent of the budget, a far cry from the 15 to 20 per cent UNESCO recommended for nations like Nigeria.

In fact, in the last decade, the highest the sector has received was 10.7 per cent in 2015, which was proposed by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014.

Downward trend

It has been a downward trend in the past six years under President Buhari with the 2021 appropriation bill of 5.68 being the lowest.

In 2011, education got N393.8 billion or 9.3 per cent of the total budget; N468.3 billion or 9.86 per cent in 2012; N499.7 billion or 10.1 per cent in 2013; N494.7 billion or 10.5 per cent in 2014; and N484.2 billion or 10.7 per cent in 2015.

In 2016, the allocation was N369. 6 billion or 7.9 per cent of the total budget; N550. 5 billion in 2017, representing 7.4 per cent of the total budget; N605.8 billion in 2018 or 7.04 per cent; N620.5 billion or 7.05 per cent in 2019 and N671. 07 billion or 6.7 per cent in 2020.

Breakdown of 2022 proposal

Primarily, the 2022 funding proposal includes N875.93 billion for the Federal Ministry of Education and its agencies for their recurrent and capital expenditure; N108.10 billion for Universal Basic Education Commission as well as N306.00 billion for transfers to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

A further breakdown showed that N174.3 billion was allocated for capital expenditure for the ministry while N662.7 billion and N38.8 billion were earmarked for personnel and overhead costs, which sums up the recurrent expenditure.

While capital expenditures are monies spent on acquiring or maintaining fixed assets, such as land, buildings, and equipment, recurrent spending refers mainly to expenditure on operations, wages and salaries, purchases of goods and services, and current grants and subsidies.

Proposed capital expenditure increased in 2022 from the N127.3 billion dedicated to the same purpose in 2021.

Funding for UBEC, meant for coordinating education at the primary and junior secondary levels, also improved from the N77.6 billion appropriated in the outgoing year.

Experts speak

Experts attributed the increase in the UBEC funding to the pressure on the government to address the menace of out-of-school-children through initiatives like the social intervention programmes.

Meanwhile, the bulk of the education budget will go to the 28 parastatals under the education ministry as well as 43 federal universities, over 25 federal polytechnics, 21 federal colleges of education and 104 federal unity schools.

The national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Emmanuel Osodeke, said the sector is underfunded because the government does not see it as a priority.

There is no change in the system; they still dont have education as a priority. If it was set as priority, the government would be willing to fund it but they cant make it a priority because their children are not even here, he said in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES.

We as Nigerians, not just ASUU, have to put pressure on this government to consider education as a priority just like saner countries do. For every sector in this country, you must pass through an educational system, at the primary, secondary or tertiary level.

If our universities are working perfectly like other universities, a lot of people will be coming from other countries to Nigeria, coming with hard currency that can boost the system. But all you see now is that Nigeria students are moving out of the country, even to Ghana and Benin Republic, the don added.

The ASUU president also stressed the need for the government to fulfil any commitment made, saying; The President was emphatic that in two years, there will be 50 per cent increase in the education budget but we see no seriousness or any attempt to implement that.
A former senator from Akwa Ibom State, Nelson Effiong, has spent more than 50 days in captivity, since he was abducted by gunmen around September 6 in Uyo.

Antai Effiong, a lawyer and younger brother to the former senator, told PREMIUM TIMES, Wednesday, that he was yet to be set free by his abductors.

The former senator has not been released, if he had been released the family would have spoken by now, he said on phone.

Mr Effiong said the family has been in contact with the former senator, but declined to speak further on the matter when asked if the abductors were demanding ransom.

Shehu Sani, a former senator from Kaduna State, took to Facebook on Tuesday to express concern over the non-release of his former colleague.

Senator Effiong (behind me) has spent over 50 days in the hands of kidnappers. My prayers for him and his family, Mr Sani commented on a photo he posted on the social media site, showing him and Mr Effiong back then in the Senate chambers.

Mr Effiong was said to have been abducted at a bar by armed men who drove in a Toyota Camry car.

Abduction for ransom has become one of the prevalent crimes in most states in Nigeria, with criminal gangs going after school pupils and students, politicians, and just anyone they can place some value on.

The former senator represented Akwa Ibom South District from 2015 to 2019. Before then, he served as the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly.

He is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress.

Shortly after his abduction, the police spokesperson in Akwa Ibom State, Odiko McDon, appeared on a radio programme in Uyo where he said the commissioner of police had ordered an investigation into the incident.

I believe that in no distant time we will get more information on it. But as I speak, yes, we have received that report and we are working to ensure he can be rescued, Mr McDon, a superintendent of police, said at the time.

The police spokesperson did not respond to calls and a text message seeking comments from him, Wednesday.
An unexpected large turnout at a Wednesday scheduled meeting in the proposed Moringa value-chain, compelled the Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, to cancel the exercise.

The cancellation became necessary as the venue was too small for the crowd and it was impossible to maintain the COVID-19 safety protocol of safe social distancing.

The meeting was convened to set up Constitution Drafting Committee for a proposed National Moringa Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria to bring together all Moringa-related associations.

Announcing the decision to cancel the meeting, Deputy Director, Commodities, at the ministry, Kaura Irimiya, said it did not envisage the kind of turnout it witnessed, otherwise a larger hall would have been arranged.

He said the minister sent in an observer to the meeting and asked that the meeting be cancelled due to non-compliance with COVID-19 protocols.

We did not envisage the large turnout and because of COVID-19 safety protocols, none of us is safe here.

The minister has sent some people to come and observe the meeting and they asked me to tell you that this meeting cannot continue.

We are going to invite you later but we are going to do it by zonal representation, Irimiya told attendees.

After the cancellation, president of Eden Moringa Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Michael Ashimashigha, said he was in support for safety reasons.

He said the Moringa association became necessary to examine what farmers were producing and to ensure that they were carried along.

What happened here is that it got to a point that the meeting had to be postponed due to lack of coordination.

We have people that have been invited from all over the country to set up a committee that will draft a Constitution of the association.

When you are drafting a Constitution of any association, you must have the stakeholders; those who have registered companies and registered associations.

There will be those who have the product, not just middlemen or any kind of people picked from the streets, he noted.

Mr Ashimashigha said the ministry was right in cancelling the meeting because the hall was too small to host the number of persons that came for the meeting.

Eden Moringa Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society for instance has 36 state coordinators, six zonal coordinators, just as other groups have their coordinators.

With the number of people in the hall and regarding the Covid-19 protocol, this meeting cannot hold. It is good that the government cancelled the meeting, we are happy with that, he stressed.

Moringa leaves are taken for their believed medicinal properties in addressing arthritis and other joint pains, asthma, cancer, constipation, diabetes and diarrhoea.

Consumers also believe that Moringa is effective in the treatment of seizures, stomach pain, stomach and intestinal ulcers, intestinal spasms, headache, heart problems, high blood pressure, kidney stones and symptoms of menopause. (NAN)
The ECOWAS Court of Justice sitting in Abidjan, Cote D`Ivoire, has dismissed Nigeria governments request for the reversal of a last years judgement awarding N20 million to two former death row inmates.

The court had in its judgment delivered on November 18, 2020, awarded N10 million to each of then 88-year-old Abu Dennis Uluebeka, and 48-year-old Mary Bahago.

Mr Uluebeka was said to be on death row for 15 years until his release in May 2019.

On her part, Ms Bahago, whose death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment after spending 20 years on death row, remains in the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Suleja, Niger State. Her case was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Centre for Peace and Conflict Management.

According to a statement by the courts information unit, Ms Bahagos death penalty was commuted to life imprisonment as from October 27, 2020, and she has since been held at Suleja Prison, Niger State.

But Mr Uluebeka, who was formerly of Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Lagos, has since been released from custody.

The court in its judgement awarded the N20 million to them as compensation for the inhuman treatment they suffered while in custody.

The Nigerian government had subsequently filed an application at the court to challenge the awards.

But delivering judgement on Tuesday, Januaria Costa, the Judge Rapporteur in the case, stated that the application was inadmissible because of the States inability to disclose any new fact to the court in accordance with the Rules.

The panel of three judges, led by Dupe Atoki, held that what the applicant relied upon as a new fact seemed to be an ordinary appeal which cannot be brought to the court because of the finality of its judgment.

Grounds of Nigerias application

Among the grounds of the application was that their judges erred in law and in fact when they approbated and reprobated on several similar issues, where uniform pronouncements or holdings ought to have sufficed in their judgment.

The applicant also contended that the court erred when it held the state of Nigeria liable to pay N10 million to each of the applicants for allegations that were not proved beyond reasonable doubt by the applicants.

Furthermore, the Nigeria government maintained that the judges erred in law and facts when they refused to apply the applicable national laws of the parties before them, but relied on the foreign laws and decisions not recognized, applicable or enforceable in Nigeria.

ALSO READ: ECOWAS Court to deliver judgment on suit filed by Adamawa communities over herdsmen attacks

The applicant also argued that the court contradicted itself in some paragraphs of the said judgment where it ruled in favour of respondents/applicants based solely on objective conclusion and not established rules of proof beyond reasonable doubt.

Therefore, the applicant among others, prayed that paragraphs 184 to 208 and paragraphs 211(b) and 212 in respect of Abu Dennis Uluebeka and others against the Federal Republic of Nigeria in judgment no. ECW/CCJ/JUD/29/20 of November 18, 2020, be expunged and set aside from the courts records.

Responses to application

On their part, in response to the applicants submissions, the respondents submitted that the applicant failed to reveal any new fact warranting any interpretation or a review of the judgment.

They argued that applicant practically admitted the case of the respondents during the initial proceedings by admitting that the two respondents (then applicants) were in custody and on death row, facts that did not require any further proof and which formed the basis for the courts 2020 decision.

Also on the panel of judges in the suit was Keikura Bangura.
Suspected smugglers have killed an officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Fagbohun village, Yewa South Local Government Area, Ogun State.

The smugglers attacked a patrol team of customs officers from the Federal Operating Unit (FOU) who had arrived in the village for an operation.

Two of the officers were reported missing after the attack.

On Wednesday, the lifeless body of one of the missing officers was found in a river near Ajegun Iyaloosa village without his rifle, while the other is still missing.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the FOU, Zone A, Theophilus Duniya, confirmed the incident, saying some suspects have been arrested in connection with the gun fight.

The spokesperson said, One of the officers is confirmed dead, while the other one is still missing.

It happened yesterday (Tuesday) in the afternoon. They were on information patrol when they were attacked. It was an unprovoked attack that ended the life of one and the other one is still missing.

The one that was found dead, his rifle was missing; but we cant say for the other one that is still missing until we get to the end of it. At the moment, we have some suspects in custody in relation to that murder.

He appealed to the members of the public to stop attacking customs officers going about their lawful duties.

Mr Duniya declined to release the identities of the arrested suspects.

For the dead and the missing officer, he said their families would be contacted officially before any further disclosure to the press.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Cross River State has paraded three suspects conveying 6,000 litres of illegally refined diesel and kerosene into the state concealed in bags.

The Command also seized two trucks conveying 20,000 litres and 45,000 litres respectively, although the drivers of the trucks escaped on sighting officials of the NSCDC.

The Commandant of the NSCDC in Cross River, Samuel Fadeyi, who paraded the suspects on Wednesday in Calabar at the NSCDC exhibit yard, said they were arrested on October 25, 2021, along the Calabar-Odukpani highway.

He said the three suspects wrapped the illegal products in bags and arranged them orderly in the form of cement bags inside the truck. They tried to deceive security agencies that they were conveying cement.

The suspects were coming from Port Harcourt with the products. Illegal products portend dangers to the society, ranging from explosion and damage of generating plants and other machines, he said.

He noted that the illegal refineries cannot meet up with the standard of the legal ones, hence the Command is very alert in curbing such illegal activities to prevent damages that may arise from explosions when the product is used.

He frowned at the situation where some group of persons were trying to make profit from illegal products to the detriment of the general public.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the investigation was still ongoing, adding that the suspects would be prosecuted accordingly.

One of the suspects, Nura Mohammed, told NAN that they bought the product from oil dealers in Port Harcourt.

This is my first time in this business, I bought the product from some oil dealers in Port Harcourt with the aim of bringing it to sell in Calabar and make some profit, but unfortunately, I found myself in NSCDC net, he said.

(NAN).
The Bayelsa State Government plans to borrow N43.57 billion to augment the N310.7 billion proposed for the 2022 fiscal year as the states debt profile hits N169 billion.

The borrowing plan is contained in the states 2022 Appropriation Bill.

Checks on official records by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) indicate that the debt grew following the recent approval granted by the state house of Assembly to Governor Douye Diri to obtain an additional loan of N18.7 billion.

According to data obtained from the website of the Debt Management Office, Bayelsas debt profile as of June 2021 stood at over N150.60 billion, up from the N123 billion the current administration inherited on assumption of office in February 2020.

On October 20, Mr Diri presented the 2022 Appropriation Bill to the Bayelsa House of Assembly which subsequently sent it to its Committee on Appropriation for legislative action.

NAN learnt that the 2022 appropriation bill, currently under consideration by the Appropriation Committee of the house, puts the running cost of governance at N70.56 billion, some 22 per cent of the budget.

The state has set aside N61.75 billion for debt servicing and repayments.

Mr Diri, in a letter to the assembly seeking the legislators consent for the borrowing plan, explained that the N18.7 billion loan is a Federal Government bridging facility to cushion the effect of repayment of intervention facilities by the state government.

The governor said the loan has a 30-year tenure and will enable the state government to meet its financial obligations.

READ ALSO: Gov Diri presents N311 billion 2022 budget to Bayelsa Assembly

It will be recalled that on October 6, the assembly approved Mr Diris request to restructure existing loans obtained by the state government from commercial banks to free more resources for ongoing projects.

The approval was the second time in 16 months that the assembly would grant Mr Diris request to renegotiate and restructure outstanding commercial bank loans following a similar approval in June 2020.

The N18.7 billion is the fourth in the series of loans that Mr Diris administration has taken following the nod of the 24-member house since it was inaugurated on February 14, 2020.

In March 2020, barely two weeks in office, the Bayelsa government took a loan of N2.9 billion to purchase cars for the governor, the deputy governor and other top government officials.

Also in November 2020, the government borrowed N17 billion from multiple sources and secured another N3.5 billion loan in December of the same year.

(NAN)
The Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Yakubu Mohammed, on Tuesday, decried the condition of the state-owned television station.

Mr Mohammed blamed the federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) for the state of NTA by requesting free services thereby putting the station in a delicate financial position.

He spoke during the 2022 budget defence session organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values, in Abuja.

According to Mr Mohammed, MDAs use the name of the Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, to secure free media coverage from NTA, while also lamenting poor funding of the organisation.

He noted that NTA could be self-sufficient if MDAs stopped requesting free services from the organisation.

Mr Mohammed listed the problems of the organisation as inadequate funding, completion of NTA permanent site which is ongoing, dilapidated buildings and equipment all over the country.

Everybody thinks that NTA is a government establishment  it belongs to all of us. So we go to NTA, get the services offered by NTA for free. I did mention that our services attract a cost.

What ministries, agencies and parastatals of government do is that they invite the minister (Lai Mohammed) to be guest of honour at an event because they know once the minister is there, NTA must cover. So these are the kind of things that prevent us from making money.

The Chairman of the Committee, Segun Odebunmi (APC, Oyo) failed to comment on the allegations made by the DG.

He merely asked the organisation to do more in terms of internally generated revenue and that there was a need to block loopholes.

You generate your IGR across the nation, the mechanism you are using in remitting the money is maybe..I still believe you can do more outside all these challenges and services rendered to the nation, he said.

Mr Odebunmi also said the committee will pay an oversight visit to NTA to examine the state of the infrastructure there.

The standing committees of the House are currently scrutinising the budgets of all the MDAs.
The Senate has frowned at a plan by the federal government to borrow $200 million to purchase mosquito nets and other ancillary medical therapies to prevent malaria.

Members of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts faulted the proposed loan requests when the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Mahmuda Mamman, informed them of the plan.

Mr Mamman told the panel that part of the federal governments plan for the loan is to secure a $200 million facility to procure mosquito nets to prevent malaria in 13 of the 36 states.

This, he said, is due to high rate of under-five mortality in Nigeria largely caused by malaria and inaccessibility to malaria treatments by residents in 13 vulnerable states in the country. Hence, the necessity of the loan.

If approved by the National Assembly and accessed, the loan would be used to medically fight malaria in the 13 orphan states which cover 208 local government councils and 3,536 Primary Healthcare Centres, he said.

But a member of the committee, Ibrahim Oloriegbe (APC, Kwara) wondered why plans were being made to borrow $200 when N450 million had been budgeted for malaria treatment in the proposed 2022 Appropriation bill.

Mr Oloriegbe, who is also the chairman of the committee on health, also wondered why there are no plans to produce and patronise mosquito nets and malaria drugs in Nigeria.

This is unacceptable. We should be able to put our feet down when dealing with these donor agencies or creditors as regards loans to be taken and what it should be expended on.

This is a clear case of money and jobs for the boys by creditors luring you for loans and railroading you on what it should be spent on.

READ ALSO:

Washington or whatever creditor offering the loan, should stop giving us money with one hand and taking it back with another hand through railroaded spending, he said.

Other members of the committee including Senators Adelere Oriolowo and Abba Moro also faulted the ministrys proposal. describing it as frivolous.

The lawmakers said the N450million already budgeted for fighting malaria in the reported vulnerable areas was enough.

When asked how the idea was arrived at and how it would be implemented, Mr Mamman said a subsidiary arrangement had been made with all the states involved through the signing of the required agreement.

On his part, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, further explained that the $200 million was for importation and local production of mosquito nets.

The committee, thereafter, demanded to see the total needs of the agency to ascertain if there was a need for borrowing.

They also demanded all documents related to the $200 million loan from World Bank for malaria medicine and mosquito nets.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released a former Senate President, Pius Anyim, after holding him for two nights over allegations of corruption, his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, told PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday.

Mr Anyim, taken into custody on Sunday, was released on Tuesday based on an administrative bail granted him by the commission, according to Mr Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Mr Anyim was the Senate President between 2000 and 2003. He later served as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation from 2011 to 2015 under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

He had arrived at the headquarters of the commission in Abuja at about 3 p.m. on Sunday.

He was questioned over a matter involving the incumbent Anambra North Senator, Stella Oduah, multiple sources at the EFCC had informed this newspaper.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the commission had invited the ex-Senate President in connection with a corruption case involving Ms Oduah over alleged diversion of funds to the tune of N780 million into the account of a company in which the former Senate President was said to have an interest.

Ms Oduah, a former Minister of Aviation under the Mr Jonathan administration from 2011 to 2014, was sacked based on a contract scam involving the purchase of BMW armoured cars.

Release

When contacted by our reporter on Wednesday, Mr Ozekhome said Mr Anyim fulfilled the conditions of the administrative bail granted him on Monday, but was only allowed to go home on Tuesday.

The lawyer said his client was not invited by the EFCC, but that he voluntarily visited the commission to clear his name when he heard had been mentioned by a person under EFCC investigation.

He said, I remain Anyim Pius Anyims lawyer. My chambers have been on the matter since Monday when we applied for his administrative bail before the EFCC. And yesterday (Tuesday), the administrative bail, which was earlier granted on Monday, was perfected and Anyim was released to go home. He has since gone to his house.

It must be stated clearly that Senator Anyim was never invited by the EFCC. He had gone there voluntarily to meet with an officer on Sunday at about 3 p.m., to clear his name when he heard his name had been mentioned by a person under EFCC investigation, but only to be surprised that he was not allowed to go home.

Anyim, Oduah

The EFCC is currently prosecuting Ms Oduah, along with Chinese construction giant, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Nigeria Ltd, and other defendants on money laundering charges involving N5 billion.

She and the co-defendants allegedly committed the offences in the twilight of her tenure as the aviation minister. The alleged fraudulent transactions were said to have continued shortly after her removal as minister.

Part of PREMIUM TIMES series of reports on the recently leaked Pandora Papers exposed her assets hidden in tax havens.

On his part, Mr Anyim had been named in relation to alleged financial irregularities concerning the Centenary City project in Abuja.

The House of Representatives Committee on FCT had in a report indicted him.

The report indicting Mr Anyim was reportedly submitted to the House of Representatives by the committee led by a House member, Herman Hembe.

Denying any wrongdoing, Mr Anyim, through his lawyer, Mr Ozekhome, sued the House of Representatives in 2017.

On May 4, 2017, a judge of the FCT High Court, U. A Musale, granted an injunction restraining the House from acting on the report.
The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has dismissed a suit filed by the Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) challenging the application and the proposal to admit Morocco as a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

A statement by the information unit of the court said, on Wednesday, that the court declared the case inadmissible after finding the non-governmental organisation incompetent to institute the action.

The statement said the judgment read by the judge rapporteur, Gberi-Be Ouattara, dismissed the suit for not being in line with Article 10 (b) on access to the court.

The Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS had, at their meeting held in Liberia in 2016, acceded to the request by Morocco, a country geographically located in North Africa, to join the organisation of the West Africa sub-region.

In July 2018, CDHR filed its suit at the ECOWAS Court to challenge the decision citing the alleged non-eligibility of Morocco based on its geographical location, among other grounds.

But dismissing the suit, the court, according to the statement, stated three essential conditions for its admissibility namely: that an applicant justifies being a victim of the alleged violation, that the application must not be anonymous, and lastly, that the matter is not before another international court.

It observed that the organisation met two conditions, but did not give proof of being a victim of the alleged human rights violation attributable to the two respondents  ECOWAS Community and ECOWAS Commission.

The plaintiffs submissions, according to the court were rather based on allegations of incompetence of the respondents to admit Morocco as a member state of the 15-member ECOWAS.

In determining the legal capacity of the NGO to approach the Court for an assessment of the legality of an action in relation to the legal texts of the ECOWAS Community, the court noted this is within the purview of Article 10 (b) which provides that only Member States, the Council of Ministers and the Executive Secretary (ECOWAS Commission) in proceeding for the determination of the legality of an action in relation to any Community texts.

Consequently, the Court dismissed the application of the NGO on the grounds that it lacked the legal capacity and interest to file such matter since it was neither part of a Member State, Council of Ministers nor ECOWAS Commission. The Court also ordered the NGO to bear the costs.

On jurisdiction, the Court held that it had the competence to hear the matter considering that the NGO claimed the violation of its human rights which is one of its mandate areas but declared the matter inadmissible on the grounds that the NGO lacked the legal capacity and interest to file such matter bordering on the legality of an action in relation to the legal texts of the ECOWAS Community in line with Article 10 (b) of the 2005 Protocol relating to the Court.

Background

In the initiating application with suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/30/18 filed on July 26, 2018, Sola Egbeyinka, the lawyer representing the CDHR, told the court to hold both respondents liable for the violation of the ECOWAS Treaty, the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good governance, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This, the plaintiff recalled, followed an agreement in principle at the 55th ordinary summit of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS held in Liberia in 2016 acceding to Moroccos request to be admitted into the Community.

The lawyer added that the summit had directed ECOWAS Commission (the second respondent) to examine the legal implication of Moroccos accession as a member state.

He told the court that admitting Morocco to ECOWAS would be contrary to the aspirations and good intentions of the founding fathers of ECOWAS.

Having examined the ECOWAS Revised Treaty and other relevant legal texts, he said Morocco was not legally qualified to join the Community.

Furthermore, he said Morocco was geographically located in North Africa which is outside the West African region of ECOWAS member states, adding that there was no accession clause in the ECOWAS Treaty permitting Morocco or other African non-member states to be admitted as a member state of ECOWAS.

He also said the Kingdom of Morocco was a monarchy differentiating it from ECOWAS member states governed by principles and ideologies of democracy as well as the promotion and protection of human rights within the region.

The lawyer added among others that admitting Morocco would expose the ECOWAS region to free circulation of persons and goods that would be detrimental to the objectives of the Community.

He asked the court to declare the respondents incompetent to authorise the admission of Morocco into ECOWAS and to stop them from permitting the accession, adding that it will result in the amendment of the ECOWAS Treaty and other ECOWAS legal texts annexed to it.

Defence

But the respondents  ECOWAS, a regional organisation comprising 15-member states in West Africa, and ECOWAS Commission, its executive institution/arm charged with the harmonisation and coordination of its regional integration programmes and activities, told the court that geographical area was not a tangible limit to accession to a treaty.

The bodies, which argued through their lawyer, Franck Chude, cited Article 2 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty that states, as stating that: THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, by this Treaty, hereby re-affirm the establishment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and decide that It shall ultimately be the sole economic Community in the region for the purpose of economic integration and the realisation of the objectives of the African Economic Community.

He also cited the example of Mauritania, which he said is geographically located outside the ECOWAS region but was a member of the ECOWAS Community till the year 2000 when it withdrew from the organisation.

Moreover, he argued that some member states of ECOWAS were at the inception of the Community not democracies but under military rule, adding that Article 7 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty empowers the Conference of Heads of State and Government to take necessary measures for the progressive development of the Community and the realisation of its objectives.

He asked the court to declare the respondent competent to review the admission of Morocco in line with Articles 2 paragraph 2 and 3, and Article 7 paragraph 1 and 2 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty of 1993.

The judgment was delivered during the ongoing external session of the court in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire.

Also on the panel were judges of the court  Edward Amoako Asante (presiding) and Dupe Atoki (member).
The Nigerian Press Council (NPC) appears to be unrelenting in its quest to regulate the media in Nigeria, as the council has requested the House of Representatives to pass laws that will compel journalists and media houses to register with it.

The Executive Secretary of the Council, Francis Nwosu, while defending the budget of the council on Wednesday before the House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values, said the NPC needs the money from the registrations to survive.

Mr Nwosu, the Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the National Broadcasting Commission and the Chairman of the House Committee on information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values, Segun Odebunmi, have been at the forefront of several efforts to censor the media.

In July, the public hearing on the NBC and the press council bills generated outcry across the country, as media houses stood in solidarity against the bills.

The bills contain several provisions many believe are attempts by the government to gag the media.

Consequently, the sponsor of the bills, Mr Odebunmi, was forced to suspend the bills.

Fresh move

In a new fresh plot to awaken the bills, Mr Nwosu said the press council bill is not just about regulating media houses, but a means to generate money for the council.

He appealed to the lawmakers to consider regulations that will ensure that journalists are compelled to register with the council, have a licence to operate.

By this, I mean we need to regulate journalists  take them to register, the newspapers houses to register as corporate organisations  pay royalty or some amount of money and renewable revenue to the council; that way we can raise some money, he said.

Responding to Mr Nwosus request, Mr Odebunmi said the House will be making funds available for the committee to produce regulations on media. He, however, said the regulation must be a product of wide consultation.

As regards the pure regulation of the journalists, no doubt about it the leadership will make some funds available for us to engage more critical stakeholders, no doubt about that, unless we dont want this country to stand again, he said.

He asked the council should continue to function within its existing mandate.
A continental and international rally may have begun in support of Nigerias advocacy to halt plans to defund gas projects, just as the global community moves towards the 2050 net-zero emissions target under the United Nations Climate Change agenda.

Nigeria has been on the forefront of international advocacy questioning the planned defunding of gas projects as one of the moves towards achieving net-zero emissions. Now, the continent-wide Africa Development Bank, AfDB, has thrown its weight behind the clamour during a meeting last week between Nigerias Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and a delegation of the bank. So also did a team of U.S. experts recently in a widely published article.

The Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth at the African Development Bank, Kevin Kariuki, had led a delegation to pay the VP a visit on October 21 and expressed the banks commitment and support for a just energy transition.

His words: First thing I would like to mention is that you have inspired us a lot in the recent past, through your strong and very well-articulated position on the issue of gas as far as Nigeria and Africa is concerned.

You clearly stated that gas must be seen to be a transitional fuel for Africa, which is a position that our bank also supports because we do understand that Africa needs to increase its energy access, and you cant increase energy access without utilising some of the resources and energy sources that we have. I believe that this position you have taken was also supported and stated by the Banks president (Mr. Akinwunmi Adesina) during the ministerial retreat.

Mr Osinbajo has, in recent times, advocated for a just transition to global net-zero emissions, particularly calling on multilateral agencies, and western countries to stop the planned defunding of gas projects in developing countries.

At different national and international forums, including recent meetings with a delegation of the European Union (EU), at the Africa Regional Heads of Government Commonwealth Roundtable, and also at different meetings in London at the High-Level United Nations event on the Energy Transition plan in Africa, among others, Mr Osinbajo had maintained a firm stand against ending investments in gas projects in developing countries during the transition period.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Osinbajo said, we are looking at commercial options and climate finance facility is one that we are trying to pay attention to.

On Nigerias energy transition plan, the VP disclosed that one of the components in the plan included the use of renewables and bringing that into the general stream of things that we are doing. We have a #SolarPowerNaija project, where we are hoping to connect 5 million homes with solar power, which is part of our Economic Sustainability Plan.

The vice president welcomed AfDBs support and stated that we look forward to doing far more in the power sector and hope that we would be able to get your (AfDB) support going forward. We know that there are quite a few things that the bank has put resources into.

Thank you very much for the great support we get from AfDB and also for your willingness and readiness at all times.

Earlier on in his remarks, Mr Kariuki mentioned that at COP26, the AfDB would be making a strong pitch to developed countries to fulfill their promise of the $100billion per year that ought to have started in 2020, because the significance is that today, even if we wanted to address the climate challenge, we really cannot do so because the issue of climate finance needs to be addressed in a big way.

In another development, a number of US-based experienced clean energy policy researchers have argued that the blunt exclusion of all non-renewable energy projects from development finance is an inequitable and ineffective climate strategy that gaslights over 1 billion Africans.

In a recent article titled Why banning financing for fossil fuel projects in Africa isnt a climate solution, scholars Benjamin Attia and Morgan Brazilian from the US Payne Institute submitted that when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions, sub-Saharan Africa is collectively responsible for barely half a per cent of all global emissions over time, while the US, UK, EU, Japan and Russia are responsible for more than 100 times that amount, or about 57%.

The experts referred to Mr Osinbajos advocacy on the issue. Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo recently described energy transition as a curious term when applied universally, given the energy shortfalls in countries like Nigeria. He has argued for an energy transition in which Africa can develop quickly and grow.

They noted that indeed increasing electricity in industrializing regions of sub-Saharan Africa would first power income-generating activities and public services, both drivers of economic growth.

The U.S. experts concluded that equitable and effective climate negotiations will require nuanced policy considerations that balance the priorities of alleviating energy poverty with urgent climate change mitigation and adaptation. A just energy transition would leave African governments to make and implement policies and deliver on their own national climate commitments under the Paris Agreement rather than shouldering the Wests.

Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity

Office of the Vice President
South Africas Multichoice Africa Holdings B.V, owner of DSTV and GOTV cable television brands, has lost the battle over the $342 million tax backlog it was asked to pay by the Nigerian government.

The Tax Appeal Tribunal, on Tuesday, struck out the appeal by South African company with its Nigerian subsidiary, Multichoice Nigeria Limited, citing the firms non-compliance with the rules of appeal.

The company had filed the appeal to challenge the assessment of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) that its unpaid principal sum of Value Added Tax (VAT) was over $123.7 million.

FIRS also awarded a penalty of $218 million against the firm, bringing the total tax liability to $342 million.

The agency had served Multichoice Africa Holdings B.V. a notice of assessment of unpaid VAT on June 16, 2021, with the company responding with an appeal lodged at the Tax Appeal Tribunal to challenge the assessment.

Multichoice claimed the assessment was excessive.

Judgement

Delivering its judgement on the companys appeal, the Appeal Tax Tribunal upheld the preliminary objection of the FIRS  the appeal tribunal held that the South African company did not comply with Order 3 Rule 6 of the Tax Appeal Tribunal (Procedure) Rules, 2021.

The cited procedural provision requires an appellant to deposit half of the assessed amount being disputed before it can be heard.

The appellant is also required to file along with its appeal an affidavit verifying the payment which the company also failed to comply with.

The sum is to be paid as a security for the hearing of any tax appeal.

For an appeal against the tax authority, the aggrieved person will pay 50 per cent of the disputed amount into designated account by the tribunal before hearing as security for prosecuting the appeal, the appeal tribunal said.

But appeal tribunal said Multichoice failed to comply with any of these.

Based on the ruling, Multichoice is expected to pay a total of $342 million tax to the Nigerian government, through the FIRS.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had reported that FIRS had in July announced its plan to engage some commercial banks as agents to freeze and recover N1.8 trillion from accounts of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited (MCN) And MultiChoice Africa (MCA).

FIRS said the decision to appoint the banks as agents and to freeze the accounts was as a result of the groups continued refusal to grant FIRS access to their servers for audit and it discovered that the companies persistently breached all agreements and undertakings with FIRS.
The tobacco industry stepped up corporate social responsibility activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, exploiting opportunities provided by the infectious disease to engage with government bodies and capitalised on the vulnerability of several African countries facing a shortage of resources, a new report has stated.

The Africa Regional Tobacco Industry Interference Index released Wednesday by the Africa Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) stated that the industry greatly influenced government policies in Nigeria, Zambia, and Tanzania.

Of the 14 countries which the report focused on, Zambia and Tanzania topped the list with the highest level of tobacco industry interference in almost all indicators.

Despite countries putting procedures in place to guide officials to report all meetings with the tobacco industry, a lack of transparency which facilitated deals with the tobacco industry persisted, and was most significant in Zambia, Senegal, Mozambique, and Cote dIvoire, the report stated.

The tobacco industry, in at least five countries, engaged in high levels of unnecessary interactions with governments. These took the form of trade and partnerships, enforcement of laws, social activities and economic development agenda.

Industry interference

Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) seeks to protect tobacco control policies from being influenced by the tobacco industry. It obliges Parties to protect their public health policies related to tobacco control from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry.

The ATCA report shows a low level of tobacco industry in policy development in Kenya and Uganda. Countries such as Zambia, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Ethiopia experienced the most industry interference.

In Nigeria, for instance, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment received a tobacco industry proposal on the need for a Policy on Conventional Tobacco and Non-Combusted Alternatives to Tobacco Smoking. Also, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, a government agency, involved the tobacco industry in consultations and drafting of policies on tobacco control.

According to the WHO, there is a fundamental and irreconcilable conflict between the tobacco industrys interests and public health policy interests. Article of the FCTC 13 calls for a ban on tobacco-related CSR activities and Article 5.3 provides guidelines on how to denormalise them.

The report said tobacco companies handed scholarships to poor students, funded poverty alleviation projects, and supported governments during natural disasters.

For instance, in March last year, the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority (LSADA) officials received 250 kilogramme coal smoking kilns from the BAT Nigeria (BATN) Foundation. At that event, the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture commended BATN Foundation for its continuous support to agriculture in Lagos State. The Foundation in July 2020, further partnered with the Abia State FADAMA to distribute certified rice seedlings to smallholder farmers.

The report further stated that the BATN Foundation partnered with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in its Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Programme which began in 2019. Under the scheme, the youth corps members and young people with viable agri-business ideas are supported with equity-free capital and other associated support they may require to scale up their businesses. In the 2021 edition, the Foundation continued its CSR with the Corps through a financial commitment of N16 million in cash and business support for grantees.



At a time when African governments are working tirelessly to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the index reveals that the tobacco industry exploited this situation to undertake Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, providing resources to countries as part of COVID-19 response support, said Leonce Sessou, ATCAs Executive Secretary.

This presented a great opportunity for the industry to frame itself as a partner that is genuinely concerned with the worlds problems, even though it continues to aggressively market its deadly products and fiercely fight tobacco control policies that save lives.

The FCTC in Article 1(g) highlights that such contributions fall within the definition of tobacco sponsorship and should be prohibited as part of a comprehensive ban, because the aim, effect or likely effect of such a contribution is to promote a tobacco product or tobacco use either directly or indirectly.

Conflict of interest

All parties to the WHO FCTC are required by Article 5.3 Guidelines to ensure no conflicts of interest with the tobacco industry for all government officials and employees, and establish rules in protecting public health policies from interference from the industry.

Findings from the report show both current and former public officials working for and in the interest of the tobacco industry

In Nigeria, it said, there are instances of current and former public officials working for and in the interest of the tobacco industry.

The industry influences public policy through what is dubbed a revolving door, where former or current government officials take up jobs in the tobacco industry and vice versa.

In Nigeria, former government officials are currently holding positions in the tobacco industry. For example, the current Chairman of BATNF used to be the Minister of Trade and Industry. Also, the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2014 to 2015 is currently the Chairman for International Tobacco Company.

While Kolawole Jamodu, the current BATNF chairman, was Nigerias Minister of Industry between 2001 and 2003; Aminu Wali, the chairman of International Tobacco Company, served as Foreign Affairs Minister in 2014.

Mr Sessou said while the index suggests simple and practical solutions; governments can protect their health policies from tobacco industry interference by establishing a code of conduct guiding interactions between government officials and the industry, and ensuring strict implementation of such codes where they already exist.

Where codes of conduct exist, regular training and awareness-raising on tobacco industry interference should be undertaken to help keep public officials updated and to maintain their commitment.

Finally, governments can ensure that under no circumstance does the tobacco industry get to enjoy preferential treatment or undertake Corporate Social Responsibility activities which facilitate interference. It is time for governments to step up their political will and ensure that health policies are not derailed by the tobacco industry.
A Cambridge University college has handed over the statue of a bronze cockerel looted by British colonial forces during its invasion of Benin in 1897 to representatives of Nigeria.

The statue, locally called Okukur, was given to Jesus College in 1905 by the father of a student, BBC reported.

The colleges Legacy of Slavery Working Party had in 2019 concluded that the cockerel belongs with the current Oba at the Court of Benin.

This conclusion came after the college removed the statue on display in 2016, saying it will be given to Nigerias National Commission for Museums and Monuments.

Its massively significant, BBC quoted the master of Jesus College, Sonita Alleyne, as saying at a handover ceremony held at the college Wednesday. Its a momentous occasion.

She added that returning the artefact was the right thing to do especially because the said bronze statue was of cultural and spiritual significance to the people of Nigeria.

Its part of their ancestral heritage, Ms Alleyne added.

The Nigerian delegation is expected to decide decide how and when to move the Okukur.

Having crushed Benins resistance to its expansionist move, the eventual conquest of Benin by British forces was characterized by large scale systematic destruction and looting.

Described by author Max Siollun in his book, What Britain Did to Nigeria, as one of the most brazen cases of colonial looting that Britain committed in Africa, British invaders looted a haul of carved bronze, ivory and artworks, insignia and sculptures which were hundreds of years old and presented them as trophies among themselves, including to the Queen.

Information minister Lai Muhammad had in 2019 said the Nigerian government will use all legal and diplomatic instruments to demand the return of Nigerias stolen artefacts and cultural materials worldwide.

At the handover ceremony, the Oba of Benin, Omo NOba NEdo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, said he hoped that others would expedite the return of our artworks, which in many cases are of religious importance to us.

In March, the University of Aberdeen also said it will return a Benin Bronze to Nigeria within weeks, becoming the first institution to do so more than a century after Britain looted the sculptures and auctioned them to Western museums and collectors.
I attended a play recently at Glover Memorial Hall at Broad Street, Lagos. Yes, the old Glover Hall built and named in 1887 in honour of Sir John Hawley Glover who was Governor of Lagos Colony between 1864 and 1872. The hall has undergone a lot of repairs, thanks to the Lagos State Government. The title of the play was AWO-THE MAN, HIS JEWEL AND..In attendance were the Vice President, Professor Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo (64),SAN, GCON and his wife, Oludolapo Osinbajo nee Soyode (54), a lawyer, who is a granddaughter of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, GCFR, (6 March 1909- 9 May 1987), the Lagos state Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu (56), the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila(59) and the outgoing Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo (Jnr), 58 a lawyer.The Group Managing Director of Odua Investment Company, Mr Wale Raji and his pretty wife, Lamide also attended along with Chief Segun Ojo, the Asiwaju of Emure in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo state, former Commissioner of Finance in Ondo State and presently a Director in Odua Investment Company. Aremo Olusegun Osoba, the Akinrogun of Egbaland and twice elected Governor of Ogun state came with his wife Aderinsola Osoba, who is from the Onimole royal family in Isale Eko, Lagos. Chief justus Oluwagbemiga.

Daniel, (65)the fourteenth Governor of Ogun state, Professor Bayo Williams, who turned seventy recently and Abagun Kole Omololu of the social media platform, YORUBA CONSCIOUSNESS and his wife were also there. Abagun omololu from Ikale in ondo state, wore his high cap, his trade mark.

Mr Seni Adio, SAN, a director in Odua Investment Company and another director Mr Segun Olujobi were also in attendance with their wives.

The crew members of the play were Yemi Shodimu, Olaide Agboola, Edgar Joseph, Ladi Soyode, Olisa Adibua, Makinde Adeniran, Ifeanyi Eziukwu, Oluwatoyin Olokodana-James(Ph.D.), Kehinde Oretimeyi, Adedayo Liadi, Adenike Ayodele, Minna Davies, Adebunmi Adewale, Paul Abbah, Abiodun Abe, Wale Adeleke, Abe Busayo, Sulaimon Abimbola, Habeeb Balogun, Saheed Balogun Rahmon Balogun, Taiwo Adesoji and Musbau Afolabi.

The major actors of the play were Shallom Matthew, Mojisola Kadiri, Adeyemi Adeshina, Ikponmwosa Gold, Stanley Okeke, Austin Onuoha and Segun Moses.

Other actors were Moshood Fattah, Seyi Fasuyi, Nelson Orah, Toyin Osinaike, Stanley Okeke, Rasheed Aluko, Adeyemi Adeshina, Mawuyon Ogun, Nelson Orah, Yinka Davies, Jennifer Osammor, Omowunmi Segun, Aisha Onitiri, Eferoghene Awusa, Tosin Adeyemi, Oladotun Olagbadebo, Austin Onuoha, Ikponmwosa Gold, Omololu Sodiya and Seyi Fasuyi.

The play featured the major roles played by Chief Awolowo, his wife, Chief Mrs Hannah Dideolu Idowu Awolowo (1915-2015), Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola(1910-1966), former Premier of Western Nigeria, the former deputy premier of Western Nigeria, Chief Victor Babaremilekun Adetokunbo Fani-Kayode (1921-1995), the former Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello (12 June 1910-15 January 1966), the late Sardauna of Sokoto, the late Premier of Eastern Nigeria, sir Michael Iheonukara Okpara (25 December 1920  17 December 1984) the former Governor of Lagos, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande (23 July 1929  11 February 2021), Segun Awolowo (Snr.) (January 1939-July 9, 1963) a lawyer and others.

I noticed the presence of the youths in the hall that day. I was curious about their huge presence and this set me thinking. These days, hardly do people go to cinema halls to watch films not to talk of plays. The younger elements will prefer to be on Google or the internet to watch anything at all. But for them to come and watch a play at Glover Hall at that time of the night looked risky to me. They must have been motivated by what they have read or seen about Chief Awolowo. Streets, stadium and many other projects have been named after Chief Obafemi Awolowo. But the youths that came to the hall that day did not experience the golden era of Chief Awolowos tenure as Premier of Western Nigeria. Right now they are witnessing a shattered country. Sadly they are now witnessing a collapsing nation.

The Odua Investment Company contributed a lot to the production of the play. Mr Wale Raji told me later that the play will be staged in Ibadan soon, and he too was impressed about the attendance on that day. The emotional aspect of the play was when Chief Awolowo, while in prison, was told about the tragic death of his first son, Segun, a lawyer, who died in a car crash along Lagos Ibadan road on July 9, 1963. Professor Osibajo did not make a speech before or after the play. He only went on stage to shake hands with the actors along with his wife Dolapo after the play. The play was a reincarnation of Chief Awolowo as the Premier of Western Nigeria and how he formed the Action Group and the crisis that came within the Action Group. It is impossible to capture Chief Awolowos achievements and legacy in a play, or in an article, journal or a book. If today there is relative peace and stability in the Southwest, it could be traced to the foundation laid by Chief Awolowo in the region coupled with the OMOLUWABI, BIBIRE AND ALAJOBI culture among the people of that region. It is not by accident that today, Awos disciples, are scattered all over the world preaching his legacy and reminding us constantly that there was a time when there was good governance in the Western Region. For those who lived in that era, it was a romantic experience never to be forgotten. Apart from free education at that time, there was the emergence of co-operative societies and farm settlements.

Even then,students preferred the scholarship of western Nigeria to that of federal government

The applause at the end of the play was fantastic. Chief Awolowo died thirty four years ago but his legacy still lives on .

Great writers have written so much about Chief Awolowo before and after his demise.

\I remember Chief Tola Adeniyi, Odia Ofeimun, Reuben Abati, Ayo Opadokun, Dare Babarinsa, Chief Ayo Ojewunmi, Lade Bonuola ,Sola Odunfa, Gbolabo Ogunsanwo, Femi Ogunsanwo, Banji Ogundele, Bayo Osiyemi, Peter Ajayi, Dayo Sobowale, Felix Adedapo Adenaike, Martins Oloja, Adegbamigbe Akinlaya, Wunmi Adegbonmire (alia Omo Ekun), Agboola Sanni, Nduka Onum, Peter Apesin, Fola Oredoyin, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Alfred Ilenre, Toye Akiyode, Muyiwa Adetiba, Rotimi Abe, Wunmi Akintunde,Labanji Bolaji, Segun Osoba, Lawrence Mofoluwashoun Olamiti, Areoye Oyebola, Lam Adesina, Biodun Oduwole, Banji Kuroloja, Ebenezer Oluwole Babatope and many others.

It may be the writings of these outstanding men and women that brought these youths to Glover Hall that night. They must have been motivated also by what they heard about Chief Awolowo.

A few years ago I was in the Abuja house in London at 2, Campden Hill, Kessington and I discovered that the house was part of the property of the Western Region of Nigeria bought during the tenure of Chief Obafemi Awolowo as the Premier. The property was seized by the central government through a decree promulgated by General Yakubu Gowon, GCFR. Today, I do not know if any compensation was paid to the six states of what now know as the south west zone. Anytime I visit London and I passed through that house, I am reminded that there was a time we had a regional government in Nigeria.

As published in THE NIGERIAN TRIBUNE on 9th May, 2018, Chief Awolowo served as Premier of the Region from 1952-1959. He had remarkable success during his tenure. The visionary and economically sagacious Awo-led government had numerous achievements including: the implementation of free Universal Primary Education, the establishment of Africas first TV Station, the construction of West Africas first Skyscraper (Cocoa House)and first International Stadium (Liberty) the establishment of a first rate Civil Service, the construction of Nigerias first Housing and Industrial Estates (Bodija and Ikeja) etc.

The most significant of his achievements is the Free Universal Primary Education.

In 1952 when the scheme was proposed, 381,000 children (about 30 per cent) were enrolled in school. By 1955 when the scheme took off 811,432 children were enrolled. And the numbers continued to grow. The Government devoted as much as 41.2 per cent of its 1958/59 recurrent budget to Education, one of the highest in the world at the time. The Western region of Nigeria, at that time, was educating more children than anywhere in Africa.

But while remembering Chief Awolowo, I must not forget that he led a formidable team. Very outstanding set of people served under him or were around him. I remember Chief Akinola Maja, Chief S.O. Gbadamosi, Chief Bisi Onabanjo, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Chief Alfred Rewane, Chief S.O. Lanleyin, Chief Dosunmu, Chief Michael Ajasin, Chief Fadairo, Chief adegbite tinubu, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Adeleke Adedoyin, Chief S.T. Oredehin, Chief S.O. Sonibare, Chief J.S. Olawoyin, Chief Longe, Professor Sam Aluko, Professor Akin Mabogunje, Chief Babatola, Chief Taiwo Oredeyin, Professor Hezekiah Oluwasanmi, Dr. Sanya Onabamiro, Chief S.O. Adigun, Chief Michael Omisade, Chief Hon. C.D. Akran, Chief J.S. Olawoyin, Oba Alayeluwa Sir Adesoji Aderemi, the Hon. A.O. Adeyi, late Sir Adeyemo Alakija, Alhaji Hon. D.S. Adegbenro, Chief Hon. A.O. Ogedengbe, Chief M.E.R. Okorodudu, Chief Hon. Gabriel Akin-Deko, Oba Alayeluwa Akenzua II, the Hon, Ayodele Okusaga, Chief Hon. Anthony Enahoro, Chief J.F. Odunjo, Chief Hon. J.O. Oshuntokun, Chief A.M.A. Akinloye ,Oba Alayeluwa Samuel Ademola, Chief (Dr.) J. Akanni Doherty, Chief F.O. Awosika, E.A. Babalola., S.O. Awokoya ,S. O. Ighodaro Esq., Chief Hon. Jonathan Akinremi Olawale Odebiyi, Chief F.R.A. Williams, Chief Bode Thomas, Sir Olateru Olagbegi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Canon Emmanuel Alayande, Hon. S.O. Ikoku, Dr. Hon. E.O. Awoluche, Alhaji The Hon. Sule Maito and others. In later years, Professor Ambrose Alli, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, Chief Aderibigbe Adesanya, Chief Reuben Fasonranti, Chief Olaniwun Ajayi and others came close to him.

No doubt Chief Awolowo had the necessary qualities of leadership. These are vision, courage, integrity, humility, focus, co-operation and strategic planning. He had the courage and was willing to take risk in the achievements of his goals and successes. He had truthfulness in him which is the core of integrity. Integrity requires that you always tell the truth, to all people, in every situation. Truthfulness is the foundation quality of the trust that is necessary for the success of any business. Chief Awolowo also had the ability to involve in strategic planning. Above all, he had focus and he relied mostly on the advice of his friends. He was future oriented which is lacking in most of our leaders today. He took personal responsibility in all that he did neither did he apportion blame on his subordinates. He tried new inventions and it worked. He tried new experiments and he succeeded. He formed the Action Group along with Chief Adeyiga Akinsanya, Chief Olatunji Dosunmu, Chief Samuel Olatunbosun Shonibare, Chief Ayo Akinsanya, Chief Abiodun Akerele among others.

Between April 28 and 29, 1951, the Action Group held its inaugural conference in Owo, Ondo State, Hon, Gaius Obaseki, Chief N.F. Mowarin, Chief Michael Ajasin and Chief Arthur Prest were elected Vice President; Bode Thomas became the General Secretary; Anthony Enahoro and S.O. Sonibare were elected Assistant Secretaries while S.O. Ighodaro became Treasurer; S.T. Oredeinde Administrative and S.L. Akintola and M.E.R. Okorodudu became Legal Advisers. However it was not all that smooth within the Action Group. The party became factionalised. On July 7 1962, the following were expelled from the party. They are Chief S.L. Durosaro, Chief O. Tobun, Chief E.O. Okunowo, Chief F.O. Awosika, A.F. Odulana, Oba C.D. Akran, Chief Abiodun Akerele, J.O. Adigun, A.O. Adedeji, S.O. Ogundipe, Chief A.O. Adeyi, Chief A.M.A. Akinloye, S.O. Fajimi, Duro Ogundiran, E.A. Ogundiran, E.A. Lagunju, S. Hunponu Wusu, S.A. Sanni, Lasisi Ajimobi, L.O. Aniyi, D.O. Arowolo, N.A. Adibi, E.O. Oke, R.A. Lana, S.A. Adeniya, J.L. Tifase and Chief Samuel Adegbite Tinubu(June 26 1923-May 15 2014) alias Baba Deinbo.

Chief Awolowo later served as Minister of Finance between 1967 and 1971 and was succeeded

by Alhaji Usman Shehu Aliyu Shagari(25 February 1925- 28 December 2018)GCFR Chief Obafemi

Awolowo changed Nigerias currency to naira during his tenure as Minister of Finance.

He is still the issue in the Nigeria politics even till today.

The most memorable speech Chief Awolowo ever made was the speech he delivered on May 1 1967 after he was made the leader of the Yorubas at Ibadan. For the benefit of all, I wish to reproduce the full statement of that speech because the issues he raised 54 years ago ,in that speech are still relevant today. On that day he declared The aim of a leader should be the welfare of the people whom he leads. I have used welfare to denote the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of the people. With this aim fixed unflinchingly and unchangeably before my eyes I consider it my duty to Yoruba people in particular and to Nigerians in general, to place four imperatives before you this morning. Two of them are categorical and two are conditional. Only a peaceful solution must be found to arrest the present worsening stalemate and restore normalcy. The Eastern Region must be encouraged to remain part of the Federation. If the Eastern Region is allowed by acts of omission or commission to secede from or opt out of Nigeria, then the Western Region and Lagos must also stay out of the Federation. The people of Western Nigeria and Lagos should participate in the ad hoc committee or any similar body only on the basis of absolute equality with the other regions of the Federation.

I would like to comment briefly on these four imperatives. There has, of late, been a good deal of sabre rattling in some parts of the country. Those who advocate the use force for the settlement of our present problems should stop a little and reflect. I can see no vital and abiding principle involved in any war between the North and the East. If the East attacked the North, it would be for purpose of revenge pure and simple. Any claim to the contrary would be untenable. If it is claimed that such a war is being waged for the purpose of recovering the real and personal properties left behind in the North by Easterners two insuperable points are obvious. Firstly, the personal effects left behind by Easterners have been wholly looted or destroyed, and can no longer be physically recovered. Secondly, since the real properties are immovable in case of recovery of them can only be by means of forcible military occupation of those parts of the North in which these properties are situated. On the other hand, if the North attacked the East, it could only be for the purpose of further strengthening and entrenching its position of dominance in the country.

If it is claimed that an attack on the East is going to be launched by the Federal Government and not by the North as such and that it is designed to ensure the unity and integrity of the Federation, two other insuperable points also become obvious. First, if a war against the East becomes a necessity it must be agreed to unanimously by the remaining units of the Federation. In this connection, the West, Mid- West and Lagos have declared their implacable opposition to the use of force in solving the present problem. In the face of such declarations by three out of remaining four territories of Nigeria, a war against the East could only be a war favoured by the North alone. Second, if the true purpose of such a war is to preserve the unity and integrity of the Federation, then these ends can be achieved by the very simple devices of implementing the recommendation of the committee which met on August 9 1966, as reaffirmed by a decision of the military leaders at Aburi on January 5 1967 as well as by accepting such of the demands of the East, West, Mid-West and Lagos as are manifestly reasonable, and essential for assuring harmonious relationships and peaceful co-existence between them and their brothers and sisters in the North.

Some knowledgeable persons have likened an attack on the East to Lincolns war against the southern states in America. Two vital factors distinguish Lincolns campaign from the one now being contemplated in Nigeria. The first is that the American civil war was aimed at the abolition of slavery  that is the liberation of millions of Negroes who were then still being used as chattels and worse than domestic animals. The second factor is that Lincoln and others in the northern states were English-speaking people waging a war of good conscience and humanity against their fellow nationals who were also English speaking. A war against the East in which Northern soldiers are predominant, will only unite the Easterners or the Ibos against their attackers, strengthen them in their belief that they are not wanted by the majority of their fellow-Nigerians, and finally push them out of the Federation.

We have been told that an act of secession on the part of the East would be a signal, in the first instance, for the creation of the COR state by decree, which would be backed, if need be, by the use of force. With great respect, I have some dissenting observations to make on this declaration. There are 11 national or linguistic groups in the COR areas with a total population of 5.3 millions. These national groups are as distinct from one another as the Ibos are distinct from them or from the Yorubas or Hausas. Of the 11, the Efik/Ibibio/Annang national group are 3.2 million strong as against the Ijaws who are only about 700,000 strong. Ostensibly, the remaining nine national group number 1.4 millions. But when you have subtracted the Ibo inhabitants from among them, what is left ranges from the Ngennis who number only 8,000 to the Ogonis who are 220,000 strong. A decree creating a COR state without a plebiscite to ascertain the wishes of the peoples in the area, would only amount to subordinating the minority national groups in the state to the dominance of the Efik/Ibibio/Annang national group. It would be perfectly in order to create a Calabar state or a Rivers state by decree, and without a plebiscite. Each is a homogeneous national unit. But before you lump distinct and diverse national units together in one state, the consent of each of them is indispensable. Otherwise, the seed of social disequilibrium in the new state would have been sown.

On the other hand, if the COR State is created by decree after the Eastern Region shall have made its severance from Nigeria effective, we should then be waging an unjust war against a foreign state. It would be an unjust war, because the purpose of it would be to remove 10 minorities in the East from the dominance of the Ibos only to subordinate them to the dominance of the Efik/Ibibio/Annang national group. I think I have said enough to demonstrate that any war against the East, or vice versa, on any count whatsoever, would be an unholy crusade, for which it would be most unjustifiable to shed a drop of Nigerian blood. Therefore, only a peaceful solution must be found, and quickly too to arrest the present rapidly deteriorating stalemate and restore normalcy.

With regard to the second categorical imperative, it is my considered view that whilst some of the demands of the East are excessive within the context of a Nigerian union, most of such demands are not only well founded, but are designed for smooth and steady association amongst the various national units of Nigeria.

The dependence of the Federal Government on financial contributions from the regions? These and other such like demands I do not support. Demands such as these, if accepted, will lead surely to the complete disintegration of the Federation which is not in the interest of our people. But I wholeheartedly support the following demands among others, which we consider reasonable and most of which are already embodied in our memoranda to the Ad Hoc Committee.

That revenue should be allocated strictly on the basis of derivation; that is to say after the Federal Government has deducted its own share for its own services the rest should be allocated to the regions to which they are attributable.

That the existing public debt of the Federation should become the responsibility of the regions on the basis of the location of the projects in respect of each debt whether internal or external.

That each region should have and control its own militia and police force.

That, with immediate effect, all military personnel should be posted to their regions of origin.

If we are to live in harmony one with another as Nigerians it is imperative that these demands and others which are not related should be met without further delay by those who have hitherto resisted them. To those who may argue that the acceptance of these demands will amount to transforming Nigeria into a federation with a weak central government, my comment is that any link however tenuous, which keeps the East in the Nigerian union, is better in my view than no link at all.

Before the Western delegates went to Lagos to attend the meetings of the ad hoc committee, they were given a clear mandate that if any region should opt out of the Federation of Nigeria, then the Federation should be considered to be at an end, and that the Western Region and Lagos should also opt out of it. It would then be up to Western Nigeria and Lagos as an independent sovereign state to enter into association with any of the Nigerian units of its own choosing, and on terms mutually acceptable to them. I see no reason for departing from this mandate. If any region in Nigeria considers itself strong enough to compel us to enter into association with it on its own terms, I would only wish such region luck. But such luck, I must warn, will, in the long run be no better than that which has attended the doings of all colonial powers down the ages. This much I must say in addition, on this point. We have neither military might nor the overwhelming advantage of numbers here in Western Nigeria and Lagos. But we have justice of a noble and imperishable cause on our side, namely: the right of a people to unfettered self-determination. If this is so, then God is on our side, and if God is with us then we have nothing whatsoever in this world to fear.

The fourth imperative, and the second conditional one has been fully dealt with in my recent letter to the Military Governor of Western Nigeria, Col. Robert Adebayo, and in the representation which your deputation made last year to the head of the Federal Military Government, Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon. As a matter of fact, as far back as November last year a smaller meeting of leaders of thought in this Region decided that unless certain things were done, we would no longer participate in the meeting of the ad hoc committee. But since then, not even one of our legitimate requests has been granted. I will, therefore, take no more of your time in making further comments on a point with which you are well familiar. As soon as our humble and earnest requests are met, I shall be ready to take my place on the ad hoc committee. But certainly, not before.

In closing, I have this piece of advice to give. In order to resolve amiably and in the best interests of all Nigerians certain attributes are required on the part of Nigerian leaders, military as well as non-military leaders alike, namely: vision, realism and unselfishness. But above all , what will keep Nigerian leaders in the North and East unwaveringly in the path of wisdom, realism and moderation is courage and steadfastness on the part of Yoruba people in the course of what they sincerely believe to be right, equitable and just. In the past five years we in the West and Lagos have shown that we possess these qualities in a large measure. If we demonstrate them again as we did in the past, calmly and heroically, we will save Nigeria from further bloodshed and imminent wreck and, at the same time, preserve our freedom and self-respect into the bargain.

May God rule and guide our deliberations here, and endow all the Nigerian leaders with the vision, realism, and unselfishness as well as courage and steadfastness in the course of truth, which the present circumstances demand.

Eric Teniola, a former director in the Presidency, writes from Lagos.
the problem is not only about the West dictating the route of development for poor African countries, it is also that recent events highlight a degree of hypocrisy and duplicity on the part of rich countries. For one need not look far for strong indications that Europes reliance on fossil fuel is not waning. In 2019, gross inland consumption of natural gas in the EU increased by 4.2 per cent, compared with 2018, and to a level not seen since 2010. With the gas scarcity hitting Europe and prompting fears of a cold winter and business closure, many European governments have rapidly rolled out measures to protect their citizens and businesses from soaring prices.

So far, the European Union has pledged to set out recommendations for member states, including compensation for vulnerable households, tax cuts and state aid for companies. The French government has offered to protect drivers through a temporary freeze on gas prices and a tax cut on electricity bills. In the U.K., ministers have already been forced to step in to fund a fertiliser plant that had been shut down due to soaring natural gas prices, alongside many other options, including potential state-backed loans for energy companies, which are being considered.

The situation has also prompted some constituencies that have long supported strong climate action, including the early retrenchment of gas plants, to question their governments commitment to rapid decarbonisation and call for a slower approach. Other voices are calling on government to come clean on the cost of decarbonisation and the potential implications of the current climate policies on long term energy prices and the future prosperity of their countries.

The climate and development nexus

The panic people feel about not having enough petrol to drive their cars to work or enough gas to heat their homes in Europe, is perfectly understandable, as are the steps by governments to reassure and protect their citizens and businesses. These reactions are wholly rational. Indeed, the prompt intervention by European governments is a perfect example of responsible and responsive leadership, characteristics of many liberal democracies in the West.

But at the same time, these reactions also underscore other important and sometimes inconvenient truths about the need to fight climate change and poverty together, and the importance of putting equity and justice at the centre of the global green transition project, which citizens and governments of rich countries so often fail to appreciate. Worse still, these reactions also reveal a degree of duplicity and hypocrisy in the approach of rich countries towards the fight against climate change, whereby standards adopted at home are often different from those promoted abroad, especially with regards to fossil fuel subsidy and the possible role of gas as a transition fuel in poor countries. Resource rich but economically poor African countries have been saying that while they are willing to play their part in the global fight against climate change, there is need for greater appreciation of their current development status and the potential role that gas could play as a transition fuel in helping them achieve energy security.

Net zero carbon targets must go together with net zero global poverty

The fact made abundantly evident by the reaction of much of the societies in Europe is that when people are facing the threat of hunger, loss of shelter, a cold and dark winter, or the absence of decent livelihoods, there is a tendency to push concerns for climate action or the source of fuel that is heating households to the back of the queue. This is a fact that many developing countries have been making in climate diplomacy circles, but which so often seems lost on, or at least is underappreciated by governments, scholars, the media and climate advocates in rich countries, whose dominant tendency and preference is to divorce discussions about the reduction of emissions from the need to fight global poverty, hunger and inequality.

It is instructive that while the net zero by 2050 has taken hold in industrialised countries, with several national governments, cities, and businesses making ambitious pledges, little or no space has been found for the idea of net zero global poverty and net zero global hunger in the public discourse in rich countries. Yet, when one looks, one sees that the same IPCC Report which assessed that global net anthropogenic CO2 emissions will need to decline rapidly and reach net zero around 2050 for the world to stay on the path of 1.5 degrees centigrade warming, also suggested that a focus on equity and justice would be required to ensure that climate action is combined with efforts to achieve global sustainable development.

The injustice and hypocrisy of defunding gas in Africa

Resource rich but economically poor African countries have been saying that while they are willing to play their part in the global fight against climate change, there is need for greater appreciation of their current development status and the potential role that gas could play as a transition fuel in helping them achieve energy security. However, such pleas have been dismissed as a sign of the lack of commitment to the green transition, and several rich countries and international development finance organisations have made their intention clear to end all new funds allocated to gas projects. Here is another example of an approach to the global green transition that fails to sufficiently differentiate the situation between developed and developing countries, and the historical responsibility that rich countries have in shirking the carbon space within which the transition to global net carbon zero economy is expected to take place.

But the problem is not only about the West dictating the route of development for poor African countries, it is also that recent events highlight a degree of hypocrisy and duplicity on the part of rich countries. For one need not look far for strong indications that Europes reliance on fossil fuel is not waning. In 2019, gross inland consumption of natural gas in the EU increased by 4.2 per cent, compared with 2018, and to a level not seen since 2010. Natural gas dependency in EU reached an all-time high of 89.5 per cent in 2019, up from 83.8 per cent in 2018. In Germany, coal still accounts for about 10.6 per cent or 22.6GW of total power, with natural gas accounting for 14 per cent or 30GW.



The same concern that governments in industrialised countries are showing to ensure that their citizens, especially the vulnerable ones, are not pushed into poverty by the scarcity and rising prices of gas, is the same concern that needs to be invested to ensure that the impacts of climate change and proposed solutions do not exacerbate global poverty and inequality. Only last month, it was announced that Russia and EU have completed a 1,200 kilometre subsea pipeline to convey gas worth up to 110bn cubic meter per annuum to EU, while another major gas pipeline that will supply China is ongoing. In the U.S., the natural gas share of the total energy supply mix in 2017 stood at 40 per cent, with renewable energy contributing only 19.8 per cent of energy generated in the country.

As such, while gas continues to be a key part of Europe, Russia, U.S., and Chinas energy future, African nations which are the main victims of climate change, which contribute only 0.65 per cent of the total GHG emissions of the world and whose populations are severely energy poor, are being told they must rely on modern renewables imported from Europe and China to power their own industrialisation. And while the rich countries are placing carbon embargo on Africa, they are failing woefully in their promise to provide the much-needed finance and technological support promised under the UN backed international climate agreement, which Africa needs to scale up investment in renewable energy.

Consider the case of Nigeria, which has the sixth largest deposit of gas in the world, estimated at a minimum of 100 trillion cubic feet, but also less than 8GW of installed electricity. Meanwhile 85 million or 43 per cent of the Nigerians 200 million population is living without access to electricity. Furthermore, the population is projected to be 400 million by 2050 and energy consumption is projected to grow by 30 per cent in the following 15 years. It is easy to see the injustice, and incongruity of requesting Nigeria to leave its gas in the ground and embrace the massive importation of solar panels from Europe to address its energy needs.

Going Forward

There is no doubt that climate change is a major concern of the world and developing countries that have contributed the least to this are suffering the most from its fallout. This is the more reason why approaches to solve the problem must emphasise justice and equity. The same concern that governments in industrialised countries are showing to ensure that their citizens, especially the vulnerable ones, are not pushed into poverty by the scarcity and rising prices of gas, is the same concern that needs to be invested to ensure that the impacts of climate change and proposed solutions do not exacerbate global poverty and inequality. Defunding gas without commensurate investment in renewables in Africa is a double jeopardy, as its will not only worsen energy insecurity in Africa but also penalise the poor for the climate transgressions of rich countries. Chukwumerije Okereke is Director, Centre for Climate Change and Development, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Nigeria, and coordinating leader author of the IPCC.
The NESI needs a radical re-design, as the single market structure operated since the passage of the EPSRA in 2005 has thus far failed to deliver stable, reliable and affordable electricity to millions of Nigerians. Thus the compelling need to amend the EPSRA. In our opinion, several provisions of the EPSRA amendment bills being considered by the House of Representatives, are rather retrogressive and will not improve the power sector, nor lead to further investments in the NESI.

The Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA) was passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR) in 2005. The EPSRA is the extant law underpinning the regulations and operations of the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), as we know it today. At the time it was passed into law, it was heralded as a defining piece of legislation that would transform the power sector and lead to a competitive electricity market.

Fifteen years after the passage of the EPSRA, there have been numerous attempts at amending the Act to align it with present day realities and challenges in the NESI. There have also been attempts to introduce new legislation into the electricity sector. One of such new legislation proposed as an amendment to the EPSRA is the bill to provide for the reservation of 5% of revenues of all power generation companies (GenCos) for the development of their host communities and other related matters. The bill, sponsored by Babajimi Benson, representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency, has passed the second reading. If finally passed, the bill will further increase the cost of wholesale electricity.

Besides the above bill, in September, the House of Representatives passed another EPSRA amendment bill for second reading. The amendment bill is to provide the legal and institutional framework for the implementation and coordination of Rural Electrification projects, establishment of the National Power Training Institute and regulatory provisions to strengthen the Sector for efficient service delivery. The amendment bill, sponsored by 52 members, has bi-partisan support across party lines.

No doubt, the EPSRA needs to be amended. However, there are significant concerns about several of the proposed amendments in the above mentioned amendment bill. Overall, should the amendment bill sail through and become law, it would add to the conundrum in the NESI by increasing regulatory risks, further escalating both the wholesale and retail costs of electricity, stifling investments in the power sector, with the end result being the worsening of electricity supply and decline in service delivery to electricity customers. The first part of this article highlights some of the proposed amendments to the existing regulatory framework in the EPSRA and our concerns.

The bill, in clause 24, seeks to put all agencies and parastatals operating in the power sector under the supervisory control of the Federal Ministry of Power (FMoP). Agencies like the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), Niger Delta Power Holding Corporation (NDPHC), FGN Power Company Ltd (the project vehicle set up to implement the $2.3 billion Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) with Siemens), Rural Electrification Agency, etc., would come under the FMoP. We think this is the right thing to do, so as to enable the Federal Government achieve better policy articulation, harmonisation, coordination and implementation within the NESI. Effectively, the Minister for Power would now be held responsible for delivering on set policy goals of government in the power sector. By the way, this proposed amendment is no different from what obtains in other ministries; for instance in the petroleum sector, or telecoms sector, respective agencies of government in these sectors, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), operate under the jurisdictions of their supervisory federal ministries and ministers.

The bill also introduces new clauses to give power to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to sanction electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and other licensees of NERC for acts of default or non-compliance. Specifically, the bill proposes to give NERC broad powers to either suspend and/or revoke the licenses issued to DisCos for infractions. While this is a most welcome development that would hopefully curb the widespread market indiscipline that has sadly characterised the NESI, the clauses are rather subjective, in our opinion, and could potentially increase regulatory risks within the sector. If the bill is passed as it is, we foresee court processes seeking legal interpretations, particularly with the proposed new clause 67, clause 74, clause 75 and clause 76. From an investment perspective, the regulatory risks associated with these new provisions are such that it could discourage much needed investments in the NESI.

Another area of concern is section 71, subsection 6 of the amendment bill, which provides that DisCos are licensed to operate within their franchise areas on an exclusive basis, except where stated in the license terms as being non-exclusive. In other words, the proposed amendment, if it sails, will grant monopoly rights to DisCos to operate exclusively within their franchise areas, and also outlaw any form of market competition

For instance, the proposed clause 67 gives NERC the powers to suspend a DisCos license for one year if, in the opinion of NERC, the DisCo has persistently failed to maintain uninterrupted supply of electricity, or has persistently defaulted in complying with any direction given by NERC. A DisCos license can also be suspended if circumstances exist which render it necessary for the Commission to suspend the license in public interest. Under the proposed amendment, NERC has the powers to appoint an Administrator for the DisCo if the license of the DisCo is suspended. The proposed amendment is not specific on how the Administrator would be appointed, or which individual(s) and/or entities can be appointed as the Administrator.

Where the suspended license is eventually revoked by NERC, the proposed amendment gives NERC the powers to sell the distribution company (the amendment bill uses the word utility) within one year from the date of revocation of the license. Clauses 74 ,75 and 76 deal further with the revocation of licenses and re-issuance of such revoked licenses by NERC. In our opinion, the proposed powers given to NERC to sell a utility company upon revocation of its license is flawed and clearly cannot stand. NERC as a sector regulator, holds the license in trust on behalf of the Nigerian government, thus only has the right to issue and/or revoke the issuance of its license to a utility company. NERC is not a shareholder in the utility/a licensee, which is a duly incorporated company under Nigerian laws, and thus cannot sell the shares of the utility/licensee, nor mandate the utility company to sell its shares to another party. Drawing from the telecoms industry, it is clearly unimaginable that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) would revoke the license of MTN Nigeria for whatever reasons, and also proceed to sell the shares of MTN Nigeria or mandate MTN Nigeria to sell its entire shares to another party! What NCC can do is to re-allocate MTN Nigerias license to another company.

Interestingly, clause 71 of the proposed amendment gives powers to the Federal High Court to renew the license of a DisCo, where NERC refuses to renew such license. This puts the regulatory powers of NERC to renew or not to renew licenses under the supervision of the Federal High Court.

Another area of concern is section 71, subsection 6 of the amendment bill, which provides that DisCos are licensed to operate within their franchise areas on an exclusive basis, except where stated in the license terms as being non-exclusive. In other words, the proposed amendment, if it sails, will grant monopoly rights to DisCos to operate exclusively within their franchise areas, and also outlaw any form of market competition within the DisCos franchise areas. In our opinion, this proposed provision is very retrogressive in a market that requires market competition to promote electricity access and enhance service delivery. In addition, this proposed amendment of the EPSRA reinforces the failed single market structure of the NESI. Rather than grant exclusivity to DisCos, it is our considered view that any proposed amendment to the EPSRA in this regard, must open up the electricity distribution segment to further market competition and innovation, so as to improve electricity access and service delivery to Nigerians.

The importance of enabling market competition in the NESI cannot be over-emphasised. Market competition is what drives service delivery and innovation in any industry. The emergence of Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Standard Trust Bank and other new generation banks led to improved service delivery and innovation in the banking sector. The licensing of MTN, ECONET (now Airtel) and Glo led to a revolution in the telecoms industry and all the innovations we enjoy today, including per second billing for calls. The emergence of competition in the aviation industry has greatly improved service delivery in that sector. Very few may remember those days when passengers ran to the tarmac to secure seats on a plane that had not yet landed!

In our opinion, the EPSRA amendment bill should focus on opening up the electricity market to effective market competition, particularly in the electricity distribution segment. The amendment bill should also empower States to make their own electricity laws in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

In our opinion, improved service delivery and market innovation in the power sector is stunted because of zero competition in the transmission and distribution segments of the value chain. Consequently, any proposed amendment to the EPSRA must focus on enabling greater market competition in the transmission and distribution segment, as well as the elimination of the existing dominant market monopoly status and exclusivity rights to DisCos, which, in turn, leads to continuing market abuse and inefficiencies by DisCos.

In this regard, we strongly appeal that state governments who are seeking to make their own electricity laws to empower their citizens and stimulate their state economies, should ensure their representatives in the National Assembly kill this particular provision in the amendment bill. In addition, state governments should also study clause 77 of the existing Act, which seems to violate the Land Use Act that vests powers over land resources to state governments. The proposed amendment bill should expunge such provisions that vests the assignment of land for power projects to NERC.

Conclusion of Part 1

The NESI needs a radical re-design, as the single market structure operated since the passage of the EPSRA in 2005 has thus far failed to deliver stable, reliable and affordable electricity to millions of Nigerians. Thus the compelling need to amend the EPSRA. In our opinion, several provisions of the EPSRA amendment bills being considered by the House of Representatives, are rather retrogressive and will not improve the power sector, nor lead to further investments in the NESI.

In our opinion, the EPSRA amendment bill should focus on opening up the electricity market to effective market competition, particularly in the electricity distribution segment. The amendment bill should also empower States to make their own electricity laws in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

In the second part of this article, we shall dissect Part IX of the EPSRA amendment bill, which is the most controversial section of the EPSRA amendment bill.

Odion Omonfoman is an energy consultant and the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of New Hampshire Capital Ltd. He can be reached on orionomon@outlook.com
The Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria, Ebonyi State Chapter, has called for the promotion of the organic agriculture system for better health benefits and environment in the state.

Ezekiel Igboji, the state coordinator of the association, made the call on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki.

Mr Igboji said the awareness on organic agriculture was low and at its infancy in the state, saying that its practice could save lives and the environment, if integrity and standards were applied.

He described organic as food produced by methods complying with the standards of organic farming, saying that the term organic was used only when it comes to the certification of a product.

The coordinator said the association would partner the media and export promotion council to drive the practice in the state, disclosing that it planned to train extension agents of the ministry of agriculture and farmer associations on organic agriculture principles, practices and entrepreneurship.

READ ALSO: FG approves genetically modified maize for open cultivation

The training and practice were criteria for exports once a product passed through the processes and were certified, Mr Igboji said.

Farmer groups, cooperatives, through the state agriculture development programme at the rural level will be sensitised. Many claim to be organic farmers, but do not follow organic standards.

Integrity is a challenge in regular businesses and we want to bridge the gap, he said.

(NAN)
Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, has charged the Nigerian Army and other security agencies in the country to remain resolute, focused and determined in dealing with emerging security challenges confronting the nation.

The governor gave the charge while speaking as Special Guest of Honour at the 3 Division Operations Planning Cadre of the 301 Artillery Regiment, General Support held at the Gombe International Hotel on Tuesday.

The Operations Planning Cadre, according to officials, is designed to equip junior and middle cadre of the Nigerian Army with the requisite knowledge on techniques and procedures in the planning and conduct of military operations.

The governor described the fundamentals of the operations planning cadre taking place in the State as apt, especially coming at a time when his administration is equally living no stone unturned to ensure the peace and tranquility of the state.

The governor singled out the 301 Artillery Regiment, Gombe for special commendation, describing its continuous cooperation with the state government, as largely responsible for the relative peace the state is currently enjoying.

I want to also thank the other security agencies, particularly the DSS and the Nigerian Police for working with us and in addition, I believe within the North-east, no other state created a specific ministry to be incharge of internal security except Gombe.

Mr Yahaya also stressed that in order to tap from the experiences of veterans, his administration appointed a retired army colonel, police commissioner and the state director of security as special advisers on security matters and other related issues.

We all know that without security no aspect of development will ever take place and for sure these crop of people have been working day and night to provide peace, security harmony and to provide the leadership required in order for Gombe to attain this feat, so we thank each and every one of you for contributing towards peace on which we are able to catapult Gombe to get to its current level.

Mr Yahaya, however, sounded a note of caution to the Nigerian Army and other security agencies on the precarious nature of Gombe State given its geographical location at the centre of the North-east.

He said there is evidence suggesting that because of the relative peace and tranquility Gombe enjoys, the state is becoming a transit camp for criminals to either acquire illicit materials or use as a safe haven for planning of criminal activities.

He said being an abandoned grazing reserve for so many years, the Wawa-Zange is gradually becoming a safe haven for renegades escaping the onslaught of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

The peace should not deceive us to rest until we make sure that we protect the people and give them the environment on which no threat will come in so that they can move forward; the Army can do a lot in that regard particularly in the Wawa-Zange grazing reserve which is 144 thousand hectares of land that is specifically made for animal husbandry.

It is the design of the Almighty that we share boundaries with all the states in the North East so whatever happens to any of those states dovetails to Gombe.

There is need for us to put special attention to that, so I will like this meeting to devise some means by which you can give effective and efficient cover in terms of security, especially now that southern states have enacted laws proscribing open grazing.

The governor frowned at the inability of the laws proscribing open grazing in the southern part of the country to provide options for either ranching or colony for the herders.

He also noted that as Nigerians, government must provide the necessary environment for herders in order to enhance their business and to live happily and harmoniously with the entire people of the State.

The state alone cannot do that, the federal government cannot do that, it takes the action of each and every one of us from the federal government to the state to the individuals that form this state for us to have a harmonious and peaceful co-existence and I hope this will form part of your consideration of this discussion of the middle level and Junior cadre military officers so that they have an alternative way by which we can protect the people.

Mr Yahaya assured the Nigerian Army and other security agencies in the state that his administration will not develop a cold feet towards assisting their operations in the state.

Earlier in his address of welcome, the General Officer commanding 3 Armoured Division, Isa Ali, a major general, said the purpose of the training is to improve the professional efficiency and harmonise relationship between the Nigerian Army and other stakeholders in promoting internal security in 3rd Division Area of Responsibility, AOR.

The GOC maintained that the training week will equally afford officers the opportunity to contribute to topical issues in line with the chief of army staffs vision which is To have a professional Nigerian Army ready to accomplish assigned missions in defence of Nigeria.

He said as a stakeholder in the development of the country, the Nigerian Army has the responsibility to profer solutions to the challenges confronting the nation, especially in the realm of security.

He used the occasion to thank the governor for his continuous support to the Nigerian Army and sister agencies.
A committee of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly has ordered the chairman of a local council in the state to sack a revenue consultant and other consultants he hired for the council.

The chairman, Aniekpon Ekpo, who heads Mkpat Enin local council, has been in the spotlight over allegations of theft, financial misappropriation and abuse of office made against him by 10 out of 15 councillors in the council.

The councillors accused the chairman of stealing a power generator belonging to the council.

Mr Ekpo, during a second investigative hearing by the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, admitted spending council funds without letting it pass through the councils bank account.

He said his administration hired a consultant to collect revenue for the council, but that the consultant remits the money directly to the councils cashier, instead of depositing it into the councils bank account.

When you say council account, it is not only a bank account. There are funds paid at the council and receipts are given. It is not only when money passes through the bank that it is in the council account, the chairman said.

Mr Ekpos claim contravenes section 66 subsection 1 of the Local Government Administration Law of Akwa Ibom State which says that all funds of the local government shall be paid into the account of the local government before they are expended on any item.

During the third hearing of the House committee on Wednesday, the Committee Chair, Mark Esset (PDP/Nsit Atai), read out some orders which he said the embattled council chairman must obey before the next hearing.

Mr Esset said all the consultants contracted by Mr Ekpo must be sacked immediately and their sack announced on the local radio stations by the chairman, and that henceforth all the revenue accruing to the council must pass through the councils bank account.

Mr Esset also ordered the council chairman and the councils director of works to bring back within two weeks the councils road grader which they claimed was taken out for mechanical repairs.

All the parts must be intact, no vandalism will be accepted, he said.

The committee chair commended the councillors whom he described as men and women of integrity, (and) intelligent.
Members of South-West Governors Forum on Tuesday met in Lagos State to discuss issues of interest to the region.

But for Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state who was represented by his deputy, Rauf Olaniyan, all the other five governors were present at the meeting which started at 4.30 p.m., behind closed doors.

Mr Makinde is the only Peoples Democratic Party governor in the region.

After 90 minutes, the governors rose from the meeting and offered no detailed information on matters discussed.

The Chairman of the forum, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who addressed journalists briefly, said that part of their deliberations bordered on security situation in the region.

Mr Akeredolu said there was also discussion on Oodua Group, a company owned by all six South-West States, but declined to give further details.

He pointed out that the forum was not willing to share full information on the meeting.

We, the six governors of the South-West under the South-West Governors Forum met today, and agreed on a few things; a number of them, which have to do with security, are not what we can discuss in the open

This short address is just to let you (journalists) know we met today but we dont want our decisions discussed in the open, he said.

(NAN)
CASTELLON, Spain, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Neolith, the world's leading company in the Sintered Stone industry, has just opened its first showroom in Cape Town, South Africa.

The new Neolith Urban Boutique Cape Town is an answer to the increasing demand the brand is having in the country from the community of architects and interior designers, as well as consumers, so they can experience first what Neolith has to offer.

This unique store, developed by Neolith focuses on the consumer experience, re-inventing the traditional showrooms and turning it into an imaginative exhibit space.

Kitchen, bathroom, fireplaces and vanity units in different styles throughout the boutique, helping architects, designers and consumers understand Neolith's full creative features, whether for wall cladding, flooring, worktops or sinks, bringing Neolith's extensive collection of surfaces to life.

Additionally, on this occasion, the boutique also features applications never displayed in a showroom setting, such as an exclusive piece of art, entirely created with Neolith, which was revealed during the opening by Sharon Gammage, Neolith General Manager in South Africa, showing to the attendees the artistic possibilities of Neoliths Sintered Stone. Gammage, referred to this opening as a "great step forward for Neolith in South Africa, creating a unique and inspiring connection space for architects, interior designers and designers with end consumers, offering the perfect environment where they can discover the latest trends and be innovative with their projects, building on Neoliths perfect equilibrium of beauty and functionality".

In words of Oliver de la Rica, CMO for Neolith, the opening of a new NUB in the heart of Cape Town "showcases the extraordinary aesthetic potential of the brand through all the different surfaces, building on our objective of inspiring more consumers, more architects, and more designers around the globe, so they can materialize their dreams of designing and creating unique spaces to be lived in, with Neolith,

Jose Luis Ramon, Neolith Group CEO, stated that "NUB Cape Town is much more than a showroom. We have carefully chosen every detail of each space to create extraordinary experiences, offering a functional and sustainable design to our clients".

Around 100 people gathered at the Neolith Urban Boutique Cape Town opening, to continue discovering Neolith's exquisite design and high functionality. Local architects, designers, kitchen companies and fabricators joined the opening celebration, having the opportunity to relax, chat and explore the numerous applications in situ.

NUB Cape Town joins the extensive presence of Urban Boutiques that Neolith has established around the world, in key design cities such as Madrid, Milan, Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Medellin and Shenzhen.

Neolith Urban Boutique Cape Town, is on 26 Paarden Eiland Road, Paarden Eiland  Cape Town, South-Africa 7405.

Notes to editors

About Neolith

Founded in 2009, Neolith is the market-leading brand of Sintered Stone, a revolutionary product category which has become a material of choice for architects, designers, specifiers and fabricators.

How is Sintered Stone produced?

Neolith is produced using the very latest in sintering technology, replicating the thousands of years' process by which natural stone is formed in a matter of hours.

The raw materials which form the slab are first subjected to extremely high pressure, going through a pressing machine where a weight of 400 bar is applied. In the second phase of the process, the slab goes through a kiln where temperatures reach more than 1200 C (2200 F).

This process of ultra-compaction creates full-body surfaces with unique technical features.

Decoration

Neolith has always been at the forefront of sustainable approaches within all of its manufacturing processes. A 100% natural composition requires an equally ecological production method.

Building on pioneering Neolith Digital Design (NDD), Neolith has aimed to incorporate organic practice into the way it prints its slabs

Hydro-NDD 2.0 takes the technology to the next level. Using a water-based ink, as opposed to the industry standard solvent based, Neolith has succeeded in offering a sustainable surface which never compromises on the quality expected from its Sintered Stone. All its slabs maintain the same definition and detail of pattern and design.

Performance

Tried, tested and trusted, Neolith's combination of realism, high performance and versatile formats make it a go-to material for architects, designers, specifiers and fabricators.

Applications

Neolith is the optimum surfacing material for both indoor and outdoor applications. From a skyscraper facade to a kitchen countertop, Neolith's physical and mechanical characteristics deliver ultimate performance, unmatched beauty and long-term value.

Website: www.neolith.com

Related Links

http://www.neolith.com



SOURCE Neolith
The Lyfegen Software Platform digitalises all pricing models and automates the management and execution of these agreements between health insurances and pharmaceutical companies. This is done using real-world data and machine learning enabled algorithms. With the Lyfegen Platform, Sympany is also creating the basis for sustainably handling the increasing number of value-based healthcare agreements for drugs and personalized Cell and Gene therapies. These new pricing models allow health insurances to better manage their financial risk by only paying for drugs and therapies that benefit patients.

"The Lyfegen platform helps Sympany execute complex pricing models efficiently, securely and transparently. We are pleased to extend our pioneering role in the health insurance industry by working with Lyfegen. This is another step for Sympany to provide our customers with the best possible access to therapies in a sustainable way," says Nico Camuto, Head of Benefits at Sympany, about the use of the Lyfegen Platform.

Girisha Fernando, CEO of Lyfegen, says: "We are very proud to support Sympany in strengthening its focus on value creation, efficiency and transparency amidst the growing complexity of pricing models. It is clear that the trend is increasingly towards complex pay-for-performance arrangements. Ultimately, our goal is to help patients receive their much-needed treatments while helping health insurances better manage risk and cost."

The Lyfegen platform aims to help patients access innovative medicines and treatments by enabling innovative drug pricing agreements. The platform collects and analyzes real-time pricing data, allowing health insurances and pharmaceutical companies to obtain relevant information on drug benefits and related financial planning.

About Sympany

Sympany is the refreshingly different insurance company that offers tailored protection and unbureaucratic assistance. Sympany is active in the health and accident insurance business for private individuals and companies, as well as in the property and liability insurance business, and is headquartered in Basel. The group of companies under the umbrella of Sympany Holding AG comprises the insurance companies Vivao Sympany AG, Moove Sympany AG, Kolping Krankenkasse AG, and Sympany Versicherungen AG, as well as the service company Sympany Services AG.

In 2020, profit amounted to CHF 68.8 million, of which Sympany allocated CHF 27.5 million to the surplus fund for the benefit of its policyholders. Total premium volume amounted to CHF 1,058 million. With 575 employees, the company serves around 257,100 private customers, of which around 204,500 are basic insurance policyholders under the KVG. In the corporate customer business, Sympany offers loss of earnings and accident insurance.

More about Sympany: https://www.sympany.ch

About Lyfegen

Lyfegen is an independent, global software analytics company providing a value and outcome-based agreement platform for Health Insurances, Pharma, MedTech & Hospitals around the globe. The secure Lyfegen platform identifies and operationalizes value-based payment models cost-effectively and at scale using a variety of real-world data and machine learning. With Lyfegen's patent-pending platform, Health Insurances & Hospitals can implement and scale value-based healthcare, improving access to treatments, patient health outcomes and affordability.

Lyfegen is based in the USA & Switzerland and has been founded by individuals with decades of experience in healthcare, pharma & technology to enable the shift away from volume-based and fee-for-service healthcare to value-based healthcare.

More about Lyfegen: https://www.lyfegen.com

Related Links:

https://www.lyfegen.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lyfegenhealth



Contact Press: press@lyfegen.com

Contact Investors: investors@lyfegen.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1671045/Lyfegen_Logotype_Black_RGB_Logo.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1671046/PR_Visual_Sympany_final.jpg

Related Links

https://www.lyfegen.com



SOURCE Lyfegen HealthTech AG
SINGAPORE, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- eBaoTech Corporation (eBaoTech), a world-leading digital insurance solution provider is proud to share that its customer, AXA Gulf, one of the largest international insurers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), completed the digitization of its commercial auto business line powered by InsureMO PaaS, a microservice based digital insurance platform. Following the completed acquisition of AXA's operations in the Gulf region by Gulf Insurance Group (GIG), AXA Gulf is currently in the process of becoming GIG Gulf.

The commercial auto business is a fast-growing segment in the Middle East region. However, in most insurance organizations, the majority of existing operations are still Excel/manual based. Back and forth offline processes and communications makes generating a quotation and policy a lengthy and tedious task. What is even more complex is the management of fleets at the time of adding new vehicles or canceling existing ones.

As one of the largest multi-lined one-stop shop insurers in the Gulf region, AXA Gulf is embracing new technologies and concepts to create seamless and efficient user experiences for its customers and partners.

With the launch of its Fleet business, AXA Gulf has now become the first general insurer in the GCC region to automate processes of its Motor Fleet Business and greatly improve the connectivity with channel partners. This digital transformation has allowed AXA Gulf to increase the volumes of new inquiries by 40% with a conversion ratio of 30%.

The new auto insurance SaaS application powered by InsureMO PaaS brings the following key values to AXA Gulf:

Real time: Any user, including agents, clients and brokers, can get a quote and issue a policy in real time but also add or delete an existing vehicle in the fleet in just a few minutes.

Any user, including agents, clients and brokers, can get a quote and issue a policy in real time but also add or delete an existing vehicle in the fleet in just a few minutes. Digitization: All communications between channels and insurers is now online, including the registration of vehicles with different traffic departments.

All communications between channels and insurers is now online, including the registration of vehicles with different traffic departments. Ecosystem connectivity: Quick and efficient connection to all traditional and digital sales channels through microservices architecture

Highlights of the new auto insurance SaaS application:

Supports quotation creation, policy issuance and endorsements

Role based user authority and UI display

Template based vehicle upload / download / edit

Capability to handle large volume vehicles

Automate underwriting rule check and configuration

"As part of our overall digital transformation, we are excited to launch our Motor Fleet business in a cloud and microservices based digital insurance platform, and lead the digitization of the traditional, commercial auto business in the Gulf region. Our channel partners are benefiting from the greatly improved user journey with simplified process and self-service capabilities, as well as real time policy issuance, platform stability and overall speed to market. We look forward to partnering with eBaoTech to roll out the new SaaS application in more markets and business lines soon", commented by Ricardo Arroyo, Chief P&C Commercial Lines Officer of AXA Gulf.

"We are very honored to support AXA Gulf's digitization with InsureMO. As a PaaS platform, InsureMO is the chip enabling easy and fast digitization of insurance applications, APIs and ecosystems allowing insurers and channels to connect products. The new platform will provide AXA Gulf with strong technology advantages to keep a leading position in the mobile age", added by Tomek Bugajski, VP and General Manager of eBaoTech EMEA.

About AXA Gulf

AXA, one of the largest global insurers, is a worldwide leader in Insurance and Asset Management with a purpose of acting for human progress by protecting what matters. In the Gulf region, AXA has been present for 70 years, offering a wide range of insurance products and services for corporate, SME and individual customers.

AXA in the Gulf is one of the largest international players in the GCC, covering the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar markets, with a workforce of over 800 employees, 15 branches and retail shops region-wide and over 1 million customers. With a range of products and services tailored to each customer, covering property & casualty insurance and life & health insurance, AXA in the Gulf is a multi-lined one-stop shop insurer.

Additionally, AXA is focused on helping the world better face climate risk, whilst also extending protection and risk knowledge to the public, in an effort to contribute to global economic development and become a trusted partner for customers in the region.

Recognised as a leading insurance brand, AXA has been winning several awards for its quality of services and products. For more information visit www.axa.ae and follow us on

https://twitter.com/axagulf

https://www.linkedin.com/company/axa-gulf/

https://www.facebook.com/AXAGulf/?ref=br_rs

About eBaoTech

eBaoTech is a global leading technology provider for the global insurance industry. Our mission from starting in the year 2000 has been and remains to be "make insurance easy". Through hard work and full commitment to customer success, eBaoTech has built a strong client base in over 30 countries/markets, covering general, life, and health insurances. Furthermore, eBaoTech's intense and persistent focus on addressing the fundamental pain-points of insurance technologies through deep-tech innovation has yielded significant differentiation in the global marketplace. For more information, please visit the company website at www.eBaoTech.com and the PaaS enablement site at www.InsureMO.com

SOURCE eBaoTech Corporation
The opening session on day one of FII was entitled 'The Board of Changemakers: Investing for Impact' . The meeting was moderated by CNN anchor Richard Quest , who was joined by high profile business leaders from Africa, Europe, and the United States including H.E. Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak , CEO & Managing Director, Mubadala Investment Company, Stephen A. Schwarzman , Chairman, CEO & Co- Founder, Blackstone, and Ray Dalio , Founder, Co-Chairman & Co-CIO, Bridgewater Associates, LP. They debated ways the global financial community can come together to invest in humanity.

FII Institute CEO Richard Attias said the live board meeting was an extra special event for FII. "It was a highly unique live board meeting. FII hosted this special live 'meeting' on practical and actionable ways to invest in humanity. This set the scene for three days of vibrant debate and decision-making designed to help transform the future of humanity."

The board meeting included:

H.E. Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak , CEO & Managing Director, Mubadala Investment Company (UAE)

, CEO & Managing Director, Mubadala Investment Company (UAE) Ana Patricia Botin , Group Executive Chairman, Banco Santander S.A. ( Spain )

, Group Executive Chairman, Banco Santander S.A. ( ) Ray Dalio , Founder, Co-Chairman & Co-CIO, Bridgewater Associates, LP ( United States )

, Founder, Co-Chairman & Co-CIO, Bridgewater Associates, LP ( ) Larry Fink , Chairman & CEO, BlackRock, Inc. ( United States )

, Chairman & CEO, BlackRock, Inc. ( ) Dr. Patrice Motsepe , Founder, African Rainbow Capital ( South Africa )

, Founder, African Rainbow Capital ( ) Stephen A. Schwarzman , Chairman, CEO & Co-Founder, Blackstone ( United States )

, Chairman, CEO & Co-Founder, Blackstone ( ) David M. Solomon , Chairman & CEO, The Goldman Sachs Group ( United States )

About FII Institute

FII Institute is a global nonprofit foundation with an investment arm and one agenda: Impact on Humanity. Committed to ESG principles, we foster the brightest minds and transform ideas into real- world solutions in five focus areas: AI and Robotics, Education, Healthcare and Sustainability.

We are in the right place at the right time  when decision makers, investors and an engaged generation of youth come together in aspiration, energized and ready for change. We harness that energy into three pillars  THINK, XCHANGE, ACT  and invest in the innovations that make a difference globally.

Join us to own, co-create and actualize a brighter, more sustainable future for humanity. www.fii-institute.org

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670917/THE_BOARD_OF_CHANGEMAKERS.jpg

SOURCE FII Institute
DUBLIN, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Sub-Orbital Reusable Vehicle (SRV) Market: Focus on Application, System, and Country - Analysis and Forecast, 2021-2031" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global sub-orbital reusable vehicle (SRV) market is estimated to reach $1.86 billion in 2031, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.89% during the forecast period 2021-2031.

The major driving factor for the market's robustness will be focused efforts to enable space transportation, emerging start-ups in sub-orbital transportation, and increasing developments in low-cost launching sites.

Space transportation has garnered significant interest from several space industries in the past few years. In the past, most space transportation has been focused on cargo supply missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and launch services, but currently, this focus has shifted to in-space transportation, planetary explorations, crewed missions, sub-orbital transportation, and space tourism.

Several companies, including SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic, have been focusing on developing platforms such as rocket-powered sub-orbital vehicles that will enable the industry to carry out sub-orbital transportation and space tourism.

Sub-Orbital Reusable Vehicle (SRV) Market

Sub-orbital transportation and space tourism capabilities have been demonstrated in the past. For instance, in the 1920s, Robert H. Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket, which started scientific sub-orbital flights. The scientists expected to perform experiments in microgravity or above the atmosphere with the main use of sub-orbital flight.

After the X-20 Dyna-Soar project, numerous research activities that focus on sub-orbital transportations have been conducted. Additionally, the first tourist to space was Dennis Tito, who flew to the ISS onboard Russia's Soyuz spaceship in 2001. From 2001 to 2009, private individuals were successfully sent into space aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. From 2001 to 2009, Space Adventures, a space tourism company, had organized eight space flight tours to the ISS for seven private individuals with the help of Russia's Space Agency.

Currently, the industry is focusing on developing technologies, platforms as well as spaceports that will enable space transportation. One of the major technologies that the industry is focusing is the reusability of space systems such as suborbital or orbital reusable vehicles.

The reusable systems allow the companies to reduce costs as well as operate the system for several missions. The developments of the players in the market showcase that this market has the potential to have immense growth in the upcoming years.

Market Segmentation

Sub-Orbital Reusable Vehicle (SRV) Market by Application

Microgravity research, demonstrations, testing, and experiments application segment is expected to dominate the global sub-orbital reusable vehicle (SRV) market, on account of major focus on carrying out scientific research, payload testing, and experiments, among others, using sub-orbital flight vehicles.

Sub-Orbital Reusable Vehicle (SRV) Market by System

The propulsion segment is expected to lead the market during the forecast period from 2021 to 2031. One of the factors contributing to this growth is the growing number of emerging companies involved in developing such reusable vehicles that will carry out sub-orbital transportation.

Sub-Orbital Reusable Vehicle (SRV) Market by Region

North America is expected to dominate the global sub-orbital reusable vehicle (SRV) market during the forecast period. The number of growing successful demonstrations and test flights carried out by key players in this market has created an opportunity not only for them but also for other players who want to enter the market. Apart from this, these successful demonstrations have proven the viability of these systems and may push these companies to commercialize their product offerings.

Key Market Players and Competition Synopsis

Blue Origin, Equatorial Space Systems Pte Ltd., exos Aerospace Systems & Technologies, inc., Orbspace, PD AeroSpace, LTD, SpaceX, UP Aerospace Inc., Virgin Galactic

The companies that are profiled in the report have been selected post undergoing in-depth interviews with experts and understanding details around companies such as product portfolio, annual revenues, market penetration, research and development initiatives, and domestic and international presence in the space industry.

Key Questions Answered in the Report

What are the underlying structures resulting in the emerging trends within the sub-orbital reusable vehicle market?

What are the potential opportunities in the market for new OEMs and other players to enter?

Which application is expected to lead the sub-orbital reusable vehicle market by 2031?

What was the market value of the regions in the sub-orbital reusable vehicle market in 2020, and how is the market estimated to grow during the forecast period 2021-2031?

How is the industry expected to evolve during the forecast period 2021-2031?

What are the key developmental strategies that are implemented by the key players to sustain the competitive market?

Industry Outlook

Evolving Space Transportation Market: An Overview

Enabling Technologies for Next-Gen Space-Based Transportation

Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLV)

On-Orbit Transportation Technologies

Market Report Coverage - Sub-Orbital Reusable Vehicle (SRV)

Market Segmentation

Application: Cargo Delivery, Earth Observation/Remote Sensing, Space Tourism, Satellite Deployment, and Others

Product: Propulsion System, Avionics (Guidance and Navigation System, Command and Data Handling System, and Telemetry System), and Power System

Regional Segmentation

North America : U.S. and Canada

: U.S. and Europe : U.K., Germany , France , and Rest-of- Europe

: U.K., , , and Rest-of- Asia-Pacific : China , Japan , Singapore , and Rest-of- Asia-Pacific

: , , , and Rest-of- Rest-of-the-World

Companies Mentioned

Blue Origin

Equatorial Space Systems Pte Ltd.

exos Aerospace Systems & Technologies, inc.

Orbspace

PD AeroSpace, LTD

SpaceX

UP Aerospace Inc.

Virgin Galactic

i-Space (Beijing Interstellar Glory Space Technology Ltd.)

SHIPinSPACE LTD

bluShift Aerospace, Inc.

Suborbitality s.r.o.

Starchaser Industries Ltd

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pnbhcp

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: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Abacus.AI is announcing $50M in Series C funding from Tiger Global, Coatue, Index Ventures, and Alkeon. As part of this release, the company is announcing support for Computer Vision use-cases. The round was led by Tiger Global with participation from Coatue, Index Ventures, and Alkeon.

Series C funding

With this round, the company has raised $90.3M in total funding in 30 months. Abacus.AI will use the funds from this round to further enhance its end-to-end AI platform, which enables organizations of all sizes to design, train, and operationalize machine and deep learning models.

In addition to providing machine learning infrastructure to handle all aspects of design, development, and operationalization of models, Abacus.AI has vertically integrated support for several common enterprise use-cases. Organizations, ranging from small startups to Fortune 500 companies, use Abacus.AI's state-of-the-art platform to accelerate their AI adoption.

"We are excited to back Abacus for their Series C," said David Cahn, Partner at Coatue. "We think Bindu has assembled an impressive team at the intersection of full-stack ML and deep learning and we are proud to support Abacus's dream of being the market leader in this rapidly growing space."

"AI has become the center of discussion among Executives, however, its widespread deployment has been hindered by scarcity of talent and resources with the know-how," said Josh Shirazi, Principal at Alkeon Capital. "Abacus.AI is democratizing the use of AI by offering an end-to-end platform with the greatest breadth of domain-specific use cases. With the launch of computer vision use-cases, Abacus.AI is unlocking AI on unstructured data sets, amplifying the value customers already realize by discovering incremental revenue opportunities, saving costs, gaining productivity, and increasing NPS. We're thrilled to collaborate with one of the strongest AI/ML teams, who has built systems at scale across their experiences at Google, Amazon, and Uber."

Computer Vision As A Service

As part of its AI platform, Abacus.AI has several vertically integrated workflows for common enterprise use-cases, including predictive analytics, personalization, anomaly, forecasting, and language.

With this release, organizations can use Abacus.AI for common computer vision use-cases, including image detection, classification, and segmentation. Abacus.AI's intuitive UX, helps organizations easily develop bespoke, deep-learning-based computer vision models applying transfer learning.

In addition, Abacus.AI now supports images and language on all of its tabular data use-cases, synthesizing insights from all forms of data. Abacus.AI is the only AI platform that helps organizations create mixed/hybrid models that generate predictive insights. Data science teams can now incorporate predictive signals from images, in addition to signals from tabular and text data.

Research Update

The Abacus.AI platform is powered by foundational research, and many of these research findings have been published at top AI and ML conferences. Abacus.AI recently had three papers accepted for publication at Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) 2021. Two of the accepted papers focus on techniques for automated machine learning (AutoML), and the third accepted paper focuses on explainability in machine learning.

About Abacus.AI

Headquartered in San Francisco, Abacus.AI offers the world's first cloud AI platform that handles all aspects of machine and deep learning at an enterprise scale. Their customizable, end-to-end autonomous AI service trains machine and deep learning models for common enterprise AI use cases. These range from churn prediction, time-series forecasting, and deep-learning-based personalization to custom, highly-specific models with a state-of-the-art toolset that allows ML practitioners and data science teams to wrangle data.

Their intuitive UX and holistic platform saves customers from orchestrating across multiple services, constantly reinventing the wheel, and dealing with hard scale problems. As a result, Abacus.AI has been adopted by world-class organizations, including several Fortune 500 companies.

The company is funded by Mike Volpi from Index Ventures, Eric Schmidt (ex-CEO and Chairman of Google), Ram Shriram (board member of Google), Coatue, Tiger Global, Khosla Ventures, and others. Their founding team of AI scientists and ML engineers have degrees (many of them Ph. Ds) from premier universities such as Stanford, MIT, CMU, UC Berkeley, Dartmouth, and IIT. These team members have shipped high-profile products at Google, Amazon Web Services, and Uber.

LinkedIn Profiles of the Founders

Photos

SOURCE Abacus.AI

Related Links

https://abacus.ai


LONDON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Abingworth, a leading international life sciences investor, announces its portfolio company GammaDelta Therapeutics is to be acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ("Takeda") for a pre-negotiated upfront payment, as well as potential development and regulatory milestones.

GammaDelta Therapeutics is a UK-headquartered company founded upon world-class research conducted by Professor Adrian Hayday and Dr Oliver Nussbaumer, at King's College London and the Francis Crick Institute and supported by Cancer Research Technology. GammaDelta is focused on harnessing the unique properties of gamma delta () T cells to improve patient outcomes and survival rates among patients with haematological malignancies and solid tumours.

Abingworth was the founding investor in GammaDelta and provided initial seed funding as part of the company's creation in 2016. It has played a role in the growth and development of the company, initially incubating its leadership team in its London offices and providing additional strategic guidance and operational support.

In 2017, Abingworth and Takeda committed up to $100 million to accelerate research and development at GammaDelta as part of a 'build-to-buy' agreement that provided Takeda with an exclusive option to acquire GammaDelta, which it has now exercised.

Tim Haines, Abingworth Chair and Managing Partner, and Board Member at GammaDelta Therapeutics, commented: "It is extremely rewarding to see this successful outcome of a positive and productive collaboration between GammaDelta Therapeutics and Takeda. We are proud to have played a part in the creation, funding and development of GammaDelta from its earliest days and seen it work diligently alongside Takeda to translate its world-class science into a powerful discovery platform and pipeline of innovative cancer cell therapies for future development. Takeda is a strongly committed to building on leading science to create innovative and impactful medicines for cancer patients, and I am confident that GammaDelta's technologies and pipeline will be a great addition to their efforts in immuno-oncology."

Paolo Paoletti, MD, CEO of GammaDelta Therapeutics, added: "Abingworth has proved to be a truly supportive investor, partner and adviser to GammaDelta since the company was founded in 2016. They have clearly demonstrated the value their participation can have in identifying the potential of world-class science and creating the right supportive environment as a foundation for successful company creation and development."

View the full press release from Takeda at www.takeda.com/newsroom

About Abingworth

Abingworth is a leading transatlantic life sciences investment firm. Abingworth helps transform cutting-edge science into novel medicines by providing capital and expertise to top calibre management teams building world-class companies. Since 1973, Abingworth has invested in over 175 life science companies, leading to 46 M&As and 70+ IPOs. Our therapeutic focused investments fall into three categories: seed and early-stage, development stage, and clinical co-development. Abingworth supports its portfolio companies with a team of experienced professionals at offices in London, Menlo Park (California), and Boston.

About GammaDelta Therapeutics

GammaDelta Therapeutics ("GammaDelta") is clinically-staged biotechnology company pioneering the discovery and development of allogeneic gamma delta T cell therapies for cancer. Committed to transforming the treatment of patients living with cancer, the Company is developing an 'off-the-shelf' therapy based on one of the body's own immune cells, a subtype of the gamma delta () T-lymphocyte, known as the V1+ T cell.

The Company has developed proprietary technologies to generate both blood-and tissue-derived allogeneic immunotherapies based on V1  T cells for the treatment of haematological malignancies and solid tumours. Both platforms have enabled the creation of non-engineered and genetically engineered allogeneic cell therapies, which demonstrate cellular activity and tumour cell killing capacity in pre-clinical models.

GammaDelta is advancing its novel,  T cell platforms and product candidates under an ongoing collaboration with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ("Takeda"). GammaDelta's technologies are based on pioneering world-class research conducted by Professor Adrian Hayday and Dr Oliver Nussbaumer, at King's College London and the Francis Crick Institute, and Professor Bruno Silva-Santos at the University of Lisbon. Early-stage research was facilitated in part by the support and the infrastructure of the National Institute for Health Research Guy's and St Thomas' Biomedical Research Centre. The formation of GammaDelta as a company was supported by Cancer Research UK Commercial Partnerships. GammaDelta's technologies have attracted significant investment from Takeda and leading life sciences investor, Abingworth LLP.

Contacts

Tim Haines

Chair & Managing Partner

Tel: +44 (0)20 7534 1500

www.abingworth.com

For media enquiries:

Mark Swallow or Eleanor Perkin, MEDiSTRAVA Consulting

Tel: +44 (0)20 7638 9571

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Abingworth
ATLANTA, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Accelerate360, an omnichannel distribution, data and media company that provides customized solutions for consumer product brands and retailers, today announced the creation of NextUp360 Ventures (NextUp360) a new strategic investment arm of the company. NextUp360 is a strategic venture group committed to supporting the role of entrepreneurs in the innovation and disruption of consumer-packaged goods, related services, and platforms.

"NextUp360 Ventures not only provides myriad opportunities to growth-minded start-ups and entrepreneurs, but it also redefines what making an investment really means," said Accelerate360/NextUp360 Ventures Chief Marketing Officer Brian Gordon.

Accelerate360 Chief Business Officer Trey Holder underscores the unique value that NextUp360 provides entrepreneurs: "We bring a depth of talent, executive leadership, and access to everything from creative services and marketing to media placements, access to national retailers, and our state-of-the-art distribution hub that can help our portfolio companies achieve their strategic growth objectives faster than ever."

Two of the most recent companies to join NextUp360's portfolio include:

Grapestars, a game-changing online specialty wine and premium & craft spirits marketplace which allows celebrities and celebrity-endorsed brands to promote their wines and spirits directly to their followers on social media.

Gryph & IvyRose, a comprehensive wellness regimen for the whole family that brings a holistic approach to ongoing and preventative health from an early age. Founders Rachel Finger , Karolina Kurkova , and Orion Nevel created Gryph & IvyRose to help introduce wellness to families in an easier and more sustainable way holding formulations to the highest standards of performance, safety, and efficacy.

Underscoring the unique capabilities that NextUp360 brings to its portfolio companies, national campaigns for Grapestars and Gryph & Rose begin running in Accelerate360's A360 Media titles, including Us Weekly in October.

"One of the biggest challenges for any early-stage company is exposure, especially in today's world," said Grapestars Co-Founder and CEO Stephan Fortier. "The ability to access one of the leading media companies in A360 Media with brands like Us Weekly, Life & Style, and Men's Journal, as well as the incredible creative and marketing assets of NextUp360 provides extraordinary resources that make their investment more of a collaborative partnership."

NextUp360 portfolio companies benefit from access to a world-class suite of services as well as a unique investment model designed to drive growth and consumer engagement including Omnichannel Sales Strategy and Implementation, Turnkey 3PL Logistics (DSD/DTC), Consumer Media, Strategic Brand and, Marketing Services, eCommerce Strategy and Platform Management, Product Sourcing, and Data Services.



"As a founder, you have to wear many hats and figure out aspects that may not always play to your strengths," said Gryh & IvyRose Co-Founder Rachel Finger. "The great thing about NextUp360 and the incredible team at Accelerate360 is that they have expertise in so many areas that immediately flatten the learning curve, especially when it comes to distribution, sales, and marketing, that will have an immediate and meaningful impact on our efficiencies, speed-to-market, exposure, and growth opportunities."

In addition to a vast suite of business services and strategic partnerships, every portfolio company has access to advisory services from Accelerate360 executives including Chief Executive Officer David Parry, Chief Business Officer Trey Holder, Chief Strategy Officer Matt Ratner, and Chief Marketing Officer Brian Gordon.

NextUp360 Venture's portfolio companies also include Performance Inspired, Health-Ade, High Ridge Brands, Cherrish Your Health, Japonesque, Midway Labs, 100 Pure Coconut Water, Parasilk, and Mission. To learn more about NextUp360 Ventures go to Accelerate360.com/NextUp360.

About Accelerate360:

Accelerate360 is an omnichannel distribution, data and media company that provides customized solutions for consumer product brands and retailers. They deliver consumer products to over 60,000 retail locations weekly and have a 100-year track record of growing brands through logistics, sales, media, sourcing, marketing and media. Accelerate360 specializes in the General Merchandise, Health, Beauty, and Wellness categories and develops and curates programs to cater to clients' objectives. As a data driven organization, Accelerate360 leverages first party and third-party data to customize impactful and efficient solutions for our clients. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, the company has offices and fulfillment centers strategically positioned around the United States and is proud to employ over 1,100 employees.

SOURCE Accelerate360

Related Links

http://Accelerate360.com/NextUp360


DAYTON, Ohio, Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders of AES Ohio, a subsidiary of The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), joined state and local officials in a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate completion of the AES Smart Operations Center at MacGregor Park. This state-of-the-art facility represents a new era of innovative energy solutions and the company's efforts to accelerate a safer, greener and cleaner energy future in the United States and globally.

"The opening of the AES Smart Operations Center in Ohio  the first of its kind in the United States  will launch a new era of innovative energy solutions that will reverberate across America," said J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio president and CEO. "This facility represents AES' longstanding commitment to the digital transformation of the energy industry, positioning Ohio at the leading edge of smart grid technology and sustainable, reliable power generation."

"Our purpose is to accelerate the future of energy, and AES Ohio is a great example of how new solutions will help lead a responsible energy transition. While located here in Dayton, the Smart Operations Center is an integral part of our overall AES global operations," said Bernerd Da Santos, AES EVP and Chief Operating and Infrastructure Officer. "Dayton's dedication to innovation makes this a perfect location for the digital hub as we continuously look for better ways to serve the energy sector, our customers and the communities where we operate."

Using leading-edge technology, the AES Smart Operations Center will use data analytics and modeling to increase the efficiency of its electric operations across the US. This digital hub also represents the integration of AES' new Global Performance Monitoring and Analytics Center (PMAC) and AES' Remote Operations and Control Center (ROCC) for US-based generation assets. This consolidation is critical as the company  and the energy industry as a whole  intensifies its reliance on data and smart grid technologies.

"The decision to invest in Ohio is a testament to the skilled workforce in the city of Dayton, Montgomery County and the region," said Kristina Lund, AES Ohio President and CEO. "Our partnerships are a critical part of our ability to serve our customers in new and improved ways and the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, JobsOhio, and the Dayton Development Coalition were key partners in bringing this innovative facility to the region."

The expansive and easily accessible MacGregor Park facility will attract and employ advanced technology engineers and data scientists locally, statewide and nationally, fueling economic growth.

The opening of the AES Smart Operations Center and the recent rebranding of AES and AES Ohio are key pillars in the company's efforts to raise its profile as an innovative, adaptable energy company. The impact of the ROCC and PMAC will extend far beyond Dayton and is an integral component of the company's global operations.

About AES

The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) is a Fortune 500 global power company accelerating the future of energy. Together with our many stakeholders, we're improving lives by delivering the greener, smarter energy solutions the world needs. Our diverse workforce is committed to continuous innovation and operational excellence, while partnering with our customers on their strategic energy transitions and continuing to meet their energy needs today. To learn more about AES, visit www.aes.com.

About AES Ohio

AES Ohio is the principal subsidiary of DPL Inc. (DPL), a regional energy provider and an AES company. AES Ohio, a regulated electric utility, provides service to over 527,000 customers in West Central Ohio. During its long history, AES Ohio has served its customers with the lowest rates in Ohio among investor-owned utilities. Connect with AES Ohio on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Learn more about how AES Ohio is accelerating the future of energy, visit aes-ohio.com/hellofuture.

SOURCE AES CORP.

Related Links

http://www.aescorp.com


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- All Real Nutrition knows that modern, informed consumers are constantly on the lookout for quality brands that care about how they do business. They look for important factors like customer care, a local focus, transparency, and sustainability. These are all areas that the health food brand has worked overtime to meet.

In fact, All Real Nutrition doesn't just meet these requirements. They surpass them. This starts with the company's proud status as a Verified Origin Green Member . This elite program is, according to the OGM website, "the worlds' only national food and drink sustainability programme." Origin Green companies are "enabling the industry to set and achieve measurable sustainability targets that respect the environment and serve local communities more effectively."

For All Real Nutrition, this higher standard starts with important things like monitoring electricity, waste, and water usage to ensure sustainability within their business processes. The company also addresses wage concerns  All Real Nutrition goes above and beyond to pay a living wage to its employees  as well as promoting from within the ranks of the company.

The sustainably Irish focus spills right over into All Real Nutrition's products, as well. The company transparently lists its ingredients right on its website. These are clean, simple, and natural. They also include a pair of fundamental components that are exclusive to the Emerald Isle.

Company cofounder Niall Harty explains that "We use a hyper premium ingredient as our hero for the bar: grass-fed Irish milk  the same milk that makes Kerrygold Butter." The founder adds that "We also use Irish Atlantic Sea Salt that is harvested in southwest Ireland."

The addition of these premium Irish ingredients  and the Irish milk, in particular  add an exquisite taste and texture to All Real protein bars that can't be found anywhere else in the world. Add in the fact that they come in a variety of delectable flavors, with recent additions like Chocolate Orange and Pumpkin Spice, and there's no question that All Real Nutrition takes the cake (or the bar) when it comes to healthy, sustainable, truly Irish snacks.

About All Real Nutrition: All Real Nutrition was co-founded by engineers Niall Harty and Ross McDowell. After years spent in development, the company was officially launched in 2020 and operates out of a factory in Kerry, Ireland. The company is also proud of its Bord Bia's Origin Green Certification. Learn more about All Real Nutrition at eatallreal.com .

Please direct inquiries to:

Greta Papa

(954) 615-3772

[email protected]

SOURCE All Real Nutrition

Related Links

http://www.eatallreal.com


BOLTON, ON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arjun Singh Gidda McNeill is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Distinguished Executive for his exceptional work in the Wholesale industry and in acknowledgment of his work at Whole River Trading.

Arjun Singh Gidda McNeill

Arjun Singh Gidda McNeil is the Vice President of Whole River Trading, an Asian food company selling delicious rice, noodles, sauces, oils, and more throughout Canada. Mr. McNeill takes great pride in selling food grown organically with old-fashioned methods. His mission is to, "ensure healthy eating without compromise" by selecting the highest quality of every product his company sells.



After graduating from Robert F. Hall High School in 2016, Mr. McNeill enrolled in The Modern Mystery School, where he is currently studying Spirituality. In 2018, he attended Seneca College, where he began with the program in Aviation/Airway Management Operations and switched to Business.



Mr. McNeill began his career with a job at Extrude-A-Trim Inc., where he gained experience as an order picker. Mr. McNeill was also an Air Cadet for seven years. After training as a Pilot for two years, he began as an Exclusive Assistant and Director of Business in 2020 for NEO Motorsport, where he still works today. Working at NEO Motorsport, he then helped create a race team that competes in Lucky Dog Racing Canada with their BMW E36 Racecar. He then joined Wei Chi Lin in Whole River Trading as a way to provide exceptional quality food to consumers at wholesale prices, working as a brokerage for Taiwanese products.



In his current role as the company's Vice President, Mr. McNeill supplies Canada with top-quality food from Asia. He handpicks manufacturers that uphold traditional methods and use fresh ingredients. Whole River Trading sells noodles, sauces, cooking oil, wafers, and rice. In addition, Whole River Trading creates gift packages of sampler packs of rice - perfect for a family, or those looking to try new types of rice. Mr. McNeill's company offers eight types of Tenno premium rice, including jasmine, hybrid long-grain, sushi rice, and pearl rice. The site features blog posts written in both English and Chinese about the best and most interesting foods from around the world.



Mr. McNeill's worldview is that his dreams will change the world and bring light to those around him, a goal to which he is 100% dedicated. He believes that the best way to become rich is to enrich the lives of everyone around him.



For more information, visit wholerivertrading.com and neo-motorsport.com.



Contact: Katherine Green , 516-825-5634

SOURCE Continental Who's Who

Related Links

http://www.continentalwhoswho.com


Georgia Natural Gas' Greener Life for Business program makes it easier for many commercial and industrial processes to decarbonize. Businesses and organizations like the Atlanta Area Council can make their natural gas use carbon neutral without having to disrupt business operations or incur extra costs for prioritizing their environmental goals.

"We appreciate our partnership with Georgia Natural Gas," said Tracy Techau, scout executive/CEO of the Atlanta Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. "Scouting helps children to understand the environment and our responsibilities to our planet as citizens. Our community is better served by the community stewardship demonstrated by Georgia Natural Gas."

Georgia Natural Gas' Greener Life for Business program is the latest commitment from the Southern Company Gas family that will help both the company and its customers reach their sustainability goals. For participating customers, Georgia Natural Gas will calculate the amount of greenhouse gases their natural gas use releases into the atmosphere and will purchase and retire carbon offsets to balance the impact of those emissions, making their natural gas use carbon neutral.

"We're honored to have the opportunity to help the Scouts reach their sustainability goals while allowing them to maintain normal operations that require natural gas," said Mike Braswell, GNG president and CEO. "We hope more of Georgia's local businesses that also rely on natural gas follow suit and contribute to reducing emissions."

"The more businesses that join the program, the more carbon offsets we will purchase and retire," Braswell continued. "It creates the kind of ripple effect that is required for all businesses to play a role in a clean energy future and establish our state as a leader in sustainability efforts."

Each quarter, Georgia Natural Gas will retire enough carbon offsets on behalf of participants to completely offset the greenhouse gases released by their natural gas use the prior quarter. To learn more about the Greener Life for Business program, click here.

About Georgia Natural Gas

Georgia Natural Gas is part of SouthStar Energy Services. SouthStar is owned by Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). SouthStar also operates as Ohio Natural Gas, Florida Natural Gas, Maryland Energy, Pennsylvania Energy, Grand Rapids Energy (in Michigan) and in other parts of the Southeast as SouthStar Energy Services. SouthStar's subsidiaries in Illinois operate as Illinois Energy and Illinois Energy Solutions.

About Southern Company Gas

Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America's premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.3 million natural gas customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states with approximately 666,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other businesses include investments in interstate pipelines and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.

About the Atlanta Area Council, Boy Scouts of America

Through the dedication of adult volunteers, the Atlanta Area Council serves thousands of boys and girls in kindergarten to age 20 in 13 Metro-Atlanta counties. For more information about the Atlanta Area Council visit: www.AtlantaBSA.org.

SOURCE Georgia Natural Gas

Related Links

https://gng.com/


VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX: ASM) (NYSE American: ASM) (FSE: GV6) ("Avino" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a share purchase agreement (the "Transaction") to indirectly acquire through the purchase of the shares of certain holding companies, the La Preciosa Property ("La Preciosa") from Coeur Mining, Inc. (NYSE: CDE) ("Coeur"). La Preciosa is a development stage mineral property, hosting one of the largest undeveloped primary silver resources in Mexico, and is located adjacent to Avino's existing operations at the Avino Property in Durango, Mexico.

Strategic Rationale for the Transaction

Key strategic, financial, and operational advantages of the Transaction include:

Presents Unique Operational Synergies due to La Preciosa's Strategic Location  Avino's and La Preciosa's property boundaries are within 2 km of each other. The existing infrastructure and permitting, as well as excess milling capacity, at the Avino Property offer the potential to significantly reduce the required development capital costs at La Preciosa under Avino's ownership. For example, Avino has a 20km dedicated 5MW power line and only utilizes 2.5-3.0MW. La Preciosa can potentially further benefit from Avino's flexible mill circuit, which is capable of processing at any level up to 2,500 tonnes per day with further expandable production capacity.

Avino's and La Preciosa's property boundaries are within 2 km of each other. The existing infrastructure and permitting, as well as excess milling capacity, at the Avino Property offer the potential to significantly reduce the required development capital costs at La Preciosa under Avino's ownership. For example, Avino has a 20km dedicated 5MW power line and only utilizes 2.5-3.0MW. La Preciosa can potentially further benefit from Avino's flexible mill circuit, which is capable of processing at any level up to 2,500 tonnes per day with further expandable production capacity. Positive Results from Initial Metallurgical Testwork  Current metallurgical testwork performed by Avino during the due diligence process achieved 80% silver recovery and 60% gold recovery using flotation methods currently used at Avino's mill facility, further enhancing operational synergies.

Current metallurgical testwork performed by Avino during the due diligence process achieved 80% silver recovery and 60% gold recovery using flotation methods currently used at Avino's mill facility, further enhancing operational synergies. Reduces Development Timeline and Risk  Utilizing Avino's existing mill and infrastructure in connection with a rapid future potential development of La Preciosa's Gloria and Abundancia veins is expected to result in a shorter development timeline and reduce the overall development risk of La Preciosa.

 Utilizing Avino's existing mill and infrastructure in connection with a rapid future potential development of La Preciosa's Gloria and Abundancia veins is expected to result in a shorter development timeline and reduce the overall development risk of La Preciosa. Reduces Environmental Footprint  Leveraging Avino's existing infrastructure, which includes a tailings storage facility and fresh water well, will reduce the environmental footprint associated with the future development of La Preciosa.

Leveraging Avino's existing infrastructure, which includes a tailings storage facility and fresh water well, will reduce the environmental footprint associated with the future development of La Preciosa. Increases Avino's Silver Resource Base  The addition of La Preciosa's mineral resource inventory substantially augments Avino's consolidated NI 43-101 mineral resources to over 235 million silver equivalent ounces ("AgEq"). A Technical Report for the updated NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate on La Preciosa is expected to be filed within 45 days of this news release.

The addition of La Preciosa's mineral resource inventory substantially augments Avino's consolidated NI 43-101 mineral resources to over 235 million silver equivalent ounces ("AgEq"). A Technical Report for the updated NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate on La Preciosa is expected to be filed within 45 days of this news release. Elevates Avino's Potential as a Silver Producer and Developer  The Transaction's impact on Avino's production capabilities and its increase in Avino's combined mineral resources, raises Avino's potential as an intermediate silver producing company.

The Transaction's impact on Avino's production capabilities and its increase in Avino's combined mineral resources, raises Avino's potential as an intermediate silver producing company. Enhances Avino's Land Position in Durango  The acquisition of La Preciosa strengthens Avino's position in Durango, Mexico , by increasing its mineral property ownership interests by over 600% to 7,746 hectares. La Preciosa's land package is adjacent to Avino's and allows Avino to employ its local expertise in mine development and operations.

The acquisition of La Preciosa strengthens Avino's position in , by increasing its mineral property ownership interests by over 600% to 7,746 hectares. La Preciosa's land package is adjacent to Avino's and allows Avino to employ its local expertise in mine development and operations. Presents Exploration Upside Potential at La Preciosa  Over 90% of historic drilling has been within the current mineral resource footprint, which represents only 10% of the total land package. Areas outside the current mineral resource footprint remain open for exploration, including to the east of the Martha vein and other underexplored targets to the south or west of the current mineral resource.

David Wolfin, President & CEO, stated: "We believe this is a transformational Transaction for Avino shareholders. I have always believed that Avino and La Preciosa belong under common ownership given the clear synergies and common infrastructure, and I'm delighted that Coeur shares this vision. La Preciosa is an excellent strategic fit within Avino's existing operations and further strengthens our presence in Durango by adding not only a large, high-quality silver development project with near-term production potential to our portfolio, but also increasing our mineral exploration concessions by more than 7-fold to over 7,000 hectares. We are also very pleased to welcome an experienced miner in Coeur as a strategic Avino equity holder. Work is already underway to determine how to best integrate La Preciosa into Avino's production operations, given the proximity to the current processing facilities and infrastructure. We expect a large portion of the existing La Preciosa resource could be mined via an underground operation to potentially improve Avino's production and organic growth profile."

Table 1. La Preciosa Mineral Resource Estimate

La Preciosa Property - Mineral Resources Summary - Effective Date October 27, 2021 All Veins Classification

Grade

Metal Contents Tonnage Ag Au Cu AgEq

Ag Au Cu AgEq kt g/t g/t % g/t

M oz k oz % M oz

Total Measured - - - - -

- - - -

Total Indicated 17,441 176 0.34 - 202

99 189 - 113

Total M&I 17,441 176 0.34 - 202

99 189 - 113

Total Inferred 4,397 151 0.25 - 170

21 35 - 24

Table 2. Avino Mine Mineral Resource Estimate

Avino Mine - Mineral Resources Summary - Effective Date October 31, 2020 All Deposits Category

Grade

Metal Contents Tonnes Ag Au Cu AgEq

Ag Au Cu AgEq 000 g/t g/t % g/t

M oz k oz M lbs M oz

Total Measured 5,027 84 0.67 0.52 133

14 109 58 22

Total Indicated 15,226 64 0.67 0.37 111

31 327 125 55

Total M&I 20,253 69 0.67 0.41 117

45 436 183 76

Total Inferred 6,545 59 0.61 0.27 103

13 129 39 22

Table 3. Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. - Mineral Resources

Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. - Consolidated Mineral Resources Summary All Deposits Category

Grade

Metal Contents Tonnes Ag Au Cu AgEq

Ag Au Cu AgEq kt g/t g/t % g/t

M oz k oz M lbs M oz

Total Measured 5,027 84 0.67 0.52 133

14 109 58 22

Total Indicated 32,667 124 0.49 0.17 160

130 516 125 168

Total M&I 37,694 118 0.52 0.22 156

143 625 183 189

Total Inferred 10,942 96 0.47 0.16 130

34 164 39 46

1. The stated mineral resources comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 43-101 and are classified in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum's "CIM Definition Standards  For Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves". 2. Mineral resources for La Preciosa are estimated at a cut-off grade of 120 g/t AgEq. 3. Mineral resources for La Preciosa are estimated using a long-term silver price of US$19.00/oz and a long-term gold price of US$1,750/oz. 4. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. 5. Tonnage and metal content figures are expressed in thousands and may not add up due to rounding. 6. Further details on the Avino Mine mineral resource estimate, effective October 31, 2020, are available on our website at https://www.avino.com/operations/resources/ and on our SEDAR and Edgar profile. 7. A Technical Report for the updated NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate on La Preciosa is expected to be filed by Avino within 45 days of this news release.

Terms of the Transaction

Avino has agreed to pay cash consideration of US$20 million of which US$15 million is payable at the closing of the Transaction from Avino's cash on hand. The remaining US$5 million is payable before the first anniversary of the closing date. Avino will execute a note payable in favor of Coeur with respect to the remaining cash consideration on customary termsi. Additionally, Avino will issue 14.0 million units (the "Units"), each comprising one (1) common share and one-half (1/2) of a common share purchase warrant (each full warrant, a "Warrant"). On closing, Coeur will own ~12% of Avino's issued and outstanding common shares. The Warrants will have an exercise price of $1.09, representing a 25% premium to Avino's 20-day VWAP as of October 26, 2021, and will have a term of 18 months from the closing date of the Transaction. The Units will be issued on a private placement basis and will be subject to a statutory 4-month and a day hold period in Canada and entitled to registration rights in favor of Coeur. Additionally, contingent cash consideration of US$8.75 million will be payable by Avino to Coeur within 12 months of initial production at La Preciosa. Avino may elect to pay up to half of the contingent cash consideration in Avino sharesii. Coeur will retain ownership of a 1.25% net smelter return royalty on the Gloria and Abundancia areas of La Preciosa, and a 2.00% gross value royalty on all areas of La Preciosa other than the Gloria and Abundancia areas. So long as Coeur holds 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Avino, Coeur has the option to nominate one director for election to the Avino board or designate a board observer. At closing, Coeur has also been granted pre-emptive rights to maintain its equity ownership position in Avino and has entered into a voting agreement with Avino.

Other contingent consideration payable by Avino to Coeur includes an additional payment of US$0.25 per silver equivalent ounce of new mineral reserves (as defined by NI 43-101) discovered and declared outside of the current mineral resource area at La Preciosa, subject to a cap of US$50 million in total payments to Coeur. Any payments made under the new mineral reserve amount shall be credited against pre-existing and/or future payments owing on the gross value royalty. Avino has also agreed to incur a minimum of US$2 million, in aggregate, in exploration expenditures on La Preciosa beyond the existing mineral resource area over the next five years.

i In the event any portion of the US$5 million remains outstanding on the 1-year anniversary of the closing, the total amount of remaining cash consideration will increase to US$6 million and begin accruing interest.

ii Payment in shares will be subject to Coeur not owning more than 19.9% of Avino's issued and outstanding shares. The value of the shares will be calculated based on the twenty (20) day VWAP for the period ending two (2) trading days before the date of issuance of the shares.

Significant Conditions to Closing

The completion of the proposed Transaction is subject to a number of customary conditions precedent, as well as, the authorization of the Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission, approval of the issuance of the Unit consideration and contingent payment amount by the NYSE American, the Toronto Stock Exchange, and any other necessary third party approvals. The Closing of the Transaction is expected to occur during Q1 2022. There can be no assurance that the proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Advisors and Counsel

Cantor Fitzgerald Canada Corporation acted as Avino's financial advisor, and Harper Grey LLP and Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP acted as legal counsels to Avino in connection with the Transaction.

Qualified Person(s)

Avino's projects in Durango, Mexico are under the independent geoscientific oversight of Michael O'Brien, P.Geo., Senior Principal Consultant, Red Pennant Communications, and under the supervision of Peter Latta, P.Eng, Avino's VP, Technical Services, and non-independent, who are both qualified persons within the context of NI 43-101. Both have reviewed and approved the technical data in this news release.

About Avino

Avino is primarily a silver producer from its wholly owned Avino Mine near Durango, Mexico. The Company's silver and gold production remains unhedged. The Company's mission and strategy is to create shareholder value through organic growth at the historic Avino Property and the strategic acquisition of mineral exploration and mining properties. We are committed to managing all business activities in a safe, environmentally responsible, and cost-effective manner, while contributing to the well-being of the communities in which we operate. We encourage you to connect with us on Twitter at @Avino_ASM and on LinkedIn at Avino Silver & Gold Mines.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"David Wolfin"

David Wolfin

President & Chief Executive Officer

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (together, the "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the updated mineral resource estimate for the Company's Avino Property located near Durango in west-central Mexico (the "Property") with an effective date of October 31, 2020, prepared for the Company, and La Preciosa's updated October 27, 2021 resource estimate and references to Measured, Indicated, Inferred Resources referred to in this press release. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and the dates of technical reports, as applicable. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the future circumstances, outcomes or results anticipated in or implied by such forward-looking statements will occur or that plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. While we have based these forward-looking statements on our expectations about future events as at the date that such statements were prepared, the statements are not a guarantee that such future events will occur and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which could cause events or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that the Company's Property nor the La Preciosa Property have the amount of the mineral resources indicated in their reports or that such mineral resources may be economically extracted.

Such factors and assumptions include, among others, the effects of general economic conditions, the price of gold, silver and copper, changing foreign exchange rates and actions by government authorities, uncertainties associated with legal proceedings and negotiations and misjudgments in the course of preparing forward-looking information. In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Other risk factors include risks associated with project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in metal prices; title matters; uncertainties and risks related to carrying on business in foreign countries; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain of our officers, directors or promoters with certain other projects; the absence of dividends; currency fluctuations; competition; dilution; the volatility of the our common share price and volume; tax consequences to U.S. investors; and other risks and uncertainties Included in filings made from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Canadian securities regulators, including, without limitation, our most recent reports on Form 20-F and Form 6-K. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We are under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.avino.com/


Convenience of a marketplace plus cutting distribution costs saves Dentists time and money ordering surgical supplies. Tweet this

"Axio Biologics, one of the leading suppliers of Allografts in the US, is excited to join Supply Clinic's vast portfolio of suppliers," explains David Kilgore, Vice President of Operations at Axio Biologics. "This is a rare opportunity that provides our customers with a new channel to purchase our products at lower prices. Supply Clinic gives us the opportunity to add the convenience of a marketplace for Dentists around the country."

Supply Clinic and Axio Biologics have a shared, vested interest in selling only quality products and providing excellent customer service. This creates a meaningful partnership in the dental industry that positively impacts Dental Practices and ultimately, patient care.

About Supply Clinic

Supply Clinic is the free online marketplace for dental supplies. The company was started by a Periodontist who was frustrated with the high cost of supplies. We let dozens of vendors compete for your business on one website. You can browse thousands of products and buy from multiple vendors in a single, simple checkout process. And you can simply use your credit card - no invoices, no purchase agreements.

Contact: Rene Reiter, [email protected]

SOURCE Supply Clinic

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https://www.supplyclinic.com


VANCOUVER, Wash., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sovereign Nations Veterinary (SNV) today announced the official launch of the Dr. Eric Jayne Scholarship Program, an initiative created by SVN and its late founder, Dr. Jayne, with funding support from Banfield Foundation, a public charity within Mars Veterinary Health, and the IDEXX Foundation.

The new scholarship program is designed to support Native American Tribal members interested in a career in veterinary medicine in an effort to help expand access to care for both owned and community animals on Native Nations across the United States.

The new program which will be facilitated through Penn Foster, will allow scholarship recipients to create career opportunities through three educational pathways: High School Diploma with Veterinary Assistant Career Pathway, Veterinary Assistant and Veterinary Technician. All three programs are approved by and aligned with the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) standards.

"One of the biggest gaps we see in our work to support nonprofit partners is the need for inclusive and accessible veterinary care. Not only does the scholarship program support access to care but it also supports access to education," said Kim Van Syoc, Executive Director, Banfield Foundation. "Our hope is that this will ultimately create a sustainable path for Tribal members at Rosebud and beyond to lead the veterinary care for Native American communities for generations to come."

As part of the new scholarship program, 50 percent of the funding is reserved to support members of the Rosebud Lakota Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, where earlier this year, Banfield Foundation and IDEXX Foundation announced the support of the new Sovereign Nations Veterinary supported hospital Wamakanskan Wawokiye Oti which translates to Helping Animal Center. Both the hospital and the scholarship program are components of a multi-year initiative to bring financially sustainable, tribally directed preventive care and critical veterinary resources to the 20 communities that comprise the Rosebud Lakota Sioux Tribe Reservation.

"This initiative aligns with an area of focus of the IDEXX Foundation that is critical to strengthening the future of veterinary medicine: advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion by providing access to educational opportunities," said Jason Johnson, DVM, MS, DACT, Chief Medical Officer of IDEXX. "As a former educator, I witnessed the opportunity that scholarship support offers to ambitious students looking to make a difference in the world. These aspiring professionals will bring the passion and expertise to care for animals in communities where they are greatly needed."

Scholarship recipients will provide up to one year of related work in support of veterinary teams or animal welfare organizations that operate in partnership with Native Nations throughout the U.S. caring for owned and community animals, including Wamakanskan Wawokiye Oti.

Building of the Wamakanskan Wawokiye Oti hospital began in May 2021 and renovations were completed earlier this month. Once fully open in spring 2022, clinic services will include preventive and emergency care, spay/neuter services, injured wildlife care, Tribal buffalo herd care, as well as animal population control and Tribal regulation enforcement. The comprehensive services will ensure Tribal members and the surrounding communities have access to veterinary care for their animals.

"Through this scholarship program, we are removing the barriers to accessible veterinary care by providing Tribal members and leaders with the tools to provide and maintain health and wellness for the pets on the reservation and surrounding communities," said Sally Cooper Smith, Administrator of Sovereign Nations Veterinary. "This is an incredibly humbling moment for us our partners, and a significant milestone in our path towards creating sustainable veterinary care for the Rosebud Lakota Sioux community."

Currently, there is a population of nearly 22,000 residents and 200,000 owned or community dogs and cats, and 5,000 owned horses on the Reservation. To fill the gap in access to care, the Lakota Sioux Nation has relied on local and out-of-state partners and volunteers to provide intermittent care including ongoing support from Sovereign Nations Veterinary, who will ultimately oversee the medical operations and education programs moving forward.

As part of the larger Rosebud Lakota Sioux Tribe Initiative, community based spay/neuter and wellness clinics are currently underway and will take place throughout 2022. Clinics will provide free spay/neuter services and preventive care for up to 5,000 pets belonging to the members of the 20 Communities on the Rosebud Lakota Sioux Tribe Reservation through Sovereign Nations Veterinary and ViDAS, a group of veterinary spay and neuter experts dedicated to providing pet sterilization to underserved areas.

To learn more about the Dr. Eric Jayne scholarship  or to apply  visit sovereign-nations.org.

About the Banfield Foundation

At the core of the Banfield Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the belief that all pets deserve access to veterinary care. In support of this belief, the foundation funds programs that enable veterinary care, elevate the power of the human-animal bond, provide disaster relief for pets, and advance the science of veterinary medicine through fostering innovation and education. It also leverages the expertise and passion of Banfield Pet Hospital, part of Mars Veterinary Health, and its Associates to care for pets in need. At the Banfield Foundation, we are committed to living our collective purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. For more information, visit BanfieldFoundation.org.

About the IDEXX Foundation

The IDEXX Foundation is a donor-advised fund administered by a national donor-advised fund sponsoring program. The IDEXX Foundation's mission is to create positive and lasting impacts for people, animals, and the environment through inclusive and outcomes-focused initiatives in communities around the world. In addition to creating opportunities for the diverse leaders of tomorrow, the IDEXX Foundation also prioritizes projects that improve access to veterinary care for underserved communities, disaster relief, and animal-assisted therapy, and cultivates community-focused solutions to the global challenges of access to safe water, impacts of climate change, and food security. For more information, visit www.idexx.com/en/about-idexx/idexx-foundation/

SOURCE Banfield Foundation

Related Links

http://www.banfieldfoundation.org


DALLAS, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ironside Human Resources was announced as the first place winner within the Micro-Companies category by The Dallas Business Journal for this year's Best Place to Work For 2021 award. Winners are determined by data collected via anonymous survey responses completed by each company's employees. Hundreds of companies in the Dallas, TX area participated in this process and companies were divided into five categories with respects to the number of employees each company had at the time of their nomination.

The winners were announced on Thursday, October 21, 2021, at a luncheon hosted by The Dallas Business Journal for all honorees that made the final lists. The categories comprised of North Texas companies divided into one of the five total categories based on the number of employees their company employed at the time of their nomination and survey entries. Micro-companies consisted of 10-24 employees, Small companies consisted of 24  49 employees, Medium companies consisted of 50  249 employees, Large companies consisted of 250  999 employees, and Extra Large companies were for those that held over 1,000 employees.

Ironside Human Resources is a national healthcare talent acquisition firm, headquartered in Dallas, TX since their establishment in July of 2011. The founders of Ironside HR are Doug (CEO) and Kara (COO) Carter, the company's present day Executive board leaders. The Carters founded the firm with the mission to design a staffing company that would operate on a unique business model, allowing cost-efficient metrics for a diversity of clientele across the nation. The Ironside HR firm having just celebrated their 10-year anniversary earlier this year in July, has proudly been a selected partner for healthcare and medical organizations across the nation in providing both permanent and travel/temp healthcare professional recruitment and placement services. Ironside Human Resources works with small and large healthcare facilities alike, boasting an incredibly diverse client portfolio including Tribal Healthcare Organizations, Critical Access Hospitals, Private Companies, and large health systems across the United States.

Doug Carter, CEO of Ironside Human Resources provided the following statement, "On behalf of the entire Ironside HR team, we are deeply honored to have been selected as the No. 1 winner within the micro-company's category for Best Place to Work For 2021 by the local Dallas Business Journal. We are extremely humbled by this award as it was based on the feedback of our individual employees that generated such a positive response for our company. This shows us, that we are doing right by our employees, and further motivates us to continue making Ironside HR an exemplary work environment that supports the growth and development of each of our unique team members as our company continues to grow. Congratulations to all the other category winners and honorees, as well as their employees for also receiving this recognition from the Dallas Business Journal!"

Close to 400 companies sought participation in this year's awards campaign and only the top 100 companies were recognized as winners and honorees on the lists. Thousands of internal employees participated in providing their feedback through an online survey that evaluated the company's culture, employee relations, professional development, and other key metrics used to determine the final 100 honorees.

See the full list below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2021/08/31/best-places-to-work-top-100-2021.html

For more about Ironside Human Resources, click here.

Photo(s):

https://www.prlog.org/12891242

Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE Ironside Human Resources

Related Links

https://www.ironsidehr.com/


Erickson has been a member of the organization's senior leadership team since 2019, when she was appointed as senior vice president and president of the Health Services division. In this role, Erickson has been responsible for the overall strategic planning, development, implementation and administration of racial and health equity, care management, provider relations, pharmacy and medical management.

Erickson joined Blue Cross in 2015 as senior director of care management before being named as vice president of the same division the following year. She previously held clinical and medical leadership roles at Univita Health and Optum Health, where her tenure included serving as vice president of strategic accounts. Additionally, Erickson spent two years serving in Anoka County as a nursing leader, a role in which she oversaw home-based services for the senior and at-risk populations.

"Dana is an accomplished and impressive leader who knows the health care industry very well, both within Minnesota and across the nation," said Michael Robinson, chair of the Board of Trustees for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. "After a rigorous national search for our next CEO, we were thrilled to find the strongest candidates right here in Minnesota, with the right choice being inside our Blue Cross family."

"I am both humbled and excited for the opportunity to lead such an extraordinary company with exceptional, committed people," said Erickson. "We are strongly positioned to advance our strategic priorities to maintain and improve the health and wellbeing of our members, address inequities throughout the health care system and ensure that high quality care and coverage are within reach for all."

A registered nurse and registered respiratory therapist, Erickson has administered direct patient care in addition to leading rehabilitation center operations.

"Dana's impressive accomplishments as a business leader are informed by hands-on experience in providing patient care," said Robinson. "Dana uniquely understands the impact a health plan has on individual lives. She will be a staunch champion of our Blue Cross mission to inspire change, transform care and improve health for the people we serve."

Erickson will assume responsibilities from Kathleen Blatz, who has been serving as the organization's interim CEO since April 2021.

Erickson studied social work at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and holds a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She and her husband Dan live in Blaine and have two daughters attending college.

About Blue Cross

For nearly 90 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (bluecrossmn.com) has supported the health, wellbeing and peace of mind of our members by striving to ensure equitable access to high quality care at an affordable price. Our 2.5 million members can be found in every Minnesota county, all 50 states and on four continents. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

About Stella

Stella serves as the parent company for a number of entities that share a single mission to create a better experience, better outcomes and design a system that's sustainable for the next generation and beyond. Stella is comprised of a diverse family of companies across the health care landscape, including the non-profit health insurer Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and its subsidiaries and diversified affiliate companies. Go to stellahealth.com to learn more.

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

Related Links

https://www.bluecrossmn.com


DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In a press release Friday, Genentech announced approval of Susvimo, a new advancement in the treatment approach for Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Susvimo, previously called Port Delivery System with ranibizumab, is the first wet AMD treatment in 15 years to provide an alternative to standard-of-care eye injections that have been needed as often as once a month. According to Genentech, by continuously delivering medicine into the eye through a refillable implant, Susvimo may help people with wet AMD maintain their vision with as few as two treatments per year.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition that affects the macula, the part of the eye that provides sharp, central vision needed for activities like reading, and is a leading cause of blindness for people aged 60 and over in the United States. Wet, or neovascular, AMD is an advanced form of the disease that can cause rapid and severe vision loss. Approximately 11 million people in the United States have some form of AMD, and of those, about 1.1 million have wet AMD1.

Iowa-based Wolfe Eye Clinic continues to be at the center of state-of-the-art research surrounding wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treatments that would alleviate patients' need for regular eye injections. Physicians at Wolfe Eye Clinic implanted the first Susvimo in Iowa in March of 2017 and went on to enroll several patients in the Ladder, Portal, and Archway trials which evaluated the safety and efficacy of the Susvimo implant. The clinic is Iowa's only trial site for implant trials which contributed to this exciting FDA approval for Susvimo.

"It's exciting to see approval for Susvimo and continued innovation in treatment for our patients who suffer with wet AMD," said Jared Nielsen, MD, MBA, FASRS, Retina Specialist and Director of Retinal Clinical Trials at Wolfe Eye Clinic. "While the current injection therapy is effective, the treatment burden for many of our patients and caregivers is too high. Our patients who have received the implant during trials have done exceptionally well. Many of these patients who have experience with both the implant and regular injections prefer the Susvimo experience. I am looking forward to offering an effective option for eyes that require frequent injections reducing visits and eliminating the treatment burden for our patients and their caregivers."

The global clinical trial for PDS showed positive results, which were released as trials continued. Patients being treated using the new PDS with Ranibizumab showed equivalent outcomes to patients being treated with monthly Ranibizumab eye injections. Rather than having monthly medication injections into the eye, the Archway Study examined effectiveness in this customized formulation of Ranibizumab being continually released through the implanted PDS, which would reduce the need to refill. Susvimo is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for wet AMD that now offers as few as two treatments per year.

Wolfe Eye Clinic strives to serve every corner of Iowa with specialized care and breakthrough research. Data from the Archway Study was presented and submitted to health experts across the globe. Genentech notes that Susvimo will be available in the United States in the coming months. With over 40 locations in Iowa including main offices, family vision centers and outreach offices, research and clinical trials is another way Wolfe Eye Clinic is making state-of-the-art eye care accessible for all Iowans.

In medical practice since 1919, Wolfe Eye Clinic is a recognized regional diagnostic and surgical center offering a broad range of ophthalmology care services. Wolfe Eye Clinic has over 50 doctors providing patient care in over 40 communities throughout Iowa including their main offices in Ames, Carroll, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Fort Dodge, Iowa City, Marshalltown, Ottumwa, Pleasant Hill, Spencer, Waterloo and West Des Moines.

Wolfe Eye Clinic surgeons have specialized fellowship training in the areas of cataract and refractive surgery, cornea and external disease, glaucoma, pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus, cosmetic and medical oculofacial plastics, and medical and surgical retina.

For more information, contact:

Kassandra Trenary, (641) 754-6200

[email protected]

SOURCE Wolfe Eye Clinic

Related Links

http://www.wolfeeyeclinic.com


AURORA, Colo., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cross Country Infrastructure Services Inc. ("CCIS"), a leading industrial supplier of construction equipment and consumables to infrastructure projects in North America, officially announced today the divestiture of its Canadian operations. The independently led newly formed company will be led by General Manager Tim Martin and equity partner Kade Demuth, and will rebrand itself under the new name "Cross Country Canada Rentals and Supplies."

Cross Country Infrastructure Services - Construction Equipment Rentals and Supplies

The entire Canadian team is expected to stay on and continue to build upon the great success thus far that CCIS has accomplished. The sale of the Canadian operation will allow CCIS to reshift focus on its U.S. based operation and continue its growth in the U.S. infrastructure markets. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Aurora, Colorado, CCIS initially acquired their Canadian division with the purchase of Sideline Specialty Equipment in July of 2015. The acquisition of Sideline was an important strategic initiative to expand the company's North American capabilities and serve an important energy market.

John James, president of Cross Country, said, "As the Canadian Markets show significant forward looking momentum, CCIS and its board of directors decided that this is the perfect time to capitalize on the company's initial investment. We are proud of the work we have done in the Canadian market, and would like to commend our Canadian colleagues for the progress they have made over the last six years, and continue to wish them future success."

Tim Martin CEO and Kade Demuth President of Cross Country Canada said, "The Canadian Energy Market is looking very good now and for the foreseeable future as well as other markets which they hope to diversify into such as Mining, Transportation, Railroad, Civil and Infrastructure and Agriculture. We are looking forward to taking the company to the next level and want to thank Cross Country Infrastructure for the commitment to date to get this company to where it is now."

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP served as legal advisor to Cross Country Infrastructure Services and Stormont Capital Advisors served as financial advisor.

About Cross Country Infrastructure Services

Cross Country Infrastructure Services is a leading industrial supplier of construction equipment and consumables to infrastructure projects in North America. With access to nearly 1,000,000 items, from over 400 manufacturers, CCIS supplies the parts and tools necessary for every project. CCIS has nationwide coverage with 13 locations and the ability to setup temporary locations anywhere in the United States. Visit CrossCountryIS.com

Contact

Greg Orlando

(303) 361-6797

[email protected]

SOURCE Cross Country Infrastructure Services

Related Links

http://www.CrossCountryIS.com


ALISO VIEJO, Calif. and TEL AVIV, Israel, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CyberProof Inc., a UST company, is proud to announce the launch of a new job creation program called 'Step IT Up Israel'  a part of UST's global 'Step IT Up' program already underway in the US, Australia, Poland and Costa Rica. In launching the program, CyberProof is partnering with Amit4Life, a community initiative that trains and places young army veterans in Israel  helping them join the Israeli tech scene.

Amit4Life handpicked talented women and men who are recent immigrants to Israel or who lack a traditional support system. CyberProof then carefully screened, interviewed and hired the first six participants.

Training for the program participants was provided through Amit4Life on a completely volunteer basis. CyberProof and local mentors, who hold senior positions at top companies in Israel, worked to provide a two-month-long cybersecurity training program that was tailor-made to fit the requirements for specific positions at CyberProof. Once training was completed, participants became full-time, permanent members of the UST and CyberProof teams.

Yuval Wollman, President, CyberProof and Chief Cyber Officer, UST, said, "We're thrilled to be launching Step IT Up Israel. This is an important initiative designed to open up opportunities and increase diversity by giving bright, young people a gateway into the tech world." He added, "We're proud to have the Amit4Life program participants on board. As they take their first steps in cyber here at CyberProof, we welcome them and wish them the best of luck."

Krishna Sudheendra, Chief Executive Officer, UST, added, "At UST, we strive to transform the lives of women, minorities, and veterans. We believe in empowering intelligent, motivated individuals by giving them the tools to start a career in technology and deliver impact for our clients  joining other Step IT Up graduates from around the world. We're excited to see Step IT Up Israel take off and it's exciting to watch our first cybersecurity class launch their new careers."

Liran Gabbay, Founder and Executive Director, Amit4Life, added, "It is a true privilege to have Cyberproof as a strategic partner, with no less than seven Amit4Life graduates joining the company in the past year. The fact that CyberProof's management decided to find an out-of-the box solution to the ongoing hiring crisis  while simultaneously giving back to the community - demonstrates once again its core values: uncompromising professionalism, alongside a deep sense of social responsibility. We look forward to strengthening this partnership, and to supporting CyberProof's business goals while creating real social impact."

About CyberProof

CyberProof is a security services company that helps organizations intelligently manage their incident detection and response. Our advanced cyber defense platform enables operational efficiency with complete transparency to dramatically reduce the time needed to respond to security threats and minimize business impact. SeeMo, our virtual analyst, automates and accelerates cyber operations by learning and adapting from endless sources of data and responds to requests by providing context and actionable information. This allows our nation-state cyber experts and your team to prioritize the most urgent incidents and proactively identify and respond to potential threats. We collaborate with our global clients, academia and the technology ecosystem to continuously advance the art of cyber defense. CyberProof is part of the UST family. Some of the world's largest enterprises trust us to create and maintain secure digital ecosystems using our comprehensive cyber security platform and mitigation services. For more information, see: www.cyberproof.com

About Amit4Life

Amit4Life is a nonprofit initiative, founded to help lone soldiers get into the High-Tech industry. By collaborating with the leading vendors in the cyber and data analysis domains, we create tailor-made training programs, alongside numerous mentoring groups, built by top-notch professionals who escort our talented candidates throughout the learning process - all the way to their first job. Drop us an email at: [email protected]

About UST:

For more than 20 years, UST has worked side by side with the world's best companies to make a real impact through transformation. Powered by technology, inspired by people, and led by our purpose, we partner with our clients from design to operation. Through our nimble approach, we identify their core challenges, and craft disruptive solutions that bring their vision to life. With deep domain expertise and a future-proof philosophy, we embed innovation and agility into our clients' organizationsdelivering measurable value and lasting change across industries, and around the world. Together, with over 26,000 employees in 25 countries, we build for boundless impacttouching billions of lives in the process. Visit us at www.UST.com

Media Contacts, UST:



Tinu Cherian Abraham

+1 (949) 415-9857

Neha Misri

+91-9284726602

[email protected]

Media Contact, CyberProof:

Howard Silverman

[email protected]

Media Contacts, US:

S&C PR

+1-646.941.9139

[email protected]

Media Contacts, UK:

FTI Consulting

[email protected]

SOURCE UST
LONDON and NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantexa , the data and analytics software company pioneering Contextual Decision Intelligence (CDI), today launched the latest release of its data analytics platform as a response to the growing global need for better insight into massive and fast-increasing data volumes.

The new platform version, Quantexa 2, comes on stream just as recent revelations of sophisticated tax avoidance scams, including the Pandora Papers , in which investigative teams sift through millions of data to unveil the real-world patterns, are disclosed.

The growing need for intensive data scrutiny in both law enforcement and corporate decision-making is now clearer than ever. Organizations often struggle to extract useful operational intelligence out of masses of structured and unstructured data. Decision makers are keen to glean fresh insights based on information they can trust. Quantexa's mission is to improve this process, to better detect risks and find opportunities hidden within large datasets.

The recent recipient of $156m series D investment, Quantexa has further refined its best-in-class software platform to simplify the organizational complexity that comes with transforming billions of data points into enterprise intelligence.

Quantexa 2 helps users see deeper into their data and work more efficiently by introducing powerful new capabilities that boost control, functionality and reduce friction:

Streamlining deployment with low-code/no-code capabilities, organizations are empowered to set up an implementation quickly and easily, enabling data scientists and developers to work the way they want to. Making data exploration more accessible, with a new set of features that make navigation simple, and let users visualize data in a way that's relevant to their unique needs. Introducing contextual search for unstructured data, which allows the platform to make use of unstructured sources such as news and human authored intelligence. This new product module enhances the platform's existing investigative capabilities which is already accelerating productivity by up to 80% in global organizations, making traditionally resource-intensive tasks more efficient and effective.

See Quantexa CTO Jamie Hutton explain the new launch in this video here.

Vishal Marria, CEO of Quantexa said: "Almost every organization today is dealing with the impact of ever-increasing amounts of disjointed data. As the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation, it is clearer than ever that better ways need to be found to harvest, accurate, actionable intelligence from this huge corporate resource.

With Quantexa, teams are now empowered to use data and see connections and relationships like never before to spot business-critical risk and opportunity. The team has worked tirelessly across the industry ecosystem, to develop the world's easiest to use and most effective CDI platform, one the C-suite as well as user teams can rely on to gain the insights they would otherwise have missed for effective operational decisions."

Jamie Hutton, CTO at Quantexa, who led the development of Quantexa's new platform, commented: "So often data analytics tools miss sources which turn out to be very useful for creating the real-world picture behind the data. This could be as varied as news feeds or even human intelligence. At Quantexa we keep advancing our capabilities so our users can see ever further into their data. Our platform empowers developers and data scientists to work smarter, not harder. The effortless data exploration we achieve with this platform will provide a better experience, increased efficiency and greater user adoption."

During the summer of 2021, Quantexa, a leader in Contextual Decision Intelligence, attracted blue chip investors to close a Series D funding round. Participants led by Warburg Pincus included Bank of New York Mellon, British Patient Capital, and ABN AMRO, as well as existing investors and put the total capital raised to date at $255 million. This follows a momentous year for the company, in which it doubled its staff, grew revenue by 108%, and increased its customer base by 10x.

ABOUT QUANTEXA

Quantexa is a global data and analytics software company pioneering Contextual Decision Intelligence that empowers organizations to make trusted operational decisions by making data meaningful. Using the latest advancements in big data and AI, Quantexa's platform uncovers hidden risk and new opportunities by providing a contextual, connected view of internal and external data in a single place. It solves major challenges across data management, financial crime, customer intelligence, credit risk, fraud and throughout the customer lifecycle.

The Quantexa platform enhances operational performance with over 90% more accuracy and 60 times faster analytical model resolution than traditional approaches. Founded in 2016, Quantexa now has over 400 employees and thousands of users working with billions of transactions and data points across the world. The company has offices in London, New York, Boston, Washington DC, Brussels, Toronto, Singapore, Melbourne and Sydney.

For more information, contact Quantexa here or follow us on LinkedIn .

Media contacts

Gabe Ross, [email protected]

SOURCE Quantexa
Upon receipt of their cars, these initial customers will embark upon the inaugural Lucid Rally, hosted by members of the company's leadership team on a route that showcases the vehicle's standout ride, handling, and performance capabilities, before departing in their personally-configured Lucid Air Dream Edition, reflecting their preference of Range or Performance models .

All Dream Edition models are equipped with a special 118kWh version of Lucid's long-range battery pack, featuring 22 modules totaling 6,600 cylindrical cells with a chemistry engineered to optimize performance and range. The Dream Edition Range achieves an estimated 520 miles on a single charge according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), making it the longest range for any electric car rated by the organization. It delivers 4.4 miles per kWh, a mark surpassed only by another version of Lucid Air, the Grand Touring, which features a 112kWh battery pack and achieves 4.6 miles per kWh. The Dream Edition Performance model offers 1,111 horsepower, achieving a 0-60 mph time of just 2.42 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 9.67 seconds (with the 21" wheels and tire package)  while still capable of an EPA-estimated 471 miles of range (with the 19" wheel and tire package).

"Creating the Lucid Air has truly been a labor of love, with customer deliveries representing the culmination of years of endeavor from the entire Lucid team," said Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO, Lucid Group. "So I'm truly excited to hand the keys to our first dear customers and accompany them on an inaugural drive through the iconic California countryside."

Lucid plans to deliver 520 customer-configured Lucid Air Dream Editions, followed by deliveries of Lucid Air Grand Touring versions. Touring and Pure models are anticipated for delivery to customers during 2022.

Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance Dream Edition Range Grand Touring Battery Pack (Total capacity) 118 kWh 118 kWh 112 kWh Range





19" wheels 471 mi 520 mi 516 mi 21" wheels 451 mi 481 mi 469 mi Efficiency





19" wheels 4.0 mi/kWh 4.4 mi/kWh 4.6 mi/kWh 21" wheels 3.8 mi kWh 4.0 mi/kWh 4.1 mi/kWh Drivetrain Layout Dual Motor, AWD Dual Motor, AWD Dual Motor, AWD Power (Combined) 1,111 hp 933 hp 800 hp Torque (Combined) 1,025 lb-ft 1,025 lb-ft 885 lb-ft Acceleration 0-60 mph* 60-130 mph* 2.42 sec 4.82 sec 2.74 sec 6.93 sec 3.0 sec 7.41 sec Quarter Mile* 9.67 sec @ 149.87 mph 10.24 sec @ 132.90 mph 10.7 sec @ 127.56 mph Top Speed 168 mph 168 mph 168 mph Curb Weight





19" wheels 5,203 lbs 5,203 lbs 5,203 lbs 21" wheels 5,236 lbs 5,236 lbs 5,236 lbs

*Equipped with 21" wheels on prepared track surface

About Lucid Group

Lucid's mission is to inspire the adoption of sustainable energy by creating the most captivating electric vehicles, centered around the human experience. The company's first car, Lucid Air, is a state-of-the-art luxury sedan with a California-inspired design underpinned by race-proven technology. Lucid Air features a luxurious full-size interior space in a mid-size exterior footprint. Customer deliveries of Lucid Air, which is produced at Lucid's new factory in Casa Grande, Arizona, will begin on October 30, 2021.

Media Contact

[email protected]

Trademarks

This communication contains trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights of Lucid Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the "Company") and other companies, which are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "target," "continue," "could," "may," "might," "possible," "potential," "predict" or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical facts. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's expectations related to the start of production and deliveries of the Lucid Air and Lucid Gravity, the performance, range, and other features of the Lucid Air, construction and expansion of the Company's AMP-1 manufacturing facility, and the promise of the Company's technology. These statements are based on various assumptions, and actual events and circumstances may differ. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including factors discussed in the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2020 and the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, in each case, under the heading "Risk Factors," as well as other documents of the Company that are filed, or will be filed, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. If any of these risks materialize or the Company's assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that the Company does not presently know or that the Company currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect the Company's expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this communication. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this communication.

SOURCE Lucid Motors

Related Links

http://www.lucidmotors.com


"As a global leader in sustainable urban transportation and battery swapping refueling, Gogoro is committed to working with public utilities like TPC in Taiwan, and industry leaders like Enel X, to utilize the full potential of innovative technologies like time-shifted power to support the transition to renewable power, first in Taiwan and in additional markets in the future," said Horace Luke, founder and CEO, Gogoro. "By joining Enel X's digitalized VPP platform, we blend our ecosystems of innovative technologies together to support public utilities incorporating new renewable energy sources."

Enel X enables businesses to unlock significant value while supporting the renewable energy transition. It does this by aggregating distributed energy resources to create a 'virtual power plant' that provides dispatchable capacity to help support the electricity grid. Thanks to availability of sustainable mobility and demand response programs, there is a further possibility to integrate renewable power on electricity grids. These new resources will be increasingly important as Taiwan works to meet its net-zero clean energy targets, which will require the integration of large

amounts of variable renewable power generation into Taiwan's electricity system.

"We are excited to add Gogoro to our VPP network as we work to support the decarbonization and electrification of Taiwan's energy sector. Through our collaboration, Gogoro will be the first electric mobility provider in Taiwan to participate in a VPP, and they will participate alongside other progressive businesses across Taiwan that recognize this opportunity to earn a significant new revenue stream while furthering their sustainability objectives," said Jeff Renaud, Head of Enel X Asia and Oceania. "We see huge potential in connecting Gogoro's unique distributed network of battery swapping stations with our VPP platform, both here in Taiwan and potentially overseas. In doing so, we can together create new resources that support the renewable energy transition, while also accelerating the electrification of transport."

When called on by TPC, Enel X's VPP automatically adjusts its networks' power use  including Gogoro's GoStations  to help protect the grid and maintain stable electricity supply.

Gogoro Network

The Gogoro Network is an open platform for battery swapping and smart mobility services, delivering a fresh alternative to legacy fuel. Gogoro Network creates a new generation of swappable battery refueling that is smart, scalable, and continually optimizing itself to be dynamic and versatile for people, communities, and businesses. Currently in Taiwan, Gogoro has more than 2,100 GoStation battery swapping stations with nearly 1.3 GWh of power. The Powered by Gogoro Network Program gives Gogoro's vehicle maker partners access to Gogoro innovations including its intelligent drivetrains and controllers, components, and smart systems, so they can develop and roll out unique electric vehicles that integrate with Gogoro Network battery swapping.

About Enel X

Enel X is Enel Group's global business line offering services that accelerate innovation and drive the energy transition. A global leader in the advanced energy solution sector, Enel X manages services such as demand response for around 7.4 GW of total capacity at global level and 137 MW of storage capacity installed worldwide, as well as 232,000 electric vehicle charging points made available around the globe11. Through its advanced solutions, including energy management, financial services and electric mobility, Enel X provides each customer with an intuitive, personalized ecosystem of tech platforms and consulting services, focusing on sustainability and circular economy principles in order to provide people, communities, institutions and companies with an alternative model that respects the environment and integrates technological innovation into daily life. Each solution has the power to turn decarbonization, electrification and digitalization goals into sustainable actions for everyone, in order to build a more sustainable and efficient world together.

1Public and private charging points. It includes interoperability points.

For more information, visit corporate.enelx.com/en/media/press-releases and follow Enel X on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Gogoro

Founded in 2011 to rethink urban energy and inspire the world to move through cities in smarter and more sustainable ways, Gogoro leverages the power of innovation to change the way urban energy is distributed and consumed. Gogoro's battery swapping and vehicle platforms offer a smart, proven, and sustainable long-term ecosystem for delivering a new approach to urban mobility. Gogoro has quickly become an innovation leader in vehicle design and electric propulsion, smart battery design, battery swapping, and advanced cloud services that utilize artificial intelligence to manage battery availability and safety. The challenge is massive, but the opportunity to disrupt the status quo, establish new standards, and achieve new levels of sustainable transportation growth in densely populated cities is even greater. For more information, visit www.gogoro.com/news and follow Gogoro on Twitter: @wearegogoro

SOURCE Gogoro Inc and Enel X

Related Links

https://www.gogoro.com/news/


OAK BROOK, Ill., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Strong Financial Results

Bancorp Financial, Inc. (the "Company"), the parent company of Evergreen Bank Group (the "Bank" or "Evergreen") today announced strong financial results as of September 30, 2021. The Company's net income was $17.843 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 as compared to $9.689 million for the same period in 2020.

Net interest income at the Bank for the first nine months of 2021 was $44.266 million , representing a net interest margin of 4.84%, as compared to $40.106 million and a margin of 4.39% for the same period in 2020. The Bank's powersport portfolio continues to drive the strong yield on earning assets.

, representing a net interest margin of 4.84%, as compared to and a margin of 4.39% for the same period in 2020. The Bank's powersport portfolio continues to drive the strong yield on earning assets. Provision for loan losses was $.525 million for the first nine months of 2021 as compared to $8.300 million during the same period in 2020. The allowance for loan losses stands at 1.99%, still significantly elevated over pre-pandemic levels. The Bank has recognized low losses as a result of Covid and remains cautiously optimistic about continued recovery.

for the first nine months of 2021 as compared to during the same period in 2020. The allowance for loan losses stands at 1.99%, still significantly elevated over pre-pandemic levels. The Bank has recognized low losses as a result of Covid and remains cautiously optimistic about continued recovery. Non-interest income at the Bank was $2.496 million for the first nine months of 2021 as compared to $1.744 million in 2020.

for the first nine months of 2021 as compared to in 2020. Non-interest expense was $22.792 million for the first nine months of 2021 as compared to $20.587 million in 2020, primarily due to infrastructure costs for the new digital strategy and staffing related to overall growth.

Net income for the 2021 calendar year is on a record pace for the bank and the company. "Our robust margin and limited losses have fueled stellar financial results this year", said Jill Voss, Chief Financial Officer. "Due to limited loss projections for the remainder of the year, the bank is in a strong position to reverse some of the 2020 allocation for loan losses and still maintain a solid coverage as we are going into the 4th Quarter of 2021."

Total assets were $1.220 billion on September 30, 2021, down 2.2% from $1.247 billion on December 31, 2020 primarily due to lower loan demand. Commercial lending growth has been challenging as the primary focus has been on current customers impacted by Covid-19. Additionally, there have been fewer physical contacts and in-person touchpoint opportunities to source new business due to pandemic concerns and social distancing measures. Powersport demand is at an all-time high, but 2021 originations are only up slightly as powersport inventories have been lower in 2021 because of supply chain issues. As powersport inventory issues are resolved throughout 2022, pent up demand should result in substantial loan growth in 2022. Other lending areas within the Bank have also seen lower growth as a result of the ongoing pandemic but are also expected to pick up pace over the next few quarters.

BALANCE SHEETS









Assets

Unaudited

9/30/2021

Audited

12/31/2021





Cash and cash equivalents $ 122,664,620

$ 153,516,636





Investments 103,788,103

85,362,728





Loans, net 957,687,966

972,799,291





Bank owned life insurance 12,602,613

13,088,565





Other assets 22,816,818

22,181,794



Total Assets $ 1,219,560,120

$ 1,246,949,014





















Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity











Deposits $ 1,018,976,911

$ 1,048,619,471





Notes Payable 56,207,997

63,426,647





Subordinated debt 0

12,500,000





Other liabilities 13,885,762

9,558,419



Total Liabilities $ 1,089,070,670

$ 1,134,104,537





















Stockholders' Equity $ 130,489,450

$ 112,844,477



Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 1,219,560,120

$ 1,246,949,014





















Evergreen Bank Group Capital Ratios:











Common equity tier 1 capital ratio 14.93%

13.07%





Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio 14.93%

13.07%





Total risk-based capital ratio 16.18%

14.33%





Tier 1 leverage ratio 12.81%

10.72%





















INCOME STATEMENTS Unaudited

September YTD

2021

Unaudited

September YTD

2020























Interest income on loans 48,930,093

51,069,898





Interest income on investments and cash in banks $ 1,384,872

$ 1,988,693









Total Interest Income $ 50,314,965

$ 53,058,591





Interest expense on deposits 4,820,733

11,403,401





Interest expense on debt 1,227,971

1,549,335









Total Interest Expense $ 6,048,704

$ 12,952,736







Net Interest Income $ 44,266,261

$ 40,105,855





Provision for loan losses 525,000

8,300,000





Other non-interest income 2,495,665

1,744,403





Other non-interest expense 22,792,113

20,587,310







Net Income before Taxes $ 23,444,813

$ 12,962,948





Income tax expense 5,602,209

3,274,334



Net Income $ 17,842,604

$ 9,688,614



Return on Average Assets 1.96%

1.07%



Return on Average Equity 19.58%

12.14%





Evergreen Bank Group and Polaris Sales Inc. Renew and Expand Multiyear Retail Financing Program Contract

Evergreen Bank Group and Polaris Sales Inc., recently agreed to a multi-year financing services program agreement, expanding the relationship between the two companies. The Bank focuses on providing financing to Polaris customers through its Performance Finance division. Performance Finance is a trademark of Polaris Industries Inc. and Indian Motorcycles International LLC.

Since 2016, Performance Finance has provided Polaris customers with innovative financing solutions through Indian Motorcycle's independent network of national dealers. "Our long-standing relationship with Polaris has been a winning combination  and we are extremely excited to expand our relationship by making our premium financing programs available to the large network of Polaris Off-Road dealers. This will position our company for solid growth over the next several years," said Darin Campbell, President & CEO.

Launching "Best in Class" Digital Strategy

During the remainder of 2021 Evergreen is focused on enhancing its technology capabilities through several initiatives. Evergreen has partnered with a premier financial technology ("fintech") company to launch new best-in-class omni-channel online banking, mobile banking, and online account opening solutions across all three of its brands  Evergreen Bank Group, FreedomRoad Financial and Performance Finance. Each brand will launch new online banking platforms and new mobile apps, which will greatly enhance the customer experience when banking anywhere via a computer or mobile device and allow current and new customers the ability to open a deposit account online in just minutes.

In addition to convenient features such as mobile check deposit and bill pay, Evergreen has also partnered with a leader in data aggregation to power a new personal financial management tool within the new platform, giving customers a 360-degree view of all their accounts. The Evergreen Bank Group brand is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2022, with the FreedomRoad Financial and Performance Finance brands launching in mid-2022. Evergreen will look to expand the product and service offerings within the platform throughout 2022.

To assist in the rollout of the new platform, Evergreen will also be enhancing its marketing and customer service capabilities. Evergreen is working to launch a premier customer relationship management system, expected in 2022. "We're extremely excited about the steps we've taken in our digital transformation process," said Dan Inendino, SVP - Treasurer & Chief Marketing Officer. "The upgrades we're making to our banking and servicing platforms will greatly enhance the customer experience and provide a platform for organic growth years into the future."

"Our ability to raise and service deposits nationally fits perfectly with our business model as we continue to expand our consumer lending presence nationally. The new platforms will allow the Bank to generate low-cost deposits to fund our growing consumer finance programs and allows for tremendous scalability." said Darin Campbell, President & CEO.

Awarded Best Places to Work

Evergreen Bank Group was recently named one of the "Best Banks to Work For" by American Banker. The 2021 award is the sixth time Evergreen has received this honor. This prestigious award is based largely on employee feedback  along with other data such as company perks, benefits, diversity, and satisfaction with management. "We are very proud of this acknowledgement and truly believe this would not be possible without the organization's valued employees and associates," said Darin Campbell, President & CEO.

In addition to this prestigious recognition, Evergreen has also been consistently recognized among the Best Places to Work in Chicago. Earlier in 2021, the Bank was named by Crain's Chicago Business as one of its Best Places to Work for the fourth year in a row.

"Our management team puts a great deal of effort into employee satisfaction because we believe in retaining and attracting high-quality staff," said Jenny Voss, VP - Human Resources. "Our employees are the reason we have earned the reputation of giving our retail and commercial customers outstanding service, and we are working hard to keep it that way!"

Evergreen Bank Group (the "Bank") is an Illinois-chartered community bank wholly-owned by Bancorp Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"). The Bank was formed in 1999 and became a subsidiary of the Company as a result of a merger transaction during 2007. The Bank is headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois.

This document contains certain forward-looking statements as defined in applicable federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements describe future plans or strategies and may include the Company's and the Bank's expectations of future results. The Company's and the Bank's ability to predict results or the effect of future plans or strategies or qualitative or quantitative changes is inherently uncertain. Actual results may differ materially from stated expectations.

SOURCE Evergreen Bank Group
PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Fable, the social reading app founded by lauded tech industry leader Padmasree Warrior, announced the launch of a new premium book club helmed by actor Sean Astin.

Fable uniquely allows book club members to buy ebooks and read them together while sharing highlights, comments, links, and pictures to discuss books and is a purposeful way to build fun and safe communities with family, friends and colleagues. Sign up to become a Fable member at fable.co and Download the Fable app at https://fable.co/download.

Sean Astin

Astin has hand-selected books that explore journeys of self-discovery. "I'm always impressed with the accomplishments of others," said Astin. "I'm drawn to stories where underdogs discover the hope and determination they need to follow their personal destiny. As we read these books together, we'll take journeys of self discovery and learn how to face the challenges of the future."

For his club's first book, Astin picked a science fiction classic that feels especially relevant to society right now. "Brave New World" is a dystopian social science fiction novel by Aldous Huxley, first published in 1932. It depicts a society heavily stratified into an intelligence-based hierarchy. "Early in the book, there's a terrifying scene where scientists condition children to feel an 'instinctive hatred of books' so they will never challenge the grim social order constructed around them," Astin says. "I believe we can escape Huxley's dystopian vision by reading great books that expand our horizons."

Other books in Astin's Folio of selections include John Steinbeck's Americana classic "Travels with Charlie" and the long distance running bestseller "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall. Explore the rest of the books in his Folio at https://fable.co/folio/journeys-of-self-discovery-by-sean-astin.

"Sean Astin is not only a beloved actor, but also an avid reader, and a passionate advocate for literacy," said Padmasree Warrior, the founder and CEO of Fable, and one of the tech industry's most respected executives. "We couldn't be more excited to build a community with his fans to share in the joy and benefits of reading."

Sean Astin's premium book club joins LeVar Burton's and Ebony Magazine Publishing's premium Fable clubs. Readers pay a fee to join the club and read along with these beloved icons. Explore Fable's book club offerings at https://fable.co/book-clubs.

Fable's free offering continues to offer robust content allowing anyone to join free digital book clubs and read along with well-read experts and tastemakers. Fable Folio curators include award-winning and bestselling authors like Anthony Doerr, Katherine May, David Sedaris, Adam Grant, Jasmine Guillory, Mimi Lok, and Paulo Coelho. Free featured book clubs include a TED book club, a Queer YA book club, and several TikTok/BookTok book clubs. These open book clubs offer a range of reading experiences, from personal development classics to technology leadership to literary masterpieces to fun romance novels.

Fable has ebooks from all the majors and indie publishers available for purchase in its webstore for readers to purchase and read in the app.

About Sean Astin

Sean Astin is known for playing iconic roles, including as Mikey Walsh in "The Goonies," the title character of "Rudy," Samwise Gamgee in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and the beloved Radio Shack manager Bob Newby in "Stranger Things 2." These roles epitomize hope, determination, and loyalty, pillars of Sean's career that has spanned four decades with over 160 acting credits. He is a vocal advocate on many issues including climate activism, literacy, mental health awareness and civic engagement, and frequently lectures on these topics.

About Fable

Fable launched in spring of 2021 with a catalog of nearly a million books and Folios curated by leading authors and tastemakers. Fable has raised $7.25 million in funding from Redpoint Ventures , M13 , Defy , Breyer Capital , and other leading investors. Padmasree Warrior is the Founder, President, and CEO of Fable. Previously, Padma was the Chief Executive Officer of NIO U.S., a manufacturer of smart, electric and autonomous vehicles. Prior to NIO, Warrior served as the Chief Technology & Strategy Officer for Cisco. Warrior has been widely recognized for her creative, visionary leadership. Forbes has named her one of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" for three years running.

Press Contacts:



SEAN ASTIN

Teri Weigel / [email protected]

310-502-1272



FABLE GROUP

Alex Posey / [email protected]

310-804-9870

SOURCE Fable Group

Related Links

http://www.fable.co


Illinois members re-elected Daniel G. Watts . Mr. Watts is a Director and the President of Forest Park National Bank and Trust Company, which he joined in January 2010. He has been an executive banking professional for over 25 years. He began his career at The American National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago, after which he became an Executive Officer and Director at Cosmopolitan Bank and Trust, Pullman Bank and Trust and Park National Bank (all subsidiaries of the former FBOP Corporation). Mr. Watts currently serves as a board member of Community Investment Corporation (CIC) and Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI). Mr. Watts is the past Board Chairman of the Illinois Bankers Association and past President of The Bankers Club of Chicago. Mr. Watts earned an undergraduate degree in Economics from Northwestern University, a law degree from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, and an MBA from the University Of Chicago Booth School Of Business.

James H. Hegenbarth ran unopposed and was declared re-elected as a Wisconsin member director. Mr. Hegenbarth has served as President/CEO of The Park Bank in Madison, Wisconsin since 1999 and a member of its Board of Directors since 1997. He has been in the banking industry since 1985 and served in roles with increasing responsibilities, including consumer loan officer, credit analyst, credit manager, Associate Vice President of Business Banking, Vice President of Business Banking, and Senior Vice President of Lending. Mr. Hegenbarth previously worked at First Bank, N.A. (now U.S. Bank). He is a former Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) Board member and a current member of the Government Relations Committee. Mr. Hegenbarth is a Board member of the American Family Children's Hospital at UW Madison, a trustee and Chairman of the Business and Finance Committee at Edgewood High School and the Chairman of the Ronald McDonald House Madison Capital Campaign. He is also a new member of the American Bankers Association (ABA) FHLB Committee. Mr. Hegenbarth is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

For the two independent director seats, FHLBank Chicago members elected Maria E. Wynne and re-elected Mark J. Eppli, Ph.D.

Maria E. Wynne is Chief Executive Officer of Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC), the region's premiere civic leadership development organization. Since 2014, Ms. Wynne has led the transformation of LGC, representing the organization at the highest levels of business, government, and social services. She distinguished herself as an innovator and transformational leader at Microsoft and Xerox. She later served as Chief Executive Officer for the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana from 2008 to 2013. Ms. Wynne is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, the Economic Club of Chicago, The Chicago Network, and The Chicago Club. She serves as Board President for the Goodman Theatre, Treasurer for P33, founded to work collaboratively with Chicago communities to make Chicago an inclusive at top Tier 1 Tech City in the United States. She also serves as a Trustee of North Central College, she is an Advisory Board Member of Chicago Innovation and co-chairs the Advisory Council for the Civic Consulting Alliance. Ms. Wynne earned her Bachelor of Arts degree at North Central College and a Master of Business Administration from Northern Illinois University. She has continued her executive education at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, the Harvard Business School, and the Center for Creative Leadership.

Mark J. Eppli currently serves as the Director of the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate in the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of WisconsinMadison. Dr. Eppli has three decades of academic and administrative leadership experience, including a three-year term as Interim Keyes Dean of Business Administration at Marquette University, where he also served as Bell Chair in Real Estate from 2002-2018. Prior to joining Marquette University, he was Professor of Finance in the School of Business and Public Management at The George Washington University, where he directed the MBA program in Real Estate and Urban Development. Dr. Eppli is widely published in commercial real estate finance, development, and valuation. He serves as board member/advisory board member of a number of financial service, real estate development, and not-for-profit organizations. Dr. Eppli earned his PhD, MS, and BBA from the University of WisconsinMadison.



About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago

The mission of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago is to partner with our members in FHLBank Chicago partners with our members in Illinois and Wisconsin to provide them competitively priced funding, a reasonable return on their investment in the Bank, and support for their community investment activities. FHLBank Chicago is one of 11 Federal Home Loan Banks created by Congress in 1932 as a government sponsored enterprise to support mortgage lending and community investment. We are member owned and member focused. FHLBank Chicago members include banks, credit unions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions.

To learn more about FHLBank Chicago, visit fhlbc.com

SOURCE Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago

Related Links

http://www.fhlbc.com


With the MetalSCAN MS3500 series, Gastops sets the standard for oil debris monitoring technology for the wind energy industry.

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Gastops, a world leader in critical component condition intelligence, today announced the first volume shipments of the MetalSCAN MS3500 online condition monitoring sensors to a major wind turbine manufacturer for their next generation platform, the fourth manufacturer to adopt MetalSCAN technology as standard equipment.

MS3500 series provides the wind energy industry with online access to real-time condition monitoring data which enables the earliest reliable detection of component damage available on the market today.

"MetalSCAN MS3500 replaces the MS3000 series to further enhance the value proposition for the world's leading wind turbine manufacturers by helping wind energy operators reduce costs and risk. With the MS3500 series, we have introduced key new functionality and connectivity capabilities to support Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) implementations at a lower price point, all while maintaining the performance and reliability for which Gastops is recognized." said Cedric Ouellet, Director of Energy & Industrial at Gastops.

The MetalSCAN MS3500 series delivers real-time detection of 100% of ferrous and non-ferrous metal particles generated during component damage. The sensors generate continuous component condition data to provide advance warning of abnormal component wear or debris accumulation exceeding defined limits. This intelligence gives wind energy operators the power to plan maintenance in advance, predict the remaining useful life of critical equipment, and avoid secondary damage that leads to costly component replacements.

"Our MetalSCAN technology was developed to meet the demanding standards of the aviation and defence markets. As with our previous generation of sensors, the MS3500 series packages that advanced technology into a market leading solution that is now more valuable than ever to both wind turbine manufacturers and operators." said Shaun Horning, President and CEO of Gastops. "We are very excited to be bringing our latest innovations to the renewable energy industry."

About Gastops

Gastops is the world's leading provider of intelligent condition monitoring solutions used in Aerospace, Defence, Energy, and Industrial applications to optimize the availability, performance, and safety of critical assets. We offer peace of mind to our customers with innovative online monitoring sensors, at-line analysis, complex modeling and simulation, world class laboratory testing, engineering, design, and MRO services that predict performance to enable proactive operating decisions. Gastops has been providing powerful insights into the condition of critical equipment since 1979.

www.gastops.com

SOURCE Gastops

Related Links

gastops.com


Many LGBTQ+ job seekers are now actively looking for a career change following the pandemic, amid the Great Resignation. A recent US study (by the University of California) found that almost half of LGBTQ workers receive unfair treatment at some point in their careers because of their sexual orientation or gender identity; including being passed over for a job, harassed at work, denied a promotion or raise, excluded from company events, denied additional hours or fired. That figure is worse in the UK, where around 7 out of 10 LGBT workers experience at least one type of sexual harassment at work, according to the latest TUC report.

#WorkFair offers these LGBTQ+ professionals the opportunity to kick start their job search with confidence by connecting with truly inclusive employers. During #WorkFair 2021, attendees will get exclusive access to over 100 organizations that are actively recruiting diverse candidates. Leading companies attending the event include State Street, Booking.com, Willis Towers Watson, OmniCom Media, PepsiCo, Capgemini, Synechron, Clyde and Co, Pearson, Checkout, Reed Smith LLP, Criteo, Clifford Chance, Ab InBev, Capco, Pimco and many more.

Job seekers can either connect with one of the many inclusive companies participating in the event, or simply use #Workfair as an opportunity to discover new organizations and the type of job opportunities on offer. #WorkFair will allow candidates to connect live with recruitment teams for an informal chat, or book one-on-one interviews. The free virtual event will also feature webinars and workshops to tackle career transition, job search, CV writing, virtual interviewing skills, wellbeing and much more.

"We're very proud to be bringing back #WorkFair for another instalment, and as many of us look toward our next career move, it feels like the timing could not have been better," commented myGwork founders and brothers Adrien (CMO) and Pierre Gaubert (CEO). "This year attendees will be able to get one step closer to a new role with iconic organisations like Booking.com and PepsiCo, while learning key insights from our fantastic topics and schedule of speakers."

About myGwork:

Award-winning company myGwork is the business community for LGBTQ+ professionals, graduates, inclusive employers and anyone who believes in workplace equality. It aims to empower the LGBTQ+ community by offering individual members a safe space where they can connect with inclusive employers, find jobs, mentors, professional events and news. The company's founders Adrien and Pierre Gaubert won the Attitude Young LGBTQ+ Entrepreneur of the Year Award. myGwork was also listed in the Top 5 Startups with Pride by Geek Times, and it recently won the Diva Magazine Award of Corporate Allies.

For more information about #WorkFair, visit the website: https://www.mygwork.com/en/work-fair-2021 . For PR/media enquiries contact: [email protected]

SOURCE myGwork
In September, the company commissioned TMC Exploracion to complete an IP survey using the Pole:Dipole array on the El Favor property. The grid consists of a network of 28 N/S profiles spaced every 100 m from L-2W to L-25E ranging in length from 0.85 to 2.0 km. The survey outlined several high chargeability anomalies representative of the sulphide mineralization along the El Favor  El Favor East zone. A geophysical map showing anomalies and drilling targets is included as Figure 3 below.

"Our geophysics in El Favor East shows a significant anomaly which at this point is correlating visually with the mineralization in our drill holes. We're awaiting the assays as they could significantly impact our upcoming initial resource estimate at Los Ricos North," said Brad Langille, President and CEO.

Table 1: Drill Hole Intersections Hole ID Area / Vein From To Length1 Au Ag AuEq2 AgEq2



(m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) LRGF-21-083 El Favor East 334.5 344.5 10.1 0.14 41.6 0.69 51.8

and 353.3 380.8 27.5 0.04 40.1 0.57 43.0

including 366.5 369.5 3.1 0.02 152.1 2.05 153.8 LRGF-21-085 El Favor East 243.6 265.5 22.0 0.45 151.1 2.46 184.6

including 256.6 257.9 1.3 4.16 827.1 15.18 1,138.9 LRGF-21-086 El Favor East 188.9 208.8 20.0 0.37 122.5 2.00 150.1

including 196.6 197.5 0.9 4.12 1,185.3 19.92 1,494.1

and 239.7 244.4 4.8 0.28 107.0 1.71 128.3

including 242.3 243.4 1.2 1.09 399.1 6.41 480.7 LRGF-21-088 El Favor East 228.6 230.0 1.4 0.40 28.9 0.79 58.9

and 252.3 253.5 1.3 0.15 60.2 0.95 71.5 LRGF-21-089 El Favor East 275.1 287.2 12.1 0.32 89.4 1.51 113.6

including 278.6 279.9 1.3 1.94 348.5 6.59 494.3

1. Not true width 2. AqEq converted using a silver to gold ratio of 75:1 at recoveries of 100% 3. Hole LRGF-21-084 is pending assays. Hole LRGF-21-087 did not intercept significant mineralization.

The exploration team has been moving east of El Favor with drilling in 25m stepouts in the eastern end of El Favor, beginning with discovery hole 48, and continuing to intersect wide strong mineralization. This area is known as the El Favor East zone, and a mapping program has extended the presence of mineralization 900m to the east of hole 48 (El Favor East zone discovery hole), as shown in Figure 2. To date, approximately 750m of El Favor East has been drilled showing the strong mineralization.

Table 2: Drill Hole Locations Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Length LRGF-21-083 586531 2336774 1324 180 -45 381 LRGF-21-084 586433 2336789 1310 180 -45 324 LRGF-21-085 586378 2336783 1335 180 -45 339 LRGF-21-086 586179 2336796 1342 240 -50 316 LRGF-21-087 586307 2336754 1373 180 -45 91 LRGF-21-088 586250 2336767 1393 181 -43 293 LRGF-21-089 586650 2336747 1332 180 -45 398

Three of the four major veins (Salomon, Guitarrillas and Los Chivos) appear to converge into a 100m wide zone at the western end of the El Favor deposit in the vicinity of the Hundido Pit at an elevation of 1300m. The wallrock in between the veins is strongly silicified, altered and mineralized. The merging of these veins continue to provide significant widths of good grade which could be potentially amenable to bulk mining.

The El Orito deposit (as presently defined) is located about 800 metres along strike to the west of the Hundido Pit (see Figure 4). Wide zones of precious and base metal mineralization were cut by drill holes at El Orito at elevations between 600 to 800m.

VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation

VRIFY is a platform being used by companies to communicate with investors using 360 virtual tours of remote mining assets, 3D models and interactive presentations. VRIFY can be accessed by website and with the VRIFY iOS and Android apps.

Access the GoGold Company Profile on VRIFY at: https://vrify.com

The VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation for GoGold can be viewed at: https://vrify.com/decks/10437 and on the Company's website at: www.gogoldresources.com.

Los Ricos District Exploration Projects

The Company's two exploration projects at its Los Ricos property are in Jalisco state, Mexico. The Los Ricos South Project began in March 2019 and an initial resource was announced on July 29, 2020 which indicated a Measured & Indicated Mineral Resource of 63.7 million ounces AgEq grading 199 g/t AgEq contained in 10.0 million tonnes, and an Inferred Resource of 19.9 million ounces AgEq grading 190 g/t AgEq contained in 3.3 million tonnes. An initial PEA on the project was announced on January 20, 2021 indicating an NPV 5% of US$295M.

The Los Ricos North Project was launched in March 2020 and includes drilling at the El Favor, La Trini, Casados and El Orito targets. During 2020, GoGold's exploration team identified over 100 targets on the Los Ricos North properties, demonstrating the significant exploration potential. The Company plans to drill 10 of these targets as part of its 2021 drilling program which is planned to exceed 100,000 metres of drilling and will be one of the largest in Mexico.

Procedure, Quality Assurance / Quality Control and Data Verification

The diamond drill core (HQ size) is geologically logged, photographed and marked for sampling. When the sample lengths are determined, the full core is sawn with a diamond blade core saw with one half of the core being bagged and tagged for assay. The remaining half portion is returned to the core trays for storage and/or for metallurgical test work.

The sealed and tagged sample bags are transported to the ActLabs facility in Zacatecas, Mexico. ActLabs crushes the samples and prepares 200-300 gram pulp samples with ninety percent passing Tyler 150 mesh (106m). The pulps are assayed for gold using a 50-gram charge by fire assay (Code 1A2-50) and over limits greater than 10 grams per tonne are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code 1A3-50). Silver and multi-element analysis is completed using total digestion (Code 1F2 Total Digestion ICP). Over limits greater than 100 grams per tonne silver are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code 8-Ag FA-GRAV Ag).

Quality assurance and quality control ("QA/QC") procedures monitor the chain-of-custody of the samples and includes the systematic insertion and monitoring of appropriate reference materials (certified standards, blanks and duplicates) into the sample strings. The results of the assaying of the QA/QC material included in each batch are tracked to ensure the integrity of the assay data. All results stated in this announcement have passed GoGold's QA/QC protocols.

Mr. David Duncan, P. Geo. is the qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and is responsible for the technical information of this release.

About GoGold Resources

GoGold Resources (TSX: GGD) is a Canadian-based silver and gold producer focused on operating, developing, exploring and acquiring high quality projects in Mexico. The Company operates the Parral Tailings mine in the state of Chihuahua and has the Los Ricos South and Los Ricos North exploration projects in the state of Jalisco. Headquartered in Halifax, NS, GoGold is building a portfolio of low cost, high margin projects. For more information visit gogoldresources.com.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT:

The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy of any of GoGold's securities in the United States.

This news release may contain "forward-looking information" as defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Los Ricos South and North projects, and future plans and objectives of GoGold, including the intention to undertake further exploration at Los Ricos North, and the prospect of further discoveries there, constitute forward looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information is based on a number of factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such information but which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions in connection with the continuance of GoGold and its subsidiaries as a going concern, general economic and market conditions, mineral prices, the accuracy of mineral resource estimates, and the performance of the Parral project. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from GoGold's expectations include exploration and development risks associated with GoGold's projects, the failure to establish estimated mineral resources or mineral reserves, volatility of commodity prices, variations of recovery rates, and global economic conditions. For additional information with respect to risk factors applicable to GoGold, reference should be made to GoGold's continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time with securities regulators, including, but not limited to, GoGold's Annual Information Form. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date of this release.

SOURCE GoGold Resources Inc.

Related Links

https://www.gogoldresources.com/


CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Golden Apple, a leading education nonprofit that is playing a critical and expanding role in becoming a material solution to the teacher shortage crisis, will honor BMO Harris Bank with its 2021 Impact Award on Thursday, October 28th at the organization's annual event. The award will be accepted by David Casper, U.S. CEO, BMO Financial Group and John Smart, Retired Managing Director, BMO Harris Bank and Vice Chair, Golden Apple Foundation.

The Golden Apple Impact Award honors a person or organization which has positively and significantly impacted the lives of Illinois' students through their work in education. Award criteria include demonstrating fearless leadership in the face of adversity, delivering an aspirational vision for the future and strategies to achieve it, and wholly dedicating one's life to better outcomes for all students in.

"We are proud to honor BMO Harris Bank with the 2021 Impact Award," said Alicia Winckler, CEO of The Golden Apple Foundation. "As a valued partner in the strategic growth of Golden Apple and advocate for education, their community work and philanthropy is improving educational outcomes for students nationwide."

Driven by their purpose of growing the good in business and life, BMO Harris Bank is a demonstrated leader in Corporate and Social Responsibility in Chicago striving to support a sustainable future, thriving economy and inclusive society. This year, they launched BMO Empower, a five-year, $5 billion pledge to address key barriers faced by minority businesses, communities, and families. Their work to build stronger, healthier communities through donations, sponsorships, volunteering and convening solutions that benefit society as a whole embodies all of the criteria for the Impact Award.

"At BMO our purpose is to grow the good, in business and life, and Golden Apple's focus on expanding the pipeline of effective, diverse educators in Illinois aligns perfectly with that objective," said David Casper, U.S. CEO, BMO Financial Group. "We believe in Golden Apple's mission to inspire, develop and support teacher and school leader excellence, especially in schools-of-need, and we look forward to seeing the positive outcomes of this important initiative."

"BMO's understanding of and sustained commitment to the Golden Apple mission has enabled the Foundation to scale, elevate the profession of teaching, lift outcomes and address head on the pandemic exacerbated shortage of well-trained educators," said John Smart, Retired Managing Director, BMO Harris Bank and Vice Chair, The Golden Apple Foundation. "All students and their families deserve outstanding teachers who are essential to preparing the workforce of the future."

Funds raised from the Impact Award event support the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs. These signature teacher preparation programs are dedicated to expanding the pipeline of highly effective, diverse educators and are growing to become a material solution to the teacher shortage.

For additional information and to purchase tickets visit www.goldenapple.org/impact-award .

About Golden Apple: Golden Apple's mission is to inspire, develop and support teacher and school leader excellence, especially in schools-of-need. Our leading-edge preparation delivers exceptional teachers who make an impact. We help students thrive in the classroom and in life. Since our beginning, we have recognized master educators annually; and, these master educators help prepare the next generation of teachers. Our vision is one in which every classroom has a great teacher and to realize this, we are committed to making a material difference in resolving the teacher shortage. Visit http://www.goldenapple.org for more information.

Media Contact:

Tony Bosma

[email protected]

440-749-0303

SOURCE Golden Apple

Related Links

http://www.goldenapple.org


CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In-depth analysis and data-driven insights on the impact of COVID-19 included in this Indonesia mobile crane market report.

The Indonesia mobile crane market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 14.06% during the period 20212027.

Key Highlights Offered in the Report:

1. The Indonesia mobile cranes market by value is projected to reach USD 315.1 million by 2027.

2. In 2020, Indonesia's GDP contracted by 2% due to decrease in economic activities in major industries such as construction, mining, and manufacturing. The construction and mining industries declined by 2.8% and 2.06% in Q1 2020 respectively. The impact was witnessed by mobile crane market which showed a dip of 22.5% in the year 2020.

3. FDI inflow also reduced by 22% in 2020 due to economic slowdown caused by lockdown measures taken by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus. However, the FDI inflow is expected to rise in 2021, due to government-sponsored tax incentives for foreign investors in manufacturing and mining sectors.

4. In 2021, Indonesian government has proposed a package worth USD 47.8 billion to offset the economic effect of the pandemic. A National Medium-Term Development plan is introduced to invest USD 412 billion in the development of transport, industrial, energy, and housing infrastructure by 2024.

5. The investment projects are divided into three sectors-road, railways, and port development accounting for 29%, 22%, and 23% respectively. Various infrastructure projects such as Yogyakarta-Bawen Toll Road, Riau Non- Toll Road Preservation, Development of metropolitan regions for Palembang, Banjarmasin, Makassar, and Denpasar. So, the spike in construction infrastructure projects and growth in steel industry is expected to drive the demand for mobile crane in Indonesia.

6. The increase in infrastructure projects is bound to influence steel industry which is expected to grow in 2021 due to upsurge in domestic demand in the country, thereby prompting Chinese investment in steel production due to strict Chinese government guidelines against the export of steel in China.

7. Tadano, Manitex, PT SANY Indonesia, PT Daya Kobelco Construction Equipment, PT Liebherr Indonesia Perkasa, Konecranes Indonesia, Terex Corporation, XCMG, PT Zoomlion Indonesia Heavy Industry and others are some major vendors of mobile crane in Indonesian market.

Key Offerings:

Market Size & Forecast by Volume | 20212026

Market Size & Forecast by Revenue | 20212026

Market Dynamics  Leading trends, growth drivers, restraints, and investment opportunities

Market Segmentation  A detailed analysis by crane type, application, and lifting capacity

Competitive Landscape  10 key vendors and 5 other vendors

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/indonesia-mobile-crane-market-opportunities-assessment-forecast

Indonesia Mobile Crane Market  Segmentation

The demand for mobile cranes is largely driven to address high-end works for urban and infrastructure development. The Indonesian government has planned several infrastructure projects worth USD 430 billion . The Asian Development Bank also provide USD 100 billion of instant loan to support these projects. Hence, the rise in construction activities will increase the demand for mobile cranes.

. The Asian Development Bank also provide of instant loan to support these projects. Hence, the rise in construction activities will increase the demand for mobile cranes. Indonesia is the leading exporter of nickel and tin metals. The global demand for these metals expects to grow on account of their application in electric vehicles. The mining industry in Indonesia contribute 5% to the country's GDP and expects to grow due to the high global demand for industrial metals such as nickel, tin, and coal.

is the leading exporter of nickel and tin metals. The global demand for these metals expects to grow on account of their application in electric vehicles. The mining industry in contribute 5% to the country's GDP and expects to grow due to the high global demand for industrial metals such as nickel, tin, and coal. The less than 20-tons mobile cranes market in Indonesia expects to reach 563 units by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 14.30%. These cranes are largely used inside tunnels for subway, underground road, underground electric line development. Therefore, the redevelopment and maintenance projects will increase the demand for these cranes.

Indonesia Mobile Crane Market by Crane Type

Rough Terrain Crane

All Rough Terrain Cranes

Crawler Crane

Truck Mounted Cranes

Others

Indonesia Mobile Crane Market by Application

Transport/Port

Manufacturing

Mining

Construction

Others

Indonesia Mobile Crane Market by Lifting Capacity

Less than 20 Tons

20-100 Tons

101-200 Tons

Greater than 200 Tons

Indonesia Mobile Crane Market  Dynamics

The Indonesian government aims to invest USD 430 billion in infrastructure development projects from 2021 to 2024. There is a 20% rise in infrastructure investment from the last investment plan in 20152020. The country's infrastructure development projects are mostly in the transport sector. The investment projects are divided into three sectors  road, rail, and port development, accounting for 29%, 22%, and 23% respectively. The Trans-Sumatra toll road project is one of the largest projects worth USD 33.7 billion is in the progress. China supports a key project - Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railways. There are 83 PPP project plans for infrastructure developments, which include 50 projects in the transportation sector, including 13 ports and 15 railways projects. The Asian Development Bank provided a loan of USD 100 million to the Indonesian government to support these projects. Therefore, the rise in infrastructure development activities in Indonesia expects to increase the demand for mobile cranes in the market as cranes are majorly used at construction sites for material handling purposes.

Key Drivers and Trends fueling Market Growth:

Government Investments for Power Generation via Renewable Energy Projects

Increase in Stainless Steel Production

Upgrade of Mobile Crane Attachments

Introduction of Innovative Technology

Why Should You Buy This Report?

This report is among the few in the market that offers outlook and opportunity analysis forecast in terms of:

Volume (Unit sales)

Crane Type



Application



Gross Power

Value (USD)

Crane Type



Application



Gross Power

Gain competitive intelligence about the economic scenario, advantages in Indonesia major projects and investments, dynamics, and market share

major projects and investments, dynamics, and market share Examples of latest technologies

Get presentation-ready format and easy-to-interpret data

Enable decision-makers to make informed and profitable choices

Gain expert quantitative and qualitative analysis on value/volume growth projections of the Indonesia crane market share

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Major Vendors

Tadano Ltd

Manitex International, Inc

Manitowoc Cranes

Sani Group

Kobelco Cranes

Liebherr group

Konecranes

Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd

Terex corporation

Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co., Ltd. (XCMG)

Other Prominent Vendors

Mammoet

Sumitomo Heavy Industries

Link-Belt Cranes

LiuGong

Kato Works

Distributors

TAT Hong Holdings Ltd

United Tractors

Multicrane Perkasa.PT

Explore our industrial machinery profile to know more about the industry.

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About Arizton

Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.

We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.

Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.

Mail: [email protected]

Call: +1-312-235-2040

+1 302 469 0707

SOURCE Arizton Advisory & Intelligence
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Informatica, an enterprise cloud data management leader, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 29,000,000 shares of its Class A common stock at a public offering price of $29.00 per share. The shares are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on October 27, 2021, under the ticker symbol "INFA" and the offering is expected to close on October 29, 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

In addition, the underwriters have been granted a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 4,350,000 shares of Informatica Class A common stock at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan, BofA Securities and Citigroup are serving as lead book-runners for the proposed offering. Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank Securities, RBC Capital Markets, UBS Investment Bank, Wells Fargo Securities, Wolfe | Nomura Strategic Alliance, Macquarie Capital and LionTree Advisors LLC are serving as book-runners for the proposed offering. Academy Securities and Siebert Williams Shank are serving as co-managers for the proposed offering.

The proposed offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained from:

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, telephone: 1-866-471-2526, facsimile: 1-212-902-9316, or by email at [email protected] ;

10282, telephone: 1-866-471-2526, facsimile: 1-212-902-9316, or by email at ; J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, telephone: 1-866-803-9204, or by email at [email protected] ;

11717, telephone: 1-866-803-9204, or by email at ; BofA Securities, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd Floor, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001, attention: Prospectus Department, or by email at [email protected] ;

28255-0001, attention: Prospectus Department, or by email at ; Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, telephone: 1-800-831-9146, or by email at [email protected] .

A registration statement relating to the sale of these securities has been filed with, and declared effective by, the Securities and Exchange Commission. 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.

"Wolfe I Nomura Strategic Alliance" is the marketing name used by Wolfe Research Securities and Nomura Securities International, Inc. in connection with certain equity capital markets activities conducted jointly by the firms. For these activities, Nomura Securities International, Inc. serves as the underwriter, placement agent, or initial purchaser (as applicable) and Wolfe Research Securities provides sales support services, investor education, and/or independent equity research services.

About Informatica

Informatica, an enterprise cloud data management leader, empowers businesses to realize the transformative power of data. We have pioneered a new category of software, the Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC), powered by AI and a cloud-first, cloud-native, end-to-end data management platform that connects, manages and unifies data across any multi-cloud, hybrid system, empowering enterprises to modernize and advance their data strategies. Customers in more than 100 countries and 84 of the Fortune 100 rely on Informatica to drive data-led digital transformation.

Contact:

Investor Relations

Victoria Hyde-Dunn

[email protected]

Media Relations

Priya Ramesh

[email protected]

SOURCE Informatica

Related Links

www.informatica.com


Built on timeless pieces transcending generations, the new, one-of-a-kind-collection brings unparalleled design edge to beloved household staples by harnessing the incredible talents of Rhuigi Villasenor. The 'LATE SUMMER' collection is named and inspired after Rhu's mother Teresita, who taught him how to cook and enjoy life. He wanted to honor the times they share in the kitchen together through a creative reimagination of classic products by fusing fashion and food.

As two revolutionary purveyors of their respective spaces, Instant Brands and R H U D E came together to co-design and develop a unique line of products. The resulting collection is a perfectly blended expression of their crafts: Instant Brands' mission to making together moments accessible for everyone around the world, and R H U D E's uncanny instinct to deliver the most unexpected collaborations within the fashion and lifestyle space.

"We are very excited to partner with Rhuigi and the R H U D E team on this collection," said Ben Gadbois, President & CEO of Instant Brands. "As an expression of gratitude to all our consumers and the loyalty they've shown us for decades, we wanted to wow our fans on an entirely new level. And through this collaboration, we hope to inspire a new generation of fans at the intersection of fashion, lifestyle and cooking."

R H U D E's signature yellow radiates throughout the capsule, even bringing a new look to the Pyrex R H U D E collection pieces with the brand, switching from its iconic red to this signature yellow for the very first time.

"I feel privileged that my designs and the beauty I am able to bring to the iconic portfolio of Instant Brands can be part of "together moments" when people use these products to cook and enjoy food with loved ones," said Rhuigi Villasenor, Founder of R H U D E. "For the next person who recalls a special time when they gathered around an Instant Pot, or ate off of Corelle plates, stored their food away in Pyrex dishes, or sharpened their Chicago Cutlery Knives they will remember these designs as part of those memories and that is an honor for all of us at R H U D E."

The limited-edition collection will launch on Monday, November 1 at 9AM PST on e-commerce channels of both collaborators, at www.instantbrands.com & www.rh-ude.com featuring the following hero products from the Instant Brands portfolio:

Instant Pot x R H U D E - Electric Pressure Cooker $300.00

Pyrex x R H U D E - Gift Set (Glass Food Storage & Glass Measuring Cups) $100.00

Pyrex x R H U D E - Glass Food Storage $60.00

Corelle Brands x R H U D E - 16-piece dinnerware set $270 .00

.00 Chicago Cutlery x R H U D E - Heritage Chef Knife $600.00

About Instant Brands

Instant Brands designs, manufactures and markets a global portfolio of innovative and iconic consumer lifestyle brands: Instant, Pyrex, Corelle, Corningware, Snapware, Chicago Cutlery and Visions. With people-first and purpose-driven solutions in mind, Instant Brands is reimagining how people live, eat, connect, and play inside the homeand in the spaces where people gather. The Cornell Capital-backed company is headquartered in Downers Grove, Ill., and employs more than 2,400 people across four continents. Today, Instant Brands' products are in millions of homes worldwide. For more information or to join the community, visit InstantBrands.com or follow along on Instagram , Facebook and Pinterest .

About RHUDE

R H U D E, founded by Rhuigi Villasenor in 2015, is a design venture born out of Los Angeles, balancing luxury techniques with streetwear elements, showcased as ready-to-wear collections. Designed from a narrative standpoint R H U D E is both a reflection of modern socioeconomics and personal stories as Villasenor came to Los Angeles from the Philippines at the age of 11 with no concept of brand culture. Now a reoccurring theme season-to-season, RHUDE combines American iconography with nostalgic references, a visual commentary on Los Angeles style and culture itself. Rhuigi studied art history shortly after graduating high school and was an understudy/intern to Shaun Samson. With no formal training specific to fashion design, Villasenor credits his understanding of garments and construction to growing up with a mother who was a tailor, providing a foundation and understanding of how to build each piece and the subsequent stories told with each collection. RHUDE's journey parallels Villasenor, chronicling the evolution of a man from adolescence to maturity, a narrative reflected in each collection, both the Creative Director and brand continue to grow-up with its ever-expanding fan base.

SOURCE Instant Brands

Related Links

https://www.instanthome.com/


JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (the "Company," or "JinkoSolar") (NYSE: JKS), one of the largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world, today announced that it worked with Catholic Charities Jacksonville ("CCBJAX") to provide refugees living in Jacksonville access to devices and internet in order to facilitate their English classes and better acclimate to life in America. On October 21, JinkoSolar executives, city councilmen, congressional staff, CCBJAX representatives, and Afghan refugees who both work at JinkoSolar and are ESOL program students took part in a gifting ceremony at the JinkoSolar factory in Jacksonville to celebrate this donation.

JinkoSolar donated 70 brand new laptops to CCBJAX to help refugees enrolled in its ESOL program, a class which helps refugee students improve their English skills. The current class of refugee students come from a variety of countries like Afghanistan, Cuba, and Sudan. The laptop donation fills a major gap for new and existing students who lack the financial resources to purchase their own devices. It allows students to take classes remotely, which is important during the pandemic and also saves them time and money from not traveling to CCBJAX. CCBJAX will loan the laptops to students for as long as they are enrolled in the program, meaning multiple classes of refugees can benefit from use of the devices. JinkoSolar also provided 1 year of free high speed internet access to 30 families who could not afford it.

"We recently learned that we employ people which CCBJAX has helped, and we are so impressed with their desire to work hard and become valued members of the Jacksonville community," said Mike Favo, General Manager of Jinko Solar (U.S.) Industries Inc. "The ESOL program plays a significant role in their personal success; we are humbled that our contribution is a tool in their journey."

"The refugees we serve were forced to flee their home countries with just a few personal belongings  most of which were family photos and other irreplicable mementos," said Lori Weber, Regional Director of Catholic Charities Jacksonville. "We can't thank JinkoSolar enough for the laptops and internet access as it is a true investment in the success of these hardworking refugees as they build new lives here in Northeast Florida."

"The gaping digital divide impedes refugee efforts to assimilate to life in America. That is why it is imperative that those who are immigrating to Jacksonville have access to the resources necessary to adapt to our virtual way of living and become dedicated members of our community. As we increasingly depend on digital communication to work and learn, these donated tools may lessen their challenges moving forward. Thank you to JinkoSolar for aiding in this transition and allowing refugees the same opportunity we want for all Americans  the chance to build a better life," said Congressman Al Lawson (D-FL).

About JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.

JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS) is one of the largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world. JinkoSolar distributes its solar products and sells its solutions and services to a diversified international utility, commercial and residential customer base in China, the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Chile, South Africa, India, Mexico, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, and other countries and regions. JinkoSolar has built a vertically integrated solar product value chain, with an integrated annual capacity of 27 GW for mono wafers, 12 GW for solar cells, and 31 GW for solar modules, as of June 30, 2021.

JinkoSolar has 9 production facilities globally, 22 overseas subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, India, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, United States, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Australia, Portugal, Canada, Malaysia, UAE, Hong Kong and Denmark, and global sales teams in China, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Bulgaria, Greece, Ukraine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Morocco, South Africa, Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Poland and Argentina, as of June 30, 2021.

To find out more, please see: www.jinkosolar.com

About Catholic Charities Bureau Jacksonville

Catholic Charities Jacksonville is an accredited nonprofit organization of the Diocese of St. Augustine that helps the community's most vulnerable by meeting basic human needs, restoring dignity and assisting toward self-sufficiency. With dedicated efforts in Emergency Assistance, Workforce Development, Immigration Legal Services, Refugee Resettlement, and Camp I Am Special, we have put our faith into action to transform lives for more than 75 years.

For more information, visit CCBJax.org.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "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, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the quotations from management in this press release and the Company's operations and business outlook, contain forward-looking statements. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in JinkoSolar's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Ms. Stella Wang

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.

Tel: +86 21-5180-8777 ext.7806

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.

Related Links

www.jinkosolar.com


LEWISVILLE, Texas, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Summit Truck Group ("Summit"), Rush Enterprises, Inc. and Navistar, Inc., in cooperation with fellow Navistar International Truck and IC Bus dealers Southwest International and Kyrish Truck Centers, have reached an agreement to move towards strengthening the Navistar dealership network to meet customer needs in Oklahoma and Texas. Summit has agreed to sell all of its commercial vehicle dealership assets to subsidiaries of Rush Enterprises, Inc. Following discussion, Summit, Rush Enterprises, Inc. and Navistar, Inc. mutually agreed to allow current Summit CEO, Justin Fink, in partnership with Southwest International and Kyrish Truck Centers, to purchase Summit's dealerships in Oklahoma and its International Truck area of responsibility in the area around Wichita Falls, Texas.

Tentatively this new dealership group will be branded Peak Truck and Trailer. Justin Fink will become the Dealer Principal and CEO of Peak Truck and Trailer serving the Oklahoma markets. Fink will establish the support team for the new dealer group.

Further to this transaction, within the period of two to three years, Peak Truck and Trailer, Southwest International, and Kyrish Truck Centers intend to merge their respective dealerships into one single business and dealer group serving Texas and Oklahoma. This group will include over (20) locations in major markets such as Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The synergies and opportunities provided by this larger enterprise will be important for the employees of all the concerned entities as we continue to face larger competitive dealer groups.

"The decision to form the new International Truck and IC Bus dealership group Peak Truck and Trailer will be invaluable to regional customers in Oklahoma and Texas," said Mark Belisle, Group Vice President, Dealer Sales and Operations, Navistar. "The eventual merger of these dealerships will create a powerhouse in the south  attracting the highest quality talent and utilizing resources to provide best-in-class service and support."

Summit, Southwest International and Kyrish Truck Centers have owned and operated a business together over the past five years called Peak Trailer Group, primarily a Wabash trailer dealership group with locations in Dallas, San Antonio and El Paso, TX. The ownership structure of Peak Trailer is also changing, as Summit is planning to divest its ownership to existing owners Southwest International, Kyrish and Justin Fink. Bobby Briggs, current President of Peak Trailer Group, is appointed to Chief Executive Officer.

About Peak Trailer Group

Peak Trailer Group is a privately held company co-owned by Summit Truck Group LLC, Kyrish Truck Centers, and Southwest International Trucks. The company operates three full-service Trailer & Truck Body Sales, Parts, Service, Body Shop and Install locations in Dallas, San Antonio & El Paso, Texas. Learn more at www.peaktrailergroup.com

About Summit Truck Group

Summit Truck Group, LLC is a privately held company that does business as Summit Truck Group, Summit Bus, and Summit Idealease. The company operates 26 commercial truck and bus dealerships in Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. www.summittruckgroup.com

About Kyrish Truck Centers

Kyrish Truck Centers has been a family-owned and operated commercial trucks dealership since 1976. The Kyrish family has worked to become a leading provider of commercial trucks, all makes of truck parts and service, and new and used commercial truck rental and leasing options for box trucks, day cab trucks, dump trucks, reefer trucks, and sleeper and flatbed trucks. Today, the Kyrish family owns and operates 9 International truck dealerships with 13 locations throughout Texas. www.kyrishtruckcenters.com

About Southwest International Trucks

Southwest International Trucks is a privately held company that operates six commercial truck dealerships within the state of Texas, along with a used truck center and an Idealease lease and rental operation. They have been owned by Russ Trimble and operated successfully for more than 30 years. www.southwestinternational.com.

All marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Summit Truck Group

Related Links

www.summittruckgroup.com


A true walk away 'sample to answer' molecular diagnostic system designed for high throughput testing, offering a time-efficient and seamless workflow for clinical laboratories

Utilizes Seegene's patented, cutting-edge high multiplex real-time PCR technologies to provide 'Real' Ct values of individual pathogens in a single channel.

Incorporates Seegene's broad menu of molecular diagnostics for syndromic testing, for detection of SARS-CoV-2 and variants.

SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- South Korea's leading molecular diagnostics (MDx) developer Seegene Inc., (KQ 096530) is addressing the needs of small, mid-sized, and large hospitals and COVID-19 laboratories with its fully automated STARlet-AIOS: All-in-One System (AIOS). First unveiled at the 2021 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Atlanta, the modular system supports a "hands-free" PCR workflow, automating everything from nucleic acid extraction to the interpretation of results. This can help sites boost their testing capacity while lessening the burden on laboratory and hospital staff.

"Seegene has played a critical role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in large part because of our forward-looking strategy. We moved fast from day one, rapidly developing a reliable assay for the novel coronavirus and then pivoting to multiplexed tests that can detect emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants," said Dr. Jong-Yoon Chun, Seegene Founder and CEO. "As we look ahead, the most pressing diagnostic need will be for cost-effective and high throughput automated systems that can remove any remaining testing bottlenecks. Our all-in-one system specifically addresses that need for hospitals and laboratories of all sizes."

More than 3.75 billion people worldwide have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. As daily case counts and fatalities decline, many countries are easing their restrictions and preparing to live with the virus. Doing so safely will require ongoing surveillance, with accurate PCR testing and rapid turnaround times.

The modular design of STARlet-AIOS: All-in-One System unites two standalone instrumentsthe STARlet IVD and the CFX96 Dx real-time PCR Systemwith a custom-built robotic arm. This unique engineering allows customers to either purchase the full AIOS system or integrate existing Seegene instruments already in use. With its compact and intuitive design, the AIOS is accessible to small-to-medium sized hospitals and clinics, along with larger organizations.

Seegene's current portfolio with an extensive test menu including GI, HPV, STI, respiratory assays as well as a suite of SARS-CoV-2 assays detecting a wide range of variants (namely, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, kappa, Lambda, Mu, etc.) can all be processed using the AIOS. The system will also be compatible with newly developed assays and Seegene's MOBILE STATION , an innovative laboratory-on-wheels initiative that delivers mass testing capacity to communities that would otherwise lack the necessary infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the company plans to introduce Allplex Respiratory Virus Master Assay, in late 2021, a single tube syndromic assay that can differentiate between COVID-19 and other major common respiratory pathogens, such as influenza, RSV, adenovirus, parainfluenza, metapneumovirus, human rhinovirus. The introduction of the new assay will help doctors treat cases more effectively, by differentiating causative pathogens of COVID-19 and respiratory viruses for common flu, which may surge in winter season.

SOURCE Seegene Inc.
With a commitment to innovation that has spanned three decades, Lexus continues to push the boundaries of technology and craft in an evolving luxury landscape. Lexus is unwavering in its dedication to forward-looking, technologically advanced design and exceptional performance features that pay consideration to changing needs for transportation and lifestyles worldwide. Entering its fourth year as the Automotive Partner of Design Miami/, this year's partnership will center on the LF-Z Electrified concept car, which symbolizes the next generation of Lexus.

"We're excited to partner with Germane Barnes and the University of Miami for this year's edition of Design Miami/, and we're looking forward to seeing their vision for a more human-centric and carbon-neutral future come to life," commented Brian Bolain, Lexus' global head of marketing. "The LF-Z Electrified represents the next chapter of Lexus, paving the way forward for the next generation. The installation will illuminate that vision from the perspective of future designers."

Miami-based architect, designer and educator Germane Barnes is widely recognized for his work exploring the intersections of identity and architecture. The collaboration will be directed by Barnes, along with the School of Architecture's Labs and Centers, each of which examines a key emerging field of research and provides new opportunities for student and faculty participation. Bringing together both his Studio Barnes team as well as students from the school, the collaborative project will use the car as a point of inspiration to explore the potential for an electrified, carbon-neutral, human-centered future that is just on the horizon.

"Lexus has long been an inspiration to my work, as a symbol of luxury, craftsmanship and a vision of future potential that is recognized across cultures and communities as an icon of quality," noted Barnes. "The opportunity to realize an installation that explores this heritage while celebrating the potential and vision represented by the LF-Z Electrified concept car is an incredible one, especially in coordination with my team at Studio Barnes and the students and faculty at the University of Miami School of Architecture labs. We're so excited to show the world the potential that the future holds at this year's Design Miami/, both through the exploration of Lexus's next generation vehicle and through the talent, energy and vision of the next generation of designers working with me to realize this project."

Designed to engage audiences worldwide, as seen in Lexus' 2020 presentation of "Freedom to Move" with Tosin Oshinowo and Chrissa Amuah, this year's physical installation will complemented by a dynamic digital experience, engaging international content creators and delivering compelling visuals, in addition to taking-shape at Design Miami/ at the Miami Beach Convention Center, on view from December 1-5, 2021. Additional details on the installation will be shared in the coming weeks.

ABOUT GERMANE BARNES

Germane Barnes is the principal architect of Studio Barnes, and Assistant Professor and the Director of the Community Housing & Identity Lab (CHIL) at the University of Miami School of Architecture. Barnes' practice investigates the connection between architecture and identity, examining architecture's social and political agency through historical research and design speculation. Believing strongly in design as a process, he approaches each condition imposed on a project as an opportunity for transformation.

His work has recently been exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art's groundbreaking 2020 exhibition, Reconstructions: Architecture and Blackness in America, and the 2021 Chicago Architecture Biennial. He was a winner of the 2021 Architectural League Prize for Young Architects and Designers, and is a 2021-2022 Rome Prize Fellow at the American Academy in Rome. With his winning proposal for the prestigious Harvard School of Design's 2021 Wheelwright Prize, Anatomical Transformations in Classical Architecture, Barnes will examine classical Roman and Italian architecture through contributions of the African Diaspora. Barnes received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Architecture from Woodbury University where he was awarded the Thesis Prize for his project Symbiotic Territories: Architectural Investigations of Race, Identity, and Community.

ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE LABS AND CENTERS

The University of Miami School of Architecture stewards a series of Labs and Centers each developed around a key emerging research area within the field of architecture, working with faculty to bring specialized knowledge to the program. Areas of investigation span social and political impact, exploration into augmented reality and digital futures, digital fabrication and robotics, and urbanism.

With collaboration across the labs, projects have included the Miami Highrise exhibition, in which ten 3D printed iconic Miami high rise buildings were embedded in augmented reality technology, and Dark Mode, an exhibition observing the spatialization of the Black body in Miami.

Additionally functioning to develop an expanded network outside of the school, the labs and centers provide new opportunities for student and faculty participation, which has recently included the Museum of Modern Art's Reconstructions exhibition, the 2021 Chicago Architecture Biennial, and community design for Delray Beach, Florida.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI AND SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

The University of Miami is a private research University and academic health system with a distinct geographic capacity to connect institutions, individuals, and ideas across the hemisphere and around the world. The University's vibrant and diverse academic community comprises 12 schools and colleges serving more than 17,000 undergraduate and graduate students in more than 180 majors and programs. Located within one of the most dynamic and multicultural cities in the world, the University is building new bridges across geographic, cultural, and intellectual borders, bringing a passion for scholarly excellence, a spirit of innovation, a respect for including and elevating diverse voices, and a commitment to tackling the challenges facing our world. The School of Architecture, which enrolls more than 500 students in both undergraduate and graduate programs, is at the forefront of preparing students for professional leadership in architecture, urbanism, and related fields. The school employs research, professional engagement, and creative practice to advance knowledge, technology, environmental responsibility, social equity, and economic sustainability.

ABOUT LEXUS

Lexus launched in 1989 with a flagship sedan and a guest experience that helped define the premium automotive industry. In 1998, Lexus introduced the luxury crossover category with the launch of the Lexus RX. The luxury hybrid sales leader, Lexus delivered the world's first luxury hybrid and has since sold over 1.5 million hybrid vehicles.

A global luxury automotive brand with an unwavering commitment to bold, uncompromising design, exceptional craftsmanship, and exhilarating performance, Lexus has developed its lineup to meet the needs of the next generation of global luxury guests and is currently available in over 90 countries worldwide.

Lexus associates/team members across the world are dedicated to crafting amazing experiences that are uniquely Lexus, and that excite and change the world.

MEDIA CONTACT

Morgan Potts

Camron PR

[email protected]

+1 646.420.0768

SOURCE Lexus
DURHAM, N.C., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- L.L. Bean has selected headless commerce pioneer commercetools to further modernize its commerce architecture and enhance the experiences consumers love about the brand. The multi-year agreement is foundational to L.L. Bean's ongoing digital commerce transformation initiative, which includes physical and digital B2C channels globally.

The pandemic highlighted the need for the 100-year-old iconic outdoor retailer to digitize its brand experience across channels and the need to move quickly to meet fast-evolving customer demand. L.L. Bean realized the need for a modern commerce architecture that would propel its digital experience into the future.

With the new solution from commercetools, L.L. Bean can enhance its instore and online experience, blending the lines of physical and digital retail including social commerce, point-of-sale systems, pop-up shops, clienteling, and transactional customer care that will set the brand up for the next hundred years.

"As our largest channel, our Ecommerce experience is critical to our business, and also bringing our brand to life," said Nick Wilkoff, Chief Marketing Officer of L.L. Bean. "We believe that the commercetools platform will allow us to further enhance our Ecommerce experience, while allowing us to leverage our current microservices architecture and best of breed solutions."

L.L. Bean opened its first digital store in 1995 when online shopping was in its infancy and an all-in-one commerce platform could do the job. With the rapid change in consumer buying habits and the need for greater flexibility, L.L. Bean embarked on a digital transformation journey that included breaking up its all-in-one monolithic commerce platform and developing its own custom microservices to differentiate from competitors and better serve its customers.

The commercetools MACH (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native and Headless) architecture approach was a natural progression, allowing L.L. Bean to fulfill its vision of having a technology it can extend, and one which will naturally enhance the collaboration between business and IT stakeholders.

"We are excited to help L.L. Bean embrace its 'Be an Outsider' mantra in the digital commerce realm by helping them provide truly unique and differentiated shopping experiences," said Dirk Hoerig, CEO and co-founder of commercetools. "With the commercetools platform, L.L. Bean will gain the freedom to experiment, iterate and quickly roll out the best commerce experiences for their customers' needs."

About L.L. Bean

L.L. Bean, Inc. is a leading multichannel merchant of quality outdoor gear and apparel. Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, the company began as a one-room operation selling a single product, the Maine Hunting Shoe. Still family owned, Shawn Gorman, great grandson of Leon Leonwood Bean, was named Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2013. While its business has grown over the years, L.L. Bean continues to uphold the values of its founder, including his dedication to quality, customer service and a love of the outdoors. In 2020, L.L. Bean donated over $6 million to 100+ outdoor and community-enriching organizations, many of which focus on increasing access to outdoor spaces. L.L. Bean operates 54 stores in 19 states across the United States, along with 25 stores in Japan. The 220,000-sq. ft. L.L. Bean retail store campus in Freeport, ME, is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and welcomes more than 3 million visitors every year. L.L.Bean can be found worldwide at www.llbean.com , Facebook , Twitter , YouTube , Pinterest , and Instagram .

About commercetools

commercetools is a next-generation software company that offers a true cloud-native, headless commerce platform that provides the building blocks for the new digital commerce age. The commercetools leading-edge API approach helps retailers create brand value by empowering commerce teams to design unique and engaging digital commerce experiences everywhere  today and in the future.

Media Inquiries

Margaret Rea

VP of Marketing, commercetools

E: [email protected]

Tel: (949) 278-9149

[email protected]

SOURCE commercetools

Related Links

http://www.commercetools.com


BOSTON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Saga Education, the national nonprofit behind one of the most effective personalized tutoring programs in the country, conducted a study of students using five adaptive learning math platforms in Spring 2021 and determined that MATHia by Carnegie Learning was the leading program.

Saga Education is at the forefront of exploring ways to leverage human-guided tutoring in combination with adaptive online learning. In the Spring of 2021, six public high schools in New York City, Chicago, and Broward County, participated in a qualitative study to measure a range of questions across five dimensions: ease of use, usefulness in learning, development of conceptual understanding of math, support offered, and students' sense of belonging. MATHia proved the highest rated platform overall, and, notably, when students were asked if they felt that the math platform was made for students like them, they ranked MATHia significantly higher than the rest.

"Technology plays a significant role in supporting the scale and growth of tutoring. Having adaptive learning solutions that are effective and that historically marginalized students feel were developed for them is central to our scaling effort," said Krista Marks, Saga's Chief Product Officer. After the study, Saga Education reached out to Carnegie Learning to begin a partnership together to improve how technology and tutoring work together to support learning.

"The research indicates that MATHia is a high quality, conceptual platform that engages students and increases students' success," said Steve Ritter, Founder and Chief Scientist of Carnegie Learning. "We are so proud to have this further validation from Saga Education and as a result explore ways to collaborate with them going forward.

"We are pleased to be able to use an adaptive learning program that has data showing it is effective for our students," said AJ Gutierrez, co-founder of Saga Education. "We look forward to the opportunity to work with Carnegie Learning to co-develop more innovative solutions that help Saga's students succeed."

About Saga Education

Saga Education is an evidence-based, personalized, in-school-day tutoring intervention designed to support students with math, to support them in generating confidence and academic strength to graduate high school and pursue their dreams. In 2020, the organization was named to Fast Company's prestigious list of the World's Most Innovative Educational Companies, recognized for its evidence-based, scalable tutoring model that serves students in high-need schools.

About Carnegie Learning

Carnegie Learning's "MATHia" is an award-winning, intelligent math learning software, designed to provide individual student support and personalize instruction for middle school and high school students based on how they learn over time.

SOURCE Saga Education
Sharing insights on the Middle East TCG markets, Sander Verboom, Vice President  META at GfK said, "The pandemic has triggered some structural shift in product and channel preferences across the Middle East. Insights from gfknewron reveal a very resilient market for Technical Consumer Goods in the region with consumers increasingly purchasing premium products. Second, we see a growing prominence of the online sales channel driven by growing consumer trust as well as digitalization of the consumer purchase journey. Online sales remains at the high levels seen during the pandemic and continues to accelerate from there. At the current pace of growth, the online channel is expected to account for 25% in the next 2 years. Finally we see an increasing consumer preference for brands that innovate, focus on sustainability, and have a purpose."

gfknewron in a nutshell

With the AI-powered software platform gfknewron, decision-makers can see an overview of their business performance using data from a single source: from the validation of new target markets over product alignment according to customers' needs to evaluate future market potential. Multiple teams can directly access the data at any time and address cross-departmental problems using the same dataset. Scenario simulations help to identify challenges at an early stage and to plan strategically. AI-supported forecasts help with making fast, informed decisions to stay ahead of market competition.

Speaking on the occasion, Peter Feld, CEO of GfK, said: "At GfK, we know that to win in today's intensely pressurized and fast-moving business environment, our clients need more than pure data. They need us to provide strategic guidance and market predictions rooted in that data. The business intelligence platform gfknewron has been designed to provide all that information on one intuitive platform that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence. We will empower our clients to adopt a much more data- and analytics-centred way of working. This is also an important milestone in the transformation of GfK from market researcher to an AI-powered data analytics and consulting company, enabled by a complete Software as a Service infrastructure."

The three modules of gfknewron include:

gfknewron Market: What was bought where and at which price?

gfknewron Market, powered by GfK Retail Panel data, allows clients to use real transaction data to measure the performance of their product portfolio against market benchmarks, develop successful go-to-market strategies, to identify market changes and growth potentials and react accordingly.

gfknewron Consumer: Who bought where and why?

gfknewron Consumer is the evolution of GfK's Consumer Insight Engine (CIE). It helps to analyse target groups in detail by answering questions such as: Who buys which products via what channels? Which other brands are attractive for my target group? This allows brands to identify opportunities and risks at an early stage and to adapt strategies to changing consumer behavior.

gfknewron Predict: What should I do next to grow my business?

gfknewron Predict supports companies with AI-based forecasts and concrete recommendations for action in their data-driven decision-making process. With this module, companies are able to simulate market scenarios and forecast their impact on their business, to plan more efficiently, to optimise pricing and promotion strategies, and to increase conversion rates and revenue.

"We spend a lot of time listening to our clients, and through combining the best talents of data with the best talents of agile software development, we are thrilled to be launching our powerful gfknewron platform. This empowers our clients and their entire teams (in the office or work from home), to make faster, more confident decisions to win in their markets," comments Sean O'Neill, Chief Product Officer at GfK.

Sean further added, "We have enthusiastic confirmations from many leading companies in the Tech & Durables sector about how gfknewron is changing their ability to understand their markets, see how consumer sentiments are changing, and use the predictive insights and AI-power forecasts to take decisive action on the opportunities for their brands. GfK is the only provider in the market to offer manufacturers of technical consumer goods an integrated platform with these consolidated capabilities. In addition, this cloud-based software platform is continuously evolving and improving with feature releases weekly. Further modules as well as the inclusion of additional market data are already being planned. This is enterprise-grade insights with consumer-grade usability."

More information on www.gfk.com/products/gfknewron

GfK. Growth from Knowledge.

For over 85 years, we have earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical business questions in their decision-making process around consumers, markets, brands and media. Our reliable data and insights, together with advanced AI capabilities, have revolutionized access to real-time actionable recommendations that drive marketing, sales and organizational effectiveness of our clients and partners. That's how we promise and deliver "Growth from Knowledge".

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670499/GfK_Sander_Verboom.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670498/GfK_Peter_Feld.jpg

SOURCE GfK

Related Links

https://www.gfk.com/


TAIPEI, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp (MVC) vaccine candidate, MVC-COV1901, has been recommended by an independent vaccine prioritisation advisory group to be included in the World Health Organisation (WHO) Solidarity Trial Vaccines (STv). Following the review of around 20 candidate vaccines by the external advisory group, MVC's vaccine was selected as one of two to be included in the global trial.

The announcement by WHO, comes after the approval from WHO Ethics Review Committee and relevant regulatory authorities and ethics committees of Colombia, Mali and Philippines granted approval for the study to progress. Each clinical site and respective national principal investigators and research teams have begun recruiting volunteers to join the trial.

This is an international, randomized clinical trial platform designed to rapidly evaluate the efficacy and safety of promising new candidate vaccines contributing to the creation of a larger portfolio of vaccines needed to protect people from COVID-19 around the world.

MVC began developing its own vaccine in February of 2020 with the hopes of bringing forth a solution capable of helping in part end the devastating pandemic. MVC-COV1901 is a subunit vaccine with recombinant S-2P antigen adjuvanted with CpG 1018 supplied by Dynavax and aluminum hydroxide.

"We are extremely grateful that we have been selected to be part of the WHO International Solidarity Trial Vaccines against COVID-19. We have been working to design a vaccine that has mild side effects and actively protects the public from the adverse effects of the virus. Seeing promising results thus far, we hope that the international trial conducted by WHO and participating countries will assist to curb the escalation of cases," said Charles Chen, Vice Chairman & CEO, Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp.

With the battle against the pandemic still on an incline, the need for effective vaccines is still in high demand and MVC believes it has the capacity, infrastructure, and expertise to contribute towards achieving global protection.

About MVC-COV1901

MVC-COV1901 is a subunit vaccine with recombinant S-2P antigen adjuvanted with CpG 1018 supplied by Dynavax and aluminum hydroxide. The S-2P antigen is a trimeric and prefusion-stable recombinant spike protein developed by the U.S. NIH. MVC has obtained a global technology license for S-2P from the U.S. Vaccine Research Center at National Institutes of Health (NIH). Building upon the S-2P platform, MVC conducted large-scale screenings of various adjuvants and finalized the compositions of MVC-COV1901 vaccine to optimize safety and desired immunogenicity properties. MVC established the production platform of MVC-COV1901 and based on MVC's preclinical, Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical study data, MVC-COV1901 has shown robust safety and promising immunogenicity responses and as a result applied and was granted EUA in Taiwan and continue to pursue global regulatory recognition.

About Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp. (MVC)

MVC is a biopharmaceutical company using cell-based technologies to develop novel vaccines and biosimilars. With a goal of national self-sufficiency, MVC also aims to provide vaccines and biopharmaceuticals to meet regional needs and with a desire to help globally against the threats of infectious diseases. MVC's pipeline includes enterovirus EV71 vaccine, dengue vaccine, influenza quadrivalent vaccine which all have entered late clinical stage. MVC's large-scale production facility is state-of-the-art and adherent to international PIC/s GMP requirements. For more information, visit www.medigenvac.com.

WHO Media inquiries

[email protected]

Medigen Contact:

Paul Torkehagen

Director, International Business Development

[email protected]

Investor Relations:

[email protected]

Medigen Media Enquiries:

Michelle Bridget, Continuum PR, on +6012 697 7356, or email [email protected]

SOURCE Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corporation
VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Mind Cure Health Inc. (CSE: MCUR) (OTCQB: MCURF) (FRA: 6MH) ("MINDCURE" or the "Company"), a leader in advanced proprietary technology and research in psychedelics, today announced that Kelsey Ramsden, President & CEO of MINDCURE, will participate in two upcoming events in November 2021:

Wonderland Miami to be held in-person on November 8-9 . MINDCURE will participate as a Silver Sponsor at the largest in-person conference focusing on the psychedelic medicine industry. Ms. Ramsden will participate in a number of panel presentations during the conference. The event is organized by Microdose Psychedelic Insights ("Microdose"), a portfolio company of Origin Therapeutics. For panel information or to attend, please visit the event website here.





to be held in-person on . MINDCURE will participate as a Silver Sponsor at the largest in-person conference focusing on the psychedelic medicine industry. Ms. Ramsden will participate in a number of panel presentations during the conference. The event is organized by Microdose Psychedelic Insights ("Microdose"), a portfolio company of Origin Therapeutics. For panel information or to attend, please visit the event website here. Mind Medicine Australia ("MMA") will host an International Summit on Psychedelic Therapies for Mental Illness, to be held virtually from Australia on November 19-20 . MINDCURE is a Supporting Partner of MMA, and Ms. Ramsden will participate in a panel presentation called "Creating the Future: What the Psychedelic Industry Will Look Like 5 Years Out". To attend, please register here.

For more information about the conferences, or to schedule a one-on-one meeting with MINDCURE management, please contact KCSA Strategic Communications at [email protected].

About Mind Cure Health Inc.

MINDCURE is a life sciences company focused on innovating and commercializing new ways to promote healing and improve mental health. The company is developing digital therapeutics technology and researching psychedelic compounds to support access to safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies globally. Learn more at mindcure.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Kelsey Ramsden, President & CEO

Phone: 1-888-593-8995

Forward-Looking Information

Certain information presented in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws regarding MINDCURE and its business. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by the use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "feel", "intend", "may", "plan", "predict", "project", "subject to", "will", "would", and similar terms and phrases.

Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions made by management of MINDCURE, including, without limitation: the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the Canadian economy and MINDCURE's business, and the extent and duration of such impact; no change to laws or regulations that negatively affect MINDCURE's business; the Company will develop its products as expected and that they will attain the outcomes anticipated; there will be a demand for MINDCURE's products in the future; no unanticipated expenses or costs arise; MINDCURE will be able to continue to identify products that make them ideal candidates for providing solutions for treating mental health; that strategic partnerships entered by the Company will create the opportunities and outcomes anticipated; that MINDCURE will advance wellness worldwide; and that trading on the OTCQX will attract additional investment and provide additional liquidity for shareholders.

Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking information inherently entails known and unknown risks and uncertainties about the future and actual results and involves significant risks and uncertainties and should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results as actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Although MINDCURE has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information presented, there may be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements as no forward-looking information can be guaranteed.

Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and MINDCURE does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release and the CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Mind Cure Health Inc.
OKOTOKS, AB, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - (TSX: MTL) Mullen Group Ltd. ("Mullen Group", "We", "Our" and/or the "Corporation"), one of Canada's largest logistics providers with a wide range of service offerings including less-than-truckload, truckload, warehousing, logistics, transload, oversized and specialized hauling transportation, today reported its financial and operating results for the period ended September 30, 2021, with comparisons to the same period last year. Full details of our results may be found within our Third Quarter Interim Report, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or on our website at www.mullen-group.com.

"Very pleased to report that we have achieved record revenues for the quarter, in fact for any quarter. The main reason is acquisitions that were completed earlier this year. Not only have these quality companies contributed to our revenue growth, they operate in sectors of the economy that we view as having the best potential for growth. Everyone knows that the economy is driven by consumer spending but in today's economy the trend has never been more evident which is precisely why we have invested significant capital to acquire companies that provide logistics solutions to this sector of the economy," commented Mr. Murray K. Mullen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

"Our core businesses, owned for more than one year, performed in line with our expectations. Consumer spending remained strong supporting our LTL, logistics and warehousing businesses. However, parts of the economy continued to be challenged with COVID-19 mandated workplace restrictions. The underinvestment in capital spending in Canada is very evident, directly impacting the role of capital investment to the economy. This was one of the primary reasons our flat deck transport business along with the majority of our Specialized & Industrial Services business was down again this quarter. The other reason is that this segment of the economy appeared to be the one that was impacted the most by the COVID-19 restrictions. Projects were slowed and delayed leading to lower revenues and reduced profitability at several of our Business Units. And while I view the slowdowns in capital spending to be temporary the reality is that our profitability was negatively impacted by these events in the third quarter. I suspect it's only a matter of time before capital once again begins to be deployed in the Canadian marketplace and when it does the Mullen Group will be well positioned. We are one of Canada's largest and leading logistics companies, servicing multiple industries and sectors of the economy. This is why it is so important that our organization continues to support all of our Business Units. Customers rely on our company to be there for them when their business requires transportation services. And we support our customers in difficult markets as well as during the good times," added Mr. Mullen.

Key financial highlights for the third quarter of 2021 with comparison to 2020 are as follows:

HIGHLIGHTS (unaudited) ($ millions) Three month periods ended

September 30 2021 2020 Change

$ $ % Revenue





Less-Than-Truckload 169.1 112.7 50.0 Logistics & Warehousing 121.9 86.2 41.4 Specialized & Industrial Services 85.7 92.4 (7.3) U.S. & International Logistics 57.0 - 100.0 Corporate and intersegment eliminations (1.2) (0.4) - Total Revenue 432.5 290.9 48.7 Adjusted Operating income before depreciation and amortization (1)





Less-Than-Truckload 26.9 20.7 30.0 Logistics & Warehousing 22.7 15.4 47.4 Specialized & Industrial Services 15.6 21.2 (26.4) U.S. & International Logistics 2.9 - 100.0 Corporate (3.7) (2.4) - Total Adjusted Operating income before depreciation and amortization (1) 64.4 54.9 17.3 (1) Refer to notes section of Summary







Mullen Group generates cash in excess of its operating needs through a diversified business model combined with a highly adaptable and variable cost structure. The financial results for the three month period ended September 30, 2021 are as follows:

generated record quarterly revenue of $432.5 million , an increase of $141.6 million , or 48.7 percent, as compared to $290 .9 million in 2020 due to $136.5 million of incremental revenue generated from acquisitions and internal growth resulting in:

, an increase of , or 48.7 percent, as compared to .9 million in 2020 due to of incremental revenue generated from acquisitions and internal growth resulting in: an increase of $56.4 million to $169.1 million in the Less-Than-Truckload segment

to in the Less-Than-Truckload segment

an increase of $35.7 million to $121.9 million in the Logistics & Warehousing segment

to in the Logistics & Warehousing segment

a decrease of $6.7 million to $85.7 million in the Specialized & Industrial Services segment

to in the Specialized & Industrial Services segment

added $57.0 million in our new U.S. & International Logistics segment

in our new U.S. & International Logistics segment earned operating income before depreciation and amortization (" OIBDA ") of $64.5 million , a decrease of $0.7 million as compared to $65.2 million in 2020.

") of , a decrease of as compared to in 2020. earned adjusted operating income before depreciation and amortization (" Adjusted OIBDA ") of $64 .4 million, an increase of $9.5 million as compared to $54.9 million in 2020. Adjusted OIBDA is defined as OIBDA excluding the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (" CEWS "). CEWS was reduced to $0.1 million and $12.5 million for the three and nine month periods ending September 30, 2021 , as compared to $10.3 million and $21.2 million for the same periods in 2020, respectively. This resulted in:

") of .4 million, an increase of as compared to in 2020. Adjusted OIBDA is defined as OIBDA excluding the Emergency Wage Subsidy (" "). CEWS was reduced to and for the three and nine month periods ending , as compared to and for the same periods in 2020, respectively. This resulted in: an increase of $6.2 million to $26.9 million in the Less-Than-Truckload segment

to in the Less-Than-Truckload segment

an increase of $7.3 million to $22.7 million in the Logistics & Warehousing segment

to in the Logistics & Warehousing segment

a decrease of $5.6 million to $15.6 million in the Specialized & Industrial Services segment

to in the Specialized & Industrial Services segment

added $2.9 million in our new U.S. & International Logistics segment

Third Quarter Financial Results

Revenue increased by $141.6 million, or 48.7 percent, to a record of $432.5 million and is summarized as follows:

Less-Than-Truckload segment up $56.4 million , or 50.0 percent, to $169.1 million - revenue improved by $56.4 million due to $47.9 million of incremental revenue generated from acquisitions, a $4.9 million increase in fuel surcharge revenue and from the continued strength in consumer spending.

, or 50.0 percent, to - revenue improved by due to of incremental revenue generated from acquisitions, a increase in fuel surcharge revenue and from the continued strength in consumer spending. Logistics & Warehousing segment up $35.7 million , or 41.4 percent, to $121.9 million - revenue improved by $35.7 million due to $28.3 million of incremental revenue from acquisitions, a $2.8 million increase in fuel surcharge revenue and from a $4.6 million , or 5.6 percent increase in same store sales as economic activity continued to improve resulting in greater demand for freight services.

, or 41.4 percent, to - revenue improved by due to of incremental revenue from acquisitions, a increase in fuel surcharge revenue and from a , or 5.6 percent increase in same store sales as economic activity continued to improve resulting in greater demand for freight services. Specialized & Industrial Services segment down $6.7 million , or 7.3 percent, to $85.7 million - revenue declined by $6.7 million mainly due to an $11.3 million reduction in revenue from Premay Pipeline Hauling L.P. and a $5.8 million decrease at Smook Contractors Ltd. There was a significant decline in major pipeline construction activity in British Columbia and construction projects in Manitoba , both were impacted by COVID-19 restrictions and temporary delays. These decreases were partially offset by an $8.2 million increase in revenue from drilling related services as higher crude oil and natural gas prices led to greater drilling related activity in western Canada and from $3.3 million of incremental revenue from acquisitions.

, or 7.3 percent, to - revenue declined by mainly due to an reduction in revenue from Premay Pipeline Hauling L.P. and a decrease at Smook Contractors Ltd. There was a significant decline in major pipeline construction activity in and construction projects in , both were impacted by COVID-19 restrictions and temporary delays. These decreases were partially offset by an increase in revenue from drilling related services as higher crude oil and natural gas prices led to greater drilling related activity in western and from of incremental revenue from acquisitions. U.S. & International Logistics segment added $57.0 million - this was the first reporting period for this segment generating $57.0 million of gross freight revenue from freight tendered through the company's logistics group or to contracted Station Agents. Revenue was above expectations due to the strong U.S. freight market and new business generated from the addition of new regional Station Agents.

Adjusted OIBDA increased by $9.5 million, or 17.3 percent, to $64.4 million and is summarized as follows:

Less-Than-Truckload segment up $6.2 million , or 30.0 percent, to $26.9 million - Adjusted OIBDA improved due to $6.8 million of incremental OIBDA from acquisitions being somewhat offset by higher purchased transportation costs. Adjusted operating margin decreased to 15.9 percent as compared to 18.4 percent in 2020, due to lower margin generated by our recent acquisitions.

, or 30.0 percent, to - Adjusted OIBDA improved due to of incremental OIBDA from acquisitions being somewhat offset by higher purchased transportation costs. Adjusted operating margin decreased to 15.9 percent as compared to 18.4 percent in 2020, due to lower margin generated by our recent acquisitions. Logistics & Warehousing segment up $7.3 million , or 47.4 percent, to $22.7 million - Adjusted OIBDA improved due to $5.7 million of incremental OIBDA from acquisitions and from improved performance by most Business Units. Adjusted operating margin increased to 18.6 percent as compared to 17.9 percent in 2020.

, or 47.4 percent, to - Adjusted OIBDA improved due to of incremental OIBDA from acquisitions and from improved performance by most Business Units. Adjusted operating margin increased to 18.6 percent as compared to 17.9 percent in 2020. Specialized & Industrial Services segment down $5.6 million , or 26.4 percent, to $15.6 million - Adjusted OIBDA declined due to a $6.5 million decrease relating to those Business Units providing specialized services including pipeline stockpiling and stringing services being somewhat offset by a $2.1 million increase from those Business Units tied to drilling and drilling related activity. Adjusted operating margin decreased by 4.7 percent to 18.2 percent as compared to 22.9 percent in 2020 due to a change in revenue mix associated with large diameter pipeline projects.

, or 26.4 percent, to - Adjusted OIBDA declined due to a decrease relating to those Business Units providing specialized services including pipeline stockpiling and stringing services being somewhat offset by a increase from those Business Units tied to drilling and drilling related activity. Adjusted operating margin decreased by 4.7 percent to 18.2 percent as compared to 22.9 percent in 2020 due to a change in revenue mix associated with large diameter pipeline projects. U.S. & International Logistics segment added $2.9 million of Adjusted OIBDA, which represents a margin of 5.1 percent of gross revenue. This margin is lower than our asset based segments due to the nature of the business.

Net income decreased by $8.7 million to $17.5 million, or $0.18 per Common Share due to:

A $4.6 million increase in amortization of intangible assets, a $3.1 million increase in depreciation of right-of-use assets, a $1.4 million increase in finance costs, a $0.7 million decrease in the gain on sale of property, plant and equipment, a $0.7 million decrease in OIBDA and a $0.4 million gain on fair value of equity investment in 2020.

increase in amortization of intangible assets, a increase in depreciation of right-of-use assets, a increase in finance costs, a decrease in the gain on sale of property, plant and equipment, a decrease in OIBDA and a gain on fair value of equity investment in 2020. The above was partially offset by a $2.6 million decrease in income tax expense.

A summary of Mullen Group's results for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 are as follows:

SUMMARY (unaudited) ($ millions, except per share amounts) Three month periods ended September 30

Nine month periods ended September 30 2021 2020 Change

2021 2020 Change





$ $ %

$ $ % Revenue 432.5 290.9 48.7

1,035.5 866.6 19.5



















Operating income before depreciation and amortization(1) 64.5 65.2 (1.1)

170.6 165.4 3.1 Adjusted Operating income before depreciation and amortization(2) 64.4 54.9 17.3

158.1 144.2 9.6 Net foreign exchange (gain) loss (0.2) (0.1) 100.0

(1.5) (2.5) (40.0) Decrease (increase) in fair value of investments 0.3 0.1 200.0

(0.8) 1.4 (157.1) Net income 17.5 26.2 (33.2)

52.2 53.9 (3.2) Net Income - adjusted(3) 17.8 25.6 (30.5)

49.5 53.1 (6.8) Earnings per share(4) 0.18 0.27 (33.3)

0.54 0.53 1.9 Earnings per share - adjusted(3) 0.19 0.26 (26.9)

0.51 0.52 (1.9) Net cash from operating activities 37.3 47.4 (21.3)

132.2 172.3 (23.3) Net cash from operating activities per share(4) 0.39 0.48 (18.8)

1.37 1.69 (18.9) Cash dividends declared per Common Share 0.12 0.09 33.3

0.36 0.24 50.0 Notes:

(1) Operating income before depreciation and amortization ("OIBDA") is defined as net income before depreciation of right-of-use assets and of property, plant and equipment, amortization of intangible assets, finance costs, net foreign exchange gains and losses, other (income) expense and income taxes.

(2) Adjusted OIBDA is calculated by subtracting the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy ("CEWS") from OIBDA.

(3) Net income - adjusted and earnings per share - adjusted are calculated by adjusting net income and basic earnings per share by the amount of any net foreign exchange gains and losses, the change in fair value of investments, gains on contingent consideration and the gain on fair value of equity investment.

(4) Earnings per share and net cash from operating activities per share are calculated based on the weighted average number of Common Shares outstanding for the period.







Non-GAAP Terms - Mullen Group reports on certain financial performance measures that are described and presented in order to provide shareholders and potential investors with additional measures to evaluate Mullen Group's ability to fund its operations and information regarding its liquidity. In addition, these measures are used by management in its evaluation of performance. These financial performance measures ("Non-GAAP Terms") are not recognized financial terms under Canadian generally accepted accounting principles ("Canadian GAAP"). For publicly accountable enterprises, such as Mullen Group, Canadian GAAP is governed by principles based on IFRS and interpretations of IFRIC. Management believes these Non-GAAP Terms are useful supplemental measures. These Non-GAAP Terms do not have standardized meanings and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other entities. Specifically, Adjusted OIBDA, adjusted operating margin, operating margin, net income - adjusted and earnings per share - adjusted are not recognized terms under IFRS and do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS. Management believes these measures are useful supplemental measures. Investors should be cautioned that these indicators should not replace net income and earnings per share as an indicator of performance.

Financial Position

The following summarizes our financial position as at September 30, 2021, along with some key changes that occurred during the third quarter of 2021:

Working capital of $65.1 million including $85.2 million of amounts drawn on our $150.0 million RBC Credit Facility. On October 1, 2021 , we also entered into a $100.0 million revolving demand credit facility with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, giving us access to a total of $250.0 million in bank lines.

including of amounts drawn on our RBC Credit Facility. On , we also entered into a revolving demand credit facility with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, giving us access to a total of in bank lines. Total net debt ( $592.4 million ) to operating cash flow ( $223.6 million ) of 2.65:1 as defined per our Private Placement Debt agreement (threshold of 3.50:1).

) to operating cash flow ( ) of 2.65:1 as defined per our Private Placement Debt agreement (threshold of 3.50:1). Private Placement Debt of $462.1 million with no scheduled maturities until 2024 (average fixed rate of 3.93 percent per annum). Private Placement Debt increased by $8.0 million due to the foreign exchange loss on our U.S. $229.0 million debt.

with no scheduled maturities until 2024 (average fixed rate of 3.93 percent per annum). Private Placement Debt increased by due to the foreign exchange loss on our U.S. debt. Book value of Derivative Financial Instruments up $8.2 million to $39.6 million , which swaps our $229.0 million of U.S. dollar debt at an average foreign exchange rate of $1.1096 .

to , which swaps our of U.S. dollar debt at an average foreign exchange rate of . Net book value of property, plant and equipment of $978.1 million , which includes $615.8 million of carrying costs of owned real property.

, which includes of carrying costs of owned real property. Year to date, we repurchased and cancelled 2,267,248 Common Shares at an average price of $12.95 per share under our normal course issuer bid.

About Mullen Group Ltd.

Mullen Group is one of Canada's largest logistics providers. Our network of independently operated businesses provide a wide range of service offerings including less-than-truckload, truckload, warehousing, logistics, transload, oversized and specialized hauling transportation. In addition, we provide a diverse set of specialized services related to the energy, mining, forestry and construction industries in western Canada, including water management, fluid hauling and environmental reclamation. The corporate office provides the capital and financial expertise, legal support, technology and systems support, shared services and strategic planning to its independent businesses.

Mullen Group is a publicly traded corporation listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "MTL". Additional information is available on our website at www.mullen-group.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Contact Information

Mr. Murray K. Mullen - Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President

Mr. P. Stephen Clark - Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Richard J. Maloney - Senior Vice President

Ms. Joanna K. Scott - Corporate Secretary & Vice President, Corporate Services

121A - 31 Southridge Drive

Okotoks, Alberta, Canada T1S 2N3

Telephone: 403-995-5200

Fax: 403-995-5296

Disclaimer

This news release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risk factors associated with the oil and natural gas business and the overall economy. Mullen Group believes that the expectations reflected in this news release are reasonable, but results may be affected by a variety of variables. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and Mullen Group disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable Canadian securities laws. Mullen Group relies on litigation protection for "forward-looking" statements. Additional information regarding the forward-looking statements is found on pages 1, 64 and 65 of Mullen Group's Management's Discussion and Analysis.

SOURCE Mullen Group Ltd.

Related Links

www.mullen-group.com


"Over the past year, these digital leaders courageously tackled the perfect storm of disruption due to COVID-19, generational shifts in the workforce, a hyper-competitive new customer experience landscape, and the relentless march of exponential digital change, among other factors," stated Constellation Research. "The BT150 nomination process strongly considered these factors to ensure the list accurately reflects today's key influencers in the technology sector."

As CIO for Net Health, James oversees the technological delivery of the company's SaaS products that enable healthcare providers to support millions of patients each year. With over 20 years of experience modernizing IT organizations, he leads the development and ongoing transformation of Net Health's total IT framework. James has been recognized for his outstanding work with several prestigious honors and awards, and he shares his knowledge as a published IT thought leader, podcast guest and industry speaker.

"Digital transformation and technology have been the keys to operation during a time of constant change," says James. "The dedication of my team has enabled us to continue providing the flexible, innovative technology that is essential during this revolutionary time in the healthcare industry."

"The BT150 Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made a difference among their peers and for the organizations they worked with," proclaimed R "Ray" Wang, founder and CEO at Constellation Research. "These individuals have pioneered business transformation, overcome tough environments, and have inspired others to achieve the Art of the Possible."

"Nearly 750 C-level and top leaders have made our prestigious, 'who's who' Business Transformation 150 lists over the last five years," said Constellation Research's vice president and principal analyst, Dion Hinchcliffe. "Now, after careful deliberation, just 10 have been selected from all of them as the most representative examples of the digital leaders of the future. We are thrilled to induct them into our inaugural BT150 Hall of Fame."

Nominations from peers, industry influencers, technology vendors and analysts powered the six-month selection process. The Hall of Fame was established to recognize legends in the industry to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the BT150 list.

The full listing can be found here:https://www.constellationr.com/business-transformation-150-hall-fame

About Net Health

Net Health's mission is to harness data for human health. Net Health solutions are trusted in over 24,000 facilities across the continuum of care. Our EHR software enables caregivers and their organizations to engage effectively with patients, streamline documentation, staff efficiently, secure maximum appropriate reimbursement and maintain regulatory compliance. Our unique approach to analytics seamlessly presents insights in clinical and operational workflows to improve care and business performance. Net Health is a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, Level Equity and Silversmith Capital Partners. www.nethealth.com.

SOURCE Net Health Systems, Inc.

Related Links

nethealth.com


DALLAS, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten Dallas area mothers who are committed to moving on from incarceration to successful lives with vision and purpose are being supported in their journey by Dallas-based Girls Embracing Mothers, Inc. (GEM) and CompTIA, the association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce.

Together the two non-profit organizations are providing the women with enhanced education and training in employability and life skills with the ultimate aim of helping them secure jobs in the technology field.

"GEM values helping justice-impacted women and girls thrive," said Brittany K. Barnett, Founder and President of GEM. "That's why everything we do is centered on empowering them to lead successful lives with vision and purpose."

"Imagine what formerly incarcerated people could do if they were put in positions to thrive, and not just survive," Barnett continued. "We are proud to partner with CompTIA. Our partnership is aimed at unlocking potential and creating career pathways for justice-impacted women, so they can transform their lives and create sustainable futures for themselves and their children."

"The stigma associated with past incarceration is something that must be eliminated from our society," said Todd Thibodeaux, President and CEO of CompTIA. "Anyone looking for a second chance and a fresh start is deserving of our encouragement and support.

"These 10 mothers have already taken the most important step toward a brighter future for themselves and their families by committing to this program," Thibodeaux added. "CompTIA is humbled and thankful for the opportunity to partner with a great organization like GEM and to work with this impressive group of women."

The customized technical training, delivered through the CompTIA Custom Training, is centered on CompTIA A+, a professional certification of core technology skills that is the industry standard for beginning a career in IT in help desk, service desk, technical support and related jobs.

The women are also receiving enhanced training on soft skills, financial literacy and therapeutic support throughout the program to ensure successful outcomes  professionally, mentally and socially.

About Girls Embracing Mothers

GEM seeks to counteract the forces of maternal incarceration by empowering young girls with mothers in prison, preparing formerly incarcerated women to be successful upon their release, and encouraging intergenerational healing. In so doing, we reduce the trauma women and girls experience by the criminal justice system. Thereby, enriching the lives of those most marginalized in our communities and, ultimately, breaking the cycle of incarceration. https://girlsembracingmothers.org/

About CompTIA

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world's economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit https://www.comptia.org/ .

Media Contacts

On behalf of GEM On behalf of CompTIA Sunshine Sachs Steven Ostrowski [email protected] [email protected] 212.691.2800 630.678.8468

SOURCE CompTIA

Related Links

http://www.comptia.org


As we fast forward 100 years, the New Black Wall Street emerges. OneUnited Bank, the largest and first Black owned digital bank in America, and other Black owned businesses are working to strengthen the Black community through the #BankBlack and #BuyBlack Movement.

The Bank's connection to Oklahoma and civil rights goes back generations through its owner, Chairman & CEO, Kevin Cohee. Over 100 years ago, the U.S government denied formerly enslaved Black people, also known as Freedmen, full citizenship, and financial rights in the nation of their birth.

Kevin Cohee's great, great grandfather, Charles (Chas) Cohee Jr., (1848-1908), President of the Chickasaw Freedmen, went to Congress and the President of the United States to fight for equal rights for Black Americans. He won 40-acre allotments for Freedmen that fueled Black wealth in Oklahoma. OneUnited Bank continues the legacy of Charles Cohee Jr., as it fights for economic and social justice.

"My ancestors fought for civil rights over 100 years ago and won 40-acre allotments for Freedmen that fueled Black wealth in Oklahoma," states Kevin Cohee, Chairman & CEO. "We must continue our legacy by celebrating our amazing past as we build the new Black Wall Street."

The OneUnited Bank Greenwood Visa Debit Card claims the history of Black Wall Street, and takes the #BankBlack and #BuyBlack Movement to the next level. For more information visit www.oneunited.com/greenwoodintro.

Media Inquiries: Suzan McDowell, Circle of One Marketing, [email protected], 305-576-3790 or 305-490-9145

OneUnited Bank

OneUnited Bank (www.oneunited.com), is the largest (largest customer base) and first Black owned digital bank in America, a Minority Depository Institution (MDI) and a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), is a ten-time recipient of the U.S. Department of Treasury's Bank Enterprise Award due to its community development lending. Its mission is to be the premier bank serving urban communities by promoting financial literacy and offering affordable financial services.

SOURCE OneUnited Bank

Related Links

http://www.oneunited.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Wunderkind , ("the Company") a leading performance marketing engine that scales one-to-one messages for top retailers, announced it has reached a new milestone as it marks 46% growth during the COVID-19 pandemic in two of its largest markets, marking its way to become the world leader in brand engagement and one-to-one messaging. The major achievement comes following its expansion in the US and +70% year-on-year growth in monthly recurring revenue in the UK.

"For the first time, brands have a partner that helps them use their own first-party data to build lasting relationships with consumers while driving unmatched revenue,'' said Ryan Urban, CEO, Wunderkind. "By focusing on one-to-one experiences through the channel each individual prefers, Wunderkind ignites and reignites customer relationships, unlocking new growth strategies for top eCommerce brands every time a consumer enters their site, without any heavy-lifting required for our clients."

This year, the Company has signed on top brands such as The Honest Company, Diane Von Furstenberg, Paw.com, Birdies and Chubbies to scale text and email messaging to a new level. Following its UK expansion, Wunderkind is opening new offices across the US starting in Indianapolis with 95 employees, and hiring for over 133 open positions across engineering, product, sales and customer success.

As part of the company's massive growth, Michael ("Os") Osborne was recently appointed as President, reinforcing Wunderkind's investment in top talent and leadership to chart the course for the future of eCommerce. Osborne was previously the CEO of SmarterHQ, where he 10X'd the revenue with clients like Sam's Club, Bloomingdale's and DSW, and led it to a successful acquisition by Wunderkind in 2020. Prior to that, Os served as Chief Revenue Officer at software technology company, Bazaarvoice, where he led its IPO at over $100MM in revenue.

In his new role, Osborne will spearhead client management and sales growth, as well as the hiring and supercharging of Wunderkind's growth. The new charge follows the Company's recently announced partnership milestone with leading CRM provider Salesforce, integration with Klaviyo, a leading customer data and marketing automation platform that delivers more personalized experiences across owned-marketing channels, and acquisition of SmarterHQ, a leading advanced segmentation and orchestration engine for enterprise eCommerce.

"As multichannel shopping is reshaping Commerce today, retailers are aware every touchpoint of their consumer's shopping experience can lead to revenue. Now it is a matter of finding the right channel to deliver the right message at the right time," said Michael Osborne, President, Wunderkind. "Focusing first on our employees, we are doubling down on our success and biggest assets to continue to cater to client needs and most importantly converting new and returning consumers into loyal customers."

Using proprietary data models developed alongside hundreds of clients, Wunderkind smartly creates automated, dynamic engagement strategies that are built to guarantee revenue. Wunderkind's performance marketing technology has reached a total digital revenue for eCommerce retailers of 10.4% for email suite and 18.3% for email and text alone.

About Wunderkind

Wunderkind is a leading performance marketing engine that scales one-to-one messages for top brands. Digital businesses use Wunderkind to remember who site visitors are better than ever before, allowing them to deliver high-performing, one-to-one messages on websites, through emails and texts, and in ads at a scale that's not otherwise possible. Wunderkind drives $2.8 billion dollars annually in directly attributable revenue for top eCommerce brands like Uniqlo, Sonos and HelloFresh, often ranking as a top-3 revenue channel in their own analytics. Wunderkind is maniacally obsessed with ROI and aims to be the infrastructural interface between individuals and brands in a world where consumers choose what they want, from whom, and when. Learn more by visiting the Wunderkind site .

Media Contacts

KCSA Strategic Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE Wunderkind

Related Links

https://www.wunderkind.co/


MATTHEWS, N.C., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ORPHEUM Property, Inc. d/b/a KLMKH Inc (OTC: PLFF)(the "Company") today announced that the Company has entered into an agreement with Turvata Holdings Limited as a lead investor for the recently issued 144a Convertible Digital Token Notes (CUSIP 687311AA8). The Company can accept most major digital tokens as payments, as well as traditional payment methods. With this investment, the Company is excited to service the future needs of capital raising and develop its long-term goals of moving from the brown to green energy sector.

About KLMKH Inc.

KLMKH, Inc. is a diversified energy company focused on the oil, gas, and solar industries. Headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina, the Company is rapidly expanding operations through acquisitions and property leasing in the Midwest and is maintaining its traditional focus on oil and gas exploration and production while expanding into solar production on its owned lands. The Company acquires and develops traditional oil and gas properties, many of which have "proven but undeveloped reserves" at the time of acquisition. Using up-to-date techniques and proprietary practices, the Company resuscitates old wells using new technologies and marrying the old with the new. More information about the Company is available at www.klmkh.com.

About Turvata Holdings Limited

Turvata Holdings Limited is a privately owned company that is focused on the green initiative energy sectors and crypto markets with an eye towards sustainability in all of its investments. Based in Dubai UAE, and with investments and holdings globally, Turvata Holdings Limited is excited to partner with progressive and innovative companies like KLMKH as they focus on the green energy sector.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Statements herein express management's beliefs and expectations regarding future performance and are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, raising working capital and securing other financing, responding to competition and other risks. Actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements.

SOURCE KLMKH Inc.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Prelude Corporation (PreludeDx), a leader in molecular diagnostics and precision medicine for early-stage breast cancer, presented data in an oral scientific session presentation at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 63rd Annual Meeting held October 24  27, 2021 at McCormick Place West in Chicago, IL. Data presented demonstrates use of DCISionRT and its response subtype (Rst) was able to identify women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) (Stage 0 breast cancer) who remain at an elevated risk of recurrence despite receiving breast conserving surgery (BCS) and radiation therapy (RT).

ASTRO Presentation #513, entitled Biosignatures to Optimize Adjuvant Radiation Therapy Use in Patients with DCIS with High Risk Clinicopathologic Features examined 485 women diagnosed with DCIS and treated with BCS, with or without RT. The study examined the utility of DCISionRT and its response subtype by classifying these women into three risk groups: Low Riskthose who could safely omit RT, Elevated Risk with Good Rstthose who benefited significantly from RT, and Elevated Risk with Poor Rstthose with increased recurrence rates post-treatment with BCS and RT who may need alternative therapeutic strategies beyond standard treatment.

"Women classified into the Elevated Risk group with Good Rst by DCISionRT had significant benefit from adjuvant radiation, with 10-year risk reduced to 5%," said Dr. Frank Vicini, Radiation Oncologist at GenesisCare, member of NRG Oncology, and presenter of the study. "However, patients classified into the Elevated Risk group with a Poor Rst had a 25% risk of recurrence at 10 years despite being treated with both BCS and adjuvant RT."

"For the first time, this study demonstrates the ability to identify patients who have high recurrence risk after BCS and RT," said study investigator Chirag Shah, MD, Director of Breast Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH. "This additional information is critical and will help guide treatment decisions, since Elevated Risk with Poor Rst patients may benefit from supplemental therapeutic strategies."

"Our ongoing clinical studies reinforce the medical need for personalized treatment decisions for women upon a DCIS diagnosis," says Dan Forche, President and CEO of PreludeDx. "Our widely accessible DCISionRT test gives physicians and their patients the utmost confidence in their DCIS treatment decisions. As we continue the development of our precision testing pipeline, including our response subtype biosignature, we look forward to delivering predictive tools that positively impact treatment decisions and provide peace of mind to even more patients with early-stage breast cancer."

About DCISionRT for Breast DCIS

DCISionRT is the only risk assessment test for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) that predicts radiation therapy benefit. Patients with DCIS have cancerous cells lining the milk ducts of the breast, but they have not spread into surrounding breast tissue. In the US, over 60,000 women are newly diagnosed with DCIS each year. DCISionRT, developed by PreludeDx on technology licensed from the University of California San Francisco, and built on research that began with funding from the National Cancer Institute, enables physicians to better understand the biology of DCIS. DCISionRT combines the latest innovations in molecular biology with risk-based assessment scores to assess a woman's individual tumor biology along with other pathologic risk factors and provide a personalized recurrence risk. The test provides a Decision Score that identifies a woman's risk as low or elevated. Unlike other risk assessment tools, the DCISionRT test combines protein expression from seven biomarkers and four clinicopathologic factors, using a non-linear algorithm to account for multiple interactions between individual factors in order to better interpret complex biological information. DCISionRT's intelligent reporting provides a woman's recurrence risk after breast conserving surgery alone and with the addition of radiation therapy. In turn, this new information may help patients and their physicians to make more informed treatment decisions.

About PreludeDx

PreludeDx is a leading personalized breast cancer diagnostics company dedicated to serving breast cancer patients and physicians worldwide. Founded in 2009 with technology licensed from University of California San Francisco, PreludeDx has focused on developing precision breast cancer tools that will impact a patient's treatment decision. Our mission is to provide patients and physicians with innovative technologies that improve patient outcomes and reduce the overall cost burden to the healthcare system. Before making a treatment decision, Know Your Risk. PreludeDx is a Fjord Ventures portfolio company.

For more information on how PreludeDx is making a difference for patients, please visit the Company's website: https://preludedx.com and follow us on Twitter @PreludeDx, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

PreludeDx, the PreludeDx logo, DCISionRT, the DCISionRT logo, Decision Score, The DCIS Test, Know Your Risk and Your Biology, Your Decision are trademarks of Prelude Corporation or its wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States and foreign countries.

Media Contact Investor Contact Cory Dunn Andrew Wade 760-705-7464 949.600.8925 [email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE PreludeDx

Related Links

https://www.preludedx.com


OLD BRIDGE, N.J., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Michelle Ann Barron, a 22-year veteran of the retail real estate industry, has joined R.J. Brunelli & Co., LLC as a salesperson.

In her new role with the Old Bridge-based retail property brokerage, Ms. Barron will work on various R.J. Brunelli landlord and tenant representation accounts throughout New Jersey and neighboring states. She reports to Danielle Brunelli, President and Principal.

Michelle Ann Barron

Ms. Barron spent most of her career at mall industry leader Simon Property Group, beginning in 1999 as a visual merchandiser for Ocean County and Brunswick Square malls before shifting to leasing in 2002. As a local leasing representative, she was responsible for recruiting local tenants for Menlo Park, Ocean County, Deptford, Granite Run and Springfield malls in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, while also assisting on Quaker Bridge Mall, the Court and Plaza at King of Prussia Mall, and Dover (Del.) Mall. In 2010, Ms. Barron was promoted to Regional Leasing Manager, directing activities of leasing associates for 12 Simon malls and in the Northeast, while also assisting on several major properties in the company's Mid-Atlantic region.

After leaving Simon at the end of 2015, Ms. Barron spent nearly five years as Regional Director of Specialty Leasing for Washington Prime Group, directing activities for a team of leasing managers covering 25 open air shopping centers and regional enclosed malls in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

"Michelle brings a wealth of experience dealing with national, regional and local tenants," said Ms. Brunelli. "Beyond her deal-making skills, she brings a proven history of leadership and excellent client relations. We are thrilled to have her on our team."

A resident of Jackson, N.J., Ms. Barron holds an associates degree in applied science from The Fashion Institute of Technology, a part of the State University of New York, as well as an associates degree in humanities from Brookdale Community College in New Jersey.

About R.J. Brunelli & Co.

R.J. Brunelli & Co. serves as exclusive broker for 31 retail properties with a combined gross leasable area (GLA) exceeding 2 million square feet, and five properties for sale. The properties are located throughout New Jersey. The firm also serves as exclusive or preferred tenant representative for 22 retail, restaurant and service chains. These include representation in various New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania counties for such companies as Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, Jersey Strong, Urban Bricks Pizza, My CBD Organics, European Wax Center, Asian Food Markets, and New Jersey Spine and Wellness.

Press contacts: At R.J. Brunelli & Co., LLC, Danielle Brunelli, President, (732) 721-5800; at Jaffe Communications Bill Parness, [email protected], (732) 673-6852, or Elisa Krantz, [email protected], (908) 789-0700.

SOURCE R.J. Brunelli & Co.

Related Links

http://rjbrunelli.com/


Rezilient is building an entirely new, distributed primary care delivery model. Their proprietary video platform and connected digital devices allow the doctor to beam remotely onto large screens at any one of their CloudClinics, where expert nursing care assists onsite during the patient appointment. This allows doctors to perform the entire primary care exam in underserved communities, saving patients precious time in travel and waiting.

Rezilient was among the cohort of 10 companies selected by Melinda French Gates' Pivotal Ventures and TechStars to participate in the fund's inaugural Future of Longevity Accelerator , which supports startups building products and services for the unmet needs of older adults and their caregivers.

"We're beyond thrilled that Gil has seen the value in our mission and has agreed to join our advisory team. Rezilient believes in the power of primary care to improve health outcomes, so we have a bold vision to create a more accessible healthcare delivery model," said Sar Ruddenklau, Head of Communications at Rezilient Health. "Gil, who is long known for communicating the importance of primary care medicine in tackling and preventing non-communicable illnesses, offers us the experience and strategic thinking we need to amplify our message."

"Rezilient is a bold, long-awaited response to patients' needs that engages them as full partners in their medical care  not objects of care that are left to sit and wonder in waiting rooms," said Gil Bashe. "Remote technologies that mobilize multi-specialty care  whether through devices or CloudClinics where people work, live and shop  are the cutting edge of how we live and gain access to timely exams, diagnostics and medical procedures. That is where Rezilient are making their contribution to care by way of cloud-based technologies that provide immediacy and privacy."

Bashe's almost 40-year career is rooted in healthcare. He was a health products trade association lobbyist, then launched a successful health PR agency and was the first global Practice Director of the Hill and Knowlton Health and Pharmaceutical Practice. He was a leader in WPP Group's integrated marketing agency CommonHealth and later served as operating CEO and limited partner for private-equity firm GTCR, where he led acquisition efforts targeting health marketing and communications firms. He joined FINN in 2015 to launch its Global Health Practice and, together with colleagues, champions one of the world's most admired integrated health communication communities.

All options that Bashe receives in his new role will be donated to the Catskill Mountain Foundation , a not-for-profit association that harnesses the arts to provide greater employment and education opportunities to communities in Greene County, New York. Bashe supports the Foundation as a role model in community activism as a pathway to reduce poverty that often leads to despair, disease and needless death.

About Rezilient Health

Rezilient Health, co-founded by ENT Danish Nagda, MD, and tech leader Jeff Gamble, PhD., is creating the world's first medical care system where primary and multi-specialty care is provided close to where people work, live, and shop. Using its proprietary video platform and connected digital devices in CloudClinics, Rezilient's doctors "beam" onto video screens while expert nursing care assists onsite during the patient appointment. Rezilient is also pioneering specialist care using diagnostic robotics. The company has been recognized as an ANA Avatar XPRIZE finalist and is a portfolio company of the Techstars Future of Longevity program, which was funded by Melinda French Gates' Pivotal Ventures.

MEDIA CONTACT:

FOR REZILIENT HEALTH

Sar Ruddenklau, Head of Communications

[email protected]

CELL: +1 206-465-1910

SOURCE Rezilient Health

Related Links

rezilienthealth.com


LAS VEGAS, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, publisher of Political.tips and trailblazing candidate for Las Vegas City Council, spent several weeks arriving at a difficult decision. With her love of city and state burning ever bright, and against the backdrop of her roles as a parent, businesswoman, author, and candidate, Ms. Ashton-Cirillo knew a choice had to be made. One that she has now arrived at.

Below, in her own words, she reveals her future plans relating to political and community engagement.

Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, Candidate for Las Vegas City Council and Publisher of Political.tips

"When launching any endeavor, one is never sure where it will take them. In the span of the last six months, I've engaged in two new undertakings, both related to Las Vegas, the city I love.

"The first, a run for the position of Las Vegas City Councilwoman, created an amazing opportunity for discussing bold ideas and reveling in people centric ideals. That path could lead to an historic moment, with voters choosing me as the first transgender person to occupy elected office in Nevada.

"The second came with launching a news portal titled Political.tips . The site is dedicated to fighting back and speaking up against gate keeping, bias, and misinformation in media and government , through breaking news stories and longform reporting. Since beginning we've brought exclusive reports to readers ranging from an upcoming meeting between Donald Trump and Michele Fiore , to Governor Steve Sisolak's view of Covid vaccine mandates for staff and grade schoolers, and a narrative on the hypocrisy of closeted LGBTQ GOP officials . In five weeks we've tallied almost 15,000 visits.

"Volunteering for over a decade with NGO's in Haiti, as well as covering the refugee crisis in the Balkans as a writer and photographer, taught me patience and humility. I learned titles aren't needed to make a difference in the world. Furthermore, as an experienced analyst in the dual sectors of healthcare management and real property investment I understand that ROI matters, especially when maximizing opportunity cost.

"It is in the spirit of those closely held lessons, that I'm announcing I'll be forgoing a run for any political position in 2022, in order to concentrate on the mission of Political.tips while continuing my civic activities throughout the Las Vegas Valley.

"The candidate's journey is a unique one. Among those I must thank are my supporters including Carrie Stowers, Deb Magness, Krista Whitley, and Patty Davidson. My advocate and attorney Paul Padda. Councilwomen Victoria Seaman and Michele Fiore. Media Members Don Dike Anukam, Janelle Calderon, Dana Gentry, and Shea Johnson. Sounding boards Amy Tarkanian, Ahmad Ade, and Michael Weiss, and my incredible son, Richard.

"I'll end now with the reminder that we've already won."

Contact:

Sarah Ashton-Cirillo

702-721-2984

[email protected]

SOURCE Political.tips
MCLEAN, Va., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ShiftMed, one of the largest workforce management platforms in health care with over 60,000 credentialed health care professionals, has raised $45 million led by health care investors, Panoramic Ventures and Healthworx, the innovation and investment arm of CareFirst Holdings, LLC. Existing investors Blue Heron Capital, Motley Fool Ventures and 3TS Capital Partners participated in the round. Funds will be used to expand its national footprint, and to continue to build the industry-leading product suite.

"Now more than ever, credentialed caregivers are needed to support our hospital, post-acute, and in-home business segments. ShiftMed's software platform allows our customers real-time access to the workers they need," said Todd Walrath, CEO of ShiftMed.com. "We are excited to accelerate our mission of building a global community of engaged health care professionals."

"Healthcare companies leveraged ShiftMed to care for more than 200,000 patients in Q3 2021. We believe the company has the scale to be an important player in the health care space. ShiftMed has relationships with more than 700 enterprise partners already, including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health and assisted living providers. Their end-to-end products for health care professionals are extremely compelling, and we are eager to help them with their geographic expansion," said Paul Iaffaldano, General Partner at Panoramic Ventures.

Also joining the round is Healthworx. "In our efforts to improve health equity, we recognize that ancillary services like caregiving play a vital role," said Doba Parushev, Director of Venture Capital at Healthworx. "Our investment in ShiftMed expands our toolkit with in-home services, supporting our mission and continued ability to improve health outcomes."

ShiftMed is the No. 1 ranked mobile app for professionals searching for flexible nursing jobs, addressing nursing shortages and enabling hospitals to reach their required staffing levels. ShiftMed's technology onboards healthcare professionals through the credentialing process. In 2021, the company has already hired more than 10,000 nurses, which provided over 1 million hours of care, and received more than 100,000 app downloads. The company now services 56 markets across the United States.

About ShiftMed

ShiftMed is a next-generation workforce management platform that connects hospitals, assisted living providers and skilled nursing facilities to the highest quantity and quality of licensed nurses (CNAs, LPNs and RNs). As the #1 nursing jobs mobile app on the App Store with over 100,000 downloads in the past year, ShiftMed serves more than 700 enterprise health care partners across the country by offering software tools and direct access to labor for shift scheduling. The ShiftMed on-demand platform dramatically streamlines the delivery of care services and enables health care providers access to compliant, credentialed workers to fulfill their staffing needs faster than any other solution. For more information, visit http://www.ShiftMed.com.

About Panoramic Ventures

Panoramic Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Atlanta that takes a "wider-view" approach to investing by targeting the Southeast and Midwest and placing a focus on diverse founders and university startups. Panoramic opens new doors for overlooked founders, giving more entrepreneurs access to capital to build leading tech companies. For more information, visit www.panoramic.vc or follow Panoramic Ventures on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter @panoramicvc.

About Healthworx

Healthworx operates at the intersection of healthcare and innovation by creating, co-creating and investing in companies that are improving healthcare quality, accessibility, affordability and equity. As the innovation and investment arm of CareFirst, Healthworx envisions a healthier future for all people by changing the way health works. To connect with Healthworx about partnering, media interviews or speaking opportunities, email [email protected]. Follow Healthworx on LinkedIn or visit www.healthworx.com.

Media Contact:

Erin Mandzik

[email protected]nelly.com

862-246-9911

SOURCE ShiftMed

Related Links

https://www.shiftmed.com


LAS VEGAS, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SWX) today confirmed that Icahn Enterprises LP ("Icahn") has commenced an unsolicited tender offer to acquire any and all outstanding shares of Southwest Gas Holdings for $75.00 per share in cash.

Consistent with its fiduciary duties and in consultation with its independent financial and legal advisors, the Southwest Gas Holdings Board of Directors will carefully review and evaluate the unsolicited tender offer to determine the course of action that the Board believes is in the best interest of Southwest Gas Holdings stockholders.

Southwest Gas Holdings intends to make the Board's position with respect to the tender offer available to stockholders within 10 business days through a Solicitation / Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9, which will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and published on Southwest Gas Holdings' website at www.swgas.com.

Southwest Gas Holdings stockholders are advised to take no action at this time pending the Board's review and evaluation of the unsolicited tender offer.

Lazard is serving as financial advisor to Southwest Gas Holdings and Morrison & Foerster LLP and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP are serving as legal advisors.

About Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc.

Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the business of purchasing, distributing and transporting natural gas, and providing comprehensive utility infrastructure services across North America. Southwest Gas Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary, safely and reliably delivers natural gas to over two million customers in Arizona, California and Nevada. Centuri Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, is a comprehensive utility infrastructure services enterprise dedicated to delivering a diverse array of solutions to North America's gas and electric providers.

How to Find Further Information

This communication does not constitute a solicitation of any vote or approval in connection with the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders of Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") (the "Annual Meeting"). In connection with the Annual Meeting, the Company will file a proxy statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which the Company will furnish, with any other relevant information or documents, to its stockholders in connection with the Annual Meeting. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, WE URGE STOCKHOLDERS TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND OTHER DOCUMENTS WHEN SUCH INFORMATION IS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THE ANNUAL MEETING. The proposals for the Annual Meeting will be made solely through the proxy statement. In addition, a copy of the proxy statement (when it becomes available) may be obtained free of charge from www.swgasholdings.com/proxymaterials. Security holders also will be able to obtain, free of charge, copies of the proxy statement and any other documents filed by Company with the SEC in connection with the Annual Meeting at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov, and at the companies' website at www.swgasholdings.com.

Important Information for Investors and Stockholders

This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. The Company will file a solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 with the SEC. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ THESE AND OTHER DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING THE COMPANY'S PROXY STATEMENT AND WHITE PROXY CARD, FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY (IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE) BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and stockholders may obtain a free copy of these documents (when they are filed and become available) free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, and at the Company's website at www.swgasholdings.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document 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 statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about, among others, the industry, markets in which Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. (the "Company," "Southwest Gas Holdings," "SWX," or "we") operates, and the transaction described in this press release. While the Company's management believes the assumptions underlying its forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, such information is necessarily subject to uncertainties and may involve certain risks, many of which are difficult to predict and are beyond the control of the Company's management. A number of important factors affecting the business and financial results of the Company could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the timing and amount of rate relief, changes in rate design, customer growth rates, the effects of regulation/deregulation, tax reform and related regulatory decisions, the impacts of construction activity at Centuri, future earnings trends, seasonal patterns, and the impacts of stock market volatility. In addition, the Company can provide no assurance that its discussions about future operating margin, operating income, pension costs, COLI results, and capital expenditures of the natural gas segment will occur. Likewise, the Company can provide no assurance that discussions regarding utility infrastructure services segment revenues, operating income as a percentage of revenues, interest expense, and noncontrolling interest amounts will transpire, nor assurance regarding acquisitions or their impacts, including management's plans related thereto, such as that currently planned in regard to Riggs Distler & Company, Inc. and the pending acquisition of Dominion Energy Questar Pipeline, LLC and related entities (the "Questar Pipeline Group"). Additional risks include the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Sale and Purchase Agreement by and between Dominion Energy Questar Corporation and the Company (the "Questar Purchase Agreement"), the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Company and others following announcement of the Questar Purchase Agreement, risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations, the risks related to the ability of the Company to integrate the Questar Pipeline Group, the amount of the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the transaction and the actual terms of certain financings that will be obtained for the transaction, potential negative impacts to the Company's credit ratings as a result of the transaction, the disruption to the Company's stock price and the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to, and the distraction of management's attention in connection with, any proxy contest or other stockholder related or similar matters, as well as other risks that are set forth under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 and in future filings with the SEC. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or any person acting on its behalf are qualified by the cautionary statements in this section. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of this press release.

Participants in the Solicitation

The directors and officers of the Company may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the Annual Meeting. Information regarding the Company's directors and officers and their respective interests in the Company by security holdings or otherwise is available in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and its most recent definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants is or will be included in the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC, when they become available.

Contacts

For stockholders information, contact: Ken Kenny (702) 876-7237 [email protected]

For media information, contact: Sean Corbett (702) 876-7219 [email protected]; or

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher, Dan Katcher / Tim Lynch, (212) 355-4449

SOURCE Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc.
HAIFA, Israel, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tactile Mobility, the leading tactile data and virtual sensing technology company, today announced it has raised $27 million as part of a Series C funding round led by Delek Motors, with strategic investment from Goodyear Ventures and Porsche Ventures, and supported by Union Group, The Group Ventures, Zvi Neta (AEV), Giora Ackerstein, and Doron Livnat. This brings Tactile Mobility's total funding to $47 million. The funds will be used to support the rapidly growing demand for its sensing technology and data offerings, expand into new segments among vehicle manufacturers, tier-1's, insurers, tire manufacturers and more, and deepen its offerings, including additional virtual sensors and expanding the company's cloud platform.

Tactile Mobility is enabling the next phase of mobility development by leveraging existing vehicle sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) to equip vehicles with the missing sense of "touch". By generating, collecting, and processing data from existing in-vehicle sensors about the vehicle, road, and surrounding environment, Tactile Mobility enables OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, insurers, and city maintenance and planning departments to offer their customers innovative products, driving efficiency and performance as well as a safe driving experience.

"The automotive industry is at a critical juncture in its endeavor to safely introduce the next generation of vehicles," said Shahar Bin-Nun, CEO of Tactile Mobility. "We have the opportunity and potential to not only participate in, but also shape the future of the mobility industry. With this funding, Tactile Mobility will be able to bring its innovative solutions to more markets, integrating our suite of virtual sensors into vehicles in new regions, and enhancing entire cities worldwide with our unparalleled insights."

Tactile Mobility is a world leader in software-based tactile sensing and data solutions working with road authorities and municipalities across the globe including in the UK, Germany, Israel, Singapore, and US. Tactile also partners with leading vehicle manufacturers including BMW to provide their next generation vehicles with the sense of "touch" that will enable them to offer an enhanced driving experience.

"Connected and autonomous driving are key to the future of people and goods movement. For improved safety and efficiency of connected and autonomous driving, tire data is key," said Abhijit Ganguly, managing director, Goodyear Ventures. "Tactile Mobility is at the forefront solving this need with their unique, software-only solution and we look forward to working together to bring this technology to vehicles and help to create safer and more efficient travel."

Tactile Mobility's solutions are comprised of its in-vehicle software only module residing on one of the vehicle's computers and its cloud-based system. The company's software collects first-order data -- including wheel speed, wheel angle, RPM, pedals position, gear position -- from vehicles' built-in non-visual sensors and analyzes it to yield actionable insights in real-time. These insights provide a clear-cut, highly accurate description and analysis of the continually evolving state of the vehicle, roads, and vehicle-road dynamics. Tactile Mobility's insights are beneficial across many sectors due to their availability, accuracy, and quality  from road planning and management, to tracking tire conditions and wear, and even for insurance purposes.

About Tactile Mobility:

Tactile Mobility enables the next phase of mobility development by leveraging existing vehicle sensors and artificial intelligence to equip vehicles with the missing sense of "touch." By generating, collecting, and processing data from existing in-vehicle sensors about the vehicle, road, and surrounding environment, Tactile Mobility enables OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, insurers, and city maintenance and planning departments to offer their customers innovative products, driving efficiency and performance as well as a safe driving experience  depending on their specific objectives. Tactile Mobility was co-founded in 2012 by Boaz Mizrachi, Yossi Shiri and Alex Ackerman and is already working with several OEMs including BMW. The company is headquartered in Haifa, Israel.

Media Contact:

Sarah Small

Headline Media

[email protected]

+1 929 255 1449

SOURCE Tactile Mobility
FORT MILL, S.C., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TerraCap Management LLC, a privately held investment firm with its headquarters in Naples, Florida, announced today the acquisition of Palmetto Place, a 184-unit Class-B apartment complex located in Fort Mill, SC. Fort Mill is located less than 20 miles from Charlotte, NC. Palmetto Place was built in 1996 and features one, two, and three-bedroom units with an average unit size of 965 square feet.

TerraCap Management

Steve Hagenbuckle, Founder and Managing Partner of TerraCap, said, "We are excited to expand our geography into South Carolina. Fort Mill embodies all the characteristics of our TerraCap thesis of investing in high-growth markets that our research shows offers affordability, high quality of life, and new investments in commerce, amenities, and retail. Palmetto Place is a shining representation of what is attractive in multifamily living."

Palmetto Place is located in the York County submarket of SC. York County has seen consistently rising rents since 2009 as well as falling vacancy since 2017. Fort Mill itself is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau. With the area's rapid population growth along with Palmetto Place's below-market rents, the property already has value-add potential, which will be further enhanced through a premium renovation program.

"Fort Mill is an area that we've had our eye on for a while now. However, it's a tough market to enter because there's just not a lot of buying opportunities," said Steve Good, TerraCap's National Director of Acquisitions. "Palmetto is a great fit for what we are looking for: centrally located, plenty of amenities at the property and immediate area, and a low supply market with barriers to entry. These factors, along with rising population growth, make it an ideal candidate for us. We're excited for the opportunity to enter this market."

Andrea Howard of NorthMarq represented the seller in the disposition. First Communities Management was hired by TerraCap as property manager.

About TerraCap Management LLC

TerraCap Management LLC considers thematic factors such as business formation, employment growth and population growth on a market-by-market basis, as most metros and submarkets have different economic-based industries and therefore move through their economic cycles differently. TerraCap makes moderate strategic overweighting or underweighting to markets, depending on the specific economic drivers influencing supply and demand.

The Investment Manager has been in operation since 2008 with its headquarters located in Naples, FL, the firm also has offices in Tampa, FL, Atlanta, GA, and Denver, CO. As operators, TerraCap believes it can make decisions more efficiently while leveraging expertise from property to property. The firm has over 9 million square feet of commercial assets within its portfolio, with over 1.6 billion dollars of assets under management.

More information can be found at terracapmgmt.com.

For More Information, Contact:

Steve Good

239.898.4454

TerraCap Management LLC

SOURCE TerraCap Management

Related Links

https://terracapmgmt.com/


The 130th Canton Fair held a grand opening ceremony. The first Pearl River International Trade Forum was successfully held. The opening ceremony on the afternoon of October 14 was also the main forum of the Pearl River International Trade Forum. The theme of the main forum was "China's New Development Provides New Opportunities for the World", highlighting China's commitment to opening up and promoting free trade, which is a signal of China sharing development opportunities with the world in order to have a brighter future.

Remarkable results were achieved in the online-offline integration. About 26,000 companies at home and abroad participated online, uploading over 2.87 million products, an increase of 113,600 compared with the last session. The online platform was visited by 32.73 million times accumulatively. Exhibitors livestreamed 43,000 times accumulatively, with over 350,000 people watching online. The offline exhibition area totaled about 400,000 square meters with 7,795 exhibitors participating. The Canton Fair Complex received 600,000 visits accumulatively.

Despite the pandemic and other factors, overseas buyers and purchasing agents still participated actively. A total of 18 industrial and commercial organizations, including American Chamber of Commerce in South China and Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, organized over 500 member companies to attend the offline Fair. And 18 internationally renowned enterprises such as Walmart, Staples, and Auchan organized buyers to source at the Fair as well. Buyers from 228 countries and regions registered online to attend, further expanding the level of diversity and globalization of the Canton Fair.

"The 130th Canton Fair has operated smoothly with more business models and functions. It successfully completed of the tasks to achieve the goal of presenting an innovative Fair with highlights in a safe, orderly, and highly efficient way, and has contributed to promote high-quality development of international trade and global economic recovery," Xu Bing added.

SOURCE Canton Fair

Related Links

https://www.cantonfair.org.cn/en/


In a statement released today, the founder of The Workers Union, Mr C. Mahoney, said: "These figures prove that our "digital first" model of operation offers the flexibility and cost-effectiveness that modern workers expect from an employee services company."

The boost in numbers is thought to be part of a wider trend of workers turning away from trade unions in order to take advantage of services provided by non-traditional actors. These organisations are often smaller, more agile, and able to test what works without incurring huge costs or negotiating ossified political structures.

Mr Mahoney said that feedback from The Workers Union's membership suggested that workers are increasingly looking to "on demand" different services to meet their needs.

"The recent surge in membership numbers comes at a time of great uncertainty for working people. They have endured 18 months of Coronavirus misery and the after-effects of Brexit. In general terms, employers have responded well to what has been a dynamically changing set of circumstances. But there's always a rump of bad bosses who will use any excuse to exploit their staff. On that basis it's unsurprising that new digital entrants offering employees help, legal advice, news and guidance at the click of a button are on the up."

Mr Mahoney also said that The Workers Union's position outside of the big players was a distinct advantage in creating services that work for workers.

"A few have asked whether The Workers Union is a trade union. The answer is, emphatically, no. While this organisation has clear respect for their work, we operate on a different legal basis and our approach is to champion the rights of the individual. It's a philosophy that enables us to quickly canvass members on the issues that matter to them, and design services accordingly. And with over 20,000 members and counting, we're more convinced than ever that it's working."

SOURCE The Workers Union

Related Links

www.theworkersunion.com


CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Grainger (NYSE: GWW), the leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products serving businesses and institutions, today announced that three of its board members and a corporate officer are recognized in Savoy Magazine's "2021 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors." Grainger proudly recognizes its board members Rodney Adkins, Brian Anderson and Steven White, as well as Grainger Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Deidra (Dee) Merriwether who serves on the board of Weyerhaeuser.

Savoy is a leading business magazine reporting on African American success and achievement, and the Most Influential Black Corporate Directory is a prestigious listing of executives, influencers, and achievers active on the boards of the world's leading corporations and organizations.

"We strongly believe that having diverse perspectives strengthens and advances Grainger. Having a board and leadership team that reflects our team members, customers and communities helps ensure an inclusive environment," said Grainger Chairman & CEO DG Macpherson. "We are honored to have Rodney, Brian and Steven as our board members and Deidra as our CFO, all supporting our purpose to keep the world working."

The full "2021 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors" listing is available online at www.savoynetwork.com.

To learn more about our board of directors, visit: www.invest.grainger.com. For career opportunities with Grainger, visit: www.graingercareers.com.

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc., with 2020 sales of $11.8 billion, is North America's leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products, with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom.

SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.grainger.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- To further deepen its financial services in Nigeria and with ambitious expansions plans across Africa in the coming years, Tingo Mobile Plc (OTC: IWBB) (the "Company") today announces it has entered into an agreement with Visa Inc. (NYSE: V), the world leader in digital payments.

Tingo is a leading Agri-Fintech business in Africa and has delivered significant impact with its unique rural communities-based business model. The Company's goal is to become Africa's leading Agri-Fintech business, delivering significant social impact to many rural communities and providing a unique platform to enable financial inclusion, social upliftment, wealth creation and a sophisticated marketplace to promote its produce to markets both domestic and international. Tingo has over 4,000 women agents that support the rollout of its services in Nigeria alone. The Company remains very active in promoting women entrepreneurs to support gender equality and opportunity to this underserved segment of the market. As of Dec. 31, 2020, Tingo had 9,344,000 subscribers. The Company is confident these figures will grow through its planned expansion across Africa and natural progression of business in Nigeria.

With the strategic partnership, the unique African Agri-Fintech company will be able to drive greater adoption and an increase in financial services offered, especially digital payments, on its platforms. Tingo operates two proprietary platforms: Nwassa, Tingo Mobile's digital agri-marketplace platform that is better connecting African farmers with other players in the agricultural value chain; and Tingo Pay, its in-house payment platform that was recently made available to the general public.

"We are delighted to partner with Visa, the leading company in the global financial services sector. Visa has the mission of connecting the world to secure payment networks and enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive, which aligns with Tingo's mission," said Dozy Mmobuosi, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of Tingo Inc. (OTC: IWBB), the parent company of Tingo Mobile Plc. "With this agreement, Tingo Mobile will be able to issue Visa cards (both physical and virtual) to users on Nwassa and Tingo Pay."

Mmobuosi also highlighted that Visa will be pivotal to the expansion plan of Tingo Mobile across other African markets and beyond.

In addition to enabling the issuance to and usage of Visa cards for users on Tingo Mobile's platforms, Visa will also be providing technical support toward enabling payments functionalities

Along with Tingo's goal to increase financial inclusion in Africa, a vital aspect of the partnership is centred around financial education. Tingo and Visa will work together to provide knowledge and learning tools to communities, which will increase financial literacy and lead to greater financial and economic independence across the continent.

"Partnerships are fundamental to Visa's business model, and the expansion of our strategic partnership with Tingo Mobile is another example of how collaboration can help our clients deliver improved customer experiences," said Otto Williams, Senior Vice President, Head of Products and Solutions for Visa Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa. "Whether it is changing the way people invest, manage money, receive loans or send real-time payments to friends and family, Visa is a natural partner for fintech companies, providing them with new ways to reach their customers through Visa's vast network and global scale."

For more information about Tingo Inc., visit www.tingoinc.com.

About Tingo

Tingo Inc. (OTCQB: IWBB) is a digital service agri-fintech technology company focused on foundation-level agriculture and related financial services in Africa. The Company aims to be Africa's leading Agri-Fintech player, transforming rural farming communities to connect through its proprietary platform to meet their complete needs  from inputs and agronomy to off-take and marketplace  and deliver sustainable income in an impactful way. The Company's vision is to build complete digitally inclusive ecosystems that promote financial inclusion and deliver disruptive microfinance solutions, empower societies, produce social upliftment in rural communities and open international opportunities.

Global climate change is challenging productivity for sustainable production and food security. Social upliftment is a key area of global interest under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ESG impact investing. The Company's strategy and market execution provide an opportunity for Africa to be a core focal point to solve several key areas, including food security. Tingo does this through its unique NWASSA service model. Tingo aims to deliver, in a tangible and measurable way, alignment and compliance with the key U.N. SDGs: gender equality through upliftment of female entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, poverty alleviation and zero hunger. Over 60% of rural farming employs women in many countries in Africa. The Company's key goal is to empower SME women entrepreneurs engaged in the agri-ecosystem to deliver true gender equality and diversity. Tingo's rural programmes already provide services targeted at this segment of the market. The Company has a measurable approach to deliver this key social impact.

Tingo believes that a truly connected world will help contribute to a better global society. The Company's core focus areas are telecoms, financial services/fintech and agritech. Tingo's goal is to provide a best-in-class customer experience, support the domestic economies of its host countries and support technological and nancial inclusion to end the poverty premium. Through this, Tingo hopes to deliver attractive returns to shareholders while investing in the long-term future of the Company and its subsidiaries.

About Visa Inc.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world's leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network  enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company's relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device, for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit About Visa, visa.com/blog and @VisaNews.

SOURCE Tingo, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.tingoinc.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Toys"R"Us ANZ Limited (ASX: TOY) (TOY or the Company) and WHP Global ("WHP"), the parent company of Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us today announced they have signed a landmark long-term exclusive licence agreement for Toys"R"Us ANZ to run digital and physical retail commerce for Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us in the United Kingdom.

This highly significant milestone is an acknowledgment of TOY's commitment to the brands and successful relaunch in Australia of Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us, and a testament to the collaborative working relationship with worldwide brand owner WHP Global.

"We selected Toys"R"Us ANZ as our partner to expand into the United Kingdom because of their proven success in launching with us in Australia under the leadership of their CEO, Dr. Louis Mittoni," said Yehuda Shmidman, WHP Global and Toys"R"Us Chairman and CEO. "Toys"R"Us today is a vibrant business with over 900 stores and e-commerce sites across 25+ countries generating over US$2 billion a year in sales and growing, especially with the new launches underway for both the US and UK markets."

Dr. Louis Mittoni, CEO and Managing Director of Toys"R"Us ANZ, said: "Tailoring our successful Australian relaunch plan to the UK echoes the success of other e-commerce 'platform play' businesses that have delivered growth and value due to their ability to quickly and cost effectively expand their software, processes, partner relationships and brands into new countries. Since Toys"R"Us' return to Australia in June 2019, we have scaled quickly as customers returned to the much-loved brand and our e-commerce model has proven its success.

"My team and I are looking forward to developing technical and commercial relationships with UK-based vendors and partners and to engage with the many loyal Toys"R"Us former customers and fans in the UK."

The UK has one of the most advanced e-commerce markets in Europe, whereby internet sales account for more than one quarter of all retail sales in the UK1 and is forecast to be one-third of all retail sales by 2025. The UK is ranked third worldwide by the number of online shoppers per capita, representing around 80% of the UK population; it is ranked fourth worldwide by online B2C revenue, estimated at 99 billion in the 2020 calendar year2.

The total addressable market for toys and games in the UK for 2020 was 3.3 billion3, representing the largest toy market in Europe and the fourth largest globally.

Operations to be re-established in the UK

Toys"R"Us ANZ plans to commence online sales to UK shoppers over the next several months, initially from existing operations in Australia, whilst it works to establish local teams, offices and logistics facilities during 2022 and 2023.

TOY recently announced a purpose-built, state-of-the-art warehouse distribution and adjoining head office facility located in Victoria. The new premises have been specifically designed and configured to house the TOY headquarters and to accommodate the Company's medium-term requirements for warehousing, office space as well as a Toys"R"Us retail experience centre. This includes an initial AU$2 million investment in Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) technology to increase capacity and efficiency. The new centre will enable the company to realise its UK growth ambitions, with a further strategy to transfer these technologies and other processes to future locations.

TOY delivered strong results for the fourth financial quarter despite the relocation of warehouses between 22 July to 12 August. The number of orders received via the Toys"R"Us Australia website during September was 18.4k, representing an increase of 73.5% YoY4 and equivalent to 50% of orders received during the FY21 Q4 period.

The Company ended the 2021 financial year with a strong balance sheet and is cash self-sufficient should it choose to be with a cash at bank balance of AU$17.3 million and is planning for rapid revenue growth over the next several years.

In connection with the licence agreement, TOY will issue shares to Tru Kids Inc. equal in value to US$1.76m, subject to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to take place later this year.

This announcement is authorised for release by the Toys"R"Us ANZ Limited Board of Directors.

About Toys"R"Us ANZ Limited

Toys"R"Us ANZ Limited (ASX: TOY) is an Australian-based listed company with a mission to enrich the lives of people by encouraging exploration, creativity and living life more fully through the enjoyment of toys and hobbies. In addition to distributing leading products throughout Australia for key partners via its trading business Funtastic, the company recently acquired 100% of the Hobby Warehouse Group in November 2020, including Australian e-commerce websites Toys"R"Us, Babies"R"Us and Hobby Warehouse and the distribution business Mittoni Pty Ltd. The Company changed its name from Funtastic Limited to Toys"R"Us ANZ Limited on the 24 June 2021. Further information is available at corporate.toysrus.com.au

About WHP Global

WHP Global is a leading New York based firm that acquires global consumer brands and invests in high-growth distribution channels including digital commerce platforms and global expansion. WHP owns ANNE KLEIN, JOSEPH ABBOUD, LOTTO and a controlling interest in TOYS"R"US, BABIES"R"US, Geoffrey the Giraffe and more than 20 additional consumer brands in the toy and baby categories. The company also owns WHP+ (www.whp-plus.com), a turnkey direct to consumer digital e-commerce platform for brands, with full in-house operations including technology, data analytics, logistics, creative and digital marketing. For more information, please visit www.whp-global.com.

1 Office for National Statistics, Internet sales as a percentage of total retail sales ratio (%), 17 September 2021.

2 Statista, Value of online retail sales in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2012 to 2020 (in billion GBP).

3 The NPD Group, Toys and games bring fun to the UK in a Challenging 2020, 14 January 2021.

4 Comparison period comprises orders received only via the Toys"R"Us e-commerce website within the 30-day period 31 August to 29 September 2021 inclusive versus 31 August to 29 September 2020.

SOURCE WHP Global
Phase 1 development amounts to SAR 57+ Bn / USD 15+ Bn invested in AlUla's core 20km historical area. This incorporates social, economic and sustainability projects in five unique hubs with a focus on infrastructure, hospitality, arts & culture, and social and community development.

Signing the agreements at the fifth edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, RCU CEO Amr AlMadani said: "These new long-term strategic partnerships are critical to realising our ambition of creating a global benchmark for sustainable tourism. Our new partners will be instrumental in helping us deliver a detailed and certified plan. While our focus is set on Phase 1, we will ramp up our integrated approach towards the development of Phases 2 and 3 to drive traffic and sustain a regular flow of tourists in the long run.

"As we develop infrastructure and other assets that will help to establish AlUla as an exciting business hub servicing the northwest Arabia region, we require world-class partners such as these who will be with us for the long haul and who share our desire to benefit the people of AlUla while creating unforgettable experiences for visitors."

These partnerships will accelerate business and investment opportunities from 2022 onwards and demonstrate the pace of progress to revitalise AlUla as a responsible, sustainable and community-inclusive destination.

AECOM President Lara Poloni said: "AlUla is one of the world's largest and most complex development projects, home to more than 30,000 sites of historical significance, and we are proud to help realize the city's vision for the future. In partnership with RCU, we look forward to leveraging our global program management and technical expertise to deliver a sustainable legacy that transforms AlUla for generations to come."

AECOM will provide a range of integrated services across the entire AlUla program. These include executive-level program management to integrate all workstreams and major initiatives across RCU to implement the AlUla vision and outcomes, as well as a project delivery office that will work with RCU to implement best practices and delivery from design to construction and operation.

AECOM will also lead all design activities from setting standards, delivering the digital ecosystem, leading innovation, managing designers and delivering scopes. Further, asset and facilities management will be provided for the project lifecycle along with the benchmarking and development of smart city plans and projects.

Creating opportunities for the local community is a core aspect of AlUla's development plan and AECOM's approach. AECOM has already invested in training 400 residents to achieve professional vocational qualifications and will provide additional professional skills development and knowledge transfer opportunities both for residents and those relocating to AlUla for work.

Speaking on behalf of the French consortium, Egis Group CEO Laurent Germain said: "Our three highly regarded firms - Egis, Assystem and Setec - are unified, committed and eager to showcase our capabilities. As longstanding members of the Saudi business community, we are excited to be part of the development of AlUla."

The French Agency for the Development of AlUla (Afalula) was instrumental in bringing together the French consortium. Afalula Executive Chairman Gerard Mestrallet said: "Today's agreement deepens the Saudi-Franco partnership at AlUla and across other projects in Saudi Arabia. It also attests to the depth and strength of French engineering and infrastructure expertise to confront the most challenging aspects of responsible and sustainable development."

The Egis-led consortium brings infrastructure programme management and construction management capabilities to support on-time delivery of AlUla's most urgent projects and long-term development. As such, it offers a new perspective on infrastructure delivery defined by a coordinated approach. A core team will be based in AlUla including high-level specialists for engineering, construction and operations management and a range of international experts to bridge any knowledge gaps.

AECOM and the French consortium share the values of AlUla's Sustainability Charter which, through its 12 principles of sustainability, will empower the realisation of a carbon-neutral strategy and circular economy. It will also establish robust and resilient policies for the development of AlUla's heritage and environmental targets fuelled by renewable energy with 500-plus megawatts of clean power capacity. By 2035 renewable energy will supply 50 percent of demand.

Since unveiling its Journey through time masterplan in April 2021, the RCU has made significant progress on its journey to developing AlUla as a living museum while diversifying the economy and creating a vibrant community.

USD 2 Bn has been invested in key development projects including expanding AlUla International Airport, completing the stunning and architecturally awarded Maraya multi-se venue, completing water and power-plant infrastructure in the Ashar Valley, and bolstering AlUla County's security infrastructure.

Upon completion of the development strategy in 2035, RCU envisions the emerging city of AlUla defined by a thriving community and its ability to support residents' ambitions, where service excellence is the norm and creativity drives a culture of adaptability and flexibility.

By 2035 RCU forecasts that the population will more than triple to 130,000 with 38,000 new jobs created and AlUla contributing SAR 120 Bn (USD 32 Bn) to Saudi Arabia's GDP. Additionally, 80 percent of AlUla County will be home to nature reserves, with key flora and fauna reintroduced.

To learn more about investing in AlUla, visit https://www.rcu.gov.sa/en/investment

For media enquiries please contact the RCU Public Relations team at [email protected]

Note to editors:

It is always AlUla / not Al-Ula

About the Royal Commission for AlUla

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established by royal decree in July 2017 to preserve and develop AlUla, a region of outstanding natural and cultural significance in north-west Saudi Arabia. RCU's long-term plan outlines a responsible, sustainable, and sensitive approach to urban and economic development, that preserves the area's natural and historic heritage, while establishing AlUla as a desirable location to live, work, and visit. This encompasses a broad range of initiatives across archaeology, tourism, culture, education, and the arts, reflecting a commitment to meeting the economic diversification, local community empowerment, and heritage preservation priorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world's most trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle  from planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivalled technical expertise and innovation, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $13.2 billion in fiscal year 2020. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

About EGIS

A major international group in the construction engineering and mobility services sectors, Egis creates and operates intelligent infrastructure and buildings capable of responding to the climate emergency and addressing the major challenges of our time by helping to achieve more balanced, sustainable and resilient territorial development.

A 75%-owned subsidiary of Causse des Depots, with the remaining 25% held by partner executives and employees, Egis places its multiple fields of expertise at the disposal of the community and makes cutting-edge innovation accessible to all projects throughout their lifecycle: consulting, engineering, operation.

Through its wide-ranging fields of activity, Egis is a central player in the collective organisation of society and the living environment of its inhabitants all over the world.

About SETEC

Setec is ranked as a global engineering leader thanks to its technical excellence, which has driven its ambitions for more than 60 years.

With 3,300 employees around the world working in numerous sectors, ranging from transportation, water and buildings to energy efficiency, digital infrastructure and industrial facilities, setec serves a growing base of customers.

Setec is also an independent group owned by its engineers, with an energy and excellence fuelled by the passion of its employees. setec people continually enhance their expertise to design, model and implement sustainable solutions for a changing world. Their curiosity and appetite for challenge allows setec to invent new businesses and innovative approaches entirely focused on meeting the needs of its customers.

About Assystem

Assystem is an international engineering group. As a key participant in the industry for over 50 years, the Group supports its clients in managing their capital expenditure throughout their asset life cycles. Assystem S.A. is listed on Euronext Paris.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1671597/AIUIa_1.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1671598/AIUIa_2.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1671599/AIUIa_3.jpg

SOURCE The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU)
SINGAPORE and PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Travecta Therapeutics, Pte Ltd., a preclinical stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering a portfolio of product candidates engineered to cross the blood-brain-barrier and blood-retinal-barrier, today announced the expansion of the Board of Directors, the addition of Donald C. Manning, M.D., Ph.D., as Chief Medical Officer and Head of R&D, Peter Milligan, M.B.A., as Chief Financial Officer, Peter Tate, M.B.A., Ph.D., as Head of Singapore Operations and Sr. Director, Business Development, and the addition of Peter Honig, M.D., M.P.H., to the Scientific Advisory Board. The new members of the Board of Directors include June Bray, M.B.A., Ivan Gergel, M.D., M.B.A., Pascal Heberling, M.B.A., Bob Huang, M.D., M.B.A., and Charles Ryan, J.D., Ph.D., the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Eustache Besancon and Mr. Bruno de Pampelonne will continue to serve on the Board of Directors. Travecta is currently funded through a Series A investment round that was led by TKS I, a life sciences and digital health focused venture capital fund with Tikehau Capital serving as the lead investor.

"Travecta's proprietary mVECTA platform and our expertise in MFSD2A transporter protein science offer the potential to open up an unprecedented range of previously inaccessible targets within the brain and eye to molecules with a low-cost, oral therapy," said Dr. Ryan. "This technology is now at an inflection point, with multiple proprietary programs advancing through research and toward the clinic, including a lead compound expected to enter Phase 1 study in 2022, and several ongoing proof-of-concept collaborations with large pharmaceutical companies. The support of this broad group of esteemed scientists, physicians, investors and business leaders adds critical depth of expertise as we look to take advantage of this powerful technology across multiple disease areas, including ophthalmology, pain, neuro-oncology, neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration."

Dr. Manning added: "Travecta is an exciting story, with a platform designed to deliver a broad range of payloads, from lipids to kinase inhibitors, anti-inflammatory anti-oxidants and disease modifying agents, directly to the brain and eye. We have the opportunity to rapidly crystalize the therapeutic potential of this platform in several different areas in the coming quarters, and I look forward to working with the management team, board and our scientific advisors toward this goal."

Dr. Honig, who joins scientific advisory board members David Silver, Ph.D., and Jerold Chun, M.D., Ph.D., added: "The blood-brain and blood-retinal-barriers remain an obstacle in developing simple, elegant therapeutic solutions against key disease targets in these organs. Building on work from the lab of Dr. Silver at Duke-NUS Medical School, Travecta has the opportunity to open an entirely new therapeutic pathway to a number of intractable diseases of the eye and brain."

Management Team

Donald C. Manning, M.D., Ph.D. (Chief Medical Officer and Head of R&D)

Dr. Manning has over 25 years of experience in drug development and has held increasing levels of management responsibility in a range of pharmaceutical settings including Novartis, Celgene, Alpharma, Shionogi and Adynxx. During his career, Dr. Manning has developed a broad experience across all aspects of drug development from target selection, through development, approval and medical affairs in a wide range of therapeutic areas including CNS and oncology. Don received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology, an M.D. and Board Certification in Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine with subspecialty training in Pain Management all from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Before joining the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Manning held faculty positions at Johns Hopkins and University of Virginia.

Peter Milligan, M.B.A. (Chief Financial Officer)

Mr. Milligan has over 30 years of experience in a variety of finance roles across a number of industries. Most recently Peter was the Chief Financial Officer of Melinta Therapeutics, LLC (previouslyNASDAQ: MLNT). At Melinta, he successfully led refinancing efforts with the company's secured lender while helping to raise $75M of convertible unsecured debt. From 2016 through 2018, Mr. Milligan was the Chief Financial Officer of a privately held generic pharmaceutical company named G&W Laboratories, Inc. Still prior, Peter was the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Exelis, Inc. (NYSE: XLS). Peter started his career in public accounting, working for both PWC and Arthur Andersen & Co. Peter received a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in accounting from Hofstra University and an MBA from New York University with a concentration in finance and economics.

Peter Tate, M.B.A., Ph.D. (Head of Singapore Operations and Sr. Director Business Development)

Peter Tate is a pharmaceutical leader with more than 15 years of industry experience in R&D, operations and business development. Prior to joining Travecta, Peter spent ten years at EMD Serono, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, where he led analytical chemistry, logistics and pharmaceutical development teams; progressing many molecules from exploratory research to IND. He then took on a business development role, partnering clinical immunology and oncology assets with venture capital. Peter began his career at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, where he held roles of increasing responsibility leading pre-clinical analytics in support of immunology and inflammation research, as well as driving integration efforts during the Pfizer acquisition. Peter holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Rhode Island.

Scientific Advisory Board

Peter K Honig, M.D., M.P.H. (Scientific Advisor)

Peter Honig is an experienced leader in the strategic and tactical aspects of medicine and vaccine development with expertise in clinical pharmacology, clinical programs, setting clinical trial design, compliance, medical product safety, and medical product regulation. Dr. Honig recently retired from Pfizer as Senior Vice President and Head of Global Regulatory Affairs and Group Head of Development for China and Japan. Prior to joining Pfizer, he held senior leadership positions at AstraZeneca and Merck Research Laboratories and with the FDA, including a role as the first Director of the Office of Drug Safety in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). In addition to his industry and FDA experience, Dr. Honig has been the PhRMA representative to the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) Steering Committee from 2002 to 2021, is a past President of the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT) and is currently an associate editor of their flagship journal. Peter received an M.D. and M.P.H. from Columbia University in New York.

Board of Directors

June Bray, M.B.A. (Director)

Ms. Bray brings over forty years of extensive U.S. and global regulatory experience in the healthcare industry. She most recently served as Senior Vice President, Global Regulatory Affairs and Medical Writing at Allergan, where she was responsible for regulatory strategies on development projects and lifecycle management in all therapeutic areas, including psychiatry and neurology. During her tenure, she led numerous NDA approvals, including Namenda XR, Namzaric, Vraylar, and Ubrelvy. Previously, Ms. Bray served as Vice President, Regulatory Affairs at Organon (now Merck), where she led regulatory activities for development and marketed products. Earlier in her career, Ms. Bray held numerous roles of increasing responsibility over a 25-year period at Berlex Laboratories, Inc. (now Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals). Ms. Bray holds a B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Rhode Island and an M.B.A. in Pharmaceutical Marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Ivan Gergel, M.D., M.B.A. (Director)

Dr. Gergel has been a Managing Partner and CMO at New Rhein since 2017. Ivan is a medical doctor and experienced global pharmaceutical R&D executive whose successes to date include 14 drug approvals. Ivan has held senior leadership positions in several U.S. companies and overseen teams in the development, approval, and commercialization of numerous new medicines. Prior to joining New Rhein, from 2014 to 2017 Ivan was CMO and Head of Drug Development for Nektar Therapeutics, Inc. From 2008 to 2014, Ivan served as Executive VP and Chief Scientific Officer of Endo Health Solutions. Ivan held various roles at Forest Laboratories, Inc. from 1998 to 2008, including Senior VP of R&D and President of the Forest Research Institute. From 1989 to 1998, he worked for SmithKline Beecham in the UK and the U.S. Ivan received his M.D. from the Royal Free Medical School, University of London, and his M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Ivan is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and a fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the UK College of Physicians.

Pascal Heberling, M.B.A. (Director)

Mr. Heberling is a partner at BC Partners and covers the healthcare sector and DACH region. Previously, Pascal was a member of the Executive Committee of the Private Equity Department and Head of Healthcare at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) where he led a number of transactions, primarily in the healthcare space. Prior to this, he was a partner at Cinven, where he spent 12 years. He began his career at Merrill Lynch. Pascal is a graduate of Sciences Po Paris (summa cum laude) and holds an M.A. and M.B.A. from the University of Toronto (dean's list).

Bob Huang, M.D., M.B.A. (Director)

Dr. Huang is an Executive Director at Tikehau Capital and covers the healthcare sector. Bob is a medical doctor and healthcare investor with experience in biotech, diagnostics, healthcare IT and healthcare services. Prior to joining Tikehau, Bob was an investment executive at Seidler Equity Australia and Archer Capital, focusing on healthcare investments in Australia and New Zealand. Prior to this, Bob was a management consultant at Bain & Company with a focus on advising Fortune 500 healthcare companies on growth strategy, operational optimization, and M&A in North America and Asia Pacific. Bob holds an M.D. from University of New South Wales and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

About Travecta Therapeutics

Travecta Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company developing a broad portfolio of product candidates engineered to cross the blood-brain-barrier and blood-retinal-barrier. The company's proprietary platform mVECTA allows the company to screen and develop product candidates that can cross the blood-brain-barrier targeting novel and untapped neurological pathways as well as ocular targets in the eye via the blood-retinal-barrier. Travecta's mVECTA proprietary platform is built upon a deep understanding of the MFSD2A transporter protein and its function at the blood-brain-barrier as well as in other key physio-pathological conditions discovered by Dr. David Silver. The new chemical entities discovered through mVECTA have significant advantages over existing therapies and allow the company to address large patient populations with conditions that were previously hard to treat using existing modalities. Travecta focuses on biological pathways that have been clinically validated but where key biological targets have not been drugged or have been inadequately drugged due to the BBB challenge. To date, we have leveraged the mVECTA platform to design and test novel molecules with high brain penetration focused in the areas of pain, ophthalmology, neuro-oncology, neuropathic pain and neuro-inflammation.

For more information, visit: https://travectatx.com/.

Contacts

Investors:

Argot Partners

Jason Finkelstein

212.600.1902 | [email protected]

SOURCE Travecta Therapeutics Pte Ltd

Related Links

https://travectatx.com/


Medical cannabis company continues rapid expansion with opening of 104th Florida dispensary

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCQX: TCNNF) ("Trulieve" or "the Company"), the largest cannabis multi-state operator (MSO) in the United States, today announced the opening of a dispensary in Bartow, Florida. The Bartow location is Trulieve's 104th in the state. This dispensary joins the Company's 103 additional medical marijuana dispensaries across Florida, including those in nearby Winter Haven and Lakeland.

Trulieve invites the Bartow community to join the grand opening festivities, which include partner swag giveaways, custom t-shirt screen printing with St. Petersburg-based Craft Tee, and all-day deals. All registered patients will be eligible for a 25% in-store discount at the new Bartow dispensary on opening day, and all first-time Trulieve customers are eligible for a 50% new customer discount, both at Bartow and dispensaries across the state.

ANNOUNCING: Trulieve Bartow Grand Opening

WHERE: 1030 N Broadway Avenue, Suite 1D, Bartow, FL

WHEN: Thursday, October 28, 2021, at 9:00am

As the state's leading medical cannabis provider, Trulieve's employees are experts in cannabis products and the process of becoming a medical cannabis patient. From those interested in applying for a card to patients already familiar with Trulieve's wide array of products, Trulieve's team looks forward to welcoming Bartow-area patients to the new dispensary and serving patients at every end of the cannabis experience spectrum.

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, or to learn how to become a registered patient, 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/


"Remote and hybrid work is here to stay. As a virtual collaboration platform that facilitates training, workshops, kickoffs and internal events, we're filling a gap that's never been more important, more prominent or in higher demand for companies," said Matt Compton, CEO of Filo.co. "With this funding, we're excited to continue building features that empower people from all over the world to work together seamlessly within their own intuitive virtual campuses."

As remote and hybrid workforces become more prevalent, executives are investing in technology to support the new environment. According to PwC's US Remote Work Survey , 72% of surveyed US executives with plans to increase investment in hybrid working are prioritizing virtual collaboration tools and solutions.

"Working and collaborating across teams, departments and even companies is a problem that's existed forever, and the emergence of remote and hybrid work has only made that pain more acute," said Flyover Capital Partner Thad Langford. "There's never been a stronger need in the market for a collaboration platform that's built with these distributed teams in mind, or a more efficient, elegant solution than Filo."

Filo.co offers teams a fast, flexible and frictionless solution to power internal collaborative events. The platform facilitates planning, engagement and collaboration for teams through features like livestreaming, breakout spaces, chat functionality and simple access to shared documents, information and meetings all in one intuitive virtual campus. Clipping into existing workflows, Filo.co both integrates directly with Zoom and serves as a reseller partner, providing best-in-class video to all users regardless of a person's existing technology stack.

Today, companies like Anaplan, Seismic, Techstars, 500 Global and Berkeley SkyDeck use Filo.co to power kickoffs, onboardings, workshops, accelerators, demo days, events and more.

"Following our acquisition of Lessonly, we needed to quickly inform, inspire, and enable hundreds of team members across the globe in less than a few weeks," said Irina Soriano, Vice President & Head of Enablement at Seismic. "Not only was Filo incredibly simple to spin up, it provided our global go-to-market team members a seamless way to come together, learn, and collaborate that wouldn't have otherwise been possible."

Filo.co plans to use the recent funding to accelerate product development, deepen their Zoom integration, and expand awareness and go-to-market.

"Creating collaborative, virtual environments is a growing challenge that almost every company is being forced to solve right now," said High Alpha Partner Mike Fitzgerald. "Filo is rethinking how people work together in a digital world, and we could not be more excited to partner with Flyover to make it happen."

About Filo.co

Filo.co, a distributed company with roots in Indianapolis, is a virtual collaboration platform that powers internal events like team workshops, trainings, bootcamps, onboardings, kickoffs and more. With features like livestreaming, breakout spaces, chat functionality, visibility into digital presence and easy access to shared documents within one intuitive campus, Filo.co is a fast, flexible and frictionless solution that helps companies get work done remotely. For more information, visit filo.co .

About Flyover Capital

Flyover Capital, based in Overland Park, Kansas was formed with the mission of creating the next generation of technology success stories outside the traditional tech hubs. Founded by entrepreneurs, Flyover has been supporting Middle America's top founding teams since 2015. Learn more at flyovercapital.com .

About High Alpha

High Alpha, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a leading venture studio focused on conceiving, launching and scaling next-generation B2B SaaS companies. For more information, visit highalpha.com or follow on Twitter @highalpha .

SOURCE Filo.co

Related Links

www.filo.co


"Will Governor Abbott Save or Sell Out Texas?" Tweet this

Recipients of SB 8 funds are required to enter into a contract with the US Department of Treasury and must comply with the Award Terms and Conditions as detailed in the Interim Final Rule for CSLFRF as were Recipients of CRF. The Recipient remains responsible for monitoring and overseeing the sub recipient's use of the funds and other activities related to the award to ensure that the sub-recipient complies with the statutory, regulatory requirements, and executive orders as defined in the award terms and conditions as follows.

1. CSLFRF - Compliance with Applicable Law and Regulations. Pg 3 Section 9 - "Recipient also agrees to comply with all other applicable federal statutes, regulations, and executive orders, and Recipient shall provide for such compliance by other parties in any agreements it enters into with other parties relating to this award."

2. CRF - Terms and Conditions 1.26 Compliance with Federal Law, Regulations, and Executive Orders: Grantee acknowledges that federal financial assistance funds will be used to fund the Grant Agreement. The grantee will comply with all applicable federal laws, regulations, executive orders, policies, procedures, and directives.

- In the event of an issuance of a federal executive order for all Recipients to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, will all Recipient's employees, subcontractors, and customers who benefit from "award" activities be coerced into taking vaccinations to keep their jobs or to continue to receive services from Recipients (Cities, Counties, Schools, etc.)?

- If the Recipient is found to not be compliant with one of the many federal statutes, regulations, or executive orders, will the federal government:





Demand the repayment of all funds received?  Seize their bank accounts?  Seize their property?  Incarcerate the recipient?  All of the above?

On October 15, 2021, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton warns all state agencies of unprecedented federal contract language causing conflicts between state and federal laws:

"President Biden recently issued a federal executive order directing federal departments and agencies to begin including a clause in federal "contract and contract-like instruments" specifying that contractors must comply with "workplace safety protocols" that would apply to "all covered contractor employees, including contractor or subcontractor employees. These protocols will now include a requirement that covered employees receive a COVID-19 vaccination."

Sheila Hemphill, CEO, Texas Right To Know states: "These actions by President Biden and the contracts between Recipients and the US Department of Treasury will relinquish sovereignty held by state and local governments through unprecedented inclusion of federal executive orders as terms for contract compliance, which could include COVID-19 vaccine mandates or any other federal executive order issued.

It is for these reasons, we are urging Texans to call the Governor's office, 512-463-1782 or 512-463-2000 and submit a comment at https://gov.texas.gov/contact and ask him to:

1. Veto SB 8 and investigate the federal contract overreach with the potential to transfer control of state and local government assets and services to be subordinate to federal executive orders.



2. End all COVID-Related State of Emergency Orders that continues the federal overreach.

As of October 25, 2021 COVID-19 emergency orders have expired in 24 states including AK, FL, PA, etc.



3. Call for Senate and House hearings to investigate evidence of federal criminal conspiracy and racketeering actions of the federal government as seen in patents, federal agency and public policy guidelines, and unprecedented use of Emergency Use Authorization of tests and vaccines.



4. Call for an immediate fourth special session to address these requests and complete the legislative priorities of the Republican Party of Texas and to codify Executive Order GA-39 and pass legislation for a comprehensive ban on vaccine mandates."

"At no fault of their own, state agencies, federal contractors, and companies are already in a 'no-win" predicament since complying with federal executive orders violates state executive orders. It is clear that Texas' dependency on federal grant money is threatening the sovereignty of Texas and making us subservient to the federal government and now federal executive orders by contract.

Texans should not be forced to compromise their conscientious, medical, and religious inalienable rights and be mandated a medical procedure in order to retain their freedom and ability to work, buy, sell, or travel. For many people, coerced participation in a clinical trial of an experimental drug through forced injection is the equivalent of medical rape and to some, it will be a death sentence.

Governor Abbott, please protect and defend us," implores Hemphill.

Visit www.TexasRightToKnow.com for a two-page printable color PDF and for more information, text updates, and action alerts.

Media Contact: Sheila Hemphill, [email protected]

SOURCE Texas Right to Know

Related Links

http://www.texasrighttoknow.com


IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobilogix, the leading provider of cost-optimized State of the Art cellular IoT solutions announces the launch of BAT-NXT, the latest innovative addition to its Asset Tracking portfolio.

Mobilogix introduces new state of the art Asset Tracker optimized for Cold Chain

BAT-NXT is a battery-operated global tracking device utilizing low power LTE CAT-M1/NB-IoT technology with embedded Bluetooth. BAT-NXT employs ambient light and NIST Traceable sensors for precise temperature and humidity monitoring and has been optimized for dry and refrigerated supply chain use cases at a package level. BAT-NXT is encased in a sealed IP67 enclosure with an externally positioned sensor pod for increased responsiveness to changing environmental conditions.

BAT-NXT can act as a gateway solution for BTM250 series and other Bluetooth devices, or as a beacon to conserve battery power during extended idle periods. LED indicators and operator button provide visibility and control.

BAT-NXT is FOTA ready for remote update and configuration. User-defined reporting intervals and alerts can be managed via FusionIoT or 3rd Party Platforms on AWS IoT Core. BAT-NXT design incorporates IP67 ingress protection, an externally facing sensor pod, USB-C connectivity for charging and external devices and lower power consumption.

As the centerpiece of a complete solution offering enhanced command and control in locating, monitoring, and managing assets in Dry Chain and Cold Chain use cases the BAT-NXT is the ideal device to meet the requirements of global organizations across industries.

"BAT-NXT is a best-in-class tracking solution to serve critical use cases with enhanced capabilities.", said Charlie Williams, EVP of Sales and Marketing with Mobilogix. "We've taken years of feedback from BAT-X customer usage and rolled it into the BAT-NXT solution to continue to address the markets being served by these battery powered indoor/outdoor tracking solutions."

Mobilogix is presently accepting BAT-NXT pre-orders and welcomes engagements with customers seeking scalable solutions without compromise for their asset tracking needs.

BAT-NXT IS AVAILABLE TO BE WHITE-LABELED AND CUSTOM BRANDED.

About Mobilogix

Mobilogix is the world's leading provider in IoT asset optimization and management solutions. The company's solutions are deployed by leading Agriculture, Automotive, Construction, Healthcare, Industrial and Transportation companies to track, monitor, and manage their assets with real-time actionable data. Mobilogix is headquartered in Irvine, California, and has global offices in Brazil, India, Hong Kong and China. For more information, please visit https://mobilogix.com/ , call +1.949.748.8895, or email [email protected].

Media contact:

Greg Oppenheim

9493656236

[email protected]

SOURCE Mobilogix, Inc.
DUBLIN, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Water Purifier Market Outlook, 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The water purifier in a simpler term is defined as a device used to decontaminate the water from harmful substances, chemicals, pathogens, microorganisms, and other dissolved solids and to make it portable. This report provides an in-depth insight of the market size by value and volume, analyzes the trends on factors like by types (Counter Top, Under Sink, Faucet Mount), by technology (RO, UV, Gravity Based, and Others) by Sales Channel (Online and Offline) by Region and by country.



According to the recent reports of the United Nations and the World Health Organization, every 21 seconds, a child dies annually in developing countries due to waterborne diseases caused by contaminated water drinking. This is even worse in the developing economies due to scarcity of freshwater, rapid surge in population, and rise in pollution. The diminishing quality of water is a serious health hazard globally which has given a rise in the demand for water purifiers. This is to aid the market to reach a value of more than USD 65 Billion by the end of the year 2026, while in terms of volume it is expected to grow with an anticipated CAGR of less than 10%.



Earlier, water purification only included boiling it that too specifically during the rains, to prevent any contamination. With increasing R&D, new innovations have occurred in the water purifiers and along with newer pollutants in the water body, the market is now full of choices. Some of these pollutants comprise heavy metals like zinc, lead, nickel, copper, cobalt, magnesium, cadmium, chromium, or molybdenum can cause kidney stones or blood disorders, and simply boiling the water is not the most effective solution. The purchase decision of the water purifier depends on the metal contaminants in the water and the hardness level. Considering the fact RO water purifiers are safe, cost-effective, and easy to maintain, the segment held nearly half of the market share. Even though it is the most effective purifier, requires electricity and a lot of produces a lot of wastewater, making it a questionable choice in extreme rural regions. On the other hand, the UV water purifier scores point being able to work with low electricity consumption and low maintenance cost too. The UV water purifier segment is expected to grow with an anticipated growth of 11.47%, which is yet the lowest among the type of purifiers classified on technology.



While the rural population considers the water purifier as equipment to aid them with better quality drinking water, the urban population wants to ensure that it fits well within their kitchen decor and adds up elegance. This has given a hike in the under sink purifier segment, which in 2015 was at USD 15.29 Billion. By the end of the forecasted period, the faucet water purifier type is expected to hold a share of nearly 20% in the market for the same reason. On top of it, the faucet type purifier can be an advantage in extreme rural regions as there might be one or two common water taps among few houses, and the use of such purifiers would allow them to enjoy quick access to safe drinking water cost-effectively.



Based on sales channel, the market is segmented into online and offline markets, of which offline sales channel holds an unbeatable market share of nearly 90%. This was attributed to the higher affinity of consumers, as they are perceived to be safe and sometimes allow the consumers to able to taste the water before purchase. Moreover, retail stores have the added advantage of immediate gratification, which further boosts their popularity. However, with millennials as decision-makers, it is obvious for the online sales channel to grow, expected to be reflected as a growth rate of 17% through the forecasted period. The availability at less expensive cost is a factor that drives the non-portable water purifier market growth. The penetration is to increase in the coming years due to its capability to purify and store large amounts of water.



Regionally, Asia holds the lion's share of the market, as the region is home to almost 60% of the world's population. The major countries like China, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Macau are a few of the emerging markets for water purifiers. However, Latin America, along with Middle East & Africa is expected to incline in the coming years, due to the increase in the penetration level of water purifiers, and deterioration in the quality of water. The North America and Europe markets are leading towards maturity, having witnessed increased penetration and superior quality of drinking water. China, the US, and India are the top 3 countries in the global water purifier market, accounting for more than USD16 Billion in the year 2020. The renowned water purifier market players have focused on launching well-equipped products with advanced water purification technologies in these markets.



Key players in the market are: 3M, A.O. Smith Corporation, Aquatech International LLC, Brita GmbH, BWT Holding Gmbh, Coway Company Limited, Culligan International Company, EcoWater System LLC, Eureka Forbes Limited, GE Appliances, Ion Exchange LLC, Kent RO System Ltd, Kinetico Inc., LG Electronics, Mitsubishi Rayon Cleansui Co. Ltd, Panasonic Corporation, Pentair PLC, Tata Chemicals Ltd., Unilever N.V., and Whirlpool

Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary



2. Report Methodology



3. Market Structure

3.1. Market Considerate

3.2. Market Definitions



4. Global Water Purifier Market Outlook

4.1. Market Size by Value & by Volume

4.2. Market Share

4.2.1. By Product Type

4.2.2. By Technology

4.2.3. By Sales Channel

4.2.4. By Region

4.2.5. By Country

4.2.6. By Company

5. North America Water Purifier Market Outlook

5.1. Market Size by Value & by Volume

5.2. Market Share

5.3. US Water Purifier Market Outlook

5.4. Canada Water Purifier Market Outlook

5.5. Mexico Water Purifier Market Outlook

6. Europe Water Purifier Market Outlook

6.1. Market Size by Value & by Volume

6.2. Market Share

6.3. Germany Water Purifier Market Outlook

6.4. UK Water Purifier Market Outlook

6.5. France Water Purifier Market Outlook

6.6. Spain Water Purifier Market Outlook

6.7. Italy Water Purifier Market Outlook

6.8. Russia Water Purifier Market Outlook

7. Asia Pacific Water Purifier Market Outlook

7.1. Market Size by Value & by Volume

7.2. Market Share

7.3. China Water Purifier Market Outlook

7.4. Japan Water Purifier Market Outlook

7.5. India Water Purifier Market Outlook

7.6. Australia Water Purifier Market Outlook

7.7. Vietnam Water Purifier Market Outlook

7.8. Indonesia Water Purifier Market Outlook

7.9. South Korea Water Purifier Market Outlook

8. Latin America Water Purifier Market Outlook

8.1. Market Size by Value & by Volume

8.2. Market Share

8.3. Brazil Water Purifier Market Outlook

8.4. Argentina Water Purifier Market Outlook

8.5. Columbia Water Purifier Market Outlook

9. Middle East & Africa Water Purifier Market Outlook

9.1. Market Size by Value & by Volume

9.2. Market Share

9.3. UAE Water Purifier Market Outlook

9.4. Saudi Arabia Water Purifier Market Outlook

9.5. South Africa Water Purifier Market Outlook

10. Market Dynamics

10.1. Key Drivers

10.2. Key Challenges



11. Market Trends and Developments



12. Competitive Landscape

12.1. Porter's Five Force Model

12.2. Company Profiles

12.2.1. 3M

12.2.2. A.O. Smith Corporation

12.2.3. Aquatech International LLC

12.2.4. Brita GmbH

12.2.5. BWT Holding Gmbh

12.2.6. Coway Company Limited

12.2.7. Culligan International Company

12.2.8. EcoWater System LLC

12.2.9. Eureka Forbes Limited

12.2.10. GE Appliances

12.2.11. Ion Exchange LLC

12.2.12. Kent RO System Ltd

12.2.13. Kinetico Inc.

12.2.14. LG Electronic

12.2.15. Mitsubishi Rayon Cleansui Co. Ltd

12.2.16. Panasonic Corporation

12.2.17. Pentair PLC

12.2.18. Tata Chemicals Ltd.

12.2.19. Unilever N.V.

12.2.20. Whirlpool



13. Strategic Recommendations



14. Disclaimer



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/d2y65l

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

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SOURCE Research and Markets

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"Environmental protection is vital for human happiness and the driving force for enterprises to realize sustainable development. As a world-renowned enterprise that develops and manufactures complete sets of large-scale machinery for open-pit mining, XCMG takes green and new energy machinery as the key direction of advancement. We are also glad to see that Vale considers green development featuring low-carbon mining and net zero emissions as a critical strategic goal for its own development," says Mr. Hanson Liu, VP of XCMG Machinery.

"This is in line with Vale's goal of reducing its Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 33% by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and reinforces our ambition to lead the way in low carbon mining," Mr. Alexandre Pereira, Vale's Executive Vice President for Global Business Solutions said while congratulating this initiative. "Vale also sees this partnership with XCMG Machinery as one more important step in the deepening of its long-term and win-win partnership with China, which dates back to 1973, when Vale sent its first iron ore shipment to China."

The MoU was signed by Mr. Sam Shang, Deputy General Manager of XCMG Import and Export Co., Ltd and Mr. Antonio Cardoso, Head of Procurement China at Vale during the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the sister state-province relationship between the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais and the Chinese province of Jiangsu.

After signing this MoU, XCMG will set up a special team for deeper cooperation and communication with Vale, to collaborate in pushing forward global environmental protection, and to boost green and sustainable economic development.

About XCMG

XCMG is a multinational heavy machinery manufacturing company with a history of 78 years. It currently ranks third in the world's construction machinery industry.

SOURCE XCMG

Related Links

www.xcmg.com


VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Xebra Brands Ltd. ("Xebra") (CSE: XBRA) (FSE: 9YC), a cannabis company, is pleased to announce it has commenced trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the trading symbol 9YC. The common shares of Xebra are now cross-listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE), and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE).

Xebra's President, Rodrigo Gallardo, stated, "Since listing on the CSE, we have made it a priority to have our shares available to investors outside of Canada. Listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange is an important milestone in accomplishing this goal."

The FSE is not only the largest exchange in Germany it is also considered one of the world's largest trading centers for securities. Xebra anticipates the FSE listing will provide increased liquidity and significantly broaden its investor base throughout Europe.

Xebra has also submitted an application to the OTC Markets Group to obtain a listing in the United States. In addition, Xebra has completed an application for DTC eligibility, which is intended to be submitted to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) imminently. Xebra estimates that its common shares may possibly start trading on the OTC Pink by the end of November 2021. Xebra also intends to upgrade to OTCQB immediately thereafter.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD:

Rodrigo Gallardo

President

Certain information contained in this press release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements, these include, without limitation, statements regarding Xebra Brands Ltd.'s ("XEBRA" or "XEBRA'S") expectations in respect of its ability to successfully execute its business plan or business model; its ability to provide economic, environmental, social, or any benefits of any type, in the communities it operates in or may operate it in the future; its ability to be a first mover in a country, or to obtain or retain government licenses, permits or authorizations in general, or specifically in Mexico, Colombia, Canada, the Netherlands, or elsewhere; its ability to raise capital and fund its ongoing operations; its ability to list its shares on a stock exchange, its ability to successfully apply for and obtain trademarks and other intellectual property in any jurisdiction; its ability to be cost competitive; its ability to cultivate, grow, or process hemp or cannabis in Mexico, Colombia, Canada, the Netherlands, or elsewhere; its ability to manufacture cannabis beverages, wellness products, or other products; its ability to commercialize or sell cannabis beverages, wellness products, or other products, in Mexico, Colombia, Canada, the Netherlands, or elsewhere; its ability to commercialize or to sell Vicious Citrus Lemonade in 2022 or at any time, in any jurisdiction; its ability to commercialize or to sell Elements wellness products in Mexico, in Colombia, or in any jurisdiction in 2021 or at any time; its ability to make cannabis beverages that taste good; its ability to create wellness products that have a therapeutic effect or benefit; plans for future growth and the direction of the business; financial projections including expected revenues, gross profits, and EBITDA (which is a non-GAAP financial measure); plans to increase product volumes, the capacity of existing facilities, supplies from third party growers and contractors; expected growth of the cannabis industry generally; management's expectations, beliefs and assumptions; events or developments that XEBRA expects to take place in the future; and general economic conditions. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking information and statements. The words "aim", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "contemplate", "target", "intends", "continue", "plans", "budget", "estimate", "may", "will", and similar expressions identify forward-looking information and statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by XEBRA as of the dates of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the inability of XEBRA to generate sufficient revenues or to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plan; the inability of Xebra to list its shares for trading on a stock exchange; changes in government legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in various countries; risks associated with agriculture and cultivation activities generally, including inclement weather, access to supply of seeds, poor crop yields, and spoilage; compliance with import and export laws of various countries; significant fluctuations in cannabis prices and transportation costs; the risk of obtaining necessary licenses and permits; inability to identify, negotiate and complete a potential acquisition for any reason; the ability to retain key employees; dependence on third parties for services and supplies; non-performance by contractual counter-parties; general economic conditions; and the continued growth in global demand for cannabis products and the continued increase in jurisdictions legalizing cannabis; and the timely receipt of regulatory approval for license applications. The foregoing list is not exhaustive and XEBRA undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of the foregoing except as required by law. Many of these uncertainties and contingencies could affect XEBRA's actual performance and cause its actual performance to differ materially from what has been expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, XEBRA. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those set out in such statements.

SOURCE Xebra Brands Ltd.
MADRID, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 0-G Launch, an innovative Washington DC-based provider of the Space Jet horizontal rocket air-launch and microgravity service aircraft, and the Canary Islands Aeronautic and Aerospace Cluster -CAAC, an international center of excellence dedicated to promoting companies in the aeronautical-aerospace sector in the archipelago, today announced the signature of an agreement to initiate consumer zero-gravity parabolic flights from the islands in 2023.

Space Jet(TM) from 0-G Launch Horizontal Rocket Air-Launch with Space Jet(TM)

The agreement was signed during an in-person ceremony at the World Air Traffic Management (ATM) Conference in Madrid. As first part of this agreement, 0-G Launch will fly its Space Jet to the Canary Islands to make exciting zero-gravity parabolic flight experiences locally available on a yearly basis. CAAC will organize and manage the media outreach and logistics to ensure that these unique flights are actively promoted among the nearly 13 million tourists that visit the archipelago annually.

"Our partnership with the CAAC is an exciting international agreement for 0-G Launch to provide unforgettable zero-gravity flight experiences to consumers in the beautiful Canary Islands. We envision our first parabolic flights to start in 2023, and thereafter include horizontal rocket air-launch missions for small satellites as the next potential step from this idyllic European location," said Robert Feierbach, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of 0-G Launch.

"The Canary Islands not only benefit from millions of tourists visiting our beautiful paradise yearly, to whom we can now offer exciting zero-gravity flights never before available in our archipelago, but we are also ideally situated to provide a wide array of inclinations for small rocket horizontal launch missions to deliver satellites for the fast-growing new Space economy," said Jose Luis Garcia, CEO of CAAC.

About 0-G Launch

0-G Launch is a Washington DC-based company that offers the Space Jet airborne platforms using specially-modified commercial aircraft to provide high-precision microgravity and cost-effective rocket air-launch capabilities to the fast-growing Space industry. Among its services, it will provide microgravity parabolic flights for equipment R&D and testing, astronaut training and consumer flight experiences globally, as well as testing & horizontal air-launch services for orbital rockets and hypersonic vehicle developers, offering the best economics, availability and flexibility in the market. At 0-G Launch, we're "Bringing Earth Closer to Space."

Media enquiries: Robert Feierbach, [email protected], T. +212-380-3565 www.0-GLaunch.com

About CAAC

The Aeronautics and Aerospace Technology Cluster of the Canary Islands (CAAC) is based in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It was created as an international center of excellence in the field of aerial robotics technologies and satellite systems, with a mission of developing innovation and R&D projects, and cooperation between public and private sectors in the aeronautical and aerospace sectors across the archipelago.

Media enquiries: Jose Luis Garcia, [email protected], T. +34 928-98-79-82 www.caac.com.es

SOURCE 0-G Launch

Related Links

https://0-glaunch.com/


OMAHA, Neb., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 1623 Farnam , a regional leader in network-neutral edge interconnection and data center services, announces today the rebrand of its hosted peering exchange, Omaha IX . The rebrand strengthens the ecosystem between the Exchange and the 1623 Farnam facility, and features a new website fortified with information for both existing and prospective customers. The IX has also been upgraded with 100G ports, with plans in place to continue upgrading port speeds and capacities in the first quarter of 2022.

Omaha IX is the premier Midwest Internet Exchange strategically located in the central United States and hosted at 1623 Farnam. The facility sits at the nexus of the country's north/south and east/west fiber routes, allowing customers to connect to the far reaches of the country with lower latency due to fewer hops, and therefore lower costs. The area has also become a hotbed of innovation and a hyperscale hub, which is proven by the presence of Google Cloud's largest North American cloud node, and a large Facebook data center in nearby Papillon, Nebraska.

"We are very excited to unveil this rebrand of Omaha IX," says 1623 Farnam President, Todd Cushing . "Omaha IX is a really big differentiator for us at 1623 Farnam, and we are very proud to host it. It gives our customers a unique opportunity to peer without hassle, and does a great deal to strengthen and diversify our network ecosystem."

Established in 2014, Omaha IX was formerly owned by Mankato Networks at the 1623 Farnam street facility. When NPG Co. acquired the building in 2019, the name was changed to 1623 Farnam. 1623 Farnam acquired Omaha IX in mid-2020. In the first year of 1623's ownership, the IX has added 25% more ports and now boasts over 45 active ports and growing. Omaha IX is one vital part of a vast network ecosystem hosted within 1623 Farnam.

To visit the new Omaha IX website, go to www.omahaix.com .

To learn more about 1623 Farnam, go to www.1623Farnam.com .

About 1623 Farnam

1623 Farnam is the leading network interconnect point providing secure direct edge connectivity to fiber and wireless network providers, major cloud and CDN properties, content providers and Fortune 500 enterprises. We support mission-critical infrastructure and applications with the highest levels of availability, enabling maximum levels of application performance. As the regional leader in network-neutral, edge interconnection, 1623 Farnam offers access to 50 network companies which have local, regional, national and international reach. Located in the heart of the Midwest, 1623 Farnam services over five million eyeballs and multiple Fortune 500 companies in our region. Nebraska is the 15th fastest growing tech state and 20th fastest population growing state in the nation. We pride ourselves on consistently earning high customer satisfaction scores resulting in customer peace-of-mind.

SOURCE 1623 Farnam, LLC

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PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American Heart Association (AHA) announce the senior editorial leadership of the new digital, open access, peer-reviewed journal, Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases (AIMCC). Gustavo R. Heudebert, MD, MACP, will serve as editor in chief and Daniel P. Morin, MD, MPH, FACC, FHRS, as deputy editor.

As editor-in-chief, Dr. Heudebert will lead all aspects of the editorial strategic direction for the new journal. He will draw on his experience and knowledge as a physician and educator to create a journal with broad appeal to a diverse clinical audience. Dr. Heudebert comes to AIMCC with a rich background in internal medicine and scientific publishing. He completed his medical training at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru, before completing his residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, followed by a general internal medicine fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. After working at both the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Texas Southwestern, he joined the faculty at the University of Alabama (UAB), where he is one of the School of Medicine's most acclaimed clinician educators. In addition to his current role as professor emeritus of general internal medicine, he served as the dean of the Montgomery regional campus, associate dean for Graduate Medical Education and program director of the Internal Medicine Residency program at UAB's Heersink School of Medicine. Dr. Heudebert was one of the Inaugural co-deputy editors of the Clinical Cases section of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

ACP and AHA name editor in chief and deputy editor for Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases. Tweet this

"We are excited to launch AIMCC with Dr. Heudebert at the helm," said Darilyn V. Moyer, MD, FACP, chief executive officer and executive vice president of ACP. "As an expert diagnostician with a background in scientific publishing, he will develop a compelling journal for clinicians in a broad range of specialties."

As deputy editor, Dr. Morin will work closely with Dr. Heudebert on all editorial aspects of the new journal. He is currently director of cardiovascular research and professor of medicine at the Ochsner Clinical School of the University of Queensland School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Morin earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and his Master of Public Health from the Harvard University School of Public Health. He completed his internal medicine internship and residency at Tufts New England Medical Center in Boston and cardiovascular and cardiac electrophysiology fellowships at New York Presbyterian Hospital - Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. He has served as online editor for Heart Rhythm and as guest editor for Progress in Cardiovascular Disease and he is senior consulting editor for Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology. (Note: Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology is published by the AHA.)



"Dr. Morin has impressive clinical and editorial experience, and he recognizes the value of case reports to clinicians," said Eldrin F. Lewis, MD, MPH, FAHA, volunteer chair of the AHA's Scientific Publishing Committee. "Dr. Morin's expertise in both internal medicine and cardiovascular disease and his enthusiasm for the subject matter will ensure AIMCC features cases that inspire clinicians in their patient care."

AIMCC will publish bi-monthly online and will invite submissions later this year. It is a joint publication of the American College of Physicians and the American Heart Association.

About the American College of Physicians

The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 161,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public's health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. The AHA has a long-standing commitment to scientific research, medical innovation and clinical care in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, and publishes 13 peer-reviewed, print and online, subscription-based and open access scientific journals: Circulation; Stroke; Hypertension; Journal of the American Heart Association; Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology; Circulation Research; Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology; Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine; Circulation: Heart Failure; Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging; Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions; Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes; and also launching in 2021, Stroke: Vascular and Interventional Neurology. Connect with AHA on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

SOURCE American College of Physicians

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DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allant Group LLC, a nationally recognized, data-driven marketing firm, and a subsidiary of VntCap Technologies LLC, is pleased to announce its strategic acquisition of Vektor Digital and Analytics.

VntCap Technologies

"Following on the heels of our recent acquisition of Bubblebox, a Salesforce consulting partner, we are thrilled to welcome Vektor to the VntCap Technologies family. Allant has always had a data-driven approach and the addition of Vektor allows us to strengthen our abilities of creating experience-led solutions that drive digital innovation and create real growth for our clients," said Gaurav Issar, Allant's CEO.

Vektor, a Dallas, TX based agency, with deep expertise in experience design, strategic consulting and technology enablement, creates solutions for ecommerce, product development, and digital transformation that complement Allant and Bubblebox suite of services.

With the merging of the organizations, Gilbert Salazar, CEO of Vektor, will take on the role of President of Allant Group. Gilbert's years of experience leading marketing services and technology companies, along with his blend of design, technology and data expertise, continues to position Allant Group for growth as it accelerates its mid-market expansion across the US and Canada.

"I am excited to be stepping into a leadership role at Allant Group, an established leader with over 125 employees and a strong presence in the mid-market data and marketing technology services space," said Gilbert Salazar, Chief Executive Officer of Vektor. "I'm looking forward to fully building out our capabilities and developing solutions that add value to our evolving client relationships."

"We are excited to see Gilbert and his team build on our continued growth and can already see he will be a valuable senior resource to many of our customers," said Issar.

About Allant Group

Allant Group supports mid-market and emerging brands through holistic offerings for customer engagement needs. Delivering faster third-party data integration, improved analytical insights, crisp data visualizations and cutting edge MarTech implementation, Allant's expertise drives effective marketing orchestration via personalized communications to acquire, retain and win back customers. Allant is a privately held company headquartered in the Chicago area. For more information, visit https://www.allantgroup.com/.

About VntCap Technologies, LLC

VntCap Technologies, LLC provides its subsidiary companies with a unique blend of viewpoints and experiences that deliver comprehensive guidance and oversight to its leadership teams. Unlike other investment firms that seek quicker financial returns from their investments, VntCap actively operates the companies within its investment portfolio for longer periods of time to achieve maximum valuation. Founded by a group of entrepreneurs from a cross-section of industries, the varied background of its members is what continues to create value in subsidiary companies such as Allant Group. For more information about VntCap Technologies, LLC visit http://www.vntcaptech.com/.

CONTACT:

Stephanie Meade

[email protected]

800.367.7311

SOURCE Allant Group

Related Links

http://allantgroup.com/


SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- WELA, a female entrepreneur support group based in the San Francisco Bay Area, shares Anne Wojcicki, co-founder of 23andMe, comments from their recent fireside chat.

Anne Wojcicki stated, "I love a challenge; I believe that is why I became an entrepreneur." But even more so, she applies that challenge when someone posts a negative comment on social media; she stated, "I love to meet somebody who hates my product, and I love engaging with them."

"There is more growth in a company understanding their dislikes as much as their likes," Anne Wojcicki.

Anne stated that she will browse through a Twitter post and look for the negative comments. She continued, "If you get a negative comment, you first need to go find out more about them and the basis of their thoughts and opinions. If a true honest comment of feedback, I want to take it in with respect. I believe in transparency, and you must be transparent with the good and the bad. Anne continued to say she is less interested in accolades and more interested in the people who don't like something and try to understand why. "That is where true growth of your company can happen, understanding the why of a dislike," Anne Wojcicki explained.

Educate, Empower and Elevate Women in Business. WELA (Women Entrepreneurs Launch) is a grassroots not-for-profit women's entrepreneur business organization founded in 2016 in Los Altos, California, providing local and virtual events, support, and mentorship for female entrepreneurs everywhere. WELA Read more about Women Entrepreneurs in their latest issue of Elevate Magazine for sources and stories.

SOURCE WELA Female Entrepreneur Support

Related Links

http://thewela.com


OMAHA, Neb., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fusion Medical Staffing is helping fight back against breast cancer. The company joined forces this month to raise money with the 7th annual Bowling For Boobs event where employees donate to the cause for a day off to go bowling at The Mark.

Fusion employees take a day to raise money while raising awareness for breast cancer. A total of $14,000 was raised in the 2 day Bowling for Boobs event.

All the proceeds from the two-day event are benefitting the Hereditary Cancer Foundation, a Nebraska-based organization working to bring awareness about cancer. In total, $14,000 was raised by 400 participating Fusion employees. The funds will be used to help provide families genetic testing for cancers that they may be susceptible to based on their family medical history.

"This is what we do. Fusion Medical Staffing is so dedicated to making a difference in our community and there are so many people on our team who have a personal connection to this cause," said Fusion CEO Steve Koesters. "It's our goal to improve the lives of everyone we touch, and this is just an extension of that."

The event organizers and Fusion team members say they look forward to this event each year because there are so many of them who have been affected by cancer, and something like this is a fun and easy way to give to their community.

"It's so rewarding to be able to help out a local organization like the Hereditary Cancer Foundation," said one of the organizers and Fusion employee Raquel Pfannenstiel. "The event brings joy to our team and is able to help prevent heartbreak and loss in our community. It's a win for everyone involved."

Social distancing guidelines last year prevented Fusion from meeting in person to participate in the event, but employees and company leaders still rallied to make a donation to the Hereditary Cancer Foundation. After a year off, Fusion came out in full force this year and banded together to support their community.

About Fusion Medical Staffing:

Fusion Medical Staffing connects traveling healthcare professionals with their dream job anywhere in the country. We give our travelers the support they need to be heroes in their workplace. We exist to ensure everyone we touch has a better life. We strive to stay humble, driven, and positive.

Contact:

Leah Kemple

Public Relations Specialist

877-230-3885

[email protected]

SOURCE Fusion Medical Staffing
BOSTON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arcaea (Ar-kay-uh), a company launched on the Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA) Platform, today announced its $78M Series A to build a new, regenerative future for the beauty industry through expressive biologywhere biology is used as a creative tool for self-expression. Arcaea will grow new ingredients and product experiences for beauty by leveraging technology such as DNA sequencing, biological engineering, and fermentation to activate unique storytelling.

By culturing industry-leading, safe, and sustainable ingredients, Arcaea intends to create a new supply chain for the industry that does not rely on petrochemicals or on harvesting and depleting natural resources. This approach enables Arcaea to tap into the entire tree of life to develop new and previously unimagined or inaccessible ingredients using current practices. By harnessing the power of biology, Arcaea is poised to produce highly sustainable products that can deliver new functionality and performance across skincare, bodycare, haircare, and aesthetics.

Jasmina Aganovic, a chemical and biological engineering graduate from MIT, will lead Arcaea as CEO. She brings more than a decade of industry experience translating innovation in beauty through brands and products at various beauty companies, including Fresh and Living Proof and the innovative microbiome beauty company Mother Dirt, which changed the way we think about clean and healthy skin. Instead of stripping and sterilizing our skin, many now recognize the importance of the skin microbiome and the need for cosmetic products that benefit, balance, and enhance the population of microbes living on its surface. Jasmina saw the powerful role that biology can play in the cosmetics industry, which prompted her interest in creating tools to better realize its potential. She joined Ginkgo Bioworks as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence, where she spent the last two years building the foundation for Arcaea.

"Through Arcaea, we see biology as a creative tool that will drive the next generation of products and innovation. We can now access many more molecules on earth ethically and sustainably, and therefore can unlock unlimited and previously unimagined possibilities for beauty," said Aganovic. "By bringing together new advances in technology with designers, brand builders, and leaders from every point of the supply chain, we can spark a change across the entire ecosystem to create an industry that is reflective of the future we want to see for the industry."

Arcaea has raised $78 million in Series A funding from a consortium of strategic and financial investors including Cascade Investment L.L.C., Viking Global, CHANEL, Givaudan and Wittington Ventures. This Series A financing round brings together a mix of expertise across the value chain of the industry. It will enable Arcaea to initiate multiple technical programs across key categories in beauty to develop a pipeline of ingredients and brand launches and create a world of previously unimaginable possibilities in beauty, such as: a fragrance that no one on earth has ever smelled before; proteins that can memorize hair styles; contouring through skincare and not just makeup; and biological filters that protect skin from the elements.

"One of the most impactful things we can do at Ginkgo is support entrepreneurs and help them accelerate their timelines to make incredible things happen with biology," said Jason Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks. "We are thrilled to see Arcaea launch and begin its journey to deliver creative solutions to the beauty industry through biology."

About Arcaea (Ar-kay-uh)

Arcaea, LLC (Ar-kay-uh), a company launched on the Ginkgo Bioworks platform, with the mission to build a new foundation for the beauty industry through expressive biology. Arcaea sees biology as a valuable creative tool for self expression. The company will grow new ingredients and product experiences for beauty through technology such as DNA sequencing, biological engineering, fermentation and more. By culturing industry-leading, safe, and sustainable ingredients, Arcaea intends to create a new supply chain for the industry that does not rely on petrochemicals or on harvesting and depleting natural resources. By harnessing the power of biology, Arcaea is poised to produce highly sustainable products that can deliver new functionality and performance across skincare, bodycare, haircare, and aesthetics. Arcaea was incubated on the Ginkgo Bioworks platform and formed under the name Kalo Ingredients LLC.

About Ginkgo Bioworks

Ginkgo is building a platform to enable customers to program cells as easily as we can program computers. The company's platform is enabling biotechnology applications across diverse markets, from food and agriculture to industrial chemicals to pharmaceuticals. Ginkgo has also actively supported a number of COVID-19 response efforts, including K-12 pooled testing, vaccine manufacturing optimization and therapeutics discovery. For more information, visit www.ginkgobioworks.com.

Forward Looking Statements of Ginkgo Bioworks

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the potential of Ginkgo's cell programming platform. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "potential," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this document, including but not limited to: (i) the effect of Ginkgo's business combination with Soaring Eagle Acquisition Corp. ("Soaring Eagle") on Ginkgo's business relationships, performance, and business generally, (ii) risks that the business combination disrupts current plans of Ginkgo and potential difficulties in Ginkgo's employee retention, (iii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Ginkgo related to its business combination with Soaring Eagle, (iv) volatility in the price of Ginkgo's securities now that it is a public company due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Ginkgo plans to operate, variations in performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting Ginkgo's business and changes in the combined capital structure, (v) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations after the completion of the business combination, and identify and realize additional opportunities, and (vi) the risk of downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of Ginkgo's current report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on September 20, 2021 and other documents filed by Ginkgo from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Ginkgo assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Ginkgo does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

SOURCE Arcaea

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Astara Capital Partners Expands Team with Strategic Hire Tweet this

Michael Ranson, Managing Partner of Astara, commented "Athos is a very experienced executive and helped create the infrastructure at his prior firms that positioned them for growth and success. As Astara grows its portfolio and develops its human and capital resources, Athos will play a significant role in building our infrastructure and processes to support our growth."

"Joining Astara at this point in its evolution is an exciting opportunity for me," said Mr. Zakou. "I've enjoyed helping build businesses at my prior firms. Astara is off to a strong start and I look forward contributing to its success."

About Astara Capital Partners

Astara Capital Partners is an integrated team of investors and operators investing in the middle market. The firm brings capital, strategic, and operational resources to its investments to build sustainable value and position them for long-term success. Astara focuses on a variety of sectors where it has deep experience, including packaging and converting, food, building products, forest products, and industrial manufacturing, distribution, and services. More information about Astara can be found at www.astaracapital.com.

SOURCE Astara Capital Partners

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NISKAYUNA, N.Y., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

What's the news? AT&T* and GE Research are fueling the future of healthcare, aviation and green energy. GE Research, the research and development division of General Electric (GE), has added AT&T 5G to its cross-industry 5G testbed at its research facility in Niskayuna, New York.

The purpose of GE's testbed is to create real-world solutions, so the research facility's environment must reflect the marketplace  today and beyond. AT&T currently provides 2 flavors of 5G  AT&T 5G, using low-band or sub-6 spectrum, which offers the Nation's Best 5G Network1 to our customers nationwide and AT&T 5G+, which delivers super-fast speeds and unprecedented performances via mmWave spectrum.

The addition of AT&T's 5G network provides GE Research with the most advanced networking capabilities available and for the first time, enables them to use both high and low-band 5G to uncover new opportunities to advance clean energy, air transportation and precision health.

Why is this important? High-speed, lower-latency 5G connections have the potential to alter the very DNA of critical industries in exciting ways. GE Research and AT&T are actively exploring ways to use 5G connectivity to improve patient care and outcomes. As healthcare becomes more personal, precise and portable over the next decade, we need faster, secure and reliable networks to realize this potential.

Having access to both forms of AT&T's 5G connectivity can enhance the ability of GE Research to shape the future of patient care and improving patient outcomes. This can help GE Research develop and optimize data flow across both spectrum bands throughout the care cycle and regardless of location. This means enhancing the level of care whether a patient is receiving care at home, in an ambulance or at a healthcare facility.

"The power of reliable, robust sub-6 and 5G+ networks will transform healthcare by bringing care more directly to the patient," said Eric Tucker, senior director of technical products, GE. "We're already seeing how doctors have become more connected to their patients through the power of telemedicine or teleconsulting. Just imagine what will be possible when millions of medical devices and diagnostics tools can be reliably connected to help doctors deliver faster, more effective patient care."

Tucker added, "Today, when you don't feel well, you call the doctor and schedule an appointment so that the doctor can examine you and figure out what's wrong. Depending on schedules, it may take several hours or even days before you get into the doctor's office. But with the development of wearable sensors and other medical monitoring devices that GE and others are innovating, a future scenario could well be that the doctor calls the patient to tell them something is wrong first. This is possible in a very limited way today. The power of 5G networks could make it pervasive."

Here are some of the ways 5G could help enhance the patient experience in the coming years:

Accelerating the development of wearable sensors and medical devices: Instead of a prolonged hospital stay, a patient could recover at home, but without any loss in the doctor's ability to monitor and respond to changes in their recovery.

Instead of a prolonged hospital stay, a patient could recover at home, but without any loss in the doctor's ability to monitor and respond to changes in their recovery. Transforming asset management and monitoring: In the modern hospital setting, it can often be difficult to rapidly locate necessary medical equipment. As 5G matures and more precise location monitoring is available, we envision a world in which medical assets are always where you need them.

In the modern hospital setting, it can often be difficult to rapidly locate necessary medical equipment. As 5G matures and more precise location monitoring is available, we envision a world in which medical assets are always where you need them. Elevating precision health with precision data: 5G will be critical to enabling improved data collection and analysis. It will also allow for more effective expert networks, enabling teleconsultation and AI-augmented decision making.

What are people saying? "Bringing AT&T's full spectrum of 5G connectivity to GE's Global Research facility is opening the doors for improved patient care, experience and outcomes. Next generation networks will play an important role in enabling personal, proactive and portable healthcare experiences," said Rasesh Patel, executive vice president and chief product and platform officer, AT&T.



"A critical focus for the GE 5G testbed is democratizing technology and building solutions that work in the real-world setting," said SM Hasan, 5G Mission Leader, GE Research. "Having both flavors of 5G enables us to build solutions that span both high speeds, in building networks and the over-the-air 5G network available to AT&T customers."

What else should I know? The deployment on the GE Research campus also expands the AT&T 5G footprint in the broader community, giving high-speed wireless access to more Niskayuna residents and visitors. In addition, these enhancements will bring Band 14 spectrum to the area  a nationwide, high-quality spectrum set aside by the federal government specifically for FirstNet, Built with AT&T. FirstNet is designed to solve for long-standing communications challenges faced by the public safety community by allowing first responders to communicate with one another during everyday situations, big events or emergencies.

FirstNet is the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America's first responders and the extended public safety community. Shaped by the vision of Congress and the first responder community following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, FirstNet stands above commercial offerings. It is built with AT&T in public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority)  an independent agency within the federal government. The FirstNet network provides first responders truly dedicated coverage and capacity when they need it, including unique benefits like always-on priority and preemption and high-quality Band 14 spectrum. These advanced capabilities enable FirstNet to help fire, EMS, EMA, law enforcement and 9-1-1 personnel save lives and protect their communities.

To learn more about GE Research, visit www.ge.com/research/. To learn more about how AT&T can help businesses get the most out of 5G connectivity, visit www.business.att.com/learn/5G/.

1AT&T awarded Best Network by GWS OneScore 2021. GWS conducts paid drive tests for AT&T and uses the data in its OneScore analysis. AT&T 5G requires compatible plan and device. 5G not available everywhere. Go to att.com/5Gforyou for details.

FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks and service marks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners

*About AT&T Communications

We help family, friends and neighbors connect in meaningful ways every day. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to mobile video streaming, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. AT&T Communications is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T). For more information, please visit us at att.com.

SOURCE AT&T Communications

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NEW YORK and SHENZEN, China, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Award-winning China DTC retail experts Azoya Group today announced the release of the Selling DTC in China via Cross-Border E-Commerce in 2022 whitepaper to help global brands tackle digital challenges to expand into China's booming retail market. Over the past two years, direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategy has emerged as e-commerce essential, as it allows brands take back control over the entire sales process and build direct, trusted, value-driven relationships with consumers.

Selling DTC in China via Cross-Border E-Commerce in 2022 is a go-to-market guide with timely, practical recommendations for emerging beauty, fashion, and wellness brands. For many brands, a long-run DTC model is proving cost-effective, as the pandemic disrupted global supply chains and left many other brands struggling to keep up with ever-changing consumer demands.

Azoya's new whitepaper is a go-to-market guide with timely, practical recommendations for emerging beauty, fashion, and wellness brands. Right now, these categories are particularly important, as Single's Day, sales are underway in China, and this shopping festival marks the biggest retail event in the world. This whitepaper shares global e-commerce and digital marketing best practices to help international brands break into the lucrative market among digital-savvy shoppers.

The increasing popularity of the direct-to-consumer model is one of the biggest retail trends in China influenced by the pandemic. For many brands, a long-run DTC model is proving cost-effective, as the pandemic disrupted global supply chains and left many other brands struggling to keep up with ever-changing consumer demands.

The direct-to-consumer business model has unparalleled advantages over traditional retail. First, brands can provide high-quality products at accessible price points. Brands can determine a more stable pricing strategy via a DTC model. A DTC brand sells products to targeted consumers directly rather than through a distribution channel or retail store. As such, DTC brands can garner their loyal customers by streamlining the supply chain, which makes communication faster and clearer.

DTC brands can apply the whitepaper's analysis to differentiate their offerings, deliver a superior experience and earn engagement, trust, and sales among Chinese consumers. The whitepaper develops specific DTC sales channel strategies to boost e-commerce profitability by analyzing China's leading sales channels to uncover emerging trends and different customer segments relevant to DTC brands. The piece takes an in-depth dive into popular e-commerce and social commerce destinations like Tmall Global, JD Worldwide, WeChat, Douyin, and Little Red Book. It includes case studies of how DTC strategy improved performance results for brands like Huda Beauty, Life-Space, and Stylenanda.

China's cross-border import market became a 'dark horse' that thrives on returning overseas travel retail consumption. In the meantime, China is undergoing a consumption upgrade and fostering the growth of cross-border consumption between global retailers and Chinese consumers. A recent survey found Chinese shoppers appreciate cross-border e-commerce, which remains one of the fast-growing shopping channels in China. According to iResearch's1 analysis in July, China's cross-border e-commerce sales are expected to surpass 350 billion RMB (US$55 billion) in 2022, an increase of 28% year-over-year.

As cross-border e-commerce surges, adapting to Chinese online shoppers' expectations gives global brands new growth opportunities. However, localization strategies and supply chain solutions are inevitable challenges for brands that want to reach this market. "We created this complete guide for selling DTC in China to save companies time and effort, so they can start selling to Chinese consumers faster," said Franklin Chu, Managing Director, Azoya USA. "We add value for brands and retailers in their China direct-to-consumer expansion. Our DTC solution helps brands resolve their cross-border e-commerce challenges to grow in China with greater ease and less risk."

To develop new e-commerce growth, the Selling DTC in China 2022 whitepaper gives brands a comprehensive understanding of how to develop their own DTC sales channel strategy and import logistics solution to break into the market and strengthen their connections with consumers. It also reveals how companies can leverage social media platforms to build brand awareness as e-commerce grows increasingly crowded.

For more information, download the whitepaper Selling DTC in China via Cross-Border E-Commerce in 2022.

About Azoya Group

Azoya Group is a full-service direct-to-consumer solution provider dedicated to helping international brands and retailers enter China. Azoya provides technical and service solutions to help clients manage challenges across various aspects of selling to China. Azoya helps you develop a customized Go-To-Market strategy for China, covering market research & strategy development, problem identification & solution design, sales channel development, digital marketing & brand building, supply chain, and business planning.

Azoya is a leading China e-commerce enabler, which endeavors to help overseas brands and retailers break into China via cross-border e-commerce. The company prides itself as a global e-commerce leader that has signed exclusive agreements with the largest number of overseas retailers in China. With its all-encompassing services and dedicated team of specialists, Azoya has won the trust of more than 50 overseas retailers in 12 countries. Learn more: https://azoyagroup.com

Press Contacts:

U.S. China Dan Dyer Queenie Yao 513-478-7818 +86 188 2026 3929 [email protected] [email protected]

1 iResearch Consulting: China's Cross-Border Import,2021; URL

SOURCE Azoya Group
ATLANTA, Ind., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Beck's, the largest family-owned, retail seed company and the third-largest seed brand in the United States, announces a territory expansion into the state of Nebraska. This expansion adds more than 15 million acres of corn and soybeans to Beck's marketing area, bringing their total reach to 75 percent of the corn and soybean farmers in the U.S. The continued growth will provide Nebraska farmers access to the world's most diverse genetics and traits and a culture founded in faith and dedication to helping farmers succeed.

"We're so excited to plant roots in the Cornhusker state," said Scott Beck, president of Beck's. "When we move into new territories, we want to have the right people in place, quality products, and innovative technologies to serve farmers at a local level. Since our beginning, we've put a strong emphasis on doing the right thing for farmers. It's a one-on-one, personal relationship that still stands at the center of everything we do."

Founded in 1937, Beck's is in its fifth generation of family members who work in the business. Beck's has experienced significant growth with new sales territories, new facility locations, and new employees. Beck's recently purchased a seed distribution and processing facility in Coon Rapids, Iowa to support Nebraska farmers. In addition, Beck's will utilize facilities in Beaman, Colfax, and Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, to support seed distribution and customer service.

Jon Abrahamson, a fifth-generation farmer of Axtell, Neb., said "Beck's has maintained their independence as a family-owned seed company, and their motto, Farmer's At Heart, holds true in their commitment to helping farmers succeed. Beck's will give Nebraska farmers the diversity in products that no other company can provide."

Beck's stands equipped with the necessary infrastructure and welcomes three industry veterans from Nebraska to support this measure. Mark Pieper of Lincoln joins Beck's as a regional business manager, while Mark Dickey of Grand Island, and Tony Babe, of Gretna will serve as area team leaders for the new territory. As Beck's grows, they are committed to adding more employees and farmer-dealers to provide Nebraska farmers with exceptional localized service.

Beck's plans to introduce Practical Farm Research (PFR) to Nebraska farmers through its extensive network of PFR sites. PFR helps farmers find new ways to manage their farms better and increase their return on investment. Along with current testing, Beck's proprietary Genetic Choice Trials program is product-focused research that provides farmers with a peek behind the genetic germplasm curtain. Nebraska farmers will be able to see how Beck's products are tailored to perform in local growing conditions.

For more information about Beck's products, services, and dealer network, visit www.beckshybrids.com or call 800.937.2325. To contact Mark Pieper, call 402.641.4056. To contact Mark Dickey, call 308.380.8590. To contact Tony Babe, call 402.880.2861.

About Beck's

Beck's- Farmers At Heart - revolutionized the customer seed buying experience by remaining true to a foundation built on faith, family, and farming. Founded in 1937, Beck's appreciates the farmers who have helped them become the largest family-owned retail seed company and the third-largest seed brand in the United States. The Beck family is now in its fifth generation of family members who work in the business to honor God and help farmers succeed. The Beck family and team of employees help farmers achieve success from generation to generation through authentic customer experiences, product diversity, seed quality, and performance. With a home office located in Atlanta, Ind., Beck's serves farmers throughout the Midwest and Mid-South. For more information about Beck's, visit http://www.beckshybrids.com/. Follow Beck's on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

SOURCE Becks Hybrids

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Belk announced a new t-shirt design contest for high school students. The retailer is encouraging students to create a t-shirt design that is based off of the concept of what Black History means to them. The contest winner will have their shirt produced and sold on www.belk.com, as well as being sold in the winner's local Belk store.

The winning t-shirt design will be highlighted in the company's The Culture Shop collection for Black History Month this coming February 2022. Plus, the winning designer will get a $500 Belk gift card, as well as a $2,500 donation to their school, to go along with the bragging rights of having a design for sale with Belk. Second place will earn a $250 Belk gift card, and third place will receive at $100 Belk gift card. Belk plans on selecting the winner and surprising them with the news in-person at the winner's school.

The Culture Shop is part of Belk's commitment to better reflect the customers and communities we serve. The launch and evolution of this initiative was a collaborative effort between Belk's Black employee resource group (B.R.I.G.H.T.), cross-functional internal partners, as well as diversity and inclusion leadership.

Featured collections of The Culture Shop rotate online and in-store year-round, celebrating several cultural observances, such as Women's History Month and LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and to support continued growth of Belk's diverse product offering and vendors. Each collection featured is accompanied by an investment in a local or national non-profit organization providing for underserved communities.

The contest is open for submissions starting today, and the contest will run through Thanksgiving (11/25). To enter, please visit https:events.belk.com/BHMtshirtcontest where you can download the design template and review the rules of the contest.

About Belk

Charlotte-based Belk, Inc., a privately-owned department store, opened its first store in 1888, beginning a legacy of selling great products at great prices, treating customers like family, and giving back to the community. Today, Belk serves customers at nearly 300 Belk stores in 16 Southeastern states, at belk.com and through the mobile app. For over 130 years, Belk has proudly put customers and community at the center of what they do, supporting local charities, organizations, and families when they need it most.

For more information visit https://newsroom.belk.com/

To shop, find your local store at https://www.belk.com/stores/ , visit belk.com or download the Belk app in Google Play or Apple Store.

SOURCE Belk, Inc.

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CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Brain Monitoring Market by Product (Accessories, MRI, CT, PET, EEG, EMG, MEG, ICP, Electrode, Paste, Gel, Battery, Cable, Invasive), Disease (TBI, Stroke, Dementia, Epilepsy, Headache, Sleep) & End User (Hospital, Clinic, ASC) - Global Forecasts to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Brain Monitoring Market size is projected to reach USD 8.0 billion by 2026 from USD 5.8 billion in 2021, at a CAGR of 6.5%.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Brain Monitoring Market"

312  Tables

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Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=909

The brain monitoring market is mainly driven by factors such as the increasing incidence and prevalence of neurological disorders, rising awareness of neurodegenerative diseases, growth in the number of traumatic brain injuries, and growing applications of brain monitoring in clinical trials. On the other hand, the high cost of complex brain monitoring procedures and devices, unfavorable reimbursement policies, and the shortage of trained professionals to effectively operate brain monitoring devices are restraining the growth of this market.

The companies have a large market spread across various countries in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World.

Impact of covid-19 on the brain monitoring Market

The state of urgency to combat the outbreak has led to a significant increase in the demand for remote monitoring and patient engagement solutions. Most of the hospitals/healthcare facilities are currently trying to expand patient monitoring to home care settings or other temporary setups with an aim to provide optimal care. COVID-19 has led to a significant surge in demand for ventilators, and manufacturers are currently focusing their efforts to meet the increasing need for ventilators, including other respiratory devices, in contrast to brain monitoring devices. The pandemic is likely to have an adverse impact on the brain monitoring business, particularly due to the focus of hospitals on setting up COVID-19 specific ICUs, along with the temporary suspension of production and manufacturing sites in major affected regions across the globe.

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The devices segment accounted for the largest share 74.9% of the brain monitoring market.

By product, the global brain monitoring market is categorized into devices and accessories. The devices segment held the largest share 74.9% of the brain monitoring market in 2020. This is mainly due to the rising incidence of neurological, neurodegenerative, psychotic, and sleep disorders, the need for early diagnosis, the availability of innovative portable and wearable home-based monitoring devices, and increasing patient awareness

Hospitals accounted for the largest share 57.8% of the end user segment of the brain monitoring market.

Based on end-users, the global brain monitoring devices market is segmented into hospitals, neurology centers, diagnostic centers, ASCs & clinics, and other end users. The hospital segment held the largest share 57.8% of the global brain monitoring market in 2020. Brain monitoring is a complex process, requiring expensive and advanced devices and equipment that are mainly found in hospitals. Hospitals also see a considerably larger inflow of patients as compared to small clinics and other end users. Additionally, brain monitoring devices pose a considerable burden in terms of maintenance expenses on healthcare facilities; hospitals, more than other end-users, can bear such costs. Hence, brain monitoring devices are mostly used in hospitals, which consequently account for the largest share of this market segment.

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North America accounted for the largest share 38.0% of the global brain monitoring market

North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World. North America held the largest share 38.0% of the global brain monitoring market in 2020, while the Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The high growth rate of the market in the Asia Pacific region can be attributed to the availability of low-cost labor and skilled manpower, increase in disposable incomes, rising prevalence of neurodegenerative disorders, and increasing government emphasis on healthcare reforms in the region.

Some of the leading players in the Brain Monitoring market include Natus Medical, Inc. (US), Nihon Kohden Corporation (Japan), Philips Healthcare (Netherlands), GE Healthcare (US), Siemens Healthineers (Germany), Compumedics, Ltd. (Australia), Medtronic (Ireland), Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (US), Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA (Germany), Advanced Brain Monitoring (US), Masimo Corporation (US), Spiegelberg GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Cadwell Industries (US), NeuroWave Systems, Inc. (US), Nonin Medical, Inc. (US), Integra LifeSciences Corporation (US), Neurosoft (Russia), CGX (a Cognionics Company) (US), Emotive (US), InfraScan, Inc. (US), Neusoft Medical Systems Co., Ltd. (China), Clinical Science Systems (Netherlands), Noraxon (US), SternMed GmbH (Germany), and Rimed (US).

Browse Adjacent Markets: Medical Devices Market Research Reports & Consulting

Browse Related Reports:

Diagnostic Imaging Market by Product (MRI (Open, Closed), Ultrasound (2D, 4D, Doppler), CT, X-Ray (Digital, Analog), SPECT, Hybrid PET, Mammography), Application (OB/Gyn, Cardiology, Oncology), End user (Hospitals, Imaging Centers) - Global Forecast to 2026

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/diagnostic-imaging-market-411.html

Patient Monitoring Devices Market by Product (EEG, MEG, TCD, Pulse Oximeter, Spirometer, Fetal Monitor, Temperature Monitoring, MCOT, ECG, ICP, ILRs, Blood Glucose Monitoring, Blood Pressure Monitor), End-User (Hospitals, ASCs) - Global Forecast to 2025

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/patient-healthcare-monitoring-systems-devices-market-678.html

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BOULDER, Colo., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Local retailers, hat and boot makers, the Boulder Chamber of Commerce, Natural Fibers Alliance, the Downtown Boulder Partnership, and the Colorado Cattlemen's Association have come to together in opposition to ballot question 301 to ban fur sales in Boulder.

Proponents say it won't impact local businesses, however 45 businesses in Boulder will be impacted along with other unintended consequences.

"Many have realized #301 is a wolf in sheep's clothing," says Laurel Tate, the co owner of Two Sole Sisters on Pearl Street. "#301 is an effort by outside interests and extremist groups to use Boulder as a puppet for a larger agenda of 'total and complete animal liberation.'"

The Daily Camera Editorial Board also urges a no vote with "Fur measure needs fixes." They wrote on 9-29-21 "this measure is too broad. Independent lawyers have pointed out to us that if passed, this measure could inadvertently include banning pelts from animals legally trapped in Colorado's wild places. In other words, there are potential conflicts with state law."

Because of the ambiguous and inconsistent language used in the measure, many popular shearling and fur items, such as Uggs, alpaca, and felt hats could be interpreted to be banned.

The Boulder Chamber says they are concerned about the impact on local retailers who carry shoes, boots and hats that incorporate natural fibers. "The proponents claim these products weren't targeted for the proposed ban, but the initiative's language creates a concerning level of ambiguity."

While there are few exemptions, the ballot measure reads, "It shall be unlawful to manufacture, sell, display for sale, distribute, or trade for monetary or nonmonetary consideration any Fur or Fur Product in the City."

Why would proponents run a measure in Boulder if they really believed that no businesses would be impacted by 301? This is where the wolf comes out. The Boulder Chamber recognized this fact when they wrote, "We are troubled by the trend of national advocacy groups using Boulder as a proving ground for their untested measures."

"The leaders of the Boulder business community and local retailers who will most certainly be impacted will not be fooled by this wolf in sheep's clothing. Vote NO on 301," said Laurel Tate.

no301wolfinsheepsclothing.com

Contact: Matt Moseley

303-887-0826

SOURCE Natural Fibers Alliance
NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cat's instinct is to hunt for food, but unfortunately a cat raised at home has been deprived of the fun to look for food. One company, Ollie Innovation, has come up with a new product to simulate a natural hunting experience for cats and have fun.

Ollie Innovation Technology Co., Ltd. Ollie Innovation Technology Co., Ltd.

Cats are natural hunters and they love to explore for food. One thing that has been commonly ignored by people is that cats actually don't possess a very strong taste, and instead they rely mostly on their olfactory or smell faculty. Even if cats may look rather content with being fed by their owners, they still feel bored as their talents aren't fully exploited. Compare that to a dog being confined in cage without being able to roam freely!

Ollie Innovation, an innovative tech company headquartered in New York, has successfully come up with a new solution to help deal with cats' boredom. The product they come up is very simplistic in design with a vision that cats are able to fully exploit their olfactory property to search for food in the comfort of home.

The little hunting game box is very easy to be placed anywhere like under the desk or behind the curtain. A cat owner can just easily set the time and the scope of the hunting area via their cell phone. When it comes to the hunting time, the little game box just heats the scent box, which contains a bit of the food and starts emitting the smell. When the cat receives the smell signal, its nerve system gets activated and starts looking for the food with its superb smell system, while in the entire process, human beings will not detect the smell as the smell is too minute to be noticed by man. A food reward that comes after searching definitely tastes better, for cats mostly rely on its smell when trying the food. Tony Buffington, a feline expert from the United Kingdom, also shared the importance of the device, "the inability to search and catch food seems to be very stressful for cats."

The inspiration behind the idea came from Ryan, one engineer in the company, who has adopted several cats during the epidemic. When feeding food to the cats, he found that though cats were well-fed, they were not active and looked rather stressed. He later came up with the idea of using the cats' smell to arouse their natural hunting instinct.

Ollie Innovation's Movable Treasure is the world's first interactive indoor hunting and feeding box. The device simulates hunting signals indoors, allowing cats to feel the joy of foraging for food in the comfort and safety of homes. To get 40% discount and products, please contact them here: https://bit.ly/2XLqDAG

They also offer a kickboost rebate link where you can earn 10% commission on products by referring buyers to them: https://bit.ly/2ZuxCyQ

Here is their media kit: https://bit.ly/2ZuxCyQ

Media Contact:

Ryan Eason

918-358-6538

[email protected]

SOURCE Ollie Innovation Technology Co., Ltd.
CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE), a leading provider of global market infrastructure and tradable products, today announced it plans to list additional LEAPS (Long-Term Equity AnticiPation Securities) options on the S&P 500 Index (SPX) that offer expiration dates in December 2024, December 2025 and December 2026, respectively, on Cboe Option Exchange, beginning November 1, 2021.

Designed for market participants looking to invest for a longer time-horizon, LEAPS options have the same characteristics as standard options, but with extended expiration dates of several years into the future. LEAPS options aim to provide market participants with effective and efficient tools to trade, manage risk or gain exposure to the broad market for a much longer time frame than standard options with monthly expirations.

With the additional listings, Cboe continues to broaden accessibility and provide ease of use to its index options products in the listed market, while further expanding its customer base. Significantly, the offerings will provide institutional investors who are currently trading SPX options only in the over-the-counter (OTC) market, with solutions to trade SPX options in a regulated and transparent marketplace that offers price discovery, central clearing and liquidity.



"We are seeing growing interest from asset managers, insurance companies and pensions globally to trade longer-dated SPX options on-exchange, and are pleased to meet increased customer demand with these additional listings," said Arianne Criqui, Senior Vice President, Head of Derivatives and Global Client Services. "Many institutional investors have been longtime users of LEAPS options, and as their assets under management continue to grow, we expect these listed options will become an increasingly important hedging tool for investors seeking to manage risk."



In addition, Cboe has secured support from Optiver, a leading global market maker, who is expected to help contribute to the provision of liquidity and client order flow to these options when they launch.



"With the listing of three-, four- and five-year SPX options on Cboe, market participants will have the opportunity to access longer-dated derivatives strategies in the world's most active index on-exchange," said Leaf Wade, Institutional Trading Lead at Optiver. "We're proud to collaborate with Cboe on the launch of these listings, an important step in the move from over-the-counter trading to the listed and centrally-cleared space. As launch market maker  and a leading market maker globally in listed SPX options  we look forward to offering investors more efficient derivatives capability."

Exchange-traded options offer investors robust price discovery, price improvement and displayed liquidity. Market participants also benefit generally from exchange transactions over OTC transactions due to trade reporting and exchange surveillance of trading. Further, exchange-traded options are also centrally cleared, which eliminates counterparty risk and limits systemic risks associated with non-centrally cleared OTC derivatives.

SPX options are exclusively listed on Cboe Options Exchange and are among the most actively traded index options products in the world. SPX options are designed to help investors gain efficient exposure to the U.S. equity market and execute risk management, hedging, asset allocation and income generation strategies. For more information on Cboe's SPX LEAPS options, visit the website.

About Cboe Global Markets, Inc.

Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE), a leading provider of market infrastructure and tradable products, delivers cutting-edge trading, clearing and investment solutions to market participants around the world. The company is committed to operating a trusted, inclusive global marketplace, providing leading products, technology and data solutions that enable participants to define a sustainable financial future. Cboe provides trading solutions and products in multiple asset classes, including equities, derivatives and FX, across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more, visit www.cboe.com.

CBOE-O

CBOE-OE

Cboe, Cboe Global Markets, Cboe Volatility Index, and VIX are registered trademarks and LEAPS is a service mark of Cboe Exchange, Inc. Standard & Poor's, S&P, S&P 500, and SPX are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services, LLC, and have been licensed for use by Cboe Exchange, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

Cboe Global Markets, Inc. and its affiliates do not recommend or make any representation as to possible benefits from any securities, futures or investments, or third-party products or services. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. is not affiliated with S&P. Investors should undertake their own due diligence regarding their securities, futures and investment practices. This press release speaks only as of this date. Cboe disclaims any duty to update the information herein.

Nothing in this announcement should be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell any securities or futures in any jurisdiction where the offer or solicitation would be unlawful under the laws of such jurisdiction. Nothing contained in this communication constitutes tax, legal or investment advice. Investors must consult their tax adviser or legal counsel for advice and information concerning their particular situation.

Cboe Global Markets, Inc. and its affiliates, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, make no warranty, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, any warranties as of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, completeness or timeliness, the results to be obtained by recipients of the products and services described herein, or as to the ability of the S&P 500 indexes to track the performance of the general market or any segment thereof, and shall not in any way be liable for any inaccuracies or errors. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. and its affiliates have not calculated, composed or determined the constituents or weightings of the securities that comprise the S&P 500 indexes and shall not in any way be liable for any inaccuracies or errors.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may," "might," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential" or "continue," and the negative of these terms and other comparable terminology. All statements that reflect our expectations, assumptions or projections about the future other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us, may include projections of our future financial performance based on our growth strategies and anticipated trends in our business. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. There are important factors that could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

We operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks and uncertainties, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.

Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include: the impact of the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") pandemic, including changes to trading behavior broadly in the market; the loss of our right to exclusively list and trade certain index options and futures products; economic, political and market conditions; compliance with legal and regulatory obligations; price competition and consolidation in our industry; decreases in trading or clearing volumes, market data fees or a shift in the mix of products traded on our exchanges; legislative or regulatory changes; our ability to protect our systems and communication networks from security risks, cybersecurity risks, insider threats and unauthorized disclosure of confidential information; increasing competition by foreign and domestic entities; our dependence on and exposure to risk from third parties; fluctuations to currency exchange rates; our index providers' ability to maintain the quality and integrity of their indices and to perform under our agreements; our ability to operate our business without violating the intellectual property rights of others and the costs associated with protecting our intellectual property rights; our ability to attract and retain skilled management and other personnel; our ability to minimize the risks, including our credit and default risks, associated with operating a European clearinghouse; our ability to accommodate trading and clearing volume and transaction traffic, including significant increases, without failure or degradation of performance of our systems; misconduct by those who use our markets or our products or for whom we clear transactions; challenges to our use of open source software code; our ability to meet our compliance obligations, including managing potential conflicts between our regulatory responsibilities and our for-profit status; our ability to maintain BIDS Trading as an independently managed and operated trading venue, separate from and not integrated with our registered national securities exchanges; damage to our reputation; the ability of our compliance and risk management methods to effectively monitor and manage our risks; our ability to manage our growth and strategic acquisitions or alliances effectively; restrictions imposed by our debt obligations and our ability to make payments on or refinance our debt obligations; our ability to maintain an investment grade credit rating; impairment of our goodwill, long-lived assets, investments or intangible assets; and the accuracy of our estimates and expectations. More detailed information about factors that may affect our actual results to differ may be found in our filings with the SEC, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and other filings made from time to time with the SEC.

We do not undertake, and we expressly disclaim, any duty to update any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

SOURCE Cboe Global Markets, Inc.

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BEIJING, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Tuesday sent a letter of congratulations on the inauguration of Tianjin Juilliard School (TJS), which has been jointly set up by the Tianjin Conservatory of Music and New York's Juilliard School.

Thanks to the joint efforts of China and the United States, the Tianjin Conservatory of Music and the Juilliard School have carried out high-level art cooperation in running the school, creating a new platform for promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, Peng said.

Noting that art is a bridge that "crosses national boundaries and connects people," she said that strengthening educational cooperation between China and the United States is conducive to nurturing more talents, deepening cultural exchanges and promoting art and friendship.

She called on the two sides to carry out extensive cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and promote mutual understanding between the two peoples, so as to inject impetus into the friendship between the Chinese and the American people.

The TJS campus was inaugurated on Tuesday. Designed by American interdisciplinary design studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the campus covers about 45,000 square meters along the Haihe River in Tianjin.

As a branch of the Juilliard School, TJS is the first performing arts institution in China to confer a U.S.-accredited Master of Music degree, according to the school's official website. Founded in 1905, the Juilliard School is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious educational institutions in drama, music and dance.

At TJS, students are given ample opportunities to take part in solo, chamber and orchestral concerts. The school has three state-of-the-art performance venues, which form the cornerstones of the new campus. Through performances in the concert hall, recital hall and black box theater, students can refine their performance skills and connect with audiences through music.

Cui Tiankai, former Chinese ambassador to the United States, and Tian Xuejun, vice education minister, also attended the inauguration ceremony, where Joseph W. Polisi, honorary dean of TJS, was titled "Honorary Citizen of Tianjin."

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-10-27/Peng-Liyuan-sends-congratulatory-letter-to-Tianjin-Juilliard-School-14H1kN6Ei9a/index.html

SOURCE CGTN

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LOS ANGELES, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Clubhouse Media Group, Inc. (OTCMKTS: CMGR) ("Clubhouse Media Group"), an influencer-based social media firm and digital talent management agency, today announced Mia Francis, fitness model and world-famous influencer, is terminating her relationship with OnlyFans to join and focus on the fast-growing HoneyDrip.com. Honeydrip.com is a new digital platform designed and owned by Clubhouse Media Group with a focus on the empowerment of creators. The site allows creators to connect with fans and sell exclusive photo and video content.

Mia Francis

"We are beyond excited to have Mia join the roster," said Kayla Bailey, General Manager of HoneyDrip.com. "This is an amazing platform for Mia. She is a beautiful young talent with lots of class. HoneyDrip.com will allow her to continue connecting with her fans, without any negative connotations."

Mia Francis is a proud Venezuelan American. She is a fitness model, gamer, and content creator. Francis has a large social media following with over 1 million followers on Instagram alone and has been linked with various celebrities in recent years.

"Making the move to HoneyDrip.com has been exciting and fulfilling for me," said Francis. "I want to thank my fans for the love and support. I hope you all come check me out on HoneyDrip.com as I have plenty of new content to share.

Follow Mia Francis on Instagram @ mia_francisss

About Clubhouse Media Group, Inc.

Clubhouse Media Group represents the future of influencer media and marketing, with a global network of professionally run content houses, each with its brand, influencer cohort, and production capabilities. Collectively, Clubhouse Media Group reaches more than 400 million followers. Clubhouse Media Group offers management, production, and deal-making services to its handpicked influencers, a management division for individual influencer clients, and an investment arm for joint ventures and acquisitions for companies in the social media influencer space.

Follow Clubhouse Media Group on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClubhouseCMGR

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This release contains "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements also may be included in other publicly available documents issued by Clubhouse Media Group and in oral statements made by our officers and representatives from time to time. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide management's current expectations or plans for our future operating and financial performance, based on assumptions currently believed to be valid. They can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "would," "could," "will" and other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance.

Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements relating to future sales, earnings, cash flows, results of operations, uses of cash and other measures of financial performance.

Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Clubhouse Media Group's actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others such as, but not limited to economic conditions, changes in the laws or regulations, demand for Clubhouse Media Group's products and services, the effects of competition and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or represented in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking information provided in this release should be considered with these factors in mind. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

SOURCE Clubhouse Media Group, Inc

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SAN FRANCISCO and MANCHESTER, England, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Datometry, the industry leader in database virtualization, today announced that UK retailer Co-op completed the modernization of its data warehouse by moving its workloads to Azure Synapse. The Datometry Hyper-Q virtualization platform enabled Co-op to complete their data warehouse migration on a highly accelerated timeline, and without the cost and risk associated with conventional database migrations.

Co-op is one of the world's largest consumer co-operatives with more than 2,500 retail shops and interests across food, funerals, insurance and legal services. The company was looking to move its Enterprise Data Warehouse including business-critical workloads to the cloud. However, a conventional migration of its system, which has evolved organically over many years, would pose enormous risk due to the complexity of workloads and dependencies: the system comprises over 10,000 tables, includes 885 scheduled data ingestion processes, and serves up more than 6,000 reports to over 1,000 office and field-based users.

By virtualizing its existing environment with Datometry Hyper-Q, Co-op minimized the time for the complete migration and executed the project from plan to production in under 40 weeks. As a result, Co-op realizes cost savings of several million pounds sterling annually going forward. They also eliminated the need for a conventional migration, which would have been both costly and time-consuming.

The combination of Azure Synapse and Datometry Hyper-Q outperforms Co-op's old system noticeably. Critically important, Co-op was able to cut over from its legacy warehouse to its cloud data warehouse seamlessly and without downtime for the company's business users. The move to Azure Synapse enables Co-op to accelerate its technology agenda and create value for their millions of members and customers.

"Shifting from a legacy on-premises data warehouse to Microsoft Azure Synapse cloud platform, supported by Datometry, has allowed us to virtualize the vast majority of our code without needing to [rewrite it]," said Charlotte Lock, Director of Data, Loyalty and Digital Products, Co-op. "We have gained speed, performance and agility while reducing costs and taken a big step forward in modernizing our enterprise data storage and management."

"Co-op's successful journey from a legacy data warehouse appliance to a modern cloud data warehouse may very well have set a new record for fastest migration of an entire Enterprise Data Warehouse," said Mike Waas, CEO, Datometry. "Co-op joins a growing number of enterprises that take advantage of database virtualization to accelerate their adoption of critical cloud technology and out-innovate their competition."

To learn more about Co-op's database modernization journey, visit https://datometry.com/case-studies/pioneering-successful-data-warehouse-modernisation/.

To watch an on-demand session featuring Co-op, Microsoft and Datometry executives discussing Co-op's success story, visit https://datometry.com/webinars/webinar/.

For further industry updates and perspectives, follow Datometry on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Datometry

Datometry is the leader in database system virtualization. Datometry's technology frees enterprises from vendor lock-in on their on-premises database technology and accelerates any enterprise's journey to the cloud. Datometry Hyper-Q empowers enterprises to run their existing applications directly on a cloud database of their choice without the need for costly and risk-laden database migrations. Leading Fortune 500 and Global 2000 enterprises worldwide realize significant cost savings and out-innovate their competition with Datometry during this critical period of transformation to cloud-native data management. For more information, visit www.datometry.com.

Media contact

Shermineh Rohanizadeh

Market Street Group for Datometry

[email protected]

+1 949-378-6469

SOURCE Datometry

Related Links

http://www.datometry.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Deloitte announced the creation of a $250,000 scholarship program to help fund the cost of tuition for students from Grambling State University who are seeking a Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree from Louisiana Tech University's College of Business. The announcement further showcases the global professional services organization's commitment to increasing diversity within the accounting profession.

As previously announced last fall, Louisiana Tech University and Grambling State University  a long-standing HBCU located five miles from Louisiana Tech's campus  signed a memorandum of understanding that provides an accelerated pathway for Grambling students to achieve a degree that is not provided at their undergraduate institution. This agreement allows Louisiana Tech and Grambling to provide their shared students with the education, resources and support they need to sit for the CPA exam and launch successful careers.

Because financial aid packages will not transfer from institutions in Louisiana, senior accounting majors at Grambling State are required to self-fund their coursework at Louisiana Tech. Prior to Deloitte's scholarship program investment, scholarships and graduate assistantships were primarily funded by Louisiana Tech alumni in order to lift the financial burden for these students.

"The scholarships from Deloitte will be a game changer on multiple levels and we are thrilled to team with Louisiana Tech and Grambling State through this program," said Stephen Metoyer, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, Deloitte Tax LLP and graduate of Louisiana Tech University. "By eliminating the financial barrier many students face when seeking access to higher education, not only do we anticipate helping to diversify and grow the regional accounting workforce, it is our earnest hope that many graduates of this program will go on to become tomorrow's leaders of the accounting profession, fueling the long-term change we are seeking. This investment complements other bold initiatives we are undertaking, including our Making Accounting Diverse and Equitable (MADE) and Deloitte Tax Scholars programs."

"We are truly grateful for Deloitte investment in this innovative pathway to our Master of Accountancy," said Dr. Chris Martin, dean of Louisiana Tech's College of Business. "Our collaboration with Grambling  and now Deloitte  is a testament to the importance of investing in shared student success that will benefit the field by providing highly qualified accounting professionals who will diversify the field. We look forward to expanding this model to other HBCUs in the future to continue to increase diversity of thought and opportunities in the accounting profession."

"Deloitte's support of our shared MAcc students will help create greater success and opportunity for them," said Dr. Les Guice, president of Louisiana Tech. "Together, we will help many students achieve their academic goals, and I know they will then make a positive impact on our region and state."

"We are thrilled our students have the opportunity to pursue MAcc courses while still enrolled at Grambling, giving them a decided edge while preparing for the CPA exam and ultimately earning a masters from the esteemed Louisiana Tech," said Dr. Donald White, dean of the College of Business at Grambling State University. "Students and faculty at Grambling are thankful to Deloitte for their support of this program that will benefit accounting students for generations."

"We are grateful for Deloitte's investment in our students," said Grambling State University President Rick Gallot. "Their support of our accountancy students reflects their commitment to a highly trained and diverse workforce."

The investment from Deloitte's scholarship program will be used to fund graduate assistantships, undergraduate tuition at Louisiana Tech University (up to nine credit hours to support concurrent MAcc studies), and graduate tuition at Louisiana Tech University (up to 30 credit hours to support MAcc completion). Students who are interested in learning more about the concurrent program requirements can do so here.

About Deloitte

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500 and more than 7,000 private companies. Our people come together for the greater good and work across the industry sectors that drive and shape today's marketplace  delivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthier society. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Building on more than 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's more than 345,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com.

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

SOURCE Deloitte

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One of Denny's signature breakfast entrees, the Build Your Own Grand Slam includes a choice of four delicious items for a fully customizable breakfast. And with more than 10 choices -- such as fluffy buttermilk pancakes, eggs cooked to order, bacon strips, buttermilk biscuits and hash browns there is something for everyone. The offer is valid for dine-in only at participating locations from 5 a.m. to noon* with a valid military ID or DD 214.

To continue its mission of feeding people's bodies, minds and souls, Denny's will also be taking its Mobile Relief Diner on the company's second annual "Heroes Tour" to deliver free, hot meals to veterans and active military. Dates and locations will be announced at a later date.

"As veterans continue to feel the effects of the pandemic, it's important now more than ever to honor America's heroes" said John Dillon, chief brand officer for Denny's. "This year, we look forward to welcoming them into our booths and launching our second annual Heroes Tour to show our gratitude and support for both veterans and active military personnel."

Denny's is committed to ensuring its restaurants are operating safely to welcome guests back in dining rooms. The company has created best-in-class practices for operations, customer service and cleaning and sanitation to deliver the same high-quality food and great experience that Denny's is known for in a safe manner.

For more information about Denny's or to find a participating location near you, please visit www.dennys.com. Follow along with Denny's Mobile Relief Diner on Twitter to learn more about dates and locations for the Heroes Tour.

*Denny's Veterans Day offer is valid for dine-in only and will not be available for online ordering through 'Denny's on Demand.' Some locations may open after 5 a.m.; check your local restaurant for its hours of operation.

ABOUT DENNY'S CORP.

Denny's Corporation is the franchisor and operator of one of America's largest franchised full-service restaurant chains, based on the number of restaurants. As of June 30, 2021, Denny's had 1,645 franchised, licensed, and company restaurants around the world including 149 restaurants in Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Philippines, New Zealand, Honduras, the United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica, Guam, Guatemala, El Salvador, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom. For further information on Denny's, including news releases, please visit the Denny's website at www.dennys.com or the brand's social channel via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn or YouTube.

SOURCE Denny's

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BOGOTA, Colombia, Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL;NYSE: EC) (the "Ecopetrol" or the "Company") hereby reports that starting November 1, 2021, Nicolas Azcuenaga Ramirez has been appointed as the new Corporate Vice President of Strategy and New Businesses, taking over for Juan Manuel Rojas. Nicolas Azcuenaga is a business administrator from Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administracion (CESA), has a diploma from Manchester University & International Compliance Association and has more than 20 years of work experience, 16 of them in the Oil & Gas industry.

The new Vice President has held leadership positions for financial and commercial management in different countries, such as Colombia, the United Kingdom and Brazil. In Ecopetrol he has served as CFO for the Upstream Subsidiaries in the Corporate Vice Presidency of Finance, where he has been responsible for the financial oversight of various transactions, such as the acquisition by Hocol of the assets of the Chuchupa Ballena assets, the acquisition of a strategic position in the Permian and the Gato do Mato asset in Brazil, among others. Since May 2021, he has been leading the team in charge of Ecopetrol's acquisition of the stake owned by the Republic of Colombia through the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit in Interconexion Electrica S.A. (ISA).

The Company hereby thanks Juan Manuel Rojas for his work and the achievements made for the Ecopetrol Group.

Ecopetrol is the largest company in Colombia and one of the main integrated energy companies in the American continent, with more than 17,000 employees. In Colombia, it accounts for more than 60% of hydrocarbon production, and most of the hydrocarbon transportation, logistics, and refining systems, and has leading positions in petrochemicals and gas distribution. With the acquisition of 51.4% of ISA's shares, it participates in energy transmission, management of real-time systems (XM) and the Concesion Costera Barranquilla - Cartagena. At the international level, Ecopetrol focuses on strategic basins on the American continent, with E&P operations in the United States (the Permian basin and the Gulf of Mexico), Brazil and Mexico, and through ISA and its subsidiaries it has leading positions in the transmission business in Brazil, Chile, Peru and Bolivia, in road concessions in Chile, and in telecommunications. This press release contains statements relating to business prospects, estimates of operating and financial results, and Ecopetrol's growth prospects. All are projections, and therefore are based solely on management's expectations of the company's future and its continuous access to capital to finance its sales plan. Achieving these estimates in the future depends on its performance under given market conditions, regulations, competition, the performance of the Colombian economy and industry, and other factors; therefore, they are subject to change without prior notice.

This release contains statements that may be considered forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All forward-looking statements, whether made in this release or in future filings or press releases or orally, address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, including in respect of Ecopetrol's prospects for growth and its ongoing access to capital to fund Ecopetrol's business plan, among others. Consequently, changes in the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements: market prices of oil & gas, our exploration and production activities, market conditions, applicable regulations, the exchange rate, Ecopetrol's competitiveness and the performance of Colombia's economy and industry, to mention a few. We do not intend, and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

The authorization of the Program in Colombia as described in this report is not and does not purport to constitute a securities offering in the United States of America as securities may not be offered or sold in the United States unless they are registered with the SEC, or are exempt from such registration.

For further details, please contact:

Head of Capital Markets

Tatiana Uribe Benninghoff

Phone : +571-234-5190

Email : [email protected]

Media Engagement (Colombia)

Jorge Mauricio Tellez

Phone : + 571-234-4329

Email : [email protected]

SOURCE Ecopetrol S.A.

Related Links

http://www.ecopetrol.com.co


Amid an escalating health and nutrition crisis for children, with cold winter temperatures dropping quickly, a national economic meltdown, and the impacts of prolonged drought and years of conflict, the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that over half the population in Afghanistan - 23 million people - will struggle to put food on the table during the upcoming winter; the largest number ever recorded. Additionally, nearly 10 million girls and boys depend on humanitarian assistance to survive. All this against a backdrop of two decades of development programming severely impacted in the past two months.

"Salaries have not been paid for months, money and goods are no longer circulating in the country, entire communities and families have lost their livelihoods and struggle to make ends meet. Those who suffer the brunt of this acute crisis are the most innocent and vulnerable: girls, boys, adolescents and youth," said Yasmine Sherif. "UN member states, donors and humanitarian organizations, as well as crisis-sensitive development organizations, must remain engaged and act together now to support children, teachers, educators and the Afghan people - with education at the center of the response - because education is their future and the future of the country. An estimated $1 billion dollars is urgently required by organizations working in the education sector."

While the majority of schools were closed in Afghanistan during 2020-2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most primary schools for both girls and boys have reopened since the takeover of power in August. According to UN and NGO partners on the ground, with regards to secondary education, girls' education has resumed in some provinces to date.

"For the millions of children living through the turmoil of today's Afghanistan, education and learning is a lifeline that must be supported. Not only does it give girls and boys the tools to lead a healthy and productive life, but it also keeps them protected and safe," said Alice Akunga, UNICEF's Deputy Representative in Afghanistan. "We are asking the international community to come together to prevent the collapse of the education system and safeguard the gains made for children over the past two decades."

During her three-day mission, Sherif met with the de facto authorities in Kabul, stressing the importance of increasing access to quality education for all children, with an emphasis on adolescent girls, throughout the country. Sherif also visited a girls' school in Kabul and met with a wide range of education partners, including the UN-SRSG, UN agencies, international and national civil society organizations, and members of the education in emergency working group to take stock of the situation on the ground and identify additional opportunities to expand ECW emergency education investments and scaled up funding for UN and NGOs in the education sector.

Working with a direct execution modality through UN agencies and civil society organizations, ECW has been supporting the delivery of education programmes for the most vulnerable girls and boys in Afghanistan since 2018.

"Through community-based education and accelerated programmes, we have been able to operate in the most challenging contexts with tangible education results, including our focus on female teachers and girls' education," said Sherif. "Our partner UNICEF, other UN agencies, and national and international NGOs continue to operate in the country. They are ready to scale up and expand their work to new areas that have become accessible. But to do so, enormous financial resources are urgently needed."

To date, ECW has invested US$45 million to support the education of girls, boys and adolescents in Afghanistan . This includes US$36 million for the first Multi-Year Resilience Programme (of which US$24 million has already been disbursed), previous First Emergency Response grants of US$4.6 million, and a recent First Emergency Response grant of US$4 million in response to the recent escalating needs.

These whole-of-child education approaches have proven effective and yielded promising results, including in areas not under the previous government's control. According to ECW's 2020 Annual Report , 58% of beneficiaries supported by ECW-funded interventions are girls, with programmes implemented in some of the hardest-to-reach provinces in Afghanistan such as Herat, Kunduz, Kandahar and Uruzgan.

Even before the most recent humanitarian crisis, 4.2 million children were not enrolled in school in Afghanistan; around 60 per cent of them are girls. Rural areas of the country, particularly, also lacked adequate infrastructure and educational materials - with conflict, large-scale population displacement, and inequalities of access to quality education exacerbating the situation, particularly for girls, children with disabilities and marginalized communities.

"With our UN and civil society partners, ECW has a proven model of delivering access to quality education in crisis-impacted countries around the world," said Sherif. "I call on our strategic partners and donors to support ECW and our UN and NGO partners in sustaining and urgently scaling up our programmes for all girls and boys in Afghanistan. Education is their inherent human right and every girl's right. We have a moral, legal and ethical obligation to not abandon them at this crucial time in their young lives, especially at this critical point in Afghanistan's history. It is a test of our own humanity."

About Education Cannot Wait (ECW):

Education Cannot Wait ( ECW ) is the United Nations global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises. We support quality education outcomes for refugee, internally displaced and other crisis-affected girls and boys, so no one is left behind. ECW works through the multilateral system to both increase the speed of responses in crises and connect immediate relief and longer-term interventions through multi-year programming. ECW works in close partnership with governments, public and private donors, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and other humanitarian and development aid actors to increase efficiencies and end siloed responses. ECW urgently appeals to public and private sector donors for expanded support to reach even more vulnerable children and youth. ECW is administered under UNICEF's financial, human resources and administrative rules and regulations; operations are run by the Fund's own independent governance structure.

On Twitter, please follow : @EduCannotWait @YasmineSherif1 @KentPage

Additional information available at: www.educationcannotwait.org

SOURCE Education Cannot Wait

Related Links

http://www.educationcannotwait.org


SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ElectroNeek, a leading RPA vendor for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), has signed a partnership with Ricoh Australia to bring affordable robotic process automation (RPA) and optical character recognition (OCR) services to educational centers across Australia.

Through our innovative RPA ecosystem, ElectroNeek will equip Ricoh with RPA tools such as Studio Pro , Bot Runner , and SaaS Orchestrator , as well as with industry-leading partner success tools designed to drive revenue from Ricoh's digital initiatives. Together, our two companies will work hand-in-hand to achieve a collaborative goal of bringing scalable and affordable digital transformation solutions such as RPA to organizations throughout all of Australia.

"ElectroNeek is proud to partner with Ricoh to expand our RPA and OCR technology alliance in Australia. The combination of our two teams  enterprise documentation software combined with scalable automation and expert technical leadership  will allow Ricoh to provide their customers with truly transformative digital solutions.

Entering the Australian market is a big step for ElectroNeek. We're looking forward to taking on the challenge of this new region by providing our partners with industry-leading RPA tools and partner success strategies designed to enable Australian businesses to find success with next-gen digital initiatives."

Sergey Yudovskiy, Co-founder & CEO, ElectroNeek Robotics Inc.

"Partnering with Electroneek will enable Ricoh to provide our customers with a truly scalable and cost-effective managed RPA service at a time when organizations are looking to deploy digital transformation and employee experience strategies to emerge stronger in 2022. Indeed, finding ways to derive the optimal return on investment from digital initiatives such as RPA has never been more important.

We look forward to working with Electroneek to deliver a winning combination of leading technology and expert technical knowledge, skills, and experience to Australian businesses."

Neal Ross, Chief Technology Officer, Ricoh Australia Pty Ltd.

ElectroNeek's innovative partner ecosystem for MSPs

ElectroNeek's core business model revolves around supporting the growth of our partners' RPA businesses. Through our Global Partner Success Program, ElectroNeek helps MSPs drive high profits through a robust product lineup, joint business initiatives, and free bot licenses that allow our partners to provide their end-clients with affordable and scalable RPA solutions.

This focus on MSP partner success sets a new standard for RPA vendors in the industry, and symbolizes ElectroNeek's commitment to providing MSPs of all sizes with easy to develop and easy to deploy RPA tools and business strategies.

About ElectroNeek

ElectroNeek is the leading RPA vendor for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) with offices in North America, India, Europe, and Latin America. More than 500 customers and partners trust ElectroNeek worldwide to deliver hyper-automation solutions and support.

ElectroNeek is the preferred RPA vendor for many globally recognized and leading regional MSPs, such as BDO, HLB, and Compasso, and enterprise clients such as Electrolux, Epiroc, Sage, and 7-Eleven.

About Ricoh

Ricoh is empowering digital workplaces using innovative technologies and services that enable individuals to work smarter from anywhere. With cultivated knowledge and organisational capabilities nurtured over its 85-years history, Ricoh is a leading provider of digital services and information management, and print and imaging solutions designed to support digital transformation and optimise business performance. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group has major operations throughout the world and its products and services now reach customers in approximately 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ended March 2021, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 1,682 billion yen (approx. 15.1 billion USD).

Contacts:

[email protected]

SOURCE ElectroNeek Robotics, Inc.

Related Links

https://electroneek.com


Embrey's purchase of the high-quality, 280-unit property built in 2006 closed on October 27 in a sale brokered by Patton Jones of Newmark. Embrey will benefit from the community's prime location along the I-35 corridor in the northeast sector of San Antonio's metropolitan area that has seen high rental demand in recent years. The nationally recognized, award-winning Embrey Management Services will take over management of the community.

Retreat at Chelsea Park is the first closing of Embrey's recently introduced acquisition group led by Alex Sampson, Vice President of Acquisitions. The newly formed group is aggressively seeking multifamily procurement opportunities across high-growth Texas and Sunbelt markets.

"The Retreat at Chelsea Park community fits perfectly into Embrey's focus on creating places where people want to be," said Sampson. "The location is outstanding, just off I-35 with easy access to San Antonio, New Braunfels and Austin, in the middle of a rapidly evolving area that has seen the population grow more than tenfold since 2000. Renters are drawn to Retreat at Chelsea Park for its large floor plans, top-of-class amenities, and tranquil conveniences. The added attention to residents that will be provided by Embrey Management Services will position this asset as second-to-none in its submarket."

Retreat at Chelsea Park exemplifies Embrey's value-add investment approach. About two-thirds of the one-, two- and three-bedroom units remain in classic or outdated conditions since the property's construction in 2006. Embrey will upgrade unit interiors and position the property as a quality and affordable rental option in a flourishing area along the I-35 path of growth, according to Sampson.

Retreat at Chelsea Park's focus on lifestyle experience will be most readily apparent in its lifestyle amenities. Outdoors, this includes an inviting clubhouse, swimming pool, recreation center, dog park, and covered outdoor grilling areas. Residents have access to a fitness center, coffee bar, and resident lounge, plus covered and surface parking with a gated entrance.

Upon completion of Embrey's renovation program, apartment unit interiors will feature premium kitchens, including granite countertops, undermount kitchen sinks with goosehead faucets, updated cabinetry with nickel pulls, updated appliances, wood-style flooring, private patio or balconies, expansive walk-in closets, and 9-foot ceilings.

"Embrey is proud to be a member of the Selma community and to bring its all-star management team to Retreat at Chelsea Park," Sampson said.

About Embrey Partners

San Antonio-based Embrey Partners, LLC is a diversified real estate investment company that owns, develops, builds, acquires, and manages multifamily residential communities and commercial assets in targeted markets across the United States. Since 1974, Embrey has developed more than 44,000 apartments and over 6 million square feet of commercial property. Embrey is a leading developer in the multifamily sector, with more than 6,000 units under construction or in development. www.embreydc.com

SOURCE Embrey

Related Links

http://www.embreydc.com


WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Halloween can be a lot of fun, but it is also a busy night for many emergency physicians. The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) offers suggestions to help make sure that Halloween scares don't include a trip to the emergency department this year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determined that going door-to-door this year can be a low-risk activity. But, the virus can still spread, especially among children who are not yet eligible for a vaccine and live in higher-risk households.

"Everyone can take steps to safely enjoy the spooky season, but we should remember the pandemic is not over yet," said Gillian Schmitz, MD, FACEP, president of ACEP. "Let's prioritize the smart choices and behaviors that we know can help avoid spreading COVID-19."

Emergency physicians suggest that everyone do their best to avoid large crowds, maintain social distance, and keep festivities outside when possible. Costume masks are not a substitute for cloth masks, and they do not offer the same protection. Adults and children should avoid wearing a costume mask over a cloth mask as that can make breathing difficult.

Each Halloween, emergency physicians typically see an increase in injuries from car accidents, falls, and deep cuts from pumpkin carving accidents, among other emergencies. Emergency physicians offer these tips to avoid a Halloween horror story:

Be safe while trick-or-treating. Children should not walk alone in the dark. Try to go as a group, in a familiar neighborhood, with an adult chaperone. Bring flashlights and stay on sidewalks when walking at night.

Make safe costume choices. Use reflective tape on costumes to increase visibility at night and avoid costumes that are hard to walk in or could cause a child to trip and fall. Dress appropriately for the weather to avoid the risk of hypothermia and wear only non-flammable materials. Make sure costume accessories are made from flexible material and that any swords, wands or pointed objects have dulled edges.

Watch what you eat. Avoid candy that is not wrapped in its original wrapper. Don't eat too much; children and adults can get sick from over-indulging on candy. Pay attention to the labels on candy or other sweets because edible marijuana or related products can resemble food that looks harmless. Be mindful about which candy contains common allergens, such as peanuts, and be prepared with allergy medication as necessary.

Exercise caution with decorations. Keep sharp knives and lit candles away from children. Older children and teens should still be supervised while using any sharp tools. Young children should not carve pumpkins. Instead, consider having them decorate pumpkins by drawing designs or helping remove the pulp and seeds.

"Halloween is meant to be a fun time with children, families and friends," said Dr. Schmitz. "Nobody should have to spend their holiday in the emergency department. But if an emergency occurs, there will be an emergency physician ready to provide care to anyone who needs them."

Visit www.emergencyphysicians.org for more health and safety information.

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 40,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org.

SOURCE American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)

Related Links

www.acep.org


BOSTON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- IT governance urgently requires a seismic shift in its approach to overseeing technology adoption to protect and deliver value in today's transformed, digital-first enterprises, according to Mendix and leading research firms and business experts. A recent Gartner survey1 found that 70% of cross-functional leaders say their companies' governance models are not designed to fit the needs of digital business teams. Additional reports by the Harvard Business Review , MIS Quarterly , and IGI Global pulled no punches, flatly stating that widely practiced governance protocols are "failing," "killing innovation," and "delivering substandard results" when measured against enterprise KPIs and mission-critical business goals.

The concept of IT governance emerged in the early 1990s. Initially, IT governance had three key objectives: Make certain that technology generates business value, oversee management's performance, and mitigate risk associated with technology use.

Over time, the standard governance models have become bloated and heavily weighted toward risk mitigation, to the detriment of other goals. "More often than not, teams following legacy policy and procedures run into roadblocks. Even though well-intentioned, at scale these governance models are causing procedural knots, delays, and denial of resources," said Jon Scolamiero, Mendix's manager of architecture & governance. "The results speak for themselves  IT governance, as it currently operates, isn't working. We must dramatically change how we construct and apply these models, especially in light of the exponential rate of technological change we face daily in IT."

The past 18 months have seen a radical shift in technology priorities, largely catalyzed by the pandemic. The goals and tools have changed and governance needs to catch up. Restrictive governance guidelines conceived before the ascent of today's digital-first economy can hamper business value and productivity and threaten the sustainability of enterprises seeking competitive advantage in an economy characterized by accelerated digitalization, a shortage of developer talent, and new automation and low-code platforms that empower citizen developers who may or may not have sufficient IT oversight.

This push for rapid digitalization has fueled widespread adoption of automation platforms, including low-code application development platforms, by global enterprises. Forrester analysts expect that, by year's end, 75% of all enterprise apps will be built with low-code. For organizations to remain viable and competitive, a transformed IT governance model that goes back to the initial goals of IT governance and adopts core principles of expanded collaboration, communication, abstraction, and automation needs to be the foundation for high performance digital solutions solutions that are force multipliers driving increased business value and market standing.

Switching from mandated to embedded governance

Simply put, IT governance is the agreed-upon framework an enterprise adopts to solve a specific set of business problems using information technology. While such frameworks should embody the values and goals of an entire organization, in practice, the research shows they typically emerge as a top-down series of mandates issued by departments according to reporting lines of authority.

This may have been useful when IT professionals were the sole developers of digital solutions. However, as Gartner reported in "Balancing Autonomy With Control: New Governance Models for Digital Businesses," there are now more technology partners creating applications who are outside of IT. Gartner documents this changing nature of work, in which 41% of technology producers are citizen developers in business units creating new applications and custom integrations for their teams, departments, and other end-users; just 10% of technology producers work in either central or business unit IT.

Truly enterprise-ready all-in-one low-code development platforms should be explicitly designed to address and support this transformation in business operations and processes, returning the focus back to delivering value. They can do this by embedding governance capabilities so that the work of business experts, developers, and BizDevOps is not impeded as they plan, build, test, deploy, and maintain digital solutions, while still being transparent & manageable.

Embedded platform tools provide administrators with real-time control over the entire landscape without inhibiting productivity. These tools can include system-wide alerts, observability and monitoring dashboards, permission settings and project role configuration. More advanced options such as AI-assisted software development, automated testing, customizable workflows/pipelines, and automated portfolio quality and performance monitoring also contribute, creating a series of automated governance guardrails customized for each organizational initiative. This "shift-left" approach keeps people, processes, portfolios, and platforms all pushing in the same direction, ensuring IT's standards for quality assurance and performance management are made automatic for the expanded pool of citizen developers.

"The process of portfolio rationalization is streamlined when a platform embeds expected value and compliance during application development," said Scolamiero. "For example, the business manager does not need to worry if an application follows OWASP standards for web security or GDPR regulations, because those questions were automatically and rigorously vetted as part of its build-out. Even better is having the portfolio-wide business value, solution quality, and business capabilities surfaced. In this way, embedding modern governance models grant technology producers the permission to operate."

Additionally, these modern governance models elegantly remove the risks posed by shadow IT. They surface data to evaluate and prioritize projects, resources, and budgets. They provide enterprises with the framework to scale, speeding ROI and time-to-market for secure digital solutions. Moreover, they support a whole new level of collaboration across silos, oriented around business results.

Fortifying security and compliance while enabling resilience and agility

Security measures, while often confused as synonymous with governance, remain essential components of every digital operation. Vertical sectors, such as insurance, healthcare, banking, and finance, have compliance requirements specific to their industry needs. Businesses are subject to local data privacy requirements in the jurisdictions in which they operate. And, as more consumer-facing services are digitalized, private and public sector organizations are increasingly vulnerable to cyber hacking; the recent data breach of Microsoft's Power Platform exposed more than 38 million government and corporate records. "Such news underscores the essential role of governance to secure and deliver high-performance outcomes across the technology stack by participating teams of developers and end users," says Frank Baalbergen, chief information security officer at Mendix.

By "shifting left" third-party validation, security settings, and data privacy requirements for software developers and BizDevOps managers alike, these new governance models bridge the seemingly disparate priorities of risk mitigation and rapid adoption of next-generation technology. Enterprise-ready all-in-one low-code development platforms can make this effortless through seamlessly enabling vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and logging audits to make deployment pipelines flexible and seamless.

"I firmly believe, and our customer's experiences show, that this new approach to governance enables everyone working under its principles to be happier and more productive," Scolamiero concludes, "because so much red tape has been removed from their lives. They are empowered to achieve results and measure outcomes in nearly real time, which just feels good."

Additional Resources

To further explore the issues raised by current IT Governance models, please see Mendix's five-part blog series by Jon Scolamiero, beginning with IT: Governance  Why it Needs to Change . For a detailed blueprint on how to change governance models for the enterprise, download the Mendix eBook, " Your New Governance Framework. "

In Case You Missed Mendix World 2021

Mendix World 2021 was the largest gathering of low-code technologists, practitioners, and fans ever. If you missed it, you can still view the must-see keynotes, get briefed on all the powerful new low-code capabilities that are transforming the digital landscape, and watch the [90+] sessions and demos presented by development experts, customers, and partners on every important low-code technology and topic. Register and view the Mendix World 2021 archive .

Connect with Mendix

Follow @Mendix on Twitter

Connect with Mendix on LinkedIn

About Mendix

Mendix, a Siemens business and the global leader in enterprise low-code, is fundamentally reinventing the way applications are built in the digital enterprise. With the Mendix platform, enterprises can "Make with More" by broadening an enterprise's development capability to conquer the software development bottleneck; "Make it Smart," by making apps with rich native experiences that are intelligent, proactive, and contextual; and "Make at Scale," to modernize core systems and build large app portfolios to keep pace with business growth. The Mendix platform is built to promote collaboration between business and IT teams and dramatically accelerate application development while maintaining the highest standards of security, quality, and governance. Mendix World is the premiere low-code event of the year, attracting nearly 10,000 Mendix enthusiasts and from every business segment.

Press Inquiries

Sara Black

[email protected]

(213) 618-1501

Dan Berkowitz

Senior Director of Global Communications

Mendix

[email protected]

(415) 518-7870

1 Balancing Autonomy With Control: New Governance Models for Digital Businesses - Gartner, 2020

SOURCE Mendix
FRANKFURT, Germany, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/  European Wellness Academy (EWA), the educational arm of European Wellness Biomedical Group (EWG), has signed an agreement to carry out joint scientific research on the efficacy of peptides, cell therapy, exosomes and cell reprogramming for rejuvenation in premature murine aging models.

EWA was represented by its Group Chairman, Prof. Dr. Mike Chan, while Heidelberg University was represented by its Commercial Managing Director, Katrin Erk and its Head of Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology III, Prof. Dr. Thomas Skutella.

The cutting-edge therapeutics used for the studies include precursor (progenitor) stem cells (PSC), precursor cells (Frozen Organo Crygenics (FOC)), Mito Organelle (MO), Nano Organo Peptides (NOP) and exosomes.

Their studies include in vitro experiments concentrating on the effects of the products on the aging of somatic cells and cellular senescence, which is known to contribute to disease onset and progression. Investigated exosomes include neuronal stem cells (NSCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), cardiomyocytes, kidney progenitors and hepatocytes.

EWA and Heidelberg University will also conduct in vivo experiments to demonstrate both safety and efficacy of the therapeutics, whereby the proof of effectivity will be recorded in the life span, histopathological and molecular criteria of neurodegeneration including Alzheimer/dementia, and system degeneration disorders including those affecting the immune system, skin, cardio, lung, kidney, liver, stomach/intestine/gut, eye, and muscular dystrophy.

Other criteria included are cartilage/joint/bone regeneration including knees/joints/hips, cervical, thoracic, lumbar, pelvic and musculoskeletal disorder, as well as endocrine disorders like endocrinal dysfunction due to over and underproduction of hormones and other activity pattern under the sleep wake cycle.

The ongoing specially designed studies are coordinated and designed by Prof. Dr. Thomas Skutella of Heidelberg University, a world-renowned research university and one of Germany's Top 3, Prof. Dr. Mike Chan and scientists of EWG.

European Wellness Academy

Located in Germany, Switzerland, Greece and Malaysia, EWA is a UK CPD authorised body with a premium training and development wing that revolves around cutting-edge Bio-Regenerative Medicine modalities for practitioners and researchers. The Academy has extensive years of combined clinical experience and a core academic team comprising of qualified clinicians and scientists with multiple international affiliations and accreditations.

https://ewacademy.eu

https://european-wellness.eu/

SOURCE European Wellness Biomedical Group

Related Links

https://european-wellness.eu


Hanna has dedicated her career to gene therapy and has held several director positions including leading research and development at FKD Therapies, Kuopio Center for Cell & Gene Therapy. Hanna holds several member and executive board positions in industry associations, is an adjunct professor at the University of Eastern Finland and is a frequent speaker at cell and gene therapy industry events.

Her research interests have focused particularly on translational development, including early-stage analytical methods and the development of scalable, robust manufacturing processes operating under current regulatory guidelines. Hanna's deep understanding of viral vector manufacturing technologies will provide Exothera with enhanced manufacturing competitiveness. Her PhD in Molecular Medicine was obtained from the University of Kuopio, followed by a post doc at the University of California San Diego UCSD, CA, USA, and the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. She also holds several patents related to vector manufacturing.

Thibault Jonckheere, CEO of Exothera commented : "We are delighted that Hanna has joined us in our mission, bringing her extensive experience in the cell & gene therapy field. She will both reinforce and challenge what the team has been building over the last year, with a specific focus on establishing processes and platforms that make cell and gene therapy more easily available."

Commenting on her appointment, Hanna Lesch said : "I have always enjoyed working in the translational field, where early biological insights convert into therapy. I am pleased to have found at Exothera, a place where I can continue to play a significant role in the development of very promising patient treatments. With Exothera's highly motivated and committed teams, we will work together to expand the range of technical and manufacturing solutions to best meet customers' needs. "

About Exothera SA

Exothera is a viral vector CDMO (contract manufacturing and development organization) using standard and innovative bioproduction platforms to rapidly deliver affordable viral vector-based vaccines and cell and gene therapies. As a Univercells company, Exothera capitalizes on novel manufacturing technologies and best-in-class bioprocessing expertise to provide custom-made process optimization and GMP clinical and commercial production of viral vectors. Based on its extensive technology expertise, Exothera selects technologies to optimally answer customer needs for cost-effective and agile viral vector manufacturing.

LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/exothera / Website: www.exothera.world

SOURCE EXOTHERA
The deal sets a solid timeline for the launch of the first zero emission commercial passenger flights between the UK and the Netherlands, and potentially the first international commercial operation in the world. ZeroAvia and Royal Schiphol Group are in advanced partnership talks with airlines to agree on an operator for the planned route.

Through the partnership to deliver this commercial route, ZeroAvia and Royal Schiphol Group will collaborate on testing and demonstrating hydrogen supply chain refuelling operations and integration with airport operations. The two companies will also focus on ensuring the pathway for commercially adopting hydrogen-electric aviation, including establishing the right regulatory framework and understanding industry and public appetite for zero emissions flight powered by hydrogen.

ZeroAvia recently established a legal entity in the Netherlands. This will enable the company to create opportunities for commercialisation and partnership with airports, airframe manufacturers and/or airlines, within the Netherlands and wider European Union.

New technology

ZeroAvia has focused its R&D on developing a hydrogen-electric powertrain  using hydrogen fuel cells to power electric motors  as a viable way to tackle aviation's climate change impacts at scale. With the hydrogen-electric system ZeroAvia is pioneering, the only emission is water vapour at manageable temperatures, allowing for sustainable flights.

Hydrogen-electric propulsion will have the additional benefit of lower operating costs, making routes more attractive to airlines and airports and passengers.

Pioneering

Sergey Kiselev, Head of Europe, at ZeroAvia, said: "This deal means that, in just three years' time, you should be able to board a flight and make the hour journey between the UK and the Netherlands without worrying about the impact on the climate. Working with partners like Royal Schiphol Group, we are making true zero emission flights a reality for passengers in the first half of this decade."

Ron Louwerse, CEO, of Rotterdam the Hague Airport, said: "Boarding a zero-emission flight from Rotterdam to London is only the beginning of green aviation, and that will only be made possible by pioneering and promoting innovation in the sector. With the Netherlands as the testing ground for aviation, we strengthen our competitive position, knowledge base and business climate."

Miranda Janse, Director of 'Stichting' Rotterdam the Hague Innovation Airport, said: "This partnership marks an important milestone, bringing operational expertise of hydrogen powered flight into practice in the Netherlands."

Note for editors

About ZeroAvia

ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation solutions to address a variety of markets, initially targeting a 500-mile range in 9-19 seat aircraft used for commercial passenger transport, cargo, agriculture, and more. Based in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for two prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Prime Minister's Jet Zero Council. For more, please visit ZeroAvia.com, follow @ZeroAvia on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

About Royal Schiphol Group (RSG)

Royal Schiphol Group is an enterprise that operates airports in the Netherlands, conducts international activities and participates in airports abroad. Operating Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the Group's largest activity. Royal Schiphol Group is the owner and operator of Rotterdam The Hague Airport and Lelystad Airport, and holds a majority share in Eindhoven Airport. Royal Schiphol Group's mission is Connecting your world.

About Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA)

Founded in 1920 and relocated in 1956, Rotterdam the Hague Airport has become a regional airport with national significance. Rotterdam the Hague airport offers a Network connecting more than 50 relevant destinations for the region. RTHA is investing with partners such as the Municipalities of Rotterdam and the Hague as well as companies such as the Port of Rotterdam to ensure a smooth transition for both energy and aviation of the future. While safety and security remain our main pillars, Rotterdam the Hague Airport has created an innovation platform for the Royal Schiphol Group as well as for the metropolitan region around it to accelerate innovation and help start up, test and experiment with their product in a real life laboratory. With this said, Rotterdam The Hague Airport is set to be the most innovative airport in its class.

About Rotterdam the Hague Innovation Airport (RHIA)

RHIA is a runway for innovation; a hotspot where entrepreneurs, researchers and students bring innovation and sustainability to life. Together, we create a cleaner, quieter and more sustainable future for the aviation industry. Together, we make innovation fly. RHIA is an independent non-profit organization founded by Rotterdam the Hague Airport and municipality of Rotterdam in 2019.

SOURCE ZeroAvia
DALLAS, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

What's the news? A momentous 3rd quarter saw accelerated adoption from public safety. Now, more than 18,500 public safety agencies and organizations, accounting for more than 2.8 million connections1 nationwide, are on FirstNet, Built with AT&T*  the only nationwide network built with and for America's first responders. This growth has helped us to establish our market leadership position within the law enforcement community, with the San Francisco Sheriff's Department, Brevard County Sheriff's Office, and Newark Police Department (New Jersey), as well as the Florida Division of Emergency Management among the latest agencies to sign on to public safety's network.

Public safety is utilizing FirstNet to manage daily operations, planned events, and emergency situations and disasters. From San Francisco's Fleet Week earlier this month to COVID-19 testing centers and wildfires in the West, FirstNet is keeping public safety connected unlike any other network. In fact, so far this year FirstNet has deployed more than 650 solutions  from dedicated FirstNet SatCOLTs to expediting network restoration efforts  to support public safety's emergency response.

We're also giving first responders truly dedicated coverage and capacity when they need it most. So far, we've surpassed 95% of our nationwide Band 14 coverage target with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority), well ahead of schedule. And public safety's dedicated ecosystem is expanding to support the growing subscribers. There are now 315+ FirstNet Ready devices and more than 180 apps in the FirstNet App Catalog, which includes a carefully curated category of safety and wellness apps to further support the mental and physical health of first responders. The FirstNet App Catalog is geared to first responders, featuring apps relevant to public safety's mission, and gives FirstNet subscribers a dedicated site to find meaningful new solutions that have been specifically reviewed for use with their network.

By listening to what public safety needs, we're introducing new mission-centric solutions including Locate Standard for FirstNet, a new dynamic mapping application that includes Z-Axis, and NumberSync for Samsung wearables.

Why is this important? FirstNet is public safety's network. While commercial wireless offerings are available to public safety, FirstNet continues to grow because it stands apart from those commercial offerings. Unlike commercial networks, FirstNet is built to public safety's strict specifications and requirements. It is providing first responders with truly dedicated coverage and capacity when they need it, unique benefits like always-on priority and preemption, and high-quality Band 14 spectrum. These advanced capabilities help emergency managers, fire, EMS and law enforcement save lives and protect their communities.

We continue to listen to public safety and focus on delivering the services they need, on their network. Nowhere else can public safety get its own nationwide, dedicated communications platform with the mission-ready and mission-critical standards-based solutions they need to protect themselves and our communities. And the public safety analyst community agrees. Frost & Sullivan has recognized AT&T with the 2021 North American Mobile Situational Awareness Customer Value Leadership Award for expertly leveraging 3 strengths to create push-to-talk (PTT)-based situational awareness solutions that offer clear value-add. Our leadership in the traditional PTT market, our deep understanding of evolving customer needs, and our unique role as builder and operator of FirstNet were specifically highlighted.

What are the new solutions? FirstNet is expanding public safety's network and rolling out mission-driven innovative solutions. These new solutions and offers will give public safety new capabilities:

Locate Standard and Locate Pro Offer for FirstNet : As every public safety agency knows, coordinating first responders in the field during emergency situations can be challenging. Existing solutions that utilize radio to verbally communicate position and provide limited situational awareness, especially within multi-story structures. This limited location visibility can lead to delayed response times and error-prone operational decisions, ultimately, putting lives at risk. FirstNet understands these challenges and will soon provide first responders an exclusive solution to solve this problem  Locate Standard for FirstNet. This dynamic mapping application empowers public safety by providing near real-time responder locations on a detail-rich Google map, including Z-Axis (or vertical position) to identify a team member's location during critical times. Locate Standard provides greater efficiency to keep your teams safe, improved situational awareness and coordination and decreased response times. Agencies on FirstNet can sign-up for Locate Standard free for 1-year, along with Locate Pro  a premium mapping solution, and Activate  an emergency callout and team mobilization tool, free for the first 2 months of the offer. 2

As every public safety agency knows, coordinating first responders in the field during emergency situations can be challenging. Existing solutions that utilize radio to verbally communicate position and provide limited situational awareness, especially within multi-story structures. This limited location visibility can lead to delayed response times and error-prone operational decisions, ultimately, putting lives at risk. FirstNet understands these challenges and will soon provide first responders an exclusive solution to solve this problem  Locate Standard for FirstNet. This dynamic mapping application empowers public safety by providing near real-time responder locations on a detail-rich Google map, including Z-Axis (or vertical position) to identify a team member's location during critical times. Locate Standard provides greater efficiency to keep your teams safe, improved situational awareness and coordination and decreased response times. Agencies on FirstNet can sign-up for Locate Standard free for 1-year, along with Locate Pro  a premium mapping solution, and Activate  an emergency callout and team mobilization tool, free for the first 2 months of the offer. NumberSync for Samsung Wearables : NumberSync allows a user to "twin" a smartphone with a wearable, like a smartwatch, to make and receive calls and text messages, check email, monitor health status and more without the smartphone present. Coming soon, this functionality will be more widely available to public safety with the Samsung Galaxy Watch3, Watch4 and the Watch4 Classic wearables. This is just another technology advantage available to first responders.

Where can I find more information? For more about the value FirstNet is bringing to public safety, check out FirstNet.com. And go here for more FirstNet news.

What people are saying:

Jason Porter

President, Public Sector and FirstNet, AT&T

"In less than 5 years, we've built a network with and for America's first responders and have built an ecosystem with the communication tools and technologies they need every day, on every mission. As FirstNet's market leadership grows, we will continue to innovate new solutions and enhance existing ones, helping to ensure public safety has access to the information they need, when they need it."

Ed Parkinson

CEO of the FirstNet Authority

"From accelerating innovations in mapping technologies to simplifying access to devices, FirstNet continues to raise the bar for what it means to be a network built for and by public safety. Feedback from America's first responders is at the center of everything we do, and the FirstNet Authority will continue to work with public safety and AT&T to evolve and enhance the network based on their operational needs."

Sheriff Paul Miyamoto

San Francisco Sheriff's Office

"When an emergency strikes, reliable communication is vital for our department and the communities we serve. We are proud to partner with FirstNet, and confident that this technology will help our members make better decisions at incidents to help mitigate the loss of life and property. FirstNet also ensures streamlined communication between regional public safety agencies during mutual aid incidents."

Robert Little

Telecommunications Specialist, Florida Division of Emergency Management

"The entire Florida Division of Emergency Management is on FirstNet. My whole agency depends on reliable communication to help the counties. That's the most critical aspect of my job. We're here to support and coordinate what the counties need. If they can't reach me, I can't reach them, then everything breaks down. Reliable communications is imperative to the work we do."

Jeanine Sterling

Industry Director, Frost & Sullivan

"As a leader in mobile situational awareness offerings, AT&T has demonstrated vision and innovation in multiple ways. These include the carrier's role in building the national FirstNet public safety communications network, its ongoing creative enhancement of its PTT solutions, and its larger health and wellness effort to support a highly stressed first responder community. These and other actions lay the groundwork for further opportunities in the situational awareness industry."

1As of Q3 2021

2Ltd. time offer. Select locations only. Avail. only to verified FirstNet public safety entities for Agency Paid Primary user lines of service. After said free mos., must opt-in & pay a per mo. charge per subscriber. Data charges may apply for app download and usage. Add'l fees, taxes & other charges & restr's apply. See https://www.firstnet.com/content/dam/firstnet/white-papers/firstnet-locate-standard-for-firstnet.pdf or store rep for details.



FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks and service marks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

*About AT&T Communications

We help family, friends and neighbors connect in meaningful ways every day. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to mobile video streaming, we @ATT innovate to improve lives.

AT&T Communications is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T). For more information, please visit us at att.com.

2021 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks and service marks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE AT&T Communications
TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fleet Complete is launching a comprehensive suite of long-term evolution (LTE) asset trackers for use on FirstNet - AT1 Wired and AT1 Solar. These small devices fit on any equipment and have built-in sensors for ambient temperature, humidity, light, impact, and motion.

FirstNet is the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America's first responders and the extended public safety community. It is built with AT&T in a public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority)  an independent agency within the federal government. It's designed with and for public safety.

The new solar and wired asset trackers are among the first to be officially recognized as LTE-M for FirstNet. This fully integrated solution is specifically designed for public safety organizations  first responders and those that support them  to provide critical connectivity and insights into assets in the field. With advanced analytics and GPS tracking, Fleet Complete for FirstNet helps improve dispatch efficiency, response times, and safety.

Before being certified and approved for use on FirstNet, devices are subject to hundreds of tests that cover a number of aspects, from security and durability to network impacts. This helps make sure that they can meet the needs of first responders.

These are the smallest, low-cost solutions that are suited for emergency response and public safety. This also includes use cases for transportation, healthcare, and utilities. The devices can be outfitted on powered and non-powered equipment, such as medical equipment, generators, trailers, chassis, containers, among other mission-critical tools.

With built-in sensors that monitor location, temperature parameters, light, and impact, AT1 Wired and AT1 Solar provide capabilities that ensure assets are always where they need to be, as well as reports and analytics on environmental conditions of sensitive equipment with proof of action around their safety requirements.

"This really brings everything together for public safety agencies  and those who support them," says Brent Dutka, Vice President of Business Development at Fleet Complete. "Depending on the operational requirements, public safety agencies now have a variety of tracking options that operate on FirstNet. This helps ensure that your assets are accounted for and where they need to be when emergency strikes. You have collective visibility over your resources on one screen, and you can combine it with fleet tracking on the same platform, without switching systems."

"We're excited about the growth of LTE-M for FirstNet and to collaborate with Fleet Complete to offer their LTE-M for FirstNet Asset Tracker," said William Stovall, vice president, Mobility and IoT, AT&T. "This gives first responders and the extended public safety community that supports them visibility into critical assets such as generators, trailers, and essential equipment to help them be more efficient and stay safe during everyday operations and emergency response."

Fleet Complete is among the first to provide a suite of fleet and asset telematics devices that support use on FirstNet. The asset-tracking devices included are:

AT1 Wired that comes with 9 feet of cable and connects directly to equipment's power source. It is able to recharge whenever the power is on at 100mA charge rate and includes 1500 pings on a full battery charge.

that comes with 9 feet of cable and connects directly to equipment's power source. It is able to recharge whenever the power is on at 100mA charge rate and includes 1500 pings on a full battery charge. AT1 Solar that provides an option of recharging the tracker's battery whenever it's exposed to direct sunlight and includes 1500 pings on a full battery charge.

About Fleet Complete

Fleet Complete is a leading global provider of connected vehicle technology, delivering mission-critical fleet, asset, and mobile workforce management solutions. The company is servicing approximately 600,000 subscribers and over 40,000 businesses and government organizations in Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Australia, and across Europe. It maintains key distribution partnerships with AT&T in the U.S. and Mexico, TELUS and Rogers in Canada, Telstra in Australia, Telia in Denmark, COSMOTE in Greece, and Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile) in multiple European countries. Fleet Complete cultivates strong OEM partnerships with global market leaders, such as ConMet, Cummins, Ford, General Motors, Mitsubishi Australia, and Toyota, among others. It remains one of the fastest-growing companies globally, having won numerous awards for innovation and growth.

For more information, please visit www.fleetcomplete.com

About FirstNet, Built with AT&T

FirstNet is the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America's first responders and the extended public safety community. Shaped by the vision of Congress and the first responder community following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, FirstNet stands above commercial offerings. It is built with AT&T in public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority)  an independent agency within the federal government. The FirstNet network is providing public safety with truly dedicated coverage and capacity when they need it, unique benefits like always-on priority and preemption, and high-quality Band 14 spectrum. These advanced capabilities help fire, EMS, law enforcement save lives and protect their communities. Learn more at FirstNet.com.

FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contact:

Tim Kwan

Global Director Marketing, Fleet Complete

Email: [email protected]

Social Media

Twitter: @FleetComplete

LinkedIn: Fleet Complete

Facebook: Fleet Complete

SOURCE Fleet Complete
RESTON, Va., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) today reported third-quarter 2021 net earnings of $860 million on revenue of $9.6 billion. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) were $3.07.

EPS grew 5.9% from the year-ago quarter and 17.6% sequentially as company-wide operating margin expanded to 11.3%, up 90 basis points from the previous quarter. Margins were up sequentially in all four segments.

"The company delivered solid third-quarter results, generating very strong cash flow and attractive margins," said Phebe N. Novakovic, chairman and chief executive officer. "We continue to focus on delivering solid program performance and ensuring the well-being of our people, who are rising above the challenges of the pandemic to support our customers."

Cash

Net cash provided by operating activities in the quarter totaled $1.5 billion. Free cash flow from operations was $1.3 billion.

Backlog

Backlog at the end of the quarter was $88.1 billion, up 8.1% from the year-ago quarter. Estimated potential contract value, representing management's estimate of value in unfunded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts and unexercised options, was $41.5 billion. Total estimated contract value, the sum of all backlog components, was $129.6 billion at the end of the quarter.

Orders in the Aerospace segment were strong, with backlog up 22.8% over the year-ago quarter to $14.7 billion.

Significant awards in the quarter for the Defense segments included $475 million from the U.S. Navy to provide ongoing lead yard services for the Columbia-class submarine program; $195 million from the Navy to provide engineering, technical, design and planning yard support services for operational strategic and attack submarines; a contract to provide cloud support services to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office with a maximum potential value of $190 million; $165 million to produce various munitions, ordnance and missile subcomponents for the U.S. Army; $160 million from the Navy to provide maintenance and repair services for the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock and Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship programs; $150 million from the Navy for Advanced Nuclear Plant Studies in support of the Columbia-class submarine program and options totaling $570 million of additional potential value; and $540 million for several key contracts for classified customers and additional classified IDIQ awards with a maximum potential value of $4.2 billion among multiple awardees.

About General Dynamics

Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; and technology products and services. General Dynamics employs more than 100,000 people worldwide and generated $37.9 billion in revenue in 2020. More information is available at www.gd.com.

Certain statements made in this press release, including any statements as to future results of operations and financial projections, may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. Additional information regarding these factors is contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made. The company does not undertake any obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of this press release.

WEBCAST INFORMATION: General Dynamics will webcast its third-quarter 2021 financial results conference call at 9 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, October 27, 2021. The webcast will be a listen-only audio event available at www.gd.com. An on-demand replay of the webcast will be available one hour after the end of the call and end on November 3, 2021. To hear a recording of the conference call by telephone, please call 866-813-9403 (international: +44 204-525-0658); passcode 439422. Charts furnished to investors and securities analysts in connection with General Dynamics' announcement of its financial results are available at www.gd.com.



EXHIBIT A

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EARNINGS - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS



Three Months Ended

Variance

October 3, 2021

September 27, 2020

$

% Revenue $ 9,568



$ 9,431



$ 137



1.5 % Operating costs and expenses (8,488)



(8,359)



(129)





Operating earnings 1,080



1,072



8



0.7 % Other, net 34



24



10





Interest, net (99)



(118)



19





Earnings before income tax 1,015



978



37



3.8 % Provision for income tax, net (155)



(144)



(11)





Net earnings $ 860



$ 834



$ 26



3.1 % Earnings per sharebasic $ 3.09



$ 2.91



$ 0.18



6.2 % Basic weighted average shares outstanding 278.6



286.5









Earnings per sharediluted $ 3.07



$ 2.90



$ 0.17



5.9 % Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 280.4



287.2



















EXHIBIT B CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EARNINGS - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS



Nine Months Ended

Variance

October 3, 2021

September 27, 2020

$

% Revenue $ 28,177



$ 27,444



$ 733



2.7 % Operating costs and expenses (25,200)



(24,604)



(596)





Operating earnings 2,977



2,840



137



4.8 % Other, net 95



70



25





Interest, net (331)



(357)



26





Earnings before income tax 2,741



2,553



188



7.4 % Provision for income tax, net (436)



(388)



(48)





Net earnings $ 2,305



$ 2,165



$ 140



6.5 % Earnings per sharebasic $ 8.20



$ 7.54



$ 0.66



8.8 % Basic weighted average shares outstanding 281.1



287.1









Earnings per sharediluted $ 8.16



$ 7.52



$ 0.64



8.5 % Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 282.4



288.1



















EXHIBIT C

REVENUE AND OPERATING EARNINGS BY SEGMENT - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS



Three Months Ended

Variance

October 3, 2021

September 27, 2020

$

% Revenue:













Aerospace $ 2,066



$ 1,975



$ 91



4.6 % Marine Systems 2,637



2,405



232



9.6 % Combat Systems 1,745



1,801



(56)



(3.1) % Technologies 3,120



3,250



(130)



(4.0) % Total $ 9,568



$ 9,431



$ 137



1.5 % Operating earnings:













Aerospace $ 262



$ 283



$ (21)



(7.4) % Marine Systems 229



223



6



2.7 % Combat Systems 276



270



6



2.2 % Technologies 327



314



13



4.1 % Corporate (14)



(18)



4



22.2 % Total $ 1,080



$ 1,072



$ 8



0.7 % Operating margin:













Aerospace 12.7 %

14.3 %







Marine Systems 8.7 %

9.3 %







Combat Systems 15.8 %

15.0 %







Technologies 10.5 %

9.7 %







Total 11.3 %

11.4 %









EXHIBIT D

REVENUE AND OPERATING EARNINGS BY SEGMENT - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS



Nine Months Ended Variance

October 3, 2021

September 27, 2020

$

% Revenue:













Aerospace $ 5,575



$ 5,640



$ (65)



(1.2) % Marine Systems 7,656



7,122



534



7.5 % Combat Systems 5,464



5,263



201



3.8 % Technologies 9,482



9,419



63



0.7 % Total $ 28,177



$ 27,444



$ 733



2.7 % Operating earnings:













Aerospace $ 677



$ 682



$ (5)



(0.7) % Marine Systems 639



607



32



5.3 % Combat Systems 786



732



54



7.4 % Technologies 941



859



82



9.5 % Corporate (66)



(40)



(26)



(65.0) % Total $ 2,977



$ 2,840



$ 137



4.8 % Operating margin:













Aerospace 12.1 %

12.1 %







Marine Systems 8.3 %

8.5 %







Combat Systems 14.4 %

13.9 %







Technologies 9.9 %

9.1 %







Total 10.6 %

10.3 %









EXHIBIT E

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS



(Unaudited)





October 3, 2021

December 31, 2020 ASSETS





Current assets:





Cash and equivalents $ 3,139



$ 2,824

Accounts receivable 3,046



3,161

Unbilled receivables 8,334



8,024

Inventories 5,651



5,745

Other current assets 1,516



1,789

Total current assets 21,686



21,543

Noncurrent assets:





Property, plant and equipment, net 5,195



5,100

Intangible assets, net 2,022



2,117

Goodwill 20,092



20,053

Other assets 2,375



2,495

Total noncurrent assets 29,684



29,765

Total assets $ 51,370



$ 51,308

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY





Current liabilities:





Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt $ 2,183



$ 3,003

Accounts payable 2,682



2,952

Customer advances and deposits 6,167



6,276

Other current liabilities 3,572



3,733

Total current liabilities 14,604



15,964

Noncurrent liabilities:





Long-term debt 11,485



9,995

Other liabilities 9,560



9,688

Total noncurrent liabilities 21,045



19,683

Shareholders' equity:





Common stock 482



482

Surplus 3,236



3,124

Retained earnings 34,800



33,498

Treasury stock (19,276)



(17,893)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss (3,521)



(3,550)

Total shareholders' equity 15,721



15,661

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 51,370



$ 51,308



EXHIBIT F

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS



Nine Months Ended

October 3, 2021

September 27, 2020 Cash flows from operating activitiescontinuing operations:





Net earnings $ 2,305



$ 2,165

Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash from operating activities:





Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 408



376

Amortization of intangible and finance lease right-of-use assets 242



267

Equity-based compensation expense 96



91

Deferred income tax benefit (38)



(112)

(Increase) decrease in assets, net of effects of business acquisitions:





Accounts receivable 133



(336)

Unbilled receivables (252)



(239)

Inventories 94



(134)

Increase (decrease) in liabilities, net of effects of business acquisitions:





Accounts payable (291)



(558)

Customer advances and deposits 228



(906)

Other current liabilities (202)



360

Other liabilities (455)



3

Other, net 321



319

Net cash provided by operating activities 2,589



1,296

Cash flows from investing activities:





Capital expenditures (502)



(622)

Other, net 1



33

Net cash used by investing activities (501)



(589)

Cash flows from financing activities:





Repayment of fixed-rate notes (2,500)



(2,000)

Proceeds from commercial paper, gross (maturities greater than 3 months) 1,997



420

Proceeds from fixed-rate notes 1,497



3,960

Purchases of common stock (1,491)



(501)

Dividends paid (983)



(925)

Repayment of floating-rate notes (500)



(500)

Repayment of commercial paper (maturities greater than 3 months) 



(420)

Other, net 223



(134)

Net cash used by financing activities (1,757)



(100)

Net cash used by discontinued operations (16)



(40)

Net increase in cash and equivalents 315



567

Cash and equivalents at beginning of period 2,824



902

Cash and equivalents at end of period $ 3,139



$ 1,469



EXHIBIT G

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS

Other Financial Information:















October 3, 2021

December 31, 2020







Debt-to-equity (a) 86.9 %

83.0 %







Debt-to-capital (b) 46.5 %

45.4 %







Book value per share (c) $ 56.30



$ 54.67









Shares outstanding 279,222,830



286,477,836



























Third Quarter

Nine Months

2021

2020

2021

2020 Income tax payments, net $ 257



$ 289



$ 502



$ 345

Company-sponsored research and development (d) $ 112



$ 97



$ 295



$ 291

Return on sales (e) 9.0 %

8.8 %

8.2 %

7.9 %















Non-GAAP Financial Measures:















Third Quarter

Nine Months

2021

2020

2021

2020 Free cash flow from operations:













Net cash provided by operating activities $ 1,471



$ 1,119



$ 2,589



$ 1,296

Capital expenditures (196)



(216)



(502)



(622)

Free cash flow from operations (f) $ 1,275



$ 903



$ 2,087



$ 674



















October 3, 2021

December 31, 2020







Net debt:













Total debt $ 13,668



$ 12,998









Less cash and equivalents 3,139



2,824









Net debt (g) $ 10,529



$ 10,174







(a) Debt-to-equity ratio is calculated as total debt divided by total equity as of the end of the period.

(b) Debt-to-capital ratio is calculated as total debt divided by the sum of total debt plus total equity as of the end of the period.

(c) Book value per share is calculated as total equity divided by total outstanding shares as of the end of the period.

(d) Includes independent research and development and Aerospace product-development costs.

(e) Return on sales is calculated as net earnings divided by revenue.

(f) We believe free cash flow from operations is a useful measure for investors because it portrays our ability to generate cash from our businesses for purposes such as repaying maturing debt,

funding business acquisitions, repurchasing our common stock and paying dividends. We use free cash flow from operations to assess the quality of our earnings and as a key performance

measure in evaluating management.

(g) We believe net debt is a useful measure for investors because it reflects the borrowings that support our operations and capital deployment strategy. We use net debt as an important indicator

of liquidity and financial position.

EXHIBIT H

BACKLOG - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS





Funded

Unfunded

Total

Backlog

Estimated Potential Contract Value*

Total

Estimated

Contract Value Third Quarter 2021:



















Aerospace

$ 14,312



$ 378



$ 14,690



$ 1,974



$ 16,664

Marine Systems

24,639



21,684



46,323



5,127



51,450

Combat Systems

13,040



308



13,348



7,594



20,942

Technologies

9,619



4,118



13,737



26,784



40,521

Total

$ 61,610



$ 26,488



$ 88,098



$ 41,479



$ 129,577

Second Quarter 2021:



















Aerospace

$ 13,155



$ 366



$ 13,521



$ 2,099



$ 15,620

Marine Systems

26,435



21,095



47,530



4,689



52,219

Combat Systems

14,157



271



14,428



7,711



22,139

Technologies

9,769



3,999



13,768



26,594



40,362

Total

$ 63,516



$ 25,731



$ 89,247



$ 41,093



$ 130,340

Third Quarter 2020:



















Aerospace

$ 11,640



$ 324



$ 11,964



$ 2,888



$ 14,852

Marine Systems

23,958



17,124



41,082



14,666



55,748

Combat Systems

14,511



200



14,711



6,593



21,304

Technologies

10,112



3,651



13,763



26,242



40,005

Total

$ 60,221



$ 21,299



$ 81,520



$ 50,389



$ 131,909



* The estimated potential contract value includes work awarded on unfunded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts and unexercised options associated with existing firm contracts,

including options and other agreements with existing customers to purchase new aircraft and aircraft services. We recognize options in backlog when the customer exercises the option and

establishes a firm order. For IDIQ contracts, we evaluate the amount of funding we expect to receive and include this amount in our estimated potential contract value. The actual amount of

funding received in the future may be higher or lower than our estimate of potential contract value.

EXHIBIT H-1

BACKLOG - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670503/Exhibit_H_1.jpg

EXHIBIT H-2



BACKLOG BY SEGMENT - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670504/Aerospace_Backlog.jpg

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670505/Marine_Backlog.jpg

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670506/Combat_Backlog.jpg

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670507/Technologies_Backlog.jpg

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670508/Backlog_Key.jpg

EXHIBIT I

THIRD QUARTER 2021 SIGNIFICANT ORDERS - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS

We received the following significant contract awards during the third quarter of 2021:

Marine Systems:

$475 from the U.S. Navy to provide ongoing lead yard services for the Columbia-class submarine program.

$195 from the Navy to provide engineering, technical, design and planning yard support services for operational strategic and attack submarines.

$160 from the Navy to provide maintenance and repair services for the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock and Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship programs.

$150 from the Navy for Advanced Nuclear Plant Studies (ANPS) in support of the Columbia-class submarine program and options totaling $570 of additional potential value.

Combat Systems:

$165 to produce various munitions, ordnance and missile subcomponents for the U.S. Army.

$125 for Abrams main battle tank upgrades, mission control units and systems technical support.

$60 from the Army for the concept design phase of the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) acquisition program.

$30 from the Army for the production of Hydra-70 rockets.

Technologies:

$540 for several key contracts for classified customers and additional classified IDIQ awards with a maximum potential value of $4.2 billion among multiple awardees.

A contract to provide cloud support services to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The contract has a maximum potential value of $190 .

A contract to modernize and consolidate existing information technology (IT) help desks for the Navy. The contract has a maximum potential value of $135 .

$85 from the Army for computing and communications equipment under the Common Hardware Systems-5 (CHS-5) program.

$75 to provide logistics, sustainment and maintenance support services for the Army.

$70 to provide command, control and communications capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

$65 from the U.S. Department of State (DoS) to provide overseas consular services to support visa application and issuance at U.S. embassies and consulates throughout the world under the Global Support Strategy (GSS) program.

$50 to provide simulation and training support for the Army.

$45 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide cloud services and software tools.

$45 to provide service desk; endpoint support and maintenance; and account, asset and security management services to the DoS.

$45 from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under the Veterans Intake, Conversion and Communications Services (VICCS) program to modernize benefits and claim processing.

$40 to provide communications technical support for the U.S. Air Force.

$35 to provide design, development, testing, installation, maintenance, logistics support and modernization for Navy airborne and shipboard platforms.

EXHIBIT J

AEROSPACE SUPPLEMENTAL DATA - (UNAUDITED)





Third Quarter

Nine Months



2021

2020

2021

2020 Gulfstream Aircraft Deliveries (units):















Large-cabin aircraft

25



25



68



71

Mid-cabin aircraft

6



7



12



16

Total

31



32



80



87



















Aerospace Book-to-Bill:















Orders*

$ 3,247



$ 1,816



$ 8,996



$ 4,744

Revenue

2,066



1,975



5,575



5,640

Book-to-Bill Ratio

1.57x



0.92x



1.61x



0.84x



* Does not include customer defaults, liquidated damages, cancellations, foreign exchange fluctuations and other backlog adjustments.

SOURCE General Dynamics

Related Links

http://www.generaldynamics.com


SAO PAULO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gerdau S.A. (NYSE: GGB, BM&Fbovespa: GGBR3, GGBR4) -- The consolidated EBITDA amounted R$ 7 billion in 3Q21, highest level ever for a quarter, with a margin of 32.9%.

The net debt/EBITDA ratio decreased from 2.07x in the 3Q20 to 0.41x in the 3Q21.

Gerdau has launched the "Reforma Que Transforma" program to help transform the current reality of low-income housing in Brazil. The project, which has received investments of R$ 40 million, will initially help to improve more than 13,000 housing units across Brazil over the next 10 years.

Additional Information

Gerdau S.A. informs that it is filling today its 3Q21 results at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and at the Comissao de Valores Mobiliarios (CVM), which are available at Gerdau's website. To access this document, please click on https://ri.gerdau.com/en/notices-and-results/results-center/.

The 3Q21 Valuation Guide is also available at Gerdau's website.

https://ri.gerdau.com/en/financial-information/valuation-guide/

SOURCE Gerdau S.A.

Related Links

www.gerdau.com.br


DUBLIN, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Face Shields PPE Market, By Type (Headgear (Adjustable Headgear, Hard Hats with Face Shields), Window (Plastic Windows, Wire-screen Windows)), By Application Industry, By Distribution Channel, By Region, Forecast & Opportunities, 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Global face shields PPE market is expected to grow at a robust rate during the forecast period owing to increasing adoption of face shield as a preventive tool to eliminate the transmission of novel coronavirus.

With rising cases of this global pandemic, there is a surging demand for face shield PPEs around the globe. Furthermore, growing awareness towards health and hygiene is also promoting their use among consumers.

Manufacturers are coming up with better quality face shields at an affordable rate, which is also anticipated to increase their demand during the next five years. Additionally, increasing expenditure on healthcare sector is further aiding the growth of face shield PPE market.



Additionally, face shields PPE are increasingly replacing face masks and face covers as they are providing more effective deterrent to coronavirus. Face masks provide only some filtration of virus-sized aerosol particles, thus fail in preventing the transmission of communicable diseases.

Also, face shields require no special materials and hence their manufacturing is easy. They act as a barrier that keeps people from touching their own faces. With governments around the world supporting the use of PPE, the global face shield PPE market is poised to witness significant CAGR during the forecast period.



The global face shields PPE market is segmented based on type, application industry, distribution channel and region. Based on application industry, the market is segmented into construction & manufacturing, oil & gas, healthcare, mining, firefighting, food & beverages, chemicals, transportation and others.

Among these, the healthcare segment is anticipated to witness fastest growth during the forecast period owing to increasing adoption of face shields PPE by healthcare workers around the world. A face shield allows visibility of facial expressions and lip movements and hence it is increasingly replacing face masks.



The companies are increasing their production to meet the growing demand for PPE around the world.

Objective of the Study:

To analyze and estimate the market size of global face shields PPE market from 2016 to 2020.

To estimate and forecast the market size of global face shields PPE market from 2021 to 2026 and growth rate until 2026.

To classify and forecast global face shields PPE market based type, application industry, distribution channel, company and regional distribution.

To identify dominant region or segment in the global face shields PPE market.

To identify drivers and challenges for global face shields PPE market.

To examine competitive developments such as expansions, new product launches, mergers & acquisitions, etc., in global face shields PPE market.

To conduct pricing analysis for global face shields PPE market.

To identify and analyze the profile of leading players operating in global face shields PPE market.

To identify key sustainable strategies adopted by market players in global face shields PPE market.

Major players operating in the global face shields PPE market include

Ansell Limited

M Co

Honeywell International Inc.

MSA Safety Inc

EI du Pont de Nemours & Co

Kimberly-Clark Corp

Lakeland Industries Inc

JAL Group France SAS

Oftenrich Holdings Company Limited

Alpha Pro Tech Ltd

Sioen Industries NV

Radians Inc

Report Scope:

Years considered for this report:

Historical Years: 2016-2019

Base Year: 2020

Estimated Year: 2021

Forecast Period: 2022-2026

Global Face Shields PPE Market, By Type

Headgear

Adjustable Headgear

Hard Hats with Face Shields

Windows

Plastic Windows

Wire-screen Windows

Global Face Shields PPE Market, By Application Industry

Construction & Manufacturing

Oil & Gas

Healthcare

Mining

Firefighting

Food & Beverages

Chemicals

Transportation

Others

Global Face Shields PPE Market, By Distribution Channel

Online

Offline

Global Face Shields PPE Market, By Region

North America

United States

Canada

Mexico

Europe

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Italy

Spain

Asia-Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Middle East & Africa

& South Africa

Saudi Arabia

UAE

Israel

South America

Brazil

Argentina

Colombia

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/y9eq3d

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


DETROIT, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today reported third-quarter earnings that include strong price and mix performance in North America, the benefit of the company's recall cost recovery agreement with LG Electronics and the continued strong financial results at GM Financial. As a result, the company is on track to deliver full-year 2021 EBIT-adjusted earnings approaching the high end of its guidance range.

Downloads

Results overview



Three Months Ended

($M) except where noted September 30,

2021 September 30,

2020 Change Revenue $ 26,779

$ 35,480

$ (8,701)

Net income attributable to stockholders $ 2,420

$ 4,045

$ (1,625)

EBIT-adjusted $ 2,922

$ 5,284

$ (2,362)

Net income margin 9.0 % 11.4 %

(2.4) ppts

EBIT-adjusted margin 10.9 % 14.9 %

(4.0) ppts

Automotive operating cash flow $ (2,602)

$ 9,935

$ (12,537)

Adjusted automotive free cash flow $ (4,385)

$ 9,122

$ (13,507)

EPS-diluted(a) $ 1.62

$ 2.78

$ (1.16)

EPS-diluted-adjusted(a) $ 1.52

$ 2.83

$ (1.31)

GMNA EBIT-adjusted $ 2,125

$ 4,366

$ (2,241)

GMNA EBIT-adjusted margin 10.3 % 15.0 %

(4.7) ppts

GMI EBIT-adjusted $ 229

$ 10

$ 219

China equity income $ 270

$ 262

$ 8

GM Financial EBT-adjusted $ 1,093

$ 1,207

$ (114)







__________

(a) EPS-diluted and EPS-diluted-adjusted include a $0.07 and $0.05 impact from mark-to-market gains on equity method investments in the three months ended Sept. 30, 2021 and 2020.



Nine Months Ended

($M) except where noted September 30,

2021 September 30,

2020 Change Revenue $ 93,420

$ 84,967

$ 8,453

Net income attributable to stockholders $ 8,278

$ 3,581

$ 4,697

EBIT-adjusted $ 11,456

$ 5,998

$ 5,458

Net income margin 8.9 % 4.2 %

4.7 ppts

EBIT-adjusted margin 12.3 % 7.1 %

5.2 ppts

Automotive operating cash flow $ 309

$ 2,276

$ (1,967)

Adjusted automotive free cash flow $ (3,839)

$ (823)

$ (3,016)

EPS-diluted(a) $ 5.55

$ 2.40

$ 3.15

EPS-diluted-adjusted(a) $ 5.73

$ 2.96

$ 2.77

GMNA EBIT-adjusted $ 8,153

$ 6,459

$ 1,694

GMNA EBIT-adjusted margin 11.0 % 9.7 %

1.3 ppts

GMI EBIT-adjusted $ 552

$ (811)

$ 1,363

China equity income $ 854

$ 264

$ 590

GM Financial EBT-adjusted $ 3,856

$ 1,663

$ 2,193







__________

(a) EPS-diluted and EPS-diluted-adjusted include a $0.27 and $(0.15) impact from mark-to-market gains on equity method investments in the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2021 and 2020.

2021 guidance

Full-year EPS-diluted of between $5.52 and $6.52 , and EPS-diluted-adjusted of between $5.70 and $6.70

and , and EPS-diluted-adjusted of between and Full-year net income of between $8.1 billion and $9.6 billion , and EBIT-adjusted of between $11.5 billion and $13.5 billion

See below for reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures or visit the GM Investor Relations website for complete details.

Conference call for investors and analysts

Mary Barra and Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson will host a conference call for investors and analysts at 10 a.m. ET today to discuss these results and the company's growth strategy. Introductory remarks will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

Those who wish to listen to the call may dial in using the following numbers:

United States : 1-888-808-8618

: 1-888-808-8618 International: +1-949-484-0645

Name of call: GM Earnings Call

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which powers everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements: This press release and related comments by management may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are any statements other than statements of historical fact. Forward-looking statements represent our current judgement about possible future events and are often identified by words such as "anticipate," "appears," "approximately," "believe," "continue," "could," "designed," "effect," "estimate," "evaluate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "initiative," "intend," "may," "objective," "outlook," "plan," "potential," "priorities," "project," "pursue," "seek," "should," "target," "when," "will," "would," or the negative of any of those words or similar expressions. In making these statements, we rely upon assumptions and analysis based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, and expected future developments, as well as other factors we consider appropriate under the circumstances. We believe these judgements are reasonable, but these statements are not guarantees of any future events or financial results, and our actual results may differ materially due to a variety of factors, many of which are described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or other factors that affect the subject of these statements, except where we are expressly required to do so by law.

Non-GAAP Reconciliations



The following table reconciles Net income (loss) attributable to stockholders under U.S. GAAP to EBIT (loss)-adjusted (dollars in millions):





Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended

September 30,

2021 September 30,

2020 September 30,

2021 September 30,

2020 Net income (loss) attributable to stockholders(a) $ 2,420

$ 4,045

$ 8,278

$ 3,581

Income tax expense (benefit) 152

887

2,300

1,132

Automotive interest expense 230

327

723

823

Automotive interest income (38)

(51)

(102)

(195)

Adjustments







Cadillac dealer strategy(b) 158



175



GMI restructuring(c) 

76



657

GM Korea wage litigation(d) 



82



Total adjustments 158

76

257

657

EBIT (loss)-adjusted $ 2,922

$ 5,284

$ 11,456

$ 5,998



__________



(a) Net of net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest. (b) These adjustments were excluded because they relate to strategic activities to transition certain Cadillac dealers from the network as part of Cadillac's electric vehicle strategy. (c) These adjustments were excluded because of a strategic decision to rationalize our core operations by exiting or significantly reducing our presence in various international markets to focus resources on opportunities expected to deliver higher returns. These adjustments primarily consist of supplier claims in the three months ended Sept. 30, 2020 and dealer restructurings, asset impairments, inventory provisions, employee separation charges and sales allowances in the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2020 in Australia, New Zealand and Thailand. (d) This adjustment was excluded because of the unique events associated with recent Supreme Court of Korea decisions related to our salaried workers.

The following table reconciles diluted earnings (loss) per common share under U.S. GAAP to EPS-diluted-adjusted (dollars in millions, except per share amounts):





Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended

September 30, 2021 September 30, 2020 September 30, 2021 September 30, 2020

Amount Per Share Amount Per Share Amount Per Share Amount Per Share Diluted earnings (loss) per common share $ 2,375

$ 1.62

$ 4,005

$ 2.78

$ 8,141

$ 5.55

$ 3,446

$ 2.40

Adjustments(a) 158

0.11

76

0.05

257

0.18

657

0.46

Tax effect on adjustment(b) (39)

(0.03)

(14)



(43)

(0.03)

(82)

(0.06)

Tax adjustment(c) (271)

(0.18)





45

0.03

236

0.16

EPS-diluted-adjusted $ 2,223

$ 1.52

$ 4,067

$ 2.83

$ 8,400

$ 5.73

$ 4,257

$ 2.96



__________



(a) Refer to the reconciliation of Net income (loss) attributable to stockholders under U.S. GAAP to EBIT (loss)-adjusted for adjustment details. (b) The tax effect of each adjustment is determined based on the tax laws and valuation allowance status of the jurisdiction to which the adjustment relates. (c) These adjustments consist of tax benefit related to a deduction for an investment in a subsidiary in the three months ended Sept. 30, 2021 and tax expense related to the establishment of a valuation allowance against Cruise deferred tax assets in the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2021, and tax expense related to the establishment of a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets that are considered no longer realizable for GM in Australia and New Zealand for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2020.

The following table reconciles net automotive cash provided by (used in) operating activities under U.S. GAAP to adjusted automotive free cash flow (dollars in millions):





Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended

September 30, 2021 September 30, 2020 September 30, 2021 September 30, 2020 Net automotive cash provided by (used in)

operating activities $ (2,602)

$ 9,935

$ 309

$ 2,276

Less: Capital expenditures (1,829)

(980)

(4,235)

(3,292)

Add: Cadillac Dealer Transition 27



44



Add: GMI restructuring 

167

24

251

Add: GM Korea Wage Litigation 19



19



Less: GM Brazil indirect tax recoveries 





(58)

Adjusted automotive free cash flow $ (4,385)

$ 9,122

$ (3,839)

$ (823)



Guidance Reconciliations



The following table reconciles expected Net income (loss) attributable to stockholders under U.S. GAAP to expected EBIT-adjusted (dollars in billions):





Year Ending

December 31, 2021 Net income attributable to stockholders $ 8.1-9.6 Income tax expense

2.3-2.8 Automotive interest expense, net

0.8

Adjustments(a)

0.3

EBIT-adjusted(b) $ 11.5-13.5

__________



(a) Refer to the reconciliation of Net income (loss) attributable to stockholders under U.S. GAAP to EBIT (loss)-adjusted for adjustment details. (b) We do not consider the potential future impact of adjustments on our expected financial results.

The following table reconciles expected EPS-diluted under U.S. GAAP to expected EPS-diluted-adjusted:





Year Ending

December 31, 2021 Diluted earnings per common share $ 5.52-6.52 Adjustments(a)

0.18

EPS-diluted-adjusted(b) $ 5.70-6.70

__________





(a) Refer to the reconciliation of diluted earnings (loss) per common share under U.S. GAAP to EPS-diluted-adjusted for adjustment details. (b) We do not consider the potential future impact of adjustments on our expected financial results.

SOURCE General Motors Co.

Related Links

http://www.gm.com


Up-Dip Drilling - Two drill holes were collared 50 metres ("m") north and south of the initial up-dip extension hole BSDD20-003 which intercepted 20.9m at 6.9 grams per tonne ("g/t") and successfully extended the B-Shoot structure 125m up-dip.

BSDD21-010, drilled 50m to the south of BSDD20-003, intersected 19.0m at 4.6 g/t



BSDD21-013, drilled ~ 50m to the north, intersected numerous zones of mineralization including 4.1m grading 7.9 g/t, 12.1m grading 4.8 g/t, 3.0m grading 8.5 g/t and 4.3m grading 11.0 g/t



The expedited drilling of this up-dip target is therefore quickly delivering an expansion of the B-Shoot structure adjacent to planned reserve infrastructure

Down-Dip Drilling - A previously unknown hanging wall zone has been identified in some of the holes targeting down-dip mineralization, with the best intersection coming from BSDD21- 015M which intersected 9.1m grading 4.5 g/t.

Near- Mine Drilling - Testing below the old SAK open pits has also intersected a significant zone which will require further follow up. SAKDD21-004 intersected 8.3m grading 4.2 g/t.

Upper Mine Infill - Infill definition drilling has confirmed the presence of higher-grade mineralization. BSU21-829-01 intersected 12.1m grading 9.0 g/t and BSU21-820-03 returning 17.1m grading 8.8 g/t. These results show grades higher than reserve grade for this area.

2021 Mineral Resource Update  The results of the 2021 exploration and infill drilling program will be included in the 2021 year end mineral resource update that is expected to be completed in Q1 2022. Some of the targets are expected to be assessed for inclusion in the mineral reserve.

Andrew Wray, President and Chief Executive Officer of Golden Star, commented:

"We are pleased to report positive progress being made on the drilling programs as part of the exploration and infill drilling initiatives. The exploration team has moved quickly to follow up on the recent up-dip and down-dip drilling success with further drilling to test the continuity of a new up-dip zone. Drilling in Q3 2021 was aimed at further testing of this target with the ambition of delineating a resource in the 2021 year-end resource update.

The mine geology team has also made positive progress with the infill drilling of the Upper Mine resource area. The confirmation of a higher-grade zone within this reserve area further focusses our attention on the drilling and development of this new production area, with the aim of advancing development from 2023."

Table 1: Up-Dip and Down-Dip Significant Drilling Results Q3 2021

HOLE ID Azimuth () Dip () From (m) To (m) Drilled Width (m) ~True Width (m) Grade Au (g/t) Drilling Objective BSDD21-009D2 84.1 -59.4 586.7 602.0 15.3 13.2 2.08 Down dip BSDD21-009D2 Including 586.7 593.5 6.8 5.9 3.33 Down dip BSDD21-010 92.5 -52.5 487.0 507.0 20.0 19.0 4.60 Updip BSDD21-010 Including 487.0 491.0 4.0 3.8 14.20 Updip BSDD21-011M 96.8 -57.5 181.0 195.0 14.0 13.9 2.01 Down dip BSDD21-011M Including 181.0 184.0 3.0 3.0 4.74 Down dip BSDD21-013 93.3 -61.3 236.0 241.0 5.0 4.1 7.87 Updip BSDD21-013 94.0 -60.6 394.9 410.0 15.1 12.1 4.83 Updip BSDD21-013 Including 394.9 399.0 4.1 3.3 14.81 Updip BSDD21-013 90.5 -60.5 527.0 531.0 4.0 3.0 8.51 Updip BSDD21-013 89.2 -59.4 572.0 577.2 5.2 4.3 10.95 Updip BSDD21-013 86.1 -60.3 656.0 664.0 8.0 5.0 5.21 Updip BSDD21-015M 90.5 -52.5 259.0 272.5 13.5 9.1 4.47 Down dip BSDD21-015M Including 264.0 270.0 6.0 4.1 8.62 Down dip

Wassa Up and Down-Dip Resource extension drilling

The Wassa up and down-dip drilling for Q3 2021 involved three rigs drilling nine holes totalling 6,288m to bring the 2021 total drill metres to 17,463m for this program. The drilling has been successful in expanding the known mineralization both up and down-dip of the existing and planned reserve infrastructure.

Down-Dip Drilling: Some of the earlier down-dip intersections have now been followed up with drilling from underground platforms as part of the ongoing infill drilling program. It is expected that this is now drilled to a resolution sufficient to be included in the 2021 year-end mineral resource update and be available to assess for inclusion in the mineral reserve:

Surface drilling - During Q3 2021, the surface drilling program included BSDD21- 015M which intersected 9.1m grading 4.5 g/t in a newly identified hanging wall zone.

Underground drilling  BSDD20- 005M from the 2020 surface drilling program on section 19600 N, intersected 18.1m grading 3.6 g/t and has now been followed by underground drilling which has extended this zone to the north and south 125m and 50m , respectively. Most of the down-dip intersections from the 2020 and 2021 surface drilling will now be tested from underground. The last 2021 down-dip directional diamond drill hole is in progress and is testing the Northern up-plunge extension of the deeper mineralization, following up on a significant intersection in BS18DD308D2 which cut 18.4m grading 6.3 g/t.

Up-Dip Drilling: The up-dip drilling continues to focus on following up on the intersection drilled in BSDD20-003 on section 19200N, which extended the mineralization 125m up-dip cutting 20.9m grading 6.9 g/t. Several holes have been drilled 50m north and south of this intersection and both have confirmed the strike extent of this zone, with the following highlights:

BSDD21-010 drilled 50m to the south on section 19150N which intersected an estimated true width of 19.0m at a grade of 4.6 g/t.

The hole drilled 50m to the north on section 19250N, BSDD21-013, intersected numerous significant zones (see Table 1), of which the zone from 527m to 531m , grading 8.5 g/t may be correlated with BSDD20-003.

The 2021 up-dip drilling is drawing to a close, with the results expected to be included in the year-end mineral resource update. Should this drilling and subsequent drilling in this area delineate significant mineralization, it will open a new mining area above and to the east of the current mining infrastructure.

Wassa Near-Mine Surface Exploration Drilling

Table 2: Wassa Near-Mine Drilling Results Q3 2021

HOLE ID Azimuth () Dip () From (m) To (m) Drilled Width (m) ~True Width (m) Grade Au (g/t) Drilling Objective DMHDD21-001 242.0 -49.9 125.0 130.0 5.0 4.8 1.45 Down Dip Extension DMHDD21-001 242.6 -48.6 169.0 171.8 2.8 2.8 2.70 Down Dip Extension DMHDD21-002 235.8 -49.3 156.6 159.0 2.4 2.4 1.42 Down Dip Extension DMHDD21-002 235.9 -48.8 171.0 173.4 2.4 2.4 2.41 Down Dip Extension SAKDD21-004 268.8 -39.7 292.5 295.5 3.0 2.9 1.66 Down Dip Extension SAKDD21-004 271.4 -39.5 394.0 403.0 9.0 8.3 4.22 Down Dip Extension SAKDD21-004 Including 399.0 403.0 4.0 3.7 6.74 Down Dip Extension SAKDD21-005 275.1 -51.0 444.0 448.0 4.0 3.7 1.58 Down Dip Extension SAKDD21-005 277.2 -50.3 514.0 515.5 1.5 1.3 2.83 Down Dip Extension

The Wassa near-mine exploration focused on wide spaced drilling to test down-dip extensions of mineralization beneath several of the historical open pits within the Wassa mining concession, outside of the Main Wassa trend. Nine holes were completed in 2021, totaling 3,457m.

Most of the holes intersected down-dip extensions of mineralization where projected. The SAK drilling returned a significant intersection that will require further follow-up. SAKDD21-004, which was drilled on the most southerly of the tested sections, intersected 8.3m grading 4.2 g/t.

Wassa Upper Mine Surface Resource Definition Drilling

The Wassa Upper Mine resource definition drilling commenced in Q3 2021 and focussed on infill drilling the western side of the Upper Mine  B-Shoot area (as shown in figure 6 below). The Upper Mine was previously included in an open pit push back and is now slated for underground mining, as outlined in the NI 43-101 "Technical Report on the Wassa Gold Mine, Mineral Resource & Mineral Reserve Update and Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Southern Extension Zone", filed by the Company on March 1, 2021. All of the target mineralization is currently classified as an indicated resource, therefore the infill drilling is intended to better refine the position of the underground development, from which further tight spaced grade control drilling can be conducted prior to final stope design and mining.

To date results have been received for three holes, confirming the presence of higher grade mineralization in this area, with better than expected widths and grades in some cases:

BSU21-820-01 returning 12.1m grading 9.0 g/t

BSU21-820-03 intersecting 17.1m at a grade of 8.8 g/t

These results show grades higher than reserve grade for this area

Drilling in this area will continue for the rest of 2021 and the results will be included in the year-end mineral resource and reserve updates.

Table 3: Wassa Upper Mine Drilling Results Q3 2021

HOLE ID Azimuth () Dip () From (m) To (m) Drilled Width (m) ~True Width (m) Grade Au (g/t) Drilling Objective BSU21-820-01 89.4 -61.4 229.9 242.0 12.1 12.1 8.97 Resource Definition BSU21-820-01 Including 233.0 237.0 4.0 4.0 24.21 Resource Definition BSU21-820-02 87.0 -57.9 214.3 222.1 7.8 7.5 1.11 Resource Definition BSU21-820-02 86.8 -60.2 238.0 244.0 6.0 6.0 0.88 Resource Definition BSU21-820-02 84.9 -61.6 259.0 261.8 2.8 2.8 2.84 Resource Definition BSU21-820-03 90.5 -52.5 187.0 204.2 17.2 17.1 8.81 Resource Definition BSU21-820-03 Including 187.0 193.0 6.0 6.0 23.05 Resource Definition BSU21-820-03 91.0 -53.3 230.9 234.0 3.1 3.1 2.04 Resource Definition BSU21-820-03 90.8 -53.5 245.0 248.0 3.0 3.0 7.75 Resource Definition

A full dataset for the 2021 drilling results is available on the exploration section of the Company website via the following link https://s1.q4cdn.com/789791377/files/doc_downloads/exploration/Wassa-2021-Intersection-data-V2.pdf

Company Profile:

Golden Star is an established gold mining company that owns and operates the Wassa underground mine in the Western Region of Ghana, West Africa. Listed on the NYSE American, the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Ghanaian Stock Exchange, Golden Star is focused on delivering strong margins and free cash flow from the Wassa mine. As the winner of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada 2018 Environmental and Social Responsibility Award, Golden Star remains committed to leaving a positive and sustainable legacy in its areas of operation.

Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Some statements contained in this news release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward looking statements and information include but are not limited to, statements and information regarding: pursuing development and drilling activities at Wassa; the ability to refine the position of the underground development through infill drilling; the completion of the reserve and resource update, and timing thereof; the ability to open new mining areas in the Wassa concession and the timing thereof; the completion of the Company's exploration programs for the full year 2021 and the timing thereof; and the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's operations and the ability to mitigate such impact. Generally, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "approximately" or variations of such words and phrases (including negative or grammatical variations) or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements and information are inherently uncertain and involve risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual facts to differ materially. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which Golden Star will operate in the future. Forward-looking information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Golden Star to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information and statements, including but not limited to: gold price volatility; discrepancies between actual and estimated production; mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; mining operational and development risks; liquidity risks; suppliers suspending or denying delivery of products or services; regulatory restrictions (including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability); actions by governmental authorities; the speculative nature of gold exploration; ore type; the global economic climate; share price volatility; the availability of capital on reasonable terms or at all; risks related to international operations, including economic and political instability in foreign jurisdictions in which Golden Star operates; risks related to current global financial conditions; actual results of current exploration activities; environmental risks; future prices of gold; possible variations in mineral reserves and mineral resources, grade or recovery rates; mine development and operating risks; an inability to obtain power for operations on favourable terms or at all; mining plant or equipment breakdowns or failures; an inability to obtain products or services for operations or mine development from vendors and suppliers on reasonable terms, including pricing, or at all; public health pandemics such as COVID-19, including risks associated with reliance on suppliers, the cost, scheduling and timing of gold shipments, uncertainties relating to its ultimate spread, severity and duration, and related adverse effects on the global economy and financial markets; accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; litigation risks; and risks related to indebtedness and the service of such indebtedness. Although Golden Star has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information and statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by management. Please refer to the discussion of these and other factors in Management's Discussion and Analysis of financial conditions and results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020, the three months ended June 30, 2021 and in our annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2020 as filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forecasts contained in this press release constitute management's current estimates, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered thereby. We expect that these estimates will change as new information is received. While we may elect to update these estimates at any time, we do not undertake any estimate at any particular time or in response to any particular event.

Technical Information

The technical contents of this press release have been reviewed and approved by S. Mitchel Wasel, BSc Geology, a Qualified Person pursuant to National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Wasel is Vice President of Exploration for Golden Star and an active member and Registered Chartered Professional of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

The results for Wassa drilling stated herein are based on the analysis of saw-split HQ/NQ diamond half core or a three kilogram single stage riffle split of a nominal 25 to 30 kg Reverse Circulation chip sample which has been sampled over nominal one metre intervals (adjusted where necessary for mineralized structures). Sample preparation and analyses have been carried out at Intertek Laboratories in Tarkwa, which are independent from Golden Star, using a 1,000 gram slurry of sample and tap water which is prepared and subjected to an accelerated cyanide leach (LEACHWELL). The sample is then rolled for twelve hours before being allowed to settle. An aliquot of solution is then taken, gold extracted into Di-iso Butyl Keytone (DiBK), and determined by flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Detection Limit is 0.01 ppm.

All analytical work is subject to a systematic and rigorous Quality Assurance-Quality Control (QA-QC). At least 5% of samples are certified standards and the accuracy of the analysis is confirmed to be acceptable from comparison of the recommended and actual "standards" results. The remaining half core is stored on site for future inspection and detailed logging, to provide valuable information on mineralogy, structure, alteration patterns and the controls on gold mineralization.

SOURCE Golden Star Resources Ltd.

Related Links

www.gsr.com


WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GoodCell, a medically-actionable service to identify, track and respond to health risks, announced today that it has appointed Ami Bhatt, M.D., as strategic advisor. Ami Bhatt, M.D., is currently the Director of TeleCardiology and the Liberthson Endowed Scholar in Adult Congenital Heart Disease at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Additionally, she is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School and President-Elect for the American Heart Association's Boston Chapter. At GoodCell, she will be instrumental in providing guidance into ways to unlock health insights held in our blood cells.

"GoodCell is committed to being at the forefront of science, and holding our products to the highest scientific standards, including the democratization of health data," said Trevor Perry, President, GoodCell. "Dr. Bhatt's world-class expertise in cardiology, telehealth, digital health, and a personalized approach to longitudinal care will help us continue to expand the services we offer, harnessing the power of today's science to become tomorrow's medicine."

"The addition of Dr. Bhatt to the GoodCell team is an exciting development," said Chris Garcia, Chief Executive Officer, GoodCell. "Our company is committed to robust IP development, and we look forward to the contributions that Dr. Bhatt will make to expand our diagnostic tools to increase value to our members and advance our vision to help shape the future of personalized health."

As an expert in cardiology, Dr. Bhatt will accelerate GoodCell's advancement of its proprietary IP around its dynamic genomics or somatic genetics platform (based on clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential or "CHIP") and its tie to cardiovascular health accordingly.

Dr. Bhatt graduated from Harvard University and obtained her doctoral degree from the Yale School of Medicine. She is an active clinical cardiologist, investigator, and educator who trained at BWH, Children's Hospital of Boston and Mass General in internal medicine, pediatrics, cardiology and adult congenital heart disease (ACHD). She has over 15 years of clinical expertise in congenital heart disease, adult cardiovascular disease, genetic syndromes, and implementation of telemedicine for cardiovascular disease focusing on underserved and special populations. In her role at the American Heart Association, she is focused on global South Asian population risk management, including the application of precision medicine and attention to inherited risk in addition to environmental factors that comprise factors leading to the disproportionate disease burden in South Asians.

Dr. Bhatt is the President-Elect of the Board of the American Heart Association of Greater Boston. In 2020, she was the Chair of Boston Go Red for Women Boston, where her initiatives included STEM education for middle and high school girls in high-risk communities and engagements with local businesses to increase women's heart disease awareness. Her current focus is on increasing the understanding of maternal cardiovascular risk and novel mechanisms to predict cardiovascular disorders of pregnancy.

Over the past decade, Dr. Bhatt has held leadership positions in education and innovation in the American College of Cardiology (ACC). In that capacity, she developed the first ever ACC Telehealth Workbook aimed at improving provider adoption and increasing quality of virtual care delivery. Dr. Bhatt's textbook in cardiovascular medicine and digital health is currently in production with Springer publishing.

"GoodCell is a unique service, using the power and information of blood cells to determine predisposition to disease as well as personal biobanking of your healthiest cells for future medical treatments while tracking changes to health risks over time," said Ami Bhatt, M.D. "I'm excited to join this growing company and work with them in advancing the field of equitable personalized medicine."

To learn more about GoodCell and how to become a member, visit www.GoodCell.com. To inquire about our affiliate partnership program, visit www.goodcell.com/affiliates.



About GoodCell

GoodCell empowers individuals to live longer and healthier lives with a medically actionable health technology service that uniquely screens for major illness, tracks changing genetic risk for disease over time and preserves your healthiest cells for potentially life-saving therapies. With the rapid expansion of cellular therapeutics, the company offers the only health solution that utilizes personal genetic and biological information as well as biobanking stem cells to access for cell therapies as they become available. Committed to shaping the future of personalized health as today's science becomes tomorrow's medicine, GoodCell is led by a founding team of science and technology innovators with diverse research backgrounds from notable institutions such as the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. Learn more at: www.goodcell.com.

SOURCE GoodCell

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NEW YORK and MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gryphon/CarVal Investors Multifamily Bridge Loan Program today announced that $265 million of multifamily loans have closed in the first six months since the joint venture commenced operations.

The program's initial loans ranged from $22.0 million to $87.0 million with loan-to-value ratios between 75% and 85% and all loans having three-year terms. Properties are located in the Westchase and Texas Medical Center submarkets of Houston; close to the University of Texas in Austin; the Metro Park section of New Jersey; and the Chapel Hill and Greensboro areas of North Carolina.

The Gryphon/CarVal Multifamily Loan Program is designed to advance up to 85% of the capital stack in a single execution facilitated by the Program's ability to close on balance sheet. Loan servicing and asset management will always be retained by the venture.

Gryphon/CarVal targets sponsors focused on either value-add or lease-up strategies. Value-add opportunities are cash-flowing properties that require time and capital to re-position, perform renovations, improve property operations and increase rents. Lease-up strategies are newly constructed properties that require time to stabilize and season cash flows prior to securing agency financing or selling the property.

"Our partnership with Gryphon is off to a great start," said Paul Mullaney, managing director for CarVal Investors' North American Real Estate business. "The program is well on its way to our goal of $1.0 billion in closed loans in the first two years of operations."

"The Gryphon/CarVal Program's initial success begins with the tremendous value we put on process and transparency," added Jim Hopkins, a managing Principal at Gryphon. "We pride ourselves on integrity as we strive to close all of our loans under the exact terms and conditions that we set forth in our initial Term Sheets."

About CarVal Investors

CarVal Investors is an established global alternative investment manager focused on credit-intensive assets and market inefficiencies. Since 1987, CarVal's team has navigated through ever-changing credit market cycles, opportunistically investing $131 billion in 5,580 transactions across 82 countries. Today, CarVal Investors has approximately $11 billion in assets under management in corporate securities, loan portfolios, structured credit and hard assets. www.carvalinvestors.com

About Gryphon Real Estate Capital Partners

Gryphon is a relationship driven private lender with a primary focus on multifamily properties nationwide. Established in 2016, Gryphon has successfully leveraged its principal's respective 30-year careers in real estate operating, development and financial structuring to establish a highly respected platform within the multifamily lending niche. www.gryphonrecapital.com

CONTACT: Alison Dubay, CarVal Investors

[email protected]

+1 952 444 4870

SOURCE CarVal Investors

Related Links

https://carvalinvestors.com


MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HackerRank , the developer skills company, today announced a record-breaking quarter fueled by increasing demand to recruit and hire tech talent virtually. The company reported its highest-ever level of new and expansion bookings  seeing a 100% increase in expansion revenue alone over the past year  as companies accelerate their remote hiring efforts due to broader shifts in the labor market.

Since January, HackerRank has assessed the technical skills of software developers around the world with more than 50 million code submissions, hitting a record of 10 million submissions in August alone. That increase in activity comes as companies across industries embrace a future of remote work and compete for talent in a sector that saw unemployment rates hit a two-year low during the last quarter.

The company also reported a 133% increase over the past year in bookings for its virtual interview product, which has now helped conduct more than 1 million real-time pair programming interviews. More than 16 million developers, representing 40% of the global developer population, trust HackerRank to sharpen their skills and connect with companies for career opportunities.

In support of these larger labor trends, HackerRank has:

Hosted its second annual Virtual Career Fair, helping to connect well-recognized employers like Facebook, DTCC, Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters and CrowdStrike with tech talent. This year, the event helped place more than 34,000 applications over a two-day span.

Announced a strategic partnership with Eightfold AI to provide recruiters with an extra layer of fidelity in identifying and validating real-world technical skills. HackerRank is excited to partner with the company, whose Talent Intelligence Platform draws from more than 1 billion profiles, 1 million skills and billions of global data points to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of all talent processes.

Announced Webex as HackerRank's first partner in video interviewing to enable continuous workflows and support the flexibility needed for hybrid work. The embedded app partnership is designed to help developers conduct fully collaborative coding interviews within Webex Meetings, making it easier and more enjoyable to assess skills in this new remote world.

Grown the The HackerRank Skills Directory to more than 2700 technical questions across 24 roles and 95 skills. New roles include Cybersecurity Engineer and Cloud Security Engineering, with new skill coverage in Application Security, Network Security, AWS Security, Cryptography, Kubernetes Security and more.

As part of that growth, HackerRank proudly announced that Cole Goeppinger has joined the company as Senior Vice President of Engineering. Cole brings a breadth of executive leadership experience in the talent space, including leading Engineering at Entelo, a recruiting automation platform, and Facebook, where he created and led the team that brought machine learning to the company's internal recruiting products.

"HackerRank leads the pack when it comes to helping companies hire the tech talent they need to stay competitive," said Goeppinger. "Moreover, the company's reputation among developers is second to none, and I believe the work we are doing to reduce bias and increase diversity and fairness is critical to driving global innovation. I'm thrilled to join HackerRank during a period of such significant growth. If you're as passionate about technology as you are about making a larger impact, I invite you to come join us!"

HackerRank is poised for strong momentum in the months ahead as the competition for technical talent grows increasingly fierce . In addition to continued adoption of remote work and accelerated hiring plans in the second half of 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced a record-high number of resignations in August, with 4.3 million Americans  2.9% of the entire workforce  leaving their jobs as part of the so-called "Great Resignation." To win the war for talent, companies worldwide, across all industries, are increasingly investing in tools like HackerRank for skills assessments and virtual interviewing tools to identify, vet, and hire hard-to-reach technical talent.

"The labor market is in the midst of a watershed moment. Companies of all stripes are accelerating their digital roadmaps and reorienting their organizational cultures around a work-from-anywhere approach," said Vivek Ravisankar, co-founder and CEO of HackerRank. "Hiring the right tech talent has never been more crucial. We're proud that our developer skills platform has become a central force in helping companies focus on hiring for the real-world technical skills they need to accelerate the world's innovation."

About HackerRank

HackerRank, the developer skills company, helps businesses attract, evaluate and hire the best technical talent from around the world. More than 2,600 customers across all industries, including 25% of the Fortune 100, rely on HackerRank to raise their hiring bar. More than 16 million developers (approximately 40% of the global developer population) trust HackerRank to learn and showcase their coding skills. Every second, two developers complete a HackerRank code submission, or 183,000 per day. For more information, visit www.hackerrank.com .

Media Contact

Lucy Stenzel-Poore

Mission North for HackerRank

[email protected]

SOURCE HackerRank
The service aims to help companies achieve more sales and increased brand awareness for as low as AED 349 per month. It is a fully supported model covering digital strategy, design, PR, and online campaigns.

His Excellency Abdul Baset Al Janahi, Member of Board of Directors of Tejuri Com LLC that runs HiDubai.com said, "Our data science team frequently indicated that SMEs in Dubai are facing challenges in generating sales leads. We also understand that it is not a commercially viable option for SMEs to build teams tackling digital strategy and lead generation

From a macro point of view, we observed that all the global consumer tech giants are chasing big brands with larger budgets and not SMEs. Some companies, who attempted to address this advertising need of the SME sector, couldn't achieve a product-market fit.

We understood the need to build a fully supported online subscription product at an affordable price point and have launched two solutions named SME-Sales-Booster and Sales-Hero. We are helping SMEs by removing the burden of investing in resources to manage Campaign strategy, design, optimized marketing mix, campaign management, PR, and Analytics through these solutions. We do everything from scratch to deliver targeted visitors and sales leads.

Before this launch, we trialed these solutions with 160 paying customers for whom we generated over 2500 leads in the past two months with a 67% accuracy rate.

Dubai made a landmark move in 2018 by launching HiDubai to offer a free digital identity to all the businesses in Dubai. With the launch of SME Sales Booster and Sales Hero now, HiDubai will go a step ahead in solving sales & lead generation struggles of SMEs."

SME sales booster is an entry-level solution that covers Design, Campaign Strategy, Media, PR coverage for micro-businesses and guarantees 200 targeted visitors per month. Sales Hero is an enhanced variant with a custom-built AI-enabled chatbot with 500 targeted visitors per month.

To motivate SMEs to take their first step in their advertising journey, Dubai SME (sme.ae), an agency of Dubai Economy (ded.ae), is offering a subsidy of 50% of the price of the solutions. More details about the solutions and grants are available at reach.hidubai.com

About HiDubai

HiDubai is the region's #1 Business Discovery Platform to offer a digital presence to all businesses in Dubai. It is an initiative by Tejuri Com LLC, a joint venture between Dubai Economy (ded.ae) and Dubai World to support the business ecosystem of Dubai. HiDubai lists accurate business information of over 153,000+ companies from Dubai and, through social features, helps B2C and B2B customers discover those businesses and engage with them. The platform generated 3.16 million customer leads for companies in Dubai. HiDubai gets over a million visits a month from 138 countries. Download the App from the Google Play Store or IOS Appstore. Visit hidubai.com, follow @Officialhidubai on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Tiktok.

Press Contact

Maryam Pervez

[email protected]

+971 55 4698 238

+971 4 391 3777

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670082/Abdul_Baset_Al_Janahi.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1597337/HiDubai_Logo.jpg

SOURCE HiDubai.com (Tejuri Com LLC)
"We're proud to welcome Meredith and Lily to Instacart's Board of Directors. Meredith's expertise and passion lies in launching and scaling digital products with leading subscription models. Her unique perspective will serve as a guiding force as we continue to enhance our service and deliver even more value to customers, particularly through our own membership offering, Instacart Express. Lily is exceptional at building at-scale, sustainable businesses in complex industries. She brings a deep passion for building consumer marketplaces that infuse technology into everyday tasks to make them more accessible and affordable, as well as invaluable experience supporting a community of thousands of frontline workers," said Fidji Simo, CEO of Instacart. "Both Meredith and Lily, along with the rest of the Instacart Board, will be instrumental as we continue to serve as a retail enablement platform and drive more value for our partners, customers and shoppers."

Kopit Levien is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of The New York Times Company, where she directs the company's overall business strategy and leads its global operations. Previously, she served as Chief Operating Officer of The New York Times, overseeing all major commercial operations, including subscriptions, advertising, events, and the cross-functional digital product development organization.

Prior to joining The New York Times in 2013, Kopit Levien was at Forbes for five years, where she held various roles, including Publisher and Chief Revenue Officer. She is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute.

"I'm excited to join Instacart's Board of Directors," said Kopit Levien. "With more than 20 years working on the business of journalism, I've had a first-hand look at the digital evolution of an industry that's been essential in people's daily lives for centuries. Similarly, grocery is in the midst of an important evolution of its own, and I believe Instacart can play a critical role in the digital transformation of their industry. I look forward to joining the Board and working with Fidji and the rest of the leadership team."

Sarafan is co-founder and Executive Chair of Home Care Assistance, where she has led the company from its earliest days as a startup to an industry leader in senior care with more than 10,000 employees across North America. As co-founder, former CEO, and now Executive Chair, Sarafan has been instrumental in deploying a new, uniquely integrated approach to aging  supported by a community of more than 10,000 frontline caregivers  that has completely reimagined senior care. As a result, Home Care Assistance has been recognized as one of the 50 fastest-growing women-owned companies worldwide.

Sarafan currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors at Thumbtack and Kyo. She also serves on the Stanford University Board of Trustees and is a Founding Partner of Project BIG: The Stanford Brain Immune Gut Initiative. An appointee to the California Governor's Alzheimer's Task Force, Sarafan serves in various other leadership roles to advance precision health and wellness, economic development and entrepreneurship, and informed civic engagement.

"Instacart has unlocked an innovative, sustainable model that supports the entire grocery industry - from retailers and brands to customers and shoppers - and I'm proud to join its Board of Directors," said Sarafan. "As a customer, I've experienced firsthand how Instacart can reshape the way households access and discover new foods. As an entrepreneur, I know that driving innovation in an industry that's an integral - and often deeply personal - part of everyone's life is not a simple task. I've been impressed by Instacart's role as a chief ally for the broader grocery industry, elevating the experience for retailers and customers alike. I look forward to supporting the team as Instacart continues to make online grocery shopping a part of the everyday rhythm for more people across North America."

Kopit Levien and Sarafan join Instacart's distinguished Board of Directors, which also includes Instacart CEO Fidji Simo; Instacart Founder and Executive Chairman Apoorva Mehta; Barry McCarthy, former Chief Financial Officer of both Spotify and Netflix; Daniel Sundheim, Founder and CIO of D1 Capital Partners; Frank Slootman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Snowflake; Michael Moritz, Managing Member at Sequoia Capital; and Jeff Jordan, Managing Partner at Andreessen Horowitz.

Instacart today partners with more than 700 national, regional and local retailers, including unique brand names, to offer delivery and pickup services from more than 65,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. Instacart is available to over 85% of U.S. households and 90% of Canadian households.

About Instacart

Instacart is the leading online grocery platform in North America. Instacart shoppers offer same-day delivery and pickup services to bring fresh groceries and everyday essentials to busy people and families across the U.S. and Canada. Instacart has partnered with more than 700 beloved national, regional and local retailers, including unique brand names, to deliver from more than 65,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. Instacart's platform is available to over 85% of U.S. households and 90% of Canadian households. The company's cutting-edge enterprise technology also powers the ecommerce platforms of some of the world's biggest retail players, supporting their white-label websites, applications and delivery solutions. Instacart offers an Instacart Express membership that includes reduced service fees and unlimited free delivery on orders over $35. For more information, visit www.instacart.com . For anyone interested in becoming an Instacart shopper, visit https://shoppers.instacart.com/ .

SOURCE Instacart

Related Links

http://www.instacart.com


The MEIRA Conference & Awards is the most anticipated regional Investor Relations (IR) event of the year, celebrating best practice IR by issuers across the Middle East and North Africa. This year, Instinctif Partners placed increased emphasis on its clients' digital annual reports, by incorporating multimedia content, increasing digital report functionality and tailored content. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures have also been increasingly adopted by issuers in the region.

In the large capitalisation category, HMG won first place for Best Digital Annual Report, followed by SABB in second place. SABB and HMG were also recognised for Best Print Annual Report in 2nd and 3rd place, respectively.

In the medium capitalisation category, Mobily won first place for both Best Print and Best Digital Annual Report. Bahri was awarded 3rd place for Best Print Annual Report and Savola came 3rd in Best Digital Annual Report. Baladna earned two first place awards for both Best Print and Best Digital Annual Report in the small capitalisation category.

Samantha Bartel, CEO & Managing Partner at Instinctif Partners Middle East & North Africa (MENA), commented: "We were pleased to attend compelling panel discussions and speeches, as well as to connecting with the MENA IR community. I would especially like to congratulate all the companies who worked effortlessly to showcase their strategic objectives and achievements. We are proud to work with distinguished clients in the region, and to support them in their efforts to achieve best practice IR and Reporting. The recognition of their efforts is truly well deserved."

Pablo Alday, Head of Content & Creative at Instinctif Partners MENA commented: "We are constantly looking to elevate our corporate reporting offer to add value to our clients and support them in communicating with their stakeholders. This year, we were pleased to see an uptake in digital annual reports, a response to increased demand from investors and stakeholders for interactive and accessible content online. We have also seen a shift to increased multimedia content use, as well as more companies beginning to report on their ESG performance as part of their annual disclosure."

In addition, HMG was also recognised in the Best Corporate Investor Relations (IR), Saudi Arabia Category. The winner is selected based on the results of the 2021 Emerging EMEA Executive Team survey, conducted by Institutional Investor, where buy-side and sell-side analysts rank the IR performance of listed corporates in the Middle East region.

Diana Estupinan, Associate Partner at Instinctif Partners MENA, commented: "It is a great honour to see our clients recognized in the corporate IR category, a testament of a collaborative effort to achieve best practice IR and engage with the market in a strategic manner. In the last year we have seen a shift toward increased transparency, greater corporate access engagement and the adoption of ESG strategies and measurement, trends that are transforming IR. We look forward to continuing to support our clients in navigating the shifting IR landscape."

About Instinctif Partners

Instinctif Partners is a leading international business communications consultancy with expertise across diverse practice areas: capital markets, corporate, public policy, content & creative and insight & research. It is a specialist in reputation and influence, with experience across numerous sectors. It works with clients across multiple and complex audiences combining deep insights, expert storytelling and creative delivery to change behaviours, emotions and perceptions. Instinctif Partners currently employs over 320 people in 12 offices across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

The company is one of the fastest growing consultancies in its industry, and over the past two years has won or been shortlisted for over 30 awards, recognising both client work and the growth of the business as a whole. Accolades include International Agency of the Year 2018 & 2017 at the PR Week Global Awards, Outstanding Large Consultancy of the Year 2018 at the CIPR Excellence Awards, Corporate Consultancy of the Year 2017 at the EMEA SABRE Awards, and City Agency of the Year at the PRCA City and Financial Awards 2016 & 2017. Instinctif Partners also won Gold at the PR Week Best Places to Work 2018 for Large Agency, and was named by the London Stock Exchange as one of 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain. www.instinctif.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670510/MEIRA_2021_Annual_Awards.jpg

SOURCE Instinctif Partners MENA
TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- InterFulfillment Inc, the eCommerce order fulfillment specialists have announced that they have added a facility. Due to overwhelming demand, they have opened a new full-service order fulfillment facility in Vancouver, British Columbia. This is their first fulfillment center located on the west coast of Canada. They will now offer localized shipping for merchants that can truly benefit from it.

October 2021, Vancouver, British Columbia - InterFulfillment staff preparing to adorn the new Vancouver facility with Canadian, provincial and company logo flags that they will hoist to the rafters.

According to Adayra Lopez, InterFulfillment's Sales Manager, this expansion could not come soon enough. Demand for localized order fulfillment services is at an all-time high.

"The needs of our customers always vary. Each merchant is different and we understand that. That is what makes us different from a typical order fulfillment center. When our customers speak, we listen," explained Adayra Lopez.

"Customers are understanding the value of localized shipping in Canada. This is a large landmass and shipping your parcels closer to where they are going can save both time and money. I am thrilled this is something we can offer to select customers going forward!"

This expansion will go a long way in bolstering the customer experience. Derek Antram, InterFulfillment's General Manager was asked what customers shipping orders from InterFulfillment's new Vancouver order fulfillment facility can expect.

"They can expect the same quality shipping services we have been providing from Toronto since 2005. We have taken measures to ensure that orders shipping from Vancouver will be processed the very same day, just like orders shipping from Toronto. Maintaining our standards is always at the forefront of our minds when we expand," answered Derek Antram.

"As fast as we can get a shipment out, we cannot control how long the carrier will take to deliver it. Localized shipping will help get parcels to get to their destination faster. That's exciting for our merchants. And we aren't done, we have more expansion plans in the pipeline, so stay tuned for that."

The InterFulfillment team appears excited about this expansion to Vancouver. Elecia Brazeau is InterFulfillment's COO, played a key role in the decision to expand to the west coast.

"Merchants can save money by taking advantage of localized shipping rates. These are typically customers that ship larger parcels. Being able to deploy these parcels from a localized facility will be a game-changer for them. And perhaps more importantly, they will be able to get their products in their customer's hands quicker, which is key in eCommerce," stated Elecia Brazeau.

"Expanding an operation like ours, particularly across the country and during a pandemic has not been easy. The costs have been high, but at the end of the day, if our customers are happy, it's all worth it!"

According to the team at InterFulfillment the company is ready to make some big leaps in the order fulfillment business in 2021 and beyond. They are showing a commitment to excellence which is what has positioned them as a leader in the industry. Their operational footprint continues to expand with the goal of not only maintaining their services and capabilities but expanding them as well.

About InterFulfillment Inc.

Founded in 2005, InterFulfillment has been a Canadian order fulfillment specialist. They are known for their eCommerce expertise but also offer a range of services including cross-docking, event, and crowdfunded project fulfillment, and much more. They are committed to offering customers same-day shipping along with best-in-class services they can rely on. For more information or to request a quote from InterFulfillment, please visit: https://interfulfillment.com/

Contact:

Terry Sotiropoulos

(604) 227-7170

[email protected]

SOURCE InterFulfillment Inc.
CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Katten announced today that 14 attorneys were honored at Katten Pro Bono Service Awards ceremonies during the National Celebration of Pro Bono, recognizing those who donate their time and volunteer their legal skills to offer access to justice.

"Their consistent efforts have a transformative power in that they result in life-changing impacts for their clients. These attorneys are advocates for the powerless, voices for the unheard and champions for society's most vulnerable. We deeply thank them for their service," said Jonathan K. Baum, Katten's Director of Pro Bono Services.

Pro bono is a cornerstone of Katten's culture. Firm attorneys have worked tirelessly and diligently to help refugees seek asylum, prisoners get compassionate release, and nonprofits gain tax-exempt status, to cite a few examples.

"Today's award winners are exemplars of the hundreds of Katten attorneys who, despite a busy workload, take on complex matters for individuals and organizations who are in great need of high-quality legal services but cannot afford representation," Baum said.

This year's Pro Bono Service Awards recipients, who each received a $1,000 honorarium to donate to a charity, provided a range of services, some of which include the following:

Ashley T. Brines , associate, Litigation, Los Angeles , who has represented families finalizing adoptions as well as a client who was granted asylum and obtained approval for his family to join him in America.

Jonathan C. Byer , partner, Private Wealth, New York , who has worked with South Brooklyn Legal Services and Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, providing basic wills, health care proxies, living wills, and powers of attorney to those who cannot afford them.

Claudia Callaway , partner, Class Action/Consumer Finance Litigation, Washington DC , who has assisted a veteran in securing benefits, represented a prisoner who was denied medication after being attacked by another prisoner, and worked with immigrants seeking citizenship.

Shannon C. Gross , associate, Litigation, Chicago , who has won asylum for a refugee, obtained divorces for low-income women, and successfully settled a jail inmate's civil rights case.

Kristin Lockhart , associate, Intellectual Property, Washington DC , who has helped a man fleeing Venezuela win asylum in the United States .

Weston M. Love , associate, Corporate, Dallas , who has helped youths from Central America seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, a legal designation that can help pave the way toward permanent residency in the United States .

Catherine E. O'Brien , associate, Intellectual Property, Chicago , who has represented a mentally ill incarcerated individual in a civil rights lawsuit and persuaded the US Court of Appeals to reverse the district court's decisions to deny the prisoner an attorney and to dismiss the case.

Stanley V. Polit , associate, Financial Markets and Funds, Chicago , who has represented a local food pantry, helping the organization put in place governance policies and procedures to handle the record amount of donations while navigating state audit requirements.

Christina N. Romero , associate, Private Wealth, New York , who has handled wills and estate planning documents, and identified two Hungarian women as rightful heirs to an estate, which was challenging because necessary birth and death records were either nonexistent or scattered during the Holocaust.

Sarah Simpson , senior associate, Intellectual Property, London , who has assisted with intellectual property issues regarding The Park Theatre's launch of a new production and St. Paul's Cathedral's online book of remembrance for COVID-19 victims in the United Kingdom .

Brian M. Spangler , partner, Real Estate, Chicago , who has worked with the Lawyers in the Classroom program at the Jose De Diego Community Academy in Humboldt Park, which helps students enhance their critical thinking, collaboration and civil discourse skills, and handled numerous real estate transactions for nonprofit organizations.

Daniel L. Tedrick , staff attorney, Real Estate, Charlotte, who has represented public housing residents facing eviction and helped find a resolution that led his clients to secure housing, as well as funds in accrued escrow incentives.

Additionally, Trisha Sircar, a Privacy, Data and Cybersecurity partner, and Elizabeth D. Langdale, a Litigation partner, both based in New York, received honorable mentions for their pro bono contributions.

Sircar worked with K-9 Reading Buddies of the North Shore to develop pandemic-era policies that enable children with reading disabilities to continue to be engaged and develop their reading skills virtually. Langdale has worked to secure asylum in the United States for a Honduran woman and her three children.

Katten is a full-service law firm with nearly 650 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm's core areas of practice include corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, private credit and private wealth. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. For more information, visit katten.com .

SOURCE Katten
LOS ANGELES, and STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Centre Film Festival announces 2021 festival lineup November 1st-7th offering in-person and virtual screenings and events.

The inaugural Chandler Living Legacy Award will be presented by James Franklin to Emmy and Peabody Award-winning actor, writer, producer and Penn State alumni Keegan-Michael Key.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to pioneering filmmaker (A Tribute to Malcolm X, Integration Report 1) and PBS in-house producer of Sesame Street and The Electric Company ("The Easy Reader" starring Morgan Freeman), Pennsylvania native, Madeline Anderson.

The festival will kick-off its red-carpet ribbon-cutting ceremony live at the State Theatre on Monday, November 1 at 6:00pm, followed by 2 days of in-person screenings and panels at the State Theatre, before moving to the Mishler Theatre in Altoona, and then to the Rowland Theatre for a weekend of films and visiting filmmakers from Friday, November 5 to Sunday, November 7. The awards ceremony will be November 7 at 6:00pm at The Rowland.

The festival will bring in more than a dozen filmmakers and 80+ films.

Penn State alum, Patrick Fabian, ("Better Call Saul" and Apple TV+ "Morning Show") will return, in-person, to his mother's hometown, Philipsburg, forthe screening of Driver X.

State College native, Joshua Leonard, (Blair Witch Project) will host an in-person Q&A following the screening of his directorial film, Fully Realized Humans, a SXSW favorite, co-starring Jess Weixler.

Drunk Bus starring Charlie Tahan, another festival indie darling, is premiering in Central PA virtually and was produced by PSU alum, Ian Tarbert, who will appear in-person with the screening.

Penn State alum and State College local, cinematographer Michael Craven, appears as a special guest to go behind-the-scenes on cinematography in Netflix's The Chair.

The awards are chosen by renowned industry professionals.

The festival was co-founded by filmmaker and Global Fulbright Scholar, Pearl Gluck, and journalist, Curt Chandler. The 2021 festival is a collaboration of Pearl Gluck and Penn State alumni and industry professionals, Cassie Ross Green, Ellyn Exley Dvorkin, and Kelly Corrine Berthold.

The Centre Film Festival is sponsored by the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (happyvalley.com), the Hyatt in State College, the Bill Jaffe Leadership Initiative, and Penn State Student Affairs.

Tickets available at www.centrefilm.org.

#centrefilmfestival

SOURCE Centre Film Festival

Related Links

http://www.centrefilm.org


GILBERT, Ariz., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- KeepWOL (Keep Wondering Out Loud), a leading developer of immersive learning and development solutions, today announced the launch of an on-demand SaaS platform that provides a digital library of live multiplayer games that cultivate employee development in various areas. The impact of each KeepWOL session is tracked by data collected within the platform providing accountability and measurable change.

"Change only transpires when we boldly recognize our challenges and are willing to execute measurable, long-term solutions," says Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks, founder and CEO of KeepWOL. "KeepWOL provides introspection and self-reflection that sheds light on areas of improvement we may be oblivious to in a non-threatening and fun way."

KeepWOL takes Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) from passive awareness to an actionable experience for all employees. When attempting to instill DEIB into the workforce, many organizations rely on methods like lectures, panels, surveys, and pre-recorded videos. These might be helpful in disseminating information, but these strategies fall short when it comes to changing employee behavior, mainly because they occur as one-offs and don't focus on the ins-and-outs of everyday work life.

Interpersonal skills such as communication, listening, vulnerability, empathy, and compassion must be practiced. By using KeepWOL with (remote and onsite) teams on a recurring basis, organizations will see a more engaged workforce, better team dynamics, the ability for employees to seamlessly move from one group to another, increased retention, a boost in collaboration and innovation, and a positive impact on the company's bottom line.

"KeepWOL is a phenomenal platform that creates a safe place for very direct, heart of the matter discussions," says Marion Kelly, Director of Community Engagement at Mayo Clinic. "I also appreciate the business model flexibility of one-off events led by a KeepWOL facilitator or unlimited access plus training with their subscription option."

KeepWOL is designed for SMBs with ten or more employees and enterprise organizations looking to build or shift corporate culture. Monthly subscriptions start at just $10 per user, with certification available and required for those employees interested in becoming KeepWOL facilitators. To learn more, visit: www.keepwol.com .

ABOUT KEEPWOL:

KeepWOL (Keep Wondering Out Loud) is a leading developer of digital talent development solutions that maximizes cultural intelligence in the workplace. KeepWOL's platform provides a library of live multiplayer psychology-based games designed to help enterprises build tight-knit inclusive, high-performing teams by embracing differences and normalizing curiosity, courage, and connection at work. But unlike similar platforms, KeepWOL doesn't teach using lectures, videos, and roleplay. KeepWOL enables recurring guided immersive experiences powered by software but driven by humans to practice and develop core skills, cultivate employee engagement, attract top talent, boost innovation, and increase retention.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Lauren Gill, MAG PR at E: [email protected] ; P: 978-473-1362

SOURCE KeepWOL
VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Kootenay Silver Inc. ("Kootenay" or the "Company") (TSXV: KTN) is pleased to announce that further to its press releases dated August 10, 2021 and September 17, 2021, the Company intends to make the previously announced spin-out transaction of the Company effective at 12:01 a.m. (Vancouver time) on October 29, 2021 (the "Effective Date"). The Company has received a final order from the Supreme Court of British Columbia dated September 21, 2021, and shareholder approval pursuant to an annual and special meeting of the Company held on September 15, 2021, to implement the spin-out of 80% of the Company interest in mineral exploration assets located in Canada to its shareholders by way of a share capital reorganization effected through a statutory plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") with Kootenay Resources Inc. ("Spinco"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Pursuant to the Arrangement, the holders of common shares of the Company on October 28, 2021 will receive one new common share of the Company (each, a "Kootenay Silver Share") and 0.04 common shares of Spinco (each, a "Spinco Share"). The existing common shares of the Company are expected to be delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") at the close of business on October 28, 2021. The Kootenay Silver Shares are expected to commence trading on the TSXV at the market open on October 29, 2021. The CUSIP numbers of the Kootenay Silver Shares and the Spinco Shares will be 500583703 and 50058V107, respectively.

Computershare Investor Services Inc. ("Computershare") will forward replacement share certificates or electronic statements to each registered Company shareholder that is entitled to receive them, representing their allotted number of Kootenay Silver Shares and Spinco Shares in accordance with the Arrangement. Letters of transmittal have been mailed to registered holders of common shares of the Company, which must be completed and returned to Computershare together with the share certificates of the Company at the address specified in the letter of transmittal, in order for Company shareholders to receive Kootenay Silver Shares and Spinco Shares following the Effective Date. A copy of the letter of transmittal is also available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

For further details of the Arrangement, please refer to the Company's management information circular dated August 12, 2021, which is filed on SEDAR under the Company's profile. The Arrangement remains subject to the final approval of the TSXV.

About Kootenay Silver Inc.

Kootenay is an exploration company actively engaged in the discovery and development of mineral projects in the Sierra Madre Region of Mexico and in British Columbia, Canada. Supported by one of the largest junior portfolios of silver assets in Mexico, Kootenay continues to provide its shareholders with significant leverage to silver prices. The Company remains focused on the expansion of its current silver resources, new discoveries and the near-term economic development of its priority silver projects located in prolific mining districts in Sonora, State and Chihuahua, State, Mexico, respectively.

On behalf of the board of directors of the Company:

James McDonald,

CEO and President

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking information. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology (e.g., "expect"," estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "plans" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur). Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the completion of the Arrangement, the Effective Date and the Company obtaining final TSXV approval to the Arrangement.

Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks -- including the Company not obtaining the final approval of the TSXV; the Arrangement not being completed; the availability of funds; the results of financing and exploration activities; unanticipated costs, expenses, or liabilities associates with the Arrangement; the interpretation of exploration results and other geological data; or unanticipated costs and expenses and other risks identified by Kootenay in its public securities filings that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Kootenay does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Kootenay Silver Inc.

Related Links

https://kootenaysilver.com/


The oil spill originated off the coast of Huntington Beach from an offshore oil platform owned by Amplify Energy, a Texas-based energy company. The leak from the platform's underwater pipeline was stopped the following day, but tens of thousands of gallons of crude oil had already spilled into the coastal waters of Orange County. The slick spread from Huntington Beach down to Dana Point and caused widespread beach and fishery closures. These closures have cost many businesses and workers revenue during the final weeks of California's beach tourist season.

The forum will feature speakers from a wide variety of relevant specialties. Speakers will include Public Health Officer Dora Barilla, City of Hope Orange County Physician-in-Chief Edward S. Kim, Follow Our Courts Executive Editor Toni Momberger, MWA Partner David Wright, Attorney James Perry, and Former Judge Stephen G. Larson of the District Court for the Central District of California. These speakers are set to discuss public and personal health impacts of exposure to the oil slick and the legal consequences for Amplify Energy and other responsible parties. This forum will be moderated by MWA Partner and civil rights attorney Joe Richardson. Press is welcome to attend in-person at the Irvine Boardwalk, and the public will be able to watch via livestream on Facebook and YouTube.

MWA hopes the Forum on the Orange County Oil Spill will allow for local residents and business owners to gain a better understanding of this situation as repercussions continue to unfold. "Our goal is education," says MWA Partner David Wright, "This spill was a catastrophic event, and it is important for experts to publicly provide information on the legal, health, and economic fallout." MWA has filed a class action lawsuit against Amplify Energy on behalf of local businesses who were financially harmed during this incident.

About McCune Wright Arevalo, LLP's Environmental Practice: The Environmental Practice Group of MWA is designed to address concerns surrounding the health of our natural environment in the United States and the communities situated in them. By aiming to hold negligent parties accountable for environmental damages, the firm hopes to reduce the number of large corporations and agencies that mistreat the natural world resulting in harm to individuals and businesses. For more information about MWA's environmental practice visit https://mccunewright.com/practice-areas/environmental/.

About McCune Wright Arevalo, LLP: McCune Wright Arevalo, LLP, has a deep history of success for its clients, including a $203 million verdict against Wells Fargo Bank, recovery of over $1 billion for its clients, and over 100 contingency cases with recovery of $1 million or more. MWA maintains California offices in Irvine, Ontario, San Bernardino and Palm Desert, and supports its national practice with offices in Illinois and New Jersey. For over 30 years, MWA has successfully represented clients involved in general complex and commercial litigation, as well as catastrophic personal injury and class action matters. Visit mccunewright.com for more information.

Media Contact:

[email protected]

(909)233-7787

SOURCE McCune Wright Arevalo, LLP
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- McGowan Allied Specialty Insurance (MASI), the premier provider of commercial insurance products to the amusement industry, has announced the hiring of Tom Jones as the Manager of Loss Control Services.

In his new role with MASI, Jones will be responsible for all aspects of loss control services. He will also be charged with building improved client services through new training and customer relations, reporting to Drew Tewksbury, Director of Sales and Marketing.

Thomas Jones

Jones has over 40 years of experience in the amusement industry, including time spent at amusement parks, fairs/carnivals, and third-party inspections. His career has spanned from Funtime, Inc., Six Flags to Cedar Fair before becoming a third-party inspector for the last 14 years.

"We are thrilled to have Tom join our McGowan Allied team. His operational, educational, and inspection experience is unmatched. His addition to our team will help McGowan Allied continue to be industry 'Thought Leaders' in the areas of risk management and loss control, further bringing greater value and service to our clients in the amusement industry."  Drew Tewksbury, Director of Sales & Marketing with McGowan Allied.

Currently, Jones is on the Education and Certification Committees for NAARSO and has serviced as the Treasurer. Jones holds a NAARSO Level 3 Inspector Certification and had been a pivotal member of not only NAARSO as an instructor at their yearly safety seminar but also instructs at outreach schools. Jones has provided safety training to parks and carnivals insuring that maintenance and operational standards are met.

Tom currently resides in Chagrin Falls, OH, with his wife, Suzanne. They have three grown children.

Please contact Drew Tewksbury with any questions, [email protected] - 440.895.4305.

SOURCE McGowan Allied Specialty Insurance
HOUSTON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Natural Language Processing (NLP) firm, Melax Tech, announced today that it is moving forward with a text extraction project in conjunction with Houston's Baylor College of Medicine. Baylor and Melax Tech have developed processes that will retrieve cancer information from pathology reports. These processes will automate patient cohort identification and streamline research through the use of Melax Tech's NLP capabilities.

The collaborative agreement provides Baylor physicians with the opportunity to evaluate pathology reports to retrieve cancer information, including genetic information. Baylor physicians will also annotate textual data from pathology reports. When completed, Melax Tech will apply machine learning to the annotation to further refine and automate the process of identifying cancer information.

This Baylor-Melax Tech venture is based on a previous pilot program during which the two developed the initial cancer pipelines. Further refinement of the pilot is expected to improve research with the possibility of application to other cancers in the future.

The result will be the ability to use pipelines to identify patient cohorts of interest and to increase domain knowledge in oncology. Andre Pontin, CEO of Melax Tech, noted "there is increasing interest within the cancer community to use NLP for a wide array of purposes. For example, undertaking efforts to develop the ability to support and maintain national cancer registry reporting through the use of NLP. Melax Tech is proud to help develop a foundation for this important work."

"Pathology reports often contain copious and valuable information that are relevant for treating patients, but the data structure makes them difficult to use for research studies," said Chris Amos, Ph.D., principal investigator of the project, director of the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research and associate director for population and quantitative research at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor. "Our relationship with Melax will allow us to quickly process pathological information to support clinical research studies."

The collaborative project is expected to be completed in 2023, with Baylor College of Medicine continuing cancer research based on Melax Tech's efficient extraction process.

SOURCE Melax Technologies, Inc.

Related Links

https://melaxtech.com/


CHEYENNE, Wyo., Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners' adoption of Resolution R-455-21, provides for the creation of a Cryptocurrency Task Force for the purpose of studying the feasibility of Miami-Dade County accepting cryptocurrency and other digital monetary forms as an acceptable method of payment for county taxes, fees and services, and to offer recommendations for other policy initiatives relating to cryptocurrencies that would be advantageous to Miami-Dade County. To accomplish the mission, pursuant to the requirement of the same Resolution R-455-21 to review and analyze efforts undertaken by other local, state, or national governments with regard to cryptocurrencies, Chairman of the Miami-Dade Cryptocurrency Task Force, Elijah John Bowdre, accepted an invitation from Marian Orr, CEO of American CryptoFed DAO, and the first DAO established pursuant to Wyoming DAO law, to visit Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming between October 20 -22 for educational discussions with Wyoming's legislators, regulators and thought leaders for the State's successful Cryptocurrency and Blockchain initiatives.

"Words can't express how grateful I am for the educational discussions we've had, and the insights of leaders including:

State Senators Chris Rothfuss , & Tara Nethercott

, & State Representative Ocean Andrew

Deputy Secretary of State Karen Wheeler

State Banking Commissioner, Albert Forkner , Wyoming Division of Banking

, Wyoming Division of Banking Brenda Henson , Director of Wyoming's Department of Revenue & Terri Lucero , Administrator of the Excise Tax Division

, Director of Department of Revenue & , Administrator of the Excise Tax Division Steven Lupien , Director of the University of Wyoming Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation

, Director of the Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation Ashley Harpstreith , Executive Director of the Wyoming Taxpayers Association

, Executive Director of the Wyoming Taxpayers Association Matt Kaufman , Partner at Hathaway and Kunz, LLP.

Together, these innovative minds have provided me with deep insights on Wyoming's successes in creating and applying cryptocurrency and blockchain laws and regulations, which now influence States and Nations far beyond Wyoming's geographic borders. As Chairman of the Miami-Dade County Cryptocurrency Task Force, my meetings with these leaders have given me comprehensive and practical guidance to create a framework for discussing policy recommendations for Miami-Dade County with my fellow members. I'm now planning to invite a delegation of Wyoming's cryptocurrency and blockchain leaders to meet my fellow members of the task force in our home of Miami-Dade County, and explore the feasibility of collaboration between Wyoming and Miami-Dade. This is likely to extend to all of Florida", said Elijah John Bowdre, Chairman of the Miami-Dade County Cryptocurrency Task Force.

"I'm so happy that Chairman Bowdre could meet with our State's legislators and regulators, and see how and why Wyoming laws, regulations and creative spirits have led Wyoming to become the top blockchain and cryptocurrency jurisdiction not only in the USA, but also in the world. It was a great honor to host Chairman Bowdre, to introduce him to Wyoming's cryptocurrency and blockchain legislators, regulators and thought leaders, and to explore an aligned path between Wyoming and Miami-Dade for the future prosperity. Chairman Bowdre and his task force hold an unprecedented and challenging mission for studying the feasibility of Miami-Dade County accepting cryptocurrency and other digital monetary forms as an acceptable method of payment for County taxes, fees, and services. As a former Mayor of Cheyenne, Wyoming, I fully understand it is critical for local governments to create new revenue streams and provide better services for their citizens without increasing the burden of taxation on either the City's residents or businesses. I am very grateful to these Wyoming's leaders who've made Chairman Bowdre's visit so successful that further collaboration and cooperation among Wyoming, Miami-Dade County and Florida is just beginning." said Marian Orr, CEO of American CryptoFed DAO.

Learn more about the Miami-Dade County Cryptocurrency Task Force:

https://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/legistarfiles/Matters/Y2021/210817.pdf

https://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/legistarfiles/Matters/Y2021/211528.pdf

Learn more about the American CryptoFed DAO:

https://www.americancryptofed.org/

SOURCE American CryptoFed DAO

Related Links

https://www.americancryptofed.org


HAYWARD, Calif., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Microvi today announced that its MNE technology has been selected as part of an $6.5 million project funded by the California Energy Commission (CEC). The three-year project focuses on the development and demonstration of energy efficient wastewater treatment technologies for resource recovery and carbon diversion.

Microvi and a prominent group of partners led by Caliskaner Water Technologies Inc. (CWT) will be demonstrating the increased performance and economic benefits of the application of innovative technologies including MNE Technology for advanced wastewater treatment. The Linda Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF), located in Linda, California, has been selected as the project site.

"We are proud to partner with CWT and the CEC to demonstrate the significant benefits of our MNE Technology." said Fatemeh Shirazi, CEO of Microvi. "Through this project, we will advance the state of intensification technologies with a strong focus on energy efficiency and the circular economy."

"Microvi is at the forefront of developing advanced biological processes for various markets. I am looking forward in working with Microvi on this important project," said Onder Caliskaner, President of CWT.

The outcome of this project will provide a comprehensive comparison between the latest intensification technologies in the marketplace and lay the foundation for reducing net energy consumption and the generation of greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater processes.

Along with the recent commissioning of the first commercial side-stream treatment system in the Pacific U.S., the advantages of the Microvi MNE Technology have been demonstrated for ammonia and BOD removal with Scottish Water, for tertiary ammonia removal at Thames Water, and for tertiary ammonia and nitrate removal at Wessex Water.

About Microvi

Microvi is a transformative biology company based in the San Francisco Bay Area that delivers next-generation biotechnologies for the water, wastewater, bio-based chemicals, biofuels and biopharma industries. Microvi offers commercial technologies around the world to reduce waste, increase productivity and provide disruptive economics across the value chain. Learn more at http://www.microvi.com/.

About Caliskaner Water Technologies Inc.

Caliskaner Water Technologies, Inc. (CWT) is a niche civil and environmental engineering firm. CWT is led by Dr. Onder Caliskaner with 25 years of experience in research and technology development and providing project management, planning, process evaluation, and design services to private industries and public agencies. CWT is a recognized industry leader in emerging technologies such as primary filtration, carbon diversion, advanced primary treatment, and tertiary filtration. Conventional treatment technologies are being replaced or supplemented by emerging / leading edge technologies especially for process areas with high energy consumption or footprint requirement. With its foundational and deep understanding of conventional technologies, CWT uses this expertise in successfully evaluating the benefits and disadvantages of emerging and leading-edge technologies against conventional technologies. Learn more at www.cwatertech.com.

About the California Energy Commission (CEC)

California Energy Commission is the state's primary energy policy and planning agency. It is committed to reducing energy costs and environmental impacts of energy use - such as greenhouse gas emissions - while ensuring a safe, resilient, and reliable supply of energy. Established in 1974, the Energy Commission has seven core responsibilities: advancing state energy policy, encouraging energy efficiency, certifying thermal power plants, investing in energy innovation, developing renewable energy, transforming transportation and preparing for energy emergencies. Learn more at www.energy.ca.gov.

Contact:

Microvi Marketing

510-344-0668

[email protected]

SOURCE Microvi Biotech

Related Links

http://www.microvi.com


"The all-new 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is the most-connected, best-equipped vehicle we have ever sold in the U.S., and given how positively it's already been received by members of the media, our dealer partners and consumers, it represents a huge opportunity to raise awareness and consideration for the Mitsubishi brand," said MMNA senior manager of marketing, Kim Ito. "The Outlander takes its place at the head of the Mitsubishi Motors lineup. With a car that stands out from the crowd the way this one does, we knew we needed a soundtrack that would help it be just as memorable and stand out in the crowded field of advertising."

Mitsubishi Motors' new "Thunderstruck" campaign was created by Unite Digital in collaboration with The Sussman Agency in Detroit, the same agency that created the "Take Me Out" campaign for the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross earlier this year, featuring the song by the same name from Franz Ferdinand. The agency worked in close collaboration with MMNA and its National Advisory Board dealer partners, ensuring a cohesive and memorable set of creative deliverables that differentiates the brand for a national audience, while providing an aligned and targeted platform for locally customized executions.

Key to the success of the campaign is a Mitsubishi Motors first-in-the-industry process, also developed in partnership with Unite Digital, whereby each of the company's approximately 330 dealer partners have the ability to directly personalize and customize the national advertisement for their local use. By combining the production of so-called Tier 1 and Tier 3 advertisements together, MMNA is able to ensure consistent quality and production value, while its dealer partners are able to share information and offers with their local and regional customers. This has never been done before in the auto industry, and allows unprecedented value for dealers and a consistent creative through-line across all levels of advertising.

Directed by creative veteran Susan Stallings, the high-energy spot is characterized by synchronized sound and lighting, taking inspiration from the response the Outlander consistently evokes when people experience it in person.

"Beyond AC/DC's rock star street cred, 'Thunderstruck' perfectly describes the way the whole creative team felt the first time we saw the Outlander," said Stallings, Sussman's senior vice president and creative director. "People first say 'Wow! What is that?' and then they immediately say, 'That's the new Mitsubishi?' We wanted to capture that feeling when a new car makes you stop in your tracks and just stare in amazement."

From the beginning, Mitsubishi's marketing for the all-new Outlander has been disruptive and bold. It was the first vehicle ever to be revealed to a global audience via Amazon Live, and it has already set high watermarks for Google search, website traffic, retail closing rates and model sales, attracting a whole new customer to Mitsubishi Motors. Closely aligned across national and retail-level creative, the campaign will include broadcast and digital activations, an extension of the Amazon partnership, and sales event heavy-ups backed by Mitsubishi's largest marketing investment in recent years.

The all-new Outlander, which launched to rave reviews from media and consumers, was recently named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and offers an impressive array of standard and available advanced driver assistance systems to increase driver convenience, confidence and safety. The vehicle also was just announced as a winner of the Wards 10 Best Interiors award, calling out the quality and style that sets Outlander apart. All models offer standard three rows of seating  the only vehicle in the segment to do so  and the vehicle is available with the company's unique motorsport-developed Super All-Wheel Control all-wheel-drive system.

For more information on the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander, 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


LOS ANGELES, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Alliance on Mental Illness Greater Los Angeles County (NAMI GLAC) has commenced a two-year contract with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to launch the Licensed Adult Residential Care Association (LARCA) that will advocate and increase survivability for operators of Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs) and Adult Residential Facilities (ARFs). According to the California Department of Social Services, many ARFs have closed due to increasing costs and lack of appropriate funding. Los Angeles has lost 24% of its Adult Residential Facilities and 37% of its Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly between 2015 and March 2020.

"The Board and Care system is a specialized type of permanent housing for individuals with disabilities, including those with behavioral health challenges. Because existing funding structures no longer provide adequate support for Board and Care facilities, they are disappearing at an alarming rate across L.A. County," said Dr. Jonathan Sherin, M.D., Ph.D., Director of L.A. County Department of Mental Health. "The Department of Mental Health, with unprecedented support from the Board of Supervisors and from Supervisor Janice Hahn in particular, is laser focused on reforming Board and Care funding mechanisms in order to not only rescue and improve the conditions of the existing Board and Care network, but also to expand the network as part of combating homelessness as well as mass incarceration of individuals with mental illness. In particular, LA County is asking the Federal government to dramatically increase social security reimbursement for Board and Care or to allow the use of Section 8 vouchers for Board and Care beds, either of which could accomplish our goals."

This Association will stabilize, sustain, and improve the quality of permanent housing for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), from formerly homeless individuals to seniors, as well as individuals with other disabilities in Los Angeles County who need daily support.

NAMI GLAC's Executive Director Traute Winters stated, "Forming this Association will allow us to collectively advocate on behalf of our most vulnerable citizens and ensure that facilities who serve low income and homeless individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) have access to relevant education and training, up-to-date policies and regulations, as well as a voice here in Los Angeles County and Sacramento." She added, "Housing is a great need in Los Angeles County and ensuring that facilities providing these services are supported is a critical part of the solution."

About The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH)

As the nation's largest public mental health department, we ensure access to care and treatment for our most vulnerable residents in a region with more than 10 million people. With an annual budget approaching $3B and a committed staff of 6,000, LACDMH embodies a "heart-forward" approach to supporting hope, recovery and wellbeing across the County. For more information on LACDMH, visit https://dmh.lacounty.gov or follow @LACDMH on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About The National Alliance on Mental Illness Greater Los Angeles County (NAMI GLAC)

NAMI GLAC is the leading countywide organization composed of grassroots-based chapters that promote wellness, recovery, equality and dignity for individuals and families affected by mental illness and the community at large. They work to provide leadership in advocacy, education, support, and public awareness throughout Los Angeles County.

Mental illness can be treated, and people living with mental illness can recover to live fulfilling lives. To learn more about how NAMI can help, visit namiglac.org. All NAMI programs and services are free of charge for individuals living with mental illness and families and friends who care for them.

SOURCE National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Greater Los Angeles County
"The Ukraine issue clearly embroils Turkey and Russia", Dr. Sencer Imer said, adding that Turkey's hostility to Russia is 180 degrees contrary to Turkey's interests, as being involved into that operation could cause problems with the South stream pipeline, cut off the nuclear power plant in Akkuyu, and S-400s supply, weaken economic relations there and trade. "From the economic perspective we see a difficult situation in Turkey, because it has structural problems" - he highlighted.

Ihsan Sefa stated: "The United States and NATO are supporting Ukraine against Russia, so we need to move to one-way politics", reminding that Turkey has a number of agreements with Ukraine including defense cooperation ones. "We need Ukrainian technologies that were developed back in the Soviet period, for instance for our national combat aircraft. So it's not going to be very nice for us to turn against Ukraine, but we're not going to try to get Ukraine into NATO. Other countries won't want to take it anyway. At the same time, we must not lose Russia's trust by bringing this forward. We go and cooperate with Russia in Syria, then we go back to the Black Sea with Russia's enemy. These are the wrong policies".

Prof. Dr. Semih Koray, deputy leader of the Homeland Party, stated that the Black Sea would become a NATO lake if Ukraine and Georgia joined NATO: "It is not an issue between the United States and Russia, but rather an issue between the United States and the whole world. If Ukraine and Georgia are included in NATO, this will not only mean the encirclement of Russia from the south, but also the encirclement of Turkey from the north. This would affect stability, peace, development opportunities of all countries in the region".

Deniz Berktay expressed concerns about increasing NATO presence in the region. "When we look at Turkey's foreign policy, when we look at the threats to Turkey, the real threat comes from the West. NATO's weight here has increased too much, which of course is undesirable for Turkey's interests".

Concluding the discussion, Hasan Cengiz noted the importance of the Black Sea, underlining that since Ataturk it has been "the sea of peace". Talking about Crimea and related political tensions, he said: "Crimea needs some time. In 50-100 years, these issues will not be on the agenda. The world is shifting to Eurasia. You have to be careful at a time like this".

SOURCE Ulusal Medya
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- National PTA is pleased to award over $120,000 in grant funding to PTA schools across the country. This funding is made possible by PTA Proud National Sponsors GoGuardian, Huntington Ingalls Industries, NortonLifeLock and Office Depot.

"Awarding grants to school communities helps local PTAs offer engaging and educational programs and provides students and their families free access to key resources that support social, emotional and academic success," said Anna King, president of National PTA. "At National PTA, we are dedicated to creating equitable and accessible grant opportunities for every child, regardless of their socio-economic background or circumstances."

National PTA regularly offers grants in the areas of STEM, literacy, digital citizenship, mental health and the arts. This year's 2021 National PTA program grant recipients include:

"National PTA is grateful for the continued support of our Proud National Sponsors, including GoGuardian, Huntington Ingalls Industries, NortonLifeLock and OfficeDepot," said Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA Executive Director. "We are honored to award these grants to support PTAs as they advance student success, improve the health and safety of all children, and increase access to arts education through advocacy and family engagement."

About National PTA

National PTA comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org.

SOURCE National PTA

Related Links

http://www.pta.org


As Director of Government Sales, Ms. Minard will oversee Neuromod's efforts to introduce its interventions for tinnitus into the public hearing healthcare ecosystem by partnering with relevant government organisations. Neuromod's initial area of focus will be to provide tinnitus interventions for US Veterans by building relationships with the Department of Veteran Affairs, the Department of Defense, and other key government stakeholders.

Tinnitus is believed to affect between 10 and 15% of the global population. In the United States it is estimated that almost 50 million people suffer from this neurological condition(i), commonly referred to as 'ringing in the ears'. Of these, roughly 20 million people struggle with burdensome chronic tinnitus(ii). According to the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, more than two million U.S. Veterans receive disability payments for service-connected tinnitus. This unmet clinical need makes tinnitus the department's largest and fastest growing cause of service-connected disability (iii).

Ms. Minard joins Neuromod from the multinational conglomerate, 3M where she had an extensive career driving business growth with global responsibilities for strategic planning, business development, and sales and marketing. Her appointment comes as Neuromod prepares to enter the US market with its proprietary medical device for tinnitus treatment, pending the granting of approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

Speaking on the appointment of Ms. Minard, Mr. Eric Timm, CEO of Neuromod USA commented: "Teri is an entrepreneur at heart and has a proven track record of building businesses across a variety of industries. Teri's role is important to our ambition of meeting the needs of Veterans living with tinnitus in the USA and I'm very much looking forward to working with her as she leads the development of our services in this area."

Ms. Minard holds a Master's degree of Business Administration and Management from Pepperdine Graziadio Business School and Arizona State University, and is a Certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt.

Speaking on her appointment, Ms. Minard said: "Neuromod's vision to introduce an evidence-based neuromodulation treatment has the required ambition to resolve the unmet clinical need that tinnitus presents for Veterans in the USA. I'm looking forward to working with the wider Neuromod team to make that vision a reality."

Ms. Minard is the latest addition to Neuromod USA's leadership team. The organisation was established earlier in 2021 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Neuromod Devices Ltd. In September the organisation announced the appointment of Mr. Eric Timm, an experience hearing healthcare executive, as CEO of Neuromod USA. In August, the company announced the formation of its leadership team with the hiring of three executives with previous hearing healthcare experience. Stephanie Glowacki joined the organization as Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Tish Ramirez (AuD) as Chief Commercial Officer, and Holly Dean as Director, Commercial Sales.

Neuromod specializes in non-invasive neuromodulation technologies and has developed Lenire, the first non-invasive bimodal neuromodulation device for the treatment of tinnitus which has been clinically proven in large-scale clinical trials to soothe tinnitus symptoms. To date Neuromod has raised significant venture equity and debt financing to fund ongoing expansion of the availability of Lenire in Europe and the organisation's FDA submission process in the US.

This funding has been led by Fountain Healthcare Partners, an international life science focussed venture capital fund which invests in entrepreneurs and companies with disruptive technologies or products that have a clear pharmacoeconomic benefit.

Lenire uses bimodal neuromodulation to treat tinnitus symptoms. It delivers mild electrical pulses to the tongue combined with sound played through headphones to drive long-term changes or neuroplasticity in the brain to treat tinnitus.

Lenire is currently available from clinics in Ireland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland. It is prescribed and fitted under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional who specialises in the field of tinnitus treatment such as audiologists and Consultant Otolaryngologists or ENTs (Ear, Nose and Throat).

The device has been used in large-scale clinical trials with over 500 patients. The first of these clinical trials, involving 326 participants, was published in October 2020 as the cover story in the internationally renowned journal Science Translational Medicine and reported significant improvements in patients' tinnitus symptoms(iv). 86.2% of treatment-compliant participants reported an improvement in their tinnitus symptoms after a 12-week treatment period. When followed up 12 months post treatment, 80.1% of these participants had sustained the improvements. This study represents one of the largest and longest followed-up clinical trials ever conducted in the tinnitus field(v).

For more information please contact:

Robert Magee

Senior Communications Manager,

Neuromod Devices

[email protected] / +353 87 670 6826

Notes to Editor:

About Neuromod Devices Limited

Founded in 2010, Neuromod Devices Ltd is a medical technology company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Neuromod specialises in the design and development of neuromodulation technologies to address the clinical needs of underserved patient populations who live with chronic and debilitating conditions. The lead application of Neuromod's technology is in the field of tinnitus, where Neuromod has completed extensive clinical trials to confirm the safety and efficacy of its non-invasive neuromodulation platform in this common disorder. Neuromod's tinnitus treatment device, Lenire is currently available in Ireland and throughout Europe.

About Fountain Healthcare Partners

Fountain Healthcare Partners is a life science venture capital fund with offices in Dublin and New York. Founded in 2008, Fountain is Ireland's largest dedicated life science venture capital fund with more than 300 million under management. Fountain invests in entrepreneurs and companies with disruptive technologies or products that have a clear pharmacoeconomic benefit and a defined pathway to commercialisation, value enhancement and exit. Fountain typically leads or co-leads its investments and has sourced private and public deals from start-ups, corporate spin-outs and turnaround situations.



References:

(i) American Tinnitus Association, (https://www.ata.org/understanding-facts)

(ii) U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011 - 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

(iii) USVA Annual Benefits Report 2019

(iv) As measured by Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score

(v) Conlon et al., Sci. Transl. Med. 12, eabb2830 (2020)

SOURCE Neuromod Devices Ltd.
ITASCA, Ill., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A leader in commercial air purification, Fellowes is pleased to announce that AeraMax Pro AM3 and AM4 air purifiers have demonstrated to neutralize the airborne viral load of SARS-CoV-2 entirely and were able to remove 99.9999% of the aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 through a single pass of the purifier in testing by the University of Genoa in Genoa, Italy. This latest study is in addition to results released in early 2021 that showed a 99.99% airborne reduction of a coronavirus surrogate and previous testing with the H1N1 flu virus.

Fellowes continues to voluntarily put their air purifiers to the test against health-threatening airborne-transmitted contaminants as reassurance that their air purifiers are indeed effective at cleaning the air. The CDC, ASHRAE, and 'healthy building' scientific advocates have continued to recommend portable air cleaners using HEPA filtration for protection against SARS-Cov-2. Fellowes AeraMax Pro purifiers have a four-stage True HEPA filtration system.

"Quality and innovation are at the core of our business and product offerings. We believe in independent, third-party review as confirmation that our air purifiers are indeed effective in removing contaminants from indoor air," shared John Fellowes, fourth-generation CEO of Fellowes Brands, a family-owned company providing trusted workplace solutions for over one hundred years.

This latest study was conducted under Dr. Alberto Izzotti at the University of Genoa, School of Medicine, Department of Experimental Medicine. According to Dr. Izzotti, "The AeraMax Pro AM3 and 4 air purifiers were evaluated in extreme laboratory operating conditions, certainly much more critical and difficult than the real environmental situation. This situation was purposely designed since it is necessary to test the effectiveness of similar sanitizing devices in critical conditions to guarantee their effective performance. Despite the extreme conditions used, the Fellowes air purification technology was able to neutralize the airborne viral load."

In addition, Fellowes AeraMax air purifiers demonstrated effective in reducing the aerosolized airborne concentration of Human Coronavirus 229E in a test chamber, reaching 99.99% airborne reduction within one hour of operation by the testing lab, Shanghai WEIPU Chemical Technology Service Company. AeraMax Pro air purifiers have also proven to remove 99.9% of the H1N1 virus within 35 minutes of operation, as certified by Airmid Health Group Limited in Dublin, Ireland. Details around all scientific studies can be found on fellowes.com.

For over a decade, Fellowes AeraMax air purifiers have been a leading choice for localized air purification. Fellowes is the only solution that combines True HEPA filtration with EnviroSmart and PureView Technologies. EnviroSmart utilizes multiple sensors to continuously monitor contaminants, room occupancy and automatically adjust to provide maximum protection. PureView makes the invisible, visible with real-time screen updates on air quality and machine performance. This immediate feedback instills peace of mind for room occupants.

About Fellowes Brands

Over the last century, Fellowes Brands has played a meaningful role in major public crises. During World War II, Fellowes' Liberty Boxes were used as bassinets in wartime hospital delivery rooms to help keep babies safe. In the early 2000s, when identity theft was becoming the fastest growing crime in America, Fellowes paper shredders became a household necessity to help prevent fraud. In the 21st century, Fellowes has been focused on offering health and wellness solutions for the workplace, with its air purification addressing the most significant need in the workplace in its company history.

Celebrating its 104th year under the private ownership and executive leadership of the Fellowes family, Fellowes Brands is a global leader of broad-based business solutions that help professionals be their best and feel their best. Headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, USA, Fellowes Brands operates from 24 locations across the globe. For more information, please visit fellowesbrands.com.

Contact:

Malinda Weaver

630-671-8559

[email protected]

SOURCE Fellowes Brands
NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- New York Life Investments today announced the launch of the MainStay CBRE Global Infrastructure Megatrends Fund (the "Fund") through an ongoing strategic partnership with CBRE Investment Management, a leading global real assets investment management firm. New York Life Investment Management LLC serves as the manager of the Fund and CBRE Investment Management Listed Real Assets LLC serves as the subadvisor. The Fund's common shares began trading today on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "MEGI," and the offering is expected to close on Friday, October 29, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.

The Fund raised $1,000,000,000 in its common share offering (excluding any exercise of the underwriter's option to purchase additional common shares), with Morgan Stanley, BoA Securities, Raymond James and Wells Fargo acting as lead underwriters.

"We are excited to build upon our existing partnership with CBRE Investment Management as their team's experience investing in listed infrastructure and real assets makes them an ideal subadvisor for the Fund," said Kirk Lehneis, President of the Fund and Chief Operating Officer at New York Life Investment Management. "As global policy supports increased infrastructure investment and historically attractive valuations continue to drive growth potential in the sector, we believe global listed infrastructure has the potential to offer attractive income in client portfolios."

The Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end fund that seeks to provide a high level of total return with an emphasis on current income by investing primarily in income-producing equity securities issued by infrastructure companies. CBRE Investment Management is actively managing the portfolio with a focus on three infrastructure megatrends that CBRE Investment Management believes are accelerating globally and could drive a multi-decade-long investment supercycle: decarbonization, digital transformation and asset modernization.

CBRE Investment Management's global listed infrastructure investment team, led by Jeremy Anagnos, Chief Investment Officer of listed infrastructure, as well as Joseph Smith, Chief Investment Officer of listed real assets strategies; Hinds Howard, infrastructure portfolio manager; and Dan Foley, infrastructure portfolio manager; are providing day-to-day portfolio management for the Fund.

"With infrastructure entering what we believe to be an investment supercycle, we are thrilled to once again partner with New York Life Investments to offer investors the opportunity to gain exposure to the sector's long-term investment tailwinds," said Mr. Anagnos. "We believe decarbonization, digital transformation and asset modernization are three core infrastructure megatrends that are not just accelerating across the globe today but that have the potential to drive an investment opportunity that may last for years."

The MainStay CBRE Global Infrastructure Megatrends Fund marks the third fund launched as part of New York Life Investments' strategic partnership with CBRE Investment Management. The firm also serves as subadvisor to two additional mutual funds in the MainStay Fund lineup: the MainStay CBRE Real Estate Fund (Ticker: CLARX) and the MainStay CBRE Global Infrastructure Fund (Ticker: VCRAX).

For more information on the Fund, please call MainStay at (800) 624-6782.

About New York Life Investments

With over $600 billion in Assets Under Management* as of June 30, 2021, New York Life Investments is comprised of the affiliated global asset management businesses of its parent company, New York Life Insurance Company (New York Life), and offers clients access to specialized, independent investment teams through its family of affiliated boutiques. New York Life Investments remains committed to clients through a combination of the diverse perspectives of its boutiques and a long-lasting focus on sustainable relationships.

New York Life Insurance Company (www.newyorklife.com), a Fortune 100 company founded in 1845, is the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States** and one of the largest life insurers in the world. Headquartered in New York City, New York Life's family of companies offers life insurance, retirement income, investments and long-term care insurance. New York Life has the highest financial strength ratings currently awarded to any U.S. life insurer from all four of the major credit rating agencies***.

*AUM includes assets of Investment Advisors affiliated with New York Life Insurance Company. AUM for Candriam and Ausbil is reported at the spot rate.

** Based on revenue as reported by "Fortune 500 ranked within Industries, Insurance: Life, Health (Mutual)," Fortune magazine, 6/2/2021. For methodology, please see http://fortune.com/fortune500/.

***Individual independent rating agency commentary as of 10/15/2020: A.M. Best (A++), Fitch (AAA), Moody's Investors Service (Aaa), Standard & Poor's (AA+) The financial strength of New York Life Insurance Company applies only to its insurance products and not to investment products which are subject to market risk and fluctuation in value.

"New York Life Investments" is both a service mark, and the common trade name, of certain investment advisors affiliated with New York Life Insurance Company.

About CBRE Investment Management

CBRE Investment Management is a leading global real assets investment management firm with $129.1 billion in assets under management* as of June 30, 2021, operating in more than 30 offices and 20 countries around the world. Through its investor-operator culture, the firm seeks to deliver sustainable investment solutions across real assets categories, geographies, risk profiles and execution formats so that its clients, people and communities thrive.

CBRE Investment Management is an independently operated affiliate of CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), the world's largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2020 revenue). CBRE has more than 100,000 employees serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE Investment Management harnesses CBRE's data and market insights, investment sourcing and other resources for the benefit of its clients. For more information about CBRE Investment Management, please visit www.cbreim.com

*Assets under management (AUM) refers to the fair market value of real assets-related investments with respect to which CBRE Investment Management provides, on a global basis, oversight, investment management services and other advice and which generally consist of investments in real assets; equity in funds and joint ventures; securities portfolios; operating companies and real assets-related loans. This AUM is intended principally to reflect the extent of CBRE Investment Management's presence in the global real assets market, and its calculation of AUM may differ from the calculations of other asset managers and from its calculation of regulatory assets under management for purposes of certain regulatory filings.

A registration statement relating to the Fund's common shares has been filed with, and declared effective by, the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release is not an offer to sell securities and is not a solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor will there be any sales of securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before investing. The Fund's prospectus, which contains this and other information about the Fund, should be read carefully before investing. A copy of the final prospectus relating to this Fund may be obtained by contacting your financial advisor.

New York Life Investment Management LLC engages the services of SEC-registered advisors. CBRE Investment Management Listed Real Assets (CBRE Investment Management) is unaffiliated with New York Life Investments. The MainStay Funds are managed by New York Life Investment Management LLC and distributed by NYLIFE Distributors LLC, 30 Hudson Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302, a wholly owned subsidiary of New York Life Insurance Company. NYLIFE Distributors LLC is a Member FINRA/SIPC.

Media Contacts

New York Life Investments:

Allison Scott

[email protected]

Sara Guenoun

[email protected]

CBRE Investment Management:

Pam Barnett

[email protected]

SOURCE New York Life Investments
New technology partnership to introduce shop floor innovations for contract manufacturers and co-packers

TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Nulogy , a leading provider of supply chain collaboration solutions, today announced a new partnership with Southie Autonomy , a Boston-based, award-winning developer of intelligent robotics automation, to deliver versatile and easy-to-use robotic solutions for optimizing contract manufacturer and co-packer production labor.

As labor capacity continues to pose challenges for the contract supplier industry, Nulogy and Southie Autonomy will collaborate on new ways to introduce technology-driven solutions to optimize contract manufacturing and co-packing operations.

Southie Autonomy's cutting-edge robot arm solution is an intuitive, easy-to-use, AI+AR-driven platform that can automate highly variable contract packaging activities such as packaging assembly, kitting, and palletization, enabling daily line changeovers. Southie's robotic solutions can be configured within minutes, requiring no coding or engineering experience to operate. Southie Autonomy aims to help solve co-packing labor challenges with a turn-key robot arm cell that enables line staff and robot arms to work side by side along production lines.

Nulogy is the only purpose-built multi-enterprise platform for co-packing and contract manufacturer networks, enabling fast-moving consumer goods brands and their extended suppliers to collaborate seamlessly on a centralized, data-driven, AI-enabled platform. Nulogy's platform also digitizes the shop floor processes of hundreds of contract supplier sites around the world for enhanced line efficiency and profitability.

"At Southie Autonomy, we are always excited by new opportunities for robotics to unlock value and overcome labor challenges for supply chain providers," said Rahul Chipalkatty, CEO, Southie Autonomy. "By combining the power of Southie Autonomy's accessible, AI+AR-enhanced robotics with the comprehensive digitization capabilities of the Nulogy platform, we will demonstrate that practical technology can spur new growth and success for contract suppliers."

"The speed and volatility of today's global market, combined with the labor challenges currently facing the industry, demand new solutions for contract suppliers to optimize their operations," said Jason Tham, CEO, Nulogy. "Through our partnership with Southie Autonomy, we are excited to demonstrate how digitization can help solve the labor crunch and offer new ways to bring tomorrow's technology to the shop floors of today."

About Nulogy

Nulogy, a leading supplier of digital supply chain solutions, enables consumer brands and their supplier communities to collaborate on a multi-enterprise platform in order to deliver with excellence to an ever-changing consumer market. Nulogy's purpose-built, cloud-based platform optimizes contract manufacturing and co-packing operations, while empowering consumer brands and their external suppliers to accelerate network responsiveness and collaborate at the speed of today's market.

Nulogy.com

About Southie Autonomy

Southie Autonomy makes an easy-to-use and highly flexible turnkey robot arm solution for automating packaging assembly, kitting, and palletization. Southie's AI+AR software platform allows any operator, regardless of expertise, to changeover the robot in less than 10 minutes. Using this modular, flexible robot arm solution, contract packagers and manufacturers can combat labor shortages by utilizing their robot workers for different tasks throughout a warehouse.

Southie.ai

SOURCE Nulogy Corporation

Related Links

www.nulogy.com


DUBAI, U.A.E., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As per an exhaustive study by FMI, the Global Opioid Analgesics Market is anticipated to reach US$ 65.8 billion by 2031. In response to surging demand for post-surgery pain management and focus on novel drug formulations for analgesics, the market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 5.4% over the forecast period 2021-2031, in comparison to the 4.2% CAGR registered from 2106 to 2020.

Opioid analgesics market is largely driven by the increasing prevalence of chronic disorders, neuropathic pain, and orthopedic diseases. Opioids are extensively used for anesthesia, cough suppression, cancer pain management, and treatment of several other conditions. In addition to this, the development of novel analgesics with fewer side effects is expected to spur sales by 1.7X through 2031.

A considerable rise in the number of surgical procedures has been reported in the last few years. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), around 11.3 million surgeries were reported across the world in 2019. As opioids are used as medications for managing and reducing pain post-surgeries, the surgical pain indication segment is anticipated to account for nearly 45.9% of the total sales by 2031.

Request a report sample to gain comprehensive insights at https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-14043

As per FMI, Europe is projected to account for a considerable share in the global market, exhibiting sales growth at a CAGR of 5.4% between 2021 and 2031. The growth in the region is attributed to the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and presence of favorable medical reimbursement policies in the U.K and Germany.

"Commercialization of non-abusive opioids and increasing availability of opioid analgesics through online distribution channels are expected to accelerate the sales of opioid analgesics," says the FMI analyst.

Key Takeaways from Opioid Analgesics Market Study

The U.S. is anticipated to lead the market in North America , accounting for nearly 86% of the overall sales in 2021.

, accounting for nearly 86% of the overall sales in 2021. Sales of opioid analgesics in Germany are estimated to total US$ 2.2 billion , growing at a CAGR of 3.8% during the assessment period.

are estimated to total , growing at a CAGR of 3.8% during the assessment period. The market in India is forecast to account for 35.4% of the sales in South Asia , expanding at a CAGR of 5.7% between 2021 and 2031.

is forecast to account for 35.4% of the sales in , expanding at a CAGR of 5.7% between 2021 and 2031. China is expected to emerge as the most lucrative market for opioid analgesics in East Asia , contributing around 54.2% of the sales revenue in the region by 2021 end.

is expected to emerge as the most lucrative market for opioid analgesics in , contributing around 54.2% of the sales revenue in the region by 2021 end. Among drug class verticals, oxycodone is estimated to dominate the segment accounting for more than 19% of the global demand in 2021.

Key Drivers

Surging demand for facial and body aesthetics in response to the rising number of aesthetic surgical procedures such as breast implantation, eyelid surgeries, and abdominoplasty conducted worldwide will spur the sales across surgical pain segment.

Increasing adoption of opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) for treating opioid dependence (OD) across Germany , the U.K., the U.S., and others are anticipated to drive the market growth.

Key Restraints

Side effects associated with opioid analgesics such as drowsiness, nausea, constipation, clouded thinking, and psychological & physical addiction are hampering the market growth.

Stringent government regulation and guidelines regarding manufacturing, storage, marketing, and selling of opioid products are restraining the growth of opioid analgesics.

Discover more about the opioid analgesics analysis with figures and data tables, along with the table of contents. https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-14043

Competitive Landscape

Leading manufacturers are emphasizing on launching new and revised products to enhance their product portfolios. Strategies such as product approvals, partnerships, agreements, merger, facility expansion, and collaborations are expected to assist market players strengthen their footprint and gain a competitive edge over other players. For instance,

In May 2020 , Assertio Therapeutics, Inc., an American specialty pharmaceutical company, announced entering into merger agreement with a U.S.-based pharmaceutical company, Zyla Life Sciences. The merger will assist companies to expand their product portfolio of inflammation, neurology, and chronic pain medications.

, Assertio Therapeutics, Inc., an American specialty pharmaceutical company, announced entering into merger agreement with a U.S.-based pharmaceutical company, Zyla Life Sciences. The merger will assist companies to expand their product portfolio of inflammation, neurology, and chronic pain medications. In September 2018 , Novartis, a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical corporation, announced signing an agreement for marketing, distribution, and sales, of well-known pain medicine brands such as Cataflam (diclofenac potassium) and Voltaren (diclofenac sodium) in Thailand , Malaysia and Philippines .



, Novartis, a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical corporation, announced signing an agreement for marketing, distribution, and sales, of well-known pain medicine brands such as Cataflam (diclofenac potassium) and Voltaren (diclofenac sodium) in , and . Pfizer Inc.

Abbott Laboratories

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. [Johnson & Johnson]

Novartis AG

Bayer AG

GlaxoSmithKline plc

F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG,

Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH

Bausch Health Companies Inc.

Sanofi S.A.

Teva Pharmaceuticals

AbbVie Inc. (Allergan plc)

Purdue Pharmaceuticals L.P.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals

Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. [Endo International plc]

Assertio Therapeutics, Inc. [Assertio Holdings, Inc.]

More Valuable Insights on Opioid Analgesics Market

FMI, in its new report, offers an unbiased analysis of the global opioid analgesics market, analyzing forecast statistics through 2021 and beyond. The survey reveals growth projections on in opioid analgesics market with detailed segmentation:

By Drug Class:

Morphine

Codeine

Fentanyl

Meperidine

Methadone

Tramadol

Oxycodone

Dextromethorphan

Buprenorphine

Others

By Indication:

Surgical Pain

Cancer Pain

Neuropathic Pain

Other

By Route of Administration:

Oral

Parenteral

Transdermal

Other

By End User:

Hospitals

Retail Pharmacies

Drug Stores

Online Pharmacies

By Region:

North America

Latin America

Europe

South Asia

East Asia

Oceania

MEA

Get customized report as per your requirement - https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-14043

Key Questions Covered in the Report

The report offers insight into opioid analgesics market demand outlook for the forecast period 2021-2031

The market study also highlights projected sales growth for opioid analgesics market between 2021 and 2031

Opioid analgesics 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

Opioid analgesics market share analysis, covering key companies within the industry and coverage of strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, collaborations or partnerships, and others

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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:

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SOURCE Future Market Insights
The announcement comes as the ethanol market in Europe continues to steadily grow driven by ethanol blending mandates throughout the block. "Following the price volatility of the past 18 months, tight supply in the region and higher biofuels blending mandates , these factors are sure to help European ethanol values," said Joe Kelly, President and Co-CEO of OTC Global Holdings. "This is the right time to ramp up our efforts on the ethanol front and with Mickey and Janine joining our Ion UK Group, we continue to consolidate as the European leaders in biofuels and renewable energy."

Mickey Walker has been in the ethanol industry since it first started to be brokered in 2008, executing the first ever paper trade for ethanol. "There is no doubt steady growth is in sight. I am extremely motivated to help launch the Ion Energy ethanol desk as, with a greater focus on green fuels, we anticipate that market trading volumes will continue to climb," says Mickey. Janine Adamo is also an ethanol industry veteran who sees an opportunity in the ability to build cross-market groups: "With the launch of our Europe desk, and the ability to have a team in the US, which is the biggest ethanol market globally, the synergies and market data will flow in real-time, allowing us to outperform all other desks."

According to Joe Kelly, "the long term play is to have a fully connected global ethanol desk, integrating physical and financial market flows." OTC Global Holdings plans to add a team in the US in the near term, with the prospect of blend mandates to jump all the way to 15% of gasoline with ethanol in some States. "As of today, our EU team has set up a paper contract in Asia in coordination with Argus Media, with hopes of developing that market over time," Kelly added. "We are grateful and excited to have Mickey and Janine help us lead the path forward," he concluded.

Visit otcgh.com to learn more about OTC Global Holdings and Ion Energy Group, or reach out directly to Mickey Walker.

About OTC Global Holdings

OTCGH is the world's largest independent institutional broker of commodities, covering financial and physical instruments from offices in Chicago, Geneva, Houston, London, Louisville, New Jersey, New York and Singapore. OTCGH has been awarded "Broker of the Year" by Energy Risk. With a portfolio of nearly 20 companies, OTCGH is a liquidity provider on CBOT, ICE, NYMEX, and NODAL. The company serves more than 450 institutional clients, including over 70 members of the Global Fortune 500, and transacts in hundreds of different commodity delivery points in Asia, Europe and the Americas. www.otcgh.com

About Ion Energy Group

Founded in 2008, Ion Energy Group is a leading broker in Natural Gas Options, NGL, Electricity, Crude & Products, and Petrochemicals.

SOURCE OTC Global Holdings

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http://www.otcgh.com


HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ping An Insurance (Group) of Company of China, Ltd. (hereafter "Ping An" or the "Group", HKEx:2318; SSE:601318) today announced its results for the nine months ended 30 September 2021.

The Chinese economy continued to recover steadily in the third quarter of 2021. China's dual-circulation development pattern furthered the reformation and upgrading of the industry structure. Nevertheless, enterprises are facing relatively great pressure against the backdrop of a complicated international environment, recurrent COVID-19 outbreaks in China, and the impact of natural disasters, including floods. Facing the challenges, Ping An upheld the compliance philosophy, continued to optimize the operations and management, and strengthened risk management while adopting various forward-looking measures. Ping An pressed firmly ahead with Ping An Life's quality-oriented reform and transformation, improved the main financial businesses focusing on the needs of transformation and upgrading, and enhanced the healthcare ecosystem. Moreover, Ping An laid a solid foundation for long-term sustainable, healthy growth by delivering "heartwarming financial services" and providing customers with "worry-free, time-saving, and money-saving" experiences. By "heartwarming financial services", Ping An is moving away from the traditional 'cold' transactional insurance business model to a more professional, life-style service. With the support of Ping An's technology-driven health care ecosystem, Ping An can not only meet customers' insurance and financial requirements but also their long-term regular medical care, health, senior care, and daily lifestyle needs.

Operating profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company rose 9.2% year on year to RMB118,737 million, which is equivalent to a 20.3% annualized operating ROE in the first nine months of 2021. Net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company decreased 20.8% year on year to RMB81,638 million. The Group's assets exceeded RMB 10 trillionapproaching RMB10.08 trillion. Customer development continued to yield greater results. Retail customers increased 3.1% year to date to over 225 million as of September 30, 2021. Of the total retail customers, 39.0% or 87.74 million held multiple contracts with different subsidiaries. The Group acquired 25.25 million new retail customers in the first nine months of 2021, 34.6% of whom were sourced from internet users from the Group's member companies. The new financing scale achieved through corporate business cross-selling increased 29.5% year on year in the first nine months of 2021.

Ping An Life continued to strengthen its reform and transformation. Ping An Property & Casualty ("Ping An P&C"), Ping An Bank, and the asset management business maintained stable growth.

Ping An Life rose to the challenge by pioneering high-quality transformation, in favour of higher-quality products and services and agents. Life & Health's operating profit decreased 2.3% year on year to RMB73,684 million. NBV of Life & Health fell 17.8% year on year to RMB35,237 million in the first nine months of 2021. In the third quarter, the per capita first year premium (FYP) achieved through the agent channel increased 6% quarter on quarter. In the face of a complex and changeable market environment, Ping An Life unswervingly made efforts to further the transformation of the channels and products to ensure sustainable and healthy development. Regarding channels, the Company refined the tiered management of its agent force and optimized the team structure through digital empowerment. The elite Diamond Agents remained stable in the third quarter of 2021. The Company coordinated the development of various channels, including bancassurance, telemarketing, and internet channels. The digital transformation boosted the performance of the Company's pilot outlets. The NBV achieved by the pilot outlets increased 5% quarter on quarter, and the per capita NBV achieved by the pilot outlets increased 12% quarter on quarter. Regarding products, Ping An Life progressed deeper into the critical illness insurance market to meet diverse customer demands. The Company began rolling out upgraded "insurance + health management" and "insurance + high-end eldercare" services under its "heartwarming insurance products and services" strategy. Ping An upgraded "Ping An Zhen Xiang RUN Health Services Plan" in September 2021 to offer management schemes covering four scenarios, namely health management, sub-health management, chronic disease management, and disease management. As a result, customers can enjoy the Company's "worry-free, time-saving, and money-saving" health services experience based on professional family doctors and health services.

Ping An P&C maintained good business quality as its combined ratio improved by 1.8 pps year on year to 97.3%, and operating profit grew 20.2% year on year to RMB13,283 million in the first nine months of 2021. In response to super rainstorms in Henan Province, Ping An P&C immediately launched fast tracks for claims on online platforms including Ping An Auto Owner. Ping An P&C made every effort to fight the impact of the super rainstorms by settling claims as rapidly as possible, with flood claim payments expected to exceed RMB3.4 billion. Meanwhile, Ping An provided front-line rescue workers with complimentary exclusive insurance. "Ping An Auto Owner", the largest automotive service app in China, had over 144 million registered users as of September 30, 2021, with over 92 million vehicles linked with the app.

The Group continued to improve the asset allocation of its investment portfolio of insurance funds and the management of asset-liability matching. The Company's investment portfolio of insurance funds grew about 3% year to date to nearly RMB3.9 trillion as of September 30, 2021. The investment portfolio of insurance funds achieved an annualized net investment yield of 4.2% and an annualized total investment yield of 3.7% in the first nine months of 2021.

Ping An Bank maintained stable business growth and continued to improve its asset quality. Revenue grew 9.1% year on year to RMB127,190 million and net profit rose 30.1% year on year to RMB29,135 million in the first nine months of 2021. Non-performing loan ratio improved by 0.13 pps year to date to 1.05% and provision coverage ratio rose 66.95 pps year to date to 268.35% as of September 30, 2021. Ping An Bank further advanced its retail business transformation and continued to enhance corporate banking. Ping An Bank's retail assets under management ("AUM") rose 16.3% year to date to RMB3,052,432 million as of September 30, 2021. Retail customers increased 8.5% year to date to approximately 116,204,500, among which qualified private banking customers grew 18.2% year to date to approximately 67,700. The balance of corporate loans grew 7.6% year to date to RMB1,142,500 million as of September 30, 2021.

Ping An empowered main businesses with technology and enhanced healthcare ecosystem rapidly.

Ping An continued to strengthen its technological capabilities to empower its main businesses. The total revenue of the technology business increased 12.6% year on year to RMB73,227 million in the first nine months of 2021. Ping An's technology patent applications increased by 5,423 year to date to 36,835 as of September 30, 2021. Ping An leverages cutting-edge technologies to comprehensively upgrade the end-to-end services of its core financial businesses. The sales driven by AI reached RMB186.3 billion in the first nine months of 2021, accounting for 27% of the total sales. AI assistance representatives provided services about 1.54 billion times in the first nine months of 2021, accounting for 56% of the total volume of services provided.

Ping An enhanced healthcare ecosystem rapidly. As of September 30, 2021, Ping An's healthcare businesses had served more than 43,000 medical institutions in 187 cities. Approximately 1.12 million doctors and 3.22 million chronic patients used the medical services. Ping An Good Doctor effectively managed customer needs through leading health management tools and provided 400 million registered users with "worry-free, time-saving, and money-saving" service experience. Ping An HealthKonnect continued to empower Healthcare Security Administrations and provided integrated medical management solutions covering hospitals, doctors, pharmacies, and insured members. The smart healthcare business provided end-to-end solutions to break the "medical information silo" and enable business collaboration based on data platform and AI algorithm.

Ping An empowered financial ecosystem with technology. Lufax Holding is committed to becoming a leading technology-powered personal financial services platform by addressing the huge unmet demand for loans among small and micro-business owners and salaried workers in China, and providing tailor-made wealth management solutions for China's fast-growing middle class and affluent population. Lufax Holding cleaned up all its peer-to-peer AUM held by retail customers by August 2021, achieving the target of winding up of the online lending business ahead of schedule. OneConnect continuously promoted fintech innovation. OneConnect served more than 600 banks and 100 main insurance institutions in China. It also provided services to institutions in more than 20 countries or territories, mainly in Southeast Asia. The Company has been on the IDC FinTech Rankings Top 100 list for four consecutive years. OneConnect announced an upgraded strategy of "One Body and Two Wings" in September, 2021. "One Body" refers to the main business of helping financial institutions pursue digital transformation to improve efficiency, enhance service quality, reduce costs, and manage risks. "Two Wings" refers to developing ecosystems for governments, regulators and enterprises and expanding overseas markets.

Autohome, China's leading online auto services platform, announced its "ecosystem-based" strategic upgrade on September 15, 2021. Under the new business strategy, Autohome will develop the dual ecosystem of "Autohome + Ping An" to provide comprehensive services for consumers, automakers, and various players in the auto ecosystem.

Ping An fulfilled corporate social responsibility and comprehensively deepened its green finance initiative to support the sustainable development of society. Ping An's green investment and green credit totaled RMB208,886 million and RMB53,278 million, respectively, as of September 30, 2021. Ping An's premium from green insurance totaled RMB25,109 million in the first nine months of 2021. Moreover, Ping An continued to advance the Ping An Rural Communities Support program, moving from poverty alleviation to rural revitalization. Ping An cumulatively provided RMB37,583 million for poverty alleviation and industrial revitalization as of September 30, 2021.

2021 is the first year of China's 14th Five-Year Plan. Ping An earnestly implements the 14th Five-Year Plan by upholding compliance, strengthening risk management, and improving operations. The Group pursues steady progress and promotes high-quality development while serving the real economy. Meanwhile, Ping An continues to focus on "Pan Financial Assets" and "Pan Healthcare" under its "finance + technology" and "finance + ecosystem" strategies. The Group will actively fulfill corporate social responsibilities, and create steadily growing value for customers, shareholders, and society under the philosophy of "Expertise makes life simple, technology makes financial services heartwarming, and healthcare makes life better." In addition, Ping An will make unremitting efforts to contribute to China's dual-circulation development strategy and to realize people's aspirations for a better life and the common prosperity of society.

- End -

About Ping An Group

Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ("Ping An") is a world-leading technology-powered retail financial services group. With over 225 million retail customers and nearly 634 million internet users, Ping An is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. Ping An focuses on two over-arching domains of activity, "pan financial assets" and "pan health care", covering the provision of financial and health care services through our integrated financial services platform and our ecosystems in financial services, health care, auto services and smart city services. Our "finance + technology" and "finance + ecosystem" transformation strategies aim to provide customers and internet users with innovative and simple products and services using technology. As China's first joint stock insurance company, Ping An is committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate reporting and corporate governance. The Group is listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Ping An ranked 6th in the Forbes Global 2000 list in 2021 and ranked 16th in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2020. Ping An also ranked 49th in the 2021 WPP Kantar Millward Brown BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands list.

For more information, please visit www.group.pingan.com and follow us on LinkedIn - PING AN.

SOURCE Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd.

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Pinnacol, Colorado's largest workers' comp insurer, says the majority of workplace-related injuries are due to falls.

So Pinnacol jumped at the chance to sponsor a new exhibit at Denver Zoo that allows penguins to show off their natural biomechanics. Located near the Zoo's main entrance, the $1.7 million new exhibit features a 10,000-gallon swimming pool, multiple burrows and nesting areas, and nearly 85 linear feet of underwater viewing areas.

The exhibit  called "Pinnacol African Penguin Point"  is home to 18 endangered African penguins. Most of these penguins were born in Denver after the zoo's animal care team traveled to South Africa 20 years ago to help conserve the species. Their new habitat is inspired by Boulders Beach in South Africa, where conservationists first brought two breeding pairs of the almost-extinct birds in 1982 and provided a protected natural environment. Since then, the penguin colony has grown to about 3,000 birds  but they are still on the verge of extinction.

"As a nonprofit zoo-based conservation organization, Denver Zoo relies on corporate sponsors like Pinnacol to help us create experiences that connect our community to the natural world and inspire them to save wildlife for future generations," says Jake Kubie, director of communications for the Denver Zoo.

In addition to the state-of-the-art viewing areas, the Pinnacol African Penguin Point provides opportunities to learn firsthand from the birds' keepers and other specialists, as well as watch daily feedings.

Pinnacol will be spotlighted during the Zoo's annual Zoo Lights event this winter from Nov. 22, 2021 to Jan. 2, 2022. The insurer and its penguin friends are also regularly featured on Denver Zoo TV and the zoo's digital content series, "The Flipside".

Denver Zoo has been a policyholder with Pinnacol Assurance for more than 20 years.

For more information about the Pinnacol African Penguin Point, please visit https://denverzoo.org/zootales/new-penguin-exhibit/ . To learn to walk like a penguin and avoid falls, visit: https://www.pinnacol.com/blog/walk-like-a-penguin .

About Pinnacol Assurance

Pinnacol Assurance has been at the forefront of protecting, understanding and caring for Colorado

workers for 100 years. As the state's largest workers' compensation insurance carrier, we are committed to keeping workers safe and helping Colorado businesses thrive. We continue to navigate the evolution of work by asking, "What's next?" That philosophy has kept Pinnacol on the leading edge of creating new and better ways to care for and protect the people we serve. Learn more at Pinnacol.com.

Contact: Liz Johnson, Director, Public Relations

720-939-7238 (m)

[email protected]

SOURCE Pinnacol Assurance

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www.pinnacol.com


LONDON and OXFORD, England, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PQShield , the cybersecurity company specialising in post-quantum cryptography, today announces that it is bolstering its core business team with two new senior appointments, hiring Michael Vroobel (ex-TrueLayer) as VP of Operations and Alan Grau (ex-Sectigo) as VP Business Development.

Post-quantum cryptography is an increasingly mission-critical consideration for businesses and governments alike. While the imminent arrival of quantum computers offers enormous potential benefits to society, it also puts the world's information security at unprecedented new levels of risk, as quantum computers will easily be able to break the public-key encryption used to protect much of the world's sensitive data. Researchers and cryptographers are working on quantum secure cryptography as a part of the NIST post-quantum cryptography standardisation project , which is expected to announce its results around the end of 2021. PQShield is well placed as a leading player in this project, having contributed two of the seven finalist algorithms.

Headquartered in Oxford, UK with additional teams in the Netherlands and France, PQShield is pioneering the development and commercial roll-out of advanced, quantum-ready cryptographic solutions for hardware, software and communications, helping businesses prepare for the quantum threat. Today's appointments will enable PQShield to scale up its business offering internationally, as the company continues to deliver its industry-leading expertise and product offering to companies across a range of sectors.

Michael Vroobel joins PQShield as VP Operations, where he will help to scale the company by building out the operational teams globally, driving recruitment and continuing to develop PQShield's culture of collaboration and customer centric delivery. Michael brings ten years' experience building and leading operations functions in high-growth technology companies. Prior to joining PQShield, Michael helped fintech scaleups TrueLayer and MarketFinance grow from early-stage startups to mid-size companies with a particular focus on hiring quality talent and nurturing company culture.

Michael Vroobel, VP of Operations at PQShield, said:

"I am very excited to be joining a company that is facing up to a new fundamental cyber threat to business. The potential impact and benefit to society from PQShield's work cannot be understated and I look forward to helping to grow the business, while helping it retain its core spirit and values."

Alan Grau joins PQShield as VP of Business Development and is based in the US, where he will help scale PQShield's presence as an industry leader in the US market ahead of the NIST results later this year. He previously co-founded Icon Labs, a pioneer in IoT Security that was acquired by Sectigo in 2019. Alan has a wealth of experience in device security and will expand PQShield's relationships with the devices market as part of his role.

Alan Grau, VP of Business Development at PQShield, said:

"We are on the verge of an unprecedented technology shift that will impact every device and system relying on today's cryptographic solutions. I am excited to have joined PQShield - a leading provider of post-quantum cryptography solutions and a front-runner in the race to protect our sensitive data from the imminent quantum threat - and couldn't be happier to join the team as it embarks on the next chapter of its exciting journey."

Dr. Ali El Kaafarani, CEO and Founder of PQShield, said:

"The next year will be a crucial inflection point for post-quantum cryptography and I am confident that spurred by these two hires and the unrivaled technical expertise on our team, we will be able to cement ourselves as key players within the market. I am excited by the prospects Michael and Alan bring to PQShield: both bring a wealth of hugely-relevant experience and expertise that will help grow us as a business and expand our capabilities as we help industry to face the quantum threat."

These hires follow the addition of Ben Marshall, the editor and main author of the RISC-V "K" Cryptography Extension, as a Cryptography Engineer in April of this year. Along with this strategic hire, PQShield recently announced a reciprocal agreement for training and advisory services with Kudelski Security.

About PQShield

PQShield is a cybersecurity startup that specialises in post-quantum cryptography, protecting information from today's attacks while readying organisations for the threat landscape of tomorrow. It is the only cybersecurity company that can demonstrate quantum-safe cryptography on chips, in applications and in the cloud.

Headquartered in Oxford, with additional teams in the Netherlands and France, its quantum-secure cryptographic solutions work with companies' legacy systems to protect devices and sensitive data now and for years to come. PQShield is principally backed by Kindred Capital, Crane Venture Partners, Oxford Sciences Enterprise, and InnovateUK. Its latest white papers are available to read here .

www.pqshield.com

Press contact: [email protected]

SOURCE PQShield

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.


ProcessMAP Launches a New Innovation and Customer Success Centre in London to Expand its EHS Offerings in the UK and EU Tweet this

Work-related accidents and illnesses lead to an estimated annual loss of around 3.3% of GDP in the European Union (EU) and 1% in the UK. Over the past decade, the European occupational safety and health (OSH) policy framework and the UK's HSE Executive rules have contributed to considerably improving the working conditions. The incidence rate of fatal accidents at work has fallen by nearly 30%1.

With the emergence of several high-priority EHS areas in the EU and the UK, particularly concerning Occupational Health (workplace, mental well-being and stress), Process- and Construction-Safety, and COVID-19 management, customers - new and old - will be able to leverage ProcessMAP's robust EHS solutions, global experience, and advanced analytics tools for regional and local needs. The ProcessMAP system is fully attuned to the specific industry legislations and reporting guidelines for various EU countries and the UK.

Furthermore, with close to 50 of the Fortune 2000 companies headquartered in the UK, ProcessMAP's UK centre will enable the company to closely collaborate with and co-innovate breakthrough EHS solutions for the local companies.

ProcessMAP's Strong Foundation in the UK and Europe

ProcessMAP already has a strong presence in the UK and Europe with more than 60 Fortune 1000 companies with more than 15,000 locations in most countries across Europe. ProcessMAP's UK customers include some of the largest aerospace, automotive manufacturers, leading multinational diversified engineering and industrial manufacturing companies, and many chemicals, pharma and consumer products companies, among others.

The company's customer base and platform adoption have experienced phenomenal growth over the past five years with more than 400% increase in driving digital transformation in numerous key EHS processes.

The ProcessMAP UK Team

ProcessMAP's UK team is led by Carl Sanders, who brings in more than 15 years of executive-level EHS software leadership and customer engagement experience. The UK and European team will be expanded with professionals having experience in HSE, ESG, Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Health and wellness, and regulatory compliance to support ProcessMAP's growing customer base in the UK and Europe.

Comments on the News

"ProcessMAP's launch of the UK Centre demonstrates our commitment to our growing UK customers and user community who rely on our platform and analytics to proactively mitigate workers health and safety risks," said Dave Rath, CEO of ProcessMAP Corporation.

"We are excited about the launch of the UK Centre to accelerate our innovation and collaboration with customers," said Carl Sanders, General Manager of ProcessMAP's UK Innovation and Customer Success Centre. "I'm thrilled to join ProcessMAP and help in launching as well as expanding our services in the UK and the European markets," he added.

1 - European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan (2021)

About ProcessMAP Corporation

ProcessMAP Corporation is the most trusted name for a digitization and process transformation platform that empowers customers to ensure workers' health & safety, minimize risk, and assure compliance. The ProcessMAP Platform includes solutions for Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS), Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), and Operational Risk Management (ORM), Industrial IoT, and actionable data analytics to connect people, systems, assets, and facilities to drive a Sustainable Enterprise. We are headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, with locations across the globe, serving customers in over 140 countries. Visit https://www.processmap.com/ to learn more.

Media and Analyst Relations Contact

Sandeep Rath

Director, Global Product Marketing and Analyst Relations

[email protected]

SOURCE ProcessMAP Corporation

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PHOENIX, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- qBotica, a Phoenix-based robotic-process automation company, raised $1m in seed funding from Peacock Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to expand its technology to help B2B businesses with their document processing and robotic process automation (RPA) requirements.

qBotica is a leading provider of Intelligent Document Processing and RPA as a service solutions. qBotica has helped several Fortune 500 clients with intelligent automation, providing rapid insights into inefficiencies plaguing the organizations, and removing inefficiencies through seamless automation.

According to qBotica's founder Mahesh Vinayagam, qBotica's marquee products, DoqumentAI and Disqover, are rapidly making inroads into organizations to help them derive the highest business value by offering best-in-class automation services and solutions, delivered and integrated with leading automation products in the world such as UiPath, Abbyy and Microsoft Azure AI platforms.

DoqumentAI is an AI-powered Software-as-a-Service platform that analyzes documents like invoices and insurance claims and extracts critical data with near-perfect accuracy for processing. The product has proven to be 10 times faster and more efficient than a human and continues to drive efficiencies for several companies. Disqover automatically and quickly uncovers automation opportunities.

This round of funding helps qBotica ramp up its hiring, expand RPA-as-a-service solutions and explore new channels to scale the solution globally.

"qBotica is our first investment in the RPA market," said Rohit Reddy, a founding member of Peacock Ventures. "qBotica's thesis focuses on opportunities to leverage Artificial Intelligence to increase value and decrease costs. We expect the RPA market to continue to grow at a compounded annual rate of 55 percent over the next 4 years and qBotica is well positioned, under Mahesh's leadership, to capture more of this growing market. We have tremendous confidence in the passionate product and sales team members to continue to pierce through new clients and deliver this amazing software solution. We are thrilled to be a part of it."

About qBotica

qBotica is an innovative Intelligent Automation as a Service provider building an automation ecosystem for their customers. qBotica's products and solutions enable enterprises to start 'Thinking inside the Bots' and derive the highest business value by offering best-in-class automation services and solutions, delivered on the leading robotic automation process automation (RPA) products in the world. Visit us at www.qbotica.com .

Contact:

Anna Clark

214-597-0367

[email protected]

About Peacock Ventures

Peacock Ventures is a micro venture capital firm that is started by seasoned executives with Technology and Banking industry backgrounds. Peacock Ventures works with startups in the B2B space and focuses on Enterprise Technologies, FinTech and Crypto arenas. Peacock prides itself on working with startups and helps with product positioning, marketing and sales leads in the enterprise space. Peacock Ventures opens sales venues globally by increasing sales through improved conversion rates. Visit us at http://peacock.ventures.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE qBotica

Related Links

http://www.qbotica.com


TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Quarterhill Inc. ("Quarterhill") (TSX: QTRH) (OTCQX: QTRHF), will release its financial results for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2021, on Wednesday, November 10, 2021. Paul Hill, President and CEO, and John Rim, CFO, will host a conference call and audio webcast at 10:00 a.m. ET the same day.

Webcast Information

The live audio webcast will be available at:

https://produceredition.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1503336&tp_key=62b180068b

Dial-in Information

To access the call from Canada and U.S., dial 1.888.664.6392 (Toll Free)

and U.S., dial 1.888.664.6392 (Toll Free) To access the call from other locations, dial 1.416.764.8659 (International)

Replay Information

Webcast replay will be available for 365 days at:

https://produceredition.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1503336&tp_key=62b180068b

Telephone replay will be available from 1:00 p.m. ET on November 10, 2021, until 11:59 p.m. ET on November 17, 2021 at: 1.888.390.0541 (Toll Free North America) or 1.416.764.8677.

Conference ID: 50671670 and Replay Passcode: 671670

About Quarterhill

Quarterhill is a growth-oriented company in the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) industry as well as, through its Wi-LAN Inc. subsidiary, a leader in Intellectual Property licensing. Our goal is to execute an investment strategy that capitalizes on attractive growth opportunities within ITS - and its adjacent markets - to become a global leader in that industry. Quarterhill is listed on the TSX under the symbol QTRH and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol QTRHF. For more information: www.quarterhill.com

SOURCE Quarterhill Inc.

Related Links

https://www.quarterhill.com/


BRANDON, Miss., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Do no harm?

Who needs to read this book? Anyone who goes to see a physician for medical care. - Richard P. Allison Tweet this

There is an innate trust built into us since childhood that our doctor spent years learning and studying how to help people. But what if that trust is broken? Are they all brought to justice for the confidences they've betrayed and the countless lives they've helped ruin?

In Healers or Dealers?, readers get a front-row seat to the jaw-dropping true accounts written by the retired investigator who experienced them and attempted to hold these doctors accountable. His stories show a direct correlation between doctors' questionable conduct with illegal administrating, dispensing, and prescribing of opioids and the craze that plagues our nation today. Couple this with the addictions that unwaveringly rival those we see in the worst of America's inner cities



And a pharmaceutical opioid epidemic is born.

"Why did I write Healers or Dealers?" Richard writes to his followers on his Facebook business page. "To paraphrase portions of a conversation between King George VI and Winston Churchill in the early stages of WWII, King George advised Churchill that the public must be led, not misled, and that we must give the public the unvarnished truth. I adopted that philosophy in the writing of Healers or Dealers? in order to inform and protect the public, which is supposed to be the primary purpose of all medical/regulatory boards. The news is chock-full of 'reasons' for the pharmaceutical opioid epidemic but seldom is the root cause exposed. As I stated in the book, most medical doctors are well-trained and perform as prescribed, but there is a nefarious element within the medical community that very few people know exists. This book is a mere sampling of what evil is out there. Who needs to read this book? Anyone who goes to see a physician for medical care."

Healers or Dealers? is on sale for release week and hit #1 in the Medical Law and Legislation, Health Risk and Assessment, Pharmacology Pain Medicine, and Family General Practice categories within the first twenty-four hours on Amazon. It's currently available for purchase in eBook, paperback, and hardcover formats through all online retail sites.

Richard P. Allison was the Chief Investigator for the MS State Board of Medical Licensure for approximately nineteen years. During that time, he was recognized by the DEA for significant contributions in the field of Controlled Substance Pharmaceutical Diversion Investigations. He received the 1993 United States Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General's Integrity Award for contributions to HHS to improve the quality of medicine practiced in Mississippi.

Facebook: @RichardPAllisonAuthor; Website: www.richardallisonauthor.com

Praise for Healers or Dealers?:

"In these pages, Allison compiles 22 of his most compelling cases in a chilling narrative of medical and pharmaceutical corruption...His stories are as absorbing as a police procedural as he describes the work of undercover agents, sting operations, corrupt judges who refused to sign warrants against physicians they knew, and doctors and pharmacists who covered for colleagues. His attitudes are firmly grounded in law and procedure, but he also effectively reveals how he takes his mission to heart, offering respectful advice for a drug addict physician who confesses and cooperates and admitting lifelong regret regarding a pharmacist he was unable to indict...An engrossing look into the work of those who investigate flagrant medical malpractice." - Kirkus Reviews



"Some doctors make mistakes which are totally accidental. A few other doctors are intentional in their mistakes; fueled by greed, they kneel at the altar of the almighty dollar. I call them "dragons". This is a book about slaying those "dragons". -Jones E. Allison Jr. "Pete", United States Secret Service, Special Agent  Retired

"Absolutely maddening! Unbelievable. I knew some doctors were bad but I truly had no idea of the extent of the pill/drug trade some of them engage in. Richard Allison has written a truly engrossing book detailing his years as an investigator with Mississippi's state medical board. Readers will be absolutely shocked at what some doctors get away with and the lengths they go to keep their illegal drug use and overprescribing active...It is well worth the read." -Inkysreviews Blog

Read more about Healers or Dealers? here:

https://www.foundationsbooks.net/book/healers-or-dealers/

SOURCE Foundations Book Publishing Company

Related Links

http://www.foundationsbooks.net


EDISON, N.J., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Riverside Oral Surgery, the Official Oral Surgeons of the NJ Devils, and the largest surgeon owned and operated Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery practice in New Jersey proudly congratulates Dr. Michael Kleiman as winner of Edison, NJ's Citizen of the Year. The Edison Citizen of the Year award honors individuals who have made a difference in the lives of Edison residents.

Dr. Kleiman is a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who has been practicing in New Jersey since 1981. Following the completion of his residency training at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, he returned to New Jersey to live and practice a short distance from where he grew up. Prior to his Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency, he graduated from Rutgers College and Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Dentistry. Upon graduation from dental school, he received several awards, including the Dean's Award for Academic Excellence, the Oral Pathology Award, the Oral Medicine Award, and the Research Award.

Dr. Kleiman's residency training included all aspects of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery but was especially strong in the areas of dentoalveolar surgery, office-based anesthesia, the correction of dentofacial deformities, and in the diagnosis and treatment of all types of oral and maxillofacial pathology. Since the 1980s, when modern dental implants made their appearance in the United States, Dr. Kleiman developed great interest and expertise in the placement of dental implants and in procedures related to them, including bone grafting. In August 2015, Dr. Kleiman edited an issue of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America on Dentoalveolar Surgery.

While practicing in New Jersey, Dr. Kleiman continued to be a member of the Teaching Faculty at Long Island Jewish Medical Center for over 10 years. He also served as Chairman of the Department of Dentistry and President of the Medical / Dental Staff of JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey. After serving 4 years as President of the Medical / Dental Staff, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of JFK Medical Center and to the Board of Directors of JFK Health System. In 2004, Dr. Kleiman became Chairman of the Board of Directors of JFK Medical Center. In 2009, Dr. Kleiman became Chairman of the Board of Directors of JFK Health System and served in that position until the merger of JFK Health into the Hackensack Meridian Health System. Today, he continues as Chairman of the Board of JFK Medical Center and serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Hackensack Meridian Health System.

Riverside's founder, managing partner, and Instagram's "BloodyToothGuy," Dr. Jason M. Auerbach stated, "Like all distinguished members of Riverside's surgical staff, Dr. Kleiman is fully committed to delivering the 'optimal patient experienceeach and every time.' Dr. Kleiman's love for his community is unrivaled and that is exactly what Riverside is founded on. I couldn't think of anyone more deserving of this award." Dr. Kleiman serves the patients and communities surrounding Riverside's Edison Clark office located at 1857 Oak Tree Rd, Edison.

Riverside Oral Surgery founded in 2007 in River Edge, NJ by Jason Auerbach, DDS currently operates eleven state of the art oral surgery facilities across five counties in Northern NJ. The practice's 15 surgeons utilize cutting edge technology in digital imaging and scanning and offer a full spectrum of services from wisdom tooth extraction, dental implants, surgical management of oral cancer, to TMJ and full reconstructive procedures. Riverside Oral Surgery is headquartered at 130 Kinderkamack Road in River Edge, NJ. www.riversideoralsurgery.com

Contact:

Jessica Picone

+12014147546

[email protected]



SOURCE Riverside Oral Surgery

Related Links

www.riversideoralsurgery.com


From today forward, they will no longer solely be consumers who make every company in America wealthy by what they spend Tweet this

"In partnership with corporations across the country, we are creating a turning point for America's Black and Latinx kids. From today forward, they will no longer solely be consumers who make every company in America wealthy by what they spend. Through this initiative, we are creating a generation of investors and owners who can pave their way to wealth by owning a piece of the companies that make the American economy great. They, too, can learn to be participants in our flourishing economy, not just bystanders, and the companies they love can help them get there," said Robert F. Smith.

Robert F. Smith's gift served as the catalyst for the creation of the larger "One Stock. One Future." movement to turn one million Black and Latinx kids into shareholders. The goal of the initiative is to help bridge the wealth gap affecting communities of color by introducing investments and financial education as critical components to building broader and generational wealth.

"We are both energized and humbled by the leadership of Robert F. Smith and other business and community leaders who are at the forefront of this effort to change the paradigm for the next generation of Black and Latinx kids in our country. I truly believe that together we will rewrite the course of history for all communities that have been marginalized due to their lack of access to financial education and investment tools that uniquely engage them," said Goalsetter CEO Tanya Van Court .

As part of the effort to reach one million Black and Latinx youth, Robert F. Smith and Goalsetter are calling on Fortune 1000 companies and CEOs to take the "One Stock. One Future." challenge by donating a minimum of 1,000 shares (or the cash equivalent) to be distributed to Black and Latinx kids across America. To date, leading technology, banking, and Fortune 1000 companies and executives have already committed to leading the way on this initiative by donating 1,000 shares each, including Adtalem Global Education, Citizens Financial Group, Comcast NBCUniversal, Delta Air Lines, Fiserv, HP, Lyft, Twitter, and UBS.

"Building long-term financial stability remains an uphill battle for far too many, and it's a problem driven by systemic inequity and lack of access to capital," said Dalila Wilson-Scott, Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation. "Today, we begin to change that reality by putting real tools into the hands of individuals, helping them to build stronger financial futures. We're honored to partner with Goalsetter to invest in innovative programs like this one that will drive new, lasting equity in financial opportunity and generational impact for decades to come."

"This innovative partnership addresses an important and often-overlooked need by establishing young Black and Latinx Americans as direct owners and investors in our nation's wealth, and helping equip them with the tools to participate in our nation's economy throughout their lifetimes," said Delta Air Lines' CEO Ed Bastian. "It's an honor for Delta to be part of this initiative, which will benefit countless young people as well as our communities nationwide."

The call to corporations to participate will be bolstered by The Executive Leadership Council (ELC), the preeminent global membership organization for Black current and former CEOs, senior executives, and board members of Fortune 1000 and equivalent companies, top-tier entrepreneurs, and global thought leaders.

Together with Goalsetter, The ELC is challenging both their members and their members' corporations to donate shares in support of the movement. Additionally, The ELC is directly contributing $100,000 to the "One Stock. One Future." initiative to sponsor kids with both stock and Goalsetter accounts, which will include 52 weeks of financial education each year for five years.

Goalsetter, the first Black female-owned saving and investing platform for the whole family, will be the platform used to host the shares of stock but will also provide every kid who receives stock with game-based, culturally relevant financial education, rooted in memes and gifs from popular culture.

Corporate shares donated to the "One Stock. One Future." program will be distributed to youth through current and future partner organizations, including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and the NAACP, to identified youth organizations such as Black Girls Code, BUILD, Boys & Girls Club, Coded by Kids, Genesys Works, Girls Inc. of Alameda County, Phalen Leadership Academies, Philadelphia Youth Network, Saint Augustine High School, 100 Black Men of Chicago, Inc., and others.

Founded in 2016 by former Nickelodeon and Discovery Education executive Tanya Van Court, Goalsetter was designed to put financial education, saving, and investing in the hands of America's youth through age-appropriate and culturally relevant materials and tools. By helping young people become investors and savers rather than just consumers, the "One Stock. One Future." initiative aims to break the curse of 2053, a study that suggests that Black and Latinx communities are on track to have zero net worth in the next 30 years.

HOW THE PROGRAM WILL WORK

Participating corporations and individuals will be able to contribute stock or cash for the "One Stock. One Future." initiative through the Goalsetter Foundation, Goalsetter's non-profit arm.

The Goalsetter investment feature will allow participating parents to open custodial brokerage accounts in their child's name to hold company stock.

Management of the stock donation will be overseen by the Goalsetter Foundation, and youth groups in need will be identified by the Goalsetter Foundation through their affiliate networks and partners.

Stocks will be distributed to youth custodial brokerage accounts via Goalsetter's investment feature. Priority will be given to sign-ups via "One Stock. One Future." corporate partner organizations.

As part of the program, youth will have access to Goalsetter financial education tools through the Goalsetter app which will provide them with culturally relevant and age-appropriate tools for learning about saving, investment, and ownership.

Schools, non-profits, and other youth-focused organizations who wish to be designated to receive shares can contact the Goalsetter Foundation at [email protected] to get more information about signing up.

Find out more about this movement and how to participate at goalsetter.co/onestockonefuture.

About Goalsetter

Founded in 2016 by Tanya Van Court, a former Nickelodeon and ESPN executive, Goalsetter is a family saving, investing, financial education, and smart spending app that makes it easy for the whole family to go cashless while teaching them how to be money smart. Goalsetter's smart money platform for families provides users with an FDIC-Insured Savings Account; an investment platform powered by Goalsetter Advisors, LLC (an SEC registered investment advisor); the Mastercard Cashola Teen and Tween Debit Card with parental controls, Game-based financial education quizzes; the "Learn before you Burn" parental control feature on the debit card and the "Learn to Earn" financial reward program; as well as the latest cybersecurity features to protect user privacy. For more about Goalsetter visit www.goalsetter.co .

SOURCE Goalsetter

Related Links

https://www.goalsetter.co/


SEATTLE, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 20, 2021, a partnership between Security Properties and an affiliate of Rockwood Capital closed on the acquisition of Midtown 64 in an off-market transaction. Midtown 64 is a newly constructed 365-unit Class A mid-rise asset located in Kent, WA.

Midtown 64 Midtown 64

The property consists of 5 residential buildings and one clubhouse spread across 10 acres. Unit interiors include 9-foot ceilings, fully-appointed kitchens with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, full-sized washer/dryers, AC ports, walk-in closets, and either a private deck or patio. Additionally, the property features a clubhouse and resident lounge with fitness center, outdoor pool, BBQ area, fire pits, yoga studio, art studio, game lounge, rooftop deck, dog park, dog wash, bike room, playground, and bocce ball court.

Midtown 64's unique location provides residents with convenient access to numerous regional job hubs in multiple directions, as well as plentiful retail amenities within the immediate area. Within a 5-minute drive to the south is Kent Valley, the region's largest advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and distribution corridor with an employment base in excess of 250,000. Kent Valley is home to more than 10,000 businesses including Amazon, Boeing, Blue Origin, and Alaska Airlines. To the north are Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Renton, which are home to approximately 20,000 jobs each. Bellevue and Downtown Seattle's tech corridors are also easily accessible with nearly 400,000 jobs total.

Residents benefit from a plethora of transit options, providing access to employment hubs. The site is located within a 5-minute drive of Kent Station's Sounder Commuter Rail, Interstate 5's onramp at State Route 516, as well as State Route 167, which connects with Interstate 405. Tenants also enjoy proximity to the retail district anchored by Kent Station, a 470,000 square-foot open-air shopping center featuring more than 60 shops and restaurants. Additionally, Kent's largest grocer Safeway, is located just a block from the property.

Accessibility will be further enhanced when Sound Transit's Link Light Rail extends its service south to Kent/Des Moines station, located adjacent to the I-5 and State Route 516 intersection.

According to Davis Vaughn, Senior Director of Acquisitions at Security Properties, "Midtown 64 presented the opportunity to buy one of the top assets in the growing submarket of Kent which has had extremely limited supply delivered the past few decades. By being able to offer residents high-quality product in a location so proximate to jobs, Midtown 64 is well-situated for long term growth. By adding this asset to our portfolio, we look forward to continuing to establish Security Properties as the leading owner-operator in the Pacific Northwest."

"The Puget Sound continues to be one of the nation's most dynamic economic stories, and we are excited to acquire a high-quality multifamily project in an evolving location within the market," said Matthew Friedman, Managing Director at Rockwood Capital.

The property will be managed by Security Properties Residential, an affiliate of Security Properties.

About Security Properties

Security Properties is a national real estate investment, development, and operating company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. For more than 52 years, Security Properties has provided quality housing to its residents as well as excellent financial performance for its investors. Since its founding, Security Properties has acquired or developed over 100,000 residential units at a cost of over $9.0 billion across 600+ assets. Security Properties Residential is the affiliated property management firm of Security Properties, created to increase the value of its real estate holdings by more closely managing its assets. Security Properties maintains a focused multi-family strategy supported by integrated teams of professional acquisition, development, construction, investment, and property management specialists. For more information, visit www.securityproperties.com

About Rockwood Capital

Rockwood Capital is a real estate investment management firm founded in 1995 that provides debt and equity capital combined with real estate operating expertise for the repositioning, development, redevelopment and recapitalization of residential, office, retail and hotel space in key markets throughout the United States.

Rockwood is a 75-person organization with offices in New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, and Los Angeles, CA. Since inception, Rockwood and its principals have invested in approximately $34.4 billion of real estate and real estate-related assets (gross asset value). As of Q2 2021, Rockwood manages a portfolio of approximately $10.8 billion (gross asset value). Rockwood's international investor base includes sovereign wealth funds, public and private pension funds, endowments, foundations, insurance companies, funds of funds, high net worth individuals and family offices. For more information, visit www.rockwoodcap.com

About Security Properties Residential

Security Properties Residential is the affiliated property management firm of Security Properties, created to increase the value of its real estate holdings by more closely managing its assets. Operating throughout the Western U.S., Security Properties Residential is committed to delivering exceptional service to its apartment communities and residents. Services include property, construction and compliance management services that create positive living environments for residents and build value for clients.

News Media Contacts:



For Security Properties:

Ed McGovern, 206.622.9900

[email protected]

For Rockwood:

Caroline Luz, (203) 656-2829

Lambert & Co.

[email protected]

SOURCE Security Properties

Related Links

https://www.securityproperties.com


ZANESVILLE, Ohio, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southeast Ohio senior who are aging in to Medicare or want to review their options can attend a comprehensive virtual seminar from the comfort of their own home. The Virtual Medicare Shop & Compare Expo, scheduled for 11 a.m., Wed., Nov. 3, is a great opportunity for seniors to learn more about the differences in Medicare and Medicare Advantage and the many plan options available to them. To register: www.virtualshopandcompare.com/pgseo

The complimentary webinar will include several sessions, including a physician panel entitled: "The Benefits of Value-Based Healthcare"; Medicare 101 sessions; insurance company and broker presentations; and inspirational comments from Southeast Ohio 60 Strong Ambassadors, who have overcome health obstacles and other challenges and are living life to the fullest.

Don't worry if you miss the webinar. From now until December 7, you can still log on by going to TrustedSeniorCareAdvantage.com to listen to the online Medicare information program.

Physicians Group of Southeastern Ohio (PGSEO) is hosting the event and will have representatives available to answer questions about their Trusted Senior Care Advantage program, which expands the cooperation and coordination between PGSEO and the health insurance plans providing coverage for their senior patients. Trusted Senior Care Advantage is not a new Medicare Advantage plan -- rather it is a new approach to care delivery. Under this program, patients have more flexibility, but still have access to the quality care provided by their physicians at PGSEO.

PGSEO was formed by a core group of 23 independent, Southeastern Ohio primary care physicians, who were striving to maintain their independence while providing quality care to their patients. In just two years, the program has expanded to 45 physicians, and 30 nurse care practitioners and physician assistants located in Muskingum, Perry, Guernsey, Fairfield and Morgan counties .

SOURCE Physicians Group of Southeastern Ohio

Related Links

https://www.pgseo.org/


NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With the presence of a large pool of participants, the global smart agriculture market is displaying a highly competitive business landscape, finds a new research report by Zion Market Research (ZMR). Ag Leader Technology, Inc, AGCO Corporation, Ag Junction LLC, Raven Industries Inc., Precision Planting LLC., and SemiosBio Technologies Incorporation are some of the key vendors of smart agriculture across the world. These players across are smart agriculture market focusing aggressively on innovation, as well as on including advanced technologies in their existing products. Over the coming years, they are also expected to take up partnerships and mergers and acquisitions as their key strategy for business development, states the smart agriculture market study.

Citing an instance, on August 15, 2018, Cambridge University held a smart agriculture summit. Reportedly, the world's leading scientists gathered at AgriFood Robotics Workshop and Hackathon in Cambridge University's engineering department. Experts are of the view that such initiatives will not only promote the Industry-Academia collaborations, but also provide impetus to growth of smart agriculture market over the years to come.

Get Sample PDF of this Research Report for more Insights with Table of Content, Research Methodology and Graphs - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/smart-agriculture-market

This Press Release is based on a report by Zion Market Research, titled "Smart Agriculture Market by Agriculture Type (Precision Farming, Livestock Monitoring, Fish Farming, Smart Greenhouse, and Others (Orchid, Forestry, and Horticulture); By Software (Web Based and Cloud Based); By Service (System Integration and Consulting, Support and Maintenance, Connectivity Services, Managed Services, and Professional Services); and By Solution (Network Management, Agriculture Asset Management, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Smart Water Management, and Others); For Application (Yield Monitoring, Field Mapping, Crop Scouting, Weather Tracking and Forecasting, Irrigation Management, Farm Labor Management, Financial Management, Feeding Management, Milk Harvesting, Breeding Management, Fish Tracking and Fleet Navigation, Water Quality Management, HVAC Management, and Others) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016  2025."

As estimated in this report, the global smart agriculture market stood at US$ 5,098 million in the year 2016. Witnessing a tremendous rise during the period from 2017 to 2025, the revenue in this market is expected to reach US$ 15,344 million by the end of the forecast period. The main types available in this smart agriculture market are precision farming, livestock monitoring, fish farming, smart greenhouse, orchid, forestry, and horticulture. Among the three, the demand for precision farming is relatively higher and the trend is anticipated to remain so over the next few years, notes the smart agriculture market research report.

Request for Customization on this Report as per your requirements  https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/custom/1070

Mounting Need to Acquire More Crop Produce to Enhance Market Trends

"Escalating requirement for monitoring crop yield, milk harvesting, water management, farm labor management, crop scouting, animal tracking & navigation, and breeding management will further spur smart agriculture market in the coming years," says the author of this smart agriculture market study. Apart from this, smart agriculture market is projected to garner a humungous growth over the next few years with the mounting use of advanced cloud-based software in smart farming techniques offering remote access & monitoring of day-to-day agricultural activities.

Huge Food Demand to Support APAC's Regional Dominance

Regionally, Asia Pacific has been leading the worldwide smart agriculture market and is anticipated to continue on the dominant position in the years to come, states the smart agriculture market study. Escalating demand for food and other dairy items is the main factor behind the dominance of the Asia Pacific smart agriculture market. The dominance can also be attributed to rapidly swelling population in countries such as India and China along with growing food requirement in these regions. In addition to this, the rural economies of the countries in the APAC region are agriculture-based and this will further drive the demand for advanced techniques in farming to get more crop harvest, thereby supporting the smart agriculture market trends.

The global smart agriculture market is segmented as follows:

By Agriculture Type

Precision Farming

Automation and Control Systems

Displays

Guidance and Steering

GPS/GNSS Systems

Drones/UAVs

Handheld Mobile Devices/Handheld Computers

Flow and Application Control Devices

Others

Sensing and Monitoring Devices

Yield Monitors

Soil Sensors

Water Sensors

Climate Sensors

Others

Livestock Monitoring

RFID Tags and Readers

Sensors

Transmitters & Mounting Equipments

GPS

Others

Fish Farming

GPS/GNSS

Sensors

Others

Smart Greenhouse

HVAC Systems

LED Lights

Sensors

Others

Others (Orchid, Forestry, and Horticulture)

By Software Type

Web Based

Cloud-based

Software As A Service (SaaS) Platform As A Service (PaaS)

By Service-Type

System Integration and Consulting

Support and Maintenance

Connectivity Services

Managed Services

Farm Operation Services Data Services Analytics

Professional Services

Supply Chain Management Services Climate Information Services Others

By Solution Type

Network Management

Agriculture Asset Management

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Smart Water Management

Others

By Application

Yield Monitoring

Field Mapping

Crop Scouting

Weather Tracking and Forecasting

Irrigation Management

Farm Labor Management

Financial Management

Feeding Management

Milk Harvesting

Breeding Management

Fish Tracking and Fleet Navigation

Water Quality Management

HVAC Management

Others

Inquire before Purchase of this Research Report - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/smart-agriculture-market

By Region

North America

The U.S.



Canada

Europe

France



The UK



Spain



Germany



Italy



Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China



Japan



India



South Korea



Southeast Asia



Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

Brazil



Mexico



Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

& GCC



South Africa



Rest of Middle East & Africa

Browse Other Related Research Reports from Zion Market Research

Agriculture Drone Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/agriculture-drone-market

Agriculture IoT Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/agriculture-iot-market

AI in Agriculture Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/ai-in-agriculture-market

Connected Agriculture Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/connected-agriculture-market

Agriculture Analytics Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/agriculture-analytics-market

About Us:

Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the client's needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.

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SOURCE Zion Market Research
SMITHFIELD, Va., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Smithfield Foods, Inc. is proud to announce Steve Evans, the company's director of community development, has been named to Forbes' inaugural For(bes) The Culture 50 Black and Brown Champions list recognizing influential leaders who are making an impact in their communities by investing in the success of others.

Evans leads Smithfield's community development initiatives with a focus on the state of North Carolina, home to the company's largest operational footprint and nearly a quarter of its U.S. employees. In addition to playing an integral role in spearheading initiatives that advocate for minority farmers and the underserved in rural communities, Steve was instrumental in the development of Smithfield's platform to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) across its business.

The first ever For(bes) The Culture 50 Champions list celebrates models of business excellence across various industries who also uplift Black and Brown communities through their crafts and philanthropic efforts.

"I'm humbled to be named among such incredible influencers spanning so many U.S. industries," said Evans. "Smithfield has provided me with a platform to support minority farmers who are working to feed people in communities across our nation and the globe. This work is deeply personal for me; both my grandfathers were farmers and as a Black man, I'm proud of our ancestral connection to  and expert stewardship of  the land. It's my honor and privilege to forge access for others who grew up in underserved, rural communities and help them reclaim their place in the agricultural industry."

Last year Evans facilitated dozens of partnerships across North Carolina and beyond on behalf of the company to support access to education and feed thousands of first responders and front-line workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of his community outreach, Smithfield pledged $5 million through 2022 to fund grassroots programs promoting DEI, including an initiative to provide thousands of students in rural N.C. with wireless hotspots and address long-term internet access solutions for underserved communities; an investment to create a diverse pipeline of K-12 students interested in food, agriculture and natural resource careers; and a grant to empower young minority women to lead in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields, business and entrepreneurship.

Forbes has recognized Evans among prominent American figures including Dwyane Wade, Issa Rae and Colin Kaepernick.

DEI is a standalone pillar of Smithfield's leading sustainability program. To learn more about the company's commitment to developing a work environment that works for everyone, visit this link.

About Smithfield Foods, Inc.

Headquartered in Smithfield, Va. since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Our 63,000 team members are dedicated to producing "Good food. Responsibly." and have made Smithfield one of the world's leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including our industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30 percent across our entire U.S. value chain by 2030. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield, Eckrich and Nathan's Famous, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.



SOURCE Smithfield Foods, Inc.

Related Links

www.smithfieldfoods.com


LONDON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Windward, the Predictive Intelligence company applying AI to transform global maritime trade, announced today that it is working with SOCAR Trading, the international marketing and development arm of SOCAR, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic. SOCAR Trading will use Windward's AI-powered platform to enhance its due diligence and screening processes when chartering tankers, monitoring its own fleet, and receiving cargo from third-party vessels.

As part of the national oil company of Azerbaijan, SOCAR Trading has a presence across the entire value chain, with assets and activity in exploration and production, pipelines and exports, refining and petrochemicals, logistics and wholesale, and retail and distribution. The company owns and charters crude and product tankers and receives cargo from third-party vessels. Against the backdrop of an increasingly complex sanctions environment, the evolving expectations of regulators and financiers, and sophisticated evasion tactics, the company requires an advanced solution for screening and tracking vessels, fleets, and companies in the maritime domain to ensure that these entities are safe to conduct business with.

"We're always on the lookout for innovative solutions that we can build into our compliance program that protect our interests and give us an edge over non-compliant actors in the market," said Richard Baron, Head of Compliance at SOCAR Trading. "Windward's AI-powered platform generates meaningful alerts with a low rate of false positives allowing the compliance team to dedicate more time on assessing and analyzing key risks."

Windward's Maritime AI platform analyzes numerous factors including vessel behaviors, ownership structures, company risks, and others, predicting in real-time which companies and vessels are likely to be high risk and which are safe to conduct business with. Integrating seamlessly into existing workflows, Windward's Predictive Intelligence platform flags suspicious events with 4X less false positives than traditional solutions, enabling SOCAR Trading to save time, increase efficiency, and focus on other business needs.

"We are proud to collaborate with SOCAR Trading, a trailblazing company in the risk and compliance space," said Ami Daniel, CEO and Co-Founder of Windward. "Our Predictive Intelligence platform is essential for traders to gain a comprehensive view of the entities they conduct business with to mitigate risk and optimize operations. In an ever-changing regulatory landscape Windward is empowering traders to go beyond maritime compliance and safety to digitalize their business for operational readiness and future forward decisions."

About Windward

Windward is the leading Predictive Intelligence company fusing AI and big data to digitalize the global maritime industry, enabling organizations to achieve business and operational readiness. Windward's AI-powered solution allows stakeholders including banks, commodity traders, insurers, and major energy and shipping companies to make real time, predictive intelligence-driven decisions, providing a 360 view of the maritime ecosystem and its broader impact on safety, security, finance, and business. For more information visit windward.ai.

About SOCAR Trading

Headquartered in Geneva, SOCAR Trading is the international marketing and development arm of SOCAR, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic. SOCAR Trading was established in December 2007 with the mandate to market Azeri barrels produced from the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field and other surrounding fields in Azerbaijan. It has subsequently expanded successfully into other markets. Along with expanding the U.S. desk, notably in crude trading, the Company is working to grow its light ends and LNG divisions, develop oil products trading, and further enlarge its positions in Southern and Eastern European gas trading. SOCAR Trading has experienced significant growth and profits in recent years, cementing its position as one of the most successful global energy trading companies. The Company is well positioned to expand further into new and existing markets.

Windward Media Contact

Sarah Schloss

Headline Media

[email protected]

+1 914 506 5105

SOCAR Trading Media Contact

Grace Fenstermaker

[email protected]

+41 76 399 61 28

SOURCE Windward
PHOENIX, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Solera Health, the premier platform for connecting people seamlessly and easily to health solutions that work, announces the launch of its partner, Headspace, on the Blue Shield of California Wellvolution platform. This addition brings new services, including meditation, mindfulness, and mental training to the expansive digital health platform already available to Blue Shield members.

Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, mental and behavioral health has risen to the forefront of chronic health issues across the world. According to the United Nations, an estimated one in four people globally will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime. The CDC estimates that one in five Americans will experience mental illness in a given year and according to Mental Health America's 2021 State of Mental Health report, the number of people looking for help with anxiety and depression has skyrocketed over the last year.

"Investments in digital health solutions are making it easier for people to access the tools and help needed to handle the stress and anxiety so many are experiencing," said Mary Langowski, CEO, Solera. "We bring forward-leaning payers and employers the simplicity and ease of offering new, effective, lower-cost condition management solutions to members because we have curated and vetted the health solutions providers, all seamlessly integrated through our platform. We're thrilled to power the Blue Shield of California Wellvolution platform to deliver Headspace so their members can lead a happier, healthier life."

Today's consumers seek health care that is accessible and meets them where they are, especially with mental and behavioral health services. Headspace, which joined Solera's network earlier this year, is a leading mindfulness app offering over 1,000 hours of innovative mindfulness and mental wellbeing content. Solera's expansion of Headspace to the Blue Shield Wellvolution platform will offer accessible mental wellbeing support to those looking for a solution that works for and with them.

Headspace research has demonstrated that the app's guided meditations can reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and increase focus, self-esteem, and resilience. The company has found:

10 days of Headspace utilization resulted in 14% decrease in stress

8 weeks of using Headspace resulted in a 31% decrease in anxiety symptoms and 46% decrease in depressive symptoms

"There's no question that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has elevated stress levels for everyone," said Bryce Williams, vice president, Mind Body Medicine at Blue Shield of California. "Together with Solera and Headspace, our members now have access to a scientifically validated, clinically effective solution to improve their mental health and wellbeing."

"Our main focus has always been a person's mental wellbeing. While we offer mindfulness and mental training on our app, this partnership with Solera has allowed us to expand our efforts with both employers and payers," said Sarah Romotsky, director, Healthcare Partnerships Solutions, Headspace. "Our combined commitment in addressing and helping strengthen mental wellbeing has proven impactful to those looking for help beyond a simple prescription. We are excited to integrate with Blue Shield of California's Wellvolution platform to promote and foster mental health awareness and wellness."

Wellvolution is Blue Shield's digitally based lifestyle medicine and health platform that can be personalized for individual health needs and preferences. Powered by Solera Health, Wellvolution provides members guided, on-demand access to a tailored network of clinically proven apps using lifestyle to prevent, treat, and even reverse disease. It is available to most Blue Shield members with their benefit plan at no additional cost and is an example of how the nonprofit health plan is reimagining health for individuals, families, and communities.

About Solera

Solera Health is committed to changing lives by guiding people seamlessly to better health solutions, while providing payers and employers the tools to manage providers and outcomes across conditions. Solera's platform provides a marketplace of curated networks of digital and community point solutions focused on intensive, evidence-based lifestyle, behavioral and social interventions to impact the most prevalent and costly chronic conditions. Solera strategically matches consumers to their best-fit solution and helps keep them engaged for successful health outcomes.

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 4.5 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.

About Headspace

Headspace was created with one mission in mind: to improve the health and happiness of the world. Reaching 70 million users in 190 countries, Headspace was one of the first meditation apps in the world and remains a leader in mindfulness and mental training. Headspace is committed to advancing the field of mindfulness through clinically validated research, with one of the largest research pipelines of any digital health and wellness company. Headspace operates a B2B business (Headspace for Work) to offer its mindfulness products and services to more than 2,200 companies, such as Starbucks, Adobe, Hyatt, and Unilever, to help them build healthier, more productive cultures and higher performing organizations. Headspace supports government entities like New York State and the UK's National Health Service (NHS) to offer digital mental health tools. Headspace partners with many of the world's most-recognizable brands, including Apple, Sesame Street, Spotify, Amazon, and Nike as well as Netflix for a three part mindfulness series that premiered in 2021. Headspace has been recognized as TIME100's Most Influential Companies of 2021, Fast Company's 10 most innovative social good companies of 2021 and World's Most Innovative Companies. Other accolades include Apple's Best of 2018, Samsung's Best of 2019 and one of CB Insights' top digital health companies, along with being selected for seven Webby Awards in podcasts, health and fitness. For more information, please visit us at www.headspace.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

SOURCE Solera Health
ATLANTA, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Steady today announced that it has been recognized on Fast Company's inaugural Brands That Matter list, honoring brands that have achieved relevance through cultural impact and social engagement and authentically communicated their missions and ideals.

Steady's platform is used by nearly 4 million hourly workers to take control of their data and reach their maximum earnings potential, helping users earn an additional $5,500 per year on average. Over the past year, their work has included the Steady Together initiative, which distributed $3.5 million in emergency cash grants to workers who had lost their incomes as a result of the pandemic, representing one of the country's most comprehensive efforts by a private company to provide tangible relief and resources to workers. Steady is also working with Mayors for a Guaranteed Income to provide the data infrastructure and distribution system for guaranteed income programs in more than 20 cities around the United States.

"Our goal is to improve the lives of 1099 and hourly workers by removing barriers to earning," said Adam Roseman, CEO of Steady. "We are honored by this recognition  and will continue to work in partnership with state and local governments, community organizations, and advocates around the country to help our members secure financial stability for themselves and their families."

The final Brands That Matter list, which includes large multinational conglomerates as well as small companies and nonprofits, recognizes 95 brands that give people compelling reasons to care about themand offer inspiration for others to buy in. All 95 have found an ability to forge an emotional connection with customers, whether leading on the environment or pop culture, engaging B2B customers, or responding meaningfully to current events.

"Fast Company is excited to highlight companies and organizations that have built brands with deep meaning and connections to the customers they serve. At a time when consumers are holding companies to very high standards, businesses have much to learn from these brands that have garnered respect and trust," says Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company.

Fast Company's November issue honoring Steady is available online now .

About Steady

Steady is the leading income intelligence platform for America's hourly and 1099 workers. We remove the barriers to earn by harnessing AI and the insights from nearly 4 million workers. Our income intelligence supports government leaders who design programs that are informed by earning trends and empowers workers. We are the only organization that can deliver income transparency and help Americans earn more and thrive in an increasingly complex economy.

About Fast Company

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.

SOURCE Steady
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Table of Content

Executive Summary

Market Insights

Category Pricing Insights

Cost-saving Opportunities

Best Practices

Category Ecosystem

Category Management Strategy

Category Management Enablers

Suppliers Selection

Suppliers under Coverage

US Market Insights

Category scope

Appendix

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SOURCE SpendEdge
This year, Stella & Chewy's is making senior pet adoption easier than ever by not only continuing to offer potential pet parents adoption fee reimbursements for any dog and cat age 5+ rescued from shelters across the U.S. and Canada throughout the month of November, but also partnering with Pilots To The Rescue to sponsor flights bringing senior pets into more adoptable cities to help them find their forever homes.

"When I was first introduced to Stella & Chewy's, I knew our joint missions of rescuing senior pets would make a great impact on the lives of these amazing animals, but also the families bringing them home," said Michael Schneider, founder of Pilots To The Rescue. "I'm honored to be working together this year to kick start National Adopt a Senior Pet Month by transporting senior animals to new cities in hopes of adoption."

Since the National Adopt a Senior Pet Month campaign's inception in 2019, Stella & Chewy's has helped more than 650 senior pets find their forever homes. The campaign is part of the brand's Journey Home Fund program, which was established in 2018 and aims to bring awareness to adult and senior pet adoption while ensuring shelter pets have best-in-class nutrition  especially during this holiday season.

In addition to the pets rescued through Stella & Chewy's work with Pilots To The Rescue, there are thousands of senior dogs and cats in shelters across the country in need of homes. Senior pets can make a welcome addition to many families, as they are more attentive and learn quickly, have mastered house training basics, and have established personalities, behaviors, and sizes.

Pet parents who adopt a senior shelter pet during the month of November can visit www.StellaandChewys.com/Adopt to submit adoption forms for fee reimbursement*. Additionally, Stella & Chewy's is providing these new pet parents with a $40 value voucher to redeem on any Stella & Chewy's product that will allow these senior pets to thrive once in their new homes.

"I was inspired to start our company by my own rescue dogs, Stella and Chewy  so I know firsthand all of the joys pet adoption can bring," said Marie Moody, founder of Stella & Chewy's. "Stella & Chewy's has long placed a focus on senior pet adoption, but this year we're overjoyed to be taking things even further by not only eliminating the barrier of the cost of adoption, but also making senior pets more accessible by our work with Pilots To The Rescue."

To learn more about Stella & Chewy's, and the importance of senior pet rescue, visit www.stellaandchewys.com/journeyhome or follow the company on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

*Stella & Chewy's will reimburse up to $80,000 in adoption fees during the month of November

About Stella & Chewy's

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Oak Creek Wisconsin, Stella & Chewy's strives to provide the highest quality natural pet food with an emphasis on nutrition, palatability, safety and convenience. The company's dog and cat products include frozen patties and morsels, freeze-dried dinners and meal mixers, baked kibble, stews, broths and treats. Stella & Chewy's proudly created Journey Home Fund; a charity that promotes adult and senior pet adoptions. For more information about the company, products and the nearest retailer, visit stellaandchewys.com or call 877-477-8977.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Stella & Chewy's

Betsy Radue

262.893.7276

[email protected]

Zeno Group for Stella & Chewy's

Katherine Boncher

847.431.7581

[email protected]

SOURCE Stella & Chewys

Related Links

https://www.stellaandchewys.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (SCOA) announced today its participation in a series A funding round for Cemvita Factory (Cemvita), the leading provider of carbon negative synthetic biology solutions for the energy and mining industries. As a major owner and operator of businesses within the industrial sector, SCOA is strategically investing in companies like Cemvita to accelerate decarbonization within these industries. SCOA joins a consortium of investors in this funding round, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industry America.

"Identifying prescient solutions to the world's challenges is core to our mission. This partnership will produce innovations that help our company and our customers meet ambitious sustainability goals while building new opportunities," said Toshiya Kitamura, GM and SVP of SCOA's Chemicals and Electronics Group.

The nascent but growing field of synthetic biology applies the tools of engineering and computing to biology. It has been used for a decade to optimize the work of enzymes and cells with the goal, for example, of accelerating the manufacture of Covid-19 vaccines. Cemvita is among the first to employ this technology to support heavy industry in fighting climate change.

"We are excited to have Cemvita supported by strong corporate partners like SCOA," said Cemvita Factory Co-Founder and CEO Moji Karimi. "This capital will accelerate our growth and scale our carbon negative solutions to fight climate change."

With a growing portfolio of micro-organisms that capture and convert CO2 into chemicals and alternative fuels, Cemvita helps oil and gas companies decarbonize while transforming their byproducts into valuable feedstocks, a crucial step in building a circular carbon economy. The technology is also used in climate-smart mining to reduce the environmental footprint of mining while meeting rising demand for key metals. According to the World Bank, ambitious climate action places significant demand on mining. Lithium production, for example, must scale approximately 500 percent by 2050.

This is just one of several climate-focused investments and partnerships SCOA has made this year to support sustainability efforts within the industrial space. Earlier this month, SCOA made an investment through its VC arm, Presidio Ventures, in Lilac Solutions, a company developing lithium extraction technology that is significantly more effective, faster to deploy, less expensive and more sustainable than conventional lithium production methods. In addition, SCOA announced a sales agreement this summer with EcoVap, a leader in wastewater elimination technology that is more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable for the planet. EcoVap's technology will directly impact how wastewater is displaced at mine sites and other industrial applications.

This latest investment in Cemvita demonstrates SCOA's strategy to pursue the financing and development of business models that support the decarbonization and sustainability of the planet and society as a whole.

About Sumitomo Corporation of Americas

Established in 1952 and headquartered in New York City, Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (SCOA) has eight offices in major U.S. cities. SCOA is the largest subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation, one of the world's leading traders of goods and services. As an integrated business enterprise, the firm has emerged as a major organizer of multinational projects, an expediter of ideas, an important international investor and financier, and a powerful force for distribution of products and global communications through a network of offices worldwide. Its core business units include Tubular Products, Environment and Infrastructure, Steel and Non Ferrous Metals, Transportation and Construction Systems, Chemicals and Electronics, Media and IOT Applications, Real Estate, Mineral Resources and Energy, and Food. For more information, visit www.sumitomocorp.com.

About Cemvita Factory

Cemvita Factory, Inc, is on a mission to reverse climate change by leveraging synthetic biology. This is done by leveraging the biomimicry of natural processes to sustainably produce chemicals and polymers. Additionally, Cemvita's synthetic biology platform is used to develop and optimize low carbon bioprocesses for heavy industry such as mining and oil and gas. Visit www.cemvitafactory.com for more information.

SOURCE Sumitomo Corporation of Americas
STOCKHOLM, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Highlights for the third quarter

Record sales with year-on-year revenue growth across product segments, despite comparing to a prior year quarter with elevated demand for certain product lines.

In local currencies, sales increased by 10 percent for the third quarter. Reported sales increased by 9 percent to 4,778 MSEK (4,400).

Record operating profit from product segments, in spite of continued ramp-up in spending behind growth opportunities for smokefree products.

In local currencies, operating profit from product segments 1) increased by 2 percent for the third quarter. Reported operating profit from product segments increased by 1 percent to 2,099 MSEK (2,075).

For the Smokefree product segment, continued momentum for ZYN nicotine pouches in the US and solid performance in Scandinavia drove increased sales and operating profit.

For the Cigars product segment, increased sales of natural leaf varieties outpaced declines for HTL cigars while operating profit in local currency was virtually flat principally reflecting higher production costs.

For the Lights product segment, robust performance for lighters drove enhanced earnings.

Operating profit amounted to 2,075 MSEK (2,048) for the third quarter.

Profit after tax for the third quarter amounted to 1,540 MSEK (1,222). Profit after tax for the third quarter of the prior year included a charge of 286 MSEK following an adverse ruling in a tax case.

Earnings per share increased by 30 percent to 0.99 SEK (0.76) for the third quarter. Adjusted earnings per share increased by 5 percent to 0.99 SEK (0.94). 2)

On September 14 , Swedish Match announced its intention to spin off its US cigar business to shareholders. Subject to various conditions, the separation is expected to be completed during the second half of 2022, at the earliest. For more details, see the September 14 press release.

1) Excludes Other operations and larger one-time items.

2) In May 2021, a share split (10:1) was made. Historical share data in this report has been restated in accordance with IAS 33.

For the full report: www.swedishmatch.com/Investors/Financial-reports/Interim-reports/

Swedish Match telephone conference



A telephone conference will be held today, Wednesday, October 27 at 1:00 p.m. (CET), (12:00 p.m. UK time). At this time we will review and comment on the results. Participants will include Lars Dahlgren, Anders Larsson, and Emmett Harrison.

Listen to the telephone conference: www.swedishmatch.com/Investors/Presentations/Webcasts-and-audiocasts/

Telephone conference presentation: www.swedishmatch.com/Investors/Presentations/

Contacts:



Lars Dahlgren, President and Chief Executive Officer

Phone +46 8 658 0441

Anders Larsson, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President Group Finance

Phone +46 10 139 3006

Emmett Harrison, Senior Vice President Investor Relations

Phone +46 70 938 0173

___________



This information is information that Swedish Match AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 08.15 a.m. CET on October 27, 2021.



This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/swedish-match/r/interim-report-january---september-2021,c3441000

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/2004/3441000/1486779.pdf Swedish Match Q3 2021 ENG

SOURCE Swedish Match
Currently at Tatu City Special Economic Zone (SEZ), more than 60 local, regional and multi-national businesses have opened or started development. These include industry leaders such as Dormans, Cooper K-Brands, KWAL (Distell), Cold Solutions, Friendship Group, Chandaria Industries, Kim-Fay, Davis & Shirtliff, Copia, FFS, Twiga Foods and Stecol, among others.

Residential developments at Tatu City include Unity Homes, Lifestyle Heights and Kijani Ridge. More than 5,000 homes are completed or under construction and Crawford International and Nova Pioneer schools educate more than 3,000 students daily.

Current development at Tatu City SEZ is valued at more than USD 1.2 billion. Tatu City is owned and developed by Rendeavour, the largest new city builder in Africa, whose shareholders are from the United States, New Zealand, Norway and United Kingdom. Rendeavour is building seven cities in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In Nigeria, more than 40 companies have established at Alaro City since Rendeavour and the Lagos State Government launched the project just over two years ago. In Lubumbashi, DRC, Rendeavour's Kiswishi development is the country's first private SEZ.

In Kenya, Tatu City SEZ was also recognised for its pioneering work with the local community at the new city development. Rendeavour and Tatu City have provided free skills training to over 1,000 members of the local community and serve 1,400 meals to local primary schools each day.

"This is really an example of how free zones are much more than just investment destinations," said Irwin-Hunt of fDi. "Free zones are not only centres of production and economic activity. They also play an important role in local communities."

Contact:

[email protected]

+254 20 513 1000

SOURCE Tatu City
SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TCL Technology Group Corporation ("TCL Technology", Stock Code 000100.SZ), a global leading intelligent technology company, has been recognized by Forbes, one of the top business media organizations, as one of the best employers worldwide based on characteristics such as employer image, economic footprint, talent development, gender equality and social responsibility. Ranking No.273 on Forbes' World's Best Employers list 2021, the accolade marks its outstanding achievement in strengthening employer branding efforts over the past years.

"We feel honored to be listed on Forbes' World's Best Employers 2021," said Yuki Wei, Vice President of TCL. "TCL recently celebrated its 40th anniversary recognizing our global workforce that has made an extraordinary contribution. We have been actively creating diversified employment opportunities for global job markets through our branches, including 42 research and development centers, 10 joint labs, 32 manufacturing bases and sales offices in over 80 countries and regions. Meanwhile, our global talent is also boosting TCL's rapid growth as we have over 120,000 employees with businesses across 160 countries and regions."

Over the decades, TCL has been committed to providing an environment that embraces diversity, excellence, care and happiness for employees and communities it serves. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company offered sufficient preventive measures to employees and family members worldwide safeguarding the health of thousands of families. To promote gender equality, TCL has rolled out the "TCL for Her" initiative within and outside the company through activities like cultivating female talents and supporting female players to achieve their potential by partnering with FIBA.

Looking ahead, TCL will adhere to its strategy of achieving excellence and will strive to foster a talent-oriented corporate culture for employees with competitive training and development opportunities.

About TCL

TCL empowers customers to enjoy more. With a lineup of award-winning televisions, audio products, mobile devices, and appliances, TCL takes pride in delivering meaningful experiences by combining thoughtful design and the latest technology. As one of the world's largest consumer electronics brands, our extensive manufacturing expertise, a vertically integrated supply chain, and state-of-the-art panel factory, helps TCL deliver innovation for all. For additional product information, please visit www.tcl.com for the full portfolio.

About TCL CSOT

TCL CSOT (TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd), is a company committed to developing new technologies and innovations in semiconductor display industry. TCL CSOT actively invests in future technologies such as Mini-LED, Micro-LED, OLED, and Ink-Jet Printing OLED. The company business includes large area display, small medium display and touch modules, interactive white boards, video walls, automotive displays, and gaming monitors, which contributes to the core competence in the global panel industry.

About Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor

Zhonghuan Semiconductor takes new energy materials and semi-conductor materials as its dual main business to drive development, including the R&D, production and sales of semi-conductor wafers, semi-conductor devices, solar wafers and solar cell modules, as well as the construction and operation of photovoltaic power stations. On July 15, 2020, TCL acquired Zhonghuan Semi-conductor, achieving the significant presence and strategic reserve in the field of semi-conductors and new energy.

SOURCE TCL Group
HAMILTON, Bermuda, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Textainer Group Holdings Limited (NYSE:TGH; JSE: TXT) ("Textainer", "we" and "our"), one of the world's largest lessors of intermodal containers, will release third quarter 2021 financial results after the close of regular market trading on Thursday, November 4, 2021. A conference call to discuss its results will follow at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time that same day.

Those wishing to participate via webcast should access the call through Textainer's Investor Relations website at http://investor.textainer.com. Those wishing to participate via telephone may dial in at 1-855-327-6838 (U.S. & Canada) or 1-604-235-2082 (International). The conference call replay will be available via webcast through Textainer's Investor Relations website. The telephone replay will be available from 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 4, 2021, through November 11, 2021, by dialing 1-844-512-2921 (U.S. & Canada) or 1-412-317-6671 (International). The replay passcode will be 10016705.

About Textainer Group Holdings Limited

Textainer has operated since 1979 and is one of the world's largest lessors of intermodal containers with approximately 4.1 million TEU in our owned and managed fleet. We lease containers to approximately 250 customers, including all of the world's leading international shipping lines, and other lessees. Our fleet consists of standard dry freight, refrigerated intermodal containers, and dry freight specials, and we are one of the largest and most reliable suppliers of new and used containers. Textainer operates via a network of 14 offices and approximately 400 independent depots worldwide. Textainer has a primary listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: TGH) and a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE: TXT).

Contact Information

Investor Relations

+1 415-658-8333

[email protected]

SOURCE Textainer Group Holdings Limited

Related Links

http://www.textainer.com


WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, today reported its financial results for the third quarter ended October 2, 2021.

Third Quarter 2021 Highlights

Third quarter revenue increased 9% to $9.33 billion .

. Third quarter GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) was $4.79 .

. Third quarter adjusted EPS was $5.76 .

The company continued to expand capacity and capabilities to better serve customers. Our Pharma Services business brought additional capacity online to support vaccine and therapy production. In South Korea , we opened a Bioprocess Design Center, to advance bioprocessing innovation and collaboration with biopharma customers, and as part of the previously announced strategic partnership with CSL Limited, we assumed operating responsibility of a new state-of-the-art biologics site in Lengnau, Switzerland . Additionally, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense, we are building a new manufacturing site in North Carolina to ensure reliable domestic production of pipette tips which are used for liquid handling in research and diagnostic laboratories.

Building on our environmental social and governance initiatives and to further enable customers to achieve their own sustainability goals, the company committed to expand use of ACT Label for its entire cold temperature storage portfolio by the end of 2021. Additionally, the company extended its support of COVID-19 testing at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to deliver accurate COVID-19 testing to all students and staff, helping to ensure campus safety and the ability to confidently deliver in-person learning.

Adjusted EPS, adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin and free cash flow are non-GAAP measures that exclude certain items detailed later in this press release under the heading "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

"Our incredibly strong performance in the third quarter demonstrates our proven growth strategy powered by our PPI Business System," said Marc N. Casper, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "We continue to deliver exceptional performance in revenue, earnings and free cash flow. And we are launching innovative new products and expanding our capabilities and capacity to enhance our customer value proposition."

Casper added, "Our team executed at a very high level during the first nine months of the year, and we are on track to deliver another outstanding year and set the company up for an even brighter future."

Third Quarter 2021

Revenue for the quarter grew 9% to $9.33 billion in 2021, versus $8.52 billion in 2020. Organic revenue growth was 7%; acquisitions increased revenue by 1% and currency translation increased revenue by 1%. Organic revenue growth from the base business was 10%. COVID-19 response revenue was $2.05 billion.

GAAP Earnings Results

GAAP diluted EPS in the third quarter of 2021 was $4.79, versus $4.84 in the same quarter last year. GAAP operating income for the third quarter of 2021 was $2.28 billion, compared with $2.43 billion in the year-ago quarter. GAAP operating margin was 24.4%, compared with 28.5% in the third quarter of 2020.

Non-GAAP Earnings Results

Adjusted EPS in the third quarter of 2021 increased 2% to $5.76, versus $5.63 in the third quarter of 2020. Adjusted operating income for the third quarter of 2021 was $2.78 billion, compared with $2.80 billion in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted operating margin was 29.8%, compared with 32.9% in the third quarter of 2020.

2021 Guidance Update

Thermo Fisher is raising its 2021 revenue and earnings guidance. The company is raising its revenue guidance by $1.2 billion to $37.1 billion; this would result in 15% revenue growth over 2020. The company is raising its adjusted EPS guidance by $1.30 to $23.37, which would represent 20% growth year over year.

Segment Results

Management uses adjusted operating results to monitor and evaluate performance of the company's four business segments, as highlighted below. Since these results are used for this purpose, they are also considered to be prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Life Sciences Solutions Segment

Life Sciences Solutions Segment revenue grew 9% to $3.72 billion in the third quarter of 2021, compared with revenue of $3.42 billion in the third quarter of 2020. Segment adjusted operating margin was 48.9%, versus 54.9% in the 2020 quarter.

Analytical Instruments Segment

Analytical Instruments Segment revenue grew 11% to $1.48 billion in the third quarter of 2021, compared with revenue of $1.34 billion in the third quarter of 2020. Segment adjusted operating margin was 17.8%, versus 12.8% in the 2020 quarter.

Specialty Diagnostics Segment

Specialty Diagnostics Segment revenue was $1.36 billion in the third quarter of 2021, compared with revenue of $1.43 billion in the third quarter of 2020. Segment adjusted operating margin was 22.7%, versus 27.9% in the 2020 quarter.

Laboratory Products and Services Segment

Laboratory Products and Services Segment revenue grew 12% to $3.49 billion in the third quarter of 2021, compared with revenue of $3.11 billion in the third quarter of 2020. Segment adjusted operating margin was 11.0%, versus 11.4% in the 2020 quarter.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to the financial measures prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), we use certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted EPS, adjusted operating income and adjusted operating margin, which exclude certain acquisition-related costs, including charges for the sale of inventories revalued at the date of acquisition and significant transaction costs; restructuring and other costs/income; and amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets. Adjusted EPS also excludes certain other gains and losses that are either isolated or cannot be expected to occur again with any predictability, tax provisions/benefits related to the previous items, and the impact of significant tax audits or events. We exclude the above items because they are outside of our normal operations and/or, in certain cases, are difficult to forecast accurately for future periods. We also use a non-GAAP measure, free cash flow, which is operating cash flow, excluding net capital expenditures to provide a view of the continuing operations' ability to generate cash for use in acquisitions and other investing and financing activities. We believe that the use of non-GAAP measures helps investors to gain a better understanding of our core operating results and future prospects, consistent with how management measures and forecasts the company's performance, especially when comparing such results to previous periods or forecasts.

For example:

We exclude costs and tax effects associated with restructuring activities, such as reducing overhead and consolidating facilities. We believe that the costs related to these restructuring activities are not indicative of our normal operating costs.

We exclude certain acquisition-related costs, including charges for the sale of inventories revalued at the date of acquisition and significant transaction costs. We exclude these costs because we do not believe they are indicative of our normal operating costs.

We exclude the expense and tax effects associated with the amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets because a significant portion of the purchase price for acquisitions may be allocated to intangible assets that have lives of up to 20 years. Based on acquisitions closed through the end of the third quarter of 2021, adjusted EPS will exclude approximately $3.36 of expense for the amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets. Exclusion of the amortization expense allows comparisons of operating results that are consistent over time for both our newly acquired and long-held businesses and with both acquisitive and non-acquisitive peer companies.

We also exclude certain gains/losses and related tax effects, the impact of significant tax audits or events (such as changes in deferred taxes from enacted tax rate changes), which are either isolated or cannot be expected to occur again with any predictability and that we believe are not indicative of our normal operating gains and losses. For example, we exclude gains/losses from items such as the sale of a business or real estate, gains or losses on significant litigation-related matters, gains on curtailments of pension plans and the early retirement of debt.

We also report free cash flow, which is operating cash flow, excluding net capital expenditures to provide a view of the continuing operations' ability to generate cash for use in acquisitions and other investing and financing activities.

Thermo Fisher Scientific's management uses these non-GAAP measures, in addition to GAAP financial measures, as the basis for measuring the company's core operating performance and comparing such performance to that of prior periods and to the performance of our competitors. Such measures are also used by management in their financial and operating decision-making and for compensation purposes.

The non-GAAP financial measures of Thermo Fisher Scientific's results of operations and cash flows included in this press release are not meant to be considered superior to or a substitute for Thermo Fisher Scientific's results of operations prepared in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations of such non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are set forth in the accompanying tables. Thermo Fisher Scientific does not provide GAAP financial measures on a forward-looking basis because we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty and without unreasonable effort items such as the timing and amount of future restructuring actions and acquisition-related charges as well as gains or losses from sales of real estate and businesses, the early retirement of debt and the outcome of legal proceedings. The timing and amount of these items are uncertain and could be material to Thermo Fisher Scientific's results computed in accordance with GAAP.

Conference Call

Thermo Fisher Scientific will hold its earnings conference call today, October 27, 2021, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. To listen, dial (833) 714-0931 within the U.S. or (778) 560-2662 outside the U.S. The conference ID is 6971977. You may also listen to the call live on our website, www.thermofisher.com, by clicking on "Investors." You will find this press release, including the accompanying reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures and related information, in that section of our website under "Financial Results." An audio archive of the call will be available under "Webcasts and Presentations" through Friday, November 12, 2021.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue of approximately $35 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 90,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services and Patheon. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com .

Safe Harbor Statement

The following constitutes a "Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties relating to: the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic; the need to develop new products and adapt to significant technological change; implementation of strategies for improving growth; general economic conditions and related uncertainties; dependence on customers' capital spending policies and government funding policies; the effect of economic and political conditions and exchange rate fluctuations on international operations; use and protection of intellectual property; the effect of changes in governmental regulations; any natural disaster, public health crisis or other catastrophic event; and the effect of laws and regulations governing government contracts, as well as the possibility that expected benefits related to recent or pending acquisitions, including our pending acquisition of PPD, Inc., may not materialize as expected. Additional important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are set forth in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, which are on file with the SEC and available in the "Investors" section of our website under the heading "SEC Filings." While we may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, even if estimates change and, therefore, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to today.

###

Media Contact Information:

Sandy Pound

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Phone: 781-622-1223

E-mail: [email protected]

Investor Contact Information:

Rafael Tejada

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Phone: 781-622-1356

E-mail: [email protected]

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income (unaudited) (a)(b)



















Three Months Ended



October 2,

% of

September 26,

% of (In millions except per share amounts)

2021

Revenues

2020

Revenues

















Revenues

$ 9,330







$ 8,521





Costs and Operating Expenses:















Cost of revenues (c)

4,533



48.6 %

4,065



47.7 % Selling, general and administrative expenses (d)

1,727



18.5 %

1,303



15.3 % Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets

423



4.6 %

414



4.9 % Research and development expenses

351



3.8 %

296



3.5 % Restructuring and other costs (e)

18



0.2 %

17



0.2 %



7,052



75.6 %

6,095



71.5 % Operating Income

2,278



24.4 %

2,426



28.5 % Interest Income

9







9





Interest Expense

(128)







(144)





Other Income (Expense) (f)

14







(39)





Income Before Income Taxes

2,173







2,252





Provision for Income Taxes (g)

(271)







(319)





Net Income

$ 1,902



20.4 %

$ 1,933



22.7 %

















Earnings per Share:















Basic

$ 4.83







$ 4.88





Diluted

$ 4.79







$ 4.84





Weighted Average Shares:















Basic

394







396





Diluted

397







399









































Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Income and Adjusted Operating Margin















GAAP Operating Income (a)

$ 2,278



24.4 %

$ 2,426



28.5 % Cost of Revenues Charges (c)





0.0 %

1



0.0 % Selling, General and Administrative Charges (Credits) (d)

59



0.6 %

(55)



-0.7 % Restructuring and Other Costs (e)

18



0.2 %

17



0.2 % Amortization of Acquisition-related Intangible Assets

423



4.6 %

414



4.9 % Adjusted Operating Income (b)

$ 2,778



29.8 %

$ 2,803



32.9 %

















Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income















GAAP Net Income (a)

$ 1,902







$ 1,933





Cost of Revenues Charges (c)









1





Selling, General and Administrative Charges (Credits) (d)

59







(55)





Restructuring and Other Costs (e)

18







17





Amortization of Acquisition-related Intangible Assets

423







414





Other (Income) Expense (f)

(5)







40





Benefit from Income Taxes (g)

(108)







(100)





Adjusted Net Income (b)

$ 2,289







$ 2,250























Reconciliation of Adjusted Earnings per Share















GAAP Diluted EPS (a)

$ 4.79







$ 4.84





Cost of Revenues Charges, Net of Tax (c)

0.00







0.00





Selling, General and Administrative Charges (Credits), Net of Tax (d)

0.13







(0.11)





Restructuring and Other Costs, Net of Tax (e)

0.03







0.03





Amortization of Acquisition-related Intangible Assets, Net of Tax

0.84







0.82





Other (Income) Expense, Net of Tax (f)

(0.01)







0.08





Benefit from Income Taxes (g)

(0.02)







(0.03)





Adjusted EPS (b)

$ 5.76







$ 5.63























Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow















GAAP Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities (a)

$ 2,650







$ 2,708





Purchases of Property, Plant and Equipment

(524)







(366)





Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant and Equipment

4







1





Free Cash Flow

$ 2,130







$ 2,343







Segment Data

Three Months Ended



October 2,

% of

September 26,

% of (In millions)

2021

Revenues

2020

Revenues

















Revenues















Life Sciences Solutions

$ 3,721



39.9 %

$ 3,424



40.2 % Analytical Instruments

1,476



15.8 %

1,336



15.7 % Specialty Diagnostics

1,362



14.6 %

1,430



16.8 % Laboratory Products and Services

3,487



37.4 %

3,112



36.5 % Eliminations

(716)



-7.7 %

(781)



-9.2 % Consolidated Revenues

$ 9,330



100.0 %

$ 8,521



100.0 %

















Operating Income and Operating Margin















Life Sciences Solutions

$ 1,821



48.9 %

$ 1,879



54.9 % Analytical Instruments

264



17.8 %

171



12.8 % Specialty Diagnostics

310



22.7 %

398



27.9 % Laboratory Products and Services

383



11.0 %

355



11.4 % Subtotal Reportable Segments

2,778



29.8 %

2,803



32.9 %

















Cost of Revenues Charges (c)





0.0 %

(1)



0.0 % Selling, General and Administrative (Charges) Credits (d)

(59)



-0.6 %

55



0.7 % Restructuring and Other Costs (e)

(18)



-0.2 %

(17)



-0.2 % Amortization of Acquisition-related Intangible Assets

(423)



-4.6 %

(414)



-4.9 % GAAP Operating Income (a)

$ 2,278



24.4 %

$ 2,426



28.5 %





































(a) "GAAP" (reported) results were determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). (b) Adjusted results are non-GAAP measures and, for income measures, exclude certain charges to cost of revenues (see note (c) for details); certain credits/charges to selling, general and administrative expenses (see note (d) for details); amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets; restructuring and other costs (see note (e) for details); certain other gains or losses that are either isolated or cannot be expected to occur again with any predictability (see note (f) for details); and the tax consequences of the preceding items and certain other tax items (see note (g) for details). (c) Reported results in 2020 include accelerated depreciation on manufacturing assets to be abandoned due to facility consolidations. (d) Reported results in 2021 and 2020 include certain third-party expenses (credits), principally transaction/integration costs (including reimbursement thereof) related to recent/terminated acquisitions; charges (credits) for changes in estimates of contingent acquisition consideration; and costs associated with product liability litigation. (e) Reported results in 2021 and 2020 include restructuring and other costs consisting principally of severance, abandoned facility and other expenses of headcount reductions within several businesses and real estate consolidations. Reported results in 2021 also include $4 of credits for the settlement of environmental-related matters, offset in part by $3 of net charges for pre-acquisition related matters. Reported results in 2020 also include $10 of charges for impairment of acquired technology. (f) Reported results in 2021 and 2020 include gains on investments and charges for the amortization of bridge loan commitment fees related to pending/terminated acquisitions. Reported results in 2020 also include $5 of net charges for the settlement/curtailment of pension plans. (g) Reported provision for income taxes in 2021 and 2020 includes incremental tax benefit for the pre-tax reconciling items between GAAP and adjusted net income. Reported results in 2020 also include $11 of incremental tax benefit from adjusting the company's non-U.S. deferred tax balances as a result of tax rate changes. Notes: Consolidated depreciation expense is $205 and $161 in 2021 and 2020, respectively.





Base Business Organic Revenue Growth







Three Months

Ended



October 2,



2021





Revenue Growth

9 % COVID-19 Response Revenue (a) (b)

-2 % Base Business Revenue Growth

11 % Acquisitions

0 % Currency Translation

1 % Base Business Organic Revenue Growth

10 %







(a) COVID-19 response revenue includes effects of COVID-19 response revenues from acquired businesses and foreign currency translation. (b) Adjustment to exclude the impact of COVID-19 response revenue.

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income (unaudited) (a)(b)



















Nine Months Ended



October 2,

% of

September 26,

% of (In millions except per share amounts)

2021

Revenues

2020

Revenues

















Revenues

$ 28,509







$ 21,668





Costs and Operating Expenses:















Cost of revenues (c)

13,675



48.0 %

10,846



50.1 % Selling, general and administrative expenses (d)

4,884



17.1 %

3,971



18.3 % Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets

1,295



4.6 %

1,256



5.8 % Research and development expenses

1,014



3.6 %

805



3.7 % Restructuring and other costs (e)

151



0.5 %

67



0.3 %



21,019



73.7 %

16,945



78.2 % Operating Income

7,490



26.3 %

4,723



21.8 % Interest Income

32







53





Interest Expense

(375)







(407)





Other Expense (f)

(174)







(36)





Income Before Income Taxes

6,973







4,333





Provision for Income Taxes (g)

(906)







(456)





Net Income

$ 6,067



21.3 %

$ 3,877



17.9 %

















Earnings per Share:















Basic

$ 15.41







$ 9.79





Diluted

$ 15.29







$ 9.71





Weighted Average Shares:















Basic

394







396





Diluted

397







399









































Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Income and Adjusted Operating Margin















GAAP Operating Income (a)

$ 7,490



26.3 %

$ 4,723



21.8 % Cost of Revenues Charges (c)

8



0.0 %

5



0.0 % Selling, General and Administrative Charges (Credits) (d)

33



0.1 %

(7)



0.0 % Restructuring and Other Costs (e)

151



0.5 %

67



0.3 % Amortization of Acquisition-related Intangible Assets

1,295



4.6 %

1,256



5.8 % Adjusted Operating Income (b)

$ 8,977



31.5 %

$ 6,044



27.9 %

















Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income















GAAP Net Income (a)

$ 6,067







$ 3,877





Cost of Revenues Charges (c)

8







5





Selling, General and Administrative Charges (Credits) (d)

33







(7)





Restructuring and Other Costs (e)

151







67





Amortization of Acquisition-related Intangible Assets

1,295







1,256





Other Expense (f)

200







79





Benefit from Income Taxes (g)

(380)







(302)





Adjusted Net Income (b)

$ 7,374







$ 4,975























Reconciliation of Adjusted Earnings per Share















GAAP Diluted EPS (a)

$ 15.29







$ 9.71





Cost of Revenues Charges, Net of Tax (c)

0.02







0.01





Selling, General and Administrative Charges (Credits), Net of Tax (d)

0.04







(0.01)





Restructuring and Other Costs, Net of Tax (e)

0.29







0.13





Amortization of Acquisition-related Intangible Assets, Net of Tax

2.54







2.49





Other Expense, Net of Tax (f)

0.43







0.15





Benefit from Income Taxes (g)

(0.03)







(0.02)





Adjusted EPS (b)

$ 18.58







$ 12.46























Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow















GAAP Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities (a)

$ 6,855







$ 4,950





Purchases of Property, Plant and Equipment

(1,692)







(888)





Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant and Equipment

9







7





Free Cash Flow

$ 5,172







$ 4,069







Segment Data

Nine Months Ended



October 2,

% of

September 26,

% of (In millions)

2021

Revenues

2020

Revenues

















Revenues















Life Sciences Solutions

$ 11,481



40.3 %

$ 7,800



36.0 % Analytical Instruments

4,344



15.2 %

3,488



16.1 % Specialty Diagnostics

4,212



14.8 %

3,376



15.6 % Laboratory Products and Services

10,667



37.4 %

8,629



39.8 % Eliminations

(2,195)



-7.7 %

(1,625)



-7.5 % Consolidated Revenues

$ 28,509



100.0 %

$ 21,668



100.0 %

















Operating Income and Operating Margin















Life Sciences Solutions

$ 5,818



50.7 %

$ 3,788



48.6 % Analytical Instruments

816



18.8 %

477



13.7 % Specialty Diagnostics

983



23.3 %

848



25.1 % Laboratory Products and Services

1,360



12.8 %

931



10.8 % Subtotal Reportable Segments

8,977



31.5 %

6,044



27.9 %

















Cost of Revenues Charges (c)

(8)



0.0 %

(5)



0.0 % Selling, General and Administrative (Charges) Credits (d)

(33)



-0.1 %

7



0.0 % Restructuring and Other Costs (e)

(151)



-0.5 %

(67)



-0.3 % Amortization of Acquisition-related Intangible Assets

(1,295)



-4.6 %

(1,256)



-5.8 % GAAP Operating Income (a)

$ 7,490



26.3 %

$ 4,723



21.8 %





































(a) "GAAP" (reported) results were determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). (b) Adjusted results are non-GAAP measures and, for income measures, exclude certain charges to cost of revenues (see note (c) for details); certain credits/charges to selling, general and administrative expenses (see note (d) for details); amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets; restructuring and other costs (see note (e) for details); certain other gains or losses that are either isolated or cannot be expected to occur again with any predictability (see note (f) for details); and the tax consequences of the preceding items and certain other tax items (see note (g) for details). (c) Reported results in 2021 include charges for the sale of inventories revalued at the date of acquisition. Reported results in 2020 include $2 of charges to conform the accounting policies of a recently acquired business with the company's accounting policies and $3 of accelerated depreciation on manufacturing assets to be abandoned due to facility consolidations. (d) Reported results in 2021 and 2020 include certain third-party expenses (credits), principally transaction/integration costs (including reimbursement thereof) related to recent/terminated acquisitions; credits for changes in estimates of contingent acquisition consideration; and charges associated with product liability litigation. (e) Reported results in 2021 and 2020 include restructuring and other costs consisting principally of severance, abandoned facility and other expenses of headcount reductions within several businesses and real estate consolidations, and charges for impairment of acquired technology. Reported results in 2021 include $13 of charges for compensation contractually due to employees of acquired businesses at the date of acquisition; $3 of net charges for pre-acquisition related matters; offset in part by $4 of credits for the settlement of environmental-related matters. (f) Reported results in 2021 and 2020 include gains on investments and charges associated with entering hedging contracts and amortization of bridge loan commitment fees for pending/terminated acquisitions. Reported results in 2021 include $197 of losses on the early extinguishment of debt. Reported results in 2020 include $6 of net charges for the settlement/curtailment of pension plans. (g) Reported provision for income taxes in 2021 and 2020 includes incremental tax benefit for the pre-tax reconciling items between GAAP and adjusted net income and $12 and $5 of incremental tax benefit, respectively, from adjusting the company's non-U.S. deferred tax balances as a result of tax rate changes. Reported results in 2020 also include $2 of incremental tax benefit from audit settlements. Notes: Consolidated depreciation expense is $614 and $467 in 2021 and 2020, respectively.





Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet (unaudited)





















October 2,

December 31, (In millions)

2021

2020









Assets







Current Assets:







Cash and cash equivalents

$ 12,027



$ 10,325

Accounts receivable, net

5,557



5,741

Inventories

4,906



4,029

Other current assets

2,234



1,862

Total current assets

24,724



21,957

Property, Plant and Equipment, Net

7,049



5,912

Acquisition-related Intangible Assets, Net

11,927



12,685

Other Assets

2,991



2,457

Goodwill

26,909



26,041

Total Assets

$ 73,600



$ 69,052





















Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity







Current Liabilities:







Short-term obligations and current maturities of long-term obligations

$ 19



$ 2,628

Other current liabilities

7,734



7,676

Total current liabilities

7,753



10,304

Other Long-term Liabilities

5,449



5,134

Long-term Obligations

21,688



19,107

Total Shareholders' Equity

38,710



34,507

Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

$ 73,600



$ 69,052





Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (unaudited)





















Nine Months Ended



October 2,

September 26, (In millions)

2021

2020









Operating Activities







Net income

$ 6,067



$ 3,877











Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:







Depreciation and amortization

1,909



1,723

Change in deferred income taxes

(455)



(496)

Other non-cash expenses, net

544



354

Changes in assets and liabilities, excluding the effects of acquisitions and disposition

(1,210)



(508)

Net cash provided by operating activities

6,855



4,950











Investing Activities







Acquisitions, net of cash acquired

(1,519)



(3)

Purchases of property, plant and equipment

(1,692)



(888)

Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment

9



7

Other investing activities, net

(38)





Net cash used in investing activities

(3,240)



(884)











Financing Activities







Net proceeds from issuance of debt

3,122



3,464

Repayment of debt

(2,807)



(712)

Net proceeds from issuance of commercial paper





383

Repayment of commercial paper





(387)

Purchases of company common stock

(2,000)



(1,500)

Dividends paid

(292)



(250)

Net proceeds from issuance of company common stock under employee stock plans

101



156

Other financing activities, net

(10)



(146)

Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities

(1,886)



1,008











Exchange Rate Effect on Cash

(17)



74

Increase in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

1,712



5,148

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash at Beginning of Period

10,336



2,422

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash at End of Period

$ 12,048



$ 7,570





















Free Cash Flow (a)

$ 5,172



$ 4,069























(a) Free cash flow is net cash provided by operating activities less net purchases of property, plant and equipment.



SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific

Related Links

http://www.thermofisher.com


LAUF AN DER PEGNITZ, Germany, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- THOMAS SABO is now a certified member of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC): The international jewellery brand is thus demonstrating its awareness of ethical principles as well as a corporate policy that is environmentally compatible and respects human rights. Prior to this, all THOMAS SABO business practices were successfully reviewed by an independent, external audit in accordance with the standards of the RJC Code of Practices.

Dr Gunnar Binder, CEO of THOMAS SABO: "The certification raises awareness of our responsibility and our respect for society and the environment as part of our corporate actions in accordance with the international standards of the OECD: in business partnerships and, in the future, even more so in our relationship with our customers and it will also serve as a compass guiding all employees".

THOMAS SABO has a strong cross-disciplinary presence in the industry and a global network covering more than 70 countries, and with this certification is joining other leading companies in the jewellery and watch industry. Founded in 1984, THOMAS SABO today designs and markets some 3,000 products in partnership with leading suppliers to the jewellery and watch industry.

Further information: https://unternehmen.thomassabo.com/responsibility-en.html

Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com)

About THOMAS SABO

THOMAS SABO is one of the leading international jewellery companies, offering its versatile designs through selective and high-quality multi-channel distribution. THOMAS SABO has designed and sold watches since 2009 and sunglasses since 2019, in addition to its core segment of elaborately handcrafted jewellery in 925 Sterling silver. Founded in 1984 in Germany, the company is represented in more than 70 countries worldwide, through its own stores, wholesale partners and the online shop at www.thomassabo.com.

Press contact

THOMAS SABO GmbH & Co. KG

Andreas Freitag

Head of Global PR & Communications

+49912397150

[email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/ThomasSaboUK

http://instagram.com/thomassabo

http://twitter.com/THOMASSABO





SOURCE THOMAS SABO GmbH & Co.KG
LOS ANGELES,

Oct 27, 2021

The Houlihan Lokey Thrive Scholars program will help Thrive support five high school students in New York and five students in Los Angeles each year, known as Houlihan Lokey Thrive Scholars, as they progress to college and enter the workforce. The Houlihan Lokey Thrive Scholars will be matched with Houlihan Lokey mentors once they enter college and will have the opportunity to join Thrive's Finance Track during their sophomore year of college. Part of Houlihan Lokey's grant will support Thrive's development of the Finance Track, to be launched later this year, and the firm's employees will participate in training Scholars who enter this program. The Finance Track is a three-year program within Thrive Scholars' six-year support model that is focused on helping Scholars develop the hard and soft skills they need to succeed in finance careers.

"We set out to identify and partner with an organization with an established track record of success in making a positive impact, and with whom we could have a meaningful relationship  one which incorporates developing and preparing individuals for successful careers in financial services at Houlihan Lokey and elsewhere," said David Preiser, Co-President of Houlihan Lokey. "In this respect, Thrive is a perfect partner, and we look forward to many years of collaboration and success as we make good on our commitment to Education and Opportunity."

Thrive Scholars' goal is to see talented students of color from low-income communities develop the inter-generational wealth and financial security their more privileged peers take for granted, and become the diverse corporate, civic and academic leaders our country needs. Through an integrated, multi-stage program, Thrive Scholars provides students the support they need to get into a top college, achieve college success (with programs like their signature Summer Academy), graduate from college, and then pursue fulfilling jobs and careers. Thrive's program impact is significant  more than 90% of Scholars attend a Top 100 College, over 40% go to Ivy League schools, and 98% of them graduate from college with better grades than all students - not just other students of color.

Steve Stein, CEO of Thrive Scholars, shares "We are extraordinarily proud of our Scholars' success, and our partnership with Houlihan Lokey will broaden and further contribute to Thrive's impact. The partnership will help our Scholars overcome barriers to entry in the finance sector, preparing them for the requirements of a high-impact career so they can become the diverse leaders the industry needs. We're delighted to be working with Houlihan Lokey on this new program."

About Thrive Scholars

Rooted in equity, the mission of Thrive Scholars is to help high-achieving, low-income underrepresented students get into and graduate from top colleges equipped to achieve their full career potential. Our program offers six years of comprehensive support from high school to early career success in high-impact careers. We aim for our Scholars to become the diverse leaders our nation needs and to develop the intergenerational wealth and financial security their more privileged peers take for granted.

About Houlihan Lokey

Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI) is a global investment bank with expertise in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructuring, and valuation. The firm serves corporations, institutions, and governments worldwide with offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Independent advice and intellectual rigor are hallmarks of the firm's commitment to client success across its advisory services. Houlihan Lokey is the No. 1 M&A advisor for the past six consecutive years in the U.S., the No. 1 global restructuring advisor for the past seven consecutive years, and the No. 1 global M&A fairness opinion advisor over the past 20 years, all based on number of transactions and according to data provided by Refinitiv.

SOURCE Thrive Scholars

Related Links

thrivescholars.org


Tint World Houston offers the latest in ultra-premium window tint, automotive aftermarket accessories, expert installation, and a top-notch staff of highly trained installers and technicians.

"This new Tint World Houston location is an important addition to our growing presence in Texas," said Charles J. Bonfiglio, President and CEO of Tint World. "Sameer and Huma have demonstrated a passion for Tint World, and our industry that will support our continuing expansion and serve the community they're investing in."

The new store is located at 3115 Fondren Road, Houston, Texas, 77063 and it can be reached at (832) 416-1677. For more information on all the products and services at this Tint World location, visit their website at https://www.tintworld.com/locations/tx/houston-091/.

Tint World Automotive Styling Centers offer sales and installation of auto accessories, mobile electronics, audio video equipment, security systems, custom wheels and tire packages, window tinting, vehicle wraps, paint protection films, detailing services, nano ceramic coatings, maintenance and repair services, and more. Tint World is also the leading provider of residential, commercial and marine computerized window tinting and security film services with locations throughout the U.S. and abroad, with franchise opportunities available worldwide.

About Tint World

Founded in 1982, Tint World Automotive Styling Centers is America's largest and fastest-growing automotive accessories and window tinting international franchise, specializing in car and truck accessories, mobile electronics, audio-video equipment, security systems, detailing services, nano ceramic coatings, custom wheel and tire packages, maintenance and repair services, and much more.

Tint World services include residential, commercial, and marine window tinting films, solar films, decorative films, safety, and security films. Tint World has locations in the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, with master franchise opportunities available worldwide. To find out more, please visit www.TintWorld.com or www.TintWorldFranchise.com .

Tint World Contact:

Charles J. Bonfiglio, CEO

(888) 944-8648

[email protected]

MEDIA CONTACT:

Heather Ripley

Ripley PR

865-977-1973

[email protected]

SOURCE Tint World
TOLEDO, Ohio, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tracing its roots to a collection of companies that once generated power to illuminate downtown streetlights and operate electric passenger railways, Toledo Edison, a FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) electric company, will celebrate its 100th anniversary on Monday, Nov. 1.

"The world has changed immeasurably over the last hundred years, and Toledo Edison has been there each step of the way, delivering safe and reliable electric service to our customers," said Ed Shuttleworth, president of FirstEnergy's Ohio operations. "As we look into the future, we are driven by the opportunity to pave the way for a more robust power system that meets the evolving needs of our customers while supporting the integration of diverse energy sources in the years to come."

Toledo Edison was established in 1921, when streetcar operations run by Toledo Railways and Light were sold to the Community Traction Company, known today as the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority. As passengers deserted electric railways and trolleys for automobiles, Toledo Edison acquired the system's transmission lines, enabling the company to deliver power to customers in rural areas along former streetcar routes.

Located on the Maumee River in East Toledo, the Acme Power Station was Toledo Edison's flagship operation for many decades and generated 90% of the electricity for northwest Ohio until 1955. When Toledo Edison sold one of the steam turbines from its Acme plant to the City of New Orleans in 1950, no one could have imagined that it would survive the flooding and devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Residential electric consumption and industrial growth in Toledo Edison's service area continued after World War II, and the company expanded its operations to keep up with the demand for electricity. For the next 30 years, Toledo Edison continued to purchase smaller utility companies and expanded its generation resources to nuclear power. In 1986, Toledo Edison became part of Centerior Energy, which merged with FirstEnergy Corp. in 1997.

While Toledo Edison no longer generates electricity, the company continues to keep up with the evolving energy needs of the region as it delivers power to nearly 315,000 customers in northwest Ohio. Toledo Edison is investing about $76 million into new, automated equipment and technology in substations and along power lines to help prevent power outages and reduce many service interruptions to just a brief or momentary outage. The upgraded infrastructure is a part of a three-year phased grid modernization plan that began last year.

Toledo Edison's commitment to northwest Ohio does not stop with the delivery of reliable electric service. FirstEnergy and Toledo Edison continue to play a key role in the region's economic development by working to ensure the local power grid is ready to support the future demands of new and existing energy-intensive customers in the region.

Toledo Edison and the FirstEnergy Foundation also have infused tens of thousands of dollars into local communities over the years, including recent contributions to provide timely assistance to families and organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through the FirstEnergy Foundation's "Investing with Purpose" initiative. At the start of the pandemic, the FirstEnergy Foundation donated $500,000 to 42 local food banks and hunger centers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia and Maryland, which included $25,000 for the Toledo Northwest Ohio Foodbank.

In recent years, Toledo Edison employees have participated in countless charitable causes across the region, like installing free smoke detectors for Toledo families, donating and preparing meals for families at the Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Ohio and hosting food and monetary donation drives for local foodbanks.

"Our employees live in the communities we serve, happily volunteering their time, talents and dollars to make each a better place to live, work and raise families," said Shuttleworth. "We look forward to continuing to shine a bright light across northwest Ohio for many more years to come."

Follow Toledo Edison on Twitter @ToledoEdison or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ToledoEdison.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

Editor's Note: Historical photos of Toledo Edison are available for download on Flickr.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

Related Links

http://www.firstenergycorp.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tradewind Finance is pleased to announce it has sanctioned a USD 4 Million facility to a leading Bangladeshi readymade garments manufacturer. The group, headquartered in Dhaka, represents over 40 business enterprises across Bangladesh and employs over 21,000 employees. Their primary offerings include a variety of woven products sold to renowned international retailers situated in the EU and US.

The company, originally selling on immediate payment terms, explored a variety of financing options before choosing to work with Tradewind Finance. The receivables finance solution crafted by Tradewind suited the company's requirements best as it would help the manufacturer to facilitate greater orders with added credit protection against potential buyer non-payment, and churn more orders on credit terms up to 90 days without negatively affecting their cash cycle.

Such a practical trade-based facility allows for the client to avail financing without needing to tie-up their assets as collateral. The company can safely and securely fund their own growth by tapping into their receivables which would otherwise be paid at the invoice maturity date agreed upon by the buyers.

Md. Rashedul Hasan, Assistant Vice President  Bangladesh Commercial, commented: "Tradewind serves as the bridge between the client and buyers, facilitating liquidity expectations on both legs of the transaction. We are delighted to be able to quickly and effectively provide financing on flexible and feasible terms, in line with the company's business requirements. "

Founded in 2000, Tradewind Finance, an international trade finance company, maintains a network of offices all over the world, including Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, Iceland, India, Pakistan, Peru, Turkey, UAE, and USA as well as its headquarters in Germany. Combining financing, credit protection, and collections into a single suite of trade finance products, Tradewind Finance brings streamlined, flexible and best-in-class services to the world's exporters and importers.

Contact:

Tradewind Finance

[email protected]

https://www.tradewindfinance.com/

SOURCE Tradewind Finance

Related Links

http://www.tradewindfinance.com


Drug addiction and overdoses affect every race, every religion, and gender. On this subject, we must all come together.

Emma Ashton, social reform officer of the KC Church of Scientology, began the program with an overview of the Truth About Drugs materials of Foundation for a Drug-Free World. "The Church of Scientology supports the Foundation so we can provide vital information about drugs and their consequences to everyone," she said. "We do this to help people make informed decisions to live drug-free. Drug education is vital to stop the spiraling trend of drug use and abuse."

"Division is the thread that runs through the fabric of every social issue we face," said DeLeon to those attending the conference. "But drug addiction and overdoses affect every race, every religion, and gender. On this subject, we must all come together."

DeLeon, who is featured in an episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network, uses Truth About Drugs materials as the centerpiece of his presentations to youth, parents, educators, prison inmatesanyone willing to learn more.

In his talk, he covered everything from vaping to fentanyl, including the vast number of fake drugs flooding the market and contributing to the increase in overdose deaths.

In the Kansas City Metro area, opioid-related overdose deaths increased by nearly 56 percent from 2019 to 2020. Just last month the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency issued an alert that deadly counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and meth are on the rise.

"The spike in drug overdoses concerns everyone, and providing more and better education on these drugs and gateway drugs can help combat it," said Bennette Seaman, spokesperson for the Church of Scientology of Kansas City. "Long before this crisis began, Scientology Founder L Ron Hubbard wrote, 'The planet has hit a barrier that prevents any widespread social progress: drugs and other toxic substances.' We are proud to offer Truth About Drugs materials free of charge as a public benefit."

Ashton announced a drug education specialist training seminar Tuesday, November 15, from 6:30  9:30 p.m. at the Church of Scientology at 1805 Grand Blvd. Anyone wishing to make a difference on this urgent problem is invited to attend. There is no charge for the training or the Truth About Drugs materials. To schedule to attend contact Emma Ashton at (816) 753-6590.

For more information on the Truth About Drugs, visit the website of Foundation for a Drug-Free World. For information on Michael DeLeon, or to book a presentation or support his activities, visit the website of Steered Straight.

DeLeon will return to the Kansas City area in early December. Contact his office at (856) 691-6676 to schedule a Steered Straight visit to a local school, church, business, organization or social group.

The Church of Scientology Kansas City is an Ideal Scientology Organization dedicated in November 2019 by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige. The Church works extensively with other religions, nonprofits and officials on programs to uplift and benefit the community. Its outreach activities throughout the pandemic are featured in a series of videos on an interactive timeline on the Scientology website.

SOURCE Church of Scientology International

Related Links

http://www.scientology.org


"Mitsubishi is leading the way as a disruptor in this space by creating a connected customer experience that combines the marketing power of the OEM with the distribution strength of the local dealer," said Stacey Coopes, Founder and CEO of Unite Digital. "Most OEMs do not provide customized broadcast assets for dealers to use in their local markets. For years, OEMs have aggregated budgets for regional advertising but sent the traffic to separately branded Tier II websites. As a result, many customers abandon the brand, confused by a disjointed shopping experience."

Unite Digital's regional marketing platform unifies the shopping experience by enabling dealers to integrate their branding and price points directly into high-budget advertising that drives traffic directly to their own digital properties. The result is a truly seamless customer experience that is driving increased lead volume.

"Mitsubishi may be a small auto manufacturer, but we have big products hitting the market right now. When customers see the best-in-class features and capabilities of our vehicles, they are wowed," said Mark Chaffin, Chief Operating Officer, Mitsubishi Motors North America. "We have the product, and now Unite Digital is helping us build our brand with breakthrough ideas that cut through the clutter, helping consumers connect with our dealers directly."

A pilot for the new regional marketing platform that ran in the spring for the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, featuring Franz Ferdinand's Take Me Out, yielded a 50 percent increase in lead volumes among participating dealers.

"The Eclipse Cross campaign was a real hit, and Mitsubishi has done a great job communicating with the dealer body, using the national advisory committee as a sounding board to develop a marketing strategy that works," said Ryan Gremore, president, O'Brien Mitsubishi. "Pairing the Outlander with a classic, recognizable song, like Thunderstruck, is going to be absolute dynamite and will reinvigorate the customer base. In addition, launching a product like Outlander that speaks to Mitsubishi culture and having music that matches that attitude, with customizable ads at the Tier III level, will continue to reenergize our brand."

Why it Works

Unite's approach leverages OEM high-quality media, music and creative to provide dealers with personalized broadcast, radio, digital and social assets with a direct-to-dealer message that would be out of reach of any individual dealership's budget.

Delivering Tier I advertising at the Tier III level achieves the following:

Extends reach and effectiveness by delivering a consistent message with the same high-quality advertising, product and service features.

Provides a comprehensive asset set for broadcast, digital, and connected TV with integrated dealer price points, logos and URLs.

"As OEMs review their Tier II strategies, they should consider approaches that leverage their buying power with high-quality creative to connect consumers directly to local dealers, driving traffic and sales," Coopes said.

The success of this practice signals that the U.S. industry's long-standing methods on second-tier marketing funds continue to face disruption.

How it works

Mitsubishi funds the asset development, and dealers fund their own advertising budgets to place the ads in their local market. Thus, dealers can tag and price point Mitsubishi's TV and radio spots featuring AC/DC's iconic hit Thunderstruck at whatever level is suitable for their market.

Mitsubishi Motors' new "Thunderstruck" campaign was developed in collaboration with The Sussman Agency in Detroit. The agency worked in close collaboration with MMNA, Unite Digital and its National Advisory Board dealer partners, ensuring a cohesive and memorable set of creative deliverables that differentiates the brand for a national audience while providing an aligned and targeted platform for locally customized executions.

Directed by creative veteran Susan Stallings, the high-energy spot is characterized by synchronized sound and lighting, taking inspiration from the response the Outlander consistently evokes when people experience it in person.

About Unite Digital:

Founded in January 2016 by industry veteran Stacey Coopes, Unite Digital helps brands connect with their distribution partners and technology solutions to deliver unparalleled digital experiences. Unite Digital's focus includes building certified digital programs, digital marketing, traffic generation, lead optimization, online-offline retail integration and customer retention and loyalty strategies. Its leadership team has more than 125 years of combined automotive and digital experience from strategic leadership, global business development, brand positioning and marketing, sales and service optimization, and information technology. For more information, visit www.unitedigital.com.

SOURCE Unite Digital, LLC
Yaniv Bertele, CEO and Founder, Vesttoo, said: "Vesttoo is honored to welcome an executive of Jacques's calibre to lead its advisory board. Jacques's extensive leadership experience spans the insurance and reinsurance sector and the capital markets, as well as corporate finance and governance. His expertise in these areas will be invaluable to Vesttoo as we continue on our mission to collaborate with both the insurance and capital markets to offer capital markets investors access to a wide range of insurance risks while providing liquidity and much needed capacity in the insurance and reinsurance sector."

Jacques Aigrain, Chairman of the Advisory Board, Vesttoo, said: "I am excited to take on the leadership of Vesttoo's strong and diverse global advisory board and help the company build on its success in the alternative reinsurance market. I have been impressed with Vesttoo's growth as it leverages advanced technology to bring together insurers seeking to transfer liabilities, which are not covered by traditional reinsurance, and capital market investors targeting insurance-related investments."

The appointment follows Vesttoo's recent announcement of an insurance linked program (ILP), which enables asset managers and pension schemes to earn long-term, sustainable returns by pledging securities, rather than directly allocating cash, to support short and mid-term Life and P&C alternative risk transfer transactions. Investors will benefit from BB spread with AA uncorrelated risk by using existing securities inventory.

Jacques Aigrain currently serves as Chairman of the board at Singular Bank and LyondellBassell NV, as well as a Non-Executive Director of the London Stock Exchange Group, WPP PLC and Clearwater Analytics (CWAN).

Mr. Aigrain will chair the board of prominent experts on Vesttoo's existing advisory board, which include executives from all areas of the global and regulatory insurance space, executive financial experts and executives from the global business arena. They are:

Hedwige Nuyens

30 years of experience in the banking industry and in finance. Managing director of the International Banking Federation, Regulatory Affairs, Chief Risk Officer and Chief Financial Officer. BNP Paribas, Catholic University Louvain and ABN Amro Bank Belgium.

William Lowry

William Lowry is a Senior and C-level executive in multiple reinsurance companies, expert of Insurance Linked Securities (ILS) and the former CFO of Swiss Re in the US. William brings significant experience in the management of insurance, reinsurance, ILS and insurance-related companies to the advisory board.

Steve M. Goldman

Steve Goldman is a former partner at Kramer Levin Natfalis & Frankel LLP and an expert attorney who specializes in banking and insurance law. He is the former Commissioner of the NJ department of banking and insurance, dealt with corporate law at Sills Cummis Epstein & Gross PC for 22 years and sat on President Obama's advisory committee.

Joseph Haviv

Joseph Haviv is the founder, chairman and managing member of Protostar Partners private equity. Additionally, he sits on the MC Square Capital advisory board, and is a lead investor of Constitution Reinsurance and Partner Reinsurance. In the past, he was a partner at McKinsey and Co. and VP at EXOR America, among others.

Dr. Michel Leonard

Dr. Michel Leonard, CBE, is an economist and data scientist with 20 years of experience in insurance and finance. He is 3i's Vice President & Senior Economist, as well as faculty at NYU and Columbia University. His past roles include: Principal & CDS at MaKroLLC, Chief Economist & SVP in Aon, Chief Economist & Data Scientist Alliant Insurance KKR and Global Business Advisory Council for the White House/State/Commerce.

Emmanuel Pierron

Emmanuel Pierron has 20 years of experience in Insurance, Reinsurance and Innovation: risk, technique and big data, operations and new technologies. He has a strong interest and vast experience in the creation of activities, business and startups. Past roles: Chief Innovation Officer at KAMET (AXA Group's VC), Chief Data Officer at AXA Group and Chief Technical & Claims Officer at Direct Assurance.

Ari M. Paltiel

40 years of experience in socio-demographic research & mortality statistics. Demographer & Lecturer at Hebrew University and member of governmental advisory committees on demography & mortality. Held multiple senior positions in the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics and led pioneering investigation teams in Israel & Germany.

About Vesttoo

Vesttoo is the world's first marketplace for Life and P&C insurance-based risk transfer and investments. Our proprietary AI-based technology facilitates risk transfer between insurance companies and institutional investors, providing insurance-linked investments to asset managers of all types, while enhancing risk transfer and liquidity in the Life and P&C insurance markets.

Our vision is to create a world where the insurance and capital markets are fused and globally accessible, bridging the insurance funding gap with capacity from the capital markets.

For more information, visit https://vesttoo.com .

Media Contact:

Liran Grunhaus

[email protected]

SOURCE Vesttoo
DETROIT, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Known as one of the "fastest growing" clinics in the U.S," Vios Fertility Institute expands it services to Detroit, Michigan with a new location scheduled to open in November.

"This marks our fourteenth clinic as Vios expands to provide innovative and patient-centric fertility care options Detroit and the surrounding areas," explains Dr. Beltsos. "We are thrilled to return home to Michigan."

Dr. Sasha Hakman

A "Michigander," Dr. Beltsos grew up in Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor and graduated from Michigan State University. Additionally, Vios physicians Dr. Roohi Jeelani and Dr. Erica Louden are both graduates of the esteemed Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. "We all have meaningful ties to Michigan and are excited to welcome Dr. Sasha Hakman who attended Michigan State University to our Detroit team!"

Dr. Hakman completed her Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and her OBGYN residency at Michigan State University. She earned her medical degree from Saba University School of Medicine and her undergraduate degree from University of Toronto. Highly skilled in all areas of reproductive health, Dr. Hakman has a particular expertise and interest in fertility preservation, PCOS, access to care, and the impacts of lifestyle on fertility.

"I'm excited to join the Vios team to help bring our unique approach to fertility care services to the Detroit region," explains Dr. Hakman. "I have the best of both worlds -to be in a community I love while also being able to bring new innovations and cutting-edge technology to offer a greater chance of success for my patients."

Vios Fertility Institute provides patients with innovative, cutting-edge fertility treatment options to meet the diverse needs of patient's family planning goals. As a team, they strive to be open-minded and forward thinking when evaluating new data, research and technologies that have the potential to improve the care and results they provide to patients. Above all, Vios is built on a foundation of excellent medical care and patient experience.

Vios Fertility Institute Detroit is located at 26400 W 12 Mile Rd Unit 140 Southfield, MI 48034 and accepts a wide range of insurance options. For more information or to make an appointment, please call 866.258.8467 or visit www.ViosFertility.com

About Vios Fertility:

Established in 2015, Vios Fertility Institute is one of the fastest growing fertility clinics in the U.S. with 14 locations in the Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, Portland, and St. Louis regions of the United States. Woman owned, the Vios mission is to help patients find their way to fertility health with the highest chances of success. Vios offers innovative, scientific, and cutting-edge treatment options along with an unparalleled patient experience.

Media Contact:

Daphne Ortiz

Statement PR

312.488.3472

[email protected]

SOURCE Vios Fertility Institute

Related Links

http://www.ViosFertility.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global vitrectomy devices market size is expected to reach USD 1.7 billion by 2028. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2021 to 2028. The growing prevalence of diabetes is expected to drive the probability of diabetic retinopathy, thus, contributing to market growth. Additionally, the growing demand for vitrectomy due to its associated advantages for providing support to other ophthalmic surgeries is also expected to boost the market growth.

Key Insights & Findings:

The vitrectomy machines held the largest revenue share in 2020 owing to the development of advanced machines with features such as small gauge size, and intraocular pressure control

The vitrectomy packs segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period owing to its growing adoption for various indications

The retinal detachment application segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate over the forecast period owing to the growing prevalence of high myopia. Patients with high myopia have a larger probability of developing retinal detachment

The ambulatory surgical centers segment is expected to exhibit the highest growth rate during the forecast period due to its reduced costs and shorter wait time

In Asia Pacific , the market is expected to grow at the highest rate due to the maximum cases of diabetic retinopathy in the region and the presence of a large patient pool

Read 120 page market research report, "Vitrectomy Devices Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product, By Application (Diabetic Retinopathy, Retinal Detachment), By End-use (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028", by Grand View Research

Ophthalmic diseases are seen prevalent in the elderly population. The growing geriatric population is expected to drive the market and the need for vitrectomy devices. As per the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the elderly population is expected to reach 72.0 million people by 2030, which may drive the prevalence of ophthalmic disorders. In addition to this, an increasing number of hospital admissions for retinal surgeries such as vitrectomy is expected to drive market growth. Moreover, hospitals have also installed vitrectomy devices to enhance vitreoretinal surgery procedures.

COVID-19 is expected to negatively impact the market in 2020. This is due to the reduction in medical setting visits for ophthalmic care to avoid the spread of infection. Additionally, people with COVID have to experience ophthalmic problems like conjunctivitis, which in turn, is causing hindrance among the medical professionals to perform general ophthalmic surgeries. However, the development of government guidelines to provide constant and effective medical care including ophthalmology may boost market growth during the forecast period.

The risks associated with vitrectomy are also expected to hinder the market growth. Patient undergone vitrectomy has a high probability of generating cataract after few years, thus, negatively impacting its adoption. Additionally, the lack of professional ophthalmologists to understand the operations of advanced vitrectomy devices with multiple functionalities may also pose a threat to the market.

Grand View Research has segmented the global vitrectomy devices market on the basis of product, application, end-use, and region:

Vitrectomy Devices Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Vitrectomy machines



Vitrectomy packs



Photocoagulation lasers



Illumination devices

Vitrectomy Devices Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Diabetic retinopathy



Retinal detachment



Macular hole



Vitreous hemorrhage



Others

Vitrectomy Devices End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Hospitals



Ophthalmic Clinics



Ambulatory Surgery Centers

Vitrectomy Devices Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

North America



U.S.





Canada



Europe



U.K.





Germany





France





Italy





Spain



Asia Pacific



Japan





China





India





Thailand





South Korea



Latin America



Brazil





Mexico





Argentina





Colombia



Middle East & Africa

&

South Africa





Saudi Arabia





UAE

List of Key Players of Vitrectomy Devices Market

Alcon Inc.

Bausch & Lomb Incorporated

BVI

NIDEK CO., LTD.

Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

Blink Medical

Topcon Corporation

Carl Zeiss Meditec AG

Hoya Surgical Optics

Browse through Grand View Research's coverage of the Global Medical Devices Industry:

Ophthalmic Viscosurgical Devices Market  The global ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (OVD) market was valued at USD 285.2 million in 2018 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.9% over the forecast period.

The global ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (OVD) market was valued at in 2018 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.9% over the forecast period. Ophthalmic Photocoagulator Market  The global ophthalmic photocoagulator market size was valued at USD 150.6 million in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7% from 2021 to 2028.

The global ophthalmic photocoagulator market size was valued at in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7% from 2021 to 2028. Retinal Surgery Devices Market  The global retinal surgery devices market size was estimated at USD 1.56 billion in 2016 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period.

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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.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE: VMC) will host its third quarter earnings conference call on Thursday, November 4 at 9:00 a.m. CT (10:00 a.m. ET). Financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 will be released before the NYSE market opens.

The Company invites investors and other interested parties to listen to the live webcast of the conference call at www.vulcanmaterials.com. To participate by phone, call 866-831-8713 approximately 10 minutes before the scheduled start. For international calls, the number is 203-518-9797. The conference ID is 8413025.

A replay of the webcast will be available after the call at the Company's website.

Vulcan Materials Company, a member of the S&P 500 index with headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama, is the nation's largest supplier of construction aggregates  primarily crushed stone, sand and gravel  and a major producer of aggregates-based construction materials, including asphalt and ready-mixed concrete. For additional information about Vulcan, go to www.vulcanmaterials.com.

Investor Contact: Mark Warren (205) 298-3220

Media Contact: Janet Kavinoky (205) 298-3220

SOURCE Vulcan Materials Company

Related Links

http://www.vulcanmaterials.com


NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Weber Shandwick Chairman Jack Leslie announced his retirement today, following a storied career of 45 years in communications and public affairs. Leslie has held the role of chairman at Weber Shandwick for more than 20 years since the merger of Bozell Sawyer Miller Group (BSMG) and Weber Shandwick in 2001. He will stay in his current role until March 2022 and has agreed to continue as a senior advisor, counseling the agency and its clients on corporate reputation, social impact and public policy.

"I am so grateful to have spent my career at the intersection of communications, politics and business, and to have worked with visionaries who've made such a difference in the world. I've also witnessed a transformation of our business; analog became digital, and an era of broadcasting became an era of engagement. We stayed ahead of the curve, and I'm proud we emerged as a leader in our industry. During all this time, I've also been so fortunate to have partners willing to help me pursue my interests in development and humanitarian causes. In the last year, I've been particularly active in advocacy around migration and public health. I'm looking forward to giving more time and attention to these passions," Leslie said.

As a leading communications executive, political consultant and international development activist, Leslie has counseled countless nonprofit organizations, government institutions, civic leaders and the world's largest brands for more than four decades. After serving as a political director for the late Senator Edward Kennedy in the 1980s, Leslie was named president of Sawyer Miller, a pioneering political consulting firm, where he advised dozens of presidential and statewide campaigns in the United States, Latin America, Asia and Africa. He was a close advisor to President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia during both his presidential campaigns and the long peace process in the country. In 2016, Leslie received the highest honor given a non-citizen in Colombia, the Order of San Carlos, for his work on Plan Colombia and during the peace negotiations.

Leslie's work at the helm of Sawyer Miller saw the firm grow into a leading corporate consulting, advocacy and public affairs firm over the next two decades. Leslie was a key member of the leadership team as Weber Shandwick developed into a leading, multidisciplinary marketing services organization, achieved two decades of positive growth and was recognized with the industry's most prestigious awards, including PRovoke's Global and U.S. Agency of the Decade (2020), PRovoke Global Agency of the Year, PRWeek Global Agency of the Year, PRWeek Purpose Agency of the Year, Ad Age Agency A-list and more than 135 Cannes Lions.

"The story of Weber Shandwick's journey to becoming the powerhouse it is today could not be written without Jack Leslie," said Andy Polansky, Chairman & CEO, IPG DXTRA. "Jack's incredible foresight and fortitude to stay ahead of the market and to anticipate client needs pushed our firm time and time again in the right direction. We're grateful for his counsel, his dedication to the agency, his invaluable contributions to driving positive change and personally, for his friendship."

In addition to his professional roles, Leslie is an activist for international development, humanitarian assistance and global health. He chaired USA for UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency) during the 1990s and was appointed to the board of United States African Development Foundation (USADF) in 2003 by President George W. Bush. He was subsequently appointed chairman of the board of USADF by President Barack Obama and has since led missions to 25 African countries. In 2021, USADF announced an annual grant program in Leslie's honor for his 20 years of service. Additionally, Leslie served as chairman of USAID's Advisory Committee for Voluntary Foreign Assistance (ACVFA) during the Obama administration. He is deeply involved in global health, formerly serving as chair of the Advisory Committee of the Duke Global Health Institute and currently as chair of the board of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF). Leslie is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, on the board of directors of Water.org, the Partnership for Central America (PCA) and formerly chair of the board of the Ron Brown Scholars Program.

"Jack's imprint on the evolution of Weber Shandwick is hard to miss," said Gail Heimann, CEO, Weber Shandwick. "Under his leadership and influence over many decades, we have formed an organization that not only solves complex challenges for a diverse mix of clients, but one that delivers with purpose  and a passion for doing well by doing good. And lucky for us, Jack will continue to bring that passion and purpose in his advisory role."

About Weber Shandwick

Weber Shandwick is a leading global communications network that delivers next-generation solutions to brands, businesses and organizations in major markets around the world. Led by world-class strategic and creative thinkers and activators, we have won some of the most prestigious awards in the industry. Weber Shandwick was named to Ad Age's Agency A-List in 2020 and Best Places to Work in 2019. Weber Shandwick was also honored as PRovoke's Global Agency of the Decade in 2020 and PRWeek's Global Agency of the Year in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. The firm earned 25 Lions at the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Data-led, with earned ideas at the core, the agency deploys leading and emerging technologies to inform strategy, develop critical insights and heighten impact across sectors and specialty areas, including brand and B2B marketing, healthcare marketing, change management, employee engagement, corporate reputation, crisis management, data and analytics, technology, public affairs, social impact and financial communications. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com

Contact: Jill Tannenbaum

Company: Weber Shandwick

Phone: 212-546-7815

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Weber Shandwick

Related Links

http://webershandwick.com


"The past eighteen months have exacerbated a nationwide campus mental health crisis that affects both students and faculty alike," said Dr. Russell Swagger, President of LCOOC. "Tribal colleges like LCOOC have felt this pain more acutely than other institutions  making it especially important that we meet the university community where they are and provide access to a diverse group of counselors. Uwill's sophisticated platform and broad counselor team are enabling us to do just that."

LCOOC is launching this new teletherapy solution in response to growing demand for campus mental health support. Prior to 2020, up to 60 percent of college students reported experiencing significant anxiety, and according to recent research, more than eight in 10 college students and many faculty members have seen their mental health negatively affected over the past eighteen months. Research suggests that students at tribal colleges have been especially likely to struggle with mental health issues since the outbreak of the pandemic.

To address this challenge, Uwill's proprietary technology and counselor team leverages artificial intelligence to immediately connect students and faculty to available counselors who meet their unique needs and preferences.

"This partnership reflects the growing importance of technology as a tool to streamline the process of providing student mental health support," said Michael London, founder and CEO of Uwill. "Our work with LCOOC will help more students manage the complexities of the school year and succeed in their journey to earn a degree, while also providing a much-needed resource for faculty during a uniquely challenging time."

Designed to empower students and other institutional stakeholders by enabling them to evaluate and select mental health professionals of their choosing, Uwill is the only secure, student-focused teletherapy platform to offer all communication modalities, including video, phone, chat and message. Uwill works with a diverse cross-section of institutions, including the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, Stevens Institute of Technology, and American Public University to expand their mental health and counseling offerings.

About Uwill

Uwill has become the leading teletherapy solution for colleges and students. Utilizing its proprietary technology and counselor team, Uwill offers an immediate match to a diverse team of licensed therapists in all 50 states and more than 20 countries and facilitates a secure environment with video, phone, chat, and message options. Uwill provides the most cost-effective way to complement a college's mental health offering and works with leading institutions including Carthage College, University of New Hampshire, Midway University, and Bay Path University. Uwill is the exclusive education teletherapy partner for NASPA. For more information, visit uwill.com .

SOURCE Uwill
QINGDAO, China, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- At the 2021 Land-sea Linkage Qingdao Summit held on October 22nd, Xinhua-SPG Port Commodity Index ("XH-SPG PCI") was officially released in Qingdao.

XH-SPG PCI was developed and established by Shandong Port Group Co., Ltd. in collaboration with China Economic Information Service based on the advantageous varieties of Shandong Port. At present, the officially released XH-SPG PCI covers crude oil price index, iron ore inventory and entry and exit index, coke inventory and entry and exit index, steel billet price index and hot-rolled coil price index. It has been established to truly reflect the fluctuation trend of bulk commodity market of the Port and provide value benchmark and effective reference for port trade activities.

Specifically, the estimated CIF price of crude oil can be used by enterprises to predict the premiums and discounts of crude oil trade in two months, and the spot crude oil price index can reflect the crude oil CIF price at the current time node. The operation results of the index show that since the base period (February 3rd, 2020), the overall index has seen a "V" trend, with a fall followed by a rise. At the beginning, the global crude oil consumption demand was greatly reduced due to the outbreak of COVID-19. After that, with the resumption of work and production in China and the easing of release of OPEC + crude oil production capacity, the global crude oil supply and demand remained in a tight balance, and the index showed a volatile rising trend.

For the iron ore inventory index, entry and exit index of iron ore, coke inventory index and entry and exit index of coke, January 1st, 2021 is taken as the base period. The compliant actual inventory data and entry and exit volume data of iron ore and coke in Shandong Port were collected respectively to reflect the overall change trend of iron ore and coke inventory in Shandong Port and the circulation activity of the Port. The index operation results show that since the base period, the iron ore inventory index has mainly shown a horizontal volatile trend. Affected by the supply of imported mines and the demand of inland traders and steel mills, the entry and exit index of iron ore has seen horizontal fluctuation. Due to the weak controllability of factors such as ship arrival time and mine shipment, the entry and exit index has seen a relatively significant fluctuation in general. Affected by the tight supply of coking coal, overcapacity cutting, stricter safety and environmental protection inspection and the change of operating rate of downstream steel mills, the coke inventory index showed a volatile downward trend in general. The coke entry and exit index fluctuated significantly due to the closure on holidays, environmental protection and production restriction, and changes in upstream and downstream supply and demand.

For the steel billet price index, August 1st, 2019 is taken as the base period to collect the daily settlement price of steel billet generated by the actual trading of Shandong Bulk Commodity Trading Center. Since the base period, the overall index has shown a volatile trend, with a fall followed by a rise. For the price index of hot-rolled coil, August 3rd, 2020 is taken as the base period to collect the daily settlement price of hot-rolled coil generated by the actual trading of Shandong Bulk Commodity Trading Center. Since the base period, the index has shown a trapezoidal upward trend in general.

According to the plan, the varieties involved in the index will be gradually enriched in the future, and the index will also be extended to cover other coastal ports, so as to continue to build an index information platform of "seeing Shandong for port bulk commodities".

SOURCE China Economic Information Service
New Delhi, Oct 27 : He goes back to the time when he was two or three-years-old. Living in a haveli built on high-grounds, with his family in Patiala, he remembers how he would use the charcoal meant for fuel to draw figures on the walls and ground. Right now, artist Ranbir Kaleka, whose works are part of the exhibition 'The Conference of The Birds' presented by Ojas Art and Yuva Ekta Foundation in the capital is in his home in Sarvapriya Vihar in New Delhi, but only physically.

"It was not a very large family. There were times when I would be alone in one part of the haveli, just drawing and looking at the dust rising from one of the huge windows. My father, grandmother and my two uncles would always appreciate what I was doing and encourage me. In fact, when I was four-years-old, my father declared that I would be sent to an art school," says the artist who completed his Master's degree in painting from the Royal College of Art in London.

Talking about his work 'Conference of Birds and Beasts' (a digital collage archival inks and oil on canvas), which is part of the exhibition, made during the Commonwealth Games, which besides birds and animals also shows the bridge that collapsed -- a kind of post human city, Kaleka, whose work often centers around themes of animals, sexuality and tradition, says, "It's also about creating a world where the man is not at the centre of the world." The artist, who first combined video and painting with 'Man Threading a Needle' that was exhibited in 1998, and also co-founded the Patiala Film Society recalls that his love for the moving image can be traced back to childhood, when one of his uncles would wrap towels around his belly, wear different colored turbans and carry a lantern. "He would cast a shadow on one of the large walls of the haveli and do a kind of shadow play, which was quite wonderful. One day, from the balcony I saw a moving image and asked my uncle what it was. When we went there, a public message film on malaria was being screened. I was too stunned to speak. When at last when the projector went off, I saw just a van and a piece of cloth. And of course, in the later years, I had a mentor like Lali, who had an amazing library and introduced me to many great authors," says the artist, who initially trained as a painter, and over the years one has seen animated two-dimensional canvases within experimental film narrative sequences in his works.

Kaleka stresses that when it comes to producing art, it is very difficult to tell what comes from where. "From one's personal life experiences and even art history. Sadly, in India, we study Indian art much later... And of course things that touch you deeply become the source of whatever you are making. Painting is a material object when you are looking at it, its image falls on your retina in an instant, but the real image comes with time, when you have closed your eyes, when you are away from the artwork. It continues to live in you and grow on you. Then it connects with some of your own personal experiences in life. So whatever enters an artist meaningfully or as an emotion visually, or through words, forms whatever you are creating be it a painting, sculpture or cinema," says the artist who showed at the 51st Venice Biennale in 2005.

Stressing that it is high time that Indian art schools updated their syllabus and approach, Kaleka says that art is not just confined to painting and sculpture - there is Performance Art, Sound Art, and creating anything, an event which is meaningful in any way to human life. "Art is not just a business, it is not meant to be. Students must be encouraged to open their minds to art's huge possibilities. They should be free to create their own sense of art and not just follow what is contained in books. Everything should not be too idea based." Lamenting that there is very little painting happening in the contemporary world, the artist feels that the eye does not get sensitised enough if we do not look at paintings close enough. "If people feel that paintings are outdated, then you are losing to what the civilization has to offer. Even art critics I have seen cannot tell why a painting is good. Why is a certain painting good or better -- they like to hear from others. With different ages, diverse art forms get prioritized, but this loss of de-sensitised eyes to visual beauty or the nuances in a work of art is really sad." Kaleka, who recently finished some commissioned works, feels there is no rule that teaches you when a painting or an artwork is finished, and it just feels right or wrong, or just doesn't quite feel right yet while you are working on it. "Whether you are moving away from it or coming back, some sense tells you, 'why don't you tweak this a little', and then it suddenly falls right in place. It feels that a peculiar tension has evaporated from the body." (Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Srinagar, Oct 27 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out raids on Wednesday at around a dozen places involving the activists of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) organisation.

Police sources said the NIA sleuths assisted by the local police and the CRPF raided the premises of JeI activists in Budgam, Bandipora and other districts.

Sources said these raids are part of the ongoing investigation being carried out by the NIA into the terror funding case.

Similar raids were carried out by the agency two months back on the houses and offices of prominent JeI leaders.

After carrying out the raids, those involved were summoned to appear before the NIA in Delhi.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Lucknow, Oct 27 : The Uttar Pradesh government has imposed a stock limit for storage of edible oils in an attempt to curtail its artificial shortage during the festival season.

A government spokesperson said Uttar Pradesh was the first state to declare such a ceiling, a notification for which was issued earlier in October in which stock limits in the range of 1-25 tons have been prescribed for different stakeholders.

"On September 8, the Centre had written to all states and asked them to take action against artificial shortage and high prices of edible oils. Uttar Pradesh has already notified this ceiling, having set limits for different categories like retailers, wholesalers, bulk consumers and refiners," the spokesman added.

Other states like Haryana, Gujarat and Rajasthan are in the process of issuing similar notifications.

Last week Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed officials to take action against anyone caught profiteering, hoarding and causing artificial price hikes on food items so that people could access food and edible oil at reasonable rates during the festival season.

The government spokesman said the impact of the stock limits would be visible in Uttar Pradesh soon.

"Due to Covid-19, oil production had decreased. However, now the situation is returning to normal and we hope the prices will also come down. The effect of the stock limit will soon be visible in the markets across Uttar Pradesh," he added.
Bengaluru, Oct 27 : The Karnataka Police have arrested a Nigerian national, who was involved in drug peddling in the capital city, and recovered MDMA-ecstasy tablets worth Rs 20 lakh from him.

Sandeep Patil, Joint Commissioner (Crime), on Wednesday said the officials of city Crime Branch have conducted raids in the residence of the accused person on specific inputs and seized 200 MDMA-ecstasy tablets and 100 gram MDMA crystals, among others.

The investigations have revealed that one of the accomplices of the accused stayed in Goa and carried out drug peddling operations. The accused procured the drugs in Goa through post from Poland and in turn supplied them to drug peddlers of different cities across the country.

The Nigerian national who procured drugs from his accomplice in Goa, supplied it to college students and software professionals in Bengaluru. The police have launched a hunt for the other accused in the case. The Ramamurthynagar police have registered a case and the investigation is on.
Kolkata, Oct 27 : In an advisory to the private hospitals and nursing homes, the state health department has fixed an upper ceiling of Rs 5,000 for the diagnosis and clinical investigation for the beneficiaries of Swasthya Sathi Card holders and asked them to bring the patients under packages immediately.

The decision comes immediately after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cautioned hospitals of strict action, including cancellation of their licences in case they deny holders of Swathya Sathi cards from its benefits.

Warning of taking strict action against the private hospitals and nursing homes, the health department advisory said, "It has occasionally been observed that the private hospitals and nursing homes go for unspecified tests in the name of clinical investigation and diagnosis. This cannot be done. The hospitals and nursing homes can spend upto Rs 5,000 for clinical investigation and diagnosis and after that the patient have to be brought under a specific package".

Despite a large number of packages being available, many healthcare providers are treating patients under the category "unspecified package" for medical management cases and for certain surgical cases which may be blocked under specified packages, it said.

According to the advisory, in case a person is not carrying the card the same must be searched with the Aadhar number of the beneficiary in the Swasthya Sathi web portal.

"In case a person does not have any of the health card, identification of the person/issuance of new card will be facilitated in the hospital itself. Similar arrangements should also have to be made for all PPP diagnostic centres," the advisory said.

The swasthya sathi scheme. launched by Banerjee on December 30, 2016, offers a basic health cover for secondary and tertiary care up to Rs 5 lakh per annum per family. Under the scheme, there are at least 1,900 packages, where a family can avail secondary and tertiary care cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per annum from any of the empanelled hospitals.

According to an estimate by the state finance department the state government coughs up around Rs 8 crore daily to the tune of Rs 250 crore per month to meet the claims of Swastha Sathi. There are about 2,330 private hospitals and nursing homes under the health sector, with a total consumer of about eight and a half crores.
San Francisco, Oct 27 : Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has posted an all-time record revenue of $61.9 billion for the July-September quarter, along with record profits at $18.9 billion.

Google Services revenues were $59.9 billion, up 41 per cent, and Google Search and other advertising revenues of $37.9 million in the quarter were up 44 per cent.

The company said in a statement late on Tuesday that YouTube advertising revenues of $7.2 billion were up 43 per cent due to strength in both direct response and brand advertising.

"Our long-term investments in AI and Google Cloud are helping us drive significant improvements in everyone's digital experience," said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google.

"Search remains the heart of what we do. We have made remarkable advances over the past 23 years that benefits Search and related products like Google Assistant, which just celebrated five years," he added.

For Google Cloud, the revenues were $5 billion for the third quarter, up 45 per cent.

"Google Cloud Platform's (GCP) revenue growth was again above cloud overall, reflecting significant growth in both infrastructure and platform services," said Ruth Porat, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

At the Alphabet level, headcount grew by nearly 6,000 in the third quarter, including seasonal campus hires.

"We expect robust headcount growth in Q4 for both Google Services and Google Cloud," the company said.

Alphabet said that with respect to foreign exchange impact on reported revenues, it expects virtually no impact in Q4 in contrast to a 1.5 per cent tailwind in Q3 and 4 per cent in its Q2.
Lucknow, Oct 27 : Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Uttar Pradesh have recorded a 38 per cent increase in exports since the government provided them with a platform on e-commerce websites.

Additional chief secretary (MSME) Navneet Sehgal said that the state houses around 15 per cent of the country's MSMEs and more than 1,000 micro units are on various e-commerce platforms because of which MSME exports from the state have risen by 38 per cent.

"The department is undertaking several measures to connect artisans and micro-enterprises with global e-market places along with cloud service provider networks," he said.

Abhijit Kamra, director (global trade), Amazon India, said that to increase the overall share of MSMEs, it was required to leverage new channels of exports.

"This is where e-commerce will play a critical role in enabling cross border trade for millions of MSMEs. We launched the Amazon Global Selling program in 2015 to help Indian MSMEs grow and scale through e-commerce exports.

Today, the program has 70,000 plus Indian exporters and have cumulatively crossed USD 3 billion in exports.

Thousands of Indian MSMEs and entrepreneurs have emerged as successful global brands for toys, Ayurveda, apparel, tea, leather, jewellery etc," he said.

"One of the biggest challenges of traditional channels of exports is the inability of smaller businesses to participate in the process and be a part of the global value chain. E-commerce creates a level playing field for businesses to access foreign markets," Kamra added.

C.P. Gupta, chairperson, CII Uttar Pradesh State Council said, in a statement, that there is a need for a strong branding and marketing strategy for Indian MSME products, especially made by micro, tribal and rural enterprises.
October 27 : Netizens took to social media to question the selection of Tamil film Koozhangal as India's official entry for the 94th Academy Awards, instead of Vicky Kaushal's Sardar Udham. The displeasure of the netizens compelled the jury members to explain why they didn't choose Sardar Udham, one of the most popular contenders for India's official entry to the Oscars.

The films director, Shoojit Sircar, reacted to the development and told the media that he found the jurys decision to not select the highly acclaimed film very subjective. It is a personal opinion, it is very subjective, I have no comment on that. I respect the jury and their decision. The film that was finally selected, I know about it, and I am glad that it was chosen. I go by the jurys decision.

Sardar Udham is based on the Indian revolutionary Sardar Udham Singh, who assassinated Michael ODwyer, the lieutenant governor of Punjab at the time of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar. Vicky Kaushal played the role of Sardar Udham Singh, the unsung hero. The film is produced by Rising Sun Films in collaboration with Kino Works. The film started streaming on October 16, 2021 on Amazon Prime Video.

Earlier, clarifying why the film was not sent for the Oscars, one of the jury members, Indraadip Dasgupta said, Sardar Udham portrays our hatred towards the British. He also said the length of the movie is one of the reasons for it losing out to Tamil drama Koozhangal (Pebbles). Sardar Udham is a little lengthy and harps on the Jallianwala Bagh incident. It is an honest effort to make a lavish film on an unsung hero of the Indian freedom struggle. But in the process, it again projects our hatred towards the British. In this era of globalisation, it is not fair to hold on to this hatred, Dasgupta told The Times of India.
Chennai, Oct 27 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a financial compensation of Rs five lakh to the family of all five persons killed due to an alleged fire in a firecracker shop in Kallakurichi district.

Eight others were reportedly injured in the incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening and are in a serious condition.

Stalin announced a relief of Rs one lakh to the injured persons admitted in the Kallakurichi government hospital.

The deceased victims include Khaleed (23), Shah Alam (25), Shaikh Basheer (67) and Ayyasamy (62). The police said it is yet to identify the fifth deceased victim.

Police sources told IANS that the mishap occurred due to a short circuit in an electric line and further investigation is on to ascertain the exact cause. A grocery shop was allegedly converted into a firecracker shop ahead of Diwali and was doing brisk business when the incident occurred.

The whole building was engulfed in fire and the police and fire personnel from Sankarapuram and Kallakurichi arrived at the spot to douse the fire.

Kallakurichi District Collector, P.N. Sridhar told media that the fire was doused after nearly three hours of intense efforts by the team of fire personnel and the police units that rushed to the spot.

The team cordoned off the area and started rescue operations as well as saved the grievously injured from the fire engulfed building.

State Minister, E.V. Velu reached the spot and visited the injured persons at the Kallakurichi government hospital on the same day of the incident.

The police said further investigation is on and whether the grocery shop that was converted into a firecracker shop had the mandatory license to conduct business. Whether the shop had the precautionary measures required to conduct a firecracker business, the police added.

The state government had issued warnings to the people and the firecracker manufacturers and traders to be safe during the Diwali season.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday set up a three-member committee to probe the Pegasus spyware snooping allegations. This committee will be supervvised by a retired top court judge Justice R.V. Raveendran, who will be assisted by Alok Joshi, former IPS officer and Dr Sundeep Oberoi.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana said the court is rejecting the request made by Union of India to allow it to set up the committee to probe the snooping allegations.

The Centre had argued that disclosing the details on the use of Pegasus spyware involves national security issues, as it refused to divulge any details.

The top court, in its judgment, said mere raising national security by state would not stop it from taking up the issue, and emphasized that national security can't be a bug bear and refused to accept the omnibus denial by the Centre. The bench noted that the Centre filed a limited affidavit, which didn't make anything clear despite it repeatedly saying that the court is not concerned with issues of national security.

The bench emphasized, "We live in the era of information. We must recognise that while technology is important, it is important to safeguard the right to privacy." It further added, "not only journalists, etc., but privacy is important for all citizens." The bench noted that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that many petitions were self-service, but it cannot accept such omnibus contention.

"Centre should have justified its stand here and not render the court a mute spectator," noted the bench also comprising justice Surya Kant and Hima Kohli.

The matter will be taken up after 8 weeks
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Washington has revoked the US licence of one of China's biggest telecoms companies citing "national security" concerns, BBC reported.

China Telecom must stop providing services in America within 60 days.

Officials said the Chinese government's control of the company gave it the opportunity "to access, store, disrupt, and/or misroute US communications", the report said.

This in turn could allow it "to engage in espionage and other harmful activities against the US", they said.

China Telecom, which has provided telecoms services in the US for nearly 20 years, called the decision "disappointing".

"We plan to pursue all available options while continuing to serve our customers," a statement said.

China Telecom is one of three companies that dominate China's telecoms market. The firm has hundreds of millions of customers in 110 countries, with services ranging from broadband internet to mobile and landline telephone networks.

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) warned it might shut down China Telecom Americas in April 2020, claiming the firm "is subject to exploitation, influence, and control by the Chinese government".

It said the company was "highly likely to be forced to comply with Chinese government requests without... independent judicial oversight", the report said.

It is the latest Chinese telecoms firm to be targeted by US officials over national security concerns.

Last year, the FCC designated Huawei and ZTE as threats to communications networks -- making it harder for US firms to buy equipment from them.

The FCC revoked China Mobile's US licence in 2019, and is in process of doing so for two other state-backed firms -- China Unicom Americas and Pacific Networks.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The district administrations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad blocked the Faizabad intersection on Tuesday midnight while the law enforcement agencies began sealing areas and roads with containers to prevent the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan's (TLP) protesters, Dawn reported.

On the other hand, the police started conducting raids at the residence of the chief of Rawalpindi chapter of the TLP to arrest him again, but he could not be arrested.

The TLP leader was detained on Friday. However, he was released later when the government held a dialogue with the leaders of the banned party.

Out of the TLP activists arrested by law enforcement agencies from Rawalpindi and Islamabad since Thursday, only five were released from Adiala jail on Monday, the report said.

Police deployment was to be carried out in the garrison city before dawn and the roads blocked with containers and barbed wire to prevent any protest.

After Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid announced that the government could not meet the TLP's demand for expulsion of the French ambassador from the country, the party said its activists would march on Islamabad.

The Pakistan Punjab government directed the district police officers of Toba Tek Singh, Mianwali, Khushab and Bahawalpur to report to the Regional Police Officer of Rawalpindi Imran Ahmar, along with extra personnel, to assist the Rawalpindi range police to tackle the evolving law and order situation.
Chandigarh, Oct 27 : Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced the launch of his own political party, ahead of the Assembly elections slated for early next year.

However, he said the name of the party, which could have an alliance with the BJP, would be announced later after consulting the Election Commission of India.

Amarinder Singh told the media here that he would be meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday regarding issues concerning the state. This would be his third meeting with him in recent days.

The former two-time Chief Minister favoured the deployment of the BSF up to 50 km of the India-Pakistan border, saying this was required for the security of the state.

On his resignation from the Congress, he replied: "I have been in the Congress for the past 52 years. If I can't resign for the next 10 days, what is the harm to it." Earlier, responding to personal attacks by his former Congress colleagues, Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said: "From personal attacks they've now stooped to threats and harassment of my supporters in Patiala and elsewhere.

"Let me tell my rivals they can't defeat me with such low-level political games. They will neither win votes nor people's hearts with such tactics." He added: "Those who have stood by me have done so because they believe in and want to continue working for Punjab's peace and development. They will not be scared away by such petty acts of intimidation or persecution. We will continue to fight for Punjab's future." Formally saying goodbye to the Congress which made him the Chief Minister of Punjab twice and the state party President thrice, an "upset" Amarinder Singh last week said that he would soon announce the launch of his own political party to serve the interests of the people, including the farmers who've been fighting for their rights for over a year now.

He also said he is hopeful of a seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP for next year's Assembly elections in the state, if the farmers' issues are resolved in their interest.

He added that he would not rest until he can secure the future of his people and his state.

After his resignation, Amarinder Singh held meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, triggering speculation he could join the BJP.

"Punjab needs political stability and protection from internal and external threats. I promise my people that I will do what it takes to ensure peace and security, which is today at stake," read an earlier tweet by Amarinder Singh.

Since his resignation as the Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh has been targeting state Congress President Navjot Sidhu by publically saying that he would fight his possible elevation to the Chief Ministership tooth and nail, and is ready to make any sacrifice to save the country from such a "dangerous man".

He has also claimed that the Gandhi siblings (Priyanka and Rahul) were "quite inexperienced" and "their advisors were clearly misguiding them".

After months of infighting within the Congress, Amarinder Singh had submitted his resignation as Chief Minister on September 18.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Congress leader and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Union Minister Anurag Thakur (BJP) will on Wednesday campaign for their respective party candidates in the final leg of canvassing for the Himachal bypolls.

While Thakur will campaign in Jubbal, Baghel will canvas in Arki Solan.

The battle in Mandi is between the saffron party's Brigadier Khushal Thakur (retired), a decorated officer who played a crucial role in the 1999 Kargil war, and Congress' Pratibha Singh, a two-time MP from Mandi and wife of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

Eyeing sympathy votes, Pratibha Singh, who is banking largely on her first-time legislator son Vikramaditya Singh for campaigning, is seeking votes on the development carried out by her late husband during his three stints as an MP from Mandi and six terms as the Chief Minister.

Pratibha Singh, who lost the Mandi seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, is leaving no opportunity to remind the electorate that her victory in Mandi by-election "will be a tribute to him (Virbhadra Singh)".

Hitting out at Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur for in his Seraj Assembly constituency, she said that Virbhadra Singh had contributed a lot to the development of the area.

"I am saddened to see the poor condition of roads. It appears that BJP pays no attention towards the problem of the common man," she said, adding the state needed "majboot" (strong) Lok Sabha members, not "majboor" (helpless) leaders.

The seat -- a prestige for the Chief Minister as it falls in his home district -- fell vacant with the death of two-time BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma, who defeated Congress candidate Ashray Sharma, the grandson of former Telecommunications Minister Sukh Ram in his electoral debut, with a record margin.

Countering the Congress candidate, Chief Minister Thakur replied: "People want a majboot candidate as their MP, not a majboor candidate." "The Congress candidate says that she did not want to contest the election. If she was not keen, she should not contest it," he said, while seeking votes for party candidate Brigadier Khushal Thakur, a Kargil War hero.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The growth of Twitter appears unstoppable as the micro-blogging platform, defying the recent Apple iPhone privacy changes that have hit companies like Facebook, announced third quarter (Q3) revenue of $1.28 billion, an increase of 37 per cent from a year ago.

The monetisable daily active usage (mDAU) grew by 5 million from the previous quarter to reach 211 million on the platform in the third quarter.

Average international mDAU was 174 million for Q3, compared to 152 million in the same period of the previous year and 169 million in the previous quarter.

"We're improving personalisation, facilitating conversation, delivering relevant news, and finding new ways to help people get paid on Twitter," said Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

"Average monetizable DAU (mDAU) reached 211 million, up 13 per cent year over year in Q3, accelerating from 11 per cent year over year growth in Q2, driven by ongoing product improvements and global conversation around current events," he said in a statement late on Tuesday.

Net cash in the quarter was $389 million, compared to $215 million in the same period last year.

"Our focus is paying off, and we are pleased with our performance in the third quarter, with revenue up 37 per cent year-over-year, reflecting strength across all major products and geographies," said Ned Segal, Twitter CFO.

The company said that it expects total revenue to grow faster than expenses in 2021.

"Despite some expected 2022 revenue loss, there are no changes to our goal of generating $7.5 billion or more of annual revenue in 2023," it said.

In an earnings call with analysts after announcing the results, Dorsey said that the company continues to upgrade its machine learning systems as well, which are improving personalisation throughout the product.

"We're just getting started, but already Twitter feels more responsive and intuitive, lots more to come here. As we approach the end of the year, we feel confident about where we're headed. Overall, we're on course to leave 2021, a more focused company with clear priorities," he noted.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The ongoing supply chain and chip shortages have hit Microsoft's hardware plans and the company said that it expects revenue to decline to single digits as it continues to work through supply chain uncertainty, particularly in its premium devices.

The tech giant said that in gaming, on a high prior-year comparable that included the launch of its new Xbox consoles and strength across Xbox content and services, it expects revenue growth in the high single digits.

"Console sales will continue to be impacted by supply chain uncertainty," Amy Hood, Chief Financial Officer at Microsoft, said in a statement late on Tuesday.

Giving a forecast for its next fiscal quarter (Q2 2022), Hood said that in the 'More Personal Computing' vertical, "We expect revenue between $16.35 billion and $16.75 billion despite ongoing supply chain constraints".

The company posted revenue of $13.3 billion for its July-September quarter, with better than expected performance in Windows OEM and gaming. Surface revenue declined 17 per cent and 19 per cent in constant currency on a strong prior-year comparable.

In the earnings call with analysts, Hood said that if supply chain uncertainty reduces advertising budgets, "our results would be negatively impacted" for the next quarter.

"In Xbox content services, we expect revenue growth in the mid-teens with strong engagement on the Xbox platform in a holiday quarter that will include several AAA title launches," the company noted.

Earlier this month, Microsoft launched Windows 11, the biggest update to its operating system in a decade.

"There has been a structural shift in PC demand emerging from this pandemic and we're delighted with the early response to Windows 11. With every new generation of Windows, we also unlock the next generation of hardware innovation across our ecosystem," said Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft.
Mumbai, Oct 27 : Continuing the war against the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, Nationalist Congress Party Minister Nawab Malik on Wednesday accused the officer of alleged links with the international drug mafia and demanded a probe.

Addressing the media, Malik claimed that during the October 2 raid on the party aboard the luxury ship Cordelia Cruise at the International Cruise Terminal, there was one "bearded man" present in the alleged party, who is a former jailbird with stints in Delhi's Tihar Jail and a Rajasthan prison.

"That person belongs to an international drug mafia and was there with his girlfriend who was carrying a gun. Why no action taken against them? The cruise ship's CCTV footage of that day should be investigated and the truth will be revealed," Malik said.

The Minister alleged that Wankhede is connected with that bearded man -- whose antecedents everybody in the NCB knows -- seen dancing in the party along with his gun-toting girlfriend, and there are some drug rackets going on even in Goa -- all of which needs to be probed.

The NCP leader said that the drug party was organised by a private TV channel without taking due permissions from the state government or the police, no Covid-19 protocols were followed and the home department was not informed.

Malik said the CDR records of two 'Panch-Witnesses' Prabhakar Sail and Kiran Gosavi, along with Wankhede must be probed to unravel the complete truth.

In the ongoing serial revelations, earlier this morning, the minister posted a wedding photo of Sameer Dawood Wankhede's first marriage with Dr. Shabana Quraishi and a copy of their 'nikaah-nama' of 2006, and charged the officer of using forged documents to grab a reserved quota job in the IRS.
Hyderabad, Oct 27 : Leaders of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, were engaged in hectic last-ditch effort to woo voters in Huzurabad Assembly constituency, where the campaigning for October 30 bypolls is ending Wednesday evening.

Ministers Harish Rao, Srinivas Yadav, Koppula Eshwar, Gangula Kamalakar and other TRS leaders were carrying out intensive campaigning for what is billed as a prestige battle for the ruling party.

Highlighting the government's welfare programmes and targeting BJP for neglecting Telangana and rising fuel prices, they were going all out for the victory of party's candidate G. Srinivas Yadav.

On the other hand, BJP's central leader incharge for Telangana Tarun Chugh, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G. Kishan Reddy, state BJP chief Bandi Sanjay and party's candidate Eatala Rajender were campaigning aggressively on the last day.

The day will also see intense campaigning by state Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy, Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and MP Uttam Kumar Reddy in favour of party candidate B. Venkata Narsing Rao.

The by-election was necessitated by the resignation of Eatala Rajender. He quit TRS in June, a month after he was dropped from the State Cabinet following allegations of land grabbing. He switched loyalties to BJP.

Rajender, who is locked in a three-cornered contest with TRS and Congress, has been targeting TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for what he calls his dictatorial style of functioning. He has been calling the by-election a fight for people's self-respect.

TRS leader and Finance Minister Harish Rao, who had been leading the ruling party's campaign for four months, alleged that Rajender has mortgaged the self-respect to BJP. He has been targeting the saffron party for neglecting Telangana in all the sectors and for the steep hike in prices of fuel, especially cooking gas.

The TRS campaign was without its president and Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao and his son K.T. Rama Rao, who is a minister as well as the party's working president.

The ruling party alleged that the restrictions imposed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) prevented Chandrasekhar Rao from addressing election meetings in the constituency. Addressing TRS plenary in Hyderabad on Monday, KCR had slammed ECI for crossing its limits.

The TRS chief also found fault with the poll panel for stopping implementation of 'Dalit Bandhu' scheme in the constituency. During the campaign, the TRS leaders targeted the opposition parties for what they called stalling the scheme.

Launched in August on pilot basis in Huzurabad, 'Dalit Bandhu' is aimed at socio-economic empowerment of Dalits by providing Rs 10 lakh grant to every Dalit family to take up any business of its choice. The government had released Rs 2,000 crore for implementing the scheme in Huzurabad.

Political analysts say the outcome will be crucial for KCR, who wants to make sure that he faces no challenge to his leadership in the run-up to the 2023 polls. A win for Eatala will not only embolden other voices of dissent against KCR but will also bolster BJP's attempts to emerge as the only viable alternative to TRS.

BJP is banking heavily on Rajender's popularity in the constituency. The by-election is also a battle for prestige for BJP state chief Bandi Sanjay as Huzurabad forms part of his Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency.

BJP hardly had any presence in Huzurabad. In 2018, its candidate P. Raghu polled only 1,683 votes, which was less than NOTA votes (2867).

Rajender has been winning Huzurabad for TRS since 2009 when defeated his nearest rival V. Krishna Mohan Rao of Congress by 15,035 votes. In 2010 by-polls, Rajender increased his victory margin to nearly 80,000 and this time his nearest rival was M. Damodar Reddy of TDP.

In the 2014 elections held just before the formation of Telangana State, Rajender retained Huzurabad with a majority of 57,037 votes. K. Sudershan Reddy of Congress was runners-up.

Rajender continued his winning streak from Huzurabad in 2018, defeating his nearest rival Kaushik Reddy of Congress by 47,803 votes.

The BJP is confident of repeating Dubbak performance in Huzurabad. In the by-election to Dubbak Assembly constituency held in November last year, BJP had pulled off a sensational victory to stun TRS.

A month later, the saffron party came out with an impressive performance in the elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). Following these victories, BJP intensified its efforts towards the goal of capturing power in the 2023 elections.

However, the outcome of elections to two graduates' constituencies of Legislative Council in March and by-election in Nagarjuna Sagar came as a disappointment to the party.
Washington, Oct 27 : The US Food and Drug Administration's advisory committee has endorsed Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11.

The recommendation by the agency's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will now be considered by the FDA, which could issue a final decision within days, CNBC reported.

Similarly, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine advisory group is expected to make its own recommendation next week.

If authorised, the vaccine regimen would benefit nearly 28 million more kids in the US to get protection against the virus as the delta variant spreads. Further, the move would make nearly the entire US population eligible for a Covid shot, with only children aged 4 and younger remaining.

The Joe Biden administration has procured enough vaccines to inoculate all 5- to 11-year-olds in the US, which means once the FDA and CDC clears authorisation, it will be immediately rolled out.

The US will distribute the shots in smaller doses and with smaller needles to make it easier for pediatricians and pharmacists to administer to kids, the report said.

Covid-19 is "the eighth-highest killer of kids in this age group over the past year," Dr. Amanda Cohn, a top CDC vaccine official was quoted as saying.

"Use of this vaccine will prevent deaths, will prevent ICU admissions and will prevent significant long-term adverse outcomes in children," Cohn said.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the number of new Covid cases in kids remains exceptionally high, with more than 1.1 million child cases added over the past six weeks.

Pfizer had, earlier this month, applied to the FDA for authorising its vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11. As per the data published by the company, a two-dose regimen of 10 micrograms -- a third of the dosage used for teenagers and adults -- is safe and generated a 90.7 per cent strong immune response in a clinical trial.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Oct 27 : French investors have voiced a deep interest in building ski resorts in Gilgit Baltistan, finding the region ideal for developing ski tourism, which has a multi-billion dollar international market, The News reported.

The Board of Investment (BoI) in coordination with the Gilgit Baltistan government organised the visit of a French delegation to five districts including Ghizar, Phandar, Astore, Nagar, and Skardu.

Upon their return, the delegation will also meet representatives from the minister of Information & Technology and National Incubation Center (NIC) to discuss areas of mutual cooperation, the report said.

The delegation led by Federico Juan Tomas Espana, Honorary Investment Counselor (HIC), France, held a meeting with the Secretary BOI Fareena Mazhar.

Espana and the French delegates expressed keen interest in investing in the tourism sector of Pakistan, particularly setting up ski resorts in Gilgit Baltistan region.

During the interaction with the French delegation, Secretary BOI said the board had signed a memorandum of understanding with Business France for investment cooperation and facilitation, exchange of information and knowledge sharing.

As follow-up, various webinars were held and detailed presentations on investment opportunities, incentives, and policies were delivered by BoI, she added, the report said.

"However, there is a dire need to enhance investment cooperation and coordination between the two IPAs," Mazhar added.

She also apprised the delegation on the new Investment Strategy 2020-23, launched recently to attract foreign investment in different sectors of the economy.

"The strategy provides comprehensive investment cycle, consisting of policy advocacy, market research, investment facilitation, promotion, protection including investors tracking, sector scanning and after-care services to investors and projects," she said.

The secretary also informed the investors about the 22 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and invited French companies to establish businesses in the already established SEZs or opt for establishing an exclusive SEZ for French companies.

She further said that in order to facilitate international investors in Pakistan, BOI had developed an online database of available 120 projects with federal/ provincial governments worth $60 billion, available on the organisation's website, the report added.
Hanoi, Oct 27 : China and ASEAN member states, especially Vietnam, have fostered practical cooperation on curbing the spread of Covid-19 and accelerating economic recovery amid the prolonged outbreaks and their devastating impacts on the region as well as the world.

To date, China has provided ASEAN member states, including Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, with over 300 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines as well as a great number of emergency medical supplies, and has also sent medical expert teams to help build virus-testing labs and work on vaccine trials with several ASEAN countries, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Vietnam is among ASEAN members hard hit by Covid-19 since last year, especially since the ongoing fourth wave starting in the country on April 27, with many socio economic activities having come to a halt for months, or at least having been disrupted from time to time.

The Vietnamese Health Ministry on Monday reported 3,639 local Covid patients, lifting the country's infection tally since the beginning of the pandemic to 892,579, including 887,797 in the current wave. The ministry also confirmed 65 Covid-19 fatalities, increasing Vietnam's death toll to 21,738.

Realizing that the Delta variant has created a major public health emergency due to its spread speed and lethality, Vietnam has recently adopted a proactive two-track policy -- acquiring sufficient vaccines to inoculate the population to be able to return to normal life and resume economic activity.

However, "One problem Vietnam has confronted throughout this period was acquiring sufficient vaccines to inoculate vulnerable members of society as well as essential workers," Emeritus Professor Carlyle Thayer from the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defense Force Academy told Xinhua.

That is when the provision of Chinese vaccines and medical equipment at central and local levels has proved their great support. According to the Chinese Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, China has agreed to provide Vietnam with a total of nearly 40 million doses of vaccines, including donated and sold ones this year and has so far pledged to donate 6.5 million doses of vaccines to Vietnam.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, Oct 27 : The DMK has played down the controversy erupting after Tamil Nadu Governor, R.N. Ravi sought a report regarding various state government departments and the ongoing welfare schemes.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary, V. Irai Anbu has sent a circular to all department heads, saying that the "Governor wishes to know about the state departments and their ongoing welfare schemes".

However, the DMK spokesman, J. Constantine Raveendran told IANS, "The present Governor R.N. Ravi has sought information through Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin and this is a routine practice during functioning of a government." "This is unlike the previous Governor Banwarilal Purohit who had sought information on welfare schemes without knowledge of the then Chief Minister K. Palaniswamy or other ministers and as a responsible opposition we had objected to that. The present Governor has sought information from the Chief Secretary and we don't have any problems with it as there is no controversy regarding the same," Raveendran said.

State Chief Secretary had clarified over the Governor seeking a report and issued a statement, saying, "Governor seeking information is a routine practice in government administration. It is inappropriate to make this a controversial issue and those who are aware of the functioning of government administration understand that it is a routine procedure as a new Governor has assumed office." The statements of the DMK Spokesperson and the Chief Secretary are clear indicators that the state government and the DMK do not want to make this issue a controversy.

However, Congress, an ally of the DMK in the state, has objected against the current Governor seeking a report on the government from the Chief Secretary and has termed this as an interference of the Governor in administration of the elected government.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President, K.S. Alagiri came out strongly against the circular and in a statement on Tuesday said, "The Governor has no right to monitor or interfere in government schemes. He is an appointee and not an elected representative so the Governor's move in this regard has an ulterior motive and is against the constitution. He should stop such activities henceforth." Senior Congress leader and Tamil Nadu State Minorities Commission Chairman, Peter Alphonse, too, came out strongly against the Governor seeking a report from the state government on welfare schemes.

Speaking to the media, he said, "The post of the Governor is like a fire tender. It should come into picture only when there is fire. When the government administration is going smoothly there is no need for the Governor's interference. The summoning and meeting the officials by the Governor will give an impression that there are two governments in the state." When the DMK was in the opposition, it came out strongly against the then Governor Banwarilal Purohit who had visited the district headquarters and sought information on welfare schemes of the then government and progress of these schemes.

The DMK had then conducted protest marches to the district headquarters where the Governor Banwarilal Purohit used to visit but he defended his action, saying that he was acting according to the Constitution.

However, when protests increased, the then Governor had silently refused visits to the district headquarters.
Hyderabad, Oct 27 : Telangana Information Technology and Industries Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Wednesday left for France to address the 'Ambition India Business Forum'.

He will deliver the keynote address at the business event scheduled to be held on October 29, at the French Senate in Paris.

KTR is leading a delegation that includes Principal Secretary, IT and Industries, Jayesh Ranjan and other officials.

This is KTR's first visit abroad since Covid-19 pandemic broke out last year.

He will also meet French industrialists and CEOs of various companies to invite investments to Telangana.

The French government invited the minister to address the Forum.

Ambassador of France Emmanuel Lenain had sent a letter to the minister a few days ago. "We believe it creates a great momentum between France and India and would provide a good occasion to promote the State of Telangana. I would hence like to invite you to participate in person in Ambition India 2021, as a keynote speaker after the roundtable 'Growth: Drafting the future of Indo-French relations in a post-Covid era'," the ambassador wrote.

"It would be an honour for us to welcome you at the French Senate and organise high-level meetings for you with the French investors," he added.

KTR had expressed happiness over receiving the invitation and stated that this would be a great global platform to highlight the investment opportunities existing in Telangana.

As part of the Forum, there will be several round tables on doing business in India, healthcare, climate, digital transformation as well as agribusiness. B2B meetings between French and Indian companies are also scheduled during the event.

The business event organised under the patronage of French President Emmanuel Macron aims to foster trade and investment relations between France and India. It enables companies to be aware of the challenges of the Indian market as well as learn more about investment opportunities through updates on the Indian government's economic policies and regulatory specificities.

During the previous Ambition India edition, the Forum hosted 700 participants virtually, spread over two sessions with more than 400 companies online, eager to know more about bilateral cooperation.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : One of the primary factors determining the strong foundation of a nation is effective educational leadership and schools need to adapt to the changing environments "for which we need leaders who can guide and motivate the students and teachers to evolve intellectually, socially and emotionally -- in a continuous process," says Seema Malik, a school teacher for over three decades and author of the path-breaking book "Unlocking Leadership" (Konark).

"Every leader evolves her/his leadership pattern. What we all need to develop as leaders is the nuance that is required to lead everyone to a higher goal of education. When the schools are driven at all times to reach their vision and mission, both the students and the teachers rise to their highest potential," Malik, who has studied at Cambridge University and has been associated with prestigious institutions like Delhi Public School, Salwan Public School and Cambridge School, told IANS in an interview.

How did the book come about? "Having been a researcher in the field of education for more than a decade, I was intrigued by a lot of research done by the western countries, in particular, UK, Australia, New Zealand and USA. I noticed a lot of gap about educational research in India which I have addressed in this book. A huge body of research has been used for writing this academic work in a style that is more easily understandable, with due credit given to the authors and researchers," Malik said.

The main fields of research that have gone into this book are leadership models practiced in schools and what impact they lead to, strategies for school improvement, and moral as well as ethical responsibilities of leaders.

"Most of this research is used in the western democracies, which has led to the higher standards of educational attainment in these countries, for example in OECD countries," she said.

What are the five main take-aways from this book? 1. Leadership is the single most important factor affecting quality of education in schools.

2. Collaborative and distributed models of leadership builds teams in schools.

3. Teachers are leaders in their own right and it is the responsibility of the school head to give them decision-making powers.

4. Great leaders develop mutuality and reciprocity among various stakeholders in the school to take them all towards achieving the organisational vision.

5. One of the most salient features of any leadership is their sense of moral imperative.

The book is essentially aimed at schools in the private sector. What about schools in the government sector and in the semi-urban and rural areas? How are they to address this issue? "Schools in the government sector as well as the rural and remote areas need to work on infrastructural development to provide at least the minimum required facilities for learning. The 'twinning of schools' has already started taking place where a few government schools are attached with the public schools to develop synergies of operations and develop better systems of assessments. Public schools are involving these less privileged schools in teacher training opportunities," Malik explained.

In this context, she noted that an important step taken by the New Education Policy (NEP) is making school clusters which can go a long way in improving learning standards in schools in rural and remote areas.

The NEP, she pointed out, also "lays a great emphasis on teacher empowerment through continuous professional development opportunities. It also aims to create national professional standards for teachers. School leaders and teachers are being encouraged now to undertake research in emerging pedagogies for improved learning outcomes. It is time that school education becomes an integral part of public conversation and it should get the focus that it deserves," Malik elaborated.

What next? What's her next project? "I am writing my memoirs of studying in Cambridge University. Life was very different there and every student experiences difficulties in the beginning which slowly ease away. However, as an older and mature student, besides being observant and reflective, my experiences were very different. I learnt a lot there but also saw traces of racism in the society." "A University, like any other part of the society is like a reflection of its ethos. There were many positives as well as some negatives that I noticed that left an indelible impression on my mind. However, what I have taken away from there as a student is the rich and intellectual very stimulating culture of learning provided to each student." "Cambridge changed my life forever and there are reasons for that, which I am currently writing for my next book. It was sad that such a reputed university of the world could treat a meritorious student so shabbily. Not disclosing much right now, the book would be thought provoking as well as shocking, once read by the people," Malik concluded.

(Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Wild Turkey, the iconic American bourbon brand from Kentucky, announces its launch of a new variant in India as part of an ever-growing global expansion. The award-winning portfolio has been praised whiskey available in Australia, Japan and other countries within Asia-Pacific, including India, and has now officially released its new variant in India, Wild Turkey 81.

Increased by just one proof from the standard release it is characterized by the bold, authentic full-bodied flavour, and is aimed at the Bourbon drinker set on blending the spirit in cocktails.

"Introduction of our premium American bourbon in our India portfolio makes it much stronger. A perfect serve to kickstart the evenings, Wild Turkey 81 is the choice for consumers looking for easier drinking options without losing the big flavours and is expected to become the preferred choice for bourbon connoisseurs," says Ashutosh Rajput, Country Manager, Campari India A lot has changed since the first batch of bold Wild Turkey was made several generations ago. But Wild Turkey hasn't. The iconic brand led by father and son Master Distiller team Jimmy and Eddie Russell still make real Kentucky Straight Bourbon the same way-the right way.

It was crafted by Eddie Russell, the son of master distiller Jimmy Russell, as a way to experience the true bold flavour of the brand at an approachable ABV. The elder Russell has historically sworn by the level of 101 proof (50.5 per cent alcohol) that has been the hallmark of the brands whiskies. The younger Russell has argued for a lower proof spirit that would appeal to younger drinkers, with their tendency toward mixing, and succeeded with the "81".

Using a mix of aged six, seven and eight-year-old whiskies (much older than what's typical for its price point), he created a Bourbon that shines through concoctions, especially when used in cocktails. Its high rye mash matured in heavily charred casks provides a big flavour at a more approachable ABV than 86.8 or 101. Tasted neat, it demonstrates the iconic Kentucky bourbon flavours that are the result of generations-old processes. The new variant exhibits the full-frontal signature corn mash that is the hallmark of all spirits of the brand, and the long, rich, full-bodied character that comes from ageing in #4 alligator char American oak barrels.

An amber-bronze hue, the whisky starts with a fragrant aroma of honey and caramel and kicks off on the palate with the trademark sweetness, then transforms in notes of maple and vanilla, finishing with a sharp, toasty finish.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Mumbai, Oct 27 : Veteran actress Soni Razdan, who is playing a pivotal role in the upcoming show 'Call My Agent: Bollywood', has in the last three years appeared in more than five projects and made her presence felt on-screen.

Despite being a fine actress and theatre artiste who in her youth acted in some of the critically acclaimed films like '36 Chowringhee Lane', 'Mandi', and 'Saaransh', to name a few, Soni is getting her due only recently with films like 'Raazi', 'No Fathers in Kashmir', 'War', 'Yours Truely', web series like 'Out Of Love', and 'The Verdict - State vs Nanavati'.

The upcoming show 'Call My Agent: Bollywood' revolves around four talent agents and how they handle the egos and profiles of actors to survive in their talent management company.

Asked if the whole system of casting agents and talent management gives actors like her deserving work, Soni told IANS: "I think getting the opportunity especially for elder actors like us, is quite a two-way process. Casting for certain projects has to arise first and then the casting agent will reach out to an actor like me. Opportunity for an actor happens when a character is written for us, a story is made in the form of film, web series, or any format. So, when we talk about opportunity, it is not just about my acting or casting but finding a script and a platform to exhibit that story too." "Now see, not all scripts and every story can be exhibited on the big screen but still can have a wider reach. Netflix or any other OTT platforms are those spaces that enable these stories to see the light of the day. Hence actors like us are also getting work," said Soni, the mother of Bollywood star Alia Bhatt.

She further added, "Yes, my casting in all the projects that I have done in recent times has happened through casting agents but opportunity first comes from writing. Having said that, the whole process of a casting agent and talent management is good, it is very systematic and well organised." Directed by Shaad Ali, 'Call My Agent: Bollywood', the Indian adaptation of a French show, featuring Aahana Kumra, Ayush Mehra, Rajat Kapoor along with cameos of several Bollywood celebrities - Farah Khan, Ali Fazal, Richa Chadha, Lara Dutta, Jackie Shroff, Dia Mirza, releases on October 29 on Netflix.
Chandigarh, Oct 27 : Declaring that he would launch his new party as soon as the Election Commission clears the name and the symbol, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday hit out at the Congress, saying many people from the party were in touch with him and they will come out in the open when the time comes.

"We are waiting for the opportune moment. But I will not take their names. Already my supporters are being harassed," said Amarinder Singh, addressing his first press conference after stepping down as Chief Minister.

Asked how many MLAs were in touch with him, he quipped, "if Rahul Gandhi needs to have back-to-back meetings with Punjab Congress MLAs, what does it mean?" As to why he had not resigned yet from the party, Amarinder Singh said, "I have spent 50 years in the Congress, how does it manner if I stay for another 10 days?"

He rejected the Congress claims of a majority of the MLAs opposing his continuation in office, and said "once they (party leadership) had made up their mind to replace me, all these excuses were made".

Pointing out that the so-called 18-point agenda of the Congress for his government was nothing but part of the Punjab 2017 manifesto, he said the Kharge committee was clearly told that 92 per cent of all poll promises had been fulfilled.

Taking on his detractors, particularly Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sukhjinder Randhawa, Amarinder Singh slammed them for indulging in petty issues. "We will fight and defeat Sidhu from wherever he contests the upcoming Assembly polls," he vowed, adding since the former had taken over the Punjab Congress reins, there had been a 25 per cent drop in the party's popularity, as per his surveys.

Trashing allegations against his Pakistani friend Aroosa Alam, Amarinder Singh termed as baseless the charges of money being sent out by her. Even as he asked if Aroosa was the only issue left in Punjab, he questioned the intention of Randhawa in raising the issue now after never raking it up all these years.

Aroosa had been visiting him for 16 years and he would definitely invite her again, he added.

Pointing out that he had never spoken of aligning with the BJP, Amarinder Singh said what he wanted to do was seat sharing. "In military parlays it means concentration of forces," he remarked, adding he had, however, not yet talked to the BJP on this.

Dismissing as trash Sidhu's tweet accusing him of being loyal to BJP, he said the thought of seat sharing with the BJP came to his mind only after he was forced out of office. "States have to work with the Centre to function effectively," he pointed out.

He further made it clear that he had no intention of aligning with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) but only with breakaway Akali groups.

Countering propaganda that nothing had happened in the Bargari and other sacrilege cases, the former chief minister said all under investigation. As many as 19 police officers and 21 civilians were booked, he said, pointing out that all these processes take time.

On the political issues he will prioritize in the elections, the former CM said a manifesto committee would finalise the same. Issues keep changing, he added.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Poet Adil Jehangir Jussawalla will be the Poet Laureate of the 12th Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest 2021.

Adil Jussawalla's many-layered, clear-eyed, uncompromising poetry is mainly rooted in the city landscape, describing equally its beauty and degradation, its position as a place of refuge as well as exploitation, and the acceptance and meaning of it as home. He is also renowned for the historical breadth and sweep of his compositions. One of his best known and oft-quoted poems is 'Sea Breeze' which describes Mumbai as a refuge for those displaced by the Partition. The body of his work is contained in three main anthologies: 'Land's End', 'Missing Person', and 'Trying To Say Goodbye', for the last of which he received the Sahitya Akademi Award.

He is a graduate of the Universities of Bombay and Oxford and of the prestigious Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. He worked for some years in the UK, after which he returned to Mumbai where he was a professor of English at St Xavier's College and later Literary Editor at several leading Indian publications. His work has appeared in many anthologies. Together with his distinguished peers Arvind Krishna Mehrotra, Arun Kolatkar, and Gieve Patel, he helped to establish 'Clearing House', a poet's publishing co-operative.

Accepting the Poet Laureateship for Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest 2021, Adil Jussawalla said: "It's an honour to be named Poet Laureate of the Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest. Poetry is the oldest, most quintessential, and often most accessible form of human literary expression, and I am pleased to know that the Mumbai Litfest gives its practitioners a well-respected platform every year." Director of the Festival, Amy Fernandes, said: "We are delighted that Mr. Jussawalla has accepted the Poet Laureateship for the 2021 edition of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest. No reader in English, especially in Mumbai, is unfamiliar with his name or work. His poems are profound, perceptive, and memorable and the impact of his writing has influenced generations of poets after him, up to this day." Harish Bhat, Brand Custodian, Tata Sons said, "It is an absolute privilege to present the Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureate Award to Mr. Adil Jussawalla. A poet, a translator, a journalist, a lecturer and a man who co-created the poet's publishing co-operative - Adil dons so many hats so well! We salute his incredible contribution to Indian English Poetry." Previous Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureates include Javed Akhtar, K. Satchidanandan, Jayanta Mahapatra, Gulzar, Keki Daruwalla, Vikram Seth, and Joy Goswami.
Amaravati, Oct 27 : Actor politician Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday alleged that Andhra Pradesh has become a narcotics hub of the nation with 'ganja' (marijuana) being supplied to various parts of the country from the State.

The Jana Sena leader took to Twitter to claim that Andhra Pradesh has become a narcotics hub and is filled with many druglords at every level.

"Entire nation is getting affected due to willful inaction of leaders who are in-charge of the present government," wrote Pawan Kalyan.

"During my 'Porata Yatra' in 2018, which was meant to understand the socio-economic issues of people of the state, in the tribal areas of Andhra-Orissa border I had received numerous complaints about health, unemployment, illegal mining and about 'ganja trade and its mafia'," the actor tweeted.

The Jana Sena leader posted alleged video clips of police officials of different States and cities to support his claims.

"Andhra Pradesh -- 'Narcotics hub of the nation' supplies ganja to Pune, Mumbai and Maharashtra, too. The Maharashtra Police have seized the ganja shipment, Pawan wrote with an alleged clip of a TV news channel's report about seizure of 312 kg of the contraband.

"Hyderabad City-Police Commissioner' Sri Anjani Kumar, (IPS) giving out details about how narcotics are being transported from AP to the rest of the country," tweeted Jana Sena leader with a clip from the police official's press conference.

He also posted the video clip of Ranganath, Superintendent of Police of Nalgonda district of Telangana. The official revealed that the Andhra Orissa Border area is the source of ganja and from there it is supplied to various parts of the country.

Pawan Kalyan posted a video clip of Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant and also a TV report about Kerala police seizing huge amounts of ganja from Andhra Pradesh.

Another video clip is of a Madhya Pradesh police official speaking about seizure of ganja worth Rs 1 crore which was brought from Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh.

A TV report posted by Pawan is about the Rajasthan Police seizing 210 kg of ganja from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Another video is of Delhi Police revealing the seizure of ganja. Subsequent interrogation revealed, it came from Visakhapatnam.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : US Senators and India Caucus Co-Chairs Mark Warner and John Cornyn sent a letter to President Biden encouraging him to waive Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions against India for buying military arms from Russia.

However, in the case of this current S-400 transaction involving India, "we believe that the application of CAATSA sanctions could have a deleterious effect on a strategic partnership with India, while at the same time, not achieve the intended purpose of deterring Russian arms sales," the US Senators wrote in the letter to Biden.

They wrote: "While India has taken significant steps to reduce its purchases of Russian military equipment, it has a long history of purchasing arms from the Soviet Union, and later Russia. In 2018, India formally agreed to purchase Russian S-400 Triumf air-defense systems after having signed an initial agreement with Russia two years prior. We are concerned that the upcoming transfer of these systems will trigger sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which was enacted to hold Russia accountable for its malign behavior." Warner, a Democrat Senator and Cornyn, a Republican said, "As such, we strongly encourage you to grant a CAATSA waiver to India for its planned purchase of the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system. In cases where granting a waiver would advance the national security interests of the US, this waiver authority, as written into the law by Congress, allows the President additional discretion in applying sanctions." "We share your concerns regarding the purchase and the continued Indian integration of Russian equipment, even with these declining sales. We would encourage your administration to continue reinforcing this concern to Indian officials, and engaging with them constructively to continue supporting alternatives to their purchasing Russian equipment." They added that India has taken significant steps to reduce its imports of Russian military hardware in recent years. From 2016 to 2020, there was a 53 percent drop in Russian arms exports to India compared to the preceding five-year period.

Meanwhile, India has shown its intent to purchase equipment from the United States, with sales reaching $3.4 billion in FY20. These are positive trends that show India's effort to reduce reliance on Russian equipment, and a desire to take advantage of its new status as a Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) partner, the letter said.

The Senators said we believe there is a national security imperative to waiving sanctions. Imposing sanctions at this time could derail deepening cooperation with India across all aspects of our bilateral relationship -- from vaccines to defense cooperation, from energy strategy to technology sharing.

"Furthermore, sanctions have the potential to embolden critics within India who warn that the United States will not be a consistent and reliable partner for cooperation, and to thwart the Indian government's efforts and long-term strategy to reduce Russian purchases and reliance on Russian defense hardware," they warned in the letter.

"We also propose that your administration establish a bilateral working group to identify ways to promote the security of US technology, and to chart a path forward to develop strategies to enhance US-India military interoperability. We believe these actions reinforce India's status as a Major Defense Partner and will provide another avenue to counter PRC influence in the Indo-Pacific," they added.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
Bengaluru, Oct 27 : Former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday urged the ruling BJP government to initiate action against Maharashtra Ekikarana Samithi (MES) for calling the government "nalayak" (useless).

"MES is provoking Kannadigas without any reason as Kannada Rajyotsava (day of unification of Karnataka state) is nearing. The MES is spoiling the image of Belagavi city and bringing disharmony among people," he stated.

"The Samithi has lost the confidence of the people and hence stands cornered politically. As a survival tactic, it is indulging in creating disharmony in Belagavi district. The Karnataka government should initiate strict and harsh measures against these elements. It should not condone with the insults that MES is heaping upon the language of the land and an elected government," he stated.

While demanding the government documents in Marathi language, the protesters have referred to the government as "nalayak" (useless) and also raised slogans of "Jai" Maharashtra' which is condemnable, Kumaraswamy said.

The Karnataka government has banned observation of "Black day" by MES on November 1. The MES has been observing the day to oppose unification of Belagavi district with Karnataka state on November 1, which is celebrated as Rajyotsva Day to mark unification of all Kannada speaking regions.

The government has also banned grand procession in Belagavi in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic and Kannada organisations are at loggerheads with ruling BJP government. The ruling BJP has managed to wrestle Belagavi City Corporation for the first time from MES by recording a thumping victory in local polls held recently.

The MES is demanding removal of Kannada flag posts installed in front of the Belagavi City Corporation and wants Marathi language in all government documents.
Dharamsala, Oct 27 : To adapt to the effects of climate change impacting the Tibetan Plateau -- the world's 'third pole' -- a group of Tibetans in exile will explain its role in the global climate system and why it should be part of the global climate conversation at the upcoming two-week United Nations climate conference, COP26, in Glasgow in Britain.

Advocacy group International Campaign for Tibet says the COP26 will be an important chance to tell policymakers why the plateau needs to be part of the global talks.

Its interdisciplinary panel on the sidelines of the COP26 will discuss the lessons Tibet offers for designing inclusive and sustainable global climate policies, and provide practical recommendations for next steps.

Just ahead of the COP26, slated to meet between October 31 and November 12, globetrotting Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, is issuing a video message on October 29, urging the climate scientists, state heads and business leaders for the urgent need for climate action to save Mother Nature.

The Tibetan Plateau is close to two per cent of the planet's land surface, the size of Western Europe, and with as much global importance as other comparable geographies, perhaps more since the elevation of the plateau has a global impact on jetstream, monsoon dynamics, and the water cycle of the entire northern hemisphere.

Another advocacy Tibetan Centre of Human Rights and Democracy says Tibet experiences rapid climate change that damages glaciers, causes floods and lake overtopping, melts permafrost, compromises livelihoods, and dries wetlands essential to the East Asian flyway routes of seasonally migrating birds, threatening extinction.

"Warmer and wetter makes Tibet more like China, which is good from China's point of view," it says in a statement.

Tibetan nature's contribution to humanity is exceptionally big.

Although Tibet and the Tibetans have little to no role in causing the rapid rise in methane emissions, rainfall, ozone hole above Tibet, or the rising runoff from Tibetan rivers, China, immediately downstream, harvests a dividend of extra runoff at least as long as it may take for the glaciers to disappear, it says.

China plans to further intensify urbanisation, which further extracts water and resources from remote areas to feed city demand. China is officially committed to attaining equality of wealth and consumption on par with the richest nations, which is unsustainable, imposing on the whole planet a footprint that is unbearable.

China imports from Tibet enormous quantities of clean water, clean air, minerals, and electricity, yet Tibetans are marginalised, silenced, racially stigmatised, and not acknowledged as providers of ecosystem services, it adds.

Also the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the government in exile headquartered in this Himachal Pradesh hill station, has expressed concern over the deteriorating environment in the highly fragile Tibetan Plateau.

The latest publication of the Environment and Development Desk of the Tibet Policy Institute, 'Tibetan Perspectives on Tibet's Environment', was released here last month by CTA President Penpa Tsering.

He said the book was a much-needed repository of information and facts valuable for the world to understand the environmental issues of Tibet over the last 10 years and its relevance to global climate change.

According to Tsering, having such a comprehensive book written solely by Tibetan researchers, some of whom have lived the experiences of the changing ecology of Tibet, offers an important aspect to the issue that is necessary and something that he noted is rarely found in books written by non-Tibetan researchers.

The book is an added value and important source of reference to the experts and researchers on Tibet's ecology, he said.

Tsering reiterated that the book was equally a call out to the Tibetans in exile to understand the significance of preserving Tibet's environment as well as to act responsibly.

He noted the book will be a contributing factor to those attending the forthcoming COP26 UN conference on climate change.

Environment and Development Desk Executive Head Tempa Zamlha explains to IANS the background context of the book, which is a compilation of reports, papers and articles prepared from 2010-2020.

Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel laureate the Dalai Lama has been saying his homeland Tibet is currently vulnerable to climate change.

He has been emphasising that "climate change is not the concern of just one or two nations. It is an issue that affects all humanity and every living being on this earth and that there is a real need for a greater sense of global responsibility based on a sense of the oneness of humanity".

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) latest report, mountain and polar glaciers are committed to continue melting for decades or centuries.

Glacier mass loss is a dominant contributor to global mean sea-level rise. It may also cause low-likelihood, high-impact outcomes, characterised by deep uncertainty and sometimes involving tipping points.

In the context of the Hindu Kush Himalaya, the report says the mountain glaciers like in the Himalayas are included in the assessment, and human influence is responsible for the retreat of glaciers since the 20th century, and that is not only in the two poles but also mountain glaciers.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday said that India is the world's largest generic and affordable medicine supplier.

"Pharma sector is our religion, we believe in the concept of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", said the Minister.

Addressing an Investor Summit virtually on 'Opportunities and Partnerships in Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices', he said: "After the Covid pandemic, the investment in India's pharma sector has significantly increased. India's behaviour has always been pro industry." "I would like to tell investors that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji said to invest in India, set up an industry here. You are as safe in India. The world's industry should take advantage of the efforts being made by the Indian Government to make this country the best investment destination," he added.

Talking about being pro-farmer and industry-friendly, Mandaviya said: "We see to it that the industries go ahead and sustain. Indian companies never cheat while making supplies. Our character is to maintain quality." The virtual summit was a part of the vision to further strengthen India's position globally in terms of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The session was held to discuss how India can develop as a land of opportunities for medical devices and the key learnings from the leading innovators.

The summit provided an opportunity for industry participants to discuss the success stories from the Indian medical devices sector, end to end integration for enhancing vaccine manufacturing capabilities, financing start-ups in the pharmaceutical and medical devices sector.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the country's scientific and technological workers to continue striving to build China's strength in science and technology.

Xi made the remarks on Tuesday when visiting an exhibition of China's achievements in scientific and technological innovation during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020) in Beijing, Xinhua news agency reported.

Xi noted that China had made significant scientific and technological advances during the period. As China embarks on a new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects, scientific and technological innovation will play a vital role in promoting the country's overall development, he said.

He called on the scientific and technological workers to develop confidence, seize opportunities, and scale new scientific and technological heights to help accelerate the development of science and technology toward greater self-reliance.

The exhibition features more than 1,500 pieces of equipment and models. Among them are the Chang'e-5 lunar probe, the Mars rover, the quantum computer prototype Jiuzhang, and the deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe.

Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, and Han Zheng, who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice President Wang Qishan also visited the exhibition.
Islamabad, Oct 27 : Four policemen, including an officer, were killed in an attack on a police vehicle in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an official said on Wednesday.

The police personnel were on a routine patrol late Tuesday night when unidentified armed men riding on motorcycles sprayed bullets on their vehicle in the Wanda Mir Alami area of Lakki Marwat district of the province, Deputy Commissioner of Lakki Marwat district Iqbal Hussain told Xinhua news agency.

He said the miscreants fled the scene after carrying out the attack, adding that a search operation in the area had been launched to arrest them.

Following the incident, a heavy contingent of police reached the site and cordoned off the area. All the entry and exit points of the district were also fully guarded by police to apprehend the fleeing culprits.

Banned militant group Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed the attack in a statement sent to local media, however, it has not been officially confirmed yet.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Software major Adobe has unveiled a next-generation of Creative Cloud, introducing new collaboration capabilities to fuel new levels of creativity for millions of students, social media creators and creative professionals.

At its annual flagship 'Adobe MAX 2021' conference, the company delivered major updates across Creative Cloud flagship applications powered by Adobe Sensei, accelerated the video creation process with the addition of Frame.io and advanced 3D and immersive authoring abilities.

Adobe also previewed new collaboration capabilities with the introduction of Creative Cloud Canvas, Creative Cloud Spaces and betas of Photoshop and Illustrator on the web.

"The announcements and innovations announced at Adobe MAX will push the envelope on how individuals as well as businesses design and deliver exceptional creative experiences to the world", said Prativa Mohapatra, Vice President and Managing Director, Adobe India.

Adobe has shipped 'Content Credentials' in Photoshop, an opt-in feature that shows a creator's identity and edit history to ensure they are getting attribution for their work; Content Credentials will also connect to NFT marketplaces.

The company also introduced a subscription model on Behance to enable creators to monetise their work.

"Creativity is evolving to meet the new realities of work. We are reimagining Creative Cloud products and services to connect creative teams, enable new ways to create and empower more creative careers," said Scott Belsky, chief product officer and executive vice president, Creative Cloud, Adobe.

Adobe is supporting creators by enabling Creative Cloud subscribers to monetise their work through paid subscriptions on the Behance platform.

Creators have full control over what they share, and the subscriptions are seamlessly integrated into Behance projects and livestreams, so creators can reserve any content for subscribers only. Creators keep 100 per cent of their subscription revenue, with a 0 per cent platform fee charged by Adobe.

"To ensure creators are getting credit for their work, the company is connecting the 'Content Credentials' feature to NFT marketplaces for further attribution," the company said.
Hyderabad, Oct 27 : Authorities in Telangana are set to further intensify the Covid-19 vaccination drive in view of a surge in Covid infections in several countries which has triggered fear of a third wave in India.

Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar has urged all the departments to ensure utmost coordination for achieving the target of 100 per cent vaccination.

During a video conference with District Collectors, the chief secretary said that the number of Covid cases are on the rise in several countries, including Britain, Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, Germany and the Netherlands.

In view of this situation, there was a need to further intensify the vaccination drive in all villages and wards across the State, he told the officials.

The Chief Secretary directed the District Collectors to constitute special teams at village/ward levels to expedite vaccine coverage for the entire population. The special teams will comprise Asha worker, Anganwadi worker, panchayat secretary and a village revenue assistant as members and nodal officers will be appointed at village and mandal levels to supervise the progress of vaccination.

Somesh Kumar said adequate doses of vaccine and syringes were available with the government. He wanted the officials to create awareness among people about getting two doses of vaccine, which was the only way to ensure protection from Covid.

The Chief Secretary said Telangana had crossed 3 crore vaccinations but there should be no laxity and the pace of vaccination drive should be further stepped up to achieve 100 per cent vaccination.

Meanwhile, the health department officials said they would now be focusing on those who have not taken a second dose of the vaccine.

Telangana has a population of 4.1 crore, of which around 2.8 crore are above the age of 18 years who are eligible for Covid vaccination.

The State administered 3,07,93,368 doses from January 16 to October 26. About 2.17 crore people took the first dose, while 91 lakh took the second dose.

However, about 30 lakh people, who were due for the second dose, have skipped it despite completing the prescribed time interval between two doses.

Meanwhile, Director of Public Health G Srinivasa Rao denied making any statement linking Covid-19 vaccination with the issue of ration and pension by the government.

He issued a clarification following reports that from November 1, ration and pension would be stopped to people who do not take the vaccine.

Earlier, it was tweeted from the official Twitter handle of Jogulamba Gadwal District Collector that directions have been issued to officials to prepare a list of those who have not taken the vaccination and immediately stop their ration and pensions. Interestingly, the tweet was deleted after clarification by the Director of Public Health on Tuesday.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Patna, Oct 27 : Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday announced he will organise an unemployment rally in Patna soon.

His statement comes after a group of unemployed youths protested before Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday.

He made the announcement in a series of tweets before accompanying his father and RJD chief Lalu Prasad and party state president Jagadanand Singh in a helicopter to address a gathering in bypoll-bound Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur.

The voting on these two seats is scheduled for October 30 and the results are expected on November 2.

"When the unemployed youths pointed to the 19 lakh jobs promise of Nitish Kumar and NDA in the 2020 Assembly elections, he lost his cool and behaved arrogantly with them. Nitish Kumar failed to provide jobs to youths of Bihar. When it was pointed out by the youths, he mocked them. It is an insult to unemployed youths," Tejashwi said.

"We have decided to become the voice of unemployed youths and will organise the biggest rally of the country against unemployment," Tejashwi said.

"The Chief Minister is avoiding direct interaction with the unemployed youths. He is avoiding road journeys as he will have to face the public. Nitish Kumar is a weak Chief Minister who used to go to poll rallies as a political compulsion," Tejashwi said.
Mumbai, Oct 27 : Actress Neha Dhupia has shared a powerful picture of herself breastfeeding her newborn son and titled it "freedom to feed".

Neha shared the picture, which currently has 82,000 likes on Instagram. In the image, she is seen sitting on a chair breastfeeding her son and covered his face.

"#Freedomtofeed," she captioned the picture, as she smiled looking at the lens.

Neha and her actor husband Angad Bedi welcomed their second born earlier this month on October 3.

Angad had posted a picture and had written: "The almighty today blessed us with a baby boy. Both Neha and the baby are well." "Mehr is ready to pass on the 'baby' title to the new arrival. #Bedisboy is here!!!!! Waheguru Mehr kare @nehadhupia thank you for being such a warrior through this journey. Lets make it a memorable one for all 4 of us now," Angad wrote.

The couple also have a daughter named Mehr, who was born in 2018.

Neha and Angad got married in a hush-hush affair in May 2018. It was in July 2021, the two announced that they are expecting their second child with an Instagram post.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will reach Punjab on Thursday on a two-day trip.

According to sources, Kejriwal will visit Sangrur, Mansa and Bathinda on October 28 and 29.

He will have a dialogue with farmers on Thursday and will meet businessmen on Friday.

This is Kejriwal's second visit to the northern state due for polls in 2022. On September 29, he went to Ludhiana where he met traders and businessmen.

The announcement of this trip came just a day after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener's return from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, which too will go to the polls in 2022.

After winning 20 seats in the 2017 Assembly polls, the AAP became the principal opposition party in Punjab.

The party is banking on its Delhi model of free electricity to garner votes in the Congress-ruled state.

Punjab, which got a new chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi in September, will go to the polls in February-March 2022.

There are 117 constituencies in Punjab.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : HDFC Bank took Rs 56,763 from a customer's account in an unauthorised manner to settle alleged debt on a credit card which was neither requested nor used.

This episode occurred at the HDFC Gurguram branch where the bank issued a credit card to a customer (name withheld) which was received but never used.

In 2015-16, the bank started sending bills of Rs 14,500 for a card which was never requested but received and not used. When the customer enquired there was no response.

When the customer approached the branch manager, he was asked to destroy the card and send it to the Chennai office which he did in his presence. However, to his chagrin the customer continued to receive credit card statements. The harassed customer then started writing mails to Aditya Puri, then chairman of the bank. While these mails were acknowledged there was no closure in the matter. The follow ups were constant on the pry of the customer but all to no avail. The bank started harassing the customer again in 2021 when the customer's employer was called for credit card bills.

The bank then sent a legal notice for the credit card. The same customer also had a HDFC Standard Life policy and when the amount matured, HDFC Bank debited Rs 56,763 from the bank account in lieu of the credit card bills.

The bank is not permitted by RBI guidelines to hold money from the savings account to pay for this debt. This debt arose from a credit card and should have been treated as a separate issue. What is worse is that as part of the redemption process a cancelled cheque of Kotak Mahindra Bank was provided, HDFC Life continuously delayed the settlement saying it had not received the mail. When after repeated entreaties the amount was credited into the said account, said money evaporated.

The bank has not provided any statement of transactions and cash memo which is actually signed by the bank customer or any document which proves that the credit card was requested or used.

The Credit card is a Prepayment Plan Instrument and requires the bank to make sure that if instrument is issued it should be in possession of the rightful owner and not some frivolous record in the database. The card/instrument was received but disputed from the outset by the rightful owner.

The Bank and the collection agencies have made several attempts to call and harass the client which has been put on record. The recorded emails show that repeatedly a clarity was requested from the bank to show how the credit card was even used by the client. The bank has fled from its responsibility.

There is no record that the request was made for such a credit card. The credit card is not showing on the HDFC portal and no data is available to even challenge the claim. The bank has prevented the client from genuine information in order to bring clarification to the matter and has left the client to the scrutiny and illegal practice of various collection agencies.

The matter arose at HDFC Gurugram branch but the office to pursue the matter was addressed in Chennai for no specific reason. This was done to make it inaccessible for the client to clarify the issue. That the client repeatedly visited the Gurugram Branch to clarify the matter but the whole matter was denied without providing any justification since 2014.

As per RBI guidelines banks have a restricted access to exercise their right to lien. The bank cannot exercise a lien over a personal account of a customer. According to guidelines a credit card account is always separate from since a person acts in a different capacity than his understanding of the savings account.

The failure of the bank to bring clarity to the matter and suddenly decide to debit the savings account with a huge amount of interest is a deficiency of service as well as a malpractice which affects lakhs of customers on a daily basis.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Centre on Wednesday proposed to sell small LPG cylinders through Fair Price Shops (FPS) across the country.

There is a proposal to provide financial services through FPS and extending MUDRA loans to its dealers for capital augmentation.

There are a total of 5.32 lakh FPS in the country. With this step, the Centre is aiming at taking its services closer to poorer and needy consumers.

Focussing on enhancing financial viability of FPS, Department of Food and Public Distribution Secretary, Sudhanshu Pandey in a video conference with representatives of multiple ministries and PSUs stressed on the need of taking proactive measures for the same.

The representatives from oil marketing companies appreciated the proposal for retail selling of small LPG cylinders through FPS and informed that "necessary support required would be provided for the same in coordination with interested state or Union Territory (UT) governments," said a release from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in New Delhi.

The representative from the Department of Financial Services appreciated the government's proposal to provide financial services through FPS, extending MUDRA loans to FPS dealers for capital augmentation and informed that necessary support would be provided for it in coordination with interested state or UT governments.

Earlier, the CEO, Common Service Centre (CSC), gave a presentation about the various service offerings provided by it. An update on the activities undertaken by CSC to tie-up with individual state or UT governments to take this initiative forward was presented, too.

Set up under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the CSC scheme provides a centralised and collaborative framework for delivery of services to the citizens.

In his concluding remarks, Sudhanshu Pandey mentioned that different states or UTs can take up these initiatives and tailor them to suit their individual requirements.

Representatives from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, CSC e-Governance Services India Limited and all states/UTs participated in the virtual conference, the release added.
Mumbai, Oct 27 : Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) vigilance team and an ACP-level Mumbai Police officer have launched independent probes into the allegations of 'extortion' and other issues against the NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, here on Wednesday.

The NCB team arrived here this afternoon and is understood to have recorded Wankhede's statement besides summoning a 'Panch-Witness' Prabhakar Sail for probe.

At least four complaints lodged against Wankhede in different police stations in Mumbai will now be handled by the ACP who will investigate and prepare his report in the matter.

"We have started the probe. This is a very sensitive investigation, too early to share anything. We shall inquire all aspects and later inform the media of the developments," NCB vigilance team member Dnyaneshwar Singh told mediapersons briefly.

The two independent probes follow the series of allegations against Wankhede coming vide Sail's affidavit of October 23, besides the serial exposes undertaken by Nationalist Congress Party Minister Nawab Malik in the past three weeks.

Among other things, Sail had claimed that another NCB 'Panch-Witness' was allegedly acting as a conduit to extort Rs 18-crore from Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan of which Rs 8-crore was reportedly intended for Wankhede.

In Mumbai, at least 4 separate complaints have been lodged against the NCB officer on various counts, which the ACP level officer will investigate.
October 27 : The Bombay High Court today resumed hearing of Shah Rukh Khans son Aryan Khan's bail plea. His lawyer, Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, on Tuesday argued that since there is no case against his client as there is no recovery or consumption", then what evidence will Aryan Khan tamper with? Aryans bail plea was denied twice before by a Mumbai magistrate court and a special anti-drugs court. The 23-year-old was arrest on October 3 in a drugs-related case after a Mumbai cruise ship party was raided by the Narcotics Control Bureau. Aryan has been in Mumbai's Arthur Road jail since October 8.

Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi also argued on Tuesday that Aryan is a "young man" who should be sent to rehab rather than jail. He told the court that there was "no case of possession of drugs" against him and he was arrested wrongly. Rohatgi also said "it is a fit case for bail".

NCB opposed the bail plea saying that Aryan could be linked to a larger drug nexus and giving him bail could lead to tampering of evidence and influencing witnesses. Mukul Rohatgi claimed that NCB is misinterpreting Aryans WhatsApp chats with actress Ananya Panday and others.

Amid Aryans arrest, NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede is facing corruption charges and being questioned in connection with allegations of extortion levelled against him by Prabhakar Sail, who is a witness in the drugs-on-cruise case. DDG North Gyaneshwar Singh will also question witnesses KP Gosavi and Prabhakar Sail. Gyaneshwar Singh is a part of the 5-member team, which is probing the allegations of corruption made by Prabhakar Sail.

The Mumbai Police said that an inquiry has been initiated to verify alleged extortion claims against Sameer Wankhede and other officials while probing the Mumbai-drugs-on-cruise case.

Reportedly, Shah Rukh Khan left his home this morning, and is believed that he may visit the Bombay High Court, where an order on Aryans bail plea is expected today.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : A plea was filed in a court here on Wednesday against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar over his statement during a meeting with workers of BJP's Kisan Morcha on October 3, in which he allegedly asked the party members to stand up against protesting farmers.

The petition alleged that as per the video of the meeting, the CM was asking party workers to make "500-600-1,000 volunteers" in every district of north and west Haryana, and be ready to "face sticks, imprisonment", which will make them "big leaders".

In the plea filed before Sachin Gupta, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Rouse Avenue Court, complainant Advocate Amit Sahni, contended that the link of the CM's meeting with partymen was live on YouTube.

However, after the portion of his controversial remarks went viral on social media, the video was taken off, but it was broadcast by several persons connected with the Chief Minister Office, Haryana.

The video is still available on various social platforms and news websites, the petitioner said.

"The contents of the videos make it abundantly clear that the accused has committed offence under sections 109, 153, 153A and 505 IPC by giving provocation with intent to cause riot, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and making statements conducing to public mischief under section 109, 153, 153 A, 505 IPC," the plea stated.

Pointing out a series of related events, the plea said that earlier Haryana IAS officer Ayush Sinha made a controversial statement to "break heads" of farmers.

It also highlighted the controversial incident that took place during Khattar's 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' in 2019 as part of his campaign in the run-up to the Haryana assembly elections, in which he was allegedly heard saying "I will chop your head off," in a viral video.

Quoting "Be ye never so high, the law is above you", the words of English Judge Lord Denning, the petitioner said that no one is above the law and that the law applies to everyone equally, regardless of anyone's rank or position.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to decide the representation of the PIL seeking immediate evacuation of 227 Indian and Afghan nationals, belonging to Hindu and Sikh communities, stranded in Afghanistan.

A division bench of Chief Justice D. N. Patel and Justice Jyoti directed the Centre to decide the representation on the basis of law, rules, regulations and government policies.

The PIL filed by a social activist and former spokesman of the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee, Parminder Pal Singh, through his lawyer Gurinder Pal Singh, sought urgent issuance of e-visas and safe return of the stranded people to India.

It stated that no steps were taken by the Centre to airlift the stranded Indian and Afghan nationals of Indian origin from Afghanistan while the government facilitated the departure of 106 stranded Afghan nationals from India back to Kabul.

It also alleged that earlier, out of 216 applications submitted, the Ministry of Home Affairs had granted e-visas in only 8 cases while leaving the rest to suffer at the hands of the Taliban.

"Many Indians and Afghan nationals were either killed or wounded at the hands of the Taliban forces," it added.

Seeking immediate intervention in the matter, Gurinder Pal Singh said: "The stranded persons are facing threats to their lives. The government must take immediate action to protect them." The PIL also urged the court to take up the matter with international agencies and counterparts to ensure peoples' security during the evacuation process.
San Francisco, Oct 27 : Cupertino-based tech giant Apple has reportedly delayed the launch of iPhone SE 3 and it is expected to launch another model called iPhone SE Plus next year.

According to display analyst Ross Young, Apple is looking to launch the iPhone SE Plus next year. It could have a 4.7-inch display, which is the same as the iPhone 8 and last year's iPhone SE 2, reports Digital Trends.

Young suggests that the upcoming iPhone SE Plus will support 5G networks, making it Apple's cheapest 5G-supported device.

In terms of appearance, one can expect the iPhone 8 design language with a home button-embedded Touch ID. The iPhone SE 3 may come with a wide notch cut out, but the screen size will be smaller in comparison and it will include a side-mounted fingerprint sensor quite similar to the iPad models.

The iPhone SE 3, on the other hand, is poised to feature a display of 5.7-inch to 6.1-inch size.

The new phone will have the new chipset -- the 5nm A15 Bionic, adding support for 5G networks. Price-wise, the phone is expected to cost the same as the iPhone SE (2020) in China and around the world -- CNY3299, or $399.

The production for the SE 3 should start around December 2021.

The iPhone SE (2020) is powered by Apple's A13 Bionic chipset with a third-generation neural engine. It houses two cameras, one on the back and the other one at the front.
Seoul, Oct 27 : Samsung is planning to launch its next premium flagship, the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+ as well as the Galaxy S22 Ultra and now a new leak has revealed a real-life backplate for the S22 Ultra with five holes, arranged in a P pattern.

The new design was posted on Weibo, which, in turn, was scooped up by OnLeaks and shared on Twitter. It shows an purported plain black case for the Galaxy S22 Ultra with separate cutouts for each camera lens, reports GizmoChina.

The camera module appears to be very different from early renditions.

The upcoming series will enter mass production in November this year.

The smartphones in the lineup will be available for purchase from January 2022 and all the models in the series are expected to come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 898 chipset.

In terms of specifications, the upcoming series may feature a new 10MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom capabilities as opposed to a high-resolution sensor with poor optical zoom.

Samsung is planning to take a different approach on the Galaxy S22/S22+ models that will arrive early next year. The Galaxy S22 series smartphones will pack a 10MP telephoto lens that supports 3x optical zoom rather than the hybrid zoom of the Galaxy S20/S21 era.

Previous rumours suggested that the Galaxy S22 Ultra is expected to continue the dual 10-megapixel telephoto camera setup on the Galaxy S21 Ultra. One of the lenses will be a periscope lens that will offer 10x optical zoom.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 27 : The Kerala government will soon submit a Rs 2,000 crore proposal to the Centre for rehabilitation of those who have returned home permanently from abroad amid the Covid pandemic, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday.

This is in addition to the various relief packages the state has already provided to them, he told the Assembly.

Referring to the Covid-19 portal data, the Chief Minister said that till October 26, a total of 17,51,852 people returned from abroad. A majority of them have come back from the Middle East countries.

"However, as per the Airport Authority of India, from May 2020 till October, a total of 39,55,230 people have travelled through various airports. A majority of them have returned," said Vijayan.

Highlighting his government's achievements, he said a sum of Rs 5,000 each has been given to 1,33,800 people who came back with a valid passport and a valid job visa, but have not been able to return.

"Apart from these, we gave Rs 10,000 each to 181 returnees who turned Covid positive besides Rs 1,000 each to 18,278 people who receive the diaspora pension," said Vijayan.

He said the portal figures show that around 12.57 lakhs returnees have lost their jobs. The state government in the 2021-22 budget has earmarked Rs 50 crore for them to start some enterprises.

"Numerous schemes are there for the returnees to start some productive ventures and it includes loans, interest subsidies and similar soaps," added Vijayan.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Congress is going to kickstart its campaign for Goa and Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls this weekend with senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leading the charge.

Rahul Gandhi will be in Goa campaigning for the party, while Priyanka Gandhi will be holding her second rally in UP.

The Congress is gearing up for polls for five states and the party has started early in the states to galvanise the party cadre. The former Congress President will address party workers in Goa on October 30 and will launch the official campaign of the party.

The Congress in Goa has witnessed exodus of party leaders, as about 10 MLAs have crossed over to the BJP and recently former Chief Minister Luizinho Falerio joined Trinamool, further shrinking the strength of the party in the state.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, General Secretary of the party Incharge, UP will be addressing the rally in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's home turf Gorakhpur on October 31.

The Congress leaders point out that the venue has been chosen to show that the Congress is ready to take on the BJP in the state. The rally comes days after the Congress announced 40 per cent reservation to women in tickets and also declared seven resolutions to be part of its manifesto. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on October 10 had kicked off her party's campaign for the upcoming UP Assembly elections by mounting a blistering attack on the ruling BJP.

Addressing the mammoth rally in Varanasi, Priyanka took on the Centre and State governments on the issue of farmers and injustice to the poor. "In the past two years, I have been working in UP. Two years ago, 13 adivasis were killed in a land dispute in Sonbhadra. Some leaders of the ruling BJP were involved and the people said that they had no hope for justice. I went there and each of the victims' families said that they wanted justice," she said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Facing a triangular contest in the Jubbal Kotkhai Assembly bypolls in Himachal Pradesh, the ruling BJP has decided to act tough against its own cadre who are supporting rebel candidate Chetan Bragta.

All those found working against the party's official candidate Neelam Saraik will not be spared, the party warned.

Bragta, the former head of BJP state IT cell, is contesting as an independent candidate with many in the local district and block unit supporting him.

The party has already expelled over 50 workers for supporting his candidature.

The October 30 bypolls were necessitated after the death of sitting MLA and Bragta's father, former minister Narendra Bragta.

A senior party functionary said that the Jubbal Kotkhai bypoll has turned into a triangular contest between the BJP, the Congress and the rebel.

"We are in direct fight with the Congress for the bypolls of Mandi Lok Sabha and two Assembly constituencies of Fatehpur and Arki. But due to Bragta's candidature, Jubbal-Kotkhai is witnessing a triangular contest. Bragta is giving a tough challenge but we have improved our position in the last 10 days and are now in a position to win comfortably," he said.

Another party leader said that Bragta is getting sympathy and support from local BJP cadres and some of them are found working for him.

"We have found that local leaders are supporting Bragta and working against the party's official candidate Neelam Saraik. Those found working against the party have been expelled," he said.

On October 21, the party had expelled 21 workers for their involvement in an anti-party activities. On October 23, BJP Himachal Pradesh Mahila Morcha threw out seven of its workers on the same charges. On October 25, eight workers of the youth wing were dismissed.

On October 26, the party expelled 11 workers of the youth wing, four of the Kisan morcha and five of the SC morcha.

BJP state co-incharge Sanjay Tandon told IANS that those found involved in anti-party activities will not be spared. "Anybody who is on a particular designation in the party and found working against the party's official candidate will not be spared," Tandon said.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Taliban has been criticized for including some notoriously shady characters in Afghanistan's acting government, perhaps none more than Sirajuddin Haqqani, a designated terrorist last photographed hiding behind a plant, RFE/RL reported.

In his first public appearance since he was named the Taliban's interior minister in early September, Haqqani on October 19 praised suicide bombers and promised money and land to a packed house of their surviving family members.

In an official photo of the event at Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel, the target of deadly Taliban attacks in 2011 and 2018, Haqqani can barely be seen sitting behind a strategically placed floral arrangement onstage, the report said.

Despite the obvious effort to shroud Haqqani's appearance, closer inspection reveals the most distinct image of Haqqani's face seen in recent years.

Another camera angle shows the events' decorations, VIPs, and Taliban special-forces troops brandishing recently pilfered US military gear much more clearly. That is, except for Haqqani, whose body is shown but whose face has been completely photoshopped out of the scene, the report added.

Other photos show every wrinkle and fold on Haqqani's beige shirt, brown vest, and black turban. But aside from his hands, a glimpse of an ear, and traces of his trademark dark beard, Haqqani's face is again either blurred or artfully hidden behind warm embraces with attendees of the event, the report said.

The photos mark the second attempt by the Taliban to keep Haqqani's face out of the camera's view since the extremist group seized power on August 15.

During an introductory meeting of the Interior Ministry on September 10, only the back of Haqqani's head can be seen as he addressed his new staff wearing a similar outfit, the report said.

But the involvement of Haqqani -- who heads the Haqqani network -- has raised serious questions as to the Taliban's commitment to its claims of reform.

The acting interior minister, who is the son of the deceased Haqqani network founder Jalaluddin Haqqani -- is among the FBI's most-wanted fugitives.

Some on Twitter have speculated that Haqqani's current appearance is being obscured to protect him from those who might want to cash in on the reward money.

Multiple sources in Kabul have told RFE/RL that Haqqani frequently changes location and keeps his movements secret out of fear that Washington will target him using remotely piloted drones.

Others on Twitter have suggested that the Taliban is attempting to portray Haqqani as a divine leader or that the images are being blurred in keeping with the group's previous stance that photography was forbidden under its strict interpretation of Islamic law.

Haqqani is not the only Taliban official working in the shadows. The militant group's newly named supreme leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, has only been seen on posters even as government appointments are attributed to him amid reports that he died a year ago.

And the whereabouts of Mullah Yaqoob Omar, the 30-something son of Mullah Omar who has been named the militant group's caretaker defense minister, is essentially a mystery, the report said.

But his depiction of suicide bombers as "heroes of Islam and the country" during the October 19 event at the Intercontinental Hotel -- where 42 people were killed by Taliban gunmen in 2018 -- fell on deaf ears to those outside the venue.

Reactions to Haqqani's appearance -- however blurred -- were harsh among Afghans who have been victimized by suicide attacks.

"Thousands of young people and families were killed," Ibrahim, whose brother Khajeh Isa was killed in a suicide attack in the northwestern Herat Province in 2009, told RFE/RL. "Children, the young, and the old were martyred." "We see that today those who committed suicide [bombings] are being honored in the name of martyrdom," said Ibrahim, whose full name has been withheld out of concerns of possible retribution against him. "Unfortunately, this is far from humanity and religion... No conscience accepts that suicide is a part of Islamic law."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Lucknow, Oct 27 : Uttar Pradesh is set to get its first drive-in theatre on Diwali.

The drive-in theatre in Lucknow, which will be operational from November 2, is expected to draw big crowd on Diwali. The facility, with a capacity of 200 cars, has been set up in Sarojini Nagar area.

People can watch movies from the comfort of their cars while enjoying food and other amenities.

Lucknow-based commercial pilot and businessman, Nitish Kanda, 22, who started the venture, said: "This will be a new experience not just for the city but for the entire state as this is the first drive-in theatre in Uttar Pradesh. We have installed a digital LED screen with 40 by 20 ft dimensions which also works well in sunlight. For the time being, we will have evening and night shows." The district administration and the municipal corporation have granted permission for the facility and tickets will be available both online and offline.

"The digital LED screen promises better picture quality over a projector. It also gives 180-degree equal view from all angles. The sound system will also be tuned to the frequency of the car's FM and audio will be played inside the vehicle, limiting all noise pollution," he added.

The concept is expected to receive much traction during Covid times since the drive-in theatre will help maintain physical distancing with cars in place of other forms of seating arrangements.

Latest updates on Diwali Festival 2021
Panaji, Oct 27 : If he has the guts, Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik should resign from the Constitutional post and contest assembly elections in Goa, state Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said on Wednesday, while slamming the former Goa governor's comments on rampant corruption in the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant-led regime.

Speaking to reporters here, Ajgaonkar also alleged a conspiracy between Malik and the Opposition in Goa vis a vis slandering the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government in the coastal state.

"He has to safeguard the value of the Governor's position. If you have the guts you retire and say whatever you want. Come into politics, contest elections in Goa, we do not have a problem," Ajgaonkar told reporters on Wednesday.

"Do not defame Dr Pramod Sawant's name ahead of elections. The CM works 18 hours a day. He has raised infrastructure for Covid. He (Malik) is making these comments because he was made to run out of here," he also said.

Malik had stoked controversy on Monday after he told a national news channel in an interview that corruption was evident in "any and everything" thing in Goa and also accused the state government of graft in the handing out of rations to the people of the state during the lockdown last year. The Opposition in Goa has now demanded Sawant's resignation and a judicial probe into the accusations of graft made by Malik against the Goa government.

"He could have been in touch with the opposition, there could be fixing. He has given advantage to the opposition. He should be probed by the Home department. He should have evidence for the claims he is making," Ajgaonkar also said.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Doctors at a private hospital here conducted a live surgery for weight loss, using a unique robot-assisted tool, on two extremely obese patients.

It was India's first live robot-assisted bariatric surgery -- for weight loss -- using stapling technique, doctors at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said on Wednesday.

"We have demonstrated the usage of this technology during Robotic Bariatric Surgery of Sleeve Gastrectomy as a part of anti-obesity campaign," they said in a statement.

The two patients -- a 30-year old male weighing 224 kg and 37-year old female weighing 133.4 kg -- were suffering from complexities like sleep apnoea, hypertension, diabetes and joint pain, due to extreme obesity.

They were operated through robot-assisted surgical stapler, called SureForm.

The robot-assisted tool optimised their surgical procedure and a consistent staple line was administered to prevent the tissue damage.

This is the first use ever of Artificial Intelligence in Robotic Surgery, said Dr Arun Prasad, Senior GI, Bariatric and Robotic Surgeon at the hospital, who conducted the live surgery.

Here the Stapler gives a feedback on the screen regarding the positioning, suitability, right thickness, right speed of stapling etc to the surgeon. Stapler will not fire unless predefined safety criteria are met fully thereby reducing further the chances of any human error, he said.

The live surgery was virtually joined by top surgeons from the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the US, Mexico, Turkey and Russia.

"The robot-assisted Stapling is the new surgical technique in India. Our knowledge partner, Intuitive India has launched SureForm, a robot-assisted surgical stapler that comes well-equipped with the SmartFire Technology. This technology with 1,000+ measurements per second makes automatic adjustments to the firing process while the staplers are being formed, and the transection is being made," Prasad said.

This technique can make complex bariatric surgical procedures minimally invasive and less painful.
Chandigarh, Oct 27 : Slamming the state government for its repeated denial of any serious security issues, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said there was something wrong and dangerous happening at the borders, which the state could ill-afford to ignore.

He trashed allegations that the Border Security Force (BSF) would take over the state's administration or will be deployed in the Golden Temple, and said such misconceptions were being spread by certain people to score brownie points in the run-up to the Assembly elections.

"The BSF is here for helping maintain national security as we are a border state," he said, calling for full support by the state to the Centre in the interest of national security.

Addressing a press conference here, Amarinder Singh said he was not an alarmist but his experience in the Indian Army and as chief minister of the state told him that "something is going to happen".

"Yet a home minister who has been in his chair for one month claims to know more than me!" he quipped, taking a dig at Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.

"Sleeper cells of the Pak ISI and Khalistani forces are creating trouble, technology is becoming more advanced. The capacity and range of drones is increasing, first they came in just 5-6 kms from the border, now they reach 31 kms," he pointed out.

"We have to be very careful of the clandestine war from across the borders," he added.

It was the duty of every responsible government to tackle such threats, Amarinder Singh stressed, countering those who mock his concerns over national security. The state government, he said, should put the facts before the people and take their help in getting information instead of denying the danger.

It should own up and take necessary action to combat the threat, he said, adding that even at the all-party meeting held on the issue, it seems the political parties were not properly briefed.

While Punjab Police was a first class and well-trained force, they were, however, not trained to combat such threats, said the former Chief Minister, asserting they need the help of the BSF and the CRPF to tackle the problem.

He pointed out that even in the days of terrorism, the army was helping out and nobody took over the state government's job. The BSF's assistance was essential to maintaining peace in Punjab, he said, adding the state has been through tough times and nobody wants it to suffer again.
San Francisco, Oct 27 : Electric vehicle company Tesla has released a new white paper regarding a new standard for its Dojo supercomputing platform.

CEO Elon Musk teased the paper as "more important than it may seem", reports Electrek.

In the abstract, the automaker is describing a new standard to work with its computing platform.

"This standard specifies Tesla arithmetic formats and methods for the new 8-bit and 16-bit binary floating-point arithmetic in computer programming environments for deep learning neural network training," according to the report.

"This standard also specifies exception conditions and the status flags thereof. An implementation of a floating-point system conforming to this standard may be realized entirely in software, entirely in hardware, or in any combination of software and hardware," it added.

For years now, Tesla has been teasing the development of a new in-house supercomputer optimised for neural net video training.

Tesla is handling an insane amount of video data from its fleet of over 1 million vehicles. It uses this video data to train its neural nets.

Over the last two years, Musk has been teasing the development of Tesla's own supercomputer called "Dojo".

Last year, he even teased that Tesla's Dojo would have a capacity of over an exaflop, which is one quintillion (1018) floating-point operations per second or 1,000 petaFLOPS.

The automaker already has its Dojo chip and tile, but it is still working on building its full rack to create the supercomputer.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday met ailing West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here.

The Union Minister enquired about the Governor's health and spent some time with him.

Dhankhar, who tested positive for malaria, was rushed to the medical facility on Monday afternoon.

The Governor has been admitted in a private ward where he is being attended by a team of doctors headed by Dr Neeraj Nischal, Professor Medicine.

Dhankhar's health condition is gradually improving, hospital sources said.

Dhankhar was in Darjeeling from October 12 as part of a two-week visit to north Bengal, where he complained of high fever.

He flew to the national capital for treatment on Friday and was staying at Bangla Bhavan where doctors were keeping a watch on him.

He tested positive for the vector-borne disease on Sunday.
October 27 : Actor Soni Razdan said she is not aware when her daughter Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor will tie the knot. The veteran actress is playing a pivotal role in the upcoming show Call My Agent: Bollywood, which revolves around four talent agents and how they handle the egos and profiles of actors to survive in their talent management company.

In a recent interview, Soni said, Even I dont know when itll (the wedding) happen. Even Im waiting for some information. Talking to BollywoodLife, Soni further said, Well, theres a lot of time left. Itll happen sometime in the future, and thats a long way off. Now, when itll happen, I dont know. Maybe, youll have to call Alias agent for that. She referred to her upcoming Netflix series, Call My Agent: Bollywood. Soni Razdan continued and said, But even her agent might not know.

Call My Agent: Bollywood also stars Aahana Kumra and Rajat Kapoor, among others. The show also features a host of celebrity cameos, including Dia Mirza, Lara Dutta, Farah Khan, Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal and Jackie Shroff. Directed by Shaad Ali, Call My Agent: Bollywood is the Indian adaptation of a French show. The series will start streaming on October 29 on Netflix.

It is rumoured that Alia and Ranbir will tie the knot in December this year, and have kept themselves free from shooting schedules.

Last month, Alia and Ranbir made a trip to Rajasthan to celebrate Kapoors birthday. Alia shared an adorable picture of them from the trip and wrote, Happy birthday my life. Earlier, in an interview, Ranbir had said, I dont want to jinx it by saying anything. I want to tick-mark that goal very soon in my life.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : President Ram Nath Kovind will be on a three-day Gujarat visit from October 28.

During his stay, the President will inaugurate a Housing Scheme Project for Economically Weaker Sections at Bhavnagar on October 29, a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said on Wednesday.

He will also visit Shree Chitrakutdham, the Ashram of Morari Bapu, at Talgajarda in Bhavnagar district, it added.
San Francisco, Oct 27 : Tech giant Google has launched a new safety feature that lets under-18s request the removal of images of themselves from the company's search results.

According to The Verge, the feature was originally announced in August (along with new restrictions of ad targeting of minors) but is now widely available.

Anyone can start the removal process from this help page, the report said.

Applicants will need to supply the URLs of images they want to be removed from search results, the search terms that surface those images, the name and age of the minor and the name and relationship of the individual that might be acting on their behalf -- a parent or guardian, for example.

The company notes it will remove images of any minors "with the exception of cases of compelling public interest or newsworthiness".

It also seems from Google's language that it won't comply with requests unless the person in the image is currently under 18.

So, if you're 30, you can't apply to remove pictures of you when you were 15, the report said.

That limits the scope of the tool to prevent abuse or harassment, but it presumably makes the process of verification much easier. It's hard to prove what age you are in any given photo as opposed to proving how old you are right now.

Google also stresses that removing an image from its search results does not, of course, remove it from the web.

In addition to these new removal options for images of minors, Google already offers other avenues for requesting the removal of specific types of harmful content.

These include non-consensual explicit imagery, fake pornography, financial or medical information, and "doxxing" information including home addresses and phone numbers.
Tumakuru, Oct 27 : The act of a Karnataka government official taking part in the 'Pathsanchalan' (flag march) organized by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has created a controversy after his photos clad in RSS uniform went viral.

Umakanth, the Commissioner of Tiptur Municipality in Tumakuru district, took part in the 'Pathsanchalan' programme organized recently in the Gurukula College premises by the RSS as part of its 'Prathamik Shiksha' programme.

The 'Pathsanchalan' was carried out in the arterial roads of Tiptur town. Umakanth took part in the programme as a RSS cadre in uniform. His move generated a lot of discussion in favour and against.

Umakanth has clarified that he has been an RSS cadre even before joining government service. "I have been working as a volunteer of RSS and participated in the 'Pathsanchalan' programme. The government employees can participate in the programmes organized by institutions which are not against the country," he defended.

Umakanth also made headlines on August 6 by performing 'urulu seve' (a religious practice of rolling over and over around a temple) for the welfare of the people and development of Tiptur town at the local Kempamma temple. He had taken a bath with cold water in front of the temple before beginning 'urulu seve'.

He had then clarified that it is his personal matter. He had explained that he had performed 'urulu seve' during earlier postings in Chikkaballapur, Kolar and Madikeri cities also.

Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had recently attacked the BJP government, alleging the RSS was running the show in the state and RSS men were being appointed by the government at all levels. Opposition leader Siddaramaiah too made scathing attacks on the BJP over allegedly handing over the reins of the administration to the RSS. BJP leaders have invited both of them to RSS units to see what is being taught there.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a 'human angle' to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) keeping the poor at the forefront.

Delivering a lecture at a conference on 'Delivering Democracy: Reviewing two decades of Narendra Modi as head of the government' organised by Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, Shah said the GDP must grow but its beneficiary should be the poor and the needy, adding that the Prime Minister's reforms have always been based on the needs of the poor.

Describing Modi as the best Prime Minister after independence, the Union Home Minister said houses for the poor were built earlier, too, but Modi has changed the scale of the policy.

"Two crore people have also been provided houses and I assure you that by August 15, 2022, every poor will have a house," Shah added.

Toilets have empowered women across the country, and providing water to every household will further improve the health of all Indians, he said.

Pointing to Modi's agricultural reforms, Shah said the previous governments chose the path of loan waivers but under Modiji's leadership, Rs 6,000 are deposited into farmers' accounts which help pay their input costs as there are 60 per cent marginal farmers and this amount is enough for the input cost of his agricultural activities.

Pointing out that the Prime Minister brought in governance reforms which are about transforming the ground reality and not superficial administrative changes, the Minister said for the first time a separate security policy was formulated under Modi's leadership and he differentiated the security policy from the shadow of the foreign policy.

After 2014, the Prime Minister took various bold decisions like demonetisation, abolition of Triple Talaq and One rank One Pension for the benefit of the defence forces, Shah added, After 2019, when people of the country elected Modi for a second term, he announced the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A from Jammu and Kashmir.

Referring to International Yoga day, Shah said under his leadership and policy, 177 countries in the world decided to celebrate June 21 as International Yoga Day every year.

Shah referred to the Ujjwala Yojana, clean drinking water to every household, 100 per cent electrification of villages across the country, Ayushman Bharat health card to seven crore people. The Home Minister said the country has recently touched the 100 crore vaccination mark under Modi's leadership.

Keeping in view the new challenges in all fields, the Prime Minister brought a separate drone policy, space policy, and merged green, blue and white revolutions into one integrated policy for agriculture.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan's (TLP) central committee on Wednesday accused Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid of lying that matters between it and the government had been settled, adding that the protesters would now depart from Muridke soon for their announced destination of Islamabad, Dawn reported.

In a statement issued by the group's central committee, TLP leader Syed Sarwar Shah Saifi said: "Sheikh Rashid lied yesterday that matters have been resolved. He also lied about contact [with us] at 8pm - from them till now no government official, including Sheikh, has contacted [us]." "Let the entire nation see the malicious intent of the government," the statement said.

On Tuesday, Rashid had said that the government did not have any "reservations" on the TLP's demands and there was agreement on all issues discussed with the group - except for the matter of the French ambassador's expulsion.

He reiterated that the government and TLP had reached an agreement on all other issues and that he would contact the group again at 8 p.m.

After Rashid announced that the government could not meet the TLP's demand for expulsion of the French ambassador, the party had said its activists would now march onto Islamabad, the report said.

Regarding the expulsion, Saifi said that France had committed blasphemy at the government level and the TLP thus expected an official response from the incumbent government.

"Are these claimants of the state of Madina unable to respond to France? Have they become so enslaved to the Jews and the Christians?" the TLP leader questioned, Dawn reported.

The statement called upon the government to fulfil its agreement of expelling the French ambassador, saying that the group had abided by the agreement and given three days, despite losing 40 lives.

Saifi said the demands would increase if more blood was spilt and the nation would be "rid of this dishonest, lying and hypocritical government". He said it would be better if the agreement was abided by and TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi was released so the group could go back.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Actress and assistant director Nyra Banerjee will be seen in 'Barun Rai and the House on the Cliff' which has been shot in the UK. She talks about her role of 'Soumili' in the movie and also the challenges she faced while doing it.

The actress also opens up about the character 'Barun Rai' who has some supernatural powers. 'Barun Rai' is played by Priyanshu Chatterjee Nyra says: "Basically, 'Barun Rai' is an investigator who has these clairvoyant powers. So whenever there is a supernatural activity that police cannot solve, 'Barun Rai' comes into the picture. He gets these visions of how a murder would have been done and through his clairvoyance, his analysis he detects the entire case and solves it." She continues: "So, 'House on the Cliff' is basically my story, me and my husband, which is played by Sid Makkar. We both are married, newly married couple and how after shifting to a new house, we go through issues and how 'Barun Rai' comes and helps us. The story is about that." Nyra further adds on the challenges she faced while doing this particular character that was set in the era of 1930s on screen. "I had to look at a particular era and this was set in the 1930s as far as I remember. So, the costumes, the look, my hairstyle, makeup, the accent I tried my best to look suitable, rest everything else was good." The film also features actors like Priyanshu Chatterjee, Sid Makkar, David Bailie, Aakash Shukla, Tony Richardson, George Dawson and Emma Galliano who will be seen in pivotal roles among others. This paranormal/psychological horror film is directed by Sam Bhattacharjee and produced by Unicorn Motion Pictures.

The 'One Night Stand' actress reveals further on working with the co-actors and director Sam.

She adds: "I had a very good team. Sam is into VFX and this was his debut film. He knew what kind of shots he actually wanted and he had amazing visions because he is a VFX guy and directing this whole story which is based on a true incident was amazing. Even then, the actors I worked with were senior actors like Priyanshu Chaterjee and Sid Makkar, we became really good friends and we would make sure that the scene brought a lot of energy. So, yeah, we had a lot of fun together and it was a good experience." On the question how she found this project different from others, Nyra replies: "I have never played someone from such an old era and half Bengali and obviously I have never been part of any horror movie. So, this was entirely a different experience." 'Barun Rai and the House on the Cliff' is based on incidents, anecdotes and folktales from areas including East Bourne and other coastal areas in Britain. The movie will be released on October 29 in the UK.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : After much deliberation, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday gave the nod to Chhath Puja celebrations and reopening of primary classes in Delhi, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said.

"As per experts, the Covid-19 situation is under control in the city. Therefore, at the meeting, it was decided that Chhath Puja will be celebrated in the national capital by following all Covid-19 guidelines," Sisodia said during a press conference, adding that we need to be cautious to contain the spread of the infection.

At the DDMA meeting, it was also decided to reopen primary classes i.e. from nursery to Class 8.

"Students have suffered a huge loss due to shutdown of schools in the wake of Covid-19. It will be difficult to recover that loss. We decided that all primary schools, whether government or private, will be allowed to open from November 1," he said.

However, there will be a few conditions.

"No parents will be compelled to send their children to school. Classes will be conducted online as well. Only 50 per cent of the class capacity need to be present. Teaching and non-teaching staff need to be vaccinated against Covid-19," Sisodia said.

A month ago, just when the Navaratri festival had begun, the DDMA had allowed Durga Puja pandals to be set up in the capital with several Covid-19 related restrictions.

Schools for students of Classes IX-XII were reopened on September 1.

Chhath Puja, a prominent festival amongst the Purvanchal community in Delhi, was earlier directed to be celebrated at home. This led to a political furore in the city with BJP MP Manoj Tiwari staging a protest against the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : After surpassing pre-Covid sales average, QSR major Pizza Hut India expects demand to sustain on the back of festive season as well as the brand's focus on its delivery channel.

In a conversation with IANS, Pizza Hut India MD Merrill Pereyra said: "We see this robust growth continuing well into the next year, especially on our 'Contactless Delivery' channel." "Our delivery sales are already back to pre-Covid levels and takeaway is also close behind." According to Pereyra, the brand was better equiped and prepared to handle the onslaught of the second Covid-19 wave.

Besides, the QSR major's increased focus on digital media and upgradation of digital assets ensured accessibility.

"Demand has definitely picked up. From an average daily sales perspective, Pizza Hut surpassed the pre-Covid average in July 2021 and our owned delivery platforms (mobile app, m-site, website) had outperformed food aggregators on big important days." "Also, our dine-in coupled with continued growth on delivery and takeaway channels saw Pizza Hut closing Q1 in 2021 with positive growth vs last year." Besides, he cited the commencement of a sustainable demand trend as more and more people get fully vaccinated.

"However, it all depends on the efficacy of vaccines as well as the threat of a potential third wave." Furthermore, the QSR major intends to focus on expanding its presence, especially in the Tier-II and III cities.

"We plan to enter several new cities, including tier II and tier III markets, whilst expansion into tier I cities will continue parallelly." Additionally, Pereyra said that brand will focus on opening assets in its 'Fast Casual Delco' format or FCD.

"FCDs are delivery first assets that also offer dine-in and takeaway services. We opened our first FCD in 2016, and today we have over 110 FCDs in India." The company, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. was founded in 1958.

It entered India over two decades ago with a restaurant in Bengaluru.

The QSR major operates more than 18,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries.

In India, the company operates 500 outlets.

(Rohit Vaid can be contacted at rohit.v@ians.in)
Puducherry, Oct 27 : The Union Territory of Puducherry will open schools for students of I to VIII from November 8. This was announced by state education minister, A. Namassivayam on Wednesday.

The education minister while addressing media persons said that classes will be held on alternate days in both state and private schools in the Union Territory.

He said that classes for 1,3,5 and 7 would be held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and classes for 2,4, and 8 would be held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The minister said that classes for urban areas will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and in rural areas from 9.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m. The minister said that students can also attend online classes and that there are no compulsions for the students to attend classes physically. He said that lessons would be available on the YouTube channel of the education department.

Namassivayam said that the education department is considering to conduct full-day classes for 9-12 classes. He said that there would not be any mid-day meals for students of Classes I to VIII.

The minister however said that there would be free bus services for the children to attend schools.
Chennai, Oct 27 : With the upcoming courtroom drama 'Jai Bhim' gearing up for its release, actor Suriya who plays an advocate in this movie, talks about the inspiration behind his role.

'Justice Chandru' in 'Jai Bhim' is a rebel, who strives to bring justice to the downtrodden people of society. Suriya explains that he felt responsible as he took up the role of such a person. "It brings me so much satisfaction along with the responsibility to choose such roles in my movies. As a pan-India movie, I am glad the tale is being reachable at a higher spectrum", Suriya said.

Explaining his character in 'Jai Bhim', the actor said, "In most of the human rights cases that Chandru sir has taken up, he has not charged a penny. Not just Chandru sir, there are so many people in our judicial system who have done such things. All of their stories are to be heard, as they give us hope for a better world," Suriya said.

On being quizzed about what the makers are trying to convey, when Tamil movies like 'Asuran' and 'Kaala' have already highlighted such points earlier. "It is the director's conviction that 'Jai Bhim' has turned out the way it is. Though there are movies addressing the stereotypical ideologies around the subaltern culture, this particular story needs that hype. Being an advocate, Justice Chandru used the law as a weapon to bring back the rights of many," Suriya replied.

'Jai Bhim' is slated for release on November 2 and would be streamed on Amazon's Prime Video.
Mumbai, Oct 27 : Renowned actor Deepak Dobriyal, who is known for his versatility, will soon be seen in the upcoming comedy thriller 'Aafat-e-Ishq'.

The actor says while most of the time he gets to play comedy roles in films and filmmakers try to allure him with so-called 'challenging roles', he wants to come out of such cliche and would rather want to redefine comedy and tragedy in a new way through his acting.

Deepak became one of the go-to actors for many filmmakers when it comes to comedy after the success of his characters like 'Mamdu' of 'Delhi 6', 'Pappi' of 'Tanu Weds Manu' and 'Angrezi Medium'.

The actor told IANS : "I think whatever comedy roles that I played become so popular and resonated with everyone that rest of my emotions on-screen got overshadowed. So I was just getting back-to-back offers on comedy. Since I wanted to get out of that zone, I refused a lot of roles and I looked for something different, something challenging. But I just realised that 'challenging role' is nothing but a cliche these days. That is why I am looking for a new approach in a simple role where I will find a challenge and through performance, I will deliver that." Citing an example of 'Angrezi Medium' the last released film of late Irrfan Khan, Deepak said, "even though it was a comedy character initially, eventually I saw how people had tears in their eyes watching the tragedy in the comedy. I will do more such performances and that is how I wish to redefine my performance and get out of the stereotype." Starting his career in theatre in 1994, the actor said, "Even though I have done all kinds of characters and showcased my ability to portray emotions, as a youngster, I would only get to play an old man in films. They would call it a 'performance oriented' role for 'theatre actors'. That was one of the cliches too. Now I have decided, no matter which role I get, I will perform in a manner that will blur genres and come across as a wholesome performance." In the upcoming 'Aafat-e-Ishq' he is playing a police officer who has a soft corner for the female protagonist named 'Lallo' played by Neha Sharma.

The film is an official remake of 'Liza, the Fox-Fairy', a Hungarian film that was a huge success internationally and won numerous awards at various film festivals.

Produced by Zee Studios and directed by Indrajit Nattoji, 'Aafat-E-Ishq', also features Amit Sial, Namit Das, Ila Arun and it releases on ZEE5 on October 29.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Supreme Court on Friday said in a democratic country, governed by the rule of law, indiscriminate spying on individuals cannot be allowed except with sufficient statutory safeguards, as spying done on an individual, either by the state or by any external agency, directly infringes the right to privacy.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, noted the petitioners complained about the likely misuse of spyware, which is a violation of the right to privacy of citizens. It further added that Centre's limited affidavit was insufficient for it to come to any conclusion regarding its stand with respect to the allegations made by the petitioners.

As Solicitor General Tushar Mehta indicated his apprehension that the disclosure of certain facts might affect the national security and defence of the nation, the bench emphasised: "The right to privacy is directly infringed when there is surveillance or spying done on an individual, either by the state or by any external agency." The top court pointed out that members of a civilised democratic society have a reasonable expectation of privacy, which is not the singular concern of journalists or social activists.

"Every citizen of India ought to be protected against violations of privacy. It is this expectation which enables us to exercise our choices, liberties, and freedom," said the bench.

Constituting an independent experts committee, to be supervised by Justice R.V. Raveendran, a retired top court judge, the bench said: "Right to privacy and freedom of speech are alleged to be impacted, which needs to be examined. The entire citizenry is affected by such allegations due to the potential chilling effect." The bench also quoted renowned scholar Daniel Solove, "Privacy often can be protected without undue cost to security... We can reach a better balance between privacy and security. We must. There is too much at stake to fail." However, the bench pointed out that to access information, a need may arise to interfere with the right to privacy of an individual, provided it is carried out only when it is necessary for protecting national security/interest and is proportional.

On petitioners' contention raising grave concern on violation of right to privacy by use of spyware, which is only sold to government agencies, the bench emphasised every invasion of privacy must pass the test of reasonableness and constitutional necessity.

"In a democratic country governed by the rule of law, indiscriminate spying on individuals cannot be allowed except with sufficient statutory safeguards, by following the procedure established by law under the Constitution."
Patna, Oct 27 : The Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court of Patna on Wednesday held 9 accused guilty of bomb blast during the NDA Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's rally in Gandhi Maidan in 2013.

Narendra Modi came to Patna to address a gathering for the 2014 parliamentary elections. The Hunkar rally was organized in Patna's iconic Gandhi Maidan on October 27, 2013. While he was addressing the rally, serial bombs were exploded in which 6 persons died and over 80 were injured.

Initially, the case was probed by Patna police but was later taken over by the NIA. The premier investigating agency had booked 10 persons involved in the serial blasts and 9 of them were held guilty by the special court on Wednesday. The quantum of punishment will be announced on November 1.

The nine persons who were held guilty are -- Imtiaz Ansari, Haider Ali, Nawaj Ansari, Muzmullah, Umer Siddiqi, Azher Kuresi, Ahmad Hussain, Feroz Aslam and Aftikhar Alam. Another accused Faqeuddin was acquitted by the court due to lack of evidence. All those accused are suspected members of Indian Mujahideen and Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

The accused detonated 7 Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) while 10 others did not explode.

The NIA recorded the statements of over 250 witnesses in the case since it had taken over the probe from Bihar Police on November 6, 2013. All the convicts are currently lodged in Patna's Beur jail.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : India is fully determined to protect its maritime interests, while it supports the mandate of the UN Convention on Law of Seas, 1982, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday. He pointed out the need for efficient and collaborative harnessing of the maritime potential of the Indo-Pacific region for a steady path to prosperity.

While addressing the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) 2021, being held virtually from October 27-29, 2021, the minister said: "India is committed to respecting the rights of all nations as laid down in the UN Convention on the Law of Seas (UNCLOS), 1982. We are fully determined to protect the legitimate rights and interests of our country in relation to our territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone, while supporting the maintenance of rule-based maritime systems, as mandated under UNCLOS, 1982." Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's description of the Indo-Pacific as a region where the destinies of entities are interlinked, Singh said the seas are a vital communication link to facilitate transport of goods, exchange of ideas, catalysing innovations and contributing to bringing the world closer.

"Although the Indo-Pacific is characterised by diversity, marked by a multiplicity of cultures, ethnicities, economic models, governance systems and varied aspirations, the oceans remain a common binding link," he said.

Singh emphasised on the need for an efficient, cooperative and collaborative harnessing of the region's maritime potential for sustaining a steady path to prosperity.

He pointed out that while the seas offer abundant opportunities for sustenance and growth of mankind, they pose challenges such as terrorism, piracy, drug trafficking and climate change.

He called for a cooperative response to these challenges which, he said, has considerable trans-national implications. "There is a need to find convergence of interests and commonality of purpose on maritime issues," he added.

Sharing his views on the broad theme of IPRD 2021, 'Evolution in Maritime Strategy during the 21st Century: Imperatives, Challenges and Way Ahead', Singh said it dwells upon the region's past, gauges the present and then arrives at tenets that will form the foundation of maritime strategies for the future.

He hoped that the Dialogue will further the country's shared and collective vision for the Indo-Pacific.

Singh said he is looking forward to the recommendations that will result from the deliberations.
Patna, Oct 27 : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Wednesday said that the current NDA government headed by Nitish Kumar is anti people.

"They have stolen the mandate of the 2020 assembly elections and formed the government. Now, they are making policies to hurt people. Hence, the fight turns between common people and this government," Lalu Prasad said while addressing over 50 thousand people in Eidgah ground of Tarapur in Munger district on Wednesday.

Lalu Prasad further said, "Nitish Kumar is afraid of me when I said that I came here in Bihar to do his 'Visarjan' (end game)." "Nitish Kumar and the entire government are afraid of me. He (Nitish Kumar) said that Lalu Prasad will get him killed. Today he is ruling the state, he is a chief minister and also keeping home ministry. He is governing the police and living in tight security and he is saying that Lalu Prasad would get him killed. He believes that I have only one thing to do -- to kill people," Lalu Prasad said.

"Nitish Kumar is a Paltu Ram. In the 2015 assembly elections RJD had more seats than JDU. Tejashwi can easily become the chief minister of the state but I made him (Nitish Kumar) the chief minister of Bihar. What happened then, he broke the alliance and sat in the lap of those who were responsible for killing Mahatma Gandhi. I arrested L.K. Advani and prevented him from demolishing Babri mosque. I never compromised with my ideology but what Nitish did. He fought against the saffron party in the 2015 assembly elections and joined hands with them 15 months later," Lalu Prasad said.

"When I was the railway minister of the country, I reduced the fare every time I presented the railway budget to help the common man. Despite slicing the fare, I managed to give Rs 60,000 crore profit to the department. Now what is happening, the Narendra Modi government is selling Indian Railways, aviation industries, Navratna companies, ports and every profitable entity of the country to his business partners Ambani and Adani. As a result, the platform tickets are available at Rs 50 in the country," Lalu Prasad said.

"They are responsible for the price rise of petrol, diesel and every other commodities, even fruits and vegetables. They have cheated the farmers and penalized middle class and poor people of the country and Nitish Kumar has collaborated with such people," Lalu Prasad said.

Narendra Modi has promised Rs 15 lakh, 2 crore jobs every year but what happened," Lalu taunted.

"We will fight with this anti-people government at the Centre and in the state and for also caste based census. The Narendra Modi government has denied caste based census as it knew that the population of SC and ST have increased in the country," Lalu Prasad said.

"Nitish Kumar has given a ticket to a candidate (Rajiv Kumar Singh) who is accused of bomb blast. He is trying to create fear among voters through a criminal. Neither people of Tarapur nor Lalu Prasad are afraid of it." Lalu Prasad addressed the gathering for the first time after the 2015 assembly elections of Bihar. He missed the 2019 parliamentary and 2020 assembly elections as he was in prison in Ranchi.
Gandhinagar, Oct 27 : The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in a joint operation with the Mumbai police have busted a network that illegally routed international calls through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in Ahmedabad and Mumbai, and arrested one person each from both the places. Three other accused from Bahrain and Maharashtra are yet to be nabbed.

"Based on a tip-off, the Gujarat ATS on Tuesday busted an illegal VoIP exchange in Saqib apartment in Juhapura locality of Ahmedabad and arrested one Shaheed Liyaqat Ali Syed, originally a resident of Mangrol of Junagadh," said Pinakin Parmar, Superintendent of Police (SP), Gujarat ATS.

According to the ATS, Syed was running an illegal international call centre through the VoIP. The police found one laptop, four SIM boxes having gateways of 32 ports, a WiFi router and a Lan switch all connected and functioning. "Besides that, the team found 139 SIM cards from other states, which were used to facilitate ISD calls converted to VoIP calls. Through a person named Najeeb in Bahrain, the prospective clients in the Gulf countries were offered ISD calls to their relatives in India through this centre at a fraction of ISD charges, thereby accruing revenue losses to our country," added Parmar.

"Efforts are underway to nab one Amit from Pune in Maharashtra, who we believe is the supplier of these SIM cards. On inquiring from Shaheed, we found that he was working with one Sajjad Ahmed Syed residing in ND Plaza on Meera Road in Mumbai who was running an illegal VoIP network. With the help of Mumbai police, Sajjad has also been nabbed and a case registered against him at the Nayanagar police station," added Parmar.

The ATS is also in search of two other persons, Najeeb in Bahrain and Sohail in Goa, believed to be linked to this illegal activity.

"Calls made through VoIP exchange leave no trace of the original international number from where the call originated. Running such an exchange is illegal under the Indian Telegraph Act, and causes revenue loss and creates a security threat to the nation," Parmar said while briefing the press.

A case has been registered with the ATS police station against Syed under IPC clauses 420 and 120 (B). Besides that charges have also been registered under clause 65 of the IT Act, 2000, clause 20 of the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and clause 6 of the Indian Wireless Telegraph Act, 1931.

"Our technical team is in the process of availing and assessing the details of all the call records found on the SIM cards to estimate the revenue loss incurred to the country through this illegal activity. We are also looking at the security threat that might have been posed through this network," added Parmar.
Bengaluru, Oct 27 : The Department of Collegiate and Technical Education (DCTE) under its 'Help Educate' initiative entered into an MoU with IT pioneer Infosys aimed at transforming the way students of higher education learn and shape their careers. It is expected to benefit 5 lakh students and faculty every year.

The MoU was signed on Wednesday at Vidhana Soudha in presence of C.N. Ashwath Narayan, the Minister for Higher Education. Presiding over the event he said, The MoU will benefit about 5 lakh students and faculty belonging to higher education. The Minister added, this facilitates blended learning and industry readiness of learners as per the aspirations of NEP-2020.

"The MoU includes three components of providing access to Infosys Springboard which has 4,900 plus courses and 1.6 lakh learning resources, providing faculty development program and supporting the government in setting up digital infrastructure by donating 15,000 debonded computers", he explained.

"Infosys Springboard is a digital platform developed at a cost of Rs 35 crore by the IT major which enables to acquire multiple digital skills along with life skills. The platform comprising of virtual labs, gamification, and other interesting features also provides access to industry experts and enables to fill the gap between industry requirements and skillsets of students. About 1.6 learning resources incorporated in this includes audios, videos, animations, etc," Narayan stated.

The donation of 15,000 debonded computers by Infosys will almost end the shortage of computers in Government Diploma, Polytechnic and Engineering colleges of the state. Out of the required 30,000 computers now 27,000 computers worth Rs 135 crore have been donated by companies under DTCE's "Help Educate" initiative, Narayan said.

The vehicle carrying 300 debonded computers to SJ Polytechnic (KR Circle, Bengaluru) was also flagged off by Minister Narayan at the Entrance of Vidhana Soudha.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Delhi Police have traced a child, who had been missing for 6 days and handed him over to his parents. The 14-year old differently abled male child was found by the staff of Paharganj Police Station under 'operation Milap'.

Delhi Police said that the child was reported to be kidnapped or missing from Paschim Vihar Police Station area on October 21. An FIR was registered on the complaint of Dhananjay about missing of his 14-year-old son Vijay.

After the FIR, a probe team was constituted to trace the child under Inspector Ravinder Tomar of Paharganj PS of Central District.

After diligent efforts, the team of Delhi police traced the minor boy from Don Bosco Ashyalam Ashram in Palam Village, Delhi. The information of missing child's location was communicated to the Duty officer and the IO Jaiveer of PS Paschim Vihar West.

After tracing the child, Delhi Police team presented both the child and his parents before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) at Hari Nagar. Delhi Police said that on the direction of CWC, the child was finally handed over to his parents.
Aizawl/Agartala, Oct 27 : The Election Commission (EC) and the election authorities in Mizoram will not make any special arrangements, as was done in previous polls, to allow 663 voters among the 36,140 tribal migrants sheltered in Tripura, to cast their votes in the October 30 by-polls to the Tuirial assembly seat. Mizoram's Joint Chief Electoral Officer David L. Pachuau said that they have not yet received any instructions from the EC to make any special arrangements for the Reang tribal voters, sheltered in northern Tripura since 1997.

Pachuau told IANS: "If the Reang tribal voters want to cast their votes like other normal electorate they can do so in the two polling stations Zoding and Hortoki-2 under the Tuirial assembly constituency in Kolasib district which shares a border with Assam." Since the tribal migrants fled from Mizoram after ethnic troubles there and sheltered in seven relief camps in northern Tripura 24 years ago, the EC and the Mizoram election department in collaboration with the Tripura government had set up special polling booths for them at a location along the Mizoram-Tripura border.

Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF) General Secretary Bruno Msha said that they have yet to get any official communication from any authority about the Tuirial assembly by-elections.

"If the government arranges transportation the Reang voters would go to Mizoram from Tripura to cast their votes, otherwise it is not possible," the refugee leader told IANS over phone.

The by-poll to the Tuirial assembly seat was necessitated following the death of sitting Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) legislator Andrew H. Thangliana.

According to Pachuau in all 18,582 voters including 9,095 female electorate are eligible to exercise their franchise in the by-poll. There are four candidates in the fray for the Tuirial by-poll. They are K, Laldawngliana of the ruling Mizo National Front, Laltlanmawia of the ZPM, Chalrosanga Ralte of the Congress and the BJP's K. Laldinthara.

Several political parties and civil society bodies including the influential Young Mizo Association had strongly opposed any special arrangement for the Reang tribal migrants in Tripura before the by-elections and had been demanding deletion of their names from Mizoram's electoral list as they would permanently settle in Tripura.

The Centre and the Tripura government have undertaken a Rs 1,200 crore project to rehabilitate 36,140 tribal immigrants in 13 locations across different districts of Tripura. The agreement came after Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb in November 2019 agreed to accept the Reang tribals, locally called "Bru", and rehabilitate them in the state.

The Reang tribals would also be included as voters in Tripura as maintained in the agreement, which was signed in New Delhi between the Centre, Tripura and Mizoram governments on January 16 last year.

The Centre has announced a Rs 600 crore package for the settlement of the Reang tribals, recognised as a primitive tribe in Tripura. Of the package, Rs 150 lakh will be earmarked to the Tripura government for land acquisition and the rest would be spent on the welfare of these tribals.
Bhopal, Oct 27 : The Madhya Pradesh Information Commission earlier this month started an online facility for filling Right To Information (RTI) applications, giving a platform to the people of the state to get information related to the state government.

With this, Madhya Pradesh has become the 10th state in the country to provide online facilities under the RTI Act 2005. Also, it has been a much needed step especially after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The online RTI portal, which is being operated by the Information Technology department, however, as of now is catering only to four out of the over 50 departments of the state government. Departments which have been included under the online RTI facility are Higher Education, Science and Technology, State Electronics Development Corporation and State Agency for Public Services.

It has only been 17 days since the online portal for filing RTI queries in Madhya Pradesh was launched on October 10, but people have started complaining about its services, especially for two reasons. First, why only four out of 52 departments of the state government have been included in the portal? Second, people complained that the online portal most of the time does not accept applications.

"We welcome the step that was taken by the state government but the portal which has been created is only accepting applications for only four departments and hence, the government must clear when more departments will be included for the same. Also, most of the time this online portal rejects applications, which raise a question on its efficiency," said Ajay Dube, a Bhopal based RTI activist.

People also said that had the state government allowed National Informatics Center (NIC) to develop and run its online RTI portal, there would not have been such problems. Document available with IANS suggests that in November 2019, the NIC had sent a proposal to the Madhya Pradesh Information Commission stating that if the state is keen for its implementation a detailed project proposal may be submitted.

Amar Singh, head of the NIC in Madhya Pradesh, talking to IANS said, "We had sent a proposal to the Madhya Pradesh government, but we did not receive any reply from them. Most of the states running online RTI portals are using NIC's services, but two states Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh have not agreed." In fact the Central government has been pushing the state governments to provide online facility for filing RTI, and as a result so far 10 states have provided the facility.

Apart from Madhya Pradesh, the other states where online RTI facilities are available are Bihar, Goa, Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

Vivek Tankha, senior advocate and a Rajya Sabha MP (Congress) from Madhya Pradesh, who had written a letter to the state information commission for seeking an online portal for filing RTI applications, said, "See, the purpose of my letter was to provide online portal for filing online applications because RTI services in the state were in-operational due to lockdown. People must be given a platform to exercise their constitutional rights. Finally, the state government has started it. I am not aware of the current situation as to what kind of services or how many departments are included under it, but I would say if people cannot exercise their rights, then it does not serve the purpose of RTI Act 2005."
New Delhi, Oct 27 : TLP (Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan) protesters used Kalashnikovs and AK 47 against policemen in Gujranwala, Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has alleged.

"Yesterday, I had warned that foreign powers want to impose sanctions on Pakistan," Rasheed said. "The TLP has turned into a militant organisation as its members had opened fire on policemen using Kalashnikovs", The News reported.

Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry said several people joined the protesters with AK-47s in their hands.

He asked the proscribed organisation to not underestimate the state's writ, as the government had waited long enough.

"The TLP is banned in Pakistan and now it is feared that it may be banned internationally too," Rasheed warned, adding that Pakistan won't be able to intervene if such a thing happens.

The TLP has claimed that several of its workers have been injured in the clashes, Friday Times reported.

On Friday, three policemen were killed while several others injured in Lahore in clashes with rioters belonging to the TLP. Two policemen, identified as Ayub and Khalid, were crushed to death by vehicles of workers who were part of the banned outfit's ongoing protest.

TLP workers crashed two cars into the policemen who were trying to stop them, causing severe injuries to both, the report said.

The TLP began its long march to Islamabad from Lahore on Friday, but continued its talks with the government. The capital city's authorities blocked roads ahead of the extremist group's arrival in the city. Metro bus service in Rawalpindi was suspended in light of the planned long march. Last night, the banned outfit's leaders announced that the long march would be resumed in the morning.

The government has summoned the Punjab Rangers to maintain law and order in the province, Sheikh Rasheed announced on Wednesday amid the ongoing protests staged by the TLP.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Rasheed said Pakistan was facing a lot of pressure and wanted to establish peace in the country.
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 27 : In a bizarre incident a 17-year-old Kerala school girl delivered a child at her home on October 20 while watching YouTube for guidance on the delivery, said reports.

An official attached to the Kondotty police station in Malappurram district told IANS that a 22-year-old youth who was allegedly having an affair with the girl has been arrested. This surfaced in the public domain on Wednesday.

"The incident came to light on the 24th of this month, when the girl who delivered a baby boy on the 20th of this month developed an infection and had to be taken to the hospital. It was then that the news was known and the hospital authorities informed the police. The youth was taken into custody on the 24th of this month and he has been remanded," said the police official who did not wish to be identified.

The families of the two had agreed to their marriage, but since the girl was not of marriageable age they decided to wait.

The delivery took place at the girl's house and reports said that they watched YouTube for guidance on the delivery and conducted it accordingly.

According to doctors the mother and child are now fine.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday made it crystal clear that the Centre's argument of national security, in context of whether it used the Pegasus spyware, cannot be used as a "free pass" whenever a matter is taken up for judicial review.

Mere invocation of national security by the state does not render the court a mute spectator, it stressed.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana said it is a settled position of law that in matters pertaining to national security, the scope of judicial review is limited. However, the bench added that this does not mean that the state gets a free pass every time the spectre of "national security" is raised.

"National security cannot be the bugbear that the judiciary shies away from, by virtue of its mere mentioning. Although this Court should be circumspect in encroaching upon the domain of national security, no omnibus prohibition can be called for against judicial review," it said.

The top court had sought the Centre's response on the petitioners' contention as to whether it used Pegasus on its citizens.

The Centre had submitted a limited affidavit in the matter and justified its nonAsubmission of a detailed counter affidavit, by citing security concerns.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had submitted that such information could not be made a matter of public debate as the same could be used by terror groups to hamper national security.

The bench emphasised that it had already made it clear to the Centre that it will not push to get information which may affect national security concerns, yet the government placed on record a limited affidavit, which did not shed any light on its stand or provide any clarity as to the facts of the matter at hand.

"If the respondent, the AUnion of India had made their stand clear, it would have been a different situation, and the burden on us would have been different," it noted.

The top court pointed out that the Centre may decline to provide information when constitutional considerations exist, such as those pertaining to security of the state, or when there is a specific immunity under a specific statute.

It added, however, it is incumbent on the state to not only specifically plead such constitutional concern or statutory immunity, but they must also prove and justify the same in court in an affidavit.

"The respondent, Union of India, must necessarily plead and prove the facts which indicate that the information sought must be kept secret as their divulgence would affect national security concerns," said the bench, adding in such circumstances, it has no option but to accept the prima facie case made out by the petitioners to examine the allegations made.

The top court also said that snooping on journalists or instilling a fear that media is being spied on, creates a "chilling effect" on journalistic freedom.

"Such chilling effect on the freedom of speech is an assault on the vital public Awatchdog role of the press, which may undermine the ability of the press to provide accurate and reliable information," it said.

The top court, which appointed a three-member technical expert committee to probe Pegasus snooping, said: "It is undeniable that surveillance and the knowledge that one is under the threat of being spied on can affect the way an individual decides to exercise his or her rights. Such a scenario might result in self-censorship. This is of particular concern when it relates to the freedom of the press, which is an important pillar of democracy."
New Delhi, Oct 27 : More than a decade after it was first conceptualized, the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) has approved the Rs 2,117 crore Nag River Revitalization project for revival and revitalization of the river that lends its name to Nagpur in Maharashtra.

Following the Cabinet's approval, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and an MP from Nagpur - in a series of tweets - said, a period of eight years has been fixed for this project.

"Three STP projects with a capacity of 92 MLD, 500 km sewerage network, pumping station and community toilets would be constructed (as part of this project), Gadkari said.

The quality of the Nag river had suffered for several decades due to dumping of untreated sewage. The project was earlier estimated at Rs 2,434 crore, of which the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) was to raise 15 per cent funding and rest was to come from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). However, the EFC has approved Rs 2117 crore.
Amaravati, Oct 27 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday spoke to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu over phone about the recent developments in Andhra Pradesh.

According to TDP sources, Shah called up the former Chief Minister as he could not give the appointment when the latter was in New Delhi due to his visit to Kashmir.

Naidu is believed to have apprised Shah of the situation prevailing in Andhra Pradesh due to "state sponsored terrorism". Alleging that there is total breakdown of law and order, the TDP leader demanded imposition of the President's rule in the State.

The TDP chief alleged that the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) attacked TDP offices and leaders in the state as the opposition party was raising its voice against drug trafficking. He told Shah that TDP leaders were being targeted with false cases.

Interestingly, the information about Amit Shah's phone call to Naidu came hours after YSRCP parliamentary party leader Vijay Sai Reddy claimed that Naidu was denied an appointment with the Union Home Ministert.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, the YSRCP leader said nobody in the national capital was ready to meet the TDP leader. He remarked that leaders in Delhi know Naidu's colours and nobody gave him an appointment.

Vijay Sai Reddy said Naidu finally met President Ram Nath Kovind but it was known what he discussed with him. The YSRCP leader wanted to know if the former Chief Minister visited Delhi to support the abusive words used by his party leader against Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The YSRCP MP ridiculed Naidu's demand for President's rule saying a man who lost all the elections is making the demand. "He is saying there is state-sponsored terrorism in the state. I want to underline that Chandrababu Naidu himself is a big terrorist. I have no hesitation in saying that he is the emperor of anti-social elements. People are realising that Chandrababu is the leader of rowdy elements and terrorist outfits," said Reddy.

The YSRCP alleged that Naidu was creating trouble between castes and communities and provoking one section of people against the other for his political ends.

Meanwhile, reacting to Reddy's attack on Naidu, TDP leaders K. Narayana and Devineni Umamaheswara Rao asked why Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy was not trying for the appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the past one year.

They advised Vijay Sai Reddy to introspect about the Chief Minister's failures instead of hurling needless abuses on Naidu. They said people of whole Andhra knew how Jagan Reddy was made to wait days together and yet could not get appointment of Amit Shah in the past. They also pointed out that the Chief Minister met the Prime Minister in the first week of October, 2020, and did not "dare" to seek the PM's appointment afterwards.
Jaipur, Oct 27 : A Gandhian and Padma Shri Dr S.N. Subbarao passed away on Wednesday in Jaipur.

Known for establishing Gandhian ideas, he gave employment to thousands of people by establishing Gandhi Seva Sangh. He was a founding member of the National Service Scheme. He also founded the National Youth Project. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot considered Dr Subbarao as his ideal and used to take constant guidance from him.

The 92-year-old Gandhian was unwell for a long time and was undergoing treatment at Jaipur Sawai Mansingh Hospital. On Tuesday evening, Gehlot had gone to SSS Hospital to inquire about his well being.

Born in Bangalore in 1929, Dr Subbarao joined the Quit India Movement at the age of 13. Gehlot went to hospital thrice in five days to enquire about his health.

Gehlot expressed his condolences on the demise of the veteran and said, "I am personally traumatized by the passing away of Veteran Gandhian, Bhaiji Dr SN Subbarao ji. The death of the nation's capital Gandhian ideologue and inspirer, who has been inspiring the youths of the country for more than 70 years, is an irreparable loss.
Patna, Oct 27 : RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday said that Nitish Kumar became the Chief Minister of Bihar through the back door and is sending youths to jail.

"Nitish Kumar came to Tarapur on Tuesday and was met with protests from a group of 20 youths who were protesting against his incompetence to provide jobs. Kumar sent them to jail. This is the arrogant character of Nitish Kumar. He sends to jail whoever raises questions against him," Tejashwi said.

A group of 20 youths protested against Nitish Kumar in his rally in Tarapur. They raised the 19 lakh jobs promise made by the NDA before the assembly elections.

"Nitish Kumar may create fear among you people. Don't be afraid of him. Tejashwi Yadav is with you. Lalu ji is ill, despite that he came to you due to your love," Tejashwi said.

Tejashwi said that Nitish Kumar became the chief minister of Bihar through the back door. He stole the mandate using government machinery.

"They will do the same in the by-elections for two seats as well. The government officials may create trouble during voting. I appeal to all the voters to make videos and upload them on social media every time when government officials are seen involved in illegal activities and mischief," Tejashwi said while addressing the packed gathering at Eidgah ground of Tarapur in Munger district.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested two persons involved in cheating in the name of getting them medical treatment in Delhi's premier hospitals. The culprits cheated Rs 10 lakh from a Mumbai based doctor in the name of getting his kidney transplant done in Delhi's premier hospital.

Delhi Police said that both cheaters are part of a kidney racket involved in cheating people in the name of providing medical treatment in the capital's hospitals.

The culprits cheated a Mumbai based doctor who was suffering from renal disease and was looking for kidney transplant. Delhi Police said that Dr Rajiv Chandra, a Mumbai based surgeon, is suffering from congenital disease of both kidneys for which a nephrologist had advised him for a kidney transplant. The doctor came in contact with a person called Karan through newspaper advertisements. He ensured the doctor for kidney transplant and called him to meet in Delhi for the purpose on August 27.

Karan met the doctor and demanded Rs 6 lakh in advance for the kidney transplant. However, the doctor gave him Rs 3.5 lakh. The doctor gave him one lakh more in September as advance payment to start the process for transplantation. As per Delhi Police, Karan informed the doctor that his surgery has been fixed at a prominent hospital in Delhi on September 19.

One day before the surgery, Karan called Dr Rajiv and demanded Rs 5 lakh more in the name of paying fees for starting the procedure. Dr Rajiv gave him Rs 5 lakh outside a Delhi hospital. The culprit, Karan advised the doctor and his wife to go to the admission procedure inside the hospital after taking money. However, he didn't accompany them. As Dr Rajiv found no admission in his name in the hospital, he started calling Karan but was unable to reach him as his phone was switched off.

Dr Rajiv Chandra filed a complaint with the Crime Branch. After enquiry, a case of cheating was registered and investigation taken up at SOS-II, Crime Branch, Delhi. A team of Delhi Police led by Inspector Pradeep Paliwal was constituted under the supervision of ACP Dr Vikas Sheokand.

During investigation, the police team found out that Karan's real name was Vipin, a resident of Aligarh, UP. A trap was laid and Vipin was picked up by the Crime Branch from Kanpur on October 19.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Directorate General of GST Intelligence's (DGGI) Gurugram Zonal Unit has arrested three persons under the provisions of the GST Act on charges of running multiple fake firms on the strength of fake documents in two different cases.

Two persons were arrested from Delhi on October 5 and 9 on charges of orchestrating a fake billing racket involving more than 20 fake firms where more than Rs 22 crore of fraudulent input tax credit was taken, thereby defrauding the exchequer. Both persons were arrested and produced before a Delhi court which sent them to 14 days judicial custody.

In another case of fake billing, a resident of Haryana's Pataudi was also arrested. He was found to be in possession of huge cache of incriminating documents like fake stamps of government departments, cheque books and ATMs of multiple fake firms, toll receipt book, "Dharam Kanta" or Weighing station booklets, fictitious transporters booklets etc.

The same were being used to show evidence of fake supply of goods on which fake input tax credit was generated and passed on through these slew of fake firms.

Based on the evidence, the person was arrested on October 23 under the provisions of the GST Act on charges for defrauding the government of more than Rs 26 crore of GST, a Finance Ministry statement said.

The arrested person has been sent to 14 days judicial custody.

Further investigations in both the cases are underway.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : A massive $32.1 billion of funding to help women, newborns, children, and adolescents has been pledged to restore essential health, nutrition and social services for women, newborns, children and adolescents lost because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pledges are highlighted as part of an expanding campaign coordinated by The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH), based on a global Call to Action to protect women, children and adolescents in the Covid-19 crisis and beyond.

"Three decades of massive improvement in health and social services for this group is severely threatened," said Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Chair of PMNCH, a global alliance of 1,200 partner organisations, hosted at the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Women, newborns, children and adolescents have experienced disruptions of almost 40 per cent of key health services since the pandemic, according to the WHO.

Of the $32.1 billion total pledged to date, almost 60 per cent or $18.9 billion in domestic funding is being committed by low and middle-income countries in response to PMNCH's Call to Action, including Burkina Faso, India, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia.

The remaining $13.2 billion is from official development assistance committed as grants from high income countries and a private foundation, announced in December 2020.

"The majority of the pledges are domestic funding coming from middle and low-income countries themselves, with almost $17 billion from African nations," Clark said. "These nations are acting and not waiting for donations from others to help women, children and adolescents in their countries." Of this $32.1 billion, $15.2 billion (47 per cent) is money to address Covid-19. The other half is directed to protecting existing sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health budgets, and protecting women, children, and adolescents from violence.

"These funds will support women, children and adolescents in getting health services and priority social protections throughout the COVID-19 crisis and recovery periods," said Joy Phumaphi, Executive Secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance and a leader in the PMNCH network.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Adani Enterprises Ltd, (AEL) part of the Adani Group, on Wednesday announced its results for the second quarter ended September 30, 2021.

For Q2 2022, consolidated total income increased by 46 per ent to Rs 13,597 crore due to significant increase in index prices in IRM segment.

Consolidated EBIDTA increased by 33 per ent to Rs 1,262 crore due to increase in revenue and better margins in IRM business.

Consolidated PAT attributable to owners from Established Businesses increased by 67 per cent to Rs 579 crore in line with higher EBIDTA. Overall Consolidated PAT attributable to owners stood at Rs 212 crore vs 362 crore.

"AEL continues to prove itself as India's most successful incubator - and remains unmatched in developing exciting new ideas strategically linked to the Adani portfolio of companies," said Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group.

"AEL is both enhancing the span of companies it is incubating and accelerating the pace at which they are being incubated. We believe this is fundamental value creation in a world where digitisation has become the most significant business transformation vehicle ever known. AEL's existing businesses are stronger than they have ever been - and, this year, we have launched several new businesses critical to a strong Atmanirbhar Bharat. These include a digital consumer aggregation platform, networked airport ecosystems, green data centres, and advanced road, metro and water infrastructure. I see an exciting journey ahead given that every one of these sectors possesses multiple adjacencies to our existing businesses. Our results demonstrate that this purposeful model is working for us and we will continue to strengthen on all fronts to deliver greater shareholder value." Adani Enterprises took over Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram Airports in October 2021. It also completed acquisition of Mumbai International Airport. During the quarter it handled 6.5 mn passengers, 62,199 Air Traffic Movements and 1,63,860 MT Cargo.

In roads, it has a portfolio of ten projects with NHAI for construction/operation of roads aggregating to 450 plus km. In the water segment, it signed concession agreement with Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation in October for Bhagalpur waste water project for 45 mn litres per day capacity.

In food business, maintained its leadership position with its "Fortune" brand and continues to lead the refined edible oil market with more than 20 per cent market share.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday said that 'Krishi UDAN 2.0' will help in doubling farmers' income by removing barriers in supply chain.

The minister was speaking at an event to release 'Krishi UDAN 2.0'.

Accordingly, 'Krishi UDAN 2.0' scheme proposes to facilitate and incentivise movement of agri-produce by air transportation.

The enhanced version of the Krishi UDAN scheme offers full waiver of 'Landing, Parking, TNLC and RNFC' charges for Indian freighters and 'P2C' at selected airports of Airport Authority of India primarily, focusing on NER, Hilly and Tribal region.

It will be implemented at 53 airports across the country mainly focusing on Northeast and tribal regions and is likely to benefit farmers, freight forwarders and airlines.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation plans to pilot the scheme for six months, and will introduce amendments based on results of the evaluation and consultations with other stakeholders.

"This scheme will open up new avenues of growth for the agriculture sector and help attain the goal of doubling farmers' income by removing barriers in supply chain, logistics and transportation of farm produce," Scindia said.

"The convergence between the two sectors (Agriculture and Aviation) is possible because of three primary reasons - evolutionary possible use of biofuel for aircraft in future, use of drones in agriculture sector, and due to greater integration and value realisation of agricultural products through schemes like 'Krishi UDAN'."
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain a bail plea by gangster Abu Salem serving life imprisonment in the 1995 murder case of Mumbai-based builder Pradeep Jain.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana, in its order, said: "This is an application filed on behalf of the applicant/appellant seeking bail during the pendency of the appeal. Having heard learned counsel for the parties and carefully perusing the averments made in the application, we are not inclined to grant bail to the applicant/appellant. ..is, accordingly, dismissed".

A special TADA court on February 25, 2015, had sentenced Abu Salem to life imprisonment for murder of the builder and his driver Mehdi Hassan. Police had claimed that Jain was shot dead on March 7, 1995, by assailants outside his Juhu bungalow after he allegedly declined to part with his huge property to Abu Salem.

The bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, added that "taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, we direct the registry to list these appeals (against February 2015 verdict) for final disposal in the third week of November 2021".

Abu Salem is also a convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. After a long legal battle, he was extradited from Portugal on November 11, 2005.
Amaravati, Oct 27 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday said it has filed a charge sheet against four accused in alleged murder of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's uncle and former minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy.

The agency filed the chargesheet in the court of Judicial Magistrate, Pulivendula in Andhra Pradesh's Kadapa district.

The four accused against whom the chargesheet has been filed are T. Gangi Reddy, Yadati Sunil Yadav, Gajjala Umashankar Reddy, and Shaik Dasthagiri.

The CBI had registered a case on July 9, 2020 on the orders of the Andhra Pradesh High Court and took over the investigation into the case earlier registered at Pulivendula Police Station.

During the investigation, it arrested the two accused during August and September, 2021 and they are presently in judicial custody. The other two are on bail. Further investigation in the case is continuing, the agency said.

Vivekananda Reddy, brother of late Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Reddy, was found dead at his home in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019.

The 68-year-old former minister and former MP was alone at his house when unidentified persons barged in and allegedly killed him. He was killed hours before he was to launch the YSR Congress Party's election campaign in Kadapa.

Though three Special Investigation Teams (SITs) of the state police conducted the probe, they failed to solve the mystery.

It was in July last year that the CBI began a probe into the case. This came four months after the Andhra Pradesh High Court ordered a probe by the central agency.

The court gave the direction on petitions filed by Vivekananda Reddy's daughter Suneetha Reddy, her husband and others.

In April this year, Suneetha Reddy found fault with the delay in the probe by the CBI. Claiming that it was a political murder, she visited the CBI headquarters in Delhi to enquire about the delay in the probe by the central agency.

She reiterated that she has doubts about some of her family members. She said though it has been more than two years since the murder of her father, those involved have not been arrested.

The CBI resumed the probe in June and since then arrested four accused.

Since the first accused in the case was arrested about 90 days ago, the agency filed the interim charge sheet to comply with the deadline.

The central agency, which is likely to file more charge sheets, has questioned more than 2,000 witnesses so far.
Kolkata, Oct 27 : The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday reserved its order of the plea of former West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhayay and said that it will be pronounced before his scheduled hearing at the principal bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal on November 2.

Bandyopadhyay had moved the court on Tuesday challenging the decision of the CAT's principal bench to transfer an application filed by him to itself from the Calcutta bench on a prayer by the Union government.

Presently the Chief Advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he had moved the CAT against the Centre's decision to initiate a probe against him to find out whether he had violated norms by "not attending a meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi" at Kalaikunda on May 28.

On a prayer by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) for the transfer of the case from the Calcutta bench, the CAT's principal bench ordered that Bandyopadhyay's application will be heard by it. He had challenged this order.

Appearing before the court, Bandyopadhyay's lawyer Shyam Dewan said: "He could not attend the Kalaikunda meeting of the Prime Minister on May 28 as he was busy with the work of Super Cyclone Yash. The Chief Minister had written a letter to the Prime Minister on May 31 informing him of all the details." "It was supposed to be re-investigated on November 2. Kolkata was my place of work. So, the case should be here. Besides, there was no hurry," he said, also citing a recent judgment by the court which, he said, would be relevant in the case.

On the other hand, Centre's counsel, Vikramjit Bandyopadhyay, said: "The High Court cannot intervene in any case without territorial jurisdiction. The Principal Bench of Delhi has given the direction and so the Calcutta High Court has no jurisdiction to hear the case. Moreover, all the related documents are in Delhi and so the Principal Bench Chairman has given this instruction. Besides, the holiday in Kolkata has been going on for a long time now".

The division bench of Justices Sabyasachi Bhattacharya and Rabindranath Samanta said: "Though there are holidays, the court is open!" Justice Bhattacharya then said that the bench would look into the judgement of Justice Nishitha Matre before giving the judgement.

The controversy cropped up on May 28 this year when Bandyopadhyay skipped the meeting of Prime Minister Modi, who had come to Kalaikunda in East Midnapore to assess the destruction caused by the cyclone Yaas.

Bandyopadhyay, who was then the Chief Secretary, had reached the Prime Minister's meeting with Banerjee and then left along with her to visit Digha to attend a review meeting after the cyclone had hit three coastal districts.

Supposed to retire on May 31, he was given an extension of one year by the Centre on the recommendations of the state government but after the incident, was asked to come to Delhi on central deputation. Bandyopadhyay refused to go for a central deputation and took his superannuation. Immediately after his retirement, Banerjee appointed him as the Chief Adviser.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and Merck on Wednesday announced the signing of a voluntary licensing agreement to facilitate affordable global access for Molnupiravir.

It is an investigational oral Covid-19 antiviral medicine for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Covid-19 in adults who are at risk for progressing to severe Covid-19 and/or hospitalisation.

The MPP is a United Nations-backed public health organisation working to increase access to, and facilitate the development of, life-saving medicines for low- and middle-income countries.

This agreement will help create broad access for molnupiravir use in 105 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) following appropriate regulatory approvals. Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics are jointly developing molnupiravir.

Under the terms of the agreement, MPP, through the license granted by Merck, will be permitted to further license non-exclusive sublicenses to manufacturers (MPP License) and diversify the manufacturing base for the supply of quality-assured or WHO-prequalified molnupiravir to countries covered by the MPP License.

Merck, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, and Emory University will not receive royalties for sales of molnupiravir under this agreement for as long as Covid-19 remains classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organisation.

MPP Executive Director Charles Gore said: "The interim results for molnupiravir are compelling and we see this oral treatment candidate as a potentially important tool to help address the current health crisis. This transparent, public health-driven agreement is MPP's first voluntary license for a Covid-19 medical technology, and we hope that Merck"s agreement with MPP will be a strong encouragement to others." Merck's Executive Vice President and President of Human Health, Frank Clyburn, said: "Merck's mission to save and improve lives is a truly global commitment. This agreement with MPP is another important element in our multi-faceted strategy to accelerate broad, affordable access to molnupiravir, if approved or authorized, for patients no matter where they live, including in countries where governments face greater challenges to finance healthcare." Unitaid (co-lead of the ACT-A Therapeutics Pillar) Executive Director Philippe Duneton said: "Effective, easy to administer, oral treatments that can help to reduce the risk for progression to severe illness may be an important tool to help get the pandemic under control. We encourage further efforts in voluntary licensing to ensure that people in low- and middle-income countries can access Covid-19 treatments once authorized by WHO or a stringent regulatory authority." Molnupiravir was invented at Emory University and licensed to Ridgeback Biotherapeutics by Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE), LLC, which was formed by Emory to advance the development of early-stage drug candidates for viral diseases of global concern. Emory received research funding from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics recently announced the submission of an Emergency Use Authorisation application for molnupiravir to the US Food and Drug Administration and are actively working with additional regulatory agencies worldwide.

If authorised, molnupiravir could be the first oral antiviral medicine available for Covid-19 therapy. The submission is based on positive results from a planned interim analysis of the Phase 3 MOVe-OUT study, a global Phase 3, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multi-site study of non-hospitalised adult patients with laboratory-confirmed mild-to-moderate Covid-19 and at least one risk factor for progression to severe disease or death.

Additionally, Merck announced the European Medicines Agency has initiated a rolling review for molnupiravir for the treatment of Covid-19 in adults.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, Oct 27 : The Madras High Court on Wednesday turned down a plea by a Special DGP of the Tamil Nadu Police to transfer sexual harassment against him on a complaint by a woman IPS officer.

The Special DGP wanted the case to be transferred from the Villupuram Chief Judicial Magistrate's court to a judicial court with territorial jurisdiction, arguing the Villupuram court does not have territorial jurisdiction over where the crime had allegedly taken place.

The woman IPS officer had complained that the Special DGP had harassed her when they both were on bandobast duty during the tour of the then Chief Minister K. Palaniswami.

The case was heard by the single judge bench of Justice P. Velumurgan who completed the hearing on October 20 and reserved the orders for Wednesday.

The advocate appearing for the Special DGP argued that according to the FIR in the complaint, the alleged offense had taken place between Namakkal and Ulundurpet, and the allegation against the second accused Superintendent of Police, Kannan, was at Chengalpattu, and no case was registered in the jurisdiction of Villupuram magistrate court.

However, Justice Velmurugan had dismissed as withdrawn another case filed by Kannan who is suspended from service.

Counsel for the petitioner had withdrawn the case after Justice Velumurugan made some adverse remarks against the conduct of the police officers over the issue.

Kannan is accused of having stopped the vehicle of the woman police officer at Chengalpattu toll plaza while she was on her way to file a complaint at the police headquarters and making her speak with the accused DGP over the telephone.
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Centre should consider to introducing an Automobile Dealers Protection Act, the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) said on Wednesday.

According to FADA, after GM (2017), MAN Trucks (2018), UM Lohia (2019), Harley Davidson (2020), Ford is the fifth auto OEM to stop domestic sales, thus exiting a large and untapped India market.

Such exits adversely impact the interests of auto dealers, FADA said, adding that in India, auto dealers are predominantly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which are either family-owned businesses or partnerships firms and have significantly lower bargaining power in comparison to their OEMs which are large corporations.

"The entrenched unethical and imbalanced power structures with OEMs have caused a great deal of anguish to automobile dealers as the existing laws are not adequate to protect their interests," said the FADA, which recently instituted a comparative analysis study of foreign dealership agreements and legal protections in different countries such as the US, Australia and South Africa.

The analysis, FADA said, showed that unlike the imbalanced in Indian agreements, foreign ones often have more balanced and comprehensive clauses on termination, indemnification, repurchase obligations and afford more flexibility to the dealers.

"Many countries in the world recognise the inherent power imbalance between OEMs and dealers within the automobile sector and have enacted legislation to level the playing field. Unfortunately, the existing legal regime in India is inadequate to address these specific concerns of dealers," FADA President Vinkesh Gulati said.

"While OEM-dealer agreements are governed under the Indian Contract Act, the law does not contain any clear solutions for us. India should also urgently consider the introduction of an Automobile Dealers Protection Act to make contracts more balanced and equitable."
New Delhi, Oct 27 : The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday arrested six accused in an ongoing investigation of a bank fraud case related to alleged overseas remittances of foreign exchange of about Rs 6,000 crore.

Searches are being conducted at 14 premises associated with the said accused which led to recovery of several incriminating documents, the agency said.

The case was registered in 2015 on a complaint from Bank of Baroda alleging that unknown bank officials of its Ashok Vihar Branch abused their official position in conspiracy with 59 current accountholders and allowed overseas remittances of foreign exchange illegally of Rs 6,000 crore (approx) A chargesheet was filed in the court of special judge on December 12, 2015 against then AGM and then Forex Officer, of the bank.
Chennai, Oct 27 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday told his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan that the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam is well within the limits and that his government is properly monitoring it at regular intervals.

Stalin was responding to a letter written by the Kerala Chief Minister on Monday, requesting Tamil Nadu to draw water so that the water level in the dam is maintained at the permissible level. Vijayan had also said that with incessant rains at the catchment area of Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala's Idukki district, the water level in the dam had shown a sudden rise.

Stalin, in the letter written on Wednesday evening, said: "We are already drawing the maximum quantity of water through the tunnel in the Vaigai dam as requested in your letter. Currently, 2,300 cusecs of water are drawn through the tunnel to the Vaigai basin since 8 a.m. today." He said that presently the water level in Mullaperiyar dam was well within the storage level permitted by the Supreme Court, as well as in compliance with the upper rule levels approved by the Central Water Commission. Stalin also said that the officers of Tamil Nadu are in regular touch with their counterparts in Kerala.

"I have specifically asked the officials to share in advance all the necessary information on water position and release if any so that your government can initiate such precautionary measures needed before the release of water," he wrote.

He also said that he reciprocated the sentiments expressed by the Kerala Chief Minister on the cordial relationship between the people of the two states, and that both the governments will ensure that the interests of the people of both the states are well safeguarded.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister also said that his government and the people of the state were concerned about the floods in the state of Kerala and the resultant damage faced by the state and its people in the past ten days.
Chennai, Oct 28 : Former AIADMK interim General Secretary V.K. Sasikala, who was expelled from the party following her arrest and jail term, is now planning a comeback, and plans to use the caste route for this purpose even as a major section of the party led by former Chief Minister K. Palaniswami is strongly opposing her entry.

Sasikala will be touring Ramanathapuram and Madurai in southern Tamil Nadu on Friday to pay respects and homage at the memorial of U. Muthuramalinga Thevar, regarded as the doyen of the Thevar movement in the state and a powerful leader in south Tamil Nadu whose legacy is intact among the people of the area.

She will also garland the statues of Thevar and Marudu Pandhiar brothers in Madurai.

The tour of Sasikala is considered a move to get back into the party with the support and blessings of the community to which she belongs. The AIADMK is totally divided over Sasikala and her repeated moves to get a foothold within the party.

The first open sign of Sasikala getting support had come out after former Chief Minister, O. Panneerselvam, a fellow Thevar, stated on Monday in a press conference at his home turf Theni that the entry of Sasikala is to be decided by the party high command.

A few days before that, Palaniswami had stated that there was no question of Sasikala coming back to the party.

Several leaders in the party also have come out in the open against Sasikala's entry with D. Jayakumar and K.P. Munnuswamy stating that there was no place for Sasikala in the party. AIADMK official leadership had even filed a police case against her for identifying herself as the party's General Secretary.

While Palanaiswami and his associates are opposing the moves for Sasikala's entry, the surprise stand taken by Panneerselvam is considered as due to the support she has gained from within the Thevar community.

Even after Panneerselvam had openly aired his support in the entry of Sasikala, not many leaders from even south Tamil Nadu have voiced their opinion on her coming back to the party.

This, according to political observers, is due to the uncertainty on the support she may garner from the larger cross-section of the general public.

"Sasikala has not got the support she intended to get but the statement of Panneerselvam that party high command would decide on her entry is a shot in the arm for her. This statement is naturally due to the support she has in the Thevar community which is a big political force in south Tamil Nadu and Pannerselvam being a member of the community cannot oppose it.

"However no other leader of stature has aired open support for her but opposition to her entry is heavy with leaders like Palaniswami, Munuswamy, Jayakumar, and CVe Shanmugham openly opposing her coming back," Chennai think tank Centre for Policy and Development Studies Director C. Rajeev told IANS.
Chennai, Oct 28 : The Tamil Nadu government has told the Madras High Court that the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department would constitute district-level committees to appoint trustees in temples under it in a span of four weeks.

Advocate General, R. Shanmugasundharam told the court that the Department has already issued advertisements for appointing district-level committee members, and they, in turn, would appoint trustees for these temples.

The department also informed the court that fit persons are managing the affairs of the temples at present as an interim arrangement.

Shanmugasundharam told a bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu that the HR&CE Department would constitute the district-level committees in four weeks as there were several complaints of temples being run without trustees.

The state government was responding to a petition filed by T.R. Ramesh, President of Indic Collective Trust and Temple Worshippers Society, claiming that the HR&CE Department had appointed its staff members as fit persons in temples through deputation, and this violated the Tamil Nadu HR&CE Act of 1959 as also the Fundamental Rules of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

He also said that paying salaries of HR&CE officials on deputation from the temple funds was illegal and impermissible and was directly misuse of temple funds.

Ramesh also requested an interim injunction on HR&CE Department deputing its personnel to the temples, but the court rejected this, saying it would turn counterproductive and temples may be left without any administrator.

The court also directed the AG to look into the defects in advertisements pointed out by the litigant that it did not mention the educational qualifications of the candidates, and asked him issue appropriate corrigendum to correct the mistakes, if any.
New Delhi, Oct 28 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to Lok Janshakti Party MP Prince Raj on a plea moved by the complainant challenging his bail in an alleged rape case.

A bench of Justice Yogesh Khanna asked him to file his response and posted the matter for further hearing on February 17, 2022.

The complainant's plea has been filed by advocates Sudesh Kumari Jethwa and Deven Varun.

Prince Raj, an MP from Bihar's Samastipur, had been booked by the Delhi Police for allegedly raping a party office-bearer and destroying related evidence, on September 9. He was granted anticipatory bail by the trial court on September 25.

While observing that there is no requirement of custodial interrogation of the accused, the court granted him the bail on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh with one surety of the same amount.

The woman, who claims to have worked for the LJP, alleged that the incident happened in 2020 at the party office after she was sedated by Prince Raj.

In her FIR, she also accused LJP chief Chirag Paswan of hatching a conspiracy to hide the evidence. The victim claimed that she apprised the LJP chief about the incident who pressured her not to file a case against him.

The woman then filed a complaint with the Delhi Police in May and moved a Delhi court in July which has directed the police to book Prince Raj and his cousin Chirag Paswan.

In June, Prince Raj had denied all charges levelled against him and termed them as "blatantly false and fabricated". He too had filed a complaint against the woman in February and subsequently an FIR was registered against her at the Parliament Street Police Station, here.
New Delhi, Oct 28 : To win over support of Muslim voters in the upcoming assembly elections in five states, the BJP plans to focus its campaign on initiatives taken by the Narendra Modi Government for better 'Talim' (education) and 'Tijarat' (business) for the community during last seven years.

To highlight the Modi government's initiatives under talim and tijarat, BJP minority morcha will be launching a nationwide campaign from November with special focus on poll bound Uttar Pradesh where Muslims constitute around 20 per cent of total electorate.

BJP minority morcha national president Jamal Siddiqui told IANS that the Modi government worked to educate and economic empowerment of Muslims and the party will highlight these initiatives through its special campaign 'talim' and 'tijarat'.

"Through 'karyashala' (workshop), our workers will tell the minority about the Modi government's commitment to uplift and empower them. The workshops will be held in every district. Our workers will explain to them about schemes to get benefits of better talim and ways to start new tijarat for economic empowerment," Siddiqui said.

As per plan a training workshop will be held at national level in which workers of minority morcha will be explained about various schemes of the Modi government and ways to avail it. Trained workers will travel across Uttar Pradesh and other poll bound states of Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand where assembly polls will be held early next year.

Later on similar workshops will be held in the rest of the country. Workshops will be held at district level and state level. "Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi will address the state level workshop," Siddqui said.

Along with BJP minority morcha workers senior party leaders including union ministers, ministers in state government, members of parliament and MLAs will participate in reach out programmes. The saffron party is also trying to secure a minimum of 5,000 Muslims or minority votes in each assembly constituency of Uttar Pradesh.

"Target is to get minimum five thousand new Muslim votes in each assembly seats and more votes from other minority communities," he said.
New Delhi, Oct 28 : Public communication through media has been increased manifold to keep the people aware of the functioning of the Rajya Sabha in the last four years, the officials said here on Wednesday.

Sharing the details of the outreach, the officials also said that from the date of the assumption of Office as Chairman of the Upper House in August, 2017 by M. Venkaiah Naidu, a total of 491 Press Communication have been issued on various aspects of the functioning of the House and the Secretariat.

During 2012-17, a total of 135 media communication products were issued which comes to two releases per week.

While reviewing the communication outreach during the last four years, the Secretary General Dr PPK Ramacharyulu has asked on the direction of the Chairman, to intensify in pursuance to bring the House closer to the people by keeping them informed of various aspects of its functioning.

The officials also said that a large number of communication products issued were based on extensive research undertaken in respect of variation in the productivity of the House over time through time series analysis, total volume of legislation since 1952 including the landmark ones, time share of legislation and other items of the business of the House, changed dynamics of the House in terms of the strength of the ruling and opposition parties in the House.

They also said that a detailed analysis of the functioning of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committees have also been done for the first time since their inception in 1993, participation of members in the debates and other proceedings of the House, extent of utilisation of Question Hour and Zero Hour, scale of disruptions, observations and exhortations of Naidu, summaries of reports submitted to the House by the eight Department Related Standing Committees, outcomes of each session of the House, various initiatives taken by the Chairman and the Secretariat, they added.

During the review of the communication status, the Secretary General further noted that these enhanced communication efforts were also in line with the Chairman's conviction that the Parliament is ultimately accountable to the people who deserve to be kept informed of its functioning and that of the Members as well on a regular basis.
New Delhi, Oct 28 : China has been a country that has ostensibly handled the coronavirus led infection successfully. The prompt and instantaneous reaction to a situation evolving anywhere in the country has indeed been critical to handling the crisis and neutralising it at the initial stages. However, the situation on the ground is different. A tightly controlled society with the party playing a dominating role in calibrating the government's action in dealing with the crisis ignoring public sentiments remains the core to the virtual absence of news on what is happening in remote locations in China on the issue.

A recent incident in China involving a single mother who lost her child after vaccination sheds light on the state of affairs in China. Her 12-year-old daughter died in a hospital in Henan province and as the mother Jiang Yanhong demanded an answer from the hospital, she was given varying explanations. On pursuing the matter, she was told that the child had died due to 'septic inflammation'. Jiang was confident that the child had died due to Covid and hence approached the authorities claiming that she was not satisfied with the explanation. She later insisted that she would file a complaint with the authorities in Beijing.

However, seeing her determination to report the matter to Beijing, local authorities ensured that she lands up in the county detention centre where she was taken on October 15. Later, her sister who made attempts to reach Beijing to lodge the complaint, was also detained and sent to the same centre where Jiang was held. According to Jiang's lawyer, local party cadres will do everything possible to prevent petitions from being submitted in Beijing ahead of the plenum of the party's Central Committee, which will be held in early November.

The police in the county where the girl died notified the family that Jiang had been detained for having fought and provoked riots. Meanwhile, Jian claims that her daughter received her first vaccination on August 10 and felt unwell two days later. She eventually died in the hospital on August 28. According to Jiang's mother's lawyer, the 44-year-old woman is in detention and is still awaiting a response to her request from the Puyang City medical authorities. The South China Morning Post spoke with a lawyer from the city who claimed that any issue related to vaccination and failures often cause strong reaction from the authorities, and hence cannot be addressed so easily.

Much though the Chinese government tries to keep embarrassing situations as a result of Covid under wraps, such issues do emerge in the public domain sooner or later. In this connection, even the space industry was not spared attack by the Coronavirus though the government managed to suppress this information for a considerable time.

According to Expace Technology, a subsidiary of the State-owned China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation, the coronavirus has hit the country's space program. The launch of satellites into orbit had to be stopped as a result. Each member of the Kuaizhou 1A rocket launch team had to be put on an emergency half-down state following reports of Covid infection. The small solid propellant rocket Kuaizhou has already delivered several satellites into orbit earlier. The launching site is located in the northwestern province of Gansu. The infection was apparently spread in the area by retired tourists who came from another region.

The Chinese have been following a highly restrictive and controlled regime which has begun to take a toll on the society especially at locations where instances of Covid have been dealt with sternly. In most cities where initial indicators of Covid infection appear, several people leave the city with the aim of escaping the harassment by the party officials who deal with locals on a war footing taking away their freedom and liberty. Such intrusive approach could lead to a dire situation in case the Covid infection becomes rampant across the country. The Chinese anxiety is reminiscent of the desperate efforts made by the Chinese to ensure there is artificial rain ahead of important events in the country. Prestige and reputation of the government and party ahead of the November party plenum is of prime relevance at this stage.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, Oct 28 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi has rejoiced after Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday decided to grant permission for Chhath Puja celebrations in the national capital.

Northeast Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari -- a popular face among the Purvanchal community, said, "I am out of words but extremely happy and at the same time thankful to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, DDMA, Chhath samitiyan (committees) and BJP amongst others who stood united against the restrictions on our festival. I congratulate them all".

Elated, BJP Delhi president Adesh Kumar Gupta said, "We welcome DDMA's decision on Chhath Puja. It has only been possible because of the continuous struggle of our party. Chhath Puja celebrations in Delhi have finally been allowed. We have been demanding the same from the very beginning -- festival celebrations with compliance to Covid-19 guidelines." On Monday, Tiwari announced a special vaccination drive for people who will perform Chhath Puja next month. His party, which heads all the three municipal corporations of Delhi (MCDs), also asked its councillors to start cleaning the ghats and make necessary arrangements at places where the puja is usually organised.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced the DDMA's order this afternoon. "As per experts, the Covid-19 situation is under control in the city. Therefore, at the meeting, it was decided that Chhath Puja will be celebrated in the national capital by following all Covid-19 guidelines," Sisodia said during a press conference.

Both BJP and Aam Aadmi Party had a tussle over Chhath festival after DDMA in its September order directed devotees to celebrate it at home. While the saffron party termed it as a "conspiracy", AAP held its ground citing safety in wake of the pandemic and condemned the former for politicising a health issue.
Jerusalem, Oct 28 : An Israeli governmental body approved more than 3,000 housing units for Jewish settlers in the West Bank, Israel's state-owned Kan Radio reported.

The approval was made by the Civil Administration, an Israeli body that approves construction in the West Bank, according to Kan Radio, Xinhua news agency reported.

Peace Now, an Israeli settlement watchdog group, said in a statement that overall, 3,144 new housing units were approved. Plans for some 1,800 houses received final approval and an additional 1,344 units got preliminary approval, the group said.

According to the approved plans, the houses would be constructed across the West Bank, including in settlements located deep in the West Bank and those near East Jerusalem.

The move was taken after the United States on Tuesday voiced strong opposition to Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank.

It is the largest number of new settler homes approved since the inauguration of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's government in June. Bennett, the leader of the pro-settler party of Yamina, leads a cross-partisan coalition government that includes parties that object to the expansion of the settlements.

The Labor party condemned the "irresponsible" approval. The party warned in a statement of the possible "international implications" of the move.

Settlements are widely seen by the Palestinians and the international community as an obstacle to peace. They are located in the West Bank, a territory Israel seized in the 1967 Middle East war and has controlled ever since. The Palestinians wish to build their future state on these lands.
The Engelberg Fellowships in Mathematical Sciences honor the memory of pioneering math researcher Ora Engelberg Percus. The gift, says CGU President Len Jessup, "will open doors to students to join one of the nations premier mathematics research communities."

Claremont Graduate University (CGU) announces a $2 million gift to create an endowment that will provide fellowships for students in the universitys Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMS).

The endowment honors the memory of pioneering math researcher Ora Engelberg Percus, the mother of IMS Math Professor Allon Percus. The funds from her estate provide an opportunity for the institute to compete with its peers for highly talented students who might not have considered attending CGU because of financial reasons.

The Engelberg Fellowships in the Mathematical Sciences will expand opportunities to excellent students who otherwise might not be able to attend, particularly those from underrepresented and nontraditional groups in the mathematical sciences, said Percus, adding that he hopes fellowship recipients will display the same tenacity, intellectual rigor, and firm resolve that helped his mother achieve success at a time when universities did not embrace women among their faculty.

Despite the obstacles, she persisted, Percus said, noting that she was never one to suffer fools gladly, particularly fools in positions of authority.

News of the gift was announced earlier today in an email message to the entire university community from Len Jessup, president of CGU.

"I hope youll all join me," Jessup's message said, "in thanking Allon and his family for making possible this gift that celebrates his mothers achievements and legacy as it supports future generations of students at CGU."



An Extraordinary Life

Ora Engelberg Percus, who had served as an officer in the Israeli military, immigrated in 1960 to accept a fellowship offer from Columbia University.

After completing her PhD in mathematical statistics in 1965, she lived in the same apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan for 55 years until her death in 2020.

Her husband, Jerome Percus, was a mathematical physics professor whose research interests often intersected with hers, and he became her closest scientific collaborator. Each had deep, deep respect for the otherwell-merited respect. They were always talking math to each other, Allon Percus said.

Two of Ora Engelberg Percuss research interests proved prescient many years laterone on voting outcomes and the other on the spread of viruses.

In mathematics, as in many other things, it is sometimes better to be the second person who discovers something. When youre first, no one really knows what to do with your work, Percus said. I think one of the challenges my mom faced was that she was often the first.

In collaboration with her husband, she embarked on a research program in mathematical immunology, developing models to describe and predict the interaction of viruses and immune response. It was only days after her death that the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in full force, putting modeling efforts of this kind in the highest demand, Percus said.

A Gift & A Catalyst

Students who attend CGUs Institute of Mathematical Sciences display intellectual curiosity like Ora Engelberg Percus's in their efforts to find answers to real-world challenges. Many have spent years in the professional world and bring with them a wealth of experience, often outside traditional mathematics boundariesas have several of the institutes professors.

Percus believes that the Engelberg Fellowships will attract even more highly talented students, including those who might have considered CGU but went elsewhere because of financial considerations.

He also hopes that the gift serves as a catalyst for others to invest in the institute, which an external review team lauded last April as being a superb outlier in mathematics graduate education.

This gift will open doors to students to join one of the nations premier mathematics research communities, said Jessup. We are grateful that Professor Percus chose CGU to honor his mothers memory and accomplishments.

Percus noted that he was simply a conduit for the gift and not a philanthropist. The funds came from his mothers estate and reflected her investment acumen: She purchased Apple stock in 1983.

She often reminded me that I had suggested that she sell it 20 years ago, Percus said. I have no idea why she decided to keep it when the share price of Apple was in the basement. But I guess that if you have enough experience studying ballot problems and seeing how likely it is that candidates who are behind during most of the count can pull ahead later on, you learn to take large dips in the stock market with a grain of salt.

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About CGU:

Founded in 1925, Claremont Graduate University is one of a select few American universities devoted solely to graduate-level education. The university, a founding member of The Claremont Colleges, comprises seven schools offering 76 degree and certificate programs. The universitys unique transdisciplinary perspective encourages students to explore complex issues across academic disciplines. CGU is home to the Peter F. Drucker & Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management and the Kingsley & Kate Tufts Poetry Awards. Visit http://www.cgu.edu

Media inquiries: Nick Owchar, Executive Director of Advancement Communications at CGU, nick.owchar@cgu.edu
Sixty-eight U.S. forensic laboratories are now using STRmix forensic software to resolve mixed DNA profiles previously considered too complex to interpret.

The newest lab to begin using STRmix is the Phoenix Police Department Laboratory Services Bureau, a nationally accredited forensic lab that provides technical assistance and training, evaluates and analyzes evidence, interprets results, and provides expert testimony related to crime scene evidence.

The decision by the Phoenix PD Crime Lab and so many others to turn to STRmix comes down to the softwares strong track record, says John Buckleton DSc, FRSNZ, Forensic Scientist at the New Zealand Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) and one of the developers of STRmix.

According to Buckleton, STRmix has been responsible for producing usable, interpretable, and legally admissible DNA evidence in more than 300,000 cases worldwide since its introduction in 2012. That number includes a wide range of violent crime and sexual assault cases, as well as cold cases in which STRmix was used to re-examine evidence originally dismissed as inconclusive.

In addition to the Phoenix PD Crime Lab, STRmix is currently being used in the U.S. by numerous forensic labs, including those operated by the FBI, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL). Internationally, nine state and territory forensic laboratories in Australia and New Zealand, and 14 labs in other countries including the U.K., Ireland, Canada, Finland, Switzerland, and Denmark are now using STRmix.

STRmix works by assessing how closely multitudes of proposed profiles resemble or can explain an observed DNA mixture. Relying on methodologies routinely used in computational biology, physics, engineering, and weather prediction, the probability of the observed DNA evidence can be calculated assuming the DNA originated from either a person of interest or an unknown donor. These two probabilities are then presented as a likelihood ratio (LR), inferring the value of the findings and level of support for one proposition over the other.

A new version of STRmix, Version 2.9, was recently launched. STRmix v2.9 contains a number of new features, including: the introduction of a batch maker mode, allowing multiple interpretations to occur simultaneously, and database search templates; memory usage improvements, which are particularly significant in dealing with higher order DNA profile mixtures; and improvements to biological modelling calculations designed to improve the modelling of stutter peaks.

The success of STRmix has led its development team to create two related products. DBLR allows forensic labs to undertake superfast database searches, visualize the value of their DNA mixture evidence, and carry out mixture-to-mixture matches, now allowing kinship analysis. FaSTR DNA, meanwhile, rapidly analyzes raw DNA data generated by genetic analyzers and standard profiling kits and assigns a number of contributors (NoC) estimate.

When used in conjunction with STRmix, FaSTR DNA, and DBLR complete the full workflow from analysis to interpretation and database matching. For more information, visit https://www.strmix.com.

Note: The views and opinions expressed should not be attributed the Phoenix Police Department, the Crime Lab, the City of Phoenix, its directors, officers, employees, or councils.
TU Dresden was delighted to receive this award, and our team looks forward to working with A.N. Solutions and other partner companies on making the new technology a reality, said Professor Frank Ellinger, Head of the DAKORE Project at TU Dresden.

A.N. Solutions GmbH, a leading Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) design house, today announced that it was to collaborate with the Technische Universitat Dresden (TU Dresden) and the team of select technology companies on the DAKORE research project awarded by German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). DAKORE stands for "Data Radio Network with Adaptive Hardware and AI Optimization to Reduce Energy Consumption in German. The project's goal is to reduce the power consumption of 5G networks by up to 60%.

The energy consumption cut will be achieved via on-demand optimization of several greatly varying performance requirements. The novelty of the approach is that, for the first time, it involves both hardware and software. From algorithms to transistor control, various parameters are dynamically adapted to changing requirements. Such a holistic approach leads to a considerable reduction of power consumption by power amplifiers in cellular base stations while maintaining a high quality of service.

We are honored to be chosen for the project aimed at building a sustainable future, said Mr. Thomas Lerm, CEO of A.N. Solutions GmbH. For over ten years, we have been developing customized battery-powered sensor solutions for transportation, logistics, building and industrial automation, as well as energy management. A.N. Solutions engineers think out-of-the-box and use many innovative approaches such as gatewayless data aggregation using NB-IoT for the widely distributed sensor nodes. We look forward to contributing to this important initiative in the areas of NB-IoT battery-powered networks and AI optimization.

TU Dresden was delighted to receive this award, and our team looks forward to working with A.N. Solutions and other partner companies on making the new technology a reality, said Professor Frank Ellinger, Head of the DAKORE Project at TU Dresden. From climate change to the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges abound in the twenty-first century. The proliferation of contactless systems further boosts the spread of wireless data networks that can be quite power hungry. Efforts to reduce the carbon footprint will be very important. We have assembled a very competent team and adopted a holistic approach to confront this challenge head-on and find a solution.

As growing digitization increases the power consumption of computer networks, maintaining a low carbon footprint becomes difficult. Communications in computer systems will dominate energy consumption while computing itself remains low power. The BMBF innovation competition "Electronics for energy-saving information and communication technology" had 22 teams throughout Germany apply to help tackle this future challenge.

Ten teams from research institutions, universities, and colleges started to design correspondingly innovative research projects. The projects were each funded by the BMBF for a nine-month concept phase. Out of these ten projects, three applications were selected by the BMBF based on their relevance for the country, savings potential, level of innovation, and approach to the solution. The DAKORE project was among the three finalists that will receive funding for the implementation phase, which is three years long.

About A.N. Solutions

A.N. Solutions is a leading Internet of Things (IoT) design house specializing in concept-to-market wireless networking solutions for energy management, building automation, and other application areas demanding intelligent and reliable wireless connectivity. A.N. Solutions help OEMs and system integrators to roll out new products and flexible, scalable, secure, and resilient wireless network solutions on time and on budget with no in-house RF expertise by offering easy-to-use hardware and software components and engineering services. Ultra-sensitive IEEE 802.15.4/Zigbee and Bluetooth RF modules, embedded software and development tools for Sub-1 GHz and 2.4 GHz license-free ISM bands enable quick and seamless technology implementation, customization, and integration with the existing infrastructure, such as GNSS, WLAN, and more. Headquartered in Dresden, Germany, the A.N. Solutions team possesses over ten years of experience, adhering to the spirit of innovation and Made in Germany quality. For more information, please visit http://www.an-solutions.de or https://www.linkedin.com/company/an-solutions-gmbh.

Adaptive Network Solutions GmbH

Tel.: +49 351 30900 199

Email: press@an-solutions.de
Summary:



ADLINK is dedicated to working with ecosystem partners Askey, Institute for Information Industry (III) and EOI to develop and deploy an integrated cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) solution that will significantly improve road safety and traffic efficiency

The collaboration exploits ADLINKs deep expertise in developing and deploying rugged AI-enabled in-vehicle computers, private 5G networks, 5G edge servers, and intelligent edge infrastructure

ADLINK and partners are undertaking a list of pilot projects across Taiwan to test various use cases featuring different implementation approaches and application requirements

ADLINK Technology Inc., a global leader in edge computing, has joined forces with ecosystem partners Askey Computer Corp., the Institute for Information Industry (III) and Excellence Opto. Inc. (EOI) to develop and deploy an end-to-end C-V2X solution. The collaboration integrates AI-enabled technologies and applications with 4G LTE/sub-6GHz 5G NR vehicle network connectivity, smart traffic lights and signal controllers. The C-V2X solution will significantly improve road safety and traffic efficiency, establishing a solid foundation to help accelerate technology innovation and commercialization of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), autonomous driving and connected vehicles.

V2X technologies are designed to connect vehicles to each other (V2V), to pedestrians (V2P), to roadway infrastructure (V2I), and to the network (V2N). The 802.11p Wi-Fi standard established the foundation for V2X communications to enable drivers to avoid accidents and traffic jams. With a wider range than a dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) and much lower latency, 4G LTE and 5G based C-V2X will communicate real-time data further. And, when used together with onboard intelligence, it will accelerate more intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and Level 3 and above autonomous driving.

We are excited to work with our partners Askey, III and EOI to build and test the advanced C-V2X solution, said Henry Hu, Director of Global Business Development for Networking, Communications and Public Sector, ADLINK. We are seeing a strong momentum worldwide in developing and implementing C-V2X as the technology can substantially improve road safety, traffic efficiency and revolutionize logistics. And importantly, C-V2X can greatly accelerate technology innovation and commercialization of autonomous driving. A quick and broad adoption of C-V2X requires extensive collaboration of industry participants, which is why ADLINK is dedicated to building a comprehensive ecosystem. With a strong commitment to leading consortia, such as the Autoware Foundation and Open Source Robotics Foundation, we will continue our contribution to technology advancements of C-V2X, connected cars and autonomous driving.

The collaboration addresses the complex technology challenges from data collection to communication to processing in real-time by leveraging ADLINKs deep expertise in developing and deploying rugged AI-enabled in-vehicle computers, private 5G networks, 5G edge servers, and intelligent edge infrastructure. The C-V2X solution integrates ADLINKs AI-enabled in-vehicle computer platform based on the AVA-3510 series, with Askeys onboard/roadside unit (RSU/OBU), IIIs: AI-enabled applications including image-based AI vehicle identification, tracking and warning technology, and EOIs smart traffic light and traffic signal controller.

There are already four C-V2X pilot projects underway across Taiwan that implement both direct sidelink and cellular network communications. The projects are designed to test various use cases based on the enhanced 5G quality of service (QoS) for ultra-reliable, low-latency and high bandwidth communications.



The first is an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) application that uses V2I and V2V technologies for controlling traffic in New Taipei City.

The other three projects are for autonomous vehicles. Taipei City, SPaT (Signal Phase and Timing) techniques at traffic signals together with a MAP application prioritize automated buses via the connected traffic light controller to optimize traffic flow for intersections.

In Taoyuan City, V2I and V2V technologies are implemented to connect automated buses with roadside equipment (RSE) and roadside units (RSUs).

And in Tainan City, another auto-bus application uses V2I technologies for monitoring operations, which is integrated with an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS).

Besides improving road safety and traffic flow, the C-V2X solution developed by ADLINK and its partners can provide autonomous driving and automotive system integrators with a validated, integrated template to speed time-to-market. It can also help wireless service providers create new business opportunities.

ADLINK is committed to building a comprehensive ecosystem for C-V2X, which is key to its successful implementation and uptake. For more information, please visit the connected and autonomous vehicle solutions page on the ADLINK website.

About ADLINK Technology

ADLINK Technology Inc. (TAIEX:6166) leads edge computing, the catalyst for a world powered by artificial intelligence. ADLINK manufactures edge hardware and develops edge software for embedded, distributed, and intelligent computing  from powering medical PCs in the intensive care unit to building the worlds first high-speed autonomous race car  more than 1600 customers around the world trust ADLINK for mission-critical success. ADLINK holds top-tier edge partnerships with Intel, NVIDIA, AWS, and SAS, and also participates on the Intel Board of Advisors, ROS 2 Technical Steering Committee and Autoware Foundation Board. ADLINK contributes to open source, robotics, autonomous, IoT and 5G standards initiatives across 24+ consortiums, driving innovation in manufacturing, telecommunications, healthcare, energy, defense, transportation and infotainment. For over 25 years, with 1800+ ADLINKers and 200+ partners, ADLINK enables the technologies of today and tomorrow, advancing technology and society around the world. Follow ADLINK Technology on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or visit adlinktech.com.
Alliance of Channel Women Seeks Nominations for 2022 Board of Directors Were looking for leaders who are enthusiastic about helping women advance their careers in the tech channel through education, community and advocacy. ACW is an all-volunteer group and our board is vital to setting the direction for the organization.

Alliance of Channel Women, a not-for-profit organization of women in the indirect sales channel of the telecom and IT industry, is looking for channel leaders to join its nine-member Board of Directors for the next two years, beginning in January 2022. Two seats are open for the 2022-23 ACW Board of Directors.

Were looking for leaders who are enthusiastic about helping women advance their careers in the tech channel through education, community and advocacy, said ACW Vice President Cassie Jeppson, Director of North America Channel Programs, Lenovo. ACW is an all-volunteer group and our board is vital to setting the direction for the organization. Being a board member is a rewarding way to have an immediate impact for channel women.

Interested candidates, who are ACW members in good standing, are invited to apply no later than November 19, 2021. To apply, visit https://allianceofchannelwomen.org/boardapp2022.

Qualified nominees will be placed on a ballot and sent to a vote of the membership. Elected candidates will be notified in December 2021.

Questions may be directed to board@allianceofchannelwomen.org.

About the Alliance of Channel Women

Founded in 2010, the Alliance of Channel Women is a not-for-profit organization of women in the indirect sales channel of the telecom and IT industry. ACW brings us together to empower and advance women's careers and leadership roles in the technology channel through education, community, advocacy and opportunities for personal growth. To learn more and to become a member, please visit http://www.allianceofchannelwomen.org.
The College of American Pathologists (CAP) has awarded accreditation to Amprion Clinical Laboratory "This momentous milestone propels us to the dawning of a new erapersonalized medicine for neurodegenerative diseases. We are on a mission to end brain disorders. - Dr. Russ Lebovitz, MD, Amprion CEO

Amprion announces that The Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) has awarded accreditation to Amprion Clinical Laboratory, San Diego, California, based on recent on-site inspection results as part of the CAP's Accreditation Programs.

The facility's Director, Dr. Kendal J. Jensen, MD, was advised of this national recognition and congratulated for the excellence of the services being provided. Amprion Clinical Laboratory is one of more than 8,000 CAP-accredited facilities worldwide.

"The SYNTap Biomarker Test represents one of the newest classes of technology in the laboratory field. I am proud of our entire team, who worked tirelessly to achieve the first CAP-accredited protein amplification test for diagnostics application. We believe the SYNTap Test is a turning point in diagnosing neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). Our breakthrough technology has demonstrated excellent performance in this area," says Dr. Kendal Jensen, Amprion Clinical Lab Director.

Upon learning of the laboratory's accreditation, Amprion CEO Dr. Russ Lebovitz, MD, echoed, Congratulations to the Amprion team for passing the rigorous CAP inspection on the first go. The SYNTap Test has been validated with 87.3% sensitivity, 97.2% specificity, and overall accuracy of 93.9%a testament to our team's expertise, approach, and core technology. This momentous milestone propels us to the dawning of a new erapersonalized medicine for neurodegenerative diseases. We are on a mission to end brain disorders.

The U.S. federal government recognizes the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, which began in the early 1960s, as equal to or more stringent than the government's inspection program.

During the CAP accreditation process, designed to ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients, inspectors examine the laboratory's records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, safety program and record, and overall management.

About the College of American Pathologists

As the world's largest organization of board-certified pathologists and leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. For more information, read the CAP Annual Report at Cap.org.

About Amprion

A leader in prion detection science, Amprion innovates biomarker testing. The company offers its first commercial diagnostic application, SYNTap Biomarker Test, to aid physicians in the clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). This breakthrough test identifies misfolded Synuclein aggregates, a hallmark in various neurodegenerative diseases. The innovative assay can also be used to distinguish underlying synucleinopathy in patient evaluation for other neurological disorders, such as Alzheimers Disease (AD). Amprion plans to launch other biomarker tests, including misfolded Abeta and Tau, to detect Alzheimer's in early stages.
I enjoy reading but many of the books in Steam Punk were hardly worth the effort, poor story telling or lazy plot devices. I was inspired by Gail Carriger with her fantastic but coherent stories and Tom Clancy's techno thrillers. So I thought, can I do better? I felt I had no right to criticized others till I tried to write myself, David A. Hornung states. In The Ratten Expedition (published by iUniverse in October 2015), he tells an alternate reality steampunk adventure about an eclectic undercover government team  a Civil War veteran, a priest, an assassin, a tinker, and an orphaned girl  work to save the Union.

In an alternate-reality world where the American Civil War lasted 10 years, technology has advanced rapidly. A decade after the guns of the South were silenced, the embers of war still burn white hot. English Canada and French Mexico still snarl at the Union, but a new terror faces the country. Former army major John Morton, now a museum professor, is recruited by his old army comrade, now a Catholic priest, to find missing parishioners. As they will learn, the solution to the riddle is only the start of a cross-county adventure. Recruited to join an eclectic undercover government team, Civil War veteran Morton joins a priest, a beautiful female assassin, a black tinker, and an orphaned girl in the race to find a way to preserve the Union. Can Morton survive long enough to stop a pair of mad renegade scientists hell-bent on the destruction of the Union?

This is a solid adventure story, with characters who are not perfect but give their all. These are relatable people, not super heroes. It deals people who in various ways are damaged and the reader gets to watch them heal. It is what I like to call techno steam punk, the SP elements are not over the moon but at least feasible, they are not the story but support it. The story is coherent without as I phase it resorting to pulling magic out of my ass to get the characters out of a corner, Hornung says.

When asked what he wants readers to take away from the book, Hornung answers, They feel they got a good yarn for their money, roller coaster ride of danger and adventure. They get to meet a group of people they can relate to and care about. Later on, when they are starting to dose off at night, they think about some of the morality that is woven into the book. For more details about the book, please visit https://www.iuniverse.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/703593-the-ratten-expedition

The Ratten Expedition

By David A. Hornung

Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 332 pages | ISBN 9781491776575

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 332 pages | ISBN 9781491774762

E-Book | 332 pages | ISBN 9781491774755

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

David A. Hornung holds a masters degree in mechanical engineering, a doctorate degree in environmental engineering, several other degrees in the social and physical sciences. He also holds a MA in pastoral ministry. He enjoys ham radio, historical miniature wargaming and participating in Civil War reenactments. He is a widower who lives in Buffalo, New York, with his cats.

iUniverse, an Author Solutions, LLC, self-publishing imprint, is the leading book marketing, editorial services, and supported self-publishing provider. iUniverse recognizes excellence in book publishing through the Star, Rising Star and Editors Choice designationsself-publishings only such awards program. iUniverse is headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana. For more information or to publish a book, please visit iuniverse.com or call 1-800-AUTHORS.
Weve witnessed how the Anytime Mailbox team has built a top tier business with a Virtual Mailbox software product that generates incredible value to Mailbox Business Centers and the retail shipping community overall.

Retail Shipping Associates (RSA) is the leading trade organization supporting the retail shipping community across the US, counting over 7,000 Mailbox Business Centers in their membership. The pandemic underscored the essential service that Mailbox Business Centers provide to the proper functioning of the US economy.

Matt Going, Anytime Mailboxs CEO & Co-Founder, said, Were thrilled to be joining forces with Retail Shipping Associates to provide a robust incentive which helps their membership kickstart a Virtual Mailbox offering.

Mr. Going added, Theres been vast digitization which has fueled the normalization of digital tools like Anytime Mailboxs virtual mailbox software. So, were happy to support the retail shipping community, through our partnership with Retail Shipping Associates, in expanding the adoption of Virtual Mailboxes far and wide.

Through the RSA Premium Supplier Program, Anytime Mailbox provides a healthy discount to Retail Shipping Associates Premium Members when they sign up as an Anytime Mailbox Virtual Mailbox partner.

Brandon Gale, Retail Shipping Associates President stated, Weve witnessed how the Anytime Mailbox team has built a top tier business with a Virtual Mailbox software product that generates incredible value to Mailbox Business Centers and the retail shipping community overall. And they do everything right, from their software and excellent customer support to digital marketing, which drives thousands of signups to their operating partners. So, its no surprise that we are happy to have them on board to boost our membership in establishing a Virtual Mailbox offering.

Anytime Mailbox joins the ranks of RSA Premium Suppliers, including DHL Express, Chubb, Intuit, Aflac, and PostalMate. To learn more about Anytime Mailboxs RS Premium Supplier and discount offered to RS Premium Members, please go to - https://www.rscentral.org/Suppliers/Supplier-Directory/uc/info/ItemID/173
Coralea Brown, the wife of the late Carroll Brown, an engineer who worked for both county building departments and private firms in Virginia and Florida before his retirement, has published his book The Fort: a spellbinding thriller that keeps the pages turning until its dramatic conclusion.

The author wrote, The fort is not an artificial structure of concrete and steel but a valley enclosed by mountains near the center of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. The valley is twenty-three miles long and about five miles wide at its widest point measured from the top of the ridge at the fire tower lookout in the west to the ridge top of Page Mountain in the east.

The Indian name for the valley was Massanutten, meaning Indian basket due to the abundance of wild game and water. It is believed from documented research of early records that the first White settler in the Shenandoah Valley was Mr. George Brock in 1749. The earliest White settler in the fort itself was a frontiersman named Powell, a renegade, counterfeiter, and purported spy for both the Indians and the British. Eventually, the area around Waterlick came to be known as Powells fort. Later, it became known simply as the Fort. George Washington surveyed the area for Lord Fairfax in 1749 beginning at Buzzards Roost on the Passage Creek, what is now known as Slippery Rock Ford. During the Revolutionary War when losing ground to British Washington developed plans to retreat to the Fort Valley as a last stand should the need arise. The high slop- ing rock walls at Buzzards Roost at Passage Creek provided a natural defensive position from which to fight the British army. This gem, this valley within a valley, steeped in American history and lore is the setting for this novel of fiction. The geographic locations are real and still exist, along with many of the historic structures mentioned in this novel. The author has attempted to weave a story of fiction drawn on a number of actual and fictional events spanning a forty-year period. The fictional characters are a composite of all my dear friends and mortal enemies...collected over my years living in the valley. So sit back, pour a glass of Knob Creek Bourbon, start a fire in the fireplace, and walk with me into the misty lore and legend of...the Fort.

Published by Page Publishing, Carroll Browns engrossing book is a superb choice for avid crime fiction readers.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase The Fort 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.
Lindsey Wood, a lifelong history buff who grew up in New York States beautiful Hudson Valley, graduated from Wells College with a BA in history, earned a masters in museum studies at Johns Hopkins University, and has worked and volunteered in a variety of museums, historical societies, and restoration efforts, has completed her new book Tell Me Your Story: a compilation of narrative and poetry celebrating the connections forged between tangible objects and their movement through time to future generations.

Have you ever stood in a historic building and tried to imagine what the people who lived or worked there experienced? Or wondered how many other faces a clouded mirror has reflected? Perhaps youve looked at a museum display and wished the objects could tell you how they came to be there. Eight stories and poems, inspired by family heirlooms, museum collections, and local history, explore the tangible connection objects and places create across time and the power of passing down stories through the generations.

Author Lindsey Wood envisions the stories behind everyday objects, from the cross-country travels of a family quilt to the conversations around a spinning wheel. Short stories bring to life the eight-year-old Hugh Morrison, caught in the crossfire in the battle of Fort Montgomery, and Sybil Ludingtons devotion to both the Revolutionary cause and her family. Newspaper articles and local lore weave together to form the stories of people living in New York Citys Gilded Age and rediscovered appreciation for Peekskills rich history.

Published by Page Publishing, Lindsey Woods engrossing book is a wonderful choice for history buffs of all ages.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase Tell Me Your Story 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.
Buyer's Guide Logo The donation from Buyer's Guide will be used to address food security, improving nutrition education, and getting fresh meals in the homes of families in need throughout the Austin community.

Buyers Guide continues its tradition of giving back to the local community with a 3rd quarter donation to the Central Texas Food Bank, an Austin-based charitable organization.

Each quarter, Buyers Guide donates a portion of its revenue to a charity chosen by our employees. Giving back to our local community is part of the mission of our site and we look forward to doing even more for these organizations in the years to come. This quarter, Buyers Guide is thrilled to announce that the recipient for our Q3 charity donation was the Austin Food Bank.

"The Buyers Guide team is thrilled to be able to support these critical charities in the Austin area. Many of our team members are based in Austin and we are so grateful to be able to support this wonderful city and community," said Katy Hall, Chief Operating Officer of BuyersGuide.org.

Founded in 1981, the Central Texas Food Bank offers a 4,200-square foot kitchen allowing for on-site meal preparation for multiple programs, culinary job training, and volunteer opportunities for individuals and organizations. The organization also focused on advocacy of public policy priorities, including fresh food for low-income families and healthy meal deliveries for low-income senior citizens.

The donation from Buyers Guide will be used to address food security, improving nutrition education, and getting fresh meals in the homes of families in need throughout the Austin community.

Buyers Guide offers an innovative platform that uses algorithms to sort through thousands of user decisions, allowing them to provide customers with superior product recommendations and insights to make smarter purchasing decisions. Comparing thousands of products and services, BuyersGuide.org is available to users at https://buyersguide.org.

Buyers Guide is owned and operated by parent company Wickfire LLC, a leading digital marketing company focused on search marketing, working with partners on the pay-for-performance model. Since 2011, Wickfire has helped more than 100 million users search for products, services, and discounts online.

Charities that would like to be considered for a quarterly grant from Buyer's Guide can learn more by sending an email to charitypartnerships@buyersguide.org.
After all our businesses have been through, in the past 18 months, it is especially important that we let them know how much we appreciate their service to our community. - Nathan Brown, Brunswick Mayor

The City of Brunswick, Brunswick Main Street and the Greater Brunswick Area Chamber of Commerce (GBACC) are pleased to announce that October 25-29, 2021 will be proclaimed Celebrating Business in Brunswick Week. This event is held in recognition of Marylands Economic Development Week and Frederick Countys Business Appreciation Week also occurring October 25-29.

Celebrating Business in Brunswick week will feature activities that recognize and promote businesses in Brunswick. Participating business owners will receive free local marketing exposure via social media and sponsor websites. Also, loyal customers will have an opportunity to show their appreciation for their favorite business in Brunswick by posting a selfie making a purchase using #celebratingbusinessinbrunswick. All participating customers will be entered into a drawing for a $10 gift card at their favorite business. The business with the most social media posts will be crowned the Best of Brunswick and receive a unique gift box, not to mention invaluable bragging rights.

The City of Brunswick, Brunswick Main Street, and GBACC are also launching an ongoing Be KIND campaign. The idea of the campaign came about after hearing more and more stories of irate customers taking out their frustrations on front-line workers. Throughout Brunswick, as it is nationally, our businesses are experiencing staffing shortages. Of course, this can impact customer service. We wanted to find a way to recognize those front-line workers who are showing up every day to work in demanding circumstances. Brunswick businesses pride themselves on great customer service and need community support to see them through yet another challenge as a result of the pandemic. Posters were designed with the message to Be Kind, Be Patient, Be the Best of Brunswick to be displayed in business windows and buttons will be available for employees to wear.

Brunswick Mayor Nathan Brown suggested that Brunswick develop its own program to recognize local businesses, saying, After all our businesses have been through, in the past 18 months, it is especially important that we let them know how much we appreciate their service to our community. The newly hired City of Brunswick Economic Development Coordinator, Julie Martorana took on the challenge and partnered with Brunswick Main Street Manager, Carmen Hilton and GBACC President, Sheila Gray to develop the weeks activities.
Children of America With absenteeism and turnover up, the workload is more strenuous than it has ever been, and without onsite testing we cannot ask staff to find their own weekly testing sites.

With the new state and federal COVID-19 orders being pushed through, childcare, an essential business to support working families, has joined the long list of companies whose workforce is severely affected by these new Vaccine or Testing requirements The latest New Jersey mandates, have been instituted with no access to testing kits, no supply chain for acquiring kits and no support for companies desperately trying to institute procedures to fulfill EO-264 requirements. CEO Ted Hockenberry says, "Our workforce is on the brink of a total collapse. To effectively carryout this order, we MUST have access to affordable testing solutions that can be administered on site."

As Americans across the nation are seeing access to everyday products diminish and/or costs skyrocket, EO-264 is yet another example of constraints that fundamentally will crush an industry classified as "essential" to those working families that need childcare in order to work.

Ted Hockenberry goes on the say, "With absenteeism and turnover up, the workload is more strenuous than it has ever been, and without onsite testing we cannot ask staff to find their own weekly testing sites."

Without a sensible solution to the challenges in todays business environment, childcare runs the risk of decimation in the state of New jersey.

Click here to read our open letter to the NJ Department of Children and Families.

About Children of America

Children of America (COA) operates childcare centers throughout Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. The company expansion plans include new locations within our existing markets and new states, including, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas areas over the next two (2) years. COA offers the highest level of educational childcare for children ages six weeks to twelve years of age. The premier programs include infant care, toddler care, nationally renowned preschool and pre-kindergarten programs, before-and-after school care, and summer camp. An industry pioneer, Children of America is a subsidiary of World Wide Child Care Corp. Visit childrenofamerica.com for more information or interact with COA on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
Buddha Babe celebrates detail, comfort and quality. The market for baby and children clothing is vast and growing, said Andrew DSouza, CEO and co-founder, Clearco. Were proud to support this woman-owned, minority-owned business in its mission to continuously provide security and warmth to families with babies.

Clearco, the worlds largest e-commerce investor and the company revolutionizing the way founders grow their businesses, today announced that its ClearAngel program is funding Buddha Babe, a Philadelphia-based luxury design studio focusing on accessories for babies, toddlers and the home. The ClearAngel program provides early-stage founders with access to revenue share capital, data-driven advice, and Clearcos extensive network of apps, agencies, and investors.

Established in 2014 by Tina Dixon Spence, Buddha Babe started as an e-commerce business and takes pride in creating stylish, cozy and eco-friendly baby products made in the United States. As a brand, Buddha Babe celebrates detail, comfort and quality. Its product line includes bibs, blankets, clothing, and other accessories in stylish patterns and colors for babies and toddlers. Every item is designed, cut and created locally from natural and organic cottons. After seven years of steady online growth, Buddha Babe opened its brick-and-mortar boutique and workshop in Philadelphia in late 2020, which symbolized love and hope amid COVID-19.

The market for baby and children clothing is vast and growing, said Andrew DSouza, CEO and co-founder, Clearco. Were proud to support this woman-owned, minority-owned business in its mission to continuously provide warmth to families with babies.

ClearAngel is one of a few equity-free, flexible capital options for early-stage founders who dont have the network to raise an angel round or join exclusive accelerators. The program has already funded over 350 companies since its February 2021 launch.

I launched the business because I wasnt satisfied with any of the bibs I bought for my son back then, said Spence. I started making bibs and blankets for friends and relatives, and then pivoted to opening my own business. Since then, I have not looked back. With ClearAngels funding, we aim to double our Direct-to-Consumer business and expand our growth channels.

In addition to the flexible capital, Buddha Babe will also get access to a network of more than 500 investors, growth teams, agencies, apps, lawyers, and buyers; and data-driven advice designed to help scale and hit new revenue milestones.

To learn more about Buddha Babe and its luxurious, sustainable baby clothing, visit buddhababe.us.

ClearAngel is currently onboarding e-commerce and product companies, and has limited spots available for SaaS, Apps, marketplace and stealth companies. To learn more about applying, visit angel.clearbanc.com.

About Clearco:

Co-founded as Clearbanc in 2015 by Michele Romanow from Canadas Shark Tank (Dragons Den), Andrew DSouza, Ivan Gritsiniak, Charlie Feng, and Tanay Delima, Clearco offers the most founder-friendly capital solutions for e-commerce, mobile apps, and SaaS founders as well as a full suite of products and access to a powerful global network, insights and data, and recommendations. Clearco has invested over $2 Billion in over 4,500 companies to date, including Leesa Sleep, fashion-rental service Le Tote, home goods company Public Goods, shirtmaker UNTUCKit, online speech therapy practice Expressable, and digital real estate marketplace SetSchedule. For more information visit clear.co and @getClearco.


With Cynerios IoT Attack Detection and Response, hospitals can finally take swift and decisive action to shut down the attackers who are trying to disrupt patient data, care and health using IoT devices as a launchpad.

Cynerio, the leading provider of healthcare IoT cybersecurity, today announced the release of healthcare cybersecuritys first IoT Attack Detection and Response module specific to medical, IoT and OT devices found within hospital environments. Cynerios new IoT Attack Detection and Response module empowers hospitals, for the first time, to identify, contain and mitigate threats on devices exhibiting malicious or suspicious behavior so that patient health and service provision wont be impacted. Thorough remediation, including the collection of actionable forensics, can then be performed when the device is not in use to accelerate rapid attack recovery.

The hospital attack surface continues to grow. A recent Ponemon Institute study noted that nearly a quarter of hospital data breaches originated from a medical or IoT device, about the same rate as phishing attacks. Ransomware attempts on hospitals also increased 123% last year, threatening hospital revenue and the ability to provide optimal patient health outcomes.

Without clearly defined IoT device attack detection and response processes, the simplest option for many healthcare organizations is to just shut down any device deemed to be a risk, said Daniel Brodie, Founder and CTO at Cynerio. However, hospitals have hundreds if not thousands of IoT devices keeping their patients healthy and, in some cases, alive. They need more careful and precise mitigation tools in their arsenal to be sure that connected devices will continue to function no matter what attacks might be launched against their infrastructure.

Cynerios IoT Attack Detection and Response module provides an immediate response to a wide range of threats to ensure connected device security in hospitals and healthcare facilities. With micro-segmentation, hospitals can secure devices in the event of an attack without interruption to patient care  a critical feature considering a recent US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) report showing that ransomware attacks on hospitals correlate with increased mortality rates. The module covers every phase of the IoT attack lifecycle, from detection and investigation to response and containment, identifying attacks as soon as implementation begins so that hospitals can secure devices quickly.

The steady stream of ransomware attacks and breaches on hospitals is forcing a sea of change in medical device and IoT security, said Leon Lerman, co-founder and CEO at Cynerio. Its no longer enough for hospitals to just gain visibility into and analyze the potential risk of their connected device footprint. With Cynerios IoT Attack Detection and Response, hospitals can finally take swift and decisive action to shut down the attackers who are trying to disrupt patient data, care and health using IoT devices as a launchpad.

For more information on the new module, visit cynerio.com or download a datasheet with more information here.

About Cynerio

Cynerio is the one-stop-shop Healthcare IoT security platform. With solutions that cater to healthcares every IT need  from Enterprise IoT to OT and IoMT  we promote cross-organizational alignment and give hospitals the control, foresight, and adaptability they require to stay cyber-secure in a constantly evolving threatscape. We give healthcare organizations the power to stay compliant and proactively manage every connection on their own terms with powerful asset management, threat detection, and mitigation tools so that they can focus on healthcares top priority: delivering quality patient care. For more information visit http://www.cynerio.com, or follow Cynerio on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
I want (readers) to see how our ancestors used plants to flavor their gum, drinks and other foods and what role it played in our lives.

A contributing columnist for a local newspaper, Connie L. Taylor collected his articles on the history of plants to create his book Plant Folklore: 120 Stories (published by Archway Publishing). Published in 2018, the author is embarking on a new marketing campaign to promote his book more widely.

Sharing each plants story, covering 120 species, the book talks about how the plants found across the U.S., and especially in Appalachia, were used previously and how some are still today. Plant Folklore includes both myths and truths about plants people see in various locations today that they might take for granted. The book gives readers outdoor enthusiasts and budding naturalists tips and advice they can use to identify blooms and collect wildflower seeds or plants with respect and care

I want (readers) to see how our ancestors used plants to flavor their gum, drinks and other foods and what role it played in our lives, Taylor says, adding that his book tells how important plants were in the past.

Plant Folklore is available for purchase online at the Archway link above, from Barnes & Noble and on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Plant-Folklore-Stories-Connie-Taylor/dp/1480863602.

Plant Folklore

By Connie L. Taylor

Hardcover | 5.5 x 8.5 in | 240 pages | ISBN 9781480863606

Softcover | 5.5 x 8.5 in | 240 pages | ISBN 9781480863590

E-Book | 240 pages | ISBN 9781480863613

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Connie L. Taylor was born in Science Hill, Kentucky, and he was raised in Dayton, Ohio. After serving in Vietnam with the U.S. Marine Corps, Taylor returned to Kentucky and enrolled in college. He went on to write for the local paper in London, Kentucky, as a contributing columnist, and he has been published in A.T. Journeys, the official magazine of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the worldwide leader in self-publishing, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kind, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit archwaypublishing.com or call 844-669-3957.
My friend had never heard the story of the birth of Jesus, and I could not find a book, written for an adult, that shared this amazing account. So, I decided to write a book for adults from a Jewish perspective, about the birth of Jesus.

Author N. G. Carraway, shares a fictional, coming of age biblical based story in Journey on the Ancient Path: The Way of the Shepherd ($22.49, paperback, 9781662831607; $9.99, e-book, 9781662831614).

Carraways enlightening novel, based on gospel scriptures, tells the fictional story of Josiah, a young boy who grows to adulthood during the days of expectancy for the Messiah. As Josiah experiences life, love and loss, he discovers the importance of understanding the prophetic truth of the Word and the significance of the path that his Hebrew ancestors followed. All prophecies, related to the birth of Yeshua (Jesus), are woven into the story.

I was inspired to write this book after I shared the account of Jesus' birth with a friend at work, a young lady who was raised as a Hindu, said Carraway. My friend had never heard the story of the birth of Jesus, and I could not find a book, written for an adult, that shared this amazing account. So, I decided to write a book for adults from a Jewish perspective, about the birth of Jesus. Since Christians already know this story, I decided to also add information about the Jewish feasts, something most Christians are not aware of, but are hungry to learn.

Carraway has been a lifelong student of the Holy Bible and was raised in a Christian home. For years, Jewish feasts had been of particular interest. While she does not recognize herself as a Biblical scholar, she understands that most Christians have no knowledge of these feasts or the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. With this book, she is proud to explain the Jewish feasts and how they relate to modern life. Readers from all backgrounds and faiths will appreciate her entertaining approach to the topic and easy to read writing style.

Carraway works with a global company and in her spare time, enjoys teaching others about Jewish feasts, baking homemade bread and spending time with her family including 5 grandchildren. She also enjoys learning Hebrew and loves the outdoors. Carraway wants to continue sharing the Good News of Jesus, the Messiah.

Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the worlds largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 15,000 titles published to date. Journey on the Ancient Path: The Way of the Shepherd is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.
Programmable privacy is particularly game-changing for individual users as they can achieve the same level of privacy that they get with their financial institution but without the centralized risk of having to trust a bank with all their money.

A $100M Ecosystem Fund is established to accelerate the growth and development of the Findora ecosystem.

Also, staking and delegation is now available on Findora Mainnet Beta after over three months of testing on Findora Anvil Testnet.

Ecosystem Fund

The announcement of the Findora $100M Ecosystem Fund is part of a broader community-led commitment to support Findora ecosystem research, development, and infrastructure projects building upon Findora's privacy-preserving technology. By deploying zero-knowledge proofs, Findora enables "programmable privacy;" in other words, makes it possible for users to share information without showing it.

Warren Paul Anderson, VP of Product at Discreet Labs, which is one of the leading developers of Findora, expressed, "Programmable privacy is particularly game-changing for individual users as they can achieve the same level of privacy that they get with their financial institution but without the centralized risk of having to trust a bank with all their money. But its also a major unblocking event for traditional financial institutions too, where privacy is at the core of every one of their product offerings. So it appeals to both sides of the aisle DeFi and TradFi.

Developers and validators can apply for grants via the Findora Foundations website to help accelerate their growth. The Findora community will be able to vote on which projects get funded through a governance process administered by a DAO. In order to qualify for grant funding, projects must run a staked validator and/or build a protocol, platform or DApp directly on the Findora blockchain, which utilizes the privacy-preserving technology and impacts the Findora ecosystem in a meaningful way.

Findora is backed by Polychain and Powerscale Capital, and is partnered with dozens of companies and organizations including Tencent, BSN, MetisDAO, Taxa, Bank of Asia, Travel USA Express, MoneyMoov, IOTPay, YouWorld, Citcon, and Bayes.

Staking and Delegating on Findora

The Findora v0.2.0 release on Findora Mainnet Beta now includes support for staking and delegation. The Findora public network is completely permissionless, meaning anyone can operate a validator and contribute to consensus, and act as stewards of the organic evolution of the Findora ecosystem.

FRA token holders can now also elect to delegate their stake directly to other validators to support the public network without technically running a validator. Delegators can set up, and manage their delegation via the Findora reference wallet, or any other platform that supports delegation on Findora.

Findora EVM on Testnet

Findora EVM has been deployed on Findora Forge Testnet following a September release of the Findora EVM on Devnet. Over the past several weeks, several community developers have already built a number of DeFi projects via the Findora EVM on Devnet.

Get Involved

If you are a validator operator that is interested in staking on Findora Mainnet Beta, then read the documentation for setting up a validator, and join the Discord channel for more information. If you are a developer interested in building on Findora, or a validator interested in staking on Findora, then you can apply for a grant through the Findora Foundation website.

For media inquiries, please contact Nick Rodriguez at (310) 260-7901 or Nick(at)MelrosePR(dot)com

About Findora

Findora is a public blockchain with programmable privacy. Originally conceptualized as a university cryptography research project in 2017, and finally launched to the public in 2021, Findora utilizes the latest breakthroughs in zero-knowledge proofs and multi-party computation, to allow users transactional privacy with selective auditability. For more information, please visit https://findora.org/.

About Discreet Labs

Discreet Labs believes our digital future is more private and self-sovereign and is building the technology necessary to achieve this vision. Discreet Labs combines the reliability and transparency of decentralized, public blockchains, together with the security and privacy of zero-knowledge proofs, to enable confidential transactions. Applications developed by Discreet Labs provide both the transactional privacy that institutions desire, along with the proofs of compliance that regulators require.
Crain's Best Places to Work NYC 2021 Where best-in-class technology solutions meet world-class customer service.

ManhattanTechSupport.com LLC, an award-winning MSP from New York and a leading technology partner to small-to-midsized businesses (SMBs) and enterprises, announced today that it is being honored as one of New York's Best Places to Work by Crain's New York Business. Crain's list recognized firms with strong work atmospheres, good benefits, "work perks," and pay as well as mentorship and professional growth potential. ManhattanTechSupport.com LLC ranked 36th on the list.

"We are excited and honored to be recipients of this prestigious award for the third consecutive year," said Jackie Oliva, Vice President of Operations, ManhattanTechSupport.com LLC. "As a company, our goal has always been to create an environment where people feel that they are part of something special and are excited to come to work every day. We recognize that our staff is our greatest asset, and we continually strive to promote a fun, caring, and productive culture in which they can thrive. Our team is consistently able to rise to any occasion and provide top-notch service to our clients. To be recognized by our employees as one of the best places to work in NYC is incredible. While ManhattanTechSupport.com has been fortunate to receive many awards and accolades this past year, this is the award of which we are most proud. Our talented and dedicated team continues to amaze us with their passion for technology and commitment to exceptional customer service. We could not experience the success that we do without our staff, and that is why this award is so special to us."

In partnership with Best Companies Group, Crain's surveyed more than 20,000 employees across all five boroughs on the types of work atmospheres, leadership styles, opportunities for mentorship and professional growth, traditional benefits, and atypical "work perks" that make a company a great place to work.

Crain's New York Business is one of the city's leading business publications. The "Best Places to Work" list profiles New York's top 100 most respected employers. Winners are chosen based on confidential employee reviews and an independent assessment of policies and practices.

About ManhattanTechSupport.com LLC

ManhattanTechSupport.com LLC, a multiple award-winning full-service technology partner for businesses nationwide, specializes in managed IT services, including cutting-edge cybersecurity and digital transformation solutions to help businesses increase productivity, stay safe from cyberattacks and foster growth through the efficient use of technology. Distinguished in the industry for world-class customer service and 24/7 availability, we offer companies the full breadth and depth of a sophisticated IT department for one flat monthly fee with no contracts ever. Today, our innovative technology solutions and IT experts continue to create sustained value for our clients through various strategies and initiatives that are tailored to propel organizations that take IT seriously into the future.

About Crain's New York Business

Crain's New York Business provides news, information, analysis, and connections on all facets of New York through the prism of business. Through its daily news coverage on crainsnewyork.com, its weekly coverage in print, its newsmaker forums, and topical events that bring together the city's diverse business communities, Crain's New York Business is the leading source of information on the New York economy, the companies, industries and institutions that operate here and the entrepreneurs and innovators who drive the city's growth.
To receive the ASC innovation award is an exciting testament to our sustainability passion and innovation coming together to help our customers win, said Shawn Hunter, global sustainability leader for DuPont Performance Building Solutions and Corian Design.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) today announced that its new Low GWP Froth-Pak Spray Foam Blown with Liquid HFO and CO2 received the 2021 ASC Innovation Award, recognizing DuPonts innovative product developments in the adhesive and sealant industry and in academia. The Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) identifies the significant impact DuPonts chemistries contribute to the downstream industries unmet needs and advancements in technology.

The newly enhanced, innovative Froth-Pak Spray Foams reformulation utilizes carbon dioxide (CO2), a naturally produced gas, in its spray foam blowing agent package that helps achieve a reduction in global warming potential (GWP) of more than 99 percent as compared to blowing agents used in past formulations. The reformulation supports DuPonts commitment to seek safe solutions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while driving sustainable innovation. ASC winning entries demonstrate the value proposition of the novel chemistry and signifies a significant milestone in developing chemistry components that adds value in a field application and improvement in design and chemical process.

To receive the ASC innovation award is an exciting testament to our sustainability passion and innovation coming together to help our customers win, said Shawn Hunter, global sustainability leader for DuPont Performance Building Solutions and Corian Design. Froth-Pak reformulation with CO2 is an inspiring innovation to see driving transformation in the market, exemplifying DuPonts commitment to sustainability and addressing the climate crisis.

This latest award-winning innovation represents the next step forward in the evolution of the Froth-Pak brand, introduced more than 50 years ago. Froth-Pak is the all-in-one self-contained and easily portable low-pressure spray foam kit designed for professional contractors. This polyurethane spray foam contains no ozone depleting chemicals or HFCs while elevating the performance attributes professional contractors expect. Froth-Pak Spray Foam helps professional contractors quickly and efficiently fill larger gaps and penetrations in both commercial and residential applications  sealing out moisture, dust, allergens and pests while improving energy efficiency, building resilience and comfort for homeowners.

The Froth-Pak Spray Foam reformulation supports the DuPont Performance Building Solutions and Corian Design business Acting on Climate goal to achieve a 75 percent reduction in GHG emission from operations by 2030, toward reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. Together with the introduction of low GWP offerings within the Styrofoam Brand Insulation product line, these actions demonstrate significant steps taken by the business to address both embodied carbon, through reduced embodied carbon product offerings, and operational carbon, through insulation and air sealing solutions that help enable building energy efficiency. These solutions are necessary to help reduce GHG emissions from the built environment, which account for 39% of global GHG emissions. The new Froth-Pak product is compliant with currently enacted, as well as draft, U.S. State Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) and Canadian GWP regulations. This product innovation will deliver GHG reductions in support of the Paris Climate Agreement along a timeline that is more aggressive than the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

Froth-Pak is currently available in a variety of options and sizes, including:



 Froth-Pak Spray Foam Sealant - a two-component, quick-cure polyurethane foam that fills penetrations and cracks in rim joists, roof wall junctures, and around pipes and ducts greater than 2" and less than 4" wide.

 Froth-Pak Spray Foam Insulation - a Class A Fire Rated two-component, quick-cure polyurethane foam that fills cavities, penetrations, and cracks in rim joists, roof wall junctures and around pipes and ducts up to 2 thick. (Only available in the U.S.)

For more information on Froth-Pak Spray Foam, visit http://www.frothpak.com.

About The Adhesive and Sealant Council

The Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) is a North American trade association dedicated to representing the adhesive and sealant industry. The Council is comprised of over 100 adhesive and sealant manufacturers, raw material and equipment suppliers, distributors and industry consultants, representing more than 75% of the U.S. industry with operations around the world. Offering education, legislative advocacy, professional networking and business growth solutions for its members, the ASC is the center of knowledge and catalyst for industry growth on a global basis for manufacturers, suppliers and end-users.

For more information about ASC, visit http://www.ascouncil.org.

About DuPont Performance Building Solutions

DuPont Performance Building Solutions is a global innovation leader in the building and construction industry, providing products and materials for all six sides of the building envelope. By developing solutions for managing the air, water and thermal performance of buildings and residences, we help our customers build energy-efficient, resilient, and durable shelters in a rapidly changing world. Backed by unmatched industry insight, building knowledge, and technical support, as well as world-class brands such as Styrofoam Brand, Tyvek, and Great Stuff, our products and services portfolio enables customers to focus on what they do best, no matter where and how they choose to build.

About DuPont Water & Protection

DuPont Water & Protection is a global leader in products and solutions that protect what matters  people, structures and the environment  and enables its customers to win through unique capabilities, global scale and iconic brands including Corian, Kevlar, Nomex Tyvek, Styrofoam and Filmtec.

About DuPont

DuPont (NYSE: DD) is a global innovation leader with technology-based materials, ingredients and solutions that help transform industries and everyday life. Our employees apply diverse science and expertise to help customers advance their best ideas and deliver essential innovations in key markets including electronics, transportation, construction, water, health and wellness, food and worker safety. More information can be found at http://www.dupont.com.

# # #

DuPont, the DuPont Oval Logo, and all trademarks and service marks denoted with ,  or  are owned by affiliates of DuPont de Nemours, Inc. unless otherwise noted.


Furia Rubel Communications, Inc., is proud to announce that the agencys podcast, On Record PR, has won three w3 Awards. The podcast was selected for a gold award in the category of General Series - Corporate Communications Podcasts and two silver awards in the categories of General Series - Public Relations Podcasts and General Series - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Podcasts.

In its second season and with more than 85 episodes, On Record PR goes on the record with industry leaders such as C-suite executives, journalists, general counsel, top legal marketing professionals, lawyers, and experts to discuss best practices for public relations and marketing strategies that drive business success.

Podcast producer and director of business development, Jennifer Simpson Carr, said, We are thrilled to be honored for our podcast. Our entire team has worked hard to identify guests who share new and thought-provoking perspectives on topics that impact our listeners professionally and personally such as internal and external public relations, crisis communications, DE&I, ESG, innovation, leadership, the business of law, and law firm marketing. With listeners currently representing 22 countries, On Record PR is a tool to educate us and our listeners around the world.

Winning entries for the 16th Annual w3 Awards were selected by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts. The AIVA is a membership-based organization of leading professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts dedicated to embracing progress and the evolving nature of traditional and interactive media. According to AIVAs website, Receiving over 3,000 entries from across the globe, the w3 Awards honors outstanding websites, marketing, video, mobile, social, and podcasts created by some of the best digital content creators across the industry.

Podcast entries are judged on the concept and writing, quality of craft, and overall experience.

About Furia Rubel Marketing and Public Relations: Furia Rubel Marketing and Public Relations is an integrated and strategic marketing, public relations and crisis management agency based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The certified woman-owned agency provides strategic planning, marketing, public relations, crisis management, business development, content marketing, and social media services to a wide array of professional service clients. Furia Rubel represents law firms and legaltech organizations, financial, banking and accounting companies, governments and municipalities, and behavioral health and elder care organizations. For more information, visit http://www.furiarubel.com.
Green Turtle Kava Bar St. Augustine logo We are thrilled to be able to give back while being an alternative destination place for taking a moment during the day for reflection and some great conversation.

Green Turtle Kava Bar is poised to introduce an ancient South Pacific plant known for its euphoric and relaxing effects to the Saint Augustine community this Friday October 29th at 4:30pm. St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce has the ribbon cutting planned at 4:30 sharp, where afterwards there will be complementary snacks and beverages for all who attend.

Kava kava or more simply, kava, has been used for hundreds of years by native people of the South Pacific to connect, unwind, and for traditional ceremonies. Studies suggest, its properties help to decrease anxiety, reduce stress and help with sleep issues.

In addition to kava products, the Green Turtle Kava Bar menu will highlight a variety of herbal teas, coffees and an assortment of snacks.

We are so happy to finally be opening and beginning our journey in Saint Augustine, shared co-owner and operator Maggie Cornelison. Adding, Our team has worked hard to establish direct partner relationships with distributors in the South Pacific in order to provide premium kava to our local community. Moreover, we are really looking forward to being able to start supporting local turtle conservation efforts with a portion of all kava proceeds.

At the heart of Green Turtle Kava Bars mission is connectedness, creativity, and service. That said, the company has pledged a portion of all kava proceeds to turtle conservation efforts.

We are thrilled to be able to give back while being an alternative destination place for taking a moment during the day for reflection and some great conversation.

To learn more about Green Turtle Kava Bar, LLC, products, benefits and mission, call (904) 530-5501

About Green Turtle Kava Bar

Green Turtle Kava Bar, LLC is a Woman Owned Business and works with a variety of organizations across industries that support the companys mission for delivering superior quality while promoting connectedness, creativity and service. Furthermore, it is within this lens of service that Green Turtle has pledged to donate a portion of their proceeds towards ocean conservation and sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation efforts.

Green Turtles kava products are imported directly from Fiji and other South Pacific Islands. Other products are sourced around the US and Asia.

Co-founder and operator, Maggie Cornelison, has served in the hospitality industry for the past 13 years and holds an MBA with a concentration in finance. Additionally, she is an alumna of Flagler College in St. Augustine and serves as a hospitality adjunct professor.

For more information, visit https://www.greenturtlekava.co.
Greenberg Traurig Continues IP and Life Sciences Growth in Boston

Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP continues the strategic growth of its Intellectual Property & Technology (IP) and Life Sciences & Medical Technology Practices in the firms Boston office adding two associates and two Ph.D. technology specialists.

Joshua I. Rudawitz and Korey A. Wilson, Ph.D. are joining as associates and are the latest additions to a growing IP team in Boston that earlier this year added three life sciences patent attorneys and over 15 IP and life sciences attorneys and professionals across the firm. Also joining Greenberg Traurigs Boston office in the Intellectual Property & Technology and Life Sciences & Medical Technology practices are technology specialists Samantha Pilicer, who holds a Ph.D. in chemistry, and Lisa L. Scudder, who holds a Ph.D. in pharmacology.

This year, Greenberg Traurigs Boston office has added many talented lateral attorneys in key practices that are important to our clients, David J. Dykeman and Terence P. McCourt, co-managing shareholders of the firms Boston office, said. The additions of Joshua and Korey deepen our IP teams strategic patent prosecution capabilities in the sophisticated areas of biotechnology, life sciences, and technology so that we can continue to provide proactive and creative strategies to our clients.

Rudawitz has more than 10 years of multi-faceted strategic IP law experience, including as a primary patent examiner with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and counseling clients of various sizes with their intellectual property needs. He focuses his practice on the preparation and prosecution of patents and trademarks in fields including medical instruments and devices, mechanical devices, consumer electronics, software and mobile applications, and business and commercial methods. Rudawitzs experience also includes turbine engines, printing devices, consumer mechanical pump technology, additive manufacturing, exoskeleton devices, firearm accessories, and electronic components.

Wilson draws upon combined experience in biology and patent law to help clients build and implement tailored patent strategies. With a Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology, he has broad experience working with life sciences companies in areas including diagnostics, therapeutics, and genomics. His practice includes drafting and prosecuting patent applications, performing patentability analyses, assessing freedom-to-operate positions, and performing diligence-related tasks to address issues that arise out of company transactions.

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 Traurigs Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group: Greenberg Traurigs Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group advises clients ranging from start-ups to large multinational public companies to leading research institutions. The groups attorneys work closely with clients, providing innovative legal counsel to help them achieve their objectives  from discovery through commercialization and product marketing.

About Greenberg Traurigs Boston Office: Established in 1999, Greenberg Traurigs Boston Office is home to more than 80 attorneys practicing in the areas of bankruptcy and restructuring, corporate, emerging technology, energy, environmental, financial services, gaming, governmental affairs, intellectual property, labor and employment, life sciences and medical technology, litigation, public finance, real estate, and tax. An important contributor to the firm's international platform, the Boston office includes a team of nationally recognized attorneys with both public and private sector experience. The team offers clients the value of decades of helping clients in complex legal matters and hands-on knowledge of the local business community, supported by the firm's vast network of global resources.

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 100. The firm is net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage and Mansfield Rule 4.0 Plus Certified. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com
Our partnership with PAR will revolutionize the restaurant and retail industries by providing a solution to the labor shortage that enables retailers to innovate their business with self-ordering technology.

GRUBBRR, the emerging leader in self-ordering solutions, has just announced an extensive partnership integration with ParTech, Inc. (PAR), a global restaurant technology company and provider of a unified commerce cloud platform for enterprise restaurants.

The integration between PAR and GRUBBRR enables restaurants and other retailers to create seamless, customized systems that leverage GRUBBRR's solution to drive incremental revenue, decrease operating cost and provide a better customer experience.

To achieve this integration, GRUBBRR implemented a self-ordering kiosk that exchanges data with the Brink POS. GRUBBRR software shows menu items previously pulled from the Brink POS system and allows customers to make and pay orders at the kiosk and then send the completed order to the Brink POS.

GRUBBRR pulls menu data, including items, modifiers, combos, tender types, and discounts, and then sends orders back to the Brink POS. The communication between GRUBBRR and the Brink API is extensive; GRUBBRR calls once every 24 hours for a menu refresh, twice for each order placed at the kiosk, once to calculate order total, and a final time to send the prepaid order and do an inventory check, if applicable.

This integration is yet another way GRUBBRR is working to help restaurant operators increase average ticket totals, reduce operating expenses, and improve the overall customer experience, said GRUBBRR CEO Sam Zietz. Our partnership with PAR will revolutionize the restaurant and retail industries by providing a solution to the labor shortage that enables retailers to innovate their business with self-ordering technology.

GRUBBRR kiosks also integrate seamlessly with legacy systems, so retailers can unify accounting, CRM data, and sales info with ease. In addition to a proprietary back end, GRUBBRR has an entire ecosystem of self ordering solutions, including kiosks, online ordering solutions, kitchen display systems, line busters, food lockers, and more that work with Brink POS.

Chad Horn, Director of Strategic Partnerships for ParTech, Inc. espouses the value of the partnership. Operators are embracing technology at a break-neck pace, but they are trying to figure out how to manage it all efficiently, he says. By allowing restaurants to combine ordering, kiosk, menu display solutions and more menu-based services in one, GRUBBRR is immediately removing a lot of operational headache associated with menu management. Welcoming GRUBBRR into our ecosystem was an easy decision.

Earlier this year PAR acquired Punchh, GRUBBRRs industry-leading loyalty and engagement partner. GRUBBRR and PAR share a native integration with no intermediaries, meaning any existing PAR Brink client can seamlessly add GRUBBRR hardware solutions with all existing loyalty functions.

Thanks to the Punchh integration, GRUBBRR clients can innovate and scale their businesses with self-ordering technology that personalizes the customer experience. This integration eliminates the need to source third party vendors for point-to-point loyalty platforms, and instead take control of the customer experience from in-house.

PARs acquisition of Punchh furthers the companys trajectory as the leading loyalty platform with integrated point-of-sale, back office, payment and guest engagement solutions. Restaurants and retailers using GRUBBRR and PARs solutions can expect to increase average ticket size by as much as 40-50%, all while decreasing operating costs and improving the customer experience.

ABOUT GRUBBRR

Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, GRUBBRR is a global self-ordering solutions provider at the forefront of self-ordering technologies. GRUBBRRs award-winning eco-system, including kiosks, mobile ordering, online ordering, KDS, contactless smart lockers and more, are proven to help businesses maximize revenue, decrease labor costs, and increase operational efficiency while improving the consumer experience. GRUBBRRs solutions are adaptable and beneficial to a multitude of businesses, and power both enterprise-level and small and medium businesses across verticals such as quick-service restaurants, fast casual restaurants, stadiums, movie theatres, casinos, micro-markets, retail, and more. To learn more about GRUBBRR and its products, visit https://grubbrr.com/

ABOUT PAR TECHNOLOGY

For more than 40 years, PARs (NYSE Symbol: PAR) cutting-edge products and services have helped bold and passionate restaurant brands build lasting guest relationships. We are the partner enterprise restaurants rely on when they need to serve amazing moments from open to close, during the most hectic rush hours, and when the world forces them to adapt and overcome. More than 100,000 restaurants in more than 110 countries use PARs restaurant hardware, software, drive-thru, and back-office solutions. With the recent acquisition of leading loyalty solutions provider Punchh Inc., PAR has become a Unified Commerce Cloud Platform for Enterprise Restaurants. To learn more, visit http://www.partech.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
CEO Jamin Mootz says, One of the greatest pleasures for our PPC department is having the opportunity to see local and national businesses grow and flourish as part of our family.

Houston SEO company Actual SEO Media, Inc. announces a new initiative focusing on Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising. This new initiative signals a shift in priorities for the online marketing firm. Actual SEO Media will continue focusing on producing quality SEO content, but it now offers new avenues into online advertising. This gives the firm a wider array of options for clients. These options work well together to build an immediate entry into a market while developing organic growth through SEO.

Actual SEO Media has traditionally focused on proper search engine optimization. This has meant creating high-quality articles for clients web pages. While some other companies may have focused on quick, malicious growth, Actual SEO Media has doggedly pursued white hat techniques intended to grow clients long-term online presence the right way. Developing organic growth through proper SEO takes time, and that may not work for all possible partners. By expanding its capacity to develop PPC advertisements, Actual SEO Media now can serve a variety of needs for its clients.

There are myriad benefits for businesses focusing on PPC. One benefit of focusing heavily on PPC is the amount of data that experts can track. Almost any kind of conversion can be measured through the advertisement. This allows marketers to gauge the true effectiveness of their strategies. By knowing what really works, businesses can budget more appropriately, better spending their marketing dollars where they really make sense.

Another major factor that affects businesses focusing on PPC is the quick entry into new markets that PPC advertisement allows. Whereas traditional search engine optimization creates organic growth over a long time, PPC advertising offers quick entry into the market. As long as advertisements are properly optimized, PPC allows for companies to take space in their industry immediately.

Actual SEO Media, which has prided itself on organic growth through SEO keywords, now has diversified its offerings as experts in both. Now clients can enter markets immediately, learn about their clients quickly, and then develop an organic growth strategy, all with one central marketing firm. These two in combination allow Actual SEO Media to have greater flexibility in serving clients. CEO Jamin Mootz says, One of the greatest pleasures for our PPC department is having the opportunity to see local and national businesses grow and flourish as part of our family.

Actual SEO Media Inc. can be reached via phone at (832) 834-0661, or by email at: info@actualseomedia.com.
Patients always have had a cardiologist or an orthopedist. Now, people may want an infectious disease doctor, too. It's rewarding to see the recognition. Dr. Ronald Nahass

The global pandemic has shed new light on health care around the world. It has also focused attention and brought an appreciation for the people who provide us with health care.

According to ROI-NJ, its for this reason that they took special care to deliver the 2021 ROI Influencers: Health Care list. Its a mix of those leading some of the worlds most important companies and those running some of the states most important health systems, hospitals and medical practices.

The award is also a salute to those caring for the sick  front line doctors and nurses, hospital and health care personnel and those looking out for the mental health of all of us. The influence they have on our daily lives has never been greater.

ID Care's Growing Influence

As President of ID Care, Dr. Nahass heads the largest physician group for infectious disease specialists in the state  one that started in 1997 (with just six doctors) and now has more than 40 physicians and 10 offices  although it practices at more than 130 locations if you count hospitals, long-term care facilities and any other type of health care establishments.

Seemingly overnight, the practice quickly became top-of-mind and in high demand when the pandemic struck. Among the practices 300,000 patient visits last year, 23,000 unique patient visits were related to COVID, and that represented close to about 20% of the hospitalized COVID patients in the state.

But ID Care delivers many infectious disease solutions other than COVID. The practice is expert in handling complicated infections  such as infections from devices, like a pacemaker; superbugs, like MERSA; and unusual organisms, like Clostridium difficile, and other bacteria that are difficult to treat with antibiotics. They also play a large role on an outpatient basis dealing with things like hepatitis C, hepatitis B, HIV, Lyme disease and other chronic viral infections. And, ID Care has been integrally involved with a lot of organizations to help them with the concept of disease prevention  or trying to limit risk of disease being disseminated within the organization or within their environment.

Given the events of the past year, its now very clear to people what infectious disease doctors do, Dr. Nahass said. Whether it is because of the media or Dr. (Anthony) Fauci or any of the other infectious disease physicians who are now getting interviewed, its clear that people are recognizing that there is a specialty in medicine that deals with germs. And, because of COVID, they understand the value of that.

ID Care

Nationally recognized for infectious disease specialty services, ID Care provides infectious disease care, wound care, infusion care and travel care across ten convenient outpatient locations throughout New Jersey. It also serves over 130 hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout New Jersey, providing vital care to ensure the health of healthcare workers and the patients they serve. If you have any questions on ID Care services, simply call 908-281-0221 today to consult with an expert or to design or implement a customized program for a healthcare facility at ID Care Partners.
NewSpace New Mexico (NewSpace), a 501(c)(3) non-profit that is uniting and igniting the business-focused commercial space ecosystem, is creating a data-driven platform intended to facilitate partnerships and accelerate innovation. The platform, developed in partnership with data science and analytics firm RS21, will improve virtual collaboration, learning environments and co-innovation for its more than one hundred members in government, industry and academia.

The platform will support a public-facing website, a real-time stakeholder engagement dashboard and a membership management application that centralizes NewSpace membership sign-up, access and security features. As it develops, the platform will also incorporate open source and procured data of interest to the NewSpace community to enhance knowledge management and connect members to national and international opportunities.

NewSpace New Mexico brings people together, connects buyers to suppliers and ignites innovation by providing access to workspaces, equipment and resources for technology demonstration. NewSpace founder and CEO Casey Anglada DeRaad said. The space sector is experiencing hyper-growth, and this platform will help us manage knowledge and improve business insights to ultimately enable space organizations to establish important connections and develop products and services faster.

The new website will go live in 2022 and will allow NewSpace members to easily access their own data through intuitive visualizations. It will also provide actionable insights to NewSpace New Mexico to support governance decisions.

As a member of NewSpace New Mexico and the space sector, were excited to help connect the dots to support space-related development, said Charles Rath, RS21 President and CEO. New Mexico is an important hub for the U.S. space industry, and this platform will amplify space innovations and investments.

The aerospace industry is one of eight key industries in New Mexico identified by the states Economic Development Department. The announcement of the NewSpace platform comes after NewSpace New Mexico and the Air Force Research Laboratory revealed plans to launch Unite & Ignite Space, a co-innovation hub that received $11 million in federal funding. It will provide physical and virtual collaboration workspaces, programming, and consolidated resources.

About NewSpace New Mexico

NewSpace New Mexico is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit that is accelerating the pace of space innovation by uniting and igniting the industry. Through Unite & Ignite Space, a first-of-its-kind co-innovation hub, stakeholders gain access to workspaces, equipment, programming, rapid prototyping and demonstration, and other vital resources to advance innovation and progress. Services include access to space ecosystem knowledge, public events and networking; navigation services that provide tailored guidance and direct assistance to fast-track business growth; and collaborative innovation services that ignite product and solution development.

Founding partners include the State of New Mexico, Virgin Galactic, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the U.S. Space Force Space Rapid Capabilities Office, among others. For more information, visit newspacenm.org.

About RS21

RS21 is a rapidly growing data science company that uses artificial intelligence, design, data engineering, and modern software development methods to empower organizations to make data-driven decisions that positively impact the world. Our innovative solutions are insightful, intuitive, inspiring, and intellectually honest. RS21 is a member of the Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) and winner of the 2020 Hyperspace Challenge, a business accelerator sponsored by the U.S. Space Force and Air Force Research Laboratory. With offices in Albuquerque, NM and Washington, DC, RS21 is an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company two years in a row and a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators.

We help clients achieve programmatic goals, improve efficiencies, reduce costs, and maximize productivity using MOTHR, our human-centered, artificial intelligence-driven platform that allows users to seamlessly integrate data and reveal insights at hyper speed. We navigate complex data issues in the fields of healthcare, defense, safety, urban planning, energy, cyber, land use, climate, disaster preparedness, disaster recovery, space, and social equity. For more information, visit http://www.rs21.io.
Centre Film Festival I came to Central Pennsylvania to teach filmmaking, said festival director, Pearl Gluck, And I ended up discovering a cinematic gem, a movie palace, the Rowland, uninterruptedly showing films for a century.

The Centre Film Festival has announced their official 2021 festival lineup taking place November 1-7, 2021, at historic theatres in Central PA. Attendees will be able to participate both in-person and at virtual screenings and events, including a star-studded awards ceremony.

The third annual in-person film festival will kick-off with its red-carpet ribbon-cutting ceremony live at the State Theatre on Monday, November 1, followed by two days of in-person screenings and panels before moving to the Mishler Theatre in Altoona, PA for one night. The festival will continue at the Rowland Theatre with a weekend of films and visiting filmmakers taking place Friday, November 5 through Sunday, November 7, 2021.

Penn State alum, Patrick Fabian (Better Call Saul and Apple TV+ Morning Show) returns in person to his mothers hometown, Philipsburg, for the premiere of Driver X at the Rowland Theatre, where his mom was an usher when she was a teen. It will be their first time back in the theatre since she was a kid.

In Driver X, Fabian plays a stay-at-home dad who goes on a voyage driving for a rideshare app through LAs late-night Tinder-fueled party scene.

Additionally, there will be in-person post-screening Q&A by State College native, Joshua Leonard, following the screening of his directorial feature debut, Fully Realized Humans. The film was SXSW favorite at this years festival and co-stars Jess Weixler. The film tells the story of a pregnant couple on the precipice of parenthood. This will take place at the Rowland Theater on November 5, 2021.

Drunk Bus, another festival indie darling, is premiering in Central PA virtually and was produced by PSU alum, Ian Tarbert. The film, starring Charlie Tahan, follows a directionless campus bus driver and a punk-rock security guard as they form an unlikely kinship navigating the unpredictable late shift shit-show known as the "drunk bus."

Penn State alum and State College local, cinematographer Michael Craven, appears as a special guest with DJ Harder to offer festival goers a first-person account of their cinematography in Netflixs hit series The Chair.

Additionally, Death and Bowling, a trans drama by Kyle Lash, which recently won an OutfestLA Narrative Feature Audience Award will screen on Wednesday November 3, at the State Theatre.Made by predominantly trans cast and crew, Death and Bowling is the directorial debut of trans filmmaker Lyle Kash and was executive produced by Rhys Ernst (Adam, Transparent).

Along with some US and PA premieres, the festival will showcase a total of more than 80 films across a wide range of genres, some include Sundance, Telluride, and SXSW Festival award winners.

Emmy-award winner, Belly of the Beast, screens online with a livestream Q&A during the week. Sony release, Julia, will be screening at the festival simultaneous to its theatrical premiere nationwide.

Pennsylvania premieres include US and international films such as Geena Davis Bentonville FF winners Kili Big and Americanized, We Burn Like This (fresh from Deauville FF and Heartland FF), Lady Buds (fresh from Hot Docs), and My So-Called Selfish Life (fresh from Woodstock FF). The Forbidden Strings, a film set in Iran about Afghani rock-and-rollers also premieres, along with Sisters Rising about six Native American women fighting to restore personal and tribal sovereignty.

Films at the festival range from comedy, sports, horror, drama, kid flicks and documentary, and address pride on screen, indigenous peoples heritage, re-entry after incarceration, police reform, reproductive rights, and immigration.

More than a dozen renowned filmmakers and industry veterans will be in attendance from the US and around the world.

The inaugural Chandler Living Legacy Award will be presented to Emmy and Peabody Award-winning actor, writer, producer and Penn State alumni Keegan-Michael Key.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to pioneering filmmaker (A Tribute to Malcolm X, Integration Report 1) and PBS in-house producer of Sesame Street and The Electric Company (The Easy Reader starring Morgan Freeman), Pennsylvania native, Madeline Anderson.

The prestigious festival awards are chosen by a panel of renowned film industry professionals, including Flavio Alves, Skye Borgman, Nancy Cohen, Niav Conty, Tim Gordon, Mandy Looney, Mike Madigan, Kevin Mambo, Tim Naylor, Peter Nickowitz, Traven Rice, Lili Jo Rosen, Eric Seals, YaKe Smith, Louis Spiegler, Wilna Julmiste Taylor, April Wright, and Matt Zettell. In the spirit of the festival, emerging high school and college filmmakers join the jury to give their feedback on films in competition.

The festival was co-founded in 2019 by Penn States Bellisario College of Communications Professors: award-winning filmmaker, Global Fulbright Scholar, Pearl Gluck, and multimedia journalist, Curt Chandler. The 2021 festival has been a collaboration of Pearl Gluck and Penn State alumni and industry professionals, including Cassie Ross Green (Miramax alum), Ellyn Exley Dvorkin (New Line Cinema alum, Mr. and Mrs. Smith), and Kelly Corrine Berthold (CAA alum).

I came to Central Pennsylvania to teach filmmaking, said festival director, Pearl Gluck, And I ended up discovering a cinematic gem, a movie palace, the Rowland, uninterruptedly showing films for a century. Glucks work has screened at Sundance, Outfest, PBS, and theatrically which inspired her to bring that experience to the region.

To me, she continued, movie theatres are neutral spaces to engage in conversation and spin the yarn, and the theatre is the perfect place to kick off a festival and celebrate local storytelling. What we unearthed here was not only a history of local movie lovers, but one of many movie makers rooted in Central PA, namely Donald P. Bellisario, Patrick Fabian, and Joshua Leonard, just to name a few. Not to mention people like Keegan-Michael Key who studied here at Penn State. And were only in our third year I am excited to shed a light on other artists as we continue to grow.

Elegance Bratton, film director and 2020 virtual Centre Film Festival award-winner for Pier Kids, said, So dope! Thank you for lifting filmmaking up.

Tickets to screenings and events are available to the public for purchase at http://www.centrefilm.org.

ABOUT THE CENTRE FILM FESTIVAL

The Centre Film Festival is a grass-roots organization founded to bring multigenerational stories to the screen and to create a platform for storytelling and dialogue. With the historic Rowland Theatre as a century-old touchstone, the festival brings filmmakers and films to the community that spark conversation. At the same time, to inspire new work, the Centre Festival aims to create workshop and masterclass opportunities at public events that will enable students (from junior high to undergrads) to engage with artists in the field and help them develop their own artistic visions. Central Pennsylvania is rich with screen-worthy stories and the festival is focused on highlighting filmmakers who tell them.

Co-founded by award-winning filmmaker and Penn State professor of screenwriting and directing, Pearl Gluck, and Penn States Bellisario College of Communications professor, Curt Chandler, the festival is in its 3rd year and is dedicated to bringing the finest in features and documentaries to Happy Valley and its surrounding communities, with a percentage of all festival proceeds benefitting cancer patient support:

https://thriveforlife.me/

https://familyhouse.org/

ABOUT OUR SPONSORS:

THE HAPPY VALLEY ADVENTURE BUREAU (HVAB)

The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB) is the official destination marketing organization for Centre County, Pennsylvania. The HVABs mission is to foster tourism economic development by promoting Happy Valley as an ideal four-season leisure, sports, and business destination. http://www.happyvalley.com.

In addition to local businesses and organizations, additional sponsors for this years festival include Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, the Hyatt in State College, the Bill Jaffe Leadership Initiative, and Penn State Student Affairs.

Festival tickets and screening information are available online at:

http://www.centrefilm.org.
DB Roberts, a leading fastener and hardware distributor in North America, will exhibit at Fastener Fair USA, held in Cleveland, OH, next month.

The event, held November 8  10, 2021 at the Huntington Convention Center, is focused on the aerospace, automotive, industrial machinery, and electronic industries. The DB Roberts Ohio-based sales team will be joined by representatives from Southco and PEM, working with attendees to find solutions for unique and challenging application requirements.

DB Roberts representatives and key suppliers will be available in booth #713, conveniently located across the aisle from our supplier Brighton-Best International, at booth #712. Several additional DB Roberts suppliers are also exhibiting at the event, including AFI Industries, Buckeye Fasteners, Lindstrom/Stelfast, ND Industries, and more.

The Fastener Fair USA in Cleveland is an important opportunity for our Highland Heights sales team to meet with our local reps, said Sandra Solis, DB Roberts Senior Vice President. We are focused on supporting our customers and the emerging opportunities were seeing across the region, especially in the automotive and industrial manufacturing sectors.

For more details on DB Roberts participation in Fastener Fair USA and a link to register, visit the DB Roberts website: website

About DB Roberts

DB Roberts (http://www.dbroberts.com) is a leading distributor of specialty fastener and hardware solutions, including fasteners, access hardware, electronics fasteners, grommets and bushings, threaded inserts, caps & plugs, slides, commercial hardware and more. Founded in 1982, DB Roberts has 15 locations throughout the United States and Mexico. Connect with DB Roberts on LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/db-roberts-company, Facebook facebook.com/DBRobertsCo, and Twitter twitter.com/DBRobertsCo.
Integration: How to Succeed in a Complex World In the early 2000s, vast solutions were costly to implement and really drained a lot of resources. Today, companies are trending more towards smaller developers that offer products more tailored to the exact requirement theyre looking for. - Marc Tomkinson, VP Product Development, C3 Solutions

C3 Solutions - the industry leader in configurable Yard and Dock Management solutions - has released their latest White Paper entitled, Integration: How to Succeed in a Complex World.

This paper explores the legacy methods and tools that are no longer ideal for use in todays complex supply chain operations, what it means to run a truly digitized organization, and emphasizes the need for organizations to adopt the right digital tools for the current environment.

Supply chain and logistics management has always been complex. If the goal is an efficient supply chain, corporations must take control of and connect all communication points. Recent global disruptions have underlined the critical importance of visibility, connectivity and communication in supply chain operations.

Click here to read the White Paper, Integration: How to Succeed in a Complex World

The 6 Key Integration Benefits Covered in this White Paper:



Saves Time for Carriers and Employees

Reduces Risk

Enhances Data Accuracy

Improves Forecasting

Increases Visibility

Load Prioritization

C3 Reservations, C3s Online Dock Scheduling System, streamlines the scheduling process by improving dock productivity, expanding visibility on scheduled appointments and measuring vendor compliance.

C3 Yard, C3s Web-based Yard Management Solution, empowers yard managers by providing visibility on yard assets, optimizing the flow of trailers from gate to gate and automating yard driver task assignment.

C3 is proud to continue providing paperless, automated, and touch-free business solutions to aid in the growing need for global environmental sustainability; and the overall health of our communities, clients, and employees.

About C3 Solutions

C3 Solutions is an information technology company specialized in yard management (YMS) and dock scheduling (DSS) systems. Since its founding in 2000, C3 has gained the confidence of clients around the world and across many industries including retail, grocery, distribution, manufacturing and parcel post.

Headquartered in Montreal (QC), Canada and privately owned, C3 is dedicated to developing, implementing and supporting the most complete yard management and dock scheduling products on the market today. http://www.c3solutions.com


iboss wins Best Network Security "Forcing users to access business critical applications through a VPN was only leading to slow and unstable connections which translated to lower productivity and higher frustration, said Paul Martini, CEO of iboss.

iboss, the leading SASE cloud security provider, today announced that the Globee Awards, organizers of worlds premier business awards programs and business ranking lists, has named the iboss Cloud Platform a Gold Globee Winner in the 8th Annual 2021 International Best in Business Awards. iboss was recognized as a leader in Network Security for helping organizations better support todays work from anywhere workforce.

The iboss SASE Cloud Platform is built on a proprietary, containerized architecture designed 100% for the cloud. Containerization is the key for networks in need of a highly secure service. iboss is focused on delivering security in the cloud, directly where the applications live. This ensures all users have fast and secure connectivity, regardless of where they work. With the iboss Cloud Platform, organizations can apply the security they require, directly in the cloud, without having to worry about infrastructure, bandwidth growth or mobility usage. iboss delivers enterprise-grade security to organizations of all sizes, from small organizations to ultra-large enterprises.

The annual International Best in Business Awards program recognizes and honors the worlds best in organizational performance, products and services and innovations from every major industry in the world. This annual awards program celebrates the individuals and teams who set industry benchmarks for excellence.

Balancing security and connectivity are critical to support todays work from anywhere workforce. The world saw a seismic shift that moved users from working in the office to working from home. Forcing users to access business critical applications through a VPN was only leading to slow and unstable connections which translated to lower productivity and higher frustration, said Paul Martini, CEO of iboss. The iboss platform provides a solution to that problem by eliminating the dependency on the VPN and allowing users to access applications directly from where they work. It does this while maintaining all security and compliance functions by delivering those capabilities directly in the cloud. Were focused on helping organizations support todays modern workforce, and we believe this recognition from Globee Awards further validates our commitment to our customers.

With offices in the US, UK, APAC and Japan, iboss has built and operates one of the largest global cloud network security fabrics on the planet to ensure network security is always close to the user. iboss operates in every significant internet exchange globally, enabling organizations to benefit from fast and secure connections from anywhere. Recently, iboss also announced its global go-to-market expansion in APAC with new distribution partnerships covering the Philippines (VST ECS), Malaysia (Powerblog) and Sri Lanka (NGXEss).

Experts from around the world representing a wide spectrum of industries participated in the judging process.

See the complete list of 2021 winners here: https://globeeawards.com/international-business-awards/winners/.

About the Globee Awards

Globee Awards are conferred in eleven programs and competition: the CEO World Awards, the Consumer World Awards, The Customer Sales & Service World Awards, the Globee International Best in Business Awards, the Golden Bridge Awards, the Cyber Security Global Excellence Awards and Security World Awards, the IT World Awards, One Planet American Best in Business Awards, the Globee Employer Excellence Awards, the Globee Corporate Communications & Marketing World Awards, and the Women World Awards. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind their success, the Globee Awards recognize outstanding achievements and performances in businesses worldwide. Learn more about the Globee Awards at https://globeeawards.com

About iboss

iboss is a cloud security company that provides organizations and their employees fast and secure access to the Internet on any device, from any location, in the cloud. iboss has built the largest global containerized SASE cybersecurity cloud footprint. The iboss SASE cloud platform provides network security as a service, delivered in the cloud, as a complete SaaS offering. This eliminates the need for traditional network security appliances, such as firewalls and web gateway proxies, which are ineffective at protecting a cloud-first and mobile world. Leveraging a purpose-built cloud architecture backed by 230+ issued and pending patents and more than 100 points of presence globally, iboss processes over 150 billion transactions daily, blocking nearly 4 billion malware threats per day. More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss SASE cloud platform to support their workforce, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies. To learn more, visit https://www.iboss.com/.

Media Contact:

Jake Klein

Goldin Solutions

jake@goldin.com

646-660-8644
In his capacity as a counselor to couples, families and palliative care patients, Ronald D. Ramsey, MEd, DMin, LMFT, witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by the inability to forgive. While people commonly mistake the sentiment of forgiveness for forgiveness itself, the real work lies in releasing the pain and distress that linger long after a transgression has passed, a skill that is neither taught nor innately learned.

In his new book, Forty Days to Forgiveness: A Christians Field Guide to the Forgiveness Journey, Ramsey blends scripture with behavioral science research and professional and personal insight to unravel the complexities surrounding forgiveness. He walks readers through each step of the process, from becoming ready to forgive and acknowledging the emotional impact of past transgressions to committing to personal growth, maturing spiritually and sustaining emotional peace. Journaling exercises also accompany each chapter, provoking a deeper exploration of the readers emotional world and grounding them in their forgiveness journey.

Through educating on the tenants of forgiveness and providing experiential tools that allow for real-world application, Ramsey hopes to help others heal from past hurts and prevent future emotional upheaval. Whether used by everyday readers in their journey to recovery or by ministers, pastoral counselors and mental health professional in their work with clients, Forty Days to Forgiveness is a valuable resource for anyone seeking the necessary skills for long-lasting change.

There are thousands of illnesses that plague humankind, which in medicine we seek not to only treat but also to identify the root cause, wrote Earlexia M. Norwood, MD. The countless deaths and lives detoured from their purpose because of the internal turmoil of unforgiveness are why you must read this book. Dr. Ramsey details the methodology to forgiveness and freedom. Adhere and be healed.

As a pastoral psychotherapist for nearly fifty years, I know that forgiveness is a major issue for many people, wrote Rev. Wayne Perry, DMin, PhD, LMFT. I would have liked to have had a book like this one that I could put in the hands of my clients to help them work through the process of forgiveness. It is a difficult journey through that wilderness, but Dr. Ramseys book provides a helpful guide.

Forty Days to Forgiveness: A Christians Field Guide to the Forgiveness Journey

By Ronald D. Ramsey, MEd, DMin, LMFT

ISBN: 9781664217638 (softcover); 9781664217645 (hardcover); 9781664217621 (electronic)

Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, WestBow Press

About the author

Ronald D. Ramsey, MEd, DMin, LMFT, is a marriage counselor and clinical chaplain. He is retired from corporate life after a 25-career as an organization development consultant specializing in large scale culture change. After earning a doctorate in family therapy, he has worked as a licensed marriage and family counselor in private practice. In 2017, he completed the requirements of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) for hospital chaplaincy with additional training in palliative care chaplaincy and has been trained as a Stephen Minister. The majority of his work since then has been with patients receiving palliative care and their families. He lives in Rochester Hills, Michigan, with his wife, daughter and service dog, Theo. To learn more about Ramsey, please visit 40daystoforgiveness.com.

Review Copies & Interview Requests:

LAVIDGE  Phoenix

Leslie Standridge

480-998-2600 x 586

lstandridge(at)lavidge(dot)com
We pride ourselves at Your Docs In on our ability to serve every member of our community and create a healthier, happier and safer environment, said Your Docs In founder, owner and physician Dr. Walter Gianelle.

Veterans Day holds a special place at Your Docs In (YDI), which according to Coastal Style Magazine is the Best Urgent Care Provider for the 7th consecutive year and 4th consecutive year by Metropolitan Magazine. Your Docs In continues its annual offering of free flu shots for U.S. veterans this fall at its six Delmarva-area clinics. YDI veteran's flu shot program is a part of its no appointment needed policy, further demonstrating the unmatched levels of excellence, convenience and care it gives to patients.

We pride ourselves at Your Docs In on our ability to serve every member of our community and create a healthier, happier and safer environment, said Your Docs In founder, owner and physician Dr. Walter Gianelle. As a military veteran myself who served as a para-rescue man in the US Air Force, it is important to me that we give back to our military. From experience I know the commitment and sacrifice our service men and women make for this country, which is why providing this service every year is a big deal for us.

The Centers for Disease Control Prevention states that flu season begins in the fall, but peaks from December to February. Recent studies indicate that flu vaccination reduces the chance of flu illness by between 40% to 60%. The graphic above from the CDC shows illness, hospitalizations, and deaths from the flu each year over the past decade. An estimated 140,000 to 810,000 Americans are hospitalized each year because of complications from the flu. Additionally, over the past decade, an average of 12,000 to 61,000 Americans have died on an annual basis from the influenza virus.

Its also critical to note that of those who are infected with the flu, 20% to 30% of individuals are asymptomatic. Those who do not show any symptoms increase the possibility of transmission. While the asymptomatic individual's health may not necessarily be compromised, the most at-risk populations are, which include children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals.

Moreover, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic changed the importance of taking preventive measures for personal health and safety. With nearly 700,000 deaths in the United States alone, the virus has spread rapidly and shown to take lives in an instant. The connection between COVID-19 vaccines and flu vaccines is simple. Simply put, both vaccines protect you and others. All six of Your Docs In locations have influenza vaccines readily available for the public and free for our veterans.

About Your Docs In

Your Docs In is an award-winning urgent care and occupational health clinic dedicated to providing the highest standard of care and improving the quality of life for the Eastern Shore community and those who visit. Your Docs In was founded by an experienced ER physician searching for a better way to serve patients. Its award-winning clinics are led by a team of board-certified physicians and medical specialists, providing a professional, compassionate and individualized approach to treating patients. With a no-appointment-necessary policy, Your Docs In is committed to convenience, comfort and care. Your Docs In has clinics located throughout the Eastern Shore, with multiple locations in Salisbury, Ocean City, Easton, Cambridge and Pocomoke.


Curd, Galindo & Smith LLP "The claim alleges Kevin Ramirez, Joe Lucero, Paulina Zamora and Sgt. Imran Ahmed attempted to cover-up and suppress the truth surrounding the subject incident by filing false police reports..."

Attorney Max Galindo with Curd, Galindo & Smith, Trial Lawyers, announces that the government tort claim filed with the City of San Bernardino alleges that four City of San Bernardino police officers, Sgt. Imran Ahmed, Officer Kevin Ramirez (Badge # 51245), Officer Paulina Zamora (Badge # 51282), and Officer Joe Lucero (Badge # 51153) of the San Bernardino Police Department, and others, acted while in the course and scope of their employment and under color of authority as police officers for the City of San Bernardino. The filed tort claim alleges that on April 18, 2021, Kevin Ramirez, Joe Lucero, Paulina Zamora and Sgt. Imran Ahmed acted with excessive force as the Claimant was in a submissive position, kneeling on the ground, face down, with arms outstretched behind him, and had surrendered to officers when officers first made contact with Claimant at 1436 Valencia Avenue.

The tort claim alleges that Kevin Ramirez, Joe Lucero, Paulina Zamora and Sgt. Imran Ahmed, City of San Bernardino and its employees, violated the Claimants civil rights and constitutional rights, including unlawful search and seizure. The claim alleges Kevin Ramirez, Joe Lucero, Paulina Zamora and Sgt. Imran Ahmed attempted to cover-up and suppress the truth surrounding the subject incident by filing false police reports and attempting to cover the video evidence at the time of the assault and battery on Claimant. Additionally, the tort claim alleges that Kevin Ramirez, Joe Lucero, Paulina Zamora and Sgt. Imran Ahmed threatened Claimant while at the scene, prior to being treated by San Bernardino County Fire personnel, and at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center on the day of the incident. The tort claim alleges that Officers Kevin Ramirez, Joe Lucero, Paulina Zamora and Sgt. Imran Ahmed told Claimant to misstate the true facts about how Claimant fractured his right humerus and coerced him into making a false statement on video in an effort to cover-up the beating and fracture that Claimant suffered at the hands of Kevin Ramirez, Joe Lucero, Paulina Zamora and Sgt. Imran Ahmed. The tort claim alleges that body cam video evidence clearly shows that Officers Kevin Ramirez, Joe Lucero, Paulina Zamora and Sgt. Imran Ahmed filed false reports and in fact caused the injuries to Claimant, who was not resisting and submissive, kneeling down, head down, with his arms outstretched behind his back when officers arrived to make contact with Claimant.

The tort claim alleges that officers Kevin Ramirez, Joe Lucero, Paulina Zamora and Sgt. Imran Ahmed acted with excessive force when they made contact with Claimants person without justification. The tort claim alleges that Sgt. Imran Ahmed, Kevin Ramirez, Paulina Zamora and Joe Lucero kicked and punched Claimant multiple times, and violently twisted Claimants right arm, causing Claimants right humerus to be fractured.

The tort claim also alleges that, Claimant, JOSE GARIBO, was struck multiple times by officers Kevin Ramirez, Joe Lucero, Paulina Zamora and Sgt. Imran Ahmed without justification, causing Claimants right humerus fracture, which required surgical open internal fixation.

Mr. Galindo is a trial lawyer with Curd, Galindo & Smith, LLP which is a law firm that represents both corporate and professional clients and those who have been seriously injured or have lost a family member due to an accident, defective product, police misconduct or negligence. The law firm has recovered millions of dollars for its thousands of clients since 1995 by winning complex and challenging business disputes, death and injury cases involving police misconduct, traffic collisions, work place injuries and defective products, including defective automobiles, against some of the world's largest companies and governmental agencies.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Galindo volunteered for the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office in the Major Crimes Unit and the Preliminary Hearings Unit, where he developed his skills and learned how to passionately and successfully represent individuals in a wide range of cases and circumstances.

A member of the California State Bar, Mr. Galindo received his J.D. from Boston College Law School where he was an active member of the Boston College Innocence Project, the Immigration Law Group, and clerked with the Middlesex District Attorneys Office. He is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelors of Arts in Classical Civilizations and a member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA).
Mount Sinais legacy is our commitment to high-quality, equitable care for all people and communities. - Kenneth L. Davis, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Mount Sinai Health System

Fast Company announced today its first annual Brands That Matter list, honoring brands that have achieved relevance through cultural impact and social engagement, and authentically communicated their missions and ideals. Mount Sinai Health System is included among 95 companies, from large multinational conglomerates to small but mighty companies and nonprofits, that give people compelling reasons to care about themand offer inspiration for others to buy in.

All 95 have found an ability to forge an emotional connection with customers, whether leading in health, environment, or pop culture; engaging B2B customers; or responding meaningfully to current events. All brands that applied were considered for overall recognition. There were additional honorees on category-specific lists based on region, size, and status.

Fast Company is excited to highlight companies and organizations that have built brands with deep meaning and connections to the customers they serve. At a time when consumers are holding companies to very high standards, businesses have much to learn from these brands that have garnered respect and trust, says Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company.

In June, Mount Sinai unveiled a new brand identity and advertising campaign, We Find a Waypresenting a bold, unfiltered, and emotional view of how its clinical and research teams overcome todays most complex and challenging health and scientific problems. The campaign captures the distinctive Mount Sinai brand, showing the emotional struggle and triumph of academic medicine.

Mount Sinais legacy is our commitment to high-quality, equitable care for all people and communities, said Kenneth L. Davis, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Mount Sinai Health System. Our brand is our people, the individuals who challenge convention, who are forward-thinking and bold in their pursuit to find answers for our patients. Our brand is also our future physicians and scientists who receive training at our medical and graduate schools in a socially conscious environment and who desire to change the world for the good of humanity. Im inspired by the people who make us who we are and who embody the Mount Sinai way.

Fast Company editors judged each brand on relevancy, cultural impact, ingenuity, and business impact to compile the list.

Click here to see the complete list.

The November issue of Fast Company magazine is available online now and will be on newsstands beginning Tuesday, November 2.

About Fast Company

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.

About the Mount Sinai Health System

The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest academic medical system, encompassing eight hospitals, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. We advance medicine and health through unrivaled education and translational research and discovery to deliver care that is the safest, highest-quality, most accessible and equitable, and the best value of any health system in the nation. The Health System includes approximately 7,300 primary and specialty care physicians; 13 free-standing joint-venture centers; more than 410 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island; and more than 30 affiliated community health centers. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked in U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of the top 20 U.S. hospitals and among the top in the nation by specialty: No. 1 in Geriatrics and top 20 in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Neurology/Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology/Lung Surgery, Urology, and Rehabilitation. Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital is ranked in U.S. News & World Reports Best Childrens Hospitals among the countrys best in four out of 10 pediatric specialties. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked among the Top 20 nationally for ophthalmology. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is one of three medical schools that have earned distinction by multiple indicators: ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Medical Schools," aligned with a U.S. News & World Report "Honor Roll" Hospital, and No. 14 in the nation for National Institutes of Health funding. Newsweeks The Worlds Best Smart Hospitals ranks The Mount Sinai Hospital as No. 1 in New York and top five globally, and Mount Sinai Morningside as top 20 globally, and The Worlds Best Specialized Hospitals ranks Mount Sinai Heart as No. 1 in New York and No. 4 globally and the Division of Gastroenterology as No. 3 globally. For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Cleveland-based recipients' award badge Who an employer chooses as their insurance broker has significantly more impact on the cost and quality of their benefit plan than who they chose as their insurance carrier.

Mployer Advisor, the leading independent platform for employers to research, review and evaluate insurance brokers, is pleased to announce the Cleveland, Ohio recipients of its inaugural Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for 2021. Mployer Advisors Top Employee Benefits Consultant Award Program evaluates brokers based on industry experience, company size, online ratings and reviews and recognizes esteemed brokers that demonstrate market-leading competencies and a proven track record of success among employers, insurance providers and peers. Our list recognizes consultants who primarily work with mid-to-large sized employers, as well as brokers who work with small businesses.

Who an employer chooses as their insurance broker has significantly more impact on the cost and quality of their benefit plan than who they chose as their insurance carrier, said Brian Freeman of Mployer Advisor. We are proud to honor this distinct group of insurance consultants who have demonstrated a wide range of experience and positive employer feedback on service and quality. The industry has been dependent on referrals and existing relationships instead of data-driven outcomes for too long. With Mployer Advisor, we celebrate this distinguished group of brokers and consultants.

The Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio market is a competitive job market in the U.S. Midwest, employing more than 950,000 people. Offering industry leading, competitive employee benefits is a critical factor in hiring top talent for Cleveland employers. Finding and partnering with a highly rated insurance consultant is imperative to retaining talent in any market.

The recipients of the 2021 Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for Cleveland are as follows:



Gallagher Insurance, Risk Management & Consulting

Hylant

Marsh McLennan Agency

NFP

Oswald Companies

The Fedeli Group

USI Insurance Services

Willis Towers Watson

The above winners are a brief snapshot of Mployer Advisors matrices and proprietary M Score on June 30, 2021. To determine award winners, Mployer Advisor analyzed each brokerage based on historical data, business experience across employer size, industry and products, as well as relevant online ratings and reviews from employers across several platforms.

To view a full list of consultants in Cleveland, visit MployerAdvisor.com.

About Mployer Advisor:

Mployer Advisor is changing the way employers search, evaluate and select insurance advisors. The intuitive platform connects employers and employees to great benefits and insurance plans by providing employers with actionable data to easily evaluate and select the best advisor for a companys specific needs. Most brokerages have a profile on Mployer Advisor, which provides independent ratings of insurance advisors to support employers. Insurance brokers cannot pay to influence their Mployer Advisor rating. Only highly rated brokerages are allowed to advertise on the platform. To learn more about Mployer Advisor, visit https://mployeradvisor.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: Rankings are dynamic, and this report may not reflect the rankings currently listed on Mployer Advisors website. Since Mployer Advisors research is ongoing, interested companies that want to join next years list are encouraged to claim their free profile on Mployer Advisor.

Media Contact:

Jacob Westfall (Public Relations Consultant)

Jacob.Westfall@mployeradvisor.com
Phoenix-based recipients' award badge The industry has been dependent on referrals and existing relationships instead of data-driven outcomes for too long. With Mployer Advisor, we celebrate this distinguished group of brokers and consultants.

Mployer Advisor, the leading independent platform for employers to research, review and evaluate insurance brokers, is pleased to announce the Phoenix, Arizona recipients of its inaugural Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for 2021. Mployer Advisors Top Employee Benefits Consultant Award Program evaluates brokers based on industry experience, company size, online ratings and reviews and recognizes esteemed brokers that demonstrate market-leading competencies and a proven track record of success among employers, insurance providers and peers. Our list recognizes consultants who primarily work with mid-to-large sized employers, as well as brokers who work with small businesses.

Who an employer chooses as their insurance broker has significantly more impact on the cost and quality of their benefit plan than who they chose as their insurance carrier, said Brian Freeman of Mployer Advisor. We are proud to honor this distinct group of insurance consultants who have demonstrated a wide range of experience and positive employer feedback on service and quality. The industry has been dependent on referrals and existing relationships instead of data-driven outcomes for too long. With Mployer Advisor, we celebrate this distinguished group of brokers and consultants.

The Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Arizona market is a competitive job market in the U.S. Southwest, employing more than 2.4 million people with a lower unemployment rating than the national average. Offering industry leading, competitive employee benefits is a critical factor in hiring top talent for Phoenix employers. Finding and partnering with a highly rated insurance consultant is imperative to retaining talent in any market.

The recipients of the 2021 Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for Phoenix are as follows:



Benefit Commerce Group, An Alera Group Company

JP Griffin Group

Lockton

Lovitt & Touche, A Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC

NFP

Rogers Benefit Group

Strunk Insurance Group

USI Insurance Services

The above winners are a brief snapshot of Mployer Advisors matrices and proprietary M Score on June 30, 2021. To determine award winners, Mployer Advisor analyzed each brokerage based on historical data, business experience across employer size, industry and products, as well as relevant online ratings and reviews from employers across several platforms.

To view a full list of consultants in Phoenix, visit MployerAdvisor.com.

About Mployer Advisor:

Mployer Advisor is changing the way employers search, evaluate and select insurance advisors. The intuitive platform connects employers and employees to great benefits and insurance plans by providing employers with actionable data to easily evaluate and select the best advisor for a companys specific needs. Most brokerages have a profile on Mployer Advisor, which provides independent ratings of insurance advisors to support employers. Insurance brokers cannot pay to influence their Mployer Advisor rating. Only highly rated brokerages are allowed to advertise on the platform. To learn more about Mployer Advisor, visit https://mployeradvisor.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: Rankings are dynamic, and this report may not reflect the rankings currently listed on Mployer Advisors website. Since Mployer Advisors research is ongoing, interested companies that want to join next years list are encouraged to claim their free profile on Mployer Advisor.

Media Contact:

Jacob Westfall (Public Relations Consultant)

Jacob.Westfall@mployeradvisor.com
Richmond-based recipients' award badge We are proud to honor this distinct group of insurance consultants who have demonstrated a wide range of experience and positive employer feedback on service and quality.

Mployer Advisor, the leading independent platform for employers to research, review and evaluate insurance brokers, is pleased to announce the Richmond, Virginia recipients of its inaugural Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for 2021. Mployer Advisors Top Employee Benefits Consultant Award Program evaluates brokers based on industry experience, company size, online ratings and reviews and recognizes esteemed brokers that demonstrate market-leading competencies and a proven track record of success among employers, insurance providers and peers. Our list recognizes consultants who primarily work with mid-to-large sized employers, as well as brokers who work with small businesses.

Who an employer chooses as their insurance broker has significantly more impact on the cost and quality of their benefit plan than who they chose as their insurance carrier, said Brian Freeman of Mployer Advisor. We are proud to honor this distinct group of insurance consultants who have demonstrated a wide range of experience and positive employer feedback on service and quality. The industry has been dependent on referrals and existing relationships instead of data-driven outcomes for too long. With Mployer Advisor, we celebrate this distinguished group of brokers and consultants.

The Richmond, Virginia market is a competitive job market in the U.S. Southeast, employing more than 630,000 people with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. Offering industry leading, competitive employee benefits is a critical factor in hiring top talent for Richmond employers. Finding and partnering with a highly rated insurance consultant is imperative to retaining talent in any market.

The recipients of the 2021 Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for Richmond are as follows:



Hilb Group

Marsh McLennan Agency

Scott Insurance

USI Insurance Services

Virginia Insurance Brokers

The above winners are a brief snapshot of Mployer Advisors matrices and proprietary M Score on June 30, 2021. To determine award winners, Mployer Advisor analyzed each brokerage based on historical data, business experience across employer size, industry and products, as well as relevant online ratings and reviews from employers across several platforms.

To view a full list of consultants in Richmond, visit MployerAdvisor.com.

About Mployer Advisor:

Mployer Advisor is changing the way employers search, evaluate and select insurance advisors. The intuitive platform connects employers and employees to great benefits and insurance plans by providing employers with actionable data to easily evaluate and select the best advisor for a companys specific needs. Most brokerages have a profile on Mployer Advisor, which provides independent ratings of insurance advisors to support employers. Insurance brokers cannot pay to influence their Mployer Advisor rating. Only highly rated brokerages are allowed to advertise on the platform. To learn more about Mployer Advisor, visit https://mployeradvisor.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: Rankings are dynamic, and this report may not reflect the rankings currently listed on Mployer Advisors website. Since Mployer Advisors research is ongoing, interested companies that want to join next years list are encouraged to claim their free profile on Mployer Advisor.

Media Contact:

Jacob Westfall (Public Relations Consultant)

Jacob.Westfall@mployeradvisor.com
Washington, DC-based recipients' award badge Who an employer chooses as their insurance broker has significantly more impact on the cost and quality of their benefit plan than who they chose as their insurance carrier.

Mployer Advisor, the leading independent platform for employers to research, review and evaluate insurance brokers, is pleased to announce the Washington, D.C. recipients of its inaugural Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for 2021. Mployer Advisors Top Employee Benefits Consultant Award Program evaluates brokers based on industry experience, company size, online ratings and reviews and recognizes esteemed brokers that demonstrate market-leading competencies and a proven track record of success among employers, insurance providers and peers. Our list recognizes consultants who primarily work with mid-to-large sized employers, as well as brokers who work with small businesses.

Who an employer chooses as their insurance broker has significantly more impact on the cost and quality of their benefit plan than who they chose as their insurance carrier, said Brian Freeman of Mployer Advisor. We are proud to honor this distinct group of insurance consultants who have demonstrated a wide range of experience and positive employer feedback on service and quality. The industry has been dependent on referrals and existing relationships instead of data-driven outcomes for too long. With Mployer Advisor, we celebrate this distinguished group of brokers and consultants.

The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV market is a competitive job market in the U.S., employing more than 3.2 million people with a lower unemployment rating than the national average. Offering industry leading, competitive employee benefits is a critical factor in hiring top talent for Washington, D.C. area employers. Finding and partnering with a highly rated insurance consultant is imperative to retaining talent in any market.

The recipients of the 2021 Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for the Washington, D.C. area are as follows:

-A H T Insurance

-Alliant Insurance Services

-Business Benefits Group

-Gallagher Insurance, Risk Management & Consulting

-Hamilton Insurance Agency

-Lockton

-Marsh McLennan Agency

-McGriff

-NFP

-Wills Towers Watson

The above winners are a brief snapshot of Mployer Advisors matrices and proprietary M Score on June 30, 2021. To determine award winners, Mployer Advisor analyzed each brokerage based on historical data, business experience across employer size, industry and products, as well as relevant online ratings and reviews from employers across several platforms.

To view a full list of consultants in the Washington, D.C. area, visit MployerAdvisor.com.

About Mployer Advisor:

Mployer Advisor is changing the way employers search, evaluate and select insurance advisors. The intuitive platform connects employers and employees to great benefits and insurance plans by providing employers with actionable data to easily evaluate and select the best advisor for a companys specific needs. Most brokerages have a profile on Mployer Advisor, which provides independent ratings of insurance advisors to support employers. Insurance brokers cannot pay to influence their Mployer Advisor rating. Only highly rated brokerages are allowed to advertise on the platform. To learn more about Mployer Advisor, visit https://mployeradvisor.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: Rankings are dynamic, and this report may not reflect the rankings currently listed on Mployer Advisors website. Since Mployer Advisors research is ongoing, interested companies that want to join next years list are encouraged to claim their free profile on Mployer Advisor.

Media Contact:

Jacob Westfall (Public Relations Consultant)

Jacob.Westfall@mployeradvisor.com
There is more to a student with Dyslexia than just their problems with reading, writing, and spelling.

M. Susan Grogan, Ph.D. was heavily involved in creating a dyslexia program at her university for teachers to add dyslexia to their teaching license. In the process of synthesizing that information for herself, Grogan learned to administer and analyze the tests for dyslexia. Included with the testing were interviews of all of the students. From those interviews, she learned these students had many of the same interests and skills as successful adults with dyslexia.

Help Them Learn with their Strengths: Case studies of students with dyslexia (published by AuthorHouse) provides a description and explanation of the dyslexic brain and how people with dyslexia process print. Included is a detailed commentary about how educators have scrambled to learn about dyslexia and how to help students with their self-image and their school success.

Some books and articles are available on this subject but come without extensive research. Information in this book from interviews with 88 students who have dyslexia will add to teachers and parents knowledge and understanding of the complexity of how our brains work and how amazing their children are, Grogan says.

When asked what she wants readers to take away from the book, Grogan answers, There is more to a student with Dyslexia than just their problems with reading, writing, and spelling. Yes, they need intense literacy intervention, but what they are skilled and talented in can help them learn and show what they know. For more details about the book, please visit https://www.authorhouse.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/834036-help-them-learn-with-their-strengths

Help Them Learn with their Strengths: Case studies of students with dyslexia

By M. Susan Grogan, Ph.D.

Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 136 pages | ISBN 9781665536431

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 136 pages | ISBN 9781665536172

E-Book | 136 pages | ISBN 9781665536196

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Dr. M. Susan Grogan has been an educator for 31 years. She is presently an associate professor of Reading, mentoring teachers who are graduate education students and wish to become reading specialists and also those desiring a dyslexia endorsement on their teaching license. She presently teaches in the Cannon-Clary College of Education at Harding University, a private, faith-based university in Arkansas, and has for 14 years. In past years, she was a first and second-grade classroom teacher. She transitioned into a reading specialist and served in three elementary schools in California and Arkansas, specializing in helping children who struggle to read, write, and spell. Previous to her position as an associate professor, she worked for five years solely as a literacy professional development provider. She is widowed and has four grown children and seven grandchildren. Her hobbies include reading voraciously, traveling the U.S. and abroad, watching movies that stretch her imagination, and spending time with family and friends.

AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industrys only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services. Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrates over 23 years of service to authors. For more information or to publish a book visit authorhouse.com or call 833-262-8899.
With companies fairly split on whether its currently easy (53%) or difficult (47%) to recruit and fill positions, 55% of U.S. hiring decision-makers say the hardest roles to fill are senior-level openings.

This is according to a new survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals.

Among businesses planning to hire this year, more than 3 in 5 think it will be easy to recruit and fill entry-level (68%) or C-suite executive roles (63%). Slightly fewer think it will be easy to do so for individual contributors (58%) or mid-level employees (56%).

Recruiting at all levels is difficult, but unskilled workers are slightly more available than other skill levels right now, said Greg Sulentic, Express franchise owner in Lincoln, Nebraska. Companies that are open to broader skill and background requirements are putting themselves in the best possible position for recruiting success.

Senior-level positions are always difficult to fill in Sulentics market, but he says the drop in labor force participation has accelerated the trend even further. Mid-level roles are the ones he is truly worried about.

I believe we will experience a massive shortage in the pipeline for mid-level employees that is even more extreme than what we are finding today, he said. This will be the result of the current shortage in employees entering the workforce and the lack of trained, skilled employees to move from entry-level to mid-level. However, senior-level will continue to be the most difficult simply due to an aging workforce retiring at greater rates.

While recruiting for mid- and senior-level employees is proving more difficult in the current labor market, one employee classification is growing exponentially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemicindependent contractors.

Jon Noceda, Express franchise owner in Chula Vista and San Diego, California, says independent contractor positions are the most difficult to fill in his market because available contractors only focus on the short-term positions that pay the most. He predicts this will be a permanent result of the pandemic.

This shift is already happening and will continue to evolve, he said. Several sub-industries are being created across the economy, such as logistics and e-commerce, due to the development of apps and other service-related businesses.

Sulentic agrees that much of the workforce that traditionally worked in offices or call centers have adjusted over the past year to the work-from-home model.

They now have access to resources within their homes to do individual work that they werent comfortable with previously, he said. These tools can be applied to freelance work more easily than in the past and marketing those skills is easier due to broader use of social media. When one of our previous employees told me why he left his on-site supervisor position for an at-home individual contractor assignment that paid him less, he said, I cant drink coffee and watch the morning news in my pajamas at the office.

The shift to more independent contractors can be beneficial for those looking to obtain experience and training in several different industries, Express CEO Bill Stoller said.

The rise of these gig workers provides wonderful opportunities that will hopefully translate into a more skilled workforce to fill those senior positions, he added. More skilled workers to replace those retiring is crucial to our economy.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between March 23 and April 12, 2021, among 1,001 U.S. hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in the U.S. who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data was weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

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If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Hollander, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966.

About Bill Stoller

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing company has more than 830 franchises in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Since inception, Express has put more than 9 million people to work worldwide.

About Express Employment Professionals

At Express Employment Professionals, were in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 526,000 people globally in 2020. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com.


Joining an open source community such as OpenStack, we can reduce the cost of doing business enormously and prevent vendor lock-in.

The Open Infrastructure Foundation announces the joining of its newest Gold Member, Nipa Technology Co., a leading cloud service provider based in Thailand. Nipa Technology Co., commonly known as Nipa Cloud, is the first company representing Thailand to become a Gold Member of the Foundation.

Nipa Cloud was launched in 2017 when Nipa Technology, which previously focused on digital marketing and ISP services, received a grant from Thailands National Innovation Agency (NIA) to develop leading-edge cloud information technology. That year the company launched the first full-service OpenStack public cloud in Thailand, which was designed and developed fully by Thai talent. The company also developed its own efficiency-enhancing platform software known as Nipa Cloud Platform (NCP), which creates a user-friendly interface for navigating the cloud infrastructure.

Nipa Cloud has received ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 20000-1 and ISO/IEC 29110 certifications; the 2019 IP Champion Award for Outstanding Intellectual Property Copyright from the Thai Department of Intellectual Property, Ministry of Commerce; and the 2019 Prime Minister's Export Award, the highest award bestowed by the Thai government upon outstanding business operators.

In November of 2021, the company plans to launch a new OpenStack-powered cloud cluster called NIPA Enterprise Public Cloud with OpenStack Victoria, which will be available to enterprises globally. Built upon fast and reliable AMD EPYC 2nd Generation servers and a 100 Gbps backbone, Nipa Enterprise Public Cloud will comprise:



Multiple data centers supporting 99.99% SLAs

Software-defined and fabric networking

Block and Object (S3) storage systems

Dedicated CPU cores and no bandwidth charges

Redesigned self-service portal with easy-to-use UX/UI

Payment gateway that enables self-service, pay-as-you-go, cancel-anytime services with no contract

Cloud consulting expert to help you migrate with 24x7 local support

Just as tall buildings need a strong foundation, we believe Thailand needs a strong IT infrastructure to fully enter the digital era and support sustained growth, said Dr. Abhisak Chulya, Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Nipa Technology Co., Ltd. With solid IT infrastructure, Thai people can increase their competitiveness and compete on the world stage in the enterprise cloud market. Joining an open source community such as OpenStack, we can reduce the cost of doing business enormously and prevent vendor lock-in.

We are excited to welcome Nipa Technology as an OpenInfra Gold Member, as its team has clearly shown its commitment to open infrastructure through its innovation with OpenStack and its contribution to the growing public cloud footprint of OpenStack-powered public clouds, said Mark Collier, COO, Open Infrastructure Foundation. Theyre investing in OpenInfra, with data centers running OpenStack across Thailand running services for VMs and containers, and theyre working to deliver bare metal powered by Ironic soon.

Platinum Members of the OpenStack Foundation include Ant Group, AT&T, Ericsson, Facebook, FiberHome, Huawei, Microsoft, Red Hat, Tencent Cloud and Wind River. Gold members in addition to Nipa Cloud include 99Cloud, Canonical, China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Cisco, City Network, Dell Technologies, EasyStack, H3C, Inspur, Intel, Mirantis, NEC, T-Systems International, Troila, VMware and ZTE.

***The Return of the In-Person OpenInfra Summit***

The OpenInfra Foundations flagship, in-person event, the OpenInfra Summit, returns to Berlin June 7-9, 2022, at the Berlin Congress Center. Information on registration and sponsorship opportunities will be available in November 2021, and activities for media and analysts will be shared shortly thereafter.

About the Open Infrastructure (OpenInfra) Foundation

The Open Infrastructure Foundation (OpenInfra) supports the development and adoption of open infrastructure globally, across a community of 110,000 individuals in 187 countries, by hosting open source projects and communities of practice, including datacenter cloud, edge computing, NFV, CI/CD and container infrastructure.
This is a pivotal time for diversity and inclusion - and Rev1 is committed to expanding our network of support and services to help more diverse entrepreneurs build great companies.

Today, Rev1 Ventures, the startup studio that combines capital and strategic services to help startups scale and corporates innovate, is announcing its expansion of support for women and persons of color who are seeking to commercialize technologies and launch new scalable businesses in the Columbus Region. The funding totals nearly $3MM in new programs, including a $1.4MM grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Build to Scale program, which aims to accelerate technology entrepreneurship by increasing inclusive access to business support and startup capital. The grant will be paired with another $1.4MM Rev1 will provide as the local match - funding secured through returns from Rev1 investments. Rev1 is among 50 entrepreneurship-focused organizations that received the EDA grant - the money will go toward the expansion of mentoring and support resources; the development of diverse intern and fellowship programs, as well as the addition of Rev1 Fellows.

Studies show that businesses with diverse workforces and management outperform their peers in almost every business metric. In fact, a report from McKinsey & Company shows that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25 percent more likely to have above-average profitability while top-quartile companies outperformed those in the fourth by 36 percent. The Rev1 initiatives will serve those with immediate needs, while building a pipeline of diverse entrepreneurial talent in the region.

This is a pivotal time for diversity and inclusion - and Rev1 is committed to expanding our network of support and services to help more diverse entrepreneurs build great companies, said Kristy Campbell, COO of Rev1 Ventures. Beyond expanding our network and programs, we are also creating a new Inclusiveness Council that will help us diversify the startup ecosystem and provide the long-term support that is needed to ensure this remains a priority for years to come.

With this grant, Rev1 will tap into its proven startup services and inclusive entrepreneurship approach to address the challenges identified by women and entrepreneurs of color. The funding will support expanded mentor diversity and availability of one-to-one assistance, along with enhanced access to peer groups and resource networks through targeted activities for women and entrepreneurs of color. Rev1 is also working with colleges and universities, especially those traditionally serving minority populations, to establish internships for students to work in startup environments, while placing fellows/post-doctoral graduates in companies to help commercialize highly-scalable technologies.

We recognize the importance of this initiative and are committed to evolving the ecosystem in our community to help diverse entrepreneurs thrive, added Tom Walker, CEO of Rev1 Ventures. In addition to our support for individuals building high-growth startups, we know progress also means diversifying within our own walls and as such, we are focused on improving the diversity of our team to ensure our investment focus is reflected among our leaders and investors.

About Rev1 Ventures

Rev1 Ventures is the startup studio that combines capital and strategic services to help startups scale and corporates innovate. Based in the Midwest, Rev1 connects entrepreneurs to talent, customers, space and funding, to help entrepreneurs build great companies. With a proven track record of success, Rev1 is the most active seed investor in Ohio for the past seven years. For more information, visit http://www.rev1ventures.com.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (http://www.eda.gov)

The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.
Revieve, a personalized digital brand experience company for the beauty, skin, health and wellness categories co-headquartered in Chicago and Helsinki, is expanding its operations in Japan, to better support its retail, brand and digital services partners.

With the expansion, the company today announced that Masanobu Katoh and Dr. Akira Date, Ph.D., have joined the Revieve Advisory Board.

Katoh, an avid promoter of global open innovation, is currently President at MK Next, Inc. Previously, Katoh served as EVP and Country Head of Japan at both Xinova and Intellectual Ventures, and spent more than 30 years at Fujitsu across a variety of roles including: Head of Law and IP, Chairman and CEO of Fujitsu Management Services of America, SVP of Fujitsu Laboratories, and EVP of the Fujitsu Research Institute.

A member of both the Washington D.C. and New York bars, Katoh received his Bachelors of Law degree at the University of Tokyo and Masters of Law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.

Date, who earned a Ph.D. in Medical Bio-Engineering, as well as masters degrees in Medicine and Management of Technology, at the Kyoto University Graduate School of Medical Science, spent 20 years at Procter & Gamble as a manager of global SK-II Design for Prestige, the former fine fragrance and cosmetics division of P&G, for brands D&G and Gucci. He was then VP and Scientific Medical Director at Pierre Fabre Group (Japan) before founding CID Group Corporation (Japan), where he currently serves as CEO.

Date has also held adjunct and visiting lecturer positions at Hyogo University of Health Sciences  Department of Medical Pharmacy, Keio University, Iwate University  Graduate School of Engineering and is currently visiting lecturer at Kyoto University  Graduate School of Medical Science. Additionally, he is the managing director and scientific advisor for the Japan Evidence Based Cosmetics Association (JEBCA) and scientific advisor for the Japan-China Cosmetic Technology Exchange Association (JCCTA).

Both Katoh and Date bring an unrivaled passion for innovation and technology to Revieve, said Dean DeBiase, Executive Chairman at Revieve. We are expanding our Japanese presence, adding key personnel to support or health, beauty and wellness brand clients and partners, as-well-as adding key leaders to our advisory board. Katohs love for science and devices, coupled with his legal prowess, will be a great asset to our company. At the same time, Date will strengthen our leadership with his well-established track record of helping household-name brands in cosmetics innovate to meet consumer demand. Both of these incredible additions will be instrumental to our Japanese expansion plans and our efforts transform the beauty industry through digitally-driven personalized brand experiences.

Revieve is on the cutting edge of bringing unique, engaging experiences to consumers not only globally, but in Japan, said Masanobu Katoh. It is a great honor to join this group of innovators and I am most looking forward to working with Revieve and its partners.

Akira Date added, I am pleased to join the Revieve Advisory Board. An impressive player in the health, beauty and wellness space, Revieve is transforming the way brands and retailers connect with consumers and I am proud to play a role in the companys continued successes here in Japan.

The Revieve Advisory Board works to further Revieves mission of transforming the way brands and retailers engage, connect and interact with consumers across all touchpoints. The Board consists of global industry leaders across retail, beauty, ecommerce, innovation, media, medical and technology, serving as a catalyst for innovation alongside Revieves AI-driven platform, including the AI Skincare Advisor, AR Makeup Advisor, AI Suncare Advisor and AI Nutrition Advisor.

Revieve enables brands in the health and beauty aids category to deliver highly personalized digital brands experiences to consumers through self-diagnostic technologies powering try-on applications and customized product recommendations. Revieve technology helps boost basket size, conversion rates and sales, while serving as an effective bridge for off-line to online consumer engagement.

Revieve works globally with a range of leading brands in health, beauty and wellness, including Shiseido, Ulta Beauty, A.S. Watson and No7.

About Revieve

Revieve is the preferred partner to brands and retailers across four continents for delivering a digitally driven, personalized brand experience by leveraging state-of-the-art AI/AR technology. Working with our partners, Revieve has transformed the brand experience for skincare and color cosmetics through its proprietary technology, the Revieve Health-Beauty-Wellness Platform.

With easy-to-use self-diagnostic modules that personalize search, product discovery and shopping experiences, Revieves digital beauty platform delivers consumers targeted products, services and treatments. Encompassing all facets of the health, beauty and wellness industry, Revieves trusted powered-by modules include the AI Skincare Advisor, AR Makeup Advisor, AI Suncare Advisor and AI Nutrition Advisor. The Revieve platform seamlessly integrates personalized shopping solutions, in-person and live-video consultations with health and beauty advisors, driving tangible business value by increasing consumer engagement, conversion and basket size across all digital in-store and online brand touchpoints.

Contact Revieve

Japan: Yusuke Mori, yusuke@revieve.com

EMEA, LATAM and APAC: Kim Oguilve, kim@revieve.com and Vitalia Vasilkova, vitalia@revieve.com

US: Bill Daddi, bill@daddibrand.com

Latam: margarita@nasci.com.mx

http://www.revieve.com
These three colleges and universities show outstanding innovation and performance in how they engage prospective and current students in order to enroll them and increase their persistence.

RNL (Ruffalo Noel Levitz), the leading provider of higher education enrollment management, student success, and fundraising solutions, has honored three colleges and universities with awards for their achievements in college student recruitment and student success. Loyola University New Orleans and Louisiana State University have been honored for their recruitment efforts, while Utica College has been recognized for excellence in college student retention.

Loyola University New Orleans received a Peter S. Bryant Marketing and Recruitment Excellence Award (MREA), which recognizes programs that have made an impact on campus enrollment. Loyola University New Orleans was honored for exceeding their enrollment goal by 23 percent and their goal for net tuition revenue by 13 percent. They reached these goals through a data-driven approach to targeting students, using their financial aid in a more targeted and strategic fashion, and working closely with marketing to develop creative communications to prospective students.

Louisiana State University (LSU) received an MREA as well. LSU has created a personalized enrollment experience at their state flagship institution. The university has been data-oriented and also went to a test-optional policy in fall 2021. They also embraced virtual platforms quickly and adapted their communications and work schedules to address the changes brought about by the pandemic. These initiatives capped a five-year period where first-year student enrollment grew by 42 percent. LSU has also increased the diversity of the student body by 108 percent.

For achievements in strengthening student success, Utica College of New York received the Lee Noel and Randi Levitz Retention Excellence Award (REA), which honors achievements in student success. The college already had a strong retention plan in place to help serve its students, many of whom are first-generation, commuters, or students who work full or part time. But the campus elevated its efforts even further by putting together a re-yield and re-enrollment communication plan for their current students to increase their retention and persistence. The college also implemented a number of student success measures such as virtual advising and an academic recovery program that saw 73 percent of the participating students increase their GPAs from fall to spring semester.

The winning institutions are all current RNL campus partners and were selected by RNL staff because of the way they exemplified three key values:



Being dynamic with innovations that break new ground and make an impact.

Being empowered, inspiring initiative through collaboration, transparency, accountability, and ownership.

Being unified and working together across campus and with RNL to produce greater results.

These three colleges and universities show outstanding innovation and performance in how they engage prospective and current students in order to enroll them and increase their persistence, said Dr. Anne Monroe, senior vice president for client experience and engagement at RNL and an enrollment veteran with more than 25 years of experience. By being dynamic, empowered, and unified, they have been able to achieve remarkable success in the most challenging higher education environment in history.

Loyola University New Orleans, LSU, and Utica College were formally recognized during a webinar on October 20. Watch the on-demand presentation here.

About RNL

RNL is the leading provider of higher education enrollment, student success, and fundraising solutions. The firm serves more than 1,900 colleges and universities through data-driven solutions focused on the entire lifecycle of enrollment and fundraising, assuring students find the right program, graduate on time, secure their first job in their chosen field, and give back to support the next generation. With a deep knowledge of the industry, RNL provides institutions the ability to scale their efforts by tapping into a community of support and resources. Learn more at http://www.RuffaloNL.com.
What I Think! An unconventional look at the American landscape, society, life, and politics through the eyes of a regular guy in his own words.: a potent, faith-based exploration of modern problems. What I Think! An unconventional look at the American landscape, society, life, and politics through the eyes of a regular guy in his own words. is the creation of published author Scott M. Dulaney, a loving husband, father, grandfather, former soldier, and current Texas Peace Officer who has earned certifications as a certified law enforcement instructor, a family-violence and sexual-assault investigator, a mental health officer, and a hostage negotiator.

Dulaney shares, What I Think! is a candid and irreverent look at life in the United States through the eyes of a regular guy based on his fifty plus years on the planet. We are in a period of great strain on our republic. And none of the folks that we are paying to solve our problems are getting us there. Sometimes you have to think outside the box to achieve the desired end.

This work is the product of an individual who has worked in the retail, restaurant, firearms, and technology industries before entering service in the Texas State Guard shortly after 9/11. Scott then built on his training and experience in the Texas Military Forces and entered a law enforcement career where he currently serves as patrol officer in a small municipal department in his home state.

Maybe its Scotts wide range of experience and training that brings his unique perspective to this work. One thing is certain: Scott sees the world through the eyes of someone who knows how to get to the root issues of complex problems. And hes not shy about telling you how he sees it.

What I Think! is an eye-opening read for people of all ages who care about where this country is headed.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Scott M. Dulaneys new book will leave readers with a new perspective to consider as current societal concerns are explored.

Dulaneys straightforward approach to modern concerns offers readers a moment to consider their own positions regarding some of the more polarizing issues.

Consumers can purchase What I Think! An unconventional look at the American landscape, society, life, and politics through the eyes of a regular guy in his own words. at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about What I Think! An unconventional look at the American landscape, society, life, and politics through the eyes of a regular guy in his own words., contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
I want readers to have an understanding of how it feels to be autistic and what needs they may have.

Debuting author Stephanie Hughes marks her entry in the world of childrens literature with the release of Little Me: My First Day of School (published by AuthorHouse UK).

This illustrated storybook tells the story of Isla, a girl with autistic spectrum disorder, and her experiences on her first day of school. She is frightened by crowds, new people and noises. Isla has communication difficulties, but she makes it to the end of the day and now that she knows what it is like, it makes her better prepare to go back tomorrow.

Everyone is different; we shouldnt feel ashamed, the author states. I want readers to have an understanding of how it feels to be autistic and what needs they may have.

Little Me: My First Day of School is written to reach out to both children and parents, to give an insight into the thoughts of an autistic child. The book officially launched on Sept. 24, 2021, and may be purchased directly through https://www.authorhouse.com/en-gb/bookstore/bookdetails/827896-little-me.

Little Me: My First Day of School

By Stephanie Hughes

Softcover | 8.5 x 11in | 34 pages | ISBN 9781665592321

E-Book | 34 pages | ISBN 9781665592338

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Stephanie Hughes is an autistic mother of four, two of which are also diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder. This is her first publication.

AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industrys only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services. Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrates over 23 years of service to authors. For more information or to publish a book visit authorhouse.co.uk or call 0-800-014-8641.
Dr. Rachel Sprague is now scheduling new patient appointments at SGF Tampa Bay's Wesley Chapel office. SGF has a long reputation of producing impactful, high-quality clinical research and practicing evidence-based medicine for the betterment of their patients. I am privileged to be surrounded by ... people who constantly strive to make a positive difference in the lives of our patients.

Shady Grove Fertility (SGF), a premier fertility center and home to 100,000 babies born, welcomes reproductive endocrinologist, Rachel Sprague, M.D., to the practices Wesley Chapel office. SGF is a proud partner of US Fertility, the largest physician-owned, physician-led partnership of top-tier fertility practices, for which Dr. Sprague is the 100th physician to join. As part of this larger network, Dr. Sprague will help individuals and couples from the Tampa, Florida region and beyond fulfill their family-building dreams with compassionate care and advanced reproductive medicine.

SGF has a long reputation of producing impactful, high-quality clinical research and practicing evidence-based medicine for the betterment of their patients, shares Dr. Sprague. I am privileged to be surrounded by sincere, intelligent, and committed people who constantly strive to make a positive difference in the lives of our patients.

Dr. Sprague earned her medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine. She pursued her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she served as Residency Class Lieutenant and earned the Fund for Excellence in Research Award. Dr. Sprague then returned to Florida to complete her fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at SGFs collaborative program at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, where SGF physician, Anthony Imudia, M.D., serves as Associate Professor of OB/GYN and REI Fellowship Program Director.

Exemplifying Dr. Spragues passion for research are her contributions to research abstracts presented at medical conferences nationwide on topics including the environmental effects on a persons ovarian reserve, preimplantation genetic testing, and endometriosis. Additionally, Dr. Sprague contributed a book chapter on in vitro fertilization in the Encyclopedia of Reproduction, Second Edition.

Dr. Sprague is now scheduling new patient appointments at the Wesley Chapel office where she will provide comprehensive fertility services, including:



fertility and ovarian reserve testing and diagnosis,

semen analysis,

hysterosalpingogram (HSG),

low-tech fertility treatment options such as intrauterine insemination (IUI),

in vitro fertilization (IVF),

donor egg, sperm, and embryo,

genetic screening and testing,

gestational carrier,

egg freezing,

fertility preservation for patients with cancer, and

LGBTQ+ family building.

Were excited to welcome Dr. Sprague to the SGF team, says Shayne Plosker, M.D. Her passion for research and dedication to compassionate patient care exemplify SGFs commitment to providing highly specialized fertility care. We have been acquainted with Dr. Spragues faculty for scientific research through her fellowship at USF, where she has contributed to research findings presented at nationwide conferences like American Society for Reproductive Medicine alongside SGFs medical team.

Patients may schedule a new patient appointment with Dr. Sprague by calling 1-888-761-1967 or by submitting this brief form. As of November 2, 2021, the Wesley Chapel office has relocated to 2590 Healing Way, Suite 160, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544.

About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)

SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 100,000 babies born. With 43 locations, including new locations in Colorado and Norfolk, VA, as well as throughout CO, FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C., and Santiago, Chile, SGF offers patients virtual physician consults, delivers individualized care, accepts most insurance plans, and makes treatment more affordable through innovative financial options, including 100% refund guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. SGF is among the founding partner practices of US Fertility, the largest physician-owned, physician-led partnership of top-tier fertility practices in the U.S. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com.
NSTTW Flyer

Skills Canada will host the upcoming launch of National Skilled Trade and Technology Week: A Virtual Career Exploration on vFairs virtual event platform. The event will take place on November 2, 2021 between 11am - 3pm EDT.

This event will offer students from middle school and high school, teachers and career seekers an opportunity to learn about career and education pathways for skilled trade and technology jobs. It will feature over 25 industry and education partners from across Canada, whom attendees can network with and discuss their career goals through live virtual chat rooms. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about the 9 Skills for Success through virtual resources, and watch sessions by industry and education experts on the virtual stage.

Previous event feedback has solicited extremely positive feedback. In fact, 86% of past attendees agree that by attending this event, they learned something about new career options in skilled trades and technologies.

In addition to the educational opportunities, attendees will be able to compete in a virtual leaderboard competition and earn points to win prizes. The two top two attendees with the most points at the end of the day will win a DJI Mini 2 Drone.

This virtual career exploration event is a great way to encourage students to discover the variety of careers that exist in the skilled trades and technologies. It also enables our future skilled workforce to learn more about the many educational pathways that they can follow including apprenticeship, said Shaun Thorson, Chief Executive Officer, Skills/Competences Canada.

We are honoured to partner with Skills/Competences Canada to help students and career seekers find work and educational opportunities in the skilled trade and technology sectors, said Muhammad Younas, CEO of vFairs. As a player in the technology sector, we understand the importance of helping young Canadians find such career paths, and we are excited to be a part of this valuable virtual experience.

The event is free and registration is open to the public. Interested parties can register via this link.

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About Skills/Competences Canada

Skills Canada was founded in 1989 as a national, not-for-profit organization with partner Skills Canada organizations in each of the provinces/territories that work with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to promote skilled trade and technology careers among Canadian youth. Its unique position among private and public sector partners enables it to work toward securing Canadas future skilled labour needs while helping young people discover rewarding careers. Skills Canada offers experiential learning opportunities including skilled trade and technology competitions for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international events, as well as skilled trade awareness programs. Headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Skills/Competences Canada is the Canadian Member Organization of WorldSkills. For more information about SCC visit: http://www.skillscompetencescanada.com.

Follow Skills/Competences Canada on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About vFairs

vFairs is a virtual events platform that helps organizations of all sizes, industries and regions conduct memorable online events to achieve real business results. The platform helps businesses run visually-rich digital events like Virtual Conferences, Online Trade Shows, Job Fairs, Virtual Training & more. It offers exceptional customer support consistently rated #1 on third-party sites like G2 and Capterra. For more information, visit: http://www.vfairs.com.
Scott Bundy, MD, FACR, Chair and CEO, Strategic Radiology In retaining Thorn Run Partners, our member groups will centralize our grassroots efforts on one platform supported by expert, bipartisan government and public relations professionals. Our goal is to enhance the voice of private practice in Washington, DC.

Strategic Radiology has engaged Washington, DC-based lobbying firm Thorn Run Partners to represent the interest of private practice radiology on Capitol Hill.

In retaining Thorn Run Partners, our member groups will centralize our grassroots efforts on one platform supported by expert, bipartisan government and public relations professionals, said Scott Bundy, MD, FACR, CEO and Chair, Strategic Radiology. Our goal is to enhance the voice of private practice in Washington, DC.

As in the past, Strategic Radiology will continue to work with organized radiology to contribute data for the purpose of substantiating policy positions with boots-on-the-ground data and to rally support for policy positions promulgated by American College of Radiology and the Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) in Washington. Thorn Run Partners will monitor legislative and regulatory activity on behalf of Strategic Radiology member groups and communicate private radiology practice policy positions on Capitol Hill through lobbying and public relations.

Radiology awaits regulations to implement the No Surprises Act from three different government departments, and we face a potential 9.75% reimbursement reduction in the proposed 2022 MPFS, so it is time for our groups to redouble efforts and engage, said Linda Wilgus, CPA, MBA, Chair, Strategic Radiology Advocacy Committee and Executive Director and CFO, Northwest Radiology Network, Indianapolis, IN. Thorn Run Partners will help to amplify our voice and ensure that the sometimes-unique perspective of private practice radiology is heard on the Hill.

Founded in 2010, Thorn Run Partners comprises 35 government relation specialistsmany with health care expertise, the organizations largest vertical. Communicating the nuances of health care policy on Capitol Hill is an art, not a science, said Shea McCarthy, Senior Vice President, Thorn Run Partners. As one of the preeminent health care practices in D.C. and the most trusted voice for radiology advocates in the federal health policy community, we are uniquely positioned to support Strategic Radiologys efforts in Washington.

Thorn Run Partners is recognized for its efficient size, bipartisan composition, and multidisciplinary capabilities, operating in the health care, education, energy, financial services, technology, telecommunications, and transportation and infrastructure sectors. The RBMA, AARP, the National Association of Medicaid Directors, and the Medical Device Manufacturers Association are among Thorn Runs health care clients.

About Strategic Radiology

Strategic Radiology is a coalition of 30+ privately owned, independent, radiology practices with a national footprint, representing 1250+ radiologists that have come together to improve quality, gain operational efficiencies, and innovate the future of radiology's private practice model. Strategic Radiology engages in quarterly membership and board meetings, including an annual education and leadership summit and bi-annual meetings of the SRPatient Safety Organization (PSO), the nations first radiology-specific PSO listed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. SR also provides its member groups value through shared savings via a group purchasing program and strategic partnerships.

http://www.StrategicRadiology.org.

SR Members:


We Are the Seven: a potent examination of what divides mankind. We Are the Seven is the creation of published author Synita Haskins-Johnson, a loving wife and mother who owns Mustard Seed Movement, LLC and Mustard Seed Ink customized apparel. She carries a masters degree in psychology and is a self-described everyday believer in Christ.

Haskins-Johnson shares, Are Christians different than the people in the Bible? What is one of the biggest challenges the body of Christ is experiencing today?

In We Are the Seven, Johnson explores the idea of how Christians today have common characteristics with people of the Bible. Many current issues are flooding the body of Christ. In modern times, destructive isms and schisms are running rampant in the body of Christ. In the body of Christ, lack of unity has become a growing trend. We have separated ourselves into special sects. Denominations can cause separation among believers. Various issues divide us within each denomination. Those problems also extend to all individual churches within the denominations. However, the issues within the church are not new.

We Are the Seven is a comparative look of todays church versus the first churches. There are many books and sermons based on the seven churches. Those books and sermons often point out the flaws of the body of Christ. This book will challenge you to look at the redemption plan that God has for the body of Christ. When we look at the seven churches Jesus chose to highlight in Revelation, we can see that God already knew of the troubles that the body of Christ would have to face today. Through the seven churches, we can learn unity among the body of Christ. We can learn how to live as a believer. We can learn of Gods grace, mercy, and redeeming plan for man.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Synita Haskins-Johnsons new book is a thoughtful discussion of what Christianity has devolved to and what can be done to reclaim a sense of unity.

Haskins-Johnsons exploration of common issues faced by congregations everywhere is a compelling opportunity for reflection and spiritual growth.

Consumers can purchase We Are the Seven at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about We Are the Seven, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
WHAT

The American of Credit and Collections Professionals (ACA) International 2021 Fall Forum is a Chicago-based event bringing members of ACA International together for a final gathering to recap the year in the industry and look forward to 2022. TCN, Inc., a global provider of a comprehensive cloud-based call center platform for enterprises, contact centers, BPOs, and collection agencies, is proudly sponsoring the first-ever ACA Womens Workshop held in conjunction with this years conference.

This event will focus on identifying and overcoming challenges unique to women in the accounts receivable management (ARM) industry. Participants in this workshop will gain skills that will increase their confidence and assist them in rising to any challenge and ultimately overcoming any obstacle set in front of them.

In addition to the sponsorship of the Womens Workshop, TCN will also be exhibiting their compliance tools at the ACA Fall Forum. Their exhibition will focus on Regulation F (Reg F) and how TCNs compliance tools can help alleviate the challenges imposed on call centers when combined with their flagship call center software, TCN Operator.

WHO

Dr. Heather Johnson is a nationally recognized speaker with extensive experience developing leaders. With a doctorate in psychology, she has been working with leaders for 26 years to quickly identify individual and team performance obstacles, developing customized solutions that lead to rapid change and lasting results. Heather facilitates courses in person and virtually that deliver personalized, practical, and immediate results. Some of her most requested topics are: influence, emotional intelligence, team building, communication and women ignite!

WHEN & WHERE

Date: Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. CT

Location: Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601

To register for this event, please visit:

https://www.acainternational.org/events/women2021

About TCN

TCN is a global provider of a comprehensive, cloud-based call center platform for enterprises, contact centers, business process outsourcing firms (BPOs) and collection agencies. Founded in 1999, TCN combines a deep understanding of the needs of call centers with a unique approach to pricing  no contracts, monthly minimums or maintenance fees  that supports rapid scaling and instant flexibility to changing business needs. TCNs flagship platform for contact centers, TCN Operator, features a holistic set of easy-to-use, automated agent tools and advanced apps for omnichannel communications, workforce engagement, compliance & data management, integration & automation, intelligence, reporting & analytics and collaboration & accessibility. Its suite of compliance tools helps businesses meet the requirements of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and other state and federal regulations, including new and updated debt collection rules issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. TCN Operator integrates seamlessly with leading APIs and is accessible to agents with visual impairments. TCN is trusted by Fortune 500 companies and enterprises of all sizes in multiple industries in many countries. For more information, visit https://www.tcn.com/ and follow on Twitter @tcn.
More people are demanding that the places where they live and work be purpose-built to foster physical, mental and social wellbeing

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the multitrillion-dollar global wellness economy, today announced another key topic for its upcoming conference: the powerful connection between the built environment and our physical and mental health and the many directions that the building well trend is now taking.

The conference will bring together leading architects, academics, investors and researchers to discuss how new building and design trends, including the science and innovations behind them, are transforming the built environmentand are leading to unprecedented wellness real estate investment opportunities and development pipelines.

Joanna Frank, President & CEO, Center for Active Design, will keynote on health and wellbeing as a key value driver in the built environment, while Harvard professors, Joseph G. Allen and John Macomber, will have a fireside chat discussing findings from their recent book, Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity. Wellness designer, Clodagh, an early and vocal advocate of incorporating healing modalities in the built environment, will share insights from her recent projects. Veronica Schreibeis Smith (writer of the 2021 Global Wellness Summit trend, Spiritual and Numinous Moments in Architecture) will be in conversation with Dr. Phillip Tabb about the ways thoughtful design and architecture can positively impact our brains, while Richard Carmona, MD, the 17th surgeon general of the U.S., will discuss the hard science for how the built environment impacts our overall wellbeing.

The Summit takes place in-person in Boston, Massachusetts and virtually from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 (view the evolving lineup of speakers). In-person attendees will also have an opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with speakers during the GWS interactive lunches, where speakers host tables covering various aspects/trends related to their specific wellness specialty.

Pre-pandemic, the concept of building well and wellness real estate were gaining traction, but the pandemic has added a sharp sense of urgency to the issue and created extraordinary momentum for the global market. Now more people are demanding that the places where they live and work be purpose-built to foster physical, mental and social wellbeing, said Susie Ellis, chair and CEO of GWS. We will explore many angles of this fast-evolving sector and look at how projects around the globe are being re-imagined with human health and wellness at their core.

More about the speakers:

Joseph G. Allen is an Assistant Professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Director of the Healthy Buildings program. He began his career conducting forensic health investigations of sick buildings, leading teams of scientists and engineers to investigate and resolve hundreds of indoor environmental quality issues. His academic research focuses on the critical role the indoor built environment plays in our overall health and Allen is the co-author of Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity.

Richard Carmona, MD, was the 17th Surgeon General of the U.S. He is also a decorated U.S. Army Special Forces Veteran and a distinguished professor with a wide range of training and experience in health care management, clinical care and research. Currently, he is chief of health innovations of Canyon Ranch, and serves as director on several publicly-traded corporate boards and private companies. His keynote will explore the negative and positive effects the built environment can have on our epigenetics.

Clodagh, Founder and CEO, Clodagh Design, has been ahead of the curve with eco-friendly designs since she began her career. She is acclaimed for her life=enhancing minimalism and wellness by design tenets. She was one of the earliest adopters of healthy building modalities, including feng shui, chromatherapy, aromatherapy, biophilia and the science of light.

Joanna Frank, President and CEO of the Center for Active Design (CfAD), is focused on advancing design and development practices to foster healthy and engaged communities. Before launching CfAD, Joanna worked for the City of New York, where her positions included Director of Active Design and Director of the NYC FRESH program. Her career started in real estate development as a partner at Bright City Development, LLC.

John Macomber is a Senior Lecturer in the Finance unit at Harvard Business School. His professional background includes leadership of real estate, construction, and information technology businesses. At HBS, Mr. Macomber's work focuses on the future of cities, particularly as aided by the private finance and delivery of public infrastructure projects in both the developed and emerging worlds. He is the co-author of Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity.

Phillip Tabb, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus of Architecture at Texas A&M University. Tabb is the master plan architect for Serenbe Community, and author of six books covering topics such as biophilic design, numinous architecture, soulfulness in design, sustainable urbanism, sacred places, and the extraordinary experiences in everyday architecture.

Registration is now open for the in-person event at the Encore Boston Harbor; space is extremely limited. The 2020 GWS pioneered new ways to keep attendees safe at a conference, and 2021 will be no different. All delegates must provide proof of vaccination.

Virtual delegates from around the world will be hosted by Anna Bjurstam, Six Senses Wellness Pioneer and a GWS Board Member, who provided the dynamic virtual experience during last years event. Virtual attendees will have access to the entire on-stage agendalive and on-demandas well as special breakout sessions and online networking opportunities. Register to attend virtually here.

Editors Note: The GWS will issue speaker announcements weekly in the lead-up to the 2021 event. To apply to attend the Summit in person or in person as media, please fill out the media accreditation form. In-person attendance is limited.

About the Global Wellness Summit The Global Wellness Summit is the premier organization that brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the $4.5 trillion global wellness economy. Its future-focused conference is held at a different global location each year and has traveled to the US, Switzerland, Turkey, Bali, India, Morocco, Mexico, Austria, Italy and Singapore. GWS also hosts regular virtual gatherings, including Wellness Master Classes, Wellness Sector Spotlights and Investor Reverse Pitch events. The organizations annual Global Wellness Trends Report offers expert-based predictions on the future of wellness. The 2021 Summit will be held in Boston from November 30December 3.
Township of Egg Harbor joins the New Jersey Purchasing Group It is exciting to build on to the transparent office we strive to be by becoming a part of the New Jersey Purchasing Group.

The Township of Egg Harbor announced it has joined the New Jersey Purchasing Group and will be publishing and distributing upcoming bid opportunities on the system. bidnet directs New Jersey Purchasing Group connects over 40 participating agencies from across New Jersey. The purchasing group provides a transparent bid process through which the bid is available to all vendors at the same time. The Township of Egg Harbor invites all potential vendors to register online with the New Jersey Purchasing Group to access its upcoming solicitations by visiting https://www.bidnetdirect.com/new-jersey/ehtgov.

The Township of Egg Harbor joined the purchasing group in October. The Township will utilize the system to streamline the purchasing process including electronic bid submission, bid management, bid distribution and vendor relations. The New Jersey Purchasing Group is a single, online location for managing sourcing information and activities and provides over 40 New Jersey local government agencies the tools needed to have a transparent bid process while minimizing costs and saving time.

The New Jersey Purchasing Group expands an agencys vendor pool and enhances vendor competition without increasing distribution costs. In addition to the existing vendors on the New Jersey Purchasing Group, all vendors looking to do business with the Township of Egg Harbor can register online: https://www.bidnetdirect.com/new-jersey/ehtgov. The Township of Egg Harbor invites all interested bidders to register today.

Registered vendors can access open bids, related documents and files, additional addendum and award information from all participating agencies. In addition, the New Jersey Purchasing Group offers a value-added service to notify vendors of new bids targeted to their industry, all addenda and advance notification of expiring term contracts.

With one click, the Township of Egg Harbor can now see how many vendors match a specific opportunity, how many have downloaded documents, responded electronically and more. The Township of Egg Harbor also has its own, branded page on the public side of the New Jersey Purchasing Group in which taxpayers can view all open bids, closed bids and award information.

We now have information at our fingertips for each bid opportunity and award. The information is fully tracked and auditable. Vendors can access documents and addenda right online, and we can see that the vendor has indeed seen the addendum. It is exciting to build on to the transparent office we strive to be by becoming a part of the New Jersey Purchasing Group, stated Jennifer McIver, Chief Financial Officer of the Township of Egg Harbor.

Vendors may register on the New Jersey Purchasing Group: https://www.bidnetdirect.com/new-jersey/ehtgov. bidnet directs vendor support team is available to answer any questions regarding the registration process or the bid system at 800-835-4603 option 2.

Other local New Jersey government agencies looking to switch from a manual bid process, please contact the New Jersey Purchasing Group for a demonstration of the no-cost sourcing solution.

About the Township of Egg Harbor:

Great Egg Harbour got its name from explorer Cornelius Jacobsen Mey. During the Dutch desires for settlement and expansion in the "New World" in 1614, Mey came upon the inlet to this river. The meadows were so covered with shorebird and waterfowl eggs that he called it "Eyren Haven" (Egg Harbor).

Great Egg Harbor was originally part of Gloucester County. In 1694 a law was passed that read "forasmuch as there are families settled upon the Egg Harbor, and of right ought to be under some jurisdiction, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid that the inhabitants of the said Egg Harbor shall and do belong to the jurisdiction of Gloucester." Previously Cape May County seems to have exercised some control over Egg Harbor for in 1693 John Somers of Great Egg Harbor was appointed by their Court to "keep a ferry across the Great Egg Harbour for Hors and Kattle."

In 1710, by an Act of the Legislature, legal boundaries of Gloucester County were set and it covered the area from the Delaware River, along the Burlington County line to the sea and back up the Great Egg Harbor River to the Delaware River. At that time Great Egg Harbor encompassed all that we know as Atlantic County today. In 1837 Atlantic County was set apart from Gloucester County and the Townships were: Egg Harbor, Weymouth, Hamilton and Galloway.

Egg Harbor Township, as it remains today, encompasses 41,600 acres. It includes the villages of Bargaintown (the seat of government), English Creek, Scullville, Steelmanville, McKee City, Cardiff, Farmington and West Atlantic City.

About bidnet direct:

bidnet direct, powered by mdf commerce, is a sourcing solution of regional purchasing groups available at no cost to local government agencies throughout the country. bidnet direct runs regional purchasing groups, including the New Jersey Purchasing Group, across all 50 states that are used by over 1,600 local governments. To learn more and have your government agency gain better transparency and efficiency in purchasing, please visit https://www.bidnetdirect.com/buyers
Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association Moving further west into Calhoun County, we are expanding our existing Fiber to the Home network and resources,

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association (WCCTA) has completed fiber overbuilds in the city limits of Lohrville, Manson, Rockwell City and Lake City. Construction began in Lohrville in the fall of 2019, proceeded to Manson, Rockwell City and recently completed in Lake City. With construction now complete, all residents and businesses can sign up for services including Internet, Wifi, Phone, and Digital TV.

WCCTA currently provides a 100% Fiber to the Home (FTTH) network in their incumbent service area covering 715 square miles and 16 communities including Farnhamville, Somers and Knierim already located in Calhoun County.

Moving further west into Calhoun County, we are expanding our existing Fiber to the Home network and resources, indicated Marcie Boerner, COO for WCCTA. "We choose to continually use buried fiber, even though it is a more expensive option, because it proves to be reliable in providing long-term, undefined broadband capabilities for the last mile connection to our subscribers.

The investment within the city limits of these four (4) new communities is estimated at ten million dollars but the impact is intended to be much more than that. Boerner states, "We plan to be a local presence in these communities. Fiber is an investment in economic development, increases home values, and creates educational opportunities for kids and teachers at home and in school. As much as we would like to go into the true rural areas and run fiber to the rural acreages it is just not feasible at this time. Federal and State broadband programs and grants are extremely important to continue building fiber into these rural areas."

Meet and greet event opportunities are also being planned in Rockwell City and Lake City in November. Anyone interested in learning more about WCCTA can visit the Lake City Public Library on Wednesday, November 10th from 3  6 pm and the Rockwell City Public Library on November 15th from 3  6 pm. Residents and business are also able to learn more about services and to sign up by calling or going online. "We are committed to customer service. When you call our office, you will always speak to a person."

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association is located at 1106 Beek Street, Gowrie, IA 50543. It has a Fiber driven network and provides landline telephone, Internet, and digital television service to the Iowa communities of Gowrie, Pilot Mound, Vincent, Thor, Churdan, Knierim, Somers, Barnum, Duncombe, Farnhamville, Badger, Clare, Moorland, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Lohrville, Manson, Rockwell City, and Lake City. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, and our website at http://www.wccta.com
WeXL Org Blue Logo Early in my coding career, I built an Arabic blogging platform because I believe in the power of storytelling. Thats why Im so excited to partner with WeXL Org and Women Who Code. It brings together the two worlds I love so much, says Rasha Hussein, software engineer at Netflix.

Today, WeXL.org Presents: Your Heros Journey featuring Netflix Software Engineer Rasha Hussein at 5:30 pm PT / 8:30 pm ET in partnership with Women Who Code.

Im a Palestinian woman who grew up wanting to be a journalist but ended up studying computer science in college, says Rasha Hussein, software engineer at Netflix. Early in my coding career, I built an Arabic blogging platform because I believe in the power of storytelling. Thats why Im so excited to partner with WeXL.org and Women Who Code. It brings together the two worlds I love so much.

WeXL.org is a 501(c)3 nonprofit with programs that empower diverse communities to eXceL through thought-leadership development and storytelling. Your Heros Journey is a free online workshop empowering women and non-binary professionals to discover and share their heros journey through the basics of animated film storytelling.

Women make up 47% of the US labor force and almost 51% of the population. Yet, they only represent 26% of professional computing jobs. These numbers reveal a big opportunity, says Alaina Percival, CEO and co-founder of Women Who Code (WWCode), It is an honor to have a partnership with WeXL as it is an exciting platform in which important stories can be told to create real impact.

Women in technology leave at a rate that is 45% higher than any other sector. This is the start of other options for exploring Women Who Code, and the importance of their stories.

To sign up: Your Hero's Journey with Netflix's Rasha Hussein

For more information: WeXL.org

To donate: Donation page

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When shopping for a new vehicle it's important to know what factors will affect the car insurance premiums. Although drivers can afford the monthly payments for the vehicles of their choice, that doesnt mean they can also afford to pay an expensive insurance premium," said Russell Rabichev, IMC

Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that presents which vehicles have higher car insurance premiums.

For more info and free car insurance quotes online, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/for-which-types-of-vehicles-do-drivers-pay-more-on-car-insurance/

Drivers looking to purchase a new or a used vehicle should consider several factors before making a purchase. Factors like mileage safety rating, maintenance history, number of prior owners, accident reports, the down payment, and overall price are extremely important. Furthermore, drivers should also consider the brand of the vehicle and the associated insurance costs before getting a new ride. To determine the cost of a car insurance policy, insurance providers analyze hundreds of factors.

Some of the most important factors insurance providers use to determine the price of a car insurance policy are the following:



Driving record. Maintaining a clean driving record is important, especially when looking to purchase a car insurance policy. In most cases, the driving record is the most important factor car insurance providers consider before granting an insurance policy. Drivers who have been involved in or caused several accidents will pay more on their policies than drivers who werent involved in or caused accidents.

The daily commute. The further a driver lives from his place of work, the more time he will stay in the car every day. Staying in traffic during rush hour, the stress caused due to running late at work, or being less alert after a poor nights sleep are factors that insurance providers consider when calculating the cost of an insurance policy.

Age. Numerous studies have shown that drivers that are 25 years old and younger, and drivers older than 65, are more likely to be involved in a car accident than drivers from other age groups.

Credit score. Insurance providers use credit scores to try to determine how likely drivers are to pay their bills. Drivers with better credit scores will pay less on insurance.

Payment history. Drivers who have a history of late or missed payments will pay more on insurance to cover the non-payment risk.

Marital status. Some providers consider that married persons are more likely to drive safer if their loved ones are in the vehicle.

Many insurance companies consider that the type of vehicle the drivers are driving can say a lot about them and their driving habits. Everything, from the cars size to its color can be analyzed by car insurance providers. When determining a premium, car insurance providers may look at the vehicles:

Safety rating. Most providers only look at required, basic safety features such as seatbelts and airbags, but some companies do look at more advanced safety features, such as collision warning systems, back-up cameras, hands-free calling systems, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) to determine rates or even offer discounts. A high safety rating can mean a lower car insurance premium.

Size. In many cases, between a larger car and a smaller car with the same safety rating, the larger car is considered to be safer and thus will come with a lower car insurance premium. However, large cars with larger engines will come with higher rates, because the engine costs more to repair or to replace.

Color. Although this factor doesnt directly affect insurance costs, drivers can pay more on their premiums by simply purchasing a more expensive vehicle that has a more popular color that is in high demand.

Age of the vehicle. Finding replacement parts for older vehicles is quite difficult. For this reason, insuring older vehicles is more expensive.

The price of the vehicle. The more expensive and luxurious a vehicle is, the harder it is to repair and the more expensive it is to insure.

For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/

Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand name insurance companies, etc.
MedVet Shelter Surprise Winners We hope these organizations benefit not just from the additional funds but also from the raised awareness and community support as people rallied to vote for them.

The votes are in for MedVets Shelter Surprise contest which is awarding three deserving shelters cash prizes to support the important work they do to save pets. Out of more than 6,000 nominations, 10 animal shelter and rescue organizations were chosen, and more than 274,000 votes were cast to determine the winners.

The top prize of $2,000 goes to Shenango Valley Animal Shelter located in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, a community about an hour north of Pittsburgh. The shelter is a no-kill, unlimited stay shelter that takes in all breeds of animals and helps find them forever homes. They received 28 percent of the votes in the contest from their supporters.

The runner-up is Hospets which is in Columbus, Ohio. The organization will receive $1,250. And the third-place winner, which will receive $500, is Metairie Humane in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Throughout the contest, weve loved learning more about the wonderful shelters and rescues that are working throughout the United States to save pets and help them find their forever homes. There are so many amazing organizations, and it has been an honor to support them in our shared mission of helping pets and their loving families, said Dr. Linda Lehmkuhl, Chief Executive Officer of MedVet. We hope these organizations benefit not just from the additional funds but also from the raised awareness and community support as people rallied to vote for them.

The funds will be awarded to the winning organizations during National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week which takes place Nov. 7-14. For more information about MedVet and the Shelter Surprise, visit medvet.com.

About MedVet:

MedVet is the leading veterinarian owned and led family of specialty and emergency hospitals dedicated to delivering exceptional care and a deeply supportive experience to pets and their loving families, referring veterinarians, and team members. For more than 30 years, MedVets empathetic, insightful, and driven team of expert caregivers has helped the organization grow to be the preferred choice for high quality, compassionate care, proudly serving more than 400,000 patients each year in communities throughout the United States. To learn more about MedVet and its mission of Leading Specialty Healthcare for Pets, visit medvet.com.
Kathleen Kostrzewa knew when she retired from her job as an IT and business-development executive at Avon Products Inc. in 2015 that she wanted to pivot to a nonprofit where she could do good work and give back. An outplacement counselor she consulted told her shed likely go through multiple tries and not get it right at first, she says.

The advice helped Ms. Kostrzewa, who is now 71, to experiment and accept that changing courses later in life is less a sprint than a slow jog with a lot of stumbles and retries along the way. She volunteered at a charter school, but soon quit because she spent more time waiting to be assigned students than helping anyone. She volunteered at a food pantry. After she and her husband moved to Los Angeles from Rhode Island three years ago, she worked at a program that teaches coding to children, leading an effort to recruit girls.



One reason reinvention is so difficult is that many people go about it the wrong way. They think its something they can learn from reading books, or from filling out questionnaires to find what they are really passionate about. But that inevitably leads them down all sorts of misguided, frustrating paths.

Instead of diligently researching new options, Drexel University psychologist John Kounios advises people to get more sleep and dream, take walks in nature, go swimming or do any activity thats fun and allows their minds to wander. Thats when you tend to have crazy, wild thoughts, an a-ha moment, says Mr. Kounios who has studied creativity. Finding a second act is a form of problem solving, but to discover it you have to get away from analytic thinking.



Read the whole story: The Wall Street Journal
Bloomsbury Publishing reported record results for the six-month period ended August 31, 2021. Total sales rose 29%, to 100.7 million, over the comparable period in 2020, and profits increased 225%, to 12.9 million. The company attributed the gain to increases in both its consumer and non-consumer groups, as well as to higher sales of digital materials. In addition to strong organic growth, two acquisitions, including the June purchase of Head of Zeus, added 4.4 million to revenue.

In issuing its results for the first half of fiscal 2022, the company noted the impact of supply chain challenges. The publisher said it has so far successfully mitigated any serious ramifications from supply chain problems by taking such actions as printing earlier than usual. It did say accounts have placed big orders earlier than usual this year, something that helped to lift sales in the second quarter. Bloomsbury also warned that it is possible returns could be heavier than usual if the books dont sell through.

Based in the U.K., Bloomsbury generates about 30% of its revenue in the U.S. The company did not break out U.S. results for the first half of fiscal 2022, but noted that The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon and A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas sold well in the U.S. Last week, the company promoted Adrienne Vaughan to president of Bloomsbury USA.

Looking at the rest of fiscal 2022, which ends February 28, 2022, Bloomsbury said it expects to meet market forecast of revenue of 193.4 million. Last year, the company had sales of 185.1 million.
In 2013, Pope Benedict XVI was the first pontiff to resign in 800 years. Since assuming the novel title of Pope Emeritus, the aging Benedict has been supplanted in the public eye, with his successor, Pope Francis, seen as more personable and media-savvy. Despite Benedict's relative eclipse, on December 10, Bloomsbury is publishing Benedict XVI: A Life, Volume Two: Guardian of the Faith, Pope, Pope Emeritus, German journalist Peter Seewald's second volume in his biography of Joseph Ratzinger. A first printing of 100,000 copies has been set. The book will examine some of the most contentious religious and cultural issues that marked the Pope Emeritus tenure, many of which generated controversy over the past decade.

"All the red-hot topics occur in this second volume," says the book's translator, Robin Baird-Smith, describing a volume that still provides a more subtle take, but also is a reconsideration of a figure who, if not as relatable as Francis, has long been respected as an intellectually formidable thinker and writer.

Baird-Smith explains that Seewald's book covers Benedict's contribution to the reformist conclave of the 1960s known as Vatican II, his reaction to sexual abuse of minors within the Church, and his speech at the University of Regensburg, which was widely viewed as Islamophobic. Because Benedict has long had a reputation for being stern, doctrinal, and orthodox, his conservative admirers have sometimes positioned the former pope as a foil to the more liberal Francis. With the unprecedented situation of two men who have both had the title being alive at the same time, there has often been an irresistible tendency among some in the media  and the Church  to present the popes as being in conflict, an interpretation that also denies the continuities, which exist between the two. Baird-Smith says that Seewald's book provides much-needed nuance to our understanding, as it was "written by an admirer of Benedict who is far from hagiographic or unrealistic."

Benedict is a figure who remains a touchstone for many Catholics  both among conservatives who approved of his tenure and liberals who were critical of him. Kaya Oakes, a professor at U.C.-Berekely and an award-winning freelance religion journalist who often covers the Catholic Church, explains that for her, "Benedict is thought of as problematic." She says that among many marginalized Catholicswomen, LGBTQ Catholics, or immigrantsthere is a sense that the former pope hindered "the church from moving into the contemporary era. However, traditionalists who don't see Francis as legitimate would love to see Benedict back on the job, Oakes says.

Seewald's first volume didn't much change this overall perception about the Pope Emeritus being polarizing. Baird-Smith confirms the title was popular in conservative circles, while David Gibson, a journalist and director at Fordham University's Center on Religion and Culture, and a critic of Benedict, observes that Seewald's first volume "really seemed to be hailed by Ratzinger's fans."

Despite enthusiasm from conservative Catholics, prominent progressive Catholics also expressed admiration for Seewald's scholarship, as well as a desire to see this subsequent volume complicate some of Benedict's legacy, and to perhaps answer questions about the former Cardinal Ratzinger. Fr. James Martin, editor of the liberal Jesuit magazine America, says that the first volume "was a superb overview of the first half of the life of a person who would have been a significant figure in the Church even had he not been elected Pope." Gibson explained that a large part of Ratzinger's influence on the Church predated his election as Pope, first in the role that he played as a participant in the discussions during Vatican II, and then in his role as an enforcer of orthodoxy when he was the head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith underneath Pope John Paul II.

Seewald's biography, Gibson explains, could illuminate how enthusiastic or resistant Ratzinger was about Vatican II, which could recast our understanding of his papacy. Oakes says that she hoped this book would complicate the reductionist narratives concerning Benedict and Francis, noting that despite the former's image, "it might be helpful to remember that he is a theologian, so some of his writing and thinking is pitched to a very specific audience," while also remembering that there "are elements of tradition that lots of progressives actually like, mostly aesthetic ones  music, art, beauty  and that's something Benedict is also very fond of." Yet Gibson says that it remains to be seen how much the new volume either confirms or denies these expectations. "I think if anything the [previous] Seewald biography, and his own commentary have only solidified the preexisting perceptions of Benedict and Francis as coming from quite different theological perspectives."

If there is one thing that unanimously interests Catholic commentators, it's Benedict's resignation. It is no surprise then that Seewald's biography  including an interview with the retired Ratzinger  is generating interest. One of Benedict's most important gestures was his resignation, says Martin, calling it a dramatic spiritual act.

I mean that in the most positive way possible, Martin adds. I think it was an extraordinary act of humility.

Yet, Gibson points to alarming conspiracy theories of traditionalist Catholics who refuse to accept that Francis is pope. He hopes that Seewald's book will "dispel once and for all any conspiracy theories." Of course, the biography could ignite more controversy and new disagreements. "It remains to be seen if there are any surprises in this volume," Gibson says. "If so, it will be like tossing a match into a dry forest."
Meeting the Beatles in India is directed and produced by Paul Saltzman, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, and is executive produced by David Lynch, among others, and is narrated by Morgan Freeman.The documentary is the story of when in 1968, then 23-year-old Saltzman spent a week hanging out with the Beatles at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, one of the most flamboyant gurus of the hippy era. His film recounts that extraordinary experience in vivid first-hand detail, with the help of more than 40 never-before-seen personal photos and never-before-seen film footage from the ashram.The narrative retraces Saltzmans life-changing journey, which started with a broken heart and ended with learning transcendental meditation and spending intimate personal time with John, Paul, George and Ringo at a remote retreat in northern India. It was during this time that much of the Beatles seminal White Album was conceived.Fast forward 50-plus years and Saltzman's daughter Devyani reminds him that he has a stash of remarkably intimate photographs of his eight magical days with the worlds greatest band, not to mention a hoard of unique memories. And so the idea for Meeting the Beatles in India was born. Saltzman tracks down Richard Cooke III  the tiger-hunting inspiration for The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill  in Hawaii and talks to David Lynch about his own inner journey and the link between transcendental meditation and creativity. The film also includes interviews with preeminent Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn and Academy Award-nominated film composer Laurence Rosenthal. Meeting the Beatles in India also gives Saltzmans first-hand account of the Beatles song writing process. Among many fascinating vignettes, it shows the exact spot at the ashram where Paul and John first sang Dear Prudence to Prudence Farrow, sister of Mia, who was so devoted to her daily meditations that the band became concerned about her well-being.Scorpions deal sees it secure the global rights to the feature-length documentary, including theatrical, TV and VOD outside of the US and Canada. Commenting on the deal, managing director David Cornwall said:  Scorpion is well known for its eclectic slate of blue-chip factual programming  and you dont get more eclectic or exclusive than unseen images of the Beatles at the ashram in Rishikesh. Until I saw Meeting the Beatles in India, I thought every scrap of Beatles material had been shared, dissected and recycled, but this film is a genuinely new look at a vitally important time in the bands history. Its an honest, intimate story, told from the perspective of a young man outside of the Beatles entourage. Were honoured to bring such a fascinating addition to our shared global culture to screens around the world.Saltzman added: Im so delighted to work with David and the team at Scorpion TV, who I feel are the absolutely best international distributor for my movie. Ive wanted to make this film for 15 years, to address this magical time the Beatles spent at the ashram in India; and to tell some of the intimate stories that further expand on the wonderful kindness and creative beauty of Paul, Ringo, George and John.
Todays high school graduation requirements remain based on a seat-time measurement implemented in 1904. While our world has drastically changed over the past hundred and seventeen years, our K-12 schools maintain an antiquated approach to measuring student achievement. In short, time is the constant, and learning is the variable.

Six superintendents of large urban school districts, totaling more than one million students combined, acknowledge the faulty system and ask, What if we flipped the current model of public education on its head and made the standard of learning the constant and time the variable? The proposed implementation of a competency-based system involves moving away from courses that are a semester or a year long in favor of courses that would last as long as necessary for each student to gain the competency needed to take the next course in the sequence. Implications would include a redesign of the school schedule, how students are grouped, and teacher training.

Donald P. Nielsen, in his text, Every School: One Citizens Guide to Transforming Education, explains that the existing seat-time driven system is hardwired into state credit-hour minimums required for a high school diploma: To earn a credit, a student must achieve a passing grade in a subject in which she has spent 9900 minutes of seat time. The student not only has to earn a certain number of credits, but also has to earn them in certain subjects. In some states, that may involve four credits in English, four credits in math, three credits in history, two credits in science, and several other non-core subjects such as physical education, health, and fine arts.

Another deficient feature of the current educational system is it often emphasizes content knowledge memorization over the development of essential skills. In our internet hyper-connected era, knowledge can be accessed in split seconds. Yet, skills in evaluating the content, critical thinking, creative problem solving, communication, and working collaboratively with others only receive a fraction of the time warranted. Additionally, preparation in real-world matters, such as financial literacy, is largely left out of the K-12 education.

Furthermore, the majority of high schools offer students only one diploma. Lacking options that recognize the wide variety of students postsecondary goals and plans, the one size does not fit all students well. Some students will matriculate to academically rigorous four-year universities, while others plan to enter the workforce directly. The standardized credit model fails to equip students for their selected next step, which can differ significantly. No doubt more students would complete high school than the current 85% if they could complete a course load specifically aligned to prepare them for postsecondary success. Diplomas could range from advanced to general to technical career.

The need for flipping the education model is based on a fundamental fact. Students come to school with varying degrees of learning readiness, motivation, strengths, confidence, interests, and background knowledge, all of which impact the time required to learn. However, the current factory-model education system runs the class time like a conveyor belt  at a constant rate, failing to recognize that children are unique and teaching approaches need to be personalized to be effective. A positive byproduct of this approach would be its effect on student extrinsic motivation. Students would be able to progress in learning content once they achieved proficiency. No longer would disengaged students simply pass through the system to their detriment. Likewise, high achieving learners who learn at quicker rates would no longer become bored while waiting for the content to catch up to them at the predetermined uniform pace.

States have the authority to fix this problem  both to adjust the specific course requirements for a high school diploma and to move away from the seat time requirement to a competency-based system. However, our state government leaders, including those working in the departments of education, have to date failed to adopt an alternative approach. The prime reason for their sticking to the inadequate status quo is that college and university admission criteria staunchly hold to the longstanding credit method employed nationwide. To them, the risk to students postsecondary education options seems too great to warrant the adjustment.

However, this fear of innovative redesign must be overcome. The status quo plaguing our K-12 education must be combatted with creativity. One possible entry point could entail pilot programs requiring parental opt-in permission and partnership with select colleges and universities. Another approach would be to move to competency-based learning at the elementary and eventually middle school levels, building demonstrated success prior to implementing at the high school level. Yet, another approach could be high school graduation course requirements changed statewide, with public in-state college and university admission requirements forced to adapt accordingly (as not to lose their primary pool of students). High schools could maintain a traditional graduation plan of courses for students who want to keep the option open for out-of-state higher education admissions while making tremendous strides in modernizing the list of courses required to earn a high school diploma. What students need to be able to know and do when exiting our K-12 system is vastly different from students of past decades.

Its past time to redesign high school graduation requirements. Time must be the variable, and student learning the constant. Diploma types and associated requirements should be varied to adequately prepare students for their postsecondary plans. And required courses cannot remain stagnant from decades past, ignoring the reality that different skills are needed to prepare students for success in modern life.

The good news is that if we can successfully make these changes, we can reverse the trajectory of U.S. K-12 education, which leaves more than 70% of K-12 students nationwide  after 13 years of seat time  lacking proficiency in core academic areas.
Alyssa Milano discussed the in-development reboot of Who's the Boss? and what fans can expect to see on the series while appearing on The Drew Barrymore Show on Wednesday.

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"I'm really excited for what we can do with this potential reboot, it's really exciting," Milano said before sharing some plot details.

"It's I think going to be about you know, that my husband leaves me. I have my own career and he comes to take care of my kids," Milano continued in reference to Tony Danza's character returning to help raise her kids.

Who's the Boss?, created by Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter, ran for eight seasons on ABC from 1984 to 1992. Danza starred as Tony Micelli who takes a job as a housekeeper from Judith Light's character Angela Bower.

Tony took care of Angela's house and her son Jonathan (Danny Pintauro) while also raising his daughter Samantha (Milano).

The reboot was first announced in August 2020. The reboot is in development at Sony Pictures Television. Norman Lear is executive producing along with Milano and Danza.

Milano recently testified during a House committee hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment, encouraging the House Oversight and Reform Committee to pass legislation that would prohibit gender discrimination.
Netflix is teasing its new series Cowboy Bebop.

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The streaming service shared a poster for the sci-fi action series Tuesday featuring John Cho as bounty hunter Spike Spiegel.

The poster shows Spike (Cho) hold a gun while sitting on the wing of the Bebop space ship. Mustafa Shakir and Daniella Pineda also appear as Jet Black and Faye Valentine.

Netflix also released a trailer for the series that shows Spike, Jet and Faye form a team to hunt down the solar system's most dangerous criminals.

"Cowboy Bebop is an action-packed space Western about three bounty hunters, aka 'cowboys,' all trying to outrun the past," an official description reads.

Cowboy Bebop is based on the Japanese anime series of the same name, which premiered in 1998 and was followed by the 2001 film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie. Netflix added the original anime to its library earlier this month.

The new Cowboy Bebop will premiere Nov. 19 on Netflix. The series features Andre Nemec as showrunner and co-stars Elena Satine and Alex Hassell.
Eternals stars Salma Hayek and Angelina Jolie were "shocked" and "excited" to land roles in the upcoming film.

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Hayek, 55, and Jolie, 46, discussed their casting in the Marvel film during an appearance with their co-star Kit Harington on Wednesday's episode of Good Morning America.

Eternals centers on the titular Eternals, a race of long-lived humans with superpowers. The film is written and directed by Chloe Zhao.

On GMA, Hayek expressed her surprise that Marvel reached out to her in her 50s. The actress plays Ajak, a White male character in the original comics.

"It didn't come in my 20s, it didn't come in my 30s, it didn't come in my 40s, and all of the sudden they show up in my 50s? I'm Mexican, a 50-year-old woman, playing a part that was made into a woman, because in the comic he's a man," she said. "It's a beautiful shocker."

Jolie said she was "very curious and excited" when Marvel contacted her but was initially told nothing about her role as Thena.

"You sit there in these meetings and you're looking at all these different pictures around, and you're trying to figure out what am I? Or who am I? Am I a person, a voice, or a raccoon?" she said, referencing the Guardians of the Galaxy character Rocket.

Hayek said it was "emotional" to see herself in costume for the first time as a woman of color playing a superhero.

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The actress previously said on Late Night with Seth Meyers that keeping her role secret was a "torturous" experience."

Eternals opens in theaters Nov. 5. The film co-stars Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff and Barry Keoghan.

Jolie attended the film's Rome Film Festival premiere with her daughters Zahara and Shiloh this week.
Its one of our first semesters back in person at the University of Georgia and many students are celebrating Halloween in Athens for the first time. Its important to note that when getting ready for Halloween, not all seemingly harmless costumes are appropriate. Keep reading for a glance into how Halloween traditions are inextricably connected to cultural sensitivity.

In recent decades, costumes that dehumanize Native people and our culture have become increasingly popular. Take for example, the sexy Pocahontas princess costume  while its not often discussed, this costume is rooted in the falsified and offensive popular narrative of Pocahontas. Just one look at the dress of the Ho-Chunk woman pictured above makes clear the grotesque separation of the Native reality and its objectifying caricature on Halloween night.

The articles of clothing donned for Native costumes on Halloween are often cheap parodies of sacred religious pieces used in many tribes  for Danika Decorah, the woman in said photo and enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin, and many others, the pieces mocked by Halloween costumes are based on ceremonial dress and regalia. For example, the feather headdress for many tribes is extremely sacred and only worn by religious leaders during special occasions within the tribes holidays or ceremonial practice. These items hold a great deal of meaning and power which have been passed down through generations. They are not costumes for a secular one-day event.

Wearing Native Halloween costumes are also much more offensive than they appear at surface level. Not all types of dress among Native tribes are the same. The sexy Pocahontas costume is born out of the dehumanization and sexualization of Native women, a trope stemming from an early fascination of Europeans with some Indigenous communitiess clothing. Settlers considered their assumed superiority as white Europeans as a justification to abuse and exploit Native women.

European colonizers circulated sexualized stories of Native women back in their home countries, inspiring other European artists to create works that objectified Indigenous women. When photography became widespread, photographers often paid Native people to wear dramatized clothing and be staged for photos. This is one reason why Halloween costumes represent the worldview of European colonizers, who saw the Indigenous women as sexualized objects. They are not a representation of Native culture, and far from how Natives see themselves.

This legacy of dehumanization and sexualization continues today as Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people go missing and are murdered at an alarming rate in the United States and Canada. The flattening stereotype that people promote when they dress up as a Native for Halloween reinforces that erasure of humanity. Costumes may not seem directly responsible for murder being the third-leading cause of death for Indigenous women in the United States, but they are both linked through a legacy of exoticizing, over-sexualizing and undermining Indigenous humanity. In fact, four out of five Indigenous women will experience violence in their lifetime, and according to PBS, Native women are murdered at a rate of 10 times the national average.

Your costume is not harmless or honoring Indigenous people. When you dress up as a Native caricature on Halloween, you relegate Indigenous peoples to the past, erase modern agency  especially of Native women  and contribute to a narrative that reinforces the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in the United States.

This Halloween, be conscious of what you wear. For the Indigenous faculty, staff and students at UGA alongside the broader Indigenous community, these costumes exacerbate generational trauma. As Native people today witness these perverted versions of our culture paraded around by non-Native people for Halloween, old and traumatic wounds are reopened. If a costume you are considering draws the question, is this insensitive?  err on the side of caution and pick something everyone can enjoy. Theres plenty of frights and horror on Halloween, but trust us  nothing is scarier than cultural appropriation.
Simran Kaur Malhotra is the current health editor and a member of the D&I committee. As a pre-med student, she is majoring in anthropology & minoring in global health. Simran is the founder and CEO of UGA Doctors Without Borders. Associated: AHCJ; AAJA

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Greg Sukiennik has worked at all three Vermont News & Media newspapers and was their managing editor from 2017-19. He previously worked for ESPN.com, for the AP in Boston, and at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass.
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.
Nutmeg Junction / Contributed photo

LITCHFIELD  Nutmeg Junction and Barnaby Druthers, broadcast on 29 stations in 15 US states and internationally in Canada and New Zealand, will come alive on stage to benefit the Litchfield Community Center at 7 p.m. Nov. 17.

According to a statement, Nutmeg Junction was formed in northwest Connecticut to produce audio theater specifically for community radio. Nutmeg Junction began airing on WAPJ in Torrington and WHDD and the Robin Hood Radio Network in Sharon in 2018. Featuring an assortment of comedic, serious and thought-provoking original radio dramas befitting their homage to the golden age of radio, the anthology program was picked up by stations across the country especially when the character Barnaby Druthers ran in his own series in 2020.
Ron Chapple / Getty Image

A West Hartford man was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl that killed three people, according to federal prosecutors.

As early as January 27 to July 2018, Juan Reyes, 28, of West Hartford worked with Michael Nieves, 30, of Hartford to supply heroin and fentanyl to other distributors. Some of these distributors regularly traveled from eastern Connecticut to Hartford to purchase the drugs and then sold them to customers in the Norwich and New London area, according to Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut Leonard Boyle.
Anupam Kher is currently exploring Nepal along with shooting for his upcoming film Uunchai. The actor is also keeping his social media followers updated about his whereabouts in Nepal. He recently revealed he is a nervous flyer moments before getting on a helicopter for his film's next schedule.

Anupam Kher recently took to Instagram and shared some videos and photos from Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. The actor was surrounded by helicopters when he shared he is off to Manang, a town in Nepal, for Uunchai's next shoot. He also shared a helicopter ride in cold weather made him a little nervous.

Kher shared a photo with Uunchai's team, featuring Parineeti Chopra and Boman Irani. Sharing the post, he hailed pilots of the entire world for doing a difficult job. He wrote, "I am a nervous flyer. So I have extra respect for all the pilots in the world. No matter what aircraft they fly. But in the last one month I have traveled to the most difficult locations for @uunchaithemovie in helicopters. My admiration for my pilots, specially for @captbibekkhadka and @andyinstagm has doubled. It is really amazing how they fly in these tough situations!"

Anupam Kher has been overcoming his fears during his shoot in Nepal for Uunchai. Earlier this week, the New Amsterdam actor shared a video of him crossing a rope bridge in Nepal. Sharing the video, Anupam Kher mentioned he never thought he would be able to overcome his fear but he did. He wrote, "Thinking will not overcome fear but action will. Never thought I will get on to one of those rope bridges over a river between two mountains and actually cross it. But I Did! Jai Ho!"

More about Uunchai

Uunchai marks Anupam Kher's 520th film. The actor announced the movie on October 4 by sharing a photo of director Sooraj Barjatya. He wrote, "The journey of my 520th film #Uunchai begins. Sooraj Barjatya was an assistant to Mahesh Bhatt in my 1st film Saaransh. This is my fourth film with this cinema genius. Working with @rajshrifilms is a bliss and a blessing! I really had to coax camera shy Sooraj for this pic. Thank you! Please bless." Soon after the actor went to Nepal for the film's shoot. Uunchai also casts Boman Irani, Parineeti Chopra and Amitabh Bachchan.

Image: Instagram/@anupamkher
The tragic accident on the sets of Rust left Hollywood heartbroken after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was accidentally fatally shot by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal. With the investigation in motion, several details of the incident have surfaced pointing at negligence and unprofessionalism on the part of production leading to the tragedy. Several across the film fraternity intended their condolences to the victim's family and strongly opposed actions resulting in unsafe conditions on the sets of a movie.

Now, Serge Svetnoy, a gaffer on Rust set, has shared the last photo of Hutchins on the set with actor Alec Baldwin. Earlier, the electrician had also weighed in on the tragedy and narrated details of the fatal incident revealing that he was standing 'shoulder-to-shoulder' with the Ukrainian cinematographer when she was shot.

Rust gaffer shares last photo of Halyna Hutchins from the set

Taking to his Facebook handle, Serge Svetnoy shared the last image of late Hutchins from the sets of Rust in New Mexico. The photo shows the crew filming on the church set at the Bonanza Creek Filming Ranch in Santa Fe. Hutchins can be seen clad in a puffy jacket, knee-high boots, and a hat with headphones over it while actor Alec Baldwin, who plays an outlaw in the film, is acting out a scene.

Following the post, Svetnoy shared his 'vision' on the Rust tragedy by revealing that he and Hutchins had been working together for years. He wrote, ''I worked with Her on almost all of her films. Sometimes we've shared food and water. We've been burning under the sun, freezing in the snow on the shoots. We took care of each other. Yes, I can say with 100% confidence she was my friend. WAS!!!''. He further revealed that he was with her when she was fatally shot by writing, ''Yes, I was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Halyna during this fatal shot that took her life and injured the director Joel Souza. I was holding her in my arms while she was dying. Her blood was on my hands.''

He further scathingly called out the producers for hiring amateurs to handle dangerous equipment on a film set by stating, ''It's the fault of negligence and unprofessionalism',' he continued, ''I'm calling out to the Producers! To save a dime sometimes, you hire people who are not fully qualified for the complicated and dangerous job, and you risk the lives of the other people who are close and your lives as well.'', he further added.

The Rust tragedy

On October 21, Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun accidentally shooting the director and cinematographer at a Santa Fe film set in New Mexico. The team was filming for the upcoming film, Rust. The director of photography, Halyna Hutchins, 42, was soon airlifted by a helicopter to the University of New Mexico hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Director Joel Souza, 48, has been receiving treatment at Christus St. Vincent Medical Center.

Image: AP/Instagram/@halynahutchinss
The Centre, on Wednesday, informed that the country's exports are growing at a faster rate compared to earlier. Taking to the official Twitter handle of MyGov, the Centre stated that India has now beaten all G7 nations to report the highest growth in merchandise exports. According to the data released by the World Trade Organization, India led the G7 nation in terms of growth in merchandise exports which stands at 47% year-on-year in the January  July quarter.

Making the announcement, MyGov tweeted, India's exports are growing faster than ever! #TransformingIndiapmop. As per the data shared by the Centre, India led the chart by a long way noting 47% growth while Italy came second posting 33% and Canada came third with 32% growth. The top three nations were followed by France, Germany and Japan with 27, 26 and 25% respectively.

Meanwhile, the WTO data also showed that the 47% growth rate shown by India is the countrys all-time high in exports. As for the January  July (2020 & 2021) period, India stood first among the major world economies in terms of growth rate in exports. The country is followed by China with 34% and the European Union with 27%.

The growth rate is being seen as a projection of a positive bounce back by the economy in terms of merchandise exports.

Indias merchandise exports grew 21.3Per cent year-on-year to $33.44 billion in September. This was 28.5Per cent higher than the pre-COVID levels of September 2019. Merchandise imports however grew faster during the period to reach $56.38 billion, which is 84.75Per cent higher than September 2020 and nearly 50Per cent over pre-pandemic levels.

India's exports get a boost as WTO raises trade outlook

Earlier it was noted that Indias export growth prospects were likely to get a boost from the World Trade Organization after its report suggested a bigger global merchandise trade outlook for 2021. The WTO projections showed major growth projections in Asia in terms of merchandise trade. According to projections, Indias exports were expected to top trading partners such as the US, European Union, nations in West Asia, among others. Exports from India have been constantly rising in the last few quarters, has plummeted for the longest period of time post the COVID-19 outbreak.

Image: Unsplash
In a remarkable development that sends a strong message to China and Pakistan, India successfully tested the Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile 'Agni-5' from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island on Wednesday. The missile, which uses a three-stage solid-fuelled engine, is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 kilometers with a very high degree of accuracy.

"The reason this is a formidable strategic missile is because it directly troubles China," said Major Gaurav Arya, reacting to the development. "This missle has nothing to do with Pakistan, it does not even consider Pakistan as a possible landing target. This is an aim at China, which is very important," he noted.

Why is the Agni-5 missile a game-changer for India and a threat to China?

By inducing the Agni-5 missile, India will become capable of engaging at the eastern sea board, which holds 90 to 95% of China's population, explained Major Arya. He said the reason that the Agni-5 missile program was fast-tracked, is because of the problems that could arise at the Line of Actual Control, where the Indian Army is engaged in a stand-off with China's PLA.

"We recently heard that the Defence Ministry test-fired Agni-5 and within a month it is being test-fired again. This means that its induction is close. When India inducts the Agni-5, it will send a strong message to the People's Republic of China that please do not push us. We can hit you whenever we want, wherever we want inside Mainland China," he said.

Why Agni-V is the ideal platform to deal with China

1. India has tried to reason with China, but it does not understand the language of politeness and diplomatic behavior. It understands the language of strength, says Major Arya.

2. Moreover, the actual range of Agni-V cannot be just 5,000 kilometers. Major Arya believes that the actual range is top-secret and it is definitely above 8,000 km. India will not make a missile with that 5,000 km range, because that would not be enough, he said.

3. India has the finest scientists in the world but the world will only believe this when we put it in motion. "Our diplomatic language has to be more stern, more filed and in your face, then the world will respect you. What about actually exporting the Agni series to the rest of the world? What about talking to Taiwan? That will spook China," said Major Arya.
Kiran Gosavi, an informant in the Aryan Khan case, has been at the center of various allegations of bribery to cheating, and extortion. Maharashtra's Palghar Police has already registered a case of fraud against the private detective, alleging that he duped people of lakhs of rupees on the pretext of sending them to foreign countries. Similar cases of cheating have also been filed by the Pune Police and a lookout notice has been issued against Gosavi, who is currently absconding.

One of the complainants named Chinmay Deshmukh spoke to Republic TV on Wednesday and testified how he was allegedly duped of Rs 3 lakhs by Gosavi. Deshmukh claimed that Gosavi offered him a hotel job in Malaysia but sent him there on a tourist visa instead of a work visa. After landing there, he stayed at a hotel, where Gosavi's associates repeatedly nagged him for a passport. Deshmukh had no job in hand and his visa was about to expire. He, therefore, returned to India and tried getting in touch with Gosavi, but he never responded.

After realizing that he had been cheated, Deshmukh filed a complaint at the local police station who later declared Gosavi absconding. The private investigator appears to have duped many other people in this manner, some of whom have approached the police.

Testimony of Chinmay Deshmukh, the complainant who accused Gosavi of cheating

"In 2018, I got connected with Gosavi via Facebook. He told me that he provides hotel jobs to people in Malaysia, so I approached him on WhatsApp. Later on, I met him in Mumbai at least 4-5 times after which asked me to give him Rs 3 lakhs for a visa and other arrangements. I paid him the sum but he handed me a tourist visa for Malaysia. Gosavi told me that it will be converted into a work visa."

"After landing in Malaysia, I waited at the airport and tried calling Gosavi but he did not respond. After 4 hours he called me to say that my hotel booking had been canceled and that I should find a hotel for myself. I then moved to a hotel and informed him about it. At around midnight, two of Gosavi's associates knocked at my door saying they wanted to check on me."

"The following two days, I was repeatedly asked for my passport, which made me realize that this could be a scam. As my visa was about to expire, I booked another ticket and returned to India. After getting home, I tried contacting him 2-3 times, but he did not respond. Gosavi then called me to his office but was never available there. I used to wait at his office for nearly 6 hours but he wouldn't meet."

"Once when I was visiting his office, I found his laptop, and on his desktop, was his Aadhar card. Knowing that I have been created by that man, I copied his details on my device and returned home. Gosavi then sent me voice notes abusing me and threatening to attack. I filed a complaint at the local police station and submitted all the proof against him. I followed up the case for at least one and half years, but after that the police declared him absconding. Now he has been spotted in a high-profile case. I know a couple of people who were also scammed by him. Two of them recently registered complaints with the Palghar police. I know three more victims who are hesitant to file complaints out of fear. Gosavi could be running a racket and his arrest can instill confidence in people to come out and file complaints against him."

KP Gosavi's role in Aryan Khan's arrest by NCB

KP Gosavi was an informant in the Mumbai drug bust case in which Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan and seven others were arrested. Gosavi's personal bodyguard Prabhakar Sail, another witness in the case, alleged he heard talks of Gosavi and one Sam D'Souza related to an Rs 18 crore deal in a drugs bust. Of the Rs 18 crore, Rs 8 crore was to be handed over to Wankhede, he alleged.

Sail also shared a video that showed Gosavi reportedly recording audio of Aryan Khan at the NCB office. The investigator has now gone missing but refuted the allegations leveled by Sail. He was expected to surrender to the police in Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur.
As the new AY.4.2 variant of the Coronavirus has again started wreaking havoc in some parts of the world, the fear of a possible third wave of the pandemic is looming large in India. According to reports, several cases of the new variant have also been reported in India in the last few days. AY.4.2, a sub-lineage of COVID-19's Delta variant, has been found in the United Kingdom, China, and Russia, and has now arrived in India too. In the last few days, states including Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra have reported cases of the new variant, according to the Union health ministry.

Meanwhile, the Center has sprung into action to quell the panic among people. On Tuesday, October 26, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated that a government team is presently monitoring the new COVID-19 variant with the goal of limiting its spread. "A team is investigating the new COVID-19 variant AY.4.2. ICMR and NCDC teams study and analyze the different variants," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Despite the fact that the spread of the new variant has exacerbated citizens' fears, experts claim that there is no evidence that the AY.4.2 is deadlier than the Delta variant, which emerged during India's fatal second wave of the pandemic early this year.

A team is investigating the new COVID19 variant AY.4.2 ... ICMR and NCDC teams study and analyse the different variants: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya pic.twitter.com/6Htme2RFvR  ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2021

'AY.4.2 variant did not raise the case ratio in India'

According to the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), at least seven cases of the new COVID variant AY.4 have been found in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district, whereas, it has been detected in 1 per cent of samples collected in Maharashtra in September. The preliminary investigations have found that while AY.4.2 is present, it has not raised the case ratio in India. Apart from AY.4.2, AY.33 and AY.4.1 variants are also present and circulating in the country, according to the NCDC report.

It should be mentioned here that the probability of the third wave in India has increased, with certain states reporting an increase in the daily COVID-19 cases since the Durga Puja and Navratri festivals. In order to prevent a third wave, the Centre has placed several guidelines for Diwali. Meanwhile, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is expected to hold a meeting with state health ministers on Wednesday. The focus of the discussion will be on further increasing the country's COVID-19 vaccination effort. According to provisional data released by the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday, India's COVID-19 vaccine coverage has surpassed 103.53 crore people.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: PTI/Pixabay)
Amit Shah Says Education Is Important, 'No Nation Can Develop With An Army Of Illiterates"

Addressing at the inaugural session of the National Conference on "Delivering Democracy", Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that no country can advance with an army of illiterates and that it is the government's responsibility to educate them. The Union Minister cited the development attempts made by former Chief Minister of Gujarat and current Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in the field of education in Gujarat when he was the CM of the state.

Read Full Story Here

Aryan Khan Drug Case Live Updates: Bail Hearing Of 3 Accused Adjourned Till Tomorrow

Aryan Khan and others' bail application was adjourned by the Bombay High Court yet again. The hearing will resume again on Thursday, October 28. Aryan Khan and other co-accused will remain in jail for yet another day. The case will be heard at 2:30 pm tomorrow.

Read Live Updates Here

In Tripura's Dharmanagar, Violence Escalates As Shops Belonging To Hindus Vandalised

In escalating communal tensions in Tripura, more shops in the state's Dharmanagar sub-division were attacked by a mob on Tuesday night. According to reports, members from the minority community belonging to the Damtala, Premtala, Churaibari and Phulbari areas gathered and staged demonstrations and vandalized various Hindu shops at around 9.30 PM on Tuesday, 26 October.

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Mumbai Police Appoints ACP-level Officer To Probe Charges Against Sameer Wankhede

The Mumbai Police on Wednesday appointed an ACP-level officer to probe the bribery allegations against Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede. Mumbai ACP Milind Khetle will investigate the charges against Wankhede and look into the complaints filed by independent witness Prabhakar Sail and others. As per the Mumbai Police, they have received complaints at four police stations against Wankhede. No case or FIR has been registered so far.

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COVID: Centre Swings Into Action As New AY.4.2 Variant Detected In India Post UK, China

As the new AY.4.2 variant of the Coronavirus has again started wreaking havoc in some parts of the world, the fear of a possible third wave of the pandemic is looming large in India. According to reports, several cases of the new variant have also been reported in India in the last few days. AY.4.2, a sub-lineage of COVID-19's Delta variant, has been found in the United Kingdom, China, and Russia, and has now arrived in India too. In the last few days, states including Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra have reported cases of the new variant, according to the Union health ministry.

Read Full Story Here

Punjab: Amarinder Singh Avers 'will Fight On All 117 Seats', Sends A Message To Congress

On Wednesday, former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh revealed that he will announce the name and election symbol of his party after the approval of the Election Commission. Addressing a press briefing, he claimed to have fulfilled 92% of the promises in the Congress manifesto during his tenure as the CM and mocked the 18-point programme given to him by the Congress leadership. Moreover, Singh revealed that he will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday along with 25-30 others to discuss the farmers' agitation.

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NCB Chief Sameer Wankhede's Father Hits Out At Nawab Malik; Vows To Approach Court

The Republic Media Network in an exclusive conversation spoke to NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede's father amid the allegations levelled against his son by NCP leader and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik. Dnyandev Wankhede acknowledged that his son Sameer Wankhede got married to Dr Shabana Qureshi. Further, he stated that the marriage was registered through the Special Marriage Act.

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SC Forms Expert Panel To Probe Pegasus Snoopgate Allegations; Next Hearing After 8 Weeks

In a massive development on Wednesday, the Supreme Court bench led by CJI NV Ramana appointed a technical committee to probe the Pegasus snoopgate allegations. Maintaining that privacy is important for all citizens, the CJI affirmed that the restrictions can be imposed only to safeguard national security. Stressing that surveillance affects the rights of the people, he opined that this technology may have a chilling effect on the freedom of the press.

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Lalu Yadav Speaks To Sonia Gandhi Amid Congress-RJD Rift; Pitches 'strong Alternative'

Even as Congress and RJD continue to squabble over the collapse of the Mahagatbandhan, sources revealed that Sonia Gandhi spoke to Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday. Their conversation took place after Gandhi chaired a meeting of Congress general secretaries, state in-charges and Pradesh Congress Committee presidents. Divulging the details of the same in an interaction with the media on Wednesday, Yadav mentioned that he had suggested that Congress should take the lead in bringing opposition parties together to form a "strong alternative" to BJP. Moreover, he urged her to call a meeting of opposition leaders soon.

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Taliban To Form Three Committees With China To Strengthen Bilateral Relations

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday, 26 October, said the group will form three separate joint committees with China in a bid to facilitate strengthening bilateral relations. According to Khaama Press, Mujahid said that the committees were mutually agreed upon during its acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Motaqi's meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Doha. He also went on to inform that China announced $1 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, in addition to food ingredients and medicine worth $5 million.

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The World Health Organization's decision on including Covaxin in its Emergency Use Listing was delayed yet again after the UN health agency sought more clarifications from Bharat Biotech. In an important update on Wednesday, WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan explained that the Technical Advisory Group for Emergency Use Listing required additional information to conduct a final risk-benefit assessment for global use of this COVID-19 vaccine. This is an independent advisory group that provides recommendations on whether a novel coronavirus vaccine can be listed for emergency use.

According to Swaminathan, the committee will hold another meeting on November 3 provided the necessary data is received in time. This comes even as Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya revealed that a technical committee of the WHO had approved Covaxin. On Tuesday, the UN health agency's spokesperson Margaret Harris had indicated that a recommendation on the emergency use approval for Bharat Biotech's vaccine is expected within 24 hours if the committee is satisfied.

Pertinently, Bharat Biotech had submitted the data required for the WHO's approval for Covaxin on July 9 itself. Earlier on October 18, WHO had commented, "We are aware that many people are waiting for WHOs recommendation for Covaxin to be included in the #COVID19 Emergency Use Listing, but we cannot cut corners - before recommending a product for emergency use, we must evaluate it thoroughly to make sure it is safe and effective". It added that the timeframe for approval is dependent on how quickly a company is able to provide the data required for WHO to evaluate the vaccines quality, safety and efficacy.

Update: The @WHO independent TAG met today & asked for addnl clarifications from the manufacturer @BharatBiotech to conduct a final EUL risk-benefit assessment for global use of #Covaxin. It will reconvene for the final assessment on Wednesday, 3 November if data received soon  Soumya Swaminathan (@doctorsoumya) October 26, 2021

Covaxin- an efficacious vaccine

Covaxin is a Whole Virion Inactivated Coronavirus Vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV). While the phase 3 trials entailed 25,800 participants between 18-98 years of age including 10% over the age of 60, the analysis was conducted 14 days after administering the second dose of the vaccine. It has shown overall 77.8% efficacy and 93.4% efficacy against severe COVID-19 disease as per the final results.

On the other hand, efficacy data demonstrates 63.6% protection against asymptomatic COVID-19 disease. Most importantly, it has proven to neutralise variants such as B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.617 (Kappa), B.1.351 (Beta) and B.1.617.2 (Delta). The Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Ltd, Mumbai; Indian Immunologicals Limited in Hyderabad and Ankleshwar, Bharat Immunologicals Biologicals Limited in Bulandshahr and the Biovet facility in Bengaluru have also been permitted to produce Covaxin.

So far, Covaxin has been approved only in select countries such as India, Estonia, Iran, the Philippines, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, Guyana, Paraguay and Zimbabwe. The emergency use approval can be a gamechanger amid the COVID-19 crisis as it is likely to encourage countries to import the vaccine, facilitate its manufacturing abroad and ease global travel for those vaccinated with it. In India, a total of 72,31,51,612 persons have been inoculated whereas 31,25,52,372 of them have received the second dose of the vaccine too.
BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh on Wednesday lauded former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for his efforts to resolve farmers' issues in the state. He also said that any intervention from the former CM is welcome to resolve the deadlock with protesting farmers.

In an official statement, the BJP leader has hailed Singh for his efforts to resolve farmers' issues and said that the Centre has been always open to talks with farmers and has welcomed any intervention to resolve the deadlock.

Tarun Chugh also appreciated Singh over his stand on the issue of increasing the Border Security Force's (BSF) jurisdiction. ''Amarinder Singh is a soldier and is taking an appropriate stand on the issue of national security. We understand Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu's sympathy for Pakistan, but it is tragic that he is not sensitive to the national security concerns of a border state."

Amarinder Singh Avers 'Will Fight On All 117 Seats'

Meanwhile, former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday revealed that he will announce the name and election symbol of his party after the approval of the Election Commission. Addressing a press briefing, he claimed that he has fulfilled 92% of the promises in the Congress manifesto during his tenure as the CM and mocked the 18-point programme given to him by the Congress leadership. Moreover, Singh revealed that he will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday along with 25-30 others to discuss the farmers' agitation.

Taking a dig at Punjab Home Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa for his belittling his concerns about the security situation, the former Punjab CM said, "They mock me regarding my concern regarding the security measures. My basic training is that of a soldier. I have been in the service for 10 years - from my training period to the time I left the Army, so I know the basics. I have been the Home Minister of Punjab for 9 and a half years. I have had all the sensitive issues under me whether it is intelligence or something else. And somebody who has been Home Minister for one month says he knows more than I know."

(With Agency Inputs)
The relationship between the Maldives and India today is "stronger than ever" and New Delhi has been the first and best responder to Mal in all times of need, the island nation's Defence Minister Mariya Didi has said.

In a recorded video message played during a defence conclave here on Thursday, Didi also appreciated India's support to the Maldives in all areas of development.

"Today, the relationship between the Maldives and India is stronger than ever. It's not anchored by our shared values, history and perspectives alone. India is and has been our first and best responder in all times of need," she said.

From extending help after the 2004 tsunami disaster to recently assisting in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, India's helping hand was "the most immediate and visible," she added.

In September last year, India provided financial assistance of USD 250 million to the Maldives to help it mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic.

Later, the Maldives thanked India for what it said was the "single-largest financial assistance from a donor during this pandemic".

"On behalf of the President and the people of the Maldives, I express my deepest appreciation to the government and people of India for the long-standing tradition of assistance and support extended in all areas of our nation's development," Didi said.

In February this year, India had reaffirmed its commitment to the Maldives' security and signed a USD 50 million defence Line of Credit Agreement with the strategically vital Indian Ocean island nation to boost its maritime capabilities.

"We wish India all the best in its efforts to build an 'Atmanirbhar India', a beacon of self-reliance and a hinge of stability in our neighbourhood and beyond," Didi said.

The defence conclave was held at the Constitution Club of India here and attended by various defence experts and military attaches of various foreign countries, among others.

Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka Gen (retd) Kamal Gunaratne also sent a video message for the event, while Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar joined via a video link from Bengaluru.
Sudans overthrown Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and his wife Muna Abdalla were allowed to return home on Tuesday, 26 October, just a day after the military seized power in a coup on Monday. His release comes after massive condemnation by the global community and calls for the military to release all the government officials detained after General Abdel-Fattah Burhan seized power on 25 October. As per The Associated Press, the statement by Sudans deposed PM stated that other government officials were still in detention at unknown locations.

The report quoted a Sudanese military official as saying that Hamdok and his wife were under heavy security at home in the upscale Kafouri neighbourhood of the countrys capital, Khartoum. The military official spoke on the condition of anonymity because, as per AP, he was not authorised to brief the media.

The official did not mention if the Sudan's PM and his wife were free to leave or make calls. Hamdoks office informed that the PM had returned home earlier on Tuesday. Earlier, Burhan had said that the Hamdok was detained for his own safety and would be released. He, however, had warned that other detained government officials of the dissolved government could face trial as demonstrators continued to flood the streets against the putsch. On Tuesday, when Burhan appeared for the second time since seizing the power of the country, he told a televised news conference, The whole country was deadlocked due to political rivalries...The experience during the past two years has proven that the participation of political forces in the transitional period is flawed and stirs up strife.

Of the slew of senior government officials detained in Mondays coup, some tried to incite a rebellion within the armed forces. They would face trial. Others who are found 'innocent' would be freed, Burhan asserted.

Burhan says the coup was essential

In the same televise appearance, Burhan said that the military was forced to intervene in resolving the crisis. He said in the conference, There were people who were talking about discriminating against others, and that was driving this country to reach a civil war that would lead to the fragmentation of this country, tearing apart its unity, its fabric and society. These dangers were in front of us. It is pertinent to note that the coup came just less than a month before Burhan was slated to hand the leadership of the Sovereign Council that runs the nation to a civilian.

The upcoming move would have significantly reduced the militarys hold on power in Sudan. Initially, Hamdok was held at Burhans home, the general had said, adding that the Sudanese PM was in good health. The takeover also comes in the backdrop of escalating tensions between military and civilian leaders over the course and pace of Sudans transition to democracy, the process which now appears to be threatened.

(IMAGE: AP)

(With AP inputs)


On Wednesday, more than 50 activists from various backgrounds protested for an hour outside the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, urging Japan and the international community to hold China accountable for human rights violations in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, and Inner Mongolia. The activists demonstrated under the banner of 100 Days to the "#GenocideOlympics," highlighting the Chinese authorities' suppression of democratic voices in Hong Kong and urging the international community to boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, reported news agency ANI. The demonstrators also spoke out against Chinese atrocities committed against the country's minority ethnic groups, as well as "dangerously aggressive" military manoeuvres in the Taiwan Strait. The demonstration follows opinion polls in Japan, which found that over 90% of Japanese people have a negative view of China.

It is significant to mention here that China and its acts are rarely a part of the political discourse in general elections in the country, but in the run-up to forthcoming elections, China and its actions have become a part of the debate. These differences, as well as public opinion, have risen to the fore just months before Japan and China celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations. This reflects Japanese society's strong concern about China's behaviour both within the country and in relation to its neighbours. Notably, members of the Japanese parliament are likely to consider the approval of a resolution criticising China for its "genocide" in ethnic minority territories in a bid to send a strong message to Beijing.

Protest in Greece against 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

Earlier on October 18, activists in Greece unfurled Tibetan flags and a banner at the flame-lighting ceremony for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The banner read, "No Genocide Games." The activists raised flags and a banner during an event in Olympia which was attended by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and many other dignitaries, including Chinese officials, according to a report by the Bangkok Post. The incident occurred a day after three Tibet activists staged a protest at the Acropolis in Athens calling for a boycott of next year's Olympics. These events underline the challenges China will be facing, as it readies to host the Olympics since the Beijing Summer Games in 2008, reported Thailand's daily.

(With ANI inputs)

Image: ANI/Twitter/@Kafka
PARIS (AP)  Two men went on trial in Paris on Tuesday accused of killing an 85-year-old French Holocaust survivor, who was stabbed to death in her Paris apartment in what prosecutors call an antisemitic attack.

Mireille Knolls brutal death in 2018 shocked France and served as a reminder of both historic antisemitism and its resurgence in recent years.

The two chief suspects accuse each other of the killing, and their lawyers deny any antisemitic reasons, according to French press reports. They are charged with killing a vulnerable person based on religious motives, as well as aggravated theft.

One of the suspects was a neighbor who grew up in the same Paris public housing project where Knoll had lived most of her life. Knoll had frequently hosted him, according to her son.

Knoll was found dead with multiple stab wounds in March 2018 in her apartment, which was then set ablaze. Tribute marches were held around France to honor her and denounce racism . President Emmanuel Macron attended her funeral and said the attackers profaned our sacred values and our history.

At age 9, Knoll was forced to flee Paris with her family to escape a notorious World War II roundup of Jews. French police herded some 13,000 people  including more than 4,000 children  into the Vel dHiv stadium in 1942 and shipped them to the Auschwitz death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. Fewer than 100 of them survived.

A family member with Brazilian citizenship helped Knoll and other relatives escape Nazi-occupied territory for southern Europe and then Canada, according to her son.

She returned to France after the end of the war, and while her grandchildren and other French Jews later moved to Israel, Knoll stayed in her modest apartment in her beloved Paris.

The trial runs through Nov. 19.

Knolls death came a year after another Jewish woman, Sarah Halimi, was thrown from her Paris balcony to her death. French prosecutors classified the killing as antisemitic, but the country's top court ruled this year that the suspect couldnt be tried for murder because he was in a delirious state  apparently related to his drug use. That decision caused an outcry.

Also Tuesday, Macron inaugurated Frances first museum honoring army Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, a Jew who was wrongly convicted of treason in the 19th century. The affair inspired a landmark essay by author Emile Zola that called out French antisemitism, called JAccuse. The museum, in the Paris suburb of Medan, is part of the Zola House and is aimed at bringing alive the Dreyfus Affair in perpetuating his memory, according to Macrons office.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Denmark has vaccinated 75 per cent of its entire population, and 85 per cent over the age of 12, as per Sputnik reports. However, it still has witnessed over 1,000 daily instances of COVID cases for the past week. Danish Health Minister Magnus Heunicke has warned to reimpose limitations in the wake of recent developments. Heunicke stated that Denmark might face a fresh lockdown if more people do not get vaccinated against the Coronavirus. The country lifted the restriction just a month ago.

The health minister stated that they need more people to receive the vaccine if they are going to keep Denmark open, according to TV2. More than 1,000 new cases were registered countrywide on Tuesday for the sixth day in succession, a level not seen in months. Professor emeritus of infectious diseases at Aarhus University, Eskild Petersen has speculated that the pandemic is moving in the wrong direction.

'Heunicke is violating a key agreement by threatening to reinstate limitations': Venstre

Venstre, the opposition liberal-conservative party, claims that Heunicke is violating a key agreement by threatening to reinstate limitations. The warning, according to Venstre health spokesman Martin Geertsen, is inappropriate and goes against Denmark's current pandemic route. He told TV2 that scolding individuals do not help here since the population has assumed responsibility. He also said that threatening to shut down society is a completely crazy message from the health minister.

Per Larsen, another spokesman for the Conservatives on health speculated that the current circumstances do not support lockdown. He told the Denmark-based TV station that in the country, they have a very high vaccination rate with some very good vaccines. However, Allan Randrup Thomsen, a professor of virology at Copenhagen University, said that the country has seen an unexpected increase of COVID-19 cases in the number of people who have been vaccinated, despite the fact that the vaccine has been given to a huge number of people.

Denmark has 379,000 instances of COVID cases thus far

In September, Coronavirus was declared no longer a socially critical disease, in Denmark. As a result, the government no longer has the legal right to enforce specific regulations in society, such as assembly bans, COVID passport requirements and mask mandates. If the restrictions are to be reinstated, COVID-19 must reclaim its statutory status as a socially critical disease. Denmark has 379,000 instances of COVID cases thus far.

(Image: Twitter/@Heunicke, Unsplash)
An Amsterdam appeals court that a collection of historical artefacts from Crimea that had been preserved in a Dutch museum for years must be returned to Ukraine, stating that they constitute "part of the Ukrainian state's cultural heritage," AP reported

The verdict, which may be appealed to the Dutch Supreme Court, upheld a lower court's decision and was the latest incident in a long-running legal battle over the fate of artefacts resulting from Russia's takeover of Crimea.

In 2014, a month after the Allard Pierson Museum inaugurated the "Crimea  Gold and Secrets of the Black Sea" exhibition, Russia seized the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine, causing a disagreement about wom the loaned items should be returned to. The exhibits have been kept in Amsterdam pending resolution of the issue. Russia also made it intentions clear and worked towards retaining the same.

Nearly five years ago, an Amsterdam court ruled that the artefacts must be returned to Ukraine and not to four Crimean museums who rented them out for a 2014 exhibition. The court did not decide on who owned the approximately 300 items at the time, stating that the matter should be settled by a Ukrainian court.

Artefacts belonging to the exhibition

A pure gold Scythian helmet from the 4th century B.C. and a golden neck pendant from the second century A.D., each weighing more than a kilogram (two pounds), are among the most spectacular pieces in the exhibition.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took to Twitter and celebrated "the long-awaited victory" and expressed gratitude to the court for a "fair verdict."

The long-awaited victory in the Amsterdam Court of Appeal. "Scythian gold" returns to . Grateful to the court for a fair decision, and to @minjust_gov_ua, @MFA_Ukraine & @MKIPUkraine for the result. We always regain whats ours. After the "Scythian gold", we'll return Crimea.    (@ZelenskyyUa) October 26, 2021

During a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the decision.

While the treasure hails from Crimea and hence "may be considered as the part of Crimean cultural heritage," the judgment on Tuesday stated that it is also "part of the cultural legacy of the Ukrainian State" as it has existed since Ukraine's independence in 1991.

"The historical interest that lies in preserving the museum artefacts is a public interest of the Ukrainian State that carries enormous weight," the court stated in a statement.

Image: AP
Amid rising conflict between Israel and Iran, the former has geared its defence system to counter Iranian-made and Iranian-designed drones that have become a big headache for Jerusalem in recent years. According to a report by The Times of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would be equipped with permanent defensive coverage in place over the airspace of northern Israel. Gradually, it would be expanded throughout the country. As of now, the Israeli Air Force, which has been defending the nation's skies for decades, has deployed several other types of equipment other than the traditional Iron Dome-- a mobile all-weather air defence system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries.

Israel working to boost radars

Further, the media report said that the IDF has been upgrading its old age equipment that caused major harm to the country when attacked by a neighbouring country. The Military is now switching its technology towards large and small unmanned aerial vehicles. The report said that the changes have been made after several shreds of evidence claimed the terror organisations cracked the latest technology used by IDF. Citing the Israeli officials, The Times of Israel said that the changes have also been sanctioned after the devastating 2019 attack by Iran on Saudi Arabias Aramco oil facility. Notably, Iran had used both drones and cruise missiles against Riyadh.

Iran offers training to extremist groups against Israel

"It was a sophisticated attack that managed to evade both US and Saudi defences Anyone who says that it cant happen to us isnt a professional," The Times of Israel quoted the head of Military Intelligence, Major General Aharon Haliva as saying.

Since then, the report said the threat has grown tremendously as Teheran has exported drones to its Houthi allies in Yemen. Some media reports also claimed that Iran supplied drones to the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon, which is considered the main military threat faced by Israel Defense Forces. It has also supplied designs for UAVs to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups in the Gaza Strip which have ranges to counter thousands of kilometres.

Earlier in September, Defence Minister Benny Gantz revealed several locations of the Iranian airbase that has been providing training to extremist groups. The Minister said that these groups are taking training to operate advanced drone systems.

"One of the significant tools that Iran has developed to assist its proxies is an array of unmanned aerial vehicles that can travel thousands of kilometres, and thousands of them are spread throughout Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon," The Times of Israel quoted Defence Minister.

(Image: Twitter/@Israel)
Alejandro Mayorkas, the US Secretary of Homeland Security, stated on Tuesday that the US will be incorporating Israel and three other countries in its visa waiver programme.

As per the reports of the Times of Israel, Alejandro Mayorkas stated that they have four candidates, which includes Israel, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania. The US visa waiver programme would allow all Israeli citizens to enter the US for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes. Israel has advocated for inclusion in the US waiver programme for quite some time.

Mayorkas' announcement was welcomed by the Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Gilad Erdan. He said on Wednesday that the embassy would continue to work tirelessly for the Israeli citizens, to ensure that they can enter the United States without a visa, according to the Times of Israel.

Erdan and Mayorkas met in August to discuss the problem and figure out what actions would be required to eliminate the limitations on Israeli tourists visiting the US, according to Erdan.

A country must meet anti-terrorism, law enforcement and immigration enforcement

In August, the ambassador told the Times of Israel that the current rejection rate for Israeli visa applications is 4.5% and that it must decrease below 3% to qualify for the visa waiver programme. A country must meet anti-terrorism, law enforcement, immigration enforcement, document security, and border management requirements to be eligible for the programme.

The Israeli rejection rate, according to Erdan, is based on a misunderstanding because most of those denied are young Israelis who have just completed their mandatory army service. He also said that when the US see a bachelor of 22 or 23 years of age without an academic degree or a job, they presume that the candidates are trying to immigrate illegally.

However, he pointed out that the overstay rate among Israelis who obtain a visa is among the lowest in the world, at 0.5%. He expressed hope that the misunderstanding would be resolved shortly, according to the Times of Israel.

Neftali Bennett talked to Joe Biden about the visa waiver programme

In August, when Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with US President Joe Biden at the White House, he brought up the visa waiver programme. US President Joe Biden said at that time that US would direct its staff to work towards Israel completing the standards of the visa waiver programme.

Image: Unsplash/@shaipal, AP
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida committed to deepening cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the "free and open Indo-Pacific," reported Kyodo News. Kishida made the remarks while participating in the ASEAN summit that was held virtually. It is the first time that Fumio Kishida has attended the ASEAN summit after replacing Yoshihide Suga as a Japanese PM.

Fumio Kishida participates in Japan-ASEAN summit

While speaking at the ASEAN summit, Kishida highlighted his efforts in strengthening ties between Japan and ASEAN during his tenure as foreign minister. He stressed that he valued the relationship of Japan with the 10-member bloc. Furthermore, Japanese PM Kishida stated that the country will continue to enhance cooperation for the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

During the Japan-ASEAN summit, Kishida and ASEAN leaders expressed their views on the situation in the East and South China seas, amid China's assertiveness, North Korea and Myanmar. Kishida expressed concern about the moves against the rule-based maritime order in the region.

Furthermore, Kishida asserted that the country opposes such acts that violate rule-based maritime order in the region. He told the ASEAN leaders that North Korea is threatening the "peace and security" of the region and the entire world. He urged the members of ASEAN to assist in resolving North Korea's past kidnappings of the people of Japan.

The Japan Prime Minister supported ASEAN actions on Myanmar that includes the commitment of the military to a five-point consensus and an ASEAN special envoy visit for resolving the crisis peacefully. He called on Myanmar's military to respond "constructively". The ASEAN summit that was held virtually did not have a representative from Myanmar as its military leader was not included in the group, reported Kyodo News.

Myanmar has protested the exclusion of Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who is currently heading the government in the country. Kishida further added that Japan has planned to hold a special summit in 2023 which marks the 50th year of ASEAN-Japan cooperation. ASEAN consists of ten Southeast Asian countries that include Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar.

Inputs from AP

Image: AP
The Russian military base in Tajikistan will be replacing its old combat vehicles with 30 upgraded T-72B3M tanks before the end of 2021, the head of the unit's staff, Col. Evgeny Okhrimenko, informed on Sunday, 24 October. While speaking to reporters, Okhrimenko said that currently, the military base is "rearming" the units with modern military and special equipment. He added that before the end of this year, 30 modern T-72B3M tanks with advanced combat specifications are planned to arrive to replace combat vehicles of earlier modifications.

According to Sputnik, the Russian commander went on to say that the motor rifle divisions of the military base recently received a batch of advanced BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, cutting-edge Verba man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missiles, rocket-propelled infantry flamethrowers of longer range and higher power, Kornet anti-tank guided missiles, 12.7mm ASVK-M Kord sniper rifles, AK-12 rifles, Linza sanitary armoured cars, and the equipment of rear and technical services.

Okhrimenko noted that the unit personnel master the new equipment exercises. He said that they learn effective military operations using the experience of the latest conflicts. Separately, it is worth noting that on Saturday, the commander of Russia's Central Military District, Col. Gen. Alexander Lapin, reportedly said that the large-scale CSTO strategic military exercise in Tajikistan is a response to the deteriorated security situation in neighbouring Afghanistan, which is being governed by the Taliban - a terrorist organisation banned in Russia.

Russia will protect Tajikistan in case of cross border attack

Meanwhile, last month, Russias deputy foreign minister said that the Russian Federation will protect Tajikistan in the event of an incursion from Afghanistan. Andrei Rudenko said that he was aware that the Taliban administration was struggling to control the country's north however, he added that hopefully they would not perpetuate a cross border offensive. Located in the cities of Dushanbe and Bokhtar, Tajikistan holds Russia's largest international military base.

"All necessary assistance will be provided to Tajikistan if required, both within the (Moscow-led) Collective Security Treaty Organisation framework and bilaterally," Deputy Foreign Minister said, adding that there were reports that Taliban cannot control the situation in northern Afghanistan. Still, we hope they will honour the promises they have made (about not attacking neighbours)," Rudenko added.

Notably, after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, Moscow reinforced the base with new, advanced military guns. According to The Frontier Post, a fresh batch of 12.7 mm heavy machine guns NSV Utyos entered service with the 201st Russian military base to enhance its combat capabilities. The arms are specifically designed to destroy manpower, lightly armoured targets, fortified firing points and enemy air assets.

(Image: Twitter/AP)
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday, 26 October raised concern over epidemic of coups after military took over power in Sudan, stating that the whole attempt was part of a worrying global trend towards authoritarianism in a fractured world. He called on the Security Council to take effective action against them as the 15-member body was ready to discuss the Sudan coup. On Monday, 25 October, Sudans top general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan ousted the government of the countrys Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, saying that he was preventing a 'civil war'.

Guterres remarks during the press conference came as Sudan witnessed a coup in a series of military takeovers including those in Myanmar, Mali and Guinea. Several other nations saw attempted coups. While the UNSC has the authority to impose sanctions or authorise military action, the 15-member body has been conflicted on its approach especially as the United States and other western council members are pitted against Russia and China.

The UN Chief said in a conference, The fact that we have strong geo-political divides; the fact that the Security Council has lots of difficulties in taking strong measures; the impact and the problems of COVID and the difficulties that many countries face from the economic and social point of view  these three factors are creating an environment in which some military leaders feel that they have total impunity.

They can do whatever they want because nothing will happen to them. My appeal obviously is for, especially, the big Powers to come together for the unity of the Security Council in order to make sure that there is effective deterrence in relation to this epidemic of coups detat. We have seen that effective deterrence today is not in place, he added.

I condemn the ongoing military coup in Sudan. Prime Minister Hamdok & all other officials must be released immediately. There must be full respect for the constitutional charter to protect the hard-won political transition. The UN will continue to stand with the people of Sudan.  Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 25, 2021

Sudan: Coup leader says army seized power to prevent 'civil war'

Meanwhile, Sudans coup leader al-Burhan said that the military seized power on Monday, 25 October to prevent civil war. In a televised news conference on Tuesday, Burhan said that the dangers were in front of us citing discrimination prevailing in Sudan that would lead to fragmentation of the nation. It is pertinent to note that the coup came just less than a month before Burhan was slated to hand the leadership of the Sovereign Council that runs the nation to a civilian.

The move would have significantly reduced the militarys hold on power in Sudan. Initially, deposed Hamdok was held at Burhans home, the general had said, adding that the PM was in good health. But later on Tuesday, Hamdoks office confirmed that he was allowed to return to his home along with his wife.

The takeover also comes in the backdrop of escalating tensions between military and civilian leaders over the course and pace of Sudans transition to democracy, the process which now appears to be threatened.

On his second televised appearance since the coup, Burhan said, There were people who were talking about discriminating against others, and that was driving this country to reach a civil war that would lead to the fragmentation of this country, tearing apart its unity, its fabric and society. These dangers were in front of us.

(IMAGE: AP)
Queen Elizabeth II has cancelled her presence at the United Nations climate conference, COP26 in Glasgow, UK, citing physicians' recommendation to rest after spending the days in the hospital. The 95-year-old monarch said on October 26, that she has "regretfully" decided not to come to Glasgow COP26 for the reception on November 1  a move that will shatter the plans of Britain's Conservative government, which is eager to demonstrate the session's relevance to the fate of the globe. Her presence was designed to kick off the climate conference in grandeur and splendour, which runs from October 31 to November 12.

AP reported, Buckingham Palace said.Her Majesty is disappointed not to attend the reception but will deliver an address to the assembled delegates via a recorded video message."

The announcement came after the royal had virtual audiences at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, the first since her physicians instructed her to take a break last week. During her first technology-assisted appearance since being driven to London's King Edward VII's Hospital on October 20 for preliminary tests, the sovereign met the ambassadors from South Korea and Switzerland. She returned to her Windsor Castle home the next day at lunchtime and has been doing minor tasks ever since.

Queen's illness is not related to COVID

The medical tests were carried out after the queen cancelled a planned trip to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Northern Ireland's founding, and the palace claimed she had reluctantly accepted advice to rest for a few days. The incident, however, had nothing to do with COVID-19, according to AP. Her doctors instructed her to rest last week after the monarch, who enjoys being seen by the public, put on a flurry of activities.

According to CNN, Queen Elizabeth II has conducted her first official engagements from Windsor Castle, digitally, after spending a night in the hospital and postponing a trip to Northern Ireland last week. She was received by Gunn Kim, the Republic of Korea's ambassador, and Markus Leitner, the Swiss envoy, according to the article. The Royal Family published photographs of the Queen digitally conversing with the Korean and Swiss ambassadors on Instagram.

Elizabeth turns down 'Oldie of the Year' award

Earlier, The award for Oldie of the Year was turned down by the 95-year-old Queen. She believes she does not match the requirements. People are as old as they feel, according to a statement released by her office. Once a year, the title is bestowed on persons from previous generations who have made significant contributions to public life.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP
There are still 439 Americans still stuck in Afghanistan according to the Pentagon, which revealed the news during a Senate hearing on Tuesday, October 26. As per the reports of Khaama Press, US Under Secretary of Defense, Colin Kahl claimed that officials are in communication with 363 Americans who are stuck in Afghanistan, with only 176 of them ready and willing to depart.

According to Kahl, nearly 243 of those stranded in Afghanistan either do not want to go or are not ready to leave the country. Those who do want to escape will be taken out by any means feasible. The government of Joe Biden had stated that the number of Americans left behind will not exceed 200.

The US is collaborating with the Community Sponsorship Hub

Meanwhile, the US State Department announced on Monday, October 25, that it is collaborating with the Community Sponsorship Hub (CSH), which is committed to strengthening the role of communities in the protection and resettlement of refugees to help start the Sponsor Circle Program for Afghans who have been evacuated to the US. The programme will allow individuals to create sponsor circles to provide first resettlement help to Afghans as they arrive in different places across the country.

Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, approximately 28,000 Afghans are in the process of seeking a special immigrant visa (SIV), a programme established by Congress to relocate Afghans who have assisted US forces and organisations but, are afraid of retaliation from the Taliban. According to Bangor Daily News, Kahl said that about 8,500 SIV applicants and their families were able to leave Afghanistan by the end of August, leaving nearly 20,000 in the country.

Republicans and some Democrats have slammed Biden after a suicide bomber killed 13 US service members

Many Republicans and Democrats have slammed US President Joe Biden for not listening to his military advisers after a suicide bomber killed 13 US service members and 170 Afghan civilians at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul during the evacuation operation on August 26, according to Bangor Daily News. US soldiers withdrew from Afghanistan on August 31, ending a tumultuous and contentious withdrawal from the country's longest war. Before departing the country, Washington evacuated thousands of its residents and helped other countries remove their people from Afghanistan as well.

Inputs from ANI

Image: AP
Afghan Commando Sarfaraz, who had joined the Panjshir resistance after the Taliban's conquest of Kabul has warned that Al Qaeda and the Islamic State are planning a "9/11 style terrorist attack." Taking to Twitter, Sarfaraz claimed that sources close to the resistance have informed that the two terrorist organisations will carry out attacks on American and European soil, "particularly France within six to 12 months." Sarfaraz has also claimed that Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and the Pakistan-based Ahrar-ul-Hind are planning attacks in India.

In August when I posted about another 9/11, many people thought it was due to frustration. It was not.



Our sources have information that AlQaeda+ISIS are planning 9/11 style attacks on US+EU, particularly  in 6 to 12 months. Lashkar Janghawi+ Ahrarulhind is planning for India. https://t.co/69nZwx3P8a  Sarfaraz (@Sarfaraz1201) October 27, 2021

The Afghan commando in his tweets said that the American and European Union (EU) forces were wrong in thinking that they were fighting an 'Afghan war' as Afghans were in the frontline of the global war against terrorism. "The war on terror will end only when you stop states that shelter terrorists," he said.

The US & EU thought they were fighting an Afghan war. IT WAS NOT. Afghans were in the frontline of global war against terror. The war on terror will end only when you stop states that shelter terrorist, consider them as heros, &use them as instruments of foreign policy.  Sarfaraz (@Sarfaraz1201) October 27, 2021

'2,000 Al Qaeda terrorists are training along Durand Line': Sarfaraz

In another big revelation, the Afghan commando has claimed that he has credible information about 2,000 Al Qaeda terrorists training along the Durand Line. Sarfaraz said that these terrorists were Al Qaeda prisoners that were released by the Taliban from Bagram and Pul e Charkhi prisons. Moreover, Sarfaraz added that the Islamic State has begun recruiting salaried fighters. In his concluding remarks, the Afghan commando asserted that Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden is dead, but his terrorist organisation is 'reemerging stronger'.

I have crideble info that the 2000 AlQaeda prisoners that were released by Taliban from Bagram and Pul e Charkhi prisons, are currently under training along the Durand Line. ISIS has begun recruiting fighters for 30K afs salary. Only Osama is dead, AlQaeda is reemerging stronger.  Sarfaraz (@Sarfaraz1201) October 27, 2021

Sarfaraz's claims come after a senior Pentagon official warned that the Islamic State could have the ability to attack the United States within six months. Colin Kahl, the under secretary of Defence for Policy in his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee asserted that the Islamic State has the intention of attacking the US. This comes even as the Taliban has given assurances of addressing the Al Qaeda and Islamic State threat in Afghanistan.

'Al-Qaeda, ISIS could reconstitute in Afghanistan in coming months': US General

Earlier in September, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Mark Milley had warned that "it's a real possibility" that Al-Qaeda or ISIS could reconstitute in Afghanistan within the next six to 36 months. General Milley was testifying before the House Armed Services Committee along with US Defence Chief Llyod Austin and head of US Central Command Gen Kenneth McKenzie.
US President Joe Biden condemned Myanmar's military coup and "horrific violence" at a meeting with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders on Tuesday, October 26, the White House said in a press release. President Biden raised severe concerns about the military takeover and appalling violence in Myanmar, the statement said, adding that the US President has called on the country's military administration to immediately cease the violence, release those who have been wrongfully jailed, and restore Burma's road to democracy.

After the Military's Chief Min Aung Hlaing was banned in response to the February power grab and subsequent violent crackdown on dissenters, Myanmar's military administration boycotted the ASEAN meeting, chaired by Brunei. The strongly-worded White House statement followed President Biden's public opening remarks to the ASEAN meeting, in which he made a veiled reference to resisting China but did not mention Myanmar. Biden termed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations "vital" and said the US is "dedicated to ASEAN's centrality."

Biden re-affirms US' commitment to providing aid in combatting COVID-19

President Biden emphasised the importance of the US-ASEAN strategic alliance, noting new measures to deepen high-level US-ASEAN cooperation in health, environment, energy, transportation, and women empowerment and reaffirmed the United States' commitment to ending the COVID-19 pandemic and better preparing for the next one, including making more than 40 million vaccine doses and more than $200 million in emergency health and humanitarian aid available to ASEAN member states to combat COVID-19. He advocated aggressive action to strengthen health systems and health security, to alleviate the climate problem, and to reaffirm the United States' commitment to rebuilding better and driving a green recovery.

ASEAN leaders call for immediate action to end bloodshed in Myanmar

ASEAN leaders had decided to call on Myanmar's junta to keep its commitment to a five-point agreement made at the bloc's April summit, Kyodo News reported. General Min Hlaing was present at the meeting, where they signed a contingency plan to enable mediatory conversations and called for an immediate end to the country's bloodshed.

General Hlaing's inability to stick to the April agreement, which included suspending hostilities, starting mediation discussions, allowing humanitarian relief, and allowing unrestricted admission of special envoys, resulted in Myanmar's expulsion on October 15.

As the humanitarian situation worsened, ASEAN was obliged to abandon its founding policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of bloc members. Since the military coup in Myanmar, the regional organisation has played a key role in attempting to contain the country's growing violence and political turmoil. Security forces are said to have killed 1,200 individuals so far.

(Image: AP)
United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday, October 26 announced the plans to provide up to $102 million to expand the US strategic partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). According to the White House factsheet of the virtual summit of the US with the ten-nation bloc, the US funding of more than $100 to enhance the countrys partnership with ASEAN will go towards health, climate, economic and education programs. It also stated that Biden underscored the importance of US-ASEAN strategic partnership.

While Biden said, We intend to launch a new program and initiatives to enhance our cooperation across the range of issues totalling more than $100 million, the factsheet released by White House detailed that out of the total amount, $40 million will go to an initiative addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and ASEANs ability to respond to future infectious diseases. The factsheet also said that up to 20.5 million is dedicated to tackling the climate crisis and keeping the urgent goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach.

At the US-ASEAN summit, Biden said, Our bottom line is that ASEAN is essential, I want to say  it is essential to the regional architecture of the Indo-Pacific.

And the United States is committed to ASEANs centrality. You know, its a linchpin. Its a linchpin for maintaining the resilience, the prosperity, and security of our shared region, he added.

Biden criticised Myanmar violence

Meanwhile, according to the readout of the US-ASEAN virtual summit released by the White House, Biden denounced the military coup and horrific coup in Myanmar. The official release stated that at the virtual meet, US President expressed grave concerns about the military coup and horrific violence in Burma and called on the country's military regime to immediately end the violence, release those unjustly detained, and restore Burma's path to democracy. He expressed support for ASEAN efforts to hold the Burmese military regime accountable to the Five Point Consensus.

Bidens remarks came as Myanmars military government following a coup in February boycotted the ASEAN summit which was hosted by Brunei. The latest action by the junta against the ten-nation-bloc came after the Myanmar military chief was banned in response to the February takeover of power followed by a deadly crackdown on dissent.

(Image: AP)
Washington, Oct 26 (PTI) Americas former envoy to the UN Nikki Haley and a powerful Republican lawmaker Mike Waltz on Tuesday called for an alliance between India and the US that would allow both countries to maintain and expand their global strength.

As a nuclear power with more than 1 million troops, a growing navy, a top-tier space programme, and a proven history of economic and military cooperation with the United States, India would make a strong ally, Haley and Congressman Waltz, wrote in the latest issue of the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine.

Waltz is a member on the powerful House Armed Services Committee, and Republican vice chair of the India Caucus.

An alliance with India would allow both countries to maintain and expand their global strength. And together with Japan and Australia, it would enable the United States to form a real deterrent to potential terrorist threats in Afghanistan as well as counter China, they argued.

Arguing that post-withdrawal, its only India who can effectively keep a watchful eye on Afghanistan, Haley and Waltz wrote that only New Delhi can keep track of Chinas southern flank.

India operates Farkhor Air Base in Tajikistan, the only air base with the proximity to conduct counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan. With an alliance, India could allow us access to strategic bases to protect US interests in Afghanistan and the broader region, they wrote.

A US-India alliance would also give us an edge over China. Like the United States, India recognises that China is a rapidly growing threat. Not only is it attempting to capitalise on our withdrawal from Afghanistan, which goes against both the United States and Indias interests, China is also pressuring India on its own borders, Haley and Waltz said.

The two Republican leaders said that a US-India alliance would give China pause before further expanding into Central and Southern Asia.

And wed be building on solid ground. Just this month, the U.S. military held joint exercises with hundreds of Indian soldiers in Alaska to strengthen cooperation and better prepare for cold, mountainous conditions like those in the China-India border region, they wrote.

An alliance would also recognise the regions shifting geopolitical realities. Chinas newly aggressive posture toward India is not by accident. It is part of a broader plan. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is emboldened after shoring up support from Indias longtime foe, Pakistan, they said. PTI LKJ RS RS

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
A Denver, US man has reportedly sued a local dating company The Denver Dating Co. for exaggeration of services alleging that there are not many ladies that he can find on the companys user base. The incident, which reminds one of the Hollywood flick Love Guaranteed, garnered attention after the single man claimed that he paid thousands of dollars to find his lady online but was upset to discover that there were only five women in the 18 to 35 range active in the database, according to a lawsuit filed in Denver District Court accessed by the US broadcasters.

The 29-year-old Ian Cross filed a lawsuit and dragged the company into a legal mess alleging that he spent approximately $9,409.80 in membership on the website convinced by a company representative but was still single. Denver Dating Company is a US-based form owned by HMZ Group, the same company which also owns another website Mile High Singles which was under investigation before for deceptive business practices. A former saleswoman had claimed that deception is part of the playbook to get customers to pay big money for membership with the company, Colorados Fox 31 reports.

Plaintiff, Ian Cross, who got just five women on the database alleged that the Nevada-based firm had indulged in the fraudulent inducement, breach of contract, and deceptive trade practices. The Denver Dating Co., meanwhile, suggests on its website that its members-only service performs extensive screenings of the customers to ensure they are functioning members of our community. But Cross, as per the lawsuit, was interested in engaging a dating service to meet single women his age but did not find many single ladies online.

Tinder announces new dating features

Meanwhile Tinder last week announced that it was going to add a new 'Explore' section in its app. Along with the Explore section, the company plans to introduce multiple new experiences for the dating application, including in India. For instance, profiles will not be arranged by user's interest, and users will have more control over their interaction with other people on the application. dating app Tinder's Explore section will allow users to explore more matches on the platform based on users' interests and activity on the platform. The app also plans to launch a new feature called 'Hot Takes' that will allow users to chat with a potential match in a quiz about popular culture and other opinions.



Image: Unsplash
In a major move, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged all United Nations' members to back a "meaningful participation" of Taiwan in the global system. Dubbing Taiwan's resistance against China as a "democratic success story," Blinken asserted that the former's respect for human rights, the Rule of Law, and values align with those of the UN. State Secretary's appeal comes on the sidelines of increased support to the island amid rising tensions with China.

Highlighting Taiwan's robust participation for 50 years in UN specialised agencies, the statement from the Secretary's office pointed out that it was inconsiderate to refrain the island from contributing to the UN efforts. "The fact that Taiwan participated robustly in certain UN specialized agencies for the vast majority of the past 50 years is evidence of the value the international community places in Taiwans contributions. Recently, however, Taiwan has not been permitted to contribute to UN efforts," the statement said. Notably, despite tens of millions of passengers travelling annually through its airports, Taiwan was not represented at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) triennial assembly. Additionally, the country was left out of World Health Organisation (WHO) Assembly despite inspiring a "world-class response to COVID-19." The statement comes a day after US President Joe Biden on October 22 publicly vowed to defend Taiwan during the Chinese invasion.

"Taiwans exclusion undermines the important work of the UN and its related bodies, all of which stand to benefit greatly from its contributions," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

"As the international community faces an unprecedented number of complex and global issues, it is critical for all stakeholders to help address these problems. This includes the 24 million people who live in Taiwan. Taiwans meaningful participation in the UN system is not a political issue, but a pragmatic one."

US President Joe Biden vows to defend Taiwan if China invades

US President Joe Biden on Thursday publicly vowed to protect Taiwan against Chinese incursion. Speaking at a press meet at CNN town hall, Biden stated that the US has a 'commitment' to protect Taiwan against any potential threat from the latter's neighbour. It is to be noted that Biden's comments come amid China's recurrent sovereignty claims over Taiwanese territory under the 'One China' policy and Beijing's escalated aggression in the Indo-Pacific region.

Following Biden's comments, China has urged the US to handle Taiwan-related issues carefully and properly and not to send wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, "China has no room for compromise on issues involving its core interests. The US should act and speak cautiously on the Taiwan issue."

(Image: AP)
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opened a summit this week without Myanmar, which stayed away to protest junta chief Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing being barred from the meeting. The leader of the Feb. 1 military coup was excluded from the online summit because he has backtracked on allowing a special ASEAN envoy to Myanmar access to all political parties and other agreements reached during an emergency meeting of the 10-nation bloc's leaders in Jakarta in April. Min Aung Hlaing's regime has killed nearly 1,200 people and arrested, charged, or sentenced more than 7,000 others in the nine months since the coup. Despite prisoner amnesties that freed more than 30 journalists arrested for their reporting, 34 members of the media are still in junta custody.

Cartoon by Rebel Pepper
The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and Japanese destroyer JS Kaga sail together during in the Bay of Bengal, Oct. 17, 2021.

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and its strike group have returned to the South China Sea for a joint exercise with a Japanese destroyer as leaders from countries in Southeast Asia hold a virtual meeting to discuss regional issues including a maritime Code of Conduct.

The U.S. Navy said in a statement that the strike group and the Izumo-class helicopter destroyer JS Kaga of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force on Monday conducted maritime security operations including flights, coordinated tactical training between surface and air units, refueling-at-sea, and maritime strike exercises.

The USS Carl Vinson last sailed in the disputed South China Sea in early September. The strike group is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the Navys statement said.

At the time of the first deployment, the groups commander, Rear Adm. Dan Martin, told RFA its aim was to ensure the "freedom of all nations to navigate in international waters." He also spoke about how that was threatened by unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea  an apparent reference to China.

The U.S. military and its allies have stepped up exercises in the South China Sea this year. It wasnt clear whether the USS Carl Vinsons latest deployment was at all timed for this week summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

COC still out of sight

On Tuesday, China joined member countries of ASEAN at the virtual summit to discuss, among other topics, the establishment of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang urged ASEAN countries to expedite COC negotiations and strive for its early conclusion, according to the transcript of his speech at the meeting. He said that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, there had been positive progress this year.

Among the ASEAN members are other South China Sea claimants: Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Next year will be 20th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) between ASEAN and China, which was meant to pave the way for the COC -- intended to be a binding agreement to reduce the chance of conflict breaking out over territorial and maritime disputes.

But analysts say chances of finalizing it by then are slim. China continues to press its sweeping claims, despite a 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration award in a case brought by the Philippines which found that Chinas claims to historic rights over the South China Sea have no basis under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

At the summit Tuesday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said ASEAN should pursue COC negotiations in accordance with international law, including the 2016 arbitral award.

China does not recognize the ruling, having declared it null and void.

Basically, ASEAN countries want to curb Chinas behavior, but China does not want to be constrained, said Viet Hoang, a well-known Vietnamese commentator on South China Sea.

Some ASEAN countries want to boost cooperation with external powers to counterbalance Chinas increasing assertiveness and they may find Chinas approach unacceptable, the Vietnamese analyst said.

ASEANs decision-making is based on the principle of consensus, so I cant see how ASEAN countries and China can achieve any agreement on key issues, even if Chinas ally Cambodia will take over the blocs presidency next year, he added.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken calls for support of Taiwan's participation in the work of UN agencies.

Ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping has called for reform at the United Nations amid signs that Washington is increasingly keen to stand up for democratic Taiwan, which lost its place in the U.N. on Oct. 25, 1971, to be replaced by the People's Republic of China.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on U.N. member states on Tuesday to support Taiwan's "robust" participation in the system, saying that its exclusion "undermines the important work of the U.N. and its related bodies, all of which stand to benefit greatly from its contributions."

"The fact that Taiwan participated robustly in certain U.N. specialized agencies for the vast majority of the past 50 years is evidence of the value the international community places in Taiwan's contributions. Recently, however, Taiwan has not been permitted to contribute to U.N. efforts," Blinken said.

"That is why we encourage all U.N. member states to join us in supporting Taiwan's robust, meaningful participation throughout the U.N. system and in the international community," he said.

Taiwan has also been denied a presence in the World Health Assembly despite its exemplary handling of the coronavirus pandemic and contribution to global efforts, Blinken said.

Blinken's comments came a day after Xi gave a speech in Beijing calling for changes to the way international rules are decided in the U.N. system, in a sideswipe at U.S. influence in the U.N. system.

"International rules should only be formulated by the 193 U.N. member states, and not by individual countries or groups of countries," Xi said in a speech marking the accession of the People's Republic of China to the U.N. on the day that Taiwan left.

"There should be no exceptions," Xi said.

Feng Chongyi of the University of Technology Sydney said China now has a formidable grouping of its own at the U.N., gained through years of diplomatic efforts and financial assistance across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

"China has done enough work, and these countries will vote for China at the U.N. in return for a sum of money invested, or some benefits to their leaders," Feng said.

"The U.N. Human Rights Council was originally intended to deal with authoritarian countries that undermined their citizens' human rights, but China is now accusing democratic countries of human rights abuses, while massive and systemic human rights abuses in authoritarian countries go unsanctioned," he said.

"Xi Jinping said those things in the knowledge that there is a long-running relationship with those [authoritarian] countries, so he has a certain amount of confidence," Feng said.

Li Kexian, an associate professor at the Institute of International Strategic Studies at Tokyo International University, said China is no longer worried about being able to take on the U.S. at the U.N., but about alliances being forged by the U.S. outside of the U.N. system.

"China's biggest worry now is that the U.S. will go back to unilateralism, or engage in small circle alliances," Li said. "When the U.S. strengthened its Indo-Pacific strategy, those alliances were all forged outside of the U.N. system."

"That's why Xi Jinping wants to focus on the U.N. and multilateralism."

Rising to the top

China has recently seen its nationals rise to the top job in four U.N. agencies: Qu Dongyu at the Food and Agriculture Association (FAO); Fang Liu at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); Zhao Houlin at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU); and Li Yong at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Chinese diplomat Duan Jielong also sits as one of 21 judges at the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the U.N.-affiliated agency that adjudicates in maritime disputes under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

In 2020, Beijing also made a failed bid to back a candidate in elections for the head of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), which has been sanctioned by the CCP for speaking out on its rights violations, warned in a 2020 report that China under Xi is "to rewrite norms and manipulate existing procedures not only to minimize scrutiny of the Chinese governments conduct, but also to achieve the same for all governments."

"Chinese authorities now extend domestic censorship to communities around the world, ranging from academia to diaspora communities to global businesses," the report said.

While Taiwan, using the Republic of China name, was expelled and replaced by Beijing, nothing in the resolution that expelled it said it couldn't participate, yet its participation has mostly been blocked by Beijing.

The Republic of China regime led by then dictator Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's communists, and the island has operated as a self-governing state bearing the Republic of China name ever since.

It has never been ruled by the CCP, nor formed part of the People's Republic of China, yet Beijing has repeatedly called for "unification," and threatened to annex the island, whose 23 million residents regard themselves as Taiwanese, and, having democratized in the 1990s, have no wish to live under China's authoritarian rule.

The U.S., which is obliged by its own laws to sell arms to Taiwan, had for decades appeared keen not to offend Beijing on the international stage.

But the Biden administration has continued to deepen the diplomatic engagement with Taipei that was begun under President Trump, with official contacts now allowed and increasingly supportive statements coming out of Washington.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
A North Korean woman works on a rice field during the harvest outside the North-Korean capital Pyongyang in this file photo.

North Koreans mobilized to bring in this years rice harvest in the absence of machinery and fuel are chafing at body searches conducted by officials to look for hidden grain, sources in the country told RFA.

Chronically short of fuel and equipment necessary to transport harvested rice from the fields to threshing sites, the government has drafted people to carry the grain on their backs, describing the backbreaking free labor as the rice sheaf transportation battle.

With North Korea facing severe food shortages that have caused starvation deaths, authorities are concerned that hungry conscript farm workers might be hiding grains of rice in their clothes.

After toiling in the fields all morning, the workers are body searched before they are allowed to return to their homes.

Residents have been helping the rice sheaf transportation battle at farms that have finished harvesting. They must move the rice sheaves from the paddies to the thresher, hundreds of meters away, said a resident of South Pyongan provinces Songchon county, near the capital Pyongyang.

The central committee has ordered that the harvest be completed in time so that not even a single grain is lost. This non-paid farmwork is being carried out from early morning until just before lunchtime, the source told RFAs Korean Service on condition of anonymity.

Mobilizing people for harvesting crops takes manpower away from family businesses that North Koreans rely on to survive in the face of paltry salaries from their government-assigned jobs.

It is absurd that the residents are unable to run their businesses and are made to work, the source said.

The residents resent sacrificing their time and labor for a government that does not trust them and are protesting the behavior of the search patrols, saying they are being treated as if they are criminals stealing grain, the source said.

The lack of fuel and equipment caused severe delays bringing in the harvest in nearby North Pyongan provinces Unsan county, so authorities there fully mobilized every single resident for the battle, a resident told RFA.

Residents can only go home after they finish transporting their assigned quota to the thresherthen the authorities rummage through their handbags as they leave, the second source said.

They are angry at the body searches and harshly complain about the absurd crackdown, saying, Just order us to carry the rice sheaves naked.

North Korea has been chronically short of food for decades, but the current food security crisis is a direct result of the decision by Pyongyang and Beijing to shut down their border and suspend all trade at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020.

The move devastated the North Korean economy, causing food prices to skyrocket without imports from China covering the gap between domestic food production and demand.

The UNs Food and Agriculture Organization projected in a recent report that North Korea would be short about 860,000 tons of food this year, about two months consumption. The UN World Food Program estimates that about 40% of North Koreas population is undernourished.

Following a steady drumbeat of warnings on food shortages, in mid-October, authorities told citizens to tighten their belts through at least 2025, warning them that the possibility of reopening border trade with China before that was very slim.

In April, authorities told the people to prepare for an economic situation worse than the Arduous March, the Korean name for the 1994-1998 famine that killed millions, or as many as 10 percent of the country, by some estimates.

In July, the ruling Workers Party ordered citizens to start growing their own food in anticipation of a food shortage that could last three years.

Reproted by Hyemin Son for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Claire Lee. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
A view of the banana plantation run by China's VS Company in Borikhan district, central Laos' Borikhamxay province, in an undated photo.

More than 500 workers have quit their jobs at a Chinese-run banana plantation in central Laos over onerous coronavirus restrictions, late pay, and exposure to hazardous chemicals, the laborers told RFA.

Growing bananas for export to China and Thailand is a major employer in rural Laos, with hundreds of hectares of Chinese-run plantations in northern and central provinces employing villagers in nurseries, planting, and harvesting, researchers say.

Workers earn about U.S. $100-200 a month, serving an industry that exported $200 million worth of bananas to China and Thailand from January to September, earning more money than other crop exports, the state-run Vientiane Times reported this month.

Plantation workers have long complained of harsh working hours and exposure to toxic chemicals, but the exodus of workers from the VS Companys plantation in Borikhamxay province in recent months stems from a host of complaints, the laborers said.

During the last several months, we have been under very strict rules. Many of us cant live like that. Thats why so many people quit, a laborer who walked off the job in September told RFA last week.

Among the rules that drove away workers were restrictions forbidding them from leaving the plantation, even to buy food. The policy, presented as a measure to prevent a coronavirus outbreak, forced the workers to buy food and other essentials from their employer at inflated prices, the worker said.

Its not like last year, he said. This year, we cant go out and buy food. Its difficult. The owner of the plantation wouldnt allow us to go outside.

The VS Companys received a concession from the Lao government in 2019 for the 500-hectare (1,236-acre) banana plantation. Most workers are from different provinces, and live in camps on the premises.

Only 80 laborers remain on the plantation out of at least 600 who were there in early 2020, said another plantation worker who still works with the VS Company.

The other 500 have quit, she said. The plantation wouldnt allow us to go outside to buy food or other necessities. The plantation wants us to buy food only from the Chinese store, where the food is much more expensive. Thats why so many people left.

Shoddy housing, pesticide exposure

Besides restricting workers movements, the manager have been paying workers late, she added, prompting many to quit.

The employer said that whoever leaves the premises will be fired, added the worker.

Another worker still on the plantation said that laborers live in shoddy housing and are exposed to hazardous chemicals which growers import from China even though they are banned in Laos.

Another reason why many of us have quit is that the living conditions here are not good, he said. Were exposed to a lot of chemicals, and our shelters are about to collapse.

Some workers exposed to chemicals develop skin diseases due to a lack of protective gear, and there are few inspections by government officials to ensure that plantation owners are not using banned pesticides and herbicides, workers told RFA in an earlier report.

A member of the management team at VS Company told RFA that the workers left the plantation because of a drop off in banana exports.

Now, the number of workers at the plantation is small because we cant export a much as before to China, said the manager, who declined to give his name. Thats why we dont have many workers anymore. Only the workers who take care of the plantation are staying.

An official from the Labor and Social Welfare Department in Borikhamxays Borikhan district told RFA that VS Company managers told inspectors that the restrictions were aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

To find out why so many workers at the plantation have quit, labor officials went there and had a discussion with the employer, who explained that COVID-19 is still widespread in the nearby community, he said.

To prevent an outbreak on the plantation, the employer doesnt want anybody to go outside, the official said.

The use of banned herbicides and pesticides also have forced many workers to walk out. Three years ago, the Lao government issued a law on control of chemical use, but the law has not been thoroughly enforced on the Chinese banana plantations.

Blessing or curse?

Two Lao workers at the VS Company plantation died earlier this year from what coworkers said were illnesses caused by exposure to banned insecticides and herbicides.

The company did not provide medical treatment for the men, who were coughing up blood, and failed to pay their families compensation for their deaths, said their colleague and a villager who lives near the plantation.

After these two deaths, all 500 workers on the plantation, both Lao and Chinese, were afraid and were more careful about the chemicals, said one coworker, adding that sprays are used to kill weeds and insects and to wash bananas.

At the time, a district official said that police and village authorities concluded that the deaths were from natural causes, but he added that he believed that they were caused by chemical exposure.

District authorities requested that the company provide better care for the workers and take them to the hospital if necessary, he said.

VS Company has violated several regulations under Laos labor law by not taking sick workers to a medical facility and paying for their treatment and by firing those who make a few minor mistakes, the district official said.

The district has warned the company many times before, he said, adding that manager had fired about 100 when they protested to demand payment of late wages.

But medical workers said they have not seen any signs that the company is heeding the labor departments requests.

We havent seen any banana plantation workers being treated at our hospital, said a staffer at the Borikhan district hospital.

Chinese-invested farming, mining, and development projects in Laos have been touted as a boon for development and employment in the impoverished nation. But the projects have sparked friction over environmental pollution, land taken without proper compensation, and harsh labor conditions.

China is Laos largest foreign investor and aid provider, and its second-largest trade partner after Thailand.

Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Max Avary. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Abduqadirjan Rozi won awards for his academic accomplishments and was upheld as a role model for Uyghur youths.

Uyghur doctoral student Abduqadirjan Rozi (2nd from L) receives an award from officials at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, southern China's Guangdong province, 2018.

A Uyghur doctoral student praised in the Chinese media and known in Xinjiang for academic achievements was arrested by authorities from the far-western region in April while attending university in Guangzhou, a source familiar with the situation and school officials told RFA.

Abduqadirjan Rozi, a 35-year-old a graduate management student at Sun Yat-sen University, won the 2015 National College Student English Competition in China and in 2018 was named the universitys student of the year and the Model Person of the Powerful New Generation.

He holds an advanced certificate in English from Cambridge International Business English and served as a judge for the Xinjiang division of the annual 21st Century Coca-Cola Cup National English-Speaking competition.

University officials visited Abduqadirjans family in Kashgar (in Chinese, Kashi) in January 2019 to thank them for raising such a talented individual, according to a report on the Chinese news website Sohu.

Despite the accolades, Abduqadirjan disappeared from social media and then from his community in April, according to a source with knowledge of the case.

The source made inquiries and learned that Abduqadirjan had been detained by police at Sun Yat-sen University and taken back to Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), he said.

I got the news of his arrest in late April, he said. I inquired about his situation later from different people and got the final news that he had, in fact, been arrested in April by national security from Urumqi.

When RFA contacted the universitys governing body at Guangdong provinces Department of Education, an official said she had no information about the incident.

According to Chinese media reports, one of the certificates awarded to the scholar described his professional and personal qualities as an example of both morals and competence, as well as self-confidence and idealism.

The plaque also praised his political ideals as contributing to the development and stability of Xinjiang and praised him as a bridge to national unity.

It is unknown why and where Abduqadirjan was arrested.

A university official contacted by RFA confirmed that Abduqadirjan was being detained.

Yes, what you heard is true, he said, but added that he did not have details about his arrest.

The official said he learned of the scholars arrest at an official school meeting when another employee told him that Abduqadirjan would no longer be coming to the university.

I heard about it in the school meeting, he said. We were told not to ask why he was arrested.

Chinese authorities have targeted and arrested numerous Uyghur intellectuals, businessmen, and cultural and religious figures in the XUAR for years as part of a campaign to monitor, control, and assimilate members of the minority group purportedly to prevent religious extremism and terrorist activities.

Many of them have been among the 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities believed to be held in a network of detention camps in Xinjiang since 2017. Beijing has said that the camps are vocational training centers and has denied widespread and documented allegations that it has mistreated Muslims living in Xinjiang.

Norway-based Uyghur Hjelp, a rights organization, has included Abduqadirjan in a database of hundreds of Uyghur intellectuals detained since he disappeared in April.

Abduqadirjans professors were not informed of his arrest until the start of the school semester in September, according to the rights group.

Abduqadirjan had written a scholarly paper on the contribution of tourism to Xinjiangs economic development, which was highly praised by authorities, according to Chinese news outlets. But it was not immediately clear if the article dealt with ethnic relations  a sensitive topic that would have landed him on authorities radar screen.

RFA has reported numerous cases in which successful Uyghur scholars, writers, and entrepreneurs win public and state media praise for their achievements, only to later be detained and branded two-faced Uyghurs, accused of paying lip service to Communist Party rule while secretly chafing against the repression of the 12 million members of the ethnic group.

Translated by the Uyghur Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Pham Doan Trang had written books criticizing Vietnams government and had spoken with Radio Free Asia and the BBC.

In a file photo, journalist Pham Doan Trang displays books she wrote that were banned by the Vietnamese government.

Award-winning Vietnamese journalist and rights activist Pham Doan Trang has been examined for health problems suffered in detention following appeals made to authorities by her defense team, her lawyer said in a posting on Facebook this week.

Arrested in October 2020, Trang has been charged under Article 88 of Vietnams 1999 Penal Code for disseminating anti-State propaganda according to an indictment made public on Oct. 18, more than a year after her arrest.

Authorities have now made two visits to examine Trang in prison, following petitions made by lawyers on Oct. 20 and 22 that she receive care for high blood pressure and other ailments, lawyer Le Van Luan wrote on Tuesday.

One examination revealed the presence of a small internal tumor, Luan added.

Trang, who has lost over 22 pounds in detention, also suffers from ovarian cysts and continuing pain in her legs, which were broken in an attack by police in 2015, Luan told RFA in an earlier report.

A scheduled trial date of Nov. 4 has now been postponed because prosecutors in the case are infected with COVID-19 and have been put under quarantine, Luan said.

No new date for the trial has been announced.

Author of a book on political engagement that angered authorities in Hanoi, Trang is a cofounder of Legal Initiatives for Vietnam, a California-based NGO that says its mission is "to build a democratic society in Vietnam through independent journalism, research, and education."

She also received the 2017 Homo Homini Award presented by the Czech human rights organization People in Need, and the Press Freedom Prize in 2019 from Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders.

More than 25 human rights groups called in a letter this week for Trangs release from jail, calling her continued detention pending trial part of an ongoing assault on freedom of expression in the one-party communist state.

The persecution of Doan Trang and other human rights defenders, including independent writers and journalists, is part of the worsening assault on the rights to freedom of expression and information in Vietnam, said the letters signers, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Reporters Without Borders.

The indictment against Trang also accuses her of speaking with two foreign media outlets, Radio Free Asia and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), to allegedly defame the government of Vietnam and fabricate news, the rights groups said.

Vietnams already low tolerance of dissent deteriorated sharply last year with a spate of arrests of independent journalists, publishers, and Facebook personalities as authorities continued to stifle critics in the run-up to the ruling Communist Party Congress in January. But arrests continue in 2021.

Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by An Nguyen. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has denounced the "arbitrary" suspension and disbarment of more than two dozen Belarusian lawyers amid an ongoing crackdown on civil society following last years disputed presidential election, saying the measures targeted lawyers who had publicly spoken out about human rights violations and defended clients in politically motivated cases.



At least 27 lawyers have been disbarred or suspended for speaking out against a wave of repression in Belarus, Anastasia Zlobina, assistant researcher for Europe and Central Asia at the New York-based watchdog, said in a statement on October 26.



Zlobina said the reprisals not only prevent lawyers from practicing their profession, but also undermine their clients right to legal counsel.



"In addition to the obstruction of their work, lawyers have faced personal harassment such as threats, arbitrary detention, raids, revoked licenses, and administrative and criminal charges," she noted.



The onslaught against the lawyers sends "a chilling message of intimidation to their colleagues," she said.



The condemnation comes after the Belarsian Collegium of Lawyers disbarred Natallya Matskevich, a lawyer known for having defended prominent political prisoners in Belarus, including jailed would-be presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka.



Babaryka was arrested in the runup to last year's August election. In July this year, the former banker was sentenced to 14 years in prison for alleged bribery and money laundering.

Matskevichs disbarment and the suspension earlier this month of Yauhen Pylchenka, another lawyer who also represented Babaryka, came soon after they had filed an appeal in Babarykas case.



The lawyers' colleagues rejected these sanctions as "absurd" and based on "ridiculous" allegations.



Belarus was engulfed by protests last year after strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka secured a sixth consecutive term in a vote the opposition and the West say was rigged.



In response, the government has cracked down hard on the pro-democracy movement, arresting thousands of people and pushing most of the top opposition figures out of the country.



Lukashenka, who has run the country since 1994, has denied any wrongdoing in the election and has refused to negotiate with the opposition on stepping down and holding new elections.



The European Union, the United States, Canada, and other countries have refused to recognize Lukashenka as Belarus's legitimate leader and have imposed sanctions on him and several senior Belarusian officials in response to the "falsification" of the vote and the postelection crackdown.
BELGRADE -- Against the backdrop of Beijings efforts to build influence in Serbia, the Chinese technology giant Huawei signed secret deals with people close to the countrys state-owned telecommunications company to allegedly win contracts, leaked documents show.



The first of those Serbian contracts was signed in 2007, the last one in January 2014, and they coincide with a period when Huawei was setting up its early business links in Serbia until the Chinese company became one of state-owned Telekom Srbijas most important partners -- inking a $174 million (150 million euros) deal in 2016 to upgrade the countrys telecommunications infrastructure.



The shadowy payments made through offshore companies were revealed on October 25 as part of the Pandora Papers, a leak of nearly 12 million documents from 14 offshore service providers that were procured by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and reported by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and the Serbian-based Crime and Corruption Investigation Network (KRIK).



"I think this is the first time that we have discovered a system that shows how a large Chinese company operates in Serbia," Vesna Radojevic, a journalist with KRIK and one of the authors of the investigation, told RFE/RL.

The documents show secret offshore payments made to Igor Jecl, a former executive for Telekom Srbija, worth $1.4 million in contracts, loans, and consulting fees, as well as an apartment from an offshore company that was given by Huawei for consultancy, which financial experts told OCCRP raises red flags for corruption.



The Pandora Papers leak also shows that at least $1.16 million (1 million euros) went into offshore companies owned by Jecl and Milorad Ignjacevic, a prominent Serbian lawyer who had business ties to Telekom Srbija.

If you have consulting jobs from Serbia, then what's the problem with doing business from Serbia? Why would you have to hide in the British Virgin Islands or Panama?"

According to the documents, Jecl was asked to assist Huawei in obtaining approvals and licenses, and invite the customer (Telekom Srbija) to make payments to Huawei in a timely and prompt manner.



Vuk Vuksanovic, a researcher at the Belgrade Center for Security Policy, told RFE/RL that while corruption in the Balkans is not unique to Chinese firms, this episode shows that corrupt practices are one of the reasons why local elites are frequently receptive to Chinese projects.

Huawei, Pandora Leak In Serbia

Although the OCCRP and KRIK report did not uncover explicit evidence of impropriety, analysts told RFE/RL that the offshore network and leaked documents offer insight into how Chinese companies gain influence in the Balkan nation through potentially corrupt business and political networks.



Stefan Vladisavljev, an analyst at the Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence, told RFE/RL that while a great deal of attention has been paid to Chinese activities and investments in Serbia, this case represents a rare example of evidence showing how influence is won.



Chinese projects in Serbia have often faced questions because of a lack of transparency and not following procedures that would be in line with the competitive rules of the open market, Vladisavljev said. This is a clear sign that those concerns have not been without reason.

In response to the implications of the Pandora Papers leak, a Telekom Srbija spokesperson told RFE/RL that it would take "all necessary actions" regarding the allegations made against it in connection to Huawei.



"Telekom Srbija operates in accordance with the law and according to the highest corporate standards. In this regard, we will take all necessary legal actions in cooperation with the competent authorities as soon as possible," the spokesperson said.

In Serbia -- where Beijing enjoys a close relationship with President Aleksandar Vucic and has been steadily deepening its ties over the last two decades -- growing cooperation with Chinese companies continues unabated.

Vucic has cemented relations with Beijing during his tenure, cooperating on infrastructure, tourism, and technology projects that have brought in more than $10 billion in foreign direct investment since 2005. Serbia is part of China's Belt and Road Initiative and one of the main cheerleaders of building strong ties with Beijing across Central and Eastern Europe.



Huawei is a giant of the global tech industry. While a U.S.-led sanctions and diplomatic campaign has recently cut into its market share, the Chinese firm is still the world's largest provider of telecommunications equipment and a leader in next-generation 5G technology.



The United States and other countries claim Huawei threatens their national security, saying the company is beholden to the Chinese government and could be used for espionage. Huawei has denied those accusations.

In Serbia, Huaweis mobile phones are widely available with all operators in the country and the firm is involved in developing the countrys 5G networks and surveillance systems as part of a Chinese-backed smart city initiative.



In response to questions from RFE/RL, a statement provided from Huawei said the company has always respected international and local laws, as well as the business ethics of the countries in which it operates. It added that all employees in the company must comply with local laws and regulations.



When asked about Jecl and the contracts with Huawei connected to offshore entities, the Chinese company told RFE/RL that they do not have such information in their files.



Jecl's whereabouts are unknown. Repeated attempts by OCCRP to reach him for comment -- both directly and through businesses connected to his name -- received no reply. Records show he no longer appears to maintain an address in Serbia and his company registered in the British Virgin Islands has been closed. Attempts by RFE/RL to reach Jecl were also unsuccessful.

Beijing, Belgrade, And Unanswered Questions

The payments revealed by the OCCRP and KRIK report overlap with Huaweis global rise and push into the European marketplace.



According to documents, one offshore company that was set up was supposed to work on behalf of the Chinese firm in both Serbia and Montenegro. Jecl's stated role was to work as a type of lobbyist to foster connections to the business and political elite and to "establish good relations with telecommunication operators in Serbia and Montenegro, but also with government representatives."

Additionally, Huawei was supposed to receive assistance in obtaining the necessary permits to operate in Serbia and help in fulfilling "the obligations from the contract that Huawei and [the telecommunications operator] will sign.



Its important that it all went offshore," Radojevic said. "If you have consulting jobs from Serbia, then what's the problem with doing business from Serbia? Why would you have to hide in the British Virgin Islands or Panama? For Huawei and for the people we reported on, the other question is whether there were actually any consulting jobs at all and what these signed agreements actually mean.



While the last leaked contract dates to early 2014, Jecl continued to file invoices through offshore companies into 2016.



Radojevic says this connects with Huaweis growth in Serbia, having signed a contract to develop Internet television for Telekom Srbija in 2014 and a larger deal to upgrade the companys telecom infrastructure in 2016.



"The last invoices are from 2016, and that is why we connected it with this great expansion of Huawei in Serbia from 2014 and 2016, when they got big deals, said Radojevic. It is up to Telekom Srbija itself, but also the Serbian prosecutor's office, to investigate what actually happened and what is behind these agreements.

Written by Reid Standish in Prague based on reporting by Iva Martinovic in Belgrade.
TBILISI -- As Mikheil Saakashvili's hunger strike in a Georgian prison nears the one-month mark, authorities in the Black Sea nation are flummoxed by what to do with the stubbornly defiant ex-president as his health deteriorates.



A public tug-of-war has broken out between doctors and government officials over possible hospitalization for the 53-year-old leader of Georgia's 2003 Rose Revolution, who has warned that he is "ready to die" if he is not released.



A team of physicians and other medical experts, including Saakashvili's personal doctor, emerged from an examination on October 19 warning of potentially irreversible damage to his health and urging authorities to relocate him to a fully equipped hospital.



Georgia's justice minister responded by saying a prison infirmary could provide adequate care.



According to his lawyers, Saakashvili, who is not eating food but drinking water, has refused to be moved to a prison hospital.



"Clearly, each passing day is more dangerous than the previous one," Zurab Paghava, a doctor who examined Saakashvili along with the rest of a team of medical experts on October 19 and again on October 23, told RFE/RL's Georgian Service this week.

Paghava, a cardiologist, said the group was unanimous in its conclusion that Saakashvili should be sent to a so-called "Category C" hospital.



"There was no difference of opinion among the members of the council on this issue," he said, adding, "What happened then, I can't tell you."



Paghava has since resigned from the team, citing his own health.



From Leader To Gadfly



Tens of thousands of supporters have demonstrated for Saakashvili's release, and hundreds of supporters have showed up outside the prison facility in Rustavi, in southeastern Georgia, where Saakashvili is being held.



A former lawyer, Saakashvili became a symbol of postcommunist and democratic reform after helping to expunge former Soviet elites in the 2003 revolution and steering widely lauded economic reforms over the next decade.



His popularity slipped amid backbiting and a disastrous five-day war with Russia over two breakaway Georgian regions in 2008.

Saakashvili faces six years in prison over a conviction in absentia on abuse-of-office and other charges that he dismisses as politically motivated. The accusations arose after he and his former party allies lost elections to the Georgian Dream party of billionaire businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili in 2012-13. More charges purportedly stemming from Saakashvili's two terms as president are said to be pending.

Since fleeing Tbilisi in 2013, Saakashvili has been a constant gadfly for Georgian Dream, punctuated by Georgia's withdrawal of the ex-president's citizenship in 2015 after he took a job in exile for the Ukrainian government.



'Ready To Die'



While Saakashvili has become known for his sometimes dramatic antics, his prison hunger strike risks permanent harm to his own health and possible long-lasting damage to Georgia's political reputation.



Saakashvili declared his fast following his detention on October 1 after announcing his plan to return and sneaking into the country -- reportedly in a dairy truck -- to support the opposition in local elections the following day.



Government officials initially rejected reports that Saakashvili was even in Georgia.



One of Tbilisi's major backers, the United States, has said it is following the case "very closely" and urged Georgian authorities "to ensure that Mr. Saakashvili is afforded fair treatment in accordance with Georgian law, and Georgia's international human rights commitments and obligations."



On October 20, Saakashvili's lawyer shared a letter in which he said he was "ready to die" but consented to medical care in order to "preserve my consciousness and ability to work to the end."

But after visiting her son in prison on October 27, Saakashvili's mother, Giuli Alasania, said that he'd changed his mind and is now refusing medical care or resuscitation because prison officials are denying him his right to confidential counsel with lawyers.



"I communicated with him just now, but there is a window between us and we don't have a direct connection," the 74-year-old Alasania said as she left the Rustavi penitentiary where Saakashvili is being kept. "As I understand it, lawyers should have such a [direct] connection as well. This is impossible because the connection with the lawyer should be confidential. How can they do this?"



Saakashvili's doctor and lawyers say he has an underlying blood condition that risks exacerbating the effects of his hunger strike.



The ex-president's doctor, Nikoloz Kipshidze, said Saakashvili was given a blood transfusion on October 22 after a worrying indicator in a blood test. Kipshidze said the procedure "stabilized" Saakashvili's condition but he urged authorities to move him to a civilian hospital because a recurrence "would be difficult to cope with...in a prison hospital."



Finding The Right Hospital



Justice Minister Rati Bregadze said that, if hospitalization were required, Saakashvili would be sent to the N18 penitentiary hospital in Gldani, a district in Tbilisi.



But the office of Georgia's Public Defender, an ombudsman, inspected that facility on October 24 and concluded that it was underequipped and unsuitable for a prisoner in Saakashvili's situation.

"There's an error in the equation," Deputy Public Defender Giorgi Burjanadze told RFE/RL's Georgian Service. "The doctors' recommendations can't be followed in the prison hospital."



Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze vowed that authorities would reinspect the N18 infirmary to assess the level of care it can provide.



The medical team concluded after visiting Saakashvili that his case could require magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT scans, ultrasounds, and a list of laboratory services and specialists on-site.



But Burjanadze told RFE/RL that N18 was unequipped for so-called duplex ultrasounds, which specifically target blood flow, and that medical staff there who were questioned by inspectors were unaware of whether they even had a resuscitator on the premises.



"'It's planned in the coming days' -- that's how they answered," Burjanadze said.



Wavering Support



Saakashvili is a polarizing figure on a political landscape marked by oversize personalities and bitter personal squabbles.



But the eight-year rule of Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream since Saakashvili's ouster has coincided with mounting Western fears of democratic backsliding in Tbilisi.



Major street protests and a parliamentary boycott that required EU mediation followed last year's elections, and the arrest of an opposition leader earlier this year prompted Georgian Dream's own prime minister to resign in outrage.



Georgian Dream outperformed the opposition in that vote, garnering nearly 47 percent overall, but many mayoral and other races -- including in the capital, Tbilisi -- are headed for runoffs on October 30.



It's unclear how much public support Saakashvili still enjoys after years in exile.

His former United National Movement (UNM) won nearly 31 percent of the vote on October 2. And many supporters of the man affectionately known as "Misha" regard him as a political prisoner.



A number of residents told Current Time TV during an informal poll in Tbilisi last week that they thought Saakashvili was being persecuted for his politics.



"But in general, it's a shame that the president is in jail in Georgia today -- a big shame. And this is very bad for the prestige, in general, of our country," one man said.



He added that such things -- including Saakashvili's pledge to remain active in Georgia's politics -- are better left up to the voters.



"Whether he will return or not, it is up to him to decide and the people to choose. Whatever choice people make, so be it."



Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has said that Saakashvili will serve his entire six-year sentence in prison. New national elections are expected in Georgia for the parliament and the presidency in 2024.

Written in Prague by Andy Heil based on interviews by RFE/RL Georgian Service correspondent Eka Kevanishvili and Current Time TV correspondent Zviad Mchedlishvili in Tbilisi.
Iran has agreed to resume talks next month with world powers aimed at reviving the moribund 2015 nuclear deal, its top nuclear negotiator said following talks in Brussels.



"We agree to start negotiations before the end of November. The exact date will be announced in the course of the next week," Ali Bagheri wrote on Twitter after meeting with EU envoy Enrique Mora in the Belgian capital on October 27.



A State Department spokesperson said Washington was prepared" to return to Vienna for indirect negotiations with Tehran. "We believe it remains possible to quickly reach and implement an understanding on return to mutual full compliance, the spokesperson said.



The other participants in the negotiations did not immediately comment.

The EU and world powers have been struggling to revive the talks, which have been on hold since Irans presidential election in June that brought hard-liner Ebrahim Raisi to power.



Former President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the international accord in 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions, despite Iran's compliance with the deal. In response, Tehran has gradually breached limits imposed by the pact, including on uranium enrichment, refining it to higher purity, and installing advanced centrifuges.



President Joe Biden came to office offering to revive the deal, but six rounds of indirect talks with Iran in Vienna that began in April failed to reach agreement.



The main sticking points center around Tehran's demand for a broad lifting of U.S. sanctions and technical nuclear details about how Tehran will return to compliance.

In recent months, there have been repeated delays in reviving the talks as EU mediators and Iran discussed the terms of a return to negotiations.

Last week EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said time is pressing in getting the talks going again, adding that the new government in Tehran had had enough time to prepare.



U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley told reporters on October 25 that Washington has become increasingly worried that Tehran would keep delaying a return to the talks.



Malley, fresh off a weeklong trip to European and Gulf Arab nations, said Iran may be engaging in delaying tactics to allow more time to advance its nuclear program.



"We're in a critical phase of the efforts to see whether we can revive the JCPOA," Malley said, referring to the deal formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. "We've had a hiatus of many months and the official reasons given by Iran for why we're in this hiatus are wearing very thin."

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
An 84-year-old Iranian-American who has been detained in Iran for more than five years has undergone surgery to clear a blockage in an artery to his brain, his lawyer said on October 26.



The surgery on Baquer Namazi took place in a hospital in Iran three weeks after the United States called on Iran to allow Namazi to travel to the United States for medical care and to be with his family.



Today, Baquer Namazi was forced to undergo surgery in Iran to clear life-threatening blockage in the arteries to his brain," attorney Jared Genser said on Twitter. "Though I celebrate the surgery's success, I continue to call on Iran to allow Baquer travel abroad, where he can recover safely.



Namazi is expected to remain in the intensive care unit for two more days and then be transferred to a general recovery ward before being released, Genser said in a statement, describing Namazi as awake but groggy.



Genser said that although the family was grateful that the operation went well, they still have dire concerns about the quality of care available in Iran and the threat of exposure to COVID-19.



He reiterated his demand that Iran permit Namazi to leave the country immediately so that he can receive care most conducive to a successful recovery and reunite with his family after nearly six years.



Earlier this month, U.S. envoy for Iran Robert Malley called on Iran to allow Namazi to travel. Namazis son Babak Namazi also appealed for his fathers release, begging Iran to let him spend whatever small amount of time he has left with his family.



Namazi, a former UNICEF official, was detained in 2016 when he traveled to Tehran to try to win the release of another son, Siamak Namazi, a businessman arrested in Iran months earlier.



Both Baquer and Siamak Namazi were sentenced to 10 years in prison on what the United States and United Nations say were trumped-up spying charges.



An Iranian court early last year commuted Baquer Namazi's sentence, but his lawyers said authorities have refused to issue the dual U.S.-Iranian an Iranian passport, which he needs to leave the country because Iran does not recognize dual nationality.

Genser submitted a brief earlier this month to the United Nations saying Iran's actions violated Namazi's rights.



Siamak Namazi, 50, is still serving the sentence for alleged collaboration with a hostile government. His family strenuously denies the charges and says he was harshly interrogated about his past connections with U.S. institutions.



The United States and Iran have had no diplomatic relations since the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

With reporting by AP and AFP
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov surprised many at a recent press conference in Bishkek by proposing a land swap with Tajikistan to help resolve a long-standing border dispute.



But it was an offer that Tajikistan could easily refuse -- and the Kyrgyz leader's proposal may have led to increased tensions along an already tense border.



The Kyrgyz-Tajik border -- which meanders through the Pamir Mountains for some 970 kilometers -- didn't really exist until about a century ago.



It has been difficult to demarcate because over the course of some 100 years Soviet mapmakers drew and redrew the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, incorporating land that had traditionally belonged to one people in the territory of the other Soviet republic.



Exclaves appeared and temporary land use agreements were signed.



All of this survived the collapse of the U.S.S.R. and people in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have various Soviet-era maps they use to justify their claim to specific areas along the border.



Only slightly more than half of the frontier has been demarcated, leading to conflicts between rival ethnic communities.



In April, Kyrgyz and Tajik soldiers got involved in a cross-border conflict, with 55 people perishing and hundreds being injured.

It was the first time since the five Central Asian states became independent after the collapse of the Soviet Union in late 1991 that the armies of two of the region's countries had fought each other.



At his October 23 press conference, Japarov spoke about 275 meters of land that was recognized as Tajik land in a 2009 agreement that also provided for Kyrgyzstan to lease that land for 49 years, saying the land belongs to Kyrgyzstan and he does not accept the 2009 agreement.



The person on the Kyrgyz side who signed that document was Adakhan Madumarov, a long-time politician who in 2009 was the head of Kyrgyzstans security council. More recently, Madumarov ran against Japarov in the presidential election in January 2021.



Madumarov responded that the document was a nonbinding agreement and that discussions on the matter were to be continued.



But Japarov said the Tajik side is insisting in talks that the agreement is valid and that land was transferred to Tajikistan in 1924 when it became the Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.



I answered that, if that is so, in 1924 we handed over Murghab to you, some 3 million hectares. Why dont you return it to us?



Japarov said the Tajik side rejected his proposal.



There was really no way Tajikistan could agree to it.

A Small But Significant Town



Besides the huge amount of land involved, the small town of Murghab, with a population of some 16,000, is the largest settlement in northeastern Tajikistan.



Murghab is in Tajikistans Gorno-Badakhshan region and a road runs through the town that goes north to Osh in Kyrgyzstan, and south to Khorugh, the capital of Gorno-Badakhshan.



That road is one of only two roads that connect Khorugh to the rest of Tajikistan.



However, the larger region around the town of Murghab going north and northwest has been home to many ethnic Kyrgyz for centuries.



The Tajik government has not made any official response to Japarovs remarks so far, but the Democratic Party of Tajikistan released a statement on October 26 saying that, since the formation of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic, Murghab has been part of Tajikistans territory.



Party leader Saidjafar Usmonzoda told RFE/RLs Tajik Service, known locally as Ozodi, that Japarovs statement on Murghab amounted to pressure on Tajikistan in the negotiations on delimitation and demarcation of the state border.



The comment on returning Murghab received a lot of attention on social media in Tajikistan, much of it predictably negative.

Sherali Rizoyon is a Tajik political commentator who has written extensively about the problems along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.



In an October 25 post, Rizoyon, unsurprisingly, sided with Tajik authorities in their interpretation of where the border is, writing that the land Kyrgyzstan is leasing for 49 years never belonged to Kyrgyzstan.



Rizoyon took issue with Japarovs statement about scrapping the 2009 agreement, calling it irresponsible.



Rizoyon said that, if Japarov intends to cancel the 2009 deal unilaterally, Tajikistan will be able to rescind all agreements that do not comply with its national interests.

Access Issues



Access to farmland and water has increasingly been a problem between the communities along the border and the deadly conflict in April was sparked by an attempt to put monitoring equipment at a small water reservoir used by both countries.



On March 26, barely one month before that deadly fighting, the head of Kyrgyzstans State Committee for National Security, Kamchybek Tashiev, proposed that Tajikistan trade its Vorukh exclave for Kyrgyz land.



That prompted Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to make a rare visit to Vorukh on April 7 where he said there had not been and never would be any discussion of transferring the exclave to Kyrgyzstan.

That set the stage for what happened three weeks later.



Japarov said on October 23 that, prior to April 2021, his government had been focusing on talks about border demarcation with Uzbekistan, which has been moving rapidly since Shavkat Mirziyoev became Uzbekistans leader in 2016.



After [negotiations with Uzbekistan] we planned to take up matters concerning the border with Tajikistan, Japarov said. Before that I had not studied the documents on the border with Tajikistan.

Unfortunate Remarks



Japarovs remarks about Murghab were unfortunate, as they overshadowed some positive recent developments in relations with Tajikistan.



After the conflict in late April, the Kyrgyz-Tajik working group on border issues resumed work.

After the group met in July, they announced the demarcation of an additional 48 kilometers of the border and said they were close to an agreement on 25 more hectares of land.



The working group has been meeting monthly since the April conflict after a halt in talks in recent years.



And in another measure aimed at building better ties between the two countries, Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov said on October 21 that his country would allow nearly 2,000 Tajik students to return to Kyrgyz universities.



Tajik citizens had been largely unable to enter Kyrgyzstan since the April events.



Many, even in Tajikistan, believe Japarovs remarks were simply more of his populist rhetoric and an attempt to marginalize Madumarov, something of a political opponent of his.



But all the same, the talk of handing over Murghab is being taken seriously by some in Tajikistan and it will not help promote the de-escalation of tensions along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.

RFE/RLs Kyrgyz and Tajik services contributed to this report
The European Union says it will provide Moldova with 60 million euros ($70 million) to help the country manage its natural gas crisis triggered by Chisinau's failure to agree on a new energy deal with traditional supplier Russia.



The announcement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on October 27 comes after Moldova bought a million cubic meters of natural gas from Poland earlier this week.



The government said it was the first purchase of gas from alternative sources in the history of independent Moldova.



The country sandwiched between EU member Romania and Ukraine declared a state of emergency last week after its gas contract with Russias state-controlled Gazprom, the largest supplier of natural gas to Europe, expired at the end of last month, and the two sides failed to agree on details of a new long-term deal.



Gazprom has extended the contract to the end of October, while slashing its gas supply by about a third and raising the price to $790 per cubic meter from $550 last month. The government in Chisinau says it will continue talks with Gazprom and seek a "fair" price.

Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita has blamed Moldovagaz, whose main shareholder is Gazprom, for not supplying the required volume of gas -- an accusation rejected by the company.



Gavrilita, who is in Brussels for an EU-Moldova Association Council meeting on October 28, thanked von der Leyen for the EUs show of solidarity. The 60 million euros is in the form of a grant, not a loan.



Some experts say Moscow has boosted prices to retaliate against Moldova after the country elected pro-Western President Maia Sandu last year.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on October 27 that talks with Moldova's government on gas prices were "exclusively commercial."



"There is no politicization here and there cannot be," he said.



The country of 2.6 million people consumes 2.8 billion cubic meters of gas per year.



Moldovas energy crisis comes as natural gas prices across Europe and other parts of the world have soared to record levels in recent weeks amid a global supply crunch.
A Moscow trade show pitching glitzy funeral options takes on grim significance as hundreds of Russians die each day from COVID-19.

Actors simulate a mourning ceremony at Moscow's NECROPOLIS-TANEXPO, a funeral industry trade fair that is scheduled to run from October 26-28.

The exhibition is a joint project of the Russian NECROPOL trade fair and the Italian TANEXPO. The annual events are the largest of their kind and showcase the latest trends in European and Russian funerals.

Events at the expo include an embalming class, a lesson on "ritual floristry," and a class dedicated to the legal complexities of funeral management.

Oksana Zhavoronko, the project manager for the Russian NECROPOLIS expo, told RFE/RL that the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a surge in interest in the funeral industry. "More people have come to appreciate our profession," she says, "because in these past two years death has come to so many people."

After a steady decline in mortality rates since the 2000s, Russia -- like many other countries -- saw a sharp uptick in death rates in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic took its grim toll. That trend appears likely to continue. On October 27, the country reported a record 1,123 COVID-19 deaths over the past 24 hours.

Zhavoronko says around 1,000 people visited the exhibition on October 26. Those who visited were overwhelmingly professionals in the funeral industry, although "some artists and other people came to see the fashion show of the mourning dresses."

Zhavoronko confirmed that unusual, funeral-specific clothing such as this headpiece is worn by some mourners.

The NECROPOL exhibition's website states: "Today we are on the verge of a new understanding of the philosophy of death," adding that since the first such trade fair in 1993, the organizers have aimed to "change attitudes in society, to show that death should be as beautiful as the birth of a child."
On October 30, 1961, the Soviet Union tested the largest nuclear device ever created. The "Tsar Bomba," as it became known, was 10 times more powerful than all the munitions used during World War II. While its original purpose was to prove to the world, and especially to the United States, that the Soviet Union was capable of producing such devices, it also brought a surprising twist to the future testing of nukes. The Military Race Is On At the beginning of the 1960s, the relationship between the Soviet Union and the United States was tense -- the countries were in the middle of the Cold War, struggling for geopolitical, ideological, and military dominance. The United States had already tested the world's first hydrogen bomb -- called "Mike" -- in 1952 and their biggest nuclear device -- called "Castle Bravo" -- in 1954. The Soviet Union was also working on developing a hydrogen bomb and managed to detonate its first true one in 1955. But that was just the beginning. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev was keen to show off the U.S.S.R.'s military prowess, so he ordered the creation of the most powerful bomb ever made. Who Was Who In Creating The 'Tsar Bomba'?

How Does A Hydrogen Bomb Work? The Tsar Bomba was a hydrogen aerial bomb, also known as a thermonuclear weapon, which is usually described as a more advanced and powerful version of an atomic bomb. While atomic bombs use either uranium or plutonium in most cases, hydrogen bombs also need additional isotopes of hydrogen, called deuterium and tritium. The reaction that causes the explosion is also different. Atomic bombs rely on fission -- a process of compressing the core of uranium or plutonium, splitting it into parts, and therefore releasing a huge amount of energy. On the other hand, hydrogen bombs use not only the energy from fission but also secondary fusion, which makes the explosion much stronger. Specifications of various hydrogen bombs vary. For example, Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, a member of the Soviet nuclear weapons program, came up with a design called "sloika" (layer cake). This method used alternating layers of deuterium (an isotope of hydrogen) and uranium. It was a major contribution to the development of the hydrogen bomb in the Soviet Union.

What Did The Most Powerful Bomb Look Like? The Tsar Bomba was given many technical names, such as Project 27000, Product Code 202, and RDS-220. It was 8 meters long, its diameter was about 2 meters, and it weighed roughly 25 tons. Its proportions made it very challenging to handle. It was so large that it couldn't be loaded on any plane that the Soviet Union had at that time.

Originally, the bomb was supposed to yield up to 100 megatons, but scientists were concerned about radioactive fallout and potential effects on human health. That's why they eventually decided to use three layers of lead (instead of three uranium layers) and halve the explosion. Tsar Bomba Scheme

The Day Of The Explosion On October 30, 1961, a Tupolev Tu-95 plane started its journey from the Olenya airfield on the Kola Peninsula. Although it was the largest plane in the Soviet fleet, it had never carried such a heavy weapon and had to be modified. Nonetheless, the bomb would not fit inside the plane and had to be placed underneath it. In order to reflect the heat caused by the blast, the plane was painted bright white. Its pilot, Major Andrei Durnovtsev, climbed to 10 kilometers above the ground and flew toward the Matochkin Strait at Novaya Zemlya. He was accompanied by another plane, a Tu-16 bomber, which was supposed to film the blast.

The Tsar Bomba was dropped above the Arctic archipelago of Novaya Zemlya. To give the planes some time to escape the scene, the bomb was equipped with a parachute that was supposed to slow down its fall and make sure the bomb exploded at 4,000 meters. Despite all of the precautions, the survival rate of the crew was calculated at about 50 percent.

At 11:32 a.m. Moscow time, the bomb exploded. It created a fireball about 8 kilometers wide and the flash could be seen from 1,000 kilometers away. All buildings within 55 kilometers of the test site at Sukhoy Nos were completely destroyed; windows within hundreds of kilometers were broken. The shock wave generated after the blast traveled three times around the Earth. It also made the Tu-95 plane drop about 1,000 meters, but the pilot later managed to regain control and landed safely.

The explosion produced about 57,000 kilotons of energy. In comparison, the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II were equivalent to 15 and 21 kilotons, respectively. The largest nuclear device tested by the United States was 15,000 kilotons. The bomb's mushroom cloud climbed to 60 to 70 kilometers above the ground. Luckily, the fireball didn't make contact with the Earth, and therefore the level of radiation was relatively small, compared to the size of the bomb. According to some sources, however, radioactive fallout was measured across Scandinavia. Comparison Of Mushroom Cloud Heights Selected detonations, in kilometers

What Happened Next? After the Tsar Bomba had been tested in 1961, nuclear tests continued and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev even ordered the detonation of another megaton bomb just a few months later. The following year, the testing reached its peak when a total of 79 nuclear bombs were detonated. However, efforts to end the atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons were also on the rise. Nuclear Tests By Country (Atmospheric and underground)

In 1963, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union signed the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which prohibited tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater. The deal was later opened to other countries as well. From that point onward, nuclear tests were conducted underground. Nuclear Test Sites (Sites with the highest number of tests included)
In a talk with Saigon Investment, Mr. DANG MANH PHUOC, Director of Outbox Consulting, a research and development consultation company for tourism, said that after the fourth wave of the pandemic it is being seen that the revival of tourism in Vietnam will need a massive support from the State, if it has to get back once again on its feet.

JOURNALIST: - Sir, when tourism activities resume again, what difficulties and challenges will businesses face?

Mr. DANG MANH PHUC: - First of all, the market recovery picture for tourism is still very much blurred. This fourth wave of the pandemic has been very much different from previous times, as it directly hit Ho Chi Minh City which is a major economic center of the country and also a major domestic market center. The lockdown conditions greatly affected the purchasing power of tourists. We will need more time for the recovery process, as first the economic recovery in general will have to take place, then we can discuss in more detail the resilience of the tourism industry in particular.

The second difficulty that businesses face is in the services sector. After two years of being under the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic, human resources within enterprises have fallen drastically, and in order to recover, businesses need time to recruit and retrain new staff and workers. In addition, another difficulty that is also being mentioned a lot by businesses is financial resources. The last four outbreaks of the Covid-19 pandemic have exhausted tourism businesses, and now, these businesses need financial support to recover and operate once again.

Certainly, there are many difficulties facing businesses this time, but from a positive angle, there are also some optimistic points for them. After nearly two years of dealing with four outbreaks of the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses have more experience. Vietnamese enterprises are well versed in dealing with drastic situations, and will certainly operate very efficiently in future. In addition, the businesses that still exist and continue to operate after this fourth wave of the pandemic will be those businesses that are very resilient and capable, and will also be the ones who will help in pulling the tourism industry out of its current state of hibernation.

More importantly, based on observation of the current tourist market, Vietnamese tourists are being seen as quite optimistic, and having a positive reaction after the crisis. This we saw in all the three first waves of the pandemic. Of course, this fourth wave will take more time to fully passing, but businesses can remain confident in the recovery of the domestic tourism market.

- Sir, the pandemic must have changed the psychology of tourists, and their choice of destinations must also have changed a lot. So how should businesses and localities adapt to this change? Should we launch stimulus programs like we did after the previous three outbreaks of the pandemic?

- Currently, Outbox Consulting is supporting the General Department of Tourism, to conduct an overall study on assessing the change in behavior and thinking of domestic tourists when traveling under the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, and we will release the results by the end of November.

However, initially it has been noticed that tourists have changed quite a lot in their attitudes, so in coming time businesses as well as localities will also need to change. We cannot serve what we have in the past, but we have to serve what the customer needs under the present circumstances. The customer is the core product of the tourism industry, and we must understand what the customer likes, and worry about providing suitable solutions. As I said, the recovery of the market is still difficult to predict, so businesses should focus on core competencies and target markets rather than spreading out thin in many directions.

The stimulus programs at the moment, in my opinion, are not appropriate. Since last year, after three outbreaks of the pandemic, the tourism industry has talked a lot about stimulus. However, with the differences in this fourth wave of the pandemic, we need an overall national program for recovery both domestically and internationally. Looking at countries in the region like Thailand or Singapore, what we lack is a national program. After each outbreak of disease, what we usually do is launch a time based program. During four waves of the pandemic, we not only lost customers but also lost a lot of things associated with tourism. Now it is necessary to restore businesses, brand images, and communication, with detailed and long-term plans.

- Sir, in addition to restoring the domestic market, this November the tourism industry will also pilot international visitors in Phu Quoc island. What should we do to not miss the opportunity to welcome international guests?

- Compared to other countries in the region like Thailand, this time we have some weaknesses that are even weaker in piloting international arrivals. The first is about the destination brand. We chose Phu Quoc island, a beautiful destination in the eyes of the Vietnamese people, but compared to Phuket in Thailand, we are no match. Secondly, in terms of technology, we are also weaker than other countries in this sector. However, Vietnam will have to do its best for this international opening. At this point, we must not fail because it will cause severe and heavy losses. Vietnam needs a detailed and comprehensive scenario for the plan to welcome international visitors.

A little while ago, there was information that in June 2022, Vietnam could fully open to international tourists, but then the General Department of Tourism denied this information. This makes businesses disappointed because international customers are very different from domestic customers. They are not waiting for us to open the door to enter, and it takes six months to one year for us to draw up welcome plans. The information up to this point I have received is quite general. We are expected to welcome a certain number of visitors to Phu Quoc island, but where those guests come from, how to welcome them, and what the media message is, is not clear. There must also be response scenarios because we cannot expect to welcome guests without a plan, and know how to handle this situation, so as not to cause a bad experience for our visitors.

-Thank you very much.

Thanh Dung
Saying that privatizing the Escondido library would amount to an evasion of civic responsibility, a rising tide of Escondido residents and city employees appear to be bracing for a major fight over the idea.

Several said this week they plan to inundate local newspapers with letters to the editor, aggressively post opposition to the proposal on social media, and overwhelm future City Council meetings with speakers

City officials announced several weeks ago that theyre seriously considering outsourcing library operations to a private firm based in Maryland, as a way to save money. A study has been in the works since then, and the early numbers are encouraging, City Manager Jeff Epp said this week.

The financial analysis is nearly done, but is not yet completed, said Epp. It is looking like the city will save somewhere between $300,000 and $500,000 a year by staffing our library with employees from the private sector, and we can have the library open at least one additional day per week  9 to 11 hours more per week.

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Epp said the city is also studying whether partnering with the countys library system might be feasible, but that its looking like there would be no money saved under such an arrangement.

He said he doesnt know yet what his staffs recommendation will be to the City Council, but said the council will have to look long and hard at that kind of savings.

Such privatization would likely remove a couple of dozen city employees from the citys pension payroll, something Mayor Sam Abed and the majority of the council has said is needed because of the citys rising pension liability.

Epp said Escondido is looking at other departments that could also be privatized, and said exploring such changes is the fiscally responsible thing to do.

But some library patrons and employees argue that privatization will diminish services the library offers and will hurt city residents.

The plan represents a clear and present danger to our lone remaining library, said Laura Hunter, a local activist, during a community meeting held earlier this week.

About 75 people attended the meeting, where they strategized about how to mobilize against the plan. They said they plan on flooding the City Councils Aug. 16 meeting with speakers opposed to the idea, and doing the same at the librarys board of directors meeting on Aug. 8.

Its unclear when the council will be asked to make a decision, Epp said.

Beyond a reduction in services, those against privatization also worry about the current employees and question how the city can talk about potentially asking voters to finance a $50 million bond to build a new library near Grape Day Park  yet have it run by a private company.

You want taxpayers to pay for a building that will be run by an outside profit-making organization? Not now, not ever! Virginia Abushanab, a 20-year library volunteer, recently wrote in a letter to the City Council.

Epp said there is nothing about having private employees operate the library that should prevent the construction of a new library.

He also said its a fallacy that library employees will lose their jobs if the council decides to move ahead with privatization. Senior library employees would be offered other positions within the city, he said, while others would have the option to work for the private contractor, Library Systems & Services LLC.

No one will lose jobs, Epp said. There is a variety of ways they will be taken care of. The senior employees can transition to other jobs in the city and everyone will be offered a job for a least a minimum period of time with LS&S. This idea that people will lose jobs is absurd.

He did acknowledge, however, that employees of the private company wont be eligible for city benefits.

They wold lose some of the incredible public pension benefits if they choose to stay with LS&S, he said. We will sit down with every employee and work out options.

Karen Tatget, president of Escondido City Employees union  which represents many of the library workers  also spoke at this weeks community meeting.

For them to say they will hire all the employees at their current salaries, big whoop, she said. Theyre not going to get the vacation they now get, they arent going to get the sick time they get. And they certainly arent going to get their (pensions). That is a huge loss.

Others at the meeting said LS&S  the only company in the United States that operates city libraries  cuts costs by spreading staff thin, which in turns leads to less time they can serve the public.

A late call to the company Wednesday was not returned; however, the companys website says the quality of library services LS&S provides is better than most public libraries, because the branches are run by professional staffers who know the business.

LS&S began 30 years ago and now partners with 83 public library systems in the United States including the Riverside County system, which has 36 branches. Other California communities that have the company running their libraries include Simi Valley, Upland, Santa Clarita and Moreno Valley.

A public-private partnership enables local governments to optimize delivery of library services. It often brings cost savings through volume purchasing, cloud-based technology, grant management and other best practices, a highlighted quote on the website sates.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
To fully appreciate the 23,000 acres of the privately owned Rancho Guejito, one has needed an invitation and a helicopter. Seeing the property from the air -- its mountains, mesas, meadows and thousands of rare Englemann oaks -- is breathtaking.

But now, for those willing to lighten their pocketbooks and who have an affinity for nature, wine and adventure, Rancho Guejito will be available to all.

We dont want to be an enigma so much anymore, said Hank Rupp, the chief operating officer of Rancho Guejito. We want to be a sustainable enterprise and pay our own bills.

To that end, the ranch has gotten into agriculture in a big way. They grow citrus and avocados and wine grapes. Lots of wine grapes.

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And soon they will start offering a unique wine-tasting adventure involving a helicopter tour of the property followed by three or four stops where live musicians will serenade guests as they taste various wines being produced by the Rancho Guejito Vineyard.

I like to call it Bach in the backcountry, Rupp said. Were going to do this. Its going to catch on because we have the capital to make it catch on.

The entire property is licensed as one huge wine-tasting area.

I believe its the largest wine-tasting room in the world, said Mike McColloch, an attorney in charge of dealing with the state and federal agencies that oversee wine licensing. I suppose there could be bigger ones, but not that Ive heard of. Certainly not around here.

1 / 21 Amy Serrano Burcombe plays the electric violin with the backdrop of the Maxcy Winery ruins, circa 1852, at Rancho Guejito, one of the stops on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting adventure when they begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 2 / 21 Nicole Park pours wine from the Rancho Guejito Vineyard with a backdrop of the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, the first stop on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting adventure that includes a helicopter tour of the ranch. Tours will be offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 3 / 21 Anderson Flats, part of Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, visitors on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting adventure which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch may see. Tours begin in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 4 / 21 Pilot Greg Mattson of Cherry Helicopters lifts off from the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, after dropping off passengers at the first stop on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting adventure. Tours will be offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 5 / 21 Hank Rupp, Rancho Guejito Chief Operating Officer welcomes visitors at the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, the first stop on the Rancho Guejito wine-tasting tour which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch when they start being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 6 / 21 Horses feeding is one of the things visitors on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting adventure which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch visitors may see at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north. The tours will be offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 7 / 21 Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, is one of the stops on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine-tasting tour which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch, when the tours are offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 8 / 21 Pilot Greg Mattson files over Rancho Guejito, heading toward the first stop, the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour, which will begin being offered to the public in the near future and includes a helicopter tour of the ranch. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 9 / 21 Guejito Creek in the Anderson Flats area of Rancho Guejito visitors on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour, which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch may see when the tours begin being offered to the public in th near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 10 / 21 The water fountain in the courtyard at the main hacienda at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, visitors will visit on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine-tasting tour when they start being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 11 / 21 Citrus growing at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, visitors on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour, which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch may see, when they start being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 12 / 21 A lemon tree at the main hacienda at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, visitors will visit on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour when they begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 13 / 21 Nicole Park, background, pours Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine, while Daniel Plane, right, plays the cello for visitors at the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito, the first stop on the wine tasting tour which will be offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 14 / 21 The Maxcy Winery ruins, circa 1852, at Rancho Guejito, one of the stops on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour which will begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 15 / 21 Wine from the Rancho Guejito Vineyard is served at the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito during the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour which will be offerd to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 16 / 21 Daniel Plane plays the cello for visitors at the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito, the first stop on the wine tasting tour, which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch when they begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 17 / 21 Jonathan Alvarado, foreground, pours wine from the Rancho Guejito Vineyard with a backdrop of the Maxcy Winery ruins, circa 1852, while Amy Serrano Burcombe, background, plays the electric violin during the wine tasting tour at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped ranch near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north. Tours will begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 18 / 21 Pilot Greg Mattson prepares to land at the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, during the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch. Tours which will begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 19 / 21 The main hacienda at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, visitors will visit on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour, which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch, when they start being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 20 / 21 Anderson Flats, part of Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, visitors on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour may see during a helicopter tour of the ranch, when tours offered to the public begin in the near futue. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 21 / 21 Rancho Guejito Chief Operating Officer Hank Rupp looks out from from the main hacienda at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north. Visitors will visit the hacienda during the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tours, when they begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune)

Within the ranchs boundaries lies the last undivided Mexican land grant in the state. Environmentalists and historians often call Rancho Guejito the conservation jewel of San Diego County.

The pricing structure for the wine-tasting adventure has not yet been set, but Rupp thinks that for $399 per person, the three-hour tour will soon be offered to anyone willing to pay.

The ranch recently did a test run with a reporter and photographer tagging along.

After a 45-minute aerial tour of the land, which sits about 400 feet above sea level at its southern boundaries in the San Pasqual Valley and rises to over 4,000 feet in the north bordered by the La Jolla Indian Reservation, the first stop was at the ruins of the Anderson Homestead, circa the 1870s. A rose wine-tasting table was set up with crackers and cheese and fruit.

Cellist Daniel Plane played some Bach and other pieces as various red wines were sipped.

A Massachusetts native who moved to the San Diego area just five months ago, Plane, 35, said it was a bit odd to be playing his music in the middle of a vast area.

They want to expand everything theyre offering and I think theyve got something good going on here, he said.

All thats left of the Anderson Homestead ruins are the brick fireplaces because in 2007  thanks to SDG&E, Rupp says  the Witch Creek/Guejito fire destroyed the ruins and thousands of oak trees on the property. The ranch settled a lawsuit against the utility for an undisclosed sum. Some of that money has been used to plant new oaks, by the thousands, all over the property.

From there, the wine-tasting group traveled by SUV to the Maxcy Winery ruins. In the 1850s, Asher Maxcy, whose California Gold rush dreams didnt materialize, got into cattle and wine. He grew 1,500 acres of grapes and built a winery in 1852 that existed for about four decades.

There, where white wines were being offered for tasting, an electric violin was being played in front of the winery ruins by 29-year-old Amy Serrano Burcombe, who was wearing a black, sequined cocktail dress and knee-high boots. She said the boots were both practical and fashionable.

I heard there were rattlesnakes out here so Im being cautious walking around, she said. These boots are style and protection.

The final stop was at the hacienda built in 1974 by the late Benjamin Coates, the billionaire owner of the property who purchased it that year after efforts by the state to acquire it for a park failed. The ranch is now owned by a corporation headed by Theodate Coates of New York City, Benjamins daughter, who comes to visit a couple times a year.

The red wine station featured a singing guitarist and 360-degree views of the southern part of the property from atop a hill. The man pouring the wine, who has been a ranch hand and security officer at the park, is Rupps nephew, Dominic, who said the whole wine thing has opened his eyes to a new experience.

For years, the ranch has been off-limits to the public. Hunting is not allowed because of the fire danger. Rupp said deer and mountain lions use the ranch as a refuge, a free zone where they feel safe and reproduce in vast numbers.

Its like Switzerland to them, Rupp said.

Guejito is also a cattle ranch, home to 1,000 to 2,000 head, depending on the time of year.

Every way we can figure out how to make money on this ranch means we can take better care of the property, Rupp said. The most important thing to the survival of this ranch is a diversified income string. We have cows, we have produce, we have wine. That is what will insure the survival of the ranch and the maintenance of our agricultural enterprises. It costs a lot of money to maintain this property and to keep it as pristine as it is.

For the past year and a half, the ranch has also been offering wine tasting on Sundays near its headquarters off state Route 78, about three miles east of Safari Park on what is known as Rockwood Ranch, which Rancho Guejito purchased in 2007.

Currently, about 40 acres of grapes, 17 varieties, are being grown on the property at different elevations and more vineyards will be planted each year, Rupp said. The grapes are then shipped to a wine-making operation in Escondido where they are crushed, fermented, bottled and labeled. The finished product is sold at the ranch and selected stores in the Escondido area.

There are a lot of wine-tasting rooms in San Diego County.

What do we have thats different from the other wineries? We just happen to back up into a 36-square-mile ranch, Rupp said. We try to capitalize on what we have thats different from the other wineries in addition to having great wine. We want to promote the agri-tourism that can go with the wine. Whats more enjoyable than having a nice glass of wine and looking at what San Diego County looked like 5,000 years ago?

For more information about Rancho Guejito visit ranchoguejitovineyard.com on the web.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
An entrepreneur who has been trying to open a car wash in Chula Vista for three years has a message for other business owners thinking of setting up shop in San Diegos second-largest city.

I would say be very careful about doing business in Chula Vista, said Neil Capin Tuesday night after the City Council decided to hit the brakes on his project on Telegraph Canyon Road and Halecrest Drive.

The City Council, after nearly two hours of deliberation, voted 4-1 to reject the recommendations of its Planning Commission and city staff to move forward with the project. Instead, they asked Capin to conduct a traffic study of the site to quell noise and traffic safety concerns brought up by the owner of a neighboring gas station that has a small car wash.

Capin, who began the process in December 2015, called the gas station owners objections thinly veiled attempts to protect his business interest.

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But a lawyer representing the gas station, John Moot, maintained that placing a car wash on that corner would cause traffic to back up onto Telegraph Canyon Road, one of Chula Vistas busiest roads.

The council last discussed the car wash in November. It concluded that meeting by asking Caltrans to weigh in on some of its traffic concerns. During Tuesdays meeting, the citys Development Services Director Kelly Broughton told the council that Caltrans chose not to comment on the project.

They concluded that they had no further comments on the project, Broughton told the mayor and council. I will remind you this is the fourth chance that Caltrans had to reply to a review of this project.

Usually, when Caltrans has concerns about a project, they respond to it, Broughton added.

During Tuesdays meeting, Capin and the owner of the property in question argued that there used to be a gas station on the site so a car wash would not create more traffic than a gas station. Additionally, they argued the opposition complained about existing traffic conditions in that intersection therefore it wasnt fair to penalize the proposed car wash.

Don Christlock, the property owner of the proposed site for the car wash, said he plans to retire from money earned off that lot.

It seems clear that the adjacent owner is raising these issues because they feel it could negatively affect their business, he said. This is just not fair. Why should my property value be negatively affected because of this?

Ultimately, the City Council voted 4-1 to reject the staff recommendation and asked Caputo to pay for a traffic safety study.

The lone no vote was Councilman John McCann, who said the vote sets a poor example of how Chula Vista treats business owners.

I hope that people will understand that this will become the poster child of how not to do business in Chula Vista, he said.

This vote came at a time when Chula Vistas elected officials have made making the city more business friendly a top priority. Newly elected and re-elected candidates, including Council members Jill Galvez and McCann and Mayor Mary Casillas Salas campaigned on attracting more businesses to the city.

Additionally, Chula Vista faces growing budget deficits and one of their strategies to balance the budget is to diversify revenue by bringing more businesses to the city.

After the vote, Capin said he will consider his options over the next couple of days and decide whether he wants to continue pursuing the project. He said hes already altered his design and business plans to appease public concerns. Specifically, he changed the height of a wall from six feet to nine feet to minimize noise pollution and he pushed back the opening of business from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. in order to minimize the traffic impact during the morning rush hour.

We were looking for ways to work with people or ways to make the situation better, Capin said. They were just looking for any reason to say no.

Ultimately, council members who voted against the car wash said they were swayed by public safety concerns related to traffic on Telegraph Canyon Road.

Im pro-business, I hate it when someone says theyve been doing this for four years, said Councilman Mike Diaz. But at the end of the day, the one thing that we are responsible for in our communities is public safety.

Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter
Greenpeace propose d'interdire des vols de train de plus de 6 heures

Un tiers des vols les plus frequentes dans l'UE disposent d'une alternative en train de moins de six heures et leur interdiction permettrait d'economiser 3,5 millions de tonnes de CO2, selon une etude publiee mercredi par Greenpeace, qui appelle a "changer radicalement notre facon de nous deplacer".

Jugeant "necessaire" une reduction du trafic aerien, pour limiter le rechauffement climatique a 1,5C, l'ONG appelle a "redynamiser le transport ferroviaire", "parent pauvre des politiques publiques europeennes".

Les vols de moins de 1.500 kilometres representent un quart des emissions du secteur aerien europeen, constate l'ONG dans cette etude commandee au cercle de reflexion OBC Transeuropa.





Or 51 des 150 vols court-courrier les plus frequentes dans l'Union europeenne (hors liaisons insulaires), soit 34% d'entre eux, disposent deja d'une alternative ferroviaire de moins de six heures.





Les trois liaisons les plus frequentees dans l'UE (Paris-Toulouse, Paris-Nice et Athenes-Thessalonique) en font partie.





L'etude ne precise pas la proportion de passagers empruntant ces liaisons aeriennes pour des correspondances.

Vingt-et-une liaisons disposent meme d'une alternative ferroviaire en moins de quatre heures, y compris pour certaines liaisons internationales comme Amsterdam-Paris, Amsterdam-Francfort, Bruxelles-Francfort et Paris-Francfort, note le rapport.





Plus d'un quart (27%) des 150 liaisons les plus frequentees disposent par ailleurs d'une alternative en train de nuit direct en 2021.









"La reduction du trafic aerien est incontournable pour tenir les objectifs climat de l'Accord de Paris, et la suppression des vols courts constitue un premier pas a cet egard", plaide-t-elle.





Le benefice climatique de la decision francaise d'interdire les liaisons aeriennes interieures, hors correspondances, lorsqu'il existe une alternative en train en moins de 2h30 est selon Greenpeace "trop limite".





Le secteur aerien mondial a emis 900 millions de tonnes de CO2 en 2019, soit environ 2,5% des emissions mondiales.




A federal appeals court has reinstated a lawsuit by two Bay Area immigrants against a bank that refused to let them open checking accounts online because they are not U.S. citizens.

Amitabho Chattopadhyay, born in Singapore, and Ukrainian-born Vitalii Tymchyshyn are both legal U.S. residents. They applied for checking accounts in 2018 and 2019 with BBVA, formerly known as Compass Bank, but the bank said that because of their immigration status they would have to apply in person at a bank branch.

BBVA, based in Alabama, has branches in California and six other states. But it operates nationwide, and many of its customers conduct their transactions online.

The lawsuit, a proposed class action on behalf of thousands of similarly situated immigrants, was dismissed last year by U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar of Oakland. He said Chattopadhyay and Tymchyshyn could not show they were harmed by the banks policy because they could obtain checking accounts in person.

But the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said Tuesday that the policy described by the migrants could violate state and federal laws against discrimination based on citizenship status.

Federal law prohibits, when based on (citizenship), ... the offer to make a contract only on discriminatory terms, the three-judge panel said, quoting a 1989 Supreme Court ruling. In this case, the court said, BBVA is accused of applying more burdensome rules to noncitizens without legal justification.

The panel also cited a 2019 California Supreme Court ruling that said a company that did business with customers of all races would still violate discrimination laws if it required Black customers to pay in cash while letting whites use credit cards.

The panel consisted of Judges J. Clifford Wallace, an appointee of President Richard Nixon; Mary Schroeder, appointed by Jimmy Carter; and Danielle Forrest, appointed by Donald Trump.

Were very pleased the Ninth Circuit agreed that discrimination, standing alone, has serious non-economic consequences, said Anne Shaver, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.

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She noted that BBVAs lawyers, defending the policy, had argued in a court filing that the bank had determined heightened security procedures for non-U.S. citizens were necessary to combat terrorist financing, money-laundering and other financial crimes.

This is stereotyping non-U.S. citizens as terrorists, money launderers and criminals, Shaver said.

Lawyers for the bank did not respond to requests for comment. They had told the court the policy was justified by the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act, which directs banks to develop risk-based practices for verifying the identity of each customer and suggests potential problems posed by noncitizens.

There is no discrimination whatsoever, attorney Gregory Korman said in a court filing. There is only a risk-based account opening policy.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
A 72-year-old Oakland resident known by relatives as a kindhearted and hardworking family man died under mysterious circumstances on Tuesday, according to his daughter-in-law.

Juvencio Ramos-Zarate, a Fruitvale District resident for at least two decades, liked to go for a walk each morning. He would pick up cans he found on the street, collect some pocket change if he found any and wave to his neighbors. On Tuesday, he started his walk around 6:30 or 7 a.m. and never returned, said Marina Ramos, his daughter-in-law.

His body was found in the Tidal Canal near the Fruitvale District shortly before 10:30 a.m., Oakland police said in a statement. The Alameda County Medical Examiner and Coroners Office confirmed the body was that of Ramos-Zarate.

Its been a devastating day, Ramos said. We still dont know the circumstances.

Originally from Mexico, Ramos-Zarate was a loving supporter of his six children and nearly 20 grandchildren, Ramos said. He often drove his grandchildren to and from school, decorated his home ahead of festive holidays and spent years building by hand a large home in Michoacan, Mexico, where he hoped to live out the rest of his retirement with plenty of spare bedrooms for his family when they came to visit.

Finishing the home  a task that he completed relatively recently  had been a lifelong mission for him. He did the masonry, installed the rebar and even severed one of his thumbs during construction.

He did all the hard work himself, Ramos said. It was his pride and joy that he had finished his lifelong dream.

Ramos-Zarate had proposed hosting a large family reunion at the beautiful house next summer, Ramos 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.

Around his neighborhood and among his family members, Ramos-Zarate was known to offer a helping hand whenever anyone needed it. If someone needed help with their groceries, he was there. If someone needed something fixed, he was there, Ramos said.

He was always available, always ready to help with his grandchildren and his children, Ramos said. He was a family guy ... a very sweet, humble man.

Oakland police are investigating Ramos-Zarates death.

Andy Picon is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: andy.picon@hearst.com Twitter: @andpicon
Californias coronavirus case rate, which has fallen steadily over the past month, has leveled off  and officials are worried about what will happen in the fall and winter as people gather indoors for holidays, and other respiratory viruses such as the flu start to take their toll.

Weve got to be mindful of the winter months, Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a press conference in Oakland, where he got a booster shot on a live webcast.

The coronavirus, he added, continues to throw us curveballs.

A year ago, Californias caseload surged during the fall and winter. This year, even though the vaccine rollout has helped tamp down COVID-19 cases, the colder months still hold significant risk, officials said  especially for those who have not been vaccinated. Hospitals could again get strained.

Californias case rate  currently averaging about 14 cases a day per 100,000 people  remains lower than in any other state. Its a notable achievement that reflects Californias aggressive masking policy, solid vaccine uptake and also the immunity that comes from a significant number of prior coronavirus infections.

Californias 7-day positivity rate  the percentage of coronavirus tests that are positive  was 1.9% a few days ago, and now is 2.2%, according to Newsom. Dr. Mark Ghaly, Californias secretary of health and human services, said Wednesday that the figure was persistently low but stopped declining.

Newsom noted that a year ago, California had a 3.3% positivity rate and a caseload that was around 4,000 per day. A month later, cases jumped to 18,000 per day and then, in another month, to 54,000 per day. Positivity rates last fall also doubled month over month.

Certain efforts to really protect California are really going to need to be doubled down on so that we can get through the next weeks and months, as we approach the winter holidays, Ghaly said, noting that officials are worried about strain on hospital systems.

Concerns about stalled progress are echoed even in the Bay Area, where COVID rates are lower than elsewhere in California. Dr. Nicholas Moss, the health officer of Alameda County, told a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday that hospitalizations have stopped declining.

Sonoma Countys health officer, Dr. Sundari Mase, said Wednesday that her department is seeing a small but steady decline in cases but warned colder months could bring a new set of problems.

It is concerning because we are heading into the winter, and we do have influenza that is going to be of concern, she said.

Kate Pack, Sonoma Countys lead epidemiologist, said the county would still fall into the second-worst red tier under Californias old reopening blueprint. Were still not at the low point we were in June, she said. Were going to have to watch that.

Dr. Matt Willis, health officer for Marin County, told his countys Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that while Marin was in the moderate transmission tier for COVID as defined by the federal government, it was uncomfortably close to slipping back into the substantial transmission tier.

San Francisco is still seeing local cases decline, according to Dr. Naveena Bobba, the citys deputy health officer, though public health officials are keeping a close eye on the data. San Francisco is on the cusp of reaching the moderate transmission tier, and reporting about 6 cases per 100,000 residents a day.

Bobba said shes concerned about a potential winter surge, especially as people start gathering indoors again and attending holiday gatherings. Were very cognizant and concerned that there may be a plateau coming, and there could be an increase, she said.

Californias vaccination rate  currently 61% of the entire population, according to the New York Times tracker  should rise again soon, assuming federal authorities authorize the use of the Pfizer vaccine for children 5-11. That development is expected as early as next week. Ghaly and Dr. Erica Pan, the state epidemiologist, said that California would get the vaccines  which come in smaller vials and do not need the ultra-cold storage that the adult Pfizer shots have needed  distributed in advance, so that children in the age group can get their first shot as soon as authorization comes.

In Santa Clara County, parents can register starting Thursday at sccfreevax.org for a vaccine appointment for their child starting Nov. 4, county Public Information Officer Ricardo Romero-Morales said Wednesday.

California has 3.5 million children in the 5-11 age group, according to Pan, so vaccines could protect another 9% of the states population.

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.

Health officials urged eligible residents  including people 65 and older, certain groups at high risk for COVID and all recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine  to get boosters for added protection. People can now mix and match their shots.

Newsom, who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine earlier this year, chose a Moderna booster.

That is better than the flu shot! the governor joked after Ghaly administered the injection.

Ghaly and Pan, who also had previously received a single shot of Johnson & Johnson, recently got Moderna boosters, too.

In San Francisco, Bobba is particularly concerned about residents age 65 and older, who with waning immunity may be at risk of severe COVID and hospitalization, even if theyre fully vaccinated. So far only 19% of eligible residents in that age group have gotten boosters, Bobba said. It takes about two weeks for the immune system to ratchet up again after boosters, she said, so eligible people should get them right away.

Our concerns are that uptake hasnt been matching what we feel is the concern around waning immunity and potential resurgence of COVID in the winter, Bobba said. As we go into the season where we know there are gatherings, we want people to be as healthy and safe as possible.

Getting flu shots, as Newsom did last week, is also important, health officials emphasized.

Lets not put our guard down, Newsom said. Lets get those booster shots. Lets encourage those who have not gotten vaccines to get vaccinated.

Chronicle staff writers Erin Allday and Aidin Vaziri contributed to this report.

Kate Galbraith is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kgalbraith@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kategalbraith
Three employees of a Palo Alto animal shelter are facing animal cruelty charges for their alleged involvement in the deaths of seven puppies over the summer, officials said.

Santa Clara County prosecutors say the three employees of the Pets In Need shelter went to the Central Valley in August to pick up 27 dogs, including seven puppies, from other shelters in order to put them up for adoption in Palo Alto as part of a routine work trip. On the way back to the Bay Area, all seven of the pitbull-labrador puppies died, Palo Alto police said in a news release.

The van the employees used to transport the dogs did not have air conditioning in the rear cargo area and it was between 90 and 100 degrees in the Central Valley the day of the trip. The dogs did not have access to water during the hours-long trip, officials said. The employees allegedly checked on the dogs during a stop for gas and did not see any sign of distress. When they arrived in Palo Alto, the puppies were unresponsive, police said.

The shelters veterinary staff tried to save the puppies but were unsuccessful. The puppies were all from the same litter and about three to four months old. All the other dogs survived, police said.

The dogs had been picked up from shelters that could no longer hold the dogs or that had been unable to find people to adopt them, police said.

Patricia Santana Valencia, Margaret C. Evans and Ingrid Anne Hartmann, who were all in the Pets In Need van that day, were charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty and neglect. They were cited and released on Tuesday, police said.

In a statement, Pets In Need Executive Director Al Mollica said the death of the puppies was a tragic incident that has saddened the entire Pets In Need family.

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 recognize the trust placed in Pets In Need by our donors, staff, volunteers and supporters, and appreciate the communitys support during this very challenging time, Mollica said.

Pets In Need was founded in 1965 and has operated the shelter in Palo Alto since 2019 under a contract with the city. Valencia, Evans and Hartmann work for the shelter, not the city, police said.

Andy Picon is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: andy.picon@hearst.com Twitter: @andpicon
A decades-long effort to renovate a historic Civic Center building into a new campus for a public arts school took a $100 million hit Tuesday, after San Franciscos school board reallocated bond funding to address more immediate facilities needs.

The unanimous decision will shift $40 million of the funds to modernize the Mission Districts Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 Community School, where families and staff have complained of rats, a gas leak and other issues in recent weeks.

The reallocation of the bond will also help pay for $10 million in security improvements at various sites; $15 million toward the design of a new school in Mission Bay; $1 million for portable air cleaners; $14 million for schoolyard improvements; and $20 million for planning and design of additional schools and other district facilities in the Bayview area.

The 2016 measure approved by voters authorized $744 million in bonds for facilities improvements, including the $100 million for the art school, which remains unused.

The decision disappointed supporters of a new site for Ruth Asawa School of the Arts at a former high school near City Hall. The plan also includes an art center for all district students. The Asawa school is currently located at the site of the former Eugene McAteer High School near Diamond Heights.

The project, however, would require seismic and other upgrades to the Spanish Colonial Revival building at 135 Van Ness Ave., with a total estimated cost of $400 million. Supporters and district officials have said the project would primarily be paid for with philanthropic donations, but so far, that money hasnt been raised.

The Van Ness property takes up a block of prime real estate in the center of the city and in the arts district, but now houses only school district administrative offices.

The measure passed by the board will prioritize the new art school in a future bond and directs staff to develop a realistic timeline to raise the outside funding for the project.

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.

Supporters urged the board to keep some bond funding available for the art center and school, as approved by voters, to keep the project on the table.

Regrettably, Im here this evening to speak about how disappointed I am, former school board member Jill Wynns said prior to the boards vote. That was a promise for the people of San Francisco to fulfill the 30-year dream of the school district, for the community to create the best public arts high school in the Civic Center.

Redirecting the funding and proposing to take all of this, you are responsible for damaging the effort.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
Most education officials dont think of public schools as a product to sell, but just like fast food or sneaker brands, districts have billion-dollar budgets and compete in a crowded marketplace.

Now Bay Area public school officials, eyeing enrollment declines and teacher shortages, are hiring firms to boost their image. Those firms are looking to billboards, marketing plans and advertising campaigns to make their arguments.

While schools arent soft drinks, education over the past couple of decades has become a competitive marketplace with a lot of options for families, officials said.

Many times, families are making decisions about which is the right school or whether thats a public school, private school or charter school, with limited information, said Brian Epperson, CEO of Target River, a marketing firm working with districts in the Bay Area and seven states. If they were a business, theyd have a massive marketing budget to support their efforts to attract and retain clients.

In this case, the clients are students, and each one is worth $10,000 a year or more in state funding.

Districts are using radio ads, mailers, bus benches or online ads, while polishing their websites and logos, to help families feel good about the schools. Others are moving further into social media, pushing past tweets or Facebook and into the world where their students are.

In Lodi (San Joaquin County), officials launched a district TikTok site, featuring videos of a pumpkin art project, a high school class caring for baby ducks or Logan the therapy dog in an elementary school.

Across the state, the pandemic has fueled district enrollment declines, as families opted for private or charter schools that reopened months before their traditional counterparts. Others created pods and hired teachers or chose to home-school, and they havent returned to public schools.

At the same time, public school districts emerging from the pandemic have faced backlash and political assaults in recent months. Some districts have faced pushback over critical race theory and mask and vaccine mandates. At a local level, bitter battles have erupted over renaming schools and closing schools to save money. Teacher unions have protested over COVID safety protocols

Schools have been in the news more than ever before with the COVID crisis, with disruptions, the incivility, the lack of civil discourse, said Barbara Hunter, executive director of the National School Public Relations Association. She said parents seem to be weighing that in their choices.

Districts large and small have been struggling, officials said.

In San Francisco, 3,500 students left the district in the past two years, which could mean $35 million in lost revenue, exacerbating an existing $100 million shortfall. A recall election of three school board members and a retiring superintendent are adding to the districts woes.

The district is ramping up digital marketing this year, using email, social media and online ads, although it cant keep up with the marketing resources of most private and charter schools, said district spokeswoman Gentle Blythe. She added that a digital marketing company, Frequence, has donated services in the past to place targeted online ads.

Efforts also include phone banks, postcards, workshops, a Bayview-based enrollment office and welcome events to reach prospective families, she said.

In San Rafael, the district lost more than 300 students over the past couple of years, a potential loss of at least $3 million in the coming years, a significant hit for a district with 7,000 students.

A lot of parents realized they had other options. Its a competitive environment out there, said Superintendent Jim Hogeboom.

His school board decided to hire Target River for a $50,000 contract to promote the district.

If we can keep or attract five kids we werent going to have, then its totally worth it, Hogeboom said, adding that he believes such efforts have made a difference elsewhere.

A pre-pandemic campaign with billboards and bus ads in Austin, Texas, for example, boosted enrollment by more than 500 students beyond expectations in 2017, although the district had continued to see declines in recent years.

While districts have always promoted their schools, through tours, websites and political campaigns to pass bonds or parcel taxes, there is a growing feeling thats not enough.

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Theres definitely an increased sense of competitiveness in the school marketplace, said Troy Flint, spokesman for the California School Boards Association. A lot of them (districts) are developing or have already rolled out campaigns that are more like traditional advertising campaigns.

The pandemic enrollment declines have nudged districts, Flint said.

People are understandably wary of spending a lot of money on splashy advertising when schools are short of funds, he said. But the financial trade-offs are clearer than they were in the past.

San Francisco parent Miranda Martin said shed love to see the district or city do more to promote the public schools.

I do really think there are amazing things happening, said Martin, interim director of Parents for Public Schools-SF, an organization that promotes the benefits of public schools as an equalizer for children from a variety of backgrounds.

The Novato school district hired Target River several years back to market to prospective students, renewing the contract in March. For $32,000, the company will continue producing videos, online ads and postcards to distribute to families.

Parents balked at the expenditure, but officials noted that three extra students enrolling this fall would pay for it.

Hogeboom of San Rafaels district was in Novato when that district first hired the marketing firm and said he believes the cost was worth it. The districts enrollment has held fairly steady, with a 200-student gain in 2019 that it then lost in 2020.

Christina Perrino, spokesperson for the San Rafael district, said theyre promoting a new Spanish-language program and a diversity of students, among other things. We want to make sure our community is proud of our schools.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
At a Marin dairy farm this summer, cows got a little something extra in their organic hay and alfalfa: a sprinkle of seaweed powder that holds promise for helping the state achieve ambitious climate goals.

The cows were part of the first commercial trial to determine how adding red seaweed to their diet cut down on the amount of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, the bovines release in their burps. Conducted this summer at a Marin County farm that supplies milk to Straus Family Creamery in Petaluma, the trial backed up earlier academic studies from UC Davis by finding that the cattles methane emissions went down by an average of 52% over 50 days.

We validated what the research had shown and did it in a real trial that was relevant to dairy farms across the country  actually throughout the world, said Albert Straus, founder and CEO of Straus Family Creamery, which sponsored the trial with Blue Ocean Barns, a company that grows red seaweed in Hawaii and San Diego.

Straus plans to use the seaweed additive on all 12 farms that supply the creamery as soon as its approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for use in organic agriculture. Dairy cows are the cause of 45% of Californias methane emissions, according to UC Davis, and the seaweed additive is one potential way the state could achieve goals to reduce those emissions by 40% below 2013 levels as of 2030.

But wide-scale access to the particular type of red seaweed, called Asparagopsis taxiformis, that works best for this purpose is not yet available. The red seaweed used in research so far has all been harvested by hand in the ocean, making it expensive, which is why Blue Ocean Barns and others are working on producing it on a mass scale.

Alvin A.H. Jornada/Special to The Chronicle

Earlier this year, a UC Davis study found that feeding beef cattle red seaweed reduced their methane output by 82%, and its 2019 academic study on dairy cows found a 50% reduction. But getting the same results on a working farm is more challenging, said Breanna Roque, a recent animal biology Ph.D. graduate from UC Davis. Roque was a consultant to the commercial trial, which involved 24 cows that ate the seaweed, along with 24 in a control group, at Straus Dairy Farm in Marshall.

To see reductions over 50% in this group feeding, where were not controlling what the cows are actually eating, is very promising, said Roque. This means that Asparagopsis has the potential to be applicable on farms.

In the university setting, teams of graduate students can track exactly what each cow consumes, while on a farm, cows can pick and chose, to some degree, what they eat. Just as some prefer alfalfa over grains, they can root around in the feed to avoid what they dont like, including seaweed, Roque said.

Some cows are OK with it, she said. But with some cows, theres some variability in appetite and preference. And so these cows take a little bit longer just to come around to eating Asparagopsis.

Photos by Alvin A.H. Jornada/Special to The Chronicle

The cows with a fondness for seaweed had a larger reduction in methane, some over 85%. Their emissions were measured with a machine called the GreenFeed, a wheeled device that offers treats and then measures the amount of methane the cows give off while their heads are inside.

Milk production didnt decrease for cows in the trial, and neither the color nor flavor of the milk changed, according to quality-control tasters.

That would have been a deal breaker, Straus said.

To use the seaweed additive in the trial, the farm had to get permission from the USDA to maintain its organic certification, said Blue Ocean Barns CEO Joan Salwen. The company plans to produce enough red seaweed for 90 million cattle by 2029, she said.

Luke Gardner, who does seaweed research at the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, a facility run by San Jose State University, was surprised to hear of the ambitiousness of the scale.

Seaweeds are, for whatever reason, quite complex organisms. Growing them is not trivial, said Gardner, an extension specialist at California Sea Grant, which funds research on ecological and economic issues in coastal communities. Not only is there the biological nut to crack, but you also need to find somewhere to grow it. And, he added, Youve got to make it cheap if you feed it to cows.

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Alvin A.H. Jornada/Special to The Chronicle

Blue Ocean Barns grows the seaweed vertically in tanks on land, using pumped-in seawater that provides nutrients. Its experimenting with light, salinity and pH levels for maximum growth, Salwen said.

We really have developed the growth conditions and cultivation conditions that can make this like a crop rather than an oddity out of the ocean, Salwen said.

Salwen said estimates that only 1 ounces of the powder per cow per day will be sufficient. She also expects food companies that have set their own emissions targets would be willing to pay more to support such initiatives, so that farmers will not be bearing the full cost of these additives, she said.

Straus, whose own company has a goal to make its 12 Marin and Sonoma county farms carbon neutral by 2030, said he thinks the seaweed additive will help California achieve its climate goals.

With the law in California to reduce our methane emissions by 40%, he said, this is an essential and important piece of the puzzle.

Tara Duggan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @taraduggan
As strong winds and heavy rain lashed the Bay Area over the weekend, trees came crashing down around the region  some likely made more vulnerable, experts say, by extreme drought conditions.

Of course, big storms always claim trees as casualties.

A powerful storm will inevitably result in some damage to trees, whether from falling branches or even uprooted trees, Igor Lacan, urban forestry adviser for the UC Cooperative Extension, wrote in an email.

However, Californias historic drought is certainly not helping, he said. A drought will have weakened some trees and even killed some, priming them to topple in a storm.

In San Francisco alone, Public Works officials reported approximately 900 trees were damaged when the atmospheric river hit over the weekend, meaning large branches were lost and, in some cases, entire trees toppled.

The atmospheric river certainly is one of the worst storms weve experienced in recent years in terms of damage to trees, spokesperson Rachel Gordon said in an email.

In general, she said, The high winds and rain-soaked ground make trees more vulnerable to failure and, when water collects on the trees with a large canopy, the added weight of the water can be too much for tree limbs to withstand.

However, she added that drought could also be a factor, particularly if a trees root system has been damaged by lack of water. If the ground is very saturated, she said, tree roots can lose their grip, and high winds can cause the tree to fall.

Contra Costa County Public Works officials are still tallying the damage, but assistant field operations manager Jason Quinones said the recent storm differed from others because the sheer volume of rain in that short period of time created havoc on our storm drainage system.

When soil became saturated and displaced, trees already weakened by drought were at greater risk of falling, he said.

Since 2010, an estimated 129 million trees have died in Californias national forests due to conditions caused by climate change, including unprecedented drought, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Lacan said that because trees use photosynthesis to produce their own food, drought causes two potentially fatal problems: interruption of their ability to conduct water and a decline in photosynthesis, which leads to energy starvation.

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Its also common for individual tree branches to die in drought conditions, said Christopher Field, director of the Stanford University Woods Institute for the Environment. Those dead branches accumulate in trees that blow out during a storm, he said.

According to Lacan, tree species differ in their susceptibility to drought, and where they are planted is important, too.

California has a number of tree species that can handle very dry conditions, including coastal and inland oaks and low-elevation pines, Field said. Spruces, firs and trees that often grow on waterways such as alders and cottonwoods tend to be more drought sensitive.

Some urban trees receive additional care including watering, which gives them an advantage, Lacan said.

But generally, he said, trees in urban areas can be more drought-stressed than wildland trees. They may face a number of challenging growing conditions, including small soil volumes, lots of paved surfaces, additional heat and wind reflecting from nearby tall buildings, damage from cars ... and construction activities, he said.

Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang
There is no winery in Napa Valley like the Prisoner Wine Co.

Amid all the valleys visually redundant wineries, the Prisoner stands out as starkly modern  a sleek, horizontal monolith on Highway 29 in St. Helena. The surrounding Tuscan villas, faux chateaux and palatial farmhouses feel prudish by comparison. Inside the Prisoners tasting room, one wall is covered in long, dangling shackles. Customers sip flights of wine while surrounded by metal bookshelves held up by prison cell-like bars.

Its one of Napa Valleys most prosperous attractions, and its products, the various Prisoner Wine Co. bottles, are among the countrys best-selling wines. Since the first Prisoner red blend debuted 21 years ago, it has enjoyed an unparalleled level of success. Its the third-best-selling wine over $25 in the U.S., according to data analytics firm Information Resources Inc., and the top-selling red blend in that price range.

The Prisoner is arguably one of the most influential wines in modern history: It has spawned a generation of copycat brands, lining grocery shelves with gothic-looking red blends such as 19 Crimes and Bodyguard. What this winery does matters  its choices and successes reverberate throughout the industry.

Preston Gannaway/Special to The Chronicle

Yet one of the brands core elements has taken on a new gravity within the context of a growing conversation around race and criminal justice: its use of imprisonment as a marketing aesthetic.

The wine itself has always depicted captivity; the flagship red blends label shows a twisting, tortured figure constricted by bars and chains. Since a new owner, Constellation Brands, acquired the company in 2016, and especially since opening the tasting room in 2018, the brand has leaned further into that imagery. The tasting room decor has featured metal skeletons, ball-and-chain sets and braided ropes hanging from the ceiling.

Those symbols connect the Prisoner to the national conversation around mass incarceration and systemic racism, in ways that have become difficult to ignore. Those may sound like bigger concerns than any winery should have to contend with, yet during the last year and a half, many California wineries have faced complicated issues courageously, attempting to address the fact that the wine industry has historically excluded people of color from positions of power, and alienated them as customers.

The winery is aware of this dynamic. Its new general manager, Bukola Bukky Ekundayo, who joined in August, said she wants to use the winerys platform to advocate for prison reform; the company has made some donations to the cause already.

The question now is whether Ekundayo and her colleagues can pull off this big ask: transforming the Prisoner from a wine that appears to fetishize incarceration into one that takes a stand against it.

Preston Gannaway/Special to The Chronicle

The Prisoner wine first emerged during a crucial, transitional moment in Napa Valley  and in many ways, defined a new era.

In 2000, a young Napa winemaker, Dave Phinney, was working on a label hed started two years earlier called Orin Swift. At the end of harvest, he had some inconvenient leftovers on his hands. There was some Cabernet Sauvignon that he decided wasnt good enough for it. And there was some Zinfandel that, no matter how hard he tried, just wouldnt ferment all the way  it still had some unfermented sugar left in it.

To me, any (residual sugar) was essentially a flawed wine, Phinney said. Then he had an idea: blend the sweet Zinfandel with the dry Cabernet to lessen the overall sugar level. It was a weird thing to do, according to conventional winemaking wisdom. Wines, back then, were blended according to templates established by European wine regions centuries ago. You could make a Bordeaux blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc). You could make a Rhone blend (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre). But to mix and match felt sacrilegious.

Still, Phinney figured, what the heck.

There had been some precedent for freeform red blends decades earlier, with jug wines like Gallo Hearty Burgundy. But that was cheap plonk. When Phinney released the Prisoner, he sold it for $25  audaciously expensive back then for a wine that couldnt summon the cachet of Cabernet Sauvignon.

When it came time to give this kitchen-sink blend a name, Phinney was sitting at his desk, he said, staring into space, hoping for inspiration. Hanging on the wall was an etching by the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya, a treasured gift from his parents for his 13th birthday. It showed a man in shackles, his face obscured by shadows. The wrenching, emotional image had always spoken to him, he said. Phinney reproduced that image for the wines label and called it the Prisoner.

Almost immediately, the wine was a sensation.

There was nothing like it at the time, said Bill Hayes, the wine buyer for BevMo. It was allocated. We couldnt keep it in stock. The moody label stood out on the shelves  today, theyd call it disruptive  among bottles that mostly just depicted a winemaking familys name in cursive.

The wine was such a force that it singlehandedly created a new genre in the U.S. wine market: the red blend. People started addressing it as if it was its own varietal, said Kimberly Jones, a Napa wine seller who sold the Prisoner from 2003 to 2014. Theres Cab, theres Merlot, theres the Prisoner.

It also instantly engendered intense debate. Those who loved it really loved it: The Prisoner was luscious, velvety, gratifying, just sweet enough, a masterful execution. Wine snobs loved to hate it, objecting to its ultra-ripe flavors, writing it off as saccharine.

It was so polarizing, Jones said. Youd hear one person say its the best wine theyve ever tasted, then the next would say they wont drink it.

Phinney made only 385 cases in 2000, and so had to ramp up quickly. He took advantage of the fact that the other winemakers in Napa were competing to get ever-more-desirable Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. He went in the opposite direction. Growers with fields of Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Charbono and other less popular red grapes were eager for buyers, and Phinney could get their fruit for cheap. He wasnt tied to any particular formula, so the Prisoner blend could change every year depending on what was available.

Big wine conglomerates took notice. Many of them rushed to bring their own ripe-tasting red blend with an edgy label to market. Today, popular red blends like 19 Crimes, Bodyguard, Tall Dark Stranger and Freakshow are all here because of what the Prisoner started 20 years ago, said BevMos Hayes.

By 2010, when Phinney sold the Prisoner to Huneeus Vintners, the powerful Napa dynasty that owns Quintessa, Faust, Flowers and other wineries, production had grown to 85,000 cases. The $40 million price tag may have seemed like a lot, but it would pale in comparison to the $285 million that Constellation would pay Huneeus for it six years later.

Preston Gannaway/Special to The Chronicle

Under Constellations ownership, the Prisoner has transformed from wunderkind to behemoth, with a near-constant churn of new product lines. In addition to the original red blend, which now sells for $50, theres a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay. In September, the company announced it would build out a new brand around its Saldo Zinfandel, releasing what Ekundayo described as less-popular, discoverable varieties like Chenin Blanc.

Sales have grown by 550% since Constellation purchased the Prisoner in 2016, according to Ekundayo. The wine itself is more visible than ever, its bottles a frequent accessory in artsy influencers sponsored posts. Within the last year, Saturday Night Live star Chloe Fineman has promoted the Prisoners availability on the delivery app Drizly. Industry analysts point to it as the rare tasting room in Napa Valley thats actually attracting Millennial customers, a demographic many wineries are failing to reach.

Annual case production is in the ballpark of 250,000, Constellation confirms, and the tasting room was drawing 2,500 visitors per month pre-pandemic. (The average Napa tasting room saw 1,372 per month in 2019, per Statista.) Current visitation rates are almost back to that peak.

Indeed, during a trip to the tasting room this fall, it was swarming with groups of well-dressed people in their 30s and 40s, swirling glasses of Saldo Zinfandel and Headlock Charbono. Many piled into limousines in the parking lot to head to their next tasting.

There seems to be nothing that can stop the Prisoner from its astronomical climb. The brand is a cornerstone of Constellations overall strategy around reorienting toward higher-end wine. Earlier this year, it sold off 30 of its lower-priced brands to Gallo, for $810 million, in order to invest more in its expensive wines like the Prisoner.

But when it comes to branding, the visual metaphors of imprisonment feel more potent than ever. It has continued to play up the theme with new labels like Unshackled, Derange, Eternally Silenced and Blindfold. A Chardonnay called the Snitch depicts a mugshot with most of the persons face torn out. The tasting rooms gift shop sells souvenirs like a bottle holder made from chains and pottery with decorations that suggest punishment tools.

Its original winemaker never intended for the Prisoner to be so deeply invested in the imagery of imprisonment  nor, indeed, is that what Francisco de Goya intended in his etching.

The title of the artwork, Ekundayo said, was The Captivity is as Barbarous as the Crime. Its sometimes translated slightly differently, but the gist is correct. The label itself is a commentary on the injustice of war and imprisonment, she said.

Whatever the intention, the end result of the decorative shackles behind the bar is unnerving: One of Napa Valleys most popular exports  and one that speaks to the very identity of California wine  hinges on glamorizing the incarceration aesthetic.

Preston Gannaway/Special to The Chronicle

At the same time as Constellation has emphasized the Prisoners lurid imagery, the national debate around mass incarceration has grown more urgent. More people are in prison in the U.S. than in any other country, and people of color  particularly Black men, by a factor of 5, and Latino men, by a factor of 1.3  are disproportionately represented in the prison population, according to the Sentencing Project. Despite laws requiring basic rights for inmates, conditions at many jails and prisons remain inhumane.

Though these issues arent new, theres more widespread awareness of them. Those who visit the Prisoners tasting room or see it promoted on Instagram, though, arent being prompted to consider any of these serious implications. Theyre not reminded that at one point last year, people in California prisons died of COVID-19 at twice the rate of the general population due to overcrowding, and theyre not reminded that conditions were once so bad that suicide rates were 80% higher in state prisons here than elsewhere in the country.

A $100 wine called Derange does little to signal to drinkers that incarcerated people often dont receive appropriate mental health care. Just in August, the federal government found that the Central Coasts San Luis Obispo County Jail violated the constitutional rights of its inmates, including the Eighth Amendments prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. There, the Justice Department found, the jail was subjecting some to excessive uses of force and failing to provide adequate medical and mental care.

For people advocating for change in the prison system, imagery like the Prisoners impacts the work theyre able to do. Titles like the Prisoner, we feel, hinder our ability to create sound policy, said James King, campaign manager for Oaklands Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, which advocates for prison reform. Anything that reduces a person to their incarceration status or uses tropes like shackles or razor wire is harmful to a community that is struggling to be seen. That really creates a subconscious othering of people and leads to ideas like, We have to be tough on crime.

Its possible to be a consumer with a conscience these days, King said, checking the values of businesses we patronize. The apparent obliviousness of the Prisoners many customers to its imagery underscores the wine industrys deep racial disparities. Only 11% of U.S. wine drinkers are Black, according to Nielsen Spectra data, while 70% are white, ratios that echo the racial disparities in the prison population

If you are drinking a wine called the Prisoner, the burden falls upon you to take the time to know what it is you are supporting, said King. What are you doing to understand imprisonment, to see whos actually being imprisoned in our state, and to look to see what harm is being caused?

Even Phinney objects to the way Constellation has emphasized the prison theme so literally. Its the exact opposite of what we were doing, he said. To me it was a story about the gift from my parents. The etching still hangs in his living room.

Preston Gannaway/Special to The Chronicle

Ekundayo is cognizant of these optics  and said the winery is working toward human rights goals, not against them. Although she would not disclose a total dollar amount, Ekundayo said that the Prisoner has donated to social justice organizations, including a joint $10,000 donation with Miami Heat player Moe Harkless to the Equal Justice Initiative, Bryan Stevensons nonprofit that provides legal counsel to the underprivileged.

A more robust set of commitments is in the works, she said. She plans to announce the companys involvement in much bigger programs related to human rights within the next few months.

Ekundayo also wants to emphasize the viticultural significance of Prisoner. When you look at the early history of Napa, she said, the Prisoner is really tapping into that. In the 19th century, many vineyards were scattershot plantings of Zinfandel, Charbono, Petite Sirah and other grapes, beloved by the immigrants who planted them but largely dismissed by the contemporary wine establishment. The Prisoner, Ekundayo pointed out, is still one of the few wineries that produces a Charbono.

In fact, in the process of creating the wine, and using those unloved grape varieties, Phinney probably kept a lot of old-time farmers in business who might have otherwise struggled.

He was rescuing a lot of vineyards  buying grapes that no one else wanted to buy, said Jones, the wine seller. He would see an abandoned vineyard and go try to find the owner. No one else had the guts to make a Zin-Petite Sirah blend from neglected vineyards.

Ekundayo said that portraying the Prisoner as fetishizing imprisonment is misguided. The key to understanding it, she said, lies with the story behind the labels original artwork. Visitors to the winery, however, are probably more likely to focus on the shackles hanging in its tasting room.

Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles senior wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley
JERUSALEM (AP)  Israel approved about 3,000 new settler homes in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, a day after the United States issued its strongest rebuke yet of such construction. It was the biggest announcement of settlement plans during the Biden administration.

The plans were approved by a Defense Ministry committee, according to a security official who was not authorized to speak publicly and did not provide further details. The anti-settlement group Peace Now also confirmed the approvals.

The decision marked the latest boost for Israel's half-century-old settlement enterprise on occupied lands the Palestinians seek for a state. Successive Israeli governments have expanded settlements, making an internationally backed two-state solution  a state of Palestine arising alongside Israel  increasingly impossible.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the international community to take a decisive stance on the Israeli decision, which he said amounted to a "message of disdain for the efforts of the U.S. administration.

The Trump administration had tolerated settlement growth and abandoned the decades-long U.S. position that the settlements were illegitimate. Israel embarked on an aggressive settlement spree during the Trump years, advancing plans for more than 12,000 settler homes in 2020 alone, according to Peace Now, the highest number since it started collecting data in 2012.

Wednesday's decision was bound to raise friction with Europe and the United States.

Only a day earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had protested the plan during a phone call with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, according to a senior U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Also on Tuesday, the U.S. State Department said it was deeply concerned about Israels plans to advance new settlement homes, including many deep inside the West Bank.

State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters in Washington: We strongly oppose the expansion of settlements, which is completely inconsistent with efforts to lower tensions and to ensure calm and damages the prospects for a two-state solution.

Sabri Saidam, a former Palestinian official, criticized the Biden administration, saying it was almost absent as Israel pushes ahead with settlement construction.

The settlement approval also seemed poised to test Israel's fragile governing coalition of ultra-nationalists, centrists and dovish parties that oppose settlements after the 12-year rule of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Now, everybody knows that this is not a government of change, but this is a government with the same policy as Netanyahu to build more settlements, to deepen the occupation and to take us away from the chances for peace, said Hagit Ofran of Peace Now.

The Palestinians seek the West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem  areas Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war  for their future state. The Palestinians view the settlements, which house some 700,000 Israelis, as the main obstacle to peace, and most of the international community considers them illegal.

Israel views the West Bank, home to more than 2.5 million Palestinians, as the biblical and historical heartland of the Jewish people.

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Wednesday's approvals were given by the Defense Ministry's higher planning council, which authorizes West Bank construction. Roughly half of those units were given final approval before the start of construction.

The committee was also supposed to approve 1,300 housing units for Palestinians who live in areas of the West Bank that are under full Israeli control, outside the enclaves administered by a Palestinian autonomy government. The discussion was moved to next week.

The Palestinians and rights groups say the 1,300 homes under discussion meet a tiny fraction of the need. Palestinians require military permits to build in the 60% of the occupied West Bank that is under full Israeli control. Rights groups say permits are almost never granted, forcing many residents to build without authorization and risk demolition.

On Sunday, Israel announced construction tenders for 1,355 housing units in the West Bank, the first move of its kind since President Joe Biden assumed office pledging to take a harder line on the settlements. It also appeared to run contrary to the new Israeli coalition governments own vows to reduce tensions with the Palestinians.

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Kellman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Joseph Krauss and Areej Hazboun contributed from Jerusalem. Matthew Lee contributed from Washington.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch downplayed threats against school board members, saying recently that she would "love for those targeted with anger during the pandemic to have experienced what she and former Gov. Scott Walker did during the Act 10 union protests a decade ago.

Kleefisch, a Republican running for governor in 2022, has spoken out against violence targeting people in office. But she walked a fine line when speaking at an Oct. 11 Pints and Politics event organized by the Kenosha County Republican Party.

Kleefisch referenced a letter from the National Association of School Boards asking President Joe Biden for federal assistance to investigate and stop threats made over policies including mask mandates. The association, which represents school board members, likened the vitriol to a form of domestic terrorism. The letter cited a meeting in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, that was postponed after anti-mask protesters stormed it.

She also referenced the large protests that targeted Walker when she was his lieutenant governor in 2011 after he proposed effectively ending collective bargaining rights for most public workers. Both she and Walker received death threats and were targeted for recall elections in 2012, which they won.

"I would love for these folks to have gone through what Gov. Scott Walker and I went through during the recalls: The vuvuzelas and the drums, and the death threats, and the people who were showering inside the public restrooms, sleeping two-by-two in sleeping bags, banging on cars, threatening my children, spreading lies and intimidating us, Kleefisch said in audio obtained by the liberal advocacy group American Bridge 21st Century and provided to The Associated Press on Wednesday. Imagine if school board members felt something like that. Instead, all they feel is the pressure of their actual constituents asking them to do their job.

In a column Kleefisch wrote four days before those comments, she spoke out more clearly against violence targeting school board members.

Lets be clear: violence to achieve political ends in America is wrong, she wrote. I myself have faced the screams of protestors threatening violence when the Walker-Kleefisch Administration and the Republican Legislature passed our Act 10 reforms in 2011. I didnt notice outrage from the Left then.

She also faulted liberals for not speaking up when members of the Waukesha School Board were threatened and harassed this summer after voting to opt out of the federal free meals for all program. The board later reversed itself in the face of heavy criticism.

School board members are largely unpaid volunteers, parents and former educators who step forward to shape school policy, choose a superintendent and review the budget. But they have been frightened by how their jobs have suddenly become a culture war battleground. The climate has led a growing number to resign or decide not to seek reelection.

Kleefisch and her supporters have been involved with an attempted recall of four school board members in Mequon-Thiensville School District that is on the ballot Tuesday. Leaders of the recall drive have said they are targeting the board members because of COVID-19 restrictions, declining test scores and their desire prevent critical race theory from being taught.

One of the candidates running to replace a current board member, Scarlett Johnson, is a member of Kleefischs grassroots leadership board. Kleefisch has taken to Facebook to boast about volunteers from her gubernatorial campaign assisting with the recall effort.

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Kleefisch is seeking to replace Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, a former state school superintendent who spent his career in education prior to running for office. Former Marine Kevin Nicholson and state Rep. John Macco are also considering runs for governor as Republicans, and former President Donald Trump has encouraged retired U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy to run even though he lives in New Jersey.

Evers' campaign spokesman, Sam Roecker, called Kleefisch's comments absolutely abhorrent.

No one in Wisconsin should be encouraging violence of any kind, much less a candidate for governor, he said.

Kleefisch's spokesman, Alec Zimmerman, emailed a statement in reaction that suggesting Kleefisch is encouraging violence against school board members "is as big of a lie as when the Left labeled concerned parents domestic terrorists.

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This story was updated to correct that the school board in Oshkosh, not Onalaska, postponed a meeting due to anti-mask protesters.
JOHANNESBURG (AP)  Southern African nations have sent envoys to the tiny kingdom of Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, to engage with King Mswati III about the political and civil unrest that has engulfed the country in recent weeks.

The 16-nation Southern African Development Community sent top officials from Eswatini's neighbor South Africa and the nearby countries of Botswana and Namibia.

Eswatini has been embroiled in pro-democracy protests by demonstrators demanding sweeping reforms including the removal of King Mswati, who has ruled the mountainous country since 1986 as an absolute monarch where all political parties are banned.

Mswati is accused by activists of ordering the countrys security forces to violently suppress the demonstrations. The pro-democracy activists accuse King Mswati of living a lavish lifestyle with more than a dozen wives while the majority of the countrys 1.1 million people are in poverty. Eswatini is one of the world's least developed countries.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who chairs the regional blocs committee on defense, politics and security, announced Thursday that a delegation consisting of representatives from the bloc's nations would go to Eswatini.

The delegation is led by South Africa's former justice minister Jeff Radebe. The regional body sent a delegation earlier this year and was criticized for not meeting with representatives of the pro-democracy movement.

Mduduzi Simelane, a dissident member of Eswatini's parliament who faces arrest for his involvement in pro-democracy activities, said the situation in the country is worsening.

We hope that as Ramaphosa sends these envoys to Swaziland, they will be looking to address the problems of the people of Swaziland, not only to listen to Mswati," said Simelane, using the country's previous name, which was abruptly changed by the king in 2018.

We are not sure whether this action was spurred by the violence that Mswati unleashed on people yesterday (Wednesday), or what the motivation is, said Simelane, who said he was speaking to The Associated Press from hiding as he feared for his life.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The king's government has tried to suppress the demonstrations by restricting internet access as videos of the unrest had spread on social media.

MTN Eswatini, the countrys biggest mobile operator, confirmed in a statement on Thursday that it had been instructed to close some services.

The business has implemented the directive and access to Facebook and Facebook Messenger has been suspended," said Eswatini MTN.

We will continue engaging with the relevant stakeholders to minimize the impact and duration of the service disruption, the group said in a statement.
As Democratic lawmakers scramble to accommodate the venal and often incomprehensible demands of Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, hugely important sections of President Bidens signature Build Back Better initiative are being sliced away behind closed doors  the crises they intended to address left to simmer for another day.

Bidens original plan allotted $327 billion for housing, including $75 billion in additional money for Housing Choice Vouchers  also known as Section 8  a crucial and historically underfunded program to give low-income Americans money to subsidize their monthly rents. Thanks to the recent efforts of Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, among others, a significant amount of those housing funds will almost certainly survive the Manchin-Sinema cull. But housing advocates say the final pool of funds will be nowhere near $327 billion. Legislators are currently debating who gets what. And the results of that debate will help determine whether California gets the help it desperately needs to fight its housing and homelessness crises  or is left to keep floundering on its own.

Heres why:

For a variety of historical reasons, mainly the states own racism, California barely has any government-operated public housing. A 1950 state ballot measure called Article 34  passed when racial discrimination in housing in California was open and unapologetic  prohibits the construction of any new public housing development in state without direct voter approval. This law, still on the books, has effectively made government public housing impossible to build.

In the decades since Article 34 was passed, however, end arounds have been developed to circumvent the law. By using various public funding mechanisms to finance private affordable developments, California can build housing for low-income residents without putting each new project to a public vote. Residents of these buildings can then use federally funded Section 8 vouchers to subsidize their monthly rents.

Even as Build Back Better is filleted to appease Manchin and Sinema, it appears that tens of billions in new funds will still be made available for more of these vouchers  which is hugely important; the need is there.

But theres a problem: California doesnt have nearly enough affordable housing for people to use actually these vouchers. Billions in new Build Back Better Section 8 vouchers wont help struggling Californians if theres no housing for them to move into.

To take advantage of Build Back Better, California (and other states with similar histories) needs to build hundreds of thousands of new affordable housing units. The original version of Build Back Better included nearly $30 billion to help states like California to do just that. Of particular import was a pool of nearly $10 billion to expand the use of tax-exempt bonds, a key affordable housing financing tool.

Not having access to these bonds, according to the nonprofit California Housing Partnership, means California would have to come up with up to $400,000 for each new unit of affordable housing it tries to build. That could mean the difference between our state constructing 20,000 new units per year and 40,000.

And yet all $30 billion of this crucial affordable housing construction funds are in danger of being sacrificed to the alter of Manchin and Sinemas perverse sense of fiscal responsibility.

California is the heart of the nations housing and homelessness crises. More than 1 in 10 Americans call this state their home  and millions here are struggling. Theres no building back better with tens of thousands of people sleeping on our streets or in their cars and millions more a missed paycheck away from joining them. Its essential that legislators recognize the unique circumstances of our housing crisis and plan accordingly. To devote billions to rent subsidies without giving people a home to use them is above all else cruel, yes, but also fiscally irresponsible.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
Regarding State Dems delay vote on banning funds (Bay Area, Oct. 25): I agree that the state party and affiliates should not accept funds from such entities as fossil fuel companies and police officer political-action committees, among others.

Im an official in our county Democratic Party, and my elders have reminded me that back in the day, Democratic volunteers went door to door in an annual campaign called Dollars for Democrats, something like the March of Dimes. There are over 10 million registered Democrats in California. Theres your people power to counter the power of entrenched political action committees.

Imagine a party volunteer explaining to rank-and-file Democrats that their party no longer takes money from oil, alcohol, tobacco and firearms political action committees and the like. Of course, this is more labor intensive but provides an alternative.

Small donations have risen to importance since 2004, when Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean was able to collect millions with donations averaging $80. It can be done online, door to door and tabling at events. I say, lets do it.

Gary Karnes, Pacific Grove, Monterey County

Conservatorship works

Regarding Tragic end to battle over conservatorship (Front Page, Oct. 24): Throughout the article, mental illness is treated like a diagnosable disease, like diabetes, and this couldnt be further from the truth.

No mental illness has a biological marker. There is no blood test, urine test or scan that that can confirm a mental illness diagnosis. Ask any intelligent and honest psychiatrist and she will tell you that diagnosis is done by observation of symptoms only and by using trial and error with different drugs to see if they improve symptoms. This is far from what we think of as science.

Unfortunately, insurance companies, judges and Social Security insist on diagnoses that are often guessed at. The statement by Jessica Lehman, a director of Senior and Disability Action in San Francisco, that conservatorship does not work because it is forced treatment is patently false. Conservatorship is sometimes the only thing that works for someone who is mentally ill with the symptom of having no insight into their illness.

Jack Lieberman, San Anselmo

Snapshots not worth it

Regarding Facebook is not the only threat (Insight, Oct. 24): Janine Zacharias opinion piece ranks with the best journalism yet on a subject that we have been warned about time and time again.

Her references to Frances Haugens excellent, well-thought out testimony before Congress were powerful and thought provoking. Together these two women have focused on the permissiveness of society toward the excesses of social media. The superficiality of being able to show selfies and family pictures as a trade-off for selling democracy down the tube is testimony of just how little we think of our roles as citizens.

Barbara Krings, Sacramento

No defense against fire

Regarding Our forests are burning, but it can be avoided (Open Forum, Oct. 25): Though I wholeheartedly agree with some of the recommendations, there is one part that was highly objectionable. The statement: Rural Northern Californians were criticized for denying climate change and for not adequately protecting their homes. They believe Jesus will protect them.

Considering the magnitude of the Dixie Fire, no amount of defensible space would have been adequate. Each persons belief in climate change, or in religion, is their own.

Gene Nielsen, Crescent Mills, Plumas County

Nice job during storm

A great big thank you to all the Public Works employees and those doing similar work in the Presidio and all over the city for being out there in the midst of the downpour and wind Sunday clearing sewer drains.
Gov. Gavin Newsom received a coronavirus booster shot on Wednesday as he promoted the recent federal approval of an additional vaccine dose for millions of Americans.

Newsom, who got the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine on camera in April, received the half-dose Moderna booster during a livestreamed news conference at Oaklands Asian Health Services clinic.

Im choosing not to do J&J today, Newsom said. Not because I had any problems with J&J  in fact, it went beautifully  but to make the point about the opportunity to mix and match.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week recommended boosters for people 65 and older and others at high risk of COVID-19 exposure who received the Moderna vaccine, as well as anyone who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The agency had previously made a similar recommendation for high-risk recipients of the Pfizer vaccine.

Aside from seniors, the high-risk group includes people 18 and older living in long-term care settings, those with underlying health conditions and workers in sectors such as health care, law enforcement and food service that have a a greater potential exposure to the coronavirus.

The CDC said people who originally got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines should get a booster at least six months after their second dose, while those who originally got Johnson & Johnson should get a booster at least two months after the shot. Following authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, Americans can get a booster of a different brand from their original vaccine.

California Secretary of Health and Human Services Mark Ghaly, who administered Newsoms booster, said there are health benefits to combining the vaccines: Lets mix up the modalities, really challenge the immune system, get that response looking a little different.

All right, governor, this wont hurt a bit, he told Newsom as he prepared the shot.

Newsom, who said he also received his flu shot last week, flexed after his booster.

It actually legitimately doesnt, he said. That was better than the flu shot.

Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff
The annoying hum that emanates from the Golden Gate Bridge on windy days is soon to be silenced.

But bridge officials arent yet saying how or when that will happen.

A group of Canadian aerodynamic and acoustic engineers have come up with a solution to the sound that occurs when high winds whip through recently renovated railings on the west side of the landmark suspension span, said bridge district spokesperson Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz.

The engineers are putting the finishing touches on an investigation into whats causing the racket and how it can be resolved, a fix that will return the publics attention to the bridges famous beauty, instead of a sound many residents and motorists cant stand.

Many San Franciscans were reminded of the irritating drone this weekend, when an atmospheric river brought powerful winds that lashed the bridge and caused it to thrum.

The report will be presented to the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation Districts Board of Directors in a month or two, Cosulich-Schwartz said.

The report is being completed and some final engineering needs to be done, he said. But were excited to share the solution with the public. Its not that were trying to be secretive.

The solution has been tested in a wind-tunnel and is expected to be something thats effective and low cost and that our own staff can install, not requiring the sometimes lengthy process of hiring a contractor.

Anyone interested in further details, including the timeline for the fix, will have to wait for the report to the board, he said.

The bridges humming disorder drew widespread public attention in spring 2020 after a retrofit of the sidewalk safety railing on the bridges western side. Twelve-thousand narrower, vertical slats, running from the top of the railing to the bottom, were installed  replacing the original, wider ones  to give the bridge a slimmer profile and make it safer in high winds.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

A wind ferring, a device that moves wind from beneath the bridge deck to its surface, was also installed.

But the new railings also cause a humming sound as the wind passes through slats. Complaints have been fielded from nearby neighbors, drivers crossing the bridge, even folks living in Daly City.

While the retrofit hums on windy days, its been successful at its main purpose  increasing the spans wind resistance and preventing it from suffering damage or even collapse like the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington in 1940, just months after it opened.

The humming is loudest during spring and summer when winds from the west are more common, Cosulich-Schwartz said, but Sundays storm delivered gusts as high as 69 mph  and the return of the humming. Before the retrofit, the bridges wind resistance was estimated at 70 mph. Its now about 100 mph.

We would have been very concerned if we had not done the retrofit, he said.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
Over the last two decades, San Francisco developer Build Inc. has been on a winning streak, adeptly navigating the citys treacherous political landscape and winning planning approvals for housing projects in Hayes Valley, Dogpatch, Tenderloin, Civic Center, South of Market and Bayview-Hunters Point.

On Tuesday night that perfect record came to an end in dramatic fashion. In an 8-3 vote, the Board of Supervisors rejected a proposed 495-unit tower at 469 Stevenson St., a 28,000-square-foot lot on an alleyway just off the corner of Sixth and Market streets. The parking lot is owned by Nordstrom, which uses it for valet parking for its nearby department store.

The supervisors vote overturned a Planning Commission approval of the project, essentially ordering city planners to go back to the drawing board and prepare a new environmental study. That could take another one or two years with no guarantee that the board members would find the new environmental study acceptable.

Build Inc. partner Lou Vasquez said he was blindsided by the vote, but said he was determined to keep going.

We are not giving up, he said. We are trying to figure out what our next step is.

The vote was clearly a major victory for TODCO, the powerful South of Market affordable housing owner that appealed the project to the Board of Supervisors. TODCO spent four years lobbying against the development, enlisting former Supervisor Jane Kim to help organize opposition. Other SoMa groups backing the appeal include United Playaz, West Bay Pilipino Multi Service Agency and South of Market Community Action Network.

On Wednesday, TODCO Executive Director John Elberling said that in slaying the Monster on Sixth Street, the board had protected vulnerable residents  residential hotel occupants on Sixth Street and Filipino seniors on Mission  against gentrification and displacement.

The board heard and agreed with SoMa community organizations realization that a massive project like that  would be the beginning of the end for these current residents, Elberling said.

Mayor London Breed, who supported the development, blasted the vote, suggesting that the opposition was based on vague concerns. She called the decision a perfect example of how San Francisco got into the housing crisis.

This project met all the criteria for approval, and it would have created 500 new homes on what is currently a parking lot surrounded by tall buildings, located near transit, she said. We cant keep rejecting new housing and then wondering why rents keep rising.

The vote was unusual because in voting no, eight members of the board went against Supervisor Matt Haney, who represents the Tenderloin and SoMa. Typically board members honor the wishes of the district supervisor, and in turn expect that they will get support for something in their district.

But the Haney support is complicated by the fact that he is running for Assembly District 17, a seat that was vacated when David Chiu was appointed city attorney. Haney is running against David Campos, a former supervisor who has been endorsed by six of the board members who rejected the Stevenson Street deal. This includes Supervisors Hillary Ronen, Aaron Peskin, Rafael Mandelman, Dean Preston and Gordon Mar.

Jason McDaniel, political science professor at San Francisco State University, said he could think of only two land use votes where the board went against the wishes of a district supervisor. He said opposition to market rate housing and fears of development were only part of the motivation.

This is at least partly about punishing Matt Haney for running against Campos, he said. They see it as a betrayal.

Solomon Cordwell Buenz

Rudy Gonzalez, secretary-treasurer of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, said the citys construction workers are being harmed in what is at least partly an intramural squabble between political factions. Currently, the trade unions have 1,400 out-of-work journeymen and apprentices, including 400 plumbers, and hundreds of electricians and sheet metal workers.

I have people who desperately want to get back to work, Gonzalez said. They are fully skilled and trained and ready to be dispatched. We need to place every one of these people.

Dozens of construction projects are on hold because of uncertainty about post-COVID recovery, and there are few new projects being approved to fill the pipeline. The 495 units on Stevenson Street would have meant hundreds of jobs for a two-year construction period.

If TODCO or anyone else wants to buy the parcel and build 100% affordable housing, good on them, but hurry, because Ive got families with kids to feed, Gonzalez said. We dont have time for this political bull.

Among opponents were two supervisors who are generally pro-housing, Mandelman and Myrna Melgar. Melgar said she is pro-housing, but that doesnt mean I am ideological or indiscriminate in my support. She said the environmental impact report was lacking. It didnt address earthquake safety, she said, and didnt include alternatives that might have lessened shadow impact on Mint Plaza.

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.

There were important things in the EIR that the planning department staff shortcut and didnt address, she said. We need to increase housing but also acknowledge realities that come with development in places like Sixth Street.

Chris Elmendorf, a law professor at UC Davis who specializes in housing law, said that the developer doesnt have a lot of legal recourse because the board didnt technically reject the project outright, but asked the developer and city planning staff to do an expanded environmental impact report, something that is required under state law. Therefore, the vote didnt violate the state Housing Accountability Act, which requires cities to approve housing as long as it is consistent with zoning.

There is nothing to sue on, no final decision, he said By labeling it a request for further analysis (the supervisors) avoid the (Housing Accountability Act) altogether.

Ironically, the concerns about gentrification come as tech workers  as well as retailers and restaurants  have largely abandoned the Mid-Market and Tenderloin areas. The companies that used to fill buildings like 25 Taylor, 988 and 989 Market St. have moved out. Mid-Market has a 30% vacancy rate, and even those companies still paying rent are unlikely to return to their offices. Many of the retailers who opened in the area between 2012 and 2018 have shut down. Retailers closing within a block of the proposed development include Homeskillet, CVS, Equator Coffee, Huckleberry Bicycles, Popsons Burgers, Show Dogs, Machine Coffee, World of Stereo and the Argentum Project.

In a tweet Wednesday, Haney said that while he shares concern about gentrification, we have strong protections for SROs, supportive housing, & rent control buildings along 6th.

I do not believe we prevent gentrification by keeping this a parking lot, he said.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen
AMSTELVEEN, Netherlands (AP) _ Core Laboratories NV (CLB) on Wednesday reported third-quarter net income of $874,000.

The Amstelveen, Netherlands-based company said it had profit of 2 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were 18 cents per share.

The results missed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 19 cents per share.

The energy services company posted revenue of $118 million in the period.

For the current quarter ending in December, Core Laboratories said it expects revenue in the range of $121 million to $124 million.

_____

This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CLB at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CLB
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  Youri Mevs knew that the call was coming, and she was terrified.

Mevs is a member of one of the richest families in Haiti; she owns Shodecosa, Haitis largest industrial park, which warehouses 93 percent of the nations imported food. Like everyone else, she has watched with despair as her country descended into chaos since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

Her office got the call one early morning in August. It was from Jimmy Cherizier -- aka Barbecue, a former policeman who leads the G9 gang coalition which controls the coastal strip of Port-au-Prince. Most of Haitis food and gasoline flows through his domain, and he can stop it with a single word.

Barbecues demand: $500,000 a month, a war chest he claimed would be used to buy food for the hungry and fight for democracy.

Pay the price, no problems. Refuse, and Shodecosa would be ransacked, and the gangs also would block the roads around the port terminal owned by the Mevs family.

_____

This story is part of a series, Haiti: Business, Politics and Gangs, produced with support from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

____

Mevs knew the threat was credible. Three neighboring warehouses were looted in June. It came down to math: How much do we make? Can we afford it? The answer was no.

Should she fight back? Again, no. We are not going to shoot a gun to defend a bag of rice.

There was nowhere to turn for help. In Haiti, there is no functioning government. For decades, the country was ruled by political strongmen supported by armed gangs; with Moises killing, the state collapsed and the gangs were unbound.

Having lost their meal ticket  the government  the gangs have become independent predators. While some turned to kidnapping, like those who captured 17 missionaries and their relatives, Barbecues men took control of the port district, gaining a stranglehold on the countrys economy.

Mevs is far from poor. She is not starving, not struggling for survival -- in so many ways, she is unlike the migrants who are fleeing Haitis misery. Like others of her caste, she traces her roots to ancestors who came to Haiti generations ago from Europe and the Middle East and built fortunes.

But like those emigrants, she and others among Haitis wealthy elite have few illusions about life in Haiti. She wants her daughters to join those families moving abroad while the future of the country is settled. If life does not improve, she may have to sell what she owns and join them.

In the meantime, she vows to stand up and fight the political battle to rebuild the government and country. She accepts that the gangs are part of the Haitian eco-system, something to be dealt with constantly as she struggles to keep her business going.

But Barbecue and his gang are immensely powerful. Her money, her contacts with rival gangs, her political connections -- all may be to no avail.

___

On a hot October morning, Barbecue -- the name comes from his mothers occupation, selling food at a street stall -- receives reporters in his stronghold of Bellecour-Cite Soleil, a wretched neighborhood of tin shacks without water, electricity or any basic services.

Barbecue unboxes two new, American-made AK rifles with ammunition. Then surrounded by a dozen young, hooded men armed and dressed in brightly colored T-shirts and sneakers, he walks to the perimeter wall that encloses Terminal Varreux, the port owned by the Mevs family.

No, he insists. He did not ask for money from the Mevs in exchange for not looting their properties. If I did that, they would have killed me by now, he says.

Barbecue fancies himself a man of the people and an enemy of the elite. He speaks blithely of a possible civil war of the poor against the rich and powerful foreign families who own Haiti. He has blocked fuel shipments from the port, causing shortages -- not to extort money for himself, he insists, but to pressure political and business leaders.

This, he says, is what he believes: Water, housing, school, university, security for all and not only for the 5% who have lighter skin -- the rich families like the Mevs.

I have hatred for those people, every time we look at them we can say that there are two Haitis. We have to put an end to the system of dispossession.

He mingles with the people of Bellecour-Cite Soleil, trying to present himself as not a gangster but as a revolutionary leader fighting for social change. He is not very successful.

Carrying a gun, he enters shacks without permission and does not say hello to the people living there before launching into diatribes about their living conditions. Generally, the occupants look down in silence, extras in a movie they played no part in producing.

Barbecue gestures to a teenager who walks behind him. The youth pulls a wad of bills from his back pocket and gives some to Barbecue; he, in turn, hands the money to the woman of the house.

Their position is that of mental slaves, they have not always understood the struggle, he says.

He says he can do little more for slum dwellers. And despite all appearances, he says he is not positioning himself for a political career. He claims not to have any political affiliation or party and says he does not see himself as a candidate in a system that I see as corrupt.

Mevs and others dismiss nearly everything Barbecue says as posturing -- especially his claims that he is not corrupt but an enemy of corruption.

He has been accused -- by the United Nations and other international organizations -- of participation in three massacres between 2018 and 2020.

The bloodbaths, said to have been sponsored by high-ranking officials in the Moise administration, left more than 200 people dead. Women were gang-raped, and entire neighborhoods were burned, displacing thousands.

Barbecues extortion is brazen. And sometimes, a payoff is not enough to guarantee protection.

For 20 years, Giovanni Saleh, 44, rented a warehouse from the Mevs. It was located halfway between Cite Soleil and Shodecosa, the Mevs industrial park.

Saleh can offer no explanation for of what happened starting on the morning of June 6. He had complied with the rules. He had, he says, a stable and correct relationship with the gang.

The last day I went to the warehouse I was preparing the food I used to leave for the gang every two weeks -- cans of tomatoes, cartons of spaghetti, oil, beans, 20 sacks of rice. I collaborated with them with food and some money on a regular basis.

Saleh says he received a call from Merci Dieu, a member of Barbecues gang coalition: We are going to block the area for a couple of days to ask for money from the government and trucks leaving the port, so come now and take whatever you need and then stay away for some days.

Two days later, a friend called Saleh to tell him that there were rumors of an attack against his warehouse. He called security, no answer. He checked the cameras online and they were off. He called police, called everyone he knew. Nobody would do anything.

Saleh lost $3.5 million in goods over three days, as thousands of people directed by Barbecue and a colleague disassembled his warehouse box by box, bag by bag, shelf by shelf. Drone footage he took shows a constant and orderly flow of looters entering the warehouse from two directions.

Guards told him later that armed men fronting a mob had come to the door and knocked.

Who would shoot? No one would shoot, Saleh said. They opened the doors and left.

Saleh has sent his wife and two kids to Santo Domingo, and wants to join them. But for now he is rebuilding his business. He has taken out loans to reopen in the Mevs industrial park.

Youri Mevs may be making the same mistake I made. I thought that by dealing with them, they would protect me, but they didnt, he said. They charge you, one way or the other, for protection, but instead of protecting you against other gangs or even the police, they turn against you.

___

Magalie Dresse lives in an elegant home in the heart of Port-au-Prince, with a well-tended garden where she does yoga in the morning. I need the strength to go out there and handle what Im going to find, which is not going to be positive.

Since 2004, her car has been attacked; she has survived two kidnapping attempts; the government expropriated some of her properties; and her factory was damaged by arson in riots, costing her $400,000 in a single day.

And then there are the gangs. At one point, she says, weve had cash at home during the weekends in case a friend needed it for a ransom and banks were closed.

Dresses business sends about 50 containers of art to the United States each year. But before they arrive at the port, they must pass through gang-controlled areas.

They can open them, check if there is something they want or even set them on fire, she says. So we pay the police, then sometimes we have to pay a gang because they can barricade the route.

Later, she acknowledges that some businesses -- not hers -- decide to have their own gangs on payroll. And that choice is the story of many companies in Haiti.

At the end of the day, she holds a cocktail party for friends and associates, and they swap stories about the impossibility of business life in a gangster nation.

If you have $5 million worth of merchandise to unload and deliver, $50,000 (in bribes) is something you can deal with, says Geoffrey Handal, entrepreneur in the shipping industry and former president of the Franco-Haitian Chamber of Commerce.

But the uncertainty -- the possibility that Barbecue might close the port for three days, or block trucks -- is impossible to live with.

Politics and violent groups have a long history in Haiti. In the 1960s, Francois Duvalier created the Tonton Macute, a militia that spread terror in the population for decades. When deposed president Jean-Bertrand Aristide ruled early in this century, he was supported by armed groups known as chimeres.

Moise and his predecessor, Michel Martelly, used gangs for hire to control the coastal areas where a large number of votes were concentrated.

When Moise was assassinated, the gangs decided there was no need to serve as middlemen for politicians anymore. Why would they accept being used if they could manage the business? Handal asks.

Barbecues revolutionary rhetoric is empty, he says. If someone offers Barbecue 5% more than what he is making right now, he will change allegiances immediately.

For Handal, the issue is simple: How low must businesspeople stoop to succeed in a gangster nation? Do you want to become one of them? Are you willing to have blood on your hands?

Instead, Dresse says the solution is citizenship.

We need people like us involved in politics with a long-term approach, she says. We need to create a new political party.

___

Youri Mevs does not pay the $500,000 extortion. She orders one of her managers to supply some of Barbecues rivals: Get them corn flakes, milk, pasta, tomato and soap. How much? $5,000.

She describes it as looking for ways of compensating for the non-aggression. She does not believe in cash donations because they will use them to buy ammunition, so she donates goods that cannot be used to hunt me or people like me.

She has staked her future on the political system, one with overtones of the failed past.

When Moises government began to fall apart, she decided she could no longer talk about they and them when she referred to her own country: Because I belong to the caste, I know what the caste has done to this country and what the country is doing to my caste.

In 2016 she met Youri Latortue, a veteran politician who was then president of the Senate. Latortue asked her to help with a report about a corruption scheme during Martellys administration.

In 2018 she became secretary general of Latortues party, AAA, which has led the opposition against Martelly and Moise since the 2016 elections. Now Latortue is waiting for the party nomination and Mevs is running his campaign.

Latortue has been accused of a lot in the past, from corruption to running gangs. He denies it all, and has never been formally accused. He says he wants to break with the Haitian tradition of strongmen and militias; that can only happen, he says, with a strong state, a strong public force, and institutions that guarantee the functioning of the state.

Latortue and Mevs have proposed a special police unit, trained by international experts, to fight the gangs. And they want to put Barbecue behind bars.

But in the meantime, Mevs has to deal with him.

At the AAA headquarters, a truck awaits to be loaded with the food she ordered that morning. This is how she rationalizes the payoff: It is a donation from the political party to a neighborhood. ... It is populism, but people are hungry. There is nothing wrong in giving them food.

Even if so, Latortue cannot be tied publicly to the shipment. Some people could accuse me of giving them weapons because the place is at war, he explains.

The two delivery men are tied to their phones, discussing the route. There are reports of gunfights, it is going to be a long route of discussions and shouts and detours along the way to the backdoor entrance of a barricaded front line.

The truck stops three times, on three parallel streets. Every corner is guarded by a dozen young men. They unload the truck into a house, a school, a party office.

Behind them, on empty streets, gunshots ring out and armed young men stand guard at a barricade. They call themselves a self-defense group. They are simply one of Port-Au-Prince's gangs.
DALLAS (AP)  A federal judge has rejected a bid by pilots to block Southwest Airlines from imposing a vaccine mandate, saying the airline is within its power to require vaccination as a safety measure.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn denied the request by the airline's pilot union to issue a temporary restraining order against the airline's requirement.
CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) _ MaxLinear Inc. (MXL) on Wednesday reported third-quarter net income of $9.3 million, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier.

On a per-share basis, the Carlsbad, California-based company said it had profit of 12 cents. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 75 cents per share.
Columbia/Tristar/Online USA, Inc./Getty Images

If you go back to the halcyon days of VHS tapes, theres a scene in the film adaptation of Roald Dahls Matilda where used car salesman Harry Wormwood, played by Danny DeVito, shoddily refurbishes junk vehicles by re-attaching bumpers with glue, filling the transmission with sawdust and  most deviously  adjusting the odometer.

Twenty years ago, we could turn the numbers back by hand  a two-directional drill, you run it backwards, the numbers go down, DeVito says in the film.
LONDON (AP)  A Cambridge University college handed over a bronze cockerel looted from Africa in the 19th century to Nigerian authorities on Wednesday, as part of a modest but growing effort in some European countries to return African art taken by colonial powers.

Jesus College is the first U.K. institution to give back one of the artifacts known as the Benin Bronzes. Speaking ahead of Wednesday's ceremony, college master Sonita Alleyne called it a momentous occasion.

British colonial forces took the Okukor statue in 1897 from the Court of Benin in what is now Nigeria  among thousands of artworks seized by occupying troops -- and it was given to the college in 1905.

The college removed the bronze from public view in 2016 after students protested, saying it represented a colonial narrative. The college set up a working group that concluded the statue belongs to the Oba of Benin, head of the historic Eweka dynasty of the Benin Empire. The empire centered on Benin City in modern-day Nigeria.

His Royal Majesty, Oba of Benin, Omo NOba NEdo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, welcomed the handover decision. We truly hope that others will expedite the return of our artworks, which in many cases are of religious importance to us, he said in a statement.

Hundreds of seized Benin Bronzes ended up in the British Museum in London, and hundreds more were sold to other collections such as the Ethnological Museum in Berlin. Germany this year said it would return the items in its possession.

The British Museum said Monday it is working on a collaboration with Nigeria, linked to the construction of a new museum in the West African country, which will allow to reunite Benin artworks from international collections. The museum is also in a decades-long tug-of-war with the Greek government over a restitution of the Elgin, or Parthenon, Marbles.

Such returns are controversial in Europe, where many museums hold works acquired during colonial times.

Across the English Channel, Frances president on Wednesday announced the rightful return home of 26 looted colonial-era artifacts being sent to the government of Benin  some of the estimated 90,000 African artworks held in French museums.

The wooden anthropomorphic statues, royal thrones and sacred altars from the collection known as the Abomey Treasures were pilfered by the French army 129 years ago, and are currently on display in Paris before being handed over to Benin on Nov. 9.

President Emmanuel Macron visited the exhibit Wednesday with Benin Foreign Minister Aurelien Agbenonci, who called it a historic moment."

Describing his long-standing efforts to get the works back, the foreign minister said No one could have predicted this happy outcome ... given how numerous the obstacles were.

The 26 works are an undeniable part of the cultural and religious identity of our country, he said, calling the restitution a key step toward Benins efforts to develop its cultural sector and create jobs.

Macron is the first French president to call for systematic restitution of colonial art, but acknowledged that only two items have been returned so far: a sword to Senegal, and a crown to Madagascar. He called for a law that would create a long-term framework for restitution to make such art handovers smoother.

These works will return home. They will find the men and women who will be able to understand the full power behind these works," Macron said. Their return home is a rightful return home.
NEW YORK (AP)  Their travel and performance limited during the pandemic, soprano Renee Fleming and Yannick Nezet-Seguin brainstormed on songs they could perform together at a piano and concluded on a theme of climate change.

Ive been thinking for years about how Romantic poetry and song literature framed every human experience, she said, and of course I was horrified the last year by Mother Nature making her unhappiness very loud and clear to us.

Their collaboration resulted in Voice of Nature  The Anthropocene, released on Oct. 8 by Decca Classics. It features the premiere recordings of three contemporary works, Kevin Puts Evening, Nico Muhlys Endless Space and Caroline Shaws Aurora Borealis, along with compositions by Gabriel Faure, Edvard Grieg, Reynaldo Hahn and Franz Liszt that date to 1844.

Fleming did not perform in public from March 2020 until June 2021 because of the pandemic, staying at her home in Virginia. Nezet-Seguin largely was limited to performances near his home in Montreal until last July, when he led the Chamber Orchestra of Europe in a Beethoven symphony cycle in Baden-Baden, Germany.

They chose the repertoire largely by exchanging texts and voice mails. Their schedules usually leave no time to record together.

Even if were not doing anything, were always doing something, said Nezet-Seguin, the music director of New Yorks Metropolitan Opera, the Philadelphia Orchestra and Montreals Orchestre Metropolitain.

Slowing down like this," he went on, " I think it made all of us artists reflect on whats important, what are the priorities and what time we need to reserve. For me, doing a project like this with an artist that I so much love and admire like Renee is something that I need more time to practice and I need more time to get into the pieces. And that is so good for my soul, and its something that has shown me that its important to keep those moments as an artist to do this. And also its significant to, hopefully, speak to the world because of the theme.

Puts composition, with text from a Dorianne Laux poem, was composed just ahead of the recording sessions at Philadelphias Verizon Hall this past April 27 to May 1. The 49-year-old American had composed The Brightness of Light, an expanded song cycle that was premiered at Tanglewood in July 2019, based on his earlier Letters from Georgia OKeefe.

While Fleming performed her last central repertory role in May 2017, she is taking on new works. And Puts is composing The Hours, based on Michael Cunninghams Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, which is to premiere with Nezet-Seguin and Fleming at the Philadelphia Orchestra on March 18 in a concert version, then fully staged performances at the Met in 2022-23.

After Nezet-Seguins melancholy introduction of Evening, Fleming implores, Midnight pours down without mercy no matter how many have perished beneath the trees, concluding We know the land is disappearing beneath the sea, islands swallowed like prehistoric fish/We know we are doomed, done for, damned and still the light reaches us, falls on our shoulders even now, even here where the moon is hidden from us, even though the stars are so far away.

Fleming sang Aurora Borealis at Carnegie Hall in 2017, a work that describes streaks in the sky... this is what I sought tonight. She and Nezet-Seguin hope to perform some of these songs in concert at some point.

For me, piano has taken a different importance now, he said. Its not so much because I want to do solo recitals. Its because I want to sit down and do projects like this with Renee. This is a dream for me, so Ill make space.

Nezet-Seguins piano has been limited mostly to rehearsals. He recorded Schuberts Winterreise with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, which was released by Warner Classics last spring, and he hopes a public role at the keyboard will emerge.

I just try to listen to what youre doing and I try to do this legato the way you do it, so perfectly, he said to Fleming. I have evolved in the last year and a half with my relationship with the piano because its something that I wanted kind of always to keep as a secret. When I was a pianist and trained as a pianist, I was always looking at conducting as being my life. But I never abandoned the piano quite. And I was tempted to go back at it sometimes because I felt, well, who am I kidding? You never have time to practice. Why would I do this? But I do believe that its something thats helping me becoming a better conductor now that I can play.

Fleming hopes the message from these songs resonates.

Im proud of this project, she explained. I never say that about my recordings.
NEW YORK (AP)  Joanna Hogg first had the instinct to make a film about her then-unfolding relationship to her heroin-addicted first love  a traumatic and formative time that coincided with her coming-of-age as a filmmaker  in 1979.

Back then, she didnt feel capable of tackling something so ambitious and personal. Her career detoured, instead, into television. It wasnt until Hogg was 47 that she determinedly returned to movies. After making three well-received features, Hogg felt she was finally ready.

The result  The Souvenir, which Hogg made in two parts, filmed two years apart  is a stunner. A sublime work of memory and autobiography, The Souvenir ( the second part of which a24 opens in theaters Friday ) captures a masterful filmmaker using all her accrued skill to revisit her early, half-formed life as a young filmmaker in the midst of finding herself.

I was surprised with the making of both these films how I remembered more than I thought I did, Hogg said in a recent interview from London. (Her Zoom window read fellini.) Sometimes, its just about focusing on that particular point in time and then things come up. I wouldnt have said that before the process because I didnt believe that was possible. I thought you remember what you remember, that theres no way to retrieve a memory.

But I think, actually, you can channel something. Thoughts, ideas, memories, images, sounds. I think one can retrieve them.

As a filmmaker, Hogg is a seemingly incongruous blend of free-flowing and formalistic. Her camera movements are precise, her cuts rigorous. She dresses her sets meticulously  recreating her London apartment in Knightsbridge, using her old clothes to dress her fictional stand-in, played by Honor Swinton Byrne, with whom Hogg shared her old journals. Yet she doesnt script out dialogue. Hogg, 61, uses a 30-page document as a starting point, and shapes scenes through rehearsals and wide-ranging takes.

In the first part of The Souvenir, we see Julie chafing at the structures imposed by her film professors, and later, in part two, dealing with crew members who want a more concrete process. But those challenges are just part of Julie's struggle to summon her voice and lift life into art. That the two films exist as they do is a kind of living proof that Hoggs way, now firmly grasped, yields something genuine and alive. We watch Julie finding her courage as a filmmaker; Hoggs is self-evident.

Tilda Swinton, who co-stars in both films as the mother of Julie (Swinton Byrne is Swintons real-life daughter), is a longtime friend of Hoggs. She even starred in Hoggs film school final project. She recalls Hogg four decades ago taking detailed notes and photographing the views out her windows  preparation for a future, theoretical film. Swinton describes The Souvenir as a beacon in a new kind of poetic cinema.

When I think of these films, I am reminded of that sense in which the project of cinema is that of a defiance of time, Swinton writes in an email.

It takes enormous heart and nerve to be as honest as she is about people  and to give her colleagues the support to be as open as her films require us all to be, Swinton continues. Its a high road and, as all the muddiest are, both unassailable pure and also solidly earthed.

The two parts of The Souvenir have won widespread acclaim, from the Sundance Film Festival to this years Cannes and New York festivals. Some of its most ardent fans are filmmakers. Martin Scorsese is an executive producer.

I think that The Souvenir Parts I & II' is an epic, on a completely human scale, Scorsese says by email.

While Scorsese recalls racing to make his first movie before he was 25 (how old Orson Welles was when he made Citizen Kane), he recognizes a different trajectory in Hogg.

Joanna started at a different moment and took her own path, and she began in a very different frame of mind, says Scorsese. Its reflected in the work, I think. Theres a kind of clarity there, an intensity of focus, that you dont find with someone younger  intensity yes, but of a different kind. But also, of course, its Joanna herself.

In conjuring her own entry into moviemaking, Hogg has also led Swinton Byrne in her first steps into film. Despite growing up on movie sets, The Souvenir marks the 24-year-old's debut. Hogg, unsatisfied with everyone she auditioned, cast her just two weeks before starting the first part, when Swinton Byrne was 19. Julie's evolution is also Swinton Byrne's.

So much happened in those two years between part one and part two. I went away to Namibia for 10 months. I like to think I did a lot of growing up in that time, Swinton Byrne says by Zoom from Edinburgh, Scotland, where shes studying psychology. So I think I went into the second one with much more of a backbone.

I changed, myself, she adds before laughing. There wasnt a lot of acting going on.

To Swinton Byrne, the second part of The Souvenir is particularly empowering. After finishing her studies, she expects to keep acting.

Hollywood depicts this ideal expectation of what to experience in your 20s and 30s, so this is why Im really moved by both films, Swinton Byrne says. These two films, as a whole, shed light on making mistakes, and how thats completely normal and completely healthy, and the more mistakes you make, the more you learn.

With fiction and life merging so much, Hogg has sometimes, herself, been uncertain about whats real and whats not.

The whole thing becomes very confused, not in an uninteresting way, and very hard to unpack, Hogg says, smiling. Sometimes now if I see an image from the film, theres a momentary confusion in my mind as to whether thats a still from the film or a still from my own life.

Having spent so much of her career pushing against the normal methods of filmmaking, Hogg  her voice as a director crystal clear  feels drawn to trying her hand in more prescribed genres. Film noir, where the past is never through with anyone, is especially appealing right now.

Im interested now in playing with known shapes within my parameters, she says.

Last year, Hogg shot The Eternal Daughter, a Wales-set mystery about long-buried secrets, with Swinton. I have been her playmate for 50 years and now we are feeling as if we are finally beginning our work together, says Swinton.

As much as The Souvenir was obsessed with recapturing a long ago, Hogg already feels the films moving away from her. The movies, too, are now a memory, and difficult to readily retrieve.

Part II gets harder and harder to talk about because its receded, Hogg says. They float away into the ether.

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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
Theres nothing quite like a decaying industrial town in the middle of a chilly, grey-skied fall to set an immediately gloomy mood in a film. Not that Scott Coopers  Antlers  needs any help in that department as it already deals with child abuse (sexual and psychological), poverty, bullying, hunger, sickness, generational trauma, environmental degradation and ancient native superstitions. Might as well just set it somewhere appropriately dreary as well, right? No one seems to ever smile in this Oregon town, even in line for the ice cream shop. Just to hammer the point home, a mournful piano and strings soundtrack overwhelms every frame. To quote Seymour Krelborn, its a place where depressions just status quo.

But it gives you a good sense of whats in store for the next 90 minutes. Antlers is not your typical horror movie. Most of the horrors here are the real ones (see the list above)  the ancient bloodthirsty creature is just the sideshow and it is a deathly slow burn in between the carnage. And despite the admirable ambitions and the prestigious names involved, including stars Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons as well as producer Guillermo Del Toro, it doesnt really work either as metaphor or engaging, thought-provoking entertainment.

The conceit is that this beast has been unleashed because the world is rotting from within. One dad (Scott Haze) has an encounter in an abandoned mine shaft while his young son Aiden (Sawyer Jones) waits for him outside in the truck. The film leaves what happened in the mine ambiguous for quite some time, resting perhaps too much on the assumed suspense of the reveal. Antlers cuts to Aidens older brother Lucas (Jeremy T. Thomas), who is trying to go through the motions of daily life but is clearly disturbed and in need of help. It should be mentioned that if you have any squeamishness about seeing children in distress, know now that you should just avoid this film entirely, because it is relentless.

Russells Julia is Lucass middle school teach,er, who is conveniently teaching the students about myths when Lucas tells a particularly haunting and specific tale and she starts to worry about his well-being. She has her own demons ,too, and has reluctantly returned to Oregon to live with her brother Paul (Plemons) after their abusive father dies. This is the kind of film that doesnt trust that the audience will figure out theyre brother and sister through context clues, but instead decides to make Paul call Julia sis the first time we meet him and never again. Yet somehow Plemons sells it and a few other clunkers, as only he can do: With innately natural, self-deprecating charm.

Julias interest in Lucas is not hard to unpack, considering her past where presumably no adult figures stepped in to help. The film piles depressing metaphor on top of depressing metaphor to its own detriment. Instead of making you think, it kind of just makes you scratch your head.

And of course things just continue getting more disturbing the more she digs into the home life of the Weavers, which sets off a series of ripple effects including unleashing the beast on the already blighted town and making her brothers job more difficult. Russell sells her part, too, and is believable as a recovering alcoholic who is not at all over the traumas of her childhood.

But its hard to shake the feeling that the plot here came second to the idea and design of the beast, which, besides Plemons' heroic line delivery, is easily the best thing Antlers has going for it.

Antlers, a Searchlight release in theaters Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for violence including gruesome images, and for language. Running time: 99 minutes. Two stars out of four.

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MPAA Definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompany parent or adult guardian.

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Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr
BERLIN (AP)  The United Nations is summoning an unusual witness to testify to the dangers of burning fossil fuels that stoke global warming: a dinosaur.

In a video released on social media ahead of this year's U.N. climate change summit, a computer-generated dinosaur bursts into the U.N.'s famous General Assembly hall in New York to tell world diplomats that going extinct is a bad thing.

The light-hearted clip, voiced in the English version by actor Jack Black, carries a serious message that the U.N. Development Programme hopes to drive home.

Youre headed for a climate disaster," the dinosaur proclaims. "And yet every year, governments spend hundreds of billions of public funds on fossil fuel subsidies. Imagine if we had spent hundreds of billions per year subsidizing giant meteors.

In an accompanying report released Wednesday, the U.N. agency says its research shows that the world spends more than four times as much each year, about $423 billion, to subsidize fossil fuels for consumers than it does to help poor countries tackle global warming.

The figure doesn't include the indirect costs of burning oil, coal and gas, such as the harm fossil fuel emissions do to the environment and human health.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly called for an end to subsidies on fossil fuels, something many governments are wary of because of fears higher prices could spark social unrest.

The head of the U.N. Development Programme, Achim Steiner, acknowledged that reforming the system of fossil fuel subsidies would not be easy and might look different in each country.

But we also know that we must move away from these energy sources that are contributing to our planets decline, he said. Ending financial support for them in a way that is fair and equitable is a critical element of that transition.

___

Follow AP's coverage of climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
When Joey Chiang and Melody Yu were debating locations for their engagement photos, the usual scenic Bay Area spots just didnt quite fit. Sure, the Legion of Honor and the Golden Gate Bridge are beautiful, but they werent special to the couple.

What was special to them, though, was Berkeley Bowl. The couple, who first met at UC Berkeley, would often shop for groceries and cook elaborate meals together at the beginning of their relationship.

Courtesy of Anna T. Nguyen

There were some others ideas that were floated, like a few restaurants that were really special to us, Yu told SFGATE.  But we reached out to the staff at Berkeley Bowl and they were so welcoming and supportive.

The renowned Berkeley grocery store was happy to oblige when the couple reached out, as first reported by Berkeleyside. Chiang and Yu's photographer, Anna T. Nguyen, also loved the idea.

Courtesy of Anna T. Nguyen

This is definitely the first time Ive ever done anything like this, Nguyen told SFGATE.  I was really excited. I was like, I definitely have to do this.

The group arrived at the store after hours on a Sunday, and Berkeley Bowl was their oyster. Berkeley Bowl special projects manager Chi Dixon let them do whatever they wanted, Yu said, and even contributed some of her own ideas for the shoot (most notably, one shot with Chiang on the conveyor belt and Yu checking him out).

Courtesy of Anna T. Nguyen

The whole thing was fun, but personally, I really loved seeing Berkeley Bowl after hours, Yu said. Its kind of like that magical feeling when youre in elementary school and youre there in the halls after school ends.  It doesnt look the same. They put these burlap sheets on the produce, and when I walked in I made a joke, I was like, Shhhh, theyre sleeping.

Some of the engagement shots are silly, like one of Chiang holding a watermelon over his stomach like a pregnancy announcement. Others are just plain cute, such as a shot of the couple holding hands and smiling at each other in the produce aisle, Yu's veil flowing behind her.

Courtesy of Anna T. Nguyen

The pictures turned out so well that Yu couldnt believe they were the first couple to think of a Berkeley Bowl photoshoot (Dixon told Berkeleyside the store doesnt have any record of it happening before in its 44-year history, although it is possible another couple has tried something similar without the store knowing).

Berkeley Bowl has such a cult following within the Bay Area that Im really surprised that no one has done that before, she said. The way we did the shoot was pretty unconventional, but it was so much fun. I would encourage anybody to go out of their comfort zone on how they want to document a special moment.

Courtesy of Anna T. Nguyen

Courtesy of Anna T. Nguyen

Courtesy of Anna T. Nguyen

Courtesy of Anna T. Nguyen

Courtesy of Anna T. Nguyen
A Tuesday San Francisco Board of Supervisors vote rejecting a new housing development in San Franciscos SoMa neighborhood was lambasted by Mayor London Breed.

The development, a 495-unit apartment complex with about a quarter of the units reserved for affordable units as required by affordable housing mandates, was proposed on a parking lot at Stevenson and Sixth streets near the Powell Street BART station.

But a majority of supervisors voted down the proposal, yet another flashpoint in the so-called NIMBY vs. YIMBY debate over development  an issue that has roiled one of Americas priciest cities to rent and own housing.

Of the 11 sitting supervisors, the three who supported the development are District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney, District 2 Supervisor Catherine Stefani and District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safai.

The project would have been in the area represented by Haney, who vocally decried his fellow supervisors for rejecting it.

Our city has a massively out of balance jobs/housing ratio, Haney said on Twitter Tuesday night. We're approving & building office jobs but not housing. It's entirely unsustainable.

He also argued that the project would have created jobs for construction workers and cited extensive neighborhood support for its construction. (Haney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE.)

Mayor London Breed concurred, taking the eight supervisors who opposed the vote to task and calling their vote part of an anti-housing ideology" on Twitter. Breed also brushed off concerns over gentrification in the district, including those made by District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston, as vague.

Shortly after the vote, Stefani tweeted, We need to stop letting perfect be the enemy of the good.
C Brandon/Redferns

Guitarist and songwriter Ken Stringfellow  best known as a member of the Posies, R.E.M. and the 1990s incarnation of Big Star  has been accused of sexual misconduct by three women.

As reported by KUOW, one of the alleged incidents took place in the Marker Hotel in San Francisco following a performance at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in 2015. The incident is recounted in the article in graphic detail and reportedly happened in a bathroom. Afterward, the woman reported the alleged assault to her doctor. Stringfellow responded to the allegations by saying that the interaction was consensual.
DETROIT (AP)  Two police officers, including a lieutenant who worked in Detroit's integrity unit, took bribes to break rules and steer cars to a favored towing company, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday.

The charges are the latest in a federal investigation of Detroit's towing procedures.

I am profoundly disappointed with the crimes allegedly committed by members of the Detroit Police Department. ... We hold ourselves to a high standard and these actions fall far short of those standards," Chief James White said.

Lt. John Kennedy is accused of accepting more than $14,000 in cash, cars, and car repairs from a towing company and an undercover federal agent. The government said he was supposed to be investigating the towing company.

Officer Daniel Vickers accepted $3,400, according to the indictment.

Kennedy and Vickers were charged with bribery and conspiracy. They asked for lawyers while appearing in federal court Wednesday, both restrained at the wrists and ankles.

"I did not do this, Vickers said.

The evidence includes secretly recorded phone conversations. Kennedy and Vickers made referrals to a towing company that was not on the police department's rotation list, according to the government.

It can be lucrative work: Towing companies can charge storage fees until a car is claimed and even sell a vehicle at auction after a certain period.

In September, a Detroit City Council member pleaded guilty to accepting $36,000 in bribes related to oversight of towing policy. Andre Spivey resigned.
BRUSSELS (AP)  A small boat transporting 24 migrants was rescued Wednesday from the North Sea by emergency services off the coast of Zeebrugge, according to the governor of Belgium's West Flanders province.

Carl Decaluwe told The Associated Press that all 24 passengers were rescued but that one of the migrants was in serious condition.
ROUND VALLEY RESERVATION, Calif.  They said they were chasing down horse and cattle thieves, an armed pursuit through fertile valleys and evergreen forests north of San Francisco. But under questioning in 1860, a cattle rancher let slip a more gruesome picture, one of indiscriminate killings of Yuki Indians.

A 10-year-old girl killed for stubbornness.

Infants put out of their misery.

Documented in letters and depositions held in Californias state archives, the Gold Rush-era massacres are today at the heart of a dispute at one of the countrys most prominent law schools whose graduates include generations of California politicians and lawyers like Vice President Kamala Harris.

For the past four years, the University of California, Hastings College of the Law has been investigating the role of its founder, Serranus Hastings, in one of the darkest, yet least discussed, chapters of the states history. Hastings, one of the wealthiest men in California in that era and the states first chief justice, masterminded one set of massacres.

For those involved, including a descendant of Hastings who sits on the schools board, the journey into the past has revealed a very different version of the early years of the state than the one taught in classrooms and etched into the popular imagination of intrepid pioneers trekking into the hills to strike it rich.

Across Northern California  north of Napas vineyards, along the banks of the Russian River and in numerous other places from deserts to redwood groves  as many as 5,617 Native people, and perhaps more whose deaths were not recorded, were massacred by officially sanctioned militias and U.S. troops from the 1840s to the 1870s, campaigns often initiated by white settlers like Hastings who wanted to use the land for their own purposes.

Thousands more Indians were killed by vigilantes during the same period. But what sets apart the organized campaigns is that the killers travel and ammunition expenses were reimbursed by the state of California and the federal government.

Its not an exaggeration to say that California state legislators established a state-sponsored killing machine, said Benjamin Madley, a history professor at UCLA.

By Madleys calculation, expeditions carried out at Hastings behest killed at least 283 men, women and children, the most deadly of 24 known California state militia campaigns.

In 1878, Hastings donated $100,000 in gold coins to found the school that carries his name, Californias first law school. It was to be forever known and designated as Hastings College of the Law, according to the schools enactment.

Now both the law school and its critics agree that Hastings bears significant responsibility for the massacres, in the words of the Hastings inquiry, but they disagree on what to do about it, including the question of whether the school should retain its name.

At a time when institutions across the country are reexamining their history, Native leaders in California say a broad reckoning over the treatment of American Indians is overdue. The long-standing notion that they died as an accidental consequence of Western settlement, of disease and displacement, they argue, needs to be revised with acknowledgment of the purposeful killing campaigns.

The debate over what to do at Hastings comes during renewed attention on the period of Spanish missions  when tens of thousands of Indians were forced to give up local customs and died of disease  and the legacy of Native enslavement; historians estimate that 20,000 Native Americans were enslaved in the first decades after California became a state in 1850, even though it officially barred slavery.

Two years ago Gov. Gavin Newsom described the states treatment of Native populations as genocide, issued an official apology and created a Truth and Healing Council tasked with producing a report on relations between the state and Native American groups by 2024.

We have to speak truth, said Abby Abinanti, chief judge of the Yurok Tribal Court and, in 1974, the first Native woman admitted to the California Bar. We have not figured out as a country at this point, how do we reconcile our behavior? How do we make this right?

The investigation into the Hastings massacres began in 2017 after a Bay Area lawyer, John Briscoe, published an opinion essay in The San Francisco Chronicle under the headline, The Moral Case for Renaming Hastings College of the Law.

Last year the law school announced a number of measures that it described as restorative justice: It agreed to allocate space for a memorial in the main lobby of its administrative building in San Francisco; provide members of all tribes in Round Valley pro bono legal help; maintain a program focused on Indigenous law; and assist in the establishment of a charitable foundation, an initiative currently on hold because of disagreement among tribal members on how to carry it out.

But David Faigman, chancellor and dean of Hastings Law, has led a campaign to keep the schools name.

What would removing the Hastings name accomplish? Faigman wrote when the results of the schools investigation into the Hastings legacy were made public in September 2020.

A committee formed to investigate the massacres said changing the colleges name might lead to a decline in applications and perhaps a loss of philanthropic and alumni support.

A number of prominent Hastings alumni, including senior retired judges, disagree and have called for a renaming. They say that like the fortune of the Sackler family, derived from the opioids that ultimately killed multitudes of Americans, the gold Hastings donated to found the school is tainted.

Ultimately, Faigman said in an interview, the question of whether Hastings keeps its name rests with the Legislature and the governor. His critics say Hastings should proactively demand the change. A spokesperson for Newsom, Erin Mellon, said the governor hoped Californians would think critically about the harmful legacies of our forebears. The governor will review any legislative proposals that land on his desk, Mellon said.

The site of the massacres, Round Valley, is a four-hour drive from Silicon Valley. But the halo of wealth of the Bay Area has never reached the tumbledown homes, trailer park and ranches of Round Valley. The main sustaining business in Covelo, the valleys unincorporated town, is backyard marijuana plots.

James Russ, president of the Round Valley Indian Tribal Council, which governs the Round Valley Reservation, emphasizes that the leadership is happy to accept the colleges offer of legal assistance for the tribes activities.

We have a window of opportunity, and we dont want to screw it up, Russ said.

The controversy over the name is further complicated by the question of which tribal members should receive reparations.

The Yuki people were decimated and, after decades of intermarriage among members and white settlers, were subsumed into the Round Valley Indian Tribes, which was created after a coerced 19th-century relocation by the U.S. government of seven distinct tribes.

Mona Oandasan, one of the leaders of a group of Yuki tribespeople in Round Valley, said the law school was negotiating with the wrong people. The Yuki were the ones targeted in the Hastings massacres, not the other tribes on the reservation, she said.

We are the direct descendants, and they should be talking to us, Oandasan said.

Native leaders say they hope the Hastings controversy could be a possible catalyst to bring awareness to a terrible legacy that few Californians know about. Greg Sarris, chair of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, a Northern California confederation of tribes, is donating proceeds from his tribes casino to fund efforts at the Smithsonian to produce curricula about Native history, including an Indian perspective on the Gold Rush era.

That period was a particularly treacherous and murderous time in California  a catalog of slit throats, gunshot wounds and crushed skulls, wrote Kevin Starr, a California historian.

But even back then, the massacres of Indians carried out by Hastings militias shocked contemporaries and prompted an investigation in the Legislature.

Brendan Lindsay, author of the 2012 book Murder State: Californias Native American Genocide, 1846-1873, said ranchers hunted Indians in the way they might track down a fox that ventured into a henhouse.

According to the chronology by Lindsay, one set of killings was carried out by H.L. Hall, who was hired to look after Hastings cattle and horse ranches in 1858. When four or six  accounts differ  of the nearly 400 horses on the ranch were killed, Hall and three other men raided a Yuki village and killed nine or 11 tribespeople. During subsequent massacres, he rode into Yuki villages and killed women and children, including the girl he said he killed for stubbornness.

A second killing spree was led by a group that called themselves the Eel River Rangers.

Hastings, who died in 1893, is buried in a cemetery in Napa Valley, where he had extensive landholdings. His grave is marked not so much by a headstone as a small monument, a granite obelisk that stands out amid the evergreens of the St. Helena Public Cemetery.

Not taught in California schools, the history of the Round Valley massacres came as a surprise to many of those at the law school. Faigman, the dean and a history major, said he had never heard of Hastings role before Briscoes article was published. Col. Claes Lewenhaupt, the great-great-grandson of Hastings who sits on the law schools board of directors, a seat that has been held by descendants since the schools founding, said he first learned about Hastings role a decade ago when he read some of the scholarship that emerged.

Its awful, said Lewenhaupt, a lawyer who grew up in the Bay Area and spent a career prosecuting and defending U.S. Army soldiers. But he said he agreed with Faigman that the Hastings name should be maintained. I do not think the renaming will benefit the institution, he said.

In Round Valley, Deb Hutt, a Yuki tribeswoman and the sister of Oandasan, said she wonders why descendants of the Hastings family have never apologized. While sitting at a picnic table across from a tribal gas station, Hutt said she sometimes tried to imagine what Round Valley would be like had Hastings and other white settlers not taken over the valley.

Buffered by mountains, the Yuki were relatively undisturbed by Spanish or Mexican conquerors. It took the huge and sudden migration of the Gold Rush for the tribe to be confronted by unmerciful invaders.

We were their hunt, Hutt said of the men who led the Hastings massacres. And what we lost was more than lives.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)  The board of the Alaska Railroad has voted unanimously to rescind a requirement for all of its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Initially, railroad employees were supposed to be vaccinated by Dec. 8 to comply with vaccine requirements ordered by President Joe Biden that, in part, required vaccination for employees of contractors doing business with the federal government. The railroad is a federal contractor, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

An email sent to railroad employees last Friday said the railroad must meet the standard. But Tuesdays board decision followed legal challenges that have been filed elsewhere seeking to block the federal mandate, Alaska Railroad spokesperson Tim Sullivan said.

The board could revisit its decision, depending on the outcome of the vaccine mandate legal challenges, he said.

Sullivan said nearly 53% of the railroad's 692 employees are vaccinated.

Failure to comply with the vaccine mandate could cost the state-owned corporation millions of dollars in federal grants and contracts, and the space it leases from the U.S. Forest Service in Anchorage, Sullivan said.

Board members expressed reluctance to require vaccinations.

We have one of our U.S. senators that has implored us and others within the state of Alaska not to make these decisions until there is more certainty on what direction is the country is headed on this, board member John Binkley said, referring to comments made recently by Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan.

There just seems to be a lot of state of flux in terms of how this is going to manifest itself, Binkley said.
Lucy Bernholz talks about Chex Mix a lot.

Bernholz, a senior research scholar at Stanford Universitys Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, doesnt want people to think of only one type of giving  the headline-grabbing, 10-figure pledges from billionaires and their foundations.

Philanthropy, she says, is like the beloved bar snack. It has lots of different components, but they all contribute to making the party favorite tasty.

If we only look for the pretzels, she says, were gonna miss the Chex Mix.

For her new book, How We Give Now: A Philanthropic Guide for the Rest of Us, Bernholz traveled around America, speaking mainly to groups of low-income and working class people who donate their time, money and other resources, including online data about themselves.

She found no shortage of commitment to philanthropy from these people, who run giving circles, donate time at food banks or, as the volunteers of Safe Passage have done for more than a decade, make sure that children can travel to and from school safely through San Franciscos Tenderloin District.

The Associated Press spoke with Bernholz about her findings and how they shape philanthropy. She will discuss her work, along with some people who are profiled in her book at a forthcoming event, Making a Difference Without Millions: How Americans Give, a free virtual program co-sponsored by The Associated Press, the Chronicle of Philanthropy and The Conversation, on Nov. 4.

The interview was edited for clarity and length.

___

Q: Why did you want to write this book?

A: The philanthropy industry really only ever counts giving money to nonprofits. When we dont look at all these other things, we cant possibly understand why there may be rises and dips in that one act. For most of us, our time, our money, our interests are not infinite. So if youre choosing to do one thing, you may well not be choosing to do another. And we need to understand those dynamics much better.

Q: What Safe Passage does in San Francisco is a type of giving we dont hear much about these days.

A: Weve often forgotten that that kind of activity is philanthropy. Its not the Gates Foundation; thats something else. One of the things we heard, loud and clear, from the people we talked to in these workshops across the country is that all the things they think of as giving are actually about participating in their community, about participating in the world.

Q: Between new proposed tax laws and revelations about the U.S. becoming a tax haven for the ultra-wealthy, there has been a lot of discussion about how tax benefits affect philanthropic donations. Did you find that in your research?

A: It never came up in our conversations. Only when we brought it up. Whats fascinating about that is only 8% of Americans bother to take the charitable tax deduction on their tax return. Now, tax policy is pretty much the only policy idea the philanthropy industry has any interest in. Theyre serving 8% of the population. And I know that 8% is not Mark Zuckerberg. Its not Pierre Omidyar. Its not Laurene Powell Jobs. Theyve all said: We dont care about the tax benefit. Were gonna do an LLC, because that gives us more control and more anonymity. So theres some 8% who care. In poker, theyd call that a tell. If and until the nonprofit and philanthropic industries start advocating for really rich people to pay their taxes, I think the view of that whole industry as a wealth preservation mechanism is quite justified.

Q: Theres this current debate over the word philanthropy. Theres little-p philanthropy, which means caring for other human beings, and capital-P philanthropy, which is the Gates Foundation.

A: I dont know if maybe this is a wishy-washy answer, but I dont actually care that much about the word. But I think were really actually hurting ourselves as a democracy, were hurting ourselves as people, when our imagination is limited to philanthropy = big foundation giving to nonprofits.

Q: You mean people thinking that if theyre not giving MacKenzie Scott-type money somewhere then what theyre doing doesnt really count?

A: There is an industry of capital-P philanthropy  promoters, the slew of accounting firms and legal firms, family offices and consulting firms like McKinsey, media attention, and, not to condemn some of my fellow scholars, but even the scholarship about philanthropy focuses in on the big guys. So its easy to understand that the rest of us dont think were doing whatever that is. Were not doing what Mackenzie Scott does. Were not writing checks that are so big that they can fundamentally change what an organization does or draw attention to an issue. But we are keeping our communities going. Theres an enormous amount of power in aggregating small donations.

Q: Collective action matters.

A: What you can do is going to be more powerful if you do it with other people  whether theres money involved or not. Maybe you can just get together with your neighbors and provide a warm meal for that person on your block who needs it. That will then lead toward bigger activism. Id like to help people in the country see that youre already doing this, and it matters and it can make a change. Lets do more of it. Lets celebrate it.

___

To hear Bernholz speak at Making a Difference Without Millions: How Americans Give on Nov. 4 at 4 p.m., a free virtual event co-sponsored by The Associated Press, the Chronicle of Philanthropy and The Conversation, register at https://bit.ly/GIVERegister. 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.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Denying Wisconsin state auditors access to the actual ballots cast in the 2020 presidential election is arguably justifiable based on guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice, attorneys for the Legislature said in a memo released Wednesday.

The nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau report released Friday said that election clerks in the city of Madison, Milwaukee County and two of Little Suamico did not allow auditors to physically handle the ballots. Republicans have seized on that, saying clerks were promoting secrecy, undercutting their credibility, and Senate GOP leaders on Monday promised an investigation into what happened.

Clerks have defended their action, saying auditors could see the ballots, they just couldn't physically handle them because they are not permitted to do so under federal law. Madison's clerk wrote to auditors in August, telling them there is no information or data available in the records that could be obtained through physically handling them that couldn't be gained by viewing copies or in other ways.

Attorneys for the Wisconsin Legislative Council, who advise lawmakers, were asked by Democratic Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley about who can legally access the ballots.

The attorneys' analysis cites guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Justice in July said election materials must be retained by elections officials and kept under their supervision.

It is arguably reasonable to permit only clerks' staff to physically handle election records based upon the U.S. Department of Justice guidance, wrote Anne Sappenfeld, director of the Wisconsin Legislative Council, and staff attorney Peggy Hurley.

Furthermore, the potential for criminal prosecution if they fail to properly retain and preserve the records also rests with clerks, Sappenfeld and Hurley said.

The attorneys also said that based on the audit, it appeared that other election clerks interpreted the guidance differently and provided auditors more access to election materials.

This could be due to legal interpretation or practice, the attorneys wrote. However, it could also be due to the extent to which individual clerks believe they can safeguard records physically handled by a third party.

Bewley, in a statement she released along with the legal memo, called the pending Senate investigation ill-advised and said it will do nothing to restore confidence in the administration and results of our elections. In fact, it seems designed to do exactly the opposite.

Havent we had enough already? Bewley said.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Audit Bureau, in its Friday report, made 48 recommendations and possible law changes to improve how elections are run, including adopting rules on whether ballot boxes should be allowed and whether missing information on absentee ballot envelopes should be filled in by election workers.

There is also a separate, partisan investigation being led by former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman. He was hired by Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.

President Joe Biden won Wisconsin by more than 20,000 votes, a result that has withstood recounts, court challenges and the audit bureau review which found no widespread fraud. Only four people out of more than 3 million people who cast ballots in Wisconsin have been charged with election fraud.
LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP)  Another California ski resort has moved up its opening day thanks to this weeks huge dump of snow in the Sierra Nevada.

Palisades Tahoe joins Mammoth Mountain in starting its season on Oct. 29.
Sunday, Oct. 31

On this date in 1890, Harrison Morton Lavender, mining engineer and Vice President and General Manager of Phelps Dodge Corp. for whom the Lavender Pit at Bisbee is named, was born.

On this date in 1909, Navajo Chief Hashkeneinii, meaning Angry Warrior, died after living in the Monument Valley area for years.

On this date in 1918, the Arizona State Fair was canceled because of an epidemic of Spanish Influenza.

On this date in 1929, a suit was filed in U.S. Federal Court in Phoenix on behalf of the Hualapai Indians to regain their rights to the water at Peach Springs from the Santa Fe railroad.

On this date in 1931, the survey of a site for the proposed Glen Canyon Dam was completed.

Monday, Nov. 1

On this date in 1867, Tucson became the capital of the Territory of Arizona.

On this date in 1893, the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act caused much suffering in Arizona as the price of silver dropped from $1.25 to as low as $.25 an ounce and many mines closed.

Tuesday, Nov. 2

On this date in 1889, Sheriff Glen Reynolds and Sheriff W.A. Hunkydory Holmes of Globe were killed by the Apache Kid and seven other Apache prisoners whom they were escorting to the penitentiary.

On this date in 1907, a knife-wielding robber held up guests in four different Prescott hotels in one night, killing one of the victims.

On this date in 1919, 16 of 37 autos which left El Paso for a race to Phoenix arrived in Bisbee. Only six of them finally finished the race in Phoenix.

Wednesday, Nov. 3

On this date in 1852, Captain Lorenzo Sitgreaves reached Fort Yuma after completing his survey of the Zuni, Little Colorado, and Colorado Rivers.

On this date in 1868, the first United States Land Office in Arizona was opened in Phoenix.

On this date in 1988, for the first time in American history, the top five state-elected offices are held by women.

On this date in 1992, Arizona voters pass Proposition 300, making Martin Luther King Jr. Day the only voter-approved King holiday in a state.

Thursday, Nov. 4

On this date in 1775, because it was San Carlos Day, Father Francisco Garces gave the San Carlos River its name.

On this date in 1929, a truck carrying a load of roofing nails from Tucson to Florence leaked its load along 65 miles of highway, leaving dozens of motorists stranded in its wake with flat tires.

On this date in 1935, Maricopa County opened a drive to raise money for a Will Rogers Memorial.

On this date in 1979, the Iranian hostage crisis began as militants stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. For some of the hostages, it was the start of 444 days of captivity.

On this date in 2001, the Arizona Diamondbacks rally to beat the New York Yankees 3-2 in Game 7 of the World Series and snag their first title.

On this date in 2008, Sen. John McCain of Arizona loses his bid for the U.S. presidency to Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. Obama received 365 electoral votes while McCain received 173.

Friday, Nov. 5

On this date in 1912, Arizona held a general election and returned the recall of the judiciary to the State Constitution.

On this date in 1915, aviatrix Katherine Stinson dropped Arizonas first official air mail letters near the Tucson Post Office.

On this date in 1922, 119000 acres (482 square kilometers) of Arizona land was ordered open for settlement by veterans.

On this date in 1924, the Catholic Church of Santa Cruz in Tucson was seriously damaged by the explosion of a bomb.

On this date in 1932, outlaws robbed the bank in Clemenceau (in Verde Valley, Yavapai County) and got away with $7,000.

On this date in 1935, the proposal to divide Cochise County failed when petitions for a special election fell 300 short of sufficient signatures.

Saturday, Nov. 6

On this date in 1906, Arizona voted overwhelmingly against joint statehood with New Mexico. The measure was defeated by a vote of 16,265 to 3,141.

On this date in 1914, the Nogales Daily Herald was established.

On this date in 1915, a fire of unknown origin destroyed the Arizona Copper Companys new concentrator system at Clifton.

On this date in 1936, the forerunner of the Rodeo Cowboys Association, the Cowboys Turtle Association, was formed by 61 cowboys. Everett Bowlan, then of Hillside, Arizona, was named the first President.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  The state of Arkansas filed a consumer protection lawsuit Wednesday against a Virginia-based medical supplier for nearly $11 million for failing to deliver supplies during the coronavirus pandemic, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said.

Rutledge said Wednesday that Med-Care Healthlink LLC of Suffolk and its representatives failed to deliver gowns, ventilators and face shields ordered in March and April 2020 to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  New Mexico was among the first states out of the gate when the COVID-19 vaccine push began. Now, top health officials say it looks like the state is among the first to see immunity from the shots wane.

Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase said Wednesday during a briefing that waning immunity is among a long list of possible reasons the state is stuck on what officials described as an uncomfortable plateau. More than 72% of adults in the state are vaccinated and a mask mandate remains in effect for public indoor spaces but cases have yet to trend downward.

In a handful of New Mexico counties, state data shows roughly 4 out of 5 people are fully vaccinated and yet the rate of spread within those communities remains at unacceptably high levels. The data also shows that more than one-quarter of the new COVID-19 cases reported over the last four weeks were among vaccinated people, a number that is expected to rise as vaccine immunity wanes.

We don't know everything and it's become a real challenge, Scrase said. I was thinking I was sort of bulletproof when I was vaccinated. I don't think that anymore. I got my booster and as sort of my civic duty I'm still being twice as careful.

The other factor, he said, is the delta variant is more infectious than other strains since the virus' ability to find a new person to infect is very efficient. He called it a formidable foe.

State epidemiologist Dr. Christine Ross said health officials were talking early on about the magic number that needed to be hit for herd immunity. She said that number is elusive and that New Mexico obviously hasn't reached it. She repeatedly stressed that more people need to get vaccinated.

Only about 8% of adults have received boosters as that effort recently began. Asked how many people would need to get boosters to see a downtrend in cases, Scrase said officials don't know. He added that the primary strategy is to get the unvaccinated inoculated.

With nearly 960 cases reported Wednesday and another 15 deaths logged, officials said they dont expect New Mexico's public health mandates to be relaxed any time soon.

Scrase also said there has been no discussion about whether boosters would have to be mandated at some point. He explained that officials would be super careful about considering any changes when it comes to defining what it means to be fully vaccinated and would have to start at the ground up and really reconsider the pros and cons of those kinds of decisions.

State health officials also acknowledged that the virus is sure to mutate and that the vaccination strategy over time will have to chase those mutations.

We're trying to find a way to live with this virus until we find a better way to completely eradicate it, Scrase said.
BANGKOK (AP)  A decision on the bail application of an American journalist jailed for the past five months in Myanmar has been delayed because the judge broke his arm, the journalist's lawyer said Wednesday.

Danny Fenster was detained at Yangon International Airport on May 24 as he was about to board a flight to go to the Detroit area in the United States to see his family. He is the managing editor of Frontier Myanmar, an online magazine based in Yangon, Myanmars biggest city.

Fenster has been charged with incitement -- also known as sedition -- for allegedly spreading false or inflammatory information. The offense is punishable by up to three years in prison.

The charge against him does not make clear specifically what he is accused of doing. The court proceedings are still in the procedural stage and hearings are closed to the media and the public. He is being held at Yangons Insein Prison, where the hearings are being held.

Than Zaw Aung, Fensters lawyer, said the court had been expected to rule Wednesday on whether his client should be granted bail, as both the defense and prosecution had submitted their arguments on the matter at the last hearing.

However, the judge did not appear because he is taking a months leave after breaking his arm, and another judge is sitting in for him temporarily, the lawyer said. Consequently, the defense and the prosecution submitted their arguments again and the new judge is expected to rule on them at the next hearing on Nov. 3.

Than Zaw Aung said Fenster did not comment on the delay but appeared disappointed at not being released from detention under a recent amnesty for political prisoners. He is among about 100 journalists detained since a Feb. 1 military takeover ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Thirty-four journalists are believed to remain behind bars.

Earlier this month, Fenster was also charged under the Unlawful Associations Act, which carries a punishment of two to three years imprisonment for links to banned organizations.

His lawyer has said that he is being prosecuted for an offense allegedly carried out by a news service for which he had stopped working more than half a year before he was charged, and well before this years seizure of power by the military.

Government spokesman Maj.-Gen. Zaw Min Tun, when questioned in September about Fensters case, responded: As for journalists, if they do only journalists work, there is no reason to arrest them. Danny Fenster did more than just what a journalist does. He did not elaborate.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden has nominated a new United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois.

In a Wednesday news release in which the nominations for the leaders of three other districts in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Arizona were announced, the White House said the president had nominated Gregory V. Harris, an assistant U.S. attorney in the Central District, to the top post.

Harris would succeed Acting U.S. Attorney Douglas J. Quivey. Quivey has held the position since March.

Harris was an assistant U.S. attorney in the district from 1980 to 1988 and returned to the same position in 2001, holding various leadership posts, including Chief of the Criminal Division.

Harris served as an Assistant Appellate Defender in the Illinois Office of State Appellate Defender from 1976 until 1978.

Prior to his return to the office in U.S. Attorney's office in 2001, Harris spent 13 years as a partner at the law firm Giffin, Winning, Cohen & Bodewes, P.C. in Illinois.

Harris received his bachelors degree from Howard University in 1971. In 1976, he graduated from what was then known as the John Marshall Law School and is now the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
BANGKOK (AP)  Midday bombings near a busy government office injured at least nine people in Myanmars second biggest city on Wednesday, in what appeared to be the latest high-profile attack by militants opposed to the countrys military rulers.

Other attacks by foes of the government were also reported on social media and news websites sympathetic to the opposition. Shootings and bombings in Myanmars cities and armed clashes in the countryside are daily occurrences, and U.N. officials and other observers have warned that unrest triggered by the military's seizure of power in February is spinning toward civil war.

Two explosions rocked an area near the Road Transport Administration Department in Mandalay, damaging at least 14 motorbikes, witnesses said by phone. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of fear of being targeted by security forces for speaking to the media.

A member of the Htarni Shae Rescue team said four people were hurt in the initial blast and five more from his and another rescue team when the second explosion took place after they arrived with ambulances. Such rescue teams are usually charity organizations and are common in many parts of Southeast Asia.

Video of the busy location posted online showed two columns of flames and smoke rising into the air as people ran in panic along the adjacent road.

A group calling itself the Special Attacking Force (Upper Burma) said on its Facebook page that it had carried out the bombing. It said it wanted to deprive the military government of revenue to buy bullets. The targeted office collects driving fees and taxes.

The group warned people to stay away from agencies that collect money for the government.

Similar opposition groups are active all over Myanmar, many calling themselves peoples defense forces.

Opposition to military rule has hardened in the months since the army seized power, ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The takeover was first met by nonviolent demonstrations which were suppressed with deadly force by the army and police. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners estimates that security forces have killed about 1,200 civilians, a figure the government says is too high.

Protesters then began using more active self-defense as violence escalated on both sides. The government is now facing an insurgency in the cities, where militants actions typically include bombings and targeted killings, and in the countryside, where soldiers battle village militias and the established guerrilla forces of ethnic minorities that have sought greater autonomy for decades.

Wednesdays attack in Mandalay was in support of a civil disobedience movement that seeks to deprive the state of workers and revenue. Civil servants have been encouraged to stay away from work and customers have been urged not to pay their electricity bills.

The Special Attacking Force said it had issued many warnings to the Road Transport Administration Department and other government offices that support the functioning of the government, called the State Administration Council.

But some civil servants neglect our warning and they are still continuing to work for their own benefit. Many people are very upset about this, it said in a statement. We had warned that we will punish the SACs slaves in a gentle or rough way to stop all the supporting pillars that financially help to buy bullets to kill people.

A person who lives near the transport office said it was the fourth bombing at that location, but the first carried out at an hour when it would be crowded, around 11 a.m.

The explosions today were the strongest, and rocked her house, said the woman, who asked not to be identified.

According to a statement issued by the government last week, there have been 986 terror attacks, 2,344 bomb attacks and 312 arson attacks from from February to late October.

Due to their terrorist attacks, 1,155 civilians died and 765 people were injured. Moreover, a total of 182 persons including 75 military personnel, 93 police personnel and 14 civil servants died, while 602 were injured. A total of 251 schools and education buildings were torched and bombed by the terrorists. They destroyed roads and railways for 536 times and 76 bridges were also damaged, the Foreign Ministry said.

The governments claims, like those of the opposition, could not be independently checked.
NEW YORK (AP)  The former bursar of the City College of New York has been charged with stealing almost $500,000 in student checks and spending the money on vacations and luxury goods.

Joseph Boselli, 58, was charged Tuesday with felony counts including grand larceny for allegedly stealing 900 checks that were issued to 700 current or former students.

Prosecutors said Boselli is expected to take a plea deal that would recommend two to six years in prison, the New York Daily News reported.

An attorney for Boselli declined a request for comment from the newspaper. Boselli lives in Hartsdale in Westchester County.

The checks were issued between August 2012 and September 2017 and ranged from as little as $4 to more than $3,300, prosecutors said. Boselli is accused of forging student signatures and writing, Pay to the order of Joseph Boselli on the backs of some checks.

Prosecutors said he deposited the money into his personal account using an ATM and spent it on flights to places like San Francisco and Milan, Italy; hotels; and luxury goods from Gucci and other stores.

Many New Yorkers who take advantage of the world-class public education at their doorsteps still face enormous financial burdens thanks to the high cost of living here, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said in a statement Tuesday. The last thing students and their families need to worry about is university employees stealing money that is rightfully owed to them.

Vances office and the state inspector generals office started investigating Boselli in 2017. He was placed on administrative leave that year and fired in 2019.
ATHENS, Greece (AP)  Greek officials sought to expand Chinese investment in the country during talks on Wednesday with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, that also touched on regional geopolitics, sports and minorities.

Greece recently emerged from a brutal decade-long financial crisis that wiped out a quarter of its economy and has been eager to attract international investments. China, which is constructing ports, railways and other infrastructure in dozens of countries around the world under its Belt and Road Initiative, is already heavily involved in Greece.

The Chinese company Cosco Shipping now owns 67% of Greeces Piraeus Port Authority, one of the largest ports in Europe, after Greek lawmakers ratified the sale of a 16% stake in the company on top of the 51% Cosco already held.

Greece also granted Cosco another five years to follow through with investments that it had promised to make as part of its deal to buy a majority stake in Piraeus.

We look forward to new investment projects in the largest port of the Mediterranean, one of the largest in the world, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said after his meeting with Wang in the Greek capital.

We have repeatedly said Greece can be a gateway from Asia into Europe, an energy hub, Dendias said, noting the two had discussed deepening economic relations between the countries, as well as increasing cultural and tourism ties.

Dendias noted that he had briefed his Chinese counterpart on the particularly worrying developments in the eastern Mediterranean and what he described as Turkey's destabilizing role in the region, which he said could inhibit maritime commerce which greatly interests the Chinese side.

Neighbors Greece and Turkey are divided over a long series of disputes, including over exploitation rights in the eastern Mediterranean, which have led to severe escalations of tensions in recent years. Athens has been seeking to shore up international support for its positions against Turkey.

Dendias said he spoke to Wang extensively about what he said was Turkey's effort to become involved with Muslim populations across the world by promoting ideologies such as Muslim brotherhood and attempting direct involvement in the internal affairs of other countries.

Turkey has in the past raised the issue of China's treatment of the Uyghurs, an ethnically Turkic Muslim minority in northwestern China, although it has become less vocal about their plight recently amid efforts by Ankara to forge closer economic ties with Beijing.

China has been accused of major human rights violations in its province of Xinjiang against Uyghurs and other minorities, including mass incarcerations, forced birth control, sterilization and abortions. Beijing rejects the accusations, saying the camps are centers for vocational training and deradicalization to turn the region's residents away from extremism and terrorism.

Reporters were not permitted to attend the joint statements, and no questions were allowed.

Wang described Chinas involvement in Piraeus as an emblematic project of the Belt and Road Initiative and a model for mutually beneficial cooperation.

Labor unions, however, have criticized working conditions at the shipping terminal, saying profits are placed above safety. A worker died this week in an accident at the Cosco-run container terminal in Piraeus.

Greece's opposition Syriza party slammed conditions at the port, saying such labor accidents were caused by the constant exhausting rates of work (at the container terminal) which cause long-term exhaustion and work-related illnesses.

Cosco acquired the 51% stake in the port of Piraeus in 2016, under a Syriza-led government.

Wang said China was willing to expand "the EUs global interconnection strategy, so as to enhance the level of interconnection of the Eurasian Continent, stimulate the growth potential of China and Europe, and accelerate the global economic recovery.

Wang's visit comes shortly after the Olympic flame, lit in a ceremony in Ancient Olympia in southern Greece, arrived in Beijing for the 2022 Winter Games. The ceremony was disrupted by activists accusing the International Olympic Committee of granting legitimacy to rights abuses in China. IOC officials have said rights issues are not part of their remit.

Wang said Beijing was ready for the gams, and he condemned what he called the politicization of sports.

Beijing is ready. We are confident to be able to present a simple, safe and brilliant Olympic gala," he said. The politicization of sports distorts the Olympic purpose, and we should resist it together. Healthy and fair sports can enhance mutual cognition and understanding of different countries.

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Suzan Fraser in Ankara contributed.
DENVER (AP)  Colorado officials identified the victim of an unsolved 33-year-old homicide by using DNA analysis that traced the victim to relatives in Israel.

The victim was identified as 36-year-old Akram Bada'an, who was killed in August 1988. His body was found in Sheridan, a suburb just south of Denver, Sheridan Police Detective Bryan Penry announced at a press conference Wednesday.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP)  A cash management company has asked a federal court to return nearly $166,000 in proceeds seized in Kansas from sales at Missouri medical marijuana stores.

Dickinson County sheriff's deputies seized the money in May after stopping a driver for Empyreal Logistics as she was taking the proceeds to Colorado. Medical marijuana is legal in Missouri and Colorado, which also allows recreational use. Marijuana use is illegal in Kansas.

Federal prosecutors say the money is subject to forfeiture because it violates a federal law against manufacturing and distributing drugs. The U.S. Attorney's office in Kansas filed a civil forfeiture action in federal court seeking to seize the money.

A federal magistrate judge ruled last month that there was probable cause to seize the money in Dickinson County because it was the product of illegal drug sales. A hearing is scheduled for Jan. 4.

According to federal court filings, Empyreal is arguing the money was obtained through legal transactions.

A driver for Empyreal was stopped for a traffic violation in Dickinson County on May 17 on Interstate 70 near Abilene. The driver, who has not been charged, told the deputy she was going to Kansas City, Missouri, to pick up cash from medical marijuana dispensaries, according to court records.

While in Kansas City, the driver was watched by agents with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency as she entered several dispensaries, according to court records. On her way back to Denver, she was again stopped by a Dickinson County, Kansas, sheriff's deputy for an unstated reason.

In a federal affidavit, DEA special agent Bryson Wheeler wrote that about $165,620 was seized after a drug-sniffing dog reacted to the smell of marijuana on the cash, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported.

Jan Douglass, an attorney with Denver-based Cantafio Nagel & Song, which represents marijuana businesses, said the federal case is perplexing because it involves seizing proceeds from legal marijuana transactions, rather than seizing the drug itself, KCUR reported.

So youre prohibiting the transport of legitimate funds that were acquired in one state  and were not talking products here but the results of a legal, reportable, taxable transaction thats being seized by another state, Douglass said.

Danielle Thomas, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorneys office in Kansas, said the office does not comment on pending litigation.

Empyreal argued in a court filing that the federal government's claims to the money should be denied.

There is no evidence that the Subject Currency was furnished or intended to be furnished in exchange for an unlawful controlled substance in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.  Said currency was derived from lawful activity, an attorney for the company argued.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection has focused some of its early work on the planning of the rally at which President Donald Trump told his supporters to fight like hell. The rally, held that morning and planned by former White House and campaign aides, became a staging ground for hundreds of supporters who marched to the Capitol, pushed past police and broke inside.

What the committee still doesnt know  or at least hasnt revealed publicly  is whether Trump and the organizers of the rally, along with Republican members of Congress, were in touch with protesters who later breached the Capitol or aware of plans for violence. Around 800 people eventually busted through windows and doors and interrupted the certification of President Joe Bidens victory, repeating Trump's false claims that he had won the election.

But there were strong signals of what was to take place, starting with Trumps December tweet promising that the Jan. 6 event would be wild and encouraging supporters to come. In the weeks and days beforehand, some people  including those from far-right militant groups  planned for violence openly online. And when they arrived, some wore tactical gear as if prepared for battle.

Why would you bring bear spray, Kevlar vests, and other items to a peaceful rally? asked Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committees chairman, in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday. Thompson says there were people who came to Washington just for the rally, and others who came to do just what happened here at the Capitol.

As part of the probe, the committee is looking at what members of Congress knew about the event. Some lawmakers spoke at the rally, while others helped plan it. Thompson said that were not there yet in terms of reaching any conclusions, but added that there is a school of thought that there were some people who misinformed as to what was happening on Jan. 6 as they encouraged Trump supporters to attend.

A look at what we know, and what we dont, about the rallys planning as the committee investigates:

WHAT WE KNOW

The committee has subpoenaed 13 people associated with the rally on the National Mall that morning and a smaller one that had been planned next to the Capitol. Almost all of the people subpoenaed were listed on the permit for the Mall event, where Trump told his supporters that if you dont fight like hell, youre not going to have a country anymore.

Republican members of Congress, including Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks and North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn, also spoke at the rally. Brooks told the crowd to stop at the Capitol before they went home and that today is the day that American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass.

Most of the rallys organizers had worked on Trumps presidential campaign or in his administration, and the White House coordinated with them starting in mid-December, according to two people familiar with the planning who requested anonymity to discuss it. The permit for the rally was issued to Women for America First, a pro-Trump group with roots in the tea party movement.

As the event was underway and as Trump was speaking, a large group of people made its way to the Capitol, among them members of far-right extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers who forcibly entered. Some dressed in tactical vests and helmets and marched toward the door in a military-style formation.

One of the organizers who was subpoenaed, Ali Alexander, said after the riot that the intention was to direct attendees of the larger rally to march to the Capitol. In his subpoena, the panel cited media reports that Alexander had made reference to the possible use of violence to achieve the organizations goals and had been in communication with the White House and members of Congress.

In the months since, many Republicans who denounced the violence have started playing it down and even defended the rioters. Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, for example, has repeatedly said that a woman who was shot and killed by police as she was trying to break into the House chamber was executed. The committee has asked the National Archives for records of communications between Gosars chief of staff and the Trump administration.

WHAT WE DONT KNOW

There are still many unknowns about how the rally was planned. Were the organizers planning an insurrection? Who paid for the rally and what was their goal? How much did Trump know? And were any members of Congress communicating with the protesters who broke in?

In the days after the attack, some Democrats questioned whether their Republican colleagues had helped the rioters. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that if any members aided and abetted the crimes they may have to be prosecuted.

There has been no direct evidence that any members of Congress helped the rioters. But the committee says it is investigating every aspect of the attack, including whether lawmakers assisted the attackers and how involved they were in planning the rally and others beforehand.

Thompson says that if any members appear to be implicated in the attack, I dont think theres any reluctance to call them in for testimony.

WHAT THE COMMITTEE IS INVESTIGATING

The committee is interviewing some of the rally organizers it subpoenaed behind closed doors and negotiating with others. So far, all of the 13 have at least communicated with the panel about testifying. The committee is also seeking a broad swath of presidential documents from the National Archives about communications between officials in the run-up to the rally and the insurrection.

In August, the committee asked social media and telecommunications companies to preserve phone or computer records for hundreds of people who were potentially involved with efforts to challenge, delay or interfere with the certification or otherwise try to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Among the hundreds of names they sent the companies were several of Trumps most ardent Republican allies in Congress, including Brooks, Cawthorn and GOP Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Jody Hice of Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Louie Gohmert of Texas, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Lauren Boebert of Colorado.

Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat on the Jan. 6 panel, said the committee is probing how the origins of the rally, or its planning, may be linked to the violence.

We want to know what the connection is, Raskin said, and whether the insurrection was part of the original design, or a detour for the people who were there.

Weve been given the charge to investigate the events of Jan. 6, the causes of Jan. 6, and what America needs to do to prevent further political insurrections and coups directed against the government, Raskin said. So we want to talk to everybody whos got information related to all of those things. And so that includes elected officials, that includes anyone who has information to give us.

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Smith reported from Providence, Rhode Island.
HONOLULU (AP)  A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the family of a man killed by police in Honolulu.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Wednesday that the complaint was filed on behalf of the mother of Michael Kahalehoe, who was shot and killed by police in 2019.
WASHINGTON (AP)  U.S. health regulators on Wednesday finalized stronger warnings for breast implants, including a new requirement that people receive detailed information about their potential risks and complications before getting them.

The Food and Drug Administration announced the new regulations mainly aimed at implant manufacturers, who are also being required to add a boxed warning message  the most serious type  to their written patient materials.

The FDA requirements are the latest step in a decades-long effort to manage safety issues with the devices, which are primarily used for breast augmentation, the most common cosmetic surgical procedure in the U.S. Roughly 400,000 people get implants each year, 100,000 of them after cancer surgery.

The FDA had originally proposed the rules as voluntary measures in 2019, but Wednesday's action makes them legal requirements for breast implant makers, including leading manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson's Mentor unit and Allergan.

In the biggest shift, plastic surgeons and other health professionals who work with the implants must give their patients a checklist detailing possible side effects, such as scarring, pain, rupture and even a rare form of cancer. The checklist also explains that breast implants often require repeat surgeries and they should not be considered lifelong devices.

The doctors must sign the document and confirm that the recipient was given an opportunity to review it before surgery. Companies that sell implants to doctors who don't comply could face fines and other penalties from regulators. The rules begin to take effect in 30 days.

In recent years, the FDA and regulators worldwide have grappled with a link between a rare cancer and a type of textured implant. That's on top of a separate issue involving tens of thousands of people who blame their implants for a host of other health problems including rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue and muscle pain.

The concerns led the FDA to convene a public advisory meeting in 2019 followed by the new proposals to give patients more information about safety problems.

The devices have a silicone outer shell and are filled with either saline or silicone. The FDAs regulations also provide updated recommendations for regular screening to catch potential implant ruptures.

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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.
SEATTLE (AP)  A federal jury has determined that The GEO Group must pay minimum wage  rather than $1 a day  to immigration detainees who perform tasks like cooking and cleaning at its for-profit detention center in Washington state.

The verdict came Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma in a second trial over the issue. The first trial ended in June with a deadlocked jury.

This multi-billion dollar corporation illegally exploited the people it detains to line its own pockets, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in an emailed statement. Todays victory sends a clear message: Washington will not tolerate corporations that get rich violating the rights of the people.

The jury will now consider how much the immigrant detainees who worked at the facility are owed  an amount expected to run into the millions  and U.S. District Judge Robert Bryan on his own will determine what The GEO Group must pay Washington for its claim that the company unjustly enriched itself.

Ferguson said he would put any money awarded to the state into a fund to benefit the detainees as well as area residents who may have been deprived of jobs because GEO used the detainees to perform the work.

Ferguson, a Democrat, sued the Florida-based GEO Group in 2017, saying the company had unjustly profited by running the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma  now known as the Northwest ICE Processing Center  on the backs of captive workers.

A separate lawsuit filed on behalf of detainees was also filed that year, seeking back pay. The judge, who rejected several attempts by GEO to dismiss the lawsuits, consolidated the cases for trial.

GEO did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment but is expected to appeal.

GEO maintained that the detainees were not employees under the Washington Minimum Wage Act. Even if they were, the company said, it would be unlawfully discriminatory for Washington to require GEO to pay them minimum wage  now $13.69 an hour  when the state doesnt pay minimum wage to inmates who work at its own prisons or other detention facilities.

The definition of employee in Washingtons minimum wage law is broad  it includes anyone who is permitted to work by an employer, without regard to immigration or legal work status. The law says residents of a state, county, or municipal detention facility are not entitled to minimum wage for work they perform.

The detention center didnt fit that exemption because its a private, for-profit facility, not a state, county or municipal one, attorneys for the state and for the detainees argued.

The Northwest detention center houses people who are in custody while the federal government seeks to deport them or reviews their immigration status. It can hold up to 1,575 detainees, making it one of the nations largest immigration jails, though the population has been drastically reduced during the pandemic.

During the first trial, GEO acknowledged it could pay detainees more if it wanted. In 2018, the company made $18.6 million in profits from the facility; it would have cost $3.4 million to pay the minimum wage to detainees.

Washington appears to be the only state suing a private detention contractor for not paying minimum wage to immigration detainees. But similar lawsuits have been brought on behalf of immigration detainees in other states, including New Mexico, Colorado and California, seeking to force GEO and another major private detention company, CoreCivic, to pay minimum wage to detainees there.

A federal judge rejected the lawsuit brought by former detainees of CoreCivics Cibola detention center in New Mexico  a decision upheld by a federal appeals court panel in March.

Persons in custodial detention  such as appellants  are not in an employer-employee relationship but in a detainer-detainee relationship, the panel wrote.
PHOENIX (AP)  Authorities are searching for an inmate who escaped from a federal prison in Phoenix.

Officials with the Federal Bureau of Prisons said 36-year-old Rosann Tercero was discovered missing early Tuesday morning from the minimum-security satellite camp next to the Federal Correctional Institution Phoenix.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  A state ethics panel has recommended that a sham candidate for the Florida Legislature convicted of participating in a vote siphoning scheme in last years election be fined $20,000 and formally reprimanded.

The Florida Commission on Ethics announced Wednesday that Alex Rodriguez had reached a settlement with the commission last week. Gov. Ron DeSantis didn't immediately say whether he would accept the recommendation that he issue the reprimand.

In a separate criminal case filed in Miami-Dade circuit court, Rodriguez pleaded guilty in August to accepting illegal campaign donations and lying on campaign documents. As part of a deal with prosecutors, Rodriguez agreed to testify against former Republican state Sen. Frank Artiles. Rodriguez will receive three years probation if he cooperates, including a year of house arrest. He had faced a possible 20-year prison sentence.

Prosecutors charged Artiles in March with felony campaign fraud charges, saying he secretly gave more than $44,000 to Rodriguez so that he could run in the 2020 election to confuse voters and siphon ballots from then-Democratic incumbent, Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez. The funds allegedly came from a dark money source. Artiles has pleaded not guilty.

Alex Rodriguez, a 55-year-old auto parts salesman with no political experience, ran as an independent in the three-way race in Miami-Dade County, drawing 6,000 votes. The Florida Senate District 37 race was won by Republican Ileana Garcia by just 32 votes. She is not implicated in the scheme.

Artiles' attorney, Frank Quintero, has said that his client denies doing anything illegal. He accused investigators of trying to secretly use Rodriguez as an agent for the state against Artiles.

Artiles, who represented a Miami-area district, is no stranger to controversy.

In 2017, he resigned from the Florida Senate after using racial slurs in a conversation with two Black legislators in a Tallahassee bar. Then it was revealed that Artiles used money from his political committee to hire a former Playboy model and Hooters girl as a consultant.

Before that, Artiles, a Cuban-American, served three terms in the state House from a Miami-Dade district. He was then elected to the Senate before his resignation.
Marta Lavandier/AP

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  The state of Florida has withheld funding from two school districts over their coronavirus mask mandates, flouting threats from White House officials who warned that such penalties would violate federal law.

School officials in Alachua and Broward counties on Wednesday said the state docked school board salaries and overall funding in amounts equal to federal aid packages meant to blunt the state's sanctions on mask requirements. This month, more than $164,000 was withheld from the Alachua school district and more than $455,000 was withheld from Broward.
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP)  A former National Geographic photographer has been sentenced to one year in federal prison for tax evasion and ordered to pay more than $200,000 to the IRS, the Office of the U.S. Attorney for Delaware announced.

When Bruce Kevin Fleming, 67, of Milton pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion last year, he had not filed federal income tax returns or paid any such taxes since 1981, prosecutors said Tuesday in a news release.
OXFORD, N.C. (AP)  A former North Carolina sheriff who was previously accused of threatening to kill a deputy has been indicted on charges of falsifying law enforcement training records, court records showed Wednesday.

A grand jury said former Granville County Sheriff Brindell Wilkins used deception to retain his law enforcement certification from the N.C. Sheriffs Education and Training Standards Division, and that he knowingly submitted false and misleading information between 2012 and 2018. According to court records, Wilkins allegedly falsified records to show he had completed mandated annual training and firearm qualification requirements, when he actually had not, news outlets reported.

The reports said former Granville County chief deputy Sherwood Boyd also was indicted on charges of falsifying records to maintain certification. Chad Coffey, a former deputy who also served as training coordinator and firearms instructor, and Edward Keith Campbell also were also indicted on charges related to the alleged falsification, the records show.

It wasnt immediately known Wednesday afternoon whether Wilkins and the others had attorneys who could comment on their respective cases.

Wilkins was initially indicted on two counts of obstruction of justice in September 2019. The indictment was handed down following allegations that he reportedly thought a former deputy would release a recording containing racially offensive language, and in a 2014 phone call said the only way you gonna stop him is kill him, according to court records. That case is still pending, said Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman.

A grand jury indicted Wilkins in June on charges of obstruction and failing to discharge his duties. The charges were related to the sheriffs office drug unit and to improper approval of gun permits, WRAL reported, citing court documents.

In addition, current Granville County Sheriff Charles Noblin, who was appointed to succeed Wilkins in January 2020, has resigned in light of the new allegations against his predecessor, although he is not facing any charges, news outlets reported Wednesday.

Due to personal reasons beyond my control and newly discovered information brought to my attention concerning the ongoing investigation, I feel that it is in my best interest and betterment of Granville Countys Sheriff Office that I inform you of my resignation, Noblin wrote to Ganville County Attoreny James Wrenn, according to WRAL.

Noblin, who took over in January 2020, put his agency before his own personal interest, Freeman said of the resignation.

The Granville County Sheriffs Office declined to comment. The county, which borders Virginia, is north of the state capital of Raleigh.
WAUKON, Iowa (AP)  Flags across Iowa were lowered to half-staff and hundreds of people and law enforcement officers filled the Waukon High School gymnasium on Wednesday for the funeral of an Iowa State Patrol trooper who died from injuries he received in a car crash in the line of duty.

Trooper Ted Benda, 37, died Oct. 20, nearly a week after he was injured in a car crash in northeast Iowa that happened while he was rushing to assist the Clayton County Sheriff's Office with a wanted suspect, the Department of Public Safety has said.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP)  Unidentified gunmen attacked a police patrol overnight in northwest Pakistan, killing four before fleeing the scene, a police official said Wednesday.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack in Lakki Marwat, a town in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. Police official Umar Khan said a search operation for the culprits was still underway.
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP)  Big Island coffee farmers are expected to receive $300,000 from the state to help them battle coffee leaf rust, a disease that can kill coffee trees.

The money comes from the state Department of Agriculture thanks to a bill passed by the Legislature extending and enhancing the states Coffee Berry Borer Pesticide Subsidy program.
AURORA, Ill. (AP)  A security guard was rescued early Wednesday after he fell into a trench dug for utility work near a strip mall in a western Chicago suburb, officials said.

The 25-year-old man security guard for Factor, a packaged meal preparation company, fell into the hole as he was walking around the building in Aurora and got stuck in it just before 12:15 a.m.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  The Illinois Senate voted Tuesday to repeal a law requiring that parents or guardians be notified when girls younger than 18 are seeking an abortion.

Building on momentum among abortion-rights activists after September's Texas heartbeat law banned most abortions, Democrats who control the General Assembly want to dump the 1995 law requiring notification, which both sides of the debate call the last restriction on abortions in Illinois.

But with a 32-22 tally in favor of repeal, the count fell short of approval of all who make up the Democrats' 41-18 advantage, showing the reticence among moderate Democrats on a law whose proposed repeal now moves to the House with two days left in the General Assembly's fall session.

Republicans repeatedly point out that notification has the support of nearly three-quarters of Illinoisans responding to a poll conducted last spring. And they publicized the nearly 50,000 notices of opposition to the legislation that were filed electronically before the vote.

Its the most basic human relationship that we know and it is a precious bond for a lifetime, most critical during a young girl's, a minor's, formative years.... said Republican Sen. Jil Tracy of Quincy. We have enough problems in the state without creating more wedges between children and their parents.

Pro-notice advocates note that the 48-hour alert to a parent or guardian the law requires involves only notification, not consent. According to the Guttmacher Institute, of 38 states requiring parental involvement in a minors abortion decision, 21 require parental consent  in three of those, both parents must consent.

Opponents say the notification law, adopted by Republican majorities in 1995 but not in effect until 2013 because of legal challenges, is a means of denying abortion rights to teenagers by delaying the procedure. They say most teen girls have good relationships with their parents but notification is a hindrance to those who live in abusive environments and are intimidated by an alternative process  pleading their case to a judge. Only one judge since 2013 has denied a minor's abortion, however.

One of the most detrimental laws that are currently on our books impacting young women is parental notification of abortion, said Sen. Elgie Sims, the Chicago Democratic sponsor. He amended the legislation before the vote to add creation of a task force to create wide-ranging resources and services to help young girls who are pregnant and families to build stronger relationships.

Sims said in conversations with his daughters and his daughters' friends about the legislation, I asked them, What do you think about it? Those young women to a person said to me, I have my own mind, let me decide.' I think that is a very powerful statement.

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Follow Political Writer John OConnor at https://twitter.com/apoconnor
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  Youri Mevs knew that the call was coming, and she was terrfied.

Mevs is a member of one of the richest families in Haiti; she owns Shodecosa, Haitis largest industrial park, which warehouses 93 percent of the nations imported food. Like everyone else, she has watched with despair as her country descended into chaos since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

Her office got the call one early morning in August. It was from Jimmy Cherizier -- aka Barbecue, a former policeman who leads the G9 gang coalition which controls the coastal strip of Port-au-Prince. Most of Haitis food and gasoline flows through his domain, and he can stop it with a single word.

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This story is part of a series, Haiti: Business, Politics and Gangs, produced with support from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

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Barbecues demand: $500,000 a month, a war chest he claimed would be used to buy food for the hungry and fight for democracy.

Refuse, and Shodecosa would be ransacked, and the gangs also would block the roads around the port terminal owned by the Mevs family.

Mevs knew the threat was credible. It came down to math: How much do we make? Can we afford it? The answer was no.

Should she fight back? Again, no. We are not going to shoot a gun to defend a bag of rice.

There was nowhere to turn for help. For decades, Haiti was ruled by political strongmen supported by armed gangs; with Moises killing, the state collapsed and the gangs were unbound.

Having lost their meal ticket, the government, the gangs have become independent predators. While some turned to kidnapping, like those who captured 17 missionaries and their relatives, Barbecues men took control of the port district, gaining a stranglehold on the countrys economy.

Mevs is wealthy -- in so many ways, she is unlike the migrants who are fleeing Haitis misery.

But like those emigrants, she and others among Haitis wealthy elite have few illusions about life in Haiti. She wants her daughters to move abroad, at least for now, and she knows she may have to join them eventually.

In the meantime, she vows to stand up and fight the political battle to rebuild the government and country.

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On a hot October morning, Barbecue receives reporters in his stronghold of Bellecour-Cite Soleil, a wretched neighborhood of tin shacks without water, electricity or any basic services.

Barbecue unboxes two new, American-made AK rifles with ammunition. Then surrounded by a dozen young, hooded men armed and dressed in brightly colored T-shirts and sneakers, he walks to the perimeter wall that encloses Terminal Varreux, the port owned by the Mevs family.

No, he insists. He did not ask for money from the Mevs in exchange for not looting their properties.

Barbecue fancies himself a man of the people and an enemy of the elite. This, he says, is what he believes: Water, housing, school, university, security for all and not only for the 5% who have lighter skin -- rich families like the Mevs.

Mevs and others dismiss nearly everything Barbecue says as posturing -- especially his claims that he is not corrupt but an enemy of corruption.

He has been accused -- by the United Nations and other international organizations -- of participation in three massacres between 2018 and 2020.

The bloodbaths, said to have been sponsored by high-ranking officials in the Moise administration, left more than 200 people dead. Women were gang-raped, and entire neighborhoods were burned, displacing thousands.

Barbecues extortion is brazen. And sometimes, a payoff is not enough to guarantee protection.

For 20 years, Giovanni Saleh, 44, rented a warehouse from the Mevs, halfway between Cite Soleil and the industrial park.

Saleh says he has always complied with the gangs rules.

The last day I went to the warehouse I was preparing the food I used to leave for the gang every two weeks ... I collaborated with them with food and some money on a regular basis.

Saleh says he received a call from a member of Barbecues gang coalition: We are going to block the area for a couple of days to ask for money from the government and trucks leaving the port, so come now and take whatever you need and then stay away for some days.

On June 6, a friend called Saleh to tell him that there were rumors of an attack against his warehouse. He called security, no answer. He checked the cameras online and they were off. He called police, called everyone he knew. Nobody would do anything.

Saleh lost $3.5 million in goods over three days, as thousands of people directed by Barbecue and a colleague emptied his warehouse.

Guards told him later that armed men fronting a mob had come to the door and knocked.

Who would shoot? No one would shoot, Saleh said. They opened the doors and left.

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Youri Mevs does not pay the $500,000 extortion. She orders one of her managers to supply some of Barbecues rivals: Get them corn flakes, milk, pasta, tomato and soap. How much? $5,000.

She does not believe in cash donations because they will use them to buy ammunition, so she donates goods that cannot be used to hunt me or people like me.

When Moises government began to fall apart, she decided she could no longer talk about they and them when she referred to her own country: Because I belong to the caste, I know what the caste has done to this country and what the country is doing to my caste.

In 2016 she met Youri Latortue, a veteran politician who was then president of the Senate. Latortue asked her to help with a report about a corruption scheme during Michel Martellys administration.

In 2018 she became secretary general of Latortues party, AAA, which has led the opposition against Martelly and Moise since the 2016 elections. Now Latortue is waiting for the party nomination and Mevs is running his campaign.

Latortue and Mevs have proposed a special police unit, trained by international experts, to fight the gangs. And they want to put Barbecue behind bars.

But in the meantime, Mevs has to deal with him.

At the AAA headquarters, a truck departs. It stops three times, on three parallel streets. Every corner is guarded by a dozen young men. They unload the truck into a house, a school, a party office.

Behind them, on empty streets, gunshots ring out and armed young men stand guard at a barricade. They call themselves a self-defense group. They are simply one of Port-Au-Princes gangs.
NEW ALBANY, Ind. (AP)  A southern Indiana man who was sentenced to 65 years in prison last year for killing his wife and dismembering and hiding her body has asked the Indiana Supreme Court to review his sentence.

Judson K. Hoover's petition to the state's high court comes after the Indiana Court of Appeals in September upheld the New Albany man's sentence in the killing of Rebecca Ruth Hoover, citing in part his history of domestic violence, the News and Tribune reported.
A toddler born during her mothers journey from Cameroon to Europe must be registered in Spain to prevent the child from being declared stateless and to guarantee her full rights under Spanish law, a judge has ruled.

According to court documents seen by The Associated Press on Wednesday, the girl's March 27, 2020 birth in a hospital in Oran, Algeria, was never recorded by Algerian authorities.

The mother and daughter arrived in Spain when the child was 1 year and 2 days old. The pair have lived since then in a humanitarian reception center in the southern province of Cordoba. A DNA test confirmed the woman is the toddler's mother.

We find a child who does not exist for the law, because she has not been registered, Judge Francisco Ortega wrote. The state of Algeria has no registration of her birth. Nor is there any record that the state of Cameroon has done so.

Ortega explained that registration is directly required by the international norm that obliges states, including Spain, to immediately register any child born who has not been previously registered in another state.

If Spain failed to recognize the girl, the judge added, it would act in the same negligent manner in which the Algerian state had already acted by not registering the child.

In Spain, civil registration is required to secure identification and with it, facilitate access to health care and education.

Lorena Garcia, a lawyer who advised the public prosecutor's office in the case, told the AP that the judge's order was a first for Spain.

It is a question of human rights in the broadest sense and the law in the strictest sense. The goal is to protect the minor, Garcia said.

The relevance of the case derives from its potential usefulness in combating human trafficking networks that exploit vulnerable children, according to Garcia.

If you do not exist, you are not a beneficiary of any rights, and no one can protect you, she said.

Many sub-Saharan migrants who reach Spanish coasts from North Africa do so hoping to travel on to other European countries. That can make it more difficult to safeguard children, the lawyer said.

If their parents decide to change countries and there is no document that registers them, no one can follow them, Garcia said. They disappear.

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Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
BEIRUT (AP)  A Lebanese man who was critically injured in the massive explosion at Beiruts port last year died Wednesday nearly 15 months after the blast, his cousin said.

Abbas Mazloum was at work at a restaurant near the port when the blast occurred in August last year, throwing him into a wall. He suffered severe injuries to his spine and a head wound that required 45 stitches.

The 45-year-old father of five had been paralyzed and mostly bed-ridden since the blast. Last month, he underwent a back operation and more recently he got sick and developed a fever. That led to his death on Wednesday morning in his hometown of Brital in eastern Lebanon, his cousin Noura Mazloum told The Associated Press.

His immunity had become so weak since the explosion, Mazloum said, adding that her cousin was laid to rest in Brital's cemetery Wednesday afternoon.

Mazloums death brings to at least 216 the number of people killed by the blast, according to official records. The explosion also injured some 6,000 people, many of them from broken glass, flying objects and debris.

On Aug. 4, 2020, hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material used in fertilizers, ignited after a massive fire at the port. It later emerged that the nitrate had been improperly stored in a port warehouse for years, and that senior political and security officials knew of its existence and did nothing about it.

More than a year later, no one has been held to account for the explosion. The lead judge investigating the blast had to suspend his work in the case at least three times so far, amid legal challenges from politicians and a growing campaign by Lebanons political class against him.

Judge Tarek Bitar is the second judge to lead the complicated probe. His predecessor was removed following similar legal challenges by senior officials he had accused of negligence that led to the blast.

Lebanons former Prime Minister Hassan Diab filed a lawsuit on Wednesday saying that Bitar does not have the jurisdiction to prosecute him. The move by Diab, who was charged by Bitar earlier, came a day before the former prime minister was supposed to be questioned by the judge although he was not likely to show up.

Politicians opposed to Bitar, say that officials holding the top posts in the country as well as ministers and legislators should be questioned and tried by a special tribunal for them.

A protest organized by the militant Hezbollah group and its allies against Bitar earlier this month led to the worst clashes in the capital in years leaving seven people dead and dozens wounded.

In an interview with the daily An-Nahar on the first anniversary of the blast, Abbas Mazloum said he expected there will be no justice in the case. He referred to many other explosions in Lebanons over the past decades that went unpunished.

When asked if he has faith in Lebanon, Mazloum said: Not at all.

I lost everything in my life. I am still breathing, Mazloum said in the video recorded with An-Nahar. If we get justice, I will get my rights. They are my childrens rights.

In September, a 35-year-old man died at his familys home in Beirut after suffering severe injuries in the blast.
Darin Oswald/AP

BOISE, Idaho (AP)  A man who was killed in an Idaho shooting at a Boise mall on Monday was shopping for gifts for his family when he was wounded, family members said.

Roberto Padilla Arguelles, 49, was a truck driver who lived part of the year in the southern Idaho city of Rupert and part of the year in Zacatecas, Mexico, the Idaho Statesman reported, and at the time of his death was planning to return to his home in Mexico in two weeks. He was one of two people killed in an attack that left four others injured at the Boise Towne Square Mall.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  Missouri Republican Mark McCloskey, who is running for the U.S. Senate, said he does not support allowing abortions for young girls who become pregnant through rape or incest.

McCloskey, a St. Louis personal injury lawyer who gained national attention after he and his wife waved guns at racial injustice protesters last summer, made the remarks last week at a forum in Osage Beach in response to a woman who said some candidates who profess to be anti-abortion would allow the procedure in some cases.

Ive got a client who was raped by an uncle when she was 13 years old, had the child; she finished high school, finished college and got a masters degree, McCloskey said. "That child she would have aborted finished high school, finished college and now has a masters degree. ... I don't believe in any exceptions.

McCloskey did not specifically address whether he would support an abortion to save the life of the mother, The Kansas City Star reported.

He said it has always bothered him that people who oppose the death penalty often support abortion rights.

The justices of the Supreme Court in the most heinous crimes dont have the right to decide who should live and die, he said. But every 13-year-old girl on the street should be able to decide the fate of the life of their child?

The video of the full candidate forum, hosted by We the People Camden County, has been posted online. A portion of his comments was captured and sent to The Star by American Bridge, a Democratic research organization.

A federal appeals court is deciding the fate of a Missouri law that would ban abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy. The full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis isnt expected to rule for several weeks.

In June, a three-judge 8th Circuit panel upheld an injunction from U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs prohibiting Missouri from enforcing the laws provisions, but the full court decided to hear the case.

Jane Cunningham, a Republican former state senator who attended the event, said the audience was thrilled by McCloskey's answer.

The abortion issue is "one of the litmus tests if youre running in a Republican primary, Cunningham said.

The subject of abortion exceptions sank the U.S. Senate campaign of Republican Todd Akin in 2012. Akin, who was the Republican nominee, was asked if he supported abortions for women who were raped.

Akin, who died this month, responded, If its a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. He was later soundly defeated by Democrat Claire McCaskill.

McCloskey announced his Senate candidacy after he and his wife waved weapons at Black Lives Matter protesters marching past their house in St. Louis last summer. He later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and his wife pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment but they were pardoned by Gov. Mike Parson.
PONTOTOC, Miss. (AP)  A Mississippi man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of a teenager.

Jacoby Samaji ONeal, 20, of Belden, was sentenced Friday in Lee County Circuit Court, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported.

Tiara Dancer, 17, was killed Jan. 28, 2020, when investigators said ONeal fired shots during a fight in a Tupelo neighborhood. News outlets reported Dancer was a bystander. She had graduated early from Tupelo High School the month before she was killed.

ONeal was sentenced to 40 years in prison, with five suspended. The sentencing order specified he must serve the full 35 years.

The newspaper also reported that O'Neal pleaded guilty to other felony charges Monday in Pontotoc and Monroe counties.
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP)  A woman has been sentenced to five years in prison for the 2019 death of her toddler son, whom she left behind after driving while intoxicated in rural northwestern New Mexico.

Tonya Mae Dale was sentenced Monday in federal court in Albuquerque after previously pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of 21-month-old Kyron Kelewood, the Farmington Daily Times reported.
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP)  The Navajo Nation on Tuesday reported 32 more COVID-19 cases and one additional death.

It marked only the ninth time in the past 27 days that the tribe has reported a coronavirus-related death.

The latest numbers pushed the tribes totals to 36,255 confirmed COVID-19 cases from the virus since the pandemic began more than a year ago.

The known death toll now is at 1,475.

Based on cases from Oct. 8-21, the Navajo Department of Health issued an advisory notice for 48 communities due to uncontrolled spread of COVID-19.

Tribal officials still are urging people to get vaccinated, wear masks while in public and minimize their travel.

All Navajo Nation executive branch employees had to be fully vaccinated against the virus by the end of September or submit to regular testing.

The tribes reservation is the countrys largest at 27,000 square miles (70,000 square kilometers) and covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
NEW DELHI (AP)  The solution to climate change is not setting net zero carbon emissions targets as dozens of nations have done, India's federal environment minister said.

Instead, rich countries need to acknowledge their historic responsibility" for emissions and protect the interests of developing nations and those vulnerable to climate change, said the minister, Bhupender Yadav.

India  the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the United States  is committed to being part of the solution at the upcoming United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Yadav said.

India is among the few countries on course to reach its targets for curbing the release of planet-warming gases. But a U.N.-backed report published Tuesday said the country had significant room for more ambitious goals, which it has yet to provide to the U.N. climate agency.

Asked about newer targets, Rameshwar Prasad Gupta, Indias top environmental official, said that all options were still on the table.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending a Group of 20 summit scheduled for this weekend in Rome, then the summit at Glasgow, known as COP26.

Yadav stressed that India had reached its climate targets without the promised financing from rich nations. The cost of meeting the targets is estimated to be $2.5 trillion, a 2019 finance ministry document said.

Although India is now a top emitter of greenhouse gases, it has historically contributed only 4% of total emissions since the 1850s.

Gupta said that net zero in itself isn't a solution, since cumulative emissions were the cause of the climate problem. He said countries need to focus on how much carbon is put in the atmosphere while getting to that goal.

Developing nations need space to grow and assistance  and without it, they are faced with a choice of compromising on development or relying on dirty fuels, he said.

But India's dependence on coal  it's the world's second-largest user of the fossil fuel and has vast reserves  is likely to continue.

Electricity demand is expected to soar  and while the overall share of energy from coal will keep coming down, Gupta said weaning the country off coal at this point would impact its energy security.

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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.
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP)  Honduras, one of the last countries in Central America to receive COVID-19 vaccine, has designated a portion of its stockpile for citizens of neighboring Nicaragua as fewer Hondurans line up to be vaccinated.

Since Monday, Nicaraguans have been flocking to Nicaraguan border towns to be vaccinated with Pfizer and Moderna, rather than the Cuban and Russian vaccines on offer in their own country.

The Honduran government set aside 100,000 doses for Nicaraguans and set up various vaccination sites for them along the border. In San Marcos de Colon alone, more than 4,000 doses were given from Monday to Wednesday.

Vice Minister of Health Fredy Guillen said Wednesday that the inventory of vaccines Honduras has accumulated through donations and purchases gives us the opportunity to make available around 500 vaccine (doses) daily for Nicaragua (and) other neighboring countries.

Honduras has received more than 5 million doses since October, he said, adding that 58% of eligible Hondurans had received a first dose and 40% were fully vaccinated.

As fewer Hondurans seek out the vaccine there was a danger the doses could expire.

It would be terrible if Honduras had vaccines that were going to expire and its better to use them on a nearby population, said Blanca Munguia, director of health at the nongovernmental organization Association for a More Just Society.

Honduras has more than 7 million people older than 12 years who would be eligible for vaccination. So far 6.7 million doses have been applied, according to the health ministry.

Nicaraguans normally arent restricted from entering Honduras, but due to the pandemic they are required to show a negative COVID-19 test result, something that can cost $150. For that reason many were entering Honduras illegally  some on horseback or in boats  between official ports of entry to be vaccinated.
COLUMBUS, Miss. (AP)  Mississippi University for Women will not require employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 because the university is not at risk of losing federal money without a vaccine mandate, the school's leader says.

At present, we do not have any federal contracts that would force us to abide by that executive order, MUW President Nora Miller told WCBI-TV.

Her comments came after the governing board for Mississippi's eight public universities voted Monday to require COVID-19 vaccinations for employees at universities with federal contracts. It was a reversal from a vote the board took last month to prohibit public universities from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations unless students or employees work in a clinical setting, like at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

The new decision came in response to President Joe Biden's executive order requiring employees who do work connected to federal contracts be vaccinated unless they qualify for a medical, disability or religious exemption. Biden's order, issued Sept. 9, says contractors must be vaccinated by Dec. 8.

Mississippi universities have about 120 federal contracts totaling at least $271 million.

According to federal guidance, even employees who do not work under federal contract must be vaccinated if they work in the same building or on the same campus as someone who does.

Miller said that while MUW leaders are encouraging everyone on campus to get vaccinated, she is relieved the mandate doesnt apply to the university.

Im afraid that we would have some employees who might leave us in some key positions, Miller said.

Mississippi State University has federal contracts, and spokesman Sid Salter told WCBI that about 75% of the employees on the Starkville campus are already vaccinated. The station reported that a small group demonstrated against the vaccine mandate Tuesday at Mississippi State.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australias opposition party said on Wednesday a looming election will be fought on greenhouse gas reduction targets as Prime Minister Scott Morrison comes under criticism from scientists over the modest goals he will take to a U.N. climate summit.

Morrison has been left no room to move on Australias 2030 reduction target under a deal struck this week with his conservative governments rural-based junior coalition partner, the Nationals party.

The Nationals have agreed to support the ruling Liberal Partys target of net zero emissions by 2050 in return for Australia sticking to its 6-year-old target of reducing emissions by only 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by the end of the decade.

The Nationals, once a farmers party that has increasingly become an advocate for fossil fuel industries, has exerted its influence on Morrison as U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres lamented that a leadership gap was undermining the worlds efforts to curb global warming.

The center-left opposition Labor Partys spokesman on climate change and energy, Chris Bowen, said competing climate policies would become a battle line at the next election, which is due by May.

There will be a contest on climate at the next election, Bowen told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Scott Morrison has sort of for weeks said we might try and get bipartisanship. Clearly, he doesnt have any policy which is going to attract bipartisanship, Bowen added.

Morrison said the next election would provide a clear choice on who do people trust with the right economic plan to achieve net zero.

Morrison said he will take to the summit known as COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, projections that Australia will reduce its emissions by 35% by 2030, exceeding his governments modest targets.

Climate scientists point out that this reduction would be achieved almost entirely by Australian state and territory governments that have committed to their own net zero targets.

Australia is one of the worlds largest exporters of coal and liquified natural gas. Those exports would continue under a plan outlined by Morrison that would protect jobs and achieve net zero through technology without making polluters pay.

Lesley Hughes, an Australian academic and former lead author of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment reports in 2007 and 2015, described Australias 2030 ambitions as one of the weakest targets in the developed world.

Frankly, if this wasnt such a serious matter for all life on earth, I would say its a joke, Hughes said, referring to Morrisons net zero plan.

The governments had eight years to come up with a plan, yet nothing in the plan indicates a serious move to transition away from the fossil fuels that got us into this problem in the first place, she added.

Since the conservative coalition was first elected in 2013, the governments policies had been to delay action on climate change, she said.

Morrison was a Cabinet minister in 2014 when a newly elected government repealed Australias 2-year-old carbon tax. Government climate policies since have rejected any measures that would make polluters pay for their emissions.

Morrisons government was narrowly reelected in 2019 with strong voter support from coal-rich Queensland state.

Morrison had gone to the election with the 2030 reduction target it had adopted in 2015 at the Paris climate summit. Labor had promised a 45% target, which the government argued would wreck the economy.

The government also rejected Labors longer-term target which is now bilaterally endorsed: net zero by 2050.

The Australian Election Study, which has surveyed voters after every election since 1987, found voter concern about the environment was at its greatest during the 2019 poll.

Labor wants to see what decisions are made in Glasgow before announcing its new 2030 targets.

The government has yet to release the modeling upon which its net zero plan is based.

Ian McAllister, an Australian National University political scientist who co-authored the Australian Election Study report on the last election, said the environment was gaining importance as an election issue.

Bowen is probably right in the sense that there is a pent-up demand for action on climate change, McAllister said.

The coalition has always had a consistent advantage on economic management over Labor. So if the issue is cast as one of how do we economically manage this transition to sustainable resources, then the coalition is going to get an advantage, he said.

If it is seen to be principally non-economic, then I would have thought Labors in with a good chance of winning that issue, he added.
PHOENIX (AP)  Police are investigating the discovery of a body in a Phoenix pond.

They said the body of a man in his 30s was found Tuesday afternoon. The mans name wasnt immediately released.

A Phoenix Fire Department crew responded to a residence to reports of a drowning. The body was removed from the pond by the time the first responding unit arrived.

Fire officials said paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene. Police said their investigation of the death was ongoing.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker will travel to the United Kingdom next week to discuss the state's efforts to neutralize climate change while bolstering economic development, his office said Wednesday.

The Democrat and top staff members will travel to Britain and Scotland from Nov. 2-9 and attend the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  A ransomware gang believed to operate out of Russia says it hacked the National Rifle Association, the most powerful gun-rights group in the United States.

The gang, which calls itself Grief, published a handful of what appear to be the NRA files on a dark web site. The files, reviewed by The Associated Press, relate to grants the NRA has awarded. Ransomware gangs often post a victims files publicly in hopes of spurring them to pay out a ransom.

NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said on Twitter that the NRA does not discuss matters relating to its physical or electronic security and takes extraordinary measures to protect its information. A person with direct knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the NRA has had problems with its email system this week  a potential sign of a ransomware attack.

Ransomware attacks have spiked in recent years against all manner of companies and organizations, but rarely are the targets as politically sensitive as the NRA. The group has long enjoyed close ties to top Republican lawmakers and been a been a major supporter of Republican candidates. The NRA spent tens of millions of dollar in the past two presidential elections trying to help Donald Trump.

The group has been beset by legal and financial troubles in recent years but remains a potent force politically and has more than 5 million members.

Allan Liska, an intelligence analyst at the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future, said it's highly unusual for a politically active group such as the NRA to be targeted by ransomware gangs, but he said there is no evidence the attack was politically motivated. He said ransomware gangs usually do not target organizations, but vulnerable technologies.

It's not likely that this was specifically targeted at the NRA, the NRA just happened to get hit," he said. You never know, though.

Liska said the email problems could be related to the ransomware attack. He said email systems are top targets of ransomware gangs because they often contain sensitive information and hamper an organization's response to an attack, further incentivizing them to pay a ransom.

Spokespeople for the FBI did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Greif is believed by many cybersecurity experts to be linked to Evil Corp, a ransomware gang that was previously active. The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the group in 2019, saying it had stolen more than $100 million from banks and financial institutions in 40 countries.

U.S. and Russian ties have already been strained this year over a string of high-profile ransomware attacks against American targets launched by Russia-based cyber gangs. President Joe Biden has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to get him to crack down on ransomware criminals, but several top Biden administration cybersecurity officials have said recently that they have seen no evidence of that.

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Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Twenty-one Republican state attorneys general sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Wednesday saying they think his COVID-19 vaccination mandate for federal contractors stands on shaky legal ground," is confusing to contractors and could exacerbate supply-chain problems.

They wrote that companies could be blacklisted for federal contracts unless they get their workers vaccinated on an unworkable timeline.

We strongly urge you to instruct agencies to cease implementing the mandate or, at a minimum, to provide clarity to agencies and federal contractors across the country and delay the mandates compliance date, said the letter signed by attorneys general from Texas, Mississippi, Alaska and other states.

Republican officials have already threatened to sue over the order that Biden issued Sept. 9. Some legal experts have said they think the Biden administration is on strong legal footing with the mandates to protect public safety.

The administration is expected to release details soon about implementing the mandate. Biden has said companies with at least 100 employees will have to require all their employees be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. The mandate for federal contractors goes into effect in December, and it does not have a testing option.

Many businesses, governments and schools are already setting COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

Employees of some federal contractors  including at a shipbuilder and a NASA rocket engine test site in Mississippi  have been protesting what they see as federal overreach into private lives.

Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said in a news release Wednesday that vaccination should be an individual decision.

Forcing people to vaccinate or lose their jobs is a flawed premise ... and the mismanaged execution of that idea demonstrates how utterly unworkable it is as a national policy, Fitch said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Oct. 11 to bar private companies or any other entity from requiring vaccines.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday directed the state's executive-branch agencies not to cooperate with the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate, where possible.

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This story has been corrected to remove Nevada from the list of states with an attorney general who signed the letter. The Nevada attorney general did not sign it.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Pennsylvania's state Senate on Wednesday approved legislation that would bar municipalities in the nations No. 2 natural gas state from adopting building codes that prohibit gas hookups or otherwise restricting utility service based on the energy source.

The Republican-penned bill passed, 35-15, and heads to the state House of Representatives for consideration there. The chamber approved it without debate, with six Democrats joining all 29 Republicans in favor of it.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Josh Shapiro, the Democratic candidate for governor, is breaking with Gov. Tom Wolf on the centerpiece of Wolfs plan to fight climate change amid the strong and sustained pushback it has received from building trades unions that have long backed the party's candidates for governor.

Wolf  a fellow Democrat who has endorsed Shapiro, the state's two-term attorney general  has worked for two years to finalize regulations to make Pennsylvania the first major fossil fuel state to adopt a carbon pricing policy by imposing a price on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.

Wolf has called it a historic, proactive and progressive approach that will have significant positive environmental, public health and economic impacts.

But Shapiro, in a statement from his 2-week-old campaign, suggested that Wolf's plan  which involves joining the multistate consortium, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI  does not satisfy criticism that it will hurt the state's energy industry, drive up electric prices and do little to curtail greenhouse gases.

We need to take real action to address climate change, protect and create energy jobs and ensure Pennsylvania has reliable, affordable and clean power for the long term," Shapiro said in the statement. As governor, I will implement an energy strategy which passes that test, and its not clear to me that RGGI does.

That, he said, is a determination I will make as governor, in close consultation with workers and affected communities.

Even if he wins next years election, Shapiro  as state attorney general  could before then be in the position of rendering legal judgement on Wolfs carbon-pricing regulation.

Shapiros statement came just before he spoke Wednesday to a conference of union leaders from the pipeline trades. They are among the building trades unions whose members work on power plants, gas pipelines and refineries and, in addition to endorsements, those unions are a huge source of campaign contributions, primarily to Democrats.

Shapiro has made similar comments previously, both to the Indiana Gazette and officials from the Boilermakers' union. The day Shapiro formally announced his candidacy, Oct. 13, he had lunch at the electricians' union hall in Pittsburgh, where they asked him about his position.

He told me he does not stand for RGGI the way it stands right now and he feels it should be run through the Legislature, John Hughes, the business manager of Boilermakers Local 154, said Tuesday. We should get everyone to the table and talk about it. ... I said, We are going to support the guy who doesnt support RGGI, and he told me, I cant support it as is.

Wolf said Tuesday that he still expects his plan to take effect next year. For now, Wolfs plan faces solid opposition from Republicans in the Legislature and in the double-digit-deep GOP field running for governor in next years election.

Republicans who control the Legislature can halt Wolfs carbon-pricing regulation if they win over enough Democrats to muster veto-proof majorities in both the House and Senate.

A Senate vote on a disapproval resolution Wednesday fell two short of that threshold after three Democrats joined all 29 Republicans in the 50-seat chamber. The Senate could take another vote in the coming months, once Wolf vetoes the resolution, as expected.

If the regulation survives, the state attorney generals office must review it  as it does every regulation  for form and legality before it can take effect. Last October, Shapiro's office deemed a draft version of the regulation to be legal.

Wolfs regulation also faces litigation from opponents who question its legality, and Shapiro's office could be tasked with defending it in court.

Heavily populated and fossil fuel-rich Pennsylvania has long been one of the nations biggest polluters and power producers, and the jury is out on whether a carbon-pricing program on power plants would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Its effectiveness could depend on where emissions caps are set and whether money from the emissions credits are wisely spent on clean energy and energy efficiency programs.

Wolf's carbon-pricing regulation has broad support from environmental advocacy groups and, in theory, electricity from solar, wind and nuclear power generators would become more cost competitive in electricity markets.

In some cases, Wolfs plan received support from backers of higher-efficiency natural gas plants and labor unions involved in renewable energy projects. It also motivated the Ohio-based owner of nuclear-powered Beaver Valley Power Station to put off plans to close the plant.

Coal advocates say the plan will prematurely shut down coal mines and coal-fired power plants in Pennsylvania, while many in the natural gas industry have opposed it.

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Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/timelywriter.
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP)  Slovenias health minister on Wednesday warned that the country could face a nightmare scenario if it does not contain the virus outbreak raging in the small Alpine nation and other low-vaccination countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Health Minister Janez Poklukar said hospital beds have been filling up as the country logged the highest number of daily cases since January. With more than 3,000 confirmed infections in the past 24 hours, Poklukar said a lockdown is looming.

While we watched with fear at neighboring Italy at the start of the epidemic, we are now at a turning point because of low vaccination rates and we could easily have a Bergamo scenario, Poklukar said, evoking the hardest-hit Italian city last year.

Officials say Slovenia has fully vaccinated around 53% of its 2 million people. Authorities plan to open more COVID-19 wards in the European Union nation as intensive care units are 92% full, Poklukar said.

Other nations in Central and Eastern Europe that also have low vaccination numbers have seen infections surge to record levels. Reluctantly, countries have been reimposing some restrictions to get a grip on the situation.

Slovenia so far has required COVID-19 passes for employees to enter their workplaces. Croatia has required them for health care and nursing home workers and in Serbia, the health pass detailing one's vaccination status is required for late evening hours in bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Romania has reinstated tougher restrictions that also include a curfew and shutting down some venues.

While the European Union's average vaccination rate is around 70%, countries in Central and Eastern Europe hover around 50% and less. Despite high numbers of COVID-related deaths in recent weeks in the region, it has seen only a slight up-pick in vaccinations.

We have the weapon and the means, which is vaccination, Poklukar said. And we are not using it.

In neighboring Croatia, health authorities on Wednesday also reported surging daily new cases of around 4,500 in the country of 4.2 million. Every second test in the capital Zagreb came out positive and new testing sites are being opened, authorities said.

Serbian doctors said children and small babies are among those on ventilation as the weeks-long surge of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations shows no sign of abating. Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said there will be no immediate new restrictions but health authorities were contemplating shifting school classes online.

Serbia on Wednesday logged nearly 7,000 new infections and 64 more deaths. More than 1.1 million people have been infected in the Balkan country of 7 million while nearly 10,000 have died.

The most important thing at this moment is to implement the rules already in place, said Brnabic. If we don't do that, any new measures will make no sense.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  Sweden, which has stood out among European nations for its comparatively hands-off response to the pandemic, announced Wednesday it will be offering a third vaccine shot to people 65 and over as well as to health care workers and nursing home staff.

Social Affairs Minister Lena Hallengren said 1.5 million Swedes will receive a booster dose six months after their second vaccine shot. Johan Carlson, head of the Public Health Agency of Sweden, added that everyone down to age 16 will eventually be offered a third jab.

Sweden has not gone into a lockdown or closed businesses, relying instead on citizens sense of civic duty to control infections. On Tuesday the country surpassed 15,000 virus-related deaths.

In neighboring Denmark, a third coronavirus vaccine shot has been offered to the elderly, heath care and nursing home staff and people who are particularly at increased risk.

Norway is recommending residents 65 and over get a booster dose at least six months after the second vaccine shot.

Norway has seen new infections rising. In the last 24 hours, it reported 1,144 new COVID-19 cases, which is close to double the amount from a week ago.

If there is a large increase in the spread of infection locally or nationally, which places a high burden on the health services, the municipalities must be prepared to limit the spread of infection through local measures. It may also be relevant to introduce national measures, said Norwegian Health Minister Ingvild Kjerkol.

The city of Tromsoe in northern Norway saw new 59 cases in the last day, a local record.

The wave of infection comes here first and we do not know why, Trond Brattland, chief infection control doctor of the largest city in Arctic Norway, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP)  Philadelphia police on Wednesday were searching for suspects after a 16-year-old was shot and killed as he returned home from work with his twin sister.

The twins had finished working at a McDonald's and had taken a ride share service home when they were approached by two males late Tuesday evening, police said.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)  The mayor of the Florida county that is home to the nations biggest theme park resorts is lifting a pandemic-related state of emergency order.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said he was letting the order expire Wednesday afternoon.

The decision to let the order expire was made because Orange County's positivity rate has been below 5% for 17 consecutive days and the 14-day average rate was 3.5%, the mayor said. Demings said he would not hesitate to reinstate the emergency order if Orange Countys numbers rise.

Under the state of emergency, county employees were required to be vaccinated with at least one shot by the end of August, or face discipline. Unvaccinated workers also were required to be tested weekly for COVID-19, but they will no longer have to do that.

Orange County employees still will be required to wear masks indoors until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moves the county's risk threat from substantial to moderate. But individual private employers will be able to decide what safety precautions they want to take, Demings said.

That is a business decision they are going to have to make," Demings said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration has threatened municipalities and businesses with fines for mandating vaccines.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
NEW YORK (AP)  A New York state trooper was charged with murder Wednesday in the death of an 11-year-old girl by ramming his patrol vehicle into her family's vehicle in December, the state's attorney general announced.

Trooper Christopher Baldner was indicted on charges of murder, manslaughter and reckless endangerment in the death of Monica Goods, whose family was traveling on the New York State Thruway on Dec. 22, 2020, when Baldner stopped them for speeding.

According to prosecutors from the office of Attorney General Letitia James, who has jurisdiction over deaths caused by police officers, Monica's father, Tristan Goods, was driving north on Interstate 87 in Ulster County when Baldner stopped his SUV for speeding.

Baldner sprayed pepper spray into the vehicle during the stop, and Goods drove off, prosecutors said. Baldner pursued the SUV and rammed his police vehicle into the other vehicle twice, the prosecutors said. After the second strike, the SUV flipped over several times and came to rest upside down, prosecutors said.

Monica was ejected from the vehicle and died.

Police officers are entrusted to protect and serve, but Trooper Baldner allegedly violated that trust when he used his car as a deadly weapon and killed a young girl, James said in a statement. While nothing will bring Monica back, we must hold law enforcement to the highest standards, which is why my office is committed to seeking justice in this case.

Authorities say Baldner similarly rammed his police vehicle into other cars on the Thruway north of New York City on two previous occasions in 2017 and 2019.

Wednesday's indictment includes the 2019 incident and alleges that Baldner endangered the lives of three passengers in the car he rammed.

Baldner was arraigned in Ulster County Court and ordered held without bail. A bail hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4. Voicemail and email messages seeking comment were left with his attorney.

Officials with the state police said Baldner surrendered Wednesday morning and was suspended from the department without pay. The department is cooperating with the attorney general's office in the investigation, they said.

Thomas Mungeer, the president of the state troopers' Police Benevolent Association, said in a statement that the union sends its condolences to the family of the child who died.

We respect the legal process and are preparing for the next step, which will be to provide legal representation to the involved Trooper, a right afforded to every American citizen tried by a jury of peers, the union head said. As this case makes its way through the legal system, we look forward to a review and public release of the facts, including the motorists reckless actions that started this chain of events.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  Intermountain Healthcare, Utah's largest health care provider, announced Wednesday that it will require all its caregivers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to comply with pending federal rules.

Dr. Mark Briesacher, the chief physician executive with Intermountain Healthcare, said the hospital system will be complying with federal vaccination requirements announced by President Joe Biden in September.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP)  Violence at an anti-France Islamist rally Wednesday in eastern Pakistan left at least four police officers and two demonstrators dead, officials said. The government deployed paramilitary troops to restore order.

Thousands of supporters of an outlawed radical Islamist party rallied on a highway in the town of Sadhuke as they marched toward the capital Islamabad. They demanded the expulsion of France's envoy to Pakistan over publication of caricatures of Islams Prophet Muhammad in France.

The violence erupted a day after the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan said it would not accept the Islamists' demand to close the French Embassy and expel the French envoy.

Khan's decision infuriated supporters of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan party who over the weekend suspended their march to Islamabad to give the government three days to consider their demands.

Usman Buzdar, chief minister in Punjab province, said in a tweet that the violent clashes left four police dead and 253 injured. He warned of stern action against those responsible for the violence.

Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed blamed demonstrators for initiating gunfire and said the government was deploying paramilitary rangers to Punjab for two months. He asked demonstrators to end the protest and return to Lahore to avoid any government action.

Also on Wednesday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry told a news conference that Rizvi's TLP party will now be treated as a militant organization. He said violent activities of Rizvi's party would not be tolerated and the TLP cannot blackmail the government.

Earlier, Sajid Saifi, a spokesman for Saad Rizvi, the TLP's leader, said two of their supporters died when police opened fire at the rally in Sadhuke. Police say they were not aware of any deaths among demonstrators. However, police said more than 200 supporters of the TLP party were detained in a crackdown aimed at containing the spread of violence to other parts of the province.

Rallygoers have also been demanding Rizvi's release from prison. He was arrested last year during previous protests against France over the caricatures.

Rizvi's party started demanding the expulsion of French envoy in October 2020 when French President Emmanuel Macron tried to defend caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad as freedom of expression. Macrons those comments came after a young Muslim beheaded a French school teacher who had shown caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in class. The images were republished by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo to mark the opening of the trial over the deadly 2015 attack against the publication for the original caricatures.

That enraged many Muslims who believe those depictions were blasphemous.

Since then, Rizvi's party had been threatening a march toward Islamabad, which it launched last week amid clashes that killed at least five people, including two police officers, in the city of Lahore.

Rizvis party gained prominence in Pakistans 2018 elections, campaigning on the single issue of defending the countrys blasphemy law, which calls for the death penalty for anyone who insults Islam.

___

Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writer Asim Tanveer contributed from Multan, Pakistan.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP)  A Virginia man has been charged with murder in the death of his infant child nearly two years ago, police said.

Virginia Beach police announced in a news release Tuesday evening that LaShaun Quintae Holloway, 23, was indicted last week by a grand jury on charges of second-degree murder and felony child neglect. An investigation showed Holloway engaged in actions that caused the death of his infant child, police said.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  A Polish court on Wednesday upheld the Warsaw mayor's ban on an annual march organized by nationalists on Poland's Independence Day, but organizers pledged to appeal the ruling and insisted the march would go ahead as planned.

The Nov. 11 march has attracted large numbers of participants in recent years, underlining the rising support for the far right in Poland and elsewhere. Nationalists from other countries also travel to Warsaw to take part, while organizers have received funding and other support from the right-wing Polish government.

Konstanty Radziwill, the governor of the region where Warsaw is located and a member of the ruling Law and Justice party, approved the march last week. But Warsaw's District Court on Wednesday ruled in favor of an appeal by Rafal Trzaskowski, the liberal mayor of the capital, who sought to ban this year's march following violence a year ago.

Trzaskowski had said that Warsaw which was razed by Nazi German forces during World War II, is no place to propagate slogans that have all the hallmarks of fascist slogans.

Independence March organization head Robert Bakiewicz called the ruling shameful and said his organization would appeal and that the march will take place."

The Nov. 11 national holiday marks Poland regaining its independence after World War I.

It's only in recent years that nationalist groups have turned out in large numbers to overshadow commemorations with marches that have turned violent and during which some participants have voiced white supremacist and anti-Semitic ideas.

At last year's march, police used tear gas and rubber bullets in clashes with far-right supporters. The march had taken place despite a ban on public gatherings due to the pandemic.

Polands right-wing government has generally shown acceptance of far-right groups since it took power in 2015.

Two groups led by Bakiewicz, the Independence March Association and the National Guard, received 3 million zlotys ($755,000; 650,000 euros) in funds from a state body earlier this year.

The groups received the grants from the so-called Patriot Fund run by the Roman Dmowski and Ignacy Jan Paderewski Institute for the Heritage of National Thought which is subordinate to the Ministry of Culture.
SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP)  A western Nebraska rancher and farmer has been indicted on four federal counts of bank fraud after prosecutors say he lied to bank officials about his assets and debt load in an effort to secure more than $11 million in loans.

George Liakos, 62, grows beans, corn and sugar beets and raises cattle near Bayard, the Scottsbluff Star-Herald reported. According to the indictment, Liakos tried to defraud Great Western Bank after entering a loan agreement with the bank in 2017 totaling $11.2 million for farm and ranch equipment and operations.
WAUSAU, Wis. (AP)  A Marathon County jury has convicted a woman of fatally shooting her husband 15 years ago.

Cindy Schulz-Juedes, 66, was found guilty late Tuesday of being a party to first-degree intentional homicide and resisting or obstructing an officer.

Kenneth Juedes was 58 when he was shot twice on Aug. 29, 2006 at the couple's home in the town of Hull, according to prosecutors. Juedes was a pharmacist for what was then Memorial Health Care in Medford.

According to a criminal complaint, Schulz-Juedes found her husband dead the morning after he was shot. She told police she slept in a camper outside their home the night before and went to check on Juedes that morning because she thought he overslept and was late for work.

Prosecutors say Schulz-Juedes was motivated by money, including numerous insurance policies on Juedes that totaled more than $900,000.

The defense blamed business associates for the slaying because the couple had filed a lawsuit against them claiming fraud.

Defense attorney Earl Gray claimed Juedes business partners in Monster Hall Raceway were involved in illegal activity, and one of them stole money from the business. After Juedes death, a man at the racetrack talked about driving the getaway car for the men that killed Juedes, Gray said.

Judge Michael Moran has ordered a presentence investigation.
By Sameea Kamal

CalMatters

Long Beach is home to one of the busiest ports in the U.S., a city-owned airport, the birthplace of rapper Snoop Dogg and, of course, the beach.

It's also home to many different communities: a Cal State campus, young professionals and senior citizens downtown in need of affordable housing, a 45 percent Hispanic population and the largest Cambodian community outside of the Southeast Asian nation.

How these communities are grouped into new election districts could reorder the city's priorities. For decades, the Long Beach City Council drew its own districts. But this year, redistricting is in the hands of a new independent commission, aimed at preventing council members from drawing maps to their own political advantage.

The new commission is hearing from residents, including environmental justice advocate Theral Golden, who spoke about Long Beach's "kill zone" -- also known as the "diesel death zone," or "asthma alley."

Golden and others argued that because the corridor north of the port is currently divided into four council districts, residents can't be as effective in fighting port-caused pollution.

"We are looking for something that will give someone who will represent us in a manner in which we can solve some problems," Golden told the commission in June.

California has a dozen new local independent commissions in this round of redistricting, a process that will create districts for elections from 2022 to 2030 based on the 2020 Census, the once-a-decade nationwide population count.

These new panels are coming up with districts that in some places have never been redrawn, or have not been altered significantly, despite changing populations. Taking redistricting power away from office holders could mean changes in representation and city priorities.

This local movement was preceded by a state-level independent commission created by voters in 2008. That commission is busy holding public hearings and working on new boundaries for congressional and legislative districts that, in some areas, could impact who is elected. It is getting the lion's share of attention.

But the city and county commissions demonstrate, again, that all politics is local.

Reforming redistricting's 'wild, wild West'

The new local independent redistricting commissions were authorized by the 2019 Fair MAPS Act, passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom as a way to prevent political gerrymandering.

The push in Long Beach for an independent panel came mostly from the city's Cambodian community, whose political power was diluted when it was split into four council districts by the city council's last redrawing in 2011.

Despite that division, in December 2020, Suely Saro, a community advocate born in a refugee camp in Thailand, became the first Cambodian American on the Long Beach City Council and one of a few in the nation.

In 2018, a community group, Equity for Cambodians, teamed up with California Common Cause, a government reform group that pushed for the Fair MAPS Act, to lobby for the new commission. Later that year, voters changed the city charter to create the panel.

It also opened the door for other communities to advocate for their needs: neighborhoods next to the airport, affordable housing advocates, and Long Beach State, as well as various ethnic groups.

The Fair MAPS Act has helped reform what used to be the "wild, wild West" in redistricting, said Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of California Common Cause.

"It has created a tool for local communities to demand their rightful place in the process," he told CalMatters. "Generally speaking, independent commissions pretty consistently take community input seriously and do the work of hearing from the public in a robust way."

That may help level the playing field for political newcomers, since elected officials, who already have the incumbency advantages of name recognition and fundraising, sometimes try to draw districts to help themselves.

New independent commissions are drawing districts in at least six counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Santa Barbara. They're also in place in about 15 cities, Common Cause says. They include Berkeley, Long Beach, Martinez, Oakland, Sacramento and Roseville.

In January 2020, however, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have required counties with more than 400,000 residents to set up independent redistricting commissions. He said that while he agreed they were helpful in preventing gerrymandering, the 2019 law already authorized these commissions.

There are also several "hybrid" models, where advisory councils suggest maps to elected boards. But those can be ineffective, either because the boards ignore the recommendations, or because advisory council members are appointed or influenced by elected officials.

California Common Cause is reevaluating whether advisory councils make sense, Stein said.

"While we are seeing some good advisory committees that take their work seriously, we're seeing others that are a fig leaf for politicians that want to control the process from behind the scenes," he said. "They want to get district lines that benefit them and keep them in power, but they don't want to be seen doing it in public."

All politics is local

Independent commissions must follow the same rules as elected boards in drawing districts that include an equal number of people and that are geographically compact.

Districts also must comply with the Voting Rights Act -- voters can't be disenfranchised by having their community's power diluted. When voters created the statewide commission, they called on it to consider "communities of interest."

Those communities aren't just different racial or ethnic groups; they can be formed around shared environmental, economic concerns or social concerns.

In San Diego, where an independent commission has existed since 1992, the LGBTQ+ community has won more representation.

Even before the independent commission, community leaders successfully advocated in 1990 for a district that would include the traditionally LGBTQ+ neighborhood of Hillcrest, plus surrounding areas with significant LGBTQ+ populations.

Starting in 1993, that district elected a line of LGBTQ+ council members -- Christine Kehoe, Toni Atkins, Todd Gloria, Chris Ward and Stephen Whitburn, according to civil rights group Equality California.

Nearly all those council members went on to represent their communities as state legislators, including Atkins, who made history as the first LGBTQ+ woman to serve as Assembly speaker and the first openly LGBTQ+ Senate president pro tem, according to the group. Last year, Gloria became the first openly LGBTQ+ person to be elected mayor of San Diego.

More representation has meant leaders who fight for important community issues, such as homelessness among transgender youth or discrimination in schools, Samuel Garrett-Pate, managing director of external affairs with Equality California, told CalMatters.

"Having public commissioners and independent redistricting commissions has opened up a lot of doorways to LGBTQ+ people that may have been unable to be a voice in the room," added Jeremy Payne, associate program director with the group, which presented proposed congressional and legislative maps to the statewide commission on Oct. 22.

Progress, not perfection

While the statewide commission has a court-ordered deadline to finish its districts by Dec. 27, in time for the June 2022 primaries, not all local panels are bound to that timeline.

That means it's too early to judge how much difference the new local commissions are making. Also, the Fair MAPS Act only covers cities and counties, leaving out school boards, community college districts and water districts.

And there's little that can be done in advance to stop local officials who are ignoring the 2019 law. "Part of that is the way it's written," said Kevin Shenkman, a Malibu-based attorney who led the charge for district-based elections throughout California. "For example, I would read the Fair MAPS Act as saying, 'You can't see where the incumbent lives,' but it's not so clear in that respect."

Stein, of California Common Cause, said that while the redistricting act doesn't prohibit considering incumbents, it does require first complying with all the redistricting principles, including not diluting votes.

"Manipulating the lines to keep incumbents in power is very much contrary to the spirit of the law," he said.

One measure of success for the statewide commission -- though not a requirement -- is whether it helps elect officials who reflect their diverse districts. Since it started its work after the 2010 census, its record has been mixed. However, between 2012 and 2020, the commission's new districts did largely succeed in helping to add elected officials of color in California, according to a study by the USC Schwarzenegger Institute.

And while independent commissions are meant to lessen political interests, that doesn't mean partisanship doesn't creep in at times.

There is also concern about a consulting firm, National Demographics Corp., that is helping draw new maps in Santa Barbara and Kings counties. The firm has been sued for being "hostile to minority voting rights."

Redistricting can also lead to battles over key institutions -- for example, the fight in Los Angeles over which city council district USC and its billions of dollars in assets should be in.

A similar fight is playing out further south, with students at the University of California San Diego pushing to shift the campus from a city council district centered on La Jolla, a higher income area, and into a heavily Asian district, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

Redistricting this year is further complicated by the delay of census data, which advocacy groups and experts also say undercounted people of color.

Golden, the Long Beach resident, said while the process has its shortcomings, he's seeing more transparency and public input through the new commission:

"I'm going to say it is a moon's leap above what we had before."

Copyright  2021 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

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After hours of talk, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted to provide funds for a new Oakland A's ballpark.

Though the vote is non-binding, the development will move towards creating a stadium that can seat 35,000 people, along with 1.8 million square feet of commercial space and a concert venue at the Charles P. Howard Terminal in the Port of Oakland.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf considers the vote to be a "historic action that creates a clear path to keep the A's rooted in Oakland", she wrote in a statement. Oakland plans to fund part of this project, which was originally supposed to be 100 percent privately funded.

A jury found Contra Costa County Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Hall guilty of assault with a firearm on Tuesday, but couldn't reach a decision on the manslaughter charge.

On Nov. 3, 2018, Hall shot 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda nine times as he attempted to drive away from Danville police.

Hall's attorney Harry Stern said afterward he would likely appeal the assault conviction.

Prosecutors left the Martinez courtroom without comment, heading back to their office with Arboleda's family. The D.A. office can retry the case, and judge Terri Mockler set a Jan. 14 court date for a new trial motion.

An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted Tuesday in support of authorizing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11.

The panel voted 17-0, with one abstention, in favor of expanding the federal government's emergency use authorization for the vaccine, which is currently available to everyone age 12 and up.

While the FDA is not beholden to the advisory panel's vote, it generally sides with decisions the panel makes.

An advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control is expected to consider the vaccine's efficacy and safety for 5-11 year olds early next week.

With the CDC's approval, 5-11-year-old children could begin receiving COVID-19 vaccines in most states as soon as the end of next week.

Angelique Kidjo laughs when she remembers the first time she heard "Once in a Lifetime."

"I thought, 'What is this?," Kidjo says. "I didn't know where it came from, but the melody kept haunting me."

She told her management that she wanted to cover the song, from the Talking Heads' groundbreaking album, "Remain in Light."

"They were saying 'She's crazy; she can't cover this!'" said Kidjo. "And I said 'I'm covering the whole album!'"

BART officials on Tuesday announced plans to reopen restrooms at two of the transit agency's busiest train stations -- 19th Street Oakland and Powell Street in downtown San Francisco.

The station restrooms are set to reopen in February for the first time in more than 20 years after BART closed them and ones at several other stations, citing safety concerns following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

For at least the first three months of the restrooms' reopening, they will be staffed with attendants, agency officials said.

Unvaccinated Marin County residents are nearly 50 times more likely than their fully vaccinated counterparts to be hospitalized due to COVID-19, the county's public health officer said Tuesday.

Local case and hospitalization data from the last three months found that unvaccinated people were roughly 15 times more likely to contract the virus at all, 49 times more likely to be hospitalized due to the virus and 30 times more likely to die from COVID-19.

While 81.2 percent of the county's total population is fully vaccinated -- the highest rate of any county in the state -- Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis said unvaccinated residents should heed the disparities when weighing whether to get a shot.

San Francisco Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously permanently allow non-citizens to vote in Board of Education elections, updating a voter-approved ballot measure from five years ago.

Back in 2016, San Francisco voters passed Proposition N, which allowed non-citizen voting, making the city the first in the U.S. to allow immigrant parent voting.

The change, however, was only temporary and set to expire next year.

In addition to making immigrant voting for school board elections permanent, the newly approved ordinance, authored by Supervisor Connie Chan, also explicitly also allows for voting in school board recall elections.

San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen on Tuesday introduced legislation to secure access to paid time off for domestic workers, ensuring compensation in the face of an illness or emergency.

Under the city's current Paid Sick Leave Ordinance, domestic workers have the right to accumulate paid sick leave. However, because most workers are employed by multiple employers, it's nearly impossible for workers to accrue enough hours from one single employer to get even one day of paid sick leave, according to officials with the California Domestic Workers Coalition.

The newly proposed Access to Paid Time Off Ordinance would create a centralized account -- available via an app -- to which employers could contribute and workers could access.

Three employees of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter's Pets in Need were cited for animal cruelty and neglect after seven puppies dies in transit in the midst of Central Valley summer heat, the Palo Alto Police Department announced on Tuesday.

On August 2, the employees were picking up animals from Central Valley shelters that did not have enough capacity to care for them. Seven of the 27 dogs retrieved were labrador / pit bull puppies, all from the same littler and about three to four months old.

The animals were placed in the rear cargo area of the Pets in Need van, which lacked air conditioning. The employees did not provide water to the animals, police said.

In a presentation to the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, the county's Women's Committee said the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has held back many women from rejoining the workforce because of parental obligations.

The board formed the San Joaquin County Women's Committee in December in order to improve the conditions and status of women throughout the county and implement gender-equitable policies and allocations of resources and services for women.

Members told the board that the pandemic set women's labor force participation back more than 30 years, partially due to lack of childcare providers and mothers' parental obligations.

The National Weather Service forecast for the greater San Francisco Bay Area calls for a return of seasonably warm conditions Wednesday, with sunny skies and calm breezes. Daytime highs will range from the 60s along the coast to the upper 60s and lower 70s around the Bay and reaching the lower 70s in the interior valleys. Overnight lows will be in the 50s.

Building high pressure kicks off a warming and drying trend through late Friday, when an approaching cold front will bring cooler conditions for the weekend.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  South Carolina Education Superintendent Molly Spearman said Wednesday she will not run for a third term, saying after 40 years of service as a teacher, lawmaker and education official she wants to devote more time to her family.

Spearman, 67, made the announcement in a statement five months before filing for the 2022 election begins and 13 months before the election. She also said she plans to keep working up until her replacement is sworn into office.

Until the end of my term in January 2023, I will continue to work diligently to help us rise out of the pandemic stronger than before while advocating for the needs of our students, educators, and families, Spearman said.

A Republican, Spearman often clashed with lawmakers and others in her party. But she also pushed them toward her key issues  raising teacher pay and their morale, improving education standards and nearly finishing the goal of replacing every school bus in the state on a 15-year cycle, something started but never accomplished by her predecessors.

Spearman pushed for consolidating smaller school districts backing financial incentives passed by legislators. By the end of this school year, 11 districts will have merged into five, leaving the state with 73 traditional school districts in its 46 counties.

Spearman's state Education Department also took over three districts from local officials after too many schools were rated as underperforming.

We retooled our system of school improvement ensuring that each struggling school and district had boots on the ground support day in and day out along with a plan of action for improvement. We helped small districts prepare for the future while expanding opportunities for students through shared services and consolidation, Spearman said.

The independently-elected superintendent also clashed with Republican Gov. Henry McMaster over masks in schools. McMaster said parents should choose. But when cases started spiking before this school year started, Spearman, backed by state health officials, said schools needed masks to help protect students and teachers.

A provision in South Carolina's budget passed by the Republican-dominated General Assembly attempted to prevent districts from requiring masks, but has been temporarily overturned by a federal judge.

Spearman was elected superintendent in 2014 with 57% of the vote after making it through a eight-candidate Republican primary. She won a second four-year term in 2018 with no opponent in the primary or the general election after the Democratic candidate withdrew.

Spearman grew up on a dairy farm in Saluda County, starting her education career as a music teacher and assistant principal. She spent four terms in the South Carolina House before becoming an administrator at the state Education Department and executive director of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators.

I am humbled that a little girl from a dairy farm in Saluda County has had the chance to serve her community and state for over forty years, Spearman said. My husband  Bill, children  Mitchell, Katie and Lee, and grandchildren  Molly Brooke and Marilyn Ann now deserve my full attention.

___

Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP.
Since Gavin Newsom beat back the recall election by a landslide, there has been a lot of triumphalism about him in liberal and progressive circles. Its very likely hes paving the road for an eventual presidential run  despite his claims to the contrary  and that hell use his handling of the pandemic in the worlds fifth largest economy as proof of his efficacy as a leader.

But as a Californian and lifelong Democrat who voted against the recall, this celebration of Newsom glosses over a concerning pattern during the pandemic: He has consistently issued mandates (or failed to do so) that favor special interest groups who have donated large amounts of money to his campaigns.

This week, Newsom appealed a judge's order to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for prison guards in California, despite the fact that in recent months, 48 outbreaks in prisons have been traced back to prison staff. There is only one possible explanation for this terrible decision to fight a vaccine mandate: The prison guards union contributed $1.5 million to help Newsom defeat the recall attempt.

Its also another example of his hypocrisy during this pandemic. Not only was he caught flouting his own restrictions (the French Laundry incident), as well as sending his kids to in-person private school while refusing to mandate public schools open last year  but he has consistently allowed major campaign donors to dictate his decisions. The California Teachers Association was the single biggest lobbyist in Sacramento in the past two years  and this is arguably why Newsom refused to fight harder for schools to open last spring. This also explains why California public school staff are still not subject to a strict vaccine mandate  they are allowed to test weekly in lieu of getting vaccinated.

Notwithstanding the leniency with which Newsom has handled powerful unions, two weeks ago he announced the first statewide student vaccine mandate. Although it won't go into effect until the vaccine for each age group is officially approved by the FDA, teachers and staff won't be subject to a strict vaccine requirement until the student mandate takes effect. This decision makes little sense from a public health perspective; we have long had data that in-school transmission is low compared to the surrounding community, and that it is mostly adults responsible for spread. Moreover, kids are at an incredibly low risk of becoming seriously ill: Unvaccinated kids are still at far lower risk than vaccinated adults over the age of 60. There appears to be little question that it is adult vaccination that matters the most in terms of containing the spread of COVID-19.

Newsom's latest decision to put the health of California's incarcerated population at risk by appealing the prison guard vaccine mandate is yet another example of his tendency to put the agendas of powerful unions ahead of some of the most vulnerable members of society who don't have paid lobbyists (i.e., kids and incarcerated people).

Its frustrating to see fellow progressives remain silent about Newsoms preferential politics  which contradict his and the Democratic Partys rhetoric about standing up for the most marginalized members of our society. We should hold all powerful institutions and groups accountable  as well as the politicians that enable them  and not just give them a pass because they are organized labor and thus presumed to be sacred cows for progressives.

Teachers unions have fought vaccine mandates all over the country in the past few months, despite holding up school reopening in California until vaccines were available. This hypocrisy hasnt gone unnoticed by parents who were desperate to send their kids back to school last year. Yet when we openly critique this stance, were often labeled right-wing Trump supporters. Ive seen few progressives willing to call out this opposition to vaccine mandates, despite doing the same thing when it comes to police unions, which generally support Republican politicians. This double standard exemplifies the way our countrys response to a public health crisis has been polarized along political lines, a toxic trend that largely hasn't been replicated in our peer countries in Europe and from which it will be very hard to recover.

While not the case across the U.S., public sector unions  whether teachers or health care workers or construction workers  hold a particularly large amount of power over California politics and leaders through campaign donations. They are not underdogs. Organized labor is an important counterbalance to the often unchecked power and bottom-line priorities of corporate America  and theyre particularly important in the context of disturbing wealth inequality. But any special interest group that wields power and influence deserves to be called out when it takes stances that contradict public health guidance.

Newsoms latest decision is particularly illogical because incarcerated people are confined together in such close quarters, which arent known for their good hygiene, and their access to fresh air is limited. Almost 40% of California prison guards are unvaccinated, with that number skyrocketing to over 60% in some prisons. This mandate should be a no-brainer  yet Newsom is opposing it.

Newsom cant expect Californians, particularly parents, to accept heavy restrictions and mandates for our children, the group least vulnerable to COVID-19 illness and transmission, while making exceptions for workers known to contribute to spread of the virus. That isnt, as he likes to say, following the science.

Rebecca Bodenheimer is a freelance writer, Bay Area native and mom of two.
Nearly everything about the Fellowship of Friends feels like the stuff of fiction. In the 1970s, a charismatic leader builds a community devoted to high art and higher consciousness. The burgeoning group plants a vineyard 2.5 hours north of San Francisco and finds itself at the vanguard of the natural wine movement. The teaching turns apocalyptic, but the end of the world stubbornly fails to arrive. And then, as so often is the case, the absolute power corrupts the man in charge without consequence.

But the story of the Fellowship is all too real. And in a new podcast from the journalist Jennings Brown, which premiered this month on Spotify, allegations of abuse by the charismatic leader Robert Burton are laid out in chilling detail over the course of six episodes. With Revelations, Brown takes us to the Fellowships compound in Oregon House, California, and then shows us how Burton used his perch atop the Fellowship to allegedly abuse scores of young male followers for years. Brown hopes that finally, two decades after the first allegations were made public, there will be justice for the survivors.

In November 2017, at another commune called Teal Tribe, Brown had a fateful conversation. He was working on his Gizmodo podcast The Gateway, which told the story of Teal Swan, a controversial social-media savvy guru with a fervently devoted following. I was out at her healing retreat center in Costa Rica, which was weirdly similar to Nine Perfect Strangers, Brown tells me over Zoom from his Brooklyn apartment.

Swans then-husband Ale Gicqueau mentioned that his own awakening had begun at a compound in Northern California with a spiritual group called the Fellowship of Friends, but he eventually came to see the Fellowship as a predatory cult. But the way [Gicqueau] described it, it just seemed like this fantasy land, says Brown. This strange Shangri-La out in the wilderness where they had this giant vineyard and were collecting Renaissance art and had an amphitheater and this pantheon of 44 angels, that included Shakespeare, Bach, Rembrandt and da Vinci. Im just like, What the hell is this?

Brown filed the information away, eventually returning to what he believed would be a magazine feature in 2018. It proved to be fortuitous timing. Burton had predicted that October 2018 would be an Armageddon; after the collapse, their sprawling property out in Oregon House, California, would serve as a Noahs Ark of sorts from which to restart society.

To Browns surprise, he was invited to attend the End Times event at Apollo, the name Burton had given his 1,200-acre forested compound. So, I was there for their final black-tie dinner before the end of the world, Brown says. I mean, as a journalist, I was like, How often am I going to get a chance to see an apocalyptic group in the days leading up to their predicted apocalypse? I thought that was the story.

Courtesy of Jennings Brown

But his podcast series Revelations  which had its fourth of six episodes publish on Spotify on Saturday  tells a much darker tale. There had been allegations of sexual assault against Burton from the 1990s, but the Fellowships charismatic leader remained a free man, still running what many viewed as a doomsday cult. Surely, Brown thought, the abuse had ended years before.

Over his three years spent working on the podcast, Brown recorded interviews with current and former members and found that Burtons alleged sexual abuse had continued. In the fourth episode, theres a haunting scene where survivors recount Burtons alleged attempt to have sex with a hundred of his male followers in a single day. Brown also spoke with Eastern European ex-members who said they received religious visas to come out to California, only to learn when they arrived that sex with Burton was an unwritten part of the deal.

So thats where it gets into the question, does this constitute human trafficking? Brown says. I realized I needed to report the hell out of this and make sure that its legally airtight. We got a fact checker and a legal team, because it was clear that this story was huge.

The Brooklyn-based Brown is an extrovert, with light blue eyes and a just-barely-there Texas twang. He was raised in Dallas at a Methodist church where George W. Bush was a parishioner. I was just fascinated by religion and power, he says. As I went to college and became more interested in global affairs and abuses of power, I began to reflect on the power structure in the church that I was raised in.

Even as a religious child who sang in the choir and went on youth mission trips, Brown felt a pull to the esoteric. He read books on Buddhism, on the occult and on many other religions, drawn in by the world-building inherent to religion building. I was just intoxicated by that and thats still why Im drawn to religions and spiritual groups, Brown says. When I reach out to these people to report on them, they see that Im not just like, How can I find the skeletons in your closet? They see Im genuinely interested.

When Brown reached out to the Fellowship, he says they were open at first. But when they learned of his past reporting on eccentric gurus  stories of spiritual leaders buoyed by the internet  he says they became reticent. Yet after voicing their hesitation, the Fellowship still let Brown and his recorder in (and haven't commented on the podcast since its release).

Perhaps the access was tied to a confidence bolstered by decades of laudatory press coverage and seeming indifference to the accusations. Amazingly, the Fellowships former winemaker Gideon Beinstock was at the vanguard of the natural wine movement, which meant the Fellowships wine  Renaissance  has received rave reviews for years. But Brown also thinks the Fellowship let him in because they needed a spotlight to attract a new, younger cohort of recruits.

Obviously, the gamble backfired. Browns podcast gives space to followers who explain the draw of the Fellowship  they paint a picture of a community removed from modernity where painting, ballet, classical music and beauty in general are exalted. But the alleged abuse by Burton, which Revelations presents through first-person interviews with survivors, prove too ghastly for any of that to matter.

When the journalist stepped into Apollo, he thought he would tell a story about the cognitive dissonance necessary to keep believing after a prophesied apocalypse fails to arrive. Instead, his podcast tells of absolute power and the way it corrupts. Its a story about a peculiar community and natural wine, but more than that, its one about scores of young believers who say they were victimized by a man who reportedly believed himself a goddess in a mans body.

Brown thinks Revelations may finally lead authorities to take notice of the compound a short drive from San Francisco. The allegations are on the same level as NXIVM or worse, Brown says, describing the charges that sent New York cult leader Keith Raniere and several others to federal prison. Im hoping itll lead to some sort of justice for the brave survivors who spoke out.

The fifth episode of Revelations will be on Spotify on Oct. 31.

Joseph Bien-Kahn is a journalist from San Francisco who has written for the New York Times Magazine, Playboy and Vulture. He lives in Los Angeles.
On October 6, 2021, Dr. Eva Jewell presented her lecture From Structural Racism to Personal Practices: Embodying Anti-Oppression for Reconciliation as part of an ongoing series hosted by SFU Public Square and Resilience BC Anti-Racism Network.

Jewell (Maiingan Dodem) is Anishinaabekwe from Deshkan Ziibiing in southwestern Ontario. She is the research director at Yellowhead Institute and an assistant professor at X University. Her work includes co-authoring the annual Calls to Action Accountability, as well as other community oriented work with the Anishinaabeg people.

Jewells talk drew from her project at Yellowhead Institute, where she observed five themes from government response reports: representation in society, public education and awareness, institutional change, addressing policing and the justice system, and Indigenous self-determination.

She added, Theres a need for positive, authentic representation [ . . . ] of Indigenous peoples. Not only will it have benefits for Indigenous peoples, it can contribute to normalizing Indigenous presence and perspectives in this country.

Reconciliation is the context that the Canadian public is familiar with when approaching the conversation regarding their countrys systemic treatment of Indigenous people. She challenged attendees to resist tokenizing Indigenous peoples and asking us to perform trauma.

She spoke about how non-Indigenous public opinion is used as an excuse to not address systemic racism.

Too often these issues are framed as Indigenous issues and they are not [ . . . ] they are in fact colonial issues rebranded as the fault of Indigenous peoples. This distinction needs to be made clear in public education and awareness.

Jewell noted calls to action 142, which directly challenge structural racism and ask for structural change, are the ones being neglected. The majority of completed calls to action have been between 4394. As calls 142 address the barriers Indigenous peoples face on a daily basis, Jewell emphasized the need to advocate for their completion.

As reconciliation becomes a more mainstream conversation in Canada, there is a fear I think for many Indigenous peoples that this will become the new form of exploitation and recolonization [ . . . ] Canadian institutions are actually advancing predatory and exploitative practices in their reconciliation agendas, said Jewell.

Jewell summarized issues that seem to prevent meaningful structural change: non-Indigenous public interest, paternalism, structural racism, reconciliation as exploitation, and insufficient resources.

She also provided a list of personal practices that can be implemented immediately by individuals to promote systemic change. Some of the action items on the list ask for individuals to familiarize themselves with resources created by Indigenous people, interrogate your privileges, advocate for restitution, hold governments accountable, and to fight against the apathy of Canadians.

This simply isnt about Canadians. This is about changing the structures that harm Indigenous peoples daily. She added much of her work was simply asking for the very bare minimum that the federal government has promised.

Thats not to mention the reclamation work we need to be doing in our communities for our languages, our cultures, and our ways of life.

To find out more about Taking Action! Speaking Series and their upcoming events, visit their webpage.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung (R) presents a token of the gifts to at the event Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang (Photo: VNA)

The ceremony saw the handover of the token of gifts to the Lao side.

Addressing the event, Dung said with regard to the two nations great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation, the Vietnamese leaders and people have always paid great attention to the developments of the pandemic in Laos, especially over the last two months.

He hoped the assistance from Vietnam can make a practical contribution to Laos fight against Covid-19.

He took the occasion to thank the Lao Government for paying attention to the Vietnamese community in Laos, including launching a drive to vaccinate them against the coronavirus.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang stressed that despite facing difficulties in dealing with its fourth wave of Covid-19, the Vietnamese Party, State, and people have always supported their Lao counterparts over the past time, reflecting the nations amity, special solidarity, and comprehensive collaboration.

The diplomat said he is confident that Vietnams valuable and timely gifts will help Laos soon overcome the current outbreaks.
"Yesterday, I had warned that foreign powers want to impose sanctions on Pakistan," Rasheed said. "The TLP has turned into a militant organisation as its members had opened fire on policemen using Kalashnikovs", The News reported.

New Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS) TLP (Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan) protesters used Kalashnikovs and AK 47 against policemen in Gujranwala, Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has alleged.

Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry said several people joined the protesters with AK-47s in their hands.

He asked the proscribed organisation to not underestimate the state's writ, as the government had waited long enough.

"The TLP is banned in Pakistan and now it is feared that it may be banned internationally too," Rasheed warned, adding that Pakistan won't be able to intervene if such a thing happens.

The TLP has claimed that several of its workers have been injured in the clashes, Friday Times reported.

On Friday, three policemen were killed while several others injured in Lahore in clashes with rioters belonging to the TLP. Two policemen, identified as Ayub and Khalid, were crushed to death by vehicles of workers who were part of the banned outfit's ongoing protest.

TLP workers crashed two cars into the policemen who were trying to stop them, causing severe injuries to both, the report said.

The TLP began its long march to Islamabad from Lahore on Friday, but continued its talks with the government. The capital city's authorities blocked roads ahead of the extremist group's arrival in the city. Metro bus service in Rawalpindi was suspended in light of the planned long march. Last night, the banned outfit's leaders announced that the long march would be resumed in the morning.

The government has summoned the Punjab Rangers to maintain law and order in the province, Sheikh Rasheed announced on Wednesday amid the ongoing protests staged by the TLP.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Rasheed said Pakistan was facing a lot of pressure and wanted to establish peace in the country.

--IANS

san/skp/
Of the new cases, 2,984 were in the community, 288 were in migrant worker dormitories and five were imported cases, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a press release, Xinhua reported.

Singapore, Oct 27 (IANS) Singapore reported 3,277 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total tally in the country to 179,095.

A total of 1,787 COVID-19 cases are currently warded in hospitals, with 289 requiring oxygen supplementation in the general ward, 79 unstable and under close monitoring in the intensive care units (ICUs), and 67 critically ill and intubated in the ICUs. The current overall ICU utilization rate is 79.2 per cent.

In another development, 2,856 cases were discharged from hospitals Tuesday, of whom 435 are seniors aged 60 and above.

Ten more patients passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection, bringing the death toll to 339, the ministry said.

--IANS

int/pgh
It is not out of place to suspect that your internet provider tracks and profits from your history and browsing habits.The truth is, these service providers can track everything you do on the internet, from the websites you visit, to how long you spend on those sites to the content you watch, as well as your geographical location. For many internet users, it seems commonplace that their internet providers should see all that they do online.It is easy to assume that they require this information to provide you with internet service. But this is not the case. Choosing home internet providers you can trust is never easy.If you are wondering why exactly your ISP would want to see your browsing history, here are a few potential reasons:

Advertising : In the world we live in today, personal data is pretty much equivalent to dollars, often in the form of user-targeted advertising.Suppose a company has access to your browsing habits. In that case, it is easy for them to figure out almost everything about your life, from where you shop, bank, and eat, to even more personal information like your health issues, sexual preferences, and even your marital status.Internet service providers collect information on behalf of advertisers to target you with advertisements on the websites you visit.

: In the world we live in today, personal data is pretty much equivalent to dollars, often in the form of user-targeted advertising.Suppose a company has access to your browsing habits. In that case, it is easy for them to figure out almost everything about your life, from where you shop, bank, and eat, to even more personal information like your health issues, sexual preferences, and even your marital status.Internet service providers collect information on behalf of advertisers to target you with advertisements on the websites you visit. Censorship : There are many countries where citizens cannot enjoy unrestricted access to the internet. Some governments limit access to certain websites for different reasons. For example, if a particular website propagates hate, speaks badly of the government, or encourages illegal activities, it could be blocked in certain countries or regions. Governments commonly use internet service providers to enforce this restriction. Since ISPs can see all the websites you visit and grant access to them, they can block access as instructed by the government.

: There are many countries where citizens cannot enjoy unrestricted access to the internet. Some governments limit access to certain websites for different reasons. For example, if a particular website propagates hate, speaks badly of the government, or encourages illegal activities, it could be blocked in certain countries or regions. Governments commonly use internet service providers to enforce this restriction. Since ISPs can see all the websites you visit and grant access to them, they can block access as instructed by the government. Bandwidth throttling: Seeing this is not as common these days, but bandwidth throttling by ISPs has been reported before. For instance, Comcast has admitted to throttling internet speeds for users with heavy internet usage, although they claim this practice has been suspended. You can avoid this by using a VPN, which prevents your ISP from seeing what you are doing online. This way, you would not be subjected to selective throttling on sites like YouTube, Netflix, and Skype.

If you do not want your ISP snooping around in your private history, here are the top three ways to do that;

Use a VPN: This is one of the most effective ways to avoid your ISPs prying eyes. Install HTTPS Everywhere: This browser extension automatically rewrites your browser requests to protect all your browsing traffic. It is one discreet way to keep your data safe. Use a privacy-conscious search engine: The alternative to Google, which made over 160 billion dollars from advertising revenue alone in 2019, is to use a privacy-conscious search engine like DuckDuckGo. Engines like these do not store data or track their users.

Having peace of mind while surfing the internet is important, which is why you should choose home internet providers you can trust.
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ANZ chief executive Shayne Elliott has admitted the banks reliance on manual processing for home loan applications had failed to keep up with soaring demand during COVID-19, as he declared speeding up turnaround times was the banks number one priority.

ANZ reported full-year cash profits had increased by 65 per cent to $6.2 billion on Thursday, but Mr Elliott said this was hampered by sluggish mortgage growth after the bank was caught off guard by extremely elevated demand for home loans and refinancing.

ANZ chief executive says the full-year results show the benefits of the diversified business. Credit: Arsineh Houspian

While ANZs branch network can quickly approve home loan applications, Mr Elliott said the broker channel  where 53 per cent of its home loans come from  were too slow due to a historic decision to reduce risk by making the process extremely manual.

Mr Elliott said the bank had deployed additional staff to assist with processing, but COVID-19 had caused delays in hiring and training new staff, as record low interest rates combined with government stimulus sent the housing market soaring. Why are we less scalable? Were less scalable because were more manual. We are even more manual than our peer group.
The chief executive of beleaguered milk and infant formula producer A2 Milk has said the company will double down on its China aspirations despite major uncertainties over future growth amid changing consumer preferences and economic instability.

David Bortolussi, who stepped into the role of A2s head in February this year, told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald the company was confident it could rebuild its sales in the key region, with the business telling investors at a strategy day on Wednesday it was planning to grow sales by around $NZ800 million ($763 million) to $NZ2 billion in the next five years.

A2 Milk CEO David Bortolussi is aiming to get to $NZ2 billion in sales over the medium term. Credit:

Through [todays strategy] youll see theres, if anything, actually a doubling down on China, he said. Yes it is a risk, in many ways, but its also our biggest opportunity by a long, long way.

However, A2s short-term woes remain, with the company providing a trading update that revealed that there had been little improvement in sales in the region for the first quarter of fiscal 2022. Shares plunged 10.6 per cent to $6.12 following the news.
Before he became the king of kink, famous for his provocative, voyeuristic work that scandalised and titillated readers of Europes glossy magazines, fashion photographer Helmut Newton had a little business on Melbournes Flinders Lane.

Melbourne in the 1950s wasnt exactly the place for the kind of images hed later produce. There were no naked models stuffed in the mouth of crocodiles, no sunbathing with a doberman. There was elegant, restrained fashion work  even commercial work (he photographed workers constructing the Geelong Refinery for Shell, for example).

Helmut Newton, photographed in Melbourne in 1958 by his Australian-born wife June Alice Springs Newton. Credit:Alice Springs

Still, you can see where he was going, says Eleni Papavasileiou, curator at the Jewish Museum of Australia which is staging an exhibition next year on the life and work of this influential, controversial man.

The imagery he produces for the magazines and fashion houses in Melbourne, theyre very elegant, and beautifully shot in black and white, she says. The composition is really gorgeous. And you do see those glimpses of him trying to do something different.
The release of a serial armed robber who went on a violent rampage while on bail has prompted tough new bail laws in Western Australia.

Bail laws forcing judges and magistrates to explain their reasons for granting bail to serious offenders will be introduced in state parliament on Wednesday.

WA Attorney-General Jim McGinty says the laws were designed to make the judiciary more accountable and allow the community the right to know if serial armed robbers, paedophiles and other serious offenders are released.

Their introduction follows a high-profile blunder when a Perth magistrate released serial armed robber Jason David Wimbridge on bail in 2005 while he was on parole for an earlier armed robbery.

Wimbridge cut off three fingers of a man whose home he invaded.
Voting for the election of the Victorian Bars governing council opened at 9am Wednesday. To which any sane person must respond: Quick, head for the Anderson shelters!

To be honest, fear and loathing seems to have quietened down compared to last years conservative coup via the Vote For Change ticket, which swept the board before unexpectedly knifing Simon Marks, QC, its expected president, at the last minute.

Christopher Blanden, QC, became president to mop up the blood but soon fell foul of a significant chunk of the bars 2200 members with a joke about barristers wearing shorts and thongs under their robes. He is not standing for re-election.

I am deeply honoured to have been afforded the opportunity to serve as president of the Victorian Bar this year. I have enjoyed leading a bar council that has achieved so much and look forward to returning to life as a barrister, Blanden told CBD.

His nominated highlights included reducing subscription fees and securing a new 20-year lease for the bars hospitality venue the Essoign Club.
What is it that has the government in such a stranglehold that they would rather be held to ridicule than face reality (Most willing to fork out for climate action, October 27)? Why is the government blind to the actions of financial institutions worldwide? Follow the money: it is getting out of fossil fuel and investing in clean energy ready to reap the vast opportunities this will bring. What makes our leaders deaf to the wishes of the vast majority of the voting population? Philip Woodman, Fairlight No one should be fooled by the political pantomime that is going on. We have a junior Coalition partner that saw an opportunity to shore up its diminishing base, and a PM that lost nothing by appearing to concede ground by pork-barrelling that base. The outcome? A win/win scenario for the coalition which fails to serve the interests of its constituents or the planet. David Beins, Cooks Hill Shell be right, mate: the Australian way gets us lost The Coalition has a uniquely Australian plan to reduce planet warming emissions (Economists warn against the technology bet, October 27). It appears economists have given it a uniquely Australian response: Yeah, nah. Anneliese Alexander, Holsworthy The PM keeps talking about the Australian way. Australia is a country of early adopters, especially when it comes to technology. While waiting for future technology to save the day, the battle against climate disaster may already have been lost. After all this time to prepare, the plan hardly seems more than an election slogan, garnished with soothing platitudes for the Nationals. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls

Scott Morrison offered little detail other than it will done in a uniquely Australian way. Maybe ask the French how that will play out: all talk, no commitment. Janet Argall, Dulwich hill Yep, its a typically Australian plan. Founded on shell be right, putting mates first, and featuring a 29-year-long weekend. Itll go down a treat with those tall poppies in Glasgow. Tom McGinness, Randwick I would have hoped the Australian way would have real details and involve vision, proven technology and realistic policies: not be reliant on a magic pudding formula yet to be invented.

David Sargeant, Jannali The Australian way once meant leading other nations in addressing areas of need, by applying global principles in a transparent manner. Now it seems our government seeks to do as little as possible, compared to our peers, by utilising untried approaches and secret deals. Clay OBrien, Mosman The only way to get our politicians to take climate change seriously is to reduce the number of coal loving, climate change denying politicians in Parliament by 50 per cent by 2025 and to net zero by 2030. That will require us to encourage credible independent candidates to stand for election and for us to vote for them.

Those who hope that some technological development will fix the problem should remember that we have been promised clean, safe nuclear power from nuclear fusion for more than 60 years. Every time they solve one problem they find that the next problem is even more difficult to solve and it wont happen in my lifetime, if ever. Bob Roobottom, Taree The biggest risk for regional and rural communities from climate change action has been the Coalitions refusal to take action for the 40 years that science has been warning of impending climate disaster and the refusal to transition to the new climate economy when it was most efficient to do so. Greg Thompson, Bega Smirk and mirrors We now have a plan to exit from VCRs and start buying DVDs (Target pledge is powered by hope, not actual action, October 27). Ruth Barcan, Berowra Heights The title of Scott Morrisons Plan to Deliver Net Zero brochure just about sums up the defining characteristic of his time in the office of Prime Minister. Mark Pearce, Richmond

After seeing the detail in Scott Morrisons 2050 Net Zero Plan, I wonder if Boris Johnson still thinks Australias pledge heroic (Letters, October 27). John Watkins, Collins Creek We have a three-legged climate plan: One leg in the future, one leg in the past and one leg to kick the can down the road. Alan Russell, Netherby (SA) I, for one, dont buy the emperors new clothes. Alison Orme, Marrickville Claytons. Jock Brodie, Port Macquarie No further evidence is required. The Prime Minister is all smirk and mirrors. Lyn Savage, Coogee

It is easy to set a target for a year you will be unlikely to see and be held responsible for. Genevieve Milton, Newtown I was so disappointed with the PMs announcement on our climate plan. Where were the free steak knives? Alan Johnson, Seaforth App gap is not so alert to COVID Once again, technology is failing many who rely on the phone app to send them an alert for COVID-19 exposure sites (Almost useless: phone app has hidden 700,000 COVID-19 alerts, October 27). Our local daily newspaper sends online alerts every day via email and all free of charge if requested. This service is reliable and very handy for those without a smartphone. Politicians and bureaucrats seem to forget or do not realise not everyone has a smartphone. Robyn Lewis, Raglan Apparently I had two potential exposures on the same day last week but with no push notifications, I was unaware until my sister, who was with me on one occasion, sent me a text message. Its a glaring hole in the governments strategy, especially at this stage of the pandemic. Who, except for my sister, has scrolled through their history to find these so-called alerts? All our great work gone in an instant for the lack of notification. The government has had so much time to work on this app. Its too late to add this feature in December. Fail. Vicki Copping, Oatley

Cant boot the punt An alternate source of revenue is the answer (What would it take for Crown to actually lose its licence? , October 27). It is hard to determine who is most addicted to gambling; governments or the punters. This is why Crown and other gambling operators will not be stripped of their licences and is why we have such licences in the first place. Australians are among the worlds heaviest gamblers per capita and governments will never relinquish that income unless it can be replaced with a well-structured and indexed wealth tax. Steve Johnson, Elizabeth Beach Kings not above decree If the Kings School is happy to accept government funding, it should follow the guidelines about mask-wearing set by NSW Education and NSW Health (Kings breaks ranks over school masks, October 27). Sandra Burke, North Sydney The wider duty of care that is owed by all schools to their staff and students places Kings in the same position as NSW public schools. That test is based on taking steps to reduce the risk of reasonable foreseeable harm for everyone located on educational premises. Taking into account that the overwhelming majority of schools, public or otherwise, are following the reasonable directives in a health crisis makes the position taken by Kings untenable. Michael Blissenden, Dural

Op worth the wait My reconstructive surgery was carried out at a public hospital by a fourth-year plastic surgery trainee under the supervision of the plastics registrar. Even though there was a waiting period, I was much more confident about the outcome than if I had gone to a private day surgery run by cosmetic surgeons (Letters, October 27). Heartfelt and sincere thanks to our public hospitals  I dont think any Hollywood surgeon would have done a better job. Sarah Benmayor, Bondi Booze: more to lose Alcohol may well have provided an adhesive for early cultures, but arguably equally or more important was religious belief (How booze tippled the cultural balance, October 27). The reliance on alcohol is a fundamental weakness in the human condition as shown by the need, to the point of addiction, for chemical assistance to alleviate shyness and lubricate conversation in social encounters. Meanwhile, ones intellectual, physical and sexual performances and long-term health suffer. Arguably it is barely worth it. Geoff Harding, Chatswood

Razzle Daz-zled Meanwhile, countless women across NSW are thinking that, like Gladys Berejiklian, there was no way theyd have been telling their friends they were having a relationship with Daryl Maguire (Former staffers evidence another big blow for old boss, October 27). Debra Miniutti, Ashbury You report that former premier Gladys Berejiklian lied to her then-chief of staff and friend about the duration of her secret relationship with ex-MP Daryl Maguire. A politician lying? Im flabbergasted! Vince Scoppa, Tennyson Point Precarious pavements Peter Purches need not worry too much about e-scooters on the footpath in our area (Letters, October 27) . Footpaths are very few and far between and, even if they exist for a very short distance, they are narrow, uneven, full of cracks and trip hazards  with absolutely zero plans by council to fix or construct new footpaths. The e-scooters would just join us pedestrians, including parents with prams and the elderly with walking aids, sharing the oft one-way roadways (due to parked vehicles) with cars, trucks, vans and cyclists. Wendy Janssens, Newport

Why not make bicycle lanes available to e-scooters? Keeps them off the roads and the footpaths. Im sure the bicycle riders wont mind. John Swanton, Coogee The Nick of our time Hats off to Dr Nick Coatsworth for being an oasis of calm amid a cacophony of noise and fear-mongering by so-called medical experts and state politicians (Coatsworth looks forward to a quiet summer, October 27). He stood out for being the only voice of reason in a crisis situation. Greg Lan, St Leonards Genetically tasteless The apple doesnt fall far from the tree. Stay classy, Donald Trump jnr (Trump jnr sells shirts mocking Baldwin shooting, October 27). Simon Squires, Hornsby
More than two weeks after pubs, retail and fitness studios opened to the fully vaccinated, NSW Health has flagged a COVID-19 outbreak has occurred at a Sydney business.

Health officials confirmed 15 cases have been linked to City Gym at Darlinghurst, with people who were at the venue at certain times between October 18 and 25 asked to get tested and isolate until a negative result.

NSW Health said it had visited the gym and provided advice on additional measures to reduce the risk of transmission should there be exposures in the future.

The urgent alert comes as NSW Health waits for the go-ahead to administer booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine, with the ministry confirming it will keep most of its mass vaccination centres operational to deliver the shots alongside GPs and other providers.
Six of the top executives at a new authority set up by the state government to attract investment to a large swathe of western Sydney have departed over the last year.

Details about the high turnover in the leadership team at the Western Parkland City Authority came as its chief executive, Sarah Hill, confirmed to a budget estimates hearing on Wednesday that she had been the subject of an investigation following complaints.

Under heavy questioning from Labor about whether probity company Intrique had investigated her, Dr Hill confirmed that an independent firm was appointed to investigate complaints.

Western Parkland City Authority chief executive Sarah Hill. Credit:Daniel Munoz

I was very supportive of ensuring that there was independence and fairness in the process, she said. The investigation has confirmed that none of those complaints could be substantiated.
Some private schools could lose up to a third of their teachers when mandatory vaccination rules come into force next month, while the NSW Department of Education is asking staff in head office to return to classrooms to plug possible shortages.

A final warning letter will be sent to non-compliant public school teachers within days, warning that if they fail to produce evidence of full vaccination by November 8 they will be investigated, disciplined and then sacked.

About 97 per cent of the departments teachers and 96 per cent of its school staff per cent have been fully vaccinated, and the Independent Education Union estimates a similar proportion of non-government school staff have also had both shots of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Schools are bracing for staff shortages when mandatory vaccination orders come into force. Credit:Virginia Star

But that leaves more than 7000 people whose status is unknown, or who are unvaccinated or claiming an exemption, which could exacerbate an existing shortage of teachers, particularly casuals.
Up to 19 TAFE campuses across NSW have been earmarked for sale, including several in Sydney, raising concerns about a greater focus on online courses and a shift away from face-to-face learning during a skills shortage.

Internal documents obtained by NSW Labor under a parliamentary call for papers, seen by the Herald, reveal the campuses are being considered for full or partial divestment.

NSW Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Dr Geoff Lee (left) and TAFE NSW managing director Steffen Faurby. Credit:Kate Geraghty

Tertiary Education Minister Geoff Lee told a budget estimates committee on Thursday that he had not seen or approved a TAFE NSW briefing document, prepared for him on September 4 last year, which seeks the whole or partial divestment of 19 sites.

While he could not recall the document, which was tabled to the committee, he acknowledged it was received by his office and signed by his chief of staff as not approved by him. Asked if he could rule out selling more of the 19 sites in the future he said: Im not going to rule anything out.
Using the historic School of Arts on Brisbanes Ann Street as headquarters for the new 2032 Olympics organising committee is just one of several suggestions being touted for the empty building.

The two-storey stone and timber property, which was built between 1865 and 1866, served as one of the citys earliest art schools, technical colleges, and as a library.

Australian Institute of Architects Queensland president Michael Lavery says Brisbanes 2032 Olympics Organising Committee could be based at the School of Arts building on Ann Street. Credit:Tony Moore

In 2018-19, Brisbane City Council allocated $9 million over three years for restoration work, and lord mayor Adrian Schrinner confirmed this week that it was also applying for federal money to install lifts and make the building wheelchair-friendly.

However, despite some recent renovation work by council, the building still has no tenant.
Eleven Queensland police officers have been singled out in a social media probe after posts described by the commissioner as racist, sexist and defamatory were found in closed Facebook groups.

All of the officers have been dealt with by their superiors but remain in the service, as experts say a social media policy review will likely only be a Band-Aid solution.

Internal investigators have since found 11 officers had breached the code of conduct as part of the review and been dealt with through management action, a Queensland police spokeswoman said.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll flagged the internal investigation in July after the emergence of posts from one of the many groups restricted to police, Defend the Blue, of which more than half the 3500 members were former or serving Queensland officers.

She described the comments  some directed at fellow officers and even MPs  as horrible, racist, sexist ... quite defamatory and harmful to the organisation and broader community.
Miners applying to work on Rio Tintos Pilbara iron ore mines may have their tendencies to engage in sexual harassment assessed by psychometric testing, a WA state parliamentary inquiry was told on Wednesday.

Rio Tinto iron ore chief executive Simon Trott said the miners recruitment process already used psychometric testing as well as police and background checks.

Pilbara mining companies are now responding to the torrent of sexual harassment and assault at their mines. Credit: Tony McDonough

Psychometric testing is one of the measures that we employ for people coming into our workforce to really understand their background, understand their behaviours, Mr Trott told the inquiry into sexual harassment at FIFO mine sites.

Mr Trott, who took charge of Rio Tintos vast Pilbara operation in January, said the use of the tests could be extended to screen out potential sexual harassers.
Shoppers will not need to be vaccinated when non-essential retail reopens from 6pm on Friday, with the Victorian government allowing a months grace before locking out those who have not received both jabs.

The state government has clarified that shoppers at non-essential retail stores would not be required to be vaccinated until 90 per cent of Victorians aged over 12 were double vaccinated, which it estimates will happen by about November 24.

Retail employees will need to already have had their first vaccination by Friday and be double vaccinated by November 26.

The clarification caused confusion after Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday that those who were unvaccinated could still visit other peoples homes and shop for the basics, but would be barred from the vast majority of other venues.
The University of Western Australia will front a Fair Work Commission hearing on Wednesday over its alleged grossly insufficient consultation with academics which has led to its sociology discipline being axed and its staff made redundant.

Sociology associate professor Martin Forsey has brought the action before the commission in a bid to highlight an alleged lack of access to transparent, reliable and accurate data and information and his claim that the university did not conduct genuine consultation, with the redundancies being a foregone conclusion.

The University of Western Australia has been pulled into a Fair Work dispute over its proposal to axe sociology.

In a submission to the commission, Mr Forseys solicitors, MDS Legal, argued the lack of genuine access to information held by the university proved fatal to employment in the School of Social Sciences, particularly the rescission of the anthropology and sociology major and the disestablishment of an entire discipline group.

As part of academics Enterprise Bargaining Agreement, signed off by the commission in November 2017, the university agreed it would have to detail any proposed major change that caused redundancy and its underlying rationale.
Australia will provide 10 million doses of vaccines from its domestic supply to south-east Asian nations, and give the region $124 million to help turbocharge their economies and maintain stability in a challenge to Chinas growing influence in the region.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison addressed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Wednesday afternoon declaring the regions economic recovery and stability was central to Australias own security and wellbeing.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the commitments in a speech to ASEAN countries. Credit:Getty

Mr Morrison also moved to assure south-east Asian nations the recent AUKUS defence pact with the United States and Britain to help Australia build nuclear-powered submarines did not undermine regional stability or the authority of ASEAN.

As we continue to grapple with COVID-19 we know we cannot respond and recover alone, he said. There is no higher priority for us all than access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines.
An industrial commissioner who backed a challenge to vaccination mandates endorsed a social media post likening public-health measures tackling the coronavirus to Chinese-style totalitarian social control and suggesting the world is on a path to a Holocaust-like catastrophe.

Fair Work Commission deputy president Lyndall Dean, who railed against vaccine mandates as medical apartheid in a recent unfair dismissal case, replied to the post saying I fully agree.

Fair Work Commission deputy president Lyndall Dean has come under fire for her comment. Credit:Industrial Relations Society of NSW website

Attorney-General Michaelia Cash, who announced Ms Deans appointment to the commission in 2016, said she disagreed with the sentiments in the post and would raise the matter with commission president Iain Ross.

They do have a code of practice for social media and if that code was breached the president would take the appropriate action, Senator Cash told a Senate estimates committee hearing on Wednesday, where the post was raised by Labor.
Disgraced former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire over-reached as a backbencher but was trusted by ex-premier Gladys Berejiklian, a corruption inquiry has heard.

NSW bureaucrat Gary Barnes told the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) that he understood Ms Berejiklian highly regarded Mr Maguire and sought his counsel as a Liberal from the bush.

The Regional NSW department secretary said Mr Maguire, who will front the ICAC on Thursday, regularly hassled the former premiers office around 2017, when a controversial grant application was being considered for a Wagga Wagga gun club.

The $5.5 million grant is one of two for which Mr Maguire heavily lobbied while he was in a secret relationship with Ms Berejiklian, as treasurer and later premier.
Victorian politicians have been increasingly targeted with threats and vandalism during the pandemic, with 50 per cent more security incidents at electoral offices compared with the previous year.

The Department of Parliamentary Services, in its 2020-21 annual report, said MPs and their staff had been frequently targeted by protest activity, and security incidents were growing significantly.

The Brunswick office of Reason Party leader Fiona Patten was vandalised last week.

The report was tabled in the Victorian Parliament on Wednesday after a spate of incidents. The offices of Reason Party leader Fiona Patten and Liberal Democrat David Limbrick were both targeted last week.

The report said: Continued outbreaks, rolling lockdowns and increasing concern about the virus and its impacts saw many Victorians turn to their local members of Parliament for information and assistance.
Cairo: Sudanese security forces detained three prominent pro-democracy figures, according to their relatives and other activists on Wednesday, as internal and international pressure mounted on the countrys military to walk back its coup.

The overnight arrests came as protests denouncing Mondays takeover continued in the capital of Khartoum and elsewhere, and many businesses shut in response to calls for strikes. The African Union also suspended Sudans participation in all activities until the restoration of the civilian-led authority, it said in a communique dated on Tuesday.

People burn tires during a protest a day after the military seized power Khartoum, Sudan. Credit:AP

Security forces kept up their heavy-handed response, chasing demonstrators in several neighbourhoods late on Tuesday, according to activists who said some were shot and wounded. At least six people have been killed in protests so far, according to doctors.

And the countrys deposed prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, a former UN economist, and his wife have returned home after the military detained them and dissolved the government, upending the countrys transition to civilian rule.
Santa Fe: Actor Alec Baldwin fired a 45 calibre Colt pistol loaded with a live lead bullet in last weeks accidental fatal shooting on the New Mexico set of his movie Rust where filmmakers showed complacency toward safety, authorities say.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza and District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies told a news conference on Thursday (AEDT) that while no charges have been filed, they are not ruling out that possibility in the shooting last week that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, left, and District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies provided an update on the investigation. Credit:AP

Mendoza said that authorities had collected 600 pieces of evidence including three firearms, 500 rounds of ammunition and several pieces of clothing and accessories in the ongoing investigation, with some evidence being sent to an FBI crime lab in Virginia for analysis.

All options are on the table ... No one has been ruled out at this point, Carmack-Altwies said, referring to potential criminal charges.
Brasilia: A Brazilian Senate committee has recommended that President Jair Bolsonaro face a series of criminal indictments for actions and omissions related to the worlds second-highest COVID-19 death toll.

The 7-to-4 vote was the culmination of a six-month committee investigation of the governments handling of the pandemic. It formally approved a report calling for prosecutors to try Bolsonaro on charges ranging from charlatanism and inciting crime to misuse of public funds and crimes against humanity, and in doing so hold him responsible for many of Brazils more than 600,000 COVID-19 deaths.

An inquiry has voted to recommend criminal charges against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Credit:AP

The President has denied wrongdoing, and the decision on whether to file most of the charges will be up to Prosecutor-General Augusto Aras, a Bolsonaro appointee who is widely viewed as protecting him. The allegation of crimes against humanity would need to be pursued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Senator Omar Aziz, the chairman of the inquiry, said he would deliver the recommendation to the prosecutor-general on WednesdayBrasilia time. Aras office said the report would be carefully reviewed as soon as received.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Dominican Roots Foundation has been awarded the contract rights to organize and host Noche Latina (Latin Night) for Carnival 2022. The St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) announced on Wednesday that after a thorough evaluation of requests, it believes the Dominican Roots Foundation will devote the necessary time, energy, and excitement to hosting the event.

After considering whether or not to host the event in 2022, the SCDF decided it simply could not let the popular event off of the Carnival schedule. It then issued a public call for expressions of interest in hosting Latin Night a few months ago and was pleased with the amount of responses received.

First we would like to thank all of the persons and entities that expressed interest in hosting Latin Night. We were very happy to see that the show remains popular and not just among the Latin community, President of the SCDF Alston Lourens said.

The Latin community is part of us, part of St. Maarten and Latin Night is an important signature event of Carnival. We were very despondent when circumstances prevented us from including it on the 2021 schedule, although Carnival was eventually canceled. This gave us time to increase our efforts to protect the event.

The members of the Dominican Roots Foundation impressed us with its proposal, its willingness, high energy, and dedication to getting more of the entire Latin community, from different nations, involved in the event. We believe Latin Night will be in good hands, Lourens added.

President of the Dominican Roots Foundation Milagros de Windt said the foundation is ready and up to the task. Last year our community was very sad when the Carnival calendar was published without Latin Night. Latinos are part of this island, and Latin Night is an intrinsic part of the Carnival festivities, she said.

Of course, we are faced with the reality of the Covid-19 challenges, but we accept the challenge! The Dominican Roots Foundation is working closely with different local Latin communities and entertainers in order to have a real Latin night organized by Latin people. Together, we will select the best choices when it comes to local and international artists taking into consideration the Covid-19 protocols, she added.

The SCDF urged the entire Latin community to get behind the Dominican Roots Foundation and make Latin Night one to remember.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday, October 22, 2021, Minister of Justice Anna E. Richardson was paid a courtesy visit by the Chief of Police of the Regional Police Unit Amsterdam Mr. Frank Paauw, who was accompanied by his support staff. The meeting took place in the context of the cooperation between the Netherlands National Police and the Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM). Chief Paauw has cooperation with the police forces of the Caribbean countries of the Kingdom in his portfolio for the National Police.

Since the devastation caused to the country by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, the Netherlands National Police has been providing its assistance to KPSM, at one point with a contingency of Dutch police officers working closely alongside Sint Maarten police officers. The Dutch police officers returned to the Netherlands in 2020. The current assistance from the National Police to KPSM is primarily focused on providing support to KPSMs management team on a strategic level with a focus on future challenges that the organization may face and the next steps that need to be taken to prepare for these challenges. On behalf of the people of Sint Maarten, Minister Richardson thanked Chief of Police Paauw for the service of the Dutch officers, along with the KPSM officers, to the Sint Maarten community in its time of need.

While touching on the subject of community, Minister Richardson shared with Chief Paauw some of the everyday nuisances experienced by residents in the community that negatively affect the livability of many neighborhoods on Sint Maarten, such as motorcycle and scooter nuisance, school fights, noise pollution from loud music playing from cars and bars and overall disturbances that place a huge burden on residents and their surroundings. The Minister spoke of her vision to increase the number of Community Police Officers (CPOs) in Sint Maarten, who when assigned to specific areas, will be able to address the specific challenges of those areas, by applying a neighborhood-oriented approach with the support of members and organizations in the community. In addition, to the focus on the high impact crimes such as murders and robberies by law enforcement authorities, Minister Richardson believes that it is equally important for attention to be placed on the nuisances that affect the everyday lives of residents. Mr. Paauw in his response to Minister Richardson advised that the Netherlands is familiar with the concept of Community Police Officers dedicated to specific neighborhoods and that the National Police is prepared to think and work along KPSM on expanding the concept of the CPOs for Sint Maarten. Mr. Paauw will address this subject to the Board of the Chiefs of Police, so both police forces can exchange their experiences.

Chief Paauw informed Minister Richardson that the cooperation taken place between the police forces of the Kingdom  including the cooperation in the Board of the Chiefs of Police  has offered the police forces the opportunity to learn from each other and build on strengthening the concept of policing which in turn strengthens the organizations. Minister Richardson welcomed the cooperation taking place and assured Chief Paauw that she will continue with her efforts to increase and develop the skills and competencies of KPSM officers.
PHILIPSBURG:--- All aboard SXM! The Sint Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB) is part of the Destination Sint Maarten/Saint Martin United Superyacht Pavilion at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS)



FLIBS is taking place from October 27-31 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the Bahai Mar Yachting Club, and is considered the largest in-water boat show in the world.



This is the first time ever that members of the yachting industry from the North and South sides of the island will be participating in FLIBS in a united manner. The French side Tourist Office is also part and parcel of this strategic collaboration.



The united front presented by the islands yachting and tourism sectors is commendable, as both sides of the island have one goal in mind and that is presenting a holistic image and brand of the marine sector.



The attendance of FLIBS allows our yachting sector stakeholders to renew contacts with superyacht brokers and charter companies and provide updates about the destination and our marine facilities with respect to the upcoming 2021-2022 tourism season.



At the same time, the destination via its marine sector partners and stakeholders, gets the opportunity to learn and be informed of the latest trends and developments in the superyacht industry.



Sint Maarten/Saint Martins yachting sector has a winning formula for success and we are all looking forward to a very busy season ahead, Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Hon. Roger Lawrence said on Wednesday.



STB says that the united front presented at FLIBS will benefit the island and profile it as one yachting destination for the upcoming high tourism season, leading to new and additional business for the 2021-2022 yachting season.



STB commends all stakeholders for coming together and presenting a united front which is very important when promoting the destination abroad and at various international hospitality and tourism shows and conferences.



FLIBS is celebrating its 62nd anniversary this year. The Superyacht Village and marina will feature vessels nearly 300 feet.



Each boat show attracts thousands of marine enthusiasts who visit the various exhibitions and attractions. The show brings together manufacturers, brokers, marine service professionals among others.



According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association,

More than 310,000 new powerboats were sold in 2020 sale figures that the recreational boating industry has not seen since before the recession in 2008.
Willemstad:--- The Curacao government is facing substantial challenges and it can use the current economic upturn to implement structural improvements. The Board of financial supervision Curacao and Sint Maarten (Cft) have indicated this in recent talks with the government of Curacao. Curacao has to limit its expenditures and increase its income, also by means of improvements in its tax collection. To avoid a further rise of debts it is required to have a balanced normal service in 2023. The reforms that are necessary in order to guarantee affordable health care and social security have to be implemented diligently. In the short-term extra contributions of the country in social security will be avoided. In the medium term, Curacao will have to guarantee the affordability of the social system for future generations as well.

The national debt of Curacao currently amounts to ANG 4,196 million. Curacao has started a project to increase (tax) revenues with the objective to eliminate the backlog in imposing tax assessments and the collection of outstanding tax debts. This has to lead to an increase in tax compliance among current taxpayers and to higher tax revenues. To prevent a further rise of the national debt, expenditure control is furthermore necessary. Improvements in the budget and accountability cycle, financial management, and the structure of the shareholding of government entities are essential for this purpose.

2022 Budget

The draft budget for 2022 shows a deficit of ANG 262 million on the regular service. The government can reduce this deficit by further limiting expenditures and increasing revenues. In addition to compliance-increasing measures, tax reform is also needed, whereby the focus should be on a broadening of the basis combined with a reduction of the administrative burden. In the draft budget that is now in Parliament, an additional contribution to the swing fund for 2022 is also included. This will then no longer be necessary. To this effect, the Minister of Finance promised that he will be submitting a memorandum of amendment to the draft budget.

Balanced regular service in 2023

In order to prevent the debt from further increasing, the regular service must be balanced by 2023. This requires expenditure control at all ministries. For the subsequent years, surpluses will be necessary in order to enable repayment of the debt as well as the implementation of the deficit compensation rules as stated in the Financial Supervision Act (Rft). Moreover, additional agreements will have to be made about the liquidity loans, which will expire as per April 1st, 2022. It has been agreed to re-address this topic in the fourth implementation report of 2021, which should show amongst others what the actual deficit will be in 2021.

Targeted investments necessary

Curacao is facing a long-term economic downturn and in addition, has been hit hard by the corona pandemic. In the second half of 2021, a clear upturn in the economy is visible, especially in the hospitality/tourism sector. According to the latest forecast, the Curacao economy will grow by 6.2% next year. It is very important that the financial management of the government is put in order after the crisis and that the economy of Curacao continues to grow afterward. Economic reforms, tax reform and expenditure control are crucial in this regard.

Compared to other Caribbean countries, Curacao can create an advantage by implementing the measures and reforms included in the country package. Targeted investments in this phase of the crisis will also contribute to this end. It must be assessed how resources can be released for this purpose in the coming period, also in consultation with the Netherlands.

Social security and health care form an important part of the government budget. The country pays an annual contribution of ANG 306 million to the social funds and has to make up for deficits in the swing fund. The government has taken decisions that will have to prevent deficits in the swing fund in 2022 and 2023. These decisions require timely implementation and strict monitoring and must be expanded into structural reforms in order to make social security and health care sustainable in the longer term. The Cft has expressed its concerns about the implementation of the agreement that the higher operating costs of the Curacao Medical Center compared to Sehos will be compensated by efficiency savings in health care. Especially the savings in medicines, in particular, are not realized at all, or only insufficiently. The Cft has urged to take substantial steps in this direction this year. This should ultimately lead to a lower national contribution from the government to the social funds.

The Cft visited Curacao from October 25th to 27th and held talks with the Governor, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Health, Nature and Environment (GMN), the Council of Ministers, the Parliamentary Financial Committee, the Court of Audit of Curacao (ARC), the Tax Department and the Social Insurance Bank (SVB).
HID Global hails the renewed promise of mobile access

Its been almost exactly a decade since HID Global launched the world's first university pilot of smartphones carrying secure mobile IDs. A lot has changed in the following 10 years. Todays technology has matured, advanced, and proliferated across a variety of high-value use cases. To catch up on the latest developments in mobile access, we contacted Luc Merredew, Product Marketing Director, Physical Access Control, at HID Global. Q: What has changed since the first pilot implementation of smartphones used for secure mobile identification? Merredew: One of the biggest milestones several years ago was when mobile access solutions achieved certification to the ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management System (ISMS) standard. With increasing awareness of cloud-based security threats and resulting high expectations from a solution, todays system owners, operators, and users insist on companies being able to demonstrate that they have had their services vetted by independent laboratories and/or agencies. When adopting mobile access solutions that maximise convenience and efficiency, and deliver dramatically improved user experiences, it is neither necessary nor acceptable to compromise security in either the physical or digital domains. Q: Do universities continue to be the biggest users? Mobile IDs on devices eliminate person-to-person credentials when accessing secured areas Merredew: The use cases have grown dramatically, spread evenly across all types of organisations in locations ranging from high-rise buildings to multi-campus global enterprises. But yes, universities continue to be big adopters, and they were among those most eager to leverage the technology so they could bring people back to campus in person during the pandemic. In this environment, mobile IDs on smartphones and other devices eliminate person-to-person credential (e.g., badge or ID card) issuance or revocation, as well as the need to physically touch cards, readers, or keypads when accessing secured areas. Q: How were mobile IDs employed by your customers as they brought people back to physical locations after the pandemic shutdown? Merredew: One example is Vanderbilt University, where the challenges of COVID-19 brought renewed attention to the importance of a modern system for identity management and access control that was compatible with Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth technologies. Members of the campus community could more conveniently access buildings and services with their mobile devices, and the university could efficiently provision and de-provision credentials remotely without person-to-person contact. More recently, Vanderbilt leveraged HID Mobile Access to deploy campus IDs on iPhone and Apple Watch through Apple Wallet. Q: Is there another example outside the university vertical? Merredew: Another example is the iconic tower Arcos Bosques Torre 1 in Mexico City, where the owners and tenants enjoy the simplicity of using their trusted mobile devices to seamlessly access their spaces. As with the Vanderbilt deployment, the drive for operational efficiency and convenience in the tower was combined with a desire to minimise the need for users to come in physical contact with the system. Having a solution like HID Mobile Access that delivers touchless entry and increased safety and security is important. Q: What have been the biggest mobile access advancements? The mobile credential provides contactless, seamless access to a wide range of devices and services Merredew: One of the most important advancements was simplifying upgrade paths to mobile access. In the Vanderbilt example, our HID Reader Manager was used to upgrade the firmware on the universitys physical access control readers and extend support for NFC-based credentials in Apple Wallet. The university uses the HID Origo Mobile Identities API integrated with CS Gold, a higher education transaction system from CBORD, for credential lifecycle management. Another significant enhancement has been the expanded range of uses cases for the mobile credential, going beyond simply opening doors to include providing contactless, seamless access to a wide range of devices and services such as time-and-attendance terminals, cashless vending machines, printers, computers, workstations, and many other applications. Q: Wearables are also having an impact. Merredew: Contactless mobile experiences are also delivered through wearable wristbands. One example is the Nymi band which, once authenticated, continuously authenticates the identity of the user until its removed from the wrist. This delivers zero-trust security principles and access control using convenient fingerprint and heartbeat biometrics to users seeking touchless authentication. Q: What is the impact of the cloud? Merredew: The move to a cloud-based system to issue and manage mobile identity credentials has unified, automated, and simplified identity issuance at a single facility or across any number of distributed office or remote work locations. Q: What should end users look for in a mobile access solution? Look for solutions that use a secure element in the reader as well as cloud certificates, to ensure security and data privacy Merredew: Solutions should support the largest possible number of popular mobile devices  in HIDs case, this includes more than 250. Look for solutions that use a secure element in the reader, and a secure key management process, as well as cloud certificates, to ensure both security and data privacy. Make sure the solution supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Near Field Communication (NFC), and both iOS and Android operating systems. Solutions that provide Application Programming Interface (API) and Software Development Kit (SDK) support offer direct access to the solutions access control hardware, speeding deployment while enabling integration partners to continue innovating products that deliver even better user experiences. Q: Wonder what this market will look like in 10 more years. Whats next for mobile access? Merredew: Future innovations are on the horizon with technologies such as Ultra-Wideband (UWB) wireless connectivity, which HID expects will become ubiquitous on mobile devices. It provides unprecedented accuracy and security when measuring the distance or determining the relative position of a target. It is not HIDs expectation that UWB will replace Near Field Communication (NFC) or Bluetooth, but rather supplement Bluetooth and other technologies to provide the assurance, reliability, and granularity of device position that enables truly seamless experiences.
Unbelievable demonstrations of hell take place in the middle of Seoul right in front of crowds. Mysterious beings condemn individuals to be hellbound, and otherworldly beings appear exactly at the specified time to kill the condemned in a brutal burning. Rising above the utter chaos resulting from these inexplicable supernatural occurrences is the commanding voice of Jung Jinsu, the leader of an up-and-coming religious organization, The New Truth. He claims that only sinners are marked for condemnation and that these occurrences represent divine will to make humans righteous. A group of his followers with blind faith, the Arrowhead, take into their own hands the punishment of those who go against the divine will. The world becomes a living hell.Min Hyejin, a lawyer, challenges Chairman Jung by claiming the demonstrations of hell to be simply supernatural occurrences. She joins forces with the few who try to protect the hellbound and return the world to the realm of humans, not gods. They go up against the chaos instigated by The New Truth.
We return to the fray with The Good Doctor! After a little hiatus and assimilating the two previous episodes, were here again with a double review to analyze all of Shaun's growth, how proud we are of him, love #Shea and Morgan & Park and complain a little about Salen, to not lose the habit. Time for review!





Here we go!





I have to say that, at first, I couldn't believe it but I agreed with what Salen did about Shaun. That is, she didnt treat him as if his autism were a disease that makes him less capable, on the contrary, she was sensitive to his needs, understanding that for him those little things are important and he needed those changes to be eliminated.





The Good Doctor that I thought Salen wasn't so bad. Until I saw the billboard. In my opinion, the issue here is not whether or not this billboard inspires people or can do more good than harm. That is another debate. I think the problem is that Salen did this without Shaun's consent. It was the first time inthat I thought Salen wasn't so bad. Until I saw the billboard. In my opinion, the issue here is not whether or not this billboard inspires people or can do more good than harm. That is another debate. I think the problem is that Salen did this without Shaun's consent.





Regardless of what its written in a contract whose clauses, for the most part, are not negotiated, and which could be abusive clauses (I already put aside the lawyer inside, promised), that billboard should always have been made with the knowledge and Shaun's consent. What Salen has done here is expose Shaun as if he were a carnival animal for the whole world to go to see him.





The rest doesnt matter to me. Yes, that billboard can inspire people, like that little girl and yes, Shaun is carried away by emotions more than he thinks and has enough maturity and courage to rectify, but the point here is that Salen did a very bad thing to put up that billboard without Shaun giving his consent.





The Good Doctor does everything right with them (although they should have had their little daughter, we all agree on that.) I have had mixed feelings with Lea's decision not to send Shaun's mother's invitation. On the one hand, I understand why she didn't and I agree with her, but on the other hand, I think it must be Shaun's decision if he wants to invite her and hers if she wants to go (although I don't think she deserves to do so.) #Shea are my main ship in this show.does everything right with them (although they should have had their little daughter, we all agree on that.) I have had mixed feelings with Lea's decision not to send Shaun's mother's invitation. On the one hand, I understand why she didn't and I agree with her, but on the other hand, I think it must be Shaun's decision if he wants to invite her and hers if she wants to go (although I don't think she deserves to do so.)





That's why its reassured me when she told him and didn't hide it. At first, I wanted to yell at Glassy because Lea needed help and he didn't want to give it to her but then I realized: no one could tell Lea that she did the right thing because no one can judge how a person feels. This is how she feels and she must tell Shaun.





And I loved that Shaun only invited his mother because he believed it was conventional to do. That woman doesnt deserve our baby and its totally normal that he isnt prepared to forgive her, nor that he wants to do it. We have to normalize these situations because, sometimes, our parents hurt us that goes beyond repair, beyond forgiveness. And that's perfectly fine.





On the other hand, I like the way that Lea wants to support Shaun and, most importantly, she wants to learn how to do it. She knows that change is a problem for Shaun and she struggles to be by his side, to learn how to deal with him or what to expect. I think it's the way to show Lea much more involved with Shaun and how she realizes more intensely now what it means to be with him and how she chooses him each time.





The Good Doctor. It's always scary to really show up, especially when you've just started a relationship and you're just as damaged as Morgan and Park are. It all came about because of such an everyday and a bit silly thing as farting but in reality the underlying problem is the fear that Park will really see her as she is. I always loved Park and Morgan and will always love them. With #Shea they are my ship in. It's always scary to really show up, especially when you've just started a relationship and you're just as damaged as Morgan and Park are. It all came about because of such an everyday and a bit silly thing as farting but in reality the underlying problem is the fear that Park will really see her as she is.





Morgan always had a shell around her, a facade that she showed to the world while she remained hidden but now, Park pierced that shell and he is there now so shes afraid that he doesn't like what he sees and then walks away. Shes terrified because that would tear her apart.





And, in fact, she almost tore it apart now. When she confessed that shes freezing her eggs, Morgan didnt want to hope with Park's response, she convinced herself that it didnt matter but in fact it does. It matters. So when she tells him and he doesn't say nothing, the little hope that Morgan had begun to feel is shattered and, with it, her heart. So she puts the armor back on and leaves, not letting him see how much his lack of response hurts.





Park didnt expect this, he didnt expect any of this ... but that is the preciousness of life. The unexpected things, the things that turn your life upside down and are chaotic and wonderful. How to fall in love with Morgan ... or have a child with her. In fact, Park didn't know how much he's open to that possibility, how much he likes to imagine it, until she confesses about her eggs.





And hes a little scared, he feels that vertigo of a great change, of a great step in their relationship, but he takes the step and jumps into the void. Because with her it doesn't feel like jumping into the void, it feels like something natural, like breathing.





The Good Doctor. I mean, this balance between doing the right thing and pleasing your new boss is difficult. Because Salen is not easy to please. As we thought, so much philosophy of "smile medicine" was a lie. The only thing Salen cares about is money and she puts profit ahead of "clients." I don't know what to feel about this new camaraderie between Andrews and Salen in. I mean, this balance between doing the right thing and pleasing your new boss is difficult. Because Salen is not easy to please. As we thought, so much philosophy of "smile medicine" was a lie. The only thing Salen cares about is money and she puts profit ahead of "clients."





That's why I hate it when Andrews uses that term, "clients." No, they are not clients, they are PATIENTS. The problem with seeing them as clients is that you feel like it's okay to leave a man with vision problems and unable to eat solid food just for the money. And it's not okay.





In the end, Andrews does the right thing and not only helps his patient but he also finds his balance, although I'm not quite sure I like the way he does it. In any case, I'm glad that he made it clear where his loyalty lies because, to be honest, I wasn't very clear at first that he was going to do the right thing.





By the way, I want to talk about Salen's decision to let the little girl's father be present throughout the medical process. Although it was useful in the end for that girl, I think she took too much risk in this because what happens with the parents is that, no matter how much information they look for, they are not doctors. They mean well, but they are not doctors. If that parent believes that a procedure is correct, he/she will not consent to do the procedure that the doctors believe is correct. So I don't think it was a good decision.





That said, Andrews' counterpart is Lim, who is head-on against Salen because she does care about patients. So Im Team Lim on this and she will always be on my team.





The Good Doctor! He isnt in the his best moment right now but everyone leans on him because, without realizing it, he has become someone very important to everyone, hes that person who is always there and who you can always count on. But, in addition to seeking help, I think everyone visits him so that Glassy knows that they are there for him. Everyone needs some advice from Glassman on! He isnt in the his best moment right now but everyone leans on him because, without realizing it, he has become someone very important to everyone, hes that person who is always there and who you can always count on. But, in addition to seeking help, I think everyone visits him so that Glassy knows that they are there for him.





Glassy is lost right now, he's trying to find his place. The ground has collapsed under his feet and hes trying to stabilize himself again, to get to know who he is, to find himself and trying to be someone different from what he was not realizing that this is not what he needs. I think what Shaun tells him is key, he doesnt like all this that he is doing now.





What Lea tells him is also important. Somehow, Glassy was holding on to Shaun, that he needs him to carry on, feeling that he was the only thing left for him.





I hated the way Salen told Glassy about Shaun because in a part of what she said she was wrong (being there for Shaun doesnt mean that he doesnt believe him capable of fixing his problems, it means that he loves him and wants to be there for him) and she has no right to say anything but in much of what she said, she was right.





Glassy must let Shaun fly alone in these situations, so that he learns to adapt to change, even his own. Once Glassy sees that Shaun is capable of dealing with this alone, he already feels that he no longer needs him, that he doesn't need anyone so why is he going to continue in that city? He no longer has anything or anyone left ... although, of course, this is far from reality.





Part of growing up is learning to fly alone, to forge our own life and adapt to the situations that life has prepared for us alone. But it doesnt mean that we dont need our family by our side, it doesnt mean that we dont want them by our side. And that's what Glassy is to everyone, family. And they need him, they want him next to them. Now he just needs to realize it.





As a last note, I want to mention the Asher and Jordan fight. I think what Lim told them at the end is important. They were both too stubborn in their own reasons that led to not putting themselves in each other's shoes, when it was just what they needed to do.





I may (or may not) agree with Asher's views but I understood why Jordan was offended by it. They both failed to put themselves in each other's shoes. Thats why the last scene is so special and beautiful. I love their friendship and they made me sing the song at the top of my lungs while laughing with them. More scenes like this, please.





PS: I want to sing like Jordan! Please and thank you.





The Good Doctor review ends. We will be back next week with a new one. Stay tuned! This is where ourreview ends. We will be back next week with a new one. Stay tuned!





Agree? Disagree? Dont hesitate to share it with us in the comments below!




New York (United Nations), 26 October 2021 (SPS) - Algeria called for a direct dialogue between the Polisario Front and Morocco, as the only way to achieve a fair and lasting settlement of the conflict in Western Sahara, said the permanent representative of Algeria to the United Nations, Sofiane Mimouni.



"Only a direct dialogue between the Polisario Front and the Kingdom of Morocco, in a spirit of respect and genuine commitment, could pave the way for a real hope of building a lasting peace in the region," Mimouni said during the general debate of the UN Fourth Committee on Special Political and Decolonization Issues.



Algeria hopes that the efforts of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and his Personal Envoy Staffan de Mistura "will lead to an effective resumption of the settlement process of this conflict" in Western Sahara, occupied by Morocco since 1975, he said.



He added in this context that the recent appointment of Staffan de Mistura as UN Personal Envoy for Western Sahara "is a positive step towards this goal."



The Algerian delegation in New York had already affirmed last Thursday that the so-called "round table" format for the resumption of negotiations on Western Sahara, referred to in the draft resolution on the extension of Minurso, is "ineffective and counterproductive," "because of their instrumentalization by the Moroccan authorities to divert from their responsibilities and distort the reality of the conflict in Western Sahara as a matter of decolonization," he concluded.



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Connecticut doled out nearly $4.9 million in mortgage assistance during the first two phases of its homeowner assistance program, leaving just over $7 million in unused federal funds.

That money is set to be used to help cover set-up costs for the full Homeowner Assistance Fund Program such as advertisements, other marketing fees and the price to establish a web portal for applications through an outside vendor, said Nandini Natarajan, chief executive officer at the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority.

The finance authority is also internally discussing a possible third phase with unused dollars ahead of the full programs start. But details have not been finalized, Natarajan said.

Its unclear when the full program will launch. The state finance authority submitted its plan to the U.S. Department of the Treasury on Oct. 4 and is waiting approval, Natarajan said. After the plan is approved, it may take 30 to 45 days to get the program off the ground, Natarajan said.

Natarajan said that may be in early 2022.

Were doing everything we can to get ready, she said. Were working on building out the software platform and cranking away on trying to get that stuff ready so when we do hear, we can launch.

The program, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, aims to prevent foreclosures at owner-occupied houses for people who were financially impacted by COVID-19. Connecticut was one of just a handful of states that launched a pilot program.

The pilot program was funded with about $12 million, and $10 million of that was designated for direct assistance. The full program is set to be funded with about $123 million.

The programs aim to prevent foreclosures following the pandemic. During the pandemic, the federal government allowed up to 18 months of forbearance, or temporary freezes on mortgage payments. Many of those options are expiring this fall.

Connecticut has a particularly high rate of 90-day mortgage delinquency, data shows.

Connecticuts full program will have higher income eligibility limits, include people facing foreclosure for tax delinquencies and other fees and have more participating mortgage service providers, Natarajan said.

It will also allow assistance of up to $30,000. The pilot program only allowed up to $20,000 in assistance.

The state pilot program provided 341 homeowners with assistance. The median grant amount was $14,844, and the largest number of awardees were from Hartford County, according to data released this week.

We were able to get 341 applications funded, which I thought was a good number for really only working with a few servicers, Natarajan said. I was pleased that there seems to be a good spread of applicants across Connecticut.

The largest number of applicants  268  also cited financial hardship caused by job loss, furlough or reduced wages during the pandemic. Other reasons for financial loss included loss of self-employment, having to stay home with a child when schools and day cares closed and caring for a sick relative or applicants who lost income when they contracted COVID-19, the data shows.

And most reported that their incomes came from a job. Loraine Martinez Bellamy, an attorney at the Connecticut Fair Housing Center who focuses on foreclosure prevention, said she suspects many of those were people who fell behind early in the pandemic.

Many of her clients are back at work, Martinez Bellamy said.

She said the low percentage of people who were ineligible points to a process that doesnt have overly burdensome documentation requirements.

I was at least happy to see that they disbursed almost $5 million, she said.

But the pilot program only allowed for mortgage assistance. Many people in Connecticut are facing foreclosure because of tax delinquencies, condominium association fees or other bills, she said.

Throughout the pandemic, there were more safeguards in place for people facing foreclosure because of mortgage delinquency, and mortgage foreclosures tend to move more slowly than foreclosures of other types, Martinez Bellamy said.

Those are the folks that are most at risk of losing their house while the program is being developed, she said.
STAMFORD  The three candidates who win seats on the Stamford Board of Education in next weeks election will face an importation decision early on: whether or not to renew Superintendent Tamu Luceros contract.

During a recent debate organized by Temple Sinai in Stamford, two candidates said they would not support a new contract for Lucero, while three said they would.

The other two candidates  Republican Becky Hamman and unaffiliated candidate Jackie Pioli  did not respond to the question since they are currently on the board and involved in the contract negotiations.

All three Democratic candidates  Michael Hyman, Versha Munshi-South and Ben Lee  said they would support renewing Luceros contract.

She has done an excellent and professional job, said Hyman, a staff member at the Stamford nonprofit Domus and former Stamford NAACP president. He suggested that the change needs to happen at the board level.

Republican candidates Josh Esses and Joe Gonzalez, however, said they would not support renewing Luceros contract.

I think shes lost the trust of too many members of our Board of Education and especially of our teachers and families and the district would be well served with a fresh start at the top, said Esses, an attorney.

After the debate, Pioli said Essess response was the most honest answer she heard during the event.

In a written message, Lucero did not directly respond to any of the candidates comments during the debate.

It would be inappropriate for me to comment on candidates or the election process, but I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with all members of the elected Board of Education, she wrote.

For most of the year, the nine-member Board of Education has been stuck in a stalemate over Luceros contract, which has failed to secure the five votes necessary to pass.

Most years, the contract is voted on and available to view online by mid-July.

Multiple conversations about Luceros contract have taken place behind closed doors in executive session during Board of Education meetings. The details of the amount Lucero is seeking and what is causing the impasse are not public record.

However, during a recent special meeting in which the lone agenda item was discussion of TRB, members voted in public over an amendment to her proposed contract. The acronym TRB stands for teacher retirement board.

The final vote was 4-4-1, with Republicans Nicola Tarzia, Becky Hamman and Mike Altamura voting against it, along with Jackie Pioli, who is still serving as a Democrat on the board. Fritz Chery, another Democrat, abstained.

The four remaining Democrats  Andy George, Jennienne Burke, Jackie Heftman and Dan Dauplaise  supported the amendment, which was not publicly posted on the boards agenda.

A request was sent to Lucero and schools spokespeople Kim Kempton and Abby Brill at the time to release the amendment that was voted on. Kempton responded to the email, but as of Oct. 26, still has not provided the amendment.

Lucero has butted heads with many members of the current school board. Earlier this year, she filed an official complaint against the board, without naming any specific members. The complaint included allegations of bullying and intimidation against her and her staff.

Gonzalez, a former Stamford police officer, put the blame on Lucero for the current standstill on her contract extension.

I believe all the discord that exists right now has to be lack of leadership, he said. It comes from lack of leadership.

Lee, a current Board of Representatives member, said Lucero has done an excellent job under trying circumstances.

He said the city needs to do more to provide the superintendent with more resources in the future.

But right now, we have not been properly resourcing our school district and I dont believe it would be appropriate to replace Dr. Lucero, he said.

Munshi-South, a former teacher and principal at Public Preparatory Network in Manhattan, said Lucero should be commended for not shutting down schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the last academic year, except for about 30 days at the turn of the new year.

Yes, the superintendent should get a lot of credit for making sure that our kids had access to consistent education last year, she said.

The Board of Education election is Tuesday, Nov. 2.

ignacio.laguarda@stamfordadvocate.com
Hartford HealthCare / Contributed

STAMFORD  Hartford HealthCare will open a new facility in Stamford and expand its current facility in North Haven, according to the firm overseeing the purchase of the locations.

National Realty & Development Corp. announced on Wednesday that Hartford HealthCare leased its 15,000-square-foot freestanding building at 950 High Ridge Road in Stamford for a new facility. The building was recently home to Mrs. Greens Natural Market and Eastern Mountain Sports.
BRIDGEPORT  A city man, accused of fatally shooting another man who came at him with a knife, was sentenced Friday to eight years in prison on gun charges.

I understand the consequences of what occurred. I live with it every day, Richard Stacks Brown told Superior Court Judge Kevin Russo as the victims family cried in the back of the courtroom.

There were two men on thin ice that day, the difference is that you possessed a gun, Russo replied.

The 29-year-old Brown had been charged with first-degree manslaughter for the Sept. 1, 2019 fatal shooting of 41-year-old Jose Perez-Ortiz, a father of three children.

However, States Attorney Joseph Corradino told the judge he had agreed to drop the manslaughter charge after reviewing surveillance video of the crime.

I do not believe we could have overcome a defense of self-defense if the case had gone to trial, he told Russo.

Instead, Brown agreed to plead guilty to criminal possession of a pistol, carrying a pistol without a permit and two counts of violating past probation.

Beyond the cold record there are very real human beings who suffer the consequences of gun violence in the community, Corradino added.

The judge sentenced Brown to 15 years, suspended after he serves eight years in prison and followed by three years of probation.

Brown was accused of killing Perez-Ortiz on Noble Avenue shortly after 6 p.m. on Sept. 1, 2019.

Perez was shot once in the torso and was later pronounced dead at Bridgeport Hospital.

Police said Brown and three friends left La Patona Grocery and confronted another man. They exchanged angry words and Brown turned his back and began to walk away, police said a video surveillance shows.

Police said Perez-Ortiz is then seen in the video pulling out a knife from his right pants pocket and apparently attempting to stab Brown in the back.

Brown turned around, pointed a handgun at Perez and fired, police said. Everyone then fled leaving Perez-Ortiz bleeding on the ground.

At the time Brown was on probation for a 2012 conviction of first-degree robbery.
Students in Rhode Island are asking a federal appeals court to affirm that all public school students have a constitutional right to a civics education, saying that they aren't taught how to meaningfully participate in a democratic and civil society and that the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was a symptom of such ignorance.

Students nationwide need to know how to participate in the political process, effectively exercise their constitutional rights and learn skills like media literacy to distinguish accurate from false information, their lawyers argue.

The plaintiffs have asked the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Boston, to reverse a lower court's dismissal of the case, declare theres a constitutional right to an adequate civics education, and send the case back to district court.

Such a judicial declaration is urgently needed, their brief to the court argues, in light of the events of Jan. 6 that were carried out by a mob motivated by a fundamental misunderstanding of the congressional role in counting electoral votes.

Oral arguments will be heard Monday.

Musah Mohammed Sesay was a high school senior when he became a plaintiff in 2018. He said then that he hadnt been exposed to even the basics of how to participate in democratic institutions. He said he wasnt taught how local government works or how decision-makers are affected by the citizens they govern.

Moira Hinderer joined the lawsuit on behalf of her 10-year-old daughter, June. She has taken June to watch City Council meetings in Providence, and they visited the State House to see people give testimony. When they went together to the federal court for this case, June asked, Whats a judge, whats a court?

I just feel like a lot of that is on me as a parent, to try to explain these concepts to the best of my ability and show her how things work, said Hinderer, of Providence.

Participating in democracy requires tools, she said Tuesday. And if we are raising young people to become citizens in a democracy, that requires some thoughtfulness about how theyre educated.

The defendants include Rhode Island's governor, education commissioner and other education authorities. Their lawyer, Anthony Cottone, told the appellate court in a brief that binding legal precedent has established theres no fundamental right to education under the U.S. Constitution.

The appeal should be denied and dismissed and Rhode Islands sovereign right to determine what is taught in its schools preserved in accordance with Supreme Court precedent, the brief states.

U.S. District Judge William Smith in Providence dismissed the lawsuit a year ago, ruling that while it is clearly desirable, and even essential, for citizens to understand their civic responsibilities, it's not something the Constitution contemplates or mandates.

But he warned of a democracy in peril and commended the students for bringing the case, which he said highlights a deep flaw in our national education priorities and policies.

Hopefully, others who have the power to address this need will respond appropriately, Smith wrote.

The plaintiffs lead counsel, Michael Rebell, said Tuesday he always tells people it's the best decision he has ever lost because Smith helped make the case for why civic education is so important.

Rebell said the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection further shows why the right to an education adequate for capable citizenship is necessary for the survival of American democracy. Rebell is a law professor and executive director of the Center for Educational Equity at Teachers College, Columbia University.

"Those who took part in the Jan. 6 insurrection and even those who may have shown up there and supported a position but they weren't violent, I don't think they had any understanding of how the Electoral College works, what the role of Congress is vis-a-vis the president, he said. Anybody who graduates from high school should have that kind of essential information. That's one of the big gaps we have in our current political standing on a massive scale in this country.

The students' complaint, filed in November 2018, also says minority and low-income students, and students learning English, are disproportionately affected by the disparities in opportunities for civic participation. The appeal, however, focuses on constitutional issues rather than that claim.

Rebell said he will petition the U.S. Supreme Court if the appeal is denied.

The defendants argue that the plaintiffs conflated the importance of education as a historic national value with its status as the source of a fundamental constitutional right, and that the state has established a framework and guidance to help ensure civics education is an important part of curricula. Furthermore, the plaintiffs specific factual allegations would be better made to a local school board than a court, their brief states.

Rhode Island's governor signed legislation in July to require public school students to demonstrate proficiency, as defined by districts, in civics education and do at least one civics project, starting in 2022-23.

Mark Santow, who serves on the Providence School Board and joined the lawsuit on behalf of his son, described the new law as an unfunded mandate without much direction.

It seems more important than ever for kids, no matter where they live, no matter who they are, to understand the rights and responsibilities of American citizens, Santow said Tuesday. I dont know where kids are supposed to pick that up if theyre not going to learn it at school.
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Arad border police caught 21 migrants from Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who in the last 24 hours tried to cross the border illegally to Hungary, hiding in three trucks loaded with various goods, at border checkpoints Varsand and Nadlac II, the Arad Border Police informed on Wednesday.

In all cases, border police are conducting investigations.
The Metropolitan of Banat addressed a pastoral message noting the harmful effects of the virus, as coronavirus cases surged in Romania during the past weeks.

In his message posted on the website of the Metropolis, His Eminence Metropolitan Ioan urged prayer and mutual help. As sons and daughters of the Church, we, therefore, have a duty to help each other, especially in these difficult times, to help overcome the serious problems caused by the pandemic, the Metropolitan noted.

We are all indebted, servants of the Church and believers, to properly appreciate the spirit of sacrifice, dedication and professionalism of the hospital staff, the angels in white robes, as our Holy Book, the Bible, teaches us: Honor physicians for their services, for the Lord created them; The skill of physicians makes them distinguished, and in the presence of the great they are admired. The Lord created medicines out of the earth, and the sensible will not despise them (Sirach 38: 1-5).

His Eminence Metropolitan Ioan used the message to urge priests, monastics and believers to increase the prayer and to remember at the Divine Liturgy and during all the services of our Church both the doctors and the medical staff, as well as all our brothers and sisters on the bed of suffering, at home and in hospitals.

I also urge you to accompany the prayer with caring for families who have lost loved ones, for the elderly left alone, and for children whose parents have died of illness and become orphans. We all need comfort, Christian love, and material help to overcome our shortcomings, our physical and emotional suffering, the loneliness and longing for our loved ones who have gone to heaven.

Our Church has always been close to the needs of the faithful, intertwining its spiritual mission with philanthropy and caring for peoples lives and health, Metropolitan Ioan highlighted.

His Eminence ended his message with an exhortation to follow the doctors advice to avoid illness and to pray together for the sick.
The Ambassador of the United Mexican States to Romania, Guillermo Ordorica Robles, proposed the establishment of a Romanian-Mexican business council, given that there are currently two honorary consuls in Romania, respectively in Cluj and Timisoara, and a third consul will be identified for the Constanta area, according to a release of the Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIR), agerpres reports.

CCIR President Mihai Daraban received a visit from Guillermo Ordorica Robles on Tuesday, October 26, in order to boost bilateral trade.

"Given the geographical positioning of the two states, trade between Romania and Mexico can be achieved only through the port of Constanta. Thus, it is very important that both the embassy and the Mexican business community in Romania should be more active in this area ( ...). As it is known, the oil and gas industry is very strong in Romania and there is already a Romanian-Mexican cooperation in this field, which represents a good opportunity for development in the future," the president of CCIR, Mihai Daraban said.He stressed that Romania is a member country of the European Union, and the establishment of a company in our country, regardless of the state from which the shareholders come, provides access to European funds and subsidies."I take advantage of this meeting to propose the establishment of a Romanian-Mexican business council, given that, currently, in Romania there are two honorary consuls, respectively in Cluj and Timisoara and we hope, with your help, to be able to identify a third one for Constanta area. We would like this council to be set up with the help of the CCIR, together with the embassy and honorary consulates belonging to Mexico. At the same time, Mexico is in the process of renewing the EU-Mexico partnership agreement, which will soon be ratified among member states," said Ambassador Guillermo Ordorica Robles.According to ONRC data, the total volume of Romania-Mexico trade amounted to 257.61 million euros at the end of last year, and 197.54 million euros at the end of August 2021. At the level of October 2021, in Romania there were a number of 51 Mexican companies active, with a total value of the invested share capital of 48,746 euros.
The Deputiess Chamber adopted, on Wednesday, the draft law for approving the Emergency Ordinance on compensating the increase of energy prices, establishing an aid scheme, for the period November 1, 2021 - March 31, 2022, for the payment of electricity bills and natural gas for household consumers, SMEs, individual medical practices and other liberal professions, hospitals, educational institutions, cults, NGOs, agerpres reports.

There were 285 votes cast in favour, one against and one Deputy did not vote.

The Chamber of Deputies is the decision-making body in this case.
The markets for the following day, spot, in Romania and Bulgaria, have been coupled, the first delivery day being Thursday, October 28, according to a press release sent by Transelectrica to AGERPRES on Wednesday.

The new successful coupling is the result of the cooperation between the Designated Operators of the Electric Energy Market (OPEED) and the Transport and System Operators (OTS) in Bulgaria and Romania, namely IBEX EAD, OPCOM, ESO EAD and CN Transelectrica, along with the National Regulation Authorities, ANRE (National Regulatory Authority in Energy) and EWRC (Energy and Water Regulatory Commission).

"The interconnection' integration between Romania and Bulgaria in SDAC represents yet another major achievement for finishing the European target market model. CNTEE Transelectrica, acting as a transfer agent for the tender area of Romania, has finished today its first implicit trade exchange, for the date of October 28, 2021, with the transfer agent in Bulgaria," the press release also shows.

SDAC (Single Day-Ahead Coupling) allocates its limited trans-border transport capacity in the most efficient way by coupling wholesale electricity markets from various regions through a common algorithm, taking into account both the constraints from trans-border transport, thus maximizing social well-being.

The purpose of SDAC is to create a unique trans-border pan-European energy market for the next day. An integrated market for the following day increases the general efficiency of trading by promoting competitiveness, increasing liquidity and allowing a more efficient use of production resources throughout Europe.
Interim Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Florin Citu declared on Wednesday that he will make sure that the Liberal deputies are present at the debates and vote for the bill that mandates the COVID-19 digital certificate for the personnel of certain public and private entities.

Citu made these clarifications after the Senate plenum rejected today the bill.

"I learned that although the Liberal vote was for the introduction of the green certificate in the form that is now at the Senate, the bill did not pass. We will continue in the Chamber of Deputies. It's an important act that must be approved, that helps Romania overcome this moment and I will make sure that the Liberal lawmakers attend Chamber debates and vote for it," the Prime Minister said in a statement to the press, after visiting the vaccination center opened at the Metropolitan Circus.

Citu remarked that the vaccination pace "exceeds the authorities' expectations" and welcomed the fact that people have begun to realize the importance of immunization.

"You'll see that in the next period we will almost entirely use our Pfizer vaccine stocks, plus what we will still receive. We will supplement the financial resources for vouchers, because more resources are needed. The vaccine rollout pace exceeds our expectations, so that we will supplement the earmarked resources. But this is not enough yet. People must keep this vaccination pace, if we want to overcome the pandemic. But it's good that awareness of this has kicked in," said the interim Prime Minister.

In a previous press statement during the day, Citu said that he agrees that the cost of green certificate tests be financed from European funds, but mentioned that no relevant solution has been identified yet.

Asked what his opinion is about people turning up for the vaccine after being announced that they will be fired if they don't show proof of immunization, Citu reiterated that vaccination is the "only solution" for fighting the pandemic.

"I don't know, but it's very good that they got the jab. You know very well that this is the only way to get rid of the pandemic or slow down the spread of the virus. Again, we talked about the vouchers that we introduced for those who get the needle. Let me tell you that the budget is finalized and we will adopt a government decision to supplement the budget for incentive vouchers," Citu said.
Romania's President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday that business people in Egypt and Romania should be encouraged to start up joint projects both bilaterally and in third markets, agerpres reports.

"In our conversation, we agreed that moving forward we have to identify new ways to capitalise on the important development potential for co-operation in areas with a crucial part for both Romania and Egypt: defence, energy, agriculture, transport, IT & C, cybersecurity, education, research and innovation. The business forum taking place on the sidelines of this visit will undoubtedly play an important role. We have to continue to work together to encourage business people in Egypt and Romania to start up joint projects bilaterally, as well as in third markets, starting from the fact that both Romania and Egypt represent gateways to the most important integrated economic markets: the European Union, and the African Continental Free Trade Area, respectively," Iohannis told a joint news conference with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

He pointed out that his visit to Cairo reaffirms the desire of the two countries to strengthen their high-level political dialogue, and also to reaffirm the mutual commitment of the two countries to diversifying contacts and projects by steering their traditional partnership towards the future."I am firmly convinced that the next meeting of the Joint Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation will play an important role in expanding our co-operation and stimulating as many common economic projects as possible, while allowing for the modernisation of the current legal framework," Iohannis said.The Romanian chief of state said he is convinced that the Romanian-Egyptian relations will be strengthened, with mutual benefits to the two countries and their citizens. He pointed out that Egypt is one of Romania's traditional friends in the Middle East and Africa and an important economic and sectoral partner."This year we celebrate the 115th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Romania and Egypt, a long-standing relationship, characterised by mutual respect and trust. There is still great potential for the development of our bilateral relations on all levels," said Iohannis.Iohannis on Wednesday is paying a state visit to Egypt at the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart.He is scheduled to meet Speaker of the Egyptian House of Representatives Hanafy Ali El-Gebaly and Chairman of the Egyptian Senate Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Razeq.
Everyone must be aware, free and responsible when their health is in danger because we do not know if we are prepared enough to go beyond. That is why the Desert Fathers asked God for an extra moment of life to repent, the Patriarch of Romania cautioned on Wednesday, speaking about the healing works of the venerable saints Demetrius the New and John Jacob of Neamt.

The main gifts required by the Church in public prayer are health and salvation, His Beatitude emphasized October 27, 2021.

Patriarch Daniel evoked the healing power of the two saints, who had healed many sick people over time.

The city of Bucharest was saved from many dangers by Saint Demetrius the New. In 1814, during the reign of Prince Caragea, there was a terrible plague. A lot of people died, as nowadays, with this epidemic that unexpectedly covered the whole world, becoming a pandemic, the Patriarch of Romania noted.

And the people cried out with fervent prayer, with fasting and many tears, and sought the help of St. Demetrius, who put an end to the plague after many people had died.

His Beatitude also mentioned the saints help in the cholera epidemic of 1831.

So let us pray to St. Demetrius to put an end to this pandemic, which has become very aggressive and which has multiplied the suffering, the tears throughout the country and around the world, the Romanian Patriarch said.

Also, St. John Jacob of Neamt healed a lot of sick people  not only Romanians but also foreigners. Therefore, he was canonized not only by the Romanian Orthodox Church in 1992 but, on December 31, 2016, his canonization was also proclaimed by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel highlighted.

So here we have holy healers today, thats why we titled our Word to Pilgrims, saying that the two friends of Christ, Saint Demetrius the New and St. John Jacob of Neamt () are friends of Christ, so they bring spiritual and physical healing in times of illness, the Patriarch underlined.

We ask them to give us much health, help from God, peace and joy, to progress in faith and Christian love, in holiness and in good works, always recalling that life and health are gifts received from God, which we must cultivate through prayer, humility and great care, strictly following the advice of doctors and the sanitary measures decided by the competent authorities.

The Patriarch of Romania urged the faithful to respect the rules of health protection. If we endanger our lives here on earth, we risk endangering our salvation, His Beatitude pointed out.

At the end of his life, St. Anthony the Great, the founder of monasticism, was asked: If you lived longer  he was over a hundred years old  what would you do with priority? And he said: I would learn to repent more. So, the time of our life must be a time of repentance for sins, a time of sanctification of life, and let us see that the greatest gifts of this life are two: health and salvation.

Therefore, in our services, when we pray, we pray first for the health and salvation of Church servants and all believers, salvation meaning the union of the transient and limited man with the eternal and infinite God, the Patriarch underscored.

Patriarch Daniel presided over the Divine Liturgy on Wednesday at the feast of Saint Demetrius the New, one of the patron saints of the Patriarchal Cathedral. The service took place at the outdoor altar, respecting the social distance between the faithful.

At this years celebrations, the relics of St. John Jacob the New Chozebite from Neamt, one of the holy protectors of Romanians everywhere, were placed for veneration. The pilgrimage takes place in compliance with the sanitary rules and ends on Thursday evening.
Romania's economy grows, the general economic parameters are improving, and now we only need political maturity to support the positive trend, said interim Prime Minister Florin Citu, PNL (National Liberal Party) leader, agerpres reports.

"I promised in the beginning of the year that we will have a record economic growth and a small budget deficit after increasing budget revenues, without increasing the taxes and by controlling budget expenditure. And we did it. Budget execution after nine months shows that we have put Romania's economy on the right track, despite the various turbulences that the country is facing," Florin Citu said, on Wednesday, in a post on Facebook.

The interim PM added that, during this period, the Executive has managed to reduce the budget deficit by 2.6 percentage points of GDP compared to the same period last year."We made this adjustment by managing both to increase revenues and cut expenditures, while making exceptional payments of 10.4 billion lei generated by the COVID-19 epidemic. In a period of pandemic that continued to affect economic activities, we recorded an increase in budget revenues by 1.4 percentage points of GDP compared to the first 9 months of last year, only through voluntary compliance and absorption of European funds. The budget revenues increased by a net 42.6 billion lei compared to 2020, and by 41.7 billion lei compared to 2019. At the same time, in January-September we decreased budget expenditures by 1.2 percentage points of GDP compared to the same period last year, but managed to increase investments by 3.9 billion lei compared to the similar period of 2020, and by 10.8 billion lei compared to the similar period of 2019," said Citu.He also mentioned the amounts allocated to investments."As we promised and as we had in the budget, 53.6pct of the total investment expenditures were represented by projects financed from European funds, an amount by 5.69 billion lei higher than in the first 9 months of last year," stated Florin Citu.
President Klaus Iohannis met on Wednesday with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hanafy Ali El-Gebaly, as well as with the Senate chairman of the Egyptian Parliament, Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Razeq, agerpres reports.

According to the Presidential Administration, within the bilateral meeting with the two Egyptian officials, president Iohannis has gone over the very good stage of the political-diplomatic dialogue and approached, alongside the high ranking Egyptian officials, the perspectives of the bilateral relation, including from the perspective of stimulating and consolidating the political, diplomatic, parliamentary, sectorial and economic dialogue at all levels. The head of state congratulated the recent foundation of the parliamentary friendship group with Romania.

"The President of Romania reiterated our country's support for the consolidation of the dialogue between the European Union and Egypt, highlighting the expansion opportunities of the EU-Egypt cooperation, offered by formats such as the EU-Egypt Association Council," the Presidential Administration shows.On the sidelines of the discussions president Iohannis reconfirmed the importance that Romania grants to the Middle East and Africa region and the necessity of its stability and security. In this context, the high ranking officials had an exchange of opinions regarding the current evolutions within the regional cases.President Klaus Iohannis is carrying out a state visit in Egypt, on Wednesday, following the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.The head of state was received by the Egyptian counterpart at the Al-Ittihadiya Presidential Palace.At the start of the day, president Iohannis placed wreaths at the Monument of the Unknown Hero and at the grave of president Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat.
President Klaus Iohannis is paying a state visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt on Wednesday, at the invitation of his counterpart, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Presidential Administration informed.

According to the quoted source, the visit takes place within the very good bilateral dialogue of recent years, as well as in the context of the anniversary in 2021 of 115 years of diplomatic relations between Romania and the Arab Republic of Egypt, agerpres reports.

"During the official consultations, the President of Romania and the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt will evaluate the concrete possibilities to make more dynamic and deepen the political-diplomatic dialogue and cooperation at all levels, expand and diversify the Romanian-Egyptian cooperation at economic level, including by stimulating trade and investments, as well as in new sectoral areas of interest for the two states," shows the Presidential Administration.Discussions will also include current issues of international policy, with a focus on political and security developments in the Middle East region and mediation efforts on issues of interest.During his state visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt, President Klaus Iohannis will also have meetings with the President of the House of Representatives of the Egyptian Parliament, Hanafy Ali El-Gebaly, and the President of the Senate of the Egyptian Parliament, Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Razeq.
PSD (Social Democratic Party) Deputy Ioan Mang asks medical specialists, the National College of Physicians, to formulate protocols for the treatment of COVID-19 at home, from the first symptoms, so that the population is helped to treat themselves in order not to reach serious cases, agerpres reports.

"I am an engineer and that is why I ask the medical specialists, the National College of Physicians, to formulate protocols for the treatment of the COVID disease at home, from the first symptoms, from the first days, with medicines to be found in pharmacies, to be given on the prescriptions by family doctors or specialist doctors. So that hospitals are no longer filled with serious cases, if they can be treated from the first days. Health is, after all, a personal responsibility, but people need to be informed. The decision to follow one treatment or another, to get vaccinated, is the freedom of each one, and this right must be respected," Ioan Mang said on Wednesday.

The MP stressed that people need to be better informed about the symptoms and the correct way of treatment, so that, with the help of the family doctor, they can take urgent measures and find in pharmacies the antiviral drugs that are recommended for the first days of the disease."We, the PSD, are calling for a more pronounced, massive, so to speak, information of the population on the symptoms and the way of treatment," said Ioan Mang.PSD announced that it organizes, from Thursday, October 28th, a series of consultations with the civil society, with the representatives of the sectors affected by the pandemic, in order to identify the solutions for overcoming the health crisis in which Romania finds itself. Discussions will take place in a hybrid system, with presence both at the party's headquarters and online.According to a press release, PSD considers that the chaotic and unpredictable restrictions imposed so far by the authorities, without consulting those targeted, cannot solve the particularly serious problems caused by the current pandemic.According to the PSD, a coherent and predictable, urgent plan is needed, accepted by the representatives of the affected sectors, in order to get over the current wave of the pandemic and to return to normalcy as soon as possible.
The Social Democratic Party (PSD) considers that the bill mandating the European digital COVID certificate at the workplace for public health workers is unconstitutional and "gives rise to serious discrimination" between public and private sector employees.

"The PSD has STOPPED the bill initiated by PNL that conditioned the right to work! PSD succeeded in stopping in its tracks the adoption of an unconstitutional law, which would have given rise to serious discrimination between public and private sector employees, but also between various social and professional categories. This bill would have triggered serious imbalances in critical sectors found at the front line of the fight against the pandemic. The imposition of such a measure at the height of the pandemic would have deepened the current health catastrophe. The PSD vote was decisive. All the PSD senators voted against this bill, in the form supported by PNL, UDMR and USR," PSD said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the cited source, the PSD amendment according to which "the state, specifically the employer should bear the costs of employee testing for a period of 60 days from the law's entry into force" was rejected in the Senate's Health Committee, which is "dominated by the right-wing majority."

"PSD supports the European Union's recommendations for the control of the pandemic, but does not condone slippages that deepen the health crisis," the statement said.

The Senate plenum rejected today by a vote of 60 to 67 and two abstentions a bill according to which the personnel of certain public and private entities is obliged to present the COVID digital certificate at the workplace.
The Basilica Media Centre of the Romanian Patriarchate was established fourteen years ago on the feast day of Saint Demetrius the New, Protector of Bucharest, marking the beginning of a fruitful Orthodox Christian ministry in Romania and abroad.

The departments of the Media Centre  Radio Trinitas, Trinitas TV, Lumina Publications, Basilica News Agency and the Press office  broadcast jointly the message of the Romanian Orthodox Church, presenting its institutions, activities, and stances to the society.

Referring to the collaboration between the media institutions of the Romanian Patriarchate, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel stressed that the Basilica Media Centre is like a hand with five fingers through which the Church works for a correct information of the believers regarding its life and activity today.

The Basilica Media Centre represents the concrete activity of the Romanian Patriarchates Department for Communication and Public Relations.

The institution functions as a non-profit sub-unit of the Patriarchal Administration.
The employees of the Intervention, Rescue and First Aid Team of the Romanian Television Society (TVR), the president of MediaSind TVR and another employee will go on hunger strike on Thursday, after the acting general director of the institution refused to discuss with the members of this department about the situation of the fire extinguishing installations, which are non-functional, reads a statement issued on Wednesday by the Romanian Union of Journalists (SRJ) MediaSind.

The protest action by going on hunger strike will take place in front of the TVR public broadcaster headquarters, the press release said.

"The decision regarding the kick off of the hunger strike was made following the refusal of the acting general director, Ramona Saseanu, to discuss with the dissatisfied employees, in the presence of the president of MediaSind (union) TVR, Sorin Torica. Faced with this blatant violation of the provisions of Law no. 62/2021, of the Labour Code and of the ILO Conventions on the rights of trade union members, the approximately 20 employees walked out of the conference hall, today, October 27, 2021, leaving Ramona Saseanu only with her cronies," the MediaSind press release adds.

In July, several employees of the Intervention, Rescue and First Aid Team, who serve the headquarters of the Romanian Television Society on the streets of Dorobanti, Moliere, Doctor Felix and Jilava, sent a notification to the acting general director Ramona Saseanu regarding the serious situation in which TVR remained without fire-extinguishing functions, a situation that endangers the life of the the institution's employees, the MediaSind press release mentions.

Three months from the notification, the employees drew a new alarm signal to MediaSind TVR, claiming that the situation has become extremely serious, the life of TVR employees being put in danger daily due to the incompetence of the bosses, it is specified in the press release.

The Romanian Union of Journalists MediaSind publicly requests the president of PNL (National Liberal Party), Florin Citu, and deputy Gigel Stirbu, the withdrawal from the head of TVR of Ramona Saseanu, as the life of the employees of the Romanian Television is daily endangered due to the incompetence of the current management team, is mentioned in the release of the trade union organization.

Moreover, the Romanian Union of Journalists MediaSind - MediaSind TVR branch reiterates the request made to the political parties to prove responsibility and to appoint a competent Board of Directors in the largest public press institution.
Spokesman of the Save Romania Union (USR) Ionut Mosteanu said that the moment the statutory fora of the National Liberal Party (PNL) sanction the Liberals' decision to restore the coalition and drop negotiations with the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the Union's representatives are willing to start talks in this regard.

"USR has so far received no invitation from PNL and UDMR [the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania] to sit down for talks to restore the coalition. PNL's public decision is to seek support for a minority government around Nicolae Ciuca. This is the decision communicated by the PNL, the PNL Chairman and the Liberal leaders, they have repeatedly made this public. The moment the PNL decides in its statutory fora that it wants to restore the coalition and to drop negotiations with the PSD, then we can meet. Of course, we'll move fast and come sit at the table to look at ways to restore this coalition. We need a calm discussion, dispassionate negotiations to set the priorities in the coalition," Mosteanu said in a press statement at the House of Parliament.

The USR spokesman mentioned that a reform calendar must also be established during these negotiations and the way of making decisions in the coalition needs to be analyzed.

He also underscored USR's support in Parliament for projects such as the green Covid certificate or the law for capping and compensating energy prices.
The interim Minister of Energy, Virgil Popescu, declared on Wednesday that the draft for approval of the Emergency Ordinance on compensating the increase in energy prices offers protection for almost 15 million Romanians, who will pay the same price like last year, agerpres reports.

"Today we have voted a law that practically protects household consumers, offers those who have a consumption of up to 300 kW per month or 200 cubic meters per month a protection so that, in addition to capping, they do not pay more than they paid in December last year. All household customers, regardless of whether they have average consumption or not, have a guaranteed capping, both for electricity and natural gas, and the protection is received by over 70% of the Romanian population, because on real consumption figures we are talking about almost 15 million Romanians who will pay the same price as last year," Popescu stated in the Chamber of Deputies, at the debate of the bill for the approval of the Emergency Ordinance regarding the compensation of the increase of energy prices.

He said amendments had also been made to cap prices for hospitals, schools and heating plants.He also said that virtually all political parties have left their mark on this bill.The Chamber of Deputies is due to vote on Wednesday on the draft approving the Emergency Ordinance to compensate for the increase in energy prices.
His Grace Bishop Varlaam of Ploiesti on Tuesday spoke about the persecutions to which the Church was subjected in the past, but also about the current persecutions. Regarding the confession of Christ, the hierarch said that it must be fulfilled by the example of our lives, by works.

On the feast day of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-Gusher, the Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam reminded that even today, in different parts of the world, where the Church continues to be persecuted, there are Christians who are killed for confessing Christ. They will receive, like the martyrs in the history of the Church, according to the Saviours promise, an unseen crown of glory. He added that God has promised us all this crown if we keep His word.

Confession by deeds

Bishop Varlaam called for a confession by deeds that becomes an invitation for others to live Christianity in its fullness.

Confession is made by fulfilling the words of the Saviour, by the example of our lives.

That is why, Christians were hated because they were chosen by Christ from the world and lived another life () of an unspeakable nobility and spiritual elevation, as described by the anonymous author of the Epistle to Diognetus: Christians live on earth, but they live like angels in heaven. Therefore, they aroused envy and hatred of the world in all circumstances. Let us confess Jesus by our faith, by our attitude towards those around us, but, above all, by our deeds.

The Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop pointed out that the example of the martyrs and of St. Demetrius, in particular, must inspire us to confess Christ.

We are called to confess Him by our life enlightened by the presence of the Holy Spirit and shining by good works, which we are called to fulfil as proof of our faith in Christ who died and rose for us and our salvation, His Grace noted during his homily on October 26.

Persecution is not over

Referring to the persecutions, the hierarch said that they began in the first days of Christianity and we tend to believe that they ended with the release of the Christian faith by the Holy Emperor Constantine the Great, through the Edict of Milan, but the history of the Church and even our experience shows us that these persecutions, according to the word of the Lord, have never ended.

From the Holy Archdeacon Stephen to the present day, this word of the Saviour is being fulfilled in full: If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also, the hierarch noted.

His Grace referred to the bloody persecutions of the 3-4th centuries, initiated by the Roman emperors, which aimed at the destruction of Christianity. But the result was completely different, the patriarchal auxiliary bishop remarked.

The effect of killing Christians was not their extermination, but their multiplication, the strengthening of the Church, and its spread to the ends of the earth.

The century of martyrs

Bishop Varlaam of Ploiesti recalled that the 20th century was called the century of martyrs, in the context in which fascism and communism were directed against Christians.

Communism has claimed millions of lives, and we have the testimonies of prison survivors who spoke about how a lot of personalities ended their lives, who on the deathbed forgave the executioners, as did the Christians of the first centuries, even until our time.

The Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the outdoor altar on the Patriarchates Hill to honour the feast day of Saint Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher.

Saint Demetrius lived in the 3-4th century and was the son of the ruler of the city of Thessaloniki. He is celebrated by the Church on October 26. In iconography, he is depicted in military apparel, holding a spear in his hand, a weapon through which he suffered martyrdom.
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U.S. Marines with 2d Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment fire M240B machine guns during a machine gun range during Korea Marine Exchange Program 22-1 at Camp Rodriguez, Pocheon, Republic of Korea, Oct. 16, 2021. The Marines conducted bipod, tripod, and unknown distance qualification while sustaining the fundamentals of machine gun gunnery during day and night conditions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ash McLaughlin)

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Israel and Russia have become more open about their cooperation in Syria. Russian and Israeli senior officials frequently meet in Russia and Israel to discuss details of this partnership and often release details of their Syria alliance and any new developments. Israel and Russia have been cooperating in Syria for decades but in 2015 that relationship had to be modified. For the first time Russia had substantial combat forces in Syria and at a time when Israel was carrying out airstrikes against Syrian or Iranian forces that were threatening Israel.

Soon after Russian ground and air forces arrived in Syria during September 2015 it became apparent that Russian and Israeli forces were behaving like allies. Russia later revealed that this intervention was carefully planned and those plans included negotiating an agreement with Israel on how to avoid Israelis and Russians from accidentally firing on each other. With this agreement Russia recognized the Israeli need to stop Iran or Syria from transferring weapons to Hezbollah or attacking Israel. Russia agreed to not interfere with Israeli aircraft or ground forces attacking Iranian munitions being transported into Syria. Russia recognized the Israeli need to retaliate against rebel and Syrian forces that were fighting near the Israeli border, with bullets, rockets or shells from Syria landing in Israel. Israeli warplanes had carried out dozens of retaliation attacks in Syria since 2013. Several airstrikes destroyed Russian weapons being moved to Lebanon by Hezbollah. Israel made it clear that it would not back off on using air power to protect their Syrian and Lebanese borders and Russia later revealed that it understood the Israeli situation and did not want any problems with Israel defending itself. Part of the Russian planning for entry into Syria was establishing procedures with Israel to keep each other informed when Russian and Israeli warplanes or ground forces might encounter each other. This involved a hotline and frequent meetings between Russian and Israeli officials.

As time went on more details of this alliance became public. In 2017 Russia revealed that their forces would remain in Syria for as long as required to end the civil war there. Russia also revealed details of their cooperation with Israel since 2015. Many people had figured out that Russia and Israel seemed to be cooperating in Syria but official confirmation of that cooperation was not available for nearly two years. By 2017 senior Russian military officials were openly visiting Israel to meet with their Israeli counterparts. One of those meetings was the first time a Russian Minister of Defense had visited Israel to discuss anything, much less the agreement. Some details of what the two nations agreed to were made public. Israel and Russia confirmed some modifications to their agreement on what Russia would do to keep Iranian forces (including Iranian backed Shia militias like Hezbollah) away from the Israeli border. Israel wanted the Russians to keep the Iranians at least 60 kilometers from the border but the Russians have agreed to smaller buffer zones (10-20 kilometers) and were willing and able to enforce those buffer zones. In part this was done by telling the Assad government that continued Russian assistance for the Assads was contingent on the Assads cooperating with the Russians in keeping the Iranians away from the Israeli border. At the same time the Russians would continue not interfering with Israeli air and missile strikes on Iranian weapons shipments moving from Syria to Lebanon for Hezbollah. Syria protests via the media but does little beyond that. This cozy relationship with Israel is more valuable to Russia than any deals it has with Iran. Russia recognizes that Israel has the strongest economy in the region as well as the most capable military power. Israel also has nuclear weapons. After the Russian delegation left, a senior Israeli official visiting Japan repeated that Israel would, if necessary, use military force to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons.

In 2018 Israel and Russia revealed that there was no Russian blanket pledge to not interfere with Israeli attacks inside Syria. There was, however, no change in the existing policy of Russian forces not confronting Israeli attacks on Iranian targets. Russian diplomats told Israel that Russia would support Israel if Iran attacked Israel directly. Russia revealed that their cooperation with Israel sometimes had to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis. The Russians made it clear they did not want to fight the Israelis, especially when the Russians have growing evidence that Russian military equipment would not do well if there were clashes. Israel later revealed cases where they cancelled an airstrike at Russian request. Apparently, there were Russian troops in the target area and Israel, once informed, was able to divert that airstrike to another area in need of attention.

By 2019 Russia had treaties with the Assads that allowed Russia to lease territory for a major airbase and a smaller port facility in western Syria. Israel had no formal objections, apparently because this arrangement was made after consultations with Israel. Russia agreed to these treaties to give the Assads an opportunity to move away from the long dependence on Iran. As far as the Assads were concerned the Iranians were trying to turn Assad-controlled Syria into something like Hezbollah, the Shia militia Iran helped create in the 1980s and has sustained ever since. That turned southern Lebanon into a region controlled by Hezbollah which, in turn, took orders from Iran. Israel had long sought to get Iran out of Lebanon and now most Lebanese agreed and were openly fighting with Hezbollah over the issue. The Assads agreed to informally make peace with Israel in an arrangement that would be monitored and enforced by Israel and Russia. Russia considers this a major achievement in Syria and most of the world will agree if the changes do not prompt Iran into starting a major war over it.

October 25, 2021: In the south (Quneitra province) an Israeli airstrike using missiles hit Syrian and Iranian targets outside the town of Baath. One of the targets was a SAM (surface to air missile) anti-aircraft battery recently moved to the area, which is too close to the Israeli border for such weapons.

October 24, 2021: In the northwest (Latakia and Idlib provinces) pro-Turkey Islamic terrorists from Idlib have been actively going after smaller factions that refuse to cooperate with Turkey in order to be allowed to leave Syria as refugees. Some of the unacceptable factions still committed to continuing their terrorist activities. Many foreign critics accuse the Turks of supporting terrorism but the alternative is to kill several hundred people trapped in Idlib in order to eliminate the Islamic terrorist threat resident there. Nearly all the 20,000 or Islamic terrorists in Idlib ended up there because of the Syrian tactic of avoiding costly (to Syrian troops) attacks against Islamic terrorists surrounded and willing to fight to the death. The deal used time and again was that the Islamic terrorists and their families would be given safe passage to Idlib province, a rebel stronghold throughout the civil war. Russia later stepped up to guarantee safe passage when some Islamic terror groups refused to trust the Syrian offer. There was no plan about how the concentration of determined Islamic terrorists in Idlib would ultimately be resolved. Syria and Russia were willing to kill them all and let the Turks deal with those who tried to cross the heavily protected Turkish border. Turkey persuaded Russia and Syria to wait while the Turks used their influence with the more moderate Islamic terror groups who were willing to deal with the more extreme groups in Idlib. Many of these groups were already waging a low-level war with the Islamic terrorist government of Idlib. There is still a problem with the fact that no country really wants to offer asylum for the Idlib moderate Islamic terrorists. Turkish voters will not accept these Islamic terrorist Syrians as long-term residents and the current Turkish government risks getting voted out of office if these unwanted Idlib Syrians are allowed in.

October 23, 2021: In the north (Aleppo province) a Turkish UAV used a missile to destroy a vehicle outside the border town of Kobane and kill the three people in it. The target was apparently the leader of a local group that cooperated with the Kurdish SDF (Syrian Defense Forces) militia. The Turkish UAVs resemble the American Predator and have been conducting surveillance in this area for nearly a week, apparently in preparation for more attacks like this as well as gathering information for another ground offensive in the area.

In neighboring Raqqa province an American UAV used a missile to kill Abdul Hamid al Matar, a senior al Qaeda leader who was in charge of planning and organizing attacks in foreign countries, especially Europe or the U.S. The pro-Turkish Islamic terrorists in Idlib are also providing Turkey with information on Islamic terrorists who are still actively planning terror attacks in Syria and elsewhere. Turkey shares some of their information with their allies, including NATO nations it wants to improve relations with.

October 22, 2021: In Russia, the Israeli and Russian leaders met to discuss their cooperation in Syria and Russia agreed to the unofficial cooperation agreement

October 20, 2021: In the east (Deir Ezzor province), near the Tanf /Walweed (on the Iraqi side) border crossing (on the Iraqi side) border crossing explosions were heard in the American base near Tanf. The Americans confirmed the explosions but said there were no casualties. The U.S. later revealed that they had advance warning of the attack and flew out 200 of American troops at the base, leaving only a few dozen who took shelter in fortified bunkers. Civilians in the area reported that the attacks came from several small UAVs carrying explosives and several rockets which appeared to have been launched from the ground. Syria, Russia and Iran want the American base gone and their ground forces have tried to get close but were turned back by American airstrikes. The attacker in this case used Iranian UAVs and rockets and the UAVs were used as cruise missiles. Iran has several local militias on the payroll that they could have used to carry out the attack. The Americans have controlled the Syrian side since 2017 while a pro-American Iraqi militia controls the Iraqi side. This is one of the three main Syria/Iraq border crossings and controls access to the main Baghdad-Damascus highway. The crossing is near where the borders of Jordan, Syria and Iraq meet.

In the west, (Damascus) three roadside bombs were used against a Syrian army bus that was used to transport Iranian officers to work. Two of the three bombs went off and killed fourteen of the Iranian passengers. A third bomb did not go off and was disabled by army bomb disposal specialists. No one took credit for this attack but Israel was at the top of the usual suspects list.

October 17, 2021: So far this year 21 Turkish soldiers have been killed in Syria and another 73 wounded. President Erdogan is being challenged by a coalition of opposition parties who want to remove him as the Turkish president before 2023 elections. Sending Turkish troops to Syria in 2016 and Libya three years later were unpopular moves for most Turks. Erdogan has been in power since 2003 and one of the first things he did was to get parliament to approve increasing the power of the presidency. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but this made it possible for Erdogan to send Turkish troops quickly and quietly into Syria and Libya. Erdogan believed these decisive actions would increase his popularity. It did not because as more Turkish soldiers were killed in Syria and the cost of the five years of Turkish operations in Syria mounted so did public anger whenever a Turkish soldier was killed or badly wounded. There have been about a thousand casualties among Turkish troops in Syria since 2016 and over 200 of them were fatal. Government controlled or influenced media in Turkey have been ordered to play down the deaths and the well-attended funerals but this bad news eventually gets out, despite efforts to crack down on Internet-based treason (anti-government messages). Opinion polls show most voters want to oust the current government during the next (2023) national elections, where the voting will be for the president and members of parliament. The new political effort to remove Erdogan is made possible by his reluctance to bring Turkish troops home. Erdogan has hired over 20,000 Syrian Arabs as mercenaries to do most of the ground combat and the cost of payroll and medical care (and death benefits) has been an economic scandal in Turkey.

October 16, 2021: In the south (Quneitra province) an Israeli sniper killed Midhat as Saleh, a Syrian Druze politician who was working for Iran in southern Syria to establish an Iranian military presence on the Israeli border. Saleh was born in the Israeli Golan Heights and was jailed several times for anti-Israel activities. After getting out of jail he moved to the Syrian side of the border and went to work for the Assad government, a position he held until his death. Syrian and Israeli Druze have become more pro-Israel over the last decade and Saleh was one of pro-Assad Druze trying to change that by any means necessary.

October 15, 2021: In central Syria (Homs province) Israeli airstrikes hit the T4 airbase for the second time this week. The targets were the same Iranian training areas and weapons warehouses. One Syrian soldier was killed and five wounded. The attacks were launched from jets flying over the area where the borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan meet. Air-to-surface missiles are used and some are intercepted by Syrian S-200 SAMs (Surface-to-Air missiles) that have less success against Israeli fighters that are equipped with countermeasures and pilots who know how to avoid the SAMs. The T4 airbase, near the ancient ruins of Palmyra, has been hit at least three times a year since 2018. T4 is the largest airbase in Syria and Iran has constantly built new structures for storing weapons and housing personnel, usually to replace buildings destroyed by the air strikes. T4 is where Iran moved its UAV operations in 2018 after its original UAV base in Syria was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike.

October 13, 2021: In northern Syria (western Aleppo and northern Raqqa provinces) Turkish airstrikes hit several U.S. backed SDF (Syrian Kurd militia) units. While mainly Kurdish, SDF also includes Syrian Arabs and Turkmen and was a major reason for the defeat of the Islamic State in eastern Syria, leading the offensive to drive ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) out of their capital, Raqqa. The SDF continues to provide security in eastern Syria against the remaining ISIL factions that hide in the mountains and deserts and carry out occasional attacks. The U.S. provides air support for these SDF counterterror operations. Russia has generally stayed out of this war between Turkey and the SDF but recently the SDF warned its senior leaders and other key personnel to avoid travelling. The SDA believes Russia has agreed to target these personnel with attacks using airstrikes. Turkey was already doing this with their own locally made UAVs armed with laser guided missiles. This new UAV policy would also improve relations between Turkey and Russia.

October 12, 2021: In the east (Deir Ezzor province) an airstrike once again hit an Iran-backed militia facility and largely destroyed it. The air strike was near the Al Bukamal crossing into Iraq. Iran is seeking to provide a safer environment for its Iraqi militias. Inside Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah is subject to attack by security forces and pro-government militias. In eastern Syria the biggest threat is Israeli airstrikes and the occasional American one. Todays attack left three Iraqis dead along with one Syrian and several Iranians. These constant attacks are causing Iraqis belonging to pro-Iran militias to reconsider their loyalty to Iran.

October 8, 2021: In central Syria (Homs province) Israeli airstrikes again hit the T4 airbase, with several explosions heard inside the base. There were two dead and several wounded. Israeli warplanes launch air-ground missiles while still in Israel or just across the Syrian border in areas not covered by Syrian air defenses.

In the east (Deir Ezzor province) another airstrike hit Iranian weapons storage sites outside Al Bukamal City, which is on the Euphrates River and a few hours by road, to a border crossing into Iraq. The attacking aircraft could not be identified but were believed to be Israeli UAVs and part of a campaign to cripple Iranian efforts to build up a large force in Syria that would be capable of launching thousands of guided and unguided rockets into Israel. There have been several airstrikes like this in 2021 and Israel is the chief suspect because of their frequent airstrikes against Iranian targets throughout Syria

October 3, 2021: In eastern and central Syria (Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces), Russian warplanes carried out over a hundred air strikes against ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) targets over the weekend. Over fifty Islamic terrorists were killed or wounded and secondary explosions indicated that a lot of ammo and fuel supplies were destroyed. There were probably also civilian casualties as Russia ignores their presence even if ISIL is deliberately using the civilians as human shields. Russia also bombed some al Qaeda affiliated Islamic terrorists in northwest Syria, ignoring the neutral zone Russia and Turkey had agreed not to attack if the Islamic terrorists did not enter the zone. Russia says the Islamic terrorists have violated the neutral zone while Turkey considers those violations either minor or accidental. Russia is more inclined to agree with the Syrian (Assad) government, which has never been on good terms with Turkey.

September 30, 2021: In northwest Syria (Aleppo province) Syrian Kurdish separatists of the YPG (Peoples Protection Units) fired a guided missile into Turkey, killing two policemen. Turkey said it would retaliate because the YPG had done this before and were warned that a repeat would have consequences. Turkey considers the YPG a component of the Turkish PKK (Turkish Kurdish separatists). The U.S disagrees with Turkey about YPG/PKK cooperation and has found the YPG an effective and reliable component of the SDF that controls much of northeast Syria (mainly Kurd majority Hasaka province). SDF forces have clashed with Turkish troops and their Syrian mercenaries in Syria frequently, usually in response to a Turkish attack or attempt to gain control of more territory occupied by the SDF. One thing Turkey and the U.S. do agree on is that the YPG is the most unpredictable faction of the SDF.

September 29, 2021: Russian and Turkish leaders met in Russia to discuss economic and military matters. Russia and Turkey have ongoing disputes in Syria, Libya, Ukraine and the Caucasus. The two also disagree on Islamic terrorism in general. Russia described the talks as useful but did mention that the Russian leader reminded his Turkish counterpart that Turkish troops were in Syria illegally and should leave, along with the Americans. Only Russia and Iran have Syrian permission to be there. Less was said about Libya. Russia and Turkey both have forces in Libya illegally and Russian and Turkish forces have clashed because they are backing different factions.

September 27, 2021: The recent return of the Afghan Taliban to power in Afghanistan is having an impact on the Syrian Civil War. Afghan refugee resettlement is a major domestic political issue in Turkey, which already has too many Syrian refugees. Economic stress from hosting Syrian refugees is a major reason for getting directly involved in the Syrian civil war since 2016. More Afghan refugees would bring more violence, from cultural differences and the threat of Islamic terrorists using refugee status as a cover. Turkey currently hosts over four million refugees. About 92 percent of them are Syrian. Over 200,000 Afghans were already living in Turkey when the Taliban returned to power in mid-August. Many of the current refugees have been in Turkey since mid-2011. Refugees, legal and illegal, have put a major stress on the Turkish economy and many individual Turks. Over 500,000 Syrian school children attend Turkish schools and will get worse if more Afghan refugees get in. Some Turkish provinces are feeling the stress more than others. In southern Turkey, on the Syrian border, Kilis province has a population of 140,000 Turks and provides refuge for 105,000 Syrians. Fear of Islamic terrorism is another reason Turks are concerned about an Afghan refugee influx. Al Qaeda and ISIL have launched attacks within Turkey for years. Turkey is seen by smugglers as a gateway to Europe, especially for the lucrative business of smuggling people. Often the refugees fail to get into Europe and end up stuck in Turkey. All this puts more pressure on the Turks to end the Syrian Civil War and give many of the refugees an incentive to go home.
Muvi Announces Flex Streaming Solution to Help Businesses Undergo Digital Transformations

Upgraded SaaS-based Hosting Cloud Platform Enhances the users experience of online video streaming to help companies perform and transform better digitally

New York( )

Muvi, one of the leading streaming platforms and enterprise SaaS solutions providers, rolled out Muvi Flex, a SaaS platform under its parent hosting software solution. This chip of the block is designed to specifically serve robust businesses, corporates, and individuals with multifunctional and centralized control dashboard, enhanced usability, improved content speed and offers quick integration functionality for seamless flows. Muvi Flex is a game-changer for websites and apps that cradle video and audio sections and is set to garner much attention from high-performance players.

With an expected annual growth rate (CAGR 2021-2025) of 11.03%, the global Video Streaming segment is projected to reach a market volume of US$108,660 million by 2025, according to Statista. As a part of their digital transformation efforts, companies across a wide range of industries are now adopting streaming and online video. This task can be daunting for some, especially for those with no prior experience

Muvis Flex is a streaming-as-a-service model that is built upon Muvis extensive experience in helping global companies establish streaming platforms and capabilities. Adaptable to the needs of businesses, corporates, large enterprises and individuals, such as content moderators and creators, Flex enables its users to decode the process and offer a flexible, ready-to-deploy service.

Muvi Flex can enhance video experience in all aspects

Muvi Flexs comprehensive video/audio streaming solution can help businesses manage and solve all their streaming challenges. With Flex, companies can easily integrate the video player to your website and app to make streaming for their users a seamless experience. The product is also equipped with enriched DRM protection offering robust 360-degree protection to the content including geo-restrictions and content encryption.

Trusted by key customers across the globe

For several years now, companies have increasingly embraced the idea of migrating their data and applications to the cloud - a trend that has experienced another significant boost since the coronavirus pandemic. Muvi has been helping such customers across diverse industries throughout the globe and with Flex, the company is now ready to present its offerings to various other industries spanning across Ecommerce, News & Media, Streaming Companies, Elearning, Health & Fitness and Religion.

Based on the knowledge of helping several companies with their various streaming service offerings, Muvi is the essential toolbox for everyone seeking an Enterprise-Grade, Feature-Rich Immersive Video/Audio Experience:

Store Unlimited Content on the cloud and access it from anywhere

Built-in CDN to stream video with Low Latency

HTML5 based all-in-one video player to deliver the best streaming experience

Multiple Monetization Models to generate revenue with SVOD, TVOD, and AVOD

Enriched Multi-DRM to protect against Piracy across devices and geographies

Social Media Integration to share the content across social media platforms

Analytics & Reports to help understand your audience with in-depth reports

Create and collaborate with workflows

In this cloud-pro world, digital transformation becomes all the more important for companies to perform better. With Muvis vast knowledge base of the streaming cloud services market over the last few years, I am extremely glad to bring this knowledge to our clients and partners., says Nikhil Gupta, Director of Product Management, Muvi

With Muvi Flex, our goal is to make it faster and easier for developers and marketers to confidently deliver the best video experiences to their customers. As other technologies morph and become increasingly more complex, we at Muvi remain focused on developing accessible, leading-edge SaaS-based products for our clients to help them get that edge over their competitors in this digital-first world., he added.

Muvi Flex is being provided as a free trial for 14 days with access to the entire multi-feature functionality for professional use. To register, please visit our Muvi Flex page.

About Muvi:

Muvi LLC is a New-York based prominent product-based SaaS company. The company provides a cloud-hosted streaming platform and end-to-end solutions for video/audio content owners, broadcasters, TV networks, and content aggregators to launch their own-branded, multi-screen, multi-format OTT streaming service such as Netflix, Prime Video, Spotify, Deezer, etc. that can offer both Live & On-Demand content and be delivered across Web, Mobile, and TV instantly.

The company has gained international recognition in the audio/video streaming space and is trusted by 350+ clients in over 50 countries across territories including North America, Europe, Latin America, Middle-East, Africa, Australia, and Asia.

For more information on Muvi LLC, visit www.muvi.com
(Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve officials who break proposed laws limiting their trading activities would face fines of at least 10% of the value of the banned investment that was either bought or sold, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The penalties are included in a Senate bill unveiled by Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, who previously said he planned to introduce legislation to tighten ethics standards at the central bank.

Senators said the bill was a companion to legislation that would impose similar restrictions on members of Congress, the Journal reported, citing a news release that was not yet released to the public.

Much of what the senators are proposing for the Fed hews closely to changes the central bank is already making.

The Fed last week banned individual stock purchases by its top officials and unveiled a broad set of other restrictions on their investing activities, taking action roughly six weeks after reports of active trading by some U.S. central bank policymakers triggered an ethics uproar and the departure of two of them.

The Fed's new rules will limit the types of financial securities top officials can own, including a ban on purchasing individual stocks or holding individual bonds and agency-backed securities. It also requires a 45-day advance notice and approval of any transaction and stipulates investments be held for at least a year. It did not specify any penalties for not adhering to the new rules.

(Reporting by Lindsay Dunsmuir; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
"A12" Target a Potential Significant Jugan Deposit Extension

Highlights:

The Jugan Deposit contains 960 koz @ 1.56 g/t Au (JORC 2012) , within the wider Bau Gold Project which hosts a total gold Resource of 73.6 Mt @ 1.43 g/t for 3.3Moz 1 .

, within the wider Bau Gold Project which hosts a total gold Resource of . A significant new gold anomaly, 'A12', has been identified along strike and circa 1km from the large Jugan Deposit.

A12 exhibits similar geophysical and geochemical signatures to the Jugan Deposit only significantly larger in scale and possibly more prospective.

Unlike the Jugan Deposit, the surface outcrops of A12 exhibit extensive silica alteration, suggesting A12 host rocks have been more susceptible to space forming brittle fracture and consequently potential for enhanced mineral endowment.

The A12 Prospect is planned to be drilled in the upcoming drilling programs, with rigs mobilising shortly.

Besra will commence its drilling program at the Bau Gold Field within two weeks, and this will include investigating strike extensions of the Jugan mineralisation within the A12 Prospect precinct.

Perth, Western Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 26, 2021) - Besra Gold Inc (ASX: BEZ) ("Besra" or the "Company") announces the identification of a significant new gold anomaly in close proximity to the Jugan Deposit. The Jugan Deposit contains 960 koz @ 1.56 g/t Au (JORC 2012), within the wider Bau Gold Project which hosts a total gold resource of 73.6 Mt @ 1.43 g/t for 3.3Moz.

The A12 Prospect lies on the Jugan - Sirenggok mineralisation trend approximately 1 km WSW of Jugan, where it appears to have been dextrally displaced by 250 - 350m across northwest oriented cross-fault tend (Figure 1). This cross-fault trend forms the current known boundary for Jugan Deposit mineralisation in that direction. Fault displacements are known to post-date mineralisation, and A12 may represent a fault displaced continuation of an originally more extensive zone of Jugan mineralisation.

The A12 Prospect will be drilled for the first time in the Company's upcoming drilling program scheduled to commence imminently. Conceptually, the extension of mineralisation to the southwest beyond the Jugan Deposit is supported by the A12 Prospect exhibiting similar, but not identical, geological and geophysical anomaly signatures (Figures 2 & 3).





Figure 1 A12 lies approximately 1 km from Jugan along a WSW trending localised mineralised corridor defined by the Jugan Sirenggok deposits.



Cannot view Figure 1? Visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/100987_12397427d4fa7927_003full.jpg





Figure 2 - Anomaly 12 and the Jugan Deposit locations showing interpreted envelopes of respective geophysical anomalies (in red).

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/100987_12397427d4fa7927_001full.jpg

Importantly, differences between the signatures suggest that A12 may be even more prospective than Jugan because:

The modelled EM anomaly of A12 is volumetrically significantly larger than the equivalent coincident with the Jugan Deposit.

Surface outcrops at A12 include silica rich lithologies, including jasperoid floats, suggesting local exposure to silicia rich fluid alteration making the Pedawan Shale host rocks more susceptible to brittle fracture with potential for greater mineralisation endowment.

A12 appears to have been subjected to more extensive epithermal alteration.

Geological mapping (altered silica-rich float outcrops), geochemical surveys (soil Au, As and Hychip) and geophysical surveys (Dighem, magnetic and IP), across the A12 Prospect display similar styles of signature to those recorded across the adjacent Jugan Deposit. However, the presence of silica alteration at the surface of A12 is not recorded across the surface of the Jugan Deposit. Either the A12 structural block has been uplifted, or alternatively, it has been exposed to more pervasive silicification because extensive drilling results show that such silica alteration is only evident in the Jugan Deposit at depths greater than ~150 m subsurface. Both explanations raise the possibility that the host Pedawan Shale lithologies at A12 were more susceptible to brittle deformation following silica alteration with the consequential potential for the endowment of higher mineralisation grades occurring closer to the surface.

Besra's upcoming drilling program will include drill testing strike extensions of the Jugan mineralisation into the A12 Prospect precinct.





Figure 3 - Hychip survey showing illite distribution. Anomalously high illite distributions can be indicators of epithermal mineralised deposits.



To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/100987_12397427d4fa7927_005full.jpg

This announcement was authorised for release by the Board of Besra Gold Inc.

Ray Shaw

Chief Executive Officer

ray.shaw@besra.com

For further information:

Australia



Ray Shaw

CEO

Mobile: +61 419 403 533

Email: ray.shaw@besra.com

North America



James Hamilton

Investor Relations Services

Mobile: +1 416 471 4494

Email: jim@besra.com

Competent Person's Statement

The information in this Announcement that relates to Exploration Results, Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves is based on information compiled by Mr. Kevin J. Wright, a Competent Person who is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMM), a Chartered Engineer (C.Eng), and a Chartered Environmentalist (C.Env). Mr. Wright is a consultant to Besra. Mr. Wright has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code (2012 Edition) of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, and a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators.

Kevin J. Wright consents to the inclusion in this Announcement of the matters based on his information in the form and context that it appears.

Disclaimer

This Announcement contains certain forward-looking statements and forecasts concerning future activities, including potential delineation of resources. Such statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve unknown risks and uncertainties, as well as other factors which are beyond the control of Besra Gold Inc. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements depending upon a variety of factors. Nothing in this Announcement should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities.

Unless otherwise indicated, all mineral resource estimates and Exploration Targets included or incorporated by reference in this Announcement have been, and will be, prepared in accordance with the JORC classification system of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Australian Institute of Geoscientists.

Disclosure

The information in this announcement is based on the following publicly available announcements previously lodged on the SEDAR platform:

Besra Gold Inc Bau Gold Project Sarawak Malaysia Exploration Target Inventory. Lodged SEDAR Platform Feb 26, 2021;

Besra Bau Project - Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve Updated to JORC 2012 Compliance. Lodged SEDAR Platform Nov 22, 2018;

which are available on https://www.sedar.com/DisplayCompanyDocuments.do?lang=EN&issuerNo=00001815 or on Besra's website www.besra.com.

___________________________

1 Refer Prospectus dated 8 July 2021 in Section 3.11 and Attachment G.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100987
NEW YORK, Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HiberCell, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing therapeutics to treat cancer relapse and metastasis, and its academic collaborators in Strasbourg (France) published data from a study focused on defining biological networks believed responsible for severe and often deadly acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in a younger COVID-19 patient cohort. This study, entitled the "Identification of driver genes for severe forms of COVID-19 in a deeply phenotyped younger patient cohort," appears online in Science Translational Medicine.

Focused on the underlying biology of COVID-19 in the absence of confounding factors that include age and underlying health issues, the study studied a subgroup of COVID-19 patients that presented with no underlying medical condition and were younger than 50 years of age. The aim of the study was to define biological networks responsible for severe and often deadly ARDS in COVID-19 patients. Mapping and ranking the putative interactions between a network of 600 genes in these patients showed that abnormal ADAM9 expression was a key causal driver of COVID-induced ARDS.

"The study further supports the utility of our biologically-validated AI/ML platform that is focused on advancing our portfolio of cancer therapeutics," said study co-principal investigator, Tom Chittenden, PhD, DPhil, PStat, chief technology officer of HiberCell and the co-founder of HiberCell's AI initiative. "This study underscores the disease-agnostic potential of our causal biology, AI/ML approach that is well positioned to provide disease insights even with limited patient cohorts."

"This is an important example of the potential impact machine learning brings to life sciences," commented Daniel Lidar, PhD, Viterbi Professor of Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC) and a HiberCell collaborator. "Using multiple independent ML methods, including a quantum variant, this study builds upon our work in breast cancer, further validating the utility of unconventional 'Ising-type' ML in quantum computing. It builds upon results published in April in which we identified replicable signals in high-dimensionality data in small cohorts."

"This work provides a deeper understanding of COVID-19 in a younger, healthier patient subset," said co-principal investigator, Seiamak Bahram, MD, PhD, chair of immunology at the University of Strasbourg Faculty of Medicine, INSERM Unit 1109 and Strasbourg University Hospitals. "We have further supported these findings in additional cohorts, solidifying the identification of these biological networks. We are actively working to further elucidate the importance of ADAM9 in virus uptake and replication in human lung cells. These data may provide an alternative therapeutic approach for COVID-19 or in broader terms, ARDS in general."

"Recognizing the need for additional research, these data highlight the potential of our patient-centric AI/ML initiative at HiberCell that is driving pharmacodynamic biomarker validation across our first-in-class pipeline of stress modulators in cancer," said Alan Rigby, President and CEO of HiberCell.

About HiberCell HiberCell is a clinical stage biotechnology company dedicated to the advancement of novel therapeutics designed to overcome the foundational molecular barriers that prevent patients from living longer, cancer-free lives. HiberCell's approach utilizes AI/ML to integrate multi-omic and phenotypic profiles of tumors to generate deep insights that connect these data to clinical outcomes. Leveraging these data, HiberCell identifies and validates the causal features of cancer that can be targeted with their novel therapies with the goal of addressing the most common causes of cancer mortality: resistance, relapse and metastasis. To that end, HiberCell is developing therapeutics designed to resolve 'stress' through mechanisms that involve stimulating innate and adaptive immunity to reprogram an immunosuppressive tumor immune microenvironment or modulating the stress-mediated adaptive response that is essential for cancer cell survival.

Contacts Investors: Media: Stephanie Carrington Terri Clevenger stephanie.carrington@westwicke.com terri.clevenger@westwicke.com 646-277-1282 203-856-4326

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hibercell-and-strasbourg-institute-for-precision-medicine-publish-machine-learning-data-and-approach-on-causal-biology-of-severe-covid-19-301409261.html

SOURCE HiberCell
TICKERS: STEM; STMH

Source: Streetwise Reports (10/27/21)

The target company "brings numerous positives to Stem Holdings dba Driven By Stem," noted a Noble Capital markets report.



In an Oct. 27 research note, Noble Capital Markets analyst Joe Gomes

reported that Stem Holdings Inc. dba Driven By Stem (STEM:CSE; STMH:OTCQX) agreed to acquire Colorado Harvest Co., a cannabis retailer of edibles, concentrates, and naturally grown flower. The deal terms are still being negotiated.

"Noble has an Outperform rating and $2 per share target price on Stem Holdings."

Gomes described Colorado Harvest and how it will enhance Stem Holdings.

Colorado Harvest operates two dispensaries, one in Denver, the other in Aurora, as well as a pair of cultivation facilities producing 200-plus pounds of cannabis monthly. The company also has two delivery permits.

This year, Colorado Harvest is expected to generate $13 million ($13M) of revenue, for $5.07M of gross profit.

Given Colorado Harvest's array of verticals, the acquisition will benefit Stem Holdings in various ways. For one, Stem will gain access to the second largest legal cannabis market in the U.S.: Colorado. There, total 2021 cannabis sales are estimated to be $2.5 billion ($2.5B), up from $2.2B last year.

Two is access to a fragmented market, 22% of which is held by the top players. As the market consolidates, it will offer "significant growth opportunity."

Three, because home delivery is new to the Colorado market, Stem will be able to implement its Budee home delivery service in a new market. Further, the market is concentrated as half of all sales in Colorado occur in Denver and its three surrounding counties.

Four, Gomes noted, "Colorado Harvest also adds additional proprietary, award-winning strains and products to Driven by Stem's quiver."

Noble has an Outperform rating and $2 per share target price on Stem Holdings, the current share price of which is about $0.26 at the time of publication.

[NLINSERT]

Disclosures:

1) Doresa Banning compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None.

2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Stem Holdings Inc. dba Driven By Stem. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. As of the date of this article, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports has a consulting relationship with Stem Holdings Inc. dba Driven By Stem. Please click here for more information.

3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the decision to publish an article until three business days after the publication of the article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Stem Holdings Inc. dba Driven By Stem, a company mentioned in this article.

6) This article does not constitute medical advice. Officers, employees and contributors to Streetwise Reports are not licensed medical professionals. Readers should always contact their healthcare professionals for medical advice

Disclosures for Noble, Stem, Oct. 27, 2021

All statements or opinions contained herein that include the words "we", "us", or "our" are solely the responsibility of Noble Capital Markets, Inc. ("Noble") and do not necessarily reflect statements or opinions expressed by any person or party affiliated with the company mentioned in this report. Any opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. All information provided herein is based on public and non-public information believed to be accurate and reliable, but is not necessarily complete and cannot be guaranteed. No judgment is hereby expressed or should be implied as to the suitability of any security described herein for any specific investor or any specific investment portfolio. The decision to undertake any investment regarding the security mentioned herein should be made by each reader of this publication based on its own appraisal of the implications and risks of such decision.

This publication is intended for information purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to buy/sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy/sell any security mentioned in this report, nor shall there be any sale of the security herein in any state or domicile in which said offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or domicile. This publication and all information, comments, statements or opinions contained or expressed herein are applicable only as of the date of this publication and subject to change without prior notice. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Noble accepts no liability for loss arising from the use of the material in this report, except that this exclusion of liability does not apply to the extent that such liability arises under specific statutes or regulations applicable to Noble. This report is not to be relied upon as a substitute for the exercising of independent judgement. Noble may have published, and may in the future publish, other research reports that are inconsistent with, and reach different conclusions from, the information provided in this report. Noble is under no obligation to bring to the attention of any recipient of this report, any past or future reports. Investors should only consider this report as single factor in making an investment decision.

The following disclosures relate to relationships between Noble and the company (the "Company") covered by the Noble Research Division and referred to in this research report.

The Company in this report is a participant in the Company Sponsored Research Program ("CSRP"); Noble receives compensation from the Company for such participation. No part of the CSRP compensation was, is, or will be directly or indirectly related to any specific recommendations or views expressed by the analyst in this research report.



Noble has provided capital markets advisory services in the last 12 months. Noble has received compensation for non-investment banking services in the past 12 months. The Company has attended Noble investor conference(s) in the last 12 months.



Noble intends to seek compensation for investment banking services and non-investment banking services (securities and non-securities related) within the next 3 months.

Noble is not a market maker in the Company.
The USS Arlington sails in the Atlantic Ocean on Oct. 22, 2021. Over three months in early 2019, a Marine aboard the ship used a GoPro to film unsuspecting female crew members while they were undressed in a bathroom on the ship. (John Bellino/U.S. Navy)

A Navy appeals court upheld the conviction of a Marine lance corporal who filmed female sailors showering aboard the USS Arlington, then tossed his camera overboard when he was discovered.

A three-judge panel of the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals unanimously affirmed Lance Cpl. Steven L. Smiths conviction of obstruction of justice earlier this month.

His sentence of four months in jail, reduction of rank to private and a bad-conduct discharge was also upheld.

The panel rejected his argument that the judge who accepted his guilty plea had erred because Smith was only concealing his offenses not obstructing justice when he disposed of his property.

Over three months in early 2019, he repeatedly mounted his GoPro camera on a selfie stick and inserted it through a hole in the wall between his barracks room and the womens bathroom.

He recorded one woman drying off after a shower and showed the images to two fellow Marines.

Eventually, a female Marine who spotted the camera called it out, according to court documents. Smith returned to his rack, removed the memory card and snapped it in half, then threw the GoPro and its accessories overboard, the documents said.

Smith said he got rid of the evidence because he thought there would be a probe, court records state. An investigation was already underway when Smith returned to his quarters, and he confessed, according to court documents.

But in his appeal, he said he didnt have enough reason to think an investigation would ensue because it was anyones guess whether the woman who had caught the intrusion would report it.

Without an impending investigation, his disposal of the camera and memory card was merely concealing evidence, he argued. In the appeal, Smith said the military judge should have inquired further into this issue.

The appellate court responded that whether destruction of evidence constitutes obstruction of justice as opposed to mere concealment of an offense requires case-by-case consideration of the facts and circumstances.

The judges noted a 2008 case in which flushing marijuana down the toilet during a barracks inspection was deemed not to be obstruction but merely an effort to avoid detection of an offense the government was unaware of.

Smiths actions werent mere concealment, the judges wrote, because when he tossed the camera and memory card, he knew his crime had already been detected.

Moreover, at his court-martial in 2020, Smith had stated unequivocally and repeatedly that the reason for his evidence destruction was his belief that there would be an investigation.
Buy Photo (Gus Schuettler/Stars and Stripes)

Wetzlar, Germany, April 1979: A worker at the Ernst Leitz optical firms Wetzlar plant inspects a 50-pound block of glass that will soon be processed into some of the worlds finest lenses. The company began producing Leica cameras and Leitz lenses in the early part of the 20th century. Read more here.
Pope Francis arrives for an audience with Lutheran pilgrims, in the Pope Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Monday, Oct. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) (Andrew Medichini)

TORONTO - Pope Francis has agreed to visit Canada on a pilgrimage of healing and reconciliation with Indigenous people, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said Wednesday.

The visit, for which a date has not yet been determined, follows the discovery this year of evidence of hundreds of unmarked graves on or near the sites of former residential schools for Indigenous children in several provinces.

Those findings have breathed new life into long-standing calls from Indigenous leaders, Canadian lawmakers and residential school survivors for the pope to apologize for the Catholic Churchs role in the residential school system.

Under that system, which operated for more than a century, some 150,000 Indigenous children were separated from their families - often by force - and sent to the government-funded, mostly church-run schools to assimilate them. Physical, psychological and sexual abuse was rife.

Its unclear whether an apology will be on the agenda for the papal visit.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has invited the Holy Father to make an apostolic journey to Canada, also in the context of the long-standing pastoral process of reconciliation with indigenous peoples, the Vatican said in a statement. His Holiness has indicated his willingness to visit the country on a date to be settled in due course.

The Most. Rev. Raymond Poisson, bishop of Mont-Laurier, Quebec, and president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, said he prayed that Franciss visit will be a significant milestone in the journey toward reconciliation and healing.

The first residential schools in Canada began operating in the 19th century; the last one closed in the 1990s. They were mostly run by Catholic orders or entities. Children at the schools were punished for speaking their native languages and practicing their traditions, setting off cycles of multigenerational trauma.

In a landmark 2015 report, Canadas Truth and Reconciliation Commission identified some 3,200 children who died at the schools. The figure has since grown.

Children died of disease, malnourishment, in accidents, in fires, by suicide or while trying to escape. Often their bodies werent sent back to their families, and they were buried in unmarked graves.

Some families never learned what happened to their children.

The commission concluded that the schools institutionalized child neglect and their operation constituted cultural genocide. Among 94 calls to action, the commission included an apology delivered on Canadian soil by the pope.

The Anglican, Presbyterian and United churches of Canada, which ran many of the rest of the schools, apologized for their roles in the system in the 1990s. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus predecessor, Stephen Harper, issued a formal apology on behalf of the Canadian government in 2008.

Several Canadian Catholic entities that ran the schools and some local church leaders have apologized, but the pope has not. The Church is also under pressure to release documents that might help identify children who died at the schools and where they are buried.

Trudeau, a Catholic, asked Francis to consider an apology during a May 2017 visit to the Vatican. He said he expected the Church to practice quite literally what it preaches, and that Franciss unwillingness to apologize left him disappointed.

We have seen, unfortunately, from the Catholic Church, a resistance to taking on responsibility, either financial or moral, for its role in residential schools, Trudeau told reporters last week.

Trudeau himself has faced criticism for not acting swiftly enough to implement the commissions calls to action and for failing to disclose documents in the governments possession.

Francis has apologized for the grave sins of colonialism in Bolivia and the churchs failings during the Rwandan genocide. But in 2018, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said the pope felt he could not personally respond to the calls for a formal apology for the residential schools.

Bishops here have defended the pope by arguing that the papacy has shown sufficient remorse on the subject. They cite a meeting in 2009 with Indigenous leaders and residential school survivors in which Pope Benedict XVI said he felt sorrow about the schools.

Francis, too, said he felt sorrow after evidence of several hundred unmarked graves was discovered this year.

But Indigenous leaders and residential school survivors, who are scheduled to meet with the pope during a visit to Vatican City in December, have called for a formal papal apology similar to the one issued by Benedict in 2010 to those sexually abused by clergymen in Ireland.

Benedict wrote a letter to Irish Catholics in which he said he was truly sorry for the sinful and criminal acts that happened in Ireland and the sense of betrayal that many have experienced. The letter was widely criticized in Ireland because it did not mention the Vaticans culpability.

I think that for the Holy Father, in whom many of the faithful saw a lot of hope . . . full and complete recognition of the harm caused to Indigenous peoples was at the top of the list of what they wanted to see him do in Canada, Marc Miller, Canadas minister of Crown-Indigenous relations, told reporters Wednesday.
Buy Photo The Naha District Court building in Naha, Okinawa, on Oct. 18, 2021. (Mari Higa/Stars and Stripes)

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa  A U.S. civilian working for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service on Okinawa has appealed his four-year prison sentence for attempted rape and theft convictions, a spokeswoman from Naha District Court said this week.

Rushane Joel McKoy, 25, of Chatan Town, pleaded guilty Oct. 6 in Naha District Court to trying to force a local woman into sex acts in April. He also pleaded guilty to stealing a shoulder bag containing 7,000 yen in cash, or about $62, in a separate incident in August 2020.

McKoy was sentenced by a three-judge panel Oct. 18 and given two weeks to appeal. He filed the appeal on Friday, the court spokeswoman said Tuesday.

McKoys petition will be heard by the Fukuoka High Court Naha Branch, a spokeswoman for that court said Tuesday. No hearing date has been set. It can take up to three weeks for the case to be processed, she said.

The appeal can only lessen his sentence; it cannot increase it, Japans Code of Criminal Procedure states.

McKoys attorney declined to comment to Stars and Stripes when reached through the Naha District Court spokeswoman on Tuesday. Spokeswomen from both Naha District Court and Fukuoka High Court Naha Branch declined to provide the attorneys name, saying it was not yet public record.

At trial, McKoy was accused of grabbing a woman 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, according to prosecutors.

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.

Crime and courts
Grooming standards vary across the ranks and branches of the South Korean military. In the navy, for example, male officers may choose between a crew cut, with hair no longer than 2 inches from the front and 1.18 inches from the top; or a standard cut with a side part extending up to 3.15 inches long. (South Korean navy)

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  The South Korean military is considering changes to eliminate differences in hair regulations between male officers and enlisted service members, a move welcomed by a human rights organization in the country.

Grooming standards vary across the ranks and branches. In the navy, for example, male officers may choose between a crew cut, with hair no longer than 2 inches from the front and 1.18 inches from the top; or a standard cut with a side part extending up to 3.15 inches long.

Meanwhile, male enlisted sailors are limited to a crew cut.

In the South Korean air force, noncommissioned officers may part their hair neatly or wear a crew cut.

Women serving in the navy and air force must do their hair up neat, according to military regulations, and their lengths and styles must not disrupt the wearing of military caps.

A South Korean military official on Monday said the Ministry of National Defense was considering changes for men and women but that nothing has been finalized yet.

It does not mean that the military will definitely implement or has already set a starting date, the official told Stars and Stripes by phone on the customary condition of anonymity.

The Center for Military Human Rights Korea, a South Korean nonprofit organization focused on social issues in the armed forces, applauded the potential changes.

Theres no apparent reason for the differences in hair regulations, Bang Hye-lin, the organizations counseling manager, told Stars and Stripes on Monday.

South Koreas military carried over customs and traditions from the United States after the 1950-53 Korean War, Bang said, and the countrys grooming standards may be outdated.

On the other hand, U.S. military grooming standards are continuously changing.

In 1981, for example, then-Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Thomas Hayward banned beards for sailors below petty officer third class, according to the U.S. Naval Institute. Today the Navy permits mustaches, as long as they are kept neatly and closely trimmed.

More recently, the Army began permitting female soldiers to wear ponytails with all of their uniforms, giving them flexibility and allowing them to alleviate hair loss and damage to the scalp, according to an Army press release in May.

Bang said its time the South Korean military followed suit.

Weve heard lots of complaints from soldiers about the difference in haircuts, Bang said. In the case of the U.S. military, the regulations changed a lot  such a thing has not happened in our military.

Some South Korean troops, which include male conscripts, complain they are discriminated against when they attempt to rejoin civil society, Bang said.

It is right that each soldier should have a decent appearance, Bang said. But it is our centers basic position that there should not be a difference depending on military ranks. We believe that the military should establish flexible regulations.
Buy Photo A member of the American Legion in France attends a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier underneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, Oct. 26, 2021. The event marked a series of events commemorating the 100-year anniversary of the U.S. tomb at Arlington National Cemetery. (Alexander W. Riedel/Stars and Stripes)

PARIS  Each night at 6:30 p.m., France pays tribute to its war dead with the rekindling of the Eternal Flame and a remembrance of the nations Unknown Soldier.

Dozens of Americans joined the ritual at the Arc de Triomphe on Tuesday night after a 10-day pilgrimage across France in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the U.S. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Participants said the pilgrimage reflected the depth and warmth of U.S.-French relations at ground level, even as diplomatic relations have fractured over a submarine acquisition deal that led France last week to recall its ambassador to the U.S. for the first time.

Buy Photo Gavin McIlvenna, president of the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, ceremonially rekindles the Eternal Flame in memory of the fallen at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, Oct. 26, 2021. The Flame was first lit in 1923. (Alexander W. Riedel/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Color guard members dip the French flag in honor of the fallen at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, Oct. 26, 2021. (Alexander W. Riedel/Stars and Stripes)

The group visited the four World War I cemeteries where the candidates for the U.S. Unknown Soldier were chosen in 1921, then arrived in Chalons-en-Champagne, where the soldier was selected, for a ceremonial vigil and parade.

They continued to Le Havre, where the USS Olympia took the Unknown Soldier back to U.S. shores, sending him on his way to his final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery.

We were all just very honored to see the respect and affection of the French people toward us, said Craig Fallon, who served as a tomb guard at Arlington from 1962-1963.

Buy Photo A ceremonial bugle player awaits the beginning of ceremonies at the Arc de Triomphe, in Paris, Oct. 26, 2021. (Alexander W. Riedel/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo A French-American honor guard stands for the beginning of a wreath-laying ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe, in Paris, Oct. 26, 2021. (Alexander W. Riedel/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Representatives of the American Legion, U.S. and French armies stand for the beginning of a wreath-laying ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, Oct. 26, 2021. The ceremony honored the Tomb of Unknown Soldier of France, which inspired its counterpart at Arlington National Cemetery 100 years ago. (Alexander W. Riedel/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Sarah Taylor, left, first vice president of American Gold Star Mothers, and Jo Ann Maitland, the national president of the organization, pay their respects before the eternal flame at the Arc de Triomphe, in Paris, Oct. 26, 2021. The Gold Star designates parents whose child died in combat. (Alexander W. Riedel/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Gavin McIlvenna, president of the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, renders a salute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, Oct. 26, 2021. (Alexander W. Riedel/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo A ceremonial bugle call signals the end of the official ceremonies during a wreath laying at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, Oct. 26, 2021. (Alexander W. Riedel/Stars and Stripes)

The group traveled with a U.S. flag they flew over the four WWI cemeteries, a piece of wood from the USS Olympia and other treasures. The collection will go on display at the Washington Navy Yard and the U.S. Capitol rotunda before arriving at the national cemetery on Veterans Day.

In remembering the Unknown Soldier, we remember every single family that has no place to mourn their loved one, said Gavin McIlvenna, the pilgrimages chief organizer, who served as a tomb guard from 1997-1998.

The idea of honoring an unidentified soldier began in France in 1916, while WWI raged across the country and the ultimate outcome remained in doubt.

A veteran member of the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, presents colors at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe, in Paris, Oct. 26, 2021. The U.S. society includes current and former tomb guards who served at Arlington National Cemetery. ()

Following the war, 21-year-old veteran Auguste Thin was chosen to select the French Unknown Soldier from among eight candidates. The soldier was laid to rest at the Arc de Triomphe on Nov. 11, 1920.

The U.S. largely followed the French example and chose Sgt. Edward Younger to make the selection. A year after the French, the U.S. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was dedicated.

The French Unknown Soldier is every bit as honored and cherished as our own Unknown Soldier, Fallon said.

On Tuesday at the Arc de Triomphe, representatives laid wreaths and flowers from organizations that included the American Legion, the Association of the U.S. Army, Democrats Abroad, Daughters of the American Revolution, American Gold Star Mothers, Junior ROTC from Defense Department schools in Germany, the Society of the Honor Guard, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the U.S. Embassy Paris.

France is Americas oldest ally, and there is a shared sense of gratitude starting with the American Revolution, said Denise VanBuren, the DARs president general.

People everywhere have stopped us to share how they feel, VanBuren said. In making this pilgrimage, I feel as though we are further strengthening our bond.

Buy Photo A member of the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier lays a rose at the eternal flame below the Arc de Triomphe, in Paris, Oct. 26, 2021. Tomb guards are volunteers selected from the ranks of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), headquartered at Fort Myer, Va. (Alexander W. Riedel/Stars and Stripes)

Erik Slavin
Buy Photo Renovations are being done at Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany. Various projects in the area are seen by Germans in nearby communities as a sign that the U.S. Army plans to stay at the garrison. Former President Donald Trump had planned to close the installation as part of a drawdown in Germany. (Immanuel Johnson/Stars and Stripes)

The U.S. Army is here to stay in Germany, the services top civilian said this week during a stop in Munich that reinforced a growing sense that a proposal for big troop cutbacks in the country is all but dead.

Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said Monday that there should be no question that the U.S. is sticking around. She highlighted the recent addition of new Army units as a sign that a mission dating to World War II will endure.

The challenge Russia presents to both of our countries and the NATO alliance underscores how important it is we maintain and strengthen our trans-Atlantic ties, she said.

Wormuth was in Munich to mark the anniversary of the U.S. liberation of the Nazi concentration camp in nearby Dachau in 1945.

U.S. Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth meets with Bavarian governor Markus Soeder in Munich, Germany, on Oct. 25, 2021. Wormuth reiterated the services commitment to its presence in Bavaria in support of NATOs European defense missions. (Bavarian government)

The meeting, hosted by Bavarian governor Markus Soeder, came a little more than one year after former President Donald Trump announced plans to sharply draw down troop levels in Germany.

The Army mission in Bavaria was hit especially hard in the plan, which called for the removal of 12,000 U.S. troops from Germany. It is on hold while President Joe Biden reviews the worldwide U.S. force posture.

The Pentagon is expected to wrap up its review before the end of the year. But whatever plan emerges, officials in Germany are hopeful that no major changes will be in store for U.S. forces in their country.

One of the major proposals was moving the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Vilseck, effectively forcing the units Rose Barracks headquarters to shut down.

But new base housing opened at the barracks earlier this month and more renovations are in the works.

Many residents see these construction measures as a good sign that the U.S. Army will remain in Europe and in our region over the long term, Vilseck Mayor Martin Schertl said in a statement to Stars and Stripes.

The Army has more than 17,000 soldiers in Bavaria, the services main hub in Germany. Most forces are based around the large training grounds in Grafenwoehr.

On Monday, Soeder spoke of his states deep bond with the Army, which dates to the Cold War, when garrisons were scattered all over the state. He grew up in Nuremberg, and he recalled his childhood visits to the now-shuttered Army post exchange there.

For me as a child, the USA was always a place of freedom, Soeder said, adding that the ties with the United States have always been so important for us in Bavaria.

U.S. Army Europe and Africas Gen. Christopher Cavoli, the son of a former Army officer, who was born in the onetime garrison city of Wuerzburg, said training grounds in Bavaria were indispensable during the Cold War.

And they remain so today as threats darken the horizon, Cavoli said.

It is a source of great pride to us to continue to serve here today, he said.

Stars and Stripes reporter Marcus Kloeckner contributed to this report.
The most important item will be our F-35 issue, Erdogan said late Tuesday, according to state-run Anadolu Agency, adding that hell talk with Biden at the COP26 that starts Oct. 31. We will need to discuss with them how they will repay us. (Ridge Shan/Air Force)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he will meet Joe Biden in Glasgow during the global climate summit, where discussions will focus on how the U.S. can reimburse $1.4 billion Turkey paid to procure F-35 fighter jets.

The most important item will be our F-35 issue, Erdogan said late Tuesday, according to state-run Anadolu Agency, adding that hell talk with Biden at the COP26 that starts Oct. 31. We will need to discuss with them how they will repay us.

The U.S. Defense Department has confirmed consultations with Turkey on its order for F-35s. Washington barred Ankara from purchasing and co-developing the jets after it bought Russian air-defense missiles that NATO allies fear could be used to collect intelligence on the planes stealth capabilities.

The U.S. denied making any financing offer over Turkeys request to purchase F-16 warplanes, after Erdogan said that may be a way of returning the $1.4 billion.

The information we have that there is a plan to reimburse Turkey with F-16s, is this true or not? We will find out this at the highest level, Erdogan said. It would be appropriate for me to speak with Biden. If thats the case, then we will have reached an agreement accordingly.

Turkey said it sent a formal request to the U.S. on Sept. 30 to purchase 40 new F-16 Block 70 aircraft and nearly 80 kits from Lockheed Martin Corp. to modernize its existing F-16 fighters. The deal is potentially worth $6 billion but its approval will be difficult to win, given Congresss opposition to Turkeys purchase of the Russian S-400 system. Turkey has so far refused to jettison the missile defenses as demanded by Washington.

Some members of Congress sent a bipartisan letter to Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging them to refuse Turkeys request for the F-16s.

We cannot afford to compromise our national security by sending U.S.-manufactured aircraft to a treaty ally which continues to behave like an adversary, the lawmakers wrote, according to a statement Oct. 25.

They said a sale to Turkey could threaten the security of close U.S. allies Greece, Israel and Cyprus. We urge you to act in our national interest and for the sake of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean by refusing to reinforce Turkeys aging arsenal of fighter jets.
Seaman Apprentices Ian Hooper and Ashley Gustaveson place sandbags Oct. 26, 2021, at a wastewater plant at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy. (NAVFAC Europe African Central)

Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily is bracing for worsening weather as storms that have brought widespread flooding, power outages and dangerous roads showed no signs of relenting.

In a Facebook post Wednesday, the base told residents to have a three-day supply of water, food, infant formula, diapers, flashlights, batteries and other provisions.

People also were warned not to drive, walk or swim through flooded areas, the Facebook page said.

In a still image from an eyewitness video, a paddleboard and kayakers float through the flooded housing complex at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, recently after heavy rains hit Sicily. (YouTube/Meridio News)

Officials were readying for another severe round of storms Thursday and Friday, the Italian news agency Ansa said.

NAS Sigonella has warned that commonly used roads connecting two portions of the installation and the Marinai housing complex were impassable because of flooding, base spokesman Lt. Drake Greer said.

The high school and two other buildings on base were available for overnight stays by people who couldnt get home, Greer said.

Base fire, police and emergency medical services can respond only to on-base calls, according to an NAS Sigonella Facebook post.

Only essential employees were being told to report to work on base. All others were advised to check with their commands. Schools and child and youth programs remained closed.

The hospital and clinics canceled all appointments, and only the hospital emergency room is staying open.

The galley and the commissary were open, and shuttle service was available, the base said in a Facebook post.

On Tuesday, the base said power had been partially restored to the Marinai housing complex and to the portion of the base that includes runways and operations. Water service to the housing complex also had been restored.

But officials were still assessing flooding and damage to homes and buildings.
A demonstrator holds an angry emoji sign at a protest demanding rights to abortions in Warsaw on Oct. 22. (Loveday Morris/Washington Post)

WARSAW - Most political parties in Poland have complaints about Facebooks algorithms, the obscure formulas that decide which posts pop up on a users news feed and which fade into the ether.

The far-right Confederation party does not.

Its a hate algorithm, said Tomasz Grabarczyk, who heads the partys social media team. But the Confederations content generally does well, including a slew of anti-lockdown, anti-immigration, vaccine-skeptic posts often punctuated with large red exclamation marks. I think we are good with emotional messages, he said.

That Facebook might be amplifying outrage - while driving polarization and elevating more-extreme parties around the world - has been ruminated on inside the company for years, according to the internal documents known as the Facebook Papers, which were disclosed by the whistleblower Frances Haugen to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Redacted versions were reviewed by a consortium of news organizations including The Washington Post.

In one April 2019 document detailing a research trip to the European Union, a Facebook team reported feedback from European politicians that an algorithm change the previous year - billed by Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg as an effort to foster more meaningful interactions on the platform - had changed politics for the worse.

The Facebook team reported back specific concerns from Poland, where political parties had described a social civil war online. Such worries have prompted reviews by regulators and lawmakers across the continent, including proposals at the European Parliament to force more transparency from Silicon Valleys tech giants.

The Eastern European country, led by the populist Law and Justice party since 2015, is bitterly divided between ardent supporters of the government and equally committed critics. Battle lines are drawn over such issues as abortion, LGBT rights and a fight with the E.U. over the primacy of the laws that bind the 27-nation bloc.

In Warsaw, the two major parties - Law and Justice and the opposition Civic Platform - accused social media of deepening the countrys political polarization, describing the situation as unsustainable, the Facebook report said.

Across multiple European countries, major mainstream parties complained about the structural incentive to engage in attack politics, the report said. They see a clear link between this and the outsize influence of radical parties on the platform.

An independent data analysis of major political parties in Poland that was conducted for The Post showed that after 2018, negative messages were more likely to receive a high number of shares. Previously, it appeared that more of a mix of positive and negative posts did well.

Facebook recognized the need to act, according to the documents, but it was not just out of concern over the potentially damaging impact on society, internal documents show. Employees also felt revisions to its algorithms were best for long-term growth, likening such outrage-centric content to junk food.

We can choose to be idle and keep feeding users fast-food, but that only works for so long, the internal report said. Many have already caught on to the fact that fast-food is linked to obesity and, therefore, its short-term value is not worth the long-term cost.

For more than a decade, content has been ranked using a complex formula that assesses at least 10,000 data points every time it decides what to show. In 2018, Facebook made a big change to that formula to promote meaningful social interactions. The changes were billed as a design to make the news feed more focused on posts from family and friends and less from brands, businesses and the media. The process weighted the probability that a post would produce an interaction, such as a like, emoji or comment, more heavily than other factors.

But that appeared to backfire. Haugen, who this week took her campaign against her former employer to Europe, voiced a concern that Facebooks algorithm amplifies the extreme.

Anger and hate is the easiest way to grow on Facebook, she told British lawmakers Monday. She will appear in Brussels early next month.

Facebook wants blood, said Anna Sikora, who handles social media for the left-wing Razem party, and who did not meet the Facebook team during its trip. If we quote a stupid statement of our political opponent, our post reaches lots of people.

Razems social media team tried to share more posts in groups or use short videos to get a wider reach. But that has had limited impact. If theres no blood, it is likely to only be seen by our social bubble, she said. Even most of our voters will never see it.

In Europe, the details of the internal Facebook report - parts of which were first reported by the Wall Street Journal - have opened debate on the extent to which Facebook has fanned and shaped a trend in some countries toward more-toxic, deeply polarized politics.

Social medias permeation of politics in Europe has occurred alongside epochal events that cleaved fresh divisions. Most notable was the 2015 migrant crisis - a huge wave of refugees and others from war-torn Syria and elsewhere - which helped to boost far-right parties and their nativist rhetoric across the continent.

When it comes to polarization, academic research does not support the idea that Facebook, or social media more generally, is the primary cause of polarization, said Facebook spokeswoman Dani Lever. If it were true that Facebook is the chief cause of polarization, we would expect to see it going up wherever Facebook is popular. It isnt.

Is a ranking change the source of the worlds divisions? No, she said. Were continuing to make changes consistent with this goal, like new tests to reduce political content on Facebook based on research and feedback.

Facebook has said its systems are not designed to push provocative material. The argument that we deliberately push content that makes people angry for profit is deeply illogical, Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerburg said earlier this month. We make money from ads, and advertisers consistently tell us they dont want their ads next to harmful or angry content.

Several fixes were floated within Facebook as part of the report on the impact of its algorithms on European politics - alongside similar complaints from media organizations - including rethinking current incentive structures.

Several employees suggest adjusting the weighting given to the angry emoji within the algorithms to make it less likely that negative posts break through. Angry emoji, like other emotional reactions, initially had been given an algorithmic score of five, the documents show. It was gradually downgraded, and by Oct. 1, 2020, the weight of an angry reaction had been reduced to zero.

So far, the Confederation hasnt noticed much of an impact. This algorithm is not the worst thing, said Grabarczyk, a 27-year-old with neatly gelled hair, a suit, crisp white shirt and gold cuff links that look out of place in the partys somewhat ramshackle office in central Warsaw.

With 664,000 followers, the party - Konfederacja in Polish and initially formed as a coalition of two parties - has the biggest presence of all the countrys political parties, despite having just 11 seats in the 569-seat Parliament. Grabarczyk said the party tiptoes along the border where it could run afoul of hate-speech moderators.

Where is the wall, which as #Confederation we have been demanding for over 2 months?! asks one of Confederations posts with a video of people trying to pull down barbed wiring; the video garnered 1,900 likes and more than 1,000 comments. Another video, with more than 4,900 likes, features a doctor raising questions about the vaccination of children: No to propaganda and intimidation! it concludes. Pass it on!!

Facebook says it knows people try to game our systems to avoid enforcement. We work to identify and remove content that breaks our rules and prohibit altogether organizations that continuously violate our community standards, and have removed accounts connected to different political parties and social movements, including politicians associated with Konfederacja for violating our policies in the past, said Lever.

Janusz Korwin-Mikke, one of the partys politicians who was at the time the most popular Polish politician on Facebook, was banned from the platform last year.

- - -

It was the presidential election in 2015 that woke Polish politics to the powers of Facebook, said Pawel Rybicki, who worked on the campaign for President Andrzej Duda. We used social media full-scale, Rybicki said. Duda, an ally of Law and Justice, had been considered the underdog but won with 51.5% of the vote.

It was like a war, and social media was the new gun for Polish political parties, recalled Rybicki, who met with the Facebook team when it was in Warsaw but said he largely raised concerns regarding moderation.

A consultant to the social media team for the Civic Platform party, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss that partys social media strategy, described those days as the wild West, with apparently little content-moderation on Facebook. He said that he, like others, noticed a shift in 2018 with more-extreme content breaking through.

The walls of the bubbles are thicker and thicker, he said, referring to the echo chambers that different parts of society occupy on social media. One bubble, that mainly delivers anti-democratic statements, are much more shown by Facebook.

Internal messages show that such questions are continually dissected by Facebook employees, according to the documents. In one, they dug into a 2021 studys finding that extreme parties tended to elicit relatively greater emotional responses on Facebook such as anger and love.

I am not comfortable making judgments about some parties being less good for society and less worthy of distribution based on where they fall on the ideological spectrum, responded one commenter inside the company. All the parties in the analysis are legal.

I dont think we should be judging political parties directly either, another said. But I do think we should be questioning what kinds of messages are being amplified by virtue of our algorithmic choices.

The challenge for European regulators remains how to make sure Facebook and other social media platforms do not amplify far-right voices and further tear at the political center.

Its difficult to legislate, said Alexandra Geese, a German lawmaker in the European Parliament involved in stewarding proposals to force greater openness by Facebook and others.

The key to any effort will be transparency regarding algorithms, she said. She called it startling that Facebook had never publicly revealed it had received feedback from European politicians on the negative impact of its algorithms.

Many areas of our political debate seem broken because of division, said Damian Collins, the head of the British parliamentary committee charged with drafting online safety legislation. If that division is being driven by social media platforms in the way that they are being designed, thats something that I think we have the right to know about, because thats a direct attack on our democracy.

- - -

A lack of data complicates any outside analysis of what is working and what is not on Facebook, said Dominik Batorski, a founder of Sotrender, a social media analytics firm, who met with the team from Facebook when it visited Warsaw.

While companys analysis of public data on posts - such as reactions and shares - showed that negative posts appeared to break through more after 2018. Yet not everything in the findings reflected the complaints that Polish politicians voiced to Facebook.

According to Facebooks internal report, the social media management team of one Polish political party (which was not named) described its shift: moving from a roughly even split of negative and positive messages, to 80% negative. The Civic Platforms social media team did not say whether the Facebook report mirrored feedback from someone at the party. Law and Justice officials declined interview requests.

The Civic Platform appeared to shift to posts with more-negative sentiment in 2015, when the party lost elections and before the algorithmic changes, Batorskis analysis showed. And in contrast, Law and Justice skewed more to the positive on its main Facebook page after 2018, Batorski said.

His analysis took into account only official pages for the parties; much of their online war takes place on platforms not affiliated with the parties. Rhetoric attacking LGBT ideology during Law and Justices recent campaigns, for example, was not expressed on its main account, Batorski said.

Another analysis of Polish parties Facebook posts in one week last year, the 14 most popular were from the Confederation.

Ranking top page posts by reactions and comment doesnt paint a full or accurate picture of what people actually see on Facebook, because engagement doesnt not equate or predict reach, said Facebooks Lever, referring to the number of people who actually get to see a post - data which is not public.

Batorski said Facebook had appeared proactive in gathering feedback ahead of European Parliament elections in 2019.

But he said Facebook focused on transparency regarding political advertisements, which is not as much of a concern in Europe because ad spending is generally low. He said he raised concerns over such issues as Facebook pages built solely to push negative campaigning.

The Confederation has been helped online by a galvanized and much younger support base than most other parties, giving it an outsize presence on social media. Only formed in late 2018, it won 7% of the vote in elections a year later. It had not expected to enter Parliament, Grabarczyk said.

We did everything on the Internet, everything, he said. Id say its 70% thanks to Facebook.

The Washington Posts Dariusz Kalan contributed to this report.
U.S. and German flags fly at Katterbach Army Airfield in Ansbach, Germany, April 21, 2016. City tax collectors here dropped their demand that a military family turn over American income records for inspection, marking a reversal in a case that sparked concerns that a contentious German tax collection effort was expanding. (Charles Rosemond/Training Support Activity Europe)

STUTTGART, Germany Tax collectors in the city of Ansbach this week dropped a demand that a military family turn over American income records for inspection, marking a reversal in a case that sparked concerns a contentious German tax collection scheme was expanding.

I cant even tell you what weight dropped off my shoulders when I read that letter, said Sandra Johnson, the spouse of a Defense Department civilian based in Ansbach.

Earlier this month, Johnson received a questionnaire from the Ansbach finance office that caused alarm: officials wanted details about her familys plans for staying in Germany, how long they intended to stay and for her to submit her husbands U.S. tax records for examination. Such letters have been used in the German state Rheinland-Pfalz to open tax cases against U.S. military personnel and DOD civilians despite a NATO treaty that is intended to put military pay off limits.

The U.S. government has objected to attempts to impose German taxes on personnel with a military visa, calling such efforts a violation of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement. But despite that opposition, the U.S. has so far failed to stop German tax collectors, who in some cases have levied six-figure sum tax penalties against personnel, frozen bank accounts and confiscated property during collection disputes.

But on Tuesday, Johnson got good news in the mail: a short letter from the Ansbach office that said it was withdrawing its Oct. 5 request for U.S. tax information from the family and a joint assessment of their family income.

The questionnaire letter dated October 5th, 2021 is therefore obsolete, Tuesdays letter stated.

Its not clear how the Johnsons came to be targeted in the first place. Johnson, a German citizen who works as a contractor in Ansbach, filed her German taxes singly rather than jointly as allowed by German law. The U.S. military advises German spouses of personnel to file singly to avoid attracting the attention of local finance offices.

Still, Johnson somehow fell on the Ansbach offices radar. Johnson said she was told by a finance official in Wiesbaden, where her taxes were first filed, that for some unknown reason it transmitted as married jointly when they were sent to Ansbach.

In other parts of Germany, Americans have been less lucky than Johnson. Tax cases against U.S. personnel have popped up in the states of Hessen  home to U.S. Army Europe and Africa headquarters  and in Baden-Wuerttemberg, where U.S. European Command is based.

But most cases are concentrated around the greater Kaiserslautern area in Rheinland-Pfalz, where tens of thousands of U.S. personnel are based. In particular, tax collectors in the vicinity of Ramstein Air Base have been the most aggressive with about 400 tax cases against military-affiliated personnel as of last year.

German tax authorities have argued that U.S. personnel must be in Germany solely for their jobs to avoid being taxed. Factors such as marrying a German, owning property or extending tours have been viewed by finance offices as proof of ulterior motives for being in Germany, making Americans potentially taxable.

While this issue continues to be worked by the Department of Defense and Department of State, U.S. Army Europe and Africa continues to advise our soldiers, civilian employees and families who are here under SOFA to seek legal advice immediately should they be contacted by a tax official, Maj. Scott Kuhn, a U.S. Army Europe and Africa spokesman, said Wednesday.

For now, the state of Bavaria appears to one of the safer enclaves for U.S. personnel, where there have been few reports of tax difficulties.

Earlier this year, Vilseck mayor Hans-Martin Schertl told Stars and Stripes it was unheard of to try and collect taxes from troops and military civilians in his town, which is home to the Armys 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

It seems that this problem does not exist in our area, he said.
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl gives a virtual speech during the Baltic Military Conference at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Sept. 17, 2021. During Senate testimony on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, Kahl expressed support for a bipartisan, independent commission to investigate the past, present and future of U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. (Brittany A. Chase/Department of Defense )

The United States hasn't reached any agreements with Central Asian states bordering Afghanistan for bases or other facilities to use in counterterrorism operations there against the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, senior defense officials said Tuesday.

"We have had extensive conversations" and expect to have more, with Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and others, Colin Kahl, the undersecretary of defense for policy, said at a Senate hearing.

U.S. forces "need to build out more capability so we're not just reliant on facilities we have in the Arabian Gulf," Kahl said. The closest major U.S. facilities, in Qatar and Bahrain, are more than 1,500 flight miles away.

"We have not secured firm basing agreements" with any of Afghanistan's direct neighbors, he said. He said U.S. intelligence estimated that the Islamic State-Khorasan, the Afghanistan faction of the terrorist group, could build the capacity to plan and conduct international operations within six months if unchecked.

The Biden administration has expressed confidence that its "over-the-horizon" counterterrorism operations  primarily airstrikes launched from outside Afghanistan  are sufficient to disrupt ISIS-K, as it is widely known, and al-Qaeda and ultimately destroy them.

But the testimony, before the Senate Armed Services Committee, made public growing military and administration concern that without closer bases from which to launch such strikes, the distances involved could undermine that ability.

The hearing was one of a series the committee is holding to examine the 20-year war in Afghanistan, the chaotic U.S. troop exit and evacuation of American, allied and Afghan civilians during the last two weeks of August, and national security plans for the future.

Kahl and Lt. Gen. James J. Mingus, the Joint Staff director for operations, who also testified, expressed support for a bipartisan, independent commission to investigate the past, present and future of U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. The commission has been proposed in a bill sponsored by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a committee member.

The acknowledgment of the extent of the threat comes as ISIS-K, which Kahl described as a "mortal enemy" of the Taliban, has ramped up attacks in Afghanistan following the exit of U.S. and NATO forces.

Although for now its operatives appear focused on "creating havoc" within Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, the Islamic State group retains the "intent" to strike the United States and its allies, he said. "The current intelligence assessment" is that ISIS-K could develop the capacity to plan and carry out global attacks from Afghanistan within six to 12 months, he said. The al-Qaeda branch there, which is allied with some elements within the Taliban, could have the same capability within one to two years.

Kahl and Mingus cautioned that those time estimates assume that the United States and its allies cannot successfully disrupt terrorist planning.

The United States maintained air facilities in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan at various times during the Afghanistan war, but those agreements have long since lapsed.

Despite appeals and inducements offered by senior administration officials in recent months, none of the Central Asian states has agreed to allow U.S. operations.

Similar concerns have arisen over U.S. intelligence capabilities in Afghanistan. "Ideally, you would have partners on the ground. That's not the case in Afghanistan," Kahl said. Faulty intelligence led to the Aug. 29 U.S. drone strike that killed 10 civilians, including an aid worker and seven children.

American surveillance flights are in operation daily over Afghanistan, he said, and Pakistan, while prohibiting the launch of any aircraft from its territory, continues to allow U.S. overflights. "Pakistan is a challenging actor, but they don't want Afghanistan to be a safe haven for external terrorist attacks," Kahl said. "For right now, counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan is pretty good."

Pakistan is also using a network of informal channels to feed intelligence and technical support to the Taliban to combat the terrorist threat in Afghanistan, The Washington Post reported this week.

While the hearing was called to examine current security in Afghanistan and South and Central Asia, much of the questioning focused on the history of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan and the August evacuation.

Republicans sharply criticized President Joe Biden's decision to completely withdraw all U.S. troops by Aug. 31 and pushed Kahl to acknowledge, as he has in the past, that he would have preferred a "conditions-based" approach that would have left at least 2,500 troops in Afghanistan until the Taliban met certain requirements. "By the time I came in" to office in late April, he said, "the decision had been made. . . . My personal opinion never changed."

Democrats countered, as they have in the past, that it was former president Donald Trump who signed a February 2020 agreement with the Taliban to withdraw U.S. troops.

Asked whether Biden's decision to withdraw in compliance with that deal, announced in April, had been reconsidered as the Taliban moved toward a complete takeover in August, Mingus said that "it was deemed that the risk" to both U.S. forces and civilians trying to evacuate "was actually higher had we stayed beyond the 31st."

Noting that "this is our sixth hearing on Afghanistan" since the withdrawal, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said "we had zero hearings that I can recall" on the Trump agreement, which promised full U.S. departure by May 1 this year. "Umbrage and outrage about what happened this summer rings a little hollow to me," he said.

Under questions from Democrats and Republicans, Kahl said an estimated 5,500 American citizens have left Afghanistan - 240 of them since the departure of U.S. troops.

"In terms of how many American citizens are currently there," he said, "the Department of State is in contact with 196 American citizens ready to depart, and arrangements are being made via air or ground. Another 243 have been contacted, but are not ready to depart."

Securing the departure of American citizens, legal permanent residents, and Afghans at risk "is not without challenge," Kahl said. "But for those properly documented, [the Taliban has] continued to let them out."
In this June 20, 2021 file photo, Robert Malley, US Special Envoy for Iran, is shown in Vienna, Austria. The Biden administration said Monday that diplomatic efforts to get Iran back to nuclear negotiations are at a critical place and that international patience with Iranian delays in returning to the talks is wearing thin. Malley, told reporters there is a deep and growing concern about Irans continued intransigence and refusal to commit to a date to resume the negotiations in Vienna. (Florian Schroetter/AP)

ISTANBUL -- Iran has agreed to return to nuclear negotiations in Vienna by the end of November, Tehrans top negotiator said Wednesday, signaling the possible revival of a talks aimed at restoring the 2015 nuclear deal that have been stalled for months and surrounded by uncertainty.

In a message posted on Twitter, the negotiator, Ali Bagheri, the deputy foreign minister, who has been meeting with European diplomats in Brussels, said the exact date of the negotiations would be announced next week.

Bagheri said he had engaged in very serious and constructive dialogue with Enrique Mora, the European Unions deputy secretary general for political affairs, on the essential elements for successful negotiations.

Iran suspended the negotiations in June after the election of its new president, Ebrahim Raisi, a hard line cleric. For months, his government has said it would return to the negotiating table but declined to set a date, feeding a growing sense of pessimism and alarm over whether the restoration of the nuclear deal was still possible.

President Donald Trump in 2018 withdrew the United States from the agreement, under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities and submit to international monitoring in exchange for a lifting of U.S. and international economic sanctions. After Trump reimposed punitive sanctions, Iran restarted its high-level enrichment program.

President Biden promised to reenter the accord, and negotiations started in April. Iran refused direct talks with the United States, and European partners have acted as go-betweens for the two delegations.

Earlier this month, the Biden administration indicated it was shifting its stance toward the delayed resumption of the talks, from warning that the timeline was not infinite to saying it was prepared to consider what Secretary of State Antony Blinken called other options if Iran does not change its course.

Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said this month that because of interruptions in the agencys monitoring of Irans nuclear activities, the next few weeks would be decisive in determining whether a resumption of negotiations was possible.

One deadline for returning to the talks was rapidly approaching: a meeting of the IAEA board of governors scheduled for mid-November. The European parties have repeatedly threatened to issue a condemnation of Iran and consider reimposing sanctions if it does not comply with verification commitments.
Pictured is the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, Ark. Robert Levy, the former chief pathologist at the VA facility, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of a patient who he misdiagnosed. Investigators discovered Levy routinely drank on the job and made thousands of errors and misdiagnoses from 2005 until he was fired in 2018. (Facebook)

WASHINGTON  Government watchdogs criticized the Department of Veterans Affairs on Wednesday for a broken culture that has allowed breakdowns in patient safety and led to tragic deaths at facilities across the country.

Leaders within the Veterans Health Administration do not consistently ensure the safety of the veterans they serve, said Julie Kroviak, who is with the VAs Office of Inspector General. She and other watchdogs urged the VA to create an environment in which employees can speak up about safety issues and where staff will be held accountable.

A clear, underlying theme appears to be a broken culture that results from actions, and more often inactions, by leaders at these locations, Kroviak said. Only when a culture is laser-focused on patient safety, makes an effort to report concerns, reacts to concerns with urgency, and when leaders hold themselves and their staff accountable, can [the VA] truly earn the trust of veterans.

Members from the inspector generals office, as well as the Government Accountability Office, testified Wednesday at a subcommittee hearing of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. The subcommittee met to discuss recent, tragic events at VA facilities and to see how the agency has responded.

A former nursing assistant at the VA hospital in Clarksburg, W.V., was sentenced in May to serve seven consecutive life sentences after she was convicted in the murders of seven patients. Reta Mays confessed to using insulin to kill elderly veterans in 2017 and 2018.

Earlier this year, a former pathologist at the VA hospital in Fayetteville, Ark., was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of a patient who he misdiagnosed. Investigators discovered Robert Morris Levy routinely drank on the job and made thousands of errors and misdiagnoses from 2005 until he was fired in 2018.

Kroviak on Wednesday also mentioned an inspector generals report from February that detailed instances of a VA gynecologist in Biloxi, Miss., who made graphic and lewd comments to patients. The doctor was kept on staff for years, despite complaints to administrators.

In each of these examples, the outcome couldve been minimized if patient safety was prioritized, she said.

The Government Accountability Office first added the VA health care system to its list of high risk areas of government in 2015, and it remains on the list. Part of the problem is oversight and accountability, said Sharon Silas, a director at the GAO.

The VA has resolved some of the GAOs concerns. However, the agency still needs to address root causes, such as a fragmented process for oversight and accountability, Silas said.

Lack of leadership also poses a problem, she said. As of now, the VA is without an undersecretary for health  the position charged with leading the Veterans Health Administration.

A candidate for the job must be appointed officially by the president, meaning the person must be approved for the position by the Senate. The VA has been without a Senate-confirmed leader in the role for more than four years.

Dr. Richard Stone served as the acting undersecretary for nearly three years and led the departments response to the coronavirus pandemic. Stone resigned in June, once it was clear that the commission charged with finding an undersecretary did not select him to stay in the role on a permanent basis.

Fully addressing oversight and accountability concerns requires sustained leadership attention as well as leadership stability, Silas said.

Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich., the ranking Republican on the subcommittee, said it was unacceptable that the job was still unfilled.

The VA is facing a leadership vacuum following the departure of Dr. Stone this past summer, Bergman said. That is unacceptable given the life-or-death consequences of the continued absence of leadership at the top of the largest health care system in our country.

VA officials testified Wednesday that theyre finding ways to reconfigure their processes to ensure the safest care possible for veterans. Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., the chairwoman of the subcommittee, criticized the agency for being defensive in their testimony. Brownley and Kroviak suggested the agency change its tone.

The responsiveness and tone of VA leaders will echo across the system, Kroviak said. Sentiments describing patient-safety failures as one-offs and the use of defensive language will undermine initiatives aimed at accountability, and opportunities to learn and improve will be lost.
Public consultation is now open for Aotearoa New Zealand to have a say on the repeal and replacement of the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992.

He Ara Oranga, the report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction made it clear that we needed to replace our mental health legislation, and we are doing that, Health Minister Andrew Little says.

What we need now is for people to speak up and be heard, especially Maori and those who have lived experience of the current Mental Health Act to make sure we get the new legislation right.

It is clear the Mental Health Act has resulted in inequity for some people including Maori; people with different cultural backgrounds; the disabled community; children and young people; and people within the justice system.

To address these inequities and create new mental health legislation that respects the rights of everybody, recognises the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, improves equity, these groups will need special consideration under any new mental health legislation, says Little.

Although the Mental Health Act is only needed for a small proportion of people each year, it can have a profound effect on the lives of those who access specialist mental health services, and their whanau.

Views are also sought on attitudes about mental health and risk, how to support people to make decisions about their mental health treatment, and what mechanisms are needed to ensure peoples safety and rights are prioritised and protected.

This Government continues to take strides to address mental health and wellbeing to lay the foundations for a better future for all New Zealanders, but we know there is more to do, says Little.

This Act is 30-years old and was well overdue for an update. I encourage as many people as possible to have their say as we ensure it is fit for purpose and cares for our people properly.
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Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta is confirming the Government will create four publicly owned water entities as part of the contentious Three Waters Reform.

This announcement comes despite the numerous objections from people around New Zealand, including councils and the public alike.

Mahuta says the entities are to ensure every New Zealander has access to affordable, long-lasting drinking, waste and storm water infrastructure without ballooning costs to households and families.

Since the Three Waters Reform  which will see drinking water, wastewater and stormwater transferred into the management of four regional entities, rather than the current 67 local council control  numerous concerns have been raised.

Protestors outside Tauranga City Council earlier this month. Supplied photo.

These included concerns over a lack of information, opportunities for community input, loss of local control, ownership of assets, iwi involvement and efficiency and cost of services. Read more here.

In her announcement today, Mahuta says the case for change is too compelling to ignore.

She says its clear that without the establishment of these publicly-owned entities New Zealand will continue to see a frail network and contaminated water in many communities.

To delay will only push the problem on, increase future household costs and put livelihoods at risk.

These reforms have been long signalled. In our manifesto we committed to tackling big issues that others have long neglected in order to future-proof New Zealand.

It is estimated $185 billion is needed to fix, upgrade and maintain New Zealands water services over the next 30 years, to ensure that critical water infrastructure is maintained.

Mahuta says New Zealanders simply cannot afford to follow the status quo facing costs of between $1900 and $9000 over the next 30 years, depending on location.

She says under reform proposals with four entities, those figures significantly reduce to between $800 and $1640.

Mahuta believes it would be irresponsible to pour taxpayers money into propping up a broken system, or let households face unprecedented rises in water costs.

Currently 43 of the 67 councils do not have the revenue to cover their water services operating expenditures at the moment, let alone once the infrastructure starts failing.

As we recover from the impacts of Covid-19, we are helping accelerate our economic recovery through the creation of 6000 to 9000 new jobs and a boost to our economy of $14 billion to $23 billion over the next 30 years.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta.

Work is underway to establish a working group of local government, iwi and water industry experts to work through elements of entity design.

The group will work through the enhancements to entity design and look at the governance and accountability arrangements of the entities, as well as provide an opportunity for public participation and consultation.

It is a bottom line for the government that the entities remain in public ownership, says Mahuta.

As we look to next steps, I will be introducing legislation to progress the establishment of the entities. The Select Committee process will provide an opportunity to get public feedback on the reforms.

I also want to signal to those people currently working in water services across councils that this is a critical step change to improve the status quo and we need all workers to be assured that their interests are very important to maintain continuity and continue to grow these skills in our communities.

Cabinet has also tasked the Department of Internal Affairs with establishing a unit to focus on the successful implementation of these reforms.

This unit will work with the local government sector, iwi, water industry and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements.

Read here for the Three Waters Reform Timeline.

See more key reform fact and figures here.

Click here for more information about the reform.
Eight environmental conservation groups in the Western Bay of Plenty are celebrating after approval of a TECT grant which will provide funding for two years of operating costs.

The funding application was approved in September, granting $341,880. Facilitated by Bay Conservation Alliance the application pulled together the various needs of BCA and seven of its member groups into one collective submission.

The joint funding application was the second of its kind to be received by TECT, with a similar submission made by BCA in 2019.

BCA is an organisation that supports community-led environmental restoration and nature conservation.

The charity works to reduce the administration load on its members, supporting them with tasks like financial management, communications and marketing, volunteer recruitment and management, fundraising, advocacy, and project management.

Bay Conservation Alliance CEO Michelle Elborn says it is constantly obvious that the back-end administration of any charitable work can be taxing.

"So, for us to be able to offer some support to lighten the load on things like website development, funding applications, or organising volunteer systems means the group volunteers can enjoy the hands-on stuff more."

Elborn says that having one application has been a game-changer.

"This is such a valuable opportunity to reduce the admin burden on our member groups. By BCA coordinating one funding application on behalf of multiple groups, it becomes a win-win for everyone.

"We can support our groups to understand what funding options match their needs and hopefully give TECT some further assurance their investment is well placed and supported."

Elborn notes the ease of the application process with support from TECT staff.

"The criteria is clear, and while the application process is thorough, it all makes sense. Now we have traversed it a couple of times, it's a comfortable process. The best thing is staff are very approachable and supportive, where any clarifications are required.

"It feels fantastic to receive this multi-year funding a second time around. Work in the environment is ongoing, and so to have certainty of project funds beyond a year is so reassuring. And again, it reduces the admin load, meaning the focus can be on the real work on the ground  so thank you, TECT."

Project Parore volunteers with weeds they have removed.

A new initiative launched by BCA in January was the Bay Conservation Cadets  Tauira Mahi programme, which will be supported by TECT's funding.

The employment, training and development programme seeks to upskill unemployed, under-employed, or those changing career pathways whilst also delivering environmental and conservation benefits.

Cadets have an employment contract and receive training in multiple areas to enable a career path into the environmental sector and the many positions that Jobs for Nature and other programmes are providing.

"We are currently into our third training programme for the year, which has given us the opportunity to now work with 30 adult cadets," says Elborn.

"It's been really inspiring to watch them grow, with a number of them now in longer-term employment relating to conservation."

BCA also run a nature education programme in schools, where students discover how unique New Zealand is, gain an insight into many of the conservation challenges in New Zealand, and learn a set of practical conservation skills.

Project Parore was another one of the successful TECT funding recipients.

The project promotes sustainable catchment management across eight stream catchments from their sources in the Kaimai Forest through the foothills and lowland to their estuaries in the northern Tauranga Harbour.

Key components will be the restoration of healthy soils and with measures to promote the retention of sediment, healthy pollutant-free water in the streams and, thus, healthy estuaries and a healthy harbour. A healthy harbour should host good numbers of parore.

The restoration of sustainable local terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity demands attention be paid to the effects of introduced exotic plants and animals, and programmes will be directed towards their control.

David Peters, Chair of Project Parore says Katikati lies in the centre of the project. An urban works programme there led by Project Parore employed a 'Katikati Environmental Activator' who works with that community and their volunteer base.

"Volunteers are an important part of our team, but the scale of the work required to meet our objectives outside town means we must develop a paid workforce who will be trained and equipped to make significant progress quickly. There are two paid staff now, and we will be hiring more soon.

"To realise our vision, we have had to develop a range of funding streams. TECT's contribution has allowed us to develop the necessary administration and accounting services we need to support the program we have planned, which over five years is expected to cost around $5m."

The Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust was another successful recipient, receiving $30,720 in funding.

TECT Trustee Peter Blackwell hands over the cheque to BCA and member groups.

Hans Pendergrast, Trustee of Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust says they are planning a significant kokako translocation project and with this comes a huge amount of administration load to enable the right stakeholder engagement, consultations and permitting processes.

"This is on top of the day-to-day operations for the Trust, which is all volunteer-led. So, this funding allows for a small level of paid resourcing to ensure we are efficient in this process and do not overburden our current volunteers.

"The project is likely to take several years before we bring new birds into the forest, so having the assurance of two-year funding to help the process is very welcome support."

The approved funding across all groups is:
The University of Waikato has today announced it is consulting on a plan that proposes all staff, all students including those living in University accommodation, and all contractors will need to be vaccinated in order to enter its campuses and sites from early next year.

Waikato University vice chancellor Professor Neil Quigley says as a large organisation in Waikato and Bay of Plenty, we play an important role in contributing to our communities, and we take our responsibility to keep our people safe and well seriously.

We also have an important part to play in developing our future workforce and generations, and in applying research and science in a way that makes a positive impact on the world we live in.

Encouraging our people to be vaccinated against Covid-19 is the best way to help keep us all safe.

The proposal outlines that from February 14 2022, it will be a requirement to be vaccinated for entry to University of Waikato campuses and sites for all staff, all students including those living in University accommodation, and all contractors.

Students who do not have a vaccine certificate, or not wishing to study on or use campus facilities, will need to choose online study options.

The University will engage with staff and students who have a valid medical or other legally recognised exemption from vaccination on a case by case basis to assess the implications of their unvaccinated status.

We are proud to employ more than 2,500 staff and contractors and have 12,500 students enrolled across our campuses in Hamilton and Tauranga. Our campuses are also home to accommodation, retail outlets, health services and a large number of community events, says Professor Quigley.

In developing our approach, we are currently undertaking a risk assessment that considers our role as a responsible employer, and place of education, research and community engagement, in keeping our people safe from Covid-19.

This proposed approach will provide as much protection as possible for our University community as well as enabling us to continue teaching, research, and engaging with the general public in a safe and responsible way.

The University is consulting with staff, the Waikato Students Union and relevant staff unions. The University of Waikato manages all accommodation services itself.

The consultation closes on November 5 2021, and results will be used to inform the implementation of the approach.
Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Local Government New Zealand and Tauranga MP Simon Bridges have lamented the announcement that Three Waters Reforms will be mandatory for councils.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta made the announcement earlier today that water assets across New Zealand will be amalgamated into four larger entities, from the countrys 67 councils, with an aim to be operational by July 2024.

The new plans will include the establishment of a working group of local government, iwi and water industry experts to work though elements of the entity design.

Tauranga City Council commission chair Anne Tolley has expressed immediate concern that the no opt-out clause fails to take into account the feedback of the citys community.

Our feedback to Minister Mahuta hasnt changed, says Tolley, who was appointed to head the commission currently running Tauranga City Council by Mahuta. Except, to acknowledge the concern our communities will be feeling, knowing the reforms will be mandated rather than allowing voluntary participation, as had been indicated previously,.

She says the community, mana whenua and council put a lot of time and effort into providing detailed feedback on the proposed reforms and the council will be seeking clarity through the new working group to address all of the concerns raised.

There are still many details to discuss about local control, ownership of assets, mana whenua involvement, and the efficiency and cost of services under the proposed new model.

Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Gary Webber. Photo. File Image. SunLive.

Western Bay Mayor Garry Webber says the decision to make participation compulsory is a disappointing blow given the initial belief that reform would be optional.

Unlike some councils, he says Western Bay Council has provided good water service to its residents by investing in infrastructure including water networks and treatment plants.

Our assets are modern and well maintained and we are committed to ensuring this continues now and into the future.

However we recognise that there are many councils in New Zealand who have not and so we are now faced with the challenge of bringing everyone up to required standards by July 2024.

National MP Bridges says he is gutted by todays announcement, suggesting the mandate amounts to an assets grab.

I had hoped Labour might listen to the many voices against Three Waters changes but instead Mahuta has ignored local Mayors and New Zealanders and is going to press on, he says.

The changes amount to theft of council assets, won't achieve any of the gains she speaks of, and will hand effective control to a few Iwi elite. That's plain wrong.

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges has slammed the decision. Photo. SunLive.

LGNZ president, and former Tauranga Mayor, Stuart Crosby admits the mandating of the reforms will sting for some councils.

But he is pleased to see some refinement to the proposal, in response to what he calls the the sectors loud and clear concerns.

The Government has accepted this feedback and committed to developing workable solutions to these issues with the sector, which has only happened because were at the table.

But both Councils are concerned over how the local community will be heard on the issues of Three Waters reform, considering it is now in the hands of central government.

We, like many councils in New Zealand are concerned about the governance arrangements, in particular the ability of local councils such as ourselves to get our voices heard, says Western Bay Mayor Webber.

Based on past experiences there is no guarantee that the best laid plans will be funded centrally when there are bigger councils with bigger problems that need resolution.

We can still do this, and will, by shifting the conversation to the outstanding issues that Government wants to resolve through the working groups. How we can influence these working groups will become clear once they are set up.

LGNZ president and former Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby. File Image. SunLive.

He says Council will be moving fast to ensure the views of the Western Bay community can be presented whenever necessary to Government.

Tolley says Tauranga City Council is mindful over the uncertainty that will now fill the void regarding Three Waters feedback.

Well take our time to look at this carefully and will keep our communities and staff informed as best we can, while ensuring that their concerns are acknowledged and considered, and that everyone is supported throughout this process, she says.

Mahuta stated earlier today that the Select Committee process will provide an opportunity to get public feedback on the reforms.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Dr David Clark says public feedback is being sought on the regulatory safeguards required.

The future Three Waters system needs to promote consumer interests and ensure infrastructure is delivered in a way that is efficient, affordable and resilient, says Clark.

To achieve this, the Government is considering whether economic and consumer protection regulation is needed, and how any new laws could be designed.

A discussion document has been released and is available here.

This is critical as I want to ensure that the voices of consumers and communities are incorporated throughout the design of the Three Waters regulatory system, to promote accountability and transparency, Clark concludes.

Whilst raising concerns over the reform plans and mandating, Tolley admits a change is necessary.

Increased environmental standards for wastewater and stormwater will require expensive upgrades to meet future national standards and community expectations, she says.

Multiple pressures from climate change also mean that the delivery of existing levels of service will become progressively more costly.

If we keep doing things the way we have in the past, its likely that the future cost of Three Waters services will become unaffordable for our communities.

Its therefore important that we participate in this process and ensure that our local interests and concerns are adequately addressed.
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Junta will start, this week, giving a second dose of a Covid vaccine to those jabbed with the Janssen single dose formula The regional government has also announced that it will include the vaccine against meningitis B, known as Bexsero, in the vaccination calendar from December

The president of the Junta de Andalucia, Juanma Moreno, announced this Wednesday (27 October) that the region is going to start giving a second dose of a coronavirus vaccine "this very week" to the people who were jabbed with the single-dose Janssen vaccine against Covid-19. He also indicated that the regional government will include the vaccine against meningitis B, known as Bexsero, in its vaccination schedule - so that "no family will have to pay for it in Andalucia."

Spains Public Health Commission, in which the autonomous regions and the Ministry of Health are represented, agreed last Tuesday that the 1.97 million people who received the single dose of the Janssen vaccine against Covid-19 will receive a second dose from Pfizer or Moderna at least three months later after the administration of the first one, from 15 November onwards, prioritising the groups in the National Vaccination Strategy, and starting with the most vulnerable.

However, the President of the Junta has indicated this Wednesday that "in Andalucia we are going to lead again and we will begin this week", adding "we are not going to wait for 15 November."

Meningitis B

Juanma Moreno also announced that, "from 1 December, we will include the vaccine against meningitis B, known as Bexsero, in the vaccination calendar, since it is the most effective instrument in the prevention and defeat of this disease." The president highlighted that, "until now, families had to pay more than 300 euros per child for this vaccine and, from now on, no family will have to pay for it in Andalucia."
Man stands trial accused of raping a British teenager in Fuengirola The prosecutor is demanding a 14-year prison sentence for the defendant and for him to be deported from Spain after serving it

A man is facing a court in Malaga accused of raping a 15-year-old British girl in Fuengirola.

The Public Prosecutor's Office is demanding a 14-year prison sentence for the 36-year-old Senegalese man and for him to be deported, if found guilty of sexually assaulting the teenager in an alleyway in the Costa del Sol town on the morning of 1 January, 2020.

According to prosecutor the girl did not have the strength to call for help after the alleged attack, and has subsequently suffered from post-traumatic stress symptoms.

After the rape was reported, the girl told investigators of a previous episode involving the man in August 2019 on the night she was celebrating her birthday. The man allegedly approached her offering cocaine and, after she refused to accept it, grabbed her arm with the intention of dragging her away. However, this was prevented by the girl's friends who were with her at the birthday celebration.

Deported and banned from Spain

Faced with this evidence, the Public Prosecutor is demanding, if the man is found guilty, a 14 year prison sentence, in addition to another eight years of probation and 20 years during which he cannot approach or communicate with the victim.

Likewise, the prosecutor asks that, when the man is granted probation, the execution of the sentence should be replaced by his deportation from the country and be banned from entering Spain for ten years from that date. Finally, the prosecutor is seeking compensation of 15,000 euros for the psychological damage caused by the accused to the victim.
Woman arrested at Malaga airport for impersonating a lawyer and scamming foreign clients National Police officers detained the woman as she was checking in for a flight with her husband

National Police officers have arrested a 25-year-old woman at Malaga airport, on the Costa del Sol, for allegedly impersonating a lawyer and attracting clients through social media networks that she then scammed.

The force said the detained suspect had charged foreign clients more than 1,500 euros for managing immigration procedures that she never resolved.

The scheme was uncovered after one of the scammed people went to the office of the lawyer whose identity the 25-year-old had assumed. He visited her to account for the lost money, but the lawyer told him that she did not handle such matters. And it was the genuine lawyer herself who went to the police station to report that there was an unknown woman using her name and professional collegiate number.

Identity theft

Investigating officers were soon on the trail of the fake lawyer, and they found a 25-year-old foreign woman, with legal residence in Spain, who had a history of identity theft.

As the investigation unravelled it was discovered that the arrested woman was offering herself as a lawyer specialising in immigration procedures to foreign citizens, which she supposedly resolved in record time, for more than 1,500 euros a time.

In another case, the same fake lawyer received 1,500 euros for representing another foreign person in a divorce and child custody proceeding, in which she allegedly promised to answer and oppose or modify a claim for maintenance, something she was not authorised to carry out before a Family Court.

The officers in charge of the investigation arrested the suspect when she was at a flight check-in desk at Malaga airport. She was preparing to travel to France in the company of her husband who was carrying 1,400 euros on him.
Underground pressure from magma forces ground around La Palma volcano to rise Spain's National Geographic Institute recorded some 180 tremors on the island in the latest 24-hour period

There is still no sign of the volcanic activity easing. / CSIC/IGME

On Tuesday, 26 October, the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano, on the island of La Palma, was in full swing again. Although it registered less explosive activity than on Monday, the seismic pressure was high and the scientific committee fears high-intensity earthquakes in the coming days.

Proof of the high underground pressure is that the ground around the volcano has risen ten centimetres, according to data from the network of measuring stations, and scientists attribute this ground deformation to an accumulation of magma.

The new lava flows that were created over the weekend have stopped, including the one that was heading towards El Corazoncillo, near Las Manchas.

Cone collapse

The partial collapse of the cone of the volcano on Monday night was followed by frequent explosions that were heard in Los Llanos de Aridane and Tazacorte areas. However, despite the emission of huge quantities of magma, most of it was channelled through underground lava tubes.

As a result of the destruction of the crater, the structure of the volcano looks like one cone boxed inside another, both arranged in the shape of an amphitheatre. Late on Tuesday afternoon, the internal cone collapsed on itself, causing a temporary blockage that, after giving way, led to the exit of a large amount of lava to the west.

Emergency military personnel on La Palma. / EFE

180 tremors in 24 hours

Spains National Geographic Institute (IGN) has recorded some 180 tremors on the island in the last 24 hours. The highest was a magnitude 4.2 earthquake recorded in the municipality of Mazo.

The volcano shows no sign of the eruption stopping in the medium term. On Tuesday the emission of sulphur dioxide remained high and registered 40,800 tonnes. For the volcanic activity to be considered ended, it would have to emit only 500 tonnes per day.

According to the European Copernicus satellite network, the lava has already destroyed 2,162 buildings and covered an area of 906 hectares on the island.
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View My Garage





Land Rovers greenlaning in the Lake District (UK) with Trailmasters



A glimpse before we start!







After studying online found that Lake District would be a good place to start. Saw an article in Land Rover Monthly where a couple suggested to start with a reputed company like Trailmasters. There was an upcoming Lake District tour arranged by Trailmasters and I immediately booked it. The cost per car is 200 for 2 days of greenlaning. We had to book our own hotel and Rajsri promptly booked a place called Autumn Leaves in Windermere.



I was extremely excited for the event and bought a steering guard for the Defender from Maltings 4x4. It is a Terrafirma steering guard. John from Trailmasters had said that a stock Defender could easily do the trails, but I certainly did not want to take any chance with an appreciating asset! I wanted the differential guards as well, but could not make up my mind on which ones to order. On hindsight, it was a mistake.



The Steering Guard from Terrafirma





The problem in UK or maybe specifically in London, the garages are always full. They do not have time to do odd jobs. Unfortunately the FNG where I always go was shut down for reasons unknown and the owner was missing. I could not contact him, so started looking for other places to get the steering guard fitted. None of the garages that I went to was willing to do it. I found it really strange. Maybe someday I will find out the reason. So I decided to install the guard myself. The instructions supplied were lucid and I had no trouble initially. I was able to open the steering damper and install the left hand side bracket.



The bracket on the left





But then I was stuck as I did not have the proper tools or strength to loosen one bolt on the right hand side.



Could not open that rusted nut and bolt on the right





Back to square one and I had no time left. I was frantically thinking of going to Halfords and buy the tools necessary, but even then I was not sure if I would be able to do it. As a last resort I took the car to the the premises where my FNG was located. I had seen a few other garages in the same complex and I thought someone might help. It was a good decision and I found the right garage. The guys were really nice and quite eager to install the steering guard. After seeing their struggle to loosen the bolt I realised that I could not have done that alone. Some things are best left to professionals.



After installation





The Trip



On a beautiful autumn morning we left London for Windermere in the Lake District. Stopped for lunch at a service area.











By the time we checked into our hotel it was late afternoon. We dropped our luggage, had a cup of coffee and left the hotel immediately as we were running short of time to visit the The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere. It closes at 5 pm and we reached there at 4, just enough time for the tour. It is an enchanting world where Beatrix Potter's magical stories are brought to life in 3D and also tells us about her conservational efforts in the Lake District. Both Rajsri and I are big fans of Beatrix Potter and it had been on our checklist for a long time.



















After the tour we had a lovely cup of tea with scones and cream in the cafe. From there we roamed around the district and went to the hill top. We had been to Windermere in 2018 and it felt lovely to be back again. The weather was gorgeous and the countryside looked beautiful. We took the narrowest of roads through the trees that we could find and it was serene and tranquil with the only noise coming from the hum of the stolid engine of our Defender.















My Defender can call me dissolute when it comes to other Defenders, but I cannot help it. I ogle at Defenders and cannot stop myself from clicking pictures. At the hilltop I saw this Defender 110.







We came down to Bowness and started looking for a good place to have dinner. Unfortunately most of the restaurants that we called up said that we needed prior reservation. Meanwhile the light was beautiful just after the sunset. I wish I had better photography skills to capture it.







Finally Rajsri found a place with fantastic ratings and reviews which could accommodate the two of us. It was Villa Positano. We had a good vibe immediately after entering the place. People were chatting and laughing, talking to each other and even conversing with people from other tables. At first I thought that they were the true Italians. Then after sometime we saw a sign board - "No wifi, please talk to each other".











Ever since we got the Range Rover Sport, I had this itch for offroading/greenlaning. I learnt about the term greenlaning after coming to the UK. It is a popular activity and I wanted to be a part of it. Unfortunately some of the tracks that I saw on the net were quite technical and I did not want to break the Range Rover Sport. Things became dormant till we we got the Defender 90 a few months back. The urge was back and I started following up with a few groups. Unfortunately most of the good tracks are up north and quite a bit of distance from London.After studying online found that Lake District would be a good place to start. Saw an article in Land Rover Monthly where a couple suggested to start with a reputed company like Trailmasters. There was an upcoming Lake District tour arranged by Trailmasters and I immediately booked it. The cost per car is 200 for 2 days of greenlaning. We had to book our own hotel and Rajsri promptly booked a place called Autumn Leaves in Windermere.I was extremely excited for the event and bought a steering guard for the Defender from Maltings 4x4. It is a Terrafirma steering guard. John from Trailmasters had said that a stock Defender could easily do the trails, but I certainly did not want to take any chance with an appreciating asset! I wanted the differential guards as well, but could not make up my mind on which ones to order. On hindsight, it was a mistake.The problem in UK or maybe specifically in London, the garages are always full. They do not have time to do odd jobs. Unfortunately the FNG where I always go was shut down for reasons unknown and the owner was missing. I could not contact him, so started looking for other places to get the steering guard fitted. None of the garages that I went to was willing to do it. I found it really strange. Maybe someday I will find out the reason. So I decided to install the guard myself. The instructions supplied were lucid and I had no trouble initially. I was able to open the steering damper and install the left hand side bracket.But then I was stuck as I did not have the proper tools or strength to loosen one bolt on the right hand side.Back to square one and I had no time left. I was frantically thinking of going to Halfords and buy the tools necessary, but even then I was not sure if I would be able to do it. As a last resort I took the car to the the premises where my FNG was located. I had seen a few other garages in the same complex and I thought someone might help. It was a good decision and I found the right garage. The guys were really nice and quite eager to install the steering guard. After seeing their struggle to loosen the bolt I realised that I could not have done that alone. Some things are best left to professionals.On a beautiful autumn morning we left London for Windermere in the Lake District. Stopped for lunch at a service area.By the time we checked into our hotel it was late afternoon. We dropped our luggage, had a cup of coffee and left the hotel immediately as we were running short of time to visit thein Bowness-on-Windermere. It closes at 5 pm and we reached there at 4, just enough time for the tour. It is an enchanting world where Beatrix Potter's magical stories are brought to life in 3D and also tells us about her conservational efforts in the Lake District. Both Rajsri and I are big fans of Beatrix Potter and it had been on our checklist for a long time.After the tour we had a lovely cup of tea with scones and cream in the cafe. From there we roamed around the district and went to the hill top. We had been to Windermere in 2018 and it felt lovely to be back again. The weather was gorgeous and the countryside looked beautiful. We took the narrowest of roads through the trees that we could find and it was serene and tranquil with the only noise coming from the hum of the stolid engine of our Defender.My Defender can call me dissolute when it comes to other Defenders, but I cannot help it. I ogle at Defenders and cannot stop myself from clicking pictures. At the hilltop I saw this Defender 110.We came down to Bowness and started looking for a good place to have dinner. Unfortunately most of the restaurants that we called up said that we needed prior reservation. Meanwhile the light was beautiful just after the sunset. I wish I had better photography skills to capture it.Finally Rajsri found a place with fantastic ratings and reviews which could accommodate the two of us. It was Villa Positano. We had a good vibe immediately after entering the place. People were chatting and laughing, talking to each other and even conversing with people from other tables. At first I thought that they were the true Italians. Then after sometime we saw a sign board - Last edited by BlackPearl : 25th October 2021 at 16:26 .
Lenovo makes a good thing better with the revamped Smart Clock 2, a Google Assistant-enabled alarm clock with a new design, a vibrant touch display, improved sound, andif youre willing to pay for itan optional wireless charging dock that doubles as a night light.

The Smart Clock 2 makes for an enticing bedside companion, capable of playing soothing (or not) tunes, setting alarms and timers, displaying family photos, and controlling smart devices with Google Assistant voice commands. But at $70, the Smart Clock 2 is on the pricey side, especially when you consider that the more capable and sleep-tracking Google Nest Hub costs just $30 more.

This review is part of TechHives coverage of the best smart speakers and displays, where youll find reviews of the competitions offerings, plus a buyers guide to the features you should consider when shopping for this type of product.

You can also buy the clock bundled with a Qi- and Apple MagSafe-compatible wireless charging dock that boasts an integrated night light, but together, the combined devices take up considerably more space, and the package costs $90.

Design

Measuring 3.67 x 4.47 x 2.81 inches (HxWxD), the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is a little taller than its predecessor but also shallower, with a base that hides a pair of 1.5-inch front-firing drivers. Weighing in at 0.66 pounds, the Smart Clock 2 feels solid and sturdy but not unreasonably heavy, and theres little chance you'll tip it over accidentally.

Available in Abyss Blue, Shadow Black, and Heather Gray flavors, the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 arrives with a cozy fabric covering, with volume up/down buttons on top.

Ben Patterson/IDG Tactile volume buttons sit on the top of the Lenovo Smart Clock 2's fabric-covered shell.

In the rear is a barrel-shaped power port for the roughly five-foot power cord, which terminates in a chunky wall wart. Also in back is a switch that mutes the microphone.

Optional charging dock

The optional charging dock, meanwhile, is nearly twice as wide as the clock itself, measuring 8.65 x 3.26 x 0.96 inches (WxDxH). A pair of rubberized feet on the bottom help keep the dock from sliding, while a cradle on top connects to the clock's base using a series of pogo pins. On its own, the Smart Clock 2 is a compact device, but sitting in its charging dock, it has roughly the same footprint as the Google Nest Hub.

Ben Patterson/IDG The combination of the Smart Clock 2 and its optional charging dock has roughly the same footprint as the Google Nest Hub.

To the right of the clock cradle is the Qi-compatible charging surface, which supports Apples MagSafe charging standard. Testing it with my iPhone 12 Pro, the handset snapped right into place and the screen displayed the MagSafe charging symbol, just as expected. I was also able to remove my iPhone from the MagSafe charger without lifting the dock itself. If you want to charge a second device at the same time, you can do so using the rear USB-A charging port.

Ben Patterson/IDG The optional dock supports Qi wireless charging as well as Apple's MagSafe standard. The dock also boasts an integrated night light.

Besides the Qi charging surface, the dock also comes with a night light thats integrated into the clock cradle, encircling the clock when its docked.

Ben Patterson/IDG The night light on the Smart Clock 2's optional dock turns off automatically after a defined period of time.

The 11-lumen light briefly turns on when you dock the clock or put a phone on the charger, and you can also activate the light by swiping down on the clock display and tapping the Night Light button. When you activate the light manually, it shuts off automatically after anywhere between one and five minutes, and you can adjust the night-light timer from the settings menu.

Ben Patterson/IDG Besides offering Qi wireless charging, the Lenovo Smart Clock 2's optional dock boasts a USB-A charging port.

Now, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if you think the Lenovo Smart Clock 2s dock looks good, more power to you. Personally, I thought the docks composite plastic surface, which is flecked with tiny specks of color, looked a tad ugly, particularly without a phone sitting on the charger. Besides looks, the charging dock takes up a considerable amount of space, which could be challenging on a crowded bedside table. In any case, thats just me, and if the charging dock works for you (and functionally speaking, it does work well), then dont let me stand in your way.

Display

The Lenovo Smart Clock 2s 4-inch, 480 x 800-pixel IPS display looked surprisingly sharp and vibrant to my eyes. When using the clock as a photo frame, my family photos looked pleasingly detailed, and there were no signs of a screen-door effect.

Unsurprisingly, the Smart Clock 2 lacks the Ambient IQ feature on Googles pricier Nest displays, which does a superb job of adjusting the color of the display according to the ambient light in the room. Still, the Smart Clock 2s more typical ambient light sensor did a fine job of dimming the display when the lights went down, and when the room went completely dark, the screen switched to a night mode with a dim clock face.

Features and functionality

While it comes with full-on Google Assistant, the Lenovo Smart Clock 2s display experience is a pared-down version of what youll find on Google Nest smart displays. On the main screen, you can choose from 11 configurable clock faces, or you can use the clock as a photo frame using snapshots from Google Photos. Rather than attempting to pair portrait-oriented photos together or merely blurring the sides of portrait images to fill the screen, the Smart Clock 2 wisely sticks with landscape-oriented photos only.

If you swipe the display from right to left, youll jump to a screen that lets you control any media youre casting to the clock (Chromecast audio is supported, but not video), while the subsequent screens show active alarms, the weather, and other relevant activity, such as recent Spotify playlists and upcoming calendar events. Not bad, but the interface on the Google Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max are far more elaborate.

Swiping down on the display reveals one-touch buttons for alarms, a nap timer, music (tapping the button will pick up wherever you left off on your default music service in Google Home), and the night light (which, as I detailed earlier, will stay on for up to five minutes. Theres also an on/off toggle for all the connected smart lights in the room. Swiping up from the bottom of the display lets you adjust the screen brightness, tweak the volume, enable a do not disturb mode, and visit the settings screen.

Smart home control

Thanks to onboard Google Assistant, the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 lets you control your compatible smart home devices with voice commands, just as you could with a Google Nest Audio or Nest Mini.

Googles Home platform lags behind Alexa when it comes to smart device support, but its rapidly catching up, and most of the key players in the smart home arena (such as Philips Hue, TP-Link/Kasa Home, LG, Samsung, August, Arlo, and Wyze all play nice with Google Assistant, not to mention Nest thermostats.

Still, its worth noting (again) that the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 lacks the elaborate smart control screens on Google Nest Hub devices, and if you own any smart security cameras, you wont be able to stream their live video feeds to the clock's display.

Audio quality

Lenovo boasts that the Smart Clock 2s audio has improved now that its 1.5-inch drivers are front- rather than rear-firing. I wasnt able to compare the Smart Clock 2s audio performance to its predecessor, but playing tunes on the new clock sounded pretty decent given how small it is, with Billie Eilishs Oxytocin sounding relatively crisp with a teeny, tiny bit of bass, while Reminiscing by Little River Band sounded somewhat warmer than I would have guessed. Still, were talking clock-radio-plus quality audio here, so keep your expectations in check.

As far as music services go, you can stream tunes from any streaming service available on the Google Home app, including Apple Music, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube Music, as well as any music apps that support Chromecast.

Bottom line

While Im a fan of its compact, fabric-covered design, bright display, and smart functionality, the $70 Lenovo Smart Clock 2 would be more appealing if its price tag was a little lower.

As I've previously mentioned, the sleep-tracking Google Nest Hub is only $100, and it features the full Nest Hub experience as well as video streaming, and it's not that much bigger than the Smart Clock 2. And if you want the bulky (and if you ask me, somewhat unsightly) wireless charging dock with the night light, youre looking at $90 for the bundle.

Still, the Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is good at what it does, and if youre patient, youll likely be able to snag one for a discount. Just days before this review was published, Lenovo was offering the Smart Clock 2 (not the clock-and-charger bundle) for just $50, or about as much as a display-less Google Nest Mini. At that price, the Smart Clock 2 starts to look much more attractive.
In brief: Apple is being sued in China over its decision to stop bundling a wall charger with every iPhone sold, which is seen as a move that's primarily motivated by profit. While the lawsuit doesn't resemble the high stakes litigation that usually makes the press, it has garnered extensive public support because many consumers aren't happy when they buy an arguably expensive product only to find they also need to buy a wall charger to use it.

Apple is already embroiled in a number of legal fights, but theres always room for one more, especially when it revolves around its flagship product  the iPhone. According to a report from Vice, a group of students from several Chinese universities are suing the Cupertino company for its change of policy when it comes to including a charger in the box.

Starting with the iPhone 12, Apple no longer bundles a charger in the box with its iPhones, and the same is true for the EarPods that used to be included as well. What you get instead is a USB-C to Lightning cable, presumably to reduce waste and carbon emissions. Many people own enough chargers already, but that hasnt stopped some from falling under the perception that Apple is doing penny-pinching to improve its profit margins on 5G-enabled iPhones, which are more expensive to make.

It didnt take long before Apple realized that it had ignored consumers who are buying their first smartphone or simply dont have compatible chargers lying around at home. To make up for the lack of a charger and EarPods in the box, the company chose to reduce their price as a gesture of goodwill. However, the Chinese students that are suing Apple argue the company is simply using its efforts to save the environment as a pretext to squeeze more profit by selling accessories that are needed to keep the device functioning.

The students took Apple to the Beijing Internet Court, where they allege they werent able to charge their iPhone 12 and 12 Pro Max units as advertised on the companys website, and that the included cable isnt compatible with most third-party chargers on the market, which still come with a USB-A port. In its defense, Apple said that selling the device and charger separately is a common practice for phone makers, possibly referring to Samsung and Xiaomi.

Interestingly, this legal fight looks more like an effort to prove a point that consumers arent happy when they arent given a choice, especially with such an expensive device like the iPhone. The students are only demanding to be provided with a wall charger, 100 yuan (around $15.5) for breach of contract, as well as for Apple to cover the legal fees.

The case has seen extensive public support on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo, and some speculate it could lead to more regulatory scrutiny in the region. Its worth noting this isnt the first time Apple has faced legal issues for this particular issue.

Back in March, Brazil fined the Cupertino giant $2 million for choosing not to ship chargers with the iPhone 12. If a decision will be made in favor of the Chinese students suing Apple, it will also extend to the iPhone 13 and all subsequent models.

In related news, a San Francisco man has filed a lawsuit against Apple for refusing to repair his iPhone 12 while it was still under warranty.
Bottom line: Growing adoption rates for cloud computing services has resulted in the bottom line for two of the largest technology giants increasing by billions. Microsoft and Google have revealed robust quarterly earnings results, with Azure and Google Cloud leading the way.

In its Q1 2022 financial earnings report, Microsoft reported overall revenue of $45.3 billion, an increase of 22 percent compared to the same quarter in the previous fiscal year. Operating income was $20.2 billion, representing growth of 27 percent.

Microsoft Cloud generated $20.7 billion in revenue for the quarter, a rise of 36 percent year over year. The strong earnings were predominantly driven by the performance of Azure and other cloud services, which grew by 50 percent. Microsoft also revealed that revenue in its Intelligent Cloud division reached $17 billion, a increase of 31 percent.

Meanwhile, Google parent company Alphabet also announced its financial results for the quarter ending September 30, 2021. Google Cloud revenue soared by 45 percent to $4.99 billion, while operating losses decreased to $644 million, a sizable drop from the $1.21 billion in losses that occurred during Q3 2020.

As for total revenue, the search giant reported an increase of 41 percent to $65.12 billion, compared to $46.17 billion in the same period last year. Net income was $18.94 billion in the quarter, a sizable jump from $11.25 billion in 2020.

Related reading: The utility of cloud computing

Google CEO Sundar Pichai highlighted ongoing improvements to Search as an example of investments it's made, in addition to pointing out the ongoing digital transformation and shift to hybrid work models. Furthermore, Pichai stressed that Google Cloud delivers "hundreds of new capabilities, services, and solutions", as well as mentioning the platform's "leadership in real-time data analytics and AI."

Google Cloud comprises both Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Workspace, formerly known as G Suite. GCP's revenue "was again above cloud overall, reflecting significant growth in both infrastructure and platform services, Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat said.
(Photo : Image from Unsplash Website) Cybercriminal Payback | BlackMatter Ransomware Criminals Lost Potential Millions in Payments After Code Mistake Found by Researchers

It seems like cybersecurity researchers have found a way to make ransomware criminals lose a lot of money. A large ransomware operation was prevented from making millions after certain cybersecurity researchers discovered a flaw in the ransomware that reportedly enabled encrypted files to be recovered without paying a ransom.

Emisoft Cybersecurity Researchers Spots Mistake

According to the story by ZDNet, cybersecurity researchers working at Emsisoft have reportedly detailed how they were able to secretly foil the cybercriminals that are behind the BlackMater ransomware. This would save a number of victims from having to pay a particular ransom.

After initially keeping what they were doing somewhere under wraps to avoid cybercriminals finding out, researchers have just disclosed how they were able to undermine BlackMatter. This is by providing decryption keys to victims of their own attacks, as per Emsisoft.

BlackMatter Incarnation

BlackMatter has been active, while the incarnation started in July. It has been longer than that due to information security analysts' consensus that BlackMatter is a rebranded version of the dreaded DarkSide ransomware. Russian-speaking hackers are attacking YouTube channels in order to livestream crypto scams.

DarkSide is notorious earlier this 2021 as the culprits behind the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack. The supposed incident led to shortages of both gas and fuel all across the U.S.-North Eastern seaboard. The criminals were able to walk away with millions of dollars when the ransom for the Colonial was paid.

This massive hack resulted in a shortage of gas and fuel and insurance prices going up for tech companies as they scrambled to protect themselves against potential cybercriminal attacks. With cyberattacks becoming even more common, more and more people are looking to upgrade their cybersecurity.

Read Also: Squid Game App Laced with 'Joker' Malware | Cybersecurity Researcher Warns Users of Access to Hackers

DarkSide Re-Emerged as BlackMatter

Not all outages were caused by hacks. According to K.T., an outage wasn't a "DDoS" attack but rather a routing error. As of the moment, the matter is still under investigation in order to find out if a hack really did happen or if it was just a routing error as claimed by K.T.

DarkSide soon re-emerged as BlackMatter, and the said cybercriminals behind BlackMatter appear unshaken despite being on the radar of the United States government. They will then have launched a whole string of ransomware attacks against companies over in North America.

BlackMatter said that it would not go after the hospitals or other state institutions. However, this was untrue, and in addition to certain critical infrastructure in the form of a number of agricultural companies, the group has also been sticking to blood testing facilities, resulting in a huge problem. As of the moment, BlackMatter remains a top cybercriminal on the radar of multiple cybersecurity researchers.

Related Article: Facebook Sues Ukrainian Citizen Accused of Selling Stolen Data of 178 Million Users

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Image from Commons.Wikipedia.com) General Motors vs Tesla | Plans to Build 40,000 EV Chargers in the US While Selling Its 'Ultium' Level 2 Chargers for Home and Business Use

General Motors vs. Tesla: GM unveiled plans to build 40,000 EV chargers spread across the United States while selling its own Ultium Level 2 Chargers for home and business use. The company is working with its network of dealers to accomplish this milestone.

General Motors to Install 40,000 EV Chargers

According to the story by The Verge, General Motors is set to work along with its network of dealers to help spur the installation of 40,000 different electric vehicle chargers in the United States as per the company's announcement. It will also start selling its very own Ultium branded Level 2 chargers for its own home or business use.

GM noted that it now hopes the brand new project will spur the creation of different EV charging stations in certain urban and rural underserved areas. It was stated that the automaker will give each of its own dealers all the way up to 10 Ultium Level 2 destination charging stations.

How GM Differs from Tesla or Volkswagen

This is in order to install throughout their own communities. The automaker, however, does not really plan to pay for all of the whole 40,000 chargers. The company would rather work with its own dealers and community leaders to find the appropriate financing, as per USAToday.

Unlike Volkswagen or Tesla, GM actually does not own its very own EV charging network. It was noted that owners of GM's very own electric vehicles should instead rely directly on a patchwork of different third-party chargers along with their very own software and other membership requirements.

Read Also: 'Star Wars' Anakin Skywalker's Podracer Comes to Life Through a Real Life EV Concept

Dealer-Community Project to Kick Off in 2022

The whole dealer-community project, which is expected to kick off in 2022, is reportedly part of GM's very own $750 million commitment to EV charging infrastructure. This has been announced during its own recent Investor's Day event. GM's very own zero-emission vehicles are set to arrive soon as the company still does not plan to rely on electric power.

Although it does not remain the same kind of financial commitment as Tesla or Volkswagen, it still does signal that the company has holistic thinking when it comes to EV ownership. Both Tesla and Volkswagen have reportedly spent billions in order to create a nationwide network of public EV chargers.

The lead architect of EV infrastructure at GM, Alex Keros gave a statement. It was noted that when one thinks about the hill, they have to climb for customers to access charging in all communities. This means that this does not include just the ones that have been early adopters. It was noted that they need a lot. General Motors are planning to invest in California for lithium supply to be used for EV batteries.

Related Article: Tesla Gigafactory Berlin Delayed Due to Repeat Online Consultations as Announced by Regional Environmental Ministry

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Nvidia and AMD cryptomining activities, which are the main reasons why GPU shortage is happening, could last until 2022. As of the moment, gamers and other common consumers are still having a hard time purchasing their preferred graphics processing unit models since blockchain miners are still able to hoard these computer components.

Related Article: NVIDIA CMP 170HX Mining GPU Spotted on Sale for $4400 Overseas

On the other hand, cryptomining firms are also being blamed for the ongoing GPU shortage since they are accused of purchasing the PC parts in bulk.

Aside from PC players, console gamers also find it difficult to purchase the new-gen gaming systems. Just like the current PS5 and Xbox Series X/S shortages, regular consumers can only get a hold of their preferred Nvidia or AMD GPU model if they are willing to pay hefty prices.

But, some experts claimed that Ethereum (ETH) could play a big role in solving this issue if the cryptocurrency does this.

Nvidia, AMD GPU Issue Could Still Be Solved?

According to Game Rant's latest report, Ethereum is currently one of the most popular cryptocurrency brands in the market. Cryptominers are usually purchasing huge numbers of Nvidia and AMD GPUs to acquire ETH, BTC, and other giant digital tokens.

Also Read: Cryptocurrency For FREE? Just Let This Crypto Startup Scan Your Eyes

Since this is the case, various enthusiasts claimed that ETH could do something to help ease the current GPU shortage. They explained that if the company transitions to a proof-of-stake model, cryptominers would no longer need to buy GPUs since Ethereum tokens' hardware-intensive mining process would be changed.

Once this happens, more AMD and Nvidia graphic processing unit models would be available in the market, allowing consumers to have one of their own.

If you want to know other cryptocurrencies that could be more popular than ETH, you can check these best cryptocurrencies to buy this October.

Meanwhile, some countries are now considering crypto regulation since more investors are becoming involved in the blockchain market. This can be seen in the Bank of England's decision to regulate crypto.

Nvidia Launches Graphics Card Specifically for Cryptomining

Screen Rant reported that Nvidia launched a new graphics card that is specifically designed for cryptomining.

The giant computer component developer is currently selling the new CMP 170HX.

However, Nvidia did not confirm if the new model is specifically released to make cryptominers buy the new cryptocurrency mining graphics card model instead of purchasing gaming GPUs.

For more news updates about Nvidia and AMD, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Image from Unsplash Website) Squid Game Merch Keywords is Banned from E-Commerce Stores in China | Merchants Find a Workaround

China's massive e-commerce platforms have all apparently banned keywords search for certain products related to Netflix's own Squid Game show. This has prompted merchants to find certain workarounds for consumers to find these particular goods online.

Squid Game Keyword on Marketplace

Based on a story written on South China Morning Post, an online check by them has yielded no results when using the "Squid Game '' keyword on Taobao Marketplace, Pinduoduo, and JD.com. Taobao, China's own largest online shopping platform, is said to be operated by the official Alibaba Group Holding, which currently owns the Post.

Alibaba, JD.com, and Pinduoduo all did not give an immediate response to requests for comment. Products that are related to Squid Game can still be found on the massive Chinese shopping platforms through the use of different keywords like "squid mask," "Halloween costume," and even "Korea" as per the search online.

Squid Mask for Different Products

It was stated that an online toy merchant with the surname Zeng, who is now based in Yiwu city in eastern Zhejiang province, said he found his Squid Game-related products which could not be seen on major e-commerce platforms while using the show's own title as a keyword. They then tried other works like "squid mask," which could work to search for different products.

Zeng opted not to use his full name because of different potential copyright issues. This is based on our own experience that only "Squid Game" can't really be used to search on these particular platforms. As of the moment, Squid Game dalgona candy is also very popular on TikTok as the recipe is being revealed.

Squid Game-Related Merchandise

Zeng noted that he had only listed these Squid Game-related merchandise in his very own online store to help generate even more traffic in light of the whole show's popularity in China. This is where the show has not officially been released due to Beijing's strict content licensing rules.

The search workarounds that certain online merchants actually provided show that Squid Game's wide popularity is most likely to continue to generate a windfall for them in the foreseeable future. Different factories in mainland China are also busy churning out different Squid Game-related products for domestic and overseas shoppers to capitalize on the popular show.

Read Also: 'Squid Game' Smashes Netflix Views, Making it the 'Biggest Series Launch Ever'-Season 2 Coming?

China Bans Squid Game

The goods also include different black jumpsuits, black face masks, and track kits that are used by the characters in the whole nine episodes of survival drama television series. Although Netflix remains unavailable in mainland China, over ten thousand internet users in the country have found readily available information on where users can watch Squid Game illegally.

This includes illicit streaming of video sites, peer-to-peer downloads, as well as cloud storage providers. As per EpicStream, Squid Game remains popular despite being illegal in China.

Related Article: 'Squid Game' Videogame? Netflix Says It Is Being Considered

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Apple allegedly tried to remove Facebook, as well as Instagram, from its official Apple App Store. Various critics claimed that the giant iPhone maker considered the popular apps' removal two years ago.

Related Article: Facebook Sues Ukrainian Citizen Accused of Selling Stolen Data of 178 Million Users

Now, new documents were leaked, saying Apple allegedly wanted to ban FB and IG from its app platform because the giant social media platform of Mark Zuckerberg is accused of allowing human trades, especially with maids in the Mideast.

As of the moment, Facebook is facing various issues with its platform service. This includes the claims of the recent Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen, saying that FB's virtual ecosystem is toxic for teenage girls.

On the other hand, another issue, which revolves around FB's failure to fight election interference from happening in some countries, arose after another Facebook whistleblower appeared.

Apple Tries To Remove Facebook and Instagram?

According to Entrepreneur Asia Pacific's latest report, experts were able to get access to some internal documents, which state that the giant social media platform was recently under-enforcing abusive activities around its users, especially with Filipina maids.

Also Read: Apple Releases Polishing Cloth for Its Devices - Can You Guess How Much It Is?

Meanwhile, Associated Press reported the social media platform confirmed its crackdown against the maid trade posts on the website.

However, AP also explained that FB's countermeasures are not enough since maid trading activities on the platform are still active.

Experts claimed that some posts featuring various photos of maids being traded in the Mideast are still on the platform.

Facebook Allows Maid Trades in Its Platform?

AP explained that if consumers searched for the words "maids" and "khamida" in Arabic, they would see posts featuring some images of South Asians and Africans.

Experts added that these images even have prices beside them, which hints that they are being traded off.

"In our investigation, domestic workers frequently complained to their recruitment agencies of being locked in their homes, starved, forced to extend their contracts indefinitely, unpaid, and repeatedly sold to other employers without their consent," said one of the leaked Facebook documents.

As of the moment, the accusations against Facebook are still rumors since FB hasn't released any statement about it.

For more news updates about Apple, Facebook, and other giant tech firms, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
GM Chevy Bolts could soon resume production this November. Recently, the giant Tesla competitor announced that it stopped manufacturing its advanced EV model because of fire risks.

The issue started when some consumers complained that their Chevy Bolts' batteries were catching fire, which forced General Motors to recall its electric cars.

Now, GM said that the production for its popular Chevy Bolts would be back on track on Nov. 1. The announcement was made a few weeks after the giant automaker received almost $2 billion from the South Korean battery developer, LG Electronics.

"LG is a valued and respected supplier to GM, and we are pleased to reach this agreement," said GM's Vice President for Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, Shilpan Amin.

He added that they are GM and LG Electronics are now working together to replace the affected batteries with new ones.

GM Chevy Bolts To Resume Production

According to The Verge's latest report, GM's decision to bring back Chevy Bolts productions would greatly help the company since more consumers now prefer EV models over traditional cars.

Also Read: GM Aims to Debut a Subscription Service to be Big as Netflix in 2030, But for Cars

General Motors recalled its Chevy Bolts models back in 2017, 2019, as well as 2020. Because of the reported fire issues, GM decided to release a purported preventive fix in May.

This solution involves installing software that would monitor early signs of a fire in the battery back. General Motors is also doing other things to enhance its EV service.

These include GM's new plans to overtake Tesla when it comes to EV distribution in the United States and Canada. On the other hand, the new GM Ultium Electric Motors are also expected to be integrated into Buick Electra, as well as Hummer EV.

GM Chevy Bolts Still Banned in Parking Facilities?

Inside EVs reported that some parking facilities are still banning GM's Chevy Bolts because of fire risk.

These parking areas include those in Nashville, Charleston, and other places in the United States. Consumers posted some photos showing that the parking spaces in the mentioned areas have already put the warning signs to prohibit the popular EV model of General Motors.

For more news updates about GM and other giant electric car manufacturers, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: General Motors vs Tesla | Plans to Build 40,000 EV Chargers in the US While Selling Its 'Ultium' Level 2 Chargers for Home and Business Use

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Verizon is teaming up with Amazon in order to boost its satellite internet system and expand its services across the United States.

Verizon and Amazon on Rural Connection

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said in a statement on Oct. 26 that they are working together with Verizon so they can come up with a plan to bring fast and reliable broadband to customers who need it, according to CNBC.

Amazon is currently working on its network of satellites called Project Kuiper. The said project has a total of 3,236 satellites that Amazon plans to use in order to provide high-speed internet to its customers worldwide.

The Federal Communications Commission or the FCC in 2020 authorized the system even if Amazon has yet to launch its first-ever Kuiper satellite.

The company has said that it also plans to invest more than $10 billion in Kuiper, according to TechCrunch.

Also Read: Amazon Acquires Facebook's Satellite Team, Aiming to Provide Internet Service to Remote Areas

The partnership of Amazon and Verizon will see Verizon use the social media giant's system as an extension of its terrestrial service, with Kuiper adding the cellular backhaul solutions to extend the 4G and 5G data networks of Verizon.

Both teams from the companies have begun working to identify any technical requirements to extend the wireless coverage to remote areas in the United States.

The two tech giants can see numerous cases for Kuiper's extension of the network of Verizon.

Amazon noted that it would look at joint connectivity solutions for several industries. These industries include energy, education, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, emergency response, and more.

Low-Cost Satellite Antenna

In 2020, Amazon gave an early sneak peek at the performance of the low-cost satellite antenna that is part of its Project Kuiper, according to UPI.

Jassy stated that no single company would close the digital divide on its own as Kuiper is not alone in the increasingly competitive and challenging field of high-speed satellite internet.

SpaceX's Starlink network is considered one of the early leaders in the internet service market. It has 1,740 satellites launched in orbit, and it has more than 100,000 users in 14 different countries who are currently using its public beta.

The service cost of SpaceX's Starlink is $99 a month.

OneWeb, a service from the United Kingdom, is regarded as the next internet service leader when it comes to deploying satellites. Almost half of its planned 648 satellites are in low Earth orbit.

Just like Amazon's partnership with Verizon, OneWeb has teamed up with AT&T to strengthen its connection in the United States.

OneWeb has raised $2.7 billion in funding since emerging from bankruptcy in 2020. The shareholders of the company include the British government, Bharti Enterprises, Eutelsat, and SoftBank.

There are also other satellite broadband systems in different stages of development, including two systems in the United States, the AST Spacemobile, which is a satellite-to-smartphone specialist, and Lockheed Martian's had partnered up with Omnispace.

Canadian satellite operator Telesat's Lightspeed network has also partnered up with Omnispace.

While Amazon has yet to send its satellites to orbit, the e-commerce company signed a deal with United Launch Alliance for nine launches in the next few years.

Amazon has yet to launch its Kuiper satellites, but it has already signed a deal with United Launch Alliance for nine launches in the next few years.

The authorization of Kuiper by the FCC means that Amazon needs to launch half of its planned satellites within the next six years.

The company is on the clock to deliver at least 1,600 in orbit by July 2026.

Related Article: SpaceX's Starlink Study: Over 50% of Web Users in the US Ready to Switch to Elon Musk's Internet Satellite

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Artificial intelligence will be playing a big part in your online shopping escapades for the holidays.

That's because roughly 81% of online retailers are tapping AI to boost their sales in time for the holiday rush. According to VentureBeat, these businesses have increased their artificial intelligence budgets to do just that.

The businesses in question are classified as small to medium enterprises who might not be competitive with other online shopping giants like Amazon.

With artificial intelligence, the businesses are tapping into its power to help manage their supply chain (which is already stretched thin due to the pandemic), protect against ecommerce fraud, and even increase their overall sales.

A few of the retailers are even predicting sales growths of up to 40% with the help of artificial intelligence.

This isn't the first time, however, that businesses have tapped into the power of AI to help with their e-commerce efforts.

Back in June, retail giant Walmart introduced an artificial intelligence algorithm which they're claiming was able to offer "smarter" solutions to grocers and grocery-goers.

With its ability to predict consumer behaviors, needs, and wants, the AI can offer people improved grocery substitutes and streamline the entire shopping experience.

Read also: Walmart Unveils Artificial Intelligence Store That's Like Amazon Go But Also Not

Artificial Intelligence Basics In E-Commerce

An analysis by the firm Anodot could help explain how, using the likes of Amazon as an example.

For Amazon, they're using the AI algorithm to largely recommend related products to people who have bought some under a specific category. Say, "people who bought this also bought that," etc.

This is called cross-selling and upselling, which is considered responsible for roughly 35% of Amazon's astronomical revenue figures.

Aside from that, artificial intelligence can also help spot any fraudulent transactions, produce automated product descriptions, and even forecast overall revenues.

Lastly, there's also the idea of "personalizing" a customer's shopping experience with recommendations based on their preferences. That is why one person's Amazon recommendations will largely differ from another's.

Looking Ahead

What was previously discussed is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to using AI in retail.

In the future, one could expect the age of "conversational" artificial intelligence in stores by way of chatbots and customer support. According to TechWireAsia, shoppers have been increasingly wanting an even more personalized shopping experience, with their concerns being seen and "heard" at the blink of an eye.

Otherwise called "conversational commerce," this application intends to not make online shopping feel like a chore, writes Forbes. And one company is already doing something about it.

A cloud communications tech firm from New Jersey called Vonage recently purchased Jumper.ai, which allows businesses to engage with their customers in a dynamic way.

Instead of people receiving boring, automated text messages and email alerts, the company is using Jumper.ai to keep consumers connected with either a live human agent or an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot.

With this, they say, online shoppers will be able to have a more "conversational" shopping experience that will also help the brand build a loyal following over time.

Related: Innovation Trends in E-commerce and Customer Service

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The 2024 Range Rover is going to be an electric vehicle, and it is going to be a full-fledged one, as confirmed by Land Rover's event earlier today. While the event has focused more on the company's 2022 release, the announcement came with it, unveiling the news about the new vehicle. It is going to be a luxury SUV that would be fully electric, as designed by the Brits.

2024 Range Rover EV Confirmed

The New Range Rover was announced for 2022, but it is not yet the electric vehicle take of the company to its luxury SUVs. However, the unveiling of the next-generation Range Rovers was brought here, and it confirms the existence of a fully electric SUV that would bring the design and engineering that was brought by the British.

The 2024 Range Rover EV was confirmed earlier today but would not come out by 2023 or 2024, with its delivery going to be the latter year.

Electric mobility is spreading out from coast-to-coast and different countries, where soon, it would be adopted globally for the future. Land Rover has not yet brought any details with regards to its EVs, but its design screams a minimalist and luxurious vehicle.

Read Also: Tesla Surpasses $1 TRILLION Valuation

Land Rover Brings an Electric SUV

Land Rover says that the new SUV is a "definition of luxury travel," and it would have a design that would boast of its luxury but keep it on the lowkey. The British manufacturing company has shown their vehicle in a new light, and it would not be as slick or sporty as its previous designs for the Range Rover.

Not much has been unveiled of the new EV, apart from its first look as well as its electric motor to power its mobility features.

Will It Go Full Electric Like Competitors?

In terms of an electric SUV, a lot has already made its presence and take on the market, and it involves a lot of cars that have been released in the industry already. Tesla's Model X is one of the most prominent in the luxury SUV EV focus, while General Motors has that for the Cadillac Lyriq.

On the other hand, Ford's Mustang Mach-E EV is a crossover SUV, hailing its design from its racing heritage and "Mustang" breeding. Rivian also has the R1S for its fully electric SUV, while Volkswagen has the ID.4 that also borders as a crossover SUV.

The industry may already be saturated with electric SUVs as there are more than what is mentioned earlier, but that does not stop the likes of Land Rover and its Range Rover brand from entering. Pretty soon, most of the vehicles would adapt to electric mobility, and it would be one step to help the planet in reversing the effects.

That being said, Land Rover's take on the luxury SUV is a minimalist take that captures the branding of what made the vehicle known to all.

Related Article: Volkswagen ID.4 Receives IIHS Top Safety Pick+-Takes it Away from Honda, Mazda, Tesla

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SpaceX Crew Dragon is flying Russia's cosmonauts to the ISS or the International Space Station. On top of that, NASA's astronauts might also plan to fly in the spacecraft of the Russian nation.

SpaceX Crew Dragon to Fly Russia's Cosmonauts to ISS

As per Futurism, the head of the state space corporation of Russia that goes by the name Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, said that there is a plan to fly their cosmonauts to the spacecraft of SpaceX to launch them to the International Space Station.

The latest pronouncement from the Roscosmos head comes even though the relationship of the Russian space corporation, along with NASA and the CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk, was not always smooth sailing.

Nevertheless, Rogozin previously invited the American billionaire, Musk, to talk over tea from his house in Russia.

SpaceX's Elon Musk and Russia

Last Sept. 7, the SpaceX founder and CEO asked about the favorite tea of the director of Roscosmos, which has ignited speculations that a collaboration between the two parties is coming.

Before that, Rogozin invited both Musk and the head of NASA, Bill Nelson, for a meeting.

However, Musk and Russia have been at odds before the recent developments. In fact, the Russian nation even banned SpaceX Starlink internet, threatening to fine citizens that will use the satellite constellation of Musk's space exploration firm.

It turns out that Russia is also working on a satellite internet constellation in their country that will carry the name Sfera. However, it will take until 2024 before the Starlink-like service launches.

Russia: SpaceX Crew Dragon is Safe

According to a report by SpaceNews, the Roscosmos head further said that the Crew Dragon capsule of SpaceX is safe to launch Russia's cosmonauts to the ISS.

Rogozin made the said pronouncements during the 72nd International Astronautical Congress, noting that he is letting go of his reservations with the SpaceX spacecraft.

The Roscosmos chief went on to say that the spacecraft of SpaceX "already acquired enough experience for us to be able to put our cosmonauts."

Read Also: Microsoft Claims New Russia-Linked Cyberattacks Target US | 22,000 Malicious Activities Already Take Place?

NASA and Russian Spacecraft

The director of the Russian space agency further disclosed that he will be discussing the matter with the Deputy Administrator of NASA, Pam Melroy, on Oct. 26.

In that meeting, the Russian space chief will talk about the cosmonauts who will fly in the SpaceX Crew Dragon. What's more, the discussion will also decide which NASA astronauts will fly via a Russian spacecraft to the space station.

Related Article: SpaceX's Falcon 9 Selected to Launch Varda Space's First Manufacturing Satellite in 2023-What to Expect

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NASA unveiled that the Hubble Space Telescope is having some problems, and the company has put it on Safe Mode to prevent it from crashing or malfunctioning even more than its present issue. The space agency assures that its instruments remain in "good health" and that the team is already working on a fix to have it back and operational.

NASA Hubble Safe Mode: Result of a Technical Problem

This is not the first time that the Hubble has entered safe mode, and the previous one was earlier this year, where it shut down for a couple of days. Currently, it remains unknown if this is a similar case or is interconnected.

NASA has released a statement via Twitter, and the space agency said that the Hubble Space Telescope is currently experiencing some issues with its internal spacecraft communications services. Scientific observations and the study of the Hubble are currently suspended alongside this, and this is while the team is looking for solutions.

Hubble has had different discoveries, and it includes a star system that resembles a pumpkin, in time for 2020's Halloween.

Hubbles science instruments went into safe mode on Monday after experiencing synchronization issues with internal spacecraft communications. Science observations have been temporarily suspended while the team investigates the issue. The instruments remain in good health.  Hubble (@NASAHubble) October 25, 2021



Read Also: NASA: Exoplanet Outside Milky Way Spotted by Chandra X-Ray and ESA, Located in Messier 51

NASA Hubble Problems in the Past

Hubble is fairly old, and its years in orbit without being serviced for more than 11 years since 2009 has created different challenges for NASA already. The Hubble remains a spacecraft that has many functions, and brought a lot of discoveries to the world for deep space studies, with no plans yet of retiring.

NASA Hubble's Contribution

NASA Hubble has contributed a lot to the world and its study of space, as the vast universe has been a marvel for everyone, especially the great unknown that still awaits. Regular telescopes may see it as a blank space of never-ending darkness, but Hubble may see it as a potential new study to find new galaxies, stars, or systems with its deep-space tech.

The Hubble is known for contributing numerous observations and studies in the field, particularly with Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) that signify new galaxies to be forming from distant worlds. Also, it is known for its observation of Jupiter or the gas giant that has shown a lot of different marvels in the past, as well as its many moons.

That being said, the recent problems of the Hubble are a problem for all, as it is an essential and life-giving tech that has kept the scientific and space community filled with knowledge and its observations. NASA is working its best to answer the problems of Hubble, and this only shows the importance of the telescope, despite its age and past breakdowns.

Related Article: NASA Hubble Spots Water Vapor in Jupiter's Europa, But One Detail is Weird for Researchers

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WhatsApp transfer from iPhone to Android is now available for the latest Pixel 6 smartphone from Google, and it is for those that have already received the latest device from the internet company. It is known that before the accessibility feature of Facebook's WhatsApp, it had made it a hard transition from transferring from one device to another.

WhatsApp Transfer: iPhone to Android Pixel

Google has announced that the transfer of WhatsApp chat data and history from iPhone to Pixel is now available, and it is through the built-in features of the social networking application. Google has released this because of the recent Android 12 release that the company has recently made available for the Pixel 6 phones first.

Next in line are the older versions of the Pixel phones, and then other companies like Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Motorola, and more.

WhatsApp has been greatly considered for Google's new smartphone, especially with the Pixel that hails the Android, so that it may transfer its data from the iPhone's iOs.

Read Also: Google Pixel 6 Feature Handles Calls from Call Centers for Less Wait Time

How to Do It

Users need to do it wired, or the old-fashioned way, simply with a USB-C to Lightning cable, something that is standard on iPhone 11 and up. Next, users can scan a QR code from the WhatsApp app of both devices or go to Settings > Chats > Move Chats to Android.

Initially, it is only the iPhone to Samsung Android that is supported here, but the good thing is that Google has added Pixel to this function.

WhatsApp: Is It Still Used?

WhatsApp has been on the edge of the app usage preference of users, and while a lot of individuals and companies are boycotting them, some remain to use the app. It has also rolled out a lot of functions and features over the past month, and most of them are focused on business and personal improvements on the app.

The social networking and instant messaging application of WhatsApp have been involved in different controversies and problems in the past already, making it an app that is avoided by many. ProPublica once shared that WhatsApp moderators can read the chat of its users, while Facebook and its team have denied this allegation.

Nevertheless, WhatsApp is used now for the different purposes of users and remains an application that is intended for its feature, to send and receive messages, among other calling functions.

WhatsApp may be something that has been facing issues of trust and belief, but it remains an app that a lot of Americans use, as well as the entire world.

Related Article: WhatsApp to End Support For Some Devices Starting November 1 | Save Your Chat History Before the Deadline

This article is owned by Tech Times





Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Editor's note: This article has been updated due to human error. Readers called our attention to the story, and now, we have fixed it.

Thank you to the readers who spotted the error. We'll do our best to deliver truthful information.

SpaceX and Boeing were able to develop advanced space capsules, which are currently being used to conduct out-of-these world activities. However, their Starliner and Crew Dragon still have some differences when it comes to technical capabilities.

The first difference they have is the allotted budget for each of the advanced space capsules. Elon Musk's SpaceX Crew Dragon was developed with only a $2.5 billion budget.

Meanwhile, Boeing's Starliner is much more expensive since the giant company used a whopping $4.3 billion budget. On the other hand, a seat on the Starliner also costs more compared to Crew Dragon:

SpaceX Crew Dragon: $55 million per seat

Boeing Starliner: $90 million per seat

This is just one of the differences between SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Boeing's Starliner.

SpaceX Crew Dragon Vs. Boeing Starliner

Inverse's latest report provided the actual differences between SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Boeing's Starliner. Here are their exact features:

Also Read: SpaceX Crew Dragon to Fly Russia's Cosmonauts to ISS-NASA Astronauts to Launch in Russian Spacecraft?

SpaceX Crew Dragon

Capacity: Can carry up to seven passengers

Purpose: Can be used in NASA's space missions

Size: Cone shape, 17 feet tall and just under 15 feet in diameter

Maneuverability: Can be flown manually, as well as fully autonomous. Boasts eight SuperDraco engines

Boeing Starliner

Capacity: Can carry up to seven passengers

Purpose: Can be used in NASA's space missions

Size: More elongated, 26.5 feet tall with a diameter just greater than 13 feet

Maneuverability: Can be flown manually, as well as fully autonomous. Includes four launch abort engines and two sets of manuring thrusters.

As of the moment, both of them are quite active. However, Boeing Starliner recently suffered from a launch delay because of humidity.

In our previous report, SpaceX's Crew Dragon deal with Axiom targets three more fully commercial Crew Dragon missions to the International Space Station (ISS) in early 2022.

SpaceX Fixes Space Toilet

Right now, SpaceX is quite busy when it comes to enhancing its Crew Dragon capsule. However, this rocket is imperfect since several issues need to be solved.

Space.Com recently reported that the giant independent space company has been working on Crew Dragon's toilet since they detected a leak. Although this seems like a little problem, it could still affect the performance of the spacecraft. You can click this link to see more details.

For more news updates about Crew Dragon and Starliner, as well as other new space capsules, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: NASA Hubble Space Telescope Experiences Problems, Now Remains in Safe Mode; Team Works on Fix

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Apple is involved in another lawsuit filed by some university students in China. According to the Chinese complainants, the Cupertino giant has sold an iPhone without a charger.

Apple Excluding Charger Lawsuit

According to a report by Vice, the Chinese students have filed a lawsuit against the iPhone maker after discovering that the product did not include a phone charger with an iPhone 12 Pro Max model.

In addition, the plaintiffs believed that there was a USB-C Lightning cable included in the package. However, they said that it was incompatible with some Apple chargers that are available. One student was able to test the charging capability of the adapter, which led to the said conclusion.

Furthermore, the complainants also claimed about the waste reduction tactics of the iPad maker. According to the students, the company was only making that an excuse for promoting the MagSafe wireless charging feature.

As for their part, the tech giant is only wasting more energy by sticking to the said technology. Additionally, they wanted the company to give them the power adapters aside from complying with the legal fee payments that could reach $16 or 100 yuan.

Read Also: Apple Almost Considered Removing Facebook, Instagram? New Leaked Documents Reveal FB Possibly Allows Maid Trades

Apple's Chargers Are Really Sold Separately

The tech titan said that the company has been implementing the charger-less selling of their smartphones as what it stated to the Beijing virtual court. The government considered this practice as a violation, Engadget reported.

Regarding the lawsuit involving excluded chargers, the students clarified that there are China-based phone makers that stick with the no-charger policy. The case with Xiaomi allows the selling of the Mi 11 model even without the power adapter.

At the moment, the lawsuit continues, and there's no decision whether Apple would pay for the alleged punishment. On the other side, it could prompt Apple to add the charger during the checkout.

Apple Hits Taiwan With iPhone Charger Exclusion

Last month, the consumer foundation of Taiwan criticized Apple for excluding the charging adapters on their iPhones.

According to the group, the company's excuse about environmental protection was not enough to violate consumer rights. The organization added that chargers remain an important accessory to a smartphone.

At the time when Apple announced its motive to reduce electronic waste, prominent leaker Ming-Chi Kuo said that there would be no free charger or Earpods on the box upon its official release.

Since Apple chose not to include the charger or even the cable, the smartphone could be rendered useless for the consumers. They could not normally utilize the gadget like in situations when they want to turn on or off the device.

In the past, Brazil sued Apple for a similar reason. France, on the other hand, France submitted a lawsuit against the company after finding out that there was no extra accessory to the iPhone 12.

Related Article: Brazil Issues $2M Fine to Apple for Not Including Chargers, Tech Giant Faces Lawsuit in Quebec

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Written by Joseph Henry

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Ascension Parish School Board joined its statewide counterpart in leaving the National School Boards Association after the group asked for federal help in dealing with what it called "the growing number of threats of violence and acts of intimidation occurring across the nation" against local K-12 officials over COVID-19 precautions.

National school boards group apologizes for letter that sparked backlash in Louisiana In an about face, the National School Boards Association has backed off its claim that actions by local school board activists amount to "dome

NSBA apologized last week for its Sept. 29 letter asking President Biden to get the U.S. Department of Justice, FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other agencies to address "acts of malice, violence and threats" against public school officials that could be classified as "equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes."

In its apology, the national group said: "To be clear, the safety of school board members, other school officials and educators, and students is our top priority, and there remains important work to be done on this issue. However, there was no justification for some of the language included in the letter. We should have had a better process in place to allow for consultation on a communication of this significance."

Amid controversy, Louisiana school boards group withdraws from national affiliate The Louisiana School Boards Association is dropping out of the National School Boards Association after officials of the umbrella group asked 

The Louisiana School Boards Association voted on Oct. 15 to withdraw from NSBA after the national organization's request for federal intervention.

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On Tuesday, the Ascension Parish School Board unanimously approved  without comment by board members  a resolution supporting the Louisiana School Boards Association's withdrawal.

The vote means the Ascension School Board will suspend financial and other support to the NSBA, including travel to any event hosted, supported or endorsed by the organization.

Ascension Parish resident Brandon Gomez voiced support for the resolution ahead of the vote Tuesday.

"Local school boards should make local decisions," he said.

"We pay y'all, y'all serve us," Gomez said. "We should always be the first to be considered and the last to be left out."
Three inmates were stabbed at a jail run by a private prison company because staff were deliberately indifferent to their safety, a new lawsuit claims.

Attorneys with the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center and Casey Denson Law say inmates at the Madison Parish Correctional Center in Tallulah were able to attack each other repeatedly over the span of five months. They blame a lack of oversight in the prison, which is managed by North Louisiana-based LaSalle Management Company.

Beginning in 2014, the Madison Parish Sheriff contracted with LaSalle to run the facility  one of several local jails across the state run by the company. The jail also houses sentenced prisoners with the Department of Corrections. Both pretrial and sentenced inmates from across the state are held at LaSalle.

Baton Rouge inmate awaiting trial dies of asthma at Tallulah jail, lawsuit says A lawsuit alleges a Baton Rouge man died from an asthma attack awaiting trial on an attempted murder charge after corrections staff ignored hi

When inmates James Murray, Latavius Paschal and Antoine Henderson arrived at the jail to await trial, the lawsuit says they were housed with belligerent DOC inmates as well as pretrial detainees with track records of attacking newcomers.

Murray, of southwest Louisiana, was stabbed first, following "increasing tensions, attacks, and stabbings" in a unit housing both pretrial detainees and DOC inmates, the lawsuit says. No guard ran to his aid, and he was later taken to the hospital for fear he had a punctured lung.

The inmates held responsible for the stabbing "were known to present a serious risk of harm to other prisoners and detainees," the lawsuit says, but they were still housed with people awaiting trial.

Even when the jail reassigned inmates to a single unit called "J-Dorm," making it pretrial only, there were still problems, according to the complaint.

The jail "held every pre-trial detainee at MPCC on one dorm without regard to age, behavioral history, custody needs, pending charge, enemies, or any special needs," the lawsuit says. "In the complete absence of any classification system for pre-trial detainees, J-Dorm became an increasingly violent unit."

A group of 12 Tallulah inmates housed in J-Dorm regularly attacked those not from the area, according to the complaint.

Several of these inmates "openly beat" Murray and stole his possessions after his first attack.

Paschal, of Union Parish, was stabbed repeatedly with a knife, slipped in his own blood and fell to the floor, where several Tallulah inmates continued to stab him, the lawsuit says.

Henderson, of St. John the Baptist Parish, had to bang on the dorm door for 15 minutes until a guard responded after he was attacked by several of the Tallulah inmates. The second time they attacked him, he was stabbed despite trying to flee the dorm.

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As pretrial detainees, the three men were accused of the following crimes: Murray of simple burglary, Henderson of armed robbery and first-degree murder, and Paschal of aggravated assault.

The attorneys claim LaSalle staff, at various times, were slow to respond to attacks, failed to write incident reports after altercations, bullied the inmates targeted and spent little time in violent dorms monitoring the inmates.

All three men were sent to lockdown after their attacks, where they were not given the chance to exercise and artificial lights remained on 24 hours a day. Despite these conditions, the complaint says the inmates asked to be placed there to avoid J-Dorm.

DOC secretary Jimmy LeBlanc, Madison Parish Sheriff Sammie Byrd and LaSalle Management are named as defendants in the lawsuit, along with more than 10 other employees at the jail.

+2 As fewer inmates fill Louisiana jails, wardens turn to immigration officials to fill bunks, budgets A steadily declining number of state inmates over the past two years has helped Louisiana lose its unwanted status as the nations incarcerati

Secretary LeBlanc, Sheriff Byrd, and all of the LaSalle employees were deliberately indifferent to the people in their care," said Elizabeth Cumming, attorney at the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center. "They knew that the conditions they created at MPCC were fatally dangerous, but they failed to correct that danger and Mr. Paschal, Mr. Henderson and Mr. Murray were seriously injured as a result.

Scott Sutterfield, a spokesperson for LaSalle, declined to comment on pending litigation. However, he said the company "is firmly committed to the health and welfare of those in our care."

DOC spokesperson Ken Pastorick also declined to comment while the lawsuit remains open. Sheriff Byrd did not respond to a request for comment.

The inmates were attacked after four different stabbings were reported in January and May of 2020, the lawsuit says. Pretrial detainees and DOC inmates were housed in the same unit.

Between September 2020 and October 2020, three inmates died; one from complications after a fight, another from multiple stab wounds to the chest and the last from an undetermined cause.

Even though the State knows that LaSalle creates conditions that cause people to get hurt and die in prisons it operates, the State has abandoned over a quarter of the people in its custody to these dangerous facilities without oversight, Cumming said.

The attorneys argue the inmates' rights to due process and equal protection were violated, among other grievances.
In an about face, the National School Boards Association has backed off its claim that actions by local school board activists amount to "domestic terrorism," which prompted Louisiana officials to end their affiliation with the national group.

The original letter, which was sent to President Joseph Biden, sparked controversy nationwide and led to a number of states ending their affiliation with the NSBA.

Leaders of the Alexandria, Va.-based group labeled actions at local school boards by critics of face masks and other issues "heinous" and comparable "to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes."

The turnaround appeared Oct. 22 in a memorandum from the NSBA's board of directors.

+7 After maskless protesters derail meeting on masks in schools, mandate will remain in Louisiana A rowdy, chaotic meeting of Louisiana's top school board ended abruptly Wednesday when opponents of face masks for public school students refu

"On behalf of the NSBA , we regret and apologize for the letter," according to the memo addressed to members of the group.

"To be clear, the safety of school board members, other public officials and educators and students is our top priority and there remains important work to be done on this issue."

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"However, there was no justification for some of the language included in the letter," leaders of the national group wrote.

"We should have had a better process in place to allow for consultation on a communication of this significance."

Leaders of the Louisiana School Boards Association, in announcing their severing of ties with the national organization, said they were not consulted about the original letter, disagreed with the request and said it would discourage citizen participation in meetings.

Others accused the NSBA of trying to stifle criticism of how the nation's racial history is taught in classrooms and school admission policies.

Despite the turnaround federal action on the issue is already in motion.

U. S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has directed the U. S. Department of Justice and FBI to meet with state and local law enforcement leaders to address "threats" against school board members and others.

"
A federal judge sentenced a Livingston Parish couple to a year of probation each for selling vulnerable Louisiana turtles to an undercover agent who was investigating them as part of a multi-agency sting operation.

Judge Wendy B. Vitter of the U.S. Eastern District of Louisiana on Tuesday handed down the sentences for Maurepas residents Vincent Felix Rivere, 48, and Megan Lynn Shoemaker, 36. The couple pleaded guilty to selling Louisiana box turtles in 2017.

State law prohibits the trade of box turtles, and of the creatures' eggs or parts  and forbids people from taking wild box turtles for commercial purposes.

Besides state laws, Rivere and Shoemaker admitted to violating the Lacey Act, a federal law which forbids trading wildlife that has been illegally captured, possessed, bought or sold, according to court documents.

Working with a special agent from the federal Department of Homeland Security, an undercover U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent bought 29 box turtles from the couple in an Office Depot parking lot in Covington in 2017  part of a sting operation that relied on cooperation from a third would-be box turtle seller who became an informant, court records show.

Identified in court documents only as "B.P.," the informant had testified earlier that they worked with Rivere and Shoemaker to ship box turtles to buyers in New Jersey despite knowing that was illegal.

The Fish and Wildlife agent then organized the sale with the couple by text message, agreeing to pay them $680 for 29 animals, the district attorney's office said.

After the agents arrived to meet them in the Office Depot lot, Rivere and Shoemaker started taking sacks of Louisiana common box turtles from the trunk of Rivere's car. The undercover agent handed Rivere $680 cash, and in exchange received 29 box turtles.

The couple left in their car, according to a statement signed by Rivere, and were arrested in a traffic stop soon after.

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Couple charged with illegally selling Louisiana box turtles A former Louisiana couple has been charged with violating federal and state law by illegally selling in Louisiana box turtles, according to U.

Prior to pleading guilty, they faced a maximum penalty of five years' prison time, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.

Characterized by their domed shells, box turtles live in an array of habitats, including prairies and woodlands, throughout the eastern half of the U.S. and the Gulf Coast.

The species is not considered endangered on a national level. But Michigan, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut classify box turtles as a species of special concern, and Maine lists it as endangered.

Habitat loss, vehicle strikes, and collection for the pet trade have contributed to the box turtles decline, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

Large numbers of box turtles were captured and exported from the U.S. during the 1990s. Louisiana began restricting sales and capture in 1996.

Box turtles are currently considered a restricted harvest species in the state. A license allows limited capture and possession, but sales are prohibited.

Staff writer Tristan Baurick contributed to this report.
With severe weather forecast for the Baton Rouge area, some local schools and government agencies have announced closures.

The East Baton Rouge Parish public school system said it was not dismissing early, but it was canceling afterschool activities. Many other schools, including Iberville Parish and Tangipahoa public schools, did the same.

Here's the latest. This list will be updated as more are announced.

South Louisiana under severe weather threat; strong wind gusts, tornadoes possible, NWS says Much of southern Louisiana faces the threat of severe thunderstorms with potentially damaging winds and tornadoes Wednesday afternoon, forecas

Schools

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LSU will close at 3 p.m. All classes and activities scheduled for after that will be canceled.

Southern University's Baton Rouge campuses will close at 2 p.m.

Public schools in Zachary are closing early. Click here to see the schedule.

St. Helena public schools will close at 12:30 p.m.

Assumption Parish public schools will close at 12:00 p.m.

Iberville Parish Schools will close early; Head Start students will dismiss at 11:45, high school students will dismiss at 12:50 p.m. and elementary students will be dismissed at 1:30 p.m.

East Feliciana public schools will dismiss at 1:00 p.m.

Impact Charter School will dismiss at 1:00 p.m.

IDEA Bridge and IDEA Innovation charter schools will close early, starting at 1 p.m.

Slaughter Community Charter School is closing at 1 p.m. today and canceling afterschool activities

Catholic High in Baton Rouge is closing at 1:27 p.m. today.

Parkview Baptist is closing at 1:30 p.m. today.

Our Lady of Mercy will close at 1 p.m.

St. Aloysius Catholic School will close at 12:30 p.m.

St. James Episcopal Day School will dismiss at 1:45 p.m.

Silliman Institute will close at 1:00 p.m.

False River Academy will close at 12:30 p.m.

Trinity Episcopal Day School will close at 12:45 p.m.

Greater Baton Rouge Hope Academy will close at 1 p.m.

Helix Community Schools' three charter schools will close at 2 p.m. today.

Louisiana Key Academy will close at 1:30 p.m.

Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic School will close at 2 p.m.

Central Private School will close at 1 p.m.

Cristo Rey Baton Rouge Franciscan High School is closing at 2 p.m.

Iberville Charter Academy

The Dunham School is closing at 2:15.

Southern University Lab School will close at 1:30 p.m.

Kenilworth Science and Technology Charter School is closing at 1 p.m.

Government agencies

East Baton Rouge Parish buildings, including City Hall and all community centers will be closed at 2:30 p.m. The metro council meeting scheduled for 4 p.m. will be postponed to Nov. 4.

FEMA disaster recovery centers in Gonzales and Springfield are closing at 1 p.m.

St. Helena Police Jury offices will close at 12 p.m.

If your school or organization has a closure to announce, email newstips@theadvocate.com
Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission
Letters: Reject Amendment No. 2, it's not real reform and only helps the wealthy
A woman is seeking $US5 million ($6.7 million) from Kellogg, accusing the popular cereal maker of misleading customers into thinking its strawberry Pop-Tarts contain more strawberries than they actually do.

Its among a wave of lawsuits alleging Big Food is labelling its products in ways that make them seem healthier than they are, as consumers show greater interest in knowing where their food comes from and how it is made.

The suit, filed on October 19 in the Southern District of New York, is the latest in a series of class-action suits against Kellogg Sales for variations of the same allegation, namely that it misrepresents the ingredients of Strawberry Pop-Tarts in marketing and packaging to sell them at a premium price.

Kelloggs strawberry Pop-Tarts contain more pears and apples than strawberries and the red colour comes from paprika extract, the lawsuit claims.

The products common or usual name of Whole Grain Frosted Strawberry Toaster Pastries, is false, deceptive, and misleading because it contains mostly non-strawberry fruit ingredients, the suit alleges.
ANTLERS 

MA, 100 minutes

Trauma has become a cliche of American cinema, horror in particular. But it could hardly be said the theme has gone out of date. Scott Coopers murky but interesting Antlers gives us a double dose, starting with the heroine Julia (Keri Russell) a schoolteacher who has recently returned from California to the Oregon mining town she fled long ago.

Paul (Jesse Plemons), the brother she left behind, has become the local sheriff, maintaining in his abashed way that no one else much wanted the job. With the pair once more living side by side in the house where they grew up, its as if nothing has changed since childhood, despite the death of their monstrous dad (Andy Thompson).

Keri Russell and Jeremy T. Thomas have plenty to be concerned about in Antlers.

The town itself seems stuck in time, though its also in a state of visible decay. Coal remains the main industry, with the winding back of environmental regulations announced on a radio that broadcasts nothing but bad news. But the meth and opioid trades are also flourishing; even Paul is hooked on pills of some sort, though Cooper lets us observe this for ourselves rather than making it a major dramatic issue.
Melbournes roads are expected to be jammed with traffic today because of the nationwide 24-hour strike by 60,000 railwaymen.

First published in The Age on October 28, 1968

Parking space in the city and seats in trams, buses and taxis will be hard to get.

About 250,000 suburban travellers will have to find alternative transport or stay at home.

Another 12,000 country and interstate train passengers in Victoria will also be affected by the strike, which began at midnight.

Leaders of the two big railway unions, the ARU and the AFULE, said last night the strike would go on as planned, but the men had been told to resume work at midnight tonight.

The unions are defying a no-strike order issued by the Commonwealth Industrial Court in a special sitting on Saturday.
While overseas travel has never really been a relaxing endeavour, its about to get a whole lot more stressful when international travel resumes.

I recently travelled to the US and UK for business and it was not easy. Gone are the days when keeping track of which pocket your passport is in and making sure youre on top of gate changes is the biggest stressor. Im not sure were ready for the anxiety-inducing hoops we all have to jump through before boarding an international flight.

Major travel restrictions are set to be lifted in Australia. Credit:iStock

From November 1, fully vaccinated Australians will no longer require an exemption, or have to apply to the Home Affairs department to leave the country, as major travel restrictions are lifted for the first time in some 18 months.

But the fact that its now easier to leave the country and we dont have to hotel quarantine when we get home is just one less stress.
Living in a local government area of concern at the height of lockdown didnt just mean a ban from the beach and a higher chance of catching COVID-19 - residents of those 12 council areas were also more likely to be fined for breaching the public health order.

New data released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research shows that 37.2 per cent of enforcement of Operation Stay at Home across July and August took place in the local government areas the government had deemed of concern - largely in Sydneys west and south-west.

NSW Police enforcing the public health order in August. Credit:Renee Nowytarger

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research director Dr Jackie Fitzgerald stressed that the COVID-19 breaches were relative to the rates of infection in the LGAs of concern.

These suburbs had 78 per cent of the COVID-19 cases and 37 per cent of the breaches.
Queensland taxpayers will be on the hook for any outstanding debt amassed by the 2032 Olympic Games organising committee, under new laws introduced to State Parliament.

The board of at least 20 directors charged with steering the organising body will also have a permanent seat carved out for outgoing Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates, beyond his departure from the role next year.

Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Brisbane lord mayor Adrian Schrinner and federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck celebrate the announcement of the 2032 Olympics. Credit:Getty

Responsible for the organisation, promotion and financial management of the events, the Brisbane Organising Committee for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be set up as a statutory corporation.

Like the body responsible for organising the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, the Brisbane committee will be exempt from the right-to-information scheme, with the sensitive nature of its work cited as justification.
The judge who will hear the legal challenge to Victorias COVID-19 vaccine mandate has dismissed a call for her to excuse herself from the case after lawyers representing about 130 plaintiffs raised questions over a perception of bias.

Workers including nurses, other healthcare professionals, teachers and emergency services responders have accused Victorias Chief Health Officer, Brett Sutton, and his colleagues of breaching the states Human Rights Charter by imposing vaccine mandates over several industries, in what is in effect a no jab, no work policy.

Simon Harding is the lead plaintiff in the challenge against mandatory vaccinations in Victoria. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Lawyers say some members of the group have already lost their jobs under the mandate, which required authorised workers to prove theyd had their first COVID-19 vaccination by October 15 and will have a second by November 26. The group wants the legal challenge heard in the Supreme Court as soon as possible.

But in a directions hearing on Wednesday, barrister Marcus Clarke, QC, for the plaintiffs, called on Justice Melinda Richards to excuse herself from overseeing the trial.
Australias new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines would preferably be based on an existing design, Defence officials have revealed, as part of a plan to get the boats in the water before 2040 to avoid a massive gap in the nations maritime defences.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced last month it was dumping a $90 billion agreement with France to build conventionally powered submarines and would instead develop a nuclear-powered fleet with Britain and the United States under a new defence pact called AUKUS.

The Australian submarines may be based on Britains Astute class vessels. Credit:Royal Navy

The move has led to concerns there will be a significant capability gap, with the first of the existing Collins-class submarines scheduled to go out of service from 2038 and the nuclear-propelled submarines potentially not coming on line until the 2040s.

Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mike Noonan, recently revealed that the six Collins-class submarines, which were built in the 1990s, might need to undergo two complete rebuilds over coming decades to keep them in operation if the nuclear boats were not ready by 2040.
For a political party whose right-wing faction wore as a badge of honour its willingness to bludgeon past leaders who showed any sign of enthusiasm for reducing carbon emissions, changing course was never going to be easy. But with the winds of change turning gale force, Prime Minister Scott Morrison knew he had to act.

The most pragmatic of politicians, Mr Morrison well understood that without a veneer of climate credibility, he was going to become a pariah on the world stage and, with an election looming, be on the wrong side of growing support for action from the public and businesses.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces on Tuesday his new plan to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

But navigating the treacherous internal forces within the Prime Ministers own party, let alone those within the Nationals, was a gamble that could have gone terribly wrong. To his credit, he cajoled his colleagues into supporting a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 without the train-wreck outcome of previous attempts.

Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce may be behaving like a hostile hostage when expounding the new policy, but for those MPs who have spent more than a decade using climate scepticism to incite political fear and loathing, it must be a tough ask to back it with a straight face. But that they must, and that is the policys most potent feature. The days of Coalition MPs being given free rein to cast doubt over the science of climate change, let alone walk into the Parliament with a piece of coal, have come to an end.
Myanmars ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi has denied a charge of incitement to cause public alarm, media reported on Tuesday, in her first court testimony since a February coup plunged the country into chaos and ended a decade of democratic reform.

Citing lawyers, BBC Burmese and Myanmar Now reported that Suu Kyi had denied incitement in connection with her party publishing a letter in February calling on international organisations not to cooperate with the junta.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the reports.

Myanmars ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, pictured in December 2019, is on trial. Credit:AP

Myanmars state media has not reported developments in Suu Kyis multiple legal cases, and one of the only sources of public information on her trial  her lawyer, Khin Maung Zaw - received a gagging order from the military authorities earlier this month.
Two questions are almost inevitable when discussing the 1973 horror film Theatre of Blood.

Tell someone not previously informed about the Vincent Price vehicle, in which an old school classical actor systematically kills critics according to templates found in Shakespeare plays, and they'll incredulously reply, "Is that really a movie?"

Talk about Theatre of Blood with anyone in the theater community who has seen the movie, and they'll ask, "Shouldn't it be adapted for the stage?"

The answer to both questions is ""Yes," with the second answer featuring the addendum, "It already has been, at the National Theatre in London, in 2005."

Elaborating on the questions in order, Theatre of Blood was one of the last films of Vincent Price's horror career, which spanned the late 1950s to the early 1970s. Price was an icon of that genre, mentioned in the same breath as Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Christopher Lee by aficionados. But unlike the best-known work of his peers, Price's films  despite their promotional build up  were often as not rather tame and could easily slip into comedy. Budgets were frequently, to put it kindly, limited.

The erudite, subtly campy Price, recently lauded for his anti-racist activism in a much earlier era, always seemed to be playing variations on a single character who, based on talk show appearances, was much like Price himself, except that in real life Price was, by all accounts, a benevolent raconteur and cultural connoisseur.

The premise of Theatre of Blood is practically its entire synopsis, with out-of-date Shakespearean trouper Edward Lionheart (think a somewhat less decrepit Albert Finney in The Dresser) returning from the dead to systematically eliminate his elitist detractors. Save for a few brief graphic moments, it's not really very scary at all and those with a taste for dark humor (and Shakespeare, of course Shakespeare) might well laugh aloud at the Grand Guignol-evoking deaths. Genre fans may sense deja vu with Blood, since it followed The Abominable Dr. Phibes, in which Price's titular character dispatched victims in the style of the ten biblical plagues.

For theatre folk, almost 50 years after its release the film exerts a certain hold, not least for its wish fulfillment of many artists in seeing critics offed  not that such extreme measures should ever be considered in real life. But Theatre of Blood also offers glimpses of some of England's great character actors of the era, including Robert Morley, Michael Hordern, Robert Coote, and Coral Browne (who subsequently became Price's third wife), as well as an early career Diana Rigg, in a role that, to describe it, would be a spoiler in and of itself.

Theatre of Blood (2005) from Improbable on Vimeo.

Years later, the British company Improbable translated Theatre of Blood to the stage at the National, with Jim Broadbent as Lionheart and Rachael Stirling, Rigg's daughter, taking on the role her mother played on screen. While the first act hews closely to the film, the action is all limited to the confines of a decrepit auditorium.

It is in the second act where the adaptation, created by Lee Simpson and Phelim McDermott, becomes something wholly its own, leaning into the theatrical themes, including discussions of acting and criticism, the nature and changing styles of theater, government funding and institutional theater, and in a very specific inside joke, whether or not the riverside National (under construction in 1973, when the play and film are set) is such a good idea.

The murders as depicted in the play are simultaneously more graphic and outlandish, with Lionheart shown to be a genuinely bad actor, as opposed to one out of step with the times, and the overall production (available to watch on Vimeo) seems to blend the original film with echoes of both Sweeney Todd and Clue. Even seen at the remove of a rudimentary recording, the National's production  the only major incarnation to date  seems a tricked-out treat,

The Simpson-McDermott stage version of Theatre of Blood takes what was a clever film idea executed with perhaps less style than it deserved and adds depth of both intellect and character with which the film was largely unconcerned. That it retains the film's antiquated vision of gay characters (softened at the National by the presence of legendary gay rights activist and artist Bette Bourne as a flamboyant critic) and gives brief voice to an ugly racial stereotype are unfortunate distractions which briefly ground what should be a souffle  or at least a pie by way of Titus Andronicus.

Replete with inside jokes about life on the stage, there is no question that the Simpson-McDermott Theatre of Blood belongs on any list of plays about the theatre, alongside everything from The Entertainer to The Drowsy Chaperone, to name but two. The adaptation deserves another look, especially during the current "spooky season," as retailers now brand October when they're not pushing pumpkin spice.

After going from movie to play, we all know what should be next for Theatre of Blood. Make room, Carrie, Audrey II, and Toxie: Edward Lionheart is overdue for his 11 o'clock number, and we all know what happened to those who keep him from his audiences.

Watch the film Theatre of Blood below:
The meeting of two pungent flavors raises the question of which one will win out: Takis Fuego stuffed with blue cheese  which taste lingers in your mouth the longest? Theatrically, this is the experiment posed by the Wooster Group's staging of Bertolt Brecht's The Mother, now making its New York debut at the Performing Garage following a world premiere in Vienna.

This is the group's first time tackling a work by the 20th-century German playwright, whose Epic Theater, and specifically his Lehrstucke (or learning plays), boldly defy the conventions of drama as laid out by Aristotle. Brecht went several steps further than even George Bernard Shaw in his quest to educate audiences and win them over to his brand of leftist politics. But the Wooster Group has been in business longer than Brecht was around to write plays, and its influence on stagecraft has been immense: It was the first major experimental troupe to embrace the use of video screens (now ubiquitous on and off-Broadway) and vocal amplification. Like Brecht, the Wooster Group is happy to draw attention to the artificiality of the theater, and to draw back the curtain on its creative process. But the similarities end there, as demonstrated by this formally bold yet thematically malnourished production.

Erin Mullin and Kate Valk appear in the Wooster Group's production of The Mother.

( Nurith Wagner-Strauss/Wiener Festwochen)

Literal malnourishment is the driving force behind The Mother, Brecht's final play to be produced in Berlin before the Nazi rise to power. Set in pre-revolutionary Russia, it tells the story of Pelagea Vlasov (Kate Valk), an illiterate Russian widow and mother of a worker (Gareth Hobbs). She wants to feed her son, but the soup she makes is awfully thin due to his recent wage cuts at the Suklinov factory. She worries that her son has fallen in with a bad crowd of radicals (Ari Fliakos and Erin Mullin), so she volunteers to hand out communist leaflets in his stead, lest his slashed wages turn into no wages. But her experience of the heavy-handed tactics of the capitalists draws her further into the movement, until she becomes a matriarch of the revolution.

As if caught in a red flash flood, director Elizabeth LeCompte clings to formal digression like a life raft. The play debuted in 1932, at the advent of film noir (but before the Hays Code), and LeCompte seems most interested in these dark classic films (she admits as much in a program note). Tver is absolutely crawling with wise guys in LeCompte's rendition. Valk performs with the stilted gestures and vocal inflections of an acting style long gone to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, and Ari Fliakos shows off his spot-on screen gangster diction, which seems transported from another era under amplification (pristine yet disorienting sound design by Eric Sluyter). This approach might enhance a production of Arturo Ui, but one fails to see what it has to do with industrial action in pre-revolutionary Russia.

Gareth Hobbs plays Pelagea's son Pavel in The Mother.

( Nurith Wagner-Strauss/Wiener Festwochen)

Amir ElSaffar's original music is unlikely to lead anyone out of the garage humming for revolution, its dissonant melodies and ever-changing rhythms being far too complex to support a march. Irfan Brkovic's animated video design is the one constant reminder of the industrial context of Brecht's play, showing a dark skyline of smokestacks. Unfortunately, its cartoonish quality only adds to the quaintness of the antique Marxism on display here  almost like Hadestown.

For Wooster groupies, there are some old hits: A screen hanging over the audience (but facing the stage) runs barely visible black-and-white movies; exotic light fixtures hang from a line, never to be illuminated or referenced by the actors; a long table separates the stage from the audience, allowing Jim Fletcher (playing both "Teacher" and "Fyodor the Teacher") to step out of the action and lecture the audience on its context. Brecht would have probably enjoyed this last element, an alienation tactic perfectly in line with his anti-Aristotelean tastes  but I suspect he would have dismissed the rest as bourgeois decadence.

Jim Fletcher, Kate Valk, Ari Fliakos, and Erin Mullin star in The Mother at the Performing Garage.

( Nurith Wagner-Strauss/Wiener Festwochen)

It is easy to imagine how The Mother might have been updated to speak directly to 2021: It's about an average middle-aged woman radicalized by historical events and personally witnessed injustice, a relatable story following the Trump era and the Covid pandemic. It shows how the goals of labor sometimes clash with environmental imperatives, especially when the elite insist on passing along the cost to poor people (Suklinov promises to drain a nearby swamp in exchange for a pay cut from his workers, an echo of today's surcharges on small plastic items of all kinds). It also shows how the target of progressive fury is regularly the lowest representative of the middle class, rather than the actual rich, as shown when Pelagea reduces a shopkeeper to tears for failing to give away her merchandise (a scene excised from this production). At every turn, the Wooster Group declines to pursue this revitalizing approach, settling instead for its old bag of tricks.

This will come as a relief to anyone averse to Brecht's militant form of Marxism, which will surely include many representatives of charitable trusts founded on dubious fortunes. Those corporate not-for-profits will be happy to keep doling out grants to one of New York's most enduring downtown companies, now nearly half a century old. This is one of the rare cases in which a dead playwright is edgier than the living experimental theater staging his work. But when it comes to the collision of two distinct voices in the theater, always bet on the one that can still speak.
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A member of Iraqi security forces is seen after an attack by ISIS terrorists near Muqdadiya, Iraq, on Oct. 27, 2021. (Stringer/Reuters)

11 Iraqi Civilians Killed in ISIS Attack on Baghdad Village

The ISIS terrorist group on Oct. 26 killed at least 11 civilians and injured a number of others in a village northeast of Baghdad in eastern Iraq, security officials in the country said.

Tuesdays attack targeted defenseless civilians in the village of Al-Hawasha, near the town of Muqdadiya, Iraqs Joint Operations Command said in a statement, noting that six people were wounded.

Iraqi officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity told The Associated Press that the terrorists used machine guns in the attack. They also confirmed that all the dead and wounded were civilians.

The two officials said that the details of the attack were not immediately clear, but they obtained information that members of the designated terrorist organization kidnapped two villagers earlier and then raided the village later when their demands for ransom were not met.

Military vehicles of Iraqi security forces are seen after an attack by ISIS terrorists near Muqdadiya, Iraq, on Oct. 27, 2021. (Stringer/Reuters)

Iraqi President Barham Salih said in a statement on Twitter that the attack is an attempt to destabilize Iraq as he wished for a speedy recovery for everyone involved.

The cowardly terrorist attack against our people in Diyala is a despicable attempt to destabilize the country, Salih said. It is a reminder of the need to unite the ranks, support our security services, close loopholes, and not underestimate the threat of ISIS and the importance of continuing the national effort to end its remnants in all the region.

Attacks targeting civilians have become rare in Iraq since ISIS was largely defeated in the country in 2017, although it remains active through sleeper cells in many areas.

The defeat of ISIS in Iraq was accelerated under the Trump administration, which removed red tape from the battlefield and established a clear mission to kill terrorists.

President Donald Trump speaks with Iraqi President Barham Salih during a bilateral meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 22, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Members from the Sunni Muslim terrorist group still conduct operations in Iraq, which often targets security forces, power stations, and other infrastructure.

A roadside bomb attack targeted a Baghdad suburb in July, killing at least 30 people and wounding dozens of others at a crowded market. In January, twin suicide bombings ripped through a busy market in the Iraqi capital, killing at least 32 people and wounding dozens. Iraqi officials blamed ISIS for those attacks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News
3 Generations of an Arizona Family Beat the Odds Sharing the Same Birthday

Upon learning that her daughter-in-law was pregnant, an Arizona woman had a strong intuition that the baby would be born on her birthday. A birthday that she already shares with her 95-year-old mother.

And, she was right.

Great-grandmother Gail Loos-Ross, 60-year-old grandmother Shelley Loos Parkhurst, and baby Birdie Eve Mendoza Parkhurst were born on Sept. 12 in 1926, 1961, and 2021 respectively.

Shelley with her mother, Gail, and granddaughter Birdie. (Courtesy of Shelley Loos Parkhurst)

The family, who currently lives in Laveen in Phoenix, Arizona, was tickled pink by the amazing coincidence. Birdies mother, 21-year-old Marissa Mendoza, gave birth 12 days ahead of her due date at Banner Estrella Hospital in Glendale, after being monitored for two months prior for a blood-clotting problem. She had to get a blood transfusion because her platelets were low.

She ended up going [to the hospital at] about 1 p.m. on Sept 11, Shelley explained to The Epoch Times. She was there for hours and was 4 centimeters dilated.

After speaking to her son, Nicholas, on Sept. 12, Shelley became aware that Marissas condition was still the same and nothing had changed all day.

They broke her water, Shelley said. I asked my son how she was doing; the next picture I got was the baby!

Marissa with her husband, Nicholas. (Courtesy of Shelley Loos Parkhurst)

Shelley claims she had known she would share a birthday with her granddaughter since learning her due date was in September. The first thing I said is, Shes going to be born on my birthday,' she recalled.

Nicholas was incredulous, but his mother insisted that she was right.

Marissa at the hospital. (Courtesy of Shelley Loos Parkhurst)

It seems that strong intuitions run in the family; six decades ago, Gail knew that she would share her birthday with Shelley.

She just had a feeling that day, Shelley said.

She said she was canning vegetables and my sister, whos nine years older than me, came home from school, she added, referring to the day her mothers contractions began, on Sept. 11.

The whole evening went by and the next morning, Gail was taken to the hospital and Shelley was born.

Her birth certificate doesnt include a time or date, but Gail insists her daughter was born at the change of shift on Sept. 12. Thats between 6.30 and 7 a.m., Shelley explained, because she was a nurse at the hospital where I was born.

Marissa with her husband, Nicholas, and baby, Birdie. (Courtesy of Shelley Loos Parkhurst)

Now years later, great-grandmother Gail is delighted to learn that a third family member is also born on the same day.

She didnt know until the next morning when she got up, Shelley regaled. I said, Mom, guess what? [Birdie] was born on our birthday! She clapped her hands, shes so happy.

The family has been enjoying their time with baby Birdie since she came home, as the hospital prohibited them from visiting Birdie, Marissa, and Nicholas due to Covid-19 restrictions. Shelley marvels at how beautiful Birdie is and how she looks like her mother, Marissa, and shes already dreaming up ways to celebrate the triple birthday in the future.

Birdie with her parents and grandmother. (Courtesy of Shelley Loos Parkhurst)

Born at 5 pounds 13 ounces (2.6 kg), Birdie is growing fast. Shes got a lot of love, said Shelley. Yet, as milestones come and go, the miracle of Birdies birth date doesnt lose its sparkle.

According to Shelley, people have reacted excitedly after hearing the special birthday coincidence. Those who havent been in touch with Shelley for years also contacted her.

People will say, Oh, I saw that on the news, thats so cool,' Shelley shared. It makes your heart really warm that people really care, because it is a unique thing.

It doesnt happen often  its a babys miracle.

Baby Birdie with great-grandmother Gail. (Courtesy of Shelley Loos Parkhurst)

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
Attorney General Merrick Garland gives an opening statement during a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing of the Department of Justice at Capitol Hill in Washington on Oct. 21, 2021. (Greg Nash/Pool via Reuters)

AG Garland Defends Memo Targeting Parents After NSBA Letter Is Withdrawn

Parents group fires back, says DOJ memo designed to suppress dissenting parents

Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Oct. 27 that it was appropriate for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to send a memo to school boards despite a National School Boards Association (NSBA) decision to withdraw its letter comparing parent protesters to domestic terrorists.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Garland attempted to distance the DOJs memo from the NSBA letter.

All it asks is for federal law enforcement to consult with, meet with local law enforcement to assess the circumstances, strategize about what may or may not be necessary to provide federal assistance, if it is necessary, Garland said, in response to questioning from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).

The memo, he said, alters some of the language in the letter that we did not rely on and is not contained in my own memorandum. The only thing the Justice Department is concerned about is violence and threats of violence.

After the NSBA letter and DOJs memo were issued, Republicans in Congress said the Biden administration was trying to quash parental dissent against the teaching of controversial subjects, including the quasi-Marxist critical race theory.

Republicans have said the DOJ should withdraw the memo since the NSBA retracted and apologized for its letter last week. The original letter referred to protests against school board members and likened such actions to domestic terrorism, asking the DOJ to use the Patriot Act.

I think all of us have seen these reports of violence and threats of violencethat is what the Justice Department is concerned about, Garland said on Oct. 27. Thats the reason that we responded as quickly as we did when we got a letter indicating that there was violence and threats of violence with respect to school officials and school staff.

Real and concrete threats of violence against school officials are not protected by the First Amendment, he said. We are not investigating peaceful protests or parent involvement in school board meetings.

The follow-up apology letter issued by the NSBA does not change its concern about the threat of violence, Garland said, telling Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) that the DOJ directive merely addresses whether any federal laws were being broken.

Without providing any concrete examples or data, the attorney generals memo issued earlier in October said there has been a disturbing spike in threats of violence, harassment, and intimidation against teachers, school board members, and other educators. In a separate statement, the DOJ also announced the creation of a task force that would deal with such threats, which includes the agencys National Security Division.

In response to Garlands testimony on Oct. 27, Parents Defending Education head Nicole Neily said in a statement that a number of people across the country were terrified by the DOJ memo. The memo also suppressed parents from attending meetings and voicing their concerns because they feared a knock at the door by the FBI, Neily said.

Garland confirmed during an Oct. 21 House Judiciary Hearing that the basis for the claim of a disturbing spike in threats was based on the NSBA letternot on law enforcement intelligence or academic studies.

But the NBSA has since distanced itself from its initial letter.

On behalf of the NSBA, we regret and apologize for the letter, the groups Oct. 22 letter said. To be clear, the safety of school board members, other public school officials and educators, and students is our top priority, and there remains important work to be done on this issue.

However, there was no justification for some of the language included in the letter. We should have had a better process in place to allow for some consultation on a communication of this significance.
Albertans Vote Against Equalization. What Happens Now?

Albertans voted to remove equalization from the Canadian Constitution in the recent provincial referendum. The question remains, what happens now, if anything.

The referendum, held in conjunction with municipal elections on Oct. 18, asked Albertans if they wanted Section 36(2) of the Constitution Act repealed to end equalization, a federal program that has taken over $630 billion net from Alberta than what the province has received back in federal benefits and transfers since the mid-1960s.

On Oct. 26, the province announced that 61.7 percent voted to repeal the program. Premier Jason Kenney said the result would be acknowledged by a motion in the legislature and urged Ottawa and other provinces to respond.

These results have given Albertas government a powerful mandate to secure changes to equalization and other federal transfers that have treated Albertans unfairly for so long, Kenney said in a press release on Oct. 26.

Geoffrey Hale, a political science professor at the University of Lethbridge, said rhetoric prior to the referendum sent a very mixed message and the result has little chance of changing anything.

The question itself had to do with amending the Constitution,  which frankly is not only beyond the capacity of any province, but it doesnt even inhabit the real world given the fact that you need seven provinces [with] 50 percent of the population [in agreement] to pass a constitutional amendment, and there are at least six provinces that are chronic equalization representatives, Hale told The Epoch Times.

In a press conference Oct. 26, Kenney said jurisprudence shows that a motion of the provincial legislature backed by a clear majority on a clear question requires members of the federation to come together in good faith. However, he acknowledged that only Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has promised his support for changes.

We are realistic in recognizing that this likely would not achieve 7-50 [seven provinces each with 50 percent of the population agreeing]. But that doesnt prevent us from initiating negotiations with the federal government, Kenney said. And I would hope and expect that they would respond by acknowledging the need to address fundamental unfairness in the whole system of federal transfers, of fiscal federalism, including the fiscal stabilization program.

To further wrest control from Ottawa, the province created the Alberta Parole Board in February and appointed its own chief firearms officer in August. Kenney said his government would continue to pursue other recommendations made by the Fair Deal Panel and release a study on a provincial police force by the end of the week. A withdrawal from the Canadian Pension Plan in favour of a provincial plan remains under examination.

Compromised Leverage

Duane Bratt, political science professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary, said the referendum vote would have been more emphatic if not for the waning popularity of the Kenney government.

Two years ago when this idea was launched, they clearly thought that they would get 75 to 80 percent on this, not 62,  and I think they would have also liked a much larger voter turnout, Bratt said in an interview.

Of nearly 2.9 million eligible voters, just over 1 million weighed in on the referendum, and support for repealing equalization often paralleled support for the UCP government. In the NDP stronghold of Edmonton, 48.1 percent wanted equalization scrappedone of only five municipalities with minority support. In Calgary, 58.2 percent wanted equalization scrapped, and in most smaller centres, support was even higher.

Barry Cooper, a University of Calgary political science professor, says the vote gives Kenney some leverage, although he believes the premier could have done more to bolster support for the vote.

Despite the outcome, it will still be an uphill battle to get concrete results out of the referendum, he says.

No matter if we got 99 percent, Canada would say, no, thank you, were quite happy with the way things are.

Tweak the Formula

Bratt says equalization existed prior to the 1982 Constitution Act and could still potentially remain even in the unlikely event Section 36(2) was repealed. The current equalization formula expires in 2024, and he believes minor changes are possible.

They can always tweak the formula, and that will allow everybody to say, See, we listened to Alberta, and it allows Kenney to declare a win and Trudeau a win, he says.

I dont think thats what people are actually looking for. I think people who voted yes to the referendum want to see something much more major, [such as] rebate cheques or a pipeline through Quebec.

Cooper believes concessions are unlikely because of the mutual dislike between Albertans and Trudeau, and Hale agrees.

Mr. Trudeau doesnt have a whole lot of political capital around here to protect and I dont think he owes anything to Mr. Kenney. The notion that it might owe something to national unity is a nice thought, but not one that is consistent with the way that Ottawa has generally behaved, Hale said.

Mr. Trudeau could always exceed expectations, but there has to be some other reason to do so other than pretended benevolence.
Americans Stranded in Bulgaria Due to New Vaccine Mandate for Children Legally Immigrating

'We're praying for a miracle.'

After the Biden administration quietly enacted a new vaccine mandate, two American families have become stranded in Bulgaria with their newly adopted children.

For Katie and Joe Harman of Springfield, Missouri, the adoption process began two years ago. The lengthy and tedious procedure included two background checks by the FBI, multiple state-level checks, medical evaluations, and reviews of their home to make sure it was a suitable environment. In the meantime, to help establish a relationship with Elizabeth, the Harmans kept in touch with her through video calls. On Sept. 13, the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice approved the adoption and issued a new birth certificate, making Elizabeth the legal daughter of the Harmans. The Harmans were given a travel date of Oct. 13 to bring her home. However, a day that should have been part of the joyous culmination of the painstaking, two-year process to bring their new daughter home quickly crumbled into chaos.

Just two hours before their plane was to take off to Bulgaria, they were informed by their adoption agency that the Biden administration implemented a new immigration policy. It requires children over the age of 12, legally immigrating to the United States, to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before they will be allowed to enter the country.

We scrambled, Joe said. Immediately after we got custody of our daughter in Bulgaria we took her to a civil surgeon, which is a Bulgarian doctor contracted by the United States government to do medical examinations for visas.

Katie Harman and her newly adopted daughter, Elizabeth, enjoying some bonding time in Sofia, Bulgaria, in October 2021. (Courtesy of Katie Harman)

Because Elizabeth speaks very little English, Joe and Katie had to explain through an interpreter what was going on and why she could not go home. While Elizabeth said she would get the vaccine, there is still the issue of time. The mandate requires two Pfizer vaccines, three weeks apart.

Now, the thousands spent on two return plane tickets for Joe and Katie and the one-way ticket for Elizabeth have been wasted. Rather than heading back to the United States as planned, they will have to pay hundreds more per night to continue staying at a hotel for the additional three weeks. They will also have to spend thousands more on new plane tickets.

This is posing a pretty serious financial hardship on our family, and will drain our savings quickly, Joe said.

There is also the mental harm they believe will be heaped upon their daughter as she floats in limbo between homes in a hotel room. They have not been provided clarification on whether they can leave as soon as she receives the second dose or if there is a waiting period for her to be considered fully vaccinated. Making matters worse, Bulgaria just instituted a mandate that requires anyone who wants to enter most public buildings to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test.

Elizabeth Harman smiles during an outing with her new adoptive parents in Sofia, Bulgaria, in October 2021. (Courtesy of Katie Harman)

Vaccine Rules for Illegal Immigrants

While the Harmans are stranded in Bulgaria due to the Biden administrations new vaccine mandate, it is the policy of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (pdf) under Biden to encourage COVID-19 vaccines to the thousands of illegal immigrants detained in its detention centers. However it cannot force individuals in detention to be vaccinated. The same applies to the policy for the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Joe also shared about what he called the outrageous hypocrisy going on regarding the thousands of unvaccinated Afghan refugees coming to the United States.

As Joe explained, about a quarter to a third of the other recent residents at his hotel in Bulgaria were United States government contractors from Atlas, Evergreen, and Omni Air. According to Joe, some of these contractors were pilots who flew from Bulgaria to Kuwait or Qatar where they picked up thousands of unvaccinated Afghan refugees who were then flown into the United Statesat taxpayer expensewhere they were released into our population. Joe was also told that some of the Afghan refugees were even on no-fly lists.

The Dobrikovs

The Harmans are not the only Americans stranded in Bulgaria due to the new vaccine mandate.

The Dobrikov familyAmy, Stefan, Asher, and Alanain Sofia, Bulgaria, in October 2021. (Courtesy of Amy Dobrikov)

Amy and Stefan Dobrikov of Jacksonville, Florida, arrived in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Oct. 13 to finalize the adoption of two siblings, 10-year-old Alana and 12-year-old Asher. Immediately upon arrival, they were informed of the Biden administrations new vaccine mandate by their adoption agency.

This is not an issue about vaxxed versus non-vaxed, Amy insisted. This is a policy that was put into place without any consideration of current adoptions in process and there was no grace period to allow those who were in process. My daughter is 10 so the mandate doesnt apply to her. It applies to my new son. So were stuck here and we dont know when were going to get our son home and I dont want to split my family up. I cant get a visa for my son. They are legally my children now. Where are my constitutional rights? Where are my religious rights for my children?

There are several families stuck here, Amy told The Epoch Times, adding that their specific situation regarding the vaccine requirement is their refusal to comply for religious reasons. They already have religious exemptions from the Health Department for their other four childrenAndreas (11), Alek (10), Anya (4), and Axel (2)who are anxiously waiting for them to return to Florida.

The embassy informed us we can file an I-601 Form (pdf), which if you read the form its for people who have done illegal things and couldnt get a visa, Amy said.

According to the form, it is to be used by applicants who have had their visa application denied and who are seeking a waiver for any reasons for inadmissibility they were told apply to them. The reasons for denial include having a communicable disease of public health significance, having a mental or physical disorder that poses a threat to others, a desire to engage in prostitution, having been involved in drug trafficking, or having previously been arrested or convicted of a crime.

To file the I-601 form to apply for the religious exemption after a denied visa carries a cost of $930 and carries an additional waiting period of 90 to 365 days.

Meanwhile, my family is in-country and were supposed to sit here and twiddle our thumbs while we wait for approval? Amy scoffed. Its absolutely ridiculous.

Time and Money

As with the Harmans, the new vaccine mandate has added undue burdens of time and money to the adoption process. Initially, the Dobrikovs had a court date to finalize the adoption in Bulgaria on Sept. 28 and they were supposed to fly home soon after. The thousands spent on two return tickets for Amy and Stefan as well as the two one-way tickets for their two newly adopted children have also been wasted and they have no idea how many of the 90 to 365 days to process the I-601 form will be spent waiting before they can spend thousands more to purchase replacement plane tickets home. They must also continue to pay hundreds per night for a hotel room and food. In the meantime, she has contacted several senators and congressmen, and while all of them have voiced support for her plight, the United States Embassy will only take direction from the State Department. And I cant get anyone at the State Department to help us, she said.

The DobrokovsAsher, Stefan, Alana, and Amyenjoy a family meal in late September 2021. (Courtesy of Amy Dobrikov)

Im desperate, Amy said, breaking down into tears. I dont know what else to do. Do you know how devastating it is if I have to go home with my daughter and leave my husband and my son? Do you know how devastating that is for my son who is ready to come home to his family? He was separated from his sister for five years while they were in foster care. Theyre finally together again. Im not one to go to the media but what am I supposed to do, just sit here and wait? We have no idea when he will be able to go home.

The embassy requires civil surgeons, basically doctors that go through and they have to check all these boxes that they gave these vaccinations, including two doses of the COVID vaccination three weeks apart, Amy explained. Theres an option on there they can check that says insufficient time. But because the policy is very specific that they must give two doses three weeks apart, to me thats insufficient time. The doctor cant sign off on that form unless two doses have been given and thats where the other family [the Harmans] is stuck. But for my family, the vaccine goes against our religious beliefs. You go on the Center for Disease Control website and it talks about how kids have myocarditis and long-term effects from the COVID vaccine, so why are they pushing this for new immigrants. It makes no sense to me.

Were praying for a miracle, Amy said, crying desperately over the phone. We have our meeting on Monday and we need a miracle to be able to come home as a family, all four of us. I am believing that all four of us will get on that plane together. But I just dont know how right now.

The Broken Adoption System

NCFA is aware of the Harman case, Ryan Hanlon, Vice President of the National Council For Adoption (NCFA) told The Epoch Times, adding that, while they do not typically comment on specific adoption cases and would refer reporters to the familys agency or legal representation for more detailed comment on their cases, he did choose to provide a general comment on inter-country adoption processes and timelines.

It is vital that families who are completing the inter-country adoption process have timely, clear, and comprehensive information about travel requirements and the immigration process to avoid unnecessary delays and costs, Hanlon said. During the pandemic, prospective adoptive parents have demonstrated flexibility and a willingness to adhere to appropriate safety and health guidelines from both their adopted childs country of origin and as set forth by the U.S. government. Consistent application and advanced communication about such procedural guidelines is critical to avoid an undue burden on adoptive families who are seeking to complete the adoption process and return to the U.S. with their newly adopted child.

I estimate that 70 percent of the two-year process was spent waiting on the U.S. government, Joe said. and I want members of the U.S. government to know that I am not going away. If this administration truly cares about being for the people, they will knock down barriers, get out of the way and help families instead of being an obstacle introducing red tape to the adoption process.

Senator Hawleys office continues to diligently work on the Harmans case in hopes that they can bring their daughter to the U.S. as soon as possible, a spokesperson for Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told The Epoch Times. The family has taken the necessary steps for their adoption, only to be stonewalled unexpectedly by the Biden administrations new COVID vaccine mandate for visa applicantsincluding children.

The Biden administration will eagerly enforce their vaccine mandate with legally-adopted minors awaiting visas, but not at our southern border where thousands of migrants went unchecked for COVID and were released into the country. Their priorities are totally out of whack and are hurting real American families who play by the rules. We will not stop working until we know the Harmans and their daughter are home safe.

A spokesperson from Sen. Marco Rubios (R-Fla.) office told The Epoch Times that Senator Rubios office is in contact with the family to see how we can best assist their situation.

UPDATE: Amy informed The Epoch Times that her sons visa was denied. She will now be forced to go home with their daughter while her husband and son will remain in Bulgaria to wait for approval for the USCIS I-601 waiver for a religious exemption, which may take up to one year. She will call them daily.
Australia Moves to Protect Children From Increasing Social Media Harms

The Australian government is seeking to implement new laws to protect the privacy of teenagers and children using social media platforms.

Announcing the draft legislation on Oct. 25, Attorney-General Michaelia Cash and the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, David Coleman, said in a joint media release that the landmark Privacy Legislation Amendment (Enhancing Online Privacy and Other Measures) Bill 2021, would protect all Australians in the digital age.

It will also enable the creation of a binding Online Privacy code for social media services, data brokers, and other large online platforms operating in Australia. This will include social media giants like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat.

We know that Australians are wary about what personal information they give over to large tech companies, Cash said. We are ensuring their data and privacy will [be] protected and handled with care. Our draft legislation means that these companies will be punished heavily if they dont meet that standard.

All online platforms that are subject to the code will need to comply with strict new privacy requirements.

There will also be significantly stronger protections around children with social media platforms being required to verify their users age and look to the childs best interests when handling childrens personal information.

This will include all platforms requiring parental consent for users under the age of 16.

Coleman said that the new provisions around children were needed as there has been a consistent increase in signs of distress and mental ill-health among young people related to social media usage.

Young people have told us this themselves, Coleman said. In a 2018 headspace survey of over 4,000 young people aged 12 to 25, social media was nominated as the main reason youth mental health is getting worse. And the recent leak of Facebooks own internal research demonstrates the impact social media platforms can have on body image and the mental health of young people.

Thats why this legislation is so important. It will provide families with powerful protections and require fundamental changes to the way that social media platforms operate in Australia, he said.

Social media giant Facebook said that they welcome the announcement, The Australian reported on Oct. 25.

Weve been actively calling for privacy regulation and understand the importance of ensuring Australias privacy laws evolve at a comparable pace to the rate of innovation and new technology were experiencing today, said Facebooks director of public policy for Australia and New Zealand, Mia Garlick.

We have supported the development of international codes around young peoples data, like the UK Age Appropriate Design Code. Were reviewing the draft Bill and discussion paper released today and look forward to working with the Australian government on this further.

The comments by Facebook come just weeks after allegations surfaced in the Wall Street Journal that Facebook was aware that its company Instagram was harmful to young girls.

The allegations have resulted in a bipartisan investigation by United States lawmakers Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) into Facebook.

It is clear that Facebook is incapable of holding itself accountable, the senators said in the statement. The Wall Street Journals reporting reveals Facebooks leadership to be focused on a growth-at-all-costs mindset that valued profits over the health and lives of children and teens.
A Qantas plane takes off from the Sydney International airport on May 6, 2021. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images)

Australias International Travel Ban to Be Lifted on Nov. 1

Fully vaccinated Australians will be able to leave the country without exemptions from Nov.1, when the international borders reopen, Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed on Wednesday.

I can announce today that last night the Health Minister signed off on the fact that from the 1st of November, Australians who are double vaccinated will be able to travel overseas, he told the Seven Network.

Australia shut its border on March 20, 2020, with citizens and permanent residents needing government-granted exemptions to leave the country.

Morrison attributed the new change to the high vaccination rates across the country.

The national plan is working. The national plan is about opening Australia up, and that is because the vaccination rates are climbing so high, he said.

Australias first dose vaccination rate is now higher than the United Kingdom, so well done, Australia!

As of Oct. 26, 74.1 percent of Australians over 16 are fully vaccinated, with 87.1 percent having had one dose.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison discusses travel restrictions during a press conference in Canberra, Australia, on Oct. 1, 2021. (Lukas Coch/AAP Image via AP)

We want Australians to be able to reunite with their loved ones, whether its for births, weddings, or just to visit family, Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

The prime minister also confirmed that a quarantine-free travel bubble with Singapore would resume on Nov. 8.

Over half a million Australians have already been able to download the international vaccine certificate, Morrison said.

We are very close now to the reciprocal arrangements with Singapore.

People leaving Australia need to prove that they are fully vaccinated with an approved or recognised vaccine, while the second dose needs to be taken at least one week before travelling.

Those who are not vaccinated will still need exemptions for international travel.

Cruise liner Ruby Princess sits in the harbour in Port Kembla on April 6, 2020. (Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, cruises are likely to restart in Australia from Dec. 18, after the federal government ban since the Ruby Princess infection cluster in March 2020.

The Australian Government has extended the cruise ship ban to 17 December 2021, but this does not mean the ban will be lifted at that time, reads the Federal Government website.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has previously said he is very on board with getting cruising back.

We are very open to doing that and working with the Federal Government to bring back cruising. I know the Prime Minister is incredibly passionate about doing that as well, Perrottet said.

People in the cruise industry are hopeful that cruising, a highly popular experience in Australia, can restart next year.

The Federal Government has responsibility for the borders, and the State Government has the responsibility for the health, so we need to be able to sit down with the State Governments, with the health teams to finalise those protocols that the industry has proposed, Joel Katz from the Cruise Line International Association told the Nine Network.
Gun Not Thoroughly Checked Before Alec Baldwin Fired Fatal Shot

SANTA FE, N.M.A .45 caliber Colt pistol used on the set of the film Rust was not thoroughly checked before being given to actor Alec Baldwin, who fired a live lead bullet in an accidental fatal shooting last week in New Mexico, according to officials and a new court filing.

New details about the incident emerged on Wednesday during a news conference by Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza and District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies and in an affidavit filed by the local sheriffs department. Mendoza also told reporters there was a complacent attitude toward safety on the set before last Thursdays shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal.

Hannah Gutierrez, the crew member in charge of weapons on the set, told investigators that she had checked guns there but found no hot roundsapparently meaning live ammunitionbefore the shooting, according to the affidavit filed by the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Department.

Dave Halls, the films assistant director, told investigators he should have checked all the rounds in the gun before handing it to Baldwin but had not done so, according to the affidavit. Authorities have said previously that Baldwin was handed what he thought was a cold, or safe, gun by Halls, who took it from a cart used by Gutierrez.

Mendoza and Carmack-Altwies said that while no charges have been filed, they are not ruling out that possibility.

All options are on the table.  No one has been ruled out at this point, Carmack-Altwies said referring to potential criminal charges.

Gutierrez, whose job is formally known as the film crews armorer, said ammunition was not secured on the set during a lunch break taken before the shooting, the affidavit showed. It quoted her as saying that firearms were secured inside a safe during the break and that no live ammunition is ever kept on a movie set.

Mendoza said that authorities have collected 600 pieces of evidence including three firearms, 500 rounds of ammunitionsome believed to be live bulletsand several pieces of clothing and accessories in the ongoing investigation. Some evidence is being sent to an FBI crime lab for analysis, Mendoza said.

Authorities have the firearm used in the shooting, Mendoza said, and they recovered the bullet from the shoulder of director Joel Souza, who was wounded but later released from the hospital. Mendoza said it appears the same bullet struck Souza and Hutchins.

Mendoza said the gun used by Baldwin was an Italian-made Pietta Long Colt revolver.

We would consider it a live round a bullet, livebecause it did fire from the weapon and obviously caused the death of Ms. Hutchins and injured Mr. Souza, Mendoza said.

Mendoza said Baldwin, Halls, and Gutierrez all cooperating with the investigation.

Asked about the use of real weapons on a movie set, the sheriff said, I think the industry has had a record recently of being safe. I think there was some complacency on this set. And I think there are some safety issues that need to be addressed by the industry and possibly by the state of New Mexico.

The shooting has sent shockwaves through Hollywood, prompting a debate about safety protocols in film and televisionincluding whether certain types of gunsused as props should be banned, and working conditions on low-budget productions.

Before the incident, camera operators had walked off the set to protest working conditions, according to the affidavit.

Baldwin, 63, serves as a co-producer of Rust, a Western film set in 1880s Kansas. Production on the Bonanza Creek Ranch, near Santa Fe, has been halted.

Baldwin was drawing a revolver across his body and pointing it at a camera while rehearsing when the weapon fired, according to court documents. There is no video footage of the incident, Mendoza said.

The films producers have hired the law firm Jenner & Block to investigate the shooting. In a letter sent to cast and crew on Tuesday night, the films production team said Jenner will have full discretion about who to interview and any conclusions they draw.

By Lisa Richwine
Aviation Workers Urged to Hold Their Ground, Sue Employers Over Vaccine Mandate

Speakers at an Oct. 26 meeting opposing COVID-19 vaccination mandates in Tulsa, Oklahoma, told aviation and aerospace workers to hold their ground and sue employers who fire them for being unvaccinated.

Roughy 100 people attended the meeting at Hope Community Church, where naturopathic physician Dr. Mark Sherwood, Republican state Rep. Wendi Stearman, a local certified public accountant, and an engineer for a local aerospace company were among those who spoke, according to the Tulsa World newspaper.

On Sept. 9, President Joe Biden announced sweeping vaccination measures that are focused on the federal government, the health care sector, and private businesses. Federal workers and federal contractors will be required to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Contractors have until Dec. 8 to get their employees vaccinated and cant allow their employees to opt out.

The speakers provided those in attendance with guidance regarding the compulsory COVID-19 vaccinations and urged them to stand their ground and seek religious and medical exemptions from the vaccination.

I submit to you this is a big game of chicken, and its waiting on you to blink, Sherwood said, according to the Tulsa World.

We believe that God made us in his image. We believe that God also made the immune system in his image, as well.

He also stated that people dont have to die from COVID, and you can live in faith and you dont have to live in fear.

Sherwood noted that we are not anti-medicine or anti-vaccine but that this situation has been rushed.

Its been rushed and sped up to the point where research has not caught up with time and time has not caught up with research, he said.

Stearman also urged audience members to seek religious or medical exemptions and to sue companies that fired workers, telling them that the science does not make sense.

What we are facing right now is a spiritual battle. We are in a worldwide battle between good and evil, she said.

Stearman encouraged the audience to make them fire you all and to sue employers on the grounds of religious and medical discrimination.

Sherwood and Stearman didnt immediately respond to a request for additional comment.

James Williams, president of the United Aerospace Workers (UAW) Local 952, said he thinks the government is overreaching regarding the mandate.

UAW Local 952 and Transport Workers Union Local 514 represent workers at American Airlines-owned Tech Ops-Tulsa and Spirit AeroSystems, which are two of Tulsas largest employers.

Both companies have said theyll comply with the vaccine mandate, according to Tulsa World.

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 to not 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 also announced that it will require all of its 56,000 U.S. employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Hundreds of Boeing Co. employees protested in Washington state earlier this month, after the company told workers that they must be vaccinated.

Roughly 200 workers gathered in protest outside of the companys Renton and Everett, Washington, locations just days after the planemaker announced the new mandate, dozens of them brandishing signs reading, coercion is not consent, and stop the mandate.

Delta Air Lines is the only major U.S. carrier that has chosen to not mandate COVID-19 vaccines for all of its employees, although it does require all new U.S. employees to be vaccinated and that all unvaccinated Delta staff be enrolled in its health care plan and pay a $200 monthly surcharge.

Delta Chief Executive Ed Bastian said earlier this month that more than 90 percent of the companys workforce have been vaccinated against COVID-19 without enforcing Bidens divisive vaccine mandate.

The president has vigorously defended his vaccine mandates to try to end the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic.

We know there is no other way to beat the pandemic than to get the vast majority of Americans vaccinated, Biden told reporters at a data center in the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village earlier this month, the Associated Press reported.
FILE - In this April 22, 2021, file photo, flags of member countries fly at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. Southeast Asian leaders are meeting on Oct. 26-28, 2021 for their annual summit where Myanmars top general, whose forces seized power in February and shattered one of Asias most phenomenal democratic transitions, has been shut out for refusing to take steps to end the deadly violence. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

Biden Pledges $102 Million to Southeast Asian Nations for Pandemic Relief and Climate Action

President Joe Biden on Oct. 26 pledged $102 million for COVID-19 relief, climate action, education and economic support to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Biden, who joined the associations virtual summit on Tuesday, told ASEAN Secretary General Dato Lim Jock Hoi and leaders from nine of 10 member states, that the partnership is essential to the architecture of the Indo-Pacific region.

You can expect to see me personally showing up and reaching out to you, Biden said at the start of the meeting. You can expect to see the United States deepening our long-standing cooperation pursuing new avenues of ministerial dialogue, investing in our countries and driving inclusive prosperity in the region.

The U.S. has invested $3.5 billion to support public health in ASEAN over the past 20 years, according to the White House.

Burmese military leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power through a military coup on Feb. 1, has been excluded from the three-day virtual summit. The AP reports Brunei, which is this years ASEAN chair, invited Burmese diplomat, U Chan Aye, as a non-political representative, but he didnt attend the meeting.

The association has been under international pressure to take steps to help end the violence in Burma, which has left an estimated 1,100 civilians dead since the army took power and locked up civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others.

ASEANs Five Point Consensus calls for immediate cessation of violence in Burma, constructive dialogue among all parties concerned, mediation facilitated by ASEAN, humanitarian assistance and an association special envoy visit to Burma.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters Oct. 26 he has recently engaged with senior officials in Myanmars (Burma) National Unity Government (NUG), an administration set up by opponents of the military coup. Sullivan says discussions were around humanitarian aid to the Burmese people and broader diplomacy in the region.

We will continue to stay focused on our steadfast support for the people of Burma, for a democratic path in Burma and for the protection of the safety, security and human rights of the citizens of that country, said Sullivan.

Biden expressed grave concerns about the military coup and violence in Burma during the ASEAN meeting.

According to a White House readout, Biden called on the countrys military regime to immediately end the violence, release those unjustly detained, and restore Burmas path to democracy.

The Indo-Pacific region remains an area of strategic interest for the Biden administration.

Vice President Kamala Harris made an August trip to southeast Asia, the administration announced a new trilateral defense agreement with Australia and the UK called AUKUS on Sept. 15, and Biden met with leadership from regional partners in the Quad on Sept. 24.

The leaders of China and Russia are also expected to join the summits virtual meetings.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during the virtual ASEAN U.S. Summit, hosted by ASEAN Summit Brunei, in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei on Oct. 26, 2021. (ASEAN Summit 2021 Host Photo/Handout via Reuters)

Biden Says US Concerned by Chinas Coercive Actions in Taiwan Strait

President Joe Biden, at a summit of East Asian leaders on Oct. 27, said the United States was deeply concerned by the Chinese regimes coercive actions in the Taiwan Strait.

His comments came weeks after Beijing deployed a record number of aircraft into Taiwans air defense zone, prompting sharp protest from the self-ruled island and the United States.

Speaking at the virtual event also attended by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and other regional leaders, Biden reiterated that the United States had a rock-solid commitment to Taiwan.

We are deeply concerned by Chinas coercive  actions, Biden said, charging that they threaten regional peace and stability.

The U.S. is committed to Taiwan. In fact, that commitment is rock solid and consistent across administrations. It continues to be the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and within the region, he said.

Under the Taiwan Relations Act from 1979, the United States has an obligation to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself. The Chinese regime views Taiwan as its own territory to be taken by force, if necessary.

The president stirred controversy last week when he said the United States had a commitment to defend Taiwan if the Chinese regime attacked. This is because those comments departed from a longstanding U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity under which Washington is deliberately vague on how it would respond to such a scenario.

The White House later said Biden was not signaling a change in U.S. policy toward Taiwan, while some analysts said that Biden had simply misspoken.

At the beginning of October, the Chinese regime sent nearly 150 military aircraft over Taiwans air defense zone over a four-day period, in what analysts described as part of an ongoing campaign to intimidate both the island and its international partners.

Biden at the summit also reaffirmed Washingtons commitment to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific, without mentioning China, according to a White House readout. In recent months, the United States has ramped up alliance-building, including co-establishing a new trilateral security partnership known as AUKUS in the region where Beijing is increasingly flexing its military and economic might.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Bidens Red Line on Taiwan Is a Big China Move, Not a Gaffe

The claim of no policy change sidesteps the issue

News Analysis

After President Joe Bidens historic Oct. 21 statement affirming the American commitment to defend Taiwan against a Chinese military attack, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki noted: The president was not announcing any change in our policy, nor has he made a decision to change our policy. There is no change in our policy.

As Shakespeare wrote, methinks thou dost protest too much.

Bidens increasingly public intention to defend Taiwan by force is pushing one of the most momentous American foreign policy changes in decades. It is a change in Bidens policy, if not the White Houses policy. Psaki and others have grasped at straws and technical language to downplay the importance of this presidential opinion.

A president publicly stating an intention to collectively defend Taiwan is still a major foreign policy change. Policy is not only made after executive orders are distributed and laws voted. Policy is alive in the public commitments that a president makes, including those that are relatively spontaneous. And there is no evidence that this statement was spontaneous. Perhaps Biden was waiting for the opportunity.

Psaki also explained Bidens statement by noting that We are guided by the Taiwan Relations Act. That should be obvious, as the act is U.S. law, which of course the president must follow. But the executive has plenty of discretion, especially given the trend in increasing presidential powers relative to Congress, in how to fulfill the Act, which was passed in 1979.

The sitting U.S. president stating a collective intention to defend Taiwan, if not contradicted by congressional action, is itself an indication and strengthening of Americas resolve.

A White House spokesman said, We will continue to support Taiwans self-defense, and we will continue to oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo. Importantly, he declined to say whether the president had misspoke, thereby leaving a shred of ambiguity.

Nowhere did anyone from the administration contradict Bidens statement. But headlines nonetheless blared that White House officials walked back the president. That suits Democrats just fine, as they want to focus on domestic initiatives, and Republicans too, who can see this as just another example of Bidens weakness.

But the media is wrong. The administration did not walk back the president.

The Taiwan Relations Act does not require the United States to militarily defend Taiwan, but neither does it forbid Washington from doing so. Analysts call this a policy of strategic ambiguity. But the Act leans more toward a military defense of Taiwan than not, notably if Beijing abandons peaceful persuasion of Taiwan for military invasion. The Act provides a means for Taiwans military defense, including by both Taiwan and the United States, and states in advance that It is the policy of the United States  to consider any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means, including by boycotts or embargoes, a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific area and of grave concern to the United States.

After Bidens latest statement, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the United States affirms the one China policy, but opposes forced seizure of Taiwan. An American Secretary of Defense saying that America opposes a Chinese invasion of Taiwan adds weight to the presidential commitment to defend Taiwan in case of a Chinese attack. Austin was not here contradicting the presidents stated commitment to defend Taiwan, but supporting it.

Neither does the one China policy contradict Bidens statement. That policy is fundamentally an acknowledgement and not an absolute agreement with Beijings view that there is only one China. Formal diplomatic relations with Beijing, rather than Taipei, is contingent on the former not using force to annex Taiwan. Beijings continued military threats against Taiwan are a violation of the United States agreements with China, and give Washington the right to void the one China policy if it so chooses, which it should.

Austin also said: We will continue to help Taiwan with the sorts of capabilities that it needs to defend itself. I wont engage in any hypotheticals with respect to Taiwan. Here he reaffirms Americas right, according to the Taiwan Relations Act, to continue selling defense equipment to Taiwan, while maintaining ambiguity.

An armed US-made F16 fighter jet takes off from a motorway in Pingtung, southern Taiwan, during the annual Han Kuang drill on Sept. 15, 2021. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)

State Department spokesman Ned Price made similar ambiguous statements. But the State Department also sought to underline Americas commitment to Taiwan, saying in a written statement that What should be clear from all his [Bidens] comments on Taiwan is that our support for Taiwan is rock solid and we are committed to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Despite the lack of any contradiction from Biden or his administration after the Oct. 21 statement, the Washington Post claimed that Most analysts believe simply that Biden misspoke.

Taiwan expert Bonnie Glaser, who is highly influential in China foreign policy circles, called Bidens statement a gaffe. She said it was patently not true that Washington has a commitment to defend Taiwan.

She later added on Twitter that Bidens statement that he would defend Taiwan is quite meaningful, in the context of defending her original statements.

Glaser is wrong about the gaffe and only half-right about the lack of a commitment, if one ignores Bidens two recent statements on the matter, and any possible unannounced commitments that the United States has made to Taiwan.

Taiwans foreign ministry apparently believes that the United States does have a promise to defend Taiwan. After Bidens Oct. 21 statement, the ministry thanked him for reiterating the USs long-time promise to Taiwan.

Taiwans presidential spokesperson said Bidens administration had been clear and consistent about its rock solid support for Taiwan. Its doubtful that rock solid support could ever mean the abandonment of Taiwan to a Chinese invasion.

To what promise was the foreign ministry referring? Could there not only have been an unpublicized American warning to Beijing of a U.S. defense of Taiwan, made public by Biden on Oct. 21, but also an unannounced American promise to Taiwan on the same subject? Both make strategic sense as surrendering Taiwan to Beijing weakens the U.S. and allied national security posture in Asia, and therefore weakens Americas national interests.

Former President George W. Bush in 2001 also said he would do whatever it took to defend Taiwan, then later stressed that he would continue abiding by the one China policy. This is about what the Biden administration is doing now, though Biden himself did not follow up with a personal statement affirming the one China policy. So from Bush to Biden, American policy on China has gotten tougher.

Maybe Taiwans foreign ministry is right and we do have a long-held commitment to defend Taiwan. Two U.S. presidents have committed to as much publicly, and neither later contradicted themselves.

Some analysts are apparently missing Bidens most likely strategy. He is providing relatively complete information to Beijing to ensure that it doesnt make a deadly mistake based on the false assumption that the United States will not respond militarily to a Chinese invasion. Biden just said so on CNN.

The Peoples Liberation Army storms ashore from landing crafts in an exercise on the mainland coast close to Taiwan on Sept. 10, 1999. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Republicans are prone to disbelieve Biden. But former President Donald Trump also moved the dial in Taiwans direction, by accepting a congratulatory phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen after he won the 2016 election. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has twice referred to Taiwan as a country (which in fact it is).

The evidence indicates that Biden, Blinken, Trump, and Bush did not make gaffes in their increasing support for Taiwans sovereignty, and in the case of Biden and Bush, in its military defense with American forces. That support has increased to counterbalance Beijings growing power and belligerence. American leaders know that the American people should be willing to sacrifice to defend the line of freedom in Taiwan, and they reflect those views in their public foreign policy toward China.

Foreign policy analysts, however, are more cautious. Glaser differs with Biden, as reported by Reuters. Some are suggesting a deliberate effort to send unclear signals, but in my view, that makes no sense. A confused U.S. policy weakens deterrence, Glaser said.

According to Glaser, Bidens Asia chief, Kurt Campbell, rejects the policy proposal of strategic clarity to defend Taiwan.

Much Washington analyses are dangerously close to what I would call a policy of confused and incremental appeasement, not least because of the policy of strategic ambiguity. They consistently deemphasize the China threat, Americas ability to defend itself and Taiwan militarily, and thereby effectively abandon Taiwan and other territories gradually to the risk of Chinas missiles and amphibious assault ships. Those who never warned about the rising China threat are suddenly saying it is too late to do anything about it.

There is also an element of passing the buck in order to try and force Taiwan to take care of its own defense. But Taiwan is a small country, it already spends over 2 percent of its GDP on defense, which is the NATO standard, and it cannot defeat a Chinese invasion alone. Yes the United States should insist that Taiwan, and the rest of NATO, increase its defense spending to U.S. levels of 3.7 percent, which is required to deal with rising threats from not only China, but Russia, North Korea, Iran, and terrorism globally.

But we must know that with Taiwan this is a negotiation, not something that we can walk away from. If push comes to shove, the United States loses when Taiwan loses. And it would be unfair to force Taiwan to shoulder the brunt of the costs for a defense against China, just because Taiwan happens to be on the front lines. Those on the front lines of freedom are heroes and will pay the greatest price during a war. They deserve more of our support, not less.

Soldiers march to position during an anti-invasion drill on the beach during the annual Han Kuang military drill in Tainan, Taiwan, on Sept. 14, 2021. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

Without significantly increased U.S. and allied counterpressure, Beijing will ultimately force Taiwan to surrender through an embargo or naval blockade, for example, without the Chinese military needing to fire a single shot. This is Beijings greatest hope, and many establishment Washington analysts are playing to it by throwing up their hands.

Increasing levels of fear about war with China, and analysis that we should not risk such a war over Taiwan given Chinas nuclear weapons, indicates that America is not even following its own policy found in the Taiwan Relations Act, which is law. The Act states that It is the policy of the United States  to maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan.

The U.S. government should immediately correct this failure to follow its own policy. Bidens red line is a step in the right direction and, therefore, should not be seen as a mistake. There have been two major statements by Biden indicating an American defense of Taiwan. And there have been no explicit White House retractions or contradictions of what Biden said.

That Bidens policy remains the same, that strategic ambiguity remains, and that we continue to adhere to the one China understanding and Taiwan Relations Act are not contradictions of Bidens red linethough they are being portrayed as such in the media.

Biden is unlikely to make such an obvious mistake on the issue, as he is well-versed on U.S. Taiwan policy, having voted for the Taiwan Relations Act, traveled to Taiwan as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and written a May 2, 2001 opinion criticizing President George W. Bushs intention to do whatever it took to defend Taiwan, and then backtracking with a statement of adherence to the one China policy.

Where once the United States had a policy of strategic ambiguityunder which we reserved the right to use force to defend Taiwan but kept mum about the circumstances in which we might, or might not, intervene in a war across the Taiwan Straitwe now appear to have a policy of ambiguous strategic ambiguity, wrote Biden. It is not an improvement.

Here Biden appears to be criticizing Bush for both the public commitment to defend Taiwan, and his apparent waffle back to the one China policy, which is not in fact a waffle.

Biden continued: The United States has a vital interest in helping Taiwan sustain its vibrant democracy. I remain as committed today to preserving Taiwans autonomy as I was 22 years ago when I cast my vote in favor of the Taiwan Relations Act, which obligates the United States to provide Taiwan with such defense articles and defense services  as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability. I remain committed to the principle that Taiwans future must be determined only by peaceful means, consistent with the wishes of the people of Taiwan.

Biden is most explicit in his criticism of Bush for the latters initial supposedly non-strategic language.

As a matter of diplomacy, there is a huge difference between reserving the right to use force and obligating ourselves, a priori, to come to the defense of Taiwan. The president should not cede to Taiwan, much less to China, the ability automatically to draw us into a war across the Taiwan Strait, Biden wrote.

But this is exactly what Biden now appears to be doing, and rightly so. Circumstances have changed, China is now stronger and more aggressive, it is an increasing threat to democracy globally, and our Taiwan strategy needs to change with the times.

Bidens public commitment to defend Taiwan is not a mistake, but a needed corrective given Chinas increasing power and belligerence, and Taiwans status as the worlds only Chinese democracy. By staking an unambiguous claim to Taiwans defense, Biden pressures himself to lead America in the fight. He thereby increases the credibility of American deterrence.

We must defend Taiwan as if we are defending our very own democracy. Taiwan cannot do this alone. The United States is the only country in the world still capable of defending Taiwan and other democracies from China militarily. That makes it incumbent upon us to find a way to do so successfully. If not, our democratic allies will crumble around us until our democracy, too, is a thing of the past.

Read part 1, part 3, and part 4.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A misinformation newsstand, a first-of-its-kind newsstand set up by the Columbia Journalism Review, is seen in midtown Manhattan on Oct. 30, 2018. (Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images)

Billionaires Back Public Benefit Corporation That Will Fund Anti-Disinformation Media Companies

Billionaires Reid Hoffman and George Soros are backing a public benefit corporation that will provide funding to new media companies aimed at tackling disinformation online and restoring social trust.

Good Information Inc. launched on Tuesday and is being led by former Democratic strategist Tara McGowan who previously ran a progressive non-profit called ACRONYM, which was backed by LinkedIn founder Hoffman. Others contributing to the multi-million seed effort include investors Ken and Jen Duda, and Incite Ventures.

In a press release on Oct. 26, Good Information Inc said its aim is to restore social trust and strengthen democracy by investing in solutions that counter disinformation and increase the flow of good information online.

America is currently in the throes of a disinformation epidemic that is threatening public health, social trust, and democracy around the world. Good Information Inc. believes there is un-met audience demand for fact-based information, especially in local markets that have lost many of their legacy local news sources in recent years, and among audiences that are being left behind by evolving media business models, the corporation said in a statement.

Good Information Inc. will be investing in media outlets that provide customers with trusted and fact-based information, as well as local community news, particularly in markets where there are little to no local news outlets reaching online communities.

The company said that an increasingly decentralized media environment, anti-democracy forces, and networks of bad actors have resulted in dangerous consequences, noting that 96 million Americans believe the election was stolen from former President Donald Trump, while 89 million Americans believe voter fraud is a major problem.

Trump has maintained that there was massive voter fraud in the 2020 elections.

Good information that upholds the truth, common sense, and shared values of a society is the lifeblood of democracy, and orchestrated disinformationfueled and amplified by bias-driven algorithmsis its greatest threat. The disinformation crisis we are facing in America today is increasing polarization and eroding our trust in each other, which is having a corrosive effect on our democracy, jeopardizing public health, and destabilizing our economy, founder and CEO McGowan said in a statement.

This is no longer a political dispute about the truth, but the direct result of unregulated business models that are putting whole communities around the world at risk, and putting democracy around the world in peril.

McGowans former progressive non-profit, ACRONYM, ran one of the biggest digital campaignscosting $100 millionaimed at convincing millions of Americans to vote against Donald Trump in the 2020 elections, Fast Company reports.

One of the companies ACRONYM invested in, called Shadow, produced the vote tabulation app used in the Iowa caucuses and contributed to the delayed reporting of the results following a string of technical issues.

McGowan later apologized for the incident, telling Axios that the Shadow team, made an enormous mistake that has dire consequences in this election and so we want to own that.

As its first major investment, Good Information Inc. has officially acquired Courier Newsroom, a civic media company composed of eight state-based news outlets.

Pat Kreitlow, who co-founded Couriers Wisconsin news outlet UpNorthNews, said in a statement that the company is extremely happy to be the first investment of Good Informations portfolio.

We are seeing unparalleled threats to our countrys democracy and a free press todaythreats so grave that the long-running fight against misinformation seems almost quaint as we confront outright disinformation from people preying upon Americans fears and anxieties to push their own agenda or profit margins, Kreitlow said.
In this undated image, an imagined scene on the moon is depicted. (Australian Space Agency via AP)

Blue Origin Planning First Mixed-Use Business Park in Space

Blue Origin and Sierra Space have upped the space game with the announcement of a mixed-use business park, floating in low Earth orbit, slated to be launched sometime in the second half of this decade.

The 32,000-square-foot Orbital Reef space station is designed with multiple purposes, and will provide anyone with the opportunity to establish their own address on orbit. Flying over the planet in a mid-inclination, 500-kilometer orbit, the station offers space environment leases for scientific research, exploration system development, invention and manufacture of new and unique products, media and advertising, or exotic hospitality.

Orbital Reef is positioned to be a combined effort from several strategic partners. Blue Origin, along with other expertise, offers vehicle utility core systems and large-diameter modules, while Sierra Space provides Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) modules and space planes for transporting crew and cargo.

Boeing will be supplying the Starliner crew spacecraft and conducting maintenance operations on the space station. Redwire Space, based in Jacksonville, Florida, will be offering payload operation and support for micro-gravity research, among other expertise.

Genesis Engineering Solutions will provide individual spacecraft for external operations and tourist excursions, while Arizona University leads a global consortium of fourteen universities that will offer advisory services and outreach.

The Single Person Spacecraft will transform space walking, said Brand Griffin, Program Manager for Genesis Engineering Solutions in a Blue Origin press release. Space workers and tourists alike will have safe, comfortable, and quick access outside Orbital Reef. Shirtsleeve environment, great visibility, automated guidance, and advanced precision manipulators will make external operations cost-effective and routine.

Orbital Reef is expected to take over from the International Space Station (ISS), sometime between 2028 and 2030. According to John Mulholland, Boeing VP and program manager for the ISS, the Orbital Reef goes one step ahead of ISS and can serve many different companies together with hosting non-specialist crews.

Mike Gold, Executive Vice President for Civil Space and External Affairs at Redwire, said that the micro-gravity environment on the space station enables entirely new scientific development leading to technologies that will improve life on Earth and provide a starting step for humanitys journey to the stars.

Open to any country or individual, Blue Origin is attempting to offer end-to-end cost-effective services just like in a business park found on the surface of the planet.

Seasoned space agencies, high-tech consortia, sovereign nations without space programs, media and travel companies, funded entrepreneurs and sponsored inventors, and future-minded investors all have a place on Orbital Reef, said the company.

Brent Sherwood, Senior Vice President of Advanced Development Programs for Blue Origin, said that while NASA provided the foundation, Orbital Reef will expand access, lower the cost, and provide all the services and amenities needed to normalize space flight.

As a former NASA astronaut, Ive been waiting for the moment where working and living in space is accessible to more people worldwide, and that moment has arrived, said Dr. Janet Kavandi, Sierra Space president.

Blue Origins successful ventures include a suborbital tourist program that sends customers to the edge of space and back. The company has, till now, flown out eight people including its founder Jeff Bezos and actor William Shatner. The overall estimated cost for the outpost is somewhere near the $100 billion mark. Bezos has committed to spending $1 billion annually on the project.

Other space-faring nations are staking out their place in the frontier market as well. China, earlier this year, had launched the first module of its Tiangong space station. Tiangong can carry six astronauts and is scheduled to be completed in 2022.
In a still from video released by NTD, Dr. Christopher Rake, an anesthesiologist at the UCLA Medical Center, speaks in an interview with The Nation Speaks. (NTD)

Californias Vaccine Mandates Are Medical Tyranny, Says UCLA Doctor

It is a violation of ethics that one physician should decide whether 40 million Americans in California get vaccinated against COVID-19 according to Dr. Christopher Rake, an anesthesiologist at the UCLA Medical Center.

As has been the case with numerous states across America, Californias Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a mandate in early August stating that health workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Sept. 30.

Rake refused to have the vaccine, or file for a religious exemption, due to his own philosophical objections to the mandate and as a consequence, the UCLA doctor was placed on unpaid administrative leave earlier in October.

A video of him being escorted from his workplace by three people after turning up to his job quickly went viral.

In the video, Rake explains, This is what happens when you stand up for freedom, and you show up to work, willing to work, despite being unvaccinated, this is the price you have to pay sometimes.

A UCLA spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email that Rake was placed on leave in order to be compliant with the August 5, 2021, state public health order.

There has been no change in Rakes status, the spokesperson said.

Speaking on NTDs The Nation Speaks hosted by Cindy Drukier, Rake said that he believes it is a violation of ethics that one individualCalifornias public health director Dr. Tomas Aragoncan dictate what the nearly 40 million-strong population must do with regards to combating the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

I have some philosophical objections to any mandate I have a philosophic objection to the government or my employer mandating that I received some sort of treatment. That in itself causes me great concern, Rake said.

As a physician, its a violation of ethics to say that one physician can make a decision for 40 million Americans and Im referring to Dr. Tomas Aragon, to say arrogantly that he knows best for each individual in American California, and of all the 40 million that are living here, he added.

Rake said he personally believes that there has not been enough research into the COVID-19 vaccines and how safe or potentially unsafe they are, noting that the majority of vaccines take up to 20 years to develop and go through rigorous safety tests before they are deemed safe to use on all groups of people, from pregnant women to children, as well as those who are immunocompromised.

When you listen to Fauci (Anthony Fauci, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director) speak about this, initially, he said, well, theyre doing concurrent safety testing. And all that means is theyre testing on rats at the same time theyve released it to human beings. So concurrent safety testing means theres testing it on the entire population, for safety without knowing whats going to happen, Rake said.

The UCLA employee also cited scientific concerns over the spike protein created in vaccinations, which he believes is potentially dangerous.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) are genetically engineered and work by introducing a piece of mRNA into the body that prompts it to start making spike protein pieces found on the surface of the disease, in this case the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and displaying them on cell surfaces.

As part of a normal immune response, the immune system begins producing antibodies, thus building an immune response towards COVID-19. Once these instructions on how to make the spike protein have been delivered, the mRNA is immediately broken down.

Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines use mRNA.

A student walks toward Royce Hall on the campus of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 11, 2020. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

A health care worker holds a vial of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Fla., on Oct. 5, 2021. (Lynne Sladky/AP Photo)

I do have some other specific concerns about it. Number one is that the spike protein itself is cytotoxic (results in cell damage or cell death). So the two mRNA vaccines induce yourselves to become a manufacturing house of a protein, spike protein, which actually is injurious to your cells, Rake said, citing a study by the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego.

Rake said that data from that study showed that the spike protein was likely causing issues with the blood vessel lining, and creating blood clots in the lungs of individuals who were having the vaccine.

I didnt want to lose my job. I love my job. I love serving patients. I love anesthesiology. Its challenging, its intellectually stimulating. Its not something that I do lightly. But for me this abuse by the medical system, we have to realize and recognize tyranny when we see it, and it just so happens that this is medical tyranny. But we are all required as human beings to stand up against tyranny and say no, Rake added.

After being placed on leave, the anesthesiologist has founded Citizens United For Freedom (CUFF), a grassroots movement comprised of concerned California citizens who are actively working against vaccine mandates and to preserve bodily autonomy.

Rake is also working on building freedom clinics which he hopes will soon be available to non-vaccinated individuals, and will be speaking with people in power in Washington D.C. next week to discuss how to restore ethical treatment and law to medicine.

The government is telling you, unless you take this injection, we are taking everything from you, everything youve trained for, everything that gives you joy And were going to take away your house, your family, because youre not going to have a family if you cant pay for them to eat. So I just saw this as theyre coming after everything, I have to stand up and say No this isnt right, or Im going to lose everything,' Rake said.

Correction: A previous version of this article inaccurately described Rakes job status. He is still on unpaid leave. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
A loader shifts soil containing rare earth minerals to be loaded at a port in Lianyungang, in China's Jiangsu province, for export to Japan. China controls a large share of the worlds supply of rare earth minerals. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Canada Should Take the Lead in Global Critical Minerals Development: Panel

Canada should take the lead in processing rare earth minerals as its allies seek to spread their supply chains out in order to avoid over-reliance on exports from authoritarian countries like China, said a panel of experts.

While China holds the lions share in providing for the global market of critical minerals and rare earths, it does not share the same environmental and labour standards as the western world, noted experts at a virtual panel discussion hosted by Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI) on Oct. 22.

China has the market on 80 percent of the processing of critical minerals and rare earths, so the whole world is beholden to China. Our supply chains are completely beholden to China, said Maryscott Greenwood, CEO for the Canadian-American Business Council, in a pre-recorded video for the panel.

Greenwood said Canada has the expertise to mine in an environmentally responsible way, along with the manpower and infrastructure, to process and export critical minerals essential for the defence sector, electric vehicle batteries, solar panels and smartphones.

What if Canada became the world headquarters of processing of these critical minerals and rare earths that you can dig up anywhere but what if theyre all sent to Canada to process? Greenwood said, noting several provinces such as Alberta and Quebec have shown interest in developing processing facilities.

The panel discussion also featured experts including Dirk Naumann, the president and CEO of Torngat Metals, Heather Exner-Pirot, a MLI fellow who specializes in natural resources, and Dwayne Menezes, the founder and managing director of Polar Research and Policy Initiative. The moderator was Ken Coates, a Munk Senior Fellow at the MLI.

Critical Minerals Expanding Role

Naumann said critical minerals are critical for two main reasons, with the first being their economic importance.

Aluminum, titanium, nickel, and definitely potash, are very important for our country and future expansions, Naumann said. Future demand in the markets can be supplied out of Canada and continue the wealth creation.

The second reason is increased demand as Canada and its allies push for a green energy transition. Critical minerals are widely used in the production of batteries needed to power electric vehicles.

The forecast for rare earth  for the next 10, 15 years, is all the car companies launch electric vehicles. And naturally, the battery, where we need lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and so on, is they will grow in the same way, Naumann said.

Exner-Pirot said that the demand for critical minerals is expected to increase by at least five-fold in the coming years due to the transition to low-carbon economies. The supply is further weighed down by global supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

People havent figured out, or havent considered, the extent of the mining that we are going to need to get off of fossil fuels, and of course there are also environmental impacts of mining, Exner-Pirot said. These kinds of factors have not been considered at a societal level to accept what is going to need to be the investment to get off of fossil fuels.

Global demand for critical metals used for battery production will have grown exponentially by 2028, according to a 2020 report (pdf) from the Mining Association of Canada. The report estimates the demand for nickel to increase by over 1,200 percent, cobalt by roughly 260 percent, lithium by 575 percent, and graphite by 530 percent.

Security Concerns

Security concerns stemming from over-dependence on exports from China is another key reason for Canada to direct more attention to the processing of critical minerals, panelists said.

In response to The Epoch Times request for comment, Exner-Pirot said that it made sense from a security perspective to decrease dependence on China by developing raw materials and processing capacity in Canada and North America, even if its more expensive. While energy security in North America has focused on oil and gas independence in the past, as countries shift towards renewable energy sources, security around rare-earth metals will become much more important, Exner-Pirot said in an email.

From a policy perspective, I think this means being more friendly to the domestic mining sector in terms of incentives and approvals, as well as developing social license for a significant ramp-up in mining activity, she added.

Menezes highlighted the importance for Canada to collaborate and integrate with allied countries in developing a framework for securing critical mineral supplies.

When we think about global supply chains the key emphasis must be on how do we integrate different capabilities among allied countries, Menezes said. Not every stage and supply chain needs to be fulfilled domestically, it may happen to have capability in America that Canada can rely on, and vice versa, he added.

Menezes said he welcomed further collaboration between the Five Eyesthe intelligence alliance between Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdomwhich needs to pull together their resources, resource intelligence, technical capabilities [and] project finance.
An aerial drone view of traffic in Carson, Calif., on April 18, 2020. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Carson Residents Sue Nearby Warehouse Owner, Business Over Foul Odor

A group of Carson residents sued a warehouse owner and business for allegedly dumping debris from a warehouse fire into the Dominguez Channel, exacerbating a foul odor plaguing residents since early October.

The class-action lawsuit, filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, claims that business Art Naturals allegedly maintained unsafe conditions and stored flammable ethanol-based sanitizer products at a nearby Prologis Inc. warehouse, causing a fire on Sept. 29.

The fire and the debris from [the Prologis warehouse] had something to do with the Dominguez Channel and us getting sick, Ana Meni, plaintiff and Carson resident, told The Epoch Times.

Meni said she and other residents felt they had to seek help from an attorney because they felt they lacked community advocates in their elected leaders.

We knew that this is something bigger than us, that we needed help, she said.

Residents say the stench has caused dizziness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. The city earlier this month declared the smell a public nuisance, and on Oct. 25, city officials declared a local state of emergency.

Whats going on in the city of Carson is a public health disaster, attorney Carlos Urzua, representing the plaintiffs, told The Epoch Times.

In talking to many of the individuals, theyre suffering from daily nausea, vomiting, headaches, burning eyes, and respiratory issues, and our lawsuit seeks to get personal injury damages, both past and future.

Debris from the fire, including the alcohol-based sanitizer, made its way into the citys storm drains and ended up in the Dominguez Channel, according to the suit.

The uncombusted alcohols, various other combustion products, and debris entered the Channel as runoff, where it sat in shallow stagnant water, contributing to acute phytotoxicity, which prompted the production of hydrogen sulfidea highly flammable, toxic, malodorous, and corrosive gas, the suit states.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for relocation costs, for future medical monitoring, and for loss and benefit of the use of peoples property, as well as lost wages.

The suit was filed by residents Meni, Sarah Jaco, Sharronn Thompson, Dovard Ross, and Monique Alvarez and her three children.

Urzua said the lawsuit is brought against defendants Prologis, Inc., Liberty Property, LLP, and Virgin Scent.

Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes said last week that the smell may have been exacerbated by bacteria feeding on the charred remains of the Prologis fire in the channel.

Davis-Holmes said in an Oct. 25 press conference that the citys emergency declaration will make it easier to cut through the red tape to obtain resources for residents and businesses affected by the odor.

The Carson City Council sent the proclamation to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and Gov. Gavin Newsom, calling on them to declare a state of emergency in Carson and requested a presidential state of disaster.

Theres a solution that requires a lot of agencies to come on board. Ive called upon the governor, our states elected officials  to proclaim this a resolution so we can get the resources that we need to address this problem, Davis-Holmes said.

Currently, the county is developing a restoration plan for the waterway; that plan includes a biodegradable neutralizer and increasing hydrogen levels in the channel, according to Mark Pestrella, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.

A spokesperson for Prologis Inc. didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.
Workers stand near train tracks next to overturned cars from an Amtrak train that derailed near Joplin, Mont., on Sept. 27, 2021. (Ted S. Warren/AP Photo, File)

Cause of Montana Amtrak Derailment Still Under Investigation

HELENA, Mont.A preliminary report on an Amtrak train derailment in Montana last month that killed three people and injured dozens more offered no clues about what triggered the accident, but said the trains emergency brakes were activated and that Amtrak estimated the damage at more than $22 million.

However, one attorney whose client is suing Amtrak and BNSF Railway said he wanted to learn more about the crash-worthiness of the trains observation car and an attorney for a crew member said she reported seeing a 30-foot dip along the railroad, where it appeared the track bed had given way.

The National Transportation Safety Board issued its preliminary report Tuesday on the Sept. 25 derailment of the westbound Empire Builder just west of Joplin, in north-central Montana.

It was mostly factual, saying there were 154 people on board and that 44 passengers and crew were taken to area hospitals with injuries. Passengers without serious injuries were bused to the nearby town of Chester, where residents provided food and other aid.

The train was traveling at between 75 and 78 mph (121 and 125 kph), just below the speed limit of 79 mph (127 kph) on that section of track when its emergency brakes were activated. The two locomotives and two railcars remained on the rails and eight cars derailed.

NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway said Tuesday it was still very early in the investigation and the agency typically takes one to two years to determine accident causes.

We are looking at everything, he said.

Rail experts have said the crash could have been caused by problems with the railroad or track, such as a rail that buckled under high heat, or the track itself giving way when the train passed over.

But they said investigators would consider all possibilities, including potential problems with the Empire Builders wheels or suspension system. Investigators also were examining if passengers were ejected from the train during the crash.

The investigation includes an examination of onboard video from the Amtrak train and from a freight train that had gone through the derailment area a little over an hour earlier, the NTSB has said.

The derailed train also had a black box that records everything happening on the train, according to the NTSB.

As the investigation continues, it will focus on track and engineering, equipment, survival factors, and passenger railcar crashworthiness, the NTSB said Tuesday.

Survivors described horrific scenes of people being maimed and killed as four carsincluding an observation car with large windowstoppled and skidded down the tracks.

Killed in the accident were Margie and Don Vardahoe, a Georgia couple on a cross-country trip to mark their 50th wedding anniversary, and Zachariah Schneider, 28, a software developer from Illinois.

At least two dozen passengers have filed lawsuits over the derailment, including Schneiders wife, Rebecca Schneider. She said in the lawsuit that her husband had left her in the sleeping car and went to sit in the observation car, where he was horrifically maimed and killed.

The lawsuits against both Amtrak and BNSF allege negligence for not preventing the derailment and seek damages for injuries and psychological trauma to the people aboard the train.

Amtrak and BNSF have declined to comment on ongoing litigation.

Rebecca Schneider requested access to the Amtrak and BNSF onboard videos as part of her lawsuit, one of her attorneys said. That could reveal the cause of the crash before the NTSB issues its final report, attorney Robert Mongeluzzi said.

The lawsuit also will seek to determine the crash-worthiness of the observation car, which has large windows that wrap around to the ceiling and where all three fatalities occurred, he said.

The more open it is, the more likely people are to get thrown from the train, Mongeluzzi said.

Holloway, with the NTSB, said he could not confirm the three deaths occurred in the observation car.

An attorney for an Amtrak employee aboard the train said the female employee told federal investigators last week that following the derailment, she saw a 30 foot dip along the railroad, where material underneath the track thats known as the ballast had given way.

The employee allegedly talked to a BNSF Railway inspector after the crash, who verified a problem with the ballast and said there had been attempts to remediate it in the days leading up the crash, according to her attorney, Fred Bremseth.

Bremseth declined to give the name or position of the employee, citing her desire for privacy, but said she and other Amtrak employees he represents are preparing a possible lawsuit over the crash.

If what she said was correct, then obviously there was a failure to properly maintain the track, Bremseth said.

BNSF did not answer questions about the allegations and said any details about the investigation had to come from NTSB. Holloway declined comment on the claims.

Allan Zarembski, who directs the railroad safety program at the University of Delaware, said the NTSB usually wont name a cause in a preliminary report unless its something obvious.

Zarembski said photos he reviewed from the crash scene didnt show any obvious problem with the track.

The fact that two locomotives and two cars up front went through without derailing suggests there was a problem with one of the cars that derailed, or possibly a rail broke beneath one of those cars as it passed over, he said.

By Amy Beth Hanson and Matthew Brown
A pharmacist prepares the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at the Hartford Convention Center in Hartford, Conn., on Jan. 4, 2021. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

Certain Immunocompromised Americans Can Get Four COVID-19 Vaccine Doses: CDC

Some Americans can get four COVID-19 vaccine doses within less than a year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said this week.

U.S. drug regulators and the CDC recently cleared booster doses of all three COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the country.

The fourth dose would be for people who are either moderately or severely immunocompromised, or people with weakened immune systems, the CDC said in updated clinical guidance.

This population is allowed to get a third dose of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least 28 days after their second dose. Both vaccines are built on messenger RNA technology and have a two-dose primary series.

The population can then get a booster six months or longer after their third dose, according to the CDC.

In such situations, people who are moderately and severely immunocompromised may receive a total of four COVID-19 vaccine doses, the agency says.

The scenario is completely different for Americans who got the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Even if immunocompromised, theyre being told to only get one additional jab.

Additionally, people who do not have weakened immune systems are being warned not to get more than three doses of an mRNA vaccine.

The balance of benefits and risks of a fourth dose in the general population is currently unknown, the CDC says.

The immunocompromised population includes people with cancer, chronic kidney disease, and dementia.

The fourth dose availability comes about two weeks after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was questioned by its vaccine advisory panel on how clearing boosters would affect the previous authorization for an additional dose in the immunocompromised.

This is far enough in the future that I dont want to make a definitive statement here, Dr. Peter Marks, an FDA official, said at the time.

Dr. Michael Kurilla, a panel member, said there was a potential for confusion regarding boosters if the guidance wasnt clear.

Studies have found that people who have weakened immune systems benefit less from the COVID-19 vaccines than the general population, including one preprint paper that indicated the risk of being hospitalized or dying was 485 times higher for transplant recipients than other fully vaccinated persons.

The rate of COVID-19 infections among immunocompromised people who received two doses of Pfizer or Modernas shot, or the Johnson & Johnson jab, also may be higher than the rate in vaccinated members of the general population, the CDC said in a previous version of its clinical guidance.

Small studies have indicated that an additional dose, or a third dose, may enhance the antibody response in some of the population.

Still, the exact correlation between antibody level and protection against severe COVID-19 outcomes as well as infectiousness remains unclear, the CDC said.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.
People arrive to attend the Huawei keynote address at the IFA 2020 Special Edition consumer electronics and appliances trade fair on the fair's opening day in Berlin, Germany, on Sept. 3, 2020. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Chinas 5G Activity Remains Active and Dangerous, Experts Warn

Wireless networks around the world that control critical functions in factory production and military communications could be jeopardized by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to Jon Pelson.

Pelson is the author of Wireless Wars: Chinas Dangerous Domination of 5G and How Were Fighting Back, who warned of the security risks posed by telecom companies with ties to the Chinese regime.

If a company that answers to the CCP provided your 5G equipment, you have handed them the keys to the kingdomyou are at their mercy, Pelson told The Epoch Times.

The risk is amplified given the transformational role of 5G technology. 5G has been designed to affect everything in life unlike any prior generations, Pelson said.

Not only is 5G faster than previous generations of wireless technology, but it can also handle larger volumes of activity in a near-instantaneous fashion. It has an effect on the way factories automate, the way self-driving cars are controlled, the way traffic and even crime are monitored in cities, and much more, he said.

5G will be the technology that controls all other infrastructure; including power distribution, air travel, financial services, health care delivery, and more.

Rural Presence

Chinese telecom giant Huawei has played a significant role in the advancement of 5G networks around the world, and Pelson fears theyve infiltrated some of the most secure installations in the United States.

Huawei has effectively been excluded from the U.S. market since 2012, when a congressional report sounded the alarm that the companys products could pose a security risk, citing Huaweis ties with the CCP. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has also designated Huawei and several other Chinese telecom firms as threats to national security. The firm has also been put on a trade blacklist.

In justifying these measures, U.S. officials have consistently pointed to the companys links with Beijing, as well as Chinese laws that compel firms to work with intelligence agencies when asked.

But Pelson notes that Huaweis equipment is still being used in rural areas across the country, where small carriers have been attracted to Huaweis low-cost products. The Rural Wireless Association, a trade group representing 55 small wireless carriers, in 2018 estimated that 25 percent of its member companies use equipment from Huawei or ZTE, another Chinese telecom firm.

Pelson pointed to a 2019 statement by FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, now chairwoman, who highlighted concerns about Huawei gear being used in cell phone towers outside the Malstrom nuclear missile base in Montana.

Communications equipment that hangs on these towers is from Huawei, and we have good reason to believe it is susceptible to undue foreign influence and control, Rosenworcel said.

This is just one military base in Montana. But there are others like it. Just as there are all kinds of essential infrastructure across our rural communities, and in many cases, nestled nearby are wireless networks with insecure foreign equipment.

While conducting research for his book, Pelson independently verified that many of these rural locations are still actively using Huawei. These are the little, regional, rural deployments that [most wireless network providers] do not want to chase because theres no money to be had in them, he said, adding that Huawei practically gave the gear away in these areasand thats not a coincidence.

But the FCC is taking action to address the concerns. In September, it announced the start date for a $1.9 billion program to pay U.S. carriers to rip and replace gear manufactured by Huawei, ZTE, and other firms designated as national security risks. The filing window opens on Oct. 29 and ends on Jan. 14, 2022.

John Lenkart, a retired senior executive at the FBI who was once responsible for the counterintelligence threats posed by Chinese telecom companies, said theres still much to be done in removing Huawei gear from around the country. Chinese equipment manufacturers remain a threat and the presence of their equipment still gives them the ability to degrade, divert, or covertly mirror signals and data of their users, he told The Epoch Times.

Mining for Metadata

In these distant locations served by Huawei, the company is able to gather users metadata, according to Pelson. Metadata does not include the content of a phone call or an email itself, but it encompasses all the other information associated with the communicationall of which is valuable for intelligence gathering purposes, he said.

Metadata will tell you who is talking to whom, what websites are being connected to, who is near you or meeting with you, regardless of whether your phone is in use or not, he said.

It can also determine the time and frequency of communications between people, which can help build a profile of a person and also identify areas for potential blackmail.

It can tell you that a person is speaking to the Pentagon, or is speaking to a bookie or a known drug dealer, Pelson gave as one example.

It can tell you that someone from the CIA has traveled to a location and then to the Justice Departments division that investigates espionage, he raised as another example.

And if nothing else, Pelson said the metadata can pick up chatter, or higher volumes of communication between people. Essentially, [the Chinese regime] knows when and where something is happening in the U.S. if they are the ones providing the connectivity through Huawei.

Lenkart is equally concerned, saying that the big picture is the [CCPs] ability to deep dive into the data and divert it to a centralized authority to have some sort of omniscient understanding of everything thats going on [within their network].

Undercut to Dominate

Outside of the United States, Huawei is continuing to flex its muscles around the world, attempting to dominate the 5G market, Pelson said.

From out of nowhere, Huawei surged from a local vendor to a $120 billion-a-year behemoth in just a few years, he said.

With the help of tens of billions of dollars in state support, the firm has been able to aggressively undercut its competitors.

Huaweis prices are a fraction of their competitors, even though they all make the gear in China, he said, They made themselves very cheap, offered a product line, and went for every single market.

The sizeable financial support from the CCP has allowed the firm to price below their own costs for years and still have money to spend on research and development and other expenses, while still claiming a profit, the author said.

Dependency

According to Pelson, there is no strategic benefit to being reliant on technology from the CCPa regime that cannot be trusted. Yet Huawei has positioned itself to keep users dependent on its services. Huawei keeps the upper hand when it supplies the gear for 5G networks, because they can withhold parts or service at any given time, Pelson said.

He warned against becoming reliant on Chinese-managed wireless control networks. When you employ Huawei equipment in your cellular network, they have to upgrade it, maintain it, patch it.

Consider a factory or a port connected by Huaweiwhether in the United States, Europe, Africa, or Asia, [or elsewhere]the entity would have to rely on Chinas goodwill to truly keep the place up and running.

Although Huaweis influence worldwide appears to be dwindling, the threat from the CCP cannot be discounted, as the regime is not expected to lose its motivation to exert control around the globe, according to Lenkart.

It is important to look at the totality of the mosaic and that the CCP has the ability and strategic intent to dominate world telecommunications markets, Lenkart said. By dominating 5G technology, the CCP can monitor threats [to the regime] here and abroad.

He offered a solution, stating that it starts with a far more robust government auditing and compliance mechanism. He said the FCC, in particular, must exercise its ability to mandate compliance, enforce fines, and deny to any entity that violates their national security standards of operating within the United States.

The FCC has to use its authority to the fullest extent for national security purposes, according to Lenkart. Only then will we start to go down the road to winning, he said.

In response to a request for comment by The Epoch Times, the FCC pointed to its recent actions to protect national security in the communications supply chain.

Huawei did not return an inquiry from The Epoch Times.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang raises his glass after a speech at a reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sept. 30, 2021. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinese State Media Increasingly Sidelining Premier Li Keqiang

Commentary

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, the second-highest-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), seems to be deliberately marginalized by Chinas state-run media.

As customary, Li delivered a speech at the State Councils National Day reception on Oct. 1. However, news about his speech appeared on page 3 of Peoples Daily, while last year the same topic was printed on page 2.

Then on Oct. 12, Li held a video meeting with Mongolian Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, and Peoples Daily posted a report about the meeting on page 4 a day later.

News reports about Lis activities have rarely made it on the front page since last year, Radio Free Asia (RFA) said in a Twitter post. His 2020 speech on National Day appeared on page 2, and this year on page 3. On Oct. 13, Li was further downgraded to page 4. This is very rare to happen to a Chinese premier since the CCP took power in 1949, RFA said.

Li is known as the most diligent CCP leader when it comes to visiting disaster-stricken regions, but Peoples Daily and Xinhua News dont attach much importance to news about him. When he visited severely flood-hit areas in Chongqing on Aug. 20 last year, it took Peoples Daily four days to put out a report.

Whats more, on July 31 last year, Vice Premier Liu He publicly embarrassed Li at the opening ceremony of the Beidou-3 navigation system. The CCTV live broadcast showed that when Liu read out the list of leaders participating in the ceremony, he didnt allow Li enough time to stand up and respond to applause, putting him in an awkward situation.

According to analysts, this kind of treatment is to reprimand Li for making remarks that contradict Party leader Xi Jinpings positive depiction of the Chinese economy.

In January 2020, Xi set the goal of eradicating poverty in China by the end of the year, yet after Beijings Two Sessions, Li told reporters on May 28, 2020 that 600 million Chinese still earn a mere 1,000 yuan (about $150) a month.

Chinese financial YouTuber Sober Observer said in a blog that Lis honesty can be said to be a slap on Xis face for his China dream.

Disagreements between Xi and Li must have been going on for quite some time. RFA said in an article last year that Chinas propaganda minister Wang Huning instructed Peoples Daily as far back as several years ago that news about Li cannot make front-page headlines. And even if there is no report on Xi that day, Li cannot make the front page, Wang said.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The logo for Citibank is seen on the trading floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in Manhattan, New York City, on Aug. 3, 2021. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

Citigroup Warns of Hefty Charges From South Korea Consumer Business Closing

Citigroup Inc on Monday warned of significant charges related to the closing of its consumer banking business in South Korea, months after announcing its exit from 13 markets across Asia, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

The Wall Street lenders plan is part of Chief Executive Officer Jane Frasers turnaround strategy to bring the banks profitability and share price in line with its peers.

The charges will largely comprise payouts to employees related to voluntary termination benefits, discussions for which have already started with employee unions, Citigroup said, adding the charges will be spread across till the end of 2023.

The bank said it was, however, unable to estimate the charge it will take.

Besides South Korea, the bank will also divest its retail banking arms in Australia, Bahrain, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, it said in April.

By Niket Nishant
Climate Change Lockdown

Commentary

Climate change is at risk of being morphed into a major health pandemic. The World Health Organization was so ruthless on COVID-19 that maybe it will be considered to be put in charge of managing the climate.

The globalist brigade along with Davos, the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and other assorted woke organizations are seeing an opportunity to create the same hysteria and panic around climate change as they did for COVID-19.

One of the inspirations of the climate change crowd is the huge drop in carbon emissions that took place when the COVID lockdown was implemented. Climate change fearmongers consider CO2 emissions an apocalyptic event that is on track to destroy the world within the next decade; they, therefore, feel justified in taking any and all actions to control climate change. The reason for the lower emissions after the lockdown was the huge economic devastation caused by shutting down the economy. In Canada, the economic drop in gross domestic product was 18 percent just within the first two months of lockdown in early 2020.

The World Economic Forum reported that the pandemic lockdown created an 8 percent drop in carbon emissions and was a good step toward meeting the U.N. Paris Agreements targets.

We need to achieve this annually for the next 15 years to meet the Paris Agreements 1.5 [degrees Celsius] goal.

Part of the economic devastation created by the lockdown was a severe reduction in automobile transportation and also public transportation. With people working at home and not traveling to work, emissions were reduced substantially. Travel to work was reduced by as much as 80 percent, and even today, urban transit in Alberta is 43 percent lower than pre-pandemic levels. In cities such as Calgary, vacancy rates in the office buildings in downtown cores are at levels not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

The climate change hysterics are convening at a Paris Agreement convention; this one is called COP26, and is underway in Glasgow, Scotland. Some 30,000 people from around the world are attending, while consuming a monstrous amount of carbon and emitting huge levels of CO2 to get there. The elites of governments, finance, and globalist corporations are there to talk about how people not included in the convention have to dramatically reduce fossil fuel use and energy consumption.

They will tell the world it needs annual reductions, the equivalent to what we saw during the COVID lockdown. Its also curious that the 30,000 people in attendance will be exempted from the regular vaccination passport requirements.

Some climate organizations are bringing plans for us that they compare to that of a war. Like in war, all drastic actions required to win will be considered. Many of these recommendations have been coming out of the World Economic Forum in the past few years. They include ending consumption of meat, as they claim cow burps are destroying the world. And the actions theyve taken to date are already causing huge jumps in prices in meat products. Recently, a ham at a grocery store in Alberta was $70.

A kind of War Measures Act was implemented in many countries around the world to combat COVID-19. In Canada, the War Measures Act changed its name to the Emergencies Act. The climate-change crusaders tell us we need strong and similar actions for a war effort against climate change. It might appropriately be called the Climate Change Measures Act. It will allow bureaucrats and corporations to implement controls and efforts similar to what we have seen for COVID-19.

Friends of Science Society Executive Director Michelle Stirling has researched some of the plans for the climate change war, and they include such things as limited gatherings and travel. Weve already seen pastors sent to jail for holding church services and numerous workplaces closed, mandating that employees work from home. Telework is part of the plan, where employees stay at home and dont need to go to the office. Of course, therell be a car curfew limiting the hours or numbers of miles youll be able to travel monthly. Therell be limited international air travel for those outside of the protected class. Travel since the pandemic started has changed dramatically; after COVID hit in 2020, air traffic dropped 60 percent. This is a trend climate change warriors want to maintain.

New to the fight against climate change could be a version of the vaccination passport. Used for climate change, it would keep track of what world citizens consume on a regular basis. Another twist is that the developed countries are looking at global digital currencies that will help monitor peoples transactions and measure that against their carbon footprint. Stirling noted that MasterCard has helped develop a specially designed credit card, called DO Black. It will monitor your spending habits and the impact on the environment. Once your personal limit is met, the credit will shut down to any further transactions.

Now that COP26 has arrived, it will be interesting to see how many actions are taken and recommended by the elites at the conference. Of course, as the generals in the climate-change war, they will be exempted from any measures they impose on the people. Reflecting on whats happening now in China with the social credit system, new rules proposed at COP26 could look like a climate change social credit system. A report from Deutsche Bank suggested an eco-dictatorship may be required in order for measures that need to be taken to be implementedlikely to be strictly controlled by the elites, United Nations, and woke politicians.

The elites have created the hysteria of the masses, and were told its going to end in an apocalyptic fireball of climate change. Lets hope theyre wrong.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Demonstrators hold a "Rolling Car Rally" at Connecticut State Capitol against Democratic Governor Ned Lamont's stay-at-home order to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Hartford, Conn., on May 4, 2020. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Connecticut State Rep. Resigns After Allegedly Pocketing $600,000 in COVID-19 Relief Funds

Connecticut State Rep. Michael DiMassa, a Democrat, resigned Thursday following an investigation into allegations he misused more than $600,000 in COVID-19 relief funds.

DiMassa sent the letter to the Secretary of State Thursday to end his role as representative of the 116th district immediately.

It is with deep regret that I hereby resign from the Office of State Representative of the 116th General Assembly effective immediately, DiMassa wrote (pdf).

The state representative has faced accusations of misappropriating more than $600,000 in COVID-19 relief funds to the state, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

DiMassa surrendered to law enforcement on Oct. 20 following an investigation by the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, the FBI, and the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to a press release from the states attorneys office.

He appeared before U.S. District Judge Sarah Merriam in New Haven and was released on a $250,000 bond.

Beginning in February 2021, Compass Investment Group LLC fraudulently billed the City of West Haven and its COVID-19 Grant Department for consulting services purportedly provided to the West Haven Health Department that were not performed. From February 2021 through September 2021, the City of West Haven paid Compass Investment Group a total of $636,783.70, the statement said.

It is further alleged that DiMassa made several large cash withdrawals from the Compass Investment Group LLC bank account, some of which were made shortly before or after he was recorded as having made a large cash buy-in of gaming chips at the Mohegan Sun Casino, the statement added.

The charge against DiMassa was wire fraud. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

West Haven Mayor Nancy Rossi released a statement following DiMassas arrest.

I want to commend the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on its speedy investigation and arrest of Rep. Michael A. DiMassa. If Representative DiMassa broke the publics trust and his oath to protect and serve his constituents and is found guilty of fraudulent activity, I am demanding that he and any other individual(s) involved be held accountable and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If convicted, all individuals involved should go to jail, she wrote (pdf).

As I stated when I found and reported this probable fraudulent activity, I will update our residents when information becomes available and when its release will not compromise the ongoing investigation, Rossi added.
Dave Chappelle looks on during UFC 264: Poirier v McGregor 3 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., on July 10, 2021. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Dave Chappelle Says Distributors Are Cancelling His New Documentary Over Netflix Special Controversy

Dave Chappelle said during a video released on Monday that controversy over his Netflix comedy special The Closer is leading distributors to reject his latest documentary project Untitled.

The stand-up comedian noted the media has attacked him over jokes he made about the transgender community in the special.

This film that I made was invited to every film festival in the United States and some of those invitations I accepted, Chappelle said.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dave Chappelle (@davechappelle)

This controversy came out about The Closer, they began disinviting from these film festivals and now, today, not a film company, not a movie studio, not a film festival, nobody will touch this film, he added.

Thank God for [CEO] Ted Sarandos and Netflix. Hes the only one that didnt cancel me yet, Chappelle noted.

The comedian now plans to screen his documentary through a 10-city tour nationwide.

The cities Chappelle plans to tour throughout November include San Francisco, Minneapolis, Des Moines, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Toronto, Cincinnati, Columbus, Atlanta, and New York.

Chappelles Netflix title led to backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates and prompted a walkout among some Netflix employees.

A handful of counter-protestors showed up at the walkout in Hollywood, California, on Oct. 20, to support Chappelles right to free speech and stand against cancel culture.

The Netflix controversy began when Chappelles special debuted on Netflix on Oct. 5. Sarandos defended Chappelles right to artistic freedom in emails obtained by media outlet Variety, to some staff who found Chappelles jokes offensive.

In his special, Chappelle showed support for Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who has said, If sex isnt real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.

I agree, man, Chappelle said. 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.

Despite the cancel culture response, the comedian said he refuses to back down.

This has nothing to do with [the LGBTQ+ community]. Its about corporate interests and what I can say and what I cannot say, Chappelle said.

The comedian added the hate he has received has not come from LGBTQ+ people he personally knows. He considers the issue a matter of freedom of speech.

For the record, and I need you to know this, everyone I know from that community has been loving and supporting, so I dont know what all this nonsense is about, Chappelle added.

To the transgender community, I am more than willing to give you an audience, but you will not summon me. I am not bending to anybodys demands, he said in the video.

Brad Jones contributed to this report.
Democrats Unveil Corporate Profits Minimum Tax Requiring Wealthiest Companies to Pay 15 Percent Rate

Three Democratic senators on Tuesday unveiled proposed legislation that would require roughly 200 U.S. companies to pay a minimum 15 percent tax rate

The proposal, called The Corporate Profits Minimum Tax is sponsored by senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Angus King (I-Maine), and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and co-sponsored by senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

It aims to prevent the largest and most profitable companys across America from avoiding having to pay taxes and lawmakers hope it will create a more even playing field and fair tax system.

Senators want the proposal to be included as a source of revenue to help fund President Joe Bidens Build Back Better agenda, which is currently being negotiated in Congress.

Specifically, The Corporate Profits Minimum Tax bill would ensure that companies making more than $1 billion in profits annually pay a 15 percent minimum tax rate on those profits. The new legislation would apply to around 200 companies with more than $1 billion in profits, senators said.

Lawmakers believe the new legislation would generate hundreds of billions in revenue over the next ten years which can be reinvested into the U.S. economy and give it a much-needed competitive boost.

Senators noted that the current tax system utilized in the United States enables large and highly profitable corporations to pay little to no tax thanks to a number of loopholes and exemptions, leaving ordinary citizens to pick up the slack.

They specifically referenced Amazon, which they said reported $45 billion in profits over the past three years, including a massive $20 billion in 2020, even as families across the globe struggle amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yet the tech giant paid an effective tax rate of just 4.3 percentwell below the 21 percent corporate tax rate, senators said, noting that in 2018, the company paid no federal income tax at all.

Amazon isnt alone: between 2008 and 2015, 40% of our biggest companies paid zero or less in federal taxes in at least one year, even while they were telling their shareholders they were wildly profitable, the senators wrote.

Giant corporations have been exploiting tax loopholes for too long, and its about time they pay their fair share to help run this country, just like everyone else, said Senator Warren in a statement.

The Corporate Profits Minimum Tax would end corporate double dealing and ensure companies pay something in taxes when they report billions in profits to their shareholders. Im glad to have worked alongside Senator King and Chair Wyden, with the support of President Biden, to announce this proposal so that we can raise essential revenue needed to invest in families and our economy.

It is not yet clear how a 15 percent minimum tax would impact major companies or how the final proposed legislation will work.

Moderate Democratic Senator Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.), who has for weeks told colleagues that she will not support an increase in the corporate or income tax rate, threw her support behind the proposed legislation after it was unveiled.

On Twitter, Sinema said it represented a common sense step towards ensuring that highly profitable companies pay a reasonable minimum corporate tax on their profits.

The proposal comes as Democrats continue to hash out the framework for their massive social spending and climate bill this week.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) receives her certificate of dismissal from German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2021. (Markus Schreiber/AP Photo)

Dismissed: Germanys Merkel Becomes Caretaker Chancellor

BERLINAngela Merkel took a step closer to political retirement Tuesday after receiving her formal dismissal certificate from the post of chancellor after 16 years in office, though she will lead a caretaker government until her successor is sworn in.

Hours earlier, Merkel attended the opening session of Germanys new parliament in Berlin, taking a seat in the VIP gallery as the recently elected lawmakers met for the first time. Merkel, who first won a seat in the Bundestag 31 years ago, did not run again in the Sept. 26 election.

Lawmakers elected Baerbal Bas, a member of the Social Democratic Party, as speaker of the 736-member lower house. She succeeds Wolfgang Schaeuble, a 79-year-old conservative and former finance and interior minister, who was also the longest-serving member of the last parliament, having first been elected in 1972.

Bas, whose party narrowly beat Merkels Union bloc, has been a member of the Bundestag since 2009. The 53-year-old was a deputy leader of her partys parliamentary group in the last parliament and its spokesperson on health, education, and research.

The three parties that hope to form Germanys new government said last week they aim to have the countrys next chancellor in place in early December, but acknowledged that they face a complex task.

The Social Democrats, environmentalist Greens, and pro-business Free Democrats opened formal coalition talks following a preliminary deal earlier this month, which set out their priorities but left many open questions.

German coalition talks are an elaborate affair, producing an agreement that sets out details of the governments program for its four-year term. They have tended to get longer over the years as the countrys political landscape has fragmented, meaning that elections rarely produce parliamentary majorities for traditional allies.

If the negotiations succeed, the new government will send Merkels Union bloc into opposition after 16 years at the helm. Her likely successor would be Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats, her vice chancellor and finance minister since 2018.

Handing Merkel her dismissal certificate, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier thanked her for steering the country through difficult times, particularly during her final four-year term.

Merkel last week received a warm farewell from fellow European Union leaders and former U.S. President Barack Obama. Her final weeks as caretaker include representing Germany as the G-20 meeting in Italy and next weeks U.N. climate conference in Glasgow.
Disneyland Sells Out of Top Tier Annual Pass

Disneyland fanatics woke up to a surprise on Oct. 25 as the theme park sold out of the top-tier Magic Key annual pass amid limited theme park reservations.

The Dream Key annual pass, the most expensive pass, provided availability to access the theme park every day of the year for $1,399 as long as a valid reservation was made prior to visiting.

While Disney officials have not announced why they pulled the Dream Key Pass from purchasing, pass holders speculate limited reservations are available for the next few months.

Its just another way to limit capacity, Jessica Sanders, annual Dream Key pass holder, told The Epoch Times.

The Dream Key is the one that is available every day of the year, with no blackouts. Of course, all are subject to reservations, but if there are no reservations available, why keep selling that pass type?

Current Dream Key pass holders who bought their annual pass when it was first released in August regret purchasing the highest tier pass. Despite the Dream Key advertising to have no blackout dates, pass holders are struggling to make reservations for the theme park as nearly every weekend and weekday is filled.

Kimberly Vanderhoof, a pass holder since 1995, always purchased the highest annual pass tier to avoid blackout dates. Since purchasing her Dream Key Pass, Vanderhoof has struggled to secure reservations.

Pretty much always got the highest level as with no blackout days, so I could go whenever I wanted, Vanderhoof told The Epoch Times. Now when I try to make reservations [on] a certain day, its blocked [and] I have no blackout days.

With the reservation system booking rapidly, Vanderhoof has been back in the park only once. If the theme park did not have the reservation system, Vanderhoof anticipates she would have visited frequently with the freedom to go at the spur of the moment.

Other previous annual pass holders anticipated purchasing the Dream Key Pass out of anticipation to visit the theme park on the weekend, but with limited reservations available, Disneyland goers are waiting until more availability opens.

I had planned on purchasing a pass, Leslie Stillman told The Epoch Times. I was a long-time pass holder prior to the shutdown  However, it looks like theres no weekend availability.

Stillman works full-time and her children are in school during the week, leaving the weekend as the only opportunity to visit Disneyland. As of recently, however, weekends have been booked while a few weekdays remain open.

So why should I give Disney money for passes that I cant use? she asked.

Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, Calif., on Feb. 1, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

While Disney lovers will not be able to purchase the Dream Key Pass, the Believe Key, Enchant Key, and Imagine Key remain available.

Each of the Magic Key Passes comes with perks from free theme park parking to discounts on merchandise and food.

As pass holders resent the lack of reservations, especially during the holiday months, Disneyland opened up more reservations Oct. 25 for the month of December after claiming no reservations were available.

A Disneyland spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria Baldwin attend the American Ballet Theatre 2014 Opening Night Fall Gala at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City on Oct. 22, 2014. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

District Attorney: Criminal Charges On the Table in Fatal Baldwin Shooting

The fatal shooting that involved Alec Baldwin on the set of the film Rust may result in criminal charges, a New Mexico district attorney says.

District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies told The New York Times that officials are still investigating and havent ruled out anything on whether charges could be filed.

Last week, actor Alec Baldwin was rehearsing a scene on the set of the Western film near Santa Fe, when he discharged a loaded gun, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. No charges have been filed yet in the incident.

Everything at this point, including criminal charges, is on the table, Carmack-Altwies told the NY Times. There were an enormous amount of bullets on this set, and we need to find out what kinds they were.

Regarding the firearm that Baldwin used, the district attorney said that it was a legit gun  an antique, era-appropriate gun.

Court documents filed in the case revealed that an assistant director, Dave Halls, unwittingly handed Baldwin a loaded weapon and told him it was safeyelling cold gunmoments before he used the firearm.

In a statement on Twitter, Baldwin said hes cooperating with the investigation, and he expressed his condolences to the family of Hutchins.

There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours. Im fully cooperating with the police investigation, Baldwin wrote on Twitter. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.

Individuals who were working on the set of Rust are now being interviewed, Carmack-Altwies said. It will likely take weeks or even months before an indictment is potentially handed down, she said.

We have complex cases all the time, she said. But this kind of complex case, with these kinds of prominent people, no.

Some criminal attorneys, including Alan Dershowitz and Mark Geragos, have suggested that Baldwin or someone else could face charges in the shooting.

Alec Baldwin is presumably in charge because hes the producer and has a great voice on the budget here, Geragos told Fox News this week. I guarantee you theyre also looking at whether or not people were shaving money or trying to cut costs and [whether] this is one of the results of that.

Meanwhile, Dershowitz, writing for The Hill, opined that he believes Hutchinss death will be considered a homicide.

It is likely, therefore, that the killing of Halyna Hutchins could constitute a homicidethat is, a criminal killing, said Dershowitz, a criminal defense lawyer who has represented the likes of Mike Tyson, Jim Bakker, and Jeffrey Epstein. The remaining questions are who might be criminally responsible for the killing and what degree of homicide fits the evidence?

Baldwins representative didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, appears before a Senate hearing to discuss vaccines, in Washington, on Sept. 9, 2020. (Michael Reynolds/Pool/Getty Images)

Dr. Collins Appears to Admit NIH Funded Gain-of-Function Experiments in Wuhan

Dr. Francis Collins appeared to acknowledge this week that the U.S. agency he heads funded gain-of-function experiments in Wuhan, China, which runs counter to claims he and a subordinate made earlier this year.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the agency Collins directs, revealed last week that money it gave to EcoHealth Alliance supported risky experiments at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China that some experts said met the definition of gain-of-function.

The term gain-of-function generally refers to research that increases a biological agents pathogenicity or transmissibility. Until last week, the NIH defined it as research that modifies an agent so that it confers new or enhanced activity to that agent.

Both Collins and Dr. Anthony Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), claimed earlier this year that the NIH didnt fund gain-of-function research in China.

Neither NIH nor NIAID have ever approved any grant that would have supported gain-of-function research on coronaviruses, Collins said in May, though he stipulated that he was only referring to gain-of-function experiments that would have increased the viruses transmissibility or lethality for humans.

Fauci didnt include that stipulation when testifying to Congress that month.

The NIH and NIAID categorically has not funded gain-of-function research to be conducted in the Wuhan Institute of Virology, he said on May 11.

Collins was pressed on the statements during an appearance on CNN this week.

EcoHealth did some things they should have told us about, but they did not do the kind of gain-of-function research that requires special, high-level oversight, he said.

NIH was asked if it wanted to clarify his remarks, which appear to undercut Faucis previous comments.

Renate Myles, a spokeswoman for Collins, told The Epoch Times in an email that gain-of-function research is done all the time.

For example, cancer immunotherapy, where a cancer patient is provided new cells that have been genetically or pharmacologically enhanced to gain the function needed to attack the cancer. Most gain of function research studies do not raise significant biosafety and biosecurity risks. So saying something is gain of function alone doesnt really mean anything, Myles wrote.

Like Collins, Myles focused on the Department of Health and Human Services framework that defines research requiring special oversight. That research must be reasonably anticipated to create, transfer or use potential pandemic pathogens resulting from the enhancement of a pathogens transmissibility and/or virulence in humans.

Jonathan Latham, executive director of The Bioscience Research Project, said the NIH is obfuscating the issue.

When people discuss gain-of-function research they are never talking about cancer. They are talking about actual or potential human pathogens, Latham wrote in an email.

The P4 laboratory building at the Wuhan Institute of Virology is shown in Wuhan, China, on May 13, 2020. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

Francis Collins is obfuscating too, but in a different way. In Wuhan, research funded by NIH studied live MERS virus, an actual human pandemic pathogen, and live SARS-like coronaviruses from bats. These SARS coronaviruses were ones that the researchers believed to be potential pandemic pathogens. If Francis Collins thinks that such research does not require special oversight I do not know what research he thinks does require special oversight, he wrote.

In all, it seems that NIH is calculatedly deploying two working definitions of gain-of-function research that it is switching at will. One is so broad as to be meaningless and the other is so narrow as to encompass little or no actual research.

Lawrence Tabak, the principal deputy director at the NIH, told lawmakers last week that the agency determined the research in question didnt require enhanced oversight. He also claimed the viruses studied in China couldnt have been the source of the COVID-19 pandemic, even though information on most of the viruses sampled in Wuhan in recent years hasnt been shared with the public.

It is molecularly impossible to derive SARS-CoV-2 from any of the strains described in the EcoHealth documents available to the public so far. But the question is what other work was being done, Alina Chan, a postdoctoral researcher at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, wrote on Twitter.

The NIH produced the documents after receiving inquiries from lawmakers on multiple panels, including Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

In my assessment, Dr. Collins appears to be invoking the letter of the law on gain of function but clearly evading the spirit of the law. Thats why it is so important to determine exactly what NIH was supporting in Wuhan, Griffith told The Epoch Times via email. I have asked for lots of information from NIH, but the agency has not provided most of it. Dr. Collins comments show why we need more detailsto make sure the letter of the law does not allow the spirit of the law to be violated.

We now know for certain that Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins have been misleading the American people for months, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said in a recent statement. The documents released show that NIH was in fact funding gain-of-function research in China through EcoHealth Alliance. It is also clear there are significant failures at the NIH to properly oversee grant funding.

EcoHealth officials didnt immediately respond to requests from The Epoch Times for comment.
Egyptian policemen stand guarding a checkpoint on a road leading to the North Sinai provincial capital of El-Arish, on July 26, 2018. (Khaled Desouki/AFP via Getty Images)

Egyptian President Announces End of Emergency in Country

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced on Monday that the country will be coming out of a state of emergency declared back in 2017 after deadly church bombings.

Owing to great people and loyal men, an oasis of security and stability in the region, the president said on Facebook that the state of emergency has been cancelled across the country.

ISIS terrorists had killed 49 people and injured 136 on April 9, 2017, by suicide-bombing St. Georges Church in Tanta, a northern city situated on the Nile Delta, and Saint Marks Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria, the seat of the Coptic papacy.

Copts in Egypt constitute five to 20 percent of the 100 million Egyptian population. The exact number is not known but Copts in Egypt account for the largest minority Christian population in the Middle East and North Africa.

The attacks followed a call for violence against Christians by ISIS during the previous months. President al-Sisi announced the three-month emergency on the following day, which was subsequently continued.

The state of emergency granted by the Egyptian Parliament allowed the president to increase his authority in the country and escalate privileges of police forces to surveil, make extended arrests, and curtail constitutional rights such as freedom of speech and assembly.

There have been insurgent attacks by ISIS in the northern Sinai regions but the security situation has improved over the past two years. Efforts by Egyptian forces have resulted in many militants getting killed, fleeing the region, or surrendering. Its reported that as few as 200 radicals may still be active, which is down from 800 back in 2017.

The government has started building apartment blocks in Al Arish, North Sinais main city. Weve had enough, said an unnamed man to Reuters. We want to return to our houses or even the new ones they are building. We want to live in peace again.

Al-Sisi is a proponent of security, although rights groups had condemned the prolonged emergency period in the country. The groups claim that the emergency situation was utilized by al-Sisi to consolidate his power and crush dissent. Al-Sisi, however, maintains that there are no political prisoners in Egypt.

Egyptian activist Hossam Bahgat has welcomed the recent decision by the government to return to normalcy. Bahgat said that this would effectively end the countrys emergency state security courts although there are some high-profile cases still pending to be processed.
A child wears a mask as she has her temperature checked at the entrance to Alton Towers in Alton, England, on July 4, 2020. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Englands Mass Testing Scheme Failed Despite Eye-Watering Costs: Lawmakers

Englands test-and-trace system has failed to deliver on its main objectives despite its eye-watering multi-billion-pound budget, a UK Parliamentary committee has said.

In a damning report published on Wednesday, the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons said the mass testing scheme has not achieved its main objective to help break chains of COVID-19 transmission and enable people to return towards a more normal way of life despite being handed an eye-watering budget of 37 billion ($51 billion) over two years.

The scheme, known officially as the NHS Test and Trace Service (NHST&T), has been one of the most expensive health programmes delivered in the pandemic, costing nearly 20 percent of the entire 202021 budget of the National Health Service (NHS) in England.

But the committee said its outcomes have been muddled and a number of its professed aims have been overstated or not achieved.

The system has failed to deliver on its central promise of averting another lockdown, said the report. Instead, since October 2020 the country has had two more national lockdowns and case numbers have risen dramatically.

Committee chair Dame Meg Hillier, a Labour MP, said the scheme has failed to achieve its ambitions despite the vast sums thrown at it.

For this huge amount of money we need to see a legacy system ready to deliver when needed but its just not clear what there will be to show in the long term, she said.

The committee said that only 14 percent of 691 million lateral flow tests sent out had results reported, and it is not clear what benefit the remaining 595 million tests have secured.

The report is also critical of the schemes use of thousands of consultants who are paid an average of 1,100 ($1,510) per day. The continued reliance on the over-priced consultants who delivered this state of affairs will by itself cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of pounds, the committee said.

In response to the report, a government spokesperson said: We have built a testing network from scratch that can process millions of tests a daymore than any European countryproviding a free LFD or PCR test to anybody who needs one.

The new UK Health Security Agency will consolidate the knowledge that now exists across our health system to help us tackle future pandemics and threats, said the spokesperson.

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said on Tuesday that the UKs high number of CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus caseswhich have been averaging more than 40,000 a dayis very much related to the amount of testing.

He said the very effective testing in schools is picking up a lot of very mild infections among children, which in some parts of the country account for the vast majority of the positive cases.

PA contributed to this report.
EpochTV Review: Former Destitute Man Talks About the Root Causes of Homelessness

Commentary

Join Siyamak Khorrami for an enlightening episode of California Insider as he interviews former homeless drug addict Tom Wolf, who is now a recovery advocate. In the episode, Wolf talks about the rampant drug dealing among the homeless encampments in San Francisco and what measures must be taken to actually help people living on the street break from addiction and get back on their feet.

In regards to the homeless situation in San Francisco, Wolf says it is out of control. The city has between 8,000-17,000 homeless people on the street. Seven to eight out of every ten homeless people are dealing with addiction or some type of mental illness. The problem has grown exponentially to levels never seen before. Certain areas of the city have as many as 700 RVs or cars parked with people living in them, as well as thousands of tents and tent encampments that taxpayers are paying for. Amidst all this, the state of California is defunding the shelter system, resulting in only having enough shelter space for about 30 percent of the homeless population.

When asked to explain why so many people are homeless, Wolf says drug addiction. According to the Point in Time reports, done nationally to count the number of people experiencing homelessness in a single night, the main cause of homelessness is job loss. However, Wolf says what the report doesnt include is the reason why these people lost their jobs. Wolf explains that he lost his job because he was a drug addict, shooting up on his lunch break and then falling asleep at his desk. He says that people dont always admit to their drug addiction and that drug addiction is very under-reported.

Wolf describes his experience living on the street, saying that it is exhausting, especially if you are an addict because everything you do has to have the end result of getting drugs. Shoplifting, incidents of violence, carjackings etc. have all risen in San Francisco. Stores on streets that used to be thriving are now closed due to crime and shoplifting that has killed business. Thats not to say were criminalizing the homelessness, but you have to admit the truth, says Wolf. When youre a drug addict, and youre on the street and you dont have the money to support your addiction, youre going to do pretty much anything to get those drugs.

San Francisco has a problem with organized cartel drug dealing, with well-organized drug dealing rings operating in plain sight. One neighborhood Wolf examines has 10 to 12 individuals on a given day standing on street corners working in shifts selling drugs. Most of these people actually live in surrounding suburbs, not San Francisco, and they commute to the city to work their drug shifts. Wolf says that like Amazon, drug dealing thrived during the pandemic. Its the only business that did good during the pandemic in San Francisco. Business was booming for drug dealing on the street and thats a fact.

The police know of the dealing and they do their job by arresting the drug dealers. One police station arrested 786 people for felony drug dealing. However, almost 300 of those people were repeat offenders. This indicates that the district attorney and the courts arent doing their job by holding repeat offenders accountable for selling drugs, namely fentanyl, which is exponentially driving overdose rates in the country. The United States has had 93,000 deaths in the last year from a drug overdose, much of the overdoses attributed to fentanyl. San Francisco alone had 712 people die from a drug overdose this past year, mostly from fentanyl that is being sold by these organized dealers.

Wolf talks about his personal experience holding drugs for the dealers so that if the dealers got stopped by the police, they wouldnt have as many drugs on them resulting in less severe charges. He said they would pay him with drugs. The first time Wolf got arrested, he had 4 oz of heroin on him and he thought he would go to prison. Instead, he was released after only 16 hours and sent back into homelessness. That cycle continued over the next three months until his 6th arrest, where he was finally not allowed to be released so quickly. Wolf got clean in jail and said that was the intervention he needed. Prior to his drug addiction, Wolf was middle-class, married, had a home and a job making 80,000 a year. He left it all for drugs. After getting clean in jail, he went to drug rehab and was able to find recovery.

Former Homeless Man: San Franciscos Approach to Homelessness Will Lead to More People Living on the Street | California Insider [Full Episode]

Watch the full episode here.

Wolf talks about measures nonprofits and politicians have taken to house the homeless and manage addiction and explains why this is not effective. He explains housing the homeless does not encourage them to recover or break free from it, it enables them to live in a box and keep playing games with their life. He says most people believe the root cause of homelessness is simply a housing issue, but it is really a drug and a mental illness issue. Many of the people on the streets are institutionalized from being in prison, or they have been on the streets for a very long time, and many are suffering from trauma or mental illness, as well as drug addiction. Some have criminal records, which also doesnt help them get a fresh start.

He says cities that are trying to help are spending way too much money by giving multiple grants to nonprofits that are all doing the same work. There is no oversight over how the money is spent, and there is no accountability for real results. He says that building everyone a brand new appointment will take a 100 years and then the city will turn around and see another several hundred people homeless and be right back to where they started. Wolf says that politicians are patting themselves on the back because of the money they are allocating for homelessness, but this money is being used to pay multiple nonprofits to do something that one nonprofit could do for a fraction of the cost. More importantly, these efforts are not even dealing with the root cause of the problem. House as many people as you can, but until you start addressing the underlying causes, were not ever going to end it, says Wolf.

Wolf explains that the first step to solving homelessness is addressing addiction, then mental illness, then root issues after that. If someone is a drug addict, they cant make logical decisions or stay alive long enough to actually get the help they need to rehabilitate and get back on their feet.

He says that treating drug addiction is hard in the current system, unless intervention comes through the criminal justice system, like it did for him. The reason for this is because people have to wait for long periods of time to get into a treatment program and find a bed, where in jail it can happen right away. People cant stay sober while they wait, so they change their mind or keep using because their withdrawals are so bad, and oftentimes they forget or even die before they can come back. He proposes having homeless outreach teams, with case managers in mass quantities on the streets talking to people who are struggling and giving them real options that start with a shelter system first, real access to treatment and services, and as they progress they can get into some type of permanent housing.

Politicians need to understand that addiction and mental illness play a much bigger role in the homeless crisis. Wolf believes the homeless crisis will be the undoing of society if the country doesnt do something to stop it. As of now, cities dont have the infrastructure in place to build their way out of it. He says even the politicians he speaks to dont know where people can go in their state to get a detox or get drug treatment, so how are people with no technology and no connections or help going to find proper resources?

Wolf believes that the issue of homelessness has been politicized, and because of that bad decisions are being made because they are driven by ideology rather than by logic, compassion, or common sense. Wolf urges people to speak to their local political leaders about the homeless situation in the areas they live in and make it a number one issue because thats exactly what it is.

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EpochTV Review: Texas in the Crosshairs of Communism

Commentary

In the episode Why Communists Are Focused Heavily on Turning Texas Blue, Counterpunch host Trevor Loudon exposes the efforts of Democrats and communist organizations to turn Texas into a blue state. Historically Republican, if Texas turns blue it could essentially turn America into a one party country. The program begins with the announcement that Texas has become a hotbed of communist activity. Texas holds 38 electoral votes, which is why so much effort is being put into turning Texas into a blue state.

The host reveals that one of the main organizations trying to do this is called The Texas Organizing Project or TOP. This is a communist-run organization that has operations in other states with different names, but they are all controlled by the Communist Party. Organizations such as Detroit Action, Black Leaders Organization for Communities in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania Stands Up, the New Georgia Project, and the New Virginia Project are some of the communist organizations. These are all different heads of the same snake and are all affiliated with the main organization TOP, which is supported by the communist socialist organization Liberation Road. Its main objective is to get minority groups to vote Democrat.

TOP is the oldest, most organized, and the most dangerous of its kind says Loudon. The areas where it is most active are Dallas County in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Harris County in Houston, and Bexar County in San Antonio. These areas are the three major population centers in Texas. TOP was originally called ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), which was exposed for voter fraud. So it just reinvented itself under a different name.

ACORN

ACORN was founded in 1970 by community organizer, Wade Rathke. With an Anti-capitalist and socialist agenda, the group continued to grow and entered into politics in the 1980s. In 1998, it was found guilty of voter registration fraud. In addition to this, the founders brother, Dale Rathke was found guilty of embezzling over $1 million from ACORN, however the organization kept him on its board until he resigned in 2008. Out of the 1.3 million voter registrations obtained by the group in 2008, about 400,000 were found to be incomplete or frauds and in the following year, arrests were made due to leaders paying people for their voter registrations. Public outrage over these frauds continued to grow and the organization was disbanded in 2010.

TOPs Key Players

The two founders of TOP, Ginny Goldman and Michelle Tremillo, were former leaders of ACORN. In 2016, TOP had a budget of $3 million and 40 staff members. By 2018, when they backed Beto for Texas Senate, it grew to 575 staff and knocked on over 300,00 doors. TOP has many leaders who are affiliated with the Communist Party, and they work to put people in public office who are TOP supporters.

The host outlines several of the key players at TOP and their affiliations. San Antonio native Rosie Castro serves on the board of TOP and she worked with the Communist Party USA in the 1970s. Her sons, Joaquin and Julian Castro are both heavily involved in TOP. They both attended Stanford University and became presidents of the student government running on the peoples platform, which had ties to communism. Also on the board of TOP is a man named Bernard Sampson who is the head of the Houston Communist Party. Houston is the headquarters for the Texas Communist Party with over 300 members, several of whom are involved in TOP. Reverend James Caldwell and many other reverends are members of TOP and are Communist Party members.

Why Communists Are Focused on Turning Texas Blue l Counterpunch [Full Episode]

Watch the full episode here.

In 2014, the Communist Party and TOP campaigned to get Sylvia Garcia elected as a Texas representative. She is now in Congress and remains very loyal to TOP. In 2020, she endorsed Penny Shore as a Texas state representative for the Democratic Party. Penny Shore is a card carrying member of the Houston Communist Party. With the help of TOP, she was elected to that position. The Texas Organizing Project was also instrumental in getting Houstons left-wing mayor Sylvester Turner elected into office and Dallas Colin Allred to Congress. Allred has ties to the Democratic Socialists of America and Battleground Texas. These organizations work together to get each others elected to legislative positions. The Communist Party is pro-China and it is alarming that most of the voter registration centers are run by Communist Liberation Road.

Battleground Texas

Battleground Texas was founded in 2013 by Texas Democrats seeking to turn Texas into a state where Democrats could compete equally with Republicans in elections. Jeremy Bird, the groups senior advisor served as director for Obamas 2012 campaign. On their website is a disturbing quote that says, Battleground Texas is a local effort with national implications. With our 38 electoral votes, once Texas goes blue, a Republican can never make it to the White House again. With a statement such as this, the objective of this movement is clear.

These organizations believe they can use the minority populations to achieve their takeover of political positions. The host states, That may seem a little far-fetched, but it was far-fetched five years ago when Virginia was going to flip. It seemed far-fetched a few years ago that Georgia would have two far left Democratic Senators and that Arizona would be in a similar situation. The communists are working overtime to flip Texas because Texas is the prize. If they can take Texas, then they have America. The immigrants that are pouring into Texas are being given the right to vote by Biden and they will primarily vote Democrat.

Call to Action

The host advises that the only way to save Texas is to shut these communist networks down. With all of these people in various organizations tied to the Communist Party, it is clear that we are in danger of being overtaken and assimilated into a socialist country if things continue the way they are. We need top officials who will investigate these organizations, otherwise our state and then our country will be lost. It is worth the effortand taking some flakto get this accomplished. Saving Texas is a big part of saving America and Western civilization.

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The towers of the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, on Jan. 26, 2017. (Francois Lenoir/File Photo/Reuters)

EU Court Orders Poland to Pay $1.2 Million Daily Penalty in Rule-of-Law Dispute

The Polish government must pay a 1 million euro (about $1.2 million) penalty per day for maintaining a disciplinary chamber for judges, the European Unions top court, citing the primacy of EU law over national law, ruled on Oct. 27.

As it has not suspended the application of the provisions of national legislation relating, in particular, to the areas of jurisdiction of the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court, Poland is ordered to pay the European Commission a daily penalty payment in an amount of 1.000.000, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) said in a statement.

The punitive measure comes after the Luxembourg court had asked Poland in July as an interim measure to immediately suspend all activities of the chamber, which led to a war of words in which Poland told the EU to stay out of its judicial affairs.

The fine is separate from another daily 500,000 euro ($580,000) penalty the CJEU ordered Poland last month to pay for having ignored its injunction to halt operations at the Turow brown coal mine on the Czech border, which the Czech government cited as damaging to its communities.

Poland has disregarded the judgment, and the mine is reportedly still operational. Its possible for members of EU countries to refuse to pay penalties imposed by the European Commission (EC), although the EU can take the money from its funds to Poland, or any country in the 27-member bloc.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told the European Parliament last week that the country is working on abolishing the disciplinary chamber and replacing it with another system before the end of the year, but no detailed plans have been presented yet.

Polands Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki speaks during a press conference at the end of the second day of a European Union leaders meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 22, 2021. (John Thys/AFP via Getty Images)

Sebastian Kaleta, Polands deputy justice minister, called the penalties imposed by the CJEU usurpation and blackmail as it completely disregards and ignores the Polish constitution.

The daily fine was necessary in order to avoid serious and irreparable harm to the legal order of the European Union and to the values on which that Union is founded, in particular, that of the rule of law, the CJEU said in its Oct. 27 statement.

In early October, the Polish Constitutional Tribunal ruled that some of the EUs laws conflict with the countrys constitution and that national laws will have supremacy over those of the EU in areas where they clash, a move that was criticized by the EU, prompting a week-long war of words between Poland and the EU.

According to the principle of primacy, EU laws are superior to national laws for member states of the 27-nation bloc.

The attempt by the European Court of Justice to involve itself with Polish legal mechanisms violates  the rules that give priority to the constitution and rules that respect sovereignty amid the process of European integration, the tribunal ruled at the time.

Polands Law and Justice ruling party has been in conflict with Brussels since 2015 over a number of matters, including the judiciary, illegal immigration, and LGBT rights.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News
Former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo, with his wife Kim Ok-sook standing beside him, waves to his supporters and neighbors upon arrival at his home, on Dec. 22, 1997. (Yonhap /AP Photo)

Ex-South Korean President Roh Tae-Woo Dies at 88

SEOUL, South KoreaFormer South Korean President Roh Tae-woo, a major player in a 1979 coup who later became president in a landmark democratic election before ending his tumultuous political career in prison, died in hospital on Tuesday in the capital of Seoul. He was 88.

Roh, who ruled South Korea as president from 19881993, died of complications from various illnesses after his condition worsened while dealing with a degenerative disorder, Kim Yon-su, head of Seoul National University Hospital, told a news conference.

Roh was a key participant in the December 1979 military coup that made his army friend and coup leader Chun Doo-hwan president after their mentor, dictator Park Chung-hee, was assassinated following 18 years of rule.

Roh led his army division into Seoul and joined other military leaders for operations to seize the capital. In the following year, the military under Chun and other coup leaders launched a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in the southern city of Gwangju, killing about 200 people, in one of the darkest moments in South Koreas turbulent modern history.

Roh was Chuns hand-picked successor, which would have assured him the presidency in an easy indirect election. But a massive pro-democracy uprising in 1987 forced Roh and Chun to accept a direct presidential election that was regarded as the start of South Koreas transition to democracy.

Despite his military background, Roh built a moderate and genial image during the campaign, calling himself an average person. He eventually won the hotly contested election in December 1987, largely thanks to a split in liberal votes between opposition candidates Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung, who both later became presidents.

During his five-year term, Roh aggressively pursued ties with communist nations under his Northward Diplomacy as communism fell in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union dissolved.

South Korea was then deeply anti-communist because of its rivalry with North Korea, but under Roh it opened diplomatic relations with a communist nation for the first timeHungary in 1989, the year when the Berlin Wall fell and communism crumbled across Eastern Europe.

Rohs government established relations with the Soviet Union in 1990 and with China in 1992. Relations with North Korea improved under Roh, with the two sides holding their first-ever prime ministers talks, adopting a landmark joint statement on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and joining the United Nations at the same time.

Earlier, Roh oversaw the hosting of the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, the final Olympics of the Cold War era that showed how South Korea had rebuilt itself from the ashes of the 195053 Korean War. North Korea boycotted the 1988 games.

Ties between the two Koreas have since suffered ups and downs. Despite numerous denuclearization pledgesincluding one made during Rohs presidencyNorth Korea still maintains its nuclear weapons program which it views as a means of survival.

On domestic politics, Roh was seen by many as lacking charismatic and aggressive leadership. His nickname, Mul (Water) Tae-woo, implied his administration had no color and no taste. He still brought more openness by allowing more political criticism, in contrast with his authoritarian predecessors, Park and Chun. The governments led by Park and Chun often used security laws to suppress political opponents and restrict speech under the pretext of guarding against civil disorder and North Korean threats.

After his successor, Kim Young-sam, investigated the coup and military-led crackdown, Roh was arrested, convicted of mutiny, treason, and corruption and received a 22-year and six-month prison term. Chun was sentenced to death.

Former South Korean Presidents Roh Tae-woo, left, and Chun Doo-hwan, appear in court during their trial in Seoul, South Korea, on Aug. 26, 1996. (Yonhap/AP Photo)

The Supreme Court reduced those sentences to life imprisonment for Chun and 17 years for Roh. After spending about two years in prison, both Roh and Chun were released in late 1997 under a special pardon requested by then President-elect Kim Dae-jung, who sought national reconciliation amid an Asian financial crisis.

Roh had stayed mostly out of the public eye following his release from prison, refraining from political activities and speeches. In recent years, he suffered prostate cancer, asthma, cerebellar atrophy, and other health problems.

Last April, his daughter, Roh So-young, wrote on Facebook that her father had been bed-bound over the past 10 years without being able to speak or move his body. She said her father sometimes made eye gestures for communications but looked to have a tearful face when he failed to express his feelings and thoughts properly.

Rohs son, Roh Jae-heon, repeatedly offered an apology over the 1980 crackdowns and visited a Gwangju cemetery to pay respects to the victims buried there on behalf of his bed-ridden father.

But unlike Rohs family, Chun, who reportedly suffers Alzheimers disease and a blood cancer, has yet to apologize over the crackdowns.

Last August, Chun appeared at a Gwangju court to defend himself against charges that he defamed a now-deceased Catholic priest who had testified to seeing Chuns troops shooting at protesters from helicopters in Gwangju. Chun left the court after 20 minutes, complaining of breathing problems. In his memoir, Chun called the priest a shameless liar.

Both Roh and Chun were earlier ordered by a court to pay back hundreds of millions of dollars they collected illegally. Roh has paid back his shares but Chun hasnt done so, according to South Korean media reports.

Roh is survived by his wife and their two children.

By Hyung-Jin Kim
In Boston, a school district is facing a federal lawsuit because parents are saying that their students were discriminated against. How? According to the lawsuit, the school district held racially segregated events for students where certain students were invited, but white students were specifically excluded.

Likewise, in order to fight injustice, a high school accounting program in the state of New York also made a point to exclude white students from being allowed to join.

Meanwhile, as states across the country are firing police officers who refuse to get the vaccine, the state of Florida is taking a different approach. Gov. Ron DeSantis just announced that he is working on a new piece of legislation that would actually give $5,000 bonuses to unvaccinated police officers who leave their states and come to work in Florida.

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Federal Judge Dismisses Southwest Airlines Pilots Effort to Block Vaccine Mandate

A federal judge in Texas on Tuesday threw out a request brought by a union that represents Southwest Airlines pilots to block the company from carrying out its COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), which has some 9,000 members, filed a lawsuit earlier this month to prevent the carrier from mandating that its workers get vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8 under federal rules, barring religious or medical exemptions.

The union had argued that the carrier had illegally changed work rules instead of negotiating with pilots, and in doing so, violated a federal labor lawthe Railway Labor Act, which governs airline-labor relations and its collective bargaining agreement.

In dismissing the unions request to temporarily block the company mandate, U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn wrote that the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for Southwest employees would likewise improve the safety of air transportation, efficiency of Southwests operations.

The mandate would also further the [collective bargaining agreements] goal of safe and reasonable working conditions for pilots, the judge wrote in her 25-page ruling on Tuesday.

In addition, because Southwest is a federal contractor, the Vaccine Policy is required by law, the judge added.

SWAPA said it is disappointed in the judges decision, adding that members are currently considering next steps, CNBC reported.

The Epoch Times has contacted SWAPA for additional comment.

What Southwest Airlines is doing is outrageous. Its in-your-face stuff, Hal Gillespie, an attorney for SWAPA told the judge at a hearing on Oct. 22, adding that the vaccine requirement has caused irreparable harm to the groups reputation, Bloomberg reported.

Jonathan Fritts, a lawyer for the carrier, told the judge that the policies are in place for the safety and wellbeing of both employees and customers.

Theres a very strong public interest here, Fritts said.

SWAPA previously said in a statement on its website that the union is not anti-vaccination, but we do believe that, under all circumstances, it is our role to represent the health and safety of our Pilots and bring their concerns to the company.

Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly told CNBC earlier this month that he has never been in favor of corporations imposing that kind of a mandate, and that the carrier only imposed one because of President Joe Bidens executive order.

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, Kelly said.

My goal, obviously, is that no one loses their job. The objective here, obviously, is to improve health and safety, not for people to lose their jobs, Kelly added.

More recently, Kelly said that the company wont fire employees who fail to get vaccinated by the December deadline.

It is a work in progress, and were going to continue working in good faith to meet the requirements of the executive order. But Ive already said, and Im sure youve heard, were not going to fire anybody who doesnt get vaccinated, he said on Friday in a statement to news outlets.
Florida Parents File Lawsuit for Violation of Parental Rights to Stop Secret Transgender-Affirming Guidance

'This is a national agenda to drive a wedge between parents and their children'

The parents of a Leon County school student have filed a lawsuit against school officials for violation of parental rights in an effort to stop enforcement of the districts transgender-affirming guidance for their minor-aged daughter that was kept secret from the parents.

The Plan

As reported by The Epoch Times in August, January Littlejohn of Tallahassee, Florida, was horrified to discover that school officials held a secret meeting with her 13-year-old daughter to discuss how the school would accommodate her decision to be acknowledged as non-binary and use an alternate name at school. The plan made it clear to staff that the parents were not aware and supportive of their childs gender transition. Therefore, while the school psychologist/social worker, principal, assistant principal, counselor, student teachers, substitute teachers, and the childs peer group were allowed to know what was going on, the use of privacy when speaking to parents was listed as one of the considerations that must be accounted for in implementing this plan.

Excerpt from the Leon County School Districts transgender gender nonconforming student support plan, directing staff to keep all guidance regarding a 13-year-old daughters new non-binary status secret when speaking to parents, filled out in a secret meeting on Sept. 8, 2020. (Obtained by The Epoch Times from January and Jeffrey Littlejohn in August 2021.)

According to the Leon County School Districts Transgender/Gender-Nonconforming Student Support Planfilled out during a Sept. 8, 2020, private meeting and first obtained by The Epoch Timesa checklist was used to record the childs new non-binary status, preferred name, and preferred pronouns. The child also determined which bathroom she preferred using and that she would be comfortable rooming w/either sex on overnight school trips. This opened the door to having the 13-year-old girl rooming with teenage boys without her parents knowledge.

Excerpt from the Leon County School Districts transgender gender nonconforming student support plan, directing staff to keep all guidance regarding a 13-year-old daughters new non-binary status secret when speaking to parents, filled out in a secret meeting on Sept. 8, 2020. (Obtained by The Epoch Times from January and Jeffrey Littlejohn in August 2021.)

Through the series of emails and meetings between January and Jeffrey Littlejohn, their attorney and Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hannawhich followed the discovery of the secret meetingHanna eventually conceded in a May 24, 2021 letter addressed to Mary McAlisterlead counsel for the Littlejohnsthat there was no basis to exclude the parents from the private meeting. In the letteralso obtained by The Epoch TimesHanna also said a revised Q&A specific to the Littlejohns concern was provided to the administrators reiterating the directive to promptly contact parents of students who identify as LGBTQ+. In conversations with the Littlejohns, Hanna further admitted the passage of H.B. 241, the Florida Parents Bill of Rights, changed everything in this matter.

Leon County Schools Equity Officer Kathleen Rodgers also told The Epoch Times in August that the district was working to put together a more detailed policy to be more inclusive of the Parent Bill of Rights and that a committee would meet in the next few weeks to tweak policies and begin the process to present them to the School Board for adoption.

The Broken Promises

We have been meeting with the district for over a year and we were holding faith in what the superintendent was telling us, January Littlejohn told The Epoch Times the day after the lawsuit was filed, They said youre absolutely right, you should have been included, and from here on out parents will be included. We thought that hiring attorneys would let them know we were serious and that passing the Parents Bill of Rights and having that signed into law would be enough.

However, while the Littlejohns believed their July 1 meeting with school officials and their attorney went welljust after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Florida Parents Bill of Rights into lawthe passage of time found nothing had changed.

While the Littlejohns requested to see the promised revised policy from the Leon County School District, all they found was that the school had pulled the old guide from the internet.

Despite Hannas assurance that parents will be included in important decisions being made for their child, it has become very clear that Leon County school officials are maintaining their policy of keeping everything secret.

That was a huge red flag for me that they werent adhering to what was promised at the meeting, Littlejohn said and I became very concerned that we were being dragged along and they were not going to make good on their word. So we filed the lawsuit.

The Lawsuit

According to Littlejohn, school officials continue to insist that they are following school guidelines, which are to protect the privacy of the children. However, their lawyer insists school officials are twisting the definition of the word privacy to push their own agenda.

When we say private, these school officials are taking the position of keeping things private from parents, Vernadette Broyles, president and general counsel at Child & Parental Rights Campaign Inc. in Johns Creek, Georgia, told The Epoch Times. Broyles is one of the attorneys representing the Littlejons in their lawsuit.

We have no quarrel in protecting childrens privacy from a third party, Broyles explained. What they do have a problem with is when school officials take the position that the decisions they make that affect the mental health and well-being of someone elses childlike the decision to identify as something other than their sex, what bathrooms the child will use, and where they sleep on a field tripshould be kept secret from parents.

Those are profoundly impactful decisions and theyre taking a position of saying they cannot share it with parents, Broyles asserted and that is a distortion of the concept of privacy of a child to keep such information from the childs parents.

According to Broyles, the individuals named in the complaint filed on Oct. 18 are Hanna and Rodgers. Broyles said the Leon County School Board was also named in the suit because they have reason to believe the board had some complicity and knowledge of what was going on.

The complaint alleges that the Defendants violated Plaintiffs fundamental rights by implementing a protocol and training district staff to conceal from parents information regarding their childrens assertion of a discordant gender identity, and violated Plaintiffs fundamental rights by directing staff to deceive parents by using the childrens birth name and corresponding pronouns in the presence of or communication with the parents while using the childrens new chosen name and pronouns at all other times.

Common Sense Things

According to Broyles, they are asking for some very common sense things. They want the school to formally rescind the old guidance they had on the website, specifically the directives to intentionally deceive parents by using the childs given name and pronouns when the parents were around or when speaking to parents and to revert to using the assumed identity of the child once the parents were out of the way.

That is unconscionable, Broyles said.

They also want a new policy drafted that makes it clear, whenever a child expresses confusion about their gender identity or their sex that parents would be immediately notified because it is a health issue.

In addition, no meetings will be held and no actions will be taken until school staff and/or officials have first spoken to the parents and obtained their permission and their participation in these decisions. They also demand that any new policies be implemented through school board notification and voting.

Thats a big issue, Littlejohn noted, explaining that many schools are able to keep parents in the dark about what is going on in their childrens schools by calling these procedures guidance rather than policies.

Were seeing around the country where these kinds of guidance are being implemented through back channels, decided somewhere in private conversations and then put in place not through the public school boards, which are accountable to parents and the community, Littlejohn explained.

Asked if they believe the implementation of guidance through private conversations suggests there is an intentional violation of Floridas Sunshine Laws, Broyles said the possibility is obvious.

We suspect there is but we decided not to focus on that because those types of violations typically have a short statute of limitations and limited remedies, Broyles explained. This is a bigger picture. This lawsuit is about protecting the fundamental rights of parents to raise their children without the interference of government officials so we have focused on the guarantees under the Unites States Constitution, the Florida State Constitution, the protections of the Florida Parents Bill of Rights, and other Florida statutes.

This is not just a Florida thing, Broyles insisted. This is a national agenda to drive a wedge between parents and their children because somehow public school officials have taken the position and have somehow come to believe that they know better than parents and that children are nothing more than the mere creatures of the state. This case is to establish that children belong to families and that parents are the rightful adults to be making these decisions about whats in their childs best interest.

I want to be very clear about something, Broyles added, affirming a childs discordant gender identity is a significant mental health and medical decision that affects the well-being of children with potentially life-long consequences. To affirm a childs discordant identity is a treatment decision to a complex mental health issue that schools are not qualified to make. Parents must immediately be involved in such decisions. So this case is about establishing the rightful place of parents to make those decisions and thats what protects children.

The Secret Game of Guidance Versus Policy

This issue of guidance versus policy is really significant, Littlejohn reiterated, sharing that she had watched a conference hosted by Equality Florida that specifically told the schools, administrators, guidance counselors, and all of the attendees to implement guidance, not policy because you dont have to have any input to do that.

When they call it guidance rather than policy Littlejohn said school officials can effectively train teachers, put on seminars, webinars and implement these procedures without ever having to go through the school board to get public comment.

Its all done very much in secret from parents, Littlejohn said, explaining how she had found these same exact LGBTQ non-conforming guides in many other Florida school districts including Broward, Dade, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Orange, Pasco, Hillsborough, and Alachua.

And these were just the ones I researched, Littlejohn noted. I didnt have time to research all the counties in Florida yet but its very easy to find these guides and it specifically states to keep this information from parents because outing a child to the parents could result in abuse or homelessness.

Quisha King, the mother whose speech opposing critical race theory before the Duval County School Board went viral, produced a video warning parents that what happened in secret with the Littlejohns could also be happening to their children in Duval County. In the video, King reads directly from the Duval County Public Schools Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender & Questioning LGBTQ+ Support Guide (pdf), which instructs any teacher or school administrator who is asked about a childs chosen status by a childs parent to provide the following appropriate response:

Based on policy and federal guidelines, I cannot divulge whether your child and I have had any such confidential conversations, as even students are legally afforded rights of privacy.

The guide further instructs that upon notification of a transgender or gender non-conforming students status, school staff should complete a support plan, just like the one filled out by the Littlejohns daughter in secret meeting with school officials, in collaboration with the student and parent/guardian (if aware) to provide guidance to school staff on how to support the child at school. The guide also provides a reminder, that a students gender identity should never be disclosed without their consent even to a parent or guardian. As it reads on the booklet cover, this guidance is to be practiced in every school, every classroom, with every student, every day.

Thats devotion, honey, King told The Epoch Times, clarifying that this means it applies to all Duval County children in kindergarten through twelfth grade. They even have in the guide how to talk to kindergartners about this.

They put this out there under the umbrella of civil rights, privacy, and anti-bullying, King explained. But I dont understand why we have to cater to one specific group. Nobody should be bullied. No one should be harassed. Why do we have to have LGBTQ signs everywhere as if theyre a special group? It should just be we dont tolerate bullying or harassment of anyone, period.

The Mishandling of This Situation

While we seldom comment on pending litigation, we have seen that the district openly acknowledged their mishandling of this situation and apologized for the matter, Christina Pushaw, press secretary for DeSantis told The Epoch Times.

This is not the first time Leon County has been in the legal hot seat. On Oct. 12, Leon County was slapped with a $3.57 million fine for violation of state law prohibiting vaccine mandates for government employees and for firing 14 who refused to comply. They have until Nov. 5 to pay the penalty.

The district should take every step necessary to get a firm grip on its school operations and hold accountable all those who permitted this ridiculous situation to occur, Pushaw stated further. Governor DeSantis has always stood strong for parents rights and will continue fighting to protect parents rights to make health and education decisions for their own children.

The Leon County School Board has admitted their mishandling of the situation and apologized to the family, Brett Tubbs from the communications office for Florida Department of Education Director Richard Corcoran, told The Epoch Times, however we must hold those who permitted this situation to occur accountable. The Leon County School District must take every step necessary to fix this situation. Governor DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) have fought for the rights of parents and will continue to do so when making health and education decisions for their students. FDOE has been extremely clear that elected officials cannot pick and choose what laws they follow and that parents have the right to make personal and private health care and education decisions for their families.

The Epoch Times reached out twice to Hanna for comment. He did not respond.

The Epoch Times also reached out to Rodgers.

We do not comment on open litigation, Chris Petley in the communications office replied.

The Epoch Times also reached out twice to Leon County School Board Chair Georgia Joy Bowen (District 5). She did not respond.

For parents who want more information on their rights regarding transgender indoctrination in Florida schools, Broyles suggests: Navigating the Transgender Landscape School Resource Guide.

A group of four attorneys and three educators created this guide to be an antidote to the propaganda with which activists have flooded our schools, Broyles said. It is filled with medically accurate information that was reviewed and endorsed by fourteen medical professionals. 

They are really pinning the child against the parent and thats what was so profound to me, Littlejohn said. There was not just one person in the meeting with my daughter but three school officials had her in a room, by herself, completing this guide with her and this is being done, not only in our state but all over America. This is a really significant issue happening that parents are in the dark about. Parents need to find a voice and stand up for parental rights before theyre completely gone.
Floridas Surgeon General at Center of Mask Row With Sick Senator

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Oct. 26 responded to an incident in which he refused to wear a mask when visiting a state senator who has been diagnosed with cancer.

The matter took place on Oct. 25 after state Sen. Tina Polsky (D-Boca Raton), had agreed to meet with Ladapo in her Tallahassee office in anticipation of his confirmation hearing.

According to media reports, Polsky said she was wearing a mask and had a sign on her door requesting those who enter to mask up, but Ladapo and his two aides did not comply. The senator said she asked him to put on a mask.

I respect all individuals, and I would never knowingly be disrespectful to anyone. I attempted, in good faith, to find some way for us to communicate that would respect each of our preferences, Ladapo said on Twitter.

The surgeon general said he suggested they meet in an outdoor venue because of her concerns of COVID-19 transmissions.

He said that data clearly shows that outdoor settings are much safer than indoor settings.

Because this suggestion was not considered acceptable to her, I offered to identify some other solution that would allow us to communicate in a manner that would respect both of our preferences, he continued.

Polsky, 53, represents portions of Broward and Palm Beach counties. She was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer in August and is set to begin chemotherapy soon.

Ladapo said: Having a conversation with someone while wearing a mask is not something I find productive, especially when other options exist.

The incident has spurred a media storm and Polsky has appeared across a number of broadcast and print outlets on the matter.

The governors press secretary, Christina Pushaw, says the incident is unduly politicized, because Ladapos confirmation will be coming up soon.

The much-publicized incident has raised criticisms from other Democrats who have asked the governor to rescind the nomination. The group has threatened to reject the nomination in the upcoming session.

Ladapo, according to the governors office, can stay in the position for up to two years without Senate approval.

I dont want to see him sitting there as surgeon general this whole time without proper nomination process, or his nomination should just be pulled, Polsky told MSNBC Oct. 25.

This man is not fit to serve as our surgeon general. He certainly didnt care about my health, so I dont know how hes going to care about the public health of 21 million Floridians.

Ladapo said he will continue in his role with integrity and communicate truthfully about data and scientific evidence.

It is important to me to communicate clearly and effectively with people, he said. I cant do that when half of my face is covered.

The Florida Department of Health, which Ladapo oversees, sent a statement telling senators that he will work with them on protocols for meetings concerning his confirmation.

DOH will be addressing this directly with members of the Senate, rather than letting this play out publicly, the statement read. While we werent aware of any specific Senate protocols, we will certainly ask members ahead of time and make necessary accommodations, such as meeting through Zoom, or outdoors.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Ladapo last month after Dr. Scott Rivkees resigned after his contract with the state ran out.

The governors spokeswoman said the governor will not be withdrawing the nomination.
Ex-Hospital Executive Wins $10 Million in Discrimination Lawsuit

A former North Carolina hospital executive who said he was fired from his job because hes a white male was awarded $10 million in a discrimination lawsuit Tuesday.

A federal jury in Charlotte decided that Novant Health, which is a hospital system based in North Carolina and serves four states, has to pay David Duvall, its former senior vice president of marketing and communications, $10 million in damages.

In his lawsuit filed in 2019, Duvall said he was terminated from his job in 2018 due to Novant Healths diversity efforts, saying he was replaced by a black woman and a white woman. Novant, his lawyers said, violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits gender and race discrimination in the workplace.

Defendants [Novant Healths] termination of [Duvall] for the purpose of improving diversity constituted discrimination based on sex and race, his lawsuit said.

Members of the jury agreed with arguments that Novant Health failed to prove that it would have fired him regardless of his race, according to a jury verdict form. It also found Duvall proved that both his race and sex were motivating factors in his firing.

We are pleased that the jury agreed that Duvalls race and gender were unlawful factors in his terminationthat he was fired to make room for more diverse leaders at Novant, S. Luke Largess, Duvalls attorney, told local media on Tuesday after the decision.

In a twist, Largess also said that Duvall was a strong advocate of diversity at Novant but belive the punitive damages award is a message that an employer cannot terminate and replace employees in order to achieve greater diversity in the workforce.

To replace Duvall, Largess said the company created two new positions to replace him and promoted a woman who was working under him to head the firms communications department. The firm also created a second position to head marketing at Novant, taking 10 months to fill that role, the lawyer told WSOC-TV.

Both women who were hired were qualified for the work  but neither was more qualified than Duvall, and there were no complaints about his performance, Largess said. He was just fired out of the clear blue sky, and it fit hand-in-glove with the strategic plan and timeline.

Court papers filed by Novant Health claimed Duvall was terminated because he had poor leadership skills, adding that in his deposition, Duvall said he didnt necessarily believe he was being discriminated against, according to the Winston Salem Journal.

After the jurys decision, Novant issued a statement saying it was extremely disappointed and is planning an appeal.

We are extremely disappointed with the verdict as we believe it is not supported by the evidence presented at trial, which includes our reason for Mr. Duvalls termination. We will pursue all legal options, including appeal, over the next several weeks and months, the firm told the media. The Epoch Times has contacted Novant Health for comment.

The company then said it is one of thousands of organizations to implement diversity and inclusion programs across the United States.

Its important for all current and future team members to know that this verdict will not change Novant Healths steadfast commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity for all, the hospital added, referring to diversity, inclusion, and equity mandates and training, which according to Criticalrace.org, are closely aligned with the quasi-Marxist critical race theory.
Chinese President Xi Jinping drives in a car after inspecting the troops during a parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Former Top Chinese Military Commander Dies at 58, Media Delays Reporting

It took three weeks for Chinese state media to report on the death of a senior general of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

Zhang Xudong, former chief of the PLAs Western Theater Command, died from illness in Beijing on Oct. 1, according to state media Xinhua News Agency on Oct. 21.

He was reportedly 58 years of age.

The announcement provided no specifics about the illness that caused his death. State media outlets seldom mention much in the way of personal details about high-ranking officials in their reports.

The announcement came 20 days after the generals death and such delays in China are considered a rare occurrence but the date of his death coincided with communist Chinas national day. The Chinese Communist Party established its regime on Oct. 1, 1949.

On the same day two years ago, Zhang rocketed to public attention when he showed up as the vice commander of a massive military parade at Beijings Tiananmen Square. As a trusted aide for Chinese leader Xi Jinping, he helped organize the event marking the CCPs 70th anniversary.

In China, such a massive parade was seen as a major occasion to boost Xis profile. A little more than one year later, in December 2020, Zhang received the title of full general and was later appointed chief of the Western Theater Command.

Public information shows the Western Theater Command is the largest of five of its type in China, with a jurisdiction that covers five provinces; Sichuan, Gansu, Qinghai, Shaanxi, and Yunnan; three ethnic minority regions of Ningxia, Tibet, and Xinjiang; and the municipality of Chongqing.

However, Zhang stepped down from the high position in June for unclear health reasons, half a year after taking office in December 2020. Afterward, he was assigned to work in the Central Military Commissions Strategic Planning Committee.

Following his resignation, his successor Xu Qiling stayed at the position for a shorter period of timetwo monthsbefore his removal, again for undisclosed health causes. Currently, the head of the command is full general Wang Haijiang.
The Japanese government has approved gene-edited red seabream for its market release. The edible part of the fish is 20 to 60 percent more than its natural kind. This photo is unrelated to the actual gene-edited red seabream. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Gene Editing Industry Grows As Food Regulation Loosens

Growing Distrust of Food Safety in GM and Gene-Edited Products

Most people are familiar with the term genetically modified foods (GM foods or GMOs), but not so with gene-edited food. Recently, gene-edited red seabream, a fish species commonly found in Japan, has been approved by its government for market release.

Gene editing, also referred to as genome editing, is a method that works by using enzymes to cut DNA at specific points; it can be used to add, delete, or replace sections of DNA of the organism.

The general claim is that changes introduced by gene editing can be identical to those occurring naturally or achieved through traditional breeding but can be made more quickly and precisely. The uses range from making minor changes to DNA to adding new genes to improve traits in an organism. For example, it has the potential to improve the nutritional content of crops or reduce food waste by making them more resistant to disease.

Gene editing was applied to the Japanese red seabream to reduce the effect of myostatin in its body, increasing its edible part by more than 20 percent compared to its natural production. Myostatin is a protein secreted in muscle tissues that inhibits muscle cell growth.

Earlier this month, health authorities in Japan approved the gene-edited red seabream introduced by Regional Fish Institute, Ltd, a Japanese aquaculture start-up. This red seabream will be the worlds first gene-edited animal food to be made available for the market through national approval procedures, the company stated in a press release. The gene-edited fish was approved by Japans Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare; and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.

According to Regional Fish, the edible part of this gene-edited fish has increased by 20 to 60 percent. In addition, the feed utilization efficiencya ratio of animal response to feed intakeis improved by about 14 percent. Moreover, the reproduction cycle is shorter, which greatly enhances breeding efficiency and profitability.

Presently, the company has not directly sold the gene-edited fish to consumers. Instead, Regional Fish began accepting orders for trial sales of products made with the modified seabream through a crowdfunding platform. Packages containing konbu-cured sea bream and sea bream cooked with rice are to be shipped out sometime in October, and they will be labeled genome-edited.

The company says its gene editing is simply speeding up what could be achieved by selective breeding, from 30 years to just two.

Selective breeding, also known as artificial selection, refers to a more traditional method by choosing parents with particular characteristics to breed together and produce offspring with more desirable characteristics. However, this method requires generations of selection and breeding, and it often takes decades to develop a new variety.

Gene-Edited Foods in Japan and the US

Regional Fish is the second entity to market gene-edited food in Japan.

In September, Japan approved its first plant-based gene-edited food now on the market, a new kind of tomato that purportedly lowers blood pressure.

Through gene editing, the researchers have increased the content of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in ordinary tomatoes by five times. GABA has the effect of inhibiting the rise in blood pressure and relieving stress. Presently, these tomatoes are very expensive; they cost about $10 to $12 per pound. The company, Sanatech Seed, the Tokyo-based startup approved to sell the tomatoes, is planning to launch another tomato sauce.

In 2016, local mushroom farmers in Chester County, Pennsylvania, were producing a staggering 1.1 million pounds of mushrooms on average every day. However, some mushrooms quickly turned brown and decayed on store shelves, and no one wanted them.

That same year, a biologist from Pennsylvania State University showed the local farmers a gene-edited mushroom that he had developed in 2015. Immediately the farmers understood the enormous commercial implications of the gene-edited mushrooms as they stayed pristine white for an extended time.

The researcher had deleted one of the six oxidase genes in the mushroom genome that caused discoloration, and the enzyme activity was reduced by 30 percent, slowing the browning of the mushroom.

In February 2019, Calyxt, a small American start-up, launched a gene-edited soybean oil called Calyno oil. It contains approximately 80 percent oleic acid and up to 20 percent less saturated fatty acids than commodity soybean oil, and it has zero grams of trans fat per serving. Trans fat is said to cause cholesterol to build up in the arteries and increase the risk for heart disease and stroke.

Genetic Modification vs. Gene Editing

Genetically modified foods usually involve the introduction of one or more genes from a different organism. In contrast, gene editing is a simpler method that adds, deletes, or replaces sections of the organisms DNAcommonly in crops, poultry, and fish. It is considered a closer method to selective breeding.

Governments are relatively strict on approving genetically modified crops or fruits. For example, in the United States, a new GM food needs to be approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before hitting the market; the process typically takes several years.

However, the approval of gene-edited food is comparably simple. The USDA in 2018 stated that it does not plan to regulate plants that have been modified through genome editing. It only required the product information to be submitted for confirmation before entering the market. The agency added that genome editing allows breeders to introduce new traits more precisely and faster.

In October 2019, Japans Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare announced an approval system for gene-edited food, which stipulates that gene-edited foods with specific functions removed by deleting specific genes can be sold upon declaration and without safety inspections. Whether to label gene-edited products is voluntary, unlike GM foods, which require safety reviews.

Australia and New Zealand consider gene-edited organisms the same as non-GMO. However, in 2018, the European Court of Justice ruled that gene editing constitutes a genetic modification. Despite some EU institutions and member states holding different opinions, the EU had begun to review relevant regulations and definitions.

China currently does not have a management policy specifically for gene-edited organisms, but more than 20 laboratories are developing gene-edited crops.

Growing Concerns of Food Safety

Even today, there are often safety controversies regarding GM and gene-edited foods due to the lack of data on human health and the environment.

However, more industries are embracing GM and gene-editing technologies, and more consumers are worried about its safety. After all, both methods of genetic change do not occur naturally.

According to a Pew Research survey released in November 2018, 49 percent of Americans believe that genetically modified foods are more harmful to health than non-genetically modified foods. In Pews 2016 survey, the proportion was only 39 percent.

According to the Consumers Union of Japan, some 43 percent of respondents to a University of Tokyo internet survey said they would not want to eat agricultural products developed with genome editing technology, and the figure topped 53 percent when people were asked whether they would eat genome-edited animal products. Less than 10 percent of people said they might buy gene-edited food.

Many believe gene-edited food could have uncontrollable risk factors on fruits, crops, or animals. And there could be irreversible consequences once it enters the commercial stage, as studies show unexpected and undesirable results of gene-edited organisms.

In a study published on June 30, 2015, by Nature, a British weekly scientific journal, a team of scientists from South Korea and China said that they had created double-muscled pigs using gene editing. At that time, there was a large market for lean pork. The group hoped that regulators would take a lenient stance toward the pigs, and that the breed could be among the first genetically engineered animals to be approved for human consumption.

The team edited pig fetal cells and deleted the myostatin gene, which inhibits the growth of muscle cells and keeps muscle size in check. They created 32 cloned piglets. However, only 13 of the 32 lived to 8 months old. Of those, two were still alive at the time of the studys release, and only one was considered healthy.

Scholars: Mutations Are Inevitable

In theory, as long as you find a gene fragment with a particular characteristic, then modify or delete it, you can get the corresponding change. However, it is difficult for gene editing to achieve such precise changes in actual operation and it will bring many undesirable changes. These unexpected changes are also called off-target effects.

A study published in 2017 in the international scientific journal Nature Methods found that the genome editing technology CRISPR introduced hundreds of unintended mutations into the genome of mice, undermining its claim of accuracy and safety.

In the study, the researchers sequenced the entire genome of mice that had undergone CRISPR gene editing to correct a genetic defect. They found that the genomes of two independent mice subjects had sustained more than 1,500 single-nucleotide mutations and more than 100 larger deletions and insertions. None of these DNA mutations were predicted by the computer algorithms researchers widely use to screen an organisms genome and look for potential off-target mutations.

It is a matter of how many off-target mutations there are, rather than a matter of their total absence. The technology is not perfect. It will in the future become less prone to off-target effects as it is refined procedurally, but it is extremely unlikely that it will ever arrive at a point where only the intended change will result, said Dr. Michael Antoniou from the Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics at Kings College London.

Many of the genome editing-induced off-target mutations, as well as those induced by the tissue culture, will no doubt be benign in terms of effects on gene function. However, many will not be benign, and their effects can carry through to the final marketed product, whether it be plant or animal.
Artists paint a mural on a wall next to the Clydeside Expressway near the Scottish Events Centre (SEC), which will be hosting the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, on Oct. 13, 2021. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Global Climate Summit Will Be Undermined by Anti-Humanism, Unscientific Alarmism

Commentary

We dont need to wait for media coverage and live tweets from the U.N. climate change conference to know that the results of COP26 will be more of the same old hysterical alarmismtinged with deeply troubling anti-humanism.

The 20,000 wealthy diplomats, Wall Street financiers, and activists converging in Glasgow, Scotlandironically fresh from their comfortably fossil-fueled journeyssay the worlds future is their priority. But their actions reveal a disdain for humanity that should undermine any ideas they propose.

COP26 activists cite claims from researchers that global carbon emissions must fall by 45 percent or more this decade alone in order to stave off a climate Ragnarok. But the statistical gymnastics they use to support this claim suffer from severe scientific errorsand, ironically, dont prove their case anyway.

The same data models that will be cited repeatedly in Glasgow show that even the most stringent emissions policies wouldnt meaningfully change global temperatures. Eliminating all fossil fuel consumption in the United States would result in less than two-tenths of a degree difference in global temperatures by 2100a minuscule figure within spitting distance of the margin of error. The same goes for the Paris Agreement at just 0.17 degreesand thats in the highly implausible scenario that every participating country meets its pledges through the end of the century.

What they dont tell you? Not only will ham-fistedly punishing carbon dioxide emissions not work, but it will also destroy liveshere in the United States and around the world.

The world is already entering an energy crisis that has shut down factories, is exacerbating existing supply-chain issues, and is poised to cause blackouts across the world. For many, this winter will be deadly, as home heating costs continue to rise and power plants run low on fuel.

Imagine a United States where our businesses, hospitals, banks, grocery stores, 911 dispatch centers, and morelet alone our homescant keep the lights on because foolish renewable energy mandates have made electricity unreliable and prohibitively expensive. Imagine a United States where thousands die needlessly because they cant afford to keep their homes at a safe temperatureas happens every year in the UK.

And imagine how the developing world will suffer without access to the cheap, reliable fossil fuels that have done incredible work lifting the burden of extreme poverty from communities all around the globe. Though elite gatherings such as COP26 adopt a highbrow tone and claim concern for the worlds poor, the ideas that they advocate will crush the Third World under the weight of deadly energy poverty for good.

Thats because COP26 isnt really about climate change, and its certainly not about helping people. The average American, understandably concerned by frightening headlines about climate change, has no sinister motives, but the underpinnings of the climate alarmist movement are about forcing a progressive ideology on the massescoercing everyone to adopt politically correct lifestyles and cede power to the federal governmentusing skewed climate science as a cover.

If influential climate activists were truly concerned about the human condition, they would abandon their fruitless quest to crush the energy sources we need to survive. They would acknowledge that technology and the free market have made us more resilient than ever, with climate-related deaths dropping by 98 percent over the past century, even while the global population has quadrupled and average temperatures have warmed slightly. They would focus on tangibly improving liveswhich certainly wouldnt involve eliminating access to affordable, reliable energy.

Climate czar John Kerry has called COP26 the last best hope for the world. This bleak worldview isnt shared by those who recognize that the radical lefts anti-prosperity, anti-freedom ideology is the real threat, not climate change.

Humanitys future is looking brighter than everif we resist the alarmism pressing us toward socialism.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Grocery Chain Cited for COVID-19 Sick Leave Violations at 38 Stores, 3 in SD County

SAN DIEGOA Southern California grocery chain has been cited by The California Labor Commissioners Office for failing to pay or delaying supplemental paid sick leave to 240 workers affected by COVID-19 at 38 stores, including three in San Diego County, the Office announced Oct. 26.

Bodega Latina, which does business as El Super, was cited over $1.16 million after an investigation found that some workers were forced to work while sick, others were told to apply for unemployment while quarantining or in isolation, while others waited months to be paid, according to the Labor Commissioners Office.

The violations led to citations at three locations in San Diego, Escondido, and Oceanside.

Some sick workers were told that they had to come into work even when they displayed COVID-19 symptoms until they received their test results.

In addition, those who needed to self-quarantine were told to apply for unemployment or disability benefits to cover their isolation time, while others were denied time off to isolate when members of their household tested positive for COVID-19, reported by the Labor Commissioners Office.

In July, the chain was cited for similar violations affecting 95 workers at three stores in Los Angeles, Lynwood, and Victorville. Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower said that following the July citations, we heard from additional workers who had their sick leave denied or delayed. We broadened the scope of our investigation to capture as many workers impacted by these violations as possible and provide them what they are due.

The investigation began in Sept. 2020 following complaints from workers and a referral from the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents grocery store workers.

Workers were not consistently informed of their rights to supplemental paid sick leave if affected by COVID-19, according to the Labor Commissioners Office.

Californias Supplemental Paid Sick Leave law, which expired Sept. 30, required that California workers at businesses with more than 25 workers be provided up to two weeks of supplemental paid sick leave if they are affected by COVID-19.

The Labor Commissioners Office continues to enforce the law for any violations that occurred between Jan. 1, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2021, the period the law covered.

Garcia-Brower said, Supplemental paid sick leave is a tool to protect our communities by stopping the spread of COVID-19 through the workplace.
Groundbreaking Scrubbed for Museum Project Bearing Ridley-Thomass Name

LOS ANGELESThe Natural History Museums (NHM) of Los Angeles County Oct. 27 postponed a planned groundbreaking event for a community hub known as NHM Commons, the entryway of which was expected to be named after now-indicted former county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.

The ceremonial event had been set for Wednesday afternoon. The county Board of Supervisors last year voted to name the projects entrance plaza after Ridley-Thomas, an honor bestowed during his final meeting on the board.

Ridley-Thomas now serves on the Los Angeles City Council, although he has been suspended due to his recent indictment on federal bribery and conspiracy charges.

Sally Marquez, NHM communications manager, said in an email that the groundbreaking event in Exposition Park was envisioned as a celebratory moment to celebrate not only the start of construction but the many generous public and private financial contributors to the project.

Given the recent news regarding the federal indictment of LA City Council member and former LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, we do not believe it is the appropriate time to hold this event this month, Marquez said. Construction of NHM Commons will move ahead as planned, and we look forward to marking this important milestone and thanking our supporters at a future date.

The Commons is intended to be a community hub with an immersive theater for science, education, and community projects including films, lectures and satellite-transmitted scientific expeditions from around the world, and a variety of community gatherings.

A glass facade will showcase museum specimens and other imagery.

The entrance plaza is designed to serve as a front porch of the community commons where residents will meet up to enjoy programs and events, officials said last year.

It was unclear if Ridley-Thomass name will still adorn the entryway when it is completed.

Ridley-Thomas has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to fight the federal charges, which accuse him of conspiring with a former dean of the University Southern California School of Social Work to ensure benefits for his son in exchange for supporting lucrative county contracts for the school.
Municipal workers hold placards and shout slogans as they march across Brooklyn bridge during a protest against the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, in New York, on Oct. 25, 2021. (Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

Hill Republicans Push Vaccine Exemptions as Mandate Protests Mount

Congressional Republicans are pushing proposals to exempt millions of American workers who object to President Joe Bidens mandatory CCP virus vaccination orders and similar decrees by employers, which are prompting widespread protests and costing many workers their jobs.

Biden has ordered all federal military and civilian employees to be vaccinated, as well as those employed by federal contractors and entities receiving federal support, in connection with the governments many virus recovery programs.

A new federal regulation is also being prepared that will require all private companies with 100 or more employees to make vaccination a condition of employment. The regulation is to be enforced by the Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Bidens mandate and similar mandates by other officials are sparking protests around the country. Multiple cities, including Chicago, Denver, Seattle, and New York, have also ordered employees to get vaccinated. In New York earlier this week, thousands of police, firefighters, and other city employees took to the streets to protest.

Civil liberties groups such as Liberty Counsel report being contacted by thousands of federal military and civilian workers, as well as corporate employees, seeking legal assistance in their efforts to be exempted from the mandates on the basis of medical or religious grounds.

The commercial airline industry has also been hit hard by employee protests, including a recent sick-out that delayed thousands of Southwest Airlines flights. Liberty Counsel is also advising U.S. Freedom Flyers, a group of 35,000 transportation industry employees challenging the mandates.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) on Oct. 27 introduced her Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act to protect essential workers from being fired as a result of their objection to being vaccinated.

Our essential workers are true heroes, Blackburn said in a statement announcing the proposal. For over 18 months, essential workers showed up to serve and protect their communities. Businesses across the country are desperate for workers, and we are in the midst of a supply chain crisis.

There are more than 10.4 million open jobs across the country, and now President Biden wants to fire even more workers. Getting vaccinated is a choice that should be made between a patient and their doctor. No one should be forced by Joe Biden to be fired or get jabbed.

The Tennessee Republicans bill defines an essential worker as any that were defined as required by a state, tribe, or U.S. territory as essential during the response to the COVID19 pandemic.

Employees who would be covered by the exemption to the mandate include those working for the federal government, state and local governments, private employers receiving federal contracts, and those receiving federal funds under multiple laws approved by Congress and the president in 2020 and 2021 in response to the pandemic.

Co-sponsors for Blackburns proposal include Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.).

Well before President Bidens ill-advised and divisive vaccine mandate, I had been hearing from doctors, nurses, first responders, and others facing the life-altering decision of having to choose between losing their job or being coerced into taking a vaccine, Johnson said in the statement.

We are already suffering severe worker shortages throughout our economy, especially in health care. Vaccine mandates will increase these shortages and degrade our health care system.

On the same day Blackburn introduced her proposal, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) submitted a similar bill in the House, the Options Over Terminations Act, which creates a vaccine exemption for any federal employee or contractor who provides proof of COVID19 antibodies.

Newhouse said in a statement announcing his bill that he believes federal employees who have opted not to receive the vaccine because they have natural immunity developed after recovering from the virus do not deserve to be fired.

President Bidens overreaching mandate has severe ramifications for communities across the country, especially for communities like Central Washington who make up a large part of the federal workforce. Instead of forcing our federal workforce to choose between employment and vaccination, my bill provides them with an optiona permissible, science-based exception from President Bidens recent Executive Order, he said.

Asked by The Epoch Times if he thinks Biden should revise his order to allow for such exemptions, Newhouse said, It would be great if Congress didnt need to constantly legislate on President Bidens overreaching actions, but unfortunately, that is not the state we find ourselves in today.

He said Bidens order is the model for orders similar to that of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee that resulted in the firing or resignation of more than 1,900 state employees.

Now, in addition to the hundreds of Washington state emergency personnel who are already out of work, threatening the safety of our communities, we also have hundreds of federal workers in Washington state alone who are facing termination, Newhouse said.

Medical authorities disagree on whether individuals who have recovered from the virus benefit from also being vaccinated.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said in August that if you have had COVID-19 before, please still get vaccinated. But a study in Israel made public in August concluded that natural immunity isnt significantly strengthened by also being vaccinated.

Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), a licensed pharmacist since 1987, told NTD during a recent interview that theres ample scientific studies that show that natural immunity is absolutely one of the best things you could haveand some studies even show that its more effective than being vaccinated.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) introduced the Let Me Travel America Act on Oct. 20 that would bar the Biden administration from requiring vaccine passports certifying the bearer has been vaccinated as a condition for interstate travel.
House of Commons Mandate Masks for All but MPs

British MPs are under more pressure to wear masks in work as the House of Commons mandated face coverings for all staff.

The new rule applies to all staff, contractors, and visitors. But it doesnt apply to MPs, who are not Parliament employees.

A spokesman for the House of Commons spokesman said the Houses priority is to ensure that those on the estate are safe while business is facilitated.

Due to recent increases in COVID-19 across the country, which are also being reflected in Parliament, we have updated our COVID-19 guidance for those working on the estate, the statement reads.

Face coverings are now mandatory for all staff, contractors, and third parties while on the estate, unless there is a legitimate exemption in place.

Officials said Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle would be encouraging elected representatives, despite not being obliged to wear a face covering, to put one on in the Commons chamber unless they are speaking or are exempt.

The mask mandate for parliamentary staff comes MPs are urged to wear masks on Wednesday during the Chancellors Budget speech, when the chamber will be packed.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has already committed to wearing a mask on Wednesday, having urged politicians to lead by example following a recent spike in cases.

Mask-wearing is currently not required by law in England, and the guidance advises people to wear face coverings in crowded and enclosed areas where you come into contact with people you do not usually meet.

Prime Minister Boris Johnsons spokesperson said on Friday that it remains a matter of personal judgment whether people wear masks or not, and that the mask recommendation only applies to people in crowded, enclosed spaces where they come into contact with people they do not normally meetan argument that the health secretary made six weeks ago.

Javid said on Oct. 20 that ministers didnt think it was time to deploy plan B in the governments COVID-19 winter plan, which includes mask mandates in certain settings and vaccine passports, but restrictions will more likely be reintroduced if people dont follow the advice in the governments guidelines.

There are dozens of circumstantial studies suggesting that masks work to stem the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, although there has been just one randomized-control trial during the pandemic, carried out in Denmark. The researchers found that wearing a surgical mask when outside the home among others did not reduce, at conventional levels of statistical significance, incident SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with no mask recommendation.

Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
Drugged beagles with their heads inside mesh cages where they are being bitten by sandflies, in an experiment conducted in Tunisia and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (Public Domain)

How a Watchdog Group Exposed the Role of Anthony Fauci in Funding Abusive Animal Experiments

Americans have been horrified to learn about sadistic experiments on dogs funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), directed by Dr. Anthony Fauci.

A group called the White Coat Waste Project, which is devoted to exposing and ending wasteful government spending on animal experimentation, reported that a lab in Tunisia conducted NIAID-funded experiments in which beagles were eaten alive by sandflies.

The hashtags #FireFauci and #FauciLiedDogsDied, dominated Twitter, and 24 lawmakers from both parties issued a letter calling for an immediate investigation.

As thousands marked their dogs safe from Anthony Fauci on social media, it seems that Fauci, known to be adroit in handling the press, has a public relations disaster on his hands. In addition, this publicity has shone a spotlight on the government-funded abuse of animals.

The Epoch Times Celia Farber spoke with Justin Goodman, vice president of White Coat Waste Project, on Oct. 25 about the organizations role in exposing the scandal in Tunisia and also the funding of gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China.

The press office of NIAID, a part of the National Institutes of Health, didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Epoch Times: How long has White Coat Waste Project existed?

Justin Goodman: Our campaigns were launched in 2016. White Coat Waste was founded by our president, Anthony Bellotti, who was a Republican strategist who had worked on other defund campaigns and actually worked in an animal laboratory in his past, and was so shocked and horrified by what he saw that he made the commitment to himself to start an organization to end that problem. In 2013, he started WCWP, and in 2016, we launched our first campaigns.

Justin Goodman, vice president of the White Coat Waste Project. (courtesy Justin Goodman)

The Epoch Times: Whats the latest development?

Mr. Goodman: Today, #FauciLiedDogsDied was the No. 1 trending hashtag on Twitter, so the campaign definitely caught fire again today, and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have been tweeting about it. Gov. Ron DeSantis gave a speech about Faucis abuse of dogs earlier today. Its really been remarkable how this has really captured the hearts and minds of people across the country, of all political persuasions.

The Epoch Times: To those who ask, Is it fair to tie this to Anthony Fauci himself as an individual? what do you say?

Mr. Goodman: Absolutely. If hes going to get credit for any good that he does, he also has to accept blame for the evil he does, and thats whats happening with these dog experiments. Hes funded a pattern of puppy abuse with our tax dollars.

The Epoch Times: He green lights them? NIH? NIAID?

Mr. Goodman: All of these experiments are conducted under NIAID. He is certainly responsible for them, just like hes responsible for funding the lab in Wuhan, whether he personally approved that or not.

The Epoch Times: What was your role in the Wuhan lab funding story breaking open?

Mr. Goodman: As a taxpayer watchdog group, were committed to finding, exposing, and defundingwe like to use the acronym FED for thattaxpayer-funded animal experiments that waste about $20 billion each year. And in 2019, we started investigating animal experimentation funded by the NIH in foreign countries.

And when the pandemicwell, prior to the pandemicwhen word started to circulate that the lab in Wuhan was potentially tied to the virus, we identified that the NIH had sent a grant of $600,000 to that laboratory, specifically for experiments with coronaviruses.

So we were the first organization to connect the NIH to the lab in Wuhan that is now at the center of speculation that it may have caused the pandemic with gain-of-function experiments.

The Epoch Times: The sadistic nature of these experiments on puppieswhat do you think personally, do they enjoy inflicting pain, or do they make some rationale for the science of this?

Mr. Goodman: I just think that they got way too much money, and theres a stunning lack of accountability and transparency how that money is being spent, so you have people who make careers torturing dogs, and its continued because Anthony Fauci has let it. The buck stops with him.

The Epoch Times: Will Fauci skate on this and just make it go away?

Mr. Goodman: I think this is the first time we have bipartisan anger directed at NIAID and Anthony Fauci, in this case for experimenting on dogs and abusing them with our tax dollars. We did polling last month that showed 70 percent of Democrats and over 60 percent of Republicans opposed these experiments and want them defunded.

And we have bipartisan members of Congress from across the spectrum who are demanding reforms as well. And when you look at other situations where theres been controversy that hes at the center of, its been pretty partisan. So the difference now is that the criticism is coming from both sides of the aisle.

The Epoch Times: How did you get all this? FOIA [Freedom of Information Act]?

Mr. Goodman: The most recent experiments we exposed that involved 6- to 8-month-old puppies having their vocal cords cut out, being debarked so they couldnt make noise in the laboratory, and then being force-fed experimental drugs at a cost of $1.68 million dollars to taxpayers, we exposed that using the FOIA. We obtained those documents using FOIA.

The Epoch Times: When did those start to come back to you?

Mr. Goodman: We requested the documents in August 2021; we got them pretty quickly. Often, we have to sue the NIH. In this case, we didnt have to sue them. We got the documents in September.

The Epoch Times: What were you asking for?

Mr. Goodman: We identified some suspect contracts on government-spending websites. And we asked for basically all of the protocols and documentation for any experiments on dogs connected with those contracts.

The Epoch Times: The heartbreaking photos of the dogs in mesh trapsIve seen that that took place in Georgia in the United States, and also Ive seen Tunisia.

Mr. Goodman: Theres been a little confusion about that. Weve exposed four different Fauci-funded dog experiments. That experiment was funded by NIAID, but it took place in Tunisia.

And that photo was from a paper that was published by NIAID-funded experimenters in Tunisia who took healthy puppies, sedated them, starved sandflies, and then locked the puppies heads in mesh cages and released the starving flies to basically bite the dogs and essentially eat them alive.

The Epoch Times: That photograph was published in a scientific journal?

Mr. Goodman: Yes.

The Epoch Times: It seems to me that photograph itself had a huge impact. Its crushing.

Mr. Goodman: It puts a face to the horrible abuses that are being funded by our tax dollars by Anthony Faucis division at the NIH. We can describe to you all day long what goes on in these laboratories, but its different to see two puppies with their heads locked in cages where theyre being eaten alive by flies. I mean, thats game-changing.

So some of our investigations involve whistleblowers giving us photographs, some of our investigations involve videos and photos we get through FOIA. And sometimes in a case like this, we get lucky and the experimenters themselves publish the worst of the worst.

The Epoch Times: What has it been like for you these past few days?

Mr. Goodman: Ive been doing this work for 16 years and have never experienced a response as overwhelming as this from the public, from the media, or from Congress. I think this is going to be a pivotal moment in the history of the effort to end animal experimentation, and it certainly feels like that to me.
Flowers left in memory of Sir David Amess outside the Houses of Parliament, in Westminster, London, on Oct. 22, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Inquest into Death of MP Sir David Amess Opened, Paused

The coroners inquest into the death of British MP Sir David Amess has opened, only to be put on hold until the end of the trial of the man accused of his murder.

The hearing on Oct. 27 was told that the 69-year-old father of five died of multiple stab wounds to the chest on Oct. 15 as he met with constituents in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

The hearing lasted less than five minutes before Lincoln Brookes, the senior coroner for Essex, suspended the inquest until the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

The inquest to be reviewed on April 27 next year, after the trial of the 25-year-old man accused of terrorist offences and murder is due to finish.

The attack on Amess, a long-standing Conservative MP, occurred at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex during his constituency surgery.

Sadly, despite attempted medical interventions his death was confirmed at the scene at 1:13 p.m., Coroners officer Paul Donaghy told Wednesdays inquest in Chelmsford.

A forensic post-mortem examination was conducted at Southend Hospital the following day, with the cause of death recorded as multiple stab wounds to the chest, Donaghy said.

Amesss funeral is to be held at Westminster Cathedral on Nov. 23.

Constituency surgeriesan opportunity for constituents to meet one-on-one with the MPsare typically held weekly by British MPs and are often seen as a cornerstone of their role as champions of local and personal issues.

The man charged with Amesss murder is Ali Harbi Ali. He faces a trial in March next year. The prosecution accuses him of carrying out terrorism with religious and ideological motives.

Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Ali Harbi Ali appearing at the Old Bailey in London by video link from HMP Belmarsh, a prison in London, on Oct. 22, 2021. (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

He appeared in court last Friday and was asked not to enter pleas to the charges of murder and preparing acts of terrorism.

The court heard that Ali had allegedly started to plan to kill an MP two years ago. He had originally focused on two other MPs, not Amess, allegedly carrying out reconnaissance at one of their homes, the surgery of another, and the Houses of Parliament.

The death of Amess has rekindled debate on MPs safety. Home Secretary Priti Patel told the House of Commons on Wednesday that intelligence officers had upgraded the threat level for politicians to substantial but there was no specific or imminent threat.

PA contributed to this report
Irans Enrichment to High Levels at Natanz Plant Is Expanding, IAEA Says

VIENNAIran is expanding its enrichment of uranium beyond the highly enriched threshold of 20 percent purity at a Natanz plant where it is already enriching to 60 percent, but the new activity does not involve keeping the product, the U.N nuclear watchdog said on Monday.

The move is likely to help Iran refine its knowledge of the enrichment processsomething Western powers generally condemn because it is irreversiblebut since this time the product is not being collected it will not immediately accelerate Irans production of uranium enriched to close to weapons-grade.

It has, however, prompted the International Atomic Energy Agency to increase the frequency and intensity of its safeguards activities at the above-ground Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) at Natanz, the IAEA said in a report seen by Reuters. As of around 90 percent uranium is considered weapons-grade.

The IAEA said in a statement outlining the report that Iran informed it last week of changes to the setup of centrifuges, machines that enrich uranium, at the plantIran would feed uranium enriched to up to 20 percent into limited numbers of extra centrifuges without collecting the product.

On 25 October 2021, the Agency verified that Iran began feeding (uranium hexafluoride gas) enriched up to 20 percent U-235 into a single IR-6 centrifuge in R&D line 2 at PFEP and that the resulting product and tails streams were being re-combined, the IAEA report said, meaning that after separating the enriched product it was mixed with the centrifuges waste and not kept.

Iran had said it planned to also feed uranium enriched to up to 20 percent into other single centrifuges or small- to medium-sized cascades, or clusters, of machines on the same line, but those were not being fed at the time, the IAEA said.

Iran has yet to announce a date to resume discussions in Vienna about reviving the 2015 nuclear pact under which it curbed its nuclear program in return for relief from U.S., EU and U.N. economic sanctions.

Then-U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the pact in 2018 and reimposed harsh U.S. sanctions. About a year later, Iran started violating some of the deals limits on uranium enrichment.

By Francois Murphy
Irvine Becomes Final OC City to Support Building Veterans Cemetery in Anaheim

The city of Irvine this week voted 41 to support building a state veterans cemetery at the Gypsum Canyon site in Anaheim instead of the El Toro Marine Base in Irvine, making it the final Orange County city to pass a resolution of support.

The resolution was brought forward by Vice Mayor Tammy Kim and Councilman Mike Carroll, who argued that the proposal to build the cemetery in Anaheim received unanimous Orange County support, including a $20 million commitment from the OC Board of Supervisors.

Its a county mandate right now, where youve got 33 out of the 34 cities all in unanimous support of this, plus the Orange County Board of Supervisors, plus veterans groups, and we just we need to move forward once and for all to make this happen and to make this a reality, Kim told The Epoch Times.

We dont want any misinterpretation of where Irvine stands with this, and we will support our veterans in making sure that they get a cemetery and they get a cemetery that they deserve.

Mayor of Irvine Farrah Khan leads an Irvine City Council meeting at Irvine City Hall on Oct. 26, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The issue is quite controversial, with many veterans supporting the site being built at the marine base, known as the Amended and Restated Development Agreement (ARDA) site, due to its historical significance. The 125-acre property has a rich military history as troops were once deployed from the base, which still features its control towers and aircraft hangars, which could be repurposed.

After hours of discussion and public comment, the council voted to approve the resolution, with every council member voting for it except for Councilman Larry Agran, who is in favor of the ARDA site.

Some people will be testifying against the Veterans Cemetery at the ARDA site in the Great Park, Agran said during the council meeting. I want to make it very clear that is a minority view in the city of Irvine. I say that because for nearly 10 years now that weve been involved in the struggle, none of us have ever considered a veterans cemetery anything but an honor to have in the city of Irvine.

Harvey Liss, executive director of Build the Great Park Veterans Cemeteryan organization advocating for the cemetery to be built at the marine basesaid placing the cemetery at the Gypsum Canyon site is a bad idea due to it not being approved by the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), its being in close proximity to Riverside County, and that it was a former gypsum quarry.

Having CalVet approve the site is essential, according to Liss, because it receives far more state funding than if its unapproved.

Theres so many issues [with the Gypsum site]; its a landslide area, so it will cost a fortune to stabilize the slopes, Liss told The Epoch Times. It was a gypsum quarry there, and I dont believe theres even soil to dig down six feet for burials. Theyll have to import at least six feet of dirt in order to have casket burial there.

Theres no infrastructure, no water supplies, storm drain, none of that stuff, and the residents around it are in a wild uproar against it, they want open space.

During the meeting, as it began looking like Agran would be the only councilmember supporting the ARDA site, he attempted to create an amendment that would indicate Irvines commitment to building a memorial park at the site, though it failed to garner a second vote from other councilmembers.

Other councilmembers urged Agran to move beyond the past issues of the cemetery and to focus on the matter at hand and make it a unanimous vote.

I would like to ask you Councilman Larry Agran to come around to our side, Councilman Mike Carroll said.

Mayor of Irvine Farrah Khan leads an Irvine City Council meeting at Irvine City Hall on Oct. 26, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Mayor Farrah Khan noted that following through with the Gypsum Canyon site also made the most sense given the current dynamic.

Orange County is unified like never before  to honor our brave veterans. Lets move forward and lets actually build it now, she said.

Vice mayor Kim added that building the site in Irvine was no longer feasible due to the legal challenges that would need to be faced.

The Great Park residents have made it abundantly clear, Kim said. They will fight it all the way if it is ARDA. They will fight. We will have a years-long battle if we insist on putting it in ARDA. This is not about politics or developers. This is about our veterans, so lets please do the right thing and move forward with this tonight.
Colin Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy, delivers testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington on Oct. 26, 2021. (Senate Committee on Armed Services/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

ISIS-K Could Launch Attacks in 612 Months: Pentagon Official

ISIS-K, the branch of the ISIS terrorist group thats active in Afghanistan, could be capable of launching international attacks in as soon as six to 12 months, according to a top Pentagon official.

In testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Oct. 26, Defense Department Undersecretary for Policy Colin Kahl said that ISIS-K and the al-Qaeda terrorist group both want to carry out international attacks, but currently dont have the capability to do so at present.

I think the intelligence community assesses that both ISIS-K and al-Qaeda have the intent to conduct external operations, including against the United States. But neither currently has the capability to do so, Kahl said. We could see ISIS-K generate that capability in somewhere between six or 12 months. I think the current assessments by the Intelligence Community is that al-Qaeda would take a year or two to reconstitute that capability.

Kahl said the goal was to be vigilant in disrupting ISIS and al-Qaeda, so they cant develop the capability to attack the United States.

Lt. Gen. James J. Mingus, the Joint Staffs director for operations, said the timeline is based on no U.S. or coalition intervention.

The goal would be to keep those time horizons where theyre at now, if not, even further, Mingus told the committee.

Taliban fighters atop a Humvee vehicle take part in a rally in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 31, 2021. (Hoshang Hashimi/AFP via Getty Images)

The Taliban terrorist organization took full control of Afghanistan on Aug. 15, after the U.S.-backed Afghan government fled the country.

ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack that killed 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghan civilians at Kabul airport on Aug. 26, amid the pullout of U.S. military troops. The terrorist group has since also claimed responsibility for other attacks in Afghanistan, including several bombings that have killed dozens of civilians.

It is our assessment that the Taliban and ISIS-K are mortal enemies, Kahl told lawmakers. So the Taliban is highly motivated to go after ISIS-K.

Kahl said its still unclear whether the Taliban has the ability to fight ISIS effectively in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal.

Their [The Talibans] ability to do so, I think, is to be determined, he said.

He estimated that ISIS has a cadre of a few thousand fighters. Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi of the new Taliban government said the threat from ISIS terrorists will be addressed and that Afghanistan wouldnt become a base for attacks on other countries.

We have seen signs  that the Taliban is wary about Afghanistan being a springboard for al-Qaeda external attacks, not because the Taliban are good guys, but because they fear international retribution if that were to occur, Kahl said.

Kahl suggested that an al-Qaeda presence in Afghanistan poses a complex problem, given its ties to the Taliban. It was those ties to the Taliban that triggered the U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan in 2001, following al-Qaedas Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington. The Taliban had harbored al-Qaeda leaders.

The United States has fought the Taliban and has conducted strikes on ISIS and al-Qaeda.

Reuters contributed to this report.
In this combination of images, Thomas Sibick is seen in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (FBI)

Jan. 6 Defendant Released From DC Jail Judge Deems Toxic Environment

An accused U.S. Capitol rioter was ordered released from jail on Oct. 26 after a federal judge expressed concerns about him remaining among fellow Jan. 6 defendants.

Thomas Sibick was released to the custody of his parents and told to submit to continued mental health treatment, according to court documents.

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama nominee, said the defendant cannot use any social media, watch any political news programs, or attend any political rallies. She also said he cannot have access to any internet-capable devices.

Apart from mental health appointments, Sibick was told not to leave his parents home in Buffalo, New York unless he was attending religious services with them. He may go onto the porch/patio of the residence as he desires.

Sibick was charged (pdf) with multiple counts, including assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, after authorities said he was seen in video footage and photographs participating in the Capitol breach.

He was arrested on March 12 and ordered detained pending trial five days later.

Sibick has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Berman ordered his release after he wrote her a letter to her disavowing former President Donald Trump and his lawyer described a dramatic change in his beliefs since the breach occurred.

His mental thought process has changed a lot. Im not saying hes a liberal. Im not saying hes an Elizabeth Warren fan. But his mindset has changed so much that he had to get out of that unit, Stephen Brennwald, the lawyer, said, referring to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

Brennwald argued that the dozens of Jan. 6 defendants in the Washington jail are radicalizing, using the example of them singing the Star Spangled Banner every night at 9 p.m.

Berman Jackson said that Sibick appeared to have experienced a mental health breakthrough at the jail and believed there was a toxic environment there that included pressure being placed on Sibick to be a certain way.

Other letters had been sent to the judge from people who knew Sibick, including D.C. Department of Corrections staff, who attested that, among other things, he had performed duties well in jail.

The government opposed Sibicks release.

Prosecutors argued none of the information he submitted was new and should not have a material bearing on whether he should be freed. They alleged that the Bail Reform Act, when applied to the case, meant he should remain detained pending trial.

The defendants actions on January 6 are not an isolated incident of lawlessnessthe defendant has six prior convictions, namely, convictions for disorderly conduct, 1 attempted reckless endangerment, and failure to stop or respond to a command of police, as well as two convictions for possession of illegal substances, and a conviction for driving while intoxicated, they said in a motion.

The D.C. Department of Corrections told news outlets Tuesday that its mission is to provide an orderly, safe, secure, and humane environment for pretrial detainees and sentenced inmates.

The agency said it makes decisions on how to house inmates and detainees based on safety, security, and order, which includes separating those who pose certain risks from the general population.

Some Jan. 6 defendants have complained about the conditions at the lockup and jail officials were admonished by a different judge earlier this month.
An entry sign to the Johnson & Johnson campus shows their logo in Irvine, Calif., on Aug. 28, 2019. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)

Johnson & Johnson Settles Opioid Claims In Texas For $291.8 Million

Johnson & Johnson and its U.S.-based Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies have reached a $291.8 million settlement with the Texas state government that resolves its opioid-related claims made against the companies.

What Happened

Johnson & Johnson will pay its settlement sum into the Qualified Settlement Fund, which represents Texass allocation of the Global Prescription Opioid Litigation Settlement Agreement announced on July 23.

The settlement is related to the marketing and promotion of the companies opioids Duragesic, Nucynta, and Nucynta ER. In a press statement, Johnson & Johnson said it no longer sells prescription opioids and stressed that its three discontinued products accounted for less than 1 percent of total opioid prescriptions in Texas and the U.S. since launch.

Why It Matters

Johnson & Johnson was accused of downplaying the addictive properties of its opioid products and aggressively marketing them to physicians and patients. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that more than 500,000 died from the opioid crisis since 1999.

The Texas settlement doesnt require the company to make an admission of liability or wrongdoing.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton praised the settlement, declaring it represents the next step to bring much-needed funding for Texans who have fallen victim to the irresponsible and deceptive marketing practices from opioid manufacturers that spurred this epidemic.

By Phil Hall

 2021 The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
A United Airlines plane is seen preparing to land in San Francisco, Calif., on Oct. 19, 2021. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Judge Extends Order Blocking United Airlines From Putting Unvaccinated Workers Seeking Mandate Exceptions on Leave

A federal judge this week extended an order thats blocking United Airlines from putting workers who are seeking exceptions to the companys COVID-19 vaccine mandate on leave.

U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, a Trump nominee, extended the temporary restraining order until Nov. 8.

Before his extension, it was to expire on Oct. 26.

If the order expired without an injunction in place, nothing would prevent hundreds of workers from ostensibly either: (1) being compelled to take a vaccination in violation of their religious beliefs or medical restrictions, or (2) being placed on indefinite unpaid leave, Pittman wrote in a 3-page document on Monday explaining the rationale.

United and six employees are locked in a legal battle over the companys COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Workers sued in September over Uniteds plans to put on leave any employees who requested religious or medical exemptions.

The order only blocks action against workers who filed for exceptions on or before Sept. 23. Workers who refused to get vaccinated and did not apply for an exception have already been fired.

In a court filing just before the order, United said that it would, if allowed to proceed with the plans, welcome back any employees placed on temporary unpaid leave once the COVID-19 pandemic meaningfully recedes.

After consulting with outside experts, the company said that would be measured as community transmission rates of the virus that causes COVID-19 reaching a moderate level for at least 21 days in the state where each employee works. The standard for flight crew members will be based on nationwide daily COVID-19 case counts being no more than 10,000 new cases per day for at least three weeks.

By linking return to work for accommodated employees to community transmission rates and case counts, these standards are designed to account for the unpredictable and highly variable nature of the pandemic. As conditions continue to change, United will continue to reassess these metrics and update its employees accordingly, United lawyers argued.

Plaintiffs werent convinced, telling the judge in a response that he should ignore Uniteds advice.

As plaintiffs have shown, and United has not refuted, even relatively brief periods of unpaid leavewhen not requested by the employee as an accommodationis an adverse employment action. An adverse employment action, that keeps people out of work, is neither reasonable nor an accommodation, they said in a separate filing.

Further, the standard offered is so untenable that there will never be a return to normalcy, they added, citing a declaration from Stanford University professor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.

Because no vaccination rate will reduce the caseload to the proposed level, United is essentially saying the employees will remain on indefinite, unpaid leave, they asserted.

The parties are engaged in mediation and are required to file a joint mediation report by Oct. 29 at 12 p.m.

Vaccinated Pilots Afraid of Flying With Unvaccinated Coworkers?

United has said it is paying about $1.4 million every two weeks to provide paid leave for the unvaccinated pilots who have filed for exceptions.

United had no choice but to place unvaccinated pilots on paid leave becauseas the evidence at the hearing showedvaccinated pilots in Uniteds workforce refuse to risk their safety flying with unvaccinated pilots, United lawyers said in a filing last week, referring to testimony from a pilot given at a recent hearing.

Distractions and dissension from making vaccinated pilots fly with unvaccinated colleagues would cause an unacceptable safety risk, Kirk Limacher, a United human resources vice president, said in a separate filing.

Plaintiffs challenged the position, alleging that since COVID-19 vaccines became available in late 2020, it has never been true that any significant number of vaccinated pilots have refused to fly with unvaccinated pilots, especially those who have already had COVID and have natural immunity, or those who have recently tested negative.

Indeed, the claim is easily rebutted by showing the instances of vaccinated and unvaccinated pilots flying together throughout the past nine months. Moreover, the claim is rebutted by the fact that, as witnesses acknowledged at the hearing, any concerned pilot may opt to wear a mask in the cockpit, they added.

The entire situation could be resolved by not letting pilots know whether colleagues are vaccinated, according to the plaintiffs, who also said that United should not be sharing private medical information and would immediately stop needing to spend money on paid leave if it did so.
Kyle Rittenhouse appears in court for a motion hearing in Kenosha, Wis., on Sept. 17, 2021. (Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via AP)

Judge to Allow Men Allegedly Shot by Kyle Rittenhouse to Be Referred to as Rioters During Trial

A Wisconsin judge has ruled that the men allegedly shot by Kyle Rittenhouse can be referred to as rioters, but not as victims at the upcoming high-profile trial.

The case involves then-17-year-old Rittenhouse in the shooting deaths of two white men and the wounding of another after a Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse claims that the shooting was in self-defense. The protest followed the shooting death of Jacob Blake, a black man, by a white police officer.

Rittenhouse had volunteered to provide security for an area business, following violent demonstrations the previous night in the neighborhood. He served as one of many local individuals who stepped up to provide armed security in the wake of violence in the community.

Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder presided over the hearing prior to the case going to trial on Nov. 1. He issued the ruling after prosecutors argued that Rittenhouses lawyers should be banned from using pejorative terms to describe the men who were shot during the trial.

Schroeder ruled against allowing the term victims from being used to refer to the three men. He instead ruled to allow the words rioters, looters, or arsonists, if evidence can be provided to support their usage.

A video of Rittenhouse from the night of the event appeared to show that police didnt act as if he had acted recklessly. Rittenhouse talked with police, explaining what had taken place during the shooting. The judge decided to allow the video as evidence in the upcoming trial.

Controversy is likely to run high, as the weapon involved was an AR-15 rifle and Rittenhouse was 17 years old at the time of the shooting. Gun control advocates have often claimed that the AR-15 is a concerning weapon.

The case may also capture the attention of the nation because it involved a Black Lives Matter demonstration and took place in the aftermath of the controversial police shooting of a black man. The case of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was nationally televised, with protests held nationwide, following the death of George Floyd, a black man.

Many gun rights activists have supported Rittenhouse since the shootings, considering him a patriot and raising $2 million for his bail.

A police chief in Illinois confirmed to The Epoch Times that the teen was part of the agencys youth police cadet program. Rittenhouse has posted pro-police messaging on social media.

Video footage appears to show the teen shooting three people in Kenosha. While some say that hes at fault, others have argued that he was acting in self-defense.

Attorney Lin Wood said he connected with the teens family and told them that help is on the way.

Kyle will have excellent legal representation. We owe him a legal defense, said Wood, who represented Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann in defamation cases against news agencies and reporters.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Boxes of Pop-Tarts sit for sale at the Metropolitan Citymarket in the East Village neighborhood of New York City on Feb. 19, 2014. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

Kelloggs in $5 Million Lawsuit for Not Putting Enough Strawberries in Its Pop-Tarts

Lawsuit claims the product's branding is misleading. Breakfast enthusiasts wait in suspense.
President Joe Biden holds a semiconductor chip as he speaks prior to signing an executive order, aimed at addressing a global semiconductor chip shortage, in the State Dining Room at the White House on Feb. 24, 2021. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Logitech Sees Logistics, Component Crisis to Extend to 2022

Logitech International SA CEO Bracken Darrell expects logistics problems and component shortages to continue at least into early 2022, Reuters reports.

We will have some issues delivering at the levels of demand that are out there. But we have strong levels of inventory, Darrell said.

Logitech was also adding new suppliers and relying on its long-term relationships with some manufacturers to deal with the semi-conductor chip crisis, he said.

Logitech reported Q2 revenue of $1.31 billion, up 4 percent year-on-year, above the consensus of $1.27 billion.

The non-GAAP gross margin contracted 370 bps to 42 percent due to increased promotional spending, higher logistics rates, inventory reserves, and higher product costs.

The adjusted EPS of $1.05 beat the consensus of $1.10.

Logitech held $1.1 billion in cash and equivalents and used $63 million in operating cash flow.

Logitech reaffirmed its FY22 revenue outlook of (5) percent  5 percent.

Logitech reiterated a non-GAAP operating income of $800 million  $850 million.

In Q2 we delivered record sales which beat last years exceptional sales levels, growing 4 percent in the quarter and 82 percent compared to two years ago. We also grew market share in the majority of our key product categories, Darrell said.

Price Action

LOGI shares traded lower by 6.14 percent at $83.92 on the last check
Los Angeles Officers Face Increase in Violent Suspects: LAPD Report

LOS ANGELESFive recent shootings by Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers involved violent actions by armed suspects, a trend that the LAPD has characterized as being consistent with the increase in violence we are experiencing in the city.

The violent situations in these five [officer-involved shooting] incidents are unique given the number of hostage situations, police said in a statement. Four of the five incidents involved hostage situations where officers were thrust into evolving incidents where a hostage was in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury. The other factor is the number of suspects experiencing a mental illness.

According to the LAPD, the number of homicides in the city has increased by 17 percent over 2020, and the number of victims suffering gunshot wounds increased by 19 percent when compared with 2020.

As of Oct. 25, there have been 30 officer-involved shootings, and 33 percent of them involved a suspect with a perceived mental illness, police said.

That figure exceeds the total percentages for similar situations in 2017 and 202032 percent and 21 percent, respectively.

The number of persons who are in and out of treatment for mental illnesses and who are oftentimes released from institutions without an adequate support system in place upon release has exacerbated the high levels of violence we are experiencing in the city, police said.

Lastly, 10 of the 30 OIS incidents for 2021 involved suspects armed with an edged weapon compared to the totals for 2020 and 2017 where we noted 7 and 8 suspects armed with edged weapons respectively.

Recent Shootings

On Oct. 1 at about 7 p.m., Newton Division officers responded to a radio call of a female with a mental illness. Officers learned that a woman was inside the residence holding her 10-year-old son at knifepoint.

The woman refused to come out of the residence, and special weapons and tactics (SWAT) personnel were requested. While awaiting the arrival of SWAT officers, the woman began stabbing her son, resulting in an officer-involved shooting.

The woman was struck by gunfire and was taken to a hospital for medical treatment. The 10-year-old suffered multiple stab wounds and was hospitalized in stable condition.

On Oct. 2 at about 11 a.m., a woman was walking near Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue when a suspect approached and stabbed her in the abdomen. Friends of the woman flagged down an LAPD sergeant who requested additional units.

The suspect was given directions by officers, but he didnt comply. While armed with the knife, he moved toward the officers, resulting in an officer-involved shooting and the use of a beanbag shotgun.

The suspect was struck by both gunfire and the beanbag round. Both the woman who had been stabbed and the suspect were transported to local hospitals for medical treatment.

On Oct. 6 at about 10:45 p.m., Central Patrol Division and Central Traffic Division officers responded to a report of a female armed with a firearm near Arcadia and Spring streets. Officers spoke with a community member who told them the suspect was inside a tent in a homeless encampment.

While officers were trying to communicate with the suspect, she fired multiple shots at officers over the course of several minutes, police said. Around 11:45 p.m., while waiting for additional resources, including SWAT personnel, the suspect came out of a tent holding a hostage. While outside of the tent with the hostage, an officer-involved shooting occurred.

The suspect was struck by gunfire and fell to the ground.

She was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. The hostage was not injured.

On Oct. 8 at about 4:10 p.m., LAPD Central Patrol Division began to receive calls regarding a suspect involved in multiple violent crimes. The first incident occurred around 3:45 p.m. at 8th Street and Broadway.

The suspect had pointed a handgun at a victims head, pressing it against the victims face, and pulled the trigger. The handgun didnt fire. The suspect went to a business in the 700 block of South Broadway. He shot at a group inside the business and a 14-year-old victim suffered a graze wound to his head.

Following the shooting, the suspect attempted to kidnap and carjack a victim, but the vehicle wouldnt start.

The suspect then ran to Seventh and Spring streets, where he pushed a victim off a bicycle and brandished a handgun.

As officers arrived in the area, security guards directed officers to the suspect who fled into an apartment building in the 500 block of South Main Street. Officers established a perimeter and began requesting additional resources including  SWAT personnel, police said.

Officers then learned that the suspect had taken a female hostage and was holding her at gunpoint inside an apartment. The suspect was seen pointing the handgun at the hostages head.

SWAT personnel forced entry into the apartment and an officer-involved shooting occurred. The suspect was struck by gunfire and pronounced dead at the scene. The handgun he was armed with was recovered by investigators.

On Oct. 13 at about 5:50 a.m., LAPD Pacific Division officers responded to calls reporting a suspect was threatening a female family member with a knife. As officers approached the apartment occupied by the suspect and the woman, they heard a woman yelling in distress, police said.

Fearing for the safety of the woman, they forced entry into the apartment. Inside the apartment they saw the suspect armed with a knife, swinging it at the woman; at that time there was an officer-involved shooting, police said.

The wounded man died at a hospital, police said.

Reverence for human life is the guiding principle in the Departments use of force policy, police said. De-escalation, the use of alternatives, and utilizing time remain of critical importance. Each incident will be investigated and evaluated separately, based on evidence gathered including statements of witnesses and the involved officers as well as body-worn video.

The Department will provide individual critical incident community briefing videos for each instance in the coming weeks as information is gathered, police said. Once the investigations are completed, the Chief of Police will provide his findings and recommendations to the Board of Police Commissioners.
Los Angeles to Pay $1,000 a Month to 3,000 Low-Income Families as Part of Guaranteed Basic Income Program

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday gave the green light to guarantee taxpayer-funded income of up to $1,000 per month for 12 months for 3,200 Los Angeles families living in poverty.

Online applications for The BIG:LEAP, or Basic Income Guaranteed: Los Angeles Economic Assistance Pilot program will begin on Friday for 10 days, and recipients will be announced in early January. Details on how to apply will also be released on Friday, officials said.

The citys research partner, the Center for Guaranteed Income Research, will select recipients at random to receive the no-strings-attached payments, city officials said. The program expands the citys initial $6 million investment to nearly $40 million.

A large number of participants are expected to be residents of Councilman Curren Prices district, Council District 9, which has the highest rates of residents living in poverty.

A spokesperson for the councilman said that his office may be used during the 10-day application period by residents who wish to apply for the program. Computers, Wi-Fi, and language support will also be available at other locations such as the All Peoples Community Center and libraries.

The idea of a [Guaranteed Basic Income] pilot program is one my office has been following for some time, and it gained momentum as we witnessed our country examine the racial disparities and social injustices during the COVID pandemic, Price said prior to Tuesdays vote. It became clear this program was necessary in following the positive results of the Stockton Seed Program.

Its my hope that following the conclusion of this pilot program, that itll be replicated at the state and federal level, Price added.

Earlier this year, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a similar program that would pay $1,000 per month to 1,000 residents for a minimum of three years.

Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, a nonprofit that seeks to defend the rights of taxpayers, said at the time that giving residents free money reduces work ethic during a period when the country is seeing record unemployment.

Its horrible for individuals, in that people should be incentivized to work, Coupal told The Epoch Times. The work experience is quite frankly what gives people value that theyre contributing to society, and it also helps to develop social networks.

Coupal also said that the government should mandate what money from such programs can be spent on.

If its the governments money, they should absolutely be able to control how its spent. You dont want people going out and buying cigarettes and booze with this, Coupal said.

Drew Van Voorhis contributed to this report.
Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr takes part in a panel discussion at the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) Annual General Meeting in Boston, Mass., on Oct. 4, 2021. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)

Lufthansa CEO Sees Business Travel Recovering Faster Than Thought

VIENNABusiness air travel is recovering faster than expected and should remain solid through the winter, the chief executive of Germanys Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said in remarks published on Monday.

Meanwhile private travel is seeing an extension of the summer season as people catch up on flights they were not able to take immediately after the onset of the pandemic, Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr told Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung.

In addition, we are seeing a positive trend in business travel, which was still at a low level in the third quarter and is now picking up strongly, Spohr said in an interview.

Global air travel was brought to a standstill by the coronavirus pandemic, forcing Lufthansa into a multi-billion dollar bailout by the German government.

Lufthansa expects the level of business travel in the medium term to be around 90 percent or more of what it was before COVID-19.

There will  be no sudden drop in demand in winter this year, he said of the outlook for business travel as demand tends to fade less in that segment in winter and the good development in bookings is expected to last until December.

Business travel has returned faster and more strongly than expected, Spohr said, adding that it was being felt in particular in the German, Swiss, Austrian, Belgian, and northern Italian markets, where more flights have been added.

By Francois Murphy
Major Police Departments Increase Budgets Amid Rise in Crime

After slashing police budgets last year under intense pressure from activists, mayors of the countrys three largest cities have decided to increase funding this year, in the face of a nationwide jump in crime.

Chicago, which has the nations second-largest police department, is poised to pass its 2022 budget on Oct. 27. The spending plan boosts law enforcement funding by $200 million over last years $1.7 billion, and much of the increase will cover police salaries.

New York passed its 2022 budget in June, increasing funding for the nations largest police force by $200 million. Los Angeles, which has the nations third-largest force, raised its police budget by $50 million.

The police budget increases in these cities have largely been made possible by the historic influx of federal money under the Biden administrations American Rescue Plan.

Last week, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot drew the line at defunding the police at a time when shootings and homicides in the city were at the highest level in more than a decade.

[Our residents] want more policenot less police. We are not a cityand will never be a citythat bows to those arguing for defunding, Lightfoot said.

Since the death of George Floyd in May 2020, activist organizationssuch as the Chicago chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and the Black Abolitionist Networkhave pushed to defund the Chicago Police Department and redirect the money to educational and social programs, with a stated end goal of abolishing the police.

Under pressure from the activists and out of a need to balance the citys books, Lightfoot last year cut police funding by 3.6 percent, eliminating 614 police jobs and shifting $1.3 million to a mental health response program.

New York also cut its police budget by $1 billion last year, largely through police overtime reduction. That $1 billion number was specifically asked for by New York activist organizationssuch as Brooklyn Movement Center and Communities United for Police Reform coalition. Last June, they orchestrated the around-the-clock Occupy City Hall protests to pressure the city to bow to their demands.

However, New York failed to deliver the reduction in the end, because its police force logged 77 percent more overtime than budgeted, according to the New York-based Citizens Budget Commission. Officers had to work overtime to cope with the massive protests and social unrest.

This year, Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he needed to be realistic about police funding and proposed an increase of $200 million, a large part of which goes to cover overtime payments.

Unlike Chicago or Los Angeles, NYC has seen a steady decrease in shootings and murders since last summer, according to New York Police Department data.

In Los Angeles, shootings jumped by 24 percent and homicides by 15 percent from last year. Mayor Eric Garcetti responded with 3 percent more funding for law enforcement this year to hire more officers and drive down crime.

Last year, LA cut its police budget by $150 millionthrough overtime reductionand redirected the money into social services in low-income communities. But, as happened in New York, the LA force ended up logging $47 million more in overtime than budgeted, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Other major metropolitan police departments also saw budget increases for 2022. Philadelphia, which employs the nations fourth-largest police department, approved a $14 million increase to equip all of its officers with tasers over the next five years. In Houston, the city approved an additional $30 million for the nations fifth-largest police force.
The Merck logo is seen at a gate to the Merck & Co. campus in Rahway, N.J., on July 12, 2018. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Merck to Let Other Drug Companies Make Its COVID-19 Pill Under New Agreement

Merck has reached an agreement that will let other drug makers produce its COVID-19 pill, though many countries are excluded from the pact.

Merck and the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool announced the agreement, saying it would help broaden access to the treatment in 105 low- and middle-income countries.

The pool will be allowed to license non-exclusive sublicenses to manufacturers to make the pill, known as molnupiravir.

Merck, which has a tradename of MSD, and its partners, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Emory University, wont receive royalties for the sales of the pill in the selected countries as long as the World Health Organization keeps classifying COVID-19 as a public health emergency.

The transparent, public-health driven agreement is the first of its kind reached for any COVID-19 treatments or vaccines, Charles Gore, the pools executive director, said in a statement.

The public health group hopes it will encourage other companies to hammer out similar agreements.

MSDs mission to save and improve lives is a truly global commitment. This agreement is another important element in our multi-faceted strategy to accelerate broad, affordable access to molnupiravir, if approved or authorized, for patients no matter where they live, including in countries where governments face greater challenges to finance healthcare, Frank Clyburn, MSDs executive vice president and president of human health, added.

The motivation for Merck to enter the agreement stems from wanting a shield against public criticism in a scenario where there werent enough pills to supply worldwide demand, James Love, director of Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) told The Epoch Times.

Merck has been in this game for a while and theyre very close to the public health debates. I think that they understand that they would be criticized for not making the product available in developing countries, he said.

Mercks antiviral against COVID-19 is seen in an undated image. (Merck & Co. via AP)

Merck has asked for emergency use authorization for the pill from U.S. and European drug regulators and has sold 1.2 billion courses to the U.S. government, pending authorization. The pill has shown in clinical trials efficacy in cutting the risk of COVID-19 cases developing into requiring hospital care, though there are concerns about side effects.

The company can now focus on higher-income countries and let other companies deal with the others.

The nations in the developed areas covered by the agreement have a per capita income of $2,583, versus a per capita income of over $20,000 in countries not covered by the contract, according to a KEI analysis.

Yuanquiong Hu, senior legal and policy advisor at Doctors Without Borders Access Campaign, also said the transparency of the voluntary licensing agreement was welcome, but panned the limits of the boosted access.

The license excludes key upper-middle-income countries like Brazil and China from its territory, he said in a statement, adding that the countries have strong, established capacity to produce and supply antiviral medicines.
A Board of Education meeting in Kalamazoo County Schools at the Schoolcraft High School Gymnasium in Schoolcraft, Mich., on Aug. 23, 2021. (Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)

Missouri School Board Group Quits National Association Over Letter Comparing Parents to Terrorists

The Missouri School Board Association on Oct. 26 severed ties with its national counterparts as part of an ongoing fallout over a letter sent to the White House that equated parents to domestic terrorists.

The Ohio school board association quit the National School Board Association (NSBA) over the same letter on the same day. NSBA did not respond to a request for comment about the two withdrawals.

This decision was not made lightly. The National School Boards Association, through its recent actions, such as its letter to the White House, has demonstrated it does not currently align with MSBAs guiding principles of local governance, the Missouri association stated in a letter to its members about the withdrawal.

The controversial NSBA letter to President Joe Biden compared parents who have spoken up at school board meetings to terrorists and urged the White House to take action on alleged threats made by parents against school board staff. Shortly after the letter, the Department of Justice launched a national effort to investigate alleged parent threats.

We also believe that no school board member or educator should ever have to endure threats of violence or act of intimidation against themselves or their families for making these difficult decisions, the Missouri school board association said in the letter.

However, attempting to address that issue with federal intervention should not be the first step in most cases and is antithetical to our longstanding tradition of local control.

More than 20 state school board associations had distanced themselves from the NSBA as of Oct. 21, according to questionnaire responses tracked by a parents group.

The NSBA on Oct. 22 apologized for the widely criticized letter, saying that there was no justification for some of the language included in the letter.

We should have had a better process in place to allow for consultation on a communication of this significance, the NSBA said. We apologize also for the strain and stress this situation has caused you and your organizations.

The NSBA asked the Biden administration to take extraordinary measures to prevent alleged threats against school staff that the association said were coming from parents who oppose mask mandates and the teaching of critical race theory. The NSBA had contacted the White House prior to releasing the controversial letter, emails from the organization show.

Most of the incidents the board described in the communications with the White House related to parents vigorously pushing back on far-left curriculum, including critical race theory and transgenderism. It is unclear whether any laws were broken in any of the examples described.

Several incidents did ultimately lead to arrests at school board meetings, including a father in Loudoun County, Virginia, who was upset his daughter had been assaulted and school officials allegedly acted to cover it up.

Zachary Stieber and GQ Pan contributed to this report.
Moderna Chairman Says COVID-19 Booster Could Be Yearly

The chairman and co-founder of drugmaker Moderna, Noubar Afeyan, said Tuesday that yearly COVID-19 vaccine boosters may be required in the future.

In an interview with Fox News Mornings with Maria, Afeyan said that if the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus becomes endemichaving a constant presence in the world, in certain areas or populationsa regular booster shot may be required.

We just dont know how this virus is going to travel from being a pandemic all the way to potentially an endemic virus we have to get used to living with, Afeyan told host Maria Bartiromo.

If thats where it ends up, then it may well need an annual booster, potentially varying on a year-to-year or every few years basis as the virus varies, similarly to what we do with the flu vaccine. And so I think if we end up there, there will be a continuous need for boosting.

He added that booster shots would help give a person antibodies to serve as the first line of defense in our body to either preventing or counteracting the virus getting into the body.

A vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is seen at a local clinic in Aschaffenburg, Germany, on Jan. 15, 2021. (Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week authorized COVID-19 booster doses of the Moderna vaccine, as well as the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The agency furthermore said that people can take a different vaccine brand than the ones theyd taken originally.

Moderna on Monday asserted that a low dose of its vaccine against COVID-19 is safe for children aged 611. It joins Pfizer in developing a vaccine for the young age group. Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 511 was backed by an advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday.

Both the mRNA-based Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have been linked to rare cases of heart inflammationmyocarditis or pericarditismostly in young men.

Vaccine manufacturers are immune from liability for any adverse reactions unless theres willful misconduct involved. Vaccine providers are required to report any serious adverse effects or vaccination administration errors to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The federal government has a countermeasures program that can compensate eligible persons who suffer serious injury from approved vaccines. But the burden of proof has proven a challenging process.

Two top vaccine officials penned a paper published Sept. 13 in The Lancet medical journal saying that no evidence is available so far to support COVID-19 booster shots for the general population.

[A]lthough the benefits of primary COVID-19 vaccination clearly outweigh the risks, there could be risks if boosters are widely introduced too soon, or too frequently, especially with vaccines that can have immune-mediated side-effects  If unnecessary boosting causes significant adverse reactions, there could be implications for vaccine acceptance that go beyond COVID-19 vaccines. Thus, widespread boosting should be undertaken only if there is clear evidence that it is appropriate, the two officials, Dr. Marion Gruber, the head of the FDAs Office of Vaccines Research and Review, and her deputy, Dr. Philip Krause, wrote.

The two announced in late August they will be leaving the FDA in October and November.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie arrives to deliver the State of the State Address in the Assembly Chambers at the Statehouse in Trenton, New Jersey on Jan. 14, 2014. (Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

New Jerseys Vaccine Mandate for State Capitol Will Restrict Public Access to Legislature: Republican Lawmakers

A plan proposed by the New Jersey government which requires full COVID-19 vaccination or a test for lawmakers, staff, and the public to enter the state capitol complex will limit public access to legislature, according to Republican lawmakers.

A New Jersey government commissioncomprising four legislative staff and four staff from the governors officeintroduced a resolution requiring all persons who attend all gatherings and meetings in state capital buildings to show either proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or the negative result of a COVID-19 PCR test performed within the last 72 hours.

In addition, all individuals entering any New Jersey state capitol building must undergo a temperature check daily at the first entry, the resolution said. The proposal also introduced mask mandate in all capitol premises.

The public will be allowed to enter the building only through designated entrances and the number of visitors in the Capitol during voting sessions or committee days will be limited. In addition, the occupancy of the gallery of both chambers of the legislature will be reduced to one-third of its capacity, and attendees of committee meetings will have to leave every other chair empty, the resolution stated.

Tours are required to certify that all tour attendees are fully vaccinated and have negative COVID-19 test results.

Lawmakers Fight Back

New Jersey Senate Republicans sent a letter to Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin to oppose the resolution stating that these new rules would restrict public access to the New Jersey State House and the legislative process.

The letter signed by the entire Republican caucus said the testing requirement for unvaccinated individuals is exclusionary and urged the Democratic Senate and Assembly leaders to withdraw the resolution.

There is no testing system available to the New Jersey legislature or visitors to facilitate easy testing for COVID-19, the letter said.

Without an accessible system for testing, an unvaccinated person who wishes to enter the State House must find testing on their own. According to published reports, COVID-19 testing facilities have long scheduling delays with additional waits for results to be reported.

Delays in providing meeting agendas and their frequent last-minute changes could make it impossible for unvaccinated individuals to comply with the testing alternative to enter the State House and testify at public hearings, as is their right, the letter explained.

Some members of the commission which introduced the resolution are also members of the executive branch, which raises concerns related to the separation of powers, the Republican senators said in the letter.

By contrast, the existing return-to-work policy implemented by the Senate Republican Office ensures a safe work environment through a variety of choices including options for vaccination, testing, and accommodations for those with natural immunity due to prior COVID-19 infection or other concerns, the letter said.

New Jersey state Assemblyman John DiMaio said that the resolution introducing COVID-19 restrictions in the legislature infringes on the rights of the people to testify, and on the oath of legislators to represent their constituents, according to a statement by New Jersey Assembly Republicans.

DeMaio also expressed his concern that the members representing the state executive branch in the commission that proposed the resolution have votes on the commission now attempting to dictate legislative rules.

Not one elected official is on this obscure commission, but they get to tell elected officials and the public what to do? Di Maio said in the statement. Liberty has become what government limits instead of protects.

The resolution was scheduled to be voted on Tuesday.

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus.
A resident undergoes a nucleic acid test for COVID-19 in Harbin, in China's northeastern Heilongjiang province on Sept. 22, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

New Wave of COVID-19 Outbreaks Hits Several Regions in China

A new wave of the CCP virus cases erupted across China, triggering mass nucleic acid tests, lockdowns, and fears; the new outbreak hit Beijing, Shanghai, 11 provinces, and three ethnic minority regions within one week.

Data shows the recent outbreaks started on Oct. 17, transmitting mainly along travel routes to Inner Mongolia, but with the source unidentified. Chinas national health commission reported 39 new confirmed cases on Oct. 24. It said that the new round involved multiple sites, growing rapidly, with increased risks of proliferation, state media reported.

However, actual data needs further verification due to a lack of transparency in Chinas pandemic disclosure.

Affected provinces include Hebei, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Qinghai, Shanxi, Gansu, and Heilongjiang; three ethnic minority regions of Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, and Ningxia.

As of 9:00 a.m., Oct. 24, China highlighted two high-risk areas, including Dalaihob Town of Ejin Banner, Inner Mongolia, and Hongfuyuan Community in Beijing. Moreover, it designated 16 areas at a medium-risk level, including five in Gansu, six in Inner Mongolia, three in Ningxia, and two in Guizhou.

On Oct. 23, Chinas ministry of culture and tourism ran urgent checks on travel to high- and medium-risk regions in an emergency notice. It rolled out stringent measures, stressing that travel agencies should stop sales of package tours abroad, air tickets, and the hotel business to prevent imported cases.

Local Responses

On Oct. 25, the spokesperson for Beijing and vice director of its publicity department, Xu Jianxin, urged citizens to minimize outgoing trips in the coming few days except for essential purposes. Destinations located in high- and medium-risk regions should be particularly avoided, he emphasized.

One day before, Beijing authorities at an anti-COVID conference required that people who must travel to Beijing should present their health green codes and proof of negative nuclear acid tests within 48 hours of arrival. Then they would have to undergo 14 days of health surveillance. Arrivals from other ports of entry needed to undergo a full 21 day isolation.

On Oct. 22, Beijings Changping District declared a state of emergency, and the community of Hongfuyuan was designated as a high-risk region.

Two residents confirmed to The Epoch Times that all entrances and exits were under lockdown, with all restaurants closed, and that they all received nuclear acid tests overnight.

The lockdown came at 0:00, Oct. 22, without prewarning, said Xiao Li (alias). They hadnt been given enough time to stock up food for quarantine days, she said.

Chinas pandemic situation has raised concern since the Beijing Winter Olympics will begin on Feb. 4, 2022.

The capital of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, reported one new confirmed case on Oct. 24. Local officials placed about 40 neighborhoods under lockdown, sent nearly 2,000 people to quarantine centers, and ordered nucleic acid testing for over 500,000 people.

A local woman, surnamed Wang, said the extensive lockdown was to not only serve as a facade of diligence for local officials, but also to use the lockdown to act as an excuse for poor economic performance.

Officials are showing off theyre working hard at their positions, Wang said to the Chinese edition of The Epoch Times. On the other hand, theyre evading their share of responsibility in this manner for local economic growth.

Wang added that locals didnt want to speak out against the officials for fear of arbitrary arrest.

In Ejin Banner, local authorities have mandated home quarantine for all 35,700 residents since Oct. 25. Any violators will be held accountable civilly and criminally, authorities warned.

Currently, nearly 10,000 tourists are stuck in a local popular forest attraction, state media reported.

Luo Ya contributed to this report.
Children hold up signs during a rally against critical race theory being taught in schools at the Loudoun County Government center in Leesburg, Va., on June 12, 2021. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

Parents Sue Massachusetts School District For Allegedly Excluding White Students From Events

A Massachusetts school district allegedly held racially segregated events that specifically excluded white students, according to a federal lawsuit filed by a non-profit group representing three families.

Non-profit group Parents Defending Education filed a lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday afternoon, arguing that Wellesley Public Schools violated the constitutional rights of their students, and also suppressed students First Amendment rights with its policy on biased speech, CBS Boston reported.

Court papers state that students were allegedly told by the district that the phrase Blue Lives Matter, which refers to law enforcement officers, is associated with white supremacy, according to the news outlet.

Nearly seven decades of Supreme Court precedent have made two things clear: Public schools cannot segregate students by race, and students do not abandon their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate, the lawsuit says.

Wellesley Public Schools is flouting both of these principles, the lawsuit states.

Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, said the group wants the school districts policies to end.

This is not how public schools that operate with public tax dollars should be conducting themselves, said Neily. It is fundamentally un-American to discriminate against students or separate students, segregate students, treat them differently, on the basis of race. Its un-American and also its unconstitutional.

The Epoch Times reached out to Wellesley Public Schools for comment but didnt immediately hear back.

The school district on its website states that it believes it is has a moral responsibility to welcome, celebrate and affirm the full spectrum and intersections of human differences in, and beyond our community.

The district has an office of diversity, equity and inclusion, according to its website.

We will create a culture that celebrates advocacy and pursues justice for all, especially those from historically marginalized communities, the districts mission statement reads. We will practice risk-taking, and challenge one another to continuously examine systems of privilege and bias, and work collectively to disrupt and dismantle inequity in all its forms.

Heading that office is Dr. Charmie Curry, who joined Wellesley Public Schools in September 2019, and is a member of Influence 100, an initiative launched by the states Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to increase the racial and ethnic diversity of superintendents in Massachusetts, create more culturally responsive districts and leaders across the state, and promote better outcomes for students.

Prejudice, bias, hate and discrimination remain threats that require our vigilance and persistence to ensure that our core values are adhered to, and our mission is realized, the school district says on its website.

An event listed on the districts website titled The Intersection of Anti-Black Racism and Adolescent Development is scheduled for Oct. 28.

The district has close to 5,000 students across all grades.
In this file image from video, a Loudoun County School Board meeting is taking place on June 22, 2021. (The Epoch Times via LCPS)

Parents Urge Loudoun County School Board, Superintendent to Resign Over Bombshell Email

Parents in a Virginia county have urged school board members and the districts superintendent to step down after an email was published showing that they knew about a sexual assault that took place in May.

In light of this, what Im holding, this bombshell email, I respectfully ask that the board resign. You, too, Scott Ziegler, one parent said during a Loudoun County School Board meeting on Oct. 26.

The board and Superintendent Scott Ziegler knew about a girl being raped by a male in a bathroom at Stone Bridge High School on the same day that the incident took place, according to an email released by the district last week.

Ziegler wrote to the board members on May 28 to tell them that a female student had accused a male of sexually assaulting her in a restroom at the school.

Ziegler claimed at a June 22 board meeting that there were no records of any assaults occurring in restrooms in the district. He was corrected by board member Beth Barts, but she referenced a 2018 incident at Tuscarora High School, not the Stone Bridge assault.

The entire school board knew that a girl was raped at Stonebridge. That is a fact. Scott Ziegler lied to everyone during the June 22 school board meeting when he said that no assaults happened in LCPS bathrooms. That is also a fact, one parent said at the meeting, speaking just hours after students walked out of multiple schools to protest against officials.

You were clearly aware of the sexual assault at Stonebridge, but kept it hidden, denied it, and proceeded to pass your policy, another parent said. All of you must go, and we will take back our schools.

Ziegler said, in a prepared statement read to reporters earlier this month, that he was responding during the June meeting as if it were only about incidents involving transgender or so-called gender-fluid students. The board was debating a policy it later approved that allows students to use bathrooms for the gender they claim to be.

I regret that my comments were misleading and I apologize for the distress that error caused families. I should have asked board member Barts clarifying questions to get to the root of her question, rather than assuming what she meant. I will do better in the future, he said.

Neither Ziegler nor the LCPS board members responded to requests for comment by press time.

The male who raped the girl at Stone Bridge has been described by her parents as taking advantage of a permissive environment fostered by school officials regarding sex and gender identity. During a hearing on Oct. 25, a judge heard that the boy was wearing a skirt while raping the girl. The judge found the boy guilty.

The boy remains detained until going before the same judge in November on charges related to an alleged assault that happened at Broad Run High School in early October, prosecutors told media outlets.

John Beatty, one of the board members, joined parents in calling for Zieglers resignation, alleging that he withheld information so that the pro-transgender policy would be approved.

I believe no updates were given because the superintendent was working to aggressively pass a policy that would have allowed unrestricted access of biological males to female restrooms. He didnt provide information because if it came out that there was an assault in the bathroom, the transgender policy wouldnt have passed, Beatty told Fox News in a statement

I demanded a full investigation. And now our superintendent must resign immediately. Withholding information for political gain is unacceptable and disqualifying.
Nurses prepare Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines at the Austin Hospital in Melbourne, Australia on March 17, 2021. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)

Pfizer Booster Approved for Australia

Australias medicine regulator has provisionally approved the Pfizer COVID-19 booster doses for people aged 18 and older.

The third booster shot can now be administered six months after completing the first two-dose vaccination regime.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has said that the third Pfizer booster shot can be given to people even if their first two doses were any of the other registered COVID-19 vaccines: AstraZeneca or Moderna.

However, the TGA has said data on the use of the Pfizer shot as a booster with AstraZeneca or Moderna was limited.

The regulator also said that people who have completed two doses of Pfizers COMIRNATY vaccine should preferably receive the Pfizer booster dose.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) will soon provide the government with further advice on the use of the boosters.

According to Courier Mail, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the Today show the government has been working steadfastly on the booster program for some time.

He said the national cabinet would discuss the matter next week.

We will be starting with those in aged care facilities like we did with the vaccine.

We will be looking at [how]  the states will be keeping a fair bit of their infrastructure in place to deliver that.

We will obviously be leaning heavily on the primary health network, on pharmacists and GPs who have done the heavy lifting on getting these vaccination rates which  are higher than the UK, he said.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the booster program would make Australia one of the most highly vaccinated countries in the world.

We want to encourage every Australian that is eligible to continue to come forward and complete their primary course and when they are due six months plus to come forward for their boosters, Hunt said.

People aged 12 and over who are severely immunocompromised may also be given a third dose at least 28 days after the second dose, per ATAGI advice, according to a statement by the TGA.

TGA provisionally approved the booster dose following careful evaluation of the available data supporting safety and efficacy, a TGA release said. The TGAs decision was also informed by expert advice from the Advisory Committee on Vaccines, an independent committee with scientific, clinical and consumer representation.

The Pfizer booster has also received emergency authorisation or regulatory approval in the United States, Europe, and United Kingdom.

The TGA continues to work very closely with international regulators to harmonise regulatory approaches, share information and where it speeds up evaluation, collaboratively review COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, the TGA release said.
Ships wait to be offloaded in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Jan. 12, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Ports Try New Fines to Deal With a Container Tsunami

The Los Angeles City Council authorized Oct. 27 port officials to impose hefty new fines as another way to try to clear the epic backlog of shipping containers clogging Los Angeles and Long Beach ports.

The new surcharge applies to shipping containers held for longer than usual on a growing flotilla of ocean carriers that now number 76 off the Southern California coast.

The ports will charge $100 a day for each container left for more than nine days if the container will be moved by truck. The carrier will be charged after three days if the container will be shipped by rail.

The fee will increase by $100 increments per container per day until it is cleared. Charges begin Nov. 1.

Officials said they hope the fines will incentivize shipping companies and truckers to move goods more quickly away from the terminal.

Ships offshore on Oct. 26 held about 250,000 containers, according to Port of Los Angeles spokesman Phillip Sanfield.

Thats equal to about two weeks of work, so, its not some number thats going to clog us for months, Sanfield told The Epoch Times.

The ports are not looking to profit off of the surcharge, he said. Were looking to get the cargo off of our docks.

The ports have made several changes in the past few months to speed up this part of the supply chain.

The Biden administration also implemented an around-the-clock schedule to help clear the unprecedented backlog, Sanfield said.

The lockdowns amid the CCP virus pandemic caused an increase in consumer buying that continued to rally after additional stimulus funding this year. The ports have experienced overwhelming volumes throughout 2021 and have averaged 900,000 containers per month since summer 2020.

Terminal operators and longshore workers are working on about 50 percent more ships than before the pandemic, Sanfield said. Containers are stacked and crowding the tarmacs, while ports are dealing with the historic backlog of anchored ships waiting to come onshore.

Both ports are being equally impacted.

With the escalating backlog of ships off the coast, we must take immediate action to prompt the rapid removal of containers from our marine terminals, said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. The terminals are running out of space, and this will make room for the containers sitting on those ships at anchor.

Other local officials on Oct. 26 said they hoped the new charge would prompt faster removal of containers from the ports.

Valerie Contreras, chair of the Wilmington Neighborhood Councila small community adjacent to the Port of Long Beachsaid her city has been overrun by shipping containers and trucks.

It definitely [will provide] incentive for the drivers to quickly do what they need to do to get those [containers] off the terminal. Im afraid its going to have a huge impact on my community, as it had been, Contreras said.

Neighborhoods in Wilmington have become clogged with shipping containers lately as drivers attempt to find anywhere to drop off the trailers from the terminals, she said.

Ships wait to come ashore at the Port of Los Angeles, in Long Beach, Calif., on Jan. 12, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The problems are also exacerbated by empty containers piling up around the port areas.

Harbor Trucking Association CEO Matt Schrap told Fox Business that the ports and the White House should be commended for digging in and looking at creative ways to get the ocean carriers engaged, but said the fees may encourage vessel operators and their marine terminal partners to prioritize chassis availability for carrier cargo subject to the fee.

The surcharge may leave other cargo without equipment and empty containers stranded in trucking company yards, he said.

Schrap added that ships should be encouraged to send whats known as sweeper vessels to clear out the abundance of empty containers taking up space on the dock.

The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, a group that advocates for terminal operators, cargo ships, and maritime industry stakeholders doing business at U.S. West Coast ports, said it was evaluating the surcharges.

This new fee on goods raises many questions about the implementation process, the potential for delays and the cost increases that could result, said Michele Grubbs of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association.

A representative of a new task force created by the Biden administration to deal with the issue said it supports the surcharge.

As our economy continues to grow, increased demand and disruptions caused by the pandemic are putting our supply chains to the test, said John D. Porcari, who serves as the port envoy on the recently created Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force. While weve seen new records set in terms of [material] this year at West Coast ports, we need more players throughout the supply chain to keep stepping up.

Fees collected will be reinvested by the ports for programs designed to enhance efficiency, accelerate cargo velocity, and address congestion impacts throughout the bay.
Progressive Pro-Life Activist Aims to Empower Moderates in the Democratic Party and Stop Abortion Extremism

At the beginning of October, a self-proclaimed Democratic liberal atheist founded an organization, Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU), which aims to mobilize liberal pro-life activists and to undo the influence of the abortion industry on the Democratic Party.

Terrisa Bukovinac, the founder of PAAU, through the organizations efforts, wants to uphold the progressive values of equality, nonviolence, and nondiscrimination and told The Epoch Times that there are many more people like her in the Democratic Party and among progressives who disagree with extreme abortion rights laws that allow abortion up until birth.

Were also looking to influence Democratic legislators in the House and in the Senate. We want to ultimately affect the DNC [Democratic National Committee] platform, and we believe the Democratic Party is just not progressive enough on abortion, that they misrepresent the vast majority of their constituents who want abortion at least more restricted than it is now, said Bukovinac, who previously founded Pro-Life San Francisco and served as the president of Democrats for Life of America.

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed The Womens Health Protection Act, which, if passed in the Senate, would allow a woman to end a pregnancy up until birth based on any physical or mental health issue she said she had. The bill aims to enshrine into law health care providers ability to offer abortion services prior to fetal viability without pushback from individual states, such as requiring waiting periods.

The Womens Health Protection Act, which is essentially the codification of Roe v. Wade, is literally the nightmare scenario. I mean, one of the focuses of PAAU is to educate and save the Hyde Amendment, Bukovinac said.

[This Act], its really a regress to this idea that might makes right, and it isnt in any way in line with progressive values of equality, nonviolence, and nondiscrimination.

Currently, the Hyde Amendment prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortions, but Democrats want to eliminate this law.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) (C) speaks in support of the Womens Health Protection Act, with primary sponsor Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) (R), outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Sept. 24, 2021. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Rep. Judy Chus (D-Calif.) abortion bill would also end restrictions on abortion after fetal viability when, in the good-faith medical judgment of the treating health care provider, a continuation of the pregnancy would pose a risk to the pregnant patients life or health.

Republicans argue that the abortion bill goes too far, allowing a woman to end the life of her baby virtually for any reason, and PAAU has joined the mission to change the laws that allow unrestricted abortions and late-term abortions.

The abortion industrial complex has been pretty successful at primarying and pushing out candidates who are Democrats who hold life-affirming positions. So they have maneuvered an advantage for themselves, but it doesnt represent the vast majority of Democrats or left-leaning people, Bukovinac said. The entire Democratic Party is in a toxic relationship with the abortion industry. The abortion industry funds their political campaigns. The abortion industry has ensured that nobody has a future in the Democratic Party unless they are rabidly [pro-abortion].

In 2020, Planned Parenthood, the leader in the abortion industry, launched a $45 million funding campaign called We Decide to donate to and help elect lawmakers at all levels of the federal government who are pro-abortion and support Planned Parenthoods abortion agenda.

Planned Parenthood also funded the Georgia Senate runoffs, in which two Democrat senators were elected in 2021.

Bukovinac told The Epoch Times that most Democrats dont hold such extreme abortion views but that theyre too afraid to speak up for fear of being targeted by the party.

And the party has effectively silenced any dissenters on this through this propaganda and shaming process. And what Im intending to do is to show the communities across the nation, especially blue communities, that this issue isnt settled, not even in the Democratic Party, she said.

And the reason that I launched PAAU is because of the interest that I saw from people all across the country reaching out, saying they want to get involved in the pro-life movement, that they too are left-leaning, that they too are nonreligious, that they too have been stigmatized and shamed into silence and that they wont be silent anymore.

The secular pro-life activist said she is slandered and attacked for her position on abortion and understands how hard it is to oppose those in power who have such an extreme abortion agenda, but she said she feels compelled to give those people and the unborn a voice.

Abortion activists protest outside of the U.S. Supreme Court, during the March for Life in Washington, on Jan. 18, 2019. (Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo)

Its a very tough path. Its very, very stigmatized work. I have been kicked out of Thanksgiving dinners and not allowed in certain peoples homes and things like that for many years now, simply because I engage in this work, she said, adding that after PAAUs launch on Oct. 1, it was bullied heavily on Twitter.

Bukovinac believes the abortion industry can only be stopped by true progressives who first take back the Democratic Party.

The abortion industry cannot survive in this country without their relationship with the Democratic Party. They dont have a relationship with the Republican Party, and they wont be able to gain any power there either. So thats why I believe so strongly that this is the key to ending abortion in America.  Its progressives who change the Democratic Party, and the Democratic Party is where the issue lies, she said. So the only people who are in a position to truly end this at this point are progressives who will force the party to change.

Planned Parenthood didnt immediately return a request for comment.
Quebec Minister of Health Christian Dube (L) and Daniel Pare, head of the Quebec vaccination program speak during a news conference in Montreal on Aug. 24, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes)

Quebec Says Vaccination Wont Be Compulsory for Teachers, School Staff

The Quebec government has announced that COVID-19 vaccines will not be mandatory for teachers and school staff in the province.

Quebecs Ministry of Health and Social Services said in a statement on Oct. 27, that vaccination will not be compulsory for school personnel in public and private preschool, primary and secondary schools, following recommendations from public health authorities.

According to the ministry, the decision is based on the improving epidemiological situation in the province, with the impacts of COVID-19 in children getting weaker, and outbreaks well controlled in schools.

In public and private primary and secondary schools, 91 percent of the staff have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 89 percent have received two shots, according to the statement.

Taking into account the history of COVID-19, 89% of staff are adequately protected, the statement reads.

The ministry said vaccination campaigns were organized in schools where vaccination rates were not high enough. The health and social services network said they are also preparing to vaccinate children between 5 to 11 years old.

In a separate statement released Oct. 27, the Ministry of Health and Social Service also confirmed that vaccine mandates will not be enforced for staff in higher education, saying staff in college and university-level institutions have a high vaccination rate of 92 percent.

The vaccination rate among students in higher education is also high, with 90 percent of college students and 92 percent of university students who are adequately protected against COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the provinces vaccine mandate for health care workers is being challenged in Quebec Superior Court today.

The provincial government previously gave health care workers until Oct. 15 to receive a COVID-19 dose or face suspension without pay, but later announced an extension to Nov. 15, due to concerns about medical staff shortages.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault raised the possibility this week of further postponing the deadline for a second time.

Superior Court Justice Michel Yergeau, who is hearing the arguments today, said he will render a decision on Nov. 15 regardless of what the government decides.

With files from The Canadian Press
Representative Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, speaks during the House Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on Nov. 21, 2019. (Andrew Harrer/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Rare Open Intelligence Hearing Focused on Diversity Discussions

Its not every day that the heads of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Agency (NSA), Defense Intelligence Agency, and Office of the Director of National Intelligence all testify to Congress in an open setting.

An Oct. 27 House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing was one of those rare occasions. But instead of focusing on any of the myriad national security issues facing the United States, the hearing was meant to discuss diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the Intelligence Community.

This didnt sit well with some legislators, including Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), who accused the government agencies of being increasingly focused on issues that distract it from [its] mission.

The indications ranging from trivial recruitment videos to major intelligence estimates show an infatuation with left-wing dogma and politized actions that have nothing to do with deterring our enemies and winning wars, Nunes said. Unfortunately, we cant counter hypersonic missile launches with better pronoun usage. A deeper understanding of white rage wont rescue Americans stranded in Afghanistan.

Other lawmakers disagreed. Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said having intelligence officers with a diversity of backgrounds is crucial for national security.

Our diversity is our greatest national strength. And it is a strength we need to leverage in support of the mission of the Intelligence Community [IC], Schiff said.

[I] cant help but notice that the large majority of IC briefersthough excellentto appear before the committee are often white and male.

The intelligence officials at the hearing agreed with Schiff.

We cant be effective and we are not being true to our nations ideals if everyone looks like me, talks like me, or thinks like me, CIA Director William Burns said.

Though the hearing was ostensibly about diversity, some Democrats and most Republicans strayed into other topics.

Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) called for the committee to investigate the origins of COVID-19to which Schiff said hed consider itwhile Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) questioned the intelligence officials about the botched Aug. 29 drone strike that killed innocent Afghan civilians.

Turner asked the officials whether any of them were involved in reviewing the intelligence or advising the Defense Department on protocols during the time that the military was planning or conducting the drone strike. All of the agency directorsas well as Ronald Moultrie, the undersecretary of defense for intelligence and securitysaid they werent involved with the drone strike, nor were their direct subordinates.

Nunes directed most of his questions toward NSA Director Paul Nakasone about the ousting of the agencys former top lawyer, Michael Ellis, who was appointed during the final days of the Trump administration.

Elliss appointment prompted an outcry from Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Nakasone placed Ellis on administrative leave on the day of President Joe Bidens inaugurationa day after Ellis had received his security clearance. This, in turn, led to allegations that Nakasones decision was politically motivated.

A Defense Department inspector general (IG) released a report last week about the incident, concluding that neither the appointment of Ellis nor his placement on administrative leave was politically motivated.

The IGs conclusions didnt stop Nunes from questioning Nakasone about whether he spoke to anyone in the Biden administration about Ellis. Nakasone said he hadnt done so.

Nunes also cited emails within the IG report in which other officials questioned Nakasones motives for opposing Ellis becoming the new NSA general counsel.

The emails included a series of exchanges between Nakasone and then-Defense Department General Counsel Paul Ney on Jan. 15. Ney told Nakasone that his concerns about Ellis have no basis in fact while some of his concern appears to be inappropriately injecting partisan politics into this merit system process.

Nunes asked Nakasone whether hed make this complete email exchange public, and Nakasone said he would do so.
Reflections on the Great Chicago Fire

Commentary

As the summer months are fast approaching, the fire season will again be a primary concern of Australias fire services.

The memories of the disastrous bushfires of December 2019 and January 2020, only eclipsed by the COVID-19 pandemic, are still fresh in peoples minds. The dangers associated with fires alert people to the necessity to have safeguards in place and the need to follow the advice of the fire services.

Now is also the time to reflect on the Great Chicago Fire, which devastated Chicago 150 years ago, and to consider what we can learn from that conflagration.

The Great Chicago Fire started on Oct. 8, 1871, in Catherine OLearys barn.

OLeary and her husband, Patrick, were Irish immigrants. Because of the dry conditions and strong wind, the fire spread and ravaged a large part of the city. The fire destroyed the downtown area and the north side of the city. Approximately 3,000 people died, and 90,000 people became homeless.

A view of downtown Chicago, including the damages Court House, in the aftermath of the Great Chicago Fire, Ill., October 1871. (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)

Following the disastrous fire, OLeary became infamous when a journalist alleged that it had started when she was milking her cow that accidentally tripped over a lantern.

The allegation turned out to be a lie, propagated by an enthusiastic but devious journalist, Michael Ahern, who admitted in 1893 that the story was fake.

Nevertheless, the myth of the wayward cow was born, and for several decades, people believed that the fire started exactly how Ahern described it.

His story of the accident-prone cow may appear to be slightly amusing to a reader today, but it remains an example of an unwarranted manipulation of journalistic freedom.

The false allegation is also instrumental in revealing the prejudices which existed at the time against Irish immigrants.

Throughout her life, OLeary was blamed for starting the Great Chicago Fire, even though she testified that she was in bed when the fire started.

What is true, however, is that the fire started in her barn. Catherine and Patrick OLeary were unaware of the enveloping danger because they were asleep in their bed when the fire broke out.

The 150th anniversary of this cataclysmic event was commemorated appropriately in America, especially in Chicago.

For example, the Northwestern University Alumni Association invited Emeritus Professor Carl Smith to discuss the Great Fire. Smiths book Chicagos Great Fire: The Destruction and Resurrection of an Iconic American City recounts the catastrophe and the subsequent rebuilding of Chicago.

Chicago is now an entrepreneurial city that rejuvenated its skyline after the disastrous fire of 1871 when the rapacious, ravenous flames destroyed three square miles of the city.

Nowadays, people visiting Chicago can admire fibreglass cows and other farm animals, positioned throughout the centre of the city, converting it into a menagerie. The exhibition of cows is a part of CowParade, an international art exhibition held in many American cities.

But one wonders whether the enduring myth of OLearys wayward cow that allegedly caused the fire may have inspired the exhibition!

A child takes a picture of one of the 300 life-size painted and sculpted Fiberglass cows on display as part of the Cows on Parade in Chicago, Ill., on June 29, 1999. (Jeff Haynes/AFP via Getty Images)

OLearys cow did not cause the fire, but instead, a fierce wind fuelled the flames. Chicago is also aptly known as the windy city because breeze coming from Lake Michigan whizz through its streets and squares.

The history of the Great Chicago Fire causes people to reflect on the ever-present dangers of fire during Australias upcoming dry and sweltering summer season.

Although people may regard state government regulations that impose precautionary measures to avoid fires as intrusive, these measures are cogently related to achieving a worthwhile objective, namely the prevention of fire and the protection of life and property.

In this context, it is useful to refer to the recent legislation in Queensland (and in other Australian jurisdictions) which mandates the installation of interconnected smoke alarms.

As of Jan. 1, 2022, property owners must install interconnected smoke alarms in residential rental properties. When one smoke detector goes off, all go off, thereby alerting every occupant of a dwelling of imminent danger, giving them sufficient time to escape the fire. All other non-rental residential properties must comply with the state legislation by 2027.

There is much useful information on the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) website on the prevention of fires.

For example, the website discloses that people lose their sense of smell when they sleep. Hence, toxic fumes can easily overcome sleeping people.

Photo-electric smoke alarms are thus instrumental in alerting sleeping people of the dangers of fire, giving them time to save themselves. The new legislation specifies the type, positioning, and interconnectedness of smoke detectors, which are critical elements of a timely warning system.

Country Fire Authority (CFA) staff monitor a giant fire raging in the Bunyip State Park, some 125 kilometres west of Melbourne, Australia, on Feb. 7, 2009. (William West/AFP via Getty Images)

It is of interest to note that, as Catherine and Patrick OLeary were asleep when the Great Chicago Fire started in their barn and proceeded to devour the city, they would not have been able to smell the toxic fumes.

Undoubtedly, electric smoke alarms would have helped to avoid the disaster, but, alas, they were not available in that era.

The QFES Department administers a program called Safehome.

It assists all householders in recognising fire and safety hazards in and around the home. And the intent is to reduce death and injury and property damage due to house fires and accidents.

This program and other programs described on the website assist in the avoidance of disasters like the Great Chicago Fire.

The Great Chicago Fire reminds people of the dangers of fire. Hopefully, policymakers and legislators will learn from this disastrous event now that the summer season is upon us.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Refugee Recounts Perils of Free Speech Inside China

A Chinese asylum seeker tells his 10-year story of ordeals in China while exercising free speech, and his endeavor to inform others of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) crimes.

Liu Feilong escaped to the Netherlands on Aug. 29, 2021, after repeated police harassment, imprisonment, and threats on his life for sharing censored information on Chinese social media. He aims to share his knowledge with people who cant see it inside China.

I hope that more young Chinese people can breach the Great Firewall of China to learn more real information from the outside world, not being deceived by the lies of the CCP, Liu told the Chinese edition of The Epoch Times.

I am fully aware of the perils and costs that I am faced with under the regimes heavy internet censorship, Liu said. Out of conscience, I cannot remain silent on the tyranny and atrocities of the CCP.

The Chinese internet is strictly limited to state-sponsored propaganda, and the CCP strictly blocks online access to information critical of its actions. However, there are cracks in the Great Firewall, and Liu first found his way through in 2007.

He learned about the Tiananmen Massacre, an event that nearly all Chinese youth are ignorant of. He also learned about the widespread persecution of the spiritual practice Falun Gong. Soon after, Liu renounced his memberships in CCP-affiliated programs that nearly all school children are mandated to join.

In 2011, as the Arab Spring stirred protests in the Middle East, Liu shared information about the Greater Chinese Democratic Jasmine Revolution online through Chinas primary search engine Baidu.

The Chinese regime cannot tolerate any voices of dissent and accusations, which results in a society fraught with injustice, Liu said.

Liu Feilong arrives at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, The Netherlands, on the evening of Aug. 29, 2021. (Courtesy of Liu Feilong)

Police Encounters

The following day, police in his hometown of Zhaoqing city, Guangdong Province, came to his locksmith shop. They interrogated him and reformatted his computer, wiping away all of his banned literature. The officers threatened him with either imprisonment or forcing him to sign documents guaranteeing he would not repeat his behavior.

But that didnt stop Liu.

In August 2014, locals organized a protest against pollution in Zhaoqing. A Greenpeace report from that year listed the city as one of the most polluted in Guangdong. When Liu arrived at the city square for the protest, it was empty. He took a selfie and shared it online.

Once again, the following day, police met with Liu. This time, they called for a lock repair job at an address across from the local station. When he arrived, the police forced him to write a similar guarantee statement as before.

I was coerced into writing a confession statement, admitting the charge of causing social disorder, Liu said.

He again met with the police in 2017 for purchasing a shirt emblazoned with a popular slogan from a Chinese dissident businessman.

Then on July 4, 2018, the Chinese internet saw the Tide of Splashing Ink, where a popular live streamer broadcast herself throwing ink on a poster of Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Other Chinese individuals replicated her actions on Twitter, and Liu encouraged others to join in.

Everyone threw ink on the outdoor CCP propaganda posters, and some were arrested for it, Liu said. I urged netizens to pay attention to the arrest and participate in the splashing ink campaign on Twitter. Despite Twitter being banned in China, it is still monitored, and Liu was arrested this time.

Liu said he was brought to a police station on July 27, 2018. There, along with getting photographed and fingerprinted, he said he sat through 10-hour long interrogations, and had to provide urine and blood samples.

I once read an online news article mentioning that a Xinjiang young man whose organ matched that of a high ranking official after having a blood test in custody, Liu said. He was sentenced to death soon after.

Im afraid my blood samples and physical examinations will be kept in an organ transplant database.

Liu Feilong takes a selfie outside the detention center in Zhaoqing City on Aug. 22, 2018, when he posted bail pending trialnearly a month of detention since he was arrested on July 27, 2018. (Courtesy of Liu Feilong)

However, he was released several days later after the police found no evidence of him throwing ink on posters. The same day the police released him, he was sent to a detention center. Thousands of his tweets were used as evidence against him, for allegedly causing social unrest.

One such tweet was to condemn the regime for forced organ harvesting. The pinned tweet was a video of Miss World Canada Anastasia Lin testifying to the UN Human Rights Council.

Misery in a Detention Center

Liu recounted his misery in the detention center.

Small confinement cells are crammed with over a dozen individuals, causing them, including Liu, to sleep on the concrete floor at night. The inmates have to wash the toilets daily, and are given meager meals.

They are forced to memorize and recite regulations, or are deprived of sleep.

There are two guards on duty in turn, preventing detainees from committing suicide and self-mutilation, Liu said.

Nearly one month later, Liu posted bail pending trial on Aug. 22, 2018. When I was released from the detention center, the security police threatened me that they could imprison me for 3 to 5 years with the evidence they collected, Liu said.

Police kept Liu under surveillance after he was released from the detention center. He was required to report his whereabouts to the police twice a week, and report back to the police station every three months.

During his probation, the judicial office tracked his phones GPS location. He was assigned to monthly forced labor, and had to repeat CCP ideology to the office.

Lius trial ended a year later in 2019. He was sentenced to one-year imprisonment with a probation of 18 months for picking quarrels and provoking trouble.

After his release in 2021, Liu obtained a passport and fled to the Netherlands. He is now living in a refugee camp. I dont want to risk my life living under the strict surveillance and tyranny of the CCP, as if treading on thin ice, Liu said.

His mission is not over, though, as he hopes more Chinese youth can break through the Great Firewall and see the true nature of the CCP.

Daniel Holl contributed to this report.
This picture taken on May 14, 2014 from a Vietnamese coast guard ship shows a Chinese coast guard vessel (R) sailing near China's oil drilling rig in disputed waters in the South China Sea. (Hoang Dinh Nam/AFP via Getty Images)

Beijings Expanding Energy Exploration Threatens South China Sea Neighbors, Report Says

China produces more solar energy panels than any other country and is moving to dominate the worlds electric vehicle (EV) battery market, but the Asian giant has also embarked on an intrusive expansion of oil and gas exploration and production, according to a new report from the Institute for Energy Research (IER).

Chinas strategic emphasis on low-carbon energy has captured the attention of U.S. analysts, prompting some to call for a commensurate focus on the space stateside, according to the report, which was released on Oct. 26.

Though China indeed has invested heavily in what the International Energy Agency (IEA) calls energy transition minerals (ETMs), produces more solar panels than any other country, and is quickly scaling its battery production, Chinas energy appetite is decidedly omnivorous, the report states.

While it has ramped up on ETMs, solar panels, and batteries, China has never wavered from its quest to secure the fossil resources that constitute the overwhelming majority of its total energy mix. Chinas soaring oil and natural gas demand has catalyzed a policy of increased resource production.

As a result of its increased energy production, China now routinely encroaches upon the waters of other South China Sea littoral states, such as Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Despite international rulings against its behavior in the region, Chinas expansionary pursuits have only intensified in recent years, jeopardizing the shared global interest of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The IER report was researched and written by Jordan McGillis, who is deputy director of policy for the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit foundation.

Chinas energy consumption has doubled in recent years and, while Beijing is often praised in Western media outlets for its efforts in the renewable energy sector, the reality is Beijing has a voracious appetite for fossil fuels, including oil, natural gas, and coal, according to McGillis.

Today, China consumes 50 percent more crude oil than it did just 10 years ago. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Chinas oil consumption growth accounted for two-thirds of new global oil consumption in 2019, McGillis reports.

The demand is so great in China that even with the slowing world economy occasioned by COVID-19, Beijing burned more crude oil in 2020, about 5 billion barrels of oil, the most ever in one year.

Combined with soaring demand for natural gas, Chinas fossil fuel consumption dwarfs its use of renewables.

Chinas use of natural gas has accelerated even faster than its use of oil, multiplying tenfold since 2001. While oils growth in China has tracked with the countrys overall energy usage uptick, remaining at around 20 percent of the total energy supply for the past 20 years, natural gas has ascended in the same time period from 2 percent of Chinas total energy to 8 percent, according to McGillis.

For comparison, in 2018, the last complete year in IEAs data browser, wind and solar combined to provide less than 3 percent of Chinas energy, he wrote. As a result, China is now the worlds largest importer of crude oil, providing three-fourths of the countrys annual use.

The South China Sea is a fertile area for oil and gas exploration, and Chinas expansion of its efforts in the region is a key part of Chinese leader Xi Jinpings overall political program.

McGillis quotes Erica Downs, senior research scholar at Columbia Universitys Center on Global Energy Policy, on Xis push:

Xi instructed Chinas [national oil companies] to ramp up domestic exploration and production of oil and natural gas to enhance national energy security in July 2018. Xis directive is consistent with his championing of self-reliance in response to the US-China trade war.

The trigger for Xis embrace of self-reliance was the U.S. Department of Commerces imposition in April 2018 of an export ban to Chinas telecommunications equipment manufacturer ZTE that threatened the Chinese national champions survival. Although the Department of Commerce lifted the ban in July 2018, the incident underscored for Beijing the risks of relying on imports, especially from the United States, for critical inputs into the Chinese economy.

Thousands of new oil and gas wells have been drilled in response to Xis directive, McGillis notes, including hundreds in the contested offshore areas of the South China Sea that are also a naval and commercial shipping flashpoint between China and the United States.

The South China Sea region is estimated by the EIA to contain at least 10 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, but McGillis claims Chinas estimates put those totals an order of magnitude higher.

Relying on its Nine-Dash claim to sovereignty over the bulk of the South China Sea, Beijing routinely violates the Exclusive Economic Zones recognized by international authorities of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Each of the aforementioned countries regularly finds its fishing and energy industries under harassment from Chinese entities, both formal and informal, while also finding Chinese entities pursuing fishing and energy activities of their own at the furthest reaches of the line, McGillis writes.
Respiratory Therapist Credits Spiritual Discipline With Remaining COVID-19 Free

For well over a year, respiratory therapist Le My Hanh has worked in close contact with acutely infected COVID-19 patients. Though her tasks require routinely direct contact with patients bodily fluids, she has never experienced infection.

At The Start Of The Pandemic

In Cincinnati, Ohio, Le works at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center as a respiratory therapist. She assists various departments such as the emergency room, the intensive-care unit, post-op care, and the otolaryngology unit. For patients connected to respirators, respiratory therapists assist the doctors doing intubations and then maintain the patients on ventilators.

When cases of COVID-19 popped up in major U.S. cities, around February or March 2020, the hospital started to change.

At the beginning of the outbreak, Cincinnati had few COVID-19 cases.

One day, the hospitals switchboard received an onslaught of calls from ambulances bringing patients with symptoms of COVID-19 infection.

Break time with colleagues (Le My Hanh, second from right). (Courtesy of Le My Hanh)

The number of COVID-19 patients continued to climb and Les hospital became overwhelmed. Some staff preferred not to work in the intensive-care unit where care for severe COVID-19 cases was provided.

Most patients in this area were on ventilators and/or dialysis. For the ones on ventilators, some of their lungs would deteriorate while their organs began to shut down.

At the time, doctors were not aware of effective treatments. It was distressing seeing so many patients die absent of effective treatment. Doctors felt helpless. As bad news from hospitals spread, Le and her colleagues learned many colleagues had become infected and died. The atmosphere became tenseeveryone was worried and tired.

At that time, Le had direct contact with a lot of blood and phlegm, and the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus seemed to be in the air.

As the number of cases increased the supply of masks and protective equipment dwindled.

Initially, they were able to use special N-95 masks with the fit test to ensure a correct fit, but the hospital ran out of stock. Le and other respiratory therapists had no choice but to use whatever was available. This included masks with poor fits, or which had been reused many times.

Le continued to medicate and check on critically ill patients three times a day, monitored and adjusted ventilators, and assisted doctors in performing bronchoscopy. For the many patients on ventilators, sometimes lungs hemorrhaged, and then blood clots became an issue. The respiratory therapists had to assist on many bronchoscopies to locate where the lungs were bleeding to remove the blood clots and obtain other needed samples.

In order to reduce the burden on the health system, the hospital only admitted acutely ill patients. It was difficult to witness ventilated patients die with the breathing tube still extending from their throats. Le had to use hemostats to clamp the breathing tube to prevent the virus from spreading from deceased patients into their room.

She said that she lost count of how many COVID-19 patients I have taken care of since March of last year until now. Many patients died, but also many lives have been saved. Especially sad were the COVID-19 patients who died alone without relatives.

In terms of whether to let the relatives say a final goodbye to the patient, Le admits that the hospital was awkward at first and didnt know what to do. If we let their loved ones in, we risked spreading the disease into the community. But it seemed inhumane not to let them in. In the end, the hospital decided that relatives could only stand outside and look through the glass door to say their final goodbyes.

Le has seen a lot of painful departures as patients passed on. Some people have relatives. Some have no relatives to say goodbye to before they die. As hospital admissions increased, so did the death rate.

A Natural Resistance to COVID-19

When the epidemic spiraled out of control, some of Les colleagues were worried. Some of them quit to work in other areas of the health care industry, as a consequence, the rest were overloaded with more work and the added burden of wearing protective gear. Many nurses and doctors started getting infected, and then many more got infected a second time. One of her colleagues was infected in December 2020. Afterward, he received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, but was infected yet again a few months later. Another colleague has still not regained her complete sense of smell after recovering from COVID-19.

The medical staff working in the ICU shouldered a very heavy workload. The risk of infection was high. Some tried to change to job positions with lighter workloads. They asked to change assignments with Le because they knew she wasnt afraid of infection.

Le said: I practice Falun Dafa. Over the years colleagues have witnessed my endurance in health which I have achieved thanks to my cultivation practice.

She regularly takes shifts like this and takes on harder tasks. With COVID-19 patients that have been on a ventilator longer than three weeks, she and the doctor would work together to remove the breathing tube and place an opening (tracheostomy) in the patients neck. Its a multi-step process with high risk to the staff providing acute care. Although she was in direct contact with many COVID-19 patients, handling their blood and sputum sometimes with inadequate PPE, so far she has not become infected.

Very sick hospitalized patients are in pain and may behave rudely, grabbing or hitting medical staff. Faced with this situation, Le tells herself to be patient and tolerant because she follows the three principles of Falun Dafa: truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.

As a cultivator, I cherish all the lives around me. When the patients recover from their illness, they often are very touched and thank me.

Admittedly, I occasionally felt a little sorry for myself because of the work overload, but at those moments I remind myself that I am a Falun Dafa cultivator. We are taught that in everything we do, we should think of others, and strive to be good and improve.

Le said she believes the surrounding staff also feel a kind of positive energy.

From the bottom of my heart, I know this comes from my sincere practice of Falun Gong. My immune system is always in top condition. Falun Dafa practitioners around the world have experienced this beneficial state of health.

During the long pandemic, with occasional insufficient PPE and no guarantees that she will be immune to the CCP virus, Le intensified her practice and the corresponding exercises. She knew that her character and body would then be in the best shape to handle the extreme situation. For her, this is how Falun Gong practitioners come to have such miraculous immune systems.

Le My Hanh practices the fifth exercise of Falun Gong. (Courtesy of Le My Hanh)

Home and Family Life

Les husband also works in the medical field, in urgent care. He was concerned about Le My Hanh getting sick, and suggested she resign.

She said: I understood my husbands feelings and calmly explained that I had taken care of patients with infectious diseases for so many years without getting infected. Also, at that time, many patients were in need of my help.

The hospital will be overloaded because of the lack of staff, especially the respiratory department where I work. If I stay at home, my colleagues will have to shoulder more work and the hardship will increase.

I have the knowledge. I have been trained, and I have many years of experience working in this field.  In this unprecedented situation, I could not sit here doing nothing, I would feel uncomfortable and useless.

At first, Les husband did not agree. Not wanting to argue, Le promised her husband that she would be careful at work for the safety of the family. Before leaving the hospital she usually changed into clean clothes to go home. When she gets home she would shower right away.

A few weeks went by, doing what she could to put her husbands mind at ease. He experienced me taking care of COVID patients without getting infected and it was not mentioned thereafter that I should quit.

Le My Hanh reads the book Zhuan Falun, the main book that guides people how to practice Falun Gong. (Courtesy of Le My Hanh)

Vanessa Wang contributed to this report.
The Rogers Communications Inc. sign at the company's headquarters in Toronto on April 25, 2012. (The Canadian Press/Aaron Vincent Elkaim)

Rogers Share Price Dips as Family Dispute Deepens Over Board Control

The Rogers family dispute over control of one of Canadas telecom giants already saw the companys shares dip this week, as the rift between former chairman Edward Rogers and his mother and sisters descended into legal action.

At the heart of the dispute is a disagreement over who has legitimate control of the companys board. The Rogers family controls Canadian telecom and media giant Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI) through a trust that holds 97 percent of the voting shares.

Several members of the Rogers family including Edward, his sisters Martha and Melinda, and mother Loretta have sat on the board since company founder Ted Rogers died in 2008.

RCIs price per share threaded in the low $56-$57 range on Oct. 25 and 26, after it plunged more than six percent from its $60.02 a share on Oct. 22. There was a slight improvement at around $58 per share on Oct. 26, but business industry observers and analysts predicted difficulty ahead for the company.

Analysts also warned against creating confusion among shareholders as ousted chairman Edward Rogers claimed he was reelected as chair on Oct. 24, and backed by a new board of directors.

On Oct. 26, Edward filed a petition to have his newly constituted board declared legitimate, asking the B.C. Supreme Court for a declaration confirming the validity of his board. He also asked Rogers to adjust its registry to reflect the board he created.

Edwards mother Loretta Rogers, sisters Martha Rogers and Melinda Rogers-Hixon, and several current board members have disputed his claim.

We remain as duly elected members of the Rogers Communications Inc. Board and represent the majority of the Board members of the company, the group said in a statement on Oct. 24.

No other group of individuals has any authority to purport to act as the Board of Directors of Rogers Communications Inc.

Dispute Sparked By Attempted Removal of CEO

The conflict at RCI started in September after Edwards attempt to replace Natale with former chief financial officer Tony Staffieri, and remove nine other senior executives, was exposed.

Natale has been president and CEO of RCI since April 2017. Prior to that, he held several senior positions at Telus Corporation from 2003 to 2015. Staffieri has been with Rogers since 2012, having a previous appointment as vice president of finance at Bell Canada Enterprises in 2005.

Natale learned about the plan to oust him when Staffieri accidentally dialled the CEOs number while discussing the details with former long-time Rogers chief legal officer David Miller, which prompted the CEO to trigger an emergency board meeting on Sept. 26, according to a report from the Globe and Mail.

The Rogers family and the majority of the board backed Natale and his management team. Staffieri left the company three days later.

Rogers President and CEO Joe Natale (R), and Chair of the Board Edward Rogers attend the companys AGM in Toronto on April 18, 2019. (The Canadian Press/Chris Young)

On Oct. 21, the board of directors voted and removed Edward as chairmanwith three of the votes coming from Loretta, Melinda and Martha Rogers.

John MacDonald, who has served as member of the board since 2012 and also as chair of the corporate governance committee, assumed the role of chairman while Edward stepped down as company director.

But hours after the vote, Edward, who remains chair of Rogers Control Trustthe family trust which controls about 97.53 percent of the firms Class A voting sharesannounced he would remove five independent directors from the board, including MacDonald, with his own candidates through a written shareholder resolution.

The Control Trust Chair is disappointed with recent events and commentary regarding the governance of RCI and has lost confidence in the Board of RCI as currently constituted. The Control Trust Chair believes that it would be in the best interests of RCI to reconstitute the Board, wrote the statement by Rogers Control Trust.

RCI responded the next day, arguing that Edwards plan to replace the independent directors through the written resolution without convening a meeting of shareholders is not warranted.

The Company is not aware of this mechanism ever having been utilized in respect of a public company in Canada, RCI said in a statement.

It followed up with a second statement later that day, asserting that the written resolution from Rogers Control Trust to the shareholders is invalid, and its board of directors, including the independent directors remained unchanged.

When the firm learned on Oct. 23 that Edward planned to hold a purported Board meeting with his proposed slate of directors on Oct. 24, MacDonald responded, saying that the meeting does not comply with the laws of B.C. where the company is incorporated, and anything that may arise from such a meeting is also invalid.

Martha, who is chair of Rogers environmental, social and governance committee and advisory committee of the Rogers Control Trust, took to Twitter with a string of tweets saying she would defend her fathers wishes.

Ted put me on the board as a check and balance to ensure nothing this insane occurs. This is for you Dad, she wrote on Oct. 23.

Walied Soliman, a Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP lawyer representing Melinda, deputy chair of RCI board, called Edwards move unconscionable and quite regrettable.

The concept of a single shareholder being able to replace all the independent directors of one of the largest public companies in the country with the stroke of a pen one afternoon is unconscionable, he said in an interview with BNN Bloomberg.

I dont think there is any shareholder, securities regulator, or director of a corporate statute across this country that would find this approach acceptable, he said. I find it quite regrettable.

The family feud comes as Rogers is awaiting regulatory approval for its $26-billion takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. In a statement on Oct. 23, Natale assured shareholders that he and his team will remain focused on delivering the acquisition deal.

But Richard Powers, national academic director of the Rotman School of Management, doubted the stability RCI can bring to its shareholders unless a court rules or both sides come to a consensus.

The longer this drags out, who makes the deals? Who signs the papers? Is it the hands of the new board or the old board? Powers asked.

With files from The Canadian Press
Shipping containers are unloaded from ships at a container terminal at the Port of Long Beach-Port of Los Angeles complex in Los Angeles, Calif., on April 7, 2021. (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Shipping Companies at Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach Will Soon Be Fined for Staying Too Long in Marine Terminals

Shipping companies at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will soon be fined if their containers stay in marine terminals for too long, officials announced on Monday.

Officials at San Pedro Bay Ports said in a statement that the fines are being imposed in an effort to improve cargo movement amid congestion and record volume.

Starting on Nov. 1, the ports will charge shipping companies that fall into one of two categories: containers scheduled to move by truck and containers moving by rail.

In the case of containers scheduled to move by truck, shipping companies will be charged for every container that stays in marine terminals for nine days or longer. For those moving by rail, shipping companies will be charged if the container stays for three days or more.

Companies will incur a fine of $100 per container, which will increase in $100 increments per container per day. The fees collected will be re-invested into programs aimed at enhancing efficiency accelerating cargo velocity, and addressing congestion impacts throughout the San Pedro Bay, officials said.

We must expedite the movement of cargo through the ports to work down the number of ships at anchor, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said in a statement. Approximately 40 [percent] of the containers on our terminals today fall into the two categories. If we can clear this idling cargo, well have much more space on our terminals to accept empties, handle exports, and improve fluidity for the wide range of cargo owners who utilize our ports.

The new policy was developed in coordination with the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force as well as the Department of Transportation and various supply chain stakeholders.

President Joe Biden has attempted to alleviate supply shortages and disruptions before Christmas, but experts say that the process will take far longer.

Roughly 77 ships are currently waiting outside docks in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, carrying a staggering $24 billion worth of goods waiting to be offloaded, CNBC reported, citing economists at Goldman Sachs.

And according to Goldman economist Ronnie Walker, the situation does not look set to improve in the immediate future as officials struggle to find a solution to the issue.

Backlogs and elevated shipping costs are likely to persist at least through the middle of next year because no immediate solution for the underlying supplydemand imbalance at U.S. ports is available, Walker said in a note to clients earlier this week.

About 250,000 containers of goods are currently stacked up on the docks due to delayed pickups from chassis shortages and a lack of space in railyards and warehouses. This is causing dozens of ships to back up at anchor outside the ports.

The situation has resulted in shipping containers taking triple the time they usually take to get through major U.S. ports, according to CNBC.

Earlier this month, the White House released a statement saying it received confirmation from UPS, FedEx, Walmart, and other companies, as well as the Port of Los Angeles, to increase the number of shifts to deal with a backlog of container ships, labor shortages, and warehousing issues.

Biden also threatened on Oct. 13 to call out private companies who fail to assist his administration and step up to address global supply-chain bottlenecks.

If the private sector doesnt step up, were going to call them out and ask them to act, he said in remarks at the White House.

The federal government said it will be working with multiple stakeholders across the supply chain for a 90-day period until the end of the year in an effort to alleviate bottlenecks.

I support the actions taken by the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach today to charge ocean carriers for lingering containers on marine terminals. These actions aim to expedite the movement of goods and reduce congestion in our ports, said John D. Porcari, Port Envoy to the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force.
A Long March-2F carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft and a crew of three astronauts, lifts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert, in northwest China on June 17, 2021. This is the first crewed mission to China's new space station. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

Space War Is Real and China Wants to Lead

News Analysis

Beijing has officially opposed the weaponization of space, but according to a Pentagon report, China has constructed ground-based missiles that can hit a satellite in orbit.

Beijing actively seeks space superiority through  space attack systems, Gen. James Dickinson, commander of U.S. Space Command, told Congress. Similarly, Gen. John W. Jay Raymond, chief of Space Operations at the U.S. Space Force, warned that the biggest threat to security in space is China.

Meanwhile, China and Russia have jointly suggested that agreements on the limitation of space weapons be established. U.S. experts, however, caution that this proposition has been made to prevent the United States from implementing missile defense systems.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) denies the existence of Chinas space weapons. But in 2007, China used anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) to destroy a weather satellite, 500 miles above the Earth. The implementation of dual-use technology is one way that the Chinese regime can obscure its militaristic intentions in space. Many of the Chinese satellites are meant to have civilian applications, but can also be used by the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

Dual-use technologies include Chinas BeiDou constellation, which allows the PLA to avoid being dependent on the American GPS system. This also means that in the event of a war, China would not hesitate to destroy American GPS capabilities, leaving the U.S. military with no means of satellite navigation.

U.S. military operation strategies are predicated on digital communication, and the ability to remotely coordinate and control U.S. weapons systems. Aircraft carriers, submarines, fifth-generation fighters, tanks, and missiles are all dependent on digital communications. The outcome of the next war may be determined in the first few days, dependent on either side being able to take out the GPS or communication satellites of the other, rendering the opposing army non-combat deployable.

Orbital satellites are critical to U.S. operationswhich makes U.S. satellite networks prime targets. Consequently, Chinas space weapons include satellite jammers and directed-energy weapons, as well as earth-based lasers that can damage or blind a satellite in orbit. Chinas counterspace capabilities include kinetic-kill missiles, ground-based lasers, orbiting space robots, and space surveillance to monitor both Earth and space, according to Space News.

The CCP has steadily been increasing spending on Chinas space program. In 2020, Beijing spent $8.5 billion on building satellites and launch vehicles, as well as sensors and lunar systems. China is also testing new technology such as the worlds first quantum communications satellite. Among Chinas space weapons is the Shijian-17 or SJ-17, a satellite with a robotic arm, which could be used to attack or disable the satellites of other countries.

The CCP established the Strategic Support Force, which is specifically focused on disabling enemy satellites, preventing other countries from connecting weapons systems and sharing data and information. According to Gen. Raymond, China is building GPS jammers, as well as jammers for communications satellites, to prevent U.S. vessels from linking or communicating.

In the spring of 2021, China landed the Tianwen-1 mission probe on Mars, becoming only the second country to do so. A few months later, it launched the primary stage of, what will become, its first manned space station, the Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace.

A Long March-5 rocket, carrying an orbiter, lander, and rover as part of the Tianwen-1 mission to Mars, lifts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Center in southern Chinas Hainan Province on July 23, 2020. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images)

While the Chinese regime claims that its space ambitions are peaceful, it ran drills last year, which experts believe simulated a co-orbital satellite attack. Additionally, it is suspected that China already has satellites armed with lasers. Satellite attacks are a particular vulnerability of the United States, as it accounts for roughly 56 percent of all satellites orbiting the Earth. And the U.S. military relies on these satellites more than any other military, because of the need to coordinate and communicate with a massive armed forces network deployed in all corners of the globe. Attacking satellites is a logical first strike, to prevent the army, navy, and air force from being able to respond to attacks on Earth.

In August of this year, China tested its capability to launch a hypersonic boost-glide vehicle. Hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) can achieve speeds of at least Mach 5 (1 mile per second). HGV missiles, armed with ballistic re-entry vehicles, are able to maneuver and change course after being released from their rocket boosters. China has developed a HGV, known as the DF-ZF, which it has tested at least nine times since 2014. The DF-ZF could be equipped with conventional warheads. Its extreme maneuvering ability during flight could make it capable of evading U.S. ballistic missile defenses. When equipped with the DF-17 booster, it could travel from 1,100 to 1,500 miles.

The Chinese space war plan also includes cyberattacks and ground forces that could knock out U.S. control centers. An example would be earlier this year, when a cyberattack, believed to be linked to the PLA, hit nearly 200 Japanese companies and research institutes, including the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

A defensive strategy for the United States would be to have many smaller satellites, rather than a few large, expensive ones. This way, the smaller ones would be harder to hunt and destroy. Gen. Raymond recommended that the United States form coalitions with its allies, and that they share intelligence in order to counter China. An issue with the coalition strategy is that most of the U.S. allies fall far behind the United States, China, and Russia in terms of space war capabilities. Currently, the United States is the only country with an independent military branch dedicated to space operations.

As of January 2021, there were 3,372 artificial satellites orbiting the Earth, 1,897 of which belong to the United States. China, in second place, has 412. Russia is third, with 179 satellites. Both Russia and China are capable of using their commercial satellites for military and strategic purposes such as surveillance. PLA satellite surveillance tends to be focused on the United States and its allies, as well as regional rivals, India and Japan, and potential regional flashpoints such as South Korea, Taiwan, and the South China Sea.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Security personnel stand guard outside the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan in Wuhan, China, on Feb. 3, 2021. (Hector Retamal /AFP via Getty Images)

Stop Outsourcing Unethical Science to Other Countries

Commentary

Did the United States really fund medical research, in which beagle puppies were drugged and their heads sealed in containers infested with hungry, infected sandflies? Yes, according to the White Coat Waste Project.

Documents that the organization obtained through the Freedom of Information Act appear to show that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)headed by Dr. Anthony Faucihelped pay a lab in Tunisia to conduct these cruel and seemingly senseless experiments, which also purportedly involved removing the dogs voice boxes so researchers wouldnt have to hear them whine in pain. Yikes!

Be it noted that White Coat opposes all animal research, so that should be kept in mind when judging the groups provocative claim that the dogs in the experiment were eaten alive. Still, treating research dogs so cruelly would never be approved for government funding if it took place here.

Moreover, the watchdog groups expose was deemed sufficiently so credible that a bipartisan group of 20 House lawmakers co-signed a letter to Fauci decrying the dogs abuse as a reprehensible misuse of taxpayer funds.

The beagle puppy experiment isnt the only ethically problematic research paid for by U.S. taxpayers and conducted overseas in recent years.

Remember when Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) accused Fauci and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of funding gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology? (Gain-of-function experiments upgrade viruses and make them more dangerous to humans.) Fauci denied the charge, and even told Paul that he didnt know what he was talking about.

Wrong. In what was described by the liberal magazine Vanity Fair as a major reversal, the NIH acknowledged that mice infected with an altered virus became sicker than animals infected with the natural version. The federal agency weakly excused its previous lack of candor by claiming the outcome was an unexpected result of the research as opposed to something researchers set out to do. Perhaps. But that doesnt make it OK!

There have been many other questionable overseas experiments in which Americans have participated financially or with expertise. For example, Chinese and U.S. scientists created monkeys carrying specific human genes to research the evolutionary origin of the human brain.

This potentially ethically fraught research received approval from Chinese authorities (for whatever that is worth) even though one purpose was to elevate the rhesus monkeys mental capacities beyond their normal cognition. And indeed, the scientists reported that their transgenic animals exhibited better short-term memories than wild monkeys.

Would this experiment have been permitted to be performed here? Its questionable. But there seems little doubt that conducting the experiment in China made for an easier approval process.

The problem of researchers exporting experiments that cant be done domestically has a long history. In the 1990s, the NIH funded studies in Africa with pregnant HIV-plus women and their babies that would never have been allowed domestically. According to Public Citizen, those experiments needlessly exposed infants to HIV infection and may have cost the lives of babies to AIDS.

In 2009, the Food and Drug Administration exempted overseas experiments from following the requirements of U.S. research established by the international protocol, the Helsinki Declaration. Perhaps not coincidentally, in 2011, the Independent, a UK newspaper, reported that Western pharmaceutical companies were using India as a testing ground for drugs because of a huge population and loose regulations that cut research costs.

Short-circuiting ethics rules by shipping research overseas should be of great concern to all who care about human decency and morality. Stanford bioethicist William Hurlbut brands this gaping loophole in the rules of scientific research as outsourcing ethicsthe idea being that universities, Big Biotech, and Big Pharma conduct questionable experiments overseas because its cheaper or otherwise more expedient.

I call the phenomenon biological colonialism. Whatever you name it, ethically dubious experiments extract a heavy toll on their victimsbe they human or animal.

The time has come to address the larger issue rather than focus on decrying an immoral experiment here and an ethically questionable scientific paper there. We need answers. How often does the U.S. government fund overseas research that would be deemed unethical here? How often do our scientists avoid domestic rules by simply using foreign labs? And whatif anythingcan be done to stop it?

Here are a few ideas:

A thorough audit of U.S.-funded research overseas should be conducted to gauge the necessity, cost, and ethical propriety of experiments paid for in whole or part with taxpayer money.

Funding procedures should prioritize supporting domestic research rather than that conducted overseas, since our oversight procedures tend to be more effective.

Any foreign research funded by U.S. taxpayers should be required to comply with the ethical rules that apply here. In this regard, rules need to ensure that destitute populations overseas arent exploited by being persuaded to participate in dangerous or immoral experiments with the promise of stipends.

If overseas studies prove to be unsafe or unethical, there should be appropriate sanctions applied, such as demands for refunds, denial of future grants, and disqualification of universities, companies, or scientists from seeking support for research.

The FDA and similar licensing authorities should refuse to give their imprimaturs to any drug that was tested in animals or humans in ways that would be illegal in this country. Perhaps too, patents can be denied to companies that market unethically developed products.

Enforceable international protocols should be created that equally protect human life and human dignity in the developing world as they are in rich countries.

Its long past time for an ethical house cleaning. Overseas breaches of moral propriety by U.S.-funded researchers, domestic companies, and American scientists make us all complicit in wrongdoing. It doesnt have to be that way. If we close the door on outsourcing ethics, maybe those poor beagles wont have suffered in vain.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The Supreme Court of the United States in Washington on May 7, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Supreme Court May Consider Reviving Immigrant Self-Sufficiency Rule

This week, the Supreme Court will consider whether it will hear a request from 13 states to be allowed to defend in court a rule designed to screen out would-be immigrants unable to support themselves, a regulation that the Biden administration refuses to defend.

The public charge rule, which has been heavily litigated in federal courts, requires applicants hoping to immigrate to the United States to be able to make their own way financially.

The case is Arizona v. City and County of San Francisco, court file 20-1775. The petitioners are the states of Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia.

Among the respondents are the states of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. San Francisco and Santa Clara, California, are also respondents, along with the federal government.

The Supreme Court justices are scheduled to consider the 13 states petition for certiorari, or review, on Oct. 29, after failing to come to a decision three times previously at their judicial conferences in recent weeks.

Over particularly robust left-wing opposition, the Trump administration breathed new life into the rule, which had fallen into disuse. Critics say the pro-taxpayer rule is xenophobic and discriminates against poor aliens.

The public-charge principle, the idea that immigrants should have to prove they can survive without becoming wards of the government, has been part of the American experience for centuries.

Public-charge provisions have been part of U.S. immigration law since at least 1882. One of the earliest known public-charge laws in colonial Massachusetts was enacted in 1645. By the end of the 1600s, many American colonies screened would-be immigrants and required bonds for those believed likely to become public charges.

But the Biden administration, in line with Democrats political base, opposes the rule and rescinded it in March.

At the time, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, spoke in favor of the rule.

All we are trying to do is uphold common sense immigration rules that ensure that folks that come to this country can truly be self-sufficient, Brnovich told The Hill newspaper.

This policy ensures our government welfare programs wont be overrun.

The Supreme Court has dealt with the issue repeatedly in recent years.

The high court stayed a lower courts injunction against the rule in January 2020, allowing it to be enforced pending disposition of the governments appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.

Things changed after President Joe Biden took office. On Feb. 2, he issued Executive Order 14012, which directed government officials to review the rule. Days later, the Biden administration announced it would no longer defend the public charge rule.

On Feb. 22, the Supreme Court had agreed to hear the federal governments appeal of a lower court decision against the rule in the case of U.S. Department of Homeland Security v. New York, court file 20-449, which began when Trump was president.

The Biden administration dropped the appeal that came from the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Supreme Court ordered the case dismissed on March 9 after the parties to the legal proceeding signed a joint stipulation to dismiss.

On the same day, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit lifted its stay of a lower courts decision vacating the public charge rule nationwide, a move that allowed the district courts invalidation of the rule to take effect.

And the respondents fighting the rule acted.

Without any prior warning, the existing parties sprung an unprecedented, coordinated, and multi-court gambit, the petition states.

Through it, they attempted to execute simultaneous, strategic surrenders in all pending appeals involving the Rule. That included the Second Circuit appeal that this Court had already agreed to hear, as well as the pending petitions for writs of certiorari in this case and the Seventh Circuit case.

The Republican state attorneys general in the current litigation wish to continue defending the rule.

The Petitioning States have significant protectable interests in the continuing validity of the Rule and that interest was no longer being represented at all, the petition states.

Its estimated that the rule would save all of the states cumulatively $1.01 billion annually, and the Petitioning States here would save a share of that amount.

Acting Solicitor General Brian Fletcher didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
Police and emergency crews respond to a reported shooting incident at Boise Towne Square, in Boise, Idaho, on Oct. 25, 2021. (Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman via AP)

Suspect in Shooting at Boise Mall Dies, Identified

The suspect in a mall shooting in Boise, Idaho, who allegedly shot and killed two people and injured four others on Monday, has died and has been identified.

The suspect is identified as 27-year-old Jacob Bergquist, of Boise, according to the Ada County Coroner. He died on Tuesday morning, and his cause of death is pending, Coroner Dotti Owens said.

The Boise Police Department first got the call that shots had been fired at the Boise Towne Square Mall at about 1:50 p.m. local time on Monday, with callers describing a white man dressed in black, in possession of multiple guns.

One of the people killed was identified as Jo Acker, 26, who worked at the mall as a security guard, Owens said. The Boise Police Department said in a statement on Tuesday that the suspect shot the security officer who died at the scene.

The suspect then fired multiple rounds inside the building, striking the glass escalator and a second victim who succumbed to his injures at the hospital, the statement continues.

The second death was Roberto Padilla Arguelles, 49, according to the Ada County Coroner.

First responders take care of people who were inside the Boise Towne Square shopping mall when a man opened fire at the mall, in Boise, Idaho, on Oct. 25, 2021. (Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman via AP)

Police and emergency crews respond to a reported shooting at the Boise Towne Square shopping mall, in Boise, Idaho, on Oct. 25, 2021. (Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman via AP)

Boise police said that the suspect then continued through the mall, firing rounds into the floor resulting in injuries to two females. They were aged 52 and 23. A man was also hospitalized after he was injured in a fall while trying to flee the mall.

Officers arrived on the scene around 1:53 p.m. and saw a person matching the suspects description. The suspect and at least one responding officer exchanged gunfire along a busy road.

Amid the gunfight, a 68-year-old woman who was in her car was shot and injured. A police officer was also injured after his hat was struck by the gunfire through his vehicle window and shards of glass hit him, according to the police department. The officer was treated and discharged from a hospital.

A total of 18 spent shell casings were found inside the building. Preliminary investigation found the suspect was carrying multiple guns and ammunition, the police department said.

It added there is no evidence of additional planned attacks or ongoing threats to the public, and all evidence indicates the suspect was acting alone.

Boise Chief of Police Ryan Lee and Mayor Lauren McLean at a press conference in Boise, Idaho, on Oct. 26, 2021. (Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman via AP)

Boise Police Chief Ryan Lee said that Bergquist never worked at the mall but did go there frequently and was previously contacted by security guards for disorderly behavior.

Lee also said that Bergquist was known to police from previous reports of disorderly conduct or trespassing, but did not have any reason to arrest him.

Police continue to investigate to try to understand Bergquists motives, Lee said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Texas House Republican Investigates School Library Books About Race, Sex

A Texas House committee is investigating school library books in the wake of a new law that bans the teaching of critical race theory (CRT) in public schools.

State Rep. Matt Krause, a Republican who chairs the House Committee on General Investigating, wrote on Oct. 25 to the Texas Education Agency and a group of unnamed superintendents, notifying them of the inquiry.

In the letter (pdf), Krause said a number of school districts across the state have recently removed books from libraries and classrooms after receiving objections from students, parents, and taxpayers. The letter cites five incidents as examples, which mostly involved concerned parents who complained that certain books are sexually explicit or teach CRT.

In accordance with the Committees jurisdiction and my authority as Chairman, I am initiating an inquiry into Texas school district content, he said.

Attached to the letter is a 16-page list (pdf) containing more than 840 books, published between 2021 and as early as 1969. It includes titles that are popular among social and racial justice activists, such as Stamped from the Beginning: the Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America and How to Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander, and books about the Black Lives Matter movement.

Also on the list are books focused on transgender, gender identity, homosexuality, adolescent sexuality, pregnancy and abortion, including those discussing the Supreme Courts ruling on Roe v. Wade. It also includes V for Vendetta by Alan Moore, likely because of the graphic novels portrayal of homosexual characters.

Specifically, Krause asked school districts to report on how many copies of each listed book they possess, and how much money was spent on those books.

Krause further asked that school districts identify any other books that cover topics including human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, or HIV or AIDS, sexually explicit images, graphic presentations of sexual behavior that is in violation of the law, or contain material that might violate the anti-CRT law by conveying that students are inherently racist or sexist or should feel guilt because of their sex or race.

The school districts will have until Nov. 12 to respond to those questions, according to the letter.

The initiative faced almost immediate opposition from Texass teachers unions. In an Oct. 26 statement, Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina said Krauses letter smacks of a witch hunt.

This is an obvious attack on diversity and an attempt to score political points at the expense of our childrens education, Molina said.

Molina was joined by Zeph Capo the president of Texas American Federation of Teachers, who called the move akin to the Red Scare and a waste of taxpayers dollars.

It is unclear what Krause is planning to do once the school districts provide him with the information. The Epoch Times has reach out to his office for comment and will update this article accordingly.
Texas Welcomes Unvaccinated Patients for Organ Transplants

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday that the state will not require patients to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in order to obtain an organ transplant.

Abbott first shared the information in a statement to The Washington Examiner.

Democrats have gone too far with their vaccine mandates, Abbotts office said in the statement.

First, they were endangering peoples livelihoods. Now, theyre endangering peoples lives. Here in Texas, vaccines remain voluntary and never forced. Anyone being denied critical, life-saving organ transplants is welcome here in Texas, where ones rights and freedoms are always protected, the statement added.

The issue arose on Oct. 5 when Colorado State Rep. Tim Geitner, a Republican, posted a letter on Twitter regarding UCHealth denying a kidney transplant because the patient was not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

UCHealth denies life saving treatment  kidney transplant  to El Paso County resident. See my FB live post @timgeitnercolorado pic.twitter.com/Z2r8D2VY4m  Tim Geitner (@tgeitner) October 5, 2021

The Colorado patient, Dawn McLaughlin, had been advised by her doctor not to be vaccinated. She claimed to be following the advice of her doctor, according to a CBS 4 report.

UCHealth switchedMcLaughlins status to the inactive list for a transplant as a result.

McLaughlin has since been connected with UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas. The hospital has offered to assist McLaughlin, only requiring a rapid COVID-19 test.

UCHealth released a formal statement on Twitter on Oct. 6 in response to the matter.

There have recently been many questions about UCHealths requirements for patients who need an organ transplant. Here is some information about our decision. Physicians must consider the short- and long-term health risks for patients as they consider whether to recommend an organ transplant, the health system wrote.

Transplant centers across the nation, including the UCHealth Transplant Center, have specific requirements in place to protect patients both during and after surgery. Patients and living donors may be required to receive vaccinations including hepatitis B, MMR and others and to avoid alcohol, stop smoking, or prove they will be able to continue taking their anti-rejection medications long after their transplant surgery.

Several weeks ago, COVID-19 vaccination was added to this list because of the significant risk the virus poses to transplant recipients. Various studies show that between 20% and 30% of unvaccinated transplant recipients who contract COVID-19 have died, and these requirements are in place to ensure patients have the best chances of recovery and good outcomes, it added.

Abbott has been a strong advocate against vaccine mandates. Earlier in October, the governor issued an executive order against any entity in the state from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and our best defense against the virus, but should remain voluntary and never forced, Abbott said.
The Right of Revolution in the American Founding

Commentary

According to the American Declaration of Independence, people enter into political society for the sake of protecting their inalienable rights, which are otherwise insecure. The question then arises: what can the people do if the government betrays its trust, and violates their rights? The Declarations initial answer is that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government.

The people create the government, but in so doing they do not forfeit their right to vindicate their own rights, even against the very government they created. Thus James Wilson asserted that the vital principle of America is that the supreme or sovereign power of the society resides in the citizens at large; and that, therefore, they always retain the right of abolishing, altering, or amending their constitution. This right supersedes the claims of the government to the loyalty and obedience of its subjects. Federalist 28 describes the right of revolution as that original right of self-defence, which is paramount to all positive forms of government.

This is, however, only the beginning of the story. The Declaration of Independence devotes more space to the right of revolution than to any other single concept. Equality and liberty are asserted, more or less without comment, but the right of revolution is explained in considerable detail, providing us with answers to a variety of critical questions about this vital principle. By what right can the people supplant the authority of their own government? How can they justify the risks inherent in a course as drastic as revolution? What circumstances justify revolution?

Revolution and the Law of Nature

In October 1774, responding to the passage of the Intolerable Acts by the British Parliament and nearly two years before the Declaration of Independence, the First Continental Congress adopted a statement known as the Declaration and Resolves. In it, the delegates asserted that the rights of the colonists derived from three sources: the immutable laws of nature, the principles of the English constitution, and the several charters or compacts. In the Declaration of Independence, however, the English constitution and the charters and compact of the colonies fall away, leaving only the immutable laws of nature, or, as the 1776 document puts it, the Laws of Nature and of Natures God.

The shift is significant, as it illustrates the Founders core understanding of the foundations of the right of revolution. In 1774, the colonists were still attempting to work within the British system for redress of their grievances, and so they claimed the rights guaranteed to them as part of that system. They were seeking a political solution to a political dispute with Parliament. By 1776, however, the colonists had become revolutionaries, claiming the right to establish themselves as an independent nation. In so doing they cast aside British law and appealed exclusively to a higher law: the natural law.

The natural law, as Americas Founding Fathers understood it, is simply that portion of the law of God that could be discerned through unassisted reason, without reference to any particular revelation. Alexander Hamilton noted that the natural law was an eternal and immutable law, which is, indispensably, obligatory upon all mankind, prior to any institution whatever. The natural law is a standard of political right that transcends the constitutions and statutes of particular regimes. This means that it can be used as a basis for evaluating the actions of governments and rulers, and any such that violate the natural law are to that extent immoral and unjust.

The natural law provides a higher-law foundation for resistance to oppression, giving such resistance a moral validity that it could not possess otherwise. A right to revolution is unintelligible apart from the law of nature. Hamilton asserted that when the first principles of civil society are violated, and the rights of the whole people are invaded, the common forms of municipal law are not to be regarded. Men may betake themselves to the law of nature. The right of revolution is an appeal to the law of nature against the injustice of the existing government. The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is a legacy of this understanding, as it enables the ordinary citizen to defend his own rights against anyone who would seek to violate them, whether common criminal, foreign invader, or the citizens own government.

Prudence and Revolution

The existence of a natural right of revolution does not, however, mean that the exercise of this right is justified in every circumstance. The Declarations treatment of the right of revolution continues with the assertion that Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes. Revolution can have the most catastrophic consequences. One need only look to the other two great modern revolutions to witness this. The French Revolution moved from its moderate opening phase to the repression and mass murder of the Jacobins, and ultimately traded the Bourbon monarchy for Napoleons empire. The Revolution unleashed more than 20 years of constant warfare on Europe, killing millions in the process. The Russian Revolution swiftly descended into Bolshevik tyranny and the unending terror of Stalins regime.

The explosive danger of revolution, and the catastrophic effect a revolution can have on ordinary lives, thus require a high bar for the exercise of this right. The Declaration asserts that revolution is justified only when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism; in these circumstances, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new guards for their future security. This is where prudence comes into view as the supreme political virtue: Not every unjust act by a government justifies its violent overthrow. The Boston minister Simeon Howard warned his audience against blowing small injuries out of proportion: to such injuries it is oftentimes a point of prudence, as well as duty, to submit, rather than contend. A regime must prove itself systematically unwilling or unable to secure the rights of the people before revolution can be rightly undertaken.

Even then, revolution may not be the appropriate response. The odds of success may be so doubtful, or the likelihood of increased human misery so great, that revolution should be avoided even though the technical right exists. Two years before Howard, John Tucker told his congregation that tho it may not always be prudent and best, to resist such power, and submission may be yielded, yet that the people have a right to resist, is undeniable. The ruler may be so powerful, or his opponents so weak, that an ill-conceived revolution may be doomed to failure and merely worsen the condition of the people. In such a case, the revolutionaries would be guilty of a great crime against those whom they sought to liberate.

Under the right circumstances, however, revolution is not only a right but a duty. When the train of abuses is long, and the people are clearly being crushed into servitude, and those who would resist have a reasonable chance of success, revolution becomes an obligation. In the aftermath of the battles at Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress announced, in the language of duty, its intention to resist British oppression with armed force: Honour, justice, and humanity, forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent posterity have a right to receive from us. In America, in the mid-1770s, the right and the moment converged.

Modern Revolutions

Unlike the French and Russian Revolutions, the American Revolution did not constitute an obvious cataclysm: it did not spiral out of control, it did not end in tyranny and terror, and it did not lead to a regime that was worse than the one it replaced. In these respects, the American Revolution was so different from its successors that some, like the conservative commentators M.E. Bradford and Russell Kirk, have argued that it wasnt really a revolution at all but a kind of conservative secession, meant to preserve the liberties of Englishmen, which were being trampled upon by the English government. Kirk even suggests that the American Revolution is misnamed, claiming it is a revolution not made but prevented. A revolution, for Kirk, denotes a complete social upheaval of the kind France and Russia experienced in their revolutions but America conspicuously did not.

Nevertheless, Americas Founding Fathers understood themselves as revolutionaries, and as they understood the term, they certainly were. In Federalist 43, James Madison justifies even the peaceful supplanting of the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution in revolutionary terms, by recurring to the absolute necessity of the case; to the great principle of self-preservation; to the transcendent law of nature and of natures God, which declares that the safety and happiness of society are the objects at which all political institutions aim and to which all such institutions must be sacrificed. Any rejection of one political system and its replacement with another, on the grounds that the former does not adequately secure the inalienable natural rights of the people, is an exercise of the right of revolution.

Besides, numerous important distinctions exist between the American Revolution on the one hand, and the French and Russian Revolutions on the other, which explain their different courses. By 1776, the American colonists had a century and a half of practice in the arts of self-government, whereas the French and Russian people, at the times of their respective revolutions, had been ruled by absolutist monarchies for centuries. They had little to no experience with self-government, and it showed. Gouverneur Morris, a member of the Constitutional Convention, had been in France at the outbreak of the revolution. He noted in his diary on Oct. 21, 1789, that in Paris, the pressure of incumbent despotism removed, every bad passion exerts itself. The French people, recently freed from despotism, had no idea how to govern themselves, and the result was chaos and degradation.

By the time of the Declaration of Independence, the ideas of the American Revolution had been discussed, worked out, and diffused among the people for at least a decade. The Declaration of Independence was a new beginning for the colonists, to be sure, but it was also the culmination of years of political and social action, debate, and civic education in the first principles of justice. By contrast, the French and Russian Revolutions were sudden explosions that took nearly everyone by surprise. More importantly, the ideals of those revolutions had not penetrated their societies, as they had in America; they remained confined to a narrow intellectual or revolutionary class until after those revolutions had begun.

The principles animating the American Revolution were also qualitatively different from those of its more radical successors. The French and Russian revolutionaries claimed the right and the duty to use force and violence to spread their principles to other nations, something the principles of the American Revolution positively forbade. The American Revolution was not utopian; it contained no concept analogous to that of the New Soviet Man, the man who has remade himself by internalizing the works of Marx and his successors. The Americans accepted that human nature was both imperfect and fixed, and that government can only hope to account for the bad in man, not destroy it. It is no coincidence that the French and Russian Revolutions yielded mass murder, while the American Revolution did not.

Finally, the French and Russian Revolutions emphatically maintained that the old was synonymous with the bad, and sought to eradicate, not just the old government, but everything about the previous order. Both were unflinchingly hostile to Christianity, while the Americans relied upon it, with John Adams noting that our constitution was made for a moral and a religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. The French created a new calendar, while the Russians abolished the personal ranks of military officers. Our revolution never embraced this path. As Jefferson observed, Every species of government has its specific principles. Ours perhaps are more peculiar than those of any other in the universe. It is a composition of the freest principles of the English constitution, with others derived from natural right and natural reason. Americas Founding Fathers evaluated the English system according to the laws of nature. Those elements judged to be conducive to securing the rights of the people, such as trial by jury and the writ of habeas corpus, were retained. Others, like established religions and titles of nobility, which were not so conducive, were discarded.

The American Revolution was a true landmark in human history. It demonstrated to the world that a people can not only overthrow an existing regime but also successfully establish a free, peaceful, and functional government of their own. The American Revolution is no less a revolution for not having devolved into terror, war, and catastrophic social upheaval. Americans grounded their revolution in the eternal principles of natural law and natural right, and in so doing provided a roadmap for all who would reclaim the liberty that God has granted them, but which their government is systemically unable or unwilling to secure.

From RealClearWire

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The Surreal Nightmare of Federal Finance

Commentary

The federal budget has degenerated into a farcical charade. Today, the federal governments explicit debt is careening toward the unfathomable sum of $29 trillion. (Lets set aside for now the much larger number that comprises Uncle Sams unfunded liabilities).

The sums involved are mindboggling.

I wrote a few months ago about the trivialization of money, but even trivialization doesnt quite capture the surreal quality of federal finance. The so-called budget seems like something from a fantastical dream world, unmoored from rational economic considerations. Political considerations have eclipsed economic considerationsa folly that serves special interests in the short run, but penalizes the general interest in the long runand so the federal debt continues to balloon.

Many members of Congress have no grasp of economic reality. Like the fictitious mediocrities who devised public policy in Ayn Rands Atlas Shrugged, their real-life counterparts in Washington today show no comprehension of a crucial economic fact of life: Our countrys wealthas great as it isisnt unlimited. Like the environmentalists I criticized in my previous piece, the inescapable reality that economists refer to as cost is nothing but a bothersome abstraction to theman inconsequential conservative superstition to be ignored.

Last month, the procedural step of Congress officially raising the debt ceiling returned after a two-year hiatus. (The hiatus was a key feature of a deal in late 2019 between former President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.) A short-term fix has postponed the debt ceiling drama for two or three months, but it will be back before you know it. The outcome is predetermined: After much hemming, hawing, and partisan wrangling, the debt ceiling will be raised. I wrote about the Debt Ceiling Dance over a decade ago, concluding my commentary by writing, Have you ever wondered why we are debating raising the debt ceiling above $14.3 trillion [now $28.9 trillion]? Answer: because earlier Congresses didnt rein in spending and curb the debt at $10 trillion, $5 trillion, $1 trillion, or less. Nothing has changed. Our country is addicted to Big Government and debt as a way of life, and federal debt today is more than twice what it was only 11 years ago.

This is economic folly in the extreme, but whats especially galling is the frivolity, the utter lack of seriousness, the devil-may-care attitude of our elected officials. Indeed, one is tempted to say, Where are the adults?

Consider these examples of fiscal silliness:

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) suggested getting around the debt ceiling law by minting a trillion-dollar coin. While that would provide rich material for comedians (Hey, Joe, do you have change for a trillion?), Nadlers proposal is starkly revealing of what a joke todays fiat money has become. Strike a coin, wave a magic wand, andpresto!the government has another trillion dollars to spend. Surreal and spooky, isnt it? (Happy Halloween, everyone.) Actually, the trillion-dollar coin contrivance isnt essentially different from how the Fed routinely conjures money out of nothing in the form of digital bytes and bank entries.

Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.), the House Budget Committee chairman, indicated that he wishes there was no such obstacle to spending as a statutory debt ceiling. In his words, I want to raise it [the debt ceiling] to a gazillion dollars and just be done with it. Removing all limits to federal spending takes us to the realm of fantasyland, but perhaps we should commend Yarmuth for his candor.

Then theres the fellow in the White Housea president who proposes an avalanche of additional spending that would plunge us trillions of dollars more into debt. He has been justly excoriated many times for the fiasco of the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, but beyond the lives ruined and betrayed, beyond the incalculable loss of American honor and credibility, look at the economic cost of the withdrawal: The United States abandoned about $10 billion of armaments for the Taliban to use and sell. Did it not occur to the president that at a time he wants to increase spending by trillions, it makes no sense to give away $10 billion worth of military hardware?

The presidents astonishingly cavalier attitude seems to be that money grows on trees, so whats a measly $10 billion?

Joe Biden also has virtually thrown away $100 million dollars already appropriated by Congress for the building of the wall on our southern border. According to reports, Biden is paying contractors what they had been promised for building the wall, but hes not letting them actually build it. Instead, vast quantities of fabricated steel ramparts that are already on site have been abandoned and left to rust. To spend that much money and then essentially throw it away is worse than typical government waste; its premeditated economic sabotage.

I suppose by todays surreal standards, $100 million is a rounding error in Washington, but, once again, Bidens casual willingness to throw away valuable things that beleaguered U.S. taxpayers have paid for shows contempt and disrespect for us taxpayers. A president who wants to raise taxes sharply has a moral responsibility to taxpayers to be a prudent, respectful steward of the funds thus appropriated.

Biden fails that test.

The presidents fiscally irresponsible and wasteful actions demonstrate mismanagement and incompetence, but theres something even more disturbing in play here. Giving armaments to an enemy and blocking the construction of a wall already paid for while the border is being overrun are perverse and destructive policies. Economically, they reek of irrationality.

Any other entity, individual or corporate, that would practice such gross mismanagement would soon grind to a halt through bankruptcy. Government, though, doesnt play by the same rules as the rest of us. It can plunge ever deeper into debt, squandering more and more resources. Can it do so ad infinitum? Sorry: Theres nothing infinite in our finite world.

Someday the federal debt bubble will pop and well get walloped with a whale of a depression. Until then, the surreal fiscal nightmare centered in Washington continues.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
An Orange County HAZMAT unit in Newport Beach, Calif., on Oct.25, 2021. (John Fredricks, The Epoch Times)

Three People Found Dead Inside Balboa Island Home Identified

Officials on Oct. 26 identified three people found dead on Oct. 25 inside a Balboa Island residence in Newport Beach.

The Orange County Sheriffs Department announced the identity of the victims to be Andrew Adams and Desiree Temple of Yorba Linda, and Samantha Haiman of Riverside. Adams and Temple were both 43 years old, and Haiman was 45.

While the investigation is ongoing, Lt. Keith Krallman told reporters that illegal drugs are suspected to be the cause of death.

There are illegal drugs suspected right now, and usually illegal drugs sometimes contain fentanyl, Krallman said.

Along with the three deceased, police found another man injured in the home located near Diamond Avenue and Bay Front Alley South shortly after receiving a call at 8:32 a.m. on Oct. 25. The severity of his injuries remains unknown.

Multiple police units, including the Orange County hazardous materials response team, were seen outside the residence that afternoon, as nearby alleyways and Newport Harbor boardwalk remained closed to traffic.

The cause of death has not been confirmed, but investigators continue cautiously approaching the open case.
Three Women Charged with Stealing Funds from Homeless Organization

LOS ANGELESThree women were charged with grand theft and embezzlement in connection with a scheme to steal hundreds of thousands in public funds intended to aid the homeless.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the charges Oct. 21 for Latoi Pledger, 45, Sareena Stevenson, 44, and Valencia Stevenson, 40, with 56 felonies, including grand theft and embezzlement, as well as a special allegation of aggravated white-collar crime with a loss of over $100,000.

Two of the women worked for People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), a Los Angeles-based organization that received a contract from the LA Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) in 2016 to help house homeless Angelenos.

The criminal complaint alleged that from January to September of 2017, the plaintiffs worked together to steal hundreds of thousands from PATH by submitting false referrals and assistance requests for people who were not homeless.

The women allegedly manipulated the identities through forged and falsified documents, such as leases and income documents of their friends, family members, and associates to appear eligible for PATH assistance, according to a press release by Bonta.

By helping families secure a roof over their heads, tax-payer funded programs like PATH provide Californians in need with an invaluable resource, Bonta said in a statement. When these programs are taken advantage of or stolen from, the individuals and families who depend on them are the most harmed. We are grateful to the Los Angeles Police Department for their investigation and continued partnership in this matter.

A PATH spokesperson told The Epoch Times that the organization is aware of and participating in the ongoing legal proceedings.

At the time, PATH was a victim of a larger scheme that diverted funding from a LAHSA Program. Once PATH became aware of these occurrences, an internal investigation was conducted. All findings were given to the Los Angeles Police Department and appropriate steps were taken to reimburse funds, a PATH statement said (pdf). As an organization dedicated to ending homelessness for individuals, families, and communities, we are appalled that people would take away valuable resources from vulnerable, unhoused people.

Since then, the statement said, PATH has worked to enhance its audit procedures and its system of checks and balances for spending.

The defendants have been arraigned in Los Angeles County Superior Court. All three women are being held on just over $1 million bail.
The logo of car rental company Hertz is seen at a branch office in Zurich, Switzerland on Nov. 17, 2020. (Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters)

Uber Partners With Hertz to Offer 50,000 Tesla Rentals to US Ride-Hail Drivers

Uber Technologies Inc. on Wednesday said it is launching a new partnership with rental car company Hertz to offer 50,000 Tesla Inc. vehicles as a rental option to its ride-hail drivers by 2023.

Uber drivers can rent a Tesla through Hertz starting on Nov. 1 in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Washington DC, with the program later this year expanding to cities nationwide, the ride-hail company said in a blog post.

The Tesla rentals, consisting mostly of the electric vehicle companys Model 3 sedan, will be available exclusively to Uber drivers and start out at $334 a week, including insurance and maintenance. Uber said the rental cost would drop to $299 per week or lower as the program expands in the coming year.

Ubers announcement comes just days after Hertz on Monday said it would order 100,000 Tesla vehicles by the end of 2022. News of the biggest-ever Tesla order led to a share price rally and saw the companys market value surpass $1 trillion.

A photo illustration shows a London taxi passing as the Uber app logo is displayed on a mobile telephone, as it is held up for a posed photograph in central London on Sept. 22, 2017. (Toby Melville/Reuters)

Wednesdays deal represents Ubers most significant step so far in expanding the use of EVs on its platform. The company has vowed to operate only electric vehicles on its U.S., Canadian, and European platform by 2030, and worldwide by 2040.

But only few ride-hail drivers can afford the higher EV sticker prices and in 2019, only 0.15 percent of all Uber miles in the U.S. and Canada were driven in electric vehicles, company data showed.

Hertz, which is emerging from bankruptcy, hopes the EV focus will allow the once-dominant brand to stand out against competitors.

Carmakers also consider partnerships with ride-hail companies as a convenient way to expose more consumers to non-fuel-powered vehicles.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.

By Tina Bellon
NHS workers in PPE take a patient from an ambulance at St Thomas' Hospital in London, on April 10, 2020. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

UK Doctors Voice Grave Concern Over Vaccine Mandate for Medics

Leading British doctors have expressed grave concern over the governments threat to impose vaccine mandates on healthcare staff, saying any reduction of medical staff would have a devastating impact on hospitals already under immense strain.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Oct. 25 that he was leaning towards introducing mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for staff of the National Health Service (NHS) to force the roughly 100,000 staff members who remain unvaccinated to get the jab.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said on Wednesday that the threat that staff could lose their jobs if they do not get a CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus vaccine is of grave concern.

Dr. Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said that its important that every NHS worker is vaccinated, other than those who cant for medical reasons.

But he said there is an important distinction between believing every healthcare worker should be vaccinated and advocating for mandatory vaccinations, which comes with its own legal, ethical, and practical implications that must be considered.

Nagpaul said the BMA is concerned about the impact the vaccine mandate may have on the workforce.

Even if a small number of staff were forced out of work because they are not vaccinated, this would have a big impact on a health service thats already under immense pressure, he said.

With severe workforce shortages afflicting the NHS, and 93,000 unfilled vacancies, any reduction in healthcare workers could be devastating for patient services as we face a record backlog of care and winter pressures.

Nagpaul urged the government to explore options for those who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons or may refuse, including, for example, remote working, possible redeployment, greater PPE protection, and more regular testing.

Javid said on Tuesday that he wanted to replicate in the NHS what has already been done in the care sector, where a government-imposed vaccine mandate has forced many more people to get vaccinated.

The government announced in August that COVID-19 vaccinations will be compulsory for all staff working in care homes in England effective Nov. 11.

A survey published last month by the Institute of Health and Social Care Management (IHSCM) and the PA news agency suggests that half of the care homes will have to let go of some staff due to the new rule.

Almost a third of the managers (31 percent) said they had already lost staff over the vaccine mandate.

Lily Zhou and PA contributed to this report.
The Northern Outfall Sewer at Wick Lane depot in London on May 25, 2016. (Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

UK Government Promises Legal Duty to Reduce Sewage Dumps

The UK government agreed to compromise on Tuesday as the House of Lords pushed through an amendment on sewage discharge for the second time.

It promised to propose a very similar amendment when the Environment Bill returns to the House of Commons.

The Lords amendmentwhich places legal obligations on water companies to stop polluting Englands waterways during heavy rainfallwas previously rejected in the Commons on Oct. 20, as the government whipped Conservative MPs against it, drawing intense backlash on social media.

On Tuesday, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the Environment Bill will be further strengthened with an amendment that will see a duty enshrined in law to ensure water companies secure a progressive reduction in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said the government had already published a strategy for water service regulator Ofwat mandating them to progressively reduce the discharge of sewage from storm overflows in the next pricing review, but decided to put that commitment on a statutory footing with a new clause after hearing the debates in Parliament.

Just hours before Defras announcement, Downing Street defended the governments opposition to the Lords amendment, which was proposed by Charles Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, calling the proposal a blank cheque.

We completely agree the current failure of water companies to adequately reduce sewage discharges is unacceptable, Prime Minister Boris Johnsons official spokesman said.

The spokesman said Wellesleys proposalwhich involved an upgrade of the UKs Victorian sewerage systemwould cost over 150 billion ($206 billion), according to initial assessments.

That would mean that individuals every one of us taxpayerspaying potentially thousands of pounds each as a result, he said.

So its not right to sign a blank cheque on behalf of customers without understanding the trade-offs and the bills that would be involved, the spokesman said.

Speaking to broadcasters, Eustice said the governments proposed change to the Environment Bill will still result in rising household water bills.

Weve been very clear that we want to see a reduction in these storm overflows over the next five-year period of the water pricing plan, the environment secretary said.

That will need to be funded and will lead to some increases in water bills to fund that.

Sewage can be pumped out of the sewerage system and into rivers through combined sewer overflowsotherwise known as a storm overflow or release valve. The overflows are designed to release excess water following heavy rain or a storm to stop sewage backing up into homes.

To stop this from happening, water companies are allowed to release the rainwater and a smaller amount of untreated sewage, into the countrys waterways.

The Environment Agency has reported that, in the last year, raw sewage was discharged into coastal waters and rivers in England more than 400,000 times, which Defra has branded unacceptable.

Labours shadow environment secretary, Luke Pollard, said Defra had been forced into the change due to public outcry rather than out of care for the environment.

The Liberal Democrat spokesperson for rural affairs, Tim Farron, said Tory MPs owe their constituents an apology after defending the decision to block the original amendment.

PA contributed to this report.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak stands with the Budget Box outside 11 Downing Street in London, ahead of presenting his Autumn Budget and Spending Review to Parliament, on Oct. 27, 2021. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

UKs Sunak Pledges Major Increase in Public Spending

Britains finance chief on Wednesday announced a major increase in public spending in what critics have branded a high-tax, big-spending budget.

Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, said he will increase total departmental spending by 150 billion ($206 billion) by the 202425 financial year. Thats the largest increase this century, with spending growing by 3.8 percent a year in real terms, he said.

The government is boosting spending on healthcare by 44 billion ($60.5 billion) to over 177 billion ($243.4 billion), he told the House of Commons.

The government said the public spending hike is backed by better-than-expected economic forecasts. Employment is up. Investment is growing. Public services are improving. The public finances are stabilising. And wages are rising, said Sunak.

Todays budget delivers a stronger economy for the British people: stronger growth, with the UK recovering faster than our major competitors, he said.

Sunak acknowledged that the tax burden will reach its highest level as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) since the early 1950s but insisted I dont like it and stressed there have to be limits to the scope of the state.

The Chancellor announced 7 billion ($10 billion) in business rate cuts, with the cancellation of next years planned increases and a 50 percent discount on business rates for a year for a series of retail and hospitality venues.

Other reforms to corporate taxes included slashing the surcharge on bank profits from 8 percent to 3 percent.

Sunak promised a new, lower rate of air passenger duty on domestic flights within the UK, benefiting nine million passengers and helping regional airports.

Commenting on the budget, the Adam Smith Institute, a London-based free market think tank, said: This high-tax, big-spending budget is largely bankrupt of inspired policy.

The Conservatives seem to be out of new ideas, instead sticking to the tired old tax and spend playbook, said Daniel Pryor, the institutes Head of Programmes. Where they see a problem, they reach for your wallet.

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), another free market think tank, called it another high spending Budget from a government which continues to use most of its available headroom to increase expenditure rather than to cut taxes.

IEA Director General Mark Littlewood said the eye-watering national debt will continue to grow in cash terms because there is no plan to run a budget surplus in the coming years.

The Chancellor is banking on strong economic growth to sustain the many additional billions of pounds of spending he has pledged.

But Littlewood predicted that the UKs post-COVID-19 recovery will be sluggish amid soaring state spending and the absence of meaningful tax cuts and deregulation.

PA contributed to this report.
Overview of the session of the Human Rights Council during the speech of U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on Feb. 27, 2020. (Reuters/Denis Balibouse/File Photo)

United Nations Human Rights Council Paralyzed by Beijings Participation: Report

For over 70 years, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been the de facto standard of human rights for nations around the world. But the Chinese regime, in the pursuit of global dominance, is working hard to redefine human rights through the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), said a French military think tank in a recent report.

The 650-page report on the Chinese regimes global influence provided a comprehensive mapping of Beijings tactics, including how the regime paralyzed the UNHRC. Tactics include side stepping human rights for economic development, planting Chinese officials in positions of power, and denying the regimes ongoing persecution of religious believers.

The UNHRC is made up of 47 member states elected from five geographical groups, namely African states (13 seats), Asia-Pacific states (13 seats), Latin America and Caribbean states (8 seats), Western European and other states (7 seats), and Eastern European states (6 seats). China has held a seat on the UNHRC for four terms, totaling 12 years since 2006.

The UNHRC Advisory Committee is composed of 18 independent experts apportioned according to the same geographical groups. The Committee functions as a think tank producing studies on topics selected by the council.

Chinese diplomat Liu Xinsheng has been serving on the Advisory Committee since 2016. His current term lasts until 2022. Liu also holds high level consultative positions in Chinese universities and agencies. He frequently speaks at universities on human rights and U.N.-related topics. In 2019 at Peking University, Liu gave a speech on how the regime is implementing multilateral diplomacy and safeguarding its own interests through the U.N. system.

Manipulating Councils and Committees

A 2019 report by the Czech-based Sinopsis project entitled The Human Rights Council Advisory Committee: A new tool in Chinas anti-human rights strategy, described the details of Beijing-backed resolutions adopted by UNHRC in 2017, 2018, and 2019, and the subsequent studies conducted by the Advisory Committee. The report outlined several resolutions that sacrificed human rights in the name of economic development, all which passed through the human rights council.

The contribution of development to the enjoyment of all human rights, was the subject of a resolution proposed in 2017, and Chinas first resolution at the UNHRC. According to the Sinopsis report, the United States, Germany, and other democracies raised objections, saying that the resolution inappropriately privileged development over human rights.

The 2018 resolution, Promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of human rights, was only opposed by the United States, which argued that mutually beneficial cooperation was intended to benefit autocratic states at the expense of peoples human rights and fundamental freedoms. The United States withdrew from the UNHRC that same year.

Then in 2019, another Chinese resolution privileged development over individual human rights, highlighting the eradication of poverty, which was trumpeted as a victorious accomplishment by the Chinese regime. The European Union members of the Council and Japan opposed the resolution. The three resolutions passed with majority support.

Studies were conducted on the topics of the first two resolutions. Liu chaired the drafting group for both studies, according to the Sinopsis report.

The Beijing Declaration of 2017, which said that human rights must take into account regional and national contexts, and political, economic, social, cultural, historical and religious backgrounds, was a reference for the 2017 UNHRC study.

Andrea Worden, author of the Sinopsis report, further stated, These studies were not academic exercises  but a means to further entrench the Chinese Party-states human rights agenda and discourse into the work of the HRC.

Worden pointed out that the studies simply echoed the regimes rhetoric that state-led development is the paramount right, and that cooperation, dialogue, and respect for state sovereignty is the primary means to achieve human rights. Ultimately, Beijing wants to incorporate the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) into the work of the UNHRC.

Influencing Experts

The regime has been using a counter-terrorism narrative to justify its vast encampment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, said the French military report.

A tour guide stands near a display showing images of people at locations described as vocational training centers in southern Xinjiang at the Exhibition of the Fight Against Terrorism and Extremism in Urumqi in western Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, on April 21, 2021. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo)

In June 2019, U.N. counter-terrorism chief Vladimir Ivanovich Voronkov visited Xinjiang despite oppositions from human rights advocates and Western governments. Using Voronkovs visit, China suggested that the Uyghurs were terrorists, and thus legitimizing its repressive policy in the region, said the report.

By contrast, Michelle Bachelet, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, has not visited Xinjiang.

On April 1, 2020, China was appointed to a seat on the influential Consultative Group of the HRC. The five-member committee plays a critical role in the appointments of independent human rights experts under the special procedures of the UNHRC. The four other members of the Consultative Group for the 2020-2021 term were Venezuela, Pakistan, Eritrea, and Qatar.

Seven U.S. GOP senators sent a letter to the U.N. Secretary-General, voicing opposition to the appointment of China to the Consultative Group.

According to a Bitter Winter report, more than 100 human rights and religious freedom organizations submitted petitions calling for the cancellation of Chinas appointment. The petitions were submitted to the U.N. General Secretary, the chair of the General Assemblys Third Committee, the president of the UNHRC, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, and each of the 55 member states of the Asia-Pacific regional group who nominated China.

As Bitter Winter reported, the petitions received no answer.

Ignoring Persecution

U.S.-based medical ethics advocacy group, Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH), organized a global campaign to collect signatures for a petition addressed to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The petition appealed to the commissioner to call upon China to end forced organ harvesting from detained Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience; to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice; and to ask the Chinese government to immediately end the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

Falun Gong is an ancient Chinese spiritual practice consisting of meditation exercises and moral teachings that promote truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Chinese official data reported that 70100 million people had practiced in China by 1999. However, the regime felt threatened by the popularity and independence of the practice, so it began to persecute Falun Gong in July 1999. Millions have been detained inside prisons, labor camps, and other facilities, according to the Falun Dafa Information Center. The Chinese regime has been killing detained Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience via forced organ harvesting and selling their organs for profit, a London-based independent peoples tribunal said in March 2018.

From 2012 to 2018, DAFOHs campaign collected over three million signatures from over 50 countries and regions. DAFOH representatives also met with the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner on three occasions, hand delivering the signatures.

Petition signatures numbering 166,461 from 36 countries backing the Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) call on the U.N. to investigate and condemn forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience in China, in the Wagner Room of the Metropole Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland, on Dec. 17 2012. (Tanghong/The Epoch Times)

To our knowledge there was no formal recognition of our petition (other than meeting with us) and on one occasion we were told the UNHRC will do something, but no verifiable action was observed, Dr. Torsten Trey, founder and executive director of DAFOH, told The Epoch Times in an email.

Both UNHRC and WHO are sub-organizations of the U.N., Trey said. There appeared to be political motives that had a higher priority than addressing the most egregious crime against humanity of the 21st century, i.e. forced organ harvesting, and it appeared that China would get a free pass by the U.N. At that point we decided to end the campaign.

DAFOH ended the petition campaign in 2018 after learning that Huang Jiefu, Beijings point man for promoting its transplant and donation system to the world, was appointed a member of World Health Organization (WHO)s task force to combat organ trafficking.

DAFOH has ended the petition campaign, but the 3 million people who signed the petition are still waiting for a responsible response by the UNHRC, Trey said.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange greets supporters outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London in a May 19, 2017, file photograph. (Frank Augstein/AP Photo)

US Governments Appeal to Extradite Julian Assange to Be Heard at High Court

The US governments legal challenge over a judges decision not to extradite Julian Assange is to be heard by the High Court.

Assange, 50, is wanted in the US on allegations of a conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following WikiLeaks publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

After a multi-week extradition hearing, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled in January that Assange should not be sent to the US, citing a real risk of suicide.

The hearing on Oct. 27 marks the start of the two-day legal challenge at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

The US authorities were previously given the go-ahead to argue against Judge Baraitsers decision on five grounds.

In August, the High Court heard that the US Governments appeal will argue there is a legal requirement that an individual must be so ill that they are unable to resist suicide for a decision to be taken not to prosecute, or in Assanges case, extradite, them.

Clair Dobbin QC, for the US, previously said: It really requires a mental illness of a type that the ability to resist suicide has been lost.

Part of the appeal will be that Mr Assange did not have a mental illness that came close to being of that nature and degree.

Ms Dobbin also told the court that the need for scrutiny is substantially increased given the background, including the extraordinary lengths Assange has already gone to in order to avoid extradition.

Judge Baraitser concluded there was a real risk Assange would be submitted to special administrative measures and detained at the ADX Florence Supermax jail, if extradited.

However, the US has previously said it has provided a package of assurances in response to the district judges findings, including that it would consent to him being transferred to Australia to serve any prison sentence he may be given.

Assange has been held in Belmarsh Prison since 2019 after he was carried out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London by police before being arrested for breaching his bail conditions.

He had entered the building in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face sex offence allegations, which he has always denied and were eventually dropped.

The hearing before the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Lord Justice Holroyde is due to start at 10.30am on Wednesday.

It is expected to end on Thursday with a decision at a later date.
U.S. President Joe Biden meets with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, on Sept. 24, 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

US Senators Urge Biden to Avoid India Sanctions Over Russian Deal

NEW DELHITwo U.S. senators have urged President Joe Biden to waive sanctions against India over its purchase of Russias S-400 air defense system, saying such a punitive measure would endanger growing cooperation.

India signed a $5.5 billion deal with Russia in 2018 for five of the surface-to-air missile systems for defense against longtime adversary Pakistan, and China, with which it is locked in a standoff on their disputed border.

The proposed transfer has caused friction with the United States, which passed a law in 2017 under which any country engaged with Russias defense and intelligence sectors could face sanctions.

Republican Senator John Cornyn and Democratic Senator Mark Warner wrote a letter to Biden on Tuesday calling for a waiver on the grounds of national security and broader cooperation.

We believe there is a national security imperative to waiving sanctions, the senators said in their letter.

They said they were concerned the transfer of the Russian systems would trigger sanctions against India under the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which was enacted to hold Russia accountable for interfering in U.S. elections, cyber hacking, and bullying Ukraine.

India has made a downpayment on the S400 systems and the first set of missile batteries is expected to begin deployment later this year.

The United States imposed sanctions on Turkey for buying the same equipment last year.

Cornyn and Warner, who are co-chairs of a Senate India Caucus, said they shared the administrations concerns about Russia but they warned of damage to cooperation with India if sanctions were to be imposed.

We believe that the application of CAATSA sanctions could have a deleterious effect on a strategic partnership with India, while at the same time, not achieve the intended purpose of deterring Russian arms sales, they wrote.

India has been cutting back on purchases of military equipment from Russia, which for years was its main source, with a 53 percent drop in Russian arms exports to India from 2016 to 2020 compared with the preceding five-year period.

Indias defense deals with the United States, on the other hand, have been increasing with sales at $3.4 billion in 2020 financial year. These are positive trends, the senators said.

Imposing sanctions at this time could derail deepening cooperation with India across all aspects of our bilateral relationshipfrom vaccines to defense cooperation, from energy strategy to technology sharing.

By Sanjeev Miglani
A health care worker fills a syringe with the Pfizer vaccine on the opening day of a COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre in Perth, Australia on Aug. 16, 2021. (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)

West Australian Hospitals Could Face Crisis As Staff Refuse Vaccine Mandate: Nurse

According to a Perth midwife, hospitals in Western Australia (WA) could soon be forced to shut down or face severe staff shortages as hundreds of health workers have expressed their defiance to vaccination mandates.

The midwife, who is based at a public hospital, told The Epoch Times that all WA hospitals would be affected by staff shortages.

The Epoch Times has agreed to provide the midwife with a pseudonym (Alice) due to concerns about the new Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) health legislation that forbids medical staff in Australia from speaking publicly about COVID-19 vaccines.

Theyre having crisis meetings to figure out what theyre going to do when we leave or get fired, Alice said.

Alice has claimed that hospitals across the state are urgently seeking to address staff shortages after staff have declined to receive the COVID-19 vaccines.

WA implemented vaccination mandates across the entire health sector on Sept. 2, with all public and private hospital staff required to receive at least one dose by Nov. 1, and be fully vaccinated by Dec. 1.

People queue for COVID-19 testing at Perths Fiona Stanley Hospital in Western Australia, Australia, on January 31, 2021. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Alice pointed out that midwives, like other hospital staff, were already operating at breaking point due to staff shortages.

Before they even brought this mandate in, were meant to have 13 to 14 staff in labour and birth suites, but theyve been operating on around six staffand one of those could be a student, Alice said. So theyre working under 50 percent.

She alleged that around 100 staff at her hospital alone had refused to get the jab, including 30 from the postnatal wardsjust under a quarter of its 130 operating staff.

Alice claimed the situation was now going to get very dangerous, as there could be only one staff member watching over 10 to 15 patients plus babies requiring specialist care.

She said that along with many nurses, midwives, and other hospital workers that she knows of, Alice had chosen not to get any of the COVID-19 vaccinations because she was concerned about vaccine safety.

The WA government and state Health Minister Roger Cook did not respond to a request for comment about the midwifes allegations about the potential for staff shortages. The Epoch Times also inquired about their plans to maintain sufficient health staff to ensure continued hospital operations.

All COVID-19 vaccines in Australia have been given provisional approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). They are being monitored under the Black Triangle Scheme, which identifies new medicines that could have adverse reactions and encourages patients and health care providers to report any adverse reactions.

The Black Triangle does not denote that there are known safety problems, just that the TGA is encouraging adverse event reporting to help us build up the full picture of a medicines safety profile, the TGA explained.

On average, the TGA keeps a new medicine under this scheme for five years.

Alice alleged that the mandate was the straw that broke the back of what she called an already limping health system.

The whole things going to crumble. Its going to be so unsafe to get care in a hospital, she said. If someone happens to be unwell, youre not going to get the level of care you need as quickly. The hospital is going to be pretty much turning into a fire department where youre just putting out spot fires and just coping with that.

Staff at high-risk facilities, including intensive care units and emergency departments, had already been required to receive at least one vaccine dose by Oct. 1. However, the West Australian reported that the deadline had been extended to Oct. 15 to give staff more time to produce evidence of receiving their first dose.

WA has continued to be one of the lowest vaccinated states in the country.

Thousands of protesters in an anti-mandatory vaccination rally in central Perth, Australia, on Oct. 16, 2021. (The Epoch Times)

WA in April announced it planned to address hospital staff shortages by recruiting new staff from overseas or interstate. The recruitment advertising push began on Oct. 22.

However, Alice doubts that advertising is enough to bring in the required staff given the states strict health mandates, which she thinks would dissuade potential health workers from moving to the state.

Last week, WA Premier Mark McGowan revealed vaccination mandates for over a million West Australians making up around 75 percent of the states workforce, with individuals facing fines of up to $20,000and $100,000 for businessesfor non-compliance.
Lyme disease can be a crippling condition for many individuals. It is difficult to diagnose and difficult to treat. Knowing what it is is step one toward preventing it. (Heiko Barth/Shutterstock)

What Is Lyme Disease?

What is Lyme disease and why is it so difficult to treat?

This is part one of a three-part series exploring Lyme diseasehow to test for it, treat it, and prevent it.

Lyme disease can be a crippling condition for many individuals. In fact, many patients who seek functional medicine care at our wellness center often struggle with Lyme and the commonly associated co-infections. Our family has even dealt with both acute and chronic Lyme disease.

What Is Lyme Disease?

The origins of Lyme disease, or borreliosis, are widely disputed. From what we understand, it was first recorded in the 1970s in Lyme, Connecticut. In 1982, the spirochete bacteria that causes Lyme disease was discovered by Willy Burgdorfer and was named Borrelia burgdorferi. Since then, the rate of Lyme disease has grown, and now Lyme disease is the most prevalent tick-borne illness in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are nearly 500,000 people diagnosed with Lyme disease every year. Many natural health practitioners believe that Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens are grossly underdiagnosed and frequently missed. One 2018 study published in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) suggests that 12 percent of Americans could have been infected with Lyme by 2015, some 55 million people. To say this chronic illness is on the rise is an understatement.

A tick bite, usually from the eastern black-legged tick or the western black-legged tick, is the most common vector for borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Many speculate that Borrelia burgdorferi is not just transmitted via ticks, but also carried by fleas, mites, and mosquitoes, as well as being sexually transmitted. That position remains controversial in some quarters.

Lyme disease can have devastating consequences on the body because of its propensity to create systemic inflammation, hinder immune function, and potentially trigger autoimmune disease and chronic illness. Oftentimes, these patients are so immune-suppressed that their body cant fight other infections theyre exposed to.

Lyme Disease Symptoms

Theres a wide range of symptoms for those struggling with tick-borne illness. Symptom manifestation can vary with each individual. If caught early, Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens can be treated relatively quickly. If left undetected, various chronic health concerns can arise, potentially contributing to a systemic inflammatory response, autoimmune disease, and chronic illness.

Sadly, many people who contract Lyme disease dont recall having a tick bite because ticks can be so small. Furthermore, erythema migrans, the classic bulls-eye rash, is only reported about 70 percent of the time. Due to unreliable diagnostic criteria, these infections are also easy to miss on the frequently used laboratory tests.

The Bullseye Rash

As mentioned, an erythema migrans rash doesnt show up in at least 30 percent of Lyme cases. When it develops, its usually within 3 to 30 days after the initial bite. The rash starts relatively small and gradually expands over the course of many days. It can reach diameters of up to 12 inches or more and appear on any area of the body. Sometimes, the skin clears as the rash enlarges, becoming a bulls-eye shape. While there are many classic attributes of erythema migrans rashes, there are many variations and other rashes that can arise from a tick bite.

Acute Lyme Symptoms

(3 to 32 days after tick bite)

Headache

Malaise

Weakness

Fever

Fatigue

Muscle soreness

Joint pain

Neck pain

Flu-like symptoms

Swollen lymph nodes

Erythema migrans or bulls-eye rash

Untreated Lyme After Several Weeks

Facial palsy (loss of muscle tone on one or both sides of the face)

Tinnitus (ringing in the ear)

Dizziness

Vision changes

Shortness of breath

Sore throat

Abnormal heart rhythms

Nerve pain

New erythema migrans rashes

Stiff, achy neck

Meningitis

Mild encephalitis, causing memory loss, sleep disturbances, mood changes

Chronic Lyme Symptoms

Chronic fatigue

Chronic inflammation

Migratory joint pain

Severe headaches

Chronic encephalomyelitis, causing brain fog, cognitive dysfunction, insomnia, migraines, vertigo

Dizziness

Shortness of breath

Sore throat

Tremors

Respiratory infections

Elevated liver enzymes

Anxiety

Panic attacks

Rage

Paranoia

Depersonalization

Gastrointestinal symptoms

Neurodegenerative diseases

New food allergies

Multiple chemical sensitivities

Menstrual irregularities and infertility

Seizures

Why Is Lyme Disease Difficult to Treat?

Lyme disease is a dreaded health condition because its difficult to treat. This is because Borrelia burgdorferi Spirochetes can easily change their form and adapt to treatment methods, especially antibiotics. These forms are known as persisters because they can take on various sizes and shapes, changing from well-known forms to altered morphologies. They are able to form round bodies, L-form bacteria, microcolonies, or biofilms, which remarkably foster the resilience of Borrelia and protect themselves from treatment methods and the immune system.

Many believe that Lyme disease becomes chronic because a round of antibiotics is often an insufficient treatment and Borrelia is able to adapt in the face of antibiotics. This is why a functional, holistic approach can be valuable.

Other Tick-Borne Diseases

In addition to Borrelia Burgdorferi, ticks carry many pathogens including bacteria, parasites, and viruses that can contribute to acute and chronic illness. Some of these include:

Anaplasmosis: An infection caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum that presents with flu-like symptoms and can be fatal if left untreated.

Babesiosis: A result of microscopic parasites transmitted through various tick species. Symptoms include fever, chills, drenching sweats, anxiety, shortness of breath, racing heart, brain fog, and nausea. Sometimes hemolytic anemia results from the parasites attacking red blood cells.

Bartonella: Infections from Bartonella can cause fever, headaches, swollen lymph nodes, abdominal pain, fatigue, and poor appetite. It has also been associated with brain-based symptoms including depression, anxiety, panic disorder, and Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome.

Ehrlichiosis: Ehrlichiosis symptoms include flu-like symptoms including fatigue, fever, chills, headaches, and muscle aches and pains.

Mycoplasma: Mycoplasma are the smallest bacterial species known. Symptoms include fever, cough, bronchitis, sore throat, headache, and tiredness. Sometimes pneumonia is a result of a mycoplasma infection.

Rickettsiosis: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is included in this group of infections and can be contracted anywhere in the United States. Common symptoms include fever, body aches, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and headache. It causes a red rash on the palms of the hands in 50 to 85 percent of people.

Viruses: Ticks are able to carry novel viruses including the Powassan virus, South Bay Virus, Laurel Lake virus, Suffolk virus, various black-legged tick phleboviruses, and numerous others.

Listed here are some of the most common tick-borne illnesses and co-infections associated with Lyme. There are many more. With many overlapping symptoms, its sometimes difficult to ascertain exactly what an individual is presenting with.

Next week, well look at testing for Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens and how to treat them.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki talks to reporters in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, on Oct. 22, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

White House Officials Not Expecting Vaccine Mandate Attrition to Cause Holiday Labor Shortage

White House officials say they do not expect COVID-19 vaccine mandates to add further burden to holiday supply chains.

A recent letter from the American Trucking Association (ATA) to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) expressed concerns at the administrations soon-to-be imposed vaccine requirements.

The letter says the trucking industry could lose as much as 37 percent of its drivers to retirement and attrition because of the mandates.

It calls for, among other things, more time to implement a new rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and exemptions for federal-contractor mandates to avoid harming the nations already stressed supply chain.

Referring to the potential of mass resignations by truckers, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Oct. 27: There isnt an expectation, or anticipation, by anyone who has been through implementation of this, many of in the transportation sector, that that would be the impact.

Psaki notes flexibility in the mandates saying the first step to address those refusing the shot is not firing, or quitting, but counselling.

To be clear, the requirements for federal workers and contractors will not cause disruption, echoed White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients.

These vaccination requirements, as weve talked about before, work.

Zients notes several major companies that have achieved vaccination rates above 90 percent after implementing requirements for employees ahead of the federal rule.

The National Retail Federation has also said it has serious questions about the forthcoming rule.

Were really concerned how thats going to impact us, the federations vice president of government relations and workforce development Edwin Egee told The Hill.

Therere already over a million vacant positions in the retail industry, and this is not going to help that, especially as were going to try to hire up more as we move into the holiday season.

On Oct. 12, OSHA finalized the initial draft of the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) set to implement President Joe Bidens vaccine-mandate order requiring businesses with more than 100 workers to put vaccine mandates in place for employees.

OMBs Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs is conducting a review of the emergency standard, which OSHA is allowed to issue if it determines workers are in grave danger. The review process could take as long as 90 days.

Several Republican governors and attorneys general have vowed to fight the mandate in court.

A vaccine requirement for federal employees and contractors goes into effect on Dec. 8.

The White House continues to point to an increased volume of goods being shipped as the root cause of supply-chain bottlenecks that have created long waits for freighters at U.S. ports and spurred 24-hour work schedules from a list of U.S. companies in recent weeks.

Psaki says the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have already moved more containers this year than in any other year and there are some reports of reduced congestion at ports and railroads following announcements of increased work during off hours.

This is a top priority. Weve already seen progress and were going to continue to stay at it, Psaki said.

Shipping companies at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will soon be fined if their containers stay in marine terminals too long, officials announced Oct. 25.

Officials at San Pedro Bay Ports said in a statement that, starting Nov. 1, fines will begin being handed out.
An aerial view of Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory in Shanghai, China, on March 29, 2021. Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory is reportedly producing vehicles at a rate of about 450,000 cars per year. (Xiaolu Chu/Getty Images)

Why Is Elon Musk so Sweet on China?

Commentary

Elon Musk, a man I have discussed elsewhere, is a likable soul. Although hes now worth more than Bill Gates and Warren Buffet combined, he seems like the kind of guy you could grab a beer with. Hes an everyman, just like you and me, but ten million times richer.

An outspoken critic of the U.S. government, Musk appears to abhor any sort of authority figure. Well, almost any. He has lavished generous amounts of praise (twice in the same month, in fact) on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perhaps the most tyrannical regime on the planet. According to Musk, China rocks. It really doesnt.

The Charm Offensive

In reality, Musks China-inspired charm offensive has been occurring for quite some time. Earlier in the year, the South African-born American entrepreneur had the temerity to praise Chinas climate plans, although the country is mining more coal than ever before.

Then, in September, at an event hosted by the Cyberspace Administration of China, Musk declared Teslas undying commitment to the Chinese market. Further investment is on its way, he promised.

One neednt be a strategic expert to realize that Musk is sweet on China because China is sweet on him. The country, home to 1.4 billion people, is now the worlds largest electrical vehicle market. There is money to be made, lots of it, so Musk will say whatever is needed to penetrate the Chinese market, even if China continues to steal data from Tesla. Interestingly (but not surprisingly), the American manufacturer just announced plans to build both a research center and a separate data center in Shanghai. Not even theft of valuable data is a deterrent.

The question I have is this: How should Americans feel about Musk being so sweet on China? Of course, some could argue that its none of our business. Musk owes nothing to us or the United States. He is a renegade, a self-made billionaire; as he is in the business of making unfathomable amounts of money. China offers him the chance to fill his pockets and he has every right to penetrate that lucrative market.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang listens during a meeting at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing on Jan. 9, 2019. (Mark Schiefelbein/AFP via Getty Images)

However, there is a reason to push back on such assumptions. Contrary to popular belief, Musk is not a self-made man. As the Los Angeles Times reported back in 2018, the enigmatic impresario has built a multibillion-dollar fortune with the help of billions in government subsidies. These subsidies are funded by American taxpayers dollars. In total, Tesla Motors Inc., SolarCity Corp. and Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, together have benefited from an estimated $4.9 billion in government support, the report said.

As Dan Doley, an analyst at Jefferies Equity Research, told The Times, Musk has a habit of going where there is government money. Why wouldnt he, especially when the U.S. government offers him generous tax breaks and discounted loans. There is something highly unpalatable about taking billions of dollars from the U.S. government, then opting to praise its rivalChina.

Although Musk has benefitted handsomely from such handouts, he has criticized government subsidies offered to other U.S. citizens, many of whom have been affected by COVID-19. Without the assistance of the U.S. government, Musk would not be the man he is today; nor would Tesla and SpaceX be anywhere near as profitable. Those generous subsidies have played a huge role in Teslas international expansion, including its penetration of the Chinese market.

This makes Musks allegiance to the CCP even more distasteful. Sadly, such an allegiance should come as no surprise. Nike, Starbucks, McDonalds, the NBA, to name just four huge brands, are all beholden to Chinaand by extension, the CCP. But Musk is different from those four, largely impersonal brands. Hes very much the face of Tesla, and hes very much the face of SpaceX. His voice carries weightand so do his actions, or lack thereof.

Although Musk presents himself as a man of the people, appearing on podcasts and tweeting out witty remarks, his moral compass appears to be compromised. As the richest man in the world, he doesnt need ChinaMusk could easily take a stand against a tyrannical regime. This might sound like a utopian dream, but it really shouldnt.

What is wrong with expecting more from influential people, especially people with more wealth than many small countries? Why are moral stances only ever taken in Hollywood movies? Is it too much to ask Musk, a man who essentially lives on Twitter, to tweet out about the abuse of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, or the repression occurring in Tibet, or the suppression of free speech currently taking place in Hong Kong?

I reached out to Mr. Musks team for comment on the matter. No comments were offered.

If Boston Celtics Enes Kanter, a man who has much more to lose than Musk, is brave enough to call out the CCP, why cant the Tesla CEO do the same?

We all know why: Money over morals, and profits over people. Musk is not alone in championing such an ethically-deficient philosophy, but that doesnt make it any easier to digest.

If the United States is to take the moral high ground, then people like Elon Musk, himself a U.S. citizen, must do more. Going forward, hopefully more people in positions of influence will take a leaf out of Kanters playbook, rather than a leaf out of Musks.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Nearly half of Canadian young adults who intend to marry say proof of love and commitment will be the primary motivation for doing so, says a new report. (Shutterstock)

Young Canadians Say Proof of Love and Commitment Top Reason to Marry

Nearly half of Canadian young adults who intend to marry say proving their love and devotion will be the primary motivation for doing so, a new report from think tank Cardus found.

When it comes to tying the knot, 48.9 percent of Canadians aged 25 to 34 named proof of love and commitment as their top priority before saying I do, the report said.

Examining the data from Statistics Canadas 2017 General Social Survey, the report also found that nearly 14 percent in this age group view marriage as the next step/logical advancement in life, and about 8 percent of them named to have/adopt children in their priority list.

The survey data suggests that these young adults generally view marriage as a positive aspect of family life.

But when it comes to whether marriage is necessary, the report referred to data collected by the Angus Reid Institute, which found 58 percent of those aged 25 to 34 dont think it is important for couples who want to spend the rest of their lives together to get married.

The Cardus report noted that the trend of marriage has been declining over the past few decades. In 1970, married couples, with or without children, accounted for 91 percent of all census families. By 2016, this number dropped to 66 percent.

Peter Jon Mitchell, co-author of the report, argues that a healthy marriage can contribute to family stability, with related social and economic benefits for neighbourhoods and communities.

Marriage is not for everyone, but the weight of academic research on the subject shows that marriage is associated with benefits for couples and their children, and for the wider society, he said in a press release.

Clearly there are big, cultural factors at work in why young Canadians choose not to marry.

The report, titled For Love or Money: Why Canadian Young Adults Marry  or Dont observed that mistrust in the institution of marriage is the number one reason why young people aged 25 to 34 resist getting hitched.

Nearly half the men in this group said they dont believe in the institution of marriage while 39.1 percent of women said the same thing.

The data also suggests many young women dont seem to be in a rush to settle down, as about 29 percent of women said their current situation is fine, while only 13.2 percent of men felt this way.

Men cited wedding preparations and costs as their second reason for staying unmarried, with higher emphasis than women at about 17 percent versus 10.5 percent. According to Mitchell, this is still a distant second to disbelief in the institution of marriage for men.

Besides economic consideration, the report said discussion of culturally informed values shouldnt be ignored as they play a crucial role in marriage decisions, and that community groups are best suited to communicate the benefits of marriage to young adults.

Community groups, religious organizations, and others interested in the relational health of young adults should reflect on the larger societal values about marriage and consider the values that their organizations are communicating intentionally or unintentionally to young adults, the report said. Mitchell said boosting awareness of the importance and benefits of marriage would be helpful to reverse the trend away from it. Theres an obvious need for increased availability of information about the benefits of healthy, stable marriage, which could inform young Canadians decisions about partnership, he said.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  Former Weather Underground radical David Gilbert has been granted parole after 40 years behind bars for his role in a deadly 1981 Brinks robbery that was a violent echo of left-wing extremism born in the 1960s, the state corrections department said Tuesday.

Gilbert, 76, has been imprisoned since shortly after the infamously botched armored car robbery in which a guard and two police officers were killed. He became eligible for parole only after his 75 years-to-life sentence was shortened by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in August, hours before he left office.

Gilbert appeared before the state parole board Oct. 19 and was subsequently granted parole, Thomas Mailey, a spokesperson for the New York state corrections department, said Tuesday.

He will be able to leave Shawangunk Correctional Facility in the Hudson Valley next month.

Supporters  including his son, San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin  lobbied to have Gilbert join other defendants in the case who have been released from prison.

In an email, Boudin said, I am so grateful to the parole board and to everyone who has supported my father during his more than 40 years in prison. Im thinking about the other children affected by this crime and want to make sure that nothing I do or say further upsets the victims families. Their loved ones will never be forgotten."

But even the prospect of Gilbert's release had angered some local officials in the Hudson Valley and family members who said his release would insult the memory of the slain men.

In a statement, Rockland County Executive Ed Day called the decision a cruel and unjust slap in the face to the families of those killed.

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Parole Board should be ashamed for allowing this domestic terrorist to walk free on our streets, Day said. Theres no reason that David Gilbert should not have to face the full consequences of his heinous crimes, no matter how much time has passed.

Gilbert and other former members of the Weather Underground, a militant group that grew out of the anti-Vietnam War movement, had joined with members of the Black Liberation Army in the Oct. 20, 1981, robbery. They stole $1.6 million in cash from an armored car outside the Nanuet Mall near the Hudson River community of Nyack.

Brinks guard Peter Paige and two Nyack police officers, Sgt. Edward OGrady and Officer Waverly Brown, were killed in the holdup and ensuing shootout at a nearby roadblock.

Though unarmed, Gilbert was charged with robbery and murder, since people were killed during the crime. Also charged was Chesa Boudins mother, Kathy Boudin. The boy was 14 months old when his parents were imprisoned.

In a sometimes raucous trial, Gilbert and two other defendants cast themselves as freedom fighters and deemed the proceedings illegitimate. At one court session, Gilbert and defendant Judith Clark raised their fists and shouted Free the land!

Kathy Boudin avoided a harsher sentence by pleading guilty and was paroled in 2003. Clark was granted parole in 2019, three years after Cuomo commuted her sentence. She had been denied parole after her first hearing two years earlier.

Gilbert was not eligible for parole until 2056 before Cuomo commuted his sentence. The former governor said Gilbert made significant contributions to AIDS education and prevention programs, and worked as a tutor, law library clerk, paralegal assistant, teachers aide and aide in various prison programs.

Chesa Boudin was raised by his parents Weather Underground compatriots, Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn.

He ran a progressive campaign for San Francisco district attorney in 2019 in which he said visiting his parents in prison showed him the criminal justice system was broken.

___

Matthews reported from New York City.
BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union raised the stakes Wednesday in a standoff with Poland over judicial independence and the primacy of EU law, with the bloc's top court fining Poland $1.2 million a day to prevent what it called serious and irreparable harm to the EU's legal order and values.

The European Court of Justice imposed the penalty after a weeklong war of words in which Poland told the EU to stay out of its judicial affairs while other EU nations insisted that Warsaw could not continue to get huge EU subsidies while disregarding the bloc's democratic principles at will.

You cannot pocket all the money but refuse the values, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Wednesday, warning Poland not to treat the EU like a cash machine.

The Court of Justice decided to syphon off some of that money, saying the daily fine was necessary in order to avoid serious and irreparable harm to the legal order of the European Union and to the values on which that Union is founded, in particular that of the rule of law.

The EU's executive commission had requested the penalty until the Polish government acts to improve the functioning of the Polish Supreme Court and suspends new laws deemed to undermine judicial independence.

Polish minister Michal Wojcik hinted that Poland may not respect the European courts decision once again, arguing that its not a proper ruling and has "no legal basis because the court allegedly acted outside its jurisdiction.

Radoslaw Fogiel, a spokesman for Polands nationalist ruling party, brushed the penalties off, saying Polands contribution into the EU coffers is much larger than that.

Overall, however, EU figures show that Poland is a net recipient of 12 billion euros ($14 billion) a year from the bloc.

The point of contention is the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court, a body that the ruling party empowered to discipline judges. Many Polish judges view the chamber as a tool to pressure judges to rule in favor of the governing authorities.

In July, the European Court of Justice ordered the suspension of the disciplinary chamber, but it is still operating.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told the European Parliament last week that the chamber will be abolished, but he gave no precise time for when that would take place. Wojcik said the proper legislation will come in due time.

De Croo on Wednesday targeted Morawiecki, who accused the EU of threatening World War III for insisting that Poland should respect the independence of the judiciary and the primacy of EU law. The Belgian prime minister said his Polish counterpart was playing with fire when waging war with your European colleagues for internal political reasons.

The comments follow years of disputes over changes that Polands right-wing government has made to the countrys courts. The EU believes the changes erode democratic checks and balances, and the European Commission is holding up billions of euros earmarked for Poland in a pandemic recovery plan.

Wednesday's decision also comes on the heels of an EU summit, where Polish arguments that its fundamental judicial changes would not undermine the EU failed to convince key bloc leaders.

Among them was French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Paris on Wednesday.

Morawieckis recalcitrance crystalized in an interview with the Financial Times over the weekend. When asked if Poland could retaliate by using its EU veto power to block legislation on climate issues, for instance, Morawiecki said: If they start the third World War, we are going to defend our rights with any weapons which are at our disposal.

The interview did not go down well with Morawieckis EU colleagues.

You are playing a dangerous game, De Croo said. This is about the overwhelming majority of member states  from the Baltics to Portugal  who agree our Union is a union of values, not a cash machine.

Poland's nationalist ruling party, Law and Justice, has been in conflict with Brussels since winning power in 2015 over a number of matters, including migration and LGBT rights. The longest running dispute, however, has centered on the Polish governments attempts to take political control of the judiciary.

The matter came to a head earlier this month when Poland's constitutional court ruled that some key parts of EU law are not compatible with the nations Constitution. The court stacked with ruling party loyalists gave its opinion after Morawiecki asked it to decide on whether EU or national law has primacy.

The fine imposed on Wednesday comes on top of a 500,000 euro daily fine that the Court of Justice ordered Poland last month to pay for having ignored its injunction to close the Turow brown coal mine. The ruling came in a dispute between Poland and the Czech Republic.

Poland argues it cannot do without the 7% of its energy that the Turow power plant is generating. Morawiecki has indicated Poland is prepared to pay, and can afford it.

Due to the disputes, there is a possibility that Poland will not be getting 36 billion euros ($42 billion) in EU funds earmarked for recovery from the pandemic as long as it does not change its ways.

___

Monika Scislowska contributed from Warsaw.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  Former President Donald Trump's lawsuit to get his Twitter account restored must be heard in a California court, not a Florida one, under a user agreement covering everyone on the social media platform, a federal judge ruled.

U.S. District Judge Robert Scola in Miami rejected Trump's contention that because his Twitter account was suspended during his last days as president the California court requirement did not apply to him.

The requirement, known as a forum selection clause, was in force when Trump originally joined Twitter as a private citizen in 2009, Scola wrote in his order issued Wednesday.

First, Trumps former status as the president of the United States does not preclude the application of the forum selection clause. Second, the forum selection clause is valid and mandatory, Scola wrote in a 13-page order.

The decision means Trump's lawsuit will be heard in a northern California federal court instead of in Miami. A similar lawsuit by Trump against YouTube has also been transferred from Florida to California, while yet another Trump lawsuit against Facebook remains in Miami for now.

Twitter banned Trump's account on Jan. 8, two days after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol while Congress was certifying the victory of Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. In making the decision, Twitter cited the risk of further incitement of violence following the deadly insurrection.

So far, more than 680 people have been charged with crimes stemming from that insurrection and a congressional committee is examining what led up to the riot.

Trump and other conservatives sued Twitter on July 7, claiming that the decision to suspend his account violates his First Amendment rights and amounts to an attempt to censor conservative voices under coercion from Democrats.

At the time, Trump's @realdonaldtrump account had more than 88 million followers on Twitter.

Twitter's user agreement states that all legal actions against the San Francisco-based company must be brought only in northern California state or federal courts. Scola's ruling found that Trump did not make the required legal showing to keep the case in Florida, where Trump has his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach.

Twitters forum selection clause is mandatory, not permissive, Scola wrote.

The lawsuit, a potential class action, will now move to a federal judge in the northern district of California.

Twitter reports it has more than 200 million users subject to the same agreement and bound by the California legal forum for any lawsuit against the company.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has split with former President Donald Trump over which Republican candidate should become governor after Ricketts leaves office.

Trump on Monday endorsed Falls City businessman Charles Herbster, a close political ally. Shortly after the announcement, Ricketts released a statement arguing that Herbster isn't qualified to serve as governor.

While I agree with President Trump on many things, I strongly disagree that Charles Herbster is qualified to be our next governor, said Ricketts, who can't seek reelection in 2022 due to term limits.

Trump praised Herbster as an extraordinarily successful businessman who will fight for our farmers and ranchers, support our military and vets, and protect and defend your under siege Second Amendment rights.

Ricketts hasn't formally endorsed a candidate in the GOP governor's primary race, but he has made several public appearances with University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen, and several of his close political allies work on Pillen's campaign.

Several other other Republicans have launched campaigns, including state Sen. Brett Lindstrom, of Omaha, and Breland Ridenour, an information technology manager. Former Gov. Dave Heineman has said he may run as well, and so has Herbster's former running mate, former state Sen. Theresa Thibodeau.

On the Democratic side, state Sen. Carol Blood, of Omaha, is currently running unopposed for her party's gubernatorial nomination.

Ricketts now finds himself in a similar position to his predecessor. Heineman endorsed a different Republican gubernatorial candidate, then-Attorney General Jon Bruning, in the 2014 primary, and strongly hinted that he didn't want the nomination to go to Ricketts. Ricketts, like Herbster, was a business executive at the time with no previous experience in public office.

Trump is enormously popular in western Nebraska, having won the vast and overwhelmingly rural 3rd Congressional District with nearly 76% of the vote in 2020. He won nearly 59% of Nebraska's statewide vote, but didn't fare as well in the more moderate, Omaha-centered 2nd District, which went to President Joe Biden.

Ricketts won by a similar margin statewide in his 2018 reelection and easily carried western Nebraska.

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Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte
CAIRO (AP)  The United Nations Security Council and the United States have imposed sanctions on a Libyan official over the alleged abuse and torture of migrants in a detention center.

The Security Council and the U.S. said in separate statements late Tuesday that Osama al-Kuni is the de facto head of a detention center in the North African nation's west. Migrants there are said to have been subjected to torture, sexual and gender-based violence and human trafficking.

Libya emerged as a major conduit for African migrants hoping to reach Europe after a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed the countrys longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The country subsequently slid into chaos, with rival governments and parliaments based in its western and eastern regions, each backed by different militias and tribes.

The al-Nasr Martyrs detention center is located in the western town of Zawiya, home of two of the countrys most wanted human traffickers, Abdel-Rahman Milad, and militia leader Mohammed Kachlaf.

Both Milad and Kachlaf were sanctioned by the Security Council in 2018 over allegations of human trafficking and abuse of migrants.

A spokesman for the Libyan government did not answer calls seeking comment.

In its statement Tuesday, the U.N. sanctions committee said al-Kuni has acted for or on behalf of or at the direction of Milad and Kachlaf.

The Department of the Treasury blamed al-Kuni on systematic exploitation of African migrants at the detention center where these migrants are subject to various human rights abuses.

It said he or others under his direction have been involved in or facilitated the killing, exploitation, abuse, and extortion of migrants at the detention center, including through sexual violence, beatings, starvation, and other mistreatment.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the Libyan government to hold al-Kuni and others implicated in human rights abuses accountable.

Libya holds migrants in overcrowded detention centers, like al-Nasr, where torture, sexual assault and other abuses are rife. Detention center guards beat and tortured migrants, then extorted money from their relatives, supposedly in exchange for their freedom, The Associated Press reported earlier this month.

U.N.-commissioned investigators said earlier this month that abuse and ill treatment of migrants in Libya amount to crimes against humanity.
Kelsey Landis | The Telegraph

Built originally as St. Matthew's Catholic Church, the Unitarian Church purchased the site of the First Unitarian Church in Alton in 1854, building a new church after St. Matthew's burned down in 1853. In 1905, the church was once again consumed by fire, and afterwards the church as it currently stands was constructed.

Now, American Hauntings, based in Alton, hosts ghost hunts at First Unitarian as there are rumors the church is haunted by spirits, including that of Rev. Phillip Mercer, who died in the church on Nov. 20, 1934, according to an obituary in the Telegraph. There have been reports of voices and shadowy figures coming from the basement of the church since the reverend's death, according to Rivers and Routes.
EDWARDSVILLE  An Edwardsville man has been charged Monday with possessing illegal incendiary shotgun ammunition.

Delon A. Echols, 30, of Edwardsville, was charged Oct. 25 with unlawful use of firearm projectiles, a Class 3 felony.

The case was presented by the Illinois State Police.

According to court documents, on Oct. 19 Echols allegedly was found to have Dragons Breath shotgun shells.

Dragons Breath shells are incendiary-effect ammunition consisting primarily of magnesium pellets or shards. When fired, they produce sparks and flame out to approximately 100 feet. The general public cannot legally possess this type of ammunition.

Bail was set at $25,000.

Other felony charges filed Oct. 25 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include:

 Mark R. Baldwin Jr., 35, of Edwardsville, was charged with aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On Oct. 22 Baldwin allegedly strangled a household or family member. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Ausar B. Graham, 22, of St. Louis, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On Oct. 24 Graham allegedly kicked a Granite City police officer in the face with his foot. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Jonathon E. Laws, 30, of Wood River, was charged with unlawful restraint and criminal trespass to a residence, both Class 4 felonies. The case was presented by the Wood River Police Department. On Oct. 24 Laws allegedly entered a residence in the 800 block of E. Acton in Wood River knowing someone was in the home, and pinned the victim to a bed. Bail was set at $50,000.
Rotary District 6460 announced five winners of a $3,000 scholarship.

In addition to the five scholarships, the Rotary club gave one $18,000 Menghini Scholarship for study outside the United States.

The money for the scholarships is accumulated from donations from Rotary members around District 6460 to the Rotary Foundation. To win, the applicants submitted an application found on rotary6460.org, were chosen as a finalist, and interviewed by a committee of Rotary members from around the district in Jacksonville.

Winners of $3,000 are:

Katelyn Marti, daughter of Phil and Alexi Marti, Highland. She is majoring in nursing at Maryville University in St. Louis, and currently is planning on becoming a flight nurse.

Emily Bone, daughter of Rebecca and Stephen Bone, Collinsville. She is studying to be a dentist at Illinois College in Jacksonville.

Madalynn Lawson, daughter of Shann and Tammy Lawson, Manito. She is majoring in chemistry, studying to be a pediatric oncologist at University of Indianapolis.

Allyson Huffman, daughter of Monica and Trevor Huffman, Jacksonville. She is studying to be an elementary education teacher at Illinois College.

Isabella McCartney, daughter of David and Becky McCartney, Pittsfield. She is studying to be a nurse anesthetist at University of Missouri in Columbia.

Elizabeth Lindqwister, from Peoria, is the winner of the District International Ambassadorial Scholarship. The William J. Menghini 6460 Endowed Scholarship program supports the vision of The Rotary Foundation to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace. Lindqwister currently attends Stanford University. She will use the scholarship to attend Cambridge university in England, earning a masters of philosophy degree in history.
On Monday, the Facebook Papers, a project among 17 American news organizations, was released, as thousands of pages of internal company documents obtained by Frances Haugen, the former Facebook product-manager-turned-whistleblower were accessed and analyzed by those organizations.

The papers are redacted versions of disclosures Haugen has made over several months to the Securities and Exchange Commission, alleging Facebook was prioritizing profits over safety and hiding research from investors and the public, according to the Associated Press.

These complaints cover a range of topics, from Facebook's efforts to continue growing its audience, to how its platforms might harm children, to its alleged role in inciting political violence. The same redacted versions of those filings are being provided to members of Congress as part of its investigation. And that process continues as Haugens legal team goes through the process of redacting the SEC filings by removing the names of Facebook users and lower-level employees and turns them over to Congress.

The documents show that measures to suppress hateful, deceptive content were lifted after the American presidential election in 2020, as pro-Donald Trump groups disputing the legitimacy of the election experienced "meteoric" growth, according to the Washington Post.

The trove of internal Facebook documents reveals that the social media giant has privately and meticulously tracked real-world harms exacerbated by its platforms, ignored warnings from its employees about the risks of their design decisions and exposed vulnerable communities around the world to a cocktail of dangerous content, the Post reported.

The Post found that what Mark Zuckerberg says publically doesn't lineup with internal documents, as Zuckerberg testified before Congress that Facebook removed 94% of the hate speech it found, when in internal documents, the company estimated it was removing less than 5% of all hate speech on the platform.

ABC News reported that on Jan. 6, Facebook noticed a rise in social media posts calling for violence and incitement around the certification of the U.S. presidential election result and the storming of the Capitol. There was a spike in the volume of reports from Facebook and Instagram users complaining about posts inciting violence on that day, around seven times as many hourly reports as opposed to the previous week.

More severe restrictions, known as "break glass" measures within Facebook, had been active earlier in 2020 but disappeared after the election. Several of the restrictions listed as having been previously rolled back focused on groups, such as freezing commenting on some group posts or preventing groups from changing their names to include terms that aimed to delegitimize the election result.

Ciaran O'Connor, a disinformation analyst with the London-based think tank Institute for Strategic Dialogue, told ABC that keeping these type of measures in place may have prevented extremism on Jan. 6 that was inflamed by a "dangerous mix of disinformation and conspiracy theories."

"This action was entirely irresponsible and illustrative of wider failings in Facebook in wrongly prioritizing platform growth over safety," he said.

Internal comments from employees blamed the company for the Jan. 6 insurrection, according to NBC News.

"Im struggling to match my values to my employment here," an employee wrote in a comment. "I came here hoping to effect change and improve society, but all Ive seen is atrophy and abdication of responsibility."

"How are we expected to ignore when leadership overrides research-based policy decisions to better serve people like the groups inciting violence today," another employee asked.

The comments show challenges to company leadership about Facebook's problems in abetting violent polarization and encouraging the spread of misinformation not getting fixed, despite the companys investments and promises, NBC reported.

Mark Poepsel, Ph.D, an associate professor with SIU Edwardsville, said that Facebook designs products to get people to spend as much time on them as possible. He said that Facebook claims not to do that, but the release of the documents show that the company was lying.

"The average person should understand that the Facebook Papers reports indicate that a lot of what we perceive as being wrong with Facebook is not an accident but by design," Poepsel wrote in an email. "It's not just that Facebook is sitting by and allowing people to mistreat each other, which itself might be questionable ethically but which might be considered standard business practice for anyone operating a place where people speak openly online. It's more than free speech. Facebook actually added to the harm in many cases because it prioritizes online engagement and the advertising money that comes from it over public safety."

However, Poepsel wrote that it would be "difficult, challenging and risky" to police Facebook and other social media platforms from the outside, but these documents show that Facebook is not doing a great job policing themselves internally, although they do know how to do better.

"Facebook knows it should identify and block hate speech, the obvious worst of the worst, but Mark Zuckerberg was shown to have lied about how much, percentage-wise Facebook actually stops," Poepsel wrote. "You don't need 100% agreement about hate speech to stop it. We have mostly stopped obscenity from public airwaves, newspapers, and the internet in the USA even though people have a hard time agreeing what it is. Some things are just so obviously horrible they get deleted instantly. You could do the same thing with words that you do with images. Facebook is choosing not to."

Facebook has had good and bad impacts, Poepsel wrote.

"It has fomented democratic revolutions but also oppressive regimes and even genocide," Poepsel said. "Where they should be held accountable is where they have had opportunities to curtail the most harmful acts and words and chosen to favor engagement, time spent online and on its apps, in favor of people's safety. It's not all good or all bad, but it's also not a passive platform. It's not the open airwaves or a judgment-free internet service provider, not a common carrier, as they say. It's a kind of publisher, platform, and information carrier all in one.

"We don't know how to regulate it. We have to admit that. But even having said that, Facebook could do better. They could apply basic business ethics and do better by society because it's not about growth and success; It's about rate of growth."

Poepsel wrote that Facebook opens doors for similar apps and services to capture attention and information that is being run out of nations that have been strategic adversaries of the U.S. That makes it a matter of national security, even without getting into the role Facebook played in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. It's not just a "global friendship kumbaya issue," Poepsel wrote.

Facebook will likely do a lot of messaging, likely change its name, as it currently plans to do, but change as little as possible with regard to garnering and holding onto audience because that's how it makes a lot of its money, Poepsel wrote.

"The release of these types of documents is important because they show an unvarnished presentation of facts," Poepsel wrote. "These are treated as facts by Facebook based on data gathered by Facebook. Facebook's leaders are not denying that these are real issues. They are not denying that they discussed these and that these were points of contention, many of the issues raised in them, internally within the company among its own leaders. All Facebook can say is that these are cherry-picked. But of course journalists are going to pick the interesting and controversial stuff.

"Society has no need for an 'everything's okay' alarm, to reference old school Simpsons episodes," Poepsel continued. "Journalists are here to tell us what is or what may be wrong and to let us think about if we want to change things. These documents help us to do that. We wouldn't be having this national conversation if we only went by what Zuckerberg has said in congressional hearings."

According to published reports, angry responses on Facebook made content more valuable, meaning that reactions on Facebook were weighted differently. There's evidence that suggests incendiary content was privileged on the platform, a sophisticated coding choice people at Facebook had to make, Poepsel wrote.

"We also know that Facebook has a hard time containing conspiracy theories even when they try. This is not to say that they should not try, but it does not bode well for the future of digital communications," Poepsel wrote.

Poepsel wrote that each hour spent on open social media platforms where vitriol and violence are valued more than polite speech, like this release of internal documents shows Facebook may do, should be balanced with an hour of talking to people or reading something in the media that individuals acknowledge is subject to gatekeeping, but by gatekeepers that person trusts.

"Not all gatekeeping is bad, but I don't think we're going to successfully gatekeep the internet," Poepsel wrote. "It's not a question of the horse being out of the barn. It's a question of should we bother building barns for the internet when everyone's a mustang and the only way to make money out there is to get large enough herds to follow you that someone will pay you money to try to reach those wild horses."
Anti-Fake News Center: Phuket Governor is not smuggling illegal foreign Muslims into Thailand

PHUKET: The Anti-Fake News Center has issued a warning that a social media post claiming the Phuket Governor is smuggling illegal foreign Muslims into the country is fake news.

Myanmarimmigration

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 27 October 2021, 04:43PM

Image: Anti-Fake News Center

The post circulating claims that the Governor of Phuket Secretly is smuggling foreign Muslims into the country illegally, said the Anti-Fake News Center in its release, which was shared by local government agencies and polcie stations in Phuket.

The Anti-Fake News Center investigated the facts via the Phuket Provincial Public Relations Office and found that such information is false, the warning said.

In the case of posting a message with a picture that states that the Governor of Phuket is secretly smuggling foreign Muslims into the country illegally in the hope of proliferating and devouring [sic] the Thais to the end, the Phuket Public Relations Office reviewed the post and clarified that such information is not true, because the Governor of Phuket is Buddhist. In addition, there is no illegal smuggling of Islamic people into the country, the Anti-Fake News Center said.

Therefore, people are asked not to trust such information and [we] ask for cooperation not to send or share such information on various social media channels. People can receive more information from the Phuket Public Relations Office posted through the website https://pr.prd.go.th/phuket or [they can] call 076-216118, the post added, using its standard reminder.

People were advised to report any reports or social media posts suspected of being fake news via:

LINE: @antifakenewscenter (http://nav.cx/uyKYnsG)

Website: https://www.antifakenewscenter.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AFNCThailand

Hotline: Government Information Service Center for the People Tel: 1111 ext. 87



The post follows Phuket officials battling fake news posts spreading across Thai social media channels, including issuing a warning earlier this week about fake news circulating claiming that that thousands of of people who had arrived in Phuket through the Sandbox scheme had tested positive for COVID-19.

The latest warning also follows hundreds of people fleeing Myanmar being caught on the Thai side of the border in Kanchanaburi in recent weeks. The border is officially closed, but the area is rife with natural crossing points. Local business operators have been warned against harbouring any illegal immigrants.

Many of the people fleeing Myanmar have been promised work, mostly in areas around Bangkok.

One group hailed from Dawei, Bago and Mawlumyine townships in Myanmar  having paid B17,000 to B20,000 each to brokers for jobs in Bangkok, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, Saraburi, Chon Buri and Kanchanaburi. They will all be deported, police said. (See stories here, here and here.)
Gold shop robber arrested

PHUKET: Police have arrested the man wanted for the vicious beating of a 71-year-old gold shop owner in Phuket Town last Saturday night (Oct 23), which saw the robber make off with gold items worth a reported B8 million.

crimeviolencepolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 27 October 2021, 06:54PM

UPDATE: Region 8 Police Commander Region 8 Police Commander Pol Lt Gen Amphol Buarabporn held a press conference on Thursday, Oct 28, where he confirmed, corrected and clarified many details previously reported about the robbery and arrest. See story here.

Police have confirmed that the suspect was arrested at a care care centre on Wichit Songkram Rd in Phuket Town at 7:30am yesterday (Oct 26), but are still waiting for a top-ranking police officer to announce the mans identity at a press conference.

A photo of the suspect, with his face blurred, has been provided to The Phuket News, but no other details of his identity

At last report, the robber was believed to be a Myanmar man from his accent while speaking Thai during the robbery of the Thong Thaweechai gold shop on Ranong Rd in the heart of Phuket Town, where owners Wangdee Inthawong, 71, and Puangpen Sakkasemkrit, 65, lived upstairs.

Police have since revealed that the robber is be 25-20 years old.

They have now also revealed that in addition to the gold stolen, the robber made off with B100,000 in cash

The robber was tracked down via CCTV footage of him making his escape from the scene, where he had repeatedly beaten Mr Wangdee on the head with the piece of wood.

CCTV footage from inside the gold shop showed that the robber had entered the home above the shop with a large knife. So far no reports have confirmed that the knife was used in the attack on Mr Wangdee.

Police have reported that an arrest warrant was presented in placing the suspect uder arrest. They have yet to confirm exactly which charges he will face.

The man was taken to the Region 8 Police headquarters at the northern end of the island for questioning, police confirmed.

At the Thong Thaweechai gold shop, Benjaporn Watcharatsiriyuth, 61, said that they will now add more CCTV cameras throughout the building to increase security.

She also claimed that the gold stolen was valued at B10 million.

Ms Benjaporn praised the police for catching the robber after just three days of searching for him.

Police have reported that the man has confessed to the robbery.

The man reportedly told police that he spent B70,000 of the cash stolen on online gambling. He had only B30,000 cash left from the robbery.

Police have yet to report what, if any, of the gold items had been recovered.
Phang Nga student loses leg after second cross-jab, then dies

BANGKOK: A student in Phang Nga who developed blood clots after getting her second COVID-19 vaccine shot and her left leg was amputated has since died of a haemorrhagic stroke after brain surgery.

COVID-19Vaccinedeath

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 27 October 2021, 09:27AM

Rescue volunteers take the body of 20-year-old student Ketsiree Kongkaew to Ao Luk district of Krabi province on Monday night for funeral rites and burial. Image: Capture from @nbtpng-Radio Thailand Facebook page

Ketsiree Kongkaew, 20, a student at Phang Nga Community College, died on Monday morning (Oct 25) at Songklanagarind Hospital, Thai media reported on Tuesday, reported the Bangkok Post.

She had been inoculated first with the Sinovac vaccine, and then given AstraZeneca as her second dose.

Her grandmother Harlia Kongkaew, 85, of Ban Thadan village in Muang district of Phang Nga, took the young womans body from Songkhlanagarind Hospital on Monday afternoon for Islamic funeral rites in Ao Luk district of Krabi prvonce.

They travelled by a rescue foundation vehicle.

The old woman has a small grocery shop in Baan Thadan and her granddaughter lived with her there.

Adul Chuthong, chief of Muang Phang Nga district led local officials and teachers in offering moral support to the old woman and other relatives. Ketsirees body was to be interred at Ban Bagan burial ground in Au Luk district.

After the ceremony, the grandmother was to return to her house on Koh Panyee in Phang Nga province.

Anupong Thammarong, 25, a classmate of Ketsiree from the same village, said a doctor from Songklanagarind Hospital had phoned the grandmother late on Friday night, asking for permission to perform surgery. The doctor said Ketsiree had bleeding in her brain.

The grandmother and relatives gave their permission. After the operation, the young woman remained unconscious. She was reliant on a ventilator and was pronounced dead on Monday morning after a haemorrhagic stroke.

The doctors said the brain haemorrhage was a side effect of the thrombolytic drugs used to treat blood clots, Mr Anupong said.

Ketsiree was reported to have earlier suffered an acute arterial occlusion, or blockage of a limb artery, after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine as her second shot.

According to Jamras Khanadpol, director of Phang Nga Community College, she began feeling unwell after her second shot on Aug 13.

She complained of a fever and chest pains about three days later, her classmate Anupong said. She went to see a doctor at Phang Nga Hospital, who diagnosed her with a bladder infection.

Ketsiree was later rushed back to the hospital after she experienced severe pain in her left leg. She was referred to Surat Thani Hospital, where an X-ray revealed blood clots that required urgent surgery.

As her condition continued to worsen, the hospital transferred her to the better-equipped Krabi Hospital, then to Songklanagarind Hospital in Hat Yai, where doctors decided to amputate her leg, Mr Anupong said.

The National Health Security Office has given Ketsirees family financial assistance of B400,000.
PM presses Asean to reopen

ASEAN: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has urged other Asean members to follow Thailands footsteps and start reopening to revive economies in the region and ensure the tangible implementation of the blocs response to COVID-19.

politicsMyanmarCOVID-19tourism

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 27 October 2021, 10:08AM

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha addresses the 38th and 39th Asean Summits via videoconference yesterday (Oct 26). He urged the bloc to start reopening borders, allow for safe travel to revive economies in the region and ensure tangible implementation of the groups COVID-19 response. Photo: Government House.

Gen Prayut addressed the issue via teleconference at the ongoing 38th and 39th Asean Summits, which are taking place online and opened under the chairmanship of Brunei yesterday (Oct 26), reports the Bangkok Post.

Myanmar refused to send a representative after being angered by the blocs decision to exclude the countrys junta chief Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

Prayut told Asean leaders that the COVID-19 crisis underlines the regions vulnerability to coping with emerging threats.

He said the bloc must work to address the impact of the pandemic while also learning lessons from it so as to be more resilient in future.

Asean should start reopening and allowing for safe travel to revive its economies, he said, adding that the Asean Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework should be put into practice, with mutual recognition of vaccines and vaccine certificates to facilitate business travel, and later tourism.

In this context, Thailand has already opened up pilot areas under the Phuket Sandbox programme to welcome foreign tourists and will gradually open up more areas, he said.

Furthermore, Asean must avoid unnecessary measures that may hinder the movement of goods to ensure supply chain connectivity during the pandemic and make greater use of the intra-Asean market to stimulate our regional economy, he added.

Prayut said he hoped the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) could come into force at the intended timeline and that Asean-Canada free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations could be announced soon.

This would help promote an environment conducive to trade and investment and expand commercial opportunities to help entrepreneurs recover from the pandemic, he noted.

Thailand plans to submit the instrument of ratification for the RCEP to the Asean secretary-general in early November to contribute to its early entry into force, Prayut said.

The RCEP is a proposed agreement between Asean members and their FTA partners. The pact aims to cover trade in goods and services, intellectual property, and more.

The Thai prime minister complimented the progress made in using the COVID-19 Asean Response Fund to procure vaccines, and hoped member states would receive these soon.

Myanmar topped the agenda at yesterdays talks between regional leaders, with the country still in chaos following Februarys military takeover and its deadly crackdown on dissent. Facing calls to defuse the crisis, Asean has drawn up a roadmap aimed at restoring peace but there have been doubts over the juntas commitment to the plan.

The bloc had prepared for Myanmar to have a representative at its virtual summit yesterday, but the countrys junta opted to skip the event.

Myanmar has been invited on a non-political level, but until the summit, Myanmar did not deliver its representative, Indonesias Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in Jakarta.

Prayut said Myanmar would be a litmus test for Aseans ability to resolve problems within the region.

Aseans constructive role in addressing this situation is of paramount importance and our action on this matter shall have a bearing on Aseans credibility in the eyes of the international community, he said from Bangkok.

He said Thailand would like to see peace and stability in Myanmar and that it supports the implementation of the five-point consensus for the benefit of its people and the region as a whole.

Hopes are still running high that a special envoy of Asean chair Brunei can visit Myanmar soon.

This would be an important step in the process of confidence-building with the goal of encouraging dialogue among the parties concerned, Prayut said.

The cessation of violence and peaceful resolution of conflict through dialogue with all parties concerned should be a priority, he noted, while calling on Asean to provide humanitarian assistance to all sides.
THAI Sydney to Phuket direct flights to start Dec 8

PHUKET: THAI Airways International will launch three flights a week direct from Sydney to Phuket starting early next month.

tourismeconomicsCOVID-19

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 27 October 2021, 01:59PM

Image: THAI Airways International

Flight TG478 will depart Sydney at 9:30am every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, and touch down in Phuket at 2:40pm, the airline said in its announcement.

The plane will remain in Phuket for 90 minutes before taking off at 4:10pm to continue on to Bangkok, where it will land at 5:10pm.

In addition to launching the non-stop Sydney-Phuket Flights in December, Thai Airways International Chief Commercial Officer Nond Kalinta earlier this month announced that from Nov 1 THAI will be operating flights to Phuket from no less than seven international destinations.

The move was in support of the Governments policy to welcome international visitors to Thailand as of 1st November and in response to increasing demands for air travel on international routes, Mr Nond said.

THAI, as a national flag carrier aiming at reviving the countrys economy and travel and tourism industry, has arranged and adjusted its flight schedules and offered full inflight services as per the latest COVID-19 control measures for its Winter Flight Programme during 31 October 2021  26 March 2022, he added.

THAI Airways Winter Schedule for Oct 31, 2021  March 26, 2022 in support of the Phuket Sandbox campaign is as follows:

Bangkok  Phuket  London (v.v.): three flights per week every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Bangkok  Phuket  Frankfurt (v.v.): three flights per week every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Bangkok  Munich  Phuket  Bangkok: one flight per week every Friday, starting 1 January 2022. Bangkok  Phuket  Paris (v.v.): twice weekly flights every Tuesday and Thursday. Bangkok  Phuket  Copenhagen (v.v.): one flight per week every Thursday. Bangkok  Phuket  Stockholm (v.v.): one flight per week every Friday. Bangkok  Zurich  Phuket  Bangkok: one flight per week every Friday.

News of the new direct Sydney-Phuket flights was first revealed in Phuket by Matthew Barclay, Australian Consul-General in Phuket, speaking at the Joint Chambers Phuket Business Briefing Whats Ahead - Phukets Plan for Kickstarting the Economy, led by the Australian Chamber of Commerce, held at Boat Lagoon Marina a week ago.

We are already seeing early signs that airlines will re-engage with Australia and that Australian airlines will re-engage with Phuket and Southern Thailand very soon, Mr Barclay said.

Since then, Jetstar, the low-cost airline wholly owned by Qantas, has announced it will resume its Sydney to Phuket flights on Jan 12.

The return flights from Australia come as the southern continent reopens to allow its citizens to travel abroad.

Australia will lift a ban on citizens travelling overseas without permission, the government announced Wednesday (Oct 27), with the countrys border set to open to skilled workers and international students by years end, reported AFP.

More than 18 months after Australia closed its international borders, fully vaccinated citizens will no longer have to seek an exemption to leave the country, a joint statement from the health and home affairs ministries said.

It comes as the countrys adult double-dose vaccination rate edged closer to an 80% target.

Home Affairs minister Karen Andrews said that while Australian citizens were currently being prioritised, more travel restrictions  including for some non-citizens  would be eased as vaccination rates increased.

Before the end of the year, we anticipate welcoming fully vaccinated skilled workers and international students, she said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who foreshadowed the changes earlier this month, said Australia was now very close to announcing a reciprocal travel bubble with Singapore, which announced late Tuesday that Australians no longer had to quarantine on arrival.

Qantas flights to Singapore are scheduled to resume on Nov 22.
Thailand Pass to entice more international tourists

PHUKET: Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn is confident that replacing the Certificate of Entry(COE) system with the Thailand Pass system will greatly contribute to the increasing number of foreign tourists when the country reopens next Monday (Nov 1).

tourismeconomicsCOVID-19health

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 27 October 2021, 06:06PM

Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. Photo: NNT

The Tourism Minister boasted a significant rise in hotel bookings under the Phuket Sandbox scheme for November now that travelers from 45 countries and one territory will be allowed to enter the country without quarantine, state news agency NNT reported today (Oct 27).

However, visitors need to provide a negative test for COVID-19 before traveling and take a COVID-19 test on arrival and wait in an approved hotel for the results. After they have been cleared, they will be allowed to travel freely in the country, said the report.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the Thailand Pass system is web-based and designed to make the documentation process for people entering Thailand more efficient. The system collects both travel and health information and will help facilitate the filing of TM6 and T8 forms, NNT noted, repeating many other previous reports.

The system also applies to people who have not been vaccinated or have received just one shot of COVID-19 vaccine and are entering Thailand under the alternative quarantine program, it said.

As Thailand is transitioning from the Certificate of Entry (COE) to the Thailand Pass system, hotel refunds for any seven-day booking are eligible for those unable to apply for Thailand Pass in time,NNT reported.

Travelers from the 45 countries and one territory exempted from quarantine, who booked their accommodations prior to the commencement of the quarantine exemption scheme, are advised to contact their hotels for a full refund. The government has already notified hotel operators regarding this eligibility, it added.

However, despite the reopening of the country to tourists and the launch of the Thailand Pass system being only five days away, the state news agency today had no other details to confirm, including whether the Thailand Pass system will require any less, or different, documentation than the COE.

The Thailand Pass registration website is here.

A notice posted on the websites home page currently reads, Thailand Pass will open for registration on 1 November 2021 at 09.00 hrs. We recommend you to register for Thailands new electronic entry document (Thailand Pass QR code) at least 7 days prior to your travel date.

For travellers who have been granted COE (Certificate of Entry) and will arrive in Thailand from 1 November 2021 onwards, the COE remains valid for entering Thailand. Travellers can update the approved COE with the revised terms and condition of stay complying with new entry regulations by downloading the new COE at the registration website (coethailand.mfa.go.th) or the link from your COE approval notification email.

The COE website also now carries a notice on its home page, advising prospective visitors to Thailand, From 1 November 2021, the Certificate of Entry (COE) registration website will be closed for new registration. The applicant can apply for Thailand new electronic entry document (Thailand Pass QR code) at tp.consular.go.th which will be open for registration from 1 November 2021 at 09.00 hrs. onwards.

The website will allow traveller whose application has been pre-approved to continue their application process to obtain COE from the Royal Thai Embassy or the Royal Thai Consulate-General until 7 November 2021.

For travellers who have been issued COE and will arrive in Thailand from 1 November 2021 onwards, the COE is valid for entering Thailand. The travellers can update the COE format which will mention the condition of stay complying with new entry regulations by downloading the revised COE document at this registration website (coethailand.mfa.go.th) or the link from your COE approval notification email.
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Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High 46F. Winds light and variable.

Tonight

Generally clear skies. Low 24F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.

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Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 48F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
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Coderre, Plante nearly tied in CROP poll

Joel Goldenberg / Ensemble Montreal Montreal Mayoral candidate Denis Coderre at a campaign announcement Friday.

Montreal mayoral candidates Denis Coderre and Valerie Plante are nearly tied in the municipal race leading up to the Nov. 7 election, says a new poll conducted by CROP for Radio-Canada.

The poll has Coderre of Ensemble Montreal at 26 percent, Plante of Projet Montreal at 25 percent and Balarama Holness of Mouvement Montreal at five percent. Luc Menard of Montreal 2021 is at four per cent. A very high 27 percent remain undecided.

It is really difficult to know who will win, because they are neck and neck, CROP president Alain Giguere told Radio Canada. We thought there would be a third person to wedge between [the two front-runners] but the fight is too polarized to allow for someone else to step in right now.

If the older citizens vote more for Coderre and they vote more, it could really be advantageous for Coderre, he added. The challenge for Plante from now until the election will be to get the younger citizens to vote. It should be her number one objective.

The poll was conducted between Oct. 7 anxd 16 and 1,043 eligible Montreal voters were consulted. There is no margin of error.
Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

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Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 6C. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

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Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 2C. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Andy Shanahan gives his daughter Summer, a fifth grader at the Martin Elementary School in North Attleboro, a hug while, at left, his wife Jamielee speaks to their son Wynn, a second grader on the first day of school Aug. 31.
BERLIN (AP)  Angela Merkel took a step closer to political retirement Tuesday after receiving her formal dismissal certificate from the post of chancellor after 16 years in office, though she will lead a caretaker government until her successor is sworn in.

Hours earlier, Merkel attended the opening session of Germanys new parliament in Berlin, taking a seat in the VIP gallery as the recently elected lawmakers met for the first time. Merkel, who first won a seat in the Bundestag 31 years ago, did not run again in the Sept. 26 election.

Lawmakers elected Baerbal Bas, a member of the center-left Social Democratic Party, as speaker of the 736-member lower house. She succeeds Wolfgang Schaeuble, a 79-year-old conservative and former finance and interior minister, who was also the longest-serving member of the last parliament, having first been elected in 1972.

Bas, whose party narrowly beat Merkel's center-right Union bloc, has been a member of the Bundestag since 2009. The 53-year-old was a deputy leader of her partys parliamentary group in the last parliament and its spokesperson on health, education and research.

Bas told fellow lawmakers that she would work for fairer representation of women in parliament. She is only the third woman to head the Bundestag since its creation in 1949.

The responsibility has by far not been spread fairly on all shoulders, she said.

While the Bundestag has more female members following last month's election, women are still a long way from reaching parity in the national legislature. More than a third, or 34.7%, of the new lawmakers are women compared to 31.4% in the previous parliament, according to the German news agency dpa.

Bas emphasized that even though parliament does not yet reflect the full diversity of German society, the new Bundestag has become more diverse, with more immigrant lawmakers and younger members.

She vowed to protect the lower house against hatred and promised, I will defend democracy against its enemies.

The three parties that hope to form Germanys new government said last week they aim to have the countrys next chancellor in place in early December, but acknowledged that they face a complex task.

The Social Democrats, environmentalist Greens and pro-business Free Democrats opened formal coalition talks following a preliminary deal earlier this month, which set out their priorities but left many open questions.

German coalition talks are an elaborate affair, producing an agreement that sets out details of the governments program for its four-year term. They have tended to get longer over the years as the countrys political landscape has fragmented, meaning that elections rarely produce parliamentary majorities for traditional allies.

If the negotiations succeed, the new government will send Merkels center-right Union bloc into opposition after 16 years at the helm. Her likely successor would be Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats, her vice chancellor and finance minister since 2018.

Handing Merkel her dismissal certificate, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier thanked her for steering the country through difficult times, particularly during her final four-year term. He cited the coronavirus pandemic, Britain's departure from the European Union and a U.S. government under President Donald Trump that he said "had little to no interest in the international order and trans-Atlantic partnership.

Merkel last week received a warm farewell from fellow European Union leaders and former U.S. President Barack Obama. Her final weeks as caretaker include representing Germany as the G-20 meeting in Italy and next week's U.N. climate conference in Glasgow.

___

Follow APs coverage of Germanys transition to a new government at https://apnews.com/hub/germany-election
EDWARDSVILLE  Southern Illinois University Edwardsvilles Chris Lynch, PharmD, professor and director of clinical programs in the School of Pharmacy (SOP) has received the Bowl of Hygeia Award by the Illinois Pharmacists Association (IPhA).

Established in 1958, the award s considered one of the professions most prestigious awards, recognizing pharmacists who possess outstanding records of civic leadership in their communities and encouraging pharmacists to take active roles in their communities.

Dr. Lynch has given far and above back to his community not just in Illinois but globally, and his love of patients and community deserves to be honored, said IPhA Executive Director Garth K. Reynolds, BSPharm, RPh, MBA.

As one of the inaugural faculty members in the SOP, Dr. Lynch was one of the first to reach out to the community and establish formal relationships that focus on improving the health of our region, said SOP Dean Mark Luer, PharmD, FCCP. These efforts are having a long-standing impact on others lives and are helping the SOP achieve its mission to improve the health and well-being of the region and beyond.

Lynch co-authored a Health Resources and Services Administration grant that created a clinical pharmacist position within SIHF Healthcare and has to date made available more than $1 million in diabetes medication subsidies for the underserved in southwestern Illinois.

He has served as pharmacy team leader and co-director of the Jamaica Dental Mission since 2006. The program lets student pharmacists serve alongside dental students in providing care to underserved populations. Between 1,200 to 2,000 patients are seen in these clinics each year. Lynch also coordinates donations of hundreds of toys for children seen in the clinics.

I was taught early in life that I must open my heart to those who havent had the advantages I have had, Lynch said. Also, when I was a college student and was struggling to find my place in the profession of pharmacy, I was lucky enough to have a mentor offer his assistance. These things together helped to forge my belief that we each have a tremendous resource for service, and that service is something that can be taught.
SPRINGFIELD  The Illinois Senate on Tuesday evening advanced a measure to repeal the states Parental Notice of Abortion Act.

The repeal bill passed the Senate Executive Committee on a 9-6-1 vote Tuesday shortly after 5 p.m. Three hours later it passed the full Senate 32-22.

Senators representing the Riverbend split on the issue. State Sen. Rachel Crowe, D-Glen Carbon, joined Republican state Sens. Jason Plummer, of Edwardsville, and Steve McClure, of Springfield, in voting against the bill. State Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, voted for the repeal.

State Sen. Christopher Belt, D-Swansea, was recorded as not voting on the bill, which still needs approval in the Illinois House of Representatives.

The current law, the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995, was passed decades ago but ultimately took effect only in 2013 after court challenges. It does not require parental consent, only that a doctors office notify a parent of the childs planned abortion 48 hours prior to the procedure.

Discussion on the repeal bill, an amendment to House Bill 370, centered on whether a parent has the right to be informed by a medical professional if their child was scheduled for an abortion.

State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, asked in a news conference last week why a minor must have parental consent to get their ears pierced or receive a vaccine, but would no longer be subject to parental notification of abortion under the repeal.

Emily Werth with the ACLU of Illinois responded that a pregnant minor in Illinois no longer has to receive parental consent for any medical care.

Advocates for repeal argued that, in some cases, the parent or guardian is the person abusing or trafficking a child and notifying them would create a dangerous situation.

Republicans noted exceptions in the existing law designed to protect victims: if the minor was a victim of physical or sexual abuse or neglect by an adult family member, if the minor is married or emancipated, or if the provider determines there is a medical emergency, or if an adult family member waives the notice in writing. A judge can also waive the requirement and has done so approximately 575 times since the law took effect, Werth said.

The system is complicated and creates significant logistical and emotional burdens for young people, she said.

Faith leaders, including Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Catholic Diocese in Springfield, on Tuesday said the parental notice law serves as a deterrent to abortion. He characterized abortion as murder and said the parental notice act was about parental rights and protecting the mental health of the child.

These laws exist because they protect children from making serious life-changing decisions that they are not yet equipped to make, he said. These laws exist to protect the rights of parents to fulfill the duty that God has entrusted to them, and that no government can take away.

Even with House approval, because the repeal bill did not receive a three-fifths majority it cannot take effect until June 1, 2022, due to a provision in the state constitution that applies to bills passed after May 31.

Ron DeBrock of The Telegraph contributed to this story.
WOOD RIVER  Slain Pontoon Beach Police Officer Tyler Timmins returned to Illinois Wednesday, escorted by more than 100 fellow officers.

Timmins died after being shot Tuesday at the Speedway gas station in Pontoon Beach during the traffic stop of a suspected stolen vehicle.

On Wednesday afternoon, Scott Hyden, 31, of Highland, was charged in connection with Timmins death. Hyden faces two counts of first-degree murder, both Class M felonies; aggravated discharge of a firearm at a peace officer, a Class X felony; unlawful possession of a stolen firearm and offenses relating to motor vehicles, both Class 2 felonies; and unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 3 felony.

Madison County States Attorney Tom Haine announced the charges at the Pontoon Beach Village Hall where Pontoon Beach Police Chief Chris Modrusic and Master Sgt. Elbert Jennings with the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation also spoke. They were surrounded by more than 40 law enforcement officers from multiple departments.

Officer Tyler Timmins dedicated his life to serving and protecting the citizens of Madison County, Haine said. We all thank him  and thank his family  for his incredible and heroic life. We are all grateful for the service of all the first-responders who put their lives on the line for our safety.

Timmins, 36, joined the Pontoon Beach Police Department in April 2020. During his 14-year career he also served with police departments in Roxana, Hartford and Worden.

His body left the St. Louis Medical Examiners office in a Granite City Fire Department ambulance at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. The long procession, led by motorcycle troopers from the Illinois State Police and Missouri Highway Patrol, crossed the Poplar Street Bridge into Illinois before heading north on Illinois 111, through Pontoon Beach and past the gas station where Timmins was mortally wounded the day before.

Roxana firefighters stood at attention in front of their fire station as the procession passed. The wailing of police sirens from more than 100 law enforcement vehicles could be heard long before they reached the turn onto Madison Avenue.

At 7th Street in Wood River, ladder trucks from the Wood River and East Alton fire departments raised a large American flag for the procession to pass beneath.

Hundreds of people lined the streets holding thin blue line flags in support of law enforcement. Some wiped tears from their eyes. Others stood in silence. Nothing could be heard except the wailing of police sirens.

Timmins was brought to the rear of Marks Mortuary at 6th and Lorena streets in Wood River where a large crowd of family and officers gathered to salute and pay their respects as his casket was carried into the funeral home.

Modrusic on Wednesday told of Timmins love for his family, noting that as he was leaving the police department Tuesday morning Timmins was sharing a story about his daughter, Chloe. Modrusic said family was everything to Tyler, and everybody knew that, adding that Timmins truly loved being a cop.

There is no greater love than a man who would lay down his life for a stranger, Modrusic said. Yesterday Officer Timmins paid the ultimate sacrifice.

As devastating as this loss is to his family, us, and the entire law enforcement community, I truly believe if Tyler could tell us anything, he would tell us all he didnt die for nothing, Modrusic said. He died doing exactly what he loved: protecting and serving his community.

The shooting occurred at about 7:50 a.m. Tuesday. According to police, Timmins had stopped what he believed was a stolen car near the recently opened Speedway convenience store at the intersection of Illinois 111 and Chain of Rocks Road.

He was approaching the vehicle when Hyden reportedly opened fire, striking Timmins in the neck. Timmins was airlifted to a St. Louis hospital where he died of his injuries.

Officer Timmins approached the vehicle, the defendant shot Officer Timmins without provocation, and Officer Timmins didnt even have time to draw his weapon, Haine said.

Numerous police officers responded to the scene and Hyden was quickly taken into custody.

Hyden is now held in the Madison County Jail without bond. If convicted, Hyden faces natural life in prison, Haine said, adding his office will seek the maximum penalties.

The first-degree murder charges carry sentences of 45 years to life in prison. The aggravated discharge of a firearm at a peace office charge carries a sentence of 10 to 45 years. The unlawful possession of weapons by a felon charge is punishable by two to 10 years. The unlawful possession of a stolen firearm charge, as well as the offenses relating to motor vehicles, carry a sentence of three to seven years.

Our police are heroes, Haine said. Violent attacks on police are absolutely unacceptable in our community. Those who attack police officers  will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law in Madison County.

Officials on Wednesday declined to discuss details of the case which remains under investigation. Two others were taken into custody Tuesday. Haine said he expects further charges relating to the shooting.
EDWARDSVILLE  Three zoning requests were approved by the Madison County Zoning Board of Appeals at its meeting Tuesday evening.

Autumn Harszy, the owner of property at 1353 1st St. in Cottage Hills, had requested a special use permit to allow the continued placement of a single-wide mobile home.
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.

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Former US Vice President Al Gore has launched a new fund management firm to channel money into companies and projects which have the potential to 'deeply decarbonise' the economy.

Just Climate was launched today ahead of the COP26 meetiing Glasgow, with Gore joined in the venture by financier and former Goldman Sachs boss David Blood.

It has a mission to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees celsius and the backing of Microsoft, Ireland's sovereign wealth fund and a foundation linked to Ikea, among others.

Gore became famous as a climate change campaigner after he left US office and starred in the documentary An Inconvenient Truth.

Al Gore said Just Climate's aim was to challenge 'conventional thinking' about how capital is allocated

Just Climate will invest in projects and companies across energy, transport, industry, buildings, food, agriculture and other sectors.

Investments will aim to support projects that take into consideration several dimensions of a 'just' transition to net-zero: from respect for human rights, preservation of land ownership and local resources, to impact on local pollution and community self-determination.

The launch of Just Climate comes as the investment industry faces increasing pressure to step up its game in tackling climate change and help reach global net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Blood, the former head of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, will chair the new investment house, while Gore will chair its climate impact advisory group.

Shaun Kingsbury, the former boss of the UK Green Investment Bank, has taken the role of chief investment officer.

Kingsbury said the new asset management firm will play a 'critical' role in financing the typically asset-heavy parts of the climate transition.

We urgently need to seriously rethink how capital is allocated in order to deliver real progress Al Gore

Gore, who set up sustainable asset manager Generation Investment Management with Blood in 2004, said Just Climate's aim was to focus on the impact investments can have on climate change, rather than just focusing on financial metrics.

'The sustainable investment industry has grown rapidly in recent years, a welcome development that gives the world a better chance of creating a net zero, prosperous, equitable, healthy and safe society', he said.

'However, the climate crisis now demands an increase in the speed and scale of our collective actions by accelerating our current efforts and at the same time innovating new climate financing models.'

Animal Rebellion protestors in central London yesterday, demanding government support for a plant-based food system ahead of COP26

Gore, who recently said that the entire financial system needed to be reformed if climate change was to be abated, added: 'As a sector, we urgently need to seriously rethink how capital is allocated in order to deliver real progress toward the net zero commitments we have made.

'Just Climate aims to prioritise impact, to challenge conventional thinking and to inspire the sort of innovations that are now required for us to overcome the climate challenges ahead of us.'

Blood said capital flowing into climate solutions today 'is not enough nor is it flowing to all of those places that it needs to be'.

'We believe our investments will have the potential to unlock these transition opportunities and mobilise further capital flows from the rest of the market.'

Just Climate will also seek to help institutional investors provide sufficient quantity of capital to close the climate finance gap, estimated by the United Nations to be $3trillion per annum through 2050 to reach net-zero.

The launch of the new asset manager comes just days ahead of the COP26 world climate conference in Glasgow, where countries will set out their plans to reduce emissions.

Earlier this week, a UN report said global governments' plans to cut emissions in the years ahead are not enough to avert catastrophic climate collapse.

Without more ambitious commitments, temperatures could hit 2.7 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century, according to the UN.
After a year and a half of difficulty, English pubs will be raising a toast to the Chancellor today after he slashed business rates and simplified alcohol duty in a bid to encourage punters back to pubs.

A total of 358,254 hospitality, retail and leisure premises in England have received 17.16billion in rates relief since the onset of the pandemic, according to Atlus Group.

The measures were due to come to an end next year but Rishi Sunak today announced a one-year 50 per cent cut, worth 1.7billion.

Pubs have welcomed Chancellor Rishi Sunak's overhaul of the alcohol duty system

Elsewhere, pubs will be welcoming the 'game changer' reforms to alcohol duty which will see a new, lower rate of duty on draught beer and cider.

Despite a raft of support measures, the industry is still reeling from the impact of lockdowns and are calling on the Chancellor to do more.

Alcohol duty reforms a 'game changer'

The tee-total Chancellor spent considerable time outlining a complete overhaul of alcohol duty with tax cuts on some drinks.

The new rules, which will come into effect in 2023, are a 'radical simplification' of the UK's system of alcohol duty, which Sunak described as 'outdated, complex and full of historical anomalies'.

We will be raising a toast to the Chancellor for his support this week.' Andrew Carter, CEO of English winemaker Chapel Down

Drinks will be taxed in line with how much alcohol they contain, which cuts the rates paid from 15 to six.

This was accompanied with a 'draught relief', a new, lower rate of duty on draught beer and cider which will knock 3p off a pint.

As the share prices of Wetherspoons and Heineken ticked higher, the reforms were also warmly welcomed by pubs and alcohol businesses.

Todd Hibbert, manager of the Bank of Friendship, an independent pub in Highbury, North London said: 'The duty cut is good news for everyone involved in the hospitality trade, and will encourage brewers to innovate, particularly with lower ABV beers, which will help the growth of the low and no alcohol sector and responsible drinking.

'Hopefully this will be just the start of more support from the Treasury as many independent pubs are still getting back on their feet after the pandemic.'

The Campaign for Real Ale, which has long campaigned for alcohol duty reforms, hailed the new draught rate as a 'game changer for cask beer drinkers, cider and perry drinkers and the Great British local.'

British pubs have been hit hard by the pandemic as they were forced to shut shop over three lockdowns

'CAMRA has previously commissioned research that showed that a draught beer duty rate could pull consumption into pubs and social clubs from the off trade, providing a boost to pubs and local economies.'

'We hope that pubs and producers will make sure drinkers see the impact of this revolutionary policy on the price of their pints, to encourage them to return to their locals.'

However, for Paul Jones, managing director and owner of Cloudwater Brew Co, the Budget did little to help small craft brewers.

'These measures feel like they reward people with well-established businesses that have been profitable for decades if not hundreds of years. I dont see what they do to level the playing field, he told This Is Money.

For us it feels as if weve been delivering growth, jobs, revenues in taxes and weve been overlooked.

The smallest and least profitable industry is craft, if we get any benefit from [todays] measures the earliest were going to see this financially is in April 2023.

There will be immense pressure on a great number of craft breweries Were faced with another waiting game. This package today squeezes the smallest and most vulnerable vibrant, progressive, and innovative part of British beer.

Elsewhere, the English wine industry was happy to receive a special mention in today's Budget as Sunak pledged to cut tax on sparkling wines like prosecco.

Andrew Carter, chief executive of English winemaker Chapel Down, said 'the duty saved will enable the industry to create jobs, support families, and bring even more young talent into this exciting, developing sector as it recovers from the pandemic.'

'The Chancellor's patronage will make us more competitive against our worldwide competitors and this change will enable us to reinvest in our business and to continue growing at pace.

'Chapel Down, along with the wider English wine industry, will be raising a toast to the Chancellor for his support this week.'

'Devil in the detail' for business rates

The year-long reduction in business rates will be another welcome relief for British pubs and the wider hospitality sector after months of lobbying.

The Chancellor said up to 400,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties will be eligible for the temporary relief next year, although has not set out its eligibility criteria yet.

Businesses will receive up to 50 per cent off their bill, subject to a 110,000 cash cap per business and will apply in 2022-23 until the revaluation in 2023.

The Government will also freeze the business rates multiplier which will keep the small business and standard multiplier at 49.9p and 51.2p respectively, rather than rising to 51.4p and 52.7p.

It says the move will save businesses 4.6billion over the next five years.

'We very much welcome the Chancellor's move today to extend the 50 per cent business rates relief for the hospitality and leisure sector for the next financial year,' said Kate Nicholls, head of trade body UK Hospitality.

'The devil will be in the detail, though, so we look forward to learning to what extent it will benefit businesses.'

Others are disappointed the Chancellor did not announce a complete overhaul of business rates.

'It's encouraging to see the Chancellor finally act upon the need to reform the business rates system A one-year 50 per cent discount for the retail and hospitality sectors will help some struggling high street businesses, but not all,' said Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of New West End Company.

'By capping the 50 per cent discount at 110,000, the benefit means little to city centre businesses.'

Chris Sanger, EY's Head of Tax Policy added: 'With revaluations moved to every three years, the Chancellor has improved the system.

'However, beyond the immediate cut, this still leaves retailers paying almost five times more in business rates than their share of the economy. The half price offer for the next year will help, but does not address the long-term issue.'

Despite Sunak's optimistic tone, small businesses still have challenging months ahead against the backdrop of rising utility and wage bills and the supply chain crisis. and are calling for the government to go even further.

'Given this toxic cocktail, it is imperative the Government go further to support businesses in our sector,' said Nicholls.

'Hospitality has shown this summer that it has the potential to kickstart the nation's recovery and deliver jobs, growth and investment at pace across all parts of the country but that could grind to a halt next year. It can only lead recovery with the right measures of support in place.'
A Cambridge University college and a Paris museum on Wednesday handed back cultural artefacts looted from West Africa during the colonial era, setting a precedent that will pressure other Western institutions to return similarly stolen works.

Jesus College, Cambridge, returned a sculpture of a cockerel taken by British troops in 1897, one of hundreds of bronzes pillaged from the once powerful Kingdom of Benin, located in what is now Nigeria. The Benin Bronzes are among Africas most culturally significant artefacts.

This is the right thing to do out of respect for the unique heritage and history of this artefact, said Sonita Alleyne, Master of Jesus College ahead of a ceremony at which the cockerel was handed over to a Nigerian delegation.

After being looted, the artefact was given to Jesus College in 1905 by the father of a student. The college, whose crest features a cockerel, announced in 2019 it would return it to Nigeria.

In Paris, the Quai Branly museum handed over to the republic of Benin 26 artefacts stolen in 1892. They are among 5,000 works requested by the West African country, which borders Nigeria.

The handovers mark a milestone in the years-long fight by African countries to recover works pillaged by explorers and colonisers, at a time when numerous European institutions are grappling with the cultural legacies of colonialism.

Some 90% of Africas cultural heritage is believed to be in Europe, French art historians estimate. Quai Branly alone holds around 70,000 African objects and Londons British Museum tens of thousands more.

The Paris ceremony was presided over by President Emmanuel Macron, who said: All young people need to take possession of their countrys history in order to better build their future. The restitution is more than a restitution. It is an entire programme of cooperation.

Germany has agreed to start returning Benin Bronzes held in its museums next year. Britains University of Aberdeen said it would return a Benin Bronze that depicts the head of an Oba (king) on Thursday. It had purchased the sculpture at an auction in 1957, it said.

We really need this, its only the beginning, said Eusebe Dossou, a Benin national visiting the Quai Branly Museum. We want everything returned.

Nigerias government thanked Jesus College for being a trailblazer and said it looked forward the return of other artefacts by other institutions.

The British Museum has spoken about opportunities for sharing and displaying items from its collection in Nigeria, but has never said it would transfer ownership.

SOURCE: REUTERS
The World Bank halted disbursements for operations in Sudan on Wednesday in response to the militarys seizure of power from a transitional government, while state oil company workers, doctors and pilots joined civilian groups opposing the takeover.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets since Mondays coup led by armed forces chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and several have been killed in clashes with security forces.

Burhan has dismissed the joint civilian-military council set up to steer the country to democratic elections following the overthrow of autocrat Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising in April 2019.

He said he acted to stop the country slipping into civil war, but the World Bank decision to pause payments and stop processing new operations is a setback to his plans for one of Africas poorest countries.

After isolation from the international financing system across three decades of Bashirs rule, Sudan achieved full re-engagement with the bank in March and gained access to $2 billion in financing.

I am greatly concerned by recent events in Sudan, and I fear the dramatic impact this can have on the countrys social and economic recovery and development, World Bank President David Malpass said in a statement from Washington.

Abdalla Hamdok, prime minister in the deposed transitional government, had touted World Bank re-engagement as a major accomplishment and was depending on the funding for several large development projects.

The government had instituted harsh economic reforms that succeeded in achieving rapid arrears clearance and debt relief and renewed financing from the World Bank and IMF.

An IMF spokeswoman said the fund was monitoring developments but it was premature to comment.

MARCH OF MILLIONS

Scattered protests took place in Khartoum on Wednesday and intensified at night across the capital, although no new bloodshed was reported.

In one Khartoum neighbourhood, a Reuters journalist saw soldiers and armed people in civilian clothes removing barricades erected by protesters. A few hundred metres away, youths built barricades again minutes later.

We want civilian rule. We wont get tired, one said.

In Bahri across the river, witnesses told Reuters protesters were met with tear gas and heard gunshots on Wednesday evening as protesters came out across the capitals three cities.

In the northeastern city of Atbara, protesters marched and chanted, Down with the military regime.

Neighbourhood committees announced plans for protests leading to what they said would be a march of millions on Saturday.

Workers at state oil company Sudapet said they were joining the civil disobedience campaign to back the stalled democratic transition.

Pilots from national carrier Sudan Airways have gone on strike, their union said, as have pilots from local carriers Badr and Tarco Airlines. Central Bank employees have also stopped work in a further setback for the functioning of the economy.

Doctors belonging to the Unified Doctors Office group of unions also said they were striking. The doctors were one of the driving forces behind the uprising that brought down Bashir.

Power-sharing between the military and civilians had been increasingly strained over several issues, including whether to send Bashir and others to the International Criminal Court, where they are wanted for alleged atrocities in Darfur. Military commanders now leading Sudan also served in Darfur.

Speaking on Tuesday at his first news conference since announcing the takeover, Burhan said the army had no choice but to sideline politicians who he said were inciting people against the armed forces.

U.N. Special Representative Volker Perthes met Burhan on Wednesday and told him the United Nations wants to see a return to the transition process and the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.

Perthes also met Hamdok at his residence, where he remains under guard, Dujarric said. Hamdok was detained on Monday.

The European Unions Foreign Relations Commissioner Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter that he had spoken with Hamdok and expressed support for a civilian-led transition.

SERIOUS RISK

Events in Sudan  Africas third largest country  mirror those in several other Arab states where the military has tightened its grip following uprisings.

Willow Berridge, a Sudan expert at Newcastle University, said it would be difficult for Burhan and the army to suppress street mobilisations against the takeover because of the presence of resistance committees in many neighbourhoods.

My greatest fear is that he will fall back even further on the only legitimacy he can depend on  violence. It is a very serious risk, Berridge said.

Burhan has close ties to states that worked to roll back Islamist influence and contain the impact of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

While Western countries have denounced the takeover in Sudan  which has a history of military coups  those Arab countries have mainly called for all parties to show restraint.

Burhan met with Saudi Arabias ambassador to Khartoum Ali Bin Hasan Jaafar on Wednesday to discuss efforts to resolve the situation through dialog among all relevant parties, Sudans armed forces Facebook page said.

Burhan has also been at the forefront of Sudans steps to normalise relations with Israel.

Sharon Bar-Li, deputy director-general for Africa at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday it was still too early to know if developments in Sudan will have consequences for the normalisation.

The African Union said it has suspended Sudans participation in all activities until the restoration of the civilian-led authority.

Right now, because the military now has power, they have halted the path and taken us back to square one, but that doesnt work for us, said Sudanese citizen Mohamed Ali.

SOURCE: REUTERS
ALBANY  I loved to hear Norman Rice laugh.

It was a vaguely avian sound, a high-pitched, cawing cackle that started deep in his nasal passage and came rushing out of his mouth in a torrent of delight. His hands would flutter with glee and he would sometimes clap them like exclamation points.

When Norman died Friday at 95, Albany lost a cultural icon and I lost a friend of nearly 40 years.

Those in his circle used just his first name. There was never any confusion. There was only one Norman.

He had a singular style. He was the only person that I ever knew in Albany, of any gender or any age, who could pull off a black beret one afternoon and a paisley cravat the next evening -- and not look pretentious.

Norman was born on Aug. 11, 1926, in Salem, Mass. I like to consider it the birth of cool in the annals of Albany. In manners and deportment, though, he seemed to be of another century. Timeless.

He was world-class in several pursuits: world-class art collector, world-class cultural connoisseur and world-class gossip.

The laugh came most readily if I had a juicy tidbit to pass along. Reporters hear lots of stuff. I loved dropping a dollop of fresh chitchat on Norman, like a mound of sugar from one of the antique silver teaspoons he collected. Thats when he made that bird-like sound in Normans house of mirth.

Jollity was not Normans default emotion. No, that would be crotchety. Oh, many have plenty of stories of Norman at his most cantankerous. He was snarky long before the term became common usage. Somehow, it was one of his endearing traits.

He spent a short stint at the Beverwyck senior living community a few years back, but it was not his cup of tea. I cant stand all those old people, he said.

But Norman, I said, youre old. He harrumphed.

Norman did not go gently into that good night. He railed against old age. Its terrible, he said, rolling the Rs, elongating the word into about seven syllables, and snapping it off like a dry twig. He proceeded to enumerate his litany of ailments. It was not a short list.

That was 18 months ago when Norman thought he was dying after contracting a case of severe shingles that infected his eyes. He summoned me. He had two boxes of biographical material he wanted to go through with me. The subtext was that he thought I would be writing his news obituary. Steve Barnes already did that for the Times Union, and did it well.

I dont recall that I ever refused a request from Norman. But I owed him one. Out of the thousands of people I have interviewed, from all walks of life, Norman was the only interview subject who stood me up repeatedly. He just didnt show up at the appointed hour if it was something he didnt want to talk about. Ghosted by Norman.

Norman did not want to be videotaped for a book project on Albany Rural Cemetery we were doing at the newspaper as a fundraiser for the Times Union Hope Fund several years back. My colleague Will Waldron and I got the Norman disappearing act a couple times, but we persisted. It was worth the long pursuit. Will made a wonderful video of Norman in the James family plot in the raking light of sundown. He is bathed in golden hues and waxes poetic about the historic cemetery.

Dr. Skip Casano and Herb Shultz, two longtime friends of Norman, pursued their elusive subject vigorously for more than a year in the hopes that he would yield to an extensive oral history. Norman resisted and they did not get much of substance, they told me. That was Norman. I met with him several times for a couple book projects he wanted me to help him write. Somehow, he never got around to it. It was puzzling. Norman took a ton of history with him.

Norman was Albanys connective tissue between some of its oldest and most noted institutions, the ones to which he gave one-half century or more of tireless devotion: Albany Institute of History & Art, New York State Library, Albany Rural Cemetery and the Fort Orange Club.

In terms of his breadth and depth of knowledge of Albany history, Norman was in a league with perhaps only Jack McEneny, Bill Kennedy and Julie OConnor. Norman was a great carrier of cotton tote bags, which he used as a kind of portable archives bulging with historical articles. He often carried one in each hand when I met him.

Norman invited me to his home on a few occasions. His 19th-century townhouse on Washington Avenue was a museum-quality showcase that he shared with his longtime partner, James Gwynn. With their bespoke suits, crisp bow ties and canes in later years, it seemed like they were dropped in from Oxford, circa 1892. They were elegant gentlemen, conversationalists of the first order, and I enjoyed being invited to join them at lunch at the Fort Orange Club.

Although they never used the word, ever, as far as I knew, they were a gay couple in Albany beginning in the 1950s. They attended as a couple art exhibit openings, fundraising galas, lectures, concerts and society functions. Gwynn was a revered elder at All Saints Cathedral and Norman was an officer at the Fort Orange Club. They were neither out, nor in the closet. They were just Norman and Jim  although Norman never called him anything other than James. They were accepted into the highest echelons of Albany society and revered in an era when that might not have been the case in other places.

I wrote Gwynns obituary when he died in 2015 at 92. I remember Norman was bereft. They had been together for 62 years. He wore Gwynns gold-engraved signet ring on his right pinkie. It bore Gwynns monogram. I noticed that Norman turned the ring with his thumb whenever speaking of his late partner.

Gwynn took art classes as a teenager at the Albany Institute starting in 1937 and set his sights on becoming an artist. After graduating from Albany High School, he moved to New York City, studied at Pratt Institute and was a window designer for Bonwit Teller and other high-end department stores in Manhattan and Philadelphia. He returned to his hometown in the late 1940s and designed store windows in downtown Albany and was hired as an interior decorator by Albanys society set.

Normans father, Bertram Rice, was a banker in Salem and his mother, Edith, was a homemaker. Normans brother, William, had five children and died of early-onset Alzheimers disease. Norman graduated from Marblehead High School in Massachusetts and earned a bachelors degree from Harvard in 1949, with a double major in history and fine arts. He was a member of the Hasty Pudding Club and served as the ticket manager for their theatricals. He also got a masters degree in education from Harvard and was a teaching assistant for professor Joseph Hudnut, the first dean of Harvards Graduate School of Design. Norman decided the classroom was not for him.

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More for you Albany museum giant Norman Rice dies at 95

This was all from a notebook I saved from that long interview on Feb. 12, 2020, when Norman thought he was dying. Its when I finally found out what his middle initial stood for. Shepard. Norman Shepard Rice.

Norman almost accepted a position at the City Museum of New York, just out of Harvard, but was instead recruited to the Albany Institute of History & Art. He started in 1953 at age 27 as a curator. He never left.

The prestigious New-York Historical Society almost stole him away in 1967 and offered him a big job with big pay in Manhattan. I got cold feet, he told me. He went to visit his friend, Albany Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd, who convinced Norman to stay. Corning remained mayor for 42 years, died in office at 73 in 1983, and had a motto: I like being a big fish in a little pond. Norman adopted that adage for himself.

On that long afternoon reverie with Norman, long shadows of dusk reached across the Albany skyline outside his sixth-floor downtown Albany luxury condominium. The light cast an amber glow over the equivalent of museum galleries worth of paintings, art objects, antiques, books, silver, porcelain and curios. He told me a story about each object that he picked up, including the very first object he collected: a miniature Hitchcock chair with a cane seat. He traded his chemistry set for the chair with a classmate in his Salem elementary school. He displayed the chair in his bedroom, near an elegant antique curio case with exquisite pieces inherited from family members of centuries past.

It just became part of my nature, he told me, trying to explain a lifetime spent in pursuit of collecting art, and rare and beautiful objects.

Norman was growing tired. The hour was getting late. I had to ask the unasked questions that hung in the air. Were he and Jim ever harassed for being gay? How did his family react?

Who said we were gay? Norman replied, with a chuckle. He peered over his bifocals and held my gaze.

Dont write this, he said. I put down my pen and closed my notebook. We talked some more.

The last time I saw Norman, about two months ago, was at the Fort Orange Club. He was having lunch at his customary corner booth in the Tap Room with an elderly woman friend. He was badly stooped by age, his chin was resting down by his chest, and when I said his name, he raised his head slowly and looked me over carefully.

My, youve gained weight, Norman said. Norman unfiltered was the best Norman.

Its the Covid 15. All the cool people are doing it, I said.

And then it came, that bird-like screech of mirth, loud and strong. It reverberated across the burnished wood paneling of the Tap Room and carried out over the formal dining room with its elegant furnishings and stately oil paintings that Norman had curated.

I carried that buoyant laugh, a little piece of Norman, out into the afternoon sunshine.

Paul Grondahl is director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com
When New York legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 years and older this year, each municipality was given until Dec. 31 to decide whether to ban or allow marijuana dispensaries or cannabis shops and cafes in their towns. As the clock ticks toward that deadline, marijuana is now on the ballot in at least two Hudson Valley towns on Nov. 2 for voters to weigh in.

The Village of Cold Spring in Putnam County has two marijuana referendums on this years ballot. The first asks whether the village should prohibit state-licensed establishments like cafes and lounges that are designed for on-site consumption of cannabis. The second asks whether the village should prohibit marijuana dispensaries within its borders.

Similarly across the river, the Town of Tuxedo in Orange County has one referendum on the ballot asking whether a local law should be passed to prohibit commercial spaces for on-site cannabis consumption within the town.

Other municipalities in the region have already opted out of either one or both cannabis measures. In Orange County, New Windsor, Goshen, Village of Chester, Middletown, and Crawford have all decided to ban cannabis-based businesses locally; there have been no petitions for it to be on the ballot.

In Putnam County, the town board of Philipstown  the town that the Village of Cold Spring is a part  will vote on Nov. 4 on whether to ban retail marijuana shops and on-site consumption venues. The Town of Southeast was the first in Putnam County, and presumably the first in the Hudson Valley, to opt out in May.

Although the Cold Spring Village Board made the unanimous decision on July 20 to opt out of allowing cannabis dispensaries and businesses for on-site consumption, they also voted to create a permissive referendum.

With a permissive referendum, the issue automatically goes on the ballot, and local residents are not required to submit a petition. This puts the measure before a wider net of residents versus a select few who usually attend town meetings.

The Highlands Current reported that the July public hearing on whether the village should opt out only drew a handful of residents and concluded 11 minutes after it began. And in Tuxedo  which also created a permissive referendum, as well as held a public information session to advise residents of the process and had a public hearing  the numbers supported this approach.

We chose this path that we could put a referendum in front of the voters, so theyd actually be able to weigh in on it, said Town of Tuxedo Supervisor Ken English. Youll never get the amount of people that vote on Nov. 2 to come to town hall and weigh in on it.

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He said town board meetings draw around 20 people, which isnt representative of all town voters. He expects at least 1,000 people to vote in the general election.

According to English, feedback from residents at public hearings reflected a higher acceptance of retail sales from a dispensary, which is why Tuxedo does not have a referendum on the ballot addressing dispensaries. (Three board members voted yes on allowing marijuana dispensaries and English voted no.)

We took the best route forward by putting a referendum together to evaluate what a deep dive into public opinion would be, said English.

New York municipalities have until Dec. 31 to opt out of allowing cannabis retail shops.

New York State has established a 13 percent tax on legal marijuana sales, which includes a 4 percent local excise tax that will be distributed to local governments based on where a retail dispensary is located. Twenty-five percent of this tax revenue goes to the county and 75 percent goes to the cities, town or villages within the county as a proportion of cannabis sales. It is estimated that the marijuana industry could bring in as much as $350 million annually to the state.
Bruce Snow did not put his boat into the Lower Esopus this year, the first time since he built his house on the creek in 2003. The water that he used to swim in as a child, and that he has fished for years, now often flows a murky shade of brown, at higher levels and at a faster rate than was once normal.

The fishing was great, remembers the lifelong Lake Katrine resident. It was just a great place to grow up as a kid.

But ever since New York Citys Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) began regularly releasing water, both clear and muddy, from the Ashokan Reservoir into the Lower Esopus a decade ago, Ulster County residents downstream have inherited a new, almost unrecognizable waterway.

What theyve been doing by releasing so much water, its saturating ground that would normally be dry ... Ive lost about 6 or 8 feet of property from the creeks edge, said Snow.

The fishing opportunities are quickly eroding, too. You talk to anyone who has lived here and has fished the creek  theyll tell you, its nothing like what it used to be. Before DEP started all these releases, they actually had bass tournaments in this section of the creek. They havent had them now in years because theres not that much to fish for.

Complaints of New York Citys management of its Catskill watershed stretch back to over 100 years, when the building of the reservoir submerged roughly a dozen communities and left long-simmering resentments among locals forced to relocate.

In recent history, this David-versus-Goliath battle reemerged around these reservoir discharges, prompting an eight-year-long environmental review that is still ongoing. At the heart of the fight is a series of bad options that many residents and local officials feel has been foisted upon them: release water from the reservoir regularly to manage water levels, or hold it back and face the threat of flooding. Keep too much storm water in the reservoir, or muddy the clean drinking water of 8.5 million New York City residents, and the million residents in Westchester, Putnam, Ulster and Orange counties that rely upon the Ashokans supply.

Now, the DEP is preparing for another major Ashokan project: improving the infrastructure of the century-old reservoir. But the upgrades, set to begin around 2024, will not address the water releases impacting the Lower Esopus, leaving residents like Snow to wonder why the DEP is not seizing the moment to also fix the turbidity issue.

A once-in-100-years upgrade

Bruce Snow

The series of upgrades that will safeguard the reservoir for the next 100 years is named, appropriately, The Century Program. The public comment period and environmental reviews for the project will commence around 2023, while work on intake chambers and other elements of the inner workings of the reservoir could begin in 2024, according to Adam Bosch, director of public affairs for the DEPs bureau of water supply.

More visible work, like replacing Dividing Weir Bridge, is scheduled for 2025-2027. The replacement will be wider to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists and will be built next to the current bridge, allowing for minimal disruption, said Bosch. Its too early to know, he added, whether public access to the popular pedestrian trail over the Olive Bridge Dam, the reservoirs main dam, will be interrupted for the planned upgrades there.

The Ashokan Century Programs wide-ranging scope of work will come with costs likely to surpass $1 billion. In addition to the Dividing Weir Bridge replacement, upgrades to many of the dams and dikes and repairs or replacements of intake chambers and valves, the DEP also plans to rehabilitate the J. Waldo Smith Monument, which commemorates the lead engineer of the reservoirs construction.

The reason that addressing the turbid water releases is not on the list of fixes, said Bosch, is because thats not the intent of the program. Its sole purpose is to upgrade the existing infrastructure thats there to make sure that it continues to work for the next 100 years.

For residents like Snow, this does not compute.

I just know that from being in plumbing, said Snow, who is a plumber by trade, when someone wants to put in a new bathroom, we need to bring everything up to the new code. If theyre going to do a project, they should repair the problems that they have now, and one of the problems they have is turbidity.

The murky history of the Ashokan

Bruce Snow

Turbidity is not new to the Catskills. The beds of its waterways are filled with fine glacial sediments that rainstorms and snow melts stir up, leaving the silty deposits suspended in the water. The steep mountains are a double whammy, forcing precipitation to flow down at a faster pace and pick up more sediments in its journey to water bodies like the Esopus.

Knowing this tendency toward turbidity, the Ashokans original engineers created two basins in the reservoir  the only one of the 19 reservoirs that NYC owns and operates with two catchments.

The twin tubs allow sediment to settle first in the west basin before water moves into the more protected east basin, a system that has generally worked well to manage turbid water in the reservoir, said Bosch  particularly since the water from the Ashokan is unfiltered.

Almost every community in the United States filters their water. New York City is one of the oddballs, said Paul Malmrose, a retired engineer who works as the technical advisor to the Hudson 7, a council representing seven mid-Hudson municipalities that get their drinking water from the Hudson River.

New York City does filter one of its water sources in Westchester. But its Catskills and Delaware water supplies are exempt from federal filtration guidelines through a waiver known as a filtration avoidance permit that the states Department of Health has regularly renewed based upon the citys high water quality.

(Chlorination and UV light kill pathogens before water from the Ashokan reaches taps  but turbidity in the water can make the UV treatment less effective, reinforcing why sediment-filled water needs to settle or be released.)

Building a filtration plant for the Ashokan would remove the need for turbid releases, says Malmrose.

But the city has no plans to build this system  which is estimated by the DEP to cost $10-$12 billion dollars  particularly when the current one is considered safe and successful. A review of the citys watershed from the National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine concurred that there was currently no need for filtration. The review doesnt leave the option out, though, warning, New York City should always be prepared for filtration, even if filtration is not now economical.

I just feel like DEC [Department of Environmental Conservation] and the health department are not really getting on New York City to do the right thing, says Malmrose. I think they have the ability to do it [build a filtration plant]. Theyre just taking the short way out.

But cost is not the only factor in determining whether to build a plant, Bosch counters. Protecting the water at its source is always the better option. ... And its not just our decision, the state as a whole has a stake in our system remaining unfiltered and protecting its watershed.

A filtration plant would also not solve the challenge of turbidity after intense storms, he adds. "We would not send that water to a filter plant if one existed.

The chemical that helped trigger the steady stream of releases

In July 2009, the DEC sent a letter to the DEP, ordering it to cut down on its use of a chemical coagulant called aluminum potassium sulfate (alum) that helps remove turbidity, citing a 1990 court ruling that determined its byproduct, alum sludge, is a pollutant and requires a special permit to use.

Alum is still applied in the Catskill Aqueduct in extreme weather events such as Hurricane Irene in 2011, when it was last used, but as Bosch said, An important tool was taken away from us in the way that we manage these periodic episodes of turbidity.

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Following this letter, the DEP began releasing turbid water from the Ashokan in 2010, but there were no limits on how long the muddy discharges could continue, prompting the DEC to order the DEP to examine the environmental impacts of its releases and set out some interim guidelines to regulate them, which they follow to this day.

Amanda LaValle, Deputy Director of The Ulster County Planning Department, was the head of the countys environmental department when the discharges first began, and when then County Executive Michael Hein called the DEP an occupying nation for its handling of the watershed downstream from the reservoir.

Hein, says LaValle, was just reacting to the double standard the DEP was applying to its own rules upstream of the reservoir, where Ulster residents would not be allowed make the same kind of stormwater discharges if they were occurring in Boiceville or anywhere draining to the Upper Esopus. However, boy the world changes when the DEP wants to do it, and now they're dumping on the downstream, she said.

The price of preparing for storms

Eight years have transpired since the DEP was ordered to submit an environmental review of the impacts its releases have upon the Lower Esopus. By the time the public comment period closed in June of this year, the DEC had received 1,300 comments, which it is still reviewing.

Knowing how long the wheels of government take, Malmrose is anxious to see the DEP seize the moment, and tackle everything  turbidity and upgrades  at once.

New York City is very slow in doing everything, he said, pointing out that the Ashokan turned 100 in 2015. Here they are doing the Century Project, and its not going to be done till 2035. So does that mean that we have to wait till [then] before they can address this turbidity problem?

One way to lower the need for turbid releases in the (relative) short term, he says, is to raise the reservoirs capacity with a Crest Gate so that turbid water has more time to settle in the west basin.

But so far the DEP has determined that there is no viable alternative to their present methods of controlling turbidity, even as climate change threatens to exacerbate the situation.

It would cost billions and billions and billions of dollars to build something you would use once a decade, said Bosch, adding that the DEP has improved turbidity controls over time. A connection between the Delaware and Catskill Aqueducts was established, for instance, to bring more clean water into the water supply.

The modest flood that brought months of turbidity

Roger Hannigan Gilson

On December 16, 2020, the DEP released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Based on their analysis of data from 1948-2017, it claimed there would be very few to no days of highly turbid releases in an average year, so long as releases continue as they currently do  regularly to maintain healthy water flow in the Lower Esopus; periodically to maintain a safe level of water in the reservoir that mitigates flooding; and occasionally when a storm calls for it.

Then came the Christmas storm. One week after the region was hit with 15 inches of snow in parts of mid-Hudson Valley, another storm brought damaging winds and 2 inches of rain that in turn melted that snowfall  and completely shattered their analysis, said LaValle.

Here was a modest flood, she said  a once-in-11-year event, compared to the once-in-100-year Hurricane Irene  and it prompted four months of turbid releases, 30 days of which hit the highest measurement for turbidity on the DEPs own chart  over 100 NTUs, for which it gave a zero percent statistical chance of happening.

Weve now seen proof that [the DEPs] framework is wrong, said LaValle. So you cant go on to say there are no impacts, when fundamentally that keystone of how often this is going to happen was not accurately represented.

LaValle is pragmatic about what the DEP should do. A filtration plant would take decades, but the Century Program is a time to reconsider other alternatives that would take less time and money  such as raising the capacity of the reservoir.

The Ashokan Century project might be a little opportunity to say, Hey, we want to go back to some of these other decisions which have pushed us to this endpoint to look for other options, said LaValle. We really hope that DEC also sees the opportunity, here, to expand the suite of options that we have for the Lower Esopus communities.

Additional reporting by Billy Shannon
Niskayuna's Jene Luciani Sena will appear on "Access Daily" with Kit Hoover and Mario Lopez Thursday.

Sena, who is a best-selling author and national talk show guest, flew out to California this week to host a segment called "the bra revolution" on women wearing the undergarment again after taking an 18-plus month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The freelance writer showcased six styles she says are innovative and on-trend from major brands including SOMA, Essential Bodywear, Maurices, True & Co and SheFit, as well as Sena's own brand currently selling on QVC, called The GemBra by Jene Luciani.

Sena's GemBra went viral on Tiktok when it launched earlier this year.

She also explains if you can get away with wearing a bra as a top like many of the celebrities are doing, and discusses breast cancer awareness month.

This is her second time on the show. She's authored "The Bra Book: an intimate guide to finding the best bras, swimsuits, shapewear and more" and "Get It! A Beauty, Style & Wellness Guide to Getting Your 'It' Together."

"It was great," says Sena of the experience. "It felt great to be back traveling after 20 months, and back in an actual studio after zooming from my dining room."

Check out Sena's segment Thursday. The show is syndicated. You can find out where and when it airs locally here.
Ichabod Cranes fearful pleasure was to hang out with the old Dutch wives by the fire while they were spinning yarn and tales of ghosts and goblins and haunted fields, and haunted brooks, and haunted bridges, and haunted houses, and particularly of the headless horseman, or galloping Hessian of the Hollow, as they sometimes called him.

Every Halloween, I read a spooky classic and this year, before I reread Washington Irvings The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, I took a ride down to his home. Sunnyside in Tarrytown is preserved so well, its frankly a little creepy, but in an enchanting way.

The house was playfully decorated for Halloween. Theres a collection of jack-o-lanterns assembled in front of one of the outbuildings. A skeletal hand reached out from a curtain in the Irvings den, fake rats on the dining table eyed the doughnuts (named by Irving, according to one of the docents) and we were warned to watch out for a giant spider that kept falling off the staircase. Outside, some robust wisteria made its way up the side of the house like some sort of sci-fi mutant plant ready to consume the house.

Irving bought the cottage and then renovated it, adding a charming mishmash of architectural styles, drawn from the Scottish, Spanish and Dutch. The house tour is a pure delight with costumed guides and a well-preserved collection of his furniture. A framed photo of Irvings fiancee, Matilda Hoffman, who died at age 17, sits on the original piano in the living room shrouded in black. Irving never married and was said to have mourned her for the rest of his life. Irving died upstairs.

Despite the trains running right past the house periodically along the Hudson River, you feel as if you walked into a fairy tale. Irving picked this spot because he spent some time in his youth nearby escaping the yellow fever threat in New York City, where he lived, according to Historic Hudson Valley, which runs the site. When he wrote Sleepy Hollow, his love of the area is apparent from the opening lines: In the bosom of one of those spacious coves which indent the eastern shore of the Hudson, at that broad expansion of the river denominated by the ancient Dutch navigators the Tappan Zee. He continues, mentioning Tarry Town, which he said got the name from housewives who referred to their husbands lingering at the taverns on marketing day. Then he writes about nearby Sleepy Hollow and the small brook gliding through it. Years after writing the story, he bought the property in what is now known as Sleepy Hollow Country."

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A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere. I felt that a bit, wandering about the grounds of Sunnyside. Driving to the Old Dutch Church is another story. Traffic was heavy and there was a tour going on at the cemetery. I parked and walked around the church, where the horseman, beheaded by a cannonball, tethered his horse. Irvings modest grave is just up the hill and it stands just a bit taller than the other Irvings buried around him. I eavesdropped on the tour and heard it was the third gravestone since fans used to take chips of his grave as souvenirs. Now, its inaccessible to the public. I drove down to a bridge over the creek, where more tourists were snapping selfies, and shuddered a little, even though its not the actual spot in the story where things take a turn for poor Ichabod. Maybe theres something to this legend, I wondered.

I went home and reread the story and had a new take on it. Instead, I came away with a tale about loss, lore and Irvings love of the Hudson Valley, which is repeated in his other works. Rip Van Winkle describes the lordly Hudson with the reflection of a purple cloud or the sail of a lagging bark here and there sleeping on its glassy bosom, and at last losing itself in the blue highlands. There is something magical about the area.

The ending of Sleepy Hollow is ambiguous. Was it actually a deadly prank by Ichabods competition? Or is there still a Headless Horseman lurking about Sleepy Hollow?

Im going to side with Irving on this one: I am therefore a ready believer in relics, legends, and local anecdotes of goblins and great men, and would advise all travellers who travel for their gratification to be the same.
On the first crisp day of fall, Melanie Falcon went for a run in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

She returned home feeling more worn out than usual. In the days that followed, Falcon  a TV news anchor and reporter who was then 26  endured fever, chills, headaches and fatigue.

She thought it was a bad cold or the flu. When the symptoms persisted for several days, she went to a doctor. They determined it wasn't a cold or the flu, and tested her for Lyme disease, which came back negative. After several more weeks of symptoms, she went to an infectious disease specialist. Additional testing failed to provide answers.

Meanwhile, Falcon continued to feel miserable. That was 2012, and as she worked around the clock reporting on Hurricane Sandy, "I set alarms on my phone to alternate between Advil and Tylenol because my fever and chills were so bad," she said.

By late November, Falcon became so weak and fatigued, she was admitted to the hospital. Yet again, the only thing they found was the possibility of a virus, and she was sent home. Days later, she felt worse and returned to the hospital.

This time, an echocardiogram revealed Falcon had a common congenital heart defect called a bicuspid aortic valve. Instead of having three leaflets, two of hers were fused together, preventing the valve from closing normally. Additionally, her valve had become infected, damaging it and the tissue surrounding it.

Falcon was handed an "open-heart surgery handbook" and tried to prepare for surgery scheduled less than 12 hours later.

"At that point, I wasn't even scared," she said. "I was so sick and felt terrible that I just knew I wasn't going to live if I didn't have that surgery."

Falcon also had to decide what kind of replacement valve she wanted: mechanical or bovine.

She opted for a bovine valve because it would allow her the possibility of having children later, even though it would mean eventually needing another valve replacement.

The next morning, doctors removed the infected tissue from her heart, patched the area around the root of her aorta and replaced the diseased valve.

After cardiac rehab, Falcon returned to running and felt great. She shared her story during her local newscast to raise awareness as she navigated the new world of congenital heart defects.

She also married Brian O'Reilly. And three years after her surgery, she had their first son.

Three years later, she became pregnant with another son. At that time, she also had signs her heart valve was wearing out. She was closely monitored and safely delivered their son, Charlie, in November 2018.

Shortly after that, it was time to think about the next operation. This time, she and O'Reilly had time to prepare. As they consulted with doctors and underwent preliminary testing, they were reminded of something discovered during her first surgery: She had another congenital heart defect.

Simply put, Falcon's coronary artery didn't go where it was supposed to. It's called anomalous coronary artery. It hadn't caused any problems, but it did increase her risk for future cardiac events.

O'Reilly said his wife stayed focused on "taking care of business and that sense of 'I need to be OK for my sons.' I was the one who was freaking out the whole time," he said.

Falcon underwent her second open-heart surgery in November 2019. This time she had two surgeons  one to do the valve replacement and another specializing in congenital heart defects to fix the anomalous coronary artery.

Falcon was back to running 10 weeks after the surgery, a recovery her doctors credited to her pre-surgery fitness level.

Bicuspid aortic valves are often genetic. Since Falcon's diagnosis, screening has detected the condition in her father and 3-year-old son, Charlie; for now, they only need monitoring. Falcon will eventually need a third valve replacement, though she's hopeful it can be done through a less invasive procedure.

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Today, Falcon shares her story at American Heart Association events to raise awareness about congenital heart defects. She's passing along the knowledge she wishes she'd had back when she was trying to figure out her flu-like symptoms.

"I didn't really know anything about congenital heart conditions," she said. "I knew about heart attacks, but that was pretty much it."

Falcon said her experience shows how important it is to advocate for yourself if something seems wrong, including returning to the hospital after being sent home.

"My first surgeon said I probably had hours to live if I hadn't had that operation when I did," she said. "That's scary to look back and think about. Listen to your body and don't be afraid to talk to your doctor. Have a good knowledge base about how your body usually feels and be an advocate for yourself if something seems off."

Even before Falcon had her first surgery, O'Reilly was no stranger to it. When he was in middle school, his father had two bypass surgeries. But this experience opened his eyes to a whole different community of heart patients who were born with their condition.

"Understanding that heart disease can be uncontrollable made me realize how important advocacy was and going to the doctor and understanding your body and how it works," he said. "Heart disease is not just the old guy clutching his chest. It can be everybody and everything."

Stories From the Heart chronicles the inspiring journeys of heart disease and stroke survivors, caregivers and advocates.

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BOSTON, Mass. (AP)  Massachusetts' medical board has reprimanded and fined the head of spine surgery at Boston Medical Center after he left an operating room to eat lunch in his car and then fell asleep and missed an emergency surgery in 2016.

According to a consent order released Monday by the Board of Registration in Medicine, Dr. Tony Tannoury, 54, admitted to falling asleep his car in November 2016. A chief resident performed the surgery after Tannoury missed it, The Boston Globe reported.
CHICAGO (AP)  In the fall of 1976, Carolyn Sanders received an exciting postcard from her brother.

I'll see you soon cause I love you, Francis Wayne Alexander  known to his family as Wayne  wrote to his younger sister. She hadn't spoken with him since his 1975 wedding and hoped the brief note meant he was coming to visit the family on Long Island, New York, for Christmas.

It was the final communication Sanders can remember receiving from her brother, who on Monday was confirmed to be among the victims of John Wayne Gacy, who was convicted of killing 33 young men and boys in the Chicago area in the 1970s and was executed in 1994.

Alexanders family spent the next 40-plus years hoping he had a reason for staying away, trying not to linger on the possibilities.

Decades without a word didnt stop the family from wistfully mentioning Alexander, hoping he would call or even show up for a holiday. Sanders typed his name into Facebook from time to time and their brother Richard Clyde checked some genealogical sites.

I always hoped that he was still out there, and for some reason couldn't call, Sanders told reporters on Tuesday. Not even ... wanting to think of what that reason could be.

It's not clear exactly when Alexander was killed. Investigators said the last known record they found is a parking ticket from January 1976 and that financial records showed he made very little money that year, suggesting he was killed sometime from early 1976 to mid-March of 1977.

Sanders said their mother, who is 87, spoke to Alexander every month and last remembered speaking to him in November 1976, when Alexander asked her to mail his birth certificate to California because he hoped to get a security job.

When Alexander didn't call the following month, Sanders said their mother contacted a California police department to search for him.

Police couldn't locate him at the address the family provided, and their mother wrongly believed the inquiry would prompt a missing persons investigation, said Sanders, who was 14 years old at the time.

This summer, a detective from the Cook County Sheriff's Office contacted the family in search of DNA to test against human remains from a cold case.

Lt. Jason Moran didn't mention Gacy's name at first. Learning the time and location where the remains were discovered still made Sanders fear the worst.

The wait for DNA confirmation that her brother was among Gacy's victims was excruciating, Sanders said.

I remember him as a jokester and yet sensitive, she said. We were seven years apart and he would have tea parties with me. He loved me. He loved us all.

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Investigators don't know how Gacy came to know and target Alexander, who was born in North Carolina and lived in New York before moving to Chicago in the mid-1970s. They said he lived in an area Gacy that frequented and where some of his other victims had lived.

Alexanders remains were among 26 sets that police found in the crawl space under Gacys home just outside Chicago in 1978. Eight victims, including Alexander, were buried before police could determine who they were.

Sheriff Tom Darts office exhumed the remains in 2011 and called on anyone who had a male relative disappear in the Chicago area in the 1970s to submit DNA. Moran said the sheriff's office also partnered with the DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit that compares DNA from unidentified crime victims to genealogical databases.

They found potential relatives for the individual known as Victim #5  distant cousins of Alexander  and the sheriff's office then asked Alexander's mother for immediate family members' DNA samples.

Clyde, who provided one of the samples that confirmed his brother's identity, said the advancement of DNA testing and genealogical data brought Wayne to us.

It's a miracle, he added.

Sanders said her family is still in shock but that everyone will rely on each other and their faith as they mourn her brother.

He suffered, I'm sure, she said. But he's not suffering anymore.
ALBANY  Greyhound Lines and Amtrak plan to resume their bus and train routes to Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver next month after shutting them down for more than 18 months due to COVID-related travel restrictions. Greyhound began to sell tickets on Tuesday for trips on or after Nov. 8 along the cross-border routes.



The closure has impacted many smaller communities across the Northeast, which depended on the routes both to bring in commercial traffic and to allow residents without cars to leave town.



There havent been any buses for months, said Plattsburgh resident Stephanie Wilkins. Theres pretty much no way to get out, because the trains havent been running either. So most people have to take a taxi over an hour away, which can get pretty crazy.



Wilkins manages the Route 9 Mountain Mart, a convenience store attached to a gas station that doubles as the small citys Greyhound terminal. When bus routes between Albany and Montreal are running, the shop gets a commission from each bus ticket they sell and receives packages for shipping.



It's a weird thing that the Greyhound brings. It brings a lot of refugees, it brings a lot of Canadians, it brings  we no longer have the parolees that the jail used to drop off before they got on the buses, Wilkins said, noting that this last group often bought items at the shop.



The Mountain Mart has started ordering less snacks and candy as a result, though Wilkins said a lot of their products are not coming in regardless due to supply chain disruptions.



The resumption of Greyhound bus routes is another step toward normalcy in cross-border travel, even with Canadas test requirements, said Garry Douglas, president and CEO of the North Country Chamber of Commerce. But it also will restore service for many traveling within the state on this route, including many college students and seniors.



The Canadian government modified its border restrictions to allow vaccinated Americans to enter the country on Aug. 9, which brought a flurry of family reunification trips and New Yorkers visiting friends and second homes for the first time since the pandemic began. But its testing requirements and pre-arrival check-in system through the ArriveCAN app has disincentivized casual shoppers and day-trippers.



Earlier this month the federal government announced it would follow suit sometime in November, opening the land border to foreign travelers who can show proof of COVID-19 vaccination after many months of a policy that allowed land border crossing for only a strict set of essential trips.



"Greyhound is just as excited as our customers to resume cross-border travel to Canada," said Greyhounds chief commercial officer, Rob Friedman, noting in a statement that the change comes just before the winter holidays.



Amtrak has not yet begun sales or set a date for resumption of its cross-border routes, but representatives have said that the rail service is working with federal agencies to determine timing and new safety procedures.



We hope to resume passenger rail service between our two countries a short time after the borders reopen, said Jason Abrams, an Amtrak spokesman.



Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, both Greyhound and Amtrak have had to cut back their seats significantly, though other key New York routes have been resuming this fall.



The federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics has tracked the impact of the pandemic on travel within the U.S., including the sharp reduction in passenger trips of every type after March 2020, which has forced passenger bus and train companies to adapt and, in some cases, to cut their losses.
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SCHENECTADY  A temporary ice rink will be open in December on a patch of land in Mohawk Harbor, the condominium, retail and restaurant complex next to Rivers Casino & Resort.

The rink will be built next to the Druthers Brewing Company location. It will be open December to February.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Another group of workers is suing Los Alamos National Laboratory over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, arguing that the requirement discriminates against employees who sought religious or medical exemptions.

The complaint was filed Friday in federal court by the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based law firm, on behalf of eight workers. Under the lab's policy, those with religious exemptions have to use vacation time or go without pay until they are allowed to return to work, and it's up to lab management to determine when its safe for them to return.

This is discrimination, pure and simple, special counsel Tyler Brooks said Tuesday in a statement. Los Alamos claims to have offered exemptions for those who have sincere religious reasons for not taking a mandatory COVID vaccine, but their one-size-fits-all so-called accommodation is flagrantly illegal. Accommodation by termination has never been a lawful option.

The lab said Tuesday in a statement that its most important asset is its workforce and that vaccination is the best tool it has to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at the lab, where nearly 99% of workers are vaccinated. However, the lab did not address questions about what protections it might offer its workforce given that state health officials repeatedly have warned that vaccinated people can still become infected and spread the virus.

The latest data from the state Health Department shows 27% of cases reported over the last four weeks have been among vaccinated people. Health officials have said they expect this number to increase as immunity wanes.

An effort by more than 100 engineers, technicians and other workers who sought to put the vaccine mandate on hold was rejected by a state district judge earlier this month, clearing the way for the lab to begin firing workers. Lab Director Thomas Mason told employees during a recent meeting that 185 workers had left over the mandate. About two dozen were granted medical exemptions, and more than 150 were granted religious exemptions.

The lab employs nearly 14,000 people.

The lawsuit argued that the lab refuses to detail its criteria for determining when COVID-19 levels are low enough for employees on leave without pay to return to work.

Defendants' approach is designed to maximize the uncertainty and anxiety of those employees ready and willing to return to their jobs in an effort to force compliance with their mandate despite recognizing that plaintiffs and others have a bona fide religious exemption to taking the vaccines, the complaint reads.

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Lawyers for the workers said their clients stand to lose professional standing as well as security clearances as a result of the mandate.

The birthplace of the atomic bomb, Los Alamos is one of the nation's premier nuclear weapons facilities. It's under pressure to begin producing key components for the nation's nuclear arsenal and it conducts research on a wide range of topics from public health to energy infrastructure.

The law firm had asked Mason to revisit the vaccine policy but he declined, stating that the policy complied with state and federal laws.

Brooks noted that in Tennessee, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against Oak Ridge National Laboratory's vaccine mandate based on similar claims.

Aside from civil rights and constitutional violations, the lawsuit argued that the lab has refused requests for medical accommodations for those workers who have fully recovered from COVID-19 and have natural immunity.
SARATOGA SPRINGS  Business for Good sparked excitement in Albany with a sign in the window of the former Lombardo's Restaurant announcing Hattie's Chicken Shack, another iconic brand, is moving into the building, but it is only one of many moves the new philanthropic foundation has made in the last 10 months.

Ed and Lisa Mitzen, the founders of the Business for Good, announced in June BFG was the new owner of Hattie's  along with the news that all employees were getting a raise and health insurance paid for by the company. Previous owners Beth and Jasper Alexander will continue to operate restaurants in Saratoga Springs, Wilton, Albany and the location at Saratoga Race Course that is open during racing meets. Hattie's profits will go back into the community. The Bread Basket in Saratoga Springs, also owned by BFG, has the same model.

BFG has made $5.4 million worth of donations to 25 local nonprofits since Jan. 1. The recipients vary widely in mission and location. Wellspring in Malta, which received $500,000, is dedicated to victims of relationship and sexual abuse. The Frank Chapman Memorial Institute, a service organization in Arbor Hill, received $250,000; BFG gave $200,000 to the Multi-Craft Apprenticeship Preparation Program, which provides vocational training. The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region will use $1 million from BFG to further advance philanthropy in the Capital Region.

The Mitzens are moving fast because Business for Good has been long in the making. Giving away money to help people was something they talked about when they first met, more than 15 years ago. Both are successful in their own careers  he is the founder of several successful marketing agencies, most recently Fingerpaint Marketing  and she has a long career in the mortgage industry. In December 2020, Ed Mitzen sold a portion of Fingerpaint to the private equity group Knox Lane. The move put money on the table the Mitzens could then use to launch the foundation.

All the donations target equity in education, housing instability or food insecurity. Oh, and Ed Mitzen bought an ice cream truck, which will give away ice cream in Arbor Hill, Fort Edward and other neighborhoods kids might not see an ice cream truck all that often.

Lisa Mitzen says her husband has an incredible mind, great vision and amazing ideas. She's the detail person in the partnership.

"We always say he's the visionary riding in on an elephant with a top hat on and I'm behind him with a shovel, cleaning up and making things happen," Mitzen said.

The couple hired South End native Jahkeen Hoke, known for his work in the new South End Community Collaborative, to be the CEO of the foundation. The Mitzens were already well known in Saratoga Springs, especially because of their commitment to build a Code Blue shelter in the city, but they wanted to expand their reach. Hoke said when he met with Ed Mitzen, he talked about organizations in Albany "that haven't been recognized to the extent they could to grow and make a difference."

Hoke points to BFG's $250,000 donation to Feed Albany, which mobilized to bring packaged meals to people hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly food service workers who used to get their meals at work.

Beyond making gifts of money, BFG is investing in businesses it wants to see grow and can do so with guidance and marketing assistance. Wallace Turner Law is the first example of an "accelerated" business in BFG's portfolio.

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BFG's fast-moving approach has made for thrilling surprises in the Capital Region. At the Open Door Mission in Glens Falls, President and CEO Kim Cook said one of her leaders met someone from Business for Good at an event in Saratoga Springs. Lisa Mitzen and operations manager Alexa Andujar came for a tour, and in their next visit, announced BFG would donate $500,000 toward Open Door's ongoing project to renovate its building. Open Door is working toward tripling its current capacity by opening up 52 beds within its facility.

"I'm not a crier or a screamer but I wanted to cry," Cook said. "I just kind of froze for a second."

Open Door has come up with naming opportunities for portions of a more than $5 million project to renovate 226 Warren Ave. The Business for Good name will be on the second floor, where offices and classrooms for the mission's Life Path program will be located.

At Wellspring, Executive Director Maggie Fronk had long known the Mitzens, and went to them to talk about a new, 8,000-square-foot building in Malta. Fronk was poised to kick off a fundraising campaign when the pandemic started. She at first halted the launch until domestic violence started to rise and she realized the need couldn't wait. Wellspring raised $3.1 million in less than a year. BFG's contribution paid for a community wing.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  A California police officer was convicted Tuesday of assault with a firearm in the 2018 fatal shooting of an unarmed mentally ill man who was shot nine times while driving away from police in a wealthy San Francisco suburb.

An attorney for the man's family called it a major step forward in holding law enforcement accountable.

After deliberating barely two days, the jury delivered a split verdict in the case against Officer Andrew Hall, who now faces up to 17 years in prison. They agreed Hall was guilty of the felony charge of wrongfully firing his gun in the death of 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda.

But the jury deadlocked on another and more serious count of voluntary manslaughter. Halls sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 14, according to the Contra Costa County district attorneys office, which says it is deciding whether to pursue a retrial on the manslaughter charge.

The case marked the first time a police officer was charged in an on-duty shooting in Contra Costa County, east of San Francisco, and is part of a push by more prosecutors to punish police misconduct after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis set off nationwide calls for social justice.

Todays guilty verdict holds accountable defendant Andrew Hall for his excessive use of force in the fatal shooting of Laudemer Arboleda, District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement. His actions were not only a crime, but they tarnished the badge and they harmed the reputation of all the good, hard-working police officers that work for our community.

Becton faced criticism for spending more than two years reviewing the case before filing charges on April 21, 2021. The announcement of charges came a day after a jury convicted Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin of killing Floyd.

It also came six weeks after Hall, who is white, shot and killed another man, Tyrell Wilson, a Black homeless man whose family said was suffering from depression and paranoia. The shooting of Wilson remains under investigation.

The fatal shootings  in a span of 2 1/2 years by the same officer  cast a spotlight on what criminal justice activists call a case of delayed justice and its deadly consequences. The Contra Costa Sheriffs Office, which has a contract to provide police services to Danville, had cleared Hall of misconduct after its own nine-month investigation into Arboledas shooting.

Civil rights lawyer John Burris, who represents Arboledas family in a separate civil lawsuit, said the assault conviction offered a measure of justice to the family but also left them disappointed.

For them there was no acknowledgement that (Arboleda) was killed wrongfully by the police. They thought he should have been charged with murder, not manslaughter, said Burris, who nonetheless felt the verdict showed progress.

It sends a message to other police officers that clearly you can be prosecuted and you can be convicted, said Burris, whose roster of high-profile police violence cases includes Rodney King and Oscar Grant.

Its a major step forward in looking at holding police officers accountable, Burris said. This was important. Is it a George Floyd ramification? Perhaps. But I also think its a drumbeat of what has taken place over the past 30 years from Rodney King to now.

During Halls three-week trial, prosecutors and defense attorneys presented competing narratives, alternately asking the jury to sympathize with the officers need to make split-second decisions or the troubled victim whose only crime was not stopping for police.

The events unfolded on Nov. 3, 2018, after a resident called 911 to report that a man later identified as Arboleda was knocking on doors and lingering outside homes in a Danville cul-de-sac. When officers arrived, they saw Arboleda get into into his car and drive away.

Arboleda led officers on a 9-minute, slow-speed chase through Danville. Hall was not involved in the initial pursuit but stopped his vehicle at an intersection to block Arboledas car. Police video shows Hall stepping in the path of Arboledas vehicle and firing a volley of shots into the windshield and passenger-side window.

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Prosecutors argued Hall used excessive, unreasonable and unnecessary force. During opening remarks prosecutor Colleen Gleason presented dashboard and bodycam footage showing Hall jumping out of his car, running up to Arboledas vehicle and firing repeatedly into the cars windows.

The defendant fired 10 shots into the slow-moving vehicle of a mentally ill man, Gleason said. Nine of the bullets hit Arboleda, who had periodically shown signs of depression, but began displaying concerning behavior in the months before his death. Just months before his encounter with Hall, Arboleda was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital for three weeks and prescribed medication for psychosis and schizophrenia, his family has said.

Halls lawyers said the officer feared for his safety, and used body cam footage from different angles to show the right front tire of Arboledas car was pointed at Hall when the shooting started, indicating it was heading in his direction.

During the trial, defense attorney Harry Stern emphasized the quick life-or-death decisions Hall had to make.

Really this comes down to about a two-second window, Stern told reporters earlier in the trial. Thats what this case is all about.

Stern could not immediately be reached for comment after Tuesdays verdict.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the jury deadlocked on a second count of voluntary manslaughter.
SCHENECTADY  The uproar around Schenectady High School becoming a closed campus, as well as the district doubling the time students spend in individual classes, might serve as a teachable moment.

Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr. during a recent interview accepted some of the blame following a walkout and peaceful protest last week, and complaints from some high schoolers during the last board meeting, about their lack of input before the changes took effect a few weeks ago.

"The goal is that I am going to work with them and try to keep having the dialogue  but at the end of the day we are the adults in the organization, and its important to have feedback from them. So, for me, the lesson learned is lets continue to have the dialogue and continue to talk to kids, he said.

Soler said hes looking at having student representatives be part of the school board.

Still, Soler, who is in his first year on the job, was adamant that the district needed to make the changes in response to current circumstances, such as an increase in student fights and violence as well as the challenges of some students returning to in-person instruction after 18 months of remote learning.

"I know the block scheduling wasnt ideal for the kids, I know (classes) went from 43 minutes of instruction to 90 minutes of instruction, and I think what I really heard from kids was If it was better communicated or if maybe we were involved more, maybe we would have understood.' ... What wasnt said is that we did do assemblies with all the grade levels the week before, allowing for dialogue, he added. The issue was not so much 90 minutes, the issue was how it was done, and I cant disagree.

On Friday, a police spokesman said since the start of the school year police have responded to the high school 10 times for a "report of a fight, assault, or at the request of the school that there may be a fight after school."

The longer class sessions are intended to reduce the time students spend changing classes during the school day. Officials contend this will limit opportunities for fights to break out and coronavirus to spread. Adopting a closed campus, where only seniors are allowed to leave during lunch, educators believe, will also curb trouble.

Soler noted that the district delayed putting the changes in place to make sure that staff had a little bit of time to prepare.

High schooler Marina Tchako, who identified herself during the board meeting as the organizer of the Oct. 18 walkout, argued that 90-minute classes are tiring and stressful for her and her fellow students.

"As a student that's not in the hallways, I don't see how this really helped me out at all," said Tchako.

She also mentioned that the Batavia school district, where Soler worked previously, uses block scheduling.

"I think that coming to (Schenectady schools), and doing the exact same thing, unless we have the exact same demographics, I don't see how that is there to benefit us," said Tchako, who is also 2023 class president.

Trey Tillman, a high school senior, also railed against being in class for 90-minute stretches.

"I think containing students and forcing them to be in a situation where they don't feel comfortable is not helping at all," he said, adding that "communication and people involving yourself in the students lives helps a lot more."

Soler said while Batavia does have block scheduling, it was in place there before he took over.

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He pointed out that the high schools in high-performing districts like Niskayuna and Shenendehowa both use block scheduling.

Another sore point for students seemed to be that now only seniors can leave the building for lunch.

When I heard that all the students were leaving the building for lunches, that was problematic ... so what we did was we went back to what the policy should have been, which is just seniors with parental permission, said Soler. I think its an invitation for things to go wrong when you just let kids just leave campus.

Soler said after the school board meeting he sought out Tchako and the other speakers to let them know he appreciated their input, and there seemed to be a consensus that there would have been less pushback from students if the school year had started off with the longer classes.

I said, Look its probably not going to change again ... we need to have some consistency, but what I do recognize is that we've got to have some dialogue moving forward as we look to continue to improve the high school, he said.

Mike Silvestri, a vice president of the teacher's union, said he is encouraged by the changes Soler has made at the high school and is "in awe of our members' ability to pivot their teaching to a new model at a moment's notice."

Gherian Foster, another speaker, said getting buy-in from the students might have made all the difference in the world.

"There's a real issue in them not having input in something that's going to impact their everyday life," she told the board. "These are humans, and they live in Schenectady and they are all residents, and so we have to ask them their input," he said. "I think if we would have asked them, educated them on block scheduling, and asked them how they felt about it, they might have actually liked it, but because you told them this is what we're going to do, they're revolting."
CAIRO (AP)  Sudanese security forces detained three prominent pro-democracy figures overnight, their relatives and other activists said Wednesday, as internal and international pressure mounted on the country's military following its coup.

The arrests came as protests denouncing Mondays takeover continued in the capital of Khartoum and elsewhere, and many businesses shut in response to calls for strikes. The coup threatens to halt Sudans fitful transition to democracy, which began after the 2019 ouster of longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising.

Groups of protesters  in some places, dozens, in others, hundreds  set up barricades of stones on main roads throughout the day. Security forces waded in, chasing demonstrators and dismantling the barriers.

It looks like a hit-and-run process, they remove, and we build, activist Nazim Sirag said.

Some protesters were shot and wounded, activists said, though they did not have exact figures. Security forces confronting demonstrators have killed at least six people since Monday and wounded over 140 others, many in critical condition, according to physicians with the Sudan Doctors Committee.

Prominent rights defender Tahani Abbas said the pro-democracy movement would continue street protests despite the crackdown.

We are frustrated, she said, but we have no other option but the street.

In a nod to deteriorating security conditions, the State Department authorized nonessential personnel and the families of all government employees at the U.S Embassy in Khartoum to leave Sudan due to civil unrest and possible supply shortages.

The coup came after weeks of mounting tensions between military and civilian leaders over the course and pace of Sudan's moves toward democracy.

The African Union suspended Sudan  an expected move typically taken in the wake of coups. The AU Peace and Security Council said via Twitter on Wednesday that the suspension would remain in place until the effective restoration of the civilian-led Transitional Authority, as the deposed government is known.

The AU plans to send a mission to Sudan to hold talks with rival parties.

The World Bank also suspended disbursements for its operations in Sudan, whose economy has been battered by years of mismanagement and sanctions and was dealt a blow when the oil-rich south seceded in 2011 after decades of war, taking with it more than half of public revenues and 95% of oil exports.

We hope that peace and the integrity of the transition process will be restored, so that Sudan can restart its path of economic development and can take its rightful place in the international financial community, bank President David Malpass said in a statement.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's now-deposed government had embarked on a series of reforms meant to transform the countrys economy and have the nation rejoin the international community after over two decades of isolation under al-Bashir.

In May, the World Bank said it had allocated $2 billion to Sudan to finance big infrastructure projects along with others over the next 12 months, after the U.S. provided bridge financing of $1.15 billion to Cleese Sudans overdue payments to the global financing body.

Following widespread international condemnation, the military allowed Hamdok and his wife to return home on Tuesday night. Hamdok, a former U.N. economist, was detained along with other government officials when the military seized power.

Several Western embassies in Khartoum said Wednesday they will continue to recognize Hamdok and his Cabinet as the constitutional leaders of the transitional government of Sudan.

In a joint statement, the embassies of the European Union, the U.S., the U.K., France and several other European countries called for the release of other detained officials and for talks between the military and the pro-democracy movement.

EU foreign affairs chief Joseph Borrell tweeted that he spoke with Hamdok on Wednesday to voice his support for the return of a civilian-led transitional government as the only way forward.

We dont want Sudan to go back to dark hours of its history, he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken also spoke with Sudanese Foreign Minister Mariam al-Mahdi about how to support the civilian-led transition to democracy, and condemned the military takeover.

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The general leading the coup, Abdel-Fattah Burhan, has pledged to hold elections, as planned, in July 2023, and to appoint a technocrat government in the meantime.

Burhan met Wednesday with Saudi Ambassador Ali Hassan bin Ghafar to discuss efforts to resolve the crisis through consultations with all concerned parties, the Sudanese military said.

But critics doubt the military is serious about eventually ceding control, noting that the coup came just weeks before Burhan was supposed to hand over the leadership of the top ruling body, the Sovereign Council, to a civilian. The council, which was made up of both civilian and military leaders but led by a general, was the ultimate authority in the country, while Hamdoks transitional government ran day-to-day affairs. Both were dissolved in the coup.

Volker Perthes, the U.N. special envoy for Sudan, met Wednesday with Burhan and reiterated the U.N.s call for a return to the transition process under the constitutional document and the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained.

Perthes also met Hamdok in his residence where he remains under guard, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

The activists taken overnight were Ismail al-Taj, a leader of the Sudanese Professionals Association, the group at the forefront of the protests that brought down al-Bashir; Sediq al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, a leader in Sudans largest political party, known as Umma and brother of Foreign Minister Mariam al-Mahdi; and Khalid al-Silaik, a former media adviser to the prime minister.

The three have been outspoken critics of the military takeover and have called for protests. Already, tens of thousands of Sudanese have taken to the streets, and activists are planning a mass demonstration on Saturday.

Al-Silaik was detained moments after he gave an interview to broadcaster Al-Jazeera, according to his wife, Marwa Kamel. In the interview, he criticized the militarys takeover, calling Hamdok and his government the legitimate administration of Sudan.

What Gen. Burhan did is a complete coup. ... People will respond to this in the coming days, al-Silaik said.

Activists Nazim Siraj and Nazik Awad and the Umma party confirmed the arrests of the other two figures.

When Burhan dissolved the Sovereign Council and the transitional government on Monday, he alleged that the military was forced to step in to prevent the country from sliding into civil war. But he had repeatedly warned he wanted to delay the transition to civilian leadership of the council.

Meanwhile, flights in and out of Khartoums international airport resumed Wednesday, a day after the countrys Civil Aviation Authority said they would be suspended until Oct. 30.
Paul Buckowski

ALBANY  An employee in the state's Department of Taxation and Finance faces a felony drug charge after State Police said he left 6.5 grams of cocaine and a scale for measuring drugs at work.

Police said they charged him with felony sale and possession of a controlled substance but so far it is unclear if the alleged sale took place at work.
TROY  The story of Vanessa Milligan, who was murdered in 2014 just a week away from giving birth, has been retold by the true-crime program Fatal Attraction on TV One. The episode draws on Times Union articles as well as interviews with family members, friends, prosecutors and reporters.

Milligan's death at the hands of 18-year-old Gabriel Vega is told in the episode entitled Blazing Betrayal, which can be seen on TVOne or in the player below:
ALBANY  A state trooper has been charged with murder and manslaughter for allegedly using his police cruiser to ram a car occupied by four members of a family, killing Monica Goods, 11, when the family's vehicle flipped over.

State Attorney General Letitia James announced the indictment of Trooper Christopher G. Baldner on Wednesday. The incident took place on the state Thruway in Ulster County in December. The trooper also was charged with felony reckless endangerment for a similar incident in September 2019 when he allegedly rammed a motorist's minivan, causing it to careen into a guardrail.

The indictment also accuses Baldner, who is 43 and lists a Catskill address, of endangering the lives of three passengers in another vehicle in September 2019, when their car was also allegedly rammed by Baldner's police car during an incident.

State Police did not immediately say whether Baldner had faced discipline for any of the incidents in which he allegedly rammed vehicles with his cruiser. The agency also could not immediately confirm whether he was the first trooper charged with murder for an incident occurring in the line of duty.

Baldner was arraigned by Ulster County Judge Bryan Rounds Wednesday and was remanded. If Baldner makes a bail application the hearing will take place Nov. 4.

Police officers are entrusted to protect and serve, but Trooper Baldner allegedly violated that trust when he used his car as a deadly weapon and killed a young girl, James said, referring to Monica's death. While nothing will bring Monica back, we must hold law enforcement to the highest standards, which is why my office is committed to seeking justice in this case.

Baldner is white and Monica Goods was Black. The attorney general's office has declined to respond to questions about whether race was a factor in any of the incidents.

State Police issued a statement noting Baldner, who became a trooper in 2002, "surrendered this morning and was immediately suspended without pay."

"The State Police investigated this matter and cooperated with the (attorney general's) office and will continue to do so," the State Police statement said. "As with every state police investigation, our mission is to determine facts and ensure that justice is served, even when it involves one of our own members. Accountability is critically important to our agency."

According to James' office, the incident took place about 11:40 p.m. Dec. 22. Tristan Goods was driving north on the Thruway with his wife and two daughters, aged 11 and 12, on the way to visit family for Christmas.

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Near mile marker 92, in Ulster County, Baldner was on patrol in his marked State Police vehicle and stopped the Goods car for speeding. During the stop, Baldner pepper sprayed the interior of the car and Goods sped away, the attorney general said. During the pursuit, Baldner "twice rammed his police vehicle into the rear of the Goods car. Upon the second strike, the Goods car flipped over several times and came to rest upside down. The impact ejected Monica Goods from the car, and she died," the attorney general's office said in a release.

The reckless endangerment charge stems from a similar incident at in September 2019 when Baldner allegedly used his marked State Police vehicle to ram the rear of a 2018 Dodge Caravan driving southbound on the Thruway in the town of Ulster. The minivan spun around and crashed into a guardrail in the median as a result of the crash, which took place about 7:45 a.m. The indictment does not indicate the driver, Jonathan Muthu, suffered any injuries.

The attorney general's office intervened as prosecutor in the case under an executive order signed by former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo that empowered that office to investigate instances in which civilians are killed during encounters with police.

Trooper Thomas H. Mungeer, president of the New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association, said their organization "sends our condolences to the family of the child who died in the December 2020 crash."

"We respect the legal process and are preparing for the next step, which will be to provide legal representation to the involved trooper, a right afforded to every American citizen tried by a jury of peers," Mungeer said in a statement. "As this case makes its way through the legal system, we look forward to a review and public release of the facts, including the motorists reckless actions that started this chain of events."

Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan called the grand jury's decision "a major step towards justice for Monica, her family, and our entire community. While nothing will be able to bring her back, the grand jurys decision to charge state Trooper Christopher Baldner for his involvement in the death of Monica Goods, and for two other incidents, is a critical first step in finally bringing justice to her and her family."
The announcement that the planned 650m hydro-electric station proposed for Silvermines is to go to planning in the first quarter of 2022 has been welcomed by local TD Alan Kelly.

Deputy Kelly was Minister for the Environment when he helped launch the initiative - Ireland's largest sustainable energy project - back in 2016.

The project, which is backed by institutional and private investors, is very much on course for its 2023 planning application, according to its CEO Darren Quinn, and still on target for 2028 commissioning.

Deputy Kelly said that he had been supporting the project from the outset and pushing it because he had always seen it as absolutely necessary for Irelands future power needs.

The reality facing us as a country now is that this project is essential. We are facing power shortages in Ireland if we dont plan ahead. Ive raised this in the Dail multiple times recently and the Taoiseach couldnt give a guarantee that the lights would stay on, he said.

Deputy Kelly said that the pump storage technology planned for the Silvermines would give us latency and provided a battery type of storage to help with our energy demand by generating 360 megawatts of electricity.

We need to get this built and we need many other projects like this too that will reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and use our natural environment to serve our energy needs, said Deputy Kelly.

He added that it was also a great project for the Silvermines and will help clean up the old mining area as well as create other environmental, commercial and tourism benefits.

Silvermines Hydro, which is located just outside Silvermines village in north Tipperary, will generate electricity from a storage-based technology.

Water from a higher elevation reservoir will be released to a lower reservoir, flowing through giant turbines and generating electricity at peak demand in the process.

The water is pumped from a lower reservoir to the higher reservoir at night or during low electricity demand periods.

The lower reservoir already exists at the site by way of an open-cast mine flooded to a depth of some 70m at the foot of the Silvermines Mountains.

A cost-benefit analysis for the project has demonstrated significant societal benefits to Tipperary and Ireland.

The project has the capacity to generate electricity to power 200,000 homes, but more importantly it provides a proven, secure and clean alternative to using fossil fuels, such as coal and gas in securing Irelands energy future over the next 20 to 30 years.
Maxam Tires Latin America (LATAM) has announced it will acquire and control the full equity interest in the LATAM joint venture, previously in place with Gustavo Lima and Marco Zigni. This will be effective from October 31, 2021.

The Maxam Tire Latin America JV was created in 2015 and structured to expand the equity of the Maxam Tire brand within the Latin America region. It also sought to establish a new strategic partnership in the specialty tire business.

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We truly appreciate all of the work done by our Maxam LATAM partners in the region, commented Troy Kline, president, Maxam Tire North America. The business has done extremely well under their leadership, but we feel the time is right to transition the management of this business in-house to realize our long-term strategic objectives.

Gustavo Lima explained, Marco (Zigni) and I are proud to have been Maxam Tires Latin American partner for many years. Maxam has grown exponentially over the last six years and has decided to control its global footprint from their home base. We wish them the best going forward.
The Herald decided to add some bathroom humor to the polls this week

You voted:
Josh Shapiro, the Democratic candidate for governor, is breaking with Gov. Tom Wolf on the centerpiece of Wolf's plan to fight climate change amid the pushback it has received from influential building trades unions
Some Native Hawaiians are objecting to President Joe Bidens choice for U.S. attorney in the 50th state, saying Clare Connors treated dozens of elders like criminals when her office prosecuted them for blocking a road while protesting the construction of a telescope in Hawaii
A top North Carolina Republican lawmaker says legislative action on a final state government budget could happen as soon as next week, with or without formal support from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper
UJET, Google Cloud Form Strategic Partnership

CCaaS provider UJET recently announced a new strategic partnership with Google (News - Alert) Cloud to improve customer experiences with the support of its contact center enhancements.

As part of this new relationship, UJET has named Google Cloud as its preferred CCaaS cloud vendor. Simultaneously, Google Cloud has introduced the UJET CCaaS solution to the Google Cloud marketplace, offering businesses a wide range of advanced contact center capabilities to meet the evolving needs of customers.

"We are delighted to announce that innovative contact center solutions from UJET will be available on Google Cloud," said Kevin Ichhpurani, Corporate Vice President, Global Ecosystem at Google Cloud. "UJET solutions on Google Cloud will enable organizations of any size to quickly deploy at global scale, with enterprise-grade security and reliability, and deliver game changing contract center experiences to customers."

The deal has also made UJET an official Google Cloud ISV Solution Connect Partner and Contact Center AI (CCAI) OEM Partner. This offers customers additional confidence UJET solutions meet the scalability, security, and reliability requirements needed to thrive in a digitally focused economy.

"UJET and Google Cloud have come together to offer leading innovation and enterprise-grade security and reliability across contact center operations, said Vasili Triant, Chief Operating Officer at UJET. We're extremely proud of this partnership, and deeply committed to using the best of todays mobile, digital and cloud technologies to provide exceptional customer experience technologies that brands can rely on.

Edited by Maurice Nagle
October 27, 2021





The booking process involves the recording of the personal information of arrestees. When people are taken into custody and they are suspected of committing a crime, the police will record their personal information, and that includes photographing mugshots. The mugshot has great importance for both the booking and further legal procedures. If you need to find a certain individual's mugshot, you can do so in several ways. How to find mugshots online quickly and easily  the full guide.







First thing's first, are mugshots public records?

The answer is Yes and No. Generally speaking, all the states in the U.S. (beside Louisiana) have made mugshots a public record. The mugshots are taken from different angles so that law enforcement agencies will have a visual record of arrestees. The mugshots are recorded and saved for further legal proceedings.

As part of the Freedom of Information Act in the country, mugshots are available not only to law enforcement agencies but also to the general public. Those who want to find mugshots of themselves and/or other people can find photos in various ways. However, if certain records have been sealed or expunged, the mugshots will not be available.

In the case of juveniles, criminal records, including mugshots, are not available to the public. Also, each jurisdiction can decide whether it allows the public to view criminal records and mugshots. There are several places in the United States, like New York, that limit access to public records. So, the only way to discover if an individual's mugshot is available is to search for the mugshot.

How to find mugshots online

There are several ways to find mugshots online, and the following are the most useful methods:

Go to the PrisonHandbook website

The official PrisonHandbook website offers access to arrest records and criminal records. When you go on the website, you need to choose the state in which you perform the search. In this case, you need to choose the state in which the arrest took place. Afterward, choose the jail where the arrestee was held. There will be a link to the jail's website under "Links and resources". Scroll through the page to find the person whose mugshot you want to find.

Search a state sex offender registry

If you want to find out if someone is a registered sex offender or the mugshot of a known sex offender, you can perform an online mugshot search. Type in the name of the state along with "sex offender registry" into the search engine of your choice. You can then perform a more localized search on the official state registry.

Such websites provide mugshot photos of people who have been convicted of sex crimes. Also, sex offender registries provide basic information about registered sex offenders, such as their current area of residence and the crimes they have committed.

Go to a state department of corrections website

States in the US operate an online directory for searching data about inmates. An inmate locator search can help you find inmates and inmate records  including their mugshots. To perform an online mugshot search, type in the name of the state in question into a search engine of your choice, along with "department of corrections.

You will receive links to the official department of corrections website. At the link, browse for a "Prisoner Search", "Offender Search" directory, or similar links. Click on the link and search for the inmate that you want to find.

Use a people search directory

Another method for finding mugshots online is using a people search directory, like GoLookUp. The website provides unlimited access to public records, so you can find mugshots of as many people as you desire. To find a mugshot, you will need to enter the full name of the person in question and the state in which the arrest took place, or the state in which the person is currently residing.

Based on this information, GoLookUp's public records directory will scan public records, until it finds the necessary data. The search is quick, and at the end of it, you will receive a public records report about the person in question. If the said person was arrested, her/his mugshot will appear in the report, along with their criminal records.

To get accurate results, you must correctly spell the name of the person that you are looking for. If you are unsure how to spell a name, you can try several variations. You can also get access to people's public records with other directories that are available on the website: phone number search, email search, address search. You can provide the phone number/email address/living address of an individual to get access to their public records. Each query lasts several moments, and you can perform unlimited searches on the website.

How to find mugshots online: the bottom line

Mugshots are public records, so you need to use a service that provides you with access to public records. There are several methods for finding mugshots, and you can discover a great deal about people with this type of search.

If you need information about people that you met online, potential business partners, people who are a part of your children's lives, or any other person  a mugshot search is very helpful. A people search engine is the most comprehensive mugshot search directory, so you should start your search there to increase your chances of getting the answers that you need.
[October 27, 2021] Amazon Canada opens its most advanced sort center in Coteau-du-Lac, creating 500 high-quality jobs with great career opportunities

TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - Amazon Canada is celebrating the opening of YUL9, its most advanced sort centre in the country, in Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec. This investment, which is creating 500 full-time jobs with comprehensive benefits starting on day one, is part of Amazon Canada's commitment to generate 15,000 new great and safe positions across the country this fall. The 720,000 sq. ft. facility will be the first in Canada to integrate Amazon Robotics' leading-edge mobile fulfillment systems in 2022. This advanced technology allows Amazon to improve the speed and efficiency of its services to better serve its customers in Eastern Canada and make the workplace even safer. "The entire Amazon team is proud to continue investing in Quebec and Coteau-du-Lac," said Anamaria Zammit, Site Leader, Amazon Canada. "With training and skill development programs, a full range of benefits and competitive salaries, Amazon continues its mission to be the best employer on Earth by helping its employees reach their career goals. We are proud to call Coteau-du-Lac home to our most advanced robotics facility in the country." From its strategic location in the heart of the ALTA industrial park, the Coteau-du-Lac srt centre strengthens Vaudreuil-Soulanges' position as a crucial transportation and logistics hub. Andree Brosseau, Mayor of Coteau-du-Lac, Patrick Bousez, Prefect of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges RCM, Joanne Brunet, General Manager of DEV Vaudreuil-Soulanges and Francine St-Denis, General Manager of the employment organization Reseaux, joined the launch with members from the Vaudreuil-Soulanges regional county municipality.



"The opening of the sort centre in Coteau-du-Lac is a testament to the competitiveness and strategic location of our city," said Andree Brosseau, Mayor of Coteau-du-Lac. "As we enter the post-COVID recovery period, the centre's opening will play a significant role in the entire regionaland even Quebec'seconomic ecosystem." For more information on current job openings, go to amazon.ca/apply or register at amazon.com/tc to be notified about all open positions.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews. SOURCE Amazon Canada

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[October 27, 2021] Apple Charges Forward to 2030 Carbon Neutral Goal, Adding 9 Gigawatts of Clean Power and Doubling Supplier Commitments

Apple (News - Alert) today announced it has more than doubled the number of suppliers committed to using 100 percent clean energy over the last year, accelerating progress toward its ambitious 2030 goal to be carbon neutral across its supply chain and products. In total, 175 Apple suppliers will transition to using renewable energy, and the company and its suppliers will bring online more than 9 gigawatts of clean power around the world. These actions will avoid over 18 million metric tons of CO2e annually - the equivalent of taking over 4 million cars off the road each year. The company added 10 new projects for its first-of-a-kind Power for Impact initiative to bring clean energy solutions to communities around the world. These projects are designed to provide renewable power to under-resourced communities while supporting economic growth and social impact. "Every company should be a part of the fight against climate change, and together with our suppliers and local communities, we're demonstrating all of the opportunity and equity green innovation can bring," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We're acting with urgency, and we're acting together. But time is not a renewable resource, and we must act quickly to invest in a greener and more equitable future." While Apple is already carbon neutral across its global operations, by 2030, every Apple device sold will have a net-zero climate impact. Since announcing this goal last year, the company has not only dramatically increased the number of its suppliers transitioning to renewable energy, but also expanded the amount of recycled material in its products and established new projects focused on environmental justice. In total, Apple has reduced its carbon emissions by 40 percent over the past five years. "For too long, the communities most impacted by climate change haven't had a seat at the table. That has to change, and we're committed to being part of that change," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives. "The new projects we're sharing will help communities by developing new local renewable projects, creating a healthier and more equitable world while advancing the fight against climate change." Supplier Momentum In the US, 19 suppliers in Apple's Supplier Clean Energy (News - Alert) Program, including Solvay, are scaling their use of renewable energy across their Apple operations, often going beyond their business with Apple. In Europe, 19 suppliers are now part of the program, including STMicroelectronics (News - Alert), which has started nine additional projects to deliver renewable energy for its broader operations since joining Apple's program. In China, 50 suppliers are now part of the program, with many maximizing their use of on-site solutions. In India, Japan, and South Korea, 31 suppliers have joined, including SK Hynix, one of the first Korean suppliers to participate. Apple is also creating ne pathways for the use of recycled materials while maintaining its high standards for sourcing, collaborating with suppliers to move toward a circular economy that eliminates the need for carbon-intensive mining and conserves resources. This includes recycled sources of gold, cobalt, aluminum, and rare earth elements, among other materials that are now part of Apple products. These advancements, along with suppliers transitioning to renewable energy, are reducing the environmental impact of the company's products. Recent milestones include an 11 percent reduction in the carbon footprint of iPhone (News - Alert) 13 Pro and an eight percent reduction for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, compared to previous generations.



Supporting Communities Apple is also announcing support for 10 new renewable projects around the world through its Power for Impact program:

In the United States, Apple will work with the Oceti Sakowin Power Authority, formed by six Sioux tribes to jointly develop tribal renewable energy resources by financing, developing, constructing, and operating power generation and transmission facilities for the wholesale market. This project is on track to create a large-scale wind power development in the Midwest, and follows the organization's participation in Apple's Impact Accelerator, part of the company's Racial Equity and Justice Initiative. In South Africa, Apple is bringing renewable energy to over 3,500 households that previously lacked access. The company will also help reduce electricity costs for the Pioneer School for the Visually Impaired by funding rooftop solar installations. And in Nigeria, Apple will support the development of a solar power system to serve a primary healthcare center in the state of Ondo, as well as 200 households in the surrounding region. In the Philippines, Apple will help fund an educational institution that provides scholarships to high-achieving, under-resourced students by offsetting electricity expenses through a new rooftop solar installation. In Thailand, Apple is participating in an effort to increase renewable energy production and battery storage to ensure reliable access to electricity, and replacing the use of polluting diesel fuel for a remote fishing village that relies on refrigerators to maintain the quality of its fish products. Apple's work to support a program in Vietnam will provide solar electricity for 20 schools around the country, and help teach thousands of children about sustainable development and STEM. In Colombia, Apple is helping to bring online a rooftop solar power system at the Santa Ana Hospital Infantil, and the money saved on energy bills will allow the hospital to purchase more equipment and medications. A rooftop solar installation at Ciudad Don Bosco, a nonprofit that provides educational and social services for under-resourced youth, will help the group advance its sustainable development goals. In Israel, Apple is supporting the Nitzana Educational Eco-Village for at-risk youth with solar installations to help lower electricity costs and generate a new source of revenue for the organization. Apple will continue to focus on communities most impacted by climate change as it pursues its environmental goals. For more information on the company's environmental initiatives, visit apple.com/environment. To view the full list of suppliers participating in Apple's Supplier Clean Energy Program, visit apple.com/environment/Apple_Supplier_Clean_Energy_Commitments_October-2021.pdf. Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple's five software platforms - iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS - provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple's more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it. NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom (www.apple.com/newsroom), or call Apple's Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.  2021 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Power for Impact, iPhone, and MacBook Pro are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005361/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Aspire Software Announces Intent to Acquire Property Intelligence Tools Go iLawn and LandOne

CHESTERFIELD, Mo., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspire Software , a ServiceTitan company and leading software provider for commercial landscaping businesses, today announced that it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire Go iLawn , an online property measurement tool, and LandOne Software, a cloud-based digital takeoff and design tool. "The addition of Go iLawn and LandOne will help meet Aspire's goal of providing end-to-end services and solutions to the landscaping industry," said Mark Tipton, CEO of Aspire Software. "By adding online tools for property measurement and design, we're one step closer to that goal. Our plans to integrate both solutions with Aspire's business management software will give landscapers yet another reason to switch to Aspire as their core operating system." The planned integration of both Go iLawn and LandOne with Aspire's platform will enable Aspire users to seamlessly use property intelligence tools directly within Aspire to measure, design, estimate, and bid on new jobs and enhancements. Founded in 2009 and acquired in 2010 by industry veteran Mike Rorie, Go iLawn enables thousands of companies in the U.S. and Canada to get fast, precise property measurement with parcel bundaries using aerial and satellite imagery, all stored in the cloud.



"Go iLawn is thrilled to join forces with the Aspire team to deliver best-in-class software to the landscaping industry," said Rorie. "With Aspire's support and resources, we'll be able to invest more in product development, enabling our customers to measure properties anytime and anywhere, quickly quantify materials and equipment needed for jobs, and boost job site efficiency and performance with detailed mapping." Founded in 2018 by Joshua Martin in Opelika, Alabama, LandOne Software offers simple, easy-to-use digital takeoff and design tools that allow its customers to spend less time in the office and more time in the field. Today, LandOne is used by hundreds of companies to profitably bid, manage, and complete thousands of takeoff, irrigation design, and landscape enhancement projects each month.

"Becoming part of the Aspire team is an exciting opportunity for us," said Martin. "We'll be able to more rapidly expand our product and scale our mission to serve contractors by giving them the simple tools they need to quickly deliver accurate bids, proposals, and designs." Following the close of both acquisitions, all Go iLawn and LandOne employees will join Aspire as part of the planned acquisitions. Both Go iLawn and LandOne will continue to be sold as stand-alone solutions, powered by additional product investment from Aspire and ServiceTitan to accelerate the development of both technologies. About Aspire Software

Aspire Software, a ServiceTitan company, offers business management software for landscape, snow & ice, and construction companies. Aspire's cloud-based SaaS solution helps landscapers manage, create, and execute against their business opportunities and challenges. Aspire helps landscapers change the way they manage their business to enable them to provide better service, improve margins, and increase productivity. Aspire is based in Chesterfield, MO. For more information, please visit http://www.youraspire.com or contact Jim Clayman at [email protected] . About ServiceTitan

ServiceTitan is a software company built to accelerate the home and commercial service industries. The company's end-to-end software suite includes CRM, intelligent dispatch, custom reporting, marketing automation, a mobile solution for field techs, and accounting, payments and financing integrations. By bringing a fully operational modern SaaS infrastructure to an industry traditionally underserved by technology, ServiceTitan makes a direct and positive impact on the lives of thousands of entrepreneurs and their extended teams. ServiceTitan is backed by world-class investors including Bessemer Venture Partners, ICONIQ Growth, Index Ventures, Tiger Global Management, and T. Rowe Price. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aspire-software-announces-intent-to-acquire-property-intelligence-tools-go-ilawn-and-landone-301410196.html SOURCE Aspire, a ServiceTitan company

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[October 27, 2021] Breakwater Solutions Continues Rapid Expansion with Strategic Hires in Consulting Leadership

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Breakwater Solutions, a leader in information governance and data risk management, announced new leadership hires in the company's consulting organization led by Jim Vint, chief revenue officer, and Rebecca Patterson, managing director. Mr. Vint and Ms. Patterson are co-founders of Breakwater Solutions. The global investment in consulting is driven by client demand in data risk management expertise for information governance, privacy, cybersecurity and legal. As part of this investment, the company has opened new consulting offices in Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. These new offices complement the existing office locations in the United States (New York, Chicago, Austin), Ireland, Germany, Croatia and India. Breakwater is backed by JLL Partners, a growth focused private equity firm. "Our clients are demanding practical expertise to solve their problems, not to increase their number of business partners who compound their governance challenges," said James Schellhase, chief executive officer, Breakwater. "Breakwater uniquely offers both consulting expertise and our own software solutions. Our consultants are mandated to solve our clients' problems, regardless of which company provides supporting technology." New strategic leadership hires in the expanding consulting organization include: Rajitha Boer joined as managing director, based in Basel, Switzerland. Ms. Boer is responsible for leading the company's market development strategy and execution in the EU and UK. Ms. Boer has deep experience in global market-making and relationship development, with subject matter expertise in technology-enabled solutions and legal data risk management. Prior to Breakwater, Ms. Boer was the founder and CEO of Yerra Solutions AG, a legal and eDiscovery company, now a part of Elevate Services, Inc. Ms. Boer has a MBA, Financial Management and Information Systems and a M.S. in Computer Information Systems. Kate Chan joined as managing director, based in Hong Kong. Ms. Chan is responsible for leading consulting growth and market development strategy and execution in the Asia-Pacific market. Ms. Chan is an expert in data-intensive, cross-border litigation, complex regulatory investigations, and legal technology solutions. Prior to Breakwater, Ms. Chan was a senior managing director at Ankura and a managing director at Navigant Consulting. Prior to Navigant, Ms. Chan was the regional managing director at KLDiscovery. Noriswadi Ismail joined as managing director, based in London, UK. Mr. Ismail is responsible for leading the global Data Privacy practice. Mr. Ismail is a subject matter expert in global data privacy laws and regulations, data privacy and security strategies and data privacy technology. Mr. Ismail is a frequent author and guest speaker in global data privacy and an active member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). Prior to Breakwater, Mr. Ismail was a managing director at Ankura and led GDPR consulting for EY UK. Mr. Ismail has degrees and certificates from multiple universities includig doctoral research at the Brunel Law School, Brunel University London. Mr. Ismail is a Certified Information Privacy Professional Asia (CIPP/A) and has a Practitioner Certificate in Data Protection (PC.dp).



Kevin Novak joined as managing director, based in Chicago, IL. Mr. Novak is responsible for the growth and delivery strategy of the Cybersecurity practice. Mr. Novak has deep expertise in technology security, information security, technology risk management and fraud and forensics. Prior to Breakwater, Mr. Novak was the chief information security officer of Northern Trust Corporation. Mr. Novak has a B.S., Accounting from Western Michigan University, Haworth College of Business. Mr. Novak is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and a Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE). George Tziahanas joined as managing director, based in Chicago, IL. Mr. Tziahanas is responsible for the growth and delivery strategy of the Information Governance practice. Mr. Tziahanas is a subject matter expert with deep expertise in data governance, risk and compliance and legal technology. Prior to Breakwater, Mr. Tziahanas held executive positions at Arbor Ridge Partners, Morae Legal, HP Software, Iron Mountain and Intel. Mr. Tziahanas earned a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and a M.S. in Biological Sciences and Molecular Systematics from DePaul University. Mr. Tziahanas is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association.

Dale Waterman joined as managing director, based in Dubai, UAE. Mr. Waterman is responsible for consulting growth and market development within the global Data Privacy practice with a specific focus on the MEA region. Mr. Waterman is an expert in data privacy, data protection, public policy and regulatory affairs. Prior to Breakwater, Mr. Waterman was a partner at White Label Consultancy. Prior to that position, Mr. Waterman was a corporate attorney at Microsoft, based Dubai, working on regulatory strategy, digital crimes and software privacy. Mr. Waterman has a LLB, Law from Rhodes University. Mr. Waterman is a Certified Information Privacy Professional / Europe (CIPP/E), a Governance, Certified Risk and Compliance Management Professional (CRCMP), and a OneTrust Certified Professional. Baba Bedi joined as a director in the Cybersecurity practice, based in New York, NY. Prior to Breakwater, Mr. Bedi was the chief information security officer (CISO) and chief security officer (CSO) at CIBC U.S. Mr. Bedi has a Master of Computer Applications from the Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology and a B.S.c from Punjabi University. Mr. Bedi is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMLS). Marc Jenkins joined as a director in the Legal Data & Technology Solutions practice, based in Nashville, TN. Mr. Jenkins is an expert in legal operations transformation, risk and compliance and legal technology. Prior to Breakwater, Mr. Jenkins was the CEO of Adappt.legal, a legal consultancy focused on the intersection of people, process and technology and was a faculty member at Vanderbilt University. Prior to Adappt.legal, Mr. Jenkins was the director of legal operations at Asurion. Mr. Jenkins has a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, a LLM in Taxation from the University of Alabama and a B.A., Philosophy from the University of Mississippi. Mr. Jenkins is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association. Stacy Williams joined as a director in the Cybersecurity practice, based in Las Vegas, NV. Prior to Breakwater, Mr. Williams was the chief information security officer (CISO) at the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. Prior to this position, Mr. Williams was the CISO at Zappos. Mr. Williams is currently a board member of the Lexicon Bank. Mr. Williams has a B.S. in Computer Science from Jackson State University. "Many of our client challenges are multidisciplinary and may start within one area of expertise but often require cross-functional expertise in governance, privacy, cybersecurity and legal. While the initial challenge begins within a single country or region, the holistic solution often requires global coordination." said Jim Vint, chief revenue officer, Breakwater. "We are very excited about the exceptional leaders joining our consulting organization and the cross-discipline expertise they bring. Each is rapidly recruiting to expand their teams and meet client demand," said Rebecca Patterson, managing director, Breakwater. About Breakwater

Breakwater helps enterprises mitigate risk and gain insight from sprawling information by combining technology automation and human expertise. We empower governance, legal, and risk professionals to locate, access, analyze, and manage information by making data transparent and actionable. Our solutions are comprised of expert consulting, AI-infused technology, and ongoing managed services, all of which directly address the myriad challenges within information governance, disputes and investigations, regulatory compliance, privacy, and cybersecurity. Learn more at www.breakwatersolutions.com. About JLL Partners

JLL Partners is a middle market private equity firm with over three decades of experience transforming businesses in the healthcare, specialty industrials, and business services sectors. The firm is dedicated to partnering with companies that it can help build into market leaders through a combination of strategic mergers and acquisitions, organic growth initiatives, and operational enhancements. The JLL Partners team is comprised of seasoned investment professionals and operating partners who are focused on driving long-term value creation across its portfolio. Since its founding in 1988, JLL Partners has committed over $5.7 billion of equity capital across eight private equity funds, with over 55 platform investments and more than 200 add-on acquisitions. For more information, please visit www.jllpartners.com. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/breakwater-solutions-continues-rapid-expansion-with-strategic-hires-in-consulting-leadership-301409632.html SOURCE Breakwater Solutions, LLC

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[October 27, 2021] Cardurion Pharmaceuticals Announces Investment of up to $300 Million From Bain Capital

Cardurion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Cardurion" or "the Company"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of novel, next-generation therapeutics for the treatment of heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases, today announced it has received a private investment of up to $300 million from Bain Capital Life Sciences and Bain Capital Private Equity. Bain Capital joins existing investors, Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Polaris Partners, in supporting the evolution of Cardurion into a leading cardiovascular biotechnology company. Based in Boston, Massachusetts and with facilities there and in Shonan, Japan, Cardurion's mission is to transform the treatment of cardiovascular diseases by translating the science of cardiovascular signaling pathways into groundbreaking therapeutics. The Company's innovative pipeline of cardiovascular drug candidates includes a PDE9 inhibitor and a CaMKII inhibitor program. The investment will support the thoughtful advancement of Cardurion's pipeline, enable the Company to scale its team, and create an industry-leading platform. "We could not be more excited to welcome Bain Capital as investors in this transformational milestone for Cardurion," said Peter Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer of Cardurion. "We have a shared vision to continue to build a world-class cardiovascular company pursuing treatments for a broad range of debilitating diseases. This funding will allow us to advance our first-in-class PDE9 inhibitor into a major Phase 2 trial in heart failure and to support the initiation of first-in-human studies with our CaMKII inhibitor program in several cardiovascular indications. We look forward to leveraging the experience and resources of our investors to build and scale Cardurion as a leading cardiovascular biotechnology company." "This is an impressive team laser-focused on deep science, innovation, and collaboration in a strategically important therapeutic area where there is high unmet need for patients," said Adam Koppel, M.D., PhD, a Managing Director at Bain Capital Life Sciences. "We look forward to a lasting partnership with Mike and Peter and their team, supporting the efforts to identify and develop novel therapies while building out a scale platform that can serve as a champion for cardiovacular drug development."



"This investment will accelerate our progress as we work to create transformative new medicines that deliver value for patients and other key stakeholders," said Michael E. Mendelsohn, M.D., Founder and Chairman of Cardurion. "Cardurion is dedicated to advancing novel mechanisms that yield new treatments for cardiovascular disease, which remains the greatest cause of morbidity and mortality in our society." In conjunction with Bain Capital's investment, Koppel and Nicholas Downing, MD, a Principal at Bain Capital Life Sciences, will join the Cardurion Board of Directors.

About Cardurion Pharmaceuticals Cardurion Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of novel, next-generation therapeutics for the treatment of heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases. Founded by physician-scientist Michael E. Mendelsohn, M.D., and built by a team of physician-scientists and industry leaders with extensive experience in cardiovascular science, drug development and business development, Cardurion Pharmaceuticals is pursuing unique drug discovery and development programs to target major unmet needs in cardiovascular medicine. Cardurion Pharmaceuticals has facilities in Boston, Massachusetts and Shonan, Japan. For more information, please visit the company's website at http://www.cardurion.com. About Bain Capital Founded in 1984, Bain Capital, LP is one of the world's leading private multi-asset alternative investment firms with offices on four continents and deep experience in healthcare. Bain Capital manages approximately $150 billion across asset classes and leverages the firm's shared platform to capture opportunities in strategic areas of focus. Bain Capital Private Equity (http://www.baincapitalprivateequity.com) has partnered closely with management teams to provide the strategic resources that build great companies and help them thrive. A team of more than 275 investment professionals creates value for portfolio companies through its global platform and depth of expertise in key vertical industries including healthcare. Bain Capital Life Sciences (www.baincapitallifesciences.com) pursues investments in biopharmaceutical, specialty pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostics and enabling life science technology companies globally. The team focuses on companies that both drive medical innovation across the value chain and enable that innovation to improve the lives of patients with unmet medical needs. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005123/en/

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[October 27, 2021] CGTN: Peng Liyuan sends congratulatory letter to Tianjin Juilliard School

BEIJING, Oct. 27, 2021 /CNW/ -- Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Tuesday sent a letter of congratulations on the inauguration of Tianjin Juilliard School (TJS), which has been jointly set up by the Tianjin Conservatory of Music and New York's Juilliard School. Thanks to the joint efforts of China and the United States, the Tianjin Conservatory of Music and the Juilliard School have carried out high-level art cooperation in running the school, creating a new platform for promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, Peng said. Noting that art is a bridge that "crosses national boundaries and connects people," she said that strengthening educational cooperation between China and the United States is conducive to nurturing more talents, deepening cultural exchanges and promoting art and friendship. She called on the two sides to carry out extensive cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and promote mutual understanding between the two peoples, so as to inject impetus intothe friendship between the Chinese and the American people.



The TJS campus was inaugurated on Tuesday. Designed by American interdisciplinary design studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the campus covers about 45,000 square meters along the Haihe River in Tianjin. As a branch of the Juilliard School, TJS is the first performing arts institution in China to confer a U.S.-accredited Master of Music degree, according to the school's official website. Founded in 1905, the Juilliard School is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious educational institutions in drama, music and dance.

At TJS, students are given ample opportunities to take part in solo, chamber and orchestral concerts. The school has three state-of-the-art performance venues, which form the cornerstones of the new campus. Through performances in the concert hall, recital hall and black box theater, students can refine their performance skills and connect with audiences through music. Cui Tiankai, former Chinese ambassador to the United States, and Tian Xuejun, vice education minister, also attended the inauguration ceremony, where Joseph W. Polisi, honorary dean of TJS, was titled "Honorary Citizen of Tianjin." https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-10-27/Peng-Liyuan-sends-congratulatory-letter-to-Tianjin-Juilliard-School-14H1kN6Ei9a/index.html View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cgtn-peng-liyuan-sends-congratulatory-letter-to-tianjin-juilliard-school-301409529.html SOURCE CGTN

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[October 27, 2021] Cities at the heart of the fight against climate change

INRS launches the country's first Canada Research Chair in Urban Climate Action. MONTREAL, Oct. 27, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - As world leaders prepare to meet at the annual climate change summit (COP26), the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) is officially launching the Canada Research Chair in Urban Climate Action. This unique research chair is designed to analyze and contribute to collective action to deal with climate change in cities through research and partnerships grounded in community and municipal contexts. Cities as climate action leaders "Internationally, action has been so slow that cities are often the primary drivers of change in response to the climate crisis," says Sophie L. Van Neste, a professor and researcher at INRS, who chairs the Canada Research Chair in Urban Climate Action, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). All over the world, urban areas ar greatly affected by climate change. "For several years, cities have been at the forefront of climate action. That's where most of the energy consumption and greenhouse gas production takes place," explains Professor Van Neste.



If cities are part of the problem, they are also part of the solution. The research conducted by the Chair will therefore focus on urban areas in North America. The plurality of urban action

"What is unique about this Chair is that it focuses on urban political action, in its many forms," says Professor Van Neste, who studies political action and citizen engagement regarding environmental issues in urban settings. Municipalities cannot act alone. Citizen initiatives and support from higher levels of government are essential for urban climate action. The Chair's members are working on eight ongoing projects, including adaptation to climate change, for example in urban redevelopment or in support of the most vulnerable people facing heat waves, and the mobilization of collectives to transform urban infrastructures. Some suburban cities have fewer resources than others and face greater challenges. More broadly, the researcher reminds us that not all communities are equal when faced with climate change. "Social inequalities, discrimination processes, and the built environment and neighbourhood services will make some groups more vulnerable than others to climate change impacts, and some will be less recognized and supported in their efforts to respond," explains Professor Van Neste. The Chair will also devote a research segment to emotions in relation to the climate emergency, such as eco-anxiety, shame, or even blame. It will also look at how these emotions can block or stimulate climate action. Accelerating action through research The Chair values connections with actors in the field and the academic community and is already rooted in sectors related to urban climate action. The Chair has already initiated work to understand and participate in climate action with students, field collaborations with civil society and institutions, and a dozen academic collaborations. "In the past, researchers studied climate plans. Now is the time for action, we need to understand the obstacles and the challenges and how stakeholders are working together," she says. "How can we, as researchers, accelerate action?" About INRS

INRS is a university dedicated exclusively to graduate level research and training. Since its creation in 1969, INRS has played an active role in Quebec's economic, social, and cultural development and is ranked first for research intensity in Quebec and in Canada. INRS is made up of four interdisciplinary research and training centres in Quebec City, Montreal, Laval, and Varennes, with expertise in strategic sectors: Eau Terre Environnement, Energie Materiaux Telecommunications, Urbanisation Culture Societe, and Armand-Frappier Sante Biotechnologie. The INRS community includes more than 1,500 students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty members, and staff. Twitter

Facebook SOURCE Institut National de la recherche scientifique (INRS)

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[October 27, 2021] ClickUp announces $400M in Series C funding and major European expansion

ClickUp accelerates hypergrowth and unveils plans for significant investment in Europe, creating hundreds of local jobs

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ClickUp, the world's only all-in-one productivity platform, today announced that the company has raised $400 million USD in Series C funding to reshape how teams work and give businesses a competitive advantage. This new round brings ClickUp's total funding to $535 million USD and puts the company at a $4bn USD post-money valuation. The new investment will support the creation of 600 European jobs, a regional European headquarters and a new development centre. With forty percent of the company's sales already generated outside of the US, this new investment will provide a more localised experience for the more than 275,000 European teams already using ClickUp. ClickUp will also be investing in localised versions of its platform for France, Germany and Spain to support the continued growth in these countries, with further localisations planned. "Today's announcement signals the start of our ambitious expansion plans," says Mark Stoddard, Head of International Operations at ClickUp. "We are already seeing incredible growth across the region, especially in the UK which is our fastest-growing market outside of the US. By investing in Europe, we will enhance the experience of our existing customers and attract even more local companies to the productivity gains ClickUp delivers." The Series C funding, co-led by Andreessen Horowitz and Tiger Global, with participation from Lightspeed Venture Partners and Meritech Capital Partners, represents the largest Series C funding round to date in the workplace productivity market. "ClickUp's sole purpose has always been to make the world more productive. Time is our most valuable resource and we are committed to giving people more time to focus on what matters most to them," says Zeb Evans, CEO and Founder of ClickUp. "We believe software should make people more productive and efficient. I'm thrilled about our next chapter and accelerating the innovations that deliver on this promise to our customers." ClickUp is one of the fastest-growing SaaS companies in the world thanks to its flexible productivity platform that moulds to the way people want to work. It is the only solution that truly replaces all individual workplace productivity tools within a single, unified platform, including: project management, document collaboration, spreadsheets, chat, and goals. In the last year, ClickUp has tripled its revenue and grew its user base from 200,000 to 800,000 teams worldwide. Businesses all over the world, including teams at McDonalds, Booking.com , and Netflix, are choosing ClickUp to meet the demands of their evolving workplaces.



"ClickUp's unique offering in the market has fueled their rise as one of the fastest-growing SaaS startups in the world. Their strong growth, product adoption, and customer retention reflect the tremendous value they're providing to businesses looking to drive greater productivity and efficiency," said David George, general partner at Andreessen Horowitz. "ClickUp is synonymous with the future of work, and we're thrilled to partner with a company that has shown such a strong commitment to its users and product. We look forward to building a more productive world together." To learn more about ClickUp's funding and growth, visit www.clickup.com/blog/series-c , or to try ClickUp free forever and start saving you and your team one day every week, visit www.ClickUp.com .

About ClickUp

ClickUp is the world's only all-in-one productivity platform that flexes to the way people want to work. It replaces all individual workplace productivity tools with a single, unified platform that includes project management, document collaboration, spreadsheets, chat, and goals. Founded in 2017 and based in San Diego, ClickUp is on a mission to make the world more productive. As one of the fastest-growing SaaS companies in the world, ClickUp has helped more than 800,000 teams and millions of users lead a more productive life and save at least one day every week. To learn more, visit www.ClickUp.com . About Andreessen Horowitz

Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that backs bold entrepreneurs building the future through technology. The firm is stage agnostic, investing in seed to late-stage technology companies, across the consumer, enterprise, bio/healthcare, crypto, and fintech spaces. a16z has over $19 billion in assets under management across multiple funds. See portfolio companies here: https://a16z.com/portfolio/ . About Tiger Global

Tiger Global Management is a leading global technology investment firm with over $90 billion under management. The firm focuses on private and public companies in the software, internet, and financial technology sectors. Since 2001, Tiger Global has invested in hundreds of companies across more than 30 countries, including investments ranging from Series A to pre-IPO. The firm aims to partner with dynamic entrepreneurs operating market-leading companies in its core focus areas. Tiger Global's investments have included JD.com , Toast, Databricks, UiPath, Stripe, Bytedance, Snowflake, Facebook, Alibaba, Procore, Chime, Peloton, Attentive, LinkedIn, and Flipkart. About Lightspeed Venture Partners:

Lightspeed Venture Partners is a multi-stage venture capital firm focused on accelerating disruptive innovations and trends in the Enterprise, Consumer, and Health sectors. Over the past two decades, the Lightspeed team has backed hundreds of entrepreneurs and helped build more than 400+ companies globally, including Snap, AppDynamics, Affirm, Epic Games, MuleSoft, and Guardant Health. Lightspeed and its affiliates currently manage $10.5B across the global Lightspeed platform, with investment professionals and advisors in Silicon Valley, Israel, India, China, Southeast Asia, and Europe. www.lsvp.com About Meritech Capital Partners

Meritech Capital Partners is a leading provider of late-stage venture capital to category-defining private technology companies, and has been one of the top-performing venture firms of the past two decades. The firm was founded in 1999 and has cumulatively managed almost $4 billion in total capital. Past and present investments include Alteryx, Anaplan, Auth0, Braze, Coupa, Datadog, Facebook, Looker, MuleSoft, NetSuite, Outreach, Proofpoint, Roblox, Salesforce, Segment, Snowflake, Tableau, and UiPath. The firm has offices in Palo Alto and San Francisco, CA and can be found at www.meritechcapital.com . Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1195692/ClickUP_Logo.jpg



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[October 27, 2021] CoreLogic Reports a 37.2% National Year-Over-Year Increase in Mortgage Fraud Risk in Second Quarter of 2021

CoreLogic, a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, today released its latest Mortgage Fraud Report. The report shows a 37.2% year-over-year increase in fraud risk at the end of the second quarter of 2021, as measured by the CoreLogic Mortgage Application Fraud Risk Index. The significant increase for mid-2021 follows a large drop seen in 2020 - a decrease driven mainly by the surge in traditionally low-risk refinances during the pandemic. The current risk level is similar to mid-2019. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005265/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) During the second quarter of 2021, an estimated 0.83% of all mortgage applications contained fraud, about 1 in 120 applications. By comparison, in the second quarter of 2020, the estimate was 0.61%, or about 1 in 164 applications. Continued low mortgage rates and a record volume of refinances pushed the overall fraud risk down. However, risk in the purchase segment increased 6%, with investment properties driving the highest risk in both purchase and refinance populations. "Refinance opportunities that surged lending volumes during the pandemic may be winding down. The outlook is for fewer low-risk refinances compared to purchases and cash-out refinances, which translates to a higher-risk environment for fraud," said Ann Regan, executive, product management at CoreLogic. Report Highlights: Nationally, most fraud types showed increased risk. Transaction risk showed an increase of 34.2% year-over-year. Income and property fraud risk decreased slightly, aligning with the strong job market and home price growth.

The top five states for risk increases include: South Dakota, Washington, Alaska, Vermon and West Virginia. Less-populous states are more volatile due to lower levels of lending activity. These states all had below-average index values in 2020.

Nevada moved into the top position for mortgage application fraud risk, with New York, Hawaii, Florida, and California rounding out the top five.



, a predictive scoring technology. The report includes detailed data for six fraud type indicators that complement the national index: identity, income, occupancy, property, transaction and undisclosed real estate debt. To view the full CoreLogic Mortgage Fraud Report, visit www.corelogic.com/mortgagefraudreport.

Methodology Our comprehensive fraud risk analysis is based on a lender-driven mortgage fraud consortium and leading predictive-scoring technology. The CoreLogic Mortgage Application Fraud Risk Index represents the collective level of fraud risk the mortgage industry is experiencing in each period, based on the share of loan applications with a high risk of fraud. The index is standardized to a baseline of 100 for the share of high-risk loan applications nationally in the third quarter of 2010. The Fraud Type Indicators are based on specific CoreLogic LoanSafe Fraud Manager alerts. These alerts are compiled consistently for all CoreLogic Mortgage Fraud Consortium members. Indicator levels are based on the prevalence and predictive ability of the relevant alerts. An increase in the indicator correlates with increased risk of the corresponding fraud type. Source (News - Alert): CoreLogic The data provided is for use only by the primary recipient or the primary recipient's publication or broadcast. This data may not be re-sold, republished or licensed to any other source, including publications and sources owned by the primary recipient's parent company without prior written permission from CoreLogic. Any CoreLogic data used for publication or broadcast, in whole or in part, must be sourced as coming from CoreLogic, a data and analytics company. For use with broadcast or web content, the citation must directly accompany first reference of the data. If the data is illustrated with maps, charts, graphs or other visual elements, the CoreLogic logo must be included on screen or website. For questions, analysis or interpretation of the data contact Amy Brennan at [email protected]. Data provided may not be modified without the prior written permission of CoreLogic. Do not use the data in any unlawful manner. This data is compiled from public records, contributory databases and proprietary analytics, and its accuracy is dependent upon these sources. 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. CORELOGIC, the CoreLogic logo, and LoanSafe Fraud Manager are trademarks of CoreLogic, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005265/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Digital Water Startup Qatium Onboards 150 Utilities Ahead of Launch

VALENCIA, Spain, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital water company Qatium (Kay-tee-um) has onboarded over 150 water utilities in the last three months, and will be launching its water management platform at Aquatech Amsterdam on November 2nd. Qatium gives utilities of all sizes the visibility to improve network performance, identify efficiencies and ensure continuity of service. By combining hydraulic models with SCADA, AMI and GIS data, Qatium can simulate demand spikes and water shutdowns, predict bottlenecks, identify leaks, run flushing scenarios to reduce solids and monitor water quality. Today, Qatium provides municipalities and water utilities with deep analytics for managing their networks regardless of their size, expertise or resources. Qatium Founder and CEO Roberto Tortola set out the company's long-term goals: "Qatium aims to be the single-source of truth for water professionals and a global marketplace for water utilities, open source software developers, service providers and technology vendors." Since the launch of its early adopter program less than three months ago, over 150 utilities from around the world have started using Qatium to improve the management and delivery of their water systems. Gavin Van Tonder, Executive Director of Water at NEOM, explains the early sucess of the platform: "We were impressed by Qatium's simplicity and unique visualization capabilities. With Qatium, we were able to see results from day one."



Qatium will be unveiled on November 2nd at Aquatech's Digital Hub in Amsterdam. Aquatech is the world's leading water trade show, bringing together more than 15,000 water professionals to discuss issues relevant to the clean water and wastewater industries. Kevin Wyckoff of the Lakewood Water District in Washington, one of the many utilities in the US to use Qatium says: "In addition to the network insights it provides, Qatium is an intuitive and collaborative tool to test new ideas, facilitate training and transfer knowledge."

"Visibility is key to making water systems more efficient, safer, and more affordable. With Qatium, operators can better understand network behavior, optimize system performance, and ensure continuity and resilience by proactively protecting assets and communities," says Dragan Savic, CEO at KWR Water Research Institute, Professor of Hydroinformatics at the University of Exeter, and a member of Qatium's advisory board. Jeffrey Kightlinger, the former GM of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and a member of Qatium's advisory board concurs: "Qatium is changing the face of the water industry with tools that help water managers optimize their systems and meet the challenge of climate change." About Qatium Qatium gives water utilities of all sizes the power of hydraulic modeling and predictive analytics to improve network performance, identify efficiencies and ensure continuity of service. An open and collaborative water management platform, Qatium is built on deep industry expertise and an aspiration to shape the future of digital water management. For more information visit: https://qatium.com . For media enquiries contact: Damien Acheson

+34 963 98 09 00

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digital-water-startup-qatium-onboards-150-utilities-ahead-of-launch-301409202.html SOURCE Qatium

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[October 27, 2021] Everactive's Batteryless Steam Trap Monitoring Solution Recognized for Its Innovation by the International District Energy Association

Everactive, the category-defining batteryless Internet of Things (IoT) company, today announced it received Honorable Mention from the International District Energy Association (IDEA) Innovation Award 2021. The company was recognized for its real-time batteryless monitoring solution for steam trap management, through a project with the University of Virginia (UVA). The IDEA Innovation Award recognizes examples of technology, engineering and operational innovation within the district energy industry. Everactive, working with UVA, conducted steam trap surveys over its 1,900 steam traps to locate and replace failed traps and reduce energy losses. UVA deployed 100 Everactive wireless and batteryless Steam Trap Monitor (STM) sensors to autonomously monitor and detect anomalies. Until Everative's solution was in place, UVA would only conduct manual steam trap audits once a year.



"Our sensors detected 14 steam trap failures in real time, and had that detection occurred during UVA's annual audit, based on the steam cost, the steam system pressure, and the steam trap orifice size, we can estimate a potential steam energy loss would have been of 19,923 MMBTUs with an energy cost of $126,013," says Rafael Reyes, Director of Product Marketing at Everactive. "UVA was able to repair all 14 failed traps shortly after they were identified, resulting in a reduction of steam energy loss of 18,103 MMBTUs, a reduction of 953 tons of CO2 (equivalent to 107,186 gallons of gasoline consumed), and a reduction of $114,547 in energy cost." Reyes who also spoke at the IDEA 2021 conference adds, "Combined, UVA saw a 90% reduction in steam energy loss, CO2 emissions and energy cost." He stresses the importance of more industry-wide adoption of this technology because "this is a critical innovation for the industrial sector as the failure rate of steam traps in a large steam distribution system typically ranges from 5 to 25% depending on the level the traps are monitored and maintained."

Since the deployment of Everactive's STM sensors, UVA has reduced its operating cost by $28,147/year resulting in a return of investment (ROI) of 29%. UVA is planning to expand Everactive's wireless batteryless monitoring technology beyond steam distribution and into terminal equipment as well as expanding into vibration monitoring with its Machine Health Monitor (MHM) solution. ABOUT EVERACTIVE: In collaboration with its partners, Everactive delivers the most scalable and cost-effective digital transformation solutions. The company's proprietary low-power energy harvesting and wireless technology enables completely batteryless and always-on Internet of Things systems. Ruggedized for harsh industrial settings, Everactive Edge devices provide continuous insight into asset health across a range of equipment and throughout entire plants and facilities. The company has offices in Silicon Valley, Ann Arbor, and Charlottesville. For more information, please visit: www.everactive.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005051/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Everest Appoints Industry-Leading Reinsurance Executive Jill Beggs to Senior Vice President and Head of North America Reinsurance

Everest Re Group, Ltd. ("Everest" or the "Company") (NYSE:RE) announced today that reinsurance industry leader Jill Beggs will join the company as Senior Vice President and Head of North America Reinsurance effective November 15, 2021. Beggs will oversee the strategic direction of Everest's reinsurance business in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, and will report directly to Jim Williamson, Everest Group COO and Head of Reinsurance. This newly created role, along with the ongoing investments in the company's reinsurance talent are designed to strengthen Everest's leading market position and accelerate progress toward its strategic plan objectives outlined to investors earlier in the year. "Everest's leading global market position is fueled by exceptional talent. Adding Jill's tremendous reinsurance experience to our seasoned team helps us to further capitalize on it," said Juan C. Andrade, Everest President and CEO. "Everest is building a well-diversified, world-class organization set apart by our people, value proposition and entrepreneurial culture. We will continue to invest in the strength of our reinsurance and insurance franchises, positioning Everest to support future growth and create even greater value for our colleagues, customers and our shareholders." Beggs comes to Everest with 30 years of deep reinsurance underwriting expertise. Beggs joins Everest from Munich Re where, over the last 20 years, she held various key roles leading U.S. treaty and facultative programs across multiple lines of business. She is also credited with spearheading the company's innovation incubator and E&S insurance start-up. Beggs spent the first 10 years of her career at Everest in treaty property underwritng in the U.S. and Latin America. Beggs is a prolific industry thought leader, and the recipient of numerous industry honors and awards.



"I'm thrilled to be returning to my roots with the incredible opportunity to build on the strength of Everest's reinsurance franchise," said Jill Beggs. "Everest has always been known for exceptional quality and long-standing relationships with its brokers and cedents. I plan to optimize this position and further solidify Everest as an industry leader." The company also announced that Everest Insurance leader Connie Germano will be transitioning to its reinsurance division as Senior Vice President, Treaty Casualty & Surety. Germano brings 35 years of casualty underwriting experience to the role and will report directly to Beggs. Most recently Germano was President of Specialty Casualty at Everest Insurance. Prior to that, she held senior casualty underwriting roles with ACE in the U.S. and Zurich, Switzerland. Germano succeeds Everest Reinsurance veteran Dennis Alba, who will retire in 2022 after a very successful 40-year career in the industry.

"Jill is a widely-recognized industry talent who brings an extraordinary depth of experience leading teams through growth and transformation," said Jim Williamson, Group COO and Everest Head of Reinsurance. "This newly created position, combined with our recent promotions and appointments, is directly tied to our long-term strategy of solidifying our position as a leading global reinsurer. As we continue to position the business for the future, we are expanding advancement opportunities for our people that will ultimately better serve the market." Williamson added, "I want to thank Dennis for his significant contributions to Everest, and welcome Connie, who is a proven, capable leader, and highly respected by our clients and colleagues. Connie's underwriting depth and experience gives us a strategic advantage as we continue to invest in one of our most successful and thriving businesses." About Everest Re Group, Ltd. Everest Re Group, Ltd. is a leading global provider of reinsurance and insurance, operating for close to 50 years through subsidiaries in the U.S., Europe, Singapore, Canada, Bermuda, and other territories. Everest offers property, casualty, and specialty products through its various operating affiliates located in key markets around the world. Everest common stock (NYSE:RE) is a component of the S&P 500 index. Additional information about Everest, our people, and our products can be found on our website at www.everestre.com. All issuing companies may not do business in all jurisdictions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005550/en/

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[October 27, 2021] First commercial hydrogen-electric flight between London and Rotterdam The Hague Airport expected in 2024

Partnership between ZeroAvia, Royal Schiphol Group and Rotterdam The Hague Innovation Airport KEMBLE, United Kingdom and ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, Oct. 27, 2021 /CNW/ -- The aviation sector is planning zero emission commercial passenger flights between Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) and London with a 19-seater aircraft in 2024. The aircraft, currently under development by ZeroAvia, will fly entirely on hydrogen. ZeroAvia, Royal Schiphol Group, Rotterdam The Hague Innovation Airport Foundation and the airport itself have announced a partnership to realize this ambition today. The deal sets a solid timeline for the launch of the first zero emission commercial passenger flights between the UK and the Netherlands, and potentially the first international commercial operation in the world. ZeroAvia and Royal Schiphol Group are in advanced partnership talks with airlines to agree on an operator for the planned route. Through the partnership to deliver this commercial route, ZeroAvia and Royal Schiphol Group will collaborate on testing and demonstrating hydrogen supply chain refuelling operations and integration with airport operations. The two companies will also focus on ensuring the pathway for commercially adopting hydrogen-electric aviation, including establishing the right regulatory framework and understanding industry and public appetite for zero emissions flight powered by hydrogen. ZeroAvia recently established a legal entity in the Netherlands. This will enable the company to create opportunities for commercialisation and partnership with airports, airframe manufacturers and/or airlines, within the Netherlands and wider European Union. New technology ZeroAvia has focused its R&D on developing a hydrogen-electric powertrain  using hydrogen fuel cells to power electric motors  as a viable way to tackle aviation's climate change impacts at scale. With the hydrogen-electric system ZeroAvia is pioneering, the only emission is water vapour at manageable temperatures, allowing for sustainable flights. Hydrogen-electric propulsion will have the additional benefit of lower operating costs, making routes more attractive to airlines and airports and passengers. Poneering



Sergey Kiselev, Head of Europe, at ZeroAvia, said: "This deal means that, in just three years' time, you should be able to board a flight and make the hour journey between the UK and the Netherlands without worrying about the impact on the climate. Working with partners like Royal Schiphol Group, we are making true zero emission flights a reality for passengers in the first half of this decade." Ron Louwerse, CEO, of Rotterdam the Hague Airport, said: "Boarding a zero-emission flight from Rotterdam to London is only the beginning of green aviation, and that will only be made possible by pioneering and promoting innovation in the sector. With the Netherlands as the testing ground for aviation, we strengthen our competitive position, knowledge base and business climate."

Miranda Janse, Director of 'Stichting' Rotterdam the Hague Innovation Airport, said: "This partnership marks an important milestone, bringing operational expertise of hydrogen powered flight into practice in the Netherlands." Note for editors About ZeroAvia ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation solutions to address a variety of markets, initially targeting a 500-mile range in 9-19 seat aircraft used for commercial passenger transport, cargo, agriculture, and more. Based in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for two prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Prime Minister's Jet Zero Council. For more, please visit ZeroAvia.com, follow @ZeroAvia on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. About Royal Schiphol Group (RSG) Royal Schiphol Group is an enterprise that operates airports in the Netherlands, conducts international activities and participates in airports abroad. Operating Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the Group's largest activity. Royal Schiphol Group is the owner and operator of Rotterdam The Hague Airport and Lelystad Airport, and holds a majority share in Eindhoven Airport. Royal Schiphol Group's mission is Connecting your world. About Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) Founded in 1920 and relocated in 1956, Rotterdam the Hague Airport has become a regional airport with national significance. Rotterdam the Hague airport offers a Network connecting more than 50 relevant destinations for the region. RTHA is investing with partners such as the Municipalities of Rotterdam and the Hague as well as companies such as the Port of Rotterdam to ensure a smooth transition for both energy and aviation of the future. While safety and security remain our main pillars, Rotterdam the Hague Airport has created an innovation platform for the Royal Schiphol Group as well as for the metropolitan region around it to accelerate innovation and help start up, test and experiment with their product in a real life laboratory. With this said, Rotterdam The Hague Airport is set to be the most innovative airport in its class. About Rotterdam the Hague Innovation Airport (RHIA) RHIA is a runway for innovation; a hotspot where entrepreneurs, researchers and students bring innovation and sustainability to life. Together, we create a cleaner, quieter and more sustainable future for the aviation industry. Together, we make innovation fly. RHIA is an independent non-profit organization founded by Rotterdam the Hague Airport and municipality of Rotterdam in 2019. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-commercial-hydrogen-electric-flight-between-london-and-rotterdam-the-hague-airport-expected-in-2024-301409447.html SOURCE ZeroAvia

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[October 27, 2021] Fruity King Casino launches in New Zealand

Popular online casino brand builds on success in the UK market by making its debut in NZ where it sees huge potential for its proposition LONDON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FruityKing.co.nz, the leading online and mobile casino brand, has made its debut in the New Zealand market as part of wider international expansion plans. Players in New Zealand can access more than 1,000 slots/pokies, casino, table and live dealer games from the biggest providers in the market including NetEnt, Microgaming, Big Time Gaming and more. The casino has been fully localised for the New Zealand market; this includes a specific welcome bonus as well as the option to deposit and withdraw with NZ$. Players can also take advantage of locaised payment options including Trustly, MuchBetter, ecoPayz, AstroPay Card, Neteller, Skrill and even Bitcoin.



Fruity King NZ offers players a generous reward scheme where they can unlock perks by completing various missions and tasks. They can also compete in slot tournaments and races. If that wasn't enough to keep players in New Zealand coming back from more, Fruity King also offers weekly promotions and cashback via its promotions page.

James King of Fruity King, said: "Having established Fruity King as a leading online and mobile casino in the UK market we wanted to expand our geographical reach and identified NZ as having huge potential. "There is a strong appetite for reputable, quality online casino brands in the market and we believe our offering will not only meet but exceed player expectations. "We look forward to welcoming New Zealand players to Fruity King and for them to enjoy the same experience that has seen us become a leader in the highly competitive UK market." Editor's notes:

About Fruity King:

Fruity King is an online and mobile casino that has been entertaining players in the UK since 2013. It offers more than 1,000 slots, casino, table and live dealer titles from the biggest providers in the market as well as generous bonuses and a reward program based on missions and tasks. It combines this with a great selection of payment options and fast, secure transactions to deliver a player experience like no other.

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[October 27, 2021] Humana Healthy Horizons Launches Louisiana Statewide Mobile Clinic Initiative with Ochsner Health

From New Orleans to Baton Rouge to Lafayette, Shreveport and surrounding rural areas, two new mobile clinics will soon bring a wide variety of health services to thousands of Louisianans. It's all part of a new initiative introduced by Humana Healthy Horizons, the Medicaid business of leading health and well-being company Humana Inc.(NYSE: HUM), and Ochsner Health. Humana Healthy Horizons has committed $400,000 to the mobile clinics, which will be operated by Ochsner and will travel up to six days a week, throughout the year, to vulnerable and underserved areas of Louisiana where there is an increased need for both physical and behavioral health care. "Humana and Ochsner have a strong working relationship and solid longtime track record of helping Louisianans achieve their best health so it is a natural progression for us to team up for this important initiative," said John Barger, President, Humana Medicaid. "The mobile clinics will help increase access to quality care for adults and children in both underserved areas of Louisiana's cities and rural areas. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the continuing recovery from Hurricane Ida and other recent storms, it's a critical time to invest in our health care infrastructure while delivering solutions to address health inequities." The mobile clinics will offer biometric and cancer screenings; provide educational opportunities, including classes about nutrition, physical activity, tobacco-free living and mental health; and connect Louisianans to health care resources. Additionally, the clinics may offer physical exams, blood work, vaccinations and immunizations, access to telehealth and will be used to provide disaster recovery services for Louisianans in areas hardest hit. "We're grateful to Humana for their generosity and commitment to creating a healthier state," said Warner L. Thomas, President and CEO, Ochsner Health. "Many members of our community face challenges that prevent or delay them from receiving routine care, getting lifesaving screenings or treating chronic health conditions. These mobile units break down barriers and deliver critical services to people who may not have convenient access to health care. This is an innovative solution to obstacles that prevent people from living long, healthy lives." "As lifelong Louisianan, I am so grateful for this opportunity for Humana to provide Ochsner's world-class health and wellness services to Louisianans who may not have the transportation or time to visit a health care provider," said Angela Wiggins Harris, Louisiana Population Health Director, Humana. "Humana has for many years been such an integral part of the many Louisiana communities it serves, and this is a new approach to help fulfill our commitment to help Louisianans become healthier."



The mobile clinics will be fully operational later this month. About Humana Healthy Horizons

In 2020, Humana launched its new Medicaid brand, Humana Healthy Horizons. With this new brand, we are committed to continue demonstrating our strong ability to manage complex populations and create solutions that lead to a better quality of life for our members. Nationally, we serve Medicaid enrollees through Medicaid Managed Care (MMC), Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) programs, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Financial Alignment Initiative Dual Demonstrations, MA, D-SNPs, and PDPs. Humana has served Medicaid populations continuously for more than two decades and currently manages Medicaid benefits for more than 800,000 members nationally. We have developed expertise providing care management, care planning, and specialized clinical management for the complex needs of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); Medicaid Expansion; aged, blind, or disabled (ABD); and dual eligible populations within a social supports-based framework. Through these years of experience, we have also developed significant expertise in integrating physical health, behavioral health, pharmacy, and social services and supports for a whole-person centered approach to improve the health and well-being of our members and the communities we serve. Humana Healthy Horizons is a Medicaid Product offered by affiliates of Humana Inc. About Humana Humana Inc. 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 About Ochsner Health Ochsner Health is a system that delivers health to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate. Ochsner Health is a not-for-profit committed to giving back to the communities it serves through preventative screenings, health and wellness resources and partnerships with innovative organizations that share our vision. Ochsner Health healed more than 900,000 people from across the globe in 2020, providing the latest medical breakthroughs and therapies, including digital medicine for chronic conditions and telehealth specialty services. Ochsner Health is a national leader, named the top hospital in Louisiana and a top children's hospital by U.S. News & World Report. As Louisiana's leading healthcare educator, Ochsner Health and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals annually. Ochsner Health is innovating healthcare by investing in new technologies and research to make world-class care more accessible, affordable, convenient and effective. Ochsner's team of more than 32,000 employees and 4,500 providers are working to reinvent the future of health and wellness in the region. To learn more about Ochsner Health, please visit www.ochsner.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005685/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Kia EV6 is crowned 2022 German Premium Car of the Year

EV6 wins category 'Premium' and ranked second in 'New Energy' for vehicles powered solely by batteries or hydrogen

All-electric EV6 overcomes others to take victory in prestigious award

EV6 can travel up to 528 kilometers on a single charge; 800V ultra-fast charging enables a 10 to 80 percent charge in just 18 minutes

Kia to launch 11 new EVs by 2026; EV6 the first of seven to be built on dedicated E-GMP architecture SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The all-new Kia EV6 electric crossover has been voted '2022 German Car of the Year' in the 'Premium' category of the 'German Car of the Year' (GCOTY) awards. The prestigious accolade comes at a time when the innovative crossover continues to make its highly anticipated debut around the world.



The EV6 fought off competition from a series of contenders to take the top honor, with the innovative crossover, among others. A jury consisting of 20 automotive journalists evaluated new models with a base price of between 25,000 and 50,000 euros to determine the overall category winner. "The EV6 is not only the first Kia based on our new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), it's also the first car that incorporates our new and bold Opposites United design philosophy as well as the all-new company logo," said Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer at Hyundai Motor Group. "The EV6's emotional design, dynamic performance, impressive driving range and ultra-fast charging capabilities truly mark it out as something special. We are proud to receive the German Car of the Year's Premium award that acknowledges the brilliant work of our dynamic Kia team."

"It's fantastic to see the EV6 win the '2022 German Premium Car of the Year' award," said Jason Jeong, President at Kia Europe. "While the first deliveries of our innovative electric crossover have only just begun, this honor is clear recognition that the EV6 is already setting new standards for driving range, performance, interior space and technology." For more information about Kia EV6, please visit: www.kianewscenter.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1671413/digital_1920x1080_gcoty_1.jpg

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[October 27, 2021] Nice Healthcare Brings Hassle-Free Primary Health Care to Three New Markets

Nice Healthcare, the clinic that comes to you, today announced its entry into three new markets including St. George, Utah, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Las Vegas, Nevada. On the heels of its launch in Boise, Idaho, small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) in these western cities can now offer their employees the benefits of Nice Healthcare, which brings affordable and quality musculoskeletal, and primary healthcare services into the patient's home using a combination of in-person and virtual visits. Nice contracts directly with employers to provide unlimited access to its service for about $1 a day per employee. "As small businesses face unprecedented challenges and rising costs across their businesses, we want them to know that we are in their corner when it comes to affordable healthcare benefits," said John Young, Senior Vice Preident of Growth for Nice Healthcare. "With Nice, you don't have to compromise healthcare quality based on cost. We work closely with companies to deliver the highest level of care to their employees that is convenient enough to meet all their personal and family needs."



More than half (55%) of small businesses say providing health insurance to employees is the biggest challenge they face. Providing adequate healthcare coverage comes ahead of Covid challenges, taxes, and competition from large corporations. In the era of the Great Resignation, employee benefits are critical to attracting and retaining talent. This is especially true of health benefits, considering that the Aflac WorkForces report showed that 70% of millennials have avoided going to the doctor or postponed a medical procedure due to high medical costs. Nice Healthcare makes it easier for employees of small and medium-sized businesses to access affordable, everyday care in the comfort of their home, on their schedule. The technology-enabled solution simplifies access to care and brings families a modernized version of the traditional house call.

Using the Nice Healthcare app, patients can schedule a same-day chat or video visit with a clinician, allowing them to get answers quickly to immediate questions. They can also avoid the hassle of travel by scheduling an in-home visit with a licensed and certified nurse practitioner or physician assistant when labs, x-rays, EKGs, or in-person assessments are needed. Patients don't go to a clinic - the clinic comes to them, often the same day. All family members are covered. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Nice Healthcare is currently available in parts of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Wisconsin with plans to expand into 10 new markets by the end of 2022. In addition to the company's comprehensive in-home and virtual care, services include 35 lab tests and 550+ free prescriptions delivered by mail or available for pick-up at a local pharmacy. To learn more about Nice Healthcare, visit www.nice.healthcare. About Nice Healthcare Nice Healthcare is redesigning comprehensive healthcare for small and medium-sized businesses by utilizing a mix of technology and in-home care. The company uses licensed and certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants to deliver care. Nice Healthcare was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Minnesota. Currently Nice is available in 12 states and growing. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005112/en/

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Planet Celebrates One Year of the NICFI Satellite Data Program, Providing High-Resolution Data for Tropical Forest Management

Planet, a leading provider of daily data and insights about earth, is celebrating one year of the NICFI Satellite Data Program, a partnership with Norway's International Climate and Forests Initiative (NICFI), Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), and Airbus to advance scientific discovery and support sustainable management of global tropical forests. Participants in the NICFI Satellite Data Program are putting Planet data to work to help reduce and reverse tropical forest loss through government action, private sector adoption, and NGO coordination.

In September 2020, the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment awarded KSAT the first ever global contract to combat deforestation. Since then, it has worked with Planet and Airbus to provide comprehensive access to high-resolution satellite monitoring of the tropics to help reduce tropical deforestation and combat climate change.

Over the last year, the NICFI Satellite Data Program has registered over 9,000 users from 130 countries around the world. The Planet (News - Alert) Tropical Basemaps account for ove two-thirds of the Basemap selections on Global Forest Watch, a figure that is growing by 25% each quarter. Over 15 million tiles of the Planet Tropical Basemaps have been streamed from the Planet platform, and 70% of surveyed NICFI users said the NICFI Data is now their primary imagery source.







The Program has established working relationships with a number of key partners across its three levels of access. These include Purpose Allies, which bring Visual Basemaps to local and global communities, the Platform and Tool Partners, which enable technical workflows on the Analysis-Ready Basemaps, and the General Partners, which apply the Scenes-level data.

This past quarter, the NICFI Satellite Data Program launched a number of new, consequential partnerships including a new partnership with Google Earth Engine, which made the NICFI-Planet Tropical Basemaps available in Google (News - Alert) Earth Engine's compute platform for analysis. Users can access the data directly in their GEE catalogue, with no need to store or move data. Within the first month of the solution, over 1,100 NICFI users began to analyze the Tropical Basemaps within Google Earth Engine.

The NICFI Satellite Data Program also announced new partnerships to enable visual and story-telling use cases. Mapbox released a suite of demo tools aimed at helping NICFI users more readily translate the high-resolution data into visual story-telling tools. These include providing users with templates to display Planet-NICFI Basemaps on an interactive Mapbox webmap, enabling them to select from multiple time periods to compare change over time, and allowing them to create a swipe interaction to display two sets of Planet-NICFI imagery side-by-side for easy comparison. The Program Team also hosted a training webinar to help journalists use the data for environmental reporting in partnership with the Pulitzer Center.

To date, the NICFI Satellite Data Program has gathered over 300 user stories. This quarter many users shared their stories at Planet Explore, Planet's annual user conference:

The European Space Agency and Gisat presented on how their team is combining the NICFI-Planet Basemaps with the SAR band of Sentinel-1 to improve deforestation detection and carbon mapping in the Amazon.

The Government of Uganda shared how their team, in partnership with the United Nations, is using the NICFI-Planet Basemaps to improve its Measurement, Reporting, and Verification to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

PepsiCo discussed how it is leveraging the NICFI-Planet Basemaps via Global Forest Watch Pro to begin incorporating satellite monitoring into their environmental impact assessments in sourcing regions.

The Wildlife Conservation Society and National Council for Protected Areas in Guatemala showed how they are using the Planet-NICFI Data to detect and intervene in illegal deforestation in the Maya Biosphere Reserve. The number one driver of deforestation in the Reserve is cattle ranching, and the high-resolution Planet data allows them to detect ranching infrastructure and illegal conversion to pastureland.

In year two of the program, Planet looks forward to seeing how partners and users continue to innovate on how to leverage high-resolution satellite monitoring to reduce and reverse tropical forest loss and combat climate change.

About Planet:

Planet is the leading provider of global, daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions. Planet is driven by a mission to image the world every day, and make change visible, accessible and actionable. Founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists, Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest Earth observation fleet of imaging satellites, capturing and compiling data from over 3 million images per day. Planet provides mission-critical data, advanced insights, and software solutions to over 700 customers, comprised of the world's leading agriculture, forestry, intelligence, education and finance companies and government agencies, enabling users to simply and effectively derive unique value from satellite imagery. Earlier this year, Planet entered into a definitive merger agreement with dMY Technology Group, Inc. IV (NYSE:DMYQ), a special purpose acquisition company, to become a publicly-traded company later this year. To learn more visit www.planet.com and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) at @planet.

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[October 27, 2021] Six One Commodities Successfully Expands and Renews Revolving Credit Facility

Six One Commodities LLC ("61C") today announced that it has successfully closed a $540 million one-year revolving borrowing base credit facility (the "Facility"). The Facility was significantly oversubscribed with an initial launch of $450 million, including commitments received from a globally diverse group of six European, North American, and Asian financial institutions. The Facility increases the current revolving credit facility by $315 million and has a $60 million accordion feature available to support future growth. ING Capital LLC, Wells Fargo (News - Alert) Bank, N.A., and MUFG Bank, Ltd., are Joint Lead Arrangers for the Facility. Other banks joining the facility are HSBC Bank USA NA, Societe Generale, and Cooperative Rabobank U.A. The Facility will continue to be used to provide liquidity for 61C's growing business. "We appreciate the strong support shown by our existing lenders, as well as the four new banks who have contributed to our credit facility. The facility's oversubscription is a testament to the markets' confidence in our portfolio, business model, disciplined operations, and growth strategy," Benjamin Sutton, 61C's CEO, said. "The expanded credit facility, coupled with the continued commitment from Pinnacl Asset Management, positions 61C for continued global growth and expansion as a leading merchant in the physical energy commodity markets for years to come."



"With the energy markets in a continued heightened state, access to liquidity is ever more important and the lifeblood of a physical commodity merchant. We appreciate the opportunity to lead this transaction and look forward to further expanding our relationship with Six One Commodities on a global basis," said Matthew Rosetti, Managing Director, Head of Trade & Commodity Finance North America for ING. "Six One is now well-positioned to expand its presence in the North American market and we were pleased to see their operating capabilities and growth potential validated by the very strong demand from our syndicate partners." ABOUT SIX ONE COMMODITIES LLC

61C is a global merchant of physical energy commodities and provides physical supply services and structures. Formed in 2018, 61C is backed by Pinnacle Asset Management, and headquartered in Stamford, CT with offices in Houston, Singapore, and Berlin with over 50 employees worldwide. The 61C team has a demonstrated track record of unique market insight, strong client relationships, robust returns, and disciplined risk management to execute on opportunities within the energy merchanting space. ABOUT PINNACLE ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P. Founded in 2003, Pinnacle Asset Management, L.P. is a private, New York-based alternative asset management firm focused on the global commodities' markets with approximately $4 billion under management. Pinnacle provides its institutional investor base with exposure to the global commodities markets via physical and financial absolute return funds, strategies, and products. Pinnacle is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is registered as a commodity trading adviser and a commodity pool operator with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and is a member of the National Futures Association. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005924/en/

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[October 27, 2021] SOCAR Trading Collaborates with Windward to Enhance Sanctions Compliance and Due Diligence Processes

SOCAR Trading will use Windward's Predictive Intelligence platform to monitor its fleet, run counterparty due diligence, and ensure compliance with all sanctions regimes LONDON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Windward, the Predictive Intelligence company applying AI to transform global maritime trade, announced today that it is working with SOCAR Trading, the international marketing and development arm of SOCAR, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic. SOCAR Trading will use Windward's AI-powered platform to enhance its due diligence and screening processes when chartering tankers, monitoring its own fleet, and receiving cargo from third-party vessels. As part of the national oil company of Azerbaijan, SOCAR Trading has a presence across the entire value chain, with assets and activity in exploration and production, pipelines and exports, refining and petrochemicals, logistics and wholesale, and retail and distribution. The company owns and charters crude and product tankers and receives cargo from third-party vessels. Against the backdrop of an increasingly complex sanctions environment, the evolving expectations of regulators and financiers, and sophisticated evasion tactics, the company requires an advanced solution for screening and tracking vessels, fleets, and companies in the maritime domain to ensure that these entities are safe to conduct business with. "We're always on the lookout for innovative solutions that we can build into our compliance program that protect our interests and give us an edge over non-compliant actors in the market," said Richard Baro, Head of Compliance at SOCAR Trading. "Windward's AI-powered platform generates meaningful alerts with a low rate of false positives allowing the compliance team to dedicate more time on assessing and analyzing key risks."



Windward's Maritime AI platform analyzes numerous factors including vessel behaviors, ownership structures, company risks, and others, predicting in real-time which companies and vessels are likely to be high risk and which are safe to conduct business with. Integrating seamlessly into existing workflows, Windward's Predictive Intelligence platform flags suspicious events with 4X less false positives than traditional solutions, enabling SOCAR Trading to save time, increase efficiency, and focus on other business needs. "We are proud to collaborate with SOCAR Trading, a trailblazing company in the risk and compliance space," said Ami Daniel, CEO and Co-Founder of Windward. "Our Predictive Intelligence platform is essential for traders to gain a comprehensive view of the entities they conduct business with to mitigate risk and optimize operations. In an ever-changing regulatory landscape Windward is empowering traders to go beyond maritime compliance and safety to digitalize their business for operational readiness and future forward decisions."

About Windward Windward is the leading Predictive Intelligence company fusing AI and big data to digitalize the global maritime industry, enabling organizations to achieve business and operational readiness. Windward's AI-powered solution allows stakeholders including banks, commodity traders, insurers, and major energy and shipping companies to make real time, predictive intelligence-driven decisions, providing a 360 view of the maritime ecosystem and its broader impact on safety, security, finance, and business. For more information visit windward.ai. About SOCAR Trading Headquartered in Geneva, SOCAR Trading is the international marketing and development arm of SOCAR, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic. SOCAR Trading was established in December 2007 with the mandate to market Azeri barrels produced from the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field and other surrounding fields in Azerbaijan. It has subsequently expanded successfully into other markets. Along with expanding the U.S. desk, notably in crude trading, the Company is working to grow its light ends and LNG divisions, develop oil products trading, and further enlarge its positions in Southern and Eastern European gas trading. SOCAR Trading has experienced significant growth and profits in recent years, cementing its position as one of the most successful global energy trading companies. The Company is well positioned to expand further into new and existing markets. Windward Media Contact

Sarah Schloss

Headline Media

[email protected]

+1 914 506 5105 SOCAR Trading Media Contact

Grace Fenstermaker

[email protected]

+41 76 399 61 28

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[October 27, 2021] Vesttoo Appoints Jacques Aigrain, Former CEO of Swiss Re, as Chairman of the Advisory Board

TEL AVIV, Israel, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vesttoo, a leading global alternative reinsurance and investment platform, today announced the appointment of insurance industry veteran Jacques Aigrain as Chairman of the Advisory Board. Mr. Aigrain brings nearly 30 years of leadership experience in insurance, reinsurance and capital markets, including previous roles such as CEO of Swiss Re, senior financial advisor at Warburg Pincus LLC and leadership roles at JP Morgan in New York, London and Paris. Yaniv Bertele, CEO and Founder, Vesttoo, said: "Vesttoo is honored to welcome an executive of Jacques's calibre to lead its advisory board. Jacques's extensive leadership experience spans the insurance and reinsurance sector and the capital markets, as well as corporate finance and governance. His expertise in these areas will be invaluable to Vesttoo as we continue on our mission to collaborate with both the insurance and capital markets to offer capital markets investors access to a wide range of insurance risks while providing liquidity and much needed capacity in the insurance and reinsurance sector." Jacques Aigrain, Chairman of the Advisory Board, Vesttoo, said: "I am excited to take on the leadership of Vesttoo's strong and diverse global advisory board and help the company build on its success in the alternative reinsurance market. I have been impressed with Vesttoo's growth as it leverages advanced technology to bring together insurers seeking to transfer liabilities, which are not covered by traditional reinsurance, and capital market investors targeting insurance-related investments." The appointment follows Vesttoo's recent announcement of an insurance linked program (ILP), which enables asset managers and pension schemes to earn long-term, sustainable returns by pledging securities, rather than directly allocating cash, to support short and mid-term Life and P&C alternative risk transfer transactions. Investors will benefit from BB spread with AA uncorrelated risk by using existing securities inventory. Jacques Aigrain currently serves as Chairman of te board at Singular Bank and LyondellBassell NV, as well as a Non-Executive Director of the London Stock Exchange Group, WPP PLC and Clearwater Analytics (CWAN).



Mr. Aigrain will chair the board of prominent experts on Vesttoo's existing advisory board, which include executives from all areas of the global and regulatory insurance space, executive financial experts and executives from the global business arena. They are: Hedwige Nuyens

30 years of experience in the banking industry and in finance. Managing director of the International Banking Federation, Regulatory Affairs, Chief Risk Officer and Chief Financial Officer. BNP Paribas, Catholic University Louvain and ABN Amro Bank Belgium. William Lowry William Lowry is a Senior and C-level executive in multiple reinsurance companies, expert of Insurance Linked Securities (ILS) and the former CFO of Swiss Re in the US. William brings significant experience in the management of insurance, reinsurance, ILS and insurance-related companies to the advisory board. Steve M. Goldman Steve Goldman is a former partner at Kramer Levin Natfalis & Frankel LLP and an expert attorney who specializes in banking and insurance law. He is the former Commissioner of the NJ department of banking and insurance, dealt with corporate law at Sills Cummis Epstein & Gross PC for 22 years and sat on President Obama's advisory committee. Joseph Haviv Joseph Haviv is the founder, chairman and managing member of Protostar Partners private equity. Additionally, he sits on the MC Square Capital advisory board, and is a lead investor of Constitution Reinsurance and Partner Reinsurance. In the past, he was a partner at McKinsey and Co. and VP at EXOR America, among others. Dr. Michel Leonard Dr. Michel Leonard, CBE, is an economist and data scientist with 20 years of experience in insurance and finance. He is 3i's Vice President & Senior Economist, as well as faculty at NYU and Columbia University. His past roles include: Principal & CDS at MaKroLLC, Chief Economist & SVP in Aon, Chief Economist & Data Scientist Alliant Insurance KKR and Global Business Advisory Council for the White House/State/Commerce. Emmanuel Pierron Emmanuel Pierron has 20 years of experience in Insurance, Reinsurance and Innovation: risk, technique and big data, operations and new technologies. He has a strong interest and vast experience in the creation of activities, business and startups. Past roles: Chief Innovation Officer at KAMET (AXA Group's VC), Chief Data Officer at AXA Group and Chief Technical & Claims Officer at Direct Assurance. Ari M. Paltiel 40 years of experience in socio-demographic research & mortality statistics. Demographer & Lecturer at Hebrew University and member of governmental advisory committees on demography & mortality. Held multiple senior positions in the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics and led pioneering investigation teams in Israel & Germany. About Vesttoo Vesttoo is the world's first marketplace for Life and P&C insurance-based risk transfer and investments. Our proprietary AI-based technology facilitates risk transfer between insurance companies and institutional investors, providing insurance-linked investments to asset managers of all types, while enhancing risk transfer and liquidity in the Life and P&C insurance markets. Our vision is to create a world where the insurance and capital markets are fused and globally accessible, bridging the insurance funding gap with capacity from the capital markets. For more information, visit https://vesttoo.com . Media Contact:

Liran Grunhaus

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vesttoo-appoints-jacques-aigrain-former-ceo-of-swiss-re-as-chairman-of-the-advisory-board-301409684.html SOURCE Vesttoo

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[October 27, 2021] Visa Helping Fuel 'Buy Now, Pay Later' Growth Around the World

As consumer demand for 'Buy Now, Pay Later' (BNPL) solutions continues to grow, Visa (NYSE: V) today announced a growing list of issuers, acquirers and fintechs that are leveraging Visa's technology - both its network-based Visa Installments Solution and its longstanding fintech solutions - to bring 'Buy Now, Pay Later' options to their customers. A recent Visa study found that nearly half of all global consumers (42%) expressed interest in installment financing that is offered on their existing credit card or one they could apply for.1 To help partners meet this demand, Visa Installments Solution is being deployed globally to make issuer-offered BNPL options available in-store and across ecommerce channels. With the network-based solution, financial institutions can add BNPL as a customized feature for credit card holders, on their already approved credit lines. And likewise, acquirers on the network can activate the ability to enable installments for any of their retailers that accept Visa. First launched as a pilot in 2019, the solution has expanded to Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Russia and the U.S. In North America, Visa is collaborating with Canada's Moneris, and working with CIBC, Commerce Bank, Desjardins Group (Desjardins), Equinox Payments, i2c, ScotiaBank and Versapay. In Asia Pacific, following the recent launch with HSBC, Visa is rolling out installment programs with ANZ, GHL Systems Malaysia and Quest Payment Systems. And in Russia, Visa has partnered with Home Credit Bank and Russian Standard Bank. Visa is also working with Cybersource, FIS, Global Payments and TSYS, a Global Payments company, in several markets across the globe to enable the Visa Installments Solution.



The global rollout of Visa Installments Solution complements Visa's existing support of today's leading BNPL fintechs, including: Afterpay, ChargeAfter, Klarna, Paidy, Sezzle, SplitIt and Zip. Since 2017, Visa's fintech solutions have helped fintechs grow by: issuing digital credentials or virtual cards, so consumers can seamlessly use installments at checkout; leveraging Visa's acceptance and reach with sellers; and taking advantage of the security and risk offerings Visa provides. Additionally, this week Visa announced that Klarna has signed a global brand deal with Visa to accelerate its expansion and scale in several markets. "For years, Visa has been enthusiastically embracing BNPL for the same reason we pioneered revolving credit, debit and prepaid decades ago: because it expands choice and convenience for buyers and sellers alike," said Mary Kay Bowman, SVP and global head of payment and platform products, Visa. "If shoppers prefer a BNPL fintech solution, we are here and enabling it; if they want an option from their banks, we're helping offer those too."

Visa's recent survey showed that future interest in installment plans is high and outpaces current adoption in all countries tested, underscoring the strong opportunity for BNPL usage looking ahead.2 Research shows that when BNPL options are available at checkout, retailers also benefit from an increase in spend and see more shoppers completing their purchases. "At HSBC we strive to bring new and innovative solutions to our customers. We are excited to partner with Visa and be the first bank outside North America to launch the Visa Installments Solution, starting in Malaysia; announcing our entrance in the digital Buy Now, Pay Later space," said Madhu Kejriwal, Group Head, Unsecured Lending & Partnerships, HSBC Wealth & Personal Banking. "This feature facilitates point of sale purchases for HSBC Visa credit card customers when they shop with partner merchants, by allowing them to split payments into monthly instalments at no additional cost and no credit application. We look forward to continuing to innovate with Visa, including delivering on our global BNPL strategy." "BNPL solutions have emerged as a must-have capability for both card issuers and merchants across the globe. We are thrilled to partner with Visa and to add Visa Installments to our existing BNPL product offering for our issuers and their cardholders," said Ava Kelly, Global Head of Products of Silicon Valley-based i2c, a global Visa Ready and Fast Track member. "We're happy to be working with a trusted brand like Visa on providing a Buy Now, Pay Later option to Canadians," said Patrick Diab, Chief Product and Partnership Officer, Moneris. "Bringing flexible payment methods like Buy Now, Pay Later to our merchants helps them offer their customers more options when it comes time to pay." "We are very pleased to partner with Visa on BNPL," said Craig O'Neill, CEO of Versapay. "As a payment facilitator, we were able to seamlessly onboard merchants into the Visa program, and as the BNPL market matures, we see this becoming an attractive offering for business to business commerce, an area Versapay intimately knows and serves well." For more information on Visa Installments, visit: https://usa.visa.com/partner-with-us/payment-technology/installments.html About Visa Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world's leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company's relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit About Visa, visa.com/blog and @VisaNews. 1 Visa & Growth from Knowledge Survey, September 2021 (Results from 7-market global survey in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Russia, U.S., U.K.) 2 Visa & Growth from Knowledge Survey, September 2021 (Results from 7-market global survey in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Russia, U.S., U.K.) View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005406/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Wiley Expands Its Reach Globally to Deliver Career-Connected Education

Wiley (NYSE:JWA), a global leader in research and education, today announced continued momentum in its strategy to deliver career-connected education with significant growth in global markets demanding online and hybrid education that connects people directly with career outcomes. Over the last year, Wiley has expanded multiple university partnerships and introduced more than 15 new graduate and post-secondary programs in fields like computer science, engineering, data analytics and cybersecurity. The momentum comes as higher education institutions across the globe accelerate and augment their online offerings, following the transformative impact of the pandemic. "We are thrilled to partner with such a wide range of universities worldwide to help them both build and tailor their online programs to meet the demand for jobs that are driving our global economy forward," said Todd Zipper, President of Wiley Education Services. "The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted universities to accelerate their use of online learning, and for many, that has proven to be a significant challenge. Accordingly, we're seeing an increase in institutions seeking out our expertise to help support their growth not only in online learning, but in career-connected education more broadly." Wiley Enters New Markets to Help Higher-Ed Institutions Adapt to Online Learning Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University has signed an eight-year partnership with Wiley Education Services in a deal that positions the university to become a leading provider of online educational offerings. Wiley will help the university launch its first fully online MBA through Tel Aviv's prestigious Coller School of Management and provide a holistic set of marketing, academic and student services to the university, including recruitment, enrollment and retention supports. Lebanese American University Lebanese American University (LAU), with campuses in Beirut and Byblos, Lebanon, has contracted with Wiley Education Services to launch eight grauate programs in business, computer science, engineering, healthcare and education. LAU will utilize a full suite of Wiley's University Services, including market research, student recruitment, course design and delivery, and corporate partnership development.



Wiley Expands Existing Global Partnerships to Help Universities Increase Program Offerings Aligned to High-Demand Careers PwC's Academy Middle East

Wiley has expanded its partnership with PwC's Academy Middle East to support 20,000 finance and accounting professionals with both in-person and online Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam review courses in the Middle East Region. University of Birmingham Wiley Education Services has expanded its portfolio of program offerings in partnership with the University of Birmingham in Birmingham, England through the launch of three programs: Master of Science (MSc) in Bioinformatics, MBA in Clinical Leadership, and Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) in Design for Learning Environments. RMIT Online RMIT Online (officially, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) in Melbourne, Australia, has partnered with Wiley Education Services for a variety of academic services on a fee-for-service basis. To date, RMIT Online has developed postgraduate course and short courses in areas like Blockchain, IoT/5G and Cryptofinance with Wiley's support. Wiley is providing expertise to facilitate course development workshops and build quality, industry-connected courses to support new offerings including Graduate Certificate in Accounting Advisory and Technology as well as Graduate Diploma of Psychology. La Trobe University La Trobe University in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, has expanded its partnership with Wiley Education Services to utilize its University Services to power multiple master's degree programs and short courses in areas including Cybersecurity, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Business Analytics and Information Technology. University of West Alabama and Istanbul Aydin University Current Wiley partner school the University of West Alabama has expanded its partnership with Wiley Education Services to create an international dual-degree program with Istanbul Aydin University for its existing Bachelor's of Business Administration program, allowing Istanbul University students to be concurrently enrolled online in that program while pursuing an additional degree on campus. About Wiley Wiley is a global leader in research and education, unlocking human potential by enabling discovery, powering education, and shaping workforces. For over 200 years, Wiley has fueled the world's knowledge ecosystem. Today, our high-impact content, platforms, and services help researchers, learners, institutions, and corporations achieve their goals in an ever-changing world. Visit us at Wiley.com, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Tag: All Corporate News View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005611/en/

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[October 26, 2021] Sangfor EPIC 2021: Global Virtual Summit on Cyber Security & Cloud Computing

HONG KONG, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sangfor Technologies hosted the Sangfor EPIC Innovation Summit on October 21, 2021, where global IT experts and technology thought leaders discussed this year's most advanced cloud and cyber security solutions. The event gathered over 2,800 registered attendees, from 25 regions representing government, manufacturing, education, enterprise, and finance. This annual innovation summit is designed to showcase products and services developed or updated for the upcoming year. Previous attendees have included leading IT executives and industry experts from around the world, all working together to further Sangfor's vision and cutting-edge products. Sangfor EPIC 2021 presenters included Chris Morris, VP of IDC APAC, Jason Yuan, VP of Sangfor's International Marketing Department, and in-depth interviews with Rick Lei Li, CIO of Coca-Cola SCMC and Wilbertus Darmadi, CIO of Toyota Astra Motor - both Sangfor customers. Sangfor also presented a collaborative workshop with industry leader IDC, where participants asked abut cloud computing and digital transformation, as well as managed cloud and professional services. Bob Ghaffari and William McDonald from Intel also provided an illuminating presentation on Secure Access Service Edge.



Sangfor also took this opportunity to launch Sangfor Managed Cloud Services, which provides the convenience and flexibility of public cloud, and the security, control and service of private cloud. Sangfor MCS offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS). Customers choose their own dedicated cloud host, storage, and networking, or choose private cloud, data, and recovery services, or all the above. The virtual event also hosted live chats at booths and during interactive seminars with Sangfor representatives on-hand to answer insightful questions from technology enthusiasts during the Network Detection and Response Platform (Cyber Command), Sangfor's NGAF  Next Generation Firewall and Sangfor Hyper Converged Infrastructure sessions.

Sangfor EPIC is proud to be sponsored by Intel and Sundray, allowing for a safe, fully digital and interactive fee-free event. Sangfor is also proud to have offered stellar multi-lingual support including Bahasa, Thai, Cantonese, English, Italian, Korean, and Spanish. The EPIC event is still available on-demand on the Sangfor EPIC website. 2021 has been a new IT frontier for most enterprises, and Sangfor wants to 'Secure Your Journey to the Cloud' by offering IT products, services, and partnerships for every industry, in every region. To connect with Sangfor, visit www.sangfor.com or email [email protected]. Media Contact:

Sunny Sun

+86 755 8656 0605 SOURCE Sangfor Technologies

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[October 26, 2021] ESR tops the lists of 2021 GRESB Assessment for the second consecutive year

HONG KONG, 27 October 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ESR Cayman Limited ("ESR" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries as the "Group"; SEHK Stock Code: 1821), the largest APAC focused logistics real estate platform, is pleased to announce another year of outstanding scores and accolades across multiple categories in the 2021 Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark ("GRESB") Assessment. In recognition of its Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") leadership and commitment, ESR achieved outstanding results with the Group's funds in South Korea, Japan and China in particular, topping multiple GRESB ranking lists. Key highlights here: In South Korea , ESR Kendall Square Development JV 1 was named "Regional Sector Leader" in the Development Benchmark, industrial real estate sector. The fund received the highest possible five Green Stars rating, scoring 93 points and topped five "GRESB Development" rankings.

, was named "Regional Sector Leader" in the Development Benchmark, industrial real estate sector. The fund received the highest possible five Green Stars rating, scoring 93 points and topped five "GRESB Development" rankings. In Japan , all three funds: Redwood Japan Logistics Fund II LP , RJLF 3 Co-Investment Platform and PGGM RJLC LP topped several "GRESB Development" rankings in addition to receiving five Green Stars rating, each with a score of 91 points.

, all three funds: , and topped several "GRESB Development" rankings in addition to receiving five Green Stars rating, each with a score of 91 points. In China , Redwood China Logistics Fund LP topped the " China industrial distribution warehouse non-listed" of "GRESB Development" category with 87 points in addition to receiving 1st of "GRESB Score within industrial non-listed opportunistic" category in the "GRESB Standing Investments" Benchmark assessment with a score of 73 points. The Group's funds across other regions also saw significant improvement. These included India's ESR India Logistics Fund Pte Ltd receiving four Green Stars rating in the "GRESB Development" Benchmark with a score of 88 points, and the Group's Australia fund, POP III, receiving four Green Stars rating in the "GRESB Standing Investments" Benchmark with a score of 82 points. Jeffrey Shen and Stuart Gibson, Co-founders and Co-CEOs of ESR, remarked: "We are proud that our commitment to ESG continues to benefit our stakeholders, and such efforts are once again recognised by the world's most respected organisations, like GRESB. "ESG is an essential element that drives our next stage of growth. As APAC's largest real asset manager powered by New Economy real estate following the planned acquisition of ARA Asset Management, we strive to make a positive impact and create a better future for the communities and the world we operate and live in. We very much look forward to the broader impact the enlarged ESR group can deliver across our businesses and geographies." Emma Larsson, ESG Officer of ESR, said: "ESG principles have long been rooted in the business of ESR. We are pleased that our convictions and the tremendous effort we have put into ESG are recognised by major industry organisations such as GRESB. In addition, MSCI recently reaffirmed the Group's ESG Rating of A for its continued sustainability excellence. To pursue the targets set out in our 2025 ESG Roadmap, we remain committed to ESG transparency, to continue improving our overall performance and to accelerate our efforts to create sustainable value for our people, the planet and our business." GRESB is the leading ESG benchmark for real estate and infrastructure investments worldwide. The GRESB Assessments in 2021 covered the ESG performance of more than 2,200 real estate and infrastructure funds, companies and assets (up from 1,700 in 2020), providing more than 140 institutional and financial investors  with more than US$47 trillion in assets under management  to address sustainability issues and accelerate the growth of responsible investment. To learn more about the Group's ESG initiatives, please visit https://www.esr.com/en/esg_over.php. About ESR ESR is the largest APAC focused logistics real estate platform by gross floor area ("GFA") and by value of the assets owned directly and by the funds and investment vehicles it manages with a growing presence in data centres. ESR and the funds and investment vehicles it manages are backed by some of the world's preeminent investors including APG, CPP Investments, JD.com, Oxford Properties, PGGM and SK Holdings. The ESR platform spans major economies across the APAC region, including China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, India, Vietnam and Indonesia. As of 30 June 2021, the fair value of the properties directly held by ESR and the assets under management with respect to the funds and investment vehicles managed by ESR recorded approximately US$36.3 billion, and GFA of properties completed and under development as well as GFA to be built on land held for future development comprised over 22.6 million sqm in total. Listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited in November 2019, ESR is a constituent of the FTSE Global Equity Index Series (Large Cap), Hang Seng Composite Index and MSCI Hong Kong Index. For more information on ESR, please visit www.esr.com. CONTACTS







Investors Chang Rui Hua Group Managing Director Capital Markets and Investor Relations +852 2376 9623 [email protected] Media Antonia Au Group Executive Director Corporate Communications +852 2376 9617 [email protected]

SOURCE ESR Cayman Limited

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[October 26, 2021] Hidden heroes realizing a low-carbon economy - The future of power semiconductors

SINGAPORE, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- De-carbonization is fast emerging as a global trend. Find out more about how Toshiba's power semiconductors are key devices for power management and control and contributing to a low-carbon economy. For the full multimedia release, click here: https://www.prnasia.com/mnr/toshiba_202110.shtml





Power semiconductors manage the supply and control of powerelectric power, that is. Simply explained they play the role of an on-off switch, but by switching on and off at very high speed they can convert direct and alternating current, raise and lower voltages, and convert power frequencies. Takeshi Kamebuchi, who heads Toshiba's semiconductor business, explains: "If we compare semiconductors to parts of the body, processors and memories can be seen as the brain, but power semiconductors play the role of the heart and muscles." They handle power control in all kinds of electrical equipment, ranging from home appliances to key infrastructure equipment. Improving the performance of power semiconductors reduces power loss, and directly contributes to reducing the power consumption of equipment. In March 2021, Toshiba made an important decision toward ensuring the future of its power semiconductor business: to invest in larger diameter wafers production facility. Semiconductors are manufactured on discs of silicon, known as wafers. Larger wafers yield more chips, and production is more efficient. The electrification of automobiles, automation of industrial equipment, widespread use of inverter technology in home appliances, and the expanded use of renewable energy, are all contributing to increased demand for power semiconductors. The company is also exploring next generation devices. Most semiconductors are made of silicon, but in some applications, particularly those requiring high voltage and high speed switching, silicon is pushing the limits of its physical characteristics. Continued progress and better next-generation performance will require compound semiconductor materials, and two that are attracting strong attention are silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). They are expected to deliver dramatic improvements over silicon devices. With the collective strength of Toshiba Group, the company aims to expand the power semiconductor business and contribute to the realization of a carbon-free future. SOURCE Toshiba Corporation

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[October 26, 2021] Roland DG Launches D-BRIDGE Digitalization Support Website. Packed with Tips for Introducing Digital Technology

HAMAMATSU, Japan, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Roland DG Corporation, a leading manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers and printer/cutters, announced the launch of D-BRIDGE(https://d-bridge.rolanddg.com/en/), a support website that provides a variety of helpful information about the benefits of digitalization and secrets of success for anyone engaged in creating, especially those involved in printing or manufacturing. With a vision of 'transforming your imagination into reality' and mission of 'bringing new opportunities to society through digital technology,' Roland DG has been supporting the digitalization of various markets by providing compact and easy-to-use digital devices and solutions for many years, according to Tony Miller, President, Global Sales and Marketing Division. "With the spread of the Internet and globalization, not only the social and business environments, but also the way we communicate, our lifestyles, and even our values are changing drastically," Miller said. "In addition, consumer needs are rapidly diversifying and becoming more individualized. Companies that provide products and services face a greaterneed than ever for tailoring their communications and products to each individual customer with unique and appealing products and experiences," he added.



As a means to respond to these changes in a profitable and flexible manner, the adoption of digital technology is accelerating year by year in a variety of industries and professions. Yet Miller said there are still many people who are worried about making the transition to digitalization. Common responses include: "I feel the need for it, but I'm not sure if I can do it because it seems too difficult," or "I'm hesitant to adopt it because I don't understand the benefits." To encourage these people to take the first step, Miller said that D-BRIDGE will introduce a variety of information in a manner that is easy to understand. "Our goal with D-BRIDGE is to help as many customers as possible to achieve digitalization as a 'bridge' from conventional production methods."

D-BRIDGE provides the following information: "Benefits of Digitalization" describes the necessity of digitalization, benefits and secrets to success in digitalization. "Digitalization by Industry" introduces the current status of digitalization in various industries and how business processes are changing, along with specific examples. "Solution Examples" introduces how you can digitalize your traditional work using digital devices. "User Case Stories" introduces actual customer stories about the reasons for introducing a digital solution, the path to operation, specific benefits, and outlook for success. "Specialist Column" introduces the latest information and useful tips from specialists and influencers in various industries. "World Digitalization News" introduces examples of creative use of digital technology from around the world. To learn more, please visit the D-BRIDGE web site at https://d-bridge.rolanddg.com/en/. About Roland DG Corporation Roland DG Corporation is the world's leading provider of digital printing solutions. The company's inkjet printers, printer/cutters and cutting machines are widely used to create a broad range of promotional items including banners, signs, vehicle graphics, stickers, and labels, and to provide customization services for apparel and personal items like smartphone cases. Recently, Roland DG has embarked on a promising new digital transformation frontier with the launch of its cloud-based service called Roland DG Connect which improves customer satisfaction and success by providing a more comfortable and stable operating environment, improved workflow efficiency, increased business development and profitability. The company has also developed proprietary design and print management software which offers an unforgettable creative experience by enabling customers to design their own gifts, apparel, and treasured mementos. SOURCE Roland DG

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[October 26, 2021] Maximizing data driven business growth: GfK launches AI-supported intelligence platform "gfknewron" in the Middle East

Innovative market, consumer and brand intelligence platform combines data, analytics, and AI-powered forecasts New platform offers guidance for strategic planning and predictions in one interactive source DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GfK, a leading provider of consumer and market intelligence, analytics and consulting services, launches gfknewron, its integrated, AI-powered software platform in the Middle East. gfknewron is an important step in GfK's transformation from classical market researcher towards an AI-powered data analytics and consulting company. Companies can now access market, consumer and brand data from a single source of truth to answer questions like: What was bought where and at what price? Who bought it and why? What should I do next to grow my business? The AI-supported predictions and practical guidance will support sustainable business growth. The powerful combination of data, AI powered analytics and clear recommendations displayed in the modules 'gfknewron Market', 'gfknewron Consumer' and 'gfknewron Predict' gives companies a significant advantage in today's fiercely competitive markets. Sharing insights on the Middle East TCG markets, Sander Verboom, Vice President  META at GfK said, "The pandemic has triggered some structural shift in product and channel preferences across the Middle East. Insights from gfknewron reveal a very resilient market for Technical Consumer Goods in the region with consumers increasingly purchasing premium products. Second, we see a growing prominence of the online sales channel driven by growing consumer trust as well as digitalization of the consumer purchase journey. Online sales remains at the high levels seen during the pandemic and continues to accelerate from there. At the current pace of growth, the online channel is expected to account for 25% in the next 2 years. Finally we see an increasing consumer preference for brands that innovate, focus on sustainability, and have a purpose." gfknewron in a nutshell With the AI-powered software platform gfknewron, decision-makers can see an overview of their business performance using data from a single source: from the validation f new target markets over product alignment according to customers' needs to evaluate future market potential. Multiple teams can directly access the data at any time and address cross-departmental problems using the same dataset. Scenario simulations help to identify challenges at an early stage and to plan strategically. AI-supported forecasts help with making fast, informed decisions to stay ahead of market competition.



Speaking on the occasion, Peter Feld, CEO of GfK, said: "At GfK, we know that to win in today's intensely pressurized and fast-moving business environment, our clients need more than pure data. They need us to provide strategic guidance and market predictions rooted in that data. The business intelligence platform gfknewron has been designed to provide all that information on one intuitive platform that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence. We will empower our clients to adopt a much more data- and analytics-centred way of working. This is also an important milestone in the transformation of GfK from market researcher to an AI-powered data analytics and consulting company, enabled by a complete Software as a Service infrastructure." The three modules of gfknewron include:

gfknewron Market: What was bought where and at which price?

gfknewron Market, powered by GfK Retail Panel data, allows clients to use real transaction data to measure the performance of their product portfolio against market benchmarks, develop successful go-to-market strategies, to identify market changes and growth potentials and react accordingly.

gfknewron Consumer: Who bought where and why?

gfknewron Consumer is the evolution of GfK's Consumer Insight Engine (CIE). It helps to analyse target groups in detail by answering questions such as: Who buys which products via what channels? Which other brands are attractive for my target group? This allows brands to identify opportunities and risks at an early stage and to adapt strategies to changing consumer behavior.

gfknewron Predict: What should I do next to grow my business?

gfknewron Predict supports companies with AI-based forecasts and concrete recommendations for action in their data-driven decision-making process. With this module, companies are able to simulate market scenarios and forecast their impact on their business, to plan more efficiently, to optimise pricing and promotion strategies, and to increase conversion rates and revenue. "We spend a lot of time listening to our clients, and through combining the best talents of data with the best talents of agile software development, we are thrilled to be launching our powerful gfknewron platform. This empowers our clients and their entire teams (in the office or work from home), to make faster, more confident decisions to win in their markets," comments Sean O'Neill, Chief Product Officer at GfK. Sean further added, "We have enthusiastic confirmations from many leading companies in the Tech & Durables sector about how gfknewron is changing their ability to understand their markets, see how consumer sentiments are changing, and use the predictive insights and AI-power forecasts to take decisive action on the opportunities for their brands. GfK is the only provider in the market to offer manufacturers of technical consumer goods an integrated platform with these consolidated capabilities. In addition, this cloud-based software platform is continuously evolving and improving with feature releases weekly. Further modules as well as the inclusion of additional market data are already being planned. This is enterprise-grade insights with consumer-grade usability." More information on www.gfk.com/products/gfknewron GfK. Growth from Knowledge. For over 85 years, we have earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical business questions in their decision-making process around consumers, markets, brands and media. Our reliable data and insights, together with advanced AI capabilities, have revolutionized access to real-time actionable recommendations that drive marketing, sales and organizational effectiveness of our clients and partners. That's how we promise and deliver "Growth from Knowledge". Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670499/GfK_Sander_Verboom.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670498/GfK_Peter_Feld.jpg

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[October 27, 2021] HiDubai introduces cost-effective Digital Solutions for SMEs in Dubai to help grow their sales

DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HiDubai, Region's #1 Business Discovery Platform, announced the beta launch of the first fully serviced Digital Advertising Solutions for SMEs. "SME Sales Booster" and "Sales Hero" are two solutions that deliver guaranteed results for businesses, addressing the most common challenge they face. After generating over 3 million business leads to SMEs in Dubai, HiDubai is launching these new features targeted at companies looking to create more sales leads. The service aims to help companies achieve more sales and increased brand awareness for as low as AED 349 per month. It is a fully supported model covering digital strategy, design, PR, and online campaigns. His Excellency Abdul Baset Al Janahi, Member of Board of Directors of Tejuri Com LLC that runs HiDubai.com said, "Our data science team frequently indicated that SMEs in Dubai are facing challenges in generating sales leads. We also understand that it is not a commercially viable option for SMEs to build teams tackling digital strategy and lead generation From a macro point of view, we observed that all the global consumer tech giants are chasing big brands with larger budgets and not SMs. Some companies, who attempted to address this advertising need of the SME sector, couldn't achieve a product-market fit.



We understood the need to build a fully supported online subscription product at an affordable price point and have launched two solutions named SME-Sales-Booster and Sales-Hero. We are helping SMEs by removing the burden of investing in resources to manage Campaign strategy, design, optimized marketing mix, campaign management, PR, and Analytics through these solutions. We do everything from scratch to deliver targeted visitors and sales leads. Before this launch, we trialed these solutions with 160 paying customers for whom we generated over 2500 leads in the past two months with a 67% accuracy rate.

Dubai made a landmark move in 2018 by launching HiDubai to offer a free digital identity to all the businesses in Dubai. With the launch of SME Sales Booster and Sales Hero now, HiDubai will go a step ahead in solving sales & lead generation struggles of SMEs." SME sales booster is an entry-level solution that covers Design, Campaign Strategy, Media, PR coverage for micro-businesses and guarantees 200 targeted visitors per month. Sales Hero is an enhanced variant with a custom-built AI-enabled chatbot with 500 targeted visitors per month. To motivate SMEs to take their first step in their advertising journey, Dubai SME (sme.ae), an agency of Dubai Economy (ded.ae), is offering a subsidy of 50% of the price of the solutions. More details about the solutions and grants are available at reach.hidubai.com About HiDubai HiDubai is the region's #1 Business Discovery Platform to offer a digital presence to all businesses in Dubai. It is an initiative by Tejuri Com LLC, a joint venture between Dubai Economy (ded.ae) and Dubai World to support the business ecosystem of Dubai. HiDubai lists accurate business information of over 153,000+ companies from Dubai and, through social features, helps B2C and B2B customers discover those businesses and engage with them. The platform generated 3.16 million customer leads for companies in Dubai. HiDubai gets over a million visits a month from 138 countries. Download the App from the Google Play Store or IOS Appstore. Visit hidubai.com, follow @Officialhidubai on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Tiktok. Press Contact

Maryam Pervez

[email protected]

+971 55 4698 238

+971 4 391 3777 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1670082/Abdul_Baset_Al_Janahi.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1597337/HiDubai_Logo.jpg

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[October 27, 2021] Fashion Source, Shenzhen Original Design Fashion Week, and Premiere Vision Shenzhen Conclude with Great Success on October 15

SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Organized by GL events  Pengcheng (Shenzhen) Exhibition Co., Ltd, the 24th Fashion Source Shenzhen International Exhibition for Clothing Supply Chain, the 9th Shenzhen Original Design Fashion Week, and the 3rd Premiere Vision Shenzhen, concluded with great success at Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center on October 15, 2021. With an exhibition area of 100,000 sqm, the events featured 1,500+ selected exhibitors, 25 fashion shows and 300+ independent designer brands. The events were warmly welcomed by professional visitors from all over China. Even Typhoon Kompasu could not stop them. The three-day events gathered over 38,651 visitors, covering various groups of core buyers comprised brands, agents, distributors, fashion buyers, e-commerce operators, and shopping centers from China. The 9th Shenzhen Original Design Fashion Week took "YAN" ("YAN", combined ith the theme of last edition, "FUN", created a Chinese phrase meaning multiplying or thriving.) as its theme, promising another good harvest is on the way. During three days, 25 fashion shows were released and the show venue attracted 10,750 audience. Many Chinese original designer brands including YIZHUO, VAN SUNSUN, HMLuscious, COMPLEMENTAIR, WUJING, Indeterminacy, AWANARACY, David Sylvia, and JINXITANG displayed their latest fashion runway shows.



Premiere Vision Shenzhen welcomed its 3rd edition, covering an exhibition area of 5,500 sqm. 36 exhibitors from France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Korea and China presented their latest collections of fabric, design, leather or manufacturing. The fashion trends of Premiere Vision AW 2022/23 were released at Hall 6 of SZCEC, alongside with trend presentations and trend tasting guided by the Premiere Vision fashion team. Premiere Vision Shenzhen highlighted once again its key role as an international communication link. As an international leading force of fashion supply chain, Fashion Source drives the development of China's fashion industry and enhances soft power and creativity of fashion in Shenzhen. The three-day event collaborated with absorbing activities such as Fashion Source AW 2022/23 Color Trend and Knitwear Trend, over 40 professional talks, which gathered big shots from the fashion industry and encouraged them to exchange ideas. One of the key roles of Fashion Source is to help exhibitors to develop more businesses. To make it happen, Fashion Source brings new attempts and breakthroughs. For example, except for organizing 20 sessions of regular business matching joined by brands like EEKA, Marisfrolg, ELLASSAY, CHLOSIO, Maxrieny and MO & CO, Fashion Source planned the FS+ SELECTION & MATCHMAKING. The FS+, carried out with 4 exclusive orderings, was attended by over 180 high quality suppliers with more than 400 items of new collections and 200 specially invited buyers.

On April 19 to 21, 2022, the 25th Fashion Source Shenzhen International Exhibition for Clothing Supply Chain, the 10th Shenzhen Original Design Fashion Week, and the 4th Premiere Vision Shenzhen, will take place at a new venue, Shenzhen Word Exhibition & Convention Center. New venue, new experience, and a new leap. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1671203/image.jpg

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[October 27, 2021] Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited Selects HPE GreenLake to Modernize its Mission-Critical Infrastructure for SAP/4 HANA and Drive Future Growth

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) today announced that Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), the largest crude oil and natural gas company in India, has selected the HPE GreenLake edge-to-cloud platform to run its advanced SAP (News - Alert) S/4 HANA mission-critical environment to improve performance, accelerate digitization, reduce transaction processing and gain better insights from improved analytics. ONGC, which boasts one of the largest SAP implementations in the world, chose to host the SAP S/4 HANA workloads on the HPE GreenLake platform in ONGC data centers, due to strategic compliance, performance, and security priorities. ONGC is a leading energy supplier in India that contributes an estimated 71% the nation's domestic oil and gas production. To continue its commitment to national production while meeting new regulatory requirements and security protocols, ONGC recognized the need to modernize its SAP workloads to be flexible and scale up or down based on new demands and allow it to digitize more applications, improve analytics and eliminate critical data loss. ONGC was looking for a pay-per-use model that could be implemented quickly without any impact on security and availability. In addition, they wanted to be able to accomplish their digital transformation project quickly with minimal upfront investment. "At ONGC, we are driving improved process efficiency through information consolidation without compromising data security," said H.P Singh, Chief Information Officer at ONGC. "HPE has been a trusted partner for a number of years, and through its strong partnership with SAP, we knew they had a deep understanding of our requirements. HPE GreenLake enables us to manage edge-to-cloud data from one platform and retain our mission-critical infrastructure within our own data centers, maintaining the best levels of security, which is crucial to our business." As an existing HPE customer, ONGC already hadfirsthand experience of the simplicity, ease and agility of the HPE GreenLake cloud services for its storage environment, and therefore also selected the HPE GreenLake platform to deliver a scalable, secure, cloud service for its mission-critical SAP S/4 HANA infrastructure and underlying network environment. ONGC decided to run HPE Superdome Flex on the HPE GreenLake platform because it can process more data in real-time, speed up analytics and maintain fault-tolerant operations with in-memory computing, resulting in superior performance for SAP S/4 HANA workloads. The expanded HPE GreenLake agreement also supports a new deployment of Aruba networking solutions to deliver faster, more reliable connectivity and reduce network latency. As a result, ONGC's full edge-to-cloud infrastructure for the SAP environment is now running on the HPE GreenLake platform.



HPE GreenLake delivers the simplicity, ease and agility of the cloud experience through a pay-per-use model while also ensuring data security and compliance. The model ensures a 30% buffer capacity available on-premises to scale up and down as the business demands, meaning more flexibility for ONGC as it makes a full IT refresh. HPE GreenLake Central also gives ONGC a dashboard to monitor and plan daily IT use and spend, to avoid any hidden costs. "Customers are increasingly choosing the HPE GreenLake platform to obtain the best cloud experience for their industry-critical workloads, because it gives them the security and control of keeping and managing their apps and data wherever they want," said Som Satsangi, managing director, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, India. "Because our HPE GreenLake cloud services run on HPE technology solutions which have been perfectly tuned to run these different workloads, we can also deliver market-leading performance."

HPE Pointnext Services worked with ONGC to build and implement a clear roadmap for the current and future refresh, without compromising on the fault-tolerant nature and security aspects of its technology environment. The HPE GreenLake edge-to-cloud platform provides customers with a powerful foundation to drive digital transformation. The HPE GreenLake platform can run on-premises, at the edge, or in a colocation facility, and combines the simplicity and agility of the cloud with the governance, compliance, and visibility that comes with hybrid IT. HPE GreenLake offers a range of cloud services that accelerate innovation, including cloud services for analytics, bare metal, compute, container management, core payment systems, data protection, electronic medical records, 5G, HCI, high performance compute, machine learning operations, networking, risk management, SAP HANA, storage, VDI, and VMs. The HPE GreenLake business is rapidly growing with over $5.2 billion USD in total contract value and 900 partners selling HPE GreenLake. Today, HPE GreenLake has about 1,200 enterprise customers across 50 countries in all industry sectors and sizes including Fortune 500 companies, government and public sector organizations, and small and midmarket enterprises. For more information on HPE GreenLake, please visit: https://www.hpe.com/us/en/greenlake.html. About Hewlett Packard Enterprise Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) is the global edge-to-cloud company that helps organizations accelerate outcomes by unlocking value from all their data, everywhere. Built on decades of reimagining the future and innovating to advance the way people live and work, HPE delivers unique, open, and intelligent technology solutions delivered as a service - spanning Compute, Storage, Software, Intelligent Edge, High Performance Computing and Mission Critical Solutions - with a consistent experience across all clouds and edges, designed to help customers develop new business models, engage in new ways, and increase operational performance. For more information, visit: www.hpe.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211026006115/en/

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[October 27, 2021] RIMES to acquire Matrix IDM, creating an advanced investment data management solution

Creates a single destination for shared global client base

Combines advanced, cloud-native technology with superior managed data services

Significantly extends capabilities of RIMES' managed data service offering

Delivers a unique, rich source of quality ESG, ETF and other datasets from more than 1,600 sources LONDON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, RIMES, the global strategic data partner for asset managers, asset owners and service providers, announces its intention to acquire Matrix IDM, an Australia-based investment data management platform, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition will bring together superior managed data services and powerful analytics technology to help asset owners, institutional investors, asset managers and service providers solve complex data problems. Matrix Co-CEO Stuart Plane will join the RIMES Executive Committee, and together with co-founder Neil Lotter and RIMES Head of Managed Data Services (MDS) Shaun Mirams, will lead the combined MDS and Matrix IDM business segment. Brad Hunt, CEO, RIMES, commented: "We believe this acquisition heralds a new era in the provision of data management solutions and is a pivotal moment for RIMES, Matrix IDM, our shared clients and the industry. With Matrix IDM, we can offer an end-to-end solution that will enhance performance cross our clients' enterprise  from investment research to performance management to regulatory reporting. In addition, the Matrix team brings an in-depth understanding of data management, sector knowledge, and proven technical prowess. These attributes will help us to significantly accelerate the opportunities that the combined MDS and Matrix offering will deliver."



Stuart Plane, Co-CEO, Matrix IDM, continued: "Data drives this vital industry and building advanced technology to support this has always been our passion. We strongly believe that being part of RIMES will enable us to accelerate the adoption of the Matrix IDM platform, which will be fuelled by the highest-quality catalogue of managed data sourced from the industry's broadest set of data providers. When it comes to mastering and delivering high-quality, reliable investment data, there is no one better than RIMES. Combining our industry-leading capabilities into a single entity will empower our shared users to make even better-informed investment decisions." Brad concluded: "The volume and complexity of the investment data used by our industry has grown exponentially, and along with that, so have the challenges posed by poor data, processes and technology. This is compounded by emerging requirements, such as the need to understand your portfolio's carbon footprint. By incorporating the power of the Matrix IDM cloud-native platform with our trusted managed data services, we are well positioned to lead the industry in the provision of functionally rich, specialist data management solutions."

About RIMES

RIMES is an award-winning data management specialist that truly understands the challenges faced by its clients. It supports over 350 asset managers, owners, servicers and banks in 45 countries including 60 of the 100 largest global asset managers by AUM and 9 of the top 10 asset servicers in the world. The company is headquartered in New York with 14 offices worldwide. www.rimes.com About Matrix IDM

Matrix IDM provides trusted investment data management software to the global asset owner and fund management community. Matrix IDM solves the most difficult data challenges facing the industry today. With over half a trillion of AUM now managed on the platform, a growing number of asset owners, pension plans, fund managers and insurance companies rely on Matrix IDM to solve their complex investment, exposure and data management challenges. Matrix IDM has offices in Sydney, London and New York supporting a rapidly expanding, global customer base. Press Contacts: RIMES

Jordan Abrey

[email protected]

+44 20 785 94845 MatrixIDM

Clare Walsh

+44 77 6877 0757

[email protected]

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[October 27, 2021] Waterdrop Inc offers Huiminbao services to raise insurance coverage for China's underserved consumer population

BEIJING, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Waterdrop Inc. (NYSE: WDH) ("Waterdrop" or "the Company"), a leading technology platform dedicated to insurance and healthcare service with a positive social impact, has taken a leading position in the government-backed health insurance product (known as "Huiminbao") market, one of the fastest growing government-backed commercial health insurance products in the Chinese insurance industry in recent years. Through its expansion into cities such as Beijing, Zibo and Dezhou, Waterdrop has further effectively carried out its socially responsible mission of building out comprehensive medical protection systems across the country by offering local residents coverage on high medical costs. Huiminbao products are characterized by strong inclusive benefit, low financial threshold, and wide protection coverage. Middle to low-income residents, particularly seniors and the elderly, could therefore benefit from a great peace of mind from the products' low premiums and high sum-insured. Since this year, Waterdrop has expanded its Huiminbao offerings and has secured a leading position in the Chinese market. Waterdrop will also leverage its platform in providing comprehensive services including medical crowdfunding, insurance marketplace and healthcare and pharmaceutical services to benefit the wider public. On July 26, "Beijing Huiminbao" was launched, which offered medical cverage to residents of up to RMB 3 million per year for only an annual premium of RMB 195. Since debuting on the Waterdrop platform, the product has insured over 3 million customers. Beijing Huiminbao is jointly directed by the Beijing Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau and the Beijing Local Financial Supervision and Administration and supervised by the Beijing Supervisory Bureau of the CBIRC.



On September 6, "Zibo Huiminbao 2021" was launched, which is the first universal commercial supplemental medical insurance in Shandong Province. Waterdrop is the operating platform, under the guidance of Zibo Medical Insurance Bureau and supervision of Zibo Banking and Insurance Supervision Branch. The number of insured exceeded 200,000 on the first day of operation and has since grown to nearly 1,000,000. On October 13, "Dezhou Huiminbao" was launched, with over 100,000 subscribers on the first day. With Waterdrop as the operating platform, the product is guided by the Dezhou Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau, supervised by the Dezhou Banking and Insurance Supervision Branch, with PICC P&C as the main underwriter.

Waterdrop's participation in the Huiminbao market further enriches the company's product ecosystem and will help the company deliver the benefits of insurance to more consumers who need it most. Yang Guang, General Manager of Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace, said that the positioning of Waterdrop in the Huiminbao market is a "one-stop shop" insurance technology platform covering product design, platform establishment, retail sales, pharmaceutical benefit management, and patient services etc. About Waterdrop Inc. Waterdrop Inc. (NYSE: WDH) is a leading technology platform dedicated to insurance and healthcare service with a positive social impact. Founded in 2016, with the comprehensive coverage of Waterdrop Insurance Marketplace and Medical Crowdfunding, Waterdrop aims to bring insurance and healthcare service to billions through technology. For more information, please visit www.waterdrop-inc.com. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/waterdrop-inc-offers-huiminbao-services-to-raise-insurance-coverage-for-chinas-underserved-consumer-population-301409533.html SOURCE Waterdrop Inc.

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[October 27, 2021] PQShield announces new hires to accelerate business growth

Michael Vroobel and Alan Grau join the post-quantum cryptography company as VP Operations and VP Business Development LONDON and OXFORD, England, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PQShield , the cybersecurity company specialising in post-quantum cryptography, today announces that it is bolstering its core business team with two new senior appointments, hiring Michael Vroobel (ex-TrueLayer) as VP of Operations and Alan Grau (ex-Sectigo) as VP Business Development. Post-quantum cryptography is an increasingly mission-critical consideration for businesses and governments alike. While the imminent arrival of quantum computers offers enormous potential benefits to society, it also puts the world's information security at unprecedented new levels of risk, as quantum computers will easily be able to break the public-key encryption used to protect much of the world's sensitive data. Researchers and cryptographers are working on quantum secure cryptography as a part of the NIST post-quantum cryptography standardisation project , which is expected to announce its results around the end of 2021. PQShield is well placed as a leading player in this project, having contributed two of the seven finalist algorithms. Headquartered in Oxford, UK with additional teams in the Netherlands and France, PQShield is pioneering the development and commercial roll-out of advanced, quantum-ready cryptographic solutions for hardware, software and communications, helping businesses prepare for the quantum threat. Today's appointments will enable PQShield to scale up its business offering internationally, as the company continues to deliver its industry-leading expertise and product offering to companies across a range of sectors.



Michael Vroobel, VP of Operations at PQShield, said:

"I am very excited to be joining a company that is facing up to a new fundamental cyber threat to business. The potential impact and benefit to society from PQShield's work cannot be understated and I look forward to helping to grow the business, while helping it retain its core spirit and values." Alan Grau joins PQShield as VP of Business Development and is based in the US, where he will help scale PQShield's presence as an industry leader in the US market ahead of the NIST results later this year. He previously co-founded Icon Labs, a pioneer in IoT Security that was acquired by Sectigo in 2019. Alan has a wealth of experience in device security and will expand PQShield's relationships with the devices market as part of his role. Alan Grau, VP of Business Development at PQShield, said: "We are on the verge of an unprecedented technology shift that will impact every device and system relying on today's cryptographic solutions. I am excited to have joined PQShield - a leading provider of post-quantum cryptography solutions and a front-runner in the race to protect our sensitive data from the imminent quantum threat - and couldn't be happier to join the team as it embarks on the next chapter of its exciting journey." Dr. Ali El Kaafarani, CEO and Founder of PQShield, said: "The next year will be a crucial inflection point for post-quantum cryptography and I am confident that spurred by these two hires and the unrivaled technical expertise on our team, we will be able to cement ourselves as key players within the market. I am excited by the prospects Michael and Alan bring to PQShield: both bring a wealth of hugely-relevant experience and expertise that will help grow us as a business and expand our capabilities as we help industry to face the quantum threat." These hires follow the addition of Ben Marshall, the editor and main author of the RISC-V "K" Cryptography Extension, as a Cryptography Engineer in April of this year. Along with this strategic hire, PQShield recently announced a reciprocal agreement for training and advisory services with Kudelski Security. About PQShield PQShield is a cybersecurity startup that specialises in post-quantum cryptography, protecting information from today's attacks while readying organisations for the threat landscape of tomorrow. It is the only cybersecurity company that can demonstrate quantum-safe cryptography on chips, in applications and in the cloud. Headquartered in Oxford, with additional teams in the Netherlands and France, its quantum-secure cryptographic solutions work with companies' legacy systems to protect devices and sensitive data now and for years to come. PQShield is principally backed by Kindred Capital, Crane Venture Partners, Oxford Sciences Enterprise, and InnovateUK. Its latest white papers are available to read here . www.pqshield.com Press contact: [email protected]

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[October 27, 2021] Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator Announces Partnership With Commonwealth to Drive Change for Women Entrepreneurs in 54 Countries

The Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator (WEA), a strategic multi-partnership convening five UN agencies and Mary Kay Inc., is today joining forces with the Commonwealth Businesswomen's Network (CBWN) to empower and support underserved women entrepreneurs across the 54 countries of the Commonwealth. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005291/en/ Deborah Gibbins, Chief Operating Officer, Mary Kay Inc. (Graphic: WEA) WEA is designed to maximize the development impact of women entrepreneurship in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by creating an enabling ecosystem for women entrepreneurs that fosters growth, sustainability, and resilience. In June 2021, WEA joined the Generation Equality Forum in Paris and committed to empower five million women around the world by 2030 to accelerate progress for gender equality. WEA recently announced the launch of a series of impactful initiatives and knowledge products, all shaped through a gender lens, as the joint outcome of the collaboration between the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Trade Centre (ITC), UN Global Compact (UNGC), UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women with the strategic support and funding of Mary Kay. WEA's impact work includes digital capacity building tools and training; entrepreneurship research; and gender-responsive procurement (GRP) advocacy and training. CBWN works with women in business by connecting governments and the private sector to encourage, enable and embed women's economic empowerment and women in leadership. Originating in May 2021, the Commonwealth Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator (CWEA) is a strategic multi-stakeholder partnership from the CBWN, the Global Entrepreneurship Network UK (GEN UK) and Oxentia. It is a direct response to three developments: the agreement by all Commonwealth Heads of Government in London in 2018 "to work towards an increase in the number and enhancement of the success rate of women-owned businesses, break down gender barriers in all sectors, and increase opportunities for women to trade internationally"; the recognition by the G20 in 2020 that "there is a missed opportunity - to tackle the gap that needs immediate action, which is the representation of women in emerging fields"; and the UN Global Acceleration Plan to advance gender equality by 2026 and its Action Coalitions on Economic Justice and Rights and Technology and Innovation launched in 2021. The new partnership with CBWN in support of CWEA further solidifies WEA's geographic scope of action across the 54 Commonwealth diverse country members in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Pacific, with 32 countries classified as "small states." Small states are especially vulnerable to climate change and developmental challenges including gender inequalities. Beyond scaling WEA and CBWN's foundational areas of work, the partnership will also significantly focus on policy and advocacy to advance systemic change engaging Commonwealth member states and leveraging its networks of organizations and key stakeholders in support of women in business or aspiring women entrepreneurs in and across the Commonwealth. "We know that multi-stakeholder partnerships and collective engagement is crucial to drive the change that women entrepreneurs need across sectors around the world," said Deborah Gibbins, Cief Operating Officer of Mary Kay Inc. "WEA is thrilled to join forces with the Commonwealth Businesswomen's Network and the Commonwealth Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator. Our collaboration will focus on augmenting, amplifying and accelerating impact. We're more powerful together, and I look forward to our collective action journey in support of the SDGs."



"The Commonwealth Businesswomen's Network is delighted to partner with the United Nations Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator in this landmark initiative so we can unlock and unleash the power and potential for more women of diverse backgrounds," said Freda Miriklis, Chair, Commonwealth Businesswomen's Network. "Through this partnership, we'll be able to more quickly harness our collective assets - for women, their communities and every girl that can and will be inspired by their stories." To learn more about the Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator, visit we-accelerate.com.

About the Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator The Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator (WEA) is a multi-partnership initiative on women's entrepreneurship convening 5 UN agencies, International Labour Organization (ILO), International Trade Centre (ITC), UN Global Compact (UNGC), UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women and Mary Kay Inc. to empower 5 million women entrepreneurs by 2030. The ultimate goal of the initiative is to maximize the development impact of women entrepreneurship in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by creating an enabling ecosystem for women entrepreneurs around the world. The Accelerator exemplifies the transformational power of a multi-partnership of unique magnitude to harness the potential of women entrepreneurs. Learn more at we-accelerate. Follow us: Twitter (News - Alert) (@We_Accelerator), Instagram (@we_accelerator), Facebook (News - Alert) (@womensentrepreneurshipaccelerator), LinkedIn (News - Alert) (@womensentrepreneurshipaccelerator) About the Commonwealth Businesswomen's Network The Commonwealth Businesswomen's Network (CBWN) works with women in business by connecting Governments and the private sector to encourage, enable and embed women's economic empowerment. This is achieved through delivering activities, initiatives, products, and services focused on trade, talent, and training. It is the only accredited organisation focused on women's economic empowerment and directly recognized by 54 governments across six continents. Learn more at www.cbwn.org About the Commonwealth Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator The Commonwealth Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator is a strategic multi stakeholder partnership on women's entrepreneurship established as an outcome of the inaugural Commonwealth Women's Entrepreneurship Summit (CWES) in May 2021, the first global event to focus on women in emerging tech sectors. CWES was convened by the Commonwealth Businesswomen's Network; the Global Entrepreneurship Network; the UK Government (Women in Innovation Network, a programme of Innovation UK); and Africa's largest network of women entrepreneurs (AWEP: African Women's Entrepreneurship Program). The Commonwealth Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator is a partnership between the Commonwealth Businesswomen's Network, Global Entrepreneurship Network-UK and Oxentia. Learn more at www.thecwea.org About Mary Kay One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her beauty company more than 58 years ago with three goals: develop rewarding opportunities for women, offer irresistible products, and make the world a better place. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skin care, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay is committed to empowering women and their families by partnering with organizations from around the world, focusing on supporting cancer research, protecting survivors from domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Mary Kay Ash's original vision continues to shine-one lipstick at a time. Learn more at marykayglobal.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005291/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Global Travel Insurance Market (2020 to 2030) - Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecasts - ResearchAndMarkets.com

The "Travel Insurance Market by Insurance Cover, by Distribution Channel, and by End User: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Travel Insurance Market size was valued at USD 15.87 billion in 2020 and is predicted to reach USD 58.93 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 14.39% from 2021-2030. Travel insurance provides financial security to the insured person in the event of luggage loss, trip cancellation, medical and other expenses incurred during a trip. Travel insurance can be availed at the time of booking for either a single trip or multiple trips. There are also few banks and financial institutions that offer such insurances free of cost along with their credit cards. Until the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the global tourism industry was on the rise with increasing globalization, multinational events and concerts. This trend had been interrupted in 2020, but with the rollout of vaccines at the global level, it is expected that the industry will gradually recover from beginning of 2022. The rapid recovery in the travel industry, increasing business travels and availability of online travel booking facilities are some factors expected to boost the demand of travel insurance market throughout the forecast period. Other factors such as damage due to mishandling of luggage, loss or theft, flight cancelations due to several reasons including virus outbreak are expected to accelerate the market growth in the coming years. However, lack of public awareness is expected to hamper the gowth of travel insurance market in the near future. On the other hand, introduction of targeted and customized insurance policies along with increasing expenditure on travel at a global level is expected to create numerous opportunities for the travel insurance market players in the near future.



The global travel insurance market share is analyzed on the basis of insurance cover, distribution channel, end user and geography. On the basis of insurance cover, the market is segmented into Single Trip Travel Insurance, Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance, and Long-Stay Travel Insurance. On the basis of distribution channel, the market is divided into Insurance Intermediaries, Insurance Company, Bank, Insurance Broker, Insurance Aggregator, and Others. On the basis of users, the market is divided into Senior Citizens, Education Traveller, Backpackers, Business Traveller, Family Traveller, and Fully independent Traveller. Geographic breakdown and analysis of each of the aforesaid segments includes regions comprising North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction 2. Travel Insurance Market - Executive Summary 2.1. Market Snapshot, 2019 - 2030, Million USD 3. Market Overview 3.1. Market Definition and Scope 3.2. Market Dynamics 4. COVID-19 Analysis 4.1. COVID-19 Outbreak 5. Global Travel Insurance Market, by Insurance Cover 5.1. Overview 5.2. Single Trip Insurance Policies 5.3. Annual Multi-Trip Insurance Policies 5.4. Long Stay Insurance Policies 6. Global Travel Insurance Market, by End-user 6.1. Overview 6.2. Senior Citizens 6.3. Education Travelers 6.4. Business Travelers 6.5. Backpackers 6.6. Family Travelers 6.7. Fully Independent Travelers 7. Global Travel Insurance Market, by Distribution Channel 7.1. Overview 7.2. Insurance Intermediaries 7.3. Insurance Company 7.4. Bank 7.5. Insurance Broker 7.6. Insurance Aggregator 7.7. Others 8. Global Travel Insurance Market, by Region 8.1. Overview 8.2. North America 8.3. Europe 8.4. Asia-Pacific 8.5. Rest of World 9. Company Profiles 9.1. Allianz Group 9.2. Zurich Insurance Group 9.3. American Express (News - Alert) Company 9.4. American International Group Inc. 9.5. Axa 9.6. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance 9.7. Seven Corners Inc. 9.8. Usi Insurance Services 9.9. Travel Insured International Inc. 9.10. Genarali Group For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dtidei View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005464/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Study by Indonesia's Social Commerce Platform, Evermos, shows that SMEs are Important for Indonesia's Future Economy

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The role of SMEs is increasingly significant amid the volatile Indonesian economic conditions. Indonesia has 62.9[1] million registered enterprises, and Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) contribute up to 60% of the nation's GDP. However, out of these registered businesses, close to 99% of them are considered micro enterprises. Yet even with these numbers, our SMEs are labor-intensive, employing in total 97% of the Indonesian population. They absorb most of the workforce, especially low-skill workers, and reduce unemployment rate especially in Indonesia which has a high proportion of active age. Bagus is a business owner, for months his sales have been stagnant, but the cost of his production continues to go up resulting in losses -- if this continues for another month, he knows that his business can no longer survive. Yet, Bagus has 20 employees on payroll, and he is worried about what will happen to his employees and their families if his business does not survive. Bagus is just a pseudonym, but he is every business owner, no matter what size. Business owners often struggle with maintaining let alone growing their business. Knowing that a step into the wrong direction will impact not just their business, but also the people whose livelihood depends on them. One business can impact so many lives, directly or indirectly. It is a multiplier effect further down the value chain and the local economy, and a good business owner is aware of this. Supporting SMEs growth is a crucial step. Micro enterprises cannot provide a prolonged safety net to all their employees as they are more easily affected by a change in the economy. Moreover, the number of SMEs is not always positively related to productivity; the SME sector still needs much improvement to optimize its potential to transform the Indonesian economy and to elevate the population's quality of life. The main problem is that there are just too many micro enterprises that don't grow into bigger companies. How can businesses grow from their small-micro impact to become large reliable sources of income for many and contribute to Indonesia's economy? Evermos, the largest social commerce platform in Indonesia which empowers and supports local SMEs, answers the question in their article published in the World Economic Forum . After a study and interview with SME players with various stages, Evermos reclassifies SMEs based on the mindset and skill that they need to attain at any given stage. Newcomer: A newly started business or a business that has been stuck in identifying the right market fit and fails to grow the business further. Artisan: A business that has found a niche market segment to target and focuses only on the product deliverance, not on scalability of business. Emerging: A business that has built a system that employs the fundamentals of business including its value chain but has yet reached a significant market penetration. Challenger: A business that is at a national/regional level, has a significant portion of the market but struggles to become the dominant player and/or top of mind in their industry. Mainstream: A business that has become the "top of mind" in their industry, but now has to maintain or grow its market share to stay on the top. The Newcomer The Newcomer is a newly started business. It is a group that makes up the majority of the Indonesian SME scene with sales only less than 1 billion IDR or 70K USD per year. Up to 99% of the Indonesian SMEs are in this category, and many will always remain there. There is an inherent problem that many stuck Newcomers are facing, and they seem not to grasp their own problem, that is identifying the right target market, what type of product/service that needs to be delivered to that target market and the strategy breaking down on how the company will fulfill it effectively and efficiently. The Artisan In this stage, businesses have mastered what their customers want. Artisans focus mainly on product deliverance, but not yet on scalability. With sales between 1-5 billion IDR or between 70K-50K USD per year, it is estimated that about 0.5% of the business in Indonesia are artisans. Cash Flow and Inventory issues hinder the growth of Artisans. To overcome their challenges, it requires a mindset shift. The focus here is on scalability in terms of both resources and processes. They should enable the business system to deliver products at a larger scale, whether in the form of employing professionals or investing in the right production tools and changing from one man show to a team effort. The Emerging Once businesses reach the Emerging stage, they have both mastered their market fit and their products' scalability. With annual sales between 5-100 billion IDR or 350K-7 million USD, it is estimated that about 0.35% of businesses are at this stage. At the emerging stage, business owners have already proven to be able to grow the business and the business starts to get recognized by its peers. But many business owners at this stage are greeted with stagnation, which they take as a false signal of having reached an optimum but alas it is only a local optimum. Local optimum as it is only a mirage, validated by their small business circles among which they see the business as already a winner. It is the ultimate plight of the false peak. Many businesses then take the false conclusion that the market is inundated, and that there is no longer room for growth. Some business owners then look for new challenges by going wide instead of deeper into their products, they expand their business into a new category or make new business, sometimes even outside their own initial industry. However, in the emerging stage, the main way to cross the next chasm is by having focus -- by expanding productive sales channels and building trust among their customers and their retailers. Challenger As Challengers, business owners now have reached the level where they compete head-to-head with the Mainstream brand. Their products have a wide area coverage within the country, but they might not be the first choice for customers. With sales between 100-500 billion IDR per year or 7-35 Million USD per year, it is estimated that about 0.14% of businesses are at this stage. The sole focus now is to gain more market share so that they can become the top brand on their customers' minds. Now more than ever, the business needs to invest in branding and developing better/cheaper products. Finding smart ways to connect with their potential customers and build relationships with their existing customer base. At this stage also, every increase in production is accompanied by more and more risk, so the business needs to plan their operation wisely and effectively to take on the competition. Mainstream Mainstream companies are the top of mind of their industry, with sales above 500 billion IDR or more than 35 Million USD per year, it is estimated that only 0.01% of the companies are in this stage. For many, this is the final goal of the entrepreneurial path. But they should be aware that there is always a chance of losing out to the new Challengers of their industry, or to their peer competitors. Even at the highest level, companies need to always innovate to maintain their position. Ilham Taufiq, Co-Founder and Chief Partnership & Strategy Evermos said, "This categorization is not the typical way in which Indonesian SMEs are seen, oftentimes when we are looking at SMEs, we categorize them in clusters that are not always practical to their growth." Evermos is also active in assisting to SMEs that are onboarded in its platform using the results of this study. "The categorization shows that at each stage, the problems of SMEs differ, meaning that interventions whether in the form of workshops or other types of support need to be fine-tuned in accordance with the stages of the business. Now, all SMEs are treated the same, with curriculums that are similar no matter what stage they are in, there is an urgent need to reform," he added. As business owners deal with their day-to-day struggles, it is important to give them a blueprint of mindset and skills that they need to attain so they can plan their growth accordingly. This will not only help the business, but it will also impact the whole economy at large. By having more business at either the Emerging or Challenger stage, more values will be created by the SMEs sector, which will in turn increase Indonesia's welfare and help us get out of the middle-income trap. About Evermos Evermos is a social commerce startup with a vision to build a collaborative economy to improve the welfare of Indonesia. We want to provide opportunities and support to MSMEs, individuals who want to become entrepreneurs, and the wider community to have mutual awareness and help each other through our digital ecosystem. Evermos provides an ecosystem that supports individuals, even without capital, access, and experience, to become entrepreneurs by becoming an Evermos reseller. Resellers sell curated products from local brands so besides doing business, they also support our local MSMEs to grow together. Meanwhile, the wider community has a better shopping experience to purchase local brands in a more convenient way and at the best prices, assisted by resellers. To learn more, visit www.evermos.com.









[1] https://www.ukmindonesia.id/baca-artikel/62

SOURCE Evermos

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[October 27, 2021] Mandy Harvey and other artists with disabilities to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month with second-annual virtual concert

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), announced today that the company, in collaboration with Disability:IN, the global organization driving disability inclusion and equality in business, will host the second-annual virtual concert featuring America's Got Talent finalist Mandy Harvey and other artists with disabilities. This year's event, which celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month, will take place at 8 p.m. EDT on Thurs., Oct. 28. The virtual concert can be accessed at no cost to attendees via the Voya Financial, Mandy Harvey and Disability:IN Facebook (News - Alert) pages. To invite colleagues, friends and family, visit the event link and click the "invite" button. The concert's outstanding creative performances reflect Harvey and Voya's shared commitment to spreading positivity around disabilities. This also aligns with Voya's focus on serving people with disabilities and special needs, along with their caregivers - in alignment with Voya's Voya Cares program. Harvey, who lost her hearing when she was 18 years old as a result of a connective tissue disorder known as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, serves as an advocate for the deaf and disabled community. Harvey will be joined on stage by John Bramblitt, Lachi, REVolutions Dance and Warren "Wawa" Snipe. "We are honored to collaborate with Disability:IN for the second consecutive year to share Mandy's positive messaging with the world during National Disability Employment Awareness Month," said Voya Financial Chairman and CEO Rodney O. Martin, Jr. "This special event is part of a broader movement that calls on everyone to play their role in advancing disability inclusion in business." In addition to Voya and Disability:IN, the concert will also feature CEOs and brands that are catalysts for disability inclusion and equality. Among the notable companies participating will be Bayer US, CAI, Discover Financial Services, Dominion Energy, Inc., Lowe's Companies, Inc., Novant Health, Old National Bank, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, UScellular, Walmart Ic., and Withum.



"We're marking National Disability Employment Awareness Month with a phenomenal group of talented artists who demonstrate every day that disability is a strength and a source of pride," said Jill Houghton, President and CEO, Disability:IN. "These performers, along with their allies, know that people with disabilities can and do make tremendous contributions to the workplace and society. Including people with disabilities sends the message that a company is committed to building a diverse culture and sustainable business." For those unable to attend the virtual event, a recording of the concert will be made available on Voya's YouTube channel following the broadcast.

About Voya Financial Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), provides health, wealth and investment solutions that enable its approximately 14.8 million individual, workplace and institutional clients to achieve their financial wellness goals with confidence. With a vision to be America's Retirement Company, Voya's products, solutions and digital capabilities help create a better financial future for all. Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $7.6 billion in revenue in 2020 and $721 billion in total assets under management and administration as of June 30, 2021. Certified as a "Great Place to Work" by the Great Place to Work Institute, Voya is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible. Voya has earned recognition as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute; as the No. 1-ranked financial services firm among Barron's 100 Most Sustainable Companies for three consecutive years; as a member of the Bloomberg (News - Alert) Gender Equality Index; and as a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion" on the Disability Equality Index. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (News - Alert) @Voya. About Voya Cares An extension of Voya's vision and mission to help all Americans have the quality of life they seek in retirement, the Voya Cares program is committed to being a leader in making a positive difference in the lives of individuals with special needs and disabilities - as well as their families, caregivers and other providers - by offering a depth of resources focused on education, planning and solutions. Go to voyacares.com to learn more. About Disability:IN Disability:IN is the global organization driving disability inclusion and equality in business. More than 400 corporations trust Disability:IN to activate and achieve disability inclusion across their enterprise and in the broader corporate mainstream. Through the world's most comprehensive disability inclusion benchmarking; best-in-class conferences and programs; and expert counsel and engagement, Disability:IN works with leading businesses to create long-term business and societal impact. Join us at disabilityin.org/AreYouIN #AreYouIN. VOYA-CR View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005125/en/

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[October 27, 2021] National Spectrum Consortium Launches PATHSS Task Group to Explore 5G Spectrum Sharing

Today, the National Spectrum (News - Alert) Consortium (NSC) launched the Partnering to Advance Trusted and Holistic Spectrum Solutions (PATHSS) Task Group. This industry group will collaborate with the Department of Defense to explore sharing solutions to make more mid-band spectrum available for commercial 5G, specifically in 3.1-3.45 GHz. The group will provide a forum for industry and the Defense Department to exchange sensitive and classified information on current and projected military and commercial requirements in these bands. Together, the group will identify and develop use cases based on a shared understanding of federal and commercial needs. "We are thrilled to launch this first-of-its-kind industry and government collaboration and create a new model to drive spectrum sharing outcomes," said Lizy Paul, NSC Chair. "PATHSS is explicitly designed to foster trust among stakeholders and provide the forum required to develop a shared understanding of varying technology and policy needs. PATHSS will ensure that future spectrum decisions will result in realistic, collaborative spectrum sharing implementations." "This group will make American innovators' jobs easier," said Bria Regan, Chair of the PATHSS Task Group and NSC Treasurer. "PATHSS will generate important insights informing 5G development and network vibrancy, and for essential solutions that will give our warfighters the edge they may need. It is an elegant collaboration that will keep the U.S. on the leading edge of spectrum-based technology development."



PATTHS discussions will be open to any NSC member or approved member of the U.S. Government. A subset of the group, drawn from a wide range of stakeholders, will be given access to classified information to provide broad insight into DoD needs. For more information or to join the group, visit NSC's website: www.nationalspectrumconsortium.org/working-groups

About the National Spectrum Consortium The National Spectrum Consortium is a research and development organization that incubates new technologies to revolutionize the way in which spectrum is utilized. Their technologists, engineers, scientists, manufacturers, and program managers work with their counterparts in government to solve the toughest problems facing the nation with regard to spectrum and spectrum-enabled technologies, providing the DoD and other customers with spectrum superiority. www.nationalspectrumconsortium.org View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005267/en/

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[October 27, 2021] PYMNTS Acquires Competition Policy International

PYMNTS announced today that it has acquired Competition Policy International (CPI), a market-leading media company for antitrust. The acquisition adds the most complete news and analysis of antitrust law and competition policy worldwide to PYMNTS' current robust content offerings related to innovation in payments and commerce including cutting-edge ConnectedEconomyTM issues. Over the last 16 years, CPI has become one of the most renowned content platforms, offering high-level and sound discussions on antitrust-related issues on a global scale. The acquisition will also serve as the cornerstone for PYMNTS' expanded focus on TechREGTM news and information as jurisdictions worldwide debate a range of issues facing technology regulation of digital businesses across the connected economy including BigTech, FinTechs, crypto, healthcare, social media, AI, privacy, and much more. "There is a dearth of thoughtful, balanced discourse on competition policy and technology policy in the media today," says Karen Webster, PYMNTS CEO, "and both have the potential to either foster or derail the future of the connected economy. Just as PYMNTS changed the conversation about payments innovation when we launched in 2009, we'll use our platform assets and the impressive CPI team to do the very same thing with antitrust and digital technology regulation." Led by legal and antitrust experts in antitrust and competition policy, CPI media assets reach more than 30,000 antitrust experts in over 150 countries through its expert-led digital and offline content. Its channels encompass a daily newsletter, weekly columns, subscription-based bi-monthly chronicle, as well as insightful brainstorming sessions and fireside chats with respected academics and officials in the US, EU, China, and other jurisdictions. CPI also produces regular CPI TV programming such as the Antitrust Hour and 10-Minute Talks with some of the most powerful names in their respective fields. CPI TV guests have included Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Ron Wyden and heads of national competition authorities from around the world.



CPI also hosts in-person events, including conferences held at Harvard Law School and Melbourne University, and private roundtables in Washington DC, Singapore, New Delhi, Sydney, Brussels, London, and Paris. CPI will operate as a What's Next in Media and Analytics (doing business as PYMNTS.com) property and will provide insights into antitrust and regulation for the PYMNTS.com community.

About PYMNTS PYMNTS is a recognized global leader for data, news, and insights on innovation in payments and the platforms powering the connected economy. PYMNTS uses proprietary research, data analysis and executive insights to create content and start conversations about the future of our connected world and how it impacts business decisions. Learn more here: https://www.pymnts.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005172/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Panorays Featured in New Omdia "On the Radar" Report

?NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHO: Panorays, a rapidly growing provider of third-party security risk management software and research group Omdia, which unifies and harnesses the depth and breadth of expertise from Informa Techs legacy research brands, including Ovum, IHS Markit Technology, Tractica and Heavy Reading.

WHAT: Panorays today announced the release of an On the Radar report from research group Omdia, covering the companys core features and benefits in securing the digital supply chain. Rik Turner, Principal Analyst of Emerging Technologies at Omdia, said: Panorays is a SaaS-based platform that is designed to integrate into existing organizational workflows and systems. It combines support for security questionnaires with an SRS capability, while considering the actual business relationship with each vendor when providing risk assessments. Te report reveals the sophisticated approach needed when assessing third party security and provides an in-depth overview of Panorays unique approach to cyber vendor risk management.





WHERE: Interested readers can view the report (no registration required) here: https://l.panorays.com/omdia_report/



ABOUT: Panorays is a rapidly growing provider of third-party security risk management software, offered as a SaaS-based platform. The company serves enterprise and mid-market customers primarily in North America, the UK and the EU, and has been adopted by leading banking, insurance, financial services and healthcare organizations, among others. Headquartered in New York and Israel, with offices around the world, Panorays is funded by numerous international investors, including Aleph VC, Oak HC/FT, Greenfield Partners, BlueRed Partners (Singapore), StepStone Group, Moneta VC, Imperva Co-Founder Amichai Shulman and former CEO of Palo Alto Networks Lane Bess. Visit us at www.panorays.com. Media Contact:

Tila Pacheco

Eskenzi PR

[email protected]



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[October 27, 2021] GBT Files Patent For its Long-Range Radio system

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GBT Technologies Inc. ( OTC PINK: GTCHD ) ("GBT or the Company), filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) a provisional patent, USPTO application #63257199, for its long-range radio system, Infinia (Internal projects code name), a data and voice communication system, that is operating via HF (High Frequency) radio waves.

The system communicates through an ionospheric propagation environment, one reaching very long distances. The patent covers an AI system and method to overcome any major long-range radio challenges, which communicate through skip zones where there is no reception. The proposed dead-zone coverage solution is based on AI geo-referenced analytics and management to enable continuous, reliable communications regardless of terrain, time of day or year, and other weather-related conditions. This system and method analyze the ionospheric conditions and will automatically adjust frequencies, antenna power/position, and other additional factors to ensure a reliable and clear radio signal. Infinia GEN I radio part successfully passed short- and long-range rigorous testing, and is targeted for AI implementation for its GEN II release. The company targets the system potentially for military and civil applications, among these are remote telemedicine, civilian/military communication, emergency response, and remote internet services. "A long-range radio system that can sustain any weather or terrain can be a great asset for civilian and military organizations. For example, remote areas telemedicine and emergency services or all terrain military communications. Our Infinia project, GEN I, has achieved great results and we filed a provisional patent with USPTO to further protect the system and method. As the systems radio part was tested for its performance and capabilities, we plan to further equip it with our AI technology (GEN II), to create an intelligent, long-range communication solutions that can be used in many domains. The system succesfully passed rigorous short and long-distance testing phases, and we will be evaluating commercial applications for it in the near future. The Infinia patent covers data and voice communications along with AI based methods and algorithms to establish continuous, reliable, clear and secured HF radio communication at all times. We consider our Infinia project one of our major Ips, and will further file for a comprehensive, non-provisional application in the next few months, said Danny Rittman, the Companys CTO.



There is no guarantee that the Company will be successful in researching, developing or implementing this system. In order to successfully implement this concept, the Company will need to raise adequate capital to support its research and, if successfully researched, developed and granted regulatory approval, the Company would need to enter into a strategic relationship with a third party that has experience in manufacturing, selling and distributing this product. There is no guarantee that the Company will be successful in any or all of these critical steps. About Us

GBT Technologies, Inc. (OTC PINK: GTCH) (GBT) ( http://gbtti.com ) is a development stage company which considers itself a native of Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Enabled Mobile Technology Platforms used to increase IC performance. GBT has assembled a team with extensive technology expertise and is building an intellectual property portfolio consisting of many patents. GBTs mission, to license the technology and IP to synergetic partners in the areas of hardware and software. Once commercialized, it is GBTs goal to have a suite of products including smart microchips, AI, encryption, Blockchain, IC design, mobile security applications, database management protocols, with tracking and supporting cloud software (without the need for GPS). GBT envisions this system as a creation of a global mesh network using advanced nodes and super performing new generation IC technology. The core of the system will be its advanced microchip technologytechnology that can be installed in any mobile or fixed device worldwide. GBTs vision is to produce this system as a low cost, secure, private-mesh-network between any and all enabled devices. Thus, providing shared processing, advanced mobile database management and sharing while using these enhanced mobile features as an alternative to traditional carrier services. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission located at their website ( http://www.sec.gov ). In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, governmental and public policy changes, the Companys ability to raise capital on acceptable terms, if at all, the Companys successful development of its products and the integration into its existing products and the commercial acceptance of the Companys products. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of the press release. Contact: Dr. Danny Rittman, CTO

[email protected]



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Wallbox to Provide Business Update on Thursday, November 4, 2021

Wallbox N.V. (NYSE: WBX), a leading provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging and energy management solutions worldwide, today announced that it will provide a business update and host a webcast on Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 8:30 a.m., Eastern Time (1:30 p.m. CET). The call will feature prepared remarks by Enric Asuncion, co-founder and chief executive officer, and Jordi Lainz, chief financial officer, of Wallbox. Among the topics to be discussed are highlights from the company's third quarter results.

If you have questions for management, please submit them to [email protected] ahead of time.

Please visit the "Events & Presentation" section of the company's investor relations website at investors.wallbox.com to join the webcast. A replay of the webcast following the event will be accessible through the same link and will be available for at least 365 days.







About Wallbox

Wallbox is a global technology company, dedicated to changing the way the world uses energy. Wallbox creates advanced electric vehicle charging and energy management systems that redefine users' relationship to the grid. Wallbox goes beyond electric vehicle charging to give users the power to control their consumption, save money, and live more sustainably.

Wallbox offers a complete portfolio of charging and energy management solutions for residential, semi-public and public use in more than 80 countries.

Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Barcelona, the company now employs over 700 people in its offices in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

For additional information, please visit www.wallbox.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005603/en/
[October 27, 2021] Energy Toolbase Launches ETB Monitor, a Software Platform for Monitoring the Performance and Savings of Solar and Energy Storage Projects

STUART, Fla., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy Toolbase has announced the launch of ETB Monitor, a software monitoring platform that provides real-time insights into the performance and savings of solar + energy storage systems (ESS) operating in the field. ETB Monitor was designed to give project developers and asset owners complete transparency into their operational projects. An ETB Monitor license comes standard when a customer deploys Energy Toolbase's Acumen EMS controls software in the field. Energy Toolbase's "Model, Control, Monitor" product lineup provides a cohesive suite of software tools for project developers to deploy solar + storage projects more efficiently. Since 2014, the ETB Developer product has specialized in performing accurate, objective, and transparent utility rate and avoided cost analysis of solar + storage projects. That software platform is widely regarded as the gold standard "pre-install" sales and analysis tool for commercial and industrial (C&I) developers within the industry. ETB Monitor leverages the company's deep domain expertise in utility rates and optimized ESS economic dispatch modeling in a "post-install" world. "ETB Monitor provides customers a reliable source of truth for how their solar + storage system is performing financially", said Jon Gurski, founder, and VP of Product at Energy Toolbase. "We've had customers request that we build this for years, so we're excited to formally launch this initial release, which we will continually improve on into the future."



The newly launched version of ETB Monitor boasts several features and UI's, including an interactive chart tool that displays a site's interval data, including site demand, solar PV generation, ESS dispatch, and state of charge (SOC). The Utility bill savings module provides a detailed breakdown of solar and storage savings over each billing cycle. Additionally, users can view event site logs and configure customized alerts and notifications for different types of events. Lastly, permissioned users can schedule manual override events through ETB Monitor, to charge or discharge the ESS over a specified time period. Watch a short demo video of ETB Monitor here and sign up for the Full Product Suite demo webinar to overview the features and functionalities of the ETB Monitor platform. About Energy Toolbase

Energy Toolbase is an industry-leading software platform that provides a cohesive suite of project estimating, storage control, and asset monitoring products that enable solar and storage developers to deploy projects more efficiently. Energy Toolbase's products are used by distributed energy organizations worldwide to model, control, and monitor their solar and energy storage systems. To learn more visit https://www.energytoolbase.com. Energy Toolbase is backed by its parent company, Pason Systems, a leading global provider of data management systems and controls automation software for the energy industry. With a global footprint and 40-year track record, Pason enjoys one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol PSI. For more information visit: https://www.pason.com. Media Contact:

Tracy Fosterling

505-803-2678

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/energy-toolbase-launches-etb-monitor-a-software-platform-for-monitoring-the-performance-and-savings-of-solar-and-energy-storage-projects-301409221.html SOURCE Energy Toolbase

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[October 27, 2021] CyberProof Launches Job Creation Program 'Step IT Up Israel'

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. and TEL AVIV, Israel, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CyberProof Inc., a UST company, is proud to announce the launch of a new job creation program called 'Step IT Up Israel'  a part of UST's global 'Step IT Up' program already underway in the US, Australia, Poland and Costa Rica. In launching the program, CyberProof is partnering with Amit4Life, a community initiative that trains and places young army veterans in Israel  helping them join the Israeli tech scene. Amit4Life handpicked talented women and men who are recent immigrants to Israel or who lack a traditional support system. CyberProof then carefully screened, interviewed and hired the first six participants. Training for the program participants was provided through Amit4Life on a completely volunteer basis. CyberProof and local mentors, who hold senior positions at top companies in Israel, worked to provide a two-month-long cybersecurity training program that was tailor-made to fit the requirements for specific positions at CyberProof. Once training was completed, participants became full-time, permanent members of the UST and CyberProof teams. Yuval Wollman, President, CyberProof and Chief Cyber Officer, UST, said, "We're thrilled to be launching Step IT Up Israel. This is an important initiative designed to open up opportunities and increase diversity by giving bright, young people a gateway into the tech world." He added, "We're proud to have the Amit4Life program participants on board. As they take their first steps in cyber here at CyberProof, we welcome them and wish them the best of luck." Krishna Sudheendra, Chief Executive Officer, UST, added, "At UST, we strive to transform the lives of women, minorities, and veterans. We believe in empowering intelligent, motivated individuals by giving them the tools to start a career in technology and deliver impact for our clients  joining other Stp IT Up graduates from around the world. We're excited to see Step IT Up Israel take off and it's exciting to watch our first cybersecurity class launch their new careers."



Liran Gabbay, Founder and Executive Director, Amit4Life, added, "It is a true privilege to have Cyberproof as a strategic partner, with no less than seven Amit4Life graduates joining the company in the past year. The fact that CyberProof's management decided to find an out-of-the box solution to the ongoing hiring crisis  while simultaneously giving back to the community - demonstrates once again its core values: uncompromising professionalism, alongside a deep sense of social responsibility. We look forward to strengthening this partnership, and to supporting CyberProof's business goals while creating real social impact." About CyberProof

CyberProof is a security services company that helps organizations intelligently manage their incident detection and response. Our advanced cyber defense platform enables operational efficiency with complete transparency to dramatically reduce the time needed to respond to security threats and minimize business impact. SeeMo, our virtual analyst, automates and accelerates cyber operations by learning and adapting from endless sources of data and responds to requests by providing context and actionable information. This allows our nation-state cyber experts and your team to prioritize the most urgent incidents and proactively identify and respond to potential threats. We collaborate with our global clients, academia and the technology ecosystem to continuously advance the art of cyber defense. CyberProof is part of the UST family. Some of the world's largest enterprises trust us to create and maintain secure digital ecosystems using our comprehensive cyber security platform and mitigation services. For more information, see: www.cyberproof.com About Amit4Life Amit4Life is a nonprofit initiative, founded to help lone soldiers get into the High-Tech industry. By collaborating with the leading vendors in the cyber and data analysis domains, we create tailor-made training programs, alongside numerous mentoring groups, built by top-notch professionals who escort our talented candidates throughout the learning process - all the way to their first job. Drop us an email at: [email protected] About UST: For more than 20 years, UST has worked side by side with the world's best companies to make a real impact through transformation. Powered by technology, inspired by people, and led by our purpose, we partner with our clients from design to operation. Through our nimble approach, we identify their core challenges, and craft disruptive solutions that bring their vision to life. With deep domain expertise and a future-proof philosophy, we embed innovation and agility into our clients' organizationsdelivering measurable value and lasting change across industries, and around the world. Together, with over 26,000 employees in 25 countries, we build for boundless impacttouching billions of lives in the process. Visit us at www.UST.com Media Contacts, UST:



Tinu Cherian Abraham

+1 (949) 415-9857 Neha Misri

+91-9284726602

[email protected] Media Contact, CyberProof: Howard Silverman

[email protected] Media Contacts, US: S&C PR

+1-646.941.9139

[email protected] Media Contacts, UK: FTI Consulting

[email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cyberproof-launches-job-creation-program-step-it-up-israel-301409650.html SOURCE UST

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[October 27, 2021] CitiusTech names Bhaskar Sambasivan as CEO, succeeding co-founder Rizwan Koita

- Mr. Sambasivan will build on the success of CitiusTech as a leader in healthcare digital transformation, and drive scalability and innovation to power the next phase of growth. MUMBAI, India, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CitiusTech, a leading provider of healthcare technology services, solutions and platforms, announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed Bhaskar Sambasivan as Chief Executive Officer effective November 1, 2021. Mr. Sambasivan joined CitiusTech as President in May 2021, and has been working closely with Rizwan Koita, CEO, as part of a structured leadership transition process. Before joining CitiusTech, Mr. Sambasivan was President of Patient Services and Chief Strategy Officer of EVERSANA, a leading life sciences platform company. Prior to this, he spent close to 15 years at Cognizant as the Global Head of Life Sciences. Under his leadership, Cognizant's Life Sciences business grew over thirty-fold in 15 years. Before Cognizant, he spent many years with Siebel/Oracle and PricewaterhouseCoopers in key leadership roles. Mr. Sambasivan was recognized as a PharmaVOICE Top 100 leader in both 2017 and 2018 for his industry contributions. "Bhaskar is an immensely accomplished healthcare industry leader with a clear vision for digital innovation and a 25-year track record of scaling technology enabled healthcare businesses," said William Winkenwerder, MD, Chairman of CitiusTech. "We are excited that his ideas, insights and strategy will further accelerate CitiusTech's success and growth momentum." "As co-founder of CitiusTech, it has been a privilege to lead the organization and see it scale to over 5,400 healthcare technology professionals serving over 120 healthcare organizations," said Rizwan Koita, co-founderand outgoing CEO. "Having worked closely with Bhaskar during the past six months, I am inspired by his passion to improve healthcare outcomes through technology innovation. CitiusTech's co-founder and COO, Jagdish Moorjani, and I look forward to supporting him to drive the next phase of growth at CitiusTech."



"The healthcare industry is poised for significant transformation driven by the shift to patient and consumer-centric business models, enabled by technology. CitiusTech is well positioned to help healthcare organizations drive this digital transformation to meaningfully improve patient experience and outcomes," Bhaskar Sambasivan said. "We have a great leadership team, a highly client-centric culture, deep healthcare and technology expertise and strong presence in a broad range of healthcare market segments. I am really excited to lead the organization and work with our clients and partners to build innovative business and technology solutions that address key challenges and priorities across the healthcare ecosystem." The transition marks an important milestone for CitiusTech which was started in 2005 by Mr. Koita and Mr. Moorjani. Today, CitiusTech is a highly differentiated healthcare technology business which has delivered exceptional value to clients, created accelerated growth for employees and achieved strong, consistent growth over the last 16 years, while demonstrating historical resilience across global economic disruptions, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The company today has over $300 Mn in annualized revenue with industry leading margins.

While Mr. Koita and Mr. Moorjani step down from their executive roles, they will continue to be significant shareholders and support CitiusTech as part of the board. They plan to commit more time to not-for-profit and social impact initiatives. About CitiusTech CitiusTech (www.citiustech.com) is a leading provider of healthcare technology services, AI/ML & analytics capabilities, platforms and end-to-end packaged solutions to over 120 organizations across the payer, provider, medical technology and life sciences markets. With over 5,400 healthcare technology professionals worldwide, CitiusTech powers healthcare digital transformation through next-generation technologies, solutions and accelerators. Key focus areas include healthcare interoperability data management, quality performance analytics, value-based care, omni channel member experience, connected health, virtual care delivery, real-world data solutions, clinical development, personalized medicine and population health management. CitiusTech has two subsidiaries, FluidEdge Consulting (www.fluidedgeconsulting.com) and SDLC Partners (www.sdlcpartners.com) with deep expertise in healthcare consulting and payer technologies, respectively. CitiusTech's cutting-edge technology expertise, deep healthcare domain expertise and a strong focus on digital transformation enables healthcare organizations to reinvent themselves to deliver better outcomes, accelerate growth, drive efficiencies, and ultimately make a meaningful impact to patients. Media Contact:

CitiusTech

Sujay Pal

Head  Marketing

[email protected]

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[October 27, 2021] Devolutions Central Online to Provide Best Practices and Key Trends to IT Professionals to Enhance Security Efforts, Boost Productivity

MONTREAL, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Next month, software developer Devolutions will host its second annual virtual conference, Devolutions Central Online. The event will bring together leading cybersecurity experts as well as executives from Devolutions to provide IT professionals with best practices and insights into key trends to boost security efforts and enhance productivity. Devolutions Central Online will take place on November 17, 2021 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST and will feature renowned cybersecurity expert Troy Hunt as the keynote speaker.

Keynote Speaker Troy Hunt

A leading cybersecurity researcher and founder of the popular data breach notification service Have I Been Pwned, Hunt provides regular commentary to news outlets and speaks at conferences the world over. In addition, he consults with governments and law enforcement agencies on cybersecurity matters and has appeared before the U.S. Congress as an expert witness on data breaches. At Devolutions Central Online, Hunt will focus his keynote on how passwords play a major role in security breaches and what IT professionals can do to mitigate the threats posed by insecure passwords. Also on the Agenda

In addition to Hunts keynote, Devolutions Central Online will feature presentations from several Devolutions executives, such as CEO David Hervieux, VP of Sales & Marketing Maxime Trottier and VP of Business Solutions Maurice Cote. Topics will include deep dives into several Devolutions products  from Remote Desktop Manager to Password Hub Business to Devolutions Server  as well as highlights from Devolutions new Cybersecurity Survey, to be released publicly in early November. On the lighter side, Devolutions Central Online will include a comedy session from standup comedian and Comedy Central veteran Dwayne Perkins  as well as a quiz game and a virtual happy hour in which attendees can network with each other and the team at Devolutions. Our inaugural virtual event last year was an overwhelming success, with attendees from all over the globe, representing every major vertical industry, said Hervieux. We are equally excited about this years event and are thrilled o have Troy as our keynote speaker. One of our primary goals as a company is to help make the jobs of IT professionals easier  and we are confident that the program for this years event will provide attendees with valuable information in a fun and engaging manner.



Where IT Meets Security

Devolutions has taken a leadership role in arming IT professionals with the tools they need to not only provide enhanced security but improve productivity. The companys suite of IT solutions is trusted by more than 800,000 users in over 140 countries. Geared toward SMBs in particular, Devolutions products include remote connection, password and privileged access management. Each of these solutions can play a pivotal role in boosting cybersecurity. The company will follow up last years inaugural Cybersecurity Survey with a second survey, to be released in November 2021. Registration for Devolutions Central Online is free. To access the agenda or to register, please visit this link. For registrants who are unable to attend the event live, a recording will be available at the conclusion of the event. For more information about Devolutions and their IT software solutions, please visit devolutions.net.

About Devolutions

Established in 2010, Devolutions is a Canadian-based company located near Montreal, Quebec. With more than 800,000 users in over 140 countries, Devolutions is on a mission to develop innovative software that helps users cost-effectively, simply and effectively achieve their remote desktop management, password management, privileged access management, and cybersecurity goals. The company is also committed to providing exceptional technical support, ensuring an excellent user experience that exceeds expectations, and delivering high performance with superior quality. For more information about Devolutions and its solutions, visit devolutions.net, follow the company on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, like on Facebook or subscribe on YouTube. Media Contact:

Stephanie Olsen

Lages & Associates

(949) 453-8080

[email protected] Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2fb2fad6-aa6f-4965-b3c6-503ce8952a8d

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/313357de-0704-4dfd-b8a4-28b81f8a608d



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[October 27, 2021] Recorded Future Invests in Cyber Threat Cognitive Intelligence (CTCI)

BOSTON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Recorded Future, the world's largest provider of intelligence for enterprise security, today announced that it has invested in CVE intelligence company Cyber Threat Cognitive Intelligence (CTCI) through The Intelligence Fund. The investment is a continued part of Recorded Future's mission to support novel approaches to data collection and analysis, with CTCI surfacing unparalleled insight into exploited or soon to be exploited vulnerabilities. "CTCI has developed a unique, intelligence-driven method to identify weaponized vulnerabilities that we have not yet come across in the industry. Their intelligence very naturally complements the Recorded Future platform and the data we've curated around exploited vulnerabilities. This is vital information for defenders as they need actionable intelligence to proactively protect their organizations."  Bill Ladd, Chief Data Scientist, Recorded Future Emerging from stealth in 2021, CTCI combines cognitive reasoning and machine learning with intelligence lifecycle collection to provide accurate, easy-to-use, actionable CVE intelligence. It curates and validates CVE data that threat actors are currently using or about to use, providing it to clients through its CVE Early Warning List (CEWL) .



"Recorded Future has set itself apart as the intelligence leader for enterprise security, providing invaluable visibility across the threat landscape for organizations. We're excited for the potential of this partnership where we can bring highly-focused, high fidelity CVE data to organizations, and match the indispensable quality of intelligence that Recorded Future provides."  Michael Freeman, Chief Threat Officer, Cyber Threat Cognitive Intelligence The Intelligence Fund , funded and directed by Recorded Future, invests in experienced founders looking to tackle significant problems that require novel approaches using data sets, collection platforms, and applications that integrate into the Recorded Future platform and ecosystem. Interested companies looking to learn more or submit an application can visit https://theintelligencefund.com/ .

About Cyber Threat Cognitive Intelligence (CTCI)

CTCI was created to provide world-leading, actionable intelligence products for security operations and threat intelligence teams. With products that you can use today - CEWL (CVE Early Warning List), LEGiT (Lookup Explanation for Genuine IP Threats, IP IOCs - Free), FAST (Flash Alerts for Security Threats) - through to upcoming TTP-Based Detection Feeds, CogReasoner (cognitive reasoning product for analysts), and further down the track, to build the world's best AI Threat Intelligence analyst. The company's mission is to ensure that organizations get immediate value from each CTCI product within minutes instead of months. About Recorded Future

Recorded Future is the world's largest provider of intelligence for enterprise security. By combining persistent and pervasive automated data collection and analytics with human analysis, Recorded Future delivers intelligence that is timely, accurate, and actionable. In a world of ever-increasing chaos and uncertainty, Recorded Future empowers organizations with the visibility they need to identify and detect threats faster; take proactive action to disrupt adversaries; and protect their people, systems, and assets, so business can be conducted with confidence. Recorded Future is trusted by more than 1,000 businesses and government organizations around the world. Learn more at www.recordedfuture.com and follow us on Twitter at @RecordedFuture. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/recorded-future-invests-in-cyber-threat-cognitive-intelligence-ctci-301409844.html SOURCE Recorded Future

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[October 27, 2021] Amentum Team Awarded $8.3 Billion Oak Ridge Reservation Cleanup Contract

Amentum, a leading contractor of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that Amentum-led United Cleanup Oak Ridge LLC ("UCOR"), has been awarded the Oak Ridge Reservation Cleanup Contract. UCOR is a joint venture among Amentum, Jacobs, and Honeywell (News - Alert). The team includes four pre-selected small businesses, RSI EnTech, Strata-G, Longnecker & Associates and Environmental Alternatives, Inc. UCOR will be responsible for cleanup and remedial actions at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP); cleanup of excess facilities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 National Security Complex; design, construction, and operation of the new onsite disposal facility - the Environmental Management Disposal Facility; operational activities and surveillance and maintenance for multiple facilities; and core functions for central and project services. The new contract is a single award Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity contract with a 10-year ordering period with an estimated contract ceiling of approximately $8.3 billion. It is anticipated that task order performance may extend up to five years beyond the end of the ordering period (or a potential 15-year period of performance). The new contract resulting from this acquisition will replace the ETTP contract awarded to Amentum led URS|CH2M Oak Ridge LLC in 2011.



John Vollmer, Chief Executive Officer of Amentum, said, "We are pleased to have been awarded this contract and excited to continue our partnership with DOE Oak Ridge Environmental Management. Amentum and our partner companies have a long history of supporting the DOE's environmental management programs and recently delivered historic success in cleaning up DOE's uranium enrichment complex ahead of schedule and under budget at the 2,200-acre ETTP complex." Mr. Vollmer continued, "We look forward to working with our customer, partners, regulators, and the Oak Ridge community stakeholders to further advance the DOE's mission of safe environmental cleanup of the Oak Ridge Reservation." "The team we have assembled has the expertise and experience to deliver an end state-focused vision for the DOE customer," said Mark Whitney, President of Amentum's Nuclear & Environment business. "Building on the accelerated completion of Vision 2020, Amentum and UCOR will partner with our customer to deliver the next phases of DOE's vision for the site under this contract".

About Amentum Amentum is a premier global technical and engineering services partner supporting critical programs of national significance across defense, security, intelligence, energy, and environment. We draw from a century-old heritage of operational excellence, mission focus, and successful execution underpinned by a strong culture of safety and ethics. Headquartered in Germantown, Md., we employ more than 34,000 people in all 50 states and perform work in 105 foreign countries and territories. Visit us at amentum.com to explore how we deliver excellence for our customers' most vital missions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005731/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Axio Biologics Surgical Supplies Now Available on Dental Marketplace, Supply Clinic

CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Axio Biologics has joined Supply Clinic's vast list of authorized sellers passing additional savings on to Dental Practitioners. Axio Biologics is the premier supplier of high-quality Allografts, Xenografts, Synthetics, and Implants in the dental market. Convenience of a marketplace plus cutting distribution costs saves Dentists time and money ordering surgical supplies. To bring Doctors better pricing and high-quality products, Axio Biologics works closely with Manufacturers, allowing them to cut the costs of Distributors, and pass those savings on to Dentists. Their portfolio of products is second to none with a primary focus on positive outcomes for patients and the dental practice.



"Axio Biologics, one of the leading suppliers of Allografts in the US, is excited to join Supply Clinic's vast portfolio of suppliers," explains David Kilgore, Vice President of Operations at Axio Biologics. "This is a rare opportunity that provides our customers with a new channel to purchase our products at lower prices. Supply Clinic gives us the opportunity to add the convenience of a marketplace for Dentists around the country." Supply Clinic and Axio Biologics have a shared, vested interest in selling only quality products and providing excellent customer service. This creates a meaningful partnership in the dental industry that positively impacts Dental Practices and ultimately, patient care.

About Supply Clinic Supply Clinic is the free online marketplace for dental supplies. The company was started by a Periodontist who was frustrated with the high cost of supplies. We let dozens of vendors compete for your business on one website. You can browse thousands of products and buy from multiple vendors in a single, simple checkout process. And you can simply use your credit card - no invoices, no purchase agreements. Contact: Rene Reiter, [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/axio-biologics-surgical-supplies-now-available-on-dental-marketplace-supply-clinic-301409907.html SOURCE Supply Clinic

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[October 27, 2021] MX Powers A Better, Smarter, More Secure Data Sharing Experience With MXaccess

LEHI, Utah , Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MX, the financial data platform and leader in modern connectivity, today announced the launch of MXaccess, previously called MX Portal, an open finance API platform for banks, credit unions, digital banks, and digital banking providers. MXaccess improves the data sharing experience for customers by removing friction and frustration due to broken connections caused by screen scraping and a transparent, secure, method to share their data. MXaccess helps data providers improve the customer experience and better manage risk by providing visibility into customer data sharing and enabling tokenized access from data providers to data recipients. "MXaccess has opened up a new world for us. After making several updates to our online member digital experience, Maps Credit Union began getting calls from frustrated customers who didn't understand why their apps like Venmo, Robinhood, and Acorns couldn't access their accounts," said Chris Giles, Chief Experience Officer, Maps Credit Union. "The customers were blaming us when the fault was really with the data aggregator who relied on screen scraping, looking for data in places that it didn't exist, causing the broken connections. With MXaccess, we were able to improve the customer experience and greatly reduce the number of broken connections." MXaccess can be deployed as an on-premise or self-hosted platform for organizations that want more control of their open finance strategy and asa multi-tenant solution for digital banking providers to offer to their network of intuitions. Built on Financial Data Exchange (FDX) standards, the platform improves the data-sharing experiences for customers, removing the need for screen scraping and providing tokenized credential-free access to data. By streamlining the onboarding process for data recipients (typically aggregators, fintechs and other financial institutions), data providers can view, approve, and even control connection requests to reduce risk, save costs, and manage loads on internal systems.



"MX has been collaborating across the industry to accelerate the end of credential-based data sharing while advocating for a more secure, token-based approach that gives consumers more control over what data they share, and how," said Jane Barratt, Chief Advocacy Officer, MX. "With MXaccess, financial institutions and fintechs can uncover new sources of revenue and begin benefiting from bilateral API driven models." With MXaccess, organizations can benefit from tokenized, secure, and reliable connections when they make updates that are designed to improve the experience. The platform keeps the financial institution at the center of the data-sharing experience for their customers, providing a customer-consent dashboard that gives users visibility and control over where they have shared their data and the ability to revoke access at any time.

For more information, visit: https://www.mx.com/products/mxaccess / About MX

MX, the financial data platform and leader in modern connectivity, helps organizations everywhere connect to the world's financial data and turn raw, unstructured data into their most valuable asset to deliver intelligent and personalized money experiences. MX connects more than 16,000 financial institutions and fintechs providing the industry's most reliable and secure data connectivity network. Additionally, MX powers 85% of digital banking providers, as well as thousands of banks, credit unions, and fintechs, with a combined reach of over 200 million consumers. To learn more, follow us on Twitter @MX or visit www.mx.com . Contact:

Tom Cook

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mx-powers-a-better-smarter-more-secure-data-sharing-experience-with-mxaccess-301409640.html SOURCE MX

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[October 27, 2021] Rezilient Health Announces Digital-Health Influencer and FINN Global Health Chair Gil Bashe to Join as Strategic Advisor

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rezilient Health (Rezilient), a leader in cloud-based, telehealth and remote-care technologies, announced today that Gil Bashe , Global Health Chair, FINN Partners, is joining its corporate strategic advisory board to support the company's communication efforts. With an established track record as a champion for health innovation services and technologies that improve people's health and support easier access to care, Bashe will advise Rezilient executives on their public health, partnership and brand-building efforts. Rezilient is building an entirely new, distributed primary care delivery model. Their proprietary video platform and connected digital devices allow the doctor to beam remotely onto large screens at any one of their CloudClinics, where expert nursing care assists onsite during the patient appointment. This allows doctors to perform the entire primary care exam in underserved communities, saving patients precious time in travel and waiting. Rezilient was among the cohort of 10 companies selected by Melinda French Gates' Pivotal Ventures and TechStars to participate in the fund's inaugural Future of Longevity Accelerator , which supports startups building products and services for the unmet needs of older adults and their caregivers.



"Rezilient is a bold, long-awaited response to patients' needs that engages them as full partners in their medical care  not objects of care that are left to sit and wonder in waiting rooms," said Gil Bashe. "Remote technologies that mobilize multi-specialty care  whether through devices or CloudClinics where people work, live and shop  are the cutting edge of how we live and gain access to timely exams, diagnostics and medical procedures. That is where Rezilient are making their contribution to care by way of cloud-based technologies that provide immediacy and privacy."

Bashe's almost 40-year career is rooted in healthcare. He was a health products trade association lobbyist, then launched a successful health PR agency and was the first global Practice Director of the Hill and Knowlton Health and Pharmaceutical Practice. He was a leader in WPP Group's integrated marketing agency CommonHealth and later served as operating CEO and limited partner for private-equity firm GTCR, where he led acquisition efforts targeting health marketing and communications firms. He joined FINN in 2015 to launch its Global Health Practice and, together with colleagues, champions one of the world's most admired integrated health communication communities. All options that Bashe receives in his new role will be donated to the Catskill Mountain Foundation , a not-for-profit association that harnesses the arts to provide greater employment and education opportunities to communities in Greene County, New York. Bashe supports the Foundation as a role model in community activism as a pathway to reduce poverty that often leads to despair, disease and needless death. About Rezilient Health Rezilient Health, co-founded by ENT Danish Nagda, MD, and tech leader Jeff Gamble, PhD., is creating the world's first medical care system where primary and multi-specialty care is provided close to where people work, live, and shop. Using its proprietary video platform and connected digital devices in CloudClinics, Rezilient's doctors "beam" onto video screens while expert nursing care assists onsite during the patient appointment. Rezilient is also pioneering specialist care using diagnostic robotics. The company has been recognized as an ANA Avatar XPRIZE finalist and is a portfolio company of the Techstars Future of Longevity program, which was funded by Melinda French Gates' Pivotal Ventures. MEDIA CONTACT: FOR REZILIENT HEALTH

Sar Ruddenklau, Head of Communications

[email protected]

CELL: +1 206-465-1910 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rezilient-health-announces-digital-health-influencer-and-finn-global-health-chair-gil-bashe-to-join-as-strategic-advisor-301409262.html SOURCE Rezilient Health

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[October 27, 2021] Smart Agriculture Market Revenue to Hit US $15,344 Million by 2025 - Latest Research Report with Global Industry Analysis Published by Zion Market Research

NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With the presence of a large pool of participants, the global smart agriculture market is displaying a highly competitive business landscape, finds a new research report by Zion Market Research (ZMR). Ag Leader Technology, Inc, AGCO Corporation, Ag Junction LLC, Raven Industries Inc., Precision Planting LLC., and SemiosBio Technologies Incorporation are some of the key vendors of smart agriculture across the world. These players across are smart agriculture market focusing aggressively on innovation, as well as on including advanced technologies in their existing products. Over the coming years, they are also expected to take up partnerships and mergers and acquisitions as their key strategy for business development, states the smart agriculture market study. Citing an instance, on August 15, 2018, Cambridge University held a smart agriculture summit. Reportedly, the world's leading scientists gathered at AgriFood Robotics Workshop and Hackathon in Cambridge University's engineering department. Experts are of the view that such initiatives will not only promote the Industry-Academia collaborations, but also provide impetus to growth of smart agriculture market over the years to come. Get Sample PDF of this Research Report for more Insights with Table of Content, Research Methodology and Graphs - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/smart-agriculture-market This Press Release is based on a report by Zion Market Research, titled "Smart Agriculture Market by Agriculture Type (Precision Farming, Livestock Monitoring, Fish Farming, Smart Greenhouse, and Others (Orchid, Forestry, and Horticulture); By Software (Web Based and Cloud Based); By Service (System Integration and Consulting, Support and Maintenance, Connectivity Services, Managed Services, and Professional Services); and By Solution (Network Management, Agriculture Asset Management, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Smart Water Management, and Others); For Application (Yield Monitoring, Field Mapping, Crop Scouting, Weather Tracking and Forecasting, Irrigation Management, Farm Labor Management, Financial Management, Feeding Management, Milk Harvesting, Breeding Management, Fish Tracking and Fleet Navigation, Water Quality Management, HVAC Management, and Others) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016  2025." As estimated in this report, the global smart agriculture market stood at US$ 5,098 million in the year 2016. Witnessing a tremendous rise during the period from 2017 to 2025, the revenue in this market is expected to reach US$ 15,344 million by the end of the forecast period. The main types available in this smart agriculture market are precision farming, livestock monitoring, fish farming, smart greenhouse, orchid, forestry, and horticulture. Among the three, the demand for precision farming is relatively higher and the trend is anticipated to remain so over the next few years, notes the smart agriculture market research report. Request for Customization on this Report as per your requirements  https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/custom/1070 Mounting Need to Acquire More Crop Produce to Enhance Market Trends "Escalating requirement for monitoring crop yield, milk harvesting, water management, farm labor management, crop scouting, animal tracking & navigation, and breeding management will further spur smart ariculture market in the coming years," says the author of this smart agriculture market study. Apart from this, smart agriculture market is projected to garner a humungous growth over the next few years with the mounting use of advanced cloud-based software in smart farming techniques offering remote access & monitoring of day-to-day agricultural activities.



Huge Food Demand to Support APAC's Regional Dominance Regionally, Asia Pacific has been leading the worldwide smart agriculture market and is anticipated to continue on the dominant position in the years to come, states the smart agriculture market study. Escalating demand for food and other dairy items is the main factor behind the dominance of the Asia Pacific smart agriculture market. The dominance can also be attributed to rapidly swelling population in countries such as India and China along with growing food requirement in these regions. In addition to this, the rural economies of the countries in the APAC region are agriculture-based and this will further drive the demand for advanced techniques in farming to get more crop harvest, thereby supporting the smart agriculture market trends.

The global smart agriculture market is segmented as follows: By Agriculture Type Precision Farming

Automation and Control Systems

Displays

Guidance and Steering

GPS/GNSS Systems

Drones/UAVs

Handheld Mobile Devices/Handheld Computers

Flow and Application Control Devices

Others Sensing and Monitoring Devices Yield Monitors

Soil Sensors

Water Sensors

Climate Sensors

Others Livestock Monitoring RFID Tags and Readers Sensors

Transmitters & Mounting Equipments

GPS

Others Fish Farming GPS/GNSS

Sensors

Others Smart Greenhouse HVAC Systems

LED Lights

Sensors

Others Others (Orchid, Forestry, and Horticulture) By Software Type Web Based

Cloud-based Software As A Service (SaaS) Platform As A Service (PaaS) By Service-Type System Integration and Consulting

Support and Maintenance

Connectivity Services

Managed Services Farm Operation Services Data Services Analytics Professional Services Supply Chain Management Services Climate Information Services Others By Solution Type Network Management

Agriculture Asset Management

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Smart Water Management

Others By Application Yield Monitoring

Field Mapping

Crop Scouting

Weather Tracking and Forecasting

Irrigation Management

Farm Labor Management

Financial Management

Feeding Management

Milk Harvesting

Breeding Management

Fish Tracking and Fleet Navigation

Water Quality Management

HVAC Management

Others Inquire before Purchase of this Research Report - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/smart-agriculture-market By Region North America

The U.S.



Canada

Europe

France



The UK



Spain



Germany



Italy



Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China



Japan



India



South Korea



Southeast Asia



Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

Brazil



Mexico



Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

& GCC



South Africa



Rest of Middle East & Africa Browse Other Related Research Reports from Zion Market Research Agriculture Drone Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/agriculture-drone-market

Agriculture IoT Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/agriculture-iot-market

AI in Agriculture Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/ai-in-agriculture-market

Connected Agriculture Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/connected-agriculture-market

Agriculture Analytics Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/agriculture-analytics-market About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the client's needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us. Contact Us:

Zion Market Research

244 Fifth Avenue, Suite N202

New York, 10001, United States

Tel: +49-322 210 92714

USA/Canada Toll-Free No +1-855-465-4651

US OFFICE NO +1-386-310-3803

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com

Blog  https://zmrblog.com/

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All Press Releases - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/all-news Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1605489/Zion_Market_Research_Logo.jpg

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[October 27, 2021] Frederick Wildman and Sons Debuts Inaugural Wine & Spirit Education Trust Scholarship and Internship Programs

Frederick Wildman and Sons announced today, two new programs to make industry education and training more accessible to the next generation of wine & spirits professionals. The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Scholarship and inaugural winter internship program are part of Frederick Wildman's new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts that will help equip individuals from all backgrounds with tools to thrive within the wine industry and bring a fresh perspective to the rapidly growing wines & spirits importer. Both programs are a part of the company's ongoing effort to spread the enjoyment of life experiences through the discovery of wine and spirits while embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion through people. As part of the new scholarship program, six WSET scholarships will be awarded in 2022. These will provide access to more educational opportunities that will ultimately support professional development across the industry. Recipients will receive course and testing tuition and will be paired with a Frederick Wildman and Sons mentor to provide support throughout the process. Applications will be accepted until December 15, 2021, and recipients will be announced in January 2022. The new internship program will award two winter internships for a three-week period in January 2022. Interns will expand their knowledge, skills and experience in the alcohol beverage industry through assignments and educational opportunities, while gaining contacts ad mentorship to help launch their career. Applications will be accepted until December 1, 2021, and the program will take place from January 3, 2022, through January 21, 2022.



"We are thrilled to continue expanding our DE&I efforts through the WSET scholarship and Frederick Wildman winter internship," said Marc Hirten, President & COO of Frederick Wildman and Sons. "These new programs will have a profoundly positive impact on educating future wine professionals as well as mentoring the burgeoning talent in the industry. At Frederick Wildman, we will continue to actively seek out opportunities like these to help in making the wine and spirits industry more inclusive." Both scholarship and internship programs are open to applicants over the age of 21. For more information and to apply, please visit, https://www.frederickwildman.com/scholarships/ or https://www.frederickwildman.com/internships/

ABOUT FREDERICK WILDMAN AND SONS Frederick Wildman and Sons is a New York based fine wine importer offering the leading properties from France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, and other regions. The portfolio includes more than 75 brands, including: Santi, Nino Negri, Lamberti, Pol Roger, Chateau Fuisse, J.J. Vincent, Olivier Leflaive, Famille Hugel, Pascal Jolivet, Chartreuse, Marchesi di Barolo, Domaine Faiveley, as well as Cantine Riunite & CIV's full portfolio, and the wines of Gruppo Italiano Vini. For more information, visit https://www.frederickwildman.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005770/en/

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[October 27, 2021]

Bell wins PCMag honours as Canada's fastest mobile network for the second straight year

Fastest average download and upload speeds in the country

MONTREAL, Oct. 27, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Bell today announced its wireless networks have been ranked #1 for the second year in a row in PCMag's 2021 Fastest Mobile Networks Canada, the annual study of mobile network performance across the country.

"Bell's performance in Toronto and Montreal pushed it ahead of all other Canadian Wireless carriers," said Dan Costa, Editor-in-Chief, PCMag.com. "Not only is Bell's 5G performance the fastest in Canada, but it is also faster than anything available in the U.S. 5G performance played a pivotal role in Bell winning PCMag's Fastest Mobile Network."

"On behalf of our customers, team and partners, Bell is proud to be named Canada's fastest national mobile network for the second year in a row by PCMag," said Claire Gillies, President of Bell Mobility. "Bell's 4G and 5G wireless networks deliver fast access speeds and capacity, and we will continue to bring the most awarded 5G network to more Canadians every day as part of Bell's purpose to advance how Canadians connect with each other and the world."

In its 9th annual Fastest Mobile Networks Canada test, PCMag's wireless technology experts drove across Canada, covering 20 major and smaller cities to test the network speed and coverage of Canada's 6 biggest wireless brands. PCMag's exhaustive analysis took place in September and October and ranked providers based on a weighted average of download speeds, upload speeds and latency.

Bell's leadership in 5G

Bell 5G network coverage is growing fast and driving a broad range of mobile innovations for consumers and business customers. The most awarded 5G network in Canada, Bell 5G launched in major centres last year and first to offer 5G roaming in the U.S. In July, Bell acquired significant additional 3500 MHz wireless spectrum in the auction by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). Essential to Canada's ongoing transition to 5G communications, these high-capacity airwaves unleash the full potential of Bell's 5G advantage, extending Bell's leadership in delivering enhanced digital experiences to Canadian consumers and businesses in urban, rural and remote communities.

Bell has recently introduced new, innovative services to make the most of 5G including the expansion of the ground-breaking TSN 5G View / Vision 5G RDS platform to Toronto Raptors home games in addition to its live regional coverage of the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. Bell also recently announced unique 5G collaborations with Tiny Mile for its fleet of food delivery robots in downtown Toronto and TikTok Canada for the Paint Portal multi-user Augmented Reality effect.

Canada's leading investor in communications R&D, Bell has also announced 5G research partnerships with Western University and Universite de Sherbrooke to further accelerate Canada's 5G innovation ecosystem. Earlier this year, Bell announced strategic agreements with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud to leverage the unprecedented speed, latency and bandwidth capabilities of Bell 5G for enterprise and consumer MEC applications.







5G delivers important environmental benefits, with the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association estimating 5G technology can support 1000x the data traffic at half of current energy consumption over the next decade. These sustainability advantages are a prominent part of Bell's plan to achieve carbon neutral operations in 2025.

Bell offers Canada's broadest selection of 5G devices from leading manufacturers including Apple, Google, Motorola, Samsung and TCL, available through Canada's largest distribution network, including Bell and Virgin Plus stores and kiosks, The Source, national retail partners and online at Bell.ca and VirginPlus.ca. Bell is also the first in Canada to offer Netgear's Orbi 5G turbo hub, supporting Wi-Fi 6 technology and enabling connections for up to 254 simultaneous device connections without impacting speed or reliability.

To learn more about the Bell 5G network, please visit Bell.ca/network.

About Bell

Bell is Canada's largest communications company, providing advanced broadband wireless, TV, Internet, media and business communication services throughout the country. Founded in Montreal in 1880, Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca or BCE.ca.

Through Bell for Better, we are investing to create a better today and a better tomorrow by supporting the social and economic prosperity of our communities with a commitment to the highest environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. This includes the Bell Let's Talk initiative, which promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let's Talk Day and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research and workplace leadership initiatives throughout the country. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

Media inquiries

Caroline Audet

514 391-9794

[email protected]

@Bell_News

Investor inquiries

Richard Bengian

514 786-8219

[email protected]

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this news release are forward-looking statements, including statements relating to our network deployment and capital investment plans as well as the benefits expected to result therefrom, our plan to achieve carbon neutral operations in 2025, our business outlook, objectives, plans and strategic priorities, and other statements that are not historical facts. All such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of applicable Canadian securities laws and of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties and are based on several assumptions which give rise to the possibility that actual results or events could differ materially from our expectations. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or events, and we caution you against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release describe our expectations at the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this news release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For additional information on assumptions and risks underlying certain of our forward-looking statements made in this news release, please consult BCE Inc.'s (BCE) 2020 Annual MD&A dated March 4, 2021, BCE's 2021 First Quarter MD&A dated April 28, 2021, BCE's 2021 Second Quarter MD&A dated August 4, 2021 and BCE's news release dated August 5, 2021, announcing its financial results for the second quarter of 2021, filed by BCE with the Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities (available at Sedar.com) and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (available at SEC.gov). These documents are also available at BCE.ca.

SOURCE Bell Canada
[October 27, 2021] ALC Appoints Jason Johnson Vice President of Human Resources

Alternative student transportation company ALC Schools (ALC) today announced the appointment of Jason Johnson as Vice President of Human Resources. Johnson joins ALC with more than two decades of experience, both as a civilian and member of United States Air Force, leading high-performance teams capable of sustained operational excellence. "Welcoming Jason to the company further demonstrates ALC's commitment to the development and growth of our team," said Mitch Bowling, CEO, ALC Schools. "Jason's experience in human resources operations, workforce planning, organizational development, process improvement, education and training will enable us to hire and retain a team of individuals dedicated to meeting our number one objective which is to provide best-in-class transportation services to our growing number of district partners." Johnson joins ALC Schools from Effectv (formerly Comcast (News - Alert) Spotlight), the advertising division of Comcast Cable, where he served as Director of Human Resources Operations. There he le the team responsible for all HR operational activities for the 3,000-employee organization. Among his key accomplishments at Effectv were leading the creation of the organization's first HR standard operating procedures, calendar and file structure. Prior to that, Johnson served as Director, HR Business Partner, for Comcast Spotlight's Customer Care and Services Team, which included 900+ employees. While there, he was responsible for setting direction, embracing and incorporating Human Capital strategy.



Johnson joined Comcast Spotlight in 2017 after retiring from the U.S. Air Force, where he held a succession of human resources, talent development, operations, training and organizational development, and project management roles. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science and Leadership from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a Master of Science Degree in Engineering Psychology from Georgia Tech. As Vice President of Human Resources for ALC Schools, Johnson will oversee the company's Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) initiatives, in addition to leading the human resources team in program execution surrounding recruitment, employee relations, and training and development.

Johnson is based out of ALC Schools' corporate headquarters location in Denver, Colo. About ALC Schools ALC Schools is the nationwide safety leader in alternative student transportation and subject matter experts on federal, state, and district transportation requirements. Leveraging its proprietary Smart Routing Technology and custom-tailored services, the company has been a driving force in alleviating driver shortages, accommodating varying bell times, and serving the unique needs of McKinney-Vento, special needs, ESSA, hard-to-serve trips, and out-of-district students. Learn more at www.alcschools.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005124/en/

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[October 27, 2021] INSERTING and REPLACING Dorsey & Whitney Names New Partners

Insert in Seattle section of release issued October 26, 2021: Madeline Hepler, Intellectual Property Litigation. The updated release reads: DORSEY & WHITNEY NAMES NEW PARTNERS International law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP announced today that it has named 19 new partners in the Firm, effective January 1, 2022. "We are extremely proud to welcome this group to the partnership," said Dorsey Managing Partner Bill Stoeri. "These exceptional attorneys are experts in their respective areas of law, and they embody the qualities that our clients expect from Dorsey: superb legal ability, dedication to client service, professionalism, integrity and commitment to community. Our new partners have been an important part of the Firm's success, and I congratulate each of them on this accomplishment." Representing multiple offices and legal specialties, the new partners span Dorsey's breadth of practices. The new partners, their office locations and areas of practice are:



Dallas

Christina Carroll, Commercial Litigation

Joshua Pleitz, Mergers & Acquisitions

Eric Reeves, Mergers & Acquisitions Delaware

Amelia Messa, Finance & Restructuring

Minneapolis

Trevor Brown, Labor & Employment

Evan Everist, Trademark

Morgan Helme, Mergers & Acquisitions

Alan Iverson, Healthcare Litigation

Alex Sellke, Real Estate

Vanessa Szalapski, Healthcare Litigation

Tiana Towns, Construction & Design

David Townsend, Technology Commerce New York

Ting Zhou, Mergers & Acquisitions Salt Lake City

Richard Galati, Patent

Elliot Hales, Intellectual Property Litigation

Nathan Orme, Patent

Heath Waddingham, Regulatory Affairs Seattle

Kendall Fisher, Tax, Trusts & Estates

Madeline Hepler, Intellectual Property Litigation About Dorsey & Whitney LLP Clients have relied on Dorsey since 1912 as a valued business partner. With locations across the United States and in Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, Dorsey provides an integrated, proactive approach to its clients' legal and business needs. Dorsey represents a number of the world's most successful companies from a wide range of industries, including leaders in banking & financial institutions, development & infrastructure, energy & natural resources, food, beverage & agribusiness, healthcare and technology, as well as major non-profit and government entities. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211026006071/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Omaha National Announces New Members to Board of Directors

Omaha National Group, Inc. ("Omaha National"), a leading tech-enabled provider of workers' compensation insurance and payroll services, has added four new directors to its board to guide the company's growth. The newly appointed board members bring deep insurance, technology and financial markets expertise to Omaha National as the company advances its market positioning and capabilities for small and midsize businesses across America. Last month, Omaha National announced it closed a $45 million Series B round led by Accomplice to propel its transition to a full-stack carrier and to advance the expansion of the company's proprietary software. The new directors are: Beth Boucher , Former Senior Vice President & CIO, SiriusPoint

, Former Senior Vice President & CIO, SiriusPoint Nick Davies , Operating Partner, Agman; Former President Brit Americas and Chair Brit USA and Bermuda

, Operating Partner, Agman; Former President Brit Americas and Chair Brit USA and Bermuda Joyce Johnson-Miller , Chairman  Chief Investment Officer, Pacific Gate Capital

, Chairman  Chief Investment Officer, Pacific Gate Capital Ryan Moore (News - Alert), Co-founder, Accomplice



The four new directors join existing board members Geoff Banta, former COO, President and CFO of Amerisafe; Dennis Chookaszian, former Chairman and CEO of CNA Insurance Companies; Reagan Pufall, President and CEO of Omaha National; Scott Silverman, Founder and CEO of Agman; and Jeremy Smith, COO and Principal of Agman.

About Omaha National: Omaha National serves the businesses that build America and keep it running; the small to midsize companies where people work with their hands and have a greater risk of being injured. Our proprietary software enhances our operations to better help our customers and their injured workers, while generating consistently compelling loss ratios. Omaha National offers AM Best A (Excellent) rated workers' compensation coverage through more than 2,500 agencies. Since our launch in 2016, we have grown to more than 190 employees and over $125 million in program premiums. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005795/en/

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[October 27, 2021] New Digital Library Captures Insights from Schools Around the Globe, Innovating in the Midst of the Pandemic

SMART Technologies celebrates schools across five countries for their innovative use of technology to create meaningful connections for students during global discussion on October 28. CALGARY, AB, Oct. 27, 2021 /CNW/ -- SMART Technologies (SMART), an edtech company with a 30-year track record of pioneering learning solutions that enable millions of educators to build connections that matter, has announced a new library of videos, lesson activities, and resources to surface insight from a cohort of innovative schools, available to SMART's larger community of 3 million schools around the world. The digital library, which will be launched this Thursday, recognizes schools that demonstrate effective and innovative uses of technology in classroomsboth virtually and in person. The schools are part of Connections that Matter, a global initiative by SMART Technologies to highlight the pioneering ways educators are strengthening connections within and beyond the classroom that foster greater learning, including connecting curricula to real-world problems, investing in social-emotional learning and building deeper ties between school and home. These schools join a global community of educators, innovators and teacher ambassadors who are supporting innovation in learning to foster student engagement in more than 175 countries. "In the last 20 months, the creativity and determination of educators has been on display. In a world so captivated by the challenges at hand, we want to recognize educators' extraordinary commitment to their students, as well as their profession," said SMART Technologies Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer Jeff Lowe. "This reflects our company's mission to champion the power of connection, which is rooted in our own rich history of building technology that brings people together." Research demonstrates that strong connections between students and caring adults play a positive role in their academic and social-emotional development. Yet, only half of educators in the U.S. believe their schools have the resources needed to meet the social and emotional needs of students returning to the classroom, according to a recent survey of teachers commissioned by SMART.



As part of the initiative, selected schools will open source lesson activities and resources that strengthen connections among peers, between educators and students, and between families and the classroom. The lessons will be available for free through the Lumio by SMART Connections that Matter library, the free-to-use digital learning tool that allows teachers to transform their lessons with interactive activities, games, group workspaces and assessments. "Anytime we can give students a curriculum that requires them to solve problems in their local community, that's how they truly make a connection to their learning. There's biology in those problems, there's mathematics and social studies in those problems. Our job is to prepare kids to solve problems," said Michael Meechin, principal of NeoCity Academy, a public charter school in Kissimmee, Fla. Students at the school draw from what they're learning in their STEM curriculum to develop solutions to real-world problems they observe in their local community. "We are thrilled to be part of such an esteemed group of peers. SMART is recognizing the innovative work of educators at a moment when we all need to be inspired."

Principal Meechin joins a global discussion with experts and educators Oct. 28, 2021, about the power of connection in supporting students' well-being and academic recovery in the wake of the pandemic's unprecedented disruption. Open to the media, the event will showcase innovative schools like NeoCity Academy; Brandeis Elementary in Jefferson County, Ky.; and Thoren Framtid in Sweden, as well as initiatives from the Calgary Board of Education in Canada. During the event, Thoren Framtid teacher Ola Brorson will share how they've teamed up with fellow Exemplary Schools member Divine Savior Academy in south Florida to connect their students across 6,000 miles. Peer-to-peer learning and co-teaching has forged an incredible connection for interactive learning between unlikely classmates. Building on the success of a collaboration project started last year, the two schools are bringing middle school students together virtually to study geography and culture. This vibrant cultural connection has been fueled by the students' natural curiosity about each other, dynamic educators and interactive technology. "The integration of technology in the classroom enhances learning and engages students in a more meaningful way. We've been intentionally enhancing digital instruction through the use of SMART technology for many years. It is a testament to our teachers and technology experts on staff that we have been recognized as a global SMART Exemplary School, a tremendous honor that highlights our efforts to utilize technology as a tool for enriching every child's educational experience," said Tim Biesterfeld, Head of Schools, Divine Savior Academy. To join the global conversation on Oct. 28, 2021, and hear directly from this innovative group of education leaders, register here . About SMART Technologies Inc.

SMART is a world leader in education technology, providing interconnected solutions to help every person discover and develop the greatness within them. Since the launch of the first SMART board in 1991, SMART has continued to innovate through SMART Notebook, the world's most popular collaborative learning software, and through Lumio, the award-winning cloud-based learning software. With a full range of products used by millions of educators and students around the world, SMART creates connections that matter. To learn more, visit smarttech.com. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-digital-library-captures-insights-from-schools-around-the-globe-innovating-in-the-midst-of-the-pandemic-301410004.html SOURCE SMART Technologies

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[October 27, 2021] Instacart To Appoint Meredith Kopit Levien, President And CEO Of The New York Times Company, And Lily Sarafan, Co-founder And Executive Chair Of Home Care Assistance, To Its Board Of Directors

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Instacart, the leading online grocery platform in North America, today announced that Meredith Kopit Levien, President and CEO of The New York Times Company, and Lily Sarafan, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Home Care Assistance, will join the Company's Board of Directors. Kopit Levien helped lead The Times' transformation to become a fast-growing, digital business. She is a seasoned executive who brings deep experience building and leading cross-functional teams working on the challenges of scaling subscriptions and creating engaging direct-to-consumer products. Sarafan brings to Instacart deep expertise in reimagining and operating in highly complex industries, while creating and advising leading consumer marketplaces. "We're proud to welcome Meredith and Lily to Instacart's Board of Directors. Meredith's expertise and passion lies in launching and scaling digital products with leading subscription models. Her unique perspective will serve as a guiding force as we continue to enhance our service and deliver even more value to customers, particularly through our own membership offering, Instacart Express. Lily is exceptional at building at-scale, sustainable businesses in complex industries. She brings a deep passion for building consumer marketplaces that infuse technology into everyday tasks to make them more accessible and affordable, as well as invaluable experience supporting a community of thousands of frontline workers," said Fidji Simo, CEO of Instacart. "Both Meredith and Lily, along with the rest of the Instacart Board, will be instrumental as we continue to serve as a retail enablement platform and drive more value for our partners, customers and shoppers." Kopit Levien is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of The New York Times Company, where she directs the company's overall business strategy and leads its global operations. Previously, she served as Chief Operating Officer of The New York Times, overseeing all major commercial operations, including subscriptions, advertising, events, and the cross-functional digital product development organization. Prior to joining The New York Times in 2013, Kopit Levien was at Forbes for five years, where she held various roles, including Publisher and Chief Revenue Officer. She is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute. "I'm excited to join Instacart's Board of Directors," said Kopit Levien. "With more than 20 years working on the business of journalism, I've had a first-hand look at the digital evolution of an industry that's been essential in people's daily lives for centuries. Similarly, grocery is in the midst of an important evolution of its own, and I believe Instacart can play a critical role in the dgital transformation of their industry. I look forward to joining the Board and working with Fidji and the rest of the leadership team."



Sarafan is co-founder and Executive Chair of Home Care Assistance, where she has led the company from its earliest days as a startup to an industry leader in senior care with more than 10,000 employees across North America. As co-founder, former CEO, and now Executive Chair, Sarafan has been instrumental in deploying a new, uniquely integrated approach to aging  supported by a community of more than 10,000 frontline caregivers  that has completely reimagined senior care. As a result, Home Care Assistance has been recognized as one of the 50 fastest-growing women-owned companies worldwide. Sarafan currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors at Thumbtack and Kyo. She also serves on the Stanford University Board of Trustees and is a Founding Partner of Project BIG: The Stanford Brain Immune Gut Initiative. An appointee to the California Governor's Alzheimer's Task Force, Sarafan serves in various other leadership roles to advance precision health and wellness, economic development and entrepreneurship, and informed civic engagement.

"Instacart has unlocked an innovative, sustainable model that supports the entire grocery industry - from retailers and brands to customers and shoppers - and I'm proud to join its Board of Directors," said Sarafan. "As a customer, I've experienced firsthand how Instacart can reshape the way households access and discover new foods. As an entrepreneur, I know that driving innovation in an industry that's an integral - and often deeply personal - part of everyone's life is not a simple task. I've been impressed by Instacart's role as a chief ally for the broader grocery industry, elevating the experience for retailers and customers alike. I look forward to supporting the team as Instacart continues to make online grocery shopping a part of the everyday rhythm for more people across North America." Kopit Levien and Sarafan join Instacart's distinguished Board of Directors, which also includes Instacart CEO Fidji Simo; Instacart Founder and Executive Chairman Apoorva Mehta; Barry McCarthy, former Chief Financial Officer of both Spotify and Netflix; Daniel Sundheim, Founder and CIO of D1 Capital Partners; Frank Slootman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Snowflake; Michael Moritz, Managing Member at Sequoia Capital; and Jeff Jordan, Managing Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Instacart today partners with more than 700 national, regional and local retailers, including unique brand names, to offer delivery and pickup services from more than 65,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. Instacart is available to over 85% of U.S. households and 90% of Canadian households. About Instacart

Instacart is the leading online grocery platform in North America. Instacart shoppers offer same-day delivery and pickup services to bring fresh groceries and everyday essentials to busy people and families across the U.S. and Canada. Instacart has partnered with more than 700 beloved national, regional and local retailers, including unique brand names, to deliver from more than 65,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. Instacart's platform is available to over 85% of U.S. households and 90% of Canadian households. The company's cutting-edge enterprise technology also powers the ecommerce platforms of some of the world's biggest retail players, supporting their white-label websites, applications and delivery solutions. Instacart offers an Instacart Express membership that includes reduced service fees and unlimited free delivery on orders over $35. For more information, visit www.instacart.com . For anyone interested in becoming an Instacart shopper, visit https://shoppers.instacart.com/ . View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/instacart-to-appoint-meredith-kopit-levien-president-and-ceo-of-the-new-york-times-company-and-lily-sarafan-co-founder-and-executive-chair-of-home-care-assistance-to-its-board-of-directors-301409467.html SOURCE Instacart

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[October 27, 2021] WeRide releases next-generation small, lightweight sensor suite, designed for mass production of level 4 AD vehicles

GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- WeRide, a world leading L4 autonomous driving company, released WeRide Sensor Suite 4.0 (Suite 4.0), marking another key step towards the mass production of self-driving vehicles. Leveraging innovative compatibility design and highly integrated technical solutions, the next-generation sensor suite is the industry's first small-sized, lightweight model providing accurate and reliable perception capabilities for various Level 4 self-driving passenger vehicles. Video Link: https://youtu.be/dVogB5qMSrs Small and smart, enabling more accurate and reliable perception Through highly integrated sensors, WeRide Sensor Suite 4.0 achieves a significant reduction in size compared to its predecessor, WeRide Sensor Suite 3.0. The product is one sixth the size of the last generation and occupies less than 0.4 square meters of roof area, allowing passengers to enjoy the vehicle's sunroof. Suite 4.0 has a net weight of 13 kilograms, which is just 20 percent of the weight of the previous model and is the lightest sensor suite among the industry. Suite 4.0 is designed with streamlined surface to blend in with a vehicle's aerodynamical shape, creating a self-driving vehicle that looks more consistent and elegant. Suite 4.0 has packed in more advanced sensing technologies that includes LiDARs, 4D mm-wave imaging radar, solid-state LiDAR, blind spot LiDARs and WeRide in-house designed camera module. Suite 4.0 enables a 360-degree Field of View ("FoV") with a front detection range up to 300 meters, blind-spot-free detection, accurate motion tracking and object identification. Suite 4.0 maintains WeRide's unique modular design philosophy, allowing the variation of the sensor suite to be rapidly configured and adapted to a wide range of vehicle models. Simpler installation and lower cost for mass production It needs nly 12 procedures to assemble a WeRide Sensor Suite 4.0. It is currently the most standardized solution in the industry, with production line installation completed within just 20 minutes per unit. Suite 4.0 itself can be assembled prior to the transportation to a vehicle production line for final installation thanks to the modular design. This not only ensures product quality consistency like the accuracy of the relative positions of the sensors, but also significantly improves self-driving vehicles' production efficiency.



Suite 4.0 is designed as a configurable combination of standardized sub-modules including configurable sensors, harness, and redundancy levels, for different autonomous driving solutions. With a high level of standardization, mass production technology such as injection molding process can be used for common parts to further reduce costs and improve production efficiency. Proprietary sensor cleaning system

WeRide Sensor Suite 4.0 is equipped with a new proprietary sensor cleaning system, which can automatically detect dirt and stains on the sensor surfaces to trigger the cleaning system. The system adopts a mixture of high-pressure gas and liquid cleaning methods, and a single cleaning shot which takes just 1 second to clean the sensors. The method effectively removes water droplets, mud, dust, frost, oil and other obstructions from the sensors. This ensures operational perception stability under different scenarios, including rain, snow, frost, sandstorm, smog and dust. At the same time, the whole cleaning system is invisible from outside with the compact exterior design. Empower WeRide to excel in the fully self-driving space WeRide is the world's first start-up to hold driverless test permits in both China and the United States. The company has launched its driverless testing in Guangzhou, China since July 2020, and received a permit, issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in April 2021, to test driverless vehicles on public roads in California. WeRide will further accelerate fully self-driving testing with the application of WeRide Sensor Suite 4.0, and promote a new way of smart transportation with safer, more efficient, affordable, and environmentally friendly solutions in shared mobility, on-demand public transportation, and urban logistics. About WeRide WeRide is a global leading company that develops Level 4 autonomous driving technologies, bringing smart cities with new products, new business model and new experience. WeRide has received strategic investments from top-tier global automakers, including Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and Yutong Group. WeRide is the first startup in the world to hold driverless test permits in both China and the US. Through strategic alliances with car makers, mobility and logistics service platforms, WeRide offers an all-rounded product mix of Robotaxi, Mini Robobus and Robovan to provide multiple services including online ride-hailing, on-demand transport and urban logistics. WeRide launched China's first Robotaxi service, completely open to public, in November 2019, in Guangzhou, China, covering an area of 144 square kilometers. WeRide has also conducted commercial pilot operations and fully driverless testing for Mini Robobus and Robovan. Established in 2017, WeRide is headquartered in Guangzhou, China, and maintains R&D and operation centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Wuhan, Zhengzhou and Anqing, as well as San Jose in the US. It employs a highly skilled team of over 700 employees around the globe and has extensive domestic and international experience in R&D, business development and operations. For more information, please visit: Website: www.weride.ai; Medium: https://werideai.medium.com/; twitter/LinkedIn/YouTube: WeRide.ai. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/weride-releases-next-generation-small-lightweight-sensor-suite-designed-for-mass-production-of-level-4-ad-vehicles-301410018.html SOURCE WeRide

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[October 27, 2021] Global Maritime Forum: Industry Leaders Call on COP26 to Commit to Decarbonize International Shipping by 2050

LONDON, Oct. 27, 2021 /CNW/ -- The Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization has been developed by a multi-stakeholder taskforce convened by the Getting to Zero Coalition  a partnership between the Global Maritime Forum, the World Economic Forum and Friends of Ocean Action. The Call to Action is backed by more than 200 industry leaders and organizations representing the entire maritime value chain and sends the clear message that a full decarbonization of international shipping is both urgent and achievable. It calls on governments to work together with the shipping industry to deliver the policies and investments needed to reach critical tipping points in decarbonizing global supply chains and the global economy. "With the Call to Action, leaders from across the maritime value chain send a strong signal to governments meeting in Glasgow next week that it's time to raise ambitions and commit to fully decarbonize international shipping by 2050. If governments want to be climate heroes at COP26, they must also be climate heroes at the International Maritime Organization, where urgent action is needed to put international shipping on a just and equitable Paris-aligned pathway", says Johannah Christensen, Chief Executive Officer, Global Maritime Forum. The Call to Action demonstrates that there is broad industry support for the decarbonization of shipping and shows the many actions and commitments that are already being made by companies, while specifying what is needed from Governments to fully decarbonize the sector by 2050. Specifically, signatories call on government to: Commit to decarbonizing international shipping by 2050

Support industrial scale zero emission shipping projects through national action

Deliver policy measures that will make zero emission shipping the default choice by 2030 The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow taking place from 31 October to 12 November 2021 is hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy and will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. "COP26 is a unique opportunity to accelerate gobal efforts to address climate change. All industries must be part of the journey towards reaching net-zero emissions and keeping the Paris temperature goals within reach. As COP President, I welcome the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization and its clear message that leaders from across the maritime industry are ready to work with governments to fully decarbonize international shipping by 2050," says Alok Sharma, COP26 President.



About the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization More than 200 industry leaders and organizations from across the maritime value chain are signatories to the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization including shipping, cargo, energy, finance, ports, and infrastructure. Signatories are among some of the world's largest actors in global trade: Anglo American, A.P. Moller- Maersk, BHP, Bollore Logistics, BP, BW LPG, Cargill Ocean Transportation, Carnival Corporation, Citi, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, ENGIE, Euronav, Fortescue Metals Group, GasLog, Hapag-Lloyd, Iberdrola, Lloyd's Register, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Ocean Network Express, Olympic Shipping and Management, rsted, Panama Canal Authority, Port of Rotterdam, PSA International, Rio Tinto, Shell, Swire Shipping, Trafigura, Ultranav, Unilever, V.Group, Volvo, and Yara.

The Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization was initially launched on the 22 September 2021 in conjunction with the UN General Assembly. Learn more about the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization and see the full list of Signatories here.... Learn more about what concrete actions Signatories of the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization are taking in support of shipping decarbonization here... Learn more about the Global Maritime Forum Summit in London on 27-28 October 2021, here About the Getting to Zero Coalition The Getting to Zero Coalition is an industry-led platform for collaboration that brings together leading stakeholders from across the maritime and fuels value chains with the financial sector and other committed to making commercially viable zero emission vessels a scalable reality by 2030. The Getting to Zero Coalition is a partnership between the Global Maritime Forum, the Friends of Ocean Action, and the World Economic Forum. About Friends of Ocean Action Friends of Ocean Action is a unique group of over 55 global leaders from business, international organizations, civil society, science and academia who are fast-tracking scalable solutions to the most pressing challenges facing the ocean. It is hosted by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the World Resources Institute. About World Economic Forum The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is independent, impartial and not tied to any special interests. About Global Maritime Forum The Global Maritime Forum is an international not-for-profit organization committed to shaping the future of global seaborne trade to increase sustainable long-term economic development and human wellbeing. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-maritime-forum-industry-leaders-call-on-cop26-to-commit-to-decarbonize-international-shipping-by-2050-301410021.html SOURCE Global Maritime Forum

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[October 27, 2021] Kingston FURY Unleashes DDR5 Performance!

Kingston FURY, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, revealed today it has unleashed its cutting-edge Kingston FURY Beast DDR5. With superior speed advancements, Plug N Play at 4800MHz1, double the banks from 16 to 32 and double the burst length from 8 to 16, Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 is ideal for gamers and enthusiasts seeking greater performance from their next-gen platforms. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005056/en/ With superior speed advancements, double the banks and double the burst length, Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 is ideal for gamers and enthusiasts seeking greater performance from their next-gen platforms. (Photo: Business Wire) Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 arrives in sync with the launch of the Intel Z690 Chipset and 12th Gen Intel (News - Alert) Core processors (code-named "Alder Lake-S"). This marks the first platform to utilize the new memory standard, bringing the performance and data integrity advancements of DDR5 to a global audience. Taking speed, capacity, and reliability even further, Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 delivers an arsenal of enhanced features like on-die ECC (ODECC) for improved stability at extreme speeds, dual 32-bit subchannels for increased efficiency, and on-module power management integrated circuit (PMIC) to provide juice where it's needed most. When gaming at the most extreme settings, live streaming at 4K+ or pushing large animation and 3D rendering, Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 is the level-up needed while seamlessly linking style and performance. "We're excited that DDR5 is finally here and that our offering is from the Kingston FURY line; ready for gamers and enthusiasts alike," said Kristy Ernt, DRAM business manager, Kingston. "We're proud that users can build with confidence knowing Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 has been tested and approved by MSI, ASUS, ASRock, and Gigabyte, the world's leading motherboard manufacturers2." Additionally, Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 is Intel XMP 3.0-Ready and Certified, meaning users can expect an easy, stable, and certified overclock experience. Plus, new features allow for the creation of unique gaming experiences with two customizable profiles for speeds and timings. Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 is available in 16GB single modules and kits of 2, at speeds of 4800MHz and 5200MHz. Backed by a limited lifetime warranty and legendary Kingston reliability. For more information visit kingston.com.







Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 Part Number Capacity KF548C38BB-16 16GB 4800MHz Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 Single Module KF548C38BBK2-32 32GB 4800MHz Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 Kit of 2 KF552C40BB-16 16GB 5200MHz Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 Single Module KF552C40BBK2-32 32GB 5200MHz Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 Kit of 2

1 Kingston FURY Plug N Play memory will run in DDR5 systems up to the speed allowed by the manufacturer's system BIOS. PnP cannot increase the system memory speed faster than is allowed by the manufacturer's BIOS. Kingston FURY Plug N Play DDR5 products support XMP 3.0 specifications so overclocking can also be achieved by enabling the built-in XMP Profile. 2 Featured on the Qualified Vendor Lists (QVL) of the world's leading motherboard manufacturers. Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 Features and Specifications: Greater starting speed performance: With an aggressive starting speed at 4800MHz, DDR5 is 50% faster than DDR4.

With an aggressive starting speed at 4800MHz, DDR5 is 50% faster than DDR4. Improved stability for overclocking: On-die ECC (ODECC) helps maintain data integrity to sustain the ultimate performance while you push the limits!

On-die ECC (ODECC) helps maintain data integrity to sustain the ultimate performance while you push the limits! Increased efficiency: Boosted by double the banks and burst length and two independent 32-bit subchannels, DDR5's exceptional handling of data shines with the latest games, programs and demanding applications.

Boosted by double the banks and burst length and two independent 32-bit subchannels, DDR5's exceptional handling of data shines with the latest games, programs and demanding applications. Intel XMP 3.0-Ready and Certified: Advanced pre-optimized timings, speed and voltage for overclocking performance and save new user-customizable profiles utilizing a programmable PMIC.

Advanced pre-optimized timings, speed and voltage for overclocking performance and save new user-customizable profiles utilizing a programmable PMIC. Qualified by the world's leading motherboard manufacturers 2 : Tested and approved so you can build and upgrade with confidence on your preferred motherboard.

Tested and approved so you can build and upgrade with confidence on your preferred motherboard. Low-profile heat spreader: Newly designed heat spreader combines bold styling and prodigious cooling functionality.

Capacities: Singles - 16GB Kits of 2 - 32GB

Frequencies: 4800MHz, 5200MHz

4800MHz, 5200MHz Latencies: CL38, CL40

CL38, CL40 Voltage: 1.1V, 1.25V

1.1V, 1.25V Operating Temperature: 0C-85C

0C-85C Dimensions: 133.35 mm x 34.9 mm x 6.62 mm Kingston can be found on: YouTube Instagram

Facebook LinkedIn

Twitter Kingston Is With You About Kingston Technology, Inc. From big data, to laptops and PCs, to IoT-based devices like smart and wearable technology, to design-in and contract manufacturing, Kingston helps deliver the solutions used to live, work and play. The world's largest PC makers and cloud-hosting companies depend on Kingston for their manufacturing needs, and our passion fuels the technology the world uses every day. We strive beyond our products to see the bigger picture, to meet the needs of our customers and offer solutions that make a difference. To learn more about how Kingston Is With You, visit Kingston.com. Editor's Note: For additional information, evaluation units or executive interviews, please contact PR Team, Kingston Technology Company, Inc. 17600 Newhope Street, Fountain Valley, CA (News - Alert) USA 92708, 714-435-2600 (Voice). Press images can be found in Kingston's press room kingston.com/company/press/ Kingston and the Kingston logo are registered trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. IronKey (News - Alert) is a registered trademark of Kingston Digital, Inc. Kingston FURY and the Kingston FURY logo are trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005056/en/

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IDC Unveils Worldwide CIO Agenda 2022 Predictions

Focused on "Future IT" - from the need for business model reinvention to the remediation of technical debt to sustainable IT and more - International Data Corporation (IDC) today unveiled the IDC FutureScape: Worldwide CIO Agenda 2022 Predictions (IDC (News - Alert) #US48297821). According to the new report, through 2026, 65% of CIOs will sustain a cycle of tech-based empowerment, agility, and resilience through collaborative governance, new service delivery models, and a business outcomes orientation.

In today's FutureScape webinar, IDC analysts Joe Pucciarelli, Serge Findling, and Pete Lindstrom focused on the "Future IT" and presented the key predictions that will impact CIOs and IT professionals worldwide over the next one-to-five years. IT leaders are faced with responsibilities and opportunities that will not present themselves again in their lifetimes. With the insights and guidance of IDC's global CIO Agenda team, the webinar provided senior IT leaders and line-of-business executives with actionable guidance for managing and communicating IT investment priorities and implementation strategies as IT navigates the winds of change. To register for an on-demand replay of this webinar or any of the other IDC FutureScape webinars, please visit: https://www.idc.com/events/futurescape.

Click to Tweet: Join us for the #IDCFutureScape webinar, "IDC FutureScape: Worldwide CIO Agenda 2022 Predictions," now available on-demand, for guidance on managing IT investment priorities and implementation strategies as IT navigates the winds of change. Register: https://bit.ly/3jA6F3L

The predictions from the IDC FutureScape for CIO Agenda are:

Prediction 1: Through 2026, 65% of CIOs ill sustain a cycle of tech-based empowerment, agility, and resilience through collaborative governance, new service delivery models, and a business outcomes orientation.







Prediction 2: By 2023, 60% of CIOs will be primarily measured for their ability to co-create new business models and outcomes through extensive enterprise and ecosystem-wide collaboration.

Prediction 3: By 2025, 75% of CIOs and CFOs will be forced to accelerate or enact formal technical debt management practices due to project delays or failures caused by unresolved technical debt.

Prediction 4: Given the rising imperative for hybrid and smart workplaces, by 2024, 60% of CIOs will reimagine user support and create center of excellence (COE) based teams to guide the necessary investments in technology and process.

Prediction 5: By 2026, 85% of organizations whose data practices inhibit their business and operating strategies will empower CIOs to lead cross-enterprise investments in data governance, quality, and compliance.

Prediction 6: By 2024, 40% of CIOs will fail to effectively evolve IT's capability to deliver modern digital infrastructures, provide ecosystem tech governance, and support architecture-driven business outcomes.

Prediction 7: Driven by investor pressure to minimize SG&A expenses, by 2024, 40% of organizations will shift at least 25% of IT spending to direct cost aligned with specific line of business products/services.

Prediction 8: Despite the cost and friction, 60% of CIOs will embrace ecosystem-wide multifactor authentication for its efficacy as an essential minimum to counter rising cybersecurity threats by 2022.

Prediction 9: By 2025, 60% of CIOs will collaborate to harness industry ecosystem capabilities as a critical source of innovation, data sharing, differentiation, and cybersecurity risk management.

Prediction 10: By 2023, businesses will require 55% of G2000 CIOs to implement sustainable IT, embedding environmental, social, and governance practices into the technology life cycle from acquisition to disposal.

"In the next five years, CIOs will be instrumental in helping their enterprise navigate the winds of change by enabling ecosystems, co-creating new business models and outcomes, empowering employees, and building resiliency," said Serge Findling, vice president of research for IDC's IT Executive Programs (IEP).

For additional information about these predictions or to arrange a one-on-one briefing with Joe Pucciarelli Serge Findling or Pete Lindstrom, please contact Sarah Murray at 781-378-2674 or [email protected]. Reports are available to qualified members of the media. For information on purchasing reports, contact [email protected]; reporters should email [email protected].

About IDC FutureScape

IDC FutureScape reports are used to shape IT strategy and planning for the enterprise by providing a basic framework for evaluating IT initiatives in terms of their value to business strategy now and in the foreseeable future. IDC's FutureScapes are comprised of a set of decision imperatives designed to identify a range of pending issues that CIOs and senior technology professionals will confront within the typical 3-year business planning cycle.

To learn more about the IDC FutureScape reports for 2022, please visit: https://www.idc.com/events/futurescape.

About IDC

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading tech media, data, and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter (News - Alert) at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005081/en/
[October 27, 2021] Scipopulis, a Brazilian company specializing in the decarbonization of public transport, to feature at COP26

SAO PAULO, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Scipopulis, a data analysis company for smart cities, is the only Brazilian company specializing in the decarbonization of public transport selected by the CivTech Alliance COP26 Global Scale-up Programme to participate in the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31 to November 12. Roberto Speicys, co-founder and CEO of Scipopulis, a green4T company, will present Trancity, a monitoring platform that supports management, planning and operation of public transport systems. The technology helps public managers to perform decisions that reduce traffic and mitigate its environmental impact. Trancity has been adopted by seven cities in Brazil, including Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, and Florianopolis. Altogether, it manages data from more than 31,000 buses that carry an average of 349 million passengers amonth. It also processes data from Santiago, Chile (7,000 buses), and Vilnius, Lithuania (420 buses).



"Transportation accounts for 25% of gas emissions, which can be reduced by encouraging the use of public transport and the development of electric mobility. Using renewable energy also results in more profitable operations in the long run. It is imperative to discuss this topic at COP26 to achieve the goals proposed by the UN," says Speicys. "We are expanding our operations in Europe and we have identified opportunities for Trancity in European countries. We will be able to contribute with our experience in cities of various sizes with different demands to make transport more sustainable," adds Speicys.

Scipopulis is participating in the CivTech Alliance Global Scale-up Programme because of its expertise in transport decarbonization -- one of the program's challenges, in addition to environmental resilience and the reduction of food waste. Eighteen innovative businesses and governments from ten countries have joined the Alliance. "We had meetings with participants from Denmark, Germany, the USA, Australia, Estonia, Spain, Lithuania, Poland, and Scotland. They are switching diesel fleets to electric ones, albeit at an incipient stage, as in Brazil. Transport decarbonization is very important for everyone," says Speicys. "Public administrations can encourage this transformation, demanding electric buses in tender offers. Vehicle manufacturers and energy operators need to keep up with this change so that we can reduce transport emissions faster," Speicys concludes. Scipopulis will also present Trancity at the stand set up by the NGO Responding to Climate Change (RTCC).

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[October 27, 2021] RIT Names Students Selected for Micatu-Sponsored Grid Modernization Research

Micatu Incorporated, a leader in cutting-edge optical sensing technology, announced that the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Kate Gleason College of Engineering has selected two students whose grid modernization research will be sponsored by the company. Dylan Kotmel will leverage real-time data collected from Micatu's Gridview optical sensors to detect and address anomalies on the grid to understand and predict future anomalies. Akash Kumar will use the safe and highly accurate measurements from Micatu's optical sensors to study the campus microgrid responses to renewabl integration and will apply these findings to better support the energy transition on utility grids.



"Industry innovation is the only way we can effectively manage the energy transition, and I can't think of a better way to position ourselves for success than to give our young engineering professionals the tools that will support and inspire them to find new ways to manage the grid," said Michael Oshetski, Micatu CEO and an RIT alumnus. "Dylan and Akash were hand-picked by RIT's faculty because of their knowledge, abilities, and skills, and the entire Micatu team looks forward to seeing the innovations they create based on data from our groundbreaking optical sensors. Allowing young engineers to not only learn for themselves but help us to learn more about what our technology can do is why we partnered with RIT. In an industry that needs some fresh, young, bright minds, we're proud to sponsor Dylan and Akash and are excited to see what we can gather from their research." Graduate research assistant Dylan Kotmel, a fourth-year student from Ithaca, New York, who is pursuing a master's in industrial and systems engineering, was selected for a Micatu sponsorship based on his work detecting grid anomalies. Kotmel plans to utilize his research in his final project for his dual-degree program.

"We're going to be getting these massive amounts of data from the sensors that will continue coming to us in real-time, and my goal is to come up with an anomaly detection method to analyze the different variables like voltage readings, temperature readings, and more to find anomalies most efficiently," Kotmel said. "I'm excited about this opportunity because not only is it my first time analyzing a large amount of data in real-time, but it will also allow me to apply the knowledge I have while making a difference within the industry." RIT industrial and systems engineering associate professor Katie McConky, who co-leads the research program with assistant professor Bing Yan and selected Kotmel for the sponsorship, says that the significant amount of data gleaned from Micatu's sensors' interactions with the microgrid will allow students like Kotmel and Kumar to study irregularities and anomalies in the system. "We're not only going to learn what the anomalies are, but we'll also learn what normal-looking data looks like," says McConky. "That way, we can understand what's causing disturbances to come through and take actions to prevent those disturbances in the future." Akash Kumar, a Pakistani native in his first semester, pursuing his master's degree in electrical engineering at RIT, says he hopes to use his research to learn more about renewable integration into utility grids. "This project is utilizing a novel concept of optical sensors for the detection of voltage, current, power quality, and harmonics-all of these important parameters that engineers should know regarding electrical power," Kumar said. "Not only will I get hands-on experience, but possibly some ideas about how to integrate these sensors in different situations. For example, if there is any fault on the transmission line, then we can detect and isolate a particular section of the transmission line with the problem so that only that section is affected." RIT electric and microelectronic engineering assistant professor Bing Yan, the supervising faculty member for Kumar's research project, says the Micatu partnership provides professors and students more insight into renewable integration and synchronous inertia associated with the integration of renewable energy sources into modern grids. "From the data, we will be able to draw more insights on how to better optimize power systems and distributed energy systems, which will only become more important in the next several years as industries continue the process of bringing renewable energy into the grid," Yan said. Last May, Micatu installed its state-of-the-art optical sensors on the RIT campus to provide a safe opportunity for students to monitor the campus microgrid and experience a hands-on learning environment in a real-world laboratory. The student sponsorships are a continuation of this partnership. Through the entirety of its work with RIT, Micatu is creating opportunities for students to identify innovative career paths in the energy sector and is instilling the skills necessary for addressing the current and future challenges of managing the bidirectional flow on the grid resulting from renewable integration. The optical sensors also enable students to work with advanced technology to prepare them better to work with a modern, digital grid. Learn more about Micatu's optical sensing technology platform in our white paper - A Grid Disrupted. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005858/en/

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[October 27, 2021] UL and Razer Join Forces to Advance Circular Economy Goals

SINGAPORE, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- UL today announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Razer, a leading lifestyle brand for gamers. The MOU establishes a framework for a collaborative effort between UL and Razer to take definitive action toward achieving Razer's fundamental circular economy goals. Like other sectors, the gaming industry is working to reduce its sizable carbon footprint, generated by energy use during gaming in addition to fossil fuels used in hardware production. But consumers, including gamers, are making more sustainable choices. According to a 2020 study from Globalwebindex on gaming personas many gamers are up to 50% more interested in environmental issues than the global average.



Prioritizing sustainability as part of their business strategy, Razer has committed to several sustainability actions and goals between now and 2025. Plans include pursuing product health, sustainability and transparency programs for their many branded hardware devices, including mice, keyboards and headsets. "At Razer, we are committed to a sustainable future and to making sure that the world remains an arena that we can all continue to play in," said Razer CEO and Co-founder Min-Liang Tan. "UL is the global safety science leader, so it was a natural choice for us to collaborate with them on achieving our objectives for greener, more sustainable gaming products. We also plan to earn third-party certifications, like UL ECOLOGO, which is known and trusted by consumers worldwide."

"As the gaming industry unites to take action in the fight against climate change, we are proud to work alongside Razer to help pioneer meaningful sustainability progress in gaming. We hope their achievements will set the pace for the rest of the industry," said Doug Lockard, vice president and general manager of UL's Retail and Consumer Products group. A trusted name in sustainability and environment services and solutions, UL has experts and resources around the globe to help confirm regulation compliance at the product, asset and enterprise levels  giving companies the knowledge and tools to successfully understand sustainability impacts along the entire supply chain and asset portfolio. For more information about our environmental claim validation or other services, visit Environmental Product Declaration. About UL

UL is the global safety science leader. We deliver testing, inspection and certification (TIC), training and advisory services, risk management solutions and essential business insights to help our customers, based in more than 100 countries, achieve their safety, security and sustainability goals. Our deep knowledge of products and intelligence across supply chains make us the partner of choice for customers with complex challenges. Discover more at UL.com. For information about Standards development and other nonprofit activities, visit UL.org. Press contact:

Steven Brewster

UL

[email protected]

+1.847.664.8425 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ul-and-razer-join-forces-to-advance-circular-economy-goals-301410063.html SOURCE UL

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[October 27, 2021] Unite Digital Launches New Regional Marketing Platform with Mitsubishi Motors Direct-to-Dealer Advertising Campaign for 2022 Outlander

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Unite Digital, LLC, a digital marketing company that focuses on OEM-certified dealer digital programs, lead optimization, retail integration and loyalty strategies, announced today the launch of a new regional marketing platform for the all-new 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander that enables Tier I creative, featuring AC/DC's hit song, Thunderstruck, to be customized with dealership branding and offers. "Mitsubishi is leading the way as a disruptor in this space by creating a connected customer experience that combines the marketing power of the OEM with the distribution strength of the local dealer," said Stacey Coopes, Founder and CEO of Unite Digital. "Most OEMs do not provide customized broadcast assets for dealers to use in their local markets. For years, OEMs have aggregated budgets for regional advertising but sent the traffic to separately branded Tier II websites. As a result, many customers abandon the brand, confused by a disjointed shopping experience." Unite Digital's regional marketing platform unifies the shopping experience by enabling dealers to integrate their branding and price points directly into high-budget advertising that drives traffic directly to their own digital properties. The result is a truly seamless customer experience that is driving increased lead volume. "Mitsubishi may be a small auto manufacturer, but we have big products hitting the market right now. When customers see the best-in-class features and capabilities of our vehicles, they are wowed," said Mark Chaffin, Chief Operating Officer, Mitsubishi Motors North America. "We have the product, and now Unite Digital is helping us build our brand with breakthrough ideas that cut through the clutter, helping consumers connect with our dealers directly." A pilot for the new regional marketing platform that ran in the spring for the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, featuring Frnz Ferdinand's Take Me Out, yielded a 50 percent increase in lead volumes among participating dealers.



"The Eclipse Cross campaign was a real hit, and Mitsubishi has done a great job communicating with the dealer body, using the national advisory committee as a sounding board to develop a marketing strategy that works," said Ryan Gremore, president, O'Brien Mitsubishi. "Pairing the Outlander with a classic, recognizable song, like Thunderstruck, is going to be absolute dynamite and will reinvigorate the customer base. In addition, launching a product like Outlander that speaks to Mitsubishi culture and having music that matches that attitude, with customizable ads at the Tier III level, will continue to reenergize our brand." Why it Works

Unite's approach leverages OEM high-quality media, music and creative to provide dealers with personalized broadcast, radio, digital and social assets with a direct-to-dealer message that would be out of reach of any individual dealership's budget.

Delivering Tier I advertising at the Tier III level achieves the following: Extends reach and effectiveness by delivering a consistent message with the same high-quality advertising, product and service features.

Provides a comprehensive asset set for broadcast, digital, and connected TV with integrated dealer price points, logos and URLs. "As OEMs review their Tier II strategies, they should consider approaches that leverage their buying power with high-quality creative to connect consumers directly to local dealers, driving traffic and sales," Coopes said. The success of this practice signals that the U.S. industry's long-standing methods on second-tier marketing funds continue to face disruption. How it works

Mitsubishi funds the asset development, and dealers fund their own advertising budgets to place the ads in their local market. Thus, dealers can tag and price point Mitsubishi's TV and radio spots featuring AC/DC's iconic hit Thunderstruck at whatever level is suitable for their market. Mitsubishi Motors' new "Thunderstruck" campaign was developed in collaboration with The Sussman Agency in Detroit. The agency worked in close collaboration with MMNA, Unite Digital and its National Advisory Board dealer partners, ensuring a cohesive and memorable set of creative deliverables that differentiates the brand for a national audience while providing an aligned and targeted platform for locally customized executions. Directed by creative veteran Susan Stallings, the high-energy spot is characterized by synchronized sound and lighting, taking inspiration from the response the Outlander consistently evokes when people experience it in person. About Unite Digital:

Founded in January 2016 by industry veteran Stacey Coopes, Unite Digital helps brands connect with their distribution partners and technology solutions to deliver unparalleled digital experiences. Unite Digital's focus includes building certified digital programs, digital marketing, traffic generation, lead optimization, online-offline retail integration and customer retention and loyalty strategies. Its leadership team has more than 125 years of combined automotive and digital experience from strategic leadership, global business development, brand positioning and marketing, sales and service optimization, and information technology. For more information, visit www.unitedigital.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/unite-digital-launches-new-regional-marketing-platform-with-mitsubishi-motors-direct-to-dealer-advertising-campaign-for-2022-outlander-301410105.html SOURCE Unite Digital, LLC

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[October 27, 2021] Online Vendor, GiftChill, Announces New Gift Card Products from Travala.com and Reports Recent Sales Surge in Discounted eGift Cards

LONDON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GiftChill reported an uptick in sales for hundreds of popular gift card types available for purchase using Bitcoin and other tokens. GiftChill recently added new cards from Travala.com  the world's leading, one-stop blockchain-based travel booking platform providing access to exciting accommodations across the globe. Purchased via the GiftChill website, customers can search for a variety of gift cards including Travala.com, Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, PlayStation, Steam, Fortnite V-bucks, Nintendo Store, Network, Roblox, Xbox, Adidas, Nike, and other popular stores and brands. In addition to weekly deals, GiftChill is currently offering a limited time promotional discount on all cards. "As a well-known crypto-friendly business, Travala.com shares some of our core principles, so we're very excited to be offering their gift cards," said GiftChill. "One of our main founding goals was to streamline the use of cryptocurrencies for easy e-purchase, so we're continually working to perfect this process. We accept Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin  all through the Coinbase platform. Customers can always buy stress-free using their Coinbase account, knowing their transactions are secure. And gift cards are purely digital, emailed instantly after purchase confirmation  either to the purchaser or the recipient. Each card is already fully activated, with instuctions on how to redeem."



GiftChill: Crypto-Purchased eGifts Fully embracing a passion for cryptocurrency and the internet's ecosystem of speed and convenience, GiftChill addresses five specific online purchase issues for customers that other gift card sales platforms ignore:

Instant delivery: There is no card to lose because gift cards are delivered immediately into the safety of each customer's email inbox. Validity Verification: GiftChill is not a marketplace for cards, but rather, a portal through which valid, verified gift cards from established businesses and platforms can be exchanged for cryptocurrency. Sourcing Details: GiftChill guarantees all cards offered are legitimate. Customers can purchase with no risk and absolute faith of complete ownership. Most cards offered have no risk of expiration, but the few companies that do use expiration dates are very clearly marked and noted before purchase. All necessary PINs and/or verification codes are included in the gift card email. Personal Information Collection: Although GiftChill requires users to sign up to purchase gift cards, all that is required is a username and email address, along with a password and billing address. No unnecessary personal information is ever required to purchase a card. Credit Card Details: GiftChill was also created to combat unnecessary credit card use online. Gift cards are purchased with four approved cryptocurrencies, directly through a secure Coinbase account. Although GiftChill is looking to expand the crypto tokens it accepts, it will never require any form of online credit card payment. For more information on current cards, visit GiftChill online. And for the latest in new product information and gift card deals, follow GiftChill on social media: Twitter, Facebook. Media Contact:

Karsten Edward

+3727880912 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/online-vendor-giftchill-announces-new-gift-card-products-from-travalacom-and-reports-recent-sales-surge-in-discounted-egift-cards-301410136.html SOURCE GiftChill

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[October 27, 2021] Cybersecurity Thought Leaders Kate Fazzini and John Shegerian Launch "Insecurity of Everything" Column

"Insecurity of Everything," a bi-weekly cybersecurity and business column co-written by Kate Fazzini and John Shegerian was launched this week by flagship publication, The Business Journal. Kate Fazzini is CEO of Flore Albo LLC, is an adjunct professor of cybersecurity at Georgetown University, and is author of Kingdom of Lies: Unnerving Adventures in the World of Cybercrime. She has served as a cybersecurity reporter for The Wall Street Journal and CNBC. John Shegerian is co-founder and Chairman/CEO of ERI, the nation's leading fully integrated IT and electronics asset disposition provider and cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction company. He earned a certification in Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age from Harvard University and has completed the MIT Sloan Cybersecurity program.



The first five readers who send an e-mail to ERI after each installment of the column is published will receive a free signed copy of Shegerian's book, The Insecurity of Everything, which focuses on the various aspects of hardware security that are often overlooked in today's society, both by consumers as well as businesses. The first installment of the column, titled "Feds' Ransomware Warning has Big Implications for California Businesses," explores the implications of the Conti ransomware and the NSA, FBI and CISA reactions to it.

Future installments will include Fazzini's and Shegerian's takes on cybersecurity trends, hardware hacking and tips for businesses on how to protect themselves from cyberthieves of all kinds, and how to most effectively maintain privacy and data protection. "Just thirty years ago, the average household only had a few electronic devices," said Shegerian, ERI's Co-Founder and Executive Chairman. "Fast forward to today, and the average household has over four times this number and it continues to grow by the day. This trend isn't limited to households -- it exists at companies, government entities, and virtually every organization and establishment around the world, including in developing countries. This has created a massive electronic waste issue, which in turn has led to not only a sustainability crisis, but also the largest cybersecurity crisis of our lifetime. It's critical that businesses and individuals remain alert to the best practices of fighting against cybercrime." "I'm honored to be working in the column with my friend and colleague, Kate Fazzini," added Shegerian, "who is truly one of the leading cybersecurity minds in the world today." In the "Insecurity of Everything" column, Fazzini and Shegerian examine the hot button issues in depth, and explore how they impact every person and organization around the globe today. ERI is the largest fully integrated IT and electronics asset disposition provider and cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction company in the United States. ERI is certified at the highest level by all leading environmental and data security oversight organizations to de-manufacture, recycle, and refurbish every type of electronic device in an environmentally responsible manner. ERI has the capacity to process more than a billion pounds of electronic waste annually at its eight certified locations, serving every zip code in the United States. ERI's mission is to protect people, the planet and privacy. For more information about e-waste recycling and ERI, call 1-800-ERI-DIRECT or visit https://eridirect.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005957/en/

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[October 27, 2021] AmeriHealth Caritas Expands Its Portfolio of Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Products

AmeriHealth Caritas announced today that its South Carolina health plan, Select Health of South Carolina, will offer a new health insurance option for South Carolinians eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligibles). First Choice VIP Care, a Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan for dual eligibles (D-SNP), has begun accepting enrollment applications in 42 counties, with services to begin Jan. 1, 2022. Dual eligibles, by virtue of their age and income level, are at particularly high risk for many health problems, and often experience a lack of advocacy and other socioeconomic challenges. First Choice VIP Care will provide South Carolina's dual eligibles with a new option for Medicare coverage that is attuned to their unique circumstances. It will be backed by Select Health's 25-plus years of expertise serving the state's Medicaid population as well as AmeriHealth Caritas' experience operating D-SNPs and other dual-eligible products in Michigan, Pensylvania, and South Carolina.



"We are proud to deepen our commitment to South Carolina by advancing quality health care for seniors through our Medicare-Medicaid dual eligible product offering," said AmeriHealth Caritas Chairman and CEO Paul A. Tufano. "Our integrated care plans in South Carolina, Michigan and Pennsylvania are designed to help people living with complex health challenges access the care and resources that are essential for a higher quality of life. We look forward to partnering with them on their care journeys." First Choice VIP Care will offer services in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Dillon, Dorchester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Florence, Georgetown, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, Marion, Marlboro, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, and Williamsburg Counties.

First Choice by Select Health of South Carolina Select Health of South Carolina, part of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies, contracts with the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) to offer First Choice, the state's oldest and largest Medicaid managed care health plan, in all 46 counties statewide. For more information about First Choice by Select Health, visit www.selecthealthofsc.com. Select Health also offers the First Choice VIP Care Plus (Medicare-Medicaid plan) in 42 South Carolina counties. For more information about First Choice VIP Care Plus, visit www.firstchoicevipcareplus.com. About AmeriHealth Caritas AmeriHealth Caritas is one of the nation's leaders in health care solutions for those most in need. Operating in 12 states and the District of Columbia, AmeriHealth Caritas serves nearly 5 million Medicaid, Medicare, and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) members through its integrated managed care products, pharmaceutical benefit management and specialty pharmacy services, and behavioral health services. Headquartered in Philadelphia, AmeriHealth Caritas is a mission-driven organization with nearly 40 years of experience serving low-income and chronically ill populations. For more information, visit www.amerihealthcaritas.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005943/en/

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[October 27, 2021] AlloSource Launches Allomend Extra-large Acellular Dermal Matrix

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AlloSource, one of the largest allograft providers in the U.S. creating innovative cellular and tissue products to help surgeons heal their patients, today announced the launch of AlloMend Extra-Large (XL) Acellular Dermal Matrix (ADM), the newest addition to the AlloMend product line. AlloMend XL Acellular Dermal Matrix is AlloSource's largest dermal graft for use in demanding soft tissue applications. AlloMend XL ADM is the company's largest dermal graft. It comes in meshed and non-meshed varieties with a footprint of 320cm2 (16cm x 20cm) for use in demanding soft tissue applications. The flexible and pliable material offers desired handling characteristics enabling precision placement. "Based on AlloSource's 27 years of manufacturing skin grafts, we have seen surgeons switch to new reconstruction techniques, which requires larger dermal grafts for single piece coverage," said Dr. Ross Wilkins, AlloSource Senior Medical Director. "AloMend XL was created with the purpose to help surgeons provide better options for outcomes for their patients."



Specifically meshed AlloMend XL ADM features a 1cm non-meshed border for secure and easy suturing. Additionally, meshing allows graft expansion to provide greater adaptability in reconstruction procedures. The increased surface area assists in potentially faster incorporation and enables increased fluid egress possibly guarding against seroma formation. The entire AlloMend product line is processed with AlloSource's proprietary DermaTrue Decellularization Process to remove cellular debris (including DNA, RNA, proteins and antigens) rendering the tissue acellular. In addition, it is sterilized with e-beam technology to a sterility assurance level (SAL) of 10-6 to minimize infection risk, while avoiding damage to the allograft tissue.

Visit us at Plastic Surgery The Meeting booth #319 to learn more about AlloSource's extra-large acellular dermal solutions, or to order AlloMend or explore other shapes and sizes within the product line visit allosource.org/products. About AlloSource

Founded in 1994, AlloSource is a nonprofit leader in providing allografts that maximize tissue donation to help surgeons heal their patients. The company has grown into one of the largest tissue networks in the country creating more than 200 types of precise bone, skin and soft-tissue allografts for use in an array of life-saving and life-enhancing medical procedures. As a leading manufacturer of cartilage tissue for joint repair and skin allografts to help heal severe burns, AlloSource's products bridge the proven science of allografts with the advanced technology of cells. The company is accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks and is headquartered in Centennial, CO. For more information, please visit allosource.org. Media Contact

Cindy Mason

AlloSource

720. 873. 4744

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allosource-launches-allomend-extra-large-acellular-dermal-matrix-301410190.html SOURCE AlloSource

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[October 27, 2021] Steady Honored on Fast Company's Inaugural List of Brands That Matter

ATLANTA, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Steady today announced that it has been recognized on Fast Company's inaugural Brands That Matter list, honoring brands that have achieved relevance through cultural impact and social engagement and authentically communicated their missions and ideals. Steady's platform is used by nearly 4 million hourly workers to take control of their data and reach their maximum earnings potential, helping users earn an additional $5,500 per year on average. Over the past year, their work has included the Steady Together initiative, which distributed $3.5 million in emergency cash grants to workers who had lost their incomes as a result of the pandemic, representing one of the country's most comprehensive efforts by a private company to provide tangible relief and resources to workers. Steady is also working with Mayors for a Guaranteed Income to provide the data infrastructure and distribution system for guaranteed income programs in more than 20 cities around the United States.



"Our goal is to improve the lives of 1099 and hourly workers by removing barriers to earning," said Adam Roseman, CEO of Steady. "We are honored by this recognition  and will continue to work in partnership with state and local governments, community organizations, and advocates around the country to help our members secure financial stability for themselves and their families." The final Brands That Matter list, which includes large multinational conglomerates as well as small companies and nonprofits, recognizes 95 brands that give people compelling reasons to care about themand offer inspiration for others to buy in. All 95 have found an ability to forge an emotional connection with customers, whether leading on the environment or pop culture, engaging B2B customers, or responding meaningfully to current events.

"Fast Company is excited to highlight companies and organizations that have built brands with deep meaning and connections to the customers they serve. At a time when consumers are holding companies to very high standards, businesses have much to learn from these brands that have garnered respect and trust," says Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. Fast Company's November issue honoring Steady is available online now . About Steady

Steady is the leading income intelligence platform for America's hourly and 1099 workers. We remove the barriers to earn by harnessing AI and the insights from nearly 4 million workers. Our income intelligence supports government leaders who design programs that are informed by earning trends and empowers workers. We are the only organization that can deliver income transparency and help Americans earn more and thrive in an increasingly complex economy. About Fast Company

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/steady-honored-on-fast-companys-inaugural-list-of-brands-that-matter-301410303.html SOURCE Steady

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[October 27, 2021] EVERTEC Signs Agreement With Caja Popular Mexicana to Launch New Cards for Coops

EVERTEC, Inc. (NYSE: EVTC) ("Evertec" or the "Company") today announced that the Company was selected as the issuer processor of a new payment product for Caja Popular Mexicana's ("CPM") affiliate members. CPM, Mexico's largest savings and loans cooperative with over 3 million members and 70 years of experience, decided to expand its payment offerings by introducing a new Mastercard credit card on the Evertec PayStudio platform which they launched to the national market during an event held earlier this month. Mac Schuessler, President and Chief Executive Officer at Evertec stated, "The trust placed in Evertec by Caja Popular Mexicana to support its business strategy further solidifies Evertec's position as one of the leading processors in Latin America. This agreement is a significant step that will allow CPM members to have more flexibility and increased access to better payment methods while expanding payment acceptance within Mastercard affiliated merchants." While Alfonso Garcia Moreno, Deputy Commercial Director of CPM affirms, "our interest is to facilitate more efficient administration and management of credit products for our associates, while offering them differentiated product options that take CPM services to the next level. We found in Evertec the strategic partner we needed, as well as in PayStudio te flexibility to meet our business needs and support our continued growth and presence, not only in Mexico, but also throughout the region."



This agreement leverages Evertec's PayStudio multi-issuer platform which offers CPM the ability to configure its credit products all within one system while also integrating into Evertec's proprietary card monitoring and fraud prevention system, RiskCenter 360, guaranteeing both security and transparency. Likewise, CPM will take advantage of value-added services such as Back-office processing, Call Center management and Chargeback operations that are incorporated into the product suite. With this new agreement, Evertec continues to position itself as an ideal partner for customer-centric organizations, providing them with the technology solutions that address their clients' needs to digitize transactions and facilitate payment processes in Latin America and the Caribbean.

About Evertec EVERTEC, Inc. (NYSE: EVTC) is a leading full-service transaction processing business in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and Latin America, providing a broad range of merchant acquiring, payment services and business process management services. Evertec owns and operates the ATH network, one of the leading personal identification number ("PIN") debit networks in Latin America. In addition, the Company manages a system of electronic payment networks and offers a comprehensive suite of services for core banking, cash processing and fulfillment in Puerto Rico, that process approximately three billion transactions annually. The Company also offers technology outsourcing in all the regions it serves. Based in Puerto Rico, the Company operates in 26 Latin American countries and serves a diversified customer base of leading financial institutions, merchants, corporations and government agencies with "mission-critical" technology solutions. For more information, visit www.evertecinc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027005749/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Finance of America Announces Third Quarter 2021 Earnings Release on November 8, 2021 and Conference Call on November 9, 2021

Finance of America Companies Inc. ("Finance of America") (NYSE: FOA), a diversified, vertically integrated consumer lending platform, today announced that it will release results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021 after market closing on Monday, November 8, 2021. Webcast and Earnings Conference Call Management will host a webcast and conference call on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at 8:00 am Eastern Time to discuss the Company's results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021. A copy of the press release and investor presentation will be posted prior to the call under the "Investors" section on Finance of America's website at https://www.financeofamerica.com/investors. To listen to the audio webcast of the conference call, please visit the "Investors" section of the Company's website at https://www.financeofamerica.com. The conference call can also be accessed by dialing the following:



1-877-300-8521 (Domestic)

1-412-317-6026 (International)

Conference ID: 10161020 Replay A replay of the call will also be available on the Company's website approximately two hours after the conclusion of the conference call through November 23, 2021. To access the replay, dial 1-844-512-2921 (United States) or 1-412-317-6671 (International). The replay pin number is 10161020. The replay can also be accessed on the "Investors" section of the Company's website at https://www.financeofamerica.com/investors.

About Finance of America Companies Finance of America (NYSE:FOA) is a diversified, vertically integrated consumer lending platform. Product offerings include mortgages, reverse mortgages, and loans to residential real estate investors distributed across retail, third party network, and digital channels. In addition, Finance of America offers complementary lending services to enhance the customer experience, as well as capital markets and portfolio management capabilities to optimize distribution to investors. The Company is headquartered in Irving, Texas. For more information, please visit www.financeofamerica.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027006036/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Orbia Announces Third Quarter 2021 Financial Results

Orbia Advance Corporation, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: ORBIA*) ("the Company" or "Orbia") today released unaudited results for the third quarter of 2021. Q3 2021 Financial Highlights

(All metrics are compared to Q3 2020 unless otherwise noted) Orbia delivered outstanding results for the third quarter. Polymer Solutions in particular benefited from robust demand and limited global supply of PVC. Wavin, Dura-Line and Netafim also contributed strong top-line performance, although EBITDA for Dura-Line and Netafim was impacted by continued increases in raw materials and logistics costs. Net revenues of $2.3 billion increased 40%, with higher sales across all five business groups

EBITDA of $532 million increased 47% and EBITDA margin expanded 118 basis points to 23.3%, driven by enhanced profitability in Polymer Solutions

Net majority income of $197 million increased 167%

Free cash flow was $90 million

Leverage ratio (Net Debt to EBITDA) decreased to 1.48x

2021 EBITDA growth guidance raised to 44% to 48% above prior year "First, I would like to thank our team for their incredible dedication to delivering value for our customers and shareholders around the world," said Sameer Bharadwaj, CEO of Orbia. "As we keep up our momentum and begin returning to sites and offices when deemed safe, we are positioned to benefit from investments in additional capacity, our ongoing focus on operational excellence and synergies across our businesses. Executing our strategy will drive long-term revenue and EBITDA expansion in a recovering global market." Bharadwaj continued, "This quarter, we continued to experience strong demand across our five business groups. Our operational efficiency and relentless focus on execution resulted in revenue growth and margin expansion of over 100 basis points. We were able to reduce our net debt and return cash to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Given strong fundamentals across our businesses, we were able to continue to invest in growth initiatives. We continue to prioritize investments in geographic expansion, selective bolt-on acquisitions and moves into new products, services and solutions connected to our core businesses. We did this while maintaining our commitment to sustainability by continuing to reduce our carbon footprint, use water more efficiently and reduce waste to landfill on our journey to advance life around the world." Q3 2021 Consolidated Financial Information1

(All metrics are compared to Q3 2020 unless otherwise noted)







mm US$ Third Quarter Financial Highlights 2021 2020 %Var. Net sales 2,287 1,639 40% SG&A 273 243 12% Operating income 388 222 75% EBITDA 532 362 47% EBITDA margin 23.3% 22.1% 118 bps Financial Cost 71 59 21% EBT 319 163 96% Income tax 93 57 63% Consolidated net income (loss) 226 103 119% Net majority income 197 74 167% Cash generation 185 193 -4% CapEx (73) (43) 69% Free cash flow 90 127 -29% Net debt 2,847 2,935 -3%

__________________________________ [1] Unless noted otherwise, all figures in this release are derived from the Interim Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company as of September 30, 2021, and are prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standards 34 "Interim Financial Reporting" of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which have been published in the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV). See Notes and Definitions at the end of this release for further explanation of terms used herein. Net revenue of $2,287 million increased 40%, driven by strengthened Polymer Solutions and Wavin results, while Dura-Line and Netafim benefited from increased market demand in North America and Europe. Cost of goods sold of $1,626 million increased 39%, primarily due to increased raw material costs, and to a lesser extent, higher labor and freight costs across all business groups. SG&A of $273 million increased 12%, primarily due to higher incentive compensation. SG&A as a percentage of sales decreased 291 basis points to 11.9%. EBITDA of $532 million increased 47%, mainly driven by Polymer Solutions and Wavin. EBITDA margin was 23.3%, up 118 basis points, despite cost increases in Koura, Dura-Line and Netafim, most notably in raw materials and freight costs. Financial costs of $71 million increased 21%, driven by one-time charges associated with the early retirement of outstanding debt as well as FX losses related to the Mexican Peso and Brazilian Real, as compared to FX gains in the comparable period in 2020. Taxes of $93 million increased from $57 million as a result of significantly higher profits and the geographic mix of earnings. The effective tax rate for the quarter was 29.0%. Net income to majority shareholders was $197 million, an increase of 167%, mainly driven by the strong profitability noted above. Free cash flow of $90 million, reflecting strong EBITDA performance partly offset by increased working capital of $184 million, reflecting robust business activity, increased selling prices, higher raw materials costs in our inventories and a reduction in accounts payable. Net debt of $2,847 million, was comprised of total debt of $3,502 million, less cash and cash equivalents of $655 million. The leverage ratio decreased from 1.56x to 1.48x during the quarter. Q3 2021 Revenues by Region

(All metrics are compared to Q3 2020 unless otherwise noted) Third Quarter Region 2021 2020 % Var. Prev Year % Revenue Europe 765 555 38% 33% North America 784 518 52% 34% South America 532 351 52% 23% Asia 138 165 -16% 6% Africa and others 68 51 33% 3% Total 2,287 1,639 40% 100% Q3 2021 Financial Performance by Business Group

(All metrics are compared to Q3 2020 unless otherwise noted) Netafim (Precision Agriculture, 12% of Revenues)

Netafim's leading-edge irrigation systems, services and digital farming technologies enable stakeholders to achieve significantly higher and better-quality yields while using less water, fertilizer and other inputs. By helping farmers grow more with less, Netafim is contributing to feeding the planet more efficiently and sustainably. mm US$ Third Quarter Netafim 2021 2020 %Var. Total sales 272 223 22% Operating income 9 17 -46% EBITDA 33 40 -16% Revenue of $272 million increased 22% year-over-year, driven by robust market demand particularly in the U.S., Europe, Africa, Brazil and Turkey, offsetting continued market weakness in India due to COVID-19. Our recently acquired greenhouse business, Gakon Horticultural Projects, contributed to top-line growth, consistent with last quarter's performance. EBITDA of $33 million decreased 16% and EBITDA margin of 12.3% decreased 555 basis points, primarily due to continued increases in raw material and transportation costs not yet fully reflected in selling prices. Dura-Line (Data Communications, 12% of Revenues)

Dura-Line annually produces more than 400 million meters of essential and innovative infrastructure - conduit, cable-in-conduit and HDPE products for cable, fiber optics and natural gas pressurized piping and solutions that create physical pathways for fiber and other network technologies to connect cities, homes and people worldwide. mm US$ Third Quarter Dura-Line 2021 2020 %Var. Total sales 273 193 42% Operating income 25 47 -46% EBITDA 33 55 -40% Revenue of $273 million increased 42% year-over-year, driven by higher prices following input cost increases, continued strong market demand, enhanced sales coverage and growth in higher value-added products and new fiber deployment projects. EBITDA of $33 million decreased 40% and EBITDA margin of 12.2% decreased 1,632 basis points, primarily due to continued increases in raw material and transportation costs and labor shortages in North America and Europe. Dura-Line also experienced margin compression associated with extended lead times and shipment delays. These results contrast with the extraordinary EBITDA margin levels Dura-Line experienced in Q2 and Q3 of 2020 due to historically low raw material costs. Wavin (Building & Infrastructure, 33% of Revenues)

Wavin is redefining today's pipes and fittings industry by creating solutions that last longer and require less labor to install. Benefiting from PVC supply chain integration with the Polymer Solutions businesses and serving customers in three continents, Wavin is also developing sustainable technologies around water management and indoor climate systems for the development of the livable, lovable and resilient cities of the future. mm US$ Third Quarter Wavin 2021 2020 %Var. Total sales 753 568 32% Operating income 72 64 13% EBITDA 106 95 12% Revenue of $753 million increased 32% year-over-year, mainly driven by higher prices. This reflects a return to a more normalized market environment later in the quarter, following a period of logistical disruptions and product shortages. EBITDA of $106 million increased 12%, as price increases more than offset rising input costs. EBITDA margin of 14.1% decreased 265 basis points, primarily due to the impact of higher revenues and a less favorable product mix. Koura (Fluorinated Solutions, 7% of Revenues)

Koura provides fluorine and downstream products that support modern living in a vast number of ways. Koura operates the world's largest fluorspar mine and produces intermediates, refrigerants and propellants used in automotive, infrastructure, semiconductor, health, medicine, climate control, food cold chain, energy storage, computing and telecommunications applications. mm US$ Third Quarter Koura 2021 2020 %Var. Total sales 171 167 3% Operating income 40 49 -20% EBITDA 52 63 -16% Revenue of $171 million increased 3% year-over-year, driven by strong pricing, partially offset by lower sales volumes, primarily in acid grade fluorspar due to weak demand in China. EBITDA of $52 million decreased 16% and EBITDA margin of 30.6% decreased 697 basis points, primarily due to lower acid grade fluorspar volumes, rising raw material and transportation costs and investments to support the growth of the business. In addition, EBITDA included a one-time unfavorable impact of $3 million associated with hurricane Ida. Polymer Solutions (Vestolit & Alphagary, 37% of Revenues)

The Polymer Solutions businesses focus on PVC general and specialty resins and zero-halogen specialty compounds with a wide variety of applications in solutions that undergird everyday life. Vestolit and Alphagary supply Orbia's downstream businesses and global customers seeking applications in pipes, cables, flooring, auto parts, household appliances, clothing, packaging and medical devices. mm US$ Third Quarter Polymer Solutions 2021 2020 %Var. Total sales* 909 544 67% Operating income 240 56 326% EBITDA 303 119 155% *Intercompany sales were $63 million and $45 million in 3Q21 and 3Q20, respectively. Revenue of $909 million increased 67% year-over-year, driven by higher PVC prices resulting from the global supply-demand imbalance as well as robust demand in the construction industry. The supply-demand imbalance in the quarter was exacerbated by adverse weather conditions in the U.S. Gulf region and in Europe. Sales performance in key markets exceeded pre-pandemic levels, complemented by increased compounds prices and included the contribution of Shakun Polymers, in which Alphagary acquired a majority ownership interest in Q2. EBITDA of $303 million increased 155% and EBITDA margin of 33.4% increased 1,154 basis points, primarily due to historically high PVC prices and expanded volumes. Balance Sheet, Liquidity and Capital Allocation Orbia continued to strengthen its balance sheet, generating free cash flow of $90 million, and reducing its leverage ratio to 1.48x. Working capital increased by $184 million, reflecting higher selling prices, higher inventory costs and lower accounts payable. Capital expenditures of $73 million increased 69% year-over-year. Orbia completed the retirement of the remainder of its $750 million in senior notes maturing in 2022. The Company has extended its average debt maturity from 12.6 to 14.2 years while reducing its average cost of debt from 4.6% to 4.2%. Consequently, Orbia's next material debt maturity has been extended to 2026. Orbia completed $37 million in share buybacks and paid an aggregate of $100 million as the second and third installments of the dividend approved at the Annual Shareholders Meeting held on March 30, 2021. Pursuant to the approval granted by its shareholders, the Company has taken all necessary steps to cancel 90 million of its shares held in treasury, and the Mexican securities authority is expected to complete the administrative process to update the Company's share count in due course. 2021 Revised Outlook Orbia now expects EBITDA growth for the full year of 2021 to be in the range of 44% to 48% above 2020 EBITDA. This revised guidance reflects the strong performance observed in the first nine months of 2021, mainly in Polymer Solutions, and expected continued, but gradually slowing, momentum during the remainder of 2021. Capital expenditures for the year are expected to be in the range of $300 to $350 million. Looking forward, the Company's management is confident that the continued execution of Orbia's strategic plans driven by organic growth and selective acquisitions will generate sustainable and profitable growth. This revised outlook assumes no pandemic-related or other material disruptions to Orbia's businesses. Conference Call Details Orbia will host a conference call to discuss Q3 2021 results on October 28, 2021, at 10:00 am Central Time (CT; Mexico City)/11:00 am Eastern Time (ET; New York). To access the call, please dial 001-855-817-7630 (Mexico), 1-888-339-0721 (United States) or 1-412-317-5247 (International). Participants may pre-register for the conference call here. The live webcast can be accessed here. A recording of the webcast will be posted several hours after the call is completed on Orbia's website. For all company news, please visit Orbia's newsroom. Consolidated Income Statement USD in millions Third Quarter January - September Income Statement 2021 2020 % 2021 2020 % Net sales 2,287 1,639 40% 6,444 4,677 38% Cost of sales 1,626 1,174 39% 4,494 3,430 31% Gross profit 661 465 42% 1,950 1,247 56% SG&A 273 243 12% 846 727 16% Operating income (loss) 388 222 75% 1,104 520 112% Financial Costs 71 59 21% 211 208 1% Equity in income of associated entity (2) 0 N/A (2) (1) 155% Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax 319 163 96% 895 313 186% Income tax 93 57 63% 273 82 233% Income (loss) from continuing operations 226 106 113% 622 231 169% Discontinued operations (0) (3) -99% (0) (8) -97% Consolidated net income (loss) 226 103 119% 622 223 179% Minority stockholders 29 29 -1% 90 94 -4% Majority Net income (loss) 197 74 167% 531 129 312% EBITDA 532 362 47% 1,543 935 65% Note: During 2021 the Company performed a reclassification of criteria from SG&A to cost of goods sold in relation to Direct Storage & Dispatch for approximately $20 million, $15 million and $21 million for Q1 20, Q2 20 and Q3 20 respectively, to fully align criteria among all segments. Consolidated Balance Sheet USD in millions Balance sheet Sep 2021 Dec 2020 Sep 2020 Total assets 10,466 10,211 10,444 Current assets 3,633 3,156 3,425 Cash and temporary investments 655 875 1,245 Receivables 1,543 1,093 1,155 Inventories 1,192 861 784 Others current assets 244 326 242 Non current assets 6,832 7,055 7,019 Property, plant and equipment, Net 3,060 3,186 3,175 Right of use Fixed Assets, Net 283 323 322 Intangible assets and Goodwill 3,152 3,225 3,206 Long term assets 338 320 316 Total liabilities 7,124 7,032 7,367 Current liabilities 2,583 2,588 2,393 Current portion of long-term debt 213 495 459 Suppliers 1,426 1,326 1,151 Short-term leasings 77 82 81 Other current liabilities 867 684 703 Non current liabilities 4,541 4,444 4,974 Long-term debt 3,289 3,131 3,721 Long-term employee benefits 271 274 231 Long-Term deferred tax liabilities 327 314 322 Long-term leasings 224 263 248 Other long-term liabilities 430 463 452 Consolidated shareholders' equity 3,342 3,180 3,077 Minority shareholders' equity 679 687 693 Majority shareholders' equity 2,663 2,493 2,384 Total liabilities & shareholders' equity 10,466 10,211 10,444 Operating Cash Flow Third Quarter January - September mm US$ 2021 2020 %Var. 2021 2020 % Var. EBITDA 532 362 47% 1,543 935 65% Taxes paid, net (73) (70) 5% (193) (178) 8% Net interest / Bank commissions (85) (78) 9% (220) (182) 21% Change in trade working capital (184) (65) 183% (570) (58) 883% Others (Other assets - provisions, Net) 20 60 -66% 11 38 -71% CTA and FX (25) (16) 56% (38) (73) -48% Cash generation 185 193 -4% 533 481 11% CapEx (73) (43) 69% (189) (158) 20% Leasing payments (22) (23) -4% (74) (74) 0% Free cash flow 90 127 -29% 269 249 8% FCF conversion (%) 16.9% 35.2% 17.4% 26.6% Dividends to Shareholders (100) (45) 122% (150) (185) -19% Buy-back shares program (37) - (69) (42) 64% New debt (paid) (295) (31) 850% (137) 775 N/A Minority interest payments (46) (37) 25% (104) (115) -10% Mergers & Acquisitions - - (37) - Financial instruments and others (16) (7) 124% 7 (23) N/A Net change in cash (404) 7 N/A (220) 658 N/A Initial cash balance 1,059 1,238 -14% 875 586 49% Cash balance 655 1,245 -47% 655 1,245 -47% Notes and Definitions The results contained in this release have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("NIIF" or "IFRS") with U.S. Dollars as the functional and reporting currency. Figures are presented in millions, unless specified otherwise. Reflective of Orbia's continuous efforts to better inform the market and become a more customer-centric organization, beginning in Q1 2020, the Company is presenting the revenues, operating incomes and EBITDAs of each of its five businesses as follows: Netafim (Precision Agriculture), Dura-Line (Data Communications), Wavin (Building & Infrastructure) - all of which previously were combined and presented as "Fluent" for reporting purposes only - Koura (Fluorinated Solutions) and Vestolit & Alphagary (Polymer Solutions). Figures and percentages have been rounded and may not add up. About Orbia Orbia is a community of companies united by a shared purpose: to advance life around the world. The Orbia companies have a collective focus on ensuring food security, reducing water scarcity, connecting communities to data infrastructure, reinventing the future of cities and homes and expanding access to health and wellness with basic and advanced materials. Orbia operates in the Precision Agriculture, Data Communications, Building and Infrastructure, Fluorinated Solutions and Polymer Solutions sectors. The Company has commercial activities in more than 110 countries and operations in over 50, with global headquarters in Mexico City, Boston, Amsterdam and Tel Aviv. To learn more, please visit orbia.com. Prospective Information In addition to historical information, this press release contains "forward-looking" statements that reflect management's expectations for the future. The words "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "hope," "have the intention of," "might," "plan," "should" and similar expressions generally indicate comments on expectations. The final results may be materially different from current expectations due to several factors, which include, but are not limited to, global and local changes in politics, economic factors, business, competition, market and regulatory factors, cyclical trends in relevant sectors as well as other factors that are highlighted under the title "Risk Factors" in the annual report submitted by Orbia to the Mexican National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) and available on our website at https://www.orbia.com/investor-relations/financial-reports/annual-reports-and-filings/. The forward-looking statements included herein represent Orbia's views as of the date of this press release. Orbia undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason unless required by law." Orbia has implemented a Code of Ethics that helps define our obligations to and relationships with our employees, clients, suppliers, and others. Orbia's Code of Ethics is available for consulting in the following link: http://www.Orbia.com/Codigo_de_etica.html. Additionally, according to the terms contained in the Mexican Securities Exchange Act No 42, the Orbia Audit Committee has established a "hotline" system permitting any person who is aware of a failure to adhere to applicable operational and accounting records guidelines, internal controls or the Code of Ethics, whether by the Company itself or any of its controlled subsidiaries, to file a complaint (including anonymously). This system is operated by an independent third-party service provider. The system may be accessed via telephone in Mexico, at http://www.ethic-line.com/Orbia or via e-mailing [email protected]. Orbia's Audit Committee has oversight responsibility for ensuring that all such complaints are appropriately investigated and resolved. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027006124/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Logistics Property Co. Announces Development of a 1.09 Million-Square-Foot Logistics Park in Newark, Del.

Logistics Property Company, LLC (LPC) announces the acquisition and development of First State Logistics (First State) in New Castle County, Del. The 149-acre parcel will be home to a logistics park incorporating three, 40-foot clear, Class A modern logistics facilities comprising 1,087,600 square feet with ample car and trailer parking and 60,000 square feet of office space. "We are thrilled to be in the greater Wilmington market - a subset of the rapidly growing Interstate 95 market from Washington/Baltimore to Philadelphia and N.J.," said Mark Glagola, Senior Vice President and Market Leader - Northeast Region at Logistics Property Company, LLC. The development is located in the Del. submarket, directly at an Interstate 95 interchange, adjacent to the burgeoning Southern N.J. and Philadelphia markets. The site has immediate Interstate 95 access offering access to the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. market within 90 minutes and Philadlphia within 30 minutes, as well as N.Y. and N.J. With record low vacancy in N.J. and Philadelphia matched with record high absorption, Del. is the new stop along Interstate 95.



The proposed site plan for three buildings is to be developed over two phases. Phase I, comprising Buildings 1 & 2 totaling 702,600 square feet, will be developed on a speculative basis. Phase II, comprising Building 3 totaling 385,000 square feet, will follow. "Distribution in Del. is on the rise, as it features amazing access to millions of rooftops within a short two-hour drive, and Middletown, in particular, is on the radar for most major distribution facility requirements today," said Paul Touhey, Senior Vice President at CBRE. "For companies that require access to N.Y., Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., First State Logistics is going to be a very nice option."

CBRE is leasing the property and a general contractor will be selected soon. About Logistics Property Co. About Logistics Property Company, LLC (LPC) is an industrial real estate company focused on the acquisition, development and management of modern logistics properties in key North American markets. The management team of LPC partnered with MIRA Real Estate - part of Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) - on the formation of the platform. LPC is developing properties in key logistics markets including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kenosha, Mount Pocono, Philadelphia, Newark, New Jersey and Seattle-Tacoma with an estimated end value of more than $2 billion. Headquartered in Chicago, LPC has offices in Atlanta, Baltimore-Washington, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Seattle. For further information, please visit logisticspropco.com and follow @logisticspropco. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027006138/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Mississippi Nonprofit Receives $10K in Partnership Grant Program Funds

Natchez-Adams County Habitat for Humanity (Natchez-Adams Habitat) received a $10,000 Partnership Grant Program (PGP (News - Alert)) award from Home Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) at a ceremonial check presentation this week. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027006152/en/ Home Bank and FHLB Dallas awarded $10K in PGP funds to Natchez-Adams County Habitat for Humanity to offset administrative expenses. (Photo: Business Wire) The organization will use the funds to cover administration, accounting and insurance costs. Natchez-Adams Habitat was incorporated in 1991 and built its first home two years later. Since then, it has built 23 homes with the 24th on its way to completion for low- to moderate-income families. The organization's mission is to eliminate substandard housing in Natchez and Adams counties in Mississippi. "Our usual donations have been down significantly over the last 18 months because of the pandemic," said Natchez-Adams Habitat Secretary Duncan McFarlane. "We appreciate the support of Home Bank and FHLB Dallas for their generosity. With decreased donations and rising construction costs, this grant will go a long way in helping us continue our mission." Home Bank Senior Vice President and Community Development Director Kelvin Luster said he is grateful for the result of the bank's partnrship with FHLB Dallas.



"These funds will provide Natchez-Adams Habitat additional resources to grow," said Mr. Luster. "We are honored to be part of that and for our partnership with FHLB Dallas that made this grant possible." For 2021, FHLB Dallas awarded $400,000 in PGP grants, and its members provided an additional $200,250 for an impact of more than $600,000 in its five-state District of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas.

"We value our partnership with Home Bank, which has been deeply involved in community initiatives over the years," said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. See the complete list of the 2021 PGP grant recipients. For more information about the 2021 PGP grants and other FHLB Dallas community investment products and programs, please visit fhlb.com/pgp. About Home Bank N.A. Home Bank, N.A., founded in 1908 as Home Building & Loan, is the oldest financial institution founded in Lafayette Parish. Through the years, we've expanded to serve markets in South Louisiana and Mississippi: Acadiana, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Martin and Jeff Davis Parishes, as well as Natchez and Vicksburg. With 40 locations across South Louisiana and Western Mississippi, Home Bank is committed to serving the needs of our communities. Personal banking has always been Home Bank's trademark and that tradition continues as we grow, invest and serve our clients and community. We live our values each day, focusing on integrity, innovation and a commitment to serving others. For more information about Home Bank, visit www.home24bank.com. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $58.6 billion as of June 30, 2021, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 800 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit our website at fhlb.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027006152/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Nonprofit Receives $16K Grant from Home Bank and FHLB Dallas

Home Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) partnered to award $16,000 to New Orleans Neighborhood Development Foundation (NDF), a community-based organization (CBO) founded in 1986 to help low- to moderate-income individuals and families build wealth through homeownership. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027006163/en/ Officials from Home Bank, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas and the New Orleans Neighborhood Development Foundation celebrate $16,000 in Partnership Grant Program funding. (Photo: Business Wire) The entities celebrated the grant at a ceremonial check presentation on October 26. Rosalind Washington, executive vice president at NDF, said the pandemic has created a strain on the organization's mission. "Over the last two years, because of the pandemic, monetary resources have been difficult to find as they are being allocated to health care needs," said Ms. Washington. "We are truly grateful to receive this grant as it allows us to focus on providing programs to those who need it most." Home Bank Senior Vice President and Community Development Director Kelvin Luster said the PGP (News - Alert) has helped the bank build new relationships in its community. "The PGP is important to Home Bank because it allows us to build relationships with community-based orgnizations like NDF," said Mr. Luster. "We are grateful for our partnership with FHLB Dallas to help better the community we serve."



For 2021, FHLB Dallas awarded $400,000 in PGP grants, and its members provided an additional $200,250 for an impact of more than $600,000 in its five-state District of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. "The 3:1 match of the PGP highlights the partnership aspect of the program, making it beneficial for members like Home Bank as well as FHLB Dallas," said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment. "Home Bank strengthens its ties with the community, which benefits from the partnership and funds."

See the complete list of the 2021 PGP grant recipients. For more information about the 2021 PGP grants and other FHLB Dallas community investment products and programs, please visit fhlb.com/pgp. About Home Bank N.A. Home Bank, N.A., founded in 1908 as Home Building & Loan, is the oldest financial institution founded in Lafayette Parish. Through the years, we've expanded to serve markets in South Louisiana and Mississippi: Acadiana, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Martin and Jeff Davis Parishes, as well as Natchez and Vicksburg. With 40 locations across South Louisiana and Western Mississippi, Home Bank is committed to serving the needs of our communities. Personal banking has always been Home Bank's trademark and that tradition continues as we grow, invest and serve our clients and community. We live our values each day, focusing on integrity, innovation and a commitment to serving others. For more information about Home Bank, visit www.home24bank.com. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $58.6 billion as of June 30, 2021, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 800 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit our website at fhlb.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027006163/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Dr. Dominic Travis Announced as New Chief Program Officer at The Marine Mammal Center

The Marine Mammal Center - the world's largest marine mammal hospital - has announced the hiring of Dr. Dominic Travis, DVM, MS as the Center's Chief Program Officer (CPO). As marine mammals and the environment face tremendous challenges including climate change and overfishing, Travis will continue to build the Center's capacity in addressing these issues and inspiring action. Travis brings over two decades of experience in research and developing and building educational programs. His work has focused on biological and environmental security and defense, specializing in emerging issues and threats, such as infectious diseases, toxins and natural disasters. He spent the last eleven years as a tenured Associate Professor and faculty member at the University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine, where he led the university's One Health Division, an initiative to find innovative solutions to complex problems crossing human, animal and environmental health. Prior to that, he served as the Senior Director and Vice President of the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. As part of the zoo's leadership team, Travis strategically integrated conservation and education missions into their programs and oversaw the rapid growth of the Conservation and Science program. He received his Master of Science in Aquatic Animal Health focused on marine ecology from the University of Maryland and his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Michigan State University. "Dominic's skillset, background and experience are exactly what the Center is looking for to lead our conservation and educational programs," said Dr. Jeff Boehm, CEO of The Marine Mammal Center. "He will play an integral part in the Center's growth, and we're excited to welcome Dominic and his family to California and to our team." Travis is a well-respected and active participant on several U.S. government advisory committees - including those at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, U.S. Geological Survey, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy - with a focus on the area of human-animal disease and threats from wildlife to public health. As Chair of the Zoo Animal Health Network, he created and led partnerships between the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and United States Department of Agriculture, among others, to organize a public and animal health surveillance network comprised of over 250 zoos and wildlife rehabilitation centers focused on emerging diseases. Travis has been quoted and appeared in top-tier media outlets, incluing the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Nature, 60 Minutes, ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX national newscasts, National Geographic Television and PBS, and more.



"Dominic has dedicated his career to the sustainability of interconnected human, animal and environmental health and wellbeing. He has helped build long-term partnerships focused on science-based solutions in support of conservation around the world for more than 20 years," said Lilian Pintea, Ph.D., Vice President of Conservation Science at the Jane Goodall Institute, where Dominic served as a veterinarian for two decades. "The Marine Mammal Center is lucky to have his expertise and experience." In his new role, Travis will oversee all conservation programs, including Learning and Community, Veterinary Medicine and Science and Life Support Systems and Facilities. He will help further build out the Center's research programs and promote their work in education locally as well as internationally.

"I could not be more excited to join an organization whose mission aligns with my passions as well as the Center's does. The sustainability and resilience of our aquatic system is the most important, complex and underappreciated grand challenge of our time," said Travis. "Our goal is the same: to promote sustainability and resilience within our aquatic systems and save the lives of marine mammals." Travis will be taking over from Rachel Bergren, who left earlier this year to become the Executive Director at Get Outdoors Nevada. Travis joined The Marine Mammal Center on October 1. ABOUT THE MARINE MAMMAL CENTER The Marine Mammal Center is a global leader in marine mammal health, science and conservation, and is the largest marine mammal hospital in the world. As a leading contributor to the global body of research and knowledge about marine mammal medicine and ocean health, the Center generates research findings and scientific outputs at volumes comparable to top academic institutions and prides itself on gathering and providing open research data that is free to access, reuse, repurpose and redistribute. The Center's teaching hospital and training programs operate globally with headquarters in Sausalito, CA (News - Alert). The Center has rescued more than 24,000 marine mammals from 600 miles of authorized rescue area along the California coastline and the Big Island of Hawai'i. The Center's mission is to advance global ocean conservation through marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation, scientific research, and education. For more information, please visit MarineMammalCenter.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027006165/en/

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[October 27, 2021] Full Promise of Teledentistry Hinges on Dental Education, ADEA Report Finds

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated and broadened the use of teledentistry, offering new promise in the ability to reach vulnerable populations in the greatest need of oral health care, according to a policy research report from the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). At the same time, the report-"Teledentistry: Innovation to Improving Access and Delivery to Oral Health Care Services in Dental Education"-said dental education is key to fully realizing that potential because of the need to train future dentists on the latest in teledentistry models and processes. "Health delivery systems, oral health stakeholders and policymakers have a critical role in ensuring teledentistry's parity is achieved to continue delivering optimal oral health services," according to the report. "Looking into the future, academic dentistry will be pivotal in educating and training the dentists of tomorrow on teledentistry modalities and offering a new perspective on the delivery of oral health care." The report notes that the use of teledentistry by dental schools and programs preceded the andemic and its application grew once the pandemic hit.



For example, the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco launched in 2010 a "Virtual Dental Home" to address the oral health needs of low-income households in California. During the pandemic, the school dived deeper into teledentistry, using it across academic specialty dental and dental hygiene departments for consultations with patients and other needs. In a similar vein, the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry had established a teledentistry network in 2004 linking university specialists to dentists and patients in remote rural areas. During the pandemic, the school expanded its partnership with community health centers for the delivery of oral health care services.

The report pointed out that education and training in the application of teledentistry vary by dental school and program. Additionally, there are no Commission on Dental Accreditation or Liaison Committee on Medical Education standards that address teledentistry or telehealth. Further, there are varying opinions in the dental education profession on whether dental schools should incorporate teledentistry into the curricula due to concerns over factors such as associated financial costs, already overcrowded curriculum and faculty shortages. Still, the report concludes that if teledentistry is to realize its full potential, dental education must thoroughly integrate it somehow into both didactic learning and clinical simulations. "While a lecture course in teledentistry would inform and educate the student, the experience of clinical application prepares the student to employ teledentistry in their future practice," reads the report. The report's authors are ADEA staff members Omar A. Escontrias, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., Senior Director of Policy Research; Chelsea Skovran, M.P.A., Senior Administrative Associate; and Denice C. L. Stewart, D.D.S., M.H.S.A., Chief Policy Officer. The teledentistry publication is the latest in a regular series of policy research reports published by ADEA's Office of Policy and Education Research. About ADEA: The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is The Voice of Dental Education. Our mission is to lead and support the health professions community in preparing future-ready oral health professionals. Our members include all 78 U.S. and Canadian dental schools, more than 800 allied and advanced dental education programs, more than 50 corporations and approximately 18,000 individuals. Our activities encompass a wide range of research, advocacy, faculty development, meetings and communications, including the esteemed Journal of Dental Education, as well as the dental school application services ADEA AADSAS, ADEA PASS, ADEA DHCAS and ADEA CAAPID. For more information, visit adea.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211027006174/en/

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[October 27, 2021] AUTOCRYPT Demonstrates Interoperability in China's Largest "Four Layers" C-V2X Demonstration Following Showcase at 2021 China-SAE Congress and Exhibition

SHANGHAI, Oct. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading automotive and mobility cybersecurity provider AUTOCRYPT Co., Ltd. demonstrated the interoperability of its AutoCrypt V2X security solution at the C-V2X Cross-Industry Pilot Plugfest, China's largest "Four Layers" C-V2X application testing event, held alongside the 2021 China-SAE Congress and Exhibition (SAECCE) in Shanghai from October 19 to 21. The annual "Four Layers" C-V2X interoperability demonstration is organized by IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group C-V2X Working Group and China-SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), gathering OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers from around the world. This year's demonstration was held on test roads across the Shanghai-Suzhou-Wuxi metropolitan area, one of China's major ITS hubs. The "Four Layers" of interoperability refers to the physical layer (vehicle), network layer (on-board units or OBUs), message layer (communication modules), and security layer (V2X modules and key management). In the demonstratio, AutoCrypt V2X's software development kit (SDK) was embedded in the OBUs of a major Tier 1 supplier, while its Security Credential Management System (SCMS) was paired with one of the eight participating root certificate authorities (CA).



"The successful completion of the demonstration continues to confirm the interoperability of AutoCrypt V2X in the C-ITS environment," said Daniel ES Kim, AUTOCRYPT's Co-Founder and CEO. "As the V2X security provider for all eight full-scale C-ITS projects in South Korea , AUTOCRYPT has worked closely with OEMs and chipmakers across the globe, and our team is highly experienced in adapting to the specific needs and requirements of each client." Along with the demonstration, AUTOCRYPT showcased its latest technologies and offered consultations at SAECCE 2021, where its technical experts made two key presentations, one of which explained the role of Plug&Charge (PnC) security for smart EV charging, while the other provided guidance to OEMs on how to incorporate in-vehicle security systems to meet both WP.29 and Chinese regional regulations.

This marks AUTOCRYPT's third consecutive year of participation in the dual events. To find out more about AUTOCRYPT's comprehensive mobility security solutions, contact [email protected] . About AUTOCRYPT AUTOCRYPT is the leading player in automotive and smart mobility security technologies, paving the way for Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and autonomous driving through a multi-layered, holistic approach. Through security solutions for V2X, V2G (including PnC security), in-vehicle security, and fleet management systems, AUTOCRYPT ensures that security is prioritized and optimized before vehicles hit the road. SOURCE AUTOCRYPT

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Dead-tree media is nothing less than an ecological disaster.

They chop down trees to print week old news that's delivered by an army of trucks mostly burning fossil fuels.

Sorry but the newspaper is in no position to take the moral high ground when it comes to killing the planet.



Still, this passage reveals they're backing a silly plan to crack down on local industry . . . Except their own.



A resolution to be debated Wednesday at City Hall. It asks the City Council to declare a climate emergency  and then to act on the crisis with smarter planning and spending decisions, city development guidelines and legislative priorities.

Moreover and aside from a silly comparison to Portland . . .



I'm not sure if a non-binding resolution is going to save the world given AOC's prediction that the sky will fall in less than 12 years.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
It is accomplished . . . Another Kansas City newsman sets his sights on Congress and our blog community has one less person to debate hairstyles with . . .



Another legendary newsman Mike Mahoney puts it best . . .



"Former WDAF anchorman Mark Alford says he is running for the GOP nomination for the MO-4 GOP Seat inCongress. Rep. Vicky Hartzler is running for the GOP Mo. Senate nomination. Says he will be a conservative voice in Washington #MO04"



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

Mark Alford announces bid for Missouri's 4th Congressional district KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The field of candidates seeking the Republican nomination in Missouri's 4th Congressional District grew more crowded Wednesday. Mark Alford said on 710 KCMO-AM Wednesday he plans to seek the Republican nomination in Missouri's 4th Congressional District. The seat is currently held by Republican Vicky Hartzler.

Longtime KC news anchor Mark Alford running for U.S. Congress KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- Longtime Fox 4 Kansas City news anchor Mark Alford announced Wednesday morning that he is running for a seat with the United States House of Representatives. Alford said he is running for the U.S. House's Fourth Congressional District in Missouri, a seat currently held by Rep.

Former Fox 4 TV host Mark Alford is running for Congress Mark Alford, the former co-host of Fox 4's morning show, will run for Congress. Alford, who has voiced complaints about being "a conservative Christian who supports small business" in Kansas City media will run for U.S. Congress in Missouri's sprawling fourth Congressional district, which currently runs from Raymore in the west all the way to Columbia and includes northern parts of the Ozarks.

Finally . . .

Developing . . .
Credit to first responders for bravely addressing mental health concerns for the entire community amid the tragic death of their colleague.



Here's a worthwhile remembrance . . .

"Chad committed his life to the service of his country and community. He served in the United States Army from 2003 to 2006, with a deployment to Iraq and then with the Independence Fire Department from 2008 to present as a Firefighter / Paramedic and Fire Equipment Operator. Throughout his career, Chad was exposed to many traumatic events first-hand. As with both veterans and first responders, this can lead to PTSD," Chief Short said.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

Independence Fire Department mourns death of firefighter by: Heidi Schmidt Posted: / Updated: INDEPENDENCE, Mo. - The Independence Fire Department mourns the death of one of its own. Fire Chief Doug Short announced Chad Sappenfield suffered from PTSD and took his life at his home. Sappenfield was a fire engine operator and paramedic with the Independence Fire Department for 13 years.

Independence raises awareness over PTSD after firefighter death KANSAS CITY, Mo. - After the death of firefighter Chad Sappenfield Monday, the city of Independence has sent a release raising awareness about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. When Sappenfield's death was first announced, the cause of death was not mentioned.

Developing . . .
For the first time since Ukraine acquired Bayraktar TB2 reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicles, one of them engaged an enemy target in the Joint Forces Operation zone.

Thats according to a Facebook post by the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Ukrinform reports.

"Today, October 26, by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Valery Zaluzhnyi, the Bayraktar reconnaissance and strike UAV was for the first time employed in the Joint Forces Operation zone," the statement said.

It is noted that from 14:25 to 15:15 local time, a battery of D-30 howitzers with the Russian terrorist forces fired on the Joint Forces positions in the area of Hranitne.

Two Ukrainian servicemen were wounded in that shelling, one of whom later succumbed to his wounds. With the start of the shelling, Ukraine immediately demanded through the OSCE SMM that the enemy cease fire, and a note was sent through diplomatic channels. However, the invaders offered no reaction to the effort.

"In order to force the enemy to cease fire, by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Bayraktar was used. The UAV did not cross the line of contact and destroyed with a guided bomb an artillery gun with the crew from the Russian occupation forces, the statement reads.

After the strike, the shelling of Ukrainian positions stopped.

As Ukrinform reported earlier this month, all obstacles have been removed to the production of Turkish Bayraktar TB2 strike drones in Ukraine, according to Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Ukraine's Defense Ministry and Turkey's Baykar Savunma signed a memorandum of cooperation on September 29.

Photo from defence-ua.com

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Naftogaz CEO Yuriy Vitrenko says that the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy did not consult Ukraine about certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

"The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy issued an official conclusion to the German regulator that the certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline operator does not threaten the security of gas supply to Germany and other European Union Member States," Vitrenko posted on Facebook.

He noted that the Ministry specified the countries with which the relevant consultations had been held and there was no Ukraine among them.

Naftogaz CEO added that Ukraine was one of the main countries to transit gas to the European Union.

We can tell how the certification of Nord Stream 2, under the current conditions, i.e., without real separation of ownership from Gazprom, without real access of third parties to export pipelines from Russia to the EU, poses a critical threat to the security of gas supplies to Germany and other EU countries, Vitrenko said.

Naftogaz CEO also highlighted how Gazproms actions created a critical situation for the security of gas supplies in 2009, 2014, and 2018.

Gazprom already shows this to the whole of Europe, artificially limiting supplies. For those who still want to acknowledge the artificiality of these restrictions, outright blackmail, the use of gas as a weapon, Putin publicly declares that additional gas volumes will be provided after Nord Stream 2 is allowed to be launched, Naftogaz CEO stressed.

When Nord Stream 2 is commissioned, Putin will be able to stop physical transit through Ukraine, Vitrenko added. Then Germany and other EU countries will become critically dependent on gas supplies through Nord Stream 2. Unlike the Ukrainian gas transmission system, Nord Stream 2 has no reserve capacity and storage facilities.

On October 20, the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine submitted an application to Germany's energy regulator, the Bundesnetzagentur, to participate in the certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline operator.

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Ukraine and Israel will start negotiations next year on the signing of an agreement on free trade in services, Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky has said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.

"An agreement on a free trade area came into force in our country on January 1 this year. It removes duties on a fairly long list of goods to be supplied from Ukraine to Israel and from Israel to Ukraine. Next year we will begin negotiations on another agreement  on the FTA that will concern services. An agreement on this was reached during our president's visit to Ukraine," Brodsky said.

He added that this is a very important area, because Israel receives a lot of services, especially in the field of IT, in Ukraine.

"Today, Ukraine is a strategic direction for Israel in terms of outsourcing our services. More than 40% of Israel's outsourcing in the field of high technology goes to Ukraine," the ambassador said.

According to him, it is too early to say whether the future agreement will apply to health care, as negotiations have not yet begun.

"Most likely, it will be a general agreement that will cover different services in different areas," the diplomat said.

At the same time, he noted that medical services are a large component of economic relations between Israel and Ukraine, and cooperation in this area is developing very well.

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Ukraine and Tajikistan are stepping up cooperation in priority sectors of the economy.

On October 27, the 6th Meeting of the Joint UkraineTajikistan Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation was held online, chaired by Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine  Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka and Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Tajikistan Rukhshona Nasriddinzoda, the press service of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine informs.

"Ukraine views Tajikistan as an important partner in Central Asia. Today's meeting of the Commission is one of the key elements of intensifying our bilateral work in the areas of mutual interest. The priority in the economic sphere for both countries is to further increase trade, expand the range of exports and imports, develop transport and energy corridors, cooperation in tourism, agriculture, and food industry," Kachka said.

In addition, the Tajik side was informed about the economic situation in Ukraine, in particular, the consolidation of reforms aimed at the successful functioning of all instruments of market economy, increasing welfare and technological development.

"The main priority for us is to combine reforms with the implementation of specific investments and transformation programs. To this end, new tools have been introduced to stimulate investment projects worth more than EUR 20 million, as well as the development of industrial parks," Kachka added.

During the meeting, the long-term cooperation of Ukrainian companies with companies of the Republic of Tajikistan in the energy and industrial sectors was pointed out. The parties stressed the importance of resuming direct scheduled passenger flights on the Kyiv-Dushanbe-Kyiv route, creating comfortable conditions for the development of transit potential of both countries, joint education and tourism initiatives.

The importance of the business component in bilateral cooperation and the need for holding business events and meetings of the UkraineTajikistan Business Council were also emphasized.

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The Cabinet of Ministers expects Ukrainian mines to increase coal production, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said.

He said this at a briefing as part of his working trip to Donetsk region on Wednesday, October 27, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"Today, Ukraine needs coal more than ever. Due to such a [high] gas price, the beginning of the heating season, and the shortage of coal, the Ministry of Energy is doing all it can so that Ukrainian mines could produce as much coal as possible. Therefore, we look forward to increasing production," Shmyhal said.

He also stressed that Ukraine currently imports coal to ensure the operation of thermal power plants.

According to him, the main part of electricity consumption is now covered by Ukraine's National Nuclear Energy Generating Company Energoatom and hydropower, whereas coal generation covers peak consumption.

"So far, we are very confident that we will pass it [the heating season]. We will pass it despite current difficulties in the energy sector," Shmyhal said.

In January-September 2021, Ukraine produced 21.816 million tonnes of coal, or 6.5% more than projected. Compared to the same period in 2020, coal production grew by 787,800 tonnes.

As of October 25, 2021, coal stocks in the warehouses of thermal power plants and combined heat and power plants amounted to 701,300 tonnes, which was 6.9% less than on October 18.

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Ukraine intends to take a number of asymmetric measures if Russia cuts off gas supplies to the country.

Thats according to Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba who made the statement during a Q&A on Twitter, Ukrinform reports.

"Russia has not yet cut off gas supplies to Ukraine. In case the Kremlin decides to do so and destroy whats left of its reputation as an energy supplier to Europe, we have a number of asymmetric steps to take in response," Kuleba wrote.

Nord Stream 2 AG, the Nord Stream 2 construction operator, earlier stated that the first string of the new pipe bypassing Ukraine was filled with technical gas and ready for operation.

On September 10, Russian gas monopoly Gazprom announced the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

The pipe runs from Russia to Germany, bypassing Ukraine, laid along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The sole shareholder in the project is Gazprom. Currently, the pipeline is awaiting certification by a German regulator.

Ukraine, Poland, the Baltic States, and the United States have been opposing the project. The governments of these countries, as well as an influential group of European Parliament members, believe Moscow is already using Nord Stream 2 as a hybrid energy weapon against Ukraine and the entire European community.

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Ukraine's parliament and government are pursuing a series of national security and defense reforms to advance NATO standards, while officials representing the Allies have expressed support for the aspirations of most Ukrainians to join NATO.

Thats according to First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Oleksandr Kornienko, who spoke at a briefing in Odesa following Tuesdays meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council (UNIC), attended by delegates from the Alliance member states and partner countries, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The parliament and government of Ukraine are pursuing a series of reforms in the field of national security and defense to ensure progress towards NATO standards. It is about strengthening the logistical support of the Armed Forces, including the use of comprehensive assistance provided by Allies, the sharing information on defense issues, and involving NATO advisers to successfully bring the Army to higher standards," said Kornienko.

According to the deputy parliament speaker, in order to advance to NATO, the Verkhovna Rada is also increasing defense spending, which next year will reach about 6% of the total budget. Moreover, if necessary, amendments will be passed to further increase it, as was the case in the last two years.

"We will continue to inform the public about the steps taken by parliament and government to this end, and we are grateful to the participants in the Interparliamentary Council meeting for supporting the will of Ukrainians to join NATO," Kornienko said.

The head of the Ukrainian delegation to the NATO PA, Yehor Chernev, said that during the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council in Odesa and during the latest NATO session it was noted that the Allies are clearly aware of security issues in the Black Sea region. This was fixed in the Lisbon Resolution: NATO-Russia relations are now at their lowest point since the Cold War. At the same time, NATO is guided by two approaches to Russia: the Allies are open to dialogue and ready to confront hybrid threats coming from Russia.

According to Chernev, such approaches will be confirmed at NATOs spring session and reflected in the NATO 2030 concept.

NATO Vice President Attila Mesterhazy reaffirmed commitment of the UNIC participants to support Ukraine's sovereignty, adding they will advise their governments to comprehensively strengthen security in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea region, as well as respond to human rights abuses in the occupied areas, and further enhance cooperation between the Allies and Ukraine.

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First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzheppar called on the UkraineNATO Interparliamentary Council (UNIC) to promote the de-occupation of Crimea.

As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed, Dzheppar takes part in the UNIC meeting under the chairmanship of Oleksandr Korniyenko, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and Attila Mesterhazy, Vice-President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, in Odesa on October 26-27.

Delegations from the United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Turkey attend the UNIC events.

A separate item on the meeting agenda is the discussion of the current situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Speaking to the audience, Dzheppar stressed that the de-occupation of the peninsula and its reintegration remained one of the main tasks of Ukraine. To this end, as well as to protect the norms and principles of international law, Ukraine, together with 46 foreign partners, created the Crimea Platform.

"The inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform on August 23 in Kyiv demonstrated the strength of Ukraine's partnership with NATO, EU, and G7 member states in countering further attempts by Russia to undermine the world order," the first deputy minister said.

She thanked the participants for setting up a support group for the Crimea Platform in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, which is becoming an active tool for parliamentary diplomacy to advance the goals and objectives of this new international format for the de-occupation of Crimea.

"It is crucial that the parliaments of NATO member states put on the agenda of discussions and meetings of the Parliamentary Assembly specific proposals to counter Russian aggression against Ukraine, protect human rights in the temporarily occupied territories, and reflect these issues in working and final documents approved by NATO PA," Dzheppar said.

She noted that the first year after the summit is important for the practical development of the Crimea Platform. Dzheppar announced the next major international ministerial event within the Crimea Platform  the Black Sea Security Conference, which will be held in Kyiv on February 25-26, 2022, and will focus on the impact of security in the wider Black Sea region on Euro-Atlantic and global security, militarization of Crimea, and hybrid war tools.

The first deputy minister also said that networks of operational communication between the ministries of foreign affairs of the participating states were being established within the Crimea Platform to ensure an ongoing dialogue on important issues, such as rapid response to crises, gross violations of human rights or international humanitarian law in Crimea, security threats, etc.

The UkraineNATO Interparliamentary Council (UNIC) was established in 2003 in accordance with the provisions of the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership between Ukraine and NATO. Its main task is to provide parliamentary assistance for the proper implementation of the Annual National Programs under the auspices of the UkraineNATO Commission, as well as to analyze the results of their practical implementation.

Photo credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

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Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has refuted reports claiming U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland during her Russia visit discussed with the Kremlin the granting by Ukraine of special status to the temporarily occupied areas in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Kuleba made the statement during a Q&A on Twitter, Ukrinform reports.

"No, this isnt true. Our American partners inform us in detail about their contacts, the minister wrote in response to a user's question as to whether it was true that Ms. Nuland spoke in Moscow about the idea of Ukraine granting special status to the temporarily occupied Donbas.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland on October 11-13 paid a visit to Moscow, where she met with a number of Russian officials.

On October 22, Andriy Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, discussed with Nuland the results of her latest visit to Russia and coordination of actions to resolve the crisis in eastern Ukraine.

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About 130 Ukrainians have expressed their desire to be evacuated from Afghanistan, and more than 30 citizens and their families have left the country on their own over the past month.

According to Ukrinform, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced this on Twitter.

"Now about 130 [Ukrainians] want to return. We are working out safe ways to leave [Afghanistan]. We don't leave out people in trouble abroad and we have already proved it many times. They also leave [Afghanistan] on their own. In the past month, more than 30 citizens and their families left Afghanistan on their own," Kuleba wrote.

On September 23, a plane arrived in Kyiv with 96 citizens of Ukraine and other countries evacuated from Afghanistan.

In total, Ukraine evacuated more than 650 people from Afghanistan. Among them were citizens of Ukraine and other countries, including UN representatives, members of human rights organizations, employees of Global Mail, USA Today, The Washington Post, Stars and Stripes, as well as individuals who cooperated with the coalition's contingent.

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Ukraine and the United States will soon announce the date for a meeting of the Strategic Partnership Commission in Washington, where they will adopt an updated Charter on Strategic Partnership between the two countries, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said.

He announced this at an online briefing on Wednesday, October 27, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"The date has been set. We will soon announce it together with the United States. The meeting will take place in Washington and accordingly, it will be my visit to Antony Blinken," he said.

Kuleba said he would not fly to Washington alone. "It will be a very serious, difficult visit. Representatives of various ministries and agencies will fly, and I will not be the only government member visiting the United States," he said.

He stressed that Ukraine is focused on the maximum result and is working closely with U.S. colleagues.

Kuleba also said that an updated Charter on Strategic Partnership, which Presidents Joseph Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky had instructed to adopt at this meeting, was nearing completion.

On September 9, the Ukrainian part of the Strategic Partnership Commission identified three tasks for its further work, including reform of the Commission, providing the U.S. side with a Ukrainian draft of the Charter on Strategic Partnership, and preparing a plan for the country's transformation.

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Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk and Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Fan Xianrong have discussed the improvement of inter-parliamentary cooperation.

Stefanchuk announced this on Facebook, according to Ukrinform.

"Together with the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China, we discussed the improvement of inter-parliamentary cooperation, cooperation at the level of foreign affairs committees, friendship groups of legislative bodies of the two countries, and trade and economic cooperation between Ukraine and China," he said.

He said that China has become Ukraine's largest trading partner. At the same time, he said he was convinced that cooperation has the potential for development and requires significant intensification.

Stefanchuk also said that Ukraine highly values its strategic partnership with the People's Republic of China, and the course for its comprehensive development remains a priority for Ukraine.

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The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine has thanked Ukraine's government and civil society who worked tirelessly to restore anti-corruption legislation.

The embassy wrote this on its Twitter account, Ukrinform reports.

"We commend government and civil society leaders who fought tirelessly to restore the provisions invalidated by the CCU [Constitutional Court of Ukraine]," the statement said.

The embassy recalled that one year ago today, the Constitutional Court struck down key provisions of Ukraine's corruption prevention legislation - it rendered the asset declaration system useless and set back Ukraine's corruption prevention measures to pre-Maidan days.

"But thanks to the concerted efforts of government, civil society, and the Ukrainian people, the attempts by vested interests and pro-Russia forces to roll back progress have been thwarted," the embassy said.

The embassy said the United States will continue to support Ukraine's efforts to complete the Specialized Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office selection process, implement judicial reform, and adopt legislation that will lead to reform of the CCU.

The CCU on October 27, 2020 declared unconstitutional Article 366-1 of the Criminal Code that envisaged penalties for false asset declarations. The Constitutional Court also declared unconstitutional the powers of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention to verify the asset declarations of officials, monitor the lifestyle of those submitting them, and decide on whether asset declarations were submitted on time.

On December 15, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law introducing amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the Prevention of Corruption Concerning the Restoration of the Institutional Mechanism for the Prevention of Corruption" (No. 4470).

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Five more regions in Ukraine will move into the red zone of COVID-19 restrictions, according to Minister of Health Viktor Liashko.

"The State Commission on Technogenic and Environmental Safety and Emergencies at its next meeting will approve a decision to transfer five more regions to the red level of epidemiological danger: Zhytomyr, Luhansk, Lviv, Khmelnytskyi and Chernihiv regions," the minister said at a briefing on October 26, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

He reminded that Rivne and Mykolaiv regions moved into the red zone of COVID-19 restrictions on October 26.

The red level of epidemiological danger remains in Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Sumy and Kherson regions.

"In total, there will be 13 regions with the red level of epidemiological danger. Let me remind you that during the spring wave [of COVID-19], the average time of a region in the red zone of epidemiological danger was 37 days," the minister added.

As Ukrinform reported, on October 25, Ukraine recorded 19,120 new COVID-19 cases and 734 coronavirus-related deaths.

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The Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol has launched criminal proceedings over the illegal arrest of 21 activists in Simferopol, the agency has reported on its website.

"Today [on October 26], due to the illegal imprisonment of Crimean Tatar activists in the occupied peninsula, criminal proceedings have been instituted under Part 2 of Article 146 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal imprisonment or kidnapping committed for selfish motives)," the report said.

The prosecutor's office recalled that on October 25, in Simferopol, outside the building of the "Crimean garrison military court," "security officers" illegally detained 21 Crimean residents who had gathered for an open court hearing to support Hizb ut-Tahrir case suspects.

"In the eighth year of the occupation of the peninsula, such detentions by the occupation authorities of the Russian Federation have become systemic and serve as a tool to intimidate the inhabitants of the peninsula," the prosecutor's office said.

The Main Directorate of the National Police in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea will conduct the pretrial investigation.

Photo: Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea
Another 13.5 million doses of Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 will be delivered to Ukraine by the end of 2021.

Thats according to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal who spoke at a briefing during a working trip to Donetsk region on Wednesday, October 27, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"By the end of the year, another 13.5 million doses of Pfizer (vaccines - ed.) will arrive. All regions, all vaccination centers and vaccination points have been provided with vaccines," Shmyhal said.

The head of government stressed there is a sufficient number of vaccine doses across Ukraine, noting that 95% of those hospitalized with COVID-19 have not received their jab.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, by the end of the year, 18,850,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine are expected to be delivered to Ukraine under state contracts and within the framework of the global COVAX facility.

It was also reported, with reference to the countrys health ministry, that a total of 9,363,493 people have been vaccinated since the launch of the inoculation campaign, of whom 9,363,491 received a single dose and 7,138,082 were fully immunized.

Over the past 24 hours, 291,293 people have been vaccinated for COVID-19, including 212,013 with the first dose and 79,280  with their second.

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Three national youth councils of Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland have signed a memorandum of cooperation on the creation of the Youth Lublin Triangle.

Today, we have officially created the Youth Lublin Triangle and three national youth councils of Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland have joined us. I have a memorandum in my hands, which testifies to the creation of the Youth Lublin Triangle, Denys Ganzha, founder of the NGO "Public Diplomacy Platform" and moderator of the Youth Lublin Triangle said at a press conference, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He stressed that the organization united more than 210,000 representatives of active youth and its activities covered more than 2 million young people from three countries.

Ganzha noted that the initiative organizers planned to launch the first exchange between Ukraine and Lithuania, which will take place next month.

In the future, we plan to register an international non-governmental organization and create a project team that will deal with the following areas: student exchanges, interparliamentary internships, intermunicipal internships, joint campaigns to combat disinformation and Russian influence in our countries, support for democratic choice of Belarusian youth, conferences of young scientists, and even joint esports tournaments, the moderator informed.

Karolina Svirida, a member of the National Youth Council of Ukraine, noted that the national councils of Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland will jointly defend the rights and interests of young people within the framework of the Lublin Triangle. According to her, the three councils support the key areas of the Youth Lublin Triangle: Ukraine's European integration, promotion of the cultural heritage of the three countries, and opportunities for young people.

As reported, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is working towards holding a meeting of the Lublin Triangle Interparliamentary Assembly in Warsaw in December.

The Lublin Triangle is a trilateral platform for political, economic, cultural, and social cooperation between Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine, aimed in particular at strengthening dialogue between the countries, supporting Ukraine's integration into the European Union and NATO, and jointly countering Russian aggression.

Photo credit: Denys Ganzha/FB

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From 25 October 2021, Ukrainian citizens can enter Denmark without having to take a Covid-19 test and self-isolate upon arrival.

The Danish government revised the national colour model that grouped countries by Covid-19 case notification rate. From this date, restrictions on travel to Denmark are simplified, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Kingdom of Denmark informs.

Ukrainian citizens can enter Denmark without having to take a Covid-19 test and self-isolate upon arrival. For this purpose, they must present to the Danish border control authorities an EU Covid-certificate or its equivalent.

As the Embassy notes, the Covid-certificate issued by the Ukrainian Unified Public Services Portal Diia is also accepted, as Ukraine has joined the EU system of digital Covid-certificates.

This Covid certificate must confirm that a person has been vaccinated against Covid-19 with one or two doses of the vaccine, tested negative for Covid-19, or recovered from Covid-19.

In the absence of a Covid-certificate, Ukrainian citizens must take a Covid-19 test within 24 hours of arriving in Denmark at one of the testing centres. The requirement to take Covid-19 test before arriving in Denmark has been abolished.

The Danish government reserves the right to quickly restore all restrictions in the event of an emergency related to the emergence of new Covid-19 variants abroad, which may pose a threat to Denmark, reads the statement.

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UNHCR donates laptops to MOHP. UNHCR/Christine Beshay

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, donated 200 laptops to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) to support the Ministry in its efforts in the digitalization of the COVID-19 vaccination and other relevant health programmes.

UNHCR recognizes that enhancement and expansion of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme require information and communication technology to properly monitor national vaccine stockpiles and progress in vaccination rollout. This will also strengthen the vaccine supply chain management system, a critical factor in the success of Egypts national COVID-19 vaccine deployment plan.

Commenting on the donation, Mr. Pablo Mateu, UNHCR Representative in Egypt said that despite the global ICT shortage, UNHCR, in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO), managed to procure the laptops for the Ministry. MoHP is a strategic partner to UNHCR Egypt and since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry has generously offered refugees and asylum-seekers COVID-19 treatment on equal footing as Egyptians and has included them in the national vaccination plan which UNHCR and the refugee population are most grateful for. Supporting with the enhancement of the vaccination deployment plan is the least we can contribute to government efforts.

The donation is part of UNHCRs support to the national COVID-19 response plan, complementing UNHCRs earlier donation of personal protective equipment including surgical gloves, masks, gowns and respirators to help protect health workers working at MoHP health facilities.

During the last five years, UNHCR has supported MOHP with medical equipment valued at more than $4.5 million, including devices for early detection of breast tumors, dialysis equipment, medical beds, intensive care units, and respiratory devices while equipping several health facilities in various governorates to support both Egyptians and refugees.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNHCR has intensified its efforts to provide protection services and humanitarian aid to refugees and asylum-seekers registered in Egypt, thanks to the generous support of donors, most notably from the USA, the European Union, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the Netherlands, among others.

As of September 2021, Egypt hosts more than 266,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered with UNHCR from 65 nationalities. Most refugees in Egypt are among the most vulnerable groups in the country, as 7 out of 10 refugees are unable to meet their basic needs. With the generous support of MoHP, many refugees in need of medical support are able to access primary healthcare support at nominal cost.

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Burundian returnee, Safia Nduwimana receives non-food items at a distribution hangar in Burundi.  UNHCR

Safia Nduwimana fled violence in Burundi two years ago. It has been three weeks since she returned home, and she has mixed feelings of joy and anxiety.

"I came back home for my childrens sake. They had been homesick and out of school due to Covid-19," says the 39-year-old widow, who must now find the means to support her nine children.

Since the start of the year, about 2,300 Burundians in Uganda have approached UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to request assistance to return home amid improving security.

Safia was among a first group of 265 Burundians who voluntarily returned home at the start of October. So far this year, over 1,250 Burundian refugees in Uganda have returned home.

The repatriation is supported by UNHCR in Uganda, Tanzania (through which refugees from Uganda transit) and Burundi, together with the governments of the three countries, and several humanitarian agencies.

"I came back home for my childrens sake."

Safia was pregnant at the time she fled political violence in her country. She reached Ugandas Nakivale refugee settlement, where she received medical attention and safely delivered her child.

In 2020, Uganda was among the top five countries in the world hosting the largest number of refugees. As of this September, UNHCR estimated over 1.5 million refugees and asylum seekers were in the country, with three per cent from Burundi.

"While we are not promoting return to Burundi, we are glad to assist refugees to go back home, said Joel Boutroue, UNHCRs Representative in Uganda. Our role is to ensure that returns are voluntary, free and informed and that the process is safe and dignified, he added.

Safia and her children spent the night before their return at Kabazana reception center, Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda.  UNHCR/Yona Tukundane

Boutroue said those refugees who opt to stay in Uganda continue to have international protection and benefit from assistance and services provided by the government, UNHCR and partners.

Most returnees face the unknown back home. Many sold their properties before fleeing, while others return to find them occupied or uninhabitable. By last August, UNHCR estimated that 37 per cent of returnees could not access their previous houses when they first returned.

On reaching Burundi, a former neighbour welcomed Safia and her family. A previous returnee, he helped her to find a house to rent, as she had sold the family home and farm to cover medical expenses before she left.

Her immediate plans are to get her children back in school and find work to provide enough food for them as recent food rations cuts for refugees in Uganda had been difficult for the family. However, she remains optimistic that the assistance she has received as part of a modest return package will help her to start over.

With the support I received, I will buy a small piece of land and use whatever is left to start a small business, she smiles.

In line with Burundis national refugee reintegration plan, UNHCR and UNDP have offered to support the Government of Burundi to build three integrated rural villages in provinces receiving many returnees. These villages will help returnees, internally displaced people (IDPs) and other vulnerable people to better reintegrate.

We are doing our best to help returnees...but significant donor support is needed.

Returnees do have access to basic services, including health and education, but need more opportunities to become self-reliant, said Abdul Karim Ghoul, UNHCR Representative in Burundi. Also, more funds are needed to promote social cohesion; this being key to enhancing reintegration prospects.

He stressed that more support is needed from donors and development agencies, referring to the Burundi 2021 Joint Refugee Return and Reintegration Plan (JRRRP), which was launched last February, and is still very poorly funded.

We are doing our best to help returnees better integrate in their communities, but for us to succeed in this endeavour, significant donor support is need, added Ghoul.

Since the beginning of the voluntary repatriation exercise in 2017, over 180,000 Burundians have returned home from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Nearly 270,000 Burundian refugees remain in exile, generously hosted by Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, South Africa and Zambia.
Two girls dressed as Jack Skellington and Sally from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" smile for a photo at the 2019 Farmer Fred's Harvest Fall Carnival.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 27th Oct, 2021) As part of the UAE Universitys (UAEU) participation in Expo 2020 Dubai, the National Space Science and Technology Centre (NSSTC) and College of Science co-organised a series of events and activities during "Space Week" from 17th to 27th October, 2021.

The activities included workshops and events to showcase research and development in various areas of astronomy and space sciences, with students, faculty members and visitors participating.  Prof. Ahmed Murad, Deputy Commissioner-General of the UAEU Pavilion at Expo 2020 and Associate Provost for Research, explained that the NSSTC and College of Science "Space Week" activities were organised in conjunction with the Space Week, one of the ten thematic weeks organised by Expo 2020 Dubai under the theme of "Man and Planet Earth Programme". It discusses the benefits, solutions, and challenges of exploring beyond the planets orbit and the opportunities for exploration and the development of space science. "In the backdrop of the emergence and rapid growth of the UAEs Space Sector, the UAEUs collaboration with various country pavilions, resulting in its active participation in several Space Week events is a testament of the universitys contribution to the development of Space Science and Technology R&D and education ecosystem and its commitment to help stimulate globally recognised space-related activities in the country," Dr. Aquib Moin, Associate Professor of Physics, UAEU.  The UAEU pavilion conducted three activities on research and development in radio astronomy in collaboration with Curtin University, Australia. Held at the Australia Pavilions, they included discussions on innovative sensor systems, ground infrastructure for radio astronomy and space science observations and measurements, emerging technologies, collaborative multi-station operations, academic and technological research and development, public awareness, and prospects.

 The French pavilion hosted an event on "Remote Sensing and Earth Observation and Workshop", to showcase current research and development in remote sensing and earth observation. The event featured talks and discussions on topics related to remote sensing and earth observation. As part of the event, the NSSTC experts conducted a "workshop" on earth observation with high-resolution imagery.  The "Education in Space Science and Technology: A road to youth empowerment" event focused on the strategic importance and the various elements of the academic knowledge required to support the rapidly growing global space sector. "Human Spaceflight and Robotic Space Exploration" aimed to highlight the excitement and scientific value of manned space missions and introduce the audience to various aspects such as the astronaut's experience, the possibility of discovery, and the importance of human presence in outer space. The Switzerland pavilion hosted these events. Under a collaboration between the NSSTC, College of Science, UAEU and the Intercultural and Communications Institute (ISIT), France, several activities were conducted with liberal arts and sciences students to explore space in the shape of a multi-faceted cultural and scientific event. A French art and space documentary: "Inner Telescope", presented the deployment of artwork at the International Space Station. The France pavilion hosted these events.
New York, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Oct, 2021 ) :Troubles with the 787 jet and a delayed NASA test launch were a drag for Boeing in the third quarter, resulting in another loss reported Wednesday as the aviation giant tries to fully recover from earlier stumbles.

The company had reported a profit in the second quarter after six straight losses, but wound up back in the red in the three months ended September 30 with a loss $109 million.

Major drivers were expenses tied to the 787 problems and one-time costs associated with the delayed test flight of the CST-100 Starliner capsule.

Those are the latest setbacks for Boeing, which navigated an existential crisis in early 2020 when the downturn in aviation due to Covid-19 added to the hit from the lengthy grounding of its 737 MAX.

Chief Executive David Calhoun told CNBC he was an "optimist," and aims to enter 2022 "with a decent trajectory" as the aviation industry recovery accelerates.

Revenues rose eight percent to $15.3 billion in the latest quarter, reflecting the benefit from returning deliveries of the 737 MAX.

Boeing announced $1 billion in new expenses connected with the 787 Dreamliner, with $183 million coming in the third quarter.

Boeing halted deliveries of the 787 in May following a series of issues with the plane.

- Avoiding forecasts - Earlier this month, the company said it would rework undelivered 787s after being notified by a supplier that some parts were not manufactured properly.

It is currently manufacturing just two 787 planes per month.

With the 787, Calhoun said he is following a "deliberate process" in interfacing with the regulators in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

He likened the back-and-forth with the agency to the experience with the 737 MAX, which the FAA cleared to fly in November 2020 following a 20-month grounding in the wake of two fatal crashes.

The discussions with the FAA are "the mirror image of the MAX," he said.

He noted that Boeing had frustrated investors repeatedly by offering an overly-optimistic timeframe for returning the grounded plane to service.

For the 787, "I can't predict delivery times," he said, adding "we are going to stick to our knitting." But "the good news is ... that the MAX is out there, it is flying like crazy, and it is as reliable as any airplane in any fleet in the world," Calhoun said.

Boeing plans to increase production of the MAX to 31 a month in early 2022 from 23 currently.

The company is exploring further production increases, but Calhoun cited supply chain challenges as a wildcard, repeatedly highlighting questions about labor availability, as well as raw materials and logistics.

It is "not an assessment of demand that gets us to whatever number we get to," he said of MAX production.

"I think we're going to be in a supply constrained world probably from second half through all of '23 with respect to narrow-bodies." Another question mark for the MAX concerns China, which still has not approved the plane to resume service.

Boeing is working to win approval in China by the end of 2021, with deliveries to resume in the first quarter of 2022, the executive said.

- Starliner costs - A second charge of $185 million connected to the delayed test flight of the Starliner capsule also hit results.

The CST-100 had been scheduled to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on August 3 but the flight was aborted just hours before launch because of problems with propulsion system valves.

Boeing officials earlier this month said they were still testing and hoped to conduct the trial flight in the first half of 2022.

NASA gave Boeing and SpaceX multi-billion Dollar contracts each to provide its astronauts with taxi services to the space station and end US reliance on Russian rockets for the journey.

Boeing needs to complete a successful mission without crew before it can carry astronauts.

The company's share price fell 1.4 percent to $206.90 in afternoon trading.
Tsagaan Khad, Mongolia, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Oct, 2021 ) :Snaking across the barren Mongolian desert, a convoy crawls along the once-busy highway to the Chinese border -- its truckers desperate to finally deliver their cargo of coal after months of brutal Covid-19 delays and no pay.

Pre-pandemic, the route was packed with drivers delivering the vital fuel to China -- the world's biggest coal importer -- currently grappling with widespread power cuts threatening its economic growth.

But now the line of trucks outside the tiny coal town of Tsagaan Khad has been reduced to a trickle, held up by China and Mongolia's strict coronavirus measures, leaving the drivers stranded without pay or company.

"Our families are calling us and saying they need wood, fuel, and clothes to wear in winter," said Davaasuren Tsogtsaikhan, 32, having waited three months to make a single delivery.

"Life is hard here," he said.

Last year, resource-rich Mongolia exported over 35 million tonnes of coking coal to China -- this year so far is less than a third of that.

Terrified any outbreak might make China slam the border shut, Mongolia has imposed strict coronavirus rules.

Some 3,500 increasingly wretched drivers have been quarantined in camps of 40 people while they wait.

Undrakh Bold told AFP he spent 42 days waiting without making a delivery, having been quarantined outside capital Ulaanbaatar after one member of his group tested positive.

After returning to Tsagaan Khad, the 43-year-old faced another 28 days of waiting.

"If all of us test negative, we will be able to transport our coal the next day," the weary father-of-three said, as he queued to be tested.

On the Chinese side, they are not allowed out of their cabs, or even to open windows.

"I want to dump the coal in China, get my money and go back home," he said.

Drivers are tested for Covid-19 in Mongolia then bussed over the Chinese border in masks and hazmat suits, where they undergo yet another test.

Mongolia's vast South Gobi province is home to 12 billion tonnes of coal reserves -- a key supplier to Chinese iron ore smelters.

But now many drivers are considering finding other work.

"We worry about Covid test results all day and night," said trucker Davaasuren, preparing to take his first test.

There is already a shortage of drivers, with numbers down by around half according to Tsagaan Khad officials, and the impact on the small town has been devastating.

The main street is empty, with canteens and shops closed.

Strict virus measures are necessary to keep trade flowing, officials say.

If the Covid cases increase and China closes the border, "our economy will collapse," frets Soronzonbold Purevjav, head of Tsagaan Khad's emergency commission.

Anxious not to catch the virus, drivers stay inside their round white tents, dwarfed by huge piles of coal and rows of parked trucks.

"We keep an eye on each other all the time," said Turtulga, a 32-year old driver.

Beijing has maintained a strict zero-Covid policy that has all but closed borders to the outside world.

The gridlock comes as China also battles an energy crunch that has seen widespread power cuts due to record coal prices and tough emissions targets.

Hopes of an easing were raised after China's prime minister Li Keqiang held online talks with his Mongolian counterpart last week.

The pair agreed to increase coal export volumes, according to a Chinese state media readout, with plans to allow double the number of trucks through the border -- as long as they meet strict Covid requirements.

But it will take time to clear the backlog.

Yalagdashgui Naranpil, head of a truck drivers' union, told AFP that the restrictions -- including the closure of another border point -- are making life near-impossible for the country's drivers.

A handful of them protested in Ulaanbaatar last week, wearing face masks, high-vis jackets and holding signs reading "Save the lives of drivers".

"We are on the edge of poverty," Yalagdashgui said.
The Chinese Embassy in the United States has called on Washington to comply with the "One China" principle and adhere to its commitments regarding Taiwa

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th October, 2021) The Chinese Embassy in the United States has called on Washington to comply with the "One China" principle and adhere to its commitments regarding Taiwan.

The remark comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday urged all UN member states to join Washington in supporting Taiwan's "robust (and) meaningful" participation throughout the United Nations system in line with the "One China" policy.

"Fifty years ago, the US attempt to create 'one China, one Taiwan' or 'two Chinas' in the UN ended up in a complete failure. But today, it is still openly emboldening and supporting 'Taiwan independence' forces and challenging international law and basic norms governing international relations, including the One-China Principle. Such efforts will be futile and doomed to failure," the embassy said in a statement late on Tuesday.

The mission recalled that political relations between Washington and Beijing are based on the "One China" principle and the three Sino-US Joint Communiques, noting that China has always opposed the "Taiwan Relations Act" and the "Six Assurances" unilaterally concocted by the US.

"We urge the US side to face up to the fact, stay true to its commitment, adhere to the One-China Principle and the three Joint Communiques, and abide by UNGA Resolution 2758. We urge the US side to stop official contacts with Taiwan, cease making irresponsible and erroneous remarks, and take real actions to maintain the overall situation of China-US relations and cross-Strait peace and stability," the statement read.

Earlier this month, Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said that mainland China may be fully prepared to attack the island by 2025. His assumption followed the deployment by China of 150 military aircraft into Taiwan's air defense zone since early October for drills. Last week, US President Joe Biden said that his country would come to Taiwan's aid in case of military aggression from China.

Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan  a territory with its own democratically elected government  maintains that it is an autonomous country and has political and economic relations with several other nations that recognize its sovereignty.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th October, 2021) A senior delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will pay a three-day working visit to the Guinean capital of Conakry starting October 28, media reported on Wednesday.

The visit comes almost two months after ECOWAS suspended Guinea's membership following a coup in the country in early September.

The ECOWAS delegation will be led by Commission President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, the Media Guinee portal said.

On September 5, a military uprising led by Mamady Doumbouya dismissed the Guinean government, closed the borders and announced a transitional charter. Doumbouya was sworn in as transitional president on October 1 and pledged to respect the country's international commitments.
Indigenous and rural Ecuadorans blocked roads in several provinces Wednesday on the second day of protests against soaring fuel prices amid a countrywide state of emergency

Quito, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Oct, 2021 ) :Indigenous and rural Ecuadorans blocked roads in several provinces Wednesday on the second day of protests against soaring fuel prices amid a countrywide state of emergency.

On Tuesday, 37 people were arrested and five police officers, a journalist and at least one demonstrator injured in the largest protests since conservative President Guillermo Lasso took office in May.

Protesters disrupted traffic in five of Ecuador's 24 provinces Tuesday, and vowed to continue their show of discontent with the new center-right government's economic policies.

"The government has messed up, pushing fuel prices up all the time," protester Dennis Viteri, a 28-year-old textile worker told AFP Wednesday at Calderon, northeast of the capital Quito.

Viteri and others used soil, tree trunks and burning tires to block a portion of the Pan-American highway which connects Quito with Colombia.

As AFP looked on, more trees were being felled on a nearby hilltop with which to strengthen the barricade.

Ecuador's public safety department said there were also roadblocks Wednesday in the provinces of Imbabura, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua and Chimborazo.
PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th October, 2021) French President Emmanuel Macron and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, held a phone conversation on Tuesday on issues ranging from Afghanistan and Iran to access to the Chinese market, the French presidency said.

"The two heads of state discussed the situation in Afghanistan.

The president of the (French) Republic insisted that the Taliban (banned in Russia as a terrorist organization) had to combat terrorism and respect women's rights, in particular. The president underscored the need for Iran to put an end to activities that violate the JCPOA (nuclear deal)," a statement read.

The president of France, which will assume the rotating presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2022, urged China to recalibrate the EU-Chinese economic ties in the spirit of reciprocity and guarantee European companies greater access to its market.
BUENOS AIRES (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th October, 2021) Russian Ambassador to Venezuela Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov on Wednesday met with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia.

"We touched upon the topics of cooperation between Russia and Venezuela in the fight against coronavirus, planned supplies of vaccines and medicines vital for the Venezuelan people, as well as prospects for joint production of medicines," Melik-Bagdasarov tweeted after meeting with Rodriguez.

He also discussed bilateral cooperation between Russia and Venezuela with the country's top diplomat.

"We met with the ambassador to promote our bilateral cooperation and strengthen our ties with Russia," Plasencia tweeted.

Currently, Venezuela is considering the option of organizing the production of insulin and Russian vaccines against the coronavirus.
Russian Su-25 aircraft have returned from Tajikistan to the airfield of the Russian military base in Kyrgyzstan after participating in the Collective Security Treaty Organization's (CSTO) Interaction-2021 military drills, Russia's Central Military District said on Wednesday

YEKATERINBURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th October, 2021) Russian Su-25 aircraft have returned from Tajikistan to the airfield of the Russian military base in Kyrgyzstan after participating in the Collective Security Treaty Organization's (CSTO) Interaction-2021 military drills, Russia's Central Military District said on Wednesday.

"Su-25 aircraft were relocated from the Gissar airfield to the Russian military base in Kyrgyzstan after the completion of a joint exercise by the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces," the military said in a statement.

During the active phase of the joint exercise near the border with Afghanistan, the crews practiced searching and destroying facilities of the imaginary enemy, among other things, the statement added.

The military exercise was held from October 18-23. Some 4,000 soldiers and over 500 units of military equipment were involved in the drill.
Memphis, TN  U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller announces the capture of Cornell Brown on charges of Capital Murder that occurred out of the Western District of Arkansas.

On October 8, 2021, an arrest warrant for one count of Capital Murder was issued for Brown. The West Arkansas Task Force (WATF) received information that Brown was in the Memphis area.

On October 20, 2021, the West Arkansas Task Force requested the assistance of the Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force (TRVFTF) out of Memphis in locating and apprehending Brown.

Tuesday morning, the TRVFTF went to an address on Double Tree Street in Memphis. As deputies approached the residence, the front door was abruptly shut. The front door then opened again, and Brown surrendered to deputies without incident.

U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller stated, The successful capture of fugitives on the run requires effective coordination and teamwork between multiple agencies working together across the country.

The U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force is a multi-agency task force within Western Tennessee. The Western Tennessee Division of the TRVFTF has offices in Memphis and Jackson, and its membership is primarily composed of Deputy U.S. Marshals, Shelby County Sheriffs Deputies, Memphis Police Officers, Fayette County Sheriffs Deputies, Jackson Police Officers, and the Tennessee Department of Corrections Special Agents. The primary mission of the Task Force is to arrest violent offenders and sexual predators.

Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.

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Americas First Federal Law Enforcement Agency


Concord, NH  The U.S. Marshals  NH Joint Fugitive Task Force is very pleased to announce the quick arrest of Nashua Police Department fugitive, Rafael Rivera, in Manchester, New Hampshire.



Rivera, 54 years-of-age was last known to be homeless in Nashua (NH) had just been featured this morning as this weeks Fugitive of the Week. Rivera was being sought by the Nashua Police Department for failing to register as a sex offender. Mr. Rivera was required to register as a sex offender after being convicted of aggravated felonious sexual assault on a child. Additionally, Rivera was being sought by the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office on a probation violation stemming from this same conviction for the aggravated felonious sexual assault.



The Fugitive of the Week feature was aired on WTPL-FM, WNTK-FM, WTSN-FM, WEMJ-FM, The Union Leader, The Nashua Telegraph, The Patch, Manchester Information, the Manchester Ink Link, The Rochester & Lebanon Voice and prominently featured on the internet. The Fugitive of the Week continues to be a very successful tool that has resulted in the location and arrest of over 500 fugitives since its implementation in 2007. Additionally, the Fugitive of the Week was also to be distributed statewide to all law enforcement officers in New Hampshire.



Shortly after the feature was released this morning, tips came into the U.S. Marshals office indicating that Rivera was around the area of the homeless shelter located on Manchester Street in Manchester, NH. Based on this information, members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force responded to the area and spotted Rivera on the corner of Manchester Street and Pine Street. Deputies approached Mr. Rivera, who immediately confirmed his identity and was placed under arrest without incident.



Rivera was transported to the Manchester Police Department for processing before to being transported to the Hillsborough County Jail where he will be held pending his court hearings on his two outstanding arrest warrants.



U.S. Marshal Nick Willard said, We can never thank the tipsters enough who provide information that leads to the quick and safe arrests of dangerous fugitives like Mr. Rivera. Willard continued, We greatly appreciate the publics support in making the streets of New Hampshire safer for all of us.



Since the inception of the U.S. Marshals - New Hampshire Joint Fugitive Task Force in 2002, these partnerships have resulted in over 8,218 arrests (Updated as of 12/16/2020). These arrests have ranged in seriousness from murder, assault, unregistered sex offenders, probation and parole violations and numerous other serious offenses. Nationally the United States Marshals Service fugitive programs are carried out with local law enforcement in 94 district offices, 85 local fugitive task forces, 8 regional task forces, as well as a growing network of offices in foreign countries. Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov. ####



Americas First Federal Law Enforcement Agency


Fr. Pio Wacussanga, a parish priest working in Angolas arid southern region, highlights the plight of the people in the face of the countrys worst drought in forty years.

By Benedict Mayaki, SJ

Millions of people in southern Angola are facing difficult times as drought aggravated by climate change continues to ravage the region. The abnormal dryness has hampered the 2020/21 rainy season, severely impacting crops and livestock and pushing many people to the brink of starvation.

More so, the situation has given rise to migratory movement from the most affected areas with families moving towards other provinces, and across the border to neighboring Namibia and Zambia in search of more favorable conditions.

Fr. Pio Wacussanga is a priest serving in the drought-hit southern province of Huila who works closely with the people to provide support for those in need. He spoke to Vatican News Fr. Benedict Mayaki SJ, highlighting the situation on the ground and explaining how it affects Angolans who have been made vulnerable by the countrys worst drought in forty years.

Fr. Wacussanga heads Associacao Construindo Communidades (ACC) based in Lubango, and Ame Naame Omunu (ANO) in Cunene. Through these organizations, he plays an active role in drawing attention to the situation of widespread famine in southern Angola.

Persistent drought

The Angolan priest noted that drought in the semi-arid southern part of the country is not totally new, as it had been recorded even in the 19th century. However, the phenomenon has become recurring and even persistent.

In the past, he explained, we would have droughts in-between, every eight or ten years, but now, we are likely to have one year of full rains and the following year, you have a drought.

Forced migration, difficult living conditions

Angolans living in the Huila, Namibe and Cunene provinces have been especially hard hit by the persistent drought. As a direct consequence, there is rising food insecurity leading to malnutriton as it is hard to produce food and care for livestock which are necessary for the survival of the people in the increasingly precarious conditions.

Furthermore, decreased access to water, sanitation and hygiene is having negative impacts on local communities health.

Fr. Wacussanga explains that large waves of people have been forced to become internally displaced in their search for food and water, or have fled the country to Namibia in search of humanitarian aid. He surmises that about 3 million people have become displaced, with between 16  20 thousand Angolans resettled in neighboring Namibia.

Listen to our interview with Fr. Pio Wacussanga

Bishops appeal

Faced with the dire situation, the Bishops of Angola and Sao Tome released a statement on 11 October, urging Angolan authorities to declare a state of emergency to allow for assistance from the international community for the drought-hit region.

Fr. Wacussanga welcomes the Bishops idea, noting that international agencies are better equipped and are more experienced to deal with humanitarian crises.

He notes that the Angolan government is doing something to help provide food and water for the people in the area, but its efforts are not enough and there is a need for aid from international agencies to supplement the government's assistance.

In this regard, the Church is also doing its part to provide aid to people in need. The Angolan priest highlights the Churchs role in aiding the government to have a better food delivery policy and the important work it does in the field of advocacy.

Food distribution to people in need

Climate change

Fr. Wacussanga affirms that the drought is a clear indication of the impact of climate change which is already causing suffering and even death. To take responsibility and reverse the trend, he insists that we have to protect the environment instead of continuing to destroy nature.

In this regard, he gives the example of a region of drought-hit oil-rich land where the government has extraction plans to maximize oil revenue. He notes that there are plans to begin extraction but none as to how to reduce the impact of the environmental damage that comes with oil exploration, especially in areas with a lot of biodiversity and ethnic minorities who are depending on nature to survive.

The more we protect nature, the more nature will protect us, Fr. Wacussanga says.

He calls for a stronger response from the state on this matter, adding that the Churchs Commission for Justice, Peace and Migration is already doing a lot to educate people to protect nature.
Meeting with Syrian Bishops in Damascus, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri announced that the Holy Father will give a contribution to their charitable work for the most needy in the country. On the first day of his visit to Syria, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches also presided at a Divine Liturgy with Patriarch Youssef Absi, and met 100 youths.

By Lisa Zengarini

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, has announced that Pope Francis will donate a total of $ 170,000 to the Syrian Church to help support its charitable work for the most needy in the country. The announcement was made on October 26, as he began his nine-day visit to Syria.

Addressing the Assembly of the Syrian Bishops in Damascus, which was also attended by Papal Nuncio Cardinal Mario Zenari, the Vatican Prefect said funds will be distributed by the Dicastery in each of the 17 Syrian ecclesiastical circumscriptions. They will be managed by the bishops according to the most urgent needs in their respective Dioceses and Eparchies.



Special Conference to be held in March 2022

Cardinal Sandri also announced that the Congregation will convene a special Conference in March 2022 gathering bishops, priests, religious, lay people, and local charities, together with representatives of the relevant Vatican Dicasteries and the Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches Agencies (ROACO). The conference will map out all the charitable projects and initiatives in Syria and define priorities, hence enhancing the "synodality of charity", he said.

Pope Francis solidarity and closeness to Syria

In his remarks to the Assembly, Cardinal Sandri thanked the Patriarchs and Bishops and Cardinal Zenari for their heroic support for the suffering people in Syria and for their relentless efforts to draw international attention to their plight. He conveyed Pope Francis closeness to the Syrian people and Church, recalling his repeated calls for peace and for re-establishing justice and the rule of law in the war-torn country, as well as the emergency assistance provided by the Holy See to help cope with the COVID-19 crisis. Among other things, he remembered the Holy Fathers Easter Message of 12 April 2020 and his video message to the UN General Assembly on 25 September in the same year.

The Synodal process in Syria

Another highlight of the Syrian bishops Assembly was the Synodal Process in the particular political and ecclesiastical context of Syria, where Eastern rite Churches are predominant. In this regard, Cardinal Sandri reminded that the synodality envisaged by Pope Francis for the universal Church goes beyond the existing synodal structures governing the Eastern Churches. Pope Francis, he said, wants the whole Church to walk along a path guided by the Holy Spirit towards discernment, purification and renewal. All local Churches, whether of Latin or Eastern rite, should therefore feel concerned and involve their respective communities in the process leading up to the Synod of Bishops of 2023.

Catholic Youth to lead a revolution of love"

Following the meeting, Cardinal Sandri presided over a Divine Liturgy with the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, Youssef Absi. He then met about one hundred Catholic youths who shared their pain and concerns over the present situation in Syria and their future in the country. During the two hour meeting, he encouraged participants to make their voices heard in the synodal process and invited them to to take the lead in a revolution of love for human dignity, based on the Gospel of Jesus and inspired by Pope Francis Magisterium, and in particular by his encyclical Fratelli tutti.

Cardinal Sandris visit runs until November 3. After Damascus, he is expected to visit Tartous, Homs, Aleppo, Yabroud and Maaloula.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday rebooted his countrys lapsed relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations by attending the annual meeting of the 10-member bloc virtually and announcing plans to provide up to $102 million to expand the U.S. strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific region.

Our partnership is essential in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, which has been the foundation of our shared security and prosperity for many decades, Biden said in his opening remarks delivered from the White House as leaders of nine of the 10 nations listened. And the United States strongly supports the ASEAN outlook and the Indo-Pacific  on the Indo-Pacific and the rules-based regional order.

The last U.S. president to attend an ASEAN-U.S. meeting was in 2017 when Donald Trump attended in Manila.

This years summit is hosted by Brunei. The other members of the regional bloc are Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Myanmar was not allowed to attend  the group banned its military junta leader for ignoring a peace road map agreed to six months ago.

Biden underscored the importance of ASEAN and called the relationship a linchpin for maintaining the resilience, the prosperity, and security of our shared region.

The White House said the new funding will go toward health, climate, economic and education programs.

Included in the package is $40 million that will go to an initiative to help address the current COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen ASEAN's ability to prevent, detect and respond to future outbreaks of infectious diseases.

Another $20.5 million will finance climate mitigation, and up to $20 million will support cooperation on trade and innovation. Another $17.5 million is earmarked for education projects, and $4 million to promote gender equality and equity.

US-China rivalry

The summit is the first time in four years that an American president participated at the top level with an economically dynamic regional bloc seen as key to countering an increasingly assertive China.

Marc Mealy, senior vice president for policy at the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, said he welcomes Bidens re-engagement. We're talking about a region that by 2030 is going to be one of the largest regional economies in the world, he said.

While the United States is seen as a security guarantor against rising Chinese ambition in the region, Washington is lagging behind Beijing in terms of economic ties. According to ASEAN data, the bloc became Chinas largest trading partner in 2020.

ASEAN and China are also part of the worlds biggest free trade agreement, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. The U.S. is not part of the deal, which covers nearly 30% of the global economy.

The U.S. is also left out of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade agreement formerly known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The 2016 TPP was promoted by former president Barack Obama but Trump withdrew from it in 2017.

On several issues, whether it's trade or climate, the United States plays an important role in setting the table, and then sometimes leaves the table, said Prashanth Parameswaran, a fellow at the Wilson Center's Asia program.

He pointed out that geographically, Washington is at a disadvantage and will need to work harder to win ASEAN support at the same time that regional players, including China, Japan, South Korea and Australia, are eager to step in.

When you raise the bar, and then you subsequently walk away, there's a double disadvantage, Parameswaran said.

In recent years, the U.S.-China rivalry in Southeast Asia has intensified significantly. The Biden administration is continuing the Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy in the region, which singles out Beijing for pursuing regional hegemony.

But most members of ASEAN refuse a binary choice between the U.S. and China and underscore the need to cooperate with both, while ensuring freedom of navigation, including in the Taiwan Straits.

What's the benefit for conflict happening in that area? Who gets the benefit? Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan said to VOA. Nobody. COVID is enough (to) create the problem, he said.

Wheres Myanmar?

Although Myanmar did not attend the ASEAN meeting, U.S. officials said the delicate state of that nation was part of discussions. In February, the military deposed the elected government and jailed its leader amid allegations of electoral fraud in last Novembers elections.

In April, participants agreed on a five-point plan that called for an immediate end to violence and sent a special ASEAN envoy to the country, formerly known as Burma.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that the bloc, with the help of the U.S., is trying to reach a regional solution. On Monday, he said he met virtually with officials from Myanmars government-in-exile.

We discussed broader diplomacy with key countries in the region and those with influence on the military junta, and how the United States could send strong messages to those countries, as well, he said. And in fact, just this morning, President Biden has participated in the U.S.-ASEAN Summit, and ASEAN has taken the step of denying a seat at that summit to the junta leader.

That exclusion, Parameswaran said, was no mere formality.

I think it's a significant move, he said. ... In a virtual setting, you literally had a screen where Myanmar was a blank screen while the meeting was going on. And I think this is a very sort of vivid signal from ASEAN. I think the jury remains out on how ASEAN manages this challenge. I mean, the fact remains that when ASEAN admitted Myanmar into the grouping, they were very aware of these challenges, and they decided to keep Myanmar in rather than keeping Myanmar out. So, this is something which ASEAN can't sort of sweep under the rug and sort of say this is a Myanmar problem. It is a Southeast Asia problem. It is an ASEAN problem.

Whats next?

Sullivan told VOA that the U.S. will continue to support ASEANs five-point plan to bring about a solution.

We will continue to stay focused on our steadfast support for the people of Burma for a democratic path in Burma, he said. And for the protection of the safety, security and human rights of the citizens.

On to the G-20

In a way, these meetings form a preview for the administrations vow to conduct aggressive diplomacy. What that looks like in practice is likely to come into focus in the coming days, as Biden heads to Rome on Thursday for the meeting of the worlds 20 wealthiest nations, known as the G-20. And from there, to the 26th United Nations climate summit in Glasgow.

President Biden and key European partners will sit down at these two summits to coordinate policies on Iran, on supply chains, on global infrastructure efforts and so much else, Sullivan said.

He noted that two of the worlds top leaders who wont attend the summits in person could affect the outcome.

Neither China nor Russia will be attending the summit in person at the leader level, largely, it seems, due to COVID-19, Sullivan said. The U.S. and Europe will be there. They'll be there energized and united at both the G-20 and at COP26, driving the agenda, shaping the agenda as it relates to these significant international issues.

Eva Mazrieva, Virginia Gunawan contributed to this report.
On this edition of Straight Talk Africa, host Hayde Adams examines the impact of COVID-19 pandemic protocols, restrictions and lockdowns on African travel and tourism. Our guests include Kamil Al-Awadhi, vice president for Africa and the Middle East at the International Air Transport Association, Kojo Bentum-Williams, communications expert for the U.N. World Tourism Organization, Paul Frimpong, economist at the Institute of Certified Chartered Economists and Lenias Hwenda, CEO of Medicines for Africa.
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(Previously Recorded) Margaret Besheer, VOA United Nations Correspondent, will join us from NY to speak about the U.N. Security Council closed meeting on Sudans political upheaval.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, opened a three-day regional summit without Myanmar, after the country's ruling junta refused to send a nonpolitical representative to the meeting in place of its top military leader.

ASEAN ministers decided on October 15 to exclude Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing from the summit. This was considered ASEANs biggest rebuke of Myanmar since February 1, when the Myanmar military toppled a civilian government under the de facto leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Instead, the regional bloc invited Chan Aye, permanent secretary in the juntas foreign ministry, to attend the ASEAN virtual summit as a nonpolitical representative.

Myanmar military government spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun said the invitation didnt place Myanmar at the same level as the other countries and was thus rejected.

For us, attending a meeting that doesnt place us at the same level with others is like an assault to the sovereignty of our nation, he said, according to Bloomberg. Given that its a summit for state leaders, they should invite the state leader.

Sun Yun, co-director of the East Asia Program and director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, said the junta is sending a signal to ASEAN by choosing not to send anyone.

The signal is that the junta sees itself as the sole, legitimate ruler of the country and does not accept ASEANs attempt to influence its decision, she told VOA Mandarin via email. The Stimson Center is a Washington think tank.

Myanmar has been one of ASEAN's most divisive issues since it joined the bloc in 1997 as a military dictatorship criticized by many Western nations for its authoritarian rule. Even after that regime lost power in 2015, in the nations first openly contested election in 25 years, Myanmar has tested ASEAN with its treatment of the Rohingya minority and other issues.

The decision not to invite Min Aung Hlaing was an unprecedented move for the 10-member regional bloc, which traditionally does not interfere in its members' internal affairs.

Current ASEAN chair Brunei issued a statement on October 16, saying that it could not reach a consensus on inviting the general to attend the summit.

The statement said that because of insufficient progress in the situation in Myanmar, the bloc wanted to allow Myanmar the space to restore its internal affairs and return to normalcy.

Neither the ASEAN chair nor the blocs secretary-general mentioned Myanmars absence during opening remarks at Tuesdays virtual meeting, according to Al-Jazeera. [[

When the Myanmar military launched its coup in February, it imprisoned dozens of elected government officials including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, triggering large-scale protests across the country.

Since then, the military has used force to suppress the opposition, and the international community has condemned the junta. The junta has described members of the opposition as terrorists.

To mediate the situation in Myanmar, ASEAN's special envoy to Myanmar Erywan Yusof requested a meeting on October 10-14 which the junta rejected.

Since the establishment of ASEAN in 1967, it has rarely commented on the internal affairs of its member states. According to Yuyun Wahyuningrum, Indonesias representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, the strong response to Myanmar stems from the juntas failure to keep to the blocs Five-Point Consensus, which was hammered out at an April 24 meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, attended by coup leader Min Aung Hlaing.

All member states agreed that the issue in Myanmar is a regional issue, requiring a regional solution and all member states to commit to it. If Myanmar or any country in the region does not commit to a Five-Point Consensus, there should be an implication, Wahyuningrum told VOA Mandarin via phone.

The plan called for the immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar, constructive dialogue among all parties, the appointment of a special ASEAN envoy to facilitate dialogue, the provision of humanitarian assistance, and a visit by the envoy to Myanmar.

In the days following the Jakarta meeting, Myanmars junta called the points in the plan suggestions that it would consider only when Myanmar returns to stability as its priority was to maintain law and order," reported Reuters.

Nicholas Coppel, a former Australian ambassador to Myanmar and an adjunct associate professor at Monash University in Melbourne, agreed with Wahyuningrum.

ASEAN is sending a very clear signal that the Senior General Min Aung Hlaing would not be welcomed at another leaders meeting until there is some improvement in regards to implementing the Five-Point Consensus, he told VOA Mandarin in a phone interview.

Sun, of the Stimson Center, said she doesnt see any further moves by the regional bloc, which is known as an organization based on consensus.

While the decision to invite a nonpolitical figure was a major move for ASEAN and shows that ASEAN members are frustrated with Myanmar, I dont think the organization will take further moves to suspend Myanmars membership or expel the country, she told VOA. It is laudable, but I dont expect much more.
Democrats in the U.S. Congress continued to be mired in negotiations on President Joe Bidens major social safety net and climate control spending plan, particularly which programs to keep and which ones to remove as well as the means to pay for them.

The president held talks at the White House Tuesday night with Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, two moderate lawmakers in Bidens own Democratic party who have staunchly opposed much of his original $3.5 trillion Build Back Better plan that would provide the biggest expansion of government benefits to American families in five decades.

Senate Democrats led by Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts unveiled a plan earlier Tuesday that would impose a new minimum tax on corporations, along with a new billionaires tax that would impose levies on individuals who own at least $1 billion in assets, or who receive $100 million in earnings for three consecutive years.

The plan was conceived after Sinema came out against a much simpler plan to raise conventional tax rates on wealthy Americans and corporations. Sinema announced her support for the new minimum corporate tax as a common-sense step, but some House Democrats have raised concerns about the legality of the billionaires tax.

For his part, Manchin has come out in opposition of an expansion of Medicare and Medicaid, the governments health care programs for elderly and low-income Americans, respectively, as well as providing 12 weeks of paid family leave and making the new child tax credit permanent, criticizing them as either costly or unnecessary new government entitlements.

Manchin is also opposed to a proposed $150 billion clean electricity program that would replace the nations coal and gas-fired power plants with wind, solar and nuclear energy. The program is a pillar of the presidents strategy to combat climate change, but Manchin represents one of the largest coal-producing states in the nation. His opposition has left the administration scrambling to create an alternative strategy, such as grants and loans to help utilities switch to renewable energy.

Biden has expressed hope that he can reach agreement this week on what he has acknowledged will be a more limited spending plan of about $2 trillion or less, with some provisions, such as two tuition-free years of community college, jettisoned from the final package.

Representative Ro Khanna of California, a key member of the House Progressive Caucus, told the U.S. cable news television program Fox News Sunday that the president recently told a group of lawmakers that he needs passage of both the social safety net bill and a separate $1.2 trillion measure that funds key upgrades to the nations physical infrastructure before he travels to Glascow, Scotland later this week for the United Nations-sponsored COP26 climate conference.

With the 100-member Senate equally split between Republicans and Democrats, the policy agreement and votes of Manchin and Sinema are key to passage of the legislation, along with the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Kamala Harris. Currently, no Republicans support the legislation.

The infrastructure spending plan drew the support of 19 Republicans in the Senate, along with that of all 50 Democrats, but progressive House Democrats blocked its passage there until agreement could be reached on the social safety net legislation.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki acknowledged the high stakes involved in the difficult negotiations Tuesday. The alternative to what is being negotiated is not the original package  it is nothing, she told reporters.

Some information for this report came from the Associated Press and Reuters.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that he had ordered a full-scale review of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in August as the U.S. ended its two-decade fight against terrorism there.

In a hastily arranged airlift, the U.S. and its allies evacuated more than 124,000 civilians, including Americans, Afghans and others, as the Taliban took swift control of the Kabul government while Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled to exile in the United Arab Emirates.

But thousands of other Afghans linked to the U.S. occupation of their country were left behind as the evacuation ended, although some have managed to get out of the country in the last two months. During the evacuation from the Kabul airport, 13 American service members were killed in a bomb attack orchestrated by the Afghan offshoot of the Islamic State terrorist group.

Blinken, speaking at the Foreign Service Institute outside Washington to a group of lawmakers, diplomats and others, said, "Ive ordered a series of internal reviews focused on our planning and execution for the evacuation and relocation effort in Afghanistan."

Blinken praised the State Departments evacuation effort but said the agency needs to learn from it as well, in case the U.S. ever confronts a similar situation calling for a rapid withdrawal from a war zone.

"There are many things that now, looking back, we can and should ask: Could we have done things differently? Could we have taken that step differently? Should we have tried that idea first? Could we have gotten to that decision more quickly?" Blinken said.

The top U.S. diplomat did not spell out details of the review. But he said, We owe it to ourselves, to our Afghan friends and partners, and to the future State Department employees who might find themselves facing a similar challenge one day to capture all that we learned, to study it, to apply it, to preserve it in a way that it enhances our future planning and helps us prepare better for future contingencies."

U.S. news outlets reported last week that the State Department's inspector general would review the end of diplomatic operations in Afghanistan, while also looking into the Special Immigrant Visa program, which allowed Afghans to be admitted to the U.S. as refugees, and their resettlement in the United States.
After the military takeover of the Sudanese government, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with deposed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was released from custody Tuesday. The U.S. is calling for a return to the civilian-led transition to democracy, as VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
Eyes in Beijing and Moscow are trained on Central Asia, prompted by the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

The security threat in Afghanistan and the desire to shut off Central Asia from other powers, such as the U.S., is motivating Beijing and Moscow to cooperate and gloss over their differences, according to Emil Avdaliani, director of Middle East Studies at Georgian think tank Geocase.

They purposefully avoid forming an alliance as that  as Moscow and Beijing argue  would constrain their foreign policies rather than create better conditions for coordination, Avdaliani told VOA.

While China is the economic power in the Central Asian region, Russia plays more of a role as security guarantor, according to Avdaliani.

In the three decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Beijings gradual engagement with Central Asian countries had been focused on the economic front, with state-backed investments in hydrocarbons, mineral extraction, pipeline construction, transportation, power generation and, recently, industrialization of non-energy fields. China also has developed security coordination with regional powers through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Main security backer

Moscow has been the dominant security partner for the countries within the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization framework and has been the largest supplier of arms. Russia remains the main security backer of Central Asia, accounting for 62 percent of the regional arms market, while its economic dominance dropped from 80 percent of the regions total trade in the 1990s ($110 billion) to just two-thirds that of Beijing ($18.6 billion).

Lately there has been a trend of China becoming a security player, too, Avdaliani told VOA. First, there are reports of a Chinese military base in Tajikistan and perhaps some security presence in the north of Afghanistan. China is also increasingly engaged in military drills with Central Asia states.

Beijings arms transfers through donations and sales to the regional countries, such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, were modest until 2014. Since that year, China has ramped up arms transfers to the region, according to a Wilson Center report this year.

China built its Tajik military outpost in 2016, with facilities in the countrys mountainous Gorno-Badakhshan province near the Afghan border.

Other bordering nations

In addition to Russia, China has cooperated with Pakistan and Iran, countries that border Central Asia, and have economic, security or political interests in that region.

Another regional power is India, which, like China, aims to maintain security in Afghanistan. India worries about a spillover of the insurgency into the disputed territory of Kashmir, which borders Afghanistan.

Beijing is clearly the dominant power in Central Asia, with India likely to lose some of the influence it used to enjoy over Kabul as a result of the substantial aid it provided before the U.S. withdrawal, said Alexander Cooley, director of the Harriman Institute at Columbia University.

Chinas relationship with India has been tense as a result of border clashes and Indias embrace of the Quadrilateral strategic grouping, Cooley told VOA.

The grouping, also known as the QUAD, is a strategic dialogue among the United States, India, Japan and Australia that involves coordination and cooperation among the member countries, all of which have strained relationships with China.

China-Russia security agenda

Beijing's and Moscows security agendas are complementary, according to Cooley, and can be mutually accommodated because each views the region as key to its own security, and neither wishes for the United States to return.

Russia is concerned about potential instability on Central Asian borders, maintaining security cooperation with the Central Asian states and curbing the influx of refugees into Eurasia, Cooley told VOA. China is primarily concerned with ensuring that the Taliban clamp down on Uyghur groups residing near the border and securing the Afghan and Tajik borders with Xinjiang.

Russia may not be happy, though, Cooley said, about Chinas recently increased security footprint in Central Asia  including the military facility in Tajikistan, expanded military exercises with the Central Asian states, surveillance technologies transferred to Central Asian cities and increased activities by Chinese private security companies to help protect Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure projects.

But the two countries have every reason to reject talk of competition and emphasize their joint opposition to U.S. hegemony and the U.S.-led liberal international order, Cooley underscored.
Officials in some college towns across the country plan to challenge the results of the 2020 census, claiming that vacant campuses emptied because of the COVID-19 pandemic cost them a fair count.

In its review of 75 metro areas that are home to the largest shares of residents ages 20-24, The Associated Press found that in some towns, the census count was significantly below population estimates. In others, the count exceeded estimates.

For example, in Bloomington, Indiana, home of Indiana University, the numbers were off by as much as 7%, according to AP. Indiana University, which has about 48,000 students, vacated its classrooms just as the census began. Bloomington officials believe their citys census results were too low.

Its just not a credible number, Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton told AP. The simplest explanation is that the count was done after the university told students, Dont return to Bloomington and go back to your parents homes. Im not blaming anybody. The university did the right thing to protect its students.

But in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Huntsville, Texas, AP found that results surpassed local estimates by 6%. In Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama, Mayor Walt Maddox told AP that last years census put the city just shy of 100,000 residents, an important threshold that decides whether cities receive certain funding streams. Maddox said properly counting off-campus students living in the city will make up the difference.

In terms of economic development, the perception of being above 100,000 has a greater psychological impact in your recruiting and development, Maddox told AP.

Funding, representation at stake

Much is on the line. Census data determines how seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are apportioned, as well as billions of dollars in federal funding. Results last until the next census in 10 years.

For cities and towns built around universities, accurate census information often hinges on how well students are counted. School records for students living on campus may have been more easily aggregated than for those students living off campus, which likely contributed to the inaccurate headcount, according to the AP report.

Collecting information on this demographic presented challenges from the start. A U.S. Census Bureau press release in June 2020 said efforts were being made to solicit off-campus student data from college administrators. An earlier release asked college students to report their residency as where they live and sleep most of the time.

But this led to some confusion. As schools asked students to shelter in place and wait out the worsening pandemic, communities typically brimming with off-campus student life quieted. Students were back home, many unsure where to count their residency. In State College, Pennsylvania, AP reported that neighborhoods normally dominated by Penn State students had the lowest census response rates in the area.

Challenging the numbers

In a letter sent this month to the Census Bureau, Boston Mayor Kim Janey said she would challenge her citys census results, attributing low response rates to fewer college students and foreign residents hesitant about citizenship questions, language barriers and the government.

Janey said a city survey earlier in the academic year counted 5,000 local students who were later not among the final tally. Another 500 inmates in Bostons two correctional facilities were also not counted.

Despite their differences, Janey signaled her gratitude for the bureaus work.

The pandemic could not have come at a more inopportune time for the Decennial Census, she wrote in the letter. Our desire to have a more accurate population count for Boston does not diminish our appreciation for the valuable resources that the Census Bureau provides.

The bureaus Count Question Resolution Operation offers a chance for officials to challenge the census results, but it will only consider geographic issues and coverage concerns, such as a missed apartment building or counts made using incorrect boundaries. Communities can begin filing their cases in January.

Few complaints submitted after the 2010 census  the last time all U.S. residents were counted  led to a correction, according to the bureaus website.

Some information for this report comes from AP.
Media advocates in Cambodia are pointing to the government's interaction with a British newspaper as an example of how complaints over news coverage should be dealt with.

When the British daily The Guardian incorrectly reported that Prime Minister Hun Sen held a passport from Cyprus, Cambodia's government responded with a letter threatening legal action.

But after the paper printed a correction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was satisfied by the steps taken to fix the error.

Media advocates have compared the case with the experience of local journalists whom they say risk being prosecuted for similar mistakes. They say that Cambodia should use its press law to handle errors or complaints.

Ith Sothoeuth, media director at the Cambodian Center for Independent Media, commended The Guardian's quick response in correcting its report, and expressed hope that similar interactions could be duplicated with local news outlets.

"I think that this is a good case study or model for the Cambodian government, which should be applied upon the media sector in the country," he said. "When there is false or inaccurate information, there should be a demand for a correction rather than resorting to legal action."

In The Guardian's case, government lawyers wrote to the paper demanding a retraction and threatening legal proceedings after the paper reported incorrectly that Cambodia's prime minister was among thousands of wealthy foreigners who hold a Cypriot passport. The reporting was part of the British publication's Pandora Papers coverage on a leak of financial data on offshore tax havens.

A letter dated October 6, and published on the Ministry of Affairs website, said the error has given a chance to a "handful of evil opportunists to distort and exaggerate the facts leading to a worsening situation with the purposes of inciting people, stirring chaos and destroying public order, security and peace in the Cambodian society."

The Guardian corrected the article that same day, and in an email to the ministry said, "The editor regrets the concern caused to Prime Minister Hun Sen but it is hoped the prompt action to rectify this error provides a satisfactory resolution."

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Koy Kuong, told VOA that potential legal action was no longer being considered because The Guardian ran a timely correction.

"Not only did the response help correct the mistake, but also provided justice, dignity and honor to the leader of our kingdom," Koy Kuong said last week.

Nop Vy, executive director of the Cambodia Journalists Alliance Association, praised the actions of The Guardian and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which he said aligned with the press law.

Under that law, newspapers have seven days to publish a correction or response if an individual claims to have been defamed or harmed by reporting. For public figures who claim reporting was false or intended to defame them, a court can order a paper to publish a retraction, pay damages or both.

Nop Vy said he wants to see a similar response with local journalists, such as Youn Chhiv, a publisher who was imprisoned last month after a deputy provincial governor of Koh Kong province filed a complaint.

"There are different standards of implementation in our country, particularly on journalists. The case of The Guardian is one thing, while the case of the journalist in Koh Kong province is another," he said. "This is a sort of implementation which should be reviewed."

Youn Chhiv, who runs the news website Koh Kong Hot News, was accused of false news and defamation.

In May, a coalition of civil society organizations expressed concern at the legal harassment of Cambodian media, saying that at least 72 journalists had been "harassed" by the judiciary, and 42 were detained, questioned, or imprisoned. The coalition found that authorities often used charges of incitement under Articles 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code.

That trend has continued in recent months. The Cambodia Journalists Alliance Association reported at least 21 cases of journalists being harassed, questioned, or detained between July and September of this year, including while covering land disputes.

Meas Sophorn, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Information, defended the use of legal action against journalists, noting that Article 10 of the press law allows for an individual to sue for defamation or libel.

"It depends on the individual who is affected by the false or inaccurate news," Meas Sophorn said. "If he thinks that the publication severely affects his dignity and honor, he can file the lawsuit directly without demanding correction or clarification."

While Article 10 allows a complainant to seek financial damages, journalists often face accusations outside of the press law, including incitement, which can carry prison terms.

Am Sam Ath, deputy director at rights group Licadho, said that authorities should only resort to criminal charges when the offense occurs outside of the professional realm.

"The press law should be used to ensure the career and professionalism of journalists, except the case in which the journalists committed crimes which are not related to their profession or journalism code of conduct," he said.

This story originated in VOA's Khmer service.


The people in Latvia have been closely following the crisis in Belarus, their neighboring country to the southeast, and are deeply concerned about the situation, Maris Selga, Latvias ambassador to the United States, said in an interview with VOA.

Latvia, along with its Baltic Sea neighbors Estonia and Lithuania, regained its independence with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the memory of that time remains strong in families and in schools.

The time of the Baltic Way and the entire independence movement in Latvia laid the cornerstone for the country we have today, Selga said. The Baltic Way refers to the peaceful united front put up by the people of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to successfully demand a restoration of their sovereignty.

Recalling that critical time, Selga said, Everyone came together for the same goal  a free and independent Latvia.

He added that the support of the international community  including support from the overseas Latvian community  was also critical to his nations regaining its freedom.

We are also grateful for the efforts of our Latvian diaspora abroad who advocated for Latvias independence all throughout the Soviet occupation and helped fuel the independence movement from abroad.

One action taken by the American government in 1940 stood out, Selga said. The Sumner Welles Declaration of 1940, which condemned the forced annexation and occupation of the Baltics, was monumental.

The declaration, initially a one-page press statement issued by then-Acting Secretary of State Benjamin Sumner Welles, rejected the legitimacy of the Soviet Unions annexation of the three Baltic states and laid a foundation of moral support for the Latvians and their neighbors.

The nations appreciation was formalized in 2012 when the street that runs by the American embassy in Latvias capital city was named after Sumner Welles.

Watching the situation unfold in Belarus, Latvians can once again feel reassured and grateful to be living in a free and democratic country, Selga said, adding that the unrest now unfolding in Belarus highlights the importance of human rights, including the freedom of expression, and the rule of law.

Selga says his countrys leadership and members of its parliament, known as the Saeima, have joined their counterparts in other European countries to call for a peaceful resolution of the Belarus protests and to condemn violence against peaceful demonstrators. Many citizens have expressed support for the people of Belarus, including by organizing various peaceful protests.

Latvia has also gathered and allocated resources to help the people of Belarus.

Expanding support to civil society in Belarus is vital, the ambassador said. To that end, Latvia has put aside more than $175,000 for legal, medical, counseling and other practical assistance to victims of human rights abuse that occurred after the August 9 election, as well as assisting with documenting the abuse.

Belarus is and will remain an important neighbor and Latvia will continue to maintain friendly neighborly relations with the people of Belarus, Selga said.

If not for the independence movement as a whole, not only would I not be an ambassador, there perhaps would be no Latvia and no Latvian ambassadors anywhere, he reckoned.

We all serve our country, whether as ambassadors or through other vocations. Above all, I am grateful that I can serve an independent and free Latvia.

Selga was appointed Latvias ambassador to the United States in August 2019. He began his diplomatic career in 1994. Previously, Selga served in various diplomatic posts, including in Denmark and Egypt, most recently as Latvias top diplomat stationed in the Peoples Republic of China.
The past several weeks have been difficult for the social media behemoth Facebook, with a series of whistleblower revelations demonstrating that the company knew its signature platform was exacerbating all manner of social ills around the globe, from human trafficking to sectarian violence.

The tide shows no sign of receding. New revelations this week have demonstrated that the companys supposed commitment to freedom of expression takes a back seat to its bottom line when repressive governments, like Vietnams, demand that dissent be silenced. They showed that Facebook knew its algorithms were steering users toward extreme content, such as QAnon conspiracy theories and phony anti-vaccine claims, but took few steps to remedy the problem.

In statements to various media outlets, the company has defended itself, saying it dedicates enormous resources to assuring safety on its platform and asserting that much of the information provided to journalists and government officials has been taken out of context.

In a conference call to discuss the company's quarterly earnings on Monday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed that recent media coverage is painting a misleading picture of his company.

Good faith criticism helps us get better, Zuckerberg said. But my view is that what we are seeing is a coordinated effort to selectively use leaked documents to paint a false picture of our company. The reality is that we have an open culture, where we encourage discussion and research about our work so we can make progress on many complex issues that are not specific to just us.

The revelations, as well as unrelated business challenges, mean that Facebook, which also owns Instagram and the messaging service WhatsApp, has a lot of things to worry about in the coming weeks and months. Here are five of the biggest.

A potential SEC investigation

Whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former product manager with the company, delivered thousands of pages of documents to lawmakers and journalists last month, prompting the wave of stories about the companys practices. But the documents also went to the Securities and Exchange Commission, raising the possibility of a federal investigation of the company.

Haugen claims the documents provide evidence that the company withheld information that might have affected investors decisions about purchasing Facebooks stock. Among other things, she says that the documents show that Facebook knew that its number of actual users -- a key measurement of its ability to deliver the advertising it depends on for its profits -- was lower than it was reporting.

The SEC has not indicated whether or not it will pursue an investigation into the company, and a securities fraud charge would be difficult to prove, requiring evidence that executives actively and knowingly misled investors. But even an investigation could be harmful to the companys already bruised corporate image.

In a statement provided to various media, a company spokesperson said, We make extensive disclosures in our S.E.C. filings about the challenges we face, including user engagement, estimating duplicate and false accounts, and keeping our platform safe from people who want to use it to harm others . . . All of these issues are known and debated extensively in the industry, among academics and in the media. We are confident that our disclosures give investors the information they need to make informed decisions.

Antitrust suit

Facebook is already being sued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which claims that between the companys main site, Instagram, and WhatsApp, Facebook exercises monopoly power in the social media market. The agency is demanding that the three platforms be split up.

Facebook has publicly claimed it does not have monopoly power, but internal documents made available by Haugen demonstrate that the company knows it is overwhelmingly dominant in some areas, potentially handing the FTC additional ammunition as it attempts to persuade a federal judge to break up the company.

Legislative action

Congress doesnt agree on much these days, but Haugens testimony in a hearing last month sparked bipartisan anger at Facebook and Instagram, especially over revelations that the latter has long been aware that its platform is harmful to the mental health of many teenage users, particularly young girls.

Several pieces of legislation have since been introduced, including a proposal to create an app ratings board that would set age and content ratings for applications on internet-enabled devices.





Others seek to make social media companies like Facebook liable for harm done by false information circulating on the platform, or to force the company to offer stronger privacy protections and to give users the right to control the spread of content about themselves.

Ramya Krishnan, a staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute and a lecturer in law at Columbia Law School, is one of many academics who have been pushing for lawmakers to require Facebook and other social media platforms to allow researchers and journalists better access to data about their audiences and their engagement.

We've seen increased interest among lawmakers and regulators in expanding the space for research and journalism focused on the platform, reflecting the understanding that in order to effectively regulate the platforms we need to better understand the effect that they are having on society and democracy, she told VOA.

Internal dissent

One of the most striking things about the documents released this week is the amount of anger inside Facebook over the companys public image. The disclosures include reams of internal messages and other communications in which Facebook employees complain about the companys unwillingness to police content on the site.

Im struggling to match my values to my employment here, one employee wrote in response to the assault on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, which was partly organized on Facebook. I came here hoping to effect change and improve society, but all Ive seen is atrophy and abdication of responsibility.

The documents show that the company is losing employees -- particularly those charged with combating hate speech and misinformation -- because they dont believe their efforts have the support of management.

Advertiser boycott

Last year the Anti-Defamation League organized a campaign to pressure companies to pause their advertising on Facebook in protest over its failure to eliminate hateful rhetoric on the platform. In a statement given to VOA, Jonathan A. Greenblatt, the groups CEO, said it is preparing to do so again.

Mark Zuckerberg would have you believe that Facebook is doing all it can to address the amplification of hate and disinformation, Greenblatt said. Now we know the truth: He was aware it was happening and chose to ignore internal researchers recommendations and did nothing about it. So we will do something about it, because literally, lives have been lost and people are being silenced and killed as a direct result of Facebooks negligence.

He continued, We are in talks to decide what the best course of action is to bring about real change at Facebook, whether it's with policymakers, responsible shareholders, or advertisers, he said. But make no mistake: We've successfully taken on Facebook's hate and misinformation machine before, and we aren't afraid to do it again. It's time to rein in this rogue company and its harmful products.
Iran said Wednesday it would resume talks with world powers about its nuclear development program by the end of November.

The U.S. State Department is aware of the reports but did not have "any further details," a spokesman said, about new negotiations from the other parties to the 2015 international pact aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear arms development, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.

"As we have said many times, we are prepared to return to Vienna, and we believe that it remains possible to quickly reach and implement an understanding on return to mutual full compliance with the JCPOA by closing the small number of issues that remained outstanding at the end of the sixth round of talks in June," he said.

"As we have also been clear, this window will not remain open forever as Iran continues to take provocative nuclear steps, so we hope that they come to Vienna to negotiate quickly and in good faith," he added.

The 2015 agreement included the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union, but former U.S. president Donald Trump pulled out of it in 2018 and reimposed economic sanctions against Iran.

Trump said at the time the provisions of the deal were not tough enough to deter Tehran's nuclear arms program.

Since then, Iran has said it has ramped up its enrichment of uranium to a 60% purity level, but not to the 90% enrichment level that is considered weapons grade. Iran has over recent years continually denied it intends to assemble nuclear weapons and says its nuclear development is for peaceful purposes.

On Wednesday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri, who serves as Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator, wrote on Twitter, "We agree to start negotiations before the end of November. Exact date would be announced in the course of the next week."

The EU and the world powers have been hard-pressed to get negotiations restarted since the election of a hard-liner in Tehran, President Ebrahim Raisi.

U.S. President Joe Biden has said he is willing to restart talks if Iran is willing to adhere to its earlier commitments on the nuclear agreement and end its stepped-up enrichment of uranium.

But Vienna-based talks between the U.S. and Iran conducted through intermediaries made little headway before being interrupted by Raisi's election. The talks have been suspended for the last four months.

Robert Malley, U.S. special representative to Iran, on Monday warned Iran that the U.S. had undisclosed "other options" if Iran's nuclear work advances, although he said the Biden administration preferred diplomacy.

Some of the material in this story came Agence France-Presse and Reuters.


Zalmay Khalilzad, the senior U.S. official who led the negotiations with the Taliban, blamed, for the most part, Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis intransigence, the Afghan elites selfishness and Afghan soldiers lack of will to fight for the rapid Taliban military takeover of the country in August.

We were all surprised by the intransigence of President Ghani in insisting on staying in power till his term ended, despite the fact that he had come out re-elected in a fraudulent election that very few Afghans participated in, Khalilzad said Wednesday during a webinar organized by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington think tank.

He acknowledged for the first time publicly that the U.S. had discouraged Afghans from holding the presidential elections that led to Ghani's winning a second term in office. Instead, Khalilzad said, the U.S. wanted to establish an interim setup that was acceptable to both sides while Afghan politicians and civil society negotiated a political settlement with the Taliban.

Ghanis grand miscalculation, according to Khalilzad, was that he did not believe the U.S. would withdraw from a region that he thought gave the U.S. forces and its intelligence agencies physical proximity to strategically important countries like China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan.

I tried to persuade him that President [Donald] Trump was very serious, and he said, 'No, the intelligence and military told me otherwise,'  Khalilzad said.

Troops' mettle

Ghani also widely miscalculated his own militarys will to fight.

Once the U.S. announced its decision to withdraw, he told Khalilzad, now I am free to fight the war the Afghan way. In six months now I will defeat the Taliban because you were fighting it poorly."

The fact that the more than 300,000-strong Afghan security forces  trained and armed by the U.S.  melted away in front of 60,000 to 70,000 Taliban, was, according to Khalilzad, the result of a lack of morale, corruption, and poor treatment of the soldiers on the front lines.

[T]hat may have had much more to do with the politics of Afghanistan  that people didnt believe in it, the soldiers, in the cause  [but] the Taliban believed in their cause, he said.

Khalilzad also lamented what he called the Afghan elites selfish, self-centered, corrupt behavior that led to a failure of peace talks with the Taliban.

I am disappointed that the elite that we worked with, they didnt rise to the occasion, this golden opportunity that the American engagement provided, he said.

Khalilzad, who was born in Afghanistan, was criticized for negotiating a deal with the Taliban that many called a surrender. His American and Afghan critics accused him of giving too many concessions to the Taliban in return for very little. The U.S. and Taliban signed the agreement in February 2020 that defined a timeline for foreign forces to withdraw in return for counterterrorism guarantees from the Taliban.

However, the agreement also called for the Taliban to negotiate with the Afghan government and others for a political settlement to end the war. Those negotiations started in September 2020 but never picked up steam until the Taliban took over the country militarily without significant resistance from the Afghan army.

They entered capital Kabul on August 15, 2021, without firing a single shot.

Defending his agreement, Khalilzad said the mechanism allowed flexibility to delay the withdrawal date if the Taliban did not fulfil their pledges, or if the political engagement between Afghans did not progress, but President Joe Biden decided to stick close to the original timeline.

What's next?

Going forward, Khalilzad advocated a robust diplomatic engagement with the Taliban that includes agreement on a road map that takes into account the trust or mistrust of each other and the behavior that needs to take place over a time period.

He said policy toward Afghanistan in Washington has become hostage to an ill-informed debate that could be detrimental to U.S. interests.

Many in America wanted the Taliban to suffer and their government to collapse, he said, because we did not succeed in defeating them, and that has left a bad taste in peoples mouths.

He warned that a collapse of government in Afghanistan would lead to a civil war and a humanitarian catastrophe that would provide space for terrorist groups to flourish.

He said the Taliban had shown, in the 18 months after the signing of the agreement, that they could keep their word by not killing a single American even though U.S. air attacks in defense of Afghan forces killed hundreds or even thousands of Taliban during that period.

Khalilzad also said the Taliban could benefit from outside help on how to deal with the Islamic State extremist group in Afghanistan.

An earlier version of this article mistakenly referred to the former Afghanistan governments 300,000-strong army. That figure included the National Police. Also Khalilizad estimated the Taliban strength at 60,000 to 70,000.
Myanmars military, the Tatmadaw, is cracking down on militia groups in the countrys western Chin state, bordering India and Bangladesh, especially Christians, according to ethnic armed groups, religious and community leaders and local residents.

As the ruling junta, or State Administrative Council, targets civilians and religious buildings in an attempt to defeat local armed groups, local residents are living in panic and many have abandoned their villages, community and religious leaders say.

More than 90% of Chin states population is Christian.

Since early October, the SAC has been sending large numbers of troops into Chin through neighboring Magway and Sagaing regions to defeat local armed groups. The major group is the Chin National Front, founded in 1988. Others, which emerged after Februarys coup, are the Chinland Defense Force, Chin National Defense Force and local units of the anti-junta Peoples Defense Forces.

Chin National Front officials and resistance fighters from the other groups told VOA large numbers of junta troops are now stationed in Hakha, Chins capital, and in the neighboring Mindat, Kanpetlet, Falam and Thantlang townships for military operations.

Tatmadaw troops battled local armed groups on the way to these townships. Junta forces shelled the villages and conducted a campaign of killings, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and illegal confiscation of property, according to witnesses and Chin-based media reports.

Substantial fighting broke out in recent days in Falam as military convoys passed on their way to Hakha, according to Chin National Front and Chin National Defense Force spokesmen.

The worst was the shelling of villages and the destruction of religious buildings. Because of this unlawful behavior, villagers abandoned their homes as soon as military troops approached the villages, said Eun Khaw Tee, who recently fled Mindat after her house was destroyed by Tatmadaw artillery strikes.

I dont know how to describe trouble faced in Mindat. Its so serious, she told VOA from Magway.

On October 19, junta troops camped at Ramhatlo village in Falam township ransacked valuables from more than 100 homes, villagers told VOA.

We fled into the jungle as they arrived in the village. When we returned to the village, our property was destroyed and 30 bags of rice from the church were stolen, said a villager, who asked not to be named.

Villagers and Chin Baptist Association leaders told VOA the military repeated its actions during these days. A Baptist church was destroyed in Thlanrawn village in Falam on October 19, and a collection of hymn books and furniture was set on fire. On October 14, a Baptist church and 12 houses in Riel Thee village in Falam were set on fire, said the villagers, who witnessed these incidents.

In August and September, at least seven churches were damaged or destroyed by military shelling and small arms fire, the U.S.-based Chin Human Rights Organization said in an October 19 report titled Reign of Terror: SAC Junta Attacks on Lives and Properties in Chin State and Northwestern Burma/Myanmar. The organization said it had documented the arrest and detention of 612 Chin people across Myanmar and 17 deaths in Chin during the two months.

Junta spokesman General Zaw Min Tun told local media outlets that homes may have been destroyed during the fighting, but no intentional attacks were reported. The military has not commented on the expansion of military troops in Chin, and Zaw Min Tun did not respond to VOA attempts to reach him.

However the Chin Human Rights Organization report and a spokesman for the Falam-based Chin Baptist Association said the military regime is not only destroying churches, but also killing, arresting and detaining pastors. One pastor was killed and three pastors have been detained, according to information from the report.

Religious leaders in Chin expressed concern over the arrest of pastors and criticized the attack on religious buildings as an insult to religion and religious community. Rev. Law Ha Ling, general secretary of the Chin Baptist Association, said the actions could lead to religious and ethnic clashes in the country.

The Chin Baptist Association strongly denounced indiscriminate targeting, looting and occupation of religious infrastructure. Targeted attacks on religious buildings are an insult to religion as well as an insult to those who worship it, Law Ha Ling told VOA on October 20.

Although the SAC released over 5,000 people who had been charged in connection with anti-junta protests October 19, the pastors have not been released yet, Law Ha Ling said. The association has not been able to meet with pastors and it is unknown where and why they are being held.

Regardless of who they are, the authorities who govern the country have responsibilities to protect the people. Now, It is very frustrating and devastating that the military makes the people live in fear, Law Ha Ling added.

Local resistance fighters say Tatmadaw forces have been deployed in churches in an attempt to gain advantage during the military offensive.

Local armed groups are mostly Christians. They know we do not attack the church. They took advantage of this and took up positions in churches to defeat us and civilians, said a Chinland Defense Force spokesman. He added that junta forces do not hesitate to destroy churches if they think anti-junta Peoples Defense Force troops are there.

Questions over massive attack

The point of targeting the Chin National Front, front spokesman Salai Htet Ni said, is that was the first of the armed ethnic groups to establish an official alliance with the opposition National Unity Government and provide military training to the Peoples Defense Force.

In collaboration with the NUG, we provide military training for NUG and PDF and suggestions on military tactics. Because of these reasons, the CNF became the major target of junta, Salai Htet Ni told VOA October 20.

The Tatmadaw has advanced weapons but local defense forces have the upper hand in the offensive because of their local knowledge, including knowledge of the inhospitable conditions in Chin  roads are rough and landslides are common during monsoon season, for example. So far, 70% of the police and around 200 soldiers in Chin have defected and allied with the combined forces of Chin National Front and resistance groups, Salai Htet Ni said.

However, local defense groups say they face difficulties obtaining arms and access to information as the junta seeks to cut off food, funding, intelligence and recruits to the resistance groups. All townships except Hakha have been cut off from the internet since September 23 and mobile phone service is unstable.

Given the current situation, fighting could intensify in coming weeks, increasing the risk of harm to civilians, local armed groups warned. Aung Lwan Har, who works with groups helping displaced people, expressed concern over increasing numbers of refugees due to further fighting.

Thousands of refugees are still struggling to seek refuge in makeshift camps along the border. Food is also running out, Aung Lwan Har said, adding that the camps will face overcapacity in housing, shelter and food if more people take refuge.

Amid these concerns, the CNF recently formed the Chinland Defense Operation Committee with local resistance groups which are active across Chin State to coordinate attacks on regime troops.

"The fighting is going to get stronger. We will do our best to avoid harm to the local people," said Salai Htet Ni.
New figures from the U.N.s International Labor Organization indicate the global labor market has been slow to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic, with the economies of lower-income countries faring worse than those of the wealthier countries.

Early this year, ILO economists had anticipated a fragile, but steady recovery in the global job market. However, they acknowledge this relative optimism now has faded due to new waves of the pandemic and slower than expected economic recovery.

Based on its findings, the U.N. agency now projects the number of global hours worked this year will be 4.3% below pre-pandemic levels. This is the equivalent to a loss of 125 million full time jobs.

ILO Director-General Guy Ryder says more worrying still is what he sees as the two-speed recovery between higher and lower-income countries.

This is reflected in the fact that the higher income countries, with more resources managed to recover in 2021 at least to some extent, whilst lower income countries continue to suffer very severely from the pandemicThe pandemic has exacerbated inequalities between countries, as well as within them, he expressed.

Ryder blames this growing divergence on differences in the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations and fiscal stimulus packages. He says the pace of each nations recovery depends heavily on its ability to vaccinate its population and it will also depend on the ability of countries to provide a financial cushion to protect workers and businesses from the economic impact of the pandemic.

In low and middle-income countries, fiscal constraints and slow vaccination progress are expected to continue to hinder progress. And without concrete financial and technical support, the great divergence between developed and developing countries will persist, he insists.

The ILO reports the prospects for labor market recovery for the rest of the year remain weak and uncertain. Ryder says no country or region will get out of this crisis alone. He says the only sustainable path out of this health and socio-economic dilemma is for all nations to work together.
The Global Center on Adaptation says climate change will push 120 million people into extreme poverty by 2030, and a third of them will be Africans if nothing is done to mitigate its effects. The findings are in the centers report on Africa, released Tuesday.

Speaking in Nairobi at the release of a report looking at present-day and future climate change risks in Africa, the head of the Global Center on Adaptation, Patrick Verkooijen, says the climate crisis may create millions of poor people on the continent.

In fact, worldwide climate change, if unchecked, will push 122 million new people into extreme poverty by 2030, of these in sub-Saharan Africa alone, 43 million new poor people pushed into poverty by climate change, and even if development is rapid and inclusive up to 12 million people in Africa could be pushed into poverty in this time due to climate change alone," said Verkooijen.

The Netherlands-based organization that works on climate adaptation solutions around the globe said Africas failure to adapt to the recurrent climate shocks will also increase the cost of borrowing, reducing investment opportunities for its people.



According to the Africa Development Bank (AFDB), the continent needs $7- $15 billion a year to create adaptation programs.



Akinwumi Adesina, the Africa Development Bank president, says it is making $25 billion available to scale up climate change adaptation actions and drive investment in green growth.

"We will scale up access to climate-smart digital technologies and associated data-driven agricultural and financial services to at least 30 million farmers in Africa," said Adesina. "Infrastructure, we will ensure that the climate risk and resilience are integrated into at least 50 percent of the total value of new infrastructure investment in Africa across all infrastructure sectors.

The AFDB said it will invest $8 billion to create sustainable jobs for Africas youth and innovative financial initiatives that help increase financial flows for adaptation and resilience.



Kenyas president, Uhuru Kenyatta, addressing the gathering online, said his government is ready to handle the adverse effect of climate change.

"To implement our nationally determined contributions, we plan to invest approximately $8 billion over the next ten years," said Kenyatta. "This is just 10 percent of the total investment needed of the NDCs and we, therefore, need support from our international partners.

Verkooijen says, apart from the effort to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, investing in communication tools, water and health can help Africa.

"A dollar invested in weather and climate information services gives between $4 and $25 in benefits," said Verkooijen. "A dollar invested in resilient water and sanitation not only saves lives it creates between $2 and $12 in benefits. African countries that invest a dollar in climate-smart crops can see between $2 and $14 in benefits. Adaptation makes economic sense.

High-level officials and heads of state from around the world are scheduled to meet in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday for the COP26 climate summit, and to accelerate action toward the goals of the 2019 Paris Agreement meant to limit global warming.
The Senate confirmed two prominent anti-Trump Republicans to serve in the Biden administration on Tuesday with former Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona approved to serve as the ambassador to Turkey, and Cindy McCain, the wife of the late Senator John McCain, approved to serve as the ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture.

The Senate also voted to confirm former Democratic Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico to serve as ambassador to New Zealand, and Victoria Reggie Kennedy of Massachusetts, the widow of former Senator Ted Kennedy, to serve as ambassador to Austria.

The nominations were approved through voice vote, a process taking only minutes that can be used so long as no senators object. Republicans, led by Senator Ted Cruz, are requiring the vast majority of Biden's other State Department nominees to go through a much more extensive and time-consuming process.

Democratic Senator Chris Coons thanked senators for acting quickly on the four nominations but said he remains concerned about the overall pace of confirmations for the president's diplomatic corps.

"There are dozens of countries where there is no confirmed American ambassador, and I hope that this moment of progress will be a predictor of other progress to come soon," Coons said.

Flake was a rare critic of former President Donald Trump among Senate Republicans. He served just one term in the Senate, opting not to seek reelection in the face of what was certain to be a difficult GOP primary.

McCain endorsed Biden in the presidential election, which at the time was viewed as possibly helping Biden broaden his appeal to Republicans and independents in Arizona, a crucial swing state that her husband had represented in Congress for 35 years.
Despite the military takeover in Sudan on Monday, Nureldin Satti, Sudans ambassador to the United States, remains in his post and vows to continue working with U.S. officials. In an interview with VOA's Nabeel Biajo, Satti said that he rejects the military moves and is coordinating with Sudanese diplomats around the world to mount pressure on Sudans military leaders to restore the civilian-led government.



The interview was edited for brevity and clarity.

VOA: What is your position regarding the military takeover in Sudan?

Satti: I reject the military coup that was orchestrated on October 25.  I shall be working with my colleagues in the diplomatic service and with the diaspora around the United States and around the world to see to it that this coup is not accepted, and that the coup intentions and results be reversed as soon as possible.



VOA: Have you received any instructions from Sudan whether you should continue serving as Sudan ambassador?

Satti: No, no. Nothing.



VOA: The government that appointed you has been toppled. What is your next move?

Satti: Well, my next move is to continue serving as ambassador of the Sudanese people and ambassador of Sudan in the country as long as it takes. I shall remain in position to defend the principles of the government that has been toppled illegally by the military. And I consider myself as being the ambassador of a country and not under a regime.



VOA: If General Abdel-Fattah Burhan decides to fire you and appoint a new diplomatic mission, lets say in the U.S, will you defy the order and refuse to abandon your post?



Satti: I will, you know, cross that bridge when I come to it. I cannot foretell what will be my reaction. It depends on the conditions that will prevail from now until that decision, and things are going to be much more complicated than that. In order for him to appoint a new diplomatic mission, it will be an issue.  It's not going to be easy for this regime  to appoint a new ambassador to the United States.



VOA: So, you're saying they have power, but they don't have legitimacy?



Satti: Absolutely.



VOA: You mentioned that you have joined other diplomats in other capitals to resist what is happening in Sudan. What are you doing exactly?



Satti: I am talking regularly to U.S. officials. Today, I spoke to staffers from the [U.S.] Senate and officers from the State Department. Yesterday, I spoke to the assistant secretary for African affairs at the State Department. I continue to engage, you know, the U.S. administration and Congress and to explain the position. And I have to say that there is overwhelming support to my position and that of my colleagues who have taken the same position.  I engage, of course, with the diaspora, and I had a meeting with the representatives of the diaspora in the United States yesterday. It was a very good meeting, and we agreed to work together. And I believe that my colleagues also in other embassies, like the one in Brussels, and in Paris, in Geneva, in Beijing, in South Africa and in New York are doing the same thing.



VOA: When you meet with U.S. officials, what are you asking them to do?

Satti: I am asking them to put pressure on the coup perpetrators in order to reverse the action that they have taken, and to take the country back to where it was 48 hours ago and to accept to engage wholeheartedly with the civilian component in order to take the country out of this crisis. A military coup has never resolved problems. It is only adding to our problems and complicating things for us. So, that's the message that I'm passing here. The United States [has] to put pressure on the coup plotters in order to change.  We have nothing against the military, but our problem is certain people in the military who do not want this revolution to move forward.
The Committee to Protect Journalists says Sudanese military authorities on Tuesday arrested journalist Maher Abugoukh, a manager at Sudan state television, at his home in Khartoum.

The military seized power in a coup on Monday.

The CPJ said in a press release the reason for the arrest has not been disclosed and that Abugoukhs whereabouts are unknown.

Abugoukh has been critical of the military during live radio and television shows, said the New York-based media rights group.

Sudanese authorities must release Maher Abugoukh immediately, said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour in the statement. Sudanese journalists must be free to cover the unfolding coup without fear of reprisal and raids and with unrestricted access to telecommunications services.

Abugoukhs arrest comes amid several recent attacks on journalists in Sudan.
Sudanese security forces arrested demonstrators in Khartoum Wednesday, including three leading pro-democracy activists, as the World Bank and the African Union took steps to increase pressure on the leaders of Mondays military coup.

Witnesses say security forces fired tear gas at protesters and arrested them while removing their barricades in the capital. Activists from the Umma Party, Sudans largest political group, were among the detainees.

The activists, all critics of the military takeover, have been identified asSudanese Professionals Association leader Ismail al-Taj, Umma Party leader Sadiq al-Mahdi and a former media adviser to the prime minister, Khalid al-Silaik.

Meanwhile, the African Union suspended Sudans involvement in the organizations activities until power is returned to a civilian government, according to an AU statement.

The World Bank said in a statement that it has paused financial aid to the country and stopped processing any new operations as we closely monitor and assess the situation.

Many businesses in Sudan remain closed in response to calls for strikes, which some doctors and state oil workers said they would join in support of the ousted government. Central bank employees have also gone on strike.

On Tuesday, military chief General Abdel-Fattah Burhan defended the army's overthrow of the transitional government, saying it was necessary to avoid a civil war.

"The whole country was deadlocked due to political rivalries," Burhan said at a televised news conference in Khartoum. "The experience during the past two years has proven that the participation of political forces in the transitional period is flawed and stirs up strife."

Deposed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and his wife, who had been detained Monday, were allowed to return to their home late Tuesday but were "under close surveillance," a statement issued by his office reported.

Burhan also acknowledged that "we arrested ministers and politicians but not all" and said that some would face trial for allegedly inciting a rebellion within the military.

United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing that the secretary-generals special envoy to Sudan, Volker Perthes, met in Sudan Wednesday with Burhan to discuss the takeover and subsequent developments. Dujarric said Perthes reiterated that the U.N. wants to see a return to the transition process and demanded an immediate release of all arbitrarily detained.

Dujarric said Perthes also met with Hamdok in his home.

What we want to see  is the complete release of Prime Minister Hamdok, Dujarric declared. He remains under some sort of house arrest. He is not free of his movements, and he should be free of his movements.

In a statement Tuesday from the U.S. State Department, Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised Hamdok's release and spoke with him late Tuesday. Blinken again called on Sudan's military to release all civilian leaders, according to the statement.

UN Security Council

The U.N. Security Council met privately Tuesday to discuss the situation but have so far not issued any statement condemning the coup. Some members, including Russia and China, have publicly questioned whether it is a coup and have said council members should not interfere in Sudans domestic affairs.

But Kenyas U.N. ambassador told reporters Wednesday he hoped the council would pronounce itself now that the African Union had taken action.

I very much hope the Security Council will consider this step by the (AU) Peace and Security Council to be a challenge to step up to the plate, Martin Kimani said.

National emergency

Burhan declared a national emergency Monday and announced the end of the joint civilian-military Sovereign Council that had run the country since August 2019, shortly after the ouster of longtime autocratic President Omar al-Bashir.

He pledged the military would turn power over to a civilian government in July 2023 after general elections are held.

The center of Khartoum near the Foreign Ministry and other government offices was quiet early Wednesday, according to journalist Mohamed Ali Fazari.

He said in an interview with VOA the relative calm in central Khartoum could be interrupted by a group of neighborhood committees planning a "march of millions" on Saturday.

People are calling for a big demonstration, which they call the One Million March demonstration, on October 30, and also there are some calls for civil disobedience, Fazari said.

On Monday, the Sudan Doctors Committee said at least four people were killed and 80 injured when security forces opened fire on demonstrators protesting the coup. Despite the violence, more demonstrations took place Tuesday.

Global response

The Arab League was also among those calling on Sudan to stay on a path toward civilian rule.

A joint statement issued by the United States, Britain and Norway through the State Department condemned the coup and called on Sudanese security forces to immediately release all people "unlawfully detained."

"The actions of the military represent a betrayal of the revolution, the transition, and the legitimate requests of the Sudanese people for peace, justice and economic development," the statement read.

The State Department said it was suspending $700 million in financial assistance to Sudan.

In a statement Tuesday, Sudan's ambassador to the U.S., Nureldin Satti, condemned the coup "that has put an end to the civilian democratic transition in Sudan."

"I am heartened to see that my colleagues in Brussels, Paris and Geneva and New York have followed suit and condemned the military coup," Satti added. "We shall work with other colleagues in the diplomatic service and in the diaspora to resist the military coup in support of the heroic struggle of the Sudanese people to achieve the objectives of the December 19, 2018, revolution."

Hamdok, an economist and diplomat who has worked for the U.N., was named transitional prime minister in August 2019. The transition received strong support from Western countries, including the United States, which removed Sudan from its state sponsors of terrorism list.

But Hamdok faced stiff resistance from elements of Sudan's military. On September 21, forces still loyal to Bashir used tanks to block a key bridge and attempted to seize power. The coup was put down, and dozens of soldiers were arrested.

Thousands took to the streets last week to protest the prospect of a return to military rule.

"This country is ours, and our government is civilian," protesters chanted.

Michael Atit of VOA English to Africa's South Sudan in Focus radio program and VOAs U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. Some information also came from AP, Reuters, and AFP.
Chinas efforts to surpass the United States as the worlds foremost military power are making significant progress, based on a July test of a hypersonic weapons system.

The top U.S. military officer confirmed Beijings July 27 test of a high-speed system that orbits Earth to better evade U.S. missile defense systems, calling the development very concerning.

What we saw was a very significant event of a test of a hypersonic weapon system, General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Bloomberg Television on Wednesday.

I dont know if its quite a Sputnik moment, but I think its very close to that, he added, referring to Russias launch of the worlds first artificial satellite in the 1950s, which sparked the space race that dominated the next several decades. It has all of our attention.

A surprise, report says

Until now, U.S. officials have declined to speak publicly about the Chinese weapons test, first reported by the Financial Times, which said it took U.S. intelligence officials by surprise.

The Financial Times also reported that while the Chinese weapon missed its target by several kilometers, the test marked the first time any country had sent a hypersonic weapon fully around Earth.

For years, U.S. military officials have warned about the dangers of hypersonic weapons, which travel faster than five times the speed of sound and are capable of carrying nuclear payloads.

In 2018, General John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, cautioned that Washingtons best defense against hypersonic weapons was to be able to mount similar offensive capabilities.

We don't have any defense that could deny the deployment of such a weapon against us," said Hyten, then the commander of U.S. Strategic Command.

Since then, U.S. military officials have made the development of hypersonic weapons a priority, boosting research following a Russian test of a nuclear-capable hypersonic glider in 2018.

Last week, the U.S. Army and Navy announced several tests of hypersonic weapons components, describing them as successful.

But concerns about hypersonic weapons persist.

We just don't know how we can defend against that type of technology, Ambassador Robert Wood, the top U.S. arms control official, told reporters in Geneva last week, when asked about the reported Chinese test.

Neither does China or Russia, Wood added.

For its part, China has denied it carried out a hypersonic missile test, saying it actually tested a reusable spacecraft.

But U.S. officials said Wednesday that in any case, Chinas military trajectory is worrying.

They continue to pursue capabilities that increase tensions in the region, and we continue to have concerns about that, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, declining to comment directly on Beijings hypersonic test.

The Pentagon also refused to comment directly on the test, saying only that the development reinforces for us the need to continue to treat the PRC [Peoples Republic of China] as our No. 1 challenge.

"We are laser focused on making sure that we have the operational concepts, the capabilities, the resources that we need to deal with this pacing challenge, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said during a briefing, in response to a question from VOA.

They have a global reach that we have to be careful about. he said.

VOA's Carla Babb and Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report. Some information came from Reuters.
The U.N. refugee agency says it welcomes recent steps by Pakistan to ease restrictions at official border points with neighboring Afghanistan. The agency says this enables smoother movement of goods into troubled Afghanistan, and keep people from turning to human smugglers to cross the border.

Afghanistan is a landlocked country and depends largely on cross-border trade for survival. Since the Taliban took control of the country in mid-August, Pakistan has tightened border controls.

U.N. refugee agency spokesman Babar Baloch, speaking from the Afghan capital Kabul, says the border disruptions have created many hardships. He says they have affected trade and regular population movements. In some cases, he says the border restrictions may have acted as a barrier for people seeking safety.

Disruptions have left many Afghans, including women, children and those needing urgent medical attention, stranded for weeks, especially at the Chaman-Spin Boldak border crossing between the two countries. This border has remained closed for the past three weeks now, he said.

Balloch said the new steps will ease fears of people being pushed into the hands of human smugglers and traffickers, potentially with deadly consequences. He said, so far, a predicted mass exodus of refugees from Afghanistan has not materialized. To date, he said only some 50,000 people have fled to Pakistan and Iran.

He said the bigger problem remains the huge number of people displaced inside Afghanistan. This year, he noted, conflict has caused nearly 700,000 people to flee their homes, for a total of 3.5 million people uprooted within the country.

Balloch said the UNHCR is mainly focused on providing essential humanitarian assistance to displaced Afghans. He said his agency has provided tents, emergency shelter kits, food rations and many other relief supplies this year to nearly half a million people.

UNHCR is also arranging further airlifts of humanitarian supplies into Afghanistan in addition to the three flights that recently landed in Termez, Uzbekistan. As we continue to scale up our humanitarian response, more resources are urgently needed ahead of the harsh winter that could bring deadly consequences for Afghans, Balloch said.

The UNHCR is appealing for urgent international support to displaced Afghans living in dire conditions both within and outside the country.

A recent U.N. report finds more than half the Afghan population, nearly 23 million people, are suffering from acute hunger. It warns the looming harsh winter season will cut off access to many areas of the country where families desperately depend on humanitarian aid for survival.
Reports of dramatically reduced immigration enforcement inside the United States have prompted cheers from rights advocates and derision from critics of the Biden administration who are already incensed over record migration to the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that arrests of undocumented immigrants inside the United States dropped significantly in fiscal 2021, which ended September 30. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data showed the total of 72,000 arrests to be the lowest number in more than a decade, according to the news outlet, and about half the annual totals recorded during the Trump administration.

By comparison, ICEs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers made 104,000 administrative arrests during fiscal 2020 and an average of 148,000 annually from 2017 through 2019, according to the Post.

VOA asked ICE for confirmation and comments on the 2021 data, which have yet to be publicly released, but the agency did not reply.

The Washington-based National Immigration Forum hailed reduced ICE enforcement as good progress and a sign of what happens when law enforcement focuses on public safety threats.

Republican Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee had a different take.

By drastically reducing enforcement of immigration law within the U.S., despite record illegal immigration, the Biden Administration is elevating the interests of illegal aliens over the rights of Americans, the senator tweeted.

Upon taking office in January, President Joe Biden, a Democrat, ordered a 100-day deportation freeze along with a request to review enforcement policies executed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ICE and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Three days later, Texas Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, sued to block the freeze. A federal judge temporarily paused Bidens order, then indefinitely halted it in February.

Despite judicial intervention, interior arrests remained low for the remainder of the fiscal year, continuing a downward trajectory over much of the past decade, partly because of the pandemic but also the Biden administrations push for a more "humane" approach to interior arrests.

The DHS recently announced new sensitive location enforcement guidance. Effective immediately, U.S. immigration agents are expected to avoid enforcement in places like rallies, religious ceremonies and places where children gather, among others.

ICE interior enforcement arrests topped out around 322,000 in 2011 during the former Obama administration, falling to about 110,000 in 2016 before rising to about 158,000 in 2018 under Trump.

In September, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that immigration agents would primarily target national security or public safety threats as well as recent border crossers.

Enforcement priorities for apprehension and removal remain focused on noncitizens who are a threat to our national security, public safety, and border security, a DHS memo stated.

Mayorkas said the guidelines, scheduled to go into effect November 29, would enable our department to most effectively accomplish our law enforcement mission  [and] help us exercise our prosecutorial discretion to achieve justice.

The Biden administration has also pledged to halt workplace ICE raids and shift agents focus to employers who are hiring and exploiting undocumented workers.

During the 2020 presidential campaign, Biden promised what he called a more humanitarian approach to U.S.-bound immigration. Under Trump, his Republican predecessor, no undocumented immigrants were exempted from immigration enforcement regardless of how long they had lived in the United States or whether they had clean criminal records.
The State Department is creating a new Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy to focus on tackling cybersecurity challenges at a time of growing threats from opponents. There will also be a new special envoy for critical and emerging technology, who will lead the technology diplomacy agenda with U.S. allies.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the organizational changes underscore the need for a robust approach for dealing with cyber threats.

"We want to make sure technology works for democracy, fighting back against disinformation, standing up for internet freedom, and reducing the misuse of surveillance technology," Blinken said in a speech on modernizing American diplomacy.

Blinken said the new bureau will be led by an ambassador-at-large. The chief U.S. diplomat is also seeking a 50% increase in State Department's information technology budget.

The announcement comes as hackers backed by foreign governments, such as Russia and China, continue to attack U.S. infrastructures and global technology systems to steal sensitive information.

Earlier this year, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said that more countries are relying on cyber operations to steal information, influence populations and damage industry, but the U.S. is most concerned about Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

The U.S. technology giant Microsoft said on Monday that the same Russia-backed hackers responsible for the 2020 SolarWinds breach of corporate computer systems are continuing to attack global technology systems, this time targeting cloud service resellers.

A senior State Department official told reporters on Wednesday that Washington has been clear with Moscow that cyber criminals targeting the U.S. is "not acceptable." The United States has asked the Russian government to "take action against that type of criminal behavior."

Confronting cyberattacks continues to be "a high priority" in U.S. relations with Russia, the senior official said.

China is also considered to be one of the United States' main cyber adversaries, having coordinated teams both inside and outside of the government conducting cyberespionage campaigns that were large-scale and indiscriminate, according to analysts.

Over the past year, experts have attributed notable hacks in the U.S., Europe and Asia to China's Ministry of State Security, the nation's civilian intelligence agency, which has taken the lead in Beijing's cyberespionage, consolidating efforts by the People's Liberation Army.

In addition to expanding the State Department's capacity on cybersecurity, Blinken also unveiled other steps to modernize American diplomacy, including the launch of a new "policy ideas channel" that allows American diplomats to share their policy ideas directly with senior leadership, building and retaining a diverse workforce, as well as a plan to "reinvigorate the in-person diplomacy and public engagement."

The organization changes to beef up resources and staffers to tackle international cybersecurity challenges came after the State Department completed an extensive review of cyberspace and emerging technology.
Pressure is mounting on Vietnam to release an imprisoned journalist known for her coverage of human rights issues.

An opinion issued by the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found that journalist Pham Doan Trang was denied her rights following her October 2020 arrest and subsequent detention in Ho Chi Minh City.

A copy of the working group's opinion, sent to the journalist's lawyer on October 25, said, "The appropriate remedy would be to release [Trang] immediately and accord her an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law."

Trang, who co-founded the independent magazine Luat Khoa and The Vietnamese news website, reported on issues including police harassment.

Before her arrest on charges of anti-state propaganda, Trang said on social media that police were harassing her because of her reporting.

Trang's lawyer, Kurtulus Bastimar, told VOA Vietnamese the U.N. found that authorities arrested Trang without a warrant, and that she was not informed of the charges against her or given an opportunity to challenge her detention. Both are considered violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Bastimar said the ruling was significant.

"The U.N. working group in this decision has decided that Pham Doan Trang has been placed outside of the protection of the law," he said. "This is really important."

Also significant, Bastimar said, is that the U.N. body did not recognize Vietnam's judicial authority as competent.

"So, they are not independent in the eyes of the U.N. Working Group," he said.

Bastimar said he also believes the U.N. opinion could assist Vietnamese lawyers, who can use its findings on human rights violations and violations of international law in cases they are defending.

The Vietnamese embassy in Washington did not respond to VOA's request for comment. Neither the Ministry of Public Security nor the Hanoi City prosecutor's office responded to a request for comment.

Trang's case was also highlighted by a coalition of human rights groups which called on Vietnam to "immediately and unconditionally" release the journalist, who is due to go on trial November 4.

A joint statement Tuesday from 28 civil society organizations, including Human Rights Watch, the Committee to Protect Journalists and various Vietnamese groups, said Trang had been denied access to her lawyers and family for over a year.

"It is clear that Pham Doan Trang is being persecuted for her long-standing work as an independent journalist, book publisher, and human rights defender, known for writing about topics ranging from environmental rights to police violence, as well as for her advocacy for press freedom," the statement said.

Vietnam has a poor record for media freedom, ranking 175 out of 180 countries, where 1 is freest, on the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.

"Vietnam's press freedom and the human rights are definitely under huge pressure,"Bastimar said, adding that those who criticize the government or its policies risk being arrested.

Punishing journalists is a barrier for democracy, Bastimar said.

"Fundamental rights, especially the right to freedom of expression, is a cornerstone for a government to reach the democratic environment," he said.

This story originated in VOA's Vietnamese Service.
The U.N. refugee agency reports it has restarted a voluntary repatriation operation for thousands of refugees from the Central African Republic who were living in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Over the past two years, the U.N. refugee agency has helped more than 5,000 refugees return from Congo to the Central African Republic. The voluntary operation, which has been interrupted on two occasions, resumed on Friday.

The program was first halted in March 2020 when both countries closed their borders to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The second interruption occurred last December when violence surrounding the C.A.R. presidential elections sent an estimated 92,000 refugees fleeing into the DRC.

UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo says a first group of 250 refugees left Mole camp to Zongo city in the northwestern DRC last Friday.

She says a second group of 250 people left the camp on Tuesday morning. Later in the day, she says a 20-minute boat ride will ferry the refugees across the Ubangi River to Bangui, the C.A.R. capital.

People are only returning to areas where security has improved in the past six months, such as Bangui and the prefectures of Ombella Mpoko and Lobaye. Most of those set to return fled their homes because of violence in 2013. UNHCR and partners will also soon organize voluntary repatriation flights for refugees living in Inke camp in North Ubangi province. Air transport is necessary due to the distances and poor roads, Mantoo said.

The voluntary repatriation began in November 2019. That followed the signing of a Tripartite agreement between the C.A.R. and DRC in July. Mantoo says nearly 10,000 refugees in three camps hosting them have signed up for voluntary repatriation.

UNHCR is providing assistance to the returning refugees and together with partners is working on reintegration projects in C.A.R., including in education and agriculture. Some 206,346 C.A.R. refugees live in camps and with host communities in DRCs three provinces. And UNHCR and partners plan to assist 6,500 of them to return this year, Mantoo said.

Since violence between armed groups erupted in 2013, more than 680,000 refugees and asylum seekers have fled to Cameroon, the DRC, the Republic of the Congo, and Chad. About a third are being hosted in DRC. Another 630,000 people are displaced within Central African Republic.
Pro-government Zimbabweans say sanctions imposed in 2003 and earlier by some Western nations, including the United States, because of election rigging and human rights abuses, are derailing the country economys recovery. The sanctions are a divisive issue among Zimbabweans. The U.N. Special Rapporteur has been assessing the impact of sanctions.

Wengesai Imbayago, 38, is among those who have camped outside the U.S. Embassy in Harare in protests that have lasted nearly three years. He says he wants U.S. officials to take action now.

Imbayago says the protesters aim is to leave the place outside the U.S. Embassy where they are camped out when the United States removes sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. The sanctions, he says, have strained relations of the country with other countries worldwide.

The Labour, Economists and African Democrats of Zimbabwe, an opposition political party, was one of the organizations that were initially supporting the sanctions  which targeted specific individuals and entities linked to the abuses. But now, its leader, Linda Tsungirirai Masarira, says sanctions are hurting ordinary Zimbabweans and must be removed.

If indeed these sanctions were targeted, they missed the target. Because the 83 people they [the West] brag that they are on the sanctions list live a lavish lifestyle," she said. "They send their children to schools in the diaspora, they go to hospitals anywhere in the world. They have got private jets; they are not affected anyhow by these sanctions.



But not every Zimbabwean agrees. One of them is Pride Mkono an opposition activist.

"The issue of sanctions has been topical this week with the government calling for their removal," Mkono says. "But the reasons behind the sanctions are still in place, include violence, rigging elections, corruption and mismanagement of resources." Mkono argues as long as the reasons remain in place, the sanctions must not be removed and those on sanctions list must not travel to the West.

The United States, Britain, and the European Union, in statements this week, said Zimbabwes economy was suffering not because of sanctions, but because of corruption and government mismanagement of the countrys resources.

Still, Bishop Erick Ruwona, vice president of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, the country's faith-based coalition, says it is time for sanctions to be removed.

But we are also saying the issues that resulted in these sanctions being imposed must be addressed. All the issues being the human rights issues, our economy, our humanitarian situation, he said.

Alena Douhan, a U.N. Special Rapporteur, has spent two weeks in Zimbabwe assessing the impact of the sanctions.

President Emmerson Mnangagwas government has led the calls for protests, alleging Zimbabwe is being punished for the land reform program under the late President Robert Mugabe, which displaced white commercial farmers.
Pro-government Zimbabweans say sanctions imposed in 2003 and earlier by some Western nations, including the United States, because of election rigging and human rights abuses, are derailing the country economys recovery. The sanctions are a divisive issue among Zimbabweans. For VOA, Columbus Mavhunga reports from Zimbabwes capital, Harare, where the U.N. Special Rapporteur has been assessing the impact of sanctions.
Madagascar is known for its rich and diverse wildlife, but experts say forest degradation is a growing threat to both animals and humans. As Anne Nzouankeu reports from Madagascars Tsitongambarika Forest, there are success stories thanks to reforestation efforts.
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Police arrested war veterans in Harare on Tuesday, who were demanding an increase in pension earnings. They are currently getting less than US$100 per month.
A United Nations envoy has recommended that the West should lift targeted sanctions imposed on Zanu PF officials, saying the targeted measures are harming the countrys economy.

In a statement, the UN Human Rights quoted Elena Douhan as saying, Over the past 20 years, sanctions and various forms of over-compliance with sanctions has had an insidious ripple effect on the economy of Zimbabwe and on the enjoyment of fundamental human rights, including access to health, food, safe drinking water and sanitation, education and employment.

This situation also limits Zimbabwes ability to guarantee the functioning of public institutions, delivery of services, and maintenance of essential infrastructure, and undermines the right to development of the Zimbabwean people and impedes the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

Douhan said the Unites and other nations should lift sanctions on targeted individuals and entities and end over-compliance.

The time is ripe for sanctioning states and key national stakeholders to engage in a meaningful structured dialogue on political reform, human rights and the rule of law, and abandon rhetoric on sanctions as an advocacy tool, she said.

Douhan will present her report to the Human Rights Council in September, 2022.

Reacting to the special envoys statement, Information Secretary, Nick Mangwana, said   the UN Special Rapporteur has made an emphatic call for the removal of Illegal and coercive Sanctions against Zimbabwe. There is no sane Zimbabwean who can insist on their retention.

The West imposed targeted sanctions on some Zanu PF officials, citing serious cases of human rights violations and election rigging.
A Zimbabwean challenging President Emmerson Mnangagwas leadership says he is a registered Zanu PF member contrary to remarks by some top ruling party officials that he is an imposter.

Sybeth Musengezi says Zanu PF information director, Tafadzwa Mugwadi, and presidential spokesperson, George Charamba, dont have registers of Zanu PF members and therefore have misled the public into believing that he is not a ruling party activist.

Musengezi, who sent VOA Zimbabwe Service copies of his old and new Zanu PF membership cards, said, Tafadzwa Mugwadi, the current Zanu PF director for information is a very young boy who doesn't even have five years in Zanu PF. He knows nothing but is just someone who sings for his supper.

Sybeth Musengezi says he is a member of the ruling party contrary to remarks by some people that he is an imposter. (Courtesy Image)

George Charamba is Mnangagwa's spokesperson regarding government matters so he can't possibly know everyone in Zanu PF. If he has evidence that I'm not a Zanu PF member he must give it to his boss so that they can incorporate it in their answering affidavits. How could I have contested in Zanu PF Parliamentary primary elections ahead of the 2023 elections if I wasn't a member of the party? They're just looking for ways to discredit my application but it'll not work.

In a tweet recently with Musengezis photograph attached, presidential spokesperson George Charamba, using the Twitter handle, Jamwanda, said, Face yakatai kuita yeZanu PF??? Ityai Mwari imi!!!! (This cant be the face of a Zanu PF member?? Fear God!!!!)

Mugwadi also claimed on Monday that Musengezi is a Zanu PF imposter.

Charamba and Mugwadi were not available for comment today as they were not responding to calls on their mobile phones.

Musengezi claims that he is being threatened by some ruling party members for filling a High Court application seeking the nullification of Mnangagwas leadership in Zanu PF.

In his court papers, Musengezi claimed that a Central Committee meeting convened in November 2017, which elevated Mnangagwa to the post of Zanu PF secretary, violated the ruling partys constitution.

He says the party should revert to its 2017 structures as Mnangagwa was elected by his friends and not the entirety of the ruling party structures.

Mnangagwa, administration secretary Obert Mpofu and other respondents are yet to file opposing papers.
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (center, wearing brown coat) gathers with fellow DFL candidates and supporters at a farm near Garfield on Thursday, November 3rd. To the right of the senator in this photo is Gail Kulp, who is challenging incumbent Mary Franson in the Minnesota House District 8B race.
I felt this quake

Light magnitude 4.2 earthquake at 37 km depth

27 Oct 06:22 UTC: First to report: EMSC after 2 minutes.

27 Oct 06:24: Now using data updates from IGN

... [show all] ... 27 Oct 06:26: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.1. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 0.0 km (from 24 to 0 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 22 km (14 mi) towards ENE.

27 Oct 06:30: Hypocenter depth recalculated from 0.0 to 10.0 km (from 0 to 6.2 mi).

27 Oct 06:38: Magnitude recalculated from 4.1 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 10.0 to 31.0 km (from 6.2 to 19.3 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 20 km (13 mi) towards W.

27 Oct 06:52: Hypocenter depth recalculated from 31.0 to 38.0 km (from 19.3 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 5.9 km (3.7 mi) towards S.

27 Oct 06:58: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 06:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 06:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 06:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 06:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 06:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 06:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 06:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 07:06: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 07:06: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 07:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 07:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 07:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 07:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 07:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 07:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 07:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 07:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 07:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 07:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 07:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 07:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 08:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 08:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 08:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 08:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 08:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 08:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 08:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 08:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 08:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 08:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 09:06: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 09:06: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 09:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 09:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 09:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 09:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 10:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 10:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 10:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 10:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 11:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 11:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 11:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 11:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 11:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 11:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 11:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 11:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 11:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 11:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 11:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 11:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 12:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 12:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 12:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 12:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 12:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 12:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 13:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 13:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 13:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 13:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 13:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 13:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 13:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 13:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 13:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 13:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 14:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 14:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 14:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 14:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 14:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 14:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 15:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 15:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 15:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 15:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 15:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 15:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 15:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 15:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 16:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 16:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 16:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 16:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 16:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 16:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 16:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 16:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 17:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 17:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 17:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 17:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 17:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 17:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 17:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 17:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 17:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 17:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 18:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 18:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 18:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 18:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 18:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 18:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 18:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 18:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 18:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 18:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 19:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 19:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 19:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 19:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 19:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 19:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 19:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 19:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 19:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 19:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 19:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 19:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 20:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 20:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 21:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 21:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 22:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 22:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 22:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 22:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

30 Oct 23:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

30 Oct 23:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 00:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 00:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 00:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 00:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 00:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 00:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 01:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 01:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 01:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 01:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 01:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 01:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 01:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 01:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 02:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 02:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 02:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 02:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 02:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 02:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 03:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 03:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 03:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 03:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 03:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 03:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 03:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 03:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 04:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 04:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 04:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 04:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 04:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 04:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 05:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 05:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 05:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 05:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 06:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 06:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 07:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 07:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 07:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 07:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 07:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 07:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 08:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 08:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 08:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 08:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 08:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 08:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 09:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 09:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 09:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 09:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 09:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 09:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 09:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 09:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 09:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 09:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 10:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 10:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 10:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 10:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 10:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 10:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 10:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 10:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 10:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 10:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 11:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 11:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 11:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 11:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 11:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 11:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 13:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 13:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 13:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 13:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 13:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 13:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 13:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 13:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 14:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 14:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 14:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 14:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 14:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 14:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 14:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 14:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 14:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 14:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 15:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 15:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 15:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 15:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 15:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 15:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 16:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 16:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 16:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 16:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 16:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 16:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 16:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 16:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 17:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 17:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 17:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 17:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 17:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 17:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 17:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 17:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 18:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 18:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 18:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 18:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 18:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 18:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 18:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 18:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 18:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 18:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 19:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 19:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 19:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 19:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 19:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 19:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 19:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 19:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 19:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 19:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 19:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 19:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 20:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 20:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 20:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 20:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 20:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 20:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 21:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 21:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 22:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 22:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 22:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 22:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 22:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 22:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 23:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 23:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 23:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 23:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

31 Oct 23:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

31 Oct 23:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 00:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 00:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 00:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 00:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 00:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 00:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 00:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 00:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 00:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 00:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 01:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 01:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 01:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 01:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 01:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 01:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 01:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 01:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 02:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 02:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 02:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 02:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 02:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 02:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 02:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 02:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 02:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 02:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 03:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 03:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 03:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 03:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 03:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 03:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 03:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 03:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 03:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 03:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 04:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 04:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 04:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 04:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 04:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 04:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 04:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 04:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 04:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 04:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 04:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 04:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 04:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 04:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 05:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 05:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 05:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 05:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 05:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 05:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 05:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 05:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 05:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 05:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 05:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 05:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 05:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 05:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 05:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 05:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 06:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 06:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 06:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 06:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 07:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 07:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 07:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 07:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 07:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 07:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 07:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 07:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 07:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 07:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 08:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 08:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 08:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 08:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 08:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 08:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 08:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 08:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 08:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 08:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 08:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 08:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 08:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 08:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 08:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 08:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 09:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 09:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 09:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 09:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 09:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 09:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 09:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 09:15: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 09:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 09:25: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 09:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 09:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 09:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 09:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 09:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 09:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 09:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 09:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 09:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 09:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 10:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 10:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 10:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 10:05: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 10:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 10:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 10:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 10:30: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 10:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 10:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 10:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 10:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 10:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 10:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 10:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 10:50: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 10:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 10:55: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 11:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 11:00: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 11:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 11:10: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 11:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 11:20: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 11:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 11:35: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 11:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

1 Nov 11:40: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.6. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 37.0 to 38.0 km (from 23 to 24 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards NE.

1 Nov 11:45: Magnitude recalculated from 4.6 to 4.2. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 38.0 to 37.0 km (from 24 to 23 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards SW.

Update Wed, 27 Oct 2021, 06:42

4.6 quake 27 Oct 7:19 am (GMT +1)



A second report was later issued by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), which listed it as a magnitude 4.6 earthquake as well.

Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicenter.

Weak shaking might have been felt in Brena Baja (pop. 4,200) located 3 km from the epicenter, Brena Alta (pop. 7,100) 4 km away, Mazo (pop. 4,800) 5 km away, El Paso (pop. 7,100) 6 km away, Santa Cruz de La Palma (pop. 17,100) 7 km away, Los Llanos de Aridane (pop. 20,800) 10 km away, Tazacorte (pop. 5,700) 11 km away, and Garachico (pop. 6,000) 16 km away.

VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you're in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either Spain's Instituto Geografico Nacional (IGN) reported a magnitude 4.6 quake in Spain near Los Llanos de Aridane, La Palma Island, Canary Islands, only 22 minutes ago. The earthquake hit in the morning on Wednesday, October 27th, 2021, at 7:19 am local time at a moderately shallow depth of 31 km. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.A second report was later issued by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), which listed it as a magnitude 4.6 earthquake as well.Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicenter.Weak shaking might have been felt in Brena Baja (pop. 4,200) located 3 km from the epicenter, Brena Alta (pop. 7,100) 4 km away, Mazo (pop. 4,800) 5 km away, El Paso (pop. 7,100) 6 km away, Santa Cruz de La Palma (pop. 17,100) 7 km away, Los Llanos de Aridane (pop. 20,800) 10 km away, Tazacorte (pop. 5,700) 11 km away, and Garachico (pop. 6,000) 16 km away.VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you're in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either online or via our mobile app . This will help us provide more first-hand updates to anyone around the globe who wants to know more about this quake.





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Limassol (11.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : Right just after i woke up it started. I knew it was an earthquake because it took like 10seconds to stop. I didnt do anything tho. I knew it will be short enough.

Limassol (12.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / very short : I was just scrolling mobile suddenly at 7:55 my bed was shaking then I see my lamp it was also shaking and I open door and go out

Limassol (12.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Limassol (11.7 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Limassol (12.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Limassol (10.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

Pano Polemidhia, Limassol (12.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Akrounta (11.1 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Pissouri (26.5 km WSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s : A slight shaking of the bed

Souni limassol (8.8 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : Heard loud noise small jolt to bed then a further more intense move of bed for a few seconds.

Mesa Geitonia (12.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Sink rattled in the bathroom, very light shaking.

Limassol Germasogia (15.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s On my bed reading my email (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Parekklisia, Limassol (17.9 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Feint rumbling, slight building shudder for 2 or 3 seconds. Inside dwelling.

Limassol (12.9 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 5-10 s

Episkopi 4620 Cyprus (16.2 km SW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : The floor felt like us was on suspension

Episkopi (16 km SW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : In my house. I noticed the cupboards shaking

Limassol (13.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s

Trimiklini Limassol (8.6 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s

Limassol (8.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s

Cyprus, Limassol (10.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Sleeping, bed shaking, woke me up

Laneia (6.2 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Limassol (14.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : That was vibration that I felt when I was in my bed

Limassol (11.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

Limassol (17.4 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 20-30 s

Limassol Cyprus (12.9 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Short and fast movements left and right, not up and down.

Limassol (14 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Just a minor vibrating sound very weak shaking at around 7.50am local time

Limassol (13.7 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III)

Mouttagiaka, Limassol (13.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Limassol (13.7 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV)

Limassol (10.9 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 2-5 s : I woke up because of my bed was shaking

Limassol (12.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s

Limassol (10.1 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Limassol (13.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / very short

near Pachna, Limassol (6.8 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Sitting in bed upstairs drinking cofree, felt like a truck had hit the house!

Cyprus, Limassol (10.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Sleeping, bed shaking, woke me up

Limassol (12.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

Episkopi (16.3 km SW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Door rattling, chair n table vibrating

Limm (1.6 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

Limassol (10.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : I was still resting and felt shaking at 7:53am.

Erimi (10.9 km SSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Shaking and rattling while laying in the bed

Limassol (13.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

Limassol (10.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 2-5 s : I was at home, sitting on the couch, moderate shaking within 1-2 min

Mouttagiaka, Limassol (15.7 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Spitali, Limassol (7.6 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s : Mild, for about 3 seconds

Limassol (11.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

Mouttagiaka, Limassol (15.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

cyprus (42.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Monagri, Limassol (4.7 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Shaked laterally for 1-2 seconds, I got awake

Limassol (15.2 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Sitting inside.

Limassol (12.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

Mouttagiaka, Limassol (14.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Limassol (11.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II)

Limassol (15.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Felt it in the bed

limassol, cyprus (20.1 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Pafos (47.7 km W of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : In bed

Pano Polemidhia, Limassol (6.4 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / very short

Limassol (13.8 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s

Limassol (13 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s : .

Limassol (11.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / very short

Germasogeia / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : Shaking

Germasogeia / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : Shaking

Sleeping / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Limassol, Cyprus / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

Episkopi military base / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Felt some rattling as if someone was moving on a tin roof.

Germasogeia / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : Shaking

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 2-5 s

Cyprus Pyrgos / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Was short but obvious

limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : .

Souni Zanakia, Souni, Limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : I think I felt another at 16:46 local time

Limassol / not felt

Akrotiri / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : In bed, the bed shook, 3 year old woke saying bang

Limassol / not felt / 2-5 s : Yes, intensely. It woke me up around 8. It was short though.

Pissouri / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

zoopigi / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / very short : heard it and it was shaky

Erimi / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : Weak

zoopigi / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / very short : heard it and it was shaky

Limassol / not felt

Limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

Kato polemidia / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

Trimiklini / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s

Prastio / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Light shaking

Agios Georgios, Silikou / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Short sharp shake to begin, then longer lower intensity rattle

Apaisia / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s

Erimi / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Limassol, Moutagiaka / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : A small vibrating earthquake for 1-2 seconds.

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Palodia / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Bed was shaking

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Rattling and light but pronounced shaking

Agios athana / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s

Lania, Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : A substantial rumbling sound and clock chimes rattling.

Laneia / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

Limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / very short

limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Souni, Limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

LIMASSOL / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 2-5 s : A LITTLE SURPRISED

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Limassol / not felt : Shaking for a few seconds

Mesa Geitonia / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex motion difficult to describe / 2-5 s

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 2-5 s : Furniture was shaking

Koilani / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Was awake in bed, heard a rumble followed by shaking, bed knocking against wall

Germasogeia, Limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 2-5 s

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / very short : I was sleeping but woke me up

Kolossi / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

Episkopi Limassol Cyprus / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

Kolossi, Limassol / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV)

Yermasogia, Limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : Weak

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s
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Limassol (12 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : On the couch

Pano Polemidhia, Limassol (4.1 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : O

Ypsonas, Lemesos (1 km W of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Limassol (12 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : On the couch

Ypsonas, Lemesos (2.9 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s

Souni (11.1 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Shaking of bungalow and rumbling sound heard over loud TV

Ypsonas (3.2 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s

Mount Olympus (54.1 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III)

Limassol (17.1 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Vibrating stuff on my desk

Limassol (5.4 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

Mouttagiaka, Limassol (13.5 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s

Limassol (4.1 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s

Limassol (7.2 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

ypsonas (2.6 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 1-2 s

Limassol (7.3 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

Sotira, Limassol (13.5 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s

Pano Polemidhia, Limassol (7.3 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / 15-20 s

Cyprus, Limassol (6.4 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 5-10 s : It shake monitors and blinds.

Limassol (6.2 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : A little bit of wobble

Limassol, Cyprus (7.1 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 5-10 s

Limassol (5.8 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Limassol (3.9 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 5-10 s

Limassol (2.5 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short

Limassol (11.7 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 5-10 s

Limassol (10.5 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : sat at my desk at work. there was a short shaking which i felt in my desk.

Limassol (4.6 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV)

Pano Polemidhia, Limassol (13.3 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Agios Mamas (20 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

Limassol (5.7 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

near Pachna, Limassol (17.7 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

Limassol (17.1 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Vibrating stuff on my desk

Limassol (7 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s

Limassol cyprus (8.8 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

limassol (6.5 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

Limassol (5.3 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short

Limassol (12 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : On the couch

Pano Polemidhia, Limassol (4.7 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II)

Limassol (7.3 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s

Limassol (9.3 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : fwewef

Limassol (6.5 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

home / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 10-15 s

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : My table moved slightly when I was working on my laptop at 4.45 pm Limassol , Cyprus time

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Trimiklini limassol cyprus / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II)

Tel Aviv Israel / not felt : stones falling and broken rocky energies

Fasoula , Lemesou / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / very short : I felt it but my wife did mot

Zakaki, Limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Light shaking

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / very short (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / very short

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Souni / Weak shaking (MMI III)

koilani / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Sitting on Sofa, floor rumbled and shook

Limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : second floor builiding in old town limassol. Was a short vibration that could be felt.

Apesia / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

Limassol, Agios Athanasios / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Episkopi / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s Chair shaking and windows rattled (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : A slight shake of the house

Germasogeias / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III)

Agios Athanasios / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

Spitali / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Polemidia Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : a few seconds of vibration

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 5-10 s

limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : very light swinging

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 20-30 s

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : Light shaking

Limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

Limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

LIMASSOL / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Mesa Geitonia / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Laneia / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

Limassol, kato polemidia / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

limassol / not felt / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

limassol / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s

limassol / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Germasogeia, Limassol / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s
Washington is barring a major Chinese state-owned telecommunications firm from operating in the United States over national security concerns  an action that threatens to once again increase tensions between the world's two largest economies.

The US Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday said it has ordered China Telecom to discontinue US services within 60 days, citing findings that the company's American subsidiary "is subject to exploitation, influence, and control by the Chinese government."

The company is also "highly likely to be forced to comply with Chinese government requests without sufficient legal procedures subject to independent judicial oversight."

The FCC's action is the culmination of a long dispute with China Telecom, which has operated in the United States for nearly two decades. The agency said it gave the company an opportunity last December to rebut concerns over its presence in the United States, but that China Telecom has failed to do so.

"The FCC's decision is disappointing," a China Telecom Americas spokesperson told CNN Business. "We plan to pursue all available options while continuing to serve our mobile customers."

The company's main business is in China. It says it has roughly 370 million mobile customers.

China Telecom does not break out its customers by region. Its American subsidiary was incorporated in 2002, and the firm says it provides services to businesses and carriers between the Americas and China.

This isn't the first time China Telecom has been targeted with punitive actions by the United States.

In January, the New York Stock Exchange said it would delist three Chinese telecom stocks  including China Telecom  to comply with an executive order signed by then-President Donald Trump. The order banned Americans from investing in firms that the US government suspects are either owned or controlled by the Chinese military.

China Telecom has since ceased trading in the United States. Shares listed in Hong Kong slumped 0.7% on Wednesday.

Washington has in recent years targeted other big Chinese firms with sanctions. Trump in 2019 barred US firms from using telecom gear from sources the administration deems national security threats  an order that directly impacted Chinese firm Huawei, a major global provider of telecommunications equipment.

Huawei has long said it is a private firm that operates independently of the Chinese government, but the United States has accused the company of presenting a threat to national security.

While President Joe Biden has struck a different tone with Beijing than his brash and outspoken predecessor, relations between United States and China have not improved significantly.

In fact, tensions were recently inflamed after Biden said that the United States was committed to coming to Taiwan's defense if the self-governing island was under attack from China. The remarks appeared to contrast with America's stated policy of "strategic ambiguity" toward Taiwan, though the White House asserted that there was no change in policy.

China's foreign ministry, though, warned hours after the remarks that the United States should not send "any wrong signals to the separatist forces of Taiwan independence." While the Chinese Communist Party has never ruled Taiwan, Beijing considers the island to be an "inseparable part" of its territory and has repeatedly threatened to use force if necessary to prevent the island from formally declaring independence.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
The Santa Fe County sheriff on Wednesday said the gun discharged by actor Alec Baldwin during a fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" fired a "suspected live round."

Investigators believe they have recovered the "lead projectile" and shell casing from the ammunition that struck and killed the film's director of photography, Halyna Hutchins, 42, and injured director Joel Souza.

"The facts are clear: a weapon was handed to Mr. Baldwin. The weapon is functional and fired a live round, killing Ms. Hutchins and injuring Mr. Souza," Sheriff Adan Mendoza said at a joint news conference between the Sante Fe County Sheriff's Office and district attorney's office.

Approximately 500 rounds of ammunition -- a combination of blanks, dummy and live rounds -- have been seized from the set in New Mexico, Mendoza said. He said they believe the lead projectile that was fired from the gun was recovered from Souza's shoulder.

A total of three guns were seized from the proximity of the incident, Mendoza added. In addition to the one believed to have been fired by Baldwin, one was altered and not functioning and the other was plastic.

The evidence will be submitted to the FBI for further processing, he said.

Those who were in close proximity to the shooting have been interviewed and authorities are looking to also continue to interview the more than 100 people who were also present in different parts of the set.

Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez and assistant director David Halls have been cooperative with investigators, according to Mendoza.

What happened

According to an affidavit for a search warrant, Souza said he was shot in the shoulder and Hutchins was killed as Baldwin practiced drawing a prop gun during rehearsal for the Western at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe.

The director told investigators Baldwin was "sitting in a pew in a church building setting, and he was practicing a cross draw," it is stated in the affidavit. A cross draw is when a shooter pulls the weapon from a holster on the opposite side of the body from the draw hand.

Souza also said Hutchins was "complaining about her stomach and grabbing her midsection" after the shot was fired.

Authorities said on Wednesday that they have recovered some camera footage but believe there is no footage of the actual incident.

Probe focusing on finding out who put live round in gun

Authorities are focusing on how a live round got into the gun, Mendoza told CNN's Anderson Cooper.

The sheriff said the people involved in the shooting have been cooperating with the investigators and hopes that follow-up interviews can shed new light on why live rounds were on the set and how they got there.

"That'll be determined when we send those rounds into the FBI crime lab for analysis. But we believe that they are possibly additional rounds that were on the set," Mendoza said.

He didn't say where on the set the rounds were found.

The district attorney for Santa Fe County said in an interview with CNN's Josh Campbell that determining how the gun fired by Baldwin became loaded with suspected live rounds will play a key factor in any decision to bring possible criminal charges in the case.

"We don't know how those live rounds got there," District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies told CNN on Wednesday. "And I think that that will probably end up being kind of the linchpin for whether a decision is made about charges."

Carmack-Altwies said any decision to bring charges, she said, could take weeks or months.

"This is a large, complex investigation," she told CNN.

Carmack-Altwies said that while the case has generated intense attention, she would not make a decision to bring charges due to outside pressure.

"I will not make my decision based on that pressure," she said. "The decision will be based on the law and the evidence, period."

Safety concerns

An affidavit for a search warrant for the movie set filed by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office and obtained by CNN affiliate KOAT contained information that the assistant director Halls, who handed Baldwin the prop firearm, had yelled "cold gun."

Souza confirmed to investigators that he heard the term "cold gun," meaning the gun did not have a blank or a live round that contained gunpowder that could explode.

During the investigation, Halls acknowledged to investigators that he did not check all the rounds loaded in the weapon prior to the lethal shooting, a detective wrote in a search warrant affidavit made public Wednesday.

Detective Alexandria Hancock described her interviews with Halls and Gutierrez, saying, "David advised when Hannah showed him the firearm before continuing rehearsal, he could only remember seeing three rounds. He advised he should have checked all of them but didn't, and couldn't recall if she spun the drum."

Investigators added the request to search the van after interviewing several members of the movie crew, including Gutierrez, who told investigators the weapons used in filming were stored in a safe inside the van or "prop truck" to which only a few people had access and the combination.

Though Mendoza said Wednesday a suspected live round killed Hutchins and wounded Souza, Hancock said in the document that Gutierrez told investigators, "No live ammo is ever kept on set."

"David advised the incident was not a deliberate act," the detective wrote of the interview with Halls.

According to the affidavit, a van used to store weapons and props on the Santa Fe set of 'Rust' was searched for evidence prompted by interviews from the film crew. The van was searched for firearms, ammunition, a gun safe, fingerprints, bodily fluids, and residue, the detective said.

"Hannah advised on the day of the incident, she checked the 'dummies' and ensured they were no 'hot' rounds," the warrant states about the ammo used on set. While the firearms were secured inside the van, "ammo was left on a cart on the set, not secured," Gutierrez told investigators. The gray, two-tier cart also contained a Western-style belt and other prop ammunition.

Halls was previously accused of a disregard for safety protocols during productions in 2019, two people who worked closely with him told CNN.

Maggie Goll, an IATSE Local 44 prop maker and licensed pyrotechnician, said in a statement to CNN that while working on Hulu's "Into the Dark" Anthology Series in February and May of 2019, Halls neglected to hold safety meetings and consistently failed to announce the presence of a firearm on set to the crew, as is protocol.

On Wednesday, Mendoza invited those with additional information regarding the set or additional information to contact the Sheriff's office.

"I think there was some complacency on this set," he said. "I think there are some safety issues that need to be addressed by the industry and possibly by the state of New Mexico, but I'll leave that up to the industry and the state to determine what those need to be."

Halls and Gutierrez have not responded to CNN's previous requests for comment.

Hollywood reaction

Baldwin was seen looking visibly upset after the shooting on the "Rust" set and said that he was "fully cooperating" with authorities.

"There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours," Baldwin tweeted after the tragedy. "I'm fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna."

Hutchins, who was a wife and mother, is being deeply mourned in the Hollywood community and remembered for her kindness.

The incident has also prompted renewed discussions about the use of ammunition on film and television sets.

Over the weekend, at least one television production -- ABC's "The Rookie" -- made a change in set procedures around firearms. "The Rookie's" new policy will mandate the use of airsoft guns, which are replica guns with reduced power that typically fire plastic pellets.

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay said on CNNI's "Amanpour" that real guns "shouldn't be on sets" and that "there's no reason to still be having live ammo on a set."

DuVernay said she stopped using real guns on set five years ago and that she hopes the tragedy will spur change in the film industry.

"I think you'll find more crews will say we don't want it and more directors will say no. And I doubt there'll be resistance much longer," DuVernay told Christiane Amanpour. "Unfortunately, the tragedy has put us in a place where, you know, it may help our industry."

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
Tuesday was a busy day at Bridge Street as the grand opening for a national chain restaurant's second location in Alabama took place today.

Before Tuesday, you'd have to drive about two hours to eat at The Cheesecake Factory, but with their new home in Huntsville, representatives told me they're optimistic for this location's future. They said they have been looking to make a home here in the city for some time.

An hour before they even opened their doors, a line had started to form in front of the newest location. By the time the doors opened, the line stretched to other businesses nearby. It's something restaurant representatives love to see on an opening day.

"Whenever we open in a new city, it is so just  delightful, I guess," Alethea Rowe, senior director of public relations at The Cheesecake Factory, said. "I can't think of a better word (for) the excitement on our guests' faces when they're finally able to dine in a Cheesecake Factory in their city and then not have to drive two hours to Birmingham."

Rowe said expanding to Huntsville didn't happen all of a sudden. Seeing how much the city and surrounding areas have grown economically and in population in recent years made it a great place to call home, she said.

"Huntsville's actually been on our radar for quite some time," Rowe said. "We only have one other restaurant in Alabama, in Birmingham. That's been here for almost 18 years, so it was more than time to have a second restaurant, and Huntsville is the perfect location."

Jessica Byron was among those waiting in line Tuesday for the restaurant to open. She said she'd make the long drive once to eat at the restaurant and has been waiting for opening day for months now.

"We have been watching it from the first day they announced it, coming down looking at the construction, just kind of waiting for it to open," she said.

She said it's exciting to see more national chains coming to Huntsville and just further shows how much this community is booming in growth. Now that she can just drive down the street to enjoy it, she said she and her mother are looking forward to enjoying one specific thing on the menu today.

"We're excited for the pumpkin cheesecake," she said.

Another way the restaurant is helping out the local economy is by providing jobs  more than 200 of them, in fact. Representatives said staff members were just as excited as the customers for opening day and are fully prepared to handle to busy crowds for however long they have them.
The FDA's vaccine advisory committee voted Tuesday to approve a small dosage of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.

Many parents who spoke with WAAY 31 were hesitant about getting their younger children vaccinated, but for parents that want their kids vaccinated, hospitals are already working on plans to make that happen.

"If we protect the children, we also in indirect ways protect others as well," said Helen Keller Hospital President Kyle Buchanan.

Buchanan said they will work with local pediatricians and school systems for parents who want their children vaccinated once it's approved.

"We will be in place to provide the vaccine on very short notice," Buchanan said. "We have Pfizer doses avalible right now. It depends on what's approved. If they approve the same dose that we gave to 12- to 16-year-olds, we should be able to roll it out the day after it becomes eligible."

Buchanan said there will be identifying markers for teen doses and child doses, such as different colored caps, to differentiate between the two.

"At the end of the day, it all comes down to protecting ourselves," Buchanan said. "We know what we faced last November and December, and having another population avalible for the best protection available is a plus. We're gonna be proud to do that."

Some parents remain on the fence about getting young children vaccinated.

"When it comes to our kids, I just believe that we have to go above and beyond to protect them, and with there being risks, that's not a risk I'm willing to go through with my son," said parent Eva Logalbo.

Buchanan said it's totally normal and understandable for parents to feel this way. His advice is for parents to discuss any risks with their child's pediatrician.
A regional nonprofit and a local vinyl window manufacturer are teaming up to give away free groceries Saturday in DeKalb County.

A representative with Kudzu Millwork said the company would be partnering with OneGenAway to host the drive-thru food distribution starting 9 a.m. at DeKalb County VFW Fair Grounds in Fort Payne. The fairgrounds are located at 151 18th Ave. NE.

According to OneGenAway, between 15,000 and 25,000 pounds of food will be dropped off in the parking lot. Recipients are asked to have their trunks open with space cleared for food and to stay in their vehicles while volunteers load the groceries.

Distributions are set to begin around 10 a.m., rain or shine, OneGenAway said. Food will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis until they run out, with each vehicle receiving enough to fill one grocery cart, according to All Temp Windows.

OneGenAway is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to bring fresh food to people in need through mobile food distributions throughout Middle Tennessee, Alabama and Florida. Learn more about their mission here.

The nonprofit has three other distributions planned for North Alabama in the coming months. Limestone County residents can visit Swan Creek Park on U.S. 31 South in Athens for boxes/bags of food starting 9:30 a.m. Nov. 6. This will be part of the Hope for Athens event, which will include giveaways for shoes, winter coats, community services, health services and more.

The other two events are planned for Madison County. They are set to take place Nov. 13 and Dec. 11, with each starting at 9 a.m. but locations yet to be determined.
Pullin' for Partnerships Fire Truck Challenge  it's more than it sounds like!

Partnerships for a Drug-Free Community and Madison Fire & Rescue teamed up to host a competition supporting drug-free community programs. Teams of 10 people competed to win trophies and prove their team could pull a 46,000-pound firetruck 50 feet.

There were high school teams, local law enforcement agencies and Madison County companies taking part in the event, all in support of Partnerships for a Drug-Free Community.

You can find a link to their website here.
Italy's civil protection agency issues red alert warnings as Sicily and Calabria hit by extreme weather.

The Sicilian city of Catania has been devastated by floods, resulting in the deaths of at least two people, as the north-east area of the Italian island continues to be battered by violent storms.

Dramatic footage showed water surging through Catania, located in the shadow of Mount Etna, with cars submerged in streets that resembled rapids.

On Tuesday a 53-year-old man drowned in floods in the nearby town of Gravina di Catania after getting swept away in the waters when he out of his car.

He was the second victim of the storms after a 67-year-old man drowned in Scordia, another town near Catania, on Sunday. Police are still searching for the man's 61-year-old wife who was also swept away by the floods.

Spaventose immagini da #Catania e parte della #Sicilia, colpite da un#alluvione senza precedenti.

Scene che fanno male al cuore: ogni anno parliamo del #maltempo senza fare nulla per contrastare il cambiamento climatico. Agiamo invece di piangere quando succedono queste cose!! pic.twitter.com/mlGox6qgVj  Myrta Merlino (@myrtamerlino) October 26, 2021

Italy's civil protection agency has issued its highest rossa weather alert for parts of Sicily and neighbouring Calabria, warning of potential loss of life and damage to property.

Schools closed

Catania mayor Salvo Pogliese ordered the closure of the city's schools on Wednesday, for the second day in a row, after shutting all businesses except pharmacies until midnight on Tuesday.

"In 48 hours, Catania saw the average amount of rain that falls in an entire year", Pogliese wrote on Facebook last night.

The mayor urged people to only leave their homes for absolute necessity and to restrict their movements "because the intensity and violence of the rains could increase at any moment."

The paediatric emergency ward at the Garibaldi hospital in Catania was under water on Tuesday, as was the historic Pescheria fish market, with the situation in the city aggravated by an electrical blackout for several hours.

A section of the main road between Catania and Messina was reportedly closed on Tuesday due to a landslide, with rail services also affected in the north-east region.

Medicane

The current severe weather in the south could turn into a rare Mediterranean cyclone known as a Medicane by Thursday, ahead of Italy's All Saints' holiday weekend, according to Italian weather forecast website Il Meteo.

Firefighters have carried out hundreds of emergency operations in Sicily and Calabria. "The emergency situation is widespread and extremely critical and it does not seem to be improving," a fire service spokesperson told Reuters news agency.

Climate change

Blaming climate change, the Italian farmers' association Coldiretti says the storms have done "incalculable" damage to crops, submerging vegetable farms and damaging the olive harvest in the affected regions.

The extreme weather comes just over two months after Italy recorded temperatures of 48.8 degrees Celsius in the south-eastern Sicilian province of Siracusa during a sweltering heatwave in August.
Still, it would be a tricky balancing act for advisers. If cryptocurrencies continue to surge, clients will ask why they dont own more of them. And theyll be even less forgiving if cryptos disappoint. Investors tend to feel the sting of losses more intensely than the thrill of gains. Bitcoin has already experienced several busts in its short life, and many other cryptocurrencies are newer and untested. If cryptos face a wipeout like the one that hit internet stocks from 2000 to 2002, clients will want to know what cryptos are doing in their portfolios.
China rolled out a carbon market for its power sector in July 2021. Also that month, EU officials spelled out the biggest overhaul to date of its 16-year-old emissions market: Permits will be harder to come by, the program will be extended to include maritime transport, and airlines will eventually have to pay for all their pollution in the cap-and-trade program, as their free allowances will be phased out. The Supreme Court of Canada in March 2021 ruled that the nations carbon tax is constitutional, effectively settling years of political debate about its legality. In the U.S., where President Joe Biden vowed to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, regional carbon markets will play a part, but the absence of a policy for a national price on emissions could slow progress. The American Petroleum Institute in March voted in favor of a tax or a national cap-and-trade program, with the understanding that it would replace existing regulations on greenhouse gases.
Hamdoks administration sought to end Sudans international isolation, moving to normalize ties with Israel and repairing relations with the U.S., which rescinded its three-decade listing of the country as a sponsor of terrorism. Few nations mourned the fall of al-Bashir, who seized power in 1989 and spearheaded an Islamist revolution that for a time in the 1990s turned Sudan into a haven for terrorists such as Osama bin Laden. He was indicted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and genocide in the western region of Darfur. Shortly after al-Bashirs ouster, regional heavyweights Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates promised a lifeline to the government by pledging $3 billion in aid. The International Monetary Fund also said it would provide support, while the Paris Club of creditors agreed to restructure $23.5 billion of its debt. The goodwill and financial assistance looks set to dissipate, with the U.S. putting a $700 million emergency aid package on hold just hours after the coup.
Little in the short term, but possibly a lot further out. A property tax could hurt lower-income buyers, which wouldnt do much to narrow the wealth gap. But it also may spur some wealthy landlords to sell some hoarded properties that often sit empty as investments. Such a tax may help local governments break their reliance on selling land to developers. But even it were implemented nationally, property tax revenue may only reach a fifth of the $1 trillion land sales bring in annually, according to ANZ Corp. economist Betty Wang. Nevertheless, the trial sends a strong message that China is determined to break the mentality that housing is a one-way bet, which drives the market higher. Jia Kang, the former head of a finance ministry research institute and long-time property tax advocate, wrote on social media about what he called the yawning gap in homeownership, with some people hoarding hundreds of units and others unable to buy a basic home. The property tax trials will provide feedback, like gnawing at a hard bone, he wrote, for eventual legislation on a wider or even national scale.
That Lukashenko and Putin are colluding in these tactics is beyond doubt. Theyve already in effect merged their armed forces deployed near the EU/NATO border. Ideological peas in a pod, theyve long been contemplating merging their states as well. But if Lukashenko once thought he might run the resulting Tsarist-Soviet nostalgia project, these days Putin is the obvious top dog, and Lukashenko his poodle. To stay in power in the face of pro-democracy protests at home and sanctions by the West, Lukashenko needs Putin to have his back.
The chalkboard on an interactive Remembrance Wall at Union Station, where survivors and relatives of traffic crash victims post memories of their loved ones. (Bill OLeary/The Post)

The District has recorded as many traffic fatalities by mid-November as occurred in all of 2020.
Heres another lucky circumstance. While many firms have had to deal with supply-chain complications, Microsofts main businesses  software and services that rely on data traveling over the internet  have been relatively unscathed. Apple Inc., in contrast, has to manufacture and ship iPhones across continents. Amazons e-commerce operation must stock merchandise to sell for the holidays.Microsoft wasnt the only technology behemoth to post robust results Tuesday. Google-parent Alphabet Inc. reported a nearly 70% jump in net profit in the latest quarter. Its all the more evidence that even as regulators train their sights on the big tech companies, they continue to generate eye-opening profits. Whats next for Microsoft? Ahead of the latest results, the company was valued at $2.33 trillion  second to Apples $2.47 trillion. The two companies have traded off the designation of most valuable company a number of times in recent years. It might not be long before Microsoft retakes the crown.
This isnt to say the tax-at-death wouldnt also entail exemptions. In the original iteration, Biden said assets given to charities wouldnt be subject to the tax, and trusts and partnerships would be subject to separate rules. All of that would have to be worked through (and there will always be tax-avoidance schemes), but its safe to say those modifications would be less complicated than they would be under Wydens proposal.
Its April 1980, and Fidel (Andhy Mendez) is trying to ignore the islands economic problems while focusing on potentially advantageous meddling in Africa. Supporting him is his bright aide Consuelo (Heather Velazquez), who dares to offer opinions as well as flattery. Fidel appreciates the young womans fervor but finds her no equal to Celia (Marian Licha), who fought alongside him in the revolution that brought him to power. As myriad Cubans try to flee the country, and Cuban exile Manolo Ruiz (Liam Torres) arrives with a proposal from U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Fidel has to decide how to weigh Celias opinions and his own aversion to self-doubt.
My battery-powered electric razor had somehow gotten switched on inside the bag and was making a substantial enough buzzing sound to be heard from several feet away, he wrote. I reached into the suitcase, pulled out the buzzing offender and, triumphant, switched it off. No harm, no foul, and I was on my way.
Loudoun, a Northern Virginia district of 81,000, has been roiled with controversy for the better part of a year, dominated by ongoing conflicts over policies for transgender students and the districts equity work. Most recently, top school officials have faced severe criticism from parents on both sides of the political aisle for the districts decision over the summer to transfer a high school student accused of sexual assault to another high school within the system, where the student allegedly committed a second sexual assault. A juvenile court judge this week sustained the charges against the student in the first assault, the equivalent of a guilty verdict, and the youth is awaiting trial in the second assault case.
In one of her first hearings Wednesday, Pan took over the politically sensitive lawsuit brought by 2016 Trump campaign adviser Carter Page against the FBI, Justice Department and several former officials alleging they unlawfully surveilled and investigated him during the FBIs Russia probe. A D.C. veteran, Pan offered to recuse herself from the case, saying she has been friends with a lawyer for defendant Lisa Page, a former FBI attorney.
Hogan said anyone who received a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and is 65 and older or those 18 and older with an underlying health condition or who live or work in a high-risk setting is eligible to get a booster six months after their second dose. If a resident received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, he or she can receive a booster shot two months after getting vaccinated, regardless of age or occupation.
Her patients, many of whom are front-line workers, have more anxiety and depression, as well as out-of-control diabetes, hypertension and obesity, and often multiple risk factors at once. Yet 11 months into vaccine availability, Mueller is still giving first doses. Thats why, she said, her relationship with her patients  combined with scientific backing  is key.
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These were among reports received by the Calvert County Sheriffs Office and the Maryland State Police. Anyone with information is asked to call 410-535-2800 or 301-855-1194 or use the Submit a Tip feature on the mobile app. Call the Crime Solvers line at 410-535-2880 or the state police Prince Frederick Barrack at 410-535-1400.
Although for now its operatives appear focused on creating havoc within Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, the Islamic State group retains the intent to strike the United States and its allies, he said. The current intelligence assessment is that ISIS-K could develop the capacity to plan and carry out global attacks from Afghanistan within six to 12 months, he said. The al-Qaeda branch there, which is allied with some elements within the Taliban, could have the same capability within one to two years.
The four ambassadors to foreign governments  Mexico, Turkey, New Zealand and Austria  who have been confirmed are either former senators or the widows of former senators, whom Cruz said he would not block as a courtesy. Cindy McCain, the widow of former senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), was also approved Tuesday as the U.S. representative to a United Nations food agency, which gives her the rank as ambassador. And the Senate approved Linda Thomas-Greenfield as United Nations ambassador as part of the Cabinet confirmations earlier this year.
Eastman told The Washington Post last week that he had not been contacted by the panel investigating the insurrection, but a person familiar with the select committees work disputed that claim and said investigators have been in touch with Eastman. This person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations, added that a subpoena would be avoidable if Eastman cooperated with the committees investigation voluntarily. The committee is expected to issue subpoenas to other witnesses in the days ahead.
She was upset they were there  I understand that, and she has hard feelings but I know what happened and nobody showed up uninvited, Graham told The Washington Post earlier this week. I love Meghan McCain and I understand how stressful all this has been for her and those who attack her dad will never be forgiven by her.
Attached to Krauses letter was the 16-page list of books, which names titles that discuss race and racism in the United States, including How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo, both best-selling texts. The list also names books that discuss matters of sex, gender and identity like The Birds, the Bees, and You and Me by Olivia Hinebaugh, and Identity: A Story of Transitioning by Corey Maison, and titles that touch on the gay rights movement like Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders.
Updated November 20, 2020

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This month, Polands top court ruled that the countrys own laws had primacy over those of the European Union, shaking the foundations of the 27-member blocs accepted legal order. That led to questions over whether Poland can continue to remain in the union if it does not accept its legal framework, though the Polish government has dismissed talk of a Polexit  Poland leaving the European Union  as fake news.
To meet a Putin goal of reducing Russias carbon emissions to below the E.U.s level by 2050, Russias Ministry of Economic Development outlined four strategies in a draft proposal seen by The Washington Post. Three of the scenarios hinge on Russias ecosystems  forests, tundra, swamps and more  absorbing at least 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide in 30 years, double what they absorb now, according to most studies. Putin insists the number could be as high as 2.5 billion tons.
Irans other signals over the past few weeks have been decidedly negative, including its decision to back away from parts of a last-minute inspections deal and its reluctance to commit to pick up negotiations where they left off in June, he wrote. He noted that Irans foreign minister said Wednesday that Tehran accepted the format of the talks but hinted that the new government was unhappy with the status when they concluded.
For 10 years that have passed, as people were asleep in the dead of the night, I would rely on fervent prayers awaiting Nimrs release, his father wrote in a tweet. He thanked everyone who stood by the family over the past decade, and directed gratitude to King Salman for his historic decision in April 2020 which ruled to stop the issuing and implementation of death sentences against minors, so may Allah reward him and his crown prince.
Whitehaven Coal chairman and former Nationals leader Mark Vaile says this years global energy crisis is a stark reminder that investment in fossil fuels needs to continue for decades, even as Australia and other countries target net-zero emissions.

Days after the federal Nationals agreed to support a policy of net-zero emissions by 2050, Mr Vaile said he recognised the changing landscape and growing momentum globally to achieve the 2015 Paris Agreements goals to limit the planets heating to below 2 degrees.

Whitehaven Coal chairman Mark Vaile. Credit:Eryk Bagshaw

Responding to the challenge of climate change continues to preoccupy governments and policy-makers globally, particularly on the eve of the COP26 Summit in Glasgow, Mr Vaile, who served as Australias deputy prime minister from 2005 to 2007, told a Whitehaven investor meeting.

Burning coal to generate electricity represents one of the biggest hurdles to achieving net-zero emissions targets, under which countries are vowing to eliminate or offset the greenhouse gases they release into the atmosphere.
Xi Jinping is the closest you get to an environmental crusader in the top echelons of Chinas political system. He was green before it became fashionable.

As Zhejiang party chief 20 years ago he wrote a weekly newspaper column noted for denouncing ecological degradation and for warning that Chinas energy-intensive and high-polluting economic model was unsustainable. This was unique among regional bosses at the time and required some courage, pitting him against the prevailing orthodoxy of break-neck industrialisation and GDP worship.

China is determined not to be pushed around by the West as it charts its path to a post-fossil fuel economy. Credit:AP

Xi backed the radical Green GDP campaign in 2004 which called on local governments to report data more honestly, subtracting ecological damage and the debt to the future from raw GDP figures. There was a crackdown on the worst-offending power and industrial companies.

Vested interests defeated the campaign, though Xi continued to release adjusted Green figures for Zhejiang after others had returned to the normal game of GDP inflation, making his tenure look less successful by the crude metric of the day.
The Australian Federal Police have joined the search for four-year-old Cleo Smith who disappeared 12 days ago from a remote campsite along Western Australias northern coast.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed the agencys involvement in the suspected abduction case on Tuesday, saying he hoped the AFPs very advanced capabilities would help the investigation.

Cleo Smith went missing from the Quobba Blowholes campsite in WAs Gascoyne region more than a week ago.

Im very pleased to say that theyre helping in every way they possibly can through their intelligence capabilities, their technology and their forensics abilities, he said.

I just hope we can find Cleo ... I think the whole nation is just waiting and hoping and praying.
James Packer made a multimillion-dollar fortune on Tuesday without lifting a finger when former Federal Court judge Ray Finkelstein gave Crown Resorts the green light to continue operating its Melbourne casino. Buoyed by the outcome, investors on Tuesday lifted the casino operators shares to $10.42 from a close of $9.66 on Monday, boosting the value of Packers 37 per cent stake by $180 million in a single day to just under $2.5 billion.

Welcome news, given Packer has been without his main source of income - dividends from Crown - for more than 18 months.

James Packer Credit:John Shakespeare

Leading his royal commission into the casino giant, Finkelstein found Crown unfit to hold a licence - but gave the casinos giant two years to reform under the supervision of a government-appointed special manager.

That will be a big mop-up job, as an investigation by the Herald, The Age and 60 Minutes uncovered how the casino was targeted by organised crime and money laundering.
In the lengthy report of the royal commission into Crowns Melbourne casino, two seemingly contradictory conclusions stand out.

Firstly, Commissioner Ray Finkelstein found Crowns behaviour disgraceful, and concluded that it must be found unsuitable to hold its licence.

Commissioner Ray Finkelstein found Crowns behaviour disgraceful. Credit:Jason South

Secondly, he found that the best way forward was for Crown to continue operating, albeit with new regulatory and supervisory arrangements, and a new framework of laws to keep it in check.

The appointment of a special manager to oversee Crowns operations means that the board and executives will (we presume) be held to the appropriate standard. No more junkets, no more money laundering, no more 36-hour stints on poker machines, correct payment of tax, and no more breaking the law, either Australian or overseas, apparently.
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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Nick Coatsworth is at heart an optimist. It comes with a sunny disposition and a healthy dose of good looks. The combination made him a natural to be the face of Australias COVID-19 response and vaccine rollout campaign. One that even by his estimations has exceeded all expectations, with the vaccination rate likely to exceed 90-plus per cent across the country. And all this happened, he says, in spite of the bitter politics of the rollout. The lines were all too familiar: not enough supply, health authorities chose the wrong vaccines or they invested too heavily in AstraZeneca. Dr Nick Coatsworth at his home in Canberra. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen But when they were called upon to do it, theyve done it. The community just saw right through it all, he says. We will be the world leaders, or close to it, for vax rates. That can only be an enormous source of pride. The 43-year-old rose to national prominence last year as one of Australias deputy chief medical officers during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. An infectious disease and respiratory physician, he returned to his day job earlier this year and is now executive director of the medical services group at Canberra Health Services. Coatsworths star continues to rise as an expert on television, radio and in newspapers. But while his straight-talking and unvarnished opinions have earned him high praise, they have also made him quite a few professional enemies.

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Among the latter, some claim Coatsworth has been focusing on himself rather than the argument or operating in a fantasy world. Others say hes full of himself and a self-promoter. In May, he gave an explosive speech to the Royal Australian College of Surgeons, an edited version of which was published by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, describing commentary from a group of high-profile talking heads as narcissism thinly cloaked as activism. Without naming names, Coatsworths speech also labelled the group a hardcore rump of activist doctors campaigning for the false idol of COVID-zero. Loading He followed that up with a July opinion piece that again criticised risk-averse academics and medical commentators, especially those who he argued had undermined confidence in the AstraZeneca vaccine. In that piece, published amid the Delta outbreak in Sydney, Coatsworth also praised the NSW government for navigating a middle road on pandemic policy. The philosophy of the risk-averse experts is self-fulfilling, he wrote. Complain long enough that a government hasnt gone hard and fast enough and eventually you will get it right, no matter how wrong you have been in the past.

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Coatsworth knew there would be some kind of cost for his remarks, but he wasnt expecting what happened next. In early August, 24 clinical academics signed a joint complaint to the Australian National University, where Coatsworth is an associate professor at its medical school, as well as the Royal Australasian College of Physicians over his commentary. I didnt quite realise that theyd get together and write a letter signed by 24 of them complaining to ANU and to my own college of physicians. That was probably a pretty extreme response, he says. Coatsworth with his wife, Dr Rebecca Pearson, and children at home. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The identities of the academics remain confidential, but it isnt hard to find experts Coatsworth has taken issue with over the past 12 months  on Twitter or in his regular media appearances  many of whom he says were critical of government policy from the beginning of the pandemic and never shifted. Among those are Raina MacIntyre, the head of the biosecurity research program at the Kirby Institute at UNSW Medicine, ABC presenter Dr Norman Swan, health policy consultant Bill Bowtell, Professor Mary-Louise McLaws (an adviser to the World Health Organisation, whom Coatsworth stresses he respects greatly) and Nancy Baxter, the head of Melbourne Universitys School of Population and Global Health. Coatsworth is unhappy with the way the university handled the matter, saying he felt like he had no support whatsoever.

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Adding to his unease about the situation was the later membership of Russell Gruen, the universitys dean of the College of Health and Medicine, and the universitys vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt, of OzSAGE, a group of clinicians and academics that aims to offer well-researched and robustly debated independent expert advice. ANU said in a statement that all concerned in this matter continue to exercise their right to free speech. The university said it could not publicly discuss individual staffing matters, including complaints. What we can say is that the university did receive a complaint and has raised the issues in that complaint with Dr Coatsworth, the statement said. We have let the complainants know that we have raised the substance of their complaint with Dr Coatsworth. The matter is now considered closed. Coatsworth says he doesnt hold a grudge but wont hold back from challenging the experts, academics and commentators who have clashed with him during the past 18 months. I reckon Ive probably sailed as close to the wind as any medical public servant has in pushing back, he says. But I really hope that that gave permission to other people who were really afraid. Coatsworth argues many of the critics who have slammed the approach taken by the nations key decision-making committee, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, could have been part of the process.

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Its not as though they werent invited into the tent, he says. They were invited into senior advisory committees, they were briefed on a weekly basis on the vaccine rollout in late December, early January. These guys were all in the tent. And yet, when some of them got in front of the camera, they were just over-egging risk, criticising NSW and criticising vaccines. That was very problematic. It allowed people the psychological way out of getting a vaccine. Loading One of the more public clashes with his peers came on the ABCs Q+A program, when Michelle Ananda-Rajah, associate director at the Monash Institute of Medical Engineering, accused him of being wrong for suggesting there was debate about aerosol transmission of COVID-19. Many of Coatsworths critics accuse him of leading the view among federal health authorities that airborne spread of the virus was not overly important. In one of his opinion pieces, he called that debate a phoney war and said policy had been adjusted to reflect the realities of airborne spread. When she said I was wrong, it didnt acknowledge any of the work we had done in progressing thinking within government about the aerosol issue, he says. He says his team moved Victorian policy in July last year in consultation with the states Chief Medical Officer, Dr Andrew Wilson, and two days later we moved federal policy.

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Laws meant to stop rogue medicos from performing complex operations while calling themselves cosmetic surgeons have been languishing for three years, as doctors argue over who can use the title surgeon and work in the billion-dollar industry.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has asked state health ministers to make the new laws a priority, after a joint investigation by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and the ABC exposed the dark underbelly of the loosely regulated sector.

Medicos who call themselves cosmetic surgeons do not currently have to have surgical training. Credit:Nic Walker

Health ministers have been consulting on reforms to regulations governing health practitioners in Australia since July 2018. In November 2019, they agreed to restrict the title surgeon, but the laws have not yet been changed. That work is being led by Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley.

A spokesman for Mr Hunt said the minister received a letter on Tuesday from the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery and Medicine calling for better regulation of cosmetic surgeons. The college wants cosmetic surgery to be recognised and protected as its own speciality.
New Delhi: Indias top court has established a committee of experts to look into accusations that Prime Minister Narendra Modis government used Israeli military-grade spyware to monitor political opponents, journalists and activists.

The Supreme Court order on Thursday AEDT came in response to petitions filed by a group of Indian journalists, rights activists and opposition politicians following an investigation by a global media consortium in July. The committee, headed by a retired judge, is expected to give its findings by year-end.

Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. Credit:AP

Indias opposition has been demanding an investigation into how the Israeli spyware, known as Pegasus, was used.

Modis government has unequivocally denied all allegations regarding illegal surveillance. Information Technology Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw dismissed the allegations in Parliament in July, calling them highly sensational, over the top and an attempt to malign the Indian democracy.
Broadways back - with COVID precautions firmly in place. Theatergoers are required not only to bring proof of vaccination but also a photo ID for verification. If you forget any of these items, your ticket is promptly refunded and youre urged to come back another time.

Having run that gauntlet (which, admittedly, does slow the entrance process), youre reminded several times to keep your mask in place, covering both your nose and mouth.

Beginning with a brief prologue, set in a plexiglass office in a Manhattan skyscraper, The Lehman Trilogy chronicles the fascinating rise and fall of the Lehman brothers, who journeyed from Bavaria (Germany) to America to seek their fortune.

Arriving in New York Harbor in 1844, Heyum (Americanized to Henry) Lehmann (Simon Russell Beale), son of an Orthodox Jewish cattle merchant, settled in Montgomery, Alabama, opening a small general store, selling clothing and fabrics. His ambitious younger brothers Emanuel (Adrian Lester) and Mayer (Adam Godley) soon joined him and expanded the family business.

Before the Civil War, the Lehmans were cotton brokers. Afterwards, they opened a bank, financing Reconstruction. They capitalized railroads, the Panama Canal and survived the 1929 Depression. They invested in airlines and backed productions of films like King Kong and Gone With the Wind.

Gradually, over the decades, their descendants transformed their business from selling cotton to selling financial services, like collateralized debt obligations. At the same time, their assimilation into the American mainstream increased as their observance of Jewish traditions/customs declined.

Written in Italian by Stefano Massini, translated by Richard Dixon, and adapted by Ben Power, its a classic Greek tragedy. Utilizing the ancient philosophy  Hubris-Ate-Nemesis  it details how reckless enthusiasm, disregarding moral rules in an overestimation of ones abilities and economic power, inevitably leads to punishment and destruction.

Whats extraordinarily brilliant in this storytelling tour-de-force is director Sam Mendes casting these three skillful actors in myriad roles, utilizing minimal costume changes and few props. In London, they were collectively nominated as Best Actor at the Olivier Awards, the British equivalent of the Tonys, as I suspect (and hope) they will be here.

Running three hours, 15 minutes with two intermissions, The Lehman Trilogy plays through Jan. 2, 2022 at the Nederlander Theater at 208 West 41st Street.

Susan Granger has been an on-air television and radio commentator and entertainment critic for more than 25 years. Raised in Hollywood, Granger appeared as a child actress in movies with Abbott & Costello, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, and Lassie. She currently resides in Westport.
Today

Still chilly with sunshine followed by increasing clouds.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy.

Tomorrow

Mostly cloudy and mainly dry, with showers mostly holding off until after sunset.
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The migration phenomenon is a transcendental topic for the world, and one that is of immediate concern for Colombia. However, human migration is not a fleeting matter; it has long been an essential part of our Nation. We have prioritized addressing the challenges and leveraging the opportunities of migration since the first day of our administration when we declared an open-door policy, especially toward our Venezuelan brothers and sisters.

Colombia has experienced a massive influx of migrants, particularly in the last decade, which led us to implement short term measures, but also to create the Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan Migrants (TPSVM), a unique regional response mechanism for longer-term needs in the face of one of the greatest migratory crises in our region.

March 10, 2021, Colombia. UNHCR meets with refugee women to recognize and prevent gender based violence. Catalina Betancur Sanchez/UNHCR.

More than five million Venezuelans have fled their country due to political discontent and poverty. Colombia has welcomed more than 1.7 million, and I am deeply committed to helping them through this upheaval in their lives.

I was inspired by the call of Pope Francis, who in the encyclical Fratelli Tutti, called on world leaders to embrace our fraternal responsibility to migrants and refugees and to attend to this neglected population with a sense of humanity and genuine care.

I was inspired by the call of Pope Francis, who... called on world leaders to embrace our fraternal responsibility to migrants and refugees... with a sense of humanity and genuine care.

When I became President, Migration Colombia's calculations estimated that 218,000 Venezuelan citizens were in Colombia without authorization and another 533,000 were in the process of being authorized. We did not know the names, locations, or social and health conditions of these migrants, but clearly understood that they needed our help.

Faced with this situation, we enacted a coordinated response to ensure that Venezuelan migrants, who had been oppressed by a brutal regime, would get the assistance they so desperately needed, while concurrently finding opportunities for development and progress for our country.

The first efforts to regularize the situation of Venezuelans were carried out through the Special Stay Permit (PEP, its Spanish acronym) and the Administrative Registry of Venezuelan Migrants (RAMV, its Spanish acronym). That allowed us to understand and address the migrants immediate living conditions.

At the end of 2018, we created the National Council for Economic and Social Policy, which guaranteed health, education, and social inclusion services for migrants. And, in 2019, we adopted a strategy to help migrants earn legal income, helping us identify and counteract the obstacles that stymie full socioeconomic integration. Additionally, we decided to grant Colombian nationality to the children of Venezuelan migrants who were born in the country, rather than risk their statelessness. The measure covers children born since August 2015, and today benefits more than 51,000 minors.

In 2020 came the Covid-19 pandemic, an invisible enemy that struck humanity, generating a crisis in healthcare systems worldwide alongside great economic and social challenges. We set out to strengthen the healthcare system, protect the most vulnerable, and preserve economic activity and employment. And while we knew that declaring mandatory isolation and closing the borders would have difficult consequences, our priority was to safeguard lives.

Despite the border closure, at the end of 2020 more than 18,000 Venezuelan migrants were picked up on national roads and it was estimated that more than 300 migrants were trying to enter the country illegally every day. Faced with this situation, we set out to create a policy that would reflect the fraternal, supportive, and respectful spirit that we see in our Venezuelan brothers and sisters.

Temporary Protection Status for Venezuelans: Social and Economic Integration

The Temporary Protection Status for Venezuelans (ETPMV in Spanish) became a reality with Decree 216 on March 1, 2021, which established a process for Venezuelans to apply for a 10-year temporary authorization. With it, we honored our international commitment to managing migration in a safe and orderly manner, in line with the goals of the 2018 Global Compact for Migration. This progressive and unprecedented measure created a unified, integral, and open authorization mechanism, adjusted to the specific needs of the Venezuelan migrant population who wish to remain in the country. It is focused on increasing legal immigration rates and effectively integrating them into the socioeconomic fabric of our country.

Since May 5, 2021, migrants began registering via the Single Registry of Venezuelan Migrants (RUMV, its acronym in Spanish) system, and as of October 20, we had 1.4 million people registered in the portal. Of those, 1.63 million had scheduled their appointment for phase 2 of biometric registration.

Thirty-seven-year-old Venezuelan, Laura Espinoza*, works at Sunshine Bouquets in Bogota, a flower company committed to including refugees in its workforce. Daniel Dreifuss/UNHCR. *Name changed for protection reasons

However, there remain challenges in implementing the ETPMV, chief among them is ensuring more seamless coordination between national government entities and local governmental authorities, so that the temporary protection permit becomes a path for true integration and the guarantee of rights, which remains unfulfilled despite innumerable efforts.

In August 2021 we had 383,488 Venezuelan migrants enrolled in our Social Security Healthcare System and expect that number to reach 950,000 in one year. In addition, we anticipate that 1.05 million migrants will be able to access vital social programs. Nearly half a million migrant children and adolescents currently have access to school and our hope is to provide free education to 100% of Venezuelan students enrolled in the official education system.

Colombia's organizational and fiscal commitment to establish and implement policies to protect and integrate migrants has been immense. Implementation of the TSPVM requires constant collective action to develop the principle and practice of global solidarity under the mantle of multilateralism.

Colombia has been a strong voice in the region. Our country proved to the world that a middle-income economy can face migratory challenges with policies that deliver urgent humanitarian assistance while simultaneously establishing normalization and regulation processes for long-term stabilization. However, we cannot do it alone.

Our country proved to the world that a middle-income economy can face migratory challenges with policies that deliver urgent humanitarian assistance while simultaneously establishing normalization and regulation processes for long-term stabilization.

We have prioritized efforts to secure funding for the needs of refugees and migrants in the region, including through our participation in the International Donors Conference on June 17, led by the Government of Canada and the co-leading agencies of the Regional Platform for lnter-agency Cooperation (UNHCR and IOM), where commitments totaling $2.6 billion were made.

Our work to welcome and integrate Venezuelan migrants has brought recognition from organizations including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United Nations, the International Organization of Migration, and the World Bank; from countries including the United States, Canada, Japan, and Spain, and the Vatican.

Likewise, Colombia has joined the group of allied countries receiving Afghans who assisted the United States efforts there for years and who are in the process of registering and migrating to that country. We are united by humanitarian attention, the protection of human and women's rights, and of course, being with our allies when they need us.

A Transformation for Colombia

With our actions we demonstrated to the world that Colombia is an example of a country open to migration in discourse and in practice. We made bold decisions and have acted responsibly to comply with them. Not only did we define a flexible and modern mechanism for streamlining Venezuelan migrants entry to Colombia, but we also committed to adapting our government structure to provide better services.

We call on others to follow our lead, and, as we have done in Colombia, manage global migration with intelligence, fraternity, solidarity, equity, and with the support of the international community.

Ivan Duque Marquez is the President of the Republic of Colombia.

Cover art: Venezuelans fleeing the political and economic crisis back home cross the border into Colombia via the Simon Bolivar International Bridge. July 2019. Helene Caux/UNHCR.
Not so long ago Abu Mohammed al-Ghanem could barely venture from his front door without trampling a neighbors crops. To his immediate north, a cousin grew wheat. Just to the south, his friend Tarek cultivated everything from eggplant to pomegranates. Along the flanks of Ghanems own orchard, and between most houses, the village of Besmaya al-Qadeema boasted a dazzling bunch of neatly pruned date palms.

In this photo taken Friday, May 9, 2014, shoppers buy fresh vegetables in Jamila market in Baghdad, Iraq. (AP Photo/ Karim Kadim)

But that was then. Since 2016 these men  and their agricultural pickings  have gone.

Ghanem is seriously considering joining them. Like almost everyone who works the land, hes reeling from insufficient water and excessive costs. Hes also struggling to get much to grow  so much so that in recent years hes planted for his own familys consumption alone. One more bad year and he says he too will have no choice but to try his luck elsewhere.

No one wants to leave here. We are sons of this land, he said. But when you have more and more problems, its not always up to you.

Rural Iraq is withering under a combined onslaught of environmental degradation and poor governance, and in few places is this more evident than among the fields and fast-expanding districts of peri-urban southern Baghdad.

Rural Iraq is withering under a combined onslaught of environmental degradation and poor governance, and in few places is this more evident than among the fields and fast-expanding districts of peri-urban southern Baghdad. Deteriorating agricultural conditions have driven out many of its original, largely agrarian inhabitants. Even worse farming troubles in the far south of the country have brought in huge numbers of new arrivals to an already battered landscape. Together, these parallel waves of environment-related displacement have reshaped the area and its people in almost every way imaginable.

A woman walks on a dry field on the outskirts of Najaf, 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Baghdad, Iraq. (AP Photo/Alaa al-Marjani)

For the newcomers to Besmaya and its environs, about six miles southeast of the Iraqi capital, migration has been both traumatic and empowering. Torn from their extended family and tribal safety nets, many of these men and women are finding life in their new homes every bit as challenging as they did in their native villages.

While locals blame some of the struggling southerners for a surge in petty crime, drug use, and land grabbing, many of the more entrepreneurial-minded new arrivals have been highly welcome. Proximity to Baghdads brighter lights, as well as the opportunity to start afresh, have allowed them to establish new businesses and spur a private sector renaissance of sorts.

But though generally much less understood, the impact of this in-migration on the host communities, such as the villages around Besmaya, has been no less profound. A growing population and the subsequent increased demand for water has meant theres less available for irrigation. That has hammered some farmers, who have felt compelled to migrate themselves, and made fortunes for others, whove been able to convert their fields into prime real estate. Diminishing state capacity has also sent the quality of government services tumbling  even as bribe-seeking from local security officials mounts.

All this at a time of dramatic changes in the composition of the population, with mostly Shia migrants settling in what was previously a mixed Shia-Sunni district, has helped transform the area into a powerful microcosm of the volatility, desperation, and mostly unrealized potential that characterizes so much of contemporary rural Iraq.

I cannot tell you how angry I am, how tired I am, said Hassan Alwash, a longtime resident of Al-Gaara and mechanic on the Baghdad-Kut road.

Here, as in other parts of the world, the precise choices and drivers governing migrant movements are seldom clear. But the environment appears to underlie many of them, and thats a trend that brings Iraq to a terrifying crossroads as its natural landscape and fossil fuel-dominated economy waver.

As an environmental journalist, I have followed displacement around Besmaya since 2014, interviewing a wide array of residents. Here, as in other parts of the world, the precise choices and drivers governing migrant movements are seldom clear. But the environment appears to underlie many of them, and thats a trend that brings Iraq to a terrifying crossroads as its natural landscape and fossil fuel-dominated economy waver. If the country manages rural displacement, or (better yet) furnishes those who rely on farming and fisheries with the capacity to succeed in the countryside, it might weather the dislocation of climate change. Failure may mean that many of these villages become even greater nodes of discontent.

Whats happening here, in the shadow of Baghdad, might be considered a high stakes litmus test for the countrys very long-term viability.

A RAPID COLLAPSE

Twenty years ago, residents of the village of Sheikh Hatif al-Dilaie lived fairly conventional rural lives. They saw a few more foreigners than most, with the Arch of Ctesiphon to their south. They certainly saw a good many more security officers, too. The nuclear research center at Tuwaitha still stands a few miles to their northwest. But central Baghdad itself, roughly 30 minutes drive away on a good day, was such a world away that some locals had never even visited it.

In this June 26, 2018 photo, a farmer removes dead scrub trees from his fallow field , in the Iraqi town of Mishkhab south of Najaf. (AP Photo/Anmar Khalil)

We were a quiet country people living a quiet country life, said a man who gave his name only as Mohammed, one of the few remaining vendors in what was once a thriving agricultural goods market along the Diyala river. No one would ever have believed what this place looks like now.

Everything began to change after 2003. The toppling of Saddam Hussein was followed by a wave of violence from jihadists and remnants of the regime that U.S. troops went all in on to stifle.

Everything began to change after 2003. The toppling of Saddam Hussein was followed by a wave of violence from jihadists and remnants of the regime that U.S. troops went all in on to stifle. They established rings of checkpoints around the city, but snarled traffic so much in the process that many farmers felt cut off from their principal market.

Your fruit would spoil in the waits, one Besmaya area resident told me. Soldiers patrolled the capitals lawless rural hinterland, but in doing so they also chopped up dirt roads with their big, armored vehicles. This kicked up clouds of dust in the hotter months, and rendered some routes impassable after the winter rains. Fields of roadside alfalfa are so caked with grime that their growth has been stunted.

In a few instances, the military even downed palm groves to deprive militants of cover, a denuding of the landscape that has only accelerated in recent years as developers look to free up land for construction.

In this photograph taken during a U.S. Army organized media trip to the site, a U.S. 4th Infantry Division soldier walks past a crater at the scene of the recent airstrike against Abu Musab al-Zarqawi at an isolated palm grove on the outskirts of Hibhib, near Baqouba in Iraq Saturday, June 10, 2006. (AP Photo/Joao Silva, Pool)

Significantly worse sectarian violence followed the initial occupation. Though Besmaya never saw anything like the horrors that struck urban Baghdad and other parts of its periphery from 2006 to 2008, some Sunni families say they began to fear for their safety. A number of them fled to Sunni-majority areas, or to Jordan and Syria, to be replaced, in part, by Shia families fleeing ethnic cleansing elsewhere. It was the beginning of the slow destruction of a close-knit communal fabric that had sustained these villages through decades of conflict, sanctions, and Saddams brutal dictatorship.

All the while, agricultural conditions had begun to deteriorate at record speed across the country. In southern Iraq, water access dropped precipitously as the quantity and water quality of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers fell amid region-wide drought, upstream dam construction, and escalating pollution. Crop yields dropped by up to 40 percent in some villages around Amarah, about 200 miles downstream on the Tigris, villagers say. Tomatoes and other fruits withered as already crippling temperatures soared.

With few alternatives to agriculture, villagers like Mohammed al-Mossefery, originally a pastoralist from outside Kut, reached their breaking points. We had to move, he said. There we are dead but in Baghdad we have a chance of a life. According to village elders, roughly 15,000 people from rural Maysan and Wasit, the governorates immediately to Baghdads southeast, settled around Besmaya between 2008 and 2018.

But if these men and women had hoped to find respite from environmental turmoil in Besmaya, they would be sorely disappointed. Water releases from the Diyala river, a tributary of the Tigris, into Besmayas irrigation canals have been reduced from once a day to about once a week since 2015, even though greater heat calls for more water.

This water insecurity piled misery on farmers already reeling from dust and sandstorms, which blanket the capital region for over half the year, and desertification, which is consuming around 100 square kilometers of Iraqi arable land a year. By late 2016, at least 160 farmers had abandoned their land in Al-Jisr subdistrict, according to a local agricultural official. Two thousand families from the wider Besmaya area migrated into urban Baghdad or abroad.

Things have been particularly grim since 2014. The war with ISIS and the crash in global oil prices delivered a double blow from which farmers have yet to recover. The jihadists cut off access to key markets, while government agricultural support, (which had been shrinking for some time) plunged in line with the drop in energy revenues.

Weaned on a Baathist system in which the state provided most inputs and bought most outputs, Iraqi farmers have struggled to adapt to reduced assistance, not least when payment for their crops arrive up to two years late. To compound their misery, fertilizer purchases were so intensely monitored as to be almost prohibited in places following ISISs surge. The group repurposed agricultural products as bomb components, thereby sparking a fierce official suspicion of its use in farming.

THE MESSY STATUS QUO

These days, the people of Besmaya are as tired and angry as the surrounding landscape is sick. On recent visits to the district, field after field lay fallow, too parched and salt encrusted to grow anything. Date palms have been left to rot. Irrigation canals are so clogged with trash that water often cannot find its way to the fields, even when it is made available.

The cost of production is so high and the price of imports from neighboring countries so low that they cant compete, no matter how much water flows.

Unsurprisingly, area farmers are the unhappiest of all. The cost of production is so high and the price of imports from neighboring countries so low that they cant compete, no matter how much water flows.

Abu Mohammed al-Ghanem says he spends about 800 dinars for every 1000 dinars he earns, a sum that scarcely justifies backbreaking work. Working many many hours under the sun for that? You can see why people seek the comfort of a desk job, he said.

Since we last met in 2019, another six farmers in his neck of Besmaya al-Qadeema have ditched their fields and migrated. They are the victims, he says, of a system and environment thats almost setting them up to fail.

Other professions are not much better off, though. The public sector is already wildly bloated and has slowed hiring. Parts of the private sector are struggling to stay afloat under intensifying corruption, which appears to be hitting migrants harder than most.

These people, such as Mahmoud Ibrahim, often lack local security contacts, while their identity cards attest to their origins and hence their vulnerable status. Having established himself as a trucker soon after his move to the Besmaya area, Ibrahim ought to be turning a handsome profit on the cheap fruit he drives over from Iran. But paramilitary groups have come to dominate the lucrative checkpoints on the border and around the capital, and their demands for kickbacks  at about 350,000 dinars per load per trip  have reached exorbitant levels. We can deal with regular corruption, but not this, he said.

Worst of all, Besmaya villagers say, is the diminishing possibility of upward mobility. The decline in the quality of government services has struck the education sector especially hard. Locals see their families future at risk as more children flail in understaffed schools with crumbling buildings and enormous class sizes.

A man tries to fix a leaking potable water pipe near his home, Iraq (AP Photo/Nabil al-Jurani)

These stressors have lit some native villagers resentment of newer arrivals, whom they accuse of snaffling scarce resources. The dynamic has contributed to something of an us versus them divide. In several instances, farmers have alleged that monied newcomers are bribing water officials to prioritize their needs. Plenty of other longtime residents accuse the southerners of expropriating farmland for housing. The reduction in shared family or tribal bonds, particularly in villages that have experienced a 50 percent turnover in residents, can make disputes trickier to resolve peacefully.

Amid the gloom, there is some hope  and much of it is coming from enterprising migrants. By injecting fresh energy, and, sometimes capital, into the moribund local economy, these men and women have introduced an inventiveness that many villages sorely lacked.

These new arrivals have partnered with farmers to transform dead land into warehouses, thereby earning themselves regular rents instead of very uncertain agricultural returns. Theyve introduced agricultural practices from the south that Baghdadis, used to slightly more forgiving climes, hadnt always embraced, such as planting crops beneath canopies of trees. Recognizing from an early stage that people preferred shopping closer to home, particularly at the height of the insecurity, theyve been quick to identify gaps in the consumer market.

Hamid and Ali Mohsen are cases in point. After migrating north with their widowed mother in 2016, the brothers initially tended to their neighbors crops, as they had back in rural Wasit. But the more they explored their new home, the more they noticed how few fishmongers served the villages. They now visit a nearby fish farm every week, and then go door-to-door selling their ice-packed wares from the trunk of an old Lada.

THE FUTURE

In some ways, Besmayas future has already been determined. As an accessible swathe of land on the edge of Baghdads low rise concrete sprawl, its seemingly only a matter of time before it is absorbed into the city. Developers have completed part of a long-planned, much-delayed satellite settlement there  which, in a sign of sectarianisms diminished potency, has secured plenty of Sunni buyers. If government dreamers have their way, the Besmaya area may even host a new capital city one day.

But even as it urbanizes, this area  and other parts of peri urban Baghdad  will likely remain a powerful bellwether for the health and wealth of rural Iraq for some time to come. The more unviable agriculture becomes here, the more inclined villagers will be to migrate, despite a keener awareness of the challenges that await them than some of their earlier kin possessed.

Over the past year, Besmaya residents say that migrants have traveled north in unprecedented numbers, propelled, it seems, by the pandemics economic fallout and intensifying climate stresses. Iraq is, by most metrics, one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. This is particularly true of its south, which has high pre-existing temperatures, a very agrarian rural economy, and a near-total dependence on the two great rivers for its water needs.

Similarly, the more the Iraqi state struggles to provide elementary services, which are already significantly more limited in rural areas, the more that its citizens will gravitate toward cities. Despite officials declared desire to diversify the economy away from energy, which currently provides over 90 percent of state revenues, the experience of Besmayas native and migrant farmers attests to the hollowness of that pledge so far. Accelerated urbanization also promises to compound governance woes, as surging urban populations continue to outstrip infrastructure and municipalities capacity to match their needs. Greater Baghdad, for one, has almost doubled in size since 2003.

Most importantly, perhaps, the fate of these rural communities may signal more significant challenges ahead. If the villages around places like Besmaya are left to fester with their dominant source of employment in tatters and resentment of government mushrooming, Iraqs instability will persist and possibly intensify. Impoverished, grievance-riven villages in northern and western Iraq furnished ISIS with many of its fighters. Unless current trends are checked, Besmayans are fearful that their youth too could be drawn to wild, undirected expressions of anti-state rage.

Theyre furious. Theyre desperate. And look around you, a local police commander said. Can you blame them?

Peter Schwartzstein is an environmental journalist and consultant, who covers water, food security, and conflict-climate issues across the Middle East and Africa. He mostly writes for National Geographic. He is the journalist-in-residence at the Center for Climate and Security and is a TED fellow.

Cover art: In this June 26, 2018 photo, a farmer removes dead scrub trees from his fallow field , in the Iraqi town of Mishkhab south of Najaf. Anmar Khalil/AP Photo.
In the Boujdour Sahrawi Refugee Camp, 30 kilometers from Tindouf in southwest Algeria in August 2021 Nanaha Bachri remembers her grandmother Mariams story of the day in 1975 when she fled from her home in the Western Sahara town of Bir Magran:

They had heard on the radio that some towns in the country were being bombed, but despite that a neighbour wanted to celebrate the birth of her first son. She had slaughtered a goat and invited their friends to eat with them. During the feast, a messenger arrived at the house very agitated. He announced that bombs were approaching and that the men were going to war. He then gave my grandmother some money which my grandfather had sent  and told her to get their children to safety. Nanahas paternal grandparents had six children - two boys and four girls. The youngest boy was still nursing, so Mariam wrapped him in a cloth and ran out into the street. She grabbed what food and water she could, and then sprinted  children in tow  to the trucks that would take people to safety.

Sahrawi refugee camp in Tindou Algeria. Ruben Capilla/Shutterstock.

By the time she reached them, however, every truck was crammed to bursting with frantic women and children, scrambling over one another to stay inside.

Mariam and others who had not been able to escape in the trucks huddled desperately under trees and or next to rocks, praying and shaking in abject fear as the sound of the planes came closer. When they arrived (like a plague of locusts), the napalm bombs began to drop.

Today, Nanaha recalls her late grandmothers relation of this tale  and her own response to it. She always cried a lot, she says, "and it made me cry too. She told me how everyone was screaming, and how she saw babies being burned, [and] women losing their feet and hands as they ran."

She always cried a lot, she says, "and it made me cry too. She told me how everyone was screaming, and how she saw babies being burned, [and] women losing their feet and hands as they ran."

She would close her eyes, Nanaha continues, and when she opened them again, she would see people split in half: the brains, the bones, the flesh. The sand was a sea of red blood and there was a terrible smell of burning meat. Mariam tried to look for her neighbours but couldnt find them. A badly wounded woman asked Nanahas grandmother to look after her five-year-old girl and then died. The little girl begged her not to leave her mother behind.

Someone whistled and beckoned them to safety. Mariam counted her children and then told them to follow her as she crawled away from the scene. When they arrived at the hideout, she checked on her children again.

Agila, the youngest of her girls, the child that she had been holding by the hand, was missing. My grandmother went crazy and started running back towards the bombing, Nanaha continues She could not understand how her child was not with her. People were telling her to think of the other five children and trying to stop her. Eventually a soldier went back to search for the missing child. All he could see was an indistinguishable mass of black and charred bodies. He returned with news that there was no one left alive.

Nanaha says that her grandmother never got over the loss of her youngest girl: For many years, she had dreams that someone would arrive at the camps and Agila would be with them and would run to hug her. But that never happened.

A Third Generation

Nanaha is 30 years old now. Her grandmother, Mariam, died in November 2018. The story of her family is a tale of how prolonged human displacement spans generations  and shapes the worldview of those who are affected by it.

For instance, it wasnt until the summer of 1998 when eight-year-old Nanaha first saw a tree on a holiday exchange trip to Spain. It was a trip where she and other children in the group happily played on swings, walked barefoot on the grass, paddled in rivers and ran under waterfalls. Until that trip, she had never seen nor experienced those things. She had not even known of their existence. The trip was also Nanahas first realization that something was amiss in her own life. Her home was a windy, desolate and inhospitable desert, without a tree in sight. Even while she laughed with the other children, she recalls feeling sad that her own mother and grandmother would probably never see the things she was seeing. When I got home, I was full of questions, she continues. My mother told me that we lived in a refugee camp and that I was a child refugee. She told me that both my father and her had come to the camp with our grandmothers. She told me that our home was not our country, and that because of the war most of my people had fled. They fled because they were afraid that they would be killed.

The wait for resolution to a flight that has spanned four generations is a fact of life. That is why I live here in the camps, she observes. I am waiting for a peaceful solution.

Colony and Conflict

Nanahas grandparents on both sides were born in Western Sahara in the 1950s, when it was a Spanish protectorate.

Spain had been trading and fishing in the region since back in the 1700s. After the Berlin Conference in the late 19th Century, various European countries had colonised much of the West African region known as Spanish Sahara.

Nanahas family was part of the Sahrawi population  tribal and nomadic people of Berber, Arab and African descent. They had always resisted the Spanish presence, and for many decades were able to keep them out of large parts of their territory.

Mariam Brahim, Nanahas paternal grandmother, was born into a nomadic community in Layun. Her father, a local Sheik, owned horses and camels. Nanahas maternal grandmother, Dida Sidahmed, was born in Bir Magran. Her father was a shepherd. As was, and still is, common among the predominantly Islamic population of Sahrawis, both women were taught the Koran as part of their daily routine and studies.

As Nanahas grandmothers both reached school age, decolonisation had started to sweep through Africa. Things began to shift in Western Sahara.

As Nanahas grandmothers both reached school age, decolonisation had started to sweep through Africa. Things began to shift in Western Sahara. Although the Sahrawis had plentiful natural resources, they had become increasingly impoverished under Spanish colonial rule. As discontent spread and the anticipation of further decolonisation became widespread, the Sahrawis began the process of unshackling themselves from the Spanish. As they did so, tensions and skirmishes between the two nations increased.

The Moroccans who also had fought to regain their autonomy from the Spanish (as well as the French) eventually succeeded in 1957 following a series of armed incursions called The Ifni War. When a peace deal was brokered, Morocco attempted to take over all of Spains interests by claiming that they were historically and geographically part of Moroccan territory. In the end, a peace agreement kept Western Sahara under Spanish rule. In 1963, the United Nations declared Western Sahara a non-self-governing territory. The long-awaited process of decolonization took another 12 years to play out, leaving Western Sahara as Africas last remaining colony.

In the late 1960s, while the Spanish were still in the process of reluctantly relinquishing control of the region, Mariam, 17, married Hassan Mohamed. Meanwhile 19-year-old Dida returned from Mauritania  where she had been studying the Koran  to marry Baba Ali Mohammed, Nanahas maternal grandfather. Her own mother, Minatu Ali, was born in 1970. It would be another two decades before the two paths taken by Nanahas grandmothers finally converged in the refugee camps.

Flight to Safety

In 1975, life for both women and their families took a radical turn.

Having finally relinquished administrative control of the territory, Spain passed its administration jointly to Morocco and Mauritania. The Sahrawis of the region objected, and the nationalist movement they formed  the Polisario Front  immediately went to war with both countries.

Mauritania pulled out in 1979, But Morocco held fast to its claim  refuted by the International Court of Justice  that Spanish Sahara had belonged to the Kingdom of Morocco.

Children play at a Sahrawi refugee camp in Tindouf Algeria, in the Sahara. 2017. PintoArt/Shutterstock.

It was in this stage of the conflict that Nanahas paternal grandmother, Mariam, lost a child in a Moroccan attack. Her other grandmother, Dida, also did not escape unscathed.

Dida had trained to become a nurse and was working with those injured in the ongoing war. Eventually, she was informed that her husband had died in battle. The shock caused her to miscarry her second child, and she returned home from the war front to Boujdour to grieve. When she got home, relates Nanaha, my [maternal] grandmother, Dida, was told that all the families of military personnel were being watched and rounded up by the Moroccans.

Dida managed to escape across the border to Mauritania. It was not long before other Sahrawis who were fleeing also arrived, closely followed by the Moroccan bombers.

Dida managed to escape across the border to Mauritania. It was not long before other Sahrawis who were fleeing also arrived, closely followed by the Moroccan bombers.

My [maternal] grandmother remembers an ambulance speeding through the town one day, remembers Nanaha, the driver screaming and telling people to run. At that time no one knew much about the geography of the area and the women and children who had fled to Mauritania from Western Sahara were getting into trucks but they didnt know where they were running to. They just knew that they had to get away from the bombs.

With the air still blanketed with dropping bombs, they travelled at night towards Algeria, which had granted the escaping Sahrawis a safe haven.

They hid under trees and rocks during the day. As they hurtled down stony roads, away from the ordinary lives they had known, none of them had any idea that they would become refugees in Algeria. The need of the women in that moment was much more primal - to reach a safe place for them and their children.

The need of the women in that moment was much more primal - to reach a safe place for them and their children.

Both my grandmothers believed we would go back to Western Sahara and that one day they would have their freedom. When you are safe in your house and then suddenly someone comes and kicks you out, going back is not just something you believe in, it is a given.

Left to right: Tekween, Nicole, Fatimetu, Violeta (project manager) and Nanaha stand in front of the new Desert Voicebox learning center, facilitated by Sandblast. Photo courtesy Sandblast.

Building a Life as Refugees

As the war raged on in Western Sahara, countless women and their children arrived in the Tindouf region of Algeria with little but the clothes on their backs. The region where they settled was now part of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, the Sahrawi state-in-exile declared by the Polisario.

Algeria had offered them shelter, but the rest was now up to these refugees.

Where they started to build was a vacant, desolate, windy wasteland scorched dry by the unyielding sun. Algeria had offered them shelter, but the rest was now up to these refugees.

The National Union of Sahrawi Women had previously been founded in 1973 but the arrival of the women in Tindouf in 1975 marked a pivotal moment for Sahrawi women. Most of the men in their community were at war, and they were left brutally displaced from their homeland, with children to feed and educate. As mothers and as wives, they had no choice but to take control  and their refugee status spurred them to become community leaders.

The Libyan government had pledged to support the Polisario Front with the provision of scholarships for the refugee children. Since rearing a child in such conditions was impossible, many mothers sent their children to Libya for part of each year to be educated. Among those who left for Libya was Nanahas mother Minatu.

When she got to the camps Mariam didnt talk much about the suffering she had faced, she was more concerned with being practical, recalls Nanaha. She was one of the founders of the camps and she helped to build schools and homes, making bricks with sand. She also taught the children the Koran.

Life in a refugee camp in Tindouf in the Sahara desert. Alberto Canalejo/Shutterstock.

The Sahrawi women in the Tindouf camps began to build kindergartens and schools and very quickly became the primary educators and health workers. Illiteracy, part of the legacy of Spanish colonisation, was then at 95 percent. Today that figure has been reversed. As Mariam and other women built, the war raged on. In 1980, the Moroccans began to build a wall dividing both the Polisario liberated territories of Western Sahara - called the Free Zone and the refugee camps near and around Tindouf from the areas controlled by Morocco. The 2,270 kilometre wall known as the Moroccan Berm took seven years to complete. Millions of landlines were buried around it since its construction. Some 16,000 have been destroyed. Since its construction more than 2,500 landmine casualties have been reported on both sides of the divide.

Minatus Return

Algeria was fully supportive of the Western Sahrawis right to self determination. That coupled with the exceptional circumstances by which they were displaced, created a unique opportunity for unity and cooperation among the women refugees of the community.

Algeria were fully supportive of the Western Sahrawis right to self determination. That coupled with the exceptional circumstances by which they were displaced, created a unique opportunity for unity and cooperation among the women refugees of the community.

Young Minatu had attended school in Libya every winter since they had arrived at the camps. In the summer, she witnessed the work and determination of the women to establish an infrastructure; she grew up in an atmosphere where female empowerment was a given.

So, it was a shock to her when at the age of 19, she came back to the camps for the summer to be told that a marriage had been arranged for her. My mother was very young and she had no understanding of marriage, Nanaha observes. She had only met her husband once before the wedding and she did not feel anything for him. It was months before she could accept him as her husband. She was scared and he understood that. He didnt force anything.

As the couple settled into their first years of marriage, the stalemate between Morocco and the Polisario Front came to an end in 1991, when the United Nations brokered a cease-fire agreement. At that time, the Polisario controlled less than 20 percent of the territory, including Tindouf and the camps. Morocco occupied the coast and all the areas to the west. These more or less remain the lines of control today.

The 1991 peace plan was intended to be an interim agreement in preparation for a referendum. The referendum would give the Sahrawis the chance to choose between independence and integration with Morocco.

To date, the referendum has not taken place. And the camps remain. In 2014 the Polisario and Algeria estimated that there were about 165,000 refugees in the camps. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimated the total population to be closer to 125,000. Morocco alleged that both these numbers were highly inflated.

Four Generations in Exile

Minatu went on to have five children. Her first, a little girl, died at six months old. Nanaha was her second child and the first of the family to have the opportunity to visit Spain. She grew up in the camps, was educated in the camps and in Algeria, married in the camps and now has a five-year-old daughter called Lamia. They still live in the 27th February Camp, recently renamed the Boujdour Camp.

We wake up really early, she says. We play, we work, we do housework. Many people have goats so people go to feed them. There is no water here and we cannot farm. As refugees, we receive humanitarian aid, but we never have enough, so we have to work to buy food.

Walking in the footsteps of her grandmother, Nanaha is teaching English to the children with the help of a humanitarian project called Desert Voicebox .

I want to teach the children the worlds first language so one day they might carry the message. I dont want my daughter or the next generation to survive from the handouts of others.

I want to teach the children the worlds first language so one day they might carry the message, she says. I dont want my daughter or the next generation to survive from the handouts of others. We have been waiting for the UN to find a solution for us, but sometimes I feel like we are just another folder on the pile on their desk.

In 2020 under President Trump, the United States made a statement recognising Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, in exchange for Moroccan normalisation of relations with Israel. The statement ended nearly 30 years of US support for UN-led negotiations in the region and was swiftly criticised by the international community.

On November 13, 2020 Sahrawi protesters blocking a controversial road project clashed with the Moroccan military forces sent to disperse them. The Polisario Front declared this a breach of the 29-year UN-brokered ceasefire and declared war on Morocco. To date the fighting has taken place, along the Western Sahara part of the Moroccan Berm which separates the occupied territory from the Polisario-controlled zone. The unresolved war which led Mariam and Dida to flee their homeland and lose so much 45 years before had once again reared its ugly head.

When my brothers went to war, it was a nightmare for my mother, says Nanaha She cried a lot. She spent every moment by the radio listening to the news. My brothers, my uncles, my neighbours, my friends, my people: They are now facing war. We are all scared. We hope we will not lose them.

This is something no one wanted. It means death and sadness. But if you are furious and angry, if you have screamed, and no one has heard you, then in the end, this war becomes inevitable.

Despite the hope and strength demonstrated in the story of her familys resilience across generations as refugees, the prospects at present seem grim  and promise only further suffering amidst a hope for the future seemingly always postponed.

In a long message sent [this August] via online messaging, the only reliable way to exchange information with those in the camps, Nanaha concludes: We will keep seeking freedom until the last Sahrawi human has died. Im sure that will not happen. We will have our land back. Thats my land. The land of my grandparents and my great grandparents. Its the land of our roots. We will have our land back. If not me, then my hope is for the next generation.

Kary Stewart is a multimedia journalist and producer. The author wishes to thank Danielle Smith at Sandblast.
Over a year and a half into an unprecedented global pandemic and its ongoing wide scale repercussions, so many urgent challenges facing our world have unfortunately taken a backseat. One of these challenges, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic, is the global refugee crisis.

For many around the world, including my country Jordan, the refugee crisis remains a poignant everyday reality that we cannot afford to ignore.

For many around the world, including my country Jordan, the refugee crisis remains a poignant everyday reality that we cannot afford to ignore.

Granting refuge to those escaping violence and persecution lies at the very core of Jordans founding principles. We have opened our doors to wave after wave of refugees over the decades in one of the worlds most volatile regions. We continue to do so because this is who we are; because we cannot turn our backs on desperate mothers, children, and entire families looking for a safe haven.

Ministry of Health Doctors and Nurses help refugees prepare to receive their COVID-19 vaccine in Zaatari Camp. Feb 15, 2021.  UNHCR/YousefAlHariri.

Jordan hosts the second highest number of refugees per capita globally. We host nearly 3.6 million refugees of different nationalities. Refugees, including those registered with the UNHCR and UNRWA, make up almost a third of our population. It is the equivalent of having nearly 109.4 million refugees living in the United States. The majority of these refugees live among host communities rather than in refugee camps.

For Syrian refugee children who turned ten this year, Jordan is the only country they know.

For Syrian refugee children who turned ten this year, Jordan is the only country they know. As a whole generation of Syrian refugees comes of age in Jordan and other host countries, the need arises for a new development-focused approach to boost education and healthcare services, and address pressure on infrastructure and employment.

The sudden surge in Jordans population, particularly with the wave of Syrian refugees over the past decade, has come with its share of challenges, compounding economic difficulties and increasing pressure on our severely limited water and energy resources, in addition to posing challenges to food security.

Refugee girls walk home from school through the market street in Zaatari Camp. September 16, 2019.  UNHCR/Jordi Matas

Nevertheless, Syrians study at our schools, receive treatment at our hospitals, and are vaccinated against COVID-19 at our vaccination centres. We believe in the importance of providing vaccines, health care, and education to the refugees we host, because their wellbeing and advancement will ultimately reflect on our own wellbeing and advancement.

They are the entrepreneurs and the farmers, the artists and the designers, the doctors and the scientists.

Many of them have not allowed displacement to define them and have chosen to become proactive in the betterment of themselves and their host communities. They are the entrepreneurs and the farmers, the artists and the designers, the doctors and the scientists.

This September, Waleed, an Iraqi who has taken refuge in Jordan, began his work as a dermatologist at a hospital in Irbid Governorate. He is one of several refugees from Iraq, Syria, and Yemen who are also medical professionals that responded to a UNHCR call to refugees in Jordan with previous experience in the medical sector to pitch in, amidst the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Waleed, an Iraqi refugee and doctor is pictured outside Princess Basma Hospital in Irbid. August 22, 2021 UNHCR/Farah AlSadi

At the Zaatari Refugee Camp for Syrian refugees, crops are being grown at the hands of Syrian farmers who have been trained in hydroponics techniques, in order to be able to provide for themselves and others in the camp, using sustainable, water-efficient agricultural methods.

Elsewhere, refugees have started home-based businesses to provide for themselves and their families, while also offering services to their peers and Jordanians alike.

Jordan has realised that giving refugees the opportunity would enable them to proactively contribute to the community in which they currently live, instead of simply sitting and waiting for the time when they can go back to their homes. Over 257,000 work permits have been issued to Syrian refugeesthe equivalent of one work permit per Syrian household. About 59% of Syrian men and 7% of Syrian women are economically active in Jordan.

But in order to continue on this path, international engagement is a must. Displacement is a global moral tragedy that demands a continued international response. The international community cannot afford to turn its back on refugees and their host countries like Jordan.

Displacement is a global moral tragedy that demands a continued international response.

The accumulated total direct cost of hosting Syrian refugees in Jordan over the past decade is estimated at around $15.8 billion. Funding for Syrian refugee needs has been decreasing significantly over the past five years, and especially over the past two years. Nearly 62% of the needs were covered in 2016, dropping to around 50% in 2019. This year, funding received so far for the Jordan Response Plan to the refugee crisis covers just about 10% of what is required.

The requirements outlined in the Jordan Response Plan are not limited to building the necessary infrastructure, but also include the funds required to allocate the doctors, health workers, teachers, and other vital cadres needed to keep up with the increasing pressure on hospitals and schools, as they provide services to refugees and Jordanians alike.

Maintaining international support for agencies such as UNRWA, the UNHCR, and the WFP remains vital to give hope to refugees and host communities, and boost their resilience. Support is also needed to enhance public sector capacities in host countries like Jordan, where services have been under immense strain, especially over the past two years of economic crisis further aggravated by COVID-19 and its implications on various sectors.

A development-geared approach is the way forward. Instead of one-off cash or in-kind assistance, support for refugees should empower them and invest in their capabilities to become active contributors to the advancement and prosperity of themselves and their host communities.

Support for refugees should empower them and invest in their capabilities to become active contributors to the advancement and prosperity of themselves and their host communities.

Supporting the talents and potential of the refugees of today could lead to empowering the scientists, leaders, and innovators of the future. Instead of a lost generation, we have the opportunity to build a thriving generation full of promise. Out of that belief, Jordan is working to restore stability to the region, so that one day, this promising generation of refugees would be able to return to their homes and actively contribute to rebuilding their communities and nations.

Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein is King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Cover art: Refugee girls walk home from school through the market street in Zaatari Camp. September 16, 2019.  UNHCR/Jordi Matas.
Indigenous leaders say Pope Francis must be ready to deliver an apology for the Catholic Church's role in residential schools if he visits Canada.

Pope Francis leaves at the end of a mass in which he ordained as bishops Andres Gabriel Ferrada Moreira and Guido Marini, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. The Vatican says Pope Francis is willing to visit Canada, as Indigenous leaders call on him apologize for the Catholic Church's role in residential schools. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Alessandra Tarantino

Indigenous leaders say Pope Francis must be ready to deliver an apology for the Catholic Church's role in residential schools if he visits Canada.

"An apology is the beginning," said Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme. "An apology is required, and the rebuilding of a relationship would follow the apology."

The Saskatchewan First Nation made international headlines earlier this year with the discovery of potentially 751 unmarked graves near the former Catholic-run Marieval Indian Residential School.

Delorme said an apology would verify and validate the pain many survivors still live with today.

The Vatican said in a statement Wednesday that the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops invited the Pope to travel to Canada in the "context of the long-standing pastoral process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples."

The statement said the Pope indicated his willingness to do so at an undetermined date.

There was no guarantee of an apology should the Pope visit.

"The Catholic church must be accountable and acknowledge their responsibility for implementing and running these institutions of assimilation and genocide," National Chief RoseAnne Archibald of the Assembly of First Nations said in an emailed statement.

She urged the church to make reparations during any visit, including returning diocese land and investing in long-term healing and support programs.

Natan Obed, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, said an apology would be a commitment from the church to deal with human rights abuses and respect Indigenous people.

"Without an apology we dont have a sense of the moral compass of the institution and of the relationship between the Catholic Church and the First Nations, Inuit and Metis of this country," Obed said.

An estimated 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools over a century. More than 60 per cent of the schools were run by the Catholic Church.

A delegation of First Nations leaders and residential school survivors met with former pope Benedict in 2009. He expressed his sorrow and "personal anguish" but never apologized.

The 2015 final report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada chronicled abuses suffered by Indigenous children at federally funded, church-run residential schools. It called for the Pope to deliver an apology in Canada within a year.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau personally asked the Pope in 2017 to consider an apology.

Pressures have mounted this year following the discovery by First Nations of hundreds of unmarked graves at former residential school sites in British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

Criticism has also intensified as concerns have been raised that the Catholic Church didn't properly compensate residential school survivors as agreed to under a landmark settlement.

Marc Miller, minister of Crown-Indigenous relations, said people would be disappointed if there was not a full and complete apology.

"That full recognition of harms caused is something that's long waited for from the Holy Father himself," Miller said.

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said an apology alone is not good enough. He said the Catholic Church is also responsible for compensation and must provide all documents it has related to the schools.

Conservative MP Garnett Genuis posted on social media that he was pleased with the Pope's decision to visit, but he hopes "politicians let the dialogue happen without trying to make themselves the story." Genuis has twice blocked the House of Commons from achieving unanimous consent to request a papal apology. He was the lone dissenter.

First Nations, Metis and Inuit leaders plan to make a trip to the Vatican in December to meet with the Pope in the hope of securing an apology.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a statement that there have been meaningful discussions with Indigenous people, especially those affected by residential schools.

"We pray that Pope Francis' visit to Canada will be a significant milestone in the journey toward reconciliation and healing," said the group's president, Most Rev. Raymond Poisson.

John Paul II is the only pope to have visited Canada. He did so three times.

The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program has a hotline to help residential school survivors and their relatives suffering trauma invoked by the recall of past abuse. The number is 1-866-925-4419.

 With files from Brittany Hobson in Winnipeg and The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2021.
NEW GLASGOW, N.S. - A Nova Scotia physician has agreed to give up his licence after a tiny camera was discovered on the wall of the staff washroom at his clinic.

NEW GLASGOW, N.S. - A Nova Scotia physician has agreed to give up his licence after a tiny camera was discovered on the wall of the staff washroom at his clinic.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia, the regulatory body for the province's medical profession, released its decision in the case of Rafid Sabah Al-Nassar last week, calling the alleged actions dishonourable and unprofessional.

The hearing committees report alleges that Al-Nassar placed a hook containing a hidden camera pointed toward the toilet in a washroom in the Westside Medical Clinic in New Glasgow, N.S.

The camera, which was found by an employee in March 2016, held an SD card that contained footage of an employee using the washroom.

"(Al-Nassar's) alleged conduct, if proven, would amount to an extreme invasion of the privacy of the employees of Westside Medical and a substantial affront to their dignity," the report reads.

On Nov. 29, 2016, the New Glasgow Police Department charged Al-Nassar with voyeurism and the college began an investigation the same day.

The college's decision says that though the criminal charges against Al-Nassar were stayed due to delays in bringing the case to court, Al-Nassar has not contested the college's allegations of actions that amount to serious wrongdoing.

"In our opinion, revocation of Dr. Al-Nassar's licence and registration is necessary to maintain public confidence in the ability of the College to regulate the medical profession in Nova Scotia in the public interest," the decision says.

Under the terms of the agreement, Al-Nassar can apply for reinstatement in two years.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2021.

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)  The board of the Alaska Railroad has voted unanimously to rescind a requirement for all of its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)  The board of the Alaska Railroad has voted unanimously to rescind a requirement for all of its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Initially, railroad employees were supposed to be vaccinated by Dec. 8 to comply with vaccine requirements ordered by President Joe Biden that, in part, required vaccination for employees of contractors doing business with the federal government. The railroad is a federal contractor, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

An email sent to railroad employees last Friday said the railroad must meet the standard. But Tuesdays board decision followed legal challenges that have been filed elsewhere seeking to block the federal mandate, Alaska Railroad spokesperson Tim Sullivan said.

The board could revisit its decision, depending on the outcome of the vaccine mandate legal challenges, he said.

Sullivan said nearly 53% of the railroad's 692 employees are vaccinated.

Failure to comply with the vaccine mandate could cost the state-owned corporation millions of dollars in federal grants and contracts, and the space it leases from the U.S. Forest Service in Anchorage, Sullivan said.

Board members expressed reluctance to require vaccinations.

We have one of our U.S. senators that has implored us and others within the state of Alaska not to make these decisions until there is more certainty on what direction is the country is headed on this, board member John Binkley said, referring to comments made recently by Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan.

There just seems to be a lot of state of flux in terms of how this is going to manifest itself, Binkley said.
SEATTLE (AP)  After Bryan Kangs son was born in July, the occupational therapist and his wife, a teacher, started looking for child care in the Los Angeles area. The couple called eight day care centers: Some didn't have spots for months; others stopped taking their calls and some never answered at all.

Preschoolers eat lunch at a day care center, Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, in Mountlake Terrace, Wash. Child care centers once operated under the promise that it would always be there when parents have to work. Now, each teacher resignation, coronavirus exposure, and day care center closure reveals an industry on the brink, with wide-reaching implications for an entire economy's workforce. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

SEATTLE (AP)  After Bryan Kangs son was born in July, the occupational therapist and his wife, a teacher, started looking for child care in the Los Angeles area. The couple called eight day care centers: Some didn't have spots for months; others stopped taking their calls and some never answered at all.

So with no viable options, Kang scrambled to find a new job that would allow him to work remotely.

I told my manager, Hey, by the end of the month, I have to transition out," Kang said. "They were very supportive and very understanding because theyre all mothers. But now theres one less body to see patients.

Kang said he's fortunate he found a job teaching online classes, but the unexpected career pivot forced him to take an 11% pay cut.

The truth is, even if he could find a day care spot for his now 3-month-old son, the $2,500 monthly cost of infant care is so high that taking a lower-paying job so he can work from home and care for the baby is the most financially sensible thing to do.

Teacher's assistant Brooklynn Bailey, right, walks away after tucking a child in for a nap behind at Forever Young Daycare facility, Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, in Mountlake Terrace, Wash. Child care centers once operated under the promise that it would always be there when parents have to work. Now, each teacher resignation, coronavirus exposure, and day care center closure reveals an industry on the brink, with wide-reaching implications for an entire economy's workforce. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

The child care business has for years operated in a broken, paradoxical market: low wages for workers and high costs for consumers. Yet the critical service somehow managed to limp along.

Now, the pandemic has made clear what many experts had long warned: The absence of reliable and affordable child care limits which jobs people can accept, makes it harder to climb the corporate ladder and ultimately restricts the ability of the broader economy to grow.

Early learning is no longer seen as just a womens issue or a childrens issue. Its really seen as an economic issue. Its about workforce participation, said Mario Cardona, policy chief for Child Care Aware of America. Its about employers who dont have to worry about whether theyll be able to rely upon employees.

Child Care Aware estimates 9% of licensed child care programs have permanently closed since the pandemic began, based on its tally of nearly 16,000 shuttered centers and in-home day cares in 37 states between December 2019 and March 2021.

Now, each teacher resignation, coronavirus exposure and day care closure reveals an industry on the brink, with wide-reaching implications for an entire economys workforce.

The national crisis has forced many people  mostly women  to leave their jobs, reshaping the child care crisis as not just a problem for parents of young children, but also anyone who depends on them. It has contributed to a labor shortage, which in turn has hurt businesses and made it more difficult for customers to access goods and services.

Amy McCoy cuddles a seven-month old baby at her Forever Young Daycare facility, Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, in Mountlake Terrace, Wash. Child care centers once operated under the promise that it would always be there when parents have to work. Now, each teacher resignation, coronavirus exposure, and day care center closure reveals an industry on the brink, with wide-reaching implications for an entire economy's workforce. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

The decisions we make about the availability of child care today will shape the U.S. macroeconomy for decades to come by influencing who returns to work, what types of jobs parents take and the career path they are able to follow, said Betsey Stevenson, an economist at the University of Michigan.

President Joe Biden has pledged an unprecedented burst of federal spending in hopes of fixing the child care market. At a recent town hall in Baltimore, he assured parents they would not have to pay more than 7% of your income for child care. Federal money would go directly to care centers to cover costs in excess of the 7% cap. This means the median U.S. family earning $86,372 would pay $6,046 annually for child care.

Bidens plan also includes universal pre-kindergarten, which could further reduce child care expenses for families. The expanded monthly payments from the child tax credit approved in Bidens $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package would be extended for another year. The president also proposed increasing the size of a tax credit for the cost of child care, all of which should help improve access for families.

The Congressional Budget Office has yet to score the costs as the measures are still being negotiated ahead of Bidens departure Thursday for the G-20 conference in Rome. But Donald Schneider, a former chief economist for the House Ways and Means Committee who now works for the consultancy Cornerstone Macro, estimates the child care and pre-kindergarten support would cost $465 billion over 10 years. The one-year price-tag of the expanded child tax credit would be around $120 billion. The credit would cost an additional $940 billion if renewed for nine more years.

It remains to be seen what survives in the brutal negotiations in Congress for Biden's broad family services agenda, but the pandemic is proving to be a make-or-break catalyst for the future of the child care industry.

At Forever Young Daycare in the Seattle suburb of Mountlake Terrace, Amy McCoy is burning out fast.

Amy McCoy signs to a baby about food as a toddler finishes lunch behind at her Forever Young Daycare facility, Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, in Mountlake Terrace, Wash. Child care centers once operated under the promise that it would always be there when parents have to work. Now, each teacher resignation, coronavirus exposure, and day care center closure reveals an industry on the brink, with wide-reaching implications for an entire economy's workforce. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

She's spent half of this year trying to hire a new assistant for her in-home child care, but until then, the former public school teacher works 50 hours a week caring for children herself, and more doing the cooking, cleaning and administrative work needed to run her business.

At what point is my day care more important than my own family?" McCoy asked.

One of McCoy's assistants, who worked there for five years, quit the $19-an-hour job in April for a $35-an-hour job nannying. McCoy has posted the opening for an entry-level assistant on Indeed and Facebook, offering $16 per hour  nearly 20% more than the state minimum wage. She's gotten few responses and all turned her down over pay, making hiring impossible without a tuition increase.

Nobody wants to work for what I can afford to pay right now, McCoy said. I absolutely believe these are $20-an-hour employees, but I hate that, most likely, I will have to raise tuition."

The U.S. Treasury Department noted in a September report that child care workers earn on average $24,230. More than 15% of the industrys workers live below the poverty line in 41 states and half need public assistance. The sector has high levels of turnover, with 26% to 40% leaving their job each year. Nor is there much room to give among child care centers that tend to operate on profits of 1% or less.

In nearby Edmonds, Briana McFadden shuttered her business, Cocoon Child Care Center, last month due to the stress of the pandemic, though McFadden thinks she would have stayed open if there were government subsidies to stabilize the industry.

In 12 years in business, McFadden said she never raised tuition and was the rare day care in the affluent northern Seattle suburbs to accept low-income families on a state subsidy. In pre-pandemic times, Cocoon employed seven people to care for 37 children. Now McFadden plans to open a convenience store.

It really wasnt worth it to continue, McFadden said, her voice quivering with emotion. Day care is a hard business.

Tatum Russells livelihood depended as much on McFaddens day care as the restaurant that employs her to hand-bread seafood.

During a COVID-19-related day care closure in August, the single mom could only stitch together help from relatives for some of the time. Russell ultimately had to miss four days of work.

Its been a nightmare, and its not over, Russell said.

___

Boak reported from Washington, D.C.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Iran's president said Wednesday that a cyberattack which paralyzed every gas station in the Islamic Republic was designed to get people angry by creating disorder and disruption, as long lines still snaked around the pumps a day after the incident began.

Cars wait in line to fill up at a gas station because pumps machines are out of service, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. Gas stations across Iran on Tuesday suffered a widespread outage of a system that allows consumers to buy fuel with a government-issued card, stopping sales. One semiofficial news agency referred to the incident as a cyberattack. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Iran's president said Wednesday that a cyberattack which paralyzed every gas station in the Islamic Republic was designed to get people angry by creating disorder and disruption, as long lines still snaked around the pumps a day after the incident began.

Ebrahim Raisi's remarks stopped short of assigning blame for the attack, which rendered useless the government-issued electronic cards that many Iranians use to buy subsidized fuel at the pump.

However, they suggested that he and others in the theocracy believe anti-Iranian forces carried out an assault likely designed to inflame the country as the second anniversary of a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests over gasoline prices approaches.

There should be serious readiness in the field of cyberwar and related bodies should not allow the enemy to follow their ominous aims to make problem in trend of peoples life," Raisi said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack that began Tuesday, though it bore similarities to another months earlier that seemed to directly challenge Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the countrys economy buckles under American sanctions.

On Wednesday morning, the state-run IRNA news agency quoted another official who claimed 80% of Iran's gas stations had begun selling fuel again. Associated Press journalists saw long lines at multiple gas stations in Tehran. One station had a line of 90 cars waiting for fuel. Those buying ended up having to pay at higher, unsubsidized prices.

The semiofficial ISNA news agency, which first called the incident a cyberattack, said it saw those trying to buy fuel with a government-issued card through the machines instead receiving a message reading cyberattack 64411.

While ISNA didnt acknowledge the numbers significance, that number is associated with a hotline run through Khameneis office that handles questions about Islamic law. ISNA later removed its reports, claiming that it too had been hacked. Such claims of hacking can come quickly when Iranian outlets publish news that angers the theocracy.

Farsi-language satellite channels abroad published videos apparently shot by drivers in Isfahan, a major Iranian city, showing electronic billboards there reading: Khamenei! Where is our gas? Another said: Free gas in Jamaran gas station, a reference to the home of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

The use of the number 64411 mirrored the attack in July targeting Irans railroad system that also saw the number displayed. Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point later attributed the train attack to a group of hackers that called themselves Indra, after the Hindu god of war.

Indra previously targeted firms in Syria, where President Bashar Assad has held onto power through Irans intervention in his countrys grinding war.

Abolhassan Firouzabadi, the secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, linked the attack to the Irans rail system assault in July in comments reported by IRNA. He also said it affected all of Iran's 4,300 gas stations nationwide.

There is a possibility that the attack, like a previous one on railway system, has been conducted from abroad, Firouzabadi said.

However, a former deputy telecommunications minister, Amir Nazemy, earlier wrote on Twitter that the infrastructure of system of gas stations is an exclusive network and this sort of communications were not on the internet. That raises questions on whether someone inside of Iran with access to the system launched the cyberattack or otherwise facilitated it.

Cheap gasoline is practically considered a birthright in Iran, home to the worlds fourth-largest crude oil reserves despite decades of economic woes.

Subsidies allow Iranian motorists to buy regular gasoline at 15,000 rials per liter. Thats 5 cents a liter, or about 20 cents a gallon. After a monthly 60-liter quota, it costs 30,000 rials a liter. Thats 10 cents a liter or 41 cents a gallon. Regular gasoline costs 89 cents a liter or $3.38 a gallon on average in the U.S., according to AAA.

In 2019, Iran faced days of mass protests across some 100 cities and towns over rising gasoline prices. Security forces arrested thousands and Amnesty International said it believes 304 people were killed in a government crackdown. Tuesdays cyberattack came in the same month in the Persian calendar as the gasoline protests in 2019.

The attack also came on the birthday of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who, stricken with cancer, fled the country in 1979 just before the Islamic Revolution.

Iran has faced a series of cyberattacks, including one that leaked video of abuses at its notorious Evin prison in August.

The country disconnected much of its government infrastructure from the internet after the Stuxnet computer virus  widely believed to be a joint U.S.-Israeli creation  disrupted thousands of Iranian centrifuges in the countrys nuclear sites in the late 2000s.

Iran, long sanctioned by the West, faces difficulties in getting up-to-date hardware and software, often relying on Chinese-manufactured electronics or older systems no longer being patched by manufacturers. That would make it easier for a potential hacker to target. Pirated versions of Windows and other software are common across Iran.

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Karimi reported from Tehran, Iran.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Another group of workers is suing Los Alamos National Laboratory over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, arguing that the requirement discriminates against employees who sought religious or medical exemptions.

FILE - This undated file photo shows the Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, N.M. Another group of workers is suing Los Alamos National Laboratory over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The complaint filed Friday, Oct. 22, 2021, in federal court argues the mandate discriminates against employees who seek religious or medical exemptions. (The Albuquerque Journal via AP, File)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Another group of workers is suing Los Alamos National Laboratory over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, arguing that the requirement discriminates against employees who sought religious or medical exemptions.

The complaint was filed Friday in federal court by the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based law firm, on behalf of eight workers. Under the lab's policy, those with religious exemptions have to use vacation time or go without pay until they are allowed to return to work, and it's up to lab management to determine when its safe for them to return.

This is discrimination, pure and simple, special counsel Tyler Brooks said Tuesday in a statement. Los Alamos claims to have offered exemptions for those who have sincere religious reasons for not taking a mandatory COVID vaccine, but their one-size-fits-all so-called accommodation is flagrantly illegal. Accommodation by termination has never been a lawful option.

FILE - In this July 17, 2018, file photo, incoming Los Alamos National Laboratory director Thomas Mason speaks on a panel in Austin, Texas. Another group of workers is suing Los Alamos National Laboratory over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, arguing that the requirement discriminates against employees who sought religious or medical exemptions. Lab Director Mason told employees during a recent meeting that 185 workers had left over the mandate. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP, File)

The lab said Tuesday in a statement that its most important asset is its workforce and that vaccination is the best tool it has to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at the lab, where nearly 99% of workers are vaccinated. However, the lab did not address questions about what protections it might offer its workforce given that state health officials repeatedly have warned that vaccinated people can still become infected and spread the virus.

The latest data from the state Health Department shows 27% of cases reported over the last four weeks have been among vaccinated people. Health officials have said they expect this number to increase as immunity wanes.

An effort by more than 100 engineers, technicians and other workers who sought to put the vaccine mandate on hold was rejected by a state district judge earlier this month, clearing the way for the lab to begin firing workers. Lab Director Thomas Mason told employees during a recent meeting that 185 workers had left over the mandate. About two dozen were granted medical exemptions, and more than 150 were granted religious exemptions.

The lab employs nearly 14,000 people.

The lawsuit argued that the lab refuses to detail its criteria for determining when COVID-19 levels are low enough for employees on leave without pay to return to work.

Defendants' approach is designed to maximize the uncertainty and anxiety of those employees ready and willing to return to their jobs in an effort to force compliance with their mandate despite recognizing that plaintiffs and others have a bona fide religious exemption to taking the vaccines, the complaint reads.

Lawyers for the workers said their clients stand to lose professional standing as well as security clearances as a result of the mandate.

The birthplace of the atomic bomb, Los Alamos is one of the nation's premier nuclear weapons facilities. It's under pressure to begin producing key components for the nation's nuclear arsenal and it conducts research on a wide range of topics from public health to energy infrastructure.

The law firm had asked Mason to revisit the vaccine policy but he declined, stating that the policy complied with state and federal laws.

Brooks noted that in Tennessee, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against Oak Ridge National Laboratory's vaccine mandate based on similar claims.

Aside from civil rights and constitutional violations, the lawsuit argued that the lab has refused requests for medical accommodations for those workers who have fully recovered from COVID-19 and have natural immunity.
PARIS (AP)  A hike in the cost of wheat is alarming French households who fear a possible rise in the price of the prized baguette, seen by many as a barometer of the country's economic health.

Baker Hugo Hardy prepares baguettes to be sold at Bigot bakery in Versailles, west of Paris, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. A worldwide increase in wheat prices after bad harvests in Russia is forcing French bakers to raise the price of that staple of life in France the baguette. Boulangeries around France have begun putting up signs warning their customers of an increase in the price of their favorite bread due to rising costs. (AP Photo/Michel Euler

PARIS (AP)  A hike in the cost of wheat is alarming French households who fear a possible rise in the price of the prized baguette, seen by many as a barometer of the country's economic health.

Many boulangeries around France are putting up signs, warning customers that the long, crunchy staple could be going up in price by 3 to 5 centimes (4 to 6 cents), from its average of about 89 centimes (just over $1).

Although that might not seem like a lot, its a huge increase. The baguette is precious. It has only gone up 23 centimes in the last 20 years, said Dominique Anract, president of the French Confederation of Bakeries and Pastry Shops.

Baguettes are removed from the oven at Feru bakery in Louveciennes, west of Paris, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. A worldwide increase in wheat prices after bad harvests in Russia is forcing French bakers to raise the price of that staple of life in France the baguette. Boulangeries around France have begun putting up signs warning their customers of an increase in the price of their favorite bread due to rising costs. (AP Photo/Michel Euler

The bread industry crunch has been linked to a 30% worldwide increase since September in the price of wheat  one of the baguette's key ingredients  after bad harvests in Russia, Anract said. Rising energy prices that are making ovens more expensive to operate are also a factor, Anract and other experts say, with businesses and consumers worldwide already feeling the heat of higher prices from supply chain and labor constraints.

Energy prices are affecting the Italian food chain, too, with expectations they will push up the cost of drying grains. That could eventually raise the price of bread and pasta at supermarkets, but meat and dairy aisles are even more vulnerable as beef and dairy farmers are forced to pay more for grain to feed their animals and pass the cost along to customers.

France's 67 million people are voracious consumers of the baguette. The countrys Bread Observatory  a venerable institution that closely follows the fortunes of the famed 65-centimeter (26-inch) loaf  notes that the French munch through 320 baguettes every second. Thats an average of half a baguette per person per day and 10 billion every year.

Even three centimes higher is dire when played out nationwide, Anract said. The baguette is our emblem, our symbol, the thermometer of our economy. Its perhaps like Britains pint of milk. It can never go beyond one euro.

Bakers Ludovic Laurent, left, and Hugo Hardy Baguettes prepares baguettes to be sold at Bigot bakery in Versailles, west of Paris, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. A worldwide increase in wheat prices after bad harvests in Russia is forcing French bakers to raise the price of that staple of life in France the baguette. Boulangeries around France have begun putting up signs warning their customers of an increase in the price of their favourite bread due to rising costs. (AP Photo/Michel Euler

Marc Cohen, a 35-year-old father of two, said outside his local baker in the Le Marais area of central Paris that rising baguette prices would be a pain in the neck. Costs are going up everywhere. Even 5 centimes is a lot because we get one every day. That adds up over the year, and next year it will probably be the same.

Calling it depressing news, 43-year-old engineer Franck Nguyen said the baguette is an institution in France. If the price goes up by too much, there will be big opposition.

Although the baguette seems like the quintessential French product, it was said to have been invented by Vienna-born baker August Zang in 1839. Zang put in place France's steam oven, making it possible to produce bread with a brittle crust yet fluffy interior.

The product's zenith did not come until the 1920s, with the advent of a French law preventing bakers from working before 4 a.m. The baguette's long, thin shape meant it could be made more quickly than its stodgy cousins, so it was the sole bread that bakers could make in time for breakfast.

French Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot has even nominated the baguette for a place on UNESCOs Intangible Cultural Heritage List next year.

Baguettes are such serious business that bread observers say bakers around France are willing to sacrifice other bread products to maintain the price of the baguette, by spreading around extra costs.

That worries 24-year-old student Sandrine Boyer. She said she spends most of her bakery money on products other than baguettes and hopes that the price of the breads in general will not go up as well.

Bread has often stirred French passions. Marie Antoinettes famously misattributed quote, Let them eat cake, was one of the supposed triggers of the 1789 French Revolution.

Yet Anract was sanguine about the immediate future.

In the Revolution, there was a penury of bread, there was not enough of it," he said. It wasnt about the price of bread. Were not at that stage yet!
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  At least 59,000 meatpacking workers caught COVID-19 and 269 workers died when the virus tore through the industry last year, which is significantly more than previously thought, according to a new U.S. House report released Wednesday.

FILE - In this May 7, 2020, file photo workers wait in line to enter the Tyson Foods pork processing plant in Logansport, Ind. At least 59,000 meatpacking workers became ill with COVID-19 and 269 workers died when the virus tore through the industry last year, which is significantly more than previously thought, according to a new U.S. House report released Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  At least 59,000 meatpacking workers caught COVID-19 and 269 workers died when the virus tore through the industry last year, which is significantly more than previously thought, according to a new U.S. House report released Wednesday.

The meatpacking industry was one of the early epicenters of the coronavirus pandemic, with workers standing shoulder-to-shoulder along production lines. The U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, which examined internal documents from five of the biggest meatpacking companies, said companies could have done more to protect their workers.

The new estimate of infections in the industry is nearly three times higher than the 22,400 that the United Food and Commercial Workers Union has said were infected or exposed. And the true number could be even higher because the companies' data didn't generally include coronavirus cases confirmed by outside testing or self reported by employees.

At the height of the outbreaks in the spring of 2020, U.S. meatpacking production fell to about 60% of normal as several major plants were forced to temporarily close for deep cleaning and safety upgrades or operated at slower speeds because of worker shortages. The report said companies were slow to take protective steps such as distributing protective equipment and installing barriers between work stations.

Instead of addressing the clear indications that workers were contracting the coronavirus at alarming rates due to conditions in meatpacking facilities, meatpacking companies prioritized profits and production over worker safety, continuing to employ practices that led to crowded facilities in which the virus spread easily, the report said.

FILE - In this April 9, 2020 file photo employees and family members protest outside a Smithfield Foods processing plant in Sioux Falls, S.D. At least 59,000 meatpacking workers became ill with COVID-19 and 269 workers died when the virus tore through the industry last year, which is significantly more than previously thought, according to a new U.S. House report released Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Stephen Groves File)

Martin Rosas, who represents a UFCW chapter based in Kansas with over 17,000 members in three states, said the union pressed companies for better protections.

The harsh reality is that many of the companies were slow to act in the early days of the outbreak, and whatever progress that was achieved was due to the union demanding action," Rosas said.

The report is based on documents from JBS, Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods, Cargill and National Beef. Together they control over 80% of the beef market and over 60% of the pork market nationwide.

The North American Meat Institute trade group defended the industrys response to the pandemic. And Cargill, Tyson, Smithfield and JBS released statements Wednesday saying they worked aggressively to meet federal health and safety standards and took additional measures to protect their employees, such as conducting widespread testing and urging employees to get vaccinated.

The health and safety of our team members always comes first and our response since the onset of the pandemic has demonstrated that commitment, with an investment of more than $760 million to date. We have taken aggressive action to keep the virus out of our facilities and adopted hundreds of safety measures that often outpaced federal guidance and industry standards, JBS spokeswoman Nikki Richardson said.

The companies expressed regret at the toll the virus has taken.

Even one illness or loss of life to COVID-19 is one too many, which is why weve taken progressive action from the start of the pandemic to protect the health and safety of our workers, Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson said.

The report said infection rates were especially high at some meatpacking plants between the spring of 2020 and early 2021. At a JBS plant in Hyrum, Utah, 54% of the workforce contracted the virus. Nearly 50% of workers at a Tyson plant in Amarillo, Texas, were infected. And 44% of employees at National Beefs plant in Tama, Iowa, caught COVID-19.

The report said internal documents show Smithfield aggressively pushed back against government safety recommendations after experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention inspected its pork plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after a major outbreak. A few days earlier, Smithfield's CEO told the CEO of National Beef in an email that Employees are afraid to come to work.

Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration needs to do more to protect meatpacking workers.

Some of these companies are treating the workers in the plants not much better than the animals that go through them," Raskin said.

Debbie Berkowitz, with Georgetown University's Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor, said the industry was slow to respond and federal regulators didn't force companies to act.

When the pandemic hit, of course it was going to hit meatpacking plants really hard and really fast, said Berkowitz, a former OSHA official who testified Wednesday. What was the industrys response  not to protect workers and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, not to separate workers 6 feet apart, which was the earlier guidance that came out in late February  but to just keep on going.
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP)  Slovenias health minister on Wednesday warned that the country could face a nightmare scenario if it does not contain the virus outbreak raging in the small Alpine nation and other low-vaccination countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP)  Slovenias health minister on Wednesday warned that the country could face a nightmare scenario if it does not contain the virus outbreak raging in the small Alpine nation and other low-vaccination countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Health Minister Janez Poklukar said hospital beds have been filling up as the country logged the highest number of daily cases since January. With more than 3,000 confirmed infections in the past 24 hours, Poklukar said a lockdown is looming.

While we watched with fear at neighboring Italy at the start of the epidemic, we are now at a turning point because of low vaccination rates and we could easily have a Bergamo scenario, Poklukar said, evoking the hardest-hit Italian city last year.

Officials say Slovenia has fully vaccinated around 53% of its 2 million people. Authorities plan to open more COVID-19 wards in the European Union nation as intensive care units are 92% full, Poklukar said.

Other nations in Central and Eastern Europe that also have low vaccination numbers have seen infections surge to record levels. Reluctantly, countries have been reimposing some restrictions to get a grip on the situation.

Slovenia so far has required COVID-19 passes for employees to enter their workplaces. Croatia has required them for health care and nursing home workers and in Serbia, the health pass detailing one's vaccination status is required for late evening hours in bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Romania has reinstated tougher restrictions that also include a curfew and shutting down some venues.

While the European Union's average vaccination rate is around 70%, countries in Central and Eastern Europe hover around 50% and less. Despite high numbers of COVID-related deaths in recent weeks in the region, it has seen only a slight up-pick in vaccinations.

We have the weapon and the means, which is vaccination, Poklukar said. And we are not using it.

In neighboring Croatia, health authorities on Wednesday also reported surging daily new cases of around 4,500 in the country of 4.2 million. Every second test in the capital Zagreb came out positive and new testing sites are being opened, authorities said.

Serbian doctors said children and small babies are among those on ventilation as the weeks-long surge of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations shows no sign of abating. Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said there will be no immediate new restrictions but health authorities were contemplating shifting school classes online.

Serbia on Wednesday logged nearly 7,000 new infections and 64 more deaths. More than 1.1 million people have been infected in the Balkan country of 7 million while nearly 10,000 have died.

The most important thing at this moment is to implement the rules already in place, said Brnabic. If we don't do that, any new measures will make no sense.

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Follow APs pandemic coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)  The mayor of the Florida county that is home to the nations biggest theme park resorts is lifting a pandemic-related state of emergency order.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)  The mayor of the Florida county that is home to the nations biggest theme park resorts is lifting a pandemic-related state of emergency order.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said he was letting the order expire Wednesday afternoon.

The decision to let the order expire was made because Orange County's positivity rate has been below 5% for 17 consecutive days and the 14-day average rate was 3.5%, the mayor said. Demings said he would not hesitate to reinstate the emergency order if Orange Countys numbers rise.

Under the state of emergency, county employees were required to be vaccinated with at least one shot by the end of August, or face discipline. Unvaccinated workers also were required to be tested weekly for COVID-19, but they will no longer have to do that.

Orange County employees still will be required to wear masks indoors until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moves the county's risk threat from substantial to moderate. But individual private employers will be able to decide what safety precautions they want to take, Demings said.

That is a business decision they are going to have to make," Demings said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration has threatened municipalities and businesses with fines for mandating vaccines.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Twin Metals will appeal a federal decision that dealt a serious blow to its proposed copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota, the company said Wednesday.

FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2011, file photo, a core sample drilled from underground rock near Ely, Minn., shows a band of shiny minerals containing copper, nickel and precious metals, center, that Twin Metals Minnesota LLC, hopes to mine near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota. The Biden administration ordered a study Wednesday, Oct. 20,2021, that could lead to a 20-year ban on mining upstream from the wilderness. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski, File)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Twin Metals will appeal a federal decision that dealt a serious blow to its proposed copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota, the company said Wednesday.

Last week, the Biden administration ordered a mineral withdrawal study on 225,000 acres of federal land that could lead to a 20-year ban on mining upstream from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a popular recreational area in the Superior National Forest.

FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2011, file photo, a prospecting drill rig bores into the bedrock near Ely, Minn., in search of copper, nickel and precious metals that Twin Metals Minnesota LLC, hopes to mine near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota. The Biden administration ordered a study Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, that could lead to a 20-year ban on mining upstream from the wilderness. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski, File)

The order, which was issued by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, also prohibits issuing new prospecting permits or leases for mining-related activities in that area. The agencies said it does not affect valid existing rights or activities on private lands, including Twin Metals leases in the area, although they are currently the subject of a federal court challenge.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to the communities of northeast Minnesota, said Kelly Osborne, Twin Metals Chief Executive Officer. We have a viable mining project that we will move forward under existing law.

The rejection of the applications is both politically motivated and completely unnecessary, said Julie Padilla, Twin Metals Chief Regulatory Officer.

This tells us that the federal government has no intention to listen to science, and it also makes clear that opponents of copper-nickel mining are afraid that the established environmental review process already underway for our project would show that a modern copper-nickel mine can be safe for the environment and should be permitted.

When Twin Metals, which is owned by the Chilean mining giant Antofagasta, submitted its formal mine plan to federal and state regulators in 2019, the company said its design would prevent any acid drainage from the sulfide-bearing ore and protect the wilderness from pollution.

Environmental groups disputed that claim and challenged the lease renewals in court.
TORONTO - The University of Toronto has become the latest institution to commit to the divestment movement, saying Wednesday that it will sell off all fossil fuel investments in its $4 billion endowment fund by the end of 2030 to help fight climate change.

A person walks past the University of Toronto campus during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, Wednesday, June 10, 2020. The University of Toronto says it will sell off all fossil fuel investments in its $4 billion endowment by the end of 2030 and target a net-zero portfolio by 2050 to help fight climate change. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

TORONTO - The University of Toronto has become the latest institution to commit to the divestment movement, saying Wednesday that it will sell off all fossil fuel investments in its $4 billion endowment fund by the end of 2030 to help fight climate change.

The commitment includes divesting from all direct investments in fossil fuels companies within the next year, divesting from indirect exposure to fossil fuels through things like pooled investments by 2030, and reaching a net-zero portfolio by 2050.

The announcement by University of Toronto president Meric Gertler comes after he rejected a call in 2016 for the university to divest, saying at the time that the university would focus on pushing for better carbon disclosure and encouraging companies to reduce emissions.

Gertler said in a letter to the university community that it's time to do more.

The growing severity of the climate crisis now demands bold actions that have both substantive and symbolic impact.

The university's decision to go beyond investor activism toward an outright sell-off of fossil fuel assets comes amid a wave of divestment commitments globally.

On Tuesday, Dutch pension giant ABP said it would sell off all of its fossil fuel assets, worth some 15 billion euros, because it didn't see enough opportunity to push those companies towards sustainable practices fast enough. The pension fund said it would instead work to influence companies that use fossil fuels such as utilities, the auto industry and aviation.

Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, Canada's second-largest pension fund manager, made a similar commitment last month.

Harvard University also committed in September to divesting fossil fuels from its US$42 billion portfolio, while a smattering of Canadian universities including UBC, University of Guelph, and Concordia University have already made commitments.

Overall, there are about 1,485 institutions representing US$39.2 trillion in assets under management that have committed to some form of fossil fuel divestment, according to a report out Tuesday by a coalition of advocacy groups.

Critics of the movement say energy producers need capital to transition towards more sustainable practices, that divestment will do little to impact global demand for fossil fuels, and that it will push production towards countries and producers with lower environmental standards.

The University of Toronto's decision to sell off fossil fuel companies affects about 1.6 per cent of its endowment, as the university has already been working to reduce its exposure to the sector.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2021.
HANOI, Vietnam (AP)  Vietnam on Wednesday started to vaccinate children as part of an effort to reopen schools after more than half a year of closures due to COVID-19.

A student receives a Pfizer vaccine jab at Cu Chi district in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. Vietnam on Wednesday started to vaccinate children as part of an effort to reopen schools after more than half a year of closures due to COVID-19. (Thu Huong/VNA via AP)

HANOI, Vietnam (AP)  Vietnam on Wednesday started to vaccinate children as part of an effort to reopen schools after more than half a year of closures due to COVID-19.

About 1,500 teenagers between 16 and 17 years old in Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam were among the first to receive jabs before the inoculation program is rolled out nationwide in November, the health ministry said on its website.

During the first phase, Vietnam has only approved the Pfizer vaccine for children. Parents or guardians must sign a consent form for their children to be vaccinated, the report said.

Vaccination safety for children is the top priority, health minister Nguyen Thanh Long said during a meeting on Tuesday ahead of the launch.

Last week, the ministry approved vaccinations for children between 12 and 17 years old, with older teens in more populated cities receiving priority for the first doses. There are about 14 million Vietnamese children in that age range.

According to the report, children will be vaccinated at their schools and those who do not attend school will be vaccinated at pediatric hospitals.

About 55% of Vietnams 98 million people have received COVID-19 vaccine jabs, but only half of them have been fully vaccinated with both doses.

Vietnam closed schools and education institutions in May when an outbreak fueled by the delta variant spread across the country. No date has been set for reopening schools, but the government is aiming for early 2022.

Southern provinces were the worst hit by the virus, with Ho Chi Minh City as the epicenter. About 800,000 people were infected and 20,000 died in less than four months as the outbreak surged.
VICTORIA - It may be several days before fires can be put out inside containers on a cargo ship anchored off Victoria, Canada's coast guard says.

Ships continue to work to control a fire on board the MV Zim Kingston about eight kilometres from the shore in Victoria, B.C., on Monday, October 25, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

VICTORIA - It may be several days before fires can be put out inside containers on a cargo ship anchored off Victoria, Canada's coast guard says.

Meanwhile, about 40 containers that fell off the ship have been tracked to the northern tip of Vancouver Island about 440 kilometres away.

Paul Barrett, the planning section chief for the coast guard's unified command, said there are at least five fires burning inside containers that are believed to be storing tires on the MV Zim Kingston.

"The firefighting crews are deploying individual tactics to fight these fires," he said. "It's currently estimated that two to three days are required to make the vessel ready for further salvage actions."

Danaos Shipping Co., the ship's owner, said in a statement Tuesday it is co-operating with Canadian officials and has contracted a firefighting company to help fight the fires.

The company said the trouble began when two containers on the ship caught fire, while another 40 fell into the water as it approached Vancouver, before it anchored for repairs in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The containers have been tracked moving northward along the west coast of Vancouver Island and the coast guard said some have been spotted off Cape Scott on the northern tip of the island.

Juan Jose Alava, the principal investigator with the University of British Columbia's Ocean Pollution Research Unit, said Canadian officials need to be more proactive in tracking those missing containers.

"We should be more ready to find these containers," he said in an interview from Ecuador.

Alava said it is important for officials to determine what exactly is in the containers to inform Indigenous and other communities in northern Vancouver Island that rely on fishing in areas that could be impacted by toxic materials in the containers.

Gillian Oliver, the coast guard's advanced planning unit leader, said tracking buoys have been deployed in an effort to better trace the whereabouts of the missing containers.

She said some of the containers are expected to come ashore and asked any residents who may find one to report it to authorities.

Oliver did not provide details on what is in the containers, besides saying there were potentially toxic materials inside.

"We are still waiting for (the owners) to compile a list of the containers that went overboard and what is inside," she said.

The containers are believed to be low in the water, and officials says large ships may hit them with a passing blow and not realize.

J.J. Brickett, the coast guard's federal incident commander, said the vessel is able to operate but crews are taking a measured approach in ensuring the fires have been put out before it is moved.

Danaos Shipping's statement said it has permission from the Canadian Coast Guard to allow technical experts and two marine firefighters on board the ship.

Barrett said there are 20 people aboard comprising a mix of crew and firefighters.

The coast guard says it is monitoring air quality along Victoria's waterfront and has not recorded any unusual or dangerous changes caused by the fire.

Beckett said he wouldn't speculate on the situation leading up to the containers falling off the ship, but added that the weather conditions were considered normal for a boat to be operating in.

- By Nick Wells in Vancouver.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2021.
MONTREAL - As an inquest into 47 deaths at a Montreal long-term care home during the pandemic's first wave heard its final witness Tuesday, the coroner summed up the horror stories of dehydrated, unfed and soiled residents being left to die.

A Quebec coroner reminded an inquest into deaths at a privately-owned Montreal long-term care home that both the regional health authority and the care home's management were responsible for the care of vulnerable patients. Flowers are shown outside Maison Herron, a long term care home in the Montreal suburb of Dorval on April 12, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

MONTREAL - As an inquest into 47 deaths at a Montreal long-term care home during the pandemic's first wave heard its final witness Tuesday, the coroner summed up the horror stories of dehydrated, unfed and soiled residents being left to die.

"What we've heard in the past weeks goes beyond what is humanly acceptable in a society like ours," coroner Gehane Kamel said. "In effect, no human should end their lives in such deplorable conditions."

Kamel, who is examining the failings at Residence Herron as part of a broad investigation of 53 deaths at six long-term care homes and one seniors residence in the province, has concluded the factual portion of her inquiry. She will next hear recommendations before filing a final report.

Lynne McVey, head of the regional health board that took control of Herron on March 30 as COVID-19 cases mounted, testified that authorities did what they could to save lives.

Appearing before the inquest for a second time, McVey was questioned Tuesday about why it took so long to realize how many people had died at the private facility.

She said the information was only discovered on April 10 after additional verifications. The inquiry has heard that no one appeared to be tabulating deaths at the suburban Montreal facility.

McVey told the inquiry she was scared when she learned that at that point there had been 31 deaths, prompting Kamel to interject that there should have been an accounting earlier.

"If we had the choice between saving lives and registering deaths, I don't think you can fault nurses on the ground for going to a bedside rather than registering deaths," McVey said.

She was also questioned about the timing of a 911 call to police, coinciding with a Montreal Gazette report that appeared outlining horrifying conditions at the residence. One day later, provincial officials announced the 31 deaths.

Kamel also noted the 911 call came after health authority staff had been on site for two weeks.

McVey said perhaps she should have called police earlier, but she acted after several pieces of information came to light, including the 31 deaths and a report about a disorganized pharmacy counter at the residence.

"Calling the police isn't a crime, and it's a certainly a situation we'd never gone through in our careers," McVey said. "We found 139 patients with zero staff, it was unthinkable."

McVey also defended a letter sent to Herron management that informed them the regional health authority was assuming management on March 30. When Kamel said the letter left little room for collaboration, McVey described the situation as "desperate times (that) called for extreme measures."

She noted the situation at Herron was different than other residences where the health authority had assisted and owners handed over staff lists and patient files within an hour.

Later, asked by the lawyer representing some deceased Herron residents whether she took responsibility, McVey put the blame on the virus. COVID-19 is the most devious virus Ive had to deal with in my clinical career, she told the inquiry. "The virus has a large responsibility in these deaths."

She later told families she was sorry for the deaths, that the objective had been to provide care to residents.

"We went there to help, and we would have really wanted to save everybody," she said. "There are 18 witnessesthat came through here and many of them are still very traumatized by not being able to save the lives that we wanted to save during the pandemic."

Earlier Tuesday, Kamel said she was tired of finger-pointing between health authority managers and Herron officials, noting both sides were accountable and responsible for the vulnerable patients under their care.

The health authority's deputy director also took the stand for the first time during the inquest.

Najia Hachimi-Idrissi testified that the health authority was unable force three doctors assigned to Herron, who were seeing patients through telemedicine as COVID-19 cases mounted, to treat patients on site.

She also maintained the health authority could not oblige unionized employees to report for work at Herron, which is why non-unionized managers were the first to arrive at the understaffed facility to help.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2021.
More than 90 per cent of Manitoba's public-sector workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

More than 90 per cent of Manitoba's public-sector workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

However, 10 days after they were required to show proof of vaccination to continue working in the health, education and civil service categories, hundreds have instead chosen to undergo regular testing or go on unpaid leave.

Roughly 99.8 per cent of civil servants, 89 per cent of education staff and 86 per cent of health-care workers are fully vaccinated, according to figures released by the province Wednesday.

Deputy chief provincial public health officer Dr. Jazz Atwal announced the data during a virtual news conference, saying he was encouraged by the numbers and taking them as a sign of the "great work" individuals and organizations are doing to protect themselves and others.

He said the province will be drilling down to understand why those unvaccinated workers still haven't gotten the shot.

"I think it opens our eyes a little bit. (We'll be able to) create a little bit of a dialogue here with some of these sectors and with some of these individuals to try and encourage and promote vaccine uptake and to look at what is preventing one from getting vaccinated," Atwal said.

"We'll work one-on-one if we have to, to find out what is the issue and try to work through those issues."

In the civil service, 429 employees had opted for regular testing rather than having to disclose their vaccination status or provide proof of vaccination.

The same is true for 3,129 workers in the public and independent schools systems, including substitute teachers and casual staff. There are 143 school staff on unpaid administrative leave  97 per cent of whom are from public schools.

In health care, 36,269 of 42,000 direct-care professionals have said they're fully vaccinated and validation of disclosure forms is still underway (33,541 employees have already been validated as fully vaccinated). There are 1,788 health-care workers opting for testing; 184 refused testing and are either unvaccinated or refusing to disclose their status.

While the eventual goal is to lift all public health restrictions, including vaccination requirements, that won't happen anytime soon, Atwal said Wednesday, when asked if he can foresee circumstances in which unvaccinated public-sector employees will be allowed to return to work without getting the shot or submitting to testing.

"The plan right now is to protect Manitoba, is to protect the acute care system, is to prevent deaths and hospitalizations. So everything we're doing from a public health perspective is trying to do that. There are no plans to deviate from that in the short term," he said.

"For the next few months, for sure, nothing will change. We see this continuing for sure into the new year at this point."

On Wednesday, the province recorded 130 new cases of COVID-19 and three additional deaths. The provincial test positivity rate is creeping up, currently at 4.2 per cent.

Public health officials are still concerned many ill Manitobans are not getting tested for COVID-19.

About half of pandemic patients now admitted to hospital are only being tested upon arrival, Atwal emphasized. That's especially worrying, he said, because health officials know people are sick for 10 days, on average, before they need to go to hospital.

"That poses risk where we're missing out on contacts," Atwal said.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
Rising gas prices that have slammed motorists at the pump are about to hit those who buy it to heat their homes.

Rising gas prices that have slammed motorists at the pump are about to hit those who buy it to heat their homes.

The Public Utilities Board approved an application by Centra Gas to increase the primary rate by 17.1 per cent or $124 per year for a typical residential customer.

The increase is to take effect on Nov. 1, the rate-setting watchdog reported Tuesday. The hike won't affect customers who have signed fixed-term, fixed-price contracts, with either Centra or a private broker, the board said.

Primary gas is sold on a cost-recovery basis without markup by the Crown corporation to Manitoba customers, the regulator said.

"The cost is driven by market rates for natural gas," said Gloria Desorcy, Manitoba executive director of the Consumers Association Of Canada.

"Centra makes no profit on the sale of primary gas," she said in an email. "The cost is simply passed on to consumers."

The rate increase announced Tuesday is the quarterly interim primary gas rate, which is reviewed by the PUB every three months, she said. And 17 per cent is a "dramatic" increase, especially with winter approaching, she said.

"An increase of this magnitude has an impact on all consumers, particularly those with the most limited income," she said.

"Heat is a necessity for life in this province. Consumers with the most limited income may find themselves in a position where they have to choose between necessities, such as heat, medication, food, and shelter," Desorcy said.

She reminded consumers about Efficiency Manitoba, a Crown corporation that offers programs and rebates for consumers with a variety of income levels, to make households more energy efficient.

The NDP called on the Progressive Conservative government to offer Manitobans bigger Autopac rebates to offset rising prices.

"Life is getting too expensive for regular folks, NDP Leader Wab Kinew said Tuesday. "Gas prices are up nearly 25 per cent on the year, food prices are rising and hydro bills are increasing," he said in an email.

"The PC government could help by offering bigger rebates on Autopac payments, but instead they spend their time backfilling cuts with public money and looking for ways to sneak Hydro increases into omnibus bills."

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
The family of the man shot by a Thompson RCMP officer Monday is asking anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward.

The family of the man shot by a Thompson RCMP officer Monday is asking anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward.

"Presently, the family is still in shock from the video (of the shooting) that has circulated on Facebook, and are feeling traumatized from seeing our loved one being shot," said Kikiwani Mikisew Iskwew, sister of the 30-year-old man known as "Little Ray," who is in stable condition in hospital.

She spoke at a video news conference organized by Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, the organization that represents northern chiefs.

At around 2:45 p.m. Monday, the officer was serving legal documents at a residence on Princeton Drive, in a residential area near Wapanohk Community School, when he encountered a man armed with a knife.

Video of the incident taken by a witness and shared on social media shows the man approaching the officer as the officer had his gun raised. The officer shot him once at close range. RCMP said the man had been carrying a knife.

The family and MKO are "disheartened" by how he was treated after the shooting and the slow response time of the ambulance, Iskwew said.

"We feel that the shooting of Ray couldve been done differently. There were other measures that could be put in place to de-escalate the situation," she said. "The RCMP officer couldve used non-violent intervention strategies to de-escalate the situation."

The family told the media Ray, who has five children, is in good spirits. The family hasnt seen evidence he was carrying a knife at the time and asked people to be empathetic when watching the video, Iskwew said.

"We cannot judge Ray for the state he was in, and this does not justify the actions taken. Ray is only human, and like all humans, we all make mistakes," she said.

Chief Shirley Ducharme, of the O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation, also known as South Indian Lake, said MKO would work closely with the RCMP.

"Im very saddened and concerned to witness the disturbing video of our MKO citizen being shared on social media," she said.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba is investigating the shooting. Witnesses or other people who have information that could assist the investigation can contact the watchdog toll-free at 1-844-667-6060.

The officer who fired the shot remains on active duty, the RCMP have said.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: malakabas_
THE Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs held a ceremony for people who have experienced the child welfare system just as a Manitoba judge heard arguments over funding of First Nations and Metis children in care.

THE Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs held a ceremony for people who have experienced the child welfare system just as a Manitoba judge heard arguments over funding of First Nations and Metis children in care.

People participated in sharing circles in tents set up at the legislature Tuesday. Passersby were smudged and given something to eat and drink.

Many shared their experiences with the child welfare system, said Cora Morgan, the First Nations family advocate.

"Every time were camped out here at the legislature fasting, or were having any kind of walk or march, people kind of gravitate to us and want to share their experiences with the child welfare system," she said.

"Usually were here for another purpose, and were not always a listening ear. So we wanted to host an event so people could come forward."

Amber Laplante, a social work student, helped out with the event, and shared her own experience.

"(Im here) just to get my story out there the lack of support, and the trauma that comes with being involved with care," she said.

"I think its important for anybody who comes here today to be able to share their story. Even if these systems are not listening to them, at least they are able to sit in a circle where they are going to be heard, and understood, and acknowledged."

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: malakabas_
Winnipegs film industry is reeling after the on-set New Mexico shooting death last week of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Winnipegs film industry is reeling after the on-set New Mexico shooting death last week of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Hutchins worked this summer in the Manitoba capital on the yet-to-be-released horror/thriller feature Time Cut.

The 42-year-old Ukrainian was shot and killed Oct. 21 by actor Alec Baldwin when a gun reportedly carrying a live bullet was fired during a rehearsal on the set of upcoming Western film Rust.

Just before the fatal incident, a half-dozen crew members had walked off the set after complaints of unsafe working conditions.

In its wake, Hutchins death has sparked conversations around film crew safety standards and has been hard on the people who work in the industry, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 856 president Nicolas Phillips said Tuesday.

"Its hard to hear that kind of thing, because you have a common experience, common situations, you know how things are supposed to work, so when something like this happens it hits a lot closer to home," the lighting technician said.

IATSE Local 856 has just under 600 members and represents many of Manitobas film industry workers. Some worked on set with Hutchins on Time Cut, which began production July 7 but has since wrapped, according to the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists Manitoba website.

IATSE has reached out to membership about the incident, which has compounded the grieving of some in the local industry: many are still processing the death of veteran Rainbow Stage crew member John Shopka, who died in a fall at the theatre earlier this month.

Phillips has been working in Winnipeg for nearly 20 years, and said any time a prop gun was involved on set, there were strict protocols in place, including staff focused on monitoring the firearms.

"There are ways of doing this very safely, including never having live rounds on any set or anywhere near a set, and there are people who are very experienced whose job it is, and only is, to supervise those weapons and go through all the rigorous stage protocol," he said.

Phillips hopes Hutchins will be remembered not just in her death but in the work she accomplished before the incident. (She has 30 cinematography credits on her IMDb.com online profile.)

"What happened to (union) sister Hutchins shouldnt have happened. An accident is what happens when every measure that can be taken was taken and something happens. In this case, it seems like not everything that shouldve been done was done, and thats really tragic," he said.

"This was 100 per cent avoidable. What happened to her was 100 per cent avoidable."

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: malakabas_
Justin Trudeau continues to make one thing clear to Canadians: the West is not a priority for his government. If it were, he would have found a way to ensure the Prairie provinces had meaningful representation around the cabinet table.

Justin Trudeau continues to make one thing clear to Canadians: the West is not a priority for his government. If it were, he would have found a way to ensure the Prairie provinces had meaningful representation around the cabinet table.

Instead, the prime minister announced Tuesday only two MPs from the Prairies (out of 39 for the country) are in his new cabinet: one from Manitoba and one from Alberta.

When the big decisions are made around the cabinet table on issues such as health care, reconciliation with Indigenous people, the environment and foreign affairs, people living in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta will be, for the most part, on the outside looking in.

What a snub.

The prime minister announced Tuesday only two MPs from the Prairies (out of 39 for the country) are in his new cabinet, including Dan Vandal. ADRIAN WILD/CANADIAN PRESS

Part of the reason for that is the Liberals continue to be so unpopular in the West (largely because they ignore the West) that they elected only six MPs in the Prairies in last month's federal election  four in Manitoba, two in Alberta and none in Saskatchewan. Thats up from four elected Prairie MPs in the 2019 election (all from Manitoba). Still, even with only a half-dozen MPs to work with, Trudeau could have bolstered Prairie representation in cabinet  not only through more appointments, but with higher-profile posts.

Manitoba Liberal MP Dan Vandal gets to keep his northern affairs job, but little more (he becomes the lead on Prairies Economic Development Canada). Liberal MP Randy Boissonnault from Edmonton was given the junior post of tourism. Both positions carry little weight around the cabinet table.

Surely Vandal, who is Metis, was ready to be elevated to a position such as Crown-Indigenous Relations. What better time than now, when reconciliation has captured the attention of Canadians as never before, than to appoint a capable, experienced Indigenous MP from the Prairies to that department?

Winnipeg's Jim Carr lost his cabinet post, the closest Manitoba had to a regional minister. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES

Meanwhile, Jim Carr lost his cabinet post, the closest Manitoba had to a regional minister. There were other capable MPs to take his place if needed, including Winnipeg South Liberal MP Terry Duguid, who has vast experience in public office and is a longtime loyal party member. Its hard to imagine Duguids career and academic credentials on environmental issues (including as former chair of the Manitoba Clean Environment Commission and one-time executive director of the Manitoba Climate Change Task Force) wouldnt qualify him for a cabinet post in a government that lists climate change as one of its top priorities.

Also, if Winnipeg North MP Kevin Lamoureux, who has represented provincial and federal ridings in Winnipeg for more than three decades (including one of the most diverse constituencies in Canada), isnt ready to provide cabinet with a Prairie perspective, when is he?

There were options for Trudeau to bring more Prairie MPs into the cabinet fold and include a more geographically diverse set of voices. He chose not to.

In the past, Manitoba would typically have one high-profile regional minister (former MPs Lloyd Axworthy, Vic Toews) and often one other cabinet minister (former MPs Steven Fletcher, Shelly Glover for the Conservatives and Ron Duhamel or Rey Pagtakhan for the Liberals). The two other Prairie provinces would be equally represented.

Very little happens in government without the attention and political will of individual cabinet ministers.

Cabinet appointments are not just symbolic acts. Very little happens in government without the attention and political will of individual cabinet ministers. Broad policy may emanate from the Office of the Prime Minister. However, unless an issue or a regional priority is driven by a member of cabinet, it has little chance of survival. It requires the dogged determination of cabinet ministers to move files forward, especially those that are difficult to manage.

When the Prairies have almost no one around the cabinet table, its almost impossible for their interests to be heard, especially when they compete with priorities in other parts of the country.

Who will be there for Manitoba when issues such as transfer payments, child care or international trade are debated? Beyond one MP with, at best, a mid-level cabinet position, nobody.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
After one year as the owner of a downtown Winnipeg bagel shop during a pandemic, Phil Klein feels fortunate to have found some success.

After one year as the owner of a downtown Winnipeg bagel shop during a pandemic, Phil Klein feels fortunate to have found some success.

He also hopes his first year in business is the worst one he ever experiences.

On Oct. 21, 2020, Bagelsmith opened at 185 Carlton St., several months after its pre-pandemic lease was finalized. On Nov. 2, Winnipeg officially entered code red on the province's pandemic-response scale and restaurants were forced to close to in-person business.

JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Phil Klein, owner of Bagelsmith, hopes his first year in business is the worst one he ever experiences.

That meant Klein couldnt rely on normal foot traffic, as downtown office workers were again urged to stay home as much as possible.

"Its been a challenging year to say the least, specifically with it being our first. Im hoping this is the worst its ever going to be," he said.

Klein stressed hes been lucky to sell his bagels at more than 20 grocery stores and attract loyal customers who treat his shop as a destination.

But he certainly hasnt been able to follow his initial business plan, which relied on a large supply of downtown workers becoming customers.

Its been a challenging year to say the least, specifically with it being our first. Im hoping this is the worst its ever going to be."  Phil Klein

"A lot of people open businesses downtown specifically to (serve) people downtown... the only thing consistent about being open in downtown right now is that its inconsistent," said Klein, noting demand still fluctuates wildly each day.

Thats in part due to the fact few office workers commute to the city centre every weekday. Just 24 per cent of employees who worked downtown prior to the pandemic have now returned to do so full time as of last month, according to the Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Obby Khan, owner of Shawarma Khan, at the location on Graham Avenue.

Obby Khan, who reopened the Graham Avenue location of his Shawarma Khan restaurant last Thursday, said hes "very optimistic" more downtown workers will return over the next few months.

With sales now less than half pre-pandemic levels at the Graham location, Khan expects the return of office workers will play a major role in the areas economic recovery.

"Its vital for all businesses downtown.... It is absolutely critical that they come back to work or we might be a couple restaurants lighter when this is all done," he said.

Some companies have brought their office staff back downtown already, including commercial real estate firm Cushman and Wakefield Stevenson.

Its vital for all businesses downtown.... It is absolutely critical that they come back to work or we might be a couple restaurants lighter when this is all done."  Shawarma Khan owner Obby Khan on the return of downtown workers over the next few months

"Were a locally owned company. Weve always believed that a strong downtown is reflective of a strong city," said Carly Edmundson, the companys senior vice-president.

Staff gradually returned this summer, with the companys full workforce back at the office by Sept. 1, she said.

Edmundson said the workspace ensures six feet of separation is always possible and all staff are required to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1, measures that helped ensure employees could return safely.

"Vaccinations were the turning point, in terms of having more ability to bring people back and feel confident in that decision," she said.

JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Bagelsmith opened at 185 Carlton St., several months after its pre-pandemic lease was finalized.

The overall return of downtown workers has been far slower than expected, according to the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ.

"Its the no. 1 issue we hear from small businesses downtown. So many small business owners are crossing their fingers hoping that workers are going to be coming back," said Kate Fenske, the organizations chief executive officer.

DANIEL CRUMP / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Kate Fenske, CEO of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ.

This spring, Fenske said the BIZ expected most workers would return downtown by fall, a target some businesses have now extended to early 2022.

Fenske said the unpredictable nature of the pandemic has magnified the need to attract residential construction in the city centre.

"We cant rely on downtown workers alone to be the primary customer base of businesses downtown. Thats why boosting the residential population downtown is so critical," she said.

Since the start of 2020, 70 businesses have closed and 34 new ones have opened in the overall Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone, she noted.

We cant rely on downtown workers alone to be the primary customer base of businesses downtown. Thats why boosting the residential population downtown is so critical."  Downtown Winnipeg BIZ CEO Kate Fenske

Both the BIZ and Economic Development Winnipeg have urged the City of Winnipeg to ensure its own downtown staff return to their offices as soon as possible.

Coun. Scott Gillingham, the citys finance chairperson, noted most councillors and political staff now frequently work at city hall. He expects municipal staff will also be expected to follow that advice soon.

"There should be a clear understanding that we need to lead by example as a city and have our employees back in our office setting where possible," said Gillingham.

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga
Whoever decided to start the UN Climate Change Conference (Conference of the Parties, or COP26) in Glasgow on Halloween certainly had a macabre sense of humour. Billed as the last-ditch opportunity for governments to keep global warming to a level that is only disastrous (instead of catastrophic), I fear, however, COP26 is likely to produce more tricks than treats.

Opinion

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks during a Fridays for Future global climate strike protest in Stockholm on Oct. 22. (Erik Simander / Associated Press files)

Whoever decided to start the UN Climate Change Conference (Conference of the Parties, or COP26) in Glasgow on Halloween certainly had a macabre sense of humour. Billed as the last-ditch opportunity for governments to keep global warming to a level that is only disastrous (instead of catastrophic), I fear, however, COP26 is likely to produce more tricks than treats.

Fear is the right word, because of the deeper symbolic history of what Halloween means, not the ghosts and goblins roaming suburban neighborhoods. All Hallows Eve is the night before All Saints Day, when the unsettled dead have one last revengeful fling at the world, before the heavenly order is reasserted, the spirits are consigned to their proper places and the saints are back in control.

Its hard to say who will be cast as the evil characters at COP26, though there will probably be more than enough demonizing to go around. The "Parties" will dismiss the protesters from civil society as disruptive and unsupportive, while the protesters will no doubt echo Greta Thunberg, rebuking the usual political "blah, blah, blah" without any concrete action to avert the disaster ahead.

By the end, we will see who (or what) is behind the masks the political leaders will all be wearing to the Glasgow party.

Unfortunately, as usual, the ghosts of fossils past will have control of the COP agenda. While it is impossible to calculate the actual numbers, governments around the world subsidize the fossil fuel industry (directly or indirectly) by something like $11 million a minute  24/7, 365 days a year. Considering the expense of developing and running things, along with price and market volatility, I suspect these subsidies are effectively the industrys profit margin, still returning healthy dividends to shareholders.

Eliminating these subsidies would therefore make fossil fuels unprofitable the capital markets would then head for greener pastures (pun intended), leaving ruined investors behind.

Thats what makes Halloween such a macabre choice: COP26 is literally a battle between the ghosts of dead fossils and the next generation of the living. It would be nice if, the next morning, these ghosts were banished and the saints left in charge of the future of all living creatures, but this is unlikely to happen.

We cant underestimate the death throes of the fossil fuel industry, and the political and economic power of its lobbies around the world, fighting to hold onto its wealth at the expense (literally) of everyone and everything else.

This is why, in Canada, the federal government continues to spend billions on their pipelines to nowhere out west "for the benefit of all Canadians," while the lack of infrastructure and alternative energy development in Ontario and places east mean the bulk of Canadas population continues to be vulnerable to whatever the global oil market delivers.

Given the high political cost of these western pipelines, the lack of even potential economic returns on their investment in a market uninterested in oilsands crude, and the certainty of environmental impacts from spills (the cleanup of which the feds are now responsible for conducting), there has got to be more to the story.

I wonder what some good forensic accounting/investigation might turn up about who really profits from the continued construction of these pipelines, because it certainly isnt "all Canadians," present or future.

The fright show in Glasgow will thus be a reflection of what happens everywhere else, every day, much closer to home. For the thousands of civil-society protesters outside, it will once again be "the parties of the Conference," as they are excluded from any negotiations inside and otherwise ignored by the players.

Something has got to change, and I suspect without firm leadership to maintain a non-violent atmosphere, the frustration of the protesters (whose future is being ruined) will eventually boil over.

As a global society, and as Canadians, however, we cant allow our futures to be determined by the self-interest of a few, regardless of the power (and the means of social violence) they have at their disposal. When Prince Charles and Prince William speak out against inaction on the climate, and even the Queen herself is publicly not amused, it is much harder for the old fossils and their minions to pretend they have the best interests of anyone but themselves in mind.

Yet when the mirrored helmets, water cannon, rubber bullets and tear gas are eventually deployed, the truncheons will fall with equal savagery on the children, the parents, the grandparents and all those who truly care about the future ahead  in other words, on all the saints.

When that happens  and I fear the time will be soon, as the climate worsens, frustrations grow, and the old fossils become more fearful of losing their position  we will have to ask ourselves just what kind of society are we trying to protect, from whom, and why.

As Thunberg also said, "Once we start to act, hope is everywhere."

Peter Denton is an activist, writer and academic, double-vaccinated and still working from home in rural Manitoba.
Long dormant, the threat of nuclear conflict is being revived  military stockpiles are growing, launch capabilities are evolving, and geopolitical tensions are on the rise. Even amid last years global economic meltdown, the worlds nine nuclear-armed nations spent an estimated US$72 billion on their arsenals.

Opinion

Long dormant, the threat of nuclear conflict is being revived  military stockpiles are growing, launch capabilities are evolving, and geopolitical tensions are on the rise. Even amid last years global economic meltdown, the worlds nine nuclear-armed nations spent an estimated US$72 billion on their arsenals.

China in September condemned the "Anglo-Saxon clique" of Australia, the U.K. and U.S. for forging the new AUKUS defense pact in response to Chinas rapid militarization of the Indo-Pacific region, particularly around Taiwan and the South China Sea. The deal will enable Australia to build nuclear-powered submarines alongside the three countries sharing artificial intelligence and quantum computing technologies.

Notably excluded were Canada and New Zealand, the other two partners in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.

Yet Beijings decision to build hundreds of new missile silos in its remote northwest provinces  and develop hypersonic missiles capable of travelling through the Earths orbit, as reported on Oct. 16  is rational, given the U.S. is undergoing its own vast, lobbying-driven nuclear modernization scheme.

The Congressional Budget Office, a U.S. federal agency, projects America could spend US$634 billion on its nuclear program over the next decade based on current plans, including hundreds of billions of dollars to upgrade its warheads, bombers and submarine launch systems.

The U.S. defence department in 2018 also repealed its "no first-use" policy, lowering its launch threshold to permit a nuclear strike in retaliation for a cyberattack or military assault on the U.S. or its allies. President Joe Biden has vowed to reinstate the policy but faces huge political hurdles to doing so.

Not to be outdone, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson  seeking to conjure up credibility for a post-Brexit "Global Britain"  announced in March the U.K. would raise its nuclear weapons cap from 180 warheads to 260.

Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries in Southeast Asia have already said the AUKUS alliance may ultimately aggravate regional conflict rather than dampen it.

Such nuclear arms posturing also directly contradicts the global Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which aims to promote disarmament and the peaceful use of nuclear power. Signed by 191 countries, including Canada and the five leading nuclear armed states  the U.K. as well as China and France, each estimated to possess several hundred warheads; and Russia and the U.S., which together possess an estimated 12,000  the treaty was extended indefinitely in 1995.

Other arms control measures, meanwhile, have either crumbled or been placed on life support.

Arguing the futility of extending treaties that are frequently violated by Russia and dont involve China, Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the bilateral INF treaty with Russia, which banned medium range cruise missiles from being tested or deployed, and the Open Skies treaty which promotes transparency by permitting unarmed surveillance flights over signatories territory.

The New START agreement between Russia and the U.S., which caps the number of warheads that can be deployed at a still civilization-destroying 1,550 each, almost lapsed before Biden signed an emergency five-year renewal during his first week in office.

Elsewhere, nuclear-armed non-signatories to the NPT  India, Israel, North Korea, and Pakistan, all estimated to possess a few dozen warheads  are themselves embroiled in simmering conflicts.

Positive news in early October that the emergency hotline between North Korea and South Korea had been restored was overshadowed by reports that Pyongyang has ramped up the hermit kingdoms production of weapons-grade plutonium by some 25 per cent, while also developing hypersonic and submarine-based launch capabilities.

For its part, South Korea is rapidly developing its own domestic arms industry ahead of a tight presidential election next March. Majority popular opinion now reflects the conservative opposition partys call for Seoul to acquire nuclear weapons of its own.

India and Pakistan have fought four previous wars against each other, and a new rift between them is hardening over the disputed territory of Kashmir and Pakistans tacit support for the Taliban. Regional foes Israel and Iran are locked in a shadow war of cyberattacks, assassinations and sabotage parallel to ongoing talks to reinstate the stalled Iran nuclear deal.

Even in Canada, observers are questioning why the Trudeau government has silently gone about committing Canada toward more integration with U.S. ballistic missile defence systems  something all of Canadian governments going back to the Mulroney era have declined to do.

With the pandemic still raging across much of the world and climate change arriving with unexpected speed and ferocity, nuclear conflict isnt the worlds most pressing issue. But it is a uniquely frightening and destructive threat whose risk is re-emerging.

Kyle Hiebert is a Winnipeg-based researcher and analyst, and former deputy editor of the Africa Conflict Monitor.
Given that Manitobans are enduring an unprecedented curtailment of freedoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, a legal challenge was legitimate and healthy for democracy.

Given that Manitobans are enduring an unprecedented curtailment of freedoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, a legal challenge was legitimate and healthy for democracy.

Manitoba needed an authoritative answer to the frequent lament, "COVID-19 restrictions violate our constitutional rights." We now have the answer. A 156-page court ruling released last Thursday boils down to: "No. Constitutional rights are not being violated."

Seven Manitoba churches had argued the provinces public-health orders unfairly infringed on their legal liberties, including their freedom of religion, and were improperly enacted into law. Although the ruling applies only to Manitoba, it was watched nationally as a possible precedent for legal challenges to COVID-19 restrictions in other provinces.

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba Court of Queens Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal ruled it is neither unconstitutional nor undemocratic for COVID-19 public-health orders to restrict gatherings and limit the number of worshippers at church services.

Manitoba Court of Queens Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal ruled it is neither unconstitutional nor undemocratic for COVID-19 public-health orders to restrict gatherings and limit the number of worshippers at church services. He agreed freedom of religious expression and peaceful assembly have been restricted, but said this was justified as a pandemic response guided by evidence-based science.

The churches had also argued that only the legislature, and not chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin, could craft the laws that have temporarily suspended many freedoms of Manitobans since the pandemic arrived 19 months ago. Justice Joyal also ruled against the churches on this point, saying the legislature acted properly when it gave such authority to Dr. Roussin because the threat to public health is urgent and the emergency measures are "constitutionally justifiable."

The ruling is welcome, coming amid considerable tensions in Manitoba about pandemic restrictions. Objections to the restrictions have been often aired through public protests and opinions expressed through mainstream and social media. Defiance of restrictions has been blatant in some cases, with some businesses and churches refusing to check for vaccination status as required.

In other instances, defiance has been as sneaky as the spectators at mask-mandated sporting events who take hours to nibble at a snack or sip a soda, thereby exploiting a loophole that says spectators can doff their masks when actively eating or drinking.

JOHN WOODS / CANADIAN PRESS FILES The churches had also argued that only the legislature, and not chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin, could craft the laws that have temporarily suspended many freedoms of Manitobans.

To their credit, the churches chose an appropriate forum to present their challenge. Launching an appeal within the legal system is certainly preferable to reprehensible alternatives such as a protest on Sept. 1 in front of Health Sciences Centre that interfered with medical staff and patients access to the facility.

One hopes the court ruling will lay the issue to rest. There already was rock-solid scientific evidence that the spread of COVID-19 could best be limited by the restrictions Manitoba imposed. Now, there is an equally strong legal ruling that, constitutionally, the restrictions are justified by the urgent threat to public health.

It would be unfortunate if the people who legally challenged the restrictions refuse to abide by the ruling because it didnt go their way. It would be unfortunate for their own health, and also for the health of their families and friends who are thrust into greater risk of COVID-19 infection because someone in their vicinity continues to defy the restrictions that effectively reduce the chances of transmission.

Right-minded people will accept the ruling as clear-cut determination that the restrictions are based on a solid legal foundation, and will heed the restrictions to the letter of the law.

As for scofflaws who defy the ruling, continue to look for ways around the restrictions and thereby endanger public health, they should be actively prosecuted. Law enforcement officials now have the assurance they are acting with the full backing of Manitobas highest trial court. The restrictions should be enforced with stepped-up diligence.
In another pandemic twist for the K-12 system, teachers are now the ones  rather than students  being asked to stay after school to reluctantly take a test.

In another pandemic twist for the K-12 system, teachers are now the ones  rather than students  being asked to stay after school to reluctantly take a test.

Unvaccinated school employees, with testing kits and disclosure papers in hand, trickled in and out of the senior gymnasium Monday night at Grant Park High School after failing to provide proof of immunization against COVID-19.

Around 250 permanent staff in the Winnipeg School Division (five per cent of total employees) are subject to a new public health order that requires they submit negative rapid test results three times a week.

The testing site entrance for unvaccinated school employees at the senior gymnasium at Grant Park High School. (Maggie MacIntosh / Winnipeg Free Press)

One of their thrice-weekly tests must be administered under observation of a nurse, an appointment that takes approximately 20 minutes to complete, at a designated division clinic.

"I didnt even cry at my own dads funeral, but this has brought tears to my eyes," said one teacher, who likened the new public health order  which is being followed by the overwhelming majority of staff without issue  to government coercion.

WSD reduces staff test site hours The Winnipeg School Division is reducing its supervised COVID-19 test clinics, which launched last week and were originally operational six days a week at both Grant Park and Tec Voc high schools, in response to an increase in employees showing proof of vaccination. As of Wednesday, the clinics will be reduced to three times per week from five evenings per week plus Saturdays at the two high school gymnasiums, the division announced in a release. click to read more The Winnipeg School Division is reducing its supervised COVID-19 test clinics, which launched last week and were originally operational six days a week at both Grant Park and Tec Voc high schools, in response to an increase in employees showing proof of vaccination. As of Wednesday, the clinics will be reduced to three times per week from five evenings per week plus Saturdays at the two high school gymnasiums, the division announced in a release. With the completion of the first week of mandatory testing, fewer than 250 permanent and substitute staff now need to be tested, said Eric Barnaby, chief human resources officer in WSD. The clinic in the senior gym at Grant Park will now operate only on Wednesday evenings. The Tec Voc location will be open for appointments Mondays and Saturdays. Barnaby said in the release the division had anticipated the number of employees requiring testing would drop once the program rolled out but could not guarantee it. "We very pleased that we can reopen the gymnasiums for school and community permits." Student athletes and their parents at Grant Park had previously raised concerns about the division's decision to use the gymnasium as one of the sites, saying it unfairly affected practice and game schedules. Close

"Heres where theyve got me by the balls, so to speak: I love my f---ing job so f---ing much that Im willing to go against my values on this, because I cant leave my kids. I prayed to God, because I thought, should I go on a leave? But I couldn't leave my kids."

The Free Press spoke to a handful of employees in Manitobas largest school division  all of whom openly disclosed they are unvaccinated and declined to share their names  Monday outside the test site at Grant Park.

Misinformation, fringe perspectives and anti-vaccine propaganda were aplenty.

Asked about the new routine, one week after it was made mandatory provincewide, another unvaccinated teacher rolled his eyes. He expressed despair about how the order is "creating two different sects of society."

Noting the unlikeliness he will contract the novel coronavirus and die from it, the teacher said there is no need to get the vaccine.

Since the pandemic was declared in March 2020, 1,237 people  almost two per cent of all 62,907 cases in Manitoba  have died from the virus, which has sent thousands to be treated in hospital for severe symptoms. The number of people who are experiencing long-term implications from their SARSCoV2 infections is unknown.

An educational assistant said she is also unconvinced about getting the vaccine because the risk of dying from COVID-19 is not great enough. A division mechanic said hes skeptical of the vaccine because fully immunized individuals have died of the virus, too.

CP Around 250 permanent staff in the Winnipeg School Division have not been vaccinated and are subject to a new public health order that requires they submit negative rapid test results three times a week. (Juan Karita / The Associated Press files)

While highly effective, the COVID-19 vaccines do not provide 100 per cent protection against the disease, which is why public health experts continue recommending vaccinated people wear masks and practise physical distancing.

Since the vaccine rollout began in December 2020, only 22 fully vaccinated individuals in rare "breakthrough" events  or, fewer than two per cent of total deaths reported since the pandemic began  have died after becoming infected with SARSCoV2.

In comparison, a total of 94 per cent of the people who have died from the virus over the last two years had no protection from an immunization when they contracted it.

Both the division and unions that represent teachers and support staff in WSD have backed the requirement for staff to disclose vaccination status or seek frequent testing.

"We believe that policies surrounding vaccination and testing options for staff are responsible and reasonable, given guidance from public health on how to best manage COVID-19 and maintain in-person learning," James Bedford, president of the Manitoba Teachers Society, said in an emailed statement Tuesday.

WSD spokeswoman Radean Carter echoed those sentiments, saying the divisions main concern is ensuring children put into its care are kept safe.

One of the main concerns raised by unvaccinated employees who spoke to the Free Press was apparent government overreach.

"Im not against vaccines, Im against coercion or not having freedom of choice," said one teacher, estimating the new protocol takes up to 3 1/2 hours out of his week, as he has to commute into the city to take a test.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis has agreed to visit Canada to help efforts at reconciliation with Indigenous peoples following shocking revelations of the Catholic Churchs role in the abuse and deaths of thousands of native children, the Vatican said on Wednesday.

VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis has agreed to visit Canada to help efforts at reconciliation with Indigenous peoples following shocking revelations of the Catholic Churchs role in the abuse and deaths of thousands of native children, the Vatican said on Wednesday.

In a brief statement, the Holy See's press office said the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops invited the pope to make an apostolic journey to Canada also in the context of the long-standing pastoral process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

In return, Francis has indicated his willingness to visit the country on a date to be settled in due course," the statement said.

The pilgrimage could be the occasion for a papal apology that has been demanded by many in Canada.

Francis had already agreed to meet in December with Indigenous survivors of Canadas notorious residential schools amid calls for a papal apology for the Catholic Churchs role. At that time, the bishops conference said the pontiff had invited the delegations to the Vatican and would meet separately with three groups  First Nations, Metis and Inuit  during their Dec. 17-20 visit. The pope will then preside over a final audience with all three groups Dec. 20.

On Wednesday, Toronto Cardinal Thomas Collins said the December encounters will help lay the groundwork for the Canadian pilgrimage. "Over the course of several days, through authentic listening and dialogue, Pope Francis will hear directly from those who have suffered,'' said the cardinal in a statement.

Collins said that his country's bishops had apologized earlier this year as they sorrowfully acknowledged the historical and ongoing trauma and the legacy of suffering and challenges faced by Indigenous peoples that continue to this day.

The cardinal added that he was praying the pope's visit will allow for healing and dialogue to continue through authentic encounters of compassion, understanding and reconciliation.

In Canada, Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme said a papal visit would be a step toward reconciliation. But he said it would have to come with an apology from the church to validate the pain many survivors still live with today.

An apology is the beginning, Delorme said. An apology is required, and the rebuilding of a relationship would follow the apology.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald echoed the call for a long overdue apology. In a post on social media, she added that there should also be criminal charges and reparations.

Earlier this year, investigators in Canada using ground-penetrating radar have reported finding hundreds of unmarked graves at the sites of two residential schools for Indigenous children. The discoveries  more than 600 graves in one school, 215 bodies in another  revived calls, including from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, for the pope to make a formal apology.

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend state-funded Christian boarding schools in a campaign to assimilate them into Canadian society. Thousands of children died there of disease and other causes; others never returned to their families.

Nearly three-quarters of the 130 residential schools were run by Roman Catholic missionary congregations. Others were run by the Presbyterian, Anglican and the United Church of Canada, which today is the largest Protestant denomination in the country.

The Canadian government formally apologized for the policy and abuses in 2008. In addition, the Presbyterian, Anglican and United churches have apologized for their roles in the abuse.

In response to the Vatican's announcement on Wednesday, Canada's Minister of Indigenous Relations Mark Miller said he expected from the pontiff full recognition of the harm caused to the Indigenous peoples."

In the grand scheme of what we call reconciliation for Indigenous peoples, that full recognition is something that is long awaited for from the Holy Father himself," Miller said.

The newly elected head of the Canadian bishops' conference, Bishop Raymond Poisson, expressed hope that the pope's visit to Canada "will be a significant milestone in the journey toward reconciliation and healing.

-

Associated Press Writer Rob Gillies in Toronto, Canada, contributed to this report.
In late 2017, Facebook had a big problem: users were commenting on, "liking" and resharing posts less than they had in the past.

The declines in engagement, visualized in charts on an internal document viewed by CNN Business, looked like wiggly black-and-blue frowns. Facebook decided to make a change  and fast.

That December, other internal documents show, the company quickly came up with a plan: it would refocus its News Feed algorithm on a new metric it referred to as "meaningful social interactions", or MSI, for ranking people's interactions on Facebook. MSI would assign different point values to things such as "likes" and comments on posts, and even RSVPs to events, and take into consideration the relationships between people, such as that of a person writing a post and a person commenting on it. It launched in early 2018, marking a new era in the ways the social network monitors and manipulates its users, and experiments on their data.

The introduction of the MSI metric quickly helped with Facebook's engagement problem, according to an internal research note from November 6, 2019. Yet, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal last month, the company has also long been aware of the extent to which it fostered negativity online, according to disclosures made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen's legal counsel. The redacted versions were obtained by a consortium of 17 news organizations, including CNN.

This ranking system was built and rolled out rapidly: According to an internal note from December 21, 2017, Facebook put the first iteration together within just over a month so it would be done by the end of 2017 for deployment in early 2018.

A Facebook spokeswoman told CNN Business that the introduction of MSI wasn't a "sea change" in how the company ranked users' activity on the social network, as it previously considered likes, comments, and shares as part of its ranking. The spokeswoman also said that a "significant amount of internal and external research" led to MSI, and that Facebook tested "various versions" of it before launch, as it would for "any changes" to its ranking systems.

"When News Feed decided to goal on meaningful interactions in November, the question came up: how can we use rigorous research and science to decide what weight should go on a like vs a comment etc in a little over one month?" the note asked (emphasis the authors').

The answer, according to the note itself, came via surveying tens of thousands of Facebook users and digging through the company's massive trove of user data. It was a process with the sheen of statistical rigor, but was also one of trial and error, and human judgment, the documents reveal.

Move fast and automate things

It's hard to say how Facebook's use of algorithms that take into consideration actions and interactions on its platforms compares to other social networks, but one thing is clear: For years now, all major social networks  and many other online content services, such as Netflix and YouTube  have been incredibly reliant on algorithms to govern what you see. And as the largest social network of them all, Facebook's algorithms impact more than a third of the people on the planet.

So when Facebook decided to use MSI to inform its algorithms that recommend News Feed content, it was making a change that would affect billions of people.

As the note in December 2017 explained, getting to the values MSI used at launch was not a simple task. Facebook ran surveys on over 69,000 people in five countries that are among its largest in terms of monthly active users, asking them about "what feedback they find meaningful to give and to receive." This let the company determine how people valued interactions with different types of people  such as close friends versus acquaintances  and different types of interaction  such as comments on posts versus shares.

Those findings, which included that people found more meaning in whom they interacted with than the type of interaction, "helped validate" and "fine tune" the company's data science findings, the document said, and helped Facebook adjust how it weights the relationships between people interacting on the social network.

The company also used surveys, along with existing knowledge about its users and internal data science experiments, to help understand how to build a scale for ranking interactions. For instance, polling detailed in the note found that many users put a low value on having their posts reshared. That's because they viewed it as an interaction between the sharer and that person's friends.

The note pointed out that the company did things such as analyzing "a bunch of experiments that give people extra feedback." In those experiments, some posts were given "a little more likes" and others were given "a little more comments". The results were used to predict how many additional original posts people would generate considering the number of likes, comments, and reactions they had received in previous posts.

This helped Facebook come up with a scale, labeled in the note as the final weight for the metric in the first half of 2018: each "like", for instance, would be worth 1 point; a reaction emoji or a reshare of a post without adding any text would be worth 5 points; an RSVP for an event would be worth 15 points; and comments, messages or reshares deemed "significant"  defined as having "at least 5+ unique tokens, or a photo or video (in case of shares and messages)"  would be worth 30 points according to the note.

The company could then multiply the total by a figure that represented the closeness of the relationship between the people interacting: were they members of the same group, perhaps? If so, multiply by 0.5. Total strangers? Multiply by 0.3.

Jenna Burrell, director of research at nonprofit Data & Society, which studies social implications of technologies, told CNN Business that the research Facebook conducted on users in this case appeared to be quite limited, as the document doesn't mention surveying users on the actual content they post  words, pictures, or videos  or comments they might leave on others' posts.

"What they're trying to get at is something that's really hard to reduce to a metric," she said.

Beyond that, the decision to focus on meaningful social interactions was the kind of switch that would require "thousands of different ways of testing it," according to Ethan Zuckerman, an associate professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst who studies how media can be used to enact social changes.

"Because you're really just rewiring the whole network. So you have to be phenomenally careful and phenomenally thoughtful about how you do it," he said.

Another complicating factor is that while Facebook is an international social network, people don't use Facebook in the same ways in every country. In Myanmar, for instance, which in 2018 become well-known for the deadly impact of hate speech spread via Facebook, Zuckerman said Facebook is seen as more of a news service than a personal network.

"The notion that Facebook is your friends and your personal relationships  that's just not true for some of the world," he said.

Before the launch of the MSI scale, the Facebook spokeswoman said, Facebook conducted three separate tests of it, using various strengths of the scale, on a subset of users. This sort of test, followed by any tweaks that are needed, is standard practice, the spokesperson said, ahead of the introduction of any ranking change.

"Beneficial for most metrics"

Facebook introduced MSI publicly on January 11, 2018, as a way to prioritize posts from friends, family members, and groups. In an interview with CNN at the time, Adam Mosseri, who was then a VP at Facebook and today heads Facebook-owned Instagram, described the move to push meaningful social interactions as a "rebalancing" of how Facebook's algorithms rank items in the main feed.

"We think that we're currently slightly overvaluing how much time people spend on our platform and undervaluing how many meaningful interactions they have with other people," said Mosseri, who at the time oversaw News Feed.

Indeed, throughout 2018, as the November 6, 2019 research note recounted, the use of MSI was "beneficial for most metrics", around the world and in the US/Canada region. It led to increases in social interactions, such as likes and comments between users, as well as other "critical ecosystem metrics," such as the number of people using Facebook daily, revenue, and time users spent looking at their News Feeds.

"long-term effects on democracy"?

Yet Facebook quickly discovered that its emphasis on MSI wouldn't have the same impact in every country and across every type of device. For instance, as that same November 2019 note stated, the company found in April 2018 that reliance on the metric was "hurting" Facebook's daily active Android users in India; the authors of the note wrote that Facebook could make up for this loss by reducing its reliance on MSI and increasingly emphasizing videos it recommended in users' feeds. By the end of September that year, the document said, Facebook had identified 11 countries where it used a "more balanced strategy" of MSI plus "appropriate amounts of video."

The note also pointed out that "the dynamics of Feed are changing constantly", and in early 2019 the company's ranking team concluded that optimizing for MSI "was no longer an effective tactic for growing sessions"; public-content ranking, it said was a "better strategy".

And less than a year after its launch, documents indicate Facebook knew there were deeper issues with relying on the metric. A November 2018 research memo titled, "Does Facebook reward outrage? Posts that generate negative comments get more clicks", pointed out that an analysis that month showed more negative comments on posts linking to BuzzFeed led to more clicks on that link. Looking at 13 additional popular publishers and domains, the author of the research found the problem stretched far beyond BuzzFeed.

The memo also pointed out that, because of this trend, some publishers may choose to capitalize on negativity. "With the incentives we create, some publishers will choose to do the right thing, while other will take the path that maximizes profits at the expense of their audience's wellbeing," the memo stated.

"Ethical issues aside, empirically, the current set of financial incentives our algorithms create does not appear to be aligned with our mission," the memo read, emphasis the author's. "We can choose to be idle and keep feeding users fast-food, but that only works for so long; many have already caught on to the fact that fast-food is linked to obesity and, therefore, its short term value is not worth the long-term cost."

The move to MSI wasn't just an issue for publishers: political parties were concerned, too. Another internal research note from April 1, 2019, pointed out that multiple European political parties claimed that the arrival of MSI in 2018 "changed the nature of politics. For the worse."

The parties argued, the note said, that by emphasizing resharing content, Facebook was "systematically" rewarding "provocative, low-quality content" and parties felt they needed to adjust by pumping out "far more negative content than before" because engagement on positive and policy posts had fallen dramatically.

In Poland, for instance, the note said that one party's social media management team estimated that its posts changed from half positive and half negative to 80% negative because of the algorithmic change. In Spain, the document said, parties reported feeling "trapped in an inescapable cycle of negative campaigning by the incentive structures of the platform."

"Many parties, including those that have shifted strongly to the negative, worry about the long-term effects on democracy," the document read.

Facebook employees were concerned about the impact of MSI, too. In a comment on that same document, a Facebook employee responded to the Spain data by saying it made their "heart cringe."

"I have seen the effect this has had on my mother and how she has become polarized. It's hard to rally people to cries of 'be reasonable' ... to find common ground," they wrote.

"Haha"

Over time, internal documents show, Facebook employees proposed changes to MSI, some of which may sound small but show the difficulty with assigning numbers to interactions. For example, the company's reaction emojis, and the "haha" one in particular, don't always land the same in every country.

In a December 11, 2019 note on the company's internal platform titled "We are Responsible for Viral Content", the author wrote that "haha" reactions "are seen as insulting on non-humorous posts in Myanmar." They included a cartoon translated from Burmese that, according to the note, read "You have been deferred from this year education because you reacted with 'Haha' to all my posts."

At the time, all reactions were still weighted the same, but the author noted at the time that "promising proposals are in the works to change this," the document said.

Changes were made to MSI numerous times after its launch, such as in early and late 2020; the Facebook spokeswoman said the formula behind it is "continually updated and refined based on new research and direct feedback from users." A post in an internal employee group on September 15 of that year forecast changes planned for around October 1 intended "to make MSI capture more useful interactions." These included filtering out some so-called "bad interactions," such as deleted comments and single-character comments, and rejiggering the weights associated with reaction icons. Most notably, Facebook said it would make the "angry" reaction, which had previously been demoted to 1.5 points, worth zero points.

A document from July 2020 laying out the proposal for weight revisions coming in the second half of the year gave a hint as to how the company landed on that decision.

"After discussing with Comms to decide between Angry 0 vs 0.5 to see if one is more externally defendable, this is our final proposal on 2020/07/31," it read, listing a zero value for "angry" in a table below.

The-CNN-Wire

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It's time now to meet the newest members of our Morning Mug Club -- brought to you by Holland Farms Bakery & Deli.

Honor or memorialize a loved one with the purchase of a light on the Rome Health "Tree of Lights".

A $5.00 per name donation, will go toward helping the hospital buy new equipment.

Donations need to received by Friday, Nov. 19.

The names of the donors and honorees are included on the scroll, which will be displayed in the hospital lobby.

A tree lighting ceremony will be held in the lobby of Rome Health, at 7 p.m., on Sunday, Dec. 5.

There will be no reception again this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hospital workers are being honored this year for staying "stronger together", as well as their ongoing and dedicated service during the pandemic.

This event is made possible through the Rome Twigs.

They are the women who work voluntarily throughout the year to raise money for Rome Health.

Make checks payable to:

Rome Twigs

Send to:

Rome Twigs c/o Rome Health

1500 N. James Street, Rome, NY 13440

Contributions can also be made online, here.
ROME, NY  Police are asking for the publics help after a stabbing took place over the weekend.

Rome Police say around 11:45 a.m. Sunday officers were called to the 100 block of West Embargo Street to investigate a reported assault. When they got to the scene officers found a man who had been stabbed in the upper part of his torso several times. He was taken to a local hospital with injuries which were not life threatening.

Anyone who lives in that neighborhood who may have surveillance video of the area between 11:00 a.m. and noon on October 24 is asked to call the Rome Police Department tips line at 315-339-7744 or visit www.p3tips.com.

Police say they do not believe the stabbing to be a random attack, and there is no danger to the public. The victim is not cooperating with the investigation.
There are five proposals on the back of this years election ballots. To better understand what they are were going to break them down for you and explain what the political implications are for each.

Proposal 1 is probably the most complex as it includes a number of separate provisions. The first is a constitutional amendment to the redistricting process. It would freeze the number of state senators at 63. Joe Griffo, R-47, weighs in.

"The party in power wants to sustain perpetual power, so prop 1 is the perfect illustration of that because theyll draw the lines the way want to ensure that theyre in office and holding power," said Griffo.

Another provision in the first proposal amends the process for the counting of the states population, and deletes certain provisions that violate the United States Constitution. This has to do with counting prison populations and undocumented immigrants, but Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, D-119, explains how it's all in interpretation.

"I think its up to interpretation in regards to are you saying we are representing them, or we are giving them the right to vote? Again this is both sides looking at that interpretation in 2 different means," she said.

The remaining provision has to do with amending district lines for congressional and state legislative offices.

"This proposal makes the commission even more beholden to the Legislature by weakening the current Commissions power, and giving those powers to the legislature," said Luke Perry, a political science professor at Utica College.

Proposal 2 establishes the Constitutional right of each person to clean air, water and a healthful environment. Who wouldnt want that, but Marianne Buttenschon says these proposals arent always what they appear to be.

"Its a catchphrase. Clean water, clean air. Almost every bill in the Assembly that I work on has like a great jazzy catch name on it, and youre almost like Ohso what comes into your head, I mean its marketing," said Buttenschon.

While Buttenschon believes we should be working to keep this kind of proposal at the forefront of public debate, Griffo believes this particular proposal is just too vague.

"Theres going to be just so many complicating factors to this. Theres possible litigation, theres so many things that can happen. Requirements on localities that are going to be insurmountable and financially burdensome."

Proposal 3 is an amendment eliminating the 10-day-advance voter registration requirement. This would allow the Legislature to enact laws permitting a citizen to register to vote less than 10 days before the election or even on Election Day. Assemblywoman Buttenschon was clear about her stance on this issue.

"Were not ready for that. I mean I dont see how as we look at the recent election in this County alone, and what when on, and the difficulties, and the time frame to determine who actually won an election."

Senator Griffo has a similar view. "I think its going to make it more complicated and problematic for those who are conducting the election as well as allow for more risks to the integrity of the process."

Utica College's Luke Perry disagrees with them both, saying "Despite the problems weve seen in local board of elections, hopefully, those problems have been corrected, and I dont think democracy should suffer because of poor processes and previous incompetence, so I think this is good for American democracy, and I think our board of elections should be able to be able to process these requests if passed."

Proposal 4 authorizes a No-Excuse Absentee Ballot Voting. This would allow anyone to obtain an absentee ballot for any reason, but theres a difference of opinion over whether this proposal is ready for New Yorkers.

Senator Griffo says, "At present time you have to request a ballot. Under this proposal theyll be flexibility and discretion within the Legislature to then tweak that. Saying you know now that were doing this, we also want to just automatically send ballots to everybody because why should we have everybody ask for it? No, you should request a ballot because think about it. You could have roles could be aged, and there could be people who are deceased, and all of the sudden theyre getting a ballot."

Assemblywoman Buttenschon has a different view, saying "I feel that we are prepared. Weve been doing absentee. The Board of Elections has the expertise, knowledge, and technology to handle this type of voting."

Proposal 5 pertains to the Jurisdiction of the New York City Civil Court, so it will have no local impact. Remember to turn your ballot over to vote on any or all of the five proposed propositions.
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)- For the second time workers at GE aviation are protesting the company's vaccine mandate.

As we previously reported GE Aviation employees have until December 8th to be vaccinated or they could lose their jobs.

Protesters say many of them have already had COVID-19 so they feel their natural immunity will protect them.

They say it's not right that the vaccine is being mandated they feel they should have the choice to get it or not.

Organizers say it is not just people choosing not to get the vaccine that are taking part in the protest.

"A lot of people are very supportive even if they did make the choice to get vaccinated they don't think it's right for us to be forced to get vaccinated so we are able to feed our family," said James Chrismore the Assembly and Test Technician GE Aviation and organizer of the protest.

"If you are hesitant you are not alone we've got to stop the fear of talking about this," said Kevin Rosen who wouldn't disclose where he worked but said he too is being subjected to a vaccine mandate. "The censorship online is too much. What we need is more face-to-face one-on-one conversations."

Protesters at GE say they have until the 29th to file a religious exemption. Crismore says they have been getting support from across the state.

He says workers from Terra Haute, Indianapolis, and a medical freedom group have joined their protest as well even though they don't work at GE.

Protesters hope the GE will reconsider their vaccine protocol.
BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday held a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Xi stressed that China and France, on condition of effective epidemic prevention and control, should advance relevant cooperation, consolidate cooperation in such traditional areas as civil nuclear energy, aviation and aerospace, and expand cooperation in such new fields as artificial intelligence, biopharmacy and ocean affairs.

China, he said, is ready to work with France to continue cooperation on biodiversity conservation, deepen green cooperation, implement the Global Development Initiative, and carry out tripartite cooperation in Africa and other regions.

China and France also need to support each other in hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics and the Paris Olympics, he added.

Xi pointed out that China attaches great importance to developing relations with France.

He added that since last year, he and Macron have maintained contact in various ways, and the important consensuses they reached on bilateral relations are being effectively implemented with important progress already made.

Noting that the international situation is changing rapidly, he said he and Macron maintaining timely communication and coordination on major issues will help maintain the direction of the China-France relationship and inject more stability into the world.

Meanwhile, Xi stressed that the multiple major international events of late have once again demonstrated that France is correct in advocating the strategic autonomy of the European Union (EU).

China and the EU, he said, need to continue high-level communication and dialogue, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and reduce misunderstandings and misjudgments.

The two sides also should properly manage differences, and strengthen political guidance for China-EU ties, so as to ensure steady and sustained development of bilateral relations, he added.

He suggested that the two sides focus on the needs of their enterprises and people, further tap their cooperation potential in such areas as connectivity, digital technology, environmental protection, scientific and technological innovation and health care, and expand the scope of China-EU cooperation.

China, he added, hopes that France will play a positive role in promoting the healthy and stable development of China-EU relations.

For his part, Macron congratulated China on successfully hosting the leaders' summit of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming.

France, he said, is firmly committed to promoting the development of EU-China relations in a constructive manner, and dedicated to properly managing and resolving differences as well as deepening EU-China cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, climate change and biodiversity conservation by strengthening dialogue at all levels.

France hopes to strengthen coordination with China on the Group of 20 Leaders' Summit in Italy and the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow, he added.

He said his country is ready to work with China to push for more results in bilateral practical cooperation in relevant areas and hopes that the EU-China investment agreement will come into force at an early date.

France supports China in successfully hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics, Macron said, adding that he looks forward to maintaining close communication with Xi on France-China and EU-China relations as well as important issues of common concern.

(Source: Xinhua)
Military aircraft fly in echelons ahead of a grand gathering celebrating the Communist Party of China (CPC) centenary in Beijing, capital of China, July 1, 2021. [Xinhua/Han Mingkun]

BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged efforts to break new ground in the development of the country's military weaponry and equipment, and contribute to the realization of the goals set for the centenary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks at a military-wide conference on weaponry and equipment-related work, which was held on Monday and Tuesday.

Xi extended sincere greetings to the participants of the conference and those working on the relevant front.

Hailing the historic achievements in weaponry and equipment development over the past five years, Xi said such progress has served as the material and technological underpinning for the country's strategic capabilities, military strength in particular.

He called for efforts to accelerate the implementation of tasks for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) and advance the building of a modernized management system for weaponry and equipment.

CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia also attended the conference. Speaking at the event, he stressed efforts to create strong synergy in weaponry and equipment development, focus on the needs of national security, boost sci-tech self-reliance and self-improvement, aim for the world's top class, and speed up the modernization of weaponry and equipment.

(Source: Xinhua)
The Himalayas are the greatest mountain system in Asia and one of the planets youngest mountain ranges, that extends for more than 2,400km across the nations of Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. The term Himalaya literally means the Abode of Snow and has been derived from a combination of two Sanskrit words, Hima which means snow and Alaya which means Abode. The Himalayas act as a mighty barrier between the Tibetan Plateau in the north and the Indian subcontinent in the south. Some of the highest peaks in the world are located in the Himalayas, including Mount Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, etc.

Geography

Mountaineers admiring the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas.

The Himalayas are considered as the worlds youngest, tallest, and most populated mountain systems. The Himalayas are bounded by the Tibetan Plateau in the north; the 800km long Hindu Kush and 500km long Karakoram Mountain ranges in the northwest; and by the vast Indo-Gangetic Plains in the south. The mighty Himalayan Mountain Range covers an area of about 595,000 sq. km and its maximum width varies between 150 to 350km. The major portion of the Himalayan Mountain Range is occupied by the countries of Nepal, Bhutan, and India, though some parts of this massive mountain range are also occupied by China as well as by Pakistan.

Morinda Tal, a glacial lake in the Himalayan mountains of Uttarakhand, India.

The Himalayan Mountains contain a series of parallel mountain ranges which include the Tibetan Himalayas, the Greater Himalayas, the Lesser Himalayas, and the Siwalik ranges. From the west to east direction, the Himalayan Mountains are further divided into three regions namely, the Western, Central, and Eastern Himalayas. The Himalayan Mountains are also referred to as the Third Pole as these mountains contain the third-largest deposition of ice and snow on the planet after the Arctic and the Antarctic regions. It is estimated that there are more than 15,000 glaciers in the Himalayas including the Gangotri, Khumbu, Langtang, Yamunotri, and Zemu glaciers.

The Teesta River in Sikkim, India.

The glaciers of the Himalayan Mountains store more than 12,000 cubic kilometers of freshwater and are the source of some of the major rivers including the Brahmaputra, Ganges, Indus, Yamuna, etc. Many lakes are found in the Himalayan region including the Pangong Lake, Tilicho Lake, Gurudongmar Lake, She-Phoksundo Lake, Manasarovar Lake, Tsongmo Lake, etc. At present, at least 53 million people reside in the Himalayan region.

Geology

Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain is located in the Himalayas.

It is believed that over the past 65 million years, several worldwide plate-tectonic events have led to the movement of the Earths crust to form a vast number of mountain ranges. About 201 to 145 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period, the entire southern fringe of Eurasia was bordered by the Tethys Ocean. The Gondwana supercontinent began to break up about 180 million years ago, and the Indo-Australian Plate began to move in the northeastward direction towards the Eurasian Plate. This fast-moving Indo-Australian Plate started gradually compressing the Tethys Sea. The increased compressive forces led to the upliftment of the masses of rocks from the deep depths. The Indo-Australian Plate eventually collided with the Eurasian Plate between 40 and 50 million years ago. In due course, the Tethys Sea completely narrowed and its sea bottom was pushed upwards by the subducting Indo-Australian Plate, leading to the formation of the Tibetan Plateau and the mighty Himalayan Mountain ranges. Geologists believe that the Indo-Australian Plate is still being continuously forced underneath the Tibetan Plateau, which is leading to the rise of the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas at a rate of 5mm per annum. For this reason, the Himalayan region remains geologically active and is highly prone to earthquakes, and other natural disasters from time to time.

Climate

The Himalayan Mountains significantly affect the climate of the entire Indian subcontinent. The mountain range acts as a massive climatic barrier that prevents the cold, dry winds from the northern regions from reaching the plains of the Indian subcontinent. The Himalayas also form a barrier for the southwest monsoons and prevent them from crossing over to the northern side, leading to heavy precipitation on the Indian side of the mountain range. The annual mean temperature in the Indian Himalayas ranges from -30C to 25C, while the annual precipitation ranges from 1,500mm to more than 4,800mm.

Ecology

Pine forests in the Himalayas of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India.

The massive Himalayan Mountain Range is home to several exotic flora and fauna. At altitudes between 3,000m to 5,000m, alpine shrubs and meadows are found. The lower shrublands are covered by rhododendrons, while the alpine meadows support a wide range of flora during the warm season. Juniperus tibetica is the highest known tree species in the Himalayas that grow at an elevation of 4,900m in the southeastern part of Tibet. At elevations of 2,500m to 4,000m, temperate sub-alpine coniferous forests are found. Fir, pine, hemlock, and spruce are the dominant trees in the area. In the middle elevations of 2,000m to 3,000m, broadleaf and coniferous forests are found. In addition to this, plants like orchids, ferns, oaks, and maple also grow in the area. The lower elevations are dominated by the subtropical broadleaf forests.

Snow leopards in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, India.

The Himalayan Mountains support a rich faunal wealth. Several studies have revealed that the Indian Himalayas supports over 280 species of mammals, 940 species of birds, 200 species of reptiles, 80 species of amphibians, and 316 species of fish. Some of the notable animals that are found in the Himalayan region include snow leopards, Pygmy Hog, Gees golden langur, Himalayan musk deer, Namdapha flying squirrel, Asian black bear, Himalayan serow, Himalayan blue sheep, Himalayan tahr, red panda, Kashmir gray langur, and many more.

A Himalayan monal.

Of the 940 avian species, 39 are endemic to the Himalayan region. Some of the significant birds that are found here include the Indian Spotted eagle, Black-necked crane, white-bellied heron, etc. Situated at the junction of three important biogeographical realms, the Eastern Himalayas serve as a biodiversity hotspot and support exceptionally rich biodiversity with high endemism and numerous globally threatened species. There are about 107 protected areas in the Indian Himalayas, of which there are 20 National Parks, 5 Tiger reserves, 71 wildlife sanctuaries, 7 Ramsar sites, and 4 biosphere reserves.

Tourism And Threats

Tourists crowding Shimla city, a popular hill station in the Indian Himalayas.

The spectacular natural beauty of the Himalayan Mountains as well as the unique biodiversity that is found in the Himalayan region attracts numerous tourists from all over the world and provides support to the tourism industry, boosting the economy of the region. Moreover, the Himalayan Mountain Range is revered as a sacred place by numerous people belonging to different religions such as Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism.

The Tiger Nest Monastery in Bhutan.

However, in recent times, global warming and anthropogenic climate change have severely affected the entire Himalayan region. The higher temperatures have resulted in the melting of glaciers that have in turn severely affected the hydrology pattern of the region. In addition to this, the biodiversity of this mountainous ecosystem is threatened by pollution, deforestation, habitat degradation and fragmentation, overexploitation of natural resources, the spread of invasive species, hunting, poaching of wild animals, and ever-increasing man-animal conflicts.
Fraud warning issued which has seen house buyers lose millions

Home buyers are being warned about a spike in scams that have seen victims defrauded out of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The National Economic Crime Centre has launched a campaign aimed at raising awareness of payment diversion fraud (PDF).

Working with partners in the National Crime Agency, City of London Police, UK Finance and Cifas, the multi-agency campaign aims to help small and medium sized businesses and home-buyers protect themselves.

PDF, also known as Business Email Compromise or Mandate Fraud, involves criminals impersonating others, creating or amending invoices and diverting payments to bank accounts under their own control. This can target both businesses and individuals.

Unlike some indiscriminate scams, PDF involves criminals deliberately targeting a specific individual. As a result, individual losses can be significantly higher than for many other types of fraud.

In the year to September 2021 there have been 4,600 cases reported to Action Fraud, with individual losses averaging around 30,000.

Businesses are particularly impacted with annual spikes in these frauds occurring in March and November, timed with financial year-ends.

Jon Shilland, fraud threat lead at the NECC, said: Payment diversion fraud is increasing and it is vital that people are alive to the threat. Small and medium sized businesses are most at risk due to less comprehensive IT security, but these criminals will also target home-buyers due to the scale of the transactions.

Whenever you are making a payment to a supplier, or to your solicitor in the case of a house purchase, you should be highly suspicious of any change in account details or new instructions. Always check with a trusted known contact, and if you have any doubt do not transfer the money.

Temporary Detective Inspector Dan Parkinson, from the City of London Police, said: Criminals are experts at impersonating people and organisations so its vital that individuals and businesses are aware of the threat of payment diversion fraud, as it could help protect them and their money.

Criminals will often create fake e-mail addresses which are very similar to genuine business or customer addressees and send over fake invoices to make it more believable  so remember to follow the Take Five to Stop Fraud advice by stopping and thinking before parting with your money or personal information.

The campaign will work with Federation of Small Businesses and the British Chambers of Commerce to promote advice to businesses, and with the Law Society to highlight the risks to conveyancing.

The following red flags of Payment Diversion Fraud have been identified:

Have you been asked to urgently process a payment that is large or unusual?

Have you been asked to change the bank details of an existing supplier or to set up a new supplier?

Is the language used in the email inconsistent with that of the genuine sender?

Does the body of the email or email address contain spelling mistakes?

If you have any doubt about the transaction then do not transfer the money.

Businesses and home-buyers are advised to protect themselves by, double-checking the payment request via an additional method using details from another source (such as text message, a phone call or in-person).

If you think you may have already been a victim of Payment Diversion Fraud, act fast. Immediately reporting the incident to your bank and Action Fraud (0300 1234 2040 or www.actionfraud.police.uk) gives you the best chance of recovering your funds. If reporting in Scotland, please contact 101 and your bank.

Further information about Payment Diversion Fraud please visit https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/payment-diversion-fraud
Trevor Basin Masterplan amongst three Clwyd South projects to receive 15m from levelling up fund

The Member of Parliament for Clwyd South has welcomed the announcement that the 15 million Levelling Up Fund Bid for Clwyd South has been successful.

This bid was sponsored by Simon Baynes MP and is a cross-county project, developed by Wrexham County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council. Three inter-connected projects will level-up the current deficiency of visitor infrastructure across heritage sites resulting from a lack of any significant investment from the UK or Welsh Governments to date.

The news was announced in the Budget by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP in the speech earlier this afternoon.

The three projects include, firstly, the implementation of the Trevor Basin Technical Masterplan which will ensure the World Heritage Site realises its full potential on a national and international level to attract visitors and catalyse economic growth in neighbouring communities.

The second project is mainly focused in Denbighshire and supports cross-border visitor connectivity in the Dee Valley at the Horseshoe Falls, The Four Great Highways and Plas Newydd in Llangollen; Wenffrwd to Llangollen Active Travel Corridor including the old Railway Line and Chirk.

The third project will focus on the Corwen area, creating a new and improved Western Gateway to the Dee Valley and World Heritage Site. This project will improve visitor connectivity and infrastructure, Corwen town centre assets and the area between the railway station and car park, including a new platform canopy. It will also enhance the visitor experience with onward linkage to Llangollen and Cynwyd, effectively creating a new, improved and complementary visitor entry point to the World Heritage Site.

Simon Baynes MP said: The three projects  the Trevor Basin masterplan, the investment in Llangollen and Chirk and the proposals for the Corwen area  greatly benefit from being already well developed and therefore eminently capable of being executed by 2024.

The projects are of considerable environmental importance and closely inter-connected, not least due to the Llangollen Canal and Heritage Railway which run along the Dee valley, which will therefore multiply the benefits arising from investment by the Levelling Up Fund.

This 15 million bid also underlines the longstanding co-operation between Wrexham County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council which is proving such a dynamic force for investment and improvement in the Clwyd South constituency.

The success of this bid reflects their professionalism and welcome desire to improve all aspects of our lives in Clwyd South. And I am very grateful for the strong commitment and support of my colleague, Sarah Atherton MP, for championing the Wrexham area, both locally and in Westminster.

The projects included in the bid are of equal benefit to residents and visitors alike. They are strongly supported by their local communities and in many cases have already been the subject of extensive public consultation.

Given that Wrexham and Denbighshire are among some of the least prosperous areas in Wales, this bid will not only provide jobs and a much needed economic boost to Clwyd South but also improve the well-being of our residents by widening access to recreation, outdoor and other amenity activities.

They will also celebrate the amazing history, language and culture of our part of Wales and bring them to a wider audience.

Detail in the spreadsheet for the First Round and round 1 of successful bids  Clwyd South got a win but Wrexham constituency not yet (both bids headed up by Wrexham Council)  with indication of a second tranche or round of funding  so fingers crossed for the Gateway  pic.twitter.com/16eYBvfYrl  Wrexham.com (@wrexham) October 27, 2021

Wrexhams own bid was conspicuously absent, from both the speech and the treasury statement, with no specific mention of constituencies in the Red Book.
Wrexham-based charity helping refugees fleeing Afghanistan

Refugees from Afghanistan are being helped by a Wrexham-based charity after escaping the war-torn country.

They are now among over 250 displaced people starting to rebuild their lives with the help of local charity Refugee Kindness North Wales at the Lock Stock Self-Storage site on Wrexhams Whitegate Industrial Estate.

The charity is helping people in Wrexham, Rhyl and Colwyn Bay, among them several from Afghanistan, and they use the Lock Stock unit as a drop-off point for clothing, furniture and household goods donated by members of the public.

These are distributed to over 60 refugees and asylum seeking families numbering around 250 individuals, in Wrexham, Rhyl and Colwyn Bay, among them Iskander, not his real name, and his wife who now live in a flat near Wrexham.

They left family and friends behind to fly out to the UK and he said: I didnt even know there was a Wales before I arrived here but it is very nice here, very quiet and I hope to find work in management or education, perhaps with the British Government again.

Refugee Kindness have been very good to us  we had some savings when we arrived but everything is very expensive here.

The money we had would have been enough for more than a year in Afghanistan but we have spent most of it already just on basics.

Refugee Kindness  North Wales was set up 12 months ago by barrister Rachel Watkin who gave a set of chairs to a family of Syrian refugees through Facebook Marketplace and, as a result, became aware of the plight of refugee and asylum-seeking families in North Wales and how difficult is for them to obtain household goods, toys and cooking utensils.

The volunteers of Refugee Kindness  North Wales began collecting items from the donors themselves and storing them at their homes but that very quickly became overwhelming and they contacted Lock Stock to hire a unit at their storage park on the Whitegate Estate.

They operated for nine months without any formal funding but the trustees realised the charity needed a full-time manager and this summer graduate Jordan Hughes, a volunteer for eight months, was appointed.

Lock Stocks Lisa James said: Its such a worthy charity and were glad weve been able to assist by renting the storage unit to the charity.

The unit is secure and watertight and they can access it 24/7 so it is ideal as a drop-off point as donors can access the unit at any time.

Jordan added: We do rely entirely on donations and have had a fantastic response from the people of North Wales who have been very kind and generous.

The refugees arrive with very little and while they may be given a house or a flat they need things that can turn it into a home. For example, kitchen utensils because they love to cook, household goods and toys for the children.

The families we support are from all over the world  we have families from Syria, El Salvador, Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Iraq, Africa and other countries.

I met two families last week from El Salvador and Kuwait and they were crying with happiness when we were able to help them  they were just overwhelmed by the kindness of people here in North Wales.

We still need more help and with well over 100 children to arrange Christmas presents for we would be grateful for any toys, games, crafts etc. We only provide items in good condition.

Jewellery, make up, perfume or aftershave are also accepted for older children, provided that they are in sealed containers as we have to be certain they are not contaminated. We are also grateful for any wrapping paper donations.

Lock Stock, founded in Denbigh in 1999, is the UKs largest containerised storage company with over 3,000 units providing over four million cubic feet of space at 23 parks across North and Mid Wales and the border counties.

Their existing sites stretch from Holyhead and along the North Wales coast at Caernarfon, Bangor, Llandudno and Rhyl, on the Dee at Flint, Saltney, Deeside, Sandycroft and inland at Denbigh, Mold, Wrexham and Newtown in Powys, and at Oswestry and Shrewsbury in Shropshire.

For information about Lock Stock Self Storage including off-site container hire contact them on 01745 817178 or go to https://lockstock.biz/

For more about Refugee Kindness including how to donate to them go to https://www.facebook.com/RefugeeKindness/
The National Association for Pregnant Women (NAPW) has denounced the prosecution of Brittney Poolaw, 21, who was sentenced to 4 years in prison this month following a miscarriage, with a statement from the organization titled Oklahoma Prosecution and Conviction of a Woman for Experiencing a Miscarriage is Shameful and Dangerous.

The statement notes, Contrary to all medical science, the prosecutor blamed the miscarriage on Ms. Poolaws alleged use of controlled substances. Not even the medical examiners report identifies use of controlled substances as the cause of the miscarriage. Even with this lack of evidence, the prosecutor moved forward with the charge. On October 5, after just a one-day trial, Ms. Poolaw was convicted and sentenced to a four-year prison term.

Brittney Poolaw (Source: Comanche County Detention Center)

Ms. Poolaws case is a tragedy. She has suffered the trauma of pregnancy loss, has been jailed for a year and half during a pandemic, and was charged and convicted of a crime without basis in law or science. We are supporting Ms. Poolaw as she explores her legal options, and we are working to ensure that this type of injustice does not happen again.

Poolaw, whose trial lasted only a day, was convicted in less than an hour of first-degree manslaughter on October 5, for having a miscarriage of a non-viable fetus. Poolaw had been arrested after going to a hospital for medical assistance with the miscarriage. She was held in jail for the entire time before her trial because she was unable to afford the $20,000 bail.

Abortions are allowed at up to 22 weeks of gestation in Oklahoma. Poolaw was only at 17 weeks when the miscarriage occurred. The NAPW stated that the conviction was just one example of the troubling trend we are documenting in Oklahoma that replaces compassion and respect with criminal prosecution.

Poolaws case follows an acceleration in the prosecution of miscarriages across the United States.

According to a study by the NAPW, from 1973 to 2005 there were 413 cases of women being prosecuted or deprived of liberty for miscarriages. Since then, the number has skyrocketed to 1,254 cases between 2006 and 2020.

In August the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) released a report entitled Abortion in America: How Legislative Overreach Is Turning Reproductive Rights Into Criminal Wrongs. The report reviews how the trend towards criminalization is bound up with the growing attack on abortion rights.

The NACDL pointed to the Texas abortion ban, which the US Supreme Court has allowed to remain in effect pending a court challenge, despite it directly contradicting the Courts own precedent, set in the landmark 1973 case Roe v Wade.

Explaining why these abortion laws matter to the NACDL, the report states that existing criminal laws, many of which include the redefinition of person to include the unborn, are already fueling arrests of pregnant women and new mothers.

President Nixons 1971 declaration of the war on drugs opened the door to a new era of mass incarceration, overcriminalization, and an expansion of federal and state law enforcement agencies powers of investigation and surveillance. This law enforcement apparatus did not exist in pre-Roe America, but it will most certainly be deployed in a post-Roe America to target both the abortion providers and the people seeking and having abortions.

The war on drugs is a bipartisan policy continued by Republican and Democratic administrations alike, and continued under the Biden administration, with President Joe Biden himself having advocated for many of the bills which have facilitated a broad law and order crackdown. He infamously boasted, in a 1993 speech on the Senate floor, Every major crime bill since 1976 thats come out of this Congress, every minor crime bill, has had the name of the Democratic senator from the State of Delaware: Joe Biden.

This is the repressive apparatus which is being used to prosecute women who have miscarriages.

The NACDL documented a plethora of laws that are on the books that could be used to prosecute those who carry out or have an abortion if the Constitutional rights established by Roe v Wade are struck down by the Supreme Court.

According to this Report, there are now more than 4,450 crimes in the federal criminal code, tens of thousands of state criminal provisions  including criminal abortion laws  still on the books, as well as state conspiracy, attempt, and accomplice statutes that could subject a wide range of individuals to criminal penalties if Roe is overturned.

The report continues, stating that state laws impose requirements that dramatically decrease access to legally approved abortions, and that 39 states have criminal laws giving fertilized eggs, embryos, and fetuses the status of separate crime victim. While these laws limit their punitive reach to third parties who attack pregnant women or perform illegal abortions on them, recent arrests of women in Alabama, Indiana, and California make clear that these limitations are easily ignored.

As the NACDL report notes, prosecution of women suffering miscarriages is not limited to Republican-controlled states like Oklahoma.

In Democratic Party-dominated California, then 25-year-old Chelsea Cheyenne Becker was arrested in November 2019 after she delivered a stillborn baby with methamphetamine in its system, in a case strikingly similar to Poolaws. Bail was set at $5 million. In late December 2020 a California court ruled that Becker could face murder charges, which have higher legal consequences than manslaughter charges. The case was subsequently dismissed in May 2021 by a California judge, but only after Becker spent over a year in jail.

Notably, the judge did not clearly rule that Californias homicide law does not apply to miscarriages. As Beckers trial lawyer from the NAPW stated, We are disappointed that a dismissal on these grounds does not foreclose the possibility that a misguided prosecutor may attempt a similar prosecution in the future.

The NACDL noted that abortion opponents have called for its criminalization, including the recently deceased Texas Congressman Ron Wright, who stated he absolutely believes women should be punished for having abortions, and Catherine Davis, founder of the anti-abortion Restoration Project, who stated she believes abortion should be treated exactly like murderup to and including capital punishment.

The NACDL states, ominously, As this Report concludes, the nation stands at the precipice of an extraordinary new wave of criminalization with states prepared to arrest and prosecute abortion providers, people who have abortions, their family members, and all those who assist them.

It is worth noting that the Supreme Court is set to hear multiple cases pertaining to abortion laws in Texas, as well as a Mississippi law banning all abortion after 15 weeks, directly challenging Roe, which establishes fetal viability at 24 weeks of gestation. There have been repeated warnings that the extreme-right majority on the Supreme Court could end Roe when it takes up the issue.

Mississippi has asked the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe altogether, with state attorney general Lynn Fitch urging justices not just to overturn lower court rulings which block the state law, but to use the case as an opportunity to strike down nearly 50 years of legal precedent. This could lead to abortion being banned altogether in half of the US, according to Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Those who will be affected most by such a decision will be overwhelmingly the working class and poor. This is not an issue that affects the ruling class, which benefits from the splitting workers along religious and sexual lines, nor does it affect the upper middle class, which, like the elite, is able to easily travel elsewhere to get abortions and avoid potential criminal proceedings for having a miscarriage or being suspected of attempting an abortion.

The Washington Post, one of the main mouthpieces for the Democratic Party, stated in a September 2 article that, Since Wednesday morning, when the [Texas law banning abortion] went into effect, Democrats have made it a focus of their campaignsand Republicans havent. Candidates for governor in deep blue California and purple Virginia have warned that Republican rule could end legal abortion, or at least allow laws like the one in Texas, which offers $10,000 bounties to people who successfully sue over abortions performed after the sixth week.

The reality explodes these illusions peddled by the Democrats. They are themselves deeply implicated in the attacks on abortion, allowing the appointments of extreme-right Supreme Court Justices, including the arch-reactionary Amy Coney Barrett. The Democrats have said very little about the prosecutions of women like Poolaw, despite controlling the House, Senate and White House. They have done even less, despite widespread support for abortion rights, to mobilize opposition to the far-right attacks, which, as the corporate media concedes, have a good chance of succeeding in the Supreme Court.
On Sunday, the World Socialist Web Site and the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) co-hosted a webinar, How to end the pandemic. It featured a panel of workers and distinguished scientists who have fought for policies to stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. The event provided a comprehensive overview of the science of the pandemic, including how COVID-19 spreads, its impact on humans, and what measures must be taken to cut off the chain of viral transmission and eliminate new cases worldwide.

The WSWS spoke with workers and youth from Britain about what they learned from the event.

Retired coal miner Malcolm Bray, who fought the Thatcher Conservative government in the year-long 1984-85 miners strike, said, I thought all the speakers gave very good and concerning contributions. The one that struck me most was the contribution by Dr Deepti Gurdasani. It was a very worrying and deeply concerning presentation. I also liked the presentation by Dr Gasperowicz, which in my opinion showed how this deadly virus can be stopped. The meeting showed very clearly that it was the working class that was mostly hit by this terrible disease. In the workplaces, on a bus and with the Delta variant infecting our children in schools.

Malcolm Bray

Capitalism is in the dock here, with its murderous policies of herd immunity which has resulted in the re-opening of the economy, a perspective of death.

The working class is clearly suffering the most and therefore must intervene to defend its own interests. The government and its media talking heads are playing down the seriousness of the pandemic and holding workers to ransom, in the interest of finance capital, which puts profits first over the lives of millions.

Marian Gladstone, a retired civil servant said, The webinar of 24 October organised by WSWS leadership of the international working class was an international event. A panel of distinguished scientists, doctors, epidemiologists, and working class spokespersons on the front line in the fight against the global pandemic spoke the scientific truth about Covid, how it is deliberately spread by the governing class and for what aim, and what needs to be done to end it.

The webinar opens at a cracking pace, setting the tone immediately with contributions from parents speaking of their concerns about being forced to send their children into unsafe schools, David OSullivan, the London bus driver, sacked for fighting for health and safety of bus drivers, speaks of the deaths of drivers due to companies and unions flagrantly ignoring safety.

[WSWS chairperson] David North opened up the lectures from each of his distinguished guests with graphs and scientific data, covering the need to end root causes. This includes the need for changed industrial farming, intrusive deforestation, climate change. The vital need for vaccination, its limitation from fluctuating viral mutation and need for supportive efficient test, track and trace.

But there is no living with this virus. It must be eliminated. This calls for temporary closure of ALL non-essential services and schools to attain zero transmission.

With infections, hospitalisation and deaths rising from COVID, even in so-called advanced countries, it is vital to keep up to speed with the political and scientific truths confronting the working class and the imperative to end the pandemic. Oppose corporate finance and its mealy-mouthed class lackeys in the form of bankrupt Labour and unions, with an implacable political leadership and programme for socialism of an organised international conscious working class. Visit this important site wsws.org, today.

Amy, a parent, said, I think the How to End the Pandemic event should be shared as widely as possible in the UK and everywhere in the world. It showcased a range of excellent contributions from leading scientists, epidemiologists, and public health professionals, as well as amplifying the voices of those who are usually silenced, parents and teachers.

Taken together, the presentations made a strong case for the necessity of eliminating COVID, and eventually its eradication as the only way out of the pandemic. The UK has got some of the highest per capita COVID cases, deaths, and hospitalisations in Europe and in the world. We have become emblematic of the failure to manage the pandemic, the example other countries do not want to follow!

After hearing Dr Gurdasanis presentation about the impact of COVID on multiple organs, of the numbers linked not only to hospitalisations and deaths, but also to Long COVID, I fail to understand how the governments obsession with herd immunity can be sustained. As we have heard from all the experts in the event, vaccines alone will not get us out of the pandemic, it is the combination of measures that matters!

Our children are getting deliberately infected because of the governments refusal to implement a multi-layered system of mitigations in schools as well as in the community. The policy of inaction, of waiting until it is too lateand there is no other choice but full lockdownis leading to tragic outcomes. Such a policy is particularly unforgivable for the way it affects our children, the future of the country.

Instead of following scientific research, they have provided school guidance which is inadequate for the control, let alone, suppression, of an airborne virus, and which goes against basic Health and Safety regulations. Getting out of the pandemic is possible, it is the political will that is lacking in the UK. I endorse the WSWS call for collaborative action from the working classes, and from grassroots groups who have the wellbeing of the people at heart. I hope each and every person considers collaborative action seriously from now on, because if there is one thing that COVID has shown us is that we are all interconnected, and nobody is safe until we are all safe!

Mother of three, Sharon said, Every speaker was extremely informative but the person that stood out to me was the Canadian speaker Dr Joe Vipond, as I am following some of the scientists on twitter but found the info on Long COVID extremely interesting.

Sharon

I thought that the What we can do ideas with campaigns, including gatherings on social media, etc., and using people with many diverse backgrounds was important. Try getting the message out to the media as many individuals are trying to, but at the moment are being bullied by the media. There could be more power in numbers.

I feel that is what the UK is missing. The [anti-lockdown] lobbying groups like UsForThem and Hart are extremely organised. I feel that many different groups with the same ideas should form together as the message will be more powerful.

WSWS reader Ben Hughes said, Dr. Jose-Luis Jimenez emphasised that COVID-19 is an overwhelmingly airborne indoor virus. Masks and powerful active ventilation systems in essential workplaces would stop the pandemic in its tracks. These and vaccines must be used to end the suffering.

All schools must close immediately. The mainstream media is peddling the proposition that cases will drop before Christmas because of mass infection of children now. The consequence will be hundreds of thousands with Long COVID.
The 48 nurses who struck Allinas WestHealth facility in Plymouth, Minnesota returned to work October 20, concluding a three-day strike to demand holiday pay equivalent to nurses at the companys other facilities throughout the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

The issue of holiday pay for nurses has significance beyond the mere fact of remuneration. With understaffing amid the coronavirus pandemic, nurses are being forced to work long hours, including on holidays. Unlike other Allina nurses, they are not compensated with additional holiday pay.

Allina Health Clinic in Hastings, Minnesota (Credit: Tony Webster/Wikimedia Commons)

The WestHealth strike ended without any movement by the company. There were no indications of scheduled talks and the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) said little more than that nurses were back to work.

There were two contrary tendencies on display in the WestHealth strike. On the one hand, the striking nurses want equality with the rest of Allinas nurses. One nurse characterized the attitude of the company towards them as cheap labor. This comes on top of the dangerous conditions that nurses have labored under during the pandemic.

The dissatisfaction and anger that nurses across the profession feel was summed up in the recent ShiftMed annual survey of nursing, which found that 49 percent of nurses are at least somewhat likely to leave the nursing profession in the next two years. More than 90 percent said that the nursing shortage had made their jobs worse.

A more grisly statistic comes from a survey in the August issue of the American Journal of Nursing. In a survey of more than 7,000 nurses, 5.5 percent reported having suicidal ideation in the past year.

Given the deep anger among nurses who are desperate for safe staffing ratios, better pay and a rational approach to working in the pandemic, the MNA called for a limited three-day strike in order to let off steam.

Allina did not resort to replacement nurses during the strike. Instead, it simply closed the WestHealth surgery center and moved its patients to other Allina facilities where union nurses essentially served as scabs.

MNA president Mary Turner declared nurses had been disrespected, put down, devalued by Allinas refusal to grant holiday pay. However, according to Allina, the MNA unanimously endorsed this same contract proposal. Nurses responded to the contract with an overwhelming strike vote.

While the MNA did nothing to mobilize masses of nurses behind the WestHealth strikers, it gushed over a number of Democrats who walked the picket line and made empty statements to pickets. The whole purpose was to divert strikers away from a broader struggle of all Twin Cities nurses and to convince them to await miracles to be performed by the Democratic Party.

This is of a piece with the MNA's history. In 2010, after the MNA retreated from the demand by some 12,000 nurses for an open-ended strike to force the issue of safe staffing ratios, the union leadership covered its betrayal by claiming it would pursue safe staffing ratios through the Minnesota legislature. Nothing came of this.

In 2016, the MNA signed contracts with all the other hospitals, leaving 4,000 Allina nurses to strike alone. Then Mary Turner authored an article entitled, Solidarity is Alive and Well, citing as proof that over 100 Democrats issued meaningless statements supporting the strike. To isolate strikers from thousands of other nurses while speaking of solidarity with capitalist politicians demonstrates the nature of the MNA bureaucracy as management contractor, opposed to the interests of workers.

Since the three-day strike, the focus of the MNA has been entirely on getting out the vote for the Democratic Party in the November 2nd elections. There is no talk of incorporating the WestHealth strikers into the broader organization of 10,000 to 15,000 nurses who have contracts expiring in 2022.

Nurses must not leave the direction of the coming struggle in the hands of the MNA. That will only result in another defeat. All nurses should begin immediately to organize rank-and-file committees, independent of the MNA to conduct the next fight and make it the focal point for mobilizing the entire working class of the Twin Cities. We encourage nurses to read the World Socialist Web Site and study the struggles of autoworkers, educators and food processing workers who have begun the organization of sections of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees.
Far-right terrorist networks remain active within the German army (Bundeswehr) and its immediate environment. This was underlined by the arrest of two former Bundeswehr paratroopers by criminal police officers last Wednesday.

According to the news magazine Der Spiegel, Prosecutor General Peter Frank accuses the two persons arrested, Arend-Adolf G. and Achim A., of serious criminal offences. The charges range from conspiracy to murder, hostage-taking, planning crimes against humanity, to suspicion of founding a terrorist organisation.

Asgaard security forces (Facebook photo).

The two former elite soldiers are said to have prepared the setting up of a mercenary force of 100 to 150 men, whose services they offered to the Saudi Arabian regime as shock troops in the Saudis bloody war in Yemen. According to Der Spiegel, these accusations stem from a tip given by a former Bundeswehr soldier to the Military Counter-Intelligence Service (MAD) and have been confirmed by the evaluation of numerous chats and the monitoring of more than two dozen telephone connections.

The case is explosive not only because recruiting German nationals as mercenaries for a foreign power carries heavy prison sentences. There are also close links between the mercenary ring and right-wing extremist networks planning terrorist attacks within Germany.

Arend-Adolf G. and Achim A. are said to have worked for the security company Asgaard after their service time in the Bundeswehr, with G., on occasion, working as Asgaards managing director. The company, which among other things was active in the Somali civil war and Iraq, where it guarded the Saudi Arabian embassy, specifically recruits members from special units of the Bundeswehr and the police, promising them monthly salaries in five figures.

Asgaard not only maintains close relations with German state security forces, but also with right-wing extremist networks and apparently serves as a link between the two. A year ago, Der Spiegel and the ARD television magazine Kontraste reported on Asgaards corporate culture, which glorifies National Socialism and the German army (Wehrmacht) under Hitler. The magazine also gave details of the right-wing extremist network in contact with the Asgaard director Dirk Gamann. Among other things, Der Spiegel published a video showing Asgaard glorifying the fascist tradition of the Wehrmacht in its Iraqi company premises. WSWS reported on the incident at the time.

In the summer of 2020, former and active police officers and soldiers who, based on their postings on social media, clearly identified themselves as extreme right-wing, took part in a meeting at Asgaards headquarters in Hamm. Among the participants was 41-year-old Thomas S., who at the time headed an investigation team in the Frankfurt police while also working as a leading functionary for Asgaard.

Shortly afterwards, the Frankfurt public prosecutors office opened an investigation into Thomas S. on suspicion of bribery as well as violation of official secrecy. In addition to unauthorised secondary employment for a private security company (suspected of being under the influence of right-wing extremism), the prosecutors office accused him of unlawful queries from police databases. It is not clear whether this is the same data retrieved from Hesse police computers that became the basis of numerous threatening letters sent by the sender NSU 2.0.

According to Der Spiegel, the federal prosecutor general is currently investigating a senior employee of Asgaard on suspicion of threatening to kill Martina Renner, a parliamentary deputy of the Left Party. Renner, among other things, had been involved in the committee set up in the state of Thuringia to investigate the activities of the far-right terrorist National Socialist Underground (NSU).

In April this year, the Tagesspiegel newspaper reported on links between a federal criminal police bodyguard and Asgaard. Once again, there existed a right-wing extremist background. The Berlin public prosecutors office is investigating three federal police officers (BKA) belonging to the unit Foreign and Special Operations after they gave Hitler salutes at an internal party, and spread racist chats. One of these officers is also said to have worked for Asgaard.

Tagesspiegel also indicated possible links between the BKA officers and the right-wing prepper, or survivalist, group Nordkreuz, which hoarded ammunition and drew up assassination lists for left-wing political figures, opponents on a so-called Day X. The BKA officers had taken part in shooting exercises at a site in Gustrow where Nordkreuz was also active.

In May, MDR television reported that Germanys domestic intelligence agency (Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, BfV) and Military Counter-Intelligence Service (MAD) were investigating links between Asgaard and a former member of the Bundeswehr paramilitary unit, the KSK. It is being examined whether he is part of a suspected right-wing extremist network with links to the unit. The Ministry of Defence informed the Bundestags Defence Committee about this investigation at a secret meeting. A total of 59 peoplemostly Bundeswehr reservists, but including some active soldiers with links to Asgaard, are currently being investigated by the BfV and MAD.

The fact that the Federal Prosecutors Office now feels obliged to arrest two former soldiers who worked for Asgaard indicates the extent of the far-right conspiracy. As always, the authorities only act when so much has leaked out to the public that they can no longer remain inactive without completely discrediting themselves.

But then, as usual, the matter is covered up as quickly as possible and swept under the rug. This was the case with the right-wing extremist Bundeswehr officer Franco A., who assumed a false identity as a refugee, hoarded weapons and planned a terrorist attack in collaboration with right-wing extremist forces in the elite KSK troop and the nationwide Hannibal network, to which the Nordkreuz group belongs.

The BfV, MAD, BKA, the German Ministries of Defence and the Interior, all have a record of penetration by far-right networks and have repeatedly suppressed information to protect such extremist forces. Although the extent and dangers arising from far-right networks are known and documented, those responsible remain largely unchallenged or remain at large.

Franco A., who was long since released from pre-trial detention, is being tried in Frankfurt, four years after his activities were uncovered. The trial is expected to drag on into next year. The court had originally refused to open the trial at all and had to be forced to do so by a higher court. Now the entire process is increasingly developing into a farce.

The favourable treatment of far-right criminals stands in sharp contrast to the ruthless persecution of left-wing demonstrators, for example those arrested for protesting against the G20 summit in Hamburg, and has social roots. Faced with rapidly growing class antagonisms and the declining influence of all the established parties, the German ruling class is increasingly relying on state repression and fascist violence to suppress social resistance.

A century ago, during the Weimar Republic, paramilitary organisations and extreme right-wing forces, which later formed the basis of the Nazi regime, were under the special protection of the state. Hitler himself spent just a few months in prison following his attempt at a bloody coup detat. While in prison he was able to write Mein Kampf and enjoy regular visits from a host of his admirers. The treatment of the pacifist and leftist Carl von Ossietzky was very different. Arrested following Hitlers assumption of power in 1933, he disappeared behind bars for criticising the military. The ruling circles in Germany are returning to precisely these traditions in the face of the current profound crisis of capitalism.
A record 26 children died from COVID-19 across the United States last week, according to the latest data from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released Monday. More than a third of all US child deaths from COVID-19, or 234 of the 584 total reported deaths, have taken place in the past three months, directly coinciding with the mass surge in cases among children due to the reopening of schools.

Reported deaths often lag behind infections and are a stark indicator of the ongoing devastating impacts of the pandemic on children and families. In the past three months since schools began reopening for the fall semester, over 2.1 million children were officially infected with COVID-19. Despite a slight decrease in infections this past week by 12,800 cases, mass infection continues among children, with over 100,000 weekly cases reported for the past 11 weeks straight.

Analyn Tapia, left, and Dezirae Espinoza hold their supplies as they wait to enter the building for the first day of in-class learning since the start of the pandemic at Garden Place Elementary School Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, in north Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

The AAP report reveals deeply alarming levels of infection and death among children, yet there are still significant limitations of the data presented. Texas, Alabama and Nebraska have halted their reporting of child COVID-19 cases, while Michigan, Montana, New York (excluding New York City), Rhode Island, Utah and West Virginia do not report the age distribution of deaths and are thus excluded from the AAP cumulative death toll. Additionally, only 24 states including New York City report pediatric hospitalization data.

Furthermore, nowhere in the US does there exist robust testing of symptomatic and asymptomatic cases among youth or real contact tracing measures to identify cases and the breadth of community spread. The entire AAP report must be scrutinized as only a distorted image of the dark reality of the impacts of COVID-19 on children.

The latest AAP data makes clear that both the Republicans and Democrats bear responsibility for the social crime being committed against young people across the US. The majority of child deaths in the latest AAP report, or 14 out of 26, occurred in Democrat-led states, while the Western and Northeastern regions of the US, comprised mostly of Democrat-led states, have seen the largest increases in pediatric COVID-19 infections.

Both political parties are pursuing policies of herd immunity, or letting the virus rip through society, despite the posturing of Democrats and their backers in the trade unions that limited mitigation measures will stop the spread of the virus. The mainstream media is facilitating these policies by downplaying the severity of COVID-19 among children and the broader population, while pushing the narrative that the virus will inevitably become endemic.

In an effort to downplay the deadly impacts of COVID-19 on children, there has been a full media blackout regarding the record number of child deaths this week and the ongoing mass infections among young people. The deaths of a child between the ages of zero and 17 in Kansas and a school-aged child in Minnesota are the only instances of minimal coverage in the major state news outlets of the 26 child deaths that took place last week. Notably, neither the six child deaths in Texas nor the three child deaths in Indiana have yet to receive any media coverage.

Instead, news of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5-11 has dominated headlines. At the end of Monday nights NBC Nightly News report segment on the anticipated roll-out of the vaccine, there was a 20-second mention of the latest AAP report, which was grotesquely characterized as another week of good news.

Reporter Stephanie Gotz stated, Yes it is [good news] Lester, seven weeks in a row of cases going down. The peak was over 250,000, and last week it was less than half that, but the Academy says the number is still too high. No mention was made of the record number of child deaths from COVID-19 or the fact that cases among children this week are still well within range of last years deadly winter surge.

While it is vital to vaccinate children, the reality is that the vaccine is being pushed in order to maintain the deadly and dangerous reopening policies currently underway. Continued mass infection and deaths of children will be further swept under the rug. Under the present timeline, the vaccine rollout will take another 10 days to begin and it will be over a month before any child under 12 is fully protected from severe infection. Furthermore, less than half of all youth ages 13-17 have been fully vaccinated and less than one-third of parents with children 5-11 say their child will get vaccinated right away once eligible.

While no corporate news outlet consistently reports on the real conditions in schools and workplaces during the pandemic, the World Socialist Web Site has made it a priority to expose the dire impacts of the pandemic on workers and youth and to share the real science behind COVID-19 and what is needed to end the pandemic.

On Sunday, October 24, the WSWS hosted a webinar titled,  How to end the pandemic , which brought together some of the foremost scientists on the pandemic with workers who have led the struggle to expose unsafe conditions in schools and workplaces. Many of the panelists spoke directly to the impacts of COVID-19 on children and the reopening of schools.

During the webinar, British parent Lisa Diaz, who has initiated a series of global strikes against the unsafe reopening of schools, described the catastrophic conditions facing youth under the Johnson administrations herd immunity policies. Throughout the UK, up to 20,000 children are now infected with COVID-19 each day and a total of 98 children have died from the virus.

Lisa noted that at her sons high school, it took less than six weeks for nearly 30 percent of the student population to be infected. She described the complete lack of mitigation measures in UK schools, including no social distancing, no mask mandates, no isolation of close contacts, and poor ventilation.

Dr. Deepti Gurdasani, a public health researcher at the Queen Mary University in London and a mother herself, addressed Lisas concerns and gave a report on Long COVID and the impacts of the pandemic on children. Characterizing the Johnson administrations school reopening policy as frankly criminal, she added, in all respects, our government has completely failed to protect our children, and the impact of that has not only been mass infection of children but very high rates of Long COVID.

Dr. Gurdasani revealed that there has been a recent uptick in Long COVID cases among children in the UK, with over 50,000 now living with long term effects, of whom 11,000 have had symptoms for more than one year.

Donna, a teacher in the US, described the horrendous impacts of the herd immunity policies on educators in schools in the US South, noting, No one seemed to care that teachers were on the front lines facing a threat that might very well kill us and our families.

Commenting on the Fall reopening of schools in her district, she said, Six close fully-vaccinated mask-wearing colleagues of mine became sick with COVID in September. While none of them were hospitalized, all of them continue to suffer fatigue, breathing problems and brain fog. They returned from sick leave tired and coughing, only to have to cover classes for colleagues who became sick with COVID in their turn because there is a shortage of substitute teachers.

Dr. Howard Ehrman, a retired family medicine physician and longtime social activist in Chicago, focused his remarks on the catastrophic school reopening policies that began under Trump and have deepened under Biden. Providing figures on infections and deaths among children and educators, he stated, Capitalism made a decision in the beginningit has not changed under the Biden administration, and in fact it has gotten worse in many waysto enable the economy to force people back to work, and [youth] to learn in unsafe conditions.

Over the course of the event, each scientist made clear that only through a strategy aimed at the global elimination strategy will humanity put an end to the pandemic. In his summation of the meeting, WSWS International Editorial Board Chairman David North stressed that the fight to end the pandemic must be taken up by the international working class armed with the scientific knowledge of COVID-19 and how it spreads.

A critical element of a globally coordinated elimination strategy is to close schools and provide high quality remote learning for all students, in addition to closing nonessential businesses while providing financial assistance to workers. This must be combined with the deployment of all necessary public health measures, including mass testing, contact tracing, the isolation of infected patients, masking, a globally-coordinated vaccination program, and more, to progressively eliminate the virus in ever-broader geographic areas until the whole planet is safe from further needless infections and deaths from COVID-19.
On Sunday night, Rolling Stone magazine published an exclusive report outlining the direct and extensive role of Trump aides, including then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and at least a dozen Republican members of the House of Representatives in the planning and organization of the effort to overthrow the 2020 presidential election.

Trump supporters scaling the wall of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. (Flickr.com/Blink O'fanaye)

The article (Jan. 6 Protest Organizers Say They Participated in Dozens of Planning Meetings With Members of Congress and White House Staff) is based on interviews with two right-wing activists who were involved in the effort and are now cooperating with the House Select Committee investigation of the January 6 assault on Congress. In the article, Rolling Stone provides insider accounts that demolish all attempts to insulate Trump and the Republican Party from responsibility for the violent attempt to establish Trump as president-dictator.

The World Socialist Web Site published an article summing up the major revelations in the Rolling Stone article, which noted:

The stunning series of allegations, as Rolling Stone described it, has been met by a wall of silence in the corporate media, and a similar blackout from leading Democrats, including President Bidenwhose election victory was the target of the January 6 attackas well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose offices were ransacked and staff terrorized by the fascist attackers.

More than 24 hours later, the wall of silence on the part of the major media outlets and top Democratic leaders remains intact.

The information from the two participants in the plot to overthrow the election implicates fascistic Republican members of Congress and their staffs, including Paul Gosar (Arizona), Andy Biggs (Arizona), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Georgia), Madison Cawthorn (North Carolina), Louie Gohmert (Texas), Mo Brooks (Alabama) and Lauren Boebert (Colorado).

The two insiders explain that the various Stop the Steal rallies at state capitals and in Washington D.C. that were held between Trumps election defeat in November 2020 and the violent attempt to block congressional certification of Bidens Electoral College victory on January 6, 2021 were planned and coordinated with House Republicans and the White House.

The Save America rally addressed by Trump at the Ellipse on the morning of January 6 was coordinated with the moves of the Republicans in both the House and Senate to object to the official tabulation and certification of the Electoral College vote and disrupt the process.

However, the last-minute refusal of Vice President Mike Pence to illegally use his ceremonial role in presiding over the joint session of Congress to reject the vote results in six swing states left only violence as the means for stopping the certification of Bidens victory.

In this connection, the statements of the activists quoted by Rolling Stone on the role of Meadows make clear that the decision to incite elements in the crowd gathered at the Ellipse to attack the US Capitol and seize Pence, Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers and use them as hostages was made in the White House.

The activists, who are not named in the article, claim they believed that all protest activity on January 6 would be on the Ellipse, and a Wild Protest at the Capitol building that had been called by Stop the Steal leader Ali Alexander would not go ahead. Alexander is an open fascist who has publicly associated with far-right paramilitary groups such as the Oath Keepers and the 1st Amendment Praetorian.

The article states:

Among other things, they both say concerns were raised to Meadows about Alexanders protest at the Capitol and the potential that it could spark violence. ... Meadows was 100 percent made aware of what was going on, says the organizer. Hes also like a regular figure in these really tiny groups of national organizers.

The article continues:

When Alexander seemed to be ignoring that arrangement, both claim worries were brought to Meadows. Despite making a deal  they plowed forward with their own thing at the Capitol on January 6 anyway, the organizer says of Alexander and his allies. We ended up escalating that to everybody we could, including Meadows.

Of course, it was Trump who concluded his fascistic speech before 10,000 supporters at the Ellipse by urging one and all to walk to the Capitol building and fight like hell. One of the activists interviewed by Rolling Stone called that the breaking point for me.

The only national evening news program that reported the Rolling Stone article was PBS NewsHour, which broadcast a brief interview Monday night with the author of the article, Hunter Walker. The Rolling Stone article was not mentioned on the evening news broadcasts of NBC, ABC or CBS, which led with a rash of storms across the US.

Nor was it mentioned in the Tuesday morning news programs of the major networks: NBCs Today, ABCs Good Morning America and CBS CBS Mornings.

There were no news reports on the article in any of the major newspapers, including the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. Nor was it reported in the Guardian or the Financial Times, two British publications that frequently report on US political developments.

The only reference to the article in the New York Times was buried in an op-ed piece by columnist Jamelle Bouie supporting the calls by a number of Democrats (Cori Bush, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Eric Swalwell, David Cicilline, Bonnie Watson Coleman) for the House members involved in planning the January 6 events to be expelled. Neither they nor Bouie have called for action to hold Trump accountable.

The Hill and Yahoo News have published articles on the blanket denials issued by House Republicans named in the Rolling Stone expose and the scattered calls by House Democrats for their expulsion.

Beyond that, the corporate mediaalong with Biden, Pelosi and other top Democratshave maintained a wall of silence.

This is not the exception, but rather the rule when it comes to telling the public the truth about the attempted fascist coup on January 6, and the ongoing conspiracy against democratic rights. Had the insurrectionists succeeded in seizing one or more lawmakers and using them as bargaining chips to block certification of Bidens victoryand they came within seconds of doing sothe Democrats would have capitulated, as they did in the stolen election of 2000 that put George W. Bush in power.

And the New York Times would have reprised its role of 21 years ago, demanding acceptance of the theft of the White House and nullification of both the popular vote and the true electoral vote.

Just last week, the New York Times reported that in March of 2020as the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold, workers were wildcat striking against being forced to work in unsafe factories and the stock market was plungingTrump and his fascist political adviser Stephen Miller were trying to push through a plan to deploy 250,000 US troops along the entire US-Mexico border. This would have meant de facto martial law throughout the US. It was blocked by the top military brass on grounds of national security and the requirements of US international military operations.

The corporate media and the Democrats, who had to have been aware of these internal discussions, refused to alert the population, thereby facilitating Trumps escalating dictatorial conspiracies. The Times itself immediately removed its October 19 report from the front page of its website, and the rest of the media ignored it.

As the WSWS stated in its Perspective column of October 3, 2021 (The New York Times and the January 6 cover-up):
A number of workers, students and young people in Australia have expressed their appreciation for the international webinar held by the WSWS and the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) on October 24.

Entitled How to end the pandemic, it featured a panel of workers and distinguished scientists who have fought for policies to stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. The event, which can be viewed in full here, provided a comprehensive refutation of the lies used to justify the homicidal herd immunity policies being advanced by governments around the world, and elaborated the necessary scientific response to the pandemic, including measures that can be taken to end transmission.

As Australian governments dispense with earlier public health measures, and insist that the population live with the virus, numbers of ordinary people have responded with enthusiasm to the webinar, joining an international audience that has viewed the event more than 10,000 times.

****

Robert, a retired university educator from Brisbane and a Socialist Equality Party electoral member, said the webinar was terrific in answering a lot of questions about the pandemic.

The scientists presentations showed that the pandemic can be beaten, but the governments are giving in to the pressure of the financial elite.

All the governments are in the pocket of big business, arent they? In Australia we had Qantas announcing government policy on reopening international flights. That says it all about the influence of big business.

It was brilliant that you had ordinary working people at the beginning of the event providing personal testimony about the pandemic. Give us more please! I remember Lisa Diazs first appearance on the previous webinar. Her call for a school strike went around the world.

Getting the information out to the working classthat is very important. You had factory workers, health workers, teachers and a London bus driver.

You dont hear about any of this in the media. There is a complete blackout! Instead, people are told, over and over, that there is no alternative to living with the virus. Even on the ABC [Australian Broadcasting Corporation], which you would expect to be neutral, all you get is how happy people are to be reopening.

Instead of reporting on the number of schools that have had to close because of infections since they returned this week, the ABCs 7.30 program had interviews with excited parents and teachers, and with school principals who claimed that schools were being made safe.

My great hope on the virus is that protests from parents, workers, and others becomes the mass workers movement were calling for.

Prageeth, a leading member of the Teacher-Student-Parent Security Committee in Sri Lanka said, The webinar held on October 24 to discuss how to eradicate the pandemic is a milestone in working class opposition to the criminal policy of the bourgeoisie amid the pandemic. I would like to thank all the experts who have made a powerful scientific exposure about the real dangers facing workers in the workplace as well as children in schools under the ruling classes murderous living with COVID-19 policy.

The reports put forward by experts proved sharply that the reason the pandemic has dragged on for two years is that capitalist governments all over the world are avoiding the genuine scientific steps that must be taken to end the pandemic. The webinar made clear that the most dangerous thing is not the virus on its own, but the reaction of the bourgeois ruling class, driven by its profit interests.

The participation of the leading organizers of the ongoing working-class opposition against government policies, including Lisa Diaz, highlighted the revolutionary character of the event.

The historic role of eradicating the pandemic falls on the shoulders of the working class. Just as the intervention of the working class was decisive in ending the First World War, a global program of the international working class is needed to end the pandemic. This was strongly confirmed at the meeting.

Dolores, a 55-year-old SEP electoral member from Australia said, The webinar was a powerful message to the working class. They were very good speakersyou learnt about how the pandemic spreads, how it is transforming, and how to detain it.

Dolores

Dr. Howard Ehrman from Chicago explaining the situation in the United States was very interesting to listen to. As was Dr. Jose-Luis Jimenez, who spoke about aerosols explaining how COVID is airborne. It was scary.

Im very happy that Lisa Diaz has formed the movement of parents around the world. People are really concerned about their children going to school. David North explained how the situation is currently and how consciousness in the working class is developing about what has to be done.

Paxi, a 29-year-old from Australia, said the webinar Shined a lot of light on bits of scientific research that haven't been made public by our leaders. Government leaders and health bureaucrats aren't listening to scientists who are giving them advice.

Paxi

It was a powerful statement from the World Socialist Website about what is possible if we are united and all stand together and look at things scientifically and not for corporate interests.

An eradication policy would be difficult, but we are already in difficult times. The webinar showed that it would be possible, viable and beneficial.

Dr Joe Vipond gave some clear guidelines on how to start and run an advocacy campaign to encourage changes in policy and community expectations. I really appreciated those good ideas. I think some social campaigns are needed to bring about attention to a viable alternative to the way we are handling the pandemic.

He concluded, Workers and young people do need to watch this meeting.

Colleen, a member of the Committee for Public Education, wrote the following statement:

I am from Shepparton, Victoria, Australia. I attended the meeting How to end the pandemic' and felt justified in my own opinions regarding the reckless herd immunity policies of capitalist governments and the reopening of schools before full vaccination of children. Thank you to the panel for the scientifically based informative session. So refreshing to be told the truth.
A striking worker at John Deeres main North American Parts Distribution Center (PDC) in Milan, Illinois was struck by a vehicle and killed early Wednesday morning.

The identity of the man was confirmed to be 56-year-old Richard Rich of Moline, Illinois, by Rock Island County Coroner Brian Gustafson in the afternoon. Gustafson told local media that Rich died of traumatic chest injuries.

The worker had been crossing an intersection when he was hit, another striking worker at PDC told the World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter.

The worker bitterly denounced Deere and placed blame for the killing squarely on the company, saying, They have blood on their hands! Bastards!

The incident happened around 6:00 a.m. Central Time at the intersection of Rock Island-Milan Parkway and Deere Drive, according to a local CBS news affiliate, near an area where workers park to get to their pickets. The Moline Police Department and a local fire department were still at the scene later Wednesday morning and had closed the intersection, the station reported. The Milan Police, Moline Police Departments Accident Reconstruction Division and the Rock Island County Coroners Office are conducting an investigation of the fatality.

Picket line outside the John Deere Parts Distribution Center in Milan, Illinois, near where a striking worker was killed Wednesday morning (Dee Neff/Facebook)

The worker had been employed at Deere for 15 years, according to a short statement released by the United Auto Workers unions national headquarters. Significantly, the statement did not place any responsibility on the company or denounce it for the death of the worker.

On behalf of the UAW and all working families, we mourn the passing of our UAW brother, UAW President Ray Curry was quoted as stating. It is a somber time to lose a member who made the ultimate sacrifice in reporting to picket for a better life for his family and co-workers.

The head of the UAWs negotiations with Deere and director of its Agricultural Equipment Department, Vice President Chuck Browning, said in the statement, We are heartbroken over the tragic loss of our Brother. Our most sincere condolences go out to his family and his co-workers and they are all in our thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time. The entire UAW mourns today.

It remains unclear at this point who was driving the vehicle that struck Rich, whether they were employed by Deere or were simply passing through the area and tragically did not see him walking. Several workers have complained about darkness at the location and the failure to repair lights at the intersection, which workers must cross to get to their vehicles.

Even if it is not a case of deliberate company violence, however, there is no question that Deere is ramping up its strikebreaking efforts. Moreover, workers have been left vulnerable by the UAW to attacks by the company and its efforts to deploy state repression.

The union did everything it could to avoid calling a strike and, after being forced to call it on October 14, has done everything in its power to isolate the Deere workers in the face of the companys strikebreaking campaign. In response to the death, the UAW has announced plans to do nothing more than fly the flag at its national headquarters at half-staff.

UAW Local 79 stated later Wednesday morning that it was cancelling pickets at PDC for the rest of the day. Workers who went to the scene of the incident to honor Rich were told to leave by the local union president for their safety, but stayed long enough to erect a small memorial to him.

Striking John Deere workers in Waterloo, Iowa (Source: UAW Local 838 Facebook page)

With harvest season still underway and farms looking to repair equipment quickly, Deere has been desperate to keep its parts distribution operations running, particularly at its facility in Milan, which serves as the hub for all North America.

The day the strike began, the company announced it was initiating its contingency plan and would deploy management personnel and salaried employees to maintain operations. Many of these employees have been sent from across Deeres facilities in the Quad Cities area, which straddles the Mississippi River along the Iowa-Illinois border, to PDC in Milan, workers have previously told the WSWS.

The use of strikebreakers has predictably led to dangerous and potentially deadly conditions on the picket lines. One striking worker was hit by a car pulling into Deeres Des Moines Works earlier this month, but luckily escaped serious injury, according to the Des Moines Register. Local police did not bring any charges against the driver.

Facing the emergence of the largest strike wave in decades, corporate America is resorting to all its old brutal methods of class violence and state repression, while at the same time relying on its partners in the trade union bureaucracies to either block or contain walkouts. The heavy use of strikebreakers and corporate violence was last seen in the 1980s, when striking workers were either injured or killed at Greyhound bus and NYNEX telephone, and in a series of miners strikes, culminating in the shooting death of John McCoy, an AT Massey coal miner in 1990.

More recently, a General Motors worker was killed by a vehicle near the companys Spring Hill, Tennessee, plant during the 40-day 2019 strike.

At Warrior Met Coal in Alabama this year, where miners have been on strike since the beginning of April, strikers have repeatedly been hit by vehicles driven by company scabs and have reported being shot at. Kelloggs has hired the global strikebreaking firm AFIMAC in response to the strike by 1,400 food processing workers in Michigan, Pennsylvania and other states.

For its part, Deere secured a court injunction last week from Judge Marlita Greve that severely constrains workers pickets at the companys facility in Davenport, Iowa. Greve issued the injunction just two hours after the company requested it, limiting pickets to only four workers, and, in a clearly vindictive move, barring the use of fire barrels or chairs on the line.

The UAW initially responded to the injunction without the slightest degree of criticism, ordering workers to abide by it, and more recently has sought to channel workers indignation over the ruling into impotent appeals to the very same corporate-controlled courts.

At the same time, it brought Bidens Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to picket lines in Des Moines, Iowa as a supposed friend of the strike. The UAW made no mention of the fact that Vilsack himself appointed Greve to the Seventh Judicial District when he was governor of the state in 2006.

The killing of the striking worker immediately prompted an outpouring of sadness and anger in comments on local news Facebook pages and among other Deere workers.

All this for corporate greed? a worker Deeres Harvester Works in East Moline, Illinois told the WSWS. We are getting hurt outside the factory and salary people are getting hurt inside the factory. She predicted that Deere will try to turn this on us. They will say see this is why we put injunction in place in Iowa!

The brutal conditions and strikebreaking Deere workers face must be denounced and opposed by workers everywhere, with the old slogan taken up, An injury to one is an injury to all!

However, the UAW will respond to the death of the worker not by seeking to mobilize its hundreds of thousands of members in defense of the strike, but rather by doubling down on its backroom talks with Deere and its plans to shut the strike down and get a sellout agreement through at the earliest opportunity.

To mobilize support in the working class and defend themselves against the companys efforts to break their struggle, Deere workers should form rank-and-file strike committees at every plant and warehouse, appealing to parts workers, autoworkers and others to join the strike, and link up with the Deere Workers Rank-and-File Committee to coordinate a counteroffensive against the company across Deeres operations worldwide.

To learn more about joining the John Deere Workers Rank-and-File Committee, Deere workers can email deerewrfc@gmail.com or text (484) 514-9797.
Socialist Equality Party (SEP) electoral members are continuing to mobilise in a campaign to defeat anti-democratic electoral laws which target minor political parties, including the SEP. The legislation threatens deregistration, meaning parties cannot run under their name during elections, unless they submit a list of 1,500 members, treble the previous number, by December 2.

In comments to the WSWS, two electoral members have spoken on the relationship between this fight and a deepening social crisis being inflicted on the working class. They have noted that the legislation is also aimed at suppressing widespread opposition to the live with the virus policies of Australian governments, exemplified by mass school reopenings in Sydney and Melbourne, both of which are still in the grips of COVID outbreaks.

As part of this campaign the SEP is holding a public meeting Sunday, October 31 at 1pm (AEDT) entitled: A socialist program to eliminate COVID-19. Become an electoral member of the SEP today. Click here to register.

To join the SEP campaign against the legislation, sign up as an electoral member today.

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Ben, a nineteen-year-old trainee receptionist from the Blue Mountains, just outside Sydney, became an SEP electoral member this year.

Ben with Julian Assange's father John Shipton

I agree that the new laws are anti-democratic, he said. I only know about them from what I have learned from the interviews published by the SEP and by reading the WSWS. The government rushed the legislation through in less than 24 hours. It clearly targets the SEP and Id much rather side with that party than the Australian government.

Referring to the Liberal and Labor parties he said, Frankly, both are appalling. I dont agree with most of the decisions either of them makes and even the good ones are, as far as I can tell, publicity stunts.

I dont think the Greens are interested in making progressive change, despite what they would like you to believe. They take donations from big companies. I would much rather be supporting a party that supports me instead of big business.

In my social circles theres not a whole lot of people that vote. A lot of my peers on social media have very progressive political views and oppose the major parties. They are more left wing than the major parties.

Ive noticed that there are a lot more activist style Instagram posts on social media. People do seem to care about inequality and some of the bigger issues that are being created by the major parties. The perception that the three major parties are the only parties worth voting for is declining.

Ben spoke about his ongoing struggle to find housing: Housing is an area in which the government is letting the entire population down. I was pretty much homeless for about three months, sleeping on couches. I got lucky when someone in the house I was couch surfing in moved out and I was able to take the room there.

I was never homeless because I couldnt afford to pay rent. It wasnt me; I just wouldnt get approved for any houses. There is way too much competition. Even before COVID there were more tenants looking for a place than there were houses for them to stay.

I live in the Blue Mountains, so now with COVID a lot of people from Sydney who work from home moved up to the mountains. This has driven the prices through the roof. Now there is nowhere that is both big enough and affordable enough for young people.

The house he was living at was sold, and he and his friends were forced to move out.We were evicted last Monday. We have access to a small villa through work, but it is not nearly big enough. We have people sleeping in the lounge room as there are not enough bedrooms. It is better than sleeping on the street or finding a place in Lithgow (a town outside the area) and travelling for 2 hours every morning to get to work.

Ive been talking to tens of services that are supposed to be able to provide emergency accommodation, transitional housing or any government subsidised accommodation, but there is nothing. The homelessness rate in Australia is the governments fault. The cost of living has been steadily rising and my income has been declining at the same rate.

Ben opposed the decision of the NSW government to reopen the schools. We should not be putting vulnerable children, packed up like sardines, in classrooms. It will spread COVID through the entire school. If one child in a classroom has Delta, so does everyone in the classroom and half the rest of the school when you walk through the corridors. It is the worst place you could possibly reopen. They then take it to their parents and grandparents, who are more susceptible and have a higher likelihood of dying. But the attitude is weve got to keep the kids in school.

This is definitely not for the health and safety of the school communities. It is to promote the idea that everything is going back to normal, that COVID is something to live and die with. They dont want you to know that second part, they want you to think that it is completely unavoidable, and nothing can be done. It is appalling and straight up criminal. If I killed as many people as the Australian government, I would be the serial killer with the single highest body count in history.

Discussing the call of the ICFI for the formation of rank-and-file committees in workplaces and communities, Ben said, This is the only way to fight it because every other organisation that allegedly exists is for profit. Profits should be illegal. Profits cannot exist without exploitation. They go hand in hand. The working class is the only class that has the incentive to fight that. We are the majority.

Steve, a teacher from regional NSW, who has been an electoral member since 2020 said, Obviously, schools are a big concern, especially given the difficulty children have in socially distancing and the difficulties teachers have in policing social distancing, and mask wearing. Inevitably the schools will become a common source of transmission. Older teachers and teachers and students with pre-existing conditions will be most at risk.

The main-stream media have been using terms like 'Freedom Day.' Surely the concept should be tempered with the knowledge that due to the 'opening up' more people will die or become very ill.

The Australian government was lucky as what initially saved Australia was geographic isolation and population density, he continued. No doubt if Australia were part of Europe our numbers would be many times higher than they have been. The powers that be emphasised flattening the curve, and the prime minister wanted to attend a rugby league match the week before our first lockdown.

Put simply, they invited the virus in. The quarantine system was not working and yet when the more transmissible Delta strain broke out overseas, no new measures were adopted to prevent it entering our country.

Speaking on the electoral laws, Steve said, The newly promulgated 1,500-member rule mandated to political parties is disturbing. How are political parties supposed to get started? It is completely undemocratic. It seems that the major parties will do anything to maintain power, even if in the process they undermine the very nature of democracy.
Washingtons special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, warned Monday that if diplomatic efforts to resuscitate the Iran nuclear accord fail, the US will use other tools to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Malley claimed that talks on the accord, which are moribund, were at a critical stage and that Washingtons patience was wearing thin. He vowed that the US was prepared to pursue other steps, if we face a world in which we need to do that.

Robert Malley, Special Envoy for Iran, US Department of State (Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA)

This thinly veiled threat of US military action came amid rising tensions in the Middle East and ever more open threats by Washingtons chief ally in the region, Israel, to carry out air strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.

Echoing US bellicosity, Liz Truss, the foreign minister of the UK, Washingtons closest ally among the signatories to the Iranian nuclear accord, told Parliament that if Iran failed to meaningfully negotiate, all options are on the table.

Talks in Vienna on reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 agreement between Tehran and the major powers, have been stalled since June, when Irans new President Ebrahim Raisi was elected. Iran has demanded that the US return to compliance with the JCPOA. Under the Trump administration, Washington abrogated the agreement in 2018, reimposing and escalating draconian unilateral sanctions.

The Biden administration, which came into office pledging to rejoin the JCPOA, has kept the maximum pressure sanctions regime in place, continuing US efforts to strangle Irans economy and starve its population into submission. The economic blockade has inflicted a catastrophic loss of over $100 billion in oil revenues, while cutting off Irans access to the US-dominated world financial system.

The sanctions have drastically limited Irans ability to secure vital medical supplies, even as it confronts a sixth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which, according to official figures, has claimed 125,000 lives. Their economic impact has been inflicted on the working class, not on Irans clerical-bourgeois ruling elite. Government officials have acknowledged that some 60 percent of the population now lives below the poverty line.

The US has conditioned a return to the nuclear accord on Iran first resuming its full compliance with the terms of the agreement, rolling back increases in uranium enrichment levels and stockpiles that it undertook in response to both Washington breaking the agreement in the first place, and the failure of the Western European powers to counter the reimposed US sanctions regime. This turned the deal, which traded stringent limits on Irans nuclear program for sanctions relief, into a dead letter.

Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is strictly dedicated to peaceful purposes.

The Biden administration has also demanded that Iran accept not only additional restrictions on its nuclear program but also a curtailment of its development of ballistic missiles and the ceding of its influence in the broader Middle East to the drive for US hegemony in the region.

After six rounds of talks in Vienna that have produced no progress for reinstating the JCPOA, Tehran has insisted on a result-oriented negotiations, meaning a return to sanctions relief. The countrys chief nuclear negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani, is to meet in Brussels today with the European Unions negotiator, Enrique Mora, for talks on resuming negotiations.

In a state television interview last week, President Raisi insisted that Iran never left the JCPOA negotiations and that lifting sanctions was necessary as an indication of seriousness on the part of Washington.

Continuing military tensions between Washington and Tehran were laid bare Monday with the report of a drone strike on the US military base at al-Tanf in southern Syria. The US has maintained its illegal military occupation there both to control a strategic border crossing with Iraq and to train Islamist militia forces opposed to the Syrian government of Bashir al-Assad. The drone strike hit both the section of the base housing US troops and the area occupied by the militiamen.

US military officials speaking on condition of anonymity told the Associated Press (AP) that Washington holds Iran responsible for the attack, while acknowledging that it was not launched from Iranian soil. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby refused to comment on the AP report but declared that Washington would respond to the attack at a time and a place and a manner of our choosing.

Iranian sources have stated that the drone attack was carried out by a pro-government Syrian militia in retaliation for an airstrike on the ancient city of Palmyra, killing one Syrian government soldier and three militiamen, while wounding several others. The attack was one in a long series carried out by Israeli warplanes against Syrian targets.

This exchange threatens to ratchet up war tensions between the US and Iran to a level not seen since the Trump administration carried out the January 2020 drone missile assassination of Qassem Suleimani, one of Irans most senior leaders, as he arrived in Baghdad on a diplomatic mission. Iran retaliated with a missile strike on a US base in Iraq, leaving over 100 US troops with traumatic brain injuries.

The implicit threats of military action from Washington coincide with the Israeli regimes explicit statements on its preparations for bombing Iran. The Israeli media has reported that the government is preparing to allocate $1.5 billion to prepare for waves of strikes against Irans nuclear facilities, with the funds going to pay for stepped-up intelligence, aircraft, drones and bunker-busting munitions to destroy underground facilities, such as the Natanz fuel enrichment plant in Esfahan.

Israeli Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman indicated his support for the funding, which must be approved by the Knesset before November 14. A military confrontation with Iran is only a matter of time, and it is not much time, he told the media last week.

Israel is responsible for a protracted campaign of sabotage of Iranian nuclear facilities and assassinations of Irans nuclear scientists, including the remote-controlled murder of Irans top nuclear physicist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh last November.

The country has also been the target of a series of cyberattacks in which Israel has been involved, since the 2010 Stuxnet malware attack on the uranium enrichment facility at Natanz. Iran was hit again on Tuesday with a cyberattack on its fuel distribution system that crippled gas stations across the country.

The threat of war with Iran is driven by both geo-strategic considerations, including Irans alignment with China and its growing influence in the Middle East, as well as internal ones.

In November 2020, following his defeat in the US presidential election, Donald Trump had to be dissuaded by his advisors from ordering a US airstrike against the Natanz nuclear facility, an action that was clearly planned as part of Trumps campaign to overturn the election results.

Today, the Biden administration confronts growing class struggle within the United States, amid unprecedented levels of social inequality that have deepened as the ruling elite has enriched itself amid the mass death of the COVID-19 pandemic.

War, whether with Iran or China, provides a means for directing the contradictions of US capitalism outward in an explosion of military violence, while serving as a justification for the forcible imposition of national unity at home.

Workers in the United States and all over the world are being driven into struggle to defend their jobs, living standards and very lives under conditions of an uncontrolled deadly pandemic. These struggles must be joined with the fight against imperialist war and its source, the capitalist system.
On Monday, the Washington Post published an editorial falsely insinuating that Peter Daszak, a leading zoologist and expert on infectious diseases, helped create SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The Post calls on Congress to subpoena Daszak to testify, openly embracing a demand advocated by the fascistic right.

In an editorial entitled, Question Mr. Daszak: He might know what really happened in Wuhan, the Post declares, efforts must be made to discover whether a laboratory release or infection led to the pandemic.

The Posts embrace of the witch-hunt against Daszak is part of its promotion of the Wuhan lab libel, a right-wing hoax aimed at blaming China for the pandemic with the assertion that the disease was releasedintentionally or accidentallyfrom the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The Post writes, The two major hypotheses for the virus origins are zoonotic spillover, from an animal to human perhaps with an intermediate host, or that it leaked or escaped from a laboratory accident in Wuhan.

Zoonotic spillover is a plausible explanation based on historical experience, and scientists should pursue it vigorously. But similar efforts must be made to discover whether a laboratory release or infection led to the pandemic.

No, there do not exist two hypotheses of the origins of COVID-19. One claim is a scientific theory, the other is a flat-out lie concocted by the fascistic right.

The scientific theory of zoonosis has accounted for every major outbreak of infectious disease known to man. The zoonotic origins of COVID-19 are constantly being substantiated by new discoveries, including of viruses whose receptor binding domains are only a few base pairs away from SARS-CoV-2.

Despite accepting that COVID-19 would be the first genetically engineered disease to ever kill a human, the advocates of the Wuhan lab conspiracy theory admit that there is no evidence, whether witnesses, documents or anything else, to indicate that SARS-CoV-2 was created, stored or released from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

In two years, its proponents have discovered nothing beyond the free and public admission by scientists like Daszak that they were doing research. As an explanation of their failure to find any evidence, the conspiracy theorists allege a secret plot stretching from Beijing to Washington.

The Post accuses Daszak of asserting what was in fact the newspapers own position until May 2021. On February 17, the Post published an article entitled, Tom Cotton keeps repeating a coronavirus conspiracy theory that was already debunked, stating that Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) repeated a fringe theory suggesting that the ongoing spread of a coronavirus is connected to research in the disease-ravaged epicenter of Wuhan, China.

A screenshot of a February 2020 article in the Washington Post calling lab leak claims a conspiracy theory.

On April 30, the Post published a correction to the story, declaring, The term debunked and the Post s use of conspiracy theory have been removed. To the extent that there is a debate, it is because the Post and other newspapers have created it by declaring, out of the blue, that the lab leak hoax is credible.

But the Post lets slip its real motivation in seeking to drag the scientist before a witch-finding panel: Mr. Daszak has been particularly aggressive in promoting the zoonotic spillover hypothesis and attacking the laboratory leak as a conspiracy theory.

In other words, Daszak is being targeted because he is defending scientific principles and opposing a concocted and deliberate lie that, were it to be believed by the public, would be used to justify a war between the United States and China, whose death toll could number in the hundreds of millions or even billions.

The Posts witch-hunt against Daszak recalls the darkest days of McCarthyism and the House Un-American Activities Committee, with its unhinged allegations of a sweeping communist conspiracy going all the way up to the White House.

The stakes in assigning blame for the pandemic are high. The death toll in the United States, as estimated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, stands at 1.1 million, as part of a global catastrophe that has killed over 15 million people.

The great mass of these deaths are the result of deliberate policies pursued by the United States and other governments, which claimed that the mass infection of the population would generate herd immunity, as an excuse to prematurely reopen schools and businesses.

Under these conditions, the US political establishment is using the well-known technique of finding a scapegoat. Just as the German ruling elite sought to scapegoat the Jews for the loss of two million German soldiers in the First World War, American capitalism is seeking to blame China for the massive loss of life from COVID-19.

Indeed, there must be hearings into the responsibility for the pandemic, but those who will be held to account will not be the scientists who warned the public about the dangers, but the governments that deliberately promoted the mass infection of their populations through the policy of herd immunity.

Scrutiny will be placed on media publications that, like the Washington Post and the New York Times, openly advocated mass infection. On May 18, 2020, the Post published an editorial entitled, Did Sweden make the right call on limiting its lockdown?, calling the so-called Swedish model of responding to the pandemic appealing and praising it for not carrying out draconian lockdowns.

At that point, 80,000 Americans had been killed by the pandemic, a figure that has risen more than ten-fold as a result of the governments policies.

On Tuesday, the Brazilian Senate voted to recommend criminal charges against President Jair Bolsonaro, arguing that his promotion of the herd immunity policy of mass infection in response to COVID-19 helped lead to hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths in Brazil.

Bolsonaro repeatedly pointed to the so-called Swedish model as an example to follow, telling a meeting of Brazilian business leaders, If it was up to me, almost nothing would have been closed, like Sweden.

If Bolsonaro is guilty of crimes against humanity, so too are all of those who promoted the homicidal policy he embraced, from Trump in the United States to Johnson in the UK and Biden, who, after having pledged to follow the science, has only continued the policies of opening schools and businesses amid a raging pandemic.

Unlike the governments and media outlets that promoted mass infection, Daszak has devoted his life to raising awareness of the dangers of new infectious diseases, warning the public for years before 2020 about the way in which the next pandemic would emerge and spread unless society undertook a major program to track viruses, contain zoonotic spillovers and stop pandemics.

With the growing interface between human populations and wildlife species, and increases in globalization and air travel, it is likely that pandemic incidences will only become more frequent, Daszak warned in 2016.

He called for a global, coordinated strategy to thwart the emergence of pandemics. He warned that we are currently living in the age of pandemics, prophetically cautioning, act now or pay a significantly higher price later.

The Washington Post is owned by Jeff Bezos, the main owner and founder of the retail monopoly Amazon. Since the start of the pandemic, Bezoss personal wealth has increased by more than $80 billion. This wealth was extracted by forcing Amazon workers into unsafe warehouses that are major hotbeds of the pandemic.

A lawsuit filed by the state of New York asserted in February that Throughout the historic pandemic, Amazon has repeatedly and persistently failed to comply with its obligation to institute reasonable and adequate measures to protect its workers from the spread of the virus.

It added, Amazons flagrant disregard for health and safety requirements has threatened serious illness and grave harm to the thousands of workers in these facilities and poses a continued substantial and specific danger to the public health.

The Posts declaration that the lab leak theory is credible is part of a shift within the Democratic Party and political establishment toward conflict with China, in the process embracing policies long associated with the far right.

Natalie Winters calls for Daszak to testify before Congress on Bannon's podcast

Perhaps the most dangerous element of the Posts witch-hunt against Daszak is the encouragement and validation it will bring to the fascist movement around Donald Trump. For nearly two years, the fascist plotters responsible for the January 6 insurrection, including Steve Bannon and his co-conspirators, promoted the libel that SARS-CoV-2 was a man-made virus created at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The fascist National Pulse, noting that it called for Daszak to testify in front of Congress six months ago, hailed the Washington Post op-ed as a validation.

The World Socialist Web Site calls on all workers, students and professionals to oppose the US medias efforts to scapegoat scientists and promote anti-Chinese xenophobia. The blame is not with scientists who sought to warn the public, but with governments who willfully disregarded science to carry out a policy of mass infection and death!
On November 2, at 3 p.m. Brasilia Time, the Rank-and-File Committee for Safe Education in Brazil will hold a meeting with supporters on The need for school closures and the means to end the pandemic.

The goal of the meeting is to arm teachers and parents fighting against the reopening of schools with a program that is science-driven and aligned with the objective interests of the working class, the only social force that has the interest and capacity to effectively combat the pandemic.

Teachers and public employees demonstrating outside Sao Paulo city hall on October 13. [source: WSWS Media]

Eighteen months after the World Health Organization recognized the pandemic, it is far from over. In the poorest countries, without access to vaccines or other forms of mitigation, it advances unchecked. In the wealthier countries in the northern hemisphere, the advances made through vaccinations have served as a pretext for the capitalist governments to abandon any strategy to contain the advance of the virus. The onset of winter is causing infection rates to return to pre-vaccination levels. The second year of the pandemic, with two months to go, has already killed more than the first, despite the existence of vaccines.

All over the globe, schools are a major vector of contamination. Students are being forced to return to classes under the threat of punishment for themselves or their parents, who are faced with imprisonment and even the loss of custody of their children.

In Brazil, compulsory education is being accompanied by the lifting of any demand for social distancing in classrooms. Several cities are already discussing relaxing the requirement to wear masks based only on the number of people vaccinated, without any effective control of the transmission of the virus.

The goal of the capitalist authorities is to make society live with the virus at any cost, to ensure the operations of companies and financial markets, and the profits of their owners and shareholders.

Workers cannot accept these conditions, which will still claim tens of millions of victims.

The meeting will discuss:

 What is the real situation of the pandemic in the world and in Brazil

 How the new coronavirus is transmitted

 The reality about the impact of COVID-19 on children

 The reality about Long COVID, which is not a rare condition, contrary to what governments and the corporate press claim

 What role schools play in transmission, and what Brazilian scientists have discovered about the COVID-19 tragedy in Manaus

 What measures are needed to eradicate the coronavirus

 The need for a conscious political organization of the international working class to end the pandemic

In addition, the meeting will be an opportunity for teachers and parents from different regions of the country to talk about the real situation in school communities. We urge all our readers and supporters to register, attend and share information about this key event for the working class. To register, please contact us through our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CBESBR, or through this form.
New York Citys infamous Rikers Island, the largest jail complex in the United States, is presently experiencing an escalating crisis of inmate death, sickness, filth and barbaric violence. A significant staff shortage caused by the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a complete breakdown of basic services and a worsening of the already horrendous conditions at the prison. At least 14 inmates have died since the beginning of the year.

Of these, at least five were suicides. William Diaz Guzman hanged himself in his cell in January, and Javier Velasco was found dead in March with a bed sheet wrapped around his neck. Brandon Rodriguez hanged himself in a shower in an intake area on August 10. The death of inmate Tomas Carlo Camacho, in March, who was found unresponsive, with his head jammed through the small cuffing slot in his cell door, has also been ruled a suicide.

The Rikers Island jail complex in the foreground with the New York skyline in the background.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Adding to the toll in New Yorks jails was the death of Anthony Scott, who was taken off life support on October 18 after he was found hanging in a holding cell in Manhattan Criminal Court, which is not a part of the Rikers complex.

Other recent deaths at Rikers include those of Thomas Braunson III, who died of a drug overdose, and Richard Blake, who had a cardiac arrest. According to other inmates, guards had ignored Blakes requests for medical attention for at least two days before his death.

Most of these men were being held for minor offenses and many were still awaiting their day in court.

A staff shortage, compounded by high levels of absenteeism by corrections officers, has resulted in significant delays in the distribution of food, water, medication and urgent medical care to the inmates. In September nearly a third of the 8,400 Corrections Officers employed at Rikers failed to report for work.

Because of the understaffing, according to the New York Times, Gang members and other detainees have taken to managing the comings and goings of dozens of incarcerated people in jail dormitories, breaking up fights and administering medical care.

The conditions in the jail complex bring to mind the dungeons of medieval Europe. A group of state politicians, city officials and public defenders who toured Rikers last month reported that garbage and urine cover the floors of some sections of the facility. Dozens of prisoners are packed into filthy cells without masks to limit the spread of COVID-19, often with overflowing toilets, and are denied communication with their lawyers. In several of the prisons intake units, inmates are being held in tiny shower stalls for extended periods and are forced to defecate into plastic bags. One public defender described conditions at the prison as the most horrific thing Ive seen in my life.

Hip-hop artist Terrance Fergusonknown by the stage name 2 Millywho is currently incarcerated on Rikers Island on a gun charge, told the Daily News that prisoners are treated like were animals. Ferguson said, There was more than 30 of us, no shower, barely ate. We were subjected to Mace because of other people fighting. When one prisoner attempted to commit suicide, they came and sprayed him with Mace, he said.

Other media reports describe one facility at Rikers so mismanaged that people were fighting over clean spots on the floor or laying out scraps of cardboard to protect themselves from overflowing sewage while they slept.

In addition to these barbaric conditions, the pandemic continues to rage in the institution. Earlier this month, the Otis Bantum Correctional Center, one of the units at Rikers, was placed under lockdown as a result of the widespread exposure of inmates to COVID-19. Only about 50 percent of staff and just over 40 percent of prisoners have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Over 20 percent of the 6,000 total prisoners on Rikers Island are under quarantine.

Last month, Isa Abdul-Karim contracted COVID-19 while being held in the overcrowded intake area for ten days, and was denied proper medical attention. He experienced shortness of breath and collapsed after becoming unconscious. Wheelchair-bound Victor Mercado died from complications of COVID-19 on October 15.

Over the last year and a half, jails and prisons in the United States and internationally have been hubs of coronavirus infections and death. It is estimated that the virus has killed close to 3,000 incarcerated people and infected one out of every three people behind bars in the US. Inmates have been easy targets for the highly infectious and deadly virus.

At Rikers, social distancing is impossible in the crowded conditions, and those lucky enough to have received a mask on arrival are not supplied with a new mask if they lose or damage their initial face covering.

In 2020, under pressure of the pandemic, the city released hundreds of people incarcerated at Rikers, bringing the population below 4,000. Now it has risen back to nearly 6,000, however.

A recent report by the Monitor of the New York City Department of Correction, court-appointed in 2015, exposed the escalation of violence at Rikers and other New York City jail facilities over the last year. According to the report, physical force is currently employed by guards against prisoners far more frequently than in prior years. In fact, the average Use of Force rate in 2020 was 183 percent higher than the average Use of Force rate in 2016, the report notes.

Confrontational prison staff terrorize the prison population with constant, aggressive searches of cells and regular beatings. Guards often utilize improper head-strikes, violent body slams and takedowns, violent wall slams, painful and unsafe escort holds, unnecessary use of [pepper] spray, and prohibited holds on inmates. Emergency Response Teams, squads of heavily armed guards wearing riot gear, are summoned to handle even the most routine and commonplace management issues.

These goon squads behave with impunity, according to the report. Prison staff often file incomplete or false reports on their use of force against prisoners and fail to properly utilize handheld cameras during interactions with the prison population. Many acts of brutality against prisoners are not reported and those that are reported go unaddressed for up to a year. The report continues by observing that the number of incidents with Class A (more serious) injuries has significantly increased (from 74 in 2016 to 178 in 2020).

The Monitors report also notes the failure of Rikers Island and other New York jail facilities to adequately provide for and/or address requests for basic services. Prison staff are not responding in the moment with the necessary urgency and/or are not taking threats and self-harm gestures seriously.

The conditions at the jail have raised widespread revulsion among New Yorkers. Families of deceased inmates protested last week outside Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clarks office, carrying signs that read: 'Stop sentencing people to Rikers to die, and 'How many more?

Melania Brown, whose sister died in a Rikers solitary confinement unit in 2019 told the media, 'This is the problem that were facing today, our leaders dont care. This whole America is all about money.

Last month, New York Citys Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio took a staged tour of Rikers Island and defended conditions inside the jail complex. De Blasio reportedly ignored cries for help from inmates as he walked through one of the jail facilities. He met with neither inmates nor corrections officers.

The conditions in Rikers are a matter of policy of the de Blasios Democratic administration, not neglect, and are only an extension, during the pandemic, of those reported by the office of Preet Bharara, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, in 2014, in what it called a deep seated culture of violence.

Since that time, Rikers has been the scene of atrocity after atrocity. In 2015, Kalief Browder, who spent three years on Rikers Island after being accused of stealing at the age of 16, committed suicide following his release. Browder had been tortured and starved in solitary confinement without ever being convicted of a crime. Joseph Foster died in 2017 after his cries for medical attention were ignored by guards.

De Blasio subsequently promised to close Rikers and move inmates to six different jails distributed around the city by 2027. How this will change the culture of violence so deeply imbued in the jail system is never explained. But little, so far, has been done to facilitate any change.

The inaction of the Democratic mayor in the Rikers crisis has only permitted another faction of the Democratic Party to engage in demagogy and make demands that it knows the ruling establishment will never implement.

Last month, Democratic representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, from the Bronx, a leading figure in the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), joined with another DSAer in Congress, Jamaal Bowman, and Democratic Representatives Nydia Velazquez and Jerrold Nadler, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, to call on de Blasio and Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul to release almost all the prisoners at Rikers.

This is nothing but grandstanding from a group of Democratic politicians, Ocasio-Cortez and Bowman in particular, who have seen their popularity flag among hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers because of their insistence on sending children unvaccinated for COVID-19 into school buildings in September, resulting in the infection of thousands of students and staff.
As daily cases and deaths in Russia surge to 36,446 and 1,106 respectively, the Russian health minister Mikhail Murashko revealed on Tuesday that almost 60,000 children are currently getting treatment for COVID-19. Out of these, half show acute symptoms. Overall, there are now over 268,000 patients with active infections, and nearly 90 percent of hospital beds are filled. Murashko called the load on the health care system colossal.

Without providing detailed numbers, one of the chief medical experts of the health ministry, Vladimir Chulanov, earlier stated that the number of hospitalized children has increased several fold over the past year.

A medical worker measures the temperature of a homeless man prior to giving a shot of the one-dose Sputnik Light vaccine at a mobile vaccination station in St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Elena Ignatyeva)

As of last week, over 600 children were hospitalized in Moscow alone. A doctor at the city hospital No. 52, Mariyana Lysenko, declared on Monday that, overall, close to 80 percent of patients in their hospital are in severe condition, and that they now had to create additional beds for children, who were being admitted at a rapidly growing rate. One hospital in St. Petersburg reported earlier this month that it was admitting an average of 85 infected children every single day. On average, only one out of four of those admitted was in a condition to be discharged that same day.

Consequences from the disease can be severe even for many children who initially suffer a relatively mild course of the disease. Virologist Evgeny Timakov told the radio station Vesti FM on Monday that about 13 percent, that is more than every eighth child in Russia that has been infected, suffers from Long COVID. Even before the Kremlin reopened schools in September, the health minister acknowledged that half a million children had been infected with COVID-19 over the preceding year and a half.

Horrific numbers about child infections have also been revealed in neighboring Ukraine, another center of the new surge. According to the countrys health ministry, over 154,000 children have been infected with the virus during the pandemic, with almost 29,000 currently ill and hundreds hospitalized. Forty-two children have died from COVID-19.

Against this background, the workfree week that Russian President Vladimir Putin announced last week for October 30-November 7 will do far too little, far too late. In the Moscow region, the workfree week will start on Thursday, and in many other regions, including the second largest city, St. Petersburg, it will start on Saturday. Only a couple regions have imposed it earlier this week.

The workfree week does not oblige but only encourages businesses to close while paying their employees full salaries. With only one day remaining before Moscow is set to go into a partial lockdown, many businesses have still not announced to their workers whether or not they will close. Many of the countrys biggest companies that are owned by the state are exempt from the recommendation altogether.

As has been the case throughout the pandemic, the situation is chaotic, with regulations differing not only from region to region but also from company to company. Only a small minority of businesses are enforcing mask mandates, with authorities not even enforcing a mask mandate in Russias largest public transportation system in Moscow.

Sports events have not been cancelled, and in many places, big cultural events continue to take place. In the Siberian Sverdlovsk region, authorities are allowing a major music festival to go ahead this week, amidst what one medical worker described as a catastrophic situation in the hospitals.

Moreover, there are no travel restrictions for Russians in place. Newspapers report that many have booked vacations to the Black Sea or Egypt for next week, creating the conditions for a horrific further spread, not just in Russia but internationally.

The Kremlin is trying to encourage people to get vaccinated, without imposing mandates, including through the promise of two paid days off upon vaccination. However, while the vaccinations rose significantly last week amidst the massive surge, still well below 40 percent of the overall population are fully vaccinated. Out of these, about 10 percent are now advised to get booster shots as they received their first shot six months ago or more.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin recommended authorities to order those who are over 60 and not vaccinated to stay at home. A similar mandate has taken effect in Moscow on Monday.

Even as most medical experts do not expect the peak in cases to come before November or early December, the health care system is already cracking in many regions. Indicating the scale of the disaster, the director of the Nurses Association, Valeri Samoilenko, said, I dont think I can recall such a test for the health care system, even during World War II. The Soviet Union lost 27 million people to the struggle against Nazi Germany during the war.

In Orlov, one of the hardest hit regions, the main COVID hospital, which had been designed to care for 670 people, was occupied by almost 740 last week. Medical workers have had to send people away if there are no spots left in hospitals, and doctors are working all week long without a single day off.

The situation in the republic of Bashkiria is also particularly severe. A doctor who was fired in March after he had severely criticized how the health care system had responded to the pandemic, Gleb Glebov, told the liberal TV channel Dozhd , We have reached the highest peak in infections, but what is happening now has nothing to do with medicine. We lack medication, we lack personnel, 98 percent of hospital beds are occupied, even though they built two hospitals for COVID [in the Orlov region] since the beginning of the pandemic.

The health minister of the Perm region declared on October 22 that new hospital beds would have to be created, including in the hallways, because the number of sick is just incredible. Ambulances are so overwhelmed that it can take them an entire night to attend to calls. One doctor from the Perm region told Dozhd , We sometimes get patients in the early morning. We are asking them: Why are you coming at 6 AM? They answer that they had called the ambulance already at 9 PM.

The unfolding disaster is a deadly consequence of the restoration of capitalism by the Stalinist bureaucracy 30 years ago, the culmination of its decades-long betrayal of the October Revolution of 1917. The social scorched earth policy of capitalist restoration has devastated the Soviet health care system, which was once one of the best in the world. Hospital beds were decimated, and the combination of extremely poor working conditions and very low salaries has led to a sharp shortage in medical personnel. As internationally, during the pandemic thousands of health care workers have diedby the middle of this year, at least 1,100 Russian medical workers had died from COVIDand many more have left out of physical and mental exhaustion.

Hospital beds per 100,000 people in the former Soviet Union

The criminal oligarchy that has ruled the country over the past 30 years is completely indifferent to the mass suffering and death and, like its peers around the world, has used the pandemic to further enrich itself. Its disastrous mishandling of the pandemic has created conditions where, much like in the UK and Brazil, the virus can run rampant and mutate, threatening the development of even more dangerous and infectious variants.

In Moscow, three cases of the new mutation of the Delta variant called AY.4. were already reported early this week. The mutation was first detected in Britain, where it is rapidly displacing the earlier Delta variant, and has accounted for 62.4 percent of sequenced COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days.
In a calculated provocation certain to further increase tensions with China, the Biden administration has called on the United Nations to allow the participation of Taiwan in the UN. Beijing insists that Taiwan is a renegade province that is part of China and therefore should not be given an independent voice in the UN and other international bodies.

Following President Nixons visit to Beijing in 1972, the US established formal diplomatic relations with China in 1979 on the basis of a One China policy that de facto recognised Beijing as the legitimate government of all China, including Taiwan. Washington ended its diplomatic and military ties with Taipei and subsequently limited all official contact with Taiwan.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, center, walks to her inauguration ceremony in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, May 20, 2020 (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)

After the 1949 revolution, in which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) overthrew the Kuomintang (KMT) regime of Chiang Kai-shek, the US had maintained the fiction that the KMT dictatorship on Taiwan, calling itself the Republic of China, was the legitimate government of all China. That abruptly changed in 1972 as Nixon forged a tacit alliance with Beijing against the Soviet Union.

Now, however, the Biden administration, following on from Trump, is step by step undermining the One China policy by ramping up top-level contact with Taiwanese officials and establishing a military presence on the island. US Special Forces troops have been on Taiwan for the past year training their Taiwanese counterparts.

In this context, the US is pushing for a Taiwanese presence in the UN. A US State Department statement late on Saturday reported that American and Taiwanese officials had met online for a discussion focused on supporting Taiwans ability to participate meaningfully at the UN.

The statement underscored US backing for Taiwans participation in the World Health Organization and UN framework convention on climate change and discussed ways to highlight Taiwans ability to contribute to efforts on a wide range of issues.

Yesterday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken again raised the issue, calling on all UN member states to join us in supporting Taiwans robust, meaningful participation throughout the UN system and in the international community, absurdly claiming that such a move was consistent with Washingtons One China policy.

The timing of this move was a deliberate slap in the face to Beijing as it coincided with the 50th anniversary of the seating of Beijing in the UN. In a vote in the UN General Assembly on October 25, 1971, the CCP regime, as the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), was recognised as the only legal representatives of China in the UN. It thereby took Chinas seat in the General Assembly and its place as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

The US, although it was already engaged in secret diplomacy with Beijing, sought to retain a separate UN seat for Taiwan but was outvoted in the General Assembly. Both the CCP and the KMT opposed the proposal of a UN seat for each. The KMT representatives walked out before the final vote on the UN Resolution 2758 to seat Beijing and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it.

In a speech to mark the 50th anniversary of the PRCs seating in the UN, President Xi Jinping, boasted of Chinas record in supporting the UNs authority and multilateralism. Without naming the United States, he pointedly declared that China opposed all forms of hegemony and power politics, as well as all forms of unilateralism and protectionism.

While Xi did not comment on the US push for Taiwanese participation in the UN, former Chinese ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, declared that Beijing would never allow Taiwan to do so. This totally went against the tide of history, he said on Monday. UN Resolution 2758, passed five decades ago, made it clear that theres only one China in the world, and it was also recognized by the Americans, so why are they now trying to reverse this?

Washingtons provocative move to push for Taiwanese participation in the UN is part of an aggressive confrontation that began a decade ago with the Obama administrations pivot to Asia, which sought to undermine China diplomatically, economically and militarily in the Indo-Pacific. Its object was to arrest the historic decline of the US and prevent any threat to its global dominance by China.

The increasingly rancorous attacks on China and the US military build-up and strengthening of military alliances throughout Asia were accelerated under Trump, who instigated what can only be described as an economic war on China. The Trump administration not only imposed huge trade tariffs on China but punitive measures on key Chinese hi-tech corporations such as Huawei aimed ultimately at destroying them as competitors.

After winning the presidency, Trump openly called into question the One China policy, declaring it to depend on economic concessions by China. His administration strengthened ties with Taiwan and in its final days removed restrictions on US engagement with Taiwanese officials, civilian and military, at all levelspolicies that the Biden administration has continued.

Biden has also called into question the US policy of strategic ambiguity in its relations with China and Taiwan. Under the US Taiwan Act, Washington sells defensive weapons to Taiwan and opposes any move by China to forcibly reunify the island with the mainland. However, it has refused to provide Taiwan with a guarantee of military support in the event of a war with China. This strategic ambiguity was designed not only to rein in China, but to deter Taiwan from declaring formal independence. China has warned it would use force if Taiwan took such a step.

Biden, however, has declared twice this year that the US is committed to supporting Taiwan in a war with China. While the White House sought to downplay the significance of his comments and declared that US policy had not changed, Bidens remarks are not gaffes. They reflect US moves to overturn longstanding policies that have maintained an unstable peace in the Taiwan Strait. This is confirmed by the latest US push for robust Taiwanese participation in the UN, in direct opposition to the UN vote taken 50 years ago.

The US media repeatedly accuses China of aggression toward Taiwan and of preparing to forcibly reunite the island with China. But it is the Biden administration that is overturning the status quo, recklessly inflaming tensions over Taiwanarguably the most explosive flashpoint in Asiaand threatening a disastrous war between the worlds two largest economies.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  A 13-year-old has been charged as a juvenile with the murder of a 69-year-old woman killed during a likely home invasion on Indianapolis near east side, the Marion County Prosecutors Office said Tuesday.

Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to charge the teen as an adult.

No one else has been charged in the case.

Police arrested the juvenile on Oct. 10, hours after Antonia Macri-Reiner was shot in her home.

Police have not released any details about the shooting, but neighbors have told reporters that Macri-Reiner was shot during a home invasion.
At least five former Trump administration staffers have voluntarily spoken with the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, CNN has learned.

Those discussions come as lawyers working for the committee have also reached out to a range of other Trump aides to inquire whether they would be interested in speaking with the committee voluntarily, without the threat of a subpoena.

The five former staffers who have had conversations with the committee have done so with either members or their staff. Some believe they have information worth sharing, while others are hoping to avoid being legally compelled to talk to the committee.

The engagement could provide insight for the committee that's seeking to learn more about the actions of former President Donald Trump and his supporters in the lead up to the riot.

According to five former Trump aides, counsel for the committee has emailed or texted them directly to ask whether they are interested in coming in to talk to the congressional investigators, often looking for context on what happened inside the West Wing before the insurrection on January 6.

While several people have voluntarily sat down with the committee, others have declined the committee's request or not responded at all. The outreach has ranged from junior-level staffers to more seasoned officials.

The outreach is not necessarily because the committee believes the staffers were involved in what happened that day. But the investigative staff appears to be trying to glean more context on what was happening inside the West Wing before, during and after the attack, according to the sources.

A committee spokesman declined to comment.

CNN previously reported that Alyssa Farah, former director of strategic communications in the Trump White House, had voluntarily met with Republicans on the House select committee and provided information in several meetings, sources familiar with the matter said. Farah left the White House in December 2020.

RELATED: Former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark, who pushed baseless election fraud claims, expected to testify before January 6 committee

News of the outreach comes as Trump is engaged in a legal battle over the committee's investigation. Trump has sued the committee and the National Archives in an attempt to shield documents from them. And an attorney for the former President recently instructed four former Trump administration officials -- Mark Meadows, Dan Scavino, Stephen Bannon and Kash Patel -- not to provide any testimony or documents to the investigative panel, claiming they are protected "from disclosure by the executive and other privileges, including among others the presidential communications, deliberative process, and attorney-client privileges."

On Monday, White House counsel Dana Remus informed the National Archives once again that President Joe Biden is refusing to assert privilege over additional documents that Trump argues should remain secret.

This story has been updated with additional details.

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Damning new revelations about Facebook's role in the deadly January 6 insurrection have renewed lawmakers' resolve to crack down on Silicon Valley, teeing up a potential watershed moment that will test the powerful industry's clout on Capitol Hill.

In recent years, there's been growing bipartisan support to rein in online platforms by breaking up Big Tech or overhauling the legal protections for internet companies, as lawmakers from both parties have complained about industry abuses and given up hope that tech giants will regulate themselves. Those efforts, however, have so far floundered.

But new disclosures about how Big Tech's behavior is having a corrosive impact on society -- from failing to tamp down the "Stop the Steal" movement that fueled violence at the Capitol to pushing algorithms that funnel harmful content to teenagers and children -- are bolstering cross-the-aisle calls for change.

"It just continues to add momentum, that people expect Congress to do something about this, that we can no longer just ignore it," said Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat who chairs the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust laws. "Every day, these stories are adding to the urgency of getting this done. And yes, I think it's finally going to happen in this Congress."

Yet it's still unclear whether anger will actually translate into action on Capitol Hill, where reforms have so far remained elusive and partisan divides remain over what Congress' oversight role should look like. Republicans are more concerned over the alleged censorship of conservative voices and privacy issues, whereas Democrats are focused on tackling the spread of disinformation and hate speech online. If the debate is centered on the thorny issue of policing free speech or narrowly focused on January 6, some fear that reform efforts could turn off Republicans and ultimately stall out.

Meanwhile, Facebook -- which is one of the top political spenders in Washington -- is already beginning to mount a vigorous defense as it faces perhaps its biggest crisis in the company's 17-year history. Any effort to target their algorithms would impact a core part of their business model, posing a major potential threat to their bottom line.

"With enormous economic power very often comes enormous political power, and they are spending millions and millions of dollars flooding this town with lobbyists and campaign contributions, doing everything they can to stop these reforms," Cicilline said. "This is the reason that battles against monopolies are hard."

'The time for self-regulation is over'

Still, longtime proponents of curbing the tech industry's power feel optimistic that the tides are finally turning in their favor, and are vowing to push for legislation that would stop online platforms from amplifying content that promotes conspiracy theories, incites extremism or harms young people.

Lawmakers believe one way to solve the problem is to hold companies accountable for their algorithms and change Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields internet companies from being held liable for the content posted by its users.

There are several Section 230 bills being kicked around on Capitol Hill, but one measure introduced this month by Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, would remove absolute immunity if platforms use personalized algorithms to knowingly or recklessly recommend content and it ends up causing physical or emotional harm.

Instead of focusing on policing user-generated content -- a far more politically fraught debate -- this legislation would target how companies recommend content to its users.

"There is growing consensus that the time for self-regulation is over, and my Justice Against Malicious Algorithms Act answers that call," Pallone, an ally of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said in a statement to CNN. "Designing personalized algorithms that promote harmful content is a conscious choice, and platforms should have to answer for it."

The measure, however, currently has no Republican co-sponsors, meaning even if it passes the House, it would face an uphill climb in the 50-50 Senate, where legislation requires 60 votes to break a filibuster.

Members of the GOP have introduced their own proposals taking aim at the legal shield that protects tech titans, but their efforts are more focused on ensuring platforms don't police content based on a user's viewpoints or political affiliations.

A draft discussion bill from Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, would require companies to be more transparent about their content moderation decisions.

"The Facebook Papers reports illustrate that Big Tech and Legacy Media companies are not just hysterically anti-conservative -- they are against any idea that doesn't fit their narrative," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, said in a statement Monday. "What they are doing is a particularly dangerous practice of misinformation."

There does appear to be more bipartisan support for efforts to protect kids' mental health. The draft legislation from Jordan and McMorris Rodgers would also require Big Tech companies to disclose the mental health impacts of their products on children and require a study on whether warning labels are warranted on social media.

And Sens. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, and Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, have previously teamed up on legislation to remove legal protections for online companies that share child pornography.

Blumenthal, chairman of a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation subcommittee, has also hosted a series of hearings designed to shed light on the potential harms of social media companies on children. Another hearing is scheduled for Tuesday featuring Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.

"Facebook is obviously unable to police itself as its powerful algorithms drive deeply harmful content to children and fuel hate," Blumenthal said in a statement. "This resoundingly adds to the drumbeat of calls for reform, rules to protect teens, and real transparency and accountability from Facebook and its Big Tech peers."

Antitrust legislation and beyond

Lawmakers believe another way to attack the problem is to restore competition in the marketplace. The House Judiciary Committee passed a package of antitrust bills this summer with the support of several Republicans, following the panel's 16-month investigation into competition in the digital marketplace. But the measures have yet to receive a floor vote in the House.

Cicilline, however, said he expects the bills to be considered by the full House before the end of this year. He also said the Democratic Caucus was planning to host a dinner meeting Monday evening with Tim Wu, the special assistant to the president for technology and competition policy, to discuss competition policy more broadly.

And Sens. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, and Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, also recently introduced a Senate companion to one of the antitrust measures, in another sign of potential movement.

But some Republicans are skeptical. They think Democrats are just using the new explosive whistleblower allegations about Facebook as an excuse to push their longtime priorities, arguing those bills aren't the best way to tackle the issue.

Frances Haugen, the Facebook whistleblower who testified before Congress this month, has advocated for a government backed regulatory agency to scrutinize business practices and come up with regulations. She also encouraged lawmakers to focus on targeting algorithms, which companies have control over, as opposed to user content.

"Modifying 230 around content is very complicated, because user-generated is something that companies have less control over," she said. "They have 100% control over their algorithms. And Facebook should not get a free pass on choices it makes to prioritize growth and virality and reactiveness over public safety."

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg kicked off Facebook's quarterly earnings call by addressing the latest wave of coverage on Monday.

"Good-faith criticism helps us get better, but my view is that we are seeing a coordinated effort to selectively use leaked documents to paint a false picture of our company," he said. "The reality is that we have an open culture that encourages discussion and research on our work so we can make progress on many complex issues that are not specific just to us."

The select committee investigating the January 6 insurrection is also looking into Facebook's role and is in talks with the company and other tech platforms "to get certain information."

"At this point, Facebook is working with us to provide the necessary information we requested," Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the chairman of the House select committee investigating the January 6 riot, told CBS' "Face the Nation."

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Sheriff's deputies in Houston made a horrifying discovery in an apartment Sunday: three children who they say were abandoned with the decaying body of another child inside.

"I had never heard of a scenario like this. It really caught me by surprise," Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a news conference Sunday.

The sheriff's office said the children are 15, 10 and 7 years old and are siblings.

In a news release, the sheriff's office said the 15-year-old called authorities and said his 9-year-old brother has been dead for a year and that his body was in the room next to his. The teen said his parents had not lived in the apartment for several months.

"It seems that they were in there while the body was deteriorating," Gonzalez said.

Investigators found the body unconcealed in the apartment, Gonzalez said. He didn't know how or when the child died.

"It appears the remains had been there for an extended period of time, and I emphasize extended," he said. When asked if he meant for weeks, he said "much longer than that."

Gonzalez said it looked like the 15-year-old had been taking care of his younger siblings the best he could.

"It appears that they were basically fending for each other," Gonzalez said, adding that the children were living in "pretty deplorable conditions."

The two younger children appeared malnourished and showed signs of physical injury, the sheriff's office said. All three children were transported to a hospital for treatment.

Gonzalez announced in a tweet Monday that the children's mother had been interviewed and released along with her boyfriend.

"There are no new developments this morning regarding the scene on Green Crest. Mother and her boyfriend were located, interviewed and released," the tweet said. "CPS is assisting with the children. Our investigation remains on-going. No charges have been filed."

The Harris County District Attorney's Office said it plans "to get to the bottom of what these children have endured."

"Our specialized prosecutors continue to work with the sheriff's deputies, as this horror is thoroughly investigated," spokesperson Dane Schiller said in an email to CNN.

The cause of the child's death is under investigation.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Illinois Senate voted Tuesday to repeal a several decades old abortion law.

This law is called "The Parental Notification of Abortion Act."

It required minors to alert a parent or guardian 48 hours before proceeding with an abortion.

The law did not require the child to get consent from the parent.

Lawmakers voted to repeal the law 32 to 22.

State Democrats hope to replace the law with the "Youth Health and Safety Act."

Organizations such as Planned Parenthood are in support of this motion.

They say that ever since this act has been in effect -- it has done nothing but cause harm to young people.

On the other hand, some Illinois Republicans are not happy with the decision to relieve the state of one of their last restrictions on abortions.

Illinois State Senator Darren Bailey says minors shouldn't be able to get an abortion without talking with their parents first.

"I'm going to call it what it is...other than just an absolute godless mindset. What's driving this -- to allow a 12-year-old girl to make her own decision without the consent of her parents," Bailey said.

"I simply cannot fathom the recklessness of a bill like this."

The repeal is currently being debated in a House Committee.

Bailey says it could potentially wind up on the floor Wednesday evening or at some point Thursday.
(CNN) -- Vaccine advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration voted 17-0 with one abstention Tuesday to recommend Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine in children 5 to 11.

Members of the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee agreed that the benefits of vaccinating younger children appeared to outweigh the risks, but some members appeared troubled about voting to vaccinate a large population of younger children based on studies of a few thousand.

"It is reassuring to me that we are giving a lower dose," said Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Pfizer has cut its vaccine to one-third of the adult dose for the children under 12.

"I am just worried that if we say yes, then the states are going to mandate administration of this vaccine for children to go to school and I do not agree with that," said Dr. Cody Meissner, a professor of pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine. "I think that would be an error at this time."

But Dr. Amanda Cohn of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reminded the committee that children have died of Covid-19. According to CDC, more than 700 children 18 and under have died of Covid-19. "We don't want children dying of Covid," she said. "And we don't want children in the ICU."

The FDA had said that, under most of the scenarios it projected, the benefits of vaccinating younger children would outweigh any risks and Pfizer said clinical trials showed the vaccine was more than 90% effective in preventing symptomatic infection in children.

The FDA will now take the committee's vote under consideration. Then vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet next week, November 2-3, to discuss the decision and decide whether to recommend that US kids get the vaccine. The final word will lie with CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, and vaccination could begin next week of she gives the go-ahead.

The US federal government has a plan in place for delivering the smaller-sized vaccines to pediatricians' offices, pharmacies and other venues across the country.

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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - A local organization is honoring people who've made a contribution to mental health in the Wabash Valley. Wednesday was the annual Hamilton Center Awards.

The center recognizes individuals and organizations that have contributed to the cause of mental health and battling addiction. The theme of the night was 50 Years Further.

It was to mark the Hamilton Center's 50th anniversary. Leaders gave awards in several categories.

They included Volunteer, Community, and Staff.

Hamilton Center leaders say they're glad to be able to honor people who are making a difference.

The night's keynote speaker was Matt Brooks. He's the former President and CEO of the Indiana Council of Community Mental Health Centers. He said he was grateful to be part of the event.

"This group of individuals... they are incredibly talented when it comes to understanding how to administer behavioral services and how to provide treatment to do it in an effective and efficient way," Brooks said.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - A Terre Haute man was sentenced for his part in a shooting at a Terre Haute high school last November.

Melvin Bell was arrested after police said he fired a weapon at Terre Haute South Vigo High School. It happened on a Sunday, and no injuries were reported.

At the time, Bell was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, criminal recklessness, carrying a handgun without a license, and obstruction of justice.

This week, Bell was sentenced to 20 years. Of those 20 years, 16 years will be behind bars, with four years of probation.
VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - The Vigo County Health Department co-hosted a free "Back on Track" Clinic and Festival with MDwise Tuesday evening.

This clinic acted as a one-stop shop to help kids get up to date on their immunizations.

They also offered Covid-19 vaccinations for kids over the age of 12.

Along with the immunizations, the event featured a bounce house, a food truck, and prize give-aways.

There was a sizeable turn-out throughout the 4 hours of the clinic!

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, parents were less likely to take their children to get their routine shots.

This is because students were learning remotely at home -- instead of in the classroom.

Joni Wise with the health department tells me that babies and toddlers are still right on schedule, but this clinic couldn't have come at a better time for school-aged children.

She tells me there could soon be consequences for kids who fail to get their updated immunization shots.

"So what we're trying to do is allow an oppurtunity for parents and guardians that have school aged kids to come out and get them vaccinated. So that they don't recieve that exclusion letter from school saying,

'You can't come back until your vaccines are up to date.'"
VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - We are learning more about the process of bringing a casino to Vigo County.

The Indiana Gaming Commission will meet on November 17. That is when members are expected to select an applicant.

Now we know more about how the process will work. Before we get into that, here's a quick look at the four candidates.

Where do they plan to build?

Full House Resorts - Full House says it will build its permanent facility at 5995 Margaret Avenue in eastern Vigo County. Full House is the only company that proposed a temporary location while its main building is under construction. If selected, they plan to open in the Haute City Center Mall temporarily. Click here for their full proposal.

Churchill Downs - The documents didn't provide an exact location for the Churchill Downs proposal, but this would go on Terre Haute's southside, unlike the other three. They would build on what they say is an undeveloped plot of land on Honey Creek Drive west of Haute City Center. Click here for their full proposal.

Premier Gaming - The information on Premier didn't identify an exact location either. The company says it would build near the I-70 and State Road 46 interchange in eastern Vigo County. Click here for their full proposal.

Hard Rock - We've previously reported on the Hard Rock's proposed location. They would build at 2555 S. Joe Fox Street on the city's east side. This is just south of the eastside Walmart. Click here for their full proposal.

Other numbers

Permanent jobs

Full House - 800

Churchill Downs - 500

Premier Gaming - 400

Hard Rock - 674

Construction jobs

Full House - 1,800

Churchill Downs - 1,000

Premier Gaming - 250-300

Hard Rock - 2,058

Hotel rooms

Full House - 100

Churchill Downs - 125

Premier Gaming - 80

Hard Rock - not provided

Gaming

Full House - 1,000 slot machines, 50 table games

Churchill Downs - 1,000 slot machines, 50 table games

Premier Gaming - 800 slot machines, 20 table games

Hard Rock - 850 slot machines, 35 table games

How will the process work?

The four applicants will each have 30 minutes to present their project. The gaming commission held a random drawing in front of the companies to determine the order in which the companies would present.

Full House Resorts Hard Rock Premier Gaming Churchill Downs

What are your thoughts?

The Indiana Gaming Commission wants to hear from you before it makes its selection. You have two ways to share your thoughts.

Email: VigoCoCasinoProjectComments@igc.IN.gov

Regular mail:

Attention: Indiana Gaming Commission-General Counsel

East Tower, Suite 1600

101 W. Washington St

Indianapolis, IN 46204-3408

You need to submit your feedback by Friday, November 12, at 4:30 pm.
Gun violence and in particular the epidemic of school shootings has generated pages and pages of dialogue over the past three decades, in print, on television, and through the halls of the institutions that America ostensibly considers most sacred. In many ways, Bulletproof offers a visceral counterpoint to all of that rhetoric; without voiceover or commentary, Todd Chandlers documentary chronicles the efforts of schools and businesses across the country as they combat horrific active shooter scenarios, sometimes existentially but more frequently with militaristic force.

Unfortunately, its also a film thats aiming for a target as big and vivid as the ones schoolteachers train on at a gun range in the hopes of protecting their students  which is kinda exactly why it needs at least a little bit of that dialogue for context, as a framing device, or even just a sense of perspective as our efforts to create a sense of security have seemingly intensified more of our collective fears than they have alleviated.

Chandlers film opens with an active-shooter drill for teachers at a Texas high school whose district security expert has implemented a battery of defense mechanisms, tactics and of course weaponry to protect students and faculty. These include (but are not limited to) reinforced doors, security badges that identify all visitors in real time on an electronic map of the school, security cameras watching every angle of every room and a vault-like safe containing 22 AR-15s.

Remarkably, the students dont seem especially bothered by all of the security measures  or at least their feelings arent closely examined  as they go about their routines, even while that chief officer acknowledges that no lockout or camera system would be a successful deterrent for an individual with the will and the firepower to stage an act of violence. Describing violent and anti-semitic graffiti that his officers found at another school, the security expert observes, People will say thats some kid playing. We cant take that risk any more the wolf is already in the henhouse.

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Next, Chandler chronicles the type of security-broker conventions that Oscar Isaac visits in The Card Counter, with the same level of military expertise, just applied to school safety. One vendor pitches an electronic flash grenade that wont cause harm but can disorient an assailant long enough for a trained and steady-handed shooter to take him or her (but lets be honest, its always him) down. At other booths, salespeople advertise bulletproof white boards, bulletproof desks, and even minipanic rooms for students that their manufacturer assures the potential client they can build in any configuration.

After that, a young Palo Alto woman tells the story of her Wonder Hoodie, a Kevlar-lined garment she conceived in order to protect her mother and brother from danger in their neighborhood. After sewing dozens by hand at prices of $500 or more, she discouragingly discovers theres no way for low-income people like her family members to afford them unless she scales up production with funds from gun manufacturers who agree to donate a number of them to high-risk communities.

Then theres that first-grade teacher who decided to learn how to use a gun after one of her students naively asked what would happen to them if someone got through the door of her classroom. The instructors at her gun-preparedness courses offer gobsmacking advice like Love the kids who are getting shot so youre motivated to kill the shooter, and quote Bible passages to justify trainees role as, one supposes, an instrument of salvation or even justice against evil.

Meanwhile, that security experts admission that none of this training or technology can guarantee students safety rings in the audiences ears over each of these escalating, deeply upsetting scenarios engineered to protect them from harm. The same expert later admits he implemented most of the security measures because they were stipulated by the funding the school district received, and he would have preferred to create more social programs and mental-health treatment.

In Chicago, however, teachers lead students and each other through breathing exercises and de-escalation tactics to allow individuals to express their feelings and get them out in constructive ways; while these students worry about gun violence, their anxieties are tied more vividly to the disruption of their families, as one girl points out that the immigrant communities in her neighborhood are more frequently invaded by ICE agents than actual criminals. That said, the kids there go through metal detectors every day, and footage from the early 1990s shows security officers conducting invasive body searches. But when police suggest that sidearms are essential tools for safety, school board and community members strike down their fearmongering and harmful generalizations to keep their hallways from being fundamentally transformed by the addition of handguns.

One supposes that much of the connective tissue between school shootings and security measures and the military (or at least militarized police) industrial complex has already been explored more colloquially in Michael Moores documentaries and a host of others that have been released since he won the Academy Award for Bowling for Columbine in 2002. But in 2021, almost two decades later, is a more contemplative approach to these topics going to educate or motivate people more effectively than Moores shaggy, pointed outrage?

If America is truly as divided a country as the media claims, then many viewers will already have made up their mind before the first images unspool; as mesmerizing as Chandlers approach is, it eventually becomes a Rorschach test for ones beliefs and values about gun usage, school safety and all of the rest.

On one hand, you have a group of people, and a movement, whose ethos is The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun, and on the other, a decidedly more fractured but equally passionate bunch of people who hate guns, resist giving up civil liberties, think these precautions are a capitulation to fear, or simply think that there are better ways to combat these problems than doing so from behind the sight of an AR-15. Are they all right? Surely not equally. But what Chandler generates in emotionality, he leaves behind the rhetoric, or even specificity, to sway viewers to whatever side he may ultimately stand behind.

Ultimately, Bulletproof offers an upsetting look at the way that handgun sales, usage and culture exert so much control over policy and procedure. But without the willingness to connect the dots between his very powerful examples, Chandler creates the opportunity to indict Americas culture of violence and then disappointingly misses his shot.

Bulletproof opens Friday in U.S. theaters.
January Jones likes to keep her family life private, so it was shocking to see her handsome 10-year-old son, Xander Dane, make a very rare red carpet appearance on Saturday, Oct. 23. Her only child attended the 14th Annual Oceana SeaChange Summer Party benefit in Laguna Beach, California  and he looked like a total pro in front of the cameras.

The former Mad Men star was decked out in a white, blue, and green halter dress (very appropriate for the oceanic charity event) while Xander sported plaid pants, a striped shirt, and a tan cardigan. He fit in quite nicely with the other celebs who attended with his mom, including Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, and Laura Dern.

More from SheKnows

Laura Dern, January Jones, Mary Steenburgen, Xander Dane Jones, Ted Danson - Credit: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA.

Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA.

The actress knows that there is a curiosity about her son because she never revealed who the father of her child is, but theres a reason she puts that boundary up. Thats my sons business, she explained to The New York Times. Its not the publics business. And if his dad is in the public eye names like director Matthew Vaughn, Jason Sudeikis and Bobby Flay have been gossiped about  it might be best to keep any possible drama out of the headlines.

Click here to read the full article.

But we love that Xander Dane was out there supporting a great charity and feeling comfortable about being in the public eye on his terms. He has a mom who is looking out for his best interests, but there might come a day when he shares who his biological dad is  for now, it shall remain a secret.

Before you go, click here to see all the celebrities who kept the baby news a secret.

Jessica Biel, JUstin Timberlake

Launch Gallery: How These Celebrities Feel About Being Single Moms

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military dad surprises kid

Rio Rancho Public Schools Chief Master Sergeant Rubel Tafoya and his son Tyler

A 10-year-old boy received the surprise of a lifetime when his dad, who had been deployed overseas, showed up at his New Mexico elementary school.

Chief Master Sergeant Rubel Tafoya tells PEOPLE that getting to reunite with his son Tyler on Monday turned out to be everything he could have imagined and more.

"It meant everything," Tafoya says. "I know [Tyler] had been really missing me and he cried when he hugged me."

As shown in a video posted on Rio Rancho Public School's Facebook page, Tyler  who turns 11 next month  had no idea his father had returned home.

In the video, while Tyler takes a photo with a teacher in front of an open doorway, his dad suddenly appears behind him and quietly poses for the shot. After snapping the photo, the teacher can be seen reviewing it with Tyler  which is when he notices that his dad had somehow made a surprise cameo.

Confused, Tyler looks behind him to an empty, dark doorway and then back at the phone screen. Tafoya then appears from the room, slowly inching his way closer to his son until Tyler turns around and rushes into his arms.

military dad surprises kid

Rio Rancho Public Schools The moment that Chief Master Sergeant Rubel Tafoya surprised Tyler in a photo

RELATED: N.J. Soldier Surprises His Younger Siblings for Christmas by Coming Home from the Military

The two shared a long embrace in the hallway and later posed for photos outside the school's sign, which read, "Welcome Home CMSGT Tafoya. Thank you for your service!"

In the caption of the video, the school wrote, "With chilly weather moving into Rio Rancho, it is the perfect time for something heartwarming. Check out this great video showing one of our Sandia Vista Elementary School students getting a welcome home surprise from his military dad."

Reflecting on the happy moment, Tafoya, who has been in the service for 25 years, tells PEOPLE that he was "very excited and anxious" before the surprise but felt thrilled afterward.

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"It felt great," he recalls. "I was relieved, and happy he wasn't without me anymore."

military dad surprises kid

Rio Rancho Public Schools Chief Master Sergeant Rubel Tafoya and his son Tyler

RELATED: Soldier Surprises Wife and Children at School After Long Deployment: 'I Can't Believe He's Here'

According to Miranda Jeantete, the Principal of Sandia Vista Elementary School, Tafoya was the one who came up with the idea to surprise Tyler and initiated it by reaching out to his teacher, Mrs. Perez.

"She immediately asked if it would be okay. We were so excited and honored to help him surprise Tyler," Jeantete says. "Mrs. Perez knew that Tyler's dad was overseas. As a retired United States Air Force veteran herself, she knew the importance of receiving letters while away from family and friends, so at the beginning of the school year, all of the students in Tyler's class wrote letters to CMSGT Tafoya."

On Sunday night, Tafoya emailed the staff to let them know he'd be at the school the next day around 2 p.m., Jeantete says.

"I asked the teacher if we could have his dad 'appear' in a picture. She loved the idea and we shared it with Tyler's parents when they arrived at school," she recalls. "Everyone was very excited."

military dad surprises kid

Rio Rancho Public Schools Chief Master Sergeant Rubel Tafoya with his son Tyler and Tyler's mom

RELATED: Air Force Sergeant Wil Alteus Surprises His Daughter with His Early Return

The emotional video has now been viewed on Facebook thousands of times  something Jeantete believes is due to the clip's "positive" nature.

"This has been a very challenging time in the world right now. As a society, we tend to focus on all the negative that is happening around us," she explains. "Videos like this are a reminder that even when we are experiencing difficult circumstances they are always positive reminders and celebrations of the good in the world. This is one of them."

"We are so grateful for our military service members and the family members that are at home while they are serving our nation," she adds.

RELATED VIDEO: Military Dad Surprises Son In Trunk After Returning Home

Now back home, with the potential of being deployed again in five years, Tafoya says he plans on soaking up every moment he can with his son and the rest of his family.

"Tyler and I are very close, he's my mini-me," he says. "I'm taking him and my daughter Lilliana, who is 14, to Disneyland and I also will be visiting family in Los Angeles."

As for what he hopes people will take from his sweet reunion?

"Spend as much time as you can with family and kids, especially if you're military," he says. "You will not experience truly missing your family until you get sent to locations outside the U.S. doing 'military duties.' "

"If you are in or are related to someone in the military, take advantage of them being within arms reach for a hug or kiss or a sincere 'I love you,' " he adds. "And remember, military life can be tough. Support those who serve [because] depression and PTSD are real."
Squid Game S1 - Credit: Noh Juhan/Netflix

Three elementary schools in New York are banning Squid Game costumes for Halloween and warned parents in a letter that students have been emulating elements of the hit Netflix show during recess, Syracuse.com reports.

Last Friday, a letter went out to the parents of children at three schools in the Fayetteville-Manlius district saying Squid Game costumes  which are unsurprisingly incredibly popular this year  do not meet our school costume guidelines due to the potential violent message aligned with the costume. Costumes based on the show join other banned Halloween accoutrements including toy swords, guns and light sabers, as well as generally gruesome or gory costumes that could scare younger students.

More from Rolling Stone

The letter, sent by superintendent Craig Tice, also noted that teachers at one school had observed younger students acting out aspects of Squid Game at recess. The letter urged parents and guardians to speak with their children and reinforce the school message that games associated with violent behavior are not appropriate for recess.

The Fayetteville-Manlius schools are far from the only ones that have had to deal with a bit of Squid Game fallout, which maybe isnt that surprising. In the show, people in severe debt compete for a huge cash prize by playing what are essentially childrens games, although the consequences are brutally violent and deadly. Speaking to the shows global success, schools all around the world have raised concerns about kids playing Squid Game at recess.

Earlier this month, the BBC reported that several schools in England urged parents to check their Netflix settings to make sure their younger kids werent able to watch the show (one school official said hed observed a small group of kids aged around six talking about the show and re-enacting some scenes). A school in Belgium also voiced concerns in a Facebook post that (based on a translation) suggested that kids were playing Squid Game games at recess and the loser gets punched. The moral panic has also popped up in South Korea, Australia, and Northern Ireland, while here in the U.S. a school in Florida raised the alarm about younger students watching the show.

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Related: Why Squid Game Fans Are Buying Up Tracksuits, Candy and Marbles

While Rolling Stone obviously doesnt condone violence of any kind, heres hoping these kids secretly watching Squid Game are at least getting their first primer in the brutalities of capitalism that await them in the adult world.

Best of Rolling Stone
US Navy destroyer USS Reuben James on the Hudson River in New York, April 29, 1939. US Navy/Wikimedia Commons

On October 31, 1941, USS Reuben James became the first US warship sunk by enemy action in World War II.

It was the culmination of months of fighting between the US and German navies in the Atlantic.

The sinking didn't bring the US into the war, but it did solidify US leaders' support for the Allies.

Around 5:30 a.m. on October 31, 1941, an explosion ripped through the US Navy destroyer USS Reuben James as it and other destroyers escorted 42 merchant ships across the Atlantic to Britain.

The explosion, caused by a torpedo that detonated the destroyer's magazine, was so intense that the bow was completely blown off. The ship sank in about five minutes - so fast that no official order to abandon ship could be given.

It was the first US Navy warship sunk by enemy action in World War II, and the US wasn't even at war when it happened.

War closes in

President Franklin Roosevelt aboard a battleship. Bettmann/Getty Images

The situation on the Atlantic was tense by fall 1941. Despite the US's stated commitment to neutrality, President Franklin Roosevelt had taken a number of actions to help the Allies, especially Britain.

In October 1939, weeks after the war's start, the US had established a neutrality zone extending some 300 nautical miles off the coasts of the independent countries of North and South America. US Navy patrols would broadcast the position of German U-boats, exposing them to Allied warships.

The US also supplied food and military equipment to Britain through agreements like the Destroyers-for-Bases Deal and the Lend-Lease Program.

By the end of September 1941, the US had expanded the neutrality zone and the patrols within it as far as Greenland, the defense of which the US had taken over. The US also occupied Iceland, at the request of Britain, and began escorting convoys there from Canada.

There had also been low-level combat between US and German forces.

On April 10, 1941, the destroyer USS Niblack attacked a German U-boat with depth charges near Iceland, driving the sub away from a convoy. On September 4, a German U-boat fired a torpedo at the destroyer USS Greer without hitting it.

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Neither incident caused casualties, but the attack on Greer led Roosevelt to issue a "shoot-on-sight" order for any German or Italian warships in waters deemed to be "necessary for American defense."

On October 17, 1941, the first US blood was spilled when the destroyer USS Kearny was hit by a German torpedo while escorting a convoy in the North Atlantic. Though the ship itself survived, 11 sailors were killed and 22 wounded.

USS Reuben James

US Navy destroyer USS Reuben James aground at Lobos Cay, Cuba, November 30, 1939. National Archives & Records Administration

A little more than a week after the Kearny attack, the U-boat U-552 was lurking off Iceland, approaching a convoy guarded by US warships. One of them was Reuben James, which was sent to investigate a suspicious signal near the convoy.

The US destroyer was between an ammunition ship and the U-boat when it was struck by a torpedo. It sank so quickly that in the early-morning darkness the commander of the escort force couldn't tell which ship had been attacked until Reuben James didn't respond to a check-in call.

Only two sailors from the front end of the ship survived the blast. During the five minutes Reuben James remained afloat after the attack, sailors jumped from the rear of the ship into the oil-covered water. Moments after the destroyer slipped beneath the waves, however, at least two of its depth charges detonated, killing or wounding even more sailors.

Four escort ships remained, one of which was USS Niblack. Niblack and another escort were sent to search for survivors, which the darkness, oil-covered water, and the threat of another U-boat attack made more difficult.

Of the ship's 144-man crew, only 44 survived. Ninety-three enlisted sailors and all seven officers were killed.

After the rescue, the escort ships went on the offensive, trying to attack U-552 with dozens of depth charges. The U-boat escaped, however, and the next day, the Americans turned the convoy over to the Royal Navy and headed for Iceland.

The convoy made it to England without any more attacks by U-552 or other U-boats. Reuben James was the only casualty.

'The shooting has started'

Crew aboard US Coast Guard cutter Spencer watch a depth charge explode, blasting a German submarine trying to break into a US convoy, April 17, 1943. (AP Photo)

The attack on the Kearny and the sinking of the Reuben James solidified Roosevelt's support of the Allies.

"We have wished to avoid shooting, but the shooting has started, and history has recorded who has fired the first shot," Roosevelt said in a Navy Day speech on October 27. "Our ships have been sunk and our sailors have been killed. I say that we do not propose to take this lying down."

Germany was unapologetic. Roosevelt denounced Germany and promised that escorts of Allied merchant ships to Iceland would continue. Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox even called the incident "worse than piracy."

But Roosevelt knew most of the country was still against getting directly involved in the war in Europe, so the US took no further action in response to the sinking.

Only when the US and Germany declared war on each other on December 11, 1941, did the US fully commit to the war in Europe. The US Navy, though, had effectively been at war in the Atlantic for months.

Read the original article on Business Insider
snow leopard cubs at Toledo Zoo

Toledo Zoo/Twitter

Say hello to Pasha and Yuki!

In June, the snow leopard cubs  one male and one female  were born at the Toledo Zoo but just received their sweet names after a public vote.

Animal lovers decided between Nikita, Pasha, Pishka, Pelmeni, and Kovo for the male cub, and Inga, Polina, Yeva, Yuki, and Damira for the female cub. Pasha and Yuki received the most votes.

Pasha means "a man of high rank," while Yuki translates to "happiness" or "snow."

RELATED: Tokyo Zoo Names Giant Panda Cub Twins After Selecting from More Than 190,000 Entries

In an Instagram post, alongside a photo of the siblings, the zoo described the precious cubs as "bold and rambunctious."

The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England, welcomed a snow leopard cub of their own in the same month. The male cub was born on Sept. 15 to parents Laila and Yarko as part of the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.

In a release, the Big Cat Sanctuary shared that they're calling the new arrival "Little Cub" until a competition to choose a name for the big cat is complete.

RELATED: Rare Snow Leopard Cub Born at English Big Cat Sanctuary and He's 'Full of Attitude'

"We are exceptionally proud to announce the birth of a snow leopard cub to Laila and Yarko at The Big Cat Sanctuary as part of the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme," Lynn Whitnall, a trustee for The Big Cat Sanctuary, said in the facility's recent release. "We know that our 'little cub' will raise vital awareness and funds for her counterparts in the wild, and we will continue to support The Snow Leopard Trust out in the field."

Snow leopards are currently listed as "vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, with about 4,080 to 6,500 estimated to be living in the wild today.

RELATED VIDEO: Snow Leopard Spooked by New Camera

"They are highly threatened in the wild due to poaching for their fur and the traditional medicine trade," the Big Cat Sanctuary said in their release. "The breeding program will help boost the captive population of snow leopards which gives hope to this vulnerable species if they ever go extinct or critically endangered in the wild."
'Universe' and 'The Love Trap' are in Wednesday's TV highlights. (BBC/ITV)

Professor Brian Cox opens out eyes to the wonders of the solar system again tonight in new BBC Two series Universe.

Dating shows get yet another new spin in Channel 4's The Love Trap, where singles who aren't genuine about finding romance will be dropped through a trapdoor by Joel Dommett.

Read more: All the best things streaming on Disney+ in October

Channel 5 launches its own police fly on the wall series tonight with a fresh take on the genre, Police Hour of Duty, while best pals Beverley Callard and Jordan North are back in Spain for ITV as they continue their plans for Destination Wedding.

Over on Disney+, the latest behind-the-scenes Marvel show features the making of animated series What If...?

The best TV to watch tonight, Wednesday 27 October, 2021

Universe - BBC Two - 9pm

Discover the story of the cosmos. (BBC/Lola Post Production)

Professor Brian Cox launches new series Universe, where he shares his infectious enthusiasm for the cosmos and our place in it.

The first episode sees him track his exploration right back to the dawn of time, explaining how stars created life and where our own star, the sun, came in to the story.

The Love Trap - Channel 4 - 10pm

Which of the women will exit through the trapdoor? (ITV)

If you don't already have enough dating shows in your life, you might find The One in this new format hosted by comedian Joel Dommett.

Asking the age-old reality TV question "are they in it for the right reasons?", single women try to win the heart of an eligible bachelor.

Read more: Everything you need to know about MAFS Australia season 8

But half of them are only interested in the hefty cash prize, and if he suspects them of chasing the money, they'll be unceremoniously dropped through a trapdoor in the floor.

Police Hour of Duty - Channel 5 - 9pm

See what happens in just an hour on duty. (Channel 5)

Emergency services fly-on-the-wall series are always fascinating, and this new Channel 5 offering has a good focus in that it shows us just a snapshot from an hour of police on duty.

Derbyshire Police show us the incidents they're called out to between 9pm and 10pm, including a drugs raid and a woman concerned about her brother harming himself.

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Beverley and Jordan: Destination Wedding - ITV - 8pm

The pair buy outfits for the big day. (ITV)

Unlikely BFFs Beverley Callard and Jordan North continue their trip around Spain planning the Corrie legend's vow renewal to infamous husband Jon, much talked about during their I'm A Celeb stint.

Tonight, Callard is searching for a flamenco-style wedding dress and the pair travel to Toledo to learn how to make a traditional wedding cake.

Marvel Studios Assembled: What If...? - Disney+

Two new episodes of 'Marvel Studios Assembled' are heading to Disney+ in October. (Disney)

In Disney+'s second behind-the-scenes at Marvel feature, the documentary follows the animated series What If...? which reimagines what would happen if key moments in the MCU had gone in a different direction.

The programme looks at how the company got into animation and the storytelling potential created by leaving behind accepted plot lines.

Watch: Beverley Callard insists she's vegan as she leaves I'm A Celeb
Cardi B and Penn Badgley have been interacting on Twitter recently. Tommaso Boddi: Getty Images for Fashion Nova; Jim Spellman/Getty Images

Cardi B and Penn Badgley changed their Twitter profile pictures to images of each other.

It happened after Cardi B learned that Badgley had praised her social media use in 2019.

The official Netflix account called for Cardi B to appear in its Badgley-fronted series "You."

Over the past several days, Cardi B, actor Penn Badgley, and the official Netflix account have woven a complicated social media web around "You" season 3. What started as Badgley mentioning the rapper in a 2019 interview has escalated into the stars changing their profile pictures to images of each other.

Badgley stars in Netflix's "You" as Joe Goldberg, a serial killer who is wont to fall into toxic obsessions with young women. The series' third season premiered on Netflix on October 15 - and according to Cardi B's tweets, the rapper may make an appearance in a subsequent season.

Here's how Badgley, Cardi B, and Netflix became intertwined on Twitter.

Penn Badgley shouted out Cardi B in a 2019 interview

This social media saga actually started two years ago while Badgley and his "You" co-star Shay Mitchell were doing press for the show's second season. In a clip uploaded by the Philippines-based music outlet MYX Global in January 2019, Badgley named Cardi B as someone who has a good relationship with social media.

"I really appreciate people who have this sort of totally like, just second-nature relationship to [social media]," Badgley said in the clip.

"Cardi B is a great example of that. She has such an authentic relationship, you know? It's this incredibly nuanced place to be," Badgley continued. "I feel like she has an incredibly authentic relationship to that, and that's why people like her so much."

Cardi B currently has around 19.4 million followers on Twitter, where she frequently tweets candidly and interacts with other users and fan accounts.

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Cardi B responded 2 years later after a fan reposted the clip to Twitter

That clip doesn't appear to have come to Cardi B's attention until this month, just days after the third season of "You" hit Netflix on October 15.

"OOOOMMFFFGGGGGG HE KNOWS ME !!!" Cardi B wrote in an October 17 tweet, quote-retweeting a fan who resurfaced the clip. "OMMMGGGG!!!!!! Yoooo like I'm famous famous."

Badgley responded.

"I-" he wrote in an October 19 tweet.

The pair then changed their profile pictures on Twitter to images of each other

BuzzFeed reported that, in the wake of Badgley's tweet, he changed his Twitter profile picture to an image of Cardi B with blue hair. As of Tuesday, that image is still in place as the avatar for his verified account.

Penn Badgley changed his profile picture to an image of Cardi B. @PennBadgley/Twitter

On October 20, Cardi B posted a video seemingly in response to Badgley changing his profile picture. It shows a young child leaning into the camera and asking, "is that me?"

She also responded in kind, changing her profile picture to an image of Badgley staring forlornly out of a window.

Cardi B changed her Twitter profile picture to an image of Penn Badgley. @iamcardib/Twitter

Netflix's main Twitter account eventually got in on the moment as well

At some point after the stars changed their profile pictures on Twitter, the official Netflix account changed its bio to, "Petition to get Cardi B to guest star in Season 4 of You." As USA Today reported, a Change.org petition to get the star to appear in the show has amassed approximately 800 signatures.

Cardi B later engaged directly with the official @Netflix account, proposing a scenario for her involvement in the show.

"So it's episode 1 and I'm at Paris Fashion week shutting it down! I turn around and there stands YOU," the rapper tweeted on October 21. "Ok finish it off @netflix."

The tweet was accompanied by a screenshot of Netflix's main account. And eventually, the streaming platform responded, attaching images of Badgley in "You" to lyrics from Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's 2020 single "WAP."

Badgley spoke about his friendship with Cardi B on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Badgley opened up about the series of interactions with Cardi B on Monday's episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

"This is a thing that we have now, me and Cardi," Badgley said, laughing slightly, during the interview when Kimmel asked about their swapped profile pictures.

Badgley said that while he doesn't know whether or not Cardi B will appear on the show, he referenced the Change.org petition to secure her a guest star spot on its fourth season.

"Changing the world, you know?" the actor said during the interview.

Cardi B, Badgley, and Netflix did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

Read more stories from Insider's Digital Culture desk.

Read the original article on Insider
Gwyneth Paltrow Just Wore the Low-Key Brand Made Famous by Jill Biden

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On October 21, Gwyneth Paltrow made a triumphant return to Netflix with Sex, Love & goop, a docuseries focused on enhancing the relationships of four real couples. It may not be as controversial as its predecessor, The goop Lab (who could forget its psychedelic-infused first episode?), but it's stirred up plenty of conversation online since its release. And yet, that's not what I'm here to discuss  I'd rather talk about the surprising boots Paltrow wore to the series premiere.

Last week, the vagina candle connoisseur strode the event's red carpet in an ivory maxi dress and sweater from Adam Lippes's latest resort collection, which she cinched at the waist with a matching belt. She capped off the look with Larroude's Barb boots in a similar hue. The shoes might look simple at first glance, but upon closer inspection, they bear an uncanny resemblance to a pair of classic cowboy boots. That nod to the wild west might be something you'd expect from Kacey Musgraves, but Paltrow? She's the patron saint of the polished LA aesthetic, which tends to favor Pilates over a life spent horseback.

Gwyneth Paltrow Just Wore the Low-Key Brand Made Famous by Jill Biden

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You might have first discovered Larroude under the arm of Jill Biden. She carried the brand's Erin clutch during a visit with the Queen of England in June, and again at the Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony in July. Since then, the brand's shoes and accessories have been seen on the likes of Normani and the inimitable Tommy Dorfman.

RELATED: Reese Witherspoon Just Wore the Unexpected Fall Shoe Sarah Jessica Parker Has Been Wearing for Years

Paltrow's pale white boots might seem like a risk to those who live among rain and snow, but luckily, they're also available in black and dark gray suede. Yes, they're almost $400, but each pair is manufactured by artisans in Brazil with leather from local tanneries.

The Larroude Barb boots are almost fully stocked in sizes 5 to 11, but that won't be the case once goop devotees identify them. In other words, order your favorite color while you still can.

Story continues

Barb Boot In Ivory Floater

Courtesy

Shop now: $395, larroude.com
Josie Taveras uses an inhaler in the kitchen of her apartment in Brooklyn on Oct. 14, 2021. (Sarah Blesener/The New York Times)

Since she tested positive for the coronavirus in April 2020, Josie Cabrera Taveras has found herself sleeping for up to 15 hours a day, stopping in grocery store aisles to catch her breath, lapsing in and out of consciousness and unable to return to her job as a nanny.

She believes that she is one of thousands, possibly millions, of Americans who may have a condition known as long COVID. The Biden administration has said people with the condition could qualify for federal disability protections and benefits, which can include health care, housing and unemployment benefits.

But like many others who may have long COVID, Taveras, 31, of New York, has had a hard time proving it.

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Two brain MRIs, several heart ultrasounds, dozens of lung X-rays, two stomach endoscopies, one colonoscopy and multiple CT scans have all provided the same results: Everything looks normal. Its something doctors cant explain yet, whats happening to me, Taveras said.

With no direct medical evidence of her condition, she has been turned down for disability coverage twice. Even a note from a prestigious post-COVID clinic in the Mount Sinai hospital system, attesting that Taveras continues to experience daily symptoms and is currently unable to work, was not enough.

In July, at a White House event celebrating the Americans with Disabilities Act, President Joe Biden promised to make sure Americans with long COVID who have a disability have access to the rights and resources that are due under the disability law.

But with no widely agreed-on method of diagnosing the ailment, those who believe they have long COVID are finding it difficult to qualify under a system that is unfamiliar and already tricky to navigate.

Studies have shown that a significant number of COVID-19 patients continue to seek treatment for a wide range of medical conditions many months after a diagnosis. The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation estimates that 3 million to 10 million Americans may have long COVID.

Story continues

Yet many of those seeking benefits cannot produce a positive coronavirus test, which were in short supply at the beginning of the pandemic. And lab results and scans often show nothing unusual for those continuing to experience symptoms.

I expect the tests to come back normal, said Dr. Luis Tatem, an infectious-disease specialist who has been treating Taveras and other long COVID patients at the University Hospital of Brooklyn. He added: Were used to having a laboratory to back us up. And for this, you dont.

Since December 2020, the Social Security Administration has determined that about 16,000 applicants were able to provide medical evidence supporting COVID-19 as one of their impairments, according to Nicole Tiggemann, a spokesperson for the agency, which was not flagging COVID cases before that.

But she would not say how many of those 16,000 applicants had been approved for benefits, or how many people claiming long COVID as a condition had been denied. Many cases are probably still pending; wait times for a determination can stretch for five months or more.

The pandemic forced the Social Security Administration to largely shut down in-person services, and some experts predict a flood of applicants with long COVID in the coming year, on top of the agencys already-strained workload.

Addressing the disability backlog is one of our top priorities, Tiggemann said via email, acknowledging that the pandemic had increased wait times. Biden has called for an increased $1.3 billion for the agencys budget for the 2022 fiscal year, but his proposal is part of the current negotiations in Congress, and it is unclear whether it will pass.

About 8.1 million disabled members and 1.4 million of their family workers receive disability benefits, which average about $1,280 a month. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate a disability that substantially limits their ability to work and has lasted, or will last, for at least a year. Typically, the Social Security Administration uses medical assessments or health records to determine whether someone qualifies, and a vast majority of those approved for disability stay on it for life.

Getting approved can be difficult. Between 2009 and 2018, the Social Security Administration denied 66% of applications on average.

But some people with long COVID symptoms have had success  even without a positive coronavirus test  if they are able to demonstrate a substantial downturn in their health and ability to work.

Steven Trompeter, 49, was unable to perform his job as an industrial mechanic after getting sick with COVID symptoms, including cough, fever, muscle aches and loss of taste and smell, in February 2020. He applied for disability in December 2020 and was approved six months later.

Trompeter, a Navy veteran who lives in Idaho Falls, Idaho, said he believed that the extensive medical records documenting his past health and his repeated visits to a Veterans Affairs medical clinic in 2020 helped show how sick he had become, with ongoing brain fog and other difficulties.

Ive heard nightmares where you have to get denied three times and then get a lawyer to go before a judge, and I didnt have to do any of that, he said. I just had to wait.

Tiggemann said a determination of whether people qualify for benefits has more to do with how their symptoms affect their ability to function than the exact diagnosis. So a positive COVID test, while helpful, might not be necessary if the other evidence clearly shows an inability to work, she said.

No two cases are the same, each case is individual, she said. We look at doctors tests, medical records, past treatments and whether they have other conditions.

Long COVID has proved similar to other diseases that can be difficult to diagnose, including myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome), fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome  conditions that can also cause fatigue, memory issues and joint pain.

Patients with these diseases often find it difficult to qualify for disability benefits and get accurate, timely medical diagnoses. Studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and organizations that represent people with those conditions have shown that some patients can spend years or even more than a decade trying to determine what causes their illnesses.

Many medical schools do not offer enough training on these types of diseases, and research for them is underfunded, said Linda Tannenbaum, chief executive of the Open Medicine Foundation, a nonprofit that funds research into chronic complex diseases like fibromyalgia and long COVID. Most patients cannot get disability benefits, she said.

Dr. Stephen Martin, a physician and professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, said the complex nature of diagnosing long COVID required the coordination of various specialists who also have specific knowledge of the condition. Many are overbooked, he said, with wait lists of more than six months  especially for patients who do not have good health insurance.

This really hits us in our Achilles heel of health care, Martin said. The American health care system really isnt set up to do this at scale.

Sandee Babb, 54, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, has seen nearly two dozen doctors over the past year trying to figure out what is causing a range of symptoms, including cardiac arrhythmia, a chronic cough, shortness of breath and joint pain, which have kept her from returning to her job as a teacher and librarian. She says she gets breathless just trying to put her socks on, and cannot walk up a flight of stairs without stopping to rest.

The brain fog is crazy bad, Babb said. Ive been in the shower and stared at my shampoo bottle and couldnt figure out how to open it.

She could not get a coronavirus test when she first got sick in March 2020, early in the pandemic. But a September progress note from her doctor said her symptoms could be consistent with long-haul type syndrome.

Since getting sick, Babb has lost her home and all of her retirement savings. She is working as a live-in caretaker for a quadriplegic friend in part to keep a roof over her head.

After months documenting her condition, she submitted her unemployment application in August and is not sure when she will get an answer. If it doesnt come through, then Im really stuck, she said. Where do I go from here?

 2021 The New York Times Company
Christmas came early for lucky employees at Spanx this year. Last week, Sara Blakely, CEO and founder of the popular shapewear brand, shocked her employees by gifting them each two first-class plane tickets to anywhere in the world, plus $10,000 to plan the trip of a lifetime. The announcement came just days after Blakely sold the company's majority stakes to private equity firm Blackstone in a deal that valued Spanx at $1.2 billion.

Sarah Blakely, Spanx CEO and Founder

Sarah Blakely, Spanx CEO

In a behind-the-scenes video from Blakely's personal Instagram, an emotional Blakely recaps the incredible journey Spanx has been on over the past 21 years, getting choked up when recalling the criticism she received for daring to dream that the company would one day be worth $20 million. Blakely, a frequent guest investor on hit entrepreneurial reality show Shark Tank, founded the business with $5,000 and the simple idea to cut the feet off of pantyhose.

After a champagne toast, where Blakely recognizes "the women that came before me, and all of the women in the world who have not had this opportunity," she's seen spinning a globe. It's then that she reveals to her employees that they will all receive two first-class plane tickets to anywhere in the world. But she doesn't stop there.

"If you go on a trip you might want to go out to a really nice dinner, you might want to go out to a really nice hotel, and so with everybody's two first-class tickets to anywhere in the world, you are each getting $10,000."

The room erupts in ecstatic cheers, happy tears, and overjoyed hugs as everyone realizes the incredible gift they've been given.

"I really want every employee to celebrate this moment in their own way and create a memory that will last them a lifetime!" Blakely said in her Instagram caption. "Cheers to 21 years of magic and many more to come ."

So where are the lucky employees jetting off to? A few employees share their plans that include visiting Japan, Croatia, South Africa, and Antarctica, as well as honeymooning in Bora Bora and an eloping in Sweden.

Bon voyage and happy travels!
Attorney Scott Bruns raised the question of whether anyone proved that Jacob Ozuna, whom Donato is accused of beating to death in the Yakima County jail, had killed another gang member and thus violated a tenet of the Norteno gang organization.
Today

Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. High 82F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Cloudy skies. Low 64F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.

Tomorrow

Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 83F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph.
New Delhi: A vegetable vendor in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal was booked on Tuesday after a video showing him cleaning coriander leaves in drain water went viral. Officials said that they visited the purported market but could not trace the vendor in the video.

The incident took place in the city's Sindhi Market and the man who shot the video can be heard repeatedly telling the vendor that washing vegetables in drain water was harmful. But the vegetable vendor goes about his business and does not answer why he was doing the unhygenic act despite being asked to comply.

The video posted on Twitter was captioned: "Attention, your health is being toyed with, hope you are not buying such vegetables. Vegetables is being washed away in drain water in Sindhi Colony of Bhopal. Appropriate action is requested, please take cognizance of the matter," the tweet read (roughly translated from Hindi).

WATCH:

District Collector Avinash Lavania took cognisance of the matter and ordered a probe, as per PTI report. "Taking cognisance of the matter, I have directed officials concerned to take action. I have told food department and civic officials to take strict action on receiving information of adulteration and contamination," Lavania was quoted by the news agency.

Also, Bhopal District's Food Safety Officer Devendra Kumar Dubey lodged a complaint against the unidentified vendor at Hanumanganj police station. A case under IPC section 269 (whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life) has been was registered.

(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi: Indian digital payments leader Paytm has boosted the size of its initial public offering to 183 billion rupees ($2.44 billion) from 166 billion rupees, as existing shareholders look to sell more stake ahead of the country`s largest stock market listing.

Paytm was likely to target a price band of 2,080-2,150 rupees per share for the IPO for a likely valuation of around $20 billion, a source directly aware of the matter told Reuters.

The company increased the size of its IPO as it received increased investor demand, said the source, who did not want to be named as the information was not public.

Paytm did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Several companies including Paytm have jumped into Indias capital markets as investors ride a wave of liquidity that has taken domestic markets to record highs. Food delivery firm Zomato, which also counts China`s Ant Group as a shareholder, is up 77% since its listing in July.

Paytms offering will open on Nov. 8 and will see top investor Ant Financial sell shares worth 47.04 billion rupees, or nearly half the offer for sale component. Ant currently holds 183.3 million shares, or a 27.9% stake, in Paytm.

While Paytm did not increase the size of its fresh issue component, which still stands at 83 billion rupees, it expanded the offer for sale part to 100 billion rupees from 83 billion rupees earlier. Also Read: Maruti Suzuki reveals electric vehicle plans, check by when automaker plans to launch electric car

The IPO is likely to be the biggest in India`s corporate history, breaking a record held by Coal India, which raised 150 billion rupees more than a decade ago. Also Read: Now, read deleted WhatsApp messages: Check steps to catch sender off guard
New Delhi: The Delhi government on Wednesday took a big decision by allowing the Chhath Puja celebrations in the national capital following strict Covid-19 protocols. The Delhi government, however, said that the Chhath Puja celebrations will only be allowed at the designated spots only.

The announcement in this regard was made by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia during a press briefing following a crucial meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

In today's DDMA meeting it was decided that chhath puja will be permitted in Delhi. This will be done with very strict protocols at the spots decided by the govt beforehand. Limited number of people will be allowed, with adherence to COVID protocols: Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia pic.twitter.com/edXV484Pa9  ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

The Deputy CM made another announcement by saying that all schools in the national capital have been permitted to re-open from November 1. Sisodia stated that all schools will have to ensure that classes take place in hybrid mode with a maximum of 50% strength in classrooms.

He added, "Experts suggested that no parent will be forced to send their children to school."

All schools in Delhi will be permitted to open from 1st Nov. Experts suggested that no parent will be forced to send their children to school. All schools will have to ensure that classes take place in hybrid mode with max of 50% strength in classrooms: Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia pic.twitter.com/dawMHdgQrD  ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

The decision to reopen schools has been taken in view of the declining number of COVID-19 cases in the city. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) led by Lt Governor Anil Baijal today met to discuss the coronavirus situation in the national capital.

During the meeting, the DDMA decided to lift the ban imposed on Chhath Puja celebrations at public places in Delhi. The celebration of Chhath at the riverbanks, water bodies and temples was prohibited in view of COVID by the DDMA in its order on September 30.

But since the COVID-19 situation has improved a lot in the national capital, demands were being made by various groups and political parties to allow Chhath Puja to be celebrated.

In view of the improving COVID-19 situation, it was expected that DDMA will permit the festival at public places after its meeting today. It is a major festival celebrated by those in East Uttar Pradesh and Bihar (Purvanchali community). The community has a sizeable number in the national capital and are concentrated mostly in East Delhi.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had on Tuesday launched a special campaign for the administration of Covid vaccines to devotees going to observe fast on Chhath festival post-Diwali at Ibrahimpur village in North East Delhi's Burari area.

He was accompanied by BJP MP Manoj Tiwari. Later, Puri shared pictures of the launch and sought blessings for all from Chhathi Maiya in a tweet in Bhojpuri. Tiwari, North East Delhi MP, who had strongly opposed the ban on Chhath, had announced the campaign to vaccinate "Chhathvratis" so that the festival is celebrated safely.

Over 10,000 persons are to be administrated the vaccine across the city during the campaign. Chhath, celebrated after Diwali by people from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, involves the offering of "Arghya" by fasting women to the Sun God in knee-deep water.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier this month wrote a letter to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, requesting him to allow Chhath Puja in Delhi.

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NEW DELHI: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) led by Lt Governor Anil Baijal will hold a crucial meeting on Wednesday to discuss the coronavirus situation in the national capital.

During the meeting, the DDMA is also expected to reconsider the ban imposed on Chhath Puja celebrations at public places in Delhi.

The celebration of Chhath at riverbanks, water bodies and temples was prohibited in view of COVID by Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in its order on September 30.

But since then, the COVID-19 situation has improved a lot in the national capital and demands have been made by various groups and political parties to allow Chhath Puja to be celebrated.

In view of the improving COVID-19 situation, the DDMA is expected to permit the festival at public places after its meeting today.

It is a major festival celebrated by those in East Uttar Pradesh and Bihar (Purvanchali community). The community has a sizeable number in the national capital and is concentrated mostly in East Delhi.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had on Tuesday launched a special campaign for administration of Covid vaccines to devotees going to observe fast on Chhath festival post Diwali at Ibrahimpur village in North East Delhi's Burari area.

He was accompanied by BJP MP Manoj Tiwari. Later, Puri shared pictures of the launch and sought blessings for all from Chhathi Maiya in a tweet in Bhojpuri.

Tiwari, North East Delhi MP, who had strongly opposed the ban on Chhath, had announced the campaign to vaccinate "Chhathvratis" so that the festival is celebrated safely. Over 10,000 persons are to be administrated the vaccine across the city during the campaign.

Chhath, celebrated after Diwali by people from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, involves the offering of "Arghya" by fasting women to the Sun God in knee-deep water.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier this month wrote a letter to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, requesting him to allow Chhath Puja in Delhi.

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New Delhi: The government on Wednesday asked ministries and departments to clear dues of debt-laden Air India immediately and henceforth purchase tickets only in cash.

The government earlier this month decided to sell Air India to Talace Pvt Ltd, a unit of the holding company of salt-to-software conglomerate Tata group, for Rs 18,000 crore.

The Department of Expenditure, under the Finance Ministry, in a 2009 order, had said that in cases of air travel (both domestic and international), including LTC where the Government of India bears the cost of air passage, the officials may travel only by Air India.

The Expenditure Department said the process of disinvestment of Air India and Air India Express is ongoing, and the airline has stopped extending credit facilities on account of air tickets.

"Therefore, all Ministries/Departments are directed to clear Air India dues immediately. Air tickets from Air India may be purchased in cash till further instructions," the department said in an office memorandum.

It also directed the ministries/departments to alert its subordinate offices/institutes under its administrative control for compliance to this office order.

On October 25, the government signed the share purchase agreement with Tata Sons for the sale of national carrier Air India. Tatas will now seek various regulatory clearances before the handover of the airline by December end.

The deal involves a 2,700 crore cash payment and takeover of the airline's Rs 15,300 crore debt.

The government is divesting its 100 per cent ownership of Air India and Air India Express along with its 50 per cent stake in ground-handling company AISATS.

Tatas beat the Rs 15,100-crore offer by a consortium led by SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh and the reserve price of Rs 12,906 crore set by the government for the sale of its 100 per cent stake in the loss-making carrier. Also Read: Now, read deleted WhatsApp messages: Check steps to catch sender off guard

As of August 31, Air India had a total debt of Rs 61,562 crore. And 75 per cent of this debt or Rs 46,262 crore will be transferred to a special purpose vehicle AIAHL before handing over the loss-making airline to the Tata Group. Also Read: Paytm IPO: Offer size increased to Rs 18,300 crore as Chinese investor plans to sell more stake

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#mute
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will on Wednesday address the inaugural session of a three-day national conference on Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s two decades as head of government.

Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, a leadership development academy, will be organising a conference from October 27 to 29 at the India International Centre.

Shah will inaugurate the conference and the inaugural session will be presided by former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadanvis. BJP chief JP Nadda will be the chief guest for the concluding session of the conference on October 29.

Other prominent speakers of the conference are union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP national vice president Baijayant Panda and former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi.

In a statement, Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini said this conference is a unique academic event, covering a wide variety of issues about Prime Minister PM Modi`s governance record of the past two decades, and featuring a whole galaxy of entrepreneurs, scholars, policymakers and intellectuals who have worked with the PM, written about his contributions in different issue areas, and studied his policy approaches, and implemented many of his landmark initiatives.

"The main themes of this national conference include PM Modi`s `Art of Implementation,` reforms in education and skill development, landmark economic policies and outlooks (`Modinomics`), his approach to poverty alleviation and social welfare, his lead role in promoting science and technology, his transformative interventions in the agricultural sector, his foreign policy achievements to make India a `leading power` in the world, his management of the Covid-19 pandemic and improvements in healthcare, and his uplifting agenda for social justice of weaker sections and gender equity," the Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini said.

Speaking about the significance of this comprehensive national conference on behalf of the organizing institution, Member of Parliament Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said, "PM Modi`s record of the last 20 years has been multi-dimensional and highly impactful on a whole cross-section of policymaking areas."

"We are organizing this conference to record the journey of how he could convert his broad-ranging vision of social well-being and national renaissance into reality and reflect upon how he has remodeled Indian democracy through the delivery of good governance in our country. Both the `Gujarat model` and the `India model` have been recognized as important milestones in the evolution of ideas about socio-economic change and empowerment of the masses within the context of developing countries that are democratic," Sahasrabuddhe said.

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New Delhi: The government of Oman on Wednesday (October 27) added Covaxin to the list of approved COVID-19 vaccines, a move that will ease travelers from India.

Indian travelers will no longer be required to quarantine if they have received both doses of Covaxin.

All passengers from India who have received two doses of COVAXIN at least 14 days before the estimated arrival date will now be able to travel to Oman without the requirement of quarantine, Embassy of India, Muscat, said in a statement.

All other COVID-19 related requirements or conditions, such as pre-arrival RT-PCR test shall be applicable for such passengers, it added.

COVAXIN has now been added to the approved list of COVID19 vaccines for travel to Oman without quarantine: Embassy of India in Oman pic.twitter.com/Ng0kEbMglO  ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

The Embassy said that the move will will significantly ease travel to Oman for Indian nationals who have taken Covaxin.

Notably, passengers who have taken AstraZeneca or Covishield are already permitted to travel to Oman without quarantine.

This comes after WHO sought additional documents from Covaxin manufacturer Bharat Biotech to deliberate upon EUL listing of the vaccine.

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New Delhi: Amid fears of a looming COVID-19 third wave the Centre informed that as many as 17 cases of the Delta variant AY.4.2 strain has emerged in India. The Centre decided to step in ahead of the festival season and as fears of the impending third wave of the pandemic in the country mounts.

A sub-lineage of the Delta variant of COVID-19, AY.4.2, has been detected in the United Kingdom, China, and Russia, and now it has made its way to India. Several states have reported the new strain Andhra Pradesh 07 cases, Kerala 4, Karnataka and Telangana 2 cases each, Jammu & Kashmir and Maharashtra have reported 1 case, respectively taking the total tally to 17.

The Commissionerate of Health and Family Welfare Services in Karnataka issued an official memo warning the public against the AY.4.2 strain. "As the complete nature of the said newly reported variant is yet to be understood, it is crucial to step up vigilance & follow Covid-19 appropriate behavior instead of creating panic among the public," the note read.

On Tuesday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that a government panel is currently looking into the new COVID-19 variant, with the intent to contain its spread. A team is investigating the new COVID19 variant AY.4.2. ICMR and NCDC teams study and analyze the different variants, he told ANI.

Though there is no evidence that suggests that the AY.4.2 is deadlier than the Delta variant, but the AY.4.2 sub-lineage of the Delta variant as a variant under investigation.

Hoping to keep a check on the rise of COVID-19 cases in the country during Diwali, the Centre has issued several guidelines to curb the possibility of a third COVID-19 wave.

Meanwhile, India reported 12,428 fresh COVID-19 cases which is the lowest in the last 238 days. The active caseload remains below the two lakh mark and is currently at 1,63,816 which is the lowest in 241 days.

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New Delhi: After the constitution of India came into force on 26th January 1950, the biggest challenge before the country was to conduct the first Lok Sabha elections. 70 years ago on 25th October 1951, the first elections were held that lasted for about five months till 21st February 1952. It was a massive challenge for the country, but Indians proved the naysayers wrong.

Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary on Wednesday (October 27) discussed how the first general elections of independent India happened.

At that time, out of the total population of 36 crores, there were 17.6 crore people who were 21 years or above and thus eligible to vote. Out of this, 85 percent of the voters were illiterate.

The whole world and especially the western countries doubted Indias ability to conduct the polls owing to the low literacy rate. But the people of India shattered this perception in the next few months.

On 25 October 1951, elections were held for 489 Lok Sabha seats and 3283 Assembly seats in the states. For this, 2 lakh 24 thousand polling booths were set up all over the country. 20 lakh ballot boxes were prepared. For 6 months, 16.5 thousand clerks were recruited, whose job was to prepare the list of voters. Apart from this, 56 thousand officers were put on election duty for whose help 2 lakh 80 thousand volunteers were also recruited. About 2 lakh 24 thousand policemen were engaged to ensure an orderly voting process.

There was no TV at that time. So it was very difficult to make voters aware and tell them how to cast their votes. To solve this problem, the Election Commission produced a film, which was released in about 3000 cinema halls across the country. People could go to the cinema hall and watch this film for free. Apart from this, there were many programmes on All India Radio, in which people were told about the election process. People were also made aware through articles and advertisements in newspapers.

Along with awareness, infrastructure was also needed in rural areas. Therefore, temporary bridges were built in areas near river bodies. The Indian Navy helped transport ballot boxes to coastal areas and thousands of horses were used to cover the mountain areas. A total of about 2.5 crore ballot boxes made of steel were used.

The then Chief Election Officer Sukumar Sen ordered the use of a special type of indelible ink that would be applied on the fingers of the people after voting. This ink used to last for a week so that people could not vote more than once. About four lakh vials of this ink were used in the election.

During the elections which were held in 68 phases, there were 1250 incidents where the model code was violated. These included cases of proxy voting, replacement of ballot boxes and campaigning by politicians around the polling stations.

When the results of the elections came, Jawaharlal Nehru got a thumping majority. Under his leadership, the Congress party managed to win 364 out of 489 seats in the Lok Sabha. The CPI was the second largest party with 16 seats and Socialist Party came third with 12 seats.

Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar was also fighting against Nehru in these elections. He had formed a party called Scheduled Caste Federation which contested 35 seats in 10 states across the country. But his party won only 2 seats. Surprisingly, Ambedkar himself lost the election from the Bombay Lok Sabha seat.

Bharatiya Jana Sangh also contested 94 Lok Sabha seats under the leadership of Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, out of which it won 3 seats. In the year 1980, this party became BJP.

Nehru traveled a distance of about 40 thousand kilometers for the election campaign, of which he traveled 29 thousand kilometers by plane. He traveled about 8.5 thousand kilometers by car, 2.5 thousand kilometers by train and 150 kilometers by boat.

In a total of about 300 rallies, he addressed around two crore people. He pulled all stops to make the uneducated people believe that he was going to be the PM. After the election, Nehru admitted that his perception of the illiterate Indians had changed. He had this in common with the western countries.

A major issue in the election was the Hindu Code Bill, which was influenced by Muslim appeasement. This bill was introduced in 1951, which sought rights of marriage, property ownership and divorce for Hindu women. Some parties opposed this saying why no such law or bill was being brought for Muslims. Due to the tremendous outrage over this, Nehru had to defer the passage of the bill. This is when Ambedkar, who was the Law Minister, resigned.

The communal polarization due to this issue helped the Congress party. Muslims voted for Congress because they had faith in Nehru that he would not bring such a law for them. And the Hindus voted in the hope that Nehru would not allow the bill to be introduced again in Parliament after it was deferred. However, after the victory in the election, Nehru got this bill passed by the Parliament and no such law was made for Muslims.

Conducting the 1951 elections was undoubtedly a mammoth challenge and though there were many shortcomings, it was a huge success for the Indian democracy.

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed a three-member panel of cyber experts to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for surveillance of certain people in India, saying every citizen needs protection against privacy violation and mere invocation of national security by State does not render the court a mute spectator.

Finding material that prima facie merits consideration, a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli declined the Centre's plea to appoint expert panel on its own, saying such a course would violate settled judicial principle against bias.

The top court urged its former judge Justice R V Raveendran to oversee the functioning of the three-member panel and sought a report expeditiously from the committee.

It posted the batch of pleas in the matter, including the ones filed by Editors Guild of India and veteran journalists N Ram and Shashi Kumar, for hearing after eight weeks.

The bench took note of the vehement submissions of the Centre on national security and rejected it saying, ...This does not mean that the State gets a free pass every time the spectre of national security' is raised.

National security cannot be the bugbear that the judiciary shies away from, by virtue of its mere mentioning. Although this Court should be circumspect in encroaching the domain of national security, no omnibus prohibition can be called for against judicial review, the court said.

Pronouncing the verdict, the CJI said the Centre must justify the stand that they take before a Court. The mere invocation of national security by the State does not render the Court a mute spectator.

Justice Raveendran will oversee functioning of the panel of cyber security, digital forensics, networks and hardware and the three members are: Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, Prabaharan P and Ashwin Anil Gumaste.

The apex court said that former IPS officer Alok Joshi and Sundeep Oberoi -- Chairman, Sub Committee in (International Organisation of Standardisation/ International Electro-Technical Commission/Joint Technical Committee) -- will assist Justice Raveendran to oversee the task to the committee.

The top court said that in this world of conflicts it was an extremely uphill task to find and select experts who are free from prejudices, are independent and competent, rather than relying upon any government agencies or any private entity.

"We make it clear that our effort is to uphold Constitutional aspirations and rule of law, without allowing ourselves to be consumed in political rhetoric," the bench said, adding that this court has always been conscious of not entering political thicket.

"Members of civilised democratic society have reasonable expectation of privacy. Privacy is not singular concern of journalists or social activists," the bench said.

In a democratic country governed by rule of law, indiscriminate spying on individuals cannot be allowed except with sufficient statutory safeguards, by following procedure established by law under Constitution, it said.

The bench had reserved order on September 13, saying it only wanted to know whether or not the Centre used the Pegasus spyware through illegal methods to allegedly snoop on citizens.

The apex court was hearing a batch of pleas seeking independent probe into the alleged Pegasus snooping matter.

The pleas seeking independent probe are related to reports of alleged snooping by government agencies on eminent citizens, politicians and scribes by using Israeli firm NSO's spyware Pegasus.

An international media consortium had reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.

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New Delhi: India registered a strong protest against the passage of the new Land Boundary Law by China that seeks to unilaterally alter the situation along the border.

The Ministry of External Affairs noted that the new law has provisions to carry out reorganisation of districts in the border areas which is unacceptable to India.

We have noted that China has passed a new Land Boundary Law on 23rd October 2021. The law states among other things that China abides by treaties concluded with or jointly acceded to by foreign countries on land boundary affairs. It also has provisions to carry out reorganisation of districts in the border areas, said MEA in a statement.

In this regard, Chinas unilateral decision to bring about a legislation which can have implication on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question is of concern to us. Such unilateral move will have no bearing on the arrangements that both sides have already reached earlier, whether it is on the Boundary Question or for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China Border areas, it added.

The MEA said that China should avoid undertaking action under the pretext of this law which could unilaterally alter the situation in the India-China border areas.

India reiterated its position on the China Pakistan "Boundary Agreement of 1963 by terming it an illegal and invalid agreement.

The passage of this new law does not in our view confer any legitimacy to the so-called China Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963 which Government of India has consistently maintained is an illegal and invalid agreement, MEA said.

The MEA underlined that India and China have still not resolved the boundary question and that  both sides have agreed to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution to the boundary question through consultations on an equal footing.

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NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday reported 13,451 new cases of COVID-19 infections and 585 fatalities in the past 24 hours. India reports 13,451 new COVID19 cases, 14,021 recoveries and 585 deaths in last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated at 8 AM.

India reports 13,451 new #COVID19 cases, 14,021 recoveries&585 deaths in last 24 hrs as per Health Ministry Case tally: 3,42,15,653

Active cases: 1,62,661 (lowest in 242 days)

Total recoveries: 3,35,97,339

Death toll: 4,55,653 Total Vaccination: 1,03,53,25,577 (55,89,124 y'day) pic.twitter.com/yFeimwAOTh  ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

Out of those cases, Kerala still remains a major concern. The southern state reported 7,163 new and 90 deaths in the past 24 hours.

#Covid19 | Of the 13,451 new infections and 585 deaths reported in India in the last 24 hours, Kerala reported 7,163 new cases and 90 deaths.  ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

On Tuesday, India reported 12,428 fresh Covid cases which is the lowest in the last 238 days. The active caseload remains below the two lakh mark and is currently at 1,62,661 which is the lowest in 241 days.

At present, active cases constitute 0.48 per cent of the country`s total positive cases which is the lowest since March 2020.

With India showing declining trends on the daily Covid caseload trajectory, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has called a meeting of state Health Ministers on Wednesday to discuss the progress of the COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign in the country.

A top source with the Union Ministry of Health said the meeting has been called to scale up vaccine administration across the country. The Centre had on Saturday asked the States and Union Territories (UTs) to speed up the vaccination programme with a focus on second Covid-19 vaccine doses across the country.

The decision has come in the backdrop of the country achieving the milestone of administering 100 crore doses on October 21. The Centre has planned to vaccinate all eligible population by the end of 2021 under the mass vaccination programme.

The Centre has asked the states and UTs to improve the pace of vaccination and increase the coverage. Indias Covid-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 102.94 crore as per provisional reports till 7 AM on Tuesday which has been achieved through 1,02,28,502 sessions.

A total of 64,75,733 vaccine doses have been administered in the last 24 hours.

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce verdict on Wednesday on a batch of pleas seeking independent probe into the Pegasus snooping matter.

A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli had reserved order on September 13, saying it only wanted to know whether or not the Centre used the Pegasus spyware through illegal methods to allegedly snoop on citizens.

The apex court had observed orally that it would set up a technical expert committee to inquire into the matter and pass an interim order on the pleas seeking an independent probe into the grievances of the alleged surveillance of certain eminent Indians by hacking their phones using Israeli firm NSO's spyware, Pegasus.

The top court's observations on constituting the committee assume significance in view of the Centre's statement that it would set up an expert panel on its own to look into the entire issue.

The apex court had said it would pronounce order in a few days and asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, to mention the case if the government had a re-think about filing a detailed affidavit.

The bench had said that it only wanted to know from the Centre, which expressed unwillingness to file a detailed affidavit citing national security, whether Pegasus was used to allegedly spy on individuals and if it was done lawfully.

Observing that concerns have been raised by journalists and others over violation of privacy in the Pegasus row, the top court had said it was not interested in knowing the details related to national security.

The Centre maintained it did not wish to file a detailed affidavit on whether a particular software is used or not as it was not a matter for public discussion and will not be in the "larger national interest".

The law officer had contended that the disclosure whether the country was using a particular software or not may cause harm and alert all potential targets, including terror groups.

"We had to have your affidavit to understand your stand. We do not want to say anything further, the court had told Mehta, adding that if a spyware is used by the government then it has to be as per the procedure established by the law.

The law officer had said the government has nothing to hide and that is why the Centre has on its own said it will constitute a committee of domain experts who will look into the allegations and report to the court.

I am not averse to certain individuals claiming invasion of privacy. This is serious and must be gotten into. The question is whether it is Pegasus or something. Our stand is putting this into an affidavit will not serve national interest... Hence allow us to form a committee of domain experts without the government members, Mehta had added.

The apex court was hearing a batch of pleas, including senior journalists N Ram and Sashi Kumar along with the Editors Guild of India, seeking independent probe into the alleged Pegasus snooping matter.

The pleas seeking independent probe are related to reports of alleged snooping by government agencies on eminent citizens, politicians and scribes by using Israeli firm NSO's spyware Pegasus.

An international media consortium had reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.

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New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday (October 27) called Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the most successful administrator India has ever had since independence.

He said that Modi has taken India into a different trajectory in terms of poverty eradication, economic development, national security and foreign policy.

Shah was addressing a conference on Delivering Democracy: Reviewing two decades of Narendra Modi as head of government.

Modi first became chief minister of Gujarat two decades ago without having any administrative experience and proved himself as a successful administrator despite facing a difficult situation at that time, Shah was quoted as saying by PTI.

He said that during the Manmohan Singh government, there was a policy paralysis everywhere and that every member of the cabinet thought themselves as the prime minister while the "prime minister was not considered as prime minister".

There was no national security policy. India's honour had been lost. There were scams of Rs 12 lakh crore and an impression had been created that Indian democracy will collapse, he said.

When the Modi government came in 2014, people started thinking that now things would improve, the system would improve, he added.

Shah said India's problems are not just of the administration or economic development but its honour has to be protected, the country's culture should be preserved and its security should be ensured.

For this one has to have a different kind of approach which only a popular leader can have. That leader has to be rooted to the ground and has to know the pain of the poor. Poorest of the poor must get the benefits of development, he said.

Even though Narendra Modi considers himself as the 'pradhan sewak', I can say with conviction that he is the most successful administrator the country ever had after independence. He took India to a different level, Shah said.

Referring to a series of decisions taken by the Modi government in the last seven years, Shah said when demonetisation was announced in 2016, they knew that there was a risk as the Uttar Pradesh assembly election was due but people stood behind Modi and supported the decision.

The people realised that it was announced to check black money and Modi had no other intentions, he said.

The home minister said the law against Triple Talaq, one rank and one pension and creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff were all difficult decisions.

After the anti-terror surgical and air strikes, a message has gone out to the whole world that no one can play any game with India's border.

You can see it as a bold decision of Narendra Modi or you can see it as a decision of national security. It is a significant move, he said.

Shah said there was no proper national security policy prior to the Modi government and it was always under the shadow of foreign policy.

But Narendra Modi has clearly separated the national security policy from the foreign policy. We made it clear that we want friendship but we will not accept any aggression on our sovereignty, he said.

With the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, the home minister said, Jammu and Kashmir has been completely integrated with the union of India, not a single riot has taken place anywhere in the country and there has been no murmur after the Supreme Court decision on Ram Janmabhoomi.

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New Delhi: Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Panchayati Raj Minister Upendra Tiwari on Tuesday (October 26) said that the PM is not an ordinary person but an "incarnation of the Almighty, as per ANI report.

Addressing the "Swachh Bharat" seminar as part of the Amrit Mahotsav in Hardoi, Tiwari said, Narendra Bhai Modi is no ordinary person. He is an incarnation of the Almighty.

Hitting out at the opposition, the UP minister said, "They made a coalition in 2019. The `Bua` (aunt) and `Bhatija` (nephew) who did not want to see each other formed the coalition. 24 such parties formed a `Mahagatbandhan` (grand alliance). They had only a single agenda that is `Modi hatao` (remove Prime Minister Narendra Modi)."

Uttar Pradesh will witness high-profile Assembly elections next year. Tiwari said that with the upcoming polls, all the leaders of the state and across the country will visit temples.

His statement comes in the wake of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday visiting Ayodhya to offer prayers to Ram Lalla at the Ram Janmabhoomi site. He also visited the Hanuman Garhi temple and took part in the Maha Aarti on the bank of the river Sarayu.

"Not only Kejriwal, now all the leaders of Uttar Pradesh and the country will start visiting temples because 2022 (elections) is coming. Then they will have no problem with Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman. They should visit. I want to congratulate that he (Kejriwal) has at least gone to visit Ram Mandir, he added.

BJP is vying for a second term in the state with the Opposition hell-bent on defeating the saffron party.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the 16th East Asia Summit to be held virtually on Wednesday (October 27, 2021). The East Asia Summit is the premier Leaders-led forum in the Indo-Pacific.

Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic and geopolitical evolution of East Asia. Apart from the 10 ASEAN Member states, East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Russia.

India, being a founding member of the East Asia Summit, is committed to strengthening the East Asia Summit and making it more effective for dealing with contemporary challenges. It is also an important platform for furthering practical cooperation in the Indo-Pacific by building upon the convergence between ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and Indo-Pacific Ocean's Initiative (IPOI).

At the 16th East Asia Summit, leaders will discuss matters of regional and international interest and concern including maritime security, terrorism, Covid-19 cooperation. Leaders are also expected to accept declarations on Mental Health, Economic recovery through Tourism, and Green Recovery, which are being co-sponsored by India, the PMO said.

Meanwhile, the PM will also attend the 18th ASEAN-India Summit to be held virtually on Wednesday, at the invitation of the Sultan of Brunei. The Summit will be attended by Heads of State/Government of the ASEAN Countries.

A PMO release stated that the 18th ASEAN-India Summit will review the status of the ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership and take stock of progress made in key areas including Covid-19 & Health, Trade & Commerce, Connectivity, and Education & Culture. Important regional and international developments including post-pandemic economic recovery will also be discussed.

ASEAN-India Summits are held annually and provide an opportunity for India and ASEAN to engage at the highest level. Prime Minister attended the 17th ASEAN-India Summit held virtually in November last year. 18th ASEAN-India Summit will be the ninth ASEAN-India Summit to be attended by him.

ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership stands on a strong foundation of shared geographical, historical, and civilizational ties. ASEAN is central to our Act East Policy and our wider vision of the Indo-Pacific.

"The year 2022 will mark 30 years of ASEAN-India relations. India and ASEAN have several dialogue mechanisms which meet regularly, including a Summit, Ministerial meetings and Senior Officials' meetings. External Affairs Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar attended the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting and EAS Foreign Ministers'' Meeting in August 2021 virtually.

Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Anupriya Patel attended the ASEAN Economic Ministers and India Consultations held virtually in September 2021 where the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen economic cooperation,'' PMO said.

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Lahore: Pakistani journalist Aroosa Alam, who is currently in the limelight for her close relationship with former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, had said that she is ready to face any probe by Indian agencies for her alleged links with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Alam also refuted the allegations against her as outrageous and utterly disappointing.

It may be noted that Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, a close aide of Captain Singh, had last week said that a probe would be carried out to ascertain whether Aroosa Alam has links with the notorious Pakistani spy agency.

"I am ready to cooperate with the central agencies of India if they are opening any probe on the issue. India can even engage third-country investigators to probe the baseless propaganda against me, Alam was quoted as saying by PTI.

"Some 16 years ago when I was first refused an Indian visa over some reasons, the Indian government had conducted such an investigation and subsequently a visa was issued to me, she said.

The 67-year-old Pakistani journalist said that she last visited India in November and Amarinder Singh is still her good friend. "Despite this controversy, Captain Sahib is still my good friend, she said. She mocked what kind of raaz (secret) the ISI had through her. The allegations are simply outrageous and utterly disappointing, she fumed.

On Randhawa's statement that a probe would be carried out to ascertain whether she has links with the ISI, Alam said, Linking me with the ISI can be a brainchild of Navjot Singh Sidhu's chief strategist (Mohd) Mustafa. He might have advised Sidhu to play an ISI card after badly losing his bid to become the chief minister. The ISI card sells well in India.

She also questioned the jurisdiction of Randhawa to claim that he would probe her links with the ISI. Randhawa does not know his jurisdiction. However, if he wants to investigate me, he is most welcome, Alam said. Randhawa had claimed that Amarinder Singh has been friends with Alam for years, she stayed in India for many years and her visa was extended by the Centre from time to time.

"Aroosa was in India for four-and-a-half years and her visa was also extended from time to time. Why did Delhi not cancel her visa? Why did she leave India when we went against Amarinder Singh?" he recently asked, referring to developments in the Punjab Congress last month.

Amarinder Singh had hit back at the Congress leader, saying Randhawa is now resorting to personal attacks. "What I'm worried about @Sukhjinder_INC is that instead of focusing on maintaining law and order at a time when terror threat is high and festivals are around the corner, you've put @DGP Punjab Police on a baseless investigation at the cost of Punjab's safety," he said.

Alam, who remained a member of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) and vice-president of the National Press Club (Islamabad), further said she is no longer active in journalism.

"Since Capt Amarinder Singh intends to form his own party and may seek an alliance with BJP, there has been mourning in the ranks of Congress, which is a deeply divided house. Sidhu wanted to be the chief minister and he had told the party leadership not to make Randhawa chief minister, she claimed.

(With Agency Inputs)

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Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede on Wednesday recorded his statement for more than four hours before a team headed by NCB Deputy Director General (northern region) Gyaneshwar Singh in connection with the departmental vigilance probe into allegations of extortion in the drugs-on-cruise case in which Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan was arrested earlier this month.

Singh said the NCB team collected some crucial documents of the case from the (western) zone office. "Taking ahead the investigation we recorded statement of Sameer Wankhede for four-and-a-half-hours during which he has shared many things before the team. We will collect some more documents from him in the coming time, and if required, we will get more information from him," Singh told media persons.

Wankhede's statement was recorded at the NCB's office in Ballard Estate in south Mumbai and the CRPF mess in suburban Bandra.

When asked whether Wankhede will continue to probe the cruise drugs seizure case, Singh said, "let the investigation go ahead. If I have something concrete then only I will be able to submit a report to my DG".

He also appealed to K P Gosavi, the absconding witness of NCB in the cruise drugs case, and Prabhakar Sail, another independent witness in the case, to join the enquiry.

"If they had any complaints or allegations they can approach us and record their statements," he said.

Sail had alleged that he had overheard Gosavi speaking over the phone about the Rs 25 crore demand out of which "Rs 8 crore are to be given to Sameer Wankhede".

Responding to a query, Singh said, "We want to conduct an impartial and independent inquiry and that's why we chose different locations for camping rather than the NCB zonal office".

This is an independent place and they (witnesses) can discuss their complaints without any fear before the special team, he said while referring to the CRPF facility in Bandra. "Gosavi and Sail can join the investigation tomorrow or a day after tomorrow and share whatever they want to with the Special Enquiry Team, preferably in the first half of the day," Singh said.

He said the NCB had requested its South West region office to serve notices to the key witnesses- Sail and Gosavi. "An NCB team tried to serve notices to both the witnesses, but found the residence of one of them locked while the other witness cannot be contacted," the DDG said.

Singh said the NCB tried its best to contact Sail and Gosavi on their phone numbers and at the residential addresses as per NCB record, but couldn't contact them. "Through the media, I would like to request them, wherever they are, that they are free to join and submit the evidence, if any, before the Special Inquiry Team, which is camping at the CRPF Mess in Bandra," he said.

On Wednesday morning, a five-member vigilance probe team of the NCB landed in Mumbai and started its probe. They collected some documents and recordings from the NCB office at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai.

DDG Singh is heading the departmental vigilance probe into allegations of extortion. "All the material witnesses in the probe will be called to record their statements, I will not take the name of any individual," Singh added.

The NCB has ordered a vigilance inquiry into the claims made by Sail in the cruise drugs case of an extortion bid of Rs 25 crore by some agency officials, including Sameer Wankhede.

Earlier in the day, a large number of media persons were present outside the NCB's office when Singh arrived.

Wankhede, who is leading the probe in the cruise drugs case, visited the NCB's headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday and spent over two hours.

Sources earlier said the inquiry will also look at the aspect of Gosavi who was spotted near Aryan Khan after the raids, and the procedures followed by the sleuths while entrusting the custody of all the accused arrested on October 3 from the international cruise terminal in Mumbai.

Photos and videos of Gosavi with Aryan Khan have gone viral on social media and other news platforms.

The role of all the officers and witnesses involved in the case will be probed and it will be recorded if they followed the NCB manual and procedures mentioned in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act during such operations, they said.

Wankhede on Sunday wrote to Mumbai Police commissioner Hemant Nagrale, seeking protection from likely legal action "being planned" against him by unknown persons to falsely frame him concerning an alleged vigilance-related issue.

On Monday, he failed to get any relief related to an affidavit on the sensational extortion claims made by Sail, with a special court saying it cannot pass a blanket order barring courts from taking cognisance of the document.

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Chandigarh: Slamming the state government for its repeated denial of any serious security issues, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said there was something wrong and dangerous happening at the borders, which the state could ill-afford to ignore.

He trashed allegations that the Border Security Force (BSF) would take over the state's administration or will be deployed in the Golden Temple, and said such misconceptions were being spread by certain people to score brownie points in the run-up to the Assembly elections.

"The BSF is here for helping maintain national security as we are a border state," he said, calling for full support by the state to the Centre in the interest of national security.

Addressing a press conference here, Amarinder Singh said he was not an alarmist but his experience in the Indian Army and as chief minister of the state told him that "something is going to happen".

"Yet a home minister who has been in his chair for one month claims to know more than me!" he quipped, taking a dig at Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.

"Sleeper cells of the Pak ISI and Khalistani forces are creating trouble, technology is becoming more advanced. The capacity and range of drones is increasing, first they came in just 5-6 kms from the border, now they reach 31 kms," he pointed out.

"We have to be very careful of the clandestine war from across the borders," he added.

It was the duty of every responsible government to tackle such threats, Amarinder Singh stressed, countering those who mock his concerns over national security. The state government, he said, should put the facts before the people and take their help in getting information instead of denying the danger.

It should own up and take necessary action to combat the threat, he said, adding that even at the all-party meeting held on the issue, it seems the political parties were not properly briefed.

While Punjab Police was a first class and well-trained force, they were, however, not trained to combat such threats, said the former Chief Minister, asserting they need the help of the BSF and the CRPF to tackle the problem.

He pointed out that even in the days of terrorism, the army was helping out and nobody took over the state government`s job. The BSF`s assistance was essential to maintaining peace in Punjab, he said, adding the state has been through tough times and nobody wants it to suffer again.

Live TV
New Delhi: Five people died and several were injured on Tuesday (October 26) after a blast at a firecracker shop in Sankarapuram town in Kallakurichi district in Tamil Nadu.

"At least five persons, suspected to be owner and workers, at the firecracker shop put up in Sankarapuram ahead of Diwali, were killed," a senior police officer was quoted as saying by PTI.

The five people, who were wounded in the blast, were admitted to the Kallakurichi government hospital, the official added.

#UPDATE | Tamil Nadu: Earlier visuals of the fire incident at a firecracker shop in Sankarapuram town of Kallakurichi district, where five people lost their lives. pic.twitter.com/POoNh4dH19  ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2021

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin took to Twitter to express grief and announce an ex gratia of Rs five lakh each for the kin of the deceased. While for those wounded in the fire will be provided with a cash relief of Rs 1 lakh.

"I was deeply saddened to learn that five people were killed in a fire at a firecracker shop in Sankarapuram, Kallakurichi district. Rs 5 lakh each for the victims; Rs 1 lakh each for those in intensive care would be delivered from the #CMRF fund," Stalin tweeted.

Fire tenders from Sankarapuram and Kallakurichi were rushed to the spot as the sudden blast leading to the explosion of the firecrackers caused a panic in the town, PTI reported.

Further investigation into the matter is underway.

(With agency inputs)

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Panaji (Goa): Calling the trial court's judgement in the Tarun Tejpal case "retrograde" and "fit for fifth century", the Goa government told the Bombay High Court's bench in the state on Wednesday (October 27) that the victim in the 2013 rape case was named and shamed. The trial court had acquitted journalist Tarun Tejpal. The Goa bench of the High Court, comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and M S Jawalkar, later adjourned the hearing into the matter till November 16. It is then that the HC will hear Tejpal's application challenging the maintainability of the state government's appeal against his acquittal in the case.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, representing the Goa government, stated before the bench that the prosecutrix (woman) was "named and shamed". He also termed the judgment of the trial court as "retrograde" and "fit for fifth century". Justice Dere said "in not just this case, but in all the cases of rape, we will not allow lawyers to read the evidence, we will read it ourselves". She said a lawyer can point out the page number while submitting about the evidence.

On May 21 this year, a sessions court acquitted Tejpal, the former editor-in-chief of the Tehelka magazine, in the case where he was accused of sexually assaulting his then colleague in a lift of a five-star hotel in Goa in November 2013 when they were attending an event. Later, the Goa government filed an appeal against it in the HC. The matter came up before the HC's division bench on Wednesday when Tejpal's lawyer Amit Desai submitted to the court to consider two applications filed by him.

Also read: Commuters filmed videos as woman was raped on train in US: Report

Tejpal has challenged the maintainability of the Goa government's appeal against his acquittal in the case. Desai said the permission to file application (challenging the session court's order) was not granted by the state government to the public prosecutor on the day when it was filed. He also said that they have filed an application for 'in-camera' hearing into the matter, which Mehta opposed. The bench will hear later Tejpal's application seeking in-camera hearing into the matter. The hearing today was held in virtual mode.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi: Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) have been embroiled in a war of words exchanging one barb after another ahead of the 2022 Goa Assembly polls.

In a fresh salvo, comparing TMC to BJP, All India Congress Committee (AICC) Goa in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao accused Mamata Banerjees party of indulging in unethical politics by distributing cash to people.

Rao alleged that TMC is using money power" in the state to "buy votes". Trinamool means grass-root politics. Trinamool means to come from below. But in Goa, they are landing on choppers, with money, trying to poach and defect people from other parties especially Congress. This is not from the grass-root. I respect them but what they are doing here is what the BJP does. They are coming with huge money power and trying to buy peoples` votes. They are offering money to people, trying to poach people. What kind of grass-root politics is TMC practising? They are practising the most unethical politics. It is completely unhealthy," ANI quoted the Congress leader as saying.

Further, commenting on a possible alliance between TMC and Congress before the Goa polls next year, Rao said, They are making an attempt (for alliance). I don`t know why they have come there (Goa) and for what purpose. The way they are going is something that I would say is not good democracy."

TMC earlier announced that it will contest all 40 Goa Assembly seats alone.

Attacking TMC, Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala had said, "Congress has fought the Narendra Modi-government continuously for the last seven years without bowing down and repressing. We accept our responsibility. We have suffered many atrocities and the Election department of the Modi government i.e. ED, CBI and IT continuously attacked but we endured. Sometimes small political parties get nervous but we do not have any hatred for them and we are still with them. TMC had contested assembly elections in Goa even 5 years ago but then disappeared. Isn`t it election tourism? But such parties look inside themselves and see if they are not supporting BJP."

Meanwhile, TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will begin her two-day visit to Goa on October 28. In a tweet on October 23, ahead of her maiden visit Banerjee had said, "Together, we will usher in a new dawn for Goa by forming a new govt that will truly be a govt of the people of Goa and committed to realising their aspirations.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has called a meeting of state Health Ministers on Wednesday to discuss the progress of COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign in the country.

A top source with the Union Ministry of Health said the meeting has been called to scale up vaccine administration across the country. The Centre had on Saturday asked the States and Union Territories (UTs) to speed up the vaccination programme with focus on second Covid-19 vaccine doses across the country.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will chair a meeting with the state health ministers today to discuss ramping up the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the country. (File Pic) pic.twitter.com/72WpX2TFnf  ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

The decision has come in the backdrop of the country achieving the milestone of administering 100 crore doses on October 21. The Centre has planned to vaccinate all eligible population by the end of 2021 under the mass vaccination programme.

The Centre has asked the states and UTs to improve the pace of vaccination and increase the coverage. Indias Covid-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 102.94 crore as per provisional reports till 7 AM on Tuesday which has been achieved through 1,02,28,502 sessions.

A total of 64,75,733 vaccine doses have been administered in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, India continues to show declining trends on the daily Covid caseload trajectory. On Tuesday, India reported 12,428 fresh Covid cases which is the lowest in the last 238 days. The active caseload remains below the two lakh mark and is currently at 1,62,661 which is the lowest in 241 days.

At present, active cases constitute 0.48 per cent of the country`s total positive cases which is the lowest since March 2020.

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New Delhi: Congress chief Sonia Gandhi dialed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday (October 26) amid row in the grand alliance in Bihar.

Speaking to ANI, Yadav said that he told Sonia Gandhi to form a strong alternative to BJP at the national level politics. I spoke to Sonia Gandhi. She asked me about my well-being and whereabouts. I said, I'm fine, your party is an all India party so get all like-minded people and parties together to form a strong alternative (to ruling party) and call a meeting of all people, the RJD chief was quoted as saying by the news agency.

I spoke to Sonia Gandhi. She asked me about my well-being & whereabouts. I said, I'm fine, your party is an all India party so get all like-minded people & parties together to form a strong alternative (to ruling party) & call a meeting of all people: RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav pic.twitter.com/LfibpAOUdM  ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

The telephonic conversation comes in the wake of Congress and RJD breaking off the alliance ahead of the by-polls in Kusheshwar Asthan (SC) and Tarapur Assembly constituencies in Bihar to be held on October 30.

Attacking Congress, Lalu Yadav had earlier said that RJDs candidates would lose their deposit in the bypolls if they continue to be in alliance with the grand old party in the state.

Changing tune on Tuesday, the RJD chief said that his party has always supported Congress in every situation.

The RJD and the Congress had fought the 2020 Bihar Assembly polls as coalition partners. RJD emerged as the single-largest party with 75 seats, while Congress bagged 19 of the 70 seats it had contested in the 243-seat Bihar Legislative Assembly.

Meanwhile, Lalu Prasad Yadav said on Tuesday he would ensure the "visarjan" of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the ruling NDA in Bihar as he will be campaigning at Kusheshwar Asthan (SC) and Tarapur by-elections. "I was unwell and was in detention because of which I missed two elections, but now bye-elections are happening and I have managed to come back because of people's love," the former Bihar CM added.

Yadav has returned to Bihar after over three years. Earlier in April this year, the Jharkhand High Court had granted bail to RJD supremo, who was undergoing treatment at Ranchi`s Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences for two years. He was shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi in January.

(With agency inputs)

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Indian Navy Recruitment 2021: The Indian Navy is seeking applications for over 300 vacancies for sailor posts under Matric Recruit (MR). Interested and eligible candidates can apply by visiting Indian Navy's official website, joinindiannavy.gov.in,

Candidates with a minimum of 10th can apply for enrolment as sailors. Interested applicants can apply for the post of Sailor for Matric Recruit (MR) online by November 2, 2021.

Indian Navy Recruitment 2021: Application and selection process

Candidates can then fill out the application form for the post and attach all the required documents online at the official website. The selection of the candidates will be on the basis of Written Test and Physical Fitness Test.

It will be a state-wide selection process and around 1500 candidates will be called in to appear for the tests. The cut-off marks will be released as per the state.

Indian Navy Recruitment 2021: Education qualification

Candidates who have cleared Class 10 from Boards of School Education recognized by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, can apply for the post.

Indian Navy Recruitment 2021: Here's how to apply

* Register yourself on joinindiannavy.gov.in

*Login with the registered email id and click on the current opportunities. Click on the Apply Button.

* Fill up the form upload all required documents scanned in original

* A good quality photograph with blue background should be uploaded.

* Click on submit

* Take a printout for future reference



Indian Navy Recruitment 2021: Salary

As per the official notification, the stipend during the initial training period will be Rs 14,600 per month. After the initial training period, the candidate will be placed in Level 3 of the Defence Pay Matrix (Rs. 21,700- Rs.69,100). In addition, they will be paid a total of Rs. 5200/- per month plus DA.

Indian Navy Recruitment 2021: Age criteria

Age limit- Candidates should be born between April 1, 2002, and September 30, 2005.
New Delhi: MBA graduates who are interested to work for Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) need to hurry up as the registration process is going to end in a couple of weeks. The TCS' Management Hiring initiative is looking for management graduates who can join the firm in the next financial year, ie FY 2022-23.

Check all the details below.

TCS Recruitment 2021: Who can apply?

Students of batch 2020, 2021 and 2022 passing out batch can apply.

TCS Recruitment 2021: Eligibility?

-- 2 Years Full-Time MBA/MMS/ PGDBA/PGDM/ Course - Marketing / Finance / Operations / Supply Chain Management / Information Technology / General Management / Business Analytics / Project Management.

-- B TECH / BE background prior to MBA / Integrated MBA is a must.

-- Minimum aggregate (aggregate of all subjects in all semesters) marks of 60% or above in each of Class X, Class XII, Diploma (if applicable), Graduation and/or Post Graduation examination which includes successful completion of final year/semester.

-- The overall academic gap, if any, should not exceed 2 years. It is mandatory for students to declare gaps in education. If yes, students should provide valid reasons supported by Document proof.

TCS Recruitment 2021: Test details?

The test will consist of 47 questions that have to be answered in 90 minutes. It comprises the following sections: Verbal Aptitude (7 Questions), Quantitative Aptitude (20 Questions) and Business Aptitude (20 Questions).

TCS Recruitment 2021: Age limit?

The minimum age is 18 years and the maximum age is 28 years.

TCS Recruitment 2021: How to apply?

Log in to the TCS Next Step Portal

Register and apply for the TCS MBA Hiring

If you are a registered user, log in and proceed to complete the application form. Upon submission, kindly click on Apply For Drive

If you are a new user, kindly click on Register Now, choose category as IT and proceed to fill your details. Submit your application form and click on Apply For Drive

Select your mode of the test as 'Remote' and click on Apply

To confirm your status, check Track Your Application. The status should reflect as Applied for Drive.

TCS Recruitment 2021: Last date to apply?

Interested and eligible candidates can apply till November 9, 2021. The date of the test, however, has not been announced yet.

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New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Medical Services Recruitment Board (TN MRB) has reopened the application process for the recruitment of assistant medical officers. Interested candidates can apply on the official website of TN MRB at mrbonline.in/.

The revised deadline to apply for the posts is November 10, 2021. The recruitment drive will fill a total of 173 vacancies.

Vacancy details:

Assistant Medical Officer (Siddha): 112 posts

Assistant Medical Officer (Ayurveda): 5 posts

Assistant Medical Officer (Homoeopathy): 13 posts

Assistant Medical Officer / Lecturer Grade-II (Yoga and Naturopathy): 35 posts

Assistant Medical Officer (Unani): 8 posts

In an official order notified on October 26, TN MRB said, Applications are invited only through online mode up to 10.11.2021 for Direct Recruitment to the post of Assistant Medical Officer (Siddha, Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Unani, Yoga and Naturopathy) on temporary basis in Tamil Nadu Medical Service. Candidates who had already applied and paid the fee amount as per the earlier Notification dated:14.08.2020 need not apply again.

Selection process:

Candidates will have to appear for a test which will be conducted in computer-based format in November.

The question paper will be set in Tamil only and will contain 200 objective questions each. There will be no negative mark for the wrong answer, the official notification added.

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Mumbai: Equity benchmark Sensex tumbled 207 points on Wednesday, weighed by losses in Axis Bank, Reliance Industries and Bajaj Finance amid a weak trend in global markets.

The 30-share index ended 206.93 points or 0.34 per cent lower at 61,143.33. Similarly, the NSE Nifty fell 57.45 points or 0.31 per cent to 18,210.95.

Axis Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, tanking over 6 per cent, followed by Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, IndusInd Bank, HUL and Tata Steel.

On the other hand, Asian Paints, Sun Pharma, Infosys, SBI and UltraTech Cement were among the gainers.

Markets traded on a lacklustre note, tracking mixed cues. Initially, weak Asian markets were weighing on the sentiments and mixed trend across sectors kept the participants guessing as the session progressed, said Ajit Mishra, VP - Research, Religare Broking.

A sharp dip in select index majors from banking, metal and energy sectors pushed the benchmark lower in the final hour, he noted.

"Markets are closely watching earnings for cues and we'll see the reaction to the numbers of select index majors in early trade on Thursday. Besides, volatility is expected to remain high due to the scheduled monthly derivatives expiry," Mishra added.

Elsewhere in Asia, bourses in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul ended with losses.

Stock exchanges in Europe were also trading on a negative note in mid-session deals.

Meanwhile, international oil benchmark Brent crude slumped 1.09 per cent to USD 84.72 per barrel.

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New Delhi: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday adjourned the bail hearing in the cruise party drugs case. The court will continue hearing the pleas of Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchant, Munmun Dhamecha in the case tomorrow, October 28, 2021.

The single-judge bench adjourned the hearing of bail applications filed by Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchantt and Munmun Dhamecha for Thursday when NCB will present its arguments. Justice Sambre said the matter will be heard after 2.30 pm tomorrow.

On Wednesday Aryan Khan's counsel Mukul Rohatgi, co-accused Arbaaz Merchant's lawyer Amit Desai and advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh who appeared for Munmun Dhamecha completed their arguments.

After the hearing which went on for over two hours, Justice Sambre said he would hear Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, who is representing the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), on Thursday. "Tomorrow we will try to finish it," the judge said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the NCB opposed the bail plea filed by actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan, who was arrested earlier this month in the cruise drugs seizure case, alleging the 23-year-old was not just a consumer of drugs but also involved in illicit drug trafficking, according to PTI.

The agency also claimed that Aryan Khan and a woman named Pooja Dadlani, Shah Rukh Khan's manager, were tampering with the evidence and witnesses in the case in an attempt to derail the investigation.

On the other side, Aryan Khan's advocates submitted to the HC an additional note, stating that he has nothing to do with the allegations and counter-allegations that are being circulated between the NCB's zonal director Sameer Wankhede and certain political personalities.

The NCB on Tuesday filed its affidavit in response to the bail plea filed by Aryan Khan in the HC.

Aryan Khan was arrested on October 3, 2021, by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) along with his friend Arbaaz Merchant (26) and fashion model Munmun Dhamecha (28). The trio is presently in judicial custody. While Aryan Khan and Merchant are lodged at the Arthur Road prison in central Mumbai, Dhamecha is at the Byculla women's prison.

A special court, designated to hear cases related to the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), refused to grant them bail noting that "they were part of the conspiracy".

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: For the past few days rumours are rife that Bollywoods power couple Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal will be getting hitched by the end of this year. It added more fuel to fire apparently when the duo was clicked at a celebrity manager Reshma Shetty's office on Tuesday night and later were seen exiting the venue in separate cars.

But now Katrina has completely shunned the reports and also gave a valid reason for such speculations.

While talking to BollywoodLife, Katrina said, There is no truth to news of her and Vicky getting married this year.

She even shared the reason behind such rumours, as she believes, Thats a question I have for the last 15 years.

Not only that, it was also stated that the star couple has roped in ace fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee to design their wedding outfits.

Earlier to this, Katrina and Vickys engagement rumour flooded the internet, sending fans into a tizzy. However, turns out it was only a rumour with no truth to back it.

After the Roka ceremony rumour hit social media, Katrinas spokesperson denied the news while talking to Zoom TV.

Recently, Vicky was seen greeting Katrina with a hug at the premiere of his latest film 'Sardar Udham' and fans cannot stop gushing over them.

The video was shared on Instagram by a fan and showed Vicky and Katrina sharing a warm hug. Even Kat was seen heaping praises at him on social media.

For the unversed, the rumours regarding the couple dating have been doing the rounds for quite some time now. Although none of them has officially confirmed their relationship yet.

The rumour about Katrina and Vicky first started when at Koffee With Karan's last season in 2019, where the former replied to host Karan Johar's one of the questions by saying that she thinks she will look good with Vicky.

On the work front, Vicky was last in the film Sardar Udham' which was released on October 16 on Amazon Prime.
New Delhi: Late filmmaker Raj Kaushal left for heavenly abode on June 30. His family, friends, and colleagues have been recalling his memories on certain occasions. Now, producers of his last directorial 'Akkad Bakkad Rafu Chakkar' have decided to release the project on November 3 on Amazon Prime Video. Isn't it the best way to keep Raj's work and memories alive?

Speaking more about 'Akkad Bakkad Rafu Chakkar', the web series stars Vicky Arora, Anuj Rampal, Swati Semwal, Mohan Agashe, Shishir Sharma, and Manish Chaudhari.

On Wednesday, the makers unveiled the official teaser of the project. In the teaser, Bhargav Sharma (played by Vicky Arora) and his friends can be seen hatching a plan to open India's first fake bank and get people to deposit money in it and flee with the moolah.

The teaser has left fans intrigued.

"It looks so promising," an Instagram user commented.

"Super impressed. Can't wait to watch it," another one wrote.

For the unversed, Raj was 49 when he died of a heart attack months ago.
Mumbai: Mumbai Police recorded the statement of independent witness Prabhakar Sail for over eight hours in connection with his allegation of an extortion attempt by NCB officials in the drugs seizure case involving Aryan Khan, an official said on Wednesday.

Sail appeared before the city police on Tuesday evening and the process of recording his statement was completed at around 3 am on Wednesday, he said.

After recording his statement, Sail left the office of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Azad Maidan, early on Wednesday, the official said.

He has been provided protection by the city police in the wake of revelations he made in his application, the official said.

On Tuesday, Sail's lawyer Tushar Khandare claimed that his client was "misused" during the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) raid on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast earlier this month during which drugs were allegedly seized and Aryan Khan, actor Shah Rukh Khan's son, was arrested.

The city police on Tuesday said they received four applications alleging extortion by NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede and other officials, and have launched an enquiry to verify these claims.

One of the applications was sent by Sail, who had alleged that he overheard K P Gosavi, another witness in the cruise ship raid case, talking to one Sam D'Souza over the phone about a demand of Rs 25 crore including Rs 8 crore for Sameer Wankhede, police said.

Wankhede, the IRS officer who visited the NCB office in Delhi on Tuesday, has denied the allegations.

A police official earlier said they will verify claims made by Sail.

Police teams are also verifying locations of mobile phone numbers as well as CCTV footages of various places mentioned in Sail's application, he had said, adding that appropriate action will be taken after the enquiry.

The Mumbai Police have also received two applications against Maharashtra cabinet minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik an official earlier said without elaborating.

Malik has raised a string of allegations against Sameer Wankhede and also accused him of illegal phone tapping and forging his documents to secure job.

Sail on Tuesday said he stood by his allegation of extortion demand against Wankhede and others, and nobody had tutored him.
New Delhi: In the midst of a huge controversy around Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, his wife, Kranti Redkar Wankhede, who is also a Marathi actress, hits back at all the allegations. This comes after NCP leader and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik's claim that Wankhede is a Muslim by birth and his real name is 'Sameer Dawood Wankhede'.

Malik has also released what he claimed was the birth certificate of Sameer Wankhede and alleged that the latter had forged documents.

Slamming these allegations, Kranti told ANI, We never denied anything, but can't bear lies...Both of them belonged to different religions... and married under Special Marriage Act. We have legal documents, how is this forgery. It's clearly written here that he is a Hindu: Kranti, NCB officer Sameer Wankhede's wife

#WATCH | We never denied anything, but can't bear lies...Both of them belonged to different religions... and married under Special Marriage Act. We have legal documents, how is this forgery. It's clearly written here that he is a Hindu: Kranti, NCB officer Sameer Wankhede's wife pic.twitter.com/uSYd6pk4sJ  ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

However, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader not only claimed that the 'Nikah' between Sameer Dawood Wankhede and Sabana Qureshi was performed on December 7, 2006, at the Lokhand Wala complex in Mumbai's Andheri (west) but also shared the Nikah Nama in a tweet.

Photo of a Sweet Couple

Sameer Dawood Wankhede and Dr. Shabana Qureshi pic.twitter.com/kcWAHgagQy  Nawab Malik   (@nawabmalikncp) October 27, 2021

This is the 'Nikah Nama' of the first marriage of

'Sameer Dawood Wankhede' with Dr. Shabana Quraishi pic.twitter.com/n72SxHyGxe  Nawab Malik   (@nawabmalikncp) October 27, 2021

On the other hand, Wankhede's father refuted allegations of Nawab Malik about his religion. Malik had said Wankhede senior's real name is Dawood Wankhede and not Dnyandev Wankhede.

"I do not understand Urdu, hence I am not aware what my name was written in their documents (nikah nama). She (my late wife) might have mentioned my name as Dawood affectionately. People do call each other with different names out of love,? he told reporters quotes PTI.

He said all the government documents mentioned his name as Dnyandev Wankhede. "When the state government recruited me, they must have done some verification as well," he added.

Sameer Wankhede, who is probing actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan's drugs case, said he will fight Malik legally.

Wankhede had previously said that all the allegations are false and that he was being targeted and is ready for a probe into allegations against him.
New Delhi: Actress-model Sherlyn Chopra has reacted to Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband-businessman Raj Kundra filing a defamation suit of Rs 50 crore against her. Replying to the defamation notice, Sherlyn shared that she sent a notice to the couple seeking for Rs 75 crore for mental harassment.

Replying to the defamation notice, she stated that the suit is being used as a weapon to stifle the pursuit of justice. She further stated that 'threatened her with underworld.'

"Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty threatened me with underworld and now sent me defamation notice but I'll not get scared. I request police to record my statement so that cognizance can be taken of my complaint. I've sent reply notice asking for Rs 75 crore for mental harassment," says Sherlyn Chopra. For the unversed, Sherlyn Chopra had lodged a police complaint at the Juhu Police Station on October 14.

Earlier on October 19, Shilpa and Raj sent a legal notice to actor Sherlyn Chopra, seeking an apology and Rs 50 crore in damages for ruining their reputation by making 'false and baseless' allegations against them.

The legal notice, sent through their advocate Prashant Patil, has sought an unconditional public apology from Chopra in leading newspapers and on digital media platforms within seven days, failing which it warned of civil and criminal proceedings against the 37-year-old actor.

"Failing which my clients shall institute appropriate civil and criminal proceedings against you (Sherlyn Chopra) without further reference to you," the notice said. "The entire allegations made by Sherlyn Chopra against Raj Kundra and Ms Shilpa Shetty Kundra, are concocted, false, fake, frivolous, baseless, without any evidence, even to Sherlyn Chopra's knowledge and have been made with an ulterior motive to defame and extort money," it said. Both Raj Kundra and Sherlyn Chopra are accused in a pornographic content case.

In the first week of October, Sherlyn had filed a complaint at the Juhu police station in Mumbai against Shilpa and Raj, accusing the couple of committing fraud against her. In the complaint, she has also levelled allegations of harassment, cheating and criminal intimidation.
New Delhi: In what could be good news for Karnataka government employees, the state government, on Wednesday (October 27), announced a hike in the dearness allowance (DA) by 3%. With the latest revision, the state government employees will receive DA at the rate of 24.5 per cent of their basic pay, up from 21.5 per cent.

The latest DA hike is the second in the ongoing financial year. The State Finance Department has announced that the DA hike will come into effect retrospectively from July 1. This means that employees will receive DA arrears for the month of July, August, and September 2021.

Besides government employees, pensioners will also benefit from the move. The DA hike will apply to full-time government employees, employees of Zilla Panchayats, work-charged employees on regular time scales of pay, full-time employees of aided educational institutions and universities who are on regular time scales of pay. the department said in its official order.

Moreover, current and former employees on UGC/AICTE/ACAR scales of pay will also get the benefits of the hike, the state finance department added in its order. Overall, the latest DA hike is expected to benefit as many as six lakh employees, in addition to 4.5 lakh pensioners.

The Karnataka government's 3% DA hike has come after the Central government, early this month, announced the increase in dearness allowance and dearness relief of Central government employees and pensioners by 3%. The announcement was made by Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Anurag Singh Thakur. Also Read: Paytm IPO: Offer size increased to Rs 18,300 crore as Chinese investor plans to sell more stake

The central governments decision to increase the DA by 3% will put an annual burden of Rs 9,488 crore on the exchequer. Previously, the Central government had increased the DA and DR of its employees and pensioners from 17 per cent to 28 per cent. Also Read: Air India sale: Centre asks ministries, departments to clear dues, make payments for tickets

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New Delhi: The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has issued refunds of over Rs 1,02,952 crore to more than 77.92 lakh taxpayers from April 1 to October 25, the Income Tax Department said on Wednesday.

The department said the amount includes 46.09 lakh refunds of Assessment Year (AY) 2021-22 amounting to Rs 6,657.40 crores.

"CBDT issues refunds of over Rs 1,02,952 crore to more than 77.92 lakh taxpayers from April 1 to October 25. Income tax refunds of Rs 27,965 crore have been issued in 76,21,956 cases and corporate tax refunds of Rs 74,987 crore have been issued in 1,70,424cases," Income Tax Department tweeted.

Meanwhile, the direct taxes watchdog on September 22, had issued refunds of over Rs 74,158 crores to more than 45.25 lakh taxpayers between April 1 and September 20. Also Read: SBI Customers Alert: Bank introduces big change to ATM withdrawal process, check new rule

Then, Income tax refunds of Rs 18,873 crores were issued in 43,68,741 cases and corporate tax refunds of Rs 55,285 crores were issued in 1,55,920 cases.The amount at the time included 17.45 lakh refunds of AY 2021-22 amounting to Rs 1,350.4 crore. Also Read: Google to let you request to remove images from search results

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Chandigarh: A court in Punjab's Faridkot on Monday ordered the production of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, serving a life term in a Rohtak jail in Haryana, before it on October 29.

The Faridkot court issued the production warrant against Ram Rahim on a plea by the Punjab Police Special Investigation Team, seeking his custodial interrogation in a 2015 sacrilege case, involving the thefts of a copy of Guru Granth Sahib.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is currently lodged in Rohtak's Sunaria jail since his conviction in 2017 for raping two disciples. The SIT led by Inspector General SPS Parmar investigating the 2015 sacrilege cases, moved the court for the production warrant on Monday, said police sources.

The Dera Sacha Sauda chief had been named as an accused in FIR number 63 which pertains to the theft of a 'bir' (copy) of the Guru Granth Sahib from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala gurdwara.

Three more Dera committee members -- Harsh Dhuri, Sandeep Bareta and Pardeep Kler, too had been booked in this case but they are absconding.

On the Punjab and Haryana High Court orders, the CBI, in February this year, had handed over the documents and files of the case to the Punjab Police SIT.

The previous SAD-BJP government had handed over the three cases -- the theft of a ''bir'' (copy) of the Guru Granth Sahib from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala gurdwara, putting up of handwritten sacrilegious posters in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and throwing of torn pages of the holy book at Bargari -- to the CBI for the probe.

The Punjab government had handed over the probe to an SIT of the state police in September 2018 after the state assembly passed a resolution withdrawing the state's consent for the CBI probe on the grounds of lack of progress in the investigation.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 20-year imprisonment for raping two disciples. He is currently lodged in Rohtak's Sunaria jail. Over two years back, the sect head was also awarded life imprisonment for the murder of a journalist, Ram Chander Chhatrapati.

On October 18 this year, a special CBI court in Panchkula had sentenced Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four others to life imprisonment in the 19-year-old murder case of the sect manager Ranjit Singh.
Chandigarh: Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced the launch of his own political party, ahead of the Assembly elections slated for early next year. However, he said the name of the party, which could have an alliance with the BJP, would be announced later after consulting the Election Commission of India.

Amarinder Singh told the media here that he would be meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday regarding issues concerning the state. This would be his third meeting with him in recent days.

He also said that he will field his candidate against Navjot Singh Sidhu in the upcoming assembly polls. As far as Sidhu (Navjot Singh Sidhu) is concerned, wherever he fights from we will fight him, Captain Amarinder Singh said in Chandigarh.

As far as Sidhu (Navjot Singh Sidhu) is concerned, wherever he fights from we will fight him: Captain Amarinder Singh, in Chandigarh pic.twitter.com/kSW64DNQGv  ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

The former two-time Chief Minister favoured the deployment of the BSF up to 50 km of the India-Pakistan border, saying this was required for the security of the state. On his resignation from the Congress, he replied: "I have been in the Congress for the past 52 years. If I can`t resign for the next 10 days, what is the harm to it."

Earlier, responding to personal attacks by his former Congress colleagues, Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said: "From personal attacks they`ve now stooped to threats and harassment of my supporters in Patiala and elsewhere.

"Let me tell my rivals they can`t defeat me with such low-level political games. They will neither win votes nor people`s hearts with such tactics." He added, "Those who have stood by me have done so because they believe in and want to continue working for Punjab`s peace and development. They will not be scared away by such petty acts of intimidation or persecution. We will continue to fight for Punjab`s future."

Formally saying goodbye to the Congress which made him the Chief Minister of Punjab twice and the state party President thrice, an "upset" Amarinder Singh last week said that he would soon announce the launch of his own political party to serve the interests of the people, including the farmers who`ve been fighting for their rights for over a year now.

He also said he is hopeful of a seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP for next year`s Assembly elections in the state if the farmers` issues are resolved in their interest. When the time comes, we will fight all 117 seats, whether adjustment seats or we contest on our own, the former Punjab CM said.

When the time comes we will fight all 117 seats, whether adjustment seats or we contest on our own: Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh pic.twitter.com/0Foi9kmTO7  ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2021

He added that he would not rest until he can secure the future of his people and his state. After his resignation, Amarinder Singh held meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, triggering speculation he could join the BJP.

"Punjab needs political stability and protection from internal and external threats. I promise my people that I will do what it takes to ensure peace and security, which is today at stake," read an earlier tweet by Amarinder Singh.

Since his resignation as the Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh has been targeting state Congress President Navjot Sidhu by publically saying that he would fight his possible elevation to the Chief Ministership tooth and nail, and is ready to make any sacrifice to save the country from such a "dangerous man".

He has also claimed that the Gandhi siblings (Priyanka and Rahul) were "quite inexperienced" and "their advisors were clearly misguiding them". After months of infighting within the Congress, Amarinder Singh had submitted his resignation as Chief Minister on September 18.

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Chandigarh: Former Punjab chief minister and Congress stalwart Captain Amarinder Singh is most likely to launch a new political party on Wednesday.

According to sources close to the development, Amarinder Singh's new party will be called - the Punjab Lok Congress. A formal announcement in this regard is expected at a press conference called by the two-time former CM in Chandigarh today.

"The event will be telecast live on his Facebook page. Do tune in," Singh's media adviser Raveen Thukral had said in a tweet on Tuesday, extending an invite to the media.

.@capt_amarinder Singhs press conference wil be live streamed tomorrow at 11 am from Chandigarh on the following links :- https://t.co/FZjGRvQOzwhttps://t.co/6nkGr4Pao6  Raveen Thukral (@RT_Media_Capt) October 26, 2021

Possibly getting ready to formally say goodbye to the Congress which made him the Chief Minister of Punjab twice and the state party president thrice, an upset Amarinder Singh had last week said that he would soon announce the launch of his own political party to ''serve the interests of the people'', including the farmers who`ve been fighting for their rights for over a year now.

The former Chief Minister also said he is hopeful of a seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP for next year`s Assembly elections in the state, if the farmers` issues are resolved in their interest.

Without mincing words, Amarinder Singh added that he would not rest until he can secure the future of his people and his state.

"Punjab needs political stability and protection from internal and external threats. I promise my people that I will do what it takes to ensure peace and security, which is today at stake," read an earlier tweet, quoting Amarinder Singh.

Since his resignation as the Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh has been targeting state Congress President Navjot Sidhu by publically saying that he would fight his possible elevation to the chief ministership tooth and nail and is ready to make any sacrifice to save the country from such a dangerous man.

Singh has also claimed that the Gandhi siblings (Priyanka and Rahul) were "quite inexperienced" and "their advisors were clearly misguiding them". After months of infighting within the Congress, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had submitted his resignation on September 18.

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New Delhi: Bharti Airtel's CEO Gopal Vittal, on Wednesday (October 25), warned the telecom operators customers about the rising number of cyber-frauds in the country via email outreach, urging subscribers to be vigilant against such cases of cyber fraud that are becoming "alarmingly frequent".

He cited a recent incident wherein a scamster disguised as an Airtel executive tricked a user into revealing a customers bank details to transfer a huge amount of money. The fraudster had approached the customer under the guise of updating the Know Your Customer (KYC) form.

"Unfortunately, such instances of cyber fraud are now becoming alarmingly frequent. So, I urge you to be vigilant," Vittal said. He also mentioned that other common instances of fraud include fake UPI handles and websites and fake OTPs.

"There are several fake UPI apps and ecommerce websites which appear authentic in design through the usage of NPCI, BHIM words and logos. If you download one of these, you will be asked to enter all your bank details as well as your MPIN thereby granting the fraudster in question complete access to your bank details," Vittal wrote.

In his email, he also pointed out how customers can safeguard against these frauds. He advised customers not to share any financial or personal information such as their customer ID, MPIN, OTP over the phone, SMS or email to anyone.

He also added users should not follow instructions mentioned in SMSes sent from an untrusted source; delete such SMSes instantly; not open suspicious websites and apps nor fall prey to unbelievable offers or prices on such sites.

Do not share your personal and financial information with unknown apps claiming to be UPI apps, he said. He also urged customers not to provide any confidential information via email or click on any suspicious link, even if the request seems to be from authorities like the Income Tax Department, Visa or MasterCard, and others. Also Read: WhatsApp users alert! Now transfer WhatsApp chats from iOS to Pixel, Android 12 phones

"Do not open unexpected email attachments or instant message download links. Additionally, installing antivirus software will help. It scans every file you download and protects you from malicious files," he informed customers. Also Read: PolicyBazaar IPO announced: Check subscription date, price band and more
New Delhi: Indias top information and technology (IT) companies such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, Wipro and HCL, among others, are planning to hire more and more female freshers as part of their campus recruitment drives in a bid to improve gender diversity.

Overall, the top IT firms are planning to hire more than 60,000 women tech professionals in the ongoing financial year. The woman-first hiring plans of IT companies have come at a time when the participation of women in the workforce has continued to decrease.

According to World Bank, Indias female labour force participation rate (FLFPR) dropped to 20.8% in 2019. The FLFPR was about 30.27% in 1990. However, the recent initiatives by tech-first companies are expected to bring a change.

HCL Technologies recently said that about 60% of new employees that the company will hire from campuses will be women. Overall, the company is planning to hire about 22,000 freshers in the ongoing financial years.

On the other hand, TCS is planning to onboard 15,000-18,000 woman employees to its workforce that already employs 1.85 lakh workers. Similarly, other companies are aiming to hire about 50% of women candidates as part of their campus recruitment.

Nasscoms senior vice president Sangeeta Gupta had previously told ET that the IT industry is looking at enhancing women participation in the workforce as the demand for digital talent soars. IT firms are also exploring hybrid work models and skilling interventions, she added. Also Read: Airtel alert! CEO warns users of alarmingly frequent fraud cases, check how to stay safe

Meanwhile, TCS is planning to hire MBA graduates as part of its TCS' Management Hiring initiative. Fresh MBA graduates of batch 2020, 2021 and 2022 passing out batch can apply. Also Read: Sensex drops 207 points; Nifty ends below 18,250
New Delhi: The big daddy of all reality shows, Bigg Boss 15 is currently making news for its contestants turning violent during tasks and not following the rules. Well amid all of this, TV actor and host Karan Kundrra has been trending all over social media for mastermind thinking and strategies inside the house.

His relationship with his co-contestant Tejasswi Prakash has also been making the headlines. Their fans have started liking their chemistry and have started calling them Tejran lovingly.

But now, a recent interview of an eliminated contestant from the show Donal Bisht has sparked a controversy.

During an interview with VJ Andy, Donal made certain revelations which were hard to believe but has also made things quite clear infront of everyone.

According to her, the Bigg Boss used to call Jay Bhanushali, Karan Kundrra, Simba Nagpal and Akasa Singh to confession room and when they used to ask reason for it, they used to always end up saying personal issue.

She also shared that once Karan was extremely worried when he came out of the confession room and was thinking something for quite sometime but could say anything.

And so she also thinks, TejRan is a concept which could have been created by the makers in order to grab the attention of the audience.

For the unversed, recently Tejasswi confessed her feelings for Karan. Later, the duo promises to be there for each other whenever it is needed and will be more approachable in the coming days.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan signed off on a new head of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, the military said on Tuesday, after weeks of delay as regional players try to stabilise the security and economy of neighbouring Afghanistan.

Lieutenant General Nadeem Anjum was approved as ISI head after a final consultation between army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Imran Khan.

The announcement followed weeks of speculation that the delay signified a rift between civil and military powers, speculation that officials denied.

The head of the ISI is one of the most important posts in Pakistan, at the intersection of domestic politics, the war on militancy and Pakistan`s foreign relations.

The appointment comes as Afghanistan faces the risk of economic collapse and a potential resurgence in militancy by groups such as the Islamic State after the Taliban took control in August.

Pakistan authorities, including the ISI, have long been accused of having links with senior Taliban members and offering them safe haven, charges vehemently denied by Islamabad.

In recent months, the current ISI chief has made two known trips to Kabul to meet Taliban officials, one of them this month with the country`s foreign minister.

Anjum`s appointment signals a possible smoothing of relations with the military, whose chief had pushed for the shuffle in key personnel.

Anjum, a three-star general with previous postings in Punjab and the southwestern province of Balochistan, begins the new job on November 20, according to a military statement.

After this detailed consultative process, name of Lt..Gen. Nadeem Anjum was approved as new DG ISI. The designate DG ISI shall assume charge on 20th November, 2021.  Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) October 26, 2021

The military had previously said that outgoing ISI chief Faiz Hameed would be posted to the northwestern city of Peshawar, not far from the Afghan border, as corps commander.

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Toronto: Indian-origin Canadian politician Anita Anand was on Tuesday appointed as the country's new Defence Minister in a Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, over a month after his Liberal Party returned to power in the snap polls and amid calls for major military reforms.

Anand, 54, will replace long-time defence minister Indian-origin Harjit Sajjan, whose handling of the military sexual misconduct crisis has been under criticism.

Sajjan has been appointed as Minister of International Development Agency, a report in the National Post newspaper said.

The new Cabinet maintains gender balance and has 38 members, up one person from before the election, it said.

According to a report in Global News, Anand has been touted as a strong contender for weeks among defence industry experts who said that moving her into the role would send a powerful signal to survivors and victims of military sexual misconduct that the government is serious about implementing major reforms.

The Canadian military is facing intense public and political pressure to change its culture and create better systems for both preventing and handling sexual misconduct allegations, it said.

Anand has a deep background as a corporate lawyer and has worked extensively on corporate governance, which refers specifically to the laws and rules in place to manage the operations of businesses, the report said.

Anand, along with Sajjan and Bardish Chagger were the three Indo-Canadian ministers in the dissolved Cabinet who emerged victorious in the parliamentary polls last month.

Anand was declared the winner in Oakville with a nearly 46 per cent vote share; a significant development for Canada's vaccine minister.

She was first elected as a rookie Member of Parliament in 2019 representing Oakville in Ontario province and served as procurement minister throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

She quickly became in charge of the country's efforts to secure COVID-19 vaccines and was often on the campaign trail with Trudeau.

In her role as former Minister of Public Services and Procurement, she played a very public role in the Liberal response to the health crisis.

"I'm just ecstatic, she had said after her win, thanking the volunteers who had worked extremely hard as a team for five weeks straight, she was quoted as saying by the Oakville News.

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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: President Joe Biden said on Wednesday the United States would stand with Southeast Asian allies in defending freedom of the seas, democracy and human rights and backed efforts to hold the Myanmar junta accountable to its commitments to peace.

Southeast Asia has become a strategic battleground between the United States and China, which controls most of the South China Sea and has turned up military and political pressure on fiercely democratic Taiwan, a self-ruled island it considers its own.

Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed on Wednesday at a virtual regional summit to establish a "comprehensive strategic partnership", a sign of Canberra`s ambition to play a bigger role in the region.

Biden joined Southeast Asian leaders in rebuking Myanmar`s junta as the summit opened on Tuesday without a representative from the country following its top general`s exclusion for ignoring peace proposals.

"In Myanmar, we must address the tragedy caused by the military coup which is increasingly undermining regional stability," Biden said on Wednesday.

"The United States stands for the people of Myanmar and calls for military regime to end the violence, release all political prisoners and return to the path of democracy."

He also said the United States was deeply concerned by "China`s coercive and proactive actions" across the Taiwan Strait, a waterway linking the island and the mainland.

Tensions between Taiwan and China have escalated in recent weeks as Beijing raises military and political pressure.

That has included repeated missions by Chinese warplanes in Taiwan`s air defence identification zone, or ADIZ, which covers a broader area than Taiwan`s territorial air space which Taiwan monitors and patrols to give it more time to respond to any threats.

China has never renounced the use of force to ensure eventual unification with Taiwan.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told the summit upholding peace, stability, freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea was in everyone`s interest.

"The South China Sea is our common home," he said.

REGIONAL ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK

Biden also said he would speak out for "human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet (and) the rights of the people of Hong Kong".

China denies human rights abuses in farwestern Xinjiang and the Himalayan region of Tibet. It also denies meddling with freedoms in the former British colony of Hong Kong.

Biden also announced discussions with partners in the IndoPacific region would start to develop a framework "that will position all of our economies for the future".

"We look forward to working together with digital economy standards on infrastructure and regional connectivity, on supply chain resilience and anti-corruption and worker standards and so much more," he said

Critics of U.S. strategy for the region point to its lack of an economic component after former President Donald Trump withdrew from the trade deal now known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2017.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters he had stressed in Wednesday`s meetings his country`s resolute stance on "urgent regional situations", including the East and South China Seas, North Korea and Myanmar.

"I also mentioned human rights situations in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, as well as the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan strait," he said.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Australia-ASEAN pact would strengthen diplomatic and security ties and promised Canberra would "back it with substance".

"This milestone underscores Australia`s commitment to ASEAN`s central role in the Indo-Pacific and positions our partnership for the future," he said in a joint statement with Foreign Minister Marise Payne. Brunei, serving as chair of ASEAN, said the agreement "marked a new chapter in relations."

After the announcement, Australia said it would invest $154 million in projects in Southeast Asia on health and energy security, counter-terrorism, fighting transnational crime, plus hundreds of scholarships.

China has sought a similar agreement with ASEAN. Premier Li met ASEAN leaders on Tuesday, and the bloc`s leaders will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in November at a virtual summit, two diplomatic sources told Reuters.

Morrison sought to reassure ASEAN that a trilateral security pact agreed last month between the United States, Britain and Australia, under which Australia will get access to nuclear-powered submarines, would not be a threat to the region.